Informative Essay on Hpv

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Testing What is the Human Papillomavirus? Commonly known as HPV, it is an infection that spreads through sexual contact. There are over one hundred different types of HPV; several types cause genital warts, while other high risk strands can lead to cancer of the cervix, anus, vagina, and penis. Because HPV is often asymptomatic, many people are unaware of their infection status, and thus, their potential for transmitting the virus to a sexual partner.The significance of the Human Papillomavirus is that fifty percent of Americans who are sexually active will contract it within their lives, and at any given point there are twenty million Americans already infected with it (â€Å"By the numbers: HPV Vaccine†). Infection with HPV is a significant public health burden in the United States because of the costs for screening and treatment for cervical abnormalities, as well as costs associated with treating benign genital warts. There is a vaccine known as Gardasil that will prevent strands of HPV. The vaccine, FDA approved, is effective towards different types of HPV.Human Papillomavirus vaccines should be administered to females, who are sexually active, to fight against certain strains of the virus, such as genital warts and most importantly cervical cancer. Genital warts is a skin infection caused by the sexually transmitted disease, the Human Papillomavirus. HPV types associated with genital infections are transmitted sexually, primarily through skin to skin contact during sexual activity. Warts are extremely common. Statistics show that â€Å"each year 250,000-500, 000 Americans develop genital warts† (â€Å"By the Numbers: HPV†).All are benign. In women, warts occur in or around the vagina, on the cervix or around the anus. In men, genital warts are less common but might occur on the top of the penis. There are currently several different strains of HPV that cause both external and internal warts. In the United St ates, about 1. 4 million people have genital warts, which cause HPV (Board, A. D. A. M. Editorial). According to researchers, â€Å"vaccines for the Human Papillomavirus are available to protect against the two types of HPV† (types 6 and 11) that cause about 80% of genital warts (â€Å"HPV Vaccine†).The Human Papillomavirus vaccine has been recommended for females nine to twenty-six years old; it should be administered before the onset of sexual activity, but the girls and women who are sexually active should be vaccinated as well (â€Å"HPV Vaccine†). Most infections go away within 1 to 2 years, but some persevere. Persistent infection can increase the risk of certain types of cancers. Nearly two decades ago, experts discovered a relationship between infection with HPV and cervical cancer. Since then, these experts have learned much more about what HPV can lead to (â€Å"Cervical Cancer Symptoms, Causes, Treatments†).The Human Papillomavirus can cause ch anges in a woman’s cervix. If the body clears the infection, the cervical cells go back to normal, but if they do not and the infection continues, the cells will abnormally change. The American Cancer society says â€Å"about 12,170 women will find out they have cervical cancer in the U. S. this year† (â€Å"By the Numbers: HPV Issues†). Many women in the United States get Pap smear tests, and if they have abnormal cells, they have them removed before they become benign. The high strands of HPV cause Pap smear tests to show that the cells are abnormal.According to Statistics â€Å"researchers say that virtually all cervical cancers, more than 99%, are caused by these high-risk HPV viruses† (â€Å"Cervical Cancer Symptoms, Causes, Treatments†). The most common of the high-strains of the Human Papillomavirus are types 16 and 18, which cause seventy percent of all cervical cancers (â€Å"HPV Vaccine†). Cervical cancer has an effect on women not only in a health manner. The emotional cost from HPV is a further burden as it may include fear of cervical cancer, apprehension, and the stigma associated with a sexually transmitted infection.HPV is so common that drug companies long sought to develop a vaccine against it. In June 2006, Gardasil, a Human Papillomavirus vaccine made by Merck & Co. , was licensed for use and brought to the market (â€Å"HPV Vaccine†). Gardasil, which is given into a series of three injections, targets the main types of HPV. The types targeted are HPV 6, HPV 11, HPV 16 and HPV 18, which cause ninety percent of the genital warts and are the leading causes of cervical cancer (â€Å"Cervical Cancer Symptoms, Causes, Treatments†). Brought to the attention by researchers â€Å"combined, those strains affect an estimated 3 million women in the U.S† (â€Å"HPV Vaccine†). Since HPV is so common in the United States, the makers of Gardasil are trying to get a law approved that wil l make the shots mandatory. In 2006, Upon Gardasil’s release, Merck & Co. launches an intensive lobbying effort to convince state lawmakers to make the vaccine mandatory for girls entering middle school. Approximately two dozen states consider adopting such a law in the first few months after Gardasil’s debut. â€Å"Key Events in the History of HPV† Women are not aware of the causes or effects of HPV. They lack knowledge of the infection and are more at risk.Circumstances are worsened when accompanied by a lack of knowledge about the transmission of the virus and its association with genital warts and cervical cancer. Doctors are recommending Gardasil to their patients to prevent genital warts and cancers. â€Å"I’m a Pediatrician, and in Pediatrics, we do routinely recommend Gardasil to both boys and girls,† says Dr. Marney Gundlach (â€Å"Undernews†). Dr. Alvin Bay Lin also quotes, â€Å"As a family physician, I recommend Gardasil to all appropriate patients, boys & girls 9-26yo, to prevent cervical and other genital cancers, anal cancer, and genital warts.There is some evidence that it may even be useful in women 27-45yo† (â€Å"Undernews†). In today’s generation, girls begin having sex as young as nine years old, and that is causing the risk of HPV to increase. Recently, Gardasil has been approved for males, in order to decrease the risk for spreading infections and to primarily lowering the results of spreading it to women (â€Å"HPV Infection in Men: Symptoms, Treatments, Causes. †). Note that the vaccines are not an HPV cure. Gardasil has been shown to provide protection for five years. The Human Papillomavirus vaccination does not mean women can skip their Pap smear test.Gardasil is slowly becoming known in order to enhance the awareness of its prevention against HPV. Should girls and young women receive the Human Papillomavirus vaccine? Yes. The vaccine is nearly one hundred effecti ve in preventing diseases caused by high-risk strains of HPV (â€Å"By the numbers: HPV Vaccine†). HPV is so common within the United States that at any given point there are twenty million people that have it (â€Å"By the numbers: HPV Vaccine†). The Human Papillomavirus causes skin infections, also known as genital warts. They occur in both men and women, in or around the genital areas.There are over one million people in the United States that have contracted genital warts (â€Å"Cervical Cancer Symptoms, Causes, Treatments†). If infections are not cleared up, they may lead to cervical cancer. Approximately, 3,700 women die each year from cervical cancer (â€Å"By the numbers: HPV Vaccine†). There is a vaccine out that has been Federal Drug Association, and Center for Disease Control approved to help prevent strains of HPV. Gardasil helps target the four main types of HPV. It is administered into a series of three shots, is effective to work up to five years. The shots may be presented to both men and women, in order to reduce etting high risk strains of HPV. Doctors are recommending Gardasil to their adult patients as well as their adolescent patients in order to create awareness against HPV. Due to lack of knowledge of how severe HPV can be, Gardasil should be administered to both men and women to decrease the number of HPV infections a year and the number of deaths of cervical cancer. Statistics show the vast number of Americans who have contracted HPV, and how they are rising every year. Gardasil may be the safest choice in protection for women, in order to slowly decrease future numbers. Works Citied Board, A.D. A. M. Editorial. â€Å"Causes, Incidence, and Risk Factors. † Cervical Cancer. U. S. National Library of Medicine, 18 Nov. 0000. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. â€Å"By the Numbers: HPV Vaccine. † Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 18 Sept. 2009. Web. 6 Mar. 2012. â€Å"Cervical Cancer Symptoms, Causes, Treatments. † WebMD. WebMD. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. â€Å"HPV and Cervical Cancer. † WebMD. WebMD, 10 Jan. 0000. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. â€Å"HPV Infection in Men: Symptoms, Treatments, Causes. † WebMD. WebMD. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. . HPV Vaccine. † Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 18 Sept. 2009. Web. 6 Mar. 2012. â€Å"Key Events in the History of the HPV Vaccine. † Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 18 Sept. 2009. Web. 6 Mar. 2012. â€Å"Undernews. † : Gardasil: A Case Study of What Can Happen When Pharma Hustling Goes Wild. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. | | | competency| 50|   37| clear maintained position| 10|   9| analysis/synthesis| 15|   14| use of sources| 15|   14| distinctive presentation| 10|   7| grade|   | 81|

Surah al-Fatiha

Surah al-Fatiha is the first surah of the Quran and is recited in each prayer as the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon him, declared, â€Å"There is no salah (valid) without the opening chapter of the Book.†[1] On accepting Islam, a person should first memorize Surah al-Fatiha to be able to perform the prescribed prayers. Its meaning should be learnt and contemplated every time we offer salah. Its name:   It is named Al-Fatihah, the Opening – because it opens the Book and by it the recitation in prayer commences.It is also named Umm al-Qur'an, the Mother of the Qur'an, and Umm al-Kitab, the Mother of the Book, according to the opinion of the majority. This was mentioned by Anas, however Al-Hasan and Ibn Sirin disliked this appellation reasoning that this was the most fitting description for the Preserved Tablet. Al-Hasan also said that the unequivocal verses of the Qur'an comprised the Mother of the Book. However, it is established in Sahih At-Tirmidhi from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)? Main ThemeThis Surah is in fact a prayer to the Lord of the universe for seeking guidance to the straight path Who alone can grant it. He alone is worthy of worship and He alone is to be asked for help because He is the Cherisher and the Master of everything in the universe. He is All-Merciful and has bestowed countless of bounties on His creatures, but at the same time He is the supreme Justice and everybody will have to answer Him on the Day of Judgement for his worldly deeds. When believers implore for the straight path, He always showers blessings on them and protects them from going astray. Supplication is the core of worship and the Holy Quran encourages the believers for petitioning, â€Å"And your Lord said: Invoke Me, I will respond to your supplication†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ? VirtuesLet us look at greatness and benefits of this amazing Surah so that we are reminded of its greatness.1:Greatest Surah of Quran (Umm ul-Quran): Importance of its greatness is described in HadithProphet (SAW) said:†Do you want me to teach you a Surah the like of which has not been revealed in the Torah, the Injeel, the Zabur, nor the Quran?†, and also asked what He recited in His prayers. He replied Umm-ul-Quran (Surah Fatiha) the Prophet (PBUH) proclaimed, ‘By Him in Whose dominion my soul is, nothing like it has been revealed in the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, or the Quran and it is seven of the oft-repeated verses in the Mighty Quran which I have been given.From this hadith, we can say that Surah al-Fatiha has great importance as it is known as â€Å"Mother of Quran†. Also, it has no other match no matter whatever has revealed before Quran. Surah al-Fatiha is the prayer which Prophet Muhammad (SAW) recited in his prayer, that's why Surah al-Fatiha is the most important part of our prayer and without it our Salah is void. Pillar of the Salah: As we all know this surah has great importance in prayer whoever not read it in his prayer his Salah is invalid or void. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said Surah al-Fatiha is†The Mother of the Quran, the Mother of the Book, the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses and the Great recitation.† Cure of disease: Surah al-Fatiha is the cure for the disease as mentioned in the hadith:Hazrat Abu Saeed al-Khudri narrates:†While on a journey we halted at a place. A girl came to us and said: â€Å"The chief of this tribe has been stung by a scorpion and our men are not present, is there anybody amongst you who can recite something upon him to treat him?† Then, one of our men went along with her although we did not think that he knew any such treatment. However, our friend went to the chief and recited something upon him and the chief was cured. Thereupon, the chief gave him thirty sheep and gave us all milk to drink. When he returned, we asked our friend: â€Å"Did you know anything to recite upon him to cure him?† He said: â€Å"No, I only recited Umm al-Kitab (i.e. Surah al-Fatiha) upon him.† We said that do not do anything until we reach Madinah and ask the Prophet regarding this (practice and reward-whether the sheep were lawful or not for us). Upon reaching Madinah, we narrated this to the Prophet (PBUH), whereupon he remarked: â€Å"How did he come to know that Al-Fatiha can be used as a cure? (PBUH) Distribute your reward amongst yourselves and a lot a share for me as well. Light sent from heaven: An Angel addressed the Prophet (SAW) saying,†Rejoice in two lights brought to you which have not been brought to any prophet before you, Al-Fatiha and the last verses of Al- Baqarah†.Ibn ‘Abbas narrated:†While Jibril was with the Messenger of Allah, he heard a noise from above. Jibril lifted his sight to the sky and said: â€Å"This is a door in the Heavens being opened, and it has never been opened before now.† An Angel descended from that door and came to the Prophet and said: â€Å"Receive the glad tidings of two lights that you have been given, which no other Prophet before you was given: the Opening of the Book (Al Fatiha) and the last verses of ‘al-Baqarah.' You will not read a letter of them except that you will gain its benefit.† (Sahih Muslim) A cure for the heart: This Chapter of Quran have a supplication for protection from misguidance and from the anger of Allah. So this Surah protects the heart from corrupt knowledge and offensive motives.†You (Oh Allah) we worship and from You do we seek help†. (Ibn Qayim)As you can see this Surah has many benefits which we can utilize to protect ourselves from worldly difficulties? TAFSEERWhen we say Al-humdulillah, here ‘AL' means all or the entire hence meaning all praise is for Allah alone. The word ‘Rabb' stands for:(a) Master and Owner,(b) Sustainer, Provider and Guardian,(c) Sovereign, Ruler, Administrator and Organizer.This means that there's no one worthy of worship, but Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. He is the Sustainer and Owner of all that He has created in both Alams (Worlds). No prophet, no angel, no human, no so-called god or idol is worthy of worship, but Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. He alone deserves devotion, worship, gratitude and no one else. This indicates that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is the Lord of the Universe in all these senses.Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem are two names derived from the same root Ar-Rahmah (the mercy). One of them is softer than the other, meaning, it carries more implications of mercy.The name Ar-Rahman is exclusively for Allah encompassing every kind of mercy. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is Ar-Rahman for the entire creation regardless of what they believe in, whether they are evil doers or the righteous; they all receive their sustenance from Allah. On the other hand, the word ‘Ar-Raheem' is exclusively for the believers. Those who believe in Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala receive special blessings from Him and they are the ones who are going to be happy and content in this life and in the Hereafter. Just look at how Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala right in the beginning of the Qur'an has informed us that He is a Merciful Lord. He doesn't want to punish people just like that rather He is Forgiving and Merciful. The condition to seek forgiveness or mercy is repentance. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make us among those who seek repentance as soon as they realize they have done something wrong that might have displeased Him. Aameen. After Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala describes that He is Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem, He immediately gives a warning, that along with His mercy, He is also the Master of the Day of Judgment. So that a person should not forget that along with His mercy He is also Just.We must therefore not allow ourselves to be misled. We should always remember that we are accountable to Him. He is not unaware of what we do in dunya. On the Day of Judgment, He will gather entire mankind from Adam aalyhi sallam to the last child born and ask each of us to give an account of our actions. He has the power and right to pardon us or punish us. We should be constantly striving to please Him. After the person has praised Allah and thanked Him, now he stands before Him, addressing Him directly; O' Allah our worship, obedience, submission and devotion is only for You alone, and we only serve You. O' Allah we know that You are the Lord of the Universe and You have the power over everything, therefore, we only turn to You for help, for our needs and requirements. By saying Iyyaka na'abudu wa'iyyaka nasta'aeen, we are acknowledging â€Å"You alone we worship and to You alone we pray for help.†The word iyyaka means â€Å"My whole attention is only on You or You alone. â€Å"The word na'abudu is derived from the Arabic word ‘Abd â€Å"Slave† (that is why the most beautiful name to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is ‘Abdullah meaning the slave of Allah) and â€Å"Na† in Arabic is used as a pronoun for We. So when we say na'abudu we are saying â€Å"We worship† hence Iyyaka na'abudu means â€Å"You alone we worship. â€Å"Wa in Arabic is used for the English word â€Å"and† so when we add wa'iyyaka, we are saying â€Å"And to You alone†.Nasta'aeen means to get help or to ask for help. When we recite â€Å"Ihdina alssirata almustaqeem† we are asking Allah subhana wa ta'ala to â€Å"Guide us to the path that is straight.†Siraat in Arabic means â€Å"The path†We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to show us the right path and in response to that He opens up the entire Qur'an as if saying, â€Å"This is the straight path you're looking for†. The straight path mentioned here and elsewhere in the Qur'an refers to Islam. We already mentioned the hadith in which the servant proclaims, ‘Guide us to The Right Way', and Allah says, â€Å"This is for My servant and My servant shall acquire what he has asked for†.When we make such a prayer to our Rabb, how do can we be led astray? Can we still have doubt and uncertainty in our life when we have asked Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to show us the Right Path? We can only get lost in labyrinths of doubt and uncertainty due to lack of true knowledge. Let us hold firm to the straight path that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has opened up for us. After asking Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to show us the straight path and protect us from deviation, we become specific in our prayer.We ask Him to show us the path of those upon whom He has bestowed His mercy i.e. people who are obedient to Allah and His Messengers. We seek refuge in Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala from following the path of those who have earned His wrath, or of those who have lost The Way. From traditions we learn that those who have earned His wrath are those knew the Scripture; who had read in their Books about the coming of a Last Messenger and his description yet they concealed the truth (meaning the Jews).Who have gone astray? Those who are not in search of the truth. Those who have known what is right but their weaknesses have led them far away (meaning the Christians). In the last ayah of this beautiful Surah there is a lesson for each one of us; anyone who knows the truth but hides it has earned Allah's anger and anyone who is not in search of truth may go astray. We beseech Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to save us from following the path of such a person (or nation). We don't want that path Ya Allah, save us from treading in their footsteps. Aameen Ya Rabbil Alameen.? Impact of Surah Al-Fatiha on the life of a Muslim as servant of Allah.{In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.}– Always start your affairs with the name of Allah– His mercy is the first attribute used to introduce Allah to you{All praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds}– Reflect on His infinite blessings– A practical tip is to remember one blessing in each rak`ah (unit) of your prayer{The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.}– The names of mercy are occurred FOUR times in a relatively short Surah– His mercy is the first attribute used to introduce Allah to you.  {Master of the Day of Judgment}  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Reflect on the Day of Judgment– Remember that this prayer may be the last one before you meet Him.  {It is You we worship and You we ask for help.}– This Ayah is the CORE of the Surah, and the essence of Tawhid (confirming the one-ness of Allah)– This is a perfect moment to think about what you want from Allah, and prepare for your upcoming supplication (du`aa') and wishes{Guide us to the Straight Path}– The number ONE request you definitely need from Allah is guidance, and from Him alone.Remember that If Allah guides you, then the whole world with its temptation won't matter, so be sincere in your request.The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.

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Management Final Project - Essay Example The project showed the new shopping cart concepts that embedded the issues including shopping behavior, maneuverability, cost maintenance, and child safety. These concepts aimed at improving the management skills where both the business and the customers were the centers of interest (Kelly, 1999). As the business was reducing the loss of its fixed assets (the cart trolleys), the customer values and interest were also considered whereby despite the crewed developing in the shaping both the cost and customer safety were never compromised. Moreover, the show concentrated on the design process of the IDEO that reflected multidisciplinary team brainstormed, prototyped, and research the gathered the feedback from those who used the design. These applications deployed by the design indicated that good managerial skills that included teamwork as well as the incorporating the end users in the development and improvement of services and products (Kelly, 1999). Teamwork allows acquiring extensi ve knowledge and skills in design products and services that will meet the end users’ desire. Moreover, teamwork allows extensive innovation thereby increasing the production and sale of the intended service or product in the market line. Seeking for the views of customers within the intended product and service line is also an effective business management skill since it allows the business to design products and services that will meet the needs and wants of customers (Kelly, 1999). Notably, meeting the needs of customers within every product and service line often improves sales and profitability in the same sense (Kelly, 1999). Moreover, seeking and using feedback from the targeted customers is essential in that it is a means of improvement of services and products especially in areas that customers feel unsatisfied. It should be noted that the current business management skills are customer centered; the production of goods and services are to meet the needs of the custo mer. In this sense, the application of this design in businesses will improve businesses applying the same since they will be having an extended and elaborate market (Kelly, 1999). Additionally, every proper business management skill usually values the safety of its customer in line with production and service delivery and the IDEO’s design have ensured that child safety is a factor in their production and service delivery in the cart shopping. Another essential management skill demonstrated in case video clip, the continual improvement. Every business must give room for product and or service improvement. In the case of IDEO’s shopping cart design, the continual improvement is demonstrated where it is vivid that the design lacks some steel frame bottom and side to detect theft. However, it substituted plastic baskets thereby increasing shoppers’ flexibility and helped in protecting goods as well as providing a means of promoting the brand awareness (Kelly, 1999 ). The design also incorporated the auxiliary services that usually aim at maintaining customers to the services and products offered or acting as a means of customer attracting other customers to such news services and products. The dual child seat with a swing up tray provides a play surface and a secure spot for placing a bunch of carnations or cup of coffee. Additionally, seeking for the addition information through secondary research enable the IDEO shopping cart des

Critique a Research Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Critique a Research Study - Essay Example A number of recommendations for practice, policy and research were made in the light of these findings. The problem that the paper seeks to address is the need to find better ways of supporting the rising number of cases in Canada where an elderly woman is cared for in the community by an adult daughter. This problem has arisen partly because of the demographics of Canada, which show a lengthening of life expectancy in general, and a predicted rise in the number of age related diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and other kinds of dementia. Another factor that is causing the numbers of such cases to rise is the rising cost of care home provision, and the closure of many care homes, leaving by far the majority of dementia sufferers to be cared for by their families in the community, often with little or no support from professional carers. The purpose of this study is then to address this gap in the literature and investigate the perceptions and experiences of mothers who a re suffering from dementia and who are cared for by their adult daughters. Literature Review Since the emergence of feminist theories in the middle of the twentieth century there has been a growing awareness of the particular problems and issues that face women in largely patriarchal Western societies. Considerable research has been carried out on the relocation of care from home to a residential setting and even here the continuing care of family members can be beneficial to dementia sufferers, so long as the relationship and interaction between professional care staff and family carers is carefully managed. A study by Maas et al. (2004) on a Family Involvement in Care Intervention carried out in 14 American care home settings concluded that the use of such a structured program improved the caregiving experience of family members in nursing homes, and also had positive effects on the attitudes of nursing home staff towards family caregivers. Dementia affects whole families, because it changes the way that the dementia patient relates to others, and requires adjustments in the way that the family sees the mother role in particular. A study by Mui (1995) confirmed that families who enjoyed good relationships before the onset of dementia generally coped better with the diagnosis and rallied round to provide better care for their loved one, than families which had previously had strained relationships. Because care in the community is a relatively recent phenomenon, there has until now been a focus on care home treatments of dementia, with less research into women with dementia who remain in the community. When this has occurred, it has often focused on the effects of the situation on carers, who can suffer stress due to the demanding nature of the illness (McCarty, 1996). There has been very little research from the perspective of the patients themselves, especially when they are cared for in their own home and outside the mainstream healthcare system. The paper by Ward-Griffin et al. (2006) builds on these earlier studies and takes them one step further by eliciting views directly from women with dementia themselves. Theory This paper explicitly states that it is guided by feminist and life-course perspectives (Ward-Griffin et al., 2004, p. 183). This implies an awareness of the social context of care, and the expectations, inequalities and pressures that Canadian society attaches

Contemporary Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Contemporary Strategic Management - Essay Example The report will be divided into two segments. The first segments will cover the strategic analysis of the company and the second part of the study will cover the strategic choice and strategic implementation. The strategic analysis will be mainly carried out to find the current situation of the company and the strategies used by them to operate in the market place. In order to evaluate those strategies of Vodafone, several strategic frameworks will be utilized. The strategic frameworks which will be utilized in this study are SWOT framework, PESTEL analysis, and BCG matrix. Apart from that, to analyse the UK telecom industry, Porter’s five forces framework will be used. The tools will be directly applied on Vodafone to identify its current situation, performance and ability. Furthermore, the report will also suggest the alternative courses of action by which Vodafone can operate and market its products efficiently in the future. After that an alternative will be chosen and its selection will be justified. Finally, the process of implementing the strategy will be enlightened. SECTION I – STRATEGIC ANALYSIS Vodafone: A Brief Overview Vodafone group Plc. is a UK based multinational company involved in the business telecommunication products and services. The company was founded in the year 1991. However its history goes back to 1983, when it used to operate as Racial Telecom (Vodafone, 2012a). Previously, the company had its headquarters at Berkshire, however recently it moved to London, United Kingdom. The company has presence in places such as Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, Europe and USA. Some of the major products and services of the company are prepaid and post paid voice services, mobile data services, MMS and SMS services, handsets, land-lines and digital television among others. It employs around 70,000 employees around the world. According to the recent media publications, the company holds a mammoth base of 407 million subscribers aroun d the world. Vodafone in listed in the London Stock Exchange and has listing in NASDAQ. With the changing business environment and rapid technological growth, the expectation of customers has also increased. Hence in order to meet the needs of the customers, Vodafone periodically updates its product portfolio by launching new products. For example implementation of 3G is the latest addition. The competitors of the company are Tesco, Fresh, Sainsbury, Virgin, BT Mobile and One Tel among others. Situational Analysis Situation analysis is a method by which companies evaluate their internal and external environment. This helps in understanding the firm’s business environment, customers, capabilities and core competencies (Davis, 2008). In this context i.e. to understand and identify the business environment, capabilities and core competencies of Vodafone, several situation analysis tools will be used. To understand the industry porter’s five forces will be used and to gaug e the external business factors PESTEL analysis will be used. In addition, to get an in depth information about the internal environment of the organization, tools such as SWOT framework and BCG matrix will be used. SWOT

Entrepreneur ship Essay Example for Free

Entrepreneur ship Essay Regardless the state of the country, one can realize that coffee is one of the most favorite products among American people. It has remained in the top positions for some decades. However, drinking coffee is not only the consumption of a product; it has become a daily activity. It is normal to hear this question when someone wants to meet up with one person: â€Å"do you want to get a coffee tomorrow and we can talk about? † Any excuse is good enough to get a cup of coffee. The beginning of the coffee industry dates back to the 1960’s, when a man named Alfreed Peet felt the inspiration to create the first gourmet coffee shop (Peet’s Coffee). That inspiration came, between other reasons, because he grew seeing his parents ‘coffee business (Peet’s Coffee). He was living in Holland and later in Indonesia. After that, he went to California where he thought he had the necessary knowledge to start his own business. By doing that, Peet started to produce a richer and more complex coffee that the available coffee at the market (Peet’s Coffee). Because of his marketing strategy, motivation through employees and resilience to fall, Alfreed Peet was one of the most innovative and creative entrepreneurs of coffee industry. Some people think that entrepreneurs are different from everyone else since they think these people were born with a special ability that nobody else has. However, these people are what they are because they learn from experience, including inconvenient experiences. Peet reached a great success because he did it. Despite this level of success, Peet can still became a better brand by introducing an aggressive advertising, worldwide expansion, and improving the pricing system. Peet had the features that best define an entrepreneur. First, he had the vision to open a shop in an unfamiliar market, the coffee market. Vision is a characteristic that most of the entrepreneurs have (Boone and Kurtz 608). Entrepreneurs do not fall depressed when people tell them that their business will not run successfully. Instead, they trust in their intuition and continue until they get what they want (Kelly and McGowen 92). Along with vision, Peet had passion about his coffee. He did not think in becoming rich or famous, but making the best coffee he could. He knew the importance of enjoying the process rather than thinking about the outcome. Moreover, he had enough motivation to start his business and offer the best product and service. This is the most important factor that one person must have to get anything in his or her life. Some people do not pay enough attention to how important the motivation is to succeed in any field. When one is motivated, it is much easier to reach any goal. Time does not seem to go by when one feels a motivational force inside him. Furthermore, the motivation makes one enjoy whatever he or she is doing. Then, along with this enjoyment, the results come without the sense of effort. â€Å"Motivation is important simply because it allows you as a leader to meet and even exceed your own organizational goals† (â€Å"importance†). However, motivation is not enough if one does not spend time working. For this reason, Peet knew that dedication was important if he wanted to be successful in the coffee industry. He did not believe in luck, but in causality. Another reason why he was a successful entrepreneur was that he wanted to see the growth of his family? s coffee business. He wanted to continue what was started decades ago. Finally, the word â€Å"commitment†. To Peet, it meant to be persistence. If he wanted his dream to become a reality, he had to overcome big obstacles. It meant never giving up and to being congruent by taking action instead of just talking. Peet? s coffee should be an admired company because of its behavior towards employees and customers. Peet? s makes an effort in having a good workplace where employees must be prepared to create the great coffee that customers like (Peet’s Coffee). It has been proven that the performance of the employees is greater when they are in a comfortable and attractive environment. Moreover, Peet knows the importance of making his employees feel well. An employer should not only think of the employees as part of the company, but should also take into consideration their opinions and complaints. â€Å"Democratic leadership ordinarily produces higher member satisfaction and morale. It also results in higher quality decisions when members have as much or more knowledge than the leader regarding a particular problem† (Sharpe). The results of a company depend on the performance of the employees. Espinosa states that an important step is â€Å"to be a positive model as a leader. You’re supposed to be a good example for your members to emulate, and a person worth respecting. † Good team work is an essential part of any job because the best results are achieved when everybody goes in the same direction. Moreover, motivation is crucial to push people to get their goals. â€Å"Democratic leaders involve members in decision making either by reaching consensus or by using parliamentary procedure. They pursue open, trusting, follower-oriented relationships† (Sharpe). The relationship between Peet and his customers has also been excellent during the time that Peet’s coffee has existed. (Peet’s Coffee). This relationship is passed from parents to their children and grandchildren and it seems to be continuing for a long time. Besides, Peet’s company has developed different economic and education programs in order to collaborate with the growth of the countries that provide beans and leaves for his coffee (Peet’s Coffee). To summarize, Alfreed puts the emphasis on being a big family who plays on the same team. Every member of the team has different tasks to do in order to reach the same goals for Peet’s coffee, which are to make a profit, offer an excellent service to the clients, and of course, to enjoy while doing it. Peet knows that the world has changed in the last decades; therefore, he has adapted to the marketing changes along these years. At the beginning of his expansion, Peet started in a local place where the coffee market was becoming more popular. At that time, the marketing concept changed and the business’ owners started to offer the goods and services that their clients demanded in a higher quality than their competitors (Boone and Kurtz 380-381). Thus, Peet wanted to get customer satisfaction more than anything else. However, times changed and Peet had to adapt if he wanted to continue being successful. Peet spread out his stores to different states of the country such as California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon and Washington (Peet’s Coffee). Moreover, the last decades are characterized by some changes in marketing. Marketers are conscious of the importance of keeping loyal customers. Boone and Kurtz say that â€Å"acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than keeping an existing customer† (380-381). For this reason, Peet not only provided his products in his stores, but he started to look for ways that customers could find his products everywhere. Customers can now buy his products in different supermarkets around the country. For example, Safeway, Super-valu and Ralphs offer his products (Peet’s Coffee). In addition, Peet has seen how technology has grown in the last years and he has created his own website. This website gives the customers the opportunity to see, compare and buy Peet’s products. This website has also a service for customers and they can ask any question related to the products which will be answered by his representatives (Peet’s Coffee). Another important marketing feature of Peet’s business is that he is not only a retailer for his customers, but he is also a wholesaler for distributors of restaurants and food services (Peet’s Coffee). Even though Peet’s coffee is famous and well-known by coffee drinkers, there are some strategies that he should use in order to expand his business. First, a better advertising marketing strategy should be utilized if he wants to become more known around the country considering most people do not know about Peet’s coffee. However, when someone tastes this coffee they should ask themselves: How come I have never heard about this coffee? Peet should then invest money in publicizing his products. For instance, an advertisement on television and in a newspaper would make people arouse curiosity about this coffee. Second, it would be a good idea to emphasize the selling in the universities. Between students it is really popular to drink coffee, especially when exams are approaching. Peet should promote specific campaigns where executive go to different universities to publicize its products. The most important thing would be to franchise Peet’s stores in different universities. By doing this, students would start to know Peet’s coffee and it would be an excellent opportunity for Peet to grow his brand. Finally, in my opinion, the best strategy would be to expand his business to other countries of the world. Peet only has stores in the United States. In this situation, he can not expand his branch more than one point. He could expand his stores to other countries of the world because people like to try new brands. Even if one brand like Starbucks is successful around the world, people will still be attracted if a good product is offered to them. If Peet’s marketing strategy has worked in the United States, there is a high probability that it may work in other countries. Peet’s coffee would be successful around the world and it would keep in people minds for ever. Works Cited Boone, Louise E., and David L. Kurtz. Contemporary Business 12th Edition. Mason: Thomson, 2006. Print. Espinosa, Jerome. â€Å"How to effectively handle union negotiations. † Helium. com Helium 06 Oct. 2010. Web. 03 February. 2012. â€Å"Importance of Motivation. † Leadership-central. com Leadership-central. com, Web. 20 Jan. 2012. Kelly, Marce. , and McGowen, Jim. BSN3. Mason: South Western Cengage Learning, 2006. Print. Peet’s Coffee and Tea. Peet’s Coffee and Tea. PCT, Web. 14 Dec. 2011. Sharpe, Dave. â€Å"Choosing Leadership Styles. † Msuextension. org Montana State University Extension, Web. 20 Jan. 2012.

Effects Of Raw Sewage Discharged Directly Environmental Sciences Essay

Effects Of Raw Sewage Discharged Directly Environmental Sciences Essay Throughout history of existence of man, getting rid of waste man produces has always been problematic. Our Palaeolithic and Neolithic ancestors also had the same problem of waste disposal, those who lived on oysters and other shellfish simply threw the waste out forming the kitchen middens which are now of great interest to the archaeologists (Anderson, 2007). During the medieval times sewage and domestic waste was thrown everywhere and ended up flowing into nearby water bodies. Around 1900s, the system of sewers evolved, cities did not treat sewage during that time (Ward, 2010). They simply collected the raw or untreated sewage (wastewater) using the system and discharged it into a receiving body of water either a river or a marine environment (Anderson, 2007) dictated by the location of the city. However, it soon became apparent that raw sewage discharged in this manner was inadequate for two major reasons being; the adverse ecological impacts on receiving waters and the adverse public health impacts since some of the microorganisms in raw sewage may be pathogenic (Ward, 2010) hence the receiving water bodies cannot be used for water contact sports like swimming and water skiing. Now municipal councils worldwide have gone to a great extent of constructing sewage treatment plants to keep up with pace of increasing human population, which tend to generate more sewage. These modern municipal sewage treatment systems utilize microbial degradation as a principal way to degrade these organic and inorganic material contained in waste water. The ecological impacts of discharging raw sewage into rivers are dictated by the constituents of the waste. Sewage contains vast amounts of organic material, also inorganic materials such as nutrient salts consisting mainly phosphate and nitrate from partial mineralisation of the organic matter and detergents where phosphates are used as dispersion and suspension agents (Nixon, 2009). Run-off from industries and gardens also end up in the sewage. This can probably contain traces of heavy metals such as mercury and uranium(Landman and Ling, 2011). Microorganisms both living and dead also contribute to the amount of organic material present in the sewage, the latter is a pollutant. Discharging raw sewage into rivers therefore introduces these constituents of sewage into the aquatic ecosystem. Organic material will therefore serve as a substrate for the growth of heterotrophic bacteria. The aerobic respiration activities of these microorganisms remove the dissolved oxygen in water, creating an anoxic condition. This condition is lethal to fish and other oxygen requiring living organisms in the river (Landman and Ling, 2011). Biodiversity in the aquatic system is thus hampered due to reduction of other living species population in the river. Also other terrestrial organisms depending on the river water will be affected negatively since the water is no longer in state that is conducive for them to use (Nixon, 2009). Wastes released by the microorganism tend to be toxic to other living organisms. Also animals that drink on the river that contain sewage can end up acquiring the heavy metals that concentrate up the food chain hence endangered species could be wiped o ut as a result of the toxicity of the heavy metals (Ward, 2010). Since pH and temperature have effect on the solutes in the waste water, low or high will lead to cations in water complexing with the phosphate hence precipitates (Nixon, 2009). These precipitates will change the aesthetic appearance of water. Also the precipitates can be bound to aquatic organism such as fish hence blocking their pores on their bodies that are responsible for gaseous exchange. Public health impacts due to raw sewage in rivers are that the river can longer be used as a source of drinking water and for human consumption. The river water thus tend to have a high concentration of nitrates, which are toxic to human especially infants as it can cause a disease known as blue baby syndrome (Anderson, 2007). This disease results due to high affinity of nitrates to haemoglobin hence less oxygen is carried in the blood. Water borne microorganisms such vibrio cholera from human faeces (Moubarrad,. et al 2007) also can be contained in the water hence if water is used for human consumption, this can lead to spread of diseases. Water contact sport also can be performed on such water due to the contamination by organic matter and bad odour as a result of the raw sewage. Even though the water can be rich in plant nutrients, it cannot be used for irrigation purposes in agriculture since heavy metals that are contained in the water can end up finding their way into crops. Heavy metals such as mercury in water can be converted to methylmercury by bacteria (Ward, 2010). Methylmercury is a neurotoxin in human that affect the nervous system and brain functioning hence it can cause permanent development defects in babies (Moubarrad,. et al 2007) . Since the severity of the impact of raw sewage discharged into rivers varies due to the volume of the raw sewage, organic and inorganic material content and the flow rate of water in the river, therefore when rivers are given sufficient time without further pollution, rivers have the natural capability to restore themselves (Ward, 2010). Oxygen can be reintroduced into the water through two activities being; oxygenic photosynthesis by cyanobacteria, algae and aquatic plants and also by the turbulence of the river, which results in the diffusion of oxygen from air. In addition, the organic material component of raw sewage is eventually degraded by the heterotrophic bacteria and when it depletes the population of these bacteria declines (Anderson, 2007). However in the case of lakes, deposition of raw waste triggers a phenomenon known as eutrophication since water in lakes is not flowing. Eutrophication results from nitrates and phosphates contained in raw sewage being turned into cellular mass by microorganisms in presence of light ( HobÆK,. et al 2012). Eventually water is covered with green mats of algae, blocking sunlight and gases to diffuse into the water hence organisms rising in water die due to insufficient oxygen. A high population of microorganisms especially anaerobic ones results and this enhances other predatory microorganisms to reside in the water being attracted by the high populations of their prey. Due to eutrophication, biodiversity will be lost in terms of reduction in populations of organisms residing in water. Lakes compared to rivers are not capable of quick self-restoration since water in them is stagnant therefore diffusion of gases cannot be possibly easy.

Regarding Indefinite Administrative Detention Essay example -- Politic

Regarding Indefinite Administrative Detention Blind patriotism and resounding public support of President Bush’s ‘War’ on terrorism after the events of September 11 th have allowed considerable leeway to be taken by the Federal Government in terms of indefinite detention of non-U.S. citizens in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But all the flag waving seems to have helped a lot of people dismiss the idea that, even though the detainees taken from Afghanistan in the past year are not U.S. citizens, they remain innocent until proven guilty according to American legal principles. One might ask: ‘if the suspects haven’t been proven guilty in court (or the remarkably prosecutor-friendly military tribunals), how can they be, for all intents and purposes, imprisoned while innocent (without violating numerous constitutional, statutory, and international laws)?’ The answer is that, because the detainees have NOT been charged with any crime, they are held as enemy combatants. Once deemed a threat to national security by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, they are subject to the restrictions of Wartime Internment: â€Å"according to the Geneva Conventions, captured combatants may be detained without charges until the end of active hostilities.†(Mariner) The procedural laws governing detention of aliens lie in a complex net of statutes declaring the rights of the government to detain aliens under different situations. When Donald Rumsfeld says that the end of active hostilities will come â€Å"when we feel that there are not effective global terrorist networks functioning in the world† (Mariner), the importance of looking at exactly what the Supreme Court has to say about detention regulations becomes increasingly clear: indefinite detention could v... ...tizens as a fair, just, and prudent tactic to serve the goal of winning a seemingly impossible, rhetorical war.(Mariner) But while the moral issues revolving around preventative administrative detention remain, the court in fact resolved Zadvydas in an ethically sound, legally justifiable manner. WORKS CITED Carter, Lief. 2002. Reason In Law: Sixth Edition. New York, NY: Longman. Mariner, Joanne. May 28, 2002. Indefinite Detention On Guantanamo. Retrieved October 19, 2002, from http://writ.corporate.findlaw.com/mariner/20020528.html Ramasastry, Anita. Oct. 5, 2001. Indefinite Detention Based Upon Suspicion: How The Patriot Act Will Disrupt Many Lawful Immigrants’ Lives. Retrieved October 19, 2002, from http://writ.corporate.findlaw.com/ramasastry/20011005.html Zadvydas v. Davis, et al. U.S. Supreme Court. Argued, Feb. 21, 2001. Decided, June 28, 2001.

Johnny Got his Gun :: Essays Papers

Johnny Got his Gun When I first started reading Johnny Got His Gun, by Dalton Trumbo, I thought it would be more direct in its description of World War I. However, the entire novel takes place in one American soldier’s hospital bed. His name is Joe. He no arms, legs, or face, and he is deaf. Rendered this way after an explosive shell hit him, he has no way to communicate with the world. Joe dreams throughout the novel, mostly about his memories, and because of this, a great deal of the book is disjointed and contains a dreamlike quality. Through his dreams, I learned about Joe’s life before the war. I learned he lost his father fairly young, and about his boyhood romances. Joe worked at the railroad, and at a bakery. Before he left for the war, he had a girlfriend named Kareen who I believe he wanted to marry. When Joe is awake, he at first is unaware of his injuries. He realizes he is deaf, but he goes through several stages of denial and acceptance for his physical features. He thinks his face is only swathed in bandages, not gone. He thinks the doctors are injecting drugs into the heel of his hand, not the stub that was his arm. Only when Joe realizes he’s missing his arms and legs and face, does he realize the full extent of his situation. Joe doesn’t even know where he is, though he speculates that he could be in England, France, or possibly America. Joe knows that if his arms and legs didn’t make it through the shell blast that nearly killed him, his dog tags certainly didn’t. He knows he’ll never see his sister or mother, or Kareen, his girlfriend, again. He’ll never even know where he is. Joe learns to tell time by how often the nurses come. He first figures out when dawn is by the warming of the sun’s rays on his skin. He then keeps count of how often the day and night nurses come between two dawns. When Joe finally gets it right (it takes several tries) he feels as though he’s regained some sort of connection with the rest of the world. After five years, Joe is given a medal of honor for his efforts and losses in the war.

The Individual and The System in Keseys One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest :: One Flew Over Cuckoos Nest

The Individual and The System   One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Many social issues and problems are explored in Ken Kesey's novel One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Perhaps the most obvious complaint against society is the treatment of the individual. This problem of the individual versus the system is a very controversial topic that has provoked great questioning of the government and the methods used to treat people who are unable to conform to the government's standards. McMurphy is an individual who is challenging and rebelling against the system's rules and practices. He eventually teaches this practice of rebellion to the other patients who begin to realize that their lives are being controlled unfairly by the mental institution. When McMurphy first arrives at the institution, all of the other patients are afraid to express their thoughts to the Big Nurse. They are afraid to exercise their thoughts freely, and they believe that the Big Nurse will punish them if they question her authority. One patient, Harding, says, "All of us in here are rabbits of varying ages and degrees...We need a good strong wolf like the nurse to teach us our place" (Kesey 62). This novel has a very strong theme of government rejecting those who are considered nonconformists in modern society. The government then places these nonconformists in mental institutions so it will not have to deal with them. This is society's way of ditching those with nonconformist attitudes so they will disappear from the world and be forgotten. According to one critic, oppressive, conformist, regulatory, civilization is the suppressor of individual freedom (Barsness 433). "He (McMurphy) hadn't let what he looked like run his life one way or the other,anymore than he'd let the Combine (the characters' metaphor for the government) mill him into fitting where they wanted him to fit...He's not gonna let them twist him and manufacture him" (Kesey 153). McMurphy is symbolized as the typical individual, while Big Nurse Ratched is symbolized as a member of the system, or the Combine. Bromden narrates, "McMurphy doesn't know it, but he's onto what I realized a long time back, that it's not just the Big Nurse by herself, but it's the whole Combine, the nation-wide Combine that's the really big force, and the nurse is just a high-ranking official for them" (181).

Two Men and a Truck

After reading the case study Two Men and a Truck, I have concluded that the motivational theory used by Mary Ellen Sheets was the goal setting theory. When using the goal-setting theory, employees are motivated when they have a specific goal to complete. Mary Ellen sheets set these goals and encouraged her franchises. Her goal was to have all the franchises have a good experience considering that this is an industry known to cause stress. Two Men has a computer lab where the franchisers are able to check their colleagues spending patterns as well as communicate with each other. This allows them to see what is working and what is not, to help them to be successful. Mary Ellen Sheets business approach to creating high-performing teams within the company was to create consistency within the company. She created Stick Men University, which allowed the franchise owners as well as their employees to learn everything that she has learned. This includes learning the basics such as answering a prospective client’s first call to shaking their hand after the job is completed. Mary Ellen Sheets went as far as building a two-story house at the University to help the franchise owners and employees simulate moving challenges and work through them. After reading the case study Siemens, I have concluded that the motivational theory used by Klaus Kleinfeld was the job enrichment theory. When using this theory, employees who have control over how they performed their job or how they manage their job, are motivated to work better. Klaus Kleinfeld negotiated with the employees to work flexible shifts. He explained to them that this would help to accomplish the work more quickly and cost effectively. By accomplishing this goal, the company would make more money. This would then give the employees more money and job security. These are two big motivators, which would have employee’s performance increase. Klaus Kleinfeld’s approach to creating high-performing teams within Siemans was to encourage the employees to work together to get the job done. Many companies are outsourcing jobs to other countries as a more cost efficient option. Klaus Kleinfeld knew it was important for the employees to work together to be able become more cost efficient. This would allow them to keep their jobs instead of their jobs moving to another country. Klaus was able to motivate the employees to pull together, because he was very open with communication with the employees. He would answer emails from employees immediately, even if it were late at night. This type of leadership is what allowed him to be able to accomplish this.

Video Games Impact and Young People

With constant advances in technology, children are finding new ways of spending their afternoons. Instead of playing catch outside or riding their bikes to a neighbor's house, many children have resorted to sitting in front of a television and playing their favorite video game.Some people believe that video games do not have a serious effect on young children. However, research has repeatedly proven that violence in video games is having a negative effect on kids and the way they behave. Some of the games can increase a person's aggressive thoughts and make them behave very violently.Video games provoke violent thoughts and actions as the games are becoming too graphic for the kids and they're giving them knowledge about the utilization of guns and fighting skills. The video games are making kids act out violent crimes and making them very aggressive because sometimes they think it's acceptable to do what the characters do. Violent video games also have an immediate effect on a child 's mood, mind, and their brain development.Many kids enjoyed playing violent games because they were very entertaining to play and there was a lot of action and excitement in them. Also it was a rush for the kids to shoot people and blow things up. In a study that was done, which researched video game playing among 357 seventh and eighth grade students? The kids were asked to pick their favorite type of video game among five categories.The category that was most preferred was games that involved violence. Nearly 32% of the kids said they liked violent video games over any other type of game. Less than 2% of the children enjoyed playing educational games. (Funk, 86-90) The reason the students gave for liking violent video games more was that there is so much action in them and you can never get bored.Although video games are designed to be entertaining, challenging, and sometimes educational, most include violent content and many have very explicit graphics. The problem is that even though they are games, the ones involving shooting can teach some real skills about using weapons. A person who becomes good at handling a pistol or shotgun to kill fake enemies on a television screen can very easily turn those skills onto real people.And, in the process of playing the game, one becomes desensitized to the horror of real killing. Thus, if the killing ever does become real, it is carried out with a complete lack of empathy for the victims. There was an analysis done which showed that 89% of games showed some sort of violence (Children Now, 5-6), and that almost half of the video games that are out in the stores showed some extreme violence to other characters in the game. (Dietz, 425-42)Therefore, most of the games being bought by children contain some sort of violence in them. So violent video games are now becoming more popular and research has shown that these games are having negative effects on children. Kids sometimes don't realize that these games are only for fun and they shouldn't imitate what the game does. Thus, games sometimes can confuse reality with fantasy.For example, in games like Goldeneye 007 bad guys no longer disappear when they are killed. Instead they get killed in a very violent way with blood going all over the place. For example, those shot in the neck fall to the ground and blood squirts out their necks that cause them to grab their throats. Games like Unreal Tournament and Half-Life are very explicit and are very gorier.When characters get shot blood goes all over the place and when they fall there is blood surrounding the dead body. Also sometimes explosives are used and when they throw it at characters they blow up into small pieces. (APA, 78/4) Even though these games are so graphic, violent video games are the most popular games to be sold today.When these games came out kids were very addicted to them and some people believe that because the games are so graphic and violent the gamers are showing more aggressive tendencies after playing these violent games.There are many kids in which are becoming very violent and aggressive over the video games. In a study by Karen E. Dill violent video games increase aggression more then violent movies or television shows due to their interactive and engrossing nature. The two studies showed if a child is already aggressive they are now even vulnerable to violent video games and even if they get a brief exposure to the games it can increase their aggressive behavior. (Dill)There has been some research that has been done which demonstrates individual differences in response to the effects of violent video games. For example, a couple of studies showed that trait hostility might moderate the effects of playing video games.Lynch has found that the physiological effects of playing violent video games may be even greater for children who already show more aggressive tendencies. Adolescents who scored in the top quintile for trait hostility showed greater incr eases in mean arterial pressure, epinephrine, and nor-epinephrine levels in the blood than those in lower quintiles. (Lynch, 152)Therefore video games cause aggression and violence in children because they are interactive, realistically portray violence, and dangerously appeal to children. Violent video games also have an immediate effect on a child's mood, mind, and there brain development. Because they have encountered so much warfare, and gun-use in video games, children act as if they have to always be on-guard. Through many studies, scientists have observed that children develop a defiant attitude. They come to believe that every one is against them and consequently take advantage of every opportunity to create conflict.Obviously, violence is not an acceptable way of solving conflicts, especially for young children. The violence can also affect children's minds when they sleep. The article, â€Å"Media Violence† states that video games have significant effects on childre n such as nightmares when sleeping and fear of being harmed (Gentile, 19-37).The violence comes back in their dreams and severely scares them. For example, a seven-year-old boy, John Paul, played a violent video game every day after school for a month last year with his older brother. Every night, around 10:30pm, he would run into his parents' bedroom crying because he had seen the images from the game trying to attack him in his dream.These effects on a child's mind are powerful. With video games, children are repeatedly exposed to excessive violence and subconsciously fear the consequences of the enemies in their games. For young children, this fear of harm is real. In their still undeveloped minds, virtual violence is no different that actual violence. Video game violence is the most dangerous and influential in children under eight years old because their memories recall the violence as actually occurring. The first eight years of a child's life are the most important years of b rain development (Gentile, 19-37).Studies have shown that during this time, their minds cannot distinguish reality from fantasy when the events become memories (Gentile, 19-37). Therefore, when a child plays violent video games, those memories are stored in his mind as a vivid reality.â€Å"Because children younger than the age of 8 cannot discriminate between fantasy and reality, they are uniquely vulnerable to learning and adopting as reality the circumstances, attitudes, and behaviors portrayed [by video games],† (Anderson, 772-90). The violence affects children heavily, causing nightmares, anti-social attitudes, and an exaggerated fear of harm (Gentile, 19-37).Many games are limiting the amount of violence they put in their game and also many games are being banned from the shelves because they are too violent.Also parents are setting guidelines for the types of video games their children play and being aware of the content in their children's video games. Because the you nger the child, the more impressionable he or she is, and less experienced in evaluating content.† Even though a child may be chronologically a certain age, their social and emotional level of maturity may be different. Parents need to decide what is in the best interest of their children.†(Anderson, 772-90) Thus there have been many strides made, to try to restrict some of the violence in these video games and limit what is children play.As children grow up in their household, they are sometimes rewarded for kind and caring behavior. Many parents expect their children to treat one another with respect and love. By constant exposure to gruesome violence, the nature of video games makes this peaceful environment impossible to achieve.Video games cause aggression and anti-social attitudes in children because they are interactive, realistically portray violence, and dangerously appeal to children. They are having such a negative effect on kids and are becoming a major probl em in America. Society must become aware of these effects caused by video games so that we can promote a peaceful and loving generation of children that respect everyone and everything.Works Cited:Anderson, C.A., and K.E. Dill. Video Games and Aggressive Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior in the Laboratory and Life. â€Å"Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78 (2000): 772-790.Children Now. Fair Play? Violence, Gender and Race in Video Games. Los Angeles, CA: Children Now, 2001. 5-6Dietz, T.L. (1998). â€Å"An Examination of Violence and Gender Role Portrayals in Video Games: Implications For Gender Socialization and Aggressive Behavior. Sex Roles 38 (1998): 425-442.Funk, J.B. â€Å"Reevaluating the Impact of Video Games.† Clinical Pediatrics 32, 2 Feb. 1993: 86-90.

A Probation Officer’s View of Effectiveness

This case study is about what a probation officer’s view of effectiveness is and how it can affect his or her view of the job. The local newspaper ran a 3-part article about the probation office and how it was not living up to the expectations of the citizens. The articles discussed how the recidivism rate for the department was high and the department did not utilize social programs in the community. Whose interests were served in the newspaper’s evaluation of the probation office and whose will be served by the proposed evaluation from the department? What theory or theories of effectiveness are represented in the proposed new evaluation format? And what process and outcome measures are included in the evaluation? What domain of activity do these cover? Is the meaning of the variables clear? The newspaper article served the interest of the probationer’s, citizens of the community, social service agencies, and the probation office. If the article had never been published there is a good chance there would not be a change in the operations of the probation office and the citizens of the community and probation officers would not see a change in the recidivism of probationers. The proposed evaluation will serve the probationers due to the fact that he or she will receive more options to break the cycle of crime. It will serve the citizens of the community by breaking the cycle of crime therefore crime rates will decrease. And, it will serve the probation officer’s as he or she can feel better about the options available for their probationers and the programs he or she can refer to them. The process approach and the system resource model are both prevalent in this case study. According to Steers, â€Å"the process approach consists of three related components: goal optimization, a systems perspective, and an emphasis on behavior within organizations† (Stojkovic, Kalinich and Klofas, 2003). In the case study, the officers and the leader discuss how the organization needs to look at how much time the officers are spending with each client, where they are spending this time, and what the probation officer is doing in this time. This type of study is putting the emphasis on behavior within the organization. In the system resource model the effectiveness is based on â€Å"the extent that it can obtain needed resources from its environment† (Stojkovic, Kalinich and Klofas, 2003). An officer in the case study discusses getting his clients in touch with the social agencies in the community to help break the cycle. This is an example of the system resource model. This evaluation will use the gross malfunction analysis. The probation system in the community is considered a failure. The evaluation in which the leader and officers are proposing will examine the reasons for the failure. Another good analysis is the revelatory analysis. This analysis is reflected in the use of social programs by probation officers and his or her client. It will also show how well the probation officers are utilizing inside and outside resources to help eliminate recidivism? The domain of activity these evaluations cover and the studies the probation office wants to utilize are the effectiveness-for-whom and the tendency for effectiveness criteria to influence behavior within organizations. By using the malfunction and revelatory evaluations the probation office and citizens of the community will have a better understanding of the operations and activities of the probation officers. The newspaper article in this study helped to bring about some positive changes for the probation office. The probation officers received a supervisor who included him or her in planning and implementing the type of evaluation needed to decrease the recidivism of all the probation clients. The effectiveness of the probation office became a propriety project not only for the probation supervisor but for the probation officers. The officers were able to feel as if the evaluation was his or her project and therefore he or she would benefit from it. The supervisor brain-storming with the officers gave the officers a sense of ownership over the evaluation and therefore when the results are returned he or she will be more compelled to help find solutions to the problems.

Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle

The article reports that U.S. retail stores have posted only a modest increase in sales of 2.5 per cent for May, which might be a sign that consumers are taking a break from shopping.This figure was 3.3 per cent for January, 4 per cent for February, and 4.8 per cent for March and April combined. High-end retailers (such as Saks, Nordstrom, TJX Companies and Ross Stores) and apparel stores did well, and discount chains (such as Costco, BJ’s Wholesale, Fred and Target) reported the strongest sales growth of any sector with a 5.3 per cent increase.Shops selling teenager clothing (such as Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle) suffered a decline. Reasons behind the slowdown are believed to be bad weather at the beginning of the month and the late Memorial Day, since some companies choose to include Memorial Day weekend sales into their June reports.Analysts believe that lackluster sales might be a sign that recoveries come in waves. Stronger growth is expected during the summer m onth, due to pent-up demand and start of the school year.The importance of the article is associated with the fact that retail sales are a good indicator of the pace of economic recovery. Sharp contraction of consumer spending has exacerbated the recent financial downturn, and it took a long time for spending to rebound. Consumer spending is used as an indicator of economy’s health because it is first of all related to consumer expectations and confidence levels.Furthermore, it indicates whether economic resources flow freely among various economic agents: companies need sales revenues to expand their production, which in turn leads to job creations, and decreasing unemployment levels mean that more people have disposable income to spend at stores. Coming back to the issue of consumer confidence, if citizens are optimistic about prospects of the economy, they tend to spend even more, propping up the production-consumption cycle.Works citedHauser, Christine. â€Å"U.S. Retail ers Report Lackluster Sales Gains.† 3 Jun. 2010. New York Times. 5 Jun. 2010. Web.

Diseases among Elderly People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Diseases among Elderly People - Essay Example thromboxane A2 that promotes a cascade of events leading ultimately to clot formation. Increased homocysteine levels affect the inner lining of the arterial wall, and thus have long been implicated in the causation of thrombosis (Scott, J. and Weir, D., 1996). In fact, increased homocysetine levels associated with syndrome of homocysteinuria are acknowledged to be a cause of intravascular thrombosis. It has been observed that plasma homocysteine is normally converted to methionine co-factored by folic acid correlates in the body. When this reaction is impaired due to deficiency of cobalamine; since cobalamine regulates folate metabolism, it is deranged leading to elevated homocysteine levels (Mayer, E.L., Jacobsen, D.W., and Robinson, K., 1996). High plasma homocysteine, thus, will predispose to increased thrombosis, although it is not yet known whether hyperhomocysteinaemia due to folic acid deficiency predisposes to thrombosis or alters its response to treatment (Welch, G.N. and Loscalzo, J., 1998). This proposal aims to study the effect of folic acid on the elderly in terms of risk of coronary artery disease as relevant to prevention of thrombosis in preexisting atherosclerotic heart disease in terms of incidence of myocardial infarction (Bots, M.L. et al., 1999).Increasingly, healthcare is focusing towards prevention of disease rather than treating it after the catastrophe happens. Coronary artery disease manifested by acute myocardial infraction is one of the most common diagnoses in developed countries throughout the world. The mortality rate of the disease is 30% with over half the patients expiring even before they are able to reach the hospital. Survival from a heart...Research nurses will screen the medical records and exclude patients who have a history of coronary heart diseases or patients who are taking drugs known to interfere with folic acid, or taking vitamin supplements containing folic acid. Patients will be eligible for inclusion if aged 65 years or more and if their medical histories include two or more of the following conditions: diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity or smoking. All eligible individuals will receive a letter from the hospital explaining the study, followed by a telephone call inviting them to attend the first visit and instructing them to fast from midnight the night before the visit. At the first visit, all baseline measurements will be taken. Research nurses will take general information, such as, name, age, sex, phone number, address, smoking history, marital status, socioeconomic factors, and the names and phone numbers of two or three friends or relatives who always know how to reach the participants. Drugs history including aspirin or other anticoagulants, antihypertensive, anti-angina, and lipid-lowering drugs will be reviewed. Study procedures will be explained to all subjects. Subjects who are unlikely to complete follow-up due to plans to move or due to disease likely to be fatal within 4 years, or unwilling to participate will be excluded from the study. Ethics: All subjects will be explained the study protocol, and a written informed consent will

Trusts and Equity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Trusts and Equity - Essay Example seems not entirely wrong, to say that lawyers and legal theorists tend to deal with the first option, a rule-bound jurisprudence of equity and literary practitioners with the second, a less formal, more allusive supplementary notion of equity. But the question as to whether equity does or does not â€Å"belong† to the law is not just an institutional one. The answer also depends on whether equity is associated with something general, such as a universal rational order of justice, or something particular, such as the judicial discretion to interpret the law according to rules and precedents that can change over time. Similarly, it depends on whether the law is associated with something general, such as the predictability and security of rules, or something particular, such as the alterability and flexibility of rules and precedents over time. Thus, what is general about equity is its concern with what is universal. Conversely, what is general about the law is its concern with w hat is predictable; what is particular, its concern with what is posited. Different conflicts between the general and the particular may emerge, therefore, depending on whether equity is or is not considered part of the law. If it is part of the law, then the security, validity, and accessibility of rules may conflict with the potential unpredictability, arbitrariness, and privacy of judicial discretion. If not, then different aspects of judicial discretion, such as a judge’s â€Å"genius† or â€Å"paternalism, † may conflict with non-judicial forms of discretion, such as the readiness of individual conscience to ascribe or accept guilt. (Polloczek, 1999, p. 9) Though since the Judicature Act came into force in 1875 the rules of Common Law and Equity are recognised and administered in the same court, yet they still remain distinct bodies of law, governed largely by different principles. Like the Common Law, the rules of Equity are judicial law, i.e. to find them we must look in the first

Engaging Parents in Their Children's Early Learning Essay

Engaging Parents in Their Children's Early Learning - Essay Example clude parents’ socioeconomic status, education level and living conditions, which have direct bearing on a child’s early learning activities and outcomes. Nonetheless, more important than the above factors is the quality of a child’s home learning environment. Although parents may not have achieved a lot educationally and might be living in disadvantaged environment and circumstance, their regular engagement in their children’s early learning activities has rather tremendous effect in stretching children’s mind and attitudes. Consequent to the positive attitudes, children’s learning progress and development would be enhanced (Desforges, 2003). In fact, children growing up under the care of parents that ensure strong home-learning environments have been shown to be ahead in social and intellectual development by the age of three compared to those in weak home-learning environment. Research reports further show that this trend continues through to age ten. The latest research findings show that the positive impacts of parental involvement in children’s early learning cut across all socioeconomic and ethnic groups and levels of parental involvement. However, the impact of parental involvement has been found to be more profound on the learning achievements of children of the primary age range. In fact, to this age range, the variation in school quality has less impact on early learning compared to parental involvement (Whalley, 2001). Among the aspects of children’s early learning that parental involvement positively impacts on are skills, knowledge, and intellectual simulation at home and at school. With the right parental involvement and contribution, children would be able to learn and copy constructive attitudes towards learning and develop strong... From this paper it is clear that  parents may not have achieved a lot educationally and might be living in disadvantaged environment and circumstance, their regular engagement in their children’s early learning activities has rather tremendous effect in stretching children’s mind and attitudes. Consequent to the positive attitudes, children’s learning progress and development would be enhanced.This essay discusses that  the latest research findings show that the positive impacts of parental involvement in children’s early learning cut across all socioeconomic and ethnic groups and levels of parental involvement. However, the impact of parental involvement has been found to be more profound on the learning achievements of children of the primary age range. In fact, to this age range, the variation in school quality has less impact on early learning compared to parental involvement. Among the aspects of children’s early learning that parental invo lvement positively impacts on are skills, knowledge, and intellectual simulation at home and at school. With the right parental involvement and contribution, children would be able to learn and copy constructive attitudes towards learning and develop strong self-images as good and fast learners. Parental involvement in children’s early learning may also encompass guardians and older siblings providing children with one-to-one attention by keenly listening to their words and questions and giving replies that focus on extending children’s thoughts.

IAS 17 Leases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

IAS 17 Leases - Essay Example This accounting standard is quite comprehensive in its nature such that it encompasses different aspects of leases in a very detailed manner. This section briefly analyzes 1) Scope of IAS 17, 2) Classification of Leases, 3) Accounting by Lessor, 4) Accounting by Lessee, 5) Disclosure Requirements for Lessor and, 6) Disclosure Requirements for Lessee. 1. Scope of IAS 17 The applicability of IAS 17 rests with all the leased assets except the following assets: †¢ Natural regenerative resources including oil, gas and other minerals †¢ Licensing agreements in respect of videos, manuscript, copyrights, brands, films, games etc. †¢ Investment property valued on fair value basis by lessee under IAS 40 †¢ Investment property considered as operating lease by the lessor under IAS40 †¢ Biological assets considered as finance lease by the lessee under IAS 41 †¢ Biological assets considered as operating lease by the lessor under IAS 41 2. Classification of Lease Lease s are generally classified into either finance lease or operating lease. The major distinguishing factor between a finance lease and an operating lease is the transfer of substantial risk and rewards even if the ownership is not transferred. It is important to note that the classification must be made before the commencement of the lease. The major criteria for the finance lease is as followed: †¢ At the expiry of the lease term, the ownership title is transferred to the lessee. At the inception of the lease the lessee has been provided the option to purchase the leased asset a price lower than the fair value of the asset, and there is likelihood that the option would probably be exercised by the lessee. Leased asset is provided to the lessee for a major part the useful life of the leased asset. The present value of the minimum lease payments (MLP) should be approximately equal to the fair value of the leased asset at the inception of the lease. The leased assets can be used by the lessee without any significant modification in the asset due to its specialized nature. 3. Accounting by the Lessor The following accounting treatment is provided under IAS 17 for the recognition of the leased assets by the lessor: There are three major recognition criteria should be used by the lessor in respect of accounting for lease. The criteria are highlighted as under: Finance lease should be recorded by the lessor in the balance as a receivable. The amount of the receivable should be approximately equal to the net investment made in the lease by the lessor. For finance lease, the income earned from the leased asset by the lessor should be presented as a constant rate of return of the outstanding amount of the lease by lessor. For the case of operating lease, those leased assets should be recognized in the balance sheet according to the nature of the leased asset. The income earned in respect of the operating lease should be recognized on straight line basis over the lea se term of the leased asset or on the basis of any other suitable and systematic criteria. 4. Accounting by the Lessee The following accounting treatment is provided under IAS 17 for the recognition of the leased assets by the lessor: In respect of the finance lease, the

Contemporary Middle Eastern History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Contemporary Middle Eastern History - Essay Example I believe that some of his ideas are a stark reflection of the underlying reality and can offer some insight into present religious/cultural relations. That is, there is actually a tension of sorts between identifiable groups of humanity in the present day. However, Samuel Huntington makes a gross oversimplification of things without an in-depth understanding of the nature of present-day conflicts and the complex characteristics of cultures. So, there is no ‘clash of civilizations’ as such. Significantly, his theory fails to satisfactorily explain the post September 11th world. Samuel Huntington outlines a future where the â€Å"great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural† (Huntington 1993:22) and on this basis divides the world into seven civilizations. I agree with his broad idea of the significance of culture and that this is the basis upon which humankind can be differentiated. But, his differentiation is largely based on religion with some exceptions and the fact that he has ignored Buddhism altogether. Also, he puts Israel together with the West, thereby combining Jews with Christians, which is strange if we look at history. He does correctly identify nation-states as a relatively new phenomenon, and that economic and military power drives conflicts. He is also correct in saying that the concept of a global or universal culture is a relatively recent on originating in the West and that the West considers its own policies as positive for the rest of the world and therefore to be imposed upon it. As far as human rights is concerned this does not hold water because Islam conferred human rights over a thousand years ago, so this is more a reflection of the changed times rather than differences. Also, we could give examples of the not too distant past when for example inter-racial problems were severe, civil and women’s rights was obtained. So, America has no strong foundations

Hw Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hw - Assignment Example Since 2004 the company has shown some reasonable profits in only 2007. In the fear of entering bankruptcy, Kodak used immense patent litigation in their attempt to generate revenues (Mattioli, 2010). They got 838 million dollars from licensing of patents; this also included settlements and lawsuits against companies including LG, Samsung and their recent fight is with Apple. Patents are thus a way to protect companies from losing their profits entirely and to keep them safe from going bankruptcy. 2. Kodak was a company that brought new technology in photography and thus held a dominant place in the market for a very long time. They had an advantage as their products were patented meaning no other company could use their invention to make any profits for twenty years. This implies that any company who uses their invention before the expiry period would be facing a lawsuit from Kodak and would have to pay heavy settlement moneyfor patent infringement. The company is said to have been breathing its last breaths and is on the brink of bankruptcy. They have to present a reorganizational plan till the deadline of 15th February 2013 under the terms of the bankruptcy protection. For them till now their patents were all they had to regain their lost position as none of their other tactics seemed to work. 3. As most of Kodak’s patents expire, the company will have to come up with a reorganization plan that will get it out of its lost position. According to Antonio Perez the Chairman and CEO of Kodak they are restructuring the company by rebalancing it towards packaging, functional and commercial printing. They will use their competitive edge in deposition technology and material science along with their knowledge of digital imaging to capitalize on their prospects and market growth. Kodak had its patents on auction but the bids they received from Apple and Google were 150 million and 250 million billion dollars

Developing business skills ta Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Developing business skills ta - Essay Example Thus, I need to become proficient in verbal and written including non-verbal communication (Refer appendix 1 and 3) Resources from the library and the EBSCO database for reading academic journals and books related to communication. ‘Improve Communication Skills’ by Marcela Enos and other such books would be used to improve communication skills. I will also network with diverse populace for improving non-verbal communication 10th December 2014 would be my target date to review my proficiency in the verbal, non-verbal and written English as I would have finished my two terms and I would be confident in my communication which will reflect in assignments, presentations and group discussions. Moreover, it will help my internship which requires excellent communication skills for career success. Effective time management is necessary for planning and organization of the activities in personal and professional life. Self-motivation helps to develop focused approach and promote timely completion of targets as assigned within the activities. I will use ‘Priority Grid’ to arrange tasks on the basis of importance/ urgencies. The grid is an essential ingredient as it would help complete task according to its priority. The grid would be applied in studies and at work to achieve targets. (Refer appendix 5) Reflective practice would be used regularly and feedback from the tutor and the peer group would help to assess the effectiveness of the planning and organization of the activities within the two terms and later used for work-life balance. It would improve my time management skills and inspire me to finish work within the deadline. It would help me to complete the assignments and presentations on time and reduce stress especially as they are time sensitive and could adversely impact academic scores. ‘Getting Things Done’ by David Allen gives important tips in managing time and therefore, I would be using it to improve my