Thursday, October 31, 2019

No specific Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

No specific - Essay Example These definitions do not explain the concept of Jazz music clearly, because most people do not understand it. This was one of the early types of music in the United States back in the 1800’s since it had a unique way of improvising everything in music. Some of the best Jazz musicians of all time are part of our modern class discussions, and one of the most famous in courses is Amadeus Wolfgang Mozart. His jazz music is among the best types of Jazz music in the modern world since it has all the elements of music that music students need to learn such as melody, tempo, rhythm, and sound among others. One of the songs that we heard in the class reading on Jazz music is by Mozart, and it is very interesting with all the necessary fundamentals of music. Allegro is one of the most famous songs done by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The lyrics, tempo, and instrumentation in this song pull the attention of the listener, and make them want to hear it over, and again. Mozart Amadeus is one of the best opera, and orchestra conductors in the world of music. There are many musicians whose musical work has been appreciated all over the world for a long time now, but there are also others who are not much recognized   Mozart yet their work s are extra ordinary. The melody of the song is has a stepwise, modal that is simple. The rhythm of this song depicts the pace of its melody. The sound of the song is very soft and soothing. The instrumentals in the song bring out the touch of harmony in the song, and this is what makes the song more interesting to the listener. In conclusion, the song is melodious it entails all the fundamental constituents of music, which are; harmony, melody, rhythm, sound, and this contributes to its growth from one stage to another. The rhythm of the song is a little slow, and as the song progresses, there is heavier orchestra that brings out its growth because thicker strings and pads become louder with vocals that are more emotive. The style of

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Group and Team Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Group and Team Behavior - Essay Example Being the largest employer of the United States with almost 1.4 million workforces together with 600,000 worldwide, Wal-Mart plays an exemplary role as a high performance organization, comprising self directed teams (Thomson, 2009). The benefits that such teams bring to the organization are manifold. Workers get themselves involved in duties like scheduling work activities, ordering materials, collaborating with cross functional teams, like IBM, to introduce product innovations and making assessments. It enables employees to feel challenged as they develop a strong sense of identity with the organization. Minimum supervision is provided, therefore members are jointly held accountable for any conflict situation (Daft, 2007, p.298). Better training of cashiers and monitoring the utilization process help to increase productivity rates up to 10-12% (Johnson & Bradford, 2002). In order to support and encourage these teams, Wal-Mart has been able to create a sound corporate culture. In its organizational strategy, employees start to receive training from the orientation day following weekly meetings. Managers’ performance in the organization is assessed on the basis of their ability to comprehend culture. Those employees who show a firm dedication to the company are rewarded (Hart, 2006, p.389-390). Wal-Mart has devised a system that deals with creating promotion opportunities. Without yielding any gender discrimination, the organization has developed a formal mentoring program that encourages minorities and women who wish to seek managerial positions (Hart, 2006, p.389). In the year 2003, an Office of Diversity was established, by Wal-Mart, to provide diversity training to all managerial levels of workforce. Company officers were held accountable to ensure individuals are meeting set goals with the penalty that the company bonuses might be

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Monsanto Attempts To Balances Stakeholder Interests Environmental Sciences Essay

Monsanto Attempts To Balances Stakeholder Interests Environmental Sciences Essay The Monsanto Company is the worlds largest seed, with sales of over 10.5 billion. It specializes in biotechnology, or the genetic manipulation of organisms. T he worlds 90 percent of the seeds today are sold by Monsanto or by companies that use Monsanto genes. Monsanto also holds 70-100 percent market share on certain crops. Yet Monsanto has to meet its share of criticism from sources as diverse as government, farmers, activists, and advocacy groups.  There have been allegations of intimidating farmers, using hostile tactics to monopolize the market, false advertising, and producing large-scale international pollution.   In addition, they manufactured Agent Orange for the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. Farmers who buy seeds from Monsanto could not save for future plant. Otherwise, Farmers will have to pay for Monsanto when they find out. Furthermore, Monsanto produced products that involved in the risk of animals and human health. Some of Monsantos actions should considered moral temptation. The moral and safety implications of GM food are of great concern to many stakeholders. Many sceptics see biotech crops as unnatural, with the Monsanto scientist essentially playing God by controlling what goes into the seed. The other concern is toxicity, particularly considering that many Monsanto seed are equipped with a gene to allow them to produce their own Roundup Ready herbicides. Some stakeholders are concerned about the detrimental effects on the consumers by ingesting such herbicides, even in small amount. In addition to concerns over the safety of GM seeds and environmental issues, Monsanto has had to deal with concerns about organizational conduct. Organisations face significant risks from strategies and also from employees and also from employees striving for high performance standards. Such pressure sometimes encourages employees to engage in illegal or unethical conduct. All firms have these concerns, and in the case of Monsanto bribes and patents have resulted in leg al, ethical and reputational consequences. When Hugh Grant took over the CEO of the Monsanto Company in 2003, scandals and stakeholders uncertainty over Monsantos GM product had marked the companys reputation. The price of Monsantos stock had fallen by almost 50 percent, down to $8 a share. There was a loss of $1.7 billion the previous year. Grant knew the company was delicate; yet through a strategic focus on GM foods, the company has recovered and is now prospering. Monsanto is trying to expose itself as a socially responsible company dedicated to improving agriculture. The insights from Monsanto critics about biotech food have not yet come true, but that has not eradicated fears of stakeholder. The company used the concept of Social Responsibility and Business Ethics to create a reputation value to various stakeholders. For instance, in 1974 the Monsanto Company established the Monsanto Fund. This fund contributed $30.2 million to projects across the world between 2008 and 2009. One receipts of the Monsanto Fund was Africare, which received a $400,000 grant from Monsanto to fund a two-year food security project to study the availability of food and the access people have the food. Monsanto also supported the youth programs. Monsanto gave fifteen million dollars to Donald Dan forth Plant Science Centre to do crop research in Africa. Also, the fund helped Brazilian children to maintain good health and basic hygiene. Additionally, Monsanto support ed students who want to study agriculture. However, Monsanto Companys regulation had become financial burden to many farmers. In fact, Corporate Responsibility Magazine ranked Monsanto number 31 on its 100 Best Corporate Citizens list of 2010, a jump from number 88 the previous year. Compare the benefits of growing GM seeds for crops with the potential negative Consequences of using them. Monsanto has a sale equivalent to $10.5 billion in sales to biotechnology, specifically to its sales of genetically modified (GM) plant seeds. These seeds have revolutionized the agriculture industry. The GM seeds introduced to the United States and across the globe since 1990, many farmers stopped complaining disappointment of crops. This had helped farmers spent little expenses, but gain as triple profits. Farmers using GM seeds highly praised the existence of Monsanto Company, because with the same acre of land, they are able to double the crops. Thus, as far as the farmers are making profits, they will continue buying the GM Seeds. For this reason, there is a major concerned for consumer that the GM seeds could affect human and animals health for using it. Genetically modified (GM) crops are not without their critics. Opponents believe that influencing the gene pools of the plants could result in negative health consequences. Whereas others are worried about the health effects on beneficial insects and plants, fearing that pollinating GM plants could affect nearby insects and non-GM plants. Huge Grant was able to reduce some of the opposition by deciding to curtail the tide of criticism by focusing biotechnology on products that would not be directly placed on the dinner plate, but instead on seeds that produce goods like animal feed and corn syrup. Farmers who purchase GM seeds can now grow more crops on less land and with less left chance. GM seeds have saved farmers billions by preventing loss and increasing crop yield. Monsanto predicts higher yields in the future, possibly up to 300 bushels an acre by 2030. As agricultural productivity increases, farmers are able to produce more food feed fuel and fibre on the same amount of land, helping to ensure that agriculture can meet humanitys needs in the future, said Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant about the benefits of Monsanto technology. The revenues of the farmers in the developing countries have increased as a result of higher yield. According to statistics, the cotton yield of Indian farmers rose by 50 percent, doubling their income in one year. The income level in the Philippines has raised above the poverty line because of the insect-protected corn. At the mean time critics argue that these numbers are inflated; they say the cost of GM seed is dramatically higher than that of tradi tional seeds, and therefore they actually reduce farmers net profit. As well as GM crops being relatively new, critics maintain that the health implication of biotech food may not be known in near future. They also contend that the effective standards have not been created to determine the safety of biotech crops. Even the FDA clarified that biotech crops are safe to use, but critics doubt about the short-term period of GM seeds which unable to determine the long-term effects.   According to some studies, the Roundup herbicide, which is used in conjunction with the GM seeds Called Roundup Ready, can be harmful to animals, insects and particularly amphibians. Such studies have revealed that small concentrations of Roundup may be deadly to tadpoles, which is a major concern, as frog and toad species are rapidly disappearing around the globe. Other studies suggest that Roundup might have a detrimental effect on human cells, especially embryonic, umbilical and placental cells.The other potential negative consequences of GM seeds in general is the threat of environmental contamination. Sometimes the crops seeds are carried away to fields containing non-GM crops by wind, bees and other insects to other areas. These seeds and pollens might then mix in with the farmers crops. Organic farmers are complaining that genetically modified seeds from nearby farms have contaminated their crops. Monsanto Crops are resistance to pesticides and herbicide. That is another envir onmental problems which gives fear to the critics that continual use of the chemicals could result in super weed and super bugs, much as overuse of antibiotics in humans has resulted in drug resistance bacteria. AS early as 2003, significant numbers of Roundup resistant weeds had been found in the United States and Australia. . How should Monsanto manage the potential harm to plant and animal life from using products such as Roundup? Monsanto Co. Should change its advertising for glyphosate- based products, including Roundup, that are misleading. The advertising inaccurately portrayed Monsantos glyphosate-containing products as safe and as not causing any harmful effects to people or the environment. According to the state, the ads also implied that the risks of products such as Roundup are the same as those of the active ingredient, glyphosate, and do not take into account the possible risks associated with the products inert ingredients. According to an ecology center fact sheet, glyphosate exposure is the third most common only reported illness among California agriculture workers, and glyphosate residues can last for a year. In the first nine months of 1996, Monsantos worldwide agrochemical sales increased by 21% to US$2.48 billion, due largely to increased sales of Roundup There is a great deal of controversy surrounding Monsanto and their Roundup Ready products. Many environmentalists are concerned that Monsanto is not being responsible enough about their products. The United States Government and Monsanto are both viewed as being too careless in their regulation of genetically engineered crops. The government should Many farmers have begun to use Roundup Ready crops. A recent study suggests that farmers have becoming so reliant on Roundup as a herbicide that they may be weakening Roundups ability to control weeds. Monsanto, manufacturer of Roundup, funded the study. Few farmers consider resistance an issue until it affects them directly. Farmers are now being encouraged to use multiple herbicides. It is unclear how this will impact the use of Roundup Ready crops, as these crops are only resistant to Roundup. A recent study has found that genetically modified food is linked to organ damage in rats.   The  study published in the International Journal of Biological Sciences found that genetically modified corn produced by Monsanto induce a state of hepatorenal toxicity. The company manufactured an alfalfa resistant to the Monsanto produced  Roundup  herbicide.   Bees will pollinate the genetically modified alfalfa and then cross pollinate it with organic crops adding the genetic modification to the organic alfalfa.   Organic farmers will then lose their USDA organic certifications.   Since Monsanto also has a patent on the genetic modification, the company can sue any farmer for stealing their property, and they do. Although the study only indicated that genetically modified corn was linked to organ damage, this is the first study to link genetically modified food to toxic reactions.   Further studies may indicate other genetic modified food may have an impact on human healt h.   Considering alfalfa is a main source of cattle feed and the genetic modification has a potential to spread quickly and dominate the alfalfa market, if the genetically modified alfalfa is hazardous to human health, the Supreme Court decision may be fundamental to public health.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Edgar Allen Poe Essay -- essays papers

Edgar Allen Poe Edgar Allen Poe: A Brilliant Writer Edgar Allen Poe was one of the most brilliant writers of the nineteenth century. His short stories and poems consist of horror, mortality, romantic struggle, and psychological concept. Poe’s tales labeled him as a master in his study of instability of self-control, the restrain of emotion, and access of feeling. His literary works were based on his personal background; therefore, many have similar characteristics. Poe was a manic depressant, and frequently wrote while under the influence of morphine and alcohol. Poe gives an example of his influenced writing in the story Ligeia. The story portrays Ligeia and her husband as opium addicts (Bonaparte, 236). Perhaps his abnormal behavior could explain why he used such great detail in form of writing. In most of Poe’s short stories the point of view is first person and often the narrator is nameless. Each narrator is unique, some are sane, others are unclear, and several approach a fine line that separates sanity from insanity (Rose). For example, the narration in The Black Cat is spoken through confusion and influenced by alcohol, yet The Fall House of Usher is told through the mind of a paranoid schizophrenic. Both stories are by nameless narrators. His focused on death in many of his short stories and poems. Poe’s theory of death and dying are more detailed than anything else. From the start to finish of his career he was casual to stop any action, which could be remaining over the grave, the shadowing of the moon, and the emblems of mortality and massacre (Davidson, 114). Often Poe wrote on how one’s death can effect someone’s emotions and mental stability. His ... ...ain his stability during his death sentence (Davidson, 134). Poe’s unique writing style is what makes him such a well-known literary author. His personal life is what made his writings so interesting and gruesomely detailed. He never hesitates to use psychoanalysis to describe his point of view. His passionate writing is what marks Edgar Allen Poe as a brilliant 19th century author. Bibliography: Bonaparte, Marie. Life and Works of Edgar Allen Poe. New York: Humanities Press, 1971 Davidson, Edward. Poe a Critical Study. Massachusetts : The Belknap Press, 1970 Grafx, Gibson. â€Å"Easylit Poe†. 1 Feb. 1997. . Rose, Elizabeth. â€Å"Poe’s Perceptions†. 1 Sept. 2000. . Werlock, Abby. The Facts on File: Companion to the American Short Story. New York: Facts on File, 2000

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Poem Analsys

After reading The Eagle and Hawk Roosting, there were several differences and similarities that I noticed between them. Some of these brought them closer to each other while others made them more independent of each other. In both poems the main characters of the hawk and the eagle seem to be aware of their surroundings in a humanistic way. The Eagle, while being much shorter than Hawk Roosting, is still able to impart the feeling that he is the master of his domain.I think that Hawk Roosting, however, is able to give more relatable sensory details than The Eagle because of the perspective that it was told from. Because of the first person point of view in Hawk Roosting the author is also able to use personification to make himself seem more important. In The Eagle, a sense of importance is still present, but it can be overlooked because of the third person point of view. While only The Eagle uses rhyme, the rhythm in both poems helps to move the reader through it.They both have sens ory details for sight, but I think that Hawk Roosting uses the sense touch in a very personal way with the phrase â€Å"My feet are locked upon the rough bark. † While both poems impart a feeling of power and majesty, they convey different parting experiences for the reader. Hawk Roosting ends with the hawk believing that he is the master of everything. The Eagle, I believe, finishes with a sense dignity.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Case Analysis Questions on Leadership Online (a): Barnes & Noble vs. Amazon.Com

Q1: Summarize Barnes & Noble’s business strategy and business model based in the case descriptions. How have these strategy and business model been evolved since the case was written? Barnes & Noble’s business model simply put was lower cost, and SCM. They sold merchandise at lower cost and they also decreased cost associated with procurement by obtaining better discounts from publishers than other book retailers and by publishing certain titles themselves. Since Barnes & Noble’s held a huge portion of the market share they were able to leverage scales of economies when it came to reducing costs. Lastly, they were able to achieve reduced inventory cost through the business perks provided to them such as longer payment terms and access to books in short supply. Barnes & Noble’s business strategy was to use economies of scale and economies of scope. They used economies of scale through procurement and logistics. Since they were able to get bigger discounts from publishers they were able to produce more revenue when selling merchandise. As far as economies of scope is concerned one can clearly see that Barnes & Noble’s implemented this because they offered other services and they acquired other companies as well as certain percentage stakes in them. They acquired a mail-order book business, a membership club, and a 20% stake in Canada’s largest book retailer to try and broaden their scope. I think one can argue that Barnes & Noble’s business strategy and business model in theory hasn’t changed (I. e. that they use economies of scale still) that they just added new products or services; however, I‘ll make the argument that both has changed. Barnes & Noble realized how big the virtual storefront became so not only did they try to create an on-line presence they also created the nook an e-reader device. They self-manufacture this product along with a couple other devices and currently sell them in their stores. They are aggressive in trying to obtain portions of market share in the virtual book retailing industry. Also in June 2011 consumer reports stated that the nook beat the kindle (amazon e-reader device) by one point. So it is apparent that Barnes & Noble is changing their business strategy and model we’ll just have to wait and see how successful they are. Q2: Summarize Amazon. com’s business strategy and business model based in the case descriptions. How have these strategy and business model been evolved since the case was written? The case describes Amazon. com’s business model as â€Å"sell all, carry few†. What that means is that Amazon will make money though SCM and though reduced cost. Amazon was able to achieve reduced or low inventory cost by only carrying a few select titles in their own warehouse in Seattle while offering over one million titles though publishers and wholesalers. Their business strategy revolved around virtual economies of scale. Amazon was able to sell a lot of books at lowers prices by leveraging their buying power with publishers and wholesalers. Amazon. com’s business strategy and business model have expanded a bit. As far as business strategy is concerned amazon is now offering a variety of services and products such as cloud services and other products that aren’t books. Amazon also just implemented a trade in service were you can trade cell phones, video games, and other electronics and books for an Amazon gift card. So this will put them under implementing economies of scope. Their business model is following the same path as there are making money from their new services and by leveraging their buying power with other non-book products. One can also argue that they followed the one of a kind business strategy by offering products through a virtual storefront as opposed to the traditional brinks and motor. Q3: In your opinion, how well did Barnes & Noble counter the moves that Amazon. com had made (up to when the case was written)? How about now? How is Barnes & Noble doing vis-a-vis Amazon. com? I think Barnes & Noble did very well in countering Amazon. com’s moves. They created College Bookstores, a student oriented on-line book site. They also launched a new transaction system as well as launch their own web-site and make a deal with AOL. They also embarked on other system develop projects and marketing ventures. However, even though Barnes & Noble made good stride I don’t believe many of their ideas were successful. Jump into 2012 Barnes & Noble is still competing with Amazon. om and I think they’re doing ok but Amazon. com is playing chess with them and using economies of scope to capitalize on other opportunities. As I mentioned earlier a June 2011 consumer reports stated that the nook (Barnes & Noble) beat the kindle (amazon e-reader device) by one point. As far as overall health of the two companies is concerned I created a bar chart below to depict important factors off of their balance sheets. T he information is current as of Sep. 2011. According to the two balance sheets it seems that Amazon is doing a lot better than Barnes and Noble. If I had to make a prediction I would put my money with Barnes and Noble. Also please note that Table one figures represents millions. Q4: Based on the case and your own research, how do you characterize the competition in the bookselling industry in 2000 and 2011? Applying the Porter’s Five-Force model, which forces are impacting most on the profitability of firms? The competition in the book selling industry is slowly increasing with new entrants and substitute products coming into the market. I would characterize the competition as increasing and becoming more dynamic as book retailers are using the economies of scope strategy to look for new streams of revenue. Applying Porter’s five-force model to the book retailing industry, there are two or three of them that are having the most impact on the book retailing industry. First, is threat of new entrants. Over the past few years there have been a couple of noticeable new entrants in the market, for instance Bilbo, half. com, and AbeBooks just to mention a few. These new entrants are fighting for a piece of the market share, thus likely taking market share from the major players such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. There also an increasing market with e-books or electronic books. This would fall under threat of substitute products or services in Porter’s five-force model. People are increasingly adapting to using e-books. There are also specific devices such as the kindle and nook that facilitate their usage. Even DePaul University is adopting such technology with their e-book program (books 24Ãâ€"7 and others). I don’t believe the buyers and suppliers parts of the model are having a huge impact because I would imagine that the company with the biggest market share would still have the most bargaining power when negotiating with the two; however, the entrance of e-books does add a dynamic aspect to the SCM part of the industry. I fi would venture to guess I would say that Barnes & Nobles will eventually go out of business unless business and that Amazon. com will survive as they pursue economies of scale by offering cloud services along with other potential revenue generators.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

A Seperate Peace- Finny&Gene essays

A Seperate Peace- Finny&Gene essays The line between friendship and hatred can sometimes be very unclear. Where exactly does one cross over this line? Could it possibly be when one discovers envy within himself for his friend, or is it when he begins to wish he is somewhere other then where he is? In the novel A Separate Peace by John Knowles, the friendship line between Finny and Gene is extremely unclear. What would cause ones best friend to jounce a tree limb in hopes the other would be harmed? To understand the relationship of Finny and Gene you must analyze their backgrounds. The narrator of the novel, Gene Forrester, is a grown man who returns to the Devon School and recollects his years spent there. During the duration of the novel Gene is around 16 years old, he is thoughtful, intelligent, with a tendency to brood. Gene is extremely competitive with a sarcastic sense of humor. He often shuns overt displays of emotion, much like most students at Devon. Genes best friend is Finny(Phineas). Finny is perfect in almost every way. He is honest, handsome, self confident, utterly disarming, extremely likable, as well as the best athlete in the entire school. Finny lives for moments of pure, unrestrained friendship, and his strong sense of loyalty extends to any group of which he is a member. He strives to be rebellious, making even the sternness proponents indulge in anarchical bliss with him. Now understanding the identity of Gene and Finny you can begin to analyze their friendship. The two characters both have their own strong and week qualities. Gene is smart and an average athlete, while Finny is an excellent athlete but a below average student. In a situation such as this, one may begin to get jealous of the others gifts. In the novel Gene realizes that Finny is extremely envious of his gifts and tries many different ways to ruin Gene. For example Finny drags Gene to the coast, keeping him up all night, ca ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

History of Christmas Traditions in the 19th Century

History of Christmas Traditions in the 19th Century The history of Christmas traditions kept evolving throughout  the 19th century, when most of the familiar components of the modern Christmas including St. Nicholas, Santa Claus, and Christmas trees, became popular. The changes in how Christmas was celebrated were so profound that its safe to say someone alive in 1800 would not even recognize the Christmas celebrations held in 1900. Christmas Traditions: Key Takeaways Our most common Christmas traditions developed during the 1800s:The character of Santa Claus was largely a creation of author Washington Irving and cartoonist Thomas Nast.Christmas trees were popularized by Queen Victoria and her German husband, Prince Albert.Author Charles Dickens helped establish a tradition of generosity at Christmas. Washington Irving and St. Nicholas Early Dutch settlers of New York considered St. Nicholas to be their patron saint and practiced a yearly ritual of hanging stockings to receive presents on St. Nicholas Eve, in early December. Washington Irving, in his fanciful History of New York, mentioned that St. Nicholas had a wagon he could ride â€Å"over the tops of trees† when he brought â€Å"his yearly presents to children.† The Dutch word â€Å"Sinterklaas† for St. Nicholas evolved into the English â€Å"Santa Claus,† thanks in part to a New York City printer, William Gilley, who published an anonymous poem referring to â€Å"Santeclaus† in a children’s book in 1821. The poem was also the first mention of a character based on St. Nicholas having a sleigh, in this case, pulled by a single reindeer. Clement Clarke Moore and The Night Before Christmas Perhaps the best-known poem in the English language is â€Å"A Visit from St. Nicholas,† or as it’s often called, â€Å"The Night Before Christmas.† Its author, Clement Clarke Moore, a professor who owned an estate on the west side of Manhattan, would have been quite familiar with the St. Nicholas traditions followed in early 19th century New York. The poem was first published, anonymously, in a newspaper in Troy, New York, on December 23, 1823. Reading the poem today, one might assume that Moore simply portrayed the common traditions. Yet he actually did something quite radical by changing some of the traditions while also describing features that were entirely new. For instance, the St. Nicholas gift giving would have taken place on December 5, the eve of St. Nicholas Day. Moore moved the events he describes to Christmas Eve. He also came up with the concept of â€Å"St. Nick† having eight reindeer, each of them with a distinctive name. Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol The other great work of Christmas literature from the 19th century is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. In writing the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, Dickens wanted to comment on greed in Victorian Britain. He also made Christmas a more prominent holiday and permanently associated himself with Christmas celebrations. Dickens was inspired to write his classic story after speaking to working people in the industrial city of Manchester, England, in early October 1843. He wrote A Christmas Carol quickly, and when it appeared in bookstores the week before Christmas 1843 it began to sell very well. The book crossed the Atlantic and began to sell in America in time for Christmas 1844, and became extremely popular. When Dickens made his second trip to America in 1867 crowds clamored to hear him read from A Christmas Carol.  His tale of Scrooge and the true meaning of Christmas had become an American favorite. The story has never been out of print, and Scrooge is one of the best-known characters in literature. Santa Claus Drawn by Thomas Nast The famed American cartoonist Thomas Nast is generally credited as having invented the modern depiction of Santa Claus. Nast, who had worked as a magazine illustrator and created campaign posters for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, was hired by Harper’s Weekly in 1862. For the Christmas season, he was assigned to draw the magazine’s cover, and legend has it that Lincoln himself requested a depiction of Santa Claus visiting Union troops. The resulting cover, from Harper’s Weekly dated January 3, 1863, was a hit. It shows Santa Claus on his sleigh, which has arrived at a U.S. Army camp festooned with a â€Å"Welcome Santa Claus† sign. Santa’s suit features the stars and stripes of the American flag, and he’s distributing Christmas packages to the soldiers. One soldier is holding up a new pair of socks, which might be a boring present today, but would have been a highly prized item in the Army of the Potomac. Beneath Nasts illustration was the caption, â€Å"Santa Claus In Camp.† Appearing not long after the carnage at Antietam and Fredericksburg, the magazine cover is an apparent attempt to boost morale in a dark time. The Santa Claus illustrations proved so popular that Thomas Nast kept drawing them every year for decades. He is also credited with creating the notion that Santa lived at the North Pole and kept a workshop manned by elves. The figure of Santa Claus endured, with the version drawn by Nast becoming the accepted standard version of the character. By the early 20th century the Nast-inspired version of Santa became a very common figure in advertising. Prince Albert and Queen Victoria Made Christmas Trees Fashionable The tradition of the Christmas tree came from Germany, and there are accounts of early 19th century Christmas trees in America, but the custom wasn’t widespread outside German communities. The Christmas tree first gained popularity in British and American society thanks to the husband of Queen Victoria, the German-born Prince Albert. He installed a decorated Christmas tree at Windsor Castle in 1841, and woodcut illustrations  of the Royal Family’s tree appeared in London magazines in 1848. Those illustrations, published in America a year later, created the fashionable impression of the Christmas tree in upper-class homes. By the late 1850s reports of Christmas trees were appearing in American newspapers. And in the years following the Civil War ordinary American households celebrated the season by decorating a Christmas tree. The first electric Christmas tree lights appeared in the 1880s, thanks to an associate of Thomas Edison, but were too costly for most households. Most people in the 1800s lit their Christmas trees with small candles. The First White House Christmas Tree The first Christmas tree in the White House was displayed in 1889, during the presidency of Benjamin Harrison. The Harrison family, including his young grandchildren, decorated the tree with toy soldiers and glass ornaments for their small family gathering. There are some reports of president Franklin Pierce displaying a Christmas tree in the early 1850s. But the stories of a Pierce tree are vague and there doesnt seem to be contemporaneous mentions in newspapers of the time. Christmas Tree and Family, 1848. Benjamin Harrisons Christmas cheer was closely documented in newspaper accounts. An article on the front page of the New York Times on Christmas Day 1889 detailed the lavish presents he was going to give his grandchildren. And though Harrison was generally regarded as a fairly serious person, he vigorously embraced the Christmas spirit.   Not all subsequent presidents continued the tradition of having a Christmas tree in the White House. By the middle of the 20th century, White House Christmas trees became established. And over the years  it has evolved into an elaborate and very public production. The first National Christmas Tree was placed on The Ellipse, an area just south of the White House, in 1923, and the lighting of it was presided over by President Calvin Coolidge. The lighting of the National Christmas Tree has become quite a large annual event, typically presided over by the current president and members of the First Family. Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus In 1897 an eight-year-old girl in New York City wrote to a newspaper, the New York Sun, asking if her friends, who doubted the existence of Santa Claus, were right. An editor at the newspaper, Francis Pharcellus Church, responded by publishing, on September 21, 1897, an unsigned editorial. The response to the little girl has become the most famous newspaper editorial ever printed. The second paragraph is often quoted: Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. Church’s eloquent editorial asserting the existence of Santa Claus seemed a fitting conclusion to a century that began with modest observances of St. Nicholas and ended with the foundations of the modern Christmas season firmly intact. By the end of the 19th century, the essential components of a modern Christmas, from Santa to the story of Scrooge to strings of electric lights were firmly established in America.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

The Physics of a Car Collision

The Physics of a Car Collision During a car crash, energy is transferred from the vehicle to whatever it hits, be it another vehicle or a stationary object. This transfer of energy, depending on variables that alter states of motion, can cause injuries and damage cars and property. The object that was struck will either absorb the energy thrust upon it or possibly transfer that energy back to the vehicle that struck it. Focusing on the distinction between  force  and  energy  can help explain the physics involved. Force: Colliding With a Wall Car crashes are clear examples of how Newtons Laws of Motion work. His first law of motion, also referred to as the law of inertia, asserts that an object in motion will stay in motion unless an external force acts upon it. Conversely, if an object is at rest, it will remain at rest until an unbalanced force acts upon it.   Consider a situation in which car A collides with a static, unbreakable wall. The situation begins with car A traveling at a velocity (v) and, upon colliding with the wall, ending with a velocity of 0. The force of this situation is defined by Newtons second law of motion, which uses the equation of force equals mass times acceleration. In this case, the acceleration is (v - 0)/t, where t is whatever time it takes car A to come to a stop. The car exerts this force in the direction of the wall, but the wall, which is static and unbreakable, exerts an equal force back on the car, per Newtons third law of motion. This equal force is what causes cars to accordion up during collisions. Its important to note that this is an idealized model. In the case of car A, if it slams into the wall and comes to an immediate stop, that would be a perfectly inelastic collision. Since the wall doesnt break or move at all, the full force of the car into the wall has to go somewhere. Either the wall is so massive that it accelerates, or moves an imperceptible amount, or it doesnt move at all, in which case the force of the collision acts on the car and the entire planet, the latter of which is, obviously, so massive that the effects are negligible. Force: Colliding With a Car In a situation where car B collides with car C, we have different force considerations. Assuming that car B and car C are complete mirrors of each other (again, this is a highly idealized situation), they would collide with each other going at precisely the same speed but in opposite directions. From conservation of momentum, we know that they must both come to rest. The mass is the same, therefore, the force experienced by car B and car C is identical, and also identical to that acting on the car in case A in the previous example. This explains the force of the collision, but there is a second part of the question: the energy within the collision. Energy Force is a vector quantity while kinetic energy is a scalar quantity, calculated with the formula K 0.5mv2. In the second situation above, each car has kinetic energy K directly before the collision. At the end of the collision, both cars are at rest, and the total kinetic energy of the system is 0. Since these are inelastic collisions, the kinetic energy is not conserved, but total energy is always conserved, so the kinetic energy lost in the collision has to convert into some other form, such as heat, sound, etc. In the first example where only one car is moving, the energy released during the collision is K. In the second example, however, two are cars moving, so the total energy released during the collision is 2K. So the crash in case B is clearly more energetic than the case A crash. From Cars to Particles Consider the major differences between the two situations. At the quantum level of particles, energy and matter can basically swap between states. The physics of a car collision will never, no matter how energetic, emit a completely new car. The car would experience exactly the same force in both cases. The only force that acts on the car is the sudden deceleration from v to 0 velocity in a brief period of time, due to the collision with another object. However, when viewing the total system, the collision in the situation with two cars releases twice as much energy as the collision with a wall. Its louder, hotter, and likely messier. In all likelihood, the cars have fused into each other, pieces flying off in random directions. This is why physicists accelerate particles in a collider to study high-energy physics. The act of colliding two beams of particles is useful because in particle collisions you dont really care about the force of the particles (which you never really measure); you care instead about the energy of the particles. A particle accelerator speeds up particles but does so with a very real speed limitation dictated by the speed of light barrier from Einsteins theory of relativity. To squeeze some extra energy out of the collisions, instead of colliding a beam of near-light-speed particles with a stationary object, its better to collide it with another beam of near-light-speed particles going the opposite direction. From the particles standpoint, they dont so much shatter more, but when the two particles collide, more energy is released. In collisions of particles, this energy can take the form of other particles, and the more energy you pull out of the collision, the more exotic the particles are.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Learning Assessment System Assignments (LASAs) Research Paper

Learning Assessment System Assignments (LASAs) - Research Paper Example In classrooms with the practice of learning assessment, students are aware of what they are expected to learn in a unit of study. It is this realization that makes learning assessment system critical in education systems. Learning assessment system is a tool that measures whether a student has learnt what he or she was expected to learn after a certain period of time (Woollard, 2010). The system entails assessment that is accompanied by a letter grade or number. It also entails comparing a student’s performance with set standards, as well as communication of results to the parents and students. There are spectrums of learning theories that consist of many ways or approaches to explain how humans and students in particular learn (Porter and Lacey, 2005). This paper will discuss Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development Theory and Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. In particular, it will compare and contrast these two theories and thereafter provide an argum ent to support the adoption of each theory to the PK-12 classroom when planning learning opportunities for students. Compare and contrast Vygotsky’s theory of â€Å"zone of proximal development† to Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. ... This theory views interaction with capable or more capable peers as an effective way of developing strategies and skills. It suggests that teachers use cooperative learning exercises where children who are less competent develop with the assistance of peers who are more competent and skillful; that is, within the proximal development zone (Chaiklin, 2003). Vygotsky who was the main proponent of this theory believed that when a student is at the Zone of Proximal Development for a given task, provision of the appropriate assistance will give the student sufficient â€Å"boost† to achieve the task at hand (Berry, 2008). He also believed that once the student has benefitted from the appropriate assistance and has mastered the task, then the assistance can be removed and the student is able to achieve the task again on his own (Vygotsky, 1978). The propositions of this theory were informed by the believe by some of the educational professions who included Vygotsky that the role of education was to provide children with experiences that are within their ZPD, therefore enhancing and encouraging their individual learning. Mayer (2008) notes that the ZPD theory defines functions that are yet to mature, but are in the maturing process. This theory was developed to argue against the conventional means of determining students’ intelligence. In other words, it was developed to argue against the use of knowledge-based and academic tests as a way of gauging the intelligence of students. According to this theory, the student’s intelligence cannot be determined by examining whet he knows; instead, it argues that it is better to independently examine student’s ability to solve problems, as well

Friday, October 18, 2019

Numeracy in Action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Numeracy in Action - Essay Example This shows that he can visually discriminate one object from another. Nathan can not do the same with numbers. He cannot even recognize which are numbers and which are letters. For him they just look like squiggles and strange marks. Support: Introducing numbers to children should expose them to the visual appearance of each number, the quantity it represents and even the strokes used when writing it down. Flashcards of numbers may be used to imbed the appearance of the number to the child’s mind while its name is repeatedly said. An effective method is teaching counting songs and when the number is mentioned, up comes the flashcard of that number. Children love singing and movement and incorporating these in their learning a concept becomes interesting and fun for them. A story that focuses on a particular number (ex: 2 friends found 2 birds eating 2 apples) is likewise interesting to listen to. A teacher may provide a coloring sheet with a big print of the specific number discussed. These methods may be used with Nathan. The strategies address various learning styles that may suit any child. The variety of activities address the needs of the visual (flashcards and story pictures), auditory (songs and st ory), kinesthetic (movements to songs) and tactile (coloring sheet) learners. Resources/ Materials used: number flashcards; CD’s of number songs (Five Little Monkeys; Five Green Speckled Frogs; There were 10 in the Bed.. etc.); number storybooks; number coloring sheet focusing on 1 number at a time, box of crayons. Case: Hannah has mastered identifying numbers up to 10 and visually comparing sets with more objects or less objects if the quantities are obvious (like comparing a set of 2 buttons with a set of 10 buttons). However, when asked to match a number with its quantity, she wouldn’t know what to do. She has mastered

Qualitative and Quantitative Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Qualitative and Quantitative Research - Essay Example This implies that the two methods are dependent on the data needed by a research and the subject of the research itself. In some cases, both of these methods can be used together. Pluralistic research is the term used to refer to a situation in which both the qualitative and quantitative approaches are mixed in one research project. The mixture of both of these research methods could result in a number of benefits and also come with costs or disadvantages to the researcher. This paper gives a review of the points of divergence between the two methods of research. Advantages and disadvantages of combining the two methods of research in one project are also given. From the definition of the two research method, significant differences are. This difference comes from the use of the method. While qualitative methods mainly try to give a justification of a phenomenon, the quantitative method aims at giving the amount of data to support or disapprove a hypothesis. This means that the data that will be obtained in a qualitative research is also of substantively different from the type obtained in quantitative research (Pierce 2008). In ordered to explain a fact or a phenomenon, reasoning is the only possible way to achieve this. The data that will be available, in this case, are descriptions of different processes or occurrence within a phenomenon. In the quantitative method, the data usually obtained gives a numeric value of the aspect being measured. This value can be the frequency of an occurrence or the magnitude of a phenomenon. As such these methods vary in terms of the data collected and the purpose of research. While the purpose of the quan titative method id to measure the numeric value of a phenomenon, the qualitative method aims ad delivering the meaning or the reason behind the occurrence (Bryman, 1988).

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Journal 1 Information Structures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Journal 1 Information Structures - Essay Example There are, however, challenges which needs to be addressed so that the government can fully benefit from the IT, particularly pertaining to policy, strategy, data and information control, costs, workforce and changes. These rests on the shoulders of the CIO and the proficiency of agency leaders to match the rapid influx of technology with the corresponding policy decisions (Fountain, 2007, 63-93). Readings: Fountain, Jane, E. 2007. â€Å"Challenges to organizational change†: Multi-Level integrated information structures (MIIS). In Governance and information technology: From electronic government to information government, ed. Viktor Mayer – Schonberger and David Lazer, 63-93. Cambridge: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Main argument Governments are big users of information and appropriate resources to create, share and disseminate information to enhance delivery of public services. Design of information flow, however, revealed several challenges which need to be ad dressed in terms of complexity of a tri-level nature of change at the micro-level, organizational and inter-organizational levels, and institutional level.

Conduct a rhetorical analysis of Krishnas replay to Arjuna in The Essay

Conduct a rhetorical analysis of Krishnas replay to Arjuna in The Bhagavad Gita - Essay Example Is it morally right to claim victory over this? As a philosophical poem, Bhagavad-Gita does not provide simple answers to this problem. The story acts as an equipment for the living which rotates on cycle of birth and death. This is because, the philosophy provides some aspect of life which cuts across the universe. Krishna uses dialogue to communicate the Hindu teachings to Arjuna. Arjuna had lost all his will among the Kauravas whereby he was fighting against his family members Johnson, Kathryn Ann. Ethical responsibility is demonstrated here. He favored his family members while in the battlefield. This brings out the tone of being loving and mindful about his own culture and his family. We can call all these as ethic of Divinity, Ethic of community and ethic of autonomy. In conclusion, the rhetoric analysis of this book brings out the tone of war and its cultural aspect. It also brings out the persona and the figurative language used to bring out a concreate message of the Indian

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

DUNKIN DONUTS CASE STUDY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

DUNKIN DONUTS CASE STUDY - Essay Example In their attempt to sell only good quality products, Dunkin Donuts have created a Coffee Quality Checking Lab, in which every aspect of the coffee is checked, so that the consumers get the best value Dunkin Donut product, no matter wherever it is sold. They have also increased the value perception by giving consumers "what they want". For example, they introduce only those products which are demanded by the consumers and do not come out with random products. This is how Dunkin Donuts is increasing its value perception and having great success in matching their philosophy which is 'great quality with affordability'. Its value perception is similar to that of KFC and McDonalds. They also try to give the maximum quality to their consumers and waiting time for their burgers is only 3 minutes. This is like if Dunkin' Donuts could not sell their coffee in 18 minutes they throw it away, in the same way KFC and McDonald throw away their burgers if they are unable to sell them. The positionin g strategy of Donut Dunkin is very simple as they target a mass market without any distinction of different classes, different level of education etc. According to William Kussels, Dunkin' Donuts Senior Manager, whenever you take a ride to one of our outlet, you always see Mercedes parked with pickup trucks, this shows that we do not target any specific consumer class but we target a mass market.

Conduct a rhetorical analysis of Krishnas replay to Arjuna in The Essay

Conduct a rhetorical analysis of Krishnas replay to Arjuna in The Bhagavad Gita - Essay Example Is it morally right to claim victory over this? As a philosophical poem, Bhagavad-Gita does not provide simple answers to this problem. The story acts as an equipment for the living which rotates on cycle of birth and death. This is because, the philosophy provides some aspect of life which cuts across the universe. Krishna uses dialogue to communicate the Hindu teachings to Arjuna. Arjuna had lost all his will among the Kauravas whereby he was fighting against his family members Johnson, Kathryn Ann. Ethical responsibility is demonstrated here. He favored his family members while in the battlefield. This brings out the tone of being loving and mindful about his own culture and his family. We can call all these as ethic of Divinity, Ethic of community and ethic of autonomy. In conclusion, the rhetoric analysis of this book brings out the tone of war and its cultural aspect. It also brings out the persona and the figurative language used to bring out a concreate message of the Indian

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Receiving a Scholarship Essay Example for Free

Receiving a Scholarship Essay The Great Being saith and I quote: â€Å"Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom†.   Madam Chairperson, Members and Officers of The Grand Bahama American Womens Club, ladies and gentlemen, students, good evening. It is an honor and with great humility I stand before you today, to encourage those candidates selected that will go forward and to thank those that assisted me in the past from this fine club. SCHOLARSHIP is defined as a â€Å"commitment to learning.† Scholarship is NOT an inherited quality, but one that is acquired and developed as a result of responsibility, diligence, and dedication. A scholar is willing to spend hours in reading and study, knowing the lasting benefits of a cultured and educated mind. From the detailed works of Aristotle, to Shakespeare and Darwin, the information and the wisdom available to students today is absolutely priceless. Candidates, I once sat where you are. Let me take you back on my journey, in hopes that it will encourage and motivate you to remain focused on the endeavour that you are about to embark upon. I received the Scholarship for the school year commencing September, 1993. I was advised at the time that the scholarship was for one school year, but with good grades, that year could turn into another year. So, I made the commitment first to God and then to myself to succeed, and with hard work, dedication and determination I was able to achieve the grades, earning the scholarship for five years up to my graduation in 1997. The scholarship allowed me to attend Freeport Anglican High School the now Bishop Michael Eldon School, where I received a quality education in an environment conducive to learning, and a foundation that prepared me for studies beyond High School. This scholarship was not only an opportunity for my fees to be funded by persons other than my parents but an opportunity to realize that if a group of individuals actually believed in my success, then I too must also realize my potential and believe in me. But let me also confess that at times I got frustrated and overwhelmed and just didn’t feel like studying or reading, and so that mischevious child within would surface. I remember one year a few weeks before exams I went home and told my mother that the grading system at school had changed and if you got a F on your report card it meant  FANTASTIC, E meant EXCELLENT, D meant DISTINCTION C meant CREDIT B meant BAD and A meant AWFUL. Well, based on that piercing stare I got from my mother, I immediately studied as I should and made the grade. So I encourage you the recipients, to unlock your potential and make the most of your talents for the future. So many of us dare to dream of where we will see ourselves in a certain amount of years, what we dream to become, and what career path we desire to pursue. Be assured that education alone can unlock, unravel, and ensure that all dreams, desires and aspirations are achieved and materialized. Remember it was Norman Vincent Peal that said â€Å"what ever the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve.† Dreams are the stepping stones to the future, it will open the doors of opportunity allowing you to utilize your full potential. Dreams will ignite in you the spirit of persistency. Nothing in this world can take the place of Persistency. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talents. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistency and determination alone are omnipotent. An honor such as this is a wonderful way to recognize and celebrate the choices, and sometimes the sacrifices, you have made. But I believe that what should make you and your parents the most proud is not the actual honor itself, but what you had to do to get it. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, The reward of a thing well done is to have done it. However, do not rest on your laurels alone, but continue to strive towards even loftier goals. Your achievements embody a positive attitude backed by purpose. The only way to achieve your purpose is to take small actions everyday. In the end, they all add up. Scholarship is much more than just getting straight As. It is a life-long love of learning. In the end it is a sum of small choices. Each time you decide you WANT to learn something, the experience will be so rewarding that the next time becomes easier. Soon, learning becomes a habit. At that point, your desire to learn makes getting As easier while taking the focus off the grades. The knowledge can still be hard to gain, but knowing youve mastered a difficult subject is an awesome reward. Suddenly the world around you becomes richer and full of learning opportunities. You are being given an opportunity. Opportunities are only meaningful if people have the capabilities, the resources, the aspirations to make the most of them. Aspiration matters in every aspect of education:  the aspirations of parents for their children from their very earliest years; the aspirations of young people, whether they are going to seize the opportunities available to them; the aspirations of course of teachers, of schools, of local government setting high expectations for achievement; the aspirations of society placing the highest possible cultural value upon learning itself; and of course aspirations of government that sets long term ambitions and mat ches those ambitions with the necessary investment over the long term to realise them. In a world where violence and hatred seems to be taking over, I quote â€Å"Man is the supreme Talisman. Lack of a proper education hath, however, deprived him of that which he doth inherently possess† end quote. Many children are exposed to violence in their communities, in their families, and in the media. Exposure to violence crosses socioeconomic and cultural boundaries, occurring in all groups within our society, and this exposure to violence can have significant effects on children during their development. The most important protective resource to enable a child to cope with exposure to violence is a strong relationship with a competent, caring, positive adult, most often a parent. But with the support of good parenting by either a parent or other significant adult, a child’s cognitive and social development can proceed positively even with adversity. Violence is in our communities, but ensuring that our children are equipped with and education that enables them to determine right from wrong, then we are one step closer to finding a solution. Families, regardless of their composition, are uniquely structured to provide the attention, nurturing, and safety that children need to grow and develop. So candidates you have an opportunity to become the solution to this crumbling civilization around us. Through your education, you will look upon your environment, your community and your country with new eyes and new vision. To not take advantage of this opportunity that has been afforded to you, as you have been hand picked out a selection of many qualified applicants. Take this opportunity to push yourself even harder than before. To excel further in all subjects, to be an example to all your classmates. Knowing that the strategic choices that you make today are going to be critical for your long term prosperity. Make the American Women’s Club proud  of the selection made here today. Make learning your life, and success your destination. At this time I would like to say a special thanks to The Grand Bahama American Women’s Club, a club that fosters pioneering initiatives to encourage local young people to think about education and higher learning and for extending such an opportunity to me, an opportunity that honestly, â€Å"thank you† doesn’t really convey how appreciative and grateful I am for having been given the opportunity extended to me by this Club. Once again candidates, I close in saying and I quote â€Å"To strive, to persevere, ensures ultimate and complete victory† end quote. And remember as Mother Teresa said, Life is a promise; fulfill it. Thank you all very much.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Case Study: Liver Disease and Hepatitis B

Case Study: Liver Disease and Hepatitis B Case study   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Liver Disease Introduction A 60 year old woman with a history of hepatitis B and cirrhosis presents with oedema and constipation. The GP takes the following tests on her and these are the results. Albumin 30g/L Platelet count Alpha – fetoprotein 450 ng/mL Test results The test results can be used for analysis to clarify what disease the 60 year old woman has, and by linking her symptoms with the test results. Hepatitis B is a virus that affects the liver, chronic hepatitis can develop without proper treatment. Having hepatitis B will eventually cause scarring to the liver which is known as cirrhosis. The 60 year old woman has developed Chronic hepatitis, the hepatitis is ongoing and serious, this will eventually cause the liver tissue to produce scares and stop functioning as it should .A liver biopsy (tissue sample) can be taken to find out how serious the hepatitis is. One of the function of the liver is to produce a protein called albumin, having liver cirrhosis will cause permanent damage to the liver and when this happens the liver will find it had to produce albumin.(Aspinall et al 2011:Pubmed) Albumin is a protein that is made by the liver which measures the exact amount of protein in the clear liquid portion in blood. The test is usually t aken place to determine whether a person has a sort of liver or kidney disease which is the main reason why the test was carried out. The normal range in human is between 3.4 – 5.4g/dL. The woman’s albumin level shows that it is below average, low albumin may cause oedema which is a symptom that the woman is experiencing. Cirrhosis results in an increase in fluid retention. Cirrhosis also leads to low levels of albumin and other proteins in the blood which could also be the cause of oedema. (Gupta and Lis, 2010) Platelet count determines the amount of platelet in the blood, normal adults produce 1 x10^11 platelets every day, portal hypertension is a complication of cirrhosis of the liver. Portal hypertension always takes place in the liver at all times, an increase in the pressure within the portal vein is caused by barrier of the blood flow to through the liver (Kotoh et al 2012). Portal hypertension causes symptoms to patients that are linked to their liver disease which could be hepatitis B,C or cirrhosis, patients that have cirrhosis had a very high chance of developing portal hypertension and it was increase over years. Patients who have portal hypertension usually have low platelet count which is the case of the 60 year old woman whose platelet count is Alpha fetoprotein is a protein that is found in the liver, it is considered a tumour marker for liver cancer, the test may be done to diagnose possible liver diseases. The normal values in males or non-pregnant females is generally less than 40 micrograms/litre.High levels of alpha-fetoprotein indicates that there could be liver cancer which is the key factor which shows that there is something wrong with the liver.If your AFP level is unusually high but you are not pregnant, it may indicate the presence of certaincancers or liverconditions.so a liver transplant could be an option for the woman. In adults, high blood levels can be a sign of certain types of cancer, including liver cancer. (Alejandro et al, 2012) Symptoms and Diagnosis Constipation is a liver related issue, in this case It was most likely caused by her progressing tumour formation this may press on her digestive system causing constipation, having cirrhosis may also not allow her to properly digest fatty lipids because her bile might possibly be blocked resulting in constipation.  Hypothyroidism  can cause constipation. Blood tests to check thyroid hormones / TSH will help in diagnosing hypothyroidism. Oedema is swelling that is caused by fluid trapped in the bodies tissues, oedema can be a sign of lots of things including malnourishment and low albumin level in the blood and the woman’s albumin level is below average these are the results of having liver failure and cirrhosis. Having history of cirrhosis is the main reason she has oedema. (Gaw et al 2013) Because of the woman’s age cancer would need to be tested for cancer as old people are much more prone to have cancer. Albumin is produced by the liver meaning that her liver is affected inducting liver cancer. Some patients with chronic liver diseases are more likely to develop thyroiditis, hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism through autoimmune mechanisms (Huang, Liaw 2008). The woman may have Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) which is most common and popular type of liver cancer. The main risk factors associated with HCC are hepatitis B,C and cirrhosis which the woman has a history of. HCC develops in patients with chronic liver disease and patients with cirrhosis are more likely to develop HCC and people over the age of 50 are more likely to develop HCC. The most common diseases that affects the liver are cirrhosis and hepatitis (Marshall and Bangert 2008). HCC is a serious disease in which alpha-fetoprotein will be elevated in a person, alpha-fetoprotein is a gene that becomes expressed when lots of damage has occurred to the liver in HCC. The normal range for AFP is 10-20 ng/mL.A level of >400 ng/mL may be regarded as diagnostic for HCC by some. Further tests A test that can be proposed is an ultrasound of the liver, an ultrasound test uses sound waves to create pictures and to see what is going on with organs inside the body. If any tumours are found in the liver then this can be furthered to test for cancer. An MRI scan can be useful for looking at liver cancers, MRI are sometimes good at telling which cancers are a tumour. Another tests that can be carried out is biopsy which involves actually taking the tumour and inspecting it under the microscope for further analysis which is likely to be more effective and reliable. Alanine aminotransferase(ALT)An alanine aminotransferase (ALT) test measures the amount of this  enzyme  in the blood. ALT is found mainly in the  liver, ALT is measured to see if the liver is damaged or diseased. Low levels of ALT are normally found in the blood. But when the liver is damaged or diseased, it releases ALT into the bloodstream, which makes ALT levels go up. Most increases in ALT levels are caused b y liver damage. Treatment and Prognosis Some treatment for HCC can include a liver transplant or surgery which can remove small or small-growing tumours.Sorafenib tosylate (Nexavar), which is an oral medication can be taken to block and stops tumour from growing.The prognosis is often poor, because only 10 20% of hepatocellular carcinomas can be removed completely using surgery. Radio frequency ablation can be used to kill cancerous cells. If the cancer cannot successfully be removed or killed, the disease is usually deadly within 3 6 months. However, this is not always the case as everybody is difference and so on some occasions people will survive much longer than 6 months. (Forner at al 2012: Pubmed) References Alejandro Forner, Josep M Llovet, Dr Jordi Bruix. (2012). The Lancet.  Hepatology. 379 (9822), P1245–1255. Allan Gaw, Michael J. Murphy, Rajeev Srivastava, Robert A. Cowan, Denis St. J. OReilly. (2013).  Clinical Biochemistry. 5th ed. London: Churchill Livingstone. p197-202. Aspinall EJ, Hawkins G, Fraser A, Hutchinson SJ, Goldberg D.. (2011). Pubmed:  Occupational Medicine. 8 (2), p531-540. Digant Gupta and Christopher G Lis. (2010). Nutrition Journal. Pubmed:  Pretreatment serum albumin as a predictor of cancer survival: A systematic review of the epidemiological literature. 9 (69), p112-120. Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, Pratt DS (2010).  Liver chemistry and function tests. 9th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevie. p436-450. Kazuhiro Kotoh, Marie Fukushima, Yuki Horikawa, Shinsaku Yamashita, Motoyuki Kohjima, Makoto Nakamuta, Munechika EnjojiJanuary. (2012). Experimental and theurapitcal mediine.  Serum albumin is present at higher levels in alcoholic liver cirrhosis as compared to HCV-related cirrhosis. 3 (1), p166-170. Miau-Ju Huang and Yun-Fan Liaw. (2008). Wiley Online Library.  Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 10 (3), P237–364. William J Marshall, Stephen K Bangert (2008).  Clinical chemistry. 6th ed. Edinburgh: Mosby Elsevier. p40-50.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Essay --

In the last 40 years, media influence has grown fast with the today`s advance technology. First there was a radio, then a newspapers, magazines, television and now there is a radical type of connection which has revolutionized the whole world that is the internet. Media is a way for the members of the society to keep themselves informed about what is happening and/or what will happen all around the world while they are staying at home, work or even on a vacation. It is also can be considered as one of the major source of entertainment. Media technology and communication is necessary in our day to day activities, playing major role in our lives such as education, migrant, personal relationship, job expansion, marketing of new products and services etc. internet has given us a lot of confidence on those media tools which have kept us close to and up to date to what is happenings around the world such as entertainment, educational activities, world wide political issue, global news, foreign market activities. It has proven studies and research that the media significant negative impact on our daily lives, especially young people under the age of 18 by watching movies and games violence. Until the mid of the last century most adolescents spend their free time together with adults so most of their behaviour and activities of this social group are to be monitored by the adult surrounding them. so teenager get the abilities they need in society to get well-integrated. Until that time parents, brothers, sisters and relatives were the most important examples for adolescents and children. After the developing of technology mostly everything has been changed this had effects on the social behavior and relationships of young people. The ... ...hough media is linked with spreading fake news. Also strengthen public relations with the young generation and continuous communication and exchange of ideas and opinions, including, for example, communicate via messages, pictures, or Videos through the Internet using some programs such as facebook or Twitter. Media nowadays is influencing all people almost every hour of everyday. It is an unbelievably strong force that has very few limitations. The force of media is changing the way we live our life, it seems that no one can go a whole day without knowing what exactly is going on around the world. Like it or not, media is more influential than the President and will continue to be until the world is changed. Indeed there is a negative effect of media as much as its positive one but its all depends on you and how you want it to affect you and the people around you. Essay -- In the last 40 years, media influence has grown fast with the today`s advance technology. First there was a radio, then a newspapers, magazines, television and now there is a radical type of connection which has revolutionized the whole world that is the internet. Media is a way for the members of the society to keep themselves informed about what is happening and/or what will happen all around the world while they are staying at home, work or even on a vacation. It is also can be considered as one of the major source of entertainment. Media technology and communication is necessary in our day to day activities, playing major role in our lives such as education, migrant, personal relationship, job expansion, marketing of new products and services etc. internet has given us a lot of confidence on those media tools which have kept us close to and up to date to what is happenings around the world such as entertainment, educational activities, world wide political issue, global news, foreign market activities. It has proven studies and research that the media significant negative impact on our daily lives, especially young people under the age of 18 by watching movies and games violence. Until the mid of the last century most adolescents spend their free time together with adults so most of their behaviour and activities of this social group are to be monitored by the adult surrounding them. so teenager get the abilities they need in society to get well-integrated. Until that time parents, brothers, sisters and relatives were the most important examples for adolescents and children. After the developing of technology mostly everything has been changed this had effects on the social behavior and relationships of young people. The ... ...hough media is linked with spreading fake news. Also strengthen public relations with the young generation and continuous communication and exchange of ideas and opinions, including, for example, communicate via messages, pictures, or Videos through the Internet using some programs such as facebook or Twitter. Media nowadays is influencing all people almost every hour of everyday. It is an unbelievably strong force that has very few limitations. The force of media is changing the way we live our life, it seems that no one can go a whole day without knowing what exactly is going on around the world. Like it or not, media is more influential than the President and will continue to be until the world is changed. Indeed there is a negative effect of media as much as its positive one but its all depends on you and how you want it to affect you and the people around you.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Gabriel Garcia Marquezs Love in the Time of Cholera :: Essays Papers

Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera Gabriel Garcia Marquez, author of Love in the Time of Cholera, depicts his characters by having them act in certain ways, in ways of love and care towards others. Each character acts certain ways to certain people, either to gain respect, love, friendship or hatred. Marquez’s character Florentino Ariza, is desperately in love with Fermina Daza, a beautiful young lady (early in the novel), who promises him her hand in marriage then breaks that promise by marrying Dr. Juvenal Urbino. Although heartbroken Ariza’s love for Fermina would still continue over many long years, thus showing how much he was in love with her. Over the years Ariza would do many things to attempt to woo Fermina back into his arms, none that would prosper. All of the acts he committed, he committed for the love he had for her. Most of the actions she would never know of, for he would never show nor tell her about such things. It seemed almost daily Marquez had Ariza writing Fermina a poem, a song or some sort of letter. Most which would never make it into her hands. Florentino Ariza’s love for Fermina Daza went beyond just loving her. He was truly IN love with her. People can love many people, but I believe that there can truly only be one person you are IN love with. Ariza would sacrifice so much throughout his life to attempt to have her attention. He would quit jobs, and move to be near her or to even just see her for a split second, like he would do when he went to the park to see her walk past. Ariza would finally work hard and become prosperous and wealthy, again trying to impress Fermina. Ariza’s love went beyond the childish love that most of us have endured. He waited fifty-one years to be with the woman that he considered his soul mate. This truly shows a great deal of self-determination and love for another human.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Second Shift

A Woman’s Work Is Never Done Traditionally men worked and brought home the bacon while women stayed home and took care of the children and the home. This changed when the new liberated independent women became driven towards acquiring a career, caring for the children and balancing domestic work. Thus women started to complain about being exhausted from working, multi-tasking, and solely taking care of the house-hold, while their husbands worked and bring forth a paycheck and think that is efficient enough and his job is pretty much done. ’I definitely concur with The Second Shift because this essay most women can really relate to, including me. It filters the contribution of what the husband brings to the house-hold versus the woman. It makes me ponder about why our husbands are letting us become husbands†. The author, Ariel Hochschild demonstrates keen examples and stated factual research from her findings on the percentages of husbands that said they should hel p out around the house and the ones that actually did, and furious Wives who not only had to work an eight hour shift; but also took care of the house-hold duties and tended to the children.From the author’s eight year research she concluded that failed marriages were not due to alcohol, physical and or mental abuse, infidelity, or financial problems, but due to the lack of domestic assistance from the husband. Men say that they want a woman to build with but why is she building alone while he frolics in the sun. If wives work a nine to five just like their husbands then the husband should be just as domesticated as his wife. Times have changed and women are not succumbing to the position of home maker anymore. Now a day’s women are solid with a take charge personality; which most men are fancy of.But even the most resilient woman can crumble after a hard day of work and then to come home to a husband watching sports while she has to cook, clean, tend to the kids, groc ery shopping, schools visits, do the laundry, maintain doctor’s appointment and still have a whooping sexual appetite at the end of the night is just out right preposterous. Every house-hold, family, and situation is different; therefore if both partners work then both partners should come to a mutual understanding based on each other’s schedule and split the domestic work evenly.A wife working is of great assistance to her husband financially, so like the old saying goes I scratch your back and you scratch mine. The husbands pay bills in the home and guess what, so goes the wife. They both occupy the same house, so why is the wife doing all the domestic work by herself? By all means the husband should help out in the house a lot more, but let us take a walk down the American road for a second to decipher what could possibly help this problem.If America were concerned with the hindrance that the broken home poses on its citizens the government would offer a helping han d to families, As far as funding programs to offer low costing or free child care, offer family assistance to families that make a little bit above the poverty margin, offer in home cleaning for families with more than one child or any assistance that could alleviate the stress on the woman financially, mentally and physically; While bringing the family structure together and keeping it that way.Who would turn this proposal down if it were given? This help would lead to wives spending more quality time with the kids and the husband. Families could do what they should do; enjoy and spend time together with mom not worrying about what elbow grease is ahead of her. A non-frazzled woman equals a euphoric home. Switzerland government offers a system very close to this, even in England and Canada health care is free, and these countries are not as rich and advanced as America. â€Å"In my opinion America will only help out if you are literally a bum on the street†.If families make more than the marginal poverty line annually then forget about it. America could take a lesson or two from these countries. This sociological and economical methodology could move society on a whole towards a better functionality. Hence this kind of help is like a domino effect in that it would not only help out families, but there will be an extensive percentage drop in divorces, mental illness, teen crimes, parent absence, child neglect and single mothers raising children.In essence, having a family and a beautiful home is a gift from god and should not be classified as the Second Shift; therefore the husbands should step up and assist their wives around the house daily so she does not have to feel this way. He too should have an idea of what it is like to arrive home from work and still have to work. He should have a very vivid idea of what it is like to work all day without any sleep prior to the night before, pick up each child from daycare, cook, clean, shopping and tend to th e kids etc. And let us see how he holds up.This domestic conflict between husbands and wives has been going on years now, and based on Ms. Hochscild’s studies from 1960s to the 1970s women worked fifteen more hours each week than men. Over a year women worked an extra month of twenty four hour days. Over a dozen years, it was an extra year of twenty four hour days. â€Å"Can you believe this? , Women working more hours than men†. Woman I have to credit you because you are so strong, for centuries you bore the struggles of society/mankind in your womb and now you have placed it on your backs.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Googles Method’s of Motivating Employees Essay

What is life like at Google? After extensive research I found a wide variety of opinions about life at Google. Google’s website portrays Google as the best of all places to work. They offer many luxuries including on site massages and health clubs in addition to free dining and vending options. The management style of Google is very lackadaisical and far from serious. Their motto is search, search, and search. Googleplex located out of San Jose, California has a unique method of motivating employees vastly different from other corporate America companies. New hires are flabbergasted by Google’s reputation. If they pass the unorganized and exhausting interview process, they will be able to utilize the extravagant perks that attract many to Google initially. Google’s goal is to keep employees focused on work by eliminating anything that might interfere with production. Current employees make use of this concept depending on their length of employment with the company. Ex-employees have a different view of Google’s culture and the driving forces that power it. Many of Google’s old employees feel this atmosphere leads to 24/7 working days with no personal time. They feel overworked and underpaid with little advancement opportunities available. With that being said, my assessment of the working environment at Google is similar to that of former employees. I feel Google is mirroring the college environment by meeting the basic needs of their employees. By making the basic needs readily available within the working environment, they eliminate outside distractions thus hoping to increase production. However, I feel this philosophy is comparable to that of many cults. They entice employees with so-called spectacular benefits and average pay all the while neglecting to tell them how demanding the working environment is at Google. I am surprised that Google does not offer on-site living arrangements too. Robbins and Coulter (2009) state, â€Å"Google has been named the ‘best company to work for’ by Fortune magazine two years running. † I have no doubts they are not a fantastic company to call home, but they are not retaining life time employees. At some point these associates are losing motivation and decide to look for better opportunities. These situations tell me that Google is failing their employees at some point. I believe the break-down begins at the top of the organizational structure within Google. They emphasize their benefits but neglect to explain employee expectations or job demands to their staff. After the orientation phase, employees get the real taste of Google: little time for the perks, exhausting hours, unorganized working environments, lacking management guidance, little advancement opportunities, minimal pay and a child-like atmosphere. This is the perfect recipe for burnout. Sequentially burnout creates Google’s biggest challenge. It has been said that middle management at Google might oversee over 100 people at one time. How can this be effective? Management needs to be involved and become more hands on with their employees. They could start with career plans, training and promotable reviews. Also, I feel Google should balance their perks by offering less on-site and more down time or empathy to their associates on a personal level. The perks offered are great but they are missing the most important factor-a sincere personal touch. If I were managing a team of Google employees I would try to implement a â€Å"hands on† type of approach. I would set up monthly meetings and give my staff appropriate feedback to help them grow and excel. A rewards and recognition program would be beneficial to them as well as a career plan. It would also be helpful to have training sessions when needed. Lastly, I would empathize with my employees by stressing balance between family and working time. Google has a nice platform; however, I feel these few changes could be vital assets to enhancing their working place while keep long term associates.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Machete and Tron Review Essay

In this film Robert Rodriguez decided to pay tribute to B-movies of the 70’s and 80’s (the unsteady zooms, the clumsy edits, the continuity errors between shots), this is very apparent in the genre of the movie, exploitation films include excessive violence, gore, nudity and way too many corny lines. Art Direction wise the film also follows a 70’s 80’s kind of vibe, the cast also reminds us of that era. Costume design is amazing, all characters have a distinct very cartoony costume to them, the cheesiness doesn’t end here, the amount of weapons cannot be accounted for other than all the uzi’s minigun’s etc. etc. our main character can turn any household object, gardening tool or surgical instrument into a weapon of mass destruction! Special Effects are ABSURD (in the good way) what really stuck in my head is when our main Hero guts someone takes his intestines and jumps out a window using them as a rope! The Blood spurts and body parts cut off or crushed aren’t few either. Sound Effects have their parts of cheese; the most memorable one to me was when Torrez (played by Steven Seagal) pulls out his Samurai Sword (the effect is actually from the 1974 movie Six Million Dollar Man). Machete is a film that embodies all of the facets a 1970s blaxploitation film would have, but with the Hispanic culture. This is Mexploitation, with a resonant grindhouse feeling, complete with film reel scratches and fake political ads. But the violence and action in this is so extraordinary and unapologetically gruesome, with the extremity of it all not being taken seriously at all. The things they do in this film, guaranteed you haven’t seen most of them ever done before. Corkscrews, high-heels, weed-whackers, and, of course, machetes, are only a very small listing of all the tools and weapons used to dispatch characters in Machete. It’s over the top, absolutely ridiculous scenes that pop up every five minutes and make for a joyous film experience. There are too many be-headings, blood-splattering gunshots, and limb removals to count†¦. Don’t even get me started on the stabbings. The end Battle climaxes the gore, blood, and absurdity of the film. I’m going to get more in some of the Characters; Danny Trejo, the star of Machete, has a face that’s so rough, craggy, and etched with hard living that it’s like a natural rock formation. With a tattooed torso as thick as a refrigerator, and long oily black hair that frames his simmering coal-fire eyes, Trejo, like Mickey Rourke, is a freakishly hypnotic camera subject. Depending on which angle he’s shot from, he can look like the world’s toughest biker, a Native American shaman, or a very angry carp. As Machete (pronounced †ma-chet-ay†), Trejo is so badass he’s funny. Yet the movie, codirected by Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis, never treats him like a joke. When he slashes people with his machete, which he favors because he’s a true warrior (as opposed to the wimps who hide behind their guns), he’s an unholy ethnic avenger out of a ’70s walking-tall fantasy. Robert De Niro plays the role of Senator John McLaughlin; the character is your typical jackass Texas cowboy senator. Sartana Rivera is you basic torn cop that is realizing that some laws shouldn’t be enforced because they are just laws, Jessica Alba fits well in this role. In a side note her Nude shower scene was a fake she was digitally stripped naked, it was a decision she and Robert Rodriguez made together, which would serve his vision for the film, as well as honor her personal convictions regarding nudity. Torrez played by Steven Seagal , is a drug lord portrayed as if he thinks of himself as a Samurai, he even has his own Katana (the samurai Sword) Michelle Rodriguez plays the Role of Luz, at first she looks pretty normal but in the end scene she is reincarnated as the Mythical â€Å"SHE† leather pants, small top, eye patch and one hell of a Machine gun. Lindsay Lohan shines as April Booth, daughter of Michael Booth, she has 2 costumes in the hole film first one is, well, being Naked!!!! And the second is a full dressed Nun that surely comes with a Machine gun! Cheech Marin plays as Padre Cortez, your favored pastor; he uses 2 shotguns to blow off people’s heads off. Tron: Legacy Put together the old Tron with reminiscent Skintight suits with neon like lines that glow, new tech machinery called Light Runners, and some new and improved Light cycles(new gen Bikes)created out of sticks, think about the film score and music and you realize that it should be done by Daft Punk, I guess Kosinski realized this early on because when he was asked why he ecided to have Daft Punk do the film score, he replied, â€Å"How could you not at least go to those guys? †. The score is a mix of orchestral and electronic elements, this fits right on with the artistic feel of the movie. Daft Punk have created a sonic masterpiece worthy of the legacy of Tron. Their brilliant layering of ambient electronica with orchestral symphonics is every bit as avant garde in creating atmospheric digital soundscapes as Wendy Carlos’ score was for the origin al Tron. I only wish that they had incorporated some more of Wendy’s memorable themes. You can kind of hear a few familiar notes that recalls Tron’s theme in â€Å"Adagio For Tron† but that’s pretty much the only hat tip to Wendy’s vintage score. Like the film itself, Daft Punk have taken the music of Tron to a whole new aesthetic level by incorporating their unique style of techno synthpop along with their influences of electronic film composers like Vangelis on â€Å"Arrival† to the ominous Carpenter-esque â€Å"C. L. U. † and synthesizing them with traditional orchestral composers like Bernard Hermann and Max Steiner. â€Å"The Grid† is the only track with any words put to the music. With Jeff Bridges providing a voiceover for the first half of the track, the song acts as an introduction for anyone who may have missed the first film. As â€Å"The Grid† fades out and â€Å"The Son Of Flynn† opens with an arpeggiated synthesizer, listeners get their first taste of Daft Punks blend between their own unique sound and classical music. Although the majority of the tracks on â€Å"Tron: Legacy† utilize an excellent balance between the two styles, some of the tracks sway one way or the other, drastically changing the mood of the piece. Tracks like â€Å"The Game Has Changed† offer an almost exclusively classical instrumentation while transforming the percussion section into a series of powerful electronic hits, rattling the eardrums and taking focus off of the ominous strings hidden beneath. Although the London Philharmonic Orchestra provides all of the string arrangements, their true feature comes on â€Å"Adagio for Tron. † Sounding a bit like Hans Zimmer’s â€Å"Hummel Gets the Rockets† from the soundtrack for â€Å"The Rock,† Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk use his track as a means of showing off their prowess with orchestration, complete with a simple, yet beautiful cello solo. As the mood darkens, the music dives deeper into the electronic realm while still maintaining at least some aspects of a symphonic orchestra. Tracks like â€Å"End of Line† pull entirely from the electronic realm except for a sustained string part which would typica lly get lost in a Daft Punk mix, but because of their extraordinary presence on the rest of the album, they remain surprisingly noticeable.

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Prison Mental Health Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Prison Mental Health Services - Essay Example At mid-year 2005, more than half of all prison and jail inmates in the United States reported symptoms of a mental health problem within the last 12 months (James & Glaze, 2006).Among the state prison inmates nationwide, 43% reported symptoms that met criteria for mania, 23% reported symptoms of major depression, and 15% reported symptoms that met criteria for a psychotic disorder. (James & Glaze, 2006) Contributory factors to the higher prevalence rates of mental illness among individuals in prison include the criminalization of the mentally ill (Aderbigbe, 1977) and communication barriers between the criminal justice and mental health systems of care (Lamberti & Weisman, 2001). In addition, Satriano (2006) has described the social and contextual issues in the 1960's that were contributing factors to the imprisonment of seriously mentally ill persons, including deinstitutionalization of severely mentally ill persons in without adequate follow-up; rising levels of homelessness and substance abuse among mentally ill persons; and an anti-psychiatry movement led by Thomas Szasz and R. D. Lang who believed mental illness to be a myth and viewed psychosis to be a reactive response to a bad situation. Also, the criteria of dangerousness became necessary to involuntarily confine an individual, shifting the idea of commitment from a therapeutic concept to one that is protective of society. (Satriano, 2006) Most experts agree that the incarcerated population's mental health needs are grossly underprovided while they are incarcerated (Roskes et al., 1999). Mentally ill prisoners are more a risk for behavioral disturbances, acts of aggression, and disciplinary problems than non-mentally inmates (Rowen & Hayes, 1995). Untreated psychiatric symptoms are associated with assaults, self-injurious behavior, social withdrawal, and suicides within correctional facilities. (Hayes, 1995) The Supreme Court (Estelle vs. Gamble, 1976) established that it is unconstitutional under the eighth amendment to show indifference to the medical needs of prisoners. In Browning vs. Godwin (1977) it was determined that the right to medical treatment is not distinguishable from the right of mental health treatment. The American Psychiatric Association (2000) and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (1999) recommend mental health screening at the time of prison intake. The efficacy of treatment for the disease of interest should be established before a standardized prison-based screening program is considered. Early treatment with psychotropic medication is critical to the successful treatment of patients with serious psychiatric disorders. In the disease of schizophrenia, for example, the recognition of early phase illness and vigorous treatment aimed at relapse prevention may improve long term prognosis (Keks, Mazumdar, & Shields, 2000). Specifically, early intervention with antipsychotic medications decreases the long term morbidity of schizophrenia (Wyatt, Damiani, & Henter, 1998) and leads to a 2.5 to 10-fold reduction in relapse rates among those given maintenance treatment with anti-psychotic medication (Davis, 1985). Other studies have shown that detection, treatment and symptom control improves rehabilitation outcomes and self-efficacy