Bonds Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bonds - Article Example As the matter of fact, bonds are viewed as the most secure form of investment though with a relatively low rate of return. In the light of recent crisis, investors became more risk-averse and reliant on these long-term financial instruments though not completely protected from the risk as interest rates are still subject to change. Bond is a long-term financial instrument that is mainly traded by large corporations and a government (Class PPT, 2009)1 for the purpose of raising money (Investopedia, 2009).2 Bonds are also issued by governments in order to provide secure long-term investments of individuals in such institutions as pension funds (Ming, 2009). A borrower (issuer) is obliged to pay principal and interest on a predetermined date (maturity) to an investor (bond holder) (Class PPT, 2009). In contrast to other financial instruments, bond's rate of return is lower due to lower perceived risk of default. However, in case of such an incident, investors still get lower return (Class PPT, 2009). That fact always makes investors cautious in choosing a reliable institution for investment. Moreover, the crisis emanated in March of 2007 made the current financial situation rather volatile and unpredictable. The situation discouraged business lending and stimulated the purchases of governmental Treasury notes (Hi lsenrath, 2009). Current financial situation stimulated investors' demand for greater security of their capital.

Word War II Essay Example for Free

Word War II Essay The book â€Å"PT 105† written by Dick Keresey was published in the year 1996 and was highly-acclaimed because it tells an exciting and accurate story about PT boats. Furthermore, the book sheds new light on the distinctive contributions made by these boats to the war effort in the South Pacific. During the Word War II, PT boats were considered as the fastest craft on the water in spite of its small size and vulnerability. PT boats were described as nimble, tough, and considered as the most heavily armed ships in the U. S. Navy. The PT 105 boats are patrol boat considered to be of the same class as John F. Kennedy’s PT 109 but execute test maneuvers in the Atlantic. Usually, a PT boat, also called as a â€Å"mosquito boat†, contains a crew of 12-14. These PT boats positioned at the Solomon Islands agilely stalked Japanese warships. The main objective of the boats in the Solomons was to thwart the delivery of supplies and troops to the bases of the Japanese. Moreover, these boats were very important because they fought in the very front line of the greatest sea war in history. Nevertheless, until today barely anybody truly understands and recognizes what they did. Due to the book of Keresey, the story regarding these strong little fighters offers new account on the roles and involvement of these boats to the war effort. Dick Keresey was the captain of PT 105 and he was also in the same battle as John F. Kennedy when the PT 109 of Kennedy was crushed and sunk. According to Keresey, the well-known event has frequently been portrayed erroneously and the PT boats were often described as ineffective and undependable. Aside from informing the readers regarding his experiences as a PT Boat skipper during the Pacific War, Keresey likewise imparts what it was like to be a young American involved in famous incidents of his time. PT 105 as written by Dick Keresey During the World War II, Dick Keresey had skippered a PT boat in the Pacific and, subsequent to spending the rest of his life practicing law, Keresey made a decision to write regarding his Navy career because when Keresey becomes a PT man, he happened to be intensely loyal to the boats and the men on them. Hence, the book â€Å"PT 105† was born. With Keresey’s book, the story about the incident was truthfully explained by means of illustrating the real picture of PT boats that makes use of Keresey’s personal experience at New Georgia, Guadalcanal, Choiseul Island, and Bougainville. Keresey’s book is action-filled and tells about avoiding night bombers, saving downed airmen and coast watchers, participating in cruel guan battles with Japanese barges including small freighters, setting aside Marine scouts behind Japanese lines, and dealing with disease, heat, and loneliness. I believe that Keresey’s story is full of varied emotions funny, scary, melancholy, exciting, and angry—this last feeling was triggered not just by infrequent past operational follies visited upon the boats by commanders far from the fighting but likewise since the boats’ involvement in the war effort has been either forgotten or misunderstood. Due to the fact that Keresey sets the record straight in his book with such clarity and energy, he was instantly requested to write an article for American Heritage. Moreover, in order not to lose Keresey’s proficiently drawn strategic picture and his personal anecdotes as well, Keresey was asked to condense his entire book into the compass of a magazine article. Nevertheless, I personally believe that the situation in the book that might have given me the most delight is a minor, nearly parenthetical one—although it concerns the most famous of all PT-boat men. JFK’s shadow has been the topic of a lot of cold scrutiny in current years that it is good to be offered an unanticipated preview of him plainly being a good guy. In the book, JFK, who was still young then, graciously greeting his forerunner is in effect furtively assisting a Navy friend. This Navy friend is Al Webb, who following his PT service turned out to be vice president of sales for Cavanagh Hats. With his fellow skipper’s famed bare headedness ruining his venture, Webb instructed Cavanagh to make two top quality custom hats and rushed to the White House to offer one to the President and one to Kennedy’s long-time friend, Red Fay who is a businessman. According to Keresey, Kennedy met the challenge of endorsing and promoting the hats in his own way. Because the following day after Webb brought the hats to the White House, Kennedy greeted ex- President Eisenhower at Camp David and after that sent Al a picture of the momentous event. The picture portrayed Kennedy bending forward, his right hand extended; and in his left hand he held a hat, the inside layer facing out toward the camera; hence, the Cavanagh Hats label was clearly obvious and noticeable. After several years, Keresey said in his book that he called the Kennedy Library to ask if he could obtain a copy of the said picture for his book. As written in the book, Keresey informed the curator what he wanted to ask and why. Keresey wrote in the book that the man in the library was thrilled because according to the man, Keresey has solved the mystery because Kennedy carried the hat around for two weeks, and no one has ever been able to work out or understand why. Furthermore, the subject of Keresey’s great memoir is his days when he was still a PT commander in the Solomons in the years 1942 and 1943. Written in a series of vignettes with a flowing narrative line, Keresey’s book concludes with a long explanation of a moral preference or decision made in the area that came back to him years afterward. I think that based on reading the book, I can say that Keresey is candid and frank regarding himself, his men, and the Navy he served in. Particularly astute is his frank admittance that what made him look extremely composed in battle was his cornered-rat inclination. In addition, Keresey likewise protects former Lt. John F. Kennedy for his actions and decisions in Blackett Strait when he sunk by a Japanese destroyer. In conclusion, I believe that Keresey’s PT 105 is a must read if the reader would like to take pleasure in learning what day to day life was actually like in the small command Navy. Moreover, I think that this book is an exceptionally well written factual story regarding life in the Pacific seen thru the eyes of PT 105 commanding officer Dick Kersey. Hence, if the reader wants personal eye witness accounts, then definitely he/she would love to re read this book over and over. # Reference Keresey, Dick. (2003). PT 105. Naval Institute Press; New Ed edition.

Minority Rules :: essays research papers

In the novel A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, the author uses many minor characters. Although labelled "minor", these characters contribute fully, and are essential to the depth and excitement of the novel. Three such characters are: Miss Pross, Gaspard, and Jerry Cruncher. These three characters take on a couple different roles, depending on what point in the novel one is at. From the beginning, and throughout the novel, Miss Pross plays a simple role. She takes care of Lucie Manette. A simple role it may seem to be, but she adds humor to the story from the offset. Once Lucie and Dr. Manette have returned to England, after Dr. Manette's imprisonment, Miss Pross continues to take an influential role in the story. She is constantly looking after Lucie and this includes Miss Pross attempting to discourage any suitors. Miss Pross is quite successful at appearing and acting in a commanding and intimidating manner. An example of this is when Mr. Lorry came to visit at the Manette's home; "...Miss Pross, the wild red woman, strong of hand...`I don't want dozens of people who are not all worthy of Ladybird, to come looking after her....to take Ladybird's affections away from me.'" Miss Pross being part of the novel deepens the plot by providing some humor and giving the reader another side to consider when thinking of Lucie and her several relationships. Gaspard's purpose in the novel is dissimilar to that of Miss Pross. Gaspard is used to help the reader understand how the majority of the French population was feeling prior to the revolution. Gaspard and the other peasants were treated, by the aristocracy, as if they were disgusting rodents. When Gaspard's son is run over by the Marquis, all the Marquis is worried about, is if his horses or his coach were hurt or damaged. Gaspard's anger and realization of how he is being treated causes him to rebel and kill the Marquis. The one murder symbolizes the animosity of all the peasants and is a taste of what is to come with the revolution. Gaspard was therefore used to foreshadow what is to happen in the future, this is auvioce especially after Gaspard is captured and hung. He is left hanging with a knife in him so that he poisons the water. Later that afternoon the Jacquerie are talking in Defarge's wine shop of how "the chateau and all the race.

Effects of Internet on Child Development

180 to learn was reported in 65 cases, to play was reported in 57 cases, to browse in 35 cases, and to communicate in 27 cases. Thus, the five indices of child home Internet use in cluded: 1) the continuous variable years of home Internet access and the dichotomous (report ed-unreported) variables of child home In ternet use to 2) learn, 3) play, 4) browse, and 5) communicate. Family Socioeconomic Characteristics The parent questionnaire assessed five family characteris tics commonly used to determine socioeconomic status (Bradley & Corwyn, 2002; Sirin, 2005).Two items queried father’s and mother’s employment status. Approximately 70% of mothers and 96% of fathers were employed, full-time or part-time. Two questionnaire items requested father’s and mother’s level of education, coded as: elementa ry = 1, junior high school = 2, high school incomplete = 3, high school complete = 4, technical school/college (complete or incomplete) = 5 and university (complet e or incomplete) = 6. The mean educational level of mothers was 4. 79 (SD = 0. 95) suggesting that many mothers had post-secondary education; the mean educational level of fa thers was 4. 45 (SD = 1. 2) suggesting that some fathers had post-secondary education. The final socioeconomic item on the questionnaire asked parents to indicate annual family income by selecting one of the following options: < $20 000 = 1, $20 000 to $40 000 = 2, $40 000 to $60 000 = 3, $60 000 to $80 000 = 4, $80 000 to $100 000 = 5, > $100 000 = 6. Annual income for participating families was approximately $60,000 CD (M = 4. 07, SD = 1. 48). Table 2 presents a summary of measured constructs which includes: four tests of children’s cognitive development, five indices of children’s home Internet use, and five fa ily socioeconomic characteris tics. Which are the better predictors of cognitive development during childhood, — el ements of the microsystem or elements of the techno- subsystem? Two series of stepwise regression analysis we re conducted with the four c ognitive development scores as the dependant variables. In the first regression analyses , family socioeconomic characteristics (elements of the microsystem) were the independent variables. In the second analyses, indices of home Internet use (elements of the techno-subsystem) were the independent variables. Tab le 2 Description of Constructs and Measures Ecological System System Elements Specific Measures Bioecology Cognitive Development Expressive Language Metacognitive Planning Visual Perception Auditory Memory Techno-Subsystem Home Internet Use Years of Internet Access Online Learning Online Playing Online Browsing Online Communication Microsystem Family Characteristics Father Employment Mother Employment Father Education Mother Education Annual Family Income Results Results of analyses revealed that fa mily socioeconomic characteristics (eleme nts of the microsystem) explained a odest (but significant) amount of the variation in children’s cognitive deve lopment scores. As presented in Table 3, adjusted R 2 values indicated that father’s level of education accounted for approximately 7% of the variation in children’s level of expressive language (as measured by the WISC-IV vocabulary subtest), 5% of the variation in children’s visual perception and auditory memory (as measured by the CAS nonverbal matrices subtest and CAS 181 word series subtest, respectively). Whether or not moth ers were employed, part-tim e or full-time, accounted for pproximately 6% of the differences in children’s capacity to execute metacognitive functions such as planning (as measured by the CAS matching numbers subtest). While the other measures of familial socioeconomic status (e. g. , mother’s education and family income) explained some of the variance in children’s cognitive development, such measures did not improve upon the predictive utility of fa ther ’s education or maternal employment; variation is prerequisite to prediction. Almost all fathers were employed and almost all mothers had finished high school. For participating middle-class families, father’s education a d mother’s employment were more sensitive to children’s cognitive development scores than were family income, father’s employment, and mother’s education. Tab le 3 . Stepwise Regression Analysis: Family Characteristics Predicting Child Cognitive Development Cognitive Score Predictor Beta Weight t value R 2 (adj) F value Expressive Language Father Education . 292 2. 70** . 074 (1, 78) = 7. 29** Metacognitive Planning Mother Employed . 270 2. 46* . 061 (1, 77) = 6. 05* Visual Perception Father Education . 244 2. 22* . 047 (1, 78) = 4. 93* Auditory Memory Father Education . 258 2. 6* . 054 (1, 78) = 5. 55* *p < . 05; **p < . 01 Results of analyses further revealed th at indices of home Internet use (elements of the techno-subs ystem), in general, explained more of the variation in children’s cognitive de velopment than did family socioeconomic characteristics (elements of the microsystem). Summarized in Table 4, specific types on online behavior (i. e. , learning, communicating, and playing) and years of home In ternet access combined to predicted child cognitive developmental outcomes. Indicated by adjusted R 2 , children’s online communication, ears of home Internet access, and online learning (as reported by parents) accounted for ap proximately 29% of the varia tion in children’s level of expressive language as measured by the WISC-IV vocabulary subtest. Online learning and communicating (reported- unreported) combined to explain 13. 5% of the variation in children’s metacognitive planning. Online learning and playing (reported-unreported) combined to explain 10. 9% of the variation in children’s auditory memory. Years of home Internet access explained approximately 3% of the diffe rences in children’s visual perception scores. With the xception of visual perception, indices of home Internet use (elements of the techno-subsystem) were better predictors of children’s cognitive development than were family socioeconomic characteristics (elements of the microsystem). Tab le 4 . Stepwise Regression Analysis: Home Internet Use Predicting Child Cognitive Development Cognitive Score Predictor/s Beta Weight t value R 2 (adj) F value Expressive Language Online Communication . 344 4. 00*** Years of Internet Access . 263 3. 12 ** Online Learning . 256 2. 99** . 287 (3, 101) = 14. 97*** Metacognitive Planning Online Learning . 287 3. 03** Online Communication . 201 2. 12* . 35 (2, 101) = 9. 06*** Visual Perception Years of Internet A ccess . 192 1. 99* . 028 (1, 104) = 3. 98* Auditory Memory Online Learning . 242 2. 60* Online Playing . 228 2. 46* . 109 (3, 101) = 14. 97*** *p < . 05; **p < . 01; ***p < . 001 Discussion A variety of mechanism s linking family socioeconomic status to child cognitive development have been proposed including parenting (Petrill, Pike, Price, & Plomin, 2004 ; Mistry, Biesanz, Chien, Howes, & Benner, 2008) and 182 resources (Bradley & Corwyn, 2002). For the current samp le of middle class children, paternal education and maternal employment were associated with measures of hild cognitive development. More educated fathers tended to have offspring who scored high on three of the four cognitive measures (expressive language, visual perception, and auditory memory). Mothers who were employed tended to have children who scored high on the measure of metacognitive planning. Educated fathers and employed mothers may genetically transmit to their offspring some neurological processing advantage (bioecology). Simultaneously, educated fathers may provide enhanced language models and stimulating environments that facilitate the cognitive development of their children (microsystemic influence). Employed mother may provide models of organization and place increased demands on children to self- regulate thereby enhancing the metacognitive planning abilities of their offspring (microsystemic influence). Family socioeconomic status (as measur ed and for the current sample) accounted for 5% to 7% of differences in child cognitive development scores. In contrast, indices of home Internet use (as measured and for the current sample) accounted for 3% to 29% of differences in child cognitive development scores. Me ta-analysis confirms that the impact of socioeconomic status on academic achie vement is eroding over time (Sirin, 2005). Increasingly ffective structures of social equali zation (e. g. , public education, quality daycare, preschool intervention, and prenatal programs) and the expanding middle class create the need for more precise description of home environments. Current results suggest th at indices of home Internet use (i. e. , elements of the ecological techno- subsystem) pro vide more useful information regarding cognitive development than do family socioeconomic characteristics (elements of the microsystem). Only two of five family socioeconom ic characteristics added to the regres sion equation, suggesting that some measures (i. e. , family income father employment, and mother education) did not differ in relation to children’s cognitive development. In contrast, four of the five indices of home Internet use during childhood added to the regression equation, suggesting that these measures differe d in relation to children’s cognitive development. In the context of the current investigation, soci oeconomic status is a crude construct re lative to home Internet use. Internet use includes both organized (e. g. , search) and disorganized (e. g. , browse) interactions with both human (e. g. , chat) and nonhuman (e. g. , database) elements in online environments (Johnson & Kulpa, 2007).Internet use is a complex set of behaviors that vary widel y across individuals and th at is influenced by cognitive and personality characteristics (Joinson, 2003). For the current sample of children, patterns of home Internet use explained more of the variation in cognitive development than did family socioeconomic characteristics. In the context of middle class families, elements in the techno-subsystem (e. g. , Internet access) may not necessarily facilitate child cognitive development; effective use of those elements, highly dependent upon parent behavior, may promote development.For example, Cho and Cheon (2005) surveyed families and found that parents’ perceived control, obtained through shared web activities and family cohesion, reduced children’s exposure to negative Internet content. Lee and Chae (2007) reported a positive relations hip between parental mediation techniques (website recommendation and Internet co-use) and children’s educa tional attainment. In the current investigation, the cognitive experienc es provided to children by employed moth ers may include Internet skills instruction (e. g. , sending email) and models of information management (e. g. acc essing websites for informa tion). Such experiences, over time, may provide children with enhanced opportunities to direct their own cognitive development via increasingly sophisticated uses of the Internet. According to Livingston and Bober (2005), â€Å"a new divide is opening up between those for whom the internet is an increasingly rich, diverse, engaging and stimulating resource and those for whom it remains a narrow, unengaging, if occasionally useful , resource of rather less significance† (p. 2). Bruner (2005) recen tly reiterated that â€Å"our minds ap propriate ways of representing th world from using and relating to the codes or rules of available technology† (p. x). Cognitive abilities prerequisite to utilization of Internet applications constitute an implicit component of contemporary notions of intel ligence (Maynard, Subrahmanyam, & Greenfield, 2005). The ecological techno-s ubsystem furthers our understanding of environmental influences on child development by emphasizing the impact of digital technologies on cognitive growth during childhood. The techno- subsystem provides precise description of microsystemic mechanisms of developmental influence which lead to intervention strategies.According to Livingston and Bober ( 2005), many parents lack the skills to guide and support their children’s Internet use and Intern et-literate parents have Internet-litera te children. Subsequent research may evaluate the effectiveness of techno-subs ystem interventions for elementary school children at-risk, for example, the provision of home Internet access and pa rent Internet literacy training. As stated elsewhere, â€Å"current anxiety surrounding children’s Internet use should be for those whose cognitive processes are not influenced by the cultural tool† (Johnson, 2 006, p. 570).

Right Sided Heart Failure Health And Social Care Essay

Hyperthyroidism has been known to do a assortment of cardiovascular manifestations. In recent times, there have been studies of secondary pneumonic high blood pressure in patients with thyrotoxicosis, though in most instances this association lead merely to a mild and transeunt lift of average pneumonic arteria force per unit area. This was normally a opportunity happening with bulk non being diagnostic. We hereby show a instance, who on presentation had the marks and symptoms of right bosom failure and was later diagnosed with pneumonic high blood pressure. With all common secondary causes ruled out, Graves ‘ disease seemed the possible etiology in this patient with elevated thyroid map trial. Treatment of Graves ‘ disease with radioiodine therapy in this patient was associated with important autumn in average pneumonic arteria force per unit area. Keywords: Pneumonic high blood pressure, Grave ‘s disease, thyrotoxicosis.Introduction:Our instance of a immature female with a anterior history of arthritic bosom disease and mitral regurgitation, presented with grounds of right bosom failure. She was found to hold important pneumonic high blood pressure ( PAH ) with normal left ventricular map which pointed towards an etiology of PAH in the lungs. All the common possible secondary causes of PAH were ruled out but during the probes she was found to hold elevated thyroid map trials compatible with the diagnosing of Graves ‘ disease. The intervention of Graves ‘ disease, ab initio by medicines and later by radioiodine therapy, was associated with a important decrease in the pneumonic arteria systolic force per unit area. The intent of this instance study is to foreground one of the unusual and under-diagnosed presentations of Grave ‘s disease. The association between PAH and thyrotoxicosis was foremost reported in an necropsy instance in 1980. [ 4 ]Case Presentation:A 30yr old Hindu married female, occupant of Mumbai, presented with a 2-month history of dyspnoea on effort ( NYHA Class II ) which had worsened to dyspnea at remainder since 2 yearss and pedal hydrops for 2 yearss. She besides had orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea and palpitations. Her past and household histories were non-contributory. At presentation, she had mild tachycardia ( bosom rate= 108/min ) , normal blood force per unit area ( 120/70mm of Hg ) , raised JVP ( 8cms. ) , pedal hydrops and a thyroid puffiness. Examination of the thorax revealed hyperdynamic vertex round tangible at 5th intercostal infinite, a diastolic daze, and a left parasternal heaving. On auscultation, she had a loud P2 and a grade 3/6 pan-systolic mutter in the mitral country radiating to the armpit, which increased on termination. She besides had bilateral crackles on lung Fieldss. Her chest X ray revealed megalocardia and outstanding proximal pneumonic arteria. ECG showed right axis divergence, ‘P pulmonale ‘ , and an grounds of right ventricular hypertrophy. Consequences of 2D ECHO included grounds of arthritic bosom disease with mild mitral and tricuspid regurgitation, terrible pneumonic arteria high blood pressure with systolic force per unit area of 70 millimeter of HgH , normal biventricular map and a left ventricular expulsion fraction of 60 % . She underwent work-up for pneumonic high blood pressure with high declaration computed imaging of thorax which showed mild megalocardias without any grounds of parenchymal engagement and a bulky thyroid. Computed tomographic pneumonic angiography showed no grounds of pneumonic thromboembolism. Ultrasonography of the thyroid showed bulky thyroid with increased vascularity and altered echotexture. Radioiodine uptake scan showed diffuse consumption in thyroid secretory organ. Relevant research lab consequences included serum T3 concentration of 450.93 ng/dL ( normal 70-204 ng/dL ) , T4 concentration of 40.6 ?g/dL ( normal 3.2-12.6 ?g/dL ) and TSH concentration of & A ; lt ; 0.01Â µIU/mL. HIV screen was non-reactive. Auto-antibody screen revealed positive anti-microsomal and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies and decrepit positive anti-nuclear antibody ( 1:100 ) Patient was ab initio started on Lasix with minimum benefit. After the diagnosing of Graves ‘ disease was made, she was started on beta-blockers and carbimazole. Patient was later sent to TATA infirmary for radioiodine therapy. A follow-up after 2 months with repetition 2 D Echocardiography showed pneumonic arteria systolic force per unit area of 45 millimeter of Hg ( important lessening from the old value ) .Discussion:Pneumonic arterial high blood pressure ( PAH ) is defined as a average pneumonic arteria force per unit area ( mPAP ) of & A ; gt ; 25 millimeter Hg at remainder or & A ; gt ; 30 millimeter Hg after exercising. [ 1 ] The etiology is divided into primary or secondary causes. Secondary causes of PAH include cardiac valvular disease, COPD, pneumonic fibrosis, left bosom failure, clogging slumber apnea, pneumonic thrombo-embolism, HIV infection, drugs, toxins and collagen vascular diseases. [ 3 ] Primary pneumonic high blood pressure is associated with a bad result, hence, it is necessary to seek for secondary, reversible causes of pneumonic high blood pressure before doing any diagnosing. [ 3 ] Haran and co-workers [ 2 ] reported a instance of a 33-year-old Asiatic adult male with 2 months of diagnostic Graves ‘ disease, echocardiographic grounds of elevated right ventricular systolic force per unit area and normal cardiac valves. This patient was treated with medicines only- Inderal, propylthiouracil, steroids, and Procardia and repetition echocardiography 6 months subsequently showed important autumn in right ventricular systolic force per unit area. Suk JH and co-workers [ 5 ] performed consecutive echocardiographic scrutinies in 64 untreated patients with Graves ‘ disease. The survey found that the prevalence of PAH amongst the patients in the survey was 44 % . Follow up echocardiography performed in the patients with PAH after intervention with anti-thyroid drugs, revealed that PAH had vanished in all except one patient. Marvisi M and co-workers [ 9 ] studied 114 patients with thyrotoxicosis of which 47 had Graves ‘ disease and 67 had nodular goitre alongwith a matched control group. Mild pneumonic high blood pressure was found in 50 instances from the patient group which was once more divided into 2 subgroups: those treated with methimazole and those with partial thyroidectomy. After a 120 twenty-four hours followup, the survey concluded that the association between thyrotoxicosis and mild and transient PAH is frequent and that methimazole causes a faster autumn in mPAP compared to partial thyroidectomy. Though the exact pathogenesis of this status is non known, the mechanisms that have been debated in literature include: increased pneumonic blood flow [ 5 ] or autoimmune procedure associated with endothelial harm [ 8 ] . Other possible accounts include increased cardiac end product in thyrotoxicosis or increased dislocation of intrinsic pneumonic vasodilatives [ 6 ] .Decision:In patients with pneumonic high blood pressure non related to left bosom disease, a hunt must be made for other reversible causes before doing the diagnosing of primary pneumonic high blood pressure. [ 3 ] Hyperthyroidism is rather often associated with mild and transient pneumonic high blood pressure than antecedently thought and is normally reversible with intervention. [ 5,9 ] In rare fortunes, pneumonic high blood pressure secondary to hyperthyroidism can be terrible plenty to show with right bosom failure and should be included in the differential diagnosing when other common causes have been ruled out. [ 7 ] Using medicines for intervention of thyrotoxicosis with PAH is associated with faster autumn in mPAP. [ 9 ]

Nursing Association in the US

Nursing Association in the US Nursing homes have come a long way in providing quality long-term carefor the aged. Over the years, nursing association in the United States has expanded its licensing boundaries to accommodate various levels of education in nursing as well as accountability and responsibilities.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Nursing Association in the US specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Similarly, accreditation for nursing homes and (CCRC) Continuing Care Retirement Centers also came up to ensure that standards and regulations are upheld. Moreover, quality of service provide by CCRCshave improved since the introduction of accreditation programs. In essence, accreditations of these facilities have been influential in improving service delivery and care for the ill as well as disabled. In addition accreditation has enabled nurses to improve care giving to patients and the needy. In fact, supervisory role which lies with physicians h as reduced with the introduction of accreditation programs. This paper will identify as well as discuss accreditation for skilled nursing facilities and continuing care retirement centers(Pacific Retirement Services, Inc., 2011, p. 1). Skilled nursing facilities have become increasingly important in modern times as the population ages. In fact, most families consider moving their aged loved ones into nursing homes. It is therefore important that they are placed in accredited facilities as this ensures their well being. These facilities meet the increasingly difficult needs of senior people in society as they receive attention from care providers all round the clock. In essence, nursing homes or skilled nursing facilities refer to homes that provide best care for the aged (outside the hospital). Basically, skilled nursing facilities provide custodial care. These include medical care, feeding, dressing and bathing, among others. In addition, the facilities provide services of other pr ofessionals like physical or occupational therapists, among others. This makes it a suitable place for the aged. Moreover, there are CCRCs, which specifically target the aged who live independently but require being attended to whenever necessary as they continue to grow older. These communities can sometimes be referred to as Lifecare centers since they entail long term care for the aged. For these service centers to function effectively, they must uphold certain standards as provided by regulators. Therefore they have to receive full accreditation for their services in order to offer them to the public(HELPGUIDE.ORG, 2010, p. 1).Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Nursing homes and CCRCs are required to meet certain standards that regard competency, credibility as well as quality assurance, among others. This can only be done through accreditation as it ensures that ac ceptable practices are offered. Nursing facilities are usually required to have trained nursing staffs in order to be accredited. This enables them to provide 24-hour nursing care form registered nurses. Similarly, CCRCs must also be accredited before they offer their services to public. The process of accreditation is usually complex as it involves upholding certain requirements. CCRCs are usually accredited by private agencies such as (CCAC) Continuing Care Accreditation Commission, which takes about 14 months. This is always done to promote good governance, resident life as well as reviewing of its finances. Nursing homes also require accreditation and this can be done by agencies namely, (JCAHO) the Joint Commission, (ABC) American Board of Certification and (CARF) Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, among others(Demand Media, Inc.,2010, p. 1). Once a healthcare provider is accredited by any of the above named agencies, then it can receive full certificatio n for its services. This way, nursing homes and CCRCs can offer quality service to the aged and sick patients. Accreditation has improved service delivery in nursing homes as well as CCRCs and this has in turn worked to refute the myths associated with nursing homes. In essence, in order to improve quality of service in these homes, accreditation process must be followed effectively(BCBSNC, 2011, p. 1). References BCBSNC. (2011). Credentialing Instructions. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. Web. Demand Media, Inc. (2010). How to Evaluate a Continuing Care retirement Community. ehow.com. Web. HELPGUIDE.ORG. (2010). Continuing Care Retirement Communities. helpguide.org. Web.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Nursing Association in the US specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Pacific Retirement Services, Inc. (2011).Capitol Lakes Retirement Community:Welcome to Capitol Lakes Retirement Community, the best of downt own Madison’s senior living! retirement.org. Web.

The American Immigration Law Foundation

The American Immigration Law Foundation Free Online Research Papers The reason why I choice the NGO to be The American Immigration Law Foundation that was established in 1987.It is an IRS- designated, nonprofit, educational, charitable organization dedicated to increase public understanding of Immigration law and policy and the immigration to American society. It works to expand the knowledge of public service and excellence while clarifying immigration law. This NGO relies on tax deductible voluntary donations and grants to support our mission. One of the supporting groups is the Network for Good. This group focuses on anti-immigrant groups that close the American doors to future immigrants, making the point that America is a nation of immigrants. They are working closely with leading immigration experts through the country and with Congress and the Administration to help change our immigration system so that it can be more proactive to the needs of our economy and society. They have four main program centers: The legal action center it was create d in 1990 to promote fundamental fairness for immigrants, their families and their employers. They do work among the Immigration law advocates and it’s run by immigration practitioners and litigators. They have filed a suit against the INS and also hold briefings in the federal courts. The Immigration Policy Center dedicated to research and analysis about the contributions made to America by immigrants, The Public Education Program develops resources for teachers and students in the classroom who are exploring our nations immigrant heritage; and The Exchange Visitor Program allows small to midsize businesses to understand and participate in the global economy, training exchanges, designated by the U.S. State Department. Section 2: Introduction of Issue One major issue that keeps increasing is that for almost a decade now, there has been an increase in the number of deaths each year among unauthorized border-crossers in the deserts and mountains of southern Arizona. The official statistics compiled by the U.S. Border Patrol undercount the actual number of deaths in Arizona and elsewhere along the U.S.-Mexico border. But various academic and government studies estimate that the bodies of between 2,000 and 3,000 men, women, and children have been found along the entire southwest border since 1995, including at least 1,000 that end up in the hospital of southern Arizona. Experts, including the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), now explain this crisis as a direct consequence of U.S. immigration-control policies instituted in the mid- 1990’s. The results of the BMI study, which are confirmed by comparable research, show that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of UBC recovered bodies in the Tucson Sector from 1990 to 2005, thereby creating a major public health and humanitarian crisis in the deserts of Arizona. Instead of controlling migration we are seeing a growing human rights crisis which raises questions of equality, equity, fairness and justice in a globalized world. Studies show that immigrants pay more in taxes than what they cost in medical expenses and in education. Two different categories of debate exist. People say that they take advantage of welfare and public services, Other’s state that they are the ones filling the gaps in the labor market pertaining to the low skilled sector. My NGO explores these issues; we introduce policies and help immigrants gain the experience they need to make a better home when they go back to their country. We also help by teaching about immigrants to US citizens so they can learn and help make a difference, to lower the death of these people who are just seeking a better life. Some US citizens are against immigrants rights. In recent years, there has been controversy over the efforts of some banks to offer financial services to individuals without Social Security numbers, many whom are undocumented immigrants. More and more banks now allow people to open checking and savings accounts and to apply for credit cards and home mortgages using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number issued by the Internal Revenue Service or an identification card issued by a foreign consulate in the United States, The public viewed it as a giveaway to undocumented immigrants and viewed the mortgage program as criminal, stating they are applauding the undocumented migration. Section 3: Position statement The important fact that we seem to forget is that we are all human beings and that as human beings, we have rights. Yet we seem to be ignoring those rights. This is a very important issue that is going to be a great debate in the upcoming elections. If we get together to put The American Immigration Foundation: policy to work I believe we have a chance to save many lives and give the opportunity of a better live to others who want to live in a place where they can make a better life for them selves an they children. The American Immigration Foundation proposes that we give the opportunity to the immigrants who are already in the U.S to apply for a visa and have it renewed one time until they have achieved the years they need to become a permanent US citizen. This would allow immigrants to receive the same treatment and opportunities the US citizens now hold. This could be done with the condition that we keep track of their behaviors and contributions to society. If they are productive and can maintain a healthy living style, we would grant them US citizenship and allow them to go back to their home town to expand their knowledge and help to eliminate poverty. The people who are not in the United States should also be granted the opportunity to come to the U.S with the condition that they are going to be there to make a difference and come back to their home land with the opportunity to help out and make a difference. If this policy is put into practice it will help more people expand their educ ation and allow them to make a difference to eliminate the migration caused by their economic status. The American Immigration Law foundation has many programs that already put this into practice. We take professional, educated people or people who want to be educated, give them the opportunity to learn how the companies in the us work and take the knowledge they learn back to there home town. There they can help Eliminate poverty. We wish we could do more and that’s where this policy comes into place. Currently we mainly work with Hispanics, but we open our arms to all immigrants who qualify for our exchange program, and hope that tomorrow we can expand the criteria for the exchange program. Our accomplishments for the ending year of 2002 include publication of four major reports which was quoted in the Wall Street Journal. Fought Justice Department usage in deportation procedure and sponsored over 200n international trainees as part of an exchange visitor program. And these are some of many accomplishments and I know that if this policy is put to practice we will be able to accomplish a lot more. Bibliography Bellamy, C (2007) Serving the Under Served Banking for Undocumented Immigrants. Retrieved on 3/20/2007 from www.ailf.org/ipc/2007 .shtml. Tienda, M (2006).Unraveling a public health enigma. Why do immigrants experience superior prenatal health outcomes? (335-388) Retrieved on 3/20/2007. Duarte, M (1990). The Funnel Effect and Recovered Bodies of Unauthorized Migrants. Binational Immigration (1-97) retrieved on 3/21/2007. Bacon,D(2007) Colecion de Derechos Humanos. The Real Political purpose of Ice raids, retrieved on 3/20/2007 from www.derechoshumanosaz.net/ Sapkota,E(2006).Unauthorized border crossing and immigration death. Arizona N. Mexico, and El Paso Texas, (2002-2003) retrieved on 3/32/2007 from American Journal of Public Heatlth96 (1-7). Stangold, J(2001)Rights Groups urge change in border policy, â€Å" The New York Times (5/26/2007)retrieved on 3/20/2007 Neto,B(2006) CRS report for congress border security: Barnes along the U.S International Border(1-45) retrieved 3/16.2007 from spotlight CRS web. Schneider, W( 2006). Political Pulse- Spotlight on Center Stage. National Journal Group, Inc. Retrieved November 8, 2006. (http://nationaljournal.com.floyd.lib.umn.edu/pubs/nj/extra/search.htm) Massey,D(2005) Five Myth About Immigration: Common Misconceptions underlying U.S Border-enforcement Policy. Immigration Policy Focus. retrieved Presentation migrationinformation.org/Feature/display.cfm?ID=136 Research Papers on The American Immigration Law FoundationThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NicePETSTEL analysis of India19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraQuebec and CanadaInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesStandardized TestingThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseTwilight of the UAWEffects of Television Violence on Children

Habits and Traits of Centipedes, Class Chilopoda

Habits and Traits of Centipedes, Class Chilopoda Taken literally, the name centipede means one hundred feet. While they do have a lot of legs, the name is really a misnomer. Centipedes can have anywhere from 30 to over 300 legs, depending on the species. Class Chilopoda Characteristics Centipedes belong to the phylum Arthropoda and share all the characteristic arthropod traits with their cousins (insects and spiders). But beyond that, centipedes are in a class by themselves: the class Chilopoda. Description Centipede legs extend visibly from the body, with the final pairs of legs trailing behind it. This allows them to run quite fast, either in pursuit of prey or in flight from predators. Centipedes have just one pair of legs per body segment, a key distinction from millipedes. The centipede body is long and flattened, with a long pair of antennae protruding from the head. A modified pair of front legs functions as fangs used to inject venom and immobilize prey. Diet Centipedes prey on insects and other small animals. Some species also scavenge on dead or decaying plants or animals. Giant centipedes, which inhabit South America, feed on much larger animals, including mice, frogs, and snakes. While house centipedes may be creepy to find in the home, you might want to think twice about harming them. House centipedes feed on insects, including the egg cases of cockroaches. Life Cycle Centipedes may live for as long as six years. In tropical environments, centipede reproduction usually continues year-round. In seasonal climates, centipedes overwinter as adults and reemerge from their sheltered hideaways in spring. Centipedes undergo an incomplete metamorphosis, with three life stages. In most centipede species, females lay their eggs in soil or other damp organic matter. The nymphs hatch and go through a progressive series of molts until they reach adulthood. In many species, young nymphs have fewer pairs of legs than their parents. With each molt, the nymphs gain more pairs of legs. Special Adaptations and Defenses When threatened, centipedes use a number of different strategies to defend themselves. Large, tropical centipedes dont hesitate to attack and can inflict a painful bite. Stone centipedes use their long hind legs to throw a sticky substance at their attackers. The centipedes that live in the soil dont usually try to retaliate. Instead, they curl into a ball to protect themselves. House centipedes choose flight over fight, skittering quickly out of harms way.

Data Results and Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Data Results and Discussion - Essay Example Aside from the net cash receipts from the sale of tickets, there are the peripheral gains that should be attained in commercial activity of Olympic tourists, and the spending by both participants and spectators that were to spur local businesses. After the Olympics, further gains are to be had by the benefits of urban regeneration, which is the choice and development of depressed urban areas, making them the site, close to the site, of the Olympic infrastructure, so that after the Games, the newly developed property could be productively used either as new residential housing or new sites for commercial activity, thereby spurring growth. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is comprised of household consumption, government spending, investment and net trade (exports less imports). Of all the components of GDP, household consumption is the largest which typically comprises 60% of the economy. Government usually takes up 23%, and investment 15%. The fourth quarter in 2012, the consumption rose by 0.2% in real terms compared to the third quarter 2012. According to the government Economic Outlook, this rate of growth has been the slowest for consumption since the fourth quarter 2011. The graph shows, however, that there is a spike in government consumption for the fourth quarter 2012, which amounts to a 0.6% rise over the previous quarter. During the same time, exports receded by 1.5%, as did imports by 1.2%. The next graph depicts the fluctuation in gross fixed capital formation (GFCF). This refers to the investment in buildings and machinery. The fourth quarter in 2012 saw GFCF fell by 0.4%, which is 1.7% higher than the preceding year. For the same quarter, business investment decreased by 1.2%, which is significant because this indicator (business investment) is a significant component of GFCF. The fact that the rate of decrease in business investment is three times the rate of decrease of GFCF means that capital formation

Managing the patient assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Managing the patient assignment - Essay Example Even though no evidence exists to the effect that survival rate drops after the first one hour, giving care during this time ensures that most forms of injuries and traumas are still fresh for informed decisions to be made. Right after identifying haemorrhage in patient’s brain, the most immediate action to take is to stabilise the blood pressure and breathing of the patient (Kool and Blickman, 2007). This is because, the haemorrhage, which represents breeding in the patient’s brain may deteriorate with deteriorating blood pressure level. The stabilisation can be done by the radiographer using breathing assist machine, which is a ventilator. This is because a ventilator can guarantee sufficient oxygen supply to the brain and other organs, which will be a very important intervention to ensuring that the haemorrhage is brought to stable conditions. The radiographer can also choose intravenous access, especially where the patient came in unconscious. In the giving situation, as much as early x-ray procedures are important, it is also very important to ensure that procedures are carried out in a manner and in a way that is successful and less restricting. Achieving this however depends on how the radiographer will deal with the patient during x-ray procedure. One of the most acceptable interventions in such situations of trauma and vehicular accident is the use of backup radiography. This means that the radiographer must first admit to the need for other people to assist. Such assistance should be focused on accurate diagnosis, which can be achieved when immobilisation techniques are used to ensure that the patient stays in place as expected for the processes to take place (Victorino, Battistella and Wisner, 2003). Where the patient is conscious, communication will be very important in ensuring that the right information is had pertaining to specific activities that cause particular injury patterns in the patient (Battistella, 19 98). During the

Michael Focault's The Order of Things Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Michael Focault's The Order of Things - Essay Example It was translated into English and published under the title The Order of Things: An Archaeology of the Human Sciences in 1970. The Order of Things brought Foucault to prominence as an intellectual figure in France. Foucault's critique of Renaissance values in 'Les mots et les choses' has been very influential to cultural history. The book opens with an extended discussion of Diego Velzquez's painting Las Meninas and its complex arrangement of sight-lines, hidden subject and appearance. Then it develops its central claim: that all periods of history have possessed certain underlying conditions of truth that constituted what was acceptable as, for example, scientific discourse. Foucault argues that these conditions of discourse have changed over time, in major and relatively sudden shifts, from one period to another. The first chapter 'Las Meninas' from The Order of Things: An Archaeology of Human Sciences has been dedicated to critical analysis on Diego Velazquez's painting Las Meninas (The Maids of Honor) is a 1656 painting by Diego Velzquez, the leading artist of the Spanish Golden Age. The work's complex and enigmatic composition raises questions about reality and illusion, and creates an uncertain relationship between the viewer and the figures depicted. In the 19th century Sir Thomas Lawrence called the work "the philosophy of art". Las Meninas shows a large room in the Madrid palace of King Philip IV of Spain, and presents several figures, most identifiable from the Spanish court, captured, in a particular moment. Some figures look out of the canvas towards the viewer, while others interact among themselves. "Rather than pursue to infinity a language inevitably inadequate to the visible fact, it would be better to say that Velazquez composed a picture; that in this picture he represented himself, in his studio or in a room of the Escurial, in the act of painting two figures whom the Infanta Margarita has come there to watch, together with an entourage of duennas, maids of honour, courtiers, and dwarfs; that we can attribute names to this group of people with great precision: tradition recognizes that here we have Dona Maria Agustina Sarmiente, over there Nieto, in the foreground Nicolaso Pertusato, an Italian jester. We could then add that the two personages serving as models to the painter are not visible, at least directly; but that we can see them in a mirror; and that they are, without any doubt, King Philip IV and his wife, Mariana."(Focault, p 4, 5) The young 'Infanta Margarita' is surrounded by her maids of honor, chaperone, bodyguard, two dwarfs and a dog. Just behind them, Velzquez portrays himself working at a large canvas. Velzquez looks outwards, beyond the pictorial space to where a viewer of the painting would stand. A mirror hangs in the background and reflects the upper bodies of the king and queen. The royal couple appears to be placed outside the picture space in a position similar to that of the viewer. A few critiques even suggested that they were being painted by the painter. Las Meninas is a pure manifestation of critical thinking, an important trait of modern philosophy. Although, Focault is considered a post modernist critic but his work echoes modern philosophy characteristics. 'The value of Valasquez's painting for Foucault lies in the fact that it introduces uncertainties in visual

Relationship between strategic and financial planning Assignment

Relationship between strategic and financial planning - Assignment Example lves one of the following: raising or lowering an organization’s activities, responding to changing customer demand and preferences, countering competitors, technological adjustments and responding to globalization (Chorafas, 2007, p. 5). While Starbucks takes the initiative of expanding its business outside the United States, there will be an obvious need to adjust its financial resources. This will directly reflect on its financial plan. In a business world guided by the principles of competition, Starbucks should strive to have sound financial planning to raise its competitive advantage and prevent underperformance now that it aims market outside the United States. Its strategic planning should be aimed at producing innovative and high quality products and services. This will immensely contribute on easing the strains, which may be experienced in financial resource planning. Financial risk is a factor related to strategic and financial planning that any able organization needs to thoroughly plan around. Chorafas advises that an organization should strive to attain a low cost of staying in business (Chorafas, 2007, p. 22). Losses or insufficient profits will reduce funds available to cater for expanded Starbucks’ operation expenses such as production cost and payment of employees. This threatens Starbucks’ financial stability and jeopardizes its further expansion and

Does Christian Salvesen's sickness absence management policy meet its Essay

Does Christian Salvesen's sickness absence management policy meet its obligations under the DDA - Essay Example What makes matters worse is that the susceptibility of disabled workers to be inflicted with further physical damages is sometimes ignored, or simply taken for granted. Legislatures outlawing discrimination exist and are updated from time to time to cater to the varying degree of needs by workers, and yet incidences are still filed to various concerned agencies. Total elimination of disability discrimination has to start from at the onset of the employment process had been advocated beside strict implementation in the workplace. One celebrated case of disability discrimination is a case that has been filed and a success in Ireland sometime in the year 2001. An employed woman who had an epilepsy had been hired temporarily and had been performing well as substantiated by her supervisor for a computer plant. When the company decided to elevate her status to permanent, she went under a medical test and although she had declared her epilepsy in her application form, the doctor called the company's personnel officer to advise regarding her epilepsy, of which was ground for her dismissal. The argument had been that the company was supposed to have been obliged to carry out safety assessment identifying the extent of danger involved on the epileptic employee's tasks. The company should have then taken steps to overcome these dangers, if any. In fact, the doctor's call was used as sufficient ground for the employee's dismissal, and that the company did not even wait for the written medical report anymore which stated that the epilepsy was no problem except when there was a need for her to tackle heavy machinery. The company defended that the dismissal was due to the medical advice that stated all workers had to be able to do all tasks and that the claimant's job involved heavy machinery. Nevertheless, it admitted that the employee was dismissed because of her epilepsy. The Labour Court surmised that the worker was not obliged to work on heavy machinery all the time and it was possible that the company could have arranged ways for her not to use machinery at all. The company was obliged to consider providing the employee with reasonable facilities which could have overcome difficulties. The employer was fined IEP (ISO currency code for the Irish Punt) 15,000 awarded to the epileptic employee (EIRO, 2006). Another case of disability discrimination had been acted on an assistant bookkeeper who worked for 30 years for her employer. She already had two back surgeries during that time and her doctor advised she would need another. She applied for a leave which was granted and she soon spent the next days training another younger employee assigned to replace her temporarily. After her successful surgery and recovery period, she called on her manager regarding her plan to resume work. Instead, her manager said her services are no longer needed and even suggested she could resign voluntarily although there had been a plan to terminate her employment. When she refused to quit, she was terminated that same week for "poor performance." Nelson filed charge alleging that she was terminated because of her disability and her age. In response, the employer disputed the fired employee's claim of disability but only back problems, and that she

Driving Under the Influence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Driving Under the Influence - Essay Example Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA (2013) indicate that motor vehicle crashes resulting from alcohol impairment costs over $37 billion every year. In 2010, the number of associated deaths were 10,000, accounting for about 31% of traffic-related deaths in the US, implying one death in every 51 minutes. Therefore, those driving under the influence pose a serious social problem to the society. This has seen many organizations, such as Students Against Drunk Driving, SADD and Mothers Against Drunk Driving, MADD, set up to impact on public attitude and the enactment of appropriate legislation on DUI (Carper & McKinsey, 2012). A police officer could contact a driver for various reasons including speeding, dangerous and aggressive driving, running the red lights or just an equipment violation. Pulling over such drivers aims at ensuring the safety of the suspect and all the other road users. When one is suspected of intoxication and as such stopped, sub mission to a field sobriety test would be required. This preliminary test conducted at the scene could involve standard roadside tests as documented by the NHTSA (2013). An officer conducting the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test looks whether the suspect’s eyes jerk involuntarily. ... Intrusive and extractive methods have however proven to be expensive as more states rely on the accurate and economical method of using machines such as the breathalyzer to measure vapor content. Refusal to submit to such a chemical test in the pre-text of the right against self-incrimination could lead to the driver’s license being revoked. This follows the implied consent to test of sobriety whenever suspected by the police, with Nemeth (2012) documenting this implication through the acceptance of a driving license. Carper & McKinsey give the example of the Illinois Vehicle Code which states that for any one below 21 â€Å"arrested as evidenced by a Uniform Traffic Ticket†¦ shall be deemed to have given consent to chemical tests of blood, breath, or urine† to determine the blood alcohol content of such a person, provided the police have a reason to believe that the driver has consumed alcohol (2012, 474). Even so, before revoking the license, the driver has the r ight to warning of the effect of law and administrative or court hearing. All the 50 states in America have set the blood alcohol concentration, BAC of 0.08 as the legal limit for all drunk driving. The BAC for commercial drivers is even lower, at 0.04. For those below the age of 21, the limit is set to zero: any level of alcohol warrants arrest of such persons. Some jurisdictions illegalize driving while taking alcohol, as such, open container of alcohol in a car could warrant an arrest. BAC conveniently measures the alcohol content in the blood by weight. According to Hunter, Wong, Beighley, and Morral (2006), this intoxication level could be reached by a 120-pound female and 180-pound male after only two

Does Christian Salvesen's sickness absence management policy meet its Essay

Does Christian Salvesen's sickness absence management policy meet its obligations under the DDA - Essay Example What makes matters worse is that the susceptibility of disabled workers to be inflicted with further physical damages is sometimes ignored, or simply taken for granted. Legislatures outlawing discrimination exist and are updated from time to time to cater to the varying degree of needs by workers, and yet incidences are still filed to various concerned agencies. Total elimination of disability discrimination has to start from at the onset of the employment process had been advocated beside strict implementation in the workplace. One celebrated case of disability discrimination is a case that has been filed and a success in Ireland sometime in the year 2001. An employed woman who had an epilepsy had been hired temporarily and had been performing well as substantiated by her supervisor for a computer plant. When the company decided to elevate her status to permanent, she went under a medical test and although she had declared her epilepsy in her application form, the doctor called the company's personnel officer to advise regarding her epilepsy, of which was ground for her dismissal. The argument had been that the company was supposed to have been obliged to carry out safety assessment identifying the extent of danger involved on the epileptic employee's tasks. The company should have then taken steps to overcome these dangers, if any. In fact, the doctor's call was used as sufficient ground for the employee's dismissal, and that the company did not even wait for the written medical report anymore which stated that the epilepsy was no problem except when there was a need for her to tackle heavy machinery. The company defended that the dismissal was due to the medical advice that stated all workers had to be able to do all tasks and that the claimant's job involved heavy machinery. Nevertheless, it admitted that the employee was dismissed because of her epilepsy. The Labour Court surmised that the worker was not obliged to work on heavy machinery all the time and it was possible that the company could have arranged ways for her not to use machinery at all. The company was obliged to consider providing the employee with reasonable facilities which could have overcome difficulties. The employer was fined IEP (ISO currency code for the Irish Punt) 15,000 awarded to the epileptic employee (EIRO, 2006). Another case of disability discrimination had been acted on an assistant bookkeeper who worked for 30 years for her employer. She already had two back surgeries during that time and her doctor advised she would need another. She applied for a leave which was granted and she soon spent the next days training another younger employee assigned to replace her temporarily. After her successful surgery and recovery period, she called on her manager regarding her plan to resume work. Instead, her manager said her services are no longer needed and even suggested she could resign voluntarily although there had been a plan to terminate her employment. When she refused to quit, she was terminated that same week for "poor performance." Nelson filed charge alleging that she was terminated because of her disability and her age. In response, the employer disputed the fired employee's claim of disability but only back problems, and that she

Portraying paintings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Portraying paintings - Essay Example Then there is the musical instrument to the far right—a bit more frivolous an object, and a sword near the center—certainly not as common as a book. There is also a sort of musical instrument with the skull, which is the obvious focal point of the painting. The wooden flute is set near its mouth, almost to look as though the skull is playing it. In fact, perhaps the skull is smiling as it plays a whimsical tune. Also interesting, however, is the light source, a small window, presumably near the ceiling. The light illuminates only the skull, and leaves the other images in relative darkness, as if to say that what is important in the picture is the reminder of death, rather than the other â€Å"Vanities of Human Life† that are portrayed. Death, the artist seems to suggest is another of these vanities, however, as the skull plays upon its flute almost whimsically. Perhaps he is trying to tell us that death is the most beautiful vanity of all, as it removes us from t he other banalities of existence. In John Keats’ poem, â€Å"When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be†, we see the two most common themes of Keats’ entire body of poetry—those of unrequited love, and fear of death—here together in one poem. He uses the sonnet form, with three quatrains and a rhyming couplet at the end. (This can also be seen as an octet and sestet). The natural divisions in the form of the poem organize his fears about love and death.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Example for Free

Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Martin Luther King was a major driving force during the 1950-1960s African American civil rights movement. Following his influence in fighting for the respect of equal human rights, Luther has become one of the most recognized human rights icons in the American nation. According to available historical information, born in 1929, Luther started his civil rights activist activities during his early ages. He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott due to segregation practices, which compromised the principle of equality of all American citizens (Darby, 1990). True from history, Luther brought much influence in the war against racial segregation and discrimination. Just to be appreciated is the fact that despite the provisions that all men are equal during the declaration of independence in the 18th century, racial discrimination was a common practice in the early twentieth century. Historical information indicate that the â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech by Martin Luther King in the 963 March on Washington triggered the African Americans into fight for their human rights (Darby, 1990). Conducting his affairs uniquely, Luther is praised advocating a non-violent approach to the realization of equal human rights in the American nation (Darby, 1990). Indeed, this was the underlying reason behind why he was given the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in ending racial segregation and l discrimination through non-violent means in 1964. In addition to his impact on the American community, Luther finds his honor in advocating against the violation of human rights during the Vietnam War in 1968. Following his influence in the civil rights war, Luther is globally appreciated as a crucial fighter for freedom (Darby, 1990). To emphasis on this claim, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 nine years after his assassination. Such are also found in the establishment of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a U. S. national holiday in 1986. References Darby, J. (1990). Martin Luther King. Jr. Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing Group.

Strengths And Limitations Of Education Campaigns Health Essay

Strengths And Limitations Of Education Campaigns Health Essay To establish the need for education amongst the population and its vital role in reducing HIV transmission. To assess the effectiveness (and thus the strengths and limitations) of various educational campaigns in preventing spread of HIV. To determine the psychological and social factors that may contribute to the effectiveness of such campaigns. During the 1980s and 1990s, the spread of HIV increased dramatically within the UK, however has slowed down over the last 20 years (1). Currently there are approximately 33 million people around the world who are living with HIV, and each year more and more people are being infected (2). There are several methods in place to help prevent the spread of HIV, including interventions for sex workers, treatment of STIs, voluntary counselling and testing and needle exchange programmes (3). However, perhaps one of the most important methods in preventing the spread of the virus is educating the population both as a whole and as individual groups. Once people have the knowledge about how HIV is transmitted and what it is, they are then able to take their own necessary precautions in preventing themselves from getting infected (4). For those already with HIV, educational campaigns can help increase awareness about how to cope and live with the disease as well as showing them how to prevent it s transmission. Generally, educational campaigns naturally tend to focus on at risk groups, such as men who have sex with men, sex workers and intravenous drug users (5, 6). Although this is a sensible approach, it is also important that the campaigns do not exclude the education of many other groups who are not considered directly at risk, such as the elderly (6). This is important as it can increase stigmatisation of the at risk groups, as well as not respecting the fact that HIV is a non discrimative virus and can infect anyone. By taking a detailed look at 4 types of educational campaigns, it is possible to assess the strengths and limitations of each, as well as determining the psychological and social factors that might make a campaign more or less effective. Mass Media Campaigns Mass media campaigns are generally used by governments as a method to dramatically increase general awareness amongst the whole population (2). Many forms of media can be used, for example advertisements on television, internet websites, flyers and posters distributed to each household. This type of educational campaign ensures that everyone has the same awareness of HIV, and can also be used to prompt people into further research for themselves (7). In the 1980s, the UK launched one such campaign, with the slogan: AIDS: Dont die of ignorance (8). This had a great effect in increasing general awareness amongst the whole population, however this type of mass education also has its limitations. The overall effectiveness is difficult to assess, as it is such a general form of education, as well as the fact that it is not the only method of HIV prevention tactics that were put into place at that time (9). Also, it does not target specific behavioural issues that need to be changed and wi th its widespread strategy it also is difficult to reach marginal groups (2). Another aspect that is a major downfall is that it may even increase stigma and discrimination as some early campaigns used fear as the main factor in reducing HIV spread, which caused many people to become fearful of those with HIV (10). It also could have led to a decrease in people getting tested for HIV as they were so worried about the effects, both social as well as physical. If these fear campaigns were focused to specific risk groups, it could cause a major stigmatisation of these people which would encourage the view that if you were not a part of the risk group there was no need to be concerned about HIV (2). HIV education in schools Approximately 1 in 6 new HIV infections in 2008 were among people who were under 15 years old (2). Therefore it is extremely important for young people to be equipped with the knowledge about what HIV is, how it is transmitted, and how they can reduce their risk of becoming infected regardless of whether they are sexually active or not. Schools are an excellent place to increase young peoples awareness as they are so universal and therefore would be able to target a wide audience. Also evidence shows that when targeted at a young age, educational campaigns for health promotion tend to be met more receptively by the young (11). By instilling young people with knowledge about HIV risks and diminishing discrimination against those with HIV at an early age, these ideas and values will be held throughout their lives and aid in the long term decrease in HIV prevalence (12). However there are still some limitations to educational campaigns within schools. The nature of the education may not be universal, as some schools may focus on abstinence-only programmes, which would not teach about safe sex and condom use (12). Since 1997, USA funding has increased in promoting these sorts of programmes within its schools despite studies showing that there is no long term effect on sexual health outcomes (12). Some religious schools across the world also prevent the teaching of safe sex and condom use amongst not only the young but also the general population (2). HIV education in the workplace As well as schools, the workplace is also an ideal place to target a wide audience who would be receptive to detailed information about HIV and its transmission. By increasing awareness about HIV and AIDS within the workplace, people who are both delivering as well as receiving this information would then be able to implement the practices both in their working lives as well as teaching their friends and families (2). There are also many professions that may in fact carry an increased risk of HIV transmission, for example those that work in health care (13). These workers would be at an increased danger of percutaneous injuries and specific education about how to avoid such injuries and what to do in the event of one occurring is vital to preventing the viruss transmission (14). Increased knowledge about the disease would also have the benefit of reducing the stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS and prevent discrimination in the workplace. This type of education, although effective, may not be put into place at every workplace therefore some infections may still occur through lack of awareness. Also stigma and discrimination against those who are infected may also sill exist. HIV and Peer Education Peer education is an excellent way of educating different groups, especially those groups which tend to be marginalised by society (2). It is a way of helping people within these groups to relate to the speaker and to be receptive about the content of discussion (15). As the peer educators are generally from a similar social background as the group, it is therefore a much more relaxed and social way of education. People also may feel a lot more comfortable asking questions about sensitive topics and issues to someone they can relate to and feel more relaxed around (16). Studies have shown that peer education works particularly well with members of society who are at risk of HIV but distrustful of authoritative figures, such as those in prisons (2). This is important as it provides an excellent way of reaching out to those in marginalised groups who need HIV education to increase awareness but may not know how to go about receiving this. As with all the above methods of educational ca mpaigns, peer education would be reliable and accurate, as those who are educating would have undergone recent and relevant training (16). However, peer education may be difficult to set up, and would also be dependant on government support and private organisations and charities setting them up in the first place. Issues such as national discrimination against homosexuals would also reduce the level of education provided, for example in countries such as Zimbabwe, where the president has openly condemned homosexuality (17). Conclusion Although these are not the only types of educational strategies available, each has several strengths and well as a few limitations. The limitations tend to be focused towards a level of stigma and discrimination against those with HIV and a fear of the virus itself by both individuals as well as governments. However it is only with correct understanding and education in the issues surrounding HIV that people can learn to avoid unnecessary infection and respect the fact that HIV is a universal problem and can affect anyone. Education is highly important, however on its own it can only go so far in stopping the spread of HIV. Other methods of harm prevention must also be put into place to ensure that HIV transmission is minimised, for example needle exchange programmes, open clinic testing and accessible condoms would be required (4). Once people understand the social as well as physical factors associated with HIV, they must be able to have places to go that offer support and can help them if they wished to further their knowledge about the virus. In conclusion, educational campaigns must both be widespread to access the population as a whole, as well as targeted to individuals and specific groups in order to change risky behaviours both in the short and long term.

The Life of Frederick Douglass Essay -- Slaves Slavery American Histor

The Life of Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass brilliantly intelligent and defiant once led a minor insurrection against his masters and escapes his venture alive. Douglass’s career as a militant, uncompromising leader of the American Negro. A fugitive slave who was taught to read by his slave mistress, and who as an ex-slave, became the most famous and articulate rebuke to the monstrous institution of slavery ever to speak or to write in America. In autumn of 1828, Frederick Douglass began his new life as a freeman in the old whaling city of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Ambition, sensitivity, and a high degree of self-consciousness created in the young slave Douglass an unquenchable thirst for freedom and he became what every slave master feared, a smart and uppity Negro who would be content with nothing less than his freedom. A first attempt at escape ended in failure and with time in jail. The second attempt, however, was successful. He fled to New York City, where he married a free Negro woman with whom he moved to New Bedford. He was to date his freedom form September 3, 1838. Douglas relentless exposure of the moral ambiguity of a Christian civilization which was built upon the gross inhumanity of chattel slavery. The White Christian South saw no such moral ambiguity. In fact, they read the Bible as a justification of their way of life, and resented bitterly the charge of northerners that they were un-Christian and immoral because of their support of slavery. They delighted in pointing out that nowhere in scripture is slavery condemned, and they even suggested that slavery was a form of evangelism without which the poor ignorant heirs of Africa would never have heard of the gospel and thus would be unable to know the joys of heaven. Christianity stands against everything which is represented in a culture that makes peace with oppression on this subject there can be neither apology nor compromise. With new found wealth purchased his freedom, a controversial more objected to by certain of the abolitionist who regarded the purchase of liberty as recognition of the legitimacy of bondage. The term of the slave code: a piece of property, a beast of burden, chattel personal. Slavery was a poor school for the human intellect and heart. By the slave code, they are adjudged to be as incompetent to testify against a white man, as... ...ility to manage slaves, to whip, alarm their fears a strike terror. Look word motion mistake accident want of powers all matters for which a slave may be whipped at anytime. Minds had been starved by their cruel masters. Been shut up in mental darkness. To make a contented slave, it is necessary to make a thoughtless one. It is necessary to darken his moral and mental vision and as far as possible, to annihilate the power of reason. He must be able to detect no inconsistencies in slavery; he must be made to feel that slavery is right; and he can be brought to that only when deceases to be a man. The motto which I adopted when I started from slavery was this trusts no man. I saw in every white man an enemy and in almost every colored man cause for distrust. Douglass changed his surname to conceal his identity after escaping slavery in 1838. Life in the city was a turning point in Douglass life. It was there he learned how to read. Douglass later wrote that literacy was his pathway from slavery to freedom. Douglass made an unsuccessful attempt to escape slavery. In 1838 Douglass posing as a freedman sailor successfully escaped to Philadelphia and then to New York.

Part Two Chapter IV

IV Samantha's dinner invitation to Kay had been motivated by a mixture of vengefulness and boredom. She saw it as retaliation against Miles, who was always busy with schemes in which he gave her no say but with which he expected her to co-operate; she wanted to see how he liked it when she arranged things without consulting him. Then she would be stealing a march on Maureen and Shirley, those nosy old crones, who were so fascinated by Gavin's private affairs but knew next to nothing about the relationship between him and his London girlfriend. Finally, it would afford her another opportunity to sharpen her claws on Gavin for being pusillanimous and indecisive about his love life: she might talk about weddings in front of Kay or say how nice it was to see Gavin making a commitment at last. However, her plans for the discomfiture of others gave Samantha less pleasure than she had hoped. When on Saturday morning she told Miles what she had done, he reacted with suspicious enthusiasm. ‘Great, yeah, we haven't had Gavin round for ages. And nice for you to get to know Kay.' ‘Why?' ‘Well, you always got on with Lisa, didn't you?' ‘Miles, I hated Lisa.' ‘Well, OK †¦ maybe you'll like Kay better!' She glared at him, wondering where all this good humour was coming from. Lexie and Libby, home for the weekend and cooped up in the house because of the rain, were watching a music DVD in the sitting room; a guitar-laden ballad blared through to the kitchen where their parents stood talking. ‘Listen,' said Miles, brandishing his mobile, ‘Aubrey wants to have a talk with me about the council. I've just called Dad, and the Fawleys have invited us all to dinner tonight at Sweetlove – ‘ ‘No thanks,' said Samantha, cutting him off. She was suddenly full of a fury she could barely explain, even to herself. She walked out of the room. They argued in low voices all over the house through the day, trying not to spoil their daughters' weekend. Samantha refused to change her mind or to discuss her reasons. Miles, afraid of getting angry at her, was alternately conciliatory and cold. ‘How do you think it's going to look if you don't come?' he said at ten to eight that evening, standing in the doorway of the sitting room, ready to leave, wearing a suit and tie. ‘It's nothing to do with me, Miles,' Samantha said. ‘You're the one running for office.' She liked watching him dither. She knew that he was terrified of being late, yet wondering whether he could still persuade her to go with him. ‘You know they'll be expecting both of us.' ‘Really? Nobody sent me an invitation.' ‘Oh, come off it, Sam, you know they meant – they took it for granted – ‘ ‘More fool them, then. I've told you, I don't fancy it. You'd better hurry. You don't want to keep Mummy and Daddy waiting.' He left. She listened to the car reversing out of the drive, then went into the kitchen, opened a bottle of wine and brought it back into the sitting room with a glass. She kept picturing Howard, Shirley and Miles all having dinner together at Sweetlove House. It would surely be the first orgasm Shirley had had in years. Her thoughts swerved irresistibly to what her accountant had said to her during the week. Profits were way down, whatever she had pretended to Howard. The accountant had actually suggested closing the shop and concentrating on the online side of the business. This would be an admission of failure that Samantha was not prepared to make. For one thing, Shirley would love it if the shop closed; she had been a bitch about it from the start. I'm sorry, Sam, it's not really my taste †¦ just a teeny bit over the top †¦ But Samantha loved her little red and black shop in Yarvil; loved getting away from Pagford every day, chatting to customers, gossiping with Carly, her assistant. Her world would be tiny without the shop she had nurtured for fourteen years; it would contract, in short, to Pagford. (Pagford, bloody Pagford. Samantha had never meant to live here. She and Miles had planned a year out before starting work, a round-the-world trip. They had their itinerary mapped out, their visas ready. Samantha had dreamed about walking barefoot and hand in hand on long white Australian beaches. And then she had found out that she was pregnant. She had come down to visit him at ‘Ambleside', a day after she had taken the pregnancy test, one week after their graduation. They were supposed to be leaving for Singapore in eight days' time. Samantha had not wanted to tell Miles in his parents' house; she was afraid that they would overhear. Shirley seemed to be behind every door Samantha opened in the bungalow. So she waited until they were sitting at a dark corner table in the Black Canon. She remembered the rigid line of Miles' jaw when she told him; he seemed, in some indefinable way, to become older as the news hit him. He did not speak for several petrified seconds. Then he said, ‘Right. We'll get married.' He told her that he had already bought her a ring, that he had been planning to propose somewhere good, somewhere like the top of Ayers Rock. Sure enough, when they got back to the bungalow, he unearthed the little box from where he had already hidden it in his rucksack. It was a small solitaire diamond from a jeweller's in Yarvil; he had bought it with some of the money his grandmother had left him. Samantha had sat on the edge of Miles' bed and cried and cried. They had married three months later.) Alone with her bottle of wine, Samantha turned on the television. It brought up the DVD Lexie and Libby had been watching: a frozen image of four young men singing to her in tight T-shirts; they looked barely out of their teens. She pressed play. After the boys finished their song, the DVD cut to an interview. Samantha slugged back her wine, watching the band joking with each other, then becoming earnest as they discussed how much they loved their fans. She thought that she would have known them as Americans even if the sound had been off. Their teeth were perfect. It grew late; she paused the DVD, went upstairs and told the girls to leave the PlayStation and go to bed; then she returned to the sitting room, where she was three-quarters of the way down the bottle of wine. She had not turned on the lamps. She pressed play and kept drinking. When the DVD finished, she put it back to the beginning and watched the bit she had missed. One of the boys appeared significantly more mature than the other three. He was broader across the shoulders; biceps bulged beneath the short sleeves of his T-shirt; he had a thick strong neck and a square jaw. Samantha watched him undulating, staring into the camera with a detached serious expression on his handsome face, which was all planes and angles and winged black eyebrows. She thought of sex with Miles. It had last happened three weeks previously. His performance was as predictable as a Masonic handshake. One of his favourite sayings was ‘if it's not broke, don't fix it'. Samantha emptied the last of the bottle into her glass and imagined making love to the boy on the screen. Her breasts looked better in a bra these days; they spilled everywhere when she lay down; it made her feel flabby and awful. She pictured herself, forced back against a wall, one leg propped up, a dress pushed up to her waist and that strong dark boy with his jeans round his knees, thrusting in and out of her †¦ With a lurch in the pit of her stomach that was almost like happiness, she heard the car turning back into the drive and the beams of the headlights swung around the dark sitting room. She fumbled with the controls to turn over to the news, which took her much longer than it ought to have done; she shoved the empty wine bottle under the sofa and clutched her almost empty glass as a prop. The front door opened and closed. Miles entered the room behind her. ‘Why are you sitting here in the dark?' He turned on a lamp and she glanced up at him. He was as well groomed as he had been when he left, except for the raindrops on the shoulders of his jacket. ‘How was dinner?' ‘Fine,' he said. ‘You were missed. Aubrey and Julia were sorry you couldn't make it.' ‘Oh, I'm sure. And I'll bet your mother cried with disappointment.' He sat down in an armchair at right angles to her, staring at her. She pushed her hair out of her eyes. ‘What's this all about, Sam?' ‘If you don't know, Miles – ‘ But she was not sure herself; or at least, she did not know how to condense this sprawling sense of ill-usage into a coherent accusation. ‘I can't see how me standing for the Parish Council – ‘ ‘Oh, for God's sake, Miles!' she shouted, and was then slightly taken aback by how loud her voice was. ‘Explain to me, please,' he said, ‘what possible difference it can make to you?' She glared at him, struggling to articulate it for his pedantic legal mind, which was like a fiddling pair of tweezers in the way that it seized on poor choices of word, yet so often failed to grasp the bigger picture. What could she say that he would understand? That she found Howard and Shirley's endless talk about the council boring as hell? That he was quite tedious enough already, with his endlessly retold anecdotes about the good old days back at the rugby club and his self-congratulatory stories about work, without adding pontifications about the Fields? ‘Well, I was under the impression,' said Samantha, in their dimly lit sitting room, ‘that we had other plans.' ‘Like what?' said Miles. ‘What are you talking about?' ‘We said,' Samantha articulated carefully over the rim of her trembling glass, ‘that once the girls were out of school, we'd go travelling. We promised each other that, remember?' The formless rage and misery that had consumed her since Miles announced his intention to stand for the council had not once led her to mourn the year's travelling she had missed, but at this moment it seemed to her that that was the real problem; or at least, that it came closest to expressing both the antagonism and the yearning inside her. Miles seemed completely bewildered. ‘What are you talking about?' ‘When I got pregnant with Lexie,' Samantha said loudly, ‘and we couldn't go travelling, and your bloody mother made us get married in double-quick time, and your father got you a job with Edward Collins, you said, we agreed, that we'd do it when the girls were grown up; we said we'd go away and do all the things we missed out on.' He shook his head slowly. ‘This is news to me,' he said. ‘Where the hell has this come from?' ‘Miles, we were in the Black Canon. I told you I was pregnant, and you said – for Christ's sake, Miles – I told you I was pregnant, and you promised me, you promised – ‘ ‘You want a holiday?' said Miles. ‘Is that it? You want a holiday?' ‘No, Miles, I don't want a bloody holiday, I want – don't you remember? We said we'd take a year out and do it later, when the kids were grown up!' ‘Fine, then.' He seemed unnerved, determined to brush her aside. ‘Fine. When Libby's eighteen; in four years' time, we'll talk about it again. I don't see how me becoming a councillor affects any of this.' ‘Well, apart from the bloody boredom of listening to you and your parents whining about the Fields for the rest of our natural lives – ‘ ‘Our natural lives?' he smirked. ‘As opposed to – ?' ‘Piss off,' she spat. ‘Don't be such a bloody smartarse, Miles, it might impress your mother – ‘ ‘Well, frankly, I still don't see what the problem – ‘ ‘The problem,' she shouted, ‘is that this is about our future, Miles. Our future. And I don't want to bloody talk about it in four years' time, I want to talk about it now!' ‘I think you'd better eat something,' said Miles. He got to his feet. ‘You've had enough to drink.' ‘Screw you, Miles!' ‘Sorry, if you're going to be abusive †¦' He turned and walked out of the room. She barely stopped herself throwing her wine glass after him. The council: if he got on it, he would never get off; he would never renounce his seat, the chance to be a proper Pagford big shot, like Howard. He was committing himself anew to Pagford, retaking his vows to the town of his birth, to a future quite different from the one he had promised his distraught new fiancee as she sat sobbing on his bed. When had they last talked about travelling the world? She was not sure. Years and years ago, perhaps, but tonight Samantha decided that she, at least, had never changed her mind. Yes, she had always expected that some day they would pack up and leave, in search of heat and freedom, half the globe away from Pagford, Shirley, Mollison and Lowe, the rain, the pettiness and the sameness. Perhaps she had not thought of the white sands of Australia and Singapore with longing for many years, but she would rather be there, even with her heavy thighs and her stretch marks, than here, trapped in Pagford, forced to watch as Miles turned slowly into Howard. She slumped back down on the sofa, groped for the controls, and switched back to Libby's DVD. The band, now in black and white, was walking slowly along a long empty beach, singing. The broad-shouldered boy's shirt was flapping open in the breeze. A fine trail of hair led from his navel down into his jeans.

4-MAT Book Review Essay

Abstract Wheelan (2013) identifies the four stages of team development and provides detailed explanation of how a group transforms itself from a stage one group of uncertainty into a successful, highly productive stage four team. This requires work and a thorough understanding of the many internal/external influences that can occur during each stage. A team member or leader who is well versed in these stages and who can evolve with each stage will be better equipped to deal with possible obstacles that can hinder group progress and implement practices to help the group successfully work through a particular stage. The goal is for the group to become a team that will value the importance of everyone’s contribution within the group and how it relates to the overall ability of the group to successfully accomplish the mission. As this is achieved, the work will no longer feel like a chore as team members encourage, inspire, and have fun completing tasks and achieving the desired outcome (W heelan, 2013). In the first stage of group development, termed dependency and inclusion, team members are dependent upon the designated leader to provide a sense of belonging and to create an environment where members feel safe enough to suggest new ideas (Wheelan, 2013). The overall goal of stage one group development is the ability to create a safe and inclusive environment for all members as some may experience certain behavioral characteristics associated with feelings of insecurity and a need to feel included in the group. Stage one members may feel apprehensive about sharing their ideas until they feel that the environment is safe to share and that their input is valued (Wheelan, 2013). As members work through the group one stage, they will become more confident in their role and begin to rely less on the team leader for input. In addition, group members will begin to openly share their ideas, which in turn may create conflict within the group as different views and values will begin to be challenged among group members. Although uncomfortable, this potentially volatile but necessary part of stage two group development will lead to an increased trust among group members. Wheelan (2013) explains, â€Å"Only through conflict resolution and the development of a unified view of the group’s purpose and processes can true collaboration be achieved† (p. 28). During stage two group development, the team leader and team members’ ability to manage conflict resolution will determine whether the group succeeds or fails. During stage three, members of the group roll up their sleeves and begin to focus on the task at hand. Egos are checked at the door as team members begin to sense a clearer picture of individual and team goals and communication becomes more task-oriented (Wheelan, 2013). As stage three groups develop, productivity is increased and relationships are strengthened as the group can now move to stage four successfully if they continue to manage and adjust team roles and responsibilities, resolve conflict, and receive constructive criticism with an open mind. Concrete Response As a youth leader, I was tasked with forming a ministry team to work with school-aged children ranging in ages from 8 to 19 years of age. As a District Fire Chief for a large fire department, I assumed that this task would be similar to forming a team that responds to emergency calls; however, there were several items that I would overlook initially that would prove to be painful learning opportunities as I progressed through my ministry team building experience. First, and probably most important, was the fact that I assumed that everyone serving with me had a clear picture of what our goal was as youth leaders; to share the gospel of Christ through grace-filled passion demonstrated by love, compassion, understanding and encouragement. I still remember our first meeting as I handed out information regarding the bible study material we would be using. As I explained the syllabus and the details of the study itself, Joey, one of the volunteers, asked, â€Å"What is it that we are trying to accomplish through this study?† I explained that the objectives were listed in the packet and that  everyone should familiarize themselves thoroughly with the material provided. As Wheelan (2013) explains, it is the team leader’s responsibility during stage one to establish defined goals and to identify specific team member roles and how they will contribute to the overall plan. This error on my part led to confusion, frustration, and unfortunately the departure of some of the youth volunteers, as they did not feel that the value of their input was considered nor was a clear picture of what our purpose was explained. Critique Wheelan (2013) provides many good examples of what to do in certain circumstances that deal with safety and inclusion, conflict resolution, identifying roles and responsibilities, and fostering esprit de corps during group development. In addition, she identifies the positive traits that should be displayed by both team members and team leaders alike such as involving other members in the leadership of the group and actively participating in achieving objectives. While the strength of this book is displayed in the many examples provided by the author of what to do if a certain situation arises, this author was curious as to what a team leader or member would do if a team member must be dismissed for poor performance? While this is something that this author would not want to ever experience, I am curious as to whether or not Wheelan has ever experienced this in her studies and how might a leader or team member deal with this issue? Another consideration that this author believes infl uences group dynamics is socioeconomic and cultural diversity. While the above-mentioned positive character traits for leaders and team members are just a few of the many provided in this text, Creating Effective Teams does not address the internal and external influences that are ever-present in groups through socioeconomic and cultural diversity. This author believes that these two influences alone should be strongly considered, as group cohesiveness will depend largely upon a thorough understanding of how an individual’s worldview influences his or her perception of other group members and their individual role within the group. Action Clear concise communicated goals that explain the purpose, the mission, and how each member will contribute to the overall plan is the first action that  this author wishes to accomplish. Establishing a safe inclusive environment at the outset of group development is vital to member participation as this author plans to meet with both the youth ministry and worship ministry team in the upcoming week to encourage team member input and to identify roles, responsibilities, and a unified mission statement. Training team members in both my ministry and the fire department I work for in how to effectively manage group conflict is an additional action plan that this author hopes to achieve. Understanding that conflict is not necessarily a bad thing and that good can come from disagreements is important for everyone to consider when building our team. This author feels that this action will open up a new line of communication for individuals within my team to voice their concerns and contribute successfully to the group with sincere honesty. The third action that this author would like to achieve is to become a leader who evolves with the group as it develops through each stage. The beginning stages of the group’s development will require me to be more assertive; however, the ability to evolve as a leader to a more consultant role is where this author plans to take action. According to Wheelan (2013) as I allow members to share in the leadership function of the group, the likelihood that the group will succeed is increased. Reference Wheelan, S. A. (2013) Creating effective teams: A guide for members and leaders. Thousand Oaks: CA. Sage Publications, Inc.