Monday, September 30, 2019

The Jmu Mailroom Case

THE JMU MAILROOM CASE If you expect your mail to come with the same â€Å"speedy delivery† made popular by mailman Mr. McFeeley of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, you may be disappointed over the next few weeks. While mail delivery is not drastically slower than normal, employees in the JMU postal service warehouse can offer several reasons why they are having trouble delivering mail as promptly as usual. The majority of the five-member crew who work in the warehouse, now located on South Main Street across from Duke’s Plaza say they are upset because postal service management did not take their opinions into account before throwing changes at them. We were consulted, but they didn’t take anything we said into account,† said Eric McKee, a postal service employee who works in the warehouse. Changes have included moving the warehouse to a building 10 minutes from campus which consists of a basement without running water or bathroom facilities. Employees m ust walk outside to the front of the building in order to use bathrooms. McKee, along with another delivery employee who wished to remain anonymous for fear of losing his job, complained of the â€Å"great physical stress† involved in carrying the large tubs of mail instead of carrying mailbags that can be thrown over the shoulder. According to another employee who wished to remain unnamed, in addition to the physical stress, the tub-delivery system slows up mail delivery considerably. The employee said by slinging mailbags over the shoulder it was easier to carry large loads of mail, something nearly impossible with the tubs. According to Terry Woodward, director of postal services, the change from mailbags to bins came the day after the warehouse change location. The changes were brought about to accommodate the growing volume of mail that has come as a result of the increasing numbers of departments and students in the university, Woddward said. Delivering the mail with the tub system instead of a bag system reduces steps, Woodward said, thus speeding the delivery time. While Woodward acknowledged that the changing system is the cause for mail slowdown, he said he expects delivery to speed up as employees get used to the new system. The warehouse used to be located in a trailer behind Anthony-Seeger Hall. The new location is a five-to-ten minute drive to campus, which employees say slows down their delivery time substantially. One delivery worker said the move has brought about â€Å"new obstacles,† such as having to wait 10 minutes for a train to cross in front of him. The facility was forced to move off campus Aug. 3 when the Facilities Management Department took over the trailer postal services used to occupy next to Anthony-Seeger Hall, Woodward said. Woodward said he expected initial resistance to the changes by postal employees, but hoped the workers would keep an open mind while giving the new system time to smooth out. â€Å"There’s certainly been some resistance,† Woodward said about postal employees’ reactions to the changes. One such case of resistance may have brought about the firing of Troy Munford, a summer postal service employee who said the new system is â€Å"unmanageable. † Munford claims he was fired for â€Å"insubordination† by Sonja Mace, operations manager for the postal service, when he told her the system wasn’t working and tried to arrange a meeting between the heads of postal services and the employees. Munford said that after he told Mace â€Å"you promised to give us your best and obviously your best wasn’t good enough,† Mace â€Å"stomped her foot . . . nd said, ‘you’re fired. ’† Due to Munford’s firing about two weeks ago, some employees were afraid to speak out or have their names printed in the paper for fear they may also lose their jobs. By making the changes, Mace â€Å"has doubled, if not tripled, the workload† of the employees, he said. ‘I’m just concerned for the people who are still her e,† Munford said. He said he is afraid some of them â€Å"will hurt themselves eventually, due to the physical difficulty of the job. † Mace refused to comment on any personnel issues regarding the change.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Japan Airlines Flight 123 Essay

August 12, 1985- Japan Airlines flight 123 left Tokyo, Japan at around 6:10 in the evening, fourteen minutes later at an altitude of twenty four thousand feet, and three hundred knots, an explosion, oscillations, and cabin decompressions was heard and captured on the plane’s on board recorder. The captain on duty was seated at the right side of the plane and his co-pilot, who was at that time training for promotion to be a captain, was sitting on the left seat. A few moments later, the captain signals an SOS on the transponder and suggests that the flight return to Tokyo. The airplane went down to twenty two thousand feet and went on doing violent movements; the plane, for about two minutes was doing a Phugoid, or longitudinal motion and rolls. The captain and his co-pilot were helpless and had no means in controlling the airplane’s heading through the usual flight control inputs. Their only way of limited control is done through thrust differentials. The plane was able to maintain an altitude of twenty two thousand feet and two hundred and fifty knots for an approximate duration of twenty minutes. At around 6:39 in the evening, the main landing gear was deployed which caused the erratic movements of the plane to intensify. The plane then did a controlled turn to the left while descending to eight thousand feet. Erratic movement of the plane meanwhile, continue. At 6:47 PM, the plane was in a mountainous area, the plane increased power, and they were at five thousand and three hundred feet. The flaps of the plane were extended at 6:51 PM that caused the roll angle of the plane to be sixty degrees, the crew starts to move the flaps and increase thrust. The plane was at ten thousand feet when it began a nose dive at a very fast eighteen thousand feet per minute. The crew countered this by lifting the nose. 6:56 PM – the airplane crashed at the mountains on an altitude of five thousand feet and three hundred and forty knots. Roughly forty six minutes since take-off and thirty two minutes since the decompression. Boeing, as owners of the plane, are somehow responsible for the crash but definitely they are not the only ones to blame and do not deserve to be blamed in entirety. Part of the responsibility lies with Japan Airlines who maintains the plane. In fairness to Boeing, they have provided specific repair instructions to the plane that was not followed by those who were responsible for the repairs. The plane had previously suffered damage to the bulkhead in 1978 but was not repaired properly. As stated in the report, â€Å"The initiation and propagation of the fatigue cracks are attributed to the improper repairs of the bulkhead, conducted in 1978, and since the fatigue cracks were not found in the later maintenance inspection, this contributed to the accident. † (Aviation Safety Network, 2008). Boeing did its part by providing proper instructions but their failure to see to it that they were carried out properly contributed to the crash which makes them partly guilty of neglect. There was confusion on the rescue operation, A US owned helicopter was the first at the scene, about twenty minutes after impact. The US chopper in turn, informed Yokota Air Base and offered backup. But the US helicopter was ordered to return to base because Japanese forces were to handle the mission. Poor visibility at the crash site prompted the Japanese team to report that there were no survivors and made it impossible to land. Thinking that there were no survivors the rest of the rescue team waited till the next morning to check out the site. But there were survivors, reports show that injuries on the bodies found imply that they survived the crash but were not given immediate medical attention which caused their deaths. If the helicopter pilot hadn’t reported abruptly that there were no survivors, there could have been. References Aviation Safety Network. (2007). Applying Lessons learned from Accidents. from: http://aviation-safety. net/database/record. php? id=19850812-1 Air Disaster. com (n. d). Special Report: Japan Airlines 123. from: http://www. airdisaster. com/special/special-jal123. shtml Jackson, H. (1985). 524 Killed in worst single air disaster. from: http://www. guardian. co. uk/fromthearchive/story/0,,1017027,00. html

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Mark Twain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Mark Twain - Essay Example There are only a few students especially foreign ones who would stand up for their right. It should be of their pride that they have the knowledge to be brought to a foreign land and be given the opportunity to cultivate not just education but also the culture of the place where they are residing or studying. It would be of great pride for them to also share their culture to fellow students. Moral courage is needed for foreign students to be able to succeed in a place where they are considered different. These students should always stand up and be proud of their roots. Whenever they have a chance to share anything related to their culture, they should grab the said chance and especially when it will be helpful to the lectures or to the improvement of the awareness of other students. Students, whether local or foreign, should always rise up to the occasion whenever needed. It is not trying to be someone who know-it-all instead it is a way of challenging peers to step up and be more competitive. In the process the education sector including the learners and the educators would

Friday, September 27, 2019

Operations management Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Operations management - Lab Report Example According to Jones and Lockwood (2001), the industry is a complex assembly of customer processing, information processing, and material processing that leads to process choice of hybrid types inclusive of job shops, batch production, mass customization, and mass production all within the same operation (Jones, Lockwood, 2001), Additionally, the specific content of the industry does not always allow process layout to closely match process type, and the theory of Operations Management becomes difficult to apply (Jones and Lockwood, 2001). It is in this context the operations of Budget Hotels and its Luxury counterpart will be compared, and the results will there lacked the level of accuracy, and absoluteness prevalent in operations like the auto industry and other manufacturing entities. According to Dejong (2010), the difference between Budget Hotels and a Luxury Hotels, is that budget hotels tend to derive more value from operations given the leaner cost structures that are based on lower capital investments, land cost, and the staff to hotel room ratio. They are therefore able to achieve higher operating returns, which facilitate higher contributions to the hotel bottom lines (Dejong, H. 2010). Luxury Hotels on the other hand, according to Dejong (2010), are considered less risky then Budget Hotels in terms of development prospects, in that the entry barriers to new entrants are very high in this segment of the market. Studies have shown that Luxury Hotels are normally established in urban or resort areas, where they are characterized by the low number of available sites for development, compared to Budget Hotels which are found principally along highways, in close proximity to airports, and in suburban areas (Dejong, H. 2010). The strategy in locating these hotels in theses different areas separates and characterize the customers will be attracted to them, and the financial status and satisfaction desire levels of customers will play a critical role in decidi ng who chooses a luxury hotel as against the budget hotel. Economic conditions of the market, is also a key factor on the development choices of investors, and where the loan value ratios are decreasing compare to earlier periods like 2010 versus 2008, lower capital will be required to build budget hotels instead of luxury, and it is in this direction many business entrepreneurs will resort to achieve financial success and stability (Dejong, H. 2010). The hotel Investment climate criteria is one major reason why investors are turning to Budget Hotels in South America, Central America, Asia, especially in Brazil, India, China, and Dubai, instead of Luxury Hotels according to Dejong (2010). The criteria have an investment component and a market related component. Investors look at the investment horizon, the medium objectives, and risk tolerance before looking at the market related aspect which include the maturity of the destination markets being targeted, the supply and demand and t he state of the credit market before deciding whether the cost and returns from luxury and or budget hotels are attractive enough to warrant the investment of their capital (Dejong, 2010). According to Dejong (2010), substantial saving opportunities are available for companies that incorporate budget properties into their managed hotel programs over luxury hotels, and other upscale properties.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Corporate law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Corporate law - Essay Example (d) To what extent, if any, could Peter or Amanda or both incur personal liability for the company`s debts if the business fails? (e) Assume that there is one additional member of the board of directors, John, to whom the actual day-to-day running of the business has been left and who simply reports back to the board on the business he had transacted. John refers to himself as the managing director of Kent Cars Ltd, although he has never been officially appointed as such. A month ago John entered into a contract on Kent Cars Ltd behalf with James to create a company website, however, Kent Cars Ltd did not wish to order the actual website produced by James. The board of directors had refused to pay James, claiming that John did not have the necessary authority to enter into the contract with him. Analyse the situation with regard to the authority of John to make contracts on behalf of Kent Cars Ltd and in particular advise whether or not Kent Cars Ltd is liable to James. Answers a. In accordance with the section 18 of Companies Act 2006, in order for a company to exist, as a legal entity, it needs to have articles of association, which will ‘prescribe regulations for the company,’ (18.1 Companies Act 2006). Peter and Amanda are free to regulate the terms under which their partnership will be developed – with the restrictions set by the specific Act; this means that Amanda and Peter can add any term in the articles of association but this term should not be in clear opposition with the rules of Companies Act 2006. If either of the partners leaves the business, then the partnership would be eliminated; the business would have to be terminated, unless an arrangement has been made in advance, with relevant terms included in the articles of association, that in such case the company will continue to exist being transformed to a single member company – in the context of the article 123 (part 2 of Companies Act 2006). However, the shareholdin g of the leaving partner should be secured; this target can be achieved through specific terms in the articles of association, as for example the following ones: (part 2, part 9): a) a term defining that the leaving member would have the right to exit the firm anytime after a relevant notice, without his right to ask for his share on the company’s property to be influenced, b) a term defining that the leaving member would ask for his share from the firm’s profits within the particular financial year – referring to the period beginning in the first day of the current year and ending the day when the particular member decides to leave the company, c) a term defining that the share of the particular member would not be affected (reduced) by potential limitations in the company’s wealth because of the decisions of the other member – referring to the period beginning the day that the leaving member leaves the firm up to the day that his share is given t o him, d) a term should be also included stated that any right of the members/ shareholders on the company’s assets would be kept – in case that the assets will be not sold or, in other way, distributed between the

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Homeless Women in Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Homeless Women in Canada - Essay Example Studies show the demographic statistics of women’s homelessness in Canada has changed a lot. As a result, women’s homelessness has been to attract various social, political and feminist movements’ attention. Indeed about one hundred years after the first â€Å"International Women’s Day†, women’s socio-economic condition in the country has gone down. Whereas ‘safe home’ or shelter is considered as one of the basic needs of human life, women are increasingly being deprived of this right to have a safe home. Indeed, homelessness further causes severe social problems such sex-trafficking, sexual harassment and abuse, violence, unwanted murder, drug trafficking, etc. Homeless women often live in abandoned buildings and places, and often sleep on streets in the urban areas of Canada. But in rural areas, they normally live in slum. Overview of the Problem of Women’s Homelessness When women’s homelessness is mentioned, the traditional picture of a bundled woman sleeping on the city-streets’ sidewalks may come to mind. But the reality about women’s homelessness is very much complex. Various statistics and studies in this field show that approximately â€Å"300,000 people are homeless in Canada.† (YWCA Canada, 2012) In 1980s, about 25-30% of these visibly homeless people, who lived on the sidewalks or in shelters in rural areas are women. But in 1990s, the presence of homeless women seeking for shelter in government and non-government asylums increased at a rate of 78% more than the rate in previous years. This increase in the 1990s was mainly contributed by the children of the homeless women whose only earning sources were begging and prostitution. As a result, the number of homeless young women increased at an alarming rate. But the number of families who owned houses previously also increased during the past decades. â€Å"Families experience homelessness, and single parent fami lies, mostly led by women, make up the majority of homeless families† (YWCA Canada, 2012). Having no shelter, no roof over their heads and no door to lock behind them for safety, these homeless women remain at a high risk of physical, emotional and psychological dangers. Indeed, because of their physical weakness, women are more vulnerable to outdoor dangers than their male counterparts. In a Fact Sheet prepared by the YWCA Canada (2012), it is said: â€Å"Many street-involved women are abuse and trauma survivors struggling with resulting mental health and addiction issues. Yet, there remains a severe shortage of detox beds dedicated to women. Street-focused programs specifically for women are few and far between.† (YWCA Canada, 2012) Causes of Women’s Homelessness in Canada Women are more vulnerable to homelessness than men are. Indeed, women are more vulnerable because of their low income and extended periods of poverty (Townson, 2005). In a study, Monica Towns on (2005) claims that â€Å"women are the poorest people in Canada† (p. 34). In 2003, about 1500000 women were living in severe poverty. This number is about 19% of the total female population in Canada. Obviously, this poverty-stricken population comprises of women of all ages. But it mostly includes adult women and adolescent girls. The average income rate of the women was 62% of men’s annual income (Statistic Canada, 2006). The number of homeless women varies according to race, age, disabilities, and marital status, etc. The rate of homeless women

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Women's Equality in Pay Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Women's Equality in Pay - Term Paper Example Within 10 years following that decision, equal rights were extended to individuals of all races and America changed for the better. However, more than a century after Brown v. Board of Education, the United States is still dealing with the effects of discriminatory practices, particularly in the world place. Equal Opportunity Employment legislation has paved the way for minorities to take up occupations that were, for centuries, closed off. Payments still exist in these positions, especially for women, who are still paid only 77 cents for every dollar that a man in the same position receives (Campbell, 1972). Scientists, commentators, and economists are quick to offer a rationalization for this phenomenon; nevertheless, it is a discrimination that Americans have ignored for many years. Although the pay gap is slowly lessening, progress has been slow, even with federal legislation mandating equal pay regardless of gender. The early 20th century was a time of great strides for women, a s they gained the right to suffrage, gained the right to serve in the military, and overcame the oppressive clothing norms of the past centuries. In addition, that time saw great increases in the number of women going to work. During World War II, women were called on to fill the domestic roles of men outside of the home in order to maintain a working economy. This time was instrumental in creating a strong representation of women in the American workforce. A vast number of women are employed in order to support their family, which is a strong change from the two-parent, father-working model of mid-20th century America (Campbell, 1972). Today, the primary breadwinner is not a man but a woman and a man, depending on the structure of a particular family. In order to address inequity in the pay of women versus men, the United States Congress passed the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which abolished and changed portions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The intent of the legislation was to elimi nate wage discrimination based on sex. The political context of this new law was President’s John F. Kennedy’s New Frontier, which sought to establish a broad base of social programs in order to help Americans succeed and reach new heights. Congress acknowledged this view by denouncing pay discrimination as a burden on America’s economic resources and a practice that promotes unequal competition in the marketplace (Campbell, 1972). Indeed, the legislation helped decrease the wage disparity by nearly 20 cents per dollar. Nevertheless, the goals of the Equal Pay Act seem to have been too ambitious, reflected in the fact that the wage disparity has not been completely erased. The EPA does give women recourse in challenging the wages they are paid relative to men in court; if an employee can prove that wage discrimination has occurred, they can seek damages. To resolve the remaining wage gap that exists, politicians attempted to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act in 201 0. However, the bill failed when it reached the Senate. The PFA would have allowed employees to be able to disclose their wages to coworkers and required employers to justify wage differences in terms of business requirements. Although this legislation might have helped women access this information in a fair, open process and request the pay that they deserve based on the work they do, the legislation did not pass by a vote of 58 to 41. Conservative groups opposed the measure on the basis that it would cause â€Å"government micromanaging of business† and that civil courts would be overburdened with trials based on PFA regulations (Sherk, 2010). It is possible that the Paycheck Fair

Monday, September 23, 2019

The concept of Emily Grierson as a trapped individual Essay

The concept of Emily Grierson as a trapped individual - Essay Example Emily Grierson was strongly attached to her father and it was her father who brought her up. Her mother had passed away and she did not have any other close relatives. This aspect of her life led her to live a life of solitude and her life was based upon her relationship with her father. Her father was a proud man who considered him to be superior to all the other people who resided in the town. He kept a distance for the other people and did not intermingle in the social gatherings with people. He instilled similar feelings in his daughter and she was also not very social and restricted to her life within the house. Her father considered all the men who offered to marry Emily not to be up to the mark and rejected all these proposals. This behaviour of the Griersons is portrayed by Faulkner in these words, â€Å"People in our town, remembering how old lady Wyatt, her great-aunt, had gone completely crazy at last, believed that the Griersons held themselves a little too high for what they really were. None of the young men were quite good enough for Miss Emily and such.† Thus her upbringing by her father pushed her into solitude and led her to lead a trapped life. Emily’s father was the most important figure in her life and the death of her father shattered her. She became hysteric and was not ready to accept the death of her father. She did not take the condolences of the people and sent them away. It was only by force that her father’s body was buried. This great loss pushed her more into entrapment and she was left alone in her life. The next major character that entered her life was an outsider, Homer Barron who came to visit the town. Emily became greatly attached to him owing to her solitude and loneliness but Barron opted not to marry Emily. She took a drastic step of poisoning Homer Barron and kept his body in her house. The reaction of the people of the town and their criticism for her can also be held accountable for her trapped li fe. The people in the town talked about her behind her back and only visited her out of curiosity to see what was going inside her house. This social alienation served to further prevent Emily from leading a normal life. Emily became totally isolated and did not believe in societal laws and regulations. She developed these believes owing to her entrapped life. She did not consider herself to be a member of the society. She did not allow for the installation of a mail box at her house as she did not want to be linked to the outside world. She also denied paying the taxes in the town and responded to the officials from the city by saying, "I received a paper, yes," Miss Emily said. "Perhaps he considers himself the sheriff . . . I have no taxes in Jefferson." It has been portrayed that the life of Emily Grierson starts â€Å"decaying† in her home in solitude. She began to decay physically, mentally as well as socially. She started losing her looks and was totally cut off from t he social environment of the town. She did not mingle with anyone and thus her life depicted a theme of decaying. She also lost her sanity as she went as far as to kill Homer Barron so that she could keep his body with her. The death of her father is the initiation of her psychiatric issues. This can be seen when she denies that her

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Being young is just difficult Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Being young is just difficult - Essay Example Since its publication in 2007, Beah’s book has gained significant popularity given that there are a lot of meanings as well as lessons that can be drawn from it. It is not just a story about childhood of a young man who lived in a certain place and certain situation; it is an example of a real story where children are seen to be converted to act like killing machines where the orders to kill people are driven by the owners of these machines and drugs are used as the catalyst to fuel the situation. This particular kind of situation happened to many children in Sierra Leone and the author of this book, Ishmael Beah, personally experienced it. This can happen anywhere else other than Sierra Leone in as far as humanity is absent. This book describes the difficulties faced by young people who are forced to be part of the fight against tyranny by those in authority. This is despite the fact that they are still young and still need to be carefully looked after by their parents.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Personal & Professional Healthcare Communication Paper Essay Example for Free

Personal Professional Healthcare Communication Paper Essay Communication, according to the Free Dictionary, is â€Å"the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, signals, writing or behaviors†. It is vital in the development and maintenance of personal and professional relationships. It is important to understand communication also includes non-verbal as well as verbal acts. According to Rane (2010), 93% of communication is nonverbal and body language is an effective nonverbal communication tool. There are two essential components in communication, which are a sender and receiver of a message. In the personal and professional health care communication paper, I will discuss the definition of healthcare communication, the relevancy of effective personal healthcare communication to health outcomes, how the lack of effective personal and professional healthcare communications contributes to poor health outcomes, and the theories and principles of therapeutic communication in health care settings for the healthcare pro fessional (UOP, 2012). Healthcare communication definition In the healthcare field communication is vital to provide optimal care for the patient and enhancing the ability to make informed decisions. Healthcare communication relates to communication between people in health care organization, according to Northouse, 1998. This communication allows for questions and answers to who, what, where, how and when about health-related information in the patient-healthcare professional relationship. When used correctly communication enhances patient outcomes and results from patient surveys. Relevancy of effective personal healthcare communication with other healthcare professionals, clients, and patients (UOP,2012) Communication with the healthcare team including the patient, their family, medical professionals such as the doctor, nurse, and ancillary services such as X-ray department, pharmacy is vital in achieving the best outcomes as a result of evaluation, intervention, and the overall status of the patient. In order to give high-quality health care, it requires effective communication between the team and the patient. In cases of Non-English speaking patients or individuals with hearing impairments, they require other resources for effective communication such as interpreters, picture board or other devices. The healthcare professional must explain procedures or management of care to the patient or family to ensure optimal goals. It is through effective communication that the healthcare professional empowers the consumer with knowledge related to their illness, its ’ schedule of care by increasing patient compliance. It is when the patient does not understand what is happening in the health care system they need the professional to be understanding and sensitive by taking time to explain. This aids the patient by meeting their need to understand according to Northouse, 1998. Relevancy of effective professional healthcare communication to health outcomes (UOP, 2012) Effective professional healthcare communication is relevant to desired health outcomes. Successful communication is essential between team members because it allows for the development of specific objectives to accomplish. The health care team strives as one but individually they ensure the patient reaches the desired outcomes. If all team members are not â€Å"on board† to assure the patient reaches the goals set forth causes an uphill battle which produces conflict. This conflict could be productive by encouraging the team to review a difference in opinion that can be beneficial for the patient. How the lack of effective personal and professional healthcare communications contributes to poor health outcomes (UOP, 2012)   The lack of effective personal and professional healthcare communication affects teamwork, patient satisfaction, patient safety, patient management, compliance with treatment, level of anxiety, job satisfaction efficiency, which potentially leads to poor patient health outcomes (www.health.vic.gov.au/qualitycouncil/safetymodul/page22.htm). The purpose of effective communication in healthcare is to provide first-class medical care, minimal to no medical errors and have precision; and without it there is room for medical errors, poor patient care and an ineffective team that produces undesired outcome. In the professional and patient relationship, the lack of good communication causes the patient to be apprehensive in asking questions, to worry about being bothersome because they feel other patients are sicker, and there is an assumption that the patient doe s not have any concerns. There are barriers to communication that include only one between the sender and receiver of the message understands the message, cultural differences, and lack of education. In sending the message it is essential that the message is received with clarity, it is concise and complete. If the patient has a language barrier, it can be masked by the patient not responding to information and it is detected as a result of poor or no compliance. In literacy concerns, all information should be presented on a 5th grade level to aid in the comprehension of the information. The care of the patient should be patient/family centered which helps in detecting any language, cultural or literacy barriers (Schyve, 2007). For example, a 46 year old single male patient that is functionally literate is admitted with a diagnosis of acute angina. During the admission process it is disclosed he completed the 7th grade which renders him functionally literate and there is no language barrier. The cardiologist (heart doctor) comes in and discusses his plan of care that includes a stress test. The nurse asks the patient if he has any questions and he reports he cannot do any exercise. The nurse provides information related to the procedure that includes using medications to mimic the manual exercise. The theories and principles of therapeutic communication in health care settings for the healthcare professional (UOP, 2012) Therapeutic communication is a process in which the nurse consciously influences or helps the client to better understanding through verbal or nonverbal communication (The Free Dictionary). There are detailed approaches that promote the expression of feelings and ideas that convey approval and respect in a non judgmental manner. Therapeutic communication encourages the patient to participate in the plan of care. The patient would not be receptive to engaging in communication if the nurse runs in and out of the room hurriedly or promises to perform a task and not complete it. It is important that the patient views the care professional as one that is cari ng and willing to go the extra mile for the patient. The patient can be appreciative of any act of kindness displayed by the professional in as they promote Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring. Most nurses chose this career because of a genuine caring attitude toward all mankind therefore using the Watson’s caring theory will enhance the caring system. The information found in Watson’s caring theory helps the nurse revisit the place of traditional values, which is the foundation of becoming a nurse The following are Watson’s clinical caritas process (es): †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Practice of loving-kindness and equanimity with context of caring-consciousness† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p.116); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Being authentically present and enabling and sustaining the deep belief system and subjective life world of self and the on-being-cared-for† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p.116); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Cultivation of one’s own spiritual practices and transpersonal self, going beyond ego self. Being sensitive to self and other† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p.116); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Developing and sustaining a helping-trusting, authentic caring relationship† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p.116); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Being present to and supportive of the expression of positive and negative feelings as a connection with deeper spirit of self and the on-being-cared-for† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p. 116); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Creative use of self and all ways of knowing as part of the caring process and engagement in artistry of caring-healing practices† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p. 117); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Engaging in genuine teaching-learning experience that attends to unity of being and meaning and attempts to stay within other’s frame of reference† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p. 117); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Creating healing environment at all levels (physical as well as nonphysical) whereby wholeness, beauty, comfort, dignity, and peace are potentiated† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p. 117); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Assisting with basic needs, with an intentional caring consciousness; administering human care essentials, which potentiate alignment of mind-body-spirit, wholeness, and unity of being in all aspects of care; attending to both embodied spirit and evolving emergence†, (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p. 118) and †¢Ã¢â‚¬ËœOpening and attending to spiritual-mysterious and existential dimensio ns of one’s own life-death; soul care for self and the one-being-cared-for† (Alligood Tomey, 2006 p. 118). The Caring Theory facilitates therapeutic communication because it addresses all aspects of the patient’s being which encourages the patient to be more open and receptive to the treatment and procedures needed to promote desired outcomes. â€Å"Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you† (King James Bible, Luke 6:30-31). In conclusion, effective communication is understood by the patient and healthcare team and if there is a misunderstanding the communication is nonexistent, the terms of health care cease or continues with poor quality and high risks to patient safety (Schyve, 2007). Effective communication enhances the potential to provide error-free care of the patient. When there is an error it is viewed as the inability to provide optimal patient care (O’Daniel Rosenstein, date unknown). In order to provide premium quality patient care effective communication is a requirement; therefore it is an important role of communication and teamwork to reduce errors in the medical field thus increasing patient safety and promoting desired outcomes (Grover, 2005). I believe in providing therapeutic effective communication the health care professional should utilize professional skills learned especially those the endorse a caring and nurturing nurse-client/patient or professional-professional relationship. References Alligood, M. R. Tomey, A. M. (2006). Nursing theory: Utilization application (3rd ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier Grover, S. M. (2005). Shaping Effective Communication Skills and Therapeutic Relationships at Work. AAOHN Journal, 53(4), 177. King James Version. (1976). The Holy Bible. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc Northouse, L. Northouse, P. (1998) Health communication: Strategies for health professionals (3rd ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall O’Daniel, M. Rosenstein, A. ( ). Chapter 33. Profession Communication and Team Collaboration www.ahrq.gov/qual/nurseshdbk/docs/O’DanielM_TWC.pdf Rane, D. B. (2010). Effective Body Language for Organizational Success. IUP Journal Of Soft Skills, 4(4), 17-26. Schyve, P. (2007). Language Differences as a Barrier to Quality and Safety in Health Care: The Joint Commission Perspective. Society of General Internal Medicine The free dictionary. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/therapeutic+communicationcommunication The free dictionary. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/therapeutic+communicationtherapeutic communication University of Phoenix, 2012. HCS/350-Health Care Communication www.uop.edu Why is communication important in health care? http://www.health.vic.gov.au/qualitycouncil/safety_module/page22.htm

Friday, September 20, 2019

Antibacterial Properties of Compounds from S. Frutescens

Antibacterial Properties of Compounds from S. Frutescens Kabir Prema Introduction Rationale There are approximately 6.1 million people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome in South Africa (Unaids.org, 2014). People with HIV/Aids have a higher risk of getting secondary infections and diseases such as Tuberculosis, which is the cause of many deaths in South Africa (Tbfacts.org, 2014). About 5.5 million people in South Africa are infected with Tuberculosis (Salim S. Abdool Karim, 2009). I have chosen to research and experiment on the Sutherlandia frutescens because it has anti-bacterial and anti-HIV properties (Katerere and Eloff, 2014). I also have a keen interest in alternative medicines so researching and testing a plant with many diverse properties such as S. frutescens will be an interesting and fruitful experience for me. Hypothesis Compounds extracted from S. frutescens have antibacterial properties. Aim: To test three extraction methods (water, ethanol and acetone) on S. frutescens, to see which method will have the most effective anti-bacterial properties on two different strains of bacteria (E. coli, S. epidermidis). Research and Experimental Methodology: For this project I will rely on secondary research. Which includes research articles and information from websites on the S. frutescens, extraction methods of antibacterial compounds and statistics regarding specific diseases affecting South Africa. I will also be doing primary research such as using different extraction methods to extract the antibacterial compounds from S. frutescens. I will testing the extracts on two different strains of bacteria. Limitations The limitations that I would face in my research task would be the reliability of the research articles I used with regards to the S.frutescens. The strains of bacteria that I’m using are harmful to human beings. Review of Literature Source 1: Title: A review of the taxonomy, ethnobotany, chemistry and pharmacology of Sutherlandia frutescens (Fabaceae). Authors: B-E. van Wyk, C. Albrecht Year of publication: 2008 Summary: The article is a review of many different articles on S. frutescens. The article focuses on the chemistry and ethnopharmacology of S. frutescens. It names the ailments that S. frutescens is used to treat ailments such as urinary tract infections and HIV. It’s also used as an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. Its has been shown that S. frutescens has been widely used as a medication by various groups in South Africa particularly the in the Western Cape. Validity: This article is review of many different articles and most of the  information is derived from other articles concerning  S. frutescens and its properties and uses. Reliability: This article is from the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, which is published on the journal publishing site elsevier.com. The journal was also reviewed by a board of editors from many  different countries. Evidence use to support conclusion: The leaves of the Sutherlandia frutescens have antibacterial properties. Recent studies on this plant have mostly focused on the anti-cancer, anti-HIV, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, analgesic and antibacterial activities. Usefulness: The article describes the many uses and properties of S. frutescens such as it’s antibacterial properties, it’s anti-inflammatory and its anti-HIV properties. The article also goes over the many uses of S. frutescens ov Limitations: The article doesn’t elaborate on much on the antibacterial activities of S.frutescens The article doesn’t show methods of extracting S.frutescens. Author Credentials: B-E. van Wyk is a professor at the University  of Johannesburg and teaches undergraduate plant taxonomy,  postgraduate taxonomy, systematics, chemosystematics of African  plant families, medical plant chemistry and ethnobotany. Source 2: Title: Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activity of Sutherlandia frutescens (Fabaceae), A Reputed Anti-HIV/AIDS Phytomedicine Authors: David R. Katerere†  and Jacobus N. Eloff* Year of publication: 2005 Summary: The article describes the extraction methods that were used to extract S.frutescens The article also describes the how the different extracts where tested on different strains of bacteria. The article is about the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of S.frutescens. The second method of extraction produced a greater yield than the first method of extraction. Validity: The first extraction method used five grams of a commercially available leaf sample of Sutherlandia frutescens (Sutherlandia/ Unwele ®). The Sutherlandia frutescens (Sutherlandia/ Unwele ®) sample was consecutively extracted three times using different substances, first with Hexane (coded SF-H), then by dichloromethane (DCM) (SF-D), then by acetone (SF-A) and finally by ethylacetate (SF-E). The second method consisted of splitting a leaf sample of a Sutherlandia frutescens into three portions weighing 5g each. The portions where portions where extracted separately twice with acetone, ethanol and water. Each extract was then dried using a rotary evaporator and weighed. The aqueous extract was then freeze dried. Reliability: S, frutescens was extracted using two different extraction methods. Evidence use to support conclusion: The total yield of all four solvents in the first method of extraction was 10.5%. In the second extraction method, acetone extracted 5.6%. Ethanol extracted 12.6% while eater extracted 17.2%. Usefulness: It’s useful as it gives methods to extract the active ingredient  from the plant. Limitations: The article doesn’t give a testing method that I can easily perform at school. Author’s Credentials David R. Katerere† : Specialist Scientist at SA MRC, Visiting  scientist at Scynexis, visiting scientist at UNINA, trainee  Pharmacist at Drug Tech Pharmacy, Chief Bioanalyst at  PAREXEL, Postdoc at University of Pretoria Jacobus N. Eloff*: Gold Medal for Science for Society  Academy for Science of South Africa (September 2012), Gold  medal of the South African Academy for Science and Art is  awarded for Scientific and Technological Achievement, Bronze  medal from the International Horticultural Society (December  2008) in recognition of the organising the World Conference on Medical and Aromatic Plants. Source 3: Title: Five Ochna species have high antibacterial activity and more  than ten antibacterial compounds Authors: Tshepiso J. Makhafola1 Jacobus N. Eloff1 Year of publication: 2011 Summary: The article is about the antibacterial activities of five Ochna species. Leaf samples where extracted using different mediums from the leaf. The extracts were tested against various strains of bacteria. Validity: The dried leaf powder was extracted with 20mL of acetone. The solution was then shaken in 50 mL centrifuge tubes and  centrifuged for 15 minutes at 4000 rpm. The extracts were  decanted through into glass vials through filter papers and the  solution was concentrated to dryness with a stream of cold air. Only clean and dry leaves were selected, the selected leaves had no blemishes or dirt. The leaves were not washed with water as the water would possibly extract some water-soluble compounds, and to limit the posibilty of fungal growth on the leaves due to the moisture left on the surface due to the water. The leaves were dried at room temperature in the dark. The leaves were then made into a fine powder, with the particles being less than 1 mm in diameter. The leaves were then stored in sealed glass bottles in the dark to reduce chemical changes in the compounds present in the leaves. Reliability: There were no competing interests the article. Evidence use to support conclusion: The percentage yield in acetone between the five species was: O. gamostigmata (8%), followed by O. pulchdra, (7.5%), O. serullata (7%) O. pretorienses and O. natalitia ((2.5%) Usefulness: This article shows different extraction methods and it also gives  a suggestion to which extraction method and solvent worked  the best to extract the particular compounds. It provides detailed  images, tables and graphs which makes it easier to view the data  that was collected. Limitations: Only gives information about on genus of plant (Ochna) and there is no information of S. frutescens. Author’s Credentials Kobus (Jacobus N) Eloff: Gold Medal for Science for Society,  Eskom award for capacity development, Gold medal of the South  African Academy for Science and Art is awarded for Scientific  and Technological Achievement, Gold Medal for Botany Tshepiso Makhafola: Attended the University of Pretoria from  2008-2010. He has skills and expertise in research, molecular  biology and biotechnology. Source 4: Title: Influence of Sutherlandia frutescens extracts on cell  numbers, morphology and gene expression in MCF-7  cells Authors: B.A. Standera, S. Maraisa, T.J. Steynberga, D. Theronb, F.  Joubertc, C. Albrechtd  and A.M. Jouberta Year of publication: 2007 Summary: The article is about the influence of S.frutescens on cell numbers, morphology and gene expression in MCF-7 cells. An extraction was made our of small twogs and leaves, the solution was then filtered. It was demonstrated that ethanolic extracts of S. frutescens inhibited multiplying of MCF-7 mammary adenocarcinoma cells. Validity: Dulbeccos minimum essential medium eagle (DMEM)  with Glutamaxâ„ ¢ (Gibco BRL, USA) †¢ Trypsin–EDTA †¢ Crystal violet DNA stain was used to determine the  number of cells. (Spectrophotometrically) †¢ Heat inactivated fetal calf serum (FCS) was used to  culture the MCF – 7 human breast cell line. †¢ Penicillin was used to culture the MCF – 7 human  breast cell line. †¢ Streptomycin was used to culture MCF – 7 human  breast cell line. †¢ Sterile cell culture flasks †¢ 96-well plates where used to house the culturing cells. †¢ MCF-7 human breast a denoma carcinoma cell line  were cultured in DMEM †¢ Cell Morphology: Two hundred and fifty thousand   MCF-7 cells were put onto heat-sterilized coverslips  in well plates and they were exposed to 1.5 mg/ml of  Sutherlandia Frutescence extract for periods of 24, 36,  48, and 72 hours at 37 °C cells where counted using a  microsceope. Reliability: Sterile culture flasks and well plates where used, the cultures  where kept at a constant temperature of 37 °C and in a  humidified atmosphere with 5% CO2, the specimens of  Sutherlandia frutescens were air dried in the shade in the  area of Murraysburg in the Karoo, to reduce the chance  degradation of the specimens. The specimens where identified  as Sutherlandia frutescens by the botany and biotechnology  department at the university of Johannesburg. 1 gram of Sutherlandia frutescens was mixed with 10ml of 70%  ethanol to produce a stock solution. After the extraction of the  Sutherlandia frutescens it was centrifuged to remove any debris  and then it was filtered twice to obtain a purified 100mg/ml  stock solution. The cells where cultured for 24 hours. Vehicle controles where  used prove the effectiveness of the Sutherladnia frutescens. The results that were obtained were statistically analysed for  significance using analysis of variance factor model. This was  then proceeded by a two-tailed Student’s t-test. Evidence use to support conclusion: The ethanol extracts of the Sutherlandia frutescens inhibited  the growth of the MCF-7 mammary adencarcenoma cells of the  period of 72 hours. 1.5 mg/ml of the Sutherlandia frutescens  ethanol extract was statistically found to reduce 50% of the  growth of MCF-7 cell over 24 hours when compared to the  vehicle-treated control. Usefulness: It shows different methods of extracting the Sutherlandia  frutescens and different substances used to extract the plant. It  also gives results that have been statistically proven. Limitations: There aren’t any tests to prove its antibacterial effectiveness. The article doesn’t mention the chemical compounds present in  the plant that prove it’s effectiveness. Author’s Credentials B.A. Stander: Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 2034, Pretoria 0001, South Africa S. Marais: Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 2034, Pretoria 0001, South Africa T.J. Steynberg: Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 2034, Pretoria 0001, South Africa D. Theron: ACGT Microarray Facility, University of Pretoria, 0002 Pretoria, South Africa F. Joubert: Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Unit, University of Pretoria, 0002 Pretoria, South Africa C. Albrecht: Cancer Association of South Africa, P.O. Box 2121, Bedfordview 2008, South Africa A.M. Joubert: Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 2034, Pretoria 0001, South Africa Source 5: Title: Antibacterial Activity of Leaf Extracts from Combretum micranthum and Guiera senegalensis (Combretaceae) Authors: Stefano Banfi, Enrico Caruso, Viviana Orlandi, Paola Barbieri,  Serena Cavallari, Paolo Viganà ², Pierangelo Clerici and Luca  Chiodaroli Year of publication: 2014 Summary: Guiera senegalensis and Combretum micranthum lwaves were  used and tested on for the presence of antibacterial compounds. Five solvents were used to extract the plant material; the solvents  were used in increasing polarity. Escherichia coli C1a and  Staphylococcus aureus MSSA were used to test the antibacterial  effectiveness of the plants. A bioautographic method was used to  monitor the antibacterial activity of the plants extracts throughout  the purification steps. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration  and Minimum Bacterial Concentration of the most purified and  active plant extracts were evaluated at the end of the procedure. Validity: Dry leaves extraction procedure: Whole leaves of C. micranthum and G. senegalensis, were dried immediately after  obtaining them from the plant in a local drying room at 40 °C. The dried leaves were then sent to Varses. Dried whole leaves  weighing 100g were poured in a 2.5 L bottle and treated with  600ml of cyclohexane (least polar solvent). After a period  of 24 hours the leaves were separated from the solvent by  means of a Buckner funnel. This procedure was repeated using  progressively more polar solvents: toluene, acetone, EtOH and  water respectively. Agar diffusion assay: Between 4-5 isolated colonies of each  strain were collected and resuspended in 5ml of PB. It was then  put onto its respective solid growth medium by means of a sterile  cotton swab. The plates were incubated at 37 °C for a set amount  of time required for each microorganism. The antibacterial effect  of the extract was measured by measuring the growth inhibition  halo. Pictures if the inhibition halos were taken using a camera to  document the findings. Reliability: Incubation temperature was kept constant at 37 °C. Evidence  of the inhibition rings were taken by means of a photo camera  and those images were later analysed. A fair test was performed  as four different methods of extraction where used, each with  increasing polarity. Evidence use to support conclusion: Cm4-P showed good activity against S. aureus and S. xylosus. Cm4-P showed some activity against Gram negative strains. Gs2-Paq was found to be more active against the Gram positive strians  compared to Cm4-P. Usefulness: Gives an example of how an extraction could be done by ordering  the solvents according to polarity. It shows how the inhibition  rings can be measured and analysed i.e. By means of taking  photographs. Limitations: The article doesn’t show extraction methods and testing methods for S. frutescens Author’s Credentials Stefano Banfi: Degree in organic chemistry in February1980 at the University of Milan, Assistant Professor in Organic Chemistry. Enrico Caruso: Graduated with a degree in organic chemistry in October 1998 from the University of Milan, Assistant Professor in Organic Chemistry, Viviana Orlandi: 1995: Degree in Biological Sciences, University of Milan discussing a thesis on Expression of oppioid receptor in primary coltures of murine cortex neurons: trasduction signal pathway and interaction with glutamate receptors. Member of the Italian Society for General Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology (SIMGBM). Paola Barbieri: 1980: Degree in Biological Science at the University of Milan, Institute of Genetics. Member of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM)Member of the Italian Society for General Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology (SIMGBM). Serena Cavallari: Paolo Viganà ²: Degree in Biological Sciences; Postgraduate Diploma in Microbiology, Doctor of Biological Sciences; Specialist in Microbiology Luca Chiodaroli: Conclusion Source 1 deals with the general usage of S.frutescens as a medicinal plant in South Africa. Source 2 deals with the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of S. frutescens. It also shows extraction methods and bacterial testing methods. Source 3 shows the antibacterial activities of the Ochna species of plants. This source gives an indication of what types of bacteria that need to be used for testing the antibacterial activities of the S. frutescens. Source 4 is about the influence of S. frutescens extract on MCF-7 cells. It has a good indication of an extraction method that can be used. Source 5 is about the antibacterial activity of leaf exracts from Combretum micranthum and Guiera senegalensis. It gives an example of an extraction method that can be used for S. frutescens. All the sources deal with extraction method that can be used for certain plants. Not all the articles deal with the extraction methods and testing of S. frutescens. References: B-E. van Wyk and C. Albrecht, 2008. A review of the taxonomy,  ethnobotany, chemistry and pharmacology of Sutherlandia  frutescens (Fabaceae). Journal of Ethnopharmacology, [Online].  119, 621-629. Available at: http://def-sa.com/def/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/A-review-of-the-taxonomy-ethnobotany-chemistry-and-pharmacology.pdf [Accessed 20 April 2014]. David R. Katerere†  and Jacobus N. Eloff . 2005. Antibacterial  and Antioxidant Activity of Sutherlandia frutescens (Fabaceae), A  Reputed Anti-HIV/AIDS Phytomedicine. [ONLINE] Available at:  http://def-sa.com/def/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Antibacterial-and-Antioxidant-Activity-of1.pdf. [Accessed 06 April 14].   Tshepiso J. Makhafola and Jacobus N. Eloff. (2011). Five  Ochna species have high antibacterial activity and more than  ten antibacterial compounds. South African Journal of Science  [online]. 108, 689.Available From:http://www.sajs.co.za/five-ochna-species-have-high-antibacterial-activity-and-more-ten-antibacterial-compounds/makhafola-tshepiso-eloff-jacobus. St, er, B., Marais, S., Steynberg, T., Theron,  D., Joubert, F., Albrecht, C. and Joubert, A. (2007). Influence  of Sutherlandia frutescens extracts on cell numbers,  morphology and gene expression in MCF-7 cells. Journal of  ethnopharmacology, 112(2), pp.312318. Banfi, S., Caruso, E., Orlandi, V., Barbieri, P., Cavallari,  Ã‚  S., Vigano, P., Clerici, P. and Chiodaroli, L. (2014). Antibacterial Activity  of Leaf Extracts from Combretum micranthum and Guiera senegalensis  (Combretaceae). Research Journal of Microbiology, [online] 9(2), pp.66-81. Salim S. Abdool Karim, S. (2009). HIV infection and tuberculosis in South Africa: an urgent need to escalate the public health response. Lancet, [online] 374(9693), p.921. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2803032/ [Accessed 14 May. 2014]. Fritz Lherisson, F. (2014). South Africa. [online] Unaids.org. Available at: http://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/countries/southafrica/ [Accessed 16 May. 2014].

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Chechnya Essay -- essays research papers

Chechnya The Continuing Conflict Chechnya is situated in the Caucasus Mountains, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. It is surrounded by Dagestan to the east, Georgia and South Ossetia to the south, Russia to the north and North Ossetia in the west. Chechnya is rich in mineral oil and produced twenty million tons per year before the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 created the opportunity for the Russian provinces to declare their independence. The Russian government managed to keep its control of all states apart from Chechnya, which, under the new president Dzhokhar Dudayev, declared independence in October 1991. The Russian Government did not approve this and President Yeltsin declared war against the newborn regime in 1994. Yeltsin feared that if they had not declared war the other Caucasus states may have followed suit, to prevent this they preferred to curb it at the out set. The second Chechen war, which began in September 1999, was a result of the actions taken by Russia in the first war and was a product of the same policies. The fight for independence for Chechnya has been ongoing since the Bolshevik Revolution and is one that will be fought well into the future if something is not done about it now. The Russo-Chechen war that ended in 1996 should have given the Russian government a feel of things to come when they decided to attack in late September of last year. Triggered by security challenges to the State, Russia decided that the democracy would be in danger if they didn’t act. Russia was in a politically unstable situation right now with the resignation of Yeltsin, and the current Presidential elections looming. Also looming on the political horizon was the concern over rampant corruption in the government. If they had done nothing Yeltsin’s party would have stood to lose, yet Putin, (Yeltsin’s successor) succeeded in focusing the medias attention on the war rather that the domestic corruption. This war has given rise to a huge influx of racial hatred that has again helped Putin. Because the majority of the Chechen’s are Muslim, and not of the same ethnic background as Russians, racial discrimination has helped to boost the wars popularity and subsequently Putins. The security of oil in the southern Caucasus states and its transportation routes are the main influential factors in the... ...the task of the US and their European allies to bring the case to the European Court of Human Rights; the charge, a violation of its international treaty rights. Russia should also be required to conduct peace negotiations with the Chechens under the guidance of the various European Groups with a vested interest in the preservation of the borders of the surrounding countries. Threats of this can be conveyed to Russia, but this action, and anything that may come of it will not necessarily by abided by Russia. Russia has already shown that it will do what it wants concerning this issue. The US and its European allies are in apposition where threatening Russia with action is the only thing that they can do. Russia will not respond to these threats and will best only give them lip service. That this conflict be resolved in a manner favourable to Russia is essential. Russia cannot permit the secession of any part of its territory because it will lead to actions by other regions and th e access to Caucasus oil fields cannot be lost. Any other action taken by a third party will only result in destabilization of Russia and termination of diplomatic relations between Russia and the west.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Phobias and the Brain Essay -- Neurology Psychology Papers

Phobias and the Brain You are in an airport waiting for your plane to arrive. You've never flown before, and are more terrified than you can ever remember being. Everyone has told you the supposedly comforting statistics - "millions of planes take off each day and there's only a handful of crashes," "flying is safer than driving." You know rationally that there is no reason to be so scared, but regardless your heart is racing, your palms are sweating, and you're light-headed. Simply the thought of being up in the air, out of control, makes you feel faint. Finally the flight attendant announces that your plane has arrived. But as all the other passengers line up to get onboard, you grab your luggage and walk straight out of the airport, with every step feeling more and more relieved. What is this feeling of anxiousness? Why can't you get rid of it even though you consciously know that it is irrational? What is it caused by? How can it be prevented or lessened? What you experienced in the airport is a phobia. A phobia is the sensation of extreme fear "when it is not justified by the presence of any real danger or threat, or by any rational cause, and when it is accompanied by a systematic avoidance of the situations that lead to it." (1) A phobia is brought on by a specific stimulus or situation, for example, insects, heights, crowds, or the dentist. Presentation with the fear-inducing stimulus causes a severe anxiety response with very apparent and specific physical manifestations, such as a rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, trembling, and sweating. Most individuals suffering from phobias are able to recognize that their fear is fundamentally irrational, yet nonetheless go through great lengths to avoid any contact with t... ... the Amygdala http://academic.uofs.edu/department/neuro/fear.html 8) Ledoux, Joseph. Fear and the Brain: Where Have We Been, and Where Are We Going? Society of Biological Psychiatry, 1998. 9)Personality Correlates to Memory Change http://web.uccs.edu/sstewart/Introduction.htm 10)The Link Between Phobias and Genetics http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro02/web3/www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/333/8014/317030.html 11)A Page of Various Treatments for Phobias www.sover.net:80/~schwcof/psycho.htm 12)General Information of Phobias http://allpsych.com/journal/phobias.html 13) Fumas, Tomas et.al. Common Changes in Cerebral Blood Flow in Patients with Social Phobia Treated With Citalopram or Cognitive-Behavior Therapy. Arch General Psychiatry. Vol. 59, 2002. 14)Terms relating to phobias http://www.ac.www.edu/~knecht/352_phobias.html

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem :: Essays Papers

Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem Hospitallers of St. John, or in full The Sovereign Military Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, is one of the most important military orders that existed since before the crusades. It was founded in early 12th century by a person known as Gerard or Gerald. Even if the family name or birth place of this Gerard is not known for sure, his title as a founder of the order was confirmed by an official document, the Bull of Paschal II dated 1113 and addressed to â€Å"Geraudo institutori ac praeposito Hirosolimitani Xenodochii.† Hospitallers of St. John is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and it follows the rules of St. Augustine. The beginning of the order is different from those of other hostelries of its period, because others were dependent on their churches or monasteries while St. John's supported itself. It profited from the presence of the crusaders and from the gratitude people felt for the hospitality they received. Thus, the order had revenues and territories in the new kingdom of Jerusalem and in Europe as well. At the very beginning, the order was completely devoted to the hospitalization of pilgrims visiting the Holy Places in Jerusalem. It started to develop some military characters when Raymond of Provence (1120-1160) succeeded Gerard as the first Grand Master of the order. He sponsored an armed escort for the pilgrims. Eventually, this armed escort evolved into a heavy cavalry whose members were crusaders from Europe and Turcopoles - natives of mixed blood. The very first military dignitaries in the order were â€Å"the marshal† for the command of the knights and â€Å"the turcopoliers† for the command of the turcopoles. Later the grand masters, heads of the church, started to go into battle. For example, Gosbert, the fifth successor of Raymond, died on the battle field in 1177. Rules directly concerning knights were added to the rules of the order by the ninth Grand Master, Alfonso of Portugal, around 1200. The rules made notable distinction between secular knights and the professed knights. The secular knights were externs to the order and did not stay with it for life. They just serve it for some time, and then go on with their lives like usual.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Guiding Children’s Behavior

I have rated the fourteen steps to guiding children's behavior based on personal belief and experience. 1. Model Appropriate Behavior: Show, demonstrate, model and supervise. Children are watching you therefore you need to be the best role model you can be. As a positive role model you need to make good choices and encourage children to do their best too. It has been proven that children with positive role models have higher self-esteem, do better in school and social settings, and are more likely to make good choices in difficult/stressful situations. Positive role models can last a lifetime. 2. Meet Children's Needs: Children need to eat nutritional foods, drink plenty of water, and get enough sleep and exercise. Children need a safe environment at home and at school. Children need love, affection and respect. Children need to be given opportunities to be successful so they can build self-esteem. Children need to be given responsibility and independence so they can experience self-actualization. As caregivers, it is our responsibility to provide all of these needs, children need us to do this for them. 3. Use and Teach Conflict Management: Teach children how to successfully resolve conflicts. Children need to learn how to handle difficult situations, they don't know how to resolve a problem if we don't show them how. As a role model, it is important to display conflict resolution, children will learn by watching you. It is important to show children how to share, talk it over, take turns, choose to do something else, and say â€Å"sorry†. I think it is so important that adults apologize to children when it's appropriate, respect goes both ways, if you expect a child to say â€Å"I'm sorry† to you then as a role model you should apologize to children when necessary too. . Know and Use Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Learn as much as you can about children, have high but appropriate expectations. As an instructor, it is crucial to always continue learning about Early Childhood Education, stay up-to-date with current methods and trends. 5. Teach Cooperative Learning and Living: This is such an important step because it's a lifetime step. It is crucial to discuss cooperation with children because life is full of social interactions, they need to know how to cooperate in a group settings and how to recognize different behaviors. Talk with children about different behaviors and reactions so they understand how they are feeling and how to react appropriately. 6. Develop a Partnership with Parents, Families, & Others: As an instructor, it is your job to communicate with people who are important in your students life because they are influencing the child outside of the classroom. Make it clear to parents and caregivers that you are always available for communication, that you care about the child and want whats best for them. I think it is extremely important to involve parents and caregivers in classroom activities, they should know what you are teaching and how children are learning. Overall, if there is understanding and communication between parents and teachers then the child will probably have a more rewarding learning experience in the classroom and at home. 7. Empower Children: Children need to learn that they are ultimately responsible for their own behavior, allow children to have choices and support them. It is important that children know you trust their decisions and feel successful when they make positive choices. . Establish Appropriate Expectations: The expectations you have for children should be attainable and used as guideposts in learning. Children should have a clear understanding of rules and limits, this way they know what is expected of them. As an instructor, you should always be clear about exactly what you expect and what the consequences will be if rules and limits are broken. 9. Clarify your Beliefs about Guiding Behavior: It is important to be certain about what you want for children in the classroom and at home. Use a philosophy of education to guide your teaching and review it often, be sure you are always doing your best to do best for the children in your classroom. 10. Use Social Constructivist Approach: Teachers should always be guiding students to behave in a socially appropriate and productive way. Once again, you are a role model, be the best role model you can be, children are watching your decision making and behaviors. Make responsible choices so children can ape this behavior. 11. Help Children Build New Behaviors: Give children praise when necessary. I am a strong believer in the power of positive reinforcement, children react positively when you reward them for making good choices. It is important that children know you recognize they are choosing to make a good choice because it lets them know you are watching them and acknowleding their efforts to control their behavior. 12. Recognize & Value Basic Rights: We all have basic rights, children too! Respect their basic rights and it will be easier to guide and direct children's behavior. 13. Avoid Problems: Positive reinforcement is a great way to focus on good choices and show children that you appreciate their good behavior. Too many times I see parents and instructors who focus on negative behavior and forget to acknowledge positive decision making. If you ignore negative behavior children will learn that they will not get attention or reward for negative behavior. Be sure to always reward and focus on good decision making. Children will learn that by making good choices they will receive praise and rewards. 14. Arrange and Modify the Environment: The classroom should be a safe place of learning and fun. As an instructor, it is your responsibility to provide an annpropriate environment that supports learning for everyone.

7c’s of Written Communication

7 C’s off effective communication (with respect to written communication): Written communication  occupies an important position in the communication sphere, so written communication has to pay adequate attention on certain principles of necessity. The essentials of every written communication are principles of unity, coherence and emphasis. These principles along with other essentials of effective communication, like language, planning and organization make the written communication effective. Clarity:  The writing should be correctly planned and expressed in a logical way,and the writer should make sure that the ideas flow smoothly from beginning to end. The message must be so clear that even the dullest man in the world should readily understand it. The communicator must be very clear about all the aspects of the idea in his mind and about the purpose for which it is to be communicated. Next to it, he must be clear about the selection, suitability and usage of the mediu m. The signals of the encoded message must be carefully composed of and transmitted well.Clarity of written language is the first and foremost emphasis one should seek in writing. So clarity of language is a form of courtesy. Clarity, therefore, can be achieved in writing by taking pains by writing to serve the purpose rather than to impress readers. Understanding the subject bring about clarity in the writing. Don’t jump about from one part of the writing to another and then back to the first aspect. This is confusing for you and the reader. Deal with each aspect separately and clearly.Clear description brings about the script alive, takes readers to where you have been and evokes atmosphere. It can bring flavor in the most arid and dry news story and make the difference between a report that satisfies and one that does not. * Completeness:  It is an essential factor for effective communication. A message must be organized appropriately in the sense that it must include al l the important ideals and its details. The contents of the message must be checked in order to verify that there is no omission of the relevant details.An incomplete message can do little to convey the information and to persuade the receiver. All the aspects of the message must be grouped and brought together in logical sequence to prepare meaningful thought units. The communicator effort can be more fruitful and effective if the receiver easily reacts to the sender’s message. The incomplete messages may create doubts in the receiver’s mind. The receiver of the incomplete message feels angry, confused and irritated by it. Effective writing communication implies a condition of being complete and clear.The principles of unity or completeness apply at three levels; one, the individual sentences must be unified. Two, individual paragraphs must be unified and three the totality of the script must be unified. The first principle states that each simple sentence must contai n a single idea clearly expressed. All sentences relating to a particular matter constitute a unified individual paragraph. Each paragraph in a section forms a unit of thought. All units of thoughts structurally constitute the message of entire communication or a unified message.Each unified individual sentence conveys only one central idea. It must be direct, simple, brief, clear and vigorous. Too much use of buts, ands, pomposity and technical jargon must be avoided. Prompt and adequate attention of the reader is the essence of purposeful communication. Completeness in writing is achieved through orderly arrangement of ideas flowing into other ideas and progressing into conclusion. An incomplete writing leads to side tracking, misunderstanding, seeking clarifications and explanation etc. thus, the writer must consider the receiver’s capabilities to understand. Coherence:  Coherency is equally essential for good written communication. Clear communication in simple sentence s helps the reader to understand. Facts and figures must be stated plainly and in an intelligent manner. Relation and clarity are the two important aspects of coherence. Coherence means, tying together of several ideas, under one main topic in any paragraph. Smooth flow, lucidity and transition aspects should be given effect to and there should not be any scope for the reader to misinterpret, mis-read or mis- spell the message.Coherence is given to a larger paragraph or section of a message and leads to purposeful communication where the writer is well received, read, understood and acted upon by the reader. * Conciseness:  Conciseness is an important factor in effective communication. It means saying all that needs to be said and no more. The aimless verbiage, unnecessary details and heavy paragraphs make our communication ridiculous and ineffective. We must omit those words and sentences from our message, which are not likely to bring about results.The message, which can be expr essed in fewer words, is more impressive and effective than the same message expressed in a number of words. The communicator must organize his message in such a way that every word in it is meaningful and of interest to the receiver. Even a single word or a sentence, which does not contribute to accomplish the purpose of the communication, should be carefully omitted. Conciseness refers to thoughts expressed in the fewest words consistent with writing. It is achieved in writing in definite style and use of precise words.Unnecessary superlatives, exaggeration and indirect beginning should be avoided. Care should be taken to use adjectives judiciously, avoiding irrelevant details, unnecessary expression and mumbling sentences. Avoid vague judgmental descriptions and be precise and clear. * Credibility:  A good writing is always forceful and direct and has the power and capacity to produce a reaction or desired effect. Clarity in writing brings about credibility because it ensures t hat others understand the message easily and quickly. A clear and direct approach in writing makes it possible to achieve the principle of credibility in your writing.Other essentials of writing like correctness and completeness add to the strength of credibility in the writing. * Correctness:  Without correctness, readers may refuse your write up. Communication must be correct in tone and style of expression, spelling, grammar, format, contents, statistical information; stress-unstressed, etc. there should not be any inaccurate statements in the message. Efforts must be made to avoid errors in spellings, punctuations, etc. the incorrect written documents lower the readers’ confidence in the writer.In the same way, the incorrect statements and other miscellaneous errors of the speaker lower the listeners’ confidence in him and it may tarnish his image and reliability too. When communication receiver finds one error he suspects that there can also be other errors in t he message. Therefore, he starts searching for other mistakes automatically. The subject matter of communication must be correct or accurate. The manner in which the message is transmitted must be absolutely correct. Accuracy in writing can be achieved by careful checking and editing.Correctness demands accurate figures, because decisions may go wrong if wrong figures are given. Over writings, erasures, strikeovers, wrong spellings, faulty grammar, poor sentence construction etc may distract the readers and lead to misunderstanding. Written communication clearly means making others to understand. Therefore, it is essential that the sender should verify the correctness of the information before transmitting it to the receiver. And before accepting the information for important decision-making, the receiver should clarify his doubts regarding the accuracy and correctness of the message.Continuity:  As far as possible the writer should avoid jargon. Jargon is a language that is speci al to science, commerce, technology, trade and profession. In writing, the jargon should not be incorporated as this could make the writing confusing and unclear. Brevity or use of fewer words brings about continuity and grace in your writing. The effect of good writing depends on its style and continuity of subject till the conclusion. If one takes care to be precise, correct and clear in writing and if the continuity is maintained throughout writing, the desired effect from the reader is achieved.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

The Importance of Psychology

Psychology is involved in almost every job field in the modern era. Marketers use psychology to figure out how to convey their product to consumers. Car designers use psychology to give their cars features that would persuade potential buyers to choose their car. Doctors use psychology to understand their patients better. My chosen profession is education, and there are an unlimited number of applications for psychology. In teaching, psychology is the basis in which teachers understand their students. The specific area that would be most pertinent to teaching would probably be social psychology. College students basically take the same courses over their 4-year tenure in the university. But only certain students want to regurgitate the knowledge that they have acquired over the years. These are the students that have chosen teaching as their profession. The ones that want to pass on what they have learned to students need to not only be knowledgeable in their subjects, but need to know how to understand the students. If a teacher can not understand their students, then there is very little hope for the professor teaching the student anything. Understanding a student is a complex process that takes a lot of training. A teacher needs to know what the child is thinking in order to fully understand them. Teachers need to be able to communicate with the students so the student can tell the teacher what he is thinking. Another way to understand a student is to study social psychology. Social psychology is the study of the effects of people on people. More specifically, social psych observes how interactions between people affect an individual. Social psychologists study how people react in groups, emotional behavior, and attitudes and opinions of people. Since there is never a time in school when a child is alone, it is imperative that a teacher understands how children act and react when they are placed in a group or classroom. A teacher needs to understand why some kids are more outgoing, while others seem to fade away in classes. It is the teacher†s job to know the reason a child is not learning to the best of his capabilities. Social psychology looks at these problems and researches solutions that will remedy a child†s abnormal behavior in the classroom. A teacher that is fluent in social psychology and understands the way a child thinks is much more equipped to take on the everyday problems of teaching. Even though a teacher is more apt to benefit through social psychology, School Psychologists specialize in clinical psychology. While a teacher may deal with problems that a child has interacting with others, a school psychologist deals with behavior problems that do not necessarily have to do with the class. School psychologists study the individual instead. They deal with all aspects of school, not just teaching. They monitor not only learning and social relation, but testing, substance abuse, neglect of the child, and violence. But in the end teachers and school psychologists have the same goal in mind, which is creating the best learning environment for all students. Teachers have a great responsibility on their hands. They are accountable for what a child does in his school career. A teacher needs to know the best way to help a child learn. Psychology is a great help to let a teacher know what is going on in the mind of his student. Psychology is the key to a teacher understanding his students. The better a teacher can understand his students, the more the student can learn. If a student can learn, then that teacher is the most successful educator in the world.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

David Thomas- The Mind Of A Man Essay

During persuasive writing pieces authors try to make you see their point of view as valid. Often times during this process, their writing is compromised by the errors they make to prove their point. David Thomas makes many errors in his essay â€Å"The Mind of a Man.† In his thesis he tries to prove that women are not smarter than men as previously believed, but instead that they just excel at different tasks. However, throughout his whole essay, he describes that boys are discouraged by female teachers and does not stick to his thesis. He showed a biased point of view that he supported with only anecdotal evidence and studies that contained no numbers or statistics. Also, his use of emotion in his essay showed his anger towards others views that contradicted his. David Thomas takes a biased point of view in his essay. Throughout many parts of the essay he describes the stereotypes about boys, stating their difficulty to learn properly as a result of these stereotypes by often using anecdotal evidence. He describes the lower grades boys were getting than girls on the GCSE exams and makes the assumption, â€Å"The introduction of course work into the GCSE syllabus appears to favor girls, who tend to be diligent and less rebellious,† which has not been proven, or could not be backed up by any sort of statistical or factual information from studies. He makes this statement assuming that the reason must be that girls receive higher grades because the test favored them. He does not take into the consideration that maybe the boys just didn’t do as well for a number of other reasons that has nothing to do with the way the tests were designed. In the essay, he continues to show his biased point of view by quoting Tony Mooney, a secondary school headmaster, who reinforces his point saying boys are less advanced than girls because women teachers favor girls and do not reinforce boys because of their â€Å"aggressive† and â€Å"boisterous† behavior. Thomas adds this quote that has no factual evidence, it is the opinion of a school headmaster, who surely cannot be present everyday in every single class to know everything that’s going on. Thomas quotes Mooney’s son, who showed a difference in his marks when taught by a woman, â€Å"Because the men teachers never shout at me as much as the woman teachers† is another form of anecdotal evidence. This is the feeling of one little boy who cannot be compared to society as a whole (222). Thomas continues to try and prove his point by adding studies without any statistics in them and in turn makes many contradictions to things previously mentioned in his essay. He includes a study done at the University of California in which 72 boys and 60 girls at kindergarten level learned how to read with a machine. When tested, the girls scores were less than the boys scores. Then, when they went back to normal instruction by women teachers, they were tested again later and the boys scored less than the girls. As interesting as these results may be, they do not contain numbers to show how large the difference actually was. The difference could be minimal which could be due to a number of reasons. So, the fact that no statistical evidence was included with the study did not prove to be that convincing (223). Also, in the beginning of the essay, he states that women have been proven to be better at verbal tasks, which would explain the reason why they didn’t do as well with the machines as the teachers. So he contradicts himself entering this study by previously showing why a girl might have done better on these tests (221). Thomas uses a lot of emotion in his essay to prove his point, specifically when he talks about the quote he used from Christine Cosker who seemed to disprove one of his earlier quotes by Mooney. She said, â€Å"If girls achieve higher standards than boys, it is not the result of sympathetic female teachers: it is that boys fail to be motivated because of their attitude to women. Boy’s early experience is almost entirely one of a society which regards women’s traditional roles as trivial, dull and second-rate and dismisses their opinions. If girls have a positive role model in the female teacher, they will do better than boys. But if boys, unencumbered by society’s prejudices, valued their female teachers, then their progress would match that of girls†(223). Obviously Cosker felt strongly about her point and proved an alternative explanation to Mooneys as well as Thomas’ theory of female teachers being the cause of the boys lower grades. Thomas uses sarcasm as well to make his anger known. In reaction to her letter, he states â€Å"Heaven forbid that they [boys] should be given any consideration or compassion. Heaven forbid that the prejudices of the new age should be challenged. If you ever doubted that feminists have taken over from  apoplectic old colonels as the great reactionaries of society, just read this letter†(224). If you read between the lines of his sarcasm, you begin to see just what he is implying. He is implying that she didn’t give boys any compassion or consideration when she was simply stating that if the boys learned to appreciate their teachers more and see them as more of a role model it would work towards their advantage. He continues to attack her different point of view by stating them as a â€Å"feminists† point of view. In his efforts to try to make people take his side and believe his thoughts he just discredits himself because instead of embracing the possibility of other causes he simply knocks them down and states t hat they are just plain and simply wrong. Thomas’ body paragraphs and conclusion were not connected substantially to the main point of his essay. In his thesis, he used a quote from Dr. John Nicholson saying that the IQ scores from men and women were â€Å"indistinguishable† (221), and the only difference is that they were just better at different sort of tasks. Meanwhile, his whole entire essay attacked the fact that female teachers don’t support the boys and that caused their lower grades. So the information he provided did not support his thesis. Also he ends the conclusion with a strange statement that seem to signify a new thesis. His concluding sentence, â€Å"When Yoda sat on his rock in The Empire Strikes Back and told Luke Skywalker that he had to choose between the dark force and the light, he knew what he was talking about† (225), seemed to make little sense and had nothing to do with his essay. In writing his essay, he should’ve considered his audience and that some people who did not see the movie would not understand what he was implying, besides that statement seemed more like an opening line rather than a concluding one. In order for authors to make you see their point of view as valid, they sometimes compromise the strength of their information. David Thomas did many things to compromise his credibility in his essay â€Å"The Mind of a Man.† In Thomas’ essay he had a biased view that he supported with anecdotal evidence. He used studies with no real number or statistics to verify them. His use of emotion in his essay showed his anger towards others views that contradicted his. Also, his body paragraphs and conclusion didn’t seem to be  connected to the initial thesis he stated.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Argumentive essay on Why the government should own public

Argumentive on Why the government should own public transportation - Essay Example Since decisions upon providing service are generally market driven, there is no public transit in these places, or they may be somewhat served by private companies with limited and expensive service. The rationale: not enough people will use it to make it profitable. Any suggested funding for public transport is always at the bottom of everyone’s budget list. The rationale there: we should not spend public money if the service is not used by a majority of the people. If this seems prejudicial, it is, since getting around is a necessity not a privilege. Unfortunately, too many people in the U.S., while admiring the wonderful benefits of the European mass transit systems when they travel, do not see themselves using such a system at home. And most assuredly they do not see themselves funding such a system with their tax money, as do European governments believing the service a crucial necessity for the people they govern. One might conclude that in Europe, good reliable mass tra nsportation for everyone everywhere is considered a right rather than a privilege. It is not totally dependent upon the profit model. The discussion of whether our own government should be running a system similar to Europe’s in the United States has been ongoing, and attempts, as in the case of California, to provide a seamless way for people to get around using mass transit have been sporadic. One online site states, â€Å"In most states, intercity passenger train service is provided solely by Amtrak, with no assistance of any sort from State or local governments† (History of Amtrak California, par. 1). Using California as a case in point, The History of Amtrak California discusses how the state subsidizes its growing system with state and local money largely from the federal government. Its success over the years in promoting and funding a growing mass transportation system has proven quite successful, considering California’s notorious love affair with

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Ethical products Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Ethical products - Case Study Example Slave trade was a trade too; it took a long struggle to fight slave trade which is still yet to be completely eliminated from the word according to the United Nations report. During the last century blacks from Africa were considered to sub human beings in the American society. In the recent there have been reports of industries releasing their waste into the rivers. Reports about nuclear waste dumping in the wrong areas have been rampant in the media especially in the last decade. From 1950s up 1970s the United States federal government was burying nuclear waste plutonium in Idaho. According to National Geographic News April 12, 2002, Snake River aquifer may be leached into by the buried plutonium waste. Snake river which is about 25000 square kilometers provides dirking and irrigation water for large population (Mayell, 2002). The diamond trade in Liberia that later turned out to be called the bloody diamonds because of fueling the civil war in Liberia and Sierra Leone during the last decade. The late Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo - DRC) was a darling of the west because of the resources that were plenty in the Great Lakes region. One component of fair trade is corporate social responsibility also called corporate citizen ship where the interests of the society take the first place by the organization taking responsibility for the impact of activities by the company or organization. on communities , customers, employees or suppliers. One of the biggest companies that has hit headlines on corporate social responsibility is the Microsoft company with the Melinda and Bill Gates foundation. The foundations' global development program has been trying to assist people get out of poverty and hunger by creating opportunities for them in Agriculture, helping small farmers to improve crop production and market access. They have been working with partners to help the poor societies get access to financial services, which are only available to only a few in African societies. While recognizing internet and computers as drivers of economic and social progress, the foundation has assisted with access to these tools and pro fessional skills, search for work, conduct business on-line, access government services and exchange ideas with others (Melinda & Bill Gates Foundation, 2008). Other areas where the banded ethical products are Not geared toward social exclusion but inclusion are the global health program of the Melinda and Bill Gates foundation whose mission is to encourage the development of life saving medical services and help in access the existing vaccines against the common deceases in developing countries. By assisting in research toward the development of drugs against malaria, tuberculoses and HIV amongst others, it shows a sure sign that it is committed to improving the quality of life for the marginalized societies and the grater society as well. It is through the development of the ethical products such as the fair trade that the organizations for preventing the exploitation of the producers for commodities like coffee emerged. A system that allowed people recognize the products that certain standards (labor or environmental) put by an independent body which issues certifications. In the United States it called Fairtrade certification. It sets