European Financial Privacy Of Peril - 1940 Words

European Financial Privacy in Peril By Bill Davies and Julia Morriss With a number of recent high profile court rulings and a major new Regulation in the works, data privacy has become a cause cà ©là ¨bre within the European Union (EU). The size and connectivity of the European market means that shifts in its regulatory framework ripple with major consequences for global business. The EU’s latest attempts to legislate in this area are a consequence of shortcomings in the design and implementation of the existing system of data collection, retention and safeguarding. While the existing system was designed to protect the private sphere from state intrusion, it ultimately created a system that punishes business. Background After World War†¦show more content†¦There remains a perceived tension between Europe’s commitments to the individual’s right to privacy and the growth of the digital economy, which is crucial for Europe’s future progress. The EU’s initial response to these concerns was issued in its Directive 95/46/EC, otherwise known as the 1995 Data Protection Directive. The legislation was framed dually as a move to protect individual privacy against government and corporate intrusion, whilst at the same time aiming to improve data flows across Europe. Conversely, the Directive’s implementation allowed for an erosion of privacy, particularly financial. States turned the Directive into a vehicle for their own purposes through exceptions and loopholes that relaxed their data use requirements relative to the private sector. Measures intended for the protection of privacy morphed into a lever against the private sector in tax compliance and foreign investment. Impact of Enforcement and Harmonization The 1995 Directive gave the EU institutions considerable power over the Member States. Every Member State was required to create a Data Protection Authority (DPA) to monitor compliance with data protection legislation. The DPAs enjoy extended access to a large part of business’ information, handle claims from customers or agencies, and initiate legal action against non-compliance. While this may increase consumer feelings of security relative to businesses, it comes at the cost of privacy relative to the

Man on Wire, Movie Review Free Essays

aI always enjoy watching a documentary. It makes me to discover a new world. Especially logically well-developed documentaries give me a new stream of thoughts and allows me to discover another way to look at the world. We will write a custom essay sample on Man on Wire, Movie Review or any similar topic only for you Order Now The movie Man on Wire gave me this type of experience, helping me to re-discover the adventurous part of me that I hide deep inside of my soul. Man on Wire is a documentary directed by James March about a Philippe Petit and his journey to walk across in the middle of the World Trade Center on a wire back in 1974. What made me interested in the film in a point of view of student who is freshly leaning elements of film is how the director managed to tell this story without making the audience confused of timeline. Often times in our lives, when we are listening to such a long story like Petit’s journey, we get lost in time frame. On the top of that in the movie, there is no necessarily main stream of story. Different types of footages and films drive the story by putting them together as a unit. However March has used different visual effects and devises to give distinctive feelings for the audience to focus on the story. This movie shows interviews of Philippe Petit, interviews from Petit’s friends, his girlfriend, Annie Allix, and other people who were involved in the scene. As well as footages from Petit’s own camera, re-directed past sequences, scenes from the news, also animation as transitional device between scenes. The director March has given distinguishable color differences to each types of footage in the order of how currently there were filmed. All of the interviews that were filmed while March was directing the movie are in modern style, high-definition color, which gives an impression of present. In the past sequences, the footages from the news and Petit’s footages during planning how to walk on the WTC are in color film with dimed colors. This gives the distinctive visual effect between the past prior to the construction of WTC. All of the sequences before WTC is in black and white and has noises all over the film. This gives impression that it is in the farther past. However the sequences of Petit and his crew getting into the WTC is in high-definition black and white with no noises on the film, this gave me an impression that this event happened a long time ago, yet still has powerful impact on people’s soul while drawing a parallel with the passion of interviewees talking about the story. One more visual devise that was used in the film that I found interesting was the use of vignette. Vignette effect was used in the sequences that were prior to the time Petit had a passion to walk across the twin towers. This device also makes it easy to follow the flow of the story. Without those visual devises, because of the big scale of the story, it wouldn’t be easy to enjoy the film. The portion that touched my heart and made me aware of the part of in my soul that used to dream such things that are not possible in the point of view of adults was the expression that the interviewees still have inside of them when they talk about this event. Although as a result, this event did not make any of them in a better position, their memories of achieving what had seem impossible made me admire of their heart what was once beating enormously to make their dreams come true. As there is a saying ‘even an old house dreams of the open field’. I wish I could be free of fear and live for a dream that inspires other people like Petit has. How to cite Man on Wire, Movie Review, Papers

Fedex Apac Hr Shared Services Center in Wuhan free essay sample

We are so proud of the team and please keep up the marvelous job you have done! We are confident that our people strategy will continue to support FedEx to flourish in China’s changing work environment. Thank you for your continued dedication and innovative work. Eddy Chan, Senior Vice President of FedEx China Region, made the announcement. (Exhibit 1) Human Resource Services Center (HRSC) won the â€Å"The Best New Shared Services Organization 2007† at the Asia Shared Services Summit in Singapore on 21 August, 2007. The Shared Services Excellence Awards are established to honor, recognize and promote Shared Services Organizations (SSOs) that demonstrate true best practices. As the HRSC Managing Director, Kuan-Thye (K. T. Sean was excited about the award winning: I believe that I am at the right place and the right time being in China, being here. The company views China and the world views China as a great economy, so being here is a right decision and I look forward to the challenges ahead. We will write a custom essay sample on Fedex Apac Hr Shared Services Center in Wuhan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page While excited about the achievement, K. T. recalled that it was not an easy decision to set up the HR shared service center. She also hopes that the center will deliver what it promises. HRSC General Information In June 2006, China Domestic Express Service (DXP) HR, together with the DXP Call Center and Revenue Operations Center, set up the Human Resources Service Center (HRSC) in the inner city of Wuhan, China. This HRSC represents the HR team’s ability in strategic thinking, in having the courage to challenge status quo, in innovating the delivery of HR Services, and in executing project plans. Setting up the first HRSC in Asia Pacific Area (APAC), without any help from external consultants, is indeed a success story. General services of HRSC include processing employee information forms (PRIDE), position number creation for non-management positions, company mail code maintenance, filing Personal files and scanning, internal job postings via company mail system, setting up candidate system testing user ID and password, external job postings at fedex. com, helping with the application for ID badges, compile exit interview information, and generating standard APAC reports. Copyright  © CEIBS 2 FedEx APAC HR Shared Services Center in Wuhan CC-408-006 Today HRSC has forty-six employees including four HRSC managers providing full HR services from recruitment to â€Å"on-boarding† and providing support throughout an employees lifecycle in DXP. (See Exhibit 2) Pay Processing is also under the belt of this center and it is the first time that an HR department in APAC division has assumed this responsibility from Finance. Pay Processing consolidates and completes all monthly pay related calculations for each employee before handing the work over to Accounting to audit and effect monthly payroll. Corporation, providing fast and reliable delivery to every U. S. address and to more than 220 countries and territories around the world. FedEx uses a global air-and-ground network to speed delivery of time-sensitive shipments, usually in one to two business days with the delivery time guaranteed. FedEx Corp. rovides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenue of $32 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. In 2002, FedEx became the first and only international carrier to offer a Money-Back Guarantee to customers across Mainland China and opened a new China headquarters in Shanghai in November of 2004, enabling the company to be more responsive and fully focused on the needs of its customers.

Psychology Use Of Language Essays - Communication Disorders

Psychology: Use Of Language Jennifer Mull Psychology Human speech makes possible the expression and communication of thoughts, needs, and emotions through vocalization in the form of words. It is a process whose specialized adaptations differentiate it from the mere making of sounds--a capacity humans share with most animals. In addition to the capacity for laryngeal production of sound (which some animals also possess), speech requires a resonance system for modulation and amplification of that sound and an articulation process for the shaping of that sound into the communally established word-symbols of meaning that constitute the language of a given culture. (Dean Edell) The use of language is made possible by certain cerebral functions: the formation of thoughts; the comprehension, storage, and recall of words; and the selection of words to express the thoughts and the arrangements of these words in a sequence or organization that constitutes (or attempts to constitute) intelligible communication. The speech process involves the speech centers of the brain, the respiratory center in the brain stem, the respiratory system, the chest cavity, the structures of the larynx, the pharynx, the nose and nasal cavities, and the structures and parts of the mouth and related facial muscles. There are three identified speech areas. The Supplementary motor cortex, on the very top of the left frontal lobe, involves the process of vocalization itself. Broca's area, lower down at the back of the left frontal lobe, appears to involve functions of articulation, vocabulary, inflection, and word sequence. Wernicke's area is mainly the posterior part of the left temporal lobe, with parts of the parietal area; any large destruction of this area results in the loss of the capacity for meaningful speech but not the loss of sound production. The speech process starts with an expiration of air, produced by the respiratory mechanisms of lung expansion and contraction: the downward and upward movements of the diaphragm to lengthen or shorten the chest cavity, and the elevation and depression of the ribs to increase or decrease the diameter of the chest cavity. These movements depend on the functions of the upper abdominal muscles. Overall, the muscles that elevate the chest cage are muscles of inspiration (inhalation), and those that depress the chest are muscles of expiration (exhalation). (Health Central) If forceful expiration is required, relative to body or speech needs, all abdominal muscles combined can serve as muscles of expiration. Expiration can then be passive or it can be forcefully active, depressing the cage and starting a current of air upward from the lungs. The driving energy for speech production, generated by the mechanisms of expiration, varies with individual physiology, breathing habits, and training for correction where needed. The resonance process, which is fundamentally the amplification of sound on its way to utterance, involves he pharynx, the mouth, the nose, the nasal sinuses, and the chest cavity. The quality of that resonance, which may range from stridency to virtual inaudibility, also depends on both fixed and variable factors, with regard to physical conditions and learned behaviors, and relates to the intent of the individual and his or her personality as well as his or her speech behaviors. It also relates to the force of the expiration of air and the dimensions of the chest cavity. Through all the various effects and usage of these parts of the resonance mechanisms, certain types of speech mannerisms are exhibited--such as nasality, which represents over reliance on the nasal cavities for resonance; or good sound projection, which utilizes the chest cavity as well as the other organs. The process of articulation constitutes the formation of the amplified sound into words, through movements of the lips, tongue, and soft palate of the mouth, and of the related facial muscles. Moreover, the qualities of a given language may require different forms of articulation because the linguodental zone (between the tip of the tongue and the teeth) may be used differently in one language than the way it is in another. Speech disorders, both functional and organic, at the handicap level, affect about 22 million persons in the United States, according to U.S. Public Health Service estimates. Approximately 40% are due to hearing loss, approximately 10% to neurological disease, and approximately 50% to a range of other

Using the Spanish Verb Decir

Using the Spanish Verb Decir Decir is the is one of the most commonly used verbs in Spanish; it typically is the equivalent of to say or to tell in English. Examples of Using Decir Usage of decir is straightforward for English speakers. Context will tell you whether say or tell is the better translation.  ¿Quà © dices? (What do you say?)Ella me dijo que iba a volver. (She told me she was going to return.)El presidente dice que su misià ³n central es relanzar la economà ­a. (The president says his prime mission is to relaunch the economy.)Yo digo que nuestro sistema de justicia es un cachondeo. (I say that our justice system is a joke.)A decir verdad no me gusta. (To tell the truth, I dont like it.)Nos decimos que nos amamos. (Were telling ourselves we love each other.) ¿Cà ³mo se dice airport en espaà ±ol? (How do you say airport in Spanish?) ¿Por quà © decimos sà ­ cuando queremos decir no? (Why do we say yes when we want to say no?) Grammar Involving Decir When someone is told something, the person to whom something is told is represented by an indirect-object pronoun. The logic behind this is that the thing being said is the direct object, while an indirect object represents the person affected by what is said. Le dije adià ³s. (I told him goodbye.) ¿Quà © le vamos a decir a la gente? (What are we going to tell the people?)Les decimos que no estn solos. (Were telling them that they are not alone.) In general, decir que (to say that) is followed by a verb in the indicative mood, but no decir que is followed by a verb in the subjunctive. Dije que somos amigos. (I said that we are friends.)No dije que seamos amigos. (I did not say that we are friends.)Decimos que nuestro paà ­s tiene futuro. (We are saying that our country has a future.)No decimos que nuestro paà ­s tenga futuro. (We arent saying that our country has a future.) Common Expressions Using Decir Se dice que or dicen que can be used for the equivalent of it is said that or they say that: Dicen que nadie es perfecto. (They say nobodys perfect.) ¿Por quà © se dice que el mezcal es una bebida mgica? (Why do they say that mezcal is a magic drink?)Se dice que hay hadas en este bosque. (It is said that there are fairies in this forest.) Es decir can translate phrases such as in other words, that is to say, and meaning. Los espacios blancos dan la perspectiva de mas espacio es decir dan la sensacià ³n de ampliacion de los espacios. (The white spaces give the perspective of more space. In other words, they give the feeling of the spaces being expanded.)Hay muchos usuarios de Linux, es decir Ubuntu, Fedora, etc. (There are many users of Linux, that is to say Ubuntu, Fedora, and so on.)Machu Picchu recibià ³ a 1419,507 visitantes en 2016, es decir 3889 por dà ­a. (Machu Picchu hosted 1,419,507 visitors in 2016, meaning 3,878 daily.) Conjugation of Decir The conjugation of decir is highly irregular; it is irregular in every tense except for the imperfect. Changes are made to both the stem and the ending. Also, the present participle and past participles are diciendo and dicho, respectively. Here are the conjugations in the present, preterite, and future indicative tenses: Present: Yo digo, tà º dices, usted/à ©l/ella dice, nosotros/nosotras decimos, vosotros decà ­s, ustedes/ellos/ellas dicen (I say, you say, you/he/she says, etc.) Preterite: Yo dije, tà º dijiste, usted/à ©l/ella dijo, nosotros/nosotras dijimos, vosotros dijisteis, ustedes/ellos/ellas dijeron (I said, you said, you/he/she said, etc.) Future: Yo dirà ©, tà º dirs, usted/à ©l/ella dir, nosotros/nosotras diremos, vosotros dirà ©is, ustedes/ellos/ellas dirn (I will say, you will say, you/he/she will say, etc.) Spanish has several verbs based on decir that are conjugated in the same way. Among the most common are contradecir (to contract) and bendecir (to bless). Key Takeaways Decir is a common verb that means to do or to say.Decir is conjugated irregularly in most of its forms.Se dice que is a popular say of saying they say that.

Fundamental Physical Constants in Physics

Fundamental Physical Constants in Physics Physics is described in the language of mathematics, and the equations of this language make use of a wide array of physical constants. In a very real sense, the values of these physical constants define our reality. A universe in which they were different would be radically altered from the one that we actually inhabit. The constants are generally arrived at by observation, either directly (as when one measures the charge of an electron or the speed of light) or by describing a relationship that is measurable and then deriving the value of the constant (as in the case of the gravitational constant). This listing is of significant physical constants, along with some commentary on when they are used, is not at all exhaustive, but should be helpful in trying to understand how to think about these physical concepts. It should also be noted that these constants are all sometimes written in different units, so if you find another value that isnt exactly the same as this one, it may be that it has been converted into another set of units. Speed of Light Even before Albert Einstein came along, physicist James Clerk Maxwell had described the speed of light in free space in his famous Maxwells equations describing electromagnetic fields. As Albert Einstein developed his theory of relativity, the speed of light took on relevance as a constant underlying important elements of the physical structure of reality. c 2.99792458 x 108  meters per second   Charge of Electron Our modern world runs on electricity, and the electrical charge of an electron is the most fundamental unit when talking about the behavior of electricity or electromagnetism. e 1.602177 x 10-19 C Gravitational Constant The gravitational constant was developed as part of the law of gravity developed by Sir Isaac Newton. The measurement of the gravitational constant is a common experiment conducted by introductory physics students, by measuring the gravitational attraction between two objects. G 6.67259 x 10-11 N m2/kg2 Plancks Constant The physicist Max Planck began the entire field of quantum physics by explaining the solution to the ultraviolet catastrophe in exploring blackbody radiation problem. In doing so, he defined a constant that became known as Plancks constant, which continued to show up across various applications throughout the quantum physics revolution. h 6.6260755 x 10-34 J s Avogadros Number This constant is used much more actively in chemistry than in physics, but it relates the number of molecules that are contained in one mole of a substance. NA 6.022 x 1023 molecules/mol Gas Constant This is a constant that shows up in a lot of equations related to the behavior of gases, such as the Ideal Gas Law as part of the  kinetic theory of gases. R 8.314510 J/mol K Boltzmanns Constant Named after Ludwig Boltzmann, this is used to relate the energy of a particle to the temperature of a gas. It is the ratio of the gas constant R to Avogadros number NA: k   R / NA 1.38066 x 10-23  J/K Particle Masses The universe is made up of particles, and the masses of those particles also show up in a lot of different places throughout the study of physics. Though there are a lot more fundamental particles than just these three, theyre the most relevant physical constants that youll come across: Electron mass me 9.10939 x 10-31 kg   Neutron mass mn 1.67262 x 10-27 kg   Proton mass   mp 1.67492 x 10-27 kg   Permittivity of Free Space This is a physical constant that represents the ability of a classical vacuum to permit electric field lines. It is also known as epsilon naught. ÃŽ µ0 8.854 x 10-12 C2/N m2 Coulombs Constant The permittivity of free space is then used to determine Coulombs constant, which is a key feature of Coulombs equation that governs the force created by interacting electrical charges. k 1/(4πΠµ0) 8.987 x 109 N m2/C2 Permeability of Free Space This constant is similar to the permittivity of free space, but relates to the magnetic field lines permitted in a classical vacuum, and comes into play in Amperes law describing the force of magnetic fields: ÃŽ ¼0 4 Ï€ x 10-7 Wb/A m

The Use of Sweetners and the Rise in Obesity Essay

The Use of Sweetners and the Rise in Obesity - Essay Example Sweeteners got introduced to help reduce people’s intake of sugar. A sweetener can be best described as matter used to sweeten a drink or food. This is usually in place of sugar. They became classified into two main categories: the nutritive sweeteners. These are the sweeteners that get digested in the body only to some extent; they became known to provide food energy value to the body. For example, glucose, honey, maltose and invert sugar. The other category of sweeteners is the nonnutritive sweeteners (Mendosa et al, 2008). These do not get digested as in the case of the nutritive sweeteners. It is because of this that they get said to contain an insignificant amount of food energy value. Examples include cyclamates, sucralose and stevia. One of the sweeteners used in place of the sugar is Stevia. This is a natural nonnutritive sweetener. It gets derived from the leaves of the Bertoni plant which naturally occurs in the forests of southern America. Its name got given after the botanist explorer who discovered it in 1908. He was an Italian by the name Dr. Moises Santiago Bertoni. This plant had been in existence for a couple of years. The native population knew and termed it as kaa he-he, which meant honey-leaf (Etkins, 1997). They used its leaves to improve on the taste of their bitter tea; they as well as chewed on the leaves for their sweet taste or in medical potions. It was after Dr. Bertoni’s discovery that such a little known and rare plant became well known and famous. His discovery enabled the plant to be accessed by many people other than only those who had access to its naturally occurring habitat. These being the native Indians who originally occupied the land before the explorers came. In 1908, the first dried leaves of the plant got harvested and produced as a sweetener. It was not until 10 years later that the plant got brought to the attention of the United States government

Knowledge management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Knowledge management - Assignment Example Companies which have been able to enjoy the competitive advantage have been as a result of effective implementation of knowledge management within its workforce. Knowledge management has been effective to the companies in increasing their performances since it comes with a number of benefits to the company which makes it more efficient for the companies. Knowledge management encompasses many strategies which are used in identifying, creating, representing and enabling the employees to better understand their roles. This research paper will focus on how DHL international has used knowledge management in improving its services as well as the challenges it met during its implementation. DHL DHL is a logistical and communication company offering services all across the globe. The company provides its customers with easy to use services and products which are of innovative and provide solutions ranging from dialogue marketing to supply of industrial materials in the supply chain. DHL Comp any services include Shipping, Tracking, Export services, Import services, Domestic services as well as providing small business solutions and industry solutions. The company operates in more than 200 countries around the world among them being USA, Germany, England, and Kenya among other countries. In efforts to ensure that the company renders its services effectively to the clients, the company has employed different professionals which have been efficient in putting the company at the competitive advantage every year in. The company has a workforce of over 470, 000 employees worldwide which makes it one of the largest top employing companies in the world. The company also manages over one million customers per hour of those who seeks its operations (DHL, 2012). Since the inception of the company in 1969, the company has been steadily increasing in its performances over the years as a result of its innovations in the workforce. Even with the upswing and global economic turmoil, DH L increased its revenues in the first half of the 2011 which was also witnessed in the second quarter. As a global logistical company, the company has been benefiting through increasing its trade volumes with increasing revenues each year among its divisions. The improved profitability of the Company has been achieved through the companies restructuring measures which were implemented in the previous years. Additionally, the companies consolidated revenues increased by 3.5% on the second half the year 2011 to stand at more than 25, 681 Euros. The company has outreach programs through Corporate Social Responsibility program which ensures it maintains its relationship with the customers who are part of the society as well as introducing new products to them (DHL, 2012). Challenges in Implementing Knowledge Management Implementing knowledge managements has been a challenge to many organizations as a result of many reasons. It demands a lot which organizations are not just willing to of fer immediately though they are willing to enjoy the benefits of its implementation. DHL is one of the companies which have been successful as a result of its implementation though it faced a lot of challenges for it to be finally incorporated in the organization. The challenges which were met by DHL are discussed below. One of the challenges that the organization experienced was developing the culture in the organizati

Weimar Republic Essay Example for Free

Weimar Republic Essay The WR began after WWII the Treaty of Versailles was signed by the Germans and forced to have a democracy rather than a monarchy. The Government from the start was full of problems with its economy, social and political areas, what made it worse was the Great Depression in 1929. The WR was vulnerable to a number of attacks from many different areas including the Nazi party and its leader Hitler. It was attacked for its constitution, unfamiliar structure and its inability to quickly restore Germany. The Nazis appealed to their audience with its foreign and domestic policies, its authoritarian rule, propaganda radical policies and Hitler’s Charisma. After many problems challenging the WR, it collapsed in 1933 and the Nazis thrived from this. The Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919 by the WR and was a huge hit on Germany and its people. The treaty was seen by Germans as the loss of Germany’s image of a great nation with a powerful military. As a result the WR was often called the ‘November Criminals’ and accused them of the idea of the ‘Dolchstoss(stab in the back)†. Most of this was due to the fact that the allies forced Germany to pay the harsh terms of the war reparations amounting to 60 billion dollars. The WR’s obvious economic problems and the public’s view on them made it look like it was inevitably going to collapse. Hitler used the idea of ‘November Criminals’ and the Treaty of Versailles as propaganda to show the shame that the WR brought on Germany. In one video it is shows Hitler ripping the Treaty of Versailles in front of the crowd causing a frenzy of high German spirit. The WR as a democratic system was very new to the Germans as they were used to an authoritative monarchy. Germans had a â€Å"rich monarchical tradition that had substantial success under authoritative moulds of government† which made it difficult to accept the democracy. Another problem faced by the WR was that the constitution clause of the Reichstag being that of proportional representation which meant a political leader for every party. This was troublesome as it was difficult to find a majority because of many conflicting perspectives. The fire in the parliamentary building in 1933, which some believe the Nazis started, was a situation used by Hitler to show the failure of democracy. He also took advantage of Article 48. In years later when Hitler has much power he completely contrasts the WR policies by being a single powerful dictator and making policies to get rid of all opposition by any means as shown in the ‘Night of the long knives†. In 1924 to 1929 Germany was surprisingly paying the reparations rather quickly. During this period Stresemann agreed to the Dawes Plan, the system of loans from the United states helped Germany get back on its feet which got rid of the French in the Ruhr that troubled the Germany people as well as the WR. â€Å"The Dawes Plan sounded the signal for a period of recovery, the scope and intensity of which were unparalleled in recent German History†. This period of stability however fell due to the depression in which the stock markets crashed. Unemployment soared and many lived in poor conditions. The German people had last all hope in the Weimer republic and started looking for radical change like the communists and the Nazis. As a result, Hitler became popular and made promises to the military and to the industrialists that Germany would return to greatness once again. Hitler exploited the trust of the German people to its fullest during these times of hardship so he could gain support to become in full control of the German state. The depression was a main factor in Hitler’s success and the rise of the Nazi party. The weakness of the WR were truly revealed by Hitler and showed its shame and thus gaining support from the public. â€Å"The depression put the wind into Hitler’s sails†

The Brazil Nut (Bertholletia excelsa) :: Botany

The Brazil Nut (Bertholletia excelsa) The Brazil Nut is the fruit of a tree that grows mostly wild in rainforests. Castanheiro do Para, which is the Brazilian name given to this tree, is found in many Amazonian states of Brazil, Peru, Columbia, Venezuela and Ecudor. It is most pervalent in the Brazilian states of Marahao, Mato Grosso, Acre, Para, Rondonia, and the Amazonas. The tree is enormous, Frequently attaining the height of 160 feet or more. The fruit is a large spherical woody capsule or pod and measures an average of six inches in diameter and can weigh up to 5 pounds. The fruit pods grow at the ends of thick branches, then ripens and falls from the tree from January to June. Inside each fruit pod is 12 to 25 Brazil nuts with their own indvidual shell(1). Brazil nuts are harvested at plantations and in the wild. Plantations are being developed in various parts of the Amazon. Fazenda Aruana is the owner of a 12,000 hectare former cattle ranch, partially converted to a Brazil Nut plantation in 1980. By January of 1990, 318,660 Brazil nut trees were planted on 3341 hectares of land. Fazenda's original intent was to plant Brazil Nut trees in a 20 by 20 meter grids and allow cattle grazing between the trees. The trees in the Aruana plantation are the result of grafting high yield clones from the region of Abufari Amazonas were Brazil nuts are know for their large fruits and seeds. As a result of fertilization from the same clones, the fruit production among clones has been low(2). Another danger in using so few clones is the ability to resist attack of disease and insects. The bulk of the Brazil nuts that are harvested are done so in the wild. They are harvested during a five to six month period in the rainy season. The fruits, witch weigh from .5 to 2.5 kilograms and contain ten to twenty five seeds, are gathered immediately after they fall. This minimizes the chance of insect or fungal attack on seeds. Brazil nuts are also carried away by animals. The number of pods can range form 63 to 216 per tree(). Most of the pods gathered in the wild are sent down river to processing plants were they are opened out of the pod and packaged. The brazil nut has a major impact on local Amazonian economies. The numbers on total production are estimates due to the fact figures are hard to get from the Amazon.

Rudolf Virchow

Rudolf Virchow was born on October 13, 1821, in Schivelbein, as the only child of a farmer. His early interest in the natural sciences and broad humanistic training helped him get a high marks throughout school. In 1839, he earned a military fellowship to study medicine at the Freidrich Wilhelm Institute in Berlin, Germany. Virchow had the opportunity to study under Johannes Muller, gaining experience in experimental laboratory and diagnostic methods.In 1843, he received his medical degree from the University of Berlin and went on to become company surgeon at the Charite Hospital in Berlin. He was one of the first to describe white blood witch is also known as Leukemia. Later he became professor and director of the pathological institute. Virchow’s was known for his findings that a whole organism does not get sick. Only certain cells or groups of cells get the infection.In 1855, at the age of 34, he published his now famous aphorism â€Å"omnis cellula e cellula† (†Å"every cell stems from another cell†). With these resuts, Virchow launched the field of cellular pathology. He stated that all diseases involve changes in normal cells, that is, all pathology ultimately is cellular pathology. This insight led to major progress in the practice of medicine. It meant that disease entities could be defined much more sharply. Diseases could be characterized not merely by a group of clinical symptoms but by typical anatomic changes.Rudolf has changed how doctors can find out when a person is sick. His main point is that only certain cells or groups of cells are the ones that make the person sick. I have learned that now thanks to Rudolf’s invention in the medical field, we now know where to locate the infection to make it easier for doctors to cure you. This really helps because without these findings people would still be sick and die from whatever they have been infected with.

Grapes of Wrath Chapter 25 Analysis

The cold, soaked earth, which was a source of life not too long ago, abducts a young child while the mother can only watch hopelessly as the husband shovels mounds of dirt. This event is not too different than most that citizens living during the Dust Bowl had to deal with. The self-destructive nature caused the American people to keep expanding and shaping the land as they saw fit.Because of this they overworked the land which, combined with drought, caused the Dust Bowl. The big corporations soon bought out most of the land in the Mid-West and many families were soon forced to make their living by other means. The shift of these families out west to a limited number of jobs damaged the United States' economy. In Chapter 25 of the Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck summarizes the human nature of self-destruction causing the corporations to showcase their greed and how it affected the laborers of California.Steinbeck begins the section by painting a picture of California in (paragraph 1 and 2) in order to show how beautiful the country was when it was untouched by corporations. Steinbeck sets up many metaphors and images that he sums up towards the end of the chapter. He describes a beautiful California in which â€Å"fruit blossoms are fragrant pink† and flower petals â€Å"carpet the earth with pink and white. â€Å"; using spring colors such as pink, white, and green to how California was beautiful and peaceful.The beautiful, lush landscape that Steinbeck describes also draws parallels to the Garden of Eden when described as plentiful with fruit; so much so that â€Å"little crutches must be placed under them(the branches) to support the weight† just as the Garden of Eden was described as being plentiful with fruit; showing the transformation of a place that is generally regarded as the most beautiful place while also enhancing the degree of beauty that California has. Steinbeck describes the California hills as â€Å"soft as breasts† and how it â€Å"quickens with produce†; details that show how Steinbeck sets the state up to be a nurturing, pregnant mother.In (paragraph 3), Steinbeck starts to describe the type of men who work on the nurturing mother that is California. Steinbeck uses polysyndeton when describing these men show all wonderful qualities they possess, such as â€Å"understanding and knowledge and skill'† showing how highly Steinbeck regards these men; arguing that the men are of the highest order of human beings He then uses asyndeton to show the countless amount of plagues that the men's techniques can overcome such as â€Å"the molds, the insects, the rusts, the blights† again showing how important Steinbeck thinks these men are.Steinbeck continues to build these men up by describing them as â€Å"men of knowledge†; again referencing California as the Garden of Eden by comparing the men to the Tree of Knowledge which serves as foreshadowing as the Tree of Knowledge bore the forbidden fruit that caused the fall of man. Steinbeck continues his mother metaphor by depicting the men as children of the nursing California. In (paragraph 4 and 5) Steinbeck's tone and diction change as he describes the men as the years go by to show how the men are destroying the land they once carefully cultivated.He shows the shift of the men to destructive techniques by using words like â€Å"destroying† and â€Å"tearing† as opposed to â€Å"delicate† and â€Å"carefully† to further his idea that the men are changing. The fruit is no longer supported by the crutches but â€Å"sags down against the crutches† showing how the men are now actually destroying the land of their nurturing mother. Steinbeck begins his â€Å"grapes of wrath† metaphor by describing the grapes as â€Å"growing heavy†; signifying the rage that the common people feel towards the â€Å"men† who, in reality, are the large crop owners and the bank owners.The men are also â€Å"proud† of their ability to make the crops heavy with produce and â€Å"transform the world with their knowledge†; drawing parallels to the big bankers and crop owners who exploited the poor people in order to shape the world the their likening. Steinbeck finishes the section with another usage of asyndeton to describe all of the things that these men can do to â€Å"drive the earth to produce† or in modern terms: control the wealth of the country.In (chapters 6-13), the landscape of California changes for the worst as Steinbeck tries to describe the damage that the men have inflicted on California. Steinbeck's diction with words such as â€Å"rot†, â€Å"waste†, and â€Å"decay† associate the former Edenic Califronia with a deathly image. This diction corresponds with the shift in imagery that shows â€Å"meat turning dark and crop shriveling on the ground† along with â€Å"black shreds(of cherries) han ging from them(the seeds)†; further depicting the change of landscape of California.Instead of â€Å"valleys in which fruit blossoms†, the valley expels an â€Å"odor of sweet decay† showing the horrible state that California has turned in to under the guidance of the â€Å"understanding† men. Steinbeck also uses strong imagery to depict plentiful pears falling â€Å"heavily to the ground and splashing on the ground†; a symbol Steinbeck also changes the main theme of colors from the beautiful pink and green of the former California to a deathly black. Steinbeck also uses the vernacular of Californians to show the panic that the farmers feel by expressing such phrases as â€Å"We can't do it. and â€Å"We can't pay wages, no matter what wages. † putting the reader in to the mind of the farmers to experience that panic and desperation they felt. Steinbeck's strong imagery is used again to depict plentiful pears falling â€Å"heavily to the gr ound and splashing on the ground†; a symbol for the failing system the farmers have that is causing their lives to fall, splash, and explode on the ground. Paragraph 9 goes on to present an example of â€Å"rotten, wasp-stung† grapes that correlates to the â€Å"swelling† grapes of paragraph 1.The swelling grapes would be used to make fine wine that has a connotation of being beautiful and delicious while the rotten grapes would make an awful wine which is generally regarded as sickening and disgusting; nothing more than a concoction of mildew, formic acid, tannic acid, and sulphur. These two wines represent the country from which they are made, the good wine being the beautiful California and the sickening wine being the deathly country that the men created. (Paragraphs 18-23) show Steinbeck's complete opinion that the corporations or â€Å"men† and how they destroyed California and the lives of the oor. Steinbeck shows the sorrow of the situation by desc ribing the â€Å"carloads of oranges dumped† and then being burned along with the pigs being slaughtered then letting the â€Å"putrescence drip down into the earth. † He then chooses to reveal his thesis at the beginning of this section to signify his intent of exposing the injustices of the men. Steinbeck transitions from calling the farmers to â€Å"the people†; signifying that the poorly treated farmers are meant to be the American population of the 1930s.This is meant to show the injustice that the poor people had to go through and the greed that the corporations exemplified. The fruit that people come for is burned for no other reason than that it benefits the big crop owners; showing more injustices that the â€Å"people† endure. The oranges are â€Å"golden mountains† when they are being burned; an allusion to the way the men, or corporations, burned the soft green hills of the former California because of greed.In paragraph 22, Steinbeck u ses anaphora to show the succession of horrible events that the people endure culminating to a â€Å"failure that topples all success. † Steinbeck's usage of grotesque imagery such as the children dying of pellagra is meant to accuse the men of killing these children with their crimes. At the very end of the chapter, the anger is building in the people as the guards can see the â€Å"growing wrath† in â€Å"the eyes of the hungry. † The pregnant mother is again used, only this time she is â€Å"heavy with† or birthing the rage of the people.This is a call to action by Steinbeck meant to spur the impoverished people of California to revolt as Jim Casy and Tom did. Chapter 25 of The Grapes of Wrath serves as Steinbeck's critique of American society in the 1930s. He analyzes the events of the Dust Bowl and how American people and corporation heads reacted to it. Steinbeck that the laborers of America needed to rise against the big corporation in order to bet ter their lives. Steinbeck summarizes by calling the American people to act on the injustices that they endure and better their country.

Marijuana Abuse essays

Marijuana Abuse essays "Marijuana is the second most popular drug after alcohol in the country today. So many people smoke marijuana that the numbers alone seem to legitimize and condone its presence in people's lives. Yet, even in moderation marijuana is not 'safe.' Somehow this information had not filtered down to people who think they are smoking a fairly innocuous drug. Our society perpetuates the myths about pot being a fun, harmless, recreational drug. These myths feed into people's denial of marijuana's problems" (Baum 6). However, the abuse of marijuana is a problem. It is not only a personal problem, but also more importantly a social problem. Throughout history marijuana has been used to serve various purposes in many different cultures. The purposes have changed over time to fit in with the current lifestyles. The cultivation of the marijuana plant in the United States began as far back as the Jamestown settlers around the year 1611. At that time the main focus was on survival rather than for psychoactive purposes. Medicinal uses of marijuana eventually changed to enjoyment manipulation. Beginning in the 1960s marijuana use saw a reemergence with the rebellious youth, and the "hippie movement." This evolved into increased use among the older population as well. This trend continues to this day. Marijuana use can be termed abuse. Today the debate over marijuana is a major controversy that affects our society as a whole. During the 60's it was easy to depict marijuana as a beneficial and completely harmless substance because there was not enough scientific research done during this time (Grolier Wellness Encyclopedia). Today we know that the levels of THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana called tetrahydrocannabinol, in marijuana are four to ten times more than they were in the 60s. We also know that THC had shown negative affects in the learning process. It's destructive to the learning performance, memory, and attention span. It has ins...

A Worn Path Essay Example for Free (#4)

A Worn Path Essay ? The short story ‘A Worn Path’ by Eudora Welty emphasizes the importance of patience and persistence. The protagonist of the story, a very old African-American woman, Phoenix Jackson is presented by the author as a study in perseverance, stamina and life in the face of hardship and death. The story is rather deceptively simple and deals with an old woman’s journey on foot through the woods of Mississippi to the city of Natchez, motivated by the need of medicines for her ailing grandson. However, structured upon this journey motif, the story has a rich veneer of symbolism that turns Phoenix Jackson an everyman, while her journey, transcending every boundary becomes the very emblem for the eternal human quest through the wildernesses of life. The landscape that the protagonist has to cross to reach her destination is at once evocatively beautiful and hauntingly dangerous, threatening at every moment to jeopardize the journey. The old and worn out woman is acutely aware of the dangers and hardships that lie in her way and as she walks steadily she mutters under her breath: â€Å"Out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons and wild animals†¦ the big wild hogs out of my path. Don’t let none of those come running my direction. I got a long way. † Her feet feels chained as she negotiates a particularly steep uphill path and gets entangled in a thorny bush that looks harmless from the distance. As soon as she overcomes this other impediments follow: narrow logs across a creek, ghosts which turn out to be nothing but scarecrows, dog and his white master crosses her path. But she braves it all with a determination and patience that bespeaks of the invincibility of the spirit that burns within her breasts. The solitary journey of the protagonist through the wildernesses is further complicated by her old age, her acute physical exhaustion and her failing vision. However, walking against these innumerable odds, Phoenix Jackson emerges victorious with the aid of her sheer fortitude and capacity for self-sacrifice for the sake of her grandson. Even when a bounding black dog pushes her over into a ditch, Phoenix Jackson does not lose her infinite patience. In fact lying by the roadside in a ditch, incapable of getting up on her own, she seems quite happy and soon loses herself in a dream and goes on talking to herself. After being rescued, she calmly declares the rationale of her journey to the hunter who advises her to go back home: â€Å"I bound to go to town, mister,† said Phoenix. â€Å"The time come around. † The protagonists zest for life is revealed in her intense awareness of every natural object around her and the wilderness seen through her failing eyes, takes on a dream-like quality; a dream in which every object quivers with symbolic or allegorical significance. The real journey transcends its limits to reveal a religious pilgrimage or a quest with Phoenix Jackson as the lonely knight whose only true weapons against adversities are her infinite patience and persistence. Interestingly, the story is actually set during the Christmas season, suggesting that the protagonist is out on a pilgrimage where her endurance and fortitude will be tested to the extreme. The theme of patience and persistence is also reiterated in the mythological significance of the name, Phoenix, a bird that rises again and again from its own ashes asserting the victory of life over death. It is to be noted that it is not only the natural world that poses an obstacle for the old protagonist, but the society too that refuses to giver her the due respect. Thus we see the White man condescendingly concluding that she is going to the town merely to see Santa Claus or the nurses at the great big building dismissing her as a case of ‘charity’. But all these barely touches the old lady, who has surely earned the medicine a thousand times over; the medicine that is given away to her as ‘charity’. She once again walks out into the street starting her long journey back home through the wilderness. Thus it might be concluded that Eudora Welty’s A Worn Path is a powerful assertion of the victory of the human spirit against all conceivable odds. The victory is undoubtedly hard earned, neither does it promise much spoils (the old woman is rewarded with a paper windmill and medicine for her grandson at the end of her almost epical journey). But it is a victory of patience and persistence. The battle too is worth fighting whatever be the spoils. A Worn Path. (2017, Feb 25).

How will a governmental shutdown affect the American people Research Proposal

How will a governmental shutdown affect the American people - Research Proposal Example This paper tells that in 2011, the U.S. Congress passed a last-minute compromise bill authorizing the raising of the national debt limit which narrowly escaped a shutdown of the Federal government and its associated agencies. The threat of a U.S. government shutdown has major significance for the international financial markets, the employees of the Federal government, and the people who rely on it for goods, services, and payments. A U.S. government shutdown may be temporary and limited in effect, as it was in 1995 during the Clinton administration when the Congress and White House became deadlocked in a budgetary impasse. The changing economic climate of the 21st Century, following the global meltdown of the financial system in 2008, means that another occurrence of this event could lead to new and unintended consequences. The global economy is weak currently and emerging from a period of recession in the USA and Europe, largely caused by the consequences of years of wasteful gover nment spending and debt. The U.S. national debt now stands at over $14.5 trillion, a total greater than the complete Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the entire country and all of its annual economic activity combined. While Congress and the White House negotiated in 2011 and failed to come to concrete terms on real cuts in spending and debt reduction, the Standard & Poor’s rating agency for the first time downgraded the U.S. credit rating, citing the political impasse as a major reason. (Detrixhe, 2011) Consequently, a U.S. government shutdown in the current political and economic climate could have significantly different or more severe effects in the contemporary milieu than it did in the 1990’s when it last occurred, and these consequences would likely not be contained solely in the United States due to the complex interrelationships present in the global economy. The most immediate and obvious effects of a U.S. government shutdown would be seen for Federal governme nt employees, who would be essentially laid off without payment until the impasse is resolved. The government in this situation makes a determination as to which Federal employees are considered â€Å"essential† to national security and keeping the U.S. Congress running, and which are to be considered â€Å"non-essential† employees, to be suspended from work without payment. As Ewen MacAskill (2011) of the Guardian Newspaper reported, â€Å"The US Congress has begun sending out letters warning staff they will be suspended from this weekend along with hundreds of thousands of other workers as part of a looming federal government shutdown. The letters inform staff whether they are regarded as essential – necessary to maintain security and keep Congress running – or non-essential.† (MacAskill, 2011) MacAskill (2011) and other analysts suggest that approximately 800,000 â€Å"non-essential† employees of the Federal government would lose their jo bs and salaries at least temporarily until the budgetary issues are resolved. (MacAskill, 2011) Yet, this immediate economic effect of placing nearly 1 million people out of work would have an inherently restrictive or contractive effect on the U.S. economy. Dean Praetorius (2011) listed nine possible effects of a U.S. government shutdown that shows the ripple effects of this outcome in the domestic environment and larger global economy: 1. Lost Money: â€Å"The last shutdown cost taxpayers $800 million, including $400 million in wages to federal workers who did not report to

Assess the value of Kingdon's multiple streams approach for analysing Essay

Assess the value of Kingdon's multiple streams approach for analysing agenda-setting - Essay Example The multiple stream frameworks are a combination of different public issues as well as ideas and politics (Howlett & et. al., 2009). The framework provides an opportunity to move the policy issue in the government agenda. The framework is helpful in developing strategies that is applicable for different policy areas and analyse how the policies are framed in case of lack of self-interest of the individuals. The Kingdon model analyses the situation in which the issues are involved in the political agenda and puts certain problems at the different level of priority. In addition, this theory also describes how the alternative solution to the issues is developed (Zahariadis, 2007). The Kingdon model of multiple stream theory is based on three elements that are ‘policy’, ‘problem’ as well as ‘politics’ (Furlong, n.d.). The three factors of the model facilitate change in the policy. The three streams of the Kingdon model are different from each other and are often guided through separate rules. The problem factor of the model is essential for agenda setting because it defines certain condition of the concerned issue. The ideas of the policy makers are translated to relevant policies, as they are feasible and acceptable. On the other hand, the politics stream of the Kingdon model indicates the legislative turnover, the increase in administrative pressure or dependence on nation (Howlett & et. al., 2009). The implementation of the three streams of Kingdon model in public policy ensures increased attention of the policy makers because the three factors result affects the changes in agenda. Timing is one of the vital factors in agenda because it influences the particular problem and policies linked with the issue of public policy. The three elements of the Kingdon model are independent of each other. However, for the success of agenda it is necessary that any two

The Greatest Show On Earth by Richard Dawkins Essay

The Greatest Show On Earth by Richard Dawkins - Essay Example Dawkins makes the case that every form of life on this planet was created by way of non random natural selection, which in other words is understood as evolution (Ings, 2009). People who believe differently base their decisions on things that cannot be considered as evidence. Dawkins writes that natural selection has undergone different phases of rejection that were followed by acceptance. The author refers to intelligent design in terms of the ways in which every kind of life on Earth is created through some kind of natural selection, which is explained through reference to research on the evolution of bacteria carried out by Lenski. Dawkins has taken pains in claiming that intelligent design is a valid explanation for every aspect of nature, which is supported by the theory of evolution. It is in this context that he writes â€Å"evolution is a fact. Beyond reasonable doubt, beyond serious doubt, beyond sane, informed, intelligent doubt† (Dawkins, 2009, p.12). The primary objective of the author is to provide evidence for people that the theory of evolution is as good as any scientific fact. He states on page 85 of the book that â€Å"evolutionary scientists are in the position of detectives who come late to the scene of crime† (Dawkins, 2009, p.85). In making this statement he means that it becomes difficult to prove the evolutionary process to those that deny or doubt history. He refers to evolution repeatedly in his book and wants readers to understand how natural changes have been brought on the planet through microevolution and macroevolution. In explaining that science determines temporal sequence Dawkins has written that nature has clocks that ascertain the time taken for the effects of evolution to emerge. He means that evolutionary scientists have to make use of such wide range of clocks in terms of the processes available for dating

Communication and Inter-professional Work in Nursing

Communication and Inter-professional Work in Nursing Discuss how communication within an inter-professional team could affect collaborative working. WORD COUNTS: 1650 Introduction The aim of this essay is to discuss the concept of communication within Interprofessional team, critically analysing how this could affect collaborative working and with meticulous attention given to two key points; effective communication in terms of verbal, non-verbal and active listening and the development of mutual trust and respect. It will endeavour to critically examine the impact these key points and the impact they have on the dynamics of collaborative working. It will also seek to explore strategies that may be used to facilitate effective communication and collaboration between professionals. Modern healthcare is becoming ever complex due to the aging population, diverse range of co-morbidities and increasing expectations of health service quality and safety (World Health Organisation, 2011). Hence, there is exerting growing pressure on health and social care providers to deliver care that is effective thus to meet these demands. Pollard, Thomas and Miers (2010) advocates that in order for health and social care professionals to be able to cope with these demand, they have to work together as a team. For instance, during the hospital stay of a patient , they may encounter numerous professionals from diverse disciplines such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, physiotherapists, social workers and many more depending on the patient’s needs, therefore, professionals will need to collaborate together efficiently as a team. Collaboration requires professionals from different disciplines in health and social care to work together as a team by sharing of knowledge, ideas, expertise, resources and responsibility in order to tackle the most difficult health and social care issues and make effective clinical decisions regarding a patient’s care (ref). In turn, collaboration also ensures consistency in quality care for their patients, subsequently, improves services and outcomes (Social Care Institute for Excellence, 2015). However, for this to occur, effective communication is needed for a successful collaboration to be achieved (Brock et al., 2013) which is in line with the 6 C’s of care as highlighted in the Department of Health (2015) guideline. . In agreement, O’Daniel Rosenstein (2008) insist that communication forms the backbone of collaborative working and when lacking or incompetent compromises a cohesive collaborative team. Wood (2004) defines communication as â€Å"a systemic process in which individuals interact with and through symbols to create and interpret meanings† (p.9). Nemeth (2008) affirms that for communication to transpire between individuals it has to be effective and not the mere fact of interaction, as effective communication entails the transmission of information uninterrupted that results to understanding. Effective communication is argued, the key ingredient for the successfulness of interprofessional collaborative working within health and social care (NHS Commissioning Board, 2013). Hargestam, Lindkvist, Brulin, Jacobsson and Hultin (2013) further emphasised that communication is the key factor for the prerequisite for the team’s structure, collaboration and task performance. Alfredsottir and Bjornsdottir (2008) put forth the notion that where there is effective communication within a team, there is also good clinical outcomes. Kenny (2002) also suggests that positive collaboration alongside effective communication ensures sufficient sharing of valuable experience and expertise, thus, enhances levels of job satisfaction. In support, Almost et al. (2015) review of positive and negative behaviours in workplace relationships among healthcare members found that improved communication and teamwork reduces stress, increases job satisfaction and work performance in turn enhances communication between team members. Jerry (2011) ascertains that there are two major components of communication used within health and social care; verbal and non-verbal communication. Verbal communication involves professionals meeting face-to-face in the form of meetings or over the telephone which are one of the most common and preferred way of communication. This allows sharing of knowledge and skills, generating common narrative that draws team together. Jerry (2011) further illustrates that during this phase of communication, members should speak clearly and directly in a succinct manner while drawing from their own knowledge, warranting free flowing and efficient information thus avoiding errors of miscommunication and confusion. On reflection during MDT meetings in clinical placement, each member was given the opportunity to make critical points that endorsed other members to bring in ideas and make sound decisions. Browning and Waite (2010) however acknowledge that active listening plays a major role in verba l communication as it is the pedigree for a successful interaction, hence sustaining collaborative working among healthcare professional. Burnard and Gill (2013) further declares that how well professionals communicate is also dependent on non-verbal communication such as written notes, care plans, letters, maintaining of eye contact during meetings as they are key factors that enhances or detracts from the way professionals communicate. Fiske (2011) stresses that where there is lack of listening skills or clarity of information being transmitted, this often leads to potential conflicts and confusion to arise as a result of ambiguity or reception of message not being fully understood or misinterpreted. (ref) supports this stating that, when there is breakdown in communication, it hinders the efficiency and leads to insufficient information, ambiguous and unclear information being exchanged between professionals, consequently jeopardising the dynamics of collaboration. In their qualitative study of multidisciplinary communication at ward board rounds, Hellier et al. (2015) found that ineffective communication amongst he althcare professionals correlates with lack of appropriate information being available, conclusions often not reached and decisions of patients often deferred. A study by Wu et al (2012) suggests that, where discrepancies in the flow of information between professional were found to lead to misunderstandings and frustrations among healthcare teams which meant communication and cohesion barriers were formed (Burnard Gill, 2013). O’Daniel and Rosenstein (2008) further accentuate that barriers to effective communication may be due to members from different profession having varied behaviour and language affiliation part due to training, therefore, sets up the potential for miscommunication. Hence, Lingard (2012) advocates that poor communication shapes events that impact on professional working and patients downstream. Nonetheless, Wu et al. (2012) stated that when there is strong communication within a team, professionals are adequately informed as all members of a team are kept updated as they are in the loop of the information they need, hence a standardised common inter-professional language is established (Reeves, Lewin, Espin Zwarenstein, 2010). All the same, there is an array of literatures and cases that shows that communication and collaboration does not always occur in clinical practice. The Joint Commission (2010) found that an estimated 80% of serious preventable adverse events stems from miscommunication between caregivers. The detrimental effects of communication deficiency between professionals were evident in the Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust report (Francis, 2013). Central to the analysis of the Francis (2013) report was the evidence of egregious failings of communication between health professionals and organisations. The report showed that the quality of information exchange was often poor or failed to be passed on between hospitals, thereby affecting the way professionals interacted, delivery of services and patient care (Zwarenstein, Goldman Reeves, 2009). Devastating cases such as this illustrates the necessity of optimising communication among Interprofessional teams. Kenny (2002) illustrates that effective communication is the platform that creates transparency, encouraging professionals to develop trust, respect and form good working relationships where communication becomes more open and effective (Burnard Gill, 2013). This is in conjunction with McDonald, Jayasuriya and Harris (2012) qualitative findings of the influence of power dynamics and trust on multidisciplinary collaboration of diverse health professionals. Findings suggest that when effective communication is established especially through shared experience, technical skills and competence, opportunities for professional to rapport, gain mutual respect and trust is developed, thereby, forming alliance among professionals that facilitate cooperation. Result of the thematic analysis correlates with the author’s own experience observed in the classroom during Interprofessional education (IPE), as the author was able to work efficiently and show mutual respects to other students from other health educational sector such as pharmacy, child nursing and mental health nursing once effective communication had been established (Keller, Eggenberger ,Belkowitz, Sarsekeyeva Zito, 2013). This ensured that task sets out by the lecturer were achieved as everyone took turn to contribute and allowed ideas and decisions to be rigorously debated. Dixon-Woods et al. (2013) qualitative findings of culture and behaviour in the English National Health Service (NHS) among physicians, nurses and administrators accentuated that where there was lack of trust and mutual respect this led to lack of support, appreciation of individual professional expertise. Findings also showed that some professionals were not being consulted or listened to which cre ated conflicts, disagreement and miscommunication (Leonard, Graham Bonacum, 2004). The trustworthiness and reliability of the findings within the study is questionable as the researchers failed to provide full details of the methods used to collect data. However, findings was consistent with that of Ferlie and Shortell (2001) study which showed that where there was lack of trust and mutual respect between health professionals, there was deterrent to quality improvement work and on how well they communicated. O’Daniel and Rosenstein (2008) maintain that barriers to communication that affects collaboration between health professionals can be bridged by the use of a standardised communication stool. NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement (2012) recommended that healthcare professionals implement a standardised approach to communicate such as the use of SBAR to make certain that information shared is structured by being concise and focused to maintain consistency of high quality of care. Randmaa, Mà ¥rtensson, Swenne and Engstrà ¶m (2013) prospective intervention study identified that SBAR improves communication between healthcare professionals, a proportion of incidents report due to communication errors decreasing from 31% to 11%. The study also highlighted that the tool sets out expectations between health professionals of how they should communicate. In terms of the limitation of this study, participants were not chosen at random which questions the study’s reliabil ity. Conclusion Evidence gathered suggests that effective communication and collaboration is imperative and should be used in correlation impetuously by professionals, thus to foster high quality care and promote practice to the highest calibre. 1 | Page

Extreme Advertising: Go Big or Go Home :: BTEC Business Marketing GCSE Coursework

Extreme Advertising: Go Big or Go Home This Maxim climbing gear ad is an example of using both aggressive language and images to promote climbing as an extreme sport. North Face uses this image in their web page. If you wear North Face gear, you too can take your ice axes and back-counrty skis into the Tibetan wilderness. Adidas uses this image in their trail running ads. The caption in the image reads "Runners. Yeah, We're Different." It invites people to relate to some of the more intimate details of a separate subculture. Intro Advertisements of outdoor gear tell us we live in an extreme world today. No longer do we go out mountain biking or skiing, they tell us. We need to go big, risking our lives to promote an image of ourselves as one who can push the edge of the envelope by extreme mountain biking and extreme skiing. NorthFace, a high-end outdoor clothing company started this language in the 1970s in its advertising of ski apparel. Now, most every sport has gone extreme. To advertise this new image, companies have attempted to use a variety of techniques that separate themselves from the rest of the crowd. They include: --Creating an Extreme Image to a Wide-Based Consumer Audience: Boulder Gear and North Face. --Advertising to a Young, Aggressive Group Obsessed with Speed: Manastash and an ad inside APEX Magazine --Creating an Insider Feeling of the Extreme...with a Dash of Playfulness: Nike and Adidas Extremism as an image has come to include outdoor activities such as kayaking, skiing, climbing, mountain biking, windsurfing and a host of other mainstream outdoor activities. It has also brought about a variety of subcategories as well. Sky diving now has six new disciplines, including sky surfing, free flying and free style-an aerial ballet. There à ­s even an extreme version of the extreme sport of sky diving called BASE jumping (BASE=Bridge, Aerial, Structure, Earth) in which participants jump from low-lying structures and open their chute with only seconds separating them between an extreme experience and death (Heath 1997: p4). Sports are not the only aspect of extreme though. The language has seeped into our everyday vocabulary to the point that we can not do anything without having the possibility of doing it extreme. Bill Gates speaks of extreme programming, and there à ­s extreme golf in which participants play golf around unused summer ski resorts. Books of extreme adve nture have been popularized by John Krauker's Into Thin Air.

Ethical Issues Involved in End-of-Life Decision-Making Essay

End-of-life decision-making entails looking into ethical, cultural, as well as, legal concerns. All of the aforementioned has to be carefully considered if one has to decide to end his or her own life. This paper will look into the ethical, cultural, and legal issues that go along with end-of-life decision-making. It also intends to state what therapist can contribute in his or her participation in the discussion of end-of-life decision making together with his or her colleagues, as well as, patients & their families. Ethical Issues Involved in End-of-Life Decision-Making There are ethical indispensable issues involved in end-of-life decision-making and some are the following: First of all is the issue on utilitarianism, since this is said to be the â€Å"foundation of morals† then it is linked to the end-of-life decision-making as well (Ebenstein & Ebenstein 1991, p. 580). Here, it is said that â€Å"actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness† (Ebenstein & Ebenstein 1991, p. 580). â€Å"Happiness† here is regarded as the â€Å"absence of pain† and â€Å"unhappiness† is the presence of the aforementioned (Germino 1972, p. 240). It is an issue because happiness is not all that matters in ending a life (Ebenstein & Ebenstein 1991, p. 580). In addition to that, how can one be sure that the absence of pain, which is death in this case, will lead to happiness of the person chiefly involved in the end-of-life decision-making (Ebenstein & Ebenstein 1991, p. 580)? The same is true with the family of main person involved, will they be experience happiness if the patient opts to end his or her life voluntarily instead of waiting for his or her ‘natural’ death to take place (Ebenstein & Ebenstein 1991, p. 580)? Second is the issue related with the Kantian model or what is technically referred to as the â€Å"deontological theory† (Bennagen, 2000, p. 50). This states that a person has to fulfill a certain responsibility or duty as a part of his objective (Bennagen, 2000, p. 50). This statement now seems to be irrational since the concrete definition of a responsibility or duty is not provided (Bennagen, 2000, p. 50). For example, is it the person’s responsibility to subject himself or herself to death (Bennagen, 2000, p. 50). It may be his or her right to choose to live or die but if asked if it is his or her responsibility remains a big question (Bennagen, 2000, p. 50). Last but not least, there are some health care providers who are extremely conscious about â€Å"how much money is spent on patients and how effectively it is spent† (Hinman, 2000, p. 9). Some individuals feel that the amount of money spent on terminally ill patients is not really worth it (Hinman, 2000, p. 9). This is highly unethical; it is as if one is saying that money is far more important than actually trying to save a life (Hinman, 2000, p. 9). Cultural Issues Involved in End of Life Decision-Making Furthermore, there are several cultural issues involved in end-of-life decision-making as well and some are the following: First of all, there are some members of a cultural minority that prefers to be spoken to directly with regards to the disease that they are going through (Searight et. al. , 2005, p. 516). Although, there are also some who do not (Searight et. al. , 2005, p. 516. ). In fact some immediate family members request that they be the ones to be spoken to only since they believe that informing the patient will only make the patient feel worse and will eventually negatively affect him or her (Searight et. al. , 2005, p. 516. ). The same is true when it comes to making decisions with regards to the medications/treatment that the patient will undergo; some family members prefer that they be the ones to be in charge about this instead of the doctor and/or the patient (Searight et. al. , 2005, p. 516. ). Second, patients who belong to a cultural group sometimes opt â€Å"not to be directly informed† about the disease he or she is going through especially if it’s a life-threatening one (Searight et. al. , 2005, p. 516. ). Third, some patients also would prefer to carry out certain religious activities and spiritual traditions so as to assist in their medical treatment, and eventually, their healing as well (Searight et. al. , 2005, p. 516. ). Last but not least, some patients take into consideration their beliefs and outlook when it comes to the â€Å"medical experts, suffering, as well as, the afterlife† (Searight et. al. , 2005, p. 516. ). Legal Issues Involved in End-of-Life Decision-Making There are also certain legal concerns when it comes to end-of-life decision-making: Most of the States disallows physician-assisted suicide; for example in New York, it is unlawful â€Å"under the general homicide laws† (Legal Status of Assisted/Euthanasia in the United States, n. d. , n. p. ). The same is true in Virginia wherein â€Å"there is no law that actually covers physician-assisted suicide but there is a statute which imposes civil sanctions on persons assisting in a suicide† (Legal Status of Assisted/Euthanasia in the United States, n. d. , n. p. ). My Participation as a Therapist in the Discussion of End-of-Life Decision-Making along with Colleagues There are several things that I may contribute as a therapist to my colleagues. I can share with them my knowledge with regards to how to communicate with patients of diverse culture (Searight et. al. , 2005, p. 521. ). I can request them to â€Å"demonstrate an interest to the patient’s cultural heritage† for them to be able to give the patient â€Å"culturally-sensitive care† (Searight et. al. , 2005, p. 521. ). In addition to that, I will also let them know that it is important to give the patient â€Å"autonomy† especially when it comes to â€Å"non-disclosure of medical information and family-centered decision-making† because through the aforementioned, the patient will eventually feel that their â€Å"cultural norms are being respected† (Searight et. al. , 2005, p. 521. ). My Participation as a Therapist in the Discussion of End-of-Life Decision-Making along Patients and their Families Finally, I may also be of great assistance to patients and their families with regards to their discussion of end-of-life decision-making through the following: 1) I will respect it if the â€Å"patient prefers that his or her family members be the recipients of diagnostic and treatment information†; 2) I will make sure first who is the member of the family who’s appointed to make treatment decisions before speaking to him or her or giving them an advice with regards to the medical procedures or treatment; and 3) I will help them find another therapist/physician in case they are uncomfortable with the current one and especially if their therapist/physician â€Å"belong to the different ethnic background† (Searight et. al. , 2005, p. 521. ). As a therapist, I will try to advise them the best I can while considering their cultural background, incorporating my ethical/moral standards, and making sure that I will abide by the laws as well. References Bennagen, P. (2000). Social Economic and Political Thought. Q. C. : UP Press. Ebenstein, W. and Ebenstein, A. 1991, Great Political Thinkers: Plato to the President.Harcourt Brace, Forth Worth. Germino, D. 1972, Machiavelli to Marx: Modern Western Political Thought. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Hinman, L. M. (2000). Ethical Issues in End of Life Decisions: A Guide to Understanding Differences. Retrieved April 28, 2008 from http://ethics. sandiego. edu/presentations/sharp/index_files/v3_document. htm Legal Status of Assisted/Euthanasia in the United States. (n. d. ). Retrieved April 28, 2008 from http://www. nightingalealliance. org/pdf/state_grid. pdf Searight, H. R. & Gafford, J. (2005). Cultural Diversity at the End of Life: Issues and Guidelines for Family Physicians. American Family Physician, 71(3), 515 – 522.

Providing Safety Measures within Schools Essay

School violence is not just a recent tragedy. In fact, the earliest known United States (U. S. ) school shooting called â€Å"Pontiac’s Rebellion School Massacre† took place on July 26, 1764 in Pennsylvania (Wikipedia). These ill-fated events are products of many different factors such as bullying, revenge, and even mental issues. Unfortunately, school violence has become a more prevalent occurrence in society today. However, because of the unknown and rather unexpected motives of the perpetrators, an end to school violence cannot, in all actuality, happen. Certainly, there are procedures available to prevent occurring violence. Through the use of increased screening and safety measures, school violence can be greatly diminished, improve the quality of the nation’s education, and restore faith in administrators. School violence has plagued many areas of not only the U. S. , but also other parts of the world. However, a number of the worst attacks have occurred right here in the U. S. , Columbine High School, for example. April 20, 1999 marked the date of fifteen deaths at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Two teenage shooters took the lives of fourteen students and one teacher (Listverse). This school tragedy led to an increased emphasis on security at schools across the U. S. (SFGate). The April 16, 2007 shooting at Virginia Tech claimed the lives of thirty-three victims and was named the deadliest shooting by a single gunman in U. S. history. Bath School in Michigan fell victim to forty-five deaths and was given the title of the deadliest mass school murder in U. S. history (Listverse). In recent history, Connecticut unfortunately experienced a shooting of its own at Sandy Hook Elementary where twenty-eight young children and adults were victim to a deranged gunman on December 14, 2012 (The Inquisitr). But certainly, we cannot forget the February 27, 2012 shooting at Chardon High School that rocked Ohio (SFGate). More and more schools around the nation are stepping up school safety measures to ensure the security of students. Undoubtedly, the most commonly selected safety measure is limited or controlled access to the school in such ways as to lock and monitor school doors. Metal detectors, security cameras, and limited social networking access are more commonly being used to monitor and restrict student and visitor behaviors (U. S. Department of Education). Monitoring and supervising common areas such as the cafeteria, gym, hallways, and parking lot is a significant safety measure usually practiced by schools (NASPonline). School resource officers, guards, and unarmed law enforcement officers may not always need to be present, but should always be available. Staff members should monitor all guests by greeting each and every person who comes to the door. Counselors and psychologists should always be available to students so that they know they have someone to trust and be able to anonymously report suspicious activity (Gumbrecht; NASPonline). Crisis plans and preparedness training should be accessible for all staff members along with threat assessment procedures. The promotion of obedience of school rules and a safe school environment should be present at all times for the safety of the students (NASPonline). Schools should conduct regular drills such as intruder, weather, and fire for student awareness (Gumbrecht). A responsible and safe school always includes school-community partnerships and school safety incident data to keep the public informed about new procedures (NASPonline). There are a number of structural prevention suggestions available. The most frequently used structural methods are locked doors and security systems. However, more advanced structural preventions exist: single, prominent entryways for guests and students to enter; reduced landscaping to eliminate hiding spots; shifted restrooms away from entryways; moved major mechanical and electrical systems; keyless entry systems for staff and faculty; and elaborate announcement systems for drills and instructions (Gumbrecht). Panic buttons are available for $5,000 and operate on single police dispatch lines that send all available units to the school in case of an emergency. The buttons can be located in each individual classroom or in different regions of the schools. These structural suggestions come at a price but are well worth the investments (Scott). Because of the seemingly reoccurring school violence trend, many school districts have contemplated active shooter training and arming teachers. Even though this might seem like a good idea, there may very well be negative consequences. Instead, most school administrators opt for the more common school entry policies and emergency manuals for all staff. Newer safety ideas are being introduced into school districts such as Mohawk, Ellwood, and Shenango in Pennsylvania. These districts installed computerized systems that scan the driver’s licenses of all visitors to identify anyone convicted of crimes against children (New Castle News). Administrators have many accessible guidelines for communicating with students, their parents, and the public. Conversations with students should be developmentally appropriate and include guidelines for violence. Administrators should keep in mind the cultures, traditions, religion, and family values of students and keep the focus on normal routines and activities. Parents should be made aware of all violence conversations with students. The children must know that schools are safe places and there is a difference between reporting and tattling, they must be observant and report what they see. Students must also realize that every so often, people commit wrong acts, but violence is never a solution. Open communication between parents and their children is key; the students should know to stay away from weapons. Also, the school staff must stress the understanding of possibility versus probability; students should always know that they are safe in school. These guidelines are important for administrators to convey to their student body and public (NASPonline). Without a doubt, school violence has made national headlines. In December, the NRA announced the National School Shield Program. They have issued â€Å"a report on how they believe schools can prevent further gun violence† (Gumbrecht). The NRA will present policy proposals and resources to law enforcement, lawmakers, school officials, and the public. Because there is declining support for strict gun regulations, law enforcement officials will prepare armed guards that state and local officials will alter (Sperry and Wallace). A higher percent of high schools and middle schools require drug testing for athletes and extracurricular activities; badges and picture identifications for students and teachers; random dog sniffs and contraband sweeps; and security cameras for monitoring the school building and surrounding premises. 84 percent of high schools, 73 percent of middle schools, and 51 percent of elementary schools use security cameras for surveillance. A higher percent of high schools and middle schools have electronic emergency notification systems and structured, anonymous threat reporting systems. A lower percent of high schools control access to buildings during school hours, prohibit cell phone usage and text messaging, and require uniforms (U. S. Department of Education). Unfortunately, school violence is on the rise. Children should not have to be afraid to go to school in fear of experiencing a fateful attack. By no means can there ever be assumptions made that attacks cannot happen just anywhere; no area is completely immune to violence. The public cannot be naive. As much as the thought of an attack is hard to comprehend, the possibility must always be in the back of the mind. There are countless ways to be prepared; school administrators just need to take action. Through the use of increased screening and safety measures, school violence can be greatly diminished, improve the quality of the nation’s education, and restore faith in administrators