Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry Term Paper

Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry - Term Paper Example Adapting a classic piece of literature into film is a sophisticated task.The adapter has duel responsibility. On one side,he or she has to preserve the originality of the classic and on the other,he/she must be able to communicate the real meaning of the piece of literature. Utilizing a verity of techniques Daniel Petrie, the director of the film , A Raisin in the Sun(1961) did not only preserved the originality of the play, but also successfully transferred this classic of Afro American literature into a highly commendable film. Let me first discuss those adaptation techniques briefly. There are seven ways in which an adapter can transpose a play into movie (Desmond and Hawkes, 2006). These are visualizing the set, lighting, casting, musical tones, symbols and motifs, camera angles, and shot length. However, a creative filmmaker would not rely upon just one technique and would employ a variety of tools to make a movie engaging. Daniel Petrie used creative frame composition and shot variation to communicate the strong and shared emotions within the Younger family. Further, he brings the climax of the movie by capturing facial expressions of the characters in a close up. Moreover, he added or omitted various scenes and dialogues during the process of adaptation in order to make the flow of the film . Similarly, he creatively used music to communicate the real feeling of the characters and to move his audience In A Raisin in the Sun, the strong shared emotions and relationship of the black family play an important role to the overall development of the plot. The director communicated this emotional empathy with a creative series of shots and compositions that visually represented the shared emotions. Through the employment of this technical cinematic method, Petrise actually emphasized many important scenes of the play in his film. For instance, in Act Two, Scene One of the written play, for the first time in film, he uses frame composition to share the collectiv e family emotions. In fact this scene communicates a wide range of feelings. When Mama shares her purchase of the house in a better neighborhood, she herself and Ruth seems relieved and satisfied. Contrary to both the women, Walter not only seems angry and despairs but his dream of opening liquor shop seemed sunken. However, on the other hand Mama herself shows fear of the Walter’s possible reaction towards her decision. Screenplay script runs with an array of emotions and the filmmaker successfully expresses those emotions visually. The director utilized camera perfectly to capture those changing emotions on the actors' faces. For example, Walter mood changed from disbelief to dissatisfaction on hearing that the money has been used to buy a house instead of its investment in business. On the contrary, Ruth was extremely happy. But when Mama told them the location of the house, Walter became angry while Ruth’s frame of mind changed from joy to worry. Thus apart from di alogues, film depicts a vast spectrum of emotions through visuals. Petrise choice of using face-close-up is really effective. Petrise uses camera angle to create emotional effects. In Scene Three of Act two, he uses mirror to reflect Walter’s inner conflict . The camera cuts back and forth between Walter and Mr. Lindner. Through this technique, the director not only intensified the emotional meanings of the scene but also reflects Walter’s changing understanding of Mr. Linder offers. Film is a visual media therefore it is always preferable to rely upon emotions for the climax instead of dialogue (Duncan, 2006). Petrie's another smart choice is his exposition of climax through emotions rather than dialogues. These are the emotional moments when Bobo reveals about Willy’s run away along with their investment. This is disturbing news not only for Walter and Bobo, but for all the Youngers. During these critical moments Petrie’s framing Ruth into the scene is an ingenious choice as her reaction on such news is what viewers want to note. Moreover,

Social network service Essay Example for Free

Social network service Essay Internet is recently one of the fast, convenient ways for people to communicate with other people around the world. Especially with social networking sites, people are now able to create their own world online. They can do all the things they want to do even things they can’t do them in their real lives. Most likely, teenagers are a great numbers of users and members of the networking sites such as Myspace, Hi5, Facebook and Friendster. They usually get online and join those sites on their free time. Adults are not exceptions here, they use networking sites to do research, communicate with others or do their work online. In some aspects, those networking sites have shared the bad publicity of identity theft, false profiles, and online predators. In fact, those things have happened recently because social networking sites can not control what kind of people will be online and join their sites, so the risks are obviously not created by their faults. Despite of those bad publicities, social networking are still popularfor their great functions and features. Specially, creating a comfortable entertain atmosphere, helping people improve their social skills, and providing interesting information for users to learn and expand their knowledge. First, social networking sites create a comfortable entertain atmosphere that people can access anytime when they are at home. These sites are like playground where people can find things to do. For example, for bored people, it is probably a good place for them to spend their time. Moreover, these social networking sites allow people to create a personal profile in order to keep in touch with old friends, make new friends and even to look for a date online. For instance, we have been using Yahoo for two years, and we were surprised that this site helped us to reunite my old friends in high school in Manila. It was amazing that we also have a lot of new friendships since we have used it. Moreover,social networking sites also encourage people to create their own profiles, which can include their personal information, their interest, their photo slides, blog entries and even music clips. These are great features because people can share not only their information with others but also share their interests and hobbies as well. Some people write their dairies in blogs, where entries are made in journal style, to share with others and allow people to post comments in comment box. Therefore,social networking sites are good places for people to make friends and express their feelings with online world. Next, another advantage of social networking sites is helping people to practice and improve their social skills. Just like talking on the phone, socialization on the internet give people chances to think about their conversation and have more time to think how to response. Thus, this kind of socializing is more convenience than face-to-face interaction. It is a good opportunity for them to experiment with greetings and response, especially with kids and teenagers w ho are anxious when they involve in conversations. Moreover, social networking sites are also useful for people with special needs can express themselves, including thought and feeling, more easily and without fear of being teased or rejection they may have in real life. Specially, for people with learning disabilities, these sites help them to socialize anonymously. For instance, they can present different personas or act as people who they really are when they create profiles online, because in real life they don’t have chances to be themselves in some ways. By using these sites, they will have a great experience with initiating and maintaining online friendships. They will become more confident and improve their social skills, which they may carry over into real life and give them courage to maintain friendship in real life. So you see, there are a lot of things that are going on with these social networking sites. That’s the reason why we chose this topic. We wanted to know the effects brought by social networking sites to fourth year students, particularly to the fourth year students of IV- Love of the College of the Holy Spirit of Tarlac.

Advantages of Employing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy :: Psychology, Anxiety

Advantages of Employing CBT Fundamentally, CBT is a collaborative project between patient and therapist. In CBT, both patient and therapist are as active as each other. Patients are helped by the therapist to attain knowledge of their problem, in terms of the real experience of the problem and also the ways by which it interacts with and affects their lives. Therapist and patient both collaborate to find the best explanation for the situation and solution to the problem (Haaga & Beck, 1992). CBT therapists are actively engaged with their patients. It is believed that they may talk with their patients more than other therapeutic approaches (Graham, 2005). Another advantage of CBT is that it is a problem-oriented approach (Westbrook, Kennerley, & Kirk, 2007). In CBT, problems are addressed in a practical way and not in ambiguous or general terms. There is a focus on an achievable outcome and goal. Therapy is designed to tackle that specific problem rather than trying to solve all the problems at once. Goals should be ‘SMART’, i.e. be: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and have a Time farm (a date for completion) (Beck et al, 1979). Examples of the real life experience will clarify the situation. For example, if patient suffers from depression, the therapist would ask he/she to describe exactly how he/ she feels and how this problem has affected his/her life. It helps the patient identify the underlying reason to why certain behaviours occur or why the feelings are there. Compared to most psychological therapeutic approaches, CBT is more structured (Brewin, 1996).For example in the beginning of each session the therapist and patient would set an agenda for what they should do in the session and they would try to stick to it. Another benefit of employing CBT could be the fact that there is the relative lack of side effects which medications would cause (March et al, 2004). One of the main advantages of CBT is that this approach is time-limited and brief. It is usually between six to twenty sessions (Fairburn et al, 1987). Since CBT is time-limited, the patient is aware of this limitation and this may result in developing more motivation in the patient. On the other hand, by observing quick changes and progresses, the patient would be more encouraged and motivated and optimistic about the outcome of therapy. Because CBT is short term so it is more cost effective for both patient and therapist.

Macbeth and Shakespeare Essay

This quote â€Å"god defend me from my friends but ; from my enemies I can defend myself† means â€Å"gods help me from my friends but, I have the ability to defend myselfâ€Å". Two stories that I’ve read that support this quote are Macbeth by William Shakespeare and â€Å"The Cask Of Amontillado† by Edgar Allen Poe. I definitely agree with this quote because Macbeths friends thought they were really his friends but, they were wrong. Macbeth by William Shakespeare shows literary devices and they support my opinion of this quote. One is dramatic irony and it proves this quote true for many reasons. It is true because Lady Macbeth shows betrayal against Duncan, the king of Scotland and Macbeth shows betrayal against all his friend, he was really using them and in the end he killed some of his â€Å"friends†. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth wanted to both kill Duncan all along, so they Planned it all out. Betrayal is what happened here, big time. The other literary device from the story that supports my opinion and makes this quote true is, Tradgeic Hero. Macbeth started out as a tradgeic hero and then throughout the story he also â€Å"betrays† all his friends, pretty much the same reason for the dramatic irony. He is just a great example of a tradgeic hero. The other story that supports my opinion is â€Å"The Cask Of Amontillado† by Edgar Allen Poe and the quote â€Å"God defend me from my friends but, from my enemies I can defend myself†. The two literary devices used are symbol and mood. Symbol makes this quote true in this story. This is true because montresor’s coat of arms which is the snake biting the foot that is crushing it. This represents montresor getting revenge on fortunato for his supposed insult. When they both walked through the catacombs , montresor describes his coat of arms in a descriptive way. The other literary device that is used in this short story is, mood. The mood is very important in the story. It has a lot of terror and fear in the setting which connects to the mood. This mood is created because of the setting which is the cave with the bones, dampness and darkness. This set a mood that is not so inviting. These two stories both concluded the meaning of the quote. They both had friends and enemies and betrayal against one another. The setting in â€Å"The Cask Of Amontillado† defiantly showed how they defended themselves. This is why I agree with this quote.

Buying a House in Today’s Economy Essay

The economy can make or break many decisions and on buying a house is a major one to make sure that the economy is in a good state that buying a house is not the right decision. When it comes to the marginal benefit the economy should be at an increase because purchasing the house is not anything that needs to be done but it is something that one wants to do and if the economy is bad then there is not any money available to make the extra purchase of buying a home at that time. Marginal ost in purchasing a house can affect economy by the simple fact of saving money here and there on some things in order to make sure that that they have money available to buy the house. The selling of the products they might have bought will decrease the economies profits. The removal of tax deduction on the mortgage interest affects the housing market because it will cause people to not be buying houses because some see the tax as a cushion for them to be able to get a house that they may not have had a chance to et based on their income. If they do not have a feeling of safety in purchasing a home they will not take the chance. The ways that government spends money on other things and the taxes make a decision a bit harder because a person Just wants to make sure that buying the house will not result in not having any money to do anything else. If the government ends up spending money on things not needed then there will not be enough money in banks and other finance resources that can help a person purchase a home.

Pfizers Drug

Pfizers Drug What are the different phases that a Drug Company goes through in order to bring a new drug product to market in the U.S. and Europe? In the US and Europe markets, new drugs are released in the market after a number of trials have been done. This is necessary to asses their efficacy and safety. Phase one revolves around experimental medicine where trials are done to asses the drugs tolerability and safety. As much as the drug might be administered, this is usually done under a lot of supervision.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Pfizer’s Drug-Testing Strategy in Nigeria specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Phase two revolves around the effectiveness of the drug in relation to the illness (Pfizer, 2011, p. 8). In this case, the effectiveness of the drug in treating the illness is evaluated. This phase is characterized by collecting a lot of information on the drug to see its safety, risks and side effects. As a matt er of fact, the best way by which the drug can be administered and the right dosage are evaluated. Phase three is done on large populations to gauge the effectiveness of the drug. In this case, a large number of participants are chosen to provide a primary basis for the experimental drug. The next step after phase three is registration with the regulatory authority (Pfizer, 2011, p. 5). For instance, the FDA in US and the EMEA in Europe are responsible for registration. After this has been granted, new medicines can then be sold to patients. A new approval refers to drugs that have been given the green light to be marketed. Phase four revolves around post marketing studies that are occasionally done on a drug after it has been registered. Did Pfizer behave unethically by rushing to take advantage of an epidemic in Nigeria to test experimental drugs on children? Pfizer behaved unethically because the drug had not been approved to be administered on 100 children (BBC, 2001, p. 23). Th e company violated three laws thereby leading to the death of five children. As a matter of fact, children and their parents did not know that they were using an experimental drug. Should it have been less opportunistic and proceeded more carefully? There are all indications to show that the company was somehow opportunistic in its moves. It seems that Pfizer did not follow the right step because all the phases were not undertaken (BBC, 2001, p.14). The company took advantage of this epidemic to test its experimental drug and this should have been done more carefully. Were corners cut with regard to patient consent in the rush to establish a trial? Corners were cut with regard to patient consent because children and their parents did not know that they were using an experimental drug. It can be well proven that patients did not know that they were using an experimental drug because the company could not prove it.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Did doctors keep patients on Trovan too long when they should have switched them to another medication? It is quite obvious that patients were kept too long on Trovan. This is because five deaths were reported yet this could have been avoided (BBC, 2001, p. 9). As a matter of fact, some children developed arthritis yet there were other approved drugs at the field hospital that could have been used. This is well elaborated by the fact that Doctors Without Borders were using an approved drug at that place. Is it ethical to test experimental drugs on children in a crisis setting in the developing world where the overall standard of health care is so much lower than in the developed world and proper protocols might not be followed? It is not ethical at all to test experimental drugs in a crisis setting because better drugs can be used to avert a crisis. The company could have used the right steps in introd ucing a new drug unlike what they did (BBC, 2001, p.17). Later on, the drug was approved to be used by adults in USA yet the company was testing the drug with children. This is very unethical of a large multinational that is supposed to uphold ethical standards in its practices. Reference List BBC. (2001). Nigerians sue Pfizer over test deaths. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1517171.stm Pfizer. (2011). Phases of Development. Retrieved from https://www.pfizer.com/science/clinical-trials/what-are-clinical-trials

How to Use SAT Scores Advice to Admissions and Employers

How to Use SAT Scores Advice to Admissions and Employers SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Standardized test scores have long had an important place in college admissions, as well as for some jobs.Schools and employers want to they accept the most talented people, so they often use SAT scores to judgeintelligence and future success.However, somecommon beliefsabout what SAT scores representare actually false. Read this guide to learn what information SAT scores can and cannot be used to determineand maximize the usefulness of standardized test scores for your school, business, or committee. Who Uses SAT Scores? First of all, who uses SAT scores? Standardized test scores areused by many different people and groups, and I'll discuss three of the most common below. College Admissions Officers Colleges and universities are, by far, the most frequent users of SAT scores.Most schools require applicants to submit standardized test scores as part of their application. SAT scores can be useful to colleges because they give them a standard way to measure intelligence and predict college success.While there are other ways of measuring a student’s academic abilities, such as their GPA and class rank, these can vary widely between schools. A student who gets an â€Å"A† in their high school’s calculus class may only have been awarded a â€Å"C† if they had done the same workat a different school due to grade inflation, class curves, and how hard the teacher grades. Using SAT scores gives colleges a clear and efficient way to evaluate high school students from around the world.As students apply to more schools, this criteria is becoming more important because most colleges receive thousands, if nottens of thousands, of applications each year.SAT scores give colleges a fast and unambiguous way to evaluate each application they receive. Employers It is less common for employers to use SAT scores, but it’s still done, particularly in the fields of consulting, software engineering, and investment banking.Similar to colleges, these companies want an easy and clear way to measure an applicant’s intelligence.SAT scorescan be especially useful for large companies thatreceive a lot of applications, as well as companies hiring recent graduates whodon’t have a lot of work experience. Scholarship Committees One of the SAT’s earliest purposes was actually as a scholarship test for Ivy League schools.Today, many scholarships require applicants to submit standardized test scores.Like colleges and employers, the SAT can give scholarship committees a simple and unambiguous way to measure student aptitude and compare students who may be otherwise similar. Many scholarships help pay for college, and thecommittees who oversee these scholarshipsoften want to award them to students who are most likely to put them to good use and do well in school. SAT scores are a way to predict which applicants have the highest likelihood of being successful. Don't use SAT scores for the reasons listed below. How Shouldn't You Use SAT Scores? First, let's go overwhat you should not be using SAT scores to determine. I've listedfour inaccurate ways to use SAT scores below and explainedwhy each onedoesn’t give wholly accurate information. As a Complete Indicator of Intelligence While the SAT is often used to determine how â€Å"smart† someone is, there are three problems with doing so. The first problem is that the SAT only tests a narrow set of skills and intelligence.The SAT can help estimate how good someone is at reading comprehension, identifying grammatical errors, and solving certain math problems, but in no way can a multiple choice test with an optional essay test all the complexities of intelligence. The SAT cannot measure a student’s creativity, research skills, interpersonal intelligence, ability to easily learn a new language,or many other indicators of intelligence.By testing only certain types of intelligence, the SAT favors students with these types of intelligence while putting students with types of intelligence that are more difficult to test at a disadvantage. The second problem with this way of understanding SAT scores is that test preparation can significantly raise your score.We at PrepScholar know that, through dedicated test prep, a student can significantly improve his or her SAT score.If one student gets a 1500 on the SAT without studying, and another raises his grade from a 1200 to a 1500 after 40 hours of studying, is one smarter than the other? Some may say the first student is smarter, but the decision to prepare for an important test like the SAT is also a measure of intelligence, so the answer is not really clear.Instead of measuring just intelligence, the SAT measures intelligence and motivation, because a student can have one or the other, or both, and do well on the test. The third problemis that outside factors unrelated to intelligence often have a strong impact on SAT performance.Multiple studies have shown that there is a significant gap between the SAT scores of rich and poor students.One recent study found that students from wealthy families score about 400 points higher on the SAT than students low-income families. This result makes some sense because students who come from wealthier backgrounds likely attend schools with more resources, have parents who can afford SAT prep materials and courses, and often receive more pressure from their parents to do well on the SAT.Therefore, using the SAT as a measure of intelligence can discriminate against students from poorer backgrounds, who are also more likely to be minorities. To Find a "Genius" Sometimesschools and employers will admit someone withperfect SAT scores and thinkthat person will be a genius, good at everything, or guaranteed to do well.A person who gets a perfect score on the SAT may, in fact, be very intelligent, but they may also have put a lot of time into preparing, gotten lucky that day, or a combination of the above. Regardless of the reason, a person who gets a perfect score on the SAT won’t necessarily do well in everything else.As mentioned above, the SAT only tests certain types of intelligence, which also means that a person widely considered to be intelligent may not get a perfect score or even do very well on the SAT at all. It also shouldn’t be assumed that people with perfect SAT scores are more intelligent than those who didn’t receive perfect scores, which leads into the next point. To Compare People With Similar Scores The SAT should not be used to compare the intelligence of people who received similar scores, or a difference around150 points or less. A person with a score of 1450 and a person with a score of 1400 likely had only a small difference between the number of questions they answered correctly. The person who received the 1450 shouldn’t be assumed to be smarter than the person who received the 1400. Their differences in score could simply be due to normal variation in SAT results. If they both took the SAT again, it’d be completely possible for the person who got the 1400 to get the higher score that time. A person's SAT scores can vary from test to test, and people can get questions right or wrong by mistake, which doesn’t necessarily reflect their intelligence.When two (or more) people have similar SAT scores, it’s not possible to determine who is more intelligent simply by looking at the slightly higher score because aperson’s score will generally fluctuate somewhat. Even small changes in the number of questions answered correctly can have a large effect on the final composite score. Don't compare applicants with very similar SAT scores. To Determine Specific Areas of Expertise The SAT also cannot, and should not, be used to judge someone’s skill level or knowledge of a specific topic.For example, a personwho got a perfect score on the SAT essay may not know how to write a research paper, and someone who didwell in themath section may not know anything about calculus. If you’re provided with subscores, they may givemore details on how well the applicant did in certain subjects, but this information should still not be used to make assumptions about specific skill setsand knowledge areas. What Should You Use SAT Scores For? So how can SAT scores be used? Three main ways are given below; in general, all involve using SAT scores to make broad inferences that can be further supported with additional information. To Estimate IQ SATs are certainly not a perfect way to measure how smart someone is, but there is a relationship between IQ and SAT score.While IQ only tests a certain type of problem-solving, (specifically the ability to solve problems based on the information you are given), it is still often used as a measure of intelligence. Meredith C. Gray and Douglas K. Detterman, two researchers at Case Western Reserve University, have conducted rigorous studies to better understand the relationship between standardized test scores and intelligence. From their research, they have found that there is a strong correlation between SAT scores and IQ. That means if someone scores well on the SAT then it is more likely, although not guaranteed, that they have a high IQ as well.Many schools and companies want to hire people with a certain level of intelligence in order to ensure they can handle the work, and while there are other types of intelligence that neither the SAT nor IQ exams test for, using SAT scores can be a good way to estimate IQ and intelligence if you have many applicants you don’t know much about. In order to be most accurate, other information, such as GPA and letters of recommendation should be used to support inferences made from SAT scores.A student with a high SAT score, excellent GPA, and a history of leadership in her extracurriculars has done well in high school and seems likely to continue that success.However, a student with a low SAT score should not necessarily be discounted, especially if they are strong in other areas, such as a good GPA and glowing letters of recommendation. That person may have had a bad test day, get nervous during standardized tests, or excel in other areas not tested by the SAT. SAT scores cannot accuratelydetermine how smart every person who takes the exam is, so when reviewing applications, all of a student’s materials should be examined carefully in order to make the most accurate assessment. Personal statements and letters of recommendation can often provide more in-depthinformation on an applicant’s strengths and personality. As an Indicator of Broad Areas of Strength and Weakness As mentioned above, you can'tuse SAT scores to determine if someone is knowledgeable in a very specific subject area, such as Victorian literature or human biology.However, it is sometimes possible to make inferences as towhat broad subject areas the test-taker is stronger and weaker in. Beginning in March 2016, a student's total SAT score will be the sum of the scores of two sections: Math and Evidence-Based Reading Writing.There is also an optional essay.If a person scored much higher in one section than another, it may be possible to determine which areas they are most skilled and comfortable in.For example, someone with a perfect score of 800 for the Math section, but a 600 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing may be stronger in math and science.This is certainly not always true, but it can help support an inference if there is otherrelatedevidence, such as a transcript showing lots of math and science classes and a personal statement describing a passion for chemistry. This can be important information for employers looking to hire people with a certain skill set. For example, an engineering company would likely want their employees to have strong math skills but not care as much about writing skills.Colleges can use this information in a similar way. If a student is applying for a school’s journalism program, admissions officers may be more interested in their reading and writing scores than their math score. SAT scores can indicate a person's strengths. To Help Make Efficient Admissions Decisions Sometimes, particularly if a college, employer, or scholarship committee receives a high number of applicants, they need a way to quickly make acceptance or rejection decisions.SAT scores provide a clear and efficient way to judge an applicant’s academic ability, and as the number of colleges students apply to increases, schools have begun to rely more on standardized testsas an admission factor. Almost every school publishes the range of SAT scores forthe students in its most recent entering class. Half of the class scored within this 25th-75th percentile range.Comparing a student’s SAT scores to the school’s score range can help admissions officers easily identify students far below or above that range and make those admissions decisions easier. For example, if a school’s 25th-75th percentile range is 1300 to 1450, a student who scored a 1160 on the SAT will likely not be offered admission, while a student with a 1550 appears to have an excellent chance of being accepted.However, how a student does in relation to a school’s SAT score range should not be the only criteria for admission. A student with a lower-than-average SAT score may have excellent letters of recommendation and extracurriculars, while a student with a great SAT score may not have much else to recommend her.SAT scores can help make an initial decision easier, but the final admission decision should take other factors into account. Can SAT Scores Predict Future Success? The main reason that most people use SAT scores is because they are attempting to select people they feel will be successful at their school or company and beyond.The line of thinking is that people who score well on the SAT are intelligent or know how to prepare for something well, and they will continue to use those skills in the future.Is this true? The short answer is, â€Å"sometimes.† A high school student who scores well on the SAT will usually have at least a certain degree of intelligence and motivation, but that does not always mean they will do well in college. The student could have spent a lot of time studying for the SAT but then felt like he could coast once he got to college, he could find the heavy workload challenging, he may struggle to adapt to new surroundings, he may not work well in groups, or one of many more potential scenarios. Researchers who have studied this relationship have found that SAT scores only account for 10-20 percent of the variation in their college GPAs freshman year;however, this study did not take into account that schools admit students with a relatively narrow range of SAT scores, which may make the relationship appear weaker than it is.Anotherstudy found that high school GPA is a better indicator of whether a student will succeed in college than SAT score.Thismakes sense because a GPA takes into account the grades from your entire four years in high school, as opposed to the scores of a single test. The relationship between SAT scores and career success is even weaker.There is a correlation between people with higher SAT scores and people who end up working in more competitive fields and have more advanced degrees, but SAT score alone doesn’t always predict success.There are numerous factors required to be successful in most careers that the SAT can’t test for, such as interpersonal skills and work ethic, not to mention the specific skills needed to do certain jobs well. Bottom Line SAT scores should never be used as the sole indicator of someone’s intelligence or probability of success; they don’t measure a wide enough variety of skills or types of intelligence, and they can be influenced by too many outside factors. However, studies have shown a strong correlation between SAT score and IQ, and a person who does well on the SAT is usuallyeither intelligent, hard-working, or a combination of the two, which can make them more successful students and employees. In the end, SAT scores should be used as one part of an application that, along with other materials such as GPA, letters of recommendation, personal statements, and extracurriculars can help determine personal strengths and identify which people have a higher probability of success. What's Next? Want more information about the SAT? We have a complete explanation of the test and the impact it has on schools and students. Wondering what SAT scores measure?Read our guide to learn the relationship between SAT scores, IQ, and income. Looking for more information on SAT scores?Our guide explains how the SAT is scored and what those scores mean. Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Clever Quotes From Great Thinkers

Clever Quotes From Great Thinkers Would you like to sound smart? Do you want to impress your peers with clever words? Here are some clever quotes rescue you when the situation arises. Kiss those thinking caps goodbye because who needs to think on their feet, when they have clever quotes handy? Henry FordWhether you think you can or whether you think you cant, youre right. Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs. George Bernard ShawYou see things; and you say Why? But I dream things that never were; and I say Why not? We learn from experience that men never learn anything from experience. Bertrand RussellMost people would rather die than think; in fact, they do so. Maya AngelouA bird doesnt sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song. Groucho MarxOnly one man in a thousand is a leader of men the other 999 follow women. Albert EinsteinTwo things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and Im not sure about the universe. When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. Thats relativity. Benjamin FranklinWine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy. Harry S. TrumanYou want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. Elbert HubbardEvery man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit. Ralph Waldo EmersonThe years teach much which the days never knew. Johann Wolfgang von GoetheEnjoy when you can, and endure when you must. Toni MorrisonIf you surrender to the wind, you can ride it.

It Is All About You Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

It Is All About You - Essay Example It is much not the same as the United States. My culture is extremely deeply immersed in custom. As a Muslim, I follow a much firmer pattern of guidelines than most of my youths, and, at times, it is a little annoying to see a transparent disrespect for the self that I see on university grounds. Because of my religious background, I am much firmer about what I eat and drink. The biggest influencing issue on who I am today is certainly the emphasis on family. Everything ranging from my preferred career route to my ambition for success is rooted in my devotion to my family. As formerly indicated, my parents have a very traditional, Islamic opinion concerning the universe. Things are pretty clear and direct; this implies that either it is in agreement with the Quran and should be performed unswervingly or it is against the willpower of Allah and should never be done. I have always obeyed my parents and I have never questioned their instructions to me lest they see it as disobedience. However, as I become older, I essentially begin to recognize much more carefully with what they have taught me. I have discovered that their strictness regarding my education has taken ahold of me and developed. I currently hold myself to as great a standard in my education as they do, if not greater. Nevertheless, there are some extents where we vary deeply, however. For instance, I know that some of the films I watch or music I listen to would not be received well by my parents. I consider this to do more with a generational gap than a difference in the culture from Saudi Arabia to the United States. I have never encountered any definite form of preconception from the elders in my family. In fact, the lack of any allusion to an issue is the largest, and perhaps even more profound, form of prejudice. Rather than oppose issue with someone I know they see different and not good, it is like emptiness in the discussion, a plain discrepancy of any

Trademark Dilution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Trademark Dilution - Essay Example Trade Marks Act 1984 section 5 (3) confers right to the owner of the existing trade mark to prevent registration of a rival trade mark that dilutes the distinctness and exclusivity of his existing trade mark. The owner of the original trade mark is entitled under section 10 (3) of the said Act to sue the duplicator for infringement. In fact, section 5 (3) bars a trade mark from being registered if it is identical or similar to an earlier trade mark which has a reputation use of which will give unfair advantage to the new trade mark sought to be registered and/or will erode the distinctive character or reputation of the original trade mark 1. Richard Conroy v Smithkline Beecham PLC 2 involved similar sounding name of a product NIT NURSE, an anti-lice product sought to be registered by the applicant was opposed by Smithkline Beecham PLC on the ground that its long established product of repute namely NIGHT-NURSE, a oral decongestant would suffer from erosion of its uniqueness it had enjoyed all along in the market. Although the name NIT NURSE would not give any unfair advantage , it would be detrimental to Night-Nurse in the â€Å"tarnishment† of a oral medicine of repute by the similar mark meant for treatment for â€Å"blood-sucking insects†. The detrimental effect was recognized as also the diluting effect of NIGHT-NURSE’s distinct character.3 In the United States , Federal Trademark Dilution Act passed in 1995 (subsequently amended in 1999 as Trademarks Amendment Act 1999 (TAA)) sought to protect large companies against the ‘gradual whittling away’ of renowned brands by new entrants4 as an effort to protect big business at the expense of upcoming businesses. This is in addition State laws against dilution and trademark owners are able enjoy the twin protection. While federal law require that dilution has actually occurred,

How to deal with bad employees Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How to deal with bad employees - Essay Example e during the year of 2010 when I had to make sure that one of my subordinates who was highly addicted to cigarette smoking did not smoke within the vicinity of the organization and even around the boundaries of the organization. My higher ups were quite angered about his smoking habits as they believed that he was ruining the image of the company and was promoting others to break the rules of the company by smoking around the boundaries of the company. Due to this I took the task of ensuring that he does not smoke in the restricted areas. At first, I believed that it would be a very simple task. I thought that simply threatening him to punish him would solve the problem in no time (Coon 238). Keeping this opinion in mind, I called him to my office and told him right away that if he does not quit smoking, he will be relieved from his duties. To my surprise, he had no fear of my threat and told me that I can do whatever I wanted to do, but he would not stop smoking in the restricted areas. I was quite dazzled by his response because he had no fear of losing his job. In reality I had no intention to retire him of his duties because he was a very hardworking individual who had been with the company for the past ten years. After receiving his response, I went back to the basics and started my investigation and research. I have always been a fan of McClelland’s theory of need based motivation. The theory states that in order to motivate employees, a manager should help him satisfy one of the three needs of the employees (Saxena 160). These needs include the need for achievement, authority as well as belongingness. I started investigating around and figured out that for the past 2 years he had been waiting for his promotion to the assistant manager level of the marketing department. He was quite angered due to the organizations failure to promote him even when he had given his entire life to the organization. The next day I called him back in my office and told him

Marketing Case Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Marketing Case - Research Paper Example Primary aim of marketing is to understand, attract, communicate, and to maintain relationship with the target audience and hence, marketing is useful for the task where target consumers are important. This paper will attempt to frame a set of plausible marketing strategy for Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) for attracting large of visitors including domestic and foreigners. This is the national museum of Canada to be established by the Canadian Government. Currently, this museum is under construction, and the task for establishment was started from August 10, 2008 after the Parliamentary amendments of Museum Act on March 13, 2008. It is supposed to open from 2012 and will aim to offer the world a platform for engaging in discussions about serious issues like hate, oppression and suppression (Canadian Museum for Human Rights-a, 2010). The marketing activity for CMHR is communicating with the target audience for promoting its value and for understanding of human rights. This wil l help it to meet the commitments of Canadian Government to support â€Å"democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law† (Canadian Museum for Human Rights-b, 2010). SWOT Analysis Strengths The biggest strength of the museum lies in its location based advantages. Canada being one of the developed nations, adds to the popularity of the museum. It also helps in garnering funds as the government has provided full support for the museum. Another major strength of the organization is the unique concept by which the museum has been conceptualized. The noble and unique nature of the museum helps in increasing the awareness of the individual’s on the aspect of human rights (Canadian Museum for Human Rights-a, 2010). The uniqueness of the museum also lies in its innovative, interactive and high technology environment that would enable interactions such as debates with regard to human rights. Any person can submit his/her story about human rights violations and the museum would provide a platform for sharing it across the globe (Krell, 2009, p.50). Weakness Lack of awareness about the concept of the museum amongst the target audience seems to be the most formidable weakness of the museum. This lack of awareness leads to generation of considerable weakness as people may not be aware of the museum. This would hamper the very basic intention of setting up the museum. Opportunities Being located in a developed nation and set up with a noble and unique concept generates large scale opportunity for the museum to draw visitors. The museum also provides opportunity for individuals to highlight their stories about human rights violations to showcase their problems on a global platform. Human rights violations form one of the most burning issues and there have been numerous issues of human rights violations which remain unreported due to lack of a proper platform. The museum with its unique concept would help in generating large scale opportunities that would help in drawing large crowds and make it a success story. Threats There have been certain controversies regarding the site of the project as many claim it as a land that has historical significance and building a structure over it

Internet research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Internet research - Essay Example He has also treated many victims of abuse at the hands of the clergy. He tells us that it appears that 2 to 5% of priest have had sexual experience with minors which mounts up to about 1,000to 3,000 perpetrators(www.psywww.com). Other studies show that it is about the same number of priests that abuse minors as there are in the general population of males (Saradjian & Nobus, 2003.). We also know that 80% to 90% of priests abuse adolescent boys not young children. Therefore it can be assumed that the adolescent is at greatest risk of abuse not young children This means these individuals are not pedophiles. They are ephebophiles. That is not valuable information to the general public but it does change how these individuals would be treated professionally(www.psywww.com) Research also shows that these priests generally start abusing in the first year after they are ordained. This leaves us with 2 facts, a lot of children have been abused in all the years these men have been in the cler gy and it is likely that these individuals could be identified while in the seminary. Richardson (2000) stated that there are definite risk factors that should be looked at when evaluating applicants for the priesthood. They should be asked if they have been sexually abused. They should be observed for poor social skills and low impulse control. Any abuse of drugs and alcohol is a risk factor and any diagnoses of a personality disorder is also of great concern. Taking all this information Richardson (2000) came to two conclusions. Since the offenders were interested in adolescent males, allowing priests to marry would not fix the problem. He found the there was a high percentage of priests that claimed to be homosexual in orientation, however, sexual orientation does not predict illegal sexual abuse of children. There is no research connecting the two. The Catholic Church has been

Marketing Case Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Marketing Case - Research Paper Example Primary aim of marketing is to understand, attract, communicate, and to maintain relationship with the target audience and hence, marketing is useful for the task where target consumers are important. This paper will attempt to frame a set of plausible marketing strategy for Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) for attracting large of visitors including domestic and foreigners. This is the national museum of Canada to be established by the Canadian Government. Currently, this museum is under construction, and the task for establishment was started from August 10, 2008 after the Parliamentary amendments of Museum Act on March 13, 2008. It is supposed to open from 2012 and will aim to offer the world a platform for engaging in discussions about serious issues like hate, oppression and suppression (Canadian Museum for Human Rights-a, 2010). The marketing activity for CMHR is communicating with the target audience for promoting its value and for understanding of human rights. This wil l help it to meet the commitments of Canadian Government to support â€Å"democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law† (Canadian Museum for Human Rights-b, 2010). SWOT Analysis Strengths The biggest strength of the museum lies in its location based advantages. Canada being one of the developed nations, adds to the popularity of the museum. It also helps in garnering funds as the government has provided full support for the museum. Another major strength of the organization is the unique concept by which the museum has been conceptualized. The noble and unique nature of the museum helps in increasing the awareness of the individual’s on the aspect of human rights (Canadian Museum for Human Rights-a, 2010). The uniqueness of the museum also lies in its innovative, interactive and high technology environment that would enable interactions such as debates with regard to human rights. Any person can submit his/her story about human rights violations and the museum would provide a platform for sharing it across the globe (Krell, 2009, p.50). Weakness Lack of awareness about the concept of the museum amongst the target audience seems to be the most formidable weakness of the museum. This lack of awareness leads to generation of considerable weakness as people may not be aware of the museum. This would hamper the very basic intention of setting up the museum. Opportunities Being located in a developed nation and set up with a noble and unique concept generates large scale opportunity for the museum to draw visitors. The museum also provides opportunity for individuals to highlight their stories about human rights violations to showcase their problems on a global platform. Human rights violations form one of the most burning issues and there have been numerous issues of human rights violations which remain unreported due to lack of a proper platform. The museum with its unique concept would help in generating large scale opportunities that would help in drawing large crowds and make it a success story. Threats There have been certain controversies regarding the site of the project as many claim it as a land that has historical significance and building a structure over it

Political Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Political Science - Essay Example According to Tocqueville, the political masses which he called associations had a greater common good because they were not based on self-interest; rather, they were based on the goal of social, economic and even cultural good. These associations were therefore effective to prevent tyranny of the majority because they would put effective checks and balances (Neitzsch, 7). Baldwin conquers with the views of Tocqueville about associations being in a better position to fight against tyranny of the majority. He also argues that when people come together and join hands for the common good of fighting tyranny, the course is better and less selfish compared to only an individual fighting it. According to him, there is strength in numbers (Field, 120). Du Bois on the other hand rejects the notion and idea of tyranny of the majority and instead just wants individuals to focus on equal politics and democracy and forget about the division between the minority and the majority. Du Bois was an activist for the black movement and his main aim was to bring about equality between the races. This ideology was what he based his notion of tyranny on and hence the advocacy of equality (Gooding-Williams,

Evolution of Orangutans Essay Example for Free

Evolution of Orangutans Essay Orangutans are apes with reddish-brown hair that originated 2 million-100,000 years ago. Orangutans are categorized the Hominidae family, which is commonly known as the Great Apes. Orangutans live in Asia, only found on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. They are known for their long arms which can reach to a length of 7m, fingertip to fingertip (See Appendix A, Fig. 1). There is no real evidence of who the orangutan’s ancestors were. The primate lineage was thought to start 65 million years ago; this began as the Euarchonta which lead to the primates present today(See Appendix A, Fig. ). Primates were divided into two groups called Strepsirrhines, which included lemurs and lories, and Haplorhines, which included tarsiers, monkeys, and apes. After 35 million years, the Haplorhines split into another two groups called Platyrrhini, which included the New World monkeys of South and Central America, and the Catharinni, the Old World monkeys of Africa and Asia, and apes. About 10-15 million years after that, the group split into two superfamillies called Cercopithecoidea which includes Old World monkeys, and Hominoidea, which includes apes. Some researchers say that the orangutan originated from Lufengpithecus, while others say that they originated from Sivapithecus. Lufengpithecus has four species; Lufengpithecus lufengensis, Lufengpithecus hudienensis, Lufengpithecus keiyuanensis and Lufengpithecus chiangmuanensis. Lufengpithecus lufengenis fossil was found in lignite beds at the Shihuiba Locality in Lufeng County, Yunnan, China. It was thought to represent Sivapithecus because of the similarities between the species. The Lufengpithecus chiangmuanensis fossil, that dates back 10-13. million years ago, was discovered not long ago in Thailand. Researchers think that the Lufengpithecus chiangmuanensis is the closest to the orangutan because of the shape of its jaw, and because it was found in Thailand near where the orangutans live today. But there is no true evidence that the Lufengpithecus is the ancestor of the orangutan by just looking at their face structure and where it was found (See Appendix A, Fig. 3). Sivapithecus lived in the woodlands of Central Asia 8-12. million years ago. It was about 5 feet long, weighing about 50-75 pounds. It had feet like a chimpanzee and it had a diet of plants with large canines. The large canines were used to eat tough tubers and stems rather than fruits. This species was when early primates came down from trees and started to explore the grasslands. Other than it’s chimpanzee like feet, its face resembled an orangutan (See Appendix A, Fig. 4). Sivapithecus mainly lived on the ground because of the size of their body. One of the things that a Sivapithecus could do is walk standing upright like a human. Standing upright for a Sivapithecus wasnt so easy as they didnt always have balance when using their hind limbs so they used their forearms to help. Walking vertically helped the Sivapithecus by walking on the ground rather than climbing trees, so they didnt need to use the trees to move around.. Walking on the ground might not have been an option because there were some areas that didnt have a lot of vegetation. As the continents were drifting apart, there was a decrease in vegetation. This was an environmental pressure for the Sivapithecus because it made them rely on their hind limbs to move around the area. Sivapithecus was so flexible that it made it easier to swing and climb trees. The extension and stable joints in their body gave them a huge advantage and helped them in the ability of hanging and swinging around in trees. There isn’t a lot of information about the ancestors of the orangutan and how it evolved because there isn’t enough evidence. Some researchers say the Lufengpithecus is the ancestor and some say the Sivapithecus is, but no one is absolutely sure if either of those two species are the actual ancestors of the orangutan. Just like the species Lufengpithecus chiangmuanensis, which was discovered about 8 or 9 years ago, there may be a species not yet discovered and it might be the orangutan’s ancestor. From what researchers found, they don’t fully know how the orangutan evolved.

Is Television Viewing Harmful for Children

Is Television Viewing Harmful for Children Television is one of the greatest inventions of all time. Through television we have witnessed history in real time. The technology of television has broadened our horizons by bringing faraway places into our homes, revealing the diversity of science and nature, and exposing us to sights and sounds that we can only dream about. Television has the power to inform, inspire, and unite. As adults, we are aware of the mesmerizing effects of television. Television has become a staple in our lives. In fact, most of us have televisions in every room of our house. The average family has the television on for 6.2 hour s each day. As adults, television can influence what we buy, where we go, and what we eat. With the television having such an impact on our lives, it is bound to have an effect on our childrens lives. Todays children are exposed to violence, sex, and drugs through television. How much does television influence children? We are able to make informed decisions and understand the ra mifications of our actions, but children are not. So, is television viewing harmful for children? This has been the question and debate for parents since the television was first introduced in the 1940s. To make an informed decision, it is important for us to understand the positive and negative effects of television viewing for children. With the recent explosion in satellite and digital TV, we now have access to a plethora of both good and bad quality content. Parents should seek out good quality TV and whenever possible, enjoy them together as a family. Some studies indicate that television viewing properly used in moderation can stimulate a childs education and creativity. Television today offers children a wide variety of wonder, amusement, and education. The mysteries of the deep sea, the wonders of outer space and the animal varieties in the natural world can delight children and stimulate their imagination without exposing them to any danger. Kids may be entertained for hours with programs that engage their sense of seeing and hearing. Parents are able to go about their daily routines at home, knowing that their children are safe and occupied in one location. Programs designed to teach children such as Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer Page 2 expose Children to vocabulary, math, science, history, art and diversity before they go to school. Because of its ability to create powerful touchstones, TV enables young people to share cultural experiences with others. T.V. can teach children important values and life lessons. News, events, and historical programming can help make young people more aware of other cultures and people. Television viewing is also beneficial for the family. Shared viewing gives family members of all ages an opportunity to spend time together. Despite its advantages, too much television can be detrimental. Children under 6, including two-thirds of infants and toddlers, watch an average of 2 hours a day. Kids and teens 8 to 18 years spend nearly 4 hours a day in front of a TV screen, and almost 2 additional hours on the computer and playing video games. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids under 2 years old not watch any television and that those older than 2 watch no more than 1 to 2 hours per day. The first 2 years of life are considered a critical time for brain development. TV and other electronic media can get in the way of exploring, playing, and interacting with parents and others, which encourages learning and healthy physical and social development. As kids get older, too much screen time can interfere with activities such as being physically active, reading, doing homework, playing with friends, and spending time with family. Children who consistently spend more than 4 hours per day watching tel evision are more likely to be overweight. Health experts have long linked excessive TV watching to obesity. While watching TV, kids are inactive and tend to snack. Theyre also bombarded with ads that encourage them to eat unhealthy foods. The problem isnt just how long children are watching TV but, what they are watching. The average American child will witness 200,000 violent acts on television by age 18. Kids may become desensitized to violence and more aggressive. TV violence is often perpetuated by the good guys as fun and an effective way to get what they want. Young kids are particularly frightened by scary and violent images. Behavior problems, nightmares, and difficulty sleeping may be a consequence of exposure to media violence. TV is full of programs and commercials that depict risky behaviors ,such as sex and substance abuse,risky and fun. For example, studies have shown that teens who watch lots of sexual content on TV are more likely to initiate intercourse or participa te in other sexual activities earlier than peers who dont watch sexually explicit shows. A recent study by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth found that youth exposure to alcohol ads on TV increased by 30% from 2001-2006. As mentioned earlier, parents should search for high quality TV programs for their kids. How do you choose good TV? David Kleeman, Director of the American Center for Children and media, says ask yourself the following questions: Does this program actively engage my child, physically or intellectually? Page 3 Television viewing doesnt have to be passive. It can prompt questions, kindle curiosity, or teach activities to pursue when the set if off. Do I respect this program? Parents dont have to like every show their children like. But parents should trust that a programs creator understand and respect how children grow and learn. Does my child see others like himself or herself on television? Young children believe that television reflects the real world. To not see people like themselves may diminish their self-worth. How do the makers of this program regard my child? Some program creators see young people as consumers to be sold to. Others see them as students to be educated, as future citizens to be engaged in the community, or simply as children. whose work is play. Parents should monitor the childs television viewing. They should limit the amount of time that the child watches TV. To avoid the negative aspects of television and commercials, parents can record shows without the commericals or buy childrens videos or DVDS. Is Television Viewing Harmful for Children? In my opinion, no. What could be harmful for children is what they watch and for how long. Childrens advocates are divided when it comes to solutions. Although many urge for more hours per week of educational programming, others assert that no TV is the best solution. Some say its better for parents to control the use of TV and to teach kids that its for occasional entertainment, not for constant escapism. Many parents and teachers have different views and this debate will carry on for centuries to come. There is powerful research and opinions on both sides of the debate. Ultimately the decision is up to the parent. Armed with information and knowledge the parent can make the correct decision for them, their children and their family. As a teacher, I can share with the parents my knowledge of TV viewing and its effects, both positive and negative. In the classroom, I can encourage play, reading, and social interaction. I can introduce child ren to our world through play, field trips, and books. I can provide the children with healthy snacks and encourage them to make healthy decisions regarding food, exercise, and television viewing. I can provide parents with information and resources that is offered by the school and the community. Children are influenced by those around them. They emulate what they see. As teachers and parents, we should be good role-models. How can we expect children to not smoke, drink, act violent ,eat poorly, or watch too much television if we are doing those things? Television cannot be blamed for problems with children. It is ultimately up to the parents to monitor their child, communicate with their child and instill in their child values and beliefs that help them make good decisions in their life.

The Life of a Slave :: essays research papers

My name is Shaniqua and I am a sixteen-year-old girl from Mali, Africa. Everyone was nice back in my village. I lived at home with my mother, father, and my younger brother, Jamal. Life back home was great. I would help my mother around the house and take care of my little brother Jamal. Jamal and I would help mama clean and cook. I would also help my mother make clothes to sell at the market. On certain days I would go to the market to sell the clothes my mother and I made. My mother and I would take turns going to the market. Sometimes in the summer I would go to the river with my best friend. I’m the type of person that would help someone if they were in trouble. I always treated people fair. I was very happy at home. The village that I lived in was always busy; people always had something to do. There was never a dull moment in my village. We all got along in the village. It was a nice summer day so my friend and I decided to take a walk to the river and cool off. As we approached the river some strange looking men popped out from behind the bushes and grabbed us. I had never seen someone like that before; they were pale and white. They had yellow hair and blue eyes. The men shackled us to one another and forced us to walk to where there were many other Africans in a cage. I was crying and screaming but they didn’t care. I tried to get away and they hit me with a whip so hard across my back that it bled. I had no chouse but to follow them to the coast. As I was walking I saw people from my village being whipped and beaten. They were getting whipped so bad chunks of their skin were falling on the floor. There was blood gushing from their open flesh. People are screaming for help but there’s no one to help them. Some man that was shackled tried to escape, he failed. The white men killed him. As we got to the coast there were huge wooden boats waiting for us. They shoved us into the boat, then they through us into some place below decks. We are so close together we can hardly move. I see people getting thrown off the ship left and right.

Human Trafficking Essay

Human Trafficking is a crime that’s been rapidly rising and becoming a major issue all over the world. Human trafficking is the trade in humans, most commonly for the purpose of sexual slavery, forced labor or for the extraction of organs or tissues, including surrogacy and ova removal. Human trafficking happens in many different forms. These forms of human trafficking mostly affect women and children. There are many forms of human trafficking. One of the many forms of human trafficking is sexual exploitation. Sexual exploitation is the taking advantage of their sexuality and attractiveness of a person to make a personal gain or profit. Sexual exploitation has been going on for many years. Most women and children are trafficked for sexual exploitation. Poverty, gender-based discrimination and a history of sexual and physical violence are all factors that can make women and children vulnerable to traffickers. In most cases women and children are abducted and sold, some are deceived into consenting by the promise of a better life or a better job, and some feel that entrusting themselves to traffickers is the only economically viable option. These individuals held and exploited in slavery-like conditions once they are trapped. Most of these women and children trafficked for sexual exploitation suffer extreme violations of their human rights, including the right to liberty, the right to dignity and security of person, the right not to be held in slavery or involuntary servitude, the right to be free from cruel and inhumane treatment, the right to be free from violence, and the right to health. Human trafficking is a high-profit and low-risk endeavor for the traffickers. Traffickers have many tactics to prevent victims from escaping such as physical restraint in the form of locks and guards, physical or psychological violence, drugging or by instilling a fear of the police. The trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation has a negative impact on the health and wellbeing of victims, which could be long term and ultimately life-threatening. Forced labour is another form of human trafficking. Forced labour is any work or services which people are forced to do against their will under the threat of some form punishment. Forced labour is a global problem. The regional distribution of forced labour is: Asia and Pacific: 11. 7 million (56%), Africa: 3. 7 million (18%), Latin America and the Caribbean: 1. 8 million (9%), The Developed Economies (US, Canada, Australia, European Union, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Japan): 1. 5 million (7%) and the Middle East: 600,000 (3%). With increased possibilities for travelling and telecommunications, and with a growing demand for cheap labour in the developed world on the one hand, and increasingly restrictive visa regulations on the other, possible channels for legal labour migration have diminished. Private recruitment agencies, intermediaries and employers may take advantage of this situation and lure potential migrants into exploitative employment. The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that there are at least 20. million people in forced labour worldwide. The figure means that, at any given point in time, around three out of every 1,000 persons worldwide are suffering in forced labour. Adults are more affected than children 74% (15. 4 million) of victims fall in the age group of 18 years and above, whereas children are 26% of the total (or 5. 5 million child victims). The state military is responsible for 10% of forced labour which mostly takes place in Burma, North Korea and China. Organ trade is another form of trafficking that’s has become an issue in other countries. Organ trade is the trade involving inner organs (heart, liver, kidneys, etc. ) of a human for transplantation. Trafficking in organs is a crime that occurs in three broad categories. Firstly, there are cases where traffickers force or deceive the victims into giving up an organ. Secondly, there are cases where victims formally or informally agree to sell an organ and are cheated because they are not paid for the organ or are paid less than the promised price. Thirdly, vulnerable persons are treated for an ailment, which may or may not exist and thereupon organs are removed without the victim’s knowledge. The vulnerable categories of persons include migrants, especially migrant workers, homeless persons, illiterate persons, etc. It is known that trafficking for organ trade could occur with persons of any age. Organs which are commonly traded are kidneys, liver and the like; any organ which can be removed and used, could be the subject of such illegal trade. Trafficking in organ trade is an organized crime, involving a host of offenders. The recruiter who identifies the vulnerable person, the transporter, the staff of the hospital/clinic and other medical centers, the medical professionals, the middlemen and contractors, the buyers, the banks where organs are stored are all involved in the racket. It is a fact that the entire racket is rarely exposed and therefore, the dimensions are yet to be appropriately fathomed. In conclusion, human trafficking is a global issue that has been going on for thousands of years. Governments all around the world should take control of these issues and try to better protect the women and children affected by human trafficking.

Consider the ways in which Margaret Atwood Essay

   â€Å"I used to dress like that. That was freedom† / I’m looking down, at the sidewalk, mesmerised by the woman’s feet† This however is countered by â€Å"We are fascinated, but also repelled. They seem undressed. It has taken so little time to change our minds, about things like this† This clear distinction between how she’s expected to feel and how she actually feels becomes distorted as we are unable to define where one starts and the ends. This however is not the first time and this help gain interest into Offred, as one wonders how much she’s begging to believe what she’s being told. This is one of the defining aspects of the novel during the opening chapters as Offred’s characters is never directly revealed to the reader as she sways between survival and ambition. As each chapter unfolds we are offered more into the feelings of Offred into the society of Gilead however it is often difficult to determine what comes from herself and what is simply repeated from the Aunts. The Japanese also act as a way for Atwood to ask of Offred what the reader clearly wants to ask; â€Å"Are you happy†. To this Offred eventually answers â€Å"Yes, we are very happy† however by the text surrounding her answer it is clear to the reader how she really feels. This novel is at heart an exploration of individuality and the need in human nature to express one’s own personality through freedom of thought and speech. In order to complete this at an effective level Atwood has had to create Gilead, a society with a complete blindness to the needs of its individuals, for reasons that become apparent as the novel continues. The severity of Gilead’s members’ loss of control over their own lives is highlighted by Atwood on many occasions during the first 5 sections. â€Å"She wanted me to feel as that I could not come in the house unless she said so. There is much push and shove over such toehold these days. † This quote appears shortly after Offred offers a description of the Commander’s wife in her past, as a television celebrity. â€Å"she could smile and cry at the same time, one tear or two sliding gracefully down her cheek, as if on cue†. The stark contrast between the later quote and the action of Serena Joy once under the control of Gilead offers insight into how the society has affected the lives of everybody, not only the handmaid, as everyone makes a desperate grab for some form of power. Atwood chooses not to give the handmaid a name during the first 5 chapters and this helps distance her from the reader and re-iterate her lack of individuality. This creates interest as the reader questions firstly whether she has a name and secondly what her motives are for not telling us, is she ashamed, afraid? We know from her time at the red centre that names were very precious to them, maybe they’re considered unnecessary for a woman of her position. This adds further mystery to her tale and encourages the reader to continue so that they can understand more into the society. The extremety of Atwood’s fictional society takes the novel into an area often described as Sci-fi, here though, we are shown Atwood’s most important trait; the incredible personalised style of writing associated with her novels. This, alone, is what separates â€Å"The handmaid’s tale† from other books of a similar concept, as by using a first person perspective Atwood is able to explore rather then describe Gilead and therefore the society appears more definite and believable, all of which helps the novel become more interesting during the opening 5 sections. Many details into the society are left undescribed, we know of an existing war through the talk of the frontline, ration books and the loss of Central America to the â€Å"Libertheos†, however Offred never offers more than this. It appears as though this is because Offred expects to know a certain amount into the society of Gilead already, as though we are expected to read this book in the aftermath of the society. A secret diary almost The readers interest is maintained throughout the opening 5 chapters by masking the character of Offred, Giving hints towards a possible escape or ending in another manner and by slowly introducing an unusual society which has clearly developed in America from the present existing population. Offred’s character is masked by; Not introducing the reader to her by name, quoting the opinions of others in order to create confusion as to what she truly believes, contrasting her past actions and beliefs with those actions in which she participates in the present and that which she feels now. The hints into escape, of some form, are offered in two main forms; Through her understanding of the actions of others in order to end their own life and her seeming acceptance of the reasoning behind it and her continued rebellious nature in always looking for a way to break and bend rules. The society unfolds in front of the reader in a mixture of normality and genuine discontentment, prompting the question How, When and Why? All this ensures one’s desire to discover more into the life of Offred, the society she lives in and her intentions for the future. Tom Smith 2002 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Margaret Atwood section.

Apple Retail Team

Dear William, Hope everything is going well with you. Based on what we have talked through the phone last time, I would like to say some more to let you know better of me. Please  tell  us  about  why  you  would  like  to  join  the  Apple  Retail  team  and  which  position  you  feel  is  best  suited  for  you? Please  see  http://www. apple. com/jobs/cn/retail. html  for  a  competition  description. I would like to join Apple Retail team because I like the design and concept of Apple. As a customer using Apple’s products for so many years, I really enjoy the convenience and fun that Apple brings to me.Also, I’m a person good at communicating with others. If I working as a part of Apple, I can introduce to more people about how awesome Apple products are through my own experience. For myself, I will feel happier than ever to work for a company that I always love. After reading all the job descriptions I feel like Specialist suited me the best. -Please explain your experience/skills that you can bring to this position right now. Within my knowledge, a Specialist should have a very good communication skill and enjoy building a good relationship with customers.As an intern in HP, I have leanrt a lot about how to work with people since my job is doing customer service. I love to listen to what customers really need and know how to satisfy them. Also I am very familiar with Apple’s software which will help me fit into the job quicker. I have started teaching my friends how to use their macbooksas well as fixing some small problems for them since i was in high school. In addition, for a student just about to graduate from university, I feel full of passion and energy to work. -Please list any prior retail experience you have, what companies and positions?In fact, i have worked as a volunteer for Apple before in 2009. That was the summer when i graduated from high school and waiting to go to university. I was an Administrative Assistant in Sales Department of Dalian Apple Store. What i do was mainly introduce and sell Apple products to customers and set up a good relationship with them. -Have you applied to work @ Apple before? What was the result? No, this is my first time apply to work for Apple. Please return this to us so that you can be considered for current and future openings that we have. You can use English if you like, but both English and Chinese are fine.Also please send more details to me: – Your hobby Another important thing to me besides Apple is music. Thus, my hobby is to make music whenever I’m free. I was a Technical Director of the school broadcasting station while I was in high school and university. I also opened a music station in my blog to share and exchange music with other people. –  Your favorite life style photo – The Apple product you have used I have used most of the Apple products. For example, use ti me capsule to give wireless at home and store most of my documents and important stuff.Besides that, i have used airport express as well. In additon, I also have used iPod shuffle, nano, classic and ipad II. As for laptop, I have used MacBook Pro and Macbook Air. Furthermore, i used to own an iphone 3G as well. – Your English name My English name is Jockey. – Your English capability (Fluent /  Advanced / Workable / Basic)   I think my English is at the Advanced level right now. I can easily chat with others in English in daily life and I’m still improving myself by reading English news every single day. – Your simple format / update resume†¦.

Wealth management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Wealth management - Essay Example There is no standard definition for wealth management that will be generally accepted, though according to Maude â€Å"a basic definition for wealth management would be financial services provided to wealthy clients, mainly individuals and their families† (Maude, 2006). â€Å"a type of financial service that combines personal investments, tax planning strategies, estate planning and legal counsel. It is designed to provide a broad array of services within the confines of one office† Detailing the key elements that differentiate their services from other forms of retail financial institutions, wealth managers draw attention to the exclusiveness of their client relationships, which are extensive in that they cover all aspects of a client’s financial life, and with great respect to the adviser’s devoted knowledge of a client’s priorities and values. Likewise, this breadth and depth of the manager-client relationship allows the wealth manager to form and apply specially designed solutions that meet all key elements of a client’s financial welfare. The following three criteria distinguish a firm as a wealth manager: - The relationship between wealth managers and their clients, in regard to both terms of breadth (such as â€Å"holistic†, â€Å"comprehensive†, and â€Å"all-inclusive†) and depth (â€Å"intimate† and â€Å"individualised†). Since wealth management has scored the fastest growing in late 1990, all of the financial services industry sector and even through the recession after that wealth management still attracts investors. In term of the population growth the number of millionaires till 2006 the number increased which is more than 7% a year referring to the devolved in the economy in Europe and North America. â€Å"Given that financial markets and economic growth in 2008 has been far worse so far than 2007, I expect flat growth or a contraction in the millionaire population in 2008.

Evaluate the different testing processes Assignment

Evaluate the different testing processes - Assignment Example In addition, the vendor offers a solution called ‘SAP Business by Design’ that caters for organizations that do not have Information Technology (IT) resources (Shelly & Rosenblatt, 2011). On the other hand, SAP is effective software that addresses strategic business needs that are capable of propelling an organization into the next level. For instance, the website offers SAP HANA Services that offer planning, innovation, and implementation of business strategic plans. The company has introduced E-book that offers organizations with best ERP strategies. Moreover, SAP offer advanced technologies such as analytics, cloud technology, in-memory computing and e-mobile services that are fast and cost efficient (Services & Support for SAP Business Management Software, 2013). Oracle Oracle ERP cloud services form an integrated back office solutions that keep organizations competitive. Organizations that employ Oracle enjoy an efficient, collaborative, and effective ERP Cloud Serv ices. Oracle offers three main services. Firstly, it provides a global enterprise solution in all organizational departments. Global enterprise solutions from Oracle include project management, procurement, and full-featured financial accounting. Moreover, the Oracle ERP Cloud Services are compatible to most ERP strategies and provides standardized global business processes. These services offer consistency across all locations globally. Secondly, Oracle not only accesses information about a company but also takes the needed action in implementing solutions geared towards improving the IT services of a company. Oracle solutions offer businesses informed and data-driven strategies. Finally, Oracle addresses people’s activities in a company in all views and provides the output of each person. Oracle is the only ERP service that provides advanced cloud services providing the most current advanced strategies that any entrepreneur can trust (Oracle ERP Cloud Service, 2013). Review at least two other vendors that offer ERP solutions Apart from SAP and Oracle, there are other vendors offering ERP services. These are Infor and Microsoft dynamics. Infor Infor ERP solution creates a functional and flexible strategy helps industries adapt new manufacturing trends and changes in technology. Info provides a better option for an entrepreneur with a desire to expand business operations globally. In addition, this vendor offers reliable and less costly IT costs to improve business strategies in order for an investor to get a return on investment. Infor software has also penetrated the ERP product portfolio by creating a consistence and effective relationship between industries’ functionality and integration of modern IT services. Infor offers annual maintenance practices through cloud ERP systems. In general, Infor assists an organization in implementing ERP strategies through responding to changes, expanding businesses as they grow, minimizing IT costs and risk s, optimization of a company’s operations and resources, and improving the company bottom line. With the current challenging business environments, Infor has devised means of sustaining an organization for effective process improvements (Ponis, Tatsiopoulos, Tsitsiriggos & Christou, 2007). Microsoft Dynamics Microsoft Dynamic is an ERP solution based software that creates designs for modern businesses through empowering individuals to act at their

EVALUATION nad WEBSITE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

EVALUATION nad WEBSITE - Essay Example It is essential to define business objectives, usability goals and intended context of use well in advance. In this context business objectives of a site include answers to crucial questions such as such, what are the main purposes of the website, who are the websites target audience, success factors, evaluation criteria and budget. The websites contexts of use include information such as important user groups, frequency of visits, user's past experience and expertise, socio-cultural issues, user's needs and client side technical information. Once this Meta information is collected and analyzed a website design should proceed. Effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction are the three units in which usability can be measured. We know that many users visit the travel agency websites since travelers have increased and also the traveling rate has increased during the past few decades. Many people look to travel agents for traveling, booking tickets, searching for vacation plans, and many other such deals. The website should provide a proper user interface to the people so that they do not face any problem in operating the website if they want to. Many people prefer booking tickets online rather than to go to the travel agent and getting it booked. Therefore, many people will browse the websites of the travel agencies before confirming on one particular travel agency. Therefore, the user-interface of the website should be such that it would try to attract more customers. The better the interface, the more loyal the customers become and more the increase in the number of customers for that travel agency. The three basic components of web usability are: Effectiveness: It can be measured by determining if the website users can actually accomplish their requirements at hand. Requirements at this context can range from a simple task such as finding information to complex and sensitive activities such as purchasing a product. Efficiency: Efficiency looks at the resources expended in order to achieve the task. Although resources can be seen in multiple perspectives, the most critical resource is time. Satisfaction: The essential feature of impressing the customers involves the amount of satisfaction a particular website can provide to the users. The overall experience that involves the color contrast, dynamic features, availability of appropriate information, accuracy of search play crucial role in the satisfaction rate of users. All these features have to be addressed while designing a website and these issues were considered while building the travel agency website. The customer generally searches for flights to his or her desired destination. Therefore, the provision for searching for flights has to be present right on the first page of the website (i.e. the Home Page of the website). Once the data is fed and the search button clicked, the list of flights has to be shown to the customer and the customer can then select which flight he want his ticket to be booked in. Also, once he visits the website and he likes the website, he would like to become a member of the travel agency. Also, he would like to have a personal storage place where all his information related to his travel will be saved. Such personal place has to be provided which can be accessed through his login name and

Biology introduction assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Biology introduction assignment - Research Paper Example These species are found in Ontario, Canada. Under the Species at Risk Legislation of Ontario, the Northern map and the Snapping turtles are species of Special Concern while the Blanding’s and the Musk turtles are threatened. The greatest risk for these species is being run over on roads and highways. Typically, turtles look for loose, sandy soils to lay their eggs in. But because exposed soil may be difficult to find in natural habitats, turtles are attracted to the artificially-created potential nesting sites such as shoulders of roads, railroad embankments, gravel drives and earthen dams. While they get to and from such locations, the turtles become vulnerable to both vehicular traffic and predators. Genomes evolve as a result of continuous accumulation of mutations. This means that the amount of variation in nucleotide sequences in genomes indicates how recently those genomes have shared a common ancestor. If two genomes have diverged recently in the past, it is expected that they would have much fewer differences in their nucleotide sequences than two genomes whose mutual ancestor is more ancient (Tanaka & Aranishi 2013). Thus, by comparing several genomes, it is possible to figure out their evolutionary relationships. In most of the studies that use molecular markers, the predominant classes are mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite nuclear DNA. Mitochondrial DNA has an important advantage in all phylogenetic research because it is inherited from the maternal line (Chung 2013). This fact facilitates the monitoring of its transmission along the different phases, starting in the early evolution. Another advantage is that Mitochondrial DNA has a high level of variability and a hi gh rate of mutation, compared with the nuclear DNA ( Rubinoff and Holland 2005), in spite of the fact that it does not encode the information for the synthesis of many proteins. This fact makes it ideal for the

A brief critical analysis of Asymmetric reactions to work group sex Article

A brief critical analysis of Asymmetric reactions to work group sex diversity among men and women, by Chatman & OReilly (2004), Academy of Management Journal, Vol.47, No.2, 193 208 - Article Example male dominated work environment, while women were more likely to be democratic toward men when the work group was female dominated (Konrad, Winter, and Gutek, 1992). The authors note that previous studies have relied on information that was gathered in environments where there were very few instances of female presence (p. 194). The issue of female underrepresentation in the work groups has also been a concern for feminists and researchers for a number of years (Syed and Murray, 2008) (Francoeur et al. 2008). The authors extend this hypothesis to include environments that are male dominated, female dominated, exclusively male or female, and a balanced number of men and women. By adding these other factors the study has not only separated itself from previous research, but enabled the examination of the issue of group sex diversity from various angles while avoiding a focus on similarity-attraction predictions. Chatman and O’Reilly put forth a study using deductive reasoning and a set of hypotheses that examine the relationship of men and women to the gender proportion of their work groups. The authors begin the study by examining general observations about gender in the work groups and go on to narrow their observations and previous research into a set of hypotheses. The first, hypothesis 1, is concerned with male and female preference for inclusion in higher status work groups and secondly, hypothesis 2a proposes that men and women in groups that are dominated by their own gender will be more committed to the organization. In addition those in groups that are dominated by their own gender will express a higher positive affect as proposed in hypothesis 2b. Lastly hypothesis 2c suggests that those in groups where their own gender is dominate will believe those groups are more cooperating than groups dominated by the opposite sex (p. 196). The authors conducted a quantitative study examining 189 professionals of both genders who were surveyed about their beliefs

Working as a registered nurse Essay Example for Free

Working as a registered nurse Essay I have been working as a registered nurse in Tacoma, WA since 2011 and I have chosen to assess the community health of Pierce County. Tacoma is the county seat of Pierce County and the largest city in the county and third largest city in the state (US Census Bureau, 2014). Pierce County is located south of Seattle and is comprised of 1,679 sq. miles, many of which front the Puget Sound. Northern areas of the county are comprised of islands and peninsulas only accessible by bridges or boats. It also contains one of the nation’s national parks and the state’s tallest peak, Mount Rainier. The Park’s boundaries largely define the eastern border of the County and the White and Nisqually Rivers make up the North and South boundaries respectively. (Snob Hollow Designs, 2014) Population Economic Status Assessment Nearly 820,000 people call Pierce County home. It boasts a high population density with 481 people per sq. mile. Urban areas comprise 93 percent of the county. (City-Data, 2014) The median household income in 2013 was estimated to be close to $60,000 and 12 percent of residents are living below the poverty level. (US Census Bureau, 2014) Blacks and African Americans make up the majority of low-income people despite the fact that they comprise only 7 percent of the County population. The majority of residents (76.5 percent) are white, 10 percent are non-black Hispanics and 6 percent are Asians. The median resident age is 35 years and 12 percent of residents are 65 years or older. (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 2014). More than a third of Pierce County children are eligible for free lunch benefits and 8.9 percent of residents are unemployed. As many as 16 percent of residents are uninsured despite a per capita personal health expenditure of $8,160 annually. Ten percent of those uninsured are children. What’s more, close to 6 percent of residents make less that $10,000/year. It’s estimated that 15 percent of residents are not able to see a health care provider when they need to because they can’t afford it. When they can afford to, primary  care providers (PCP) are in short supply and overworked. There are an estimated 1500 patients for every PCP in Pierce County. (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 2014)Medicare is the primary payer of health care expenditures for 10 percent of County residents. (City-Data, 2014) Pierce County has some of the highest rates of obesity in the nation with a 31 percent obesity rate. This is despite the fact that nearly 80 percent of residents reported exercising in the previous month. (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 2014)The County has numerous parks, hiking trails, walking paths and enjoys a temperate climate with little snow accumulation and mild summer temperatures. Poor nutrition is likely a key contributor with 16 percent of residents classified as food insecure. The County has the lowest access to healthy foods with 8 percent of people living in urban areas where the nearest grocery store is more than a mile from their home. Access to convenience stores is slightly better. (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 2014). Neighborhood and Community Safety Any Pierce County resident can testify to smelling the â€Å"Aroma of Tacoma† on a regular basis. At various parts of the day, a pungent smell not unlike that of rotten eggs fills the air. The source of the stench is attributed to industries located at the Port of Tacoma, the forest industry, car exhaust, or the tidal changes on the Puget Sound. The extent of air pollution in the area is large. More than three quarters of county residents drive alone to work every day. Just 3 percent take public transportation. The County ranks 16th in counties reporting high carbon monoxide one hour concentration. It is among the dirtiest 10 percent of US counties for its release of water and carcinogens. Chief among these deadly chemicals is methanol and hydrochloric acid. (City-Data, 2014) (Good Guide, 2011) There are four Superfund Sites in the County that continue to cause contamination of drinking water. One of these sites is Commencement Bay, the hub of the Port of Tacoma, one of the world’s busiest ports. The biggest polluter in the area is the Simpson Tacoma Kraft Company, a forest product  company that prides itself on using â€Å"every part of the tree except its shadow.† (Simpson, 2014) Another well-known polluter and also a major area employer is the US Military. Superfund Sites exist at both McChord AFB and the US Army Fort Lewis Range. (Good Guide, 2011) Cultural Assessment For a personal perspective of life inside Pierce County I consulted with a colleague who works as a lactation consultant. She is a 50-year-old college-educated white female who also works as an instructor in a local vocational college. She reports that her cohort’s attitude toward aging is not altogether positive. She is beginning to feel the gradual decline in her body functions and says that she and others like her find it frustrating that their bodies don’t work as well as they did in their youth. That attitude of reluctance tends to affect how readily her peers seek assistance, especially if it means accepting the realities of aging. Some of the physical health problems common in her cohort involve vision, sleep apnea, joint pain, and decreased stamina. She states that individuals in her cohort tend to be individualistic and prefer their yards, both physically and metaphorically, to be fenced. This perspective crosses over to how children are parented with a high value placed on raising adults that are independent and self-sufficient. Her children have either graduated from college or are currently attending university. She considers financial independence a mark of adulthood. A ritual associated with adulthood is moving out of the family home and their own. One of the challenges she sees in her cohort is that of obtaining access to mental health care. A colleague recently lost her son to suicide after numerous attempts to help him gain access to care failed and he committed suicide. She feels that only those who are going to hurt others or hurt themselves are recipients of care in a broken system. Because so many are aching for help in the community and a greater awareness of the need, the result has been a reduced stigma associated with mental illness. Acknowledging that mental illness is far from being treated on plane with biological illness, she reports that the awareness of an individual’s lack  of control over what is a real disease is growing. Disaster Assessment and Planning The incredible amount of physical beauty present in Pierce County is also a source of danger to its residents. The area has been declared as a disaster area 19 times in recorded history. Most of these events were the result of severe storms that caused flooding, landslides, and mudslides. The area is situated on or near several tectonic plates giving it an earthquake risk that is 355 percent greater than the national average. In 2001, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake was centered just 10.8 miles from the city center and caused tens of thousands in damage. An earthquake centered even farther away could affect the county via a subsequent Tsunami. Coastline areas comprise many of the County’s industries, parks, and homes and could be destroyed by a tsunami’s tidal surge. Mt. Rainier frames many of Tacoma’s picturesque views but it is a volcano that could come back to life at any moment. Its last eruption is estimated to have occurred more than 150 years ago but a recent e ruption could cause massive downstream flooding in nearly the entire County. (City-Data, 2014) Disasters caused by flooding precipitated by a tsunami, volcanic eruption, or one of the areas many rainstorms could displace many residents from their homes and block access to urgent and chronic healthcare services. Sewage systems could be affected by the flooding as well as decrease access to clean water. A massive earthquake could destroy many of Tacoma’s older buildings, many of which were built in the early 1900s and well before any seismic construction rules went into effect. Falling objects from an earthquake and resulting fires could result in massive injuries in the short-term and damage to public infrastructure in the long-term. (Pierce County Department of Emergency Management, 2010) Many of the possible disasters that could strike the area do not have the luxury of advance warning. Severe storms may give as little as a day or two notice, tsunamis and flooding just a few hours. Many residents are unlikely to understand the severity of a disaster until they are in i ts midst. Because the residents lack the ability to prepare, The Pierce County Department of Emergency Management has five departments to deal with every day emergencies and  large-scale disasters. The services include emergency management, enhanced 9-1-1 services, fire prevention, radio communications and an urban search and rescue task force. The Department is working to enroll all residents in an emergency alert system via text. Area hospital employees also have an alert system that sends a text message to employees to report to duty in the event of an emergency. The enhanced 9-1-1 system automatically finds the street address for landline calls. The radio communications team works to ensure that radio remains active in the event cell towers fall during an earthquake or are damaged during severe flooding. Urban Search and Rescue can provide vital services in the event of an earthquake, mudslide, avalanche or abandoned mine collapse. (Pierce County Department of Emergency Management, 2010) Windshield Survey Housing The majority of housing options available in Tacoma are single-family detached homes. A housing boom in the 1990s resulted in many newer homes and apartment buildings in both high and poor-income areas. Housing density appears to be highest in high-income neighborhoods. Many homes in both areas have grassed front and back yards. Although the area was heavily wooded when settled in the 1890s, much of the native evergreen trees are gone. Tree replacement appears limited to higher-income areas and is limited to non-native deciduous trees. Housing in lower-income neighborhoods appears to be in fair to moderate repair. Very few homes in these areas have bars over windows or doors. (Patamia, 2015) Open Space In Tacoma, there appears to be a moderate amount of open space, especially considering it is an urban area. I saw a large strip of valuable waterfront in the Ruston area dedicated to a walking path and docks used for office space and dining. The jewel in the crown of the Tacoma Metropolitan Park System is Wright Park, a 27-acre parcel spanning more than 10 city blocks in the heart of the city that features an arboretum, lawn bowling, playgrounds, and a pond. In addition, Mt Rainier National Park has more than 235,000 acres of protected forestland and numerous State parks dot the County. All of these spaces are open for public use and park passes are enveloped as part of the residents’ vehicle tax. Boundaries The boundaries of the area are largely natural features like rivers and mountains. Neighborhoods begin and end without notification but poorer areas tend to have more chain link fences, fewer shopping areas, and homes that lack fresh paint and ornamental landscaping. Ironically, the most expensive homes in the county have roads that are either gravel or so unkempt that potholes dominate. Commons People in the county tended to congregate around grocery stores and the strip malls that surround them. I visited an upscale grocery store in the middle of the day and found parking difficult despite an ample lot. Areas surrounding the Port of Tacoma business district tend to always have a large amount of traffic, especially large trucks carrying containers to and from the ships docked in Commencement Bay. Transportation Pierce County, despite the low numbers of residents who use public transportation has numerous options for getting out of your car. Buses travel to every part of the county, even across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge to the Olympic Peninsula town of Gig Harbor. Residents can travel to Seattle using rail or bus. Residents enjoy the capability of attaching their bikes to city buses but since the area is very hilly and frequently rainy, few take advantage of the service. For all of its access capabilities in Tacoma, getting around in surrounding communities is difficult. Interstate 5 intersects the county, enabling easy access for Port of Tacoma traffic to Canada and the western states. Several state highways run through the community and many are currently undergoing expansive improvement projects. Long-term plans include expanding Seattle’s light rail into Tacoma but recent initiatives to expand inter-county bus services was voted down by residents. Service Centers One of the most impressive things about Pierce County is how new and beautiful its schools are. Around these areas, it’s easy to spot social service centers such as YMCAs or Community Healthcare Clinics. Even in the poorest areas of the County, I saw many dentist offices, parks with  playground facilities, and sidewalks. I drove by a newer looking middle school several times during my survey and always saw it occupied by students despite heavy rain. Stores Commercial areas in the county appear to be centered on large chain grocery stores. There are few non-chain, independent dining options and those that are tend to offer high-calorie, high-fat options like hamburgers and milkshakes. I did not see any signs advertising farmers markets but there were more than a few community gardens where residents could grow their own fruits and vegetables. I was also impressed by how few grocery stores there were outside of major shopping areas and how far even the wealthiest had to travel to buy food. In more than one area, there were several grocery stores in close proximity to each other. People Out and About I saw several people walking around the County during my survey but all of them appeared to be walking for exercise and leisure, not for transportation. Almost all of these walkers were white and non-obese. A majority of those I saw were wearing Seahawk jerseys and/or colors. It was so persuasive that I felt out of place with an orange sweatshirt. Dogs accompanied many of the walkers and every dog was leashed. Signs of Community Vibrancy The Pierce County Community is very diverse but in nearly every area I traveled, I saw signs of vibrancy evidenced by hanging flower baskets, children playing outside, areas of preserved natural beauty, easy access to healthcare, and a lack of abandoned homes, stray animals, or countless homeless people. Race/Ethnicity Given that nearly three-quarters of Pierce County residents are white, its not surprising to see mostly white people in the County. Surprisingly, there are two major Indian Reservations, the Nisqually and Puyallup, inside Pierce County yet less than 2 percent of residents are Native American. Most of the County looks and feels American with few ethnic grocery stores or signs in a language other than English. Areas where whites live tend to be predominantly white but areas with larger populations of Blacks, Asians, and  Hispanics are well integrated. In one strip mall, there was a Mexican taqueria next door to an Asian grocery store. Religion While only 30 percent of Pierce County residents report being affiliated with a religious congregation, nearly half of them are non-denominational Christian churches. A third of residents report an affiliation with a Roman Catholic Church. I saw many more churches in the less affluent areas of the County than I did in wealthy ones. I also saw one Buddhist temple and Muslim Mosque. Health There are 10 hospitals serving Pierce County the largest of which is Tacoma General Hospital that has more than 400 beds and a level II trauma center. A few blocks away with the area’s second level II trauma center and a level III NICU is St Joseph Medical Center with 367 beds. Signs of homelessness are slightly invisible in Pierce County and tend to be clustered around area shelters or service providers such as the Union Gospel Mission and the YWCA. It’s estimated that 2,000 people including children are homeless on any given night in Tacoma. One of the area hospitals, Western State Hospital, provides services exclusively to the mentally ill but the lack of services to the homeless and mentally ill is striking. There are an estimated 368 mentally ill people for every mental health provider in Pierce County. Top performing counties have 521 providers per patient. The State ranks 49th in number of available psychiatric beds and several agencies have recently closed their doors or decreased services due to the economic turn down. (League of Women Voters Pierce County, 2013) (Good Guide, 2011) Forty percent of female tenth-grade children are classified as depressed. The Tacoma Pierce County Health Department lists mental health as its #1 priority in the coming years. Politics I toured the area in January when the nearest election was months or years away. Cars I viewed had a mix of bumper stickers that indicated the metropolitan area voted for Obama in the previous presidential election, supports the legalization of marijuana, and is a fan of the Seattle Seahawks. Media No matter the area, evidence of satellite dishes was seen on nearly every home. I did not see any newspaper boxes around area stores. It seems that the primary form of communication medium is through television and the Internet. Television stations accessed by residents are primarily in English but there are two stations that are exclusively in Spanish. Physical Environment As mentioned previously, Pierce County is a very beautiful place with views of mountains, water, dense forest, and even a volcano visible from nearly every corner of the County. During my survey, I even viewed a pair of bald eagles playing over the Puget Sound. The areas around the Port of Tacoma and the two Indian reservations tend to be the least attractive areas of the city where billboards for nearby tribal-run casinos predominate the landscape. Scavenger Hunt Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) WIC is a nutrition program that helps ensure that pregnant women, nursing moms and children under five have access to healthy foods. They also provide health education and breastfeeding support including peer counselors. Women who use WIC get money to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, cheese, whole grain breads and tortillas. They also ensure that children are vaccinated and stay on recommended growth curves. A family of four is eligible for WIC benefits if they have an annual income equal or less than $43,000. Accessing the services requires visiting a WIC location, which are located on major bus routes near hospitals, health clinics, or in tribal offices. There are more than 15 WIC locations in the county and offer services in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, Tagalog, and Cambodian. (Tacoma Pierce County Health Department, 2015) YMCA The YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties offer a variety of services including seven healthy living centers, a summer camp and more than 70 child care sites. Their mission is to offer programs that â€Å"build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.† (YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties, 2014) Monthly fees that are based on household income support membership and financial aid is  available. There are steep discounts for members of the military and their families. The variety of services available at the healthy living center is broad. Members of the Tacoma facility take piano lessons, learn how to box, and enjoy an indoor pool. Family Renewal Shelter There are 16 different resources for those dealing with domestic violence in Pierce County. Among them is the Family Renewal Shelter. They provide emergency services by way of confidential shelters, self-defense classes, spiritual support, and pet therapy. They also offer help with access to vehicles, educational scholarships, and relocation. Support for the organization comes from private donations from individuals, foundations, businesses, and churches. Access to services is via the organization’s 24-hour crisis line. Information about domestic violence is available on the organization’s website including a button that allows a user to leave the site quickly and eliminate a computer trail. (Family Renewal Shelter, 2014) National Alliance on Mental Illness – Pierce County The purpose of NAMI is to support people and those who love them with the challenges of mental illness. Members are people whose lives have been touched by mental illness and can share resources, lessons learned, and empathy with one another. They also advocate for change on local and legislative issues. Support group meeting occur three times a week and are located in a local Episcopal Church. They are free to attend. NAMI Walks occur several times a year and help to reduce the stigma of mental health and expand services, especially in education of mental health issues with police, fire and other first responders. (NAMI Pierce County, 2015) Planned Parenthood A group of community volunteers opened the first Planned Parenthood clinic in Tacoma in 1972 to address concerns about high rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. The organization believes that everyone has the right to choose whether and when to get pregnant and works to prevent unwanted pregnancies. They rely heavily of individual donor support to provide basic low-cost health care, adoption planning, vasectomy services, and fitting for menstrual cups. They also provide abortion services and are  frequented by protestors. (PPGNW, 2015) Tacoma Rescue Mission There are more than 36 homeless shelters in Tacoma offering everything from emergency shelter, transitional housing, and assisted housing for people dealing with domestic violence, drug addiction, and sexual trafficking. They are a Christian organization funded by the United Way of Pierce County and the cities of Lakewood and Tacoma in addition to funding from Pierce County itself. They report that they provide shelter to more than 400 people nightly and provide food for 26,000 people who have no other access to food. They work to help people overcome drug and alcohol addiction with rehabilitation serves, educational assistance and case management. (Tacoma Rescue Mission, 2015) Interpretation of Collected Data Epidemiology examines how health status or health events are distributed across a community and what determines it. The preceding examples give a broad stroke painting of health in Pierce County. Overall, the birth rate (15 per 1000) exceeds the death rate (7.3 per 1000) in Pierce County and the infant mortality rate (6.5 per 100,000) is in line with the national average (6.15 per 1000). (City-Data, 2014) Pierce County offers many assets that empower the health of its residents. Among these are a large population of college-educated people with 90 percent of adults 25 years and older completing at least high school or obtaining a GED. Although 8 percent of residents are foreign born, more than 80 percent of these report speaking English fluently. The people of Pierce County have access to nature and local foods, including the nation’s largest crop of rhubarb. Strong faith communities with social outreach programs help neighbors in need. The community brims with people who are largely open-minded and access complementary care such as massage, acupuncture, and chiropractic adjustments is common. (Tacoma Pierce County Health Department, 2014) Community Diagnosis In my analysis of the data collected, it appears that Pierce County’s top three problems are access to mental health services, high rates of obesity, and access to quality health care. Access to mental health services A community that is mentally healthy is productive, enjoys fulfilling relationships with others in the community and is resilient through life’s challenges. Without it, even the healthiest body can fall into disrepair quickly. It’s no wonder then that mental illness is one of the most common causes of disability. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that as many as one in every 17 people has a seriously debilitating mental illness. The good news is that mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders can be prevented. We know more about how the brain functions than ever before and current research indicates that greatest opportunity to prevent illness is to get people into treatment early and often. (Healthy People 2020, 2015) With Washington State’s dismal rankings in the availability of psychiatric beds and the high patient load of mental health care providers in the County, there is much work to be done. Healthy People 2020 goals state that 87 percent of primary care facilities should provide mental health treatment onsite or by paid referral. This goal represents a 10 percent improvement over the baseline rate of 79 percent in 2006. (Healthy People 2020, 2015) High rates of obesity Pierce County’s high rate of obesity is well above the national average and may be attributed to large number of food deserts, especially in urban areas. People who have healthy weights and access to fresh foods have lower rates of chronic disease and a higher quality of life. Addressing obesity is complex, however, and requires a multi-faceted approach. As with mental health, the most powerful interventions are aimed at prevention. According to Healthy People 2020, more than 10.4 percent of children ages two to five were considered obese in 2008. The 2020 goal is to reduce that number to 9.4 percent. (Healthy People 2020, 2015)One of the most cost effective ways to achieve that goal is to increase the number of children who are breastfed. A history of breastfeeding, especially exclusive breast milk feeding for the first six months, is associated with an estimated 40 percent reduction in childhood obesity. (AHRQ, 2009) Unfortunately, just  14.1 percent of infants born in 2006 achieved this. Healthy People 2020’s target is 25.5 percent. (Healthy People 2020, 2015) Access to quality healthcare Optimal health is not a state achieved without support, education and intervention. Ensuring that Pierce County residents get the help they need when they need it is a big part of preventing chronic disease, improving quality of life, and preventing unnecessary death. Some of the reasons people do not see a health care provider are they can’t find one, they can’t afford it, or they don’t have insurance coverage. The most recent data suggests that as many as 16 percent of County residents do not have health insurance. (Good Guide, 2011) According to Healthy People 2020, the national average is slightly higher at 16.8 percent. The objective is an ambitious one with 100 percent of individuals covered by private insurance or Medicaid/Medicare by 2020. (Healthy People 2020, 2015) According to Washington State’s Department of Public Health, there are approximately 543 providers in Pierce County including doctors, ARNPs, CNMs, and PAs. A little more than half of them report that they are accepting new Medicaid and Medicare patients. (Washington State Department of Public Health, 2011) Interestingly, Healthy People 2020 has yet to define specific goals for increasing the number of practicing providers in all areas. (Healthy People 2020, 2015) Primary Prevention Topic When John Snow, the â€Å"father of epidemiology,† was investigating cholera outbreaks in mid-nineteenth century London, the chief cause of unnecessary death was communicable disease. Today, chronic disease that damages the heart, pancreas, and lungs are more likely to kill than bacteria. A large contributor to hypertension, diabetes, and heart failure is obesity. In a society obsessed with weight loss and thinness, obesity rates in adults and even children are growing. Just as John Snow found the source of the disease that was claiming lives in his community, we must also find the source but it is unlikely to be in a solitary water pump in the middle of the city. Preventing obesity appears to be a life-long task best started at birth. The data demonstrate that increasing breastfeeding rates is a powerful tool in decreasing childhood obesity. Breastfeeding rates for older, educated and more affluent women are already at Healthy People 2020 targets but women who are young, have low levels of education and who are poor are more likely to never breastfeed and are extremely unlikely to continue to do so for six months. (Grummer-Strawn, Scanlon, Darling, Conrey, 2004) An organization in the community that helps low-income women establish and maintain breastfeeding is the Women, Infants, and Children Program. A team of peer counselors who have themselves struggled with issues common to low-income breastfeeding women including pumping in the workplace help new moms navigate a difficult terrain and provide their children with the best start in life. Area hospital-based birth centers are working toward or have already achieved certification as a Baby Friendly Hospital. This designation indicates that the facility employs evidence-based practice that lead to dramatic increases in breastfeeding rates. (DiGirolamo, Grummer-Strawn, Fein, 2008) Given that the problem of obesity is large in Pierce County, the rewards for reducing it great, and the interventions that are most likely to help are known and inexpensive, I am focusing my primary prevention topic on promoting breastfeeding as a means to reduce obesity in Pierce County. Bibliography AHRQ. (2009). Breastfeeding, Maternal Infant Health Outcomes. 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Retrieved January 18, 2015, from National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Pierce County: http://www.lwvwa.org/tacoma/pdfs/Mental%20Health%20Report%20from%20November%202013%20Unit%20Meetings%20%205%20pgs.pdf NAMI Pierce County. (2015). Welcome to the NAMI of Pierce County Web Site. Retrieved January 21, 2015, from NAMI Pierce County: http://www.namipierce.org/ Patamia, K. (2015, January 16). Windshield Survey of Pierce County. (K. Patamia, Interviewer) Pierce County Department of Emergency Management. (2010). Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment. Retrieved January 17, 2015, from Pierce County Emergency Management: http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/7032 PPGNW. (2015). Who We Are. Retrieved January 21, 2015, from Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-great-northwest/who-we-are Simpson. (2014). Environment. Retrieved January 17, 2015, from Simpson Company: http://www.simpson.com/Environment.aspx Snob Hollow Designs. (2014). County Maps of Washington. Retrieved January 17, 2014, from County Maps of Washington: http://www.countymapsofwashington.com/pierce.shtml Tacoma Pierce County Health Department. (2015). Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. Retrieved January 21, 2015, from Health and Wellness: http://www.tpchd.org/health-wellness-1/wic-nutrition-program/ Tacoma Pierce County Health Department. (2014, August). Pierce County Community Health Improvement Plan. Retrieved January 15, 2015, from Pierce County Community Health Improvement Plan: http://www.tpchd.org/files/library/474287fe72cf69af.pdf Tacoma Rescue Mission. (2015). Rescue Mission. Retrieved January 21, 2015, from About Us: http://www.rescue-mission.org/aboutus University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. (2014). County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. 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