The Epidemiology Of Tuberculosis ( Tb ) Essay Example For Students

The Epidemiology Of Tuberculosis ( Tb ) Essay Epidemiology of TuberculosisWorld travel has become more commonplace and people are no longer destined to remain on a single continent. Travel’s ease and affordability has made the spread of disease easier. One of those diseases that is spread worldwide is tuberculosis (TB). Description of TuberculosisSince ancient times Tuberculosis has been present, also known as Consumption. Despite current advanced medical screenings, diagnostics, and treatment methods, approximately one-third of the world’s population has been exposed and is infected with the organism (Mandal, 2014, para. 2). Becoming infected with TB usually occurs following close proximity with an infected person for a lengthy period of time. CausesTuberculosis (TB) is caused by an infectious bacteria known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. M. tuberculosis is a rod-shaped slow growing bacteria that is hydrophobic. It was first isolated in 1882 by Robert Koch and identified as an infectious disease (Mandal, 2014, para. 8). SymptomsIn active TB, any, all, or none of the following symptoms may be present: persistent cough, fatigue, weight loss, decreased appetite, fever, hemoptysis, and night sweats. In latent tuberculosis infections, the patient is not contagious and cannot spread the bacteria. Latent TB infection occurs when there is exposure but an immune response occurs which manages the bacteria by walling it off and causing it to be dormant in the body. If a LTBI is treated at this stage, a subsequent active TB infection can be prevented (Murphy Bernardo, 2013, para. 5). We will write a custom essay on The Epidemiology Of Tuberculosis ( Tb ) specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Mode of TransmissionTuberculosis is transmitted via droplet contact, when someone with an active TB coughs, sneezes, talks, or laughs, very small droplets of saliva or mucous are expelled. .reatment regimen directly observed by a community health worker for at least the first two months. Other TB objectives of WHO include high-quality care for all with TB, reduce suffering and socioeconomic burden associated with TB, protecting vulnerable populations from TB, TB/HIV and multidrug-resistant TB, and to protect and promote human rights in TB prevention, care and control (WHO, 2015c).ConclusionWorldwide tuberculosis deaths each year are second only to HIV in number. There is an estimated need for eight million dollars annually to fund a full response to TB in low and middle income countries. More than fifty companies are involved in the development of improved TB diagnostics and there are fifteen vaccines currently in trials (World Health Organization Press WHO Press, 2014). While the number of TB cases is decreasing, there is more work to be done.

Essay Sample on Social Criticism in Oliver Twist

Essay Sample on Social Criticism in Oliver Twist Free sample essay on Oliver Twist: Charles Dickens wrote Oliver Twist in 1849 with the zeal of a reformer in order to expose the ugliness of material of the Victorian Age. He was a ruthless critic of the Victorian Society. A note of social satire runs through almost all his novels. Pickwick Papers was hilarious comedy still it exposed the corruption rampant in the election system and the general law, moral climate of the society. But with Oliver Twist Dickens almost emerged as a crusader against the social evils of his times. In Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, Bleak House, Hard Times and Little Dorrit, he flayed (highly criticized) the social institutions with devastating force. Edmund Wilson remarks that Dickens was of all the great Victorian writers probably most antagonist to the Victorian Age itself. Along with giving poetic shape to the better characteristics of English life, he also attacked the abuses in the society especially in the workhouse (poor and beggars dwelling), educational system, pawn-broken (shroff) shops, slums, delay in law offices, all the London Haunts of crime and pain. Dickens was the advocate of the downtrodden and the oppressed. He aroused the conscience of the public and he became the heart and conscience of England. He is the mast er of our sunniest smiles and our most unselfish tears, Lord Carlisle remarked. His age was an age of transition. The Industrial Revolution was rapid gaining power and England was changing from a country that was mainly agricultural to a country that was mainly industrial. Dickens criticizes the society in almost exclusively moral way. His criticism reminds us of the grave folds common more or less to all mankind. He was truly a Victorian and yet he is for all ages. In Oliver Twist, Dickens has presented the pathos of innocent childhood and protest against the abuses of powers, especially on the part of the governmental institution. He throws light on the workhouse system of those days in England. As the same time he has exposed the defects of the Poor Law of 1834 which aimed at abolishing begging and unemployment. The novel deals with the sad story of sorrows and struggles of an orphan boy and his ultimate union with well-deserved happiness. The first part of the novel presents the early childhood of Oliver in the workhouse and about his days of service as an apprentice. The later part of the novel deals with Olivers experience in London where he is caught in the net of a master criminal named Fagin. Dickens wants to show how crime is bred (brought up). The story describes how Oliver keeps his honesty and purity in the midst of sinful ways and how he finally finds the happy home amongst good and kind people. Through the story of Oliver, Dickens has exposed the corrupt class system prevalent in the 17th Century England. His zeal for social reform lag him to satirize the social institutions. The novel is an attack on the inhuman conditions of subsistence in the work houses, the idiocy of law and the unsatisfactory medical facilities. Dickens has also shown what it was meant to be a charity child. The indifference of the government and the people towards the welfare of children, specially orphans is epitomized in Olivers sufferings. The workhouse world is full of a bitter and pitiful comedy. The novelist attacks the demons of cruelty and callousness (kathortha). The workhouses were meant for helping the poor but in fact Oliver and other boys had to suffer slow starvation. The philosophers Managing the work house were very sage, deep, philosophical men. In their eyes the workhouse had become a regular place for public entertainment so they decided to set things right. They contacted with the waterworks to lay on unlimited supply of water and with a corn factory to supply small quantities of oatmeal and issued 3 meals of thin gruel (soup like) a day with an onion twice a week. The diet was given in such small quantity that the bowls never wanted washing. The boys polished them with their spoons till they shone (of shine) again. Olivers demand for more food was considered as a crime and as a punishment he was sent away to the undertakers (coffin seller) house. The sick and dying were not properly cared. This can be seen in the example of Olivers dying mother. The novel presents cruelty and meanness of Parish (jurisdiction) authorities. This can be seen in the portrayal of Mrs. Mann, Mr. Corney, Mr. Bumble, Mr. Mrs. sowerberry (undertaker) Mrs. Man, was incharge of Baby farm. Being a very great practical philosopher and a woman of wisdom and experience, she appropriated the greater part of the weekly stipend to her own use. The parish doctors were usually the cheapest and most inexperienced Doctors. This Parish authorities starved and ill treated poor under their care in order to make money for themselves. Mr. Mrs. Sowerberry ill treat Oliver so much that Oliver eventually runs away from their house. The death of the power is neglected. A poor woman dies of starvation and the clergymen comes after an hour, reads as much of the burial services as he can compress in 4 minutes and walks away. The unprotected, neglected, starved and beaten children were led to enter the world of crime. Fagin is the leader of a gang of young pickpockets who also deals in stolen goods. The young victims are The Dodger, Charle Bades, Tom Chitling and later Noah Claypole worked for him. All these boys are engaged in pick pocketing. Young boys of streets were trained by giving them tobacco and wine, and was making them think that the life of a criminal was something romantic. In the novel crime is shown to be ugly as well as miserable. Dickens has lighted up the dark places that his well-to-do readers did no exists or had not troubled to know. Social parasite like Fagin is the breader of the criminals he makes young thieves work for him and if they are caught, they suffer imprisonment and even death while he gets off scot-free. The description of the criminal activities of Fagin and his band is a realistic picture of the underworld of London of those days. People in general were addicted to smoking and drinking. In cities there were public houses which serves beer to the public and which were the breeding place of crimes and gathering places of criminals. We have the Three Cripples (hotel) as the specimen. Oliver had a drink at one such house while on hi sway to London from his native place. Sikes too had his food and drink at another house during the course of his flight. The residential quarters of the people of the lower strata of the society were shame for a government of the days. Those houses had practically no ventilations, they were dark and almost cell-like. The streets surrounding them were narrow, muddy and foul-smelling quiet favourable for outbreaks of epidemics. Fagins den illustrates this. There was a system of apprenticeship in trades. Boys were engaged as apprentices by traders. The workhouse authorities gave 5 pounds to Sowerberry for engaging Oliver as an apprentice. The traders used to treat the young apprentices m ost cruelly. We see Oliver running away from his master into the wide wicked world for the cruel treatment that he received at the Sowerberry household. Thus Oliver Twist serves as a mirror that shows the social condition of England of the early 19th century. In writing the novel Dickenss aim was not only to amuse the public but also to lightup the dark places that is well to do readers did not know exists or had not troubled to know. The life in London as revealed in this book opens the eyes of thousands born and bread in the same city. Dickens did not want that the one half of mankind should like in happy ignorance of how the other half dies.

How power and politics are related to organization, how does it work Essay

How power and politics are related to organization, how does it work in organization and how it effects organizations - Essay Example People who are holding high positions in organisations always tried to induce power play in company decisions. If they fail to utilise their positional power they try to amend things with industrial politics. Power play and politics in industrial organisations has resulted in gaining profits and in some cases losses. WorldCom and Enron are the cases where power and politics were misused and both companies had to face the consequences. When Enron, which was one of the top Fortune 500 companies, filed for bankruptcy in December 2nd 2001, the news came as a jolt to many of the investors. When the dubious account activities and scandal in Enron were revealed it came as a shock to the investors. US president George W. Bush had assured them by terming Enron's case as a rotten apple in the healthy corporate system. Despite of president's assurances many high profiled companies collapsed. Enron Corp. was the result of merger between Houston Natural Gas and Internorth. There was a shift to unregulated energy trading markets from regulated transportation of natural gas. Enron was a Fortune 500 company and was in #7 in 2001 was deleted from New York Stock Exchange. According to the mangers of Enron who reviewed the accounts of the company, during California energy crisis Enron has kept undisclosed reserves of up to $1.5 billion in trading profits. Enron came under fire from politicians of price gouging. The hidden reserves would have doubled the Enron's reported profits. It is also reported that Enron manipulated reports on reserves to have steady profit growth to Wall Street and credit rating agencies. The executives also claimed that the reserves were held back and used to fulfil the political and financial ends. In 1990 Enron reported its total revenue as $10 billion and in the next subsequent ten years it grew by $101 billion. It emerged as one of the fast growing companies in the United States. The main reasons for its collapse is not due to the core energy operations but the company's new ventures in dot com sector and investments Internet and communication business. According to investigators of the security of exchange commission gone into investigate the case, have interviewed witnesses to come to a conclusion that the methods or practices violated the laws for doctoring quarterly earning refers to start cookie jar reserves. The existence of Enron reserves puts strange twist to it. The executives of Enron inflated profits and concealed losses with official balance sheet. Partnership in this scenario of reports that Enron has shown wrong accounts in December 2000, the company filed for bankruptcy protection but interviews with more than a dozen ex-Managers and Executives revealed that the Enron many a time paid the profits on trading to meet the needs of politicians and financiers. The major portion of the gains were Shown on paper only on long term contracts only had it been the cash that could have put off liquidity crisis that led to its collapse. As per one of the former Executives, before a few months of Enron bankruptcy, the reserves were depleted. It is common to use reserves to manage profits through it is unlawful. The former long time chairman and company's president chief executive were aware of the reserves and felt them proper. Judy Leon, Skilling's spokes

Social Awareness Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Awareness - Assignment Example The wife would rest her hand on her husband’s shoulder when she wanted him to stop so they could go inside a store. The husband would always let his wife enter a store first before him. Either of them would shake their head if they did not like the other’s suggestion. The non-verbal signals did not appear to make the interaction between the two of them difficult even without words. 4. Their non-verbal communication made it easy for me to think they are married. I think couples who are married are always close to each other. Couples who are not married do not just hold hands. They have their arms around each other’s waist or on each other’s shoulders. This is why I formed this impression about them very fast. 1. The next interaction I observed was in the grocery store. It was also noisy at this place. There were noises coming from the cash register, public announcement system, music and grocers. I see a lot of families today. It is a Sunday. I chose a family of three. The father was carrying a baby and pushing a grocery cart. The mother was holding a pen and checking off of a list. I heard the baby crying so I chose them to observe. 2. There were many signals for non-verbal communication I saw. The baby was crying and the father was moving the baby up and down his arm. I think this was his way to make the baby quiet. The baby did not stop. The mother was frowning. She got a pacifier from the baby bag and gave it to the father. I watched the father’s mouth form the word â€Å"Sshh†. I think the noise of the mall made the baby uncomfortable. The behavior of the baby affected the mother. She started choosing things faster. 3. The interaction was informal. I decided this because the woman and man stood close to each other. Also, the woman touched the man’s hand or shoulder many times. She passed grocery things to him quietly and he put them in the cart. They looked very comfortable with each other. 4. I quickly

Operation Iraqi Freedom Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Operation Iraqi Freedom - Research Paper Example The history of America's wars can aptly start from the defense of the New York city carried out by George Washington against the British colonizing army (Weigley, 1977, p.4). That defense transformed itself into a protracted war which finally gave America its independence (Weigley, 1977, p.15-17). From this war, up to 2002, America has been found to have â€Å"employed military force more than 220 times in its history, yet has declared war only five times† (qtd. In Secunda and Moran, 2007, p.4). It is not only these officially declared wars of America that come under the purview of this paper but the undeclared wars as well, in an attempt to place America's war in Iraq in the correct historical and political perspectives. That is to say that war is being discussed here is in its all formal and informal forms, not limited by technical definitions. And it is concluded that Operation Iraqi freedom is nothing but a continuation of America's war agenda at large, supported by econom ic interests more than anything else. After independence, the major war waged by America was the Spanish-American war (Secunda and Moran, 2007, p.5). Then came the first and second world wars and indeed the cold war (though not fitting into the conventional definitions of war) against the communist block that succeeded them, and which â€Å"lasted fifty years† (Secunda and Moran, 2007, p.5). ... ielding a higher moral ground than other nations (which is similar to the age-old notion of white man's superiority), that has eventually led to America being sarcastically called as the 'world police' by its critics (Khatib, 2006, p.180). The Korean and Vietnam wars, which were part of the wider canvas of the cold war, showed the world how much obsessively compulsive was America's urge to wipe out communism (Donaldson, 1996, p.3). And the Vietnam war ended up for the US as a total coup ditat of sorts (Donaldson, 1996, p.70). Even the Americans despised the Vietnam war and the US government had to withdraw from the war scene disgraced and defeated both on the war front and at home (Secunda and Moran, 2007, p.6). The US military intervention in Lebanon, Grenada and Panama city did not invite much global attention, but â€Å"the Persian Gulf war of 1990-91† turned out into a macabre television spectacle for the world (Secunda and Moran, 2007, p.6). This was the moment when the w orld started discussing America's real intentions in its wars, and even the national leadership came very close to admitting that what was really at stake for the US was the cheap and incessant supply of oil (Secunda and Moran, 2007, p.6). It was also observed that the United States went to war in Korea and Vietnam, among many other reasons, â€Å"to show the third world that the United States was the one nation willing and able to stand up to communism anywhere in the world† (Donaldson, 1996, p.70). And since the second world war, it was becoming clear that America wanted to be â€Å"the leader of the world† (Donaldson, 1996, p.192). In the Persian Gulf war of 1990, this became more evident. An added element of interest for America regarding the Gulf region was its need to oppose any â€Å"dangerous

Art Deco Concepts and Ideas | History of Art

Art Deco Concepts and Ideas | History of Art Throughout history, man has observed and experienced numerous movements and births in the world of art and architecture that influenced life and dwelling. Some movements were mere fads that lasted several seconds in the larger scale of time, others were strong influencers that lasted beyond their years, either physically or in the minds and hearts of many. Art Deco, a movement that started in the early 1920s in the arts that translated immediately into architecture is undeniably one of the strongest iconic movements that effected the lives of many and has its dominant mark on the physical world. The movement still remains alive in various forms of pop culture reappearances and in actual physical standing buildings and structures and not as a movement in action, but simply in examples to remind people of a certain times allure. What sets Art Deco apart from other movements is its collectivity of several other movements and attempts in the world of art and architecture. The purpose of this paper is to identify and elaborate on the myriad of art and architectural styles that contributed into making Art Deco what it was/is. Also, since Art Deco was a dominant force made up of many successful styles, what made it last a relatively short period as a movement, yet some of its characteristics are used and found in subsequent styles still. The Beginning of Art Deco (a history): The birth of Art Deco was interesting in the sense that the movement started before the birth of the name Art Deco in 1968 where it was first used by Bevis Hillier as the title for his book on the decorative arts of the 1920s and the 1930s that are the actual years the movement belonged to. The Term originated from the distinguished exhibition of decorative and industrial arts held in Paris, France in 1925 called Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes. In terms of the concept and feel of the exhibition, The Paris exhibition is like a city in a dream, and the sort of dream that would give the psychoanalysts a run for their money (Vogue, London August 1925). The exhibition was a gathering pot where many artists and architects unveiled their works of art that later strengthened and inspired the concoction of the decorative motif style. The use of Art Deco as a label at that time was non-existent and the contemporary art was called Art Modernes in France a nd Modernistic art in the United States. Although numerous people think of the United States and American artists when it comes to Art Deco and the birth of Art Deco, the movement was actually birthed by European styles. The two chief countries that sparked the Art Deco motion were Germany and France. The movement was not a instant spark, it evolved quietly throughout the early 1920s and saw its climax at the Parisian exhibition, then it gradually saw its way across many countries especially the United States in a concentrated way which is why many people think of the Art Deco style as an American style. Defining Art Deco/Influences: Art Deco as a movement is almost impossible to define in a brief sentence or idea. The movement incorporated many elements, genres of design, and artistic/architectural movements that it becomes necessary to view and appreciate it as a large sum of minor components rather than a single entity. Some of the components that birthed Art Deco may even seem to clash or repel each other, yet, in reality they work harmoniously. For example, Germany and France in the immediate years post World War1 had different styles in art and architecture. The German approach was more towards Modernism, meaning having crisp and angular functionalism in design and an emphasis on clean geometry. Paris however had a style that was delightfully playful, a decorative style that is closest to the Art Nouveau Vernacular which was to be eradicated by its disciples. These two extremes are the two major movements that make up Art Deco as we know it, however, they are not the only movements or influences. At that ti me, the more lively style that is described as leisurely, comforting, and a representation of wealth arrived to the United States before the rigid German style thus helping the growth and spread of Art Decos decorative ways in the country. Along side the German modern style of design and the Art Nouveau movement, Art Deco barrowed influences and inspiration from many styles. Not only did Art Deco include many art or architectural styles, it was also influenced by historical aspects and futuristic ideologies. Deco was described as to contain elements from the ancient past to the distant future (Duncan, Alastair, 7). A past historical influence that is very evident in the style of Art Deco is the Ancient Pharaoh civilization and the Egyptian culture mania that overtook Paris after Tutankhamuns tomb discovery by Howard Carter in 1922. Combined with the mesmerizing Egyptian elements that were easily adopted as decorative motifs in Art Deco, more exotic inspirers played a role in influencing the style, such as Mayan temples, tribal African sculptures, the Ballets Russes, and Japanese lacquer-work. The decorative motifs of the Assyrian, Babylonian, and Sumer cultures also influenced and stimulated some Art Deco architects as did the Medieval and Byzantine architecture. Further more, classical structures and sculptures of the Roman and Greek cultures also played a part in the forming of Art Deco, however, the Art Deco architects were against the Beaux-Arts Neoclassicism, thus they adorned their classically based buildings and structures with modernized elements and figures of classical mythology in a playful strictly aesthetically decorative manner. Since Art Deco is not an instant reaction to another styles action, it truly had lesser rules in style than most other movements, and it probably had the most relaxed and forgiving rules when it came to re-interpreting another styles elements, or completely borrowing an element. For example, if an architect was commissioned by a client who is fascinated by maritime activity, and wanted to have elements of that show in the building, an Art Deco architect would design an art piece of a boat or an anchor in the exact same forms and colors from a decorative material and adorn the building with it. What makes this action possible and feasible is Art Decos strong dependency on Industrial design. The strong streamlined forms of industrial design and techniques of art creating through industrial commercial ways truly helped the Art Deco movement and added another very powerful component to the previously mentioned elements that make up the fabric of the movement. As previously mentioned, it seems that the components of Art Deco are countless, all equally stimulating and important in their own right. The French Rationalism style of building and the Art Nouveau movement in the early 1900s before the 1920s for example were important precursors of Art Deco. Auguste Perrets Rue Franklin apartment building, c.1902, which was extensively glazed and revolutionized the building techniques with the use of reinforced concrete works as a foreshadow of Art Deco and what was to come. The heavy ornaments on Perrets building work as a bridge from the more stylized floral style decorations to the ordered and less organic famous floral motifs of Art Deco such as the lotus leaves. Along side Art Nouveau, another powerful movement that influences many Art Deco buildings is Expressionism in both its industrial German style and the brick building Dutch style. The style of the Expressionist architecture in its emotional and beautifying methods is clearly visible in the Art Deco designs. Although the movement was prior to the First World War, it had a strong comeback in the 1920s and famous expressionist buildings such as Peter Behrens monumental glass and steel turbine factory, c.1908, served as a model and inspiration for Art Deco designs. The Exhibition hall by Hans Poelzig in Poznan, Poland, c. 1911, also worked as a muse and model for following Art Deco artists. In terms of the brick building expressionism, three major Dutch influencers of Art Deco were Johan Melchior van der Mey, Michel de Klerk, and Piet Lodewijk whose work included brick, glass, and concrete in a stylized structural and decorative manner that can be linked directly to Art Deco. Italian Futurist architect Antonio SantElia was another major influencer on the Art Deco movement although a few rare projects of his were built and the majority remained sketches on paper. SantElias Monza cemetery, 1912, is an example of his work where decorative designs and heavy use of ornamentation in glass and concrete may be found and linked to Art Deco. In the United States, the Chicago School of Architectures massive vertical steel skeleton buildings made in the Moderne style from 1875-1910 count as influencers of Art Deco. From that group, Louis Sullivan and his student Frank Lloyd Wright specifically are the two architects whose works most hold links and bridges to Art Deco. Frank Lloyd Wrights work included many heavily ornamented buildings both in the exterior and interior with sharp geometry and studied repeated patterns and motifs in brick and concrete that are very much Art Deco-esque such as the Midway Gardens in Chicago built in 1914. (first half) *In Addition to the prior information, the following outline titles will be discussed in the second half, which is the more theoretical part structural wise. Elements of the Art Deco style: The characteristics that make a design original Art Deco, and specific elements that art deco must attain. Examples of famous art deco buildings: The buildings, and the theories and messages behind them. Writers opinion and analysis: My own personal opinion on the movement the and theories behind the movement, also, why I believe the movement failed to live longer even thought it seemed ultimately powerful ( the answer to my proposed question).

The Theme of Heritage in “Everday Use” Essay -- Character Analysis, M

In her late twentieth-century short story â€Å"Everyday Use,† African-American writer Alice Walker contrasts the struggle between the main characters involving the recurring theme. The story takes place in a rural Georgia setting during the 1970s. The plot circulates around Mama, Maggie, and Dee. Throughout, heritage develops and remains a central theme revolving them. Each of these women in the Johnson family tries to stay true to heritage value. But different roles of heritage exist between each woman, so their ways of achieving this mission differs. The story â€Å"Everyday Use† exemplifies the various understandings and use of heritage through Mama, Maggie, and Dee. To highlight her heritage theme, Walker displays how the character Mama considers the name of Dee. Dee changes her name and Mama has a will of whether or not to use it. Throughout, Mama uses Dee and Wangero interchangeably. As David Cowart writes, Mrs. Johnson is confused and cannot commit herself to the new name. She tries to have it both ways, referring to her daughter now by one name, now by the other . . . (Cowart 1 of 7). As the narrator, Mama employs the new or original name for a reason. Carol Andrews observes that Mama administers Wangero when she is denying the view Dee has because unlike Dee she understands what the quilts represent. â€Å"Snatched the quilts out of Miss Wangero’s hands . . .† (â€Å"EU† qtd. in Andrews 3 of 4). Mama explains the connection of the name Dee to female ancestors. â€Å"You know as well as me, you was named after your aunt Dicie . . . I probably could have carried it back beyond the Civil War through the branchesà ¢â‚¬  (â€Å"EU† 89). Helga Hoel writes that Mama is amazed that Dee would give up her name, â€Å"for Dee was the name of her great-gran... ...e’s opposing view. On the whole, Alice Walker employs the characters Mama, Maggie, and Dee to illustrate the various understandings and customs of heritage. Mama, the narrator and mother, expresses her values through abundant genealogy knowledge and daughter interactions. The elder daughter, Maggie, emerges as a result of her Mama resembling prospective, and the ability for tradition to live on through her. Yet, universal influences cause Dee, the other daughter, to develop opposing outlooks. Presence of conflicting views fester between the Johnson women. To dispel opposition, Walker rightfully places certain views on a pedestal during the final scene. Many criticize the effects of society and setting on ideals the story capitalizes. The central idea suggests Walker, an African-American woman just like the main characters, struggled with concepts herself.

Ethics of Marketing to Schools in America Essay

Public schools across America are struggling with their budgets and looking to outside corporations for help. Conveniently, private corporations realize the potential buying power of students and have decided that elementary schools are the best channel to reach them. It has become routine for corporations to market there products in schools, and in exchange these schools receive various financial benefits. This new partnership has become the focus of much controversy as 80% of Americans feel that corporations should have no place in schools (). The two most cited concerns are the health of children and the growing commercialization of schools. This paper looks at this issue in detail by answering the following two questions. Is it ethical for corporations to market products in schools? What is the most socially responsible course of action for corporations to take? This paper will use a utilitarian and distributive justice framework to prove that marketing in schools is unethical and propose that the most ethical arrangement is to make schools commercial-free zones. This paper will also discuss the issue of corporate social responsibility through shareholder and stakeholder lenses to prove that there is a strong business case for corporations to? Children in schools are marketed to in a variety of ways. Schools can participate in incentive programs where a school receives funds to take part in a specific activity such as collecting box tops (). Some corporations offer free educational materials to schools that promote their corporate message. Pepsi encourages a â€Å"thirst for knowledge† on a popular textbook cover(). Each year over half of the students in schools in the United States receive free textbook covers(). McDonalds, Burger King and Dominos sponsor reading projects in schools with free meals(). Other schools receive free electronic equipment like computers and satellites for participating in programs like channel one. This is an arrangement where school receive free electronic equipment for having their students watch a 10 minute broadcast of which 2 minutes are corporate sponsored commercials (). All of these marketing techniques pose there own unique ethical dilemmas, however the most controversial type of marketing in schools today is the use of exclusive agreements. This is when corporations give schools a percentage of their profits in exchange for the right to be the sole provider of a product or a service(). The most prominent example of this is the soft drink company, Coca-Cola and their exclusive distribution rights with schools. As a result, Coca-Cola advertisements have become the most visible types of advertisements in schools today (). A US National School Health Policies study found that students could purchase soft drinks in 60% of elementary schools and 83% of middle schools (). Of these schools over 85% were under an exclusive contract with the Coca-Cola company (). For the aforementioned reasons the remainder of this paper will use the soft drink giant Coca Cola as a symbol to make it easier to understand the larger debate of marketing in elementary schools. A deontological framework can not determine whether this issue is ethical or unethical. In 1990 under $100 million was spent on advertising targeted at kids, just a decade later that number was up more than twenty times to over $2 billion (). This large increase in spending indicates that there is a strong motivation for corporations to market to youth. One way to determine if marketing in schools is ethical is to deconstruct these motivations through a deontological framework. The motivation for companies to market in schools could be a philanthropic opportunity to contribute to education. However, I do not believe this because companies like Coca-Cola make schools sign exclusive agreements, which means that they block competition and are profitable. I believe the main motive for companies to market to youth is to make money. Marketing to students in schools is an effective strategy as it reaps both short and long term rewards. Children in elementary schools have a lot of spending power. Kids ages 4-12 spend $40 billion each year (). Furthermore, these same kids influence $600 billion of household spending (). It is wise for companies to try to earn a share of this large market. Surprisingly, the sales of sodas in schools account for a miniscule slice of soda sales worldwide, less than 1 percent of soda’s 66billion dollar industry (). Clearly profit in the short run is not the main motivating factor for companies like Coca-Cola. Marketing in public elementary school promises long run benefits. Soft drink companies can create brand loyalty with their consumers at an early age. In other words, they foster and retain a captive audience for its products. If you consider the cutthroat competition among soft drink makers for customers, this brand loyalty becomes a vital business pursuit. A deontological framework can better help us deconstruct the ehics of marketing to youth purely for financial reasons. Specifically, this paper will employ some of W. D. Ross’ duties. It can be argued that marketing in schools violates the duty of non-malefiicence (to do no harm). Some children will substitute a nutritious meal for a sugar laden soda. That is harmful to their health. Marketing in schools also violates the duty of gratitude. It does not thank customers for their business by protecting their health. Instead, companies like Coca-Cola continue to aggressively market their unhealthy product to vulnerable youth. On the other hand, if one considers a corporation a person, then a corporation fulfils Ross’s duty of self-improvement by marketing in schools. It improves its own condition by increasing its profits in the short and the long run. Additionally, if a company honestly abides by the contract it signs with a school then it is upholding Ross’s duty of fidelity. The framework of deontology is inadequate to determine the ethics of marketing in schools because it presents us with conflicting duties and no hierarchy to put them into. There is an incompatible difference between the various duties. However, this situation did not become controversial simply because some believe that a corporation might have bad ethics, instead people are worried about the consequences of marketing in schools. A utilitarian framework shows us that marketing in schools is unethical. Marketing in elementary school is controversial because it offers many direct benefits to schools, but negatively impact students. Through a utilitarian framework this paper will deconstruct the pros and cons of the scenario to determine whether marketing in schools is ethical. This paper will conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine what results in the greatest good for the greatest number of people. The main players that benefit in this scenario are schools, shareholders of the Coca-Cola company, and employees. All of these players benefit in financial terms. Vending machines are a valuable source of revenue for schools. They support programs that might otherwise go unfunded. Elementary schools have reason to be concerned about their finances, the state of California cut the elementary school budget by $10 billion dollars in 2003 (). If a school district signs an exclusive contract with a soft-drink company it can generate an additional $3 million per year (). School districts receive all of this money for virtually no additional work on there part. This is why the cliche that: â€Å"one day our schools will have all the money they need, and the Air Force will have to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber† could become true (). Company shareholders benefit in the long run if we assume that marketing in schools create brand loyalty among consumers. Company employees also benefit from the sales of sodas in schools, simply because their company is continuing to be competitive in the marketplace and provide work for them. However, the positive impact of selling sodas in schools impacts company employees considerably less than other players in this scenario, because these employees will not be receiving a pay raise as a result of this practice. While there are some positive effects of marketing in schools, I feel that the cons greatly outweigh the benefits. Students bear the burden of the negative effects of marketing in schools. Marketing to youth perpetrates problems of childhood obesity, materialism, eating disorders, violence, and family stress (). This is especially problematic because children are more cognitively immature and prone to believe that products marketed in school carry their school’s endorsement. For instance, if a school sells soda it signifies that it is acceptable to consume drinks that are high in sugar and have poor nutritional quality. A child’s health is not an acceptable trade-off for increased revenues. Childhood obesity is an epidemic in America. One-quarter of children in the United States are overweight which means they are at risk for lifelong health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cavities (). Competitors also suffer in this scenario because ? exclusive agreements’ create a monopoly on a school and therefore promote unfair competition and can charge whatever price they want. The difficulty of examining ethics from a utilitarian perspective is that is impossible to predict the future. It is not clear how much the financial revenue schools gain from executive agreements helps them to fulfill their purpose of teaching. It is also not clear how high the correlation is between marketing in schools and negative outcomes like obesity. What is known is that most of the negative consequences (and there are a lot of them) fall on the shoulders of the students. Having the burden of this issue fall on the shoulders of millions of students nationwide is bad for society as a whole. Children need to be educated in a healthy atmosphere so that they can become productive members of society one day. It is detrimental to the future if children are not provided with the best learning environment possible. The best learning environment possible is one that is free from commercial influences. The Distributive Justice framework shows that monopolies are unethical. According to John Rawls we should determine ethical dilemmas like whether marketing in schools is ethical by making the decision from behind a â€Å"veil of ignorance. † The distributive justice framework tries to ensure that the interests of the worst off in society are considered. According to this theory, students well-being should be put before business interests because students are the most vulnerable group in this scenario. However, there is an inherent conflict of interest within this framework. Corporations believe that marketing in schools is ethical because they are exercising their 1st amendment right to free speech. Everybody has this right, thus they are utilizing the equal liberty principle: equal rights to liberties as long as all may be provided such liberties. The problem is that not even all corporations are being provided the liberty of free speech. As previously mentioned Coca Cola has an exclusive agreement with 85% of elementary schools in America, this is just a nice way to say that Coca Cola has a monopoly on the elementary school market (). Companies that engage in exclusive distributive contracts are trying to block competitors. They can not justify this action on the ground that they need to do this to spur innovation, they want a monopoly so they can control the school market. Thus the difference principle comes into play because the inequality that these companies are creating in the market place needs to be addressed. The most ethical thing to do is to make schools commercial free zones. Marketing in schools is unethical. The most ethical thing to do is to make elementary schools commercial-free zones. Students should be able to pursue learning free of commercial influences and pressures. Eighty percent of adults in the United States agree that schools should be commercial-free zones as well (). While this may be the most ethical course of action, it seems highly unlikely as marketing in schools has become entrenched. Schools continually need more money and the government is unable to provide it. If marketing in schools must continue at the very least it should be regulated. It does not seem probable that the industry will regulate itself, so it should be subject to more government oversight. Right now there is very little the government has done to restrict marketing in schools. Laws forbidding it are perceived to be a breach of the 1st amendment. A study found that only nineteen states currently have statues or regulations that address school-related commercial activities (). This number includes states that have statues that encourage commercial activities. The government should establish an independent commission to regulate marketing in public schools. This agency should make regulations that encourage schools to provide a healthy learning environment for students. The agency could regulate the sale of foods high in fat, sodium, and sugars. For example, it could decide that vending machines can not be stocked with sodas; however juices (100%) and water could still be sold. There would be greater social acceptance of this issue if it were implemented more appropriately. The business case for CSR prevails. This paper has established that the most ethical thing for corporations to do is to stop marketing to students in schools, or at the very least to regulate what they market to children. If a company were to stop marketing to children for the aforementioned ethical considerations it would be following a normative line of reasoning. The company would be interested in doing the right thing for society with little regard for how the proposition would effect its own bottom line. While I would applaud its efforts on a moral basis, this would be a very poor reason to engage in Corporate Social Responsibility. There needs to be a business incentive for corporations to engage in Corporate Social Responsibility. A company has to be successful financially if it is going to survive in the long run. However, there is always a business case for corporate social responsibility with respect to companies that sell consumer products. In the long run the closer a company aligns with the values of society the more successful it will be. Good ethics and good business are mutually reinforcing. In this case 80% of society wants commercial-free schools or at least commercialism that is regulated. It is socially responsible for a company to accommodate the wishes of society because it is in their long run interest to build a good reputation. A company like Coca-cola may be more successful at recruiting, retaining, and engaging with its employees and customers if it demonstrates that it is socially responsible. Critics might argue that this is just mere â€Å"window dressing. † However, a good reputation leads to higher sales in the long run. Both shareholder and stakeholder frameworks would support the business case for corporate social responsibility in this scenario. Milton Freidman is an advocate of the shareholder theory which maintains that a companies corporate social responsibility is to maximize profits without breaking the law or violating basic rules of society. Coca-Cola is not breaking any laws by marketing in schools, it is merely exercising its first amendment right to free speech. It is also not violating any social norms, children get to choose whether they want to buy unhealthy products. On one hand it may seem that Freidman would say that corporations should continue to market in schools because they are making a profit and therefore helping society. However Freidman would agree that companies need to balance there short term gains against their long-term interest. In this case, Freidman would advocate for the restriction of marketing in schools because it is in the long run self-interest of the company because companies like Coca-Cola needs to reassure their customers that they care about them. . An alternative approach to corporate social responsibility is the stakeholder theory. This theory maintains that companies should balance the interests of all stakeholders involved. In this scenario the stakeholders would be the students (customers), parents, teachers, corporations, suppliers, employees, shareholders, and society. Students are harmed by marketing in schools because marketing is correlated with problems like obesity and materialism. On the other hand these same students benefit because their schools are receiving additional funding for programs. Parents suffer because they have less control over what their children are exposed to, and it could undermine their values. Shareholders may benefit in the short run from marketing in schools, but in the long run the values of the company must be aligned with society if it is going to succeed. Therefore, the stakeholder theory would advocate a business case for Corporate Social Responsibility as well: to limit marketing in schools. Marketing in schools is a complex issue with many players. In this case, students are the most important players because schools are public institutions and schools are supposed to make students a top priority. Marketing in schools can not stop on its own, it needs to be either strictly prohibited or at the very least limited by the government.

Mahatma Ghandi, a Hero

Mahatma Gandhi For me, a hero is someone who tries to make the world a better place. Christopher Paolini said, â€Å"Without fear there cannot be courage. † I agree there has to be fear before there is courage. Gandhi turned his fear into courage and decided to try to make the world a better place and as a result India gained its independence. It took conquering his fears and being a courageous hero in a peaceful way to be the leader of Indian nationalism during British rule. Gandhi fought for Indian rights. Click any fact to locate it on the web.Click Wrong? to report a problem. Cancel Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was given the holy name Mahatma which means Great Soul. He was born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, India. In 1888, he sailed to England to study at the University College London and then the University of London where he studied Law. In 1893, he accepted a job in South Africa and in 1903 Gandhi opened a law firm in Johannesburg, South Africa. In 1906, Gandhi had his first protest in South Africa against anti-Indian laws and two years later he was imprisoned.In 1914, he returned to India where he became leader of the Indian National Congress (INC) supporting a plan using nonviolence to get independence. He was jailed from 1922 until 1924 for conspiracy. He was jailed again in 1930 for breaking India’s Salt Laws. In 1932, Gandhi started his famous â€Å"fast unto death† to protest British support of a new Indian constitution which gave India’s lowest classes, the â€Å"untouchables†, their separate political representation. Gandhi believed this would unfairly divide India's social classes and he believed in equality.In 1942, Gandhi began the nationwide â€Å"Quit India† movement. Five years later, India became independent from the British. Gandhi was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic on January 30, 1948 in Birla House in Delhi while at a prayer meeting. Early in his life, after seeing the misery of millions of hi s countrymen, thousands of them dying from starvation, Gandhi gave up all his money and spent his life helping the poor and the oppressed. He was the leader of the Indian nationalist group against the British rule and is commonly known as the father of his country.His strategy of a non-violent protest to get political and social progress has influenced many people. His program of peaceful non-cooperation with the British included boycotts of their goods and institutions which lead to arrests of thousands. In 1945, the British government began negotiations which ended with the formation of the two new independent states of India and Pakistan divided along religious lines. Gandhi was opposed to partition and fasted to try to bring harmony in Calcutta and Delhi. Ghandi once said, â€Å"In a gentle way, you can shake the world. This is exactly what he did. He made positive changes around him using peaceful ways. He also said, â€Å"I do not want to foresee the future. I am concerned w ith taking care of the present. God has given me no control over the moment following. † He did change his present; he changed what was happening during his life. He devoted his life to helping his countrymen gain independence and be treated as equals. This is why I believe Gandhi is a hero; he made the world a better place by being courageous, brave, a leader and a believer in being able to make a difference.

A Child Called It Essays

A Child Called It Essays A Child Called It Essay A Child Called It Essay A Child Called It is a first-person narrative of a severely abused child, Dave Pelzer, who has survived to tell his tale. This book is a brief, horrifying account of the bizarre tortures Daves mother inflicted on him, told from his point of view as a young boy. Among the cruel games Daves maniac, alcoholic mother played were smashing him face-first into mirrors, forcing him to eat the contents of his baby brothers diaper, drinking ammonia, and burning him over a gas stove. Daves story has two objectives: the first is to inform the reader how a loving, caring parent can change to a cold, abusive monster venting frustrations on a helpless child; the second is the eventual survival and triumph of the human spirit over seemingly insurmountable odds (164). Dave describes his earlier years as idyllic: In the years before I was abused, my family was the Brady Brunch of the 1960s. My two brothers and I were blessed with the perfect parents. Our every whim was fulfilled with love and care (17). His mothers behavior began to change drastically and Dave and his brothers had become afraid of her. Eventually, Dave was singled out for such vicious treatment. His mother made sure he knew that theres nothing he can do to impress her. She told him, you are a nobody! An It! You are nonexistent! You are a bastard child! I hate you and I wish you were dead! Dead! (140) School held no appeal to Dave either: At school I was a total outcast. I had no one to talk to or play with. I felt all alone (58). Since his mother rarely gave him the luxury of eating food, Dave resorted to stealing from his classmates lunch pails. The teachers and principal knew and carefully watched him. Oddly, his father never intervened. His attempts to talk to his wife about Dave failed, and only worsened the abuse. This caused Dave to hate his father: he was fully aware of the hell I lived in, but he lacked the courage to rescue me as he had promised so many times in the past (134). As the beatings and the torture continued, Dave began to give up: With no dreams, I found that words like hope and faith were only letters, randomly put together into something meaningless-words only for fairy tales (132). Inside, my soul became so cold I hated everything (133). Whats your single greatest accomplishment and why? Im so alive (155). My life as a child was extremely turbulent, being pushed and pulled in every direction. I tried as hard as I could to reach the light at the end of the dark tunnel, but it always seemed out of reach. Until suddenly, without warning, I broke free (156). What was your biggest obstacle? How did you overcome it? My mothers abusing me was no doubt my biggest obstacle. I hated Mother most and wished that she were dead. But before she died, I wanted her to feel the magnitude of my pain and my loneliness for all these years (134). As the years passed by and the beatings became more intense, I wished shed returned with a knife and ended it all.. My morale had become so low that in some self-destructive way I hoped she would kill me (141). But I made a promise to myself that kept me going. I wanted to show The Bitch that she could beat me only if I died, and I was determined not to give in, even to death (91). What one trait or characteristic would you most like to be remembered for? Why? I would definitely most like to be remembered for my resilience. Perhaps my faith and the security of my early years helped me develop enough resilience to survive the abuse and grow up to be an emotionally healthy adult with a child of my own. The challenges of my past have made me immensely strong inside. I adapted quickly, learning how to survive from a bad situation. I learned the secret of internal motivation. My experience gave me a different outlook on life, that others may never know. I have a vast appreciation for things that others may take for granted.. I hope that my story will help instill resilience in others. What was the single, most important thing youve learned? Why do you consider this so? The single, most important thing Ive learned from my past hardships was that even in its darkest passages, the heart is unconquerable. It is important that the body survives, but it is more meaningful that the human spirit prevails (165). I believe that no matter what happens in your past, you can overcome the dark side and press on to a brighter world. It is perhaps a paradox that without the abuse of my past, I might not be what I am today (166). My Reaction: I read A Child Called It in one day. Its one of those books you cant put down because you want to know whats going to happen next. I was always in constant suspense as to what Daves emotionally unstable mother was going to do to him and how he was going to survive the abuse. This book really sunk into my heart and the imagery used in the book helped put a clear picture of the dysfunctional household Dave lived in. The fact that this is a true story and millions of children suffer from the same ordeal saddens me. Also, the fact that he remembers all those horrible things that he went through in the past, in detail, is very sad. Im glad that Dave triumphed not only in finding a better, loving family, but also within himself. If I was in his shoes, I dont think Id be able to make it where he is today. His story truly changed my perspective on life. I realized how lucky I am to belong to a nice, tight-knit family and that I have it good compared to most people.

ROLE OF ABU DHABI POLICE IN REDUCING SERIOUS OF ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS Dissertation - 1

ROLE OF ABU DHABI POLICE IN REDUCING SERIOUS OF ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS TO IMPROVE THE TRAFFIC SAFETY IN EMIRATE OF ABU DHABI - Dissertation Example The study discussed that urban traffic calming schemes are often implemented in residential areas in town as a means of decreasing the environmental and safety issues prompted by road traffic. A hierarchical road system was created and through traffic was eliminated from residential streets via street closures or one-way road systems. Speed-slowing devices were often put up in residential areas. The main roads were managed in order to ensure larger traffic volume without necessarily causing delays or accidents. The meta-analysis indicates how traffic calming techniques generally decrease accidents by about 15%, with the most reduction in accidents observed in the residential areas. A similar decrease in accidents is also seen in main roads. Reductions are also observed in terms of property damage only incidents. General results in evaluation studies are rich in terms of study design and no evidence of publication issues in the evaluation studies was observed. The results also have a significant degree of external validity. In relation to road safety engineering, the management of horizontal curves was also considered in the New Zealand study by Charlton (2007). The study indicates how driver errors related to horizontal curves was caused by three-related issues – failure in driver attention, miscalculation on speed and curves, and improper lane positioning. The study indicated how advance warning signs on their own are not effective in decreasing speeds, as when they are used in combination with chevron sight boards and/or repeater arrows. Among the road marking treatments used, only the rumble strips indicated any major decrease in speed. Herringbones road marking was seen to create major improvements in driver’s lane positions, allowing the flattening of drivers’ pathways within the curves. The combined use of herringbones and chevron with the repeater arrow signs indicated a significant decrease in speed including improvements in lane po sitioning. These results indicate evidence that treatments which support perceptual signs are the most valuable remedies in managing the curve speeds for drivers. A similar study by Afukaar (2010) sought to assess road safety engineering measures, specifically for developing countries. This study indicated how vehicle speed was a factor in vehicle crashes, with Ghana used as an example. The study revealed how main driver errors mostly referred to vehicle speeds. Rumble strips and speed humps proved to be effective measures in Ghana’s roads. The rumble strips indicated on the primary Accra-Kumasi highway decreased the incidents of crashes to about 35% and deaths to 55%. Decreasing speeds may be an effective remedy in decreasing traffic crashes for low income states; however the decreased speed limits are not effective interventions without the traffic law enforcement tools needed to guarantee that limits are observed. Developing states must consider the lack of other speed con trol measures, including rumble strips and speed bumps, as well as lanes which separate slow and high-speed users, and other solutions like speed governors, and improved awareness of the issue Abu Dhabi road safety practices In general, there are few studies which have specifically covered the road safety practices in Abu Dhabi. Majority of the studies on road safety practice have covered the entire United Arab Emirates. Some of these studies shall be included in this review. Bener and Alwash (2002) discussed how

Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Personal Statement Example Until now, I can still recall the exact time I fell in love with numbers and its analysis. I was in middle school, and an excellent teacher had been showing us how to tackle numerical problems. Imagine my delight with the adeptness I possess in following problem-solving techniques; after that memorable moment, I am hooked for life. The obsession I had helped me go through high school and college experience. As I passed entrance exam in secondary level with flying colors, I had been bombarded with different mathematical concepts, from geometry, trigonometry, algebra and calculus. Yet, another event marked my interest towards a specific course. When I took the class in Computer Science, we were introduced to C++ and FoxPro, deviating my interest towards analytical systems involved in computer processes. At 12th grade level, I had the honor of passing the course, with a Certificate to prove it. My interest in analytical mathematics led me to computer science programming, and the fascina tion had come to stay. In pursuance with numerical passion, it became the basis for my course selection Babes-Bolyai University, an excellent university in Cluj-Napoca. I took a program involving the combination of mathematics analysis and computer programming, Mathematics and Computer Science course, where I pored over a variety of concepts: Numerical analysis, Differential equations and Dynamic systems, Affine geometry, and Numerical solving of equations, Object oriented programming, Applications for mobile, Analysis and administration of complex computers systems, and Evolved programming methods. It may sound intimidating for others, but in my case, it had been like enjoying a favorite pastime. To top it all, I could get to share my enthusiasm with younger minds; I volunteered as tutor to students from grade 5-12. Giving my students a part of my analytical fixations with numbers is indeed a pleasurable episode for all of us. As much as I love my country, it seems that I am destin ed to go on a global scale. As I approached my fourth year in university, I was able to visit my relatives in Portland, Oregon for the summer. Unbeknown to me, I would meet the guy for me, Dan, who had been based in Seattle, Washington. We got on well together, as we both share an abundant love for life and adventure. Even though I went back to finish my course, we maintained constant contact. However, our love for each other had been adamant, and Dan proposed when he came to see me during my winter break--we got hitched summer that year. Forced to halt my studies in Romania, I relocated to follow my husband in Seattle, Washington. My need for mathematical challenges hunted me, and after thorough search for an outstanding university, I know what I am meant to do. I have to apply for degree on Applied Computational Mathematical Sciences in your top-rate institution, University of Washington. Only you have the competency to nurture my creative talent with numbers. Career Goals A few m onths after my marriage, I got pregnant, delaying my academic aspirations for a while, but was able to proceed years after. Unfortunately, my first attempt in the University of Washington had been denied. Thus, I channeled my energy towards another course in Bellevue College on Relational Database Developer, and this summer, I will have my certificate for the 45 units that I might accomplish. I am optimistic that this time, I will be given the chance