Monday, September 30, 2019

Comparison of Little Red Riding Hood from Different Countries Essay

Every so often, there comes a story so popular that it survives many decades and is common in many cultures. Growing up here in America, I was always told the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Because of the way American structure is set up, the story in this culture teaches the people told the story a lesson as well as has a happy ending. The American story of â€Å"Little Red Riding Hood† isn’t the only version of this story. As previously mentioned, there are stories that survive many decades and last through many cultures; this is one of them. However, they all have different names. There are also: Little Red Cap, Little Red Hood, The Grandmother, The True History of Little Golden Hood, Grandmother’s Nose, and Little Red Hat. These stories come from many different areas such as Germany, Poland, Italy, Austria, and France, and they have many different authors. There are two things that do stay the same throughout every retelling of this story, the characters and idea. There is always a little girl, her grandmother, her mother, and the wolf. Additionally, in every retelling, it involves the little girl having to go to her grandmother’s house to deliver something to her. However, the actions taken by the characters and their personalities change in every telling of the story. Although every version of Little Red Riding Hood has a similar idea, the characterization and moral of the story alters based upon what time period and location it was written in because of the influences of the country of origin’s stereotypes, ideals, and events.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Samsung Introduction

Founded Samsung Introduction-2 Important points, 1970’s subsidized, In 1938, Samsung began as a small business trading produce and consumer goods. Almost 70 years later, Samsung has transformed itself into a global powerhouse whose superior products and services now range from semiconductors and LNG ships to fine chemicals and financial services, just to name a few. 1938-1970 Samsung Beginning On March 1, 1938, founding chairman Byung-Chull Lee started a business in Taegu, Korea with 30,000 won (South Korean currency).At first, Mr. Lee's little business was primarily in trade export, selling dried Korean fish, vegetables, and fruit to Manchuria and Beijing. But in just over a decade, SAMSUNG – meaning literally â€Å"three stars† in Korean – would have its own flour mills and confectionery machines, its own manufacturing and sales operations, and ultimately become the roots of the modern global corporation that still bears the same name today. 969-SAMSUNG- Sanyo Electronics established (Renamed SAMSUNG Electro-Mechanics in March 1975 and merged with SAMSUNG Electronics in March 1977) 1969-SAMSUNG Electronics Manufacturing incorporated (Renamed SAMSUNG Electronics in February 1984) 1970-1980 Samsung Industrial Era Throughout the 1970s, SAMSUNG laid the strategic foundations for its future growth by investing in the heavy, chemical, and petrochemical industries.The company's second â€Å"Five-Year Management Plan,† announced in August 1973, targeted these industries and also introduced SAMSUNG to the shipbuilding industry Another burst of growth for SAMSUNG came from the burgeoning home electronics business. SAMSUNG Electronics, already a major manufacturer in the domestic (Korean) market, began to export its products for the first time during this period. Another significant development was SAMSUNG's 1974 acquisition of a 50 percent stake in Korea Semiconductor, further consolidate SAMSUNG Electronics' reign as a leader in semic onductor manufacturing. 980-1990 Entering the global technology marketplace The late 70s and early 80s represented a time of increasing diversification and global growth for Samsung’s core technology businesses. In 1978, SAMSUNG Semiconductor and SAMSUNG Electronics became separate entities as new products were introduced to the global market. SAMSUNG Precision Company (established in 1977) laid the foundation in another high-tech industry – aerospace.Renamed SAMSUNG Aerospace Industries in February 1987 (now known as SAMSUNG Techwin), SAMSUNG has been developing its aerospace capabilities with unprecedented speed ever since. Future plans include the development of future space stations – and even space facilities for the Moon and Mars in the early 21st century. SAMSUNG's increasing focus on technology led to another key development in the mid-80s with the creation of the company's two Research & Development institutes, SAMSUNG Economic Research Institute (S ERI) in 1986.SAMSUNG Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) in 1987. Together, these two pioneering R&D organizations have helped SAMSUNG expand its reach even further into electronics, semiconductors, high polymer chemicals, genetic engineering, optical telecommunications, aerospace and new fields of technology innovation from nanotechnology to advanced network architectures. On November 19, 1987, SAMSUNG's founding Chairman Byung-Chull Lee passed away after almost fifty years at the helm of the company. His son, Kun-Hee Lee succeeded him as the new Chairman.On the 50th anniversary of SAMSUNG's founding in 1988, he announced the â€Å"Second Foundation† of the company, directing SAMSUNG's growth towards becoming a world-class 21st century corporation. For this â€Å"Second Foundation,† SAMSUNG challenged itself to restructure old businesses and enter new ones with the aim of becoming one of the world's top five electronics companies. The merger of SAMSUNG Electro nics and SAMSUNG Semiconductor & Telecommunications was undoubtedly a key strategic moment in the progress towards this goal.For the first time in the group's history, SAMSUNG was now in a position to maximize its technological resources and develop value-added products. 1990-1997 Leaping onto the Global Stage New management Era New Management is more than a mere re-engineering of SAMSUNG but rather an entire revolution dedicated to making world-class products, providing total customer satisfaction, and being a good corporate citizen. In retrospect, New Management was a decisive turning point for SAMSUNG, the moment when the entire company was repositioned on the basis of â€Å"Quality first. During this period, 17 different products – from semiconductors to computer monitors, TFT-LCD screens to color picture tubes – leaped into the ranks of the top five products for global market share in their respective areas. There is no doubt that part of SAMSUNG's success in these areas is due to its rigorous enforcement of quality control at all its plants across the world.? Thanks to the â€Å"Line Stop† system, any employee can shut down the assembly line when inferior products are discovered.Production is simply halted until the problem is solved. SAMSUNG also adheres to the â€Å"Six Sigma† concept of total quality management. 1997-2000 Digital Frontier 1997 was a dark year for nearly all of Korea. That year, nearly all companies in Korea shrank. SAMSUNG was no exception. The company restructured by reducing the number of its affiliated companies to 45, decreasing personnel by almost 50,000, and improving the soundness of its financial structure.Although the news was bleak, SAMSUNG was one of the few companies able to continue growing thanks to its leadership in digital and network technologies, and its steady concentration on electronics, finances, and related services. 2000-Present Pioneering the Digital Age With the start of the s econd millennium, SAMSUNG begins its second century. The digital age has brought revolutionary opportunities and changes to global business. The SAMSUNG Group has responded to these changes and is currently upgrading its business structure, management perspective, and corporate culture to meet global standards.Our commitment of being â€Å"World's Best† has won us the number one global market share for thirteen of our products. We succeeded in achieving the global competitiveness through continually improving our financial structure and profitability, as we examine the structure of our own organization. The quick pace of our development is reflected in our management philosophy â€Å"We will devote our human resources and technology to create superior products and services, thereby contributing to a better global society. â€Å"

Saturday, September 28, 2019

American Airlines Flight Case Study Essay

Cause(s) of Accident The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the probable cause of this accident was the asymmetrical stall and the ensuing roll of the aircraft because of the uncommanded retraction of the left wing outboard leading edge slats and the loss of stall warning and slat disagreement indication systems resulting from maintenance-induced damage leading to the separation of the number 1 engine and pylon assembly at a critical point during takeoff. The separation resulted from damage by improper maintenance procedures which let to failure of the pylon structure. Structural and Mechanical Factors After a thorough examination of the pylon attachment points, fractures and deformations at the separation points in the forward bulkhead and thrust link were all characteristic of overload. Testimony indicated the forklift was not powered for a period of time because it ran out of fuel. Post accident forklift tests showed that under these conditions leakage would allow a drift down of 1 inch in 30 minutes. Movement of 0.4 inch or less would produce a 7 inch fracture at the flange. Contributing Factors The design and interrelationship of the essential systems as they were affected by the structural loss of the pylon contributed to this accident. Flight control, hydraulic, and electrical systems in the aircraft were all affected by the pylon separation. When the engine separated from the pylon hydraulic pressure and fluid were lost and not recoverable. The separation also severed the electrical wire bundles inside the pylon which included the main feeder circuits between the generator and the No 1 a.c. generator bus. The flight crew was unable to restore power to the aircraft. The failure of engineering to ascertain the damage-inducing potential of a procedure which deviated from the manufacturer’s recommended procedure was another contributed factor. The procedure in question was the removal of the pylon attaching hardware and the positioning of the forklift. As a result, maintenance personnel altered the sequence of hardware removal. Investigation Board Findings The engine and pylon assembly separated either at or immediately after liftoff. The flight crew was committed to continue the takeoff. The aft end of the pylon assembly started to separate in the forward flange of the aircraft bulkhead. The structural separation of the pylon was caused by a complete failure of the forward flange of the aft bulkhead after its residual strength had been critically reduced by the fracture and subsequent service life. The length of the overload fracture and fatigue cracking was about 13 inches. All electrical power to the number 1 a.c. generator bus and number 1 d.c. bus was lost after the pylon separated. The captains flight director instrument, stall warning system, and slat disagreement systems were rendered inoperative. Power was never restored. The number 1 hydraulic system was lost at pylon separation. Hydraulic lines and follow up cables of the drive actuator for the left wing’s outboard leading edge slat were severed by the separation of the pylon and the left wing’s outboard slats retracted during climb out. The retraction of the slats caused an asymmetric stall and subsequent loss of control of the aircraft. The pylon was damaged during maintenance performed on March 29 and 30, 1979 at the American Airlines Maintenance Facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Engineering personnel developed procedures for removing the pylon and engine that deviated from manufacturers procedures, and did so without performing proper tests. Recommendations The NTSB recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issue immediately an emergency Airworthiness Directive to inspect all pylon attach points by approved inspection methods. Issue an Airworthiness Directive to require and immediate inspection of all DC-10 aircraft in which an engine pylon assembly had been removed and reinstalled for damage to the wing-mounted pylon aft bulkhead, including its forward flange and the attaching spar web and fasteners. Issue a Maintenance Alert Bulletin directing FAA maintenance inspectors to contact their assigned carriers and advise them to immediately discontinue the practice of lowering and raising the pylon with the engine still attached and adhere to recommended manufacturer procedures. Outcomes After a series of post accident inspections disclosed damaged aft bulkheads in the wing to the engine pylons, the Administrator of the FAA issued an Emergency Order of Suspension on June 6, 1979, which suspended the DC-10 series aircraft type certificate until such time as it can be ascertained that the DC-10 aircraft meets the certification criteria of Part 25 of the FAR and is eligible for a Type Certificate. Twenty days later the FAA issued Special Federal Aviation Regulation 40 which prohibited the operation of any model DC-10 aircraft within the airspace of the United States. On July 13, 1979, after a series of formal investigations, the Administrator found that the DC-10 met the requirements for issuance of a type certificate. And the Emergency Order of Suspension was terminated. In November 1979 the FAA fined American Airlines $500,000 for using faulty maintenance procedures on its DC-10 aircraft by using forklifts to mate the complete engine/pylon assembly with the wing attachment points. Continental Airlines was fined $100,000 on a similar charge. References Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved October 20, 2010, from http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19790525-2 NTSB. (1979). Aircraft Accident Report, American Airlines, Inc. Flight 191. Retrieved October 20, 2010, from http://www.airdisaster.com/reports/ntsb/AAR79-17.pdf

Friday, September 27, 2019

Identity Theft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Identity Theft - Essay Example Criminal identity theft, the most common non-financial type, occurs when someone gives another's personal information to a law enforcement officer when he or she is arrested. In addition to the financial losses resulting from identity theft, the person whose personal information has been used will have an erroneous credit or criminal history that is often expensive and time-consuming to correct. This type of identity fraud involves taking on someone else's identity in order to commit a crime, enter a country, get special permits, hide one's own identity, or commit acts of terrorism. These criminal activities can include Computer and cyber crimes, Organized crime, Drug trafficking, Alien smuggling and money laundering. The incidences of identity theft augmented drastically beginning in the late 1990s due to the computerization of records and the capacity to use someone else’s personal information incognito over the Internet. This scam has amplified in the last few years. According to a September 2003 survey conducted by the Federal Trade Commission, an estimated 10 million people in the United States found out they were victims of identity theft in the previous year, much higher than the 500,000 to 750,000 victims estimated in 2001. Since all victims do not make the reporting of this fraud, these figures do not disclose the real rigorousness of this offense. Identity theft is likely to cause massive harm to people on individual basis as well as the state economy, darkening the consequences of usual crimes. It is very easy for criminals to steal identities. No one is immune from this crime. Los Angeles Police Department sergeant Sunil Dutta says, "Technology has simplified most scams. Anyone with a computer, printer, and scanner can falsify personal checks, credit cards, and various forms of identification. Fake ID templates are available on the Internet. Every day, countless credit card offers are mailed to consumers and credit card purchases are processed. Americans can open accounts, deposit money, and spend funds without speaking to a single person. Data that can be entered into a computer or on a telephone keypad are used to identify most customers."2 (Sunil, 2003) Stealing someone's identity actually requires very little effort. Names and mailing addresses of almost anyone can be found out online by paying a nominal amount. Similarly, for not a very high fee, Social Security numbers and employment information can be purchased on the Internet, all in a matter of a few seconds. The privacy has become endangered primarily due to the prevalence of high-speed computers and decryption software. The first and foremost reason that identity theft has become widespread these days is the ease with which one can find out Social Security numbers. Social Security numbers are used as identification and account numbers by many entities, in fact, some states put Social Security numbers on their drivers' licenses. Insurance companies, universities, utility companies, banks, brokerages, and even department stores often have records of Social Security numbers, resulting in a glut of places where our Social Security numbers are floating around; any thief can fish for them and use them to start new credit card accounts or apply for loans. In worst-case scenarios, someone may commit a crime in someone else's name and have the law enforcement

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Monitoring our home planet Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Monitoring our home planet - Research Paper Example This paper will analyze the identified phenomenon that leads to natural disasters through a critique on the available web based monitoring resources. Earthquakes Earthquakes are sudden tremors that result from sudden release of energy from earth crust. The energy produces seismic waves that are experienced as earthquake. The magnitude of earthquake is determined by the degree of frequency of the resultant seismic waves. It is estimated that 500, 000 earthquakes occur annually and they are detectable with the current monitoring instruments. However, only 20% of the detectable earthquakes cannot be felt or experienced. Distribution of earthquakes around the globe is closely associated with tectonic stability. Regions with active geological activities such as volcanoes, and faults lines are more prone to earthquakes than more geologically stable regions. However, this does not restrict earthquakes to certain areas since areas that have never recorded cases of earthquakes such as New York often experience earthquakes that are below the detectable magnitude. The main earthquake zones around the world are closely associated with regions that have h istory of active volcanic activities, strong tidal waves, areas with natural fault lines and regions within tectonic plate interfaces. Seismometers are used to monitor seismic waves in the earth crust and predict earthquakes. Countries such as Japan, Haiti, Indonesia, and Turkey have experienced severe cases of earthquake in the recent past. Various resources have been set to monitor trends of seismic waves and the possibility of earthquakes. IRIS Seismic Monitor, Live Earthquakes Map and GeoNet – Quakes are some the main earthquake monitoring websites. The web based monitoring technology provides up-to-date information and data on earthquakes. However, the websites have a geographical bias and usually assume the welfare of developing countries. It is evident that the current geological system that depicts seismic hotspots is not accurate. However, the websites are restricted to availability and distribution of earthquakes monitoring infrastructures around the world. Politics plays a significant role in the recording and reporting of earthquakes and related information. Most of the global earthquake monitoring infrastructures such as satellites and seismic wave monitors are controlled by major world powers (Ollier, 1988). This indicates that availability of information concerning earthquakes is closely linked with global politics. In addition, data collection is mainly carried out in area that are of political interest. The seismic monitoring resources do not cover less developed countries or regions of less political interests. However, web based results can be used to predict occurrence of earthquakes in less developed countries through extrapolation methods. Global economics plays a critical role in monitoring and

Reasons for and Effects of Exercise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reasons for and Effects of Exercise - Essay Example Whatever the reasons for exercising, one thing is for sure-- people are influenced and driven by their circumstances. Every individual exercises for one or various reasons and it could be clearly seen that such effect has always has a cause. This paper will look even deeper at what causes people to exercise such as physical fitness, emotional and psychological health as well as strength and stamina. Furthermore, it will also examine the results such as healthier body, mind and emotions. With the rise of the influence of the entertainment industry among different groups of people, exercise has become a focus among many individuals. Entertainers often portray that a skinny body is more desirable to the opposite sex than a plump one so that most people desire to have the former form of body structure. Regardless of gender, people want to look thin because they are more attractive that way. However, with the fast-paced lifestyle of most people nowadays, it is really difficult to maintain a lean body because of the oil and carbohydrate contents of the fast foods available to busy people. As a result, people tend to engage more in exercise to burn the fats and stay slim. In fact, more and more exercise gurus are getting popular because of the different exercise regimens they introduce to entertainment personalities who in turn advertise them when they successfully achieve and maintain the figure they desire through such programs. Those who religiously stick to their schedules of exercise often get their desired outcomes. They do lose weight and have leaner bodies which are indeed more attractive to look at. As a result, they are able to attract the attention of the opposite sex even more than those who do not engage in exercise. Females tend to have smaller waistlines and flatter stomachs. Men on the other hand build more muscles which make them look more manly and desirable. Their big muscles make them look strong and able. In addition, they also get rid of the beer belly which is often common among older men. Therefore, it could be said that one of the reasons for exercise is to achieve a desired body and the result would be successful in the case of a person who diligently exercises. Another reason, perhaps a better and more objective logic for engaging in exercise is physical health. As mentioned earlier, people exercise to get rid of the excess and unwanted fats. Indeed, they get slimmer as a result. However, in effect, they also get stronger and healthier bodies because during the process, those who exercise sweat as a result of the physical activity. It is popularly known that when one sweats, he excretes bodily wastes and toxins that make a person unhealthy. Therefore, exercise does not only make one get thinner but healthier as well. In addition, physical exercise helps regulate the heart’s functions. When one gets tired through physical activity, his heart beats faster and therefore, indirectly, the heart is exercised. This hel ps the blood flow more smoothly as well because the fats in the veins melt as the body temperature rises. The aforementioned is the reason why most doctors recommend exercise regimens to most patients especially those who are suffering from heart problems. Such diseases are often observed among obese people. It may be rude to tell an obese patient to exercise however doctors can be wise enough to educate patients about how the heart functions and how exercise makes it become healthier. Studies show that when fats are in excess, they can cover the heart, making it difficult to pump blood. As a result, the heart is weakened and complications such as stroke and heart attack occur. However, through exercise, such health problems are

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

ITM501 MoD 1 SLPMgt Infor & Bus Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ITM501 MoD 1 SLPMgt Infor & Bus Strategy - Essay Example The Mozilla Firefox provides numerous features that are convenient for every Internet user. Many prefer this web browser to others because it is fast and makes surfing more convenient with the Google toolbar. With this, one can open different tabs, thus, being in a better position to collect some adequate information on a subject. When tabs are closed, the Mozilla Firefox offers an opportunity to retrieve the history and restore it back. The Mozilla Firefox creates a strong platform for users to restore the last session and all the closed tabs even when systems crash. In the 21st century, this web browser provides a built spell checker to correct texts and email automatically. Firefox has many features such as a phishing detector, a sandbox security model, and a tool option to clear all the private information or data. These features are designed to boost security especially on a private site used in the workplace. Still, some people prefer using this web browser when using social ne tworking sites such as Twitter or Facebook. Sea Monkey is a free Web browser, which some users prefer in today’s society. Although the web browser is not commonly used, there are some features that attract a small segment of people. These features include the high support of multiple accounts, message filters, junk mail, a dictionary, customized labels, and an address book. These features help one to multitask and correct grammar mistakes. Still, this web browser is the most convenient because one can document some notes or memo while still searching for information in the Internet. Many prefer this web browser since it supports basic text styling and text formatting, insertion of images and hyperlinks, and creation of tables. Since this browser is built on the code of Mozilla’s sources, its Internet browser benefits most from the Mozilla security functions. This browser safeguards online threats such as root kits, fraudulent phishing websites, and viruses. One can als o update new security updates from the Sea Monkey site. This web browser is easy to install, access, and utilize (Lemay & Colburn, 2011). Opera Web Browser is a known browser established by Opera Software with over a million users across the globe. This browser handles common Internet tasks such as interpreting HTML and Web Sites. This browser uses a new interface that offers a device a sleek and modern appearance, which attracts many users to utilize it. The most important thing about this browser is that it saves money of data charges because Opera Mini utilizes a fraction of the data utilized by other browsers. It is an ultimate browser because it has the ability to delete private data just like other web browsers such as Mozilla. The most appealing and attractive features include page zooming, tabbed browsing, mouse gestures, and an integrated download manager. When a computer crashes, the user is in a better position to retrieve the tabs that were running. With this, this brows er is appealing to many as it offers a great opportunity to enjoy the benefits offered by other browsers that are commonly used in today’s society such as Mozilla Firefox. So, the common similarities of these browsers include the following: they all can retrieve the lost data and history, thus giving the user an easy opportunity to restore and access the lost information. Secondly, the three browsers can delete private da

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Water Use Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Water Use - Essay Example In this paper, the physical planning arrangements for traditional use of water in the world will be discussed so that new ideas can emerge in order to show improvement. Water generally gets to our homes in one of two ways. Either it is delivered by a city/county water department (or maybe from a private company), or people supply their own water, normally from a well. Water delivered to homes is called "public supplied" and water that people supply themselves is called "self supplied." People who supply their own water almost always use ground. The vast majority of America's population gets their water delivered from a public-supply system. This makes sense, as America's population now largely live in urban centers" (Domestic water use). Therefore, by having physical planning arrangements for water usage could mean economic development will help rural areas to be stronger, which contributes to their survival.With physical planning for use of water, it is very important to have cluste ring in the early stages of development because it helps with survival strategies. From there, this cannot happen until social capital is involved because it will drawn in clustered enterprises.For 2000, withdrawals were an estimated 3,720 Mgal/d or 4,170 thousand acre-feet per year. Self-supplied domestic withdrawals were about 1 percent of total freshwater withdrawals and about 2 percent of total freshwater withdrawals for all categories excluding thermoelectric power.... In order to overcome the issues, we need to consider group thinking and conformity so that everyone can work together. Working on a team can be very rewarding and exciting, but also frustrating if some of the team member are not committed to the team. Building a high performance team requires time, collaboration and most importantly communication. According to Katzenbach and Smith (2004), a team is described as a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. Group thinking and conformity focuses on the interpersonal transaction between managers and employee. Leaders are seen as engaging in behaviors that maintain a quality interaction between themselves and followers. The company is lacking group thinking and conformity because no one is willing to work together. In order to be an effective company, they have to conform as one so that productivity can be increased to make high p rofits. This effective form of communication and teamwork allowed people in the park with no problems because the team was organized and knew the proper procedure. A successful team also requires active listening, empathy, and being truly committed. With the approach of marketing rural areas, where consumers have the time to pay attention to details and want a small cozy shop, marketers can benefit from it due to the fact it will be in more customers because it adds to convenience, which is what everybody wants. From that, they will make the past relationships with customers stronger since they will feel like they can rely on the company for future development. This will cause the industry to make more long term profits, which is a great benefit. 3. Conclusion

Monday, September 23, 2019

I will tell you later Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

I will tell you later - Essay Example Secondly, the paper will focus on the relationship between food and water security and possible solutions to the security of the two. In the conclusion, there will be focus on the solution to safeguard food and water security in both developed countries and developing countries. Food-Water nexus Water and food are extremely connected; the impact of the quality and proper usage of the two is made necessary by the utilization of water resources and practice of good agricultural methods. Water is very essential in the food industry. In the primary production stage, it is used in irrigation, livestock watering and aquaculture. According to Krittasudthacheewa 3, agriculture consumes about 70% of all surface water supplies whereas domestic and industrial usage takes up the remaining percentage. It also performs a main role in the preparation and processing stage where it is used as a means of transport, as an ingredient for washing, pasteurizing, cooling and steam production. In order to p roduce, process and prepare food, a lot of energy is required. Energy is used in the transportation, treatment and production of food. Water enables the production for hydroelectric power which aids in the food production process by provision of energy. ... Poor agricultural practices have resulted to loss of soil due to run off water and had also caused water logging because of hard pans. The pollution of animal waste and water used in irrigation leads to the pollution of surface and ground water. Irrigation flows carry salts, nutrients and pesticides which contaminate the water sources and alter the eminence of the water. The pollution has negative impact on food production especially since the polluted water is to be reused in future. Utilization of polluted water in the food production chain results in low quality and insufficient agriculture produce. It also impacts on the cost of production that rises due to increased costs in the purchase of the necessary curatives needed for maximum production and protection of the impact of the infected produce. It is therefore necessary to practice good agricultural methods while at the same time regulating water usage. Protection of water sources from pollution and unnecessary use normally re sults in increased productivity. The relationship between water and food production should be well balanced to ensure the continued supply for food and likewise existence of suitable and non-polluted water. The disturbance of one has tremendous impacts on the other. The two depend on each other for maximum productivity which is essential to cater for the ever increasing human needs and wants. Impact of food production and water security Water security is the access to safe water for consumption and sanitation. Food security on the other hand is the availability of safe, sufficient and nutritious food to live a healthy life. Interdependence between water and food is the reason why agriculture is responsible for much water exploitation. During food production,

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Importance of art Essay Example for Free

Importance of art Essay Why is art important? This is a question many parents ask themselves when they are enrolling their child in school. â€Å"Arts education does solve problems. Years of research show that it is closely linked to almost everything that we as a nation say we want for our children and demand from our schools: academic achievement, social and emotional development, civic engagement, and equitable opportunity† (Smith). It is a proven fact that children involved in art make higher grades than children that are not involved. Exposure to the arts provides many important advantages because it affects the growth and progress of children and benefits children in many learning environments. Art is important to children in their developmental years because they are able to express themselves. You should start teaching art as early as possible. It also improves their learning process. Art makes children look forward to learning. Schools that have art programs usually have higher attendance. That is because students get excited about that art class and want to go to school and participate instead of their parents making them go to school. If there was no art in school, there would be more children dropping out and getting themselves in trouble. In some Dallas schools, they had budget cuts and had to cut some subjects and art was among those things. Many people worked to get art put back in some of those schools. Those people know how important art is and did their best to get it back for the children. Now the children are getting about forty five minutes a week of an art class of some sort. If a child starts in kindergarten, they will learn how to be confident, how to concentrate and focus, and also how to interact with people. Some children are shy and by participating they will learn how to do all of those things. Russell Granet stated, â€Å"When I grew up, it was standard to have a music teacher and a visual arts teacher, and you almost always did a school musical†. If a child starts in kindergarten, they will learn how to be confident, how to concentrate and focus, and also how to interact with people. Some children are shy and by participating they will learn how to do all of those things. Russell Granet stated, â€Å"When I grew up, it was standard to have a music teacher and a visual arts teacher, and you almost always did a school musical†. Schools that went without art classes suffered greatly. For example some schools in New York were doing budget cuts and decided to cut most of their art classes and their student graduation rate wasn’t as high. Once the art classes were put back in progress, the graduation rate went back up. Russell Granet stated â€Å"There was a study asking graduates what they remembered most about kindergarten through twelfth grade, more than fifty percent said it was an arts experience†. People rarely think of arts education as survival skills. Ken Jarboe stated, â€Å"All these skills observing, envisioning, innovating through exploration, and reflective self- evaluation is exactly what is needed†. In this quotation, Jarboe is saying art gives you all kinds of skills used to be successful. Russell Granet stated, â€Å"I worked on a program that brought arts back into the curriculum at New York City middle schools. We worked at a school in Bed- Stuy, when I first went there; I walked the halls and didn’t feel safe. The school had low attendance, low test scores; morale was low. Within three years, it was a different place†. In this quotation, Granet is saying he knew the best way to get that school back on its feet was to work his hardest and get art put back in that school. Arts education has a measurable impact on at-risk youth in preventing delinquent behavior and absence problems while also increasing overall academic performance among those youth engaged in after school and summer arts programs targeted toward delinquency prevention. Ken Jarboe stated, â€Å"There is a good reason to teach art in schools, and it is not the one that art supporters tend to fall back on. Arts education is becoming as important as standardized test†. In this quotation Jarboe is saying it is a good reason to teach art in schools and art is as important as a standardized test. Some Reasons to take art in high school are to do something different and to do something challenging. An additional reason is a student might find a hidden talent. â€Å"Explaining the benefits of art children experiences a sense of freedom while learning† (Srivastava). While in art children, feel like they have the freedom to draw whatever and express themselves. For preschool children, art benefits them in drawing, sculpting and other visual arts. It also helps in memorizing things such as a story or song. Programs in art education can potentially help students to excel in other academic areas, particularly in reading and math. About ninety-three percent of Americans believe that art is vital in providing an artistic outlet for children. About eighty-six percent of Americans â€Å"agree an arts education encourages and assists in the improvement of a child’s attitude toward school† (Ruppert 5). About eighty-three percent of Americans believe that arts education helps teach children how to communicate. About seventy-nine percent of Americans â€Å"agree incorporating the arts into education is the first step in adding back what’s missing in public education today† (Ruppert 5). Another seventy-nine percent of Americans believe â€Å"it is important enough for them to get involved in the amount and quality of arts education† (Ruppert 5). About fifty-four percent of Americans rate the importance of art a ten on a scale from one to ten (Ruppert 5). Participating in art activities help children in understanding human experiences, adapting to and respecting others ways of thinking and ideas. Art class feels like a safe haven from the outside world, a place for them to really get in touch with themselves and healthily express their pain and frustration. It also provides structure for activities outside of school such as family activities. The families not only learn more about art but also learn how to get along with each other because some families do not and the only time that child is happy is when they are at school away from that family. For a young person’s growth and development, being educated in art is considered to be important. Art stimulates and develops a child’s imagination. Creating art projects is a way to stimulate a child’s imagination. For example, giving a child Legos and letting them build whatever they want. It also has a tremendous impact in teaching life skills. Some benefits arts education provides are it develops problem-solving skills, heightens self-esteem, allows for expression and creativity, improves academic performance, improves visual discrimination skills, improves concentration, and improves social skills. Another benefit is hand-eye coordination. For example, holding a narrow paint brush and cutting with scissors. Another benefit of art a person acquires is expresses a deeper understanding of culture and history. Like what was said before art helps with memorizing things and that helps in memorizing different dates in history. If a student misses a math class, he or she would be missing out on some important information for that day and will be behind for a while. The same goes for art. The skills learned in art cannot be learned anywhere else. Art benefits the brain by teaching it to think outside the box. It helps children understand concepts easier. Art education teaches life skills such as learning to solve problems and make decisions. It also nurtures important values. Art improves cognitive abilities and provides individuals with the ability to enjoy the life encouraging desires of making art. Other benefits art offers are team-building skills, respecting different perspectives and being aware of diverse beliefs and backgrounds. In art classes, a student will have to learn how to work together asking for help, or even having to work on a drawing together. If a student does have to work with another person on a painting or drawing a student will have to listen to that person’s ideas and if both of them have different viewpoints on something, each will have to respect that person’s viewpoints and vise versa. The same goes for being aware of different cultures and traditions. The arts also add to the education of young children by helping them realize the extent of human experience, see the diverse ways humans express feelings and convey meaning, and improve delicate and complex forms of thinking. Some people may paint or draw when they are feeling down or hurt. Art also helps children how to concentrate and focus while they are doing different things such as studying or trying to memorize something word for word. With that being said it helps you to gain more knowledge when it comes to your school subjects because you are learning how to concentrate. Some people were not able to be in any art classes when they were in school so they learn about art when their child comes home and tells them about it. The child is so excited about a drawing they drew or a painting they painted and they want to show their parents. The parents see how happy and excited their child is and wants to continue to have their child in that specific art class because they see their cheerfulness. â€Å"Attendance is higher in schools with art programs† (Granet) and this is why. It is a proven fact that when an art of some sort is combined with a core subject students seem to learn it better than not having that art included in that lesson. For example if a student is in a Spanish class learning new words and the Spanish teacher adds a fun activity to help the students learn those specific words. For instance, if the students are learning how to say different types of clothing the teacher could have an activity where the students are participating in a fashion show and while one student is walking down the runway the students that are watching is writing down what they are wearing and that is a way for those students to learn and it makes it fun for them. In conclusion participating in arts education in your school years is extremely important because you learn valuable skills. A person learns skills used for everyday life such as having self-esteem, problem-solving skills, and teaches a person to be creative. Also most Americans believe art in school is important because it teaches a child how to communicate with another person and in today’s society if you don’t know how to talk to someone or talk in front of someone and not be nervous that person is going to have a hard time trying to get a job. Also most people believe art in school prevents students to interact in bad behavior.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Brain Swelling in Pediatric Cerebral Malaria

Brain Swelling in Pediatric Cerebral Malaria 1.5T MRI to Investigate Potential Etiologies of Brain Swelling in Pediatric Cerebral Malaria Abbreviations: Red Blood Cell (RBC) Parts per billion (ppb) Cerebral malaria (CM) Blood brain barrier (BBB) Abstract Objective: Cerebral malaria (CM) remains a common cause of death in African children. The pathologic hallmark of pediatric CM is sequestration of parasitized red blood cells in the cerebral microvasculature. Recent Malawi-based research utilizing a 0.35T MRI has established that severe brain swelling is associated with fatal CM, but the etiology of brain swelling remains unclear. Autopsy and clinical studies suggest several potential etiologies, but technical limitations of 0.35T MRI precluded optimal investigations into swelling pathophysiology. A 1.5T MRI in Zambia allowed for further investigations including susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI). SWI is an ideal sequence for identifying regions of sequestration and microhemorrhages given the ferromagnetic properties of hemozoin and blood. Methods: Using 1.5T MRI, Zambian children with retinopathy-confirmed CM underwent imaging with SWI, T2, T1 pre- and post-gadolinium, DWI with ADC and T2/FLAIR sequences. Results: Sixteen children including two with moderate/severe edema were imaged. All survived. Gadolinium extravasation was not seen. Cerebral perfusion was intact with DWI abnormalities sparing the gray matter. SWI findings consistent with microhemorrhages and parasite sequestration co-occurred in white matter regions where DWI changes consistent with vascular congestion were seen. Findings consistent with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome as a cause of swelling were also present. Interpretations: High field MRI findings indicate that vascular congestion associated with parasite sequestration, local inflammation from microhemorrhages and autoregulatory dysfunction contribute to brain swelling in CM. Keywords: sequestration; venous congestion; hemozoin Introduction: Pediatric cerebral malaria (CM), defined as P. falciparum peripheral parasitemia and unarousable coma with no other coma etiology evident, primarily affects children in sub-Saharan Africa [1]. Although antimalarial agents provide rapid parasite clearance, mortality rates remain high (8-25%) [2, 3]. The pathological hallmark of pediatric CM at autopsy is intravascular sequestration in which parasitized red blood cells (RBCs) adhere to the endothelium of cerebral microvessels. Although malaria causes almost a million deaths per year, neuroimaging capacity is typically limited in malaria-endemic regions. Only one large MRI case series from Malawi using a 0.35T MRI has provided insights into the in vivo structural abnormalities associated with pediatric CM [4]and CM mortality [5]. Other studies and case reports using higher field MRIs have been performed on adults [6, 7], but adult CM appears to represent a different disease syndrome [8]. In adult CM, coma onset largely occurs some days after illness onset in the setting of multisystem organ failure often including hepatic dysfunction, renal failure and gross electrolyte abnormalities. As such, the coma of adult CM is clinically dominated by the effects of a toxic, metabolic encephalopathy. In contrast, in pediatric CM coma onset occurs very early in the malaria illness, often as one of the first signs of the illness, with very limited hepatic or renal involvement and no evident systemic cause for coma. MRI insights gained from imaging pediatric CM to date have been limited to low field MRI technology. The recent pediatric CM MRI study used 0.35T technology to establish that increased intracranial pressure due to increased brain volume is the cause of death in CM [9], but the low field MRI technology was unable to further evaluated the potential etiologies of brain swelling in pediatric CM, so the underlying cause(s) of cerebral edema in CM remains unclear. Further study delineating the underlying cause(s) of swelling is needed to develop appropriate interventions. Potential etiologies suggested by autopsy and clinical studies include any/all of the following: (a) blood brain barrier (BBB) breakdown with resultant vasogenic edema [10, 11]; (b) impaired perfusion resulting in cell death with cytotoxic edema [12]; (c) vascular congestion due to occlusion at the post-capillary venules [13]; (d) hyperemia with auto-regulatory dysfunction due to endothelial injury and CM-associated seizures, anemia and hyperpyrexia [14, 15], [16]; and (e) diffuse cerebral microhemorrhages (i.e. ring hem orrhages) [11]. Hemozoin is an iron-rich breakdown product of the parasites metabolism of hemoglobin [5]. Hemozoin is present primarily in mature, sequestered parasites. Thus, susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) [17], which is extremely sensitive to the magnetic field inhomogeneity caused by ferromagnetic substances, is an ideal imaging sequence for identifying regions of parasite sequestration. SWI also offers the ability to identify small hemorrhages on the order of several  µg of blood per gram of tissue [18],[19]. We hypothesized that imaging retinopathy-confirmed pediatric CM with a 1.5T MRI including DWI, SWI and gadolinium enhanced sequences would identify pathophysiological mechanisms underlying cerebral edema in pediatric CM and undertook an imaging study of CM in Zambia where 1.5T MRI is available specifically seeking evidence of blood brain barrier breakdown, impaired perfusion, parasite sequestration, autoregulatory dysfunction and microhemorrhages. Material and Methods: Subjects and Recruitment During the malaria seasons (Jan-June) in 2012-2014, comatose children with retinopathy-confirmed [20] CM underwent brain MRI on the 1.5T MRI scanner (Siemens Magnetom Essenza using Syngo MR 200 4A version software, Germany) at the Cancer Diseases Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia within 24 hours of admission. Inclusion criteria were: (1) admission to the pediatric high care unit of the University Teaching Hospital, (2) a Blantyre Coma Score of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ 2 [21], (3) P. falciparum infection as determined by a Paracheck Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT), (4) the presence of malarial retinopathy, and (5) no other evident etiology for coma. A thick peripheral blood smear to identify parasitemia was also obtained prior to recruitment, but was not immediately available and was not required for inclusion. All children received standard antimalarial treatment, anticonvulsants, antipyretics, antibiotics and blood transfusions, as clinically indicated and in accordance with national treatment guidelin es. As per present treatment standards, no steroids were given. Children with comorbid meningitis as determined by cerebrospinal fluid analysis were excluded from enrollment. Written consent was obtained from the childs parent or guardian. Children with impaired renal function (creatinine à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥2.0) did not receive gadolinium. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Boards at the University of Zambia, Michigan State University and the University of Rochester. Imaging Gadolinium (Magnevist) doses were determined by individual patient weight and administered intravenously (0.2 mL/kg, 0.1 mmol/kg) by hand injection. The scanning protocol is provided in an appendix. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) calculations were provided by the standard Siemens software algorithms [22]. SWI phase images were collected unfiltered and post-processed with a 6464 high pass filter then viewed using SPIN (signal processing in nMR) software. SWI was also collected with a shorter echo time (15ms) for some subjects to avoid potential aliasing [17]. Interpretation Images were reviewed independently by two radiologists (MJP; neuroradiologist, and SDK; MRI fellowship trained radiologist) and data were managed using NeuroInterp, a web-based program that allows radiographic findings to be entered into a searchable and quantified database [23]. Reader discrepancies, determined in advance of the analysis, were reevaluated by the two radiologists to develop a consensus interpretation. Increased brain volume, the imaging finding associated with fatal cerebral malaria, was rated on a scale from 1-8 with 3 being no edema, 1 and 2 indicating atrophy. An edema score of 4-5 indicated minimal-mild edema, with no loss of sulcal markings. Grade 6 (moderate edema) was defined as loss of some sulcal markings. An edema score of 7 represented moderate/severe edema with diffuse sulcal and cisternal effacement universally evident but without herniation present, and the severe edema score of 8 required sulcal and cisternal effacement with evidence of herniation. MRI findings coded within the NeuroInterp database that could plausibly be associated with the five potential pathogenic mechanisms of brain swelling in CM were then reviewed. Specifically, (a) to evaluate diffuse BBB breakdown causing vasogenic edema, we looked for evidence of gadolinium enhancement [24], (b) to assess for impaired perfusion and subsequent cytotoxic edema we looked for gray matter diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) abnormalities [25], (c) evidence for vascular congestion or venous micro-occlusion was sought by looking for white matter DWI abnormalities [26], (d) autoregulatory dysfunction was evaluated by looking for focal regions of symmetric hemispheric edema of varying confluence in regions susceptible to autoregulatory vulnerabilities [9, 27], and (e) SWI abnormalities were assessed clinically and quantitatively based upon effective voxel susceptibility with the anticipation that these would be located in the same anatomical regions as ring hemorrhages and sequest ration have been identified in prior autopsy studies [28]. Given the small anticipated sample size ( Results: Patient Characteristics and Data Acquisition Twenty three children met study inclusion criteria during the enrollment period. Parents declined participation for 2 children and 5 children were deemed too ill to transfer for imaging or died before imaging could be performed, so 16 subjects were imaged5 (31%) were male and the mean age was 6.4 years (range 1-15). Table 1 provides demographic data and admission clinical characteristics from the 16 subjects who were imaged. Of the 5 consented children who were not imaged, 3 died. Among the 16 subjects imaged, the scans for one patient was non-diagnostic on the SWI sequence due to movement artifact. Renal function could not be ascertained on two children, so these subjects did not receive gadolinium. There were no fatalities among the imaged study subjects and none had clinical sequelae evident at discharge. Table 2 provides the frequencies of the 1.5T MRI findings identified and captured in NeuroInterp. MRI Findings Increased brain volume: None of the subjects had severe (grade 8) edema. Moderate/severe (grade 7) edema was present in 2/16 (13%); moderate (grade 6) edema in 4/16 (25%); minimal/mild (grade 4 5) edema in 7/16 (44%) and no edema in 3/16 (19%). T2 signal changes: The total number of cases exhibiting white matter increased T2 signal was 12/16 (75%), and two distinct patterns were observed: primarily subcortical (10/12, or 83%) and primarily periventricular/peritrigoneal (2/12, 17%) (Figure 1). These generally occurred in isolation; only 2 cases had both findings. Gadolinium enhancement: The expected normal physiological intravascular and circumventricular organ enhancement was evident in all subjects on the post-contrast images (Figure 2). A small region of subtle focal cortical enhancement was seen in one subject with positive SWI signal and no associated T2 abnormalities consistent with a capillary telangiectasia. There was no evidence of gadolinium extravasation in the other 13 patients who received contrast. Cortical findings: Cortical swelling and increased T2 signal was seen in 10/16 (63%), but these signal abnormalities were relatively mild in extent, confluent, and without associated cortical DWI findings. Increased cortical T2 signal was generally diffuse, with only 2/16 (13%) having a posterior predominant pattern [4]. DWI showed restricted water diffusion in the subcortical white matter in 10/16 (63%) which was confirmed by accompanying ADC maps. Basal Ganglia and Thalamus Abnormalities: The structures in the basal ganglia had different levels of involvement. T2/FLAIR signal abnormalities were present in the globus pallidus and putamen in 10/16 (63%), and the caudate in 9/16 (56%). While frequently involved simultaneously, there was generally a region of predominance (Figure 3). Regional differences were also illustrated in the DWI images. Fifty six percent of subjects had DWI abnormalities in the globus pallidus, 13% in the putamen and none in the caudate. Pontine and Brainstem Signal Abnormalities: This was assessed at two levels, within the pons at the level of the middle cerebellar peduncle and within the brainstem at the level of the substantia nigra. Pontine involvement was seen in 9/16 (56%) and brainstem in 11/16 (69%). Abnormalities were usually diffuse, and consisted of generalized increase in T2 signal. However, focal areas of involvement were also seen. Corpus callosum: Showed increased T2 signal and thickening in 10/16 (63%) with 6/10 having associated positive DWI findings as confirmed by ADC maps. The splenium was the primary site of involvement in 9/10 (90%) of cases. SWI Findings: Decreased signal is defined as a positive SWI finding as it localizes to areas of magnetic field inhomogeneity caused by the presence of a ferromagnetic substance (Figure 4). SWI findings were noted along the regions of the venules of both the superficial and deep venous systems corresponding to areas of parasite sequestration and ring hemorrhages. SWI resolution did not allow distinction between gray and white matter involvement in the cerebellum. One SWI dataset was not interpretable due to severe motion artifact. In the remaining cases, 7/15 (47%) showed abnormal paramagnetic signal within the following regions of the parenchyma: corpus callosum (7/15, 47%), sub-cortical white matter (6/15, 40%), cerebellum (5/15, 33%), lenticulae striate (5/15, 33%), and periventricular white matter (2/15, 13%). In two subjects, both the internal capsule and optic radiation had abnormal paramagnetic signal. The susceptibility of heavily infected red blood cells is ~1880 parts per billion (ppb) relative to water [18]. The effective voxel susceptibilities in the corpus callosum and junction of the cortical gray and white matter was 50 ppb relative to water in SWIM. As distributed within the voxel, this represents a 1/38th decrease in susceptibility. Given the voxel size of 0.5 x 0.5 x 2.0 mm3, this represents 1/78th  µL. Assuming the capillary volume is ~5% (or 1/20th of the pixel) [29], this indicates that ~half of the capillaries are filled with hemozoin. The combination of moderate to severe symmetrical cortical swelling (edema score of 6 or 7), with corresponding underlying subcortical white matter changes with associated DWI and ADC findings was evident in 4/16 (25%) of cases (Figure 5) with two of the four showing a predominantly posterior distribution. Table 3 summarizes the MRI findings seen using 1.5T in 16 Zambian children with CM in the context of the proposed mechanisms for brain swelling in CM and the 1.5T MRI findings anticipated for each mechanism. Discussion: MRI findings using a 0.35T MRI have shown that death from pediatric CM occurs due to increased brain volume [9] but low field MRI was unable to further delineate the etiology for the brain swelling. Interventions studies aimed at reducing or preventing cerebral edema in CM would ideally target the underlying mechanism of swelling. Existing clinical and autopsy data suggest at least five potential etiologies for brain swelling in CM. In this study, we describe what the MRI findings associated with each of these potential etiologies would be and then used 1.5T MRI in children with retinopathy-confirmed CM to identify the presence or absence of findings consistent with each of the five proposed etiologies. As such, the results of this study can be subdivided into evidence both for and against these specific potential origins of brain swelling in pediatric CM. Decreased SWI signal was evident on the brain MRIs of children with CM and furthermore these changes were seen in regions where autopsy studies have shown microhemorrhages (Figure 6) as well as in the regions where sequestration is common. Since the SWI signal effectively identifies blood and hemozoin, both sequestration and ring hemorrhages were likely identified. Marked T2/DWI abnormalities were evident in the subcortical brain regions most sensitive to venous outflow obstruction. If perfusion is obstructed in regions with SWI signal changes, then blood flow to the tissue would decrease by ~50% which is consistent with what is seen in an animal model of malaria where blood flow was found to be reduced to 53% +/- 12% [29]. In the setting of the sequestration-associated SWI abnormalities and intact large venous drainage systems (i.e. no venous thrombosis), the T2/DWI findings are strongly suggestive of a venous obstruction phenomenon in the capillary bed system. Much of what is known about pediatric cerebral malaria has been learned from autopsy studies, so it is reassuring to see that the distribution of microhemorrhages and parasite sequestration found in prior autopsy studies are very similar in distribution to the microhemorrhages and parasite sequestration identified in living children who survived CM. Vasogenic edema was demonstrated by increased T2 signal in the white matter. Cytotoxic edema has a similar appearance, but is accompanied by restricted water motion identified by increased DWI signal. Both were evident in this cohort, with cytotoxic being more common. This tended to be significant and diffuse. None of these children died and there were no clinical sequelae at discharge, suggesting that the process is reversible, and may represent early cytotoxic edema rather than tissue infarction. MRI findings of symmetrical cortical swelling with underlying white matter changes were seen, consistent with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) and suggestive of autoregulatory dysfunction. Pediatric CM is congruent with many other clinical conditions associated with PRES. Specifically, pediatric CM generally involves a rapid neurologic deterioration, usually in the setting of seizure, followed by relativity prompt full recovery in most patients. Radiographically, brain swelling with underlying vasogenic edema associated with positive DWI findings is the hallmark of both CM and PRES [4, 16]. Autoregulatory dysfunction as a result of the primarily endothelial process associated with parasite sequestration in CM may result in vasoconstriction coupled with hypoperfusion causing vasogenic edema and associated brain swelling. This is the favored theory for the etiology of the radiographic findings seen in PRES [27]. We found no evidence of cortical cytotoxic edema and there was no radiographic evidence of gadolinium enhancement although gadolinium was clearly seen within the vessels and in circumventricular organs. Gadolinium, as a contrast agent, is chelated by a range of very small molecules (Magnevist 0.54kDa)[30]. These agents are all hydrophobic, so they do not cross the intact BBB. At autopsy in CM, areas of sequestration show fibrinogen (340kDa)[24] leakage and ring hemorrhages which require sufficient BBB breakdown to allow a deformable, non-parasitized blood cells (7  µM) to escape. The SWI imaging in this study identified ring hemorrhages so some BBB breakdown associated with their presence must have occurred, but if there was associated gadolinium extravasation, the quantity and concentration of gadolinium was insufficient to be visually evident on MRI. Gross BBB breakdown indicative of severe vasogenic edema was not evident in this small series of non-fatal pediatric CM. This study is limited by the small sample size, less severe disease spectrum, and lack of a comparison group. In Zambia, children felt to be at risk of imminent death were not imaged since transport for imaging there requires ambulance transportation to an adjacent facility. The small number of subjects prevented meaningful quantitative analyses despite the use of NeuroInterp. Although no a prior analyses were planned, we did conducted a post-hoc comparison to determine if the edema score or the presence of SWI, DWI, or focal cortical abnormalities was associated with age, coma duration prior to admission or the seizures prior to admission. No associations were found (all ps >0.05). The absence of subjects with severe brain swelling or fatal disease may have impacted our findings, as florid BBB breakdown might not occur to a significant degree in less severe CM. Normal MRIs on a similar aged comparison group were not available. In the Zambian setting, most imaging is obtained on adva nced disease with normal images being uncommon. Acquisition of imaging in an age-comparable group of healthy children was not feasible given the risk of sedation, particularly in this environment. Finally, more quantitative MRI analyses would have allowed more optimal assessments, but the power injections equipment required to obtain perfusion studies and/or dynamic contrast enhanced studies, which could detect contrast influx too small to be visually evident, is prohibitively expensive and was not available in this resource limited setting. Conclusions: Pediatric CM brain MRI findings in non-fatal cases using 1.5T technology suggest that vascular congestion, autoregulatory dysfunction, and microhemorrhages likely contribute to brain swelling pathogenesis. References [1] WHO, World Malaria Report, 2011. http://www.who.int/malaria/publications/world-malaria-report-2016/report/en/ [2] A.M. Dondorp, C.I. Fanello, I.C. Hendriksen, E. Gomes, A. Seni, K.D. Chhaganlal, K. Bojang, R. Olaosebikan, N. Anunobi, K. Maitland, E. Kivaya, T. Agbenyega, S.B. Nguah, J. Evans, S. Gesase, C. Kahabuka, G. Mtove, B. Nadjm, J. Deen, J. Mwanga-Amumpaire, M. Nansumba, C. Karema, N. Umulisa, A. Uwimana, O.A. Mokuolu, O.T. Adedoyin, W.B. Johnson, A.K. Tshefu, M.A. Onyamboko, T. Sakulthaew, W.P. Ngum, K. Silamut, K. Stepniewska, C.J. Woodrow, D. Bethell, B. Wills, M. Oneko, T.E. Peto, L. von Seidlein, N.P. Day, N.J. White, Artesunate versus quinine in the treatment of severe falciparum malaria in African children (AQUAMAT): an open-label, randomised trial, Lancet 376(9753) (2011) 1647-57. [3] M.E. Molyneux, T.E. Taylor, J.J. Wirima, A. Borgstein, Clinical features and prognostic indicators in paediatric cerebral malaria: a study of 131 comatose Malawian children [see comments], Q J Med 71(265) (1989) 441-59. [4] M.J. Potchen, S.D. Kampondeni, K.B. Seydel, G.L. Birbeck, C.A. Hammond, W.G. Bradley, J.K. DeMarco, S.J. Glover, J.O. Ugorji, M.T. Latourette, J.E. Siebert, M.E. Molyneux, T.E. Taylor, Acute brain MRI findings in 120 Malawian children with cerebral malaria: new insights into an ancient disease, AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 33(9) (2012) 1740-6. [5] F. Paul, S. Roath, D. Melville, D.C. Warhurst, J.O. Osisanya, Separation of malaria-infected erythrocytes from whole blood: use of a selective high-gradient magnetic separation technique, Lancet 2(8237) (1981) 70-1. [6] D.D. Rasalkar, B.K. Paunipagar, D. Sanghvi, B.D. Sonawane, P. Loniker, Magnetic resonance imaging in cerebral malaria: a report of four cases, The British journal of radiology 84(1000) (2011) 380-5. [7] S. Vyas, V. Gupta, A. Hondappanavar, V. Sakhuja, N. Bhardwaj, P. Singh, N. Khandelwal, Magnetic resonance imaging of cerebral malaria, The Journal of emergency medicine 42(5) (2012) e117-9. [8] R.J. Maude, F. Barkhof, M.U. Hassan, A. Ghose, A. Hossain, M. Abul Faiz, E. Choudhury, R. Rashid, A. Abu Sayeed, P. Charunwatthana, K. Plewes, H. Kingston, R.R. Maude, K. Silamut, N.P. Day, N.J. White, A.M. Dondorp, Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in adults with severe falciparum malaria, Malaria journal 13 (2014) 177. [9] K.B. Seydel, S.D. Kampondeni, C. Valim, M.J. Potchen, D.A. Milner, F.W. Muwalo, G.L. Birbeck, W.G. Bradley, L.L. Fox, S.J. Glover, C.A. Hammond, R.S. Heyderman, C.A. Chilingulo, M.E. Molyneux, T.E. Taylor, Brain swelling and death in children with cerebral malaria, N Engl J Med 372(12) (2015) 1126-37. [10] H. Brown, S. Rogerson, T. Taylor, M. Tembo, J. Mwenechanya, M. Molyneux, G. Turner, Blood-brain barrier function in cerebral malaria in Malawian children, Am J Trop Med Hyg 64(3-4) (2001) 207-13. [11] K. Dorovini-Zis, K. Schmidt, H. Huynh, W. Fu, R.O. Whitten, D. Milner, S. Kamiza, M. Molyneux, T.E. Taylor, The neuropathology of fatal cerebral malaria in malawian children, The American journal of pathology 178(5) (2011) 2146-58. [12] N.A. Beare, S.P. Harding, T.E. Taylor, S. Lewallen, M.E. Molyneux, Perfusion abnormalities in children with cerebral malaria and malarial retinopathy, J Infect Dis 199(2) (2009) 263-71. [13] M.J. Ponsford, I.M. Medana, P. Prapansilp, T.T. Hien, S.J. Lee, A.M. Dondorp, M.M. Esiri, N.P. Day, N.J. White, G.D. Turner, Sequestration and microvascular congestion are associated with coma in human cerebral malaria, J Infect Dis 205(4) (2012) 663-71. [14] P. Brodersen, O.B. Paulson, T.G. Bolwig, Z.E. Rogon, O.J. Rafaelsen, N.A. Lassen, Cerebral hyperemia in electrically induced epileptic seizures, Arch Neurol 28(5) (1973) 334-8. [15] I. Prohovnik, S.G. Pavlakis, S. Piomelli, J. Bello, J.P. Mohr, S. Hilal, D.C. De Vivo, Cerebral hyperemia, stroke, and transfusion in sickle cell disease, Neurology 39(3) (1989) 344-8. [16] W.S. Bartynski, Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, part 1: fundamental imaging and clinical features, AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 29(6) (2008) 1036-42. [17] E.M. Haacke, Y. Xu, Y.C. Cheng, J.R. Reichenbach, Susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI), Magn Reson Med 52(3) (2004) 612-8. [18] S. Hackett, J. Hamzah, T.M. Davis, T.G. St Pierre, Magnetic susceptibility of iron in malaria-infected red blood cells, Biochim Biophys Acta 1792(2) (2009) 93-9. [19] T. Bosemani, S.I. Verschuuren, A. Poretti, T.A. Huisman, Pitfalls in Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging of the Pediatric Brain, J Neuroimaging (2013). [20] N.A. Beare, T.E. Taylor, S.P. Harding, S. Lewallen, M.E. Molyneux, Malarial retinopathy: a newly established diagnostic sign in severe malaria, Am J Trop Med Hyg 75(5) (2006) 790-7. [21] M.E. Molyneux, T.E. Taylor, J.J. Wirima, A. Borgstein, Clinical features and prognostic indicators in paediatric cerebral malaria: a study of 131 comatose Malawian children, Q J Med 71(265) (1989) 441-59. [22] Siemens, MRI Protocols 2010. http://www.healthcare.siemens.com/magnetic-resonance-imaging/magnetom-world/clinical-corner/protocols. [23] M.J. Potchen, S.D. Kampondeni, K. Ibrahim, J. Bonner, K.B. Sey

Friday, September 20, 2019

Job Design And Analysis Of Asda Commerce Essay

Job Design And Analysis Of Asda Commerce Essay Job consists of a set of tasks that are performed by the employee to fulfil the aims and objectives of the company. The content of job is affected by the purpose of the company, the structure of the company, the processes and activities carried out in the company, the technology of the company, environment in which the company operates. Therefore the job design has two aims: first, to satisfy the requirement of the ASDA company for productivity, efficiency and quality of product and service, and second is to satisfy the needs of the individuals for interest, challenge and accomplishment providing for job engagement and commitment to carrying out the job well. ASDA uses the following approach of job design to support strategic objectives. Job Rotation: Employees can expose to different types of specialized jobs over time from Job Rotation. To provide more techniques and knowledge in different field ASDA uses the approach of job rotation. Job Enlargement: To increase the numbers of activities in a job and to overcome the boredom of overspecialized work ASDA use this method of job design. 2. Job Analysis Process of analysis of a work or pursue that profession in the various parts of the structure of the Organization, work activities and the informational content is a job analysis. The purpose of job analysis is to break the job down in to its essential elements and to be flexible about all other aspects of the job. The analysis of job should be done by ASDA to write job descriptions, job specification, to prepare for the organisational structure, to conduct studies of movement and time, to write the knowledge, skills and performance of the employee, etc. ASDA provide various range of management and business areas jobs like Finance, George, Home shopping, Human Resource, IT, Logistics, Marketing, Optical, Pharmacy, Retail, Store development, Store management, Supply, Trading etc. Training Training depends on the activities and the information required executing the ASDA jobs. The titles of work are the titles of the corresponding training at ASDA. Job Description is a narrative statement defining work, i.e., what the employer expects the employee from the point of view of on-the-job performance. As reported by victory (1996), the description of work [or position description] is a list of responsibilities and functions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ require specific position (p. 1). ASDA is doing the job description for the following purposes: Job Descriptions Job Description is a narrative statement defining work, i.e., what the employer expects the employee from the point of view of on-the-job performance. As stated by Winning (1996), the description of work (or position description) is a list of responsibilities and functions require specific position (p.1). ASDA is doing the job description for the following purposes: To provide information needed in determining the selection criteria. To inform applicants about the nature of the job. To ensure that newly appointed staffs understand the primary purpose and principal functions of the job and its place in the structure of the company. Job Description Job Title Department Responsible To Purpose of Job/ Overall Objectives Specific Duties and Responsibilities Physical/ Economic Condition The format of Job Description is given below Figure No: 1 Job Roles with in the Customer service function in ASDA The team leader delegate tasks to the lower subordinates in ASDA. The Assistant Manager passes information on to the colleges about what need to be done and give information about dealing with a customer enquiry. Competency Modelling Competencies represent the language of performance. They can articulate both in expected outcomes from an individuals efforts and manner in which these activities are carried out. Also Competency is an underlying characteristic of a person that results in effective or superior performance -Mansfield (1999). Competency modelling is very important to the development and to transfer the good will of the company. The following types of competency are very essential for the good will of the company, Behavioural Competencies: It represent the type of behaviour required to deliver results under such heading likes team working, communication leadership and decision making. Technical competencies: Technical competency defines what people have to know and be able to carry out their roles effectively. They are related to either generic roles (group of similar jobs) or individual roles. NVQ/ SNVQ Competences: It is the fundamental part of the process of developing standards which can be observed and assessed with view to certification. Human Resource Strategy To achieve the overall objectives of the ASDA Company Human Resource strategy plays a vital role. Human Resource strategy should aim to capture the people element of what the company hoping to achieve in long term, ensuring that -Right people in right place -Right mix of skills -Employees show the right attributes and behaviours -Employees are developed in the right way. Management of ASDA Company identifies some plans and strategies before achieving the goals and objectives such as work force planning, succession training, workforce skills plans, employment equity plans, motivation and fair treatment plans, the coordination of approaches to pay and grading across the organization to create alignment and potential unequal pay claims, and Employment issues which impact on staff recruitment retention, motivation etc. Manpower planning framework Manpower planning owed its primacy by focusing the business planning and strategy. A Plan represents one of the results of a process that emphasizes on solution of a related problem. In other words plans represent the specified and consistent expression of the company that produced as a result of a rational examination of various issues that affect a companys future. If business strategy and plans find the expression in measurable economic, marketing and production goals, with an implicit or explicit requirement for people, the human resources plan represents a response from a personal and human resource management, so that the necessary supply of imminent to enable the objectives to be met. Hence the Manpower Plan could be expressed in a way that fits the overall business strategy and plan. The rationalized approach to manpower planning is shown in the following figure; Companys strategy and targets Companys practices and methods Man power review and analysis Internal Forecast External Demand Supply Adjust to balance Recruit Retain Reduce Fig No.2 The rationalized approach to manpower planning The Process of Human Resource Planning Business strategic plans: Defining future activity levels and initiative demanding new skills. Resourcing Strategy: Planning to gain competitive advantage by developing intellectual capital-employing more capable people than rivals, ensuring that they develop organization specific knowledge and skills, and taking steps to become an employer of choice. Scenario Planning: Assessing in broad terms where the organization is going in its environment and the implication for Human Resource requirements. Demand /Supply forecasting: Estimating the future demand for people and assessing the number of people likely to be available from within and outside the company. Labour turnover analysis: Analysing actual labour turnover figures and trends as an input to supply forecasts. PRINCIPLES RELATING TO THE DEMAND AND SUPPLY OF LABOUR Supply and demand in the labour market is just like supply and demand for a different service. Is consistent with the law of supply and demand (such as price increases, the quantity required and the quantity rises), the demand has a negative slope and the curve of the supply has a positive slope. As soon as the supply of labour, such as the provision of other services, indicates the number of work or want to offer workers at different prices. The supply curve for each employee will be different if each employee different opportunity costs and preferences. Demand task indicates the amount of work done by an enterprise to different values. The demand curve for each undertaking will differ if each company is faced with different types of work alternates (for e.g. different percentages of potential capital substitution), preferences, demand for the products they produce and alternative employment of resources. Rates of pay only the value of the work and, therefore, like any other market values specified. The intersection of curves of supply and demand in the labour market shows the balance outstanding, or purchase rate for certain types of work. (In a free economy, unlimited government regulation, fees for the same kind of work is the right for purchases). Most people are looking for a job in the job market is affected by factors related to the size and composition of the population. Mainly people and changing population, the age structure of the population, ethnic origin and sex etc. affect overall demand in the labour market. On the other hand, is the sum of the total demand in the labour market shall consist of the sum of the total employment and job vacancies. Within any areas and at any one time ASDA stores have the jobs that are going into decline because the required skills for those jobs are becoming redundant. In this situation, new and skilled manpower will be emerging and demand for those capabilities should be rises faster than the supply. Recruitment and Selection process in ASDA Recruitment and selection are two distinct human resource management activities. Recruitment includes activity soliciting applications from potential employees and selection techniques are used to choose right candidate for right job. Recruitment and selection procedures in ASDA are given below, Step I online application The first step of the selection process in ASDA store is online application. Candidates should complete a number of questions and they should submit their online application form. It may take about one hour to complete, but candidates can save their answers after completing each section to save time. After this, candidate(s) will get an e-mail from ASDA to know the procedure for next step. Step II ASDA Reality In this stage successful candidate(s) of application step will be invited by ASDA to come along their assessment centre which is called Reality. Reality is the best opportunity for candidate(s) to experience what its really like to work at ASDA and gives insight to the candidate(s) about the role he/she applied for. Candidate(s) will participate in and be observed on different activities in a group and individually. Step III interview The interview is the final step of the selection procedure in ASDA. Successful or selected candidate(s) in interview process will join in ASDA after few days. Salary and Benefits ASDA provide negotiable salary to its all the staffs. Also rewards and benefits of having a job with ASDA include: Bonus, colleague Discount, Share plans, Share save plan, Colleague share ownership plan, Pension, Voluntary benefits, Private medical cover, Recognition, STAR Points etc. Managerial Role in Recruitment and Selection Recruitment and selection activities of personnel specialists in ASDA can be described in terms of five general roles. Which are given below; The audit role: Personnel specialists have responsibility for ensuring that all of management carry out those parts of their roles concerned with the effective use of human resource. Checking to established job description supplied by managers reflect the true nature of the tasks. The executive Role: Personal Management is part of every managers job, but some personnel activities are carried out by specialists rather than by line managers or supervisors. The facilitator role: Ensuring that line managers and other involved in recruitment and selection have the necessary knowledge and skills to play their part in this activity effectively. The consultancy role: This advice to managers on selection decisions. The service role: Managers need information on which to base decision about the deployment of their staff. Providing managers with response rate data on recruitment advertising to enable joint decisions to be made on the most effective way to attract a pool of applicants is the example of the service role. Role of legal and organisational requirements in creating a HR plan Human resource plans are derived from the resourcing strategy and take into account data from a combination of scenario planning, demand and supply forecasting and labour turnover analysis. While creating human resource planning legal and companies requirements play a vital role. Also, while organization have considerable freedom of choice in the type of people they want to recruit, legislation plays a significant role in the recruitment and selection process, particularly in attempts to prevent discrimination on the field of sex, race, disability and age. The sex Discrimination Act 1975 makes it unlawful to discriminate against a personal directly or indirectly in the field of employment on the ground of their sex or marital status. The race Relation Act 1976 makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person in the field of employment on the ground of their race, colour and nationality, including ethnic or national origin. While legislation and codes of conduct would suggest a certain approach in the UK, differences in job/ occupation being recruited, labour markets and skills availability might cause this approach to be modified. However, factors within the ASDA Company also affect the way recruitment and selection is handled. Employee personal and managerial effectiveness through a process of personal reflection Employees are the main part of the successful business. For demand, supply, process, customers service and overall business of the company every employee has the valuable hands. Some important aspects of personal reflections of employee are as follows: Impact on others: This embraces some essential aspects like speech, dress, manner and reactions, behaviours with the customers etc. Acquired knowledge or competency of the work: Employee must use their knowledge and experience what they gain and what is necessary for the respective work to solve the problems arising in the ASDA while working. Motivation: this is concern with the goal-directed aspect of human personality. In the other hand employee have the most important role for the development of the company. If they are not satisfied or not motivated towards the company then the progress of the company becomes quite difficult. Adjustment: This aspect concerns the emotional status of the employee stability, maturity, ability to cope with stress etc. Disciplinary Rules Disciplinary rules help to ensure a consistent and fair approach for the treatment of employee. The content of the rules includes General conduct Health and safety Security Time keeping and attendance The main stages of Disciplinary procedure Step I: If disciplinary action is necessary write to the worker notifying him/her of the allegations and the basis of the allegations against him/ her, invite him/her to a meeting to discuss the matter. Step II: If indicated by the investigations hold a meeting to discuss the allegations and at the end notify the worker of the disciplinary decision. Step III: If the worker wishes to appeal, hold an appeal meeting and inform the outcome of the appeal to the worker. Grievance procedures Grievance procedures provide a formal mechanism for the presentation and resolution of employee dissatisfaction. At first in the informal time the employee should raise the matter with manager if it is more appropriate and then Step I: If the matter remains unsolved, worker can raise the matter by formal writing to the relevant manager. A meeting will be conducted with the companion, worker and the respective manager. Step II: If the worker wants to appeal against the decision, a meeting will be conducted between worker, companion and senior manager. The decision should be in written for the legal purpose. Step III: Again if the worker likes to appeal that decision, a meeting should be conducted between worker, functional director and the union regional officer (if applicable) and the decision should be finalized in written document. Conclusion ASDA conduct the job analysis to write job description, job specification, to prepare organizational chart of the company, to write knowledge, skills and performance of the employee, as well as to the feedback back of the company. To achieve goals and objectives of the company ASDA always focus on right candidate in right job, right mix of skills, right attributes and behaviours of the candidates while selecting the employee for the required job. For the good will of the company ASDA give priority on competency of the employee like behavioural competencies, technical competencies, NVQ/ SNVQ competencies etc. For the purpose of improving and securing the ASDA companies human resources, to meet present and future needs; three principal stages can be distinguished such as evaluation of existing resources, forecast of future requirements, and finally action plan. While creating HR plan ASDA Company concentrated on legal role of the government and organizational requirements. Recommendation From the above study and conclusion, I would like to suggest some recommendations for the improvement and to increase the business of ASDA Company. Fair selection process need to be appointed on the basis of skills and competencies as per the ASDA HR requirement. Job analysis and job design should be conducted in regular basis for the effectiveness as well as to achieve overall objectives of the company. More training and orientation of the work should be provided to the new or prospective employee mainly in the customers service and technical sectors. Best performance appraisal techniques need to be applied for career advancement of the employees.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Spitting :: essays research papers

This review pertains to the planned change of a 1909 law in Palmyra, New York, which bills itself, â€Å"one of the friendliest spots on Earth† that forbids public spitting. The change in city code would increase the possible fine for those convicted of this offense from $2 to $50 currently, to $250 and adding jail time of up to 15 days to the sentence. Arguments in favor of the changes to the ordinance: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The city of Palmyra has a right to protect its citizens from what it believes to be harmful to society as a whole and to promote the betterment of the community. Mayor Vicky Daly believes that in changing this ordinance, â€Å"we’re trying to have Palmyra be a pleasant place, and we don’t want people to spit.† 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The reason behind the increase of the sentence for those convicted of this crime was a recent review of many ordinances on the books. The city council in increasing the to the fine and adding jail time was merely an attempt to bring a law written in 1909 up to the standards of 2003. In June they reviewed hundreds of codes, and decided on the increase to this ordinance quickly, moving on to other issues. The intent is to make this law up-to-speed with current times. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While probably intended to prevent tuberculosis in unsanitary Victorian times, this law could help to stop the spread of contagious diseases. While tuberculosis is no longer a threat, the possibility of SARS is out there. Palmyra is only trying to prevent was it sees as a potential health issue. Arguments against the new change to the ordinance: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While other cities across the country are trying to enact laws that restrict smoking, noise and cellular phone use, Palmyra is changing one that prevents spitting. While legal reforms are working to get extinct laws of the books, here an outdated one is being given new life. Citizens think this law is making a mockery of their town. If regal reforms are to succeed, laws like this must not remain on the books. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the past 6 years, a police officer Robert Grier has not once charged anyone with the breaking the present ordinance. He says, â€Å"It’s going to be an impossible law to enforce. I’m sure there are many unenforceable laws.† Why have a law on the books that cannot be enforced? 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Until there is proof that spitting is the cause of SARS, there is no real danger in restricting public spitting. Spitting :: essays research papers This review pertains to the planned change of a 1909 law in Palmyra, New York, which bills itself, â€Å"one of the friendliest spots on Earth† that forbids public spitting. The change in city code would increase the possible fine for those convicted of this offense from $2 to $50 currently, to $250 and adding jail time of up to 15 days to the sentence. Arguments in favor of the changes to the ordinance: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The city of Palmyra has a right to protect its citizens from what it believes to be harmful to society as a whole and to promote the betterment of the community. Mayor Vicky Daly believes that in changing this ordinance, â€Å"we’re trying to have Palmyra be a pleasant place, and we don’t want people to spit.† 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The reason behind the increase of the sentence for those convicted of this crime was a recent review of many ordinances on the books. The city council in increasing the to the fine and adding jail time was merely an attempt to bring a law written in 1909 up to the standards of 2003. In June they reviewed hundreds of codes, and decided on the increase to this ordinance quickly, moving on to other issues. The intent is to make this law up-to-speed with current times. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While probably intended to prevent tuberculosis in unsanitary Victorian times, this law could help to stop the spread of contagious diseases. While tuberculosis is no longer a threat, the possibility of SARS is out there. Palmyra is only trying to prevent was it sees as a potential health issue. Arguments against the new change to the ordinance: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While other cities across the country are trying to enact laws that restrict smoking, noise and cellular phone use, Palmyra is changing one that prevents spitting. While legal reforms are working to get extinct laws of the books, here an outdated one is being given new life. Citizens think this law is making a mockery of their town. If regal reforms are to succeed, laws like this must not remain on the books. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the past 6 years, a police officer Robert Grier has not once charged anyone with the breaking the present ordinance. He says, â€Å"It’s going to be an impossible law to enforce. I’m sure there are many unenforceable laws.† Why have a law on the books that cannot be enforced? 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Until there is proof that spitting is the cause of SARS, there is no real danger in restricting public spitting.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Haydn Middletons The Lie of the Land :: Literature Christianity Religion Essays

Making a Movie on Haydn Middleton's The Lie of the Land To make a movie from any source takes a lot of people in the process. It's not just one or two people sitting down saying "let's make a movie." There are things to be considered, things to be done and people to contact. In this essay, I plan to make a movie of Haydn Middleton's novel The Lie of the Land, just to give a glimpse of the complications involved with making a movie. The first step in any movie would have to be a script. No script, no movie. It's just that simple. A small group (or one individual) would have to sit down and write a script from this novel. Of course he (they) would have to decide what to focus on from the book, or what they (he) wants to dramatize, and if there is something that they (he) can put in the script himself that wasn't really there to begin with. For example, if the screenwriter(s) wanted to make this a romance story between the characters David and Quinn, then they would emphasize that dramatically. They might add some sexuality into said relationship, and even go so far as to have Quinn come back to David at the end of the movie. The key words that you would see on the screen would be "adapted from," meaning that the movie was based on this novel, but the screenwriter(s) wrote the movie from their interpretation. Of course, some things have to be in the script, such as David's story, but how focused it is depends, lik e I stated, on the screenwriter(s). Now that we have a script, and we'll cut out the process of submitting it to movie studios, the next step would be pre-production. For this purpose, we'll use a fictional studio and call it L 0 L studios. This studio, after accepting the script, would hire a producer. Let's use a name here, like Richard Donner. His job is to hire a director, audition a cast, find a location to film, or decide if it can be done on a sound stage (possibly both), and try to keep it all under budget. Our director would be James Cameron, because with his success recently, his name alone would bring people to see this movie, which is the whole goal of the project. Casting is difficult, because certain factors have to be looked at, such as looks, (do they look the part?

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Business Etiquette and God

Business Etiquette and God Where Does God Fit In? Andrew Estep Liberty University Abstract This paper uses scripture from the Bible and many other credible sources to instruct the reader about the role God plays within business etiquette. The research targets business interactions from a Christian’s perspective. Many of the references used in this paper, have at some point or another, run or are running a legitimate company. The research conducted by each person comes from personal experience and other well established sources. If examined together, the writings of these authors coincide with one another and the word of God. All the research points to single thesis; God should be in the middle of our daily lives and especially our jobs. Also, in order to truly grasp the full meaning of living a Christ centered life, deeper learning and understanding is required. Tying God and etiquette together is essential for a Christian person aspiring to be a businessman or businesswoman. Within business etiquette, there lie many know how’s, why’s and what for’s. Business etiquette consists of mannerisms and ways of doing business appropriately. Without a standard of etiquette which is acceptable by all cultures and all peoples, business etiquette would become chaotic. Every group, language, and person would define their own ways, which if you are not happy with, too bad. Of course,etiquette varies slightly from one country and culture to another, but these variations are minor and if studied at a slightest bit would be easy to remember for future references. If asked, â€Å"What is business etiquette? † Most people would respond with something like this, â€Å"how to eat right, how to sit right, how to talk right, and how to dress right. This is correct to a certain extent but business etiquette requires a little more performance from an individual practicing it. If one truly wants to understand why and how etiquette is conducted, they must simply take a little more time in learning etiquette and maybe even researching the history for why things are done the way they are. Now, let us say one inquires as to how God a nd Christianity fit into business etiquette? In order to answer this inquiry, one must understand that business etiquette is a lot more intricate then the common thoughts it is associated with. Being a well mannered business person requires class and style which do not come with ease. These attributes are learned and practiced daily. Etiquette, if honest and real, can truly show a person’s heart. Real etiquette is seen from the outside and the inside of a person. Motives, thoughts, ideals, and character alike are the catalysts for the beginnings of a â€Å"type† of person. If the heart is pure, the man will be pure also, but if the heart is deceitful, so will be the man. Proverbs tells us, â€Å"A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit. Though his speech is charming, do not believe him. (New International Version, 2005)This paper will explore the different levels of doing business etiquette from a Christian perspective. A Christian is held to a higher standard, not necessarily by men, but rather by God. As a Christian, we are called to be lights in this world and to live for God’s glory so that he might be ple ased with us. C. S Lewis tells us, â€Å"For glory means good report with God, acceptance by God, response, acknowledgement, and welcome into the heart of things. †(Lewis, 2001) Since Christians are called to a higher standard, etiquette must be broken down even further and needs to include the minute details of life. These details include; rapports, money, walk with God, life perspective, choices, building a reputation and lastly our goals; not necessarily in that order. These seven categories are not the only areas involved with Christian etiquette, but rather seven of many. This paper will focus on these attributes and explain how Christianity and etiquette can be tied together in order to become Christian business etiquette. Within the human society and the world, a name is one of the most important aspects of a person, place, or thing. When speaking of a name, the prettiness of the names is not what is being discussed here, but rather what one thinks about the object or person being described. â€Å"Reputation and name are often linked, like hand and glove. There is value in a name. †(Pollard, 2006) To better understand the meaning of this, here are a few names; Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Ivan the Terrible, Enron, and Al-Qaida. On the opposite spectrum we have Billy Graham, Martin Luther King Jr. , C. S. Lewis, Gandhi, World Peace Organization, and Compassion International. Each one of these names has a deeper meaning associated with them. Hitler and Stalin were mass murderers, Enron was a cheating company and Al-Qaida is a terrorist funding organization. On the other hand Billy Graham, Martin Luther King Jr. , and Gandhi were and are people of noble character, World Peace organization speaks for itself and Compassion International is a light for children globally. The name of a person or an organization will either make them or break them. Proverbs says, â€Å"A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. (New International Version, 2005) A name becomes what it is by the way it is lived out. The individual or the company with the name cannot define its reputation, for it is the people around them who are the judges. The individual or the company can lead the direction of the people’s thoughts by how he or it acts. An evil person will be deemed evil, and a righteous person will be deemed righteous . William Pollard says, â€Å"What’s in our name? A rich heritage and legacy of the past and also a purpose and direction for the future. It is both valuable and fragile. It can be used or abused. It is an intangible asset of the firm. †(Pollard, 2006) Here Pollard is speaking of the company he once ran which can also be applied to a human name. Within business etiquette, if your name is already in shambles, the person whom you are trying to relate with will want nothing to do with you. This is why the Bible says in Ephesians, â€Å"Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. †(New International Version, 2005) A character who makes a name for themselves is usually a person who contains many great attributes. Most of all, he is a person who has learned for themselves the value of life and the secret of joyful living. The great thing about being a Christian, is knowing what one is working for and why. Let’s clarify though, that a Christian does not attain salvation by works, but rather by a relationship with Christ. Once a person becomes a Christian, they learn and want to be workmen for Christ Jesus. Ephesians says, â€Å"For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. †(New International Version, 2005) As a Christian then, it is important to work for God and His glory. A true believer would find joy in the workrather than it being a nuisance. There is a saying that if you enjoy your job, you’ll never work another day. Many people do not have such an attitude about their job and this negativity can be very unhealthy in a workplace. David Stewards says, â€Å"That kind of thinking not only makes work boring and tedious, it causes stress and sometimes leads to health problems. In addition, a negative person in the workplace can hurt the morale of coworkers. The negative effect can extend to customers and vendors. (Stewards, 2004) As can be seen, negativity in a workplace can have far more reaching effects then realized. Within business etiquette, how a person carries themselves and displays their demeanor is a crucial know-how. By displaying the joy of work, one can usually spread the ‘joy bug’ to the coworkers around them. Another way people view work is as deadlines, tedious tasks, large projects and just another paycheck. When viewed that way, it is impossible for work not to seem awful. One author says, â€Å"Beauty inspires hope, and provides a reason for seeing differently. Business can be beautiful, which is part of the reason it so engages our lives and imagination. †(Costa, 2005) Christians are meant to find joy in work, despite the type of work that it is. Gains and losses can apply for more than just capital, money and profits. Every time a decision to act in one way or another is made, it affects a gain or a loss in our standings with others. One author has described these standings as a spiritual capital account. Ken Eldred proposed an account like a bank account which can grow or shrink with deposits or withdrawals. The spiritual capital currency that is deposited (or withdrawn) is the exercise (or lack of exercise) of biblical principles: integrity, accountability, honesty, hope, love, trust, stewardship, fairness, order, loyalty, service, and so forth. †(Eldred, 2005) Christian businessmen, as stated earlier are held to a higher standard and are called to be leaders within their workplace. This is how business builds a good rapport with their customers. Even if this does not help them to get ahead in their financial standing, it helps them increase in their popularity standings. It is not always easy to do the right thing, and it is also not always easy to know what the right thing is. This is why God has instilled us with that all so small little voice (Holy Spirit) which speaks and guides us. Steward says, â€Å"Let’s give credit where credit is due. What people call a gut feeling isn’t what they think. I believe what we label an innate response is actually spiritually inspired. †(Steward, 2004) In business, people have to make quick choices on their feet, and it is important to make the right choices. Etiquette is about saying the right things at the right time so as to be competent or at least appear that way. We are to be diligent in what and how we say or approach people. The book of James says, â€Å"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. †(New International Version, 2005) Money is yet another important topic, but one might wonder how money relates to etiquette. The society runs on money. Money is the fuel that makes our world go round and round. The way a Christian spends, makes, and views money reflects that persons understanding of its purpose. It also reflects on how he views his job, why he works and how hard he works. â€Å"The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. †(New International Version, 2005) Christians are called to give freely for everything we have comes from the Lord. â€Å"The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. †(New International Version, 2005) A Roman Catholic Priest named Paoli had associated money with grace. It probably could not be better explained then in the terms Paoli has provided. â€Å"Money represents an exchange of potentialities that depends on trust and circulates hope. None of us create money. We may earn and grow it, but like grace it is a value that exists beyond any one of us – that we participate in without any particular merit, and that ultimately passes through us. † (Costa, 2005) Money provides security; it gives hope to some and ideas of grandeur to others. When money is scarce, despair starts setting in, stress amounts, and pressures build allowing for fear to dominate the life. For a Christian, money is a tool for God’s purpose, and a Christian should not be afraid of finance shortages. By being an example in the workplace and by showing good stewardship of money, a person can have great influence on the coworkers in the workplace. â€Å"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? †(New International Version, 2005) Just as for any business man or company, increasing personal or shareholder wealth is the most important aspect of business. In order to attain this goal of any successful company, strategic vision is an essential element. â€Å"A strategic vision thus points an organization in a particular direction, charts a strategic path, and molds organizational identity. †(Thompson, Strickland & Gamble, 2007) For a Christian, a strategic vision comes from the Lord. Christians are called to follow God in all that they do with a mind set and understanding that God has the best plans for them. â€Å"’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. †(New International Version, 2005) God is a God of love, and he wants the best for his people. If the people come to him and just ask, He will provide for them and share with them His thoughts. â€Å"For God to do the outrageous through us, we need to be in agreement with Him and have a clear vision of where we are going. We need to identify how God is wo rking to further His Kingdom so that we can pull in the same direction. †(Eldred, 2005) Without this vision, the people are like sheep stranded in the wilderness without direction or a way back home. A mission statement is what defines a company, but without a vision, there can be no mission. Every mission has an end goal; this end goal is the vision being discussed. When it comes to leading people, vision is a necessity. â€Å"I strongly believe that in order to lead, one must have a vision. It’s the vision that provides the leader and his organization with direction. The lack of a vision is akin to raveling across the country with no roadmap and no destination. As a result, you turn in this direction, then go that way, meandering everywhere. †(Steward, 2004) Here is a very important question when it comes to being aligned with God’s vision. â€Å"How can you know God’s plans without knowing Him? A person, who does not spend time with God, doesn’t know God; therefore doesn’t have His vision. Jesus tells us in John, â€Å"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me. †(New International Version, 2005) As stated in the previous paragraph, it is really hard to know God without spending time and walking with H im. Walking consistently with God is the next stage of getting to know him and his business plans an individual’s life. Christians are called to live their life with Christ as their partner, brother, father, wife, etc†¦ John Costa points out a resemblance of how one is to live, that with the life of Christ. As suggested earlier, Jesus taught, preached and embodied a ‘double and’ theology. In every interaction or experience – for every decision or response – he insisted that binary exclusions be broken and that the intimate, loving presence of God be made near and dear. †(Costa, 2005) An important lesson to grasp from this is that people cannot do anything on their own. Every ability and success comes from the Lord. Proverbs says, â€Å"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (New International Version, 2005) Also, â€Å"He who t rusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe. †(New International Version, 2005) Walking in wisdom is another way of saying walking with God. For a Christian business man, losing sight of God could easily mislead the man down the wrong path. Many Christians claim to know God and to walk with Him. But many Christians are also fooling themselves and others around them. Sometimes these so-called Christian people know they are doing this, but sometimes they are truly buying into their own lie. The real test of walking with God comes when a man or a woman comes to a fork in the road. Not just a normal fork with easy decisions about which market to enter and such; this is too easy. The fork spoken of here has one road which takes them to United States and the other one to Mexico. Or to put it simply, they can either chose God or their business. If the business is heading in a direction away from God, what should one do? If a person is ordered to act in a way that goes against God’s thinking, what actions should they take? Our nation has a rich heritage of great Americans who risked their lives to stand up for their beliefs. †(Steward, 2004) Another business person says, â€Å"We seek to honor God as an end goal and recognize that growing profitably is a means goal. †(Pollard, 2006) If people chose idols such as success, money, and prestige over God, in the end God will not recognize them for loving him above all. The penalties for not choosing God could b e even far worse than expected. â€Å"Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers. †(New International Version, 2005) Walking away from what is known to be wrong is walking towards God. Choosing Jesus shows real faith and real commitment. When a person lives out their beliefs with their actions, it is called integrity. People with integrity can be trusted and relied on to do as they say. Christians are not supposed to be afraid of what others think of them when it comes to choosing between right and wrong. Jesus says, â€Å"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belong to the world, it would love you as its own. †(New International Version, 2005) A great verse to summarize this paragraph is found in Matthews 6:24, â€Å"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. †(New International Version, 2005) Many people would ask what some of the above paragraphs have to do with business etiquette. The answer to that question can be summarized in the following way: Etiquette is the interactions between people. People follow and lead by seeing or setting examples for one another. Christian business etiquette requires a higher standard to live by. In order to live by these standards, different outlooks on life have to be grasped and understood. For a Christian, these outlooks are associated with a life lived for Jesus Christ. In order to live a Christ filled life, certain practices and choices are required. These practices and choices, if done correctly, achieve the end goal of intertwining of God and business etiquette. By joining of God and etiquette together, types of pure actions and motives are produced. John Costa says in his book, Magnificence at Work, â€Å"Small things matter because any company or person that settles for less than magnificence in effect collaborates with the opposing multiplication of meanness. †(Costa, 2005) If the logic above is not simple enough, the following sentence should help: Christians are to display God in all that they do and say, this includes etiquette. References Costa, J. D. (2005). Magnificence at Work: Living Faith in Business. MontrA ©al: Novalis. Eldred, K. (2005). God is at Work: Transforming People and Nations Through Business. Ventura, CA: Regal Books. Gamble, J. E. , J. , A. , Thompson, A. , & Strickland, I. (2009). Crafting & Executing Strategy: Text and Readings (17 ed. ). Boston: Mcgraw-Hill College. Lewis, C. S. (2001). The Weight of Glory (New Ed ed. ). SanFrancisco: HarperSanFrancisco. Pollard, C. W. (2006). Serving Two Masters? : Reflections on God and Profit. New York: Harperbusiness. Shook, R. L. , & Steward, D. (2004). Doing Business by the Good Book: Fifty-Two Lessons on Success Sraight from the Bible (1st ed. ). New York: Hyperion. Zondervan. (2006). NIV Thinline Brown/Nero Black – FCS. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan.