Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Film and fashions essays

Film and fashions essays Very often, we come across persons trying to imitate their favorite star, be it in actions or in apparels. It cannot be denied that our viewers, especially those who are conscious about their outlook in dresses, are crazy for new films. When such about persons talk among themselves, that can freely and comment on who wore what and where in which sequence of a particular film. Variety has always attracted mans attention. A new dress on the screen cannot go unnoticed. The impression sets on the minds of the fashions conscious people. Their next step is to hunt for the similar dress in boutiques and major fashion joints or visit the tailor to get dress stitched. The general appeal is that what looked gaudy and attractive on the screen will surely look good on them. Mind it! It is not necessary that they look as appealing as the star wearing that dress. If we watched our old times movies we can notice that fashions repeat to a certain extent with a little alternation here and there. Te comes a time when a tradition outfit gets the importance of being la mode. Even hairstyles are not left behind. Our stars are trendsetters, and all the fans are the followers. Like films, fashions have no set rules. Take any new film, the directors or the producers concept is new. Wear anything different to set spark a blaze and thats fashion! The world of films and fashions are so interlinked that it is not possible to say that they do not influence each other. Fashions from the West are put forth in our Indian films and the attractive and the attentive viewers create the wave. Here fashions influence the dress designers will to make his star wear a particular dress. Film makers need fashions up-to-date to give audience a variety to select from and the fashion makers look forward to the films to give them new ideas. Thus, films and fashions are inter-dependent. It is maze that has neither the beginning n ...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Why Racism in Health Care Is Still a Problem Today

Why Racism in Health Care Is Still a Problem Today Eugenics, segregated hospitals and the  Tuskegee Syphilis Study  exemplify how pervasive racism in health care once was. But even today, racial bias continues to be a factor in medicine.   While racial minorities are no longer unknowingly used as guinea pigs for medical research or denied entry into hospitals because of their skin color, studies have found that they don’t receive the same standard of care as their white counterparts. Lack of diversity training in health care and poor cross-cultural communication between doctors and patients are some of the reasons why medical racism persists. Unconscious Racial Biases Racism continues to affect health  care because many physicians remain unaware of their unconscious racial biases, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health in March 2012. The study found that a staggering two-thirds of doctors exhibited racial bias towards patients. The researchers determined this by asking doctors to complete the Implicit Association Test, a computerized assessment that calculates how fast test subjects associate people from different races with positive or negative terms. Those who link people of a certain race with positive terms more quickly are said to favor that race. The doctors who participated in the study were also asked to associate racial groups with terms that signal medical compliance. Researchers found that the doctors exhibited a moderate anti-black bias and thought of their white patients as more likely to be â€Å"compliant.† Forty-eight percent of the health professionals were white, 22 percent were black and 30 percent were Asian. The non-black health care professionals exhibited more pro-white bias, while black health care professionals did not exhibit bias in favor or against any group. The outcome of the study was especially surprising, given that the doctors who participated served in inner city Baltimore and were interested in serving underprivileged communities, according to lead author, Dr. Lisa Cooper of the John Hopkins University School of Medicine. Beforehand, the physicians failed to recognize that they preferred white patients to black ones. â€Å"It’s hard to change subconscious attitudes, but we can change how we behave once we are made aware of them,† Cooper says. â€Å"Researchers, educators and health professionals need to work together on ways to reduce the negative influences of these attitudes on behaviors in health care.† Poor Communication Racial biases in health care also influence the way doctors communicate with their patients of color. Cooper says that doctors with racial biases tend to lecture black patients, speak more slowly to them and make their office visits longer. Doctors who behaved in such ways typically made patients feel less informed about their health care. Researchers determined this because the study also included an analysis of recordings of visits between 40 health care professionals and 269 patients from January 2002 to August 2006. Patients filled out a survey about their medical visits after meeting with doctors. Poor communication between doctors and patients can result in patients canceling follow up visits because they feel less trust in their physicians. Doctors who dominate conversations with patients also run the risk of making patients feel as if they don’t care about their emotional and mental needs. Fewer Treatment Options Bias in medicine may also lead physicians to inadequately manage the pain of minority patients. A number of studies have shown that doctors are reluctant to give black patients strong doses of pain medication. A University of Washington study released in 2012 found that pediatricians who exhibited a pro-white bias were more inclined to give black patients who’d undergone surgical procedures ibuprofen instead of the more potent drug oxycodone. Additional studies found that physicians were less likely to monitor the pain of black children with sickle cell anemia or to give black men visiting emergency rooms with chest pain complaints diagnostic tests such as cardiac monitoring and chest X-rays. A 2010 University of Michigan Health study even found that black patients referred to pain clinics received roughly half the amount of drugs that white patients received. Collectively, these studies indicate that racial bias in medicine continues to affect the quality of care minority patients obtain. Lack of Diversity Training Medical racism won’t disappear unless doctors receive the training necessary to treat a wide range of patients. In his book, Black Blue: The Origins and Consequences of Medical Racism, Dr. John M. Hoberman, chair of Germanic studies at the University of Texas at Austin, says that racial bias persists in medicine because medical schools don’t teach students about the history of medical racism or give them appropriate diversity training. Hoberman told the Murietta Daily Journal that medical schools must develop race relations programs if medical racism is to cease. Such training is vital because doctors, as studies reveal, aren’t immune to racism. But it’s unlikely that physicians will confront their biases if medical schools and institutions don’t require them to do so.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Dangers Of Cell Phones For Human Health Essay

The Dangers Of Cell Phones For Human Health - Essay Example Supporters of cell phones say that cell phones provide us with a number of facilities, such as ease of communication, neighborhood crime watch, use in emergencies, and use as reminders. However, there also exist some risks regarding the use of cell phones. Some of the risks include road accidents, increased number of crimes, and weakening of eardrums. Today, almost every person keeps a cell phone in the car while traveling because a cell phone has become one of the major necessities of life. Use of cell phone while driving may result in slower braking reactions, slower reactions to traffic signals, and difficulties in making quick decisions. If we compare the ratio of road accidents that used to occur in a year before the 2000s with today, we come to know that the ratio of road accidents due to use of cell phones during driving has been increased by 75 to 80 percent approximately. â€Å"In a study done in April 2006, it was found that 80% of car crashes involved the driver not paying attention right before the accident† (Russell). The reason is that cell phones distract the driver’s attention, which results in road accidents. â€Å"According to several resources, every year, about 21% critical vehicle crashes happen due to cellphone use and require teens among age party 16 to 19 ages† (He). Supporters of cell phones say that cell phones do not take much attention of the users; rather they make people more responsible as they have to take care of themselves and other people while on road. However, this viewpoint is very illogical because accidents just need a little negligence to occur and that negligence can take place at any stage of cell phone use. Cell phones also create risks for health. Excessive use of cell phones can affect our eardrums and can cause skin cancer as well. Today, a large number of young adults use a hands-free system to hear songs from their cell phones.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Background To Articulation In The Performance Practice Of Bach' Era Essay

Background To Articulation In The Performance Practice Of Bach' Era - Essay Example D. The 'cantabile' style; Bach's enticement, almost persistence, on arriving at a 'cantabile' manner of playing of the collected works both striking and imperative for indicating how Bach himself wished these pieces to be realized auditorily. In luminosity of the serious difficulties facing musicologists employing stylistic examination of ancient music (as opposed to very successful structural analysis), it makes common sense to re-claim the term "style" to pass on to the manner in which works are realized by the musician in performance and to merge it with an aesthetic consideration for what may be termed "stylistically informed performance practice". By and large speaking, aside from JS Bach's keyboard pieces in the French style, his objectives for the auditory realization of his mid-period works on stringed clavier instruments were likely to be in the polished, cosmopolitan (Italian) cantabile style of the time, a style which is well predictable and taught by the music aestheticia n J.J. Quantz in his treatise on playing the flute. E. Rhetoric and the relationship between composer and performer; rhetoric was an elementary material of education and humanist and considered to be the only way of teaching expressions and grammatical both. There were periods in the times gone by of music in which the rhetorical standard, as expressed by Bach, had a comprehensive connotation in terms of music and more importantly for instrumental music; a fact well-known to musicologists these days by way of the theoretical primary sources available. On the other hand, modern-day practitioners, particularly instrumentalists, are not fully aware of the far-reaching gravity of the rhetorical principle and its submission to an important part of the repertoire. The relationship between speech and music, as well as rhetoric and music without a doubt illustrates that both come about over time and are received by the ear. This implies a further commonality between speech and music: both consist of continuous alterations of their elements ( pitch and utterance, respectively), which are syntactically organized. In other expressions, both are systems bottom on symbols that even share common secondary semantic content: repetition, accent, caesura, articulation, range, contrast, extension, dynamics, rhythm, and not lastly the dependence on presentation. F. "Figurae"; Pritz defined two types of figurae that can be used by the singers or at least they should be aware of that; he defines two types of Figurae; one is Simple and other one is compound. Marpurg defines the importance of figurae in such a manner that they should be the part of a rhetoric music. G. "Of itinerary", the separating line between the two camps is rather unclear, since many solemn musicians put a lot of thought into how they play, and often research the chronological background and practices of the works they perform. And scholars inquire about more than mere theoretical correctness in performances. H. This line has become predominantly unclear with the emergence of the Early Music movement, which Modern performers eye with subterranean interest, misgiving, and even a little

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Sasa Background Essay Example for Free

Sasa Background Essay Sasa Company has about 240 of retail sale shops and counters in Asia area. Otherwise, in Asia, there have six main markets in Hong Kong, Mainland, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and Macau. Also Sasa Company hired around 4000 employees. It sells more about 600 brands products, include skin-care product, perfume, toiletry, hairlogist, body-care product and beauty nutrition product. t is very popular in Asia because in Sasa there have more choice to give customer to buy, sometimes Sasa also will agent some of the brand for only their company to sell out to attract more customers to buy their products. Sasa’s target customers include young female, lady and family(daily product),man, actually Sasa’s products are suitable for great majority people to use, most of the type for their product is skin-care product, it is useful for children, female and man so Sasa have a large target customers to make this company be more popular in these years. The position that we have selected in Sasa Company is buyer. Buyer is a very important position in a company, it decide what, which product the company will sell in the market so buyer must very clear about what the customers need in the market what type of product will attract more. After to confirm which type or which brand of the product the company should choose, buyer have to talk with the brand company about the authority of agency, include the price, the time-limit, etc.. So buyer must have a good connect skill with people and the sense of responsibility. There have a vacancy in Sasa company because this position’s requests are very high and lots companies are need this position mostly, most the company they have be deficient in buyers, because the candidate must have more experience in similar job in the past so just can handle this job well and truly, also the candidate must have a good language culture to contact with their brand company, have a nice social contact in the related trade.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Narrative- Viola Lesson Essay example -- Personal Narrative Writing

Narrative- Viola Lesson I strolled towards the double glass doors, deliberately kicking at a large, spiky, chestnut pod as I went. It skidded across the concrete and sent three more spike-balls rolling before toppling over the edge of the ramp. Gazing upward through the branches, which were camouflaged by green and brown splotched clumps of large, tear-drop shaped leaves, I could see bits of crisp, blue, autumn sky. I repositioned the strap of my viola case on my shoulder. It's too bad I can't stay out here to enjoy the weather. At that thought, I slowed my walk. Why am I nervous? I'm more prepared for my lesson this week than I have been in a long time. The set of doors now loomed ahead of me, and I tugged one of them open, making my way up to the second floor of the building. I knew there was no reason for me to be nervous, but the butterflies flitting around in my stomach didn't seem to care. As I approached Dr. Sternbern's office, his door came clearly into view--I always enjoyed looking at it. The dark wood could barely be seen beneath the dozens of humorous cartoons pasted all over it. There was even a picture of Dr. Sternbern himself, with a carrot protruding from his mouth, and a sign below asking, "Do you know this man?" I smiled and could feel my anxiety floating away. Poking my head through the door, I spotted him working at his computer. Dr. Sternbern was in his mid-thirties, with dark hair, and a beard, which he had just started growing over the summer. He looked up and smiled a greeting, motioning for me to come in. "So how are you doing, Miss Marie?" "I'm fine," I replied, closing the door and looking for a spot to set my case. The chair where I normally put it was stacked with papers, and there were orc... ...embered something Dr. Sternbern had told me before. He said he had seen lots of students try to excel at too many things. It usually resulted in them being unable to do their best at anything. So, my thoughts continued, I should pick one thing to do my very best at, and then work hard in the other areas with the time and energy I have left. A smile of understanding slowly spread across my face. Through my lessons, Dr. Sternbern had taught me many things about playing the viola, but what I had just begun to understand was, perhaps, of even greater importance. I realized now that this truth, more than any technique, would allow me to reach my goal of playing the viola to the best of my ability. Sighing happily, I tilted my head upward, breathed in the refreshing fall air, and, with a well-aimed, departing kick, sent half a dozen more spike-balls shooting off the ramp.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Paper on the Costs and Benefits of Building Society

At the beginning of this century there were more than 2000 building societies, fiercely independent mutual organisations, formed in the spirit of Victorian self help. There are now just 71. Some of these that have disappeared were terminating societies with a fixed wind up date. The last â€Å"terminating† society was the Fist Salisbury which wound up in 1980. Other societies have been swallowed up in take-overs or converted into banks in the great 1997 demutualisation. This assignment will discuss this trend with particular reference to the potential costs and benefits in the short and long term. This assignment will examine the costs and benefits to the building societies as well as those to the members and staff. The Costs and Benefits to the Building Society Conversion to plc status is seen as having the major advantage that there would be freedom from the limitations imposed by the Building Societies Act 1986, 1997 the statutory framework for the Building Society industry. The restrictions the Act impose include the following: 1) 75% of all lending has to be secured against residential property This means that Building Societies are limited in their participation in the more risky, but more rewarding unsecured lending. At the moment, Societies can make unsecured personal loans up to a limit of  £15,000 per customer, whereas there is no ceiling for Banks. Building Societies with less than  £100m of assets are not permitted to make unsecured loans. 2) No more than 50% of funds may be raised on the wholesale markets This limit was previously 40% before the revised 1997 Building Societies Act. Building societies have eagerly taken the opportunity to raise money in the wholesale markets, which have frequently proved to be the cheapest source of wholesale funds (Wholesale funds are large deposits placed by companies and financial institutions, bearing an interest rate in line with the market rate rather than base rates). They have used these funds to even out any shortfall in the inflow of retail funds to meet the mortgage demand. Banks have no ceiling on raising wholesale funds, which are usually cheaper than retail funds. Building Societies may also find themselves at a disadvantage in access to wholesale funds at competitive rates. As only 50% of funds can be raised from the wholesale market only the very largest societies can maintain the necessary standing in the international capital markets which allows wholesale funds to be tapped on the finest terms. Equally, the capacity to cope with the volatility of the wholesale markets and the risks they pose, requires Treasury management teams on an increasing sophistication to which only the largest societies can aspire. 3) Before the 1997 Act, building societies could only offer temporary or occasional overdrafts to corporate customers. Now building societies can establish subsidiaries to lend to business customers, but have not yet become significant lenders to industry. This is in contrast to banks who are very much regarded as lenders to businesses. As a result of the Building Societies Act 1997, building societies are now also able to : a) make unsecured loans to incorporated businesses; b) to own a general insurance company which could write housing related policies (buildings, contents and mortgage payment protection insurance). Building Societies are limited in raising capital. Until 1991 building societies could only raise capital by means of retained profits. Now larger societies, to increase capital, can issue Permanent Interest Bearing Shares (PIBS). This is in contrast to plc†s who are free to raise capital in the market by issuing shares and bonds if they plan to expand. An example of this is Barclays 1987 rights issue to raise  £921m to finance â€Å"growth†. Building societies cannot in general engage in take-overs of, or mergers with other types of financial institutions in order to expand their breadth of operations, and retain their mutual status. Banks have this freedom and can finance mergers and acquisitions through the issue of new shares, whereas building societies can only finance acquisitions with cash. Efficiency is also an issue as a plc – profit making organisation is perceived as having greater efficiency than a mutual organisation. However ‘competition has proved a spur to efficiency at least as effective as the disciplinary effect of a public quotation† (PRIMA). As a result of the break up of the societies cartel arrangements for setting interest rates, the banks have made successful inroads into the mortgage and savings markets and hence competition is today very strong. There are many costs and disadvantages associated with building societies converting to banks including: The new plc will be regulated by the Bank of England, rather than the building societies commission. The plc will operate under the Banking Act 1987, compared to the Building Societies Act 1987, 1997. The plc may find it difficult and time consuming, at least initially, to deal with the new method of regulation. The Government†s planned new super regulatory body may also provided further legislation that has to be adhered to. 2) Need to pay out dividends and ability and pay competitive interest The plc will find itself under pressure to pay out growing dividends to shareholders. This reduces retained earnings, thereby reducing the plc†s ability to pay competitive interest rates. In the past building societies have been able to operate on a narrower margin than banks between their rates to the depositors and borrowers because: a) their low management cost (due to their less complicated specialist business); b) no requirements to pay dividends; c) low capital requirements due to the low risk nature of their assets; d) because the banks tended to subsidise their money transmission service by their deposit accounts, which lessens their ability to compete in the savings market. 3) The plc becomes open to possible take-over bids The change of status may have adverse effects on the institution†s image with customers. This may adversely affect its ability to compete with Building Societies. Building Societies are generally regarded as friendly institutions, concerned first and foremost with the customer. A comprehensive study of public perceptions of different financial institutions conducted in 1987 showed that building societies enjoy a positive rating of 85%, compared with only 51% for the high street banks (Personal Finance & The Future of the Financial High Street, Research Associates, March 1988). Building societies have traditionally been seen as a safe depository for the savings of working people. Building Societies are safe and a principal reason why is that mutuality has restricted them to safe, low risk activities. This safety and friendliness have strong customer appeals, which may be lost if conversion to plc status takes place. In general building societies have low levels of bad debt relative to banks. The lower levels of bad debt can be put down to the loaning restrictions set down by the Building Societies Act 1986, 1997 (e.g. 75% of loans must be secured against residential property). In 1997 a number of building societies decided to give up their mutual status in favour of plc status. These conversions and take-overs resulted in a number of windfall payments to society members. These windfalls were in the form of cash or free shares. The size of windfall varies from society to society, but investors due to receive windfalls from all the building societies that surrendered their mutual status during 1997 (Halifax, Northern Rock, Alliance & Leicester, Woolwich, Bristol & West) can expect shares worth an average total of about  £6,000 (IC vol. 120/1524 page 34). This is clearly a short term benefit to members but it is argued that as plc†s these former mutuals will in the long term not be able to offer such attractive interest rates for borrowers and savers. Christopher Rodrigues, Chief Executive of the Bradford & Bingley argues â€Å"The one off benefit of plc conversion is here today, gone tomorrow. The higher savings rates and lower loan rates of mutuality are for life not just for flotation day†. Mr Rodrigues points out mutuals don†t have to consider the demands of shareholders – particularly for high dividends or share price growth so profits can go to members – via better interest rates on savings accounts for example. Which?, the respected ‘Consumers† Association magazine has also criticised these conversions and claims the new banks will be forced to squeeze customers for maximum profitability. Which? Argues that mutuals offer better interest rates for savers and borrowers. This case of mutuals offering better rates is hard to prove in practice as there are so many financial intermediaries, products, min balances and interest rates available. For example, the Which? Report only examined two products over a narrow period of time. Most of their mortgage research is based only on the 12 months to March 1997, a period when the converting societies knew they could get away with charging windfall seeking customers more than their rivals. Over the longer term Money Facts, a savings rate specialist, claims mutuals record in savings rate best buy tables is poor. Each year Money Facts publishes details of how much money you would have if you had invested with each of the 90 or so Tessa providers 5 years previously. Just one of the five largest mutual building societies made it into the top 25 Tessa providers. The same was true last year. A quick look at the mortgage market tells a similar story. Research conducted by myself paints a similar picture. Investors Chronicle, a weekly investment magazine published by the Financial Times, carries a weekly updated table of highest deposit rates (Appendix 1). As at 29 January 1998 out of 36 financial intermediaries listed on this table offering the best deals on various products (e.g. Tessa, Instant Access up to  £2500) only 13 of them are mutual. In recent months, there has been a rush of new entrants to the banking arena that offer better deals than the mutuals and established high street banks. Insurer, Legal & General (60 Day Notice Minimum  £2500 7.65%) and supermarket, Safeway (Instant Access Minimum  £1000 7.3%) (Appendix 1), for example, both offer excellent interest rates on savings accounts. Equally, Scottish Widows† mortgage products are very cheap. Even if believed that mutuals offer better savings and mortgage rates it is a long wait for building societies to deliver the same return as there converting counterparts. One case that illustrates this point is a saver that had  £5,000 in an instant access account run by Nationwide – whose members rejected conversion this summer – would earn more money than he would at the Woolwich (see Appendix 2). However even if you were a non taxpayer, it would take more than 50 years to make  £1500 (Woolwich windfall approx.  £2000) extra in interest payments. The lure of the mutual building societies is not so compelling as it is often presented. Some building societies have recognised that they need some sort of scheme with which they can compete with the attractions of windfall bonuses. The Nationwide, Bradford & Bingley and Yorkshire have all announced cash back schemes where members will get a larger slice of the profits in the form of better interest rates. The Britannia has actually paid cash bonuses worth  £35m to members. However the average payout to members was  £35. Another aspect of consideration is the treatment the customer receives. Mutuals almost always beat banks in surveys on customer friendliness. Building societies staff are perceived by customers, according to market research, as more friendly, more pleasant and more interested in their jobs than those of banks and other financial institutions. (PRIMA). Many building societies have branches in estate agents in small communities. These branches are not usually prolifically profitable, but provide a valid service to the community. As plc†s are profit making organisations there is a trend that community branches are closed after conversion. The Abbey National, for example, closed 1000 community branches after conversion and all 200 of National & Provincial†s when it took it over. This is a great cost to those who live in these communities. Many are old people who are now faced with travelling long distances to get their money. Plc pay is generally higher than mutual pay for the senior managers of a building society. Peter Birch, Abbey National†s, Chief Executive, pay has increased from  £173,000 pa in 1987 to  £450,000 pa in 1996 and he now owns shares worth  £1.8m. This is in contrast to the Chief Executive of Halifax who†s pay did not increase by anywhere as much and was unable to receive share options. There is a clear benefit to the senior mangers of a converted building society, but in the long run they are also more open to being removed by discontented shareholders or a take-over. Share options are believed to produce more motivated and committed staff. In conclusion there are potentially more benefits to the Building Society than costs. The major benefit being the escaping from the limitations imposed by the BSA. The Building Societies Act 1986, 1997 excluded building societies from potentially more profitable, if riskier business. The regulatory constraints on a plc are less onerous than those on a mutual basis therefore although banks are subject to continuous Bank of England supervision, the basic limitations are the scope of company articles of association whereas building societies must comply with highly specific requirements of the Building Societies Act 1986, 1997 on such matters as the permitted proportions of wholesale funding, unsecured lending and advances by class of asset. In general, members also have potentially more benefits than costs. In the short-term members of converting societies have the benefit of windfall payments. In the long run it is claimed that members will lose out in less competitive interest rates, however this is very hard to prove. Even if it can be proved, the savings and mortgage rates offered by the mutuals will only be marginally better than those offered by the non-mutuals. It will take years to earn the equivalent of a windfall bonus from a mutual in the form of better interest. Some people urge others to think about the next generation and that one day there will be no mutuals left, but at present most of the best rates are offered by the new entrants to the banking arena (e.g. Safeway). Any member who retained their membership of a converted society through retaining their share allocation, at present would be benefiting even more. The reason for this is that the share prices are higher today than when the societies floated. Secondly as this is being written the Woolwich as part of it†s maiden full year results announced a â€Å"fresh  £100m windfall for Woolwich investors. A 6.5p special dividend added to the total year dividend of 9.5p will put  £105 in the pockets of hundreds of thousands of former Woolwich members who received the average windfall package of 657 shares. The Woolwich will also seek authority to return a further 100m to 200m of excess capital to share holders later this year in share buy backs. There is a clear cost to those members who relied on a community branch, however have these usually retired people examined the alternative technology available (e.g. telephone banking, cheques, debit cards etc.). Staff (particularly senior management) will benefit as a plc is able to offer share options which are believed to produce more motivated and committed staff. Senior management will also usually have greater increases in pay. These people are not ‘FAT CATS† they do a complex job and are paid the going market rate. In the long run senior managers of a plc are easier to remove from the company if their performance is poor. All in all the benefits of conversion outweigh the costs. This is true for all the interested parties, i.e. the building society, the members and the staff.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Human Impacts on the Sustainability of Groundwater Essay

The purpose of this lab is to show the sustainability of groundwater, if human development continues, at the same rate it has been, over the last few decades. Over the last 50 years our water demand has tripled, which is causing water tables all over the world to fail, and when these aquifers are depleted, worldwide food production will fall. I have looked over the data provided, and have come to the conclusion, that if we do not control our population, we will likely experience worldwide famine, maybe even have it as the catalyst for the next world war. Data collected from the M.U.S.E. in the virtual classroom, located at cut online, also researched on the internet, from the Google search bar, Nairaland forum, and WOA. Documentation, from these resources, and research, written in the following paragraphs. Stated in a 2009 report, that if the world population reached 7.5 billion, by 2020, 1.8 billion people, would be living in regions with extreme water scarcity. In a current report   as of December 1, 2014, our global population, has already reached over 7 billion, and futuristically, Africa is the only nation that is capable of self-sustaining. The Americans, Chinese, and Europeans, aspire to live a certain life style that will ultimately end in a survival of the fittest.  Several studies show that earth is currently capable of sustaining about 2 billion, at half the recourses, we currently consume. Each American, consumes about 20 acres, of biologically productive land, so if the worlds 7 billion people, consumed that of the average American, we would need about 5 earth’s resources, to be sustained. Obviously Earths 29.6 billion acres of biologically productive land, and water, support about 1.5 billion people. So we need to reduce the population by 80 %, or reduce our consumption by over 50%, and realistically, neither one is going to happen anytime soon. Which leaves our grandchildren, and so on, in serious risk of a grave global catastrophe? Resources: Politics,Lagbaja, taken from web address http://www.nairaland.com/2022950/current-world-population-three-time, on 1/05/2015 WOA!! Taken from web address http://www.overpopulation.org/water.html on 01/06/2015

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Patients and Cancer Essays

Patients and Cancer Essays Patients and Cancer Essay Patients and Cancer Essay This paper explores different peer-reviewed articles that attempts to shed some light on the phenomenon of the lived experience of patients with cancer; supporting the fact that individuality is a huge factor in the care of cancer patients. Manu types of cancers exist and patients should be treated as individuals versus as a disease or diagnosis. As oncology nurses we accumulate knowledge on a daily basis that may be revised in practice. Therefore, it becomes our innate duty to visit the literature and gain the understanding and evidence that will help us in improving our practice of nursing. The articles, however, vary in the type of cancer with different treatment modalities and the collection methods but have the commonality of all participants being diagnosed with Cancer. The findings showed that patients have many unmet psychosocial and emotional needs among others but exercise hope when family support is present. These shortcomings or gaps in knowledge can alter how care is received and administered. We as nurses, have a lot of work to do in assisting patients feel more individualized with the diagnosis of Cancer. Each day in practice we meet new patients and see old ones and we may see them smile or get sad or display other emotions but as nurses do not take enough time to find out what our patients face and how they handle their diagnoses of cancer. As nurses we get so wrapped up in our daily tasks. Cancer is an experience that can threaten not only the end of one’s life, but also touch all aspects of the person’s existence, making it significant to them and if it is significant to them then it should also be the same to us. Cancer also imposes so many burdens on patients, families and the society at large. So large that it is labeled the silent killer and will overtake disease as top killer by the end of 2010 (foxnews. com). I chose this topic because I realize the gap in knowledge and communication between what happens to patients between diagnoses, treatment and discharge, up to the time they return for follow -up cycles to the time they may hear that the cancer has either metastasis or have been cured (in remission). Just knowing that your life will change is significant enough. We, as nurses are first line in the patient care area. The Doctor walks in and tells the patient that they have cancer and then walk out and the nurse is faced with the aftermath, the questions and the emotions that follow. The nurse is also the one that administers the chemotherapy and various radiation treatments and again is faced with questions and emotions. At discharge the nurse again becomes the one that is faced with questions and emotions. It may not be possible to answer all the questions and for the ones that we are not sure of, we can refer or ask the doctor to explain but having the knowledge of what it may be like for these cancer patients can help with how we approach these questions and the treatment options. Having this knowledge can help in terms of support, teaching, prevention and alleviation of suffering, enabling us to give more culturally congruent care. Literature Review In Arber et al. s (2008) article on the lived experience of patients with pleural mesothelioma it was found that these patients had many unmet psychosocial and emotional needs and that there was a lack of information provided to patients . A feeling of isolation was also reported. All patients and care givers experienced frustration due to the physical experience (Arber et al. , 2008). It was showed that these patients wanted to tell their stories and wanted people to listen. The methodology was phenomenology which was appropriate for th e study with unstructured interview questions allowing for participants to speak their mind and their experiences. As nurses sometimes we are unsure of what to say for fear of saying the wrong thing. There was also evidence of loss of intimacy with partners. Macmillan Cancer support (2006) states that four out of ten couples where one partner has cancer report sexual problems (Arber et al. , 2008). The study was done only on patients with mesothelioma and was very small making it hard to generalize to other cancer areas. The patients and families were only from a specialist palliative community center assuming that these patients had incurable mesothelioma. Benzein et al. , (2005) studied cancer in palliative care in home care and made hope the center of the study. The findings showed that the participants used hope to live as normally as possible. The meaning of the experience of hope seemed to be a will to live for a while longer (Benzein et al. , 2005). The structural analysis revealed the hope of being cured, a hope of living as normally as possible, a presence of confirmative relationships and reconciliation with life and death. The commonality between this article and Arber et al. , 2008 is that these cancers were incurable, however in this article the study group was a mix of males and females ages 54-83 with a median age of 65. The previous article failed to reveal the ages of the participants, making it difficult to impact practice. The other difference is that the latter was done in the patient’s own homes while the study on patients with mesothelioma was done in a different setting that may influence the outcome. Being surrounded by loved ones in the home setting would allow the patient to feel more human, than being in a hospital setting where they are just another patient and loved ones may not be able to visit at lib, which in the end has a negative impact on recovery. Demir et al. , (2008) in their quest to understand the experience of breast cancer survivors that underwent biopsies used a phenomenological approach to reveal three themes that were evident among participants, namely, the need for information, fear and spiritual needs. The study also suggests that results may be different considering different emotional investments in their breasts, sociocultural factors and age. The study was a very small group of twenty with the interviews being held in an unused room outside the clinic before the patients postoperative visits. Having the interviews on postoperative days may further aggravate feelings of fear that could invalidate the study. When compared to the study done by Perreault et al. , (2005) similarities were evident as participants exhibited fear and uncertainty. This study studied women with breast cancer and examined their experiences. Both studies used the interpretative phenomenological approach to gain insights. What this study included that would help with validity that Demir et al. , (2008) did not include was the staging. The staging of the cancer can have a great impact on the emotions and fear and response to experience. This sample size was only six person who lowered the reliability and generalizability. Lacey, (2005), researched breast cancer and support aides revealed that participants were identified as being too overwhelmed and stressed to make decisions about their care. They trusted their physicians to make the appropriate choices and appreciated and welcomed the support of family members. They also expressed hope. These same sentiments were echoed somewhat in Demir et al. , (2008) and Perreault et al. , (2005). All 3 studies involved breast cancer and the study method was the same and even though the same size and ages may have varied, it may prove to offer some insight as to what these women face adding to the validity. All 3 papers also suggest that more research may be necessary to facilitate the different decision- making and emotional abilities. The definite commonality expressed and assumed mong all these articles so far is the need for information especially at different stages. Molen, (2000) study sought to identify the different information needed for people with cancer. Adequate, appropriate and timely information can be a key element for many people in managing the experience of cancer. Different themes emerged from the research. There w as a deficit in information regarding self-identity, body image, and family, social and work relationships. A cancer diagnoses impacts all areas of an individual’s life, and life management information is equally as important as medical information. Molen, 2000). Cancer was viewed as an intrusion and illness engendered feelings of vulnerability that impacted on their normal coping mechanisms. This research had six participants all with different types of cancer with ages ranging from 45 to 65. The end results showed feelings and questions received on a daily basis but the sample size was so small and the age range was so limited that may lessen the reliability. However, further research may be needed to identify the different ages when information becomes such a deciding factor or the processing of information since all the participants were older. Similarly, information needs proved to be a big part of the equation as evidenced in another research study done by Molen (2005). However the type of information, the amount and to what depth varied considerably between individuals proving that information needs are unlikely to remain static and consequently, will change throughout the cancer experience. The literature highlights the importance of information giving, however; many problems are encountered with its provision. People with cancer frequently express dissatisfaction with the information given to them and experience difficulty in retaining and processing information. The cancer experience invariably begins before the point of diagnoses and information needs clearly change over time. (Molen 2005) Jones et al. , (2006) in researching the lived experience showed similarity with the Molen, (2000) themes that emerged from the different stories including changing concepts of self, the significant of relationships, being different from the past and temporality. These patients were bone marrow transplant candidates who were experiencing a mountain of emotions that they believed were affecting them negatively. From their stories it was clear that all participants underwent many physical and emotional changes. Taking it to a different level Meenaghan et al. , (2010) researched elderly patients and their lived experience and concluded that all participants experienced fear and shock at diagnoses but also experienced hope despite their age. With good support from family and friends participants exhibited hope and revealed that they learned to cope with the diagnoses and its treatments. As expressed in Perreault et al. (2005), the same fear and uncertainty was revealed and the same method of data collection and interview was used. Walker et al. , (2009) attempted to understand the lived experience of cancer patients undergoing photodynamic therapy. Analysis of the data yielded six themes, the impact on day –to- day life, existential meaning, the physical effects of treatment, and the kaleidoscope of emotions, information gap and family burden. This article summarizes all the feelings ex pressed by all the previously reviewed articles. If not all a least one of the articles expressed the same feelings which leads nurses to believe that these are the expected emotions, fears and expressions that can be experienced and that we all should be mindful of the factors that to suffering and the nursing interventions that can be used to address these multiple dimensions of suffering. All these studies used the phenomenological approach which is appropriate and if not the interpretative design the descriptive. Sample sizes and ages vary but the information and end results remained the same or close to the same throughout this literature review.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

8 of the best apps for college students

8 of the best apps for college students College can be very stressful- especially if you’re on your own for the first time. There’s suddenly so much you have to figure out that you never had to worry about before. But you can make things much easier on yourself with the help of your smartphone and a few app downloads. Here are 10 of the best apps out there for navigating your college experience with confidence.1. Amazon MobileMaybe you don’t have a car. Or maybe your college town might not be the shopping mecca you envisioned. Or, let’s be honest, maybe you’re just lazy. Bottom line: you food, supplies, books, and toiletries- and you need it all delivered to your door. The Amazon app is free and lets you browse for and buy just about anything you could need. Bonus points if you sign up for Prime Student and get free two-day shipping and other perks.2. MintLearn how to manage your money like the grownup you’ve become. Mint is a free app that lets you view all of your finances and ba nk accounts in one easy place. Separate by category to see where your cash is going, and use that knowledge to create a budget that works for your life.3. iHomework 2You have papers, readings, and tests coming at you from every direction, with no parent breathing down your back to get things done. Keep track of all of your assignments, exam schedules, and coursework with this app, which helps you map out everything school-related. You can even set yourself notification alarms for upcoming deadlines.4. Google DriveNever get stuck away from your main desk without your files again. Take notes in class, then access your notes from another computer at anytime. Write your paper at home, and then pull it up on your friend’s laptop. Never worry about not having everything you need handy and stored in the Cloud again. Google Drive free and sign-up is automatic if you use your Gmail account.5. TodoistNeed a good to-do list app that isn’t too overwhelming and just lists all your tasks in one handy place? Track everything going on in your life, school-related and beyond- even doctor’s appointments or bills you need to pay. Why write your tasks on a board in your room when you can carry it in your pocket to reference all day?6. DropboxHere’s another app that will ensure you never are more than a click away from important documents. Save things in Dropbox, and they’re accessible from any device- even your phone. Don’t lose important data or documents again.7. FeedlyOverwhelmed by all the news you’re getting from multiple sources and apps? Use Feedly to aggregate the publications, blogs, YouTube channels, and other sites you follow, so you can see at a glance what’s new and keep up with news and updates from your favorite sites.8. EasyBibNo idea how to format your works cited list? Never fear. EasyBib will give you the right citation for whatever book you’re quoting from and it will tailor it for whatever citatio n style you need.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Research Paper Prospectus on the Economic and Financial Impact of the Proposal

Paper Prospectus on the Economic and Financial Impact of the Gulf Oil Spil - Research Proposal Example The world’s most sophisticated drill rigs, known as The Deepwater Horizon, was degraded to a mass of burnt metal in a split of seconds (Peppas, 2011). The rising demand for oil over the years meant that companies were drilling even deeper into the sea in an attempt to drill more oil. The oil spill occurred at a time when the industry was least expecting it; industry experts has speculated that the chance of an explosion was less than one percent (McCoy & Salerno, 2011). However, the incident painted an entirely different picture; thousands of individuals were cleaning up the oil spill, with thousands of devices screening the blowout. Discoverer Enterprise, the drill ship, howled loudly as it vent out methane gas that shot from the runway well (Peppas, 2011). Another rig, Q4, 000 which burnt oil and gas, simultaneously exploded (Peppas, 2011). What made matters worse was that the waters of the gulf were very difficult to reach; the terrain is very rough marked by canyons, ridge s and volcanoes (Farrell, 2011). The deposits lay buried under the salt ridges under the sea that were vulnerable to earthquakes. Furthermore, the temperatures underwater were freezing whereas the temperature of oil reservoirs was around 400 degrees (Upton, 2011). Economic concepts/approaches to be used in the research The economic concepts/ approaches to be involved are as follows: The concept of negative externalities: This concept explains the impact of individuals and/or corporations on a third-party (Hackett & Moore, 2011). They can be negative or positive; however, in this situation the externalities are likely to be negative rather than positive. Negative externalities shall revolve around the following : Damage to marine life Damage to local fishermen Damage to the coastal area’s economy Damage to U.S’s exports Damage to locals who inhale the toxic fumes Damage to individuals who consume the contaminated seafood Cost Benefit analysis of the clean up: This conce pt shall arise when the company involved decides to arrange for a cleanup of the oil spill as well as compensate the families of the deceased or affected people. BP shall have to weigh the private versus social costs and benefits associated with the remedies it take which shall be explored in the main research. As economic theory suggests the decision that BP takes may not be socially desirable because of corporations’ self-interest and focus on maximizing private net benefits rather than maximizing social net benefits (Ramseur & Ramseur, 2010). Expected findings/outcomes The findings expected are: Increasing unemployment- What shall be the impact on businesses whose earnings were tied to the Gulf of Mexico? Increasing government deficits in the region- What shall be the impact on fishermen who no longer have a source of income? Increase in national deficit- The deficit is expected to exceeding $2 million (Landau, 2011) Inflation in prices of agricultural products Higher taxe s- Politicians can use this opportunity to charge higher taxes on an already troubled population Ecological damage to Louisiana coast Damage to marine life- Oil has swept deep into the sand which is the breeding ground for most fruits and vegetables. If the oil isn’t cleaned up it can lead to intoxicated vegetables and fruits that can contaminate human life. Also toxic fumes have penetrated deep into the sea bed that can harm marine life, including fishes, disturbing their entire ecological system