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Saturday, August 31, 2019
Home Food VS Fast Food Essay
Homemade food is often treated as a privilege. Low cost of fast food and its nutrition value become a solution for many families who have neither time not money to cook at home. Warnings that fast food is not healthy do not stop Americans who treat it as an essential part of their daily diet. As a result, the prevalence of obese and overweight people plummets. If we look at what is behind attractive pricing strategies and delicious tastes offered at fast food chains, all facts support the idea that homemade food is a better choice. The articles _Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?_ by Mark Bittman and _Fast Food Versus Slow Food_ by Nancy Folbre provide enough facts to motivate people to cook at home. Out of these two articles, Folbreââ¬â¢s specific approach to argumentation makes her writing extremely persuasive and logical advocating cooking at home. One of the biggest advantages of fast food is that it is really fast. People do not spend much time ordering their food and eating it on the go. People tend to work more and cook less than they used to 50 years ago (Folbre). Technological development simplify peopleââ¬â¢s attitude to food and cooking; all they need is to heat their meals in the microwave oven. Moreover, accessibility of fast food restaurants is becoming better and better. Contrary to this, cooking at home seems less attractive due to the routine related to this process. Grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning up, and developing cooking skills are required. Because time is the most expensive thing in the world, not all people are ready to spend it on cooking. Manyà Americans treat cooking as a job and they are confused that they are not paid for it. Complaints of many Americans about lack of time for cooking are common; however, the popularity of food shows is on the peak (Folbre). Instead of cooking, people prefer t o watch how others cook. According to Bittman, there are five fast food restaurants per each supermarket in the United States. If people eat at fast food restaurants, they forget about such chores as cooking and cleaning up and have more time to relax after work. Overall, it is difficult to argue that fast food restaurants are not convenient. In fact, they are life-saving for many people who work long hours and have no time to care about what they eat. Bittman states that average American family watches TV 1.5 hours a day; it means that they have enough free time. They lack motivation to cook and use ââ¬Ëaffordabilityââ¬â¢ argument to convince others that their behavior is right. A strong belief that cooking at home is expensive stops people from researching the issue in detail. Many of them even do not try to cook at home before they complain that it requires much money. Folbre uses a strong and persuasive argument to prove that home food is not as expensive as people think about it. She finds that people need 30 minutes to cook a burger at home. This time includes time spent on shopping, washing up, cooking, and serving. While an average burger costs around $4, the cost of ingredients for a burger is $1. Folbre states that 30 minutes spent on cooking can be easily compared to driving to a fast food restaurant or standing in line to buy a burger. Homemade burgers become even more affordable is they are cooked for the family because it still takes a bit more than 30 minutes and four burgers are ready as a result. Folbreââ¬â¢s experiment proves that people can afford to eat at home and it can be economical for their budget. However, time spent on cooking is the reason why many people prefer to eat out. Additionally, fast food is expensive according to both Bittman and Folbre, purely organic food is also very expensive because it requires special care and conditions to be produced. At the same time, fast food and organic food are two extremes; there are many other food products which are not tooà expensive and healthy. Bittman challenges ââ¬Ëaffordabilityââ¬â¢ argument providing a list of alternatives which are budget-friendly. Rice with a simple salad costs less than McDonaldââ¬â¢s dinner. It does not require developed cooking skills and much time to be ready. There are many TV-shows, YouTube channels and cook books which offer a number of different recipes for all life occasions. Cooking can be fun if people stop perceiving it as a chore. Bittman tries to catch the issue as a whole; as a result, his article complexly argues for home food benefits. Nutrition value of fast food is high; poor people believe that they need calories and eagerly consume fries and soda drinks. According to Bittman, Americans consume more calories they need a day; as a result, it leads to health issue related to weight gain. Fast food is addictive; even when people are full, they feel hungry after a while. There are special chemicals and flavors added to fast food to intensify its taste and make it desired for people. Ordinary home food contains less fat and sugar which makes it more useful for people. People who cook at home always know what ingredients they use to cook their meal which allows them making healthier choices. Also, it is very diverse and all people can find something simple to cook but delicious. In summary, both writers agree that people who experience lack of time and money often eat at fast food restaurants because they believe that it is cheaper than cooking at home. Some of them complain that they do not have time to cook daily. People always have time but set different priorities; some of them prefer to watch TV in the evening and it is their choice. While Bittman tries to persuade people making his argument global, Folbre focuses on the economic side of the issue and creates a solid line of argumentation. I like this specific approach to persuasion more than generalizations sprinkled by random statistics in Bittmanââ¬â¢s article. Folbre successfully proves her point of view with the help of her experiment; she rationally counts money and time spent of home cooking to show that it can be economical and fast. Her research persuades me that cooking can be economical showing real examples in life situations. Bittman only lists alternatives while Folbre uses them and checks their relevance. Moreover, ità can be healthier, more nutritious and delicious. Home food contains less sugar and fat while fat is the main source of calories in fast food. People need to try and decide what is better for their health, schedule, and purse. Works Cited Bittman, Mark ââ¬Å"Is Junk Food Really Cheaperâ⬠â⬠Everythingââ¬â¢s an Argument with Readings. Ed. Andrea A. Lunsford, John J. Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters. 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martinââ¬â¢s, 2013. 660-665. Print. Folbre, Nancy. ââ¬Å"Fast Food Versus Slow Foodâ⬠. _The_ _New York Times._ July 29, 2013. Web. July 24, 2014.
Friday, August 30, 2019
Team Ground Rules and Guidelines
What are the general expectations for all members of the team?Sarah Dowling- It is our goal as a team to work collaboratively to ensure all membersââ¬â¢ thoughts, ideas, and input are shared, discussed, considered, and incorporated into the learning team assignments and projects. It is peopleââ¬â¢s duty to be accountable for his or her individual portion of the project and to strive to do their personal best.As a group we will seek out opportunities within each otherââ¬â¢s strengths to improve our quality of work and assist those team members who may struggle to do so. In the event disagreement occurs between cohorts in regards to any one idea, including but not limited to: substance, quality, or timeline of work submitted, team members will vote to decide if the individual/ idea will continue to work with the group or project. Each member must be committed to the teamââ¬â¢s academic achievement and success.Expectations for Time Management and Involvement (Participation, communication with the team, accessibility, etc.)Sarah Dowling- Our team will communicate frequently via e-mail and phone, as well as before and after class. Team members agree to attend all meetings inà whichever method possible. All persons must complete their portion of the agreed upon work in a timely manner that shall be determined by the group as a whole.Ensuring Fair and Even Contribution and Collaboration What strategy will you use to ensure that all team members are contributing and collaborating appropriately? Describe the communication strategy you will use if a team member is not contributing and collaborating effectively.How will the team manage conflicts between team members?Sarah Dowling- Team members will arrive on time to meetings and agree to share input and progress with his or her individual portion of teamwork. An absent team member accepts the decision of the team regarding credit points recorded in the team log. It is each memberââ¬â¢s responsibility to c ommunicate to the team their honest availability, knowledge, and capability of completing the group assignments. Strategies to resolve poor work quality include additional tutoring and workshops to be completed by individuals as needed to ensure high academic achievement as the goal of the group.Special Considerations What do you, as a team, agree will make this team experience different from past team experiences?Sarah Dowling- By effectively communicating amongst each other and sharing ideas the team will be successful. A commitment to a timeline and a dedication to producing quality work will ensure that all team projects are executed with a high academic standard.
America Experience in Nineteenth Century Essay
à à à à During the half of nineteenth century in America, it really brought in experience to the recently happenings. Throughout this period, more individuals were trying so hard to carve out their own versions of the American dream and create their own definition on citizenship. Despite the obvious diversity of experience, most historians such as, Andrew Carnegie, Mary Church Tyrell and minor individuals argue that the mentioned experience shared commonalities are the foundation of American experience. à à à à à à Andrew Carnegie tries too hard to explain the gospel of wealth whereby he states that the rich and the poor can be tied together in harmonious relationship by proper administration of wealth. He says that the contrast between millionaires and cottage laborers currently measures change that has come with civilization. This change in wealth approves to be so beneficial and essential for the progress of the race in refinements of civilization that a house is the household for all. There is no bias in the change in the wealth since today the world obtains commodities at excellent quality prices in which the poor and the rich can enjoy with no prejudice (Andrew 23). à à à à à There is a great indifference lynching on the side of the church due to barbarism at homes (Mary 178). She pledges to the forei.gn missionary work that they should inaugurate crusades against barbarism at homes that has conformed hundreds of people into savage. This context is contrary rebellious to biblical teachings since only ignorance and lawlessness to date has led to people criticizing the effort put forth by the churches in the Negroââ¬â¢s behalf. à à à à à à à During the times, there were wars and fight that took over so as they could get lands to settle in. they fought with the Indians, took over their properties such as, horses and cattle, and carried them away (Chief Joseph 187). The Indians were left homeless and some lost their lives during the wall. The author always prayed that the white men would live as brethren and that the case today. During the times, America was so strong and worked together for a certain goal and that is why they won the battle against the Indians. à à à à à à à During the century, people in America slept in a ranch and ate cook shack most of the time. During the round up, and occasional other spells, people slept in the open and ate their chuck when squatted on their haunches around the check wagon. Besides feeding on beef and beans, they played wild games whenever the cooky took the notation or one of the waddies would decide to diverge the meat deal by going out and shooting some games (Sheldon 37). à à à à à From the past, women have been held responsible for the health of the community a function that is now represented by the health department. Certainly, the military conception to educate children so as they are equipped with kindergartens andare given a decent place for play, these things have traditionally in the hands of women (Jane 64). Most of the departments in modern cities can be traced as womenââ¬â¢s traditional activities for example; home cleanliness and wholesome was in the hands of women but recently is represented by Bureau of Teenagers House Inspection à à à à à à Chinese people were given an appeal from the American citizens, on the pedestal fund of the Bartholdi Statue of Liberty. Chinese never believed in liberty since they had a lot of hardship while the other nationalities were free (American Missionary 290). This showed inhuman since other countries enjoyed liberty but Chinese did not. Chinese loved and adored liberty but they could not allow the ones denying it to them liberty invite them to a graven image and bow to it. In assumption, from the understanding about the America experience, I concur with the shared idea since most of the history can be approved by the recently happenings. References Andrew Carnegie, Gospel of Wealth, c. 1889 Chief Joseph Speech before Congress, Washington DC, 187 Mary Church Terrell, ââ¬Å"Lynching from a Negroââ¬â¢s Point of View,â⬠North American Review, 178, (1904): 853-68. Sheldon F. Gauthier. Reprinted in Jim Lanning and Judy Lanning, eds. Texas Cowboys: Jane Addams, ââ¬Å"Women and Public Housekeeping,â⬠1913 American Missionary, Vol. 39 (October 1885), p. 290 Source document
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Global Warming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4
Global Warming - Essay Example As an example, in Colorado struggles with coyotes attacking humans. What they have not realized is that the natural habitat of the coyote is gone and they have to hunt for food other places. Each time an environment is changed, it causes problems to both humans and animals. Gore says that many people believe that the earth is too big for people to influence it in anyway. The reason that people think this is because they are not directly affected by global warming. What Gore is saying is an "inconvenient truth" because people do not want to think about dying out or about how they will be affected by the misuse of the earth. Gore talks a lot about green house gases and how they are building up to create more problems in the atmosphere. I agree that this is causing problems and we cannot say that nothing is happening. Why are the polar ice caps melting and why are animals dying? As an example, Carleton (2004) reports that the Polar Bear is almost extinct, because they have had to swim long distances to find food; many have drowned as they try to follow the ice. At the end of the film he gives many ideas of what people can do to help the environment. I do believe what he says that it is going to take one person at a time to save the environment because many people do not want to believe this truth. I recycle as much as I can at my house. Our city has a recycling program and they send out information about what can be recycled and what cannot. Some restaurants that I frequent have recycle bins and tell you what and how to recycle. I do not have a car with low carbon emission, but when I purchase a new car I will go for one with low carbon emissions or a hybrid. I have been doing a lot of research on hybrids and I like what I have read about them. If I had children, I would help them learn about the earth and help them take care of it better than our generation has done. I think that people using alternative sources to heat their homes like solar
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Financial strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Financial strategy - Essay Example In the recent past, companies are adopting the value based management approach which is a formal systematic approach used in managing companies with an aim of achieving the objective of maximizing value creation and shareholder value (Chapman, Hopwood, & Shields, 2009, p. 1248). Value based management focuses on the key drivers of value thus helping companies achieve their objectives (Starovic, Cooper, & Davis, 2004, 2004, p.15-17). Increasing focus on core competencies has forced companies to outsource some services to ensure that they remain relevant in terms of their revenues and expenditure in comparison with their competitors. Knowing a companyââ¬â¢s position is important because it is useful in defining and redefining strategies to improve profit margins and to capitalize on companyââ¬â¢s strengths to enhance shareholder value creation (Starovic, Cooper, & Davis, 2004, 2004, p.10-17). Various methods have been used to measure the shareholderââ¬â¢s value but the most co mmonly used are the profitability analysis, Strategic Profit Mode (SPM), and the Economic Value Added (EVA) method. One of the common methods used to measure profitability is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) which is the operating profit after tax divide by the net capital employed. However, a major criticism on this method is that it does not measure operating profits and capital employed the way investors do. Investors are concerned about economic profits and the amount of debt and equity invested in the business but these amounts may disagree with those used in companyââ¬â¢s financial statements because of the accounting practices in use. For instance, accounting reserves which have to be accounted for in financial statements tend to understate economic profits and the amount of equity capital actually invested in the business. ROCE provides little guidance on the profitability level because of its shortcomings. Given the shortcomings of ROCE, SPM and EVA models are preferred because they enable the company to focus on shareholder value and provide a long-term orientation in their analysis. SPM and EVA are reliable, consistent, and therefore preferred over ROCE method. The Strategic Profit Model (SPM) measures the Return On Net Worth (RONW) of a company which is a tool used to measure the changes in the shareholder value in an organization. RONW is made of three components, which include net profit, asset turnover, and financial leverage. These components are used in the calculation of RONW and they can be controlled by the managers of a company (Viswanadham and Luthra, 2005, p.478). Net profit is the difference between sales and expenses and from it net profit margin is calculated which measures how efficiently a company manufactures and sells its products. Net profit margin is the net profit as a percentage of sales. Asset turnover is the sales divided by the total assets of a company and it shows how efficiently a company employs its assets to achiev e a given level of sales. The Return On Assets (ROA) is arrived at by multiplying the net profit margin with the asset turnover and it relates the profitability of a company to the value of assets employed. The financial leverage of a company provides the relationship between the total
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Literature review of international teaching assistant issues in U.S Essay
Literature review of international teaching assistant issues in U.S. universities - Essay Example The International Teaching Assistant is a graduate student within the university whose job is to assist the professor in a given course. They have teaching duties including class preparation; they prepare quizzes; they may assist in writing examination questions for midterms and finals; they correct papers; they grade exams; and have office hours to tutor students in the class (ITA Handbook, February, 2005). It is beneficial for the U.S.A. students since they may not necessarily interact with other students beyond their ethnic group (Gravois, 2006; Academic Culture in the U.S.A. (ND)). Nathal (2005) states that, ââ¬Å"In an ideal classroom, both the student and teacher would be enriched by the otherââ¬â¢s cultural experiences. However; rather than being a seamless union, classrooms and labs have often become the sites of cultural collisions, marked by confusion over pronunciation, word usage and social customsâ⬠. The attitude of the American students, in general, is very negative. They claim that they do not understand the ITA and that the ITA does not understand them. This leads to communication problems to the extent that State Representative Bette Grande from Fargo, North Dakota proposed a bill ââ¬Å"â⬠¦to prod public institutions of higher educationâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ . Under her bill the students have the right to withdraw from a class without academic or financial penalty if the students complained in writing that her/his instructor did not ââ¬Å"speak English clearly and with good pronunciationâ⬠(Gravois, April, 2005). Ms. Liu who flew from Shanghai, China to Fargo was on her way to begin a Ph.D. in communication at North Dakota State. She said that during the number of battery tests she was submitted to for language proficiency, she was treated equally compared to other incoming graduate students. It was ten days later that she felt out of place when she noticed
Monday, August 26, 2019
Tourism and Indigenous Peoples Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Tourism and Indigenous Peoples - Assignment Example Looking out over a vast, desolate landscape, the older man responds, ââ¬Å"They can bloody well have itâ⬠(Weir, 1981). Aboriginal peoples arenââ¬â¢t just part of this remoteness ââ¬â for many, they have come to symbolize it. I believe that this impression of the Aborigines is intrinsic to Australiaââ¬â¢s cultural self-image, part of a pervasive and dominant national mindset. It has a debilitating effect on efforts to decrease traditional economic disparities and make Aboriginal peoples a productive part of the countryââ¬â¢s economic mix. Dislocation is the inevitable product of treating Aboriginal people as novel curiosities, or historic anomalies. Until this perspective changes, I believe an almost carnival image will plague the Aborigines and will likely prove too imposing an impediment to indigenous economic integration. ââ¬Å"The implications ofâ⬠¦potentially expanding employment disparity is amplified for discrete Indigenous communities because they are remote, and opportunities in what is termed the ââ¬Ërealââ¬â¢ (or mainstream) economy are extremely circumscribedâ⬠As I contemplated this reading, I couldnââ¬â¢t help thinking about a series of television commercials advertising American Indian gambling casinos, which are typically only aired in the early morning hours. To me, this reflects the ingrained cultural disenfranchisement of Americaââ¬â¢s indigenous peoples, who are surely one of the most notable examples of a culturally and economically disadvantaged native population. Their cultural remoteness has kept them out of Americaââ¬â¢s economic mainstream as surely as has the Aborigines.ââ¬â¢ In America, ââ¬Å"fringeâ⬠business opportunities, or tourist businesses that exploit stereotypical notions, are often the only means for economic advancement available to native Americans. I believe this is, or will become, the case with Australiaââ¬â¢s indigenous peoples, who
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Hollywood Portrayal of Cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Hollywood Portrayal of Cancer - Essay Example Sweet November and Autumn in New York are both love stories that are centered on the appreciation of the beauty of life. In exploring this theme, the movies placed the main characters in a situation where one of them is terminally ill. Sweet November is a love story that revolves around Nelson Moss (played by Keanu Reeves) and Sara Deever (Charlize Theron). Deever took it as a mission to help Moss overcome his obsession with work and success, and thereby allowing him to appreciate and enjoy life. This mission would be achieved in just one month. As the story unfolds, it is revealed that Deever is afflicted with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer that is the main reason for Deever's decision to lead an unusual lifestyle of "curing" men of their misbehaviors towards women. The story ends tragically, with Deever ending her relationship with Moss and facing the consequences of her illness alone.. Autumn in New York is a love story between a womanizing older man and a young, vibrant woman. Early on the story, Charlotte Fielding (Winona Ryder) and Will Keane (Richard Gere) fell in love, and as Keane was ending the relationship in the same manner as he had ended his past relationships, Fielding agreed to the fact that they would have no future together because she was sick. The story ended in tragedy as Fielding dies of a rare disease after the last-resort surgical operation failed to save her life. There are many similarities in the two movies in the manner that cancer was portrayed. First, the illness was equated to the certainty of death. The drama in both films revolves around the fact that the women have little time left. Both protagonists also dealt with the disease in a similar manner - they gave up on medical treatments. In Autumn of New York, Charlotte Fielding even signed a directive that no surgery will be made on her. In one of their conversations, Fielding told Keane, "I don't want to give hope, when there is none" (Chen, 2000). The same attitude was somewhat projected by Sara Deever in Sweet November. She decided to take on a different course in life, away from the regular treatments usually provided by hospitals to cancer patients. Both films in a way concluded that there were no other options for the two cancer-afflicted characters, and that subjecting themselves to medical treatments and procedures would yield the same result, that is, eventual death. The character in Autumn in New York died at the end of the film, while in Sweet November, the character decided to come home and perhaps yield to medical cure for her illness, although the last scene seemed to indicate that she would be spending the rest of her life wilting away and succumbing to death. She left the viewers thinking that she would die, in the same way that her lover agreed to letting her go and face death. Both stories depict the dying characters, both of which were white women, still in flawless appearance. This would fall under what Comedienne Carol Burnett referred to as the Movie Star Disease (as cited in Lallanilla, 2005), where the ill character,
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Child Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2
Child Development - Essay Example Part 2 comprises of chapters three and four. In these two chapters, the beginning of the childââ¬â¢s life is highlighted. Matters to do with parenting, education of the parents, issues to do with psychology of parenting, importance of preparing siblings for the birth, prenatal care and learning, family dynamics, infants with special needs, care for new born etc are discussed. Part three discuses infancy on a broader perspective; three chapters contained in this part will mark the basis of this paper. Chapters five, six, and seven make up part three of the book. This portion of the book discusses aspects of infancy such as physical development of the infant, the relationship of physical and motor development to cognition, emotional and physical development just to name a few. Other topics contained in part three include infant development, emotional and social development of the infant, theories on emotional and social development, social competence and development, factors influen cing social and emotional development in infants, cognitive, language, and literacy development of the infant, cognitive competence and development, factors that influence cognitive, language, and literacy development etc. Chapters eight, nine and ten make up part four. This section of the book highlights the child from ages one to three. Part 5 consists of chapters eleven, twelve and thirteen and highlights an infant from the ages four through five. The last part of the book consists of chapter fourteen through to sixteen. This section of the book highlights an infantââ¬â¢s development from the ages six through eight. This paper will highlight chapters five six seven and eight. Chapter five of this book focuses on Brain, perceptual, motor, and physical development of the infant. The chapter begins with an extensive discussion of the infantââ¬â¢s brain. The unfinished brain of
Friday, August 23, 2019
Things Fall Apart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Things Fall Apart - Essay Example The protagonist of the novel, Things Fall Apart, is Okonkwo who is also considered symbolic of the village, Umuofia. Okonkwo has his own identity and dignity as a reputable member of the village, Umuofia but he is shown as a willful and lose-tempered person. He loses his temper due to which, he tries to kill his second wife. Okonkwo has to suffer exile on the basis of his killing a boy for seven years. Okonkwo has ambitions to become the leader of his tribe. When he is exiled from his village, he leaves to his motherââ¬â¢s village, Mbanta. He waits anxiously for his return to his own village for seven years. In the meantime, Europeans enter Africa and subjugate people. Europeans try to steal away the identity of Africans by means of their missionary preaching of Christian religion. The native populations of Umoufia, Mbanta and other African villages and lands have their own traditions, laws, customs and ideology to pass their lives. However, Europeans enter Africa and try to subjugate the people of Africa by means of their religion. When Okonkwo reaches back to their village after seven years, he gets surprised by seeing the condition of his village. Along with many other villagers, his own son, Nwoye, has changed his native religion and converted to Christianity. Although, it is true that his village has economic prosperity and development but that is given to them on the basis of their giving up their identity. Through colonialism, the Europeans attacked on the native culture, customs and laws of African people. When the missionaries tried to convert people from their native religions to Christianity, they took away the identity of Africans. Okonkwo tries to maintain his identity and adheres to his traditions and recognition. He does not convert into a Christian. He also tries to help out the other members of his village. Okonkwo is also one of the egwugwu, which are masked spirits of the ancestors. On one occasion, when the tribe is busy in its
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Public Law - Parliamentary Sovereignty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Public Law - Parliamentary Sovereignty - Essay Example Public Law - Parliamentary Sovereignty Notwithstanding the symbolic importance of Parliament within the separation of powers doctrine, in practice commentators have suggested that within the contemporary socio-political framework the reality is that the separation of powers doctrine is intrinsically limited. Academic discourse has suggested that the lack of clarity in the unwritten UK constitution as compared to other democracies has further compounded the lack of defined boundaries between various institutional functions under the separation of powers doctrine within the UK. However, whilst there may be no absolute doctrine of separation of powers, it has been acknowledged that the principle underlines day to day functions of the executive, legislature and judiciary. This paper critically reviews the extent to which Parliamentary sovereignty is qualified. In doing so, this paper will firstly refer to parliamentary procedure and undertake a contextual analysis of how EC law and the Human Rights Act 1998 exemplify the real ity that Parliamentary sovereignty is inherently qualified in practice. It is proposed at the outset that there is no clear separation of powers within the theoretical ideal and in practice there is a fusion of powers, which is arguably necessary to ensure effective channels of communication in the socio-political infrastructure. Whilst the Law Commissionââ¬â¢s legislative authority asserts its independence ; the internal governance of the Commission with appointments being made by the Lord Chancellor enables executive influence in legislative functions.10. Furthermore, the extent of judicial powers derives directly from the Crown and therefore the operation of the socio-political infrastructure is clearly dependent on the overlap of functions between the theoretical separate powers11. This blurring of the separation of powers has significant implications for Parliamentary procedure. The central function of Parliament is as legislative arm of the British political system12. However, Parliament effectively operates within a party political system and t o a degree is used as medium for sanctioning executive sovereignty as it relies on the executive for policy initiatives13. Whilst Parliament can subject executive
The Wall in Robert Frosts Mending Wall As A Symbol of Division Essay Example for Free
The Wall in Robert Frosts Mending Wall As A Symbol of Division Essay The ordinarily mundane takes a thought arousing spin in one of Robert Frostââ¬â¢s earlier works, ââ¬Å"Mending Wallâ⬠. This poem is a striking take on an otherwise commonplace ritual between two farmers in the spring. Because the poem is in blank verse, it carries a casual folksy feel throughout, contradictory to its deeper message and paradoxical tone. ââ¬Å"Good fences make good neighbors. â⬠This line is a paradox when compared with the previous statement, ââ¬Å"Something there is that doesnââ¬â¢t love a wall. â⬠Fences equate to walls, and what are walls but provisional boundaries? The boundary in this story is a fence made of stone that separates the properties of two neighboring farmers. This wall is the focal point of the poem, the subject that brings to attention the divide between individuals. The speaker one day finds the wall broken from what appears to be the after effects of winter. He calls his neighbor to meet with him to fix the wall and does so annually. The wall is ironic in that although it separates the two individuals, it brings them together once a year. The two live united, but separated. The wall is a metaphor for the separation between the speaker and the neighbor and perhaps even a greater analogy for the division of people as a society. These divisions could include a division of thought, which we see is different for the two characters. The speaker believes that the wall is unnecessary when he asks his neighbor, ââ¬Å"Why do they make good fences? Isnââ¬â¢t it where there are cows? But here there are no cows. â⬠His neighbor replies with the same old adage he stated before. It is apparent that the neighbor and speaker are of differing opinions and backgrounds. We might even assume that the neighbor and speaker are of different ages, meaning there may be a generational gap between the two that creates this difference of opinion. ââ¬Å"Something there is, that doesnââ¬â¢t love a wall That sends the frozen ground swell underneath it. â⬠A reversal of syntax in the first line paints the narrative in a decidedly ambiguous manor and leaves it up to the reader to interpret what ââ¬Å"somethingâ⬠could be. We find out later that that something likely is nature, or the natural forces of winter. The wall is portrayed as an unnatural thing, something that is not a part of nature, something that does not fit in with the natural environment. This notion is supported when he later states, ââ¬Å"To each the boulders have fallen to each. And some are loaves and some are so nearly balls we have to use a spell to make them balanceâ⬠. Frost suggests that there is a natural force tearing down the walls because the walls are not natural. The narrator stresses that the rocks that make up the wall fit together so unnaturally and so imperfectly that they need a ââ¬Å"spellâ⬠to help them balance. Spells are unnatural and are magical, so it is as if the wall is held up by spells. We can garner from the text that this particular wall has many forces out to destroy it(eg. natural tolls, animals, hunters, etc. ) and its destruction is an annual occurrence. Even its reoccurring destruction implies its unnaturalness and that nature does not agree with it. Perhaps nature itself is intent on destroying the wall, as it is an unnatural extension of man and all unnatural extensions of man(eg. skyscrapers, buildings, cities) are meant to fall down to nature at some point. The paradox again is that the wall is made of stone, or natural elements, and this wall is destroyed each year. Perhaps the destruction is a reflection of the speakerââ¬â¢s desire to break down the physical and imaginary boundary between the two neighbors that the wall represents.
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Types, Causes and Effects
Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Types, Causes and Effects Chapter 1: THE INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE WHAT IS INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) means chronic inflammation of all or part of your digestive tract. IBD can be classified into two, which is, ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease. IBD is very painful and debilitating, and can sometimes lead to life-threatening complications. The IBD is called an autoimmune disease because the bodyââ¬â¢s immune system attacks the digestive system. The disease is so severe that it may cause abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, cramps and fever. This is however different from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE (IBD) AND INLAMMATORY BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS) The difference between the IBS and the IBD is that IBD is structural, but IBS is not. If the gut is examined by x-ray, endoscopy, biopsy or surgery, structural damage to the gut can be seen. In IBD, the damage is caused by the inflammation and may require heavy duty medication, or even surgery. Whereas in IBS, the examination of the gut of a person having IBS would help detect nothing. It can only be detected by gut symptoms. These may include abdominal cramps or pain, harder or looser bowel movements than average, excess gas, diarrhea and constipation ââ¬â or alternating between the two. Both of these affect people of all ages but young people are mostly affected. Females have more chances of having IBS. IBD has no gender preference but is mostly found in Jews and people from Northern Europe. IBS is a worldwide disorder, while IBD is prominent in the planetââ¬â¢s temperate zones. In IBD, the gut is damaged by chronic inflammation. The damage is fought by the defense mechanism of the body resulting in fever and malaise. The intestines are disrupted, they may bleed and anemia is common too. There is inability to eat during attacks, inflammation is caused which results in wasting of energy, ultimately resulting in weight loss and malnutrition. IBS cannot be identified by findings of physical examination. However, the structural damage caused by IBD is also capable of producing striking physical findings like a mass in the abdomen, or the symptoms such as that of weight loss and anemia. Other differences include the need for surgery in IBD, which is not required in IBS. IBS does not induce complications in the gut, skin, joints and eyes, but IBD does. CROHNââ¬â¢S DISEASE This is the type of IBD that may involve any part(s) of the gastrointestinal tract, ranging from mouth to anus. Listed below are a few characteristic features: Inflammation usually occurs in patches. The pain is usually experienced in the lower right abdomen. The colon may turn thick and might appear to be rocky. Ulcers in and along the digestive tract are very deep, sometimes extending into every layer of the bowel wall. During bowel movement, rectal bleeding is not common. Ulcerative colitis is the second type of IBD, which is taken up in the subsequent chapters. Chapter 2: ULCERATIVE COLITIS Defining Ulcerative colitis ââ¬Å"Colitisâ⬠means the inflammation of the colon, or more largely, inflammation of the large intestine ( that comprises of colon, caecum and rectum). Ulcerative colitis is a disease of the colon, which is the largest part of the large intestine, characterized by ulcers (open sores). These ulcers are painful wounds, they may bleed and also produce mucus and pus. The mucosa (inner lining) of the intestine becomes red and swollen. The rectal area is most severely affected. If the lining of the colon is damaged, it may cause bloody diarrhea. Where Crohnââ¬â¢s disease can affect almost any part of the digestive tract, Ulcerative colitis only affects the large intestine. Crohnââ¬â¢s disease can be treated by removing the affected parts and reconnecting the healthy ones. Whereas to treat ulcerative colitis, one may have to remove the large intestine completely (called colectomy). It can occur at highly irregular intervals, at times, with symptoms extremely severe, and sometimes, no symptoms at all. Ulcerative Colitis- An autoimmune condition In autoimmunity, an organism fails to recognize its own constituent parts as ââ¬Å"self, and thus leads to an immune response against its own tissues and cells. Such diseases are termed as autoimmune diseases. In other words, our bodyââ¬â¢s defense mechanism goes wrong and attacks its own healthy tissue. There are harmless bacteria present inside the colon, which are mistaken to be harmful by the defense mechanism, and are attacked, leading to inflammation. Classifying Ulcerative Colitis Ulcerative Proctitis This is Ulcerative colitis in its mildest form. There is inflammation only within the rectal area. The various signs and symptoms are as follows: Rectal pain Rectal bleeding There is an urge to move the bowels but inability to do so. Proctosigmoiditis This involves the lower end of the colon, that is, the sigmoid colon and the rectum. The signs and symptoms are as follows: Abdominal pain Bloody diarrhea Abdominal cramps Constant urge to go to the toilet Left sided colitis There in inflammation in the rectum, up on the left side along the sigmoid colon and the descending colon. The signs and symptoms are: Abdominal cramping on the left side Bloody diarrhea Weight loss Pancolitis (Universal colitis) This involves and affects the whole colon. The signs and symptoms are: Bloody diarrhea (there may be severe bouts) Abdominal pain Abdominal cramps Weight loss Fatigue Fulminant Colitis This is the most rare form of colitis and it can be life threatening. It affects the whole colon. Patients suffering from fulminant colitis are at a constant risk of toxic megacolon (the colon becomes swollen, or bloated, or distended) and colon rupture. The signs and symptoms are as follows: Severe diarrhea, that can lead to shock and dehydration Severe pain SYMPTOMS OF ULCERATIVE COLITIS The Gastrointestinal symptoms include: Diarrhea with blood and mucus. This implies the gradual onset of the disease which may persist for an extended period, maybe weeks. If rectal examination is conducted, blood may be found. The patients also suffer from drastic weight loss. Due to the inflammation and extreme loss of blood from the gastrointestinal tract, anaemia may occur. There may be mild abdominal pain, or painful bowel movements accompanied with painful abdominal cramping. One may even experience fatigue and loss of appetite. One may experience very mild or almost no symptoms, called ââ¬Å"remissionâ⬠, which may be followed by symptoms that are troublesome, called ââ¬Å"flare-upsâ⬠or ââ¬Å"relapsesâ⬠. These may be triggered by stress. Flare-ups may be very troublesome, in which patients may have to empty their bowels about six times or more each day. Heartbeat may be fast or irregular, accompanied by shortness of breath and high fever. Severity of the disease Mild disease This means less than four stools each day. Blood may be present or absent. Patient may experience mild cramping and abdominal pain. The patient may feel constipated, with a continuous feeling of needing to empty the bowel, with cramping or pain and little or almost no fecal output. Moderate disease This means more than four stools each day. Patient also displays signs of anemia, fever around 100 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Severe Disease This means around six stools with blood each day, implying observable bowel movement, toxicity demonstrated in the form of fever, anaemia and tachycardia. Fulminant Disease This means more than or equal to ten bowel movements each day, accompanied by continuous bleeding, abdominal tenderness, toxicity, colonic dilation and blood transfusion is often required. Patients may have toxic megacolon as the inflammation extends beyond the mucosal layer. At times, the serous membrane also gets involved causing colonic perforation. If not treated, fulminant disease may lead to death. Extraintestinal Symptoms As ulcerative colitis is an autoimmune disease, patients may develop symptoms as well as complications outside the colon. These include: Ulcers in the mouth. Opthalmic: Irritated and red eyes, or inflammation o iris called iritis. Musculoskeletal: Swollen joints (arthritis). These may be large joints, or small joints of hands or feet. Or joints of the spine. Cutaneous: Inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue. Painful and ulcerating lesion of the skin. A deformity of the ends of the fingers (Clubbing). Inflammation of the bile ducts (Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis). Chapter 3: Causes of Ulcerative Colitis The causes of Ulcerative Colitis are still not known. Yet, the possible causes are listed below: GENETICS The disease can be inherited if one has a close relative suffering from the disease. Hence it can be found in the family. The regions of the genome that can be linked to this disease are the chromosome number 1, 3, 5, 6, 12, 14, 16, 19. Since none of these have been faulty continuously, it has led to a conclusion that the disease occurs due to a combination of various genes. One of the regions, for example, has been linked to ulcerative colitis is chromosome band 1p36. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS Inflammation may be encouraged by diet. For example, if there is a large intake of vitamin b6 and unsaturated fat affect the development of ulcerative colitis. There are many other discovered dietary factors which may lead to the relapse or development of the disease, like meat protein and alcoholic beverages. Vitamin D deficiency is also a leading cause of the disease. Breastfeeding may also lead to the development of the disease. The role of Sulphur in Ulcerative Colitis Sulphur is found in many foods and substances like milk, eggs, cheese, mayonnaise. It is also used as a food preservative because it stabilizes protein structures. It also prevents microbial growth during fermentation of wine and beer. Bacteria that are present in the bowel convert the sulphur present in the food to hydrogen sulphide, which is called fermentation. This substance is harmful as it can cause abdominal pain and urgent and frequent bowel movements. Because of the already existing inflammation of the bowel lining, patients suffering from ulcerative colitis find it difficult to break down the gas as they produce more hydrogen sulphide than normal. This toxic substance, in high amounts, reduces the protective unction of the cells that are lining the bowel. It can also cause cell death and induce ulceration in the superficial mucosa of the intestine. Hence the cells lining the colon are harmed. IMMUNE SYSTEM Theories suggest that a virus or a bacterium also may trigger ulcerative colitis as the digestive tract may become inflamed when the immune system tries to get rid of the invading microorganism (pathogen). This inflammation is caused due to the release of white blood cells to destroy the present pathogen. This may lead to an autoimmune reaction/condition in which the body produces an immune response even during the absence of the pathogen. This happens because the body tries to eliminate pathogens which are either gut friendly, or non-existent. RISK FACTORS The factors that raise the risk of developing Ulcerative colitis are as follows: Age: Though it may affect people at any and every age, it is more commonly found in people aged 15 to 30. Genetics: If someone has a close relative with the Crohnââ¬â¢s disease or ulcerative colitis, they are at a high risk of development of the disease. Isotretinoin: The treatment of cystic acne is often done with the help of this medicine. It can cure other kinds of acne too, but it increases the risk of this disease. The medicine is also called Accutane. Amnesteem, Sotret and Claravis (These are the various other brand names). Appendectomy: The removal of the appendix may lead to the reduction of the risk of developing ulcerative colitis but an increased risk of Crohnââ¬â¢s disease. Chapter 4: DIAGNOSIS Ulcerative colitis is diagnosed only when the possible signs and symptoms of infection, Crohnââ¬â¢s disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and colon cancer have been ruled out. The following tests are carried out: BLOOD TESTS They help to check anaemia, and also help to diagnose the name of the bowel disease the patient has. STOOL SAMPLE If there are white blood cells present in the stool, it implies that the patient is suffering from an inflammatory disease, possibly ulcerative colitis. It also helps rule out other diseases, like those caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites. Clostridium difficile usually causes diarrhea but also common amongst people suffering from ulcerative colitis. Bowel infection can also be checked this way. COLONOSCOPY The entire colon can be viewed using a flexible, thin and lighted tube which has a camera attached to it. Small tissue samples are also taken (called biopsy) so that a laboratory analysis can be conducted and ulcerative colitis may be diagnosed. SIGMOIDOSCOPY This test is done if the colon is inflamed severely. A thin, lighted and flexible tube is used to examine the last portion of the colon, the sigmoid. But the drawback of this procedure is that the problems occurring higher up the colon may be missed and a full picture of the affected colon is not achieved. BARIUM ENEMA The entire large intestine can be examined using an X-Ray. A contrast solution of barium accompanied with some air is placed into the bowel with the help of an enema. Once the barium coats the entire lining of the colon, rectum and a part of the large intestine, it creates a silhouette. This is a dangerous test and hence rarely used because the pressure that is applied to inflate the colon and coat it may lead to its rupture. X-RAY An X-ray of the abdominal area can be done to rule out the possibility of toxic megacolon and perforation as these conditions may appear because of the severe symptoms. CT SCAN This scan is carried out to check the extent of inflammation of the colon. The abdomen and pelvis are scanned if complications due to ulcerative colitis are observed or an inflamed small intestine that may be because of Crohnââ¬â¢s disease. VIDEO CAPSULE ENDOSCOPY (VCE) In this test, a patient swallows a capsule containing a camera which takes pictures of the intestine as it travels through it and sends them to a recorder wirelessly. The pictures can then be reviewed. Chapter 5: TREATMENT The treatment of ulcerative colitis is done on the basis of the severity of the disease. It mainly consists of changes in the diet and medication. If symptoms are found to be severe and long lasting, more medicines may be required or even surgery. But medicines cannot completely the disease. They can only minimize the risk of cancer, induce remissions and maintain them and improve the quality of life. AMINOSALICYLATES These are anti- inflammatory drugs that are used to induce and maintain remission. 5-aminosalicylic acid (5- ASA) produces the anti-inflammatory action. Examples of aminosalicylates are- MESALAZINE: Also called Pentasa, Octasa and Asacol SULFASALAZINE: This belongs to a class of antibiotics and it decomposed in the intestine to release 5-ASA. Since this substance is not entirely absorbed by the intestine, it gives a topical relief. CORTICOSTEROIDS These are often used with 5-ASA drugs to induce remission of ulcerative colitis. These work by the blocking the parts where leukocyte adhesion cascade occurs to induce inflammation. These have many side effects like the puffiness on the face, called ââ¬Å"moon faceâ⬠, and manic behavior. It may also cause bipolar disorder, inducing periods of elevated mood and depression. Examples include Cortisone, Hydrocortisone, Prednisone. IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE DRUGS These inhibit the immune system. They stop cell division of white blood cells that occur as an immune response. Examples are: Mercaptopurine, Methotrexate, Azathioprine. DIET MODIFICATION Fresh fruit, carbonated drink and caffeine should be avoided by patients suffering from diarrhea and abdominal cramping. Some patients show lactose intolerance (they are not able to digest lactose) hence they canââ¬â¢t consume lactose. To supplement the bone loss, calcium is given to them. The gastrointestinal and auto-immune symptoms can be helped by using the Specific Carbohydrate Diet that allows only the use of monosaccharides and not the other carbohydrates. At times due to metabolic defects, Hydrogen Peroxide may build up underneath the membrane that usually protects the walls of the intestine from the bacteria that are present. To protect ourselves from these oxidants, a need to take antioxidants arises. These include vitamins A, E, C, Selenium and manganese. HERBAL MEDICINE While Kampo is a medicine that is used in Japan, Boswellia is and Ayurvedic medicine that can be used as an alternative to other drugs. Medicinal cannabis can also be used as it helps reducing abdominal discomfort and abdominal irritability caused by ulcerative colitis. HELMINTHIC THERAPY Sometimes, parasites may help in the reduction of the immune response of the intestine. Whipworm may be used for this purpose. Reduction of immune response may help in the complete elimination of ulcerative colitis. SURGERY Colectomy is required to remove all or a part of the colon when it gets infected and begins to spread the infection to other parts. It can be classified as follows: TOTAL COLECTOMY: The entire colon is removed PARTIAL COLECTOMY: The entire colon is not removed, but only a part of it is. HEMICOLECTOMY: Removal of the left or right part of the colon PROCTOCOLECTOMY: Removal of the colon as well as the rectum. Once colectomy is performed, the remaining portions of the gastrointestinal tract are reattached in order to allow the waste to be eliminated from the body.
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
World Trade Organizations or developed Countries Organization? :: Essays Papers
Organizations or Developed Countries Organization? World Trade Organizations or developed Countries Organization? In the 16th century, England had a lot of colonies, which were located in Africa. At that time, the primary function of colonies were to supply raw materials to England, and England can sold all the finished products to the colonies in order to make profits. This story is the beginning of international trade. In the 21st century, international trade is more busy than ever. According to comparative advantage theory, each country should specialize and produce those products if the country has a comparative advantage on those products, and use those products to trade with other countries in order to achieve specialization and exchange theory. However, during the trade process, it may have a lot of problems coming out, so a world organization were established in order to solve those problems and try to make trade into a smooth process. The World Trade Organization (WTO), was established in 1st, January, 1995, which was created during the Uruguay Round Negotiations. There are 146 countries as a member in the WTO. The main functions of a WTO are administering WTO trade agreements, as a forum for trade negotiations, handling trade disputes and monitoring national trade policies. One of the main function of the WTO are to enforce GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services) and TRIPS (Trade-Related Intellectual Property). But what is TRIPS? It is agreements, which protect invent innovation and design around the world. In other words TRIPS is used to protect copyrights, trademarks which developed countries already, owns most of the shares on these. According to WTO, although TRIPS will bring a short term cost to developing countries, and only short term benefits for developed countries. In the long term it can encourage innovation, discovery in the developing countries. Once the developing country reaches certain levels on protection copyrights or trademark, this TRIPS agreement will benefits to every single person. To explain the short-term benefits to the developed countries, as I have mentioned before, most of the patents, copyrights owned by developed countries, if developing countries want to produce a product that have patents on it, the develop ing countries need to pay a royalty to developed countries or the corporation owns the right. In this TRIPSââ¬â¢ agreement, my argument is this agreement really helps the developing countries to become more innovation, discover, or is just the industrial countries want more money from the poor countries.
Monday, August 19, 2019
Language of the land :: essays research papers
à à à à à Traditional African art plays a major part in the African society. Most ceremonies and activities cannot function without visual art. Such ceremonies include singing, dancing, storytelling, spiritual dreams, and relationships with the opposite sex. According to James Stephenson, ââ¬Å"art is a way to express trust in your own wordsâ⬠¦drawn to create a symbol that is pulled out of you.â⬠He believes art, or literature should illustrate the lifestyles or problems of a certain group of people. In the book Language of the Land, James Stephenson discusses about the Hadzabe tribe. James Stephenson uses many glimpse of art, or literature to portray African art. à à à à à There are three basic themes of African art. The first is the realism among the people of the bush. Most African tribes, particularly the Hadzabe, embellish the details when they are telling stories. This embellishment is done to create the mood of the story. For example, when Jemsi is at Mama Ramadan, he describes the cowgirl as a ââ¬Å"superstar flying in spaceships filled with thousands of male loversâ⬠(Language of the Land pg.67). Then some of the other Hadzabe says, ââ¬Å"the cowgirl was their girlfriendâ⬠(Language of the Land pg.67). When Jemsi says he is making it up, all the Hadzabe start telling there own exaggerated stories. This proves that their art of story telling engages your mind, feelings, and body. Another similar example of how Jemsi captures the minds of the Hadzabe is when he talks about ââ¬Å"the bearâ⬠¦its claws are the size of Sitotiââ¬â¢s arms, it is fast as the lion. It can cut trees down with its claws, and hunts, e ats men. Sometimes it will come into camp the camp, and sleep next to you. Then if you wake and move; it will kill you, or do the jiggi-jiggi with youâ⬠(Language of the Land pg.117). This just shows how gullible the tribesmen are toward each otherââ¬â¢s stories. This type of visual or spoken art describes the Africans ability to over express the idea to the extreme. à à à à à The second theme of African art is the problematic relationships between the sexes. The Hadzabe are shown as the type of people who would use harmless devices to deal with the problems and issues concerning the relations between the sexes. For example, when Sitoti was telling one of his stories of how he scared Swahili girls by ââ¬Å"wading up like a slow moving crocodile â⬠¦[and leap] at the women washing their clothesâ⬠(Language of the Land pg.
Sunday, August 18, 2019
What Has Changed about Epilepsy Essay -- Disorders Neurology Papers
"Epilepsy is a brain disorder involving recurrent seizures. You can relax. It's not the end of the world." This was my neurologist's introduction to my diagnosis as an epileptic with partial petit mal seizures including a curious, not to mention exciting, history of 2 grand mal seizures. As a 10-year-old girl, I remember feeling confused and greatly changed by these words that I had yet to understand the meaning of. As I grew to learn more about my condition, I realized that there are people around the globe, ranging in age, race, social and economic background that have experienced this same confusion. Collectively, we have gathered an incomplete, but valuable and working concept of epilepsy. Although it is one of the earliest recorded diseases, it attracts the attention of doctors, scientists, and researches everywhere, still in search of a clear understanding of the causes of particular seizures. Different nations contribute to our ever-expanding understanding of its history, epidemiology, prognosis and mortality, along with clinical manifestations and differential diagnosis. Tracing modern diagnosis and therapies back to biblical times allows us to compare another very important aspect of epilepsy: very similar modern and ancient perspectives on this disorder. Our language gives clues as to the longevity of epilepsy: the term epilepsy derives from the Greek word "epilambien" which means "to take hold of" or "to seize." (1). Epilepsy is a disease with one of the longest recorded histories and an impact spanning the globe, allowing healers and physicians from a wide range of countries and time periods to study epilepsy. Worldwide studies have estimated the mean prevalence of active epilepsy, (i.e. continuing seizur... ...ocusing on common folk lore concerning epilepsy and several descriptive stories illustrating epilepsies role in the past, and all over the country. http://www.epilepsiemuseum.de/english/diagnostik.html<br> 7) Ketogentic Diet , a description and exploration of one very common and world wild treatment for epilepsy, being used less often today with the introduction of drugs. http://www.epilepsy.org.nz/PDFs/19Ketogentic%20Diet.pdf%20<br> 8) Surgical Treatments for Epilepsy , a personal questionnaire helping one who is epileptic to decide if surgery is right for them; packed with valuable and interesting information. http://www.iupui.edu/~epilepsy/surgery.html%20<br> 9) Seizure-Related Injuries in Epileptics , an editorial by Somsak Tiamkao looking at injuries related to epilepsy. http://www.internmedjthai.com/vol17n3/Seizure_Somsak.pdf%20<br>
Saturday, August 17, 2019
JetBlue Management Case Study Essay
JetBlue: Managing the Future In the airline industry, few players have managed to build a unique brand identity and achieve brand differentiation. JetBlue, however, has done so by taking up the niche position of a low-cost provider that also offers a top-notch experience that legacy airlines donââ¬â¢t deliver. JetBlue will maximize opportunity by maintaining its theory of the business and incorporating innovation as a core value through entrepreneurial management of resources resulting in new strategy. David Neelemanââ¬â¢s vision is to create a new kind of airline; one that would leverage technology for safety, efficiency and a commitment to their customers. Neeleman was convinced that his commitment to innovation in management, policies, and technology would keep the planes full and moving. JetBlueââ¬â¢s goal is to give customers exactly what they want in the form of an innovative product delivered by friendly crew members that believe in high quality service. Neeleman states in Innovatorââ¬â¢s DNA that his strengths, ââ¬Å"is an ability to look at a process or a practice that has been in place for a long time and ask myself, ââ¬ËWhy donââ¬â¢t they do it this other way?ââ¬â¢ And some times I find myself thinking the answer is so obvious that I wonder, ââ¬ËWhy has no one else ever thought of this before?ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ (Dyer, Gregersen, Christensen 76). Neeleman is convinced that commitment to innovation regarding management, policies, and technology would keep airplanes full and moving. It is the theory of the business to provide high-class, convenient, and efficient service to their customers and an enjoyable, productive environment for JetBlueââ¬â¢s employees. Neelemanââ¬â¢s innovative personality as CEO has enabled JetBlue to create brilliant ideas such as the e-ticket system that provides consumers with incentives to reserve and purchase tickets from the companyââ¬â¢s website. JetBlue knows that changes through out the industry occur continuously due to competitive imitation from other companies and through technological advances. Collis and Montgomery mention that ââ¬Å"history is replete with examples of how technology has ruined companies and corporate strategies by substituting alternative resources for those on which a sustainable corporate advantage had been built.â⬠(Collis, Montgomery 237). Neelman learned from the Southwest airline model but knew in himself that he could improve theà process. He understood that it was not just enough to just charge low priced fares since competitors could easily match on price. David Neeleman challenges the status quo in the experience of air travel and demonstrates his passion as an innovator by observing customer behavior, products/services, technologies and other air travel corporations. Neeleman spent a lot of time and energy discovering and testing ideas through a diverse network of individuals who were able to do the job well, while at the same time experimenting with fresh ideas. As stated in Innovatorââ¬â¢s DNA, ââ¬Å"interviews and observations revealed that innovative companies build the code for innovation right into the organizationsââ¬â¢ people, process and guiding philosophies.â⬠(Dyer, Gregersen and Christensen 170). JetBlueââ¬â¢s strategy is to combine common sense with innovation and technology to ââ¬Å"bring humanity back to air travelâ⬠***cite*** through incorporating innovation and creativity into their core values. JetBlue adopts a route structure that is a hybrid between the ââ¬Å"hub-and spokeâ⬠system used by most legacy carriers, and the ââ¬Å"point-to-pointâ⬠systems used by many discount airlines. JetBlue has utilized Druckerââ¬â¢s theory of fustest with the mostest with a unique business model and by becoming the first ââ¬Å"paperlessâ⬠airline, substituting computer and information technology for everything from flight planning to aircraft maintenance to the sole use of e-tickets. Drucker explains, â⬠the last of these innovative strategies deliver what is ââ¬Ëvalueââ¬â¢ to the customer rather than what is ââ¬Ëproductââ¬â¢ to manufacturer. It is actually only one step beyond the strategy of accepting the customerââ¬â¢s reality as part of the product and part of what the customer buys and pays for.â⬠(Drucker 395). David Neeleman believes JetBlue should focus on stimulating demand in under-served markets with low fares because he understood that his company is in the service industry, which is only enabled by the highly productive use of employees, aircrafts and strategic competitive pricing. By doing this JetBlue will improve the passenger experience with technology and would use technology to increase employee and aircraft productivity beyond those achieved by competitors. The theory and technology already have been tested and proven to be a competitive advantage as David Neelemanââ¬â¢s first airlines, Morris Air, became a pioneer i n ticketless travel in 1993 and was acquired by low-fare leaders at the time Southwest Airlines for $129 million. ***(unsure if this last part of the sentence regarding $129 million is necessary) **** To keep this competitive advantage, JetBlue has planned for the long term by buying out LiveTV in 2002 for $ 41 million from the company that supplied JetBlue with the cable television capabilities. This is why JetBlue chose the Airbus A320 because it was larger, more reliable and fuel-efficient than most aircrafts. By operating just one model of aircraft at the time, JetBlue was allowed to increase cost savings by simplifying maintenance issues, reducing spare-parts-inventory requirements, lowering training costs and increasing scheduling efficiency. Utilizing the Airbus as a sole aircraft type, JetBlue was able to standardize its training and service processes around the aircraft and also gain flexibility in scheduling and capacity management. For example, at JetBlue each pilot was provided with a laptop computer, which possessed all the flight plans that allow JetBlue pilots to perform pre-flight check themselves more efficiently. JetBlue began passenger flights in 2000, soon after becoming profitable the following year with a net income of $39 million and was profitable for the next three years until 2005. When the company reported a $20 million loss mainly due to the 52% increase in fuel price from the previous year, it resulted in $167 million in increased operational cost. Through proper management, JetBlue initiated a ââ¬Å"Return to Profitabilityâ⬠program that involved improving capacity management, revenue optimization and cost reductions. While suffering a loss in the first quarter of 2006, the company was profitable for the remainder of the year, reporting a full-year loss of just $1 million and carried that success all the way into 2009 where the company reported $58 million in net income despite a $76 million loss the year before. All that did was reaffirm JetBlueââ¬â¢s confidence in committing itself in the ââ¬Å"JetBlue Experience.â⬠Managers are agents of transformation who rely on knowledge for the humanities, social sciences, and technology to perform his or her task of managing people to be capable of joint performance through common goals, values, and the right structure with proper training and development. By linking human resource practices to the companyââ¬â¢s values and behaviors, JetBlue was able to ensure that itââ¬â¢s employees were productive, safe and customer-oriented. Aircraft utilization is also achieved through quick efficient turnarounds at the gate averaging 35 minutes, while utilizing its aircrafts more efficiently than any other airline by keeping each plane in the air for an average of 13 hours a dayà and keeping the fleet productive by operating red-eye flights. This practice allows JetBlue to keep costs low by spreading its fixed cost over a great number of flights and available-seat-miles. Sustaining low operating costs enabled JetBlue to offer low rate fares to its customers, a quality that JetBlue prides itself in. JetBlue will be able to accomplish the goal of adding simplicity, technology, design, entertainment, and friendly people through its utilization of their top management teamââ¬â¢s experience, (Dave Garger, John Owens and Ann Rhoades) who have all worked with competitive companies during its rapid growth years. The experience of top managers allowed management to take qualities from other airlines and apply those lessons in building a better JetBlue. By taking the five core values as a guide ***(what are the five core values)****, JetBlue will make sure that the right people with integrity are hired. JetBlue strives for simplicity in their computer technology, but also pay attention to cultural fit because it plays into the companyââ¬â¢s theory of the business, that happy employees are a great source for recruiting their friends from competing airlines. JetBlue understands the importance of giving their consumers what they want and are able to continually adapt to the ever changing needs of their customers. JetBlue knows that by focusing on point-to point service to large metropolitan areas, it will be able to attract JetBlueââ¬â¢s target market that are, ââ¬Å"fare-conscious travelers who might otherwise have used alternate forms of transportation or would not have traveled at all.â⬠However, the company recognizes that high-quality service differentiates themselves from their competitors and that was the key to brin ging their customers back. However, JetBlue is increasingly courting a higher class of passengers who have the resources to pay a higher price for a business or first-class ticket, but appreciate a lower fare without sacrificing high-class customer service, especially when corporations are looking to reduce business travel due to tough economic conditions. Neeleman noted that one of the interesting things about the airline industry is that virtually all numbers about operations are in the public domain that allows JetBlue to research the demand for air travel in different market and at different prices. JetBlue uses their own online customer survey so they can respond rapidly to customer feedback. JetBlue needs to maintain innovation by continuing its strategy of using new airplanes, offering great personal service, creating a state of the artà revenue management system and single class service with competitive prices lower than the competition. JetBlue has a clear feeling of honesty, care and concern for customer satisfaction, not just corporate lip service to â⬠serviceâ⬠. There will always be customer dissatisfaction, despite the companyââ¬â¢s best efforts, but one the greatest differences between JetBlue and other airlines was the formerââ¬â¢s proactive approach to correcting any wrongs that happened on flights. By centralizing the transfer of passengers during long journeys across the country, such structures allowed passenger to travel between numerous destinations without changing airlines. Despite the advantage of a hub-and-spoke model, this kind of centralization proved challenging if weather, maintenance problems or air traffic delays interfere with schedules. There was a demand after 2001 for smaller regional routes expanded as many airlines cut longer routes as a way to reduce costs. As JetBlue continued to adapt its product to meet the changing demands of it consumers, it decided to change its policy of a one model standard by adding the Embraerââ¬â¢s E190 to test and efficiently serve the potential medium sized market by offerings passengers a more comfortable flight than typical regional jets. In 2003 JetBlue demonstrated their ability to adapt their product by playing a significant role in designing the interior of the E190 to improve passengerââ¬â¢s comfort and increasing the range of choices available to JetBlue passengers by feeding customer to connecting A320 flights at focused cities. The synergy between the E190 and A320 enabled the A320 to feed int o E190 flights as well, resulting in higher loads and improved economics for JetBlue. JetBlue recorded a net income of $103.9 million and the company achieved a record stock price at $30 per share in 2003. Transfers at focus cities (New York/JFK, Boston, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Long Beach) would improve the utilization of existing airport facilities, increase productivity and reduce downtime for airport crewmembers. The diversification of aircrafts causes changes in pilot compensation, which leads to a lot of unhappy/ highly influential employees who are looking for higher pay. Steven Predmore, Vice President and Chief Safety Officer, notes that once the innovation of using non-skid flooring on the cargo bins of the E190 were used, it became a safety feature preventing baggage handlers from slipping on the floor. The issue was that loading procedures established with the A320 was to slide bags along the floor ofà the bins, which resulted in increased loading time and the chances of an employee harming themselves with back sprains. In addition, the E190 also required changes in behavior and expectation for JetBlueââ¬â¢s existing customer. For example, overhead storage bins on the E190 were smaller than the A320, causing many passengers to be surprised and disappointed when asked to check their luggage at the gate. JetBlue is being asked to do too much in for a short period of time and the companyââ¬â¢s human or technological resources are being stretched out too much, causing internal inconsistency that transform into bigger, external issues with the companyââ¬â¢s strategy. The company now has to tell their customers to do two different things; which at the time they did not have the internal/communication infrastructure nor have the correct operations procedures in place to actually execute the complexity of the operations being run. Drucker states, ââ¬Å"Innovative efforts that take the existing business out of its own field are rarely successful. Innovation had better not be ââ¬Å"diversificationâ⬠. ââ¬Å"Whatever the benefits of diversification, it does not mix with entrepreneurship and innovationâ⬠(Drucker 363). An existing business innovates where it has expertise, knowledge of the market or knowledge of technology. Anything new will predictively be met with trouble and therefore, one must build entrepreneurial management to match that business. In JetBlueââ¬â¢s case, they were growing too quickly for them to manage as demonstrated on the February 12, 2007 ice storm (Valentineââ¬â¢s Day Massacre) when JetBlue eventually cancell ed 1,195 flights over a six day period due to the companyââ¬â¢s cancellation policy, costing the company roughly $41 million. JetBlueââ¬â¢s development is based off the understanding of the conditions leading to the problems of February 2007 incident and taking initiatives. This was done through the IROP Integrity program that not only change the way JetBlue addresses disruptive events/ irregular operation (IROPs), but establishing a model for large-scale change in the company and installing confidence among employees that can work together to solve the most challenging problems. The IROP Integrity project was not intended to provide a static, permanent solution to the problem of cancellation, communication, recovery from disruptions within the industry. However, the aviation industry was constantly changing and the way Jetblue deals with IROPs would also need to evolve. The standardization of the cancellation desk effectively addressedà many of the problems posed by IROPs such as communication overload, prompt notification of crews, and dedicated focus on process. Crewmembers had previously believed that technology limitations restricted them from efficiently dealing with IROPs. The companyââ¬â¢s ability to adapt is what saved itself after inciden ces like in 2007 as JetBlue hired ââ¬Å"the right person,â⬠Russell Chew, in 2008 who brought in experienced managers from other airlines, particularly those with an expertise in operations. The company began to change its focus from reacting to problems and overcoming them by heroic efforts, preparing for disruptions and focusing on pre-event rather than post-event. JetBlue displays care for their customers as they have issued a Bill of Rights in 2010, promising to compensate customers for inconveniences within the companyââ¬â¢s control. Diversification itself rarely works because it has to adopt policies that create, throughout the entire organization, the desire to innovate and the habits of entrepreneurship and innovation. Through the IROP Integrity project, we now look at ways crew services could improve their processes, even with technology limitations. In fact 90% of IROââ¬â¢s Integrity projects involved no technology improvements but processes, policies or training, all at relatively low cost. Many other small changes, such as adding groups to e-mail distribution, had been immediately implemented, but still other improvements have occurred simply as the res ult of people from different parts of the organization getting to know each other and understanding their responsibilities. The IROP Integrity model has become a JetBlue model for any large-scale change by bringing front-line crewmembers into the process of designing operation change and this is how JetBlue creates synergy. By building cross-departmental relationships through cross-functional/cross-level working teams and also building internal capabilities for project management and process improvement with (LEAN tools) to identifying sources of waste and inefficiency. The problems require more study, such as evaluation technology, working with other parts of the company, or analyzing what other companies do. By providing crew members and crew leaders the guidance, tools and opportunity to ââ¬Å"learn by doing,â⬠it created a collaborative, supportive, and corporate sponsored program. The changes came in many forms in technology, communication, and process flow; some involve the physical layout of critical facilities such as the System Operation Center (SOC). Theà goal is to expand the ââ¬Å"wisdom of crowdsâ⬠philosophy, and tap all crewmemberââ¬â¢s experiences to find solutions to the inconvenient problems as seen in 2010 when the company installed a new reservation system, a major cross-function change that it accomplished using some of the tools it had mastered during IROP Integrity. Companies tend to overestimate the value of very general resources in creating a competitive advantage in a new market. In JetBlueââ¬â¢s case t here is too much expansion within the company that led to problems in human resources. As Drucker states, ââ¬Å"by and large, big companies have been successful as entrepreneurs only if they use their own people to build the venture. They have been successful only when they use people whom thy understand an who understand them, people whom they trust and who in turn know how to get tings done in the existing business; people, in other words, with whom one can work as partners.â⬠(Drucker 363). JetBlue has experience most of its success through the understanding the importance of well trained employees that fit with the companyââ¬â¢s core values of safety, caring, integrity, fun, and passion. Unlike mission statements that could be seen as hot air, values represents the bedrock for the development of human resource policies, practices and management style. JetBlue has talent in leveraging human resources by demonstrating quality care for their customers from one end to another and keeping the company union free. A great deal of this is accomplished through the company establishing its five core values that represent the characteristics of the company: Safety, Caring, Integrity, Fun, and Passion. JetBlue needs to continue to establish itself as a value-based company that is built on the principle to be extraordinary on the outside, as well as extraordinary on the inside. Hiring the best people and treating them exactly the way Jetblue expects their customers to be treated is essential to this goal of synergy throughout the whole company with fair compensation, benefits programs, accurate two-way communication, exquisite training, opportunities for career growth and a safe, enjoyable environment. JetBlue understands that above all, an airline is a bewildering array of teams, systems, and complex logistics. By coming together across work groups, JetBlue crewmembers discover efficiencies, learn from each other, and develop a corporate culture of team cooperation and team support. By customizing pay employment benefits packages, JetBlue creates incentives for employees to perform wellà in the long run by working happy and efficiently or as Rhoades would say, ââ¬Å"people donâ â¬â¢t complain when they have choices.â⬠In Corporate Strategy, Collis and Montgomery state, ââ¬Å"Inefficiencies arise inside the corporate hierarchy because individuals do not receive all the profit they generate. They therefore, do not have the incentive to maximize corporate profits, but rather to maximize their own welfare. As a result, levels of ability, effort and investment may be lower inside the corporation than in sole proprietorships.â⬠(Collis, Montgomery 121). JetBlue utilizes the strategy of symbolic actions to maintain internal consistency by leading by example. The symbolic actions have little impact, but sends a visible and powerful messages to the employees of the organization that a change is necessary in order to commit similar mistakes like outgrowing its operation infrastructure to a point that it became unmanageable with very simplistic operating systems in place. As for the future, JetBlue remains one of the most responsive companies on Twitter and Facebook. Some might say they need to be, given the amount of confusion and concern their customers face on a daily basis. The reality is that air travel is unavoidably subject to delays, malfunctions and errors. So why would a company step into the fight, knowing it going to face a bit of a firestorm? Since companies like JetBlue earn a tremendous amount of customer satisfaction for being to step up and solve issues, they are able to help customers become more open and responsive to their marketing efforts. By leveraging social media to contain cost and differentiation, and leveraging an integrated customer service system to build a target marketing program that tailors messages to customer, it enables JetBlue to increase their effectiveness. JetBlue will also start targeting business travelers because JetBlue is in a unique situation given the current economic times. As a discount provider, who also focuses on customer service, JetBlue will be able to appeal to cost-sensitive business people that need to cut travel costs but donââ¬â¢t want to sacrifice comfort, convenience, and modernity. JetBlue should investigate opportunities to increase corporate travel partnerships because as Drucker states, ââ¬Å"as the corporation moves toward a confederation or a syndicate, it will increasingly need a top management that is separate, powerful, and accountable. This top managementââ¬â¢s responsibilities will cover the entire organizationââ¬â¢s direction, planning, strategy, values and principles; itââ¬â¢sà structure, its relationship, its research, design and innovation. Top management will have to take charge of the management of the two resources common to all units of the organization: key people and money.â⬠(Drucker 58). It is vital that JetBlue maintain balance in the three dimensions of a corporation as an economic and socially responsible organization. Work Cited Kazemi, Colleen. ââ¬Å"Can Marketers Do More With Social Media?â⬠Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 30 Aug. 0000. Web. 08 May 2013. Responsys. ââ¬Å"Responsys Partners With JetBlue to Take Its Customer Experience to New Heights.â⬠Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 13 Jan. 0000. Web. 08 May 2013. Drucker, Peter Ferdinand, and Joseph A. Maciariello. Management. New York, NY: Collins, 2008. Print. Collis, David J., and Cynthia A. Montgomery. Corporate Strategy: A Resource-based Approach. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2005. Print. Dyer, Jeff, Hal B. Gregersen, and Clayton M. Christensen. The Innovatorââ¬â¢s DNA: Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators. Boston, MA: Harvard Business, 2011. Print. Hoyt, David, Charles Oââ¬â¢Reilly, Hayagreeva Rao, and Robert Sutton. â⬠Stanford Graduate School of Business.â⬠JetBlue Airways: A New Beginning (2010): 1-21. Print. Huckman, Robert S., and Gary P. Pisano, eds. ââ¬Å"Harvard Business School.â⬠JetBlue Airways: Managing Growth (2011): 1-10. Print. Gittell, Jody H., and Charles Oââ¬â¢Reilly. ââ¬Å"Harvard Business School.â⬠JetBlue Airways: Starting from Scratch (2001): 1-13. Print. Friesen, Marlene, and Elliott N. Weiss. ââ¬Å"Darden Business Publishing University of Virginia.â⬠The JetBlue Story (2004): 1-11. Print. George, Bill, and Matthew D. Breitfelder. ââ¬Å"Harvard Business School.â⬠David Neeleman: Flight Path of a Servant Leader (A) (2011): 1-10. Print.
Friday, August 16, 2019
The Significance of the Rape Scene in Timothy Findleyââ¬â¢s
The significance of the rape scene in Timothy Findleyââ¬â¢s The Wars Ryan Moore Robert Ross, the protagonist of Timothy Findleyââ¬â¢s novel The Wars undergoes a disturbing violation when his fellow soldiers rape him; this is a significant turning point for Robertââ¬â¢s character and a section of the book Findley uses to address many themes. Throughout the book we witness Robert maturing and experiencing many hardships that will help create the man he becomes. The most significant of these trials is the scene at the insane asylum because it is where Robert looses the last connection to his innocence and his faith in humanityââ¬â¢s virtuousness.Findley also uses this scene to address the topic of homophobia in that era, and the substantially detrimental effect the First World War had on the fighting men of Robertââ¬â¢s generation. Findley employs creative diction in the beginning of section five, chapter five of the novel, in order to symbolize the fragmentation of Rober tââ¬â¢s character. Robert pieces together what has just happened as he stands ââ¬Å"in the center of the roomâ⬠(175). Robertââ¬â¢s thoughts are exposed from the following lines; ââ¬Å"He wanted a clean shirtâ⬠ââ¬Å"He wanted his pistolâ⬠(175).The authorââ¬â¢s short, choppy sentences are representations of Robertââ¬â¢s thought pattern. He is in a state of shock, and his character is splintering as he tries to comprehend the violation that has just transpired. Findley creates emphasis in Robertââ¬â¢s thoughts and actions by double spacing this part and starting each sentence with ââ¬Å"heâ⬠followed by a verb: ââ¬Å"He wantedâ⬠, ââ¬Å"He lookedâ⬠, ââ¬Å"He pulledâ⬠. As a reader, this writing technique makes us feel as if we are able to see into Robertââ¬â¢s thoughts and be a part of the moment.This creates powerful imagery of Robertââ¬â¢s damaged state of mind and draws attention to this section, which makes the reader consider that it is a very important event that also makes connections to other issues and themes. A notable observation of the scene where Robert wants to hug his friend Poole, but he knows that he must not because it would be inappropriate, is the issue of Homophobia that is touched on. This was very prevalent issue at this time and Findley uses this scene in tandem with the rape scene to create irony. ââ¬Å"Robert wished with all his heart that men could embraceâ⬠(177).After what he has experienced ââ¬Å"he knew now they couldnââ¬â¢t. Mustnââ¬â¢tâ⬠(177). The irony is that Robert doesnââ¬â¢t want to be thought of as unusual; while he is in fact more normal than most people in the asylum, especially including his assailants, who are in fact very unusual. A potential reason the author draws attention to this topic of homophobia is because it could have been an issue for him growing up as a gay man in the early 1900ââ¬â¢s, and he may have thought it needed t o be addressed. The scene when Taffler and the Swede have ââ¬Å"panicâ⬠in their eyes on page 40 also lends strength to the theme of homophobia.Robertââ¬â¢s turning point begins when he burns his photograph of Rowena; he has lost faith in humankind and does not want his memory of her to remain in such a perverse and painful world. The narrator describes Robertââ¬â¢s violation as ââ¬Å" . . . being rolled and dumped face down on the stonesâ⬠(175). Robert discovers something important about his attackers when he realizes that ââ¬Å"his assailants . . . had been his fellow soldiers. Maybe even his brother officersâ⬠(175). Findley gives us some insight into Robertââ¬â¢s thoughts when he describes him burning the photo, ââ¬Å"This was not an act of anger-but an act of charityâ⬠(178).His assailants treat Robert like a piece of trash once they are through with him and leave him ââ¬Å"face down on the stonesâ⬠. The atrocious defilement Robert endure s changes his opinion of humanity and after witnessing the hellish events of war, and realizing his attackers ââ¬Å"had been his fellow soldiersâ⬠, Robert looses trust in mankindââ¬â¢s goodness (175). When he receives his belongings and sees the photograph of his sister, Robert realizes that he doesnââ¬â¢t her memory to exist in a place that has treated him so harshly and that her innocence does not belong in this world any longer.Robert decides to burn the picture to free Rowenaââ¬â¢s memory from the slightest association with the depravation mankind has sunk to in his eyes, and with it he is destroying the last link to his innocence. The rape scene is also very important because of the real life symbolism it represents. Findley uses the rape scene to acknowledge that the war has ââ¬Å"rapedâ⬠Robertââ¬â¢s generation of men who were affiliated with it. As Robert is assaulted his thoughts lead to ââ¬Å"Why? Robert kept thinking. Why? â⬠(174). The autho r hints at this theme in the following line: ââ¬Å" . . . four hundred thousand possibilities- all of those lives that would never beâ⬠(169).Robertââ¬â¢s thoughts of ââ¬Å"whyâ⬠reflect the thoughts of many North American men and women who had lost love ones during the war. Findley believes that ââ¬Å"the war, and those who made it, raped Robertââ¬â¢s entire generation of menâ⬠and left damaged scared victims and grieving relatives in their wake (gradesaver). Findley cleverly emphasizes the subtle metaphor of ââ¬Å"four hundred thousand possibilitiesâ⬠by writing it at the end of the chapter (169). This figure of speech is used to touch on one of the main themes of the book, which is the repercussion of war for humanity and the lives it wastes.In conclusion the significance of the rape scene serves many purposes. Primarily it establishes the dramatic turning point for the protagonist, Robert Ross. He is required to rapidly mature in order to fight his way through the war, and this event forces him to let go of his innocent past self and his memories of Rowena. Findleyââ¬â¢s character interactions that follow this scene and also occur in other parts of the book allude to the controversy of homophobia during this time, which may have been a subject of contempt for him.The author also uses this scene to address the real life topic of World War One and how he believes that the war mongers of the era have ââ¬Å"rapedâ⬠Robert Rossââ¬â¢s generation of men by conscripting them to a ruthless and prolonged war. References Findley. Timothy. The Wars. Toronto: Penguin, 1977. Print. ââ¬Å"The Wars Study Guide? : Summary and Analysis of Part Five and Epilogue | GradeSaver. â⬠Gradesaver, November 12, 2012. http://www. gradesaver. com/the-wars/study-guide/section6/.
What is it to be Homeless?
Homelessness, it carries strong connotations of poverty, abandonment, and despair, yet it is still a major problem in American society with no end in sight for the people who find themselves in its midst. In 2004, over 7% of Americans found were defined as homeless, a number which continues to grow in connection with job losses and housing unavailability (Donohoe, 2004). Growing up in an upper middle class family, homelessness is something Iââ¬â¢ve never had to experience firsthand but have witnessed time and again in people pandering for money in parking lots and on street corners. I have seen men, women, and children huddled together as they brace themselves for a night on the streets but until this point had largely kept myself separate. Through my field work and research for this project, I have come to a better understanding of the causes and effects of homelessness not only on the individual but on the family and society as a whole. Defined as sleeping in shelters, on the street, in cars, abandoned buildings, train or bus stations, homelessness is a constant reminder of the inequalities of society (Donohoe, 2004). In Kentucky, where the homeless rate has climbed steadily, it is a growing problem. In 2005, the number of homeless persons seeking assistance in Kentucky was 19,908 ââ¬â a noticeable jump from the previous year when the number was 15,226 (Kentucky Statistics). The question is posed in viewing these statistics, as to what happened to cause such a high increase in individuals and families finding themselves without a home during a time when the economy was in an upturn. Now, in recent light of the recession and overall jobless problem in the United States, the outlook does not seem promising. The primary causes of homelessness range from domestic abuse, lack of housing, poverty, low wages, post-traumatic stress disorders, etc (ââ¬Å"Factors Contributing to Homelessnessâ⬠). The causes are as varied as the people who find themselves in this situation. Annually there are anywhere from 2. 3 million to 3. 5 million people nationwide who are homeless, 39% of which are children (ââ¬Å"How Many are Homeless,â⬠2006). Their day to day lives center around finding food and shelter for themselves, of which are becoming scarcer as public assistance continues to decrease. As part of my research I conducted several interrelated field studies, each meant to give me a better understanding of the homeless in Kentucky and to better ascertain the reasons behind their homelessness. The best way to understand this, I reasoned, was to place myself in their shoes. My experiments involved viewing the publicââ¬â¢s response to homelessness. Dressing down in jeans, a t-shirt/sweatshirt combination, and a pair of old gym shoes with an old baseball cap borrowed from a friend, I set out to downtown Lexington to try and pander for loose change. As this had been my most common experience with the homeless, I sought to dispel my own stereotypes as well as experience through action what it means to be reduced to these circumstances. Standing on the corner of S. Broadway and Main streets, I scanned the area and saw a man farther down the street dressed in rags and holding a cardboard sign. I momentarily regretted my decision to forego the sign myself as it would be helpful in drawing people to me. However, I reasoned that as this was meant as a means of interacting with the public as a homeless person I had a better chance at verbal communication without the sign. Having chosen both a high traffic area and a busy afternoon, I was soon watching people pass me without so much as a backward glance. Unsure of myself, I tried to remember my own experiences with being asked for money. It had seemed almost an effortless endeavor, lending to the stereotype I have heard most commonly thrown about that people begged no out of necessity but laziness. I soon discovered that pandering was no easy task. Seeing an elderly woman, who reminded me of my grandmother, I called to her, asking the standard question, ââ¬Å"can you spare some change? Maybe I called it too loud in my nervousness or possibly the dirt I had purposely smeared and worked into the fabric of my clothes and my general appearance of disarray but she moved away from me seeming to hold her breath. I smiled, trying to dispel her unease but it was too late. Surprising me with her speed and agility, she quickly made her way past darting between other ongoing pedestrians. Trying not to lose my ner ve, I quickly turned my attention to the other people crossing in front of me. A man in a business suit, out of place himself on a Saturday afternoon, stopped in front of me as I called to him trying this time to temper my voice and not appear over enthused or worse disingenuous. ââ¬Å"Why donââ¬â¢t you get a job? â⬠he asked. ââ¬Å"I work 50 hours a week to support my family, and you canââ¬â¢t go to McDonaldââ¬â¢s and flip burgers for some cash? No! You expect me and all of these other hardworking people to give you theirs! â⬠and with that he dug in his pocket, tossing a handful of pennies and pocket lint on the sidewalk in front of me. This was not easy. Pandering required that you have not only a tough skin but also that you set aside your pride. I found myself struggling with tears, wanting to call out to the man as he plowed his way down the street that I wasnââ¬â¢t really homeless. I wanted to call, but Iââ¬â¢m a college student, I have a job, I have a home but this would only stunt any further work I wished to accomplish in this area. I needed to blend. A young woman, not much older than myself, stopped in front of me as I struggled with my own ego trying to reconcile the humiliation of the research with understanding I knew I would gain. I looked up and she appeared the very opposite of the man in the business suit. Dressed similarly to me, though clean with freshly washed hair and fashionably distressed jeans and a bright green sweater, she held a cup of coffee in one hand and a few dollar bills in the other and on her face was a sympathetic smile. ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t let him bother you,â⬠she said handing me the coffee and forcing the bills into my hand. ââ¬Å"I know where you are coming from. I lost my job two years ago and was in the exact same spot as you. I was evicted from my apartment and lived in my car and the shelter for 2 months before I was able to get back on my feet. Just be happy you donââ¬â¢t have kids, I still feel guilty that my daughter had to go through all of that with me. â⬠With this, she smiled and waved to me before crossing to the other side of the S. Broadway. Within minutes of each other, I had experienced the two extremes of the human interaction side of pandering. Though the man in the business suit had almost discouraged me to the point of blowing my cover, the kind young womanââ¬â¢s kindness made me feel a new kind of guilt. She did not seem a financially well off woman but she had still tried to help. Even more than the embarrassment and loss of pride at the man in the business suit judging me all from a simple request, ââ¬Å"can you spare some changeâ⬠I felt guilt at having taken money from this woman and her daughter. I made a mental note to try and ask the homeless people I encountered how they felt at asking for money from strangers. First, I had the day to worry about. I had purposely set off on my research without money or other means of procuring food and drink. For the moment, if I wanted to eat, I would have to continue to pander for a little more cash. As it went from morning to afternoon, I had no repeat encounters with the anger of the businessman but also did not experience any more of the kindness of the young woman. Many people either ignored my call for spare change or reach into their pockets without looking in my direction. One man asked why I needed the money. I tried to reply that I just needed enough to get a meal or two, at which he laughed before tossing some loose change my way, ââ¬Å"Sure. Last time I checked, crack wasnââ¬â¢t a meal. The audacity of the man completely surprised me. Did I look like a drug addict? Did he think people only became homeless because of personal mistakes? I realized I was taken aback because he had asked a question aloud that I had only thought in my own head as I gave spare change to people in the past. Though drug addiction is a major problem for the homeless community, it is not the root o f the problem. Given the discrepancies in statistics though it is understandable that this would be associated with and even blamed for the continually growing rate of homelessness. In information published by the National Coalition for the Homeless in 2005, it is noted that early statistics for substance abuse and addiction among the homeless were incorrectly calculated leading to an assumption that over 60% of the homeless suffer from one form of substance addiction of another. However, recent statistics from US Conference of Mayors in 2005 puts the number as being closer to 30% (ââ¬Å"Who is Homelessâ⬠2005). The question is though, did their drug addiction lead to their homelessness or is it a result? After collecting almost $15 dollars, I set off to find a homeless person or people who would talk to me about the circumstances that led to their current state. Walking toward the man with the cardboard sign, I thought at first to speak with him as I had grown to feel a certain kinship with the man having worked the same street this morning. As I approached him, I saw a group of teenage boys stopped in front of him. They were laughing as one of them tore the manââ¬â¢s sign from his hands and proceeded to tear it in half. The man, obviously angered, kept his head down to the verbal abuse that rained from the teens mouths. No one it seemed was in the least concern. Pedestrians kept a wide breadth of the scene and kept their eyes to the ground. Finished with their fun, the boys threw the sign at the manââ¬â¢s feet and continued walking, still laughing at the humiliation of the man. Seeing the anger of the man, I decided that now would not be a good time to speak with him. Instead, I continued walking past him knowing that while his pride may be hurt, he had been spared any actual physical violence. I knew that this man had been one of the lucky ones. From 1999-2005 there were 472 acts of violence committed against homeless individuals (ââ¬Å"Hate Crimes. â⬠2006), targeted specifically because of their homeless status. Of that number, 169 were murders. Shelter workers and advocates have heard increasing stories of harassment, beatings, being set on fire, and even decapitation (National Coalition for the Homeless. ââ¬Å"Hate Crimes. â⬠2006) as the years have gone by. After walking for several blocks, I stopped in a corner store to buy myself some water. Walking to the back of the store where the refrigerators were, I could feel the clerkââ¬â¢s eyes follow me. I guess, making sure I was not shoplifting. With this, I understood yet one more stereotype and misconception of homelessness ââ¬â namely the role of criminal. Though I had the money to buy the water, though I had spent a day being verbally abused and ignored in order to scrounge together the change for this very water, the clerk assumed I would steal it. I walked to the counter, feeling his eyes on me, I assume checking my bodyââ¬â¢s silhouette for bulges of pilfered food. 1. 47â⬠he said, simply, still not taking his eyes off of me, his nose curling at the smell he assumed must be wafting off of me. Counting the change onto the counter, I saw my hands with the fingernails lightly ingrained with dirt and the grime of the street. Reaching forward to hand him the change, I saw him recoil slightly and I instead placed the change on the counter where it was carefull y counted. Expecting the ââ¬Å"have a nice dayâ⬠I had come to rely on as part of the retail experience, I was surprised when after processing my order, I received no more than a nod. Later that afternoon, I found myself sitting on a park bench beside a young homeless man, trying to find his life story in the sometimes incoherent ramblings. John was an Iraq War veteran who after returning from his stint in the Army, found himself increasingly anxious and unable to forget the bloodshed. Now a methamphetamine addict, he is thin to the point of starvation. Under his beard, I could see sores where the meth was surfacing and his front teeth were rotted to nothing. John is just one of many veterans who make up the homeless population. With approximately 11% of the total homeless population veterans, comprising 40% of the total male population of homeless persons (National Coalition for the Homeless, ââ¬Å"Who is Homeless,â⬠2005), John is the embodiment of the what happens to veterans when resources become limited and their problems too big to be handled effectively by the system. ââ¬Å"A lot of the guys you see out here who are veterans were in ââ¬Ënam, theyââ¬â¢ve been back and forth between the veterans hospital, group homes, and the street. When I first came back, I went back to working in my uncleââ¬â¢s garage fixing engines and changing oil. I hadnââ¬â¢t really had many plans before I signed up following 9/11. When I came back, my mom and girlfriend were pushing me to go back to school. Use the G. I. bill, you know. But I just couldnââ¬â¢t concentrate. I couldnââ¬â¢t sleep at night. When I did sleep, I had bad nightmares, bodies piled to the ceiling, blood everywhere. I started drinking, so I could sleep but it just made things worse. I slept but when I was awake nobody wanted to be around me. I went to the V. A. and they diagnosed me with post traumatic stress, gave me a couple prescriptions and a list of counselors and sent me on my way. For a little while the pills helped, but I was still drinking and had started to smoke meth. It kept me awake a lot but I thought I was getting things done. But then I lost my job, my girlfriend left me and I was stuck living in my parentsââ¬â¢ basement. I started snorting meth and then shooting up,â⬠with this, John pulls up his sleeves to show me the track marks running along his forearms. ââ¬Å"Eventually, even my parents had enough. I wrecked their car, stole $4,000 worth of jewelry and computer equipment that I pawned for half that to buy more meth and booze. This is where I ended up. I told John about my earlier experience pandering and asked him if he ever felt bad for asking strangers for money. To this he shrugged and smiled, showing blackened gums above where his two front teeth once were, ââ¬Å"You must be new. When I first started asking, sure I felt bad. I never thought Iââ¬â¢d be asking for handouts. I wasnââ¬â¢t raised that way. Shit, if my dad saw me o n a street corner begging heââ¬â¢d probably kick my ass. But you gotta do what you gotta do. I mean, come on, who is going to hire me? I stink, Iââ¬â¢m paranoid, I have a meth addiction and no teeth. If I want to eat or get more drugs, I have to beg or steal. Iââ¬â¢d rather beg than steal any day. I still have some scruples,â⬠he laughingly explained. Had he ever tried rehab or contacting on the programs that helps the homeless? ââ¬Å"Sure. Iââ¬â¢ve gone down to the shelter and filled out the paperwork but they donââ¬â¢t have a whole lot of money either so I couldnââ¬â¢t stay forever and the rehab program they tried to get me into was full. I tell myself everyday that this will be the last. Once Iââ¬â¢ve shot up the last of my bag, I just wonââ¬â¢t buy anymore but it never works out that way. I start jonesing and the nightmares come back. I sat over in there one night,â⬠he said, pointing to a pavilion on the other side of the park, ââ¬Å"and cried because I thought I was back in Iraq. I could hear the mortars exploding around my head and the screams of children in my ears. My friend found me after a couple of hours and offered me his needle and it all melted away. Of course, I found out a couple months later that he had hepatitis and had passed it onto me but he was just trying to help, I guess I canââ¬â¢t blame him too much. Iââ¬â¢ll die sooner than later anyway. â⬠When I asked him what he meant, he shrugged again. ââ¬Å"Look at how I live. Iââ¬â¢m lucky to eat every other day. Iââ¬â¢ve shot up so much meth that itââ¬â¢s coming out my pores and am lucky to find a vein anymore. Iââ¬â¢ve been beaten up, pushed in front of cars, spit on. I had pneumonia last winter, almost died from that. And I want to die. I should have died in Iraq, I think of that every day. If I knew then what my life would become, I would have shot myself when I still had a gun. The day I donââ¬â¢t wake up, will be the best day of my life. â⬠Shaken, I thanked John for talking to me and tried to make sense of what he had told me. Before talking, he had taken a quick dose of meth to loosen his tongue but what he let loose was more than just his own story. Between Johnââ¬â¢s veteran status, gender, drug addiction, and mental illness he is unfortunately a prime example of homelessness in America. Approximately 22% of the homeless population suffers from one form of mental illness or another (ââ¬Å"Why Are People Homeless,â⬠2006). Though it has been said that the increase in mentally ill homeless people is due to the deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill, this is false. Most of this was done between the 1950s and 1960s but homeless rates did not begin to reach their current rates until the 1980s. According to a 2003 report from the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, many of the mentally ill homeless could and can live within the community and receive treatment from outpatient facilities. Many however, are unable to receive treatment or housing because of the lack of availability (ââ¬Å"Why Are People Homeless,â⬠2006). As John noted, with waiting lists and the unpredictability of street life, finding ones next meal is hard enough. Finding help with housing and medicine is even more of a challenge. Having been shaken by my experiences at pandering, moving through regular daily activities like making a small purchase at a convenience store, and Johnââ¬â¢s own tales I knew I was neither prepared nor willing to spend my night as a homeless person. Before going home, I ventured to the bus station, where I had originally planned to spend the night. Walking towards the entrance, I saw a man holding a cardboard sign. Thinking he was the man from earlier, I hurried forward to try and see how he had fared after his run in with the teenagers. I was wrong. Though similar in dress and situation, this was a new man. Much older, appearing to be in his sixties or seventies. I braced myself for a request for spare change, forgetting my own appearance, but he ignored me. I knelt down to ask him some questions, figuring that this would be my last chance as I was now determined after my brief experience before returning to my normal life. No one, I now knew would knowingly choose homelessness. Asking his name, he eyed me warily, ââ¬Å"you ainââ¬â¢t a cop are you? â⬠Deciding to blow my cover, such as it was, I explained that I was a college student trying to understand what it means to be homeless. ââ¬Å"Why would you do that? You think this is a game? Just go home, at least you have one. I been sleeping on park benches and in bus stations for 5 years, count your blessings. â⬠With this he turned away from me, his eyes fixed on a couple walking along the sidewalk. Speechless, I left him to his pandering. Regardless of my experiments, I had still only had an outsiderââ¬â¢s experience of his daily life. I could, as he put so bluntly, go home. I had a home. Even as I begged on the street, I knew that I had a bank account across town with more money in it than this man would see in a week. I would finish my education and get a job, buy a home and build a family. For this man, that kind of life must seem a dream. I now knew, however, that the future I have so long imagined and planned for can just as easily be taken from me. It can start with something as seemingly changeable as losing a job and spiral into a hopelessness that left some dead, others wishing for death. For John the tipping point had been a combination of factors: mainly his drug use and trying to cope with post-traumatic stress. The causes, I now realized were encompassing of us all in one form or another. I now was able to understand through my experience that just like the woman from that morning find myself living in a car one day and begging on a street corner for real next time.
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