Alzheimer Disease Not Just Memory Loss

Alchemist's Disease: Not Just Memory Loss Introduction Memory loss is like an old age where it is a condition which mankind has always reluctantly recognized and always – with resignation. Memory loses are sometimes trivial and meaningless and go unrecognized. However, when these losses are so great that a person does not know who or where they are the concerns are quite grave. Although It Is realize that Alchemist's disease destroys the brain memory function, many do not realize precisely how the memory is destroyed once one is aware of the process; it becomes faster to work forward to alleviate the destruction.Walkout memory there Is no knowledge to recreate or reproduce past perception, emotions, thoughts and actions that are so vital to live a full and functioning life. Memory is the key that unlocks doors that keep us functioning, not only mentally but physically. Discussion As a new era dawns upon us many people find themselves asking the question; â€Å"What is Alchemi st's Disease? † Alchemist's Disease today affects almost all people in some way. Since the amount of lives this disease affects continues to increase epidemiologists have named Alchemist's Disease, â€Å"The Disease tot the Century†. Edwardian, 2007, IPPP-362) In 1906 a German neurologist Allis Alchemies performed a neurological autopsy on a 56-year-old woman who had suffered deteriorating mental health for many years before her death. Alchemies noticed a disorientation of nerve cells in her cerebral cortex, the area of the brain responsible for controlling memory and reasoning. There were two oddities he found. The first was an accumulation of cellular debris surrounding the nerves he called this senile plaque. The second oddity were groups of nerves that were bunched and twisted he called this neurotically tangles.In the following years as more autopsies were inducted the same oddities that were found in 1906 were found in patients displaying the same symptoms. At tha t time a prestigious German psychiatrist, Emil Grapnel, proposed naming the disease In honor of Its discoverer Also Alchemies. (First 2008, #6-88) Alchemist's Disease American's Disease is a chronic brain disorder that destroys one's ability to reason, remember, imagine and learn. The disease Is also known as â€Å"senile dementia† or â€Å"pre-senile dementia†. Dementia refers to the lost tot mental health. The term â€Å"senile† meaner old. Pre-Senile† refers to those patients less than 65 years of Lesions on brain cells that take the form of senile plaques and neurotically age. Tangles cause Alchemist's Disease. Healthy brain tissue is normally arranged in an organized pattern These knots and tangles throw the brain into mass confusion taking over and destroying healthy brain tissue. This causes the brain cells to stop functioning. Recently a protein Taut NAS been discovered in these tangles and knots This protein is found in healthy brain cells, but is found in much larger quantities surrounding areas affected by this disease.Other ailments have been linked to the onset of the disease. These include head trauma, problems with the immune system, blood cancer, thyroid problems and Downs Syndrome. Stages of Alchemist's Disease There are four distinct stages of progression. The progression of Alchemist's can take from three to fourteen years. This time span is based on the time from diagnosis to death. All patients go through these stages Just at different rates. The first stage of Alchemist's the patient experiences a slowing down of many factors of behavior. They have less energy, slow to learn new things, and their reaction time decreases.Patients experience only mild forgetfulness of recent events, familiar people and places. They have a decrease in Judgment, and trust. Also, they become increasingly stubborn and restless. Many people are unaware of the presence of a disease because frequently memory loss is common in the elderly due to fatigue or a period of sickness. (Gel, 2006, Pl 393-1400) In the second stage the patient becomes increasingly forgetful and has more trouble recalling recent occurrences. They have difficulty in skills such as decision making, planning and Judgment.The patient's speech and comprehension become much slower and often loose their train of thought often. They are usually able to complete common tasks but need assistance with more complicated ones. They must be given clear and repeated instructions by caregivers. Victims start to become aware of illness and become depressed, irritable, restless, and socially withdrawn. In the third stage Alchemies patients loose all ability to recognize familiar people and places. They have trouble completing simple everyday tasks like eating, bathing, getting dressed and using the toilet.They lack interest in personal hygiene and loose all sexual instincts. They have difficulty communicating verbally. Patients are easily agitated and deny they are ill. The fourth stage of Alchemist's Disease is the stage that ultimately leads to death. Patients are unable to recognize themselves and close family members. They become bedridden; and only slight useless movements are made. The only way of communication they use is screaming out. Diagnosis of Alchemist's Disease Diagnosis of this disease is very difficult. Doctors are only 100% certain of the presence of the disease from autopsies after death.Diagnosis is based on the lodgment of physicians and their experience with Alchemist's Disease. Current accuracy of correct diagnosis is 90%. Recently they have discovered a way to test the level of Taut protein; this has helped with correct diagnosis. Sometimes mental tests are run to test the memory, learning skills, language skills, and the ability to follow instructions. (Harmon, 2005, Pl 55-187) Many people also question the heredity of the disease. It has been found that some forms of the disease are hereditary. The â€Å"Pre-Seni le† Alchemist's which usually sets on in a person around 40, 50 years of age is found to be hereditary.There are three types of genetic proteins that have been inked to Alchemies patient's pollinate E, E, and E. Those who inherit E have a higher chance of developing the disease. One scientist, Barbara Talon, has discovered the tissue found in the upper nose goes through the same changes that the cerebral cortex tissue goes through. She plans on tinning oh it t t his tissue taunt in the nose deteriorates at the same rate of that found in Alchemies patients. If so this could lead to the early diagnosis of Alchemist's. Treatment of Alchemist's Disease Currently treatment is focusing on slowing progressions and coping with symptoms.One drug, THAT, is a drug that helps to boost levels of acetylene's, a chemical that is involved in memory. Two FDA approved drugs being tested are Tactile and O'Donnell these drugs are also to help memory. Although, these drugs cause side affects, O'Do nnell is found to cause nausea, cramps and lose of appetite. Estrogen for women has been found to have a positive affect on Alchemies patients mental decline. It helps memory, language skills, and the ability to concentrate. Nicotine has also been found to slow the formation of senile plaque, improve memory, learning and concentration.Doctors do not suggest this use of treatment at all; nicotine causes lung cancer, emphysema, high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. Currently 4 million people in America have been diagnosed with Alchemist's Disease. It is projected with the aging â€Å"Baby Boomers† that 14 million people will be diagnosed in the upcoming years. (Sails, 2008, app-43) Drugs to Aid in the Treatment There are currently two drugs to aid in the treatment of Alchemist's disease. These drugs are only effective during the first couple years of the disease. The drugs are called Cogent and Airiest.Both of these drugs work by increasing a chemical in he brain that works with memory. They do not cure the disease, but they do produce some improvement in patients. This disease is obviously a horrible one. It can rip a family apart, and there is nothing that can be done about it. Hopefully, one day a cure will be found, but in the mean time, Alchemies ¤? ¬was disease has total control over a person who is afflicted with it. It also has control over the family of the person afflicted with it. Almost everyone in this country has some sort of tie to this disease, and this is why more research should be done in hopes of finding a cure.This asses affects 10% of those over 65 years old and 50% of those over the age of 85. One-Half of those living in nursing homes are living with Alchemist's. Seven out of 10 patients live at home; family members care for 75% of them; the other 25% of them are cared for by hired caregivers. It has also been found that 55% of caregivers show some signs of depression. Alchemist's occurs more often in women and in Afri can Americans or Hispanics. (Sloane, 2007, app-132) Alchemist's Disease – A Costly Disease Alchemist's Disease is a very costly disease; it is the third most costly disease after heart conditions and cancer.In 1998 the U. S. Government spent approximately $90 billion on medical care and $400 billion to research. This disease costs a family $174,000 a year on care giving and another $42,000 a year on nursing homes. Medicare is a retirement benefit to those over 65 years old. Medicare does cover some the costs to provide help to the patient such as nursing homes. The extent of help varies by state. When seeking help people find themselves asking, â€Å"Where should I go? † â€Å"When should I go? † When you tell that a Tamil member may nave the disease or in need of mental attention you should first see you family physician.The physician will determine if they believe the problem to be Alchemist's. You should also bring medical records and a list of all medication the patient is on because certain medications or the combinations of medications may resemble Alchemist's. In every community there are services offered to assist those people affected by Alchemist's, for patients, family and caregivers. The Illness And The Caregivers Alchemist's disease affects the person with the illness and the caregivers. It is estimated that 1-4 people are caregivers. The disease has a long duration which impacts more on the caregivers.It can cause a great deal of emotional stress to caregivers. It also has a financial impact on those who provide care for patients suffering from Alchemist's disease. It is estimated that the national costs of caring for patients with Alchemist's disease is $100 billion. It can also indirectly cause loss productivity, absenteeism and worker replacement. (Edwardian, 2007, IPPP-362) Many people with Alchemist's disease do well at home during the initial stages. However eventually there is the need for long term care facilities. Lo ng term care is defined as help from family and friends.It can also mean regular visits by home health aides. It might also mean moving the patient to an assisted or nursing home that can provide twenty four medical attentions. There are two major types of long term facilities for Alchemies disease patients. One of them is Nursing home which provides room and board with twenty four hour skilled care. A licensed nurse provides this type of care. There are special units for people with Alchemist's disease. The environments, activities, philosophy of care and staff training are based upon the needs of Alchemist's disease patients.Nursing homes usually have rained and supportive staff who have knowledge about how to adjust to the patient. They have information about each patient to individualize care and to eliminate behavioral symptoms. There are special activities which reduce anxiety and agitation. A nursing home has pleasing sights, sounds and smells. They also have a low noise leve l and non glare lighting. Some facilities also have security measures to prevent wandering. Another type of long term facility is assisted living. This type of facility is suitable for people who require personal care and general guidance but do not require any specialized medical care.They are good for people with moderate functional impairment. This type of long term care promotes self direction and participation in decisions. It also focuses on independence, privacy and dignity. It attempts to create a home based environment. It is an attractive option for patients who seek assistance and independence at the same time. (First, 2008, app-88) Conclusion In conclusion Alchemist's disease is a very serious condition that affects many people. They do not know what causes this disease or why people get it, due to the fact that there is a chance for anyone to get this disease.People must take recreation and seek the advice of healthcare professionals to be tested for this disease. This way they have a chance to go on living there lives for as long as possible. If they do not seek care then they have a lesser chance of living a longer life. Obviously, knowledge regarding Alchemist's disease has progressed far from thinking that it is Just a loss tot memory. Choosing the best type tot long term care can be difficult for caregivers. Assisted living facilities are the best option for people with early stages of the disease. Nursing home facilities are best for patients who suffer from advanced stages of the disease.This disease produces a full-blown dementia in its patients and affects millions of people and their families. These people and their families have special needs. Consequently, programs, environments, and care approaches must reflect this uniqueness. Developing an effective care/service plan for a person with dementia requires careful assessment of that person, a detailed plan, and attention to the individualized needs of persons with dementia. Alchemist's disease can cause emotional and financial stress to the patient and the caregivers. However there are many choices available which can improve the quality of life.

Math 10 Ib Porfolio

Math 10C Pre-IB Portfolio Assignment Type 1 Investigating the Quadratic Function A quadratic function is one where the highest exponent of the independent variable is 2. The quadratic function can be written in the general form of, where a, b, and c are real numbers. However, the quadratic function can also be written in the standard form of , which is sometimes more preferred, where p and q are the x and y coordinates of the vertex, respectively.The purpose of this task is to investigate the graph of a quadratic equation, the parabola, when the equation is written in the form. By analyzing p and q we can determine the vertex of the graph. Also, by increasing or decreasing the values of p or q, we can translate the parabola vertically and/or horizontally. First, if we look at the functions y=x2 ,y=x2+3, y=x2-2 we know that all 3 are in general form. To convert general to standard form you will need to use the process called â€Å"completing the square† which goes as following: Ex. y=ax+bx+cNow if we convert the three functions mentioned above, in standard form respectively they are y=x020, y=x02+3 and y=x02-2. Now if we were to graph these points, either the standard or general form would work. y=x2 , y=x020 y=x2+3 , y=x02+3 y=x2-2 , y=x02-2 Other examples of these types of graphs could be anything along the line of. An example of a parabola in the form of y=x2q with either a positive or negative q value could be y=x2+5 and y=x2-4. When we graph the two equations they are as following: y=x2+5 , y=x02+5 y=x2-4 , y=x02-4The reason I choose to convert them to standard form was to look for the vertex. By looking at the graph and the standard form of the equations we can conclude that the vertex of the graphs are (0,0) , (0,3) , (0,-2). In standard form you can also find out many other things. For example, the domain and range, the axis of symmetry. All three graphs are graphed in the same screen for comparison. From the above graph we notice that the graphs of y=x2+3 and y=x2-2 have been shifted vertically, either up or down by the q units, where the q is the number that follows the x2.By looking at the following graph, we can generalize the following: The graph of is the graph of, vertically translated q units. If q is positive, then the shift is upwards. Conversely, if q is negative, than the shift is downwards. If we look at the next following functions of y=x2 , y=x-22 , y=x+32, we can see that the functions are written in the standard form. To change standard form to general form you need to expand the function. To do this you need to do the following steps: Ex. y=x+52 When we convert the functions of y=x2 , y=x-22 , y=x+32, respectively they are y=x20x0, y=x2-4x+4, y=x2+6x+9.When we graph the following functions, we get: y=x20x0, y=x2 y=x2-4x+4, y=x-22 y=x2+6x+9, y=x+32 Furthermore, if we change the values of p in the function we can translate the graph to either the right or left. An example of this could be y=x-82 or y=x+52. Wh en graphed they should look as the following: y=x2-16x+64, y=x-82 y=x2+10x+25,y=x+52 For the first three graphs above, the vertex of them respectively are (0,0), (0,2), (0,-3). The vertex of the above graphs are (0,8), (0-5).While looking at the graphs we notice that if the value of p is changed to either a positive or negative number it depends whether the graph is shifted horizontally on the x-axis. As done previously, all three graphs have been graphed in the same screen for comparison. From the above combined graph, we notice that the graphs of y=x-22, y=x+32 have been shifted horizontally, to either the left or right by p units, where p is the number that follows after x. By looking at the above graph, we can generalize the following: The graph of is the graph of, horizontally translated p units.If p is positive, the shift is to the right. On the other hand, if p is negative, the shift is to the left. Given the trends noticed when changing p and q, we can predict the vertex of the graph. The graph ofis the graph of, vertically translated 5 units upward, and horizontally translated 4 units to the right. Since the vertex of the graph isis at (0,0), the vertex of the graph should be at (4,5). Alternatively, since we know that the vertex of the parabolic function of the form lies at (p,q), we can expect that the vertex of the graphis to be at (4,5) as p=4 and k=5.

Corporate University in China Essay

The concept of corporate university (CU) in China is a recent phenomenon although it existed more than eight decades in the western world. Literature reviews indicate that CU is an independent professional-managed entity proactively providing learning intervention in the workplace. With the ownership of the corporation, CU embedded culture and optimized learning through commitment to strategic intent in order to meet organizational objectives. The concept of â€Å"training† has to be redefined. The major key role of CU is to facilitate both individuals and organization to become â€Å"efficient learner† in order to maintain competitiveness in the ever-changing of business environment. Since the start of economic reform in 1978, the Chinese economy has enjoyed a dramatic growth. In 2002 alone, China attracted over US$52.7 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), surpassing the US. The drastic economic growth and the fundamental structural change in China as a result of government policies, globalization and technological advances will continue to drive the demand for training and competency development. Both local and foreign-invested corporations seek the CU concept as the strategic solution. There are many reasons for corporations establish CU; however, the primary one is to facilitate corporate objectives and support business strategies. Studies on HRM suggest different models vary across different countries. A direct copy from western model might cause ineffective and inefficient. A comprehensive understanding on the CU meaning, how it operates, and its roles are important. In addition, consideration of local elements is necessary in adopting CU in China. Major Chinese characteristics with current corporate situation and issues should be identified. Evidences support that the Chinese contextual variables and their CU motives impact the strategies and development of CU in China. Adapted from Prince & Beaver’s conceptual CU Wheel model, a priori China CU framework encompassed the unique characteristics of China is formulated in an attempt to describe the key functions that an â€Å"ideal† type of CU in China should perform. Based on the theoretical assumptions, the four core subsystems include learning and teaching process, networks and partnership, accreditation system, and marketing process constitute the main elements of the CU process. They work collaboratively with the common goal of supporting business goals and strategies. The two cultural elements, â€Å"guanxi† and â€Å"mianzi†, work as catalyst or lubricator to enhance the effectiveness and coordination. The priori CU framework brings new insight to the CU development in China. Research is performed to test the relevance of this framework across the three major forms of ownership. To achieve the research objectives, an exploratory and descriptive approach is used. This study adopts a qualitative case-methodology based on the in-depth interviews, previously collected data through questionnaires and documentary analysis. The three study cases include: 1. Taikang Business University (TBU) – a joint-venture enterprise with foreign investment; 2. Motorola University, China (MUC) – a wholly foreign-owned multi-national corporation (MNC); 3. X Academy, a state-owned enterprise (SOE) To delimit the study, each case covers background information, its objectives and roles, core portfolio, and the relevance of the priori framework. Challenges and issues of each case organization are addressed as well. A cross-case analysis of the three case organizations is used to identify the similarities and differences. The diffusion of CU practices varies with the investment form and the foreign equity stake. The study provides evident that both the MNC and joint venture case organizations with foreign investment are more mature in their CU process. The integration and coordination of the four core processes that constitute the priori CU framework are strongly evident. A hybrid model of CU practices is adopted with the convergence of practices from the parent country operation and the divergence of practices for the China context. On the other hand, the CU development of the SOE case is less developed. It can be explained that most of SOEs in China lack western management know-how and resources. Some CU sub-processes or practices of the priori CU framework are either missing or too weak in the SOE case. It has been facing problems at the CU evolution. Misconception on training, lack of support from upper management, lack of CU understanding, unable to demonstrate the CU value, ineffective learning process, and the cultural gap are the major issues and challenges for CUs in China. Improvements have to be made before CU can really take off in organizations in China. Recommendations with reference to the priori CU framework are made. Additional comments on CU strategies are given for local enterprises and the foreign-invested organization. It is evident that some CUs such as Motorola University China (MUC) perform a range of strategic functions in China. Among all, it can be summarized into two major categories: developing people and developing business. Although developing people is the most common motive for the CU establishment, the CU strategic orientation towards market-driven and profit-driven is more evident and justifiable to most Chinese enterprises. The CU strategies and practices are highly influenced by the political, economic and cultural characteristics of China. It would be difficult to apply a single CU model to all CU phenomena. Despite the limitation, the priori CU framework can still be used as a tool to describe the current situation in the CU scene in China. It encompasses the unique characteristics of China CU, capable of providing the direction to the CU operations and practices. This research raises a number of issues upon which subsequent research efforts can be expended as follow: 1. Besides the forms of ownership, other company variables such as the industry types, leadership style, corporation sizes, and corporate culture might affect the CU development and practices. Further, the CU strategies and practices are highly influenced by the political, economic and cultural characteristics of China. To what extent these contextual variables influence the CU adoption in China? 2. The major motive for local enterprises to establish CU is to drive corporate-wide initiative, reinforcing and perpetuating behavior towards internationalization. So how do the local corporations, particularly state-owned enterprise, change their traditional view to more global perspective in order to run a successful CU? 3. Different foreign-invested corporations adopt different local strategy. Some focus on globalizing the China operation whilst others prefer to adopt a complete localization approach. Does the local strategy adopted by the foreign-invested corporation affect the CU strategy and development? 4. The dynamic business environment in China creates a constant change phenomenon in corporate strategies. How does CU support the changing corporate strategies and maintain its agility? How does CU demonstrate its value in China? With a large population, fast and rapid growing economy and constant improvement of its people’s living standard, corporations in China enjoy tremendous market potentials. CU definitely has an important role in China. However, a successful CU requires continuously learning and self-reflective. The evolution of CU involves ongoing values, trust, respect, commitment, integrity and enthusiasm. The priori CU framework, to a certain extent, can be used as a tool to explain the current situation in the CU scene in China. With more understanding on the CU practices and development in China, it will benefit both organization decision makers and educational providers to evaluate their responses to what is clearly a growing phenomenon.

Survey Questionnaire and Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Survey Questionnaire and Plan - Research Paper Example Because of this concern the marketing department in the multinational company has been asked to oversee a survey among the stakeholders in the most affected areas which include the US and the beyond from which a market risk assessment can be made and thereafter decisions made to overcome the challenge. Following this a market survey was enlisted for three countries in which twenty stakeholders (consumers and employees) in each resident company in those countries would be involved from whose responses a qualitative analysis will be done. In this paper we consider the preliminary activities of the survey in which we consider the research questions to be addressed in the survey, the survey hypothesis, the design and the rationale of the survey and the procedures involved in conducting the survey. We shall also consider any tests to be conducted and modifications of the results as may be required, the analysis techniques to be employed and then the expected milestones. Marketing the McDonalds meat product is an important bit of the company because of what the product has to the company. Following several campaigns in the market posting fast foods served at the restaurants as unfit for consumption and other campaigns posting McDonalds Company as working behind a mask, there has developed negative attitude from the customers who are sourced globally (Evenson, 2010). In one of the campaigns it was posted that the company has failed to offer safe meat. The pro-vegetarianism have insisted on the informing the public about the unfitness of meat and meat product consumption. On the other hand the global move towards green meat is impacting on the meat products in the company especially in the times when the world is experiencing cases of zoonotic diseases like flu and mad cow diseases. Given the circumstances the company may not be able to effectively

Unconscionable contract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Unconscionable contract - Essay Example The rationale behind the doctrine of unconscionability is to circumvent the enforcement of unfair contracts. In the case at bar, Amy, who was a college student, was led to believe by the salesman that the home theater system, Alpo Model XL2, costs $3,000, when in truth and in fact, the actual standard cost of the theater system is only $1,000. The price given by the salesman was two times higher than the prevailing standard cash market price of the item bought by the buyer. Hence, the â€Å"rent-to-own† contract signed by Amy is considered unconscionable. Under the law, Amy has the remedy to demand the return of the excess $2,000 since the contract price is unconscionable, excessive and unfair on her part. Here, the salesman acted in bad faith at the time of the signing of the â€Å"rent-to-own† contract. Therefore, in order to cure the damage caused to the buyer, Amy can go to court and have the contract declared as unconscionable and oppressive, since there was a violation on the part of the salesman to fulfill his obligation in good faith in accordance with their contract. She can legally demand the refund of excess payment of $2,000. â€Å"It is the judge who has the power to declare whether or not a contract is unconscionable, and not the jury† (Emanuel,

Risk Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 5

Risk Management - Essay Example This data is often the first input to decision makers to gage whether risks should be avoided and the most suitable and cost-efficient risk management procedure. Risk analysis involves the identification, evaluation as well as management of various risks (John n.d.). The type of risk in an organization depends on the industry to which the organization operates (John n.d.). Financial risk assessment and management is of economic worth. This is especially to firms using financial tools in managing exposure to risks. Other financial risk may include inflation and volatility risk (Andersen 2012). Just like general risk management, the financial risk management necessitates identification of its sources, its measurements, as well as plans to avoid them in future. Financial risk analysis, assessment and management can both be quantitative and qualitative. Financial risk management emphasizes on the time and the means to evade the financial risks by using the specific financial instruments used in managing costly exposures to risk. In the finance sector, the Basel Accords is an instrument that has been adopted generally by internationally banks for tracking, recording and revealing the operational risks, credit risks and market risks (Andersen 2012, p. 7). Financial risk management usually assist in clearing profits through cost evasion, cost inhibition and time savings. An inclusive financial risk management platform can avert wastefulness and replication that decreases needless costs, increases productivity, and enables reliability and communication. An integrated system often permits several departments to accumulate information and cooperate amongst themselves. This can help in communication and understanding, thus reducing and containing risk while cutting costs and adding process consistency (Andersen 2012, p. 15). The first step in financial risk analysis is the inherent risk assessment, which involves assessing the financial statement

Got Milk Advertisement Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Got Milk Advertisement Analysis - Essay Example The body copy of this ad is strong in the sense that it suggests that having strong bones is pertinent to the females’ bodies since bones usually grow till an age of 35 years. The calcium present within milk makes a woman look strong and make her feel healthy at the same time. More than that there is no harm in having a schedule which is reliant on consuming milk and it is a part of her fashion regime all the same. The subtextual content is also demonstrated by the girl’s dressing style where certain parts of her body are kept naked so as to have a sort of interest by the target audience, i.e. both males and females. (Davis, 2005) This woman holds a glass filled with milk till the half level which implies that she drinks on a regular basis and hence the reason that she remains fit and healthy. Also some milk is left on the corners of her lips which proves the notion just mentioned. The element of sexuality is very clearly presented within this ad since the manner in whi ch the woman has been attired speaks volumes about the way the ad is being targeted to the people under study. Her belly is apparent enough and so is one of her breasts which suggest that the ad is hitting on the sexuality aspects that have been presented within the ad itself.  

Female Genital Mutilation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Female Genital Mutilation - Essay Example This study outlines that reconsideration has occurred: the domestic has turned out to be an international issue, ‘female circumcision’ has been renamed to ‘female genital mutilation’ (FGM), whereas a ‘traditional practice’ has turned out to be a human rights violation. Under the scrutiny of the international community, the subject of female circumcision became a capsule of several affective debates regarding international human rights, sexuality, oppression of women, racism, Western prejudice, medicalization and cultural relativism, leading into a burgeoning of discourses and literature on the subject matter. However, misapprehension, uncertainty, and disagreement over the intricate aspects of this concern have not been resolved. Certainly, the set of literature on female circumcision is to a certain extent dispersed and contrasting, falling into different disciplines such as anthropology, psychology, history, demography, social work, political science, epidemiology, public health policy, and women’s studies. This paper discusses that one of my objectives in discussing this human phenomenon is to bridge some of these theoretical limitations through integrating contributions from different fields, ideological and geographic settings and hence emphasizing arising perspectives and associated aspects of the present debates. The tradition of female circumcision compels researchers and commonplace observers alike, inside and outside the intellectual community, to face more expansive philosophical and moral concerns. As stated by an anthropologist, â€Å"the very decision to write (or not) about the topic has become a political statement, and so is one’s choice on tone and terminology†.

Qualitative research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Qualitative research - Assignment Example The results generated in the article on infertility are detailed, rich, and products of valid processes. The valid process is the ingredient of in-depth comprehension of the topic under investigation. A sample size of twenty participants remains reliable in terms of data generation with proper links to cause-and-effect relationships. Important in this context was the topic of choice. Comparatively, Vickers holds that physicians do not study nutrition as a science in the same way that nutritional therapeutics do. Therefore, physicians do not practice nutrition as part of conventional medicine. Conventional settings only allow dieticians to work with specific groups of patients. Such cases include obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular risk features, and swallowing problems as well as those with digestive problems. Physicians only extend nutritional interventions to the treatment of rare metabolic condition and those involving gross nutritional deficiencies. However, other nutritional interventions do not apply to conventional medical practices. Physicians end up categorising them as complementary medicine. The source highlights various examples of nutritional supplementation (Vickers 2001). They include The article on fertility was a product of a qualitative study that followed a phenomenological technique that explored experiences of infertile women in their sexual lives. On the other hand, the article on unconventional approaches to nutritional medicine highlighted, albeit qualitatively, the differences in the study of nutrition by physicians and nutritional therapeutics. The article identifies the variance in undertaking the study under conventional and unconventional settings. The article on infertility only sampled twenty participants. However, the article on unconventional approaches to medicine took the universal approach of collecting information across the globe from various sources under the

MNEs and Globalizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MNEs and Globalizations - Essay Example Global marketing means a fully integrated worldwide strategy based on consistent brand selling. These companies are progressive. The dynamic forces inherent in all progressive companies are logically directed toward growth and expansion. When the opportunities for growth become limited in domestic markets, for whatever reason, there is no place to turn but to foreign areas. Controlling the far-flung global corporation-communicating with distributors and suppliers, operating 24 hours a day in different national environments, servicing local and international reporting needs-is a major business challenge that requires powerful information system responses (Buckley & Ghauri, 1999). Contemporary developments show that MNEs is that part of the process of global management that is concerned with the maintenance of human relationships and ensuring the physical well being of employees so that they give the maximum contribution to efficient working. Back in the industrialized nations, however, there is an increasing sense of social distress as workers see their plants close and jobs shipped out of the country. Also, MNEs support cultural globalization and integration dictating new patterns of consumption and buying. For instance, McDonald's Corporation is one of the best examples of MNE's impact on the global scale. ... Fried chicken is on the menu in many Asian countries. Other offerings include banana fruit pies in Latin America, Kiwiburger (served with beet root sauce) in New Zealand, beer in Germany, McSpaghetti noodles and a sweeter Burger McDo in the Philippines. In some countries, McDonald's changes its food preparation methods to comply with religious customs. This consumption culture creates new forms of control known as 'global colonialism' (Banerjee & Linstead, 2001, p. 683). MNEs created standardized products driving value and customer's taste. For many MNEs, the changing environment combines elements of both new products and HRM policies aimed to improve organizational performance and global position. The process of global HRM, however, is typically much more complex, and interesting, than traditional one. MNEs must deal with a number of key differences in foreign environments as compared to home environments (Black, 1999). The improvement of economic and social well-being is influenced by the simultaneous interaction of political, social, economic, and cultural factors-the level of resource endowment, the extent of industrialization, prevailing cultural norms about family size, and the ability and willingness of governments to make often politically costly development decisions. Also involved is the degree of penetration of rich countries in the economies of poor countries. According to Lodge & Wilson (2006): "MNC involvement is crucial to poverty reduction for two reasons: the reduction of poverty depends on the growth of business, and poverty reduction requires systemic change, and MNCs are the world's most efficient and sustainable engines of change". Meanwhile, a dispersal of productive wealth is

Preliminary PDHPE Assignment Essay Example for Free

Preliminary PDHPE Assignment Essay 1) Recount the story of the individual in relation to how the adversity they faced as affected their health status. The individual who I decided to research is now well known for her job hosting the Biggest Loser, Hayley Lewis. At 15 years old Hayley Lewis had won 5 Gold medals at the 1990 Commonwealth Games. She weighed 58kg and never thought anything about her weight at the time as she was fit, healthy and muscular. A magazine came out saying that she was â€Å"a fit 15 year old but a bit heavy legged. † From then on she started to get bigger and bigger. A year later her weight had crept up to 65kg and by the 1992 Barcelona Olympics she weighed 73kg. Hayley was told by her coach to lose weight and the more and more she was told, the more she turned to food for comfort. By being told she was â€Å"heavy legged† from the media and being told to lose weight the more this impacted on her physically, mentally, socially and spiritually. By being overweight this cut short Hayley’s swimming career as she was embarrassed, suffered anxiety and hated being publicly scrutinised. Hayley Lewis also hated getting out of bed because she knew she had to put on her â€Å"togs†. She said that she was racing with girls 20kg lighter and you can’t hide anything when you’re in swimmers. She also said that she used to focus on her weight every time she jumped up on to the starting block instead of focusing on her race. By being judged because of her physical appearance made her quit her swimming career because she felt that she didn’t fit in anywhere. This affected both her mental and spiritual health. Because Hayley Lewis had a negative physical health status this impacted on her emotional health as all the dimensions of health are interdependent on one another and when one area of health is going downhill this can impact on all the other aspects of an individuals’ health status. Hayley Lewis had a low self-esteem and didn’t believe in herself. This was because she was bullied about her physical appearance and the media made her feel shameful about her weight. She didn’t enjoy the success of being a swimmer either because of the shame and guilt she felt about herself and her personal body image. Another factor that could have made an impact on Hayley’s health status is the death of her younger sister as this could have made her turn to food for comfort. Hayley Lewis had to face a 20 year weight battle from when she was 15 until she was 35 when she had her second child. During her pregnancy Hayley gained another 25kg. When she got a phone call from Jenny Craig to become an ambassador she finally realised how overweight she was and decided to do something about it. She lost 4kg in the first week and was finally getting back on track and gaining these precious years of her life back. Hayley Lewis is now the current host of the Biggest Loser and says she can relate to the contestants so well as she knows exactly what they have been through and what they are going through. She hopes to inspire them and become as good a role model as she can so they get to love themselves the way she does about herself now. Hayley Lewis has faced major adversity in her life and it has affected her health status physically, mentally, socially and spiritually. She has finally pulled through and is at a great point in her life, has overcome her weight battles and has made herself proud for where her body has gotten her today. a) Evaluate how the dimensions of health have interacted to construct the health status of the individual. Hayley Lewis’ physical, mental, social and spiritual health have interacted to construct Hayley’s current health status as all these dimensions are interdependent upon one another. If one aspect of health is positive then this will most likely have an impact on all the other aspects of an individual’s health. Hayley’s physical health when she was younger was fairly poor. When Jenny Craig came into the picture this made Hayley become aware and realise just how poor her physical health was. Because of this sudden realisation, this has constructed Hayley Lewis’ current health status in many ways because she finally did something about her poor health. She started to lose weight and the motivation of the Jenny Craig program helped her pull through. She was given meal and exercise plans but as a retired swimmer she was used to having the pre-organised eating and training schedule. She had overcome her previous body image demons and she realised that she had a new focus in life because of becoming a parent. She had to step up and become the best role model she could be for her children. She threw out all the old photos she had of herself as an overweight teenager and returned to the pool in 2000 with a renewed confidence. She still has â€Å"good days and bad days, like everyone† but has learnt to love, admire, appreciate and nurture her body with respect as you only get one. Her previous physical health has now constructed Hayley’s current health status as she is now a size 8-10, lost 20kg and has maintained her weight by eating nutritiously, planning her meals and exercising often. Hayley now has a positive physical health status and hopes to inspire others, such as the biggest loser contestants, with her own personal inspiring story. Hayley Lewis’ emotional health has had a major impact on the construction of her current health status. Mentally, Hayley never used to believe in herself and had a very low self-esteem and body image. Now that she has become aware of her poor health status and has lost 20kg she now has a positive headspace and a positive outlook on life. She has a renewed confidence but still has â€Å"bad days† like everyone. By relating to the current biggest loser contestants this has made her feel proud to where her body and mind has gotten her today and wants to help them out so they can feel how she feels about herself now. Hayley’s new and improved positive emotional health has had a major impact on all the other aspects of her health and has created an overall positive health and wellbeing for herself as the dimensions of health are all interdependent upon one another. When Hayley Lewis was younger her social health suffered because she was overweight physically and didn’t look positive on life because of her poor emotional health. She was bullied, compared to others and was always being judged, if not by the media, by her coach and family friends. She now has a very positive social health as she is now married to a very understanding and cooperative husband and has 2 children. Her confidence is now booming compared to when she was fighting her 20 year weight battle. Her confidence has allowed her to improve her relationships with family and friends and now she can also relate to the biggest loser contestants because they have become her friends. She is very inspirational towards these contestants and has also become very close to them and helping them renew their lives and start fresh. Spiritually, Hayley now feels a sense of belonging and worth compared to the adversity she faced because she has fought and finally won her weight battles. She is now fit and healthy, can relate to and feels apart of the biggest loser family and also has a special family of her own. She now has a very positive headspace and this has impacted on and changed her life in many ways. Hayley’s life changing experience of winning her 20 year weight battled has occurred because she finally became aware of how poor her health was. The 4 dimensions of health, physical, mental, social and spiritual, have all worked together with each other and have constructed Hayley Lewis’ current health status in a very positive way. Because she started losing weight she noticed that all her emotional, social and spiritual aspects of health have benefited her overall health. This is because all these dimensions are interdependent upon each other and construct the overall health status of an individual. b) Evaluate how the relative and dynamic nature of health has impacted upon the health status of the individual. Due to her own personal experiences Hayley Lewis would now rate her health as being optimal. She has battled with her weight for 20 years and has finally overcome that. As well as being at her goal weight by eating healthy, exercising and creating meal plans for herself she has to take into account how the relative and dynamic nature of health has impacted upon her own personal health status. Relative and dynamic nature of health refers to how health can vary from time to time and fluctuate all over the place. Illnesses, accidents, personal experiences, environmental factors or an individuals’ socioeconomic status can have an impact on an individual’s level of health at any point during their lives. These continual changes in a person’s health mean that health is dynamic. Judging where a person is along the health continuum at any point of time is highly subjective as people all over the world have different perceptions about what is optimal or â€Å"normal† health. By overcoming her 20 year weight battle, Hayley Lewis now has a better knowledge of what good health is. She perceives herself in a more positive way and the result of this is that the public and people all around her are perceiving her in a more positive way also. By believing in yourself can affect how others see you and believe that you have potential whereas if you don’t believe in yourself then others will think the same. This is one of the reasons that Hayley Lewis’ confidence has risen over time because now that her self-esteem has risen she realised that people were starting to perceive her, and her health, in different and a more positive way. By being the host of the biggest loser and becoming friends with the contestants has affected Hayley Lewis’ health status. She is now socioeconomically advantaged as she has a permanent job with a high income. This will impact her health status because it can affect her choices such as buying more, but nutritious food, and she now has more money to spend on fitness and recreational resources such as gyms and swimming pools. This can impact Hayley’s health physically, mentally, socially and spiritually as she now feels a sense of control and value over her life.

Academic Plagiarism - the Practices and Perceptions Essay Example for Free

Academic Plagiarism the Practices and Perceptions Essay Plagiarism is a common concern in education, entertainment, and some parts of history. The Online Merriam Webster Dictionary (2012) defines plagiarism as â€Å"the act of stealing and passing off the ideas or other words of another as one’s own.† This activity is unacceptable and is still performed. Because of this practice, however, researchers conducted surveys in several schools to comprehend this act of dishonesty. The reasons for the practice of cheating are complex but also essential to examine. See more: Ethnic groups and racism essay Brian Hansen (2003), a CQ Researcher in Combating Plagiarism, analyzed the practice of plagiarism among schools and the media. He states, â€Å"The perception [among college professors] is that students are no longer learning about plagiarism adequately at a high-school level, so there’s an education and re-education process that needs to take place† (2003, p.777). Various students may not recognize their research as a dishonest activity because their professors may have not introduced the idea of plagiarism to them. Dominic A. Sisti (2007), a researcher regarding plagiarism, said â€Å"student responses reflect a lack of clarity regarding what exactly their school’s policy says regarding copy-paste practices† (2007, p. 225). Because of the lack of clarification, it is essential that professors give direct and comprehensive instructions for each student before he or she works. Patrick M. Scanlon and David R. Neumann (2002), two researchers who have also conducted surveys about plagiarism, noticed that the measures of incidence of cheating suggest a contradiction between what students say and do. â€Å"Some [students] have argued that colleges and universities are not doing nearly enough to foster a commitment among students to academic honesty† (2002, p.376). The lack of acknowledgement is one of the leading causes for students to academically plagiarize. When students are unaware of the idea of plagiarism, they tend to complete their work without much concern or effort. Students may refer to term-paper purchasing websites or directly copy and paste from the web. In Hansen’s CQ reader, McCabe found that â€Å"44 percent of the students considered minor, cut-and-paste Internet plagiarism as ‘trivial’ cheating or not cheating at all† (2003, p.778). This fact suggests that students do not have a standard of cheating. Sisti had also observed what students perceived as cheating. â€Å"Their comments clearly indicated that they did not feel cheating was a significant concern. Further, statements by these students reinforced the findings of previous research that show cheating gets easier as students continue to cheat and that students are not really concerned about being caught† (2007, p. 217). Among these students, they may feel the right to cheat because of the influence by others. In Scanlon and Neumann’s research, they state that â€Å"Students consistently judged plagiarism by others to be more prevalent than their own self-reports would suggest† (2002, p.380). This means that the students viewed academically cheating common in their generation. The lack of concern between students and cheating is one of the few major sources of plagiarism. Another cause of academic plagiarism is because students feel that they cannot complete their task within the given amount of time. Among these students, they referred to the Internet for their research as their major source of information. Scanlon and Neumann share their concerns by stating that, â€Å"university administrators, faculty, and staff should be concerned about the impact of the Internet in shaping a new generation of students’ conception of what does and does not constitute fair use of then countless texts so readily available at the click of a mouse† (2002, p. 374). â€Å"The amount of online plagiarism reported here should be a matter of concern, although the current study does not point to an epidemic of Internet plagiarism. Academic dishonesty is most strongly associated with the perceptions of peers’ behavior† (2002, p. 383). However, if teachers do use plagiarism-detection websites, students may still view plagiarism acceptable. Sisti concluded that â€Å"students might incorrectly interpret the system feedback, believing that plagiarism is simply a degree of acceptable paraphrasing (2007, p. 228).† This means that students will not only misunderstand their topics, but also lack future referencing and the meaning behind plagiarism. The Internet provided these students term-paper purchasing websites and complex reading which directs them to cheat. Therefore, educators must be aware of students’ uses of the Internet when resorted for academic research. Fortunately, there are plagiarism-detection soft wares available for teachers’ use. However, teachers who rely on these programs must initially teach their students the proper way to do their research and how to cite their sources if they choose to quote or paraphrase. If more students become aware of this problematic behavior and if teachers show greater concern, then it is very possible for the plagiarizing activity to minimize. Corrected Annotated Bibliography Hansen, B. (2003, September, 19). Combating plagiarism. The CQ Researcher, 13(32), 775-594. Retrieved from http://www.cqpress.com/docs/Combating%20plagiarism.pdf Plagiarism is a problem that is not only found in education. This form of cheating is also found in music and history. Many people who plagiarize may not be aware of this kind of cheating. Hansen (2003) states that â€Å"The perception [among college professors] is that students are no longer learning about plagiarism adequately at a high-school level, so there is an education and re-education process that needs to take place† (p. 777). Because of this, several professors experienced great consequences by responding to academic cheating. Hansen was concerned if the Internet played a major role towards academic plagiarism; because of its existence, few teachers refer to plagiarism detection programs such as turnitin.com. Another concern that Hanson addressed was how news organizations did not sufficiently guard against plagiarism used in the media. He, then, concluded that plagiarism has not dramatically change in comparison to book text copying and Internet plagiarism. Plagiarism. (2012). Merriam-Webster.com/. Retrieved Sep 16, 2012, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plagiarize Scanlon, P. M., Neumann, D, R. (2002). Internet plagiarism among college students. Journal of College Student Development, 43(3), 374-385. Retrieved from http://www4.ncsu.edu/~ladare/eac595/readings/scanlon-neumann.pdf The awareness of academic plagiarism allowed Patrick M. Scanlon and David R. Neumann (2002) to survey students about partaking in such activity. The focus of the survey was to assess students’ perceptions and practices. In Scanlon and Neumann’s study, they address that students’ perception on peer behavior, their faculties’ ethical views, and their awareness of institutional sanctions greatly contribute to their reasons to plagiarize (p. 375). Students are vulnerable to what others may think and not fully understand the consequences of plagiarism. In other words, they also feel that it is more acceptable to copy from the Internet if their peers are also plagiarizing. Students who participated in this study were to confront the eight different types of plagiarism as self-reports. Scanlon and Neumann analyzed that the Internet will not affect the way one writes or performs his research. Sisti D. A, (2007). How do high school students justify Internet plagiarism? Ethics Behavior, 17(3), 215-231. Retrieved from http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/pdf/top10/HEBHdown.pdf Dominic A. Sisti (2007) surveyed 160 high schools about the usage of the Internet. He merely focused on Internet plagiarism, which includes the copy and paste method and term paper purchasing. The top reason why students resorted to academic dishonesty was because of the limited time given to complete their research. According to Sisti, â€Å"The results indicated that students were more easily able to justify copy-paste plagiarism for a variety of reasons that mirror justifications of other forms of conventional plagiarism† (p. 215). In other words, the students felt that copying and pasting was a better option than term paper purchasing because of the less risk of getting caught. In addition to Sisti’s research, he exclaimed that students would admit that they felt confused by a professor’s instruction which directed them to plagiarize. Due to this fact, Sisti offered educators several strategies for managing academic dishonesty

A History Of The Netflix Strategy

A History Of The Netflix Strategy In 1997, Reed Hastings, along with partners Marc Randolph and Mitch Lowe, was inspired to develop one of the most successful bricks and mortar businesses to date, when a frustrating situation exposed the need to create a lucrative e-commerce business, requiring many of the same basic components as a traditional business, including a cohesive business model, compelling marketing plan, and strong implementation strategy. It was the video rental late fee that motivated Reed Hastings to develop Netflix.com.  [1]  Advances in technology, adaptation of DVD media over VHS, and an unmet consumer demand is responsible for the successful launch of Hastings vision, which has undergone several strategy shifts similar to other innovative start-up companies that begin with a simple vision. Changes in focus or direction have continued to assure that the company remains dominant in the movie rental industry, using a strong business strategy and a cohesive implementation plan that have increased the odds of their success in the market. Hastings began his business by declaring a simple yet effective mission statement, our appeal and success are built on the most expansive selection of DVDs; an easy way to choose movies; and fast, free delivery.  [2]  The business strategy for Netflix has evolved to satisfy new market opportunities, although the original concept has remained the same, making the companys business model the perfect business model from which all eBusinesses could learn, regardless of the slow adoption by the internet user community. To translate market opportunity to business opportunity, Hastings follows the seven-step framework to create the original company and continued to leverage the individual steps to re-evaluate the companys position in a changing market. . There are four key environments to consider when analyzing a market opportunity-customers, company, technology, and competition.  [3]  The overlapping areas of these key environments would represent the market opportunity area for a business. The first of the seven step process identified the unmet or underserved customer needs by Reed Hastings, being a customer himself. He was able to draw upon his personal experience to establish the opportunity nucleus of the company that stemmed mostly from processes dictated by traditional video rental businesses. The bricks and mortar movie rental companies had generally established methods and policies regarding video rentals, late fees, and membership rules that, according to Hastings, would have no reason to change without external competition. Following the problem recognition step, Netflix identified its target market by grouping customers into segments, referred to as the distinction between must-have and nice-to-have customers.  [4]  For Netflix, this includes identifying customers using geographic, demographic, and behavioural segmentation approaches, with the target audience expanding beyond the regions and primary market areas that typically define traditional brick-and-mortar businesses. In this type of business, the target audience is bound by technology rather than geography, giving Netflix the competitive advantage it needed to begin as a business by utilizing an Internet-based system that allowed a user to find movie titles, making it easier than strolling the aisles of a video rental store. The entire supply-chain of the Netflix mail-order fulfillment system is more desirable than issues surrounding weather, store hours, and drop boxes common to most bricks and mortar movie rental businesses. Step four of the seven-step process involved assessing the resources necessary to deliver the benefits of the product to the consumer for Netflix as a company, and step five required an in-depth assessment of the technology required to deliver the product to the end-user, and the impact of these new technologies externally as the technologies used in 1997 were primitive to present-day technologies. As a positioning strategy for the future, Netflix was able to incorporate Broadband technology as a part of its product delivery system and distribution strategy as it is commonplace today, making the online users experience many times better than before. Step six of the market opportunity framework involved distilling the opportunity into concrete terms, before the final step of justifying the companys position in the market and identifying the overlapping areas of the four key environments mentioned earlier that represent the market opportunity area for Netflix. The online experience that Netflix provides to its consumer rivals the competition and is a part of its differentiation strategy in the market. The Netflix market position boasts an easier way to choose movies, fast and free shipping, and no late fees or due dates  [5]  , unique to the company in terms of its product and delivery. In addition to following the movie rental membership models of other businesses, Netflix expanded the scope of their offering to include several levels of membership and created an online community where member could contribute by offering and sharing reviews as a part of its promotion strategy. Today, this online business model that differentiates the product by creating an experience for the user has become a beacon for other businesses to follow.  [6]   Netflix follows best practices across 7Cs-context, commerce, connection, communication, content, community, and customization as its product, promotion and distribution strategy.  [7]  The context of Netflix site follows basic rules for ease of use and navigation standards for the web, and uses a clean, uncluttered design to present an online movie rental experience that is unique for its users. The color scheme and graphic elements also remain true to the corporate brand image of the company. Its commerce capability is limited only by its business model, where members spend the majority of their time within the areas of the Netflix website that offers movie reviews and search capabilities, as the only transactions are one-time enrolments and subscriptions to the monthly service. Members only revisit the commerce section if a subscription needs to be changed since all other transactions are automatic and recurring. The connection design element is not used on the Netflix member s ite as the Netflix website does not offer any external links. However, in the non-member and public areas within the website, Netflix offers external links to the websites of major publications, well-known critics, and other movie review sites. Netflix banner ads that are found on many popular sites, link each banner ad to the Netflix main page. Netflix has also mastered the challenges associated with integrating their website and other communication channels. As an example, each time a movie is returned, the member receives an email, asking them to review the movie and offer additional comments if desired. Periodically, the member receives an email asking for information regarding the timing and condition of a DVD once it is delivered. This information is then used to monitor the quality of service of the fulfillment centers. The Netflix website content consists mostly of movie imagery, descriptions and storylines, and member posted reviews. A non-member is presented with content d esigned to encourage enrolment, whereas the member community enjoys a user-specific experience, where movie titles are presented to each member that are relevant to his or her likes and dislikes, based on individual movie reviews. The content also includes static information regarding the Netflix organization, its affiliates, career listings, and social networking links. Additionally, Netflix provides a robust community design element to their site, where members are invited to participate in reviews, forums, and blogs. The tell-a-friend option creates a viral element useful in word-of-mouse marketing, but falls short of providing functionality that allows member-to-member communication. Movie ratings provided by the users are real-time, whereas the written reviews are moderated before posting live to the site. Lastly, customization features include allowing every member to manage his or her own personal movie queue. Much like a playlist, the Netflix queue is used to control and man age the titles and order that the movies should be delivered to the member. The site uses this customization element to provide a member-specific experience to the user. Every member also receives an interactive list of movie titles that can be added to their playlist as another customization feature, after analyzing the members previously watched movies and the associated ratings provide enough information to create a suggested playlist. Netflix uses several communication strategies as its promotion strategy for prospecting and acquiring new members. Of the four categories of communication which are direct, personalized, mass marketing, and general approaches, the company relies mostly on the general approach of banner ads, email, and viral marketing. Members opt-in to receive special notices, offers, and incentives.  [8]  Netflix also uses banner advertising to direct traffic from sites with a similar audience demographic as their current target market. As its new pricing strategy, Netflix split its pricing model into two options. The first one continued with the old model where customers get unlimited streaming along with DVD-rentals, and also added a new option where customers get unlimited movie streaming without the option of DVD-rental. The unlimited streaming only option, which is clearly Netflixs preferred method of delivering TV shows and movies, costs $7.99 per month. The unlimited streaming with DVD-rental costs between $9.99 to $41.99 per month, depending on the number of DVDs rented. The old pricing model started at $9.99 per month, so the new streaming only option represents a $2.00 monthly decrease.

Ecstasy: A Drug That Can Kill :: Illegal Drugs Essays

Ecstasy: A Drug That Can Kill missing works cited Three years ago, Mark*, now a college junior, went to a Dave Mathews concert in Boston with a few friends. He was 18 at the time, and about a half-hour before the concert started, they all decided to take a pill of the drug Ecstasy. This was Mark’s first time taking the drug, so he didn’t fully know what to expect. They chose what is called the â€Å"speedy† type, commonly used at raves and parties rather than the â€Å"dopey† type, which is known to give more of a slow, relaxing feeling. â€Å"Seriously, you get this warm fuzzy feeling that runs up your back, and a feeling that everything in life is right. Your jaw begins to clench and you love chewing on stuff†¦gum, straws, candy,† he said. The feelings that Mark experienced are typical effects of the drug. His most intense feelings lasted about three hours, and the overall feeling of the drug remained for about six to seven hours. Yet the feelings of contentment abruptly ended when he awoke the next day. â€Å"The next day was the most horrible day of my life,† he said. â€Å"All the happiness that was triggered in your brain is drained and you’re left with nothing.† Over eight million people aged 12 and older reported using the â€Å"club† drug ecstasy at least once in their lifetime, according to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), an information source on the consequences, patterns, and prevalence of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drug use and abuse in the general U.S. population, age 12 and older. Methylenedioxymethamephetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy, is a synthetic psychoactive drug used for its elated and hallucinogenic causes. Formally used to assist psychotherapy in the 1970s, it is now banned in the United States. Although illegal, it is rapidly rising in popularity in the United States, particularly among teenagers and young adults. Taken orally in a tablet or capsule, snorted, or injected, it generally takes 30 to 40 minutes to take effect and lasts about three to six hours, although some side effects can occur weeks after taking the drug. Ecstasy’s psychological side effects include confusion, depression, sleep problems, anxiety, and paranoia. Like Prozac, it causes an elevation in serotonin, a chemical in the brain which triggers happy feelings in people. Some physical side effects are muscle tension, teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision, chills, or sweating.

The Pearl :: Pearl

The Pearl Microsoft Encarta defines superstition to be an irrational but usually deep-seated belief in the magical effects of a particular action or ritual, especially in the likelihood that good or bad luck will result from performing it. Religion is defined as people's beliefs and opinions concerning the existence, nature, and worship of a deity or deities, and divine involvement in the universe and human life. In the first chapter, we find out that Juana does not know whether to trust her original polytheistic religion, or the newly introduced monotheistic religion (most likely Catholicism). "Under her breath Juana repeated an ancient magic to guard against such evil, and on top of that she muttered a Hail Mary between her clenched teeth."(4) This could have different meanings about what is, and what is not superstition, depending on your point of view. One who believes the native religion would believe strongly that the "ancient magic" would help Coyotito. The Catholic idea of just one god is ludicrous and irrational, which means that from this point of view, Catholicism is a superstition. A Catholic will believe that saying Hail Mary will help Coyotito, but it is not a good thing to pray to the other gods. In the Catholic religion, God is always testing your faith. Believing in two religions means that your faith is weak, so God might punish Juana's family. If the person viewing this is an atheist they will believe that there is no god or gods and will consider it irrelevant. That means they think that both the methods of prayer are mere superstitions, and doing one or both will have no positive or negative effect. The last point of view is Juana's. Juana is pretty sure that there is a higher power, but is not sure to trust her history, or this newly proposed god. She doesn't know what to choose, so she decides not to make a choice, and pray for both gods. She wants Coyotito to have the highest chances of surviving, so she prays to all gods.

The Maya Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Maya were a dominating society of Mesoamerica, rich in culture, community, and art. While life may not be completely interpretable yet, much in known about how these societies were constructed, and how their religion dominated their lives. Much is generally made of their massive stonework, their ceremonial complexes, and ritual sacrifices, but their small jade, ceramic, and stone sculpture deserves as much attention as the works of much larger size have received.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Maya, inhabiting southern Mexico, Guatemala, and northern Belize, began to settle in communities around 1500 b.c. By A.D. 200, these communities had grown into large cities with expansive areas of temples, pyramids, ball courts, and plazas.1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pre classic Maya sculpture developed under the geographic expansion of the inhabitants into a variety of ecosystems, inspiring technical and artistic change. The highland inhabitants may have been earlier in initiating stone sculpture.2 Figure 8, an anthropomorphic mushroom figure found in Guatemala may have been a symbol of fertility, judging by its shape’s connotation. Other regional sculpture includes figurines with swollen bellies, accentuated sexual regions, and even pregnant animal depictions. This could be because of the association of maternity and fertility with nature and Mother Earth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Classic Period of the Maya began to develop around A.D. 250 and flourished through A.D. 900. Around that time was the start of the Post Classic Period, which was conquered by the Spanish in the early 16th century.3 The information about the classification of these cultures is not strong in that it may be considered inappropriate to call certain periods Classic, Pre Classic, Post Classic, etc. because the rise and fall of Mayan cities was an overlapping sensation, and the establishment of a certain style would appear at many different times throughout the domination of the culture. For classification of the purposes of this paper, however, the division of the culture is used.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Small Mayan sculpture has been discovered at a variety of locations. An Early Classic jade piece, 4 1/4† tall, of the Bird-Monster God (fig. 9), was found at Copan, Honduras. This tiny, sculpted piece of a deity features human hands and feet, with the figure seated cro... ...assic Maya Art and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Architecture.† In The Ancient Americas: Art from Sacred Landscapes, ed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Richard F. Townsend, 159-169. Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1992. Miller, Mary Ellen. The Art of Mesoamerica from Olmec to Aztec, 2nd ed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  London: Thames and Hudson, 1996. Reilly III, F. Kent. â€Å"Art, Ritual, and Rulership in the Olmec World.† In The   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ancient Civilizations of Mesoamerica, eds. Michael E. Smith and Marilyn   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Masson, 369-399. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2000. Valdes, Juan Antonio. â€Å"The Beginnings of Preclassic Maya Art and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Architecture.† In The Ancient Americas: Art from Sacred Landscapes, ed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Richard F. Townsend, 147-57. Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1992. The Maya Essay -- essays research papers fc The Maya were a dominating society of Mesoamerica, rich in culture, community, and art. While life may not be completely interpretable yet, much in known about how these societies were constructed, and how their religion dominated their lives. Much is generally made of their massive stonework, their ceremonial complexes, and ritual sacrifices, but their small jade, ceramic, and stone sculpture deserves as much attention as the works of much larger size have received.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Maya, inhabiting southern Mexico, Guatemala, and northern Belize, began to settle in communities around 1500 b.c. By A.D. 200, these communities had grown into large cities with expansive areas of temples, pyramids, ball courts, and plazas.1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pre classic Maya sculpture developed under the geographic expansion of the inhabitants into a variety of ecosystems, inspiring technical and artistic change. The highland inhabitants may have been earlier in initiating stone sculpture.2 Figure 8, an anthropomorphic mushroom figure found in Guatemala may have been a symbol of fertility, judging by its shape’s connotation. Other regional sculpture includes figurines with swollen bellies, accentuated sexual regions, and even pregnant animal depictions. This could be because of the association of maternity and fertility with nature and Mother Earth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Classic Period of the Maya began to develop around A.D. 250 and flourished through A.D. 900. Around that time was the start of the Post Classic Period, which was conquered by the Spanish in the early 16th century.3 The information about the classification of these cultures is not strong in that it may be considered inappropriate to call certain periods Classic, Pre Classic, Post Classic, etc. because the rise and fall of Mayan cities was an overlapping sensation, and the establishment of a certain style would appear at many different times throughout the domination of the culture. For classification of the purposes of this paper, however, the division of the culture is used.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Small Mayan sculpture has been discovered at a variety of locations. An Early Classic jade piece, 4 1/4† tall, of the Bird-Monster God (fig. 9), was found at Copan, Honduras. This tiny, sculpted piece of a deity features human hands and feet, with the figure seated cro... ...assic Maya Art and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Architecture.† In The Ancient Americas: Art from Sacred Landscapes, ed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Richard F. Townsend, 159-169. Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1992. Miller, Mary Ellen. The Art of Mesoamerica from Olmec to Aztec, 2nd ed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  London: Thames and Hudson, 1996. Reilly III, F. Kent. â€Å"Art, Ritual, and Rulership in the Olmec World.† In The   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ancient Civilizations of Mesoamerica, eds. Michael E. Smith and Marilyn   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Masson, 369-399. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2000. Valdes, Juan Antonio. â€Å"The Beginnings of Preclassic Maya Art and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Architecture.† In The Ancient Americas: Art from Sacred Landscapes, ed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Richard F. Townsend, 147-57. Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1992.

Health Care Reform Matrix Essay

With your learning team, complete the Health Care Reform matrix below. Listed in this matrix are some of the topics addressed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act policy. You are required to describe the issue, in your own words, and list 2-3 points about each topic under each heading in the matrix. Describe the issue: Key concerns regarding the issue: How is this issue addressed in the current health care environment? How will this issue be addressed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act? Patient Bill of Rights A newly implemented set of protections that apply to health coverage starting on or after September 23, 2010. The patient bill of rights was implemented to end common insurance abuses such as discrimination against children with preexisting conditions, ban on insurance companies dropping or limiting coverage for individuals in their utmost time of need, and coverage for preventive care. In the past insurance companies were known to deny coverage for people with preexisting conditions including children. Also in the past insurance companies were allowed to deny coverage for preventive treatments. Currently in the health care environment insurance companies are no longer allowed to discriminate against children with preexisting conditions and are not allowed to deny or limit coverage. Individuals are now entitled to coverage regardless of their health status. The affordable care act has implemented the patient bill of rights which makes it mandatory for insurance companies to accept individuals and provide coverage regardless of their health status and regulates coverage for certain preventive testing mandatory such as cancer screening, immunizations and hearing and vision test for children and newborns Medical Loss Ratio Medical loss ratios are defined as when an insurance company spend a substantial portion of consumer premium dollars on administrative costs and profits including executive salaries and marketing. Lawmakers have raised some concerns about the MLR  provisions, including the issue that insurers are not allowed to deduct insurance agent, broker and salary bonuses and commissions from their medical loss ratio expenses The ACA requires certain health  insurers to provide consumer rebates if they do not meet a set financial target known as a medical loss ratio (MLR) Beginning in 2011 all health insurers are required to publicly submit data reports detailing aggregated state level financial data as well as income from premiums and expenditures on health care claims quality improvement taxes licenses and regulatory fees under the ACA. State-based Health Insurance Exchange Online State Health Insurance comparison websites A state can offer it’s own insurance or work with other states to establish regional insurance coverage exchanges People who are not able to obtain affordable insurance through their workplace, Medicaid or CHIP had the opportunity to purchase health insurance during open enrollment October 2013. 25 states out of the 50 united states have decided not to run an exchange for their specific state residents People who are not offered affordable insurance through their workplace must purchase coverage individually which can be quite expensive. Residents of states that do not offer specific insurance can explore coverage’s offered by regional exchanges The Act promises to give individuals health coverage by reforming the insurance markets and insurance. Individuals can compare and contrast coverage. Coverage will be of one of two packages, Family/Individual coverage and Small Business coverage. Federally-facilitated Insurance Exchange Federal government will have to be aware of insurance laws that are state specific Federally Facilitated exchanges do not have the option to regulate which health plans are purchased through the exchanges like states do States are allowed to decide which health plans they want to have participating in their exchange If plans out side of the federally facilitated exchanges offer coverage that is less-comprehensive and more affordable residents may  choose to purchase that rather than the federal The National Committee for Quality Assurance use accrediting companies to determine which health plans are qualified Residents are able to chose which insurance provider they would like to purchase from if they chose to do so All health plans within the state will be allowed to participate in the Affordable Care Act It is projected that as sicker people begin to make more claims on coverage purchased through exchanges the price for coverage will increase Consumer Assistance Programs Consumer assistance programs under the Affordable Health Care Act were implemented to help and assist consumers with filing complaints, Appeals, as well as to assist consumers in enrollment in health care coverage, and educate consumers on the rights and responsibilities. Also by law data is collected on consumer inquiries and complain as well as problems to help identify concerns with in the marketplace and strengthen enforcement in a quality improvement A ley concern with consumer assistance programs is the lack of adequate funding. Aside from the lack of adequate funding consumer assistance programs were put in place to address consumer complaints and concerns and assist consumer when enrolling in health care coverage, as this will be a fundamental necessity to expanding coverage to millions of Americans. new resources will help develop and expand programs to help consumers with health insurance questions and concerns consumer assistant programs vary from state to state but typically states are utilizing consumer assistance programs to help improve coverage expansion Future federal funding and the improvement of available resources can help states improve consumer assistance programs which deal with consumer complaints, enrollment concerns, and enrollment and coverage assistance Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan A pre-existing condition is a health or medical condition that a patient has prior to having an active insurance policy. These conditions include but are not limited to: Heart problems, Cancer, Asthma, or Kidney disease. This plan also known as PCIP provides coverage for those patients with pre-existing  conditions under a special plan. In the past patients have been denied medical insurance due to pre-existing conditions or received medical benefits but exclude pre-existing conditions. Therefore, patients have larger out of pocket costs for the medical care they really need. Currently with the changes that are being done with the healthcare reform, insurance companies are not allowed to deny coverage to patients due to a pre-existing condition. However, there is an exception with grandfathered plans which don’t benefit the patients at all. PCIP was started to help those patients who need the coverage while the reform is fully enforced. PCIP was closed due to funding could not be guaranteed. However as of 2014 the exchange plans were opened to those who need it and provide coverage for pre-existing conditions. This allows patients to obtain coverage for their medical conditions without having to pay extra premiums or meet certain guidelines in order for medical services to be considered for payment. Annual Limits Alisha In the past many health coverage plans included a lifetime dollar limit or annual limit that the healthcare plan would cover for a patients treatment and patients were required to pay all funds exceeding that limit patients with expensive healthcare would face paying costs when they exceeded their lifetime limits Coverage for Young People Young Adult Coverage is provided for dependants under the age of 26. This allows them to maintain insurance coverage through their parents. This plan is available even if the dependant gets married, has their own insurance, a student or living independently. Before the Affordable Care Act adult children would be removed from policies due to their age, school status or where they lived. Automatic enrollment Losing coverage Extended coverage Are dependents required to get parents insurance when they can get their own? The young adult coverage is not a requirement. Parents can decide if they add their children and if they continue to do so until they are 26 years of age. Some policies offer additional coverage for young adults but they need to check with their insurance carrier. The young adult does not have to be financially dependant or live with their parents in order to receive coverage. This issue was addressed to help lower the amount of uninsured individuals. They ensured that increased premiums will not exist in order to make it affordable and convenient. The Affordable act states an insurance carrier cannot increase payment or deny to add a dependant. They provided a special enrollment period in September 2010 in order for young adults to take full advantage of the changes. Grandfathered Plans According to â€Å"Healthcare.gov† (2014), â€Å"Grandfathered plans are those that were in existence on March 23, 2010 and haven’t been changed in ways that substantially cut benefits or increase costs for consumers. Insurers must notify consumers with these policies that they have a grandfathered plan.† (Grandfathered health insurance plans). These types of plans can be obtained from employer or individually (paid directly by the consumer) A key concern with this type of policy is changes that can be made such as increased premium payments. These plans are not subject to have a fixed rate or fixed increase. Individual policies do not have to cover pre-existing conditions even with the new reform law in place This plan can limit which doctors a patient can visit. There is a way around this type of insurance plan. If there is a significant change in the policy the insured individuals need to be notified. With significant change the policy may be required to drop the â€Å"Grandfathered plan† status and therefore positive changes in the insured’s coverage. Considerations were taken when making the decisions for this law. The law did not go into effect until March 2010 therefore old policies do not fall under this act. The only insurance policies that were going to be impacted are those that became effective 04/01/2010. Prevention Due to the high rise in cost and health care, Americans throughout the world were unaware and uneducated about health care prevention. Therefore, individuals had minimal knowledge how to decrease the chances of disease. Costs 75% of health care costs on chronic illnesses can be prevented 7 out of 10 deaths a year are due to illnesses that could have been prevented with the use of preventative health care The ACA helps make prevention for Americans, affordable and accessible. The act ensures that most of their health plans cover the recommended preventative services. Americans with private health insurance are able to gain access to preventative services at no cost. In March 2010 congress passed a new health legislation law, â€Å"Affordable Care Act†, in which makes health care, and preventative care services an easier and less costly way for Americans to have access to these types of services. Review of Insurance Plans The Affordable Care Act is providing health care coverage to millions of Americans. On January 1, 2014 , the health care market was open to those who wanted to sign up under the Affordable Care act. There are 5 different categories or â€Å"metal levels† of coverage in the Marketplace. According to â€Å"Marketplace Insurance Categories† (2014), Plans in each category pay different amounts of the total costs of an average person’s care. Bronze: Your health plan pays 60% on average. You pay about 40%. Silver: Your health plan pays 70% on average. You pay about 30%. Gold: Your health plan pays 80% on average. You pay about 20%. Platinum: Your health plan pays 90% on average. You pay about 10%. Catastrophic: Catastrophic coverage plans pay less than 60% of the total  average cost of care on average. They’re available only to people who are under 30 years old or have a hardship exemption. As of January 1st, 2014 most Americans had to obtain a qualifying health plan. If they did not they will face a fine. All health plans on the Marketplace can be purchased with subsidies if you qualify. Currently Plans and estimated prices for 2015 coverage will be available in early November. The Affordable Care Act wanted to provide individuals and families health care coverage. The Marketplace plans that are offered help consumers find the policies that best meet their needs. Student Health Plans Students attending college are often limited to health insurance coverage, possibly leaving students and their families with extreme costs in medical bills. Limited benefits Not all student health plans are the same High cost in medical bills Difficult to understand health insurance plans and coverage Through the ACA students have preventative coverage and consumer protections. Protections provided to students who enroll are; annual limits, medical loss ratio and notice requirement. In February 2011, a proposed regulation was issued from the HHS for students, therefore ensuring students the enroll in ACA coverage, get the health plan they need. Self-funded, Non-federal Governmental Plans Alisha A non-Federal governmental employer that provides self-funded group health plan coverage to its employees (coverage that is not provided through an insurer) may elect to exempt its plan from certain requirements of Title XXVII of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act. (CMS 2014) In the past sponsors of self-funded, non-Federal governmental plans were permitted to elect to exempt certain provisions of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act Medicaid Expansion BREE Providing states with additional federal funding to expand their Medicaid programs to cover adults under 65 with income up to 133% of the federal poverty level. So the states that have expanded Medicaid, will be able to provide free or low-cost health coverage to people whose income is below a certain level. Medicaid expansion is a voluntary action by each state. Over 15 million men, women and children will be eligible for Medicaid in State’s that participate in Medicaid Expansion. Although in the states that have not expanded on Medicaid, will leave 5.7 million people uninsured in 2016 . Currently out of the 50 states , 20 are states still have not expanded their Medicaid program. Supporters of the healthcare law believe that the Medicaid expansion will save both state and federal money while extending healthcare coverage to millions of lower-income Americans. Opponents say it is just another example of government overreach and that it is up to the states to determine whether they can afford such an expansion (â€Å"Is Medicaid Expansion Good For The States?† 2014). The Affordable Care Act is actually the reason states are being provided extra funding to expand their Medicaid programs References: About.com. (2013). Retrieved from http://patients.about.com/od/AffordableCareAct/a/Pre-Existing-Conditions-And-The-Affordable-Care-Act.htm CFDA, (N.D). Affordable Care Act (ACA) – Consumer Assistance Program Grants. Retrieved from: https://www.cfda.gov/index?s=program&mode=form&tab=core&id=a8b2f9cc8e4dee31438c7bf8cf918532 Healthcare.gov. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.healthcare.gov/health-care-law-protections/pre-existing-conditions/ Healthcare.gov. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.healthcare.gov/health-care-law-protections/grandfathered-plans/ Health Policy Briefs. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.healthaffairs.org/healthpolicybriefs/brief.php?brief_id=84 Kaiser Family foundation, (Feb, 29, 2012). Explaining Health Care Reform: Medical Loss Ratio (MLR). Retrieved from: http://kff.org/health-reform/fact- sheet/explaining-health-care-reform-medical-loss-ratio-mlr/ Marketplace insurance categories. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.healthcare.gov/choose-a-plan/plans-categories/ Medicaid Expansion Good for the States?. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/is-medicaid-expansion-good-for-the-states U.S Department of Labor. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq-dependentcoverage.html

Sonnet Writing

In Judith Rodriguez piece In-flight note, the author illustrates a sonnet within a sonnet that tells the story of a boy writing a love letter on a plane. As she watches over his shoulder, the author acts in an invasive yet inquisitive manner as she intrudes on the love that the boy is trying to express. He seems reluctant to write and torn between his decision to leave and his love for his teenage beau.As she watches him write, â€Å"It’s naive to think we could be just good friends,† she appears to be bitter, frustrated and jaded about love in general. As if a friendship has been loved and lost or a past lover has walked from her in the same way the boy has left. With the use of her language and ideas that she is expressing, it is as though ridiculing the boy for falling in love. As she ends the piece with, â€Å"Pages and pages. And so the whole world ends,† she demonstrates a vivid and dramatic line that reflects a young and teenage love.It shows that the auth or believes that this love is not over and it will continue to play out in life or in thoughts of both the teenagers, for years to come. The striking thing about this sonnet is that although it has a sour feel about it, it is like the author is well aware of heartbreak herself and in criticizing the boy she is in fact criticizing herself from afar. Although the sonnet does not openly reflect a love poem, it still paints a picture of the harsh, cruel heartbreak and pain that it can cause.

Solving Black Inner City Poverty

FILM QUESTIONNAIRE #2 DUE DATE: 10/8/10 NAME: Solving Black Inner-City Poverty: William Julius Wilson, Films for the Humanities, Inc. , 1994 [30 minutes] 1. What has been the main cause of the rise of concentrated poverty in the urban ghetto since the 1970s according to Wilson? (4 points) Wilson argues that one of the main cause of the rise of concentrated poverty in the urban ghetto since the 1970s is the fact of segregation. In the 1970s the poor, middle class and upper class all lived in the same neighborhoods. This gave the poor more opportunities to find jobs through interaction with the wealthier tier of citizens.Nowadays, the less fortunate cluster in the ghettos and create their own life-ways, which makes it increasingly difficult to get out of the vicious circle. The schools in the neighborhood are not adequate, there are less opportunities and they cant live up to the morals and values that they would like to, but form their own. Another major factor to why the poor stay po or is the fact that single-mom households have increased from 20% in the 1970s to 51% today and the struggle it is for them to get out of the ghetto being what they are.In his book The Declining Significance of Race he further examines the question; â€Å"Why do poverty and unequal opportunity persist in the lives of so many African Americans? † In response, he traces the history and current state of powerful structural factors impacting African Americans, such as discrimination in laws, policies, hiring, housing, and education. He argues against either/or politicized views of poverty among African Americans that either focus blame solely on cultural factors or only on unjust structural factors.He tries to demonstrate the importance of understanding not only the independent contributions of social structure and culture, but also how they interact to shape different group outcomes that embody racial inequality. 2. What are some elements of the informal sex code that governs se xual relations in the ghetto? (3 points) Wilson contends that there is an â€Å"informal sexcode† within the ghettos and that the ratio of births among young women is increasing. Men gain prestige by the numbers of girlfriends as well as children they accumulate.And since black males are â€Å"unmarriable† when they do not have a job to support the family, the women end up alone with several children. Wilson was one of the first to enunciate at length the â€Å"spatial mismatch† theory for the development of a ghetto underclass. As industrial jobs disappeared in cities in the wake of global economic restructuring, and hence urban unemployment increased, women found it unwise to marry the fathers of their children, since the fathers would not be breadwinners. 3. Wilson advocates universal type programs for dealing with the plight of the inner city poor.What is meant by universal programs? Why is he in favor of universal as opposed to race-specific solutions? (4 p oints) A Universal Program is a program that addresses all races. Wilson favors Universal programs for the fact that no American citizen should be living in poverty. As of the time of the interview two thirds of the poor within the US population was white. The whites were also hit hard by the de-industrialization, not only the black. Wilson argues that we should talk in Universal terms, about programs that are there to help all Americans get a job.The way to reach the poor is by introducing an alternative avenue to success, they feel neglected and not involved in the white middle/upper-class society so in return they have created their own sphere where they set the rules and where perceived relative deprivation is high. Where the poor blacks have nurtured hatred towards the white middleclass for doing well. 4. Wilson himself grew up in a poor family in rural Pennsylvania. Why does he think he was able to escape poverty against the odds? (3 points)Wilson grew up in a poor family in r ural Pennsylvania but still managed to escape poverty since he had a very good role model, namely his Aunt Janice. His aunt (with his mother behind her) pushed Wilson to get an education and took him on trips, to museums and gave him books. She got him on his feet and he took over from there. He was also raised in rural Pennsylvania and not in an inner city, which is a big difference. In the inner city you have a sense of crowdedness, a high rate of crimes, easy access to drugs, and the sense of being imprisoned, which you do not have in the rural parts of the country.This gives you a different outlook on things according to Wilson. 5. In the article we read (â€Å"A Black City Within the White†), Loic Wacquant formulates a strong critique of Wilson and other proponents of the â€Å"underclass† thesis. What is the crux of his critique? Do you agree with Wilson or Wacquant? Why? (6 points) Wilson argues that the significance of race is waning, and an African-American's class is comparatively more important in determining his or her life chances.Wacquant, on the other hand, argues that a ghetto is not simply a conglomeration of poor families or a spatial accumulation of undesirable social conditions but an institutional form. He points out that it is the instrument of ethnoracial closure and power whereby a population deemed disreputable and dangerous is at once secluded and controlled. Furthermore, he disputes the fact that ghettos were ever simply desolate places of ecological disrepair and social hardship. He points out that there was – and still are – manifestations of a power relation between the dominant white society and its subordinate black caste.I would argue that Wilsons’s argument that the labor market problems African Americans face today are largely due to deindustrialization and consequent skills mismatches. On one hand, African Americans never were especially dependent on jobs in the manufacturing sector, so dei ndustrialization in itself has not had a major impact on African Americans, and that, on the other hand, the relative labor market success of poorly-educated immigrants in the postindustrial era shows that there is no absence of jobs for those ith few skills. To me, Wilson puts forth the attitude that a persons patterns and norms of behavior tend to be shaped by those with which he or she has had the most frequent or sustained contact and interaction. First, he seems to argue that external influences or differential associations are on of the key pillars to his theory, secondly, the out-migration of middle-class minorities, and thirdly, the problem of distance and spatial mismatch – between inner city residents and places of potential employment.He also attributed the increasing rate of inner city marriage disintegration to consistent states of joblessness. I must say that I think Wilson does not give enough emphasis to the role of race. Racial segregation is much more crucia l to the development of concentrated poverty and any resulting neighborhood disintegration than black middle-class out-migration, while social class segregation is a very real factor, it is notably intensified when racial segregation is high. Wilson is not acknowledging current discriminatory practices, in my opinion.