Ethical Issues in Information Technology Essay

The society develops with unbelievable speed, from telegraphy, telephone, radio of 19th century to the modern 21th century, which is the Age with rapid developing and growing of knowledge and information. For example, Internet has been used widely everywhere in the world. We call it â€Å"global, Web-based platform, this platform enables people to connect, compute, communicate, compete, and collaborate anywhere, anytime to access limitless amounts of information, services, and entertainment†(Rainer & Cegielski, 2011 ). It is so obvious Information technologies benefit us a lot; in the meantime, IT also can raise new ethical problems. Ethics is a system of moral principles, or branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such action. They include responsibilities, accountability and liability. â€Å"The major ethical issues related to IT are privacy, accuracy, property, and accessibility to information† (Rainer & Cegielski, 2011). Privacy is the state of being free from unsanctioned intrusion. Now the right to privacy is considered by federal government as common law. Solution Usually after huge damages or losses of some individuals, organizations or institutions, government comes up some privacy act for regulation and protection purposes. Privacy policies are an organization’s guidelines for protecting the privacy of customers, clients and employees. They are an attempt to reduce crimes such as privacy, copyright infringement; identity thief. The U. S. Congress implemented Acts address the ethical issues necessitating the creation of the acts and the advances in it. Let’s see the following examples. Do Not Call Implementation Act We know organizations are able to collect, integrate, and distribute enormous amounts of information on individuals, groups, and institutions through computer networks. For example, a lot of people experience receiving commercial calls for business selling or survey, waster people’s phone bill and disturb personnel lives. According to â€Å"National Do Not Call Registry† (2011), â€Å"Congress passed the Do Not Call Implementation Act on January 7, 2003. The Federal Communications Commission opened registration for the Do Not Call Registry on June 27, 2003 in order to comply with the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act of 2003. The program has proved quite popular: as of 2007, according to one survey, 72 percent of Americans had registered on the list, and 77 percent of those say that it made a large difference in the number of telemarketing calls that they receive (another 14 percent report a small reduction in calls). Another survey, conducted less than a year after the Do Not Call list was implemented, found that people who registered for the list saw a reduction in telemarketing calls from an average of 30 calls per month to an average of 6 per month. † No Electronic Theft Act Intellectual property is the intangible property created by individuals or corporations that is protected under trade secret, patent, and copyright laws (Rainer & Cegielski, 2011 ). The most common intellectual property concerns related to IT deals with software. Copyright software without paying the owner is a copyright violation. We heard a lot of complains from copyright victims. It is very unfair for the people gain benefits by stealing the other people’s achievement through hard-working. â€Å"Congress enacted the No Electronic Theft (NET) Act in 1997 to facilitate prosecution of copyright violation on the Internet. The NET Act makes it a federal crime to reproduce, distribute, or share copies of electronic copyrighted works such as songs, movies, games, or software programs, even if the person copying or distributing the material acts without commercial purpose and/or receives no private financial gain. Prior to this law being passed, people who intentionally distributed copied software over the Internet did not face criminal penalties if they did not profit from their actions. Electronic copyright infringement carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine† (University Information Technology Services, 2010). Conclusion There have been advances in IT that have been an asset to business today. The advances can reduce risk, minimize cost, and maximum efficiency. When we take advantages from IT, we still need protect privacy and intellectual property. Whether you run your own business or work in a large company, you’ll be challenged by these issues, and you’ll need to know how to deal with them. We need learn how to identify the threats to information security, and understand various defense mechanisms to protect information systems. Let’s follow the privacy act to avoid the ethical issues in IT field. In that way we can protect ourselves and enjoy the benefits which the modern information technologies bring to us.

Nuclear Battery

The short and unpredictable nature of the conventional chemical batteries, along with the frequent replacements that they require, has created an acute need for a reliable, longer-lasting and rugged source of energy. Moreover Radars, spacecrafts, interstellar probes and other advanced communication devices require much larger power than that can be met by conventional energy sources. The solution to long term energy source is the nuclear powered batteries which have a life span of few decades and can pack in energy densities thousands of time greater than conventional battery sources.Hence, there is an urgent need to harvest enormous amount of energy released naturally by the tiny bits of radioactive material. Unlike conventional nuclear power generating devices, these batteries do not rely on the fission or fusion reactions and do not generate any radioactive material as by-product. They promise clean, safe, reliable and almost endless energy without any drop in its yield or efficie ncy during its entire life span-which runs up to minimum of 10 years. They are generally used as power sources in unmanned and unmaintained locations requiring energy for longer durations.Nuclear batteries are not only going to replace conventional batteries, chargers and adapters but also present innovative means of powering portable devices. The nuclear battery technology is geared up to make way into commonly used day to day product like cell phones, laptops, automobiles etc. Surely it is battery of future. INTRODUCTION In this day and age of miniaturization the size of electronic circuitry has been diminishing at a astonishingly dizzying pace but the batteries that power these devices are not keeping up with them.The world of tomorrow that the technology manifests will be a very small one and we will need smaller batteries to power it !! Be it our personal laptops or cell phones, batteries still occupy a significant portion of the volume. The reason being the batteries are still nothing more than cans of chemicals like they were two centuries ago. They have not undergone any significant change in their functionality since Italian physicist Alexandaro Volta demonstrated flow of lectric current between two conductors by alternating discs of zinc and copper with pieces of cardboard soaked in brine. Many systems ideally (especially those in remote locations) have to operate for long periods, and it is not always feasible to recharge or replace their batteries. Now, with technology ushering in new era of miniaturization where MEMS (Micro Electrical Mechanical System) are gaining widespread popularity and are increasingly being used for a multitude of applications, they lack a durable onboard power supply. Batteries are at a critical juncture here!!MEMS are finding increasing applications in everything from sensors in car that trigger an alarm to injectible drug delivery system to environment monitoring ‘Smart Dust’ but they lack a long lasting on-d evice power source. To work around this power block, researchers have found an intriguing way: by harvesting the huge amount of energy released by radioactive material. Although several sources of energy could be used to supply this needed power (solid, fossil fuel) by these MEMS based systems but nuclear batteries are fast becoming a popular option in terms of power density and lifetime.For example A tiny speck of radioisotope like nickel-63 can generate enough energy to power these MEMS for decades. These nuclear micro batteries have energy at densities at thousand times greater than the Lithium ion batteries. So with these miniature machines really hitting their stride, we’ll need smaller, reliable and longer lasting battery sources! To clear the common misconception, nuclear power sources are not miniature nuclear reactors and they do not involve any fission or fusion reactions.In these power sources we use specific isotopes which emit particles that are blocked by the la yer of dead skin that covers our bodies. They penetrate no more than 25 micrometers in most solids or liquids, so in a battery they could safely be contained by a simple plastic package! TechnologyEnergy Density (milliwatt-hour /milligram) Lithium ion in a chemical battery0. 3 Methanol in a fuel cell3 Tritium in a nuclear battery850 Polonium-210 in a nuclear battery57 000 Energy Content in Different Type of Batteries IT IS A STAGGERINGLY SMALL WORLD THAT IS BELOW,† Said physicist Richard P. Feynman in his visionary talk to the American Physical Society, when he envisioned the fabrication of micro- and nano devices and declared that one day the entire Encyclopaedia Britannica could be written on the head of a pin. Feynman’s vision has finally begun to manifest, thanks to ever more sophisticated microelectronics. Micro and nano scale machines are ushering a multibillion-dollar market as they are being incorporated in virtually every electronic devices.Among the trendsetti ng applications in this development are ultra dense memories capable of storing hundreds of gigabytes in a fingernail-size device, micromirrors for enhanced display and optical communications equipment, and highly selective RF filters to reduce cell phones size and improve the quality of calls. But, again, at very small scales, chemical batteries can’t provide enough power for these micro machines. As the size of such a battery is reduced, the amount of stored energy goes down exponentially.Reduction in each side of a cubic battery by a factor of 10 as the volume is reduced —and therefore the energy that can be stored— reduces by a factor of 1000. In fact, the sensors today which are no larger than a speck of dust require batteries which are as large as a shirt button!!!!! COMPARISION WITH OTHER WELL KNOWN ENERGY SOURCES FOR NANO DEVICES In a bid to power these nano devices, researchers are turning away from conventional fuels like hydrogen and hydrocarbons (pro pane, methane, gasoline and diesel) and are meddling with micro fuels that consume hydrogen to generate power like other conventional fuels.Many are also developing on- board combustion engines that consume hydrogen to generate energy much like an average automobile. But these approaches are facing many hurdles. The primary road block is relatively low energy densities of these mechanisms and other being the continuous need to supply the fuel and eliminate the by-products formed . In case of other liquid fuels the major challenge is to develop a packaging that will contain sufficient liquid fuel to power these devices and which can be scaled down to micro and nano sizes at the same time.The nuclear batteries that are being developed won’t require any refilling or recharging. and will last as long as the half-life of the radioactive source. And even though their efficiency in converting nuclear to electrical energy isn’t high—about 4 percent—the extremely high energy density of the radioactive materials makes it possible for these micro batteries to produce relatively significant amounts of power. For example, with 10 milligrams of polonium-210 (contained in about 1 cubic millimeter), a nuclear powered battery could produce 50 milliwatts of electric power for more than four months.With that level of power, it would be possible to run a simple microprocessor and a handful of sensors for four continuous months. Specific Power Density Of Leading Power Isotopes KEY ELEMENTS OF THE TECHNOLOGY Why not conventional Gamma Emitters The first lesson to be learned here is: What are Radioisotopes Radioisotopes are basically unstable atoms that spontaneously emit high-energy particles as they decay to a more stable state. Most radioisotopes emit Gamma rays (which are essentially high-energy X-rays that can penetrate most materials including human flesh).But radioisotopes used in nuclear battery emit Alpha particles (an aggregate of two protons an d two neutrons) and Beta particles (high-energy electrons) that can’t penetrate as deeply and therefore pose less risk. Another reason why Gamma Emitters are not considered for development of the nuclear battery is that they would require sufficient amount of shielding. The Alpha Emitters, on the other hand, have an advantage due to the short range of the Alpha particles. This short range allows increased efficiency and thus provides more design flexibility, assuming that a sufficient activity can be achieved.The half life of the isotopes must be high enough so that the useful life of the battery is sufficient for typical applications, and low enough to provide sufficient activity. In addition, the new isotope resulting after decay should be stable, or it should decay without emitting Gamma radiation. The nuclear powered batteries that are being developed contain1 to 10 millicuries of nickel-63 or tritium, whose beta particles have relatively low energy and can be blocked by a layer of 25 to 100 micrometers of plastic, metal, or semiconductor (they are even blocked by the thin dead-skin layer covering our bodies. ) ISOTOPERADIATION TYPEHALF LIFE Yr)MAX. ENERGY (keV)AVERAGE ENERGY H-3Beta12. 3 y18. 65. 7 Ni-63Beta100. 2 y66. 917. 4 Po-210Alpha138. 8 y530. 43- Commonly Used Isotopes NUCLEAR BATTERIES WHICH ARE CURRENTLY USED JUNCTION TYPE BATTERY This type of battery is very useful for long term applications in devices like space crafts,battle field sensors and nanoelectric sensors.. The device basically consists of a small quantity of Nickel-63 placed near an ordinary silicon p-n junction( hence the name)—a diode, basically. As the Nickel-63 decays it emits beta particles, which are high-energy electrons that spontaneously fly out of the radioisotope’s unstable nucleus.The emitted beta particles ionizes the diode’s atoms, creating paired electrons and holes that diffuse away from each other at the p-n junction. These separated electr ons and holes travel away from the junction, thereby producing the current. Why Ni-63 is used in Junction Battery? Nickel-63 is ideal for this application because its emitted beta particles travel a maximum of 21 ? m in silicon before disintegrating; if the particles had more energy, they would travel longer distances, thus escaping the battery. This battery has a capacity of producing about 3 nanowatts, using 0. millicurie of Nickel-63 , power which is more than sufficient for nano devices. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS CANTILEVER BATTERIES These new types of batteries generate more power than a typical junction battery. These devices operate like generators where the radioactive energy is first converted into mechanical energy and then into pulses of electrical energy. Even though these devices involve an intermediate phase,their efficiency remain unaffected- if anything they actually tap the kinetic energy of the emitted particles for conversion into mechanical energy and hence provide a m ore continous flow of energy than conventional junction battery.Figure 5 Beta particles move from radioactive source and accumulate at Copper plate leading to electrostatic force of attraction Why Thin Film RadioIsotope is used in Cantilever Batteries? This device primarily uses a thin film of radioisotope. On top of this film, a small rectangular piece of silicon is cantilevered, its free end able to move up and down. As the electrons move away from the radioactive source, they travel through the air gap and hit the cantilever, charging it negatively. The source, which is positively charged, then attracts the cantilever, bending it down .This mechanical energy is converted instantaneously into electrical energy. SELF RECIPROCATING SiN BATTERIES These batteries use low stress thin film of SiN. In this device a Wheatstone bridge is formed using four resistors. The purpose of using Wheatstone bridge is to measure the deflections. The output from a Wheatstone bridge is sent to an opera tional amplifier and the amplified signal is measured. A self-timed reciprocating movement is obtained between the film of radioisotope and the cantilever arm.As compared to a conventional thin film cantilevers they offer better efficiency as the RF signal conversion from mechanical signal is more streamlined and compact. OPTOEELCTRONIC BATTERIES An optoelectronic nuclear battery has been developed by the researchers of Kurchatov Institute of Moscow. The Beta emitter would power an excimer mixture ( argon and xenon) which would produce light to excite a photocell. The primary advantage of this battery is that precision electrodes are not required and most electrons contribute to battery’s power output. NANONUCLEAR BATTERIESAny with technology â€Å"nano† suffixed ushers in a debate. A generally accepted criterion for labelling nanotechnology given by Mihail C. Roco( Ph. D. , a National Science Foundation Chair on the Nanoscale Science Engineering and Technology Subcomm ittee (NSEC) of the National Science and Technology Committee (NSTC)) states â€Å"one dimension of about one to 100 nanometers, designed through a process that exhibits fundamental control over the physical and chemical attributes of molecular-scale structures, and the ability to combine to form larger structures. †These technologies for the nano- nuclear battery have same operational and structural micro nuclear battery except it’s done on a nano level. These batteries have better efficiencies as compared to micro-nuclear batteries and the path for the research of nuclear battery ends at such nano powered devices. CURRENT PLAYERS NASA GLENN RESEARCH CENTRE, CLEAVELAND The scientists at the Glenn Research Centre are working in collaboration with the researchers at RIT on a project to develop alpha voltaic batteries for miniature military devices for US Army with sensing and communication capabilities.This project will be of three years duration and will focus on use o f a radioisotope Americium, which is used in smoke detector, along with handful of semiconductor devices to convert alpha energy into usable electricity. The project will conclude with full manufacture of device and plans for commercial manufacture. ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH LABORATORY, NEWYORK A team of researchers at RIT led by Ryne Rafelle, Head of physics and Microsystems have obtained funds ranging around $1. 2 million dollars from DARPA (Defence Advanced Project Research Agency) to develop nuclear power supplies for military use.The researchers are planning on using an innovative nanomaterial (quantum dots) to protect the semiconductor used inside the battery from radiation damage. This will make the battery not only safer but also increase its life to unprecedented levels. KUSHATOV INSTITUTE, MOSCOW The technology for Optoelectric nuclear batteries was developed by a team of researchers at Kuchatov Institute. In a revolutionary development, they used Radioiso tope Strontium-90 and Technetium-99 as beta emitters suspended in gas or liquid which permits nearly lossless transmission of beta energy. PRIVATE PLAYERS (QYNERGY CORPORATION, ALPLA V INC. WIDETRONIX ETC. ) These are leading private players company harvesting nuclear energy for the purpose of providing cutting edge energy and power solution that are not provided by current battery and storage system. Using their proprietary technologies they have developed high density power cell using the energy generated by radioisotopes. ECONOMIC POTENTIAL SPACE APPLICATIONS- SATELLITE AND INTERSTELLAR PROBE Radio isotropic Thermoelectric Generator(RTGs) are nuclear batteries which consists of stacks of thermocouples which convert the thermal energy obtained from the decay of radioisotope into usable electrical energy.They have emerged as the most popular power sources for the unmanned and unmaintained locations requiring power less than few hundred watts for durations which are too long for con ventional fuel cells and where solar panels are not feasible. RTGs are used as power sources in the satellites, space probe vehicles by NASA and in various unmanned remote locations, like a series of lighthouses built by the USSR in the Arctic Circle. Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary Power (SNAP) units which comprise of handful of RTGs are used especially for probes that travel far enough from the Sun that solar panels are no longer viable.Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11, Voyager 1, Galileo, Ulysses, Cassini and New Horizons used RTGs to meet their power requirements. Also, RTGs were used to power the two Viking landers and for the scientific experiments left on the Moon by the crews of Apollo 12. RTG also used on interstellar precursor missions and interstellar probes. One such example is the Innovative Interstellar Explorer (2003-current) proposal from NASA which will be using RTG Am-241 This could support mission extensions up to 1000 years. UNDERSEA APPLICATIONS- DEEP SEA SENSORSThe recent tsunami, earthquake and other under water phenomena have increased the demand for underwater sensors which can withstand such extreme conditions. These sensors are integrated with nuclear batteries which can work for longer durations in inaccessible places under crude situations. MEDICAL APPLICATIONS- NUCLEAR PACEMAKERS In early days, pacemakers used were powered with mercury and zinc batteries which could run for three years. Most often however, such mercury battery would fail in 20 months requiring the patient to undergo another implant for the replacement of the device.Nuclear Batteries are used extensively in the pacing industry to prolong the longevity of the implanted device. Pacemakers, implanted with nuclear batteries, offer young patients the chance to go through their entire lifetime with just a single implant. MOBILE DEVICES- CELLPHONES & LAPTOPS Xcell-N is a nuclear powered laptop battery that provides between seven and eight thousand times battery life as compared to a normal laptop battery- thus any laptop can be kept on for five continous years without having to charge it.Xcell- N is in continuous working state since the past eight months and neither has been turned off nor has been plugged into electrical power. Most cell phones use RF filters for frequency selection which occupy a large part of the volume. Researchers are currently developing MEMS based RF filters which provides not only better frequency selectivity (thus better quality of calls) but also reduced sizes. These MEMS filters, however, may require relatively high dc voltages, and drawing it from the main battery would require complicate electronics.Instead, a nuclear powered battery designed to generate the required voltage—in the range of 10 to 100 volts—could be used to juice up the filter directly and more efficiently. AUTOMOBILES Although it is in initial stages of development but it is expected that nuclear powered batteries will soon replace the weary chemical batteries. This implies that running short of fuel or time will be things of past. Fox Valley Auto Electric Association has already started working on the ways to implement this. CHALLENGESThough there are many merits the nuclear battery there are few challenges too, which needs to be overcome to make it realty, in the immediate future. SAFETY Since nuclear powered batteries involve the use of small amounts of radiation and radioactive materials, it is necessary that they must comply with current Radiation Protection Standards which are based on the Linear Non-Threshold model (LNT) . This model assumes that any amount of radiation exposure, no matter how small, will have a detrimental effect on health.The external dose associated with the radioisotopes used in these batteries is zero, because an alpha particle needs to have an energy of more than 7. 5 MeV to penetrate the protective layer of the skin (0. 07 mm think), and a ? particle needs to have an energy of more than 70 keV. Sin ce radio isotopes in nuclear batteries have energies lower than these they are unable to penetrate the skin. INHALATION INGESTION DOSE LIMIT [mrem/d]44. 575. 479 Dose Equivalent [mrem/d]No. of batteries to be inhaled to reach the limitDose Equivalent [mrem/d]No. of batteries to be swallowed to reach the limit H32. 418. 0346158 Ni645. 697. 081367Radiation Levels After Ingestion or Inhalation Of 5 µCi of Ni or H Nuclear Battery In fact, radioisotopes have been used for decades in commercial applications. Many smoke detectors contain 1 to 5 microcuries of Americium-241, used to ionize the air between a pair of parallel plates. And some emergency exit signs in public buildings, schools, and auditoriums that have to remain visible during power outages contain 8 to 10 curies of tritium, whose emitted electrons excite phosphor atoms, illuminating the sign. The amount of radioactive material in the nuclear batteries falls between that in a smoke detector and in an exit sign.And for whatev er amount, any commercial application of such nuclear powered batteries will have to comply with all the established safety measures (including design of safe packaging) and follow regulations about handling and disposing of the device. COST As it is the case with the most ground breaking technology , the initial cost of production is quite high. But as the product goes for mass production the cost goes down. The major challenge lies in finding sources of inexpensive radioisotopes that can be efficiently integrated into the electronic devices.For example 1 millicurie of Ni-63 costs around $25. But the researchers have come up with a potentially cheaper alternative tritium which is produced by some nuclear reactors as a by product and costs few cents( for 1 millicurie). WASTE DISPOSAL The environmental impact of disposing of the nuclear devices once their useful life has ended, as well as the associated costs are minimal. Since after three half-lives the activity of the isotope decay s to about 10% of the original activity, the nuclear powered batteries would be below background radiation level by that time. SOCIAL ACCEPTANCEThe nuclear technology has lost its credibility as the world has seen enough nuclear disasters. Thus acceptance for the nuclear technology will be very hard to come by. However the immense potential of this technology will soon overpower this initial resistance. CONCLUSION & WAY FORWARD Clearly the current state of research is making it harder to deny that chemical batteries will be replaced by nuclear powered batteries- and soon. Nuclear Batteries present a logical solution to the burgeoning need for a safe, reliable, compact, lightweight, longer lasting and self contained power supply.They not only protect our declining natural resources but also serve to make our traditional energy sources redundant. As the energy associated with the radioactive materials is much more than the conventional sources and by far the highest without any waste generation, the world can be transformed into a new one without green houses gases and its associated risks. Scientists have overcome a major stumbling block to make mass production of these batteries a viable and hugely profitable option. The system we have developed is mechanically simple, potentially leading to more compact, more reliable and less expensive systems. This was an attempt at something that seemed viable. â€Å", said Mark Prelas , Director of Research at University of Wisconsin’s Nuclear Science and Engineering Institute. Recent breakthroughs, at University of Missouri where the researchers have developed a economically feasible energy conversion system that uses safe isotopes to generate high-grade energy, only prove that these MEMS Marvels are going to be very successful in near future.Success of few similar small projects will give sufficient learning to make this technology big very soon. REFERENCES 1. â€Å"Nuclear and Radiochemistry† , Gerhardt Friedlander and Joseph W. Kennedy 2. Technolyreview. com 3. Powerpaper. com 4. http://ieeexplore. ieee. org/stamp/stamp. jsp? arnumber=01330808 5. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Atomic_battery 6. http://www. physorg. com/news174139641. html 7. http://www. scribd. com/doc/8929973/Nuclear-Battery

Acqusitions and Mergers Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Acqusitions and Mergers - Research Paper Example Two such companies chosen are Piedmont Healthcare and Saint Joseph's Health System based in Atlanta that have formed a corporate alliance with each other. Another company in the same healthcare industry that does not have a global presence outside USA and also no history of any corporate merger is The American Amputee Foundation, Inc. (AAF) that is a NGO run company in USA. Company details in brief Piedmont Health Care Piedmont Hospital is health care unit established in 2002 in Buckhead area, Atlanta. Physicians and other members of the hospital have come from all across the globe to provide the best facilities in health care possible. The hospital has above 80 physicians who offer a diverse range of medical services. With above 20 specialist doctors and primary care functions, its patients get access to many systems of medical care. With their x-ray, CT scan, MRI facility, ultrasound as well as in-house laboratories, the patients get the option to receive medical tests and their re lated procedures close to their home. Piedmont Healthcare and its workers and physicians had raised over $32,000 for supporting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in the Light the Night Walk programme in 2011 at Centennial Olympic Park on November 5, 2011 (PIEDMONT profiles, 2011, p.10). In terms of its global presence, Piedmont health care has collaborated with MedShare to provide health care stuffs to the people in developing countries. It had provided 4,334 pounds of medical goods to MedShare (Piedmont Physicians Group, 2012). MedShare is a reputed nonprofit organization which is dedicated towards improving the healthcare in developing countries by distributing surplus medical supplies and equipments to the impoverished healthcare facilities. Saint Joseph's Health System The hospital provides diverse range of medical care from its facilities that includes 14 emergency care hospitals, home health units, hospital care, its outpatient services, skilled nurses and their facilities, its community clinics, and the physician organizations. The hospital operates mostly in South California, North California and Texas. The St. Joseph Health is one of the founding members of the Center for Healthcare Reform. The Center worked with several groups and individuals to fulfill deep, systemic improvements in the area of its cost, its medical care quality and the access to the U.S health care (St. Joseph Health, 2012). American Amputee Foundation, Inc. (AAF) The American Amputee Foundation, Inc. (AAF) was founded in 1975 as a form of national information clearing house and a referral center that used to treat the amputees, the families, and their care providers. The foundation researches and then gathers information on different aspects of amputation that include conducting studies, on product information, the available services, its self-help journals and many of its articles regarding amputation and their related conditions. The American Amputee Foundation, Inc. also started to offer Life Care Planning Services in 1978 that provided for Wheelchair/Mobility Equipment along with the Maintenance Needs, the Projected Therapies that included physical as well as occupational therapies, mental counseling, Orthotics and Prosthetics and many more. As a nonprofit organization that provide utilities mainly for  the amputees as well as their families and also secondarily the people with spinal cord injury, the organization has limited their life care services for these clients (The American Amputee Foundation, Inc, 2009). Piedmont Healthcare merger with Saint Joseph's Health System – a good business decision In 2010, Saint Joseph’s Health System and Piedmont Healthca

Implementation of International Legal Standards in The Investment Assignment

Implementation of International Legal Standards in The Investment Legislation of Uzbekistan - Assignment Example Uzbekistan has freedom and independence in development of industry in line with national goals. In addition, there is also an opportunity for Uzbekistan becomes the main investment location preferred by both regional and foreign investors. There is also an opportunity for Uzbekistan to become a base for production in the regional market. Its central location provides a large market especially the home market. The country has freedom in the utilization of new resources as a result of the development of new export markets and advanced technological progress. Law for in foreign investment Uzbekistan allows investors (foreign) to engage in wide range business opportunities that are not legislatively prohibited. Foreign investors investment in Uzbekistan through legal means that include branch establishment, real property acquisition and buying of shares. There are no legal preconditions stipulating nationals to have interests of ownership in foreign investments except in banking sector. The government encourages joint ventures of local partners and foreign investors. Foreign investors have to register with Justice Ministry to get legal rights as persons. These imply that foreign investment laws in Uzbek have opened the door to all forms of business investors in the available business opportunities. Entry requirements for foreign investors are therefore straight with minimal performance requirements. In Uzbekistan, the right for investors to exit and repatriation of funds are guaranteed. However, in practice, entry requirements for investors especially individual investors are controlled by the government. The investors will have to negotiate with Uzbek government on key issues that relate to joint agreements of a joint venture, acquisition of government-controlled assets, application for tax incentives and raw material importation rights.  

Strategy management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategy management - Essay Example Over the period of time, it has followed an aggressive growth strategy and became more innovative offering additional services. It has also been one of the first global retailers in the world to offer mobile payment checkouts at its several of stores. Through it has followed an aggressive strategy to further penetrate into its existing markets; it has also been more aggressive in terms of market development and has been opening its outlets in various new markets. Starbucks has more than 700 stores in UK, it is operating to be one of the leading coffee makers in the country. UK is going through an economic recession and overall consumer confidence is relatively low. It was because of this reason that Starbucks suffered losses in UK also however; it is still recovering and is following an aggressive strategy to penetrate into UK market. Macro-Environment Analysis The main factors discussed in this analysis are important because it directly influence the way Starbucks operates in UK mar ket. A careful management of these factors requires effective strategic initiative in order to become more competitive in the market. Political Factors UK is considered as the mother of democracy in the world with stable government in place. Government is supportive of market economies and is therefore the overall risk of government intervention is relatively negligent. Overall government policies are favorable for the private enterprises and the private property rights and laws are properly in placed. Though UK has strong bureaucracy in place however, government administration and functionaries are supportive of private enterprises with little administrative hurdles in place. Though UK has a history of nationalizing private companies however it may not be the case considering the overall dynamics of global business. Economic Factors UK is going through economic recession with consistently low or negative economic growth rates witnessed during last few years. Unemployment is on the rise and government has put in place austerity measures to control government expenditure. Due to these factors, overall consumer confidence is low and consumers are withdrawing their consumption to save more. Recently, UK economy experienced slightly higher economic growth rates due to Olympics however, this may be considered as a seasonal variation. (Monaghan, 2012).   Still the level of unemployment is relatively with more than 2 million people are still unemployed. With the economy further shrinking, it may be possible that the unemployment rates may increase. Social Factors Drinking coffee is becoming a norm in UK though Britain are considered as tea drinkers. Mostly working class professionals as well as youth prefer to drink coffee and is increasingly becoming a social norm in UK. It has also been suggested that drink coffee is considered as something which high achievers do. Coffee, socially, is being drunk by the working professionals who are looking for some on-the-go bo ast of energy. Coffee is also being used in offices mostly with different organizations. Technological Factors Technology is relatively changing fast with mobile payments becoming new trends for consumers to paying. The advancement in smart phones and mobile payments technology has brought new changes in the way consumers actually interact and pay. The impact of online recommendations on the way

Data Warehouse, Data Mart and Business Intelligence Essay

Data Warehouse, Data Mart and Business Intelligence - Essay Example Data Warehouses, Data Marts and Databases A data warehouse refers to a data storage location used to secure, archive, and analyze data. It comprises of many integrated databases in an organization. Data stored in a data warehouse must be easily accessible to facilitate the daily operations of an organization. There are several types of data ware houses. There are offline operational data warehouses where data is copied from real time data networks and stored offline. Offline data warehouses store integrated data that is frequently updated and can be easily accessed. Real-time data warehouses are updated whenever new data comes in, for example in point of sale systems. Integrated data warehouses can be accessed by other systems (Jensen, Pedersen, and Thomsen, 2010). Data marts refer to smaller data warehouses covering a specific department or subject. They differ from data warehouses in that they are less complex, and are easier to develop and maintain. Data warehouses also focus on many subject areas and collect their data from various sources while data marts deal with one subject and collect data from few sources. There are dependent and independent data marts. Dependent data marts source their data from a functional central data warehouse while independent data marts get data from external sources. A data mart can be a small division of a data warehouse (Jensen, Pedersen, and Thomsen, 2010).... Databases contain records of data that can be easily accessed. While databases are designed to record and store data, data warehouses are designed to respond to critical business queries. All data warehouses are databases but few databases can be considered to be data warehouses. Databases are usually online transaction processing systems for recording transactions while data warehouses are online analytical processing systems for querying and analyzing data (Jensen, Pedersen, and Thomsen, 2010). Data Warehouse Architectures and Tools Data warehouses are developed using several steps including data collection, data cleansing, data aggregation, and analysis and presentation. Data collection involves identifying the suitable data for the warehouse and where it can be sourced from. In data cleansing and transformation, the collected data is restructured to make it usable for reporting, querying, and analysis. Data aggregation and analysis involves the use of query tools to transfer data from the central data warehouse and processing it to produce the required results. Presentation involves giving end results to the users in form of text, charts or tables (Barry, 2003). There are various data warehouse architectures varying from one organization to another depending on their data. These architectures include independent data marts, hub-and-spoke, federated, centralized data warehouse and data mart bus architecture that has linked dimensional data marts. Independent data marts architecture involves developing autonomous marts with different data definitions, measures and dimensions. Data bus mart with linked dimensional data marts architecture is designed to meet the needs of a specific business process. It involves the development of one

The Reinvention of Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Reinvention of Marriage - Essay Example Marano wrote about marital therapist Liberty Kovacs' research and findings, based on theoretical bravado from group dynamics, theories of adult development, and family systems, of the six stages that marriages go through. Kovacs developed a system which tracks the paths of marital relationships as they evolve in intimacy and mutuality and finds that these paths are predictable in marriages. The six stages are highly distinct and marriages do not necessarily move from one stage to the next in an orderly fashion. A marriage may be stuck in one stage for years or it may go back to another stage. Instead of progressing in a linear pattern, the stages move in a circular pattern. The six stages include: Stage One-Romance (Honeymoon) Fusion; Stage Two-Expectations Compromise; Stage Three-Power Struggle; Stage Four-Seven-Year Itch Competition; Stage Five-Reconciliation Cooperation; Stage Six-Acceptance Collaboration. Being able to look at marriage as a predictable pattern, which involves phases that couples go through, helps couples to be aware of what they are going through and how to deal with them. The knowledge that these phases are part of what marriages go through helps couples to know that this is a natural cyclic process and that they are not alone as all marriages go through these stages in time, as research has discovered. ... Being aware of the stages of marriage allows a couple to customize and design a marriage that will help them work through the six stages then instead of trial and error attempts at a guessing game, there is a more tried and true approach. Couples are able to view the blueprint as they are aware of the stages and can customize the path/solution to take. A strong marriage does not happen overnight and instant gratification should not be what one looks for. Poor conflict management is the key in developing a healthy marriage as it moves through the stages. The art of arguing, as Kovacs calls it, is learning how to communicate effectively and to learn the skills of problem solving. It is important that men and women understand their differences in how they handle conflict and experience pain. By understanding each other's points of view and natural way of responding, conflict management and problem solving can be more easily accomplished. Along with better conflict management methods "th e positive affect", or the expression of affection, must also be incorporated. A sense of humor, empathy, agreement, and other positive actions are aspects of "the positive affect" which shows expressions of affection. This article is relevant to psychology because as the "Elmer" Social Science Dictionary (2003) defines the word psychology, it deals with the "Scientific study of human behavior, mental processes, and how they are affected and/or affect an individuals or group's physical state, mental state, and external environment. Its goal is to describe, understand, predict, and modify behavior." The findings of this article and the research that was conducted can be applied toward not only marriages but basically, any

Innovation and Sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Innovation and Sustainability - Essay Example Causes of deforestation include but are not limited to wood extraction, expansion of agriculture as well as of the infrastructure. Along with satisfying certain human needs, deforestation has conventionally given rise to a lot of problems like climatic change and extinction of several species of animals and plants. A very obvious consumption habit of humans is the consumption of land. In the past two centuries, urban sprawl has surfaced as one of the outcomes of industrial revolution, as more people have moved to the urban areas in search of better opportunities and improved lifestyle. Consequentially, urban areas have spread to the lands that were previously undeveloped. One of the production habits is also related to deforestation. After cutting the trees, the wood retrieved from them is used for making numerous products. Trees are used for all kinds of purposes that include but are not limited to getting fruits, spices, nuts, latex, medicines, cork, fibers, natural resins, oils and timber. Most of these are eatables and are the fundamental elements that make our cuisines diverse and rich. Others like timber are of huge decorative significance. Timber is employed in the manufacturing of all kinds of furniture, floors and walls. Timber is also used as support for raising tents and fixing the wooden framework for concreting slabs. Urban sprawl has enabled humans to develop more industries, schools and hospitals for the wellbeing of the society. Establishment of these industries has increased the production of all sorts of goods including sports equipment, crockery and food ingredients. In order to conserve the forests, it is imperative that more markets are found that demand the products retrieved from the forests. This approach of sustainable use originates in the fact that adequate management of forests can help

History of Turkey Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

History of Turkey - Research Paper Example Turkey is a sovereign country that has a lot of interesting stories surrounding its past. It is therefore said that Turkey has a great history. Whereas some of highlights are political, others are economics whiles some are social. All in all, different authors and reviewers have viewed the history of Turkey from different perspectives. In this essay, the views and thoughts of four writers who have written about Turkey from four different perspectives are discussed. Introduction of authors and their overall sense of purpose in their articles. , but then integrate and compare authors. Margaret MacMillan and The End of the Ottomans Margaret MacMillan is the author of Paris Peace Talks of 1919. The book contains a chapter from which the article â€Å"The End of the Ottomans† is found. The author, Margaret MacMillan approaches her theme or subject from a reported perspective. This is to say that she was not a living witness to the situation or case on which she reported. This is be cause the events leading to the actual end of the Ottomans took place in the year 1919. This not withstanding, nothing can be taken out of the authentication of the fact reported in the article. This is because the author is an insider as far as the events leading to the end of the Ottomans are concerned. For instance Stefov (2005) notes that â€Å"Margaret MacMillan is the great-great granddaughter of David Lloyd George. David Lloyd George (1863-1945) was British Prime Minister of the Liberal party during the 1919 peace talks and was responsible for drafting the Treaty of Versailles.† More to this, the author is a learned historian and professor at the University of Oxford. In her writing, she expresses an overall sense of purpose of the need for the treaty that ended the reign of the Ottomans. She also highlights the strategy used by the liberation seekers and justifies their approach of forming alliances with other nations to fight wars that eventually led to the end of th e Ottomans. Comparatively, Margaret MacMillan tackles a more ancient beginning of Turkey than the other authors as the other authors seem to write on the aftermath of the establishment of the new Turkey. Rajan Menon and Wimbush S. Enders and The US and Turkey: End of an Alliance? Rajan Menon and Wimbush S. Enders are the second authors whose work is considered in this essay. The two write on â€Å"The US and Turkey: End of an Alliance?† right from the citing of the topic of their article, their overall sense of purpose is made clear. This is said because the topic is put in a question form. This means that the authors are only making an interrogative statement and not a factual one. However, this sets the precedence for a rather controversial subject to be discussed by the authors. The controversy in their purpose of writing is in the fact that their theme is highly debatable and not subject to measurement. For instance to say that the US and Turkey alliance has come to an en d is not a measurable fact. It will therefore be very difficult to say this for a fact – a reason that the writers put their topic in a question form. However, a critical review of the article reveals that the writers have taken a stand and indeed a very firm

A Research and Analysis of Returns on the Viability For the Hobbits Assignment

A Research and Analysis of Returns on the Viability For the Hobbits Choice Restaurant - Assignment Example Survey Questions 1. Do you eat at this type of restaurant at least once every two weeks? 2. How many total dollars do you spend per month in restaurants (for your meals only)? 3. How likely would it be for you to patronize this restaurant (new upscale restaurant)? 4. What would you expect an average evening meal entree item alone to be priced? 5. Including children under 18 living with you, what is your family size? 6. To which type of radio programming do you most often listen? 7. Would you describe yourself as a viewer of TV local news? 8. Which newscast do you watch most frequently? 9. Do you read the newspaper? 10. Which section of the local newspaper would you say you read most frequently? 11. Do you subscribe to City Magazine? 12. Prefer Waterfront View 13. Prefer Drive Less than 30 Minutes 14. Prefer Formal Waitstaff Wearing Tuxedos 15. Prefer Unusual Desserts 16. Prefer Large Variety of Entrees 17. Prefer Unusual Entrees 18. Prefer Simple Decor 19. Prefer Elegant Decor 20. Prefer String Quartet 21. Prefer Jazz Combo 22. Year Born 23. What is your highest level of education? 24. What is your marital status? 25. Including children under 18 living with you, what is your family size? 26. Please check the letter that includes the Zip Code in which you live (coded by letter). 27. Which of the following categories best describes your before tax household income? 28. What is your gender? 29. Probable Patron of Hobbit's Choice? 30. Recoded income to $1,000s using midpoints of questionnaire ranges 31. State age

The Cold War Essay Example for Free

The Cold War Essay The foundations for the Cold War were laid in the closing days of World War II, as Western and Soviet armies met in the ruins of Germany. America’s wariness of the Soviet Union resulted in part from Stalin’s attempt to capture as much territory as possible with total disregard for the lives of his soldiers. Many Americans perceived Stalin’s actions to be land grabs rather than liberations. The Cold War in Europe was focused mainly on the frontline of Berlin. Here the superpowers stood face to face, and the Berlin Wall came to be the physical representation of the Iron Curtain that cut off Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe from the West. Throughout the Cold War, American leaders adopted the premise that a massive deterrent military force must remain in Europe to prevent the Soviet Union from invading and dominating Western Europe. This doctrine, first articulated by Truman with his adoption of NSC-68, was known as containment. In Asia, the Cold War centered on China after the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) came to power in 1949. For decades, American leaders mistakenly assumed that the CCP was subservient to the Kremlin. The CCP, while technically allied with Moscow early on, had its own interests. The CCP was the dominant force in mainland Asia, and when American armies intervened in Korea and Vietnam, the CCP aimed to drive Americans from the border regions of China. In general the Cold War in Asia was bloodier than the Cold War in Europe. Korea and Vietnam were two large scale Cold War conflicts in which over 100,000 Americans and millions of Asians died. There was no comparable bloodshed in Europe during this period. The Cold War’s effect on the world was far-reaching. After World War II and the Chinese Civil War, the lines were essentially drawn in Europe and mainland Asia. The rest of the world, however, was emerging from European and Japanese colonialism. These newly independent nations were where much of the Cold War would be played out, as both superpowers aimed to add new nations to their respective spheres of influence. Some scholars argue that the Cold War has not ended yet, since China, Indochina, North Korea, and Cuba are still nominally communist countries. The Cold War in Europe, however, ended with the demise of the Soviet Union from 1989 through 1991. When a new Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, made it clear that he would not use force to keep the Soviet empire together, it dissolved in a matter of months. The speed and peaceful nature of the collapse shocked many. The most common explanation for the collapse of the Soviet Union is the inefficiency of the communist system, which could neither provide for its people nor keep pace with Western military buildups. The Cold War had immeasurable effects on America both domestically and internationally. Domestically, the American republic was changed beyond recognition. The National Security Act of 1947 created the Pentagon, the National Security Council, and the CIA. America had never had a standing peacetime army before. It had never had a permanent intelligence service, which was necessarily very secretive. It had never had such a powerful executive, and it had never entered into foreign alliances, which it did with NATO in 1949. In terms of international relations, the Cold War put the United States on the world stage in a way it had never been before. During the Cold War, the United States was far more popular than it is today. Partly this is because during the Cold War many people felt that the American system was far preferable to the Soviet system, and they believed that the United States valued freedom. After the Cold War, the United States found itself the lone superpower. Without the Soviet enemy to contain, many former allies of America came to see it as a domineering and arrogant nation.

African American Religion Essay Example for Free

African American Religion Essay Before Africans were brought to America during the slave trade, they had their own culture and society. They had their own language and dance. They also had their own religion. History tells us that the Europeans justified their abuse toward the Africans as helping them become more civilized because the Africans lifestyle appeared primal to them and not as developed and industrialized as theirs. What is often overlooked is that even though Africans were taken from Africa and Americanized and have been stripped of their religion, culture, language and even their name, the very essence of the African as a people did not go away. Some African American slaves rejected Christianity’s religion because they saw it as the â€Å"white man’s religion†. History tells us American Slave Masters abused the Africans by whipping them like animals and by treating them inhumane. The fact that these slave masters wanted the African American to worship their god was unacceptable for some because they could not fathom why they should worship a god who allowed people to be so badly treated. Some Africans accepted Christianity’s religion and faith by identifying with Jesus Christ, the son of God who according to the Bible was innocent of sin and yet he was beaten, bruised and crucified for the sins of the world. Some African Americans wanted to remain faithful to their heritage yet did not agree with the conjure practices. Seth Holly’s character is a good example of conforming to the economic prosperity of America which was founded by Christians. White Christians enforced Christian beliefs, values, and some practices based on the Euro American Christian interpretation of Christian text. Seth developed a kind of hatred for his own people proving that he has adopted the practices of white America in the early 1900s. â€Å"Niggers coming up here from that old backwoods†¦ coming up here from the country carrying Bibles and guitars looking for freedom. † Seth says. â€Å"They got a rude awakening† (6). Seth signifies the African American who resents assimilation to the white American culture. But, at the same time, he too attempts to connect with his heritage by simply allowing Bynum to live in his home and bless it with his conjures rituals. Seth also participates in an African dance ritual called the Juba. Bynum’s character is introduced by practicing conjure rituals. He cuts open pigeons and spreads its blood onto him as a type of cleansing to communicate with spirits. Bynum represents the African American who chose to remain faithful to the religion of his heritage. Others who have chosen the faith of Christianity view conjure rituals as evil, witchcraft, or demonic. Some African Americans wanted to remain faithful to their heritage yet did not agree with conjure practices anymore. Loomis walks in on the juba dance and goes into a trance after dinner at the boarding house. He had a vision of skeletons emerge from a body of water. â€Å"Loomis: I done seen bones rise up out the water. Rise up and walk across the water. Bones walking on top of the water† (53). Loomis recognizes through the vision, his state of ignorance to the knowledge that will lead him to the new way of thinking. Bynum serves as a supporting character reacting to Loomis’s trance. â€Å"Bynum: They walking around here now. Mens. Just like you and me. Come right up out the water† (56). Loomis’s trance and Bynum’s interpretation of it is a turning point in the story. The skeletons coming from the bottom of the sea in Loomis’s vision represent the slave ships, the disorientation experienced by the slaves during emancipation, and the confusion of his release from Joe Turner. Both Loomis and Bynum have tapped into their ancestral religion. The difference between the two is that Bynum represents the African who never renounced his religion and Loomis is the African-American who turned from conjure religion and converted to the faith of Christianity. After Joe turner took his life away from him, Loomis questioned his Christian faith and his identity. By walking in on the ancestral ritual of the Juba dance, Loomis literally walked into what he had actually been looking for, his religion, consequently, his ancestral identity and this is why he fell into the trance. Throughout the play conjures is encompasses four generations; Bynum’s father, Bynum, Loomis, and the neighbor boy Reuben. Reuben’s vision is of Seth’s mother by the pigeon coop, she encourages Reuben to release the caged pigeons. Wilson writes in a way that leads the reader to believe that Loomis needs to find his missing wife. Martha Pentecost is not the one who was lost; Loomis was the one who was lost, wondering around from town to town, searching. Loomis came into the state of belief when Bynum helped him translate his vision. That vision represented Loomis going back to his ancestral conjure religion. Loomis needed to find Martha Pentecost simply to say good-bye to her and their life former together. Up until this point of the story, I believed that Loomis needed to find his wife so they could live out the rest of their lives as a happy free family with their daughter. However, it is made pretty obvious this was never Loomis’s intentions. â€Å"That goodbye kept me out on the road searching,† Loomis says, â€Å"now that I see your face I can say my goodbye and make my own world† (90). Martha Pentecost, a woman of Christian faith, represents the African who assimilated into white America’s culture and Loomis needed to find her to say good-bye to her and the Christian faith. Martha stands by her Christian faith by accusing Loomis â€Å"you done gone over to the devil† (91). White man’s religion believed that conjure was evil or the way of the devil. Loomis finds it easier to reject her for her Christian beliefs. â€Å"Loomis: Great big old white man†¦your Mr. Jesus Christ. Standing there with a whip in one hand and a tote board in another, them niggers swimming in a sea of cotton† (92). Loomis proves with his statement, his version of a bible story that differed from other African Americans but was similar to that of the white man who believed that they were on a level below God and the African’s were beneath them, African’s were one third of a person. Loomis now believes that if African’s are going to be free then they have to take charge of their own destiny. Martha Pentecost represents the African American’s religion, she identifies that Loomis needs to â€Å"be washed in the blood of the lamb† (92) and â€Å"you done gone over to the devil. (91) Through class lessons I learned that African American slaves compared themselves with stories in the bible to instill hope of a life free from oppression, violence, and bondage. Jesus according to the bible was innocent of sin and yet he was beaten, bruised and crucified for the sins of the world. The hope of reigning in heave with Jesus is considered the ultimate reward for suffering life’s trials and tribulations. It is the faith of the African Americans who accepted Christianity religion. Blacks trusted in the Lord instead of man. America was Egypt in the exodus story and as long as the enslaving and oppressing took place America would face the same wrath as Egypt. â€Å"Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. † The bible was depended on in justifying and motivation rebellion for the blacks and used as a tool to keep blacks enslaved by the whites. African Americans used sermons, song, and prayer to convey and teach their message of travail and triumph of Israel. Some African Americans could not get past the treatment from the white people that called themselves Christians and as a result they rejected Christianity. Selig’s role suggests that the link between characters is the acquisition of material goods. Selig admits that his ancestors have always made their living pursuing African Americas; his great grandfather transported slaves from Africa, his father captured runaway slaves and returned them to their masters for a reward, and Selig locates displaced people for a fee. Selig attains his ecstasy through consumer capitalism, through the selling of material goods. African Americans are objects for exploitation and exchange in the new economy. He binds African Americans to the economic system, demanding payment of his services and products which necessitates subsistence labor by taking them from one construction site or work site to another, similar to a temporary employment agency today. You pay for an employee to work for some time, but Selig is getting paid by the person looking for work or a ride to a chance of freedom. Selig cannot find a person that has not purchased a dustpan from him because he keeps the names of his customers. Seth is determined to achieve material success, he has very little patience for African Americans migrating north looking for the same prosperity that he desires. Seth is very demanding of his patrons, insisting on advance payment in full, and is preoccupied with maintaining a respectable house. â€Å"It’s hard enough now without all that ignorant kind of acting. Ever since slavery got over with there ain’t been nothing but foolish-acting niggers. Word get out they need men to work in the mill and put in these roads†¦ and niggers drop everything and head north looking for freedom. †(5, 6) Seth wants to blend in with the white man’s world; therefore he keeps a link with Selig by negotiating the manufacturing and sale of dustpans. Seth does not have any idea of what it would be like to be a slave, as he was born free in the North and was educated. He demonstrates his education with his math calculation when dealing with the boarding house patrons and the quick notation of him letting Selig know that he is trying to overcharge him for the dust pan materials. Educational differences played a role in tension with Southern blacks, most of who were forbidden from learning to read, saw religion as a matter of oral tradition and immediate experience and emotion. Northerner blacks, stressed that one could not truly be Christian unless they was able to read the Bible and understand it. This play denies individual worth and identity for some of Wilson’s characters. To be defrauded of the products of one’s labor or to see that creation diminished, like with Jeremy and the guitar contest, is to be denied a reflection of individual worth and identity. If people have been separated from this truth of individual worth and identity through oppression their capacity to bond with one another, form friendships, or couples, families are undermined. Social alienation in Wilson’s characters are expressed in their stores of broken relationships, uncertainty, or suspicion that they feel toward one another. â€Å"Seth: Something ain’t setting right with that fellow, Bynum. He’s one of them mean-looking niggers look like he done killed somebody gambling over a quarter. †(20) Connection between oppression, alienation from self and inability to form bonds with others is displayed in the character of Loomis. Joe Turner’s ability to oppress Loomis carried a judgment of non-worth. â€Å"Loomis: He told me I was worthless. Worthless is something you throw away. Something you don’t bother with† (73) Turners judgment of worthlessness forced Loomis to accept the reality of the white man’s power; he was marked as â€Å"one of Joe Turners niggers and forced to forget his song. †(71) Being alienated from himself and displaced with his relation to the world, Loomis is unable to establish bonds with people around him. The oppression encountered by Wilson’s characters is material or economic, that oppression is spiritual as well in the capacity to deprive the individual of a sense of himself or his unique song. The reawakening of Loomis after his encounter with cultural wisdom is not the self discovery of an average African American but creation of a new source of cultural wisdom, a new African holy man. Wilson uses many metaphors throughout the play. The song is a metaphor for Loomis’s identity and the African American cultural identity. Music is a large part of African American identity, so it makes since that in search of one’s identity they are searching for their song. The boarding house serves as an inn for traveling folk, but the tenants actually receive a form of healing during their stay. Tenants get direction and guidance from Bertha and Bynum. The shiny man that Bynum is in search for signifies African American independence. The man that Bynum met on the road was an independent African American, just as Loomis was freed by his past when he cleansed himself in his own blood. â€Å"Bynum: Herald Loomis, you shining! You shining like new money! †(94) Loomis has dismissed that the blood of Christ can wash away his sins and make him the man he used to be, but by washing himself in his own blood he has sacrificed the old life to begin his new journey on his terms. Bynum’s shining man has been found, meaning his work is complete; he has passed his powers on to the next generation, Loomis. â€Å"They tell me Joe Turner’s come and Gone† is a song that is sung by Bynum, when I first read the story I thought that the meaning was came and now he is dead however, the second time I read the play I realized that it meant that Joe Turner has come and snatched the men and now he is now gone. August Wilson uses symbolism in the play as a very important part in conveying the meaning of the story. Wilsons use of symbolism is demonstrated through Mr. Wilsons use of the road, Martha Pentecost, and Herald Loomis. Symbolic importance is give to the word freedom. The word freedom has instilled hope into the lives of African Americans: during slavery, hope for the release from bondage; after emancipation, the right to be educated, employed, and to move about freely; twentieth century, social, political, and economic justice. Freedom has always stood for the absence of any restraint, because God made all men from his image. There are a number of characters that travel around searching for their place in the world. Mattie, mentions that she keeps on looking, seems like she just keeps starting over, I ain’t never found no place for me to fit. † (76) Reuben tells Zonia, when he finds out that she is leaving the boarding house in search of her mom, â€Å"when I get grown, I come looking for you. †(84) Jeremy does not seem to care much when he loses his job because, â€Å"don’t make me no difference. There’s a big road out there, I can always get my guitar and find me a place to stay. I ain’t planning on staying in one place for too long noway. † (64) Martha Reverend Tolliver moved the Church up north because of the trouble the church was having. When the Civil War finally brought freedom to previously enslaved African Americans, the task of organizing religious communities was only one element of the larger need to create new lives, to reunite families, to find jobs, and to figure out what it would mean to live in the United States as citizens rather than property. August Wilson’s play, Joe Turner’s come and Gone, examines African Americans search for their cultural identity following slavery. Bibliography Murphy, L. G. (2000). Down By the Riverside. New York: New Yourk University Press. Wilson, A. (1988). Joe Turner Come and Gone. New York: Penguin Group.

Care of Confused Client | Case Study

Care of Confused Client | Case Study CARE OF A CONFUSED CLIENT CLIENT PROFILE Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus spread through body fluids and effects cells of the immune system called CD4 cells or T cells. HIV destroys these cells reducing the body’s ability to fight infection. When this happens the HIV virus is then knows as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). When a client has AIDS they can have symptoms such as forgetfulness, confusion and difficulty paying attention. This occurs when the HIV virus has infected the brain causing a condition known as AIDS Dementia Complex (ADC). When a client presents with ADC as a healthcare provider the key aspects of writing up these clients care plans would have a strong emphasis on safety. (Centres for disease control and prevention 2014) John not his real name for privacy reasons is a client who recently presented to the facility where i work with AIDS and has been showing signs of ADC which has made his home life very hard to manage and increasingly unsafe. The ADC has left John with episodes of confusion. As a new client i must first put together Johns care plans as they are vitally important in determining Johns care. These care plans also assist the multidisciplinary team ensure Johns mental and physical needs are met. As a confused client, John may lack the capacity to process the basic activities of daily living (ADL). Therefore as a healthcare provider i would also have to act as an advocate to ensure his needs were met. This can be ensured on a day to day basis by gaining the respect of John and by including him and by gaining his consent on any decisions concerning his care. This may include implementing all relevant care plans. John’s personal hygiene is important in promoting his positive self-image. This can be achieved by the following steps: Always ensure his hands are washed after toileting His face is washed daily He has regular baths or showers His teeth are brushed twice daily John may not want to allow me to carry out some of these duties but to ease the situation i may take a few steps to help in Johns care. Use pleasant smelling shampoo, bubble bath or soap Play music that John likes Always explain as you carry out tasks Be sensitive to Johns mood Always check toilet to ensure it is in working order and the bathroom is not too cold Enquire how John prefers to have these tasks completed (ie bath or shower) Always let john help as much as he can Nutrition care is also very important because the healthier John is physically the less confused he may become. This can be achieved by ensuring John eats regular meals. Sometimes because John is confused he will refuse to eat so it is important the nutritionist is informed in order to provide supplements which can substitute for solid foods. This is vitally important as to force feed clients is unethical so therefore it would be more beneficial to encourage supplement drinks. A urinary output and bowel movement chart is also an essential part of Johns care plan as it helps the multidisciplinary team regulate John’s bodily functions to prevent him from getting constipation or dehydration which would leave John who is confused more confused. Sometimes John may not have the ability to control his own intake of solids or liquids (ie too much or too little) so it is important for a fluid and solids chart to help balance his bodily needs. Falls risk assessments should also be completed and put in practice to ensure Johns safety when he is carrying out his basic activities of daily living. Always assist John when he is attending bathroom or having to move from one area to another Ensure bathroom is clear of clutter when taking John to bathroom for washing or toileting Remove all clutter from Johns bedside (ie ensure all cables are tidied away and walking frame if needed is within his reach ) Ensure John has suitable footwear (ie good fitting with rubber soles to prevent slips) Ensure all bathroom fittings are stable and in good working order Proper handrails are in place to assist Johns needs Walking to and from bathroom is clutter free Other concerns i might have for John is the risk of him developing a pressure sore. Confused/Immobile clients like John are more susceptible to pressure sores through poor nutrition intake and decreased mobility. Measures put in place by the multidisciplinary team to prevent these sores are pressure relieving cushions, mattresses and regular monitoring, and turning of John as to aid his circulation. The Waterlow scale also plays important role in determining who is at risk of developing a pressure sore. All these measures put in place will enhance the physical well-being of John however as healthcare support workers we must provide holistic care for John involving his social and mental well-being. One aspect of holistic care is ensuring John’s spiritual needs are met. This may vary from individual to individual and as a carer we must never be bias towards a client’s personal belief. John’s dignity is vitally important but this may lack because he sometimes gets confused therefore i must act as an advocate and ensure his rights and dignity are met. Simple measures can include making sure privacy is provided when attending personal hygiene needs. At times John may lack the ability to be able to stand safely. Therefore a hoist may have to be used. This could be a frightening experience for John so as the carer it would be vital to use good communicating skills to reassure him of his safety and dignity by insuring the curtain is drawn at these times. Regular checks of John to ensure he remains properly clothed so as to prevent embarrassment for him or his loved ones during visiting times. As John’s carer I would always explain and involve him in decision making involving his clothing when dressing or the type of food he prefers to eat as not to presume I could choose just because he sometimes gets confused. When a client has ADC the usual treatment is a drug cocktail called highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) which reduces the amount of HIV in the blood reducing the damage to the brain. As a carer it is important I monitor the consumption of this medication as John might forget to take it or take too much. Other important factors in treating a person with ADC are to help John stimulate his mind by motivating him with hobbies that he is interested in. It is also important to ensure the family include John in social events such as birthdays, weddings or any event for which he could attend to interact. Interaction, motivation and other therapies that are all beneficial in reorienting a confused client.(WebMD2014) On conclusion by involving John in decision making and implementing the relevant care plans I the carer will ensure holistic safe care and optimise his ability to recover or manage his illness. This is achieved through good communication trough the multidisciplinary team always remembering that John and Johns family are the most important factor of the team. BIBLIOGRAPHY WEB PAGES Centres for disease control and prevention (2014) what is hiv [online],available:http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/whatishiv.html[12/12/2014]. Webmd(2014)hiv and dementia [online],available:http://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/guide/hiv-dementia[9/12/2014]. COARSE MATERIAL Creative training (2013)†healthcare assistant traineeship†,5n2770:care skills, Dublin:solas. [Type text][Type text][Type text] Does Population Growth Pose Threats To Humanity? Does Population Growth Pose Threats To Humanity? Over the past decades, population growth has grown significantly and the earths resources are not replenishing fast enough to keep up with the growth rate. Increase in population had put more pressure on the earths resources as they are being used more. Excessive population has led to congestion, poor living conditions, pollution, and general environmental degradation. Research Purpose The main purpose of this paper is to determine how population growth is affected the way we live, our environment and consequently, the sustainability of mans activities. i.e. will the effects of these activities have an effect on the capacity of the earth to sustain humanity? Method of inquiry The method of inquiry for this paper will be literature review. Various literatures by different authors will be used to determine whether population growth does pose a threat to humanity. Limitations of the study The study was limited to the effects of population growth on humanity. Working definitions Humanity Refers to the human species Population Number of species inhabiting an area at a specific time Over population Overpopulation refers to the state where a species inhabiting an area put pressure on the ecosystems as the ecosystems can no longer be able to sustain the population Population growth Refers to the increase in the population of a certain area over time. Environmental degradation Refers to the deterioration of the state of the environment due to mans activities. Scope of Inquiry This paper will cover works of various authors who have written on population growth, over population and the effects of population growth on the environment. Literature Review Effects of population growth on the environment Thomas Malthus argued that means of subsistence affected the increase or decrease of a population. Malthus first brought the population problem to attention; he brought up the issue of food supplies and arithmetical ratios. According to Malthus, while population increased geometrically, food resources would only increase arithmetically. Over time, this theory has proven to be true in the sense that population tends to increase if people have the means of subsistence to maintain the population. i.e. as peoples means of subsistence increase, they significantly increase in population. As human population continuously growing, the biggest issue facing the Earth is the collective demand humans put upon it. Increase in the total population also increased consumption of resources. Besides that, excessive population growth is responsible for many of our Planets issues: traffic congestion, poor living conditions, global warming, employment difficulties, hunger, poverty etc.; it also causes environmental pollution and degradation (Wilson). Yet, land, water, mineral and other natural resources are diminishing due to population growth. As such a large population living on Earth and sharing scarcity of resources like water and food. Humans were compelled extract resources to meet their demands, at the same time, use modern technology abusively to modify the environment. Of all the humans who have ever lived, 6.4 percent are alive today. The number of people is overwhelming natural systems, destroying biodiversity, and challenging efforts to control global warming. Because of the increased availability of family-planning services, fertility is declining worldwide-from 2.56 children per woman at present to a projected 2.02 in 2050 (Wenner). Wild fires have become a common phenomenon due to poor land management, increased carelessness by the people, cutting down of trees leaving large tracts of bare land and many other issues like lack of clear policies governing land use. Fresh water is hard to access due to the increased population and destruction of water catchment areas, which has also led to the loss of biodiversity (Shaw 201). Climate change may occur gradually but some of its effects may be irreversible and in some cases, unstoppable. For example, seas levels are rising due to melting of ice. Some areas have become more prone to the effects of earthquakes due to the excavation of these areas in search of fuels. (Herald). Energy use patterns as a result of population growth Food is a form of energy; however, it is also a consumer of fossil fuel that is used in its production, transportation, and preparation. A study calculated the energy intensity of food production from agriculture, transportation, processing, food sales, storage, and preparation for 2007 as 8080  ± 760 trillion BTU. In 1995, approximately 27% of edible food was wasted, and the study concluded from this that 2030  ± 160 trillion BTU of energy were embedded in the 2007 wasted food (6464). While the above figures only reflect the United states, the overall increased energy use in the whole world has increased at an alarming rate. This is due to the increased energy demands for purposes of industrialization and mechanization. Recent food shortages, blamed in part on the growth of the bio-fuels industry, have created a new awareness of the relationship between food and energy. Over last 50 years we have seen increased agricultural productivity thanks to the adoption of new technologies and inputs, which are largely based on fossil fuels. Minimal human labor is therefore being less used and mechanization has been highly adopted. Mechanization of the agriculture sector, improved fertilizers, more resilient crops, and the development of pesticides, all of which rely on fossil fuels, are the reasons for the increased productivity. The food waste figures do not include food wasted on the farm, in fisheries, and during processing and relies on outdated food consumption and waste data, some of which is from the 1970s (Wenner). Because of economic and population growth, the total amount of food production and consumption has grown since the latest food loss study for 1995, and the portion of income Americans spend on food has dropped. From this, the researchers hypothesized that the current amount of food wasted to be higher compared to the USDAs 1995 estimates. If this is true, addressing food waste represents an opportunity for avoided energy consumption. Population growth has led to heavier traffic, rural urban migration causing urban sprawl, increased depletion of natural resources and increased emission of CFC gases that are responsible for the ozone layer depletion. In the United States, immigration by people from the less developed countries is the main cause of increasing population and it is estimated that over the next four decades population growth caused by immigration will account for 82% of the total population growth. Every year, more than a million people achieve permanent residency and become American Citizens (U.S. Census Bureau). As the immigrants move into the United States, they do not change their consumption patterns and they tend to increase the countrys emission in an alarming rate. The environmental impact of a society can be measured by multiplying the number of people by the capita influence and the index of environmental damages caused by people. The environmental damage of the society in this case could involve the power used in lighting and heating, paper factories that use trees to manufacture paper and many other industries that people have put up for economic reasons. This does not necessarily mean that the highest level of development have cause more environmental damage. Lower and sometimes the lowest levels of development underestimate the environmental impact e.g. most of the poor people use fuel wood for their daily uses. This therefore leads to massive cutting down of trees though this may occur in small stages but over a period of time, the damage made could be far much worse than estimated. Higher developments on the other hand may overestimate environmental damage. This is because most of the industries in most countries have environmental poli cies that have been put in place to safeguard the environment. In most cases, higher developments yield more benefits and do less damage to the environment. Human enterprise has significantly grown from the 19th Century. . There is therefore a need to develop policies to help curb this predicament. As standards of living and life expectancy continue increasing, there has been need for more technological innovations and therefore, industries have led to increased carbon emissions and this continues rising. The forests have been cleared to create more space for development and the natural ecosystems have been thrown out of balance. The coral reefs face are now on the verge of extinction as they face stress form pollutants in the ocean, tourism, fishing and carbonate chemistry which is a result of the increased carbon dioxide in the ocean surface waters (Shaw 205). At the lowly levels of industrialization, energy use perhaps underestimates ecological impact. For instance, underprivileged people can cause severe environmental damage through deforestation in search of firewood. At the uppermost development levels, use of energy probably miscalculate environmental impact; for instance, a given quantity of energy use in Japan, Western Europe, or the US, certainly provides additional benefits with less harm than the same amount used in Russia or Poland due to the greater effectiveness and tighter environmental bylaws. Although these countries pose severe dangers due to increased industrialization, developing countries in Africa affect the environment as people expand their farms for food sufficiency. Conclusion A pioneering analysis of the worlds ecosystems reveals a widespread decline in the condition of the worlds ecosystems due to increasing resource demands. According to the World Resources Institute (WRI) if the decline in the Worlds ecosystems continues, human development and the welfare of all species could be greatly affected in a negative way since the ecosystems capacity to produce food, water , maintain the biodiversity and storage of atmospheric carbon and provision of recreation opportunities would be thoroughly compromised (Wilson). To make matters worse, as our ecosystems decline, we are also racing against time since scientists lack baseline knowledge needed to determine properly the conditions of such systems. Population growth has largely been felt in biodiversity where it is now being considered a primary threat (Wilson). This is because, increased population has led to the introduction of exotic species in a bid to satisfy human needs and wants economically and these exotic species are throwing the delicate ecosystem out of balance. Illegal and unregulated hunting, fishing, and trade in wildlife products are also deleting many species (Wilson). Population growth, therefore, can be considered the greatest threat to humanity it is therefore necessary to curb rapid population to be able to manage our environment and live sustainably. Alternative energy sources also need to be established so as to reduce the dependence on bio-fuels. Work Cited Census Bureau. World Population: 1950-2050. June 28, 2010. November 20, 2010 Cuellar, Amanda Webber, Michael. Wasted Food, Wasted Energy: The Embedded Energy in Food Waste in the United States. Environmental Science Technology. 44. 16 (2010): 6464-6469 Herald. Human population growth. January 20, 2004. November 20, 2010. Shaw. Rapid Population Growth and Environmental Degradation: Ultimate versus Proximate Factors. Environmental Conservation, 16(1989): 199-208 Wenner, Jennifer. Population growth. Population growth and resource depletion. January 02, 2009. November 21, 2010 Wilson, E. Environmental Impacts from Unsustainable Population Growth. October 31, 2010. November 20, 2010.

Rose :: essays research papers

Choices made in â€Å"The Road Not Taken† Everyone is a traveler, choosing the roads to follow on the map of their continuous life. A straight path never leaves speaker with one sole direction on which to travel. Robert Frost’s poem "The Road Not Taken" is about how the choices affect speaker’s life. Frost illustrates speaker to make a difficult decision about choosing one of two equally promising roads to travel on. When speaker comes to a fork road, a decision needs to be made. Both paths are different and choosing the right one will depend on his past experience. It is this way that he chooses to decide where he is going to travel. Throughout this poem, it is obvious that decisions are not easy to make, and each decision will lead him down a different road to travel. In any case however, this poem clearly demonstrates Frost’s belief that it is the road that speaker chooses that makes him who he is. Speaker had two roads to choose from and wonders what would have happened if he had taken the other road. The poem begins with simple sentence, "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood," as the speaker sees two roads before him and obviously he cannot travel on both at the same time. He tries to consider the consequences as he "looked down one as far as I could." However, each road "bent in the undergrowth" as where each road obviously different. It is unclear to him what the consequences would be if he chooses either road. Frost states "And sorry I could not travel both," that shows the point in which speaker will choose only one path in which to travel on. It is always difficult to make a decision, because it is impossible not to wonder what will be missed out. There is a strong sense of wonder before the choice is made because he knows that in one lifetime he cannot travel down on every road. In an attempt to make a decision, the speaker "l ooked down one as far as I could". The road he chooses leads to the unknown choice in life. In the first stanza, the emphasis is on the road that was not traveled, but he cannot â€Å"and be one traveler† on both paths. The speaker has a difficult choice to make and is carefully considering his options, but he must choose one of the roads to travel.

The Existential Progression of King Lear Essay -- King Lear Essays

The Existential Progression of King Lear The human condition is the scrutiny of art, Prince Hamlet notes the purpose of art is to hold the mirror against nature. King Lear is a masterful inquiry into the human condition. King Lear is confronted with existence in its barest sense and is forced to adapt to that existence. His adaptation to the absurd provides an invaluable insight for all into the universal problem of existence. Lear is forced into an existential progression that will be traced with the phenomenon of consciousness; the result of this progression is seen ironically in that Lear finds satisfaction in despair. The point of departure of Lear into the unknown of existence is seen when he plunges himself into the harshness and relentlessness of nature. While immersed in the storm, Lear has been reduced to the bare essentials of man, he has lost those that he perceived as loving, and despite being accompanied by the Fool and Kent, Lear is more alone than he has ever been. The daughters he thought who loved him abandoned him and have taken his kingdom. The daughter who truly loved him was banished by his irrationality; Lear is alone. The presence of the Fool and Edgar should not necessarily be looked upon as that of a companion, but rather as catalyst for Lear’s progression. As for Kent, his presence is barely felt by Lear. Lear’s isolation is critical for his progression. Similar to Sartre’s Roquentin in Nausea, isolation and loneliness are the foundations for becoming existentially aware. â€Å"The tempest in my mind/ Doth from my senses take all feeling else†(III, iv 13-14)[1] Lear is completely alone in the universe, abandoned by love and cloistered from all outside emotion; he is now prepared to perceive the realit... ...a masterful work of art is that it conveys this universal truth, and at the same time conveys the sharp emotional anxiety that is concurrent with the universal truth. Lear constructs the universal human condition. Works Cited 1-William Shakespeare. King Lear edited by Russle Fraser.(New York: Penguin Putnam Inc., 1982). All future references will come from this text. 2-G. Wilson Knight. The Wheel of Fire. (London: Mehuen & Co., 1949), pg 193 3-Northrop Frye. On Shakespeare. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1986), pg 113 4-Harold Bloom. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. (New York: Riverhead Books, 1998), pg 503 5-Bloom, pg. 503 6-Bloom, pg. 504 7-Bloom, pg. 505 8-Descartes. Meditations. Dr. Nighan's British Literature and AP page: http://stjohns-chs.org/english/Seventeenth/Sev-bk.html 9-Knight, pg. 196 10-Frye, pg. 119