There Is No Free or Cheap Government Land

Free government land, also known as claim-free government land no longer exists. There is no longer a  federal homesteading program and any public land the government does sell is sold at no less than fair market value. Under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLMPA), the federal government took over ownership of public lands and abolished all remaining traces of the often-amended Homestead Act of 1862. Specifically, the FLMPA declared that the public lands be retained in Federal ownership  unless as a result of the land use planning procedure provided in this Act, it is determined that disposal of a particular parcel will serve the national interest... Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) oversees the use of some 264 million acres of public land, representing about one-eighth of all the land in the United States. In passing the FLMPA, Congress assigned the main duty of the BLM as the management of the public lands and their various resource values so that they are utilized in the combination that will best meet the present and future needs of the American people. While the BLM does not offer much land for sale because of a 1976 congressional mandate to generally retain these lands in public ownership, the agency does occasionally sell parcels of land when its land use planning analysis determines disposal is appropriate. What Types of Lands Are Sold? The federal lands sold by the BLM are generally unimproved rural woodland, grassland or desert parcels located mostly in the western states. The parcels are typically not served by utilities like electricity, water or sewer, and may not be accessible by maintained roads. In other words, the parcels for sale are truly â€Å"in the middle of nowhere.† Where Are the Lands for Sale Located? Usually part of the original public domain established during the western expansion of the United States, most of the land is in the 11 Western states and the state of Alaska, although some scattered parcels are located in the East. Almost all are in the Western States of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming. Because of land entitlements to the State of Alaska and to Alaska Natives, no public land sales will be conducted in Alaska in the foreseeable future, according to the BLM. There are also small amounts in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin. There are no public lands managed by the BLM in Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. How Is the Land Sold? The Bureau of Land Management sells unimproved public land through a modified bidding process that favors adjoining landowners, open public auction or direct sale to a single buyer. Minimum acceptable bids are based on land value appraisals prepared and approved by the Department of the Interior Appraisal Services Directorate. The appraisals are based on factors like ease of access, availability of water, possible uses of the property and comparable property prices in the area. States Do Offer Some Free Homesteading Land But... While government-owned lands are no longer available for homesteading, some states and local governments do occasionally offer free land to persons willing to build a home on it. However, these homesteading deals usually come with very specific requirements. For example, Beatrice, Nebraska’s local Homestead Act of 2010 gives homesteaders 18 months to build a minimum 900-square-foot home and live in it for at least the next three years. However, homesteading seems to be just as tough a row-to-hoe as it was in the 1860s. Two years after Beatrice, Nebraska enacted its homesteading act, the Wall Street Journal reported that no one had actually claimed a parcel of land. While dozens of people from across the nation had applied, they all dropped out of the program when they began to realize â€Å"how work is involved,† a city official told the newspaper.

World Religions Report Buddhism Essay - 2507 Words

World Religions Report Buddhism Axia University of University of Phoenix HUM 130 Religions of the World Deborah George Stephanie Kyler August 18, 2007 World Religions Report Buddhism How can we begin to understand such a diverse and ancient religion? The width of Buddhism is immense. It is a religion without any written rules. Buddhism is based on self-discovery. Buddhists are born with the quest to find their true form. They believe that they are prisoners of the physical plain until they reach nirvana. Nirvana is the ultimate goal for a Buddhist (Buddhism, 2007). It is the state that saves them from all suffering and evil. They believe that only nirvana can remove them from the never-ending circle of life. Buddhists†¦show more content†¦Dead center was a large scroll with a single character written on it. Two smaller scrolls were on either side of the large character in the middle. Whenever I thought of Buddhist I saw bald men or women with orange robes, white socks, and brown sandals. Obviously, not the older woman with gray hair that was now facing me and the other twenty congregants in the meditation room. She was obviously the leader. As I looked to my right and left, I noticed the veterans of meditating could easily be spotted by their perfect posture and quiet, content, stiffness. To see each person in their own position was amusing. Most had their legs in front of themselves, crossed and slightly below their hips. Their gaze was typically a few feet in front of their eyes. Some had their eyes closed and some were simply staring. One woman to my right was sitting with her arms resting on her bent legs, a unique approach. Her old age and heavy weight prevented her from sitting any other way. Another middle aged man was sitting on his heels with a tiny wooden bench under him. Each person, based upon their size and flexibility, found their own position to stay in. I could not read the expression of the leader facing us, and that made me a little uncomfortable. She seemed to have a somewhat content expression, but I never could quite tell. After about ten minutes of sitting in silence the leader struck a gong. It si gnaled everyone that it wasShow MoreRelatedWorld Religions Report on Buddhism1476 Words   |  6 PagesWorld Religions Report on Buddhism Religions of the World Buddhism is a practical philosophy aimed at awakening people to the limitless potential and value of their own lives. Practicing Buddhism brings about a positive transformation in the depths of an individuals life, transforming fear into courage, deluded impulses into wisdom and egotism into compassion. Buddhism begins with individuals deciding to take responsibility for their own lives, first reforming themselves andRead MoreCurrent Issues Paper and Class Handout861 Words   |  4 Pages 1 Buddhism REL/133 Week 5 Elton Shaw March 17, 2015 Instructor: Susan Cameron CURRENT ISSUES PAPER 2 Intro As one of the most popular religions in the entire world, Buddism is believed to be originated by Siddhattha Gotama, also referred to as Siddhartha Gautama, 2500 years agoRead MoreWhen Asia Was the World Book Analysis Essay1110 Words   |  5 Pagesinfluenced the way we as Americans look at history now. In Steward Gordon’s When Asia Was The World, I found the story of Xuanzang very interesting. Xuanzang was a Buddhist monk who traveled all over to learn more about Buddhism until he became confused and decided to go to the center of Buddhism, along the way he faced many difficulties, he decided to go back to China and share what he had learned. Buddhism began in India; it was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, a prince, born in Nepal. Siddhartha GautamaRead MoreBuddhism : The Popularity Of Buddhism1306 Words   |  6 PagesBuddhism Culture in China Instructor Dr. Jack Name: Zhoudongxue Zhang Student #: 100311725 Date: 26/11/2015 The Popularity of Buddhism in China Buddhism is one of the most popular religions in the world. The Pew Research Center reports that nearly 488 million people practice Buddhism, which represents 7% to 8% of the world’s entire population. Buddhism is mainly practiced in the Asia-Pacific region with approximately 481,290,000 Buddhists, which means 99% of Buddhists live in Asia-PacificRead Morein Ngugi’s A Grain Of Wheat, and in Silko’s Ceremony Essay1273 Words   |  6 PagesChina’s Historic Teachings of Buddhism and Confucianism Since the beginning of time the country of China, now known as the Peoples Republic of China has always been a remarkable civilization from its technologies to its philosophies. It has long been a host to a variety of fused religion/philosophical based traditions. Both the religions of Buddhism and Confucianism make up two of the three Chinese historic teachings. It is from these teachings which have had a significant role in shaping theirRead MoreA Brief Overview of Buddhism Essay1338 Words   |  6 PagesBuddhism is probably the most tolerant religion in the world, as its teachings can coexist with any other religions. Buddhism has a very long existence and history, starting in about 565 B.C. with the birth of Siddhartha Gautama. The religion has guidelines in two forms in which Buddhist followers must follow. These are the quot;Four Noble Truthsquot; and the quot;Eightfold Path. It all started in about 565 B.C. when Siddhartha Gautama was born. He was a young Indian prince born to the ruler ofRead MoreSimilarities between Beliefs and Philosophies from the World1637 Words   |  7 PagesChoice of topic: Religion has always amused me. I have always been curious about the ways of life in a particular religion and their beliefs about God. Point of view has always been important and is supposed to be respected. I was myself involved in many of the family rituals conducted and that always amused me. I come from a family possessing a religious background. I would credit my grandparents for teaching me the Hindu way of life and for teaching to respect other religions and their beliefsRead MoreEastern Religion Philosophy of Care1740 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿An Analysis of Different Religions, Care, and Christianity Introduction The Christian philosophy of care involves the act of charity, the virtue of looking after someone or something outside of ones self. Jesus Christ essentially divided the Mosaic law into two parts, the first concerning mans duty towards God, and the second concerning mans duty towards his fellow man. In a sense, Christ intimated that we are all our brothers keeper. Eastern religions have a different philosophy of care,Read MoreAncient And Medieval World Of Eurasia1678 Words   |  7 Pagesthese land and sea trade routes, began a cultural exchange between the east and west through the diffusion of goods, technology, medicine, and religion. The two most vital networks of trade in the ancient and medieval world of Eurasia were the Spice Routes and the Silk Road. The Spice routes were a network of sea routes running from the Greco-Roman world, through North Africa, to the subcontinent of India, and eventually to China and Southeast Asia. The commerce of this maritime route was definedRead MoreEssay about A History of Japan1460 Words   |  6 Pagesthe major world powers in the world stunned. The base of this amazing country is astonishing just by itself. The base is a bunch of active and large under water volcanoes. Japans uniqueness from the rest of the world ranges from its culture to its very interesting history to the change in government every few hundred years and their trading dilemma with petroleum and their assortment of fish that they export. Japan as a country is so very appealing and kind compared to the rest of the world its no wonder

Multi National Corporation Free Essays

string(141) " huge revenues and profits so the amount of tax paid by these organisations is also large, this in turn lifts up the economy of the country\." â€Å"On balance, multinational corporations provide more positive outcomes for society than negative ones†. Multinational corporations are practically in every sphere of modern life, from policy making to the  environment and international security; from problems of identity and community to the future of work and nation state. (Gabel and Bruner,  2003, VI) A multi-national corporation (MNC) is a business organisation which has its headquarters in one country but conducts and controls productive activities in a range of different countries. We will write a custom essay sample on Multi National Corporation or any similar topic only for you Order Now There are numerous examples of such organisations, car manufacturers like Ford, Toyota, Honda , Volkswagen; oil companies like Shell, BP, Exxon Mobil ; technology companies like Dell, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard ,Canon ; food and drink companies such as Coca Cola, Interbrew, McDonalds, FMCG companies like PG and banking companies like Yes bank, Hsbs, etc. According to Bartlett and Ghoshal (1998), the multinational organisation is defined by the following characteristics: ‘A decentralized federation of asset and responsibilities, a management process defined by simple financial control systems overlaid on informal personal coordination, and a dominant strategic mentality that viewed the company’s worldwide operations as a portfolio of national business. In a multinational organisation, the decisions, obviously, are decentralised. ’ Generally speaking multinational corporations are a boon to this world. They have made this world a better place to live in. There are numerous positive outcomes of a MNC. These corporations have brought this world together and have connected the whole mankind. They have developed the underdeveloped countries through their investments and improving their economy. MNC, by their very nature, are large organisations. Their size means they often have considerable power and influence and as a result have come in for some criticism of their actions. It is also assumed that MNCs tend to locate operations in poor countries only. This, of course, is not the case. Honda and Nissan have both invested heavily in production facilities in the UK but are Japanese companies. (Bized, 2007) Multinational Corporations are believed to play a major role in improving the economy and lifestyle of the developing country. MNC have made this world a global village and connected people from all parts of the world and made them work together in a state of harmony. Due to these transnational corporations, the working of people from different origin, caste, and race is possible. These corporations are the reason that we can now live together with any type of human. They have made it possible for us to think globally and live globally. It is believed among many economists that MNCs fill various gaps within a host country’s economy. The first and most often cited one is that, when domestic investment and savings doesn’t meet the required rate of growth in the economy, the gap in investment is filled by the MNCs’ investment because these corporations have large funds and so can help in building an economy benefitting the whole world. Secondly when the targeted foreign exchange is not met by the net foreign exchange derived from imports and exports together with net public debt, the gap is constituted by MNCs’ net exports and capital inflow. These giant enterprises also fill the gap between targeted government tax revenues and locally raised taxes. Lastly the gap of management skills, entrepreneurship and technological skills are believed to be filled by the MNCs. They bind all sorts of people together because these are huge agencies and so require works of all type. Engineers use technological skills to make a product which is sold by entrepreneurs using management skills and lastly the whole all account is managed by managers. So everyone works together filling up the gap between them. (Financial times, 2001) According to A. K. Cairn Cross, ‘It is not possible to buy development so cheaply. The provision of foreign capital may yield a more adequate infrastructure, but rarely by itself generates rapid development unless there are already large investment opportunities going a begging. That is why the intervention of multinational corporations is imperative in the context of the economic growth and modernisation of developing economies where ample investment avenues lie open and yet due to lack of capital and technical know-how, these potentials remain unexploited. Multinational corporations help in reorganising the economic infrastructure in collaboration with the domestic sector through financial and technical help. These corporations bui ld huge buildings and factories which improves the infrastructure of a developing country to a huge extent. Multinational organisations (MNO) have helped in he increase of employment in the host nation as well as in the other countries where it functions. Let us assume that a company manufactures and supplies raw material for making furniture. To this firm, the contract to supply the raw material for the new plant might be worth ? 35000. If the plant was not built then the firm will not generate that order and not receive that work. For workers working in the plant, the order helps to maintain the flow of orders and can keep them in employment. It can also be expected that the additional income will find its way through the local economy. If additional people are hired, they will receive an income which they spend. For existing workers, increased orders might equate to job security and they too might feel more confident in spending on new items – furniture, house extension, new white goods, holidays and so on. Inward investment therefore can act as a trigger to generating wealth in the local economy. If a MNC is attracted to an area then this might also lead to other smaller firms in the supply chain deciding to locate in those areas. Other firms providing services to these firms are then attracted to the area and so on. (Bized, 2007) MNCs provide immense resources and investments, technology, innovation and expertise to the host societies. A culture of research and development is encouraged and human resources are developed, at least within the organization. MNCs also contribute significantly to the national treasury by paying taxes. As these organisations have huge revenues and profits so the amount of tax paid by these organisations is also large, this in turn lifts up the economy of the country. You read "Multi National Corporation" in category "Papers" MNCs bring with them new ideas and new techniques that can help to improve the quality of production and help boost the quality of human capital in the host country. Many will not only look to employ local labour but also provide them with training and new skills to help them improve productivity and efficiency. In some cases this can prove a challenge but in others it can lead to improvements in motivation and productivity. The skills that workers build up can then be passed on to other workers and so this improves the supply of skilled labour in the area which makes it more attractive to new industry as it helps to reduce the costs of training and skilling of workers. In addition to the investment in a country in production and distribution facilities, a multinational orporation might also invest in additional infrastructure facilities like road, rail, port and communications facilities. This can provide benefits for the whole country as in building road or port one requires labour, therefore eradicating the problem of unemployment. If people are employed they will like to buy different products which will lead to increase of production and sup ply leading to making of new factories to meet the demand and therefore uplifting the whole economy. Peter Drucker (1975) remarks that multinationalism and expanding world trade are two sides of the same coin. He points out that the period of most rapid growth of multinational trade was in the fifties and sixties. Indeed, during this period the world economy grew faster than the fastest growing domestic economy of Japan. India has always been facing the issue of brain drain since the past few decades where   Indian students go to developed economies like United States for higher studies and  never return back. But the above statement highlights a new trend, even though not as  prominent as the earlier one, entrepreneurs migrating to other emerging economies for better business prospects. But due to liberalization in 1991 many multinational corporations are allowed in our country which has reduced brain drain to a much greater extent, as students get the opportunities to work in a better environment that is matching their level of education, in their home country itself as these corporations give the skilled employees a good amount of money which was missing before the globalization. So they come back after the higher education to work in their home country instead of settling in foreign nations. In short it causes Brain Gain instead of Brain Drain. Good governance, organizational transparency, clear command structures, and performance-based evaluation and incentives programs for employees encourage the merit system. MNCs introduce a professional working environment and culture for local organizations to emulate, thereby promoting sound management and business education. In some cases, large-scale economies, quality control and a healthy competition lead to price cuts and other benefits for the end-user. People have more access to the comforts of life with a large variety of choices. Today a person is available with many choices if he goes to buy a handbag or a shoe. There are ten brands offering the same material so the company is forced to use the best quality materials for their product reducing the amount of prices. Earlier before liberalization there was no competition so as there was a single local company selling a product which gave that local company full authority over the prices and the material used in making the product. These local companies used low quality material and increased the prices of the goods. But this drawback has been fulfilled by these multinational corporations. MNCs help boost cross-boundary interaction among people. Even education, particularly, business education, has taken on a global perspective. The global perspectives and opportunities for cross-cultural understanding increase the adaptability of students to alien environments. This leads to the mixing of cultures and practices and encourages pluralism as well as competition which helps in overall learning of the student and makes him capable of working in any environment. (Khalid Rahman, n. d. The enormous resources of the multinational enterprises enable them to have very efficient research and development systems. Thus, they make a commendable contribution to inventions and innovations. They also work to equalize the cost of Factors of Production- Land, Labour, Capital and Entrepreneur-around the world. MNCs also stimulate domestic enterprise because to support their own operations, the MNCs may encourage and assist domestic suppliers. So they help in increase completion and break domestic monopolies. Today fun and entertainment have become a refuge for man from their misery, tension and daily hectic routine. A good level of Media Company can provide that kind of entertainment that will help the common man to relax. A good show can only be made if the company has enough funds to afford it which is only manageable by a multinational corporation. Due to the globalization we are able to enjoy the fun of the animated movies, thrill of James Bond and Romance of Twilight. We have been able to enjoy the 3D effects and the shopping mall life due to these corporations. The luxuries offered by the Grand Hayat or Radisson are not possible without MNCs. Reliance is a perfect example for a MNC which provides entertainment to all sorts of people worldwide. From theatres to producing a movie, from channels to televisions, reliance provides everything related to entertainment to the rest of the world. The ‘khushiyon ki home delivery’ of dominoes or the yummy Mc veggie burger of McDonalds was not even believed to be possible in your home town thirty years back. In this world of skyscrapers and travelling to mile long distances for work, one requires transport. I don’t think one can travel by foot twenty kilometres to your office. One has to possess a vehicle or travel by public transport. These vehicles are manufactured by the MNCs like Ford, Mahindra, Honda, Tata and many more. Multinational companies have made your easy and comfortable. In a survey carried over all over the world the most important, unavoidable and most needed service or profession is the field of medicine. To answer the question of MNCs having more positive outcomes than the negative ones, why not take this important field as an index, Particularly in India. This is a proven fact that medical professionals trained in India are amongst the best in the world. A large percentage of doctors in NHS UK (National Health Scheme) 26 % to be exact, and in United States are doctors of Indian origin. This so called brain drain was primarily because of lack of availability of infrastructure and facilities for specialized training and treatments in India. With the advent of Multinational corporations the best of the training facilities, knowledge equipments and medicines are now available freely in India at affordable cost. Health commission of India, London) We take a particular example in the field of orthopaedic surgery, particularly joint replacements. The Dr. C S Ranawat– Atal Bihari Vajpai episode- is not far away when India or India trained doctors replaced our prime ministers knee joint with an artificial joint made by a foreign MNC which was designed and invented by Dr C S Ranwat himself. Incidentally who is from Indore and an old Dali an. To take a company in particular as an example DEPUY, this was previously owned by Johnson and Johnson but now merged with Synthes. They are the largest manufactures of artificial joints of hip and knee in the world. As their operations are now very well established in India the best, latest joints are available freely to us. As these companies have access to the most modern training facilities and so the faculty Indian doctors can get trained in India and abroad at affordable expenses and with ease. The Depuy academy in Chennai, the Ethicon institute in New Delhi and many others are amongst the best training institutes in the world set up by these huge multinational enterprises. As these corporations have associations, sponsorships with the faculties who are in the fore front of research, the Indian doctors now have better opportunity to gain knowledge with the leaders in their field. The sessions held in many cities held in India of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeon (AAOS) and annual meetings of IGOF Indo German orthopaedic foundations are possible only because of the logistic and financial support of these corporate. Similarly the British orthopaedic society is having a special autumn session in the national conference of the Indian orthopaedic association in Chennai. So now we have a situation where the best of the medical professionals with world class training and knowledge armed with all the latest equipments and implants available at our door step. Now a common man who previously could not afford to have such modern operations or surgeries now can have access to them. One do not have to go abroad to have these procedures. Agreed that some profit goes to the multinational giants but the ultimate beneficiary is the common man. As the number of these high end surgeries increases the local hospitals, doctors, infrastructure, paramedical staff have their own benefits. Looking to the huge population of India and as the number of these surgeries are growing rapidly, the Indian doctors are also now becoming opinion at world level and the Mncs are designing the implants to special Asian needs. And as the experience of the Indian MNCs are supplying same products to the world. So the product used in its home country will be same as the product it has supplied to the rest of the world. One cannot deny the fact that, today multinational companies have become part of our lives. With all the above glamour and luxuries offered by these corporations they provide a lot of economic help to the developing countries. There are some negative aspects of multinational companies but there are more positive outcomes. They have made our lives worth living. The technological advancements and business growth is the result of working of these corporations. MNCs have connected the world as a whole. Some will say that globalization has ruined the culture of a country, say India. But what MNCs have eradicated is not our rich traditions but our false believes. One still celebrates Diwali with the same enthusiasm as he used to do ten years ago. But due to globalization today women have the right to vote, the literacy rate of our country has increased, female foeticide and infanticide is banned, untouchability has been banned, caste system is eradicated. Today people have started following their own dreams, not doing what others say. Education system of the country has developed. Number of students going into higher education is increasing year by year. This all is possible only because MNCs have brought Globalization which has led to change in the narrow minded mentality of the people to a realistic logical one. Today’s generation is grown up and does not live in a world surrounded by superstitions. Imagine a world without MNCs where we don’t have all the big companies and your favourite brands. From coca-cola to KFC, from Reebok to Adidas, from Starbucks to Barista, CK to UCB, and Louis Vetton to Gucci â€Å"You Are Living It†. REFRENCE LIST 1. Gabel M and H Bruner,  2003. Global In, New York: The New Press. 2. Peter drucker, management, Bombay, Allied publishers Pvt. Ltd. 1975, p. 733 3. Christopher A Bartlett and Sumantra Ghoshal, Managing Across Borders, Boston, Harvard Business School Press, 1998 4. Bized, 2007, Economic Notes- Multi-national Corporations, http://www. bized. co. uk/learn/economics/notes/multi. htm (date accessed: 16/10/2012) 5. Dinithi Thanthiriwatte, 6th June 2004, MNCs – bane or boon for development? Financial Times, Sunday Times. 6. A K Craincross, 1953, Home and Foreign Investment, 1870-1913: Studies in Capital Accumulation, University Press . Khalid Rahman, MNCs and TNCs: Their Role and Socioeconomic Impact on Host Societies, Policy Perspectives, Volume 4, No. 2, http://www. ips. org. pk/globalization/1007-mncs-and-tncs-their-role-and-socioeconomic-impact-on-host-societies. html (date accessed: 18/10/12) 8. Health Commission of India, London, Biotechnology and Healthcare, http://hcilondon. in/biotech. php (date accessed: 20/10/2012 ) 9. American Academy of O rthopaedic Surgeons, http://www3. aaos. org/education/international/courses/prev_courses. cfm? evt_year=2012 (date accessed: 21/10/2012) How to cite Multi National Corporation, Papers

Ethics and Starbucks free essay sample

Introduction Marketing ethics refers to the moral principles concerning acceptable and unacceptable behavior related to the operation of marketing by business people (Barron’s Educational Series, 2007). In order to obtain higher profit, some of the companies may violate business ethical values. Background Mattel founded in 1945 is one of the largest toy companies in the world (Fortune, 2008). Although Mattel is a major toy company, there are many unethical issues found. Firstly, Mattel`s products contained lead paint and tiny magnets that could be swallowed (Mauro, 2007). Secondly, Mattel recalled toys frequently as there were five recalls in less than a year (Mattel. com, 2010). Thirdly, the packaging of Mattel`s product contributed to rainforest destruction (Jakarta, 2011). According to the American Marketing Association (AMA), these activities are unethical and violate 3 ethical values including responsibility, honesty and citizenship. Responsibility For responsibility, Mattel failed to accept the consequences of our marketing decision and strategies. Mattel did not recognize their special commitments to vulnerable market segments such as children who may be disadvantaged. First of all, on August 14 2007, Mattel`s product, the ‘Sarge’ cars, was discovered with lead paint and tiny magnets which are harmful and dangerous to children. Although the product was recalled, some of the products which are claimed passed still contain lead paint. However, Mattel minimized the impact of the use of lead paint. In fact, lead is toxic if ingested by children and there is no safe level of lead in them according to Dr. John Rosen, a lead poisoning specialist (Consumer news, 2007). Although the dangers of lead poisoning are hidden and unobservable, Mattel should take the responsibility instead of doing nothing to prevent the dangers . This violates the ethical value of responsibility because Mattel failed to recognize their special commitments to their customers. Honesty For honesty, Mattel failed to forthright in dealings with customers and stakeholders. Mattel promises that their priority is the safety of the children who play with their toys (URLwire, 2007). However, there were four recalls in six months in 2007, but Mattel did not draw a lesson. In 2010, Mattel toys had been recalled for five times. One of the products called Trikes and Tough Trikes toddler tricycles led to 10 serious injuries before the product was recalled. In order to meet their promise and ensure the safety of children, Mattel should check the quality of their products carefully before they are sold. In these cases, Mattel did not have an adequate quality control in the manufacturing process. Being the largest toy company in the world based on the revenue, Mattel should not recall the defected products only if the injuries happen. As a result, Mattel did not honor their promise to place children safety at the first place. This violates the ethical value of honesty according to AMA. Citizenship In terms of citizenship, Mattel failed to fulfill the economic, legal, philanthropic and societal responsibilities that serve stakeholders. Greenpeace evidenced that Barbie doll packaging come from Indonesian rainforests. Mattel did not protect the ecological environment in the execution of marketing campaigns. Mattel was using products from Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), a pulp and paper company notorious for destroying Indonesian rainforests, leading to the extinction of Sumatran Tiger (Greenpeace, 2011). The product of Mattel, Barbie, was wrapped up in rainforest destruction which destroys the ecological environment and pushes critically endangered wildlife towards extinction. Although Mattel adopted a new packaging policy after the blame from the public, they still did a lot of damages to the environment. According to ! 1 AMA, this practice is unethical because Mattel failed to fulfill the societal responsibility to serve the public and violates citizenship. Conclusion To sum up, consumers lose confident to Mattel`s products because of the mentioned unethical activities. As the world largest toy company, Mattel should not only focus on their sales, but also be more responsible for the environment. Although it is impossible to guarantee zero defected products, Mattel should pay more afford on the quality control to make sure the safety of children. In other words, Mattel should balance the profitability and ethic to achieve her international position. ! Reference Dictionary of Business Terms, Barrons Educational Series (2007), retrieved October 11, 2011 from http://www. allbusiness. com/glossaries/business-ethics/4962856-1. html ! Fortune 500 List (2008) . Fortune, May 5, 2008, Retrieved October 8, 2011. http://money. cnn. com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2008/snapshots/272. html ! Jakarta, R. ( June 09, 2011), Greenpeace accuses Barbie of destroying rainforests, Retrieved October 10, 2011 from http://www. taipeitimes. com/News/front/archives/2011/06/09/2003505320 ! Kenyon, L. (October 5, 2011) Victory: Mattel and Barbie Drop Deforestation, Retrieved October 10, 2011 from http://www. greenpeace. org/usa/en/news-and-blogs/campaign-blog/victory-mattel-and-barbiedrop-deforestation/blog/37182/ ! Mattel (2010) . Mattel`s recall, Retrieved October 12, 2011 from http://service. mattel. com/us/recall. asp ! Mauro, T. (August 14, 2007), More Bad News from Mattel, Retrieved October 10, 2011 from http://specialchildren. about. com/b/2007/08/14/more-bad-news-from-mattel. htm ! MSNbc. com (2007, August14), Mattel issues new massive China toy recall, Retrieved October 11, 2011 from http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/20254745/#. Tp8KWN7peGI ! URLwire (September27, 2007) ,Mattel. com Offers Detailed Toy Recall Website, Retrieved October 13, 2011 from http://www. urlwire. com/news/092707. html? !2 ! Sample 2 – Middle Score Corporations’ marketing activities are important information channels for consumers to evaluate the products. Companies that utilize marketing activities to mislead consumers are regarded as unethical by the American Marketing Association. By examining iPhone 4’s marketing strategies, Apple Inc. has been found to violate several ethical standards. ! Apple Inc. is a corporation that designs personal computers and computer software (Apple 2010). In recent years, the company has launched the iPhone series that instantly captivated the consumers (Dalrymple 2010). In contrast, the new iPhone 4 is not positively received by market consumers due to Apple’s unethical marketing strategies. These unethical marketing activities have generated controversies amongst market consumers whether the new gadget should be preferred over other smart phones. ! An apparent violation of the AMA’s statement of ethics is honesty. It is best demonstrated by the promotion of iPhone 4. The newly launched iPhone 4 have been reported by their users with a problem in reception quality. iPhone 4 has its antenna exposed on the outer rim of the phone which makes it more susceptible to interference. The report by Burrows and Guglielmo (2010) has documented Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple, is well aware of the flaw in the design. However, official recognition of the problem only came after significant users have reported iPhone 4’s call quality issue. In this manner, Apple has deceived market consumers into buying iPhone 4. ! Another ethical value that has been undermined by Apple is transparency. The underlying principle of transparency is to take responsible actions in regards to product risks that could affect customers’ evaluation of the product (AMA 2010). Although German and Ogg (2010) state the use of a free bumper case is able to eliminate the call quality issue, Apple’s responses to the crisis is unacceptable. It had tried to minimize its responsibilities in this incident by explicitly saying that other brands also have the antenna issue (Michaluk 2010). It had told customers to hold the iPhone differently in order to avoid the signal drop (Rothman 2010). The denial of responsibilities cannot demonstrate the company to have satisfied transparency in its marketing activities. ! Lastly, Apple has breached citizenship in accordance with the AMA ethical standard. A stress made in citizenship is to â€Å"ensure that trade is fair for all participants, including producers in developing countries† (AMA 2010). Recent incidents in the Foxconn’s factories have exposed Apple’s inability to uphold fairness while dealing with its manufacturer. Seventeen suicides have been attempted by Foxconn workers this year which raise suspicions about the working conditions inside the factories (Tam 2010). Although Foxconn is responsible for the harsh working conditions inside the factories, Apple has aided in the exploitation of labours in China by loosely overseeing its producer. In conclusion, Apple has seriously infringed several ethical standards that are set forth by the American Marketing Association. The company has violated the honesty principle by hiding the flaw in the antenna design and denies the mistake made by the engineering team. It has failed to uphold transparency by denial of responsibilities. Apple has breached citizenship by allowing Foxconn’s exploitation of labours in China. ! The overall failure to defend the marketing ethics has left several black spots on the company’s profile. Apple will need to amend the damages done to its reputation in order to regain consumers’ faith. It should admit the mistakes made in the designing stage and take up the responsibilities by recalling the products for reconfigurations. The company should also exert tighter control over its supply chain to ensure fairness is ! 3 met. Only with such reparations can Apple restore its reputation in the subsequent products sales.

20 surefire tips for using bullets like a pro - Emphasis

20 surefire tips for using bullets like a pro 20 surefire tips for using bullets like a pro Bullet points can bring clarity to an otherwise dense report, delivering quickfire information. But overuse them and you could shoot yourself in the foot – too many can make a document very hard to read. There are 20 bullet points in this article. Take each of them on board next time you draft a document and youll be formatting like a pro in no time. Why use bullets? Bullet points are great for communicating information and breaking up text. For example, they can: make lists clearer, as they are more visual use white space well grab attention by drawing the readers eye help readers scan information reduce word count. When to use bullets Bullet lists always need an introduction (like this one) and are good for: concise web content conveying key information breaking down complex lists summarising main points giving instructions. Bullets can be particularly useful in technical writing. In our experience, theyre popular with scientists and engineers, who sometimes even have a tendency to overuse them as a substitute for structured prose. Historians and policy makers, on the other hand, tend to prefer more connected text, and in some cases dont even use bullets at all. So, how do you strike a good balance? Just remember that they should be the exception, not the rule. They cant draw the readers eye if theyre everywhere, so reserve them for your hardest hitting, most concise points. When to dodge the bullets As a general rule, readers dont like bullet points when: there are too many or  the points are too long they are used for unimportant details the story is emotive or involved and so needs connected text (T)he punctuation is erratic and distracting(;) some of them are very much longer than others and it’s difficult to really see what the point of this particular type of bullet point is – in fact when the writer is just rambling on and simply wasting the reader’s time (annoying, isn’t it?). How to punctuate bullets There are various different styles of punctuating bullet points, and no hard-and-fast rules on the right way to do it. The most important thing is to have a consistent style across your organisation.  At Emphasis, for example, we use two different styles. When the bullet points are not full sentences (as in this article so far), we use: lower case no punctuation a full stop after the final bullet if it ends the sentence (as this one does). However, if were using bullet points for a list of complete sentences: We use a capital letter at the start of each one. And we end each one with a full stop. So there you have it, 20 bullets to help you hit your writing targets. Do you have a preferred style? Do you want to come clean as a bullet-point addict or phobic? Wed like to hear what you think – join the discussion below. How to use bullet points effectively is just one of the many topics we typically cover in our in-company courses and courses for individuals.

The Healing Uses of Artificial Skin

The Healing Uses of Artificial Skin Artificial skin is a substitute for human skin produced in the laboratory, typically used to treat severe burns. Different types of artificial skin differ in their complexity, but all are designed to mimic at least some of the skin’s basic functions, which include protecting against moisture and infection and regulating body heat. How Artificial Skin Works Skin is primarily made of two layers: the uppermost layer, the epidermis, which serves as a barrier against the environment; and the dermis, the layer below the epidermis which makes up roughly 90 percent of the skin. The dermis also contains the proteins collagen and elastin, which help give the skin its mechanical structure and flexibility. Artificial skins work because they close wounds, which prevents bacterial infection and water loss and helps the damaged skin to heal. For example, one commonly used artificial skin, Integra, consists of an â€Å"epidermis† made of silicone and prevents bacterial infection and water loss, and a â€Å"dermis† based on bovine collagen and glycosaminoglycan. The Integra â€Å"dermis† functions as an extracellular matrix – a structural support found between cells that helps regulate cell behavior – that induces a new dermis to form by promoting cell growth and collagen synthesis. The Integra â€Å"dermis† is also biodegradable and is absorbed and replaced by the new dermis. After several weeks, physicians replace the silicone â€Å"epidermis† with a thin layer of epidermis from another part of the patient’s body. Uses of Artificial Skin Treating burns:  Artificial skin is commonly used to treat burn injuries, especially if the patient does not have enough healthy skin that can be transplanted to the wound. In such cases, the body cannot generate skin cells quickly enough to heal the damaged skin, and the patient’s injury may become lethal due to significant fluid loss and infection. Artificial skin can thus be used to immediately close the wound and improve survival.Treating skin disorders:  Some artificial skin products like Apligraf have been used to treat chronic wounds on the skin, such as ulcers, which are open wounds that heal very slowly. They may also be applied to skin disorders like eczema and psoriasis, which often span a large portion of the body and may benefit from artificial skins laden with medicine, which can easily wrap around the affected area.Research in consumer products and medicine:  Aside from its uses in the clinical setting, artificial skin may also be used to model human skin for research. For example, artificial skin is used as an alternative to animal testing, which is often used to gauge how a cosmetics or medical product affects the skin. However, this testing may cause pain and discomfort to the animals and does not necessarily predict the response of human skin. Some companies like L’Orà ©al have already used artificial skin to test many chemical ingredients and products. Artificial skin may also simulate skin for other research applications, including how skin is affected by UV exposure and how chemicals in sunscreen and medicines are transported through skin. Types of Artificial Skin Artificial skins mimic either the epidermis or dermis, or both epidermis and dermis in a â€Å"full-thickness† skin replacement. Some products are based on biological materials like collagen, or biodegradable materials not found in the body. These skins can also include a non-biological material as another component, such as Integra’s silicone epidermis. Artificial skins have also been produced by growing sheets of skin live skin cells taken from the patient or other humans. One major source is the foreskins of newborns, taken after circumcision. Such cells often do not stimulate the body’s immune system- a property that allows fetuses to develop in their mother’s wombs without being rejected- and hence are much less likely to be rejected by the patient’s body. How Artificial Skin Differs From Skin Grafts Artificial skin should be differentiated from the skin graft, which is an operation in which healthy skin is removed from a donor and attached it to a wounded area. The donor is preferably the patient themself, but could also come from other humans, including cadavers, or from animals like pigs. However, artificial skin is also grafted onto a wounded area during treatments. Improving Artificial Skin for the Future Though artificial skin has benefited many people, a number of drawbacks can be addressed. For example, artificial skin is expensive as the process to make such skin is complex and time-consuming. Furthermore, artificial skin, as in the case of sheets grown from skin cells, can also be more fragile than their natural counterparts. As researchers continue to improve on these, and other, aspects, however, the skins that have been developed will continue to help save lives. References Brohem, C., da Silva Cardeal, L., Tiago, M., Soengas, M., de Moraes Barros, S., Maria-Engler, S. â€Å"Artificial skin in perspective: concepts and applications.† Pigment Cell Melanoma Research, 2011, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 35-50, doi: doi: 10.1111/j.1755-148X.2010.00786.x.Companies are making human skin in labs to curb animal testing of products, Bob Woods, CNBC.Cooper, G. â€Å"Cell walls and the extracellular matrix.† In The Cell: A Molecular Approach. 2nd edition, 2000, Sunderland, MA, Sinauer Associates.Halim, A., Khoo, T., and Yussof, S. â€Å"Biologic and synthetic skin substitutes: An overview.† Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery, 2010, vol. 43, pp. S23-S28, doi: 10.4103/0970-0358.70712.Immortal skin, Rebecca Skloot, Popular Science.Integra Dermal Regeneration Template.Jones, I., Currie, L., and Martin, R. â€Å"A guide to biological skin substitutes.† British Journal of Plastic Surgery, 2002, vol. 55, pp. 185-193, doi: 10.1054/hips.2002.3800.Schulz, J., Tompkins, R., and Burke, J. â€Å"Artificial skin.† Annual Review of Medicine, 2000, vol. 51, pp. 231-244, doi: 10.1146/annurev.med.51.1.231. ‘Second skin’ goes on over your skin to smooth your wrinkles, Ike Swetlitz, STAT.Tompkins, R., and Burke, J. â€Å"Progress in burn treatment and the use of artificial skin.† World Journal of Surgery, vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 819-824, doi: 10.1007/BF01670529.Varkey, M., Ding, J., and Tredget, E. â€Å"Advances in skin substitutes- Potential of tissue engineered skin for facilitating anti-fibrotic healing.† Journal of Functional Biomaterials, 2015, vol. 6, pp. 547-563, doi:10.3390/jfb6030547.Zhang, Z., and Michniak-Kohn, B. â€Å"Tissue engineered human skin equivalents.† Pharmaceutics, 2012, vol. 4, pp. 26-41, doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics4010026.

Zinc and alcohol metabolism Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Zinc and alcohol metabolism - Term Paper Example The ileum absorbs nearly 3-4 grams of zinc per day and thus the recommended allowances, daily range from 5mg in infants to between 16 and 19 mg per day for lactating women. In addition, it is stored and used in two distinct pools: the fixed pool that is usually bound to metalloproteins, which constitutes 80-90% of body zinc. The second is the labile pool which constitutes loosely binding or free zinc, which is available for exchange by organelles and cells. This kind of pool is susceptible to depletion, especially during dietary zinc deficiency. Free zinc may be toxic to enzymes and proteins and thus the labile pool is largely bound to proteins that carry zinc. Moreover, zinc movement across organelle membranes and plasma is regulated tightly by zinc transporters. Zinc has a vast majority of functions and relates to alcohol intake through its biochemical role in metabolism of alcohol. Zinc is important for cell division and growth. It is crucial, especially during pregnancy for the developing fetus because cells are dividing rapidly. Zinc helps in avoiding pre-term delivery and congenital abnormalities. Zinc is useful in activating growth-weight, height and bone development in children, infants and teenagers. Moreover, zinc plays a role in fertility. In females, it can help in the treatment of menstrual problems and alleviation of pre-menstrual syndrome associated symptoms..In males, it offers protection from infection and enlargement of the prostate gland. It also maintains mobility, sperm count and levels of testosterone at normal (Kang et al, 2008). As a component of most enzymes, it participates in synthesis as well as degradation of lipids, nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates and the metabolism of several other micronutrients. Zinc aids in the stabilization of the molecular structure of membranes and cellular components, and in this way contribute to cell and organ maintenance. In addition, zinc is essential in transcription of the

The Impact of Exercise, Jumping on Heart Rate and Blood Pressure Research Paper

The Impact of Exercise, Jumping on Heart Rate and Blood Pressure - Research Paper Example During exercising process, the body acclimatizes by enhancing its capacity to draw in the oxygen by increasing the breathing rate; the lungs expand in volume to accommodate the extra oxygen requirement (Raj et al., 2005; Watanabe, 2003). The availability of oxygen and force increase the circulation of blood rich in oxygen to the muscles for the continuation of exercise. However, during rest, the muscle capacity decreases, which lowers the blood flow and the breathing capacity leading to reduced pulse rate. The experiment aimed to test the differences in heart rate and blood pressure before exercise (resting status), jumping, and two minutes after jumping. The materials needed to carry out the experiment include the pencil and paper for recording the data, the room for carrying out the jumping jack, a group of participants (14) with equal numbers from both sexes, and a timer or a stopwatch. The participants were prepared by allowing them to rest for about 15 minutes. Besides, they were allowed to take enough water during the exercises because bodies lose water while exercising. The procedure involves requesting participants to place their fingers under their wrist and count the heartbeat for 30 seconds. The number gotten was multiplied by two to get the heartbeat, the same procedure was repeated after taking 20 jump jacks. The same procedure was used to record the heart rate while resting. The findings relate to previous findings that found that continuous exercising conditions the heart to get more efficient in carrying out the exercise (Raj et al., 2005; Watanabe, 2003). There were significant differences between the resting data and the data obtained during exercising. These show that increase in exercise increases the heart output to acclimatize with the requirement of oxygen and blood to the muscle cells involved in the exercising process.

Reflection on Practice - Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reflection on Practice - Portfolio - Essay Example , titled "The Darkest Corners," details the grim conditions and human rights abuses faced by people who are committed to psychiatric care against their will, even if they do not pose a demonstrable threat of harm to themselves or to others. "[Such individuals] are denied the right to make decisions regarding their own fate, including admission, discharge, and treatment," CHRD said in an e-mailed statement. "Forced medical treatment, violence, and mistreatment occur frequently." It said psychiatric care facilities frequently restrict or prevent patients from communicating with the outside world, including their relatives and lawyers, and assume that patients relatives have the right to direct their treatment, even if the person is still quite capable of thinking for themselves. Under the Chinese mental health system, patients have no right to independent reviews upon admission or during their time in psychiatric hospitals, and the judicial system is unwilling to handle cases brought by former psychiatric patients. The report cited the case of Fujian website editor Cheng Tianfu, who was reportedly kidnapped by a group of psychiatric healthcare workers in a van in January, 2008, while on his way to the train station to catch a train to Beijing. "During his one-month detention in the hospital, Cheng was subjected to electric shocks and forcibly medicated," CHRD said. "Only when Cheng’s family consented to his discharge was he allowed to leave the hospital." Chinas rapid economic growth and deepening social inequalities are ramping up stress across the population, with urban white-collar workers, high-flyers, and young people all seeking psychological help in unprecedented numbers, mental health professionals say. Even the medically-based psychiatric profession was virtually nonexistent until well after the Cultural Revolution (1966-76) had ended, and psychologists were almost unheard of until about a decade ago. Meanwhile, Wang Wanxing, founder of the

Managing Diversity in Employement

Managing Diversity in Employement Managing Diversity in Employment Identification and Discussion about Segregation in  Labour Market with National and Governmental Perspective The purpose of this essay is going to identify and discuss the main things of segregation and discrimination in term on national and organizational issues in Singapore. Due to segregations in labour market, which are ethnic, age, sex or gender, disability, and sexual orientation, there are pros and cons for each of them. In the following paragraph, the writer is going to elaborate and discuss with further information. Labour market is a place that employers and employees interact with each other. Employers want to hire the best candidates, while the candidates are trying their best to suit the job requirements. Hence, labour demand is the employers in an organization and labour supply is the candidates who give their abilities to the company. (Times Internet Limited, 2014) Labours in the market are based on age, race, ethnicity, gender, disability, and sexuality. In the following paragraph, the writer will identify and discuss the national evidence that talk about statistics labour market in Singapore.  Ã‚   In the organization, there is no much segregation of ethnic group because there are several ethnic groups of people who work together, such as Indians, Chinese, Malays, and others. For example, Marriott Hotel and HSL in Singapore have put opportunities for people ethnics to works together. In order to maximize the potential of teams in term of managing workplace diversity, the companies’ believes an inclusive and harmonious workplace. They believe in selecting the right people and developing employees’ competencies to work in diverse environment, such as self-awareness, adaptability, and team work. For example, people interact with different profile so that assimilate them in an organization. Another event is annual workers dinner, the company mixes them up so that they do not seat with same nationalities. They can mingle, catch up, and have lots of fun. (Government of Singapore, 2014) Ethnicity is a tool of identity formation and imagination to involve in boundary-formation, conflict and racism. Hence, there occurs racism in Singapore. For instance, Singapore Malays are imagined to be incapable of or uninterested in entrepreneurial endeavours. In contrast, Singapore Chinese are seemed to be natural entrepreneurs to seek profit at every opportunity regardless of their ethnicity. Another example, in Chinese culture, ignores differences in sub-ethnic groups, social class, places of origin and so on. (Kopnina, 2004, p.249) Hence, Singapore government is supported the labour market, which contains people who are segregated by ethnic, age, sex or gender, and others. Even, the segregation in term of ethnic in a society occurs in order to respect people’s preferences. For example, most Indians are living at Little India and one of their authentic shops is Mustafa. However, it allows other ethnics to shop there as well. Stereotype is a highly potential influencing for discrimination. Thus, disparaging opinions, myths, and others overshadow the good qualities, characteristics, and abilities of older workers so that they tend to receive disadvantage in a workplace. However, the government set certain rules so that many companies have bolstered older workers’ willingness and abilities in an organization. For instance, in McDonalds, most of the morning shifts are older people because they will be more diligent and willing to wake up to work in the morning compared with the middle or young people. Hence, older people have opportunity to work in the morning and others in the afternoon and evening. On the other hand, the segregation can show some respects to the senior people. For example, people who work for long time in the company will be pay higher than junior level. In case of Singapore government, it has provided a chair for older people in accommodation. For instance, it provides special chairs for older people, disable, pregnant, and people with child in the mass rapid transit (MRT), bus, and other public transportations. Furthermore, the government has done certain policies in Singapore, such as government has reduced employers’ wage costs by lowering the Central Provident Fund (CPF) contribution for older workers, has encouraged employers to make a training lessons for workers above 40 years old with subsidized who earn less than $1,500 a month, and also has encouraged to retraining the mature workers through video-based training programmes and courses which provided by National Productivity Board (NPB). (Debrah, 1996, p.819) Stereotype occurs when individuals are not judged by their own unique characteristics or merit but on generalized characteristic based on group they belong to. People usually stereotype due to disadvantageous of women for selection, promotion decisions, and placement. Hence, there occur invisible barriers that prevent women in reaching the upper echelons of management. (Pichler, et at, 2008, p.466) However, the writer believe that the successful company is when it wants to respect each other regardless of their sex or gender and other disparities, instead consider on what advantages it will gain due to differences. For example, Mr. Antony Page as a General Manager at Marriott hotel in Singapore believes in diversity benefits. 60% of management teams are led by women. This leads the company to be successful and increase people awareness of its good brand names. Another example, Tet Wai Holdings Pte Ltd in Singapore, Maxine R. Hays as a President in that company said that Women must be trained for the technological revolution for they are not left behind and bring benefit for companies and their own selves as well as men. (The Singapore Business and Professional Womens Association, 1982) Moreover, segregation in term of sex or gender due to woman financial stability, like adequate health care and adequate Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings. Mostly, women have around 40 per cent lesser savings in their CPF accounts than men. (Wee and Hill, 2013) Though Convention to Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which Singapore acceded to in 1995, it still on the progress to demolish the sex or gender discrimination because some organizations have not eliminated the discrimination fully. There are several companies that prefer in the equal opportunities for every employee regardless of their gender, race, age, ability and others. For example, Han’s FB that adopts tripartite fair employment practices in 2008. Han’s FB company profit has increased since it hires people with disabilities (PWDs) to the company. Its profit jumped to more than 200% than previous years. (Fook, 2011) Hence, this company is tolerated with disparities in employment, including disable workers. In term of disability, Government of Singapore has been very supportive because it launched the Open Door Fund in 2007 in order to provide financial support to redesign jobs, modify workplaces as well as train people with disabilities. For example, Government provides the Assistive Technology Fund to help disabled students and employees purchase the technology devices for the sake of their education and work purposes. (Human Capital Singapore, 2012) Sexual orientation in the workplace also does as the government stated in Singapore, it is trying to implement the non-discrimination climate against sexual orientation in an organization. The reasons for organization allows the sexual orientation workers because they might bring better performance, enhance career progression, creativity, and productivity. (Day Greene, 2008, pp.640-41) In term of sexual orientation, in 2007, Singapore government stated that gays and lesbians have no legal protection towards employment discrimination. However, the Prime Minister, Goh, has given proclamation a non-discrimination regulation in the civil service which could be a signal for a real improvement security of gays and lesbians. (Badgett Frank, 2007, p.170) Furthermore, in 2008, Singapore government provides an equal protection of the law, which is stated Article 12(1) of the Singapore constitution guarantees equal protection: All persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law should not be treated any differently. (Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, 2008, p.27) Segregation in labour market is about putting people apart from another in term of age, gender, race, and ability of them so that a nation and an organization knows the benefits and disadvantages as well as treats them according to their needs. Hence, national and organizational policy might not only giving an equal opportunity, but also providing a diversity management regarding people’s segregation and segmentation. For knowing the segregation, the nation and organization does not always provide the helpful reaction for the people. However, they could bring a hampered effect for their actions. For example, the older people are being discriminated by an organization. Furthermore, diversity management is important for a company because it will bring several opportunities for the company. For instance, different ideas and perspective, productivity, increase good circumstances, self-improvement, flexibility, adaptable to change, and many others. Hence, it obtains a compatitive advantage due to implement the diversity management in an organization. (Barrak, 2014, p.231) In conclusion, the segregation inside the organization and government could be called as a main thing for Singapore to look at, especially sex or gender in organization because there have disparities or stereotype for women in doing certain job. In addition, the organization or even government might consider for managing diversity so that the gap between men and women is getting closer and instead taking some advantages from differences. In order to render a company to be successful, there are several ways to do, such as evaluating diversity and equality management with a proper evaluation and improving diversity program effectiveness. (Richard, et at, 2013, p.236) For example, in order to gain various ideas with creating a unique package, a design product company could recruit a diverse workforce to enter the company. References Badgett, M. V. L. and Frank, J. (2007): Sexual Orientation Discrimination: An International Perspective. 1st ed. New York and Canada: Taylor Francis Group. Barrak, M. E. M. (2014): Managing Diversity: Toward A Globally Inclusive Workplace. 3rd ed. United States of America: SAGE Publications, Inc. Day, N. E. and Greene, P. G. (2008): A Case for Sexual Orientation Diversity Management in Small and Large Organizations. Human Resource Management, 47(3): 637-54. Debrah, Y. A. (1996): Tackling age discrimination in employment in Singapore. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 7(4): 813-31. Fook, H. C., 2011. Philosophy, Policy, Training, and Charity. [Online] Available at: http://www.hanis.sg/hans.html [Accessed 28 August 2014]. Government of Singapore, 2014. Fostering Inclusive and Harmonious Workplaces. [Online] Available at: http://www.mom.gov.sg/employment practices/Pages/WDM.aspx [Accessed 29 August 2014]. Human Capital Singapore, 2012. Hiring the Disabled Mere Words by Employers or Real Deeds?. [Online] Available at: http://hcs.com.sg/v2/index.php/info/view_news/hiring-the-disabled-mere-words-by employers-or-real-deeds- [Accessed 28 August 2014]. Kopnina, H., 2004. Cultural hybrids or ethnic fundamentalists? discourses on ethnicity in Singaporean SMEs. Asian Ethnicity, 5(2): 245-52. Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, (2008): Singapores Fourth Periodic Report to The UN Committee for the Convention on the elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Singapore: Fabulous Printers Pte Ltd. Pichler, S., Simpson, P. A. and Stroh, L. K. (2008): The Glass Ceiling in Human Resources: Exploring the Link between Womens Representation in Management and the Practices of Strategic Human Resource Management and Employee Involvement. Human Resource Management, 47(3): 463-79. Richard, O. C., Roh, H. and Pieper, J. R. (2013): The Link between Diversity and Equality Management Practice Bundles and Racial Diversity in the Managerial Ranks: Does Firm Size Matter?. Human Resource Management, 52(2): 215-42. The Singapore Business and Professional Womens Association, 1982. The Employment of women in a restructuring society, Singapore: SBPWA. Times Internet Limited, 2014. Definition of Labour Market. [Online] Available at: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/definition/labour-market [Accessed 21 August 2014]. Wee, V. and Hill, S. 2013. Gender dimension to inequality in Singapore. [Online] Available at: http://www.aware.org.sg/2013/10/gender-dimension-to-inequality-in-singapore/ [Accessed 29 August 2014].

Miss California Essay :: essays research papers

The Miss California, USA Seminar At the Miss California, USA seminar we were directed in how to apply makeup the correct way for stage lighting and also we had a number of evening gowns modeled so that we could know what is acceptable. We also had numerous swimsuits modeled for us by other delegates who I will be competing with. The person in charge of the USA pageant organization is Carolee Munger from San Luis Obispo, CA. She taught us how to present ourselves in the presence of our judges and also how to reach for our highest goals. The seminar was eight and a half hours long. It included learning, speaking skills, self confidence, and personal rights as an individual. We also had the privilege of listening to a well known psychologist speak to us about pageantry and how important it is know yourself and the goals you would like to achieve in life. Questions such as, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" have definitely given a new thought to what I would like to do for the rest of my life. I learned how to act self confident even in situations where you don't feel comfortable. I also learned that knowing how to make a grand entrance instead of a grand exit will give you a special presence. Miss California, USA is someone who has a special presence everywhere she goes, whether it be the grocery store or a big event. She is also someone who is not afraid to be assertive in special situations. Being assertive without being aggressive is something we all must learn. To move up in the world you need to make each and every effort to better yourself everyday. Confidence is just the beginning, personality is what keeps someone going, and assertiveness is what makes them different from everyone else. Eddie taught us that we have personal rights to cry and be angry in a calm manner. As an individual we have the right to be ourselves and stand up for what we believe in. Without individuality we would have no diversity in our world. I also acknowledged the fact that diversity is what makes us who we are each and everyday. Although diversity is perceived by some as a problem, we are the people who create the problems amongst ourselves. Diversity is what gives Miss California, USA her name.

Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King) Essay

Sophocles tells perhaps the most tragic of all tales pertaining to great families in Greece. The play is divided into three parts, namely: Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colossus, and Antigone. The plays focus on how one family experiences seemingly endless, tragic circumstances leading them to despair and anguish. There are a handful of strong characters that seem to have the courage to face these unfortunate events; however, there are also several characters that seem weak and easy prey for the tragedy. Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King) The story revolves around Oedipus. Oedipus travels from Corinth to escape from a prophecy. He meets a group of men who fights him; he defeats and kills all of the men, except for one. A sphinx is positioned right outside the gates of Thebes. Before anybody can enter the city, the sphinx asks him to answer its riddle. The sphinx eats the men who are not able to solve its riddle. Soon, men stop attempting to come near the gates of Thebes, and its inhabitants start to face famine. (Sophocles 1) When Oedipus faces the sphinx, he solves the riddle. The sphinx kills itself and Oedipus is able to enter Thebes. He is hailed as a hero and he marries the widowed queen, Jocasta. Oedipus and Jocasta live in prosperity and have four children who grow up to be honored by the men and women of Thebes. Once their children grow of age, a revelation comes in the form of a Delphic Oracle. He tells the royal family that Oedipus is the child of Jocasta and her murdered King Laius. Jocasta kills herself after realizing the horror of what happened, and Oedipus, upon seeing the death of his wife and mother, blinds himself. Oedipus at Colonus The story begins after Oedipus has blinded himself to prevent himself from seeing the horror in his life. Thebes banishes Oedipus and he wanders with one of his daughters, Antigone. They settle in Colonus near the city of Athens and are left in peace. There are very little developments in this story as opposed to the plots of Oedipus the King and Antigone. Oedipus accepts his fate and realizes what has become of the royal family. He grows old but regains respect as a man outside of Thebes. Both Antigone and Oedipus lead a quiet life. He passes away quietly and Antigone goes back to Thebes. Antigone Oedipus’ daughter, Antigone, returns to Thebes to find his brothers fighting for the throne. Both of her brothers, Polynieces and Eteocles, are killed in their battle against each other. Eteocles is given a hero’s burial since he fights for Thebes. King Creon, the king of Thebes, orders that Polynieces should not be buried because he has defied Thebes and has fought against it. Antigone pities her brother and decides to bury him despite the pleas of her sister, Ismene. Antigone argues that she cannot possibly let Polynieces’ remains to be exposed and dishonored. She proceeds to make a burial for her brother despite the King’s orders. King Creon finds out about Antigone’s treachery and orders that she be punished – that she be put to death. The Thebans and Ismene try to convince King Creon to reconsider his punishment. He retracts his edict, but they find it futile since Antigone has already taken her own life. The Political Purpose Sophocles’ trilogy shows the dynamics of the relationships within a royal family during ancient Greece. There are a lot of responsibilities bestowed upon the members of the family that there are times during which their own happiness is taken away: they are called to choose their duty above their own lives. Antigone’s strength of character is a most admirable trait a royal has shown – she gave up her life and liberty to do the right thing. The Evolution of Prophetic Literature Sophocles shows the promise of a riveting plot and how it can be made by using prophesies as a major element in the story. He illustrates the importance of believing and following the oracles’ counsel. (Segal 129) Oracles plays very significant parts in Sophocles’ plays. There are several more works which take after the formula of this play. The Oedipus trilogy is marked as one of the stronger foundations in Prophetic Literature. Works Cited Segal, Charles. Sophocles’ tragic world: divinity, nature, society. Harvard University Press, 1998. Sophocles. The Oedipus Trilogy. Kessinger Publishing, 2004.

STALIN TAKES OVER RUSSIANS! Essays - Communism In Russia

STALIN TAKES OVER RUSSIANS! Essays - Communism In Russia STALIN TAKES OVER RUSSIANS! There are many people in Russia who don?t agree with Stalin or any of his policies. This upset the leader and he wanted to crush this opposition the only way he knew how terror. The program of terror he began was called ?The Great Purge?. He even formed a secret police. These actions spread fear throughout Russia. He eliminated anyone who gave a threat to his power. These people, some innocent, were sent to labor camps or even killed. The victims included thousands of old communist Bolsheviks who had been associated with Lenin. Stalin even turned on his own government. He arrested 1,108 of the 1,966 delegates in the 17th Congress. Stalin also began a cult of adulation. The cult proclaimed him as a genius in every field of human endeavor. Now, 1938, four years after the start of Stalin?s Purge, the terror has begun to slow down, but it?s almost too late. His dictatorship has become entirely personal, unrestrained by any party or other institution. What can we do to help our country free itself of this suffering?

Free Essays on Why A Graduate Degree

Why a Graduate Degree? Historically, challenge is the first motivation in the life during ages, where human use this concept for having a good life and improving his abilities. Getting a Postgraduate Degree is one of the challenges I decided to get in for various reasons, such as, having a good career, improving my abilities in a certain computer field. Facing obstacles while trying to achieve goals were a normal thing that every one may be confronted, and one should try to solve and surpass these obstacles. I would like to brief you how I came to the decision of getting a postgraduate degree. The finance support was the first obstacle that I faced. In the beginning of my career, I could not afford to pay the tuition fees for a postgraduate degree, especially where is no much grants available. Therefore I have decided to get a job so I can save some money to pay the fees. Family circumstance was my second obstacle, that I’m taking care of two sons (six and one years old). This made me think to pursue a degree of a long learning distance. I was very lucky that I came cross a very interesting program of Computer Information System in the Phoenix University Site which I think that will add more to my experience and enrich my knowledge of computer technology. By this last option the two obstacles can be easily overcome. Personally there are many reasons encourage me to do the postgraduate degree. Firstly, related to my field as computer scientist and the revolution of information technology, which prompted me to convey the computer developments in all fields like hardware, software, and technology. Secondly, postgraduate degree where I’m working now at High Institute of Nursing is become a job requirement. Thirdly, The new development in the Information System that the government here in Qatar trying to implement in all governmental sectors and a master degree will open a good opportunity to contribute towards this system. Las... Free Essays on Why A Graduate Degree Free Essays on Why A Graduate Degree Why a Graduate Degree? Historically, challenge is the first motivation in the life during ages, where human use this concept for having a good life and improving his abilities. Getting a Postgraduate Degree is one of the challenges I decided to get in for various reasons, such as, having a good career, improving my abilities in a certain computer field. Facing obstacles while trying to achieve goals were a normal thing that every one may be confronted, and one should try to solve and surpass these obstacles. I would like to brief you how I came to the decision of getting a postgraduate degree. The finance support was the first obstacle that I faced. In the beginning of my career, I could not afford to pay the tuition fees for a postgraduate degree, especially where is no much grants available. Therefore I have decided to get a job so I can save some money to pay the fees. Family circumstance was my second obstacle, that I’m taking care of two sons (six and one years old). This made me think to pursue a degree of a long learning distance. I was very lucky that I came cross a very interesting program of Computer Information System in the Phoenix University Site which I think that will add more to my experience and enrich my knowledge of computer technology. By this last option the two obstacles can be easily overcome. Personally there are many reasons encourage me to do the postgraduate degree. Firstly, related to my field as computer scientist and the revolution of information technology, which prompted me to convey the computer developments in all fields like hardware, software, and technology. Secondly, postgraduate degree where I’m working now at High Institute of Nursing is become a job requirement. Thirdly, The new development in the Information System that the government here in Qatar trying to implement in all governmental sectors and a master degree will open a good opportunity to contribute towards this system. Las...

Arab and Israel Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Arab and Israel Conflict - Essay Example Chapter threeIntroduction 23 Over View 24 Conflicting Issues 26 Conflict Resolution 28 Relation with Iran 32 Conclusion 33 References 38 Bibliography 41 It is rightly observed by the research scholars all across the globe that the word ‘change’ is the only constant thing in the world of today. The massive changes in the arena of international politics, information technology and communication process have immense influence upon the terms and the trades of the present day business and life. The impacts of globalization and privatization have made the world a small place to live in. The developments in the segment of information technology have proved to be very beneficial for other inventions and discoveries. Huge successes in the domain of communication processes have facilitated the general public to have access of the instant information. But the most important factor has been that of international politics that has considerable influence upon the life of all the people. The international politics of the last century

Postmodernism- Derrida, Foucault and Rorty Essay

Postmodernism- Derrida, Foucault and Rorty - Essay Example The essay "Postmodernism- Derrida, Foucault and Rorty" examines how do philosophers Derrida, Foucault and Rorty differ in their views. Though Derrida, Foucault and Rorty tend to differ in an array of ways, still their postmodern views do evince a similarity in the sense that their philosophies do starkly come out as being a potent reaction against the salient philosophical values and assumptions that the modern period of the Western history does affiliate to. The philosophies of Derrida, Foucault and Rorty do carry a single thread in the sense that they are marked by a stark skepticism and a pervasive suspicion of the power of reason. The strategy of deconstruction contrived by Derrida does practically amount to a staunch critique of the philosophical traditions that hitherto signified the Western philosophy. The strategy of deconstruction not only does tend to expose any literary or philosophical text, but by doing so it also does vehemently try to subvert it by exposing the varied binary oppositions that envelop the salient Western ways of thinking about and perceiving reality. The technique of deconstruction tends to attempt a textual interpretation of a text, with the intent to bring to fore the alternative meanings hidden in that text. It is not a surprise that Derrida’s â€Å"idea of â€Å"deconstructing text† has had a very wide influence". In continuation of a similar skeptical sentiment, Foucault did study the salient power structures that governed an array of social institutions.

Market Feasibility Report Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Market Feasibility Report - Term Paper Example The new business idea which is to be introduced is business of food industry. The name of the company is Crazy Food plc. It is a food processing company which is based in London United Kingdom. The company will be initially focus on processed food and ready to eat food and if it becomes successful in these products line up then it will develop a brand of cooking ingredients. The first brand of this company will be a confectionary brand which is called Crazy Bite. The packaging quality needs to be very good and for this reason the company will not be outsourcing for the packaging as that will be more costly for a new venture. The company has focused on the packaging of its processed food product so that it becomes another USP of this brand. Crazy Bite is a brand that have different favoured sweets bar which will be available in different shapes and designed. It is one of the confectionary products of crispy in nature and coated with chocolate. The ingredients of this product are cashe ws and butter which make it tasty and more demanding. Different fruit flavoured product will be coated in different coloured cover matched with the flavour. It is a vegetable category of confection which people can have any time they desire. To target the entire demographic segment the company will focus on the low calories and low sugar products for the health conscious people. Geographic location analysis The geographic location of the target market is the main factor needs to be analysed before starting a new business. The analysis will provide the viability of the business especially the product acceptability by the product 1. Economic environment The emergence of global recession had lent a large impact on the snack and confectionary market in United Kingdom letting the sales volume dip along the period ranging from 2004 to 2009. Thus change in economic climate tends to largely affect the snack and confectionary industry of the region (Agriculture and Agri-Food, 4). 2. Technolo gical environment Confectionary and snacks industry in United Kingdom is gaining a large space owing to the development of technological base through the use of effective machinery. Such machinery use would help in the production of large volumes of confectionary and snack items and in rendering quick wrapping. 3. Market demographics trends The demographic profile in United Kingdom is found to largely impact the business performance of Fresh Food. Consumers in United Kingdom are increasingly becoming highly health conscious thus abandoning the consumption of snack items for the fear of becoming obese. 4. Political environment For food production business food licence is required from the food and nutrition department of government authority. The company need to concern about the quality and hygiene factor of the food products they produce so that no issues come from the customers as well as from respective authority. Developing the production house the local regulatory bodiesâ€℠¢ permission is also required. 5. Social environment There always a high demand of the confectionary food like Crazy Bite among the people of the society in United Kingdom. These products are well accepted by the people and as they desire new products especially for a new confectionary products. These food products are common foods

Ipl Teams Essay Example for Free

Ipl Teams Essay IPL 2012 with lot of expectations and fanfare is just about to roll out in a few days and as the history of this version of cricket shows, in the country which is now called to be the Mecca of cricket, IPL with its star lit, glamour rapped extravaganza is likely to become the talk of the time. This year after the heavy crash of Indian squads fighter jet in Australia, there had been a sudden drop of public interest in cricket but once the news of the auction of the players reached the media, the cricket fever started to spread. This mega tournament made the T20 version of cricket hugely popular across various cricket playing nations. This year there have been a lot of changes in the squads of the teams. Here we would provide IPL 2012 team overview with a brief introduction to the teams. Chennai Super Kings As the champion of previous year IPL 2012 and as the most consistent team in the short history of the tournament, there is a huge expectation level for this squad. Except the presence of a number of good cricketers there are some of the big names of the world cricket are in this team like, Michael Hussey, Mohender Singh Dhoni, Muthia Murlitharan, Scott Styris and Suresh Raina. Mumbai Indians It is the most starlit team in the IPL 2012 team overview. If India is now considered as the global centre of world cricket, Mumbai is the Mecca of Indian cricket and for all the past versions of the tournament this team consistently shown some extraordinary brilliance and though it still could not be the champion, for number of times it aroused immense expectations of making it to the top. Sachin Tendulkar as unarguably the greatest batsman in the history of the game belongs to this team with a host of great players like, Harbhajan Singh, Kieron Pollard, Lasith Malinga, Andrew Symonds, Michell Johnson, Harshell Gibbs and Robin John Peterson. It has probably the biggest fanfare among the participant squads. Kolkata Knight Riders This squad should be characterized as the most under-performing team in the IPL 2012 team overview. Though there had always been huge expectations from this team from the debut tournament to the last version, this team made almost a reputation of under-performing in regard to the ability and potential of the team squad. This team is one of the most star crowded as it is having a great number of bigwigs and promising stars of the game like, Gautam Gambhir, Brett Lee, Jacques Kallis, Brad Haddin, Eoin Morgan, Yusuf Pathan, Shane Bond, Shakib Al Hasan, Mark Boucher and Iqbal Abdullah. Delhi Daredevils This is a team which has been well known in the history of IPL as a great starter and in all the versions of IPL it had to quit without making up to the final. This team got some of the finest players both in the departments of bowling and batting. With Virender Sehwag, David Warner, Aaron Finch, Irfan Pathan and the costliest player of the tournament Ravindra Jadeja, this team has the potential to make to the pinnacle of glory. Kings xi Punjab This year Kings XI Punjab is expected to produce some stunning cricket extravaganza with a promising squad comprising some great players like the electrifying stylish batting legend Adam Gilchrist, David Hussey, Ryan Mclaren, Piyush Chawla and Shaun Marsh. Decan Chargers This team has a great ability of showing some great performances when repeated defeats just come close to make the teams future written off and with shocking brilliance it had changed the fate of many teams when everything started to look as predictable. With the likes of great players like, Kumar Sangakara, Kevin Petersen, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha this team is capable to cause many upsets . Royal Challengers Bangalore This squad is made of some of the great youthful players and can produce a lot of wonderful performances with the presence of players like, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Mohammad Kaif, Tilakratne Dilshan, Daniel Vettori, Virat Kohli and Zaheer Khan. Pune Warriors This year the team got the old time heavy weight and former indian captain Sourav Ganguly. Though the team would heavily feel the absence of the big hitter and classy batter Yuvraj Singh, the team is capable of producing some brilliance performances with the presence of Graeme Smith, Jesse Ryder, Michell Marsh and Rahul Sharma. Rajasthan Royals This team is always reputed to have shown some great examples of fighting spirit. After the recent retirement from the international cricket Rahul Dravid as the new captain of the squad is expected to have some extra zeal to produce a memorable performance as a classy batsmen and his cool captaincy can prove to be an asset for the team. It has a great bowling line up with the presence of stalwarts like Shane Warne, Shaun Tait and Shane Watson and also a great line up of players with promising batsmen and all-rounders like Faiz Fazal, Jacob Oram and Ross Taylor. IPL 2012 team overview made one point clear that this year the tournament is going to experience more balance in the performance of the teams because of the presence of good number of international level of players in every team.

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Well, this is it, the day all of us have been waiting for has finally arrived. It seems like only yesterday we were picking our noses and flicking them at innocent bystanders or yelling childish phrases like, "Liar, liar, pants on fire!" or, wait, that was yesterday. Never mind. Anyways. What I'm trying to say is the years, have flown by and it's not going to be long before we're in the stands watching our kids graduate. You know, there is a lot more to graduating than leaving Rufus and getting a diploma. It's more than that. I mean, why do you think we get to wear these cool robes? Our infantile days of wandering into first period half asleep and living off the school's cheesy burritos and ranch dressing are over, it's time now for us to grow up and head into the real world. R...

America’s Failing Public Schools: Charter Schools Are Not the Solution

America’s Failing Public Schools: Charter Schools Are Not the Solution    It was with wild fanfare that the state’s Republican legislature and Republican Governor enacted their reforms for the state’s public school system. Among the panaceas was charter schools, a ‘90s education fad that gives individual parents the right to send their children to state-approved public charter schools at public expense. Politicians reasoned that less-bureaucratic charter schools would teach students better than traditional public schools because charter schools wouldn’t be subject to the same mandates that the state had heaped upon public schools. Furthermore, traditional schools would be forced to compete with charter schools as they lured thousands of students and millions of dollars away from traditional public schools. Competition from charter schools would then lead to all-around better schools in the state as traditional public schools improved themselves to remain competitive with the cutting-edge charter schools. The charter school program aimed to allocate educational resources via market mechanism by shifting towards freedom of contract. However, the plan unfairly mixes individual decision making with the expenditure of public tax dollars. Moreover, the competition through which legislators sought to improve education throughout state schools has failed to materialize as students enrolled in Michigan charter schools remain a drop in the bucket. In this paper, I will show how the charter school movement represents a limited shift towards freedom of contract and explain why this shift is unfair to the taxpayers of the state of Michigan. Further, I will argue that the market mechanism has not yet become a factor in public educa... ... other today, but as the numbers indicate, an effective market for K-12 education is a long way off. Personally, I do not believe that the salvation lies in charter schools or an individualist approach to educating children. Instead, I think it takes a village, or even the entire state, to come together as a community and reach consensus on ways to improve the existing educational infrastructure in the state, i.e., traditional public schools. Granted, needs are not the same across the board, but there are innovative programs that have worked in some areas that could be successfully repeated in other areas. Competition is not the salvation. Cooperation is the means by which we will improve schools in Michigan. In the words of one Michigan educator, â€Å"We should not waste our time implementing schools of choice, we should work to create choice schools in Michigan.†

Neonatal Screening Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Health And Social Care Essay

Methods: We assessed whether adult females would be willing to partake in a pilot testing plan for antenatal intoxicant exposure in a bad obstetric unit antecedently shown to hold a high prevalence of FAEE-positive meconium when tested anonymously. The testing plan involved voluntary testing of meconium for FAEEs and long-run developmental followup of positive instances through an bing public wellness plan. Consequences: The engagement rate in the showing plan was significantly lower than when proving was offered anonymously ( 78 % vs. 95 % , severally ; p & lt ; 0.05 ) , and the positiveness rate was 3 % A in contrast to 30 % observed under anon. conditions ( P & lt ; 0.01 ) . Interpretation: These low rates suggest that the bulk of imbibing female parents refused to take part. We conclude that despite the possible benefits of such screening plans, maternal involuntariness to consent, probably due to fear, embarrassment, and guilt, may restrict the effectivity of meconium proving for population-based unfastened showing.Introduction:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder ( FASD ) encompasses the wide scope of physical, cognitive, and behavioural disablements that can originate due to antenatal intoxicant exposure ( 1 ) . Affecting an estimated 9.1/1000 unrecorded births, it is a taking preventable cause of mental deceleration in the western universe ( 2 ) , with estimated one-year costs in Canada transcending $ 5 billion in productiveness losingss, medical costs, particular instruction, societal services, and projecting behaviors ( 3 ) . Although the primary alcohol-induced harm is lasting, early diagnosing is good and associated with a reduced hazard of secondary disablements such as disrupted school experience, unemployment, institutionalization, and problem with the jurisprudence ; probably because it permits early intercession and specialised support ( 4 ) . Unfortunately, acknowledging FASD is highly ambitious and diagnosing is frequently contingent upon set uping a history of important in-utero intoxicant exposure ( 1 ) . Since maternal studies are undependable in providing this information due to remember prejudice and common underreporting ( 5 ; 6 ) , nonsubjective biomarkers have been investigated. Fatty acerb ethyl esters ( FAEEs ) are non-oxidative metabolites of ethyl alcohol formed by esterification of ethyl alcohol to endogenous fatty acids or fatty acyl-CoA ( 7 ; 8 ) that sedimentation and accumulate in foetal meconium ( 9 ; 10 ) . Numerous surveies have validated meconium FAEEs as biomarkers of heavy antenatal intoxicant exposure happening in the last two trimesters of gestation ( 11-19 ) ; understanding between meconium FAEEs and assorted alcohol-related results has been demonstrated ( 18 ; 20-23 ) ; and this trial has been used anonymously to obtain epidemiological informations on antenatal intoxicant exposure in selected populations ( 23-25 ) . It has been recognized that meconium analysis may function as a neonatal showing tool for the designation of alcohol-exposed neonates, and could potentially be implemented as a cosmopolitan screen or targeted to bad populations ( 26 ) . Such testing would non merely supply accurate exposure history required for diagnosing, but if implemented along with a comprehensive follow-up plan and intercessions, could ease early acknowledgment and intervention of FASD ( 26-28 ) . As an added value, it may place and let for intercession in problem-drinking female parents, which, in bend, may forestall future alcohol-exposed gestations ( 7 ) . However, since informed consent from a competent patient or appointed guardian prior to intervention or testing is an ethical and legal constituent of medical pattern ( 29 ; 30 ) , a testing plan of this nature would necessitate consent of the kid ‘s legal defender ( typically the parent ) . This may decrease the value of meconium showing in a clinica l scene since embarrassment, guilt, and frights of stigma and child apprehensiveness may discourage adult females who consumed intoxicant from accepting to proving despite the possible value to child wellness. To find if adult females would volitionally take part in a neonatal showing plan for antenatal intoxicant exposure, we offered meconium proving with subsequent followup, intercessions and societal supports, to adult females from a regional Ontario population presenting in a bad obstetric unit antecedently shown to hold a high prevalence of alcohol-exposed newborns as determined by anon. meconium proving. We assessed the rates of voluntary engagement and positiveness for intoxicant exposure, and compared these with the rates observed with anon. proving.Methods:Capable enlisting:Written informed consent for meconium FAEE analysis and followup of those proving positive was sought from all Grey-Bruce adult females presenting at St. Joseph ‘s Health Care in London Ontario from November 1st, 2008 to May 31st, 2010. Briefly, Grey-Bruce occupants identified by nurses were informed of the survey, offered showing, and given an Informed Consent papers to reexamine and subscribe if they ch ose to take part. Womans were besides informed of the survey through booklets and postings in the pregnancy ward. It was stressed that a positive trial or self-report of imbibing in gestation would non ask engagement of kid protection bureaus, but would be used to originate follow-up by the Public Health nurse and her section and to mobilise support services if needed.Meconium aggregation, handling, and analysis:Meconium specimens from newborns born to accepting adult females were collected into 50-mL screw cap conelike polypropene tubings ( Sarstedt AG & A ; Co. , Numbrecht, Germany ) by nursing staff and labeled with the capable figure to guarantee confidentiality. Samples were stored onsite at -20A °C and shipped on dry ice to the Motherisk Laboratory at Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario on a fortnightly footing where they were stored at -80A °C until analysis. Meconium FAEEs were measured utilizing headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The method involves the sensing and quantification of four FAEEs ( ethyl palmitate, linoleate, oleate, and stearate ) utilizing matching d5-ethyl esters as internal criterions. It has been developed and validated in our research lab, and published in item elsewhere ( 31 ; 32 ) . Heptane, ethyl esters ( palmitate, linoleate, oleate, stearate ) , fatty acids ( palmitic, linoleic, oleic, stearic ) , anhydrous ethanol-d6, and thionyl chloride were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich Co. ( St. Louis, MO ) . Acetone was obtained from EMD Chemicals Inc. ( Gibbstown, NJ ) . Chromatograms were analyzed utilizing LabSolutions GCMSsolution package version 2.50SU1 ( Shimadzu, Kyoto, Japan ) . A cumulative amount of a†°?2.00 nmol FAEE/gram meconium was considered positive, bespeaking heavy imbibing with 100 % sensitiveness and 98.4 % specificity as was established in a population ba seline survey that measured meconium FAEEs in newborns born to ascetics, societal drinkers, and confirmed heavy drinkers ( 16 ) .Maternal and neonatal features:Capable features along with gestation and bringing information were obtained from charts of accepting adult females. Additionally, information on intoxicant usage was obtained by the nursing staff utilizing the Parkyn Screening Tool ; a everyday postpartum questionnaire.Follow-up and neurodevelopmental appraisal:Children with positive meconium consequences were followed-up through Ontario ‘s †Healthy Babies Healthy Children † ( HBHC ) plan that involves postpartum home-visits by public wellness nurses who provide personalized support and instruction to households with neonates ( 33 ) . In this survey, the nurse assigned to a positive instance was notified of meconium trial consequences, conducted an in-depth household appraisal ( including a screen for intoxicant usage upsets ) , and enrolled the household i n an on-going home-visiting plan with an individualised household service program that included regular appraisals of developmental mileposts utilizing the Ages and Stages QuestionnairesA ® ( ASQ ) . Children with positive trial consequences besides received neurodevelopmental appraisal by a certified clinical psychologist during two place visits ; around 3 months and 1-1.5 old ages of age. The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition ( Bayley-IIIA ® ) was used, which measures infant cognitive, lingual, and motor operation. If developmental holds were detected, extra service suppliers were engaged through referrals to intercession plans and specialized services that were provided through HBHC plan and Grey-Bruce Health Unit at no cost to the household. Need for referral to diagnostic services at the Hospital for Sick Children was assessed. Extra support services for the household were available if needed, including dependence intervention, guidance, rearing support, instruction on FASD, nutrition, employment, and diversion.Comparison with anon. meconium testing:The showing plan was launched in a bad obstetric unit where a old survey, utilizing anon. meconium testing, observed a 12-fold higher hazard of FAEE-positive meconium in adult females referred to this site as compared to the general population of the part ( 30 % vs. 2.5 % ) . About 95 % of adult females participated in that survey. To find whether adult females who consumed intoxicant during gestation agreed to take part in the pilot unfastened t esting plan, the rates of voluntary engagement and positiveness for antenatal intoxicant exposure observed in our unfastened plan, were compared to rates observed in that old anon. survey conducted in the same obstetrical unit a twelvemonth before ( 25 ) . Fisher ‘s Exact Test was used to compare the consequences of the two surveies. Two-tailed P-value & lt ; 0.05 was considered statistically important.Ethical motives:The survey was approved by the research moralss boards of the Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Western Ontario.Consequence:Willingness of female parents to take part in unfastened testing plan:Sixty female parents from Grey-Bruce were identified at St. Joseph ‘s Hospital and offered meconium showing, of which 47 adult females consented, numbering a 78 % consent rate ( Figure 1 ) . The maternal and neonatal features of accepting topics are presented in Table 1. The consent rate was significantly lower than that observed in old survey in which meconium was tested anonymously ( 95 % vs. 78 % ) ( P & lt ; 0.05 ) ( Table 2 ) . Of involvement, we documented one case where a adult female recalled take parting in the anon. prevalence survey with her old babe, but refused to take part in this unfastened testing plan when told there would be follow-up of positive instances. Additionally, we encountered a adult female who, although agreed to take part, was uncooperative, repeatedly pretermiting to advise the nurses that meconium had passed and flinging the samples so that none were collected.Positivity for antenatal intoxicant exposure in pilot testing plan:Samples were collected from 50 newborns of which 39 were successfully analyzed ( Figure 1 ) . Merely one of the 39 samples tested above the positive cut-off ( a†°?2 nmol/g ) for FAEE ( 52 nmol/g ) , which translated to a 3 % positiveness rate for antenatal intoxicant exposure. Eleven samples were non-analyzable because of presence of contaminations and/or postpartum stool that impeded chromatography. The ascertained 3 % positiveness rate for antenatal ethyl alcohol exposure was tenfold lower than the 30 % positiveness rate observed under anon. conditions in the old survey ( P & lt ; 0.01 ) ( Table 2 ) .Maternal self-report of intoxicant usage in gestation:Chart reviews did non uncover that substance maltreatment ( intoxicant or drugs ) was the primary ground for referral to St. Joseph ‘s Health Care in any of the instances. Three adult females admitted to devouring any sum of intoxicant in gestation on their antenatal consumption signifiers, including the adult female whose babe ‘s meconium tested positive for FAEEs. However, none reported refering intoxicant usage, with one adult female saying that she drank a†°Ã‚ ¤2 drinks per hebdomad, another coverage that she consumed an â€Å" occasional drink † , and the 3rd saying she drank merely prior to her cognition of gestation without traveling into farther inside informations.F ollow-up and neurodevelopmental appraisal of positive instance:One newborn tested positive for heavy antenatal ethyl alcohol exposure ( 52 nmol FAEE/g meconium ) . Follow-up was arranged as per protocol through the HBHC plan and a public wellness nurse assigned to the instance initiated an appropriate household service program affecting place visits and frequent appraisals of the baby ‘s development. Neurodevelopmental appraisal conducted by a certified clinical psychologist at 3 months of age utilizing BSID-IIIA ® did non uncover any holds ; nevertheless, holds in motor development became evident in 6-month and 8-month appraisals conducted by the public wellness nurse utilizing ASQ. At the 14-month appraisal conducted by a clinical psychologist utilizing BSID-III, the kid scored in low mean scope on motor and linguistic communication graduated tables, exposing holds peculiarly in gross motor and expressive linguistic communication operation, which were good below age outloo ks ( in the 9th and 5th percentile, severally ) . The baby was enrolled in an Infant and Child Development plan and will be referred to a Language and Speech development plan. Referrals to diagnostic clinics have non yet been made, and it is non known whether the ascertained holds are alcohol-related or possibly due to other factors.Interpretation:We observed that engagement and positiveness rates in our unfastened pilot testing plan were significantly lower than those observed when the trial was offered anonymously in the same bad unit, proposing that many adult females who consumed intoxicant in gestation refused to take part, non wishing to be identified by the showing plan. Of involvement, if we assume that all refusals were in fact positive samples, the positiveness rate in our population would number 27 % , which is similar to the positiveness rate observed by Goh and co-workers with anon. meconium testing ( 25 ) . To our cognition, this is the first survey to use biomarkers of foetal intoxicant exposure in an unfastened showing plan designed to ease diagnosing and intervention of alcohol-affected kids. Our consequences suggest that, despite the possible benefits that such screening plans may supply ( as was exemplified by the positive instance ) , adult females ‘s involuntariness to consent may decrease the value of unfastened population-based showing. Schemes to better engagement would necessitate to be investigated if meconium showing is implemented in clinical pattern. For illustration, the â€Å" opt-out † method to derive consent was shown to give higher proving rates in neonatal HIV showing ( 34 ) . Engagement rates may besides increase with societal selling, public instruction, and as the trial becomes established in society. If this occurs, the testing plan piloted here may function as a theoretical account for a plan that can be implemented in a clinical scene since it ut ilized presently bing services in the community. The developmental followup of kids identified by the screen was integrated into Ontario ‘s HBHC plan, and aid to kids exposing holds was provided through bing community wellness plans and services, such as address and linguistic communication, baby and kid development, and rearing support ; which may all be adapted to integrate intercessions and schemes shown to be effectual in helping kids with FASD and their households ( 35 ; 36 ) . Low engagement is non the lone possible obstruction to implementing testing in clinical pattern. The costs and resources required for proving, follow-up, diagnosing, and intercessions, every bit good as, system capacity to manage these instances, must be considered. Two cost-effectiveness surveies analyzing similar conjectural showing plans showed that decrease in secondary disablements and primary bar of FASD by intercession and instruction of female parents may take to social nest eggs ( 27 ; 28 ) . However, more surveies with concrete cost input variables are needed to find this. Furthermore, several ethical considerations could besides impede testing execution. Although showing can better quality of life through early diagnosing, observing maternal imbibing during gestation and labeling kids as â€Å" at-risk † may transport serious psychosocial deductions for these kids and their households, and affect relationships both within the household and between the household and society, including their service suppliers ( 37 ) . The trial consequences may potentially be misused by tribunals, societal services, insurance companies, and even within the health-care system through stigmatisation of patients ensuing in their under-treatment. To guarantee that households experience maximal benefits and minimal hazards, issues environing confidentiality, entree to consequences, and their usage, must be carefully considered. Our survey has restrictions. The pilot testing plan was implemented at a third parturition site, which was chosen due to the high prevalence of FAEE-positive meconium shown in a old anon. survey. Because Grey-Bruce communities are reasonably little in size, the consequences may hold been different if showing was implemented at a primary parturition site, where patients may be more trusting of their wellness attention suppliers, who probably provided them with antenatal attention. Alternatively, because the community is little, adult females may be even less likely to accept because of frights of stigmatisation and other societal deductions that may be more marked in a little community. Whatever the instance may be, the consequences may non be applicable to a primary health-care scene in a little community. To sum up, this is the first survey to implement an unfastened neonatal testing plan for antenatal intoxicant exposure aimed at easing sensing and direction of FASD. Follow-up, intercessions, and support plans were individualized and offered within the model of presently available services in the country, thereby patterning a plan that could be implemented in clinical pattern. We demonstrated that adult females ‘s involuntariness to partake in this showing, particularly of those who consumed intoxicant in gestation, may impede the execution of such testing plans in clinical pattern. Future surveies should research schemes that may better adult females ‘s willingness to consent, every bit good as, evaluate and reference other possible barriers to testing by finding the cost-effectiveness, logistics, and best patterns for plan execution.