My Self-Assessment as a Writer Essay

Up to this point I’ve never really considered myself a writer at all. After skimming through the chapters and reading about all the processes, my assessment is, as a writer, I’m probably not very good. So this brings me to, what are you able to bring to the class? Well that’s easy. I’ve really wanted to learn how to write correctly. I’m extremely excited about all the information our textbook has to offer. I’ve wondered in the past how to do certain things and how they’re supposed to be done. This whole class is going to bring the pieces together. So I guess I bring excitement and enthusiasm to learn. My Strengths and Weaknesses in writing are hard to identify. Since I don’t write a lot, there’s not much to relate to. My sentence structure and vocabulary are weak areas. Sometimes when I write an e-mail, and then come back to re-read it; it just doesn’t sound or flow right. I’m uncertain and feel embarrassed by my use of grammar and punctuation, so I tend to make every attempt to avoid writing at all. My spoken thoughts are much easier to transform into what I’m trying to communicate. Strengths are an active imagination. I have thoughts or can take a side on almost anything. I could just pick any topic and write about whatever. Discovering material, planning out my ideas, and drafting it all together would also be strengths. Learning from others in the class will require interaction with the class. The discussion board will offer those opportunities. I hope to learn how others chose a topic or decide how they layout their work. I’d like gain some knowledge from their perspectives and ingenuity.

BP SWOT Essay

Strength Strong improvement in safety BP focuses on new research and product innovation, leading in new researcher and also improving in safety and procession in the work places. According to â€Å"Safer drilling† (n.d.), BP use Blowout preventer (BOP) technology to support safety in offshore rigs in Brazil. Using high technology likes digital radiography can evaluate and determine underground structure in the North Sea. BP also improves the new tools called Permasense corrosion probes to supervise wall’s thickness in refining process (â€Å"Robust research†, 2013). This equipment is an effective method to control and protect the probability in wall crake. Weakness Ecological impacts of oil spillage damage reputation BP experienced a reputation risk in terms of both public reaction and biological response. About 5 million BP raw oil spilled in 2010, causing a disaster on ecosystem. Dragovic (2013) stated that oil spill would constraint species of wildlife because residues of harmful substances could not be cleanup completely. It also disrupts the chain of wildlife. BP was deluged with blame and disappointment from the pubic. It would take BP quite some time to rebuild its brand-image. (Walt, 2010) Opportunity Growing demand on renewable energy The world has increasingly growing demand for renewable energy. The global renewable consumption will increase to 6.3% (2030) of energy demand from 1.8% (2010). BP is prepared to place emphasis on development of renewable energy (Morales, 2012). Consumers have a tendency to choose to use renewable energy. According to â€Å"consumer demand is growing† (2011), there are 48% of subjects who are willing to use renewable energy and 49% are prepared to pay additional cost for that. Threat Lack of oil and gas reservoirs Oil and gas businesses are high competition because companies gain high benefits. From long period in operation, the crude oil and natural gas around the world is declining that mean the fossil fuel in the future will run out. According to â€Å"OPEC share of world crude oil reserves 2012† claim that now OPEC has only 1,200 billion barrels in reserves global fossil energy In 2010 individual and organization used approximately 87 million barrels per day. The biggest fuel consumer is Asia and Oceanic region. They used around 27 million barrels per day and gradually every year from 2006-2010. Recently, people utilize oil and gas rather than producing. (â€Å"International Energy Statistics, n.d.) References Consumer demand for renewable energy is growing. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.windmade.org/for-companies/global-wind-study/consumer-demand-for-renewable-energy-is-growing.aspx Dragovic, D. (2013, March 19). Environmental impact of the BP oil spill. Retrieved from http://livinggreenmag.com/2013/03/19/energy-ecology/environmental-impact-of-the-bp-oil-spill/ International Energy Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.eia.gov/cfapps/ipdbproject/iedindex3.cfm?tid=5&pid=54&aid=2 OPEC share of world crude oil reserves 2012. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/data_graphs/330.htm Marketline. (2013, August 23). Company profile: BP Plc. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Morales, A. (2012, January 18). Renewable-energy growth to outpace oil, gas through 2030, BP Says. Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-18/renewables-to-grow-more-than-8-a-year-through-2030-bp-says.html Safer drilling (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.bp.com/en/glob al/corporate/sustainability/safety/preventing-and-responding-to-accidents-and-oil-spills/safer-drilling.html The Gulf of Mexico oil spill: consequences for the oil and gas industry. (2011, February 15). Retrieved from http://uk.practicallaw.com/3-504-7901?service=crossborder#a684683 Wearden, G. (2010, April 27). BP profits jump after oil price rise. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/apr/27/bp-profits-jump-oil-prices-ris Walt, V. (2010, July 19). Can BP ever rebuild its reputation? Retrieved

Discuss how communication within an inter-professional team could Essay

Discuss how communication within an inter-professional team could affect collaborative working strategies - Essay Example Sometimes, patients cannot communicate verbally due to sickness and have to resort to nonverbal communication to interact with staff. Healthcare professionals must have the necessary listening and verbal and nonverbal communication skills (Beebe and Mottet, 2013:32). Consequently, effective clinical practice requires many cases where vital information must be relayed verbally and nonverbally and listening skills must be honed and applied. Team collaboration and inter-professional communication are essential. When healthcare practitioners are not using verbal and nonverbal communication effectively, as well as listening closely to patient needs, the lives of patients may be at risk (Markel, 2013:21). Lack of vital information and misinterpretation of information, poor listening skills, ignored changes in status and body language, and unclear orders using communication tools like mobile phones can endanger the lives of patients and put healthcare professionals in major dilemmas (Markel, 2013:25). Poor verbal and nonverbal communication, as well as poor listening skills, creates scenarios where medical mistakes can occur. These mistakes have the potential to result in serious injuries or sudden patient deaths. In the UK, mental health mistakes, especially those caused by poor communication and listening, are a major challenge in current organisations (Happell, Platania-Phung, Scott, & Nankivell, 2014:37). According to research conducted by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organisations, mental health mistakes would rank 5th in the list of top ten causes of patient deaths in America if they were included in the annual official statistics. This is ahead of serious illnesses like Alzheimer’s, gunshots, AIDS, diabetes, breast cancer, and accidents (Waldeck and Kearney, 2013:34). The study also revealed that over 50,000 people die in America every year because of medical mistakes. In the UK, up to 33,000 patients die annually

Discussion 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion 5 - Essay Example Marx himself, in The Communist Manifesto, talks about how the industrial society was an improvement over the previously existing system of â€Å"the feudal system of industry†, where guilds monopolized the working of the proletariat (Marx 7). This in turn, was an improvement over the system of landed aristocracy that held all the means of production with itself. Labour too, in as much as it was free, was owned by the landed gentry. According to Marx, the transition from this social arrangement to that which was brought about by the Industrial Revolution would lead to the uniting of the workers resulting in an awareness of what the problems of their community was. This, Marx predicted, would result in widespread discontent that would eventually lead to a revolution. It is this revolution that according to Marx and Engels would lead to the formation of the new society. Discontent is not necessarily an indication of a miserable situation. On the other hand, it indicates the begin ning of the period of awareness that is evident from the large number of revolutions against authority that the world has seen after industrial societies came into being.

Tsunami Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Tsunami - Essay Example In general, tsunamis normally consist of a sequence of waves which occur in stages ranging from minutes to hours and these arrive in what is usually referred to as a wave train (â€Å"Tsunami Fact-ite†). The height of tsunami waves, which are tens of meters high, can be generated by large events in the ocean, and although their brunt tends to be limited to shoreline areas, they have a massive power of devastation and they can also affect whole ocean basins. There are two ways through which tsunamis cause damage and one of these is the force of smashing water, which travels at high speeds. The other is the destructive power of large volumes of water which drain off the land, and takes everything with it, even if the wave that brought this water to land did not seem to be huge. While everyday wind waves have a wavelength of about a hundred meters and a height of roughly two meters, a tsunami in the deep ocean has a wavelength of about two hundred kilometers and such a wave may travel at well over eight hundred kilometers per hour (Nelson, 2). Owing to this huge wavelength the wave fluctuation at any given position takes  20 to 30  minutes to finish a cycle and has amplitude of only about one meter, which makes tsunamis exceedingly difficult to notice over deep water, and, in fact, many ships rarely notice their passage. A large tsunami may bring with it numerous waves, which arrive in interludes of hours, often having a certain term between the wave lengths (â€Å"Water Waves and Tsunamis†). It is a proven fact that the first wave to reach the coastline may not necessarily have a high run up and instead, those which come after it may have higher ones. About eighty percent of all tsunamis take place in the Pacific Ocean, but there is also a high possibility of them occurring whenever there is a unusually large water body, and this includes some lakes. Tsunamis have come to be some of the most feared natural

Sustainable Marketing - A New Era in the Responsible Marketing Assignment

Sustainable Marketing - A New Era in the Responsible Marketing Development by Marek Seretny and Aleksandra Seretny - Assignment Example Sustainability of the product is no longer evaluated on the basis of demographic factor but it is ascertained on the parameters of feelings, values and emotions of the people and the consumers of the present decade expect the organizations to perform the function of both the society as well as the organization which will provide them solution in order to lead a proper and healthy life in the globalized society. The concept of marketing has been widely criticized on the basis of the high price that is charged to the customers and therefore the modern marketing has adopted the value based marketing in order to gain the trust of its consumers and it has also adopted the concept of corporate social responsibility. The concept of marketing has been widely criticized since the marketers are indulged in charging high price for their product and the reason for charging higher price from the customer is that they are engaged in various advertising activity in order to promote their product which increases there cost resulting in the increase in price of the product and they generally target the children mass since the children will nag their parents to buy those product even if it is not of their use and it is easy to convince and attract the attention of the children and the young mass. The marketing concept has become very profit oriented concept ignoring the value of the people. The prime aim or the objective of this article is the transformation that is needed in the concept of marketing since the concept of marketing is influenced by the profit motive and which has resulted in the increase in gap between the rich and the poor mass which has ignored the social responsibility and the value, feelings and emotions of the people and therefore the concept of marketing is to be modified in such a way that it provides a appropriate solution for understanding the market and the requirement of the business , organization and the

Krafts food UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7000 words

Krafts food UK - Essay Example The results indicated very strong positive correlation between flexible workplace practices and direct impact on employee performance criteria such as quantitative work output (r = +0.96), qualitative work output (r = +0.90), team working (r = +0.93) and recruitment and retention (r = +0.78). The results also indicated a very strong positive correlation between flexible workplace practices and indirect impact on employee performance criteria such as job satisfaction (r= +0.85) and organisational commitment (r = +0.87), except on stress which showed a weak positive correlation(r = +0.19). The results also indicated that majority of respondents felt that flexible work practices contributed positively towards quantity and quality of their output, increased loyalty towards the organisation and improved job satisfaction. Contents Abstract iv Contents v Table of Figures vii List of Tables vii Photo Credit vii Chapter 1: Introduction 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Research Significance 2 1.2.1 Rese arch Question 3 1.3 Research Aims and Objectives 3 1.3.1 Primary Objective 3 1.3.2 Secondary Objectives 3 1.4 Research Methodology 4 1.5 Arrangement of Chapters 5 Chapter 2: Literature Review 6 2.1. Workplace Flexibility 6 2.2 employee performance 8 2.2.1 Why measuring employee performance is important for flexible working 8 2.2.2 Measurement and evaluation of flexible work arrangements 8 2.3 Link between workplace flexibility and employee performance 9 2.4 Conceptual Framework and Hypotheses 11 2.4.1 Testing of Hypotheses 12 Chapter 3: Research Methodology 15 3.1 Introduction 15 3.1.1 Research Context 15 3.2 Research Design 16 3.2.1 Theoretical vs. empirical 17 3.2.2 Nomothetic vs. ideographic 17 3.2.3 Cross-sectional vs. longitudinal study 18 3.3 Research Method 18 3.3.1 Qualitative study 18 3.3.2 Quantitative study 19 3.4 Population and Sampling 21 3.4.1 Sample 21 3.4.2 Variables 22 3.5 Data Collection 22 3.5.1 Instrument for employee survey 22 3.5.2 Scaling 23 3.5.3 Ethical Issu es in Collection of Data 24 3.5.4 Data Analysis Technique 24 3.6 Practical Problems faced and Limitations 24 3.6.1 Practical problems faced 24 3.6.2 Limitations 24 3.6.3 Reliability and Validity 25 Chapter 4: Analysis, Findings & Discussion 27 4.1 Analysis 27 4.1.1 Demography 27 4.2.2 Flexible work arrangement 29 4.2.3 Employee performance 30 4.2.4 Testing of Hypotheses 33 4.2 Findings 36 4.2.1 Major findings 36 4.2.2 Other findings 37 4.3 Discussion 38 Chapter 5: Conclusions & Recommendations 39 5.1 Conclusions 39 5.1.1 Limitations of this study 40 5.2 Recommendations 41 References 42 Appendix 1: Employee Perception Survey 49 Employee Survey Questionnaire 50 1. Demography 50 2. Flexible Work Arrangement 50 Appendix 2: Employee Survey Report 57 1. Demography 57 2. Flexible work arrangement 57 3.Direct Impact on Performance 58 4. Indirect impact on performance 62 Table of Figures Figure 1: Types of workplace flexibility 7 Figure 2: Research design for primary study established for th e study 21 Figure 3: Demography of employee survey 28 Figure 4: The terms of flexible work arrangements 29 Figure 5: GPA Score of performance measurement variables 31 Figure 6: Summary of correlation between flexible work practices and consequent impact on employee performance. 35 List of Tables Table 1: Comparison between reliability and validity issues 26 Table 2: Example of calculation of GPA scores for employee performa

Nuclear Power Future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nuclear Power Future - Essay Example As nuclear fuel is free from carbon emissions, there are less ethical issues associated with the nuclear power. Farming outside the nuclear power plant produces the normal yield. There is no impact of nuclear power plant on the surroundings. The unit of the nuclear power is much less as compared to the oil or gas based power (Harrison & Hester, 2011, p44-58). The cost of the fuel required to run the nuclear power plant is much lesser as compared to the coal, oil or gas. Other alternate energy resources are less capable of providing the base load. The plans of the Hitachi Company to develop the nuclear power in Britain are quite clear to support the sustainable development in the region. The lessons from the Japan are well learned by the company and the company ensure that no further accidents will happen in Britain. The company ensures that the Britain will lead the renewable capacity by 2018. A large investment should be welcomed to develop nuclear power. In most of the developed and under developed countries, the power crises are rising due to the massive industrialization in the past few decades. It is nearly impossible to predict the future of power generation regarding the coal, oil or gas, as the fossil fuel resources are shortening day by day and the demand for power is increasing day by day. To maintain the economic and social stability, there is need to develop the power generation systems that are capable of generating more power to meet the current as well as future power demands (Nuclear energy Agency, 1993). Britain is considered to be emitting major amount of fumes while generating electrical energy in the region. After the installation of the Nuclear power, the emissions regarding the power generation will reduce significantly and thus the motto of environmental protection will be fulfilled. As the project is supposed to create 6000 jobs while constructing the each plant and 1000 permanent jobs for the operations of

Dementia in UK Essay Example for Free

Dementia in UK Essay There are currently 800,000 people withdementia in the UK. There are over 17,000 younger people with dementia in the UK. There are over 25,000 people with dementia from black and minority ethnic groupsin the UK. There will be over a million people with dementia by 2021. Two thirds of people with dementia are women. The proportion of people with dementia doubles for every 5 year age group. One third of people over 95 have dementia. 60,000 deaths a year are directly attributable to dementia. Delaying the onset of dementia by 5 years would reduce deaths directly attributable to dementia by 30,000 a year. The financial cost of dementia to the UK will be over ? 23 billion in 2012. There are 670,000 carers of people with dementia in the UK Family carers of people with dementia save the UK over ? 8 billion a year. 80% of people living in care homes have a form of dementia or severe memory problems. Two thirds of people with dementia live in the community while one third live in a care home. Only 44% of people with dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland receive a diagnosis UK dementia statistics Affects 820,000 people in the UK Financial cost is over ? 23bn pa, that is twice that of cancer, three times the impact of heart disease and four times that of stroke Two thirds (425,000) of people live in the community, one third (244,000) in a care home Two thirds of people with dementia are women (446k) and one third men (223,000) Affects 1 in 100 people aged 65-69, 1 in 25 aged 70-79 and 1 in 6 people aged over 80 Key risks from assessment are falls and walking about (60% experience walking about) 25 million people, or 42% of the UK population, are affected by dementia through knowing a close friend or family member with the condition. (Source: Alzheimers Research Trust / YouGov poll, 2008) 163,000 new cases of dementia occur in England and Wales each year one every 3. 2 minutes The number of people in UK with dementia is expected to double in the next 40 years to 1. 7million people Statistics courtesy Alzheimers Research Trust and www. alzheimers. org. uk Government Policy The National Dementia Strategy The objectives of the project are to develop a national dementia strategy and implementation plan for publication in October 2008. The strategy will address three key themes raising awareness, early diagnosis and intervention and improving the quality of care. For more information: visit National Dementia Strategy Dementia affects 820,000 people in the UK. 25 million of the UK population have a close friend orfamily member with dementia. As well as the huge personal cost, dementia costs the UK economy ? 23 billion a year, more than cancer and heart disease combined. Despite these figures, dementia researchis desperately underfunded. Impact of dementia in the UK There are over 820,000 people living with dementia in the UK today, a number forecast to rise rapidly as the population ages. Just 2. 5% of the government’s medical research budget is spent on dementia research, while a quarter is spent on cancer research. One in three people aged over 65 will die with a form of dementia. Dementia costs the UK economy ? 23 billion per year. That is twice that of cancer, three times the impact of heart disease and four times that of stroke. Combined government and charitable investment in dementia research is 12 times lower than spending on cancer research. ?590 million is spent on cancer research each year, while just ? 50 million is invested in dementia research. Heart disease receives ? 169 million per year and stroke research ? 23 million. 1. What is dementia? The term ‘dementia’ is used to describe a collection of symptoms, including a decline in memory, reasoning and communication skills, and a gradual loss of skills needed to carry out daily activities. These symptoms are caused by structural and chemical changes in the brain as a result of physical diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia can affect people of any age, but is most common in older people. One in ? ve people over 80 has a form of dementia and one in 20 people over 65 has a form of dementia. Researchers are still working to ? nd out more about the different types of dementia, and whether any have a genetic link. It is thought that many factors, including age, genetic background, medical history and lifestyle, can combine to lead to the onset of dementia. Dementia is a progressive condition. This means that the symptoms become more severe over time. Understanding how this progression happens can be useful in helping someone with dementia anticipate and plan for change. The way each person experiences dementia, and the rate of their decline, will depend on many factors – not just on which type of dementia they have, but also on their physical make-up, their emotional resilience and the support that is available to them. Typically symptoms will include: †¢ Loss of memory – for example, forgetting the way home from the shops, or being unable to remember names and places. †¢ Mood changes – these happen particularly when the parts of the brain which control emotion are affected by disease. People with dementia may feel sad, angry or frightened as a result. †¢ Communication problems – a decline in the ability to talk, read and write. There are different types of dementia caused by different diseases of the brain. Because these diseases affect the brain in different ways, they produce different symptoms. Some of the most common forms of dementia are listed below: 1. 2 Who is affected and how? Dementia can affect anyone regardless of gender, ethnicity, socio-economic situation and residential status. Nearly two-thirds of people with the disorder live in the community, while the other third reside in a residential home. A small number of people with dementia are from black and minority ethnic (BME) groups. This is due to the current younger age profile in London’s BME communities. As this population ages, with a higher prevalence of physical conditions which may contribute to dementia, the rate of dementia is expected to increase. A detailed analysis of the London population segments affected by dementia is available in appendix 1. This highlights that most cases of dementia are late-onset and therefore affect people aged 65 and over. Approximately one in 40 cases is early-onset dementia and occurs before the age of 65. Many factors, including age, genetic background, medical history and lifestyle can combine to lead to the onset of the disorder. Key points to emerge from recent studies and consultations with people with dementia and their carers showed: †¢ Dementia is poorly understood, it remains a stigmatised condition and those affected often experience social exclusion and discrimination. †¢ Seeking help is frustrating; access to services typically includes contact with the NHS, local councils and the third sector; sometimes being referred elsewhere and often duplicating activities. †¢ Current services do not meet the needs of people with dementia. †¢ Services are fragmented and lack robust integration and strong partnership working. †¢ There are gaps in provision and the quality of specialist services remains inconsistent. †¢ Reliability and continuity of services are compromised because many staff lack the requisite knowledge and skills to respond appropriately to those affected. †¢ Most health and social care services are not delivering the outcomes that are important to people with dementia: early diagnosis and treatment, easily accessible services, information and advice and high quality support. 8 Healthcare for London IntroductionDementia services guide 9 3 Source: Based on Dementia UK prevalence rates applied to GLA populations Introduction THE DIFFICULTY OF DIAGNOSING ALZHEIMERS Most diagnoses of Alzheimers are delayed until more than two years after symptoms first appear because patients and families ignore, deny, or dont recognize common signs of early Alzheimers, according to a 2006 Alzheimers Foundation of America survey. Fifty-seven percent of caregivers who answered the poll said they put off seeking diagnosis for symptoms of memory loss, confusion, and language difficulties because they — or the person they cared for — were in denial about having the disease, or because they feared the social stigma associated with AD. Another 40 percent didnt seek a diagnosis because they knew little about Alzheimers or its symptoms, they said. 38 percent of those surveyed said it was the patient who resisted going to see a doctor; 19 percent of caregivers admitted they themselves didnt want to face the possibility that something was wrong. Spouses were three times less likely than children of people with Alzheimers to delay seeking diagnosis, the survey found. What Is Dementia? by Maureen Dezell with Carrie Hill, Ph. D. Dementia itself is not a disease but a term that describes different brain disorders that cause memory loss and other symptoms of cognitive decline. While various kinds of dementia are more common the longer we live, none is a part of normal aging. Dementia specialists recommend you see a doctor to evaluate any of these problems or symptoms, which may point to dementia: Problems retaining recent memories and learning new information, losing and misplacing objects, regularly forgetting appointments or recent conversations, or asking the same question over and over. Problems handling complex tasks; trouble balancing a checkbook, following a recipe, or performing routine tasks that involve a complextrain of thought. Trouble reasoning. Difficulty dealing with everyday problems, such as a flat tire. Uncharacteristic rash behavior, including poor financial or social judgment. Difficulty with spatial ability and orientation. Driving and navigating familiar surroundings becomes difficult; trouble recognizing local landmarks. Difficulty with language. Problems speaking, listening, and following or participating in conversations. Behavioral or personality changes. An active, engaged person seems listless and unresponsive. Trusting people become suspicious. What Is Dementia? by Maureen Dezell with Carrie Hill, Ph. D. . While various kinds of dementia are more common the longer we live, none is a part of normal aging. Dementia specialists recommend you see a doctor to evaluate any of these problems or symptoms, which may point to dementia: Problems retaining recent memories and learning new information, losing and misplacing objects, regularly forgetting appointments or recent conversations, or asking the same question over and over. Problems handling complex tasks; trouble balancing a checkbook, following a recipe, or performing routine tasks that involve a complextrain of thought. Trouble reasoning. Difficulty dealing with everyday problems, such as a flat tire. Uncharacteristic rash behavior, including poor financial or social judgment. Difficulty with spatial ability and orientation. Driving and navigating familiar surroundings becomes difficult; trouble recognizing local landmarks. Difficulty with language. Problems speaking, listening, and following or participating in conversations. Behavioral or personality changes. An active, engaged person seems listless and unresponsive. Trusting people become suspicious. Who gets dementia? . Rarely, dementia affects younger people. Dementia is said to be early-onset (or young-onset) if it comes on before the age of 65. There are some groups of people who are known to have a higher risk of developing dementia. These include people with: Downs syndrome or other learning disabilities. People with Downs syndrome are more likely to develop Alzheimers disease. Parkinsons disease. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease (angina, heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease). The risk factors for cardiovascular disease (high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol level, lack of exercise, etc) are risk factors for all types of dementia, not just vascular dementia. Severe psychiatric problems such as schizophrenia or severe depression. It is not clear why this is the case. Lower intelligence. Some studies have shown that people with a lower IQ and also people who do not have very high educational achievement are more likely to develop dementia. A limited social support network. Low physical activity levels. A lack of physical activity can increase your risk of dementia. (See separate leaflet called Physical Activity for Health for more details. ) Dementia also seems to run in some families so there may be some genetic factors that can make someone more likely to develop dementia. We do know that a few of the more rare causes of dementia can be inherited (can be passed on through genes in your family). Can medication help people with dementia? There is no cure for dementia and no medicine that will reverse dementia. However, there are some medicines that may be used to help in some causes of dementia. Medication is generally used for two different reasons. Firstly, as treatment to help with symptoms that affect thinking and memory (cognitive symptoms). Secondly, as treatment to help with symptoms that affect mood and how someone behaves (non-cognitive symptoms). With improved nursing care and more widespread use of antibiotics to treat intercurrent infections, individuals now commonly survive 10 years or longer with dementia. This was not always the case – in the 1950s, the pioneering geriatric psychiatrist Sir Martin Roth and colleagues used distinctions in duration of illness to show that dementia differed from other severe psychiatric syndromes, notably depression, in the elderly. At that time, most elderly people hospitalized with dementia in the UK survived for approximately 2 years; Sex. All prevalence studies show that women are more often affected by dementia than are men. Typically, health services treat twice as many women as men with dementia. This contrast is explained only partly by the longer life expectancy of women because, even when this is taken into account, a slight excess of incidence is still evident in women. 2009 Health Press Ltd. Fast Facts:Dementia Lawrence J Whalley and John CS Breitner SOCIAL MODEL OF DEMENTIA While the clinical model of dementia presented above describes the changes occurring within the brain, the way that dementia affects a person in day-to-day life will vary from one individual to the next. For many years, people with dementia were written off as incapable, regarded as little more than ‘vegetables’ and often hidden from society at large. During the 1980s and 1990s, there was a move away from regarding people with dementia as incapable and excluding them from society, and towards a ‘new culture of dementia care’, which encouraged looking for the person behind the dementia (Gilleard, 1984; Kitwood ; Benson, 1995; Kitwood,1997). People with dementia could now be treated as individuals with a unique identity and biography and cared for with greater understanding. Building on this work, others (notably Marshall, 2004) have advocated that dementia should be regarded as a disability and framed within a social model. The social model, as developed in relation to disability, understands disability not as an intrinsic characteristic of the individual, but as an outcome produced by social processes of exclusion. Thus, disability is not something that exists purely at the level of individual psychology, but is a condition created by a combination of social and material factors including income and financial support, employment, housing, transport and the built environment (Barnes et al. , 1999). From the perspective of the social model, people with dementia may have an impairment (perhaps of cognitive function) but their disability results from the way they are treated by, or excluded from, society. For people with dementia, this model carries important implications, for example: ? the condition is not the ‘fault’ of the individual ? the focus is on the skills and capacities the person retains rather than loses ? the individual can be fully understood (his or her history, likes/dislikes, and so on) ? the influence is recognised of an enabling or supportive environment ? the key value is endorsed of appropriate communication ? opportunities should be taken for rehabilitation or re-enablement ? the responsibility to reach out to people with dementia lies with people who do not (yet) have dementia (Gilliard et al. , 2005). The social model of care seeks to understand the emotions and behaviours of the person with dementia by placing him or her within the context of his or her social circumstances and biography. By learning about each person with dementia as an individual, with his or her own history and background, care and support can be designed to be more appropriate to individual needs. If, for example, it is known that a man with dementia was once a prisoner of war, it can be understood why he becomes very distressed when admitted to a locked ward. If care providers have learned that a person with dementia has a strong dislike for a certain food, it can be understood why the person might spit it out. Without this background knowledge and understanding, the man who rattles the door may be labelled a ‘wanderer’ because he tries to escape and cowers when approached, or the person who spits out food is labelled as ‘antisocial’. Moreover, a variety of aspects of care may affect a person as the dementia progresses. Some extrinsic factors in the care environment can be modified, for instance noise levels can be highly irritating but are controllable. Other intrinsic factors, such as the cultural or ethnic identity of the person with dementia, may also have a bearing on how needs are assessed and care is delivered. Some aspects will be more important or relevant to one person than to another. The social model of care asserts that dementia is more than, but inclusive of, the clinical damage to the brain. ), and while we do not know what precise forms of training are effective, it is reported to lead to better identification of abuse (a random controlled trial by Richardson and colleagues (2002) provides good evidence of this). Agreed multi-agency policy and practice guidance is available at local level and identifies the approaches to be taken when abuse or neglect are suspected. A national recording system for referrals of adult abuse has been piloted (Department of Health, 2005b), which found that older people with mental health problems were among those referred to local authorities’ adult protection systems; a variety of interventions were adopted, although information on the outcomes is not available. Recommendations from a series of high-profile inquiries into care settings in hospitals (for example, Rowan Ward, Department of Health/Care Services Improvement Partnership, 2005) are relevant to commissioners, regulatory bodies and practitioners in seeking to lower the risk of abuse. The law in this area is developing and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 introduces a new criminal offence of ill treatment or neglect of a person who lacks capacity. DISCLOSURE/STIGMA Assessment and reaching a conclusion about the diagnosis leads to a point where this information should be shared with the person with dementia. This is especially challenging in dementia for a number of reasons: ? the difficulty of accurate diagnosis ? the challenge of imparting ‘bad news’ ? uncertainty about whether or not the person will understand what is being said ? uncertainty about whether or not the person will retain what is said ? lack of follow-up support. Studies, in which people with dementia have been invited to tell the story of how they reached a memory assessment service and what the assessment process felt like, indicate that this is not an easy journey for them (Keady ; Gilliard, 2002). Often, they have been aware of their memory difficulties for some time before sharing this information with others (usually, but not always, their close family). This awareness may occur in quite private activities, like doing crossword puzzles. In the meantime, those who are closest to the person may also have been aware of the difficulties but have fought shy of sharing their concerns. Disclosing their concerns to each other is often what triggers a visit to the GP and referral to a memory assessment service (Keady ; Gilliard, 2002). People have reported that their visits to the memory assessment service can also be quite an ordeal (Keady ; Gilliard, 2002). This is often like no other outpatient clinic. The doctor may speak to the carer separately from the person being assessed, leading to suspicion about what is being said. The assessment process itself may prove embarrassing, even humiliating. People report that they are aware that some of the questions are simple and feel foolish that they are unable to answer. They may establish strategies for managing this (Keady ; Gilliard, 2002). Whilst recognising that most people are seeking to make sense of what is happening to them, it is important to acknowledge that some will find it hard to listen to their diagnosis and there will be some who will not want to be told at all. They know they have a problem with their memory and that they are not able to function as they once did or as their peers do. They want to know what is wrong with them, and they need the clinician to be honest with them. Telling someone that he or she has a memory problem is only telling him or her what he or she already knows. People should be told their diagnosis as clearly and honestly as possible. The moment of sharing the diagnosis may not be comfortable for any of those concerned – neither the clinician, nor the person with dementia, nor his or her carer (Friel McGowan, 1993). Without this knowledge, people cannot begin to make sense of what is happening, nor can they plan effectively for their future. They should be given a choice of treatments and need information about practical support and entitlements, like Lasting Powers of Attorney and advance decisions to refuse treatment (more information can be found in Section 4. 9. 4 and in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 [The Stationery Office, 2005]). They will want to make decisions about how they spend their time before life becomes more difficult for them (for example, visiting family abroad). Following the disclosure of the diagnosis, people with dementia and their families may want further support and opportunities for talking. Pre- and post-assessment counselling services should be part of the specialist memory assessment service. Recent work (Cheston et al. , 2003a) has shown the value of psychotherapeutic support groups for people with dementia, allowing them space to share their feelings with others. Joint interventions with the person with dementia and family carers, such as family therapy, recognise the fact that the diagnosis does not impact on just one person but on a whole family system (Gilleard, 1996). Other services have used volunteer ‘befrienders’ to maintain contact with people who are newly diagnosed and who can offer both practical support and information together with a ‘listening ear’. People with early dementia are also taking responsibility for their own support by forming groups, which may meet regularly or may be virtual networks using the internet (see, for example, www. dasninternational. org). Sensitivity is required in ensuring that information about the diagnosis is given in a way that is easily understood by the person concerned and acceptable to the family. Gentle questioning at an early stage will help to ascertain what people can, and want, to be told. There is much we can learn from earlier work on sharing the diagnosis with people with cancer (for example, Buckman, 1996). It is especially important to be aware of different cultural sensitivities and the stigma that dementia holds for many people. This can range from subjective feelings of shame to a real exclusion from community and family life. Age and ethnicity are both factors in the sense of stigma associated with a diagnosis of dementia (Patel et al. , 1998). 4. 9 BASIC LEGAL AND ETHICAL CONCEPTS IN CONNECTION WITH DEMENTIA CARE 4. 9. 1 Introduction The ethical problems that arise in the context of dementia mainly relate to autonomy, which is compromised in dementia to varying degrees. Respect for autonomy is recognised as a key principle in health and social care (Beauchamp ; Childress, 2001). Many of the ethical tensions that arise in looking after people with dementia do so because of, on the one hand, the requirement that autonomy ought to be respected and, on the other, the reality of increasing dependency, where this entails a loss of personal freedom. Person-centred care is a means of respecting personal autonomy wherever it is threatened (Kitwood, 1997). As Agich has stated, ‘Autonomy fundamentally importantly involves the way individuals live their daily lives; it is found in the nooks and crannies of everyday experience’ (Agich, 2003). Hence, respecting the person’s autonomy will involve day-to-day interactions and will be achieved if the person with dementia is not positioned in such a way as to impede his or her remaining abilities. Such ‘malignant positioning’ can be the result of inappropriate psychosocial structures. The fundamental way to combat this tendency, which undermines the person’s selfhood, is to encourage good-quality communication (Kitwood, 1997; Sabat, 2001). Another way in which selfhood might be undermined is through structural or procedural barriers to good-quality care, and service providers should take an active role in promoting the individual’s autonomy and his or her legal and human rights. Furthermore, services may discriminate against people with dementia if eligibility criteria are drawn up in such a way as to exclude them or because of an assumption that people with dementia cannot benefit from a service because staff lack confidence and skills in working with this group. Discrimination may also occur if a service does not offer people with dementia the support they may need in order for them to be able to make use of the service. The Disability Discrimination Acts (1995 and 2005), which include dementia within the definition of disability, aim to end the discrimination that many disabled people face in their everyday lives by making direct or indirect discrimination against disabled people unlawful in a range of areas including access to facilities and services and buying or renting property. The discussion that follows will briefly focus on human rights, consent, capacity and confidentiality. 4. 9. 2 Human rights Human rights are enshrined, as far as the United Kingdom is concerned, in the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Council of Europe, 2003). The relevant UK legislation is the Human Rights Act 1998, which came into force in 2000. The principle of respect for autonomy is implicit throughout the Convention. A number of the articles of the Convention are potentially relevant to people with dementia. For example, Article 2 asserts that everyone has a right to life, Article 3 prohibits torture, but also â€Å"inhuman or degrading treatment†, and Article 8 concerns the right to respect for the person’s private and family life. Article 5 asserts the right of people to liberty and security. It states that â€Å"No one should be deprived of his liberty†, except in very specific circumstances. It also asserts that if someone is deprived of his or her liberty, there should be recourse to a court. Article 5 was central to the ‘Bournewood’ case. The European Court declared, amongst other things, that the man concerned (who had a learning disability) had been deprived of his liberty, in contravention of Article 5 (see Department of Health, 2004, for further information). The crucial distinction to emerge from the case was that between deprivation of liberty and restriction of liberty. Whilst the former is illegal, except insofar as there are legal safeguards of the sort provided by the Mental Health Act 1983 (HMSO, 1983), the latter may be permissible under the sort of circumstances envisaged by Section 6 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (TSO, 2005). This discusses using restraint as a proportionate response to the possibility of the person suffering harm. Guidance on the distinction between ‘restriction’ and ‘deprivation’ of liberty has been provided by the Department of Health and the National Assembly for Wales (Department of Health, 2004). 4. 9. 3 Consent In brief, for consent to be valid it must be: ? informed ? competent ? uncoerced ? continuing. Each of these concepts requires interpretation and judgement, as none of them is entirely unproblematic (Department of Health, 2001a). For instance, people can be more or less informed. The ‘Sidaway’ case (1984) established that the legal standard as regards informing a patient was the same as for negligence (see the ‘Bolam case’, 1957). In other words, the person should be given as much information as a ‘responsible body’ of medical opinion would deem appropriate. However, since then, there has been a shift away from a professional-centred standard towards a patient-centred standard. In the ‘Pearce’ case (1998), one of the Law Lords declared that information should be given where there exists ‘a significant risk which would affect the judgement of a reasonable patient’. Department of Health guidelines (Department of Health, 2001c) have pointed out that, although informing patients about the nature and purpose of procedures may be enough to avoid a claim of battery, it may not be sufficient to fulfill the legal duty of care. There may be other pieces of information relevant to the individual patient that it would be negligent not to mention. Hence the General Medical Council (GMC)’s insistence that doctors should do their best ‘to find out about patients’ individual needs and priorities’ (GMC, 1998). The GMC guidance goes on to say: ‘You should not make assumptions about patients’ views’. These points are very relevant when it comes to consent in the context of dementia. It should be kept in mind that consent is not solely an issue as regards medical procedures. The ‘nooks and crannies of everyday experience’ (Agich, 2003) – what to wear or to eat, whether to go out or participate in an activity and whether to accept extra home or respite care – are all aspects of life to which the person with dementia may or may not wish to consent. If the person has capacity with respect to the particular decision, but does not wish to consent, he or she should be supported in making an autonomous decision. 4. 9. 4 Decision-making capacity In England and Wales, a lack of capacity has been defined thus: ‘. . . a person lacks capacity in relation to a matter if at the material time he is unable to make a decision for himself in relation to the matter because of an impairment of, or a disturbance in the functioning of, the mind or brain’ (Mental Capacity Act 2005 [TSO, 2005, Section 2]). A person is further defined as unable to make a decision if he or she is unable: ‘(a) to understand the information relevant to the decision, (b) to retain this information, (c) to use or weigh that information as part of the process of making the decision, or (d) to communicate his decision (whether by talking, using sign language or any other means)’ (Mental Capacity Act 2005 [TSO, 2005, Section 3(1)]). The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (TSO, 2005), which will apply in England and Wales31, sets out a framework for making decisions for people who are unable to make decisions for themselves. Its detailed provisions, along with its Code of Practice (currently in draft form [DCA, 2005]), should be referred to by all those involved in such decision making. In outline, the main provisions of the Act: ? offer a definition of lack of capacity (Sections 2–3) ? outline a process for the determination of a person’s best interests (Section 4) ? create Lasting Powers of Attorney, which allow a person to appoint a donee to make decisions about his or her health and welfare (Sections 9–14) ? establish the Court of Protection in a new form, with powers to make declarations and appoint deputies in difficult cases or where there are disputes concerning decisions about a person’s health and welfare (Sections 15–23) ? bring under statute and clarify the law regarding advance decisions to refuse treatment (Sections 24–26) ? set out safeguards co

Effectiveness of Personality Tests on Indigenous People Essay Example for Free

Effectiveness of Personality Tests on Indigenous People Essay Abstract This review seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the standard personality tests on indigenous people. The two indigenous groups focused on are Native Americans and Aboriginal Australians. Several academic sources have been researched when creating this review. What was surprisingly discovered was the overwhelming evidence that presented a bias point of view outlining mainly the inappropriateness of personality tests. Introduction The term ‘inappropriate’ is universally defined as â€Å"not suitable or proper in the circumstances† (Brown, Robert T.;Reynolds 1999). Most standard personality tests among researchers are considered to be inappropriate for use with Aboriginal people in Australia and for Native Americans in the USA. (Brown, Robert T. ;Reynolds 1999). The following psychological assessment tests can be generally misleading to indigenous Australians and Native Americans which include: MMPI-2 (Abel 1973), The Westerman Aboriginal Checklist—Youth (WASC-Y), DSM IV-TR, ICD10, the ‘Who Am I’ test and the High school adolescent Clinical Inventory(Westerman 1997). Indigenous Austrlian – Test Review. The Australian Psychological Society has set guidelines for the conduct of psychological research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia. One of which outlines that psychologists should take into account ethnicity and culture when making professional judgements with indigenous clients (N. D 1995). However, Tracy Westerman, psychologist and Managing Director of Indigenous Psychological Services(IPS) says the standard personality tests in Australia are subject to cultural bias and are a key reason why the tests are considered inappropriate for indigenous Australians(Westerman 1997). Consequently, indigenous Australians are unfairly penalized as they don’t experience the same culture as the dominant society (Westerman 1997). As a result, these indigenous Australians are inaccurately assessed which leads to an inaccurate diagnostic decision (Vicary 2003). One way personality tests are considered inappropriate for indigenous Australians are the content provided within the tests. The test content may have high cultural loading, in which a given test requires specific knowledge or experience with mainstream culture (Vicary 2003). For example, certain phrases or words used in certain tests are a disadvantage indigenous Australians. The meaning or unfamiliarity of the terminology used presents problems with the validity of such tests such as misinterpretation (Vicary 2003). For example, Westernman explains that a â€Å"suicide does not mean that someone has killed themselves† in the Aboriginal community. It means that they were cursed (Vicary 2003). Aboriginal people also do not speak English as a native language and therefore will have difficulty comprehending the wording of the test. For those reasons mentioned, MMPI-2 has been criticized by psychologists for its validity when examining diverse cultural groups(Wettinger, M). Westerman Wettinger (1997) state that the norms of testing indigenous Australians ‘have been described as out-dated’ and need to be replaced. Westerman has pointed out that a more practical approach should be undertaken when assessing aboriginal people as it is culturally acceptable for Aboriginal people to learn verbally(Westerman 1997). For example, when working with aboriginal children, oral tests and drawings are a useful means of testing as they allow children to tell stories. This is a culturally acceptable way for Aboriginal children pass on information and important messages. The Westerman Aboriginal checklist – Youth(WASC-Y) has implemented more effective methods of testing indigenous Australians. The WASC-Y is aimed at identifying early detection of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and suicidal behaviours for Aboriginal youths aged 13-17 (Pearson 2010). A prominent strength of the test is it does not require written competencies or numeracy skills, and is orally administered (Pearson 2010). Only an experienced psychologist who is skilled in dealing with indigenous Australians can administer the test(Pearson 2010). Although the WASC-Y has been claimed to be reliable when used to assess applicants for job positions or training programmes, companies are not enforced to use this test which is a barrier for indigenous Australians(Pearson 2010) Another major issue when considering the appropriateness of personality tests is examining whether or not the professional clinicians conducting the tests are â€Å"cross culturally competent†( Riggs, D 2004). The lack of cultural competence in past practice has been a contributing factor to the overall failure of systems of care for Aboriginal and Torres Islander Strait people (Brown, 2001; Garvey, 2007; Riggs, 2004). When utilizing standard measures, clinicians confirm to assumptions that the client is similar to the standardized population(Riggs, D 2004). This assumption is inappropriate when assessing a client from an indigenous culture. For example, Aboriginal people may not be familiar with test taking skills performed by dominant society which may also contribute to their poor performance in the test(Riggs, D 2004). Not understanding the impact of the indigenous clients cultural background could lead to inaccurate results and analysis by the clinician. It is considered the responsibility of the clinician to learn as much as possible about the client’s culture and to acknowledge any biases or prejudices they may have about the clients ethnic group(Dudgeon, P 2010). Furthermore, it is also the clinician’s responsibility to understand any historical issues relevant to Aboriginal people which may impact their lack of motivation and performance when being tested. Factors which cause this impact may include poverty, unemployment and limited educational opportunities(Dudgeon, P 2010). During the meetings between the clinicians and their indigenous clients, the clinicians should establish rapport, respect, and a therapeutic relationship with their clients(Westerman 1997). Rapport and communication problems may also exist between the clinician and the indigenous client due to different cultural backgrounds. As a result, the difficulties in rapport and communication may slow down the Aboriginals client’s ability respond to test items (Vicary 2003). For example, Westerman (1997) states that traditional psychological testing using the â€Å"question and answer† format in one on one situations presents difficulties amongst indigenous children and adults(Westerman 1997). This is because in some Aboriginal cultures, it is considered impolite to ask a question to someone who doesn’t know the answer (Westerman 1997). It is also beneficial to build rapport with indigenous clients to eliminate the ‘notion of whiteness’(Riggs 2004). This is the skeptisicm that may arise in the Aboriginal community due to the past actions of dominant society which may include taking of land or the stolen generation. Aboriginal clients may have a possible barrier of distrust toward the clinician which may be a apparent in the aboriginal community. This level of distrust may stem from any negative experiences the Aboriginal client has experienced in dominant society such as racism in their residential school or community(Riggs 2004). Indigenous American – Test Review Personality assessment services have also been considered culturally inappropriate for Native Americans living in the United States(Brown, Robert T. ;Reynolds, Cecil R. ;Whitaker, Jean S 1999). These assessments include globally recognized tests such as the MMPI and WAIS. Native Americans are said to face potential bias stemming from inappropriate test content, differential predictive validity, and bias introduced by language differences and social consequences due to labelling and prejudice (kaufman and Renolds 1983). A lack of knowledge for both the Native client and clinician increases the difficulties in finding a reliable accurate outcome of an assessment(Fuchs, D. , Young 2006). Clinicians are accused of not having enough historical knowledge about Native Americans while at the same time they assume that their Native American clients are culturally aware of how Western society operates(Fuchs, D., Young 2006). This assumption will cause difficulties for the clinician to assess a person from another culture with fairness and objectivity(Fuchs, D. , Young 2006). Psychologists in the USA have emphasised on an emic approach towards assessing Native Americans(Fuchs, D. , Young 2006). This means that only psychologists who specialize in studying and examining one particular culture would be allowed to assess that culture. It is agreed the assessor needs to build solid relationship with Native American clients while conducting an assessment(Abel 1973). This will help shape the clients expectations for the assessment interaction and possible outcomes of assessment(Abel 1973). Native Americans are said to be motivated by human value and approval rather than bureaucratic protocol. This means that structured formal situations between the assessors and the Native American client can be perceived as gratuitous and annoying to the client(Abel 1973). The relationships should be informal, based on respect and understanding, and continuous overtime (Abel 1973). In conclusion, it is evident that a culture clash between indigenous and western cultures is a major issue when performing psychological tests. While most tests gathered in this review deems psychological testing to be inappropriate, there are other tests such as the WASC-Y that specialize in understanding clients from diverse cultures which would be deemed more appropriate for use. It is also important to consider how much funding is being placed by governing bodies to develop more appropriate assessments for indigenous people.

Impact of Meat Import Restrictions

Impact of Meat Import Restrictions Analysis of the impact if Iceland’s government would decrease import restrictions on fresh meat on Icelandic consumers and producers of meat Abstract Foreign trade is always increasing and all governments around the world try to protect some of their core domestic industries by applying various of restrictions to keep import at a minimum. Importation of fresh meat to Iceland is prohibited but forces with in consumers’ welfare organizations are pressuring for these restrictions to be reduced and opening the market up for foreign competition. If the market would open up then consumers would get lower prices, producers would probably have to lower their prices and production. It is crucial for the producers to appeal to consumers loyalty on Icelandic meat and prove their quality. Margrà ©t Guà °nà ½ Vigfà ºsdà ³ttir Introduction In Iceland, like many other countries, agriculture is a significant part of history, sustainability and food security. In early 20th century agriculture started facing difficulties in which leaded to the government taking actions by subsidizing the industry. Import restrictions also protect domestic industry to this day. Geographic outlines, climate and distance from world markets cause high production cost, high transportation cost and poor terms of trade. Market conditions are often blamed for high food prices in Iceland especially because of small population and small market. This small market is therefore uneconomical in production, management and trade and the advantages of economies of scale are not possible like in other neighbouring countries of Europe for instance (Snorrason, 2006). Iceland’s participation in world trade for example in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Word Trade Organization (WTO) has opened the possibility of increased import of agriculture goods but the foreign market has not yet threatened Icelandic meat producers due to import restrictions (Þorgeirsson, Bjarnadà ³ttir, Sveinsson, 2004). The import restriction are in form of high tariffs, import quotas and strict import permits, several certificates and documentation confirming that the product have been stored at a temperature of at least -18 °C for 30 days and a certificate confirming the that the products are free of salmonella (EFTA Surveillance Authoroty, 2014). The Icelandic Competition Authorities, Consumer Protecting Agency and other organizations have complained that the restrictions prevent healthy competition and leave consumers worse off. Recently the EFTA Surveillance Authority concluded a reasoned opinion that Iceland’s restriction on importation of fresh meat in breach of EEA law (EFTA Surveillance Authoroty, 2014). The Icelandic government argues that these restrictions are necessary for Icelandic healthcare due to possible infection to Icelandic farm animals. Iceland is an isolated island and farm animals stocks like lamb have stayed the same for decades. This means that Icelandic farm anima ls are much more vulnerable to diseases with worse immune system than the farm animals on the main lands of Europe. Along with these import restrictions on selected agriculture products the Icelandic government also subsidizes the agriculture industry by guaranteeing minimum price to farmers. Some have criticise that Icelandic farmers are overindulgent by the government compared to other nations and because of this farmers/producers can offer higher prices than they would in more competitive market. The Market An oligopoly is a market with few large firms holding the majority of the market. They offer similar products but try to differentiate to be more desirable than the next. Firms in oligopoly market are said to be interdependent which mean that they will consider their own actions influenced with how the rivals might respond (Mankiw Taylor, 2014). The Icelandic meat producers market is an oligopoly. The four largest producers of meat had 56% market share in 2010 (Icelandic Competition Authority, 2012). The market is small due to small population, which leads to uneconomic production, management and trade compared to larger countries. Price on meat was 38% lower in the EU states on average in 2009 (Kristà ³fersson Bjarnadà ³ttir, 2011). Economies of scale are hard to obtain due to high capital cost, seasonal fluctuation and only the few large producers have sufficient economies of scale compared to the size of the market (Jà ³hannesson Agnarsson, 2004). These facts make it harder to enter the market for new comers (entry barrier). It is important for all producers to know how consumers respond to changes in price. The price elasticity of demand measures how much the quantity demanded responds to a change in price (Mankiw Taylor, 2014). Price elasticity of goods can vary, necessities are often rather inelastic, that is, the percentage change in demand is small when prices change (PE1). Most agriculture products like meat are inelastic goods (although specific types of meat are elastic due to close substitutes, from pork to beef for example) as food is a necessity. Consumers maintain the consumptions of them despite changes in price (Jà ³hannesson Agnarsson, 2004). Welfare economics is the study of how the allocation of resources affects economic well-being. Consumer and producer surplus is used to measure the benefits to consumers and producers of trading. When government introduces taxes, tariffs and quotas it creates a deadweight loss. Deadweight loss is the fall in total surplus that results from a market distortion such as tax (Mankiw Taylor, 2014). Import Restriction Impact on Economic Welfare Icelandic importers can not import meat unless it has gone through various examinations and been frozen for at least 30 days. Frozen meat is of course not fresh and therefor are no imports on fresh meat allowed. Now lets use the tools of economics to see how this affects consumers, producers and the economic welfare. The demand is rather inelastic as explained earlier. We assume that the supply is close to unit elastic due to various factors pulling in either direction. The world supply on the other hand is elastic since it is a very large competitive market. We will keep these assumptions about elasticity’s out this chapter. To simplify, impact of taxation is ignored. Figure 1 shows current status on Icelandic fresh meat market. No fresh meat is bought from foreign suppliers and consumer surplus (green) is the area A and producers surplus (red) is the area B+C. Figure 1: Current Fresh Meat Market with out Trade Now lets see what happens if Icelandic government relieves the import restrictions on fresh meat. Figure 2 shows that consumer surplus gains a lot and equals the area A+B’+D while producer’s surplus reduces (B-B’=B’’) and equals the area C+B’’. The price falls and since the domestic quantity supplied (DQS) is less than the domestic quantity demanded (DQD) the difference has to be imported. Figure 2: If Restrictions were Removed (with out Tariffs and Quotas) Figure 2 does not shows what would happen in current situation because of import tariffs and import quotas. The import tariff on meat from nations within EU and EFTA is 18% and 30% from other nations. Nations with in EU are allowed to import to Iceland limited amount (tariff-quota) of pork, poultry and beef (no lamb) with out tariff . On the other hand, the Import quotas are sold to the highest bidder leading to little or no gain from the free trade to the importer (Icelandic Federation of Labour, 2007). To get the idea of how things might be if the restrictions were relieved we look at the meat market in general, including frozen and processed meat. In 2010 the market share of imported meat was 3%, which is a very small percentage (Icelandic Competition Authority, 2012). The high tariffs and quotas keep the import level at a minimum. Figure 3 shows how the market is with tariff and quota, assuming for simplicity that they cross the domestic demand at the same quantity. The area for consumer surplus has now increased, from what we saw in figure 1, by area B’+G and producer surplus has decreased by area B’. The government revenue (yellow), area E, is added since there is tariff added to the world supply and quotas sold. The deadweight loss (orange), or loss to society, from this tariff and quota is area D+F. The price falls slightly from P1 to P2, domestic quantity demanded increases and domestic quantity supplied decreases. Meat has to be imported to meet the demand fro m DQS to DQD (it is likely that the ratio of import is much smaller than indicated in figure 3 compared to current 3% import market share). Figure 3: If Restrictions were Relieved (Current Meat Market) We can see by comparing figure 3 to figure 1 that both government and consumers gain surplus while producers are worse off resulting in total surplus change of area +G+E (table 1). This infers that removing restrictions will raise the economic wellbeing. Table 1: Changes in Economic Welfare if Restrictions Relieved With restrictions Without restrictions Change Consumer surplus A A+G+B’ +B’+G Producers surplus C+B C+B-B’ -B’ Government revenue None E +E Total surplus A+C+B A+C+B+E +G+E Import restrictions are not the only thing that the Icelandic Consumer Organization and others want to be taken action on. As mentioned before high tariffs and quotas keep the imports of meat at a minimum. It is not cost efficient to import fresh meat and therefore the tariff income on fresh meat to the Icelandic government is not substantial. In a report the Icelandic Statistical Bureau published in 2006 about reasons for high food prices in Iceland it was indicated that if tariffs would be reduced by half on main agriculture products the income loss for the government would be 145 million ISK, but on the other hand the rise in income due to increased turnover would be 900 million ISK (Snorrason, 2006). Now lets assume that import quotas will be removed and import tariffs lowered as shown in figure 4. Figure 4: If Restrictions and Quotas were Relieved as well as Tariff Reduction. The price consumers pay will fall from P2 to P3. Domestic quantity supplied will decrease and domestic demand will increase leading in larger import. Table 2 shows the changes of reducing import tariffs and removing quota. The total change in total surplus will be the area +D’’+F’’+D’’’+F’’’. Table 2: Changes in Economic Welfare if Quotas were Removed and Tariffs Reduced Before lowering tariffs After lowering tariffs Change Consumer surplus A+G+B’ A+G+B’+B’’’+D’’+E’+F’’ +B’’’+D’’+E’+F’’ Producers surplus C+B-B’ C+B-B’-B’’’ -B’’’ Government revenue E E-E’+D’’’+F’’’ -E’+D’’’+F’’’ Total surplus A+G+C+B+E A+G+C+B+D’’+D’’’ +F’’+F’’’ +D’’+F’’+D’’’+F’’’ The total surplus change from figure 1 to figure 4 is then the area G+E+D’’+F’’+D’’’+F’’’. This area is the measure off how much the market increases it’s welfare. There are always losers and winners in trade. In this case the producers would always be the looser since import tariffs and quotas are always to protect the domestic producers. Consumers and the government are winners in this case with lower price to consumers and increased revenue for the Government. The Government could then use that revenue to increase subsidizes to the domestic production to keep up their competitiveness to the world market. Impact of lifting import restrictions What would Icelandic consumers gain if import restriction where relieved. The Consumer Protection Agency argues that because of the poor status of the Icelandic currency ISK and current tariffs the Icelandic producers have nothing to fear. When import restrictions on tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers from Europe where relieved in 2002 some predicted that domestic production would stop. The outcome was on the other hand that prices of these goods decreased, domestic production increased and producers gained more profit. This will be the case for fresh meat as well. Supply and variety of meat will increase and consumers will have better alternatives (Icelandic Consumer Organisation, 2013). Tariff protection does not protect the agriculture producers but gives shelter for high price on competitive and substitution goods. The impact of reducing tariff protection would have a big impact on the agriculture producers and some might not be able to compete with the world market. Therefore it would be important to support the agriculture producers by increased subsidizes and other operations optimizing while lowering tariffs (Snorrason, 2006). The impact of relieving import restrictions on fresh meat and lowering tariffs on meat in general could lead to Iceland being dependent on foreign market concerning food security. Foreign markets might face shock to their production, such as animal disease or crop failure and would that lead to shortage and/or significant price change for Icelanders at least in the short run (Jà ³hannesson T. , 2004). Will consumers be loyal to Icelandic production In economics there is a principle that says that people respond to incentives. The consumer knows what he wants when two or more alternatives are available, he is consistent in the way that if he choses product A rather than B and product B rather than C, that he will then choose A rather than C. He also chooses more quantity of quality rather than less quantity of quality, for example he chooses three apples instead of two apples if the price is the same. Most people are though aware that they can consume less that they desire because their spending is constrained, or limited, by their income (Mankiw Taylor, 2014). In reality this is not so simple as indicated above. The experience of Finland and Sweden joining the European union (free trade) showed that consumers are willing to pay higher prices for domestic produced goods compared to similar imported goods. In the case of Icelandic vegetables, Icelanders are willing to pay 10% more than for imported vegetables (Kristà ³fersson Bjarnadà ³ttir, 2011). Research has shown that 62% of Icelandic consumers think Icelandic meat is of more quality that foreign meat, 26% would pay 6%-10% higher price for Icelandic meat and 21% would pay 11-15% higher price. When consumers where asked if they would rather buy foreign cheaper meat, 35% said yes, 45% no and 20% where undecided (Þà ³rhallsdà ³ttir, 2012). These numbers indicate that if import restrictions where relieved or reduced then Icelandic producers of meat have to step up and show their advantages to consumers to keep their loyalty. For example show their proximity to the market, production methods, quality and nutrition level (Þà ³rhallsdà ³ttir, 2012). Conclusion The world is always getting smaller and smaller with globalization and increased trade. The pressure on Icelandic government to reduce restrictions on importing fresh meat will only increase by time. If the Icelandic government cannot prove that import of raw meat harms the health of humans and animals they will have to reduce import restriction from countries with in EU. Icelandic farmers and producers of meat need to prepare for the market opening up by promoting them self among consumers and differentiate. All restriction reduction on import including quotas and tariffs benefit the consumers, it’s just a matter of how much. Increased competition could also lead to production improvement with in the meat farmers/producers and increase their turnover and profit like the vegetable industry experienced. Since the coverage on changes in economic welfare in this paper were only theoretical it would be interesting to see a research report on the real influences in numbers, similar to the report of the Statistical Bureau in 2006 about food prices. References EFTA Surveillance Authoroty. (2014, October 8). EFTA Surveillance Authoroty. Retrieved December 5, 2014 from Questions and answers Fresh meat case: http://www.eftasurv.int/media/press-releases/ESA_Questions_and_Answers_(EN)_-_The_Icelandic_Fresh_meat_case.pdf EFTA Surveillance Authoroty. (2014, October 8). EFTA Surveillance Authoroty. Retrieved December 11, 2014 from Internal Market: Icelands restrictions on the importation of fresh meat in breach of EEA law : http://www.eftasurv.int/presspublications/press-releases/internal-market/nr/2345 Icelandic Competition Authority. (2012). Verà °Ãƒ ¾rà ³un og samkeppni à ¡ dagvà ¶rumarkaà °i [Price developments competition on convenience market]. Reykjavà ­k: Icelandic Competition Authority. Icelandic Consumer Organisation. (2013, March 14). Icelandic Consumer Organisation. Retrieved December 5, 2014 from Um innfllutning à ¡ hrà ¡u kjà ¶ti [About imports on raw meat]: http://www.ns.is/is/content/um-innflutning-hrau-kjoti Icelandic Federation of Labour. (2007, March 23). Icelandic Federation of Labour. Retrieved December 10, 2014 from Breytingar à ¡ tollum 1. mars 2007 [Changes on tariffs 1. March 2007]: http://www.asi.is/media/6401/230307tollarbreytingar.pdf Jà ³hannesson, S., Agnarsson, S. (2004). Bà ³nid er bà ºstà ³lpi, bà º er landstà ³lpi [Farmer is the man of the house, a farm is a pillar of the commuity]. University of Iceland, Institute of Economics. Reykjavà ­k: Oddi hf. Jà ³hannesson, T. (2004). Framleià °slukerfi à ­ bà ºfjà ¡rrà ¦kt [Production system for livestock raising]. Education conference of the agriculture industry (pp. 55-60). Reykjavà ­k: Iclandic Farmers Association. Kristà ³fersson, D. M., Bjarnadà ³ttir, E. (2011). Staà °a à ­slenks landbà ºnaà °ar gagnvart aà °ild aà ° Evrà ³pusambandinu [Icelands agruculture status towards membership of the European Union]. Mankiw, N. G., Taylor, M. P. (2014). Economics. Andover: Cengage Learning . Snorrason, H. (2006). Skà ½rsla formanns nefndar sem forsà ¦tisrà ¡Ãƒ °herra skipaà °i 16. janà ºar 2006 til à ¾ess aà ° fjalla um helstu orsakaà ¾Ãƒ ¦tti hà ¡s matarverà °s à ¡ à slandi og gera tillà ¶gur sem mià °a aà ° à ¾và ­ aà ° fà ¦ra matvà ¦laverà ° nà ¦r à ¾và ­ sem gegnur og gerist à ­ nà ¡grannarà ­kjunum [Report from the presitend of a committe that was nominated 16th of January 2006 by the prime minister to adress the main triggers to high food price in Iceland and make a suggestion to bring food price down to same level as in neighbouring countries]. Reykjavà ­k: Icelandic Statistical Bureau. Þorgeirsson, S., Bjarnadà ³ttir, E., Sveinsson, Þ. E. (2004). Atvinnuvegur à ¡ krossgà ¶tum Staà °a bà ºgreina à ¡ breyttum tà ­mum [Industry on crossroads Farming position in different times]. Education conference of the agriculture industry (pp. 61-73). Reykjavà ­k: Iclandic Farmers Association. Þà ³rhallsdà ³ttir, S. A. (2012). Vià °horf à ­slenskra neytenda til landbà ºnaà °arframleià °slu à hrifaà ¾Ãƒ ¦ttir à ­ kjà ¶tneyslu- [Icelandic consumers attitude towards agricutlure products Factors influencing meat cunsumption -]. Agricultural University of Iceland, Natural Resources Department. Reykjavà ­k: Agricultural University of Iceland.

College Admissions Essay: My Father Died a Drunk :: College Admissions Essays

My Father Died a Drunk    At 4, I came to the breakfast table and saw that my father had a horribly swollen eye and adhesive tape forming a shell on his nose. I didn't know that he got those injuries in a barroom fight; I only know that I was deeply frightened and sorry that my father was hurt. This was the first of many bad memories.    At 6, I awakened to the sound of a violent argument between my father and mother. I didn't know the reason for the quarrel; I just wanted the shouting, cursing and threats to stop. I could even hear them when buried under the pillows and blankets on my bed. My father had lost his job because of his drinking.    At 10, I never knew whether my father would be sober, reasonable, even pleasant - or drunk, argumentative and abusive. On one February day with four inches of snow on the ground and a freezing rain falling, I was walking home from my cousin's house in the early evening and saw my father lying on the soggy, snow-covered sidewalk. I didn't know what my father would do if I roused him, and I was afraid to find out. Perhaps, subconsciously, I hoped my father wouldn't waken at all. I continued on, did nothing, said nothing. This I will remember with guilt for the rest of my life.    At 13, I came to hate Thursday because it was payday and I had to walk up to the shop where my father worked as a janitor, get the paycheck and take it to my mother so that it would not be spent on drink. I sensed this was demeaning to my father and I felt embarrassed.    At 15, I was at the YMCA one Saturday when my father stopped by. He was drunk. He tried to play a game of pool with me and ripped the table covering with his cue stick. Many of my friends were watching. I didn't return to the Y for a month.    At 16, the high school crowd I ran with had a party each month at a different house. How could I have that party when I never knew what condition my father would be in? Fortunately, my mother solved the problem by inviting my father out to dinner and a movie, leaving my older sister as a chaperone.

Workplace Literacy and Effective Communication Essay -- Literacy Essays

Recently, there has been a poorly written communication in the workplace, which has led to some hurt feelings, lower morale and possible loss of business. As a corporation, we have worked very hard to maintain the synergy thoughout our work environment. These latest events are starting to compromise multiple aspects of our company. First, we are loosing control and perspective of our colleagues. Camaraderie and atmosphere are suffering, placing us in jeopardy of destroying our active policies and their integrity. We must also be careful not to take these events lightly, jeopardizing our nucleus and strong core structure of talented workers. Workplace literacy and effective communication have long been increasingly important skills demanding continuous attention, monitoring, and education. Therefore, the objectives are to present a solution for company-sponsored workshops to improve workers’ writing skills. Workplace literacy involves instruction in basic skills of reading, writing, or mathematics, and the application of these skills to areas such as communication, teamwork, and problem solving (Smith, 2000, p. 378). The workplace is a very competitive environment and the key to competitiveness will be gaining, transforming, and generating knowledge, which can be useful for the employee and employer alike. There are many reasons and justifications for effective communication, but these can best be described by singling out a few common points that will enlighten us to the need for this higher communicative education. According to Office Team 2000, a leading staffing service, while intellectual challenges and opportunities will motivate workers, such skills as writing and speaking well, the display of proper etiquette, and listening attentively will probably determine their career success. HR Focus Magazine (1999) performed a survey which revealed that workers will have to learn to communicate more effectively and articulately. Through technological advancements, their people skills will be showcased and tested, and those workers lacking in these areas will have their shortcomings exposed. Likewise, it is mentioned that pervasiveness of both audio and video teleconferencing will also reveal the caliber of one’s verbal strengths. This leads us next to professional craftsmanship and the justification for which every good employee is obligated for it. W. Bri... ...racy...† (cited in Smith, Mikulecky, Kibby, Dreher, Dole, 2000, p. 378). High literacy will involve the mastering of lower level processing skills. This will include self-monitoring one’s thinking, understanding of ideas and beliefs, diversity on multiple issues, working in teams, and synthesizing new ideas. Fred Talbott makes mention in The Salt Lake Tribune (2000); â€Å"...writing does not have to be staid†. References Anonymous. HR Focus. The challenges facing workers in the future. New York, Aug   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1999. Vol. 76. Lss.8: pg. 6, 1pgs. Brinkman, G., & M van der Geest, T. (2003). Assessment of communication in   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  engineering design. Technical Communication Quarterly, Vol. 12(1), 67. Smith, M., Mikulecky L., Kibby M., Dreher, M., and Dole, J. (2000). What will be the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  demands on literacy in the workplace in the next millennium? Reading Research   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Quarterly, Vol. 35(3), 378-383. Tyler, K. (2003, Mar.). Toning up communications. HR Magazine, 48(3), 87-89. Writing well can help in the workplace. (2000, Apr.9). The Salt Lake City Tribune, p. E3

E-waste: Cathode Ray Tube and New Equipment

Electronic waste or e-waste is any broken or unwanted electrical or electronic appliance. E-waste includes computers, entertainment electronics, mobile phones and other items that have been discarded by their original users. E-waste is the inevitable by-product of a technological revolution. Driven primarily by faster, smaller and cheaper microchip technology, society is experiencing an evolution in the capability of electronic appliances and personal electronics. For all its benefits, innovation brings with it the byproduct of rapid obsolescence. According to the EPA, nationally, an estimated 5 to 7 million tons of computers, televisions, stereos, cell phones, electronic appliances and toys, and other electronic gadgets become obsolete every year. According to various reports, electronics comprise approximately 1 – 4 percent of the municipal solid waste stream. The electronic waste problem will continue to grow at an accelerated rate. Electronic, or e-waste, refers to electro nic products being discarded by consumers.Introduction of E-Waste†¢ E-waste is the most rapidly growing waste problem in the world. †¢ It is a crisis of not quantity alone but also a crisis born from toxics ingredients, posing a threat to the occupational health as well as the environment. †¢ Rapid technology change, low initial cost, high obsolescence rate have resulted in a fast growing problem around the globe. †¢ Legal framework, proper collection system missing.†¢ Imports regularly coming to the recycling markets. †¢ Inhuman working conditions for recycling. †¢ Between 1997 and 2007, nearly 500 million personal computers became obsolete-almost two computers for each person. †¢ 750,000 computers expected to end up in landfills this year alone. †¢ In 2005, 42 million computers were discarded†¢ 25 million in storage †¢ 4 million recycled †¢ 13 million land filled †¢ 0.5 million incineratedIT and telecom are two faste st growing industries in the country. †¢ India, by 2008, should achieve a PC penetration of 65 per 1,000 from the existing 14 per 1,000 (MAIT) †¢ At present, India has 15 million computers. The target being 75 million computers by 2010. †¢ Over 2 million old PCs ready for disposal in India.†¢ Life of a computer reduced from 7 years to 3-5 years. †¢ E-Waste: Growth Over 75 million current mobile users, expected to increase to 200 million by 2007 end. †¢ Memory devices, MP3 players, iPods etc. are the newer additions. †¢ Preliminary estimates suggest that total WEEE generation in India is approximately 1, 46,000 tonnes per year. E-waste: It's implications :†¢ Electronic products often contain hazardous and toxic materials that pose environmental risks if they are land filled or incinerated . †¢ Televisions, video and computer monitors use cathode ray tubes (CRTs), which have significant amounts of lead. †¢ Printed circuit boards contai n primarily plastic and copper , and most have small amounts of chromium, lead solder, nickel, and zinc. †¢ In addition, many electronic products have batteries that often contain nickel, cadmium, and other heavy metals . Relays and switches in electronics, especially older ones, may contain mercury. †¢ Also , capacitors in some types of older and larger equipment that is now entering the waste stream may contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) .You can reduce the environmental impact of your E-Waste by making changes in your buying habits, looking for ways to reuse including donating or recycling. Preventing waste to begin with is the preferred waste management option.Consider, for example, upgrading or repairing instead of buying new equipment to extend the life of your current equipment and perhaps save money. If you must buy new equipment, consider donating your still working, unwanted electronic equipment. This reuse extends the life of the products and allows non-pr ofits, churches, schools and community organizations to have equipment they otherwise may not be able to afford. In South Carolina, for example, Habitat for Humanity Resale Stores, Goodwill and other similar organizations may accept working computers. When buying new equipment, check with the retailer or manufacturer to see if they have a â€Å"take-back program†Ã‚  that allows consumers to return old equipment when buying new equipment. Dell Computers, for example, became the first manufacturer to set up a program to take back any of its products anywhere in the world at no charge to the consumer. And, when buying, consider products with longer warranties as an indication of long-term quality. E-waste: Cathode Ray Tube and New Equipment Electronic waste or e-waste is any broken or unwanted electrical or electronic appliance. E-waste includes computers, entertainment electronics, mobile phones and other items that have been discarded by their original users. E-waste is the inevitable by-product of a technological revolution. Driven primarily by faster, smaller and cheaper microchip technology, society is experiencing an evolution in the capability of electronic appliances and personal electronics.For all its benefits, innovation brings with it the byproduct of rapid obsolescence. According to the EPA, nationally, an estimated 5 to 7 million tons of computers, televisions, stereos, cell phones, electronic appliances and toys, and other electronic gadgets become obsolete every year. According to various reports, electronics comprise approximately 1 – 4 percent of the municipal solid waste stream. The electronic waste problem will continue to grow at an accelerated rate. Electronic, or e-waste, refers to electron ic products being discarded by consumers. Introduction of E-Waste†¢ E-waste is the most rapidly growing waste problem in the world. †¢ It is a crisis of not quantity alone but also a crisis born from toxics ingredients, posing a threat to the occupational health as well as the environment. †¢ Rapid technology change, low initial cost, high obsolescence rate have resulted in a fast growing problem around the globe. †¢ Legal framework, proper collection system missing.†¢ Imports regularly coming to the recycling markets. †¢ Inhuman working conditions for recycling. †¢ Between 1997 and 2007, nearly 500 million personal computers became obsolete-almost two computers for each person. †¢ 750,000 computers expected to end up in landfills this year alone. †¢ In 2005, 42 million computers were discarded†¢ 25 million in storage †¢ 4 million recycled †¢ 13 million land filled †¢ 0.5 million incineratedIT and telecom are two faste st growing industries in the country. †¢ India, by 2008, should achieve a PC penetration of 65 per 1,000 from the existing 14 per 1,000 (MAIT) †¢ At present, India has 15 million computers. The target being 75 million computers by 2010. †¢ Over 2 million old PCs ready for disposal in India.†¢ Life of a computer reduced from 7 years to 3-5 years. †¢ E-Waste: Growth Over 75 million current mobile users, expected to increase to 200 million by 2007 end. †¢ Memory devices, MP3 players, iPods etc. are the newer additions. †¢ Preliminary estimates suggest that total WEEE generation in India is approximately 1, 46,000 tonnes per year. E-waste: It's implications :†¢ Electronic products often contain hazardous and toxic materials that pose environmental risks if they are land filled or incinerated . †¢ Televisions, video and computer monitors use cathode ray tubes (CRTs), which have significant amounts of lead. †¢ Printed circuit boards contai n primarily plastic and copper , and most have small amounts of chromium, lead solder, nickel, and zinc. †¢ In addition, many electronic products have batteries that often contain nickel, cadmium, and other heavy metals . Relays and switches in electronics, especially older ones, may contain mercury. †¢ Also , capacitors in some types of older and larger equipment that is now entering the waste stream may contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).You can reduce the environmental impact of your E-Waste by making changes in your buying habits, looking for ways to reuse including donating or recycling. Preventing waste to begin with is the preferred waste management option. Consider, for example, upgrading or repairing instead of buying new equipment to extend the life of your current equipment and perhaps save money. If you must buy new equipment, consider donating your still working, unwanted electronic equipment. This reuse extends the life of the products and allows non-pr ofits, churches, schools and community organizations to have equipment they otherwise may not be able to afford.In South Carolina, for example, Habitat for Humanity Resale Stores, Goodwill and other similar organizations may accept working computers. When buying new equipment, check with the retailer or manufacturer to see if they have a â€Å"take-back program†Ã‚  that allows consumers to return old equipment when buying new equipment. Dell Computers, for example, became the first manufacturer to set up a program to take back any of its products anywhere in the world at no charge to the consumer. And, when buying, consider products with longer warranties as an indication of long-term quality.

Human Growth And Development Discusion Essay

Part 1: Many people think that human development means childhood development from birth to adolescence. This assumption had been supported by the developmental theories of Freud and Piaget. However, we will learn throughout this course that development does not end at the start of adulthood; it continues till the end-of-life. This is the life span perspective of development. Describe the importance of the life span perspective of development. Describe some of the main hallmarks of each one of these groups, using your own life experiences and observations explain why each one of these areas is important to study. Childhood is when one learns what emotions work and how to deal with them, how ones own body works. Its also when you figure out your role in society, like what school activities you want to play and what extra curricular activites you want to do and what your strong suits are. Adolescence is more of that growning up point. Maturing, if you will. Learning what its like to gain some responsibility and start thinking about a future or what you â€Å"want to be when you grow up† so to speak. Adulthood Old Age Justify your answers with appropriate reasoning and research from your text and course readings. Comment on the postings of at least two peers, and provide an analysis of each peer’s postings while also suggesting specific additions or clarifications for improving the discussion question response. Part 2: Several theories attempt to describe human development.  Briefly describe how Freud, Erickson, and Piaget developed their theories. Explain why there is much criticism about race, ethnicity, gender, and social and economic status when it comes to human growth and development theories. Choose two theories, each from a different area (e.g., psychoanalytic, cognitive, and behavioral or social cognitive theories). Briefly describe their main features, explain their major similarities and differences.

The Admirable Priest

Leo Buscaglia, an American author and motivational speaker, once said â€Å"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which can turn a life around†. In â€Å"First Confession† by Frank O’Connor, a priest shows compassion when a little boy is scared out of his wits because of his first confession. After the confession is over with Jackie, the little boy feels better about his sins and, because of how the priest dealt with him, Jackie, is no longer stressing his past actions. When dealing with the scared boy’s fear, the priest handles the situation with humor, kindness, and by sympathizing with the young boy. Humor can change ones outlook on a situation as a whole. The priest senses that Jackie is fearful of his first confession and decides to lighten that fear by using humor. After Jackie tells the priest his arranged plans to kill his grandmother, the priest pretends to be shocked by this comment and starts to question his motives. This shows the reader that the priest has a humorous side to his character. In response, the priest leads Jackie to believe that he has seen lots of men hanged for killing their grandmothers too, but none of them said it is worth it. He uses humor in this way by steering Jackie clear of the direction of not killing anyone. Although Jackie cannot tell that the priest is only kidding, this gives off a humorous vibe to the reader because we can tell the priest knows that Jackie is just a child and he means no harm to anyone. The priest is very kind towards Jackie as he acknowledges the boy’s sins. He helps Jackie come to the realization that he is not evil, but that everyone has their bad moments. The way the priest talks to Jackie as if they are friends lightens the mood and gets Jackie to open up more to the priest. After confession is over with, the priest gives the boy candy and even spends time talking with Jackie, showing the readers that there is a fondness between the two characters. Usually priests are thought to be strict individuals, but he shows us that he is still a person too. When handling children, one always needs to remember to be sympathetic because children do not always know the full consequences of their actions. Priests are forgiving people, but the priest in â€Å"First Confession† is so much more than just forgiving. The priest is sympathetic towards Jackie and gives him three Hail Marys as his punishment for planning to kill his grandmother and trying to kill his sister with a bread-knife. Taking into consideration that Jackie is a naive character who has been manipulated into thinking he is a horrifying person, the priest settles with three Hail Marys because he knows that Jackie is a in fact a great person. The priest shows the readers that he knows how to deal with children in a sympathetic manner. By being humorous, kind, and sympathetic towards Jackie, the priest exhibits his admirable character in the story â€Å"First Confession† by Frank O’Connor. With using his humorous character, the priest lightens the fear Jackie is feeling and turns it into an entertaining time for the boy. The priest is a kind individual, and readers can see that in the way he talks with Jackie and spends time with him. He sees that Jackie is an innocent boy who has been manipulated into thinking his actions are pure evil. In result he priest gives him little penance because he is only a boy with harmless intentions. The priest’s way of dealing with Jackie and his first confession turns the horrifying event into an entertaining encounter for both of them.