Monday, September 30, 2019
Mr Kazimirs Valujs
NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Equality and Diversity Unit 1: Exploring Equality and Diversity Session 4: Prejudice and discrimination What does it mean? In a diverse society where each individual may have lots of different characteristics and qualities, there are many opportunities for people to label and stereotype others. When this happens, it can create an environment where prejudice and discrimination may be found. A prejudice is an unfair or unreasonable preconceived view or judgement that is formed without being based on any specific grounds or sufficient knowledge.Discrimination means treating a person or group differently, often in a negative manner, based upon one or a small number of characteristics. Stereotypes can sometimes be positive ââ¬â however, this is not the case when it comes to prejudice. With prejudice, the views held about certain groups of people are negative, they are applied to an entire group and they tend to be strongly held. So, the group (with possibly a different gender / race / ethnic origin / sexual orientation or with a disability) will be described in negative ways.They will be called things such as ââ¬Ëlazyââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëstupidââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëweakââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëdangerousââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëuntrustworthyââ¬â¢. In communities and societies where prejudice and discrimination are found, people will have fewer life chances and a poorer quality of life. Given that prejudices can be so damaging, it is worth looking at how people develop them. How people may develop prejudices There are many ways that people may develop prejudices. Two of the most common are: 1. Socialisation The most likely way that people will develop prejudices is to learn them from other people, such as family and friends.An individual will experience the views of these people on a daily basis, and there will also be the influences of the media and the views of high profile people. If a young person with no alternative points of reference is exposed to prejudices that are stated as facts, then he / she may accept them without any questions. If a particular prejudice is regularly presented, then it is difficult for people to question the viewpoint and challenge the prejudice. 2. Over generalisationA second way prejudices may develop occurs when a person has a powerful experience and then generalises it to a particular group. This is usually caused by a very strong negative experience. It may well be very sensible to dislike or distrust the particular experience, but the over generalisation is not always accurate. Different types of discrimination People can describe themselves or others in terms of one or more characteristics. At times, it is possible that a person will be treated in a negative way because of a characteristic or quality that they possess.This negative treatment is often referred to as discrimination. There are a few key terms that are used when talking about discrimination. These are: â⬠¢ Direct and indirect discrimination â⬠¢ Dual discrimination and multiple discrimination â⬠¢ Positive discrimination â⬠¢ Discrimination arising from disability â⬠¢ Discrimination by association â⬠¢ Protected characteristics. The effects that discrimination and prejudice can have on people When people are subject to discrimination they often end up with a quality of life far lower than they would reasonably expect.Historically, discrimination and prejudice has sometimes been a matter of life and death in some countries and cultures. Some of the effects of prejudice and discrimination include: â⬠¢ People being killed because of their race, nationality, religion or sexual orientation. â⬠¢ People being denied the right to vote. â⬠¢ People being subjected to physical attacks and verbal abuse. â⬠¢ People being deprived of legal rights. â⬠¢ People being denied education, jobs and opportunities. â⬠¢ People being generally treated as outsiders and second class citizens . â⬠¢ People accepting the negative views of themselves. Communities and whole societies having greater conflict and being less efficient and harmonious. â⬠¢ Communities and societies built on hatred and contempt. When people are classified (stereotyped) on the basis of one or two characteristics, they are stripped of many of their qualities. A stereotype reduces them to a one dimensional character. All the other things that make a person special and human will be ignored by the prejudiced people. This makes it easier to inflict pain and suffering on innocent parties. This is why prejudice and discrimination are so dangerous.
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Rationale for a Dissemination Plan Essay
Dissemination of information is one of the significant factors in any system development. The firm stakeholders, policy makers and individual in departments involved employs skills and research outcome to win out the approximations to achieve the set ends and aims. Through the use of newsletters, magazine, flyers, brochure, posters, presentation and interviews, the firm will pass along knowledge to the different individual in the organization. In the nursing field, information about Evidence Base Practice is of importance. It should be shared amongst the practicing nurses in order for it to be implemented easily across the department (Hanrahan, Marlow, Aldrich, & Hiatt, 2010). Before embarking on Evidence-Based Practice Research, nurses should first come up with a clear project overview to clarify the aim and change they intend to bring after conducting research. They should spread the ends intended to be achieved by carrying out the research and the impact they will bring to the firm and their patient or customers. Nurses carrying out EBP should categorically choose the people to use the research (Target audiences). The central message is important, and it should be disseminated to the group or individual in the research task. It is important for nurses to identify key people in the research group who can be capable to make a credible message with simplicity to others. A researcher or in this case the nurse will disseminate activities and responsibilities to the target group and clearly explain to them the role they are entitled to work in the task. The researcher conducting EBP will need finance, for instance, he will incur travel expenses, stationaries and miscellaneous to run the task. Final evaluation of the system is a prerequisite when disseminating plan to benchmark the effort of the project and research (Canadian Health Services Rese arch Foundation). References Canadian Health Services Research Foundation. (N.d.). Communication Notes. Ottawa: Canadian Health Services Research Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.cfhi-fcass.ca/migrated/pdf/dissemination_plan_e.pdf on April 23, 2015 Hanrahan, K., Marlow, K. L., Aldrich, C., & Hiatt, A. M. (2010). Dissemination of Nursing Knowledge:Tips and Resources. Iowa: The University of Iowa. Retrieved April 23, 2015, from http://www.nursing.uiowa.edu/sites/default/files/documents/research/Disseminating%20nursing%20knowledge.pdf
Saturday, September 28, 2019
THE HUMAN PRACTICE IN SCIENCE-DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
THE HUMAN PRACTICE IN SCIENCE-DB - Essay Example Scientists conduct experiments with an attempt to prove genuine hypotheses; scientists by accident discover new things. However, scientists must be keen to observe and interpret observations of their experiments (Chris, 2009). A prepared mind means that a scientist should have a deep understanding of their field of specialization. This will enable the scientist to interpret the accidental observations and relate the new phenomena with his or her existing work. When there is a chance of discovering new things only those who have prepared minds discover and learn these new things. Scientists, who have a positive attitude and are dedicated to their work, are the ones who have the capability to identify chances of learning and make discoveries out of the chances. Scientific knowledge enables people to interpret accidental observations based on the on the knowledge. Scientific experiments involve risks especially when the scientists are using chemical elements. Marie Curie used radioactive elements, which releases enormous energy through radiation. Unknowingly, these radiations could have led to serious damage if they were not handled carefully (Chris,
Friday, September 27, 2019
The intersection of S Stoughton Rd & E Buckeye Rd in Madison, Coursework
The intersection of S Stoughton Rd & E Buckeye Rd in Madison, Wisconsin - Coursework Example Stoughton Road features heavy traffic all through the daylight hours considering that a total of 23 out of the 33 reported crashes took place between 11 am and 5 pm (Madison Police Department 15). This intensive traffic volume, coupled with the speed limit tuning to 55 MPH, has made the traffic signals associated with this road section to be hazardous. A report by the Madison Police Station posited that a speed limit that tunes to 55 MPH is excessive for this road stretch and their research findings supported this opinion. In Addition, as per the authorities, the South Stoughton Road never featured in the top list because of any design flaw as per se. Instead, the intersection problem is attributed to the large number of cars that pass through it (Campbell and Chris 139). In another sphere some residents have attributed the crashes to the idea of some drivers just ignoring the need to pay attention. In certain occasions, the drivers have been sighted using their phones or engaging in some sort of distractive exercise thus fueling the number of crashes. Generally, there is an increasing number of crashes at the intersection already raises an alarm and increases risks of loss of more lives in Madison. As such, there is need to improve the current road design in order to end up with structures that can aid in guaranteeing a higher level of safety to individuals. One of the potential design alternatives would be to develop a modern circular roundabout at the intersection where traffic is flowing in a counter-clockwise direction around a central island. Unlike the current design, the proposed modern roundabout design would not only allow the traffic to flow freely without the need for stop controlled or signalized systems. Additionally, the drivers would have sufficient time to judge the traffic and adjust their speeds accordingly while approaching the roundabout. It is also worth noting that roundabout intersection designs are also
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Awareness of Otherness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Awareness of Otherness - Essay Example It has become increasingly important for individuals to learn to interact with people belonging to culturally, socially and politically diverse backgrounds in order to become global citizens. Such interactions help in developing a broader mindset which is tolerant towards diversity. Interactions with people from diverse backgrounds help in our personal as well as professional lives, since it provides us an opportunity to learn about their different ideologies. A diverse society offers us an opportunity to interact with other people and connect with them. It helps us in understanding the social and cultural contexts to which they belong, and in the process contribute to our knowledge regarding different countries as well as their political, religious and cultural viewpoints. This leads to our overall cognitive development. Furthermore, such interactions help us in sharing of information and expanding our knowledge base and perspectives regarding different cultures. Also, the rise in s ocial networking has further expanded the scope for information exchange and blurred the geographical boundaries, thus enabling people from across the world to interact and communicate with each other. The era of globalization coupled with the internet boom has created an entirely new world, and has ushered in an era of global citizenship. It is of utmost significance, hence, for individuals to learn to interact and communicate with others in an effective manner in order to survive in this highly competitive and diverse world. Cross cultural interactions help us in learning about different cultures and encourages discussions - a phenomenon which is not likely to be experienced otherwise in a university or school setting. Learning about diversity through personal interactions helps us in becoming culturally tolerant and transforms us into respectful and responsible citizens. It helps in forming meaningful relationships with those around us, and offers interesting opportunities to lea rn about things which cannot be learnt through text books. Such knowledge gained through personal interactions with the people around us may further help us in our workplaces. Today, there are various multinational companies operating in different parts of the world, which are operated and managed by managers who are competent in interacting with and managing a culturally diverse workforce. Our experiences during the early part of our lives help in shaping our identities, which in turn pave way for our future growth. Managers and leaders of tomorrow need to be able to have a deep understanding of people and compassionate about the diversity around us. The fact that diversity enriches the social fabric of our societies has been reaffirmed over the years. However, such diversity also poses several unique challenges which in turn give rise to critical social issues such as racism and prejudice. As a part of a culturally diverse society, I strive to promote and support diversity and ref rain from activities that tend to fuel bias of any kind - be it social, racial, cultural, gender based and the likes. My experiences and interactions with people other than those belonging to the same social and cultural background as mine, have enriched me in more ways than one, and taught me to be tolerant towards those who are different. I use such experiences and apply them in my day-to-day life by behaving in a cordial manner with those around me, and
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Informative analysis of school uniforms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Informative analysis of school uniforms - Essay Example The president said in his 1996 state of the union address that schools should adapt to compulsory school uniforms if it means that teenagers can stop killing one another over designer clothing (Julia, 2012, p. 2). Since that time, school uniforms have been used as the long awaited policy for solving school violence crisis. In October of 1998, uniforms were supported by the United States conference of mayors, and the USA today of 15th October 1998 reported a significant decline in crime and an increased performance for students in schools that have implemented the policy. It specifically cites 91 percent drop in theft, vandalism, assaults and drug violation since 1991 in Long Beach (Julia, 2012, p. 4). Although the article neglects other steps that can improve studentsââ¬â¢ behavior, like increasing the teachers patrolling school hallways at class changes, taken in Long Beach around that same time and the nationwide concentration given to school uniforms, parents became more aware of their vital need to take part in their childrenââ¬â¢s lives. Students also identified the higher anticipations attached on them. The policy being in effect since 1994 suggests crime was already declining. The two opposing claims can be whether uniform policy alone is sufficient to end school violence and lead to improved performance, as suggested, or if uniform support is just an economical solution designed to disguise the actual weight of the problem (Julia, 2012, p. 3). For school uniforms There are arguments in support of the school uniform policy, firstly they assist school administration identify strangers who can visit the school. The uniforms adopted country wide can be similar. The school administration should, therefore, be able to identify strangers wandering around the school. Every other time, students are supposed to be in their classroom. An intruder might stick out since he/she might be wandering around at a time when students can be expected to be in classroom s studying. The intruder can easily be identified by the mode of dressing which is different from that of the students (Julia, 2012, p. 10). Uniform policy can also assist students in concentration with their school work. The idea here is that if students lack thinking about what to wear to school on a daily basis, they will put more effort on learning. The USA today dated October 15th 1998 reports that most teachers felt uniforms contributed to increased academic improvement because students cannot be distracted by their classmates clothing (Julia, 2012). This is an essential skill that students are supposed to learn since no employer can accept shady work due to distraction by clothing. Another reason is uniforms prevent gang members from insignia and gang colors. Some adornments will still be seen as gang- affiliated even if all students wear uniform. It is simpler to have a general rule on gangs in schools e.g. by forbidding accessories that cannot be essential, like pagers and bandannas, but abolishing the ââ¬Å"gangâ⬠look may be rather difficult (Kevin Ryan, 2012, p. 160). Uniforms on the other hand, can help in decreasing violence over expensive clothing. When in England, the author purchased uniform from any store. However, some students purchased sweaters with designer logos. The distinction based on those logos was widely acknowledged and formed the basis of cliques in school.
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Network Forensics in the Cloud Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Network Forensics in the Cloud - Research Paper Example lenges of performing network forensics are presented due to the decentralization nature of data processing and lack of physical servers making the traditional approaches redundant. The examined challenges in network forensics in cloud infrastructures are as below; The expertise required to handle sophisticated cloud forensic crimes is lacking in many institutions since most investigations are conducted by digital forensic experts using conventional tools and procedures applied traditionally. Laws and regulations are slowly evolving with respect to swiftly changing cloud technologies (Peterson, & Shenoi, 2013). The forensic data accessed is dependent on the cloud model that is implemented in every service and deployment model. For instance; Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) clients have a comparatively unrestricted access to the statistics forensic investigators consider sufficient. On the other hand, the clients to software as a service (SaaS) will be provide with limited or no access to such information. This limited access to forensic information means that users of systems have limited knowledge and control of the physical locations of their data. The providers of cloud service omit the terms of use that would assist forensic preparedness of the cloud service (DeFranco, 2013). This limited access to metadata and log files by customers also reduces the ability to carry ââ¬â out real time monitoring and auditing. The spread of mobile endpoints is a challenge for the collection of evidence and recovery of data and this is due to the impact of a crime, extensive number of resources linked to the cloud, and the workload of an investigation being considerable. The traditional forensics faces the challenge of disparate log formats and this is aggravated by cloud since there is prevalence of proprietary log formats and it holds large volumes of data logs. Since deleted data is sensitive to forensic investigations then remote access is hardly possible when the
Monday, September 23, 2019
Bad News Message Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Bad News Message - Assignment Example Our mission is to deliver the best products to our clients and provide them with top of the line after-sales service. It is the practice of our company to grant watch replacement requests from our customers especially if after inspection of our technical department the request is valid and if it is within the warranty period. Unfortunately, we checked our records and found out that your watch was purchased last April 9, 2008; therefore, the three-year warranty has expired last April 9, 2011. All our watches, including the Magnifique 89379 are designed to last to up to an average of 15 years with proper care and maintenance. In as much as we can no longer replace your watch, you may visit the nearest service center and bring your Magnifique. We will be glad to repair it and give you a 12% discount on labor charges. Our technical department will be happy to assist you. They will give you free advice on the proper handling and maintenance of your watch to make it last for at least 15 years and
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Amygdala and Hippocampus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Amygdala and Hippocampus - Essay Example The second experiment was made to record effects of lesions of different brain parts, which were amygdala, dorsal hippocampus, and cortex dorsal to the hippocampus. It was revealed that animals with amygdala lesions showed a significant difference in both pre-CS and CS during the experiment. Animals with lesions on hippocampus showed no significant change in time of freezing during the CS on any day but did show a significantly reduced freezing time during pre-CS condition. Lesions of the neocortex above the hippocampus had no obvious change on freezing to neither CS nor pre-CS compared with unoperated control group (Phillips R. G. and LeDoux, 1992, p.276).This study indicates that amygdala is an essential component in fear conditioning, regardless of the type of stimulus input serving as the CS. Amygdala is involved in the formation of associations between the aversive US and of any of a variety of types of CSS, ranging from the simplest to the most complex. Hippocampus, although no t necessary for conditioning with an explicit CS, is necessary for the conditioning of fear responses to contextual stimuli. Also, the study indicates the contextual conditioning may not be a necessary aspect of fear conditioning. I agree with, it because when intensities of the US are low, conditioning only developed to the explicit CS. When intensities increases, freezing time increases in the both explicit CS and the context, but contextual conditioning required a greater number of exposures to the US.
Saturday, September 21, 2019
India as a Land of Infinite Variety Essay Example for Free
India as a Land of Infinite Variety Essay So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left undone, either by man or nature, to make India the most extraordinary country that the sun visits on his rounds. Nothing seems to have been forgotten, nothing overlooked. India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grandmother of tradition. Mark Twain, the writer of this quotation, was obviously impressed by the subcontinent. Travel agents say its nearly impossible not to be impressed, astonished and amazed by Indiaââ¬âall within the first hour off the planeââ¬âfor this nation is blessed with sacred sites and ancient ruins, each with a mesmerizing story to tell, creating a treasure-filled world of travel opportunities. Towering Mountains, Vast Deserts and Lush Rainforests Nestled between Pakistan, China and Nepal, India is bordered in the north by the worlds highest mountain chain, while further south, tropical rain forests mingle with windswept deserts. To complete the geographic smorgasbord, palm-fringed beaches trim the peninsula like ribbon on a huge Christmas gift. The only thing missing is a glacier, but no one seems to mind. Visitors and locals alike do not complain about Indias astonishing cultural diversity either, for the nation boasts an inspired, imaginative burst of religions and cultures, races and tongues, resulting from 5,000 years of history. Indias long, historical significance and great natural wealth have lured a long succession of foreign influences, traders and craftsmen, each having left their distinctive imprint on the country. Whether you come to rejuvenate spiritually, relax on the countless beaches or live like a queen in the land of princes, Indias amazing diversity offers everything you could ever want in a holiday. With so much to choose from, its wise to enlist the aid of a trusted travel agent. Paragons of advice, travel agents suggest that, because of Indias size and diversity, its best to focus your journey around a particular tour or theme. This allows you to experience in depth one tantalizing aspect of the country while still enjoying the variety that makes India a top travel destination. The Golden Triangle: New Delhi, Agra, Jaipur Of Indias many tours, the Golden Triangle is one of the most popular, for the three cities that form the triangleââ¬âNew Delhi, Agra and Jaipurââ¬âfeature the images that epitomize India. Inside this triangle youll see a panorama of majestic architectural creations that feed the areas rich traditions, like the symphony of marble that is the Taj Mahal (arguably the worlds most perfect structure), the imperial elegance of New Delhi and the desert city of Jaipur. | Taj Mahal| Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan, one of the largest of Indias 28 states and host to the exotic Desert Adventure tour. Rajasthan is known as the Land of Kings, where sumptuous palaces dot the desert landscape and battle-scarred fortresses stand tall atop hills like sentinels. Youll begin your adventure at Jodhpur, an ancient stronghold on the edge of the Thar Desert, before traveling along trade routes to the unforgettable golden fortress at Jaisalmer and beyond. Beyond Indias present-day heritage is a past steeped in spiritual lore, enlightening travelers who tour the Buddhist Circuit. Walk in the footsteps of Siddhartha Gautamaââ¬âthe gentle sage who became the Buddhaââ¬âand sit beneath the Holy Bodhi tree at Bodhgaya, under which he gained enlightenment in 528 BC. Visit Sarnath, where the Buddha gave the world his first sermon, and Kushinagar, the site of his death. This tour is a spiritual journey that will stay with you for a lifetime. The Land of Coconuts Another Indian journey that will surely stick with you for a lifetime is a cruise through the Backwaters of Kerala. Kerala, on the southwestern tip of the peninsula, is called the land of coconuts, where palm trees shade nearly the entire state from the tropical sun. All along its coast, exotic backwaters, canals, lagoons and inlets create an intricate maze stretching nearly 1,200 miles throughout the land. Traveling by boat along the emerald-tinted backwaters is a magical experience. Any trip you make to incredible India will be a magical experience, especially if you book your journey through your friendly, neighborhood travel agent. Travel agents can combine any of the above tours or extend them to include exciting nights in bustling cities like Calcutta, New Delhi and Mumbai (Bombay). They can send you along other fabulous tours of India, to the Temple Trail of the south, across the Seven Sisters of the northeast or through the jungles that inspired Kipling in the Heart of Heritage. Always warm and inviting, India is a land of timeless beauty with 5,000 years of life under its ornate belt.Contact a trusted travel agent today and start exploring the infinite variety of this magical land.
Friday, September 20, 2019
Is there Democratic Deficit in the EU?
Is there Democratic Deficit in the EU? It is argued by many commentators[1] that there exists a `democratic deficit` within the European Union although others argue[2] that there exists no such `democratic deficit`, there are also those who acknowledge the existence of a `democratic deficit` but that argue that it is not problematic[3]. This assignment will look at those arguments and consider whether or not in despite of numerous reforms the democratic credentials of the EC still remain a concern. This argument will be considered in light of the evolving nature and the role of parliament. It is important first to understand what is meant by the `democratic deficit`. It is difficult to find a common definition however, in basic terms this argument suggests that the European Parliament as the only directly elected body holds too minor a role in the legislative process. Supporters of the `democratic deficit` argument, argue that the European Parliament, as the only elected and democratic element of the European Community, should exert more power over the legislative process and that the current situation means that the legislative process is controlled by the non-elected Council. It is argued that one of the major problems that this `democratic deficit` creates is a possibility that ââ¬Å"a small minority in a state could be over-represented in the intergovernmental process and thus be able to impose its preferences even in the face of an overwhelming European majorityâ⬠[4] Conversely those that support the notion that the current situation does not create a `democratic deficit` point to the fact that public interest in elections to the European Parliament is low[5] and as Bermann points out ââ¬Å"participation in elections for European Parliament in June 2004 dropped to a record low of 45.3 percent across the twenty-five member states.â⬠The argument is therefore that even though the MEPââ¬â¢s are, in theory elected by the public, in reality they are not supported by the majority and if they were provided with greater power it would be of little relevance to persons within a member state. This supports the argument, which will be discussed later, that the solution is not to increase the power of the European Parliament but to increase the power of member states within the legislative process. In order to understand the evolution of the European Parliament it is important to consider briefly the legislative process and the growth of European Parliamentââ¬â¢s role in that process. Originally a limited number of Treaty Articles[6] provided that the Council was required to consult the European Parliament as to its opinion before arriving at a decision on Community secondary law[7]. This position was confirmed by the case of Roquette Freres SA v Commission[8], although the Council was permitted to ignore and overrule any opinion expressed by the European Parliament[9]. The Maastricht reforms amended Art 251. The new regime creates a co-decision procedure whereby the European Parliament can reject a legislative proposal. Once the European Parliament has provided its views on a legislative proposal, the Council shall adopt a common position by a qualified majority. The European Parliament can, within three months, either approve or take no decision in which case the Council can adopt the measure. Alternatively the European Parliament can reject or amend the proposal by an absolute majority, if this situation occurs then the Council can approve those amendments by a qualified majority within a three month time limit. However if the Commission has issued a negative opinion on the amendments, the Council are only able to approve by unanimity. If the Council does then not agree this amended proposal it will be referred to a new Conciliation Committee to in an effort to accomplish a compromise within six weeks. If a joint text is approved, the Council and European Parliament can then accept the provision together within six weeks and the European Parliament may finally reject it within six weeks by an absolute majority. It is arguable that these reforms do not go far enough in addressing the `democratic deficit` and that they only provide a negative power of veto and in addition they will only apply to limited specific areas. Further changes were introduced by the Treaty of Amsterdam, which whilst go someway to decreasing the democratic deficit do not, it is argued, go far enough. The Treaty of Amsterdam increased the use of and streamlined the co-decision procedure. The Treaty also extended the areas in which the assent of the Parliament is to be required to incorporate the structural and cohesion funds. However, it is pointed out that these do not actually increase the level of participation of the European Parliament and its capacity to insist on a specific measure and thus do little to reduce the `democratic deficit` and make the Union more democratic[10]. Finally changes were implemented via the Nice Treaty, although these were very limited in scope and did little to improve the `democratic deficit`. Although they it did extend the Qualified Majority Voting into new areas and also increased the effect of the co-decision procedure which was extended to include more treaty articles. The changes proposed in the Constitution for Europe[11] are likely to set the foundation of the legislative procedures for many years to come and in this regard they are very important. There are essentially three main changes that are proposed by the constitution which seek to improve the `democratic deficit`. The first of these is that there should be more involvement of the European Parliament in the adoption of all EU legislation and this is to be achieved by greater use of the ââ¬Å"Co-decision procedureâ⬠, which it is intended, will be the normal procedure for enactment of legislation. The second change that is proposed by the Constitution is that the member statesââ¬â¢ parliament has a greater involvement. One of the main proposals is to enact a procedure whereby national parliaments can register formal objections to a European Commission proposal because it failed to respect the principle of subsidiarity[12]. The final proposal is that Council meetings must be public or televised where legislative procedures are being discussed or voted upon, whether or not these proposals will rectify the `democratic deficit` remains to be seen. It is too early to conclude whether or not this will solve the problem. There are two main suggestions for the improvement of democracy in Europe. The first argument, and the one which has been the subject of this assignment, is to increase the power of the European Parliament. The second suggestion involves increasing the power of national parliaments in the legislative process as the general public have little interest in who is elected into the European Parliament. Steiner and Woods consider this second argument but conclude that ââ¬Å"at the level of individual pieces of legislation, national parliaments become involved in the process too late to have any real impact on the outcome, and the level of control exercised by the individual national parliaments may vary significantly between Member States[13]â⬠. Despite the increased power given to the European Parliament following the various treaties that have been discussed above, and as Weiler points out, the European Parliament ââ¬Å"is still characterised by a lesser degree of parliamentary representation and majority decision making in the European political process than its counterparts in national democracies[14]â⬠. However Dehousse[15] argues that the argument that there is a democratic deficit is fundamentally flawed and that the EU encounters similar problems with democracy as are encountered in domestic systems and that some of the ââ¬Å"loudest complaints over a European democratic deficit may be based on idealisations of democracy in the nation-stateâ⬠. Those who do not support the concept of a `democratic deficit` argue that ââ¬Å"the preoccupation with the concept of democratic deficit is limiting and does little to improve our understanding of the role of the European Parliamentâ⬠[16]. Finally, Majone argu es that the EU is a ââ¬Å"regulatory state-a state which despite its democratic deficit can be accountableâ⬠[17]. Having considered the arguments it seems clear that perhaps one of the primary reasons for the belief that there exists a `democratic deficit` is that powers that were once controlled by national parliaments have now been transferred to the EU where they are subject to a lower degree of parliamentary participation[18]. Therefore it is argued that the `democratic deficit` does exist, but only in so far as it does not match political ideologies and does not mirror the political system of other member states. It is arguable that deficit does not in fact exist and that the EU system is simply different to member states political systems. Even if it could be concluded that a `democratic deficit` did exist how to correct this deficit is problematic in itself. Some argue that a democratic model similar to that of the state should be developed whereas others argue that democracy can only be achieved through national democracies.[19] One certainty is that it is an argument that will not be se ttled in the near future and it is doubtful that the constitution will resolve the problem to the satisfaction of all member states. Bibliography Cases EP v Council (C-65/91) Parliament v Council (C-392/95) Roquette Freres SA v Commission (Case 20/88) [1989] ECR 1553 Treaties Maastricht Treaty 1997 Nice Treaty Treaty of Amsterdam 1997 Journal Articles Barnard C, Dashwood A, (2006) ââ¬Å"The EU Constitution ââ¬â Dealing with the Deficitâ⬠, 156 New Law Journal 173 Bermann G, Monet J Gelhorn W, (2005) ââ¬Å"Executive Power in the New European Constitutionâ⬠, International Journal of constitutional Law 3.2 (440) Maduro M, (2005) ââ¬Å"The Importance of Being Called a Constitution: Constitutional Authority and the Authority of Constitutionalismâ⬠, International Journal of Constitutional Law 3.2 (332) Majone G, (1998) ââ¬Å"Europes Democratic Deficit: The Question of Standardsâ⬠4 European Law Journal 5 Weiler J, (2005) ââ¬Å"On the Power of the Word: Europeââ¬â¢s Constitutional Iconographyâ⬠, International Journal of Constitutional Law 3.2 (173) Books Craig P De Bà ºrca G, (2003)â⬠EU Law, Text, Cases and Materials, Third Edition, Oxford University Press Fairhurst J , (2004) ââ¬Å"Law of the European Unionâ⬠, Fifth Edition, Pearson Longman Harlow C, (2002) ââ¬Å"Accountability in The European Unionâ⬠, Oxford University Press, Oxford Hartley T, (2003) ââ¬Å"The Foundations of European Community Lawâ⬠, Fifth Edition, Oxford University Press Horspool M Humphreys M, (2006) ââ¬Å"European Union Lawâ⬠, Oxford University Press Lenaerts K Van Nuffel P,(2005)â⬠Constitutional Law of the European Unionâ⬠, Second Edition, Sweet and Maxwell Steiner J Woods L, (2003) ââ¬Å"Textbook on EC Lawâ⬠, Eighth Edition, Oxford University Press Weatherill S, (2005) ââ¬Å"Cases and Materials on EU Lawâ⬠, Seventh Edition, Oxford University Press Weiler J Winds M (eds) (2003) ââ¬Å"European Constitutionalism Beyond the Stateâ⬠, Cambridge University Press Websites http://european-convention.eu.int/ accessed on 21.10.2006 1 Footnotes [1] See for example the comments of Weiler J, (2005) ââ¬Å"On the Power of the Word: Europeââ¬â¢s Constitutional Iconographyâ⬠, International Journal of Constitutional Law 3.2 (173) [2] See for example the comments of Dehousse R in Weiler J Winds M (eds) (2003) ââ¬Å"European Constitutionalism Beyond the Stateâ⬠, Cambridge University Press [3] See for example Majone G, (1998) ââ¬Å"Europes Democratic Deficit: The Question of Standardsâ⬠4 European Law Journal 5 [4] Weiler J, (2005) ââ¬Å"On the Power of the Word: Europeââ¬â¢s Constitutional Iconographyâ⬠, International Journal of Constitutional Law 3.2 (173) [5] Bermann G, Monet J Gelhorn W, (2005) ââ¬Å"Executive Power in the New European Constitutionâ⬠, International Journal of constitutional Law 3.2 (440) [6] 17 [7] old Arts 54 or 56 [8] (Case 20/88) [1989] ECR 1553 [9] Although consider EP v Council (C-65/91) and Parliament v Council (C-392/95) where the Court annulled Regulations which the Council had amended without further Consultation to the European Parliament. [10]Lenaerts K Van Nuffel P,(2005)â⬠Constitutional Law of the European Unionâ⬠, Second Edition, Sweet and Maxwell at page [11] http://european-convention.eu.int/ accessed on 21.10.2006 [12] For further discussion see Barnard C, Dashwood A , (2006) ââ¬Å"The EU Constitution ââ¬â Dealing with the Deficitâ⬠, 156 New Law Journal 173 [13] Steiner J Woods L, (2003) ââ¬Å"Textbook on EC Lawâ⬠, Eighth Edition, Oxford University Press at page 25 [14]Weiler J, (2005) ââ¬Å"On the Power of the Word: Europeââ¬â¢s Constitutional Iconographyâ⬠, International Journal of Constitutional Law 3.2 (173) [15]Dehousse R in Weiler J Winds M (eds) (2003) ââ¬Å"European Constitutionalism Beyond the Stateâ⬠, Cambridge University Press ââ¬â Chapter 6 Page 135 [16] Harlow C, (2002) ââ¬Å"Accountability in The European Unionâ⬠, Oxford University Press, Oxford See Chapter 1 generally [17] Majone G, (1998) ââ¬Å"Europes Democratic Deficit: The Question of Standardsâ⬠4 European Law Journal 5 [18] Maduro M, (2005) ââ¬Å"The Importance of Being Called a Constitution: Constitutional Authority and the Authority of Constitutionalismâ⬠, International Journal of Constitutional Law 3.2 (332) [19] Maduro M, (2005) ââ¬Å"The Importance of Being Called a Constitution: Constitutional Authority and the Authority of Constitutionalismâ⬠, International Journal of Constitutional Law 3.2 (332)
Thursday, September 19, 2019
The Swede :: Swede Essays
The Swede The Swede is a major source of conflict in "The Blue Hotel". The external conflicts that he faces are caused by implied internal conflicts. The Easterner sums up the cause of the Swede's internal conflicts when he says, "...this man has been reading dime novels, and he thinks he's right out in the middle of it-the shootin' and stabbin' and all."(103) The Swede is frightened of everyone because in his mind, he is in constant danger. He is described as "shaky and quick-eyed"(97) in the beginning. Instead of talking to the old farmer, he stares at everyone and makes "furtive estimates of each man in the room."(98) This internal conflict between the real world and the one in the novels cause the first external conflict between Johnny and the Swede. The Swede is very frightened and believes that everyone is going to kill him. "He shivered and turned white near the corners of his mouth."(100) The Swede was so frightened that he went upstair s to pack his bags and leave. Scully indirectly caused the changes to the Swede. Scully was trying to calm the Swede down by offering him a drink of whiskey. Once the Swede had the alcohol in him, he became a totally different person. Instead of leaving, he went back downstairs for supper. Johnny describes the change to his father when he says, "...he was scared, but now he's too fresh." The alcohol caused the Swede to become loud, arrogant and cocky. This time when an argument breaks out at the card table, he is more than ready to fight. After beating Johnny in a fist fight, the Swede leaves the hotel and goes into town. The new found bravado caused by the alcohol and the fight is what causes the Swede to lose his life to the Gambler. Even though this story was written about the Old West, the theme that alcohol can change people is still very true today.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Tin :: essays research papers
Tin Tin's discoverer is unknown but one thing is known. Tin has been used and discovered by the ancients. Tin was an accidental discovery. Tin has been around for many years. Proof is in the fact that tin is mentioned in the old testament of the bible. Tin had a great effect on the world because of its low price, high electric conductivity, and because tin protects against rust and weak acids in food if the can is made out of tin instead of aluminum. Some common compounds of tin are organtin a combination of carbon and tin. When tin is formed with carbon to make organtin it can make more than 500 organtin compounds. These compounds are used in everyday things. One is toothpaste containers and also are things such as wood, paper, textile, farm sprays, and Hospital disinfectants. To get pure tin you must first find ore cassiterite or tin stone, a dioxide of tin. The ore cassiterite before smelting and roasting must be crushed into a powder to remove the arsenic and sulfur from the ore cassiterite. When you smelter the tin you must heat it with carbon to remove the zinc, copper, bismuth, and iron from the tin. Tin had been used for many things but tins use is dropping rapidly although tin is still used a lot for plating. Plating such things as electical contacts. Tin is also used as a protective coating. This protective coating can be as small as 15/1,000,000 of an inch. This protective coating protects against rust on steel and other metals. A coating of tin also gives a great look to plain old steel. Tin cans for food prevents weak acids from damaging the inside of the can. Not many cans are made of tin since aluminum started to be used for cans tins use dropped sharply. Tin is also used to coat staples, pins, bronze bell, pewter pitchers and many others things. Another popular tin mixture is tin and lead. Tin and lead make solder for electric work. Battery contacts in the Black and Decker snake lights are also tin plated. A compound tin salt is used to spray onto glass windows to produce electrically conductive coating for panel lighting and frost free windshields for cars. One last use for tin is in the making of glass windows that are made by floating molten glass on molten tin. This produces a flat piece of glass to be used as a windows. Industries basically only use tin for plating for electricity or for protection on there metals such as tin. Tin is found in Molaya, Bolivia, Indonesia, Zaire, Thailand, Nigeria, but
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Alternate Energy Sources :: essays research papers
Alternate Energy Resources As most people know our energy supply is slowly running out. We are using energy sources that either pollute the air, take up natural resources or cause damage to other forms of life. Today, we are working on other forms of energy that do not pollute or cause harm to the environment. Here are some: Magnetohydrobynamic Power à à à à à Magnetohydrobynamic power is where created by plasma. One way is for gases are heated to really high temperature to where the form plasma. They are held together by strong magnets. This creates the energy. The energy is then cooled to a gas and used to turn a turbine (The hot plasma would melt the turbine if it tired to turn it.) This is already done is coal combustion research facilities. The second way is for the plasma molecules to be heated up around temperatures of 5,000,000 C%. The kinetic energy is then extracted by passing through a magnetic field. This produces a strong voltage. The only disadvantages to this power source is the lack of knowledge we have for it. Hopefully, within time, we will learn about this new energy source so we can use it to power the future. Fusion Power à à à à à Fusion Power is probably the biggest known Alternate Energy Resource. Fusion is the joining of the nuclei of two atoms to form the nucleus of a heavier element. It occurs mostly with hydrogen and other light elements. Fusion reactions, also called thermonuclear reactions, release a great deal of energy. Scientists are still conducting experiments on ways of harnessing Fusion so we can use it as an energy source. Microwave Power à à à à à 25% of the energy we use today is used to for indoor lighting. Microwave power is the art of taking light from the sun and using it to light out indoor areas. It can only be used to light up lights though. This currently be done at Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and is used by several industrial companies. The Berkeley Lab researchers say that a single kiosk could be used to replace 30 conventional ceiling fixtures in an open spaced room and still light the room at the same brightness. If this becomes an energy source that we can depend on, you may see it light all of the lights in the world. The downside to this is that scientists due say that if we used this energy source for 1 billion years, to light up the entire world, we would take off 1 year of the sunââ¬â¢s life.
Monday, September 16, 2019
A Family Legend Passes
Blake Wilson Wilson 1/4 English 1101 Paper # 2 Narrative Essay 8/30/12 7:30PM ââ¬Å"A Family Legend Passesâ⬠It still feels like yesterday, a place I havenââ¬â¢t quite left, here I was following behind an ambulance again. I remember being frustrated feeling overwhelmed over all of the repeating events, ââ¬Å"I wanted it to be over alreadyâ⬠, how I learned to regret that thought.We arrived to the hospital once again, I made my way to the parking garage and started circling hastily looking for a parking spot, I couldnââ¬â¢t stop myself from thinking of the comedy of myself circling through the garage just like this ââ¬Å"Deja-vuâ⬠of a visit was coming to be. Things seemed kind of melancholy the standard procedures were taking place, the nurses were taking vitals, blood samples, doctors asking how much pain she was in, what medications she was on, she was being admitted once again, Carmen; my grandmother, my momââ¬â¢s mom.It was getting late, I had to work th e next day and my very pregnant wife needed some rest also, so we headed home. The next day I went to work as normal as a maintenance worker I went about my usual tasks; replacing ceiling tiles, carpet repairs, patching and painting walls etc. , I remember feeling uneasy all day, I called my mother around lunch time. I was told that theyââ¬â¢re Wilson 2/4 Going to turn off her pace maker the battery was dying and they were going to need to put a temporary one in her leg until the tech was able to get in, in a few days.I hung up the phone with my mother and went back to work, I got a call around three telling me that she didnââ¬â¢t get through the surgery so well and that even with the temporary pacemaker installed she wasnââ¬â¢t stabilizing, suddenly I found myself on the interstate doing 95mph with short emotionally unstable bursts of 115mph passing everyone I made it to the hospital from my house in about 4 minutes. What happened next I wasnââ¬â¢t prepared for, I walke d into the room and an nfamiliar chill overcame me I felt it coming before it could be said, ââ¬Å"the doctors say she isnââ¬â¢t going to make it this time Blake they want to sedate her and let her go peacefullyâ⬠I stormed out of the room muttering ââ¬Å"you would give up you bitchâ⬠to my mother, I was lost I knew those I would hear those words someday, but not this day it couldnââ¬â¢t be could it? Well it was night now shows how much I was paying attention to time, everything was a blur to me now I felt numb I found myself wandering past everyone in the halls sobbing coming back from my smoke break emotionless to the world we sat through the night not sleeping.It was morning time again I had to go into to work again, my mother and wife assured me she would be there when I got back two days went by like this, no sleep, emotionless, chain smoking, no eating I couldnââ¬â¢t think of any reason to be selfish and eat when my grandmother Wilson 3/4 was on her death bed, the smoking was just an attempt to keep my emotions under control.I spent countless hours in the room holding my grandmothers hand, staring at the monitor, back at her and back again it was starting to seem like an countless cycle but I was enjoying the limited amount of time that was left, I went outside to smoke once more a feeling overcame me and I burst into tears something felt different, this was really happening I was going to lose the one grandma I knew all the hospital visits all the times she had recovered before now meant nothing,.I remember all the times bringing meals to her, my disabled grandmother I would sit in her room for hours talking to her about the past, learning how she used to program computers back in her younger years, so many memories flashing before my eyes ââ¬Å"they say life flashes before your eyes before you pass but nobody ever tells you all the memories go right before a loved one passesâ⬠, I walked into the room and it felt freezing cold my mother was weeping looking on the computer for a goodbye song, my wife sitting bedside in a chair looking on to me with a look in her eyes that said what next?I held her hand one more time and whimpered out an I love you. I thought I felt my own heart beating, but soon discovered it was my dear grandmothers heart beat I could feel I felt the last few beats and then they stopped I sat bedside with my head laying on the bed for what felt to be an eternity I heard my wife ask if I was ok once more, I finally raised my head in awe she wasnââ¬â¢t breathing anymore, eyes still half open I reached up and closed her eyes and collapsed onto the bed in an uncontrollable fit of tears.Wilson 4/4 All I could do on the silent drive home was stare out the window mad at the world, now I knew what it felt like to lose a loved one, what a painful lesson, Maybe I should start showing more interest in those around me, you never know how precious those moments are.
Parental Corporal Punishment
In different households across the nation many parents spank, whip, swat, or paddle children in order to punish them for doing wrong or to act as a buffer against unacceptable behavior. These types of actions are acts of corporal punishment. Researchers Abraham Andero and Allen Stewart of Alabama State University define corporal punishment as ââ¬Å"a discipline method in which a supervising adult deliberately inflicts pain upon a child in response to a childââ¬â¢s unacceptable behaviorâ⬠( Andero and Stewart 90). Proponents of corporal punishment argue there is no harm in using corporal punishment in order to correct a childââ¬â¢s behavior. Corporal punishment is a controversial subject among parents, teachers, and the medical community. It is agreed among researchers that children should be disciplined for their improper behavior; however, corporal punishment is an unacceptable disciplining tool because it teaches children to use violence, causes physical and psychological damage, and there are other ways to discipline a child besides corporal punishment. Corporal punishment teaches children to use acts of violence against their peers or other members of society. Douglas Fry, a well- known anthropologist, noted that ââ¬Å"Psychological research shows that parents or adults that use physical punishment, there is a tendency for recipient child to imitate the adult and act aggressivelyâ⬠(Fry 53). Fry conducted an observation on children ages three to eight years from two different communities: La Paz and San Andres. Fry recorded data on the childrenââ¬â¢s fighting and play fighting behavior. The results of his study concluded that the children of La Paz had lower levels of serious aggression and play aggression than the children of San Andres. The reason the children of La Paz had lower levels of aggression was because their parents used nonviolent techniques to discipline them (Fry 51-54). The conclusion of this particular study coincides with the social learning theory. Researchers Jennifer Lansford and Kenneth Dodge, in a similar study of cultures concluded that ââ¬Å" the more frequently a society employs corporal punishment of its children, the more prevalent adult violence is at a societal level and the more adults endorse the use of violenceâ⬠(Landsford and Dodge 265). Children are committing more and more violent crimes every day and some studies have shown a link between children that are physically disciplined and children who use violence against each other. Lansford and Dodge also noted that ââ¬Å"an individual could become violent later on in life if their parents condone violenceâ⬠(265). Parents need to be especially mindful of their behavior because children tend to model their parentââ¬â¢s behavior. Parentââ¬â¢s attitudes concerning corporal punishment can affect how their children behave. A phone interview was given to 134 parent child dyads. The children that were interviewed ranged in ages from 10 to 13. The parents were asked questions in reference to their parenting style, their mental health, and questions in relation to their over all relationship with their children. The children were asked questions about being bullied and being involved in fights and how well they interact with their parents. The findings of this surveyed revealed forty percent of parents interviewed admitted that they would tell their child to defend themselves if they were hit or pushed. Two out of three children reported that they would fight another student if they became angry enough. The survey also revealed that children whose parents physically punished them had higher instances of fighting and bullying within their last school term (ââ¬Å"Parentsâ⬠3-4). Parents are wise to tell their children what their expectations are regarding violence and children need to be taught how to handle conflict in a nonviolent manner. Advocates of corporal punishment rarely seem to take into account the physical and psychological damage incurred to children who have been physically punished. The most obvious damage done is that which can be seen by the eye. Often times, when a parent administers corporal punishment, they are angry and allow his or her emotions to get the best of them. Some parents do not know when to stop hitting their child. Elizabeth Gershoff, a researcher from Columbia University, notes in one of her studies that ââ¬Å"if corporal punishment is administered too frequently or severely it can lead to child abuseâ⬠(Gershoff 542). Unfortunately the child suffers the most from being hit out of anger and frustration. Lacerations, cuts, welts, and discoloration of skin can be visual effects of corporal punishment. While more attention maybe given to the physical effects of corporal punishment, in no way should we not be cognizant of the psychological effects of corporal punishment. The psychological effects are not as visible and noticeable as the physical effects of corporal punishment. Although there is no definite clear cause and effect evidence, many psychologists find correlations strong enough to find that corporal punishment causes lasting harm such as low-self esteem, depression, and even suicide. Researchers at Old Dominion University conducted a study of 274 undergraduate students that concluded ââ¬Å"respondents who experienced the highest level of physical punishment in their families of origin reported higher family conflictâ⬠¦greater family worriesâ⬠¦more depressive symptomsâ⬠¦and more negative social relationshipsâ⬠(Leary, et al. 1). Similar research has also shown that children who have been physically punished can also show signs of stress. Researchers from the University of New Hampshire concluded that ââ¬Å"receiving physical punishment from a parent is likely to be stressfulâ⬠(Mulvaney and Merbert 390). The stress incurred to children can lead to ââ¬Å"mental health disordersâ⬠¦including decreased emotion processingâ⬠(Mulvaney and Merbert 390). The stress can be overwhelming to a child and the affects of the stress can have a negative impact leading into adulthood. There are alternative methods to discipline a child besides corporal punishment. These methods will not cause physical harm and can be quite effective. One way to discipline a child is to ââ¬Å"tolerate or ignore the behaviorâ⬠with the hopes that the child will change his or her unwarranted behavior (Fry 23). Dr. Waterston, a pediatrician, recommends timeout which means ââ¬Å"to withdraw attention for a period of timeâ⬠and is ââ¬Å"effective in increasing complianceâ⬠(Waterston 261). This method of discipline usually works well with younger children. The effectiveness of timeout depends on if it is used ââ¬Å"consistentlyâ⬠¦for an appropriate durationâ⬠¦not excessivelyâ⬠(Americanâ⬠725). A type of punishment that is more appropriate for older children is to remove privileges or deny them the right to participate in their favorite activity. In order for this type of discipline to be effective it is recommended that ââ¬Å"a valued privilege or reinforcer is removedâ⬠(ââ¬Å"Americanâ⬠725). For example, instead of lashing Little Johnny with a belt because he talked back to his teacher, a parent could instead deny Little Johnny the right to attend the movies with his friends on Friday night. Denying Little Johnny the right to attend the movies with his friends will probably hurt him more than the lash of a belt. Parents can also use verbal reprimands as a form of discipline. Parents need to be especially careful of how they verbally reprimand their children, or this form of discipline can lose its effectiveness. The American Academy of Pediatrics explains that ââ¬Å"verbal reprimands should reference the undesirable behavior and should not slander the childââ¬â¢s characterâ⬠(ââ¬Å"Americanâ⬠725). It is best that parents are not fueled by anger when employing this type of discipline. The subject of corporal punishment will continue to be a debated topic. There are parents, doctors, and teachers that see no harm in parents using corporal punishment to discipline their children. Physically punishing a child teaches them to use violence as children tend to learn by example. Physical punishment affects children physically and psychologically which could causes problems as they enter adulthood. Clearly, there are other methods to discipline children which can be effective and will not cause harm to children. Ultimately, it is the parentââ¬â¢s choice whether or not they want to use corporal punishment as a disciplining tool. As more research is conducted on the effects of corporal punishment, hopefully parents will learn through education and awareness that corporal punishment is an unacceptable discipline tool.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Wegmans Swot Analysis
Wegmans Strength Wegmans is not only strong in its presence for exciting shopper's eyes with its great food emporium, but also a company that shows that they care a lot about their employees. It recently early the title of being one of the top Fortune 100 companies to work for due to its great assistance programs and employee benefits. From overseas training in wine, cheese, etc, for department managers to scholarships for their young people.These also apply to the way they serve customers. Other perks received while working for Wegmans include job sharing, compressed workweeks, and telecommuting; thus, offering more flexibility in employee lifestyles. The lesser publicized strengths are their demographic research to build in the right locations,a strong Store Brands program, and their health & wellness initiatives.Wegmans also has a strong and efficient supply chain system, in which it uses the ââ¬Å"farm to marketâ⬠system thus reducing the companyââ¬â¢s inventory holding costs and getting the produce into the stores as quickly as possible. Weakness Still a large amount of people have a preconceived notion that Wegman's prices are consistently higher than those of other chains. Knowing this, Wegmans tried hard to overcome this for the last 10 ten years to acheive the ââ¬Å"everyday low priceâ⬠seal in many of its high volume products.A strong private label program has accelerated Wegman's effort to keep the prices to low; however, this has ignited an outcry from manufacturers and suppliers who compete for shelf space and claim Wegmansââ¬â¢ house brand is overextended in some areas; thus, causing frustration among customers about the lack of a national brand options. Other internal challenges that Wegmans need to overcome is its pricing policy and margin requirements that creates strained relationship with vendors OpportunityWegmans see an increaseing market potential to meet the growing demand for organics and health food products. The incre ase in square feet of its ââ¬Å"Nature market placeâ⬠section reflects Wegman's nimble efforts to become the food emporium showcasing the hottest natural food trends in the industry. Another large Wegmans opportunity is business expansion in the U. S, since it still regionally compact and limited to 75 units in the Mid-atlantic and the Northeast coast. Threat There is increasing competition from two fronts: high-end (Whole Foods) and price competitive (Wal-Mart, and Aldi).Giant Foods is also a regional competitor that is currently doing a complete renovation of its stores. Other external threats include an economic downturn that affect core shopper spending habits. With the increasing trend towards convenience, ecommerce giants such as Amazon is also a big contender in competing consumer spending. In this highly competitive low margin grocery industry, Wegmans need to understand their core competencies and focus on what they deliver best: high customer service, strong store br and program, and exciting dining and shopping experience.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Lââ¬â¢oreal and the Globalization of American Beauty Essay
How did Lââ¬â¢Oreal become the worldââ¬â¢s largest beauty company? What was the role of acquisitions in the growth? The global strategy of Loreal started first from European countries like Austria, Italy, and the Holland providing hare care and hair color products. After the launch in the USA, they decided to expand their market share by mainly M&A of many similar but way smaller companies. With proper acquisition strategy over the years, they finally became the largest company in beauty industry. Lââ¬â¢Oreal offers consumers worldwide ââ¬Å"Americanâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Frenchâ⬠concepts of beauty. Are there any limits to the national beauty images it can globalize? There may be some limits for Lorear to go more ââ¬Ëworldwideââ¬â¢ even if they have huge branches and offices over the world. I think it may be related with ââ¬Ëracial issuesââ¬â¢. The society for ââ¬Ëminorityââ¬â¢ is changing faster than ever before, but still, the ââ¬Ëmajorityââ¬â¢ of American and European countries are white but Asian, African American, and Hispanic. Thus, if they really care about optimal ââ¬Ëglobalizationââ¬â¢ in all ways, they should probably consider making their diversified strategy in other markets (minorities). What are the global opportunities for Kiehlââ¬â¢s? What are the limits, if any? Even though Kiehlââ¬â¢s were taken over by Loreal through M&A, their products are not easily found at many stores, unlike there are so many producsts of Lorean in any store. And this is mainly because their products line are simply expensive targeting luxury market, so I think if they really want to go ââ¬Ëglobalââ¬â¢ they should find proper way to make their products easily available to the customers through mega-stores like walmart, or target.
Friday, September 13, 2019
Personal an Professional Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Personal an Professional Development - Essay Example I will be prepared if any such situation comes before me as I can get an opportunity to apply my ideas and thoughts, get a chance to make practical decisions, and formulate techniques to over come certain difficulties or problems. With my practical knowledge I will contribute to strong decision making. I feel glad to see problems as challenges. Although at times being too much mechanical and not caring about peopleââ¬â¢s emotions, I am able to develop a strategy for overcoming difficulties in various aspects of both personal and professional life. I am able to build group spirit and promote open communication. With my past experience in the law firm, I have learnt to act in a group and there by learnt to develop group spirit where I feel comfortable to support open communication with my colleagues and peers. Being into the administration department of my family run medical clinic, I am also able to lead a team as I possess tremendous organising abilities. I believe with my ability to build team with group spirit, I will be able to maximise the effort of the members, increase productivity of my organisation and thereby bring success. With the presence of such skills I will cooperate with my co-workers in lieu of listening to them and carrying an open discussion about things and problems to sort out and come up with favourable actions. I will be applying the group spirit to know individual opinion and judgements that will help me to take the ultimate decisions. The ability of communicating openly will help me to carry on an overall communication without much ambiguity. I have the competency of self development and seek feedback on my strengths and weaknesses and commence activities to enhance my knowledge, skills and competencies in order to perform more effectively or enhance my career. With this competency, I am able to spend time by learning new
Thursday, September 12, 2019
African American Women in Labor Unions Black, Brave and Bold Essay
African American Women in Labor Unions Black, Brave and Bold - Essay Example Black women operated in American workforce and labor movements throughout the span of the mid nineteenth to mid-twentieth century.During this time,America was not a place where people of color were treated fairly, which was more evident in the south. However, this was also the span of time that marked the emancipation of slaves through the Thirteenth Amendment, which caused a mass migration of African Americans into the northern parts of America. Blacks had a better opportunity, though immensely unequal to that of whites, to minutely progress in status due to many laws and stipulations placed upon them because of their skin tone.Black women operated in American workforce and labor movements throughout the span of the mid nineteenth to mid-twentieth century. During this time, America was not a place where people of color, particularly African Americans, were treated fairly, which was more evident in the south. This prospect was more probable in the North.Moreover, during this time, wo men in general were not viewed positively. In fact, women were also emancipated from the bondage of not being able to vote, just as blacks through the Nineteenth Amendment. Therefore, to be an African American female laborer in American society in this time period was accompanied with many trials and tribulations.Since there were two strikes (being a black female) of African American women in the mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth century, this study will investigate a few cases that showcase the strength of the black woman worker during this time. This study will compare and contrast the success of the various examples and explain how each one glorifies Marxists views. Marxist thinking caused black women of that era to stand for equality in the workplace. A synopsis of each case will be given and will explain how they relate to Marxist ideas. The study will be divided into empirical and theoretical questions that exist in Marxist ideologies. It will answer the question whether or not there is evidence that forms of society exist only for as long as they advance productive power, and are replaced by revolution. The theoretical question is whether there are sufficient evidences to support Marxist functional explanations. 1. Karl Marx (1813-1883) Karl Marx is a philosopher but is popularly known for his works as a revolutionary communist that inspired the foundation of many communist regimes in the 20th century. He has many philosophical ideas on other subjects, but this study will dwell on the political economic policy of Karl Marx that deals on the economic inequalities. He rejects the assumption that economic inequalities do not affect political equalities but focuses on the inequalities of neither individuals nor citizens but by the entire class. For Marx, the most fundamentally problematic inequality is that between those who own the means of economic production and those who do not. That some are rich and others poor is of concern, but this is only symptomatic of the former, deeper inequality. (Stamford Science Encyclopedia) Marx points out also to the inequality of sexes that is no longer economic in nature, but still forms a basis of capitalist political economic system. In a capitalist political economy, Marx contends that the economy, institutions of society and structure of society are controlled by the capitalist class and become basis for legitimacy. He said that the " ideologies of liberal democracy only serve to legitimate what is in fact a system of freedom and democracy only for some. The political equality emphasized by liberals is but a veil for the economic inequality that is so fundamental to a capitalist society and so detrimental to human freedom." (Source) As for other thinkers, equality is not an end in itself for Marx. Instead, equality in ownership and control of the means of production is a necessary prerequisite for freedom. 2. Other dedicated source synopsis 2.1 "We are all leaders". This is a kind of unionism that existed in 1930s. Staughton Lynd describes it as different from the bureaucratic business unions today. This was inspired by women nut pickers in St. Louis
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Life-cycle saving taxation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Life-cycle saving taxation - Essay Example In addition, an employee is able to claim tax relief through the tax return if the pension contribution is not catered in the deduction of tax by the employer. Similarly, individuals under the personal scheme forfeit income tax before the pension contribution is catered. However, the tax is reclaimed by the pension provider at a basic rate of 20 per cent (HMRC.com, 2014). In addition, an individual is able to claim back the excess tax remitted through the tax return. However, the maximum amount of income saving that enjoys tax relief under the current taxation system is à £50,000. Furthermore, an individual taking early withdrawal from the pension pot before the retirement age is liable for paying tax bill that is equal to 55 per cent of the pension savings withdrawn. However, if an individual withdraws the pension after reaching the set out age, he/she will pay tax depending on the taxable income after the tax-free allowances (HMRC.com, 2014). The tax that individuals pay on their pension is a lump-sum tax that is a fixed tax regardless of the asset owned or income. Consequently, household income savings are not taxed in UK but they are taxed when the savings is withdrawn. This strategy encourages savings in the country from household income earned during their working days to consume it in their retirement at a fair taxation scheme. The proposed taxation system by the author is one that observes the neutrality principle in taxing the income savings. Neutrality principle in taxation is the condition where the individualââ¬â¢s efficacy in the economic well being is not hindered by taxation mechanism employed by the policy makers (Anderson, 2012). This implies that the taxation of the householdsââ¬â¢ savings should be done in a way that does not distort their choice on the time they should consume income. In addition, the taxation system should avoid distorting the choices households
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Read three questions and then write an essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Read three questions and then write an - Essay Example Besides, high risk is also attached with most form of securities that has been traded in the financial market, thereby , analysis of the movement of pricing and market trends remains highly important prior to undertaking any investment decision (Gitman, 2008). The environment of stock market and stock pricing is highly volatile, which led to significant difficulty in taking sound investment decisions for the investors where they need to consider the risks involved and the return combination at large. Additionally, the technical measure also plays an important role in predicting and analysing the movement of stock in future. The relevance of technical tools and measure has been studied in various literatures in quantifying the pricing movement of stock markets. Besides, in the presence of the aspect of technical measure, investor can be able to look forward and take effective buying and selling decision. Thus, the approach of technical supervision in the security market helps to provide opportunity to the investor to make high profitability through analysing the trend of the share prices (Vashishtha & et. al., 2013; Brownlees & et. al., 2012; Christiansen & et. al., 2012). In order to take the profitable position in the stock market, determining the possible movement of pricing of the security is highly important through using appropriate technical analysis. Thus, in this essay in order to determine appropriate investment plan for Brett Daly, two approaches of measuring the security pricing movement including Stockââ¬â¢s relative strength index (RSI) and moving average method have been used for determining the Nautilus security movement RSI, measures the speedily movement of pricing on the index of 0 to 100 whereas, moving average method is used to measure the pricing trend-followed as per security based on previous prices (Milionis & Papanagiotou, 2011; University of Rhode Island,
Monday, September 9, 2019
SC1067C Trends in Contemporary Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words
SC1067C Trends in Contemporary Society - Essay Example It is sad but true that one out of five in the Britain's population is affected by poverty. Nearly Thirteen million people live below poverty line in the UK. That is a massive amount to be dealt by government and non-governmental organisations. A new report estimates that over five million people live in absolute poverty in Britain. The survey took its definition of absolute poverty from a 1995 United Nations statement which defines it as "a condition characterised by severe deprivation of basic human needs." The UN statement defined anyone lacking three or more of the following items as living in absolute poverty: food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and access to social security benefits. "The survey, Breadline Europe: The Measurement of Poverty researched measurements of poverty across the continent and concluded that there were drastic levels of increase of poverty in the UK."(Robert Stevens, 2001) As per Oxfam, an NGO working towards elimination of poverty in Britain, "3.8 million children in the UK are living in poverty. 2.2 million, pensioners in the UK are living in poverty. 7.2 million, working age adults in the UK are living in poverty. 70% of Bangladeshi children in the UK are poor. Women are the majority in the poorest groups. London has a higher proportion of people living in poverty than any other region in the UK." These statistics are shocking but true. The UK is trying hard to fight against the social stigma called poverty. The question arises that what poverty means in the UK. An average family affected by poverty does not have enough to eat, unable to heat their homes, does not have adequate warm clothing, and enough money to cope with unforeseen events. They are struggling more than the rest of us to get a proper education, a decent job and make real choices about what they want to do with their lives. And to top it off, most of them face situations where they are being looked down upon and discriminated because of their situation. Poverty in the UK exists alongside high economic prosperity in a wealthy country. This has lead to large disparities in income and wealth. It has a negative impact on people living on low-incomes. The latest income inequality data for the UK suggests that over the last decade inequality has been pretty much unchanged. Analysis from the Office of National Statistics says the UK's Gini coefficient, which is an internationally accepted measure for measuring inequalities in household income, climbed in 2005/06 after falling between 2001 and 2005. The reason is more unequal distribution of earnings from employment and self-employment, rather than a result of changes in taxes and benefits payments. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has investigated some of the possible explanations for the higher level of inequality that has persisted since the late 1980s. They include an increase in the gap between wages for skilled and unskilled workers, perhaps because of technology change; the decline in trade union power; and falling participation in the labour market by male workers (who are higher paid on average than female workers). Poverty is caused by circumstances beyond an individual's control like gender, nationality, ethnic origin etc. All over the world, women and people from ethnic minority groups are likely to be poorer than the general population. The same is true in the UK. As per Oxfam, "Sixty-nine per cent of Bangladeshi and
Sunday, September 8, 2019
Discussion board forum Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3
Discussion board forum - Assignment Example Pedagogical approaches to learning perceive diminutive validity in the experience the student gains in previous learning sessions. Based on the pedagogical approach, the matter of concern is the teacherââ¬â¢s experience, as well as the content of the instructional aids (Bostock & Wood, 2012). On the contrary, the andragogical approach perceives the learnerââ¬â¢s experience as a rich source of the ability to attain more information and thus, acts as a resource for successful knowledge processes in the future. Pedagogical methods use assigned readings, lectures, as well as passive methods in passing ideas to the students (Werner & DeSimone, 2012). On the other hand, andragogical approaches apply the use of experiential methods, such as problem-solving instances, lab experiments and simulation game. The two methods differ further in terms of predication. On one hand, educational methods assume that everyone is always willing to learn what their society dictates. Therefore, because everyone is always ready to learn, every learning exercise should apply a standardized curriculum. On the contrary, andragogy provides that learners acquire the readiness and urge to learn when they gain their initial experience to learn because of a need that arises requiring them to acquire some understanding in order to cope with some real-life problems (Bostock & Wood, 2012). In this view, information should emphasize on real-life situations and tailored to the real-life needs of the learners, as well as their call and readiness to learn. Pedagogical approaches to learning in addition make the assumption that knowledge possesses future orientation, and thus, what learners learn today may turn out to be beneficial at some later situations and thus, application may not be necessary for the same instance of learning (Vodde, 2009). On the other hand, andagogical styles assume learning to be a process involving the development of increased competencies and thus, the
Saturday, September 7, 2019
Interview with Accident Victim Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Interview with Accident Victim - Essay Example However, there was nitrogen inside the pipe as it had been formerly connected to the oxygen feed mixer. As there was no warning sign indicating it as a confined space or to indicate that the pipe contained nitrogen, the workers had no way to identify its presence. Worsening the situation, nitrogen cannot be detected using human senses as it is both odorless and tasteless. Admittedly, nitrogen is potentially dangerous at high concentrations as it causes asphyxiation. As the workers entered the pipe and as they covered the mouth of the pipe with plastic sheet, they were overcome by nitrogen. When one of their coworkers looked into the pipe through an opening in the plastic sheet, he found both of them lying unconscious. Immediately, the plant emergency response team was informed. They arrived and took both of the workers out of the pipe. They were given cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Thereafter, they were transferred to hospital by ambulance. Both of them were in critical condition and were given oxygen therapy for about a week. Thereafter, he was released and took a weekââ¬â¢s rest at home. In total, the person lost about two weekââ¬â¢s work. Soon, there was an OSHA visit and the company was fined for the accident. In addition, the company was made to improve its safety standards immediately.Ã
Friday, September 6, 2019
Pros and cons of using technology Essay Example for Free
Pros and cons of using technology Essay For many years, people have invented new technology equipment which became part of our lives. With existence of technology, people tend to depend on modern machines like smartphone, laptop, television and others. Moreover, the sharp development of technology has extremely expressed the humanââ¬â¢s intelligence and creativity. Thanks to technology, everything becomes easier, more convenient and enjoyable for us. However, the matter is whether or not we use these technology efficiently. This essay will tell you more about advantages and disadvantages of technology Once upon a time, people did everything by their own hands. They washed clothes beside the rivers, cooked meals by firing wood, walked on foot from one place to others. At that time, the communication was so limited and inconvenient. People who were far from each other were difficult to connect. Nonetheless, technology appeared and obviously changed the whole world so far. Technology apparently has become part of our lives since it brought large benefits to us in communication, entertainment, business, educationâ⬠¦.It appeared to make peopleââ¬â¢ matters easier, to save time, to bring people closer and closer. In the past, a woman was always busy with the housework, taking care of children, cooking for meal manually. Contrarily, nowadays everything becomes faster and easier with the support of washing-machine, microwave, television and many technical equipment. Instead of spending more than hour only in order to wash clothes by hands, they save time and energy by putting it into machine and doing other stuff. With microwaves, you just spend few minutes even few seconds for a meal. Thus, with much developed technology, you can save times and feel like you have more than 24 hours a day. With smart phone and internet, we are able to talk and see our friends and relatives who living far from us and feel like they are beside us. Moreover, the development of digital technology helps people not only expand relationships over the world but also learn more new things. With a laptop connected to the internet, we can easily find information from many sources and relax with many online games or music. It is also so amazing that we can find our old friends through social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and share information to any part of the world only milliseconds. The communication becomes cheaper and more convenient thanks to peopleââ¬â¢ great inventions. Especially, we must consider how effective technology can help work. Amountà of modern applications and devices help people easily manage their work and their time such as take-note schedule, remind tasks and important events. In the past, we took at least two or three days to send a letter to another place. Now we can send an email just by click ââ¬Å"sendâ⬠, it takes only few seconds. Moreover, some people also might choose to work at home and j ust connect with other by network. Even though technology brought us many advantages, have people utilized it as efficient way? It will be negative effort if we abuse of it too much. Unfortunately, almost every one of us are depending on modern equipment and not realizing the unpredictable consequences. While people are able to talk with their friends who are far from us, they may have difficulty in communicating with others around them. They are more comfortable with hiding behind the screens rather than talking face to face. It is actually sad to say that we are becoming less social interaction and insensitive to each other. Young people tend to be alone and passive with smartphone, laptop and uncommunicative to people around them. With state-of-the-art devices, we work more efficiently than before. However, there are also some drawbacks. Abusing of technology might make us become a machine: work, work and work. Some firm owners try to extend more time work and employees probably become workaholic because of the benefit and convenient devices. Businessmen tend to bring work to home and no more time watching TV with their children and family. Obviously, their wives and children extremely donââ¬â¢t like that. Moreover, life of people are under the heavy threat by internet crimes. Exploiting the development of social networks or computer tricks, they steal information, documents from other device. More dangerous, they also rape the young girls who have the habit check in on Facebook, Instagram or kidnap children for a ransom. Therefore, the more developed of technology also internet, the more dangerous people have to face with. Every part of our daily life is almost related to technology and its development continuously satisfy our demands. Unfortunately, our dependence on technology currently is too much, it is considerably alarming. The impact of technology on our lives can be devastating if we donââ¬â¢t keep ourselves in check Technology is like a coin which has both positive and negative sides. We should decide and choose how to use it. The advantages of technology areà very helpful for people if we use it right, it will be effective to our lives and society. Nobody can deny positively development of technology, but it must be the positive developed and shouldnââ¬â¢t have any negative affected in present or future. Comments: Good argument, perhaps you guys can add more argument about using technology, because I saw no clear argument about it. Does people today really using technology effectively? You can write also about the crime using technology. For example: People who rape young girl who they knew from facebook. (Renitha ââ¬â 02910116) Interesting topic with good explanations and examples. Although there are some unclear parts but in the end, readers can get the points. There are some grammatical and colloquial errors, hope you can put on more attention on it. Overall, this is a fine essay (Danny ââ¬â 02911741)
Science Research Paper Essay Example for Free
Science Research Paper Essay ANALYSIS: What would happen if the experiment was repeated by baking the bread at high temperatures again before starting the experiment? The experiment can be repeated using different types of food like biscuits or cooked rice. It is observed that the 1st bread slice with a few drops of water and kept in the dark space had started to grow mold the fastest. The 5th bread slice that was kept in the refrigerator took the longest for the mold to appear. CONCLUSION: The hypothesis that bread mold will grow faster in warm and damp environment is proven to be true. Mold will grow fast on bread in humid and warm conditions. Bread should be kept in dark, dry and cool places for it to last longer. Bread can also last longer if stored in the fridge or in airtight containers. Mold is an annoyance when it comes to storing food, but it has its usefulness too. Molds help in the decomposing process of decaying animals and plants. Penicillium is used in pharmaceutical work to produce medicine. RESEARCH TEMPERATURE Definition: Temperature is the difference between hot and cold. It is measured on a standard scale. It is a numeric measurement of hotness and coldness. The measurement is based on a flow of heat between two connected objects. One of the most common scales of temperature is Celsius. Low Temperature storage Low Temperature storage (LTS) is what refrigeration and freezing is called. LTS is very effective in slowing the process of spoilage. It also allows longer storage. Refrigeration doesnt cause change to the food but does allow microorganisms to form after a while. Freezing can cause chemical change if the food has not yet been frozen and it goes into the freezer before being treated. After it has been treated it is called quick freezing. Freezing the food before the food has been treated is called slow freezing. Slow freezing causes the substance to leak fluids. Kelvin Kelvin is a fundamental physical quality that is based on the position above or below 273.16K. It is called the triple point of water. Kelvin is the temperature at which water, ice, and water vapor coexist together. Zero degree k is the absolute lowest temperature at which no energy motion of molecules is made. Kelvin is named after William Thompson, Lord Kelvin a British physicist. He introduced this absolute thermodynamic scale in 1848. There are some limits as to how low the temperature can get, but as far as scientists know there isnt a limit as to how high it can get. The lowest temperature that is known is ?273.15 C. MOLD GROWTH Definition Mold is a multi-celled woolly growth made up of microscopic spore colonies, that lives off of dead matter, and form when contact is made with sufficient food. After landing mold attacks its ââ¬Å"preyâ⬠with a coating of slime that helps break the food down into small partials. Mold absorbs water and eats carbohydrates such as sugars and fats. There are approximately one hundred thousand known species of mold and scientists think that there are as manyà as two hundred thousand. Four main types Penicillium Penicillium is most of the blue and green molds. This particular group of molds contains an antibiotic drug, the same drug that is found in Penicillin. In fact it is what lead to the production of Penicillin. The drug found in it is so strong that inhaling it can cause severe damage to the lung. Rhizopus Rhizopus is a type of bread mold. It is mainly the black molds. They have single tube like hyphea structures instead of many web-like structures. They are widely distributed instead of grouped together like most other molds. Aspergillius Aspergillius are the green colored molds. There are about eighty forms of Aspergillius and over half of them are hazardous and can cause respiratory disorders. Aspergillius is one of the only types of molds that completely smothers its food. Mucon Mucon is the group of white molds. There are over three hundred fifty forms of mold that fit into this group. One of the most commonly seen molds from this group is Mucor mucedo, which is a pin mold. MOLD RELATED PROBLEMS Allergic Disorders Allergic disorders may result from an immune mechanism shut down. Antibiotics can medicate them, immediate types are more life threatening than others and can cause systematic shock. Allergies can result in hives or angioedema, a delayed reaction is a generalized rash. Harmful pathogens Pathogens can harm the human body in many ways. One is through the manufacturing of toxic products (toxins) that are produced by living organisms, either exotoxins or endotoxins. Exotoxins are released onto the surrounding area and contain extremely potential protein compounds that demonstrate selectivity with regards to the site and mode of the attack. Endotoxins are only released when the organism that produced it is broken up and only then is it harmful if eaten. Defense Against In order to defend themselves from this harm, humans and animals have developed a set of complex defense mechanisms, the most common of these systems defend the bodies eternal and external surfaces. Controlling In spite of defense efforts bacterial infections are often harmful or even fatal. Therefore finding other defense methods is critically important to maintaining good health. SUMMARY Mold spores are reproductive structures of filamentous fungi (molds). A single microscopic mold filament, called a hypha, forms a mat that is called a mycelium. Mycelia are visible without a microscope. Molds are very common organisms and can be found where there is moisture, oxygen, and food they need. Molds can be seen on bread, cheese, or fruit. Hot spots of mold growth can be found in basements and bathrooms (especially shower stalls), house plants, and even air conditioners. Molds grow on fallen leaves, rotting logs, certain grasses, and weeds. They also can be found in barns, dairies, bakeries, and greenhouses. The mold mycelium produces reproductive branches above the surface of the mold. These branches carry spores called conidia that function in distribution of mold by air, water, and animals. Among different molds, sporesemployed in asexual reproductionvary in size, shape, and color. Each spore can germinate to start a new mold, which in turn produces million of spores. Spores are very tough structures: they are resistant to drying, freezing, heating, and some chemicals. The majority of the mold spores are disseminated by air. A sample of air may contain up to 2à million spores per cubic meter, but on average, about 10,000 spores inhabit one cubic meter of air. The amount of mold spores in the air in some areas is greater than the amount of pollen. Certain types of mold spores can cause various allergic reactions in humans, such as irritations of the eyes, nose, and throat. About 20 to 30 percent of the population develops allergic responses after exposure to these mold spores. The most common allergenic spores in the United States are Alternaria cladosporium, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Mucor, Rhizopus, and Penicillium. In some people, exposure to mold spores leads to asthma (Madigan, 2009). Some mold spores, if they reach lungs, can cause infections called mycoses. Systemic mycoses are the most serious category of mold infection. The host becomes infected by inhaling spores that germinate in the lungs. In the United States, two of the most common mold infections of that type are coccidioidomycosis, caused by Coccidioides immitis, and histoplasmosis, caused by Histoplasma capsulatum. Mild coccidioidomycosis may go unnoticed or produce symptoms similar to those of pneumonia or tuberculosis (Madigan, 2009). The human immune system normally destroys mold spores and neutralizes mold infections. In a small number of cases, however, more serious coccidioidomycosis develops and lesions of the skin, bones, joints, internal organs, and brain (meningitis) occur. Progressive histoplasmosis symptoms include lung cavities, sputum production, night sweats, and weight loss (Madigan, 2009). The weather and mold-spore distribution are closely related. Spore count is usually higher in temperate and tropical regions than in the polar and northern regions. In colder climates, molds are present in the air during the period between late winter and late fall. In warmer climates, mold spores are found throughout the year. It is likely that warmer temperatures due to global warming will result in an increase and even abundance of mold spores and, therefore, in considerable increase of allergic reactions. Repeated exposure to a massive amount of mold spores (100 million per cubic meter) can cause serious allergy-related health problems, including chills, fever, dry cough, breathlessness, weight loss, and even permanent lung damage. Global warming is believed to be a major factor in the explosion of mold-related asthma and mold infections (Beggs, 2004). For instance, the causative agent of coccidioidomycosis can be found in geographical areas with high summer temperatures and mild winters. In the southwestern regions of the Unitedà States, where this climate prevails, an estimated 80 percent of inhabitants are currently infected. Infectious disease specialists suggest that global warming will cause the further expansion of the geographic ranges of coccidioidomycosis infection. Scientists predict that climate change could also increase the spread of histoplasmosis, which at present afflicts about 500,000 people annually. Another example of mold-spore infection spreading as a result of climate change is the infection caused by Cryptococcus gattii. Though previously it was only seen in Australia and other subtropical regions, this mold is spreading in Canadas Vancouver Island and the Pacific Northwest. It can cause serious human infection of the lungs and brain. In addition, molds are the cause of numerous plant diseases. The increase of plant fungal diseases due to global warming may have a negative impact on plants ability to take up carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas, thereby increasing the CO2 concentration of the atmosphere and contributing to further warming. Managing mold plant infections may also require pesticides whose production consumes fossil fuels and generates even more CO2 emissions. There is another indirect relationship between mold spores and climate change. In nature, many molds are capable of decomposing woody plants such as trees. Cellulose and lignin in these trees are the biological molecules most resistant to decomposition. Molds, however, use cellulose and lignin from woody plants as their source of energy and carbon, and they release CO2 in the process. Trees function as carbon sinks, retaining carbon for the duration of their lives and sequestering it from the atmosphere. As global climate change increases the amount of mold spores and, eventually, molds, the CO2 released by decomposition of woody plants by those molds will also increase. Eliminating mold spores is impractical. Therefore, the only solution to keep molds under control is to control global warming.
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