Ancient Mesopotamia and the Epic of Gilgamesh

The epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest epics known to man, reflects the challenges of life in ancient Sumer by dealing with them metaphorically. The most important challenges in ancient Sumerian life were deforestation and flooding. After Enkidu and Gilgamesh meet and become friends, Gilgamesh proposes that they go to the cedar forest and cut down all the trees. Though Gilgamesh’s reasoning for cutting down all the trees isn’t very reasonable, he still persuades Enkidu to come along with him. â€Å"At dawn Gilgamesh raised his ax and struck at the great cedar. When Humbaba heard the sound of falling trees, he hurried down the path that they had seen but only he had traveled. † 1 Gilgamesh and Enkidu cutting down trees was a metaphor for the ongoing problem of deforestation in ancient Mesopotamia. Because Gilgamesh and Enkidu cut down the trees that were sacred to the gods, the gods cursed mankind with fire and drought. â€Å"Civilization has never recognized limits to its needs. † 2 In ancient Mesopotamia, the land was savagely deforested. In this way, deserts formed, and civilization declined. Gilgamesh yearns for immortality, and chases after the dream of being immortal. When he fails to achieve immortality, he returns to his town and realizes that because he built the wall of Uruk and other constructions and because they would last long after he was gone, he would thereby gain immortality. â€Å"He looked at the walls, awed at the heights his people had achieved and for a moment- just a moment- all that lay behind him passed from view. † 3 In the epic of Gilgamesh immortality is a theme that frequently recurs, and is a metaphor for how Sumerians, as like all humans, desire immortality but cannot achieve it. Also, a possible explanation for the reason humans do not have immortality is because Gilgamesh did not obtain immortality. Humans living in ancient Mesopotamia had difficult relations with gods; they were responsible for natural disasters, which is how the people of ancient Sumer rationalized floods, drought, famine, and locusts. Supposedly, the gods had human emotions and could become stubborn, angry for no reason, jealous, and have other petty emotions. With the gods’ ability to create those natural disasters and at the same time harbor negative emotions, humans were fearful of the god’s wrath, since the gods could be easily provoked. Before the epic of Gilgamesh, a tremendous flood is released when the gods realize how imperfect humanity is. Utnapishtim had built a large boat and every living thing was stowed away inside of it while the flood raged. When the flood recedes, Utnapishtim is the only human left alive along with other animals. He lets the animals free, and Enlil blesses him with immortality. The power of the gods in the epic of Gilgamesh is a metaphor for the flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Because the gods were violent and unpredictable, they could create disasters among the Sumerians and they could grant immortality. ’Acts of God,’ such as flooding, drought, famine, or plagues of locusts, affected entire communities. Floods were generally local but extremely destructive, causing a high death rate. † 4 Floods were one of the largest problems in Ancient Mesopotamia. The rivers could also be harsh and unpredictable because their flooding devastated ancient Mesopotamia. Ancient Sumerians could also suffer from droughts, famine, locust, and other natural disasters. On the other hand, they could gain abundant harvest when nature was compliant. Many challenges of life in ancient Sumerian history are reflected in the epic of Gilgamesh. Deforestation and flooding were the main issues faced in ancient Mesopotamia. These challenges were woven into the epic tale of Gilgamesh as metaphors; â€Å"The epic of Gilgamesh shows an understanding of ecological processes and the consequences of human action on the earth†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 5 The epic of Gilgamesh was proof that Ancient Sumerians caused their own demise by deforestation, which also led to more flooding and other natural disasters.

Psychology †Aggression Experiment Essay

Proposal Our investigation focuses on violence in the media and the affects that it has on viewers that watch it, a person’s heart rate can be monitored to see if watching certain films will affect the viewers. We predict that violence in the media does not affect an audience. To support the hypothesis we will conduct an experiment using a sample group of Yr.11 students which attend Westminster school. Three different varied films will be shown for 3 minutes, Educating Rita, Braveheart and Bugsy Malone. During each film heart rates will be taken at the half-way point and the end to get qualitative results. The independent variable in this experiment is the actual violence viewed by the audience and the dependent variable is the heart rate that will be recorded by the participants. The data that is found will be analysed to support the hypothesis, this will be done using graphs. Introduction This SACE approved research program was conducted to investigate the effects of violent and aggressive films on a collection of Year 11 Psychology students. We hypothesize that violence in the media does not affect an audience. To support our hypothesis an experiment was conducted using a class of Year 11 psychology students, where they were exposed to three film clips (Educating Rita, Brave Heart and Bugsy Malone). As the participants viewed these exerts, their heart rates were recorded during and at the conclusion of each clip to determine any changes in heart rate levels. The data that was found and used in this experiment is quantitative data. Our results are displayed in a bar graph using the mean value for each gender. Results Discussion The hypothesis of this experiment was that violence in the media does not affect an audience; this was supported through the results found throughout the duration of the experiment. The results showed little to no change in the viewer’s heart rate while watching the prescribed film exerts: Educating Rita, Braveheart and Bugsy Malone. The exact results are shown in graph 1, which displays the base rate, the heart rate half way through the clip and at the duration of the exert. The graph shows that whilst the participants watched Educating Rita, at the midway point of the clip their heart rate increased by 2bpm which is a mere 1.2%. When the heart rates were tested again at the duration of the clip, the mean value in the participant’s heart rates didn’t change at all. The heart rates taken during the Braveheart clip, show that the majority of participants heart rates actually fell by 3bpm. During the clip taken from Bugsy Malone, the average heart rate at the half way point decreased by 4bmp, but then increased by 6bpm at the duration of the film. Although, this data could have been skewed by two outliers who had very heart rates which may have been the cause of the results increasing. Overall there is not a huge increase of the heart rates after watching each film exert, as the greatest average in change of heart rate was only 6bpm. The difference in the results is so small that wouldn’t be considered as important, so this could also suggest that when violence and comedy are mixed together a greater reaction from the viewers is found. My investigation was really an unrepresentative sample group as it lacked much diversity at all. It consisted of only Year 11 Westminster School students who study psychology, also the group lacked much variety in terms of religion, background and beliefs. To make the experiment more accurate there needed to have been participants from different age groups, cultures and an even balance of the two genders to make the results more accurate and reliable. There were a few particular weaknesses in the experiment that fell under the extraneous variables category; one was that the class might have been anxious and excited about using the heart rate monitors which could have affected the overall results. Also, before the experiment begun the participants were playing with the heart rate monitors and testing them out, which may have enabled people to figure out how to slow and fasten their heart rate. There is a possibility that the participants could have been embarrassed or self-conscious of their results, so when their peers asked or saw their results sheet they may have felt inclined to change their results. During the experiment there were minor ethical issues that could have been handled better. This included confidentiality; participants were given an identification number at the beginning of the experiment, and it was quite easy for other participants to find out others identification numbers, making this a breach of their confidentiality. Another issue that became apparent was the point of voluntary participation. Although each participate did in fact have the option to either participate or not, the researcher suggested that if they did not participate their grades would be put in jeopardy and could inevitably not pass their SACE, or the semester’s worth of work. This definitely placed pressure on the participants to take part in the experiment. The last major ethical issue that arose during the experiment was when each participant was to sign an agreement which said they were willing to take part in the experiment, and if they were under the age of sixteen their parent of legal guardian was to sign on their behalf. At this point, participants asked if they were close to the age of sixteen (ranging from 1 week to 2 months) whether they could sign it themselves. The researcher then said they were happy for them to sign it themselves, and didn’t really mind either way. This is against the rules and rights of the experiment, and the researcher should have made sure that every student under the age of sixteen had their consent for signed by someone who was either a parent of legal guardian. The investigation has accurately met the hypothesis set; violence in the media does not affect an audience. Graph 1 clearly shows the minimal change in heart rates of nearly all the participants besides from negligible outliers. Although, there is a high possibility that the results would be different if the group of participants were selected with more diverse character and personality traits in mind. Nevertheless, I still believe the results are fairly consistent. The only factor that could possibly alter the results if the experiment was to be conducted again, would most likely be the day, time of day that it was undertaken and any underlying distractions to the participants. Words: 850

Not Always Right

Brooke is a stunning, red-haired, fair-skinned, girl with dazzling blue-green eyes. On her skinny figure she wore light distressed Jeans and a long-sleeve grey sweater? she rocked It. I had never talked to her In my life and I had never heard anything bad about her; I Just made assumptions of my own. Before asking her anything, I told her that she could tell me anything and that it would be safe with me and I meant it. She has good grades, likes photography, and says that she doesn't typically have issues with her friends.Then, I asked her if she was self-conscious and she said yes; she also said yes when I asked her if she considered herself to be depressed. She told me that she had family issues and that her and her parents do not get along?to this I relate In so many ways. We talked about family problems for the entire first half of our conversation. When this topic came to an end I asked a question that I'm sure she saw coming. I asked her is she cut and she said, â€Å"l used t o but things have gotten better for me. She started cutting in 7th grade because of self-hatred, depression, ND family issues. I wasn't surprised because too many freshman girls do this as well, including me. The main things I learned about her were that I was wrong and that we have a lot In common. To be honest, I learned more from this experience about myself than I learned about Brooke. When I asked Brooke to speak with me, I had an Idea that the assumptions about her in my head were no doubt, correct. Because I had judged her so roughly, I did not think she would be able to change my mind?call me stubborn.Also, I came to realize that Brooke and I have a lot in common: the way we deal with problems, being self-conscious, and being required to adjust to family issues. This made me realize that I tend to Judge people who I share similarities with; I also found other relationships where I did or do this. I do this because I try so hard to be myself and be original, but being complet ely unique is hard to do in a world of 6,973,738,433 people. She is a gorgeous girl and I am insanely jealous of her; I know for a fact that I edge people am jealous of.When we were talking, I found my original idea of her completely deteriorating. The more I think about my colonization with Brooke, the more I realize that I am wrong. Now, I realize that I enjoy talking to her. I hope we keep talking and maybe even one day become friends. I hope that eventually she will see me as someone she can talk to about her problems instead of cutting herself. When I spoke with her, I felt like I could be honest and be myself and I rarely feel this way with anybody.I'm surprised y my slight ability to open up more than I usually do during that conversation because I always hold everything in. For example, when she asked me if I cut, my good friends. I'm thankful for the change to begin getting to know Brooke, and I hope that we continue getting to know each other. I will not say that I am goin g to stop Judging people because Vie tried to do so before?it doesn't work, but from now on I will try my best to get to know a person to a fuller extent before Judging them. I'm glad I got this chance to figure out that I was wrong about Brooke.

PUBLIC LAW Master Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

PUBLIC LAW Master - Case Study Example This is more so, under envisaged conditions where there are sufficient reasons to believe that the assembly may cause damage to property and significant interruption of life, besides the risks accruing to people moving around the vicinity of the assembly. "A person who organises a public assembly and who knowingly fails to comply with a condition imposed under the section is guilty of an offence. A police officer can then arrest without warrant any person he reasonably suspects is committing any of the offences under the section" (United Kingdom. 2006). Further, if the law enforcement authorities are of the considered opinion that the purpose of the said assembly is to instil fear in the minds of the high powered Zimbabwean Government delegation, with a view to force them to do something which they are not bound by law to do, or to compel them to do an act, which is not legally enforceable on them, it is well within the jurisdiction of the law enforcement authorities to place suitable restrictions, as deemed necessary. Again, "it allows the chief officer to impose those conditions he believes necessary to prevent disorder, disruption or intimidation" (Public Order Act 1986. 2004). Restrictions as per Part II of the Act Further, under Part II of the above Act, the police chief is empowered to issue notifications restricting: 1. The Number of people, who may take part in the assembly, 2. The location of the assembly and 3. Its maximum duration. In this case it has been seen that, besides restricting the maximum number of people participating in the Assembly to 20, the notice serves also on relocating the Assembly at least 5 miles from GDXS plc's main gates and restricting the duration of the assembly to 2 hours. Since provisions for these regulatory measures have been delineated in the Act, they could be enforceable through the process of law. Under law, "individuals may so or do whatever they please provided they do not transgress the substantive law or infringe the legal rights of others. We are free to do everything except that which we are forbidden to do by law" (Wadham 2003). Human Rights transgression: However, the chief constable has also added two more regulations which are outside the ambit of this Act and they are, that, there should be no public speeches criticising the Government of Zimbabwe, and, in the event of any counter demonstration, or hostility shown towards ProD, the Simpson District Police reserve the right to cancel the demonstration immediately. Therefore, it is well within the jurisdiction of the ProD and its President, Mr. Geoff Edwards to challenge these decisions of the Chief Constable, seeking the right to bar freedom of expression on the part of ProD, and its activists, and also the right to revoke the demonstration. Article 10 of the Human Rights Act, 1998, governs the right of free expression. Under it, it gives" a very important right to hold opinions and express your views singly or in dialogue." Under this Act, the meaning of expression also entails, inter alia, the right to get data from others and also the capacity to express oneself, especially in front of an assembly. (A Guide to

Market Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Market Research - Essay Example For any new business to know about the market to be ventured into, it is necessary to conduct primary and secondary researches so as to collect qualitative and quantitative data to use in guiding its operations. It is advisable for a new entrant into the market to carry out a marketing research. This can be of great benefit to them. First, it will provide them with all the necessary information about the customers and whatever expectations they have about the new product. Besides, it can enable the investor to acquire much information about the market situations. Meaning, they will know about the available supplementary and complementary commodities, their prices, supply and demand. This will make it easier for the business to ascertain the level of competition existing in the market. By conducting a well organized and coordinated marketing research, the business will reap a lot of benefits from it such as knowing about the necessary steps to segment the available market based on the clients’ geographical, social, political, cultural, demographic, gender and age factors. This will be instrumental in knowing how to effectively utilize the available market without leaving any chance. Once the market is properly segmented, it will be easier to come up with strategies on how to satisfy each of their dynamic demands on the business’ products. The other important contribution of a market research to a business is that it can enable the management to conduct a SWOT analysis so as to be privy with the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Indeed, these are very important areas which should be adequately looked into before making the right decision on how to conquer the market. By ascertaining its threats, the organization will have to come up with creative and innovative strategies like sales promotion, quality improvement and implementing favorable pricing policies. These can put the business in a

Killing vs. Letting Die Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Killing vs. Letting Die - Essay Example Death is inevitable and every man is mortal. However, killing a man at a point shows crudity and shall not be supported at length because there are many reasons for which people die. The reason of death can vary from natural disaster to epidemics. Nonetheless, killing someone might evoke a sense of guilt or a feeling of being a murderer which is more crucial at times. Letting someone die is more inherent and complying with the law of natural order than forcibly taking away someone’s life. It might happen as well in cases of certain patients that they suddenly start reacting positively to a medical treatment or a medicine which requires a certain time span. In fact, there are even cases recorded in medical science where patients have revived from comma after many years. Lastly and most importantly, the duty of a doctor or a nurse or anyone associated with the medical profession is to save the life of a dying. Therefore, under such circumstances, if a person practicing medicine takes away the life of a dying patient, it somewhere indicates the defeat of medical science and methodologies (Rachels,

Social Structure Simularities between Humans and Baboons Essay

Social Structure Simularities between Humans and Baboons - Essay Example Most of the sources in this paper are derived from the works of Robert Sapolsky, a professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Dorothy L. Cheney, a professor of Biology and Robert M. Sayfarth, a professor of Psychology. The work of Sapolsky focuses on issues on stress while the work of Cheney and Sayfarth focuses on the evolution of social mind of baboons. Baboons maintain a large group for their survival and reproduction. Each group consists of up to 100 individuals. This is considerably larger than most chimpanzee communities. (Cheney and Seyfarth) In this culture baboons need to work together as one collective unit to create more of their species and to keep their community running. Each member has a obligation to the community, whether that be bearing children, taking care of children, providing food for the clan, or offering protection for the clan. The philosophy behind any community is that not one individual is capable of complete self-sufficiency; support is needed for survival. And within each community is a web of social hierarchy established by power, size, built, aggressiveness and alliances. (Anitei) This dominancy rank affects their stress physiology, feeding behavior, and growth. (Baboon Social Life) And this hierarchy affects male and female differently. For females, the effects of rank a... (Baboon Social Life) For males, there are some periods where high-ranking males enjoy a very great advantage in obtaining a mate. However there are other periods where lower-ranking males obtain more mating opportunities by forming coalitions with other males that succeed in dislodging high-ranking males from their mates. (Baboon Social Life) Baboons are similar to humans in their survival and reproduction rates, granted humans may vary from continent to continent but in general humans co-exist in large communities, cities, residential areas, college campuses, etc. Humans as a species depend on each other for survival whether it is a emotional, physical, or mental support system or in a series of import and export systems to gather goods. Like baboons, our communities are devised up of social hierarchy, for example in India there is a still a caste system and in America, social hierarchy is established based on the economic vale of each family or individual. Furthermore on a global level we as countries are divided by power (nuclear, military, navy, etc) and we have our alliances such as in the united Nations. The dominancy ranks of the local, national, and global level all affect the stress, feeding behavior, and growth of an individual, a family, or a country. For example if a nation does not have the proper economic me ans to support its people then the people will have varied feeding abilities, their stress will increase, and if starvation ensues than the growth of the community will decrease. The difference between ranking among males and females in the human world and in the baboon world, is that in the human world there are rules that govern how an individuals in

Deaf culture. This paper contains answers for three questions about Assignment

Deaf culture. This paper contains answers for three questions about Deaf Again Book - Assignment Example Moreover, he does not need to speak openly or wear a hearing aid because they could easily communicate, because they were also Deaf. They understand that sign language is an optimum way to communicate with him; therefore, he does not struggle when he communicates with them. As for his hearing grandparents, the experience is opposite as he has to read their lips, speak plainly, wear a hearing aid, and act as a hearing individual; a process that is quite challenging for him. The second difference was their perspective toward deafness. His Deaf grandparents view deafness as a cultural difference between them and hearing individuals. They were very proud of being Deaf. They do not consider themselves as a disabled or consider deafness as something that needs fixing. On the other hand, his hearing grandparents were viewing deafness as a disability and something that needs to be fixed. Therefore, they reject the use of sign language and encourage him to use speech in his communication. In addition, they often felt sorry for him; as they try to improve his speaking skills. The last difference was the Dinner Table Syndrome. Anytime her visits his Deaf grandparents, he does not feel the isolated and enjoys sharing stories, joking, and all kinds of conversation with them via sign language. In contrast, when he visits his hearing grandparents, he feels left out at the dinner table, because he cannot participate freely as the talk, share their stories, and joke through spoken language. The author indicates that there is a critical period for language acquisition for Deaf children; which is usually during the first five years of age. He pointed out that the Deaf parents must focus on sign language accessibility during this period of the Deaf child’s life by allowing their child to interact with his/her Deaf peers and involve in Deaf community activities. He explained that early exposure to sign language during

How would have Robert Moses reacted to the economic development Essay

How would have Robert Moses reacted to the economic development imperative - Essay Example â€Å"Governance of the city political system involves a complex set of functions around three broad themes: democratic accountability, the delivery of public goods and services and the maintenance of civil harmony.† (Berg 1) The book by Berg talks about the New York City’s economic development in great depth. According to Berg the city’s political environment depends on the elected leaders and their policies. The policies should result in the formation of a sound system that provides goods and services to its residents. Lastly, there should be conflict management in the economy to maintain law and order; all these form the pillars for a political system of a city. Reading this book and comparing the thoughts of the writer with the greatest builder of the New York City gives us an interesting analysis. Robert Moses was responsible for most of the public activities in the New York City in his era. Moses built bridges, expressways, parkways, and housing schemes and expanded the major universities. In his opinion infrastructure was very important for the development of the city and he worked a great deal for the economic development of the New York City by development its infrastructure. He would have reacted to the manufacturing decline by building more cost effective plants rather than take this as a changing economic scenario.

Foodborne illness Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Foodborne illness - Thesis Example In this specific case, experts presumed the hen houses in which the eggs are produced were also home to rodents, which can taint food products with salmonella bacteria. There is no indication from these sources that a violation of HACCP procedures occurred, or that the cause of the salmonella was the result of an accident. In many cases of outbreak, it is best to treat the effects of the problem immediately before addressing its cause (Anders & Caswell, 2009). Although macrotrends of increasing foodborne illnesses are apparent, there has not been any significant increase in the number outbreak cases within the period from 2005 to 2008 (Nyachuba, 2010). Such outbreaks are preventable during the different stages of food consumption: namely, by the use of good agricultural practices at the first stage, which includes rigorous use of the HACCP program, good manufacturing practices, and standard operating procedures for sanitation. Part of this commitment to food safety might include trai ning employees to avoid food contamination by properly sanitizing equipment and food-contact surfaces and preventing cross-contamination.

Consider the application of a business model to mental health services Dissertation

Consider the application of a business model to mental health services - Dissertation Example Simply ask What, Where, How, and Why in a business model. Holistic views wellness of the entire body without the intervention of drugs and costly high tech treatments first. It focuses on the self-healing processes, one’s entire body, mind, emotions, and spiritual life. Holistic also incorporates new and old methods of healing to naturally benefit the body. It also addresses a person’s symptoms, but the person as a whole; what is the current situation in the patient’s life, and how it can be managed effectively. Holistic also offers an active role to the patient in his own healing process through mind, body and spirit. Focusing on a natural diet, herbal support when necessary, and exercises that benefit the entire body and mind. Basically, being in tune with your own body, listening to what it is trying to convey to you. Is there pain? If so, there is a need to change the regimen of healing and focus on what will alleviate that pain with a natural whole body eval uation. Focusing on the part of the body that needs repair and maintenance, and giving that area specific attention in relief of the symptoms but with natural remedies. Addressing the question: Is a business model incompatible with the holistic model? One must first answer these questions. What, Where, How, and Why? If you can answer these four questions in regard to mental health services, then you have your answer. Let’s address them. What? What are you offering? Applied to Mental Health, what are you offering your market? You are offering a full package, how to manage symptoms, pain, and illness in a natural holistic way that creates a better life and longevity to your patient. You are offering this without drugs or costly highly technical innovations that can be detrimental to the bodies natural healing processes and symptom detection. Since you are dealing with the entire body processes, you are also offering a reading on the body symptoms. You are offering a solution ta ilored to specific individual needs, and suggested therapies to correct the problem. You are offering a continued maintenance of these therapies, lifestyle assessment, and natural therapies using medicine as a co-agent alternative. You are also offering an alternative to drugs that give low risk and conservative options. You are also offering a solution and end result of restoration, regeneration and transformation. You are emphasizing natural healing through listening to the bodies’ senses. What is the process you offer? Where? Where will your market be? Will you be targeting local individual markets? If so, will you be using referrals? Will you be advertising? Will you be using the Internet? And will social media be another outlet for your market? Where do you want to position yourself in the current market after you decide what you are offering? Where should you position yourself according to the market you want to target? Do you want to position yourself in a clinical atm osphere within a hospital? Do you want to position yourself in a private practice? Or, you may want to position yourself with a group medical practice? Where will you be performing your services? This question applies to where you will position yourself within the market you intend to enter. Do you want to target only one

A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen Essay Example for Free

A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen Essay After reading A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen, I felt that I had a better grasp of the relationship between men and women in the Victorian era. The man was all- powerful in this time; women were well in the background, subservient and dependent on men in all areas of her life. It was surprising to me that women were not allowed to sign legal documents, such a personal loan without a mans signature. Total dependency had to be a tough pill to swallow for strong willed women. I am sure that many clever and cunning women were able to manipulate the men in their lives, letting the man believe that they were in full control of the relationship. However the majority of women who were not able to assert themselves as forcefully as I am sure they wished. Men were able to run the household through kind or cruel intentions. In Noras case Torvald was a kind man, however it seemed to me that he was always belittling her with subtle, gentle verbal abuse that Nora absorbed like a sponge. Nora tolerated these actions as long as there was security for her and her children. Women of this era married mainly for security rather than love. If there was love in a marriage it was a by product of chance and a blessing, not the usual state of affairs between men and women. When Nora finally realizes that Torvald is not a man of honor the need for security and dependence is broken. Nora prays for a miracle of miracles hoping that Torvald will come to her rescue and be her Knight on a white horse and save her from dishonor for the illegal loan she signed for. She prayed that Torvald would take the blame and leave her blameless and spotless. Even though she states at the same time that she would not let him take the blame for her actions, she wished that he would place his reputation and the line for hers. In this Nora is a remarkable woman. She only wants Torvald to make the gesture so she can respect and look up to him, to see that he is a man of honor and strength. But she sees that he is a hypocrite and with that the break in their one-sided marriage is complete. She realizes that she does  not know who she is but she is determined to take the journey and find out what kind of women she is. She must leave her doll house and go out in the real world and find out what she is made of. I feel that Nora will find that she is a better person than most people that she knows in her sheltered and pampered life. The decision to leave her husband and children was shocking in her day and how the people must have gossiped. Wagging their fingers at her saying For shamed, for shamed. Nora was not even truly raising her children; she had Anne Marie for that task. Nora simply entertained the children in a superficial relationship. She no longer respected Torvald; she did not even know who she was. She had to leave to find Nora, the Nora that never was, so she had to go.

The Role Of Global Leadership Management Essay

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Benetton Group Advertising Campaign Media Essay

Benetton Group Advertising Campaign Media Essay Oliviero Toscanis job title was Creative Director and Photographer for the Benetton Group starting in 1982. Under the direction of Oliviero Toscani, the Benetton Group had a very questionable advertising campaign. The Benetton Group used shock advertising until Oliviero Toscanis final campaign about death row inmates. Customers and retailers alike did not approve of this particular advertising campaign. This happened in the year 2000 and caused Toscani to leave the company. The Benetton Group has since switched their advertising to more traditional methods under the direction of James Mollison (Ganesan 2, 8-10). There are certain basic objectives of advertising. When Benetton used shock advertising, it had both pros and cons. There are still certain companies that use shock advertising today, but not to sell clothing and accessories. There are many basic objectives of advertising. The main basic objective of advertising is to convince the customer to buy the product or service that the business is selling. Our textbook defines marketing objectives as, what is to be accomplished by the overall marketing program. (Belch 33). The objective of most advertisements is to solve a problem or concern for the customer. Another objective is to make sure that no one is offended by the advertising. The advertising should show the product or service in a positive light that will somehow benefit the customer. Our textbook describes public relations as it relates to a positive image as follows, generally has a broader objective than publicity, as its purpose is to establish and maintain a positive image of the company among its various publics (Belch 25). Before they hired Oliviero Toscani to be their Creative Director and Photographer, they used an outside advertising agency. It saved Benetton a lot of money to do their advertising in-house. Luciano Benetton, one of the original owners of the company, approved all of Oliviero Toscanis work (Ganesan 6). The main advertising objective for Benetton while Toscani was in charge of it was to make the public aware of controversial social and political issues (Ganesan 1). These issues were at the heart of the advertisements, while the Benetton label looked like just a footnote in the advertisement (Ganesan 6,7). Some people may not even have known they were advertising for Benetton. Viewers must interpret the message advertisers are trying to communicate to them. Our textbook discusses the clarity of the advertising message by stating, Many ads are objective, and their message is clear and straightforward. Other ads are more ambiguous, and their meaning is strongly influenced by the consumer s individual interpretation (Belch 121). Benettons shock advertising could be interpreted differently depending on each individual person. This relates to the concept of selective comprehension. Our textbook discusses selective comprehension by stating, Consumers may engage in selective comprehension, interpreting information on the basis of their own attitudes, beliefs, motives, and experiences (Belch 122). The purpose of advertising is to convince the customer to buy your product or service. Unless the product or service the company is trying to sell relates to a particular social or political issue, it should not be mentioned in the advertising. Benettons product symbolism was the social and political issues that it was trying to make the public become aware. Our textbook discusses product symbolism and states, For many products, strong symbolic features and social and psychological meaning may be more important than functional utility (Belch 61). After Toscani left the company, they focused more on traditional advertising where the product was the central focus, along with a positive look at an issue (Ganesan 13). For example, the advertising campaign after Oliviero Toscani left centered on being a volunteer [Figure (x) on page 10]. Some other issues addressed after Toscani left Benetton that werent portrayed in a controversial way included worldwide hunger, protecting human rights, poverty, and child labor (Ganesan 10,14). Social and political causes were Benettons message (Ganesan 1). Our textbook states the following regarding a companys message, The encoding process leads to development of a message that contains the information or meaning the source hopes to convey. The message may be verbal or nonverbal, oral or written, or symbolic (Belch 148). There are both pros and cons to Benettons shock advertising campaign. One of the pros of Benettons shock advertising campaign is that it attempted to educate people on the various social and political concerns happening at that time. The customers watching the advertisement may pay closer attention and start talking about the issue. It gives viewers a forum for open discussion of an issue (Ganesan 1). Shortly after Oliviero Toscani started working at Benetton, the social issues such as people of different races doing things together and getting along were the primary focus. These images portray positive ways of thinking and encourage unity among different races (Ganesan 4). For example, Figure (i) that is shown on page 4 has a multi-racial group of people smiling and hugging. In addition, Picture 4 on page 15 of the adult white hand against the childs black hand are appropriate, positive images. Although Figure (viii) on page 8 looks a little unpleasant, the message is positive and a little uplifting. Nevertheless, as more time went on, the advertising campaign headed by Oliviero Toscani started to get disturbing, especially when it was concentrated on the political issues. One of the cons of Benettons shock advertising campaign is that the images shown can offend some viewers (Ganesan 13). Children do not really need to see some of those images. The overcrowded Albanian ship shocked me (Picture 11 on page 16). It just made me realize that all those little dots shown on there were all people-individual human beings. Picture 15 on page 17 was a little shocking also because all those little dots on there are portraying real people who have AIDS. Some of the images I saw offended me and I really did not want to look at them. In particular, Picture 5 on page 15 with the white angelic-looking girl next to the black girl with her hair looking like horns. I do not see any purpose to this advertisement. This picture is the total opposite of the prior pictures that enco uraged racial unity. It looks like, that in this case, Benetton is being inconsistent with their previous advertising. The campaign glamorizing death row inmates [Figure (ix) on page 9 and Picture 13 on page 17] was the most shocking. This was the same campaign that caused Oliviero Toscanis departure from the company, for good reason. Fifteen million dollars was spent on this campaign that offended and shocked so many people. (Ganesan 2, 8-10). This advertising campaign used the death row inmates as shock value in order to sell their product. I do not understand what showing death row inmates has to do with selling clothing or accessories. Some issues do not need to be addressed, especially worldwide, through an advertising campaign. They lost retailers, particularly Sears, and were sued by the victims families. This is a direct result of their insensitive advertising campaign. This entire advertising campaign has caused bad publicity for the Benetton name (Ganesan 8-10). Our textbo ok discusses negative publicity by stating that, Publicity is not always under the control of an organization and is sometimes unfavorable. Negative stories about a company and/or its products can be very damaging (Belch 24). That is what happened in this situation with Benetton. It put their name out in the public, but in a negative light. It also tainted their reputation (Ganesan 2). I definitely do not agree with Oliviero Toscanis opinion that it is acceptable for offensive images to be in art and journalism, so therefore offensive images should be acceptable in the advertising industry. Offensive images are not acceptable in art, journalism, or advertising. One of the objectives of advertising is to try to persuade customers to buy your product or service. I do not understand how an image of a newborn baby with their umbilical cord still attached [Figure (vi), page 7] persuades the customer to buy Benetton clothes. An advertising campaign that uses shock advertising is the anti-smoking commercials. This is appropriate because they are trying to let the viewer know the consequences of smoking and inform viewers that smoking may eventually kill you. Some people do not believe that bad things will ever happen to them. Seeing a commercial like this may really shock a viewer into quitting smoking to improve their overall health. Some of these commercials are very difficult to watch without having to turn away. For example, the commercial they currently show where they cut into the brain of a person who was only in their 30s to show that they died of a stroke from smoking. Another anti-smoking commercial that sticks in my mind that really shocked me was when they showed the artery and squeezed out all the plaque that was built up from smoking. The message of this commercial was to show that smoking builds plaque up in your arteries, which will eventually kill you. Anti-smoking advertising also uses f ear appeals to try to stop people from smoking. Our textbook discusses fear appeals and states, Fear is an emotional response to a threat that expresses, or at least implies, some sort of danger. Ads sometimes use fear appeals to evoke this emotional response and arouse individuals to take steps to remove the threat (Belch 197). A commercial for something that actually has something to do with a controversial social issue is when shocking advertising would be acceptable to use. It shocks people into doing something about the problem. For example, the commercials they have on television now for the ASPCA that show animals that have been hurt or are suffering. Those commercials shock you because of the abuse the animals suffer. But, they are a charitable organization that is soliciting funds for the ASPCA to help these animals, so thats why they are acceptable. The images they show on the commercials are related to the cause they are trying to get money for. The animals have no control of how people treat them. This tugs at the heartstrings of people who love animals. The song Angel plays in the background and the singer Sarah McLachlan comes on to speak out against animal abuse and neglect and asks for donations to the ASPCA. Another shock-advertising commercial that they show frequently on television is for The Humane Society of the United States. These commercials have the same sort of message as the ASPCA. These commercials shock me and stick in my mind because I remember the image of the overfilled cage of dogs shown on them. Another scenario where shock advertising is used and is acceptable is for the Christian Childrens Fund. The commercials show children that are dirty and living in squalor in order to solicit funds for their charitable organization. They show a child living in shocking conditions and ask the viewer to sponsor a child for just a certain amount of money per day or month. The commercial states that many children have died just because they are poor and do not have enough healthy food or clean water. These commercials are usually aired late at night and the announcer says something about how the viewer should do it right now while they are just watching television and have nothing else to do. They do want the viewer to put it off until tomorrow because it will be too late then. It is appropriate to use shock advertising when a charity or non-profit organization is using it to solicit funds for their organization. I whole-heartedly agree with Benettons decision to stop their shock advertising and return to advertising that is more traditional. There is a time and place for everything, and shocking people in order to sell clothes is not it. If Benettons goal was to bring controversial issues to the attention of people, it should have been done in a separate forum. And, if Toscani insisted on shock advertising, it should only be in an adult-type setting where children do not have to see images that offend adults. An alternative could have been to set aside a minimal amount of their advertising funds into the shock advertising and the rest into traditional advertising. A company should want to put a positive image in their advertising to sell their products, not negative images that some people may think of as offensive. These shocking images are probably the images that people remember most in their mind and therefore forget what the product is that the company was trying to sell. Benettons shock advertising was negative and offensive to many people. Viewers may remember the advertising because of the shock value of it. However, we may never know how many people really remembered that those shocking images were an attempt to sell Benetton clothes. The basic objective of advertising was not met under Oliviero Toscanis direction. There is no logical reason to try to sell clothes with images that have nothing to do with clothes. There are times when shock advertising is appropriate, but selling Benetton clothing and accessories is not one of them.

Ineffectiveness of Communism Exposed in Animal Farm :: Animal Farm Essays

At one level, George Orwell’s â€Å"Animal Farm† is an entertaining fable of an animal revolution in England. However, beneath this innocent storyline lie several bleak invited readings presented through textual features such as literary devices, characters and events which parallel the Bolshevik Revolution. These readings, achieved through marginalising certain information and privileging other information, lead readers to adopt a pessimistic attitude toward particular groups and political ideologies. Among Orwell’s invited readings are the tendency of communist governments to become corrupt, the abuse of extensive authority and the effectiveness of propaganda. Throughout â€Å"Animal Farm†, Orwell leads readers to view communism pessimistically by suggesting that communist governments are hypocritical and violate ethical principles. Communism is founded upon beliefs of freedom and equality. Indeed, when Old Major paints vivid pictures of animals living freely, he also points out that â€Å"no animal must ever tyrannise over his own kind† and that â€Å"all animals are equal† (p.6). However, later in the novella, the pigs, having established themselves as the upper class, reign supreme. The pigs force the other animals to labour endlessly while they lead lives of luxury. Their oppression culminates at the modification of the final commandment to â€Å"All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others† (p.85). Despite Old Major’s dream of liberation and equality for all animals, democracy fails to materialise at Animal Farm. Here, Orwell’s text suggests that communism often becomes corrupt and violates the principles that founded it, leading readers to view communism negatively. This is reinforced when Orwell draws parallels between the corruption of Animal Farm and the corruption of the ideals of the Russian Revolution. Rivals for Soviet leadership Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin are burlesqued by Snowball and Napoleon respectively. Privileged readers who are aware of the events in the Russian Revolution comprehend the irony and are thus presented with two communist governments that failed. Consequently, readers are led to believe that communism rarely works. While communism may be an unsuccessful form of government, its disastrous effects were worsened by extensive authority in the hands of corrupt leaders. Orwell privileges the concept that the vices of leaders possessing extensive authority are reflected in the society which they govern. Napoleon, who is the leader of Animal Farm, is naturally selfish. This trait is exhibited when Napoleon and the pigs lead luxurious lives while the other animals live in poverty. For example, after Mr Jones is overthrown: â€Å"it was agreed that the milk and the windfall apples†¦should be reserved for the pigs alone† (p.

MBA Admissions Essay -- MBA Admissions Essay

MBA Admissions Essay After graduation from KOREA University, I decided to enter Hyndai MotorCompany(HMC), which is the largest Korean car manufacturer and global player, to pursue a career as an international businessman. In January 1991, I joined Domestic Finance Team of HMC. My specific assignment was to plan monthly and annual financial schedules for HMC's domestic funding needs. About two years later, in January of 1993, I was transferred to Retail Finance Team from Domestic Finance Team and responsible for financing by the sales and factoring of Car Receivables. First Challenge the expertise for strategy formulation implementation within a changing business environment. In May 1994, I was selected as a member of Task Force Team that prepare to set up HMC's own finance company. During my six-month assignment, I worked under pressured time constraints. After lots of conflicts with Ministry of Finance and Economy, we got government approval in late 1994. This opportunity provided me with valuable experience in every aspect of business and team experience. Working with the extremely qualified and professional upper management was valuable in shaping my career goals. Especially, during my business trip to Hyundai Motor Finance Company in CA, USA, the international exposure increased my confidence and desire to pursue a career in international business. After the expiration of the Task Force, I was given the option between joining the newly established Finance Company and remaining in HMC. At that time, International Finance Team(IFT) offe red to work together with them. I accepted the proposal because I wanted to further expand my international exposure. Second Challenge the enhancement of the global perspective and strategic vision required to successfully compete in a globalized business setting. In January 1995, I was trasferres to IFT and took over two jobs of financing Foreign Direct Investment and Investor Relations. In march 1995, HMC was planning the biggest foreign direct investment in India ever since the failure in canada, and I, together with my two subordinates, was responsible for project. Despite the fact that only three months had passes after taking a new position. I could carry out the complicated processes on the project. partly owning to the past force team experience. Third Challenge : Throughout my wor... ... The program is clearly not a perfect substitute for experience, but I believe it would program would also allow me to further research my business ideas through the experiences of my peers, independent study, and related summer employment. This would let me have a deep understanding, as I hope, of financial and other market structures, competitiveness, and other factors that a consultant needs take into account when recommending whether to pursue a career as an international business consultant. My long-term professional aspiration is to enter the field of international management consulting. A MBA from your school in interdisciplinary studies will enhance my understanding of all aspects of business. This will contribute significantly to becoming effective in the consulting profession. I am extremely enthusiastic about the future of International Business. I believe that there are major breakthroughs yet to be made in the field. After completing a MBA in your school, I hope to gain practical experience and exposure with a major international business firms. Eventually, I wish to establish my own consulting company providing various financial and managerial services.

Alcohol abuse Essay

Alcohol is absorbed from all parts of the gastrointestinal tract largely by simple diffusion into the blood. However the small intestine is by far the most efficient region of the gastrointestinal tract for alcohol absorption because of its very large surface area. In a fasting individual, it is generally agreed that 10% to 20% of a dose of alcohol is absorbed from the stomach (the volume of alcohol affects the absorption) and 75% to 80% is absorbed from the small intestine. Because of this peak blood alcohol concentrations are achieved in fasting people within 0. 5 to 2. 0 hours, (average 0. 75 – 1. 35 hours depending upon dose and time of last meal) while non-fasting people exhibit peak alcohol concentrations within 1. 0, and in extreme cases up to as much as 4. 0 hours (average 1. 06 – 2. 12 hours). Because it is distributed so quickly and thoroughly the alcohol can affect the central nervous system even in small concentrations. In low concentrations, alcohol reduces inhibitions. As blood alcohol concentration increases, a person’s response to stimuli decreases markedly, speech becomes slurred, and he or she becomes unsteady and has trouble walking. With very high concentrations – greater than 0. 35 grams/100 milliliters of blood (equivalent to 0. 35 grams/210 liters of breath ) – a person can become comatose and die. The American Medical Association has defined the blood alcohol concentration level of impairment for all people to be 0. 04 grams/100 milliliters of blood (equivalent to . 04 grams/210 liters of breath). The following is a generally accepted guide to the effects of alcohol. Distribution Alcohol has a high affinity for water and is therefore found in body tissues and fluids inasmuch as they contain water. Absorbed alcohol is rapidly carried throughout the body in the blood and once absorption of alcohol is complete an equilibrium occurs such that blood at all points in the system contains approximately the same concentration of alcohol. Elimination The liver is responsible for the elimination – through metabolism – of 95% of ingested alcohol from the body. The remainder of the alcohol is eliminated through excretion of alcohol in breath, urine, sweat, feces, milk and saliva. The body uses several different metabolic pathways in its oxidation of alcohol to acetaldehyde to acetic acid to carbon dioxide and water. Healthy people metabolize alcohol at a fairly consistent rate. As a rule of thumb, a person will eliminate one average drink or . 5 oz (15 ml) of alcohol per hour. Several factors influence this rate. The rate of elimination tends to be higher when the blood alcohol concentration in the body is very high. Also chronic alcoholics may (depending on liver health) metabolize alcohol at a significantly higher rate than the average. Finally, the body’s ability to metabolize alcohol quickly tend to diminish with age. Body Weight and Body Type In general, the less you weigh the more you will be affected by a given amount of alcohol. As detailed above, alcohol has a high affinity for water. Basically one’s blood alcohol concentration is a function of the total amount of alcohol in one’s system divided by total body water. So for two individuals with similar body compositions and different weights, the larger individual will achieve lower alcohol concentrations than the smaller one if ingesting the same amount of alcohol. However, for people of the same weight, a well muscled individual will be less affected than someone with a higher percentage of fat since fatty tissue does not contain very much water and will not absorb very much alcohol. Rate Of Consumption Blood alcohol concentration depends on the amount of alcohol consumed and the rate at which the user’s body metabolizes alcohol. Because the body metabolizes alcohol at a fairly constant rate (somewhat more quickly at higher and lower alcohol concentrations), ingesting alcohol at a rate higher than the rate of elimination results in a cumulative effect and an increasing blood alcohol concentration. Alcohol Content It’s not how many drinks that you have, but how much alcohol that you consume. The concentration of the drinks that one ingest can have a slight effect on the peak alcohol concentration due to the differences in absorption rate of different concentrations of alcohol. Alcohol is most rapidly absorbed when the concentration of the drink is between 10% and 30%. Below 10% the concentration gradient in the gastrointestinal tract is low and slows absorption and the added volumes of liquid involved slow gastric emptying. On the other hand concentrations higher than 30% tend to irritate the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract and the pyloric sphincter, causing increased secretion of mucous and delayed gastric emptying. Food Food taken along with alcohol results in a lower, delayed blood alcohol concentration peak (the point of greatest intoxication). There are two major factors involved in this phenomenon. First, because alcohol is absorbed most efficiently in the small intestine, the ingestion of food can slow down the absorption of alcohol into one’s system. The pyloric valve at the bottom of the stomach will close in order to hold food in the stomach for digestion and thus keep the alcohol from reaching the small intestine. While alcohol will be absorbed from the stomach it is a slower and less efficient transition. Second and equally important is the fact that alcohol elimination rates are inversely proportional to alcohol concentration in the blood. Therefore the suppressed levels of alcohol due to food ingestion cause the body to eliminate the alcohol that is absorbed at a faster rate. The type of food ingested (carbohydrate, fat, protein) has not been shown to have a measurable influence on this affect but the larger the meal and closer in time between eating and drinking, the greater the diminution of peak alcohol concentration. Studies have shown reductions in peak alcohol concentration (as opposed to those of a fasting individual under otherwise similar circumstances) of 9% to 23%. Medication If you are taking any medication, it could increase the effects of alcohol. You should always consult your physician or the medical information that accompanies the medication when drinking alcohol in conjunction with any medication. Fatigue Fatigue causes many of the same symptoms that are caused by alcohol intoxication. These and other symptoms will be amplified if alcohol intoxication is concurrent with fatigue. Tolerance Tolerance is the diminution of the effectiveness of a drug after a period of prolonged or heavy use of that drug or a related drug (cross-tolerance). There are at least two types of tolerance at work with alcohol. The first is metabolic tolerance in which the alcohol is metabolized at a higher rate (up to two times as quickly) in chronic users. Because of the higher metabolic rate for alcohol lower peak blood alcohol concentrations are achieved by chronic alcohol users than the average drinker when the same amount of alcohol is ingested. The second is functional tolerance in which there is an actual change in the organ or system’s sensitivity to the drug. Studies have shown that chronic alcohol users can have twice the tolerance for alcohol as an average person. It is important to note however that even in light of these tolerance factors, it has been shown conclusively that even in heavy alcohol users functional impairment is clearly measurable at the blood alcohol concentration levels that are currently used for traffic law enforcement and safety sensitive job performance. Gender Differences As outlined above in the section on Body Weight and Body Type different body types coincide with different body water percentages. In general, but by no means in all cases, women tend to have a higher percentage of body fat and thus a lower percentage of body water. Therefore, in general, if a man and a woman of the same weight ingest the same amount of alcohol the woman will tend to achieve a higher alcohol concentration. This, of course, would not be true if the woman was very fit and the man was somewhat obese, but on average, this is the case. Furthermore, total body water tends to decrease with age, so an older person will also be more affected by the same amount of alcohol. According to the table below the differences in alcohol concentration due to average body composition differences based on gender would be between 16% and 10% depending on age. ________________________________________ Average Total Body Water as a function of Sex and Age AgeMaleFemale 18 to 4061%52% over 6051%46% ________________________________________ Another gender based difference is in the elimination of alcohol. Although not explained, studies appear to show that women eliminate alcohol from their bodies at a rate 10% greater than that of men. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse Alcoholism (alcohol dependence) and alcohol abuse are two different forms of problem drinking. †¢Alcoholism is when you have signs of physical addiction to alcohol and continues to drink, despite problems with physical health, mental health, and social, family, or job responsibilities. Alcohol may control your life and relationships. †¢Alcohol abuse is when your drinking leads to problems, but not physical addiction. Causes, incidence, and risk factors There is no known cause of alcohol abuse or alcoholism. Research suggests that certain genes may increase the risk of alcoholism, but which genes and how they work are not known. How much you drink can influence your chances of becoming dependent. Those at risk for developing alcoholism include: †¢Men who have 15 or more drinks a week †¢Women who have 12 or more drinks a week †¢Anyone who has five or more drinks per occasion at least once a week One drink is defined as a 12-ounce bottle of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a 1 1/2-ounce shot of liquor. You have an increased risk for alcohol abuse and dependence if you have a parent with alcoholism. You may also be more likely to abuse alcohol or become dependent if you: †¢Are a young adult under peer pressure †¢Have depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, or schizophrenia †¢Have easy access to alcohol †¢Have low self-esteem †¢Have problems with relationships †¢Live a stressful lifestyle †¢Live in a culture alcohol use is more common and accepted Alcohol abuse is rising. Around 1 out of 6 people in the world have a drinking problem. Symptoms People who have alcoholism or alcohol abuse often: †¢Continue to drink, even when health, work, or family are being harmed †¢Drink alone. †¢Become violent when drinking †¢Become hostile when asked about drinking †¢Are not able to control drinking — being unable to stop or reduce alcohol intake †¢Make excuses to drink †¢Miss work or school, or have a decrease in performance because of drinking †¢Stop taking part in activities because of alcohol †¢Need to use alcohol on most days to get through the day †¢Neglect to eat or eat poorly †¢Do not care about or ignore how they dress or whether they are clean †¢Try to hide alcohol use †¢Shake in the morning or after periods when they have not a drink Symptoms of alcohol dependence include: †¢Memory lapses after heavy drinking †¢Needing more and more alcohol to feel â€Å"drunk† †¢Alcohol withdrawal symptoms when you haven’t had a drink for a while †¢Alcohol-related illnesses such as alcoholic liver disease Signs and tests The health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions about your medical and family history, including use of alcohol. The following questions are used by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to screen for alcohol abuse or dependence: †¢Do you ever drive when you have been drinking? †¢Do you have to drink more than before to get drunk or feel the desired effect? †¢Have you felt that you should cut down on your drinking? †¢Have you ever had any blackouts after drinking? †¢Have you ever missed work or lost a job because of drinking? †¢Is someone in your family worried about your drinking? Tests that may be done include: †¢Blood alcohol level (this can tell whether someone has recently been drinking alcohol, but it does not necessarily confirm alcoholism) †¢Complete blood count (CBC) †¢Liver function tests. †¢Magnesium blood test Medical Illness Associated With Chronic Alcohol Abuse DisorderIllness MetabolicAlcoholic ketoacidosis, alcoholic hypoglycemia, water and salt disorders NeurologicChronic problems with thinking such as Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s psychosis, alcoholic cerebellar degeneration, and central pontine myelinolysis leading to problems walking and other motor activities, acute and chronic dementia, alcoholic peripheral neuropathy MuscularAcute and chronic alcoholic muscle weakness. GastrointestinalFatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic cirrhosis, alcoholic pancreatitis, poor pancreatic function, gastroesophageal reflux, esophageal carcinoma, erosive gastritis, chronic diarrhea, malabsorption, esophageal varices leading to bleeding into the GI tract Metabolic-endocrineHigh cholesterol, high levels of uric acid, low testosterone levels, impotence, testicular atrophy, gynecomastia, irregular menstrual periods, reversible Cushing’s syndrome BloodAnemia due to poor production of blood cells or slow intestinal bleeding, poor white cell production, destruction of platelets, blood too thin to clot properly. CardiacDecreased cardiac function, arrhythmias, dilated cardiomyopathy, high blood pressure PulmonaryIncreased incidence of pneumonia, increased incidence of tuberculosis OtherIncreased incidence of severe intestinal infections, fetal alcohol syndrome, vitamin deficiency syndromes, trauma, sexual dysfunction, insomnia Social Problems Associated With Alcohol Abuse Accidental death and injury50% of fatal car crashes 25-fold increased risk of falls or drowning 50% of fire-related burns or deaths 20% to 30% of trauma seen in emergency rooms. CrimeFrequently involved in violent crime SuicideInvolved in up to 35% of suicides Economic cost$148 billion annually (estimated); 15% for health care and treatment OtherAssociated with increased rates of spouse or child abuse and increased spread of sexually transmitted diseases Treatment Completely stopping the use of alcohol is the ideal goal of treatment. This is called abstinence. A strong social network and family support are important in achieving this. Completely stopping and avoiding alcohol is difficult for many people with alcoholism. There will be times when it is difficult. You should aim to avoid drinking for as long as possible. Some people who abuse alcohol may be able to simply reduce the amount they drink. This is called drinking in moderation. If this method does not work, you should try to quit drinking completely. DECIDING TO QUIT Many people with alcohol problems do not recognize when their drinking gets out of hand. The ideal approach to treatment is to help the person realize how much their alcohol use is harming their life and those around them. Studies find that more people with alcohol problems opt for treatment when their family members or employers are honest with them about their concerns, and try to help them see that drinking is preventing them from reaching their goals. Withdrawal from alcohol is best done in a controlled, supervised setting. Complications from withdrawal can be life threatening. For more information, see: Alcohol withdrawal Your health care provider should order blood and urine tests to check for health problems that are common in people who abuse alcohol. LONG-TERM SUPPORT Alcohol recovery or support programs can help you stop drinking completely. These programs usually offer: †¢Counseling and therapy to discuss alcoholism and its effects and how to control your thoughts and behaviors †¢Mental health support †¢Medical care You may be treated in a special recovery center (inpatient), or you may attend a program while you live at home (outpatient). Medications are sometimes prescribed to prevent you from drinking again. †¢Acamprosate is a drug that has been shown to lower relapse rates in those who are alcohol dependent. †¢Disulfiram (Antabuse) produces very unpleasant side effects if you drink even a small amount of alcohol within 2 weeks after taking the drug. †¢Naltrexone (Vivitrol) decreases alcohol cravings. It is available in an injectable form. You cannot take these medications if you are pregnant or have certain medical conditions. The medications are often used with long-term treatment with counseling or support groups. Depression or other mood or anxiety disorders may be noticed after you stop drinking. These should be promptly treated. It is important that the patient has a living situation that supports their need to avoid alcohol. Some programs offer housing options for people with alcoholism or alcohol abuse. Support Groups Support groups are available to help people who are dealing with alcoholism. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (AA) Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a self-help group of recovering alcoholics that offers emotional support and specific steps for people recovering from alcohol dependence. The program is commonly called a â€Å"12-step† approach. There are local chapters throughout the United States. AA offers help 24 hours a day and teaches that it is possible to participate in social functions without drinking. AL-ANON Family members of a person with an alcohol abuse problem often need counseling. Al-Anon is a support group for partners and others who are affected by someone else’s alcoholism. Alateen provides support for teenage children of people with alcoholism. OTHER SUPPORT GROUPS Several other support groups are available. †¢SMART recovery teaches you have to change your thoughts and behaviors to help people with alcoholism recover. †¢LifeRing recovery and SOS are two nonreligious programs that offer support for people with alcohol abuse. †¢Women for Sobriety is a self-help group just for women. Moderation Management is a program for those who want to reduce how much they drink. It recommends abstinence for people who cannot do this. Expectations (prognosis) How well a person with alcoholism or alcohol abuse does depends on whether or not they can stop drinking. Alcoholism is a major social, economic, and public health problem. Problem drinking can affect every part of a person’s life. If you have an alcohol problem, abstinence can help improve your mental and physical health and possibly, your relationships. Treatment programs can help you quit. However, drinking again after treatment is common. It is important to have a good support system. Complications Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can increase your risk of many health problems, including: †¢Bleeding in the digestive tract †¢Brain cell damage †¢Brain disorder called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome †¢Cancer of the esophagus, liver, colon, and other areas †¢Changes in the menstrual cycle (period) †¢Delirium tremens (DT’s) †¢Dementia and memory loss †¢Depression and suicide †¢Erectile dysfunction †¢Heart damage †¢High blood pressure. †¢Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) †¢Liver disease, including cirrhosis †¢Nerve damage †¢Poor nutrition †¢Sleeping problems (insomnia) Alcohol use also increases your risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and violence. Drinking alcohol while you are pregnant can lead to severe birth defects in the baby. Prevention The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends: †¢Women should not drink more than 1 drink per day †¢Men should not drink more than 2 drinks per day One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1? ounces of liquor.

Juvenile Offender’s Right to a Jury Trial

This paper intends to answer the following questions: 1) Should juvenile offenders have a constitutional right to a jury trial? and 2) Should each state make that determination? The legal decision (Amendment 6 and 14th) which addressed the issue will be briefly discussed as well as part of the answers to the aforementioned questions. Should juvenile offenders have a constitutional right to a jury trial? Yes, juvenile offenders should be given a right to a jury trial (FindLaw, 2008, n. p. ). Doing otherwise will be considered unlawful since this is a violation of â€Å"the Sixth Amendment† which covers the â€Å"Rights of Accused in Criminal Prosecutions† (FindLaw, 2008, n. p. ). The â€Å"Sixth Amendment† holds that an individual who undergoes criminal trial should be given a right to â€Å"an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed† (FindLaw, 2008, n. p. ). In addition to that, juvenile offenders should be given a right to a jury trial because anybody who deprives them of this violates the â€Å"Fourteenth Amendment† which involves the â€Å"Rights Guaranteed Privileges and Immunities of Citizenship, Due Process and Equal Protection† (FindLaw, 2008, n. p. ). Explaining further a jury trial is part of what is technically referred to as â€Å"due process† (FindLaw, 2008, n. p. ). Also, â€Å"equal protection† is provided if a â€Å"jury trial† is given to the juvenile offender (FindLaw, 2008, n. . ). Should each state make that determination? There is really no need for each state to make such a decision because this is already covered the â€Å"Fourteenth Amendment† which involves the â€Å"Rights Guaranteed Privileges and Immunities of Citizenship, Due Process and Equal Protection† (FindLaw, 2008, n. p. ). Here, it is clearly stated that â€Å"No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privilege or immunities of citizens of the US† (FindLaw, 2008, n. . ). This means that people are protected by the constitution and even their States cannot do anything to take this right away from them (FindLaw, 2008, n. p. ). The same is true with â€Å"a right to jury trial†, it is not necessary that each State determines what their law will be about this since whether States make a move or not, citizens are still protected by the constitution (FindLaw, 2008, n. p. ). References FindLaw. (2008). Sixth Amendment. Retrieved November 7, 2008 from  http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment06/ FindLaw. (2008). Fourteenth Amendment. Retrieved November 7, 2008 from  http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment14/

The models For Organizational Diagnosis

Organizations undertake a diagnosis of their operation for purposes of checking the effectiveness and efficiency of their work processes. It is because they owe it to their stakeholders, stockholders and other interest groups to assure that their needs and expectations are met. When an organization is regularly checked and diagnosed, problems can be pinpointed and resolved and/or anticipated and avoided. Diagnosis and evaluation of the operation and management of an organization can pave the way for initiatives and innovations towards change and the betterment of the company.The different types of organizational diagnostic models are: Force Field Analysis: This model is a simple method designed by Kurt Lewin in 1951. It takes into consideration the two major forces affecting an organization: the restraining forces that are borne from the limitations of the company; and, the driving forces that are borne out of the effective and positive characteristics of the organization. In applyin g this diagnostic method, the desired balance in enhancing the driving forces to counter the restraining forces will be achieved.Leavitt’s Model This diagnostic tool model desgined by H. J. Leavitt in 1967 looks into the contributing variables in an organization. These variables are the tasks performed; the structure designed; the technology implemented and the human resources available.What this model checks are the changes in any and each of the variables and how they affect each other. In diagnosing an organization using this will pinpoint effectiveness of change that will benefit all the variables. Likert System Analysis R.Likert designed a diagnosis model in 1967 that addresses the motivation; communication; interaction; decision making; goal setting; control and performance aspects of an organization. These aspects of an organization are reflected in four different management systems such are the exploitative-authoritative type; the benevolent-authoritative type; the co nsultative type; and the participative group type. This model uses the questionnaire tool to assess an across the board opinion among the employees, thus, a true consensus can be derived at and better analyzed as the responses are graphed and plotted to see trends and transitions.Open Systems Theory Organizations are deemed to be a social entity and the open systems theory greatly considers the feedback from its environment and outside factors. This diagnostic model considers inputs; throughputs; outputs and renewed inputs in and out of the organization to achieve the desired dynamics towards efficiency. In diagnosing through the open systems theory, the organization has a wider leverage to really see the finer details of its function in the inside and in the outside that will lead to a more comprehensive identification of more factors towards change.Weisbord’s Six-Box Model This model as designed in 1976 by Weisbord outlines the categories in an organization that must be dia gnosed: its purposes; structures; relationships; leadership; rewards and helpful mechanisms. Everything that work and play around those categories must be identified and congruently be evaluated towards initiated and innovative, appropriate change. This will identify the â€Å"what is† aspect of the categories and then arrive at â€Å"what should be†. In applying this model, an organization can profoundly dissect its functions thru the very pinpointed questions to be asked.The Congruence Model for Organization Analysis This model is a dynamic combination of the principle of the Open Systems Theory; the Leavitt System Analysis and the Weisbord Six-Box Model. Nadler-Tushman developed this analytical method with the assumption that organizations are dynamic entities operating within a wider environment outside of its confines and that there are behaviors among its employees as individual and groups that transpire and interact and transact.This model is remarkable because it zeroes-in into the aspects of the functions in the organization in terms of whether they fit or they do not fit. It is a model that analyzes relevance and congruence in the interaction of the functions. McKinsey 7S Framework Within the framework of an organization as what the McKinsey Consultants identified in 1981 are the â€Å"7-S† that interact: style; staff; systems; strategy; structure; skills; shared values. These variables are illustrated as cells and molecules which makes them interdependent with each other.The framework therefore rationalizes that to achieve efficiency in an organization, all of those variables must be simultaneously, equally efficient. Any change on any of the variable must correlate with a change in the others. The benefit of using this model is that any initiatives towards change will be reflected in each and every variable of the organization and not just on only one. Tichy’s Technical Political Cultural (TPC) Framework This is a model that further analyzes the environment an organization is in, together with its history.It was designed in 1983. In this diagnosis, the cultural, political and technical dynamics of the organization are identified. The merit of this model is that it considers diagnosing to be very specific about every â€Å"strand† of the organization’s political, cultural and technical dynamics that they should be aligned, managed congruently for the organization to be efficient. High-Performance Programming This diagnostic model adopted the Likert System Analysis to work on the four levels in the organization.Level 1 is identified as the reactive level. The responsive level is the 2nd level. The 3rd level is the proactive level and the 4th is the high-performance level. It was in 1984 that Nelson and Burns designed this model to enable organizations to plan the right interventions towards the necessary transformation. Utilizing this model will enable an organization to truly empower e very individual in its employ that will lead to growth and development. Diagnosing Individual and Group BehaviorThis model specifically focuses on the individual behavior of employees in the organization. M. I. Harrison used in1987 the principles of the Open Systems theory in designing this model. This model takes into account the variable transpiring on the organizational level; the variables on the group level and the variables on the individual level. The distinctive premise of this model that is remarkable is that it considers the quality work life of employees. The Burke-Litwin Model of Organizational Performance & ChangeBurke-Litwin developed this diagnostic model in 1990, thus this is more modern method. This diagnosis process covers the 12 theoretical variables; the consideration of the variable effect of the climate and culture of an organization; the distinction between transactional and transformational dynamics of the organization; and, the specification of the nature an d direction of the effect of the variables. This diagnosis model is the most comprehensive method that will truly define an organization. A. T. &T. (merged with BellSouth Corporation)Going two notches higher because of its year 2008 revenue performance at US$124 billion –A. T. &T. ranked No. 8 amongst Fortune top 500 global companies. This is higher by 4. 3% from its 2007 revenue earnings. 2008 Profits is US$12 billion. Based in Dallas, Texas, A. T. &T. merged with BellSouth in the year 2006. At close of the last trading hour of the last trading day for the week, April 24, 2009 positioned A. T. &T. stock at US$. 25. 22 per share. At more than 100 years of corporate existence, A. T. &T.is the world’s largest communications holding company with most advanced, most innovative, most comprehensive telecommunication services from telephones, to internet, to multimedia services, to entertainment solutions meeting individual to multinational business needs of its 77 million cu stomers.Its research and development laboratories are the most advanced facilities in modern day technology. The leadership it has etched in telecommunication is due to the groundbreaking initiatives in innovations and inventions. Its technological advancements have merited seven Nobel Prizes and thousands of patents all over the world.A. T. &T. sustains its corporate governance by solidifying six strategic focus areas: through their commitments to the betterment of communities; through their meritorious investment in people; through their leadership with integrity, ethics and responsibility; through their environmental concerns for sustainable protection; through their efficient networking with people, businesses and customers; and through their consistently innovating technology. A. T. &T. has more than 300,000 employees worldwide. The career and work environment that the company offers its employees is holistic and comprehensive.Employees have a track opportunity to grow. They ar e made to be involved with the company’s advocacies. They receive above industry standard benefits and privileges. They are continually educated and trained. They dwell within the spirit of true teamwork and concern like a family.Due to the comprehensive global operation and services, the Burke-Litwin diagnostic model will dynamically ensure that continuity and sustainability of the excellence position and prestige that A. T. &T. pursues in the industry. The Burke-Litwin model has the tools and mechanics to analyze the very wide external environment of A.T&T.The many executive positions in the company together with its thousands of employees mandate a more astute conduct of interrelationship behavior plus a unifying culture, a conducive work climate and the alignment of skills, job and performance matching.The mission and strategy of the company together with its management practices can be very well checked by this model, together with the structure of the functions and the system of policies. A complex and dynamic A. T&T. will thrive further and better if they check and balance their organization with the Burke-Litwin model.References:Falletta, S.V., Ed.D.,   â€Å"Organizational Diagnostic Models:   A Review & Synthesis†. 2005. http://www.leadersphere.com/img/Orgmodels.pdf. â€Å"Fortune 500 of 2009† Fortune Magazine. CNNMone.com. http://www.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2009/full_list/. A.T.&T. Corporate Profile http://www.att.com/gen/investor-relations?pid=5711.