Title IX on Sexual and Race Discrimination - 1366 Words

Research paper Title IX What if you were told that there may be a law created intended to remove discrimination between the sexes in education and sports, or that in the matter of athletics and job occupations both men and women are given equal opportunities? Would you then agree or disagree with the ideology that both sexes are still treated different even though this law was created and the opportunities that were promised aren’t precisely indistinguishable? Title IX is not an accurate protection of sexual discrimination\, it doesnt give equal opportunities, and is unjust as far as benefits between male and female sports. Although this law allows men and women to participate in the same sports and educational fields, it†¦show more content†¦In order for schools to allow and equal set of opportunities for all female sports there must first be space at the school and in the schools budget. Consequently, due to the fact that around the time the law was created the num ber of male sports were dominant compared to female sports, the schools had to eliminate the count of male sports. A large amount of male students attempted to sue this law as stated by CBS news. The male athletes claimed that by the way the law was being enforced, they felt that their athletics departments were â€Å"losing out† to women departments. During a 60 minutes report the women who ran and swam their way through college with the assistance of athletic scholarships were called the daughters of Title IX. For instance, Julie Foudy who claims that Title IX is the blaim for her success of being a professional athlete and the reason she was the captain of a team that won the world cup. Julie remarked upon Title IX with statements such as â€Å"We were Title IX babies,† and â€Å"I think it all, it all trails back to Title IX, for sure.† For Foudy the law opened doors for opportunist and success for the male students this just so happens to not be the case. In order to comply with Title IX, the schools had to effectuate with whats called proportionality. (CBS news) Proportionality states that the portion of the school that is female must also be the portion of athletes that is female. Therefore settingShow MoreRelated Title IX and Impacts on Womens Education Essay examples1160 Words   |  5 PagesTitle IX and the impacts on women and their education HISTORY: Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 is the landmark legislation that bans sex discrimination in schools, whether it is in academics or athletics. Title IX states: No person in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal aid. Athletics has created the most controversy regardingRead MoreWhy Should Ocr Violated The Administrative Procedure Act?994 Words   |  4 Pagesmandates of the Dear Colleague Letter are not the best way to handle campus sexual assault. Universities should have a number of different options available, from mediation (as long as both parties agree) to a full blown adjudicatory hearing. When suspension or expulsion may result, the respondent must have the right to an adjudicatory hearing with robust procedural rights. More controversially, this article argues that Title IX allows universities to make these changes. The article begins by situatingRead MoreWomen s Women Faced Gender Discrimination1737 Words   |  7 PagesPrior to the 1970’s women faced gender discrimination in politics in regards to plausibility about political obligation that falls along the lines of gender. Various gender representation within a representative democracy were consistent of male supremacy. Women were denied full citizenship rights such as the right to vote. Women fought for their suffrage in order to gain the right to vote and be entitled social, civil, and moral rights for themselves. Despite the increasing presence of women inRead MoreTitle IX: Equality of Genders in School Essay1684 Words   |  7 PagesBirch Bayh of Indiana introduced Title IX. Senator Bayh said, â€Å"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.† (Bayh) It took only few months for Congress to pass Title IX. On June 23,1972, Richard Nixon signed the Title IX law, stating that, Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. After the lawRead MoreEssay On Title 9 Law1490 Words   |  6 PagesRegulation – Title IX law Introduction The Title IX law states that: â€Å"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.† (Wikipedia) In 1964, although the Civil Right Act has been designed to punish discrimination in almost all field on account of sex, religion, race, etc., it did not realize there is discrimination in publicRead MoreTitle Ix And The Law1480 Words   |  6 Pages Gender has always been a starting point for much of the judgement in our society whether we realize it or not, and it’s exactly the causes of one of the many controversies that there is today. Title IX, the law passed to help overcome prejudice and grant girls the same opportunities as boys, is getting not only the credit it deserves but much backlash to counter it. The main purpose of this law was originally to give girls the opportunity to play the same sports as boys were able to, and thanksRead MoreThe Issue Of Sexual Discrimination On College Campuses2097 Words   |  9 PagesCHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) has been key to characterizing the issue of sexual discrimination on college campuses. Today, the force of Title IX has an intense focus on sexual misconduct and is present in the mind of not only the administrators responsible for compliance, but administrators throughout college and university campuses as well. While just a few short years ago it was normally known as the law relating to equity in athleticsRead MoreWhat Does the Government Do in Relation to Civil Rights?660 Words   |  3 Pagessegregation between races under the title of separate but equal. The ethos of Plessy v. Ferguson was reversed in 1954 with the case of Brown v. Board of Education, which ended segregation and resulted in the racial integration of schools. More recently, in 1991, the court listed strict desegregation in the case of Darrell v. Oklahoma City. Affirmative action has been another major area of concentration with regard to civil rights, as all minorities are now protected from discrimination. The case ofRead MoreGender Bias in Everyday Life Essay981 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscriminatory practices hurt everyone involved. One of the more evident of these is discrimination based on someone’s gender. Gender bias, also known as sexism, refers to a full range of attitudes, preferences, laws, taboos and behaviors that differentiate and discriminates against the members of either sex. These may be the position of male dominance and female subjugation in modern society. It may also be in the form of sexual stereotypes between men and women, which are commonly experienced or encounteredRead MoreResearch Paper on Title Ix2507 Words   |  11 PagesTitle IX Research Paper December 11 Daniel Rose History TITLE VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 law was what many civil rights activists had been lobbying for over many years. Title VI was made to end segregation and discrimination on the basis of color, gender, and nationality for employment

The Doctrine Of Direct Effect And State Liability

The Issue relates to the application of the doctrine of direct effect, and possibly the application of indirect effect and state liability if require in pursuant of invoking the EU Transfer of Pensions Directive (TPD) in a UK national court (NC) in light of the UK’s national legislation which evidently fails to completely encompass the directive. Directives are a secondary source of European Union (EU) legislation which in accordance with Art 288 of the EC: are binding on the EU Member States (MSs) to which it is addressed; they outlines objectives that need to be achieved; they is not directly applicable; they instructs the alteration of domestic law so that it complies with EU policy. Implementation rests in the jurisdiction of MSs, nonetheless directives must be established by a specified deadline as a failure to can be a breach, and MSs can be held to account before the European Court of Justice (CJEU). Alfredo For Directive (TPD) to be relied upon before UK court Alfredo must show that it is directly effective. The doctrine of Direct Effect was originally established by the CJEU in Van Gend en Loos . When an EU provision is directly effective it confers invokable obligations and rights on individuals. This occurs when the following limited conditions are established: the terms must clear, precise, and unconditional and not be reliant of further legal measures . It is questionable as to whether or not the TPD is clear and precise, but in accordance withShow MoreRelatedThe Doctrine Of Direct Effect1495 Words   |  6 PagesThe doctrine of direct effect is the primary tool by which the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) enforces European Union (EU) law within member-states. However, the power of direct effect as a tool of enforcement means that the CJEU has had to resist impulses to overextend its application. This essay will argue that rather than unnecessarily undermining the doctrine of direct effect, the CJEU has skilfully managed to create an effective enforcement regime for directives while applyingRead MoreDirect Effect Principle1503 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction 1 Most European Union law(hereinafter referred as EU law) textbooks showcase that the evolution of direct effect principle gave rise to various debatable issues. It is blatant that directive appears to be a double-edged sword by protecting fundamental rights guaranteed by the Union law, taken jointly, ensuring the uniform application of Union law across the Member States. Nevertheless, David appreciated that this issue became highly contentious due to the inconsistent judicial approachRead MoreThe Application Of Direct Effect1494 Words   |  6 PagesThis question concerns the application of direct effect to the facts in question. In particular, Fergie requires advice on whether or not he can rely on Directive 15/2012 and enforce his EU law rights in the national court. Fergie takes legal proceedings against Charlston Council to claim compensation for his injury. The council seems to have complied with the domestic law which stipulate only that, the caterers has a duty to eliminate unhealthy food. The Act is silent on genetically modified foodRead MoreThe Doctrine Of Parliamentary Sovereignty1609 Words   |  7 Pagesendorsement of the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA). In order to analyse this notion, it is essential to outline the traditional doctrine of Parliamentary Sovereignty. The essay will reflect upon the evidence in respect of Britain’s membership of the EU and the degree to which it affects Parliamentary Sovereignty and also reflect upon Britain’s enactment of the HRA in the same way. The doctrine of Parliamentary Sovereignty stems from the Bill of Rights 1689 which effectively established a Constitutional MonarchyRead MoreThe Issue Arising From The Monique s Case Essay2039 Words   |  9 PagesThe issue arising from the Monique’s case is the direct applicability of the Treaty Articles and the direct or indirect effect of Directives, provided by the European Union. Monique may be able to rely on both Article 18 and 45 of TFEU which concerns any kind of discrimination against EU citizens. The Council Directive 14/08 will be examined whether it is direct or indirect applicable, or if it can be applicable under the principle of state liability. In the case where one of the above can be establishedRead MoreLiability Rule Under The Title Vii1388 Words   |  6 Pages The significance of this case revolves around the â€Å"supervisor(s)† liability rule under the Title VII. The rule under the Title VII act clearly states that employer’s liability for workplace harassment depends upon the status or job title and duties of the harasser. Summarizing that if the harasser is a co-worker the employer will only be held accountable if negligence in diffusing the intense and awkward work conditions was found on their part. However, if the harasser is a supervisor, (has theRead MoreA M Records Vs. Napster1001 Words   |  5 Pagespopularity, particularly with trendy music. AM Records took notice of the free digital music downloads and brought suit against Napster for direct, contributory, and vicarious copyright infringements (Washington University School of Law, 2013). First, it is important to discuss the direct, contributory and vicarious infringement claims against Napster. Direct copyright infringement claims are based on a breach of a copyright owners’ exclusive rights to the copyrighted work(s). AM Records, Inc.Read MoreA M Records Vs. Napster Essay978 Words   |  4 Pagespopularity, particularly with trendy music. AM Records took notice of the free digital music downloads and brought suit against Napster for direct, contributory, and vicarious copyright infringements (Washington University School of Law, 2013). First, it is important to discuss the direct, contributory and vicarious infringement claims against Napster. Direct copyright infringement claims are based on a breach of a copyright owners’ exclusive rights to the copyrighted work(s). AM Records, Inc.Read MoreThe International Trade, It Is Necessary1465 Words   |  6 Pages and the confirmation of title to the goods in common law countries. There are also Ocean Waybill contracts, which includes contract of carriage and the proof of the consignee’s name in the waybill. In shipment by air, there are Air Waybill and Liability of the air carrier. However the air carrier is liable for damages and loss of goods in the preloading period, it won’t consist of the act of God, incidents of terrorism, natural defect of goods, and act of the shipper. In any international transactionRead MoreCriminal Law2814 Words   |  12 PagesDoctrine of vicarious liability The doctrine of vicarious liability generally operates within the law of torts. It has become well-established in English law and historically has been called â€Å"Master and Servant liability,† which clearly indicates the circumstances in which the doctrine becomes applicable in tort law. The general rule in tort law is that a person who authorises a tort will personally be liable for damage or harm as a result. However, vicarious liability defines the circumstances

An Analysis of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte Free Essays

‘A wild, wicked slip†¦I believe she meant no harm’ Does your opinion of Catherine match Nelly’s assessment in Chapters 1-14? Catherine Earnshaw, later Linton, is first introduced to the reader by Emily Bronte in Chapter III. Throughout the novel Catherine proves to be a character whose actions and personality can either attract the audience’s sympathies or quickly alienate them. Nelly’s narration dominates the narrative in chapters 1-14 and it is therefore natural that the reader’s views may be tainted to a degree by Nelly’s assessment of Catherine’s character. We will write a custom essay sample on An Analysis of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte or any similar topic only for you Order Now Catherine is first referred to in Lockwood’s narration in Chapter III where he encounters her name when he spends a turbulent night at Wuthering Heights. Catherine’s name haunts Lockwood’s sleep as he sees the words ‘Catherine Earnshaw†¦ Catherine Heathcliff†¦ Catherine Linton’ carved numerous times. The haunting quality of Catherine’s name is shown by Bronte’s gothic use of the simile ‘as vivid as spectres’ as these words fill his vision. Lockwood is later confronted by a ghost who sobs the words Catherine Linton as it demands to be let into the house. Indeed this determination to get what she wants is a characteristic of Catherine, which becomes apparent through the remainder of Nelly’s narration as she describes Catherine’s life. This characteristic in particular is a trait that can change the reader’s opinion of Catherine for the worse. However conversely this particular aspect of Catherine’s character can evoke sympathy for her from the reader as it is in part Mr Kenneth’s fault for recommending that ‘she would not bear crossing much; she ought to have her own way’ after her illness in Chapter IX. Nelly’s opinion that Catherine ‘meant no harm’ is proved particularly accurate in Chapter IX where Catherine approaches Nelly for the first time as a confidant. Catherine’s innocence in the matter she poses to Nelly is demonstrated aptly though her question ‘Where’s Heathcliff? ’ Sympathy is evoked for Catherine as she finds herself torn between the two men she loves; Heathcliff and Edgar. However Catherine’s true personality is uncovered in the ensuing dialogue in which Catherine describes her fears about Heathcliff and her reasons for marrying Edgar (which do not appear heartfelt). Disapproval cannot be avoided as Catherine’s actions appear to be driven by her social ambitions, which were initially awoken by her first visit to the Lintons, and which eventually compels her to marry Edgar. However while Cathy’s claim that ‘it would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now’ may evoke condemnation from both Nelly and the reader, it can be seen that Catherine is simply the victim of her era. While Wuthering Heights itself is far from the bustle of society in its position on the moors, Catherine’s desire to be ‘the greatest woman of the neighbourhood’ exemplifies the effect of social considerations on the character’s actions. Catherine’s image is somewhat weakened due to the manner in which she is compared, perhaps unintentionally, to Edgar’s sister Isabella Linton. Indeed the fact that they hold parallel positions within their intimate society and eventually end up sharing the same household allows us to see their differences with greater clarity. While Catherine represents wild nature, both in her high and lively spirits and her occasional cruelty, Isabella represents culture and civilization both in refinement and in her weakness. The reader may disapprove of Catherine in her wild nature however Isabella soon proves in Chapter XII that strength might be an admirable quality for a women at that time as her weakness leads her to elope with ‘Yon’ Heathcliff’. From Chapter XIII onwards the reader, along with Nelly, becomes suspicious of Catherine’s motives as she becomes quickly ill after Edgar gives her an ultimatum. Catherine worked herself into a frenzy with ‘blood on her lips’ and ‘her hair flying over her shoulders, her eyes flashing, the muscles of her neck and arms standing out preternaturally’. While Edgar appears terrified of her rage, Nelly seems to see through Catherine’s behaviour. Indeed as Catherine’s state deteriorates and Edgar turns on Nelly, Nelly recalls ‘thinking it too bad to be blamed for another’s wicked waywardness’ demonstrating how she does not believe the validity of Catherine’s illness. However increasingly throughout Chapter XII Catherine does seem to become ill but despite her state the reader’s sympathy appears to be concentrated on Edgar as he tended her ‘day and night’. His loyalty makes Catherine’s intimacy with Heathcliff and her love for the aforementioned seem even orse. Catherine’s general treatment of Edgar, with all his loyalty and love for her, is certainly an aspect of her character which can cause abhorrence in the reader, at points demonstrating the wickedness to which Nelly makes reference. Shockingly in Chapter 11 Catherine describes to Nelly how she ‘want( s) to frighten’ her husband and exhibits her cruelty as she declares that ‘if Edgar will be mean and jealous, I’ll try to break their hearts by breaking my own’. This declaration from Catherine is evidence that her illness was self-inflicted and in a fit of cruelty. In this respect it is therefore hard not to agree with Nelly’s assessment of Catherine’s character as ‘wicked’. However there are points within the novel where the reader cannot help but feel respect for Catherine. The incident in Chapter VI where Heathcliff is mocked by Edgar and retaliates by throwing hot Apple sauce in his face is the point at which Catherine demonstrates fully her love for Heathcliff as she shuns the company of others and goes to find him in his room, risking the disapproval of others to comfort the one she loves. In conclusion, Catherine is a character towards whom the reader’s feelings fluctuate due to her raging tempers and occasional infliction of cruelty on other characters. However positively there are incidents, such as the one in Chapter VI that show Catherine’s kind nature and indeed prove that she ‘meant no harm’ despite her wicked ways on occasions. It can be seen that her inability to express her true feelings for Heathcliff, along with his three year absence, drove Catherine to assume the title that Nelly gave her of ‘a wild, wicked slip’. Indeed there can always be explanations to assuage her of this title such as the societal circumstances of her era and the seemingly forbidden love that she harboured for Heathcliff. It is therefore possible to agree to an extent with Nelly’s assessment however there are aspects of Catherine’s character that do not agree with her view. How to cite An Analysis of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Papers

Impairment Loss Accounting Concept

Question: Describe about the Impairment Loss for Accounting Concept. Answer: Impairment loss is an accounting concept which entails to the fact that the on-financial assets of a firm should not be recorded at more than its recoverable amount. International Accounting Standard (IAS) 36 Impairment of Assets clearly describes the reason why an organization should conduct impairment tests periodically, its accounting and the disclosure requirements. Increasing economic instability is one of the reasons why this standard has gained importance off lately. The entities are required to conduct a comprehensive test for impairment every year of its non-financial assets such as goodwill, patents, trademark, plant and machinery etc as on its date of reporting (Investopedia.com, 2016). It is not mandatory that assets are to be impaired each year. Only if indications exist for the same, will such a loss be recorded. Thus first and foremost indicators for impairment have to be checked and reviewed. It can be external as well as internal to an enterprise. External sources are a negative impact of a change in the market interest rates, change in the technology being used, political and legal issues, the net assets of the firm is higher than the market capitalisation. Internal factors include the performance of the company being worse i.e. low productivity due to internal thrusts, possible obsolescence or restructuring (Iasplus.com, 2015). But it is very important to ensure that even though possible indicators do not exist yet one needs to conduct an impairment test annually for the intangible assets such as goodwill, trademarks and patents. After such test is conducted and if the same portrays any such decrease in the value of an asset then the same should be recorded in the income statement as well as the balance sheet of an entity as impairment loss. Thus if the amount at which an asset is shown in the balance sheet currently exceeds its actual amount of recovery then the difference between the two should be recorded as a loss. It is treated as an operating expense in the income statement and the amount is deducted from the respective asset. Further to this it is very important to note that all the assets shown in the balance sheet of a company do not pass through the test of impairment as per IAS 36. Some of them are stock in trade (IAS 2), assets procured by way of construction (IAS 11), the benefits given to employees such as retirement benefits (IAS 19), biological and investment properties that are recognized in the balance sheet at fair value (IAS 41 and IAS40 respectively) (Alina, 2014). Some terms which are important to understand s as to get a clearer picture of the said standard are : CGU: A cash generating unit (CGU) is a group of assets which are capable of generating cash flows for the company independently. Carrying Amount: The value at which an asset is recorded in the balance sheet of an entity as on a particular date is defined as the carrying amount of the asset. Recoverable Amount: The amount that a company may gain on selling the asset is termed as recoverable amount. It is generally higher of fair value or value in use. Value in Use: NPV of the future cash flows from an asset is termed as value in use (Marques, 2010). Although the assets get impaired, yet there are situations wherein such impairment is required to be reversed as well but for goodwill, which once impaired or devalued cannot be reversed. It is the same internal and external indicators which prompts an entity to consider such a reversal but only to the extent the carrying amount of the asset would have been had it not been impaired in the past. However once such a reversal happens or indications of reversal is known the depreciation or the amortization of the said asset should be considered and necessary accounting entries for the same should be done (Buschhuter, Striegel, 2011). For example if a cash generating unit is subject to impairment and the amount of loss attributable to individual assets is not known then firstly the entire goodwill is written off as a part of such impairment and then the balance is divided amongst the assets remaining for impairment on a pro rata basis. Now if such an impairment is to be reversed then all assets are a subject to the said reversal except for goodwill. IAS 36 requires the entities considering impairment of its assets to make certain disclosures to its notes to financial statements. However it is remarkable to notice that the extent of disclosure with regards impairment of goodwill is much more extensive and exhaustive as compared to other assets impairment. The main disclosures which are mandatory as per the standard are as under: The factors that led to consideration of the impairment of an asset. The amount of impairment loss recognized or reversed for the assets individually or the cash generating units as a whole. The amount of impairment allocated to goodwill. The method used for arriving at the amount of impairment loss i.e. the fair value method or the value in use method. The discount rate used for the determination of the present value of the future cash flows from the assets. If the entity does segmental reporting then a separate disclosure with regards the impairment loss recognized or reversed with regards an asset which is a part of the segment (DAlauro, 2013). Therefore on a concluding note it is understood that the said standard is very important for revelation of a true and fair view of the assets of a company. Further the companys health is known which enables investors to take an informed decision with regards how well the company would be able to pay off its debts with the help of the available asset base. The global economic crisis in the year 2008, has made this standard all the more mandatory. Countries across the globe have recognized this standard as a part of their accounting standards like AASB 136, the standard spelt out by Australian Accounting Standard deals with impairment which is similar to IAS 36. References: Alina, S., (2014), Application Review of IAS 36 : The Issues Companies face Regarding Impairment of Assets, Journal of International Scientific Publications, vol. 8, pp. 25-35 Buschhuter, M., Striegel, A., (2011), IAS36- Impairment of Assets, Gabler: USA DAlauro, G., (2013),The Impact of IAS 36 on goodwill disclosure : Evidence of the write-offs and performance effects, Intangible Capital, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 754-799 Investopedia.com, (2016), Impaired Asset, Available at https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/impairedasset.asp (Accessed 17th September 2016) Iasplus.com, (2015), IAS 36- Impairment of Assets, Available at https://www.iasplus.com/en/standards/ias/ias36 (Accessed 17th September 2016) Marques, M.C., (2010), Impairment of assets appraised in accordance with IAS 36, American Based Research Journal, vol. 2, no.7, pp. 23-34

Ghibertis Baptistry Doors (3Rd Set) Essays - Book Of Genesis

Ghiberti's Baptistry Doors (3Rd Set) The work of art that I chose to do my research paper on was Ghiberti's 3rd set of Baptistry Doors. These doors are known as The Gates of Paradise. The doors were commissioned in 1427; they were finally completed and installed in 1452 at the eastern entrance of the Baptistry of San Giovanni. The replication of the doors is located in San Francisco, at Grace Cathedral. The doors consist of ten square panels, gilded together. Surrounding the panels are small heads, floral motifs, and niches that contain miniature statues of Prophets. Leonardo Bruni created the iconographic formula, taken from stories of the Old Testament. Ghiberti followed the plans and created 10 scenes ranging from the Creation of Adam and Eve to the reign of King Solomon. The top left panel is the scene of the Creation, Temptation and Expulsion of Adam and Eve. The top right panel is the scene of Cain murdering Abel. The next panel is of Noah and the Flood; then Abraham sacrificing Isaac; Jacob and Esau; Joseph being sold into slavery by his brothers; Moses receiving the Ten Commandments; Joshua and the battle of Jericho; David and Goliath; and finally Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. All the panels were gilded in gold, giving them a uniform and seamless perspective. Ghiberti was a master of using perspective in his works. The attention to detail is apparent when you examine closely the sculpted figures in each panel. They all seem three-dimensional. The way in which Ghiberti sculpted each figure, gives them a shadow against the background which is key to the three-dimensional perspective of each figure. The way in which the panels were positioned on the doors is interesting. Instead of using smaller panels, which would allow for more scenes, Ghiberti chose to use large panels that are easy to see. The miniature figures and heads surrounding the ten panels is another interesting point. The full body figures are Prophets. There are 20 prophets surrounding the panels. Most likely they were also taken from the Old Testament. Each of these prophets is in the motion of some type of action. Their action is probably what they were known for and why they became Prophets. Again, Ghiberti gives each a three-dimensional pose. He is past the old ways of symmetry and each figure looks realistic in pose. They have a weight shifted stance that adds to the realism of each. The detail on each is also magnificent. The folds in the garment are clearly depicted. The way the clothes drape on the bodies is also realistic. They gather more on one side as opposed to the other side. The way the bodies limbs press underneath the garments also show great attention to detail. There are 24 heads also placed on the outside of the panels. The people that these heads depict are unknown. The only head that is known is of Ghiberti himself. His head is located at the lower right corner of the Jacob and Esau panel. As you can tell by his self-portrayal, Ghiberti was a man about 30-40 years of age. Again, Ghiberti chose to pay great attention to detail for these heads. The way the heads were fashioned is like the techniques used by the Romans. Their heads come out of a circular ring, and part of their upper body is visible. The ways in which the heads are sculpted give them a background shadow that adds to their three-dimensionalism. Its been argued that the people that these heads represent friends of Ghiberti. The perspective used in each of the panels is unique. They all use linear perspective, which Ghiberti became known for. Like Massacio, Ghiberti used the perspective of building and how they relate to certain viewpoints. As the figures and buildings recede into the background, they all have a certain detail of spatial depth. The figures and buildings in the background are considerably smaller than those in the foreground are. The scenery in the background adds to the sense of depth in the panels. If you look at a certain panel, the horizon extends well past the current scene in each panel. Ghiberti knew how to use the vanishing point

Double Consciousness through the Ethics of Jim Crow essays

Double Consciousness through the Ethics of Jim Crow essays Richard Wright, decades after W.E.B. DuBois wrote about Double Consciousness, highlighted the theory through the many events described in his autobiographical sketch The Ethics of Living Jim Crow. The essay is a collection of his experiences where he began to understand the difference of being an American and being an African American in America. His experiences illustrated how African Americans had to understand how they were perceived by Whites. Through Wrights experiences it was very clear the lessons learned and how it applied to Double Consciousness. At a young age, just as DuBois, Wright first learned that he was different and that there were rules to coexisting with Whites in America. From his first lesson in his Arkansas neighborhood he learned that he was not supposed to fight with whites. His mother instilled in him a way to coexist or act with Whites, to take himself out of the equation. This was only the beginning; there were many more lessons to be learned. In the second lesson he learned the lesson of submission and that he must always use Sir or Mister while speaking to a white man. It is beginning to become painfully clear to him that because he is African American that he is not just an American, yet an African American in America. The lessons that he learns are all lessons that many had to learn that gave them the sense that they were different. Over time Wright continues to learn the many lesson associated with the times of Jim Crow. The idea of Double Consciousness is to be able to separate yourself from the ideals and lesson learned and seeing that you are looked at differently, even if you do not understand why. When Wright wrote the note to the library saying: Please let this nigger boy have the following books (1395). it became clear that he was engaged in his own Double Consciousness. He understood that he was looked at as just a Nigger and that to gain strength he needed understand t...

Healthcare Solutions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Healthcare Solutions - Research Paper Example This ensures deep industry expertise is employed in delivering demonstrated benefits that include savings. Studies show that many benefits that associate with the involvement of a healthcare solutions company. This may include; deeper savings, this because a prospective kind of management that is employed through adoption of market leading technology (Plunkett, 2009). It is an efficient way that provides a single source of worker`s compensations including auto solutions in a more amicable way. This allows easy tracking of issues that may need urgent attention. It is the most essential way that serves to reduce administrative costs and time as it engages seamless customer service in its operations, a factor that is beneficial to both parties involved. However, there are that are associated with such healthcare solution companies despite many advantages involved with the healthcare solution services. It is with this point that the problems need to be discussed to in a bit to find ways of implementing improvements to better service provision. According to studies, innovations in healthcare solution provision are associated with many difficulties. It is revealed that the process of packaging and delivering healthcare solutions is in efficient and consumer unfriendly in the United States. Many of the problems however, range from soaring cost of health care, many medical errors. This problems needs to be fixed through innovation in all aspects of health care solution provision. However, their various issues or problems associated with innovation that hinders the whole process. There are hindering forces that inhibit innovation; the health care sector comprises of many stakeholders with different interests and agendas. Because of subst antial powers and resources that such players may have, they may use the resources and power to influence public policies through direct or indirect attack against innovators. For instance, many a times, doctors

Role of Compromise in Delaying the Civil War Essay

Role of Compromise in Delaying the Civil War - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the period before the American civil war of 1861-1865 was one of the politically dramatic periods in American history. This essay discusses that compromise played a big role in delaying the civil war until 1861. The compromise of 1850 consisted of five bills processed by Clay and advocated by Douglas. This paper illustrates that the bill made it possible for Texas to withdraw its war claim to New Mexico. States such as Washington D.C agreed to ban of slave trade whereas others such as national capital retained slave trade. Additionally, other states allowed California to be a free state. The author has rightly presented that the ideas of popular sovereignty sought to manifest sovereign powers to the people by allowing them to have free will in determining their political and societal discourse. The paper tells that this was most evident in Kansas-Nebraska act. Douglas advocated for democracy and free will among the people. Different st ates were able to make their own independent decisions regarding an important issue such as the constitution. This helped delay the civil war appreciably. This essay discusses that Missouri compromise aimed at finding a consensus between pro and anti-slavery factions. House of Representatives eased their stand on the issue. According to the research findings, Missouri was allowed to make their own constitution in which they sought to forbid slave trade.

Describe either a good or a bad experience with a sales person. What Essay

Describe either a good or a bad experience with a sales person. What made it good or bad - Essay Example I received a call from the holiday promoters that I had won a short holiday to a beach resort, and to avail this prize I had to visit their office. As advised, I reached their office and received a warm welcome by the marketing agent. Before explaining about the prize that I won, this agent started explaining about their company and various products they offered. The bottom-line information was not being provided. I had to intervene and ask specifically about the product because I did not have the time as well as patience to listen about something that I was not really interested. Upon interrupting, the agent started explaining about the prize, which was a holiday to a beach resort. When I confirmed that I would be interested to go on a holiday by using this prize, I was shown a very different picture. The agent then started explaining the process of availing this, so called, prize. I then realized this was not a prize, but a marketing and sales promotion activity. To avail the holiday, I had to spend money and would be given stay at subsidized rate, and hence was not free of cost; the rest of the costs had to be borne by myself. This was totally shocking and displeasing experience as I was not ready for such risky expenses at that time. Upon learning about my low level of interest in this scheme, the agent put me through his marketing manager. This manager, indeed, continued with the sales promotion of the holiday package and also tried to meet his other targets by promoting products like ‘life-time’ holiday membership to various destinations across the world and so on. The initial holiday package, which was promoted as a lucky prize was a trial sales purchase promotion that did not impress me and also did not seem genuine. Although this attempt from the hotel company was an attempt to reach customers, the sampling and proposed contests did not cohere with my requirements, interests and situation. Moreover, the entire process

Impact of Globalization on International Conflicts

Impact of Globalization on International Conflicts Introduction Globalization is a process that relies upon strategies internationally with the aim of expanding business operations on the face of the world. This is with the help of global communications, which have been made possible due to advancements in technology, developments in the political front, socioeconomic, and the environment. Another definition to globalization is cross-border interactions being intensified and countries depending on one another. This definition shades light on how the international system has changed. Relationships have changed in individual states due to depending on one another and whatever events are ongoing outside their boundaries are more likely to have an impact within their territories. In this paper, we shall look at the conflicts and how different nations are embracing globalization to help root out these conflicts, (Holm and SÃ ¸rensen, 1995).[1] Global change is a rapid process and it is hard to keep track of the new and many developments. Nevertheless, trends are observable and they all add up to globalization. Currently, there is a contradiction in globalization being in full force and the global governance processes that are in existence have insufficient power, the scope and an authority, which ensures that a certain direction is followed, as well as regulations that all lead to beneficial results for all parties involved. Thus, more often than not, globalization does not offer equal effects and it is disruptive. New challenges also have rose in institutions (the public ones), which become less autonomous and are weak in their support. The process of globalization is turbulent, as analysts have found out. In addition, it may be touted as representing a rational economy, however, there is a dark side to it. Critics have always brought out the side of globalization that runs soley on economic power. In addition, it favors the western cultures and their corporations, which puts a lot of communities and jobs at risk. Rich countries have an exploitative nature; they harness cheap labor from countries that are poorer. This creates threats to the environment and does not uphold the principles of democracy and/or social stability. This is through plunging political institutions of the nation into unavoidable forces of change in the economy. Moreover, quite a volume of essays highlight that globalization is uneven, (Holm and SÃ ¸rensen, 1995). This can be analyzed in terms of its processes as well as its effects. It results in concentrations and deprivations which, on average, encompass a well defined structure of power. Globalization creates conflicts, which, on one end, focus on cultural issues as well as identity, and on the other, the issues are primarily economic. From historical archives, social change can be closely associated with the ever-rising levels of conflict. Sorokin did a study, which explored this, largely, (1937: 409-475). His study encompassed twelve countries and it showed to what extent what he refers to as social strife was at its greatest in eras when a certain society was involved in a change that was significant (for example, religion). Such a moment of change is transitional and it cannot pass by without it being muddled in conflicts of values and interests. There is also the paradox of reflectivity. Analysts say that increased reflectivity comes from effects of rapid changes. These changes emanate from societies from all over the world. These rapid changes in turn contribute to incidences of conflict. There is also the effect of globalization in terms of identity. Basically, globalization seeks to homogenize people but it is also a fact that it increases social heterogeneity as an awareness. There are quite a number of groups whose identity rests upon race and ethnicity, religion, and language. These groups have used media in a global sense to voice their discontent. At the end of cold war, ethnic revival was unleashed. It goes without saying that cold war was a conflict [2]among states and it propagated the primal need for a national identity in a worldwide society. During the 1990s, this notion was weakened by globalization. It was less effective in ensuring that people complied or being able to integrate a society nationwide. This means that minorities are better off in reasserting their identity in reference to cultural forces of hegemony. These minorities therefore identify the state as not being a reliable promoter and protector of their interests (which are domestic in natu re). They see the state as collaborating more with external forces (Scholte, 1997). Therefore, in the 1990s, we can argue that conflict is not primarily found between and among states, but rather, the state and its groups. In this case, we can comfortably say that globalization has helped root out conflicts between states but resulted in creating conflicts within the state itself. In the economic world, globalization compels businesses to embrace diverse strategies in relation to the new trend of ideas so as to bring on average the rights and interests of a person and the entire community. This makes the businesses have a competitive front in the world. This also gives business leaders, management, and labor a significant change. This is through accepting the contribution of workers and that of the government so that company strategies and policies are developed and implemented. In this case, globalization has reduced conflicts. It enables companies from different countries to share ideas, transact business together, make dealerships, et al. however, it should be noted that some companies may decide to undertake competition. Either way, it is healthy. Businesses will be motivated to embrace new ideas, strategies, and policies. The reduction of risks can be done through diversification. Companies will be involved with financial institutions internationally and thus making partnerships with businesses locally and with other nations. The process of globalization also increases the dire need for knowledge on the differences of culture between countries as well as the culture of the corporate world. Employers from time to time send their experts to other countries so that they can build subsidiaries and/or support the ones that are already in existence, (Beaverstock, 2012). For a successful subsidiary, language skills are fundamental, so are the influences of the sub culture, the styles of communications of which they are different, societal behaviors. This points out to the fact that in terms of economy, globalization does not create a conflict, it deals away with any conflict that is present. In the economic front, there is what Schumpeter refers to as ‘creative destruction’, (1942: 84). Firms are catapulted into innovation because of competition; surely, a firm cannot just look at its competitors embracing new ideas while it is just stagnant. Innovation here involves both products and the process of production. On the other hand, industries and regions can undergo destruction or marginalization. This is because competitors may become more innovative in a certain area and take lead. In an economy, that has become globalized, national boundaries and distances have diminished, (Ake, 1995: 26). This is because the many obstacles have been done away with thus ensuring market access. Cost of transaction has been reduced significantly as well as the time [3]and distance being compressed and this refers to the international transactions. Several changes have been brought about by globalization. They include trade dynamics, flow of capital, and technology transfer. Markets and production present in different countries have made these countries depend on one another. International competition, as said earlier, is increasing in intensity and in turn increases the strategic interactions across the border. This further makes the various business enterprises to organize and structure themselves into transnational networks. Globalization is characterized by increasing interdependence on various levels. For example, foreign direct investment goes hand in hand with technology t ransfer and the knowhow. It also includes the flow of capital, which is in form of international loans, equity, profit repatriation, et al. this facilitates the export of goods and services from countries that are investing. In this case, also, globalization has brought countries together to a united economic front. The aim is to develop interdependent business across different countries. It is due to globalization that we have trade blocs, (Sorensen, 2004). Members in the same block undertake transactions as it were within their national boundaries. However, we can note that the countries outside this trade bloc suffer from what is called trade diversion. This country will not be able to get the benefits the countries within the bloc are getting. It is from this trade ties that conflicts arise. A country may feel sidelined and thus any ties to the countries in the trade bloc may be severed. Conclusion Globalization by definition is a process, which relies on international strategies while aiming to expand businesses globally. The goal of globalization in this case is to give organizations an upper hand in competition through lowering costs, increased number of products as well as services and customers. Globalization has an hand in conflict creation as well as conflict resolution. In the economic arena, globalization has unified various economies and countries. International trade is now a possibility and countries depend on one another. Cross border costs when conducting trade have been lifted and transport and communication between countries conducting trade have been improved. Borrowing of ideas for implementation in other countries has also resulted because of globalization. New businesses have been started in other countries and this is because there are set policies and strategies. In addition, for businesses to be global, knowledge and language skills come in handy to under standing a foreign market and knowing the consumer needs. Globalization also enhances cultural diversity. People from different ethnic groups, big and small, have a worldwide audience for their cultural values and beliefs. Lastly, international trade may be facilitated by globalization, however, due to the emergence of trade blocs, some countries are left out. This is trade diversion and it may create a conflict between countries in a trade bloc and those without. This means, therefore, that globalization increases and reduces conflicts in the international system at the same time. However, the larger part it plays is to reduce conflicts or resolve them. Reference List Ake, C. 1995. The new world order: a view from Africa. In Holm, Hans-Henrik and SÃ ¸rensen, Georg Eds., Whose World Order: Uneven Globalization and the End of the Cold War, Boulder: West view. Beaverstock, J. V. (2012). Highly skilles international labour migration and worldcities:expatriates, executives and entrepreneurs. In B. Derruder, M. Hoyler, P. J. Taylor, F.Witlox, International Handbook of Globalisation and World cities (pp. 240-249). Cheltenham, Uk: Edward Elgar Publication Ltd. Scholte, Jan Aart. 1997. constructions of collective identity in a time of globalisation.http://nexxus.com.cwru.edu/amjdc/papers/76. Schumpeter, Joseph. 1942. Capitalism, socialism and democracy. New York: Harper. Sorensen, G. (2004).The transformation of the state – beyond the myth of retreat;Palgrave Macmillan. Sorokin, P.A. 1937. Social and cultural dynamics, vol III, fluctuations of social relationships, war and revolution. New York: America Books Co. Holm, Hans-Henrik and Georg SÃ ¸rensen. 1995. Introduction: what has changed. In Holm and SÃ ¸rensen, Whose World Order: Uneven Globalization and the End of the Cold War. Boulder: West view. [1] Holm, Hans-Henrik and Georg SÃ ¸rensen. 1995. Introduction: what has changed. In Holm and SÃ ¸rensen, Whose World Order: Uneven Globalization and the End of the Cold War. Boulder: West view. [2] Sorokin, P.A. 1937. Social and cultural dynamics, Vol. III, fluctuations of social relationships, war and revolution. New York: America Books Co. Scholte, Jan Aart. 1997. Constructions of collective identity in a time of globalization.http://nexxus.com.cwru.edu/amjdc/papers/76. [3] Sorensen, G. (2004).The transformation of the state – beyond the myth of retreat;Palgrave Macmillan

Hydrofoils and How They Work :: Hydrofoil Physics Boat Boating Watercraft

What is a hydrofoil? A hydrofoil is a watercraft that is supported on ski-like pontoons while in motion, with the bulk of the hull remaining entirely above the water (Encarta Encyclopedia 2002). Hydrofoils were first seen about in 1869. Emmanuel Denis Farcot was issued a patent on a boat that he had developed to go faster through the water because of less resistance. If you look at his design, he was using many little foils along the side of his boat to lift it out of the water in order to reduce the drag on the hull of the boat. Hydrofoils are not only used on boats. Guidoni and Croco took the idea of hydrofoils and put then on seaplanes. Their main reason for puting foils on the plane was to make the landings smoother and to make takeoffs much quicker. The plane can get out of the water much faster with foils because there is less drag inhibiting the plane from gaining speed to get airborn. This is useful when taking off of short lakes or in rough water. There are many purposes for hydrofoils. The main reason people or buisnesses install hydrofoils onto their watercraft is to decrease the drag of the boat as it travels through the water. By decreasing the drag, the watercraft is able to travel at higher speeds while burning less fuel. This makes use of the watercraft much more economical and provides a smoother, more comfortable ride because the watercraft rides above the reach of most of the waves. Another reason to use hydrofoils is because they are fun. The picture below shows a water ski that has been transformed into something that you sit on with your feet in front of you while you are "floating on air" behind a ski boat. When used on sail boats, hydrofoils can increase the top speed by quite a bit. Once the hull of the sail boat is out the the water the drag from the water is much less. Simply explained, there is less surface area "rubbing" on the water to slow the boat down. This means that even with gentle winds, a small boat can really get moving. Most hydrofoils lift the watercraft that they are supporting in the same way that airplane wings keep the plane supported in the air. With enough lift on the water foils, the hull of the watercraft is lifted out of the water.

Operations Management assignment Essay

Supply chain management is the coordination of the processes and functions within a business, adopted by most companies in the UK in the late 1990’s. It deals with the internal and external factors that, when dealt with correctly and systematically, can determine a businesses success or failure. A supply chain is the network of activities that delivers a finished product service to the customer. By definition, supply chain management (SCM) is â€Å"the management of the flows of materials from suppliers to customers in order to reduce overall cost and increase responsiveness to the customers† (Reid & Sanders). SCM entails the co-ordination of the movement of good through the supply chain from suppliers to manufacturers to distributors to the final customer. The main aim of SCM is to maximise the efficiency of any given process being carried out by a company; by doing this it is allowing them to try to cut their costs and hopefully keep satisfying their customers’ needs, while at the same time maintaining their competitive position within their market. Supply chain management is seen as more of an â€Å"open system† in contrast to the traditional system used by the majority of companies just 20 years ago. The new â€Å"open system† allows room for change which is greatly needed with the current financial instability of the economy. SCM has evolved over the years and has moulded to suit the ever changing economy. First adopted by the Japanese, in the form of Geba Kai (A meeting of the minds), the now commonly found process is used by a vast amount of companies in the UK. Nowadays, SCM within a business is responsible for a product from when it’s in its raw state to when it’s a finished product, ready for consumption by customers. The chain management that Comfort Company PLC currently uses is a very traditional system, otherwise known as a â€Å"closed system†. This type of management system isolates itself from the other components in the supply chain and therefore only has communication flowing through the companies own system, this is a negative attribute as it prevents the company from getting important and influential information about the state of the other links in their supply chain. When the dynamics of change happened, it forced the breakthrough of a new approach, the â€Å"open system†. The â€Å"open system† made companies a lot more open to operational change and as a result of this it made several managers, whose companies used the closed, more traditional system, view the new approach as a loss of power; this consequently made a lot of companies resist against the change. The new and more flexible â€Å"open system† was adopted firstly by the Japanese in the form of â€Å"Geba Kai†, they were closely flowed by the British who quickly followed them in adopting it. There are still some nations that, even now, rigidly stick to their old ways and use the â€Å"closed system†, two examples of these nations are the Americans and the Germans. Along with the list of positives the company will gain by changing from a traditional chain system to a more formal supply chain management (SCM) system, there are also a few strategic reasons why a company should change to the newer system, reasons that will help them to stay on par with the other business’ within their industry and within the whole business sector. One of these reasons is globalisation. As stated in â€Å"Operations management: Along the supply chain†, Two thirds of today’s businesses operate globally through global markets, global operations, global financing, and global supply chains†. Globalisation means that British companies, such as Comfort Company PLC are going to have to be prepared to compete in markets that are foreign to them and also have foreign competition within their own domestic markets. Companies that adopt, or have already adopted, a formal supply chain management system will have an advantage upon those who havenâ€⠄¢t and will be able to benefit from globalisation. There are many benefits a company would gain from introducing a formal supply chain management system, all fulfilling the wish to supply the customer with good quality products that â€Å"Comfort Company plc† posses, while at the same time giving them an opportunity to maximise their customer satisfaction, manage their supply chain effectively and allow flexibility to their supply chain. By maximising customer satisfaction, â€Å"Comfort Company plc† could asses how well they are meeting their customers needs, while at the same receiving an indication of how well the business is doing in comparison with their competition; both in their market and foreign markets. Having a flexible supply chain would mean that the company would be able to react to change in demand quickly to ensure that they level the demand to their output, this would save them a lot of time, waste and resources if a freak change in demand was to happen. If â€Å"Comfort company plc† did not adopt the formal supply chain management system they would be at risk of loosing a lot of money if an unforeseeable change was to happen, this would give them a disadvantage upon the competition and would lower their competitive advantage. Effective management of a supply chain could open up opportunities for â€Å"Comfort Company plc† to improve many aspects of their production, and potentially save themselves a lot of money. By identifying the unnecessary waste along the supply chain, â€Å"Comfort Company plc† could make the process an easier, cheaper and quicker one for themselves and other links in their supply chain; this would make the chain more productive, co nsequently making the finished product â€Å"better value†. One of the main advantages of a formal supply chain management system, and an excellent attribute a company can have, is an advantage upon your competitors. Defined, competitive advantage is â€Å"an advantage over competition gained by offering consumers greater value, either by means of lower prices or by providing greater benefits and service that justifies higher prices†(Tutor2u.net, 2011). The type of competitive advantages a company such as â€Å"Comfort Company plc† would achieve from a formal SCM system are advantages such as lower costs and operational flexibility. As there are numerous ways of gaining a competitive advantage, the company in question needs to do some research into their market to see how it could be done, they could research the ways in which their successful competition operate and try to adopt some of their approaches. A good example of a company using its formal SCM system to achieve a good competitive advantage is Dell Computer Corporation. â€Å"Quick delivery of customised computers at prices 10-15 percent lower than the industry standard is Dell’s competitive advantage. A customised Dell computer can be en route to the customer within thirty-six hours. This quick response allows Dell to reduce its inventory level to approximately thirteen days of supply. Dell achieves this in part through its warehousing plan. Most of the components Dell uses are warehoused within fifteen minute travel time to an assembly point. Dell does not order components at its Austin, Texas, facility; instead, suppliers restock warehouses as needed, and Dell is only billed for items only after they are shipped. The result is better value for the customer† (Reid & Sanders). There are a few ways â€Å"Comfort Company plc† can gain competitive advantage within their market, such as using tools like business to business (B2B) e-commerce, or adopting one of Dells results gaining approaches and making sure that there components and raw materials for making the products are located a short travel time away from the place of assembly. Being situated on the Crewe Gates industrial park, where many other businesses, some similar to â€Å"Comfort Company plc† no doubt, are situated, there’s sure to be some way that they could find a supplier closer. If this was to succeed they could create a good, strong relationship with the suppliers and build a barrier of trust and communication, this would be a perfect scenario to ensure the links in the supply chain are strong, as the supply chain is â€Å"only as weak and its weakest link† and vice versa. A business to business (B2B) e-commerce is when companies sell to other business, it is the largest segment of e-commerce. If â€Å"Comfort Company plc† were to use business to business (B2B) e-commerce, they could gain potential benefits such as: †¢Lower procurement administrative costs, †¢Better quality because if increased cooperation of between buyers and sellers, especially during the product design and development, †¢Low-cost access to global suppliers, †¢Lower inventory investment due to price transparency and reduced response times (R. Dan Reid, Nada R. Sanders) The reasons/advantages stated above for changing from a traditional chain system to a formal supply chain management system are in fact more than just small advantages â€Å"Comfort Company plc† could gain, but necessary changed that need to be made if they want to survive the current economical crisis and still have customers/revenue at the end of it. With globalisation growing and the need to satisfy the customers becoming more apparent and diverse, the formal supply chain management system is a necessary system that every business, no matter how small or large, should put into place. The formal SCM system will allow â€Å"Comfort Company plc† to integrate their information systems with their suppliers and customers in an effort to meet their goals and objective while still at the same time doing this in a cost-saving way. With every new system brought into a company, there is the risk of it creating a few problems within the company; this makes the need of a contingency plan much higher. There are a few risks that come along with implementing such a big change to a business so set in its ways like â€Å"Comfort Company plc†, a main one being the possible lack of cooperation from the workforce or managers. When change happens in a workplace the employees can feel threatened and scared and will sometimes rebel against the new change, this could be avoided if the company took a few simple procedures to ensure the workforce are happy with the new system. They should tell the workforce about the new operational plan and get their feedback on it, this will make them feel involved in the change and will hopefully make them feel less alienated. Also, they should sit them down and explain the needs of introducing a formal supply chain management system into the company, and the benefits it would gain by doing so, if they feel it would be benefiting the company, they should feel happier about the change going on. Furthermore, if both of the steps are carried out correctly, it could make them more motivated towards their job as they will feel involved in the company and will hopefully want it to succeed. Another risk of the formal supply chain management system is the potential loss of jobs within the company; this will be because some members of staff will not be needed as a go between for information between suppliers and so on. The redundancies in the company could possibly cause bad feeling between the workforce and the new system and could de-motivate them, possibly leading to a decrease in the effort put in by the workforce; this could potentially lead to a product being of a lower quality. Also, the possible redundancies made will be a negative factor for the economy as there will be a few more unemployed people in the country; this is one of the only major downfalls of the introduction of the formal SCM system. However, there may be members of staff who are close to retirement and could benefit from voluntary redundancy and the benefits that go with it. A negative of that would be that â€Å"Comfort Company plc† may loose some of their staff with the most experience and expertise, potentially making them train up current members of staff to the same quality as the members of staff who left. However, the operations management team at â€Å"Comfort Company plc† will have to put contingency plans in place that cover all of the possible risks, and ways to reduce the risks from happening. There are many needs of introducing a formal supply chain management system into â€Å"Comfort Company plc†, and many advantages it would gain by doing so. While there are also some risks involved, the advantages and needs outweigh them massively as they could potentially provide â€Å"Comfort Company plc† with a competitive advantage, while at the same time reducing their costs and use of resources. Like the traditional chain system currently adopted by â€Å"Comfort Company plc†, the new, more up to date formal supply chain management system will fulfil their wish to supply the customer with good quality products while at the same time saving them resources and money, making them more profitable. The introduction of a formal supply chain management (SCM) system is necessary and â€Å"Comfort Company plc† should definitely strongly consider it. References: †¢Operations Management: An integrated approach (2007) (3rd edition) R. Dan Reid, Nada R. Sanders. Pages 16, 98-105 †¢Operations Management: Along the supply chain (6h edition) Russell & Taylor. Page 9. †¢Tutur2u.net (2011) Competitive advantage (WWW) Available from: http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/competitive_advantage.htm

Colonel Gregory Pappy Boyington

Colonel Gregory Pappy Boyington Early Life Gregory Boyington was born December 4, 1912, in Coeur dAlene, Idaho. Raised in the town of St. Maries, Boyingtons parents divorced early in his life and he was raised by his mother and an alcoholic stepfather. Believing his step-father to be his biological father, he went by the name Gregory Hallenbeck until graduating from college. Boyington first flew at age six when he was given a ride by famed barnstormer Clyde Pangborn. At age fourteen, the family moved to Tacoma, WA. While in high school, he became an avid wrestler and later gained admission to the University of Washington. Entering UW in 1930, he joined the ROTC program and majored in aeronautical engineering. A member of the wrestling team, he spent his summers working in a gold mine in Idaho to help pay for school. Graduating in 1934, Boyington was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Coast Artillery Reserve and accepted a position at Boeing as an engineer and draftsman. That same year he married his girlfriend, Helene. After a year with Boeing, he joined the Volunteer Marine Corps Reserve on June 13, 1935. It was during this process that he learned about his biological father and changed his name to Boyington. Early Career Seven months later, Boyington was accepted as an aviation cadet in the Marine Corps Reserve and assigned to Naval Air Station, Pensacola for training. Though he had not previously shown an interest in alcohol, the well-liked Boyington quickly became known as a hard-drinking, brawler among the aviation community. Despite his active social life, he successfully completed training and earned his wings as a naval aviator on March 11, 1937. That July, Boyington was discharged from the reserves and accepted a commission as a second lieutenant in the regular Marine Corps. Sent to the Basic School in Philadelphia in July 1938, Boyington was largely uninterested in the mostly infantry-based curriculum and performed poorly. This was exacerbated by heavy drinking, fighting, and failure to repay loans. He was next assigned to Naval Air Station, San Diego where he flew with the 2nd Marine Air Group. Though he continued to be a discipline problem on the ground, he quickly demonstrated his skill in the air and was one of the best pilots in the unit. Promoted to lieutenant in November 1940, he returned to Pensacola as an instructor. Flying Tigers While at Pensacola, Boyington continued to have problems and at one point in January 1941 struck a superior officer during a fight over a girl (who was not Helene). With his career in shambles, he resigned from the Marine Corps on August 26, 1941, to accept a position with the Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company. A civilian organization, the CAMCO recruited pilots and staff for what would become the American Volunteer Group in China. Tasked with defending China and the Burma Road from the Japanese, the AVG became known as the Flying Tigers. Though he frequently clashed with the AVGs commander, Claire Chennault, Boyington was effective in the air and became one of the units squadron commanders. During his time with the Flying Tigers, he destroyed several Japanese aircraft in the air and on the ground. While Boyington claimed six kills with the Flying Tigers, a figure accepted by the Marine Corps, records indicate that he may actually have scored as few as two. With World War II raging and having flown 300 combat hours, he left the AVG in April 1942 and returned to the United States. World War II Despite his earlier poor record with the Marine Corps, Boyington was able to secure a commission as first lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve on September 29, 1942 as the service was in need of experienced pilots. Reporting for duty on November 23, he was given a temporary promotion to major the next day. Ordered to join Marine Air Group 11 on Guadalcanal, he briefly served as the executive officer of VMF-121. Seeing combat in April 1943, he failed to register any kills. Late that spring, Boyington broke his leg and was assigned to administrative duties. The Black Sheep Squadron During that summer, with American forces requiring more squadrons, Boyington found that there were many pilots and aircraft dispersed around region not being utilized. Pulling these resources together, he worked to form what would ultimately be designated VMF-214. Consisting of a mix of green pilots, replacements, casuals, and experienced veterans, the squadron initially lacked support personnel and possessed damaged or distressed aircraft. As many of the squadrons pilots had previously been unattached, they first wished to be called Boyingtons Bastards, but changed to Black Sheep for press purposes. Flying the Chance Vought F4U Corsair, VMF-214 first operated from bases in the Russell Islands. At age 31, Boyington was nearly a decade older than most of his pilots and earned the nicknames Gramps and Pappy. Flying their first combat mission on September 14, the pilots of VMF-214 quickly began accumulating kills. Among those adding to their tally was Boyington who downed 14 Japanese planes a 32-day span, including five on September 19. Quickly becoming known for their flamboyant style and daring, the squadron conducted a bold raid on the Japanese airfield at Kahili, Bougainville on October 17. Home to 60 Japanese aircraft, Boyington circled the base with 24 Corsairs daring the enemy to send up fighters. In the resulting battle, VMF-214 downed 20 enemy aircraft while sustaining no losses. Through the fall, Boyingtons kill total continued to increase until he reached 25 on December 27, one short of Eddie Rickenbackers American record. On January 3, 1944, Boyington led a 48-plane force on a sweep over the Japanese base at Rabaul. As the fighting began, Boyington was seen downing his 26th kill but then became lost in the melee and was not seen again. Though considered killed or missing by his squadron, Boyington had been able to ditch his damaged aircraft. Landing in the water he was rescued by a Japanese submarine and taken prisoner. Prisoner of War Boyington was first taken to Rabaul where he was beaten and interrogated. He was subsequently moved to Truk before being transferred to Ofuna and Omori prisoner camps in Japan. While a POW, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions the previous fall and the Navy Cross for the Rabaul raid. In addition, he was promoted to the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel. Enduring a harsh existence as a POW, Boyington was liberated on August 29, 1945 following the dropping of the atom bombs. Returning to the United States, he claimed two additional kills during the Rabaul raid. In the euphoria of victory, these claims were not questioned and he was credited with a total of 28 making him the Marine Corps top ace of the war. After being formally presented with his medals, he was placed on a Victory Bond tour. During the tour, his issues with drinking began to reemerge sometimes embarrassing the Marine Corps. Later Life Initially assigned to Marine Corps Schools, Quantico he was later posted to Marine Corps Air Depot, Miramar. In this period he struggled with drinking as well as public issues with his love life. On August 1, 1947, the Marine Corps moved him onto the retired list for medical reasons. As a reward for his performance in combat, he was advanced to the rank of colonel at retirement. Plagued by his drinking, he moved through a succession of civilian jobs and was married and divorced several times. He returned to prominence during the 1970s due to the television show Baa Baa Black Sheep, starring Robert Conrad as Boyington, which presented a fictionalized story of VMF-214s exploits. Gregory Boyington died of cancer on January 11, 1988, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Three schools of counselling psychology Essay Example

Three schools of counselling psychology Essay Example Three schools of counselling psychology Essay Three schools of counselling psychology Essay Counselling involves a therapist who offers certain conditions, activities and methods and aims to help clients live more effective lives. Meltzoff and Kornreich (1970) defined counselling as informed and planful application of techniques derived from established psychological principles With regards to one to one talk therapies, there are eight mainstream approaches. Allport (1962) recognised that these counselling approaches fall into three main groups or schools. The first is behaviourism, where the client is a reactive being. The second is the psychodynamic school, where the client is a reactive being in depth. The third is the humanistic school, where the client is in process of becoming.One of these major approaches is psychoanalysis, which belongs to the psychodynamic school. This theory stresses the importance of unconscious factors causing faulty development. Other therapies belonging to the psychodynamic school include analytical therapy and self psychology. Freud suggested a persons behaviour can be understood by the interaction among the three unconscious systems.The Id is the first to develop and looks for immediate gratification in whichever way possible. The Ego develops from the Id and is under the influence from the reality principle. The Superego is the incorporation of parental and social standards (introjection) and acts like a moral restriction. The Ego acts as a mediator between the two systems, and may create defence mechanisms such as repression which puts painful experiences into the unconscious. Therapy aims to use free association to gain insight into unconscious wishes and fixations and to use transference to free the client of them.Personality (or psychosexual) development is marked by five distinct stages. The first is the Oral stage (0-18 months) and is characterised by the infants need to reduce feelings of tension e.g. hunger. If the infants needs are not met, this can cause the adult personality to be pessimistic (Abraham, 1924). The second stage is the Anal stage (18 months-3 years). The main source of pleasure comes from retaining and passing faeces. Freud (1917) suggested that if the child doesnt learn the acceptable behaviour, it may cause loss of self esteem in adulthood. The third stage is the Phallic phase (3 years-adolescence).This is characterised by becoming familiar with the genital organs of both sexes and the Oedipus complex. The child will unconsciously long for the parent of the opposite sex and become hostile towards the parent of the same sex for having that person. The fourth stage is the Latency stage (adolescence) where they resolve their childhood conflicts through masturbation and have romantic relationships, go to school and learn adult responsibility.Most criticisms aimed at psychoanalysis are because it lacks empirical evidence and is not seen as falsifiable (Popper, 1986). It also criticised on the grounds that is phallocentric. It is also argued that the theory is not generalisable because Freuds ideas were based on a demographically restricted sample of individuals The humanistic school offers therapies such as the person centred approach (Rogers, 1902) and reality therapy amongst others.He believed that humans have an actualisi ng tendency to achieve their full potential. It emphasises the role of over socialisation in preventing people to perceive themselves and their environment properly, and consequently not being able to self actualise. Through experience with clients, he found that each persons reality is different, depending on their perceptions and experiences. He called this perception a persons internal frame of reference. When perceptions become maladaptive, therapy aims to focus on each individuals world to help them live more fully, using the core conditions of congruence, unconditional positive regard and empathy.Rogers believed that experiences are valued as positive or negative according to whether they maintain their actualising tendency. Through interaction with others, a self concept develops. This self concept/regard needs to be positively regarded from others. This leads to selective perception of experiences so that they fall in accord with the individuals conditions of worth. Experien ces which dont agree are distorted and arent put into the self structure. This causes incongruence and psychological maladjustment. For congruence to occur, all experiences must be assimilated with other concepts of the self. Counselling aims to recognise incongruous experiences, whilst showing empathy and unconditional positive regard.

Review of Ella Delorias Waterlily Feminist Perspective Essay

Review of Ella Delorias Waterlily Feminist Perspective - Essay Example Ella Cara Deloria is best known for her linguistic and ethnographic work on the Sioux Nation. Though not formally trained as anthropologist, since she was a trained as a teacher, she gained a reputation in the field. She brought a new perspective on her work, as she was born on the Yankton Sioux Reservation and part of a traditional Dakota Sioux family. Deloria was born in the White Swan district of the Yankton Indian Reservation, South Dakota. Her parents were Mary Sully Bordeau Deloria and Philip Deloria, the family having Yankton Sioux, Irish, and French roots. Her father was one of the first Sioux to be ordained as an Episcopalian priest. Although Ella was the first child to the couple, they each had two daughters by previous marriages; her parent had three more children after her. Deloria was brought up on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, at Wakpala, and was educated first at her father's mission school and All Saints Boarding School in Sioux Falls, and then a brief period at the University of Chicago at Oberlin College, Ohio, to which she had won a scholarship. After two years at Oberlinshe she moved to Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, and graduated with a B.Sc. in 1915. Throughout her professional life she suffered from not having had the money or the free time necessary to take an advanced degree, largely because of her commitment to the support of her family; her parents were elderly, and her sister suffered from brain tumors. In addition to her work in anthropology, Deloria had a number of jobs, including teaching dance and physical education, lecturing and giving demonstrations on Native American culture, working for the Camp Fire Girls and for the YWCA, and holding positions at the Sioux Indian Museum in Rapid City, South Dakota, and (as assistant director) the W.H. Deloria had a stroke in 1970 and died the following year of pneumonia. Her family spoke Dakota and Lakota dialects of the Sioux Language. It was through the understanding of the Dakota and Lakota dialects that Deloria would find her place in history. The Deloria family was devote Christians, but also followed the traditional ways of the Dakota people. Ella Deloria was dedicated to her family, which through extended kinship was great in numbers and this was one of the factors that hindered her professional education. Waterlilly was perhaps the highest of Deloria's achievement; it can be described as a book that guides the outsider into the mental as well as the historical world of the nineteenth century Sioux. Deloria was more focused on kinship, tribal structure, and the role of women in her traditional society and this greatly shaped her work. From a feminist perspective, Deloria's work appears to demonstrate the strength of the women in a traditional structure that is greatly misunderstood. In her efforts to research traditional culture and structure, Deloria conducted vast number of interviews with elders, women and tribal historians. She spent 1962-1966 working at the University of South Dakota, where she did her research, lectured, consulted and continued writing that she became an authority on the Dakota and Lakota Sioux. These, to a large extent, defined the content and perspective of her novel - Waterlilly. Through her extensive research work,

Contextual and Theoretical Studies (Information Design - London Essay

Contextual and Theoretical Studies (Information Design - London Underground) - Essay Example This is normally not the case with other forms of art where it is not possible to know what part of the piece was intended for communication and what information it was intended to pass to the viewers. These reasons therefore argue for the case why people may choose a diagram to analyse at the expense of other forms of art (Penrice, 1975). The London underground diagram is used to communicate to ordinary people in the London underground railway system but due to the fact that people have gotten very familiar with it, they tend to ignore it and therefore fail to utilise the information that it provides. It was expected that the diagram would receive a lot of attention from the citizens of the country as well as British art critics due to the fact that the London underground diagram is considered a master piece of art of the twentieth century. Another reason that there should have been more appreciation directed to the diagram is the fact that a lot of artists of the United Kingdom hav e their residences in London as it is considered a centre for art and culture. It is therefore this reason that studying the diagram is important in order to understand how it communicates to the people of London in the city’s underground railway network (Walker, 1979). History of the London underground diagram The LUD idea dates back to 1931 and was brought by an artist named Henry C. Becks but was first rejected on the argument that it was a very revolutionary piece of art. This rejection was however over turned and the diagram was accepted in 1933 at the expense of Stingmore’s map. It is important to note that Beck, the original designer of the diagram, was also responsible for the various subsequent revisions that were carried out on the diagram to reflect the additions of various lines of the London underground railway line system. The reason why Beck chose to use a diagram instead of a map was as a result of a thorough evaluation of the needs of the public in ter ms of the need for clarity of the diagram rather than geographical accuracy. The fact that there were additions of various lines to the underground system made it impossible to maintain a geographically correct diagram and therefore the only option was to ensure that the diagram was clear to the public in the sense that they could see clearly the various lines and the outline of the underground train system (Penrice, 1975). The diagram as a map The diagram has been referred to as a map by various artists as well as ordinary people but it should be noted that this reference has been discredited due to various reasons. Most of the critics have argued that diagrams do not possess some of the unique and communicative features found in maps and therefore cannot be referred to as maps. It is however important to note that a further study by various academicians revealed that there are various common characteristics that are shared between maps and diagrams and therefore it is not wrong to refer to diagrams as maps. The main argument about the differences is due to the specific characteristics of maps as they are used to depict actual pieces of earth although in a much smaller size and on a piece of paper. It is also clear that maps are used to reduce

Toyota Aygo Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Toyota Aygo Marketing - Essay Example Then, there were only five car competitors for the urban youth market segment. However, competitors have grown to twenty today. Thus, in an effort to improve its position in the highly competitive segment, where customers are hard to win, in the year 2014, the company unveiled a new version of the Aygo model with modifications that make it more suitable for the young target customers. The model constitutes the largest individual market share of any Toyota model and has a remarkable track record of attracting new customers to the Toyota brand and winning their loyalty (Lap Lab). Young people have different tastes for cars from the older people. Firstly, they prefer small cars. Tus, in this respect, the Aygo model is small enough to suit the target customer needs. The car’s capacity is four people; the boot is also pretty small, though enough for a carry-on case/a few bags of shopping (Lap Lab). In addition, young people also want economical cars; they are young and not yet at financial peak. In this regard, Aygo is economical in two aspects. Its price is the cheapest of all Toyota models, the average list price in UK being  £8, 59. Further, insurance costs are also relatively lower, and the company offers attractive finance deals to make the car more affordable to the youth. Secondly, the model scores relatively high in fuel economy. The new recently launched model has a fuel efficiency of 68.8mpg, which is a big improvement from its predecessor (Lap Lab). In addition, the youth also want a stylish car with playful features. Styling is one area in which Toyota has majored in to achieve the upper hand in a competitive urban youth market segment. The new version has been designed with style and fun in mind which, the company says to have been inspired by the Japanese youth culture. While the previous Aygo looked tasteless, the new version has a fancy X arrangement that gives it

Researching the marketing mix Essay Example for Free

Researching the marketing mix Essay In this task, I am going to research the marketing mix and I am going to apply this to The Marketing mix is a general phrase used to describe the different kinds of choices organizations have to make in the whole process of bringing a product or service to market. The 4Ps is the best-known way of defining the marketing mix. The 4ps are: Product- what is sold? Place- where is the product is sold? Price-how much the product costs? Promotion- how a business communicates with its customers Place McDonalds sell various food and drink products all over the world and will need to use methods to get their goods made available to consumers. McDonalds use a distribution channel to get their products from the producer to the consumer. Here are the different distribution channels which exist. This is a direct channel between the producer and the consumer. They will deal together without intermediaries involved. This can be beneficial for businesses because it allows a larger proportion of profit and means they can have more control over the marketing of the product. The disadvantage is that the costs will be larger to distribute the products. Retailers such as farm shops and dell use this channel as they sell the products they make directly to the consumer. This is an indirect channel between customer and producer because of the use of a retailer as an intermediary. The producer will distribute their goods to retailers who will then sell the products individually to consumers. Retailers are focused on consumer markets and offer customers advice, convenience, financial assistance and after-sales support. An example of a retailer which uses this channel would be Next. Next will receive their products from their producer and then sell them in store to the consumers. This is an indirect channel between the producer and consumer because a wholesaler is an intermediary in this channel. The producer will supply the wholesaler with a large number of products and then will break the order into smaller quantities to supply to the consumer. The advantage of this is that the consumer can get the goods at a cheaper price because the transport costs are reduced due fewer journeys. The wholesaler makes its profit by buying the product at a cheaper price and adding a profit margin to the price paid by the retailer. Many small businesses such as cafes use this channel as they will get their products supplied by a wholesaler so they can supply the products to consumers. This is a longer indirect channel. There are two intermediaries in this channel which is a wholesaler and a retailer. The producer will supply large quantities to wholesalers who will then break the orders into smaller ones to send out to the retailer who will sell the product directly to the consumer. The retailer will make a profit by charging the consumers more money per unit than what they paid the wholesaler. An example of a retailer which uses this channel is a newsagent. The producers will send bulk orders to wholesalers. The newsagents will then buy the goods to sell in their store from the wholesaler and then sell the products to consumers in store. Product McDonalds sell fast food and drink products all over the world. McDonalds will need to continue to create customer interest and satisfy their needs by developing new products and releasing them into the market. For example, McDonalds recently released their signature collection which was a new set of meals which created customer interest and demand. I will now apply the marketing mix to the McDonalds and using their most well-known McDonalds product which is the Big Mac to show how it is used. The Marketing Mix and the McDonalds Big Mac Product-The Big Mac McDonald’s most well-known burger. The burger is a low budget product. A Big Mac contains to beef burger patties, cheese, salad and a three-part bun. A Big Mac contains around 490 calories. You can also buy a Big Mac meal which comes with a drink and fries. Meals come in medium or large sizes. It is important that McDonalds have a product like the Big Mac because it gives them a good reputation and image which makes them a successful and well-known brand. Place-The only place a Big Mac can be purchased is at a McDonald’s restaurant. McDonald’s restaurants can be found all over the country, some open 24 hours. There are 1,208 McDonald’s restaurants in the UK and 34,492 worldwide. The benefits of McDonalds selling the Big Mac only at their stores is that they get all the profit from the product, where if they sold their products at other places they would have less profit. Promotion-McDonalds advertise the Big Mac on T.V, radio, the internet and in magazines. McDonalds also offer promotions on the Big Mac such as giving away a free Coca-Cola glass with Big Mac meals and offering the chance to win prizes with the Monopoly stickers. Promotion is important for McDonalds because it gains them more sales which makes them more successful. Price-An individual Big Mac would cost  £2.59 in the UK. A medium Big Mac meal  £4.19 and  £4.59 for a large. The Big Mac costs this much because it is a fast food budget product. It is important that McDonalds sell the Big Mac at the right price because if it is too high people won’t buy the product and if it’s too low they won’t make a profit. The price is successful because it is relatively cheap and McDonalds can make a profit out of it.

Lead Poisoning In Children Health And Social Care Essay

Lead Poisoning In Children Health And Social Care Essay In 1988, the Agency for Toxic substances and Disease Registry released a report on lead poisoning giving health partners and stakeholders an overview of the adverse health effects of lead poisoning in children 6 months to 5 years of age. They found that about 2.4 million children nationwide (excluding other racial categories) living in metropolitan areas were at risk of lead exposure health effects using a blood-lead level of a maximum 15ug/dl acceptable standard. Higher blood-lead threshold levels were found in black children living in inner-cities as well as children from low income families. Another report in 1990 released by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) saw varying differences in lead exposure in children ranging from racial, economic (Perkins, 1992) and residential location. Based on this study, lead exposures were found to be higher in states of the Midwest (Wisconsin) and Northeast where most of the housing were very old. This doesnt mean states with larger amounts of relatively new housing dont suffer from lead exposure as found in Las Vegas where despite increase in new buildings, over 12,000 children making up 28% of the entire population has blood-lead levels exceeding 10ug/dl. Among the states of the Mid West of the USA, Wisconsin stands out as one that has over the years being at high risk of lead exposure. In a study carried out in 2006 by the Wisconsin Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (WCLPPP), lead exposure prevalence within the state stood at 2.6% in children tested under the age of 2 years. This was twice the national prevalence which stands at 1.4%. Lead exposure in children has been a major public health concern for over a century now. According to the CDC Surveillance Data of 1997-2006, the number of children being poisoned by lead in Wisconsin was greater than in other states, leading to serious health hazards with high financial burden to families especially low income families. In 2010, over 735 new cases of children w ith blood lead levels à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥10ug/dl were identified. In that same year the prevalence of lead poisoning in children tested in Milwaukee with blood lead levels à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥10 µg/dL stood at 3.4% which is 2.4 times the national average of 1.4%. Source: Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, Division of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health; April 201 In the state of Wisconsin the prà ©cised number of children at risk of lead poisoning still remains unknown but in compliance with the Chapter 151 of Wisconsin statutes which requires that every physician reports any conformed or suspected cases of blood-lead poisoning, over 3265 children with blood lead concentrations of over 20ug/dl were reported to the Wisconsin Department of health between the periods of July 1992 to June 1993 (Schirmer, 1993). Based on the national estimate of 17% of blood lead poisoning, the Wisconsin Division of Health estimated that over 36000 children within the state were at high risk of lead poisoning (Schirmer, 1993). According to the Title XIX program also known as the HealthCheck program which makes blood-lead screening mandatory for all children between the ages of 2-6years (Hoffman, 1993), in 1992, , over 12,435 children were screened for blood lead poisoning based on the HealthCheck under the Wisconsin Medicaid program and of this number 2644 of the m had blood-lead levels à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥ 10ug/dl (Department of Health and Social Services, 1992). In 2006, 5% of enrolled children in Wisconsin public schools had at least a blood lead concentration above the normal value. In two separate studies carried out in 2000 and 2007, their resulting data showed that childhood lead poisoning accounted for about 88% of violent crime rates in the USA over several decades as could be seen in the rate of school disciplinary problems resulting to an increase in school dropouts, juvenile delinquency and even adult criminality. In the fall of 2006, it was estimated that one in every 20 children between the ages of one and two years who entered the Wisconsin school system had lead poisoning and below a third of these children who are at high risk of lead exposure have been screened for lead in their blood (WI DHS; 2008). Most of the children identified in Wisconsin to be at risk of lead poison accounting for over 90% lived in very old homes that were built before the 1950s. Lead poisoning is not just a serious problem here in the Milwaukee County but its a major problem in all the 72 counties statewide affecting children primarily. In a study carried out in 2006, it was estimated that over 75% of children known to be poisoned with lead lived in 266 out of all 1330 high risk census tracts in Wisconsin with over 200,000 homes built before 1950. Blood lead levels equal to or greater than 10micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dl) is regarded as a call for concern as set by the center for Disease Control (CDC) in 1991 (CDC, 1991) and in 2007, the CDC reaffirmed this level (CDC, 2007). These findings made law makers to look deeper into the issue of lead poisoning as a major cause of unusual societal behaviors (Nevin 2000; 2007). Based on this blood lead level, Wisconsin children with these levels are considered to be lead poisoned and this blood lead concentration has been used for surveillance purposes to help identify, treat and manage new cases (Wis. Stats 245.11 CDC Blood Lead Surveillance Data, 1997 2006). Sources of childhood lead poisoning Most of the routes of lead poisoning in children include inhalation, ingestion of soil (Harrison et al., 1981) or household dust and drinking water (Harrison et al., 1991) that has been contaminated with lead from old paintings flakes which occurs during when old houses are being renovated or through lead paint coated surfaces found in the kitchen, bathroom walls and windows of homes that were built before 1950. Most of these lead particles are extremely small and cannot be seen with the naked eye. Since its ban in 1978 in the USA, it has still been used to coat walls, frames of windows, doors, floors and ceilings of old homes and toddlers and other children are at risk of ingesting these surface fall offs reason why the CDC recommended lead testing and required by the federal Medicaid policy in children under 6 years (CDC, 2000). Lead poisoning within the state is a complex combination of the poverty, and low socio economic status of most families coupled with the old housing puttin g children at risk. However, other sources of lead exposure have been found in some consumer products which may pose a health risk to children and adults alike. They include toys, lunch boxes, and jewelries for kids, ceramics, candies as well as products made in China and Mexico. The state recommends that people stop buying these products, dispose of them or return them for a refund if bought. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention through the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled a list of these items with unsafe levels of lead some of which include toys, candies such as SINDOOR a coloring food product was recalled by the Food and Drug administration (FDA) 2007 after a series of test were conducted by the Illinois Department of Public Health found this product to have over 87% of lead. Lead poisoning and its Adverse Health effects Lead, is a naturally occurring element on earth whose chemical properties allow for its use in building construction. Its use dates back to about 3500BC (Needleman, 1990) when Romans started using it to make lead pipes and storage containers. It has been extensively used in many products such as paint, gasoline, and ceramic. Even though adults can suffer from lead poisoning it is much more severe in children. Despite the fact that its preventable its health impact is severe ranging from behavioral defects, delay in speech, hearing problems, poor performance at school, increased juvenile delinquency and in severe cases death. There is really no safe level of lead in our bodies as even very smaller amounts below the Wisconsin blood lead concentration could cause serious long term health effects such as a brain damage (Mendelson et al, 1998). Other strange behaviors exhibited by lead poisoned children include aggression and the tendency to become over active (Nevin 2000). Other studies have shown that lead exposure in children may cause kidney disease when they reach adulthood, diabetes and even memory loss as seen in Alzheimers disease and severe cases stroke and heart attack (Needleman 1990). It affects especially their brains and the central nervous system since both systems are still forming and low exposure could result in reduced IQ learning disabilities, stunted growth (Brubaker et al., 2009). Studies have shown that blood lead concentrations as low as 70ug/dl and as high as 100ug/dl can lead to encephalopathy in children which is linked to anorexia, decreased in activity, poor coordination, vomiting and aggressiveness and rapidly progresses to death (CDC 1991) Structure of Wisconsins Lead Poisoning Prevention Programs The Wisconsin Department of Health services (DHS) is in charge of all health programs and services that are geared towards promoting the protecting and promoting the health and safety of the people of Wisconsin. They carry out functions like assessment, policy development and advocacy. Of these programs is the WIC program which is a federally funded program under the child and youth services of the DHS. This program provides special supplemental nutrition to women, Infants and Children (WIC) in other to promote and maintain the health and wellbeing of pregnant women, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants and children. Children eligible for this program must be infants of up to a year or a child up to age 5 and whose parents are Wisconsin residents, be income eligible and have a health or nutrition needs. In the state of Wisconsin, children are required to be tested twice for lead in blood with the first testing taking place between 6-16 months of age and the second testing betw een 17-28 months. However within the DHS is the Wisconsin Division of Public health (DPH) which addresses three major lead hazard control programs namely the Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) program, Asbestos and Lead Certification Unit and Wisconsin Healthy Homes and Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. The ABLES program focus on monitoring laboratory based lead levels in blood of adults most due to occupational exposure while the Asbestos and Lead Unit program provides accreditation and certification programs for the Wisconsin DHS under the Chapter 254 Wisconsin statue provision as well as standard guidelines required for abatement activities within the state. There is also the Wisconsin Healthy Homes and Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (WHHCLPPP) which makes possible resources such as technical, financial and consultations to help stakeholders completely eliminate and treat childhood lead poisoning Funding for Lead poisoning control programs Increased pressure from the Wisconsin public lead to the creation of a federal law called the Title X Residential Lead-based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 with focus on the federal government taking a major role in lead poisoning prevention. This law requires that all housing programs have lead safety addressed in them. It also calls for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set up guidelines for lead safety to be executed by a well trained workforce and lastly it calls for all owners of private property to provide basic information with any possibilities of lead exposure hazards to home buyers or new tenants. It was not until 1991 when the CDC started funding lead poisoning preventions programs within the state of Wisconsin such as blood lead testing, managing serious cases as well as raising programs aimed at educating the public on the issue. This led to increase testing of Wisconsin children for lead poisoning with many new cases being identified an indication that ma ny local health department within the state lacked sufficient resources to facilitate follow-ups of lead poisoned cases or identify potential lead hazards in homes. These concerns and pressure from parents and other NGOs such as the March of Dimes and the Council of Developmental Disabilities pushed the Wisconsin State Legislature to implement state laws by providing more resources to help facilitate the work of the Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) and other local health departments to effectively response to lead poisoning prevention programs and develop a good reporting system for blood lead test results in children. This saw an increase in funding for local health departments from zero dollars to $1.2 million each year which subsequently decreased to $879,100 because of certain cuts in the state budget. Wisconsin was amongst the 12 grantees in 1994 to receive a housing grant of $6 million to help fund projects aimed at fixing lead hazards such as eliminating dust c ontaining lead in old homes and screening children living in these homes. The project was a huge success as lead dust levels greatly reduced in homes and since then many cities within the state namely Milwaukee, Kenosha and Sheboygan have submitted grant proposals and received competitive grant funds aimed at control lead hazards programs in high risk homes. In February of 2011, the city of Milwaukee received a $4.5 million grants from the U.S department of Housing and Urban Development to help fund a program aimed at controlling lead hazards in two areas namely the citys North and South sides known to have a very high rate of childhood poisoning within the city covering over 900 city homes. The prevalence of lead poisoning in these areas peaked 7.1% causing a serious alarm to public health officials. In a press release on January 2011, the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded over $127 million to some 48 projects nationally which focused on improving quality of lead paint based low income homes that served as a health hazard to its occupants. This grant would help clean up lead paint based hazards in over 11000 homes, increase public awareness on the issue as well as train more personnel in lead safety practices. The following is a breakdown of the grants Grant Program Funding Awarded Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program $66,600,000 Healthy Homes Initiative funding $2,300,000 Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Grant Program $48,000,000 Healthy Homes Production Grant Program $10,000,000 TOTAL $126,900,000 Wisconsin City of Milwaukee Health Dept LHRD $4,500,000 City of Sheboygan LBPHC $1,528,296 Wisconsin Dept. of Health Services HHP $1,000,000 HHP Healthy Homes Production, LBPHC Lead Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program (includes Healthy Homes Initiative supplemental funding, as applicable), LHRD Lead Based Paint Hazard Reduction Demonstration Grant Program (Source: HUD, 2011 HUD No. 11-004) Ongoing Lead-based paint control programs In June 2004 the Phase 1 of the Wisconsin Childhood elimination strategic Plan was completed and this plan was developed by a diverse group of experts from the health field, the housing departments, government agencies and other community groups with the aim of eliminating childhood lead poisoning by 2010. This strategic work plan focus on achieving four main goals through the creation of these subcommittees namely; Education through which the general public will be aware of the problem within their community and how to protect children from lead exposure. Also parents and childcare providers would be educated about lead hazards through home visit. Policy makers and state legislators were to be educated on how much impact lead poisoning has in the community while addressing issues of neglect of the problem and what needs to be done to overcome some of this negligence which could be potentially costly. Property owners and construction contractors would be educated and provided with opportunities to maintain old homes while ensuring a safe work environment Lead hazard correction in homes with emphasis on identifying and analyzing some of the risk factors associated with lead poisoning while focusing resources on homes that were built before the 1950s as they pose a high risk of lead exposure. This goal focused on enforcing home owners so they can repair possible lead hazards in their buildings and to ensure a strong community engagement on the problem, incentives were to be provided to home owners who comply with all these regulations. Screening for lead poising in high risk groups through the provision of enough funds to help identify and evaluate children with risk of lead exposure as well as evaluate existing practices being performed by physicians and the barriers they may pose to families and healthcare providers in terms of providing blood lead screening to children. This goal also emphasized on the need for better data sharing and quality reporting like the STELLAR or the Wisconsin Immunization Registry among partners within the community so that children who are at risk of lead exposure are identified and tested Funding through the allocation of and resources and making available increased funding for lead hazard control in Wisconsin was a major priority. This funding would help local communities with high risk housing by investing in homes so that the financial burden of having to treat or manage children with lead poisoning will be less on the state. Phase 2 of the Wisconsin Elimination Plan is ongoing but in 2009 the sub committees in charge of Funding and Resources and Correcting Hazards in housing combined their efforts and all 3 existing committees now meet independently of the Implementation and Oversight Committee (IOC) and provide a progress report at each IOC meeting which usually meets 3 times a years (January, May and September). These meetings are aimed at evaluating progress made so far and identifying some of the challenges faced in the execution of some of the existing programs as well as make recommendations to the IOC for effective and efficient implementation. The IOC is made up of partners from the Wisconsin Division of public health, local councils, State departments of Hygiene and administration, community health centers as well as insurance companies. Within the city of Milwaukee, over 40 employees are involved in lead based prevention programs which provide resources and services to identified children at ri sk if lead poisoning and those with lead poisoning as well as programs geared towards prevention of lead poisoning before it even happens Huge Financial burden of lead poisoning in its impact on the state of Wisconsin The negative burden of lead poisoning to the community is the huge medical expenses in treatment and management of the health problem, increased health care premiums and increase in Medicaid expenses. Since childhood Lead Poisoning (CLP) often results to attention disorders and developmental delays (Canfield et al, 2003) in lead poisoned children, there is need for increased special education expenses for programs to help accommodate children with disabilities as well as programs to cope with juvenile delinquent lead poisoned children who are at high risk of dropping out from school and early teen pregnancies (Needleman, et al, 1990). It has been shown that most children who are poisoned by lead are thrice more likely to fail standardize test as well as being arrested for a criminal case as they transition into a young adult. Also, lead poisoned children at fourth grade where three times more likely to fail their reading tests compared to those with very minute amounts of lead exposu re (Miranda et al. 2007). The state spends an estimated $5 billion in school aids to children including a $375 million to assist children with special needs and a $1 billion for children who need corrects with most of these cost is attributed to lead poisoning. The number if children living in Wisconsin between the ages 0-6 is approximately 540,000 and if the state embarks on lead hazard control programs that aim at eliminating lead exposure in homes build pre 1950, it would save the state about $7 billion in direct cost with an increase in earnings of over $21 billion based on an analysis that was conducted in New Jersey that analyzed cost savings such as direct medical cost, special education, crime and juvenile delinquency, low rates of high school graduation and cost to state government (Muennin et al., 2009). The recommendation from the Wisconsin Childhood Elimination Plan and the Implementation and Oversight Committee (IOC) suggested an annual investment of $20 million would g o a long way to provide resources to help control lead pain hazards in over 2,000 pre-1950 homes annually. The state would safe over $28 billion in savings if all children between the ages of 0-6 years were protected from lead hazards which will further help lead to an increase in the graduation rate of the state as well as crime reduction (Muennin et al., 2009) In the spring of 2010, a Joint Resolution 65 was passed and approved by the Wisconsin State Legislature which called on the Implementation and Oversight Committee of the Wisconsin Childhood Lead Poisoning Elimination plan, a program within the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to provide report on the financial burden result from childhood lead poisoning been experienced through the states education and criminal justice systems resulting from juvenile delinquent risk behaviors that most children with lead poisoning are at high risk at encountering at some stage in their lives which will help policy makers and state officials make financial resources and other logistics available to address lead paint hazards as well as create a widespread community awareness campaign program which makes loans available to home owners of house build pre 1950 thus reducing lead hazard risk. This report was delivered to the State legislature on December 30th of that year. This joint resolution gai ned several approval from state agencies such as Departments of Public Instruction, Children and Families, Corrections Division of Juvenile Correction, the Wisconsin Court System and State Prosecutors Office with the creation of a committee that helps gather relevant data which will help stakeholders within the state to better evaluate the cost due to lead poisoning and ways to completely eliminate lead hazards in homes. In a 2006 study, over 80,000 young children are estimated to be living in lead paint hazards in Wisconsin and if the state focuses more on protecting families from exposure, we would be saving over $40,000-50,000 for each under the age of six giving us a estimated savings of over $3.6 billion (Jacobs and Nevin, 2006). Lead Testing and Reporting To increase blood lead testing coverage within the state of Wisconsin, four main Medicaid managed Care organizations teamed up with state and local WIC agencies in 2010 and together donated a quick three minute LeadCare II testing instrument approved by the CDC with the overall aim to improve on the blood lead testing levels in children at risk. These organizations also gave WIC staff access to the electronic reporting system that exists within the state as well as resources to follow up children who showed high levels of lead in blood. Within the city of Milwaukee, the WIC program is the only program that has got direct access to the STELLAR (State Blood-Lead Reporting System) and the WIR (Wisconsin Immunization Registry) and this enables them to enter data correctly which is required for state and federal reporting compliance. This system also helps WIC staff to easily identify children who have not been tested for blood lead and follow-up with them to get tested as well as follow up with cases that show elevated levels of lead in their blood. With the donation of 10 LeadCare II analyzers as well as 20 test kids in 2010 in all 10 WIC clinics within the state of Wisconsin, the program has witnessed over 41% increase in the number of WIC children tested for lead in blood in the city of Milwaukee. Children enrolled in the WIC program receive two rapid tests namely an Iron and blood lead test using a finger stick. Over 139 children in 2009 tested positive for high levels of lead in their blood samples giving a 300% increase in lead poisoning cases when compared to the previous 2 years due to the fact that most of the children living in high risk urban areas who were now being tested had previously been missed. Since 2006, Medicaid health care providers have received an annual Blood Lead Testing developed through collaboration with the Wisconsin Medicaid Program and the Wisconsin Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. The individualized reports summarize the blood lead testing data for children under age 6 within each providers practice. In addition providers received a list of untested children in their practice to facilitate follow-up to ensure these children get tested. It is normally required that children be tested for lead poisoning at ages 1 and 2 and since most of them are not tested at those early ages because of lack of follow-up, it is mandatory that they get at least a test between the ages of 3 to 5 years. For example in 2007, over 2,049 children with blood lead levels of greater than or equal to 10mcg/dL were identified within the state and almost two thirds of children eligible for the Medicaid program entering the Wisconsin school system that fall have not properly tes ted even though 88% of children eligible for Medicaid which covers blood lead poisoning were enrolled that year. (Data is from Individual Medicaid Providers for period of July 1, 2006 through June 30 2007 (SFY07) Collaborative Partnerships There are some NGOs within the state that are focused on raising awareness through community leadership on lead poisoning and one of them is the Milwaukees Hmong American Friendship Association (HAFA) through its Parents Against Lead (PAL) alliance. Its made up of neighbors, parents and other passionate individuals who have come together to collectively eliminate childhood lead poisoning. Being a great partner with city of Milwaukee Health Department, they have promoted lead abatement activities in families living in pre 1950 homes as well as amongst home owners on how to eliminate possible lead hazard within the city. Another community based group working within the community is the Sherman Park Community Association (SPCA), a group of over 167 residents who come together during a cold Winter day and have breakfast with Santa Claus as a way to bring communities together and educate them on the work they do including a window repair/replacement program with emphasis on lead based pai n hazard. Advocacy and Public Policies The presence of GIS Maps within each Wisconsin legislative district identifying areas with Lead poisoning is now available and from this data no place within the state is free from lead poisoning with more cases in communities with old housing. As part of the Healthier People 2020 Public Health plan, the state of Wisconsin through the U.S Department of Health Services, EPA, HUD, Energy and the CDC came together during the 2011 National Healthy Homes Conference which brings partners, leaders and experts from the public and private sector to discuss on how to improving on housing conditions and making them safe from lead paint based hazard and environmentally sustainable. However, certain rules and number of statutes that regulate activities geared towards lead hazard control have been approved within the State and these rules protect residential areas, tenant/landlord agreements, drinking water facilities, lead hazard reduction and the manner in which blood lead results are reported. They include the Wisconsin statute Chapter 254 which lays emphasis on detection, treatment and response to lead hazards. In Wisconsin, a number of statutes and rules have been enacted to regulate activities having to do with hazards due to lead-based paint and include residential facilities, worker protection, landlord and tenant agreements, housing sales, lead hazard reduction, drinking water, reporting of blood lead test results and public health response to lead poisoning. There is the Wisconsin Statute Chapter 704 which outlines conditions in which tenants could move without having to face any liabilities from health hazards such as lead. We have the Statue Chapter 709 which requires that owners of residential real estate make certain disclosures about their property. Amongst the administrative rules is the DHS 163 which requires people such as contractors to get certification for identification, removal and reduction of Lead-based paint which was amended in 2009 and the DHS 181 which allows for quality reporting of blood lead test results. Assessment Performance of Childhood Poisoning in Wisconsin The State department of Health and Services is charged with the collection, evaluation and sharing information concerning the incidence of lead poisoning in risk populations and communities while the local health departments within the state would maintain a local surveillance system that gives the population an idea of the prevalence and trends of testing and making this information available to the state Department of Public health and other stakeholders. A tracking system to effectively monitor children at risk and those with very high blood levels would be maintained and made available to the department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) through the WCLPPP. The local health departments trough the support of state agencies of Public health would develop protocols and procedures to better monitor the screening of children at risk of lead poisoning and well as provide clinical and educational resources for better programming and reporting Lead Prevention and Control Lead poisoning is preventable if the necessary precautions are well respected one of which is the lead abatement of homes. The primary way to protect Wisconsin children from lead exposure is by stabilizing all cracked, deteriorating, peeled or flaking paint in old homes, replacing very old windows, fixing roofs with and other leaks, while making sure that the window sills and floors remain smooth hence eliminating major sources of lead exposure. Other precautionary measures include re-painting on interior surfaces with no friction such as ceiling, walls but surfaces that are susceptible to friction or bad weather should not be repainted. All the above precautions are carried out through a process called Lead abatement which refers to any action by and individual (a certified lead abatement contractor), the state or a company to effective minimize lead exposure by permanently eliminating or removing lead-based paint or dust lead hazards or any possible lead containing object or surfac e in response to orders from the state or the local council. The Milwaukee Health Department is charged with giving orders so that homes identified within the community to be at risk of lead exposure are lead abated and this requires either voluntary consent from the owner of the property or through a Court order in case the home owner doesnt comply with orders from the Health department to allow his property to be abated. Conclusion Despite the huge progress in reducing childhood lead poisoning rate within the city of Milwaukee, the number of children been identified with lead poisoning is still on the rise within the state and it has surpass the national average. In 2009, the state prevalence of lead poisoning was 1.5 and in Milwaukee alone, of all the children tested for lead poisoning 4.4% of them had blood lead levels greater than 10ug/dl. More work is needed in this fight despite the progress mad