Dream Come True

My heart skipped a beat. Every minute when am sitting on the bleachers kept me on thinking about what would happen for the next minutes. I prepared myself. I set my camera, I fed my hungry tummy, and practice myself shouting and yelling. Then, my course began. When I am preparing myself, I hear the crowd's noise. They were shouting. Teens, and even adults scream for the lights turned off and the music was played. It was the very melodic music I've ever heard in my entire life. I took a deep breath and started to scream and stopped.I grab my camera in y pocket and steal some pictures. I capture banners, artworks, and the many fan girls sitting around the performance stage. Following a couple of minutes, the formal program started. The crowd was silent. The program was officially blessed by a prayer played and the Philippine National Anthem was conducted. The opening remarks filled with colorful thoughts was then followed by well-known former seminarian in Dave. And this is what we're waiting for. The program officials and staffs positioned and calibrated the countdown and snap!The crowd began to be wild again. The emcee took his first step up on the stage and welcome us with a great Hello! And make acquainted with the crowd. He then introduce the first performer. He was the son of an executive in GAMMA Dave but I don't actually know who he was. He sang This Love by Maroon 5 and the popular song of the hit singer Jason Mrs., I'm yours. Several performers after the guy performed and act upon on stage. It was already 7 in the evening. The multitude become hot and bothered on who will perform next. The girl beside me asked, â€Å"Is it him?Will he be going to perform now? I answered â€Å"Not yet. † And can you guess who the next performers were? They were the singing priests in Dave City, Rev. FRR. AH Better and Rev. FRR. Civil Bunya. The crowd was alive again. They didn't care about the people instead they join with the music and sing all along with the cr owd. They sang 2 songs and then bid goodbye and said â€Å"Enjoy! † After the performance, the assembly was silent again. After a couple of minutes, the emcee shouted â€Å"Are you ready? † and just as you know, here we go again. I scream, they scream and everybody scream.The countdown set into 10, 9, 8, and the throng became more agitated. 6, 5, 4, 3, I feel the moment. 2, 1, and the long wait was over. The LCD projector showed a mini-slideshows of the pictures of him. Now became wild. I never forget to capture a video and stare to the pictures in the slideshows. I jumped up and down all over again. I didn't know what to do. Then a man stood in front of the people watching up on the stage. He was tall, pinkish-white and a good-looking guy. Did you already know who he was? And what am screaming for? He has the initials of DEJA. And you got it right, he was Daniel John FordPaddled. He wears checkered long sleeved turtle-neck polo, skinny jeans and a black Vans shoes wit h white laces. Shouted. I jumped up and down and took stolen pictures of him and it seems I would faint. I can't actually remember what I did. Shout and shout. I yell here and there, jump here, and roll there. He is so beautiful. He shouted â€Å"Hey! Hello! † and the crowd grumble. His voice is so seductive. I say to myself, â€Å"l could rather be dead. † He sang four songs including his revivals and his original composition that made him known better, the Nasty An Nag LATA.He waved his hand here and there. Banners were raised and cameras took their own flashes and the people were down the stage. It was like a huge stampede. After he sang his four songs with liberation he greeted us a â€Å"Good evening! † Indeed it was a very good evening even when the rain is pouring hard and we don't even care. Even when he talk, everybody is shouting and me? Could never imagined what I will going to do. As the emcee meet him and talk awhile for a short interview, I stared at him. He is so special. Want to touch his hand but I couldn't. This will be a gift.

Science was born and survives only by questions. Essay

Science was born and survives only by questions. The whole foundation of science is questioning. And as parents and teachers well know, children are the source of unending questions. Hence, ‘child is the first scientist’. It is very important for every parent to be willing to make the effort to guide children to be good human beings – enlightened and hardworking. The teacher, the child’s window to learning and knowledge, has to play the role model in generating creativity in the child. This triangle is indeed the real role model I can think of. I would even go to the extent of saying that if parents and teachers show the required dedication to shape the lives of the young, India would get a new life. As it is said: Behind the parents stands the school, and behind the teacher the home. A proper education would help nurture a sense of dignity and self-respect among our youth. These are qualities no law can enforce – they have to be nurtured ourselves. A nation’s wealth is the young generation of the country. When they grow up, who can be the role models? Mother, father and elementary school teachers play a very important part as role models. When the child grows up, the role models will be national leaders of quality and integrity in every field including the science, technology and industry. I hope that e-techno teachers who teach and inspire the young students will continue their unmatched and noble services in the years to come, thus ensuring the march of Indian brilliance in every field. Role of students in removing illiteracy In our country is by far the most serious problem. We all recognize that illiteracy is bed, that it prevents the cultural growth of a people. But illiteracy in our country continues to exist on an appalling scale. Even today among ten in India about five are illiterate. Nor is there any organized effort to do away with this deplorable state of backlog. We tinker at the problem instead of tackling it thoroughly. We made experiments. The States have ambitious programmes of setting up primary schools in every village, but these are yet in the cold shade of neglect. But illiteracy can be removed and that quickly, if concerted efforts are made both by private organizations and the states. Within a decade, the Russians got rid of ignorance as colossal as ours; and now the Chinese have also achieved it. They took at once a total war against illiteracy for which the services of all educated men and women were conscripted. Gurudev Rabindranath also praised efforts of the Russians. For this, education must be made free and compulsory at least upto the age of fourteen. That is the plain directive of our Constitution. Recently a bill was adopted in the Parliament of India to make primary education a fundamental right. But even where education is free in India, it is not compulsory; and it is free only at the lower primary stage here and there. The result is that most of those who give up learning after this stage, are the drop-outs, lapse back, into ignorance. Of course, making elementary education compulsory demands money. Children of workers and peasants have to think of earning before they can think of learning. Mahatma Gandhi recognized this basic difficulty and he suggested a scheme by which children would begin to earn while they were learning. In that scheme, known as basic Education scheme, it is not only craft-centered, but the crafts are so chosen as to have a profit basis. The scheme however did not make much headway in free India.

A look at the key considerations in determinate vs. indeterminate ruling and overcrowded state and federal prisons in America

A look at the key considerations in determinate vs. indeterminate ruling and overcrowded state and federal prisons in America Determinate Sentencing versus Indeterminate Sentencing and Overcrowding The recent switch back to determinate sentencing in the past thirty years has ultimately overcrowded America’s federal and state prison systems. Despite a substantial decline in crime rates since 1991, the number of people being imprisoned increased continuously until 2011 and the imprisonment rate until 2007. Prisons and jails in 1991 held 1,219,014 inmates. The rate was 481 per 100,000 population. By 2008, the number of inmates had almost doubled to 2,308,390. Both the numbers of people admitted to federal and state prisons, and held in them, substantially increased in 2013. (Tonry, 1997.) Determinate sentencing has a specific number of years, no minimum or maximum. Whilst determinate sentencing was created to promote equality of sentencing, it does not always do so. Determinate sentencing and truth-in- sentencing have very limited discretionary/parole release. This laws are based on the justice model introduced by David Fogul and the concept of â€Å"just deserts,† offered by Andrew von Hirsh. These concepts are based on the similar approach that punishment is to be commensurate with the seriousness of the crime. (book) However, these â€Å"tough on crime† sentencing laws are what caused the current prison overcrowding dilemma in our nation. (Abadinsky, 2015.) One goal of determinate sentencing is to rid the system of parole boards. However, parole and parole boards have proven to be helpful to the system. Parole release has been used for upholding prison discipline and decreasing prison overcrowding for years. As I stated before, parole stemmed from pardons issues by governors. This tactic was used when prisons became overcrowded before parole boards were created. During the period of indeterminate sentencing, parole agencies served as a â€Å"safety valve† for crowded prisons. When Texas prisons were overcrowded in the 1980s, Texas increased parole release. By 1983, roughly forty percent of inmates were released on parole after their first hearing. (Abadinsky, 2015) Another pressing issue with determinate sentencing is prosecutorial discretion. The Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 abolished indeterminate sentencing and was intended to reduce sentence disparity and rid the system of parole release, but the discretion lost by judges was gained by prosecutors which resulted in longer prison terms and overcrowded prisons. Ronald Wright stated in his article Managing Prison Growth in North Carolina through Structured Sentencing, that â€Å"Legislativley mandated determinate sentencing has not proved to be a workable alternative to the traditional indeterminate system.† (Abadinksy,2015.) Sentencing disparity has been another rising concern with the abolishment of parole boards and determinate sentencing. In the determinate sentencing scheme, the role of the parole board to decrease sentence disparity is ignored. Since one of the main functions of the parole board is to review the sentences of all state prisoners, it can act as a mediating factor. The state of Nebraska is a prime example. The parole board there functions as an â€Å"equalizer,† mediating between ninety-three prosecuting offices and multiple jurisdictions. (Abadinsky, 2015.) Prisons are not constructed to house every offender ever given a prison sentence. Prison is meant to work like a circulation system. Unfortunately, the circulation system has come to halt. Politics have had an influence on prison sentence policy change and ultimately, overcrowded prisons. One theory suggests that high rates of incarceration in the United States and the overcrowding of U.S. prisons and jails result from decisions by policy makers to increase the use of prison sentences as well as the severity(Travis, Western, Redburn, 2014). In 1982, when President Reagan declared the war on drugs, law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges alike began to treat drug offenses more seriously and this led to an increase in incarceration. (Javitze, 2009.) Politicians who preach â€Å"tough on crime† statutes are to blame for prison overcrowding as well. â€Å"Clearly, parole was an easy target for those looking for political opportunities,† notes Barbara Krauth, and â€Å" emotional appeal of an attack on the system that released criminals to the streets may have benefited some political careers more than if actually addressed any of the complex problems of criminal justice.† (Abadinksy, 2015.) Some have described sentencing reform as a â€Å"political football.† (Stansky, 1996.) Because of our nation’s democratic system of frequent legislative elections, widely dispersed governmental powers, and election of judges and prosecutors, law makers tend to be susceptible to public opinions about crime and can become vulnerable to pressures from the public and political opponents to quickly enact tough legislation (Javitze, 2009). Indeterminate sentencing schemes are a much better alternative than determinate sentencing. Indeterminate sentencing usually involves a minimum and maximum, with the actual release determined by a parole board or the result of the accumulation of good time. This type of sentencing was first introduced in 1840 when Alexander Maconochie set out a philosophy of punishment based on reforming the individual criminal; the criminal was to be punished for the past and trained for the future. (Abadinsky, 2015.) In contrast to determinate sentencing, indeterminate sentencing is less likely either to permit premature release or to allow prolonged confinement beyond that needed to ensure the safety of society. (Slobogin, 2011). Indeterminate sentencing focuses on a rehabilitative and reformative approach rather than a â€Å"just deserts† approach. Rehabilitative correctional programs cost more than a prison system that merely aims at unsparing punishment, but benefit society and the prisoners themselves more in the long run. Indeterminate sentencing requires regular evaluations and hearings, treatment teams, and means of rehabilitation in the community in addition to places of confinement. However, community programs are less expensive than institutions once they are established, and are better at reducing recidivism, thus better at reducing the overcrowded prison population (Slobogin, 2011.) Indeterminate sentencing serves two important purposes: one being that indeterminate sentences and parole help to prepare prisoners for the outside world. â€Å"In the absence of discretionary release by a parole board, there is little, if any, pressure on prisoners to prepare for post release.† (Abadinsky, 2015.). The second being that this type of sentencing scheme protects the public from violent, habitual offenders while helping the nonviolent offenders gain opportunity in life. (Gault, 1921.) Another benefit of indeterminate sentences and parole boards is that distinctions can be made between inmates deserving early release and those who do not. Assessments can be made to determine which inmates should be released before the expiration of their sentence and which inmates should be denied release. This type of discretion is allocated to parole boards, who evaluate inmates carefully and decide who stays and who goes. Parole boards stem from the power of governors to pardon selected criminals. In states who use determinate sentencing, a similar release function is carried out by prison officials using good time. Although, prison officials do not have the information, time, or expertise to make accurate release decisions. Indeterminate sentencing and parole allows for parole boards to make discretionary decisions based on their knowledge of the offenders, and also provides an incentive for prisoners to develop personals goals and become motivated to be law-abiding citizens. (Abadinsky, 2015.) In conclusion, overcrowded prisons can be attributed to the use of determinate sentencing over indeterminate sentencing. Indeterminate sentencing offer the option of early release at the discretion of a parole board. While critics of indeterminate sentencing and parole boards claim that this discretionary decision should be left up to judges, parole boards are much better equipped to properly handle the release of offenders. Parole boards also provide support for inmates to prepare them for life on the outside. Without parole boards and a variety of other similar programs, there is little pressure on inmates to prepare for post-release life. This situation ultimately leads to higher recidivism rates, and finally, overcrowded prisons.

Supermarket the urban trend Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Supermarket the urban trend - Essay Example But, as this report will illustrate, such 'choice' has in the long run, come at a price. Supermarkets today, are proving to be a disaster rather than a boon for the society. The modus operandi of the supermarkets both in procuring and selling goods has had a telling effect on all sections of the society. "Supermarkets wield immense power over the way we grow, buy and eat our food. They are shaping our environment, our health and the way we interact socially. These changes have gone unchallenged because consumers have been sucked into superstore lifestyles, persuaded that the opportunity to select from six different brands of cut-price oven chips at three in the morning represents choice and value" In the essay, we initially assess the extent to which the supermarket industry controls the economy and also analyze the amount of power that supermarkets wield over the government or other smaller players like grocery stores etc. The essay critically analyses the present consumer trends as well as their current mindset. It is also important to determine their main influencing factors that ultimately work in favor of the supermarkets. Finally, the essay discusses the core issue of how a supermarket adopts different strategies in order to woo customers in addition to discussing the various ways in which the consumers are heavily dependent on the consumers for most of their daily needs. Overview of the Supermarket Industry A supermarket is a self-service grocery outlet that sells food, beverages and other goods. They are located on urban high streets or in shopping malls, covering an area of around 4,000-25,000 square ft. According to the M+M Planet Retail (2001), over the last 10-15 years, many have developed branches in out-of-town or edge-of-town locations. According to the IGD in 2001, the major supermarket constitute around 60% of the total market, retailers around 20%, while other smaller vendors and shops fill up the gap which is a mere 13%, In addition to the Co-operatives & hard discounters shares of 5% & 2% respectively. Market analysts, Taylor Nelson Sofres, who calculated the market share after studying shopping habits in 15,000 households, puts the figure at 75% for UK's major supermarket chains. The supermarkets have also set their foot in the convenience sector, which is valued at around 21bn by the Fortune Magazine (2003). This is part of a strategy of the supermarkets, which aims the so-called 'cash-rich, time-poor' consumers who are on the rise. The Competition Commission report on Supermarkets has made a clear distinction between the two sectors giving the green light to potential takeovers. For example, as cited by just-food.com & Grocertoday.com (2001), Supermarket giant Tesco has acquired hundreds of stores after it took over the reins of TNS and Administore (cited by Reuters, 2001). The simple message sent out here is that the market is not a place for weaklings. Overview of Consumer trends "Trend cycles seem to be emerging more rapidly as a result of technology, accelerated social diffusion, instantaneous

Online community management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Online community management - Research Paper Example If I were in its managerial position, I would have placed the loyalty of customers and credibility of the firm far above fear of negative publicity. I would have come out clean and let the customers hear from me directly the current crises facing our company and ask for ideas as to how to solve our problem. While considering the advice of the firm’s lawyers, security experts and banks, I would have still placed my shareholders firsthand in any decision making process that I would be involved in. wrong advice from external sources has often led businesses to their ruins. A good leader knows when to follow their instinct and to trust that what they are doing is the right thing. Target tried to calm its customers by giving false assurances to which it went back on. This was not such a bold move. Customers need to know the truth even if things are in turmoil. Giving them false assurances and going back on your word only breeds dissatisfaction and disloyalty. Critisism may be present when shareholders are hit with the devastating news but the reputation of the company of the company will be

Possible Approaches in Counseling People Dealing With Bereavement Article

Possible Approaches in Counseling People Dealing With Bereavement - Article Example Death is not a mystery to those who have died. The people living are the ones who struggle to find meaning in it. As far back as 60,000 years ago, prehistoric people observed special ceremonies when burying their dead. Many early cultures believed that people continued to exist after death and had the same needs that they did in life; hence they buried their loved ones with food, dishes, weapons, and jewels. Some religions, such as Christianity, believe that the dead will rise again; to them, the burial of the body is symbolic, like the planting of a seed in the earth to await rebirth. Many Eastern religions share the belief that death marks the end only of physical existence and of the limited view of reality that human beings can grasp. Death itself is a remote experience in most lives today, something that takes place off-stage in a hospital or nursing-home. In earlier times, dying was a much more visible part of daily living. Families, friends, and other loved ones in a community would share in caring for those at the end of life (Schulz et al., 27 June 2001) Most deaths occurred at home, often following a brief illness and unaffected by the limited medical care available. Today, the process of dying almost has become invisible, but it still summons pain among the loved ones left (Bern-Krug et al., February 2001). Coping with loss is a process with an individual course, tem... There are others who benefit from, and still others who continue to require the assistance of, qualified psychotherapists in confronting the void left by death. There is no single ideal time point for therapeutic intervention. As practiced today, bereavement counselling is a valuable and non-stigmatizing method of assisting the bereaved who have difficulty entering, traversing or exiting the grief and mourning process. Review of Literature Throughout history, numerous writers and researchers have articulated their views of what constitutes the bereaved state and its associated actions, particularly since 1970. The earliest conceptualizations was done by Freud (1957), where he related it to loss situation-specific depressive syndromes, and he spoke of restitution of cathected or invested energies, particularly those of id origin. Later formulations bore the hallmark of attachment theory grounding, wherein the broken bond with the lost object/person is the subject and object of a universal psychosocial process leading to eventual reconciliation of painful feelings and reattachment to life, living and, for some, even new relationships. Colin Murray Parkes (1972) also cited stigma and deprivation as key features of the bereavement experience. These authors based their findings largely on studies of widows in Britain, Australia, and North America. Many of these seminal works on bereavement brought about a linear stage model of progression to some better state post-loss. Examples include the popularized views of Elisabeth Kbler-Ross (1969), who wrote of movement from denial, through anger, to bargaining, then to depression, and finally to acceptance. This often misrepresented and misused description none the less has

Treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in children Essay

Treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in children - Essay Example In fact, the diagnosis of this rare disease depends on accurate identification of symptoms. One tool that can be used to diagnose the disease is the 'diagnostic questionnaire' which can help the medical specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Also, spending time being obsessed with cars, sex and football may be compelling ( or compulsive ) but these pleasurable interests are not considered as clinically termed obsessive compulsive behavior. Further, many patients with the this disease even suffer from more mundane compulsions. And, other symptoms of the disease include repeated and stereotyped checking, counting, ordering or even cleaning. Oftentimes, the disease could generate obsessive thoughts that are sometimes Unhappily though, Obsessive Compulsive disorder sufferers(Beck, 15) carry out compulsive rituals to such abnormal extremes that they interfere with normal living. For example, it is a normal behavior to double-check if the gas fire has been turned off, and the front door locked, before you go to bed. On the contrary, We can psychologically classify a person to be abnormal if he or she washes his or her hands 20 or 30 times a day in a seriously rigid routine. In the same token, it's also abnormal normal to repetitively clean the house so thoroughly for more than an hour because this abnormal action will wear away or literally remove the wallpaper. Additionally, an obsessive repulsive disorder patient may feel he or she MUST meticulously set the table for Christmas dinner even though it is still in late September.Furthermore, there are many features of obsessive compulsive disorder. One of which is that the patient experiences unpleasantly repetitive thoughts, images, or impulses comi ng from the patient's own mind. Normal persons would characterize these thoughts as a silly or, to put it bluntly, symptoms of abnormality. In most attacks, the patient unsuccessfully resists the thoughts and performance of the abnormal acts. A person with obsessive-compulsive disorder has either obsessions, or compulsions or, in worse cases, both(Carr, 1). The obsessions and/or compulsions of this disorder are strong enough factors to cause a significant distress in their employment, schoolwork, or personal and social relationships. It also includes anankastic neurosis, obsessional neurosis and obsessive-compulsive neurosis.I also agree that the patient who has these obsessions(Skinner, 364) does have recurring, persisting thoughts, impulses or images that inappropriately intrude into the person's normal daily routines thereby causing marked distress or anxiety. In fact, these abnormal ideas or thoughts are more than just excessive worries about ordinary problems. In most cases, the person suffering from the disease tries to ignore or suppress these unwelcome thought or to neutralize them by either thoughts or behaviors. I agree that the person who has compulsion has the feeling that he or she feels the need to repeat physical behaviors such as checking the stove to be sure it is off, hand washing) or mental behaviors such as counting things, silently repeating words. And, the obsessive compulsive disorder behaviors occur as a response to an obsession or in

The Life and Works of William Faulkner Research Paper

The Life and Works of William Faulkner - Research Paper Example He had great taste for whiskey and by the age of seventeen he was a heavy drinker. He was some sort of a misfit all through his life due to his notorious nature, and the tendency of inventing his life stories. While still young, William became in contact with two particular individuals who he thought would be important in his life: E. Oldham (childhood sweetheart) and P. Stone (literary mentor) (Parini 3). Oldham was a famous, vivacious girl, with a social life full of energy, which enjoyed dancing and parting. Stone on the other side was a lawyer who had great interest in poetry. Both Stone and William had a mutual interest which was poetry and this was their binding factor. Stone realized William’s talent as he read some of his poems thus, started encouraging, motivating and advising him on the models of study (Weinstein 145). Following Oldham’s Marriage, Stone invited William to New Haven to live with him. While here, William was employed by the Winchester Company of Repeating Arms, where he experienced changes to his surname probably due to a typing error; Faulkner (Blotner 10). William though did not work in this company for long, since he was later invited to Canada for a cadet training as a Royal Air Force (RAF). Earlier on William had been disappointed when he tried to join the U.S Air Force, but he was put down by his height. Due to that, he made numerous lies when applying for the Canadian Royal Air Force, as he attempted to seem British. He later served in the RAF for some time, and then decided to return back to Oxford in 1918 (Gray 50). In Oxford, he engaged himself in a story telling life, where he shared exaggerated adventures he had encountered while in RAF (Oates 4). In fact, most of these stories were untrue as he told stories of the things he had done during his time as a military, which he never even did. His

The Positive and Negative Effects of Confucianism in East Asian Essay

The Positive and Negative Effects of Confucianism in East Asian Cultures - Essay Example The researcher of this essay aims to pay special attention to the three main elements of ethics form the core of Confucianism. These elements are Ren an obligation of altruism  and humaneness for other individuals within a community, you the obligation to do good and li a system that defines how a person should act within a community. There are just the 3 primary components of the Confucianism philosophy. Apart from these, etiquette, loyalty, filial piety, relationships and various other elements from the structure of this system. The philosophy, politics, society and the business industry of East Asian nations like China, Japan and Korea were all based on the concepts of Confucianism. According to historical facts, these countries prospered in leaps and bounds, all due to the fact that they followed the Confucian ethics in all aspects of the society. The philosophy of Confucianism was practiced in many cultures and countries in East Asia like China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea Vietnam an d various Chinese occupied territories like Singapore. China, however, was the birthplace of Confucianism. It came into being from the sixth century to the third century B.C., an age described as "The Age of Philosophers". Eventually, during 141 to 87 BC, it was declared as a state philosophy by Emperor Wu of Han. Confucianism in Japan began at a time when â€Å"Confucianism† was quite different from what it is today. During the long years from the fall of the Latter Han dynasty in 220 CE through the Tang (618–907), the classics esteemed by Confucius remained an important part for those who exercised authority over others. The sixteenth year of the reign of Ojin is often taken as the start of Japan’s experience with Confucianism, with traditional dating assigning this to 285 but around 404 being the more likely. Reportedly, in that year a Confucian scholar from the Korean kingdom of Paekche, Wang In (known as Wani in Japanese), arrived in Japan to tutor a son of Ojin, bringing along with him copies of the Analects and the Thousand Character Classic. And this is how Confucianism in Japan took off. During Korea’s lengthy Choson dynasty (1392–1910) Confucian ideals were deeply valued. In the early Choson scholars imported Confucianism from China, establishing it as the governing political ideology and further developing Korean-style neo-Confucianism. Modeling neo-Confucian ideals, they transformed Choson into a thoroughly Confucian society during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It is an accepted fact that the nations of East Asia constitute a part of the fastest growing economy in the world. In the past 30 years, 3 smalls East Asian nations – South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore have exhibited phenomenal economic growth which now rivals that of Japan’s. These countries are now ranked as having the world most successful economies. The explanation for this boom in the economic systems can be dedicated to the fact that Confucian values form an ethical thread across the East Asia nations. The philosophy of Confucianism is dictated by a harmonious collective social order. This, in turn, ensures absolute loyalty and obedience to authority from the subordinates. This is the base that enabled the East Asian nations to skyrocket their economy.

Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Reform - Essay Example At that convention, the delegates adopted a platform that called for a broad range of social, economic, legal, and political reforms that would dramatically raise the status of women in American life. To the surprise of most of us today, the demand for womens right to vote (called woman suffrage) was the most controversial reform proposed at the convention. From the time it was first formally proposed in 1848, gaining the right to vote took the womens movement 72 years of struggle to achieve. This exhibit examines the development of a distinct female political culture and imagery that evolved to promote voting rights for women†. (Political Culture and Imagery of American Women Suffrage) However, Why there were Political Reforms movement, now and then and before? Meanwhile, â€Å"Political science and theory have evolved on the understanding that national boundaries demarcate the basis on which individuals are included and excluded from participation in decisions affecting their lives. There is a growing perception that democracy has failed to deliver both economic and social development. This perception has often been used to explain the rise in nationalism and ethnic tensions due to unmet expectations. It raises the question whether democracy should be pursued as an intrinsic or instrumental good and whether political justice seeks substantive equality or equality of opportunity? Is it appropriate to expect democracy to deliver human development?† (Political Power and Development). On this note, it is incumbent by those holding the mantle of leadership, (steering the government), and other stakeholders to adapt to the Political Justice. Without Political Justice, no meaningful changes will occur in making reform on the sector. As â€Å"political justice connotes the notion of fair and equitable exercise of political power a discussion of a political system that has the capacity to deliver political

Literacy and Young People Essay Example for Free

Literacy and Young People Essay Literacy means the ability to read and write. Only recently has the word ‘literacy’ been applied as the definitive term for reading and writing, mostly since the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy in schools. The skills of reading and writing complement each other and develop together, it therefore makes sense to use the term ‘literacy’. Reading and writing are forms of communication based on the spoken language. Effective speaking and listening skills are essential in order to develop literacy skills. The progression of literacy skills is a vital aspect of development and learning. Without the  ability to read, write and listen children and young people may not be able to function effectively in school, college, university or at work or communicate with others about their ideas and participate fully and safely in the community. Literacy enables children and young people to express themselves creatively and productively. The majority of jobs and careers rely on an element of basic literacy (and numeracy) skills. Literacy is required in our everyday lives, to keep us safe by being able to read signs and follow instructions, read directions, reading newspapers, recipes, food labels, dealing with  household finances. Literacy also enables us to progress with technology by being able use computers competently, surfing the internet and being able to read and write emails. As the heart of all learning lies the two key skills, literacy and numeracy. Literacy is possibly the more important of both skills as children and young people need literacy in order to access further curriculum areas, e. g in order to approach a numeracy problem, the question needs to be read and understood before the answer can begin to be found. The development of literacy is important from an early age for all children and young people. As Teaching Assistants it is likely that we will be supporting children and young people with communication difficulties or other Special Educational Needs which could have an impact on their literacy skills, a situation may also arise where English is not the first language. It is important that children and young people are encouraged to explore the way the English language works, e. g phonics for vocabulary, reading, writing and spelling. This will enable children and young people to gain knowledge to be able to read, write and spell confidently. Amanda Pinfold TDA 3. 11 2 The learning objectives are associated to 12 strands in literacy to demonstrate progression in each strand. The strands are as follows:- Speak and listen for a wide range of purposes in different contexts 1. Speaking 2. Listening and responding 3. Group discussion and interaction 4. Drama Read and write for a range of purposes on paper and on screen 5. Word recognition: decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling) 6. Word Structure and spelling 7. Understanding and interpreting texts 8. Engaging and responding to texts 9. Creating and shaping texts 10. Text structure and organisation 11. Sentence structure and punctuation 12. Presentation Within my setting we aim to encourage children and young people to be able read and write with confidence, fluency and understanding, to be able to orchestrate a full range of reading cues (phonic, graphic, syntactic, contextual) to monitor their read and be able to correct their own mistakes. To understand the sound and spelling system and use this to read and spell accurately, have fluent, legible and cursive handwriting. To have an interest in words and their meanings and a growing vocabulary. To know, understand and be able to write a number  of genres in fiction and poetry, understand and be familiar with some of the ways in which narratives are structured through basic literacy ideas of setting, character and plot. The ability to understand, use and be able to write a range of non-fiction texts, plan, draft, revise and edit their own writing, have a suitable technical vocabulary through which to understand and discuss their reading and writing. Children are encouraged to be interested in books, read with enjoyment and evaluate and justify their preferences. Develop their own powers of imagination, inventiveness and critical awareness through reading and writing. In the Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception) Children and young people should be given the opportunity to speak, listen and represent ideas in their activities. Use communication, language and English in every part of the curriculum and to become immersed in an environment rich in print and possibilities for communication. All Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) – Children and young people should learn to speak confidently and listen to what others have to say. They should begin to read and write independently (using phonic knowledge) and with enthusiasm. They should be using language to explore their own experiences and imaginary words. All Key Stage 2 (Years 3-6) – Children and young people should learn to change the way they speak and write to suit appropriate situations, purposes and audiences. They should read a range of texts and respond to different layers of meaning in them. They should explore the use of language in literary and non-literary texts and learn how the structure of language works. Intervention groups are offered in speaking, reading, writing and listening to those children and young people who are under-attaining and booster groups for the more able. Where the pupils performance is significantly below average we will seek specialist provision such as speech therapy, EAL programmes and reading recovery will be accessed as needed. In Key stages 1 and 2, English sessions use the National Strategy unit plans (our own versions) focusing on shared reading, shared and guided writing and producing sustained Amanda Pinfold TDA 3. 11 3 outcomes. Further lessons are also used for focused activities in phonics, guided reading and comprehension. In Key Stage 1 there is a daily phonics session, daily guided reading and English lesson. There is one discrete handwriting session each week. In addition to this, there is also a slot used for the development of speaking and listening and the class story. In lower Key Stage 2 there is also a daily phonics session, four guided reading sessions and a daily English lesson. There is one discrete handwriting session every fortnight. Additionally there is also a slot used for the development of speaking and listening and the class story. In upper Key Stage 2 there is a daily phonics/spelling session, four guided reading sessions and a daily English lesson. There is one discrete handwriting session every fortnight. Additional there is a slot used for the development of speaking and listening and the class story. The monitoring and evaluation of the English policy is the responsibility of the English co- ordinator who is responsible to the head teacher and the governors for the development of English throughout the school. This is to be achieved in a variety of ways: ?Regular discussions with staff concerning the progress of groups and individuals ?Involvement in long and medium term planning across the school in English ? Regular classroom observation and working alongside colleagues to help identify  strengths and weaknesses, to provide support to individual staff where appropriate ?Regular monitoring of resources, planning and children’s work ?Reviewing of assessment outcomes and data to evaluate the quality of learning in English throughout the school. ? Checking that within a key stage there is coverage of the full English curriculum in line with national curriculum requirements, the early learning goals and current National Primary Framework objectives (where used) ?Checking that appropriate opportunities to raise multicultural and gender issues are created and taken  ?Ensure that the time spent on the teaching of English is meeting our pupils needs Literacy Lessons are the same time each day, after morning break time. They are broken down into phonics and spelling, guided reading and English. The lesson starts at 10. 45 and finishes at 12. 30pm. The children start by gathering on the carpet area to be given an overview of what is happening in the day’s lesson. As a Teaching Assistant a discussion would have taken place with the Class Teacher prior to the lesson taking place to establish the lesson plan and what is expected of you for the lesson. Some Teaching Assistants may have  been involved with elements of planning a lesson and able to give their own ideas as to how is the best way to carry out activities. It may be that you work with a designated group of children who have development issues and require more attention. It is important that the Teaching Assistant works together with the class teach to monitor the progress of pupils in all areas of literacy development. This will usually ensure that the children and young people are focused and able to meet the learning objectives. Some pupils will require more encouragement to participate than others through the use of praise and  feedback, whilst identifying any concerns or problems they may have. Monitoring of the children and young people also involves the relaying of information to the Class Teacher in respect of learning objectives and feedback as to how the tasks were Amanda Pinfold TDA 3. 11 4 managed and how to achieve their goals going forwards. We also carry out intervention activities in my setting where a group of children are taken out of the lesson by a Teaching Assistant to carry out some additional literacy activities to concentrate on tasks such as sounds of letter groups, reading sessions and basic spellings to  help improve their literacy development. There are also groups of children who are taken out of lessons 3 times a week to carry out additional reading activities to help improve their reading skills. In our classrooms, we also use a ‘working wall display’ to show the key learning objectives for the terms activities and the pupils are able to use this to assist with their learning independently. Within my setting we also have a reading partners lesson on a Thursday morning where year groups visit other class rooms and read with each other, e. g Year 4 read with reception, Year 3 read with year 1 and year 2 with year 5. This gives children and young people to the chance to gain confidence in reading and speaking in front of other children who are of a different age and more developed. Amanda Pinfold TDA 3. 11 5 Bibliography Textbooks: Textbooks: Burnham,L, Baker,B (2010) Level 3 Diploma Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools (Primary). Harlow. Heinemann part of Pearson Burnham,L(2002) Brilliant Teaching Assistant. Prentice Hall Kamen, T (2008) 2nd Edition Teaching Assistants Handbook NVQ SVQ Levels 2 3. Maidstone. Hodder Education Primary School Literacy Curriculum Policy overview Amanda Pinfold TDA 3. 11 6.

Acupuncture as a nonconventional treatment for chronic neck pain Essay Example for Free

Acupuncture as a nonconventional treatment for chronic neck pain Essay Acupuncture as a nonconventional treatment for chronic neck pain Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   IntroductionNeck pain has been classified as one of the commonest problems among the people. This condition arises from various disorders or it may originate from tissues located at the neck (Hush, et al., (2009).The neck is also known as a cervical spine. The necks structure is characterized by vertebrae which run from the upper torso to the skull’s base. The stability of the spine is associated to ligaments and muscles that run along the vertebrae (National Institutes of Health. (2013). A neck’s main importance is its mobility and the support it accords to the head. It is prone to injuries because it is not offered much protection like the rest of the spine. Injuries normally cause less and restricted mobility and triggers NAIP. Unfortunately neck pain are not accorded seriousness, most people treat the neck pain as temporary. There are unique cases where the symptoms do not go away and hence diagnosis and corresponding treatment is required (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (2013).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Researchers (De Loose, V., Burnotte, F., Cagnie, B., Stevens, V., Van Tiggelen, D. (2008). have found out that the pains are caused by several factors such as wear and tear, sprains and abnormalities of the neck tissue. There is evidence of neck pains arising from other pains such as arm or shoulder pains (De loose, 2008). Normally activities such as extreme bends of the neck, falls and vehicle accidents can cause neck injuries. In certain situations damage of the neck can damage the spine causing paralysis. Researchers have also found out that Spondylosis which occurs in people above the age of 40, adds strains to neck joints creating a path for chronic neck pain. But the condition is treatable through both conventional and nonconventional methods.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Researchers and doctors have identified acupuncture as a nonconventional treatment method which is a very effective method for treating chronic neck pains. Researcher (Blosssfeldt, 2004), says that, acupuncture is gaining momentum as a popular nonconventional treatment method for chronic neck pain. He also adds that, the method has been well tolerated and has low risk of adverse effects. (Liang et al, 2008) says that, a combination of both traditional and modern acupuncture technique usually result in a documented and improved neck pain patterns. (Blossfeldt, 2004) adds that acupuncture is widely accepted and it is utilized as a complementary therapy useful in neck pain management originating from cervical spondylitis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Researchers have carried out studies relating to acupuncture systematic review with an aim to find out on acupuncture effectiveness. The studies have found effectiveness evidence as inconclusive (salter et al, 2004). There are studies which have produced results which are positively favoring acupuncture and there are other results which have produced negative findings on the effective of the method (salter et al, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Due to the varying results, this research was developed to find out on the effectiveness of acupuncture method as a non-conventional method in treatment of chronic neck pains in relation to other research findings. In respect to national health statistics and reports, Survey data analysis can be used by medical professionals to measure the pain levels of patients before and after acupuncture treatment. Gathering results from various studies and comparing with the structures of acupuncture and preventive measures of neck pains can help us determine on the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment method. In this literature review the researcher will review on 1) how to establish the viability of acupuncture therapies in the treatment of chronic neck pain; 2) understanding of how sham, shallow and randomized acupuncture therapies are utilized in the treatment of chronic neck pain; 3)provide a conclusive evidence of the success of acupunctu re as an ideal method of relieving pain; 4)establish the effects of the three acupuncture therapies in the treatment of individuals with chronic pain of the neck; 5)offer recommendation of the viability of acupuncture as a treatment option that can be used by people with chronic neck pains. The researcher will also compare the duration of acupuncture treatment with other methods and also the cost associated and risk factors thereof.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   METHODOLOGYTarget PopulationThe research data collected in this study focused on patients suffering from chronic neck pain. The individuals used in the research fell within the age of 21 and 55 years old. Although there are many patients who report about neck pain ailments in different health care facilities across the United States, patients withinthe ages of 21 and 55 years old were ideal for this research study. This was due to the fact that they were easier to track their progress of healing over a longer period of time. Elderly patients over the age of 55 years were not best placed in this research considering the various attributes in the healing processes of such people, which was proven to be relatively lower. Most of the data aboutindividuals with chronic pain of the neck was randomly collected in health care facilities in the State of California, United States. The majority of these patients were diagnosed with chronic neck pain and were put under a special focus while three acupuncture methods of therapies were performed(Witt 2004, p. 99). The study generally involved a thorough investigation of 191 patients in California’s health care. It is important to acknowledge that the various patients were deliberately initiated to acupuncture treatment as their decision to try the alternative medical practice after unsuccessful treatments in the mainstream medical procedures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There were certainly no limitation on the sex of the patients; hence the research involved both male and female patients. Additionally, there was no specified number of male or females in the study, as patients, treatment and progress of treatment of patients was randomly taken. Further, it was assumed that both male and female patients presented similar responses to the different acupuncture therapies performed in the study(Sun et al, 2009, p. 850).The research was not limited by either ethnicity or race, although believed to have different characteristics in regard to various medical procedures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Variables of the studyThe dependent variables in this study included the neck pain as an ailment caused by various aspects such as physical injury and disease or condition among others. The rates of cases involving chronic neck pains during the period of this study were generally unprecedented as the causes of such ailments greatly varied. Chronic neck pain among the patients varied in regard to the specific causes, which in this case included degenerative disc disease, neck injury, neck strain, herniated disc as well as pinched neck(Sun et al, 2009, p. 850). The first step in the treatment procedure involved a thorough diagnosis of common neck infections that caused the chronic pain. The research exploits treatment of such neck pains using acupuncture which falls into three categories including optimized acupuncture, shallow acupuncture and sham acupuncture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research LimitationsThe key limitations were based on neck pain due to common infection like virus infection of the neck and lymph nope swelling, as well as other infections such as tuberculosis of the neck, meningitis, and infection of spine bones around the neck. It was difficult in the study since some of patients did not present themselves on the day of the study. The study also used a large number of patients which was a challenge for the researcher. The different patients involved in this study had chronic neck pains attributed to extremely different causes, which included physical injuries, some rare infections, and virus infections among others(Witt 2004, p. 99). The patients with this problem are generally taken through the three acupuncture therapies, regardless of the cause of their condition(Hush 2004, p. 1533). The fact that all patients are uniformly taken into similar medical procedures without being categorized in relation to their specific cause of chronic neck pain remain as the greatest limiting attribute of this research. Additionally, time was a limiting factor since the time allowed for the research was not enough to efficiently tackle critically the objectives of the study.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research criteria and Database usedIn this study, the items were collected through searching peer reviewed journal articles and therefore, the researcher thoroughly searched in various databases for article that provided information for patients suffering from chronic neck pains, specifically those individuals between the age of 21 and 55 years old. The researcher further categorized the data collected to form two groups of patients of the age bracket of 21 and 34 years and those between 35 and 55 years old. The creation of these two groups was essential as taking a wider range of people of ages 21 to 55 years old would present relatively a higher deviation in the healing processes of the patients, as those above the age of 35 years present a much longer period of healing as compared to the youthful 21 to 34 years group. The researcher focused the search on SPORT Discus, Academic Search Premier, BMJ Research Articles and Gov., database.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Keywords used in the studyThe key terms the researcher commonly used while searching for the relevant articles included: Chronic neck pain, cervical pain types of acupuncture, alternative medicine, Sham acupuncture, Shallow acupuncture and Randomized acupuncture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   OVERVIEW OF ACUPUNCTURE PRACTICEPracticing acupuncture started many centuries ago as a type of medication in China. It is the practice of implanting needles at certain points of the human skin as a form of therapy. In acupuncture practices, there is no involvement of drugs but only the needles are enough to accomplish the therapy (Liang et al, 8). The practice originated from China and has been noted to spread all over west of Europe (Liang et al, 8).As argued by the model on Chinese medicine, the specific places that the acupuncture needles are placed lies on the path named meridians where the dynamic energy goes through, hence allowing its access to control and regulate the flow of energy which is believed to be the cause of force imbalance (Willich et al, 2006, p. 98).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Populations and AcupunctureAcupuncture has been practiced in several parts globally, especially in Europe even though it is in its inception stages in the United States. According to NHI survey done in the year 2007 that also considered the use of CAM in America,where 1.4% of the respondents were found to be using acupuncture before then. The 3.1 million of the American population claimed they only practice it majorly for severe migraine and repetitive pain. The study showed that half of the respondents used acupuncture to treat chronic neck pain (Sun et al, 2009, p. 850).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The practice should obviously be regarded by physicians as an ideal treatment preference due to the backing it has received from those individuals who have used it in the treatment of chronic neck pain. Subsequently, the study did not restrict the adults basing on their gender due to limited research.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   CHRONIC NECK PAINChronic neck pain is an ailment that is characterized by pain in the neck that lasts for an unusually long period of time, commonly over a period of three months(Blossfeldt, 2004). Although different from the common medical conditions of neck pains that last for only days, chronic neck pain is typically an ailment that takes even years without success in its treatment in the mainstream medical practices(Irnich, 2002). Chronic neck pain is usually associated with a number of disorders, as well as diseases that can involve any of the tissues around the neck(Witt 2004, p. 99). For instance, the common causes of this condition are strains of the neck, injury of the neck like a herniated disc, pinched disc, or whiplash, and degenerative disc disease. In addition, chronic neck pain is also linked to common infection like virus infection of the neck and lymph nope swelling, as well as other infections such as tuberculosis of the neck, meningitis, and infection of spine bones around the neck. Some patients also had chronic neck pains caused by extremely different causes, which include physical injuries, some rare infections, and virus infections among others. Further, chronic neck pain is also caused by certain infections like virus infection of the neck and lymph nope swelling, as well as other infections such as tuberculosis of the neck, meningitis, and infection of spine bones around the neck.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   RISK FACTORS OF CHRONIC NECK PAINSChronic neck pain is generally caused by numerous factors ranging from physical injury to certain infections around the neck body tissues. Since neck pain affects the muscles around the body areas of the neck, it becomes painful to move the neck (De Loose, 2008, p. 475). In order to avoid or to prevent neck pains for the patients, it is always essential to consider staying away from activities may twist the neck and subsequently aggravate the already painful section of the neck(Witt 2004, p. 99). Therisk factors for the pain usually include injury from involvement in activities like motor vehicle accidents, horse riding, contact sports and bull riding among others, degeneration of cervical disc also known as Spondylitis, neck bent and twisting positions (De Loose, 2008, p. 475).In addition, it is also advisable to have activities that will enhance neck strengthening exercise, as well as neck bracing, reduc e TV watching usage of safety belts in motor vehicles and going to the gym for exercise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   TYPES OF ACUPUNCTURE USED IN CHRONIC NECK PAIN TREATMENTOptimized acupuncture therapyThe practice of optimized acupuncture therapy involves the utilization of traditional acupuncture, which is usually followed by intradermal needle therapy, commonly referred to as INT(Hush 2004, p. 1533). The use of OAT usually consists of the use of nine acupuncture points typically selected for an optimized acupuncture therapy group on the advice and consensus of the national expert committee of the OAT procedures. In this case, four points are subsequently located by physician intending to perform the OAT. The points selected are usually the cervical positive reactions planes found in the top and bottom of the cervical planes as well as horizontally away from the corresponding cervical vertebra(Witt 2004, p. 99). The study found that this type of acupuncture practice is highly sensitive and hence the need to be performed by an individual with more than five of practice experiences   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sham acupuncture therapyThe practice is put into use only as a tool for control in the scientific research in order to measure the efficiency of real acupuncture in various disease treatment. This type of acupuncture involves the use of skin penetrating shallow needles on the specified sham groups’ tender points.The tender points that are used in this method of acupuncture therapy are categorized as the key areas recommended for the acupuncture, which are the Ah Shee, also referred to as â€Å"oh yes point†. The points are crucial in this therapy and have to be used throughout the treatment procedure. Typically, the location of sham points is commonly defined by 25mm lateral extending to the standard location used for the OAT group.They include: the sham point of Dazhui (GV14) 25mm, which is 25 mm vertically below the usual standard GV14, sham points of (S115) Jianzhongshu and Huatuojiaji, which is 25 mm lateral to standard S 115 (Liang et al, 8). After the sham acupuncture, individuals undergoing the process or patients are treated through the use of point pressing (De Loose, 2008, p. 475). The findings show that a patient does not notice whether it is sham or real acupuncture being used. The results showed that the variation between real and sham practices are caused by habituation or the control effects. If the real acupuncture is efficient compared to the sham, then the habituation and control effects such as expectations of the patient, behavior and beliefs are present.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shallow acupuncture therapyShallow acupuncture group undergoes similar procedures as the other OAT groups.However, the physicians are required to insert the needles in a vertical manner in order to reach the subcutaneous level at a specified depth of not more than 3 mm (Salter et al, 2004). Needle manipulation or any other sensation is prohibited in this particular group. Ultimately, after the shallow acupuncture, the patients are additionally treated by INT through the use of a similar method as in the other OAT groups. It was found that the therapy do not fully treat the pain fully due to its shallow penetration hence the need for additional treatment that follow the same procedures. It results to a more efficient treatment in comparison to other therapies though takes much time (Salter et al, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ACUPUNCTURE AS AN IDEAL METHOD COMPARED TO PHYSIOTHERAPYZhuang (2012); Robertshawe, (2008), compares the use of acupuncture and physiotherapy in the treatment of chronic neck pain in a research that took place in China. The research involved screening of a total of 310 patients. The patients were then randomly split into two equal groups, where one group was treated using acupuncture method, while the other group received treatment through physiotherapy. The outcome of the treatment of the two procedures revealed that patients treated under acupuncture procedures had better results in relieving neck pain, particularly after a period of three months. It is essential to acknowledge that physiotherapy is an alternative medical practice that can be used in the treatment of chronic neck pain. While acupuncture therapies generally used sterilizes needles that are usually inserted in the area around the neck depending on the type of acupuncture u sed, physiotherapy does not involve the use of needles. Physiotherapy utilizes several types of manipulation as well as exercise to relieve pain. The common illustration of the use of physiotherapy is the stretch, strengthen and straighten up exercise movements of the neck (Robertshawe, 2008; Willich, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   EFFECTS OF ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENTWhite, (2001); Ji-Eun, (2010), researched about the adverse effects following a use of acupuncture to treat patients with chronic neck pain. In his survey, which included a prospective survey of 32,000 consultations with physiotherapists and doctors, the researcher, Adrian White aimed at ascertaining the incidence of adverse effects that are related to acupuncture treatment, as practiced by British doctors during that time. The research utilized data that were collected for the June of 1998 to February of 2000, from a total of 78 acupuncturists. Altogether the resulting significant effects were 43, subsequently giving only a rate of only 14 patients of the 10,000 patients included in the data. The results of this study showed that only 0.14 percent of the patients who used acupuncture in the treatment of chronic pain experience adverse effects (White, 2001). All the adverse effects were reported to have had cleared within the period of one week after the therapy. Similar diminishing effects were characterized at a longer period, except for only one incident that lasted for several weeks. The result derived from the data of acupuncture treatment did not report any serious adverse effects. The rates can only be classified as minimal considering that it was only 14 adverse effects out of the total 10,000 patients who were analyzed with the data provided (White, 2001; Ji-Eun, 2010). Generally, these effect rates do not give significant risk per individual patient.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   RECOMMENDATION ON ACUPUNCTURE’S VIABILITYThe article by Chen, et al., (2010), offers exclusive views on acupuncture given by various physicians. The research by Chen among other authors who contributed to the article, there study targets collecting information that addresses the role of acupuncture in the management of pain in regard to opinions of physicians who manage such conditions. The research was conducted between 2007 and 2008 using a nationwide e-mail to 1083 physicians who were in active acupuncture practice in the United States. Chan et al., (2010) found that the overwhelmingly majority of the responders of the survey had a positive attitude and favorable experience of the use of acupuncture as an alternative modality in the management of chronic pain. The results of the survey subsequently indicate that acupuncture is considered effective by physicians in the management of chronic neck pain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   CASE STUDIES:Acupuncture for patients with chronic neck painWitt et al., (2006) undertook the study in examining how effective acupuncture as an alternative treatment for neck pain treatment in comparison to patients who used routine medical care. The study used a random approach of more than 14000 individuals aged above 18 suffering from neck pain symptoms within a period of 6 months. Also took a non-acupuncture for 15 sessions within a period of 3 months. The acupuncture category were given injections without any other acupuncture treatment. The group which was controlled was not treated using acupuncture but both groups could use any other mode of treatment. The study found out that patients using routine care and add on acupuncture treatment showed significant improvements in both pain and quality of their lives in comparison to patients who only used routine treatments. Therefore, the results concludes that acupuncture can be used alo ngside routine treatments to achieve optimal results.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Efficacy and safety of acupunctureVas, et al, (2006) conducted a study to establish the effectiveness of acupuncture vis a vis placebo. Both methods were to be utilized to treat chronic neck pains that were not complicated. (N=123) patients, who were over the ages 17 and who possessed chronic neck pains for over 3 months were used. They were randomly selected into 2 groups, the acupuncture group and placebo group. For 3 weeks, the acupuncture group was treated with 5 acupuncture treatments. The treatment characteristics were, 30 minutes treatment followed by 10 minutes manual treatments. While the placebo group was subjected to transcutaneous nerve stimulation, which was characterized by 30 minutes of treatment and the potentiometer was being adjusted after every 10 minutes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The findings from this study were that, acupuncture as a form of neck treatment had minimal side effects. For overall effectiveness, acupuncture was found to have higher effectiveness than placebo. Researchers conclusively said that, acupuncture was effective.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   DISCUSSIONIn its broad context, this research has dwelled in covering all the related material on acupuncture and especially its effectiveness in treatment of acupuncture. Most are the studies which have found considerable effectiveness and a few studies have found less significant improvement in acupuncture use. The researchers (salter et al, 2006; Liang et al 2012; Chen et al 2010; vas et al 2006) have favorably recognized acupuncture as an effective non-conventional treatment method.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the review above, it is evident that all the methods of acupuncture are effective in treatment of chronic neck pains. Sham, optimization and shallow acupuncture all have a capacity of effectiveness when administered well. The various studies by salter have provided solid practical evidence and information on patients’ health upon using all the three types of acupuncture in treatment of patients and individuals (salter et al 2004). For example in 2007, a national health interview survey in America found that, 1.4% of respondents have used acupuncture to treat chronic neck pains. That percentage reported success, which is a testament to acupunctures effectiveness (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2012).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Blossfeldt, 2004) in his research notes that, acupuncture optimized technique success rate was a favorable 68%. Blossfeldt also noted that, on short term basis, acupuncture was 78% effective, while on long term basis it was 49% effective. Salter also found out on effectiveness of acupuncture. The neck pain questionnaire that he used for a period of 3 months, found out that, of the 34 % of the patients who have neck pains, 14% of these have effectively used acupuncture therapy (salter et al 2004) another researcher Liang, who conducted studies in china in association with other scholars, they found out that optimized acupuncture as a method of treating chronic neck pains was very effective.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although I extensively performed research on a wide range of databases, there are some articles that may have been missed out. Since I was individually conducting this research alone, it is possible that the large number of crucial articles were subsequently overlooked. In addition, there are many external factors that could have influenced the entire result of the use of acupuncture as an ideal treatment for chronic neck pain. The majority of studies slightly differ in a number of issues such as data collected, population, or any of combinations of these factors. White (2001) precisely researched about the adverse events following a use of acupuncture to treat patients with chronic neck pain, with an extreme number of respondents. Chen, L. et al., (2010), had a relatively smaller number of responders, and also had collection of data to be collected only through email in his research on the effectiveness of acupuncture in the management of chronic pain in the neck. These are some of the factors that were out of the scope of the research, hence determining the effectiveness of acupuncture was difficult, since the aspect of effectiveness could easily be isolated from some external factors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The analysis of the specific information provided by the studies of the literature review of this research paper indicates that either of the three methods of acupuncture can effectively treat the chronic neck pain. The procedural practice of sham, shallow and optimized acupuncture, though different, they present similar way of performing the acupuncture therapy, equally offering effective treatment for chronic neck pain. Liang et al, (2012) asserts that the three types of acupuncture to be based on the thought that decrease or alienation of pain can be enhanced by releasing the chemicals responsible for blocking pain. Issues of age in the study have been considered as the research only focused on individuals between 21 years old and 55 years, as they are likely to have a faster period of healing as compared to adult elderly groups of more than 55 years old. Generally, the use of acupuncture is illustrated as effective as it has previously been used to treat patients with chronic neck pain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The loopholes evident in the research include the possibility of a prior knowledge in determining the differences that may emerge upon consideration for gender in the treatment program. In the entire study, there is no single explanation of the ratio of females against the males in finding out the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment procedures. The study focused on a general perspective of patients with chronic neck pain regardless of their respective sex or gender. The knowledge of the differences that exist between males and females could have some effects on the understanding the use of acupuncture. In addition, the paper did not focus on the causes of the various neck pain, which could also compromise the results of the study, considering that such plans are typically attributed to a wide variety of causes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Topics that can be considered for further research are establishing the element of gender in determining the effectiveness of acupuncture while treating chronic neck problem. The various studies illustrated in the research paper did not point out the importance of understanding differences in the healing process of male and female patients with chronic neck pain. I suggest a study be conducted with a major emphasis on the aspect of gender differences between patients in order to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for neck pain in male and female patients. If this study is conducted, it will be possible to compare the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment between male and female patients within the same health condition of chronic neck pain. References Blossfeldt, P. (2004). Acupuncture for Chronic neck pain: a cohort study in an NHS pain Clinic.22(3): 146-151. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15551941Chen, L., Houghton, M., Seefeld, L., Malarick, C. Mao.Jianren. (2010). A Survey of SelectedPhysician Views on Acupuncture in Pain Management. 11(4), 530-534 Salter, G.C, Roman, M., Bland, M. J MacPherson, H. (2006). Acupuncture for chronic pain: apilot for randomized controlled trial. 7(1): 3-14. Retrieved fromhttp://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2474/7/99 Liang, Z. H., Di, Z., Jiang, S., Xu, S. J., Zhu, X. P., Fu, W,. Lu, A. P. (2012). The optimizedacupuncture treatment for neck pain caused by cervical spondylosis: a study protocol of amulticenter randomized controlled trial. 13(1): 2-18. Retrieved fromhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22776567 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.(2013). neck pain. Retrieved fromhttp://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00231Chen, L., Houghton, M., Seefeld, L., Malarick, C., Mao, J. (2010).a survey of selected physician views on acupuncture in pain management. Pain Medicine, 11(4), 530-534. Retrieved from SPORTDiscus. De Loose, V., Burnotte, F., Cagnie, B., Stevens, V., Van Tiggelen, D. (2008). Prevalence and risk factors of neck pain in military office workers. Military Medicine, 173(5), 474-479. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier. Hush, J. M., Michaleff, Z., Maher, C. G., Refshauge, K. (2009). Individual, physical and psychological risk factors for neck pain in Australian office workers: a 1-year longitudinal study. European Spine Journal, 18(10), 1532-1540. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier. Irnich, D., Behrens, N., Gleditsch, J. M., Stà ¶r, W., Schreiber, M. A., Schà ¶ps, P., Beyer, A. (2002). Immediate effects of dry needling and acupuncture at distant points in chronic neck pain: results of a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled crossover trial. Pain (03043959), 99(1/2), 83.Retrieved from Academic Search Premier. Ji-Eun, P., MyeongSoo, L., Jun-Yong, C., Bo-Young, K., Sun-Mi, C. (2010). Adverse Events Associated with Acupuncture: A Prospective Survey. Journal Of Alternative Complementary Medicine, 16(9), 959-963. Retrieved by Academic Search Premier. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. (2012). Acupuncture: an introduction. Retrieved from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/introduction.htmNational Institutes of Health.(2013). neck pain.Retreived from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003025.htmRobertshawe, P. (2008). Acupuncture and physiotherapy for neck tension.Journal Of The Australian Traditional-Medicine Society, 14(3), 187. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier. Sun, M., Hsieh, C., Cheng, Y., Hung, H., Li, T., Yen, S., Huang, I. (2010). The therapeutic effects of acupuncture on patients or individuals with chronic neck myofascial pain syndrome:: a single-blind randomized controlled trial. American Journal Of Chinese Medicine, 38(5), 849-859. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier. Vas, J., Perea-Milla, E., Mà ©ndez, C., Navarro, C., Leà ³n Rubio, J., Brioso, M., Obrero, I. (2006). Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for chronic uncomplicated neck pain: A randomised controlled study. Pain (03043959), 126(1-3), 245-255. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier. White, A. (2001). Adverse events following acupuncture: prospective survey of 32,000 consultations with doctors and physiotherapists. 10(1), 3-14 Retrieved from BMJ Research Articles Willich, S. N., Reinhold, T., Selim, D., Jena, S., Brinkhaus, B., Witt, C. M. (2006).Cost-effectiveness of acupuncture treatment in patients or individuals with chronic neck pain.Pain (03043959), 125(1/2), 107-113. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Witt, C. M., Jena, S., Brinkhaus, B., Liecker, B., Wegscheider, K., Willich, S. N. (2006). Acupuncture for patients or individuals with chronic neck pain. Pain (03043959), 125(1/2), 98-106. Retrived from Academic Search Premier. Source document

General Cable Company (GCC) SWOT Analysis

General Cable Company (GCC) SWOT Analysis Overview This section of the paper analyzed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats faced by General Cable. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats are identified and evaluated to determine the ways to capitalize, improve, or avoid these factors to strengthen General Cable as a company. Each of the categories is explained in details to see how it will impact the business or give it a competitive advantage. Below is the SWOT diagram. Strengths Geographically diversified  (may also pose as a weakness) Wide product breadth Lean efficient operation Weaknesses 1. Geographically diversified Political instability Volatile foreign currency exchange 2. Excessive debt dependency 3. Over dependence on one key supplier Opportunities Expansion into emerging markets Strong growth Government support of alternative energy Demand for greater communication bandwidth and global connectivity Threats Volatile commodity market Stringent regulations Litigations Strengths Geographically Diversified GCC operates in three geographical segments namely North America, Europe and North Africa, and the Rest of World (ROW). The biggest markets and contributors of income are the United States and Spain markets. With the focus of long term growth however, it is predicted that there will be increasing population and wealth emerge from the developing countries so GCC has been focusing on diversifying geographically.1 The recession in the United States and slow market in Spain proved that diversifying geographically has been an excellent move. Earlier this year, GCC acquired a major stake of Phoenix Power Cables, a cable manufacturer in Durban, South Africa as one of the moves to further diversify its market and increase its business and presence in Sub-Saharan Africa. 2 GCC is also increasing its presence in its Rest of World (ROW) market by strategic acquisition of local companies and/or building manufacturing plant. This wide international presence allows GCC to have several sources of revenue and globalize GCC as a brand in different parts of the world. It also allows GCC to not depend on a certain geographic markets and helps reduce business risks considerably by spreading its revenue sources. With a successful track record of overseas acquisition, combined with their technical know-how and expertise in the business, GCC is poised to leverage itself as a major global player amidst the ever changing business world. Even though geographic diversification is considered as a strength for GCC, this can also posed a weakness for the company. Detailed discussion of this is presented in the next section. Wide Product Breadth GCC has the broadest product offering in the industry. It offers wide variety of copper, aluminum and fiber optic wire and cable products which are sold to different markets and industries. These products are used not only in the cable industry but in other industries as well, such as, communication, construction, transportation, and oil and gas companies. The wire and cable industry is highly competitive and by providing a wide variety of products is a competitive strength for GCC. This diversified product offering helps reducing the impact of market volatility in one particular product segment and provides economic stability. Lean Efficient Operation GCC is a one of the leaders in the wire and cable industry and it strives very hard to be as lean and as productive as possible to give it a competitive edge. As an ongoing effort to reduce waste and costs, GCC spends considerable time and resources to educate its employees on how to reduce waste and cost and provide them with Lean Six Sigma manufacturing cost containment training. Talk about from the financial paper. Operating income and gross profit were up in 2008 and GCC attributed some of these achievements to improved efficiency as a result of continued Lean manufacturing initiatives. With a leaner and more efficient operation than the industry, GCC possesses a competitive edge. It allows them to profit more from the operation with its lower cost structure or sell the products at a lower price than the competitors but still making the same amount of profit. Weaknesses Geographically Diversified As mentioned earlier in the section, geographic diversification is a competitive strength for GCC. However, it is also a weakness for GCC. Geographically diversified means GCC operates in various parts of the world and exposed to different government rules and regulation, political instability in each country, as well as volatile foreign currency. GCC has a significant investment in Thailand and is therefore subject to the political instability there. In late 2006, Thailands elected government was overthrown which created a lot of unrest and instability in the nation. This inevitably posed as a problem for GCC to smoothly operate in Thailand and may negatively impact the financial health of Thailands operation. Volatile foreign exchange rates can pose as an advantage or disadvantage. Favorable year-over-year foreign currency translation is a benefit while unfavorable translation means a loss that GCC has to bear and report in the financial statement. For example, Venezuelan government recently decided to devalue its currency for non-essential goods from 4.30 Bolivars to each US Dollar to 2.15 which means that $40-$45 million USD will need to be written off from the balance sheet.3 All of these factors may have negative impact on General Cables financial numbers as it influences sales, growth and net profit. Unfavorable foreign currency and political instability are some of the factors associated with having a global presence. GCC has to find ways to overcome these weaknesses by constantly monitoring current and prospective rules and regulations in each country and assess the likelihood and impact of them on GCC. Foreign exchange futures can also be used to lessen the impact of volatile foreign exchange rates. Excessive Debt Dependency As mentioned in the earlier portion of the paper, GCC is highly leveraged by debt and this may potentially have an adverse effect on GCCs financial position. Talk about paper. GCC competitive edge may be limited as it may be harder for GCC to obtain further financing due to the significant amount of debt it possesses. Net income may also be adversely affected when business is bad and cash flow is limited and there is a significant amount of debt repayments to be made. Over Dependence On One Key Supplier More than 90% of General Cable 2008 copper rod purchase was supplied by one key supplier. This posed as a high risk for General Cable if this key supplier fails or for any reason, fail to supply GCC with adequate material. GCC did not have any long term purchase agreements with this key supplier and it is extremely hard to find another key supplier that can supply raw materials in such a short notice. Any unanticipated problems and interruptions with this supplier could have a material adverse effect on GCC. Be it natural catastrophes such as hurricanes and earthquakes or the suppliers own financial and company problem, all of this will have a negative impact on GCCs operation and financial performance. To shield itself from this weakness, GCC has to identify new prospective supplier. GCC needs a supplier who is reliable, reputable, and has the ability to supply massive amount of raw material at the right time and price. However it seems that GCC is reluctant to do so, based on the statement in the 2008 annual report that identifying and accessing alternative suppliers may increase their costs. The likelihood that this key supplier will be problematic should be minimal considering that GCC has outweighed the benefits and cost of identifying new supplier. Opportunities Expansion Into The Emerging Markets As there are massive growth and wealth coming from the emerging markets, GCC has been trying to expand further into these emerging markets and leverage their 150 years of technical expertise and One Company approach. China and India are one the largest emerging markets right now and GCC has considerable investment and presence in both of these countries. Its expansion strategies include acquisition and building manufacturing facilities. GCC recently acquired a local specialty cable manufacturer as it plans to reach out to the Chinese automotive and industrial markets.4In 2007, GCC started its expansion in India by entering a joint venture with a local firm to leverage itself in the construction cables industry for the Indian market.5 GCC is vigorously expanding worldwide by leveraging opportunities in the emerging markets from building new world cup stadium in south Africa for the world cup to reaching into the local markets in China and India. These projects, along with the recent acquisition and expansion in other emerging markets, further GCCs strategy to expand globally into economies that are building their energy infrastructure. This creates an opportunity for the company to increase its sales and brand presence by providing energy and electrical infrastructure cables in these emerging markets. The opportunity in the emerging markets will also help strengthen GCC as a company as it presents more revenue sources and also helps reduce business risks considerably by spreading its revenue sources. Strong Growth Government Support In Alternative Energy With the ever increasing desire for energy independence and environmental concern, alternative energy such as wind, solar and hydroelectric power is poised to grow rapidly. General Cable is one of the leading cable companies that support alternative energy by creating products that provide solutions in the alternative energy sectors. In 2008, more than $400 million of industrial and energy cable is sold to the terrestrial wind farm market globally and this number will continue to climb in the future.1 Alternative energy such as biofuels, biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, and wind provided 11.37% of domestic U.S. energy production in June 2009. This is a gain from the half of 2007 where alternative energy represents only 9.89% of the domestic energy production.6 The government support in the alternative energy movement is also an excellent opportunities for GCC. The economic stimulus package passed by congress supports renewable alternative energy and this will enhance investments and thus increase demands for GCC products. Both strong growth and government support for alternative energy allows GCC to capitalize on this opportunity to further enhance its market position and financial performance. Demand For Greater Communication Bandwidth And Global Connectivity As the demand for bandwidth increases to support the increasing need for global connectivity and communication, the demand for GCC products will inevitably surge. An article from ‘IT News Africa states that the demand for international connectivity has been much higher than anticipated, which proves there is a definite need for all the international cables global high-speed.7 Internet users will also increase as the emerging markets become more wealthy and require faster connection. This increase in demand is an opportunity that GCC has to capitalize on. Successfully capitalizing on this opportunity will have a positive impact for GCCs financial performance and reputation. GCC has taken considerable steps to take advantage of this increase in demand. It invested in multi-billion dollar of submarine optic communications markets, the medium for faster global connectivity. It is also in a stage to acquire a patent for a newly introduced product which will be used in networking cable technology spectrum. Threats Volatile Commodity Market GCC transforms basic raw materials such as copper, aluminum, petrochemicals and steel into highly engineered wire and cable products. Raw materials account for approximately 75% of the conversion cost which means that fluctuation in raw materials prices may adversely affect GCC cost of sales and in turn, its competitive pricing. The price of copper and aluminum, in recent months, has been extremely volatile. Another issue with the commodity market is that big increase in the prices will substantially decrease demand for wire and cable products and ultimately, will have a negative impact on GCC financial performance. GCC has been involved in numerous commodity hedging programs to shield itself from volatile copper and other raw material prices. However, due to the nature of the financial hedging, it is still no guarantee that they will always be able to protect themselves from the volatility. Stringent Regulations Operating in the wire and cable industry as well as having worldwide operation exposed GCC to numerous complex rules and regulations. The regulations range from import and export rules, individual government policies on the industry, environmental laws, to electronic or telecommunication rules. All of these factors are threats that may materially impact GCCs growth strategy, performance, and reputation. It is noted, however, that GCC is doing its best to ensure that the employees, subsidiaries, contractors, and agents comply with the rules and regulations. Litigations By the end of 2008, GCC and its subsidiaries have been involved in 34,730 lawsuits, 1,275 out of the lawsuits are pending non-maritime asbestos cases.1 These litigation claims are worth millions of dollars combine. If GCC is found guilty in any of the lawsuits and subjected to hefty monetary fines and payments, it will materially impact GCC operation and financial performance. However, GCC has been fighting these lawsuits for the past 20 years and therefore have the experience in defending itself against these lawsuits. In the past 20 years, GCC has had no cases proceed to verdict from those lawsuits and in many cases, was dismissed as a defendant. However, there is no guarantee in the foreseeable future that GCC will always have the upper hand in the lawsuits. Therefore the litigations faced by GCC is considered as a considerable threat. Conclusion GCCs global presence and lean operation put it at a competitive advantage in the industry. It allows GCC to have a wide spread of income source and avoid that economy cyclicality when one country is in recession. As it was discussed in previous section, however, global presence is also a weakness for GCC. Exposure to political instability and fluctuations in the foreign exchange market may have adverse effect on GCCs operation and financial performance. Wide product breadth is also another strength in that it helps reducing the impact of market volatility in one particular product segment and provides economic stability. In order to remain competitive in the industry, GCC has to not only maintain its strengths that give it a competitive advantage, but it also needs to capitalize on the opportunities available to the firm. The strong support and growth for alternative energy as well as increasing demand for greater bandwidth and connectivity are some of the opportunities that GCC has already capitalized on and will continue to do so. However, the rising raw material prices and volatility in the commodity market could pressurize the companys profit margins, thus posing a threat to the firm. Litigations that GCC is involved in is also a threat to the firms operation and financial performance if and when it is found guilty. It is crucial for GCC to continually analyze and assess its SWOT factors to see how it is going to impact the company. Doing so allows GCC to capitalize on its strengths and opportunities as well as take appropriate measure to decrease the likelihood of the threats and weakness from occurring. Annual report. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MzMxNTkwfENoaWxkSUQ9MzEzNzYyfFR5cGU9MQ==t=1 http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2010/01/18/daily10.html?ana=yfcpc http://investor.generalcable.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=81254p=irol-newsArticleID=1374797highlight= http://www.generalcable.com.cn/ http://www.nema.org/media/ind/20070419b.cfm http://www.southernstudies.org/2009/09/power-politics-growth-in-renewable-energy-outpaces-nuclear-fossil-fuels.html http://www.itnewsafrica.com/?p=3921

The Internet Essay example -- essays research papers

The Internet Imagine a place where people interact in business situations, shop, play video games, do research, or study and get tutoring. Now imagine that there are no office buildings, no shopping centers, no arcades, no libraries, and no schools. These places all exist in a location called the Internet - "an anarchic eyetem (to use an oxymoron) of public and private computer networks that span the globe." (Clark 3). This technological advance not only benefits people of the present, but also brings forth future innovations. People use the Internet for many purposes, yet there are three popular reasons. First, there is the sending and receiving of messages through the electronic mail. Second, there are discussion groups with a wide range of topics in which people can join. Finally, people are free to browse into vast collection of resources (or databases) of the World Wide Web. Electronic mail (e-mail) brings a unique perception into the way of communication. Although, it did not replace the traditional means of communication such as letters and telephone calls, it has created a new method of transmitting information in a more efficient way. E-mail saves time between the interval of sending and receiving a message. Sending an e-mail message halfway around the world can arrive at its destination within a minute or two. In comparison, a letter can take from a few days to a couple of weeks, according to ...

Truman Capotes In Cold Blood: A Nonfiction Murder Mystery :: In Cold Blood Essays

In Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, the author uses a style of writing combining factual, journalistic writing with the mystery and intrigue normally found in traditional fiction novels to develop a new genre that critics found unique from the modernists of his time. In the beginning of this book, the murders and victims seem unrelated, but as the book moves ahead, the relationship becomes clear. The victims, who are the Clutter family of four, are the typical all-American family. The family is murdered in their own home by two ex-convicts named Dick and Perry. The murder takes place in Holcomb, Kansas, but Dick and Perry travel around the U.S. and Mexico cashing bad checks until they are finally caught in Las Vegas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Capote’s general style revolves around a family and home destroyed within a context of hidden corruption, alienation, and loneliness (Kazin). His sympathy and compassion towards his characters shows how involved he is in his subjects.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Capote’s writing style in the book In Cold Blood is very straightforward. He writes from an omniscient point of view. In preparing to write In Cold Blood, Mr. Capote lived in the town for five years. In the course of that time, he interviewed everyone including the two murders Dick and Perry. H had taken over 6,000 pages of notes. Each scene in the book is climatic like a movie (Kazin). They go back and forth the investigation in Kansas to the adventures of the murders. The writing and scenes are visual (Kazin).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Truman Capote’s writing falls into the modernism period. The Clutter family represents the ideal American family. The father is a successful farmer and a prominent figure in the town. The daughter is the all-American girl â€Å"†¦be a straight-A student, the president of her class, a leader in the 4-H program and the Young Methodists League, a skilled rider, an excellent musician (piano, clarinet), an annual winner at the county fair (pastry, preserves, needlework, flower arrangement)†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (18). Capote is also experimental with his formatting of the book by cutting from scene to scene to make the reader feel as if they are reading two stories at the same time. That reinforces the thought and fact that the two things are happening at the same time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This book can be considered both journalism and novelism (Langbaum). Truman Capote's In Cold Blood: A Nonfiction Murder Mystery :: In Cold Blood Essays In Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, the author uses a style of writing combining factual, journalistic writing with the mystery and intrigue normally found in traditional fiction novels to develop a new genre that critics found unique from the modernists of his time. In the beginning of this book, the murders and victims seem unrelated, but as the book moves ahead, the relationship becomes clear. The victims, who are the Clutter family of four, are the typical all-American family. The family is murdered in their own home by two ex-convicts named Dick and Perry. The murder takes place in Holcomb, Kansas, but Dick and Perry travel around the U.S. and Mexico cashing bad checks until they are finally caught in Las Vegas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Capote’s general style revolves around a family and home destroyed within a context of hidden corruption, alienation, and loneliness (Kazin). His sympathy and compassion towards his characters shows how involved he is in his subjects.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Capote’s writing style in the book In Cold Blood is very straightforward. He writes from an omniscient point of view. In preparing to write In Cold Blood, Mr. Capote lived in the town for five years. In the course of that time, he interviewed everyone including the two murders Dick and Perry. H had taken over 6,000 pages of notes. Each scene in the book is climatic like a movie (Kazin). They go back and forth the investigation in Kansas to the adventures of the murders. The writing and scenes are visual (Kazin).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Truman Capote’s writing falls into the modernism period. The Clutter family represents the ideal American family. The father is a successful farmer and a prominent figure in the town. The daughter is the all-American girl â€Å"†¦be a straight-A student, the president of her class, a leader in the 4-H program and the Young Methodists League, a skilled rider, an excellent musician (piano, clarinet), an annual winner at the county fair (pastry, preserves, needlework, flower arrangement)†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (18). Capote is also experimental with his formatting of the book by cutting from scene to scene to make the reader feel as if they are reading two stories at the same time. That reinforces the thought and fact that the two things are happening at the same time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This book can be considered both journalism and novelism (Langbaum).