Cryptology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cryptology - Essay Example Furthermore, the user of interconnected computers and breakthrough is file and system sharing, make personal information and data even more vulnerable to these threats. At this point cryptology fits in perfectly to address the above issues accordingly. At the base of all internet communication and data security lays cryptology that serves as the foundation to security and data authenticity. Cryptology ensures data and information confidentiality by ensuring in the event that the data in intercepted, the eavesdropper will not understand the content. In addition, Data authenticity is ensured and the message recipient is assured the message is from the correct sender. Finally cryptology ascertains data integrity by providing specific proof that the data or information received is not subject to an alteration by third party. The figure below demonstrates a basic outline of cryptography process (Koblitz 2004). Background Cryptology can be defined as the study of cryptosystems, is simply p ut understanding how to uniquely hide a document or relevant information in plain sight. Normally this involves using a secret encoding that only the intended recipient understands. In a nut shell, cryptography is trying to understand how to pass private information in a public arena which in this case in the internet. This study is further subdivided into two distinct yet similar fields. Cryptography involves the design, creation and implementation of cryptosystems (Bauer 2006). These are the codes and complex formulas used to hide the information before or during data transfer. In addition, cryptosystems also includes measures and mechanisms of incorporating digital signatures in documents. Digital systems basically act as proof of ownership of digital content otherwise susceptible to alterations. On the other hand, cryptology also deals with cryptanalyses which studies the decoding of cryptosystems. Research data analysis and outline Two basic methods were considered for the purp oses of this research. Quantitative research, where collected data is expressed in mathematical figures then evaluated for appropriate results, and qualitative which does not involve figures but rather experiences of participants and the actual data obtained from various sources. In this instance, qualitative analysis best suited thit type of research and was extensively applied. The primary data sources included case studies and direct observation of crypto systems at work. In addition, secondary sources such as books, library articles and the internet provided a reliable reference point. Literature review According to Bauer (2006) cryptography is a field of study where systems and data security meets the power of mathematical functions and equations. Based on his research, cryptology and by extension cryptography offers to the world of security engineering tools that underlie and form the basic and modern security protocols. Buchmann (2004) adds on this analogy through his researc h that offers an insight to cryptography and the techniques involved in cryptanalysis. According to him cryptography is a key to distributed systems security and modern day data integrity. Buchman argues that powerful as it may be, cryptology has often been misconstrued by experts because of the various malpractice associated with it. Cryptography has often been used in the wrong arena to protect the wrong information, and pass illegal messages throughout time. Another

Kant and the Categorical Imperative Essay Example for Free

Kant and the Categorical Imperative Essay The possibility of the existence of right and wrong has been a subject of discussion among philosophers for centuries and many theories have been presented to answer the question of whether morals exist. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), the great German philosopher is one who has contributed profoundly to the world of philosophy and especially in regards to his thought on the subject of morality. Kant disagreed with Hume that morality is objective and not subjective. Kant wanted to propose a pure moral philosophy, one of absolute necessity and independent of all human feelings, because if it not so, it will not be absolute and binding upon every person. The purpose of morality is to affect our behaviour and that it is reason that makes humans moral and not feelings or preferences. We shall explore some of the a priori foundations of morality paying special attention to Kants categorical imperative and what exactly this was designed to solve in moral theory. To have moral worth, an act must be done in the name of ones duty, the moral worth of this act is taken from the principle from which its determined, not from what it aims to accomplish and that duty is necessary when one is acting out of respect for the law. A shopkeeper giving the buyer the right amount of change because the law states one must not steal, this is an example of a legal action because rules are being followed but for the wrong reasons. A shopkeeper returning the correct amount of change because it belongs to the customer is an example of a moral action because the action is being done for the right reasons. Kant adopts the view of morality as an unconditional ought, as opposed to a conditional ought By this he means that one should perform an act without considerations of the merits that that act may produce, in comparison with acting in order for something else to happen. This implies that acts that are moral are those that are done without being done for the sake of the merit or reward that they may bring to the person. Kant claimed that moral behaviour does not guarantee the attainment of happiness; rather that good will is crucial for actually deserving happiness. Nothing in the worldindeed nothing even beyond the worldcan possibly be conceived which could be called good without qualification except a good will (Kant 1964 p. 27). By the good will Kant means that a good will is not good because what it performs or what it effects but that it is simply good in itself. The good will is the will which acts out of respect for the moral law and from freedom, but actions such as these, if motivated by selfish or emotional factors, will then have no moral worth. There is a great deal of stress placed on the intention behind the act, consider giving money to charity for the sake of helping out, without any need for any ego gratification or such self-serving purposes, this is an instance of good will. Kants most well known contribution to ethical discussion is the categorical imperative. There are three key propositions that form the basis of Kants ethics. They are: act only on that maxim (principle) through which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law, act in a way that you never treat humanity as a means to an end and that you act as if you were a lawmaker member of a kingdom of ends. These three principles form the categorical imperative. For Kant the source of moral justification is the categorical imperative. It presents a method to determine whether or not an act may be considered to be morally correct. An imperative is either categorical or hypothetical. Kant writes, If now the action is good only as a means to something else, then the imperative is hypothetical; if it is conceived as good in itself and consequently as being necessarily the principle of a will which of itself conforms to reason, then it is categorical . . . . (Kant 1989 p. 31) As humans we all have subjective impulses desires and inclinations that may contradict the dictates of reason. These desires, whether they are material objects or gratify us in a sexual or psychological way, may in fact contradict the dictates of reason. Therefore we experience the claim of reason as an imperative, a command to act in a particular way. Kant views a person to be most free when they can overcome their temptations and it is this freedom that helps us make sense of morality. The categorical imperative emphasises the means for completing an action and places little meaning on the end result of an action, whereas the hypothetical imperative places much emphasis on the end result of an action. It is an imperative because it dictates what we should do, disregarding our desires. As rational beings we are guided through life by laws and principles, in the form of an imperative which simply orders us you must do this regardless of any desires which we may have. Hypothetical imperatives apply to us if we have a particular desire, go to university if you want to become a philosopher. An act becomes imperative when it ought to be applied to everyone, hence the basic statement of the categorical imperative being to act only on maxims that you could will to become universal laws of human nature (Kant). A categorical imperative would command you to do X inasmuch as X is intrinsically right, that is, right in and of itself, aside from any other considerationsno ifs, no conditions, no strings attached . . . a categorical imperative is unconditional (no ifs) and independent of any things, circumstances, goals, or desires. It is for this reason that only a categorical imperative can be a universal and binding law, that is, a moral law, valid for all rational beings at all times. (Miller 1984 p. 462) Immorality then would be to make exceptions for ourselves by acting only on maxims that we cannot universalize out of our own will. It is those who act in such a way and then expect others to act different to our way, who are immoral. The categorical imperative acts as a formula for universal law; by stating the prerequisites that an act must have to be considered moral, it presents a comparison for people to be able to see if they are acting morally, this being to act only on principles that you could will to become universal laws by which all who wish to act morally must comply with. It determines whether any act is right or wrong, so to do the opposite would be contradictory and this would then be an act that is not morally correct. An example that Kant puts forward in Good Will, Duty, and the Categorical Imperative, (1989) to depict this is of a man who is in extreme despair and contemplating suicide. By taking his own life he would be universalizing the principle that in order to love himself he should end his life (by doing this he is trying to improve his life by ending the despair he is feeling). Killing himself would in fact do nothing to improve his life because he would have no life at all! So you see how these contradictory acts undermine those that may be classified as morally right. Although Kants categorical imperative has been widely read and accepted by some it has had criticism. Some philosophers have thought of it as absolutist, being too black and white. But when thinking of humanity and society in which we reside, looking at morality according to the categorical imperative allows a standard rule for everyone to follow. If it was alright for some people to steal and not others this we could not call a moral and fair society. There needs to be a rule or comparison so that what acts are right and what are wrong may be differentiated from each other and the wrong acts then dealt with accordingly. Some have asked how only an action which one had no desire to do could ever have any moral worth. This to me does not seem to be what is trying to be expressed in Kantian ethics. It is not the desire per se that makes an act immoral, I think it seems that it is more the fact of this desire being the reason the act is conducted in the first place. If the act is done to fulfil a personal desire or attain that which one desires, then the act is immoral, but if the act is done for the good of the act in itself, for example donating money to an orphanage because one desires to help, then this is still what Kant would regard as a morally right act. Although Kantianism has had a profound effect on some people, producing many elaborations, translations and thought, for some it is not feasible once placed together as a whole. Kant had some very profound ideas but looking at society tody I would think he was definitely on the right thought pattern. Society and we as humans, with our impulses whether good or bad, need a clarified ethics to follow to help us separate what may be considered right and wrong in a moral sense, and it must be fair and the same for everyone, this is what Kants categorical imperative has done by creating a universal law or rule of thumb for morality. References: Kant, I. 1989 Good Will, Duty, and the Categorical Imperative. ed. Serafini, A. Ethics and Social Concern, the categorical imperative. New York: Paragon House Publishers Kant, I. 1964 Groundwork and the Metaphysics of Morals, ed. Herbert J. Paton, New York: HarperCollins. Miller, Ed. L. 1984 Questions that Matter: An Invitation to Philosophy, 3rd ed. Colorado: McGraw-Hill, Inc. http://sguthrie. net/kant. htm (accessed on 12/10/04).

Myth and the Modern World Essay -- Heros Journey, Hospitality

Since the beginning of time, people have been searching the universe looking for answers to the burning questions about what â€Å"it† all means. By looking to the past, we find parallels that help put our own modern lives into perspective. We mortals have an insatiable quest for knowledge about everything under the sun. Who are we? Where did we come from? Why are we here? What happens next? By analyzing the meaning of ancient Mythology and applying the lessons learned through the hero’s quests, we gain insight and perspective about our own place in the modern world we live in today. By visualizing and internalizing the lessons learned through the mythological hero’s journeys, we find relevance in the symbolism and metaphors that mirror our own struggles and inspire us to find the courage and determination to overcome them. I am not a deeply religious person but I do believe in â€Å"something†. What that something is, I am not entirely sure. However, like the characters in the myths we have read about this semester, I know that I am also on a journey that hopefully one day will reveal the answers to the questions I’ve been looking for along with the ones I haven’t even thought of yet. Life is a quest that begins at birth and continues until the day we die. Our quests resemble the hero’s journeys because in attempting to achieve our goals; we stumble, fall, get a little help if we’re lucky, then get up and try again. Sometimes I pray for supernatural help as I struggle to overcome obstacles along the way, but so far no gods or goddesses have materialized to help me out in my times of need. I guess that’s why we have family - those people in our lives we sometimes can’t live with but could never live without. They are the ones... ... process. Like the mythological characters we’ve been introduced to this semester, we travel through life and face obstacles that either make us stronger or shatter us into a million pieces. It’s up to us to choose how we put those pieces back together. Works Cited "Jason and the Golden Fleece." Ancient Greece Mythology. Copyright  © 2003-2012 University Press Inc. . Web. 11 Oct 2013. . Raffel, Burton . Beowulf. New York, NY: Signet Classic, 1963. print. Gardner, John. Grendel. New York, NY: Vintage Books, 1971. Print. Fagles, Robert. The Odyssey. Deluxe. New York, NY: Penguin Classics, 1996. Print. Encyclopedia Mythica. MCMXCV - MMXII Encyclopedia Mythica.. Web. 11 Oct 2013. . The Epic of Gilgamesh. Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center, Web. .

Future Me

How I see myself in 2012 is what I believe we all want a happy and uncomplicated, A life where the economic, social, and health problems do not have place. I see myself see myself as the most successful person the world has seen. I will have graduated college, majoring in mechanical engineering in cu Denver. In CU I will meet a beautiful woman that just became a doctor. After being married for a few years we will have two kids. I want to have the perfect house, neither too big nor too small, with a pool and a very large yard where I can play soccer with my kids or have a cookout with family and friends.I also going to have a decent size pond behind the house where we could fish, swim and whatever I know all of these life successes will take a lot of time and effort. I hope my life is very different from what it is now, is not that I hate the life I have now but my parents taught me that they worked very hard to give me a better life than the one they had and I want to give the same t o my future family. By getting married and having a family I believe will bring joy into my life.I believe it can bring a joy that no one can know unless they experience it for themselves. My job will be there for me to help support my family, financially but I want to be able to raise them in a good neighborhood. I want to make sure my own family is happy. It is beautiful to watch your children grow up before your eyes and this is what I want. I believe, as well as most people, that you are successful in life if you have raised a family. I’m not sure of what my dream job would be but I know that it would be perfect.Being a Mechanical engineer means that I would be working with the both thing I love more motor and math and any job that mixes both would be perfect. In 2012 I hope to have enough wisdom to not get carried away by envy or lust and only pursue happiness, mine and those around me. My happiness in what I do is also a goal for me I my life. There is no way someone ca n become successful if they are not happy with what they are doing with their life. It is clear that to be happy you don’t need money or live in luxury; you need only to be happy

Early Childhood Education Programs Essay

Early childhood education or preschool education is education for children in the early stages of their childhood before they join school. Several researches that have been conducted by neuroscientists, pediatricians and other stakeholders shows that the biggest portion of the brain architecture takes place in the early childhood years. Research studies have also found out that intellectual and emotional development is critical during the first three years of life. Maria Montessori was one of many educationists who believe that the foundation of human development is laid during the child’s early years. She declared that: The most important period of life is not the age of university studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six, (Pandor, 2008 para. 3). Many other educationists assert that the quality of education is determined in the first years of a child in school. Early Childhood Education Programs Preschool education or early childhood education is a quality education and it is beneficial to children from all economic and social groups. Development of quality early childhood programs should be emphasized as it can be viewed as a social and economic strategy. Investing in these programs is therefore not only important to the child but also to the development of the state and the country at large. A research conducted by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) in five states of the United States found out that â€Å"quality public preschool programs produce broad gains in children’s learning and development,† (NIEER, 2005 para. 4). According to the same study, state funded programs were found to have significant gains regardless of the child’s ethnic or economic and social background. The effects of the preschool programs were estimated by testing the literacy skills, vocabulary and academic skills of the kindergarteners. A total of 5,071 children in 1, 320 classrooms were tested in either English or Spanish depending on the child’s strongest language. The impacts on mathematics, literacy and language were statistically significant compared to the children without the program. Vocabulary scores were 31 percent higher than gains of children without the program. On mathematical skills which included basic skills such as counting money, simple additions and subtractions, number concepts and telling time, the gains increased to 44 percent. In print awareness the gains were 85 percent greater for children enrolled in state sponsored preschool programs compared to the growth of children who are not enrolled (NIEER, 2005). According to the NIEER study, participants at the age of 20 years were more likely to have cleared high school if they enrolled for the preschool programs. They were less likely to have required remedial education and also less likely to have committed juvenile crimes which warrant arrests. With the unnecessary costs of remedial classes and expenditure for justice systems and in addition to the increased revenues, it was estimated that there was a return of $7 for every dollar that was invested. At 27 years of age, participants had gained a higher level of education and their earnings were higher than those who did not enroll for the early childhood school programs. The number of those who received the social services was significantly low and the numbers of arrests were fewer. These studies were carried out on children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. The befits gained can be intertwined in the sense that once this child gains a higher level of education most likely the earnings will be high, consequently economic prospects will be high, improvement on financial decisions, improved health and housing (NIEER, 2008). An opportunity to live in a classroom community, interact and get along with people from various socioeconomic backgrounds can be considered as a social benefit for children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Learning how to get along with others will result to improved social skills and emotional competence. These programs set a stage and give a child preparedness to enroll for the formal education. Apart from improving on their communication skills and getting higher scores in school tests, they have lesser behavioral issues once they enroll in the formal learning process. When a child goes through the pre kindergarten learning they succeed in school and become good citizens, earn more, commit less crimes and pay more taxes. â€Å"Every dollar invested in quality early care and education saves taxpayers up to $13. 00 in future costs,† (http://web. mit. edu/workplacecenter/docs/Full%20Report. pdf. n. d pp. 2). The success of the early child leaning relies heavily on the quality of the preschool programs. In an effort to improve the schools and the learning process, most states in United States have established public preschool programs to cater for less privileged and disadvantaged. Most of these programs are established on the principle that early intervention will help the child unleash his full potential. For example the mission for Head Start is â€Å"to ensure that no child in America is trapped in poverty’s grasp,† (United Way of America, 2005 pp. 1). These programs have been criticized and their effectiveness has been questionable. From the findings of NIEER (2005) studies, â€Å"vocabulary gains were three or four times greater than those in the Head Start study,† (para. 9). In spite of this big difference in performance, such aspects such as the class size and the length of day remained the same. This difference was attributed to high educational qualifications and good remuneration for teachers in state funded pre-kindergarten programs compared to Head Start. Almost all state funded programs studied in the five states required teachers to be licensed, have a certification in early childhood education and be a holder of a BA degree. In the case of Head Start the requirements half of the teachers were required to have a two-year Associate’s degree while the rest to have a Child Development Associate (requires only 120 hours of training to acquire CDA credential) or an equivalent (LIFESTYLENIEER, n. d). Abbot, another preschool program in New Jersey was established to serve the highest poverty districts within the state. Substantial resources have been invested in the school and NIEER annual report rated it as one those with highest quality standards nationwide. According to the Abbot preschool program longitudinal effects study by Frede et al (2007), â€Å"the results presented provides clear evidence that by participating in a high-quality program regardless of auspice, children are improving in literacy and math at least until the end of the kindergarten year,† (pp. 35). It therefore remains clear that high standard and accountability are key factors to the success of these programs. Recruitments of qualified and well educated teachers as has been observed in performing preschool programs are instrumental in guaranteeing good quality. These teachers must be adequately compensated to boost their morale and hence increasing productivity. The classes should be manageable. This can only be achieved by having a reasonable child to teacher ratio. Finally there should be strong supervision to ensure that standard and quality of learning is uncompromised. Conclusion All children are entitled to quality education. From the studies conducted a disadvantaged child is likely to gain more from preschool program. If these programs are expanded more disadvantaged children will enroll and they will develop positive peer effects when they enroll for the formal school learning. â€Å"Failing to invest sufficiently in quality early care and education shortchanges taxpayers because the return on investment is greater than many other economic development options,† (http://web. mit. edu/workplacecenter/docs/Full%20Report. pdf. n. d pp. 2). There should be universal large-scale and state wide programs to benefit the minority and the poor. Reference: Early Childhood Education for All, a Wise Investment, retrieved on 20th July 2008 from http://web. mit. edu/workplacecenter/docs/Full%20Report. pdf. Frede E, Jung K, Barnett W. S, Lamy, C. E & Figueras, A. (2007): The Abbott Preschool Program Longitudinal Effects Study (Apples). Retrieved on 20th July 2008 from: http://nieer. org/resources/research/APPLES. pdf LIFESTYLENIEER (n. d): Economic Benefits Of Quality Preschool Education for America’s 3- And 4-Year Olds. Retrieved on 20th July 2008 from: http://nieer. org/resources/facts/index. php? FastFactID=6 Martina, A (2008): Column: Early Connections Are Key For Infants To Thrive. Retrieved on 20th July 2008 From: http://detnews. com/apps/pbcs. dll/article? AID=/20080715/OPINION03/807150398/100 National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) (2005):New Study Shows High Quality State Pre-K Programs Improve Language and Math Abilities of Children of All Backgrounds: State Programs with Higher Teacher Qualifications Outperform Head Start , retrieved on 20th July 2008 from http://nieer. org/mediacenter/index. php? PressID=46 Pandor N (2008): A call to focus on firm foundations for learning, Journal of Education, Vol. 8. Issue No. 11, pp 21-27, Retrieved on 20th July 2008 from http://www. anc. org. za/ancdocs/anctoday/2008/text/at11. txt United Way of America (2005): Early Childhood Education, retrieved on 20th July 2008 from http://www. liveunited. org/_cs

Symbols in Communication Essays - Semiotics, Charles Sanders Peirce

Symbols in Communication Essays - Semiotics, Charles Sanders Peirce Symbols in Communication Symbols can represent communication and as such are a form of language.Are humans truly the only primates that can understand language ? Can other species talk? Chimpanzees are competent in learning a basic form of language and can constructively express their ideas. Some scientists believe that one day these primates will be able to communicate masterfully through the use of signs and symbols. In our awareness of the chimpanzee?s inability to speak vocally, should we also exclude the from independent symbol creation? (Human Societies: An Introduction to Macrosociology. 9th ed. Nolan, Lenski, p. 15) To begin examining the origin of the use of symbols as a form of communication, one must look back in history almost 6000 years. Limestone tablets dated back to 3500 B.C. were found to bear some of the oldest known writing. On each tablet are symbols for head, hand, foot, threshing sledge, and several numerals. (Human Societies: An Introduction to Macrosociology. 9th ed. Patrick Nolan, Gerhard Lenski, p. 34) Although humans began writing structured messages as early as 6000 B.C., the actual use of symbols dates back almost 40,000 years ago.But what is language and what is communication and how does it works ? Verbal communication is far from the only form. First of all, a sign is something we directly encounter, yet at the same time it refers to something else. Thunder is a sign of rain. A punch in the nose is a sign of anger. An arrow is a sign of whatever it points toward.On the other hand, words are also signs, but of a special kind. In some way, they are symbols too. Unlike the example cited above, most symbols have no natural connection with the things they describe. There?s nothing in the sound of the word kiss or anything visual in the letters h-u-g that signifies an embrace. One could just as easily coin the term snarf or clag to symbolize a close encounter of the romantic kind. In our current world over 6500 various languages exist however when one smiles, the meaning is universal. Symbols hold incredible importance in global communication. So as coming for symbols, they are representations of an event, action, object, person, or place that can be used to communicate about the event, action, object, person, or place. Language is a code and every decoding is another encoding.In most essential way, symbols are something stand for something other than what it actually is.Symbols are more complex in their meaning and complex in what they evoke.Complex symbols corporate a mass of values, emotions, judgements and can be particularly powerful and explosive such as a flag or religious item.In some countries you can punished hard for burning a flag.Another example, if we burn a quran in Tibet, it means nothing however, if we burn it in Middle East, it will be quite explosive and serious.So symbols also actually depends where they are and for what they stand. Symbols can be used for both receptive and expressive communication. Objects, parts of objects, pictures, print, actions, gestures, signs, and speech can all be symbols. Symbols may start as cues and signals. If a child recognizes a cue out of context, that cue may be acting as a symbol. If a child uses a signal or an object cue to communicate about an event, action, object, person or place out of context, the child may be using that signal or cue as a symbol, as talking for humans.Maybe the most important thing thing about the symbols is The more a symbol resembles what it represents, the more concrete that symbol is. The less a symbol resembles what it represents, the more abstract that symbol is. Symbols in communication is important because not only human use it but also animals use it to communicate and in some cases well than human. In referring to our evolutionary brothers, the chimpanzees, we are not all that different. In fact, we share almost 99% of our DNA with chimpanzees. So one is forced to question why we have evolved so rapidly while our primate duplicate remains both primitive and indecisive in their societal structure.Maybe, the main question about communication and language is, as expressed

HSC Diabetes Insulin Resistance Essay

HSC Diabetes Insulin Resistance Essay HSC Diabetes Insulin Resistance Essay 19 Diabetes and Insulin Resistance Food and Nutrients in Primary Care Mark Hyman, M.D., Jayashree Mani, M.S., and Russell Jaffe, M.D., Ph.D. INTRODUCTION This chapter focuses on solutions to obesity and diabetes that are cost and outcome effective, evidence based, and encouraging in their potential to improve health while lowering health care costs. These two disorders now exceed malnutrition in global public health costs and life lost. Recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data of Americans 2003–8 show that nearly 75% of the US population is now overweight [1]. Childhood obesity has increased threeto fourfold since the 1960s [2]. In 1980, no states had obesity rates over 15%; by 2010, every state had an obesity rate greater than 20% [3]. EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PATHOGENESIS Diabetes prevalence has risen sevenfold since 1983. In 2010, diabetes was diagnosed in approximately 25 million adults in the United States, including a prevalence rate of 26.9% in seniors 65 years [4]. Diabetes and obesity together also place an enormous economic burden on our society. The direct and indirect annual costs of obesity in the United States are $113 billion and $174 billion for diabetes, cumulatively $3 trillion over the past decade [5]. The problem is also expanding globally. In China, 92 million individuals have diabetes, 60% of whom are undiagnosed. Another 148 million have metabolic syndrome, 100% of whom are undiagnosed [6]. Overweight and obesity are, for the majority, markers of a single unifying metabolic d ­ ysfunction. Population wide, risk stratification is based on profiles of body weight associated with increased risk. Overweight is expressed as a body mass index (BMI) 25; obesity is defined by a BMI 30. Health risks increase progressively with higher BMI. Clinically, this profile is less useful than considering metabolic dysfunctions as a continuum from optimal insulin sensitivity to end-stage diabetes. In childhood, both low weight and accelerated weight gain affect glucose tolerance and the risk of type 2 diabetes [7]. In adulthood, weight gain is the primary precursor to diabetes. This spectrum 373 374 Advancing Medicine with Food and Nutrients, Second Edition has been referred to as â€Å"diabesity† and is a more useful clinical concept, focusing on mechanism rather than phenotype for obesity. MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY Obesity shortens lifespan by nine years of life for the average person [8]. In adolescence, obesity creates the same risk of premature death as heavy smoking [9]. Diabesity along the entire continuum of metabolic dysfunction is the primary driver of diabetes, cardiovascular disease [10], stroke, dementia [11], cancer [12], and most chronic disease mortality [13]. A recent 40-year prospective study of 4857 Pima Indian children found that the major predictor of premature death was insulin resistance, not hypertension or hyperlipidemia. Pima Indians in the highest quartile of glucose intolerance had a 73% increase in early death rate compared to those in the lowest quartile [14]. In the past, when these same Native Americans lived an active nomadic life they showed little evidence of insulin resistance. This suggests that insulin resistance is a classic epigenetic or lifestyle-acquired condition, based largely on how we eat, drink, think, and live. MAJOR STUDIES ON LIFESTYLE FACTORS We know from the evidence that lifestyle is an important factor in the development of insulin resistance. In one diabetes prevention trial, evidence for the importance of exercise and nutrition became so compelling that it was deemed unethical to deny exercise and good nutrition to the control group and the study was halted [15]. As a result of this type of data, we no longer take lifestyle for granted [16]. In the 27-center study cited here, researchers found that when patients at risk for diabetes lost just eight pounds through regular exercise, the incidence of type 2 diabetes was reduced by 58%. RISK

How to Write a Diversity Essay 4 Key Tips

How to Write a Diversity Essay 4 Key Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re applying to college, you've probably heard the phrase "diversity essay" once or twice. This type of essay is a little different from your typical "Why this college?" essay. Instead of focusing on why you've chosen a certain school,you'll write about your background, values, community, and experiences- basically, what makes you special. In this guide, I explain what a diversity college essay is, what schools are looking for in this essay, and what you can do to ensure your diversity essay stands out. What Is a Diversity Essay for College? A diversity essay is a college admissions essay that focuses on you as an individualand your relationship with a specific community. The purpose of this essay is to reveal what makes you different from other applicants, including what unique challenges or barriers you’ve faced and how you’ve contributed to or learned from a specific community of people. Generally speaking, the diversity college essay is used topromote diversity in the student body. As a result, the parameters of this essay are typically quite broad. Applicants may write about any relevant community or experience. Here are some examples of communities you could discuss: Your cultural group Your race or ethnicity Your extended family Your religion Your socioeconomic background (such as your family’s income) Your sex or gender Your sexual orientation Your gender identity Your values or opinions Your experiences Your home country or hometown Your school The area you live in/your neighborhood A club or organization of which you’re an active member Although the diversity essay is a common admissions requirement at many colleges, most schools do not specifically refer to this essay as a diversity essay.At some schools the diversity essay is simply your personal statement, whereas at others it's a supplemental essay or short answer. It's also important to note that the diversity essay is not limited to undergraduate programs. Many graduate programs, too, require diversity essays from applicants. So if you're planning to eventually apply to graduate school, be aware that you might have to write yet another diversity statement! Diversity Essay Sample Prompts From Colleges Now that you understand what diversity essays for college are, let’s take a look at some diversity essay sample prompts from actual college applications. University of Michigan At the University of Michigan, the diversity college essay is a required supplemental essay for all freshman applicants. Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. University of Washington Unlike U-M, which requires a full-length response to its diversity essay prompt, the University of Washington asks only for a short answer. UW also offers advice on how to answer the prompt. Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the University of Washington. Tip Keep in mind that the University of Washington strives to create a community of students richly diverse in cultural backgrounds, experiences, values, and viewpoints. University of California System The UC system requires freshman applicants to choose four out of eight prompts (or personal insight questions) and submit short essays of up to 350 words each. Two of these (#5 and #7) are diversity essay prompts that heavily emphasize community, personal challenges, and background. For each prompt, the UC system offers tips on what to write about and how to craft a compelling essay. 5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement? Things to consider: A challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or school. Why was the challenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you’ve faced and what you’ve learned from the experience. Did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone? If you’re currently working your way through a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect different aspects of your life? For example, ask yourself, "How has my life changed at home, at my school, with my friends or with my family?" 7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? Things to consider: Think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place- like your high school, hometown or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community? Why were you inspired to act? What did you learn from your effort? How did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both? Did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community? Think about your community: how has it helped you? What have you done for it? University of Oklahoma Freshman applicants to OU are not required to answer this diversity essay question but can if they wish to be considered for scholarships. The University of Oklahoma is home to a vibrant, diverse and compassionate University community. Our President, David L. Boren, refers to our strong community as "the OU Family." Please describe your cultural and community service activities and why you chose to participate in them. Duke University In addition to having to answer the Common Application or Coalition Application essay prompts, applicants to Duke University may (but do not have to) submit short answers to two prompts, both of which are diversity college essay prompts.The maximum word count for each is 250 words. Duke University seeks a talented, engaged student body that embodies the wide range of human experience; we believe that the diversity of our students makes our community stronger. If you'd like to share a perspective you bring or experiences you've had to help us understand you better- perhaps related to a community you belong to or your family or cultural background- we encourage you to do so. Real people are reading your application, and we want to do our best to understand and appreciate the real people applying to Duke. Duke’s commitment to diversity and inclusion includes gender identity and sexual orientation. If you would like to share with us more about either, and have not done so elsewhere in the application, we invite you to do so here. Pitzer College At Pitzer, freshman applicants must use the Common Application and answer one of two supplemental essay prompts. One of these prompts is a diversity essay prompt that asks you to write about your community. At Pitzer, five core values distinguish our approach to education: social responsibility, intercultural understanding, interdisciplinary learning, student engagement and environmental sustainability. As agents of change, our students utilize these values to create solutions to our world’s challenges. ... Reflecting on your involvement throughout high school or within the community, how have you engaged with one or more of Pitzer’s core values? University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill At UNC, both freshman and transfer applicants must submit short answers (200-250 words) to two of four prompts. One is a diversity college essay prompt that wants to know more about the influence of your background on your current self. What about your background, or what perspective, belief, or experience, will help you contribute to the education of your classmates at UNC? The Common Application Many colleges and universities, such as Purdue University, use the Common Application and its essay prompts. (Note that the Common App essay prompts for the 2017-18 application cycle will be the same for the 2018-19 cycle.) One of its essay prompts is for a diversity essay, which can be anywhere from 250 to 650 words.This prompt has a strong focus on the applicant's identity, interests, and background. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. ApplyTexas ApplyTexas is similar to the Common Application but isonly used by public colleges and universities in the state of Texas. The application contains multiple essay prompts, two of which (A and B) are diversity college essay prompts that ask you to elaborate on your environment, a community, and your personal identity. Essay A: What was the environment in which you were raised? Describe your family, home, neighborhood or community, and explain how it has shaped you as a person. Essay B: Most students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. Tell us about yourself. Be the red apple. What Do Colleges Look for in a Diversity Essay? With the diversity essay,what colleges usually want most is to learn more about you, including what experiences have made you the person you are today and what unique insights you can offer the school. But what kinds of specific qualities do schools look for in a diversity essay? To answer this, let's look at what schools themselves have said about college essays. Although not many colleges give advice specific to the diversity essay, many provide tips for how to write an effective college essay in general. For example, here is whatDickinson Collegehopes to see in applicants' college essays: Tell your story. It may be trite advice, but it’s also true. Admissions counselors develop a sixth sense about essay writers who are authentic. You’ll score points for being earnest and faithful to yourself. Authenticity is key to writing an effective diversity essay. Schools want you to be honest about who you are and where you come from; don’t exaggerate or make up stories to make yourself sound "cooler" or more interesting- 99% of the time, admissions committees will see right through it! Next, here’s what Wellesley College says about the purpose of college essays: Let the Board of Admission discover: More about you as a person. The side of you not shown by SATs and grades. Your history, attitudes, interests, and creativity. Your values and goals- what sets you apart. It’s important to not only be authentic but to alsoshowcase "what sets you apart" from other applicants- that is, what makes you you. This is especially important when you consider how many applications admissions committees go through each year. If you don’t stand out in some positive way, you'll likely end up in the crapshoot, significantly reducing or even eliminating your chances of admission. And finally, here’s some advice fromtheUniversity of Michiganon writing essays for college: Your college essay will be one of nearly 50,000 that we’ll be reading in admissions- use this opportunity to your advantage. Your essay gives us insights into your personality; it helps us determine if your relationship with the school will be mutually beneficial. So tell us what faculty you’d like to work with, or what research you’re interested in. Tell us why you’re a leader- or how you overcame adversity in your life. Tell us why this is the school for you. Tell us your story. Overall, the most important characteristic colleges are looking for in the diversity essay (as well as in any college essay you submit) is authenticity. Colleges want to know who you are and how you got here; they also want to see what makes you memorable and what you can bring to the school. Coffee not required for writing an excellent diversity essay. How to Write an Effective Diversity Essay: 4 Tips Here are some tips to help you write a great diversity college essay and increase your chances of admission to college. #1: Think About What Makes You Unique One of the main purposes of the diversity essay is to present your uniqueness and explain how you will bring a new perspective to the student body and school as a whole. Therefore, for your essay, be sure to choose a topic that will help you stand apart from other applicants. For example, instead of writing about your ability to play the piano (which a lot of applicants can do, no doubt), it’d be far more interesting to elaborate on how your experience growing up in Austria led you to become interested in classical music. Try to think of defining experiences in your life. These don’t have to be obvious life-altering events, but they should have had a lasting impact on you and helped shape your identity. #2: Be Honest and Authentic Ah, there’s that word again: authentic. While it’s important to showcase how unique you are, you also want to make sure you’re staying true to who you are. What experiences have made you the person you are today? What kind of impact did these have on your identity, accomplishments, and future goals? Being honest also means notexaggerating (or lying about) your experiences or views.It's OK if you don't remember every little detail of an event or conversation. Just try to be as honest about your feelings as possible. Don't say something changed your life if it really had zero impact on you. Ultimately, you want to write in a way that's true to your voice. Don't be afraid to throw in a little humor or a personal anecdote. What matters most is that your diversity essay accurately represents you and your intellectual potential. #3: Write Clearly, Correctly, and Cogently This next tip is of a more mechanical nature. As is the case with any college essay, it’s critical that your diversity essay is well written. After all, the purpose of this essay is not only to help schools get to know you better but also to demonstrate a refined writing ability- a skill that's necessary for doing well in college, regardless of your major. A diversity essay that's littered with typos and grammatical errors willfail to tell a smooth, compelling, and coherent story about you. Itwill also make you look unprofessional and won’t convince admissions committees that you're serious about college and your future. So what should you do? First, separate your essay into clear, well-organized paragraphs. Next, proofread your essay several times.As you further tweak your draft, continue to proofread it. If possible, get an adult- such as a teacher, tutor, or parent- to look it over for you as well. #4: Take Your Time Our final tip is to give yourself plenty of time to actually write your diversity essay. Usually, college applications are due around December or January, so it’s a good idea to start your essay early, ideally in the summer before your senior year (and before classes and homework begin eating up your time). Starting early also lets yougain some perspective on your diversity essay.Here's how to do this: once you've written a rough draft or even just a couple of paragraphs of your essay, put it away for a few days. Once this time passes, take out your essay again and reread it with a fresh perspective. Try to determine whether it still has the impact you wanted it to have.Ask yourself: does this essay sound like the real you, or someone else? Are some areas a little too cheesy? Could you add more or less detail to certain paragraphs? Finally, giving yourself lots of time to write your diversity essay means you can have more people read it and offer comments and edits on it.This is crucial for producing an altogether effective diversity college essay. Conclusion: Writing Diversity Essays for College A diversity essay is a college admissions essay that revolves around an applicant’s background and identity, usually within the context of a particular community. This community can refer to race or ethnicity, income level, neighborhood, school, gender, sexual orientation, etc. Many colleges- such as the University of Michigan, the University of Washington, and UNC- use the diversity essay to ensure diversity in their student bodies.Some schools require the essay, whereas others accept it as an optional application component. If you'll be writing diversity essays for college, be sure to do the following when writing your essay to give yourself a higher chance of admission: Think about what makes you unique- try to pinpoint an experience or opinion you have that'll separate you from the rest of the crowd in an interesting, positive way Be honest and authentic- avoid exaggerating or lying about your feelings and experiences Write clearly, correctly, and cogently- proofread, edit, and get someone else to look over your essay Take your time- start early, preferably by the summer before your senior year, so you can have more time to make changes and get feedback from others With that, I wish you the best of luck on your diversity essay! What’s Next? You understand how to write a diversity essay- but what about a "Why this college?" essay? What about a general personal statement?Our guides explain what these essays are and how you can produce amazing responses for your applications. Want more samples of college essay prompts?Read dozens of real prompts with our guideand learn how to answer them effectively. Curious about what a good college essay actually looks like? Then check out our analysis of 100+ college essays and what makes them memorable. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Chauvet Cave Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chauvet Cave - Assignment Example The art is simply something worth looking at. In Nine Lives, by Dalrymple, the people and places could be compared to the Chauvet Cave. This is in the sense that they all possess certain characteristics. The following paper will look into the comparisons between the cave and the places and people recounted in Nine Lives. In comparison, the cave and the places in India could share very many similarities. For example, the places in India have the same symbolism as the cave in Southern France. The people there look up to their land to find peace and a sense of belonging. They all can relate to the places they are in for it is their source of life. They are used to those places and cannot trade it for any other. In the cave during the early periods when the paintings were being done, the people went there to reveal themselves to the world (Clottes, p. 25). They could identify what it was that really mattered to them and paint on the walls of the cave. The history of people is embedded in the places they have stayed. Their roots are firmly tied to their place of origin. The art in the cave could bear huge similarities to the places in Nine Lives since the history of a civilisation are painted on the cave walls. The history of any people in a given place at a given period of time is very important. The story of their existence is also firmly told to the generations that follow (Curtis, p. 12). This way, the generations that come into being know of their origins, and they end up telling it to the next generations. In Nine Lives, India bears this symbolism. Another similarity is the way culture and tradition is being maintained. It is through all this that the culture of a people can go on without being eroded or corrupted. The preservation of the Chauvet Cave is done so as to keep the ways of certain people intact (Clottes, p. 27). These ways are often seen as pure and the interference of other ways and/or mannerisms could be very unhealthy. In Nine Lives, this is als o seen with people keeping the traditions of their people alive through poetry, song and dance (performing arts). Moreover, the people of these areas are recognised through these works of art performed. It is through it that their spirit as a people comes alive. Through the cave art and/or paintings, the way of worship was recognised. The kind of gods they worshiped and the entire process. It is the same as in Nine Lives. The people’s form of worship was described to the people, how the sacrifices were made and the stages involved in it. This showed that in both these settings, communication to the people was made clear to them in cultural ways. This was to ensure that they were not forgotten through time (Guy, p. 25). However, the differences in the two are very distinct. The way and manner in which the cave paintings have been skilfully done is something to be admired. There is nothing naive about the art in the walls. This is unlike the ways and manner in which the people described by Dalrymple carry out their daily rituals. This cave represents the time taken by a certain group of people to relay a message to the people who will read it. The people of India as described in Nine Lives do not give a reason as to why and how the rituals come about and how the message meant for them is passed through (Curtis, p. 20). Also, the cave had the art preserved in a way that no one could tamper with the message it relayed. Unlike the

Virgil's prologue from Aeneid Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Virgil's prologue from Aeneid - Essay Example epics; the parallel with Homer’s works can be found in Virgil’s attempt to define the two parts of the story as an odyssey and a tale of war--though in reverse of Homer’s story structure. Because of the widespread use of Latin, Virgil succeeded in reaching a large audience and, as a result, was able to share and expand on the idea of the Roman hero. The storyline of Aeneid explores the challenging journey of a pious, selfless warrior chosen by destiny to found the city of Rome. There are a variety of themes running through the story: the conflict of order vs. chaos; the superiority of the Roman hero; and the role of destiny in shaping a man’s actions. The reader can find these references within the prologue, as Virgil paints a vivid picture of the epic story to follow. The central theme of order vs. chaos can be found in Virgil’s description of Aeneas’ journey across the treacherous seas. â€Å"A fugitive, this captain, buffeted/ Cruelly on land as on the sea/ By blows from powers of the air--behind them, / Baleful Juno in her sleepless rage† illustrates the representation of chaos--Juno being the embodiment of emotional rage--stirring the weather and causing havoc. Order is found in the presence of Aeneas as he fights to reach Rome--the land of rational thought and law. Another theme is the ideal figure of the Roman hero; Aeneas is presented as the perfect example of Roman self-sacrifice, piety and clear-minded purpose. When Virgil states: â€Å"A man apart, devoted to his mission--/ To undergo so many perilous days/ And enter on so many trials† he is telling the reader of the exceptional strength--of both mind and body--found in his main protagonist. The role of destiny plays a major role in Aeneas’ story. At the start of the prologue, we learn that â€Å"He came to Italy by destiny† and the reader understands the important nature of Aeneas’ assignment and purpose. Virgil ends his prologue with the following lines: â€Å"They wandered as

Case study analysis and action plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case study analysis and action plan - Essay Example Obviously, her diet is disproportionate to her requirement, and the excess calorie in her diet is contributing to her weight gain. From the history it is apparent that she is binge eating, and given her psychological history, it may be a case of bulimia nervosa (Schlesier-Carter et al., 1989). Since she is ready for a change, a dietary analysis would be needed to examine the imbalance between her current dietary pattern and the requirement for her age, profession, and stature. More importantly, if she is going to an exercise regimen, it would be needed to advise her how much weight she must reduce (Grilo, Masheb, and Berman, 2001). This can be done through the reduction of caloric requirement, and the new dietary advice must contain the maximum permissible calories without affecting the energy requirement. Since bulimia is the suspected cause, there must be provision for handling these issues through appropriate psychotherapeutic interventions (Stice and Fairburn, 2003). As per UK reference values, Susan belongs to the adult age group, and hence her energy requirements are lower, so are the requirements of energy will be lower, although they vary according to age, gender, and activity level. With the data provided, Susans BMI would be 30.86, which as per references is class I obesity (Buttriss, 2000). Taking the ideal BMI to be 20 to 24.9, for Susan, it would be ideal to keep a target of 22 as the BMI, and to achieve that she will have to bring her weight back to 56 kg. This means she will have to lose about 23 kg of weight. She is a secretary by profession, hence her lifestyle may be considered as sedentary. Diet analysis of Susan indicates that she has consumed 2765.24 Kcal on an average per day (Swan, 2004). This comes from on an average of 672 g of carbohydrate and related food consumed including sugar and starch. According to

Democratization in the Third Wave European Countries Essay

Democratization in the Third Wave European Countries - Essay Example There have been three waves of democratization. The first wave started in the 1820’s, as suffrage widened and more citizens in Europe demanded their rights (Huntington 1991, p.3). It started in the US and then spread across the British dominion (Huntington 1984, p.196). However, in 1922 Mussolini came to power, which marked the return to autocracies. By the end of World War II, only 12 democracies were left, in comparison to 29 beforehand (Huntington 1991, p.3). The second wave was supported, and imposed by the Allied Forces after World War II. In 1962, the zenith was reached with 36 democracies (Huntington 1991, p.3). Many of them were also former colonies (Huntington 1991, p. 31 – 108). After 1962, democracy again experienced a decline (Jaggers & Gurr 1995, 477). In 1974, the third wave started. This wave was marked by the shifts to democracy in Portugal, Greece and Spain (Huntington, 1991, p.4). The Catholic Church became an opponent of autocracies in the 1960’s (Huntington 1991, p.77). The European Union (EU), then known as the European Community (EC), conditioned the benefits of access to their markets on democratization. Greece joined EC in 1981, and Spain and Portugal followed. By 1994, according to Jaggers and Gurr (1995, p.479), there were 50 percent democracies and only 18 percent autocracies in the world. However, they also classified countries into incoherent systems, claiming that 19 percent countries were autocracies and 13 percent democracies (Jaggers & Gurr, 1995, p.479).... 31 – 108). After 1962, democracy again experienced a decline (Jaggers & Gurr 1995, 477). In 1974, the third wave started. This wave was marked by the shifts to democracy in Portugal, Greece and Spain (Huntington, 1991, p.4). The Catholic Church became an opponent of autocracies in the 1960’s (Huntington 1991, p.77). The European Union (EU), then known as the European Community (EC), conditioned the benefits of access to their markets on democratization. Greece joined EC in 1981, and Spain and Portugal followed. By 1994, according to Jaggers and Gurr (1995, p.479), there were 50 percent democracies and only 18 percent autocracies in the world. However, they also classified countries into incoherent systems, claiming that 19 percent countries were autocracies and 13 percent democracies (Jaggers & Gurr, 1995, p.479). These are less stable than coherent systems. Papaioannou and Siourounis (2008, p.384) determined that among 174 countries between 1960 and 2005, there were 63 democratic transitions and 3 reverse transitions from relatively stable democracy to autocracy. In the 1990’s, it was questionable whether young democracies were going to survive. According to Shin (1994, p.137), since governments depend on people or demos, democracy can only survive if people support it. However, at the time, newly democratic countries lacked factors that facilitate democratization such as civic organizations and market economies (Shin 1994, p.137). According to Rose and Shin (2001, p.334), â€Å"[w]hile the third wave has increased by 77 per cent the number of countries holding competitive elections, the number of countries recognizing political and civil liberties has increased by only 40 per cent.† As a result, the third wave in many

Fundamentals of Decision Support Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fundamentals of Decision Support - Essay Example Decisions are required when managers handle a situation with two or more alternative courses of action. To select the right course of action, the manager must analyze all the relevant information available. Information with no monetary figure requires a qualitative decision. Quantitative decisions, like in this scenario, are accompanied by measurable information mostly in financial figures. A quantitative decision problem is made up of six components. Decision problems involving two or more variables are a common occurrence when managing a business. A high number of variables increase the level of complexity of the decision to be made. All variables have to be considered when making such decisions. There are methods used to analyze a decision problem. Common decision problem analysis methods include the simplex method and cost- volume- profit technique. Computer programs have also been developed to aid in the decision-making. The computer decision support software includes DecisionPro and Microsoft Excel (Brandimarte, 2012).  £12 per unit. Product 2 has a profit margin of  £16 per unit. The setup cost for manufacturing facilities required to produce the two products also vary. Product 1 production facility installation cost is  £45000 while for product 2 the setup cost for its production facility is  £76000. The company has two factories capable of producing the two products. The rate of production of the two factories varies. Factory 1 can produce 52 units of product 1 per hour and 38 units of product 2 per hour. Factory 2 can produce 42 units of product 1 per hour and 23 units of product 2 per hour. Factory 1 has 480 hours available for production of the two products. Factory 2 has 720 hours available for production of the two products. The aim of this solution is to optimize the profits the company will derive from producing the two products with the limited resources the company has. The constraints, in

How do the media portray applied psychology Essay

How do the media portray applied psychology - Essay Example (Fryer, 1950) Media is an important vehicle for getting the message across to the right frame of audience at the right time and in the right capacity possible. It would not be wrong here to suggest that the role of media in any field is more than any other social and cultural domain that has come of age in the recent times. Media can literally shake the very basis of the disciplines and professions which are existent in the current times and it would not be long before we find out for our own selves that the media would take over our lives and start ruling us like none other. The question however present here is of understanding the relationship between the applied psychology and the representation of the same in the different media forms like electronic, print, outdoors and others. (Guilford, 1950) The relation between the different forms of media and the psychological basis depends entirely on the way the dependents, i.e. the consumers and end viewers think of it. It means the values attached with the media portrayals are important in their relation of the psychological self. The role of media in the ranks of the applied psychology brings into consideration the intricate aspects of gender portrayal as well as identity crisis at times. With this, there is the question of understanding the media activities and the players who actually run the whole show. (Groome, 2004) Applied psychology applies both at the industrial level within the media and also goes down towards the organizational basis. What this means is that the media stands at the crossroads of both of these significant areas. Media has a much larger role than it is perceivable at any point in time. Applied psychology regards the role of the media in the same light as it would give to any other significant feature within the cultural and social perspective. In all essence, applied psychology studies the mental processes

Fundamentals of Decision Support Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fundamentals of Decision Support - Essay Example Decisions are required when managers handle a situation with two or more alternative courses of action. To select the right course of action, the manager must analyze all the relevant information available. Information with no monetary figure requires a qualitative decision. Quantitative decisions, like in this scenario, are accompanied by measurable information mostly in financial figures. A quantitative decision problem is made up of six components. Decision problems involving two or more variables are a common occurrence when managing a business. A high number of variables increase the level of complexity of the decision to be made. All variables have to be considered when making such decisions. There are methods used to analyze a decision problem. Common decision problem analysis methods include the simplex method and cost- volume- profit technique. Computer programs have also been developed to aid in the decision-making. The computer decision support software includes DecisionPro and Microsoft Excel (Brandimarte, 2012).  £12 per unit. Product 2 has a profit margin of  £16 per unit. The setup cost for manufacturing facilities required to produce the two products also vary. Product 1 production facility installation cost is  £45000 while for product 2 the setup cost for its production facility is  £76000. The company has two factories capable of producing the two products. The rate of production of the two factories varies. Factory 1 can produce 52 units of product 1 per hour and 38 units of product 2 per hour. Factory 2 can produce 42 units of product 1 per hour and 23 units of product 2 per hour. Factory 1 has 480 hours available for production of the two products. Factory 2 has 720 hours available for production of the two products. The aim of this solution is to optimize the profits the company will derive from producing the two products with the limited resources the company has. The constraints, in

English as a Second Language to the Learners Essay - 1

English as a Second Language to the Learners - Essay Example Two specific programs on ESL are arranged at schools namely ‘ESL targeted support program’, and ‘ESL new arrivals program’ through three phases and students at the end of the third phase are expected to ‘have extended their English language and literacy skills’ (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2004, p. 10). The program uses three modes -Direct, Collaborative, and Resource. The article helps one to use ESL scales in the assessment of the programs and undertaking necessary remedial measures. Further, the article helps the students and schools in the enrolment process of ESL programs. To sum up, this article is a pole star for students, teachers, and schools in Australia and New South Wales in ESL programs. Dr. Tina Sharpe (2004) elaborates on the specialties of ESL teachers and the article establishes a number of distinctions between a mainstream teacher and an ESL teacher. According to her, ESL teachers differ from other teachers in many ways as they have ‘the knowledge about the process of acquiring a second language’ (Sharpe, 2004, p.1). ESL teachers are aware of the learning environment of the students and they implement the target language with its cultural significance. ESL teachers provide opportunities to use language for a variety of purposes and work. Only a specialist teacher can employ the expertise regarding the process of acquiring a new language. An ESL teacher is different from a mainstream teacher, in the decisions about the topic content, resources, sequence of activities, modification of learning activities, identification of assessment opportunities and finally in evaluation and planning. To conclude, this article helps one to realize the significance o f specialized ESL teachers in transacting the language. Cummins (1996) deals with the language proficiency both in communicative skills and in an academic situation. Two misconceptions handicap students who seek to study ESL- first, the fear of incapability for logical thinking and second, the conversational skills are interpreted as overall proficiency.

Solar Power The trends and future of solar power generation Essay Example for Free

Solar Power The trends and future of solar power generation Essay Solar power is being increasingly conceived as a possible alternative to traditional energy sources, given the rise in costs associated with traditional energy sources. Although it had for long, been considered as highly uneconomic; this notion has been changing with the improvement in technologies. It should be noted here that generation of solar power is currently highly dependent on government subsidies. These subsidies are very essential for projecting solar power as an alternative to electricity from traditional fuel sources. However the cost of manufacturing and installing solar power generation system has been considerably decreased during the last two decades, during which the installed capacity too rose phenomenally. This scenario is in stark contrast to electricity generation from traditional sources where the generation costs increased with the rise in natural gas prices. The need for more power plants to meet the increasing consumption needs, the need to cut emissions and adopt other pollution control measures, only keep pushing conventional electricity prices further and further. The global solar capacity is anticipated to be about 20 to 40 times its current levels, by 2020, growing by 30 to 35% each year. The solar power generated today would correspondingly rise from 10 gigawatts to 400 gigawatts by 2020. However, despite the prospects for solar power, the solar power generation field is in its early stages; such that even if the estimated capacity level reaches the said 20 to 40 times its current level, it would only account for 3 to 6% of the electricity generation capability or 1.5 to 3% of the total output in 2020. It is now anticipated that in three to seven years from now, unsubsidized solar power should be available to the end customer at costs compatible to electricity produced by fossil fuels or other alternatives to solar. Parts of US and Italy, Japan and Spain are expected to see the equalization of solar and traditional power costs due to favorable trends and encouraging factors prevailing in these regions. Currently unsubsidized solar power costs about 36 cents per kilowatt-hour. This is expected to be around 12 cents per kilowatt-hour by 2020. The current solar technologies used are silicon-wafer photovoltaics, thin-film photovoltaics and concentrated solar thermal power. Each of these technologies have certain advantages with regard to particular usages. Through innovations and cost cuttings, the technologies strive to be more efficient, with enhanced applicability. The power conversion efficiency is the amount of electricity generated by the solar radiation corresponding to the surface of the photovoltaic cell, for a particular time period. Efficient systems are directed towards weighing less, with a smaller radiation collection surface, low cost transportation and installation. Photovoltaic refers to the solar panels which convert solar energy to electricity. The photovoltaic material is mainly formed of pure silicon, which emit electrons when subjected to solar radiation, thereby producing an electric current. While basic photovoltaic cells are used in calculators and wrist watches, more higher versions are used for powering water pumps, communications equipments and several other off-grid requirements. Photovoltaics are increasingly used as an additional or alternative for utility purposes already serviced by electric grid. More and more people increasingly opt for photovoltaics for several reasons like environmental, economic, emergency requirement, rising electricity costs etc. The silicon-wafer photovoltaics account for about 90% of installed solar capacity. It is particularly used in rooftop applications associated with space restrictions. Although these are doubly efficient compared to thin-film photovoltaics, their installation is costly. The solar panels themselves are costly too, requiring larger quantities of silicon photovoltaic material compared to thin film photovoltaic solar cells. Another disadvantage is that the theoretical efficiency limit of the photovoltaic single-junction silicon wafer cell, set at 31%, has been neared by several companies already. Although the limit of 31% can be extended by advanced techniques, these could lead to increased production costs. The commercially produced thin-film photovoltaics have only been recently proved to reach efficiency levels of about 10%. The lower efficiency levels with respect to silicon-wafer photovoltaics is achieved by very low usage of materials, requiring only about 5% or lesser than that needed for silicon wafer photovoltaics. The manufacturing costs associated with thin-film photovoltaics is almost half that for silicon-wafer, with tremendous prospects of increasing the costing gap in the long run. Thin-film photovoltaics are more used in large area installations, flat rooftops etc. While silicon-wafer based photovoltaics are capable of providing high output even for a quarter of a decade, the longevity of thin film are uncertain. Cadmium telluride is perhaps the most prospective thin film technology that have been developed commercially. However, the toxicity levels associated with cadmium and the availability of telluride are worrisome factors. The concentrated solar thermal power technology converts solar radiation to heat using mirror arrangements. These are then converted to electricity through heat conversion methods. The concentrated solar thermal power is appropriate for village requirements of 10 kilowatts as well as for grid applications involving several hundred megawatts (SEPA, 2008). These can be installed at the vicinity of the customers, thereby lowering transmission and distribution costs. Although these are the lowest in terms of associated costs, they require plenty of open space and very demanding solar conditions. The concentrated solar thermal technology mostly uses the usual components like reflectors and pipes, and therefore the prospects of costs reduction are less. The challenges confronting the advancement of solar power are those that are relevant to any upcoming or emerging sector. Given the intense competition, companies involved in manufacturing of solar power generation equipment must slash their costs by improving their manufacturing process of solar cells. The spurt in solar power activity has brought in funds from venture capital and private equity firms. An amount of $3.2 billion invested in the year 2007, saw new players in the solar power generation, who contributed to excess supply and falling prices. Early entrants like Dow Corning and Wacker as well as component developers like First Solar and SunPower saw high margins. At May end this year, the Abu-Dhabi based Masdar announced its entry in the manufacturing of thin film photovoltaic products. With an investment of $2 billion, the company expects to produce the state of art thin film modules, through a three phase strategy. (Ghelfi, 2008). On the previous day to this announcement, Q-Cells, the German solar cell manufacturer, announced an investment of $3.5 billion for developing a production center in Mexico, for manufacturing thin film modules. According to First Solar Inc., a company involved in manufacturing of solar modules, its average manufacturing cost for solar module in 2007 was only about $1.23 per watt. The company attributed the low cost to its thin film semiconductor technology compared to crystalline silicon modules, manufactured traditionally. The company expects to become the first solar module manufacturing company to provide non-subsidized solar electricity at retail electricity rates by 2010. A single manufactured solar module is about 2ft by 4ft, employing cadmium telluride as the absorption layer which provides high conversion efficiency with very little semiconductor material. From 2005, there had been an increasing demand for silicon from the solar module, solar cell and solar wafer manufacturers. Due to the insufficient supply of crystalline silicon, the solar modules and cells manufacturers’ utilization rates fell. The utilization rates fell to 70% in 2005 from 86% in 2004. With the demand increasing considerably, the German cell manufacturer ErSol Solar Energy reduced its 2007 expectations from 70 megawatts to 55 megawatts, due to fall in wafer supply. The supply shortfall led to a huge hike in silicon prices. The price of the silicon raw material shot to $45 a pound in 2007 from $20 in 2003. The higher prices in turn brought many companies into the business of silicon manufacturing. Silicon production rose by 14% in 2007 and is expected to rise by 43% in 2008 and by 50% in the each year 2009 and 2010. By 2010, the supply shortage and the resulting high prices would be taken care of. According to investment columnist Jim Jubak, rising prices of natural gases, slow developments and cancellations associated with nuclear and coal plants respectively, are pushing the price of solar stocks. Solar cell companies too are highly dependent on technology just as any other computer chip makers or cell phone one or television manufacturers. A bill seeking to extend the existing tax break for another six years have been passed by the House Ways and Means Committee. Jubak estimates that with everything looking in favor of solar power, the revenues in the solar industry are very likely to increase phenomenally (Jubak, 2008). Lux Research projects revenues to climb 27% annually, on a compounded basis through 2012. Another estimate from Clayton Securities suggests 17% annual compounded revenue growth through 2016. Â  REFERENCES Solar Electric Power Association (2008) Solar Electricity Basics [Electronic Version] Downloaded on 29th June 2008 from http://www.solarelectricpower.org/index.php?page=basics Jubak J., (2008) 3 high powered solar stocks [Electronic Version] Downloaded on 28th June 2008 from http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/JubaksJournal/HighPoweredSolarStocks.aspx Ghelfi C. (2008) Masdar getting into thin film solar business Electronic Version] Downloaded on 27th June 2008 from http://media.cleantech.com/2904/masdar-getting-into-thin-film-solar-business-abu-dhabi Lorenz P., Pinner D. Seitz T., The economics of solar power. The McKinsey Quarterly [Electronic Version] Downloaded on 27th June 2008 from http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/my_profile.aspx

Martin Luther King :: essays research papers

April 12, 2005   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Lewis, Martin Luther King, JR’s goals and tactics can be divided into two periods, before Selma and after. The first period is distinguished by a decade of pioneering protest tactics in use to accomplish conventional citizenship rights for Afro-Americans. The second, less than three tumultuous years, was a time of nontraditional tactics in search of progressively more fundamental goals for the larger society. The first was moderately triumphant, but its accomplishment highlighted what yet lingered to be done before the poor, the powerless, and the racially disadvantaged could begin to attain equality of opportunity in America (Lewis, 245).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second period was distinct by comparative disappointment, and its heritage was the foresight of political power and economic welfare upon the poor, the powerless, and the racially disadvantaged. In the first period, King and his allies brought about the beginning of the violated community. In the second, the distant prospect of their adored society disappeared at Memphis. The magnitude of the decade ending with Selma was in the extensive repercussion of the protest (Lewis, 245).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Martin Luther King, JR was chosen as leader for the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) over many other civil rights activists. Not only was he probably the best person to lead their boycott, but he was the person â€Å"best suited to become the leader of the larger struggle for racial rights† (Lewis, 246) . For the Montgomery’s Afro-Americans, in order to resist successfully, it must be nonviolent and passive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1956, King, along with several allies, entered a public bus in front of his house. It was the start of community harmony. Inspired by King’s personal courage, despite â€Å"jeopardized jobs, intimidation by the Ku Klux Klan, and harassment by the police and bombsâ€Å" (Lewis, 246). A city regulation was called upon to ban organized taxi transport of bus boycotters. With money raised in the vicinity and from gradually increasing donations from national labor, libertarian, and religious organizations, the MIA bought many vehicles. The city wanted and got an accusation of King and more than eight other MIA members for planning to intervene with standard business activity. Sentencing by the Montgomery court and appeal to the federal courts followed. Just as MIA leaders awaited the expected unfavorable decision from the municipal court on November 13, â€Å"the U.S. Supreme Court decreed Alabama’s state and local laws enforcing segregation on buses unconstitutional† (Lewis, 246) .

Slavery In 19c :: Slavery Essays

Slavery in 19th Century   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A justified institution as the 19th century emerged; the infamous institution of slavery grew rapidly and produced some surprising controversy and rash justification. Proslavery, Southern whites used social, political, and economical justification in their arguments defining the institution as a source of positive good, a legal definition, and as an economic stabilizer. The proslavery supporters often used moral and biblical rationalization through a religious foundation in Christianity and supported philosophic ideals in Manifest Destiny to vindicated slavery as a profitable investment. They also examined the idea of popular sovereignty and the expansion of slavery in territorial plans like the Kansas-Nebraska scheme to support their arguments. The proslavery advocates even went far enough to include the constitution as a fair legal justification for their practices. Clear-cut attempts to bend the rules on the legality of slavery in documents like the Lecompton C onstitution made some rationalizations look weak and rash in concept. With the South’s slavery dependent and fragile economy, Southerners were ready to fight for their survival with whatever means were necessary. Proslavery whites launched a defensive against slavery, which explained the â€Å"peculiar institution† as a positive good, supported, in fact, by the sacred words of the Bible and the philosophy of the wise Aristotle. The moral and biblical justification surrounding their belief that the relations between slave and man, however admitting to deplore abused in it, was compatible with Christianity, and that the presence of Africans on American soil was an occasion of gratitude on the slave’s behalf before God. Basically, the slaves should have been grateful for their bondage. Plantation owners even stressed religion by teaching the slaves the principles of Christianity and by brainwashing the slaves into thinking they were blessed by God to be given a mas ter who cares for them and a Christian family to live with. In accordance with religion, proslavery Southerners used the idea of Manifest Destiny. The belief that God predestined the United States for a hemispheric career to defend their fragile position by explaining that slavery promoted territorial expansion, thus adhering to the expansionist principles of Manifest Destiny and promoting slavery as a positive good. Southerners used this argument timely right in the middle of an era of domestic expansion led by President Pierce and supported by people like Stephen Douglass. Douglass proposed the controversial Kansas-Nebraska act a plan to resolve a sectional imbalance in newly surveyed territory, which directly relied on the idea of popular sovereignty to be compromised.

American Dream Narrative

Georgeanne Harter AP Language and Composition Tlumack – 2X 11 March 2013 My Personal American Dream In the book, The Epic of America, written in the year of 1931, author James Truslow Adams was the first to give a â€Å"clear† definition of what the American Dream really is. He stated that the American Dream is â€Å"that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement† (Truslow 214).Although his definition describes what the American Dream is, it does not explain what everyone’s American Dream is throughout the world. This is because each person has their own idea of a perfect life, therefore giving them their own distinct Dream and ways to achieve it. For some people, the ideal and perfect life may mean finally leaving their home country and traveling to America to be successful and prosperous. For others, it may mean getting married, having two beautiful chi ldren living in a three bedroom house with a white picket fence.Although several people may have the same outcome they would like to accomplish, it is how they get there that distinguishes them from the rest. As a young, only child, I determined what I wanted my American Dream to be and that was to grow up underneath the influence of my parents and have the perfect family with a dog, but I still have yet to make it there. Sometimes, some people just have to wake up and realize that their American â€Å"Dream† is more like an American â€Å"Nightmare. † I was doing everything in my power to make sure I kept a good realtionship with my mother and father.Seeing as I was only in first grade when I realized what I really wanted my life to be like, I made sure I did everything possible to keep my parents happy, which in turn would be a cause for a good relationship. I was doing well in school and I very rarely ever got into trouble so I figured I was on the right track. It w as one day after I came home from a wonderful day at school, when I noticed things at home were rapidly rolling downhill. Immediately, I came home to two annoyed parents, who no sooner became to argue leading to them both screaming at ach other at the top of their lungs. These arguments came to be more frequent. At that point, being so young and an only child, I thought these occurrence were all my fault and thought it would be best to try and fix things. That plan quickly backfired on me when, one day, my father stormed out of the house with rage. I was lost and confused and wanted things to be better so I could continue with my idea of a perfect life, but it seemed as though my parents did not want to partake in my efforts. I figured sooner or later one of them would give in and that ended up being my father.I knew that he still loved me no matter what but he had to get out of the house. He began to realize the mental damage that these arguments were causing me. When I was seven y ears old, my parents were officially separated and when I found out, it crushed me. Rather than holding my head up high and keeping a positive mindset, I let it hang and attack every perfect thought I ever had in my mind. Immediately following the loss of my father’s presence in the house, I went into a stage of shock. It took me a little while to bounce back because I missed him.He was my best friend and I was his. A while later, the feeling of not wanting to be with my mother grew inside of me, more and more each day I woke, and I was having a hard time figuring out why. Not too long after, my parents officially got divorced. It wasn’t until much later when my family isolated the problem. As hard as it was for me to believe, my mother, Eileen, was actually diagnosed with a mental disorder. It is called Psychosis which is known for its loss of contact with reality. It is marked by delusions, hallucinations, incoherence, and distorted perceptions of reality.Although it was extremely unfortunate for all of us to experience, the disorder answered my question as to why there were so many screaming matches between my parents. Although her mental health was not deteriorating at a fast rate, I quickly realized that I was not interested in living with her anymore. Even though my â€Å"Dream† was pretty much shot, I just was not living my childhood the way I wanted to when I was with her. In the summer of 2006, when I was nine years old, I decided that I missed my father too much and wanted to move in with him.It was nice because I was still attending the same school and still had all the same friends. I loved Eileen very much and I know she loved me too, it’s just that her mental disorder did not allow her to convey it properly. Being at such a young age, I did not realize that she can’t help it. This disorder is who she is and there is really nothing that can stop it. As I tried very hard to free Eileen from my mind, I began to foc us more on my school work and continuing my life with my father and it was great. I was the happiest I had been in a very long time.Several months after I had moved in with my father, he told me that he had met someone while he was at work. He had been talking to her for a while without me knowing of it because he wanted to make sure that it was someone he was interested in having in our life before he introduced me to her. Her name is Mya. When I met her, I immediately noticed everything he loved about her. She was and still is a beautiful, intelligent, and strong woman who didn’t let anything or anyone else define her and I quickly understood that those were the reasons why he was so enamored by her.Before really thinking about everything that was so quickly occuring, I was just estatic for my father because he was finding someone to love and is happy with again. I took a step back and realized that I no longer seemed like my father’s first choice, although he told m e I was. I was acting extremely immature and began to grow a large attitude towards Mya. In my mind, I had to compete with her for my father’s attention. One evening, the three of us decided to go out for dinner. This way I could get to know Mya a little bit better. Needless to say, I blew up and the three of us had an all time low point.We had a long talk about whether or not I could handle something like this in my life. As I was crying my eyeballs out, I expressed my true feelings; that I really wanted her to stay in my life but more importantly my father’s. I was so happy to see him happy and she was the reason why. We agreed on that night that we would focus on building a family bond because not too long later did my father propose to marry her. In the summer of 2007, my father and I moved to Virginia where Mya lived and the three of us found the best house to move into.I was really grateful for her stepping in and taking over as my mother figure, especially since I was at such a young age. Although I still had several attention and attitude problems, they were becoming far and few in between and we were working on having a great realtionship. It was definitely a difficult task, though. Starting my American Dream over again sounded like a good idea so I did just that. I focused in school and did everything I was supposed to do, making my parents happy and also setting up for a great relationship. To this day, I am still experiencing a struggle with Eileen.Due to her mental state, I have a hard time having the mother-daughter relationship that I have always wanted. Even though I know she cannot help the way she is, I have pretty much ceased all communication with her. Her brain is just not wired the same as mine and there is nothing I can do to change that. We think differently and that hinders my plan to becoming successful. It’s just what’s best at the moment. I have Mya now to look up to and although it will never be the same because she is not my biological mother, it is pretty darn close and that’s all I can ask for.Of course I miss and love Eileen, she’s my mother and always will be, but I have to do what I have to do to ensure that I set up a successful life for myself in the future and keeping her out of my everyday life for the time being will allow me to accomplish that. Back then, I thought thought my life was turning into the American â€Å"Nightmare† but I guess the most recent occurrences was just God’s way in telling me to keep my head up because currently, I am on my way to getting back on track to achieve my American Dream. Works Cited Adams, James Truslow. The Epic of America,. Boston: Little, Brown, and, 1931. 214. Print.

Mcdonald?S a Good Image with Bad Ethics

McDonald’s: A Good Image with Bad Ethics Aimee Gibison Introduction McDonald’s Corporation has been growing and spreading internationally for the past three decades. Although McDonald’s seems convenient, cheap and clean there are many negative aspects of the business. In spite of paying their employees low wages and negatively impacting other cultures, McDonald’s and chains like it, have managed to position themselves as a positive piece of Americana. McDonald’s promotes its positive image and products with greasy fries, and a clown named Ronald McDonald.The unethical practices of this large fast food corporation are known but do not seem to detract from the all-American image that the corporation seeks to project. History In the 1950s a new style of eating was introduced by brothers, Dick and Mac Donald. Their original small burger stand was soon transformed into one of the largest, well-known transnational corporations. Ray Kroc, a milk shake mach ine salesman bought McDonald’s from the Donald brothers and made the burger shack into a business characterized by conformity and uniformity. â€Å"Kroc †¦ believed fervently in the ethic of mass production† (Schlosser, 2004).Under the influence of this mass production ethic, McDonald’s developed new, uniform production methods such as using frozen beef patties, instead of fresh ground beef, and developing a genetically-modified potato rather than using locally grown produce to ensure that all McDonald’s fries have the same uniform taste. â€Å"McDonald's Corporation (McDonald's) is the world's largest foodservice retailing chain. The company is known for its burgers and fries which it sells through 31,000 fast-food restaurants in over 119 countries† (McDonald’s Corporation, 2006).With so many McDonald’s located world-wide, many find it somewhat refreshing to see a familiar place when traveling in unfamiliar places. By homogenizi ng products and appearance of the stores, McDonald’s sells this feeling of comfort and familiarity. Spreading Out to New Markets Because it is internationally known and markets a homogeneous image, McDonald’s remains a household name with offerings known for a uniform taste. But McDonald’s is trying to reach a broader market as well. The corporation is trying to reach out to a healthier crowd of customers by releasing salads with fruits and vegetables.To reach international customers, the company has also added specialty foods for different countries. â€Å"The McArabia (chicken patties on unleavened bread with garlic sauce and onion), the McPepper (a double-patty burger seasoned with black pepper sauce), the Bulgogi Korean pork barbecue sandwich, a teriyaki pork burger with lemon-flavored mayonnaise, and, soon to find its way onto the menu, the Mushroom Pinwheel, a five-pointed pastry concoction filled with chicken and mushrooms, are all specialty menu items f or different cultures in some Chinese or Middle Eastern countries† (Old McDonald’s has some smarts in China, 2006).McDonald’s also donates a portion of their earnings to Ronald McDonald houses, located across America, which helps children with life threatening illnesses. Efforts like this portray a corporation committed to the welfare of their customers. However, while the overall image of McDonald’s is that of a wholesome, family oriented business, there are contradictions to this image. The Ethical Problems Big Business Domestically Although McDonald’s makes the effort to support children with life threatening illnesses, the diet offered by this corporation and others contributes to obesity, heart disease, asthma, and possibly mad cow disease.What kind of message are we giving our children when we promote healthy eating, and â€Å"at least 59 of the nation's 250 children's hospitals have fast-food restaurants? † (Tanner, 2006) Environmental ly, McDonald’s practices are also questionable. Unlike a fresh ground beef patty at a local butcher shop, â€Å"a typical fast-food hamburger patty contains meat from more than one thousand different cattle, raised in as many as five countries† (Schlosser, 2004). This raises the possibility of a particular patty containing contaminants of unknown origin.As noted previously, instead of locally grown potatoes, the corporation uses their own genetically modified potatoes. The practices of using food from extreme distances, is problematic environmentally. From a public health perspective, the use of beef from multiple sources makes contaminated sources far more difficult to trace. Impact on Foreign Cultures Not only do McDonald’s products harm individual and environmental well-being, they are also having an influence on some East Asian cultures with the corporation’s entry into those countries. â€Å"Critics claim that the rapid spread of McDonald’s a nd its ast-food rivals undermines indigenous cuisines and helps create a homogenous, global culture† (Watson, 2006). Chinese parents want to connect their children to the world outside of China, so they reward them with a trip to McDonald’s, but in so doing they are also taking away from their culture. â€Å"In twenty years [Yunxiang Yan, a UCLA anthropologist] predicts, young people in Beijing (like their counterparts in Hong Kong today) will not even care about the foreign origin of McDonald’s which will be serving ordinary food to people more interested in getting a quick meal than in having a cultural experience† (Watson, 2006).Another major change brought to the East by the entry by McDonald’s and American corporations into Asian countries, is the new obsession with American culture. â€Å"Prior to the arrival of McDonald’s, festivities marking youngsters’ specific birth dates were unknown in most of East Asia. In Hong Kong, for instance, lunar-calendar dates of birth were recorded for use in later life- to help match prospective marriage partners’ horoscopes or choose an auspicious burial date† (Watson, 2006).With the presence of McDonald’s restaurants in Asian countries, and the accompanying American cultural norms, children in these countries are recognizing the potential for celebration of individual birthdays. McDonald’s exploits this cultural change to market party packages to Chinese children who want to celebrate this new occasion. In many respects, McDonald’s emergence in Asia is permanently altering culture, and norms of the past are being lost in their McDonald’s party packages and Big Macs.In addition to contributing to cultural changes in China, McDonald’s has offended other cultures through some of its actions. The chain has stirred up controversy with some United States Hindus, many vegetarians, and some Japanese. â€Å"McDonald's, the fast foo d giant currently embroiled in a row concerning undisclosed beef flavoring in French fries, has made a formal apology to those it has offended† (McDonald’s resolves french fry dispute, 2002). This may seem like a petty dispute, but is not a small issue to Hindus who believe that the cow is sacred.In response to this offense to Hindus, vegetarians, and others, McDonald’s offered an apology, and paid the groups ten million of dollars in settlement. In addition, â€Å"fast food giant McDonalds is facing criticism in Japan after a number of its apple pies were found to contain a banned food coloring agent (McDonald’s apple pies found to contain banned food coloring in Japan, 2006). In 15 McDonald locations across Japan there has been an apple pie recall due to the use of an illegal coloring agent known as azorubin.McDonald’s has claimed that the substance is not harmful, using consumers in the European Union and Australia as examples where people consu me apple pies containing azorubin, seemingly without ill effect. McDonald’s has, however, recalled the pies and announced that they will no longer purchase their pies from the China-based factory using azorubin. Controversy in the United States Another controversy arose in a Southlake McDonald’s because of a bacon ranch salad. Chrissy Haley, wife of an assistant coach of the Dallas Cowboy’s, found a rat in her salad after ordering that salad and a Happy Meal for her child.According to newspaper reports, Haley and her nanny found the dead rat under a large lettuce leaf in a shared salad. McDonald’s has yet to respond, apologize, or even ask if the women are okay. â€Å"Both women have had blood and stool samples tested repeatedly over the last five and a half months and are undergoing sessions with Dallas clinical psychologist Dr. Rycke Marshall† (Whitt, 2006). Chrissy Haley, who has tested negative for any illness, is suing McDonald’s for $1 . 7 million, for both the dead rodent in her salad and McDonald’s response (or lack thereof) to the incident.The corporation has chosen not to cooperate during the course of the law suit, which was set to reach court in September 2007. Labor Relations Besides health issues, the company also has issues with its workers. The corporation pays minimum wage to their workers, who essentially do assembly line, factory-type work. If the work done by burger manufacturers and drive-thru cashiers were reclassified as factory work, that would â€Å"add about 3. 5 million manufacturing jobs to the U. S. conomy, at a time when such jobs are rapidly being exported over seas. From a statistical point of view, it would make the U. S. seem like an industrial powerhouse once again, instead of an ageing superpower threatened by low-cost competitors† (Schlosser, 2004). In the 31,000 McDonalds world wide, most of the workers get paid minimum wage in spite of the fact that the company is now worth more than a billion dollars. The Backlash There are an increasing number of people who speak out against McDonald’s and similar corporations.George Ritzer is well known for his efforts to raise awareness of the impact of globalization and global corporations by speaking at different colleges around the country. In the article â€Å"Nuggets of Wisdom† author Madelyn Pennino refers to an Elizabethtown College assembly at which Ritzer spoke to students about the illusion created by McDonald’s, of bargain prices and convenience for people ordering a super-sized meal (2006). In reality, this bigger, faster, and cheaper choice is actually not very convenient. â€Å"Efficiency has become inefficient† Ritzer said referencing the huge line waiting in the drive thru (Pennino, 2006).One of the goals of Ritzer and other anti-McDonalds activists is to spread awareness of real costs of doing business with the corporation and to make sure that the name McDonaldâ €™s does not become synonymous with America around the world. Conclusion Over the past four decades McDonald’s has been transformed from a local burger shack serving fresh beef patties, into a huge corporation using mass production methods to produce and sell their products. One of the results of this international expansion has been a number of books, articles, and even documentaries outlining practices deemed unethical.There are many things that might be done to address the ethical problems raised by the behavior of multinational corporations: laws, legal action and public pressure arising from activists. In the end, public awareness might be the most important tool. If individuals are enlightened about McDonald’s practices and their impact on health, environmental pollution and culture change, we can choose to not patronize its restaurants. The action may not shut the McDonald’s down, but it might limit the impact of the corporation. References McDonaldâ €™s apple pies found to contain banned food coloring in Japan. 2006, September 23). MarketLine Business. McDonald’s corporation. (2006, November 26). MarketLine Business. McDonald’s resolves french fry dispute. (2002, June 6). MarketLine Business. Old McDonald’s has some smarts in China. (2006, December 11). Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved March 2, 2007, from LexisNexis. Pennino, M. (2006, October 19). Nuggets of wisdom; Author paints picture of out fast-food culture. Intelligencer Journal. Retrieved March 2, 2006 from Lexis Nexis. Schlosser, E. (2004) Special report on slow food. In J. Johnson (Ed. , Global Issues, Local Arguments. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Tanner, L. (2006, December 4). Study finds allowing fast food in kid’ hospitals sends mixed message to families. Chicago. Retrieved March 2, 2007, from LexisNexis. Watson, J. L. (2006) China’s Big Mac attack. In J. Johnson (Ed. ), Global Issues, Local Arguments. Upper Saddle R iver, NJ: Pearson Education. Whitt, R. (2005, November 23). I smell a McRat; McDonalds serves up a rodent then scurries for cover. Dallas Observer. Retrieved on April 20, 2007 from Lexis Nexis.