Buddhism and Christianity

Buddhist and Christians are among the world’s larges religions. They are characterized by different teachings and practices that they observe. They both have different origins and beliefs that form part of their structures. The two characteristics that I am going to look at are: the ethical teachings of both Christians and Buddhists and their religious scriptures. Ethical teachings: Ethics is one of the issues which stand out among the teachings of both religions. The two religions emphasize on the need for proper ethics through believes, practices and worship.Despite the emphasis that they both put on ethics, differences emerge between the two in their theoretical and practical aspects. There are several areas in which the differences can be evident such as: their ideas concerning sin, the notion and model of ethics together with the codes of ethics. Sin: in both religions, human beings are regarded as sinful beings. Sin is the basis of religious doctrines and without it: it is possible that ethical religious believes could not be there. According to both religions, human beings are characterized by sin, imperfection and guilty.It is only through moral religious principles that one can be made pure and perfect. The births of both Buddha and Christ were good news to both the Buddhist and Christians respectively. Jesus was born to bring salvation and love from God while Buddha was born to bring the message of wisdom and compassionate to mankind as well as show them the path to enlightenment (King, P. 3). Christians believe that all human beings are connected to the first sin in the Garden of Eden by the first parents: Adam and Eve. This sin has over the years been passed down from one generation to the other.This story explains the origin of sin which according to the story was human disobedience to God. Therefore, Adam and Eve went against God’s wishes when they decided to ignore the orders He had given them of not eating the fruit they ate. Becau se God is perceived as a model for perfect ethics, then going against his wishes will be the same as sinning. Therefore, according to Christians, sin is not only the original sin that has been passed down though generations but also the heart’s disobedience in following or practicing the divine morals, ethical codes and spirit.Hence the base of Christian ethics is not only believing in Christ but also living according to his teachings (Locke, P. 237). In Buddhism, there is no that kind of â€Å"original sin† as in Christianity. They instead believe that every individual is born of craving and ignorance which results to human beings being born in a cycle referred to as samsara: a birth and death cycle. It is only through enlightenment that an individual can overcome craving and ignorance. According to Buddha’s personal experiences, sin is originally caused by impunity, bad karmas and imperfection: there is no any other source.In the Buddhist structure, it is beli eved that sin originates from oneself and can therefore be overcome by oneself. Therefore, the basis of Buddhist’s ethical teachings is the mind: that sin originates from the mind and can only be overcome by the mind (Smart, p. 77). Model and ethical notion: both Christianity and Buddhism take the perfect model of ethics to be an important aspect of religious morality. Ethical teachings of both religion focus on Christ and Buddha because both of their lives were full of noble virtues and love that cannot be compared with any other.These models are the foundations of both religions although there are different ideas concerning ethics between them (Locke, P. 237). For Christians, love (agape) is the basis of moral life which is shown clearly in the life and teachings of Christ as well as in the bible. They believe that God is love and it is what constitutes his heart. Therefore, it is through his grace and forgiveness of human sins that ethical values can be cultivated in indiv iduals and salvation can be attained. Christian moral standards are basically established on sin, forgiveness, belief and the love of God.They also believe that belief must go with actions: a Christian can best be recognized by his/her deeds as compared to what he/she says. Contrary to the Christians, Buddhist morality is not based upon the power or the life of Buddha but instead it is based upon his teachings about â€Å"cause and effects†. They believe that an individual’s positive or negative attitude is determined by his/her actions and thoughts. Buddha taught people to: â€Å"make an island of yourself, make yourself your refuge; there is no other refuge. Make truth your island, make truth your refuge; there is no other refuge,† (King, P.3) Therefore, in both religions: human beings are perceived to be sinful. The mind’s purity is perceived to be the basic step in ethics through which suffering and impunity which has been created in individuals can b e overcome. If the overall aim is transformation from the evil nature to divine: then Christians could achieve it through uniting with Christ while Buddhist could achieve the same by observing Buddhahood. Religious scriptures: According to the interviews I conducted with a Christian and a Buddhist leader, I found out the following about their religious scriptures:Teachings concerning God: conservative Buddhists’ scriptures teach nothing about existence of God. It does not affirm or deny existence of God and does not state who is divine not even Gautama himself. Liberal ones do not put emphasis on this concept but they pay homage to Buddha, Buddhist teachers, deities and ancestors. They worship using images, bow before them, give offerings to them, chant and pray to them. Although earlier Buddhism did not recognize Buddha to be omniscient, they now consider him and other teachers to be omniscience.Contrary to Buddhist scripture teachings, Christians refer to the bible that tea ches them that God exists. It states that the fact that there is a universe is an indication that there is a God somewhere. Psalm 19:1 – â€Å"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. † & Romans 1:20 – Though God is invisible, His power and divinity can be seen through the things that are made. The only way the universe could exist is because there is a supernatural being powerful and wiser than anybody else (Scott, p. 87).Purpose of religion: The purpose of religion was to better man’s relationship with God. Buddhism scriptures do not teach anything about God while the bible teaches that the whole purpose of humanity is to serve and have a better relationship with Christ. Ecclesiastes 12:13 – The whole duty of man is to fear God and keep his commands. Ephesians 1:7-9 – The will and purpose of God was to redeem man by the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus. Teaching about a true and supreme G od: Buddhism teachings allow for worship of many gods while the biblical teachings forbid the worship of more than one God.Matthew 4:10 – â€Å"Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him ONLY shalt thou serve. † We are not to worship many gods, nor any god other than Jehovah [2 Corinthians 6:18; Colossians 1:19-22]. Destiny of man: Buddhist scriptures teach about reincarnation (rebirth), Karma which teaches that the future lives are influenced by current actions and that what happens currently is the result of previous actions and nirvana which teaches that the ultimate purpose of man is to get out of the birth and rebirth cycle characterized by suffering.While the bible teaches that: an individual only lives once and physically dies once after which there will be resurrection, judgment and eternal rewards. 1 Corinthians 15:22, 23 – All die as a result of Adam's sin; as a result of Jesus, all live again. Resurrection is the opposite of death; hence the spirit is reunited with the body. Matthew 25:31-46 – The wicked go to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. Buddhist scriptures do not teach about death and resurrection (Scott, p. 87).Suffering: Buddhist scriptures teach that suffering is essential in life, it’s brought about by human desires and they can be eliminated by getting rid of earthly desires by not wanting to exist as an individual. The bible teachings teach that suffering is part of life; it is a consequence of sin physical desires are neither good nor bad, it depends on how you seek to satisfy them, an individual’s desire to exist is not bad and it’s through trust in God that you can be able to overcome suffering and not through defeating yourself.The Buddhist teaching of not to desire to be an individual can be considered to blasphemy God’s work by Christians. Works cited King, L. Winston. Buddhism and Christianity: Some Bridges of Understanding. Taylor and Francis. 2008, p . 3. Locke, A. Kenneth, â€Å"The Foundation for Ethical Behavior: A Christian perspective for a dialogue with Buddhism,† Hsi Lai Journal of Humanistic Buddhism 3 (2002): 327. Scott, Archibald. Buddhism and Christianity; A Parallel and a Contrast, Being the Croall Lectures for 1889-90. General Books LLC. (2009): p. 87. Smart, Ninian. Buddhism and Christianity: rivals and allies. University of Hawaii Press. (1993): p. 77.

Mercutio vs Romeo Essay

Love is a hard thing to define but lust is a burning desire for another person, and it usually doesn’t last a very long time. Love can transform over years and still remain consistent. Lust is superficial when only the appearance is considered but nothing else, which can be called ‘love at first sight’. Lust is only a short-term relationship, whereas love leads to a deeper understanding of the other person and one develops affection and caring for them. Mercutio’s idea of love doesn’t involve commitment, is more realistic than Romeo’s view and Mercutio doesn’t allow love to inflict any pain. Romeo’s idea of love includes commitment, and has a deeper, more passionate love and he allows himself to be vulnerable to his emotions and lets them take over. Mercutio and Romeo’s view on love are both similar in the sense that they involve desire for a girl and they are driven by their emotions. Both are fuelled by madness and this leads to them making rash decisions that result in a big loss and in Mercutio’s case, his life. Mercutio’s anger and feud with Tybalt leads him to go mad and be stabbed to death. Romeo’s anger gets the better of him which results in him stabbing Tybalt, after just having married Juliet. In the end, Romeo’s grief over Juliet’s ‘death’ overcomes his will to listen to reason and this poor decision ends up terminating his life too soon. Another similarity is that both characters are captivated by looks. They both speak of a woman’s outer appearance and have rarely talked about their personalities. When Romeo first sees Juliet, he marvels at her beauty without trying to figure out who see really was. O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night, Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear; Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear† (1. 5. L. 44-47) In Act II, Scene 2, we see Mercutio trying to lure Romeo out by describing Rosaline’s appearance, â€Å"I conjure thee by Rosaline’s bright eyes, By her high forehead and her scarlet lip, By her fine foot, straight leg, and quivering thigh. †(2. 1. L. 17-19) In the start of the play, Romeo and Mercutio think that all ther e is to ‘love’ is having sex. Even the servants, Sampson and Gregory mentioned wanting to sexually harassing the maids of the Montagues. â€Å"That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall. † â€Å"’Tis true; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push Montague’s men from the wall and thrust his maids to the wall. † (1. 1. L. 12-17) This proves that most men in this time thought of themselves as superiors compared to women. As the play progresses, Romeo’s view on love changes after he meets Juliet. After meeting Juliet, he falls in love with her as a whole instead of just her appearance. While there are minor similarities between Mercutio and Romeo’s view on love, the differences are pronounced and deserve thorough examination because the line between lust and love is very confusing and many people in society mix the two up. On one hand, Mercutio’s view can be described as ‘a chase for something sexual’. He never mentions settling down with a girl and having a committed relationship. Mercutio, unlike Romeo, does not believe in fate deciding his path, instead he lives in the moment. Mercutio doesn’t let love overthrow his conscience and guide his actions. Romeo says â€Å"Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like a thorn. † (1. 4. L. 25-26), to which Mercutio replies with â€Å"If love be rough with you, be rough with love; Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down. † (1. 4. L. 27-28) In those lines, he talks about how in order to defeat love and to not have it afflict with your actions is to have sex instead of loving someone and go through the pain of them not reciprocating your feelings. On the other hand, Romeo has a romanticized view which is shown by his strong reliance on fate, and the stars. In these lines, Romeo says â€Å"I am too enpierced with his shaft, To soar with his light feathers, and so bound, I cannot bound a pitch above dull woe. Under love’s heavy burden do I sink† (1. 4. L. 19-22) Romeo is being pulled down by the amount of pain from not being able to see Rosaline. At first he’s a victim of being caught up in Rosaline’s looks and mistook it as love. It wasn’t until he met Juliet that he truly discovered the true meaning. Romeo wallows in self-pity and loves by night. â€Å"I have night’s cloak to hide me from their sight; And but thou love me, let them find me here: My life were better ended by their hate, then death prorogued, wanting of thy love† (2. 2. L. 75-78) In contrast, Mercutio appears in the play mostly in the day and shows that he believes he can control his life and is more realistic than Romeo. He serves as the contrasting character to show a ifferent perspective on love from Romeo’s passionate, and emotional view on love. In culmination, Romeo’s idea of love is stimulated, loyal, and susceptible to pain. Romeo shows his vulnerability and readers and viewers of the movie have an easier time relating to his feeling for heartbreak. His loyal and never changing love for Juliet even as she was ‘dead’ made readers fall in love with his character. Although Romeo and Mercutio have different perspectives on love, they also have similarities which make them able to be such good friends.

IT functions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

IT functions - Research Paper Example Secondly, an organization may outsource all or part of its data storage because it is not willing to purchase, maintain, and manage its data storage system. Therefore, outsourcing is imperative to all organizations regardless of its size. The three most popular Information Technology functions that organizations outsource are Virtualization, Datacenter operations and Disaster recovery. There are different factors to consider while making an informed decision whether to outsource or not. The factors to consider include Quality, communications, staff morale, agility, ability to hire and retain employees, and resource management ability. Firstly, most organizations decide to outsource Information Technology functions, when there is a shortfall of skilled human resources or skill sets of the current IT employees. In other cases, non-strategic IT or menial tasks are outsourced because they are less costly. Secondly, Outsourcing can lead to unique communication difficulties that comprise not only culture, but also language . Therefore, onshore managers responsible in managing an offshore outsource company relationship should have special training in cultural sensitivities. Thirdly, when organizations outsource all or part of Information Technology, onshore staff morale arises. Therefore, it is critical for IT management team to explain to staff reasons as to why a certa in project has to be outsourced and how this matches with other strategic objectives. The more staff comprehends why outsource, the better they appreciate the decisions and assess the reason they stand as long-term workforce. Lastly, it might be difficult to control and manage geographically distributed employees than it is to manage workforce in relative geographic proximity. Therefore, different time zones pose the barrier to project coordination. Another barrier is the inability to have viable face time with employees, something that online collaboration devices, email and instant

Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Project - Essay Example There are several ways of gathering data. Data can be collected from primary as well as secondary sources. Data that are collected from the primary sources are called primary data and when they are collected from secondary sources, are called secondary data. In primary research direct interaction takes place between the researchers and the sample of the research as the data are collected directly from the sample. On the other hand in secondary research data are mainly collected from books, journal and scholarly articles that are already published. Less amount of cost is associated with secondary research as compared to the primary research, but on the other hand secondary data are not as reliable as primary ones. Moreover analysis of primary data is more convenient than that of secondary data. This research is based on the primary data that are collected by the help of a properly designed questionnaire which is one of the most important data collection tool. A questionnaire is consis ted of either close ended or open ended questions. Close ended questions are easier to analyze as compared to open ended questions. This is mainly because the answers of close ended questions can be put into statistical tools to analyse them, but it is not possible in case of answers of open ended questions. In quantitative research method it is very important to form a questionnaire that mainly includes close ended questions. However in case of a qualitative research open ended questions can be included in the questionnaire. This questionnaire is designed keeping the focus on the type of data that are required. The questionnaire is given at the appendices Questions are mainly asked to the parents and the teachers as the main objective of the research is to find out the positive relationship between the academic achievement of children and parental involvement. Teachers are also involved in the

The changes in medieval italian society and the papacy Essay

The changes in medieval italian society and the papacy - Essay Example He spent most of his time working the land, and trying to grow enough food to survive another year. Social activities were important also, every citizen in a medieval town were expected to attend fairs in the town square (Life during the Middle Ages). Medieval weddings, also one of the important events, were a whole town activity. Women were largely confined to household tasks such as cooking, baking bread, sewing, weaving, and spinning. But some medieval women held other occupations such as blacksmiths, merchants, and apothecaries (Life during the Middle Ages). Medieval diets lacked vitamins A, C and D and were not high in calories. The only positive part of these diets, were that they were somewhat "heart-smart;" low in fat and high in fiber. But the medieval world was usually a very hungry one. (Life during the Middle Ages). The Catholic Church was the main source of education. Every cathedral and monastery established a school to provide free education to every boy who had the intelligence and the perseverance to follow a demanding course of study. Medieval students often sat together on the floor, scrawling notes from lessons using a bone or ivory stylus on wooden tablets coated with green or black wax (Life during the Middle Ages). ... The political instability brought about by the barbarian invasion, made the Church as the only sought institution that provide good guidance and learning source. During that period, the popes have the two very effective tools to consolidate power in their office: excommunication and interdict. Excommunication was the first weapon. Catholics believe salvation depends on perpetual sacramental observance. Cutting a communicant off from the sacraments means one loses salvation. When the pope excommunicated a believer there was really "no hope" (Church History). The Interdict served as the pope's second weapon. What excommunication was to individuals, the interdict was to an entire nation. A papal interdict would suspend all public worship and withdrew the sacraments. After the interdict went into effect, Citizens usually pressured their rulers to repent or abdicate (Church History). Changes in the Medieval Italian Society and their Causes The Rise of Feudalism. The barbarian invasions of Italy and the rest of Europe left a power vacuum. The power vacuum is then filled by feudalism. In the feudal system, the king awarded land grants or "fiefs" to his most important nobles, his barons, and his bishops, in return for their contribution of soldiers for the king's armies. At the lowest echelon of society were the peasants, also called "serfs" or "villeins." In exchange for living and working on his land, known as the "demesne," the lord offered his peasants protection (What was it really like).Changes in Attitudes Towards Women. During the period, Women were usually treated as property. Passion was considered sinful to 11th and 12th century moralists, but these ideals were slowly being worn away with the rituals

Compairing between Islam religion and Liberalism Essay

Compairing between Islam religion and Liberalism - Essay Example The principal beliefs of Muslims fall into six chief categories (primarily referred to as â€Å"articles of faith†), namely: faith in unity of God, angles, afterlife, prophets, destiny/divine decree, and books of revelation (Ridgeon, 2003). The religious concepts and practices of Islam encompass five pillars of Islam, which are considered mandatory for all believers as the core concepts and obligatory acts of worship. The five basic acts in Islam touch on virtually every aspect of life and society and encompass aspects such as creed, daily prayers, almsgiving, fasting at the time of Ramadan, and pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a person’s lifetime. Muslims advocate Sharia law, which is an Islamic law shaped by traditional Islamic scholarship. According to Islam, Sharia law is an expression of the divine will and comprises of a system of duties endowed upon all Muslims by virtue of their religious belief (Hashemi, 2009). Liberal religion represents a religious tradition that accommodates the theological diversity of a congregation instead of a single creed, authority or writing. Liberal religion draws resources from a diverse range of traditions, which makes it impossible to delineate the religion as either Christian, Jewish, or any certain religious faith. Liberal theology covers diverse philosophically and biblically inspired religious movement, which developed as a consequence of the enlightenment (Ridgeon, 2003). Liberalism is a method of biblical hermeneutics representing an undogmatic means of understanding God via the application of scripture. Liberals hold that human beings are not necessarily altruistic, although they are capable of reasonable decision making. Liberalism advocate for a free and responsible pursuit of truth and meaning, freedom of conscience, and application of the democratic process within the society. According to Liberalism, the ultimate objective

Forensic Accounting in Practice Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Forensic Accounting in Practice - Research Paper Example Few are discussed below (Davis, 2010). Analytical This refers to the ability of an individual to analyze and interpret current situation with respect to future strategies. This is related with other skills such as detail orientation, responsiveness etc. Analytical skills are applied to different business operations, for instance, forensic accountants are needed to analyze legal documents where analytical skills help them in identifying the fraudulent activities. Intuition Intuition is required to give value added services. This skill is mostly acquired by knowledge, learning and experiences while developing the required capabilities. However, few researchers believe that intuition stems from natural habits and personality of an individual. Intuition is needed by the forensic accountants to improve logical analysis and programmed functioning of mind. For instance, forensic accountants use intuition to make opinions regarding financial reports and also to make linkage between different activities which might give a clue to the final fraud. Team Player This relates to the ability of a professional forensic accountant to work in cooperation with others. Team players are also required to perform the managerial activities such as leading, organizing, motivating etc. The investigations against frauds going in an organization cannot be conducted without an efficient and effective team. For instance, if a team is analyzing the financial statements, trends and ratios of a firm than all the working individuals are required to have clear opinion and consensus about the conclusions. Therefore people who are not good team players cannot coordinate well in such business operations and investigations. Auditing Auditing refers to the official inspection of financial reports and statements. The auditing skill is actually acquired by learning and qualifying the necessary courses for becoming a forensic accountant. However, experience plays a vital role in the overall development of this skill. Huge corporations especially those which are on large scale revenues are needed to conduct financial survey to identify the fraudulent activities. They hire auditors for this purpose and also to ensure the transparency of finances. Research It plays an important role in almost all the business operations but for the forensic accountants it is even more crucial. This is primarily because of the extensive research and investigations required to indentify a financial culprit. Forensic accountants have to be efficient in both primary and secondary research skills to effectively utilize them in different business operations. For instance, when a fraud is identified in an organization then the past activities and financial transactions of the culprit are extensively scrutinized which require the forensic accountant to be exceptionally good at research. 2. Describe the role of a forensic accountant within a courtroom environment. Forensic accounting is getting popularity due to recent cases of fraud such as the one of Enron. The role of a forensic accountant is changing dramatically with respect to the courtroom environment. Since major part of the fraud investigations depends upon accounts therefore accountants must be able to present their view point supported with evidence in courts. These evidences are then evaluated by the lawyers, juries, attorney and judges (Stuart, 2006). Following is a brief description of forensic accountan

War literature has common themes such as loss, patriotism and Dissertation

War literature has common themes such as loss, patriotism and futility, how far is this true in relation to the literature of ww - Dissertation Example Such sentiments continued as basic war themes in various poems, dramas, and novels, right to the end of the nineteenth century. With the coming of the twentieth century, however there appeared a wave of modernism that removed all ideologies of romanticism from the realms of war literature. Romanticism, heroism, and patriotism were replaced by the theme of death, cynicism, and dilemma on the futility of the wars fought and lives lost. The Vietnam War, which belongs to the postmodern era, conveyed a picture of realism that focussed on mainly on evils of war. This article will examine the transformations in the war literature that took place for almost over a century, starting with the nineteenth century era of romanticism and hero worship, to the modern twenty- first century wars that speak of death and gory in the battlefield, with special emphasis on WWI, WWII, and the Vietnam war. War themes in the literature of WWI, WWII, and the Vietnam War 1 Introduction Soldiers, prepare! Our ca use is Heaven's cause; / Soldiers, prepare! Be worthy of our cause: / Prepare to meet our fathers in the sky: / Prepare, O troops, that are to fall to-day! Prepare, prepare!† – William Blake (A War Song to Englishmen) Throughout history, war has always played the role of a major determining factor in shaping a country’s socio-economic, cultural, and religious aspects. War, right from start of human civilisation, received societal approval, until the end of the 19th century. Therefore, it is of little wonder that war has been a persistent theme in art and literature, throughout the various ages. War literature always mirrored the hopes and aspirations of men in the battlefield, and also that of the society back home. There was a conscious feeling of patriotism, which intermingled with a pervading sense of futility about the lives lost in the various wars. The literature of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, also show a certain air of romanticism attached to the notions of war and the heroic actions of the brave soldiers at the front. However, all these started changing with the beginning of the twentieth century, when war slowly became a more grim matter, an issue of death, dying, and endless suffering, with a complete lack of the Victorian glorification of the war. We notice this slow transformation during the WWI when the era of modernism with its themes of  individualism, a deep mistrust towards all state and religious institutions, and a general air of breaking away from social and conventional norms, entered the literary world. The basic principles of modernism can be summarised as related to concerns centred upon â€Å"the deepest problems of modern life derive from the claim of the individual to preserve the autonomy and individuality of his existence in the face of overwhelming social forces, of historical heritage, of external culture, and of the technique of life" (Simmel, 2004, 79). The Vietnam War was however like a huge jolt, which shook the entire social world out of its repose, while also transforming the genre of war literature, making it more realistic, and reflecting the large scale destruction that war actually spelled out. The Vietnam War further removed all traces of nationalism from

The Coward or The Sane Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Coward or The Sane - Essay Example During his tenure as the spokesman of the party he encounters many people and situations that slowly force him to face the truth about racism and his own lack of individuality. With the continuation of racism tensions in Harlem, he gets caught up in a rebellion that drives him to a manhole, where in the darkness and solitude, he begins to understand himself - his invisibility, his existence, his purpose and his identity. In the same manhole he decides to write his story down and he vows to enter the world again when he is finished. In the prologue of the book the narrator introduces himself as the Invisible Man, presenting himself as both a character and as a theme, because others choose not to see him and he hates this treatment and fights this by retaliation. His invisibility is representative of the fact that the United States, controlled as it is in its economic and social racism, gives him no identity. He recounts past incident of his life where he had a ferocious fight with a w hite man just because that man had rudely knocked him down and finally stopped short of murdering that man realizing that the man had never seen him. The narrator refers such people like the white man who deliberately or un-deliberately ignore him as sleep walkers as they shoes to remain ignorant. The novel explains how the invisible man understands the power of invisibility and realized that he is not bound to follow the rules of visible people. He also mentioned the electricity he steals from the Monopolized Power Company to lighten the abandoned basement where he currently lives. He needs that light to feel alive, and recognize him as light according to him represents the truth of his being and one day people will also see him and he would no longer be invisible. The narrator explains his need for sound as well as the feeling of being under the influence of Marijuana and how he mentally returns from that influence. He resolves not to smoke any more marijuana, since it distorts hi s drive to take appropriate action. It is a story of his early incorruptibility, his ultimate disappointment, and his recent surprise about his own identity. When he figures out what to do, he does not want to be prevented from doing it. He further defines his current period of hibernation as a stage of preparation for the action he will soon be ready to take as he will make himself visible by writing the sound of his voice in notes on the pages of a book. He responds to those who would call him irresponsible by clearly pointing out the fact that there is no one to whom he can be responsible as recognition is necessary for the responsibilities and no one recognizes him. The scene in chapter 25 of the book is full of aggression, disorder, and disorder, but it is also the scene wherein the narrator is suddenly able to understand each and everything fully. Hambro has told him that some will be sacrificed for the good of the whole. The some being sacrificed are the black men, and the wh ole advantaged from this sacrifice are the white men. The Brotherhood has all along wanted to turn the black men against each another and to create dispute amongst them so that they can never unite, so that they can eliminate themselves. The rioting is a vital part of their plan. With sickening clearness, the narrator realizes that he has been totally duped. He thought he was tricking the Brotherhood,

Nasa Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Nasa Research Paper Essay The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, more commonly known as N. A. S. A, was started after the Soviet Union sent a satellite named Sputnik into space the year before. They are a government agency in the United States of America that has taken on the task of researching science and technology related to space and air [1]. NASA has gone from one amazing accomplishment to another year after year since the space race. NASA’s goal is â€Å"to reach for new heights and reveal the unknown so that what we do and learn will benefit all humankind†[1]. For over 50 years NASA has been trying to answer the questions all of mankind has about the vast wonders of space. In the beginning of NASA applications for space technology were being developed by use of weather and communication satellites. After the first steps on the moon by Neil Armstrong during the Apollo 11 mission on July 20, 1969 NASA concentrated on developing a reusable ship for access to and from space using the vessel known as the space shuttle [1]. The first launch of the space shuttle was in 1981 and it flew over 130 flights before being retired in 2011. A multinational project in 2000 representing the 16 nations work was started, the Russia and the U. S. established constant human presence aboard the International Space Station [1]. NASA research peaked again in 1997 when the mission to mars began. The Mars Pathfinder was a spacecraft sent to explore Mars within the next ten years so scientist can determine if life ever existed there. As the new century turns about, NASA reaches across the universe. The Rover is still currently exploring Mars after its arrival with his brother Spirt in 2004. While Cassini orbits around Saturn, Juno will trek his way to Jupiter. The Hubble Space Telescope examines and discovers the innermost workings of the universe. NASA is in the business of science, human exploration and operations, and aeronautics research. In order to complete these goals NASA has sent satellites, space shuttles, and everything imaginable into space to further America’s knowledge of the great abyss all while still studying on earth through telescopes and sensors. NASA is a government owned, operated, nd funded association. NASA’s budget from years past starting from 1958 till 2012 has been, in total, around $560 billion. Unfortunately, due to current economic crisis, President Obama has granted NASA a mere $17. 7 Billion for 2013 which is $59 million less than last year [2]. NASA is by far the most respected, revered, and well known agency in the world. NASA’s accomplishments is a very long list but there are some more notable than others. The first and most stunning would be when NASA entered America in the Space Race in 1958 with Explorer 1 which was used to study the earth’s orbit [3]. 961-Freedom 7, Alan Shepard was the first American to orbit Earth. This mission set the precedent for future manned missions. A true milestone in humankind most likely the most important of them all Apollo 11, the moon landing, One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. Some time passed than the true power of mankind’s ingenuity was shown when the crew of Apollo 13 landed back on earth safely in 1970. The Hubble telescope was a huge success when they first started getting detailed photos of the cosmos in 1990 [3]. Years later Chandra Telescope used X-Ray rather than light to record images.

How Does The Sociology Explain Society Sociology Essay

How Does The Sociology Explain Society Sociology Essay This essay will examine two theoretical sociological perspectives on society and how it functions. It will compare and contrast Marxism and functionalism. By describing and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of both perspectives. Marx called the system in which we live in, capitalism, He divided it up into two basic divisions, the bourgeoisie (the owners of production), the bourgeoisie own all the means of production for example the farmland and factories and the proletariat (The Workers) sell their skills and labour to the bourgeoisie. This is a simple view of a complex social phenomenon; theoretically more social classes should be identified. It fails to take into account any sub divisions. The bourgeoisie or ruling class benefit the most from the way that society operates and the proletariat do not and therefore gain far less than they deserve. Marx believed that the proletariats would, in the end, refuse to conform and revolt, destroying the bourgeoisie in order to become free for oppression and gain social mobility. What the Bourgeoisie, therefore produces, above all, is its own grave diggers, (Marx, Engels, 1884). Marx thought that the bourgeoisie did not improve society but created situations of crisis, what he did not take into account was the money that they were putting back into society and that fact that without them the majority of the proletariat would be without work. The superstructure for example: The Government, legal system, religion and the mass media are all owned by and used by the bourgeoisie to create false class consciousness amongst the proletariat in order to avert them from rebelling from their exploitation (Haralambos,2002,p.2). According to Marx capitalism is the newest type of class system, but it will also be the last. A communist society in which the means of production will be equally owned will replace capitalism, he thought that the proletariat will form unions, political parties and revolutionary movements enabling communism to overthrow capitalism (haralambous, 2002, p.7). What Marx failed to do is set a time frame for the revolution. Some unions that have previously revolted against the bourgeoisie have failed and temporarily sent society into disarray. The power in economic systems is separable from other sources, male and female inequalities can not be explained in economic terms (Giddens, 2009, p.93). The theory is inadequate because it only fully explains a proportion of society and does not take into account individuals ideals and ambitions. A positive aspect of Marxism is that it highlights inequality and institutions that foster and perpetuate inequality it has brought a different perspective to examination of social systems and it has demonstrated a social conscience. The focus of Marxism has lead to the formulation of social policies and programs. Functionalism is a sociological perspective that society is based on consensus, consensus assumes that norms and values in society are generally agreed and that social life is based on co-operation, rather than conflict (Lawson, 1996, p.48). What it fails to consider is that some people to not agree with the way that society functions and that not everyone holds that same norms and values. It is the oldest yet still is the most dominant theoretical perspective in sociology. Functionalists such as Talcott Parsons (1902-1979), argued that the key to understanding human behaviour is understanding socialization. He used the analogy of the human body, with each part of society having a function (a purpose) like each vital organ for example; the government of society was compared to the human brain. If one part of society fails the whole system would fail, like the body would if it was to lose a vital organ. Parsons (1971) even viewed the whole world as a system of societies. Functionalists believe that people and their social roles are produced by society and individuals themselves do not produce a society. He claimed that individuals are products of their influences e.g. families, friends, educational and religious background and the media that they are exposed to. They are born into their place in society, play their roles in it and then they die, without at all effecting how society functions, society does not and it continues to work long after they are gone(Moore,2001,p.6). For functionalists social institutes are believed to ensure that the socially acceptable patterns of behaviour are passed on or reproduced. For example family, education and the media socialise people into the key values of society this includes, respect for authority and the hierarchy (Moore, 2001, p.9). Stratification which is inevitable in societies unites people because it derives from shared values. Durkhiem (1938) identified four main characteristics of crime he argued that crime is a social construct, which can actually benefit society because crime strengthens bonds between people. It reinforces norms and values, and a limited amount of crime is necessary to stop society stagnating. Crime could be reduced if individuals were controlled, but this would prevent development of positive deviants who go against societies norms and values, yet move society forward, (Durkhiem, 1938). Parsons (1965) identified religion as an important function in society as it helps people is crises, enabling them to carry on playing their social roles, allowing society to function normally. Parsons also identified that in order for society to function everyone had to continuously play their own roles, he identified the sick role, where the function is to play the role of being ill and to get better as soon as possible in order to get back into your role. In order for the system to perform, all roles must be filled by those best qualified to perform them, he even thought that those who are unemployed had a role to play in order for those in higher authority to keep their roles. He stated that those in who successfully played their roles will be ranked highly and will receive rewards, although it can be argued that the mechanism (social stratification) for insuring effective role allocation; attaches unequal rewards and privileges to positions in society. However a criticism of Functionalism is that it is, descriptive and classificatory and only gives names for society and social changes, and does not explain them. Although both Marxism and Functionalism see society differently, they also have some similarities: they are both positivists, built using scientific research methods. Positivism is called macro sociology because it looks at society as a whole; however looking at society from this perspective does not take into account the individuals and their norms and values. They both have a top down approach, the belief that viewing society as a real thing which exists above and beyond us all as individuals is the best way to view society. Both theories agree on the importance of totality (marsh, 2006) The favoured research methods to look at behavioural patterns is those that generate sets of statistics such as questionnaires- known as quantitative methods this is not always that best approach to research society, because not everyone is studied. They both believe that man is forced into his choices by the structures and systems in society, although they both have different views on this, functionalists believe that this is right and it has to be for society to work, and people accept society as it is. Marxist on the other hand believe that it is wrong and unfair, and that man will fight in order to create a fairer society In contrast to Marxism which recognises social change and aspires towards it functionalism fails to recognise it altogether, and assumes every institution is a positive for society. Looking at the evidence of both Marxism and functionalism, the society, today inclines more towards functionalism. Most people are happy with the system they live in. If too many people were to try and change it society would not work as well; an example of this is the post office strikes; people did not receive bills, money or other important mail, this forces society to have no sympathy for the postal workers. This is also an example of Marxist theory not working as he said it would; although it did not last too long and some people did benefit. This gives us reason to question if we only accept society as it is because as a society we are lazy, if we were to unite as a society, could we overthrow the bourgeoisie as Marx suggested we would? Lower class citizens are keeping the higher classes in work, this keeps money within the system in turn they receive state benefits from the taxes that they pay. If all the lower classes were to try and move up the social ladder they may be no reason for some of the bourgeoisie, for example if all criminals and deviants, reformed and started working there would be no need for, law enforcement services, county courts and probation officers. Some amount of crime is necessary to keep higher classes such as the uniformed services in work.

The Fairness Doctrine Essay -- Federal Communications Commission

The United States Federal Communications Commission, also known as the FCC, introduced the Fairness Doctrine to make broadcasters report controversial issues of public importance in a manner that was equally balanced, honest, and fair. Broadcasting companies were required to provide a certain amount of airtime reporting accurate and fair information both for and against public issues. Broadcasters were not required to provide equal time for opposing views, but were required to present opposing viewpoints. Broadcasters were received broader boundaries as how to how they were to provide those opposing views. Because under the constitutional right of free speech, the government wanted to insure that broadcasting companies provided both accurate and fair information from both sides of the viewpoint. In August 1987, the FCC abolished the doctrine by a 4-0 vote, in the Syracuse Peace Council decision, which was upheld by a different panel of the Appeals Court for the D.C. Circuit in February, 1989.(AuBuchon) They suggested that because of the large amount of voices in the media marketplace, the doctrine was to be considered unconstitutional; stating that, â€Å"The intrusion by government into the content of programming occasioned by the enforcement of The Fairness Doctrine restricts the journalistic freedom of broadcasters and actually inhibits the presentation of controversial issues of public importance to the detriment of the public and the degradation of the editorial prerogative of broadcast journalists.† (Fairness) The government was trying to keep any broadcasting networks for personally attaching someone or some issue without giving that person or organization the opportunity to express their point of views and reasons. If ... ...of nations, countries, cities, towns, and individuals can be severely harmed and damaged if there is no control on the information being disbursed through the vast communication devices available. While everyone cites the right to freedom of speech, it is sometimes forgotten about the part that states as long as it doesn’t harm another person is often overlooked. Works Cited AuBuchon, D. (2009, April 5). Freedom of Speech and the Fairness Doctrine by:Dennis AuBuchon | American Conservative Daily (c) 2010. American Conservative Daily (C) 2010. Retrieved February 4, 2011, from http://www.americanconservativedaily.com/2009/04/freedom-of-speech-and-the-fairness-doctrine-2/ Fairness Doctrine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2011, January 15). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved February 4, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairness_Doctrine

Cloning Essay -- essays research papers

Many have imagined what it would be like to have a clone of themselves. Many have also feared the thought of having a clone. Due to popular belief that a clone would be an exact duplicate. An incorrect presumption made by many. Proceeding along side is the religious beliefs and the controversial ethicality and morality aspects of human cloning. A stance taken by many religions and their congregations. In reality the public has a very narrow sense of what human cloning is. Rather than research and understand the scientific aspect of human cloning, they instead take faith in what the media and movies portray human cloning to be. It is from this information source that a majority base their decision on weather human cloning is ethical or unethical. Human cloning is a new challenge for science and that by pursuing it we will become enlightened in who and what the human being is and its true potential. The truth is that despite the many claims of religious leaders and anti-cloning protesters, human cloning may truly be the key to curing all disease and cancers that have plagued humans from the, dawn of human. The questions is," Do the benefits of human cloning out weigh the risks and ethicality of society?'   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lee M. Silver, a professor of molecular biology at Princeton University, wrote "Cloning Misperceptions," from Remaking Eden: Cloning and Beyond in a Brave New World. Silver asks, "Why do four out five Americans think that human cloning is morally wrong?" Silver answers by pointing out that people have a very muddled sense of what human cloning is. This accredited to the fact many people perceive what they see in the media and movies and associate it with reality. For example, the movie Multiplicity where a man has himself cloned and then his clone makes a clone of itself this happens two more times and each time a clone was made it became less intelligent. This brings up his next point which was depicted in the movie Blade Runner, many people believe a human clone would not have a soul, because it would be a replication of a living thing that is still in existence. Which is not true since a clone child is conceived and birthed like any normal child would, from a mother's womb. And just like any other child, the clone would have a mind and personality o... ...bility to reverse the effects of a heart attack by injecting healthy heart cells into the damaged areas. Condemnation of this new technology could be denying human beings the key to finding the a cure for all diseases and cancers. And the enlightenment of who and what we are.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The truth is that human clones are just has human as any one else and do not deserve to be treated like second rate citizens. Clones have souls too and are autonomous individuals with their conscience and personalities. Parents need to be given more credit in that they would not objectify their cloned children, but love them unconditionally. Cloning should not be condemned, due to fear for the unknown, but should be explored to benefit human kind and enlighten us on who and what we are. Human cloning is a new frontier that will have its own obstacles and walls to climb over, go around, or go under. Human cloning will be cherished and prized for what it has brought humanity, new medical technologies, along with cures for disease and cancer. Unfortunately it is inevitable, but a sacrifice will be made some where as with many past medical advancements. Cloning Essay -- essays research papers Many have imagined what it would be like to have a clone of themselves. Many have also feared the thought of having a clone. Due to popular belief that a clone would be an exact duplicate. An incorrect presumption made by many. Proceeding along side is the religious beliefs and the controversial ethicality and morality aspects of human cloning. A stance taken by many religions and their congregations. In reality the public has a very narrow sense of what human cloning is. Rather than research and understand the scientific aspect of human cloning, they instead take faith in what the media and movies portray human cloning to be. It is from this information source that a majority base their decision on weather human cloning is ethical or unethical. Human cloning is a new challenge for science and that by pursuing it we will become enlightened in who and what the human being is and its true potential. The truth is that despite the many claims of religious leaders and anti-cloning protesters, human cloning may truly be the key to curing all disease and cancers that have plagued humans from the, dawn of human. The questions is," Do the benefits of human cloning out weigh the risks and ethicality of society?'   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lee M. Silver, a professor of molecular biology at Princeton University, wrote "Cloning Misperceptions," from Remaking Eden: Cloning and Beyond in a Brave New World. Silver asks, "Why do four out five Americans think that human cloning is morally wrong?" Silver answers by pointing out that people have a very muddled sense of what human cloning is. This accredited to the fact many people perceive what they see in the media and movies and associate it with reality. For example, the movie Multiplicity where a man has himself cloned and then his clone makes a clone of itself this happens two more times and each time a clone was made it became less intelligent. This brings up his next point which was depicted in the movie Blade Runner, many people believe a human clone would not have a soul, because it would be a replication of a living thing that is still in existence. Which is not true since a clone child is conceived and birthed like any normal child would, from a mother's womb. And just like any other child, the clone would have a mind and personality o... ...bility to reverse the effects of a heart attack by injecting healthy heart cells into the damaged areas. Condemnation of this new technology could be denying human beings the key to finding the a cure for all diseases and cancers. And the enlightenment of who and what we are.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The truth is that human clones are just has human as any one else and do not deserve to be treated like second rate citizens. Clones have souls too and are autonomous individuals with their conscience and personalities. Parents need to be given more credit in that they would not objectify their cloned children, but love them unconditionally. Cloning should not be condemned, due to fear for the unknown, but should be explored to benefit human kind and enlighten us on who and what we are. Human cloning is a new frontier that will have its own obstacles and walls to climb over, go around, or go under. Human cloning will be cherished and prized for what it has brought humanity, new medical technologies, along with cures for disease and cancer. Unfortunately it is inevitable, but a sacrifice will be made some where as with many past medical advancements.

Media; Levi Jeans Campaign Essay example -- essays research papers

Why in your opinion, was the Levi Strauss 501 campaign so successful? The Levi Strauss 501 advertising campaign was so successful in 1984-1990 as it attracted the typical American teens selling independence, sexuality and physical good looks, representing the perfect figure and body. It illustrated a complete lifestyle to the teenagers world. Admiring the fantasy of idols James Dean and Marlon Brando, all connecting to the Levi guys (jeans) in the adverts, giving the impression of a sensual, healthy radiant aspect, to the gazed audience. Falling for the act, teens still continued to buy the different types of jeans, whilst new ideas were being designed. People realise now it was just a pretence illusion. Although these shams still occur in adverts today. In the advert ‘The Launderette’, it begins straight away with music, then a view of a Korean soldier standing outside, indicating the war had just ended. He’s put there as a parallel to the Levi guy, he’s not as laid back! At first the camera doesn’t focus on the Levi guy’s face, giving mystery and intrigue to the viewers. Entering into the steamy launderette, everyone turns and stares. Staring is the usual old, slob-like husband, one hand holds a cigar, whilst in the other sits a beefy, dripping hamburger! Noticing his entry, the Levi guy slyly removes his cool sunglasses, revealing his smiling face. With the dark, slick back hair, a dream to every girl. Dull lighting among the other customers symbolizing their shallow lives, whilst innocently he places his clothes into the machine . Unusually he puts stones into the machine along with his clothes, thinking nothing of the matter. Glaring at him is the average housewife with her children observing closely. Sliding his jeans off, there is a close up on his backside- revealing the one and only red Levi tab, showing they are nicely fitted, encouraging the opposite sex. Steam evaporates around him, sexuality diffuses in the area. Red, white and blue colours surround the launderette corresponding to the American flag- the jeans belong to America! All attention on him, he turns round in white boxer shorts, attracting people to buy them and causing his brown, toned body to glisten. Typical, normal girls, giggle together, as he sits down in the middle of the waiting seats. Above him a bright orange border encloses him. Expressing his delightful, healthy life. ... ... always zoomed in on. Typical American items are benefited. Like the leather and denim jackets are repeated. Golden, happy endings diffuse into the sunset. Skyscrapers tend to appear in the background. Steam is generated by the large amount of heat and passion in the ads. At the end of all advertisements, a slogan is concluded. For example ‘The Pick ups’ one is ‘separate the man from the boys’. Relating to the story. Also the Levi tab is expressed every time. It is the trademark of the jeans. The adverts were only shown in the U.K, they were not performed in the U.S.A. The U.K is continually blasted by Americas products and images. The T.V media continues to blitz our minds. In the adverts, people don’t analyse the visual images with a critical, impartial eye. So they will remain to carry on believing the false acts, and buying the products. Advertisements should not be held back though as then no industry would have a boost in making money from the publicity, so then no company could afford to make quality merchandise. The Levi campaign was so successful then but not as much now, to what it was. It managed to succeed in making jeans a fashion statement (which they still are).

Individual Learning Essay

Work-study Enterprise (WSE), founded in 1994 in Matteson, Illinois offers childcare and early childhood education. WSE believes in developing the whole child and strives to show God’s love to all entering its doors. WSE enrollment is open to kid’s age 2 through 15 and offers a safe and positive environment for all. In addition, the organization offers before and after school programs, to include summer camps. A for-profit organization, WSE seeks to keep enrollment high in order to make child care cost affordable for all in the Chicago land area (Mitchell & Mitchell, Work-study Enterprise, April 4, 2013). SWOT Analysis Balanced Scorecard According to Blocher (2010), the balanced scorecard (BSC) is an accounting report that includes the firm’s critical success factors in four areas: (1) financial performance, (2) customer satisfaction, (3) internal processes, and (4) learning and growth (p.11). The following is a balanced scorecard for Work-study Enterprise Inc. Critical Success Factor Objective Measure Target Initiative Financial performance Increase Income Annual growth of income from specific courses +5% by end of fiscal year 20141 Offer more specific topics of tutoring (algebra, statistics, etc.) Reduce overhead expenses Annual Expenses -10% by end of fiscal year 20142 Explore tax benefits, give philanthropic contributions, and apply for government subsidies Customer satisfaction Retain Current Enrollees Enrollee turnover -10% by end of fiscal year 20143 Improve communication between staff and parents Enroll New Clientele Clientele enrollment count 25 additional contracts by end of fiscal year 20144 Improve marketing campaigns and courses offered to attract new clients Internal Process Increase GPA Number of grading periods to raise letter grade in a particular subject < 6 weeks Implement strict policy and procedure for increasing letter grade/GPA Learning and Growth Improve Tutorial Service through training classes Number of tutors lacking new tutorial training Increase by 50% by end of 2014 Implement a tutorial training program, providing training opportunities each month Discussion of Critical Success Factors (CFSs) CFSs are defined as â€Å"the limited number of areas in which results, if they are satisfactory, will ensure competitive performance for the organization† (Ram & Corkindale, 2014, p.152). Work-study Enterprise (WSE) will be able to deliver quality tutorial services for affordable prices, when the costs and quality of its services are addressed. The implementation of critical success factors will allow WSE to process each success factor into a particular category. Work-study Enterprise, Inc., can accomplish this by focusing on financial and tutorial goals that are in sync  with one another. Work-study Enterprise can achieve this by changing the way in which the company hires tutors. Financial The first CSF is financial performance. Financial performance is important because it measures the profitability and market value which are good indicators of how well the firm satisfies its owners and shareholders (Blocher, 2010, p.11). If a company can increase profits while decreasing its overhead, it will be in a better position to maintain positive profits. Profitability is gained strictly on how well WSE choose each critical success factor. The bottom line is to satisfy the owners. This critical success factor is not mutually exclusive, and depends on the other CFSs to keep Work-study Enterprise Inc doors open for business. Customer Satisfaction The second CSF is customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is important because satisfied customers tend to be loyal and repeat buyers. Measures of quality, service, and low cost, are three good indicators of how well a company satisfies its customer (Blocher, 2010, p.11). The objective here is for WSE to retain current enrollees and enroll new clientele. Current enrollees are the ones that continue to pay the bills (operating expenses), and enrolling new clientele helps increase profits thus assisting the financial CSF. Work-study Enterprise is looking to add online learning because it will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of it program (Cheawjindakarn, Suwannatthachote, & Theeraroungchaisri, 2012, p.61). This can be accomplished by hiring online tutors. A case study found that in order for online-course resources to be used effectively, the CFSs that need to be considered are: human factors pertaining to the instructors; the instructors’ and students’ tec hnical competency; the instructors’ and students’ mindset (about learning); the level of collaboration intrinsic in the course; and the level of perceived IT infrastructure and technical support (Soong, Chan, Chua, & Loh, 2000, p.102). These same CFSs align with WSE success factors. The human factors pertaining to the instructors can be found under financial CSF. The instructors and students technical competency is important in the learning and growth CSF. The instructors and students mindset about learning can be found in the internal process of improving the letter grade or increasing a  student’s GPA in less than 6 weeks. The level of collaboration intrinsic in the course and the level of perceived IT infrastructure and technical support can be found in customer satisfaction critical success factor. Internal Process The third CSF is internal process. WSE internal process is important because it measures efficiency and effectiveness of its services (Blocher, 2010, p.11). Greater efficiency and effectiveness can result in satisfied clients and more business. Raising GPAs and/or letter grades in tutorial services are very important. If a student is failing in a subject or is having a hard time comprehending the way his or teacher instructs, parents generally seek tutorial services. If WSE are able to help students by raising their GPA or letter grade, clients will want to continue with their services. This is why the choice to raise a letter grade in less than 6 weeks is a critical success factor. Learning and Growth The fourth CSF is learning and growth. Learning and growth is important because it can help develop and utilize human resources and strategic goals (Blocher, 2010, p.11). By increasing the learning of the tutors, not only do the tutors become better and more efficient in their services, the parents/students become more satisfied. The addition of a tutorial training program will help with the growth of the tutors and the enterprise (Cherryl Mitchell, Work-study Enterprise, April 4, 2014). Tutoring has become an increasingly effective tool for academic support in the last 25 to 30 years (Holliday, 2012, p.21). This is why many universities and colleges offer tutorial services, however, outcomes may vary depending on the tutor to student interaction. Evaluation of Work-study Enterprise Inc. Financial Reducing the overhead expenses in order to increase higher revenues is the objective for any rationale organization, if not all. This is because every company would like to maximize its profits in the most efficient way while still providing an effective service to its clientele. Work-study’s goal is to increase its profits by 5 percent, and by offering more specific  topics of tutoring such as algebra, statistics, chemistry, etc, the tutorial service is on track. Offering a wider range of courses to tutor will target new customers and offer more services to existing clients thus bringing in more profits for the company. By exploring tax benefits, giving philanthropic contributions, and applying for government subsidies, the company can help reduce overhead. In addition, if the company increases its efficiency in the internal process CSF, a decrease of 10 percent of its overhead can be obtained by year end 2014. The financial CSF appears to be on target at Work-study Enterpr ise, Inc. It may be impossible to eliminate all overhead; however, taking advantage of the aforementioned can minimize some overhead expenses. Customer Satisfaction One objective under the customer satisfaction CFS is to retain current enrollees. A growing body of empirical work supports the fundamental logic that customer satisfaction should positively influence customer retention (Anderson, Fornell, & Mazvancheryl, 2004, p.173). Work-study Enterprise realizes that their customers are the key to their success thus stressing the importance of great communication. Furthermore, satisfied customers are able to make positive recommendations to others. Since its inception in 1995, communication between staff and parents is of the utmost importance to Work-study Enterprise. Through great communication WSE have been able to reiterate special incentives to existing customers, receive feedback about the services rather good or bad, and settle disputes in a prompt manner. Implementing good lines of communication between its staff and parents has allowed WSE to keep clients for as long as the program will permit the child’s age. In 2010, Work-study Enterprises signed a contract with District 162, which allowed WSE to offer its services to all the schools in its district. By securing a contract with District 162, WSE is on track for meeting the objective of adding 25 more contracts. Furthermore, as a result of signing with the district, WSE marketing campaign has opened opportunities for securing more districts. Internal Process Work-study Enterprises Inc. seeks to increase the letter grade or GPA of a student less than 6 weeks. This time starts on the first day a student  meets with a tutor and ends 6 weeks after. Though students receive report cards 4 times a year or every 9 weeks, WSE likes to guarantee 6 weeks to increase a child’s letter grade. If the grade is not increased, the tutors will have an additional 3 weeks to spend more time with the student (s). The implementation of strict policies and procedures for increasing letter grades/GPAs has allowed WSE clients to pass their courses, as well as retain satisfied customers. Learning and Growth In the past, clients of Work-study Enterprise have committed on the disparity in training of its tutors. The majority of the tutors at WSE are high-school and current college students. However, the disparity in training will be rectified by offering a tutorial training each month. The critical success factor seeks to increase to their goal of 50 percent by the end of 2014. The addition of this tutorial program each month has allowed tutors to provide a greater learning opportunity for the students. In addition, WSE is in the process of hiring a new trainer to focus specifically on training tutors. Overall Work-study Enterprise Inc. is on track of achieving each of its critical success factors by the end of 2014. As previously mentioned, critical success factors are interdependent. In other words, all critical success factors must work in tandem in order for Work-study Enterprise Inc. to achieve its strategic goals. The bible tells us â€Å"Faith without works is dead† (James 2 :26 KJV). Just because one prays does not mean that his business will be successful. Business owners must develop a strategy and work that strategy. Work-study Enterprise Inc have been working their strategy for nearly a decade and this is why their company is still going strong. Reference Anderson, E.W., Fornell, C. & Mazvancheryl, S.K. (2004). Customer satisfaction and shareholder value. Journal of Marketing, 68(4). p. 172-185 Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/30162024 Blocher, E. J., Stout, D. E., Juras, P.E., & Cokins, G. (2010). Cost Management: A Strategic Emphasis (6th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Irwin Publishing. Cheawjindakarn, B., Suwannatthachote, P., & Theeraroungchaisri, A. (2012). Critical success factors for online distance learning in higher education: A review of the literature. Creative Education, 3, p.61-66. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1353565510?accountid=12085 Holliday, T. (2012). Evaluating the effectiveness of tutoring: an easier way. The Learning Assistance Review17(2). p. 21-32. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA308883380&v=2.1&u=vic_liberty&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=a5e72816293a40e9cba7076990429c51 Ram, J., & Corkindale, D. (2014). How â€Å"critical† are the critical success factors (CFSs)?: Examining the role of CFSs for ERP. Business Process Management Journal, 20(1). p.151-174. Retrieved from 10.1108/BPMJ-11-2012-0127 Soong, M.H., Chan, H.C., Chua, B.C., & Loh, K.F. (2001). Critical success factors for on-line course resources. Computer & Education, 36, p.101-120. Retrieved from http://www.nc12z.com/uploadfile/cms/books/269/ts269019.pdf

A strategy for lessening US dependence on foreign oil Essay

One of the important problems faced by the United States of America, which is causing serious threat to its economy, is its growing dependence on imported oil. This oil forms more than 97% of the fuels used in America. Majority of Americans believe that this dependence is to be reduced. This is mainly because it is affecting national security by wasting billions of dollars in Persian Gulf. It is causing pollution and contributing a lot to global warming. An important strategy to cut this oil dependence is to switch over to Plug-in Hybrid Electric vehicles (Sandalow 8). The technology is quite feasible and at present there are vehicles that run on electric power on the roads of America. Electricity is cheap and is available in surplus in America. So this surplus energy could be effectively utilized by producing vehicles that run on this power. The problems with electric vehicle are that the battery is too heavy and it has to be recharged more than once in a long run. But now there are hybrid vehicles that can automatically switch over to gasoline, when the electric charge is reduced. Lithium and nickel could be used in the manufacture of such engines, which will reduce its weight to a great extent. It requires $5000 to $6000 to convert a vehicle to electric one. Government can provide this amount as tax benefits or subsidy to the users and can encourage them to do so. The cost from the part of the government will be high initially, but when compared to the savings it is going to make by reduction in oil consumption, these initial costs are too less. Such vehicles travel 3 to 4 miles in one KwH. This means that it is same as getting gasoline for 75 cents per gallon. Above all such vehicle causes no pollution at all and will make America, a paradise on earth. It is believed that by 2025 one third of the vehicles in America will be hybrids, that is 45 billion gallons on oil can be replaced. Thus it could be seen that America’s dependence on oil could be reduced very easily by switching over to hybrid electric vehicles. In this way a considerable amount of money could be saved and at the same time the earth could be protected from global warming. Work cited Sandalow, David. â€Å"Ending Oil Dependence :Protecting National Security, the Environment and the Economy† http://abcnews. go. com/images/Politics/PB_Energy_Sandalow. pdf. 2008 (accessed on 29 November 2008)

Occupation decision Essay

My decision to enter medical school started after my grandfather suffered a heart attack at the age of 20. Although this incident hurt me very much because of the medical staff inability to save his life disappointed me. After the grieving process was complete I began to consider a career in the healthcare industry. My initial step toward entering a career in the healthcare industry was to shadow a cardiologist which I believed would provide me an opportunity for me to learn what a life as a healthcare provider would be like. Once I decided that I would like to pursue a career in medicine I enrolled in college and currently completing a bachelors of science in Biology. I found the healthcare profession to be exciting and realized that it afforded me the opportunity to help the sick and injured which I believe I will enjoy and have a talent for. My experience working for the cardiologist affords me the opportunity to learn basic healthcare skills such as obtaining vital signs. Record keeping is an important part of managing a practice and my experience of tracking records has afforded me the opportunity to demonstrate this important skill. My ultimate goal is to complete medical school, a residency and then pursue a fellowship in either cardiology or neurology. One of the goals I have is to help prevent people form suffering an untimely death such as my grandfather by seeking to provide optimal care to prevent the consequences of poor health. I believe that the desire to help people created by my grandfather’s untimely death will help me provide competent and compassionate care. These traits will be advantageous to MUA because of the positive public image perception it will create. My undergraduate instructors and the cardiologist that I have followed I hope to someday model that inspirational behavior. Although I do not have many academic credentials currently but my desire to help people who are sick and injured. I am finishing my last semester with a bachelor of science in biology. This background in biology has provided me with the basic scientific knowledge which has developed a strong foundation for me to build upon with the courses to follow. I am of reputable character which is an important character trait because of the high level of trust needed between a physician and provider. The office work and shadowing I completed prior to my enrollment in college has provided me a unfettered glimpse of the struggles and benefits of pursing a career in healthcare. I believe that because of the reasons I listed I would be an excellent candidate for admission to your program. .

Asthma in Children Essay

Table of Contents Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 Overview †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 What is Asthma †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 What are the signs and symptoms of asthma? .. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 What can make asthma symptoms worse? †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 What is the treatment for asthma? †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 Peak flow and its importance †¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 9 Asthma Action Plan †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 Patient Information Leaflet †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 10 Summary †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 11 References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 13Introduction â€Å"Asthma can affect anyone, any age, anywhere, but it is particularly common among children. Nowadays asthma affects one in five households in the United Kingdom, and i t is increasingly common. So how do you recognize the condition and minimize the impact on you, your child and your family? â€Å"(Barlow 2007). Often times parents of children with asthma are not given much information on what to do with their child after discharge from the Emergency department especially in patients who are newly diagnosed with asthma.This results in them bringing back their child even though the asthma attack is mild due to parents/carers knowledge about asthma or on home care is limited. Recent developments in the management of chronic illnesses such as asthma offer many possibilities for optimal control, but parents/main carers of children with asthma need to take on responsibilities for self-care. This paper reflects an informative approach on paediatric asthma. The aim is to give information about asthma, to give a brief definition, explain the symptoms of asthma, what the treatments are, what exacerbates the symptoms, and what to do if an asthma attack occu rs.The better the parent / carer and the child understand asthma and its treatment the better they will be able to manage and control it. It will also set out why a patient information leaflet should be introduced to help patients and carers to better manage symptoms at home and help reduce hospital attendances. Overview Whilst working in a busy north London Accident and Emergency ( A&E ) department It has been noted that when children attend with asthma they are discharged from the Department with no further information or support with regards to home care, especially the ones who are newly diagnosed.What happens often is that the parents are given the medications by the nurse without even explaining what to do next or what to watch out for with regards to their childs asthma because the nurse has limited time due to the fact that the department is often busy and there is no time to sit down and chat with the parents prior to discharge. After collaborating with the peadiatric secti on of the department a need has been identified for giving information to parents / carers about asthma in children to help reduce / prevent A&E attendances and help children be cared for at home by means of their parents and general practitioners(GP).Through writing an action plan I have identified what areas of information was needed to be covered in the information leaflet, these being: What is asthma? What are the signs and symptoms? What can make asthma symptoms worse? What is the treatment for asthma? What is a peakflow and its importance in managing the child’s asthma? What to do when an asthma attack occurs? An action plan after discharge from the department Useful contact numbers and website address’ What is asthma? At work I have encountered parents who have limited knowledge about asthma.It is a key issue for parents/ carers to know what asthma is In the leaflet, I have briefly mentioned the definition of asthma as derived by the World Heatlh Organization. T he World Health Organization defines asthma as a condition that affects the airways, it is due to the inflammation of the air passages in the lungs and affects the sensitivity of the nerve endings in the airways so they become easily irritated. in an attack, the lining of the passages swell causing the airways to narrow and reducing the flow of air in and out of the lungs. (World Health Organization 2006)The leaflet also contains what signs and symptoms to look out for prior to an asthma attack. Basing from my own experience growing up with my youngest brother who suffered from asthma, I can remember my parents panic as soon my brother developed cough with mild shortness of breath which often times becomes a trip to the nearest hospital. What are the signs and symptoms? The information leaflet includes what symptoms to look out for when an asthma attack occurs. Out of all the research and reading that I have done, I have come up with four common symptoms.The common symptoms of asthm a, they are cough and wheeze which are constant or intermittent in nature. The child may also become breathless, and develop a feeling of chest tightness. the severity of symptoms differ from child to child – from mild to severe. The leaflet serves as a guide in what to do when these symptoms occur. What can make asthma symptoms worse? A part of the information leaflet is about what makes the symptoms of asthma worse. What factors can cause the exacerbation of asthma or â€Å" trigger factors â€Å" .According to the American Lung Foundation, â€Å" the cause of asthma is not fully understood, but it is thought that it may be a combination of genetic and environmental factors, that asthma attacks are often triggered by certain conditions or stimuli. † ( American Lung Association 2007 ). The common triggers of asthma are exercise, infections, allergy, irritants, weather and emotions. â€Å"Exercise induced asthma (EIA) affects about 40-90% of children with asthma, an d occurs when a child's asthma is triggered by exercise or physical activities. Symptoms f coughing, wheezing, chest pain and difficulty breathing usually begin a few minutes after starting the activity and worsen over the next 5-10 minutes. Symptoms usually continue for about 20-30 minutes. â€Å" ( keepkidshealthy. com 2008 ) â€Å"Severe episodes of asthma are often triggered by respiratory tract infections including flu. Research shows that these infections are most frequently caused by virus more than bacteria. Bronchodilator medication, sufficient hydration and steroids (if indicated) are needed to control an asthma attack caused by viral infections.Allergies can trigger an asthma attack in children with asthma. † ( American Lung Association 2007 ). Allergies can trigger an asthma attack in children with asthma. â€Å"Histamine is released during an allergic reaction causing mucous to be excessively produced, the lining of the airway becomes swollen then muscle contra ction in the airway thus leading to an asthma attack. Allergens associated with asthma are common things like dust mites, feathers, moulds, pets, insects, pollens and ingested food such as egg, soy milk, etc.These causative agents can cause minimal reactions sometimes which are of no obvious consequence but daily exposure to the allergens can cause in gradual worsening of asthma. † (American Lung Association 2007 ). Irritants such as air pollution, cigarette smoke, fumes, chemicals and strong odours can irritate the respiratory system causing reactions such as cough, wheeze and mucous secretions. â€Å"Weather or climatic conditions can trigger an asthma attack; it basically affects outdoor inhalant allergens (pollens and moulds).On a windy day more allergens will be scattered in the air, while a heavy rainfall will wash the air clean of allergens but on the other hand, a light rain might wash out pollen, but actually increase mold concentration† (American Lung Associat ion 2007 ). â€Å"Emotional factors are not the cause of asthma, though emotional stress can infrequently trigger asthma† ( American Lung Association ). A child’s asthma might only be noticeable after crying, laughing or yelling in response to an emotional situation. These normal emotional responses involve deep breathing which in turn can trigger asthma.Emotional stress itself like anxiety, anger or frustration can also trigger asthma, but the asthmatic condition precedes the emotional stress. Emotions are associated with asthma for another reason, many children with asthma suffer from severe anxiety during an episode as a result of suffocation caused by the asthma attack. The anxiety and panic can then produce rapid breathing or hyperventilation, which worsens the asthma condition. The panic and anxiety should be controlled as much as possible; the parent should remain calm, encourage the child to relax and breathe easily and give appropriate medications. The aim is to control the asthma with the appropriate treatment, and when the asthma is well controlled the emotional stress level will be reduced† ( American Lung Association 2007 ). It is an important part of the care of asthma for the parents / carers to know what these factors are, knowing these triggers can help minimize an asthma attack, though some are unavoidable like weather or the fact that a child tends to be more active, the aim of management of the child’s asthma is to enable the child to live a normal life by teaching the parents / carers to recognize their own triggers as avoidance will prevent symptoms from occurring.A part of the information leaflet enumerates the most common triggers with given examples that can act as a stimulus to set off an asthma attack. What is the treatment for asthma? â€Å"There is no cure for asthma, although it can always be controlled† ( World Health Organization 2006 ). â€Å" For most children, asthma is a condition that can be controlled by inhaled medication at home. Continuity and stability of treatment is important. † (Barlow 2007 ) The devised information leaflet enumerates and briefly defines the medications for asthma.It is quite important for the parents / carers to know what the medications are, what are they for, when to use them, and how to use them properly. Hopefully, the literature will help parents / carers to understand asthma medications, for it is worth of consideration that asthma medications must be taken properly. This helps in the care of the child’s disease. Together with the Asthma Action Plan, an appropriate assessment of the child’s symptoms and administering the proper asthma medication at the right time helps in the control of the disease at home.The primary goal for the treatment of the child’s asthma is to achieve the greatest possible control over the disease by reducing exacerbations, and limiting symptoms in order to optimize the quality of lif e of the child. â€Å" the potential for limitation of normal living is immediately apparent, but the actuality is related to a patient’ ability and willingness, to adhere to, and the nature of, a health professional’s recommended regimen† Christie et. al ( 1993 ). Peak flow and its importancePeak flow has it’s place in the care and management of asthma. The information leaflet briefly defines what is peak flow and justify why it should be monitored. The literature emphasizes that in managing asthma in children, parents are encouraged to obtain their child’s peak flow rate for measuring the peak flow helps in monitoring their asthma. The correct technique in obtaining the peak flow should also be reiterated for a false reading can greatly affect the management.However, in children who are under five years it is unreliable due to the fact that their ability to use the peak flow meter properly is doubtful, therefore it should only be attempted in chi ldren who have formerly and regularly used the peak flow devise. A criteria in the Asthma Action Plan is to measure the child’s peak flow rate for it helps to determine the severity of the episode, it helps decide when to use the prescribed asthma medications, and decide when to seek emergency care. Asthma Action PlanIn managing the child’s asthma, it is important to know what symptoms to look out for, what medicines to take, how much and when to take them, all of this should be recorded in the Asthma Action Plan. Prior to discharge from the emergency department, the Asthma Action Plan together with the information leaflet is given to the parents/ carers to use at home to act as a guide in managing an attack of their child’s asthma. It contains the symptoms to look out for and what to do if they occur.It also acts as a tool for the parents and their doctors to monitor the child’s asthma, prior to discharge from the Emergency Department the doctor and the Peadiatric nurse should have completed and discussed the form to the parent. Patient Information leaflet In the current political climate of patient autonomy, patient information leaflets can aid patients, parents and carers to achieve this autonomy. Research has shown that patients may forget half of what they have been told within five minutes of a medical consultation and retain only twenty per cent of the information conveyed to them. â€Å"Providing patients and families ith written information may reduce anxiety, improve use of preventative or self care measures, increase adherence to therapy, prevent communication problems between health care providers and patients and lead to more appropriate and effective use of healthcare services† (Moult et al, 2004). The importance of written patient information has been recognized by the department of Health and the NHS. The NHS Plan states that patient information is an integral part of the patient journey. The Centre for Health Information Quality identifies three key attributes of quality health care information materials: a. he information should be clearly communicated; b. be evidence based; and c. involve patients in the development of the materials (Centre for Health Information Quality in Moult et al, 2004). Research has exposed problems with the readability and usability of a wide range of patient information leaflets (PILS) on diverse matters. The majority of PILs, regardless of their subject, require relatively high reading skills that may not exist in a large proportion of their target population (Zorn & Ratzan, 2000 in Gal & Prigat, 2005).In 2002, the Department of Health published the ‘Tool kit for providing patient information which provides detailed guidelines for writing and designing health care information. The toolkit includes guidelines in the form of ‘points to consider’ and checklists for presentation of various types of information. Readability is often mentioned a s a measure of the quality of written health care information an several scales have been deployed to evaluate the reading level of written information and several scales have been developed to evaluate the reading level of written information. Spadero, 1983). Moult et al. (2004), explains that the lower the reading level, the more likely that the information can be read and understood by a large proportion of the public. Summary The purpose of this essay is to discuss the need which has been identified and to implement change in the peadiatric area in the Emergency Department ( ED ) with regards to patient information about asthma in children. â€Å"The appropriate selection of medications is only one aspect for the provision of a comprehensive approach to all aspects of managing asthma.In particular, parents / carers need education, support and guidance, on how to manage their child’s condition† ( National Institute for Clinical Excellence 2007 ) I have accessed many online web sites and read articles to see what information was available to combine together to produce such information leaflet. The intention of the devised information leaflet is to give information to parents / carers about asthma in children to help reduce or hopefully prevent ED attendances and help children with asthma be cared for at home by means of their parents and GPs. Technological and pharmaceutical developments make feasible the more effective control of chronic conditions, but clinician’s perception of optimal management may result in patients carrying increased responsibilities for maintenance of their physical well – being that can compromise the quality of their daily life† ( Christie et. al. 1993 ), hopefully the information leaflet can facilitate and provide advice, as a part in the holistic approach in managing the child’s asthma at home when the child is discharged from the Emergency department.The information leaflet can also be ut ilized as useful tool to teach junior staff in the Emergency Department. A reading material for the newly qualified staff members to read and use to further enhance their nursing knowledge about asthma, that it can aid the nurse as guidance in their initial assessment and help in anticipating the needs of a child who presents in the Emergency Department with asthma.Hopefully in the future, the information leaflet can be used as a useful tool for health promotion which can be utilized by other members of the health care setting such as health visitors, school nurses, and others in the community settings. Reference: American Lung Association (2007): childhood Asthma Overview http://www. lungusa. org/site/pp. asp? c=dvLUK9O0E=22782. [accessed Dec 2007] Barlow(2007)http://www. childrenfirst. nhs. uk/families/features/illnesses/managing_childhood_asthma. html [accessed Jan 2008] Christie et. l (1993)Development of child – centered disease – specific Questionares for living with asthma , Psychosomatic medicine 55:541 – 548 Department of Health. ( 2002 ) Toolkit for Producing Patient Information. London: HMSO, 2002. London: Department of Health Gal, I & Ayelet Prigat (2005) Why organizations continue to create patient information leaflets with readability and usability problems: an exploratory study: Health Education Research Vol. 20 no. 4 pp485 – 493. Keep Kids Healthy (2007) :Exercise Induced Athma http://www. keepkidshealthy. com/asthma/exercise_induced_asthma. html [accessed Dec 2007]Moult, B. et al (2004) Ensuring Quality Information for Patients: development and preliminary validation of a new instrument to improve the quality of written care information: Health Expectation Vol 7 pp165 – 175. National Institute for Clinical Excellence:Inhaler devices for routine treatment of chronic asthma in older children, ;www. nice. org. uk [ accessed Dec 2007 ] Spadero, DC (1983) Assessing readability of patient information materials. Pae diatric Nursing, Vol 9 pp274 – 278. WorldHealthOrganization:Asthma in children; http://www. who. int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs307/en/index. htm. [accessed Jan 2008]

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 191

Essay Example Second, theological and national tensions that were not properly addressed fuelled the need to walk away from the bigger church to agitate for reformation (Viladesau, 2006). Similarly, the affirmation of a traditional medieval conception of interpreting most church activities meant that the Council of Constance was ignoring a lot of complaints from splinter groups. Another interesting reason was that the entire Roman Catholic Church papacy was Antichrist, thus, there was a need for committed believers to honour the prophecy by leaving the church. Alternatively, the Protestant Reformers under the leadership of Martin Luther condemned doctrinal policies that encouraged selling of indulgences such as particular judgment and purgatory in order to dominate the people. Respect for the ecclesiastical law, mandatory clerical celibacy, and censure of Antichrist Popes, therefore, became a critical aspect of splitting from the Catholic Church. Campaigns for Magisterial Reformation also played fundamental reason because most Protestant Reformers were now aligning themselves with humanity or lines of mysticism to affirm their radical positions against the papacy. Overall, the eventual excommunication was caused by discontent that was not given the necessary