Inverse Proportion of Physical Fitness and Awareness Program

Although awareness of the importance of physical fitness has increased in the United States, the average level of an American†s fitness has decreased. In short, most everyday citizens are out of shape. This is partially due to the more modern and easier lives that most Americans lead compared to Americans of earlier time periods. If Americans wish to stay in good health, then their daily regiments must be changed. Among adolescents and teenagers, the same numbers are noticeable. Nearly fifty percent of American youth aged twelve through twenty-one are not vigorously active on a regular basis. Only nineteen percent of all high school students are physically active for more than twenty minutes or more, five days a week, mainly in physical education class (Physical Activity and Health: Adolescents and Teenagers, par. 5-8). These numbers are a significant drop from previous studies of earlier decades. When physical fitness reform was stressed in schools during the fifties, the government administered several test to get an exact figure on American children†s level of fitness. The United States office of Education discovered that in one year fifty-six of 108,000 public schools had strengthened their physical education programs. These modifications were noticed. Between 1964 and 1965, 11,000 boys and girls who took the Youth Fitness test had higher mean scores in every event and at all ages than the results recorded from the previous decade†s tests (Van Dalen 520-521). Although modern, well-designed school-based interventions directed at increasing physical activity in physical education classes have been shown to be effective, only twenty five percent of high school students enroll in physical education class daily. In 1991, forty-one percent of all high school students enrolled in physical activity. That means that in only ten years, the daily level of physical activity amongst teens has been cut almost in half (Physical Activity and Health: Adolescents and Teens, par. 9-10). Not even the best school based interventions directed at increasing physical activity can actually improve a student†s level of fitness if they aren†t participathing in class to begin with. Over sixty percent of adults do not engage in the recommended amount of activity. In fact, over twenty five percent of American adults are not active at all (Physical Activity and Health: Adults, par. 6-8) Concerning the history of physical fitness awareness, physical activity for better health and well-being has been an important theme throughout much of western hemispherical, American history. Since the beginning of awareness, public health recommendations have evolved greatly. They started with emphasizing vigorous activity for cardio-respiratory fitness. The same recommendations are still given, but now it is thought to be better to include the options of moderate levels of activity for numerous health benefits (Historical Background and Evolution of Physical Activity Recommendations, par. 1-2). One of the first specified fields of medicine in the fitness world was sports medicine. Physicians associated with professional sports teams initially practiced sports medicine, but with interest in amateur sports and physical fitness programs in the 1970†³s and 1980†³s the field grew rapidly. Sports medicine still continues to be a fast-growing division of specified medicine that has to revolutionize the understanding of exercise and the body†s reaction to the stress of exercise (Sports Medicine, par.1) These physicians and doctors are not uncovering these earth-shattering discoveries on their own. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is very active in fitness research (The Future of Fitness, par. 2). The official government committee to support physical fitness is The President†s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) is extremely vocal in the education of the public. PCPFS has been fighting its ever-toughening crusade against laziness since the era of President Kennedy, who founded the Council (Van Dalen, p. 520-521). There are also many Internet websites (e.g. efitness.com, emedicine.com, nutricise.com) that provide easily accessible information to the public. Because of groups like ACE and PCFS, the awareness of the benefits to physical fitness are being broadcasted everywhere; it is just a matter of time until every American understands the value of being physically fit. When that time comes, experts say more people will exercise to achieve better health instead of just to improve appearance. Also, exercise will become a vital part of disease management. In the future, adventure workouts such as hiking and mountain climbing will replace traditional treadmill and weight training workout. Sports specific training such as golf and tennis exercises will become more mainstream. It is also said that exercise programs geared towards older adults such as water-based fitness will increase in popularity (The Future of Fitness, par. 3-4, 6-7). Inverse Proportion of Physical Fitness and Awareness Program Although awareness of the importance of physical fitness has increased in the United States, the average level of an American†s fitness has decreased. In short, most everyday citizens are out of shape. This is partially due to the more modern and easier lives that most Americans lead compared to Americans of earlier time periods. If Americans wish to stay in good health, then their daily regiments must be changed. Among adolescents and teenagers, the same numbers are noticeable. Nearly fifty percent of American youth aged twelve through twenty-one are not vigorously active on a regular basis. Only nineteen percent of all high school students are physically active for more than twenty minutes or more, five days a week, mainly in physical education class (Physical Activity and Health: Adolescents and Teenagers, par. 5-8). These numbers are a significant drop from previous studies of earlier decades. When physical fitness reform was stressed in schools during the fifties, the government administered several test to get an exact figure on American children†s level of fitness. The United States office of Education discovered that in one year fifty-six of 108,000 public schools had strengthened their physical education programs. These modifications were noticed. Between 1964 and 1965, 11,000 boys and girls who took the Youth Fitness test had higher mean scores in every event and at all ages than the results recorded from the previous decade†s tests (Van Dalen 520-521). Although modern, well-designed school-based interventions directed at increasing physical activity in physical education classes have been shown to be effective, only twenty five percent of high school students enroll in physical education class daily. In 1991, forty-one percent of all high school students enrolled in physical activity. That means that in only ten years, the daily level of physical activity amongst teens has been cut almost in half (Physical Activity and Health: Adolescents and Teens, par. 9-10). Not even the best school based interventions directed at increasing physical activity can actually improve a student†s level of fitness if they aren†t participathing in class to begin with. Over sixty percent of adults do not engage in the recommended amount of activity. In fact, over twenty five percent of American adults are not active at all (Physical Activity and Health: Adults, par. 6-8) Concerning the history of physical fitness awareness, physical activity for better health and well-being has been an important theme throughout much of western hemispherical, American history. Since the beginning of awareness, public health recommendations have evolved greatly. They started with emphasizing vigorous activity for cardio-respiratory fitness. The same recommendations are still given, but now it is thought to be better to include the options of moderate levels of activity for numerous health benefits (Historical Background and Evolution of Physical Activity Recommendations, par. 1-2). One of the first specified fields of medicine in the fitness world was sports medicine. Physicians associated with professional sports teams initially practiced sports medicine, but with interest in amateur sports and physical fitness programs in the 1970†³s and 1980†³s the field grew rapidly. Sports medicine still continues to be a fast-growing division of specified medicine that has to revolutionize the understanding of exercise and the body†s reaction to the stress of exercise (Sports Medicine, par.1) These physicians and doctors are not uncovering these earth-shattering discoveries on their own. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is very active in fitness research (The Future of Fitness, par. 2). The official government committee to support physical fitness is The President†s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) is extremely vocal in the education of the public. PCPFS has been fighting its ever-toughening crusade against laziness since the era of President Kennedy, who founded the Council (Van Dalen, p. 520-521). There are also many Internet websites (e.g. efitness.com, emedicine.com, nutricise.com) that provide easily accessible information to the public. Because of groups like ACE and PCFS, the awareness of the benefits to physical fitness are being broadcasted everywhere; it is just a matter of time until every American understands the value of being physically fit. When that time comes, experts say more people will exercise to achieve better health instead of just to improve appearance. Also, exercise will become a vital part of disease management. In the future, adventure workouts such as hiking and mountain climbing will replace traditional treadmill and weight training workout. Sports specific training such as golf and tennis exercises will become more mainstream. It is also said that exercise programs geared towards older adults such as water-based fitness will increase in popularity (The Future of Fitness, par. 3-4, 6-7).

Kidney Stone Ncp

Kidney Stone Care Plan Admitting Diagnoses: Client not being admitted at this time Current Diagnosis: Ureteral Calculi Other Medical Diagnoses: HTN, Hyperlipidemia, Kidney stones, Smokes Tobacco, Tonsillectomy-child age yrs. Pathophysiology: Urinary calculi are solid particles in the urinary system. They may cause pain, nausea, vomiting, hematuria, and, possibly, chills and fever due to secondary infection. Diagnosis is based on urinalysis and radiologic imaging, usually noncontrast helical CT. Treatment is with analgesics, antibiotics for infection, and, sometimes, shock wave lithotripsy or endoscopic procedures.About 1/1000 adults in the US is hospitalized annually because of urinary calculi, which are also found in about 1% of all autopsies. Up to 12% of men and 5% of women will develop a urinary calculus by age 70. Calculi vary from microscopic crystalline foci to calculi several centimeters in diameter. A large calculus, called a staghorn calculus, can fill an entire renal calyc eal system. About 85% of calculi in the US are composed of Ca, mainly Ca oxalate. Composition of urinary calculi; 10% are uric acid; 2% are cystine; most of the remainder are Mg ammonium phosphate (struvite).General risk factors include disorders that increase urinary salt concentration, either by increased excretion of Ca or uric acid salts, or by decreased excretion of urine or citrate. Urinary calculi may remain within the renal parenchyma or renal pelvis or be passed into the ureter and bladder. During passage, calculi may irritate the ureter and may become lodged, obstructing urine flow and causing hydroureter and sometimes hydronephrosis. (Preminger, MD, 2012) Common areas of lodgment include the ureteropelvic junction, the distal ureter, and the ureterovesical junction.Larger calculi are more likely to become lodged. Typically, a calculus must have a diameter > 5 mm to become lodged. Calculi ? 5 mm are likely to pass spontaneously. Even partial obstruction causes decreased gl omerular filtration, which may persist briefly after the calculus has passed. With hydronephrosis and elevated glomerular pressure, renal blood flow declines, further worsening renal function. Generally, however, in the absence of infection, permanent renal dysfunction occurs only after about 28 days of complete obstruction.Secondary infection can occur with long-standing obstruction, but most patients with Ca-containing calculi do not have infected urine. Preminger, MD, G. M. (n. d. ). Nephrolithiasis; stones; urolithiasis. Retrieved from http://www. merckmanuals. com/professional/genitourinary_disorders/urinary_calculi/urinary_calculi. html Textbook clinical symptoms: The major manifestation of stones is severe pain, commonly called renal colic. Flank pain suggests the stone is located in the kidney or upper ureter. Flank pain that extends toward the abdomen or to the scrotum and testes or the vulva suggests that stones are in the ureters or bladder.Nausea, vomiting, pallor, and d iaphoresis often accompany the pain. Frequency or dysuria occurs when a stone reaches the bladder. (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2010) pg 1571 Actual symptoms: Flank pain extending toward the abdomen, dizziness, sweating, and nausea w/o vomiting. Patient states his pain is an 8/10 on the pain scale. Pain is described as constant and sharp with no alleviating factors. Complications or potential complications: Potential; Hydroureter, hematuria, hydronephrosis, abrasion, oliguria or anuria, and infection. Ignatavicius & Workman, 2010) pg 1571-1572 Safety Issues: Fall risk level – Low, but still a potential complication from patient’s c/o dizziness from pain. Delegation Issues: Assist patient when ambulating. |Client Data | |Age | |38 | |Physical Exam (include all body systems) | (Physical Exam) | |Age | |38 | | | |Male | | | |Height | |69. in | |Weight | |180lb | |Temp | |99F | |Pulse | |90 | |Apical Pulse | |88 | |Resp | |20 | |BP | |169/71 | |BP supine | |( Noted | |O2 Saturation | |100% RA | | | | | |NEURO: nonfocal, AXOX4, c/o pain. |HEENT: Denies headache; PERRLA, Ears unobstructed, symmetrical, no loss of hearing, Nares are clear, w/o drainage or obstruction, Oropharynx is clear w/ | |membranes pink in color and intact, Neck is supple with full range of motion, | |INTEGUMENT: Skin warm, moist-diaphoretic, intact w/saline lock in RU-AC, dressing is clean, intact, non-tender, free of redness. | |CARDIOVASCULAR: No JVD noted, apical pulse regular at 88bpm, S1/S2 auscultated, no c/o chest pain/pressure | |distal pulses palpated in all extremities, capillary refill

Animated cartoons for early childhood science education

Animated cartoons for early childhood science education Teachers teaching methods change because of the new generation of children. For this reason, teachers should use contemporary teaching methods for improving the quality of learning. In this framework teaching innovations which can meet such expectations are needed. This paper is a report of work describing curriculum which involves cartoons as a basis for teaching science. Here we can picture young pupils gaining knowledge through texts, teacher lectures and cartoons. It is important to realize that one of the reasons why science is thought to be difficult by many students in elementary education is that it is viewed as dealing with concepts which are often difficult to be explained and understood. Some students feel that they have to learn a lot of theory without considering how this theory might apply to the real world they are living in. This study represents findings on the use of animated cartoons and how they are able to evaluate the effectiveness in supporting teaching and le arning in science. The research results provide evidence that the use of animated cartoons significantly increases the young students` knowledge and understanding of specific science concepts. The importance of cartoons in science education has been recognized in recent years as they received an increasing amount of research attention. The presentation of ideas in visual form has been proven to be particularly important as it helps the educational process in a very up-to-date way. Why are cartoons so popular among young children and how can they be used for the purposes of teaching as well as learning? Research evidence indicates that cartoons are widely used as innovative and supporting tools in science teaching. Actually, they represent a form of art that has been promoted into an important visual language, which influences the human feelings and transmit messages using symbols and pictures. They are a combination of humour , exaggeration and symbols but in a very simple way. Euli e/1969/ pointed out very successfully that cartons, contain messages and when they are selected carefully, they can easily provide information via the symbols and the exaggeration. Most important is that they use familiar pictures and objects from daily life. In addition, cartoons can be used effectively in the teaching process when they provide information with regard to concrete objects. They were used by many researches in the classroom in order to promote learning, esp. in teaching children./Madden,Chung$Dawson,2008;Peacock,1995;Tsou,Wang&Tzeng,2006/. More over, the most innovative use in the instructive practice is that they easily capture students’ attention and then they allow them to’ travel with their mind ‘in the world of imagination and amusement while they are learning. Not surprisingly, cartoons have rapidly become a popular teaching and learning approach. Keogh and Naylor /1999/ ,he creators of the ‘concept cartoon strategy, have used it incre asingly in both primary and secondary education. . Concept cartoons offer an innovative approach to gaining access to children’s ideas in science. They have been used in different ways and in different situations to teach science, to assess pupils’ levels of understanding of science matters and to involve them in scientific discussion as well as to promote children’ s argumentation in primary science /Naylor,Keogh and Downing,2007/.

Find legal arguments to have ECB exempted from the PSI Essay

Find legal arguments to have ECB exempted from the PSI - Essay Example In response to these, different bodies create liaisons in a bid to address these emergent challenges with ease. One of the most common options for countries and firms has been the creation of alliances. In this respect, countries or corporate bodies with common economic and social interests form groupings and develop viable policies to govern their operations. With the characteristic conditions, they create an environment that is supportive of economic growth and development. For instance, they provide better and mutually benefiting trade terms and conditions amongst others. To a great extent, this has been instrumental in cushioning them against the negative effects that stem from the aforementioned dynamic trends. Recent economic trends ascertain that the entire globe has been affected by incidences of inflation. One of the strategies that most countries, states and corporate entities have assumed to curb this pertains to financial borrowing. In this regard, it is worth appreciatin g that countries whose economies are directly influenced and controlled by the larger global economy cannot be financially independent. Put differently, their financial decisions are directly informed by the global trends. Fundamentally, nation states share intricate and augmenting relationships and due to the effects of globalization, they cannot operate singly. This can be used to explain why most countries suffer when the global economy is affected in any way. In such instances, economic instruments such as local banks, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and so forth offer the financial help accordingly. It is against this background that this paper explores the legal arguments that would enable the European Central Bank (ECB) to be exempted from the Public sector Involvement (PSI) debt. To ensure a harmonic consideration, it begins by presenting the history of the problem, role of PSI and the responsibility of ECB in the relative debt. Historical Underpinning From a general point of view, the Euro zone is currently grappling with sovereign debt crisis. Statistical evidence indicates that various countries including Portugal, Ireland and Greece have been adversely affected this1. In particular, their debts are very high and therefore potentially unsustainable. With particular reference to Greece, the buildup of its debt in the 2000s was influenced by increased investor confidence as well as its easy access to very cheap capital. The subsequent competitiveness presented various financial challenges that made it difficult for the country to maintain a positive economic growth2. This was further compounded by the global financial crisis that occurred between 2008 and 2008. In essence, it increased the borrowing costs of the country to unsustainable levels. Various policy interventions have been undertaken by different stakeholders to address this problem. The European Central Bank, European Union and the International Monetary Fund have all contri buted directly to this good. In this respect, they all agreed that Greek’s possible default could have lasting negative impacts to the entire global financial market. They proposed the first financial aid package in 2010. Nonetheless, Haldane, Penalver, Saporta and Chin argue that this did not yield any beneficial outcomes3. The financial stability of the

Subcultures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Subcultures - Essay Example Laughey (2006, pp.29 )has observed that "teenagers used (these) popular arts to search for styles that not only afforded surface but also substantial meaning for their subordinate lives." Here, the usage of the word, 'subordinate' amply represents the common psyche of the age group defined as youth. Laughey (2006, pp.1) poetically hs stated that " music is very often a product of its time -both a reflection of the 'here and now' and a 'recaller' of memories". He (2006, pp.1) also asserts that "music and youth have a special relationship". Laughey (2006, pp.5) has talked about two narrative contexts for music tastes; one is embedded in the family memories and the other in peer group contexts. The youth subculture associates itself with music basically through the here and now element. In a life which is ruled by the dictates of grown ups, thus the youth creates a feeling that they are ahead of all others at least in some aspects like, fashion, which includes popular music. Bennett (2006, pp.106) has said that "pluralistic and shifting sensibilities of style have increasingly characterized youth culture since the post-Second World War period' and theorised them as " temporal gatherings characterized by fluid boundaries and floating memberships". But this temporary nature itself has imparted the youth subculture its very dynamics. Gelder (2005, pp.433) wonders why music often forms the fabric of subcultures as " musica tastes are generally eclectic, more a question of multiple affiliations than any single kind of identification, subcultural or otherwise." But the history of youth subcultures show that musical tastes can be a sign of identification for youth subcultures. A subculture is often distinguished from the broad term, culture, significantly through a new fashion, association with specific musical forms and/or political standpoints. A subculture is also distinct with a strong bonding and tribal mentality among its members. Punks, Ravers, Metalheads, Goths, Gangstas, Emo and Indie are the major youth subcultures that have evolved along a common thread, namely, music. Similarly, Bennett has quoted Cohen (1972) arguing that youth subcultures attempted a 'magical recovery' of community following the breakup of traditional working class neighbourhoods during the 1950s and the relocation of families to 'new towns' and modern housing estates" (Bennett, 2006, pp.106). Youth subculture as a community builder needed an adhesive beyond class, race and other social factors. And this adhesive was, to be sure, music. The punk subculture, which appeared in 1970s, had its identity asserted through music, which included rock n roll and also some other music genres. Members of the punk subculture had a routine of listening to a thunderous and loud version of rock and roll called punk rock. Punk bands performed for the members while the audience also often participated in the music charecterised by shouting and screaming. Punks were thought to be basically having lineages to the left wing and progressive ideologies. The ideologies embedded in punk can rather be more correctly described as promoting individual freedom and propagating anti-establishment views. But the punk viewpoints also ranged from

Water wars the Middle East Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Water wars the Middle East - Essay Example Fresh water is a very important resource that is in short supply and continuously diminishing in numerous regions across the globe. In barren, semi-arid, and desert regions, like the Middle East, water shortages are a serious problem. Regions lacking access to adequate supply of water resources had witnessed vicious competitions for fresh water supplies since ancient times.   The likelihood of conflict is aggravated by the fact that numerous major rivers extend to the territories of various nations, and political boundaries partition underground water tables. Proponents of the water wars hypothesis cite numerous subjective proofs to substantiate their assumption that conflicts over access to water resources will lead to wars, like the statement of former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat that Egypt will soon fight over water resources, or the warnings of Turkey to discontinue water supply from Euphrates to the detriment of Iraq.   However, these predictions are not actually backed u p by evidence, and are filled with methodological weaknesses. Declaring a trend, like what Peter Gleick, a well-known environmental security scholar, did is unjustifiable because Gleick and others do not take into consideration the earlier prevalence of conflicts over water, which requires a comparison between the prevalence of actual instances of conflict and the number of such instances across the globe.   The examination of present and future situations is also subjective and unreliable, and the affirmation of a trend is not supported.

Violence cannot be properly understood if it is approached as an Essay - 1

Violence cannot be properly understood if it is approached as an evolutionary aspect of human nature'. Discuss - Essay Example It is therefore pretty correct to state that violence is the basis of a number of human-related problems which have come about of age, and that too have lingered on in the longest time. What needs to be understood is the proper role of violence within the midst of human comprehension because it shall make the good and the bad souls within any society get the hang of how things shape up within violent realms. This paper discusses the basis of violence and how it is dealt within an evolutionary aspect of human nature or the lack thereof. It is important that violence is understood exactly in the way it should be done. How violence comes of age here is the fact that its repercussions are varied on the people and it is manifested in a number of different ways. What remains significant is the fact that it is something which is abhorred in essence. The element of hatred with regards to violence is because no one appreciates its incorporation within his/her life. There is immense negativity that comes in the way of violence and quite rightly so. Since the domains of violence are now being seen as elements of extreme disruption, people usually understand the related dictums more than ever. This is because violence brings about destruction and problems for all and sundry, creating a sense of negative upheaval within any society of the world where the aspect of violence is on the rise (Wrangham, 1997). How human beings decipher the notion of violence is understood differently because the people who are close to such levels believe that it is something drastic and could easily destruct the basis of not only their own lives but the ones around them as well. It is indeed an inherent feeling within the people all over the world that violence can ransack their peace, destruct the basis of their tranquility and turn their serene environments into wrath-filled zones. More than anything else, violence is something that is a definitive no-no from all sides and should always be ke pt at a safe distance from the lives of the commoners. Whether or not human beings are intrinsically violent in their regimes is an unsubstantiated feeling. This is because many people are of the view that there are aggressive individuals spread all around them but whether they possess the violent streak in them is something that needs to be understood in the most proper sense. Violence can be a part of an individual’s personality but it might not be a vital facet within his own domains. People are of the view that violence is usually something that creates anarchy within the society, though not in a fast-paced way. It does create anarchy of sorts because it is an element which stirs up emotions and sentiments, all of which are deemed in a negative fashion. The evolution of human beings is such that violence can affect or literally break their basis. It is something that makes them think and thus find out ways which can deal with the foundation of violence in the first place (Ferguson, 2004). There have been critical views regarding the essence of violence creeping into the different societies of the world. It is yet to be established whether or not violence is the root cause of many a problem within the national regimes, and more so in an area to area basis. This is because locals

Mysterious Cave on Mars Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Mysterious Cave on Mars - Article Example Dennis Mitchell’s 7th-grade science class at Evergreen Middle School in Cottonwood, CA discovered these openings on the red planet. There were a total of 16 students in the class (Moskowitz 2010). The students were taking part in the Mars Student Imaging Program that takes place at the Mars Space Flight Facility at Arizona State University. Similar holes were discovered on Mars in 2007 by a U.S. Geological Survey Scientist, Glen Cushing (Moskowitz 2010). There are no known facts about what can be found inside these caves. I think that is amazing that a group of 7th graders located this mysterious cave. They were, after all, only looking for locations of lava tubes on the planet. I think that this is a significant accomplishment for such a determined group of youngsters. They were clearly led by a strong leader with strong knowledge in the area of photography and images, and managed to accomplish this all on their

Career Development Plan Part 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Career Development Plan Part 4 - Essay Example This paper analyses the new compensation plan at InterClean Corporation. A well structure compensation plan reduces employee turnover and increases corporate profits since it provides adequate incentive for an employee to increase their productivity. The old InterClean had a sales staff that got awarded a sales commission for the sales an employee obtained. This system force the employee to think about individual results, since the salesperson pay would increment based on his/hers achievements. Since the company offered simple product this was a viable strategy. This no longer applies to the new business model the company is implementing. Teamwork is now more important than ever and long term satisfaction of the customer is a strategic focus that must be pursed in order to achieve customer retention. In the solution based business follow up contracts with the clients generated a lot of income for the enterprise. There are two types of rewards systems that cam be used by a company. These two types of rewards are intrinsic rewards and extrinsic rewards. Intrinsic rewards are positively valued work outcomes that the individual receives as a result of work outcomes, while extrinsic rewards are positively valued work outcomes that are given to an individual or group by some other person or source in the setting (Schermerhorn & Hunt & Osborn, 2003). The total compensation plan the company will offer has to satisfy the needs of both the employee and the firm. The firm does not want to establish a plan that does not encourage professional development and teamwork. The new compensation plan the company will offer to its salespeople will be profit sharing plan with a group merit pay element as well as other individual incentives. In a profit sharing plan a company contributes a portion of its pre-tax profits to a pool that will be distributed among the eligible employees (Hr-guide, 2008). The profit sharing at InterClean will be calculated

African American In The 1920s Essay Example for Free

African American In The 1920s Essay The aspect of African-American Studies is key to the lives of African-Americans and those involved with the welfare of the race. African-American Studies is the systematic and critical study of the multidimensional aspects of Black thought and practice in their current and historical unfolding (Karenga, 21). African-American Studies exposes students to the experiences of African-American people and others of African descent. It allows the promotion and sharing of the African-American culture. However, the concept of African-American Studies, like many other studies that focus on a specific group, gender, and/or creed, poses problems. Therefore, African-American Studies must overcome the obstacles in order to improve the state of being for African-Americans. According to the book, Introduction to Black Studies, by Maulana Karenga, various core principles make of the basis of African-American Studies. Some of the core principles consist of 1)history, 2)religion, 3)sociology, 4)politics, and 5)economics. The core principles serve as the thematic glue which holds the core subjects together. The principles assist with the expression of the African-American Studies discipline (Karenga, 27). The core principle of history is primary factor of African-American Studies. History is the struggle and record of humans in the process of humanizing the world i. e. shaping it in their own image and interests (Karenga, 70). By studying history in African-American Studies, history is allowed to be reconstructed. Reconstruction is vital, for over time, African-American history has been misleading. Similarly, the reconstruction of African-American history demands intervention not only in the academic process to redefines and reestablishes the truth of Black History, but also intervention in the social process to reshape reality in African-American images and interests and thus, self-consciously make history (Karenga, 69). African American History or Black American History, a history of African-American people in the United States from their arrival in the Americas in the Fifteenth Century until the present day. In 1996, 33. 9 million Americans, about one out of every eight people in the United States, were African-American. Although African-American from the West Indies and other areas have migrated to the United States in the Twentieth Century, most African- Americans were born in the United States, and this has been true since the early Nineteenth Century. Until the mid-20th century, the African-American population was concentrated in the Southern states. Even today, nearly half of all African-Americans live in the South. African-Americans also make up a significant part of the population in most urban areas in the eastern United States and in some mid-western and western cities as well . Africans and their descendants have been a part of the story of the Americas at least since the late 1400s. As scouts, interpreters, navigators, and military men, African-Americans were among those who first encountered Native Americans. Beginning in the colonial period, African-Americans provided most of the labor on which European settlement, development, and wealth depended, especially after European wars and diseases decimated Native Americans (http://encarta. msn. com). Thus, history plays a role in the way African-Americans have shaped the world over time. The core concept of African-American religion has always played a vital roles in the African-American life since its beginnings in Africa. Religion is defined as thought, belief, and practice concerned with the transcendent and the ultimate questions of life (Karenga, 211). The vast majority of African Americans practice some form of Protestantism. Protestantisms relatively loose hierarchical structure, particularly in the Baptist and Methodist denominations, has allowed African Americans to create and maintain separate churches. Separate churches enabled blacks to take up positions of leadership denied to them in mainstream America. In addition to their religious role, African American churches traditionally provide political leadership and serve social welfare functions. The African Methodist Episcopal Church, the first nationwide black church in the United States, was founded by Protestant minister Richard Allen in Philadelphia in 1816. The largest African American religious denomination is the National Baptist Convention, U. S. A. , founded in 1895. A significant number of African Americans are Black Muslims. The most prominent Black Muslim group is the Nation of Islam, a religious organization founded by W. D. Fard and Elijiah Poole in 1935. Poole, who changed his name to Elijiah Muhammad, soon emerged as the leader of the Nation of Islam. Elijiah Muhammad established temples in Detroit, Chicago, and other northern cities. Today, Louis Farrakhan leads the Nation of Islam. A small number of African American Muslims worship independently of the Nation of Islam, as part of the mainstream Islamic tradition (http://encarta. msn. com). Presented with the fact that African-American religion is predominately Judeo-Christian, the tendency is to view it as white religion in black face. However, the rooting of the two religions varies due to the historical and social experiences (Karenga, 212). African-American over time has somewhat declined in its power. The church was once the sole basis of the community, especially to those in need. Today, this is speculated to be the link in the decline in the bonding of the African-American community. The core principle of African-American sociology integrates the various aspects and social reality from an African-American perspective. African-American sociology is defined as the critical study of the structure and functioning of the African-American community as a whole, as well as the various units and processes which compose and define it, and its relations with people and the forces external to it (Karenga, 269). African-American sociology involves the study of family, groups, institutions, views and values, relations of race, class and gender and related subjects. The African-American community, like other communities, is defined by the sharing of common space. Parts of its common space, however, are bounded areas of living, such as ghettos, which not only close African-Americans in the community, but simultaneously shuts them out from the access and opportunities available in the larger, predominately Caucasian society (Karenga, 302). The concept of isolation creates areas of poverty. Socially, isolation in ghettos prevents the cycle of diversity society, allowing prevailing stereotypes to surface. The immense concentration of African-Americans is a reason for disadvantages, such as joblessness, poverty, etc. Statistics suggest that the employment rate issue is an essential on among African-American women. The average rate of unemployment among African-American women in the 1980s was 16% and was higher for African-American men (Giddings, 350). Thus, the concept of diversity prevents African-Americans from thriving socially. The core concept of African-American politics can be defined as the art and process of gaining, maintaining and using power (Karenga, 311). The institution of politics has played a role in the African-American community since the 15th amendment was passed, allowing African-American men the right to vote (Constitution). In order to obtain political power, however, there are eight bases: 1) key positions in government 2) voting strength 3) community control 4) economic capacity 5) community organization 6) possession of critical knowledge 7) coalition and alliance and 8) coercive capacity. In order to attain these, African-Americans must unite, for unity strengthens weak groups (African-Americans) and increases the power of others (Caucasians) (Karenga, 363). Over time, African-Americans have made substantial strides in politics. Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, who ran for the Democratic Partys presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, brought exceptional support and force to African-American politics. In 1989, Virginia became the first state in U. S. history to elect an African- American governor, Douglas Wilder. In 1992, Carol Moseley-Braun of Illinois became the first African-American woman elected to the U. S. Senate. Today, Moseley-Braun is a candidate for the Presidency of the United States (Franklin, 612). There were 8,936 African-American office holders in the United States in 2000, showing a net increase of 7,467 since 1970. In 2001, there were 484 mayors and 38 members of Congress. The Congressional Black Caucus serves as a political alliance in Congress for issues relating to African- Americans. The appointment of African-Americans to high federal offices? including Colin Powell (chairman of the U. S. Armed Forces Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1989-1993; Secretary of State, 2001-present), Ron Brown (Secretary of Commerce, 1993-1996), and Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas? also demonstrates the increasing power of African-Americans in the political arena (http://encarta. msn. com). Despite the advances of African-Americans in the political scene, the rate of voting has immensely declined compared to 40 years ago. According to statistics, less than 20% of African-Americans between the ages of 18 and 24, the most vital voting age group, voted in the last 40 years (http://www. rockthevote. org ). African-American votings disappointing decline over time has become a setback in regards to power, for politics control most of the issues that concern society, such as healthcare, housing, and employment: issues that the African-American community are in need of improving. The core concept of economics is defined as the study and process of producing, distributing (or exchanging) and consuming goods and services. Economically, African-Americans have benefited from the advances made during the Civil Rights era. The racial disparity in poverty rates has narrowed to some extent. The African-American middle class has grown substantially. In 2000, 47% of African-Americans owned their homes. However, African-Americans are still underrepresented in government and employment. In 1999, median income of African American household was $27,910 compared to $44,366 of non-Hispanic Caucasians. Approximately one-fourth of the African-American population lives in poverty, a rate three times that of Caucasians. In 2000, 19. 1 % of the African-American population lived below poverty level as compared to 6. 9% of Caucasians population. The unemployment gap between African-Americans and Caucasians has grown. In 2000, the unemployment rate among African-Americans was almost twice the rate for Caucasians. The income gap between African-American and Caucasian families also continue to widen. Employed African-Americans earn only 77% of the wages of Caucasians in comparable jobs, down from 82% in 1975. In 2000, only 16. 6% of African-Americans 25 years and older earned bachelors or higher degrees in contrast to 28. 1% of Caucasians. Although rates of births to unwed mothers among both African-Americans and Caucasians have risen since the 1950s, the rate of such births among African-Americans is three times the rate of Caucasians (DeBose, 1). Thus, the state of African-American economics have flourished over time, yet remains in a state of improvement. Whether one talks about poverty, incomes, jobs, etc. , all imply and necessitate the concern with economics in the African-American community (Karenga, 355). Conclucively, the possibility of problems arising towards the discipline of African-American Studies are rooted in the birth of the discipline itself (Karenga, 476). The mission of the discipline, problematic administrators, and campus opposition are examples of obstacles that often attempt to prevent the missions of African-American Studies. However, African-American Studies has continued to defend its stance over time. Thus, as long as there is an African-American culture, the quest for knowledge in the African-American studies field will remain. Works Cited DeBose,Brian. Reclaiming the Mission. Nov. 2002 . Franklin, John Hope. From Slavery to Freedom. Nashville, TN: McGraw-Hill, 2000. Giddings, Paula. When and Where I Enter . New York:Perrenial, 1984. Karenga, Malauna. Introduction to Black Studies. Los Angeles: University of Sankore Press ? Third Edition, 2002. http://encarta. msn. com http://www. rockthevote. com.

Alternative Tourism And Ecotourism

Alternative Tourism And Ecotourism The critical climatic conditions and the disappearance of endangered species in the worlds ecosystems is the concern of all, and affect our everyday lives, businesses and industries. The tourism industry is not spared, having adversely and greatly contributed to the destruction of micro-ecosystems and biodiversities over decades through Mass Tourism. Nonetheless, governments, tourism-planners and international organisations are now investing into alternative forms of tourism in order to counter the still ongoing damages of Mass Tourism. The goal is to consume differently and to sensitise tourists about sustainable practices, not only during their holidays, but to implement it in their very thinking and everyday life. This paper combines the material of four different papers, based on Alternative Tourism and Ecotourism respectively. They describe the principles of each and the features required for its successful fulfillment. Introduction Lifestyles and consumer behaviour have been known to evolve and adapt to changes in global needs and the availability of resources in the world all throughout history. As such, it is not surprising that the increase in awareness, concerning the precarious environmental, social and economic situation of todays world, is leading to new trends and behaviour in the way people live and consume. Likewise, the tourism industry has been undergoing a similar transformation since at least the past two decades with the advent of Alternative Tourism. This form of tourism has been introduced since the early nineties and has began to grow in magnitude as from the 1980s. It is considered as a sustainable alternative to counter the adverse effects and low-level authentic experiences provided by the so-called Mass Tourism. The latter has boomed dramatically with the technological advance of transport facilities (air, sea and land) and the open-sky agreements between countries worldwide, amongst various other factors. Inspite of the huge, fast economic gains of Mass Tourism, it has been found to be severely disastrous on the environment and the socio-cultural aspects of host countries and communities, respectively. In contrast, Alternative Tourism has responded in retaliation into the clean or sustainable form of tourism, which takes into account, the impacts of tourism on nature, society (for both the host community and travelers), culture and economy. Here, locals are also directly involved in the making of the tourism product and are often the financial beneficiaries. The umbrella of Alternative tourism covers a vast range of tourist activities such as rural, adventure, cultural and historical, heritage, sports (such as hiking, mountaineering, caving, diving, and so on), ecotourism and any other forms of tourism that is not Mass Tourism, as long as it does not impact adversely on the host country. Ecotourism has emerged since the 1960s and is popular amongst nature and culture lovers. It fits perfectly the concept of Alternative tourism and is considered as the fastest-growing form of sustainable tourism, according to the UNWTO (2003). Hetzer (1965) described the characteristics of ecotourism as: minimizing environmental impacts, respecting host cultures, maximizing benefits to local people and maximizing tourist satisfaction. Literature Review Alternative Tourism is a process which promotes a just form of travel between members of different communities. It seeks to achieve mutual understanding, solidarity and equality amongst participants. (Holden, 1984, p.15: cited in Smith Eadington, 1992. P.18) McIntyre (1993, p.11) defines Sustainable Tourism as a model form of economic development that is designed to improve the quality of life of the host community, and provide a high quality of experience for the visitor. Moreover, to maintain the quality of the environment on which both the host community and the visitor depend. He also states that it seeks decision-making among all segments of the society, including local populations, so that tourism and other resource users can coexist. Firstly, Alternative Tourism does not damage the environment, is ecologically sound, and avoids the negative impacts of many large-scale tourism developments undertaken in areas which have not previously been developed. Secondly, it is thought to consist of smaller scale developments, or attractions for tourists which are set in villages or communities and organised by them. These are seen as having fewer negative effects social or cultural and a better chance of being acceptable to the local people than mass tourism. Thirdly, there is the question of who benefits. Certain kinds of tourism are called alternative because they are not exploitative of the local people, because the benefits flow to local residents, or in general to poorer communities. Also known as Soft Tourism, Sustainable tourism denotes a mutual understanding between the local population and their guests, which does not endanger the cultural identity of the host region and which endeavours to take care of the environment as best as possible. Soft tourists give priority to using infrastructures destined for the local population, use the same accommodation and transport facilities as the natives and do not accept substantial tourist facilities harmful to the environment (Smith Eadington, 1992). Further, as they want to get more information before and during their holiday, it may actively try to encourage a respect for the cultural realities encountered by the tourists through education and organized encounters (de Kadt, 1990). Alternative Tourism, also brings about constraints. For a variety of reasons, alternative tourism in developing countries has been much more limited and less successful than Mass Tourism. The alternative projects in the Third World are frequently handicapped by the cost of international travel in the first place and poor local connections within destinations in the second. Language barrier, differences in culture and standards of living between hosts and guests tend to hinder communication and understanding (Smith Eadington, 1992). Some of the implications of alternative tourism need to be examined more closely. These include the reduction in numbers of tourists, the change in type of tourist, the education of all parties involved, and the impacts resulting from a new set of activities. Reducing numbers of tourists has two aspects, reducing numbers in areas where numbers are currently too great, and limiting potential visitors to levels compatible with capacity parameters. It is extremely difficult to reduce numbers in a free market situation without prejudicing the viability of the industry. Revenues can be expected to decline (unless massive market replacement occurs at the same time), which can result in loss of employment and reduction in local standard of living (Butler, 1990). Also, soft tourists may not only represent a not large enough market, but may also not be a repeat market. While mass tourists are for the most part sedentary and spend their money in a limited number of locations, much of the expenditure of the alternative tourists may be pre-spent on packages or spent in small amounts in a wide variety of locations (Butler, 1990). Furthermore, educating people is an alternative that is hard for Butler (1990) to reject, but it is a mammoth and long term project. He states that most people would probably accept the wisdom of the concept of sustainable development and developing suitable and low-impacting forms of tourism, but short-term reality dictates that the window of opportunity is often limited and time-scales of most entrepreneurs are short. Those of a tourist spending a week on a beach are even shorter. It is not realistic, even if naively optimistic, to expect a tourist wishing to lie on a beach in the Caribbean to be too interested in the impact he or she may have on the social fabric of the island visited, especially when they may not wish to associate with local residents or move out of the hotel complex. However, Alternative Tourism help cleaning physical surroundings, protecting environments and often the distinctive cultural patterns of local communities. It can be a significant factor in conserving the environment. Moreover, it also helps to conserve an areas cultural heritage. Archaeological and historical places, distinctive architectural styles, local dance, music, drama, ceremonies, arts and crafts, dress, customs and value systems all comprise the culture of an area (McIntyre, 1993). He emphasises on the fact that Alternative Tourism raises awareness concerning the impacts of tourism on the natural, cultural, and human environments. It ensures a fair distribution of benefits and costs. It incorporates planning and zoning which ensure tourism development appropriate to the carrying capacity of the ecosystem. It monitors, assesses and manages the impacts of tourism, develops reliable methods of environmental accountability, and counters any negative effect. Furthermore, nature tourism encourages productive use of lands which are marginal for agriculture, enabling large tracts to remain covered in natural vegetation. Cultural tourism enhances local community esteem and provides the opportunity for greater understanding and communication among peoples of diverse backgrounds. Environmentally sustainable tourism demonstrates the importance of natural and cultural resources to a communitys economic and social well being and can help to preserve them. As opposed to Mass Tourism development, which is predominated by multinationals and tends to be unplanned and uncontrolled, taking up the most scenic regions and altering them beyond repair, Alternative Tourism requires extensive initial planning with greater reliance on local labour, and local sources of capital in line with locally promulgated regulations. Tourism assumes a complementary industrial role emphasizing the importance to continuing traditional lifestyle patterns. Existing resources (e.g., buildings) are used and renovated when necessary rather than relying on new construction. Features of Alternative Tourism Also known as Sustainable Tourism, Alternative Tourism adheres to the triple bottom-line of sustainability, that is to develop and progress without depleting environmental, socio-cultural and economic resources for future generations. In other words, these resources must be used, preserved and managed in such a way as to move forward, while keeping in mind the Native American proverb: we do not inherit the world from our ancestors, we are borrowing it from our children. Tourism can be environmentally feasible, as opposed to the pre-conceived idea exhibited by Mass Tourism during the past decades. It is not all about deforestation, land and water pollution or chains of gigantic resorts all over the place. Sea, Sun and Sand Tourism, a major form of Mass Tourism, has caused its own death by saturating the most popular and splendid coastal spots with hotel resorts, hence permanently disfiguring these locations physically, depleting and polluting its resources and attributes respectively. This has led to an increase in awareness amongst host communities and potential tourists alike, and hence emerged forms of tourism that aimed at enjoying a destination while minimizing alterations to nature and monitoring the impacts of visits at the same time. First of all, environmentally sustainable tourism businesses would take into account the characteristics of a location at the Planning Stage of a project. This is usually part of the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment). The fauna and flora would be meticulously studied and limited changes (or none at all) would be permitted, so that micro-ecosystems would be able to survive and cohabit along with the implementation of the project. This way, endangered species (both plants and animals) would still retain their habitat and the environment would be altered in the smallest possible way. Furthermore, the project should not be physically alienating to its surroundings, that is, it should be able to blend in and not be an eyesore. For instance, a state of the art hotel in a remote, under-developed village would be totally inappropriate, even if it respected environmental norms. In the same breath, operating sustainable tourism commerce implies minimizing damages done to the environment through energy and waste management. As far as possible, sustainable forms of energy must be used, and energy-consumption must remain reasonable. Waste water management is a must, and recycling must be practised as far as possible, for ethical disposal of both solid and liquid waste. However, not all businesses are able to afford the above measures, especially, since the number of green-tourists is usually quite limited. This is where the concept of Carrying Capacity comes into effect. The physical carrying capacity of a destination or site, is the maximum number of visitors that it can contain at a particular time. In order to avoid permanent environmental changes and abuse, the number of visitors and the duration of their stay must be under strict control. This is also known as the limits of acceptable change and does not require much financial investment to be accomplished. In addition, Mass Tourism brought along westernisation, the alienation of ethnic and local cultures and commodification throughout the years. Their consequences can be seen today, especially amongst the younger generations in destinations that have suffered Mass Tourism for several generations. The youth have often copied the beliefs and lifestyles so as to resemble those of foreigners, deeming western culture to be superior, and thus resulting in the loss of local cultural heritage and long-standing ancestral traditions. This is due to the fact that cultural exchange between tourists and locals has not been equitable, even though it is usually not in the intention of visitors to have such an impact on local beliefs and traditions. In order to counter this, tourists need to be educated on how to interact, behave and limit the exposure of their cultural identity, with respect to that of the host community. Accordingly, commodification, which is the act of viewing local cultural, historical or religious identity merely as a tourism product, is yet another drawback of mass tourism. Places of worship or of sacred religious importance were being assaulted with camera flashes by hordes of tourists, who were not even aware of the appropriate dress codes and behaviour to be adopted on such sites. Thanks to sustainable tourism and the responsibility of tour operators towards the education of tourists, rules and guidelines have since then been forwarded so as to minimize the impact of loss of cultural identity. Indeed, it is now the tourist that adapts to the culture of locals during visits to sites of religious and cultural importance, thus resulting in a more authentic cultural exchange and experience. Thirdly, the most immediate aspect of Alternative Tourism in a destination is the economic gains to the local community. Despite the fact that large-scale tourism generates astronomical amounts to tourism-related businesses and organisations, the majority of locals do not benefit from these profits first-handedly. In some cases, such as in franchise businesses, most of the profit goes back to the source-organisation, with local employees being paid with low salaries and slim chance of career advancement. On a different level, the concept sustainability implies that one should make reasonable use of its available resources, in such a way as to progress, while benefiting to its environment and stakeholders. This largely goes against conventional tourism, whereby most of the resources required to make the tourism product happen comes from elsewhere, whether in terms of raw materials, expertise and partially labour. It is therefore natural that economic rewards go abroad as well. On the other side, Alternative Tourism encourages entrepreneurship in all forms, from hospitality, entertainment and craftsmanship of locals. They are often offered trainings, participate in empowerment programmes and sometimes even subsided by the state to put their projects into motion. Nevertheless, financial gains, which is not comparable to that of Mass Tourism goes directly to those local entrepreneurs and the money is usually spent within the country, hence improving income distribution, increasing standard of living and indirectly contributing to the national GDP. The Emergence of Ecotourism Being one of the most popular segments of Alternative Tourism, Ecotourism is reaching a peak and gaining educational, sustainable and economic importance within the tourism industry, being one of its fastest growing sectors (UNWTO, 2003), grossing over $335 billion a year. In todays world, it plays a crucial role in the conservation of nature, in educating tourists about sustainable environmental practices and in benefiting local people. Ecotourism products consist of attractions, tours and accommodation, where each component is marketed and sold separately, but may be combined into packages as well. It is a form of tourism that targets a wide range of tourists, who are willing to experience a get-away holiday from the stress and monotony of everyday life. Its influence lies in the fact that unlike other forms of tourism, it is diverse enough to attract tourists of different age groups, budgets, interests and occupations. However, ecotourism poses a threat to its own existence and operations. Since the tourism product is settled within the type of ecosystem or environment that it promotes, there needs to be careful planning and management. Else, its activities may harm, deplete or alter the fragile and pristine biodiversities that it relies on for sustenance. Limits of acceptable change regarding social, cultural and environmental must be closely monitored in order to minimize impacts. Ecotourism projects are usually of small-scale and low-impacting; waste output is minimized and recycled as far as possible, so as to cause the minimum intrusion and alterations to the surrounding ecosystem. Biodegradable products are favoured over chemical detergents or products toxic or unhealthy for the environment. Clean and renewable energy forms, such as solar or photovoltaic panels, are popular energy sources in the most sophisticated eco-lodges as well as the use of fossil fuels are avoided. Further, infrastructures are designed to be harmonious with the environment in which it is situated. The actors involved in creating the ecotourism product include businesses, scientists, government agencies, non-governmental organisations and local or native communities. The active participation of guests or tourists, is essential for the product to be complete. It is interesting how this tends to foster collaboration and better understanding between the different contributors to ecotourism, hence encouraging local entrepreneurship and strengthening local identity. Emphasis must be stressed upon the preparation and education of ecotourists, before, during and after their holiday trip. This implies that guides and tour operators play a major role in consolidating the ecotourism product. They are responsible to instruct tourists about acceptable behaviour during their stay or trips, sensitize them to be environmentally-friendly and raise their awareness towards the need for sustainability, not only during their holidays, but also in their thinking and everyday lives. Furthermore, their duties include instructing guests about the modes and limits of communication with respect to surrounding local or native culture. Ecotourism has the goal of improving and contributing to the well-being of these people, without altering their beliefs, culture or traditions, but promoting them while empowering their identity and pride. Additionally, ecotourism projects often help natives and local communities to rehabilitate endangered species or animals and plants alike, reinstate their natural habitat and raise-awareness about them. Ecotourists are educated about the importance and relevance of such projects, if not encouraged to actively participate themselves. The profit accumulated through ecotourism is usually re-injected into ecological projects and also to upheave the standard of living of locals and their everyday situation. In the case of culturally sensible communities, such as natives, this is expended differently, in terms of medication and the protection, as well as conservation of their lands and culture. Conclusion and Discussion Alternative Tourism and Ecotourism have both been operating in a moderately successful manner in Mauritius during the past decade and is continuously gaining in popularity, both among locals and tourists alike. Indigenous plants and species are being rehabilitated and their habitat sustained, although there have been some negligence on the part of some stakeholders. The Blue Bay Marine park had been flourishing in the beginning years, but the project is now undergoing a decline due to illegal fishing and the carrying capacity of human interactions exceeded through visits, snorkelling and deep-sea diving. It is however not too late to reverse the situation and additional efforts need to be input from all stakeholders. On the bright side, small surrounding islands such as lIle Plate and lIle aux Aigrettes have known successful rehabilitation of their micro-biodiversities and human intervention is being closely monitored by environmental organisations. Fortunately, Mauritius has the resources and potential to further promote Ecotourism and other forms of Alternative Tourism, such as hiking, outdoor tourism and mountaineering. Additional resources must be made available to qualified people and organisations to implement and diversify the Alternative Tourism projects possible on the island. Emphasis should be put on consistency and regular evaluation, to cater for weaknesses. The objectives of sustainability however do not limit themselves to tourism and the whole Mauritian community must be sensitised for better environmental-friendly attitudes, which requires advocacy, education and a change of behaviour, which is a long-term and never-ending process, to protect, save and respect what remains of our nature and resources.

Dead Poets Society :: essays research papers

The spine twisting movie that should be used as a role model to all parents would be Dead Poet’s Society. This movie gives parents a lesson in adolescent parenting skills. Skills that are usually over looked by every parent. Pushing your child you may have thought was good to a point, pushes some kids to the thought of suicide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This movie is about Welton an all boys college preparatory school for the rich. Mr. Keating who is the new English teacher there, was once a student there also. He enters the class room with a different style of teaching. While other teachers were stiff neck and had a conventional style of teaching, Keating came in with a style that was unorthodox and the other teachers feared this. He came into the class room preaching â€Å"Carpe Diem† which means seize the day. He taught the kids to be free thinkers, and ways to read poetry deeper that just the words. The biggest thing that he introduced his students to was the Dead Poet’s Society, an organization that sucked the bone marrow out of life was started with Keating himself and ended when he graduated. The students were intrigued and started this secret society as soon as they could. The students soon realized the true meaning of poetry. They were able to be come better poets and interpreters of the tr ue meaning of poetry. The students start to realize that this is there life and their parents cannot make all there decisions. Once one of the students realize this he has a tragic accident. Mr. Keating is fired because the administration blamed him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Neil Perry was a student at Welton. He was very fortunate to go there, his parents made some great sacrifices. In return for the sacrifices his parents had to make, his father felt it was necessary to make his decisions for him. Mr. Perry would not allow Neil to participate in any extra-curricular activities. Neil went behind his fathers back and auditioned for a play, and received the lead role. He needed a letter of approval from his father, so Neil wrote it himself. Once his father found out he flipper and said, â€Å"Neil I will not allow you to ruin this great opportunity to be an actor, what are you stupid.† Mr. Perry also told his son that he must drop out of the play the day before its premiere.

Identifying Heroes: The Godfather and Pulp Fiction Essay -- essays res

Identifying Heroes: The Godfather and Pulp Fiction The form of Classical Hollywood films is, first and foremost, invisible. In a Classical Hollywood film, the narrative is foremost, and style serves the narrative. Camera angles, lighting and editing patterns such as the shot/reverse-shot pattern aim to give us the best possible perspective on the unfolding events(1). These events are arranged in a strongly causality-oriented linear narrative, with one event causing the next. This narrative is arranged around a central, active protagonist, whose decisions and actions are the key to the pattern of cause and effect that drives the story(2). This pattern seems so logical, so natural, that the audience of the classical Hollywood film is supposed to feel that they are receiving the material without the mediating intervention of the filmmaker. The link between heroes and the spectator under this model is therefore one of relatively unproblematic identification. Even films that featured anti-social heroes, such as the thirties gangster genre , modified the pattern only through imposing the strongly moral, tragic sequence of rise and fall; the audience's identification remained firmly with the central protagonist(3). Such a situation, under these assumptions, puts the audience in an apparently perverse situation, and it is therefore hardly surprising that the infamous Hays code of the thirties moved to ensure that "the sympathy of the audience shall never be thrown to the side of crime, wrongdoing, evil or sin(4)." The assumption of audience identity with the hero was never unproblematic, and of course the classical Hollywood model of filmmaking partially outlined above never existed entirely without challenge. Nevertheless, it is clear that up to the fifties the classical Hollywood model was relatively applicable and that challenges to it were largely ineffective. However, beyond the fifties, the model became increasingly irrelevant. The reasons for the downfall of the classical paradigm are complex, and related to economic changes within the industry (the forced dismantling of the vertically integrated studio system that placed production, distribution and exhibition roles under the one organisation) as well as wider cultural shifts that occurred during the sixties (the widespread social upheaval and increasing prominence of counter-cultural challenges ... ...he coffee shop scene around the body of the film isolates one couple at the exact moment they make the wrong choice. The cleverness of Tarantino's approach is in isolating the artificiality of his heroes' persona, and using that as an approach with which to undermine the audience's admiration of that hero. Just as Coppola's attempts to alienate the viewer from Michael Corleone were only partially successful, so Tarantino's approach is flawed: Tarantino was accused of glorifying his criminal heroes, and audiences do still see Vincent Vega as a modern day Fonze, the embodiment of coolness. A subtext is still, after all, a subtext, and not everybody can be in the ironic audience. Perhaps, though, the real reason that both Coppola and Tarantino still have problems in avoiding the audience identification with their heroes is the astonishing persuasiveness of classical Hollywood forms. The learned patterns of classical Hollywood narratives and the associated identification with a strong central protagonist are likely to take over if given even the slightest chance. This is the price Coppola and Tarantino must pay if they wish to harness this form of filmmaking for commercial advantage.

interculturalo event :: essays research papers

1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Describe the event, its purpose, the cultural group originating the event, and how you learned of the event. Believe it or not,(like everything else I’ve written about in this course) my cultural event was Italian/American in nature. The event in question was the marriage of an American groom and an Italian bride. The bride’s family consisted, in large part, of grandparents and older relatives that had been born and raised in Italy. Obviously the younger relatives were primarily second and third generation Italians as well. The groom and his family, on the other hand, were American mutts. Their cultural background was extremely diluted, consisting of a multitude of cultural circumstances. Seeing as the American groom (Richard) proposed, I suppose the origin of the event could be considered American, although without the consent of the Italian bride (Tessa), there would be no wedding, so let’s call it Italian/American in origin. My wife and I were invited to attend the wedding by her great-aunt, who comes from the Italian side of the union. 2) What element(s), if any, is/are similar in your culture? For the most part the wedding was just like any other American wedding. During the ceremony a couple of symbolic and superstitious traditions similar to American traditions were performed. First, whereas in American culture superstition dictates that the bride must have â€Å"something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue†, the Italian groom carried a piece of metal in his suit pocket to ward off evil eyes. I found the second action, one of symbolic nature, a bit odd. In American culture, couples frequently light unity candles to symbolize their lifetime union of happiness. The symbolic gesture in this wedding was a bit different though. The newly married couple smashed a vase, with the remaining pieces representing the number of years the couple is expected to be happily married. I found this act kind of strange. Suppose the vase only broke into two or three pieces (it didn’t, it shattered into hundreds). Such an occurrence would seem certain to dampe n the enthusiasm for a superstitious couple. Aside from a couple of exceptions, the rest of the wedding was similar to any other wedding, with a buffet of food, cash bar, and a D.J. spinning records (or cd’s, as the case may be). 3) What did you see and experience at this event that made you feel confident you understood accurately?

Cell Phone Addiction Essay

Wireless communication has emerged as one of the fastest diffusing mediums on the planet, fueling an emergent â€Å"mobile youth culture that speaks as much with thumbs as it does with tongues. At one of our focus groups a teen boy gushed, â€Å"I have unlimited texts . . . which is like the greatest invention of mankind. † His enthusiasm was hardly unique. Cell phone use and, in particular, the rise of texting has become a central part of teens’ lives. They are using their phones to stay in touch with friends and parents. They are using them to share stories and photos. They are using them to entertain themselves when they are bored. They are using them to micro-coordinate their schedules and face-to-face gatherings. And some are using their phones to go online to browse, to participate in social networks, and check their emails. This is the sunny side of the story. Teens are also using mobile phones to cheat on tests and to skirt rules at school and with their parents. Some are using their phones to send sexts, others are sleeping with buzzing phones under their pillows, and some are using their phones to place calls and text while driving. While a small number of children get a cell phone in elementary school, the real tipping point for ownership is in middle school. About six in ten (66%) of all children in our sample had a cell phone before they turned 14. Slightly less than 75% of all high school students had a cell phone. This report particularly highlights the rapid rise of text messaging in recent months. Some 72% of all US teens are now text message users, up from 51% in 2006. Among them, the typical texter sends and receives 50 texts a day, or 1500 per month. By way of comparison a Korean, Danish or a Norwegian teen might send 15 – 20 a day and receives as many. Changes in subscription packages have encouraged widespread texting among US teens and has made them into world class texters. As a result, teens in America have integrated texting into their everyday routines. It is a way to keep in touch with peers even while they are engaged in other social activities. Often this is done discreetly and with little fuss. In other cases, it interrupts in-person encounters or can cause dangerous situations. To understand the role that cell phones play in teens’ lives, the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and Michigan’s Department of Communication Studies conducted a survey and focus groups in the latter part of 2009. The phone survey was conducted on landline and cell phones and included 800 youth ages 12-17 and one of their parents. It was administered from June 26-September 24, 2009. The overall survey has a margin of error of 4 percentage points; the portion dealing with teen cell owners involved 625 teens in the sample and has a margin of error of 4 percentage points; the portion dealing with teen texters involved 552 teens in the sample and has a margin of error of 5 percentage points. The idea for cellular telephony originated in the US. The first cellular call and the first call from a hand held cellular device also were placed in the US. The cell phone merges the landline telephony system with wireless communication. The landline telephone was first patented in 1876. Mobile radio systems have been used since the early 1900’s in the form of ship to shore radio, and were installed in some police cars in Detroit starting in 1921. The blending of landline telephone and radio communication came after the Second World War. The first commercially available â€Å"mobile radiophone service† that allowed calls from fixed to mobile telephones was offered in St. Louis in 1946. By 1964 there were 1. 5 million mobile phone users in the US. This was a non-cellular system that made relatively inefficient use of the radio bandwidth. In addition, the telephones were large, energy intensive car-mounted devices. According to communications scholar Thomas Farley, the headlights of a car would noticeably dim when the user was transmitting a call. In the drive to produce a more efficient mobile telephone system, researchers W.  Rae Young and Douglas Ring of Bell Labs developed the idea of cellular telephony, in which geographical areas are divided into a mesh of cells, each with its own cell tower. This allowed a far more efficient use of the radio spectrum and the â€Å"cell† phones needed less power to send and receive a signal. The first installation was in 1969 on the Amtrak Metroliner that traveled between New York City and Washington. Four years later Martin Cooper of Motorola made the first cellular call from a prototype handheld cell phone. After the inauguration of mobile phone service in the US, a regulatory environment that allowed multiple mobile-calling standards stifled mobile communication development and expansion in the US for several years. Indeed, the growth of the GSM standard in Europe and the rise of DoCoMo in Japan meant that the dramatic developments in the cell phone industry were taking place abroad. In the US, small license areas for mobile phone companies meant that users were constantly roaming outside their core area. A user in Denver would have to pay roaming charges if he or she made or received a call in Ft.  Collins, Colorado Springs or Vail. To the degree that texting was available, users could only text to users in their home network. In the late 1980’s industry consolidation eliminated the small local areas and by the turn of the millennium, interoperability between operators became standard, and the cost of calling plans and the price of handsets fell. Rather than being a yuppie accessory, the cell phone became widely-used by everyone from the captains of industry and finance to the people who shined their shoes and walked their dogs. As cell phones have become more available, they are increasingly owned and used by children and teens. Further, as handsets become more loaded with capabilities ranging from video recording and sharing, to music playing and internet access, teens and young adults have an ever-increasing repertoire of use. Indeed, we are moving into an era when mobile devices are not just for talking and texting, but can also access the internet and all it has to offer. This connectivity with others and with content has directed the regulator’s lens onto mobile safety practices. It has also prompted the beginning of a cultural conversation about how to ensure that parents have the tools to regulate their child’s mobile use, should they choose to. Understanding how youth use mobile phones is vital to creating effective policy based on the reality of how the technology is used. It is also important to understand how telecommunications company policies and pricing affect how teens and parents use their phones. This report tries to expand a tradition of cell phone research that extends into the early 1990s, and work on landline telephony as far back as the 1970s. The first studies to examine the social consequences of the mobile phone came in the early 1990s when researchers examined its impact on residential markets. One of the earliest papers on cell phones examined it through the lens of gender; in 1993, Lana Rakow and Vija Navarro wrote about the cell phone and what they called â€Å"remote mothering. † Starting in the mid 1990s in Europe there was the beginning of more extended scholarship on cellular communication, and by 2000 work was being done in the US that evolved from a small number of articles to edited books and eventually to both popular and more scholarly books on mobile communication. Several themes have been central in these analyses. One is the use of cell phones in the â€Å"micro-coordination† of daily interaction. As the name implies, this line of research examines how the cell phone allows for a more nuanced form of coordination. Instead of having to agree on a time and place beforehand, individuals can negotiate the location and the timing of meetings as a situation clarifies itself. Micro-coordination can be used to organize get-togethers and it can be used to sort out the logistics of daily life (e. . sending reminders to one another or exchanging information on the fly). Extending this concept further, the cell phone can be used to coordinate so called â€Å"flash mobs† as well as different kinds of protests. While micro-coordination describes an instrumental type of interaction, another line of research has examined how the cell phone can be used for expressive interaction. Since the device provides us direct access to one another, it allo ws us to maintain ongoing interaction with family and friends. This, in turn provides the basis for the enhancement of social cohesion. In this vein, some researchers have examined how the cell phone affects our sense of safety and security. The cell phone can be used to summon help when accidents have happened and they can be seen as a type of insurance in case something bad occurs. Others have examined how teens, as well as others, see the mobile phone as a form of self-expression. Having a cell phone is a status symbol and having a particularly sought after model can enhance our standing among peers. Finally, focusing directly on teens, there has been considerable research on the role of the cell phone as part of the emancipation process. Up to this point, however, there has been little quantitative analysis of teens in the US on this topic. Indeed this is one of the main questions considered in this report. Before the cell phone, there were often discussions in the home as to whether a teen could have a landline extension in her room. Teens’ push to have their own landline phone underscored their drive to control contact with their peers. The rise of the cell phone has changed the dimensions of this discussion. The cell phone has provided teens with their own communication channel. This access can be used to plan and to organize daily life and it can be used to exchange jokes and endearments. It can also be used to plan mischief of varying caliber, and it can be used to exchange photos that are – literally – the picture of innocence or of depravity.

Employment Law Compliance Essay

Our client, Bradley Stonefield, is planning to open a limousine service, Landslide Limousines, in the Austin, Texas area. Mr. Stonefield plans to hire approximately twenty-five people to provide first class transportation to a variety of clientele. Before Mr. Stonefield begins hiring it is imperative that he has an understanding of applicable employment laws. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) is a well-known and widely used federal anti-discrimination law (LaMance, n. d. ). Title VII make it illegal for employers to discriminate against someone based on their race, religion, national origin or sex (U. S. EEOC, 2014). The Act also made it illegal for employers to retaliate against a person who files a complaint of discrimination or participates in a discrimination investigation (U. S. EEOC, 2014). An employer who violates Title VII may find themselves subjected to a number of legal consequences such as having to pay large sums for damages and being required to readjust the company’s policies (LaMance, n. d. ). To avoid violating Title VII Mr. Stonefield and his managers should treat all employees and applicants equally without regard to any characteristics except job performance (HR Specialist, 2013). The Texas Payday Law covers all business entities in the state of Texas, regardless of size except public employers such as the state or federal government (TWC, 2013). This law gives the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) the authority to enforce wage laws and investigate wage claims (TWC, 2013). Texas Payday Law covers compensation for services rendered, commissions and bonuses, and certain other fringe benefits according to a written agreement with or policy of the employer (TWC, 2013). The law states that employers must pay employees for all hours worked and these wages must be received by the employee no later than payday (TWC, 2013). If the employer lays off, discharges or fires an employee they must pay all wages owed to that employee within six calendar days of the date of separation (TWC, 2013). If an employee voluntarily quits or retires their final payment of wages is due to them on the payday following the date of separation (TWC, 2013). If an employer violates the Texas Payday Law they may be fined the lesser of the wages claimed or $1,000 (TWC, 2013). To avoid violating this law Mr. Stonefield should make sure that employees are paid for all hours worked and that all wages due are paid to employees on time. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act applies to all employers that employ twenty or more employees (U. S. EEOC, 2008). The Act states that it is â€Å"unlawful to discriminate against a person because of his or her age with respect to any term, condition or privilege of employment, including hiring, firing, promotion, layoff, compensation, benefits, job assignments and training† (U. S. EEOC, 2008). Violating the Age Discrimination in Employment Act can cause the business to incur legal liability and require payment of large monetary judgments (Mayfair, n. d. ). Mr. Stonefield and his managers can avoid violating this Act by never taking a person’s age or proximity to retirement into consideration when making decisions about hiring, firing, pay, benefits or promotions (HR Specialist, 2013). The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 prohibits an employer from knowingly hire, recruit or refer for pay any person who is unauthorized to work in the United States (Boston University, n. d. ). If an employer violates this law they can be fined from $100 to $1,000 and the fine is not just for the employer but also for each employee working for them illegally (Boston University, n. d. ). There is also the possibility of imprisonment for employers that are deemed to show a pattern of violating this Act (Boston University, n. d. ). To avoid violating the Immigration Reform and Control Act Mr. Stonefield must verify the identity and employment eligibility of each employee he hires. He must complete and retain a complete INS Form I-9 documenting this verification (Boston University, n. d. ). Conclusion It is important that Mr. Stonefield and his management team understand that labor laws were passed in order to provide protection for both employees and employers. That is why the government puts so much emphasis on making sure organizations take them seriously by enforcing the laws with strict consequences for noncompliance. Staying in compliance with these laws is not only important to avoid legal penalties but will also protect the business from gaining a negative public image that can be extremely damaging to their bottom line.

Oedipus and Freud

Freud. But on the other and in some sort of situations or moments, according to what Dry. Freud called the unconscious level, we are capable of free our most deep emotions and feelings leaving aside the reason, and acting in a very primitive way. In both cases, these schemes are a predictable behavior or reaction that could be found and several times reproduced in different cultures with different structures. This is a never ending fight between reason and feelings.In order to clarify my point of view I will use some examples from the play Oedipus The King: A) The intelligence and sides of Oedipus I think, is the representation of our desire to control things according to our own schemes, we have to be In control of everything that we are capable of, we neglect our subconscious that In this case Is the prophecy and we Just try to avoid this kind of situations as possible with all of our will. But, what causes more anxiety is that we very deep know that we have to fight our subconscio us desires because they can show at any moment.For example: Page 749: locate: Why should anyone in this world be afraid, since fate rules us (Subconscious) and nothing an be foreseen? A man should live only for the present day (The satisfaction of emotions and feelings (subconscious more than reason Conscious because we are not responsible for what we decided, it is our fate) have no more fear of sleeping with your mother: how many men, in dreams, have lain with their mothers! No reasonable man is troubled by such things.Oedipus: That is true; only if my mother were not still alive! But she Is alive. I can not help my dread. (From a conscious perspective, be aware of our deepest Instincts and fight against them). B) lactate's Insistence of not Interviewing the shepherd: locate: For God's love, let us have no more questioning! Is your life nothing to you? My own is pain enough for me to bear. Oedipus: You need not worry, Suppose my mother a slave, and born of slaves: no baseness can touch you. locate: Listen to me, I beg you: do not do this thing!Oedipus: I will not listen; the truth must be made known. locate: Everything that I say is for your own good! , Oedipus: My own good snaps my patience, then; I want none of it. locate: You are fatally wrong! May you never learn who you are! In this lines I can understand the sire of locate to not let the reason to guide our will, instead of this a less conflictive solution will be found to keep things in the way they are, and you can read the warning that locate does to Oedipus cursing him to never know who he Is.This is again the fight between desire and consent, we from an unconscious level can desire a vast amount of feelings, but our reason and schemes help us to consent only what It Is appropriate. As Dry. Freud says: â€Å"he Is at the same time compelling us to recognize our own inner minds, in which those same impulses, though suppressed, re still to De Taunt. † c) I en sexual Impulse Tanat Dry.Freud ret ire In t : â€Å"l Is ten Tate AT all of us, perhaps, to direct our first sexual impulse towards our mother and our first hatred and our first murderous wish against our father†. I truly believe that Dry. Freud not only refers to a sexual impulse but to a large group of emotions that are represented by the mother and father, from our most basic needs like food, protection, to the most complex ones like sexual behavior with a desire or attraction and the desire of independence and power.

A handful of dates Essay

Children like to copy their favorite character. They imagine  themselves to be like that person when they get big. Like this, a young boy , the  main character of the story, â€Å"A Handful of Dates†, by Tayeb Saleh, imagine  himself to be like his grandfather, when he get big. The story describes the  childhood of a young boy, who does the things children typically do, go to school,  attend religious services, plays outside, and spends time with his favorite family  member, his grandfather. Although the boy loves his grandfather and considers him  as a great man, the boy realizes, through his treatment of his neighbor Masood,  that he is a greedy man, and doesn’t like him anymore.  Early in the story, the boy loves nature. The boy loves to go to the  mosque every morning to learn Quran. He also loves to swim in the river and  play in the field. The boy says, â€Å"The mosque, the river, and the fields – these were  the landmarks in our life†(p-1,para-1).He also says, â€Å"†¦I loved the river  too†(p1,para-2).In other words, the boy love the river as well as his village nature.  The boy was idealistic about his grandfather and wanted to be like him.  His relationship with his grandfather was very close. The boy says, â€Å"I loved to  give rein to my imagination and picture myself a tribe of giants living behind that  wood, a people tall and thin with white beards and sharp noses, like my  grandfather†(p-1,para-2).In his imagination he thinks about his grandfather, and  says, â€Å" when I grew to be a man, tall and slender like him, walking along with great strides†(p-1,para-2).He thinks himself to be like his grandfather when he gets  big. As the story begins, the boy notices his grandfather doesn’t like their  neighbor Masood. In a conversation he asked his grandfather that why he doesn’t  like Masood. His grandfather answered that Masood is lazy person  that’s why he  doesn’t like him. â€Å"He’s an indolent man and I don’t like such people†(p-2,para-5).  Moreover, grandfather also said that Masood married more than one time and  every time he got married, he sold some part of his property. â€Å" Masood, my boy,  was a much married man. Each time he married he sold me a feddan or two†(p-  3,para-14).The boy was thinking and made a calculation that may be Masood  married more than ninety women, and then remembered that he had three wives  and asking himself many questions. At the end of the story the boy realizes that  his grandfather wasn’t that kind of person which he thought.  According to the boy’s grandfather, he will buy all of the Masood’s  property before he dies. Long time ago when the grandfather first came in the  village he didn’t had any property. Now two third of his property’s owner is  grandfather. â€Å"†¦forty years ago all this belonged to Masood, two-thirds  of it is now  mine†(p-2,para-9). â€Å"†¦ I think that before Allah calls me to Him I shall have  bought the remaining third as well†(p-2,para-11).Grandfather also said to the boy  that he will buy Masood’s remaining property before he dies. The boy was  thinking of himself that why his grandfather doing that and felt sorry for Masood. An inner conflict develops when he found his grandfather is greedy,  which he should not be as a Muslim. When the grandfather said he will buy  Masood’s remaining property, the boy was thinking of himself that his grandfather  will do what he said, and felt sorry for Masood. â€Å"I do not know why it was I felt  fear at my grandfather’s words-and pity for our neighbor Masood. How I wished  my grandfather wouldn’t do what he’d said !† (p-2,para-12). The boy learn from the  Quran that people should be sympathetic to weaker section people of the society.  Instead of that, his grandfather wants to buy Masood’s remaining property, which  shows that he not the kind of person he should be as a Muslim.  The boy begins to notice Masood at the harvest, and he feels  sympathy for him.Masood invites the boy and his grandfather to harvest dates. At  the harvest field the boy noticed Masood and thinking what his grandfather said  about him. â€Å"I remembered Masood’s remark to me when he had once seen me  playing with the branch of a young palm tree: Palm tress, my boy, like humans,  experience joy and suffering. And I had felt an inward and unreasoned  embarrassment†(p-3,para-19).The boy remember, once he was playing with the  palm tree Masood told him that palm trees are like human, which means Masood  loves nature.