Technology Has Changed the Live of Teen Agers

DOI: 10. 1111/j. 1464-5491. 2006. 01868. x Glycaemic control Review Article 23 0742-3071Publishing, alcohol Diabetic Medicine and2006 consumption D. Ismail et al. DME UK Oxford, article Blackwell Publishing Ltd Social consumption of alcohol in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes is associated with increased glucose lability, but not hypoglycaemia D. Ismail, R. Gebert, P. J. Vuillermin, L. Fraser*, C. M. McDonnell, S. M. Donath†  and F. J. Cameron AbstractDepartment of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, *Wimmera Base Hospital*, Horsham and † Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia Accepted 10 June 2005 Aims To determine the effects of social consumption of alcohol by diabetic adolescents on glycaemic control. Methods Fourteen (five male) patients aged > 16 years were recruited from the diabetes clinic at the Royal Children’s Hospital. The continuous glucose monitoring syste m (CGMS) was attached at a weekend when alcohol consumption was planned for one night only.For each patient, the 12-h period from 18. 00 h to 06. 00 h for the night with alcohol consumption (study period) was compared with the same period with non-alcohol consumption (control period) either 24 h before or after the alcohol study night. Thus, each subject was his /her own control. Glycaemic outcomes calculated from continuous glucose monitoring included mean blood glucose (MBG), percentage of time spent at low glucose levels (CGMS < 4. 0 mmol/l), normal glucose levels (CGMS 4. 0–10. 0 mmol/ l) and high glucose levels (> 10. mmol/ l) and continuous overall net glycaemic action (CONGA). Results The mean number of standard alcohol drinks consumed during the study period was 9. 0 for males and 6. 3 for females. There was no difference in percentage of time at high and normal glucose levels in the study and control periods. During the control period, there was a higher percentage o f time with low glucose levels compared with the study period (P < 0. 05). There was an increased level of glycaemic variation during the study time when compared with the control period.Conclusions In an uncontrolled, social context, moderately heavy alcohol consumption by adolescents with Type 1 diabetes appears to be associated with increased glycaemic variation, but not with low glucose levels. Diabet. Med. 23, 830–833 (2006) Keywords adolescence, alcohol, glycaemic control Abbreviations CGMS, continuous glucose monitoring system; CONGA, continuous overall net glycaemic action; MBG, mean blood glucose; RCH, Royal Children’s Hospital Introduction Adolescents with Type 1 diabetes frequently engage in risk-taking activities [1].Amongst these activities is the social Correspondence to: Dr Fergus Cameron, Deputy Director, Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Royal Children’s Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia. E-mail: fergus. [ema il  protected] org. au consumption of alcohol, frequently as underage drinkers [2]. Whilst the effects of alcohol consumption upon glycaemia have been well described in a controlled setting [3– 6], little is known about the impact on glucose levels of alcohol consumption by adolescents within an ambulant, social context.The purpose of this project was to utilize continuous glucose monitoring to study the impact of social alcohol consumption on glycaemic control in a group of alcohol-using adolescents.  © 2006 The Authors. 830 Journal compilation  © 2006 Diabetes UK. Diabetic Medicine, 23, 830–833 Review article 831 Patients and methods This study was approved by the Human Ethics Research Committee of the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH). That approval was contingent upon the fact that the investigators should not be seen to encourage underage drinking in adolescents.Consequently, we only approached adolescents who we knew were drinking socially and, despite our previous counselling, elected to continue to drink alcohol on a semi-regular basis. We recruited 22 adolescents with Type 1 diabetes from the RCH diabetes clinic. The adolescents were considered eligible only if > 16 years old and parental/patient consent was obtained. HbA 1c (Bayer DCA 2000 immunoagglutination method, Calabria, Barcelona, Spain) was measured, and diabetes duration and insulin doses were recorded. The MiniMed continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) was attached to the study patients over a weekend period.Patients were required to have an alcohol-free period for at least 24 continuous hours during the weekend trace period. A diary was kept of activities during the trace period (insulin injections, meal, snacks, dancing, alcohol consumption, sport). There was no change in insulin doses between study and control periods. In the evening when alcohol was consumed, patients were asked to recall how many and what type of drinks were consumed and how inebriated the y became. Patients recall of alcohol consumption was converted to ‘standard drinks’ (one standard drink contains the equivalent of 12. ml 100% alcohol) using The Australian Alcohol Guidelines [7]. CGMS data was recorded between 18. 00 and 06. 00 h on the evening when alcohol was consumed (the study period) and between 18. 00 and 06. 00 h on the evening when no alcohol was consumed (the control period). CGMS data were only analysed if there had been regular calibrations with intermittent capillary blood glucose readings at a maximum of 8-h intervals. Each CGMS trace was qualitatively and quantitatively analysed using mean glucose values, per cent time in glycaemic ranges and ontinuous overlapping net glycaemic action (CONGA) [8]. CONGA values were calculated to assess glycaemic variation over 1-, 2- and 4-h intervals. Low glucose values were defined as CGMS values < 4 mmol/ l, normal glucose values when CGMS values were 4– 10 mmo/ l and high glucose values when CG MS values were > 10 mmol/ l. Each patient acted as their own control with study periods and control periods being compared. Inter-individual values were grouped for comparison. Differences between study and control periods were analysed using paired t-tests. Analyses were done in Stata [9]. ales and nine females. The mean age was 18. 5 years (range: 17. 4 – 19. 5). The mean duration of diabetes was 9. 4 years (range: 3 – 16. 3). Six of our subjects took four insulin injections per day and eight took two injections daily. The mean insulin dose was 1. 1 units /kg/day (range: 0. 7 –1. 8), and the mean HbA1c was 9. 6% (range: 8. 2 – 10. 8). Activities during the study period Thirteen subjects had dinner before drinking and only one subject did not consume any food before going out. Three subjects ‘danced a lot’ and six subjects went dancing but did not dance a lot.Ten subjects had something to eat after drinking. Alcohol consumption during the st udy period The mean number of alcohol drinks consumed on the study night was 9. 0 (range 3–16) for males and 6. 3 (range 3–14) for females. All the females consumed pre-mixed sweetened alcohol drinks (5% alcohol), with only one consuming beer and one consuming wine. Four of the males consumed mixed spirits, one mixed spirits and beer and one beer only. Forty per cent of the males had more than seven standard drinks during the study and 67% of the females had more than five drinks.In total, 80% of the subjects had pre-mixed sweetened alcohol drinks at some point during the study period. Forty-three per cent of the subjects reported that they became inebriated and 14. 3% consumed alcohol to the point where they became physically sick. None of the subjects lost consciousness or took recreational drugs during the study period. Comparative CGMS data between study and control periods Results Patients There was no significant difference between the overall mean glucose levels of patients when comparing study and control periods (Table 1; P = 0. 43).Similarly, there were no significant differences in the amount of time spent with either normal or high glucose values between study and control periods (Table 1). A larger proportion of time was spent with low glucose values during the control period when compared with the study period (1. 9 vs. 16. 8%, P = 0. 03). A significantly larger degree of glycaemic variation was seen in the CONGA values in the study period when compared with the control period (Table 1). The difference in CONGA values were consistent and independent of whether glycaemic variation was assessed over 1-, 2- or 4-h intervals.Of the 22 subjects recruited, eight were excluded because their CGMS traces did not have sufficiently frequent calibration points with intermittent capillary measures of blood glucose. Of the 14 subjects remaining, we were able to obtain study period data on 14 patients and matched control period data on only 12 pat ients. The study period occurred on the night prior to the control period in nine subjects. There were five Discussion It has long been recognized that a prohibitionist approach is usually ineffective when counselling adolescents who engage in risk-taking behaviours [10].Many centres today, ourselves included, have instead adopted a harm minimization approach in dealing with such behaviours. An important component  © 2006 The Authors. Journal compilation  © 2006 Diabetes UK. Diabetic Medicine, 23, 830–833 832 Glycaemic control and alcohol consumption †¢ D. Ismail et al. Outcome measure Mean difference between Study period Control period study period and mean value mean value control period (95%CI) P-value 10. 6 16. 8 58. 6 24. 6 2. 1 3. 2 3. 7 1. 2 (? 2. 1, 4. 4) ? 14. 9 (? 28. 1, ? 1. 8) ? 0. 8 (? 27. 3, 25. 8) 15. 7 (? 4. 5, 35. 8) 0. 6 (0. 2, 1. 0) 1. 1 (0. , 1. 9) 1. 8 (0. 4, 3. 1) 0. 43 0. 03 0. 95 0. 12 0. 006 0. 01 0. 01 Table 1 CGMS outcomes, study and contro l periods Blood glucose levels (mmol/l) 11. 8 Per cent time low glucose 1. 9 Per cent time high glucose 57. 8 Per cent time normal glucose 40. 3 CONGA1* 2. 7 CONGA2* 4. 3 CONGA4* 5. 5 *CONGA calculated at 1-, 2- and 4-h intervals. CONGAn is the standard deviation of different glucose measures n hours apart for the duration of the CGMS trace. of counselling using a harm minimization approach is that the information provided be credible and reflective of ‘real’ or ‘lived’ circumstances.Continuous glucose monitoring provides a technique whereby the glycaemic consequences of various behaviours can be documented in an ambulant or non-artificial setting. Adolescents with Type 1 diabetes frequently consume alcohol in a social context [11]. Alcohol is known to inhibit the gluconeogenic pathway, to inhibit lipolysis, impair glucose counter-regulation and blunt hypoglycaemia awareness [3,4]. Previous studies in young adults with Type 1 diabetes have shown that modera te consumption of alcohol in the evenings without concomitant food intake may cause hypoglycaemia the following morning [5].Consumption of alcohol after a meal, however, has shown no similar adverse effects on glucose [6]. It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that alcohol consumption may be a significant risk factor for hypoglycaemia in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes [5]. Studies of the glycaemic effects of alcohol consumption in an ambulant adolescent/young adult population can be difficult. This is because such behaviours are uncontrolled, often spontaneous and usually in the context of other social activities (parties, dancing, etc. ).In order to ensure that we only reported accurate CGMS data during these activities, capillary blood glucose calibration was considered vital and those patients who failed in this regard were excluded from analysis. Just over 60% of the patients recruited were able to successfully wear and calibrate a CGMS unit during these activities. Given tha t patients who experience hypoglycaemic symptoms are more likely to perform capillary self measures of blood glucose, we feel that it is unlikely that those patients excluded from the analysis had a greater frequency of hypoglycaemia than those patients reported.We were unable to record our subjects’ alcohol consumption in a contemporaneous fashion and hence were reliant upon their recall. It is possible that their remembered patterns of consumption were not entirely accurate. This potential inaccuracy should not be seen as a weakness of this study, as we only set out to determine patterns of glycaemia in adolescents engaging in spontaneous and uncontrolled alcohol consumption. We neither specified the type nor the amount of alcohol to be consumed (our ethical approval was contingent on this not occurring).The data as to amount of alcohol consumed have been included for descriptive purposes only. The results of this study show that alcohol consumption by adolescents in a soci al context is associated with a greater degree of glycaemic variation and less time spent with low glucose values than evenings where no alcohol is consumed. Whilst the second of these findings appears counter-intuitive, there may be several possible explanations. Firstly, the vast majority of our study group ate a meal prior to going out and ate upon their return before going to bed.These are practices that we have instilled as harm minimization strategies to avoid alcohol-induced hypoglycaemia in our clinic. Secondly, most of the alcohol consumed was as pre-mixed spirit and sweetened, carbonated beverages. Finally, alcohol consumption was only associated with vigorous exercise (dancing) in a minority of our study group. All of these factors could have combined to negate the hypoglycaemic effects of alcohol. In a previous study of glycaemia during alcohol consumption in adult men [5], hypoglycaemia occurred most often 10–12 h after wine consumption when the evening before en ded at 23. 0 h. We analysed our data to see if a similar phenomenon occurred in this study and found that the per cent of time spent with CGMS readings < 4 mmol/l between 06. 00 and 12. 00 h on the morning after the study period (i. e. the morning after the drinking night) was only 1. 1%. Notwithstanding the fact that our cohort frequently consumed alcohol later than 23. 00 h, the factors that impacted upon glycaemic control during the study night appear to have carried over to the ‘morning after’. The findings in this study highlight the importance of ambulant testing.It is important to note that the findings of the group studied here may not be seen in adolescents who drink non-sweetened alcoholic drinks or in those adolescents with better underlying metabolic control. Whilst alcohol consumption in isolation may reasonably be thought to cause hypoglycaemia, alcohol consumption by adolescents in the context of meals, sweetened mixers and little activity did not result in more hypoglycaemia than an alcohol-free evening. Whether the increase in glycaemic variation seen on an evening  © 2006 The Authors. Journal compilation  © 2006 Diabetes UK.Diabetic Medicine, 23, 830–833 Review article 833 of alcohol consumption has negative clinical outcomes remains an area for further investigation. Competing interests CMM was a Novo Nordisk research fellow. FJC received fees for speaking at conferences and funds for research from Novo Nordisk. References 1 Cameron F, Werther G. Adolescents with diabetes mellitus. In: Menon, RK, Sperling, MA, eds. Pediatric Diabetes. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2003: 319–335. 2 Frey MA, Guthrie B, Lovelandcherry C, Park PS, Foster CM. Risky behaviours and risk in adolescents with IDDM.J Adol Health 1997; 20: 38–45. 3 Avogaro A, Beltramello P, Gnudi L, Maran A, Valerio A, Miola M et al. Alcohol intake impairs glucose counterregulation during acute insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in IDDM patients. D iabetes 1993; 42: 1626–1634. 4 Kerr D, Macdonald IA, Heller SR, Tattersal RB. Alcohol causes hypoglycaemic unawareness in healthy volunteers and patients with type 1 diabetes. Diabetologia 1990; 33: 216–221. 5 Turner BC, Jenkins E, Kerr D, Sherwin RS, Cavan DA. The effect of evening alcohol consumption on next morning glucose control in type 1 diabetes.Diabetes Care 2001; 24: 1888–1893. 6 Koivisto VA, Tulokas S, Toivonen M, Haapa E, Pelkonen R. Alcohol with a meal has no adverse effects on postprandial glucose homeostasis in diabetic patients. Diabetes Care 1993; 16: 1612–1614. 7 National Health and Medical Research Council. Australian Alcohol Guidelines: Health Risks and Benefits. DS9. Available from: http://www7. health. gov. au/nhmrc/publications/synopses/ds9syn. htm. 8 McDonnell CM, Donath SM, Vidmar SI, Werther GA, Cameron FJ. A novel approach to continuous glucose analysis utilising glycaemic variation.Diab Tech Therap 2005; 7: 253–263. 9 Sta taCorp. Stata statistical software. Release 8. 0. College Station, TX: Stata Corporation, 2003. 10 Kyngas H, Hentinen M, Barlow JH. Adolescents perceptions of physicians, nurses, parents and friends: help or hindrance in compliance with diabetes self-care? J Adv Nurs 1998; 27: 760–769. 11 Patterson JM, Garwick AW. Coping with chronic illness. In: Werther, GA, Court, JM, eds. Diabetes and the Adolescent. Melbourne: Miranova Publishers 1998, 3–34.  © 2006 The Authors. Journal compilation  © 2006 Diabetes UK. Diabetic Medicine, 23, 830–833

Shopping Addiction

What Shopping Can Lead To What is shopping? Is shopping something we do for fun, for fashion, or to make us happy? Is shopping in our culture? Is shopping something we have learned from our parents, growing up? Shopping can be defined in many ways, but when does shopping become a problem? In â€Å"Shopping Spree, or Addiction† by Heather Hatfield, MD, she says â€Å"shopping can be one of America’s favorite past-times, but shopping can also lead to a self-destructive addiction that will cause financial disaster (1-2). I’ll be going over two main factors, credit cards and the mall environment, that cause a shopping addiction, along with the type of illness, depression, that also causes a shopping addiction. I’ll also talk about the treatment individuals go through to overcome the addiction. The dictionary definition of shopping is the act of a person who shops. It does not define an overreaction to shopping. What is an overreaction to shopping? It’s a shopping addiction. A shopping addiction is referred to as shopoholism, and is just as unhealthy as alcoholism, drug abuse, and gambling.In some cases there are similarities amongst these addictions. For instance, alcoholics will hide their bottles, and shopaholics will hide their purchases. Having a shopping and spending addiction is defined as being inappropriate, excessive, and out of control. â€Å"Like other addictions, it has to do with impulsiveness and lack of control over one’s impulse. In America, shopping is embedded in our culture; so often, the impulsiveness comes out as excessive shopping,† says Donald Black, MD (quoted in Hatifield 1-2).A article by David Futrelle, who is a licensed psychologist and prominent researcher of Shopoholism, states that shopoholism is an impulse control problem rather being an obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). For an example, a person with OCD will wash their hands and find relief whereas a compulsive shopper will get a high. The euphoria compulsive shoppers feel keeps them coming back for more, and more, and more (Futrelle). Individuals who are compulsive shoppers aren’t able to control their behavior through rational considerations. They will not be concerned if they don’t have enough money to pay.Since credit is so easily available, it makes it easy for people to spend, but before they know it they will find themselves in debt. The word credit card is in almost every shopaholic’s story. But it’s not credit cards that cause shopping addictions. According to statistics most individuals who develop this addiction are in their early twenties. Normally, this is after they get their first real job and their first credit card. It’s not just shopaholics who have problems spending with credit cards. It’s everyone. Using credit cards is easier, and we feel like we got it for free because no money has come out of our pocket, just not yet anyway. People who use cred it instead of cash tend to spend 20%-30% more than someone who is paying with cash† says Gary Herman, director of counseling services for consolidated credit (quoted in Futrelle). With all the spending that’s going on the debt keeps piling up. Individuals won’t know how much debt they are in. Eventually individuals will go into denial on how much they really spent and owe back. People will end up owing back twice as much as they thought they did. Credit cards aren’t to blame for addictive shopping; they just play a big part in a person’s life who is addicted to shopping.The way malls, stores, and advertisements are set up plays a big part on how people spend. Advertisers influence people to shop and spend more. Malls and shops are set up to attract people with their displays. For instance, people can go into their favorite store and there could be a sale. Of course the shopper will buy more than they really need because they feel like they have gott en a deal. â€Å"In a way malls and stores seduce us to buy, and it can lead to an addiction† says James J. Farrell who is a professor of history at St. Olaf College (53-55).Companies also will use their slogans to get people to buy and spend more. Take BMW for instance, their slogan is â€Å"The Ultimate Driving Machine. † This slogan tricks people into thinking that if they don’t own a BMW then whatever car they do own is not good enough. Other catchy slogans include Levi jeans, â€Å"You Walk a Little Taller in Levis† or Visa â€Å"Everywhere You Want to be. † Companies use these tactics to persuade people to spend and spend and spend, attracting the shopalcholics until individuals can’t spend any more. Nine million people in America suffer from shopoholism, and it’s more common in women.There have been studies conducted to see if addictions are genetic. â€Å"About 10%-15% may have a genetic predisposition to an addictive behavio r† says Ruth Engs, MD (quoted in Hatifield 1). As reported by Dr. Adrienne Backer â€Å"There is a strong link between compulsive shopping and an inadequate maternal relationship (quoted in Futrelle). † Frequently the mother was depressed or absent emotionally causing the daughter to develop a low self-esteem, resulting in the daughter turning to shopping to feel happy (Futrelle). In reality people who have a shopping addiction are covering up a low self-esteem.Dr. Louise Chang who is a physician at Grady Memorial hospital states that the endorphins, dopamine, and  naturally occurring opiate receptors get switched on in the brain, and people will feel a high that makes them feel good about themselves for that short amount of time while shopping. The causes of addictions and why addicts will continue their destructive behaviors remain uncertain. Most individuals who suffer from compulsive shopping have a history of psychological problems and difficulties at home, and t his plays a huge part in forming this compulsion (Chang 1).There are many warning signs to look out for in individuals who are addicted to shopping. Some of the signs to look out for are spending over budget, compulsive buying, being obsessed with money, and feeling lost without credit cards or cash. Having a shopping addiction will cause arguments with other family members about the individual’s shopping habits. A shopping addiction is a vicious cycle that keeps repeating itself. For most people shopping is going to the mall with friends or to buy the latest style, but for compulsive shoppers, shopping makes them feel good.About ninety years ago German psychologist, Emil Kraepelin defined excessive shopping as an illness calling it â€Å"onioman,† (quoted in Velez-Mitchell 20-25) but only recently it’s being understood as a disorder. After individuals shop they feel guilty or depressed about how much they spent. In some cases individuals will feel so guilty the y will go back to the store and return the merchandise thinking they will feel relief. Again once they return home they find the guilt has gone away, but then they will feel anxious. The outcome of feeling anxious will lead to another shopping spree.It’s an ongoing cycle. More than half the time shopping addicts have to hide their problem from loved ones to avoid arguments. Individuals will let merchandise pile up in their car until loved ones aren’t home. Then they take their purchases inside. In marriages, one will have secret bank accounts or credit cards to avoid confrontation with their significant other about spending money. Just like any other addiction it takes a toll on family relationships or personal relationships. Individuals will spend every extra minute they have at the mall instead of being home.Individuals will also isolate themselves from others because they become preoccupied with their behavior. Before one notices that their partner has a problem, th ey usually are in debt for $75,000 or more. The husband or wife is equally responsible for the debt their significant other has obtained. Usually this addiction will ruin a relationship, and if one is married it will end with divorce, which is stated by Jane Velez Mitchell who is an awarding winning journalist and bestselling author (192-198). Is there a cure for someone who has a shopping addiction? The answer is yes. The first thing to do it to admit one has a problem.There are different levels of a shopaholic. Individuals will have to find a debtors anonymous 12 step program to go to. This program is important for ongoing support and maintenance. Individuals will also have to go through credit counseling. â€Å"There are no standard treatments for shopping addictions† says Donald Black, MD (quoted in Hatifield 1-2). There is one type of medication that is given to people with a shopping addiction and that is an antidepressant, called Celexa. The cause of a shopping addicti on results in the individual being depressed, and they will use shopping to relieve their depression and feel happy.But antidepressants don’t always work, and many victims they have to go to counseling. For individuals who try to recover from this addiction, it’s a good idea to get rid of check books and credit cards which fuel the problem. People also should not shop by themselves. They should find other meaningful ways to spend their time. With people who have a severe shopping addiction, it’s recommended that someone else controls their finances for them. If someone disagrees with what I’ve written about shopping addictions, they are either an addict or wealthy.People with shopping addictions or any other addiction don’t realize they have a problem and think they are ok. It’s very hard for one to realize and admit they have a problem. In seeking help for this addiction a person needs to admit they have a problem in order to recover from t he addiction. Another type of person who would disagree with a shopping addiction is someone who has money to spend. If an individual has money and can afford going on shopping sprees regularly, then why not buy everything they want. But individuals who are wealthy won’t realize they have a problem, and they could be suffering from depression.The first thing to do to recover from this addiction is to admit one has a problem, otherwise treatment won’t work. Works Cited Chang, Louise, MD. â€Å"The New Addiction. †WebMD. 2009. Web. 5 July 2011. Farrell, James J. One Nation Under Good. Washington D. C: Smithsonian Books, 2003. Print. Futrelle, David. â€Å"Do You Shop Too Much. † Money Magazine. Money Magazine, 31 Oct. 2003. Web. 1 July 2001. Hatifield, Heather,MD. â€Å"Shopping Spree, or Addiction? †Ã‚  WebMD. 2004. Web. 5 July 2011. Velez-Mitchell, Jane and Sandra Mohr. Addict Nation. Florida: Health Communications, 2011. Print.

Data Tracking Sheet

Sleep Study: Using a Data Tracking Sheet Tyeshia L. Watkins Argosy University/Atlanta LASA 1 Data Tracking Sheet Data A Fill out this form every morning for 3 days. Day1 Oct. 26, 20122 Oct. 27, 20123 Oct. 28, 2012Average scores/Amounts What did you do during the 30 minutes before bed? (Routine, brushed teeth, etc†¦) 1. Read 2. Brushed Teeth 3. Ironed Clothes 4. Prayed 5. Cleansed Face1. Studied 2. Brushed Teeth 3. Ironed Malachi’s school uniforms 4. Prayed 1. Social network surfing 2.Watched cartoons with Malachi. 3. Prayed 4. Cleansed Face 5. Brushed Teeth What time did you go to bed last night? 10:35 p. m. 10:46 p. m. 8:30 p. m. How long did it take to fall asleep? 15 mins. 15 mins. 10 mins. 40 mins. Did you wake up during your sleep? How many times? How long? Yes, once. 3 hrs. NoNo Did you get out of bed? YesNoNo What time did you get up? 10:40 a. m. 6:15 a. m. 6:15 a. m. How much total sleep did you get? 12 hrs. 7 hrs. 10 hrs. 29 hrs. Rate your restfulness on a scale of 1-10 (1 = no restfulness) (10 = fully rested) 107926Anything usual that could have impacted sleep (feeling sick, significant other snoring, etc†¦)It was cold not too warm. Quiet OutsideBusy Day (12 hr. work shift, Malachi’s football practice, Gym, and visited mom for a few hrs. ) Other comments you want to track or make note of Data B Fill out this form every morning for 3 days after reading, researching, and practicing breathing technique. This needs to include using the breathing technique after entering bed, being quiet, in the dark, with the breathing technique done at least 10 times. Day1 Oct. 29, 20122 Oct. 30, 20123Oct 31, 2012Average scores/Amounts What did you do during the 30 minutes before bed? (Routine, brushed teeth, etc†¦) 1. Brushed Teeth 2. Prayed 3. Taken Cold & Cough Medication 4. Drank A Cup Of Tea 1. Cleansed Face 2. Brushed Teeth 3. Prayed 4. Studied 5. Taken Cold & Cough Medication 6. Drank A Cup Of Tea1. Cleansed Face 2. Brushed Teeth 3. Pr ayed 4. Studied 5. Taken Cold & Cough Medication 6. Drank A Cup Of Tea What time did you go to bed last night? 7:35 p. m. 7:15 p. m. 8:45 p. m. How long did it take to fall asleep? 6 mins. 7 mins. 8 mins. 21 mins. Did you wake up during your sleep?How many times? How long? NoNoNo Did you get out of bed? NoNoNo What time did you get up? 3:15 a. m. 3:15 a. m. 3:15 a. m. How much total sleep did you get? 8 hrs. 7 hrs. 6 hrs. 21 hrs. Rate your restfulness on a scale of 1-10 (1 = no restfulness) (10 = fully rested) 44412 Anything usual that could have impacted sleep (feeling sick, significant other snoring, etc†¦) Other comments you want to track or make note of The first day that I had a cold, it made my night a little restless. I could hardly breathe because, my noiseMy body was hot, and then it would be cold. Introduction to BreathingBreath is the key to health and wellness, a function we can learn to regulate and develop in order to improve our physical, mental and spiritual wel l-being. Breathing has direct connections to emotional states and moods – observe someone who is angry, afraid or otherwise upset, and you will see a person breathing rapidly, shallowly, noisily and irregularly. Our breathing patterns mimic our life patterns and we can develop unhealthy breathing habits without being aware of it. The change in breathing patterns changes your state of mind and reduces the mental disturbances. Thoughts become clearer and your understanding of yourself is enhanced.As your mind becomes more fully absorbed in the observation of the breathing process, the character of the breath tends to change involuntarily. Sleep problems also exist when you have established stressors that make you sleep intolerable and reluctant to enjoy. There are instances when your body is restless but, your mind is tired which leads to sleep deprivation. In this paper the researcher will describe the experience of a sleep study on a patient who suffered from a common cold. T he acknowledgment of the differential state between normal breathing vs. alternative nostril breathing.Whether or not the alternative nostril breathing technique was beneficial to the patient in question. A credible research of natural versus medical remedies for sleep. Why some people might be skeptical of this technique. Summary of Results Was the hypothesis that alternative nostril breathing works as a natural sleep aid was supported through the study? During the sleep study of the patient, the researcher observed that in the data gathered from the Data A section, the researcher noticed that the patient had 30 hours of sleep, in between the night however, the patient was awaken one night for at least 15 mins.In Data B the patient fell asleep in 40 mins (average mean). During Data A the patient scored their restfulness as 7 and above which indicates that the patient received adequate enough sleep that was suitable for the patient. In the Data B section, which involved the alternat ive nostril breathing technique the client presented several changes that indicated that there were stressors that impacted this area of observation. Stressors are defined as, a stimulus event that places a demand on an organism for some kind of adaptive response (Gerrig, 2009, p. 89). During the alternative nostril breathing technique the patient complained of difficulty breathing due to a common cold that prevented the patient from having restful nights. The researcher noticed that the patient had 21 hours of sleep, in between the night however, the patient was not awake on any of the 3 nights In Data B the patient fell asleep in 21 mins (average mean). During Data B the patient scored their restlessness as 7 and below which indicates that the patient did not receive adequate enough sleep that was suitable for the atient. The patient indicated that the alternative nostril breathing technique was not beneficial and in fact was not successful to encourage restful nights. The hypothe sis of the alternative nostril breathing works as a natural sleep aid if there are no biological stressors involved. Biological Perspective *include things like how alternative nostril breathing works as a natural sleep aid, what biological systems might be involved, and how it might help from a biological perspective. Do these claims make sense biologically?Is there scientific or biological evidence that could support this technique? Why would this method work biologically? The alternative nostril breathing technique works as a natural sleep aid Cultural and Ethical Implications *include things like research of natural versus medical remedies for sleep. Make sure to address how such remedies apply to various clients and the strengths and weaknesses of both types of remedies. Why might some people have a cultural struggle with using a technique like this? What are some differences between Western medicine and Eastern medicine?Scientific Perspective What scientific methods used are u sed in various studies, etc†¦? What are the stages of applying the scientific method? The perspective in many non-Western cultures indicate bio psychosocial model of health. The Navajo concept of hozho (pronounced whoazo) means harmony, peace of mind, goodness, ideal family relationships, beauty in arts and crafts, and health of body and spirit. Illness is seen as the outcome of any disharmony, caused by evil introduced through violation of taboos, witchcraft, overindulgence, or bad dreams.Traditional healing ceremonies seek to banish illness and restore health, not only through the medicine of the shaman but also through the combined efforts of all family members, who work together with the ill person to reachieve a state of hozho (Gerrig, 2009, p. 403). Modern Western scientific thinking has relied almost exclusively on a biomedical model that has a dualistic conception of body and mind. According to this model, medicine treats the physical body as separate from the psyche; t he mind is mportant only for emotions and beliefs and has little to do with the reality of the body. Summary In this paper the researcher will describe the experience of a sleep study on a patient who suffered from a common cold. The acknowledgment of the differential state between normal breathing vs. alternative nostril breathing. Whether or not the alternative nostril breathing technique was beneficial to the patient in question. A credible research of natural versus medical remedies for sleep. Why some people might be skeptical of this technique.The perspective in many non-Western cultures indicate bio psychosocial model of health. Modern Western scientific thinking has relied almost exclusively on a biomedical model that has a dualistic conception of body and mind. The hypothesis of the alternative nostril breathing works as a natural sleep aid if there are no biological stressors involved. Reference Gerrig (2009). Psychology and Life [18] (Vital Source Bookshelf), Retrieved fr om http://digitalbookshelf. argosy. edu/books/0558302572/id/ch12lev1sec02

The Best Approach to Mercy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Best Approach to Mercy - Assignment Example To give the best approach to Mercy to keep putting something aside for her retirement and discover a wellspring of assessment effective retirement pay that will have the minimum effect on her future government retirement profits, Mercy needs to choose whether to spare in her RRSP or her TFSA and remember the limit level for government clawbacks when she resigns. In spite of the way that Mercy will be in a lower tax-bracket when she resigns and it bodes well for her to keep sparing in his RRSP, she must remember that her assessed retirement wage is near the legislatures limit for OAS clawbacks. For each dollar of assessable wage she procures over $64,718*, her OAS will be lessened by 15Â ¢. Case in point, an extra $10,000 in salary will decrease her OAS profit by $1,500. Leniency chooses to spare in her TFSA and to contribute more or less $4,800 a year after duties (proportionate to $8,500 before assessments). Here is the comparison: To give the best approach to Mercy to keep putting something aside for her retirement and discover a wellspring of expense proficient retirement wage After 15 years Mercy TFSA has developed to $113,717. At age 65, when she is qualified for OAS, Mercy changes over her RRSP into an RRIF and starts taking her organization annuity and CPP. Leniency likewise withdraws $6,769 from her TFSA. Since these withdrawals don't influence her assessable wage, Mercy gets very nearly the greatest in OAS profits of $5,231. These sums permit her to reach her objective of creating an extra $12,000 in after-duty retirement salary. In the event that Mercy had picked an RRSP rather, it would have developed to $200,950 – altogether more than her TFSA. In any case, in retirement, she would need to withdraw $15,702 every year from her RRIF with a specific end goal to have the same after-expense salary. Whats more, due to her higher assessable wage,

Movie review Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Movie review - Research Paper Example It is during the research on Doctor Death that Morris came across Adams who convinced him of his innocence. Emotional Aspect: Investigations into the Adams case revealed that five of the witnesses in the case had committed perjury. This resulted in Adams being given a death sentence that was later overturned by the Supreme Court in 1980 and was commuted to life imprisonment by the then Governor of Texas. Film Craft: The documentary was done by re-enacting scenes as they were told in the witnesses’ statements. In making the documentary, Morris and his team recreated several versions of the shooting that Adams was convicted for. It does not, however, recreate the scene where David Harris shoots the officer. The final scene of the film is an audio recording in which Morris and Harris can be heard speaking in the background. Comments: Although most convicted criminals are known to pledge their innocence, some of them are actually innocent of the crimes they were sentenced for. The Adams case is a clear illustration of cases where the innocent are prosecuted while the guilty roam

DEPRESSION Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

DEPRESSION - Research Paper Example Sleeplessness, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, Loss of interest in daily activities, Appetite or weight changes etc are some of the major symptoms of depression. Depression can be treated effectively with the help of a psychologist and a psychiatrist. This paper analyses various dimensions of depression. Depression Depression is one of the major psychological diseases which prevent people from leading a normal life. Most of the psychological disorders originated from depression. It is difficult to assess how severely a person is affected by depression. Unlike physical diseases, psychological diseases cannot be assessed with the help of any laboratory testing. The major symptoms of depression can be witnessed in the behaviors of the patient and the severity of the disease can be assessed only through the evaluation of the behavioral pattern of the patient. Chronic depressive patients may cause physical injuries to themselves and others. â€Å"It has been estimated that per haps somewhere between 10 and 30 percent depressives and manic depressives kill themselves† (Klein, & Wender, 2005, p.1). Even though the actual causes of depression is still unknown, psychologists believe that heredity and environment plays an important role in making a person depressive. ... Many of them may not sleep well and mood changes occur to them constantly and continuously. It is difficult for depressive patients to concentrate longer on a particular topic. They often complain about unrealistic problems they are facing. For example, it is quite possible that a depressive patient may complain about body pain, head ache etc even though they have no such real problems. Fatigue or tiredness can be witnessed in every activities of a depressive patient. Depressive patients often avoid the company of others and they will try to lead a lonely life. Anxiety is another major symptom of depression. Causes of depression Heredity and environment are the major reasons which contribute heavily to the psychological disorders like depression. A person with family history of psychological disorders is more vulnerable to depression. Same way, a person living in a tough environment can also develop depression. According to Chan et al (2010), â€Å"as many as 38% of cancer patients suffer from major depression, with a mean of 24% and median of 22%† (Chan et al, 2010, p.46). In other words, many of the chronic physical diseases can contribute to the development of depression among people. Man is a social animal who likes to interact with others. These interactions often create stresses in the minds of a person. Personal, family, social and professional commitments of the current generation are more than that of the older generation. The failure in fulfilling these commitments may often make the person depressive. Klein &Wender (2005) have mentioned that depressive illness is often triggered by a real event like the death of a loved one (Klein, & Wender, 2005, p.13). It is possible that people develop close relationships with some others.

GENDER AND JIM CROW Women and the Politics of White Supremacy in North Essay

GENDER AND JIM CROW Women and the Politics of White Supremacy in North Carolina, 18961920 - Essay Example The book revisits the history of oppression of blacks by white supremacy in the nineteenth century in the state of North Carolina and in the process makes many startling revelation hitherto either ignored or suppressed. Her theses is the emissarial role of contemporary African American women during 1896-1920 when their husbands, fathers ,brother and sons had been denied of surfage, in bringing out African American men and women to the main stream politics in North Carolina hitherto denied due to machinations of American white men. Gilmore reminisces as a young white North Carolinian girl her varied experiences and steps into the shoes of few African American women who had acted as ambassadors to their white male American counterparts by coming to the mainstream though not directly in politics but through academics, social organizations and other charitable institutions. The book which showed Gilmore as the historian in the making also was the precursor to her stream of further works on African Americans endless saga in the U.S. even today. It was by a chance discovery of discrete participation of African American women who were wives of the church leaders, or themselves teachers, college professors in finding a solution to overcome the supremacy of whites over blacks in North Carolina that prompted her to write this dissertation as conferred by her in the introduction pages of the book. I initially encountered this group of black middle-class women while investigating the 1920 election in North Carolina, the first in which women voted..That investigation of women's political culture soon doubled back on itself as I realized that gender and race were no less intertwined in men's politics than they were in women's.( Gilmore, 1996 p xvi) Kennedy in his review of the book says that Glenda Gilmore has re-examined the early period of Jim Crow and made known the to the world the efforts of middle-class African American women like Sarah Dudley Petty to bring about change in their social status by improving their standard of living, identifying opportunities for the both blacks and whites and most importantly changing the attitude of white toward the blacks in North Carolina. How the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) enabled the African American women of North Carolina to forge an interracial harmony and build strong communities is a case in point cited by him. The WCTU became a base for facilitating equality between whites and blacks in North Carolina. Thus when black men could finally vote, it was the white women who welcomed encouraged the activism of black women too. (Kennedy 2004) Judy(1997) whose grand father William J. Trent, finds a mention in Gilmore's book among so many others, writes how he must have felt having lost right to vote in 1900 in spite of going to college, learning languages like Latin. She is sure her grand mother Maggie Tate Trent must have also contributed a lot by joining the Salisbury Colored women's Civic League that toiled hard for getting African American women also secure voting rights. She agrees with Gilmore that down turn in the economy at that time that forced white men to compete with black men by bringing about repression of blacks and their disenfranchisement in 1900 and that it the was learned black women who became ambassadors of black community in North Carolina

Web Site Evaluation Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Web Site Evaluation Paper - Essay Example The essay "Web Site Evaluation Paper" discovers the evaluation of Forbes website. The website defines the credentials of the author by showing that he was part of the Great Premium Content Experiment at AOL as a media columnist for the business website Daily Finance. As such, he has authority and credibility to author this web page. Moreover, the introductory materials reveal that the author was motivated to publish this information on the web. In fact, the author claims that he would be bored if things were not different which means he is motivated to publish this information on the web. Ultimately, the website provides the contact information of the author by offering his email address, his twitter account, and his Google account, which means that the audience can respond to his works and interact with him freely. The website’s purpose to inform, explain, or persuade is very clear. The title of the website reflects a clear opinion that the website seeks to pass to the target audience. The title, â€Å"Larry Page: Google Should Be Thinking Bigger with Its R&D† reflects a clear purpose to inform, and persuade the audience. Indeed, the site is explicit, as the title leaves no room for confusion or doubt about the author’s point of view. In fact, the website starts by introducing the author’s points of concern, which are some of the blue-sky products that Google is developing now. The website indicates clearly that the author has an affiliation with a specific organization by asserting that Jeff Bercovici is Forbes. staff. It goes ahead to give the organization’s domain as part of the author’s contact information by giving his email as jbercovici@forbes.com (Bercovici 1). Most of all, the website does not indicate its specific audience since it claims the author covers media, business, entertainment, and technology. We can establish that the topic covered by the website is very clear since it is explicit. However, part of the audience might not know what the initials R&D mean in this context and hence some ambiguity. The website equally uses an easy language to present the relevant information discussing the topic and thus its clarity and effectiveness. Notably, the site exhibits suitable depth and comprehensiveness to fulfill its purpose. To this effect, the website uses relevant information, presents the inner and crucial details of the company in reference, quotes the views of relevant business leaders (Bercovici 1), and integrates all pieces of information to support the author’s view. Indeed, the information presented by the website clearly supports the opinion of the author. It uses historical evidence like when it quotes the example of Google’s massive success in mobile (Bercovici 1). It also quotes the actual words of Google CEO, Larry Page who sought to persuade investors on the viability of the current project. The website clearly states the sources of information and we can indeed ascertain that the information is original. This is because the author uses direct quotes to state what

British Petroleum America, Inc Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

British Petroleum America, Inc - Case Study Example According to the research findings BP had a clean history until the oil spill. A look into its history proves that at least in principle, the company gave attention to health, safety, and environmental standards. For example, in the year 2005 alone, the company invested nearly $ 8 million on promoting the production and marketing of low carbon power from alternative energy sources like solar, wind, and natural gas. Moreover, the company took initiatives to provide low cost liquefied petroleum gas to low income customers. In addition, the company claims that the company prepared new principles in the year 2005 in order to address the increased demand for environmental vigilance. Thus, it becomes evident that the company was very careful to create an environmentally ethical image as it had to access environmentally sensitive areas like Alaska. It was in March 2006 that the worst oil spill in the history of the company took place in the North Slope of Alaska’s tundra. It took fiv e days to discover the oil leak, and by that time, nearly 200000 to 270000 gallons of crude oil spilled into the area. Though the exact reason of the spill is still unknown, the company has been criticized by many for its improper maintenance of pipelines. In fact, the responsibility to maintain and operate the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System where the leak took place is with the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. But BP cannot evade from its responsibility to oversee that proper maintenance takes place. Though the primary reason, according to many, is the aging and deterioration of the pipelines in the supply system, there are various factors that are believed to be the cause of early deterioration and leakage. The first such factor is the diminishing quality of the crude oil that passes through the pipeline (p. 12). It is pointed out that as more and more oil exploration takes place, the quality of crude oil has declined substantially. The company spokesperson opines that the reason b ehind corrosion can be the presence of water and sediment in the oil (p. 12). On the other hand, the opinion of Steve Marshall, the president of BP Exploration, is that the reason lies in the presence of an emulsion-breaking additive in the oil. The ultrasonic tests conducted in the year 2005 identified increasing corrosion in the pipeline, and as a result, the company increased the budget for pipeline maintenance, and increased the frequency of pipeline inspections. Despite all these efforts, the leak took place at a place where the pipe was buried underground. Anyway, the company and its environmental policies have become a center of media attention. In addition, the Office of Pipeline Safety has directed BP to conduct thorough repairs and investigations and to report the same to the office. The company can use the pipeline only after it receives permission from the federal agency. In addition, the company is likely to face a fine that can go up to $ 2.1 million (p. 10). Lastly, t he efforts of the company to present itself as a ‘green’ one has faced a serious set back due to the incident. 1. From the very beginning

China's Qing Dynasty and its Collapse Research Paper

China's Qing Dynasty and its Collapse - Research Paper Example The Qing dynasty was started by a Manchu tribe, the Jurchen Aisin Gioro clan, from northeast of China (â€Å"Qing Dynasty†). The first three rulers had peaceful and prosperous reign and the administrative system used by the Qing rulers had mostly been inherited from the Ming dynasty with minor modifications. The military setup under the Qing was noteworthy. The army which was owned by the ruler was divided into separate units that had individual banners and troops. The civil servants were sometimes chosen from the banner men.The Qing dynasty was able to preserve its identity although it reigned over the Chinese. The rulers would go back to Manchuria during summertime and would speak their language. They even prohibited inter-marriages between Manchus and Chinese. The Manchu troops and Chinese troops were delegated with duties separately. Several other changes in social behavior such as men shaving heads and wearing queues were initiated. However, the peace during the early par t of their rule allowed for growth and development in all areas such as public works. The taxation structure was light, and the benevolent rulers would even reduce taxes during famine. This led to a spurt in the growth of trade and commerce. Art and learning were patronized. Porcelain painting was revived with new shades of colors, and European influence could be observed in the samples of that era.Under Qianlong’s rule, China had the largest territory ever. Signs of internal disturbances were becoming evident.... The impoverished masses rose in the form of popular uprisings, and though they were effectively handled, the causes for the uprisings remained unresolved. Some of these reasons were to provide the fuel for future uprisings such as that of the Taiping rebellion in the 1850s and 1860s, which would prove to be a big blow to the Qing dynasty. However, the disintegration of the empire did not seem evident till the mid nineteenth century. The major reasons for the decline of the Qing dynasty can be put under several heads. 1 - Backward Imperialism The last few rulers of the Qing dynasty were trapped in backward traditions and did not keep up with technological advancements of other nations in the contemporary context. They thought of themselves as divine rulers of a grand nation and looked at European inventions such as canons and artillery with suspicion. Hence, they failed to upgrade their war equipment and lacked modern infrastructure as well. In comparison to the Self Strengthening Mov ement in China (1861-1895), the Meiji Restoration in Japan was very successful and this gave the Japanese the role of a formidable opponent during the late nineteenth century. This even resulted in losing the First Sino-Japanese war in 1894-95. 2 - Foreign invasion Another reason why the Qing dynasty began to fail was that of the strong European colonial influences. Britain was interested in trade with China for tea and silk. However, with nothing else to import the British started opium trade with the Chinese. This proved to be a disaster for the people of China since many got addicted to opium and began producing it in land plots meant for food grains. Also, the high exchange rates of opium put a

Martin Luther king Essay Example for Free

Martin Luther king Essay It is normal for every person to have dreams about the future. Many people have their own personal dreams while others have dreams for the society. People also tend to have both positive and negative dreams, which they hold. A good leader is one who has positive dream about the people he leads. One of the famous people who have dreams that have to become true is Martin Luther king. This paper gives the analysis of Martin Luther king’s â€Å"I have a dream†. â€Å"I have a dream† speech by Martin Luther king is one of the most wonderful and best speeches that have been given in time immemorial. It was in August 1963 when he moved America by this speech. The speech was full of soaring rhetoric, which demanded justice to be done to all races, and demanding for an integrated society where the black community was recognized. His words proved to be the touchstone in understanding the political and social upheavals that existed in the American society during that time. This gave the country a vocabulary to use when expressing the happenings of that moment. He had one very crucial message that all people regardless of their skin colour were created equally and so they should be treated the same. However, he insisted that that was not the case in America at that moment but he was optimistic that this would happen in the future. He insisted that this would happen in the future in a very powerful and passionate way. His speech was well researched because in the preparation of this speech he studied the Bible, the address by Gettysburg and the declaration of the United States independence. He was able to incorporate all the research in his speech. Looking at his speech it can be described to be a political treatise, poetry, a well improvised and masterfully sermon full of Biblical imagery and language. He used frequent repetition and alliteration in making his points to be clear. Looking at the first half of the speech it shows not an idealized dream of American. It shows a seething Nightmare of racial injustice by the Americans (Murray, 15-20). This is where the speech call for action by insisting that t was the right time for the racial injustices to end. His shows the urgency that is need to undertake the actions. He held that this was the right time to make the real promises of democracy. This was the time for the American to come out of dark and desolate valley full of discrimination and start walking on the path of racial justice. He insisted that that was the right time to make all people have equal opportunities and start living in solid rock of brotherhood. He also encouraged people to make pledge that they would all walk together and never look backwards. He insisted that devotees of civil rights would never be satisfied until the moment when the black man in the American society would be free of horror brutality by the police. He also insisted that they would never rest until when the quality of life of the Negroes had improved and given right to participate in the running of the country and understood the importance of their participation in the public affairs (Dyson, 51-53). In the second half of the speech, the speech depicts the dream of a better, integrated and a future that would be fairer in racial harmony. This is the part of the speech, which has the theme of â€Å"I have a dream. † This phrase is repeated as a way of making his inspirational concepts be understood. He encourages the people that despite of the frustrations and difficulties at that moment he had a dream that all this would end. He held that a day is coming when the country would live according to the true meaning of its creed (Dyson, 51-53). This is when all people from different social classes, for example, children of slaves and those of the slave owners would be able to live as brothers and sit down together. The society that would be full of freedom and justice for all people. This would be a society where people would not be judged by the colour of their skin but would be judged by what they have in their character. He had a dream that the society would be transformed and the glory of the lord would be seem by everybody who would be living in that society (Murray, 15-20). The speech had a very strong message for the white community and hinted revolution. However, he used peaceful words and provided a vision for everybody. At the end of the speech, he had a passage aimed at unification of all people with a theme focusing around freedom. This is where he insisted that time was coming when all the people would sing one song of a sweet land of liberty. All people from all races, religious affiliations would be able to join hands and sing of a free state. There are three factors, which made his speech to have a lot of impact. The remarkable emotion he used in terms of body and voice. The place at which the speech was given in the steps of the memorial of a US president defeated the slavery in the southern states. Another factor is the mood of the day where there was increased slavery among the black people and the time when the whites started feeling guilty of their actions. Work cited Dyson Michael. Debating race with Michael Eric Dyson, New York, Basic Civitas Books, 2007, pg 51- 53. Murray Julie. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, 1st edition, New York, ABDO Group, 2005, pg 15-20.

The Madding Crowd Essay Example for Free

The Madding Crowd Essay Far From the Madding Crowd was written by Thomas Hardy in 1874. It was his fourth novel and first appeared as a monthly serial in Cornhill magazine. It received critical reviews but mostly positive notes too. Hardy continued to add to his texts extensively and made further changes for the 1901 edition. Hardy stresses in his text the happiness of the time period in which the story was set. He did this in order to gain the audiences interests and to make sure the story line held a permanent place in the monthly magazine. He achieved this by using the audiences imagination to such an extent as they were to imagine a life in the country side, which was regarded peaceful and tranquil. His targeted audience were people living in cities who wanted to hear about the rural paradise that he so successfully describes. Whilst Hardys Dorset was only partially reality and partially fictional, it was still the life of the 17th century which he displayed in his novel. In some way, hardy makes the reader oblivious to the reality of life in the country in that period of time, which was in fact a time of hardship, starvation and squallier conditions. The Story is based mainly around the timid and unstable love shared between the two main characters Gabrielle Oak and Bathsheba Everdene. It is love at first sight for Gabriel from the very first moment he sets eyes on this dark haired beauty sat stationary on a mound of goods. Although clearly taken aback by her clear display of vanity as she, seemingly for no understandable reason, took a looking glass to survey herself attentively, he looks back on the experience fondly, which just proves how enthralled he is by her. I find this unique quality Bathsheba posses extraordinary; she seems to have Gabriel enticed even before being properly acquainted with him. Bathshebas vain, independent and certainly wild personality is very eccentric and unusual for that time period. Also considering her ranking in social status is at first not very high but yet she accomplishes to not only mix with higher status members but also tease and be rather cheeky towards them too. She was quoted wild before she was rich! This just confirms how much of a misfit she is for that era. Hardy sets it like a mad game of cat and mouse between them, where Gabriel is persistently jumping through hoops and bending over backwards to satisfy Bathsheba, and sticks by her and stays loyal to her by everything they go through. She dangles herself in front of him at every opportunity, showing herself off as his prize, but however hard Gabriel works he never seems to get any closer to his most desired possession; Bathsheba. The audience is made to travel alongside Gabrielle and Bathshebas journey of love which suffers tremendous ups and downs and misconceptions. Hardy makes clear at the beginning of their relationship who is superior and most dominant. Bathshebas first encounter with Gabriel is very brief but momentous. When Gabriel generously steps in to pay the twopence toll that Bathsheba so stubbornly refuses to part with, he receives in return no more than a backward glance. she carelessly glanced over him, and told her man to drive on. How she passes without showing the slightest bit of gratitude makes it seem like such acts are standard procedure and nothing deviant to Bathsheba. Having set out to satisfy her and possibly earn a fragment of compassion, Gabriel actually achieves the reverse and irritates her if anything. By paying her toll he had taken away the point Bathsheba had been fighting for and given in to the miser. The way she glanced over Gabriel not stared or gawped over him gives a sense of flirtatiousness which is very alluring. Also how she looked over him illustrates control and power. A few nights later Gabriel is encapsulated by an unexpected performance in which he witnesses secretly in his hut. It is evident that the instant he catches Bathsheba riding hard, in the manner hardly expected of a woman, whilst avoiding the low hanging branches and in the very revealing position she rides in, that his self control shatters to the point that he falls for the books heroine. Soon after, when Gabriel naively admits to having witnessed this incident, Bathsheba shows to be exceedingly irritated and fractious, but presumably above all embarrassed. Just to think that Gabriel would be awoken a few nights to come by the succulent lips of Bathsheba, not in the way that he so longingly yearned for, but in the course of saving him from the jaws of death. For that era it would have been a great act to have carried out, as their accustomed ways then where that men tended for everything and women played no major role. Even in this day it would be seen as a grand undertaking, for we seldom hear about female saviours, normally they are all heroes (MEN). Gabriel achieves to wind up Bathsheba once again as a result of his juvenile behaviour. Just as they finally manage to accept a slight level of intimacy with each other, Gabriel, being his usual untactful self, succeeds into stepping straight into the next puddle of misfortune. Instead of holding her hand when she permits him to, he held it but an instant before returning to her. This shows how shy any timid Gabriel is in the presence of Bathsheba. On the other hand reveals how playful and cheeky Bathsheba likes to be. I think that although the whole time Gabriel has been fighting and waiting for the time that he can share intimate moments with her, now it is actually here and his chance lies in front of him, he doesnt know how to act and suddenly turns shy and becomes slightly reserved. In the Victorian days, such behaviour would not be expectable, for a woman (especially not of her social class) to be cheeky and play games with a man. As then women were to respect men and do as they were told. Whereas nowadays we are much more open about things like this and would not be atypical behaviour at all but just ordinary flirtatiousness between two people.

Analysis of the Business Cycle in the Economy

Analysis of the Business Cycle in the Economy One of the most difficult subjects in economics in the business cycle or the pattern of contraction and expansion seen in the overall economy, this is a major factor that will effect the profit and sales performance of all companies to an extent. On average business productivity in EC has expanded at a rate of 3% per year in terms of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP). During an expansion in the business cycle, the real GDP can increase to a rate of 5-6% or even more and during a recession it can decline for an extended period. During the years the economy is growing – output, income, and employment are increasing. In other words, the trend in business and general economic activity is upward. But there are fluctuations around what we might call the ‘growth-path’ line. We have terms for the periods when business activity have temporarily pulls us below our upward growth-path, and others for periods when business activity moves with, or in excess of, our normal growth –path. We call the former recessions or depression and the latter expansions or booms. During the boom period employment level is up as are expectations, sales and profits and imports. During this period high risk investments will be undertaken and may inefficient firms will be able to operate, as margins are high. This will subsequently lead to shortage of resources (supply-side effects), this occurs at the highest point. In figures 1.1 the coloured line represents the long-term ‘growth-path’ around which the economic activity fluctuates, moving in some consistent pattern from expansion to recession and back again. This was one of the reasons why UK did not join the Single Currency, as to ensure EMU succeeds in the long-term; all participating member states must operate at the same stage of the business cycle. The Phillips curve illustrates the short-term trade off between inflation and unemployment. The trade of between unemployment and inflation is temporary as government microeconomic policies can in the short-term exploit a trade-off between them using various policy instruments, such as public spending and taxation. Therefore, the government can influence the combination of inflation and unemployment the economy experiences. Therefore, the Phillips curve is critical in the understanding of the business cycle, via measurements such as rate of unemployment or the production of goods and services. When real GDP grows rapidly, business is good. During such periods of economic expansions, businesses will have excess demand and profits are growing. However, when real GDP is declining during a recession, demand is slow and most companies record declining sales and profits. The term business cycle is somewhat misleading, as it would suggest that the fluctuations within the economy follows a regular and predictable pattern. However, fluctuations are not at all regular and very difficult to forecast. If we examine the real GDP within the UK between 1971 and 2004 and define a recession as occurring when GDP declines for two or more successive quarters, then we would see that the UK economy has experienced four recessions since 1971. Recessions can occur quite close together as in the 70’s, but sometime the economy can go one for many years with a recession, as is the case in UK, where we have not suffered a recession since 1991. Real GDP is the most commonly used measure for monitoring changes within a countries economy, as it provides a broad measurement of economic activity. â€Å"Real GDP measures the value of all final goods and services produced within a given period of time.†[1] Changes in the economy’s output of goods and services are strongly correlated with changes in the economy’s utilisation of its labour force. Therefore, when real GDP decreases the rate of unemployment increases. This is not every uncommon as companies will decide to make a smaller quantity of goods, and make redundancies, and this in turn will raise the level of unemployment in the economy. There are two main classes of factors that offer an explanation on business cycles. The first are internal and those occur from actual changes within the economy, for example, changes in stocks. The second is external, and there are factors outside the control of the economy, for example, rise in oil prices, conflict in Iraq etc. Examples of explanations are: Fluctuations in the money supply – when money supply increase at a faster rate then GDP the rate of interest is low and spending increases. Therefore the economy goes into a boom. The increase in demand subsequently results in both firms and individuals wanting more money and therefore, interest rates rise and this reduces investment and consumptions and the economy goes into a recession. This is a Monetarists explanation for business cycles. Stop-go cycles/Political cycles – Government stimulate growth and employment in the economy and this in turn increase demand. This reflationary action results in expansion in the economy and then the government may be concern about inflationary pressures and as a result adopt a deflationary policies, like increase in taxation. This will lead the economy back into a recession. Keynesian cycles – A rise in exports will raise national income by a multiple amount. This will cause investment to increase and subsequently generate more national income. This will reach a point when the economy will experience supply-side shortages like labour and this in turn will mean income grows more slowly then investment will decrease (leading to a recession). Demand and supply-side shocks – caused by unforeseen shocks such as the global financial crisis in 1997 resulting in decreased demand for goods and services across the globe. Real Business Cycle Theory – â€Å"explains cyclical shocks in terms of spurts and starts in technological advance.†[2]Innovations in technologies like MP3, MP4 players, HD Digital Televisions, etc causes an increase in productivity and subsequently higher real wages and more willingness to participate in the labour market. Seasonal work patterns within the leisure and tourism industry is a prime example of cycles that are generated by rational economic agents, hence, the term ‘real’ factors. Other examples or real factors affecting the real business cycle would be bad weather, increase regulation for CO2 emissions, terms of trade, energy prices and oil price fluctuations. Those factors do not require money supply and Keynesian cycles (amongst others discussed earlier) to explain the existences of why business cycles exist. Demand and supply shocks as discussed above and natural disasters like the Tsunami also can have comparable effects to the technology s hocks analysed in real business cycle theory. Real Business Cycle Theory (RBC) The notion of Real Business Cycle (RBC) evolves from a macroeconomic viewpoint that attributes the fluctuations in terms of economic recessions and booms to productivity (GDP) that is as a direct result of random occurrences across the global. This school of thought argues against any form of government intervention via the use of monetary or fiscal policy instruments such as money supply, taxation, government spending etc, to bring the economy out of a recession or control an economy during a period of rapid growth in a boom. The RBC believes the level of GDP will maximise utility at any one time. RBC models are seen as an extension of a neoclassical growth model Therefore, RBC theorists believe that the business cycle is ‘real’ and not a result of market failures, but a reflection of efficient works of the economy. Various criticisms of real business cycle theory has come to light in recent times and also as a result of the research conducted by Kydland and Prescott (Econometrica 1982), who modelled economic variability as â€Å"real† business cycles with efficient markets. This study failed to recognise the impact of any government intervention via monetary policy upon the business cycle, underestimates the existence of market inefficiencies and the role of unemployment (as discussed via the Phillips Curve). Therefore, it is clear that the economic debate on whether business cycles are ‘real’ or a function of cyclical movements is still very much alive. Importance of Business Cycle within EMU The important role of business cycle can be illustrated by the example of the Euro. The introduction of economic and monetary union across 11 of the 15 member states of the European Union is an interesting economic experiment. It has been driven by a political aspiration to create a unified trading block to rival any other trading block in the world. To ensure EMU succeeds in the long-term all participating member states must operate at the same stage of the economic cycle. Reaching that stage will represent the greatest threat to EMU. A very rough way to assess the similarity of the business cycle is to look at the correlation coefficient for annual changes in Gross Domestic Products (GDP) for pairs of countries. Using data from OECD for the period 1971-2000 for Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Finland, Luxembourg, Portugal and Ireland, it appears that only France, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Portugal and Italy with correlation ranging between 0.83 (France/Belgium) to 0.47 (Italy/Spain) have similarity in business cycle. The Finland business cycle is closest to France (0.49), Belgium (0.43) and Spain (o.41), but distant from Germany (0.005) and Netherlands (0.19). In this sample, the country that is indeed not well integrated into a common European business cycle is Ireland. The Irish economy is closest to that of Netherlands (0.32), Finland (0.32) and most distant from Italy (-0.02). The Irish business cycle has a negative relationship to that of the Italian. This suggests that when Italy is experiencing a boom Ireland will be in a recession or steady economic growth. The Irish economy is the acid test of whether or not the Euro works. Most members are coming out of a recession whereas Ireland is in a state of boom. Aust. Fra. Ger Italy Nether Spain Ire Bel. Fin Lux. Port. Aust. 1 Fra. 0.71 1 Ger 0.65 0.61 1 Italy 0.57 0.71 0.57 1 Nether 0.63 0.63 0.71 0.54 1 Spain 0.67 0.74 0.47 0.46 0.61 1 Ire 0.12 0.21 0.14 -0.02 0.32 0.28 1 Bel 0.67 0.83 0.63 0.75 0.68 0.74 0.23 1 Fin 0.26 0.49 0.00 0.39 0.19 0.41 0.32 0.43 1 Lux 0.30 0.34 0.41 0.31 0.49 0.40 0.13 0.42 0.12 1 Port 0.74 0.82 0.63 0.69 0.51 0.67 0.17 0.73 0.37 0.34 1 Source: OECD Economic Outlook December 1998 July 1991, Own calculation of correlation matrix The subject of business cycle and real business cycle still has many questions to answer; the primary is what is the principal source of cyclical movements in GDP of an economy? Are the fluctuations in GDP caused by technology or are the movements in GDP due to government interventions via monetary and fiscal policy implementations? Those are critical questions, and the answers to which would serve as a great benefit to both firms and governments. It would provide firms at a microeconomic level a greater ability to accurately forecast business cycles and hence, consolidate there profits, and government in estimating the resulting welfare costs of a shift in macroeconomic policy like increase public spending, lower taxation, lower interest rates etc. In my opinion the dominant view of a business cycle is still one that is caused by a change in monetary policy and not just as a result of ‘real’ factors like technological innovation or political events like war or trade disputes. We believe that those real events do play some part in the fluctuations around the business cycle but business cycles are still primarily caused as a result of fluctuations in economic activity such as employment and production as measured by GDP. OECD Economic Outlook December 1998 July 1991 Mankiw, N.G. and Taylor, M.P. (2006) Economics, Thomson Learning McAleese, D., (2004) Economics for Business Third Edition, FT Prentice Hall Grant, S.J., (2000) Stanlake’s Introductory Economics 7th Edition, Longman Stanlake G.F, (2000) Macroeconomics: An Introduction, Longman Group UK Greenaway, David; Shaw, G.K., Macroeconomics Theory and Policy in the UK Second Edition (1991), Basil Blackwell. Dornbusch, Rudiger; Fischer, Stanley, Macroeconomics Fifth Edition (1990) McGraw-Hill International Editions Footnotes [1] Gregory, M. and Taylor, M.P. (2006) [2] McAleese, D. (2004)

Daisy Buchanans Role in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald :: The Great Gatsby

In one of the greatest works of the Twentieth Century, The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald, there are many dynamic and round characters which greatly add to the story's theme. One character, Daisy Fay Buchannon, is made essential by way of her relation to the theme. An integral part of the plot, Daisy conveys the meaning of the novel, with her multi-dimensional personality and her relation to the conflicts. Daisy Buchannon is a round and dynamic character with many different sides to her personality. Early on in the book, she is portrayed as sweet and innocent. Her white and seemingly floating dress appeals to Nick in this way. She grew up as "the most popular of all the young girls in Louisville." Even then she dressed in white. Daisy also keeps her daughter around as a show toy. Whenever company comes over, she beckons for the little girl to come and put on a little act for everyone. This is symbolic of Daisy’s life; she is kept in the closet until it's time to show off for company, then she becomes radiant and personable. When everyone has gone, she is a bored housewife, of no importance to the world wondering aloud what she is going to do with the rest of her life. She appears to be bored yet innocent and harmless. Yet her innocence is false. Simply a materialistic young girl and has little mind of her own is underneath all of that covering. Daisy rediscovers her love with Gatsby because of his nice shirts and large house. Daisy has been well trained in a rich family. She has grown up with only the finest material goods. When Gatsby failed to contact her, she went off and married another man, without evening having heard a word from Gatsby. All of these many and round characteristics add complications to the plot and dimension to the meaning she adds to the book. The afore mentioned characteristics also help to create some of the main conflicts. Daisy was involved in the conflict between her and Tom. Tom had a mistress and Daisy was upset by it. Another conflict is her love affair with Gatsby. Her apparent sweetness and innocence allow Gatsby to fall in love with her. But her impatience and ignorance of true love or the meaning of truth or compassion allow her to flawlessly marry Tom, without a sober thought of Gatsby.

Feenbergs Beliefs Of Technology :: essays research papers

Feenberg believes his Critical Theory of Technology to be the most useful and accurate of his three theories on technology. His critical theory of technology is said to be a combination of the best points of both the substantive and instrumental theories of technology while simultaneously allowing for technological progress. For the purpose of this paper, I will go into depth on Feenberg’s critical theory of technology; however, in order to understand this theory, we must briefly examine his two other theories of technology, which are the substantive, and the instrumental theories of technology. Feenberg has three views of technology. They are the instrumental theory, the substantive theory, and the critical theories of technology. The instrumental theory is "the dominant view of modern governments and the policy sciences on which they rely." (Feenberg P. 5) It views technology as inferior to certain values in other societies. The substantive theory "argues that technology constitutes a new type of cultural system that restructures the entire social world as an object of control." (Feenberg p. 7) This substantive theory forces technology on societies typical customs and ideas. The third view on technology is what Feenberg believes to be the most useful and accurate. This would be his critical theory of technology, which is said to be a combination of the best points of both the substantive and instrumental theories of technology while allowing for technological progress as well. The substantive theory of technology argues that the effect technology has on society is more damaging then the visible effects of the technologies themselves. Jacques Ellul and Martin Heidegger believe that technology establishes a new way of living that rebuilds society as something that they cannot control themselves. An example would be to compare fast food to a home cooked meal. Though some argue that fast food is an amazing technology in itself by allowing one to receive hot food in a few minutes notice, others will argue differently. Some see it as a replacement of the home cooked meal that brings families together every evening for dinner. This is the time for families to share and communicate their thoughts, feelings and ideas with one another. Everyone is able to catch up with each other despite the craziness in one's own life. The convenience and technology of fast food takes something away from families and the one chance a day that they might not otherwise receive to talk to one another.

A Comparison of Perfection in Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knig

Perfection in Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight The heroes of both Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight are fighters. However, the traits they have in common are far less numerous than those that set them apart. As each of the two is dubbed perfect by his contemporaries, it should be possible to draw the picture of both the model warrior and the paragon knight by comparing Beowulf and Gawain. The first question to arise is that of leadership. In Beowulf, the hero is referred to as "prince"*, the "helmet-of-Weders"**, or "master-friend"***. This is not without reason: in the times of the epic, might did literally make right. Therefore, he who was to be an accomplished warrior had to display a leader s qualities as well as combat prowess. As for the knights, they had their appointed ruler, king Arthur, and none thought of challenging him. Neither did any of the knights distinguish himself as a general; all their exploits were done single-handedly. Now, let us focus on combat. Beowulf fights a great many battles during his life, and while some of these are only briefly mentioned (the famous sea-monsters, for instance), the really titanic ones are described fully and with abundance of detail. The clash between the Geats and Grendel may serve as an example here: " Now many an earl of Beowulf brandished blade ancestral, ( ) The outlaw dire Took mortal hurt "* And so it continues for fifty-one verses. And this is but one of the heroe s armed encounters! Clearly, one has to fight much to be a great warrior The matter is quite different when it comes to knights. While Gawain's skill with sword and lance is highly praised throughout the poem, his battles are only hinted at as... ...e himself notices, "nothing is said of Beowulf's wife in the poem, but Bugge surmises that Beowulf finally accepted Hygd's offer of kingdom and hoard, and, as was usual, took her into the bargain"*** - which reflects the lack of concern a true warrior should show when dealing with women. There is, however, a trait common to the warrior and the knight: the two have a set of rules they should obey. And though the regulations that force Beowulf to come to Hrothgar's help are not nearly as neatly organised as Gawain's chivalric code embodied in the "pentangle"****, the idea of being compelled to act in a way dictated by generally accepted rules appears in both poems. We have thereby drawn the pictures of the ideal men of two different ages, and proved in the process how much the notion of perfection has changed from Beowulf to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

How P&G Brought the Diaper Revolution to China Essay

When Procter & Gamble set out to sell Pampers in China more than a decade ago, it faced a daunting marketing challenge: P&G didn’t just have to persuade parents that its diapers were the best. It had to persuade many of them that they needed diapers at all. The disposable diaper — a throwaway commodity in the West — just wasn’t part of the cultural norm in the Chinese nursery. Babies wore cloth diapers, or in many cases, no diaper at all. And that, says Bruce Brown, who’s in charge of P&G’s $2 billion R&D budget, is why China presented — and still presents — such a huge opportunity. Today, after years of exhaustive research and plenty of missteps, Pampers is the No. 1-selling diaper in China and the company, in many ways, is just getting started there. The diaper market in China is booming. It stands at $1. 4 billion — roughly a quarter the size of the U. S. market — and is projected to grow 40 percent over the next few years, according to research firm Datamonitor. P&G’s success in China has helped CEO Bob McDonald set some bold goals. Last October, he laid out a plan to add one billion customers over the next five years by promoting P&G brands throughout some of the poorest corners of the world. How will P&G go about doing that? To get a sense, just look at the way it cracked — and to a large degree created — the market for disposable diapers in China. Learning From Failure When P&G first launched Pampers in China in 1998, the effort flopped. Instead of developing a unique product for the market, P&G made a lower-quality version of U. S. and European diapers, wrongly assuming that parents would buy them if they were cheap enough. â€Å"It just didn’t work,† Brown says. Chinese split-pants, or kaidangku. Photo by The Wu’s Photo Land on Flickr It didn’t help that Chinese families had always gotten along just fine without disposable diapers. There, potty training often begins as early as six months, and children wear what’s called kaidangku — colorful open-crotch pants that let them squat and relieve themselves in open areas. Pampers’ pitch wasn’t compelling people to try something new — and neither was the product itself. â€Å"We scrimped on the softness in the earlier versions,† says Kelly Anchrum, director of global baby care, external relations, and sustainability. â€Å"It had a more plasticky feel. It took us awhile to figure out that softness was just as important to moms in a developing market. † P&G had tried a similarly watered-down approach earlier in the decade, when it launched laundry and hair-care brands in several emerging markets. Those products also failed, Brown says. After these experiences, the company in 2001 came up with a new approach to product development: â€Å"Delight, don’t dilute. † In other words, the diaper needed to be cheap, but it also had to do what other cheap diapers didn’t — keep a baby dry for 10 hours and be as comfortable as cloth. So P&G added softness, dialed down the plastic feel, and increased the absorption capability of the diaper. To bring down the cost, the company developed more efficient technology platforms and moved manufacturing operations to China to eliminate shipping costs. The revamped diaper, Pampers Cloth Like & Dry, hit retail shelves in China’s largest cities in 2006, selling for the equivalent of 10 cents in local currency, less than half the cost of a Pampers diaper in the United States. The Universal Pitch P&G had the right diaper and the right price point. Now it faced the bigger challenge. â€Å"You have to convince someone that they need this thing,† says Ali Dibadj, an analyst who covers P&G at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. For Frances Roberts, global brand franchise leader for Pampers, every trip to China was (and still is) an opportunity to learn more about Chinese nursery habits. It’s part of the P&G ethos that brand leaders visit consumers in their own homes — something Roberts has done in dozens of countries, including Germany, Russia, and Jakarta. The goal is to uncover the nuances of each market, and early on in its diaper research P&G discovered a universal need. â€Å"Moms say the same things over and over,† Roberts says. Their cry: We want more sleep. With the help of the Beijing Children’s Hospital’s Sleep Research Center, P&G researchers conducted two exhaustive studies between 2005 and 2006, involving 6,800 home visits, and more than 1,000 babies throughout eight cities in China. Instead of cloth, the research subjects were tucked into bed with Pampers. The results: P&G reported that the babies who wore the disposables fell asleep 30 percent faster and slept an extra 30 minutes every night. The study even linked the extra sleep to improved cognitive development, a compelling point in a society obsessed with academic achievement. P&G then put its marketing machine into motion. Pampers launched the â€Å"Golden Sleep† campaign in 2007, which included mass carnivals and in-store campaigns in China’s biggest urban areas. A viral campaign on the Pampers Chinese web site asked parents to upload photos of their sleeping babies to drive home the study’s sleep message. The response was impressive: 200,000 photos, which P&G used to create a 660-square-meter photomontage at a retail store in Shanghai. The ad campaign boasted â€Å"scientific† results, such as â€Å"Baby Sleeps with 50% Less Disruption† and â€Å"Baby Falls Asleep 30% Faster. No diaper brand, not even rival Kimberly-Clark, maker of Huggies, has come close to spending as much on advertising in China, according to CTR Market Research, the China-based division of American media researcher TNS Media Intelligence. Since 2006, Pampers’ measured media spend topped 3. 2 billion yuan, or about $476 million — more than three times as much as any other brand. In 2009 alone, P&G spent $69 million, compared to Kimberly-Clark’s $12 million spend for Huggies. Ruling the Nursery — in China and Around the World Today, Pampers is the top-selling brand in China, a country where about a decade ago the disposable diaper category hardly existed. P&G does not release sales figures for specific countries, but Datamonitor estimates that the company has captured more than 30 percent of the $1. 4 billion market. Karl Gerth, an Oxford professor who researches the spread of consumerism in China, says P&G’s marketing campaigns strike the right tone. â€Å"You don’t want to come off as paternalistic,† says Gerth, who wrote the book â€Å"China Made: Consumer Culture and the Creation of the Nation. â€Å"The idea that Pampers brings a scientific backing and gives children an edge in their environment — that’s a brilliant way to stand out from the competition. † You could argue that it’s easy being No. 1 when the market is still small. But P&G still has a lot of work to do. The company faces challenges from private-label and domestic brands, including the No. 2 market leader, Hengan International Group, which has steadily grown its market share to 20 percent. Local brands, meantime, are catching up with better products, marketing, and distribution. Chinese consumers are going to want to root for the home team,† Gerth says. And there’s still the challenge of making disposables a habit. On average, diaper use still amounts to less than one a day. â€Å"We’ve only just begun to scratch the surface [in China],† Dimitri Panayotopoulos, vice chairman of global household care, told investors in a 2008 analyst meeting. There’s even bigger potential in India, where the birth rate is almost double that of China but the diaper market remains tiny at about $43. 4 million. (Pampers is the top-selling brand there, too. So now, P&G plans to take the sleep argument throughout rural and poor areas in India and elsewhere. The company also makes its case by positioning itself as a baby-care educator. Pampers sponsors healthcare-outreach programs such as a rural immunization program in China and mobile medical-care vans in Pakistan and Morocco. In India, there’s a door-to-door program that offers baby-care tips and diaper samples for moms. Of course, P&G tweaks the sales pitch to fit different markets; that’s what the company is known for. In India, for instance, the convenience of disposable diapers doesn’t resonate with parents. The company’s consumer research found that many Indian mothers think that only lazy moms put their babies in disposable diapers that last a full night. As Pampers brand manager Vidya Ramachandran reported in an internal video shown to employees, â€Å"We really had to change that mindset and educate [mothers] that using a diaper is not about convenience for you — it’s about your baby’s development. †

Critical thinking and computer logic Essay

The goal of this paper is to identify the strengths and weaknesses that I possess and how they relate to my home life, work environment, and learning team at school. I also will layout a plan of action to address the correction of my weaknesses. Becoming aware of some of my weaknesses will be the first step to lead to self improvement. My ability to multitask is probably one of my best qualities as a worker. Being a member of a support team, the ability to multitask is essential. We are very busy department addressing customers with immediate demands. The ability to prioritize and multitask enables these tasks to be accomplished efficiently and successfully. Home life has many tasks; taking care of the dogs, daily maintenance and fixing up the house. My handling the multiple tasks of home life allows my wife flexibility in her work schedule. When working in a team environment at school or on the job, the ability to multitask can be an incredible skill for the group. This allows me to perform multiple tasks for the team I am on. It also gives the leader of the group the flexibility to delegate more to team members. Focus and dedication are other strengths that I possess. The ability to persevere and maintain the course of an assignment or job is a key to success. Being a long term student, this characteristic has enabled me to keep pushing toward the goal of a bachelor’s degree. There have been many times when I’ve wanted to give because the task seemed too hard but I pushed on. I have learned through experience how to bounce back from adversity. You never know what life is going to bring you and this trait can be invaluable. Being in the technical field, the ability to reeducate oneself and adapt is vital. The focus and dedication needed to stay on top of technology is crucial. These characteristics have also assisted me in balancing my home, work and school life. Being able to prioritize and put my family life first has helped me to persevere. My wife tells me and I tend to agree, that one of my greatest weaknesses is impatience. A lot of this is fueled by the good characteristics of  enthusiasm and hyperactivity, but nonetheless is a weakness. This impatience has led me to quit and start school several times. In my work and school life, impatience affects my ability as a team member. I have a very short fuse and do not often work well members who need extra help. This leads to another weakness; intolerance. I consider myself a compassionate person, but where work is related I am not very accepting of others weaknesses. My inability to remember when I was at that point hinders my ability to tutor or mentor a struggling co-worker or classmate. My impatience and intolerance at home is largely addressed towards myself. It has driven me to begin multiple projects around the house only to force myself into pure frustration when I can not finish them all as quickly as I would have liked due to other work and school obligations . I have similar problems at work and school. I tend to take on too many projects and spread myself too thin. I tend to be a person who is very self-critical and therefore I am very critical of my wife, co-workers and classmates. I sometimes have unreasonable expectations of myself and others. This weakness also makes it difficult to work in a team environment without conflict. Recognizing my strengths and becoming aware of my weaknesses is my first step towards self-improvement. The ability to ask for and receive feedback on these defects of character will be a very big asset in improving my personality as a whole. A lot of the impatience and intolerance I express towards others is usually an outward expression of how I feel towards myself. Through my faith and the practice of patience and tolerance towards others will lead me to my ultimate goal of having a servant’s heart. This ability to be unselfish at home, work, school, or wherever life may take me will enable me to achieve far more things than worldly success. Slowing down the number of projects at home will enable me to become less stressed and more focused on the tasks I need to complete. Using my ability to multitask does not mean I have to burn the candle at both ends. With the help, support, and feedback of those I am around, I will be able to improve myself and therefore improve my surr oundings.