Teens And Smoking Essay - 1572 Words

Teens and Smoking Abstract Cigarette smoking is of interest to the National Institute on Drug Abuse both because of the public health problems associated with this form of substance abuse and because this behavior represents a prototypic dependence process. In the past few years the government has made every effort to reach the masses, in an attempt to curb the exploitation of tobbacco use, and its acceptance among Americas Youngsters. However, cigarette smoking among adolescents is on the rise. The premise that the behavior of adolescents is influenced by the behavior of their parents is central to many considerations of health and social behavior (Ausubel, Montemayor, amp; Svajiian, 1977; Bandura amp; Walters, 1963). Many young†¦show more content†¦Yet, even though teenagers sometimes smoke to gain independence, and to be part of the crowd parental influence plays the strongest role as to whether or their children will smoke, Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), 1991. Children are exposed to and influenced by the parents, siblings, and the media long before peer pressure will become a factor. Mothers should not smoke during pregnancy, nicotine, which crosses the placental barrier, may affect the female fetus during an important period of development so as to predispose the brain to the addictive influence of nicotine. Prenatal exposure to smoking has previously been linked with impairments in memory, learning, cognition, and perception in the growing child. (National Institute of Drug Abuse, 1995) Subsequent follow-up after 12 years suggest that regardless of the amount or duration of current or past maternal smoking, the strongest correlation between maternal smoking and a daughters smoking occurred when the mother smoked during pregnancy. NIDA also reported that of 192 mothers and their first born adolescents with a mean age of 12 1/2, the analysis revealed that 26.6% of the girls whose mother smoked while pregnant had smoked in the past year. The 1991 smoking prevalence estimate of 25.7% is virtually no different from the previous years estimate of 25.5%. If current trends persist, we will not meet oneShow MoreRelated Teen Smoking Essay764 Words   |  4 Pages Tobacco Advertising and its dangerous effects on young people. Tobacco Advertising Makes Young People Their Chief Target nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Everyday 3,000 children start smoking, most them between the ages of 10 and 18. These kids account for 90 percent of all new smokers. In fact, 90 percent of all adult smokers said that they first lit up as teenagers (Roberts). These statistics clearly show that young people are the prime target in the tobacco wars. The cigarette manufacturersRead More Teen Smoking Essay540 Words   |  3 Pages One of the largest issues today is adolescent smoking. According to a heath based website, nearly 90% of adult smokers start while they are still teens and they never intend to get hooked. They may start by bumming a cigarette or two from a friend at a party, and then go on to buying an occasional pack. Soon they realize that they cant go without that pack. Theyve gotten used to reaching for a cigarette first thing in the morning, after meals, or during any stressful time. They become addictedRead MoreSmoking Among Teens2694 Words   |  11 PagesTopic: Smoking Thesis: Smoking among teens has been increasing in an alarming rate. What are the effects on cigarette advertising has on the teenagers and the numerous ways to quit smoking. Related Issues: 1. Reasons why teens pick up the habit of smoking 2. The Effects of Tobacco Advertisement 3. The numerous reasons people give up smoking 4. The Health benefits of quitting 5. Numerous Steps to quitting TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Abstract pg 3 2. Introduction pg 4 3. LiteratureRead MoreEssay on Teen Smoking is Bad1074 Words   |  5 PagesDeaths caused by smoking have reached epidemic proportions. In the United States alone, 430,000 people die annually from smoking-related illnesses such as cancers and lung disease. Stephen Jay, chair of the Department of Public Health at Indiana University School of Medicine, states that tobacco’s â€Å"human toll far exceeds the Black Death of the 14th century, the global influenza pandemic of 1918–19, and the modern tragedy of HIV-AIDS.† Health care advocates, concerned about tobacco-related deathsRead MoreTeen Smoking : By Chris Woolston950 Words   |  4 PagesWhile the article text written about Teen Smoker. I found that, today, as months turn into days and days into hours, the population of teen smokers dramatically increases. Apparently, there is enough material that helps to expound on this thesis. The author gives sufficient data about how teen smokers are increasing among youths citing ample convincing evidence from prior researches. He also gives the causes of the augmentation of the smoking behavior among teens and effective ways through which theRead MoreTeen Smoking : Education And Prevention1146 Words   |  5 Pages Teen Smoking: Education and Prevention Virginia Western Community College Jessica Baise Assessment Public Health Problem Tobacco use usually begins during youth and young adulthood. Every day in the United States, more than 3,800 youth under the age of eighteen smoke their first cigarette. (Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults , n.d.) The progress of smoking occasionally to smoking every day is due to the highly addictive drug called nicotine. There are several reasonsRead MoreKentuckys Youth and Teen Smoking1020 Words   |  5 Pagesrevenue from tobacco taxes to fund smoking cessation programs, and improve the quality of anti-smoking advertising campaigns. Teenagers normally function financially on a very fixed income, commonly working part time for minimum wage. With cigarette prices at $4.50 per pack a high school student can afford to smoke regularly, but when you double that price a student will think twice about the value of cigarettes. With the numerous health risks associated with smoking, buying cigarettes at any priceRead MoreTeen Smoking : Education And Prevention Essay3239 Words   |  13 Pages1 Teen Smoking: Education and Prevention Teen Smoking: Education and Prevention Virginia Western Community College Jessica Baise Assessment Public Health Problem Tobacco use usually begins during youth and young adulthood. Every day in the United States, more than 3,800 youth under the age of eighteen smoke their first cigarette. (Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults , n.d.) The progress of smoking occasionally to smoking every day is due to the highly addictive drugRead MoreThe Addiction Of Cigarettes And Teen Smoking894 Words   |  4 Pagesdue to peer pressure. Smoking was my way of building social relationships. However, soon I was smoking more or an equal amount of cigarettes than my friends. Since the age of 19, I have been smoking twenty cigarettes a day, which is a pack of cigarettes daily. My addiction to cigarettes is a problem because it is affecting my health. I become fatigued due to smoking. When I do not smoke, I become stressed. Smoking also damages my cardio-respiratory system. In addition, smoking is affecting me economicallyRead MoreThe Effects Of Smoking On Teens Ability On Learning2910 Words   |  12 P agesIntroduction Smoking has been a controversial topic ever since the 20th century. According to U.S Department of Health and Human, smoking has been recognized as the leading preventable cause of death in the United States in which 443,000 deaths are caused by intended active smoke and passive second-hand smoke each year. In addition, smokers are considered to be more likely to develop many diseases including coronary heart disease, respiratory disease, and lung cancer, and therefore tobacco use costs

Substance Use Disorder ( Disorder ) - 2013 Words

Only ten percent of people who struggle with substance use disorder in the United States seek a form of treatment, and only forty percent of that small percentage is successful after just one year (Bowen et al., 548). This issue spreads far beyond the borders of the United States, because approximately three and a half million drug addicts can be found in China alone (Min et al., 142). It becomes obvious that far more research is needed in the field of treatment for substance use disorders to improve these statistics. As noted, there is extreme need for more reliable treatment for people who suffer from substance use disorder. Criteria for substance use disorder will be discussed, as well as research that has been conducted on relapse†¦show more content†¦DSM-5 states these symptoms as using more than intended, difficulty reducing usage, consuming excess time, giving up important hobbies, tolerance and withdrawal. A patient can be labeled as mild (2 to 3), moderate (4 to 5) or severe (6 or more) depending on how many of the symptoms are present. Genes and environment both prove to be important when determining who will be susceptible to becoming addicted to substances and who will not (Durand, Barlow, 2016, 388-389). Using drugs is based on environmental factors but becoming dependent on drugs will occur if a person is genetically vulnerable. There is no specific gene that can be held responsible for this phenomenon, but rather a group of genes that put one at risk for substance use disorder broadly. Susceptibility to addiction to one substance in particular does not occur. Psychological factors must also be considered when discussing what causes substance abuse disorder. Positive reinforcement (making one feel good) and negative reinforcement (making one feel less bad) are two primary reasons for continuing drug use. Known treatments for substance use exist, but are only effective if the patient has the motivation to change his or her lifestyle (Duran d, Barlow, 2016). Biological treatments include agonist substitution, antagonists and aversive treatment. Psychological treatments include Twelve Step programs such as AA, NA and CA, as well as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for

Stefan’s Diaries Bloodlust Chapter 1 Free Essays

It was October. The trees of the cemetery had turned a decayed brown, and a cold breeze had whistled in, replacing the stifling heat of the Virginia summer. Not that I much felt it. We will write a custom essay sample on Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 1 or any similar topic only for you Order Now As a vampire, my body registered only the temperature of my next victim, warmed by the anticipation of her hot blood coiling through my veins. My next victim was only a few feet away: a chestnut-haired girl who was currently climbing over the fence of the Hartnett estate, which ran adjacent to the cemetery. â€Å"Clementine Haverford, whatever are you doing out of bed so late?† My playful demeanor was at odds with the hot, heavy thirst coursing through me. Clementine was not supposed to be here, but Matt Hartnett had always been sweet on her. And even though Clementine was engaged to Randall Haverford, her Charleston-based cousin, it was clear the feeling was mutual. She was already playing a dangerous game. Little did she know it was about to turn deadly. Clementine squinted into the darkness. I could tell from her heavy-lidded expression and wine-stained teeth that shed had a long night. â€Å"Stefan Salvatore?† she gasped. â€Å"But youre dead.† I took a step closer to her. â€Å"Am I, now?† â€Å"Yes, I attended your funeral.† She cocked her head to the side. She didnt seem too concerned, though. She was practically sleepwalking, heady from sips of wine and stolen kisses. â€Å"Are you a dream?† â€Å"No, not a dream,† I said huskily. I grasped her by the shoulders and pulled her close to me. She fell against my chest, and the loud drum of her heartbeat filled my ears. She smelled of jasmine, just as she had last summer when my hand had grazed the bodice of her dress while we played one of Damons kissing games under the Wickery Bridge. I ran one finger along her cheek. Clementine had been my first crush, and Id often wondered what it would feel like to hold her like this. I put my lips to her ear. â€Å"Im more like a nightmare.† Before she could make a sound, I sank my teeth straight into her jugular vein, sighing when the first stream hit my mouth. Unlike what her name might suggest, Clementines blood wasnt nearly as sweet as Id imagined. Instead it tasted smoky and bitter, like coffee burned over a hot stove. Still, I drank deeply, gulping her down, until she stopped groaning and her pulse slowed to a whisper. She went limp in my arms, and the fire that burned in my veins and my belly was quenched. All week Id been hunting at my leisure, having discovered that my body required two feedings a day. Mostly I just listened to the vital fluid coursing through the bodies of the residents of Mystic Falls, fascinated by how easily I could take it from them. When I did attack, Id done so carefully, feeding on guests at the boardinghouse or taking one of the soldiers up by Leestown. Clementine would be my first victim whod once been a friend–the first victim the people of Mystic Falls would miss. Disengaging my teeth from her neck, I licked my lips, allowing my tongue to savor the spot of wet blood at the corner of my mouth. Then I dragged her out of the cemetery and back to the quarry where my brother, Damon, and I had been staying since wed been turned. The sun was just creeping over the horizon, and Damon was sitting listlessly at the edge of the water, glancing into its depths as if they held the secret to the universe. Hed been like that every day since wed woken up as vampires seven days earlier, mourning the loss of Katherine, the vampire whod made us into what we are now. Though she had turned me into a powerful creature, I celebrated her death, unlike my brother. She had played me for a fool, and the memory of her reminded me of how vulnerable Id once been. As I watched Damon, Clementine moaned in my arms, one eye fluttering open. Were it not for the blood seeping onto the blue lace neckline of her wrinkled, blue tulle dress, it would seem as if she were merely in slumber. â€Å"Shhh,† I murmured, tucking a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. A voice somewhere in my mind told me that I should feel regret over taking her life, but I felt nothing at all. Instead, I readjusted her in my arms, tossing her over my shoulder, as if she were simply a sack of oats, and walked to the edge of the water. â€Å"Brother.† I unceremoniously dumped Clementines nearly lifeless body at his feet. Damon shook his head and said, â€Å"No.† His lips had a chalky white texture. Blood vessels twisted darkly on his face; they looked like cracks in marble. In the weak morning light, he looked like one of the broken statues in the cemetery. â€Å"You must drink!† I said roughly, pushing him down, surprised at my own strength. His nostrils flared. But just as it was to mine, the smell of her blood was intoxicating to his weary body, and soon his lips met her skin in spite of his protestations. He began to drink, slowly at first, then lapped up the liquid as though he were a horse desperate for water. â€Å"Why do you keep making me do this?† he asked plaintively, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and wincing. â€Å"You need to regain your strength.† I prodded Clementine with the tip of my dirt-caked boot. She groaned softly, somehow still alive. For now, at least. But her life was in my hands. The realization trilled through me, as though my entire being were on fire. This–the hunt, the conquests, the reward of the pleasurable sleepiness that always followed a feeding–made eternity stand before us as an endless adventure. Why couldnt Damon understand? â€Å"This isnt strength. Its weakness,† Damon hissed, rising to his feet. â€Å"Its hell on Earth, and nothing could be worse.† â€Å"Nothing? Would you rather be dead, like Father?† I shook my head incredulously. â€Å"You have a second chance.† â€Å"I never asked for it,† Damon said sharply. â€Å"I never asked for any of this. All I wanted wasKatherine. Shes gone, so kill me now and be done with it.† Damon handed me a jagged oak branch. â€Å"Here,† he said, standing with his arms open wide, his chest exposed. Just one stroke to his heart and hed have his wish. Memories flashed through my mind: of Katherine, her soft, dark curls, her fangs bright in the moonlight, her head arched back before she bit into my neck, her ever-present lapis lazuli pendant that sat in the hollow of her neck. I now understood why shed killed my fiancï ¿ ½e, Rosalyn, why shed compelled me and Damon, why she used her beauty and innocent visage to make people want to trust and protect her. It was her nature. And now it was ours. But instead of accepting it as a gift, as I had, Damon seemed to think it was a curse. I cracked the branch over my knee and threw the shards into the river. â€Å"No,† I said. Though Id never admit it aloud, the thought of living forever without a friend in the world frightened me. I wanted Damon and I to learn to be vampires together. â€Å"No?† Damon repeated, his eyes snapping open. â€Å"Youre man enough to murder an old flame, but not your brother?† He shoved me to the ground. He loomed above me, his own fangs bared, then spit on my neck. â€Å"Dont embarrass yourself,† I said, scrambling to my feet. He was strong, but I was far stronger, thanks to my regular feedings. â€Å"And dont fool yourself into thinking Katherine loved you,† I growled. â€Å"She loved her Power, and she loved what she could make us do for her. But she never loved us.† Damons eyes blazed. He rushed toward me with the speed of a galloping horse. His shoulder, hard as stone, plowed into me, throwing me back into a tree. The trunk split with a loud crack. â€Å"She lovedme.† â€Å"Then why did she turn me, too?† I challenged, rolling to my feet as I rebuffed his next blow. The words had their desired effect. Damons shoulders sagged, and he staggered backward. â€Å"Fine. Ill just do it myself,† he murmured, grabbing another stick and running the sharp end along his chest. I slapped the stake out of his hand and twisted his arms behind his back. â€Å"You are my brother–my flesh and blood. So long as I stay alive, so shall you. Now, come.† I pushed him toward the woods. â€Å"Come where?† Damon asked listlessly, allowing me to drag him along. â€Å"To the cemetery,† I answered. â€Å"We have a funeral to attend.† Damons eyes registered a dull spark of interest. â€Å"Whose?† â€Å"Fathers. Dont you want to say good-bye to the man who killed us?† How to cite Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 1, Essay examples

The Lord of the Rings Persuasive Essay Example For Students

The Lord of the Rings Persuasive Essay The voice over itself introduces the film by giving relevant details on the history of the rings, and of Middle Earth in general which, again, is important in the understanding of the basic storyline. Without this opening voice over, the setting for the film would not have been properly explained and therefore, people who have not read the book may have found it difficult to follow the film. The entire opening sequence (up until Bilbo Baggins finds the ring) is needed for this reason as well. Such as a panning, establishing shot is used in the battle scene; an establishing shot was also needed when the transition from the battle to sixty years later, in the Shire, took place. Although there hadnt really been a massive change in setting, the scale of time that had passed meant that, obviously, everything looked completely different and, because of this, the audience needed to understand what the Shire was like for those who lived there. This was easily achieved with a relatively short establishing shot, slowly moving round to show Frodo sitting against a tree. After explaining to the audience where the story was set, who was in it, and a small amount of historical information surrounding the Ring, it was crucial that interest was injected into it. The director is obviously aware that it is during the opening of a film that a person decides whether or not to continue watching. In just the first ten minutes of the film, many different points of interest are raised which, we presume, will be followed up later in the film. One example of such a point is shown when the different races of Middle Earth are given a set of rings. Whilst the female voice over is naming the races, the camera is focused in on a circle of rings, and then zooms out slowly, or tilts upwards to show the creatures to which the rings belong. This shows that the rings are more powerful and important than everything else. During the battle scene, the monster that has the ring is only show on screen after a close up of the ring on its finger. Again, showing that the ring is more powerful than even such a huge monster. The importance of the rings is shown using shots that make them shimmer in the light, and look good and pretty. However when the One Ring is shown, surrounded by fire, the normal assumption that jewellery is ornate and harmonic is shattered, and we begin to realise that beauty can be misleading. The One Ring is shown hovering in fire, which gives us the realisation that the fire signifies evil, and so, this ring represents elements of the personality of its evil creator.

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Passive Voice vs. Active Voice FINALLY Understand the Difference

Passive Voice vs. Active Voice FINALLY Understand the Difference Passive Voice vs. Active Voice: FINALLY Understand the Difference When you look over the following sentences, can you identify the ones written in passive voice and the ones using active voice?The blog post was being published by Reedsy.Reedsy had published the blog post.The blog post is published by Reedsy.The blog post will be published by Reedsy.If you answered: â€Å"The only active sentence is ‘b’† - you are correct! The other three sentences were written using passive voice (and so was this one).This post will show you exactly how to spot passive voice, how to fix it - and also when using passive voice is a-okay! Passive voice vs. active voice: check out the ultimate grammatical showdown here! What is passive voice?A sentence written with passive voice puts emphasis on the person or thing that experiences the action, instead of the person or thing driving the action.For example, consider this line from Douglas Adams’ The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe:â€Å"In the beginning the Universe was created.†The subject of the sentence is â€Å"the Universe.† The action of the sentence is â€Å"created.† Because the subject is receiving the action (the creation is happening to the Universe), this is a passive sentence.Passive sentences are comprised of the auxiliary verb ‘to be’ and the past tense of the main verb. For example:â€Å"Am / Are / Is† + past verb tense - The dog is walked by his owner. â€Å"Am / Are / Is being† + past verb tense - The dogs are being walked by their owners. â€Å"Was / Were† + past verb tense - The dog was walked by his owner. â€Å"Was / Were being† + past verb tense - The dogs were being walked by their owners. â€Å"Will be† + past verb tense - The dog will be walked by its owner. â€Å"Will have been† + past verb tense - The dog will have been walked by its owner. â€Å"Have / Has been† + past verb tense - The dog has been walked by its owner. â€Å"Had been† + past verb tense sThe following sentences all feature the action happening to the subject.â€Å"He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was made.† - Scaramouche: A Romance Of The French Revolution by Rafael Sabatini (The action â€Å"was born† is happening to the subject â€Å"he.†)â€Å"Scarlet O'Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were.† - Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell (The action â€Å"caught by her charm† is happening to a subject â€Å"the Tarleton twins.†)â€Å"When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.†Ã‚  -   To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (The action â€Å"got his arm badly broken† is happening to the subject â€Å"Jem.†)â€Å"When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin.† - The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka (The second part of this sentence sees the action â€Å"changed into a monstrous vermin† happening to subject â€Å"Gregor Samsa.†)What is active voice?Active voice is a sentence or clause that puts emphasis on the person or thing that drives the action, instead of the person or thing experiencing the action.Think of the opening line from George Orwell’s 1984:â€Å"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.†The subject of the sentence is â€Å"the clocks.† The action of the sentence is â€Å"striking.† Because the subject is driving the action (the clocks are doing the striking), this is an active sentence.Check out further instances of active voice at play in the following examples.Active voice examplesThe following sentences all feature the subject enacting some kind of action.â€Å"It was the day my grandmother exploded.† - The Crow Road by Iain M. Banks (The subject â€Å"grandmother† is doing the action â€Å"exploded†).â€Å"Mother died today.† - The Stranger by Albert Kamus (The subject â€Å"mother† is doing the action â€Å"died.†)â€Å"I write this sitting at the kitchen sink.† - I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (The subject â€Å"I† is doing the action â€Å"write† and â€Å"sitting.†)â€Å"You know, at one time, I used to break into pet shops to liberate the canaries.† - Harold and Maud by Colin Higgins (The subject â€Å"I† is doing the action â€Å"break into pet shops† and â€Å"liberate the canaries.†)Active vs passive voice: why is one considered better than the other?It’s not a big secret in the world of grammar that passive voice is often considered as bad form. Supposedly, active voice produces   stronger, more direct sentences that make your writing feel - surprise, surprise - more active.But is passive voice actually grammatically incorrect? Nope! There are definitely times when using the passive voice can enhance a statement’s clarity.When to use passive voiceIf you are writing something that requires objectivity, like a research paper, passive voice can be your friend: It allows you to more easily avoid personal pronouns and to present information in a that sounds unbiased.Or maybe you want to leave the perpetrator behind the action unclear. If the action itself or the thing/person receiving the action is more significant than the p erpetrator, place emphasis on either of those elements by writing a short passive sentence, leaving the driving force of the action out.For example, if you write: â€Å"The woman was sentenced to five years in jail† - the emphasis here is on the fact that the woman has received a sentence of jail. If you were to write: â€Å"The judge sentenced the woman to five years in jail† - the emphasis here is on the judge’s ruling instead.As you can see, passive voice isn’t something you need to avoid at all costs: There are times when it’s the right choice. However, if you’re writing something meant to invite readers in - like a novel, for example - then relying too heavily on passive voice can result in writing that feels a little flat and loses a reader’s interest.To avoid that, let’s take a look at how you can fix the use of passive voice in instances where active will serve you better.How to fix passive voice in 2 easy stepsTo s how you the two fool-proof steps to fixing passive voice, we’ll use the following passive sentence as an example: â€Å"The dress was being made by the tailor.†1. Remove the auxiliary verbAs mentioned, passive sentences often contain some form of the auxiliary verb â€Å"to be.† In this example, the auxiliary verb is â€Å"was being.†Quick note: Not all passive sentences contain an auxiliary verb. For instance, â€Å"The dress was made by the tailor† is still passive, even though it doesn’t contain any tense of â€Å"to be† (in this example, â€Å"was being.†)Take the auxiliary verb out and the sentence becomes:The dress was made by the tailor.But this is still passive, so the next step is to...2. Change the subject of the sentenceThe subject is currently â€Å"the dress† because the action in this sentence is happening to it (â€Å"the dress is being made.†) The subject of this sentence can be changed by attribut ing the action to the person performing it - in this case, the tailor. The sentence now becomes:The tailor made the dress.Congratulations! The subject is now the action-performer, meaning this sentence is now active!Let’s put these two steps into action, and change a few more passive sentences into active ones.Passive: The dinner was cooked by the chef. Active: The chef cooked dinner.Passive: The flowers were being planted by the gardener. Active: The gardener was planting the flowers.Passive: I had been interviewed by the manager. Active: The manager interviewed me.Passive: The students had been graded by the teacher. Active: The teacher was grading the students.Passive: The book was written by the author. Active: The author wrote the book.Passive: The house is being built by the construction workers. Active: The construction workers are building the house. Passive voice vs. active voice: finally understand the difference for once and for all! We hope we’ve helped you understand how to identify and fix passive voice! If you feel like you could still use a hand, you can also turn to automatic passive voice checkers, such as Hemingway, Passive Voice Detector, Analyze My Writing - which are all free and web-based. Simply copy and paste the writing you want to check, and the tool will highlight instances of passive voice for you.How do you feel about the â€Å"active voice is better than passive voice† rule? Leave any thoughts or questions in the comments below!

Importance of Emotions for Children Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Importance of Emotions for Children - Assignment Example Most of the people whom I crossed paths with were not smiling at the start of our encounter. They mostly seemed deep in thought and in a hurry to get their kids into school so they could go on with their day. However, when I took the time to smile at them as we passed each other, most of them smiled back at me. They seemed puzzled by my smile and, since I was smiling even at the parents whom I did not know personally, I bet some of them were wondering where we had met before. I would like to think that by smiling at them at the start of their workday, I was able to bring a little brightness into their lives and perhaps influenced them into going about their day in a more positive manner than they started out. On my part, I have to say that I felt very lighthearted and welcoming of the people whom I smiled at. A simple smile on my part was enough to bring a sense of positivism to my day and helped me get through my day without ever feeling cross. That is because each time I would begin to feel weary or irritated, all I had to do was think of the parents whom I exchanged smiles with earlier in the day and everything negative that I felt seemed to melt away. My show of choice for this particular study of nonverbal communication and body gestures was Full House starring Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Candace Cameron (Burke), Jodi Sweetin, Lori Loughlin, John Stamos, and Bob Saget. I felt that this show would be perfect for this exercise because the show was part of a genre that everyone enjoyed and could easily be understood even with the sound on the television or laptop turned off, comedy. It turns out that I did not make a mistake with my choice of television shows. What I learned from the show is that the human face can deliver emotions even better than the voice of a person. By simply watching the facial expression on the characters faces, I was able to tell if the scene being played out was lighthearted or serious.  

Industry Analysis Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Industry Analysis Paper - Assignment Example Competitive advantage is also taken for improving organizational performance and then it enables the company to return in asset and increase sales. Researchers argue that competitive advantage is able to predict the variance in the performance of a business and then explain the organizational consequences (Ismail, Rose, Uli & Abdullah, 2011). It is moreover the representation of a major determinant of corporate success or failure, if an organization is not capable to analyze its competitors’ strengths, weaknesses and strategies. This inability leads to the suboptimal performance in business (Sohel, Rahman & Uddin, 2014). For that purpose, analyzing the competitors is the critical need for the company’s strategy formulation and implementation of its competitive advantage. In the recent decades there appeared new techniques that help to formulate and implement strategy. Some of the popular is the Five Forces of Porter. In the following report, such analysis will be impose d to the well-known brands, companies with the world name, a Swedish multinational retail-clothing company H&M (Hennes & Mauritz) and Spanish clothing and accessories retailer Zara. The report will analyze and contrast the competitive strategy of these two companies and develop a competitive profile for each business. H&M is a Sweden-based company that operates in forty countries of the world and is known for such brands as H&M, COS, Weekday, Monki, Cheap Monday and Other Stories. The company sells products online through catalogue in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Finland and the UK. The recent launched store in U.S. (in 2013), the company has expanded its online operations to Australia (Business profile, 2015). According to H&M Group income statement, consolidated statement of comprehensive income (H&M Annual report, 2013), the company’s profit for 2012 was estimated in $ 16,867 m, while in 2013

Blaw Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Blaw - Essay Example As long as they had agreed in writing, it only means that the entertained should follow suit by paying for the service (Clarkson et al. 28). Parole Evidence Rule is not fixed just to parole or oral evidence. Under the rule, written agreements prior to the main agreement cannot be used to annul a latter drafted agreement particularly when it has been validated into a legally-binding written agreement. The disavowal that the concluding contract supersedes all the antecedent promises continues to give a pointer that indeed there was non-inclusion of furniture to the initially contracted terms. The second dimension indicates that whereas furniture is denotatively mentioned throughout the contract, a federal court may find that the provisions in the contract cannot be enforced because of vagueness. In other words, the terms need to be â€Å"reasonably certain† to effect enforcement. The same court can easily interpret the provision as an incipient agreement and seems promissory but were only meant to represent preliminary negotiations and had no legally binding connotations (Clarkson et al. 31). In an event where the court is able to determine that the provisions are unenforceable, it cannot determine the pricing due to the fact that the seller under no any legal obligation to undertake any terms of the provision. In other words, there was no obligation for the inclusion of furniture in sale agreement. In the future transaction where furniture is indeed included in the contract but the price is not, the court will not have to determine the price. In short, the court can only determine the price only when a service or good has in a way been consumed and cannot be returned in a similar condition with which it was sold. The same applies to its value which will have depreciated considerably compared to the time of sale. Such a situation will force the court to defer the pricing to

Influence of Peer Pressure on Teenage Sexual Behaviour

Influence of Peer Pressure on Teenage Sexual Behaviour Research Proposal Introduction: The budding of a child from the innocence of childhood to the maturity of an adult can be a complicated phase for many. An important factor that plays a very significant role throughout a persons life is their sexual behavior. After the mass commercialization of every product imaginable and available to consumers through print advertisements or TV advertisements, the idea of sex is being marketed to these young children almost on a daily basis. This influence is not only limited to print or TV but the internet has also started playing an important role in being a medium which provides access to teenagers and young adults to explicit content. Responsible adults of the society and the Government should make sure that those affected by sexual harassment are given proper rehabilitation facilities (Gilgun, n.d) and that perpetrators who have committed such heinous crimes are punished. Statement of problem: Many young adults become sex offenders as they grow up and some fall victim to prey like sex addiction. Also, due to exposure to explicit content on porn sites and other inappropriate material on the web these juveniles fall prey to blackmailers, sex offenders, rapists and manipulators. In girls, this could lead to unwanted pregnancy. Purpose of the study: The purpose of undertaking this study is to predict sexual behavior in teenagers due to the kind of exposure they get from experiencing peer pressure about sex at school to movies and internet that are all filled with subtle messages about sex and how wonderful it is when the consequences of their actions are not even fully clear to the teenagers undertaking this activity and how it impacts their life ahead and also to explore what rehabilitation and recovery facilities may be provided to teenagers who have being harassed. Hypothesis: The relationship between the exposure to sex related content and sexual habits of teenagers is positive and correlated. Methods and Procedures: The method used in this study was to conduct some literature review on the topic and also gather responses through teenagers and young adults through a small survey. The questions posed to them constituted of topics ranging from the influence of the media to any personal experiences they might have encountered. Also, peer pressure was an important factor included to see the effects of how many teenagers engage in sex to fit in or submit to their peers demands. Variables used: The variables used in this questionnaire were teenagers and young adults who answered the questionnaires on the topic of how they think sexually explicit content or subtle hints at selling sex to youngsters through advertisements, movies, TV shows and even billboards. Some impromptu personal interviews were also taken to see if people are biased in their opinion when communicating spontaneously vs. if they are given more time to choose and think their options. Limitations and delimitations: The limitation in this study comes out in the form of bias. The respondents in order to not let the interviewer or survey taker make judgments about them or relate the responses to their experiences subconsciously may give well thought out or morally fair answers rather than what they actually believe or think. Also since the scope of the study is limited to predicting sexual behavior in teenagers, factors such as puberty, violence, infatuation and internet play a stronger role in eliciting responses and decisions rather than rationality. Significance of the study: The significance of this study is that it will help point out the factors which can help us understand teenage psychology and behaviors better in order make policies or take collective community action to protect our children and rehabilitate and bring back to life those who have suffered. References Abstract Predictions about Teen Sexual Behavior When children grow up to step into the adult phase of their lives they are faced with perhaps the most difficult situations in their lives. They are presented with new ideas, new peers, social and peer pressure and their introduction to puberty. A lot of teenagers face the emotions of infatuation, obsession, becoming cool and doing something that would establish their reputation in front of their friends. In this age of media and mass commercialization, teenagers are exposed to sex in all forms available. It is seen in movies, TV channels, TV shows, internet, music industry and even cartoons like Simpsons where sexual references are not uncommon. It is surprising to see that while 58% of girls studying in 8th to 11th grade have faced some sort of sexual harassment occasionally or in some cases almost daily boys are also being subject to sexual harassment (Carney, 2007). The reason for such outcomes or trend seen in recent years can be the extreme exposure to sex in our culture especially to kids at an inappropriate age. This incompatibility can confuse these children who are in the process of becoming mature and distort their perceptions of sexual behavior and hinder their normal and healthy development process. Exposure to explicit content can be in the form of visual content such as is common on billboards, TV, cartoons and internet. It can also be of verbal content. A child whose parents curse and swear or use sexually explicit language and exhibit violent behavior towards each other or the society at large is subject to take the impact of such exposure and replicate such behavior when he/she grows up to be a teenager and later in their life. Perhaps, the greatest impact is of personal experience in predicting the sexual behavior of teenagers and that is usually when a person has been subject to incest or any other form of sexual and physical harassment. Such an individual becomes bitter and rebellious towards the society and takes revenge by doing those very actions and deriving satisfaction from the pain inflicted on others as a compensation for their suffering. A recent research has linked the race, age and weight of adolescents to their sexual behaviors in case of girls. Some interesting findings that came in spotlight included but are not restricted to the fact that over weight and sexually active girls and underweight girls do not practice safe sex. Latino girls were most likely to engage in risky sexual behavior including having greater than four partners, not practicing safe sex and rampant use of alcohol (Nauert, 2009) This finding indicates that as opposed to generalizing all teenagers exhibiting rogue sexual appetites; sexual behavior in teenagers can greatly differ based on their geographical location, their environment, age and even gender. Important findings that help predict teenage sexual behavior include that, teenagers who watch sexually explicit content more often than their counterparts are likely to engage and initiate sexual intercourse earlier (Collins et al., 2004) (Also see Exhibit 1) Furthermore, the impact of verbal reference to sexual activities is the same as visual impact in teenagers leading them to become sexually active at an earlier stage in their adolescence. However, it is imperative to know that if teens are shown movies or educated about the practices of disadvantages of having sex earlier or without safe practices it can put a positive impact and create awareness among them and influence their sexual behavior. Recently, the internet has proved to be yet another medium through which teenagers who are still in the phase of development and are excited by puberty and the various opportunities to socialize and go to parties, meet new partners and become equal to their peers is present, the access to sexually explicit content such as images, videos, pornography and the latest addition to the list; social networking websites present a great danger of eliciting harmful sexual behavior. In a recent study it was found that those teenagers who use the internet and social networking websites were subject to online sexual harassment such as unwanted requests to converse about sex, provide personal information, sexual solicitation or requests to do something sexual. 33% reported online harassment including the highest percentage on instant messaging (43%) and chat rooms (32%). (Ybarra Mitchell, 2008) Such consequences have made internet a bane in some cases instead of a boon with negative impacts on no t only the mental health but physical development of a child as more and more people suffer from complex about their bodies and abilities due to sexual references and discrimination. Sex at an early age for some can be damaging to moral and ethical values along with inflicting psychological problems. About 3 million teenagers contract a sexually transmitted disease such as Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and even AIDS. Most agree that teenagers tend to be reckless in their behavior, and unprotected sex is just one of a host of risky behaviors in which they engage. But even for those who are always careful, accidents can happen and contraceptives can fail. Moreover, some teenagers are exploited or coerced into having sex and thus have little control over contraception (cited in Besharov Gardiner, n.d) As exhibit 2 portrays that those engage in sex and risky behavior include marijuana, drugs and alcohol that further adds to the problem of active sex drive in teenagers. Feral children like Genie who have had no contact with the outside world for 13 years of their life and confined to a solitary room where no auditory signals or visual signals could reach rendered this child completely different from normal teenagers. Genie could not stand erect and unable to even communicate effectively with words. She was fed baby food, cereals and eggs to keep her alive. (Curtiss, 1977) This kind of treatment rendered her completely isolated from other human beings where she was unable to communicate or understand normal human emotions or any sort of sexual desires or tendencies. Another important factor which has influenced sexual behavior in teenagers is music. According to a research article published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, April 2009, Brian Primack made the statement that in a sample of adolescents listening to lyrics of a song that feature sexually explicit lyrics the tendency to engage in pre-coital activities and sexual intercourse was higher. This finding is a cause of concern and demands educational intervention because such activities by female teenagers which result in teenage pregnancies are a matter of public health concern. References Exhibits EXHIBIT 1: TV exposure and Contribution To Initiating Sex EXHIBIT 2: Early Sex and Risk Taking Behaviors

Comparing the Feminine Quest in Surfacing and Song of Solomon Essay

The Feminine Quest in Surfacing and Song of Solomon      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Margaret Atwood in her novel Surfacing and Toni Morrison in her novel Song of Solomon require their heroines to pass through a stage of self-interpretation as a prerequisite for re-inventing the self.   This stage in the feminine journey manifests a critical act typically absent in the traditional male journey, and one that places Atwood and Morrison's heroines at odds with the patriarchal community.   If authors of feminine journeys meet the requirements set out by feminist critics like Dana Heller, then we must also provide a method for interpreting the texts that will be palatable for critics from the patriarchy.   Otherwise we perpetuate an hostility between the camps that debilitates everyone.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The typical male hero's task has been to return to his community and share the boon of his journey.   That boon may be treasure badly needed for the culture's economics, it may be new wisdom needed for the proper dispensation of justice and national confidence, it may be the return to fecundity through the defeat of a monster who has been imposing an impotence on the land. Whether the boon is economic or spiritual, under the monomythic model, the stories credit the male's efforts and de-emphasize the heroine's roles in the boon's attainment.      Ã‚   The typical heroine's journey, however, existed at best as a sub-plot to the male's effort. Her role in the quest "is not meant for her active heroism," as Dana Heller says,   "but for her passive submission to a hero" (10).   Thus, if she didn't die along the quest, she married the hero.   As his spouse, she helped him dispense his boon in the typical feminine manner of caregiver, lover or innocent.   Often, the... ... New York:   Ballantine Books, 1972. Brenner, Gerry.   "Song of Solomon:   Rejecting Rank's Monomyth and Feminism," Critical Essays on Toni Morrison.   Reserve Shelf, University of Montana, 1993. Fabre, Genevieve.   "Genealogical Archeology or the Quest for Legacy in Song of   Solomon," Critical Essays on Toni Morrison.   Reserve Shelf, University of Montana, 1993. Heller, Dana.   "The Feminization of Quest Romance."   Reserve Shelf, University of  Ã‚   Montana, 1993. Hoy, David Cousens.   The Critical Circle: Literature, History and Philosophical  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hermeneutics.   Berkeley:   University of California Press, 1978. Morrison, Toni.   Song of Solomon.   New York: Penguin Books, USA, 1978. O'Shaughnessy, Kathleen.   "Life, life, life, life:   the Community of Chorus in Song of  Ã‚   Solomon," Critical Essays on Toni Morrison.   Reserve Shelf, University of Montana, 1993.

Education †learning Essay

Education is not only cognitive and intellectual learning, and learning of skills and work-related competences. It is much broader to include moral and ethical issues, values, attitudes, religion, spiritualism, art and more. It is, indeed, important to focus on this when education in schools and universities has become a large â€Å"industry† and when the world, instead of becoming more peaceful, seems to be more confrontational than before. The main reason behind this scenario, that I see, is that students are being taught and not trained and also the fact that teachers do not have any target for teaching instead they teach for the pay they get and sincerity with the profession is waning very fast. EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM The educational system that I see should be one that suits all the citizens of the country. It should consider the cultural, ethical, moral, religious and economical norms of the society and should produce respectable and responsible citizens for the society as a whole and a dignified and confident person. |This point arises due to the fact that every country consists of multi-cultural and multi ethical societies with different religious and economic backgrounds. Thus the system should have contents that may not hurt the morals and values of any person and also produce effective results that can be calculated as per the prosperity of that particular society or country as a whole. PURPOSE OF EDUCATION The foundation of our work as educators is moral and ethical education. We must teach the right values and the right ways of analyzing issues. We must seek what is true and act accordingly. Part of that is to learn that we are all responsible for our own attitudes, decisions and actions. We must use education to foster equality between sexes, classes, people of different geographic areas, creeds, colors, cultures and religions. We must learn to understand the importance of solidarity among groups at home and across the borders in order to create peace, development and prosperity. Besides this we are also imparted with the responsibility of teaching science, commerce and arts subjects to the students using latest techniques, information and research to enable our students to prepare themselves to be a productive part of the society and compete with the world in the respective fields of their study. Major areas that a teacher may address are as follows: 1. To help students gain literacy: This is supposed to be the top most priority as if a student is literate he or she may mold in any society and get adapted to its culture and norms without losing its own. 2. To enable students to use and enjoy their learning experiences: Here a student gets in hand expertise to use what it learned during the schooling period to better their social and personal life in a given environment. 3. To teach students to believe and respect others, to contribute to the well-being of their community: A learned person better knows whom to respect and whom not too, who deserves to be valued and who does not, and gets bold enough to express its feelings in a dignified and respectful way in the society. He is able to distinguish between duties bestowed upon him by the community and tries to serve the community within available resources. 4. To give students the opportunity to learn how to inquire and discover new information: When a student learns through experimentation and reasoning he tries to use the same technique throughout his life and does not accepts all and sundry information without analyzing it. 5. To help students develop broader understandings of new information: This enables a student understand and characterize given information and then apply it in his daily life. 6. To help students develop the skills and values they will need to function in a free and just society: Last but not the least it makes sure that a student is made aware of the morals and values of religion and society and to act accordingly not hurting any ones feelings and making progress accordingly in the society individually and as a community as a whole. In the process of enabling the students to get all the above qualities they are supposed to be taught different subjects but should be encompassed under the umbrella of a just religion and that is Islam not because we live in the Islamic Republic Of Pakistan but due to the fact that Islam is the only religion that addresses to all the matters discussed with command and covers all the topics amicably, may it be the moral, cultural, and or ethical values or upbringing, or the contemporary studies of science, commerce and arts. Reference: 1. http://www. intime. uni. edu 2. www. nation. com. pk †º Columns.

Biography of John Adams, 2nd United States President

Biography of John Adams, 2nd United States President John Adams (October 30, 1735–July 4, 1826) served as Americas second president and was one of the founding fathers of the American republic. While his time as president was rife with opposition, he was able to keep the new country out of a war with France. Fast Facts: John Adams Known For: Founding father of the American Revolution and United States; second U.S. President, after George WashingtonBorn: October 30, 1735 in the Massachusetts Bay ColonyParents: John and Susanna Boylston AdamsDied:  July 4, 1826 in Quincy, MassachusettsEducation: Harvard CollegePublished Works: The Autobiography of John AdamsSpouse: Abigail Smith (m. October 25, 1764)Children: Abigail, John Quincy (the sixth president), Charles, and Thomas Boylston Early Life John Adams was born on October 30, 1735, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony to John Adams and his wife Susanna Boylston. The Adams family had been in Massachusetts for five generations, and the elder John was a farmer who had been educated at Harvard and was a deacon at Braintree’s First Congregational Church and a selectman for the town of Braintree. The younger John was the oldest of three children: his brothers were named  Peter Boylston and Elihu. Johns father taught his son to read before sending him to a local school run by their neighbor Mrs. Belcher. John next attended Joseph Cleverlys Latin school and then studied under Joseph Marsh before becoming a student at Harvard College in 1751 at the age of 15, graduating in four years. After leaving Harvard, Adams worked as a teacher but decided instead to take up the law. He trained under Judge James Putnam (1725–1789), another Harvard man, who would eventually serve as attorney general of Massachusetts. Adams was admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1758. Marriage and Family On  October 25, 1764, John Adams married  Abigail Smith, the high-spirited daughter of a Brookline minister. She was nine  years younger than Adams, loved reading, and built an abiding and tender relationship with her husband, evidenced by their surviving letters. Together they had six children, four of whom lived to adulthood: Abigail (called Nabby), John Quincy (the sixth president), Charles, and Thomas Boylston. Career Before the Presidency Two of Adams most influential cases were the successful defense of the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre (1770). He defended both the commanding officer, Captain Preston, winning a complete acquittal for him, and his eight soldiers, six of whom were acquitted. The remaining two were found guilty but were able to escape execution by praying the benefit of clergy, a medieval loophole. Never a fan of the British- Adams took the case in the cause of justice- his experiences with the Boston Massacre trials would begin Adams journey towards accepting that the colonies would need to separate from Britain.   From 1770–1774, Adams served in the Massachusetts legislature and was then elected a member of the Continental Congress. He nominated George Washington to be Commander-in-Chief of the army and was part of the committee that worked to draft the Declaration of Independence. Diplomatic Efforts In 1778 during the early days of the war for independence, Adams served as a diplomat to France alongside Benjamin Franklin and Arthur Lee but found himself out of place. He returned to the U.S. and served in the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention before being sent to the Netherlands on another diplomatic mission negotiating trade agreements from 1780 to 1782. From there, he returned to France and with Franklin and John Jay created the Treaty of Paris (1783) officially ending the American Revolution. From 1785–1788 he was the first American minister to visit Great Britain. He later served as vice president to Washington, the nations first president, from 1789 to 1797. Election of 1796 As Washingtons vice president, Adams was the next logical Federalist candidate for the presidency. He was opposed by Thomas Jefferson in a fierce campaign, causing a political rift between the old friends that lasted the rest of their lives. Adams was in favor of a strong national government and felt France was a greater concern to national security than Britain, while Jefferson felt the opposite. At that time, whoever received the most votes became president, and whoever came in second became Vice President. John Adams received 71 electoral votes and Jefferson 68. France and the XYZ Affair One of Adams major accomplishments during his presidency was to keep America out of a war with France and normalize relations between the two countries. When he became president, relations were strained between the United States and France mainly because the French were conducting raids on American ships. In 1797, Adams sent three ministers to try to work things out. The French would not accept them and instead, French Minister Talleyrand sent three men to ask for $250,000 in order to resolve their differences. This event became known as the  XYZ Affair, causing a great public uproar in the United States against France. Adams acted quickly, sending another group of ministers to France to try to preserve the peace. This time they were able to meet and come to an agreement that allowed the U.S. to be protected on the seas in exchange for granting France special trading privileges. During the ramp-up to a possible war, Congress passed the  repressive Alien and Sedition Acts, which consisted of four measures designed to limit immigration and  free speech. Adams used them to censor and repress criticisms against the government- specifically the Federalist Party. Marbury vs. Madison John Adams spent the last few months of his term in office in the new, unfinished mansion in Washington, D.C. that would eventually be called the White House. He did not attend Jeffersons inauguration and instead spent his last hours in office appointing numerous Federalist judges and other officeholders based on the Judiciary Act of 1801. These would be known as the midnight appointments. Jefferson removed many of them, and the  Supreme Court  case  Marbury vs. Madison  (1803) ruled the Judiciary Act was unconstitutional, resulting in the right of  judicial review. Adams was unsuccessful in his bid for reelection, opposed not only by the Democratic-Republicans under Jefferson but also by  Alexander Hamilton. A Federalist, Hamilton actively campaigned against Adams in hopes that vice presidential nominee Thomas Pinckney would win. However, Jefferson won the presidency and Adams retired from politics. Death and Legacy After losing the presidency, John Adams returned home to Quincy, Massachusetts. He spent his time learning, writing his autobiography, and corresponding with old friends. That included mending fences with Thomas Jefferson and beginning a vibrant letter friendship. He lived to see his son John Quincy Adams become president. He died at his home in Quincy on July 4, 1826, within a few hours of the death of Thomas Jefferson. John Adams was an important figure throughout the revolution and the early years of the United States. He and Jefferson were the only two presidents who had been members of the founding fathers and signed the Declaration of Independence. The crisis with France dominated most of his time in office, as he was faced with opposition to actions he took concerning France from both parties. However, his perseverance allowed the fledgling United States to avoid war, giving it more time to build and grow. Sources Adams, John. 1807. The Autobiography of John Adams. Massachusetts Historical Society.Grant, James. John Adams: Party of One. Farrar, New York: Straus and Giroux, 2005.McCullough, David. John Adams. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2001.Farrell, James M., and John Adams. John Adamss Autobiography: The Ciceronian Paradigm and the Quest for Fame. The New England Quarterly 62.4 (1989): 505-28.Smith, Page. John Adams, Volume I 1735-1784; Volume II 1784-1826. New York: Doubleday, 1962.John Adams: Biography. John Adams Historical Society 2013.

Gender Representation Essays

Gender Representation Essays Gender Representation Essay Gender Representation Essay Traditionally, specific qualities, characteristics and roles have been socially and culturally assigned to males and females on the basis of gender. In traditional patriarchal societies, females have been assigned domestic and demurred roles, dependent from their male counterparts to succeed in life, where as males are generally expected to be physically strong, brave and unemotional. The short story The Altar of the Family by Michael Wilding features a young boy, David, who initially challenges traditional gender stereotypes but is brutalized by his insensitive father who’s obsession in preserving ‘Family Honour’ is taken too far. Mr Murray treats his sons feminine behaviour as unacceptable and crudely insults him with harsh remarks such as â€Å"poofter† and â€Å"moping.. poet. † Because society rejects those who step outside their allocated roles, femininity is sacrificed to maintain family honour but in doing so, a facet of David is also drained and he is left â€Å"empty†. Mrs Murray’s character reinforces traditional gender stereotypes of a prim, proper lady and child nurturer who is demurred and suppressed by her sexuality. She has a traditional patriarchal relationship with her husband and in doing so is marginalized, silenced and â€Å"dem . . . † This clearly raises question about the roles fathers have to play to define to their sons; what it means to be a man. The play on the masculine name â€Å"Bredon† to which the family had settled and built reinforces a patriarchal family with traditional beliefs and values. This would appear to encourage the reader to reject particular versions of masculinity. : Although we condemn Mr Murray for his behaviour and the conduct towards his son, Wilding uses him as a vehicle that represents a microcosm of society at large with its traditional beliefs and values. However we are able to relate to David and sympathise with him being the victim of unruly injustice. Symbolism is used by Wilding to signify Mr Murray’s disgrace and shame of his son David. Setting is used to both emphasize gender representations but also used to reinforce David’s femininity. † By this constraint, David is banned from experiencing life and Mrs Murray is impeached for David’s femininity. David’s character is compared to lilies which symbolize him being â€Å"soft, rich-textured, so white† representing David with the feminine characteristics of innocence and purity. Traditionally, altars are used in a church where animals are sacrificed and often symbolise death. Mr Murray was â€Å"incensed at such a suggestion [to] sell it, or build a modern house on the site,† which clearly suggests he had no intentions of â€Å"destroying its traditions,† which was constructed on the idea of male dominance and authority. Because David challenges his allocated gender role, he is tormented and revolted by society, which in end, triumphs over his femininity. Although we know texts never reflect a mirror of the world, it questions society’s endorsement of effeminate, so called â€Å"lesser men,† as equal and worthy of â€Å"honour. Mr Murray is insensitive and brutal towards his son David, because he lacks the same masculine qualities that he attains himself, that prove him to be ‘Honourable. This story colludes with notions of gender even though David is initially judged by society as incongruously effeminate.

Company culture report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Company culture report - Research Paper Example This company’s culture gives them a competitive edge over the rivals and places them a head of others in market dominance and customer satisfactory products (Grenville, 113). Based on this information, this paper looks at the Apple’s culture in relation to how they have used the strategy to overcome hurdles facing the company. The culture of the company is based on change such that they have been associated with hitting the market with spectacular products that has left the competitors agape. Methodology For the purpose of data collection, this research paper considered secondary document to analyze and gather the relevant data required for the purpose of this paper. In this regard, Books and other journals that have documented Apple Company management and culture were considered. The information regarding the company has been accurately considered and rationally analyzed for the purposes of relying in this information. Apple Inc. Culture following the research demonstr ates one of the companies that use unique and complicated culture based on the ability to remain innovative at personal level. Culture of the Company The company’s culture is a complex structure with several facets that are simultaneously adhered to. The following will be discussed in relation its culture; Behavior at work Whereas there are set standards and ethical code of conduct, the company has enabled the employees to exercise freedom in running their own show and tolerate working in a challenging environment. This enabling environment has allowed them to be creative and progressive in making breakthrough by coming up with new products that has made the company known for surprises in the technological world (Linzmayer, 129). The need for creativity forms the cornerstone of progression in Apple Company, which is why the employees in the company always have the urge to bring something new in the market for the consumer-something different from what is common and usual. The company according to former CEO, Steve Jobs organized it employees relation in that there are a group of thinkers who come up with brilliant ideas about what may hit the market, the idea is then taken to another level where the imagination will be put to practice by software developers (Linzmayer, 143). In the end, a new product hits the market courtesy of the company culture. In apple, the formality and the hierarchical order traditionally associated with to most companies is not a factor, instead, they devised their own informal system that is results oriented. This kind of arrangement has enabled the company’s employees to develop legendry self esteem and efficiency that has propelled the company to its current level. Nurturing of self-esteem in the company’s employees has seen the employees accepting failures and instead of being disillusioned, they have used it for self-correcting and keeping up with the pace of innovation. Perception and Criteria of selection Fo llowing the company’s need to remain at the apex of innovation, they have designed a stringent method of recruiting employees that is also different from the normal assessment given by majority of the companies (Grady, 48). In Apple Company, one’s ability to serve in the dynamic work environment full of challenges is a prerequisite to the company than related intellect. All that the company requires is a progressive mind that is able to think constructively about what other cannot (Grady, 78).

The Man with a Movie Camera (1929) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Man with a Movie Camera (1929) - Essay Example Additionally, film has portrays a higher mathematics montage as Vertov has used unique cinematic techniques to craft a document that have pleasantly joined facts with images hence making the film to consist only of those linkages that will signify a whole organic essential in endorsing self-reflective images. In relation to that, Vertov, believe that the camera is a â€Å"Cine-Eye,† that captures, images reflecting on found reality hence enabling him to create his own cine-truths, apart from preceding art forms and beyond the decayed conventions of traditional narrative and socially created realism. In achieving this, Vertov decided to relate man to machines and in the face of machine, man is abashed for their incapability to engross the world with a reflexive eye. For that reason, Vertov decided to use Cine-eye to organize the shots extracted from real life situation hence crafting a well calculated, and meaningful rhythmic visual order ever seen. Correspondingly, Vertov argues ‘the film is only the sum of the facts recorded on film. Thus, he advocates for film’s freedom from â€Å"the tutelage of literature and the theater â€Å"as literature and the theater promote a notion of perceiving ‘life as it’ hence nurturing imperfect human eye. For that reason, Vertov recommend that cinema vocation is necessary as it capture â€Å"the feel of the world† as this will certify for â€Å"perfectible eye† thus brings us face to face with 100% cinematography. For instance, a series of shots that demonstrate details of a womans bedroom in Moscow give us a clear picture of the lifestyle of Urban Russian in 1929. Subsequently, Vertov has capture everyday life among humans in Russia by using a series of shots that oc cur in the streets Moscow and Odessa demonstrate images of a train moving at extraordinary speed and individuals arriving at industrial unit to begin labor. Another stimulating aspect of Vertovs editing is the way he

The Emergent Threat of Bio-Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The Emergent Threat of Bio-Terrorism - Essay Example This paper weighs the pros and cons on whether al Qaeda or any other international terrorist group indeed has the motivation and capability to develop and use bio-weapons to carry out their missions of terror against the civilized world. If biological weapons represent the new threat to world peace and security that it is feared to be, we need to examine the desire and capability of authorities to deal with this yet to be experienced challenge to existing health and defense systems. Together with chemical and nuclear weapons, modern biological weapons are commonly classified as weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and have been used as such on many occasions in the past. Biochemical weapons may appeal to terrorists for three major reasons: 1) they are easier and cheaper to acquire than nuclear devices and cause more casualties; 2) their effects on target population are hard to detect and counter; and 3) the threat of their use causes fear, which element the terrorists love most (Danitz, 1998, p. 3). The use of bio-weapons actually goes back to the siege warfare in Medieval Ages, among which was the recorded attempt to spread disease through dead horses at northern France in 1340. In 1346, cadavers of plague victims were dumped on the defenders at Caffa in Crimea, while human and animal manure was used at Karlstein in Bohemia in 1422. The most successful was said to be the bio-attack at Caffa, where a large number of the defenders came down with the Bubonic plague (Wheelis, 2002, p. 12). On the American frontier, some of the disease outbreaks between the 18th and early 20th centuries might have been deliberately instigated (Fenn, 2000). The best documented of those early bio-attacks took place at Fort Pitt in Pennsylvania at the height of the Pontiac rebellion in 1763, when British troops gifted the Fort Pitt defenders with blankets and handkerchiefs from smallpox patients. The latter-day known incident of that nature happened between 1957 and 1965 when land speculators and corrupt agents of the Brazilian Indian Protective Service introduced smallpox, measles, flu and tuberculosis into the American Indians on the Amazonian basin. For smallpox, fomites were used and for the other diseases the culprits had the sick whites mixed with tribe members (Wheelis, 2002, p. 13). War records starting from the American Revolutionary War to the Cold War era also reveal the extensive use of bio-weapons. There was the story of how British troops attacked the Continental Army in Boston and Quebec on several occasions with smallpox by driving infected civilians into the enemy fold. In World War I, the Germans waged a covert bio-attack by having secret agents inject anthrax and glanders cultures into farm animals penned for shipment to Allied countries. Japan resorted to the same tactic during World War II mostly against the Chinese. In the 1942 Chekiang campaign, for example, retreating Japanese agents poisoned wells, sprayed the ground behind them with microbial cultures and left infected foodstuff for the

International Management Essay Example for Free

International Management Essay Problem Statement Jabwood International is contemplating international expansion into new markets specifically, Saudi Arabia and China to compensate for a decline in revenues. Problem Causes The Middle Eastern situation, specifically the uprising in Syria. The borders between Lebanon and Syria being closed causing the company’s main wood supplier TANITA to expand to other timber companies. Jabwood’s market share and sales volume had a drop of 20 %. Jabwood does not have any business in Saudi Arabia which has the Biggest Market in the Middle East for wood products. Jabwood does not have any business in China which the potential for wood products have increased every year due to the population. The company depends on one major Supplier, which constituted 60 to 70 percent of its revenue source. Managers are under tremendous Pressure to meet sales quotas and avoid any conflict with TANITA because it generates most of Jabwoods revenue. Jabwood has no succession plan incorporated and discussion for it is considered Taboo. Finally managerial positions were only extended to family members only, which shows favoritism to those individuals and no advancement or promotion to other employees. Possible Alternatives Jabwood needs to incorporate a succession plan as well as extend managerial positions to non-family members, doing so will reinvigorate the employees and change their views on the company. Jabwood has two difficult decisions whether to expand to a place they know Saudi- Arabia or to China which they have no Knowledge in. Saudi-Arabia Expansion Jabwood operated in Saudi Arabia before and had established operations with one of the Jabado brothers Adnan During the time they had business in the country. Saudi- Arabia generated half of Jabwood international sales. Jabwoods market share dropped once they withdrew from Saudi-Arabia. Expansion with Saudi- Arabia does have its pros and cons. Pros First year sales are 10% of the target market. Sales growth is estimated at 100 % in two years. There are no restrictions on mobility of funds. Capital can be 100% foreign. Processed wood products are exempted from import taxes. Government Stability is at 61 which means it is not likely for the country to go unstable. Saudi- Arabia is in the Middle East and it also an Islamic country which Jabwood international is familiar with that market. Cons Tariffs on lumber are 12%. 28 million population does not compare to the 13 population in China and the citizens who need homes there. 0% forest areas 1 million CBM to import wood. 82 % of the country are urban areas meaning less places required for wood construction. $686.00 to import per container. Sawn timber is not needed. China Expansion China is a huge market for wood products, Demand for wood is through the roof. The Chinese wood industry has been Prospering since 2010. They have become the biggest producer and exporter of WBP and plywood in the world, they are the second biggest importer of wood products in the world. Pros A new regulation in Shanghai allows the replacement of sloppy rooftops to be replaced with sawn timber, this would be a huge market for Jabwood International. Tariffs on lumber are low. Only 150 million CBM is produced locally. The 13 billion population alone makes the demand at an astounding number for wood. Rural areas are at a higher percentage, meaning more room for building houses. Cost of imports are at a less cost than in Saudi-Arabia. Sawn timber is needed. Cons First years sales are at 2% of the target market. Sales growth estimates are at 0% by the second year. China law does not guarantee re-transfer of capital, annual transfer of dividends, and transfer of capital in cases of termination. No exclusivity to sell TANITA products in China. Establishing a representative office in a foreign country in $60,000. The Chinese wood market is known to have stringent requirements with regard to wood sizes and quality. The Communist laws in China might lead to issues in business practices. Staff must know Chinese regulations and speak Chinese to have an easier time trying to cope with the strict business administrative procedures. Chinese people are afraid that houses made of wood are prone to natural disasters. Decision Jabwood International should make the decision to re-establish its connections in Saudi-Arabia and began working there immediately. Justification Even though the Market in China is more in demand since there are 13 billion people. There are much more cons to expand there than there would be in Saudi-Arabia. Also expanding in China would be very risky, since Jabwood International never did any type of business there before. Jabwood International has experience in Saudi-Arabia and they made about 50% of their sales when they did do business there, which justifies why they should return there. Action Steps Fayez Jabado should conduct a meeting with Imad and Mahmoud Jabado since they are familiar with the Saudi market and begin plans to expand out there as soon as possible. Adnan Jabado should be head leader or in charge of the operations in Saudi-Arabia since he has done so before. It only takes 5 days to start a business in the country so operations can began sooner than expected. Some issues that may arise are the high costs of tariffs and corporate tax rate. The Jabado brothers should divide the tasks among each other so the expansion can go as smoothly as possible.

Business Leadership :: essays research papers

Parallel to the evolution that has occured in the business world in decades past, is the evolution of views on participative leadership among managers. Participative leadership refers to the manner in which employers have come to treat their employees. This treatment has evolved from days of traditional, autocratic relationships– in which employees were told exactly what tasks to do, without regard to their feelings or what intelligent input could be made– to today’s spectrum of treatment defined by two terms, human relations and human resources. Managers’ approaches today, now consider, not only the employees feelings, but the potential added benefits they might be able to bring to the firm. The difference between human relations and human resources lies in the goals and expectations of the manager. With human relations, the manager’s primary concern is reducing employee resistance to authority with the satisfaction of the employee’s basic n eeds to feel accomplishment and belonging in the company; secondary is the performance and added benefits the employee may be able to contribute once morale is increased. On the other hand, managers who practices human resources look to empower their employees by encouraging them to take initiative and reach goals by their own capabilities and resources. With the sense of self-accomplishment gained by doing this, it is then that employee morale will be raised. Not only will the employee’s presence truly matter, but the company’s productivity and success will also be greater. Managers’ stances today are headed in the direction of the human resources model, a beneficial move for the welfare of company relations and success, but there are those who still practice human relations. Many companies demonstrate both models, proving employer/employee relationships in today’s companies continue to range the spectrum.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Two guiding companies of the human resource model are Lucent Technologies and Miller Brewing Company. The employees of these firms have been empowered with the ability to work in teams and achieve goals on their own. This flexibility has resulted in creativity and productivity unseen before. The effect: greater employee morale, respect, and overall company success. With the human relations model, such success is uncomparable. Understandably, there are those who still advocate it though. Those people might look at such successful companies as Mary Kay Cosmetics. The consultants of this firm enjoy the encouragement and widespread support, making job loyalty and morale very high. However, in reality, employees of Mary Kay don’t have the opportunity or flexibility to explore their ideas in terms of corporate and influential decisions.

Ameliorating Hospital Working Conditions Essay -- Nursing, CISM

It is found that most â€Å"nurses love their work and hate their jobs† (Berliner and Ginzberg 2742). Due to the current quality of the nurses’ environments, this is of no surprise. The major factor hindering the quality of hospitals is the level of stress in the workforce. While it is inevitable to eliminate stressors in all medical centers, how stress is perceived is a controllable factor. The idea of stress being controlled emphasizes the need for CISM programs in all health facilities of America to cope with the critical incidents and stress that occur on a daily basis. CISM, as defined by Tracy, is a â€Å"comprehensive, multi-component program based upon counseling principals and peer support processes designed to assist emergency health professionals’ when dealing effectively with the stressful components of their work† (28). The program is thought to be the most effective type of counseling in hospitals for critical incidents and stress, due to it s extensive step-by-step guideline. CISM is expected to increase nursing staff, patient satisfaction, and overall create more efficient health care facilities by mitigating negative stress reactions in hospital workers. The program will provide a safer and healthier environment for both the nurses and patients in the medical centers. In a study, it was found that hospitals with more positive work environments for their nurses have higher patient satisfaction (Greenslade and Jimmieson 1189). The higher patient satisfaction is most likely due to nurse’s more emotionally prepared to care for their patients in a thriving environment. CISM programs provide that healthier environment and better working conditions in the hospital. CISM was created by Jeffrey Mitchell initially to reduce the ... ... (2003). Crisis Intervention and CISM: A Research Summary. Ellicott City, Maryland, International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. Retrieved from http://cism.cap.gov/files/articles/CISM%20Research%20Summary.pdf Parsley, Lee Ann, Conditions and strategies Affecting Interagency Collaboration in the Development of Critical Incident Stress Management Programs. Diss. U. of Ohio, 2003. UMI, 3093687. Print. Sieben, Laura. Staff Debriefing after a Critical Incident in the Emergency Department. Diss. College of Scholastica, 2009, UMI, 14738626. Print. Tracy, Scott. How Cumulative Stress Affected the Lived Experience of Emergency Medical Service Workers after a Horrific Natural Disaster: Implications for Professional Counselors. Diss. Duquesne University, 2007. UMI, 3292249. Print.

Constitutional Amendments

The Eighteenth Amendment prohibited liquor with the exception of the use of liquor for religious purposes. As a result, it became difficult to consume let alone obtain alcohol at the time. Organized crime in the country became prevalent as people began to obtain alcohol illegally and as people began to organize themselves for alcohol trade and sales despite the increasing pressure brought forth by the government. Corruption in several government agencies became prevalent as people were tempted to bribe government officials in order to obtain alcohol with their approval.The Amendment’s impact on contemporary society is that it gave the government a learning lesson with regard to unpopular legislations in the face of the demands of the public. Today, the effects of the Eighteenth Amendment can no longer be observed as the American public is now allowed to purchase and consume liquor and other alcoholic drinks. Nevertheless, there are existing government restrictions on the legal age of obtaining and consuming alcohol. There are also current restrictions on drinking when together with other activities such as driving.Less than two decades after the ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment, the Twenty-first Amendment was ratified. The latter Amendment repealed the provisions of the Eighteenth Amendment concerning the nationwide prohibition on the use of liquor. However, the second section of the Twenty-first Amendment prohibits the importation or transport of alcoholic beverages to States where doing so would violate the laws thereof. One of the effects of the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment is that numerous states retained their laws prohibiting alcohol consumption long after the Amendment was enforced.Countless public bars remained under State prohibition from selling intoxicating liquor to the public which effectively gave States control over liquor. Today, numerous States have passed the authority to control public alcohol distribution or sale s to their different counties and municipalities. In any case, the industry of alcoholic beverages in the United States is now thriving to the point that the manufacturers of these beverages continue to export their products abroad on a regular basis.While some of the prohibition on local bars on a municipal or county-level led to lawsuits citing First Amendment rights, alcoholic beverages continue to be distributed, sold and consumed for the most part of the country although their distribution, selling and consumption are required to be within the legal limits. The Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution proscribes both the federal government and the different states from denying Americans from their right to vote on the basis of a person’s sex.The apparent result of the ratification of the amendment is that women became part of the population eligible to vote for candidates running for government positions. The amendment effectively abolished the limitation of the right to suffrage which was previously accorder only to men. Women became entitled with the right to vote without having to worry about legal restrictions imposed by the government and opposition from other individuals. The effect of the Amendment continues to this day as women continue to partake in the American electoral process.In essence, the consequences of the Amendment are very visible in public especially during elections. The Twentieth Amendment puts in detail the start and end of the terms of elected federal government officials such as the President and the Vice-President. The Amendment further specifies the role of Congress in appointing a President when the Presidency is vacant. It specifies the order of succession to the Presidency in times when President dies. It also specifies the day in which Congress shall convene unless otherwise legally appointed on a different day.The effect of the Amendment after ratification is that it gave elected federal government officials the urg ency of time to immediately occupy their positions in order to deal with important matters the soonest time possible. It also prevented Congress from convening for a futile session right after the elections as the start of the Congressional session was moved to every third day of January, less than two weeks before the start of the term of the newly elected President and Vice-President. The case of President Barack Obama serves as a contemporary example.His case illustrates the urgency for the President to start working the soonest time possible in order to address important national concerns, one of which is the current economic crisis that has hit the country and other parts of the world. Finally, the Twenty-second Amendment to the U. S. Constitution sets the limit for the Presidential term. Specifically, the elected President is given up to two four-year terms in office. However, an acting President who has served the remaining two years of office is also entitled to a full two f our-year terms in office—the maximum term that a person can hold the position of President is ten years.As for acting Presidents who have held the position for more than two years, they can only hold office for no more than one term after completing their term as acting President. At the time after the ratification of the Amendment, Dwight Eisenhower was the President. He argued that a second-term President would simply be reduced to a â€Å"lame duck† because his political influence and vested powers would be diminished considering that such a President faces an apparent and irreversible deadline on his term.The President who is about to leave office becomes ineffective to a certain degree because politicians in the government will become more interested in the search for and support of their presidential candidates than in the affairs of the executive branch. These things have been one of the main concerns of the incumbent president—Dwight Eisenhower—at the time of the ratification of the amendment. In more recent times, Americans who oppose the Bush policies on war saw the two-term limit as their saving grace. After the inauguration of George W.Bush for his second term in office, he was quick to issue several foreign and local policies because he understood that he faces the risk of being a â€Å"lame duck† president by the time his second term in office is about to expire. As for current U. S. President Barack Obama, he is entitled to the same two four-year terms that former president George W. Bush had since the time of Eisenhower. Reference Constitution of the United States: Amendments 11-27. Retrieved March 1, 2009, from http://www. archives. gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_amendments_11-27. html

The Dutch Health Care System The WritePass Journal

The Dutch Health Care System Introduction The Dutch Health Care System EHCI rankings (Arne BJornberg, 2012).   Analysts report that this consistent performance is mainly due to the policy reforms and the introduction of the ‘Health Insurance act’ of 2006. Not only did the Netherlands top the EHCI which is generally regarded as   measure of ‘consumer friendliness’ of the national health care policy, but it also ranked among the top three nations when measured for outcomes related to critical and chronic conditions such as cardiac problems, diabetes, HIV and Hepatitis   (Arne BJornberg, 2012). The appendix A includes graphical figures showing the performance of Netherlands in some of the important healthcare metrics such as infant mortality levels, elective surgery waiting time, etc.   Reports suggest that though there is some scope for improvement in terms of reducing the waiting time and the overall accessibility of services, the Dutch healthcare system has hardly any weakspots (Arne BJornberg, 2012) The success of the Dutch model has bought increasing global focus on its model of care delivery. This paper therefore explores the vital aspects of the Dutch health care system. Methodology This is a secondary research and involved searching for national reports and health policy documents and journal articles pertaining to the health care policy of Netherlands. Pubmed database was searched for a combination of keywords such as Dutch Healthcare system, health insurance, structural reforms, etc. Google search was also conducted on these keywords and this provided access to comprehensive national reports. Since the search resulted in a wide array of documents only those reports and articles which were authentic sources such as the Dutch ministry of health and articles from peer reviewed journals and magazines were selected for use in this report. The Dutch Health Care system (The problems that existed) The healthcare system in the Netherlands was totally different before 2006, when it was restructured with the introduction of the ‘Health insurance act’ (Zorgverzekeringswet, Zvw). A brief overview of the earlier system would help us better understand the evolutionary response and the introduction of the much touted ‘health insurance act’ of 2006. Earlier, universal health coverage was achieved by a combination of government funded and privately funded insurance systems. Social health insurance (ZFW) funded by the government provided coverage for all those who were under the prescribed income limit. The vast majority of the Dutch population was under the ZFW coverage. Another government funded program known as the AWBZ (exceptional medical insurance act) provided coverage for long term care and other exceptional medical treatments. Around 30% of the Dutch population who were above the prescribed low income level to qualify for the ZFW were encouraged to purc hase coverage from private health insurance services (PHI) (David, 2008). These private health insurance schemes were mostly funded by the employers or in some instances directly by the individuals. While the Dutch system was working good in providing universal access to coverage there were systemic problems. Sustainability of the system was one of the pressing issues. For instance, the aging population and the growing health care needs implied that the majority government- funded health coverage would consume a significant portion of the national GDP. (14% and above). Secondly the model did not provide sufficient quality incentives for the care providing organizations and there were also growing concerns about the accessibility to some services. Particularly, there was a tendency to postpone elective procedures at the end of the year for pure accounting purposes. Thirdly, insurance premiums under the PHI or private providers were rising considerably for those with chronic conditions and this, in fact, discouraged many from the PHI schemes and such people went without insurance. Last but not the least, was the problem of insurance portability(David, 2008). Owing to participation of numerous small insurance companies in the PHI scheme, there were significant coverage limitations. To eradicate all these problems the Dutch government came up with fundamental changes in the delivery model with the majority government funded social insurance system giving way to a privately insured, yet government regulated, model of care delivery. This has greatly improved the healthcare system by addressing the above mentioned problems. The Health care Act (2006) (A sustainable solution) This act structurally redesigned the Dutch healthcare system by introducing private social insurance (ZVW) as a mandatory coverage for all citizens above 18 years of age while the government covers all those below 18 years of age. The important feature of the ZVW scheme is that it provides universal coverage for all citizens without any restrictions based on their age, health status, pre existing conditions, etc. Also the distinguishing feature between the ZVW and the earlier ZFW is that it is totally managed by private insurers. This act is a significant move towards the private free market. However, it is regulated by the government and the price for the basic benefit package under the ZVW is stipulated based on annual projections. The ZVW covers all routine checkups, hospitalizations, medication and doctor’s fees. Other services that do not come under the ZVW such as dentistry, cosmetic services, physiotherapy, etc could be optionally covered through supplementary policies (Maarsse, 2011). The following illustration depicts the prevailing health care insurance system in Netherlands Fig : Health Insurance system after the 2006 Health Insurance act (Maarsse, 2011) The ZVW (A hybrid system) Health care as a market service is not recommendable as governments do not see health care as a business but as a social provision. Under these circumstances the introduction of the private ‘for –profit’ business entities to provide insurance coverage creates undesirable consequences that might affect the equitable distribution of health care. Such discrepancies in service provision by private insurance entities in the US offer a clear case that confirm the fears that markets are not the ideal way to deliver health. (Angell, 2008)   However, one of the highlights of the Dutch healthcare system is the uniformness of coverage that it allows. Dutch lawmakers have incorporated several legal features that protect the consumers and ensure that the ZVW is a hybrid form of the social insurance and the private insurance (VWS, 2012). Since the Dutch government compensates the insurers for high risk patients in the form of the risk equalization fund the system avoids â€Å"cherry picking† which is a pressing problem in countries such as the US where private insurers are very selective in covering high risk patients. (Angell, 2008). The Dutch model on the other hand, by compensating insurers for enrollees with a higher risk prediction, encourages them to provide coverage for everyone without a risk bias. The concept of risk equalization therefore helps to achieve universal coverage even under a ‘for –profit’ private insurer based system. As Michael Borowitz, a senior health policy analyst with OECD says, this system provides insurance companies â€Å"no incentive to pick people who are only healthy†. (PBS, 2009) This is a key policy control mechanism that aids with the success of the universal coverage and the absence of such a policy control in the US created a pure business like approach where the goal of profit maximization naturally discourages private insurers from providing coverage for people under a higher risk category (Angell, 2008). Insurer Competition and Consumer Freedom Another aspect of the thoroughly regulated Dutch private insurance system is that it creates healthy competition between insurers. The government permits health consumers to switch between insurers once every year.   Thus the privately administered and government regulated insurance model provides choice to the consumer and serves to improve the quality of services by the insurance providers.   The health insurance act also provides sufficient freedom of choice to the consumer. For instance, enrollees can opt for policy in- kind or a restitution policy. In the first instance, the insurance company itself takes care of all the details including finding the appropriate health providers and the payments etc. In the restitution option the enrollee can choose his/her own providers, at their own time, and also pay up for the services. The cost of such services is then reimbursed by the insurance provider. The later option is referred to as the personal care budget (pgb or persoonsgebon den budget) (Daley Gubb, 2013). On top of this flexibility, the Dutch ZVW insurance scheme also provides for compensatory features such as deductibles. Deductibles apply to any enrollee that has not utilized the health services beyond a minimum cost during the year and these are automatically applied to the premium in the next year (David , 2008). This feature adds to the solidarity of the Dutch insurance system. GP’s as Gatekeepers As in the UK, the Dutch also adopt the gatekeeper approach when it comes to availing specialist care. The General Practitioner (GP) is the primary care provider of the patient and is usually the family physician. Any consultations with specialist service providers operating in secondary and tertiary care units is made possible only through a referral from the  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   GP. This method is applied in order to contain health care costs associated with unnecessary specialist consultations (Daley Gubb, 2013). Quality of care is a high priority in the national health policy. The policy allows insurers to select hospitals or care providers based on the quality of their service. If any providers are found wanting in quality, insurers have the option not to contract such providers.   Furthermore feedback from patients are considered and promptly attended to. The General administrative law act makes it a priority for the AWBZ implementing body to promptly assess and address any cu stomer grievance. If the customer is not satisfied with the response from the AWBZ body then he/she could lodge a complaint with the national ombudsman which would not only assess the provider for upholding contractual provisions, but also verify if the patient was meted out equal treatment, reasonableness and proper care. Furthermore, if the Ombudsman received many complaints of similar nature the problem is referred to the health ministry which would take it into consideration for further changes to the health care policy(VWS, 2012). These feedback systems ensure that the experience for the patient at the point of care delivery is motivating and positive. Conclusion The health insurance act of 2006 bought a significant reform to the way healthcare is delivered in the Netherlands.   Widely praised as a successful evolutionary response, the health insurance act created a move away from the segmented structure of insurance towards a mandatory single scheme for all citizens. Equity of access, quality of health services and financial risk protection are the key aspects that govern universal coverage. The inclusion of social preconditions such as the provision of equitable coverage for all citizens, as well as insurer and consumer friendly components such as ‘risk equalization fund’ and ‘deductibles’ have made private insurance based universal coverage a reality. In Netherlands, strict government regulation of private insurance has created a level playing field, stimulating healthy competition among the insurers while at the same time providing freedom of choice for the health consumer. References Claire Daley James Gubb (2013) , Healthcare Systems : The Netherlands , viewed March 26th 2013, www.civitas.org.uk/nhs/download/netherlands.pdf Arne BJornberg (2012), Euro health consumer Index, 2012 report, published by Health Consumer Powerhouse Maarse, H (2011), Dutch Health Care Reform at the Crossroads, The Hastings Centre, viewed March 26th 2013, http://healthcarecostmonitor.thehastingscenter.org/files/2011/06/Maarse-Dutch-health-care-reform-at-the-crossroads-long-version1.pdf Marcia Angell (2008), Privatizing healthcare is not the answer: Lessons from the United States, CMAJ 179 (9), 916-919. Naidoo J Wills J (2005), Public health and health promotion: Developing practice, London, Elsevier. PBS (2009), Comparing international health care systems, viewed March 27th, 2013, pbs.org/newshour/updates/health/july-dec09/insurance_10-06.html Perott, David, (2008), The Dutch Health care system: Possible model for America? Physician Executive, 34(6), 16- 8 20-3 VWS (2012), Health insurance in the Netherlands, Ministry of health and sports publication, viewed March 26th 2012, www.government.nl//health-insurance-in-the-netherlands.pdf