Saturday, August 31, 2019

Agriculture in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a primarily agrarian economy. Agriculture is the single largest producing sector of the economy since it comprises about 18. 6% (data released on November, 2010) of the country's GDP and employs around 45% of the total labor force. [1] The performance of this sector has an overwhelming impact on major macroeconomic objectives like employment generation, poverty alleviation, human resources development and food security. A plurality of Bangladeshis earn their living from agriculture. Although rice and jute are the primary crops, wheat is assuming greater importance.Tea is grown in the northeast. Because of Bangladesh's fertile soil and normally ample water supply, rice can be grown and harvested three times a year in many areas. Due to a number of factors, Bangladesh's labor-intensive agriculture has achieved steady increases in food grain production despite the often unfavorable weather conditions. These include better flood control and irrigation, a generally more eff icient use of fertilizers, and the establishment of better distribution and rural credit networks.With 35. 8 million metric tons produced in 2000, rice is Bangladesh's principal crop. National sales of the classes of insecticide used on rice, including granular carbofuran, synthetic pyrethroids, and malathion exceeded 13,000 tons of formulated product in 2003. [2][3] The insecticides not only represent an environmental threat, but are a significant expenditure to poor rice farmers. The Bangladesh Rice Research Institute is working with various NGOs and international organizations to reduce insecticide use in rice. [4] In comparison to rice, wheat output in 1999 was 1. 9 million metric tons.Population pressure continues to place a severe burden on productive capacity, creating a food deficit, especially of wheat. Foreign assistance and commercial imports fill the gap. Underemployment remains a serious problem, and a growing concern for Bangladesh's agricultural sector will be its abi lity to absorb additional manpower. Finding alternative sources of employment will continue to be a daunting problem for future governments, particularly with the increasing numbers of landless peasants who already account for about half the rural labor force. Food cropsAlthough rice and jute are the primary crops, maize and vegetables are assuming greater importance. [5] Due to the expansion of irrigation networks, some wheat producers have switched to cultivation of maize which is used mostly as poultry feed. [5] Tea is grown in the northeast. [5] Because of Bangladesh's fertile soil and normally ample water supply, rice can be grown and harvested three times a year in many areas. [5] Due to a number of factors, Bangladesh's labor-intensive agriculture has achieved steady increases in food grain production despite the often unfavorable weather conditions.These include better flood control and irrigation, a generally more efficient use of fertilizers, and the establishment of bette r distribution and rural credit networks. [5] With 28. 8 million metric tons produced in 2005-2006 (July–June), rice is Bangladesh's principal crop. [5] By comparison, wheat output in 2005-2006 was 9 million metric tons. [5] Population pressure continues to place a severe burden on productive capacity, creating a food deficit, especially of wheat. [5] Foreign assistance and commercial imports fill the gap.Underemployment remains a serious problem, and a growing concern for Bangladesh's agricultural sector will be its ability to absorb additional manpower. [5] Bangladesh is the fourth largest rice [6] producing country in the world. National sales of the classes of insecticide used on rice, including granular carbofuran, synthetic pyrethroids, and malathion exceeded 13,000 tons of formulated product in 2003 [1] [2]. The insecticides not only represent an environmental threat, but are a significant expenditure to poor rice farmers.The Bangladesh Rice Research Institute is worki ng with various NGOs and international organizations to reduce insecticide use in rice [3]. Wheat is not a traditional crop in Bangladesh, and in the late 1980s little was consumed in rural areas. During the 1960s and early 1970s, however, it was the only commodity for which local consumption increased because external food aid was most often provided in the form of wheat. In the first half of the 1980s, domestic wheat production rose to more than 1 million tons per year but was still only 7 to 9 percent of total food grain production. Record production of nearly 1.5 million tons was achieved in FY 1985, but the following year saw a decrease to just over 1 million tons. About half the wheat is grown on irrigated land. The proportion of land devoted to wheat remained essentially unchanged between 1980 and 1986, at a little less than 6 percent of total planted area. Wheat also accounts for the great bulk of imported food grains, exceeding 1 million tons annually and going higher than 1. 8 million tons in FY 1984, FY 1985, and FY 1987. The great bulk of the imported wheat is financed under aid programs of the United States, the European Economic Community, and the World Food Programme.Food grains are cultivated primarily for subsistence. Only a small percentage of total production makes its way into commercial channels. Other Bangladeshi food crops, however, are grown chiefly for the domestic market. They include potatoes and sweet potatoes, with a combined record production of 1. 9 million tons in FY 1984; oilseeds, with an annual average production of 250,000 tons; and fruits such as bananas, jackfruit, mangoes, and pineapples. Estimates of sugarcane production put annual production at more than 7 million tons per year, most of it processed into a coarse, unrefined sugar known as gur, and sold domestically.

Advertising aimed at children Essay

Nowadays, in the developed countries, the need for regulation of advertising aimed at children is generally acknowledged. And that happens because children are a very specific target group with special features due to young age. Children do not have the skills to critique advertisements and are very fooled by them. They cannot recognize if all these things advertised are useful or not. Advertisements influence children in a negative way most of the times. For example, junk food advertisements lead to obesity. Advertising for toys and clothing products lead to consumer mania or antisocial behavior. Regulations should be imposed on advertising aimed at children should cover three areas: the amount of advertising, the advertising time and the concept (theme) of advertising. The amount of advertising intended solely for children should be reduced. Children are bombarded daily with ads from all media especially from television which is the most popular means among children. This bombardment is equivalent to brainwashing for a toddler who has no the resistance to cope with a situation like this. Surveys have shown that many and successive ads cause stress and anxiety in children. Also the time spending on the ads should be reduced. Moreover, timing to run ads must change. To explain myself should avoid viewing commercials that interrupt television series with high viewership among children and adolescents. Regarding the concept (theme) of ads, should be banned ads highlighting a product trough social role. To be more detailed, advertisements today are not so much about the products but rather about the character of the consumers and how they should feel when they use or possess the advertised product. Messages to children are all about the happiness, social status or success which accompanies the possession or consumption of a certain toy or type of food. This type of ads that causes mimicry should be banned. All these regulations in conjunction with education in schools, information for parents and children, I believe will significantly reduce the bad influences of ads on children and adolescents.

Friday, August 30, 2019

High Feeding Costs Limit Dive Time Essay

Despite their massive appearance, the largest whales (and also the largest predators) have shorter dive time compared to other smaller fishes. Our hypothesis is that ‘lunge-feeding’ (the whales’ feeding behavior), is energetically expensive resulting to inability to dive at lower depths and at longer time intervals. This study is aimed at determining how and why the largest whales exhibit shorter dives by examining how lunge-feeding affects their behavior and dive duration. Methods In order to determine how and why the largest whales exhibit shorter dive times compared to other fishes, we have to study how its lunge-feeding behavior affects whales’ overall behavior and their dive time limit. In gathering data, we used remote sensing techniques. In this experiment, we used the TDR â€Å"time/depth recorders† technique since it is the most applicable method considering that the subjects were not in a controlled environment. The TDRs actually recorded the oxygen level of each tagged whale. After some time, the TDRs were collected and the results were analyzed through specialized software that translates the data from the TDRs. Results showed that the whales move faster when at the ascent (or climbing) portion of the dive while it showed that whales move significantly slower during descent. Recovery time spent at the surface was also viewed as an important factor in determining the effect of lunge-feeding. Our tests showed that there is a correlation between the number of lunges and the time spent recovering at the surface. Finally, using optimality models, we were able to compare the results of the actual study to the predicted outcome. The result was a common cost for lunge dives which indicated the high energy cost during lunge dives resulting to shorter dive duration. Results and Discussion Results of this experiment showed that there is a relationship between the number of lunges and the surface recovery intervals. The TDR analysis showed that whales move faster during ascent and move significantly slower when at descent. This indicated that lunge-feeding is energetically expensive. We were able to measure the high energy cost of lunge-feeding using the remote sensing technique. Whales usually recover at the surface after each dive and the length of stay at the surface is relative to the number of lunges it makes during the dive. The more lunges the whales make during feeding, the more time it spent at the surface for recovery. The optimality models showed the relative differences between the lunging-costly model versus the no-cost model. In the lunging-costly model, observed forage depths, vertical speed, number of lunges, time spent recovering at the surface, are some of the variables that were examined to provide an outright solution. Conclusion Based on the results of this experiment, it has been found out that lunge-feeding in large whales is an energetically expensive activity. Using the TDR technique to record the energy cost of lunge, we were able to deduce that the more lunges a whale makes, the more time it spends recovering at the surface, usually regaining oxygen levels. Therefore, the high energy requirements of lunge-feeding limit the dive time and depth of dive in large whales. Reference: Acevedo-Gutierrez, A. , Croll, D. A. , and Tershy, B. R. (2002). â€Å"High Feeding Costs Limit Dive Time in the Largest Whales†. The Journal of Experimental Biology, 205, 1747-1753.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

The Great Game, Diplomats and Alliances, 1815-1914 Essay

The Great Game, Diplomats and Alliances, 1815-1914 - Essay Example The researcher will also examine whether later generations unfairly minimized their contributions to peace or they played their role in establishing peace. Scope of the Essay As history and political science is a very vast subject, which stems from the first day of the human history, it is not possible to cover the whole subject in one essay. Therefore, the researcher has planned to include the chronological area of 1815 to 1814 in order to discuss the major diplomacies and political alliances formed during that particular time. Moreover, if we talk about the countries that this essay would cover, again history involves the political and social situations of all countries of the world, which is not easy to be covered in one essay. Therefore, the researcher has planned to narrow his/her focus to five major political powers of that time which include Russia and Great Britain (the two peripheral powers) and Austria, France, and Prussia (Central European Powers). The whole research will revolve around the major political and diplomatic roles of these five countries in political development, as well as in establishing peace in the world. The essay will also include the political systems of these countries and their influence on the political setups of neighboring countries. Moreover, the essay will also include a discussion on why later generations seemed to have minimized their efforts in meeting the requirements of establishing peace in the world.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

3000 words essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

3000 words - Essay Example Experiences of stress may change the way a person thinks about everything, they way they behave and their pattern of physiological activities. The changes under certain circumstances can lead to the increase of risks associated with psychological, social and physical ill-health and at times behaviours that are inappropriate (Houdmont and Leka, 2010, p37). Stress can be defined as the non-specific response by the body as a result of any demand made on it. Demand in this case is defined as a stressor which may arise from a stimulus or an event. Stressors come in many different ways and they range from time pressure, extreme pressure, and extreme temperature to physical assault. When an individual is exposed to such a stressor, a physiological stress response occurs. The response can be measured through observation by different measures such as dilated pupils, increased heart rate and increased blood pressure according to Hosek, Kavanagh and Miller (2006, p23). Physiological manifestations of stress are identical regardless of the type of external demand but its effect on performance varies among individuals. The effect on performance ranges from physical impairments and cognitive reactions. Stress-performance relationship models indicate quite different scenarios. There is U-shaped and negative linear stress-relationship models. In the U-shaped model, performance improves when the stimulus reaches a moderate level and decreases when the stimulus levels increase beyond the moderate levels. Although this is the case, individual differences that exist may alter the shape of the curve. According to a research done, evidence showed that an inverted-U relationship exists in the industrial sector especially on job performance. In a negative linear relationship, stress regardless of the level reduces work performance through draining the person’s energy, time and concentration.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Rewriting by Joseph Harris Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Rewriting by Joseph Harris - Assignment Example The aim of the article is to enlighten the reader about the importance of reading and writing in general education. The example of Malcolm is enough evidence. They quote the text to explain what it means as well as using it to make their perspective clear. There is the push beyond the pro and con thinking through the potential uses of a number of positions. The text uses vivid examples as well as mental pictures to pass its message to the reader. The step by step experiences of the character while in prison up to the time he is released and becomes a famous person is a clear conviction to the reader as well as the validity of the project. The text ends up with a conclusion that sums up the main point as well as emphasizing on the importance of the home made education. The author clearly acknowledges their influence and how the influences have directed their work. The author uses a simple and convincing language so as to pass on his message to the reader. He also focuses on the values such as determination, hope, hard work and will power to strengthen his main points. The person behind this writing could be a black man who was fed up by the white exploitation and who has been in prison for the

Monday, August 26, 2019

What ideas about women and femininity do we see in the portrayals of Essay

What ideas about women and femininity do we see in the portrayals of Layla and Rabia - Essay Example Like other Muslim girls, she is bound to be loyal and humble to her the choice of her male guardians. Such position of the girls like Layla ultimately reveals that a woman in a Muslim male dominated society has lived as a plaything at the hand of the male counterparts. The story of â€Å"Layla and Majnun† starts with the description of a wealthy businessman, Sayyid, who reaches a position of power and prestige in his tribal society. But the grief of Sayyid is that he does not have any child. So he prays to Allah for a son who would inherit his wealth after he retires. Subsequently, his prayer is granted. Now, he has a son, named Qays, who is a beautiful young man. At the age of ten, Qays meets Layla and becomes amazed by her beauty. He â€Å"sought to woo her, but he knew not how: / He gazed upon her cheek, and, as he gazed, / Loves flaming taper more intensely blazed.† (Nizami 12) Both of the two fall in love with each other, as the poet says, â€Å"Love conquerd both—they never dreamt to part† (Nizami 16). But soon Layla’s tribe prohibited her to meet Qays in order to save her honor. Thus, Qays is detached from his lover and left open to meet his destiny: â€Å"A madman he became — but at the same time a poet, the harp of his love and of his pain.† (Nizami 7) This simple story of Qays and Layla’s love reveals a lot of the womanhood in the Arabian male dominated society. In a society, where women do not have their says, Layla lives â€Å"between the water of her tears and the fire of her love† (Nizami 25). In this society, she does not have the right to choose Qays as her husband; rather she has to comply with the tribe’s norms and traditions. In a sense, having no right to live on her own Layla has to live the life of a bandit in her tribe. Against her desire, she has been â€Å"removed/ Among the Najd mountains, where / She cherishd still the thoughts of him she loved, / And her

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Applicant essay for Registered Nursing Program Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Applicant for Registered Nursing Program - Essay Example The single most important accomplishment in life is the decision to be a nurse. For the last ten years, I have never regretted being in healthcare field. It had been my dream and aspiration since I was a small child. Nursing is challenging, but every challenging experience makes me a better nurse. It gives me great joy and gratification when I assist an ailing person and be instrumental in restoring health. I believe this is what God wants us to do. To help the sick and get them back to their daily work so that they can continue building the society. Being a registered nurse would be a lifetime accomplishment and a dream come true. I believe that I have what it takes to be a registered nurse especially having practices as a registered nursing assistant for over ten years. I have excellent communication skills, which is a core requirement for effective communication with patients and medical professionals (Dossey, Keegan, and American Holistic Nurses Association 372). I have strong emotional intelligence and therefore demonstrate high degree of maturity when handling patients with various problems. Besides, I have gained technical expertise through experience with all kinds of patients with different clinical and psychological problems. I am naturally empathetic and kind thus very efficient in understanding and establishing connection with patients. I find it easy to build trust and confidence with patients. Although I find nursing fulfilling, it has many challenges, which requires a strong personality. I have made it through the ten years by being resilient at work. I can handle challenges of nursing profession and still able to handle family, personal and social obligations. I am cheerful and enthusiastic at my work since I do it with passion and not driven by money. I understand the nursing codes of ethics and therefore uphold high ethical and moral standards. Through experience and close collaboration with registered nurses, and doctors, I have

Saturday, August 24, 2019

OSHA Workplace Safety and Security Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

OSHA Workplace Safety and Security - Assignment Example 3. The NFPA 704 diamond helps employees, as well as firefighters, know what hazards are in buildings. Name the four areas of the diamond, including the associated colors. For an extra two points, explain the numbers that you might find in the diamond; which indicates most hazardous and least hazardous. The four areas of the diamond are red (flammability), blue (health), yellow (instability), and white (special area with water or oxidization). Numbers inside the diamond range from zero (indicating minimal hazard) to four (indicating severe hazard). 4. Why was the NFPA founded in 1896? The NFPA’s mission is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on peoples’ quality of life by â€Å"providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, education, and training.† 5. Please match the following terms from chapter 8 with the following definitions. Each answer is only used once. (Hint---Get the subparts out of the way first) A. NFPA 101 X B. Flammable liquid X C. Boiling point X D. Emergency action plan X E. Flammable liquid rooms X.  

Friday, August 23, 2019

International differences in work-related values Essay

International differences in work-related values - Essay Example Cultural differences are important issues that describe different values and beliefs of people coming from different socio-cultural background. This necessitates development of distinct capabilities of people management. People management primarily helps develop understanding the values and beliefs of different culture. It facilitates in building constructive relationship amongst people coming from diverse background based on mutual respect. The paper is a reflective journal/ diary based on cultural dynamics. With five different diary entries, it would reflect the readings on five teaching sessions on the module: week 2 (Culture shock); week 7 (Chinese culture);week 8 (multicultural team);week 9 (cultural difference);and week 10 (Culture and leadership). Reflection on week 2 readings Cultural dynamics play hugely critical role in human interaction. Hofstede’s dimensions of culture emphasise collective programming of mind. This is interesting because it simultaneously stresses the differences and at the same time calls for integrated efforts to achieve common goals. It highlights the cultural competencies that can be judiciously exploited for shared goals. My knowledge of Chinese and Chinese culture was utilized in plays that were staged for collecting donation for cultural centre for foreign students in the university campus. It had shown their adaptability to change and their strong will to conquer the barrier of knowledge by inviting foreigners and sharing knowledge for mutual gain. Indeed, it shows that differences need to be interpreted within the broader context of goals and the way they can become tools for growth and development across various stages of life. Culture shock is inevitable when one is in a foreign land. Culture shock broadly refers to the considerable sense of discomfort that a person encounters when he/she is in a state that is different from his/her native place or place of origin (Guanipa, 1998). It has increasingly become importa nt issue in the current environment of fast globalization and needs to be addressed for making one’s stay in foreign country more fruitful and productive. As a Chinese student, I have been faced with some major cultural differences that have necessitated important changes. The culture shock was predominant in its language barrier and differences in socio-cultural values which influence behaviour and attitude towards various issues. They can be overcome through concerted efforts like learning the language and developing cross cultural understanding. Making new friends through social networking and interacting with people from one’s culture helps to reduce homesickness whereas, taking cues from them helps in getting adjusted faster within the new environment. When I had applied for higher studies in UK, I was prepared for new experience and different socio-cultural environment. I had already equipped myself with good knowledge of English and was quite fluent in it. But I was very much surprised by the huge diversity of race, colour and nationality and the vernacular English which was quite popular amongst the immigrant population. While language barrier was not a major issue, effective communication remained a key factor because of the diversity of culture and values.

International Finance Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

International Finance Questions - Assignment Example Interest rate swaps are over the counter (private) transactions; and they are highly liquid financial derivatives that can be used by hedgers to manage both their fixed and floating assets and liabilities. A party that pay fixed rate is referred to as the payer and the receiving party is called the receiver. For example, X agrees to pay fixed rate of interest under specified time intervals to W and in return, X receives variable or floating interest on notional principle from W. The types of currency swaps include fixed for floating swap for same currency, fixed for floating rate for different currencies, floating for floating swap for same currency, floating for floating rate for different currencies and fixed for fixed rate swap for different currencies. Currency swap refers to a foreign-exchange currency agreement entered into by two parties in relation to principal alone or with interest for payment of a specified loan sum in one currency for an equivalent principle and interest of a specified loan sum in another currency (Shamah, 2003). Payments are made periodically and at maturity or termination of the contract, the principal amounts are re-exchanged. Currency swaps are over the counter financial instruments. Foreign currency swaps are long term because they involve high costs associated with finding counterparty. Currency swap are further divided into two. Principle only currency swap and principal plus interest currency swap. Principle only currency swap is appropriate for contract that are up to ten years and involves exchange of principle with another party in a specific time in future at a rate agreed at the present. It is used to secure cheap loan and reduce exposure to exchange rate fluctuations. Principal plus interest currency swap considers both principal and interest payments. In currency swap, principal is exchanged on national amounts at market rates, often using the same rate for the transfer at inception and at maturity. Credit default swa ps refers to contracts between two parties, where one who buys credit default swap, pays a seller and receives a payoff if loan is defaulted.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Gender Roles Exploited with Humor Essay Example for Free

Gender Roles Exploited with Humor Essay The use of gender roles and stereotypes in commercials has slowly become more of an issue as men and women’s true societal roles have undoubtedly changed over time. The push for women’s equality over the past 50 years has been progressing each and every year, and rightly so. As women have become more self-sufficient in their everyday lives, their dependency from males and gender stereotypes have been changing drastically. These social changes have also sparked the progression of gender roles in advertisement and how men and women are presented to the public through television. Recently, many commercials have made drastic efforts in order to present more equal gender roles by trying to eliminate some of the stereotypes that have been part of our society for years. However, despite many of the progressions that have been made, commercials tend to revert back to some of the old stereotypes and perceived gender roles in order to create humor. One type of humor that has been prevalent in many recent commercials is the exploitation of gender stereotypes in an attempt to make a mockery of certain socially acceptable gender roles and actions, while at the same time displaying some of the characteristics that are not accepted by society. The humor in these types of commercials comes through the comparison of the same actions performed by both men and women, but one of the genders looks ridiculous performing these actions, despite the fact that they are the same. This type of marketing technique tends to cause a disproportion of equality between the two genders, because it is displaying how the actions of one gender are accepted by society, while similar actions by the other gender just appear to be unreasonable. In order to create a comedic effect in their commercials, many companies have started to disregard the progression for equality in gender roles and have started to display some of the same old gender stereotypes that w e, as a society, have tried to separate from. Through my exploration of Snickers and Heineken commercials, I was able to outline a very particular style of comedy that affected both genders in negative ways. Two very well known brands, Heineken and Snickers, have started to show men displaying some of the female stereotypes we have seen in other commercials. Now, some might say that this is a good thing because it is trying to blur the line between the two stereotypes and show that men can experience some of the same things that women do. However, I see this as quite the opposite. It seems that use of men displaying female stereotypes is, in a sense, making fun of the women. While the brands have achieved their ultimate goal of providing a humorous commercial, this humor comes at the expense of us laughing at how ridiculous the men appear when they are acting out some of the women stereotypes. To get a better understanding of how the commercials are creating this style of satire, lets take a closer look at some examples from Heineken. In a Heineken commercial from 2009, the scene starts out inside a home, and the women of the house leads a group of her five girl friends through the living room, the kitchen, her bedroom, and eventually they arrive outside of a closet. The woman proceeds to proudly open up the closet doors, unveiling shelves full of shoes and clothes, with a table in the middle full of shimmering jewelry. All of the woman’s friends go absolutely crazy and begin jumping up and down while simultaneously releasing screams of excitement. As the excitement begins to die down, they hear faint cries of excitement coming from across the house. The scene then immediately switches over to the men’s closet, a walk-in freezer, full of Heineken beer. All of the men appear to be imitating the women’s excitement that was displayed moments earlier, with slight exaggeration, as one of the men begins to shed a tear. The two stereotypes displayed in this commercial were pretty clear. It shows men getting overly excited about a room full of beer, while women are getting excited over a room full of shoes and jewelry. These stereotypes are not what make the commercial offensive to any one of the particular genders though. When the audience sees men getting excited over beer as much as women get excited over shoes it tends to expose the ridiculousness in the actions of women because people are thinking â€Å"wow†¦imagine if men got as excited over beer as women got over shoes†¦that would be stupid†. This train of thought is what starts to draw the lines between men and women and how one gender’s actions can be accepted by society, but similar actions from the other cannot. It suggests that men should remain calm, cool, and collective at all times unless they want it to be viewed as a joke. On the reverse side, it suggests to women that their actions are only acceptable because they’re girls, and that if men were to do the same thing, it would appear ridiculous. The next commercial I looked at was a Snickers Super Bowl commercial from 2010. The commercial shows three men working at a construction site, all of the sudden one of the men transforms from a man in work boots and a hardhat, into a women with nice clothes and heels, while still standing in the middle of the construction site. After this transformation the â€Å"woman† begins to complain about the work and how hot it is outside. The two men look at the women with a disgusted look on their face and advise her to â€Å"eat a Snickers†¦you turn into a diva when you’re hungry†. The woman gets tossed a Snickers bar from one of the men, takes a bite, and suddenly transforms back into his original character as a construction worker. This commercial displays one of the very old and outdated stereotypes of women not being able to perform laborious tasks. When the man turns into a woman, he begins to start complaining about the hard work and the hot weather. This commercial again exposes how unacceptable it would be if a man were to act like a woman on the job. In contrast, it also tries to show how out of place a woman would look on a construction site by placing a nicely dressed woman in the middle of the dirt filled construction area. It attempts to show how men are expected to be tough and free of complaints, unless they want to be ridiculed by their co-workers with words such as â€Å"diva†. The commercial implies that as soon as men start to complain about work or being tired, they are immediately labeled as having female characteristics due to our current stereotypical views on gender roles and actions. Through these commercials I have discussed above, it is clear that some of the new tactics for adding humor to commercials has become a sort of mockery of the stereotypes between men and women. Heineken and Snickers have both tried to show scenarios in which we see men behaving like women in an attempt to show how ridiculous it would be if males were to exhibit some of the same social stereotypes we associate with women. By doing this, the two commercials begin to draw a line between the actions and characteristics that are acceptable for women, but not for men. These marketing schemes are detrimental because they provide a clear example of how society can accept the actions of one gender, but when the other gender performs some of the same actions it becomes humorous satire. I think that a comedic commercial without gender stereotypes would appear much more sophisticated and would be better received by the public. I hope that advertising agencies will begin to realize this and that future commercials will appear both humorous and professional.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

A Dolls House: Appearance vs Reality

A Dolls House: Appearance vs Reality Choosing to live your life independently or dependently is a life changing moment: it comes without warning, and can turn your whole life upside down. Either way, nothing will ever be the same. The book, A Dolls House, by Henrik Ibsen, is about characters who are all dealing with the transition of becoming either dependent or independent. They may seem happy to other people and to the readers at first, but their appearances are really a lie. Appearance and reality are often misunderstood; just because someone may seem happy, this does not mean they lead a rich and more compelling life in comparison to someone else. Mrs. Lindes journey from independence to marriage is a foil to Noras life. At the beginning of the play Nora may seem dependant but she is actually just as independent as Mrs. Linde claims to be. In order for Nora to pay the loan that she owed Krogstad, Nora saved money that Torvald gave her for dresses, and she also found a little job. Nora says, [she] was lucky enough to get a lot of copying [done and] to do so, (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) [she] locked [her]self up and sat writing every evening until quite late at night. Many a time [she] was desperately tired, but all was the same it was a tremendous pleasure to sit there working and earning money. It was like being a man (Ibsen 13). When Nora says she felt like a man it meant she felt like she was taking on responsibilities, and having a sense of purpose in life. In other words to feel like a man in the eighteen-hundreds it must have meant you were more independent. In Noras mind she must have thought she was just as self-ruling as Mrs. Linde. Although Mrs. Linde may work, she dislikes it, and it has also aged her terribly. Mrs. Linde says she needs someone to depend on because she is quite alone in the world-[her] life is so dreadfully empty and [she] feel[s] so forsaken. There is not the least pleasure in working for ones self. Niles, give me someone and something to work for (53). Mrs. Linde may seem to be a strong willed women, but in reality she needs someone to provide for her and depend on. At the end of the play Nora chooses a life of independence by leaving Torvald while Mrs. Linde reunites with her long love Mr. Krogstad, and chooses a life of dependence. Although Mrs. Linde and Nora may have lived their lives in an opposite direction; Mrs. Linde and Nora Helmer both started a life of marriage without true love for their husbands. Mrs Linde married her ex-husband because her father passed away and she had to raise her younger brothers. She married him primarily for financial stability because her mother was alive then [but] was bedridden and helpless, and [she] had to provide for my two younger brothers; so [she] did not think [she] was justified in refusing his offer (9). The fact that Mrs. Linde refers to her ex-husbands proposal as an offer means she saw it as a business transaction. In other words this is a symbiotic relationship. Mrs. Linde needed financial stability and her ex-husband needed a wife. On the other hand Nora married Mr. Helmer even though she didnt love him. It seems as though she was influenced by her fathers opinions: when I was at home with Papa he told me his opinion about everything, and so I had the same opinions; and if I differed from him I concealed the fact, because he would not have liked it. And when I came to live with you I simply transferred from Papas hands to yours. You arranged everything according to your own taste, and so I got the same taste as you-or else I pretended to (66). Noras father had brainwashed Nora to such a point that she took on the same beliefs as him with out even noticing it. Nora then married Torvald and became even more oblivious to fact that she was being controlled. It is quite stumbling how life has forced both Nora Helmer and Mrs. Linde to start a life of marriage without true love for their husbands. As the play progresses we see how Nora is actually more independent then we expected her to be. We also find out that although Mrs. Linde works for herself, she needs a purpose in life, which to her means having a family. Although we only discover that Nora never loved Mr. Helmer at the end of a Dolls House, throughout the whole play there have been small amounts rebellious behavior from Nora towards Mr Helmer. Although Mr. Helmer had forbidden Nora from eating macaroons, she still does it anyways: What, macaroons? I thought they were forbidden here. Yes, but theses are some Christine gave me. (17). Throughout the play Nora has shown signs of independence even though the readers were to believe she was not. Also Nora was forbidden to take out a loan by Torvald and by the law. Nora had taken out the loan despite the laws and Torvalds wishes. Appearances can be deceiving; just because a person may appear to be content, and carefree with their life, it does not necessarily mean they actually life a life of glamour. In the book A Dolls House Mrs Linde is the force of truth in Noras life. Although Mrs. Linde may not be the person to ask for marital advice she has lived a life similar to Noras just backwards. At the beginning of A Dolls House readers believe Nora is just a silly, selfish and spoiled character, but later readers find out that she is actually a strong willed and intelligent woman. Just like Mrs. Linde Nora proves she is able to work for herself, and that she understands business transactions without a males approval. On the other hand Mrs. Linde feels she needs a husband and children to have a purpose in life. In other words Mrs. Linde has chosen a life of dependence with Mr. Krogstand while Nora prefers to live her life independently and liberal minded. Clearly Mrs. Lindes and Noras appearances at the beginnin g of the play do not reflect their reality. Sadly as in the play this may be a reality for many people today. Does your appearance to others also reflect your reality? Work Cited Ibsen, Henrik, A Dolls House. New York: Dover, 1992. Print

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Posture Recognition Based Fall Detection System

Posture Recognition Based Fall Detection System A POSTURE RECOGNITION BASED FALL DETECTION SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AN ELDERLY PERSON IN A SMART HOME ENVIRONMENT ABSTRACT The mobile application is capable of detecting possible falls for elderly, through the use of special sensors. The alert messages contain useful information about the people in danger, such as his/her geo location and also corresponding directions on a map. In occasions of false alerts, the supervised person is given the ability to estimate the value of importance of a possible alert and to stop it before being transmitted. This paper describes system for monitoring and fall detection of ELDERLY PEOPLE using triaxial accelerometer together with ZigBee transceiver to detect fall of ELDERLY PEOPLE. The system is composed of data acquisition, fall detection and database for analysis. Triaxial accelerometer is used for human position tracking and fall detection. The system is capable of monitoring ELDERLY PEOPLE in real time and on the basis of results another important parameters of patient can be deducted: the quality of therapy, the time spent on different activities, the joint moveme nt, etc. The system, including calibration of accelerometers and measurement is explained in detail. The Accidental Fall Detection System will be able to assist carriers as well as the elderly, as the carriers will be notified immediately to the intended person. This fall detection system is designed to detect the accidental fall of the elderly and alert the carriers or their loved ones via Smart-Messaging Services (SMS) immediately. This fall detection is created using microcontroller technology as the heart of the system, the accelerometer as to detect the sudden movement or fall and the Global System for Mobile (GSM) modem, to send out SMS to the receiver. INTRODUCTION The leading health problems in the elderly community. They can occur in home as well as in hospitals or in the long-term care institutions [1]. Falls increase risk for serious injuries, chronic pain, long-term disability, and loss of independence, psychological and social limitations due to institutionalization. Nearly 50% of older adults hospitalized for fall- related injuries are discharged to nursing homes or long-term care facilities [2]. A fall can cause psychological damage even if the person did not suffer a physical injury. Those who fall often experience decrease activities of daily living and self-care due to fear of falling again. This behavior decreases their mobility, balance and fitness and leads to reduced social interactions and increased depression. The mortality rate for falls increases progressively with age. Falls caused 57% of deaths due to injuries among females and 36% of deaths among males, age 65 and older [3]. Majority of falls result from an interaction between multiple long-term and short-term factors in person’s environment [4]. Common risk factors include problems with balance and stability, arthritis, muscle weakness, multiple medications therapy, depressive symptoms, cardiac disorders, stroke, impairment in cognition and vision Detection of a fall possibly leading to injury in timely manner is crucial for providing adequate medical response and care. Present fall detection systems can be categorized [7, 8, 9] under one of the following groups: User activated alarm systems (wireless tags), Floor vibration-based fall detection, Wearable sensors (contact sensors and switches, sensors for heart rate and temperature, accelerometers and gyroscopes ), Acoustic fall detection, Visual fall detection. The most common method for fall detection is using a triaxial accelerometers or bi-axial gyroscopes. Accelerometer is a device for measuring acceleration, but is also used to detect free fall and shock, movement, speed and vibration. Using the threshold algorithms while measuring changes in acceleration in each direction, it is possible do detect falls with very high accuracy. Using two or more tri-axial accelerometers and combining them with gyroscopes at different body locations it is possible to recognize several kinds of postures (sitting, standing, etc.) and movements, thereby detecting falls with much better accuracy. An easy and simple method to detect fall detection of ELDERLY PEOPLE is using accelerometer together with ZigBee transceiver to communicate with Monitoring System through wireless network, and in this paper a system for monitoring and fall detection of ELDERLY PEOPLE using mobile MEMS accelerometers will be presented. . The first three functions provide recording in a database, and also a text message is sent to the supervisor with latitude, longitude and other useful data. Afterwards, you can detect the elder person through Google maps. Additionally, an application was implemented for the attending physician, which is connected with the database, through which s/he can obtain a complete picture of the patients’ status, to draw useful conclusions and proceed to possible change in medical treatment. EXISTING SYSTEM: An application for Apple IOS by using an accelerometer to detect falls. A possible drawback is that the development platform Apple IOS is not accessible to the average user. An application in Symbian s60 using machine learning algorithm takes 64 samples every two seconds from the accelerometer and decides whether there is a fall. PROPOSED SYSTEM: In this paper, we designed an application with the ability of automatic fall detection, by using the mobile sensors, warning signal by pressing a button in cases of emergency, detection and automatic notification to supervisors as well as visual display to passerbies. The application uses basically two incorporated mobile sensors, namely the accelerometer and the gyroscope sensor.A counter starts counting loudly on the screen from 30 to 0. If the counter reaches 0, then an SMS message is sent to the caregiver or relative and an entry is made to the Database. The first service detects the patient’s position and calculates whether the patient is further away than a set distance. When activated can give directions to the patient what route to follow to return back to home. APPLICATIONS: Automatic fall detection. Warning if the elder moves away from the place of residence directions given on the map. ADVANTAGES: Elder’s safety can be assured. Fast First aid or medical treatment can be guaranteed. DISADVANTAGES: Device Sensor should be carried out whenever the person moves over. SYSTEM DESIGN Architecture Diagram SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AND FALL DETECTION The whole system consists of a set of sensors (two or more sensors on the patient, usually MEMS sensors) which the patient wears on himself, local units to collect data that are placed in patient vicinity and systems for collecting. The tiny sensors in the strap are capable of measuring user orientation and motion in three-dimensions and it is constantly monitoring and analyzing the signals in real-time looking for movement indicating a fall. From the comparison Table Error! No text of specified style in document. .1, it shows that the system maybe a hindrance to the consumer in terms of price over the years. The aim of this project is to be able to provide equal standard of care at an affordable cost. The system is shown in Figure 1 the space is divided into sections which are defined by interior and exterior of the institution in which a system is operated. Each room is stocked with local receivers. Local receivers collect data from sensors that the ELDERLY PEOPLE are wearing on the clothes. The sensors are small and lightweight. One sensor is located in the upper garment and the other at the bottom. This is not limited to two sensors, if necessary, there may be more, but for the detection of falls to the back the system must have at least 2 sensors Local receivers pass information to the server. The server information is processed local health care service. Personal computers are used to browse the database collected a t the server. The database contains information about the mobility of ELDERLY PEOPLE, treatment efficacy, joints. All these data can be analyzed offline and used to adjust patient therapy. This has served a double function of the system Real-time patient monitoring and early detection of the fall in order to deliver medical assistance as soon as possible. In this application Free scale TM ZSTAR wireless sensing triple axis board is used (Fig. 2). It is very practical because of low power consumption, portability, and the ability to be mounted in small pockets inside the clothes of ELDERLY PEOPLE. Board is divided into sensory and receiver part. The sensor is placed at the patient and is equipped with an accelerometer, microprocessor, and transceiver with the antenna which sends the measurement data to the receiver. The receiver also has a microprocessor that adjusts the signals received through the antenna to send with the USB protocol. These data are sent to the server. The server collects process and stores the data. Each sensor that is connected to the patient is personalized, and its data are stored in a file under persons name to get an overview of all activities and physical stress of the patient FALL DETECTION USING TWO ACCELEROMETERS In this chapter the operation of the system through one of its functions and to the detection of fall will be described. The figures have been simplified for better understanding of the system. The algorithm used is improved algorithm given in, with better detection of backwards falls. Setup for accelerometer fall detection, consists of the measuring sensors with transmitter, receiver and server for data processing and fall detection. The fall is detected by the algorithm described in. It can be seen that fall detection algorithm uses data from both sensors that are monitored at the same time. This algorithm is able to distinguish between falls (forward, back word fall into a sitting position) and the normal daily activity, such as walking, mastering stairs, sitting in a chair, lying walking is also detecting by the sensors. However, these impacts are not isolated, and after them there is no significant change in orientation between the two sensors. Vectors are in the area that will call common zone .if an isolated stoke which causes a change in orientation of the body is detected, or the orientation of certain body parts in relation to the situation before the stroke, then with some certainty it can be said that the fall had occurred. Dataflow Diagram SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION Modules details Phase 1 Modules Fall Detection Location Tracking Phase 2 Modules Communication Route Map Integration Fall Detection: The FALL DETECTION is something that we have developed at Alert1 so you can be safe at all times. Whether you are a senior citizen and want to maintain your independence, a concerned family member looking for peace of mind, or a caregiver with patients, this tool has been developed for you. Prevention is key. Use it to inspect and detect hazardous areas in your home that could result in a fall. If you answer no to the questions, you have already taken action to reduce your risk of falling. If you answer yes to any of the questions, consider making the recommended change or adaptation to reduce your risk of falling. Location Tracking: Real-time locating systems (RTLS)are used to automatically identify and track the location of objects or people in real time, usually within a building or other contained area. Wireless RTLS tags are attached to objects or worn by people, and in most RTLS, fixed reference points receive wireless signals from tags to determine their location. The physical layer of RTLS technology is usually some form ofradio frequency(RF) communication, but some systems use optical (usuallyinfrared) or acoustic (usuallyultrasound) technology instead of or in addition to RF. Tags and fixed reference points can be transmitters, receivers, or both, resulting in numerous possible technology combinations. RTLS are a form oflocal positioning system, and do not usually refer to GPS,mobile phone tracking, or systems that use only passiveRFIDtracking. Location information usually does not include speed, direction, or spatial orientation. Communication: The table that maintained the mapping between the agent’s name and the landmark location is shared and updated by the agents who were on nodes within the landmark’s coverage. When the node is not a landmark node, the table is used as a cache table. If communication with the other agent succeeds, the locations and the agent names are registered in this cache table. It is possible for the agent to periodically get the location of the target agent and store it in the cache table. The use of a cache table enables agents to initiate direct communication with each other and reduce the communication overhead to landmarks. When the cache misses, the agent sends a request to the landmark to get updated information. Agents can also delete the information from the cache table. The communication between landmarks is implemented, however we only use this communication to call the target agent when there is no target agent within the coverage area. This primitive is used when the pro grammer deploys agents and makes deployment of agents easy. Routemap Integration: The integration of spatial maps in mobile was investigated using a spatial analog to sensory preconditioning. The GPS chip outputs the positioning information which is transferred over a GPRS link to the mobile operator’s GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node) and then to a remote server over a TCP connection. The TCP server stores the incoming positional data in a mySQL database. When a user clicks on the tracking page., Zope, which is an open source web application server, serves up an HTML page with an embedded javascript code. The javascript would run in the users browser and has instructions to retrieve the positional information from the mySQL database every second. It then integrates this information into Google Maps through Google Maps API which displays the position on a map. Since the positional information is retrieved every second and the maps updated at the same frequency, a real time GPS tracking effect is achieved. CONCLUSION Triaxial accelerometers can be used for detecting fall of ELDERLY PEOPLE. They offer low cost solution, and together with wireless connectivity solutions such as ZigBee provide efficient solution for both ELDERLY PEOPLE and medical personnel l. In this paper I have presented an intelligent mobile multimedia application that can be incorporated into modern mobile smartphones in order to be used for the needs of the elderly. It is in our future plans to evaluate this system in order to test its efficiency in actually helping these people sufficiently. It is also in our future plans to extend the system’s capabilities by incorporating new services. These services include the following: Embed a belt measuring heart rate as an external sensor Integrate a gyroscope sensor instead of an orientation sensor, for more accurate results Integration of social networks to alert senders Integrate public agency to alert senders Add a system administrator feature. References: A. Chan and N. Vasconcelos, â€Å"Counting people with low-level features and Bayesian regression,† IEEE Trans. Image Process., vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 2160–2177, Apr. 2012. E.Auvinet, F. Multon, A. Saint-Arnaud, J. Rousseau, and J. Meunier, â€Å"Fall detection with multiple cameras: An occlusion-resistant method based on 3-d silhouette vertical distribution,† IEEE Trans. Inf. Technol. Biomed., vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 290–300, Mar. 2011. Y. Hou and G. Pang, â€Å"People counting and human detection in a challenging situation,† IEEE Trans. Syst. Man, Cybern. Part A: Syst. Humans, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 24–33, Jan. 2011 Y. Chen, L. Zhu, A. Yuille, and H. Zhang, â€Å"Unsupervised learning of probabilistic object models (POMs) for object classification, segmentation, and recognition using knowledge propagation,† IEEE Trans. PatternAnal. Mach. Intell., vol. 31, no. 10, pp. 1747–1761, Oct. 2009 F. Lecumberry, A. Pardo, and G. Sapiro, â€Å"Simultaneous object classification and segmentation with high-order multiple shape models,† IEEETrans. Image Process., vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 625–635, Mar. 2010

Monday, August 19, 2019

Technology :: essays research papers

Cisco Systems, Inc. All contents are Copyright  © 1992–2001 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Important Notices and Privacy Statement. Page 1 of 5 B ROCHURE Cisco Mobile Office: On the Road Maximum Productivity for Business Professionals Overview: A Workplace in Motion It’s no secret that today’s professionals are spending more time than ever working away from the office. In the Internet economy, employees on the move depend on networking to communicate with their clients, partners, and coworkers. Yet these mobile professionals often have limited access to the people, information, and tools they need to be productive. Traditional remote networking is often too slow, unreliable, expensive, or inconvenient to meet the needs of business professionals on the move. Simply locating a working phone jack in an airport or hotel room can be an extraordinary task. And the firewalls that keep company information secure can pose additional obstacles for those who need network access. Network administrators face their own problems as they contend with managing a mobile workforce. Opening a corporate network to mobile access can make it vulnerable to unknown security risks. Dialup charges, equipment replacement, and cumbersome billing systems strain patience as well as budgets. Despite these pitfalls, the need for mobile connectivity is here to stay. According to IDC, 45 million of today’s mobile business professionals need to access the Internet or their corporate network. And as more low-priced, high-powered notebook PCs, hand-held devices, and cell phones emerge, their numbers will continue to grow. To meet the need for secure broadband access anytime, anywhere, Cisco Systems has partnered with other industry leaders to introduce Cisco Mobile Office: On the Road. A flexible, easy-to-use solution, Cisco Mobile Office On the Road enables secure wired and wireless connectivity for mobile professionals over the Internet. Combining state-of-the-art VPN security and broadband bandwidth with easy configuration, Cisco Mobile Office: On the Road delivers â€Å"on-the-move† access to broadband networking. It’s the most comprehensive solution on the market today, enabling mobile employees to stay productive with a manageable solution. Cisco Systems, Inc. All contents are Copyright  © 1992–2001 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Important Notices and Privacy Statement. Page 2 of 5 Access When You Need It, Where You Need It Designed specifically for the needs of professionals away from the corporate office, Cisco Mobile Office: On the Road delivers reliable, hassle-free Internet or secure enterprise LAN access, either with or without wires. While competing vendors might offer portions of a mobile system, only Cisco offers a complete, unified solution that delivers: †¢ A comprehensive set of advanced wired and wireless networking solutions †¢ Technologies that enable fast, convenient connectivity †¢ Continuous, end-to-end security †¢ Standards-based interoperability †¢ Expandable, upgradeable platforms to future-proof your organization †¢ Options for mobility settlement offering integrated billing and user interfaces Furthermore, Cisco Mobile Office: On the Road is the only solution backed by a team of industry-leading

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Street Prostitution in St Kilda, Australia Essay -- Papers

Street Prostitution in St Kilda, Australia Street prostitution. St Kilda has been dogged by its presence and consequences for decades, and is subsequently a major community concern. There have been innumerable attempts to address the problem, however it is only until recently that an extensive and resourced approach, incorporating supporters representing all political parties and many community stakeholders, has come into force. In a report released by the Attorney General's Street Prostitution Advisory Group (established in March 2001 and consisting of parliamentary, government, residential, police, welfare, trade, and sex worker representatives), it has been proposed that tolerance zones and street worker centres should be established in the City of Port Phillip in an attempt to efficiently manage street prostitution in the area. This said proposition has been met with much acclaim, but, inevitably, not without opposition. One of the world's oldest professions, street prostitution first arrived in Australia with the First Fleet in 1788. Initially confined to the penal settlements, the industry changed dramatically in the nineteenth century, with the gold rush attracting many prostitutes to Victoria. Prostitution became densely concentrated in the city, however, the development of Melbourne, the impact of the First and Second World Wars, economic depression and legislative change saw the industry decline and spread into the inner city suburbs, such as St Kilda, Fitzroy and South Melbourne. Reports do exist of prostitution in St Kilda occurring as early as the late nineteenth century, however it was not common in the said are... ...the proposal cannot go ahead in good stead. The issue of street prostitution is not a pretty one, but nor is it uncommon. The only way that the problem can be properly addressed is if all parties involved realise the extreme need for the industry's management. The establishment of tolerance zones and street worker centres, as well as all that is proposed to go hand in hand with them, is an innovative, practical, and much-needed incentive that will undoubtedly reduce, and possibly open the gateway to the eventual eradication of street prostitution. The industry has gotten completely out of hand in the St Kilda area, and needs to be tightly controlled. The report released by the Street Prostitution Advisory Group, of which the government supports, holds the key to ultimately accomplishing this essential goal.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Favorite Room

My Favorite Room Walking through the front door of my apartment, I enter my favorite and most relaxing place to be: the living room. Sitting in my living room I feel relaxed and stress free. The first thing I see when I walk in is my wife’s shoe rack. To the left is her creepy monkey picture. When I look to the right I can see the whole room. I try to keep it nice and clean, but with school work, it doesn’t always stay that way.As I sit down on my big comfortable couch, I look up at my huge three piece entertainment center in front of me. The entertainment center holds my new flat screen TV, PlayStation 3, and DVD surround sound system. To the right of the entertainment center is our black book shelf which holds our novel books; I love to read when I have free time. To the left of the entertainment center is a matching book shelf which holds all of our text books from school.On the right side of the couch is a match chair and foot rest. The furniture set was a gift to m y wife, so it has a lot of sentimental value to us. On the far left wall is the sliding glass door that leads to our patio. When the weather is nice, I like to sit on the patio and read or do my homework. When I’m sitting in my living room, I feel a sense of safety. No matter what kind of day I have had, as soon as I am in my living room, all of my stress is lifted; I can truly relax in my favorite place.

Psychoanalytic Personality Assessment Essay

Freud’s latency period theory is accurate, because these years are mainly focused on social interaction with others (Friedman & Schustack, p. 72, 2012). This stage is not considered to be a stage of the psychosexual development; rather the energy is put into other activities such as sports, school, and social interaction with their peers (Stevenson, 1996). During the latency period the libido is suppressed and this is the most important time for the development of social skills (â€Å"Freud’s Psychoanalysis: A Revolutionary Approach†, 2012). Freud theorized at this time a child goes through â€Å"infantile amnesia† it is when the child forgets the unwanted memories that may be deemed as traumatic for him/her (â€Å"Definition: Latency Period†, n.d.). If there is anything that went amiss this is when it will start to show-up in the personality (â€Å"Freud’s Stages of Psychosexual Development†, n.d.). Genital stage of psychosexual devel opment is the last phase in Freudian theory. This stage starts at the onset of puberty and goes into adulthood (â€Å"Sigmund Freud’s Psychosexual Development†, n.d.). Previous stages were mainly on individual accomplishments and learning one’s place in the family as well as in society. Individuals normally start to develop sexual desires for the opposite sex at the beginning of this stage and last until death (Cherry, n.d.). It is of the most importance that there are no problems with the other stages, if some issues were not resolved in the other stages; more than likely it will carry over into the final stage and can lead to severe psychological problems for the adult (The Science Museum, 2004). Some things about Freudian theory are understandable, but there are certain aspects of it that a person would disagree on. For instance the Phallic stage is when â€Å"the child is focused on the genitals† (Friedman & Schustack, p. 69, 2012). Children at that age are too young to understand things in a sexual way. If a child does understand things like that at that age; a person would rightfully be thinking that something traumatic has happ ened to the child to lead the child into that kind of behavior such as masturbation. Starting at around age two a child enters the Anal stage (Friedman & Schustack, p. 68, 2012). Children as well as adults need relief, when you need to go you need to go; they as in children do not understand let alone are capable of using the bathroom unless they are properly trained to do so. If a child does try to hold –it in; that would be an indicator that the parents are not doing something right in the first place. Scolding a child for not going at a certain time, may be an indicator, if the child is trying to holding it in. There are five different stages of Freudian theory and each with its own sets of personal characteristics, depending on if a person becomes fixated at a certain stage. Oral stage is the first stage, it is said that if a person becomes fixated at this stage they may develop behaviors such as, dependency, attachment, and always having something in their mouth, such as chewing gum, and tobacco products (Friedman & Schustack, p. 68, 2012). Anal stage of development is said to include behaviors such as concern with neatness, order, and organization. They might also like bathroom humor jokes and the like (Friedman & Schustack, p.69, 2012). Phallic stage is mainly concerned with developing sexual relationships and can have a profound effect on these kinds of relationships. If the problems are not resolved before a person establishes this kind of relationship with someone else (Friedman & Schustack, p. 70, 2012). Latency period can have an impact negative effects on behavior as well just like any other stage of development. Even though this period is not included in the psychosexual stages of development (Friedman & Schustack, p. 72, 2012). Genital stage of development is the last stage in the Freudian theory; problems can arise because of unresolved issues in the other stages or can also develop in this stage under the right circumstances. Defense mechanisms are an attribute that a lot of people have to help deal with things that may be too hard to bear otherwise (Friedman & Schustack, p. 75, 2012). Repression is one of the coping mechanisms that are used by someone who has been traumatized, such as sexual abuse or witnessing a horrible event such as a violent death of someone close to them. Denial is another form of coping, though it is unhealthy.

Friday, August 16, 2019

The Return: Nightfall Chapter 30

Matt had given up on clues. As far as he could tell, something had caused Elena to bypass the Dunstan house and barn completely, hopping on and on until she got to a squashed and torn bed of thin creeping vines. They hung limp from Matt's fingers, but they reminded him, disquietingly, of the feeling of the bug's tentacles around his neck. And from there on there was no sign of human movement. It was as if a UFO had beamed her up. Now, from making forays to all sides until he had lost the patch of creepers, he was lost in the deep Wood. If he wanted to, he could fantasize that all sorts of noises were all around him. If he wanted to, he could imagine that the light of the flashlight was no longer as bright as it had been, that it had a sickly yellowish tinge†¦. All this time, while searching, he had kept as quiet as possible, realizing that he might be trying to sneak up on something that didn't want to be snuck up on. But now, somewhere inside him, something was swelling up and his ability to stop it was weakening by the second. When it burst out of him, it startled him as much as it might have any possible listeners. â€Å"Ellleeeeeeeeeeeeeeenaaaa!† From the time when he'd been a child, Matt had been taught to say his nighttime prayers. He didn't know much else about church, but he did have a deep and sincere feeling that there was Someone or Something out there that looked after people. That somewhere and somehow it all made sense, and that there were reasons for everything. That belief had been severely tested during the past year. But Elena's return from the dead had swept away all his doubts. It had seemed to prove everything that he'd always wanted to believe in. You wouldn't give her back to us for just a few days, and then take her away again? he wondered, and the wondering was really a form of praying. You wouldn't – would You? Because the thought of a world without Elena, without hersparkle ; her strong will; her way of getting into crazy adventures – and then getting out of them, even more crazily – well, it was too much to lose. The world would be painted in drab grays and dark browns again without her. There would be no fire-engine reds, no flashes of parakeet green, no cerulean, no daffodil, no mercury silver – and no gold. No sprinkles of gold in endless blue lapis lazuli eyes. â€Å"Elllleeeeeeenaaaa! Damn you, you answer me! It's Matt, Elena! Elleeeeee – â€Å" He broke off quite suddenly and listened. For a moment his heart leaped and his whole body started. But then he made out the words he could hear. â€Å"Eleeeeeenaaa? Maaaatt? Where are you?† â€Å"Bonnie?Bonnie! I'm here! † He turned his flashlight straight up, slowly twisting it in a circle. â€Å"Can you see me?† â€Å"Can you see us?† Matt pivoted slowly. And – yes – there were the beams of one flashlight, two flashlights, three! His heart leaped to seethree beams. â€Å"I'm coming toward you,† he shouted, and suited the action to the word. Secrecy had been long ago left behind. He was running into things, yanking at tendrils that tried to grab his ankles, but bellowing all the while, â€Å"Stay where you are! I'm coming to you!† And then the flashlight beams were right in front of him, blinding him, and somehow he had Bonnie in his arms, and Bonnie was crying. That at least lent the situation some normality. Bonnie was crying against his chest and he was looking at Meredith, who was smiling anxiously, and at†¦Mrs. Flowers? It had to be, she was wearing that gardening hat with the artificial flowers on it, as well as what looked like about seven or eight woolly sweaters. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers?† he said, his mouth finally catching up with his brain. â€Å"But – where's Elena?† There was a sudden droop in the three people watching him, as if they had been on tiptoes for news, and now they had slumped in disappointment. â€Å"We haven't seen her,† Meredith said quietly. â€Å"Youwere with her.† â€Å"Iwas with her, yeah. But then Damon came.He hurt her , Meredith† – Matt felt Bonnie's arms clench on him. â€Å"He had her rolling on the ground having seizures. I think he's going to kill her. And – he hurt me. I guess I blacked out. When I woke up she was gone.† â€Å"He took her away?† Bonnie asked fiercely. â€Å"Yeah, but†¦I don't understand what happened next.† Painfully, he explained about Elena seemingly jumping out of the car and the tracks that led nowhere. Bonnie shivered in his arms. â€Å"And then some other weird stuff happened,† Matt said. Slowly, faltering sometimes, he did his best to explain about Kristin, and the similarities to Tami. â€Å"That is†¦just plain weird,† Bonnie said. â€Å"I thought I had an answer, but if Kristin hasn't had any contact with any of the other girls†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You were probably thinking something about the Salem witches, dear,† said Mrs. Flowers. Matt still couldn't get used to Mrs. Flowerstalking to them. She went on, â€Å"But you don't really know with whom Kristin has been in the last few days. Or with whom Jim has been, for that matter. Children have quite a lot of freedom in this day and age, and he might be – what do they call it? – acarrier .† â€Å"Besides, even if this is possession, it may be an entirely different kind of possession,† Meredith said. â€Å"Kristin lives out in the Old Wood. The Old Wood is full of these insects – these malach. Who knows whether it happened when she simply stepped outside her door? Who knows what was waiting for her?† Now Bonnie was shaking in Matt's arms. They'd turned out all the flashlights but one, to conserve energy, but it sure made for spooky surroundings. â€Å"But what about the telepathy?† Matt said to Mrs. Flowers. â€Å"I mean, I don't believe for a minute thatreal witches were attacking those Salem girls. I think they were repressed girls who had mass hysteria when they all got together, and somehow everything got out of hand. But how could Kristin know to call me – to call me – the same name that Tamra did?† â€Å"Maybe we've all got it all wrong,† Bonnie said, her voice buried somewhere in Matt's solar plexus. â€Å"Maybe it's not like Salem at all, where the – the hysteria spread out horizontally, if you see what I mean. Maybe there's somebody on top here, who's spreading it wherever they want to.† There was a brief silence, and then Mrs. Flowers murmured, â€Å" ¡Ã‚ ®Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings†¦'† â€Å"You mean you think that's right? But then who is it that's on top? Who's doing all of this?† Meredith demanded. â€Å"It can't be Damon because Damon saved Bonnie twice – and me once.† Before anyone could muster words to ask aboutthat , she was going on. â€Å"Elena was pretty sure that something was possessingDamon . So who else is it?† â€Å"Somebody we haven't met yet,† Bonnie muttered ominously. â€Å"Somebody we aren't going to like.† With perfect timing there was the crackle of a branch behind them. As one person, as one body, they turned to look. â€Å"What I really want,† Damon said to Elena, â€Å"is to get you warm. And that either means cooking you something hot so you'll warm up from the inside or putting you in the tub so you'll warm up from the outside. And considering what happened last time – â€Å" â€Å"I†¦don't feel I can eat anything†¦.† â€Å"Come on, it's an American tradition. Apple soup? Mom's homemade chicken pie?† She chuckled in spite of herself, then winced. â€Å"It's apple pie and Mom's homemade chicken soup. But you didn't do badly, for a start.† â€Å"Well? I promise not to mix the apples and the chicken together.† â€Å"I could try some soup,† Elena said slowly. â€Å"And, oh, Damon I'm so thirsty just for plain water. Please.† â€Å"I know, but you'll drink too much, get pains. I'll make soup.† â€Å"It comes in little cans with red paper on them. You pull the tab on top to make it come off†¦.† Elena stopped as he turned to the door. Damon knew she had serious doubts about the entire project, but he also knew that if he brought her anything passably drinkable she would drink it. Thirst did that to you. He was unliving proof of the example. As he went through the door there was a sudden horrendous noise, like a pair of kitchen choppers coming together. It nearly took off his – his rear from top to bottom, by the sound of it. â€Å"Damon!†A voice crying weakly through the door. â€Å"Damon, are you all right? Damon! Answer me!† Instead, he turned around, studied the door, which looked perfectly normal, and opened it. Anyone watching him open it would have wondered because he put a key in the unlocked door, said â€Å"Elena's room† and then unlocked and opened the door. When he got inside, he ran. Elena was lying in a hopeless tangle of sheets and blankets on the floor. She was trying to get up, but her face was blue-white with pain. â€Å"What pushed you off the bed?† he said. He was going to kill Shinichislowly . â€Å"Nothing. I heard a terrible sound just as the door shut. I tried to get to you, but – â€Å" Damon stared at her.†I tried to get to you, but – † This broken, hurting, exhausted creature had tried to rescuehim ? Tried so hard that she'd fallen off her bed? â€Å"I'm sorry,† she said, with tears in her eyes. â€Å"I can't get used to gravity. Are you hurt?† â€Å"Not as much as you are,† he said, purposely keeping his voice rough, his eyes averted. â€Å"I did something stupid, leaving the room, and the house†¦reminded me.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† said the woebegone Elena, dressed only in sheets. â€Å"This key,† Damon held it up for her to see. It was golden and could be worn as a ring, but two wings folded out and made a beautiful key. â€Å"What's wrong with it?† â€Å"The way I used it. This key has the power of the kitsune in it, and it will unlock anything and take you anywhere, but the way it works is that you put it into the lock, say where you want to go, and then turn the key. I forgot to do that in leaving your room.† Elena looked puzzled. â€Å"But what if a key doesn't have a lock in it? Most bedroom doors don't have locks.† â€Å"This key goes into any door. You might say it makes its own lock. It's a kitsune treasure – which I shook out of Shinichi when I was so angry about you being hurt. He'll be wanting it back soon.† Damon's eyes narrowed and he smiled faintly. â€Å"I wonder which of us will end up keeping it. I noticed another one in the kitchen – a spare, of course.† â€Å"Damon, all this about magical keys is interesting, but if you could let me get off the floor†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He was contrite at once. Then came the question of whether to put her on the bed or not. â€Å"I'll take the bath,† Elena said in a small voice. She unsnapped the top of her jeans and tried to scoot out of them. â€Å"Wait a minute! You might faint and drown. Lie down and I promise to get you clean, if you're willing to try and eat.† He had new reservations about the house. â€Å"Now undress on the bed and pull the sheet over you. I do wicked massages,† he added, turning away. â€Å"Look, you don't have to not look. It's something I haven't understood since I†¦came back,† Elena said. â€Å"Modesty taboos. I don't see why anyone should be ashamed of their body.† (This came to him in a rather muffled voice.) â€Å"I mean for anyone who says God made us, God made us without clothes, even after Adam and Eve. If it's so important, why didn't he make us with diapers on?† â€Å"Yes, actually, what you're saying reminds me of what I once said to the Dowager Queen of France,† Damon said, determined to keep her undressing while he gazed at a crack in one of the wooden panels of the wall. â€Å"I said that if God were both omnipotent and omniscient, then He surely knew our destinies beforehand, and why were the righteous doomed to be born as sinfully naked as the damned?† â€Å"And what did she say?† â€Å"Not a word. But she giggled and tapped me three times on the back of my hand with her fan, which I was later told was an invitation for an assignation. Alas, I had other obligations. Are you on the bed still?† â€Å"Yes, and I'm under a sheet,† Elena said wearily. â€Å"If she wereDowager Queen, I expect you were glad,† she added in a half-bewildered voice. â€Å"Aren't they the old mothers?† â€Å"No, Anne of Austria, Queen of France, kept her remarkable beauty to the end. She was the only redhead that – â€Å" Damon stopped, groping wildly for words as he faced the bed. Elena had done as he had asked. He just hadn't realized how much she would look like Aphrodite arising from the ocean. The ruffled white of the sheet came up to the warmer milk-white of her skin. She needed cleaning, certainly, but just knowing that under that thin sheet she was magnificently naked was enough to make him lose his breath. She had rolled her clothes into a ball and thrown them into the farthest corner of the room. He didn't blame her. He didn't think. He didn't give himself time. He simply held out his hands and said, â€Å"Lemon-thyme chicken consomm ¦, hot, in a Mikasa cup – and plum flower oil, very warm, in a vial.† Once the broth was duly consumed and Elena was lying on her back again, he began to gently massage her with the oil. Plum flower always made for a good start. It numbed the skin and the senses to pain, and it provided a basis for the other, more exotic, oils he planned to use on her. In a way, it was much better than dumping her in a modern bath or Jacuzzi. He knew where her injuries were; he could heat the oils to the appropriate temperature for any of them. And instead of a barely mobile Jacuzzi head spouting water against a bruise, he could avoid anything too sensitive – in the painful sense. He started with her hair, adding a very, very light coating of oil that would make the worst tangles easy to brush out. After the oiling, her hair shone like gold against her skin – honey on cream. Then he began with the muscles in her face: tiny strokes with his thumbs over her forehead to smooth it and relax it, forcing her to relax along with his movements. Slow, circular swirls at her temples, with only the lightest of pressure. He could see the thin blue veins traced here, and he knew that deep pressure could put her to sleep. He then proceeded to upper arms, her forearms, her hands, taking her apart with ancient strokes and the correct ancient essences to go with them, until she was nothing but a loose, boneless thing under the sheet: sleek and soft and yielding. He flashed his incandescent smile for a moment while pulling a toe until it popped – and then the smile turned ironic. He could have what he wanted of her, now. Yes, she was in no mood to refuse anything. But he hadn't counted on what the damned sheet would do tohim . Everyone knew that a scrap of covering, no matter how simple, always drew attention to the taboo area as pure nakedness did not. And massaging Elena by inches this way only focused him on what lay beneath the snowy fabric. After a while Elena said drowsily, â€Å"Aren't you going to tell the end of the story? About Anne of Austria, who was the only redhead to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦to, ah, remain a natural redhead to the end of her life,† Damon murmured. â€Å"Yes. It was said that Cardinal Richelieu was her lover.† â€Å"Isn't that the wicked Cardinal from theThe Three Musketeers ?† â€Å"Yes, but perhaps not so wicked as he was portrayed there, and certainly an able politician. And, some say, the real father of Louis†¦now turn over.† â€Å"It's a strange name for a king.† â€Å"Hm?† â€Å"Louis Now Turn Over,† Elena said, turning over and showing a flash of creamy thigh while Damon tried to eye various other parts of the room. â€Å"Depends on the naming traditions of the individual's native country,† Damon said wildly. All he could see were replays of that glimpse of thigh. â€Å"What?† â€Å"What?† â€Å"I was asking you – â€Å" â€Å"Are you warm now? All done,† Damon said and, unwisely, patted the highest curve of terrain under the towel. â€Å"Hey!† Elena reared up, and Damon – faced by an entire body of pale rose-gold and perfumed and sleek – and with muscles like steel under the silken skin – precipitately fled. He came back after an appropriate interval with a calming offering of more soup. Elena, dignified under her sheet, which she had made into a toga, accepted. She didn't even try to swat him on the bottom when his back was turned. â€Å"Whatis this place?† she wondered instead. â€Å"It can't be the Dunstans' – they're an old family, with an old house. They used to be farmers.† â€Å"Oh, let's just call it a little pied--terre of my own in the woods.† â€Å"Ha,† Elena said. â€Å"I knew you weren't sleeping in trees.† Damon found himself trying not to smile. He'd never been with Elena when the situation hadn't been life-or-death. Now, if he said he'd found he loved her mind after having massaged her naked under a sheet – no†¦No one would ever believe him. â€Å"Feeling better?† he asked. â€Å"As warm as chicken-apple soup.† â€Å"I'm never going to hear the end of that, am I?† He made her stay on the bed while he thought up nightgowns, all sizes and styles, and robes, too – and slippers, all in the instant of walking to what had been a bathroom, and was pleased to find that it was now a walk-in closet with everything anyone could want in terms of night attire. From silky lingerie to good old-fashioned sleeping gowns to night-caps, this wardrobe had it all. Damon emerged with a double armful and gave Elena her choice. She picked a high-necked white nightgown made out of some modest fabric. Damon found himself stroking a regal sky-blue gown trimmed with what looked like genuine Valenciennes lace. â€Å"Not my style,† Elena said, quickly tucking it under some other robes. Not your style aroundme , Damon thought, amused. And a wise little lass you are, too. You don't want to tempt me into doing anything you might be sorry for tomorrow. â€Å"All right – and then you can get a good night's sleep – † He broke off, for she was suddenly looking at him with astonishment and distress. â€Å"Matt! Damon, we were looking forMatt ! I just remembered. We were looking for him and I – I don't know. I got hurt. I remember falling and then I was here.† Because I carried you here, Damon thought. Because this house is just a thought in Shinichi's mind. Because the only permanent things inside it are we two. Damon took in a deep breath of air.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Social Network

One way to understand social-networking sites like Facebook and MySpace is to consider that younger digital natives are not necessarily being exhibitionists when they post photographs of themselves and share personal details there. Instead, these users are living a life in which consciousness is spread out evenly over two platforms: real life and the Web. Rather than feeling schizophrenic or somehow pathological, digital natives understand that these two realms divide the self much as speech and the written word divide language, a division that humans have lived with for a long time without going bonkers. (Sarah Frere-Jones, â€Å"Living on the Radio,† The New Yorker, April 20, 2009) Assignment: Do social-networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace enhance a young person's social life or serve as a substitute for a real social life? Compose an essay in which you develop your point of view on this topic. Support your position with arguments and examples drawn from your reading, studies, experience, and observations. **http://grammar. about. com/od/developingessays/a/SATtopic1. htm The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the topic of social networking. Specifically it will discuss the impact of the social networking site Facebook on today's society. Facebook has become a phenomenon for the social networking set, and what makes that so amazing is that Facebook did not even exist until 2004. Three college students created it to allow other students to network and meet each other, and it has caught on with young people around the globe. What impact does Facebook have on today's technologically advanced society? It allows people who probably never would have met each other in person to communicate, it creates new relationships and friendships, and it places distance between people who could communicate in person but instead choose to communicate online, instead. It is just another element of society that is interested in sharing information with the intimacy of a close, personal relationship. Facebook is nothing more than a medium for communication, and yet, it is so much more than that. At a glance, a user can learn everything from what gender a Facebook member is, to what religion they believe in, what school they attend, and their likes and dislikes, all with the click of a mouse.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Reflective Paper Essay

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Organization in the business and industrial setting is like a very interesting organism worthy of effort and time for study. The behavior of people and the environments with which they are in constant interaction is a ceaseless source for curiosity and fascinating research. This is so especially during this particular century when technology sparks the many changes that take place. This generation is in the epoch of organizational reform and innovation. The time is marked with rapid changes in the demography of workforce, changing corporate culture, and changing institutions. In the light of the rapid shift in today’s organizations, the skills required of managers, beginners in the profession and even aspiring students in the discipline, rest on the foundation of knowledge on the whole gamut of organizational development. Corporate America is not without its complications. When the company â€Å"succeeds,† there is with it (the success) a corresponding notion of responsibilities and liabilities. Organizations thrive today because of the policies and guidelines they have managed to fixed firmly in their set-up and translated into their day to day affairs. Big businesses have the competitive edge over others – i.e., over small entrepreneurs, because they have arrived at their positions in the market place by securing certain parameters in the many facets that comprise their organizations. This is especially true on government laws and regulations (McKenna, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is imperative that organizations in industry and business compete with the changing times. To fail to do so may spell substantial loss in both the financial and human capitals; two major components necessary in an organization. Being competitive in today’s business jargon is not as simple as it sounds; it involves a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the whole gamut of organizational behavior and the complex changes that are dynamic in nature (Mangelsdorff, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This paper attempts to express in prà ©cis the various facets of the nature of organization with specific intentions to elaborate on the student researcher’s understanding, insights and learnings regarding how quality management and control systems relate with human motivation. It takes into consideration the importance of how all these concepts are of significance in one’s individual relationships as well as their relevance of the person’s (especially the student researcher’s) professional plans and actual work situations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Organizational change though oftentimes unpredictable and incomprehensible to many, still goes through a cycle; the nature of which makes it possible for concerned people to study with the hopes and intentions of ultimately, implementing revisions or remodeling. These serve to enhance and improve systems and discover excellent procedures of handling things or procedures and people (Mangelsdorff, 2007). Problem Statements   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To be specific, the following questions are addressed in this paper: Define what is meant by â€Å"strategic planning.† Distinguish this from long-range planning and other forms of planning. Planning can lead to organizational change. What do the text writers feel are the issues that face the managerwho plans to bring about organizational change? How should a planner go about the process of identifying strengths, weaknesses, and distinctive competencies in an organization? What is the impact of the findings on planning? Discuss the relationship between mission statements, planned change, and unplanned change. Use Discussion – Define what is meant by â€Å"strategic planning.† Distinguish this from long-range planning and other forms of planning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bruffee, author of Collaborative Learning: Higher Education, Interdependence, and the Authority of Knowledge (1993), explains the need for a more efficient, economical and equitable management of the people in the industry or organization has never been as pronounced as it is today. This need has never been brought about by factors which inevitably affect not only the established structures and ways of doing things within the personnel area but also by the more meaningful and substantial task of managing the organization’s most important asset – the human capital. Among these factors are: stiffer competition in business; rapid changes in technological, competitive and economic environments; the explosion of technical and managerial knowledge; spiraling wage and benefits cost and so many others. These factors have no doubt been responsible for the emergence of the personnel function as a vital area in the implementation of corporate strategy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Demick and Miller (1993) places in context first what an organization is like and settles how it can affect behavior in general and when that is established, proceeded to explain leadership and management in this context. In organizational behavior which is basic to the management of human resource, it points to the inquiry and application of learning about how people, individuals, and groups perform, operate, and work in organizations. It accomplishes this by means of adopting a system approach. Explicitly, it infers people-organization affairs in terms of the entire person, group totality, complete organization, and total social structure. Its intention is to put up enhance relations by attaining human goals, organizational purposes, and social goals. In such a milieu, the goals to effect change are influenced by several significant factors which are crucial to the overall results. Hence, there are expected leadership behaviors that maintain momentum during the change process.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Effective strategic planning is a process of analyzing an organization’s assets and its needs under changing conditions and developing the activities necessary to satisfy these needs. It is essentially a two-step process. The emphasis is on techniques or systems to be applied. The forecasting of needs allows determining of priorities and allocating of resources to where they can do the most good. Analysis of needs leads to program planning. The planning approach defines human resource needs in relation to the organization’s overall needs and defines a strategy to satisfy them. In this way, individual development, training programs, recruitment, compensation and other activities become integral part of a dynamic process. There are different types of planning aside from strategic type of plan. These include the alignment type, the goal-based type, the self-organizing type, and the scenario-based type (McNamara, 2006). The goal-based type of planning is involved with tailoring the process of improving and enhancing the system of operation of an organization with the focus on the organizations’ goals which may be further specialized according to each of that organization’s departments. The alignment type bases its planning strictly on the organization’s mission and tailors all activities according to that specific aspect of organizational flow. In particular, the scenario type of planning, however, makes use of the critical areas of the organization’s set-up which nay be experiencing problems and issues that may emanate from the external environment such as changing laws and problems outside the firm or establishment which may affect the life, continuity and effective productivity of the organization.   Lastly, self-organizing type of planning is centered on the organization’s core of values and that any or all of the various problems or issues encountered have to be evaluated according to the values of great importance to the members of the organization (McNamara, 2006). -Planning can lead to organizational change. What do the text writers feel are the issues that face the manager who plans to bring about organizational change?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Organizational behavior is actually a complex and dynamic mechanism. It includes the application and integration of theoretical perspectives from the social and behavioral sciences to shed light on how and why individuals behave in a variety of ways in organizations. Included in the study are the ways the individuals carry out their tasks, the structure, design and operation of human persons in simple and complex organizational set-ups (Mangelsdorff, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This is accomplished utilizing the systems approach or systems model. The latter is meant as interpreting people and organizational relationships in reference to the whole individual, â€Å"whole group, whole organization, and whole social system† (Knoster et al., 2000). The objective is developing improved and enhanced relationships by attaining individual aims, organizational goals and social aspirations (Mangelsdorff, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Specifically, any student who pursues the study of the concepts involved in the matter will examine how individuals work in groups; acquire insights into human strengths and interpersonal relationships. Intertwined in the study is to delve into theories or principles of motivation of personnel, effective leadership with the goal of formulating a sound thinking and values of management and leadership. Moreover, organizational behavior investigates scientific data and utilizes a variety of research traditions to further understand how individuals work and function efficiently in diverse forms of structures (Shortell et al., 2000)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The concepts that are pursued in organizational behavior include the following: the evolution and organizational and management theories; the rich historical background of management, organizational theories and the development of management thought, are adequately covered in this particular aspect (Robbins,1997).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Organizational behavior, when scrutinized closely, thus far covers a lot of topics. It embraces the understanding of structure, design of the organization itself. It also includes the study of the work design, policies and practices of the human resource, job design, and decision making as an organization. Furthermore, it also examines the organizational culture, its dynamics where change is aimed to be implemented (Revans, 1982) – How should a planner go about the process of identifying strengths, weaknesses, and distinctive competencies in an organization? What is the impact of the findings on planning?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Working relationships are a central portion of a person’s life.   Motivation and dedication to any endeavor (e.g. work) and the pleasure from it are collective concerns of the organization and the individual. There are definite factors that generate satisfaction, the so-called â€Å"motivator† factors according to Herzberg. These factors push the worker to the highest levels of accomplishment possible. They are an inherent part of the work itself and consist of the nature of the work, the person’s sense of achievement, level of responsibility, and individual development and improvement. These motivator needs can only be rewarded by stimulating, challenging, and absorbing work. Consequently, the goal of motivation should be to enhance individual growth and advancement, develop sense of accomplishment and liability, and provide recognition (Franken, 1994).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Psychology recognizes different perspectives of motivation. One of these viewpoints pertains to the idea of â€Å"motivational inducements,† otherwise known as incentives. Incentives are referenced from either the vantage point of internal, or that of external motivation. An inducement coming from within the individual is called intrinsic or internal motivation. It is, according to Morris and Maisto, about the â€Å". . . desire to perform a behavior that originates within the individual.† An inducement coming from outside the individual is called external or extrinsic motivation. It is the aspiration to do or achieve a goal in order to acquire a type of incentives or escape or steer clear of punishment (Morris and Maisto, 1999, p.316). People are often induced by the presence of external incentives to perform expected tasks or avoid incurring punishment. For motivation experts, however, a person developing the internal type of motivation will reap more lasting and beneficial effects compared with external motivation (Morris and Maisto, 1999).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For instance, in taking care of a medical surgical unit and handling newly hired nurses with a few years of experience only, myriads of problems are not remote possibilities. From issues of tardiness during call of duty, in irresponsibility in dispensing of medicines and relational clashes, to grave misconduct within the workplace such as sexual harassment between employees, these are all stark realities that are potential complex problems. Initiating the Herzberg idea can probably be useful. I will groom first the few expert nurses and those who will be directly supervising others that they practice and execute specific agenda for increasing motivation, one of which is Management by Objectives (MBO). It entails having faith in involving the employees in goal-setting and in decision-making. MBO works by integrating goal-setting into individual participation in decision-making in order to establish individual work goals to which the employee feels reasonably committed. At the motivational level, it is theorized that resistance to change is decreased if individuals participate in decisions regarding change and that individuals accept and are more committed to decisions in which they have participated in making. To further encourage and increase involvement, the hospital provides suggestion boxes and hold monthly contests where they give monetary rewards for the best three suggestions. These give the employee a sense of achievement and responsibility for its success. For this workplace in particular, the employees receive incentives in the form of Ladder promotion, general salary increase annually plus performance rating salary increases, CBA – employees can expect a minimum of 15% increase in salary annually within three years; and welfare benefits which include group insurances, medical insurance, accident benefits among others (Baron, 1983). A set-up like this goes to such great lengths at least to assure that it does something for sustaining employees’ morale and motivation. -Discuss the relationship between mission statements, planned change, and unplanned change. Use illustrations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The elements of organizational behavior lean upon management’s plan and philosophy, vision and objectives. Basing on this foundation springs the organizational culture where the formal and informal types of organization and the social environment are best understood (Knoster et al., 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Every person in direct supervision of employees or workers knows the intricacies of leadership and management of people under his/her care. Whenever possible, it is to the best interest of the organization and employer in general that the workers perform their respective jobs efficiently and on a continuous or consistent manner. This is the aspiration of every owner of a company or those delegated to deliver their/his/her goals. However, this will only work so long as the individuals in their various places or positions know and understand what they want and where they want to go in the context of the overall goals of their organization. Intertwined in this idea is the fact that individuals are motivated to work not only for them but that the vision and mission, goals of the corporate world where they belong must be their own also. Ownership as a motivational factor is critical for the survival and sustainability of both the individual worker and the organization as a whole. Studies reveal that how an organization runs depends upon every human person within the workplace functioning as he/she should be in order that productivity is achieved. This is actually a cyclical picture; both the organization or employer level and the rank and file levels must understand the team and group dynamics that must work to achieve their own objectives. However this seemed to be easy to understand, the applications of which are complex involving multiple disciplines (Mangelsdorff, 2007). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The problem of employee motivation is critical in all kinds of organizations today and is responsible for the shoddy products we buy and the careless service we receive. It was thought that all that was necessary to produce high motivation in workers was to pay them more; this idea may no longer be valid for a large portion of the work force (Adams, 1965). Modern workers demand jobs that satisfy their inner needs for fulfillment, expression, and self-actualization. Traditional values involved loyalty to the company and a strong drive for money, status, promotion and security. The new breed of workers focuses on self-fulfillment and self-actualization and demands jobs that are challenging and that allow participation in decision-making (McClelland, 1976). They have little loyalty to the organization and less concern with money, status and security.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Psychologists have proposed several theories of motivation. The need for achievement by McClelland posits the existence to be the best in whatever they undertake. Studies show that good executives are higher in Ach than poor ones. High in ability and take calculated risks and set moderate achievement goals. These individuals constantly need feedback on their progress (Halonen & Santrock, 1996).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These theories deal with content of motivation, with internal needs that arouse and guide behavior. Process theories of motivation focus on the psychological processes involved in making decisions and choices about work. This is illustrated in the goal-setting theory, which argues that employee motivation is defined by our intention to achieve a particular goal; and equity theory, which deals with our perceived ratio or outcome to input and how equitably that ratio compares with those co-workers (Halonen & Santrock, 1996).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The workplace today considers any of the perspectives mentioned in this paper. However, what are more reflective at many organizations are their strategies in enhancing the life of the average worker. The understanding of the needs or drives that motivate people is therefore critical in the choice of what â€Å"motivator variables† that the management may employ to encourage their people to do or sustain an excellent job or an efficient performance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mentoring and its application is very much the vogue today in corporate America. It is a strategy employed by companies or institutions to enhance professionalism and the increased transfer of learning and building of skills from the more adept and/or experienced to the junior or neophyte employee. It is also a way of improved retention rate within a company. Reference: Baron, R. 1983. Behavior in Organizations: Understanding and Managing the Human Side of Work, Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Bruffee, Kenneth A. Collaborative Learning: Higher Education, Interdependence, and the Authority of Knowledge. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 1993. Demick, J. and Miller, P., Development in the Workplace, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers, New Jersey, 1993. Druckman, Daniel, Jerome E. Singer, and Harold Van Cott (Editors) (1997). Enhancing Organizational Performance. National Academy Press: Washington, D.C. (optional) Franken, R.E. 1994, Human Motivation (Belmont, CA, Wadsworth). Halonen, JS and JW Santrock, 1996. Psychology: Contexts of Behavior, Dubuque, IA: Brown    and Benchmark, p.810. Knoster, T., Villa, R., & Thousand, J. (2000). A  framework for thinking about systems change. In R. Villa & J. Thousand (Eds.), Restructuring for caring and effective education: Piecing the puzzle together (pp. 93-128). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. Landy, F.J. 1985. Psychology of Work behavior. 3rd Ed. Dorsey Press. Mangelsdorff, David A.2001. â€Å"Organizational Behavior and Theory. Accessed August 19, 2008 McClelland, D. C., & Burnham, D. H. 1976. Power is the great motivator. Harvard Business Review, 54(2), 100-110. McKenna, Eugene, 2000. Business Psychology and Organizational Behavior: A Student’s Handbook. 3rd Ed. Psychology press: Taylor and Francis Group. McNamara, Carter. 2006. â€Å"Basic Overview of Various Strategic planning models.† Retrieved August 19, 2008. http://www.managementhelp.org/plan_dec/str_plan/models.htm Morris, Charles G., Maisto, Albert A., 1999. Understanding Psychology.4th ed., Prentice Hall: New Jersey, pp.315-316. Revans, R. W. 1982. The Origin and Growth of Action Learning. Hunt, England: Chatwell-Bratt, Bickley Robbins, Stephen P. 1997. Organizational Behavior: Concepts, Controversies, Applications, Eighth Edition, Prentice Hall. Shortell, Stephen M. and Arnold D. Kaluzny. 2000. Health Care Management: Organization Design and Behavior, Fourth Edition, Delmar Publishers Inc. Revans, R. W. 1982. The Origin and Growth of Action Learning. Hunt, England: Chatwell-Bratt, Bickley Robbins, Stephen P. 1997. Organizational Behavior: Concepts, Controversies, Applications, Eighth Edition, Prentice Hall.