What Does The Bird Of The Children s Hands Represent

1. According to Morrison, what does the bird in the children’s hands represent? According to Morrison, the bird in the children’s hands represents language. 2. What does the old woman mean when she says of the bird: â€Å"I don’t know†¦in your hands†? Why do you think she repeats – â€Å"It is in your hands.†? How has this phrase become a metaphor? What is it a metaphor for? The old woman, when she says of the bird â€Å"I don’t know†¦in your hands,† means that the fate of the bird is inevitably going to be decided by the children. She repeats the phrase, â€Å"it is in your hands,† being as the bird symbolizes language, to emphasize that the use of language can be once again corrupted or pure, literally the bird’s fate. This phrase has become a metaphor†¦show more content†¦How might Cholly relate to this idea? The statement relates to how the adults in The Bluest Eye communicate with the children, especially among the black adults and children, because they are taught to loathe their blackness and envy and adore the whiteness of their white neighbors. The adults , instead of â€Å"expressing love† for their skins and appearance, shame their color which they pass on to their children who, inheriting this self-hatred, continue to use language to destroy themselves. For example, in the scene when Claudia, Frieda, and Maureen are walking home, they come across Pecola who is bullied by a group of boys. She is called â€Å"black e mo† repeatedly and other offensive language not because she specifically committed a crime against them but because of their â€Å"contempt for their own blackness (Morrison 65).† Their detestation against their own skins was bred and cultivated; it was â€Å"learned self-hatred (Morrison 65).† Cholly Breedlove, foreign to the idea of the unconditional love a parent provides, was rejected by both his parents. His mother left him on the side of a railroad as an infant and his father, already being absent from the time of his birth, told Cholly, after he has completed in journey in finding his father, to leave because his mother already received money for Cholly’s birth. A parent’s responsibility is to provide the guidance

The Importance Of Neural Stem Cells - 984 Words

My combined interest in discovery and earning a Ph.D. eventually led to my first research experience through the NeuroSURP program at Rutgers University. There, I became a part of the laboratory of Dr. Emanuel DiCicco-Bloom and worked on a project titled,† Neural Stem Cells from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Patient Exhibit Abnormal Neurite Outgrowth.† Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorder of impaired communication skills and repetitive restrictive behavior. Studies have concluded that genes implicated in ASD diagnoses converge to regulate signaling pathways for neurodevelopmental processes like migration, proliferation, and differentiation. Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) has been proven†¦show more content†¦With continued experimentation to validate or expand upon these hypotheses, we may be able to explain postulate how this dysfunction leads to ASD phenotypes, and how those developmental disorders may be pre vented. I continued my passion for research in the neuroscience laboratory of Dr. Raimi Quiton in the Psychology Department of the Univeristy of Maryland, Baltimore County UMBC . Through this lab I had the opportunity to investigate the effect of biopsychosocial factors on human pain modulation. Implications of this study stretch to health care and treatment for individuals within diverse groups. With the right application, it can also help to decrease the stereotypes imposed upon certain patient groups when given pain treatment. These outcomes, though far away at this point, have allowed me to be a part of an experience that speaks to my ambition of effecting social change through research. Despite this experience being a world away from the cell culture of the previous summer, I became HIPAA certified, ethics trained, and became trained for human pain testing. In addition to conducting thermal and pressurized pain experiments, I also managed projects within the lab, collected and analyze d data, planned experiments, and trained new research assistants. During extended periods when my mentor and principle investigator were away onShow MoreRelatedHuman Neural Stem Cell Tropism857 Words   |  4 PagesARTICLE TITLE: Human Neural Stem Cell Tropism to Metastatic Breast Cancer ESSAY TITLE: The Investigation of a therapeutic implication on metastatic breast cancer with a specialized human neural stem cell that is programed to secrete carboxylesterase combined with activated form of an ionotecan by targeting a specific tumor site and major cytokine involved in mediating susceptibility of neural stem cells to breast cancer cells. SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY: Metastatic Breast Cancer is characterized as aRead MoreThe Importance Of Neurogenins1402 Words   |  6 PagesNgn1, Ngn2, astrogliogenesis, neurogenesis, neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs), JAK-STAT. Abbreviations: NSPC: Neural stem/progenitor cells Ngn: Neurogenins bHLH: basic-Helix-Loop-Helix E- Embryonic day Introduction Neural stem/progenitor cells are the multipotent cells of the brain. They have two functions in the CNS: 1. Self renewal- NSPCs undergo symmetric division and give rise to two identical daughter cells. 2.Differentiation- NSPCs undergo asymmetricRead MoreEssay On Glioblastoma1349 Words   |  6 Pagescharacterization into defined transcription profiles such as classical, neural, pro-neural and mesenchymal types5. Additionally, the commonly occurring genetic aberrations of primary GB are amplifications/mutations of EGFR, PDGFRA, PTEN, and of secondary GB are IDH1, MDM2 and p536-11. Despite efforts to dissect tumor heterogeneity of this malignant tumor, till date this genomic profiling has proven to be insufficient to improve therapy 3. The cell of origin of GB tumors is still under debate, owing to its heterogeneityRead More Use of Fetal Tissue Research to Cure/Treat Neurological Disorder1012 Words   |  5 Pagesacting together directs behavior, it is very difficult to repair or tre at any disorders of the nervous system. Doctors are not just treating a single cell that can be replaced but an entire system with intertwining and unknown connections. Recent research involving transplanted fetal tissue has shown vast potential for hope in many areas of neural study. The basic idea is that the issue will replace or regrow tissue in damaged areas of the brain. Fetal tissue research was banned during the BushRead MoreStem Cells And The Human Body1170 Words   |  5 PagesStem cells are different to all other cells in the human body because they have unique abilities to divide repeatedly, make many copies of themselves or differentiate into specialised cells such as skin cells, immune cells or nerve cells. Stem cells are also described as unspecialised because they are not yet advanced to perform an exact function. However, each of them has the potential to develop into one of a number of different specialised cell types depending on the body’s needs at a particularRead MoreParkinson s Disease As A Medical Condition1437 Words   |  6 Pagesit would encourage others to study the disease. No such research was performed until f inally, sixty years after Parkinson’s essay was published, a French neurologist named Jean Charcot studied the disease and was the first to truly recognize the importance of Parkinson’s work. As a result, he named the disease after him. Much has been learned about the disease since then; however, much of it still remains a mystery. Researchers have learned that the symptoms for this disease are progressive, degenerativeRead MoreMechanisms of Neuronal Repair Following Nerve Damage2370 Words   |  10 Pagesperipheral nervous systems depend highly on the successful functionality of afferent and efferent neurons. Neurons are cells that have the ability to transmit sensory and motor messages throughout the body. These signals are promoted by electrically insulating myelin sheaths that surround the axons of neurons. These sheaths are produced by Schwann cells and other glial cells. When a neuron is damaged, a communicative circuit is compromised and essential signals ca nnot be transmitted throughoutRead MoreInvestigating The Outcome Pathways Regulated By Thyroid Hormone867 Words   |  4 Pageshormone (TH) and determine whether these differ significantly between species. Primary rat (neurospheres and dissociated cortical cultures) and human (neurospheres and neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells [iPSCs]) cultures will be used to determine which early (neural precursor cell [NPC] proliferation, migration and differentiation] and late (axonal and dendritic outgrowth, synaptogenesis, network formation) neurodevelopmental processes are most vulnerable to modulation by TH receptorRead MoreThe Debate Over Stem Cell Research1196 Words   |  5 Pagescontroversy over the topic of stem cell research. It seems to be that the main controversy when it comes to the topic of stem cell research is an ethical debate, and because of this it seems that the side opposing stem cell research always wins due to their use of pathos when it comes to their argument. I personally do not side with those against the idea of stem cell research because I believe that the pros outweigh the cons when you break it down this way. Stem cell research could be the gatewayRead MoreBranching Out With Stem Cells1400 Words   |  6 Pagesby Branching Out With Stem Cells Imagine a child, no more than six years old, with a failing liver. There is no way for that child to receive a functional liver because of the waiting list for organs. That child will almost certainly die waiting for that liver, and never get close to the top of the list. The main reason for this is quite simple: there are not nearly enough organs available for transplant to save the people that need them. Because the research of stem cells isn’t developed or funded

eBusiness Systems

Question: Evaluate how eBusiness helps achieve maximum performance. Answer: The Business industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world as the whole market is going through the terms of business only and not only of one type but various kinds of markets is going on globally. Companies involved in this industry do not have monopoly in the market that is for a single good there are so many companies working to get maximum profit. The basic and major goal of any business is to earn maximum profit among others present in the market worldwide. In this run, the industry has to grow with the environmental need and to the needs of customers too. Todays era of marketing is going global that means to do trading or say commerce which means business in terms of Internet which is a huge library of information and has a great influence on our society, government and commerce and that is word we call it as ecommerce or eBusiness. When the term commerce comes, it refers to buying and selling of a product. We can see this business all around us in various forms. There are three factors say people are included in this the process of eBusiness and they are producers, sellers, and buyers. Producers are the part where different kinds of products or items and services are produced. Sellers are the ones who sell goods and provide service to people. Buyers are the people involved in purchasing those goods and services produced and sold on upper levels. We can take an example of Amul products as to describe the role of producer, seller and buyer- Producer- Amul produces Amul Chocolates Seller- Shopkeeper in the neighborhood sells it Buyer- people around who purchase those chocolates. Hence we can say that eBusiness refers to buying and selling any good using the Internet technology. Many companies have made up their websites to give customers a platform to interact with their products, like them and can shop them from their homes in highly easy manner with various advantages which are as follows- No need of going to showrooms or shops with your bags. No need to carry cash from home having a fear of losing them if you have a large amount in your hands. No need of taking the help of a sales person to search the item manually into the store. No time barrier along with the barrier of geographical conditions of various locations. We can buy product from anywhere in world just sitting home. Small industries can also be available global. A lot of time, money and effort can be saved. Now the question comes in mind that how would these transactions take place from the company website to the home of customer without having any physical platform between them. The answer is the functioning of eBusiness system. EDI which means Electronic Data Interchange is a term providing the base of eBusiness for the exchange of information between systems without errors enabling the common language between the systems of both the sides included in the transaction. Internationally, the standard format of electronic documents is acceptable for the electronic messages for giving the facility of communication between any buyer, supplier or customer globally all over in the world. All organizations included in eBusiness do not get success or failure as a guarantee. It depends on their strategy they have applied to to get their eBusiness system run and earn maximum profit. For the conclusions, we can take the case studies of various industries like- LG Electronics (used oracle as ebusiness tool), Kalahari, OBS i.e., online business system and Amazon. LG Electronics in Seoul, Korea uses a high technology and has a strength of employees over eighty thousand. It has improved in database management systems with the help of oracle in its every field of products and services oracle financials, oracle manufacturing, oracle customer relationship management etc. According to the chief Human resource Officer of LG Electronics, a proper management of human resources in the company can only lead to success. It has installed oracle eBusiness suite in the head quarter among thirty nine countries and now successfully stepping forward to migrate worldwide having same oracle managed systems soon. In 2002, when the company started working on human resources, it used oracle modules of human resources to get replaced with simple HR applications which were in use in its subsidiaries. Later on, the efficiency of the company got standardized by lowered costs after the introduction of self service HR functionality and the facility for the employees and customers to learn more through online mode. Also boosted up the satisfaction of the employees and their satisfaction for using self service options and online training was yet not accepted by the staff hence they provide the facility of easy learning through online systems to great familiar with the new system. As the time passed with the ease of employees, their satisfaction also got increased with the time with boosted knowledge and online trainings done periodically. As a result, LG Electronics is a long term user of Oracle products and services for the efficient eBusiness done through it. South African eBusiness organization got successful in the environment of e-marketing even after many complexities. Various high failures reports of eBusiness has been noticed in this decade because of the development of .com websites for the online business along with the misconceptions about the ease of marketing through online that could be done. South Africa did not know much about the concept of ecommerce and many initiatives proven to be very disappointing in this field like Woza, a successful online company got suddenly shut down. Kalahari sells CDs, DVDs, videos, health goods etc. They started working on ecommerce strategy as it was on a great hike that time and as it was a famous store of books, graduation students started reading books online as an open book but the failure was occurred and large amount of potential loss happened to that company. Then the head of book club started observing the real means of ebusiness and then relaunched its online website working with a more experienced and skillful team and noted a marked growth in the history and became a biggest store dealing with over two laces customers. It was observed that ecommerce is a direct business of marketing and development was done accordingly. OBS refers to Online Business Systems is a company having seven offices in the area of North America. When online facility was not available it used the spreadsheet and databases to manage billing and information for delivering the projects. This manual process of filing sheets and managing the data was very time consuming and made people bored doing such jobs and leads to decrement in its position in the market. Hence OBS stated looking for a way that could simplify all its needs and can make a better solution to improve the relationships with customers. Later on, after trial of various software OBS selected replicons web timesheet as the solution for their ebusiness caused a huge time reduced in doing large amount of operations, productivity was also increased with better accuracy and also the expenses got reduced up to some extent. Amazon is one of the largest retail online stores well known globally and it has more than forty kinds of goods to be sold starting from books, grocery to accessories and health products. The success rate of Amazon was not achieved in a day or two; it faced a lot of success as well as failures. There are various salient features of this online marketing store as an attractive interface for the customers, fast and easily available goods, easy return and cash back policy etc. It made them reliable among the customers. Amazon was started in 1994 and aimed to market share not earning profits till 2001. According to the studies it was shown that Amazon faced many lawsuits and auction suites which were proved to be unsuccessful in their path. In 2007 when Amazon MP3 was launched, an organic growth was not made yet I terms digital rights management. Many book reviews and authors did not supported the marketplace of Amazon as their services to be sold online but kindle, an eBook reader of Amazon made them a success story who inspired others to take part in the online marketing strategy and call others customers towards this ebusiness process of Amazon. Moving towards the conclusion after having the knowledge of case studies of these companies that their basic focus was on skillful employees, customer relationship management and optimum use of resources available to earn maximum profit with the flexible environment of changing their business online from a simple manual shopping store and how they became a renowned ebusiness holders in spite of up and down graph of their success and failure but finally came into existence as a successful ebusiness organizations. References 1. Beynon-Davies P. (2004). E-Business. Palgrave, Basingstoke 2. Small Business E-Commerce Resources 3. Graham, Mark (2008). "Warped Geographies of Development: The Internet and Theories of Economic Developmen 4. https://www.replicon.com/online_business_systems-success-stories 5. Chaudhury, Abijit; Kuilboer, Jean-Pierre (2002). e-Business and e-Commerce Infrastructure 6. https://www.top10erp.org/oracle-e-business-suite-lg-electronics-case-studies-22 7. "E-commerce will make the shopping mall a retail wasteland" ZDNet, January 17, 2013 8. Paul Timers, (2000), Electronic Commerce - strategies models for business-to-business trading 9. Kotler, Philip (2009). Marketing Management. Pearson: Prentice-Hall. 10. Beynon-Davies P. (2004). E-Business. Palgrave, Basingstoke. 11. www.ejise.com 12. https://www.ecommerce-digest.com/Amazon-case-study.html

Self-evaluation Essay Example

Self-evaluation Essay Simply said, I have learned a great deal about myself as a teacher, mother, and individual while taking this course. The readings and questions presented through the coursework, challenged me to dig deep into my own development from childhood to adulthood and apply these findings to my teaching. For instance, I learned that at certain times in my past, I turned away from understanding certain characteristics about myself. Yet this course provided the tools for me to gain insight in my overall development. As I recognize parts of myself now, I am better able to channel and use this knowledge in understanding my students. I now realize that life is not a series of unrelated, confusing events. There is a direct correlation between what I believe to be true about myself and what happens in material reality. My life has unfolded based on patterns that have emerged as a result of my deepest, unconscious beliefs. If I want to move forward in a more positive direction, I must uncover the patterns that are keeping me stuck in place. The only requirement for this exercise is an open mind and heart and a willingness to see my role in creating the circumstances I currently face. First off, looking back in my first web-based course, I remember that my main motivation then was to just do my best and prove myself to the group. What I found though, was being part of an engaging exchange of ideas and interesting readings. Through the responses, I gained a sense of the motivation of others in the cohort and found that although coming from different backgrounds and perspectives, we all share the passion to see our students learn and succeed. In the forums, there was clearly a high level of maturity in the group which fostered great conversation. I wish we could have done this offline, on occasion. Now I know that I can take the steps necessary to do what I want to do. I know that I have to recognize that the first step is actually the most difficult. When I listen to those around me who discourage me from doing what I want to do, I sell myself short and I become resentful on a deep level and even begin to deny that I have dreams. I need to give myself permission to pursue what I want to do so that I can get satisfaction from my job. And this dream is to be an effective educator for young minds. We will write a custom essay sample on Self-evaluation specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Self-evaluation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Self-evaluation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer I remember clearly that during the first stage of the course, we were challenged to develop two questions in approaching this course.   One of my questions was â€Å"How do New York City Public Schools integrate popular child and adolescent development and research theories into program preparation?†Ã‚   In reviewing this question, it appears very passive in nature as if the burden rests on the shoulders of districts and administrators to be familiar development research as it relates to the classroom. However, as a teacher it is my responsibility to be able not only to have an understanding of development, but to incorporate this knowledge into my everyday teaching. For example, in covering language development, we explored the leading theories on how children learn language.   As a teacher who works with middle school special education students, it was interesting to note the different views on language development. I was able to apply my experiences as a mother and teac her to the readings and responses. This of course, has helped take the assumptions off the way. I thought youngsters learned language to concrete researched-based observations. The real life development process I witnessed with my daughter coupled with what I learned from readings and text is what made what I learned valuable and potent. Related to this, I also realized that I need to plan a rich and varied curriculum appropriate to the ages and experience of the children. Curriculum-planning and preparation of materials is another form of indirect guidance that must be done. When there is a wide variety of interesting and appropriate activities provided, and enough adults are available to respond to children as they participate in the activities, there is very little misbehavior in a group. On the other hand, if learning experiences are poorly planned, or are too easy or too difficult, children may misbehave. Boredom is one of the major causes of misbehavior and can be a reason for a previously cooperative child turned mischievous. Now I know that if children are unruly, one of the first places to look is at the richness of the curriculum offerings. If the curriculum is found wanting, it is far easier to change than the children. I found that the forum related to Family and Physical development was a good venue to describe my relationship with my parents. My father was clearly an authoritative parent, but I noted that his influence encouraged me to be focused and be determined to succeed. Yet, his parenting style often left me feeling like I could never be successful enough to please him. Understanding the parenting styles described in the text, has improved my understanding of the relationship students have with their parents. Although what I learned is only on the surface level of the psychology of parent-child relationships, it will undoubtedly prove invaluable in working with my students and parents during the coming year. Probably the most significant exercise for me this semester was completing the diversity paper. I decided to read, Memoirs of Geisha, a fascinating story about the lives and mystery surrounding the geishas of Japan.   Reading this story gave me insight into a culture I always wanted to know more about. More importantly though, it made me challenge my beliefs and forced me to apply the readings and the knowledge learned about culture and development to what I was reading.   From the story, I learned that both nature, what is internal, and nurture, the environment in which one lives, are both involved in the development. Prior to this, I felt one’s development was either influenced by nature or environment and that one plays a more significant role in the development process. However,   I now know the course of development proceeds depending on the intricate interplay between both forces. Over the course of this session, I have examined closely the path that led to my teaching and to Teaching Fellows. I guess my experience working as substitute teacher in Newark Public School instilled in me the desire to teach Special Education.   Just as I recognized in Critical Links, a research compendium of 64 studies published by the Arts Education Partnership, Deasy (2002), the influence of arts may be greater on the academic learning for students with disabilities and special learning needs, students living in poverty, and students learning English as a second language, than for the general population of students.   In our most recent discussion on media consumption and its impact in the classroom, I believe that integrating the arts and physical activity improves students’ cognitive, social and academic skill development. I know now that I want to be a teacher of action and encourage my students, who are so vulnerable to their own peers and environment, to get invo lved and be active participants in their own development. I guess I want to empower these individuals, especially as I look back to see how my parents empowered me too, even as they served as authoritative figures in my early life. Similarly, I also recall what the NAEYC’s Position Statement states that Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs clearly explains and provides research evidence to support the value in early childhood programs. I am now more aware that effective guidance requires that I learn to consider many factors as I decide what to do and what to say to influence children’s behavior. My own upbringing, my experience, and my knowledge of what is considered best for children will be important factors. The values of society—goals and principles people cherish and enshrine in institutions and fundamental documents are important to teachers and will influence what we do and say to children. Serious thought usually goes into guidance that is effectively carried out by teachers. Even though the adults I observe seem to act spontaneously, they likely have thought about the kind of people they want their children to become. They use that background of thinkin g each time they interact with children. Clearly as we see in New York City classrooms, we teach some of the most vulnerable and high risk group to social problems. Substance abuse, alcohol abuse or dependency, parental abuse and neglect, violence, poverty, and discrimination are among the social problems that the youth are faced with. On alcohol abuse, for example, Thomas and Seibold (1995) found that young adults drink to cope with problems such as loneliness, lack of acceptance and when they feel like doing so (cited by David M. Eggers 1996). On the other hand, Beck, Thombs and Summons (Eggers 1996) contend that the leading reason for adolescent drinking is due to peer acceptance, which they refer to as the pressure one puts on them to be accepted.   They also found that alcohol abuse â€Å"usually doesnt come into play until these young adults are already frequently drinking.† To young adults, â€Å"drinking to get drunk is all part of the social context of having fun with friends.†   While drinking is not the biggest issues that I contend with in my classrooms, there is the increasing appeal to gangs and violent behavior. Given my deeper understanding of how this plays into development, I feel better equipped to handle these challenges in the classroom. In most of the social problems encountered by today’s young adults, the critical factor is the role of parents and educational institutions in forming, molding and strengthening of children and young adults’ values.   This is best captured in one of the reflections given by a father in his encounter with his children. Just listening to his children, looking them in the eye, and getting oneself into their minds and hearts establish a strong relationship of care and trust and openness. In raising teens, Covey (1999, 100) highlights the importance of being sensitive to the tendency of the youth to reject. According to him, this tendency of teenagers comes from their fear of being rejected. Their rejection experiences make them â€Å"pull back into a kind of shell to protect themselves from being rejected again.† This could be aggravated by parents who refuse to look honestly at what their children are doing; even denying that there is a problem, making excuses for their child, or blaming the school, teachers, family, friends, or society.   Fixing the child’s problems by giving in to demands, justifying rebelliousness is just a normal part of adolescence. Compromising the parents’ own values just to keep the peace at home or maintain a veneer of harmony is not an uncommon solution. If and when the worst situation comes up, the decision to intervene remains with the parents and not with the juvenile justice system.  Yet, parents are often at a loss on what best to do. All too often, parents seek counsels from all who could give professional, religious and forms of advice. They meet with us, their teachers, and consult doctors, ministers or other respected adults or experts, if that at all.   But solutions remain elusive as problems arise due to lack of cooperation, resistance or sheer evasiveness of the child. These results in more tension-filled homes making those affected withdrawn and torn as their own parents. As I look back on what was learned, I realize that when we are not living by the clock, when we are not enslaved by some irrational time schedule that we have set for our success, life becomes easier, and we are better able to accept what comes our way as we get older and mature during development. Sometimes, what we consider detours are really rerouting opportunities to put us into contact with the people we need to pursue our dreams, or the circumstances we need to confront in order to move ahead. When we have faith, hope and patience, our lives become more relaxed, and we more easily stop criticizing and judging every single thing that happens, and every mistake we make on our journey to understand life’s mysteries. We show compassion because we know that somehow all of our needs will be met. When you really think about it, those trying circumstances in the classroom that can make you cry and those mistakes we make, all teach us how to become better educators to our student s. We have material needs and we have spiritual and creative needs, and they need to be met if we want to be happy. I realize that we do not need to make huge changes in our lives in order to pursue our dreams. We do not need to do everything in one grand motion. We do, however, need to recognize that we are more than moneymaking machines, that we have dreams, and that our spirits have the right to express themselves in this world. One small step leads to bigger steps which ultimately lead to dreams fulfilled for my students and all children whose lives I will influence and touch.

Free Essays on Charles Murray

Charles Murray’s essay â€Å"Choosing a Future† depicts what the future would be like if all federal transfer payments to the poor were abolished. Murray is convinced if our country did away with all federal transfer payments such as AFDC, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Unemployment Insurance, ect†¦ that our country would be better off. Murray seems to be overly optimistic about our future without welfare. Murray seems to think that every one who is on welfare and any other federal benefits would be forced to find a job. If they cannot find a job then they would have to rely on their families or private charities for support. Anyone who cannot achieve this would be considered to have â€Å"fallen between the cracks.† Murray states that this would be a very small percentage of the population and that we have no obligation to help them because they only have their selves to blame. I believe Murray’s speculation has noble intentions, but I think there is a point where he crosses the line. I agree with him that it is not fair for low class people who have a hard working job to earn basically the same amount as people who are just on benefits from the government. However, I don’t agree that all federal benefits should be cut. People who have a disability do not have the same opportunities as everyone else and there for I believe that they should receive some sort of benefit. If we resorted to this living style then I believe that humans would be no different then primitive animals. In the 19-century a famous British scientist Charles Darwin, known for his theories on evolutions coined the term Darwinism. Darwinism means only the strongest survive. This is what animals have to revert to. If your country eliminated all benefits then it would not be ludicrous to say that only the strongest will survive. I refused to believe that our civilization has not evolved more then animals.... Free Essays on Charles Murray Free Essays on Charles Murray Charles Murray’s essay â€Å"Choosing a Future† depicts what the future would be like if all federal transfer payments to the poor were abolished. Murray is convinced if our country did away with all federal transfer payments such as AFDC, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Unemployment Insurance, ect†¦ that our country would be better off. Murray seems to be overly optimistic about our future without welfare. Murray seems to think that every one who is on welfare and any other federal benefits would be forced to find a job. If they cannot find a job then they would have to rely on their families or private charities for support. Anyone who cannot achieve this would be considered to have â€Å"fallen between the cracks.† Murray states that this would be a very small percentage of the population and that we have no obligation to help them because they only have their selves to blame. I believe Murray’s speculation has noble intentions, but I think there is a point where he crosses the line. I agree with him that it is not fair for low class people who have a hard working job to earn basically the same amount as people who are just on benefits from the government. However, I don’t agree that all federal benefits should be cut. People who have a disability do not have the same opportunities as everyone else and there for I believe that they should receive some sort of benefit. If we resorted to this living style then I believe that humans would be no different then primitive animals. In the 19-century a famous British scientist Charles Darwin, known for his theories on evolutions coined the term Darwinism. Darwinism means only the strongest survive. This is what animals have to revert to. If your country eliminated all benefits then it would not be ludicrous to say that only the strongest will survive. I refused to believe that our civilization has not evolved more then animals....

What are Behavioral Interview Questions and How Should You Answer Them

What are Behavioral Interview Questions and How Should You Answer Them When you hear the phrase â€Å"behavioral questions,† it might call up unpleasant memories of sitting outside the principal’s office, waiting anxiously while you come up with all the reasons it wasn’t your fault. But really, it’s just a type of question used by job interviewers to help suss out a candidate’s likely performance beyond the bullet points on the resume. This type of questions are among some of the hardest interview questions. Behavioral questions are discussion topics like, â€Å"Tell me about a time you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"How would you handle it if X happened?† They’re an important part of the job interview because they give the interviewer a sense of what you’re like in action. These questions tend to fall into a few different categories, so let’s explore those (with some samples of each).Communication QuestionsCommunication skills are an essential part of every job, whether you’ll be connecting with clients or vendors, internal employees, or customers. Everyone and his brother lists â€Å"strong communication skills† on his resume, but you should also arm yourself with some concrete examples of how you have communicated successfully in the workplace.Examplesâ€Å"Tell me a time when you had to communicate a complex situation to someone else. What did you do, and what was the result?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Tell me about a time when you had to communicate bad news to a client or stakeholder. How did you handle it?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"How would you persuade someone who doesn’t agree with your point of view?†Time Management and Prioritization QuestionsTime management is another biggie for interviewers. After all, your resume might have an amazing lineup of completed projects, but if it took you a year and a half to complete something that should have taken six months, that could be a red flag. They also want to know whether you’ll be able to prioritize tasks on the job.Examplesâ€Å"You have two deadlines on the same day. How do you decide which one to prioritize?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Tell me about a long-term project you managed. How did you keep your team on deadline?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Describe your busiest time at work. How did you juggle all of the projects that were going on?†Personal Creativity and Accomplishment QuestionsThis is usually an attempt to get to know your motivations, or understand how you see yourself. It’s similar to the common â€Å"what are your strengths/weaknesses† questions that pop up in a majority of interviews.Examplesâ€Å"What has been your biggest professional accomplishment so far?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Describe a time when you had to be creative to get a task done.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Give an example of a time you had to think on your feet to overcome an obstacle.†Problem Solving QuestionsThis is perhaps the most common type of behavioral question in an interview, because it helps the interviewer really fill i n context for your resume. In any job, accomplishments are often the end result of problem solving, but the bullet points tell very little about what led up to that point.Examplesâ€Å"Tell me about a time when you saw a problem and took initiative to solve it.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Describe a situation where you faced conflict on a team. What did you do to resolve that?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"What has been the biggest challenge in your career, and how did you deal with it?†Ahead of interview day, if you can come up with specific examples in each of these areas, you’ll be ready to impress with your quick thinking. You don’t need to come up with every possible instance of problem solving or workplace creativity- one or two anecdotes per area should cover you, and make you a model of candidate behavior. No principal’s office necessary!

How the use of food label and nutritional content impacts dietary Research Paper

How the use of food label and nutritional content impacts dietary preferencec among college students - Research Paper Example These diseases are caused by factors relating to poor dietary practices. Cancer and heart diseases are related to high intake of fats and low intake of fibers. As a result of disastrous effects of cancer and heart diseases, the United States and Canadian governments have come up with recommendations that will help the public to make healthy dietary choices. The for instance, The US has passed a law compelling all manufacturers to label food products, summarizing the nutrient concentrates of a food product. The research is to reveal the effects of nutritional labels have on the health of university and college students. Further, the research seeks to establish whether the labels have a notable impact among university and college students decision to purchase certain food products. The research aims at examining the frequency of usage of nutritional labels among college and university students. To eliminate the element of bias, the research aimed at assessing whether non label users are different from label users when it comes to knowledge on nutritional information, beliefs about diet diseases relationship as well as factors associated with non label users and label users’ attitudes towards nutritional labels. Many students have no control over what they take. The result of their ignorance is because in most cases the parents are the ones who set out the diet that the children will take. Additionally, some of the students are not unaware of the chronic diseases that they are exposing themselves to when they take unhealthy foods. Because most students are young, they do not recognize the long term effects poor dietary behavior. The present intake of foods high in fats, carbohydrates and proteins will have adverse effects on their health in future if the trend continues unabated. The environments that the students study in also have effects on the kinds of foods that the students take. The university and college administrations should take part in education

'Britain can be proud of its legacy of military intervention Essay

'Britain can be proud of its legacy of military intervention since the end of the Second World War.' Do you agree - Essay Example The two world wars made the situation even worse because it ensured the formal decline of Britain as the world’s preeminent power and this was in favour of the United States and the Soviet Union. After the Second World War, Britain has intervened militarily in various conflicts across the world and this has created a situation where there have been questions concerning its legacy. This paper seeks to show that while for the most part Britain’s military interventions after the Second World War are a legacy to be proud of, there are instances where some interventions have been misguided and have not been in the interests of the British people. One of the most important military interventions made by the British military after the Second World War was in the Greek Civil War where it helped in the stabilising the country after the Nazi German withdrawal. The political turmoil that followed this withdrawal made Greece to become a nation divided, where some groups supported the government and monarchy while others supported communist groups that wished to take over the government of the country (Goulter, 2014). Greece had for many years faced a lot of turmoil, first under Ottoman rule and later after independence where it had a lot of uncertainty concerning the type of government that they would have liked. However, while this was the case, the Nazi occupation of the country had made it possible for those groups disillusioned with the monarchy to achieve prominence and once the Germans withdrew, these groups often opted for the ending of the monarchy and the acceptance of communist rule. The ability of these rebels to take ov er the government through force was quite real because they received support, albeit secretly, from communist countries in Europe, such as the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. Under these circumstances,

Country and Rap Music Essay Example for Free

Country and Rap Music Essay The types of music that people listen to are very diverse. Country and rap music are just two of these types of music and the composition of audience that listen to these types greatly vary. The primary reason is that country music is commonly identified with white people who live in the countryside while rap music is commonly associated with black people living in urban cities. For the most part, rap music is relatively a new type of music as compared to country music which, as a result, makes it more appealing to the younger generation. The older generation, on the other hand, are more inclined to listen to the type of music that grew up with, especially country music. One of the unique features of rap music is the way in which the lyrics are vocalized. The sound of rap music usually involves the rhythmic speaking of rhyming lyrics dubbed with the so-called â€Å"beats†. The beats are usually created separately through the use of percussions and other synthesizers. On the other hand, country music usually involves distinct guitar picking patterns with a slightly â€Å"blues† feel. More often than not, country songs involve the use of acoustic guitars although there are instances when the electric guitars are also used in certain parts of the song. The way in which the lyrics are sung is melodic, aptly cohering with the chord pattern of the song. Most country songs are easy to listen to since country music is less of the aggressive type, so to speak. These songs usually tell the story of the country life where the days are reminiscent of the outdoor life close to nature. There are also times when country songs express the love affairs of individuals. But unlike other forms of music, country music is â€Å"a more gentle approach to putting emotions† into music, in a manner of speaking (Lewis, p. 44). Rap music, on the other hand, usually expresses the experiences of an individual in the suburban or urban areas. Most of rap songs commonly involve the narration of how a young black American has to survive and rise to meet the challenges of surviving in a cruel society. These songs also have become stereotyped as the music of young people with a rebellious attitude who are part of violent gangsters in local neighborhoods. Thus, it is not hard to identify rap music as an aggressive type of music. Because of the wide generation gap between the time when either one of the two gain much prominence, there is likewise a great deal of difference between rap and country music in terms of its audience or followers. Rap music, being a relatively new type of music emerging and gaining prominence only in the later part of the 80s—with the exception of the theory that the origins of rap being traced as far back as the time when African-American slaves were chanting rhymes while doing work—the composition of its audience can also be said as younger (Sullivan, p. 613). On the other hand, country music has been around long before the birth of rap music. That being said, a large part of the those who listen to country music belong to the older generation although, of course, it can also be said that there are also young people who listen to country music. Not surprisingly, a portion of those who listen to country music may likewise be composed of those who live in the countryside since they can easily relate to the messages behind each country song. The same can also be said about rap music; those who live in more urban areas have the tendency to lend their ears to rap songs as they can easily relate to the message of most rap songs. For example, the rap songs of the artist â€Å"50 cent† may appeal more to younger people who reside in cities and other urban areas whereas the country songs of Johnny Cash may appeal more to older people who live in the countryside. However, these comparisons do not necessarily mean that there are no countryside people who listen to the rap songs of 50 cent or that there are no urban people who listen to the country songs of Johnny Cash. The point is that it is more likely for urban people to easily associate themselves with the songs of rap artists whereas it is more likely for countryside people to easily relate themselves to the songs of country artists. Rapping can also be done without the accompaniment of any musical instrument. It can even be done in simple impromptu gatherings in common places such as in local streets in the neighborhood. As for country music singing, it is difficult to say if a song is sung in a country music style without the accompaniment of musical instruments such as guitars. At the least, a singer would have to need a guitar in order to sing a country song or to make the song sound â€Å"country† in a recognizable way. In more recent times, rap music has been gaining a steady stream of following from the public with the increasing prominence of several rap artists. Country music, on the other hand, has been kept alive by several younger artists although the likes of Johnny Cash and his generation of country musicians have kept a steady support from the public listeners through the years. If there is one similarity between the two distinct musical genres, it has to be the fact that both country and rap have become cultures on their own. Rap music has become a culture tat has been embraced by individuals which, as a matter of fact, has even resulted to certain divisions among its musicians—the so-called East and West sides. Likewise, country music has created its own sense of culture manifested in the rural areas. Works Cited Lewis, George H. â€Å"The Creation of Popular Music: A Comparison of the ‘Art Worlds’ Of American Country Music and British Punk. † International Review of the Aesthetics and Sociology of Music 19. 1 (1988): 35-51. Sullivan, Rachel E. â€Å"Rap and Race: Its Got a Nice Beat, but What about the Message? † Journal of Black Studies 33. 5 (2003): 605-22.

Good Country People Essay -- essays papers

Good Country People â€Å"Woman, Do You Ever Look Inside?† There are many themes within Flannery O’Connor’s short story â€Å"Good Country People†. Religion is definitely one of the more prominent themes that the story holds. Like most of O’Connor’s works, it plays a big part in the actions or characteristics of the main characters. This is all on the surface however. The more important and less accentuated theme is the various facades the characters create for themselves. These facades prevent them from facing their true â€Å"grotesque† selves. These facades also hide their weaknesses that they have no wish to face ort just can’t understand. People must be comfortable with every aspect of themselves, because certain people, who in this story are represented by Manley Pointer’s character, can easily exploit their weaknesses. He’s â€Å"good country people† and â€Å"the salt of the earth† as Mrs. Hopewell refers to Manley Pointer who really is a demon that they mu st face. A demon to remind them of their weaknesses. Beginning with Mrs. Hopewell, the title of the story comes from what she likes to call the poorer and less fortunate people that live off the land and work their whole lives just to hang on to some scrap of a life. This is how she views these people. She believes that they are good country people not a bad seed among them, that they are all eager to help out and bow in humility to the upper class. The gullible nature of Mrs. Hopewell betrays her true vision of a situation. She is one of those people who are all goody-goody to people who they view as less fortunate. She’s a person that commends or speaks for the people she knows nothing about. Altogether this is her true weakness that is taken advantage of by Manley Pointer. One of ... ...of a minor character in the story but she is referred to as having two emotions, â€Å"forward and reverse†. This is important because when a person is forced to go in reverse they must face something or learn something they don’t want to know about themselves. This seems to be what happens during the course of the story for Joy-Hulga. Although all the characters in the story are stuck in reverse, the only character that is forced to realize her weakness, which destroys the faà §ade that she created is Joy-Hulga. It seems that in this story as in life the most high and mighty suffers the greatest fall. Joy-Hulga was the one who perceived herself to be the high and mighty of the characters. This attitude is displayed with many of her comment to Mrs. Hopewell. Perhaps when Joy-Hulga remarks to Mrs. Hopewell, â€Å"Woman, do you ever look inside?† she should’ve taken her own advice.

James I of England and Macbeth

Some say he's mad; others, that lesser hate him, Do call it valiant fury† (Caithness: Act 5, Scene 2) Consider Macbeth as a gothic protagonist in the light of this comment.Although William Shakespeare's ‘Macbeth‘ was written in a time before the introduction of the Gothic genre, it is fair to argue that he fits the role typically prescribed to Gothic protagonists. However, the question of whether he is ‘mad' or shows actions of ‘valiant fury' is a matter open to interpretation. Sickness and madness are common themes in Gothic texts, and it is arguable to suggest that as a Gothic protagonist, Macbeth is indeed driven to madness.Firstly, his repeated association with various supernatural elements in the play present him as being a character who is perhaps driven by his own mental manifestations; upon seeing a levitating dagger, Macbeth questions whether it is in fact â€Å"a dagger of the mind†, citing the possibility of his â€Å"heat-oppress'd br ain† being the factor behind this vision. However, while many Gothic protagonists are associated with elements of the supernatural, that is not to say that they are mad. For example, when Macbeth witnesses Banquo's ghost – â€Å"Never shake thy gory locks at me!† – it is perhaps fairer to argue that the ghost is a manifestation of his own guilt as opposed to an outright madness which possessed Macbeth.Those who argue that Macbeth is mad may relate his madness back to the notion of Gothic protagonists possessing an all-consuming passion or goal which they are determined to reach. In Macbeth's case, this desire is arguably his thirst for power and desire to kill the king. Some critics would refute this point, and argue that Macbeth does not harbour such a passion, and that it is the femme fatale-esque character of Lady Macbeth who taunts Macbeth with demeaning rhetorical language such as â€Å"Are you a man?† and â€Å"I would be ashamed to wear a he art so white†; there is certainly evidence to suggest that Macbeth's desire to be king does not lead to his madness, and that it is his wife's power that leads him to the first of many murderous acts.However, this interpretation may be too narrow in its analysis, and it is perfectly possible to argue that Macbeth's inherent thirst for power is what leads to his ‘madness'. In act one scene four Macbeth expresses quiet dismay at  Malcolm's appointment as the Prince of Cumberland, referring to the obstacles in his path to glory as â€Å"a step / On which I must fall down, or else o'er-leap†. In terms of structure, this scene occurs before Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's onstage discussion, and suggests that Macbeth's madness does indeed stem from the typical Gothic protagonist role as one who is driven to madness or inner conflict by an all-consuming passion. Furthermore, this passion is present even in Macbeth's first meeting with the witches, where Banquo notes that M acbeth is â€Å"rapt withal† at the possibility that he â€Å"shalt be king hereafter†.Another typical feature of a Gothic protagonist is a high social rank, which â€Å"noble Macbeth† certainly adheres to. It may then be in his nature as a worthy warrior to strive for greatness and power; perhaps Macbeth's actions are down to ‘valiant fury' after all. Shakespeare's use of adjectives such as â€Å"brave† and â€Å"worthy† establish him as a high-ranking soldier before he is even introduced; this of course contrasts with the language used to describe him later, where demonic imagery such as referring to him as a â€Å"hell-hound† and â€Å"something wicked† associates him with inherent evil.In act one scene two, the Captain describes Macbeth's fearlessness and fury on the battlefield, describing how Macbeth ran his sword â€Å"from his nave t'the chops† in what is considered an act of bravery. This may lead to the assertio n that Macbeth is not ‘mad' after all, and that the nature of his character is far more likely to succumb to ‘valiant fury', since he is a warrior and, as already mentioned, has the will to kill the king harbouring within him as soon as he hears the witches' prophecy. However, the word ‘valiant' suggests a sense of honour and dignity surrounding Macbeth's tyrannical reign.Macbeth's actions may have been valiant, had King Duncan been a cruel and oppressive king. However, Shakespeare presented Duncan as a kind and virtuous character, perhaps to appease King James I, who was the king at the time of writing and admired Shakespeare's work. The fact that Macbeth murders the king is already contrary to the divine right of kings at the time, but the fact that the king was virtuous allowed for little interpretation calling Macbeth ‘valiant'. Furthermore, Macbeth's duplicitous nature in the play sets him aside as a character who does not possess ‘valiant fury' at all.He openly lies to Banquo, his trusted friend, by replying with â€Å"I think not of them† when questioned about the witches, and after Duncan's body is found he  delivers a melodramatic and duplicitous monologue expressing his professed grief. The fact that Macbeth is called â€Å"noble† and is described indirectly as â€Å"a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust† directly contrasts with his duplicitous and cunning nature. This contrast is perhaps best explained as the extremes of Macbeth's behaviour as a character, a feature typical of Gothic protagonists.Most Gothic protagonists are caught in a dilemma or inner conflict, which often leads to extremes of behavior. In Macbeth's case, it is as though he is aware of his own actions and cannot even say the word ‘murder', instead making use of euphemisms such as â€Å"this bloody business†, yet he is also flippant in certain orders, such as the request that Macduff's â€Å"wife and babesâ €  should be killed. Therefore, considering his conflicting and deceptive nature, it is indeed possible to refer to Macbeth's actions as fury rather than madness. Valiant fury, however, is perhaps not true; there seems to be almost no honor or nobility in Macbeth's actions and willingness to lie.Macbeth's alleged madness is often linked to his use of emotive language. For example, the metaphor â€Å"full of scorpions is my mind† makes it sound as though Macbeth's mind is poisoned, or out of his control. However, as just one of many instances where Macbeth uses Gothic language, it is not necessarily true to link such metaphors to madness. Instead, it is perhaps likely that Macbeth is referring to the conflicting nature of his mind, and the inner turmoil that he is facing as a Gothic protagonist. In conclusion, the assertions that Macbeth is either ‘mad' or harbours ‘valiant fury' both seem to undermine his nature as a Gothic protagonist.Macbeth's ‘madness' is perhaps better described as the conflicting nature of any Gothic protagonist, and the notion that Macbeth's fury is ‘valiant' contrasts the numerous times where Macbeth's cunning is anything but valiant or noble. Macbeth is indeed typical of a Gothic protagonist but, like many, does not necessarily fall into just one category.

Moods of Norway

Moods of Norway case indicated many interesting issues relating to brand management study. In this paper, first, we outline two key challenges that Moods are facing, then analyze the brand based on CBBE pyramid, and finally suggest two marketing programs that the company should invest. 1. Key challenges The first challenge facing Moods of Norway is expanding the business to U. S. This is always a profitable but risky opportunity for every firm, including Moods of Norway. The company with â€Å"free styling† wants to â€Å"just go to the U. S. and see what happens† (Austin, O’Donnell, and Krogh 2009, 15). However, U.S. market – one of the most difficult markets in the world – has many implicit challenges for Moods. Firstly, their brand is unknown in United States. Therefore, they need to base on the local sales agents and distributors in the U. S. Although they had a five-year contract with CAA – the leading talent agency – their profit will depend on the CAA’s success that is affected by the fit between the two companies. For example, CAA has not many experiences with distributing fashion products. Secondly, the U. S. customers’ preferences in color, fabric, size, etc. are different from Norwegian customers.Moods’ products must be adaptable. This means they might need other suppliers and manufacturers to change their products. Finally, the most difficult question for the company is how they can bring their company’s concept to America and convince U. S. customers to buy their products based on that concept. Because they combine Norwegian nature and ordinary stories into their design that makes their product be unique and succeed in Norway, hence it is not easy to translate it for the customers outside the country. Even if they can illustrate their stories clearly, non-Nordic customers may not be interested in those products.As Dahlkvist expressed, they â€Å"should do the design in th e U. S. , to really get a feel for what moves around in that country and how to do it† (Austin, O’Donnell, and Krogh 2009, 15) but observable risks will prevent them from doing it. The second key challenge that Moods should consider is expanding the women’s clothing line, which is also a great opportunity. Men’s clothing accounted for 70% of Moods sales while women shop more in general. Thus, there is an opportunity for growth here. However, Moods should seriously consider the challenge they will face. First, women’s clothing market is more competitive than men’s clothing market.The market is very fragmented with many competitors representing different styles in all price segments. Many brands have been around for a long time and have gained customers’ loyalty. It will be difficult for Moods to enter the market in any segment. Second, women’s clothing styles are more complicated with different types of clothes. While men’ s clothes are limited with some popular types such as suits, shirts, and T-shirts, women’s clothes have a wide range of types from dresses, blouses to skirts, cardigans, etc. To generate sales, the designs must be much diversified and fast changeable.Thus, some Moods adjustments are necessary, and Moods may face a dilemma of how to keep the moods unique while diversifying the styles to generate revenue. Third, designing women’s clothes requires different techniques. The two main designers of Moods specialized in designing men’s clothes, which is simpler than women’s. Hence, the company needs to hire extra experienced designers for women’s line. However, even with extra designers, keeping the look and lifestyle image of women’s clothing in line with the rest of the company message is still a challenge for Moods. 2. Moods of Norway brand audit Brand SalienceBrand salience measures awareness of the brand (Keller 2008. 60). Although Moodsâ€℠¢ management team is interested in expanding as a lifestyle brand, people still think of as it a fashion brand, which mainly focuses on male clothing. However, the brand reached a very high level of awareness in Norway where 85% of its sales happened. One of the evidences is that when customers and partner companies sought â€Å"Norwegian Design,† they sought Moods (Austin, O’Donnell, and Krogh 2009, 5). â€Å"Moods of Norway† is a fashion leader in the country that even Norwegian Police Department approached Moods to design their uniforms.This high level of awareness partly thanks to the little competition Moods has to face in Norway. Moods also used some other effective ways to raise the awareness. One of those is the fashion show, which was the biggest fashion event in Norway. Other contributors to the high awareness are the pink boat and the image of three owners as a rock band. Brand performance The product itself is at the heart of brand equity and brand p erformance describes how well the product or service meets customers’ functional needs (Keller 2008, 64). Following is Moods’ brand performance measured by some attributes and benefits.Regarding primary ingredients and supplementary features, Moods is doing well with choosing fabric from partners in Paris and Istanbul, who provide the best materials for Moods’ collections based on the requirements of quality, color and even style of button. This leads to the good quality of final products, which help Moods sell them at medium-plus price range. In term of style and design, Moods’ products are unique and favorable in male clothing market because it reflects not only the moods of fun and happiness but also the style of cultural tales that Norwegians love.However, Moods still need to improve designs in female market, which is still the weak point of the company. In addition, service is also an important part contributing positively to performance of brand. It seems that Moods has not pay much attention to customer service. This could be a shortcoming point for Moods to perform well in the highly competitive market like US market. Brand Imagery Brand imagery links mainly to four intangible aspects (Keller 2008, 65). First, in term of user profiles, some 70% of Moods’ customers are male. While company is interested in expanding the age range, the target customers are at age of 18 – 35.However, Moods is facing a dilemma that â€Å"a balance needed to be maintained between broadening their target group and remaining a â€Å"cool† brand (Austin, O’Donnell, and Krogh 2009, 13). Second, regarding purchase and usage situations, Moods’ products are nearly limited with T-shirts and suits but cover a wide range of situations that people can wear. The situations are suggested by the company’s three original clothing lines, which are â€Å"cocktails,† â€Å"street† and â€Å"casual. † M oreover, the designers also make effort of generating new ideas by imagining scenarios requiring special clothes.Third, Moods brand has a favorable personality that is cool, fun, and happy. This also creates values for customers that they have the feeling of connecting to their clothes in each situation. Finally, Moods of Norway does very well in using history, heritage to create the uniqueness for their products. Moods’ clothing lines tell their â€Å"authentic, true and real† story of Norwegians heritage. The story layers have great value in getting customers to spend time thinking about Moods’ products, which is good for remembering the brand (Austin, O’Donnell, and Krogh 2009, 3).Although this concept is highly successful in Norway, it is very difficult to apply to other markets. This requires Moods to develop another â€Å"story† to tell in US market. Brand Judgments Brand Judgments and Brand Feelings are both of brand responses that â€Å"el icit the proper customer responses to this brand identification and brand meaning† (Keller 2008, 60). From the performance and imagery of Moods of Norway, we know partly about the customers’ evaluation of the brand. Following the Possible Measures of Brand Building Blocks that is given by Keller (2008, 75), firstly, Moods bring good value for customers.Indeed, they not only provide the clothing products for customer, but also provide a chance to interact with their clothes by inscribing the lore on its inside. Customers receive more value and feel more satisfied by Moods of Norway’s fun stories. Secondly, in comparison with standardized goods, fashion collections for the winter are not the same for the summer and its change over years continuously. Hence, customers judge the brand based on the success of previous products, other customers and especially in designers’ reputation.By borrowing associations from its high-qualified designers and owners, Moods b ecome trustworthy and credible brand (Keller 2008, 305). People buy their products because they can trust the Moods Boys’ innovativeness and uniqueness. As mentioned in the case: â€Å"When customers and partner companies sought â€Å"Norwegian Design,† they sought Moods,† the brand likability is quite high in Norway. In addition, they always are the leader in domestic market. Hence, Moods actually is the fashion expert in customers’ eyes in Norway. Finally, Moods of Norway is only company that designed the lore into the clothes themselves.Because all these stories are true and authentic, consumer feel the clothes more related to them. When customers love the story, they will also think that the product is relevant to buy. Consequently, Scandinavians buy products of Moods because it is superior compared to others. Brand Feelings Clothing products of Moods bring the warmness to customers by reminding them of old-world, traditional customs, etc. In addition , the clothes combined â€Å"traditional Norwegian style and the modern fashion scene† (Austin, O’Donnell, and Krogh 2009, 2), therefore, it is so fun and exciting for customers.For instance, the image of tractor on the suit is so surprising and interesting. Especially, Mood Boys often appear in vivid dresses with the pink fishing boat. The image of the â€Å"boy band† is not only the designers’ image, but also is the brand image. They really inspire customers by fun and crazy feelings. Brand Resonance This is the final step of Keller’s CBBE model that â€Å"focuses upon the ultimate relationship and level of identification that the customer has with the brand† (Keller 2001, 15).Based on the case’s limited information, in our viewpoint, they have many loyal Norwegian customers with high attachment, especially 15-20 year olds who think Moods of Norway is more successful than StatOil [the large Norwegian Oil Company] (Austin, O’D onnell, and Krogh 2009, 8). Because Moods relies on word of mouth to marketing their products, so they should have a great brand community in both online and offline. In addition, to enforce the relationship with customers, Moods must make customers engaged to the brand. They should create more value for frequently customers and satisfy them by organizing some fun activities. . Suggested Marketing Programs Moods of Norway are facing two major problems: promoting Moods brand to American market and developing clothing line for women. Two following brief marketing programs are supposed to solve these problems respectively. Promoting Moods brand to American market Firstly, penetrating American market by indirect exporting is very important for new entrant. Based on limited capacity and resources, they must focus on one or two big cities where is profitable for fashion industries in America (Los Angeles, New York, Chicago or Boston†¦).Now they have one store in Los Angeles but it is not sufficient. They must expand their market share via many distributors and agents. While enhancing the relationship with Creative Artists Agency, they should get bigger distribution to other important stores. Secondly, making the Moods brand different from other fashion products but still understandable is also essential. That means they must not only focus on their uniqueness (adding lore to clothes themselves) but also create more fun and less regional stories about clothes.Thirdly, they have to organize special fashion collections in America as much as possible. They also can use the image of colorful tractor as an association to inspire and make American customers unforgettable. Especially, Moods Boys must appear on American TV, magazines frequently†¦ because their impressive appearance affect directly to Moods brand’s awareness. Using celebrities to endorse Moods clothing also increase the customers’ associations, judgments, and feelings (Keller 2008, 305 ).Finally, based on analyzing American market carefully, their image should be adaptable to fit American style but still homogeneous in all countries. Expanding the women’s clothing line To conquer women’s clothing market, Moods should seriously take some actions. First, Moods should improve their products in term of designs so that their products are attractive enough to female customers. Currently, Moods have only two main designers who are specialized in designing men’s clothes while women’s clothes require different kinds of technical design.Hiring Project Manager Helen Marie Rod who had experience with some famous brands is a good step for expanding women’s clothing line. However, to diversify their product, Moods still need to hire extra designers who are experienced in designing for women. Second, for women’s clothes, the company should consider adjusting some personalities to fit female clothing market. They can keep their main moods that are fun and happiness, except â€Å"rock stars† and wild moods that are not considered favorable for majority of women.Third, because fashion shows are the primary marketing activity for the company and the shows are effective, Moods should continue this. However, to promote and increase awareness of the women’s clothing line, Moods should hold a fashion show particularly for women. They should also consider other types of advertising such as Internet or fashion magazines because those sources can easily access potential female customers. Fourth, in term of distribution, in the beginning, Moods can still combine products for male and female in same stores. Nevertheless, in future, they can divide the stores separately.Finally, yet importantly, Moods should consider selling accessories along with women’s clothing line because accessory is a very important part of women’s style. Moods may design their own accessory line or cooperate with other accesso ry brand that fits Moods’ brand personality. To conclude, Moods of Norway has many favorable conditions to succeed in American market and female clothing line. Based on Keller’s CBBE model (2008), we propose two marketing program investments to not only enhance the current brand position but also take advantage of potential opportunities to company’s expansion.By combining traditional style and contemporary tendencies, then applying proper strategies for brand building, Moods of Norway could be high successful in the competitive world of fashion. Appendix ———————– Good quality Nice style Medium-plus price points Mostly for men, 18 – 35 Music and artist style Clothing, Shoes, Eyewear Resonance Loyalty Attachment Feelings Warmness Fun Excitement Imagery Good value Trustworthiness Relevance Superiority Judgments Performance Salience Figure 1: Moods of Norway CBBE Pyramid

Woodrow Wilson & WWI essays

Woodrow Wilson & WWI essays Wilsons torment in deciding whether to send U.S. troops into WWI. It is well known among reasonably informed students of American history that Woodrow Wilson resisted getting American forces involved in World War I, right up to and after the time when British ships with Americans on board were sunk by German submarines in October and November of 1916. But it may not be widely known that during the time the U.S. involvement in the war became more and more imminent, Wilsons relationship with England was very sour, according to author Arthur Walworth (Walworth 70). One big reason the British were upset with Wilson was that he hadnt done enough to cut Germany off from credit in the world community. It was 1916, an election year, and Wilsons mind was on winning a second term, along with his belief that America should remain neutral in the expanding war in Europe. His essential duty, as he saw it, Walworth writes on page 70, was to maintain faith with a people who rejoiced because he had kept them out of war and at the same time to rescue humanity from the scourge of international conflict. He saw his constitutional duty to intervene and attempt to stop the war prior to getting Americans involved in it. But though the British and the Germans were hounding Wilson to attempt a diplomatic resolution of the conflict, he held fast until after the election in November. After he was elected, he believed that the American people voted for him because he escaped involvement in the war something worth living and dying for and now it was his duty to be a broker for peace (Walworth 71-72), if at all possible. It was now December, and Germany was threatening to unleash its submarines in January (Walworth 74), if some kind of armistice or peace deal was cut before then. Wilson had just released his own idea for what later would become the League ...

Animal Farm Quotes Explained

Animal Farm Quotes Explained The following Animal Farm quotes are some of the most recognizable examples of political satire in English literature. The novel, which tells the story of farm animals who organize a revolution, is an allegory for the Russian Revolution and the regime of Joseph Stalin. Discover how Orwell creates this political allegory and conveys themes of corruption, totalitarianism, and propaganda with the following analysis of key quotes. Four legs good, two legs bad. (Chapter 3) After Snowball establishes the Seven Commandments of Animalism, he composes this statement (Four legs good, two legs bad) in order to simplify Animalisms concepts for the other animals. Simple, xenophobic statements such as this one are a trademark of dictators and fascist regimes throughout history. Initially, the expression gives the animals a common enemy and inspires unity among them. Over the course of the novel, the slogan is distorted and reinterpreted to suit the needs of the powerful leaders. Four legs good, two legs bad is general enough that Napoleon and the other pigs can apply it to any individual or situation. Eventually, the expression is changed to four legs good, two legs better, demonstrating that the farm animals revolution has led to the same oppressive social system they initially sought to overthrow. I will work harder! (Chapter 3) This statement- Boxer the workhorse’s personal mantra- demonstrates the sublimation of the self under the concept of the greater good. Boxer’s existence becomes wrapped up in his efforts to support the Farm. Any setback or failure is blamed on his own personal lack of effort. This quotation demonstrates how concept of communal effort, upon which Animalism was founded, gets perverted into a self-destructive commitment to endless toil. Under Napoleons totalitarian reign, failure has nothing to do with the leadership; instead, its always blamed on the common working animal’s lack of faith or energy. â€Å"At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn. They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws.† (Chapter 5) Napoleon enforces his rule through propaganda, misinformation, and a cult of personality, but he initially seizes power through violence, as depicted in this quotation. This scene takes place just as Snowballs eloquent, passionate ideas are winning the debate over the Windmill. In order to wrest power away from Snowball, Napoleon unleashes his specially-trained dogs to drive Snowball away from the Farm. This violent episode mirrors the way power was seized from Leon Trotsky by Joseph Stalin. Trotsky was an effective speaker, and Stalin drove him into exile and relentlessly attempted to assassinate him decades before finally succeeding in 1940. In addition, Napoleons dogs demonstrate the way violence can be used as a means of oppression. Whereas Snowball works hard to educate the animals and improve the Farm, Napoleon trains his dogs in secret and then uses them to keep the animals in line. He focuses not on developing an informed and empowered populace, but rather on using violence to enforce his will. No animal shall drink alcohol to excess. (Chapter 8) After Napoleon drinks whiskey for the first time, he suffers a hangover so terrible that he believes he is dying. As a result, he forbids the animals from drinking any alcohol at all, because he believed it to be poison. Later, he recovers and learns how to enjoy alcohol without making himself sick. The rule is quietly changed to this statement (No animal shall drink alcohol to excess), but the fact that the alteration has ever happened is denied. The transformation of this rule demonstrates how language is used to manipulate and control the animals according to even the most trivial whims of the leader, Napoleon.ï » ¿ In the Soviet Union, Stalin’s style of dictatorship was notable for the extreme cult of personality he created, linking himself personally to the success and health of the nation. With this quotation, Orwell shows how such an extreme cult of personality is developed. Napoleon takes credit for every good event that takes place on the Farm, and he makes loyalty to himself personally equivalent to support of the Farm. He encourages the animals to compete to be the most loyal, the most dedicated, and the most supportive of the Farm and Animalism- and, thus, of Napoleon. â€Å"Do you not understand what that means? They are taking Boxer to the knacker’s!† (Chapter 9) When Boxer becomes too sick to work, he is unceremoniously sold to a knacker to be killed and processed into glue and other materials. In return for Boxers life, Napoleon gets a few barrels of whiskey. The brutal and unceremonious treatment loyal, hard-working Boxer shocks the other animals, even coming close to spurring rebellion. This quotation, spoken by Benjamin the donkey, reflects the horror that the animals feel upon learning of Boxers fate. It also clearly demonstrates the ruthlessness and violence at the heart of Napoleons totalitarian regime, as well as the efforts made by the regime to keep that violence secret. All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others. (Chapter 10) This quotation, which is seen painted on the side of the barn, represents the ultimate betrayal of the animals by their leaders. At the start of the animals revolution, the seventh commandment of Animalism was, All animals are equal. Indeed, equality and unity among animals was the revolutions core principle. However, as Napoleon consolidates power, his regime become increasingly corrupt. He and his fellow pig leaders seek to separate themselves out from the other animals. They walk on their hind legs, live in the farm house, and even negotiate with humans (once common enemy of Animalism) for personal gain. These behaviors directly oppose the principles of the original revolutionary movement. When this statement, which itself directly opposes Animalism, appears on the barn, the animals are told they are wrong to remember it any other way- reinforcing Napoleons willingness to brazenly alter historical record in order to manipulate and control the animals.

Health record structures in computer-driven formats Essay

Health record structures in computer-driven formats - Essay Example In addition, this structure enables me to perceive of the likely effect of reorganizing health records and any associated medical narrative. Many healthcare institutes, particularly public ones, cannot meet the expense of lowering open medical language to mere postscripts in the strategy of EHRs. EHRs with computer-driven formats is an essential movement towards information system structure that employ natural language dispensation as a major innovation for translating it from unorganized to organized representations (Davis and LaCour, 2014). Health record structures in computer-driven formats are applicable in my work area, systems science, in terms of standardization, organization, and easy control. For electronic health records to exhaust all their potentials and purposes, this data has to be made uniform, structured, and simple to control. This data often includes patients’ symptoms, diseases, allergies, clinical histories, family backdrops, and even billing information (Davis and LaCour, 2014). If this type of data is unstructured and unstandardized, treating these patients with utmost efficiency and economy becomes difficult. Additionally, my work area facilitates paperless offices, a factor that computers today are greatly attributing to. Computer-driven formats will enable me to save time while at work while sharing confidential data regarding a given patient at any given time. Computer-driven formats process workflow in my field at a high rate in contrast to manual, paper formats. The benefits of health record structures in computer-driven formats are more efficiency, lower medication and nursing errors, structured data, and effective medical decision-making processes (Davis and LaCour, 2014). There is a significant drive in the course of doing away with conventional medical transcript and converting the clinical documentation

Health Care Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Health Care Reform - Essay Example One disadvantaged group are the employers. They have to pay for medical coverage for all their employees. Additionally, there will be a major increase in the insurance price coverage for all employees. Illegal immigrants in the U.S will not be entitled to any medical coverage even if they use their own money (Jackson & Nolen, 2010). In the reforms, practices and individuals with the motive of carrying out abortion will not be provided with any medical insurance cover. After the reforms have been effected, DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services) agencies will have the task of ensuring that the implementation of the reforms is successful. Additionally, the agencies will have the mandate of providing guidelines to medical institutions, insurance institutions and the ordinary individuals on the requirements of the reforms (Holtz, 2008). The agencies will also be provided with the right of prosecuting individuals and institutions which fail to adhere to the reforms requirements. In the reforms, some legal issues have been added in regards to nursing. For instance, nursing practitioners have been cautioned on the carrying out of abortions. The health care reforms has also advocated for wage increases for nurses as well as inclusion on medical coverage from their employers (Holtz, 2008). In addition, several nursing agencies have been established to act on behalf of the welfare of all nurses in the Unites

Improving Web Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Improving Web Security - Essay Example The security of passwords was not of as much worth decades ago as it is today and this is not the sole responsibility of the institutions/bodies that offer email or banking services etc. One must consider taking multiple measures in order to increase the strength of passwords and tighten the security. It is necessary to have the understanding of how the passwords are compromised despite high security algorithms deployed by respective institutions. The easiest way of tracing the passwords of people is to introduce agent software i.e. a spyware into their computer systems to monitor, record and transmit the details of each and every activity people perform including password entries at different sites. This happens through emails, chats and downloading form unauthentic websites like pornographic sites etc. A good internet security firewall installation can handle this situation quite effectively but the possibilities of breaches remain. One of the indications is that the computer syste m takes unusual time in processing usual transactions because of the added work that spywares perform. The other reasons of password compromise include the careless selection of passwords and their redundant usage at different forums to save the hassle of memorization. Sometimes it happens that the communication between the user and the respective body like bank is intercepted by introduction of a lookalike page instead. The users most of the times remain unable to figure out the differences in haste and deliver the actual information to the false page. Redundant passwords cause more damage as the leakage of just one, opens multiple personal horizons of a person’s life before the hackers and cyber criminals. IMPROVING CONTRIBUTIONS OF PASSWORD PROTECTION FOR INFORMAITON SECURITY The baseline of information security lies in the basic structure of the information system itself. The following steps, if taken for the better management of the system would be massive contributions to the improvement of password protection for information security. Information security is an iterative process. It is essential that this process must first be controlled; it should then be planned, implemented, evaluated and maintained. CONDUCTION OF RISK ANALYSIS The use of risk analysis identifies the security requirements of the IT Customers. IMPROVING MINIMUM SECIRUTY BASELINE The feasibility of the requirements assessed in the risk analysis should be compared with the current security assessment and implementation structure of the organization. CONSTRUCTION OF SLA. SLA or Service level agreement between the customers dealing with an organization and the IT management of the company is required to be made. This agreement defines the measurable terms of the information security requirements. It also contains details of the specification of this achievement. OLAs Operational Level Agreements provide the detailed instructions of the implementation of the information security Req uirements. These instructions are negotiated and defined. SLA AND OLA IMPLEMENTATION The successful implementation of the SLA and OLA are done. The regular outcomes of the implementation at every transaction done are monitored. Repots about their outcomes are shared with the customer. The feedback from the customers leads to modification of the implemented information secur

Management Of Minor Injuries

Management Of Minor Injuries Introduction: As part of this minor injuries course we have been asked to provide a 3000 word assignment utilising a case method as means of researching a patient scenario we experienced during clinical practise. Case study method enables a researcher to investigate an individual and evaluate these findings and relate this evidence to clinical practice ( REFERENCE 1) Case studies are also often subjective and based around a personal experience or memorable patient (REFERENCE 2), whilst identified by (REFERENCE 3) that these case studies do not provide a great amount of empirical and statistical evidence, (REFERENCE 4) highlights that case study methods stimulate critical thinking and help practitioners apply theory to clinical practice. For this case study I have chosen a patient who I treated for an Achilles tendon rupture. This assignment will aim to document the assessment of a patient in the acute stage of injury discuss the initial management of the injury discuss the treatment plans available conclude how this case study has impacted on my clinical practise The Achilles tendon is given its name by Greek hero Achilles as the largest and strongest tendon within the human body, Patel and Haddad (2006). It connects the calf muscle (gastrocnemius) to the heel bone (calcaneus) and is located below the skin at the back of the ankle.(reference needed) As the calf muscle contracts it provides it enables the foot to be pointed downwards (plantarflexion) It is this action that enables us to walk, run, jump and to stand on our toes.(reference needed) Despite great forces applied through this tendon it is vulnerable due to its limited blood supply, the least vascularised area being 2 to 6 cm above the calcaneum. This diminished blood supply predisposes this region to chronic tendonitis and potential rupture. (reference 5) Kerr (2005) suggests three main attributing factors are leading to an increase in rupture. Increased sedentary lifestyle Rising popularity of recreational sports especially in older men An increasing proportion of people are overweight 75% of Achilles injuries occur during sporting activities, and research indicates this is occurring with patients who describe themselves as novice or beginners (Josza et al, 1989). As ENPs it is important that we are able to differentiate between an acute tendon injury and other complaints i.e. gastrocnemius tears in order to treat, advice and refer appropriately. Misdiagnosis or delay in treatment can lead to gait dysfunction and chronic pain. The following case study is a true event of a patient I assessed during my clinical placement. To maintain the patients confidentiality he will be referred to as Mr Smith. CASE STUDY: 68 year old retired gentleman, no drug allergies, no significant past or ongoing medical problems. Mr Smith attended the emergency department at 10.00 and was booked in with a limb problem. I greeted Mr Smith, explained my role as a training Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP) and gained consent for his assessment. Mr Smith had been out dancing the previous night and thought he had been kicked in the back of his right lower leg. Since, he had described difficulty walking and not been able to bend his foot as normal. Despite walking tentatively Mr Smith manoeuvred himself onto the examination couch. From his facial expression he appeared comfortable and his pain had been reduced having taken his own paracetamol and ibuprofen. The worst pain had been last night and the patient described an ache this morning. Further analgesia was offered but declined by the patient. Physical examination: This was broken down into 5 key areas described by Guly (2002) Look (inspection) Feel (palpation) Movement Specialist tests Function During our course we have assessed neurovascular function as a separate examination. This will be assessed between movement and specialist tests. Look: Mr Smith was examined in a private cubicle. His trousers removed in order to expose both lower limbs for comparison. Mr Smith had no wounds, no obvious deformity, no erythema /cellulites and no bruising noted. There was noticeable swelling around the base of the calf in the soleus region on the medial aspect of the limb. Both limbs were of equal colour and warmth. No surgical scarring was observed on either limb. Feel: Palpation of lower leg then took place. In accordance with Gully (2002) this should take place from the joint above to the joint below. Palpation started from the knee joint downwards. From the examination of the knee joint no pain over bony land marks was elicited by the patient. The palpation moved distal towards the ankle, no bony tenderness was identified. The ankle was examined for bony tenderness. No tenderness was found at the posterior edge or tip of both the medial and lateral maleolus, the base of the 5th metatarsal or the navicular bone. Using Ottawa ankle rules (Hopkins, 2010) there was no indication to xray the ankle. Mr Smith was then asked to go into the prone position, this enabled a good comparative view of both limbs mainly the gastrocnemius muscles and the Achilles tendons. The gastrocnemius muscle was then palpated; although uncomfortable towards the distal muscle a specific tender point was not identified. The Achilles tendon was then palpated; this gave a specific origin for the pain. There was also bogginess (palpable step) in the lower third of the Achilles. Although a step was palpable Kerr (2005) indentified that not all ruptures have a palpable step, the cause of this unknown. Movement: Ankle movements were examined both active and passive. Mr Smith had good active dorsi flexion and normal plantar flexion of both ankles. However when examined with passive resistance there was a marked deficit on his right ankle. Sterling (2001) highlighted that even though normal range of motion is witnessed during active movement it is essential passive movement is carried out, and assumptions should not be made to the integrity of the Achilles tendon. Both medial and lateral ligaments were stressed with no laxity and good end feel. Finally an anterior draw test was performed, the ankle was stable. Neurovascular status: Mr Smith had normal sensation of his first web space, dorsum of foot and anterior and lateral aspect of lower leg. Mr Smith was able to dorsiflex and had normal toe plantar mechanism. Pedal pulse was also present. Specialist tests: Mr Smith was then asked to kneel onto the trolley and support himself using the wall. A Thompson- Simmons (calf squeeze) test was then performed. At this time Mr Smith had no plantar flexion movement. Johnson and Morelli (2001) details this is highly suggestive of a ruptured Achilles tendon. Prior to undertaking this assignment I was not aware of any other specialist tests other than ultrasound. These shall be discussed later. Function: Guly (2002) states the examination of a joint should include its functionality. Mr Smith was then asked to perform a calf heel raise (stand on tip-toes). He was unable to perform this task. Sterling et al (2001) summarised that a patient whose other plantar flexors are still functioning will not be able to perform this task if their Achilles is ruptured. Treatment: Mr Smith was diagnosed and treated as an Achilles tendon rupture. He was placed in an equinas cast and was given crutches to mobilise with, which he did very well. A referral was then made to our fracture clinic where he would be followed up with the orthopaedic team. Take home analgesia was offered but declined by the patient. Mr Smith asked about the long term plan of action, would he need surgery to repair his tendon. I answered honestly and stated I didnt know but endeavoured to find out from one of my colleagues. It was this lack of follow on care knowledge that has been one of the focuses for this case study. Having an extended knowledge base would further enable a holistic approach to care not only in the acute care environment but to also provide accurate information about the care the patient should expect to receive. This sharing of knowledge will hopefully enable the patient to make an informed choice about how they would like to proceed. The follow on from acut e injury to referral to fracture clinic is currently within 3 days. The patient will be presented if suitable with two options; surgical repair or conservative management. From reviewing the literature contributing towards this assignment it is clear the orthopaedic world is divided over these two strategies of care. However the common goal summarised by Patel and Haddad (2006) is a restoration of the normal length and tension of the Achilles tendon, allowing patients to regain their functional and desired level of activity. Fotiadis et al (2007) supports this and further discusses the importance of restoring length as this will preserve strength of the gastrocnemius and the soleus muscles, again improving functionality. Surgical repair: the procedure involves making a longitudinal incision on the medial aspect of the Achilles tendon. Normally the incision is between 8 and 10cm, the ends of the tendon are then sewn together using non-absorbable suture. Two types of stitch are favoured, Krackow or Bunnell. (see appendix A) Kerr (2005) highlights the advantages of surgical repair as Increased strength Reduced calf atrophy Less likely hood of re-rupture Faster return to sporting activities. However with any invasive procedure there will be a risk off Deep wound infection Deep vein thrombosis Delayed wound healing Scar adhesions Hyperesthesia or numbness of the skin After surgery the limb is immobilised with an equinas plaster or brace for between 6 to 8 weeks followed by physiotherapy. Non Surgical Management: Johnson and Morelli (2001) outlines that conservative management involves the patient being placed initially in an equinas cast. The immobilisation of the ankle plantar flexed between 40ÂÂ ° and 60ÂÂ ° enables the tendon to be stress free promoting the unification of the partial tear or rupture tendon. Having discussed the current treatment guidelines with my orthopaedic colleagues at the hospital the patient would be expected to return to fracture twice over a 6 week period. This would be to have a new POP each time and gradually have the degree of plantar flexion increased. The patient would remain on crutches, non weight bearing on the affected limb, to reduce the potential stress placed on the tendon. Having presented the case study and outlined initial management and expected follow up care, I would now like to introduce new methods of assessing for Achilles tendon rupture as stated on page 3. Matles Test: The patient is laid in the prone position with knees flexed at 90ÂÂ °. Both feet and ankles are observed for plantar flexion. The diagram below indicates the there is an increase in dorsi-flexion on the injured limb (right) Source: foot and ankle hyperbook (2011) The OBrien test: the patient lies in the prone position knees flexed at 90ÂÂ °. A small gauge needle is then inserted 10cm form the superior border of the calcaneus into the Achilles tendon. Passive dorsiflexion and plantar flexion movements are applied; absence of movement indicates a potential rupture. The Copeland test: the patient is laid in prone position with knees flexed at 90ÂÂ °. A sphygmomanometer is placed around the bulk of the calf and the pressure raised to 100mmHg with the ankle plantar flexed. When the ankle is dorsiflexed, in a non- injured Achilles tendon, pressure increases to 140mmHg. Where the Achilles is ruptured the pressure remains the same (Sterling et al, 2000). Other specialist diagnostic procedures can be performed i.e. ultrasound or MRI. These have been highlighted by Patel and Haddad (2006) as more accurate at detecting partial tears. Ultrasound is operator dependent and requires an experienced technician and radiologist and MRI carries a high cost and limited clinical value of what has already been diagnosed clinically. Differential diagnosis: During the initial history taking it is paramount an accurate detail history is taken leading up to the events. Majewski et al(2008) outlines 44% of Achilles injuries are misdiagnosed as ankle sprains or gastrocnemius injuries and advocates the use of the two specialists test previously identified; the calf squeeze test and the Maltes test. Majewski et al (2008) concludes along with proficient palpation of the Achilles tendon two positive tests is good evidence of a rupture. However reinforces the need for sonography (ultra-sound) to differentiate between partial and full tears. As ENPs we are usually the first clinician patients see with an acute injury. We have a vital role in demonstrating accurate history taking, assessment, treatment and referral to the appropriate speciality. Despite the patient having an injury it is important that we can provide the patient with accurate education and health promotion advice. It is recognised within our department that weekends have a high increase is sporting injuries who attend the emergency department. The main sports are rugby league and football. We have a great opportunity to impart knowledge to patients with injuries in order to hopefully reduce the incidence of new or re-occurring injury. In relation to Achilles injury or Achilles tendonitis Walker (2005) promotes warm up techniques, the benefits include: Increased blood flow to working muscles Increased range of movements Improved speed of contraction Increased temperature and hence increased elasticity Improved oxygen saturation As previously identified there is reduced vascularisation to part of the tendon, Henry et al (1986) concludes that warming up increases the flexibility of the joint involved and best results occur from static stretching. Another important factor to advice patients about is footwear. If possible hard backs of shoes should be padded as identified by Milroy (1994) these areas nudge the Achilles, often at the site of injury and wherever possible heels should be slightly raised to shorten the Achilles resulting in less injury from sudden lengthening. It is this information that I will be now documenting i.e. did they warm up prior to exercise and also conveying this to patients in order to reduce further injuries. Conclusion: As identified there is an increase in Achilles tendon rupture injuries hence more people will be attending the Emergency Department through direct referral from General practitioners and Walk in Centres/ Minor injuries units or from self presentation. From reviewing literature it is evident there is a significant number of misdiagnosis occurring around the area of injured Achilles tendons. Despite Mr Smiths diagnosis seeming straightforward I now have a greater appreciation of differential diagnosis and the effects misdiagnosis or delay in treatment can have on the short an