Statistics for Public Administration: Practical Uses for Better

Maureen BernerAs a public administrator, you need to be able to analyze and evaluate policies, and understand analysis and evaluations done by others. This means having a solid working knowledge of how to apply statistics to the types of data used in local government so that you make good decisions. Statistics for Public Administration: Practical Uses for Better Decision Making, a completely updated edition of Statistics Unraveled, focuses on demonstrating how statistics can help you do your job better, rather than on a mastery of statistics.The goal of this book is to make you, as a public administrator, an educated consumer of statistical information—and an effective translator of statistical information. You get the tools you need to design an analysis, gather, analyze and interpret data, present results, and make recommendations. This book is a hands-on, practical, and easy-to-understand introduction to the basic concepts and methods used to analyze data in local governmen t. Vignettes at the beginning and end of each chapter illustrate the concepts through the dialogue of fictional local government employees as they attempt to identify and solve problems. Packed with tables, charts, figures, and review questions to reinforce the concepts, the author’s conversational tone and casual style will set you at ease and make you forget any math phobia you might have! With this book, you’ll be able to understand the general approaches and problems with public sector research and data measurement, conduct basic statistical analysis of raw data using a variety of methods, and evaluate the validity of statistical research performed by others. No other publication is aimed at explaining statistics specifically to the local government audience. There are other books with the purpose of simplifying statistics for a broad audience, but Statistics for Public Administration: Practical Uses for Better Decision Making, uses specific government examples and problems to make the concepts in the book both concrete and applied for local government readers. You get a solid understanding of how data and data analysis can make you more effective in your role in local government. And you’ll see how the sometimes theoretical sounding concepts in analysis can be used to create concrete solutions to everyday problems. About the Author Maureen Berner first joined the School of Government in 1998, teaching program evaluation, statistics, and budgeting. Between 2003 and 2005 she directed efforts to provide new outreach activities for local governments based on the UNC model at the University of Northern Iowa. In 2005 she returned to teaching and writing for MPA students and public officials at the School of Government. Berner has been active in research and teaching in both academia and in government, and her publications include a variety of books, textbooks, and journal articles. She worked for four years with the Budget Issues Group at the U. S. General Accounting Office, including a rotation to the U. S. House of Representatives Budget Committee while serving as a Presidential Management Intern. Berner received an MPP from Georgetown University and PhD in public policy from the LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin.

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When choosing a partner we are putting ourselves on what would be called a marketplace for relationships. People usually will marry within there ethnic group, nationality or social group. This is Endogamy also called in-marriage, custom enjoining one to marry within one’s own group. The penalties for transgressing endogamous restrictions have varied greatly among cultures and have ranged from death to mild disapproval. Endogamy has been common among extant and historical aristocracies, religious groups, ethnic groups, and social classes.People who are exogamies are also called out-marriage out of certain groups. This custom is enjoining a marriage outside one’s own group. Exogamy is usually defined through kinship rather than ethnicity, religion, or class. It is most common among groups that reckon descent through either the father or the mother alone. Such lineages may in turn be grouped into clans or moieties. These are most often the locus of exogamy; marrying a memb er of one’s own clan or moiety typically constitutes a form of incest. Exogamy does not guarantee hat spouses have no genetic relationship.In many exogamous cultures, cross-cousins are viewed as ideal marriage partners. In Homogamy chooses a mate who’s personal and group characteristics that are similar to our own. The notion is we like people who are like ourselves, and we tend to stay with those who carry the same personalities, interests, and ideals for the future. In terms of mate choice we do not prefer mates who carry opposites in gender roles, either: a couple with an equal definition and division of gender and sex characteristics tend to have longer, happier unions.With heterogamy it may refer to a marriage between two individuals that differ in a certain criterion, and is contrasted with homogamy for a marriage or union between partners that match according to that criterion. Heterogamy and homogamy are also used to describe marriage or union between people of unlike and like sex (or gender) respectively. The last thing is The Reiss's Wheel Theory of Love is another interesting sociological theory proposed by Sociologist Ira Reiss and his associates.It was a theory that created research on the subject of love for decades. The Reiss's Wheel Theory of Love states that there are four stages of love which are: (1) rapport; (2) self-revelation; (3) mutual dependency; and (4) personality need fulfillment. Stage 1 people build a rapport with each other that may cause a spark. Stage 2 is the self revelation stage that helps couples grow closer. Stage 3 a couple becomes closer and more intimate to each other.Stage 4 is the last stage, if couples develop this stage they will begin to experience personality nee fulfillment. Partners will start to confide with each other. In every section communication is a key point to having a strong open relationship. There are new listening skills, learn how to trust and keep the relationship open and honest. Wh ether you use verbal or non-verbal communication to express how you feel. Communication will bill build a stronger relation ship.

Analysis Of Athena In The Odyssey English Literature Essay

Analysis Of Athena In The Odyssey English Literature Essay After ten years, the Trojan War is over and the Achaeans head home. Some heroes of the war, like Nestor, come home quickly to find things pretty much as they left them. Others, like Agamemnon, arrive home to find things considerably changed. Still others, like Menelaus, wander around for a time but eventually return home safely. Odysseus, on the other hand, has been having no end of trouble getting home. As the story opens, we find ourselves in the tenth year since the end of the war, a full 20 years since Odysseus first left his home and wife Penelope to sail off for Troy with the rest of the Achaean forces. Since then Telemachus, the son of Odysseus has grown up without a father wondering if he will ever come home. Imagine, if you will, that you are in a world that is not of your own. Hear you can walk freely in any form you want. Every word you speak and every action you take can affect the lives of millions and cost them everything. But if you can bring those people together, an d engage them in the test of their lives you would have been the savior and protector of those people. This is the role of Athena in Homer’s epic â€Å"The Odyssey†. In this essay I will analyze Athena’s major role of protection and guidance throughout the epic, and how her use of disguise and transformation affects their motivation and choices in the epic poem. Athena the goddess of wisdom and strategy, a shape shifter of many forms, and daughter of Mà ©tis and Zeus, plays as significant role throughout â€Å"The Odyssey. While she does occasionally judge human actions, the dominant role she plays is to offer challenge and protection to both Odysseus and Telemachus. The goddess Athena becomes their chief protector, and she is seldom far away from Odysseus or his son. Throughout the epic Athena instills confidence into Telemachus and aids him in his travels and journey into manhood. She continually helps Odysseus, giving him advice and practical assistance. At hena’s role is not just that of helping Odysseus and Telemachus; she also helps in their development as characters, teaching them patience, humility, and restraint. From her first act of assistance to her final peacemaking, she is largely responsible for the development and conclusion of the plot. Telemachus’ daydreams before meeting Athena for the first time: â€Å"à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦sitting among the suitors, heart obsessed with grief. He could almost see his magnificent father, hereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  (B1:L134-136). Growing up without his father Odysseus, the only knowledge Telemachus knows of him are only the stories told to him by his consorts. With all the suitors roaming freely through the great halls of his father’s palace, chasing after his mother Penelope’s hand in marriage, Prince Telemachus is left hopeless to stop them. Athena uses her great skills of strategy and wisdom to quickly find a way to inspire our hero Telemachus to journey to find his father. She shape shifts into Odysseus’ old friend Mentes, and predicts that Odysseus is still alive and that he will soon return to Ithaca.†Take my words to heart. At daybreak summon the islands lords to full assembly, give your orders to all and call the gods to witnessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ sail in quest of news of your long- lost father,† Athena declared (B1:L315-325). With these words of encouragement, Athena uses her disguise to influence the prince to find his father. If it not for Athena, Telemachus might have taken his father for dead and encouraged his mother to marry one of her suitors.  The journey is also important because the journey of Telemachus plays an important part of him becoming a man on his own.

Compare and Contrast New Religious Movements Essay

Compare and Contrast New Religious Movements - Essay Example The main doctrines in Jehovah Witness are based on the Holy Scripture, the Bible rather than any ancillary creeds. On the other hand, the Neo-Paganism teaching, which is a continued cultural practice, is not based on the teachings of the holy books, but rather on nature. Neo-Paganism teachings, therefore, are passed through word of mouth from generation to generation (Fisher 12). Jehovah Witness is one of the religions of the world that believes in the existence of monotheistic God. Here, the Biblical God is regarded as the most powerful creator of all the existences. God of the Bible is portrayed as the most powerful and the giver of life. However, Neo-Paganism operates on a belief in polytheicism. For instance, contemporary believers in Neo-Paganism are seen to be operating on the old model of goddess of spirituality. Here, the current believers emulate the goddess of spirituality through construction of alters and other places of worship. Moreover, the different gods in Neo-Paganism serve various purposes, that is, the god of fertility, which is related to mothers, is meant for productivity as was in the ancient times. Unlike Jehovah Witness, Neo-Paganism is a religion without any proper structure. In many instances, scholars assert that it is based on nature, making it depend on various ethnic groups. On the other hand, Jehovah witness is seen to be a well-organized religion with operational structures and doctrines that their followers emulate to become full members. For instance, one of the universal ways of becoming an adherent of Jehovah Witness is through baptism and accepting the teachings of the Bible. This method of acquiring membership is different from Neo-Paganism, which depends on ethnic influence (Fisher 13). These two religions seem to be having some shared similarities. For instance, the congregation of Jehovah Witnesses worships in churches. Likewise, Neo-Paganism is also based in worshiping at

Case Study (Prepare a professional public relations plan and two PR Essay

Case Study (Prepare a professional public relations plan and two PR tools. Based on a real case) - Essay Example In 2012, Tesla’s founder and CEO Elon Musk declared that in the year 2013, Tesla will start becoming profitable and central to this ambition is the launch of Tesla S car model (Tesla 2013). The Electric Vehicle market is estimated to steadily expand in the near future. The forecast is approximately 0.6 – 0.9 percent increase in the year 2015, 9 percent in 2020 and 22 percent in 2030 (JP Morgan 2010; Bloomberg 2010). The market expansion is partly attributed to US government support and the increase in the interest of the consumers in green technology. The U.S. Department of Energy, for instance, has introduced the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Loan Program, has increased public charging stations and supported the drive to reduce battery pack costs (DOE 2010). Tesla, as a brand, is identified, with the luxury market and is viewed as a high technology automobile manufacturer in the business of selling EVs and electric powertrains. It sets itself apart from the competition by delivering environmentally-friendly/green/sustainable vehicles alongside the all the features of a luxury car such as design, materials, speed, handling, comfort and experience. The Tesla S car enjoys all these benefits. The Tesla S model is expected to compete with EV products that are just being developed by carmakers like Audi, BMW, Lexus and Mercedes and would also directly compete with hybrid cars are already in the market such as Toyota with its Prius car, which is the so-called â€Å"unofficial greenmobile of Toyota and the world† (Siler 2012). Again, it is important to note that Tesla S seeks the luxury market and, hence, could also go head to head with non-green luxury cars. All in all, Tesla S technology will be challenged by Audi and BMW: Audi has an ambitious plan to be the leading electric vehicles by 2020. It is integrated in its recent electric mobility strategy and underpins its recent plan to

Bussines and Society ( 2 questions) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Bussines and Society ( 2 questions) - Essay Example There are so many questions that filled my mind just by looking at the website of this artwork, and it made me excited about seeing the work of art for myself. According to the website, going to the Tate Modern Museum, where the artwork was actually located, can be by train, by bike, by bus, by cab, or even by coach. Located at Tate Modern Bankside, London SE1 9TG, the place is quite new for me. What made me interested about this area is that it is located in the middle of the city, where the impression of going to an urban concrete jungle is more dominant, rather than going to the museum. For this journey, I actually chose to go by the bus. This is because of the fact that by using the bus, you can see the sights around the city as you go along the way. In addition, you can also notice the types of the passengers using it (with the bus being a public transport), and notice where they are going. In this case, of course, I have seen that different people ride and take off at random po ints, most of them going to work or school. This scene made me remember the sunflower seeds, even though I have only seen it through the website, because I thought that we people are like those sunflower seeds in that museum: we may be unique in our own ways, but we are all located in a single space, and that we all go through our own business. In going to the museum, I actually used Route 344, which actually stops on Southwark Bridge Road. I used this Route because I thought that this was actually the shortest possible route; with the taking off point just a few minutes’ walk from the Bankside, where Tate Modern is located. It is a good thing for me to see that Tate Modern is actually located along a river, which gives me a sense of break from the monotonous urban concrete jungle which is an everyday experience in the London metropolis. This also served to remind me that London is not all about business and industries, but there are also valuable places where one can see bea utiful works of art. One of the major influences of my journey to my experience on the exhibit was a reflection upon China products, in relation to individuality (which was also provided when I visited the website). Recently, there has actually been a scandal wherein Chinese products are somewhat defective and below quality standards, yet they are actually threatening the world’s economy due to the flooding of their cheap products unto the western market. In this scandal, it can actually be remembered that the featured Chinese products where actually harmful to use, because of the dangerous chemical substances that where present within these products. As emphasized by mainstream corporate media, and backed by the west’s powerful multinational corporations, they accused that all of China’s products that were being exported to the world market where of substandard quality, and that aside from the fact that it poses serious health risks to consumers worldwide, it a lso poses a major threat to the world economy, given that this is actually a form of unfair competition on the supposed to be fair free market, along the line of trade liberalization. However, this work of art by Ai Weiwei just stood in contrast to such

Take home exam paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Take home exam - Term Paper Example This â€Å"unnatural† inelastic demand is created as a means of encouraging and influencing the consumer to integrate with the given good or service. This approach is used rather often as a means of encouraging a higher than average integration with a given good or service; hence the way that certain types of goods or services are so heavily marketed and ultimately create an unnatural level of demand as compared to what might otherwise exist should an aggressive level of marketing not be utilized (Van Heerde et al., 2013). Marginal cost refers to the change in overall cost that occurs when the quantity produced increases by an increment of a certain unit. This is useful in terms of understanding at what point a given manufacturer or producer should cease production and/or at what point it will be economically beneficial to upgrade the production capacity to deal with increasing demand or expected increased demand in the future (Rogerson, 2011). As such, marginal cost is not only associated with raw material inputs and/or labor, it can include the cost of building or purchasing new production space and machinery; up to and including a new factory or factories. The decreasing marginal returns can be noted in the graph below as the areas in both blue and red that appear as high values on the x and y axis. An oligopoly can be defined as a type of market form that is dominated by only handful of sellers. These oligopolies then have a high likelihood of colluding as a means of setting prices and reducing the entrants to the market that might threaten to drive down price. Oligopolies exist throughout the world and can be noted in the banking sector, automobile production sector, and telecommunications markets (Goettler & Gordon, 2014). Broadly speaking, governments around the globe have made gestures towards regulating and enforcing

Computer games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Computer games - Essay Example If the vigorous physical sports and the wild spirit characterized the children of previous century, I believe the trademark of today’s youth is computer games. According to Diane Carr â€Å"computer games have existed in some form for almost half a century and have been a mass-market commercial phenomenon for more than twenty five years. They are a regular part of life for millions of people†. Internet and computer games have turned out to be an entrenched aspect of the daily lives of many people. The use of computers has gone further than just work and is at present a main source of enjoyment and entertainment. For the majority of the individuals, gaming at computer is incorporated into their daily lives in a reasonably healthy way. Whereas for others, time used up on the computer games fails to meet equilibrium, and has succeeded to replace work, education, family, and even friends. A massive Multiplayer online game (MMOGs) is mainly a very spectacular example of the fame and extension of computer games not simply between the youth but with gamers of all age. Distinguished because of their unrelenting implicit world, their complic ated narrative situations, surroundings and iconography, their frequently captivating aesthetics and their level, their main prominent characteristic, debatably are the manners in which they operate. As modern media plus digital civilization obtains a progressively more vital position in the lives of young people’s, computer games happen to characterize the manners in which contemporary characteristics, prospects and knowledge regarding the world may be formed and manipulated by their commitment with the world of online gaming through computers. The basic disadvantages of computer games on the extensive gamers are that similar to other forms of addictions, the users turn out to be lost in the world of gaming, tell untruths about the time they spend playing it, elude themselves from other things in life only to

Female Issues in Streetcar and Hedda Movie Review

Female Issues in Streetcar and Hedda - Movie Review Example She fabricated lies to make herself look good and hide her weakness. She presented herself as someone with breeding and educated background although in reality, she was an alcoholic and a former prostitute who had a penchant for seducing younger men. Her husband committed suicide when she insulted him after her discovery of his homosexuality. She seemed to believe her delusions to be the truth because the lies gave her the life she dreams of living. She was desperately looking for someone who would shower her with kindness and end her loneliness. Stella's husband, Stanley, though, despised Blanche's phony glamour and affectations and discovered her checkered past. He wanted to put her in her place and he confronted her with the truth when they were left alone. In the battle of wills and passionate rage, Stanley raped Blanche. This finally brought Blanche over the edge and deep into madness. Hedda Gabler Tesman (Hedda Gabler), daughter of an aristocratic general who belongs to the suburban, middle-class family at the turn of the century (1890's) was a strong-willed woman who would get what she wanted. She projected the image of a much-admired lady and was presumed to be an ideal housewife for the academician George Tesman. Although she secretly despised the passive George, she married him on the belief that he would be able to provide her with a comfortable and luxurious life based on his future expectations as a University Professor. George's coveted position though was threatened by the arrival of a colleague, Ejlert Lovborg, who was also romantically involved with Hedda in the past. Lovborg unleashed the inner passions of Hedda but she turned him away because he represented everything that was against her ideals of a husband. To add injury to the insult, Lovborg had a turnaround with the influence of Mrs. Thea Elvsted whom Hedda has hated since their school years. He dda held a deep-seated jealousy of Thea's comfortable and natural femininity. The much hyped about publication of Lovborg's latest work was presumed to give him the boost to overtake the promotion of George Tesman. Thea was helping Lovborg in the publication of his work. Lovborg, however, during one of his drinking sprees, lost the manuscript. Hedda deceptively got hold of them and burned them. Lovborg confessed to Hedda about the lost manuscript and Hedda, the manipulative lady, played on Lovborg's disturbed state of mind and gave him the pistol which he later used to kill himself. In Hedda's mind, Lovborg death would give her the freedom to enjoy the beautiful life she so desired. However, she was jolted back to reality when she was told by Judge Barack, a sinister man who had hidden desire for Hedda that Lovborg did not die of suicide and hinted that he knew where the pistol that Lovborg used came from. This was the final blow to Hedda's dreams and she committed suicide. The two films had depicted the struggles of the two women heroines to reconcile what they thought would become of their lives (their dreams) with what they had become

The market segmentation strategy for the manufacturer of the washing Essay

The market segmentation strategy for the manufacturer of the washing machine - Essay Example This research will begin with the definition of target marketing as â€Å"breaking a market into segments and then concentrating your marketing efforts on one or a few key segments†. Thus target marketing involves splitting the market into manageable segments. The choice as to which market segment is to be focused on depends on the manufacturer’s requirements. Many writers have suggested a variety of approaches to understanding the target market process. When making an effort to identify the characteristics of the target market demographics such as age, age group, gender, marital status, the location of the business, incomes of consumers and their preferences matters. Next psychographics such as cultural values, mores, lifestyles, tendencies, propensities, choices and personal concerns matters. In the same way the kind of industry and typical market structure matter. In this instance, the industry is the white goods manufacturing industry and the market structure is oli gopolistic in nature. The latter means there are only a few sellers or rather brand names. Other specifics include what kinds of regulations are applied to the industry by authorities. For instance, consumer electronics and electrical goods industry is subject to EU regulations that seek to ensure minimum safety standards. The incorporation of these safety measures would require a lot of research work and costs. Thus the target market would be approached with a greater degree of conviction and certainty.

Rate Relief in Tort-Reform States Essay Example for Free

Rate Relief in Tort-Reform States Essay Any act that is illegal, and not criminal, which may also be called a civil crime is a Tort. The attempt to, change court cases so as to avoid false verdicts that run into thousands of dollars is called Tort reform. A vehicle accident is one of the common types of tort; legal suits regarding malpractices in the medical fields are also torts. Tort reforms usually include awarding a limited amount of money for any type of damages like accidents, pain, distress and mental agony. For example in a car accident, the damage done to the car is $ 4,000 and the amount you need for medical treatment is 4,000. You have a total of $ 8,000 as economic damages. If you receive like say $ 5,000 for the pain and agony you have to undergo, it would come under non-economic damages. According to studies non-economic caps resulted in reduction in losses for general and medical malpractice cover, a decreased premium and greater profit for insurers, for medical malpractice legal responsibility  Ã‚   insurers. Which further resulted in a greater decline in the number of cases filed. On the other hand, physicians all over the country were looking for extra tort reform from the state officials in the 2005 legislative meeting. The stability of the insurance premium towards medical liability is the main goal of the physicians. In Connecticut physicians were looking for a cap on non-economic damages and a relief in insurance premium. In South Carolina, doctors pressed for a cap of $250,000 on non-economic damages and asked for removal of the ban against compulsory negotiations among patients and doctor. Rate Relief in Tort-Reform States   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to some doctors and lawmakers, there is still a long way to go before they recover from the medical liability crisis. Texas is one of the crisis states among the19 states according to the American Medical Association, in which doctors are resigning, restraining high-risk procedures and retiring early on because they cant find or afford the money for insurance. The passage   of Proposition 12, which restricted non-economic damages in liability awards and payments at $250,000 per physician. After the passing of Proposition 12, which guaranteed the introduction of caps accepted previously by the Texas legislature, some physicians in Texas already reported genuine premium savings. Neal Sklaver, FACP, who was a general internist with Medical Specialists Associated in Dallas, is incredibly satisfied that his premium payments have plummeted roughly $5,000 since the Proposition 12 was passed in September 2003. According to some physicians the Proposition 12 helped the doctors, but they can be still be sued for anything. Until all liability carriers bring down their rates, the advantages of Proposition 12 might continue to elude some doctors, particularly those who are not specialized where previous rates were very high. What seems to be more disturbing is that, even doctors whose payments have reduced said that they have got used to practicing protective medicine, after so many years of working in a malpractice setting. Whatever the outcome, but the tort reform is a very important measure by the Government, which should be handled carefully. One in fifty operations might go wrong by a doctor. Accidents happen by everyone, it is human nature to err, and we as humans should   try   to forgive   the   doctors, and see   to   it   that they are not   burdened by huge premiums, Rate Relief in Tort-Reform States which will be an obstacle in their career. The medical profession is one of the important and much needed profession. References   What Is Tort Reform And Why Is It Bad For The Public, Corpreform.com.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved 23 May 2007, http://www.corpreform.com/corpreform/2003/10/what_is_tort_re.html   Bonnie Darves, Texas tort reform, American College of Physicians, Retrieved 23 May 2007, http://www.acponline.org/journals/news/jan05/tortreform.htm Tanya Albert, Tort reform gives Texas doctors some relief, American Medical News,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved 23 May 2007, http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/05/17/prsc0517.htm Kathy Gill, Tort Reform – State Recap, About.com, Retrieved 23 May 2007,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://uspolitics.about.com/od/healthcare/a/01_tort_reform.htm The Issues – Tort Reform, CBS Evening News, Retrieved 23 May 2007,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/01/eveningnews/main652747.shtml   Charles Kolodkin, Tort Reform and Its Impact on Medical Malpractice Insurance, IRMI.com,  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved 23 May 2007, http://www.irmi.com/Expert/Articles/2003/Kolodkin03.aspx

Neurological Effects of ART of HIV Patients

Neurological Effects of ART of HIV Patients NEUROLOGICAL  MANIFESTATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS INFECTION IN THE ERA OF COMBINED ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY Neurological disorders are the most debilitating of manifestations seen in patients infected with HIV. The clinical profile of neurological manifestations in HIV patients has undergone a shift in recent years with opportunistic infections being controlled with combination anti retroviral therapy and the advent of drugs which have higher central nervous system penetrability. Aims and Objectives To study the clinical, investigation profile and various neurological disorders in HIV patients on anti-retroviral therapy. Materials and Methods Fifty HIV patients with neurological manifestations were studied. A complete neurological examination including neurocognitive functioning using Montreal Cognitive Assessment and HIV Dementia scale were assessed. Apart from relevant investigations, CD4 count, Computed Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Imaging brain, cerebrovascular fluid analysis was done where required. Results Neurocognitive disorders formed the largest group with 42% suffering from HIV associated Neurocognitive Disorders .Among them asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment was seen in 28%; mild neurocognitive disorder in 12%, and 2% had HIVà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ associated dementia. Opportunistic infections of the nervous system accounted for 32%, with meningitis being the most common. Four patients had space occupying lesions of central nervous system; four tuberculomas and one toxoplasmosis. Conclusion With the advent of highly active retroviral therapy HIV patients have longer life spans with suppression of viral load leading to decrease in opportunistic infections of the nervous system. Neurocognitive disorders are now the most common neurological dysfunction seen and thus neurocognitive assessment must be done in all patients with HIV. Keywords : cognitive dysfunction, neurological manifestations in HIV, opportunistic infections ,dementia, anti retroviral therapy INTRODUCTION Human Immunodeficiency Virus is one of the greatest challenges faced by the medical fraternity in the 21st century. The infection has become pandemic in many parts of the world and affected every corner of the globe. According to the data released by NACO Annual Report 2012-2013, the revised estimate of people with HIV as of 2011 is 2.08 million (equivalent to 0.27percent of the adult population)1. Though these figures represent a positive trend of decreased incidence of new cases, the prevalence is not changed as HIV patients are now able to live for longer time because of the advent of Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The virus has the unique ability to mutate itself constantly and conveniently integrates itself into the genome of the cells of the immune system which ironically are supposed to protect us from infections. Although many drugs are active against the virus it has so far eluded complete cure. HIV is known to affect all organ systems in the body causing a wide variety of clinical manifestations. Neurological disorders among them are considered to be among the most debilitating of manifestations seen in HIV positive patients .Opportunistic infections of the CNS were the main cause of neurological deterioration for a vast majority of these patients in the earlier times when combination anti retroviral treatment for HIV was not yet instituted. The major neurological disorders in HIV patients are opportunistic infections, immune reconstitution, HIV associated neuro-cognitive disorders (HAND), sensory neuropathies among others. As the patients are now able to have longer life spans with good viral control the clinical profile of neurological manifestations and disorders has undergone a paradigmal shift with opportunistic infections being controlled with combination ART and the advent of drugs which have higher CNS penetrability. Neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric manifestations are the new area of focus with emphasis being made on diagnosing and treating their subclinical forms. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was done on HIV patients getting admitted in a tertiary hospital and research center in Bijapur from April 2014 to June 2014.Fifty HIV positive patients with clinical neurological manifestations during this period have been included in the study. Inclusion criteria HIV patients on combined anti retroviral therapy having signs and symptoms caused by neurological dysfunction. Exclusion criteria Patients with pre-existing neurological conditions like epilepsy, mental retardation, cerebrovascular diseases, parkinsonism, movement disorders not attributable to the HIV. Patients not on any therapy. Patients who have discontinued their treatment for duration of more than a month. An informed consent was obtained from the patients prior to their inclusion in the study. A detailed history, general physical examination with thorough neurological examination was done. The patients were also assessed for their cognitive functions as a part of neurological examination using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)2, International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS)3.If cognition was affected it was quantified based on the effect it had on everyday activities using Lawton scale for Instrumental Activities of Daily Living4. The tests were performed on all patients in study. Patients were classified as HAND based on the scoring and clinical judgment of impaired performance in at least two domains of MoCA and IHDS tests. MoCA was assessed on delayed recall, executive function, visuospatial function, attention, language function, abstract thought and orientation. The maximal score was 30 and patients with IHDS was scored on three variables motor speed, psychomotor speed and memory recall, the patients are scored on each of these. The maximum possible score was 12 points. A patient with a score of The patients with HAND were further subdivided into Asymptomatic Neurocognitive Impairment (ANI), Mild Neurocognitive Disorder (MND) or HIVà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ associated dementia (HAD) using revised research criteria for HIV associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND)5.The patients in study group not diagnosed with HAND were used as reference group for standardized neuropsychological tests and compared. Demographic, relevant clinical data and laboratory data were collected. Data included age, sex, level of education, occupation,current CD4 cell count, and antiretroviral therapy. Laboratory work up include hemogram, CSF analysis and imaging like CT/MRI when needed. Statistical analysis The data was entered in MS Excel Sheet and analysed using SPSS 18 software.Appropriate statistical test like Chi square standard deviation mean and z test were used. RESULTS The mean age of the patients was 32.3 years with all of them being between 20 to 45 years. There were 36 males and 14 females. The mean years of education of the group was 6.41 years with only 30% being employed in professional jobs and the rest either unemployed or intermittently worked as unskilled labor.(Table 1) The most common symptom in these patients was headache seen in 42% of cases followed by fever (30%) and altered sensorium(10%).Seizures were present in three of the five patients with with space occupying lesions. (Table 2) Neurocognitive dysfunction were the most common neurological disorders (42%) followed by opportunistic infections(32%). The MoCA and IHAD test results were used to diagnose the patients with HAND. These patient data were then compared with the other HIV patients who underwent these tests. ANI was present in 28% ,12% had MND and 2% were suffering from HAD. The patients with neurocognitive disorders were included in group A and the rest in group B. (Table 3) Cryptococcal meningitis was the most common infection accounting for 14% followed by tubercular meningitis with 12% of the cases. Co infection was seen in six cases. There was one case each of myelitis and toxoplasma.Space occupying lesions were found in five cases, four of which were tuberculomas and one lymphoma.(Table 4) According to WHO immunological classification for established HIV infection based on CD4 counts6 ;52% had severe disease, 24% had advanced disease , 4% had mild disease and remaining 4% did not have significant disease. Fifty six percent of patients in group A had CD4 count less than 200cells/mm3 [severe disease] and of the 21 patients in group B, 71.5% had severe disease.(Table 4) Nineteen patients underwent CT scan and/or MRI of which 13 had normal scan results ,five patients were diagnosed to be having intracranial masses,four tuberculomas and one lymphoma .Toxoplasma was suspected in one patient which was later confirmed with finding Toxoplasma- IgM antibodies in blood. One patient had features on CT suggestive of encephalomyelitis. CSF analysis was done in 17 patients of whom seven were diagnosed with cryptococcal meningitis by India ink preparations. Six patients had findings suggestive of tubercular meningitis. DISCUSSION Neurologic abnormalities are common in late stages of HIV infection and are an AIDS defining condition. Central nervous system disease occurs in 40-90% of HIV positive patients. The predominant cell types that are infected are monocytes and macrophages. Virus may enter the brain through infected monocytes and release cytokines that are toxic to neurons as well as chemotactic factors that lead to infiltration of the brain with inflammatory cells.7 Our study showed a male preponderance towards neurological manifestations in HIV with 72% of the patients being male similar results were seen in other studies. Deshpande et al reported 87.5% male patients8 and Chan LG et al had 93.3% male subjects9.This could be attributed to higher incidence of multiple sexual partners in males compared to females, except for high risk groups like commercial sex workers. In our study the most common manifestation of HIV patients with neurological disorder was headache, seen in 42% patients which corroborated with other studies. Sharma SK et al. also reported headache as the commonest neurological manifestation seen in 62.5% cases10. The neurological symptoms associated with HAND like forgetfulness, mental slowness, poor concentration, clumsiness, tremors, apathy were seen in less than six percent of people although HAND accounted for 42% cases. This data suggests the huge propensity to miss the diagnosis of cognitive dysfunction as the disease usually exists in its subclinical form with little or no symptoms. The few patients who did have these symptoms did not associate them to their disease. The approach towards neurological diseases in HIV has always been directed towards opportunistic infections. Most studies on neurological complications did not assess for neurocognitive disorders although some studies have reported on dementia. In our study the prevalence of neuro-cognitive disorders surpassed opportunistic infections of CNS in HIV patients. HAND was seen in 42% of the cases similar to study done by Chan LG et al. in Singapore where the prevalence was 22.7% .They also used the revised 2007 updated research nosology for HAND. Singh R et al. reported a 33.65% incidence of HIV associated Dementia.This study showed similar result to our study but the assessment was done using MMSE11. Deshpande AK et al reported only 6% patients with dementia.Satishchandra et al. reported dementia in only four patients out of 100 patients12. Sharma et al. did not report on neurocognitive disorders.All these studies did not employ an objective methodology for assessing the cognitive function and based their results on clinical and neurological examination findings. It is very common to assess cognitive impairment based on clinical judgement and brief bedside neurological examination, this methodology though novel severely limits the providers ability to diagnose subclinical forms of cognitive dysfunction and being subjective their results cannot be used to compare with studies were standardised tests were employed. The CD4 counts in patients with HAND are below 200 cells/mm3 in 71.4% of cases.Thus we concluded that HAND is usually seen with lower CD4 counts associated with severe form of disease. Chan LG et al. reported similar findings were HAND was seen in patients with CD4 counts less than 200cells/mm3 in 63.3% , Singh R et al. reported similar findings in 83.52% patients. Our study did have its shortcomings, our sample size was smaller and strict compartmentalization of neurological disorders into opportunistic infections and neurocognitive dysfunction may have given a lower incidence of opportunistic infections .Thus further studies need to be taken up with larger sample sizes using standardized cognitive assessment tests . With the widespread use of HAART the incidence and mortality associated with HIV is decreasing throughout the world.By keeping the of viral loads suppressed and prolonging the lifespan of HIV individuals a new profile of neurological disorders is emerging which warrants a change in approach to the management.Along with opportunistic infections emphasis must be made towards diseases caused by direct effect of the virus on the nervous system.Neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric illnesses should be thoroughly investigated using standardised mental status examination (those acceptable in updated research nosology for HAND considering resource limited contexts) 5; as they can be subclinically present severely affecting the patient’s daily activities and add to the overall burden of the disease.

Partitioning Of Barbiturates Overview

Partitioning Of Barbiturates Overview Phenobarbitone is an antiepileptic drug which is used to treat epilepsy. Absorbance values at different concentration of phenobarbitone can be used to plot a calibration graph which in turns can be used to find the concentration of phenobarbitone in organic phase at different pH by using the gradient of the graph. From there, the concentration of phenobarbitone in aqueous phase can be determined and hence can find the partition coefficient (P). Ptrue of phenobarbitone can be determined with the presence of the value of Papp and fu of phenobarbitone (acid). % ionization of phenobarbitone at different pH can also be calculated by knowing its pKa and this in turns can be used to determine the lipophilicity of phenobarbitone. % extraction of phenobarbitone will also determine how well does phenobarbitone passes through the organic phase (biological membrane in the body) at different pH. Phenobarbitone is a barbiturate used in the treatment of epilepsy. It helps to reduce seizure frequency and severity and may even stop seizures altogether. [1] Phenobarbital works by acting on GABA receptors that in turn increase synaptic inhibition. This then increases the seizure threshold, hence reducing the number of seizures occurring. [2)] Phenobarbitone is the longest acting barbiturate. It is an acidic crystalline structure which has pka value 7.4, hence it is significantly ionised at ph values over 6. Lowering the pH of the solution reduces ionisation. [4] According to Phenobarbitone structure, it has 2 hydrogen bond donors and 3 hydrogen bond receptors and the solubility of Phenobarbitone in water is 1g in 1000mL (0.1% w/v). It has low lipid solubility compared with other barbiturate. Thus it has slow onset action and longer half life. This experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of ionisation of phenobarbitone by measuring the amount that was extracted into n-octanol from the aqueous phases of different pH values. The results collected were then used to find the concentration of the drug at equilibrium and since the pKa of the drug and the pH of the solution are known, the true partition co-efficient for phenobarbtione can be calculated. [3] Partition coefficient (P) is the ratio of concentration of drug in n-octanol phase divided by concentration of drug in aqueous phase. A high partition co-efficient implies that the drug is highly lipophilic. [5] The method used in this experiment is the shake-flask method (the most accurate measurement method). The drug, in this case phenobarbitone, is allowed to equilibrate between the NaOH solution and the n-octanol and then the concentration in both layers are been determined. [5] Since the total amount of barbiturate present in the 0.5M NaOH (which is extracted from the octanol) is known, and the UV analysis gives the amount of phenobarbitone in the octanol layer at equilibrium, we can calculate the weight left in the aqueous phase and hence the concentration of drug in each phase at equilibrium. pKa is important to determine the true partition coefficient for the barbiturate. The disadvantage for shake-flask is that it is only apply to the unionised drug which most drugs are acids or bases and are ionised in biological systems. Experimental 0.02% w/v phenobarbitone in water was been provided as the stock solution. Using the stock solution, 50Â µg mL-1 solution in 0.5M NaOH [Solution A] and a 50Â µg mL-1 solution in water [Solution B] were been prepared. (a) Calibration Standards A range of calibration standards each containing 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 Â µg mL-1 of the phenobarbitone in 0.5M NaOH were prepared using Solution A. The wavelength of maximum absorbance (ÃŽ »max) at about 254nm was then determined using the 30 Â µg mL-1 standard. The absorbance of each standard at the ÃŽ »max was read using 0.5M NaOH as the blank. A calibration curve of absorbance versus concentration for the phenobarbiturate was then constructed using the absorbance readings obtained. (b) Partitioning Samples Six partitioning funnels were filled as the following: i) 10mL Solution B, 10mL 0.1M HCl, and 20mL n-octanol ii) 10mL Solution B, 10mL pH 6.6 buffer, and 20mL n-octanol iii) 10mL Solution B, 10mL pH 7.0 buffer, and 20mL n-octanol iv) 10mL Solution B, 10mL pH 7.4 buffer, and 20mL n-octanol v) 10mL Solution B, 10mL pH 8.0 buffer, and 20mL n-octanol vi) 10mL Solution B, 10mL pH 9.0 buffer, and 20mL n-octanol The funnels were shaken at frequent intervals for 30 minutes to allow the layers to separate fully. The organic layer was then been carefully ran off into a second separating funnel. 20mL of 0.5M NaOH was then added to the octanol and shaken for 5 minutes, allowing the layers to separate. The absorbance of the aqueous (bottom) layer was then measured by using the ÃŽ »max determined previously in (a). The concentration of the phenobarbitone in the 0.5M NaOH was calculated using the calibration curve. Discussion In partition chromatography, molecules move from one phase to another via passive diffusion, i.e. the movement of molecules from an area of high to low concentration area without any facilitating factor. However, charged molecules are unable to move down the concentration gradient via this route. Partition chromatography of phenobarbitone mimics the movement of phenobarbitone across the biological membrane, i.e. the movement of phenobarbitone from aqueous phase, 50Â µg mL-1 phenobarbitone in water, to organic phase, octanol. Its chemical structure shows that there is a long hydrocarbon chain attached to the ring structure which contributes to its lipophilicity. The more lipophilic the drug, the more efficiently it is absorbed into the organic phase. Glass separating funnels were used to avoid absorption of lipophilic drug into the container. 30 minutes after the layers are left to separate fully, the aqueous layer is carefully ran off, leaving the organic layer in the separating funnel. 20mL of 0.5M sodium hydroxide, NaOH is then added to the organic layer to separate the mixture into two immiscible layers again. This is possible because phenobarbitone is a weak acid, it reacts with the newly added base, NaOH to form aqueous phase. The concentration of phenobarbitone in the aqueous phase is then determined using a UV spectrophotometer. From Table 1.6, at pH 1.1, the weight of phenobarbitone in organic phase is highest, 4.392 X 10-4 g; whereas at pH 9.0, the weight of phenobarbitone in organic phase marked its lowest at 2.800 X 10-4 g. This proves that the drug is most lipophilic at low pH as it is a weak acid and is unionised at low pH, therefore more able to cross into the octanol layer. Meanwhile, at pH 9.0, most of the drug is retained in the aqueous phase in its ionised form and hence unable to cross into the octanol phase as it cannot be passively diffused. As shown in Table 1.7 and Graph 2.0, the higher the pH, more of the drug present is ionised and vice versa. Starting from pH 1.1, the percentage of phenobarbitone ionised in the aqueous phase increased slowly up to pH 6.6, followed by a steep increase from pH 6.6 to pH 8.0, and further increase less steeply from pH 8.0 to pH 9.0. As for Graph 2.0, a slow decrease is observed from pH 1.1 to pH 7.0, a steep decrease from pH 7.0 to pH 7.4, followed by a gradual decrease from pH 7.4 to pH 9.0. Partition coefficient, P is the ratio of a drugs concentration in the octanol phase to its concentration in the aqueous phase at equilibrium with each other. A high P value hence denotes a high drug concentration in organic phase. From the results, a high P obtained at low pH proves that phenobarbitone is a highly lipophilic drug, capable of crossing lipophilic membranes in the body. From the results section, Ptrue value at pH 1.1 is 7.74, whereas the literature value is 1.4. The comparison is made at pH 1.1 because phenobarbitone is present in its unionised form at low pH. However, the Ptrue value is much higher than the literature value. This could be due to errors that occurred during the experiment, e.g. parallax error while pipetting the stock solution, and accidentally ran off some of the organic phase while running off the aqueous phase, causing undetermined potential weight loss of phenobarbitone in the organic phase. It could also be due to insufficient time allowed for phenobarbitone to diffuse from the aqueous phase into the organic phase. Studies revealed that the peak plasma concentration is reached 0.5 to 4 hours following an oral administration; partition chromatography mimics the diffusion of drug across biological membrane, therefore requires at least 30 minutes to reach peak plasma concentration of phenobarbitone in the organic phase. However, in the experiment, the partition was stopped at 30 minutes, not allowing more time for the mixture to separate fully. As octanol was added into the separating funnels at different times, they could not be stopped at the same time. The aqueous (bottom) layers were then run off starting from the funnel where octanol was added the earliest to the latest. The time taken to run off the aqueous phase varies as the volume of aqueous phase varies from funnel to funnel, which may have resulted in different times for each funnel to separate and hence more complete separation in the later mixtures. The lipophilicity of phenobarbitone contributes to its absorption into the octanol phase. Likewise, it is readily absorbed across biological membranes in the body, e.g. stomach wall, cell membrane and blood-brain barrier. Phenobarbitone is administered orally; it is rapidly and fully bioavailable after oral administration as phenobarbitone is unionised in acidic environment. At pH 1.1, 87.84% of phenobarbitone was extracted into the organic phase. This signifies that 87.84% of phenobarbitone is able to cross the stomach wall into the systemic circulation. The absorption is expected to decrease with the increase of pH value down the gastrointestinal tract; the unionised fraction is smaller in the small intestine but has longer intraluminal dwell time and hence increasing absorption. Being lipophilic, phenobarbitone crosses biological membranes readily, more preferably at low pH environment, into the bloodstream and around the body via systemic circulation and then distributed throughout the interstitial fluid. However, about 50% of the drug is bound to plasma protein, therefore neither able to travel across the blood-brain barrier into the cerebrospinal fluid nor is it able to be metabolised by the liver. From Table 1.8, at pH 7.4, 70.72% of phenobarbitone was extracted into the octanol layer. Assuming 50% is protein-bound; it can then be assumed that only about 35.36% of phenobarbitone would reach the brain at physiological pH 7.4. Elimination is a mechanism the body utilises to rid drug, xenobiotics and waste products from the body and plasma, mainly by the kidney and the liver. The normal pH of urine ranges from pH 4.5 to pH 7.5. Phenobarbitone being lipophilic and protein-binding has a slow elimination; its lipophilicity prevents it from being filtered by the glomerulus, unless metabolised in the liver into a less lipophilic metabolite. However, 25% of phenobarbitone is still excreted in its unionised form via passive tubular secretion. This route of excretion is exaggerated when urine is alkaline or when the urine volume is increased, i.e. via forced diuresis. Conclusion As phenobarbitone is used in treatment of epilepsy, it needs to possess the characteristics and ability to cross the blood-brain barrier into the motor cortex to exert its depressant effect. From the partition chromatography carried out, it is evident that phenobarbitone is readily absorbed into the body across biological membranes due to phenobarbitones lipophilic nature. It is also widely distributed in the body fluid, including the cerebrospinal fluid where it can act on the motor cortex. As for elimination, approximately 75% of the drug is metabolised by the liver before being excreted, but 25% is excreted as unionised molecules by passive tubular secretion in the kidneys. In conclusion, phenobarbitone has a relatively fast onset of action, hence it is deemed suitable to be administered via the oral route for the treatment of epilepsy.

warriors of god :: essays research papers fc

Warriors of God by James Reston Jr. is a non-fictional view of the third crusade. This particular crusade spanned from 1187-1192, containing many gruesome battles and a lot of intense moments between Islam and Christianity. Reston supplies the reader with a little background to the third Crusade when he talks about the first Crusades happening since 1095. Reston gives a fairly impartial view of this holy war. He discusses the battles, politics, and emotions of the Crusade as an outside party and if he takes any side at all it is with the Muslims. He often speaks badly of King Richard and he speaks well of Saladin, the sultan. He portrays Richard as a greedy, anti-Semite, who is intolerable of other religions, while he shows Saladin as tolerant to the Jews, reasonable, and an overall good leader. Reston wrote this book mostly to inform readers about the third Crusade but also to add some of his own insights. His thesis was a little unclear but he stated that the Crusades were the most violent event in history all the way up to Hitler’s rein. Reston did a good job in proving this when he told of battles and then analyzed them. He told of a time when King Richard had twenty thousand Muslims executed and when Saladin had Reginald of Chatillon beheaded along with many other Christian prisoners.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reston is a well established writer, his most famous work being Galileo. Reston made a very extensive bibliography with many primary and secondary sources. He had about forty-five primary sources and about ninety secondary sources so I would say that he is now an authority on the third Crusade and probably all of them for that matter. Saladin says straight out in this historical book that Richard the Lionheart, King of England is a homosexual. This has been debated and so one really knows for sure one way or another so to call him an unquestionable homosexual is a little unusual. Reston says that Richard was gay with his childhood friend who in the future would rule France, Phillip Augustus. This relationship would later come into play in the book when they have to work side by side to overthrow the Islamic Empire.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The way that Reston told the story in Warriors of God was very well done. He would tell a chapter from Richard’s point of view and then one from Saladin’s.

Medicine River :: essays research papers

Medicine River By Thomas King In the novel, Medicine River, Thomas King creates a story of a little community to reflect the whole native nation. A simply return of Will's makes the little town seem to be more colourful. "Medicine River makes non-native readers think a little longer and harder about the lives of the first people they live among and the places they inhabit." As a non-native reader, it is extra difficult to feel and understand the book because we didn't go through all the steps. Although Will starts like a foreigner, he becomes part of the unique community eventually. Medicine River shows the past history of Canada and teaches readers to learn from the past experience in order to become better people. Will is the main character in the novel, Medicine River. The whole story starts with a native photojournalist returns to his reservation for his mother's funeral he discovers the strength of his background. Will does not live in the reserve, Medicine River, because his father is a white person. After 20 years, Will returns. After he opens the photo studio in the reserve, he feels like home again. Doing business and playing basketball makes Will become a member of the little Indian town. The people who help Will the most are Harlen, Louise and Joyce. Harlen is the one who always wants to make Will feel better. The photo studio & basketball team are Harlen's idea. Louise is the true love that Will falls for. When Joyce asks Will to be in the photo, that really impresses Will a lot. Finally, Will finds his career, love and friends in the reserve after 20 years. Harlen is Will's friend and he is a very easy going man. He is always running around helping people to solve the problems. He runs the coach position on team Medicine River Friendship Centre Warriors" after no body wants to do the job. In order to make Will feel home, Harlen forces Will to play some basketball on the team although Will is not a good player. Leadership is the main idea that Harlen is trying to pass to Will.

Tulare Township Essay -- Artificial Irrigation, Northern California

C-Irrigation The familiar rural landscape of today’s Tulare Township is the artificial creation of irrigation. The modern eye—accustomed to the regularity of shaded orchards and the linear furrowed fields of row crops—finds it difficult to imagine the countryside before irrigation, much less the arid, barren grassland that existed until the 1860s. One has a tendency to see this landscape as eternal. But the current rural scene is not yet a century old. Although Tulare Township residents had long recognized the need for irrigation, irrigation on a mass scale came late to the district. The reasons for the delay—politics, geography, technology, and economics—tell, in microcosm, the San Joaquà ­n Valley irrigation story. It did not take long for California’s small farmers to realize that dry farming, which depended on winter and spring rains, was not trustworthy. The first two decades of California’s Wheat Bonanza era—the 1860s and 1870s—saw wide variation in crop yields as the state alternated between drought and â€Å"normal rainfall† years. While the large bonanza ranchers could survive the droughts of 1863–1865, 1870–1871, and 1873–1875, the small ranchers often failed. The Diablo Range’s â€Å"rain shadow† worsened the challenges for West Side grangers; even â€Å"below normal† rainfall elsewhere could seriously jeopardize the West Side harvest. By 1870, the need for extensive irrigation in the San Joaquà ­n Valley was clear, but how should Californians carry out the task? The earliest Northern California tries at large-scale irrigation were entrepreneurial ventures. Investors fashioned commercial irrigation companies that owned the canal system but not the irrigated lands. In the 1870s, land speculators regularly used this arrangement to st... ... to approve the bond sale. Although some accused Crittenden of defecting to the cattle interests, his reluctance may have reflected the general loss of enthusiasm by West Side farmers for irrigation in the late-1870s. The drought of the 1870s had ended, and the wet years brought good West Side harvests. It no longer felt urgent to spend money to avert crop failures. Besides, some farmers believed the district could not sell its bonds without state backing. The second Westside authorization act had not included such a provision after Bay Area interests had objected. As later experience would prove, the lack of state backing often placed a serious handicap on marketing irrigation securities. By 1880, the West Side Irrigation District, authorized but never implemented, had collapsed. Tulare Township would wait another thirty-five years for large-scale irrigation.

Plato’s “Republic” and Organizational Relations Essay

Plato’s republic has the ideal state in relation to people, to justice, to excellence and happiness. His ideas may have been written hundred of years ago, but there is no doubt of its relevance to the society today. In so many ways, it is still related to organizational relations and reflects on how a certain ‘state’ should work. If we put Plato’s republic and organizational relations side by side, we would be able to see how some of his ideas should be related to an organization. Justice is said to be a superior virtue. It is said that if one is to possess justice, this cannot be attained through anything incorrect. Anything that is not right is not excellent. Thus, if one is to possess excellence then, there is justice. He states that justice lives in man’s relations to other men. Another point that Plato keeps is that excellence in one’s function brings happiness. In such a way, we see the state as the organization, and the workforce would be the one to possess excellent virtues. If the workforce has a good relationship the justice within the organization is served. There is nothing achieved through anything bad, such if there is good fortune achieved by one member, this should have been achieved through an honest way. Good relationship would have to entail efficient communication within the organization. This should also include an excellent professional relationship among the members of the organization. And excellence comes from the competence of all the members of the organization to perform each given function. If all function with excellence then, it brings about happiness to everyone on the organization. In Plato’s ideal state, justice, excellence and happiness should be the goal of any organization. It encompasses good virtues that lead to contentment of all the members of the workforce. Reference: Retrieved March 16, 2009 from http://www. free-researchpapers. com/dbs/b3/peh94. shtml

Ganges River Flow Benefits for Bangladesh †How to Estimate It?

Ganges River Flow Benefits for Bangladesh – How to estimate it? Zaman A. M. , Haque A. K. E. , Rahman S. M. M. , Mohiuddin F. A. Abstract For economic modeling in the Ganges Basin, an estimate of the water demand in the Ganges Dependent Area (GDA) in Bangladesh is required. This paper outlines a method for estimating this water demand. The proposed method is based on the integration of hydrological and hydraulic process models with economic models. In Bangladesh, a variety of mathematical models are currently used to estimate the impacts on Bangladesh’s water resources system for different: upstream flow conditions, local hydrologic situations, Bay of Bengal circumstances, etc. The models include basin level hydrological models, 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional hydrodynamic models, morphological model, salinity model, Bay of Bengal model, etc. The first step in the proposed method it to use these models to simulate a range of hydrologic and hydraulic scenarios in the GDA in Bangladesh. The next step involves using the outputs from these physical process models as inputs to economic models that estimate the economic benefits (and costs) in the GDA. These economic models will focus on different sectors that can potentially benefit from additional freshwater flows to the region, e. g. irrigated agriculture, open-water and capture fisheries, navigation, ecosystem services (particularly the Sundarbans), dredging of river channels, water logging in polder areas, water supply, etc. For example, currently there is practically no flow into the Gorai River, a key river in the GDA, from the Ganges during the months of January to May. As a result, there is increased river salinity and sedimentation in the southwest region. Additional flows will not only allow increased agriculture production and improve water supply options but also reduce the costs of regular dredging of key rivers in the region. These estimated benefits represent economic water demands for the GDA in Bangladesh.

Stoning

Human Rights Research Task| Stoning In Iran| Daleen Conradie 11(O)| â€Å"You are a human being. You have rights inherent in that reality. You have dignity and worth that exists prior to law. † Lyn Beth Neylon Definitions Human Rights: Human rights are the basic freedoms as well as rights that all humans are entitled to. These human rights include the right to life, freedom of thought and expression as well as equality. Human Rights Violation: A violation of Human Rights is when someone has been discriminated against or has made it unable for someone to receive their basic freedoms or rights. Cultural Relativism:Cultural Relativism is the principle when someone’s activities and beliefs have to be understood according to their own individual cultures. Religious Relativism: Religious Relativism is the principle when someone’s activities and beliefs have to be understood according to their own individual religions. Stoning In Iran What is Stoning? Stoning is a way o f punishment where stones are thrown at the victim until they die. As a group complete this punishment no one can be held responsible for killing the person. This form of execution can be seen as a form of torture as it is slower than other forms.It is also said to be one of the oldest forms of execution that has been practiced in many areas of the world however most commonly in the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa. There are certain crimes that by the law of the country or community are punishable by death from stoning. If someone is accused and it is agreed by the people in power of the community they are put to death by stoning, even if there is no evidence to support the accusation. If the victim is a male they are buried up till their waste while a female is buried up until her shoulders. They are then thrown with stones by the volunteers in the community.These stones are picked specially to their size as they must be able to cause physical pain without causing death immediat ely. The stoning lasts until the person has died which on average is between 10 to 20 minutes. The family of the victim are forced to watch as well as sometimes take part. It all depends on what the punishment entails. The law of stoning however also allows the person to go free if they are able to escape however this is not always followed as many that escape are then shot. Human Rights Violation: When someone does not allow them to have their human rights it is seen as they treat them as if they are less than human.It creates the sense that they do not deserve respect or dignity. All individuals are entitled to justice, life and physical safety in order to grow in a safe and nurturing environment. There are many ways to violate rights but governments have created laws to restrict the â€Å"crimes against humanity† however individuals as well certain groups of people till break these law for their own selfish reasons. Unfair trial: In cases of stoning the judges are allowed to someone sentence someone to stoning without asking for permission from the government as well as often without proof of the crime.Iran law allows a judge to sentence someone based on their â€Å"knowledge. † This means that someone will be put to death not based on evidence but rather on the feelings of the judge. This means that many cases are unfairly tried. Abuse towards Women: â€Å"Right to life, liberty, and security of person without distinction of any kind, including sex† (Articles 2 and 3 of the UDHR) (http://www. stop-stoning. org/node/10) Most of the victims of stoning are women who have been discriminated due to their statutes, customs or values.In actions that can be seen as violating normal behaviour, women are more likely to be assigned the guilt especially in the cases of adultery. The women in these relationships have a higher chance of being stoned to death while the men will receive less severe or even no punishment. Cultural or Religious Context: In past history, stoning has been seen as tradition in many cultures and religions including Jewish and Greek communities. Stoning now is associated with Islam and Muslim cultures however there is no mention of stoning in these their religion book, the Quran (religious text of Islam. The only mention is implied in the Hadith (narrations concerning the words and deeds of the Islamic prophet Muhammad) when the Prophet Muhammad dealt with the Jewish Law. There have been many debates within Muslim religious communities as well as many people have spoken out against stoning saying it humiliates and defames Islam even though it is not accepted as Islamic Law. Due to this many Muslim nations have now banned death by stoning however there are still many countries that either under law or due to the community still uses stoning as a form of punishment.In Iran many Muslim people believe that stoning can be seen as Islamic however there is no proof to show that this is part of either religion . Effects on Society due to Violation of Human Rights: As there is an unfair treatment the people in the community then become afraid as well as they are unable to prove their innocence due to them being convicted based on a feeling of the judge. The people within the society live in fear and therefore there is then no unity in the community. Friends are lost during stoning as they can be the ones who are throwing the rocks. Women are treated the worse as they are seen as weaker and less important.This means that the word of men over power those of women. If a women is able to prove her innocence yet a man is has evidence to prove she is guilty even if the evidence it is not sufficient, the word from men will be taken and women will be punished. The violation of human rights creates an environment of fear and discrimination. How Violations of Human Rights Restrict the Dignity and Development of Human Beings: â€Å"Dignity is a term used in moral, ethical, and political discussions to signify that a being has an innate right to respect and ethical treatment. † en. wikipedia. org/wiki/DignityWhen someone does not receive their human rights they lose a part of being a human being. Those who violate rights take away something from humans; they do not give them the respect or treatment that they deserve which means that they do not have dignity. It has been taken away from them with no reason. The effect of this is that the person can then live in fear or they do not fully develop as they do not have the basic forms of security. Unfair trials or accusations mean that humans are not treated as equal. They need to have certain material objects or statuses in society in order to receive treatment that they deserve.They are not seen as innocent until proven guilty; they are seen as guilty based on one person’s opinion. When women are abused or seen as less superior they are also not treated as equal. They are discriminated against which can make them feel worthless. This can cause them to be unable to fully grow and develop into independent human beings as they have not been given the opportunity to achieve their full potential. When humans grow up in hard situations they are more prone to making wrong live decisions or they just do what they are told as they have not be exposed to the freedom of making their own choice.Unique cases show how the human spirit can’t always be broken so these people are able to fully develop however if they are never exposed to this hope, to certain human rights, they will conform and live by societies rules even if it mean stoning someone to death. As of 2010, stoning is still practiced in: Saudi Arabia Afghanistan Somalia Nigeria Sudan Iraq Iran â€Å"If cultural and religious practice is protected by the constitution, do you believe that it is then acceptable/ justifiable to practice the specific example you have researched. Certain cultural and religious practices are protected by the const itution as they are protecting the human rights that state one is allowed to practice the religion or culture they chose without being discriminated against. However there has to be a balance between human rights and beliefs as one can’t neglect one of them as they are both protected by the constitution. There have been many negotiations between these two points of view and many religions and countries have reached an agreement. This is not however.Stoning is seen as part of the Islam cultures however it is not stated in the Quran. This means that the cultural and religious point of view is not justifiable as stoning is not a religious practice. Many of the countries where stoning still takes place, such as Iran and Afghanistan, are part of the International Convention of Civil and Political Rights. Article 6 of the ICCPR states that â€Å"in countries which have not abolished the death penalty, sentence of death may be imposed only for the most serious crimes† (http:/ /www. stop-stoning. rg/node/10) Adultery is not a serious crime however people are still executed cause of these crimes as well as they are tortured which is a violation of the Human Rights, ICCPR and the Law of certain countries. If a cultural and religious practice is protected by the constitution it can be accepted to practice it if it is within the boundaries of human rights as human rights are also protected by the constitution. Death by stoning is not a religious practice therefore it isn’t protected by this part of the constitution as well as stoning for the crime of adultery is not allowed according to agreements made.Bibliography Information oregonstate. edu/instruct/anth370/gloss. html en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Cultural_relativism wordnetweb. princeton. edu/perl/webwn http://www. iran-e-azad. org/stoning/ en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Human_Rights_(Women_in_Armed_Forces)_Amendment_Act_2007 http://community. babycenter. com/post/a22865769/the_stoning_of_suraya_m. http://rayh arris57. files. wordpress. com/2009/12/human-rights-day. jpg http://science. jrank. org/pages/9933/Law-Human-Dignity. htmlhttp://www. stop-stoning. org/node/13 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Adultery#Stoning en. wiktionary. rg/wiki/human_rights en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Human_rights http://www. quotegarden. com/h-rights. html http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Hadith http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Dignity en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Rights http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Human_rights http://www. stop-stoning. org/node/10 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Stoning http://www. dhushara. com/book/sakina/stoningetc/stoning. htm Bibliography Information http://www. unglobalcompact. org/aboutthegc/thetenprinciples/humanRights. html http://civilliberty. about. com/od/capitalpunishment/ig/Types-of-Executions/Death-by-Stoning. tm http://www. worldinconversation. org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/freedom. jpg http://meydaan. net/English/showarticle. aspx? arid=133&cid=46 http://answers. yahoo. com/question/ind ex? qid=20100706003525AASKrvg http://hubpages. com/hub/The-Stoning-of-Women-in-Iran-Its-global-impact http://www. nypost. com/p/blogs/capitol/message_for_president_obama_regarding_5uChiwg2KiCzjn7V3OnxyM http://www. unglobalcompact. org/aboutthegc/thetenprinciples/humanRights. html http://www. beyondintractability. org/essay/human_rights_violations/

Resume writing Essay

Resume writing is an art that few can excel at, and it’s a good idea to get the assistance of a professional resume writing company when you send in your resume for a job application. Employers often receive hundreds of resumes for a specific job position, and many good profiles can be overlooked because they are not eye-catching enough. Besides, the professional resume format keeps changing constantly, and it is usually only professional writers who are aware of the latest developments in resume formats. Getting your resume enhanced by a professional writing service will ensure that your key skills and individual strengths are highlighted in a way that will get your resume noticed by prospective employers. All our resume writers are certified professionals who have assisted hundreds of clients to get their dream jobs, and will undoubtedly assist you to create an elegant, professional resume to guarantee that you get that phone call from the company you’ve been hoping to hear from. Package of resume plus cover letter writing Even the best resume in the world can get overlooked if it does not have an effective cover letter. With our resume plus cover letter package, you can get the best deal and also ensure that you have a professionally written cover letter as well as an efficient resume. Cover letters can often be trickier to write than resumes, since you only have a few brief lines in which to sum up your resume and achievements in a way that will make a prospective employer want to take a look at your detailed resume. Our professional writers have written hundreds of cover letters as well as resumes for satisfied clients, and can do the same for you. By availing of this package, you can save $15 to $20 on the overall cost of getting your resume and cover letter written, and rest assured that both these vital documents will be delivered to you in a ready-to-send format. Package of resume, cover letter, thank you and follow-up letters writing Employers are usually drawn to resumes that are not only well written and formatted, but that also come along with beautifully written covers letters as well as follow-up and thank-you letters. Follow-up letters are extremely significant in terms of building up business relationships, even if you have not got a positive response from a prospective employer. Maintaining a healthy business relationship with others in your field is critical, since you may encounter the same people often, even if you don’t end up working directly with them. Our professional and experienced team of writers can ensure that you have an elegantly written follow-up/thank-you letter as well as an impressive resume and cover letter. Further to the incomparable quality and professionalism that our writers will bring to the essential documents, you can also save $25 to $30 by ordering our package of resume, cover letter, thank-you letter, and follow-up letter. So order our unbeatable package today, and see the difference it brings to your professional career!

USA responsibility for fostering the growth and development of the EEC Article

USA responsibility for fostering the growth and development of the EEC - Article Example In addition, they believed that an integrated Europe could play a greater political role in the world. The economic gains to be derived from European integration were recognized long before the postwar era, but post-World War II developments made them greater and more visible. The benefits come from expanding the size of the market open to producers. They are thus able to obtain the economies of scale resulting from mass production and specialization, and the economy as a whole can gain from the effects of greater competition. The advantages of integration assumed greater importance in the 1950's because technological developments that occurred during and after the war increased the size of the market necessary to support efficient industry. Competition from large U.S. business firms seemed insurmountable to European firms faced with small, fragmented markets and equipped with obsolete machinery. Larger markets and protection from the competition of U.S. products were thought necessary to sustain rapid European growth. Both could be obtained through economic integration. The political gains from integration seemed at the time to be even more important than the economic ones. The destructive war in Europe was not followed by peace but by cold war. Under Joseph Stalin, the Soviet Union threatened the very existence of European governments. Germany was divided and faced a powerful Russian army on its frontier. Italy and France both experienced great uncertainties from having large Communist minorities within their borders. In this situation, only the military power of the United States maintained security. But the Europeans felt that they had to make an important contribution to their own defense, both to avoid being totally dependent on the United States, and to prepare for the day when U.S military forces would be removed from European soil. Integration through supranational institutions was thought to be both a means of ensuring efficient expenditure of the resources Europeans felt they could devote to security, and a way of downgrading independent m ilitary establishments. In Germany, particularly, integration was viewed as a means of providing sufficient strength in the West to convince the Soviet Union that nothing could be gained from a continued division of Germany, in the hope that reunification would eventually be permitted. Conflicts over the goals of European unity and over the degree of supranationality of its institutions have marked the European movement during the postwar period. Indeed, the most far-reaching attempts to institutionalize unity through the European Defense Community (EDC) and the companion European Political Community (EPC) foundered on issues directly related to these conflicts. In order to circumvent this problem, the promoters of the "European idea" decided to concentrate their efforts on economic integration. European governments ( France in particular) could enter into agreements in the economic sphere, as demonstrated by the formation and continued existence of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), but were not prepared to accept a direct attack on national sovereignty, as shown by the defeat of the EDC proposal. Thus, the Rome Treaty establishing the EEC is devoid of provisions for political integration. (Nugent, 2006) However, political motives were paramount, and th e ultimate objective of the

Post-Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Post-Globalization - Essay Example One’s personal contention of globalization is parallel with the focus on â€Å"the process of interaction and integration among the people, companies, governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology† (The Levin Institute, 1). My search for other meanings of the term give credence to my belief that globalization consists of systems and operating processes that aim to ultimately be interrelated with global protocols on a continuously growing exchange of transactions among diverse countries and regions (Marzui, 2001, 1). As a process, globalization is more prominent in today’s generation due to technological advances that provided the impetus for improved intercultural interaction traversing borders, distance and time. The United States (US) continues to provide direction and significant influence to other countries in terms of applications on globalization. As the world’s most devel oped industrialized nation, the US has continued to support democratic ideals in terms of foreign trade, intercultural communication, preservation of the environment, adherence to ethical and moral standards, as well as promotion of human rights: all critical elements for sustained globalization efforts.

Driving Safety among Middle-Aged Drivers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Driving Safety among Middle-Aged Drivers - Essay Example Hence, a remedial driver's safety course becomes mandatory for them (Evans 108-126) It can be said that, most of the young people in the world get to know about the world soon and start driving as soon as they become legal to do so. At a young age, the youthfulness stirs them to take the road of riskier driving. At the age of 25 to 40, people generally tend to be more concise of their safety. But still, due to risky life styles and with addiction to alcohol and other drugs, their safety too comes under question. They become wary of life and a sense of overconfidence about their driving comes into them. Apart from the accidents, many of the people tend to neglect their safety measures while driving and once caught with the authorities, they get their license suspended. So, in order to revitalize these middle aged men, it is important to provide these safety-forgotten drivers a course where they could refresh themselves on driving safety and continue to drive safely. (Evans 108-126) When people are young, their health is up and running and they are well aware of their safety measures, thought they would not follow it in most cases. As age progresses, people tend to get more mature and more experienced with viewing several accidents and they would care about their safety measures. ... Also other health issues like having poor eyesight and weak sense over things would make them more of a target for accidents. Hence a refreshing remedial driving safety course would enable them to refresh them up and continue with their driving. Hence the seriousness of matter becomes very high and it needs to be made mandatory for every middle aged person. (Evans 108-126) Proposal and Solution Middle age is a period where people are in a transforming state where they are shifting their thought process from progressing towards opportunities to be content with their limitations. They are moving towards a more sedate but stable state. It's also a period where the mid life crisis plays a major role in affecting the psychology of middle-aged people. On a gender basis, reports suggest that middle aged women suffer more than their counterparts. So, in such a situation, it is practical to think that a person's driving skills would definitely get affected psychologically. It is not like they forget everything and will be crashing somewhere. It is to revitalize them of the safety thoughts so that they would be able to know what to do in case of an emergency situation. (Hole 154-175). This is where the importance of Remedial safety courses comes into picture. They help you to do just exactly that. Though the concept of refresher safety courses came into picture only for old age people, it is also becoming an important criterion for middle age people too, to freshen up their thoughts. There are several benefits for a middle aged person through this remedial safety course. It could help them understand better about the rules of the road. They could also revitalize their driving skills. The important benefit would be that they can better

A Qualitative Study on African American Women Administrators as Dissertation

A Qualitative Study on African American Women Administrators as Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Dissertation Example Despite this major accomplishment, African American women who are employed in HBCUs still face varied barriers that impede their advancement to ranks of powers. This study will explore the various barriers that confront African American women who are working as administrators in HBCUs in Georgia. In addition, this study will look at the various challenges and situations that serve as major roadblocks to the advancement of African American women in higher ranks in HBCUs. Chapter 1 presents the rationale of the study. By outlining the need to study African American women administrators, this study will help in the further enlightenment of the power dynamics evident in race and gender studies. In this chapter, the different barriers experienced by African American women holding administrative positions in HBCUs in Georgia are introduced. This chapter also discusses the problem and background of the study. In order to address the problems being examined by this study, a qualitative appro ach will be used. Qualitative methodology can help identify possible barriers that may exist for African American women striving for higher level administration positions through the in-depth analysis of the contexts that operate within the dynamics between African American women and positions of power. ... In addition, this chapter focuses on the significance of the study, nature of the study, theoretical framework, assumptions, limitations, and delimitations Background of the Problem According to Davis (2009) despite the high percentage of African American women employment in higher education, they still could not get into the office of the president in these higher educational institutions. Between 1986 and 2006, the percentage of African American women representation in college and universities rose from 4% to 8%. Although statistics show a growth in representation of African American women as presidents, in 2006, all women represented 45% of faculty and senior administrators revealing the lack of promotion into presidencies at college and universities (American Council on Education, 2007). Consequently, even though the number of woman occupying presidential positions has increased tremendously, this increase has been at a slower pace. The American Council of Education (ACE, 2007) s tates that from 1986 to 2006 women presidents went from 9.5% to 23% (p.7) compared to white men presidents which make 92% in 1986 and 88% in 2006. As regards African American women, Garner (2006) posits that they are making strides in representation in tenured track positions as well as presidencies. In fact, these presidential opportunities have created a voice for leaders such as Dr. Marvalene Hughes, president of California State University-Stanislaus, encouraging administrators to get a mentor in order to prevail against the glass ceiling that hinders female opportunities of promotion to higher levels of administration, ultimately resulting in presidency (Hamilton, 2004). By understanding the history and the

CHAP13EX Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

CHAP13EX - Essay Example During November, the first month of the company’s fiscal year, $173,250 of manufacturing overhead was applied to Work in process Inventory using the predetermined overhead application rate of $15 per direct labor hour. Staley Toy co. makes toy flutes. Two manufacturing overhead application bases are used; some overhead is applied on the basis of machine hours at the rate of $7.50 per machine hour, and the balance of the overhead is applied at the rate of 200% of direct labor cost. Precision Numbers, Inc. manufactures pocket calculators. Cost incurred in making 25,000 calculators in April included $85,000 of fixed manufacturing overhead. The total absorption cost per calculator was $12.50. b. The ending inventory of pocket calculators was 1,850 units higher at the end of the month than at the beginning of the month. By how much and in what direction (higher or lower) would operating income for the month of April be different under variable costing than under absorption costing? The operating profit under variable costing would be lower by an amount of $6290 ($23125 – 16835) as compared to absorption costing profit because in variable costing the closing inventory is valued at variable cost only (1850 units x $ 9.1 = 16835) which gives higher cost of sales and reduces profit where as in absorption costing closing inventory is valued at variable cost plus absorbed fixed overheads (1850 units x $12.5 = $ 23125) which gives a lower cost of sales and increases

Importing US food Risk Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Importing US food Risk - Research Paper Example In 2008, there were some reported cases where cats and dogs were stricken by tainted pet food while people died from contaminations in certain drugs. In both incidents, the ingredients were found to have been imported from China (In Curtis, 2013).   In response to this, the Public Health Security through the Bioterrorism act directs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take additional measures to protect the public from all terrorist attacks on food supply and all other food related emergencies. FDA is the food regulatory agency of the department of Health and Human Services and has the mandate to receive prior notification of food that is imported, including animal feed, in the United States. Prior notice of import shipments give chance to the FDA, through the support of the U.S Custom and Border Protection to focus on import inspections with much effectiveness and help protect the state’s food supply against acts of terror and all other public health emergencies. The FDA food safety act was signed in 2011 with aims to ensure that the U.S food supply is safe by directing the focus of the federal regulations from taking action on contamination to prevent it (Kastner, 2011).   The FDA signed a regulation that required all persons to submit prior notices of imported food. Close to fifty million people get sick while three thousand die each year from food borne diseases. This is according to a data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This was mentioned as a public health burden which is largely preventable. The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act enables the FDA to strengthen the systems of food safety by giving them new authorities and tools to make all new imported foods meet the same safety standards as those produced in the U.S. However, building a new system of food safety beside on prevention would take time. FDA focuses on implementing the safety acts with open grounds for all stakeholders to give their contribution. T he FDA has therefore some laid down responsibilities and authorities which are aimed at improving food safety in the United States. The FDA’s new import mandates and authorities include the following (Hinkelman and Ebrary, 2004); Import accountability. During the first time, the importers have an explicit mandate to verify that their suppliers have sufficient preventive controls to make sure that the food they produce is safe. Third party certification: The FDA Food Safety Modernization (FSMA) initiates program through which third parties can verify that foreign food capacities comply with the U.S food safety standards. The certification is very significant in facilitating the entry of imports (Zaring et al., 2009). Cortication for high risk foods: as a condition of entry into America, FDA can authorize that the high-risk imported foods be accompanied by a trustworthy third party certification or with an assurance of compliance. Voluntary qualified importer program: a volunta ry program must be established for the importers. This would provide for the expedited entry and review of foods from importers. Entitlement is limited to importers who offer food from certified facilities. Authority to deny entry: foods from a foreign facility can be denied entry into the U.S by FDA. FDA has also a

Hospitality industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hospitality industry - Essay Example The activities include business, leisure and for other purposes. A tour operator is a person or a company that creates and markets inclusive tours with the sub-contractors to make a package. Most of the tour operators sell through travel agencies and directly to the clients. The player gathers and distributes marketing research and helpful information about the marketing information. They find the customers and use persuasive language to convince the tourist to take the offers made by the tour site owners and operators. The people shape and match the offers with the tourist’s needs and budget for the best offer (Page 2011). They agree to the terms of payment between the customer and owner and assume financial risks. Aer Lingus are tour operators who take their visitors right from Bournemouth Airport. The operators book their clients in sea-view beach resorts. It is a convenient place for their customers as it is easy for the players to take them for boat rides and snorkelling. The heritage site is also a nice place to take the tourists as it shows the culture of the Bournemouth people. Old people in Bournemouth are caring and welcoming to foreigners. Most of the tourists that visit Bournemouth are older couples who look forward to a relaxing vacation. Travel agents purpose is to Plan and sells transportation and accommodations for the tour operators and travel agency clients. The companies determine the destinations for the tourists, means of transport, cost, travel dates and the housing required. Some travel agents also sell tour packages to the tourists. Hays Travel is the largest travel agency in the United Kingdom that transports tourist to and from the UK. The travel agency advises clients on the particular type of hotel they need to stay while on tour. The cottages are also an option if one does not like hotels. The travel agency can fly one from Bournemouth to Antalya, Turkey. It is a coastal town