Monday, September 30, 2019

Macbeth Moral Decay Essay

Soliloquy, or the act of speaking one’s thoughts aloud, is the subject to which this question is being answered. In Acts 1 to 3 of Macbeth, the character Macbeth speaks of three particular soliloquy’s in which his moral and nature both move from a high ranking position into a continually falling characteristic of heroic decay. In Act 1 scene 7 Macbeth highlights, in his first soliloquy, the issues of committing the crime of murder and how it teaches others to act as criminals and to break out in violence, which then comes back to plague oneself. Macbeth is also sympathetic when he speaks of the king, saying he is a humble leader and that the king even trusts him. â€Å"First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed; then as his host, who should against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife myself† (1.7.13-16). Here Macbeth is saying that he is the kings kinsmen and host and that it is his job to protect him, as well as closing the door on the murderer trying to get to the king, not to be the murderer himself. Macbeth ends this soliloquy with a statement that gives a hint to his future ever-growing cruel self. He says, â€Å"Upon the sightless couriers of the air, shall blow the horrid deed in every eye, that tears shall drown the wind† (1.7.23-24). Macbeth foreshadows his future deed and even states that the people will be overwhelmed in sorrow over Duncan’s death. In Macbeth’s second soliloquy in Act 2 scene 1, he specifically says, â€Å"Thou marshall’st me the way that I was going, and such an instrument I was to use,† meaning that the imaginary dagger of which he speaks of is motivating and leading him to commit the crime of which he was planning, but was weary, to do (2.1.42-43). In this act, Macbeth talks to an image of a dagger that is a hallucination of his mind. The dagger may be symbolic of his own self, in which he says â€Å"And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, which was not so before,† concluding that Macbeth was once clean but is now becoming more and more infected by his dark and dirty deeds, much like the dagger was once clean but is now dotted with blood (2.1.46-47). Macbeth also hears a bell ring which inspires him to take off and find Duncan before his courage wears off. In Act 3 scene 1 Macbeth’s third soliloquy highlights the fear he has of Banquo because of his intelligence and nobility. One can see the dramatic change of Macbeth’s character from the first soliloquy to the third soliloquy as he now has become greedy and jealous. Macbeth believes that he has worked hard and committed a crime for nothing since the throne will be passed on to Banquo’s sons instead of to his own descendants. Macbeth states, â€Å"Put rancors in the vessels of my peace only for them,† saying that he has ruined his own peace for the benefit of Banquo and his sons (3.1.67-68). Ultimately, there is a major change in Macbeth’s moral from the first act to the third. Macbeth’s motivation at first was solely by ambition, then it was anxiety and paranoia of committing the actual crime, and finally in his last soliloquy Macbeth became greedy and unsatisfied once he had power and control of the throne. Macbeth thought he would be much more gratified with having the power of the king then he actually was in the end. He then begins to second-guess his deeds and starts to become neurotic from the paranoia of over thinking and over-analyzing the whole situation. Macbeth’s moral decay resulted from his unconscious madness that drove him to commit many murders.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Experimental Design for Orange Juice, Vitamin C

What Type of Orange Juice has the Most Vitamin C? Introduction Question: What type of orange juice has the most vitamin c? Hypothesis: Freshly squeezed orange juice will have the most vitamin C compared to the other types of orange juice and drinks, because the fruit is picked fresh, and it is not stored, preserved or exposed to oxygen. Materials i. Vitamin C Indicator Solution a) One tablespoon of cornstarch b) Water c) 250 milliliters of boiling water ii. Two percent iodine solution iii. Medicine dropper. iv. (6) Disposable pipettes. v. (1) Stirring rod. vi. Cheesecloth vii. Distilled water viii. Masking tape x. Permanent marker x. Small funnel xi. Chemical safety goggles xii. Lab apron xiii. Rubber (latex) gloves xiv. Soluble starch xv. 50 mL graduated cylinder xvi. 500 mL graduated cylinder xvii. 50 mL Ehrlenmeyer flask xviii. 50 mL buret xix. Ring stand xx. Buret clamp xxi. 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon, xxii. Glass jars for iodine (300 mL) and starch solutions. xxiii. Sources of vitamin C: a) (2) Tropicana Pure Premium 100% Pure and Natural Orange Juice (Bottled) b) (2) (Frozen) c) (2) Florida’s Natural Premium Orang Juice (Canned) Procedure Independent Variable: Orange Juice: Frozen, Canned, and Bottled. a)Tropicana Pure Premium 100% Pure and Natural Orange Juice (Bottled) b) Tropicana Season’s Best Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate (Frozen) c) Florida’s Natural Premium Orang Juice (Canned) Dependent Variable: Amount of vitamin C in each cup. (mL) Constants: Amount of orange juice, amount of solution put in each cup of orange juice. i. Wear gloves, chemical safety goggles, and a lab coat or apron when using the iodine solutions in this experiment. ii. Dilute the solution 1:10 in distilled water to make your iodine titration solution. iii. Make a starch indicator solution. a. Take one tablespoon of cornstarch and water and make into paste. . Add 250 mL of water and boil. c. Add 10 drops of this solution to 75 mL of hot water consistently as you are stirring. iv. Make a fresh vitamin C standard solution (1 mg/mL). Do this on each day that you make vitamin C measurements from orange juice. v. Titrate 25 mL of vitamin C standard solution. a. Use a clean 50 mL graduated cylinder to measure 20 mL of vitamin C standard solution. b. Pour this into a 50 mL Ehrlenmeyer flask (the shape of this flask allows you to swirl the solution to mix it without spilling). c. Add 10 drops of starch indicator solution. d.Set up the 50 mL buret on the the ringstand. e. Use a funnel to carefully fill the buret with your iodine titration solution. f. Write down the initial volume of the iodine titration solution in the buret. g. Place the Ehrlenmeyer flask (containing the vitamin C and starch solutions) under the buret. h. Carefully release the spring clamp of the buret to add iodine solution drop by drop. i. Swirl the flask to mix in the iodine solution after each addition. j. The titration is complete when the iodine creates a blue-back c olor in the solution that lasts for longer than 20 seconds. k. Record the final volume of the iodine solution in the buret. . The difference between the initial volume and the final volume is the amount of iodine titration solution needed to oxidize the vitamin C. m. Repeat this step three times. You should get results that agree within about 0. 1 mL. vi. Prepare frozen canned orange juice. vii. If any of the orange juice samples contain pulp, filter them through clean cheesecloth before doing the titration. n. Use a clean 50 mL graduated cylinder to measure 20 mL of the fresh-squeezed juice. o. Pour this into a 50 mL Ehrlenmeyer flask (the shape of this flask allows you to swirl the solution to mix it without spilling). . Add 10 drops of starch indicator solution. q. Set up the 50 mL buret on the the ringstand. r. Fill the buret nearly full with your iodine titration solution. s. Write down the initial volume of the iodine titration solution in the buret. t. Place the Ehrlenmeyer f lask (containing the vitamin C and starch solutions) under the buret. u. Carefully release the spring clamp of the buret to add iodine solution drop by drop. v. Swirl the flask to mix in the iodine solution after each addition. w. The titration is complete when the iodine creates a distinct color change in the juice/starch solution.This color change will be harder to see than with the vitamin C solution, since the juice starts out orange. The color will change from orange to grayish brown when the endpoint is reached. If you continue to add iodine, the color will darken further. You want to note the volume of iodine added when the color first changes. x. Record the final volume of the iodine solution in the buret. y. The difference between the initial volume and the final volume is the amount of iodine titration solution needed to oxidize the vitamin C. z. Repeat this step three times. You should get results that agree within about 0. 1 mL. viii.For each juice (fresh, premium, or fr om-concentrate), calculate the average amount of iodine needed to titrate a 20 mL sample. ix. Repeat all steps a total of 3 times in order to ensure accurate information. Pictures Starch Indicator Solution Iodine solution Number of| Drops | Needed to | Change the | Indicator:| Type of Juice:| Trial 1: (mL)| Trial 2: (mL)| Trial 3: (mL)| Average: (mL)| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Type of Juice:| Record Qualitative Data: (Color,etc. )Trial 1:| Record Qualitative Data: (Color,etc. )Trial 2†| Record Qualitative Data: (Color,etc. )Trial 3: | Notes:| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Two Music Reviews of Sorry For Party Rocking by LMFAO Essay

Two Music Reviews of Sorry For Party Rocking by LMFAO - Essay Example This small assessment essay describes the critical comparison of two music reviews, that were written by two popular music review sites, www.allmusic.com and www.rollingstone.com on the album ‘Sorry For Party Rocking‘ by LMFAO. When you critically evaluate or compare both the reviews on the same album, you can easily come out with a conclusion each reviewer took different kinds of aesthetics to judge the album. The review written by John Bush on www.allmusic.com considers the amount of humor and energy that keep listeners stick to the album. This is what we call Aesthetic Contemplation. Listeners don’t need to understand the track to enjoy the song. This is the reason why John Bush rated the album as Good. The review written by Caryn Ganz on www.rollingstone.com looks into rhythms, synths and beats. Caryn just focused on trying to understand the meaning of the song by analyzing the rhythms, beats and synths. This is what theoretical contemplation is. The researcher then compares two reviews and concluds that both the reviews are assessed by using Seel’s three dimensional aesthetic experience of popular music. As per aesthetic contemplation, you immerse yourself into the music by forgetting everything for a short while. Aesthetic Correspondence lets you to shape our surroundings and Aesthetic Imagination helps you stimulate the imagination to get into the emotional characterization and we can easily come to a conclusion John Bush focused more on aesthetic criteria and Caryn reviewed based on rhythms and beats.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Editor's letter and response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Editor's letter and response - Essay Example and then introduces the concept of heat shock proteins in a more thorough manner, drawing from recently published papers and studies as well as important older ones. Also included is a table which outlines the diversity of the major molecular HSP families, details on synthesizing the heat shock proteins, and a summary of several of this chaperone proteins use in signal transduction, cell survival, immune response mechanics, and the effect of environmental stress factors on HSP responsiveness. The review is exhaustive, citing from thirty different papers on the topic after removing the irrelevant citations. The included cited papers range in date from 2006 to 2015, so that the mini-analysis represents a summary of the latest research on this important topic. 1. As well this mini-research contributes positively to the discovery of heat shock response which was discovered by Francis Ritossa in 1962 who made this accomplishment through an observation while treating flies. This mini-analysis would therefore contribute positively to the research on the thermal shock induced in an organism’s cells. The author is particularly pleased to see this section called out in your review. It is often the case that terms are not clearly defined, and the author hoped that, by doing just that, the paper and its conclusions would be accessible to a wider audience than is common for such topics. However, based on comments from the editor, this section has been removed to improve the flow of the paper and keep it properly on topic. Thank you for this idea, which is certainly worth considering at length. However, as pointed out by the editor, the heat shock proteins are chaperones, and in that sense this suggestion is redundant. Furthermore, a number of changes have been made to keep the paper on the relevant topics, as you suggest. The author is pleased to hear that the charts and diagrams included aided in reading comprehension. While these comments are appreciated, the

Thursday, September 26, 2019

International Law Dispute Settlement (DB-2) Research Paper

International Law Dispute Settlement (DB-2) - Research Paper Example hill (2011), immunity against suit means that the party involved is not liable and it is impossible to use it, and it should not even be bothered to participate in the lawsuit. In this case, MBI cannot sue Country D for failing to pay for the military equipment supplied to them. However, there are cases where the supplier cannot be held liable for any defective military equipment, and thus, may demand full payment for the equipment supplied. Rakowsky (2005) states that Feres-Stencel doctrine can be used in cases where the suppliers of military equipment supply products with design defects, which have been approved by the government. He argues that permitting liability against contractors (in this case, the multinational corporation, MBI) in such a situation can subvert the Feres-Stencel doctrine. This is because the military suppliers can simply pass the associated expenditures or costs through to the government. Making contractors responsible for the designs accepted by the government would put the judiciary in a state in which they will be forced to make military decisions (Rakowsky, 2005). Thus, the Ninth Circuit has created its own way of determining contractor immunity. The supplier can be immune if he is capable of proving that the country in question approved the â€Å"precise specifications for the allegedly defective military equipment† (Rakowsky, 2005). Thus, if MBI is able to prove that Country D approved of the military equipment, the supplier is capable of suing Country D in Country C. It is legal and ethical for MBI to make such a move because the law provides the immunity of suppliers who deal with military equipment. A number of ethical issues arise such as why Country D refused to pay for the suppliers offered to them by MBI’s subsidiary. Other ethical issues include if the move made by MBI would hold any ground. It is important to note that performing business globally presents its unique challenges such as ethical challenges. This is common

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Reading Responses of Long Day's Journey Into Night by O'neill, Essay

Reading Responses of Long Day's Journey Into Night by O'neill, Copyright 02 - Essay Example Most prominent in the book is the theme of addiction and drug abuse. The man of the family, James Tyron, is a worried man about his sons and wife. Mary, the wife is nursing morphine addiction as Edmund and Jamie struggle with alcohol addiction. In addition to these struggles, James has financial problems despite being a considerably wealthy man. All his wealth is tied up in assets. These tribulations befalling a man at the same time would make the strongest of men to crumble. Further, Tyron’s family is in chaos with itself. Everyone has problems and no one is willing to take responsibilities for anyone’s muddle. Act II begins as Jamie and Edmund taunt each other over stealing their father’s liquor. The two sons steal their father’s wine and top it up with water so that their father does not realize. Jamie is suspicious over everything. Edmund has an involving task of supervising his mother not to resume abusing morphine despite his addiction. He cares for his mother and is worried about her condition despite himself. Edmund is reluctant to take a test to ascertain his health condition for the fear of traumatizing his mother. He suffers but perseveres it for his mother’s sake. He says: promise not to worry yourself sick and to take care of yourself (ONeill, 23). O’Neill’s work is full of tension. James’s house is full of suspicion. In Act II, Edmund accuses his brother of being suspicious over everything. The characters in the play contribute to the dissonance. Jamie’s suspicion causes tension in the house. He complains that he had been put in the dark for 10 years about his mother’s addiction. He, therefore, trusts no one in the family. To him, everything that goes on is akin to a scheme. Moreover, the two sons are not sure of their mother’s morphine addiction state. When Mary left the main bedroom to go sleep in a spare bedroom due to her husband’s snore, Edmund suspected she was up

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Being Me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Being Me - Essay Example However, I chose not to have my marriage as a hurdle in the way of my education. Therefore, I discussed my desire of continuing studies with my husband. He was very reluctant to grant me permission to study. He was of the view that I might compromise upon my home in order to do good at studies. It took me as much as two whole years to convince him. I love him for finally understanding me. â€Å"You need not just a spouse, but a spouse who believes what you believe† (Onyemalech, n.d.). I assured him that home to me was just as important and sacred as it was to him, and convinced him that I would never compromise upon my home in any case. Becoming a Radiology Technologist had always been my dream. I worked in different areas in radiology including diagnostic, mammogram, MRI, and Cat Scan. By the grace of God, today I am the first female Director of Radiology at the medical center where I work. Today, when my high school class mates meet me, they become astonished to see me as a successful Radiology Technologist. The last thing they knew about me was that I had got married, and had said â€Å"good-bye† to studies. They expected me to have spent all of my life growing children. What makes all this even more interesting is that I managed to fulfill my duties as a wife and a mother along with taking my academic career and professional life to higher levels.

Monday, September 23, 2019

PR and the Media - Networking and Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

PR and the Media - Networking and Ethics - Essay Example Introduction Public relations are one of the most important parts of marketing. Public relation is one of the key elements of the promotional mix. Public relations can be defined as a way of communication through which the products or the services offered by one marketer is promoted or evaluated by a third party and hence this helps the marketers to develop an atmosphere of credibility and trust among the customers. Journalists and reporters happen to be one of the most important parts of the modern media. From the perspective of the marketing and public relations, the journalists play an important role as a reference group. The evaluation made by the journalists about an organization or a product can actually influence the buying behavior of the public and hence the marketers usually look to develop strong relationships with the journalists. However, among all these the ethical aspects of the journalism are some that needs to be maintained. The present study has been conducted in or der to analyze the relationship between journalism and PR keeping the ethical aspects of journalism in mind. Also the study looks to understand how the three different businesses can use one media connector to great effect (Belch and Michael, 2005). Part -1 How journalistic ethics affects marketing public relations professionals Journalistic ethics comprises of the principles of the ethics and good practices applicable to the specific challenges faced by the journalists. Presently this subset of the media ethics is mainly known as the code of ethics. Increasing influence of the public relation professional has been quite detrimental to ethical journalism. The role of a journalist in the society is to provide information that serves the best interest of the public. This needs commitment to the relatively less flexible principle of reporting the most balanced and accurate version of the events and stories. On the other hand PR uses persuasive speeches to serve specific interests. Howe ver, the public relations experts are not at all bounded by the ethical code of the journalists. To explain the roles of journalism and public relations in simple terms, it can be said that role of journalism in the business of reporting and public relations is inevitable. But the penalty of such conflicts would lead to the inevitable decay to the overall quality of PR and journalism (Kapferer, 2008). Importance of building relationships with journalists for the marketers The relationship of the marketers with journalists is extremely important and this is also the base of the interaction with the media. If someone is heading a startup company that has not been established yet it would be extremely important for the marketer to read the local publications and get the names of the local journalists and the reporters. Then the marketer may decide to contact appropriate reporter or journalist. It can be assumed that majority of the time the offer made by the marketer would be accepted simply because the journalists are constantly searching for news and happen to be a lot more approachable than what normal people may perceive. However it is also advised that the marketer should not appear as though the marketer is looking for free publicity because at the end of the day it is a win-win situation for both the parties. The same concept applies for established firms also as journalists can act as a credible source of communications as the buyers would

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Cultural Event Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cultural Event - Essay Example t in the modern world is the festival stands for reaffirmation of hope, religious tolerance, a renewed commitment to friendship, spreading the word of peace and harmony and above all, celebration of â€Å"simple joys of life†. For many Hindus, Diwali is also the New Year’s Eve and it is held on the final day of the Vikram calendar, a type of Hindu calendar followed by Indians from the Northern part of the country. The day after Diwali is known as Annakut and it is considered as New Year’s Day for Hindus living in the Northern part of India (Diwali Festival 498). Diwali is always in October and November on the Gregorian calendar (Hindu Council of Australia para 2-6). The festival is accompanied by various rituals with the choice of ritual to be performed by an individual depending on the location of that particular person. However, lighting of candles, electric lights and fireworks is the most common practice for many Indians when they are celebrating Diwali festival. As the name suggests, ‘rows of lights’ are lit in the new moon night as a way of welcoming Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and on Bengal, to honor the goddess Kali who is so honored (Hindu Council of Australia para 2 -6). In other words, Diwali is celebrated at night more than during the day. Indians attribute much value to the Diwali symbols since they consider them to bring forth the significance of Diwali. The symbols stand for happiness and prosperity which is celebrated with great zest and enthusiasm because Diwali many Hindus associate the festival with prosperity and wealth (Anon para3-9). Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi are the most important symbols of Diwali and people literally worship them on this special day. Lord Ganesha represents good luck whereas Goddess Lakshmi is believed to be the Mother of Wealth. Other common symbols include Earthenware, lamp fireworks, candles, Diwali diyas, fireworks and oil Diwali lamps just to mention a few. During this ramrkable day, people share

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Explore Shakespeares presentation Essay Example for Free

Explore Shakespeares presentation Essay When exploring the parental relationships in Hamlet, the focus will inevitability lead back to the character of Hamlet. His connection, in one way or another, to the other characters allows one to observe Hamlets behaviour and motives. The relationships between Polonius and his children, Leartes and Ophelia, are recognized, but Hamlets filial relationships carry more weight in terms of importance. The character of Hamlet is a key figure who plays a central role amongst the three parental relationships he is a part of. These relationships give rise to issues of obedience and parental responsibilities. Denmark being a Christian country, expects its countrymen to follow the guidelines of the religion. One of the Ten Commandments states that one must honour thy mother and father. Hamlet becomes increasingly rude towards his mother because of her recent marriage to his uncle Claudius, and openly states that she is her husbands brothers wife (14;4;3). According to the laws at the time, as stated in The Book of Common Prayer, to marry ones brother in law was forbidden. The audience echo Hamlets moral outrage but he comes to passionately loathe his mother, disgusted at her incestuous desires. Hamlets disgust erupts at the fact that his mother re-married but two months after his fathers death. As a loyal and loving son to his father, Hamlet is devastatingly crushed that his mother could so quickly and easily replace the man in both their lives he loves and respects with an undying awe. This leads Hamlet to regard his mother as a pernicious woman showing that he believes her to be joyful of her husbands death. His language amplifies a sense of assonance, sounding the hiss of a snake. A snake is considered to be a dangerous, life-threatening creature associated with agility and evil. The cold blooded reptile might be an image Hamlet associates with his mother, who he feels swiftly and cunningly conspired to murder his beloved father with a malevolent nature, rendering her incapable of any kind of remorse. Hamlet arrives to a point of such hatred that he cannot bear even to have any relation to his mother. For him would it were not so, you are my mother (15;4;3) showing that he destroys the filial bond of mother and son. The monosyllabic words of his language here, give his speech pace, which could suggest Hamlets thoughts to be controlled by overwhelming emotion, making them irrational. However, the pause in mid-sentence reduces this pace and give his speech confidence, showing that he clearly has no value for his mother. The audience soon fail to continue to sympathise with Hamlet, as his continual lack of respect builds up to a point at which Gertrude fears for her life at the hands of her own son and terrified, questions whether Thou wilt not murder me? (20;4;3). By now Hamlets behaviour has become intensely violent, so violent that Gertrude chooses to use the word murder instead of kill. This suggests Hamlet has a clod blooded and sadistic nature, undoubtedly dishonouring his mother and failing to obey the duties of his religion. This sin projects Hamlets character into committing further sins. He pities and sympathises with the o poor ghost of his father. His language reflects a deep and profound sorrow for which he must hold his heart, causing his feelings to be repressed. As a result Hamlet believes that he was born to set it right suggesting his eagerness for revenge. It shows that Hamlet believes it is his filial duty, which he intends to complete with utmost loyalty. Hamlet idolises his father finding no wrong whatsoever in him despite Denmark having died with all my imperfections on my head. The ghost is a representation of Denmarks uncompleted life in the sense that he died without confessing his sins. This suggests that the ghost is suffering a great deal of pain and stress, which Hamlet indubitably suffers from too. The fact that his father died this way generates more sympathy from Hamlet and therefore adds to his craving for retribution. His sinful vengeance accumulates allowing his violence to be expelled through the murdering of Polonius, yet another sin. One parental duty is to watch over your child, protecting them from harm. Voyeuristically, Polonius watches Hamlet, in an effort to be whiteness to any inappropriate behaviour, so that he can protect his daughter from Hamlet. However, Hamlet sights a rat who he kills without any consideration. Hamlet displays an immense amount of disrespect to Polonius, who is a potential father in law to him. He relates a possible father figure to an animal, drastically decreasing his status, furthermore, paralleling him to an animal detested by many because of its vermin infected reputation. Perhaps Polonius could be infected with the disease of evil, due to the aiding of Claudius conniving scheme to remove Hamlet from the country. With that in mind, as a justification for murdering Polonius, Hamlet refers to himself as a scourge and minister (177;3;4) implying that he has carried out the Lords work. Now Hamlet believes his father to be God like suggesting he believes himself to be the son of God, giving himself a religious pedestal upon which his actions can be justified. The impact of the atrocity committed is exceeded only by the colossal immorality of Hamlets character, resultant of his unethical relation to the holiest religious figure, revealing a disturbing amount of arrogance on his part. His rash behaviour means that his consideration for whom the rat may be comes after he has killed him. It is only then that he questions, is it the King? . The fact that he does not ask exactly who it is, combined with the fact that it is Claudius who he asks of first, strongly shows his avid yearning for his uncles death. This then allows the audience to see Hamlets unshaken dedication to his father. Polonius covert presence gives a tangible sensation of claustrophobia. This reflects the suffocation Hamlet suffers from due to the many combined parental figures that exist in his past and present. Shakespeare would stage the play with the use of many soldiers to intensify the claustrophobia. Despite its added cost, it helped to create a sense of unease amongst the audience who then could relate to the way Hamlet felt trapped for I must hold my tongue. The audience observe the way his feelings have become ineffable. This does break Hamlets heart causing him an immense amount of anguish, which is added to by his mounting frustration from his inaction towards his much greatly repulsed uncle. Hamlet is irate with himself for crying so many tears of mourning without any action, contrasted with The Player who would drown the stage with tears in his situation. This suggests Hamlet feels inadequate which angers him. He chooses to relate The Players tears to drowning, which is to be consumed. As his own feelings are ineffable and so repressed, one can assume Hamlet relates The Player to his potential display of mourning. It can be said then that his grief has come to consume him. Yet for a consuming amount of grief, Hamlet remains Like John-a-dreams increasing his fury. This suggests he regards his aspirations to be empty and without accomplishment. Although, at one stage he Draws his sword, and very nearly completes his vendetta, but decides against it, not wanting to do this same villain send to heaven, due to Claudius confessing his sins at this point. Understandably, to a certain degree, Hamlet desires the worst for Claudius. Yet to continually delay, and then finally reach a point at which he can satisfy his frustration as well as his aspiration, and then not, questions the depth of his feelings. Sigmund Freud is the father of psychoanalysis and invented the concept of the Oedipal complex. Based on the Greek mythological story of Oedipus, the complex explores the possible deep seeded sexual desires sons may have for their mother, resulting in jealousy and hatred towards their father. Despite his superficial eagerness for revenge, Hamlet remains inactive with regard to fulfilling it. This eagerness could in fact be a veil for his jealousy towards Denmark, his father. It could be said that in killing Denmark, Claudius satisfies Hamlets desires with regard to the Oedipal complex, therefore rendering Hamlet incapable of killing him, explaining his inaction. Hamlets sexual desires for his mother can also be interpreted from the immense jealousy he has for his uncle. Hamlet craves his uncles death for murdering his father and taking his crown, but surreptitiously for sleeping with his mother. Furthermore Hamlet displays a great sense of misogyny in appearing to loathe his mother. He believes she is subject to frailty implying that she is weak for giving in to her sexual desires for Claudius. The irony, however, is that Hamlets frustration is rooted in the inability he suffers from, to admit his own incestuous weakness. So much so is his frustration that the ghost of Denmark must remind him to leave her to heaven (86;5;1) and being that more than once, this indicates an intense abhorrence for his mother. With this in mind, it is therefore debateable as to who Hamlet is more enraged with Gertrude or Claudius? In a natural order, children are obedient and loving towards their parents. Hamlet however detests his mother and dishonours her while at the same time, sinfully desires her sexually. This reflects the disorder of the whole play, much of which is related to the disorder in parental relationships. Hamlet calls Claudius his Uncle Father which is sarcastic yet uncertain and leaves Hamlet confused. His sarcasm is disrespectful and dishonourable towards Claudius as he is acting as Hamlets father. Hamlet tells Claudius to find the corpse of Polonius ithother place yourself referring to hell and therefore literally tells Claudius to go to hell. In retrospect, Shakespeare does not represent one single parental relationship to be happy and without disorder. It is Hamlets poignant sorrow that gives rise to the sinful disrespect he aggressively displays towards his mother. His sorrow comes from the untimely loss of his so excellent a King father. The next best father figure, being his uncle, not only murdered his father, but also marries his mother. This deserts Hamlet, who is tragically left torn between whether to kill or thank Claudius. It could be said that Hamlets only reason to kill Claudius is for his crown and wife.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Issues Affecting The Transition Of High School Students

Issues Affecting The Transition Of High School Students Individuals experience changes that impact the various stages of and experiences in their lives. Transition from high school to post school activities is one such change experienced by students with disabilities, including higher education and/or employment. The author of this literature presents an overview of the issues affecting the transition of students with disabilities. Specifically, it brings to attention the impact of cultural and linguistic diversity on the transition process, as well as the positive effect of self determination, collaboration with service providers, and family intervention have on the transition process. Overall, findings support that when correctly administered with proper planning, the transition process is beneficial to students with disabilities. Issues Affecting the Transition of High School Students with Disabilities: A Review of the Literature Introduction Transition is the movement from one place, status, or situation to the next. Transition is dynamic and is a constant aspect of life, requiring the necessary fine-tuning to address life changes (Wehman, 1992). As life progresses, individuals encounter various sets of transitions (Harrington, 1982). For transition to be considered successful, the individual must experience improved confidence and competence in skills (Wehman, 1992). For individuals with disabilities, the period of transition from the school system to post school activities represents a pivotal junction in their lives and will require careful planning and specialized services. Students with disabilities are provided educational rights by the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), with its main focus being to ensure that all children with disabilities are presented with free appropriate education that emphasizes special education and related services that is intended to meet their special needs and to prepare them for further education, employment and independent living (US Department of Education, 2010). When appropriately implemented, IDEA propels the education and subsequent transition process of students with disabilities into functional post school outcomes (McDonnell, McDonnell Hardman, 2003). The successful post school, independent functioning of students with disabilities is heavily dependent on the transition process. Built into the transition process is the actual planning for transition. In assisting the students to achieve the full benefits of the transition process and to be able to use the skills learned in school to be successful at independent living, the goals, needs, preferences and aptitude of the student with disabilities must form the foundation of the students transition planning process. Families, school districts, and communities collectively bear the responsibilities to successfully guide a student through the transition process (Wehman, 1992). The successful execution of the plan is squarely placed on school districts as theirs are the responsibilities of educating the students (Wehman, 1992). Transition Planning Transition planning is an important aspect of the education of the student with disabilities, and should be treated accordingly. A transition plan that will have lasting effect on the student takes into consideration post school educational prospects, such as training that will result in eligibility of entry to community college, universities, or employment at the completion of high school. There are also other significant factors such as post-adult living, independent living skills, and community experiences. Transition planning is done as a team effort. For students to realize the full benefits of what IDEA offers, and to successfully transition to post school activities, their course of study requires specific planning and programing. Transition services specifically deal with maximizing the academic and functional abilities of the student. Transition services are those coordinated set of activities for a student with disabilities that will result in the desired educational objectives (Flexor, Baer, Luft Simmons, 2008). An important role of the transition process is to increase success, self-worth, and confidence in an individual while taking the students needs, strengths and preferences in mind (Flexor et al, 2008). The members of the transition team should include the students, teachers, members of the family, school administration, and members of the local education agency. These are considered to be the core members of the team. Vocational rehabilitation counselors, related service providers, adult service providers, post school education program representatives, and other professionals with expertise in a specific disability or disabilities are also influential members of the team. The selection of the entire team is to be collaborative in nature, with all members being fully mindful of the student and the specific disability that the student is experiencing. At best, all individuals who interact with the students as far as transition planning is concerned must be well-informed and conversant with the students Individualized Education Program (IEP). Students with Disabilities as a High Risk Group for Successful Transition to Post High School Activities Osgood, Foster and Courtney (2010) point out that the manner in which an adolescent transition to adulthood has significant implications over the long haul. For example, whereas gaining a college degree makes it possible to achieve a higher-paying and more respectable job; early parenthood, failed marriage for a young person or becoming involved in criminal conduct or substance abuse can have negative outcomes in the areas of finances, family relationships and other important areas of life. It has been found, for example, that high school graduates or dropouts who do not attend college have significantly lower prospects of achieving a successful and satisfying life during adulthood than those youths who are college-bound (Bloom, 2010; Osgood, et al, 2010). Bloom (2010) observes that a recent study done in New York City identified young people with disabilities, including young people with learning disabilities or emotional and behavioral problems, as one of five significant groups of young people who are at significantly high risk of leaving school, not returning, and then ending up unemployed or out of the labor force (p.94). Cortiella (2009) reports that the Presidents Commission on Excellence in Special Education reported in 2004 that unemployment for adult individuals with disabilities have stayed at around 70% for the prior 12 years. Young people with disabilities transitioning from high school were found to be at relatively the same risk for failure in pursuing post school activities as immigrant youths, young people involved in the justice system, youth aging out of foster care and young mothers (Bloom, 2010). According to Osgood, Foster and Courtney (2010), given the fact that the years from high school into the early twenties represent a difficult period of transition for the general population in the U.S. and other developed nations, this time is particularly arduous for vulnerable youths, including those emerging from the special education system. In addition problems affecting the general population that require many young adults to depend on their parents for much longer, individuals with disabilities tend to face . . .exceptional challenges finding employment, attending college, and marrying and starting a family. Many struggle with emotional or behavioral problems; many of histories of problems in school and in the community. Often their families are unable or unwilling to provide the support that most families provide to their children during this transition-funding for college, child care that permits work or schooling for young parents, a place to live when times are hard. Some of these young adults are hampered by limited capacities and difficulty acquiring skills. The day-to-day tasks of achieving financial and residential independence can be daunting because of physical disabilities, chronic illness, or mental illness. (Osgood, Foster Courtney, 2010, p.211) At the same time, vulnerable populations experience greater challenges to transition into adulthood than other youths often because they have to deal with tasks that youths their age do not have to face. For example, a youth who has physical disability has to engage in the arrangement of medical services or assistive devices and it may require extra burden to achieve a college degree or have a successful romantic relationship that blossoms into marriage. Furthermore, youths with disabilities leaving high school may have limited ability to accomplish everyday tasks. Physical disabilities, for example, may result in reduced strength and range of motion whereas impaired learning and cognitive abilities can make it more challenge to earn a college degree and the kinds of professions that would lead to independent living without the need for special assistance. In addition, adolescents with mental illness and behavioral problems can experience problems meeting the expectations of employer s, friends and romantic partners. Because children with disabilities can require considerable parental time and resources and have behavioral problems that negatively affect the parent-child relationship, parents and families sometimes lack the energy and desire to assist these youths, making it more difficult and longer for youths with disabilities to succeed in the post high school world (Osgood, Foster Courtney, 2010). Consequently, the literature supports the need for effective transition services for post high school activities among youths with disabilities (Sabbatino Macrine, 2007). It is found for example, that vulnerable groups do poorly at completing high school and obtaining postsecondary education which is of vital importance to succeeding occupationally and financially in todays economy. It has been reported that youths with more than one disabilities have a one in twelve chance of successfully completing a higher education. Compared with 69 percent of other youths who attain full-time employment with three to five years of completing high school, only 57 percent of youth from special education gain full-time employment in this time period. Compared with 72 percent of individuals with mild disabilities and 79 percent of the general population, only 39 percent of youths aged 18 to 30 with serious disabilities are in the workforce. Only about 32% of all persons with disability between the work-age of 18-64 years are employed, compared to 81% of people without disabilities. Limited education and employment among youths with disabilities have daunting consequences for their living circumstances. Problems include strong likelihood of living below the poverty line, difficulty paying bills and meeting the experiences of daily living, strong dependence on public assistance and high rates of early parenthood. For example, about 50% of young women with learning disabilities or emotional problems become mothers with three to five years of finishing high school compared with only about one-third for the general population. Compared to national unemployment rate of about 6%, unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities is around 40-70%. In the area of independent living, 65-75% of persons with disabilities have not achieved independent living status. About 25% of young women with health heath issues have unplanned pregnancies when compared with under 10 percent of the ge neral population (Sabbatino Macrine, 2007; Osgood, Foster Courtney, 2010). Systemic Failures in Transition Planning as an Underlying Issue Affecting Successful Post School Outcomes In 2004, the IDEA was amended particularly to improve postsecondary outcomes for students with disabilities. The revisions were based on the Presidents Commission on Excellence in Special Educations finding that problems affecting high school graduates with disabilities such as significant unemployment and significant amounts of students leaving school without a diploma compared to the general population, are the result of failures in the present systems structures (Cortiella, 2009, p.1). Particularly, the Commission felt that high school graduates face barriers to smooth transition to adult living because of failures in transition planning (Sabbatino Macrine, 2007; Cortiella, 2009). Four areas of improvement were highlighted: better definition, clear starting point, improved planning and a new performance summary. The term Transition Services were redefined as activities aimed specifically on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child to facilitate movement from post-school activities (Florida Department of Education, 2005). Continued education and transition services were mandated to be provided for young people with disabilities for four years beyond the traditional time of graduation from high school. Furthermore, the definition was extended to require that services are based on the strengths, preferences and interests of the child with a result-oriented focus (Sabbatino Macrine, 2007). The IDEA (2004) also provides a clearer starting point in terms of the age where transition planning should begin, identifying 14-16 as an effecting age range. Improved planning involves the addition of measurable postsecondary goals regarding training, education, employment and independent living skills where necessary; as well as a development of a statement in the IEP about transition services necessary to help the student achieve these goals. The new performance measures include a requirement by schools to evaluate special education services before terminating them when the child graduates as well as a summary of performance including the childs academic achievement and functional performance upon leaving high school (Rutkowski, Daston, Kuiken Riehle, 2006; Sabbatino Macrine, 2007; Corteilla, 2009). Factors Contributing to Successful Transition Resilience or the ability to quickly recover from stressful events and problems determine how successful high school students with disabilities are able to transition to post high school activities. The resources that contribute to resilience come in many forms, from individuals skills and personality, to supportive relationships with other people, the involvement in groups like churches and clubs (Osgood, Foster Courtney, 2010, p.218). However, the most important factors identified by research as keys to promoting successful transition to adulthood among high school graduates with disabilities are success at school, support from family and friends, and healthy interpersonal relationships (Osgood et al, 2010) The good news is that special education services as with foster care, have programs in place to ensure the successful transition of individuals with disabilities to adulthood. In addition to providing support for individuals with disabilities, health and special education systems specifically address the needs of individuals with disabilities by providing access to specialized services that target particular needs of young people. However, to ensure that the transition from high school to adult life is successful for individuals with disabilities, it is important to begin early transition planning (Florida Department of Education, 2005). Florida Department of Education Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services (2005) defines transition planning as the process of focusing on the plans and dreams parents and their children with disabilities have for the future. The function of transition planning is to provide youths with disabilities with the services and supports he or she needs to make a successful move into adult life (p.5). The school plays a fundamental role in transition planning, which typically begins at age 14 through to time of graduation from high school, but may occur earlier to hedge problems such as dropping out of school or to get an early start for children with significant disabilities. In general, transition planning should occur for all students with disabilities who have an IEP. In addition to being part of the IEP process, transition planning should involve all individuals and agencies identified by the transition IEP team, including the student, the family, and school staff. Students and Parents In order to be successful, transition planning must involve the full participation and contribution of each transition team member. Each student must actively participate in the transition planning process, particularly in helping to decide what he or she wants to do after leaving school. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 stresses the importance of students being involved in the transition process. For example, it added a new requirement that transition services designed to coordinate various activities that are provided to students with disabilities by the schools and other agencies to help them successfully transition from high school to postsecondary education, employment and independent living; to consider the students interests, preferences and strengths. Identification of the students strengths enables the transition team to identify goals that highlight and build on the students abilities rather than on what the child cannot do (Cortiella, 2005). Students have various responsibilities in ensuring the success of the transition planning process. These include taking an active role in the development of the Transition IEP, becoming knowledgeable about the transition process, thinking about the kinds of services that would help him/her in their adult life in order to help the transition team invite the appropriate agencies to attend the Transition IEP meeting, working with guidance counselors and career counselors to identify courses and school experiences that will promote their desired post high school activities, becoming knowledgeable about their disabilities and how to gain access to services and supports to enhance his/her long term goals, attending class, acquiring self-determination and self-advocacy skills, learning how to use assistive technology and how to save money for post school activities (Florida Department of Education, 2005). Parents play an invaluable role in the transition process. In fact, parental involvement is considered one of the most important factors in how successful the youths transition will be from high school to post high school life. Parental responsibilities in the transition process include playing an active role by asking questions and making suggestions, reviewing their childs Transition IEP goals, reviewing graduation requirements, providing opportunities for their child to explore post high school options such as employment, career centers, community colleges, community service, recreation and leisure, etc.; helping their child with their post school outcome statement, and helping their child develop a portfolio of personal informational medical and psychological testing, learning style, class rank, grade point average (GPA), honors, awards, work experiences, etc. (Florida Department of Education, 2005). Dunlap (2009) indicates that it is important for parents and professionals to work together to meet their childrens needs because it serves as a reinforcement of the program goals and objectives. Parents can contribute valuable information about their child and about the family unit. They know many things about their child that others initially are unlikely to know, including the childs strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes and medical history (p.92). This is a valid assessment. Children with special needs present many challenges for educators. Therefore, it is important for teachers to be aware of their global functioning in order to best meet their needs. The best way to achieve this goal is through parent-teacher collaboration. Furthermore, when parents stay in contact with professionals they also learn strategies and techniques that they can implement at home to enhance their childrens success. In addition, parents and their children can provide important information about the students goals for adult life, the strengths and resources of the family, extended family and the community, the services needed by the family and the services and providers that have helped the family in the past (Florida Department of Education, 2005). Sabbatino and Macrine (2007) indicate that the process of including students and their parents in the transition planning process provides students and their parents opportunities to look to the future, voice preferences, express concerns and desires, and share in decision making that directly affects each students future (p.34). Olsen and Fuller (2008) point out that parent involvement may take a variety of forms and levels of involvement, both in and out of school. It includes activities that are provided and encouraged by the school and that empower parents in working on behalf of their childrens learning and development (p.128). Olsen and Fuller (2008) identify six types of parental involvement, including (1) basic responsibilities of families, which involves providing health, security, shelter and other basic necessities for their children; (2) communication, or the sharing of information and ongoing two-way interaction between parents and children; (3) volunteering or providing advocacy help to educators and administrators for programs aimed at helping children with homework or other needs; (4) Learning at home, which involves managing childrens time with television and homework and ensuring that they build positive attitudes about education; (5) Decision making, which involves partnering with the schoo l to solve problems and shape goals and policies affecting the lives of their children; and (6) Collaborating with the community (i.e., small businesses, religious communities, cultural groups, government agencies, etc.) to identify resources to enhance childrens ability to learn and develop (Olsen Fuller, 2008). According to the research, parent involvement in the lives of their children with special needs is beneficial not only for the children and the parents themselves, but for educators and the school. In sum, research shows that when parents and schools support and encourage the development of children it benefits the children in numerous ways, including helping children to achieve more regardless of the racial/ethnic, socioeconomic status or educational level of the parents; help children to get better attendance, test scores and grades; result in greater consistency with children completing their homework. Other benefits for children include better self-esteem, less discipline problems, and higher motivation for school. Benefits for parents include greater responsiveness and sensitivity to the social, emotional and intellectual needs of their children; more confidence in their parenting and decision making skills, greater affection for their children, and greater awareness of policies affecting the education and future development of their children (Olsen Fuller, 2008). Transition Services: Getting Students Ready for Productive Work Work experience during high school has been identified in the literature as a strong predictor of successful employment outcomes for young people with disabilities (Carter et al, 2010). Furthermore, it has been reported that people with disabilities are offered jobs at a lower rate that the general population. The reality is that many students with social, emotional, behavioral, cognitive, or developmental disabilities find that their educational experience in todays schools did not equip them with the skills necessary to leading self-determined, independent lives (Sabbatino Macrine, 2007, p.33). In fact, a central goal of education for students in general is to ensure the successful transition from school to work. Without a well-defined transition program, students with disabilities leave high school unprepared to become productive workers and, as a result, become unemployed Transition services represent an important part of transition planning. The overarching goal of transition services is to help the student successfully move from school to post school activities or to successfully transition to adult life. Before the child turns 16, the transition team (also called the Transition IEP team) involves parents, the young person and teachers. After age sixteen, the team may involve representatives of agencies who provide or pay for the services given to the young person. Post school activities coordinated by transition services to help the youth move into adult life include access to college or university programs, continuing and adult education, vocational training, employment, independent living, community participation and the coordination of adult services from different agencies. The IDEA requires the transition services to development include a statement in the IEP about the transitional service needs of the student, with a focus on the courses of s tudy the study will engage in do achieve his or her post school goals; and a statement in the IEP about the students transitional service needs when the student turns 16. The transition services must also be based on the individual needs of the young person, their likes and interests as well as necessary activities regarding instruction related services, community experiences, employment, post-school adult living skills, daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation (Florida Department of Education, 2005; Rutkowski, Daston, Kuiken Riehle, 2006). Rutkowski, Daston, Kuiken and Riehle (2006) identify four commonly used special education models for transition services: traditional classroom model, work-study model, transition-to-community model and the adapted career and technical model. In the traditional classroom model, students in segregated special education classrooms are taught employability skills. In the work-study model, classroom instruction is combined with actual work experience, with the students participating mainly in food or custodial service related jobs for a few hours a day. In the transition-to-community model, students are prepared for independent living, which includes developing social skills and participating in job-shadowing experiences and workplace observation. In the adapted career and technical model students are taught work skills and ethics in a simulated work site. School-to-Work Transitions According to Carter et al (2010), preparation for the world of work has long been a central focus of transition education (p.194). Estrada-Hernandez et al (2008) observe that when counseling professions measure the career outcomes of persons with disabilities, they do so by assessing their employment outcomes in the competitive labor market. The assumption is that positive independent living outcomes for individuals with disabilities are positively correlated to successful community employment and the empowerment it provides the individual. The successful movement from education to employment is crucial for establishing independence among young adults with disabilities (Shandra Hogan, 2008, p.117). Baugher and Nichols (2008) point out, however, that preparing special education students to leave high school and enter the world of work or post-secondary education can be a difficult task (p.216). This may explain the reality that while coordinated transition services combined with comm unity work experience plays a vital role in ensuring successful school-to-work transitions for young people with disabilities, and despite of the fact that federal law requires transition assistance, these services are inconsistently available (Rutkowski, Daston, Kuiken Riehle, 2006; Shandra Hogan, 2008). The consequence of this is that young people with disabilities leaving high school are not given the opportunity to learn proper work ethics, communication skills or the kinds of attitudes that make them hireable. The IDEA requires schools to develop transition plans by working with students and parents and to provide transition services that prepare students for employment after graduation. The increased emphasis by the IDEA on students with disabilities being prepared for employment has been driven by the pervasive and persistent rate of post school employment outcome for young people with disabilities, the well established finding in the literature that gaining work experience s during high school is the most trustworthy predictor of favorable post school employment outcomes, and the finding that working during high school contributes to independent living post high school by promoting the young persons autonomy, vocational identity, career awareness and ambitions, workplace skills, values and ethics. However, it is reported that having a transition plan in place does not necessarily mean that students will be successfully employed (Sabbatino Macrine, 2007; Shandra Hogan, 2008; Carter et al, 2010). Carter et al (2010) investigated the summer employment and community participation experiences and outcomes of 136 high school students with severe disabilities. Predictor measures included employment skill (understand requirements for preferred employment, make informed occupational choices, know how to obtain a job, demonstrate general job skills and attitude for getting and maintaining a job, and having specific knowledge and skills to perform a particular job), community activities (non-work activities), self-determination (ability to perform specific self-determination behaviors, perceptions of efficacy of self-determined behaviors, knowledge about self-determination and associated behaviors), social skills and problem behaviors, spring work activities, career preparation activities (career interest assessments, goal setting and planning, workplace visits, occupation specific training, vocational education classes, social skills training, and person-centered planning), and teach er expectations for employment. They found that 61.7% of these students were not working and 11.1% reported sheltered employment. Those who work in competitive jobs mainly engaged in tasks related to cleaning, food services, stocking and assembly-related work. Those who worked completed about 10.3 hours a week for competitive jobs, 12.0 hours for unpaid jobs and 17.8 hours for sheltered jobs. Only three of the participants worked full time (more than 35 hours a week). Most of the respondents reported that they receive supports from school staff (63.6%), parents (63.6%) and employment agencies (13.6%). They obtained jobs through the help of school staff (58.6%) or parents (23.5%). For the students (47.7%) who did not work, two reasons were offered: parents did not want them to work (36.9%) and specific barriers to finding and maintaining employment (30.8%), including limited transportation and supports. The most important factor associated with getting and maintaining a paid job was employment skill, which were related to spring work experiences and teacher expectation. Working in the spring increases the odd of gaining a summer job by 5.28 times or a 36% better chance of getting a paid job (Carter et al, 2010). Estrada-Hernandez et al (2008) investigated the experience of individuals with disabilities in transition from school to work. In particular, the researchers examined the mediating effects of the severity of disability among 115 high school students with disability on their employment outcomes in an intensive school-to-work transition program. The authors concluded that employment outcomes were significantly affected by the severity of disability despite the fact that their interests were appropriated matched to the jobs they performed. As a result, while participants had positive employment outcomes in the area of job entry, such outcomes may not necessarily result in higher earn

Thursday, September 19, 2019

There are various problems associated withan open market, which would :: Economics

There are various problems associated withan open market, which would remove the NHS status of some dental patients andencouraging patients to take dental insurance. This would essentially compelmany patients to seek private dental care. There are n... There are various problems associated with an open market, which would remove the NHS status of some dental patients and encouraging patients to take dental insurance. This would essentially compel many patients to seek private dental care. There are numerous problems with the private dental sector, which include the lack of competition in the market. At the moment, there is a wide variation in cost for seemingly comparable services in a market, indicating that charges levied are not governed by the prices charged by other suppliers or by the costs of doing business, and therefore it can be concluded that the market is not subject to effective competition. This is a major problem for patients, as they are often overcharged for oral care, which could be reduced by effective competition between private dentists. Secondly, there is a lack of price transparency in the private dental market. Price transparency is essential to enable consumers to make rational choices between dentists and types of treatment on offer. It is a prerequisite for effective competition. either between private dentists or between NHS and private treatments. There is a need for further investigation into the availability of price information for private dental treatment. A Warwickshire Trading Standards Service (WTSS) survey found that only two out of 20 dental practices provided a list of prices that was made available to private patients. The relevant authorities must address this problem, in order to allow patients to have a comprehensible choice between dentists. A further problem with the private dental sector is a failure of new entry to the market for private dental provision, which could bring down prices. In many markets new entry imposes a competitive restraint on the behaviour of suppliers. However, in the private dental sector, the entry of new high street dental chains and the fact that this has not resulted in a reduction of charges or greater price transparency in private dentistry. While there has been some new entry into the sector, this has been at a time of growth in the demand for private dental treatment, which is, at least in part, related to the difficulty in some areas of the country in obtaining NHS treatment. There has also been some growth in demand for cosmetic dentistry (such as tooth whitening) and this forms a larger part of the work of some dental chains than general dentistry. Such chains may not therefore be

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Negative Portrayal of Mothers in Disney Films :: Movies

The Negative Portrayal of Mothers in Disney Films Why is it that in Disney created films, the motherly figures and role models are completely diminished whereas the fatherly roles are extravagant? Why does mainly a woman play the role of the vilan? If you notice, you will find that in just about every classic Disney film, the mother is portrayed in a horrible and questionable fashion. But, there is always a fatherly or male figure that everyone boasts about. First, let us start with the films where the main character fails to have a mother mentioned or seen at all: The classic movie of Aladdin; neither Aladdin nor Princess Jasmine had a motherly figure. But, Aladdin did have the Genie, who was male, and Jasmine had her father, who was also male. Beauty and the Beast is another Disney film where there is a male figure and yet again, the loss of a female role model. Belle is raised by only her father, and there is no word about where her mother is or what happened to her. Another favorite of the Disney Classic films is that of The Little Mermaid. In this film, Ariel is raised by her extremely dominant father, and all of her friends are male. So, whatever did happen to her mother, and did she ever know her? Pinnocchio is another great film, yet he gains a new father but never a new mother. He is raised by Gepeto, the craftsman, and is then adopted by Gepeto.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Coles Sales Promotion Essay

Pacific managing director of Nielsen Consumer Group, saidâ€Å"It’s no surprise that consumers are increasingly concerned about their household budgets in response to such fluctuating economic conditions, and the cost-saving strategies currently being employed by consumers are likely to continue well into the year. †(Jessica Kennedy,2011)Due to the rising concern of the current unstable economic condition in Australia, the people have developed a tendency to save or spend only what is necessary. There is also a concern for the rising food and fuel prices and more and more people are looking for good deals and bargains for the basic necessities required to run a household. If this holds true to the working population then this will hold true even more to the student population in Australia who perhaps only have a part time job and live on a fixed budget. Market analysis: The student population contributes a lot to the economy of Australia. In 2008, the total tertiary student community in Melbourne was around 208,800 people and international tertiary student population numbering was at least 28,150 (Melbourne City Research, 2010). These numbers have steadily risen in the past years and will continue to do so. From this situation analysis, it can be derived that it would be a successful venture if fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables were offered at a discounted price by Coles to students in Melbourne for a limited period of time. And if the response is successful in Melbourne it can be an option to expand to other cities as well. Sales promotion pitch: Offering a 15% discount to students from the 1s of July to the 31st of July on all of Coles’ fresh and frozen fruits and vegetable line. SWOT analysis : Strengths:The current economic condition will help the response to a sale if it is held. It will attract the customers and increase revenue. It is also a healthy campaign as fruits and vegetables are being offered at a discount to students to encourage them to eat healthier and will boost the image of Coles. Weaknesses:The risk that the response may not be as enthusiastic as predicted from the target audience. Also that it is targeting a very specific segment of the market and that can be risky to the campaign if the response is not as predicted. Opportunities:The option to hold this sale every half year or more frequently if response is good and also in a larger number of cities. Threats: Competitors like Woolworths and Aldi may also put their items on sale to compete with Coles. Target Segment Demographics: Treating the market as heterogeneous, as all the people of Melbourne are not being targeted and they don’t have similar wants, the target profile for the campaign would look like the following : * Age|* Late teens and above| * Gender|* Male and female|Geographic area|* Melbourne| * Occupation|* Students| * Household size|* Living alone or with housemates| * Lifestyle and Habits|* Lives on a budget, tends to look forthe most reasonable prices, prioritizes saving andhas a slightly more healthy lifestyle. | The typical profile of the segment being targeted would be a College student who Lives alone or with housemates or in a dorm and who purchases their own groceries. Within the target audience there will be differen t views and attitudes about fruits and vegetables. The types of opinions are usually four in kind. They are: * The appreciators: will be the portion of the target market that like eating healthy and enjoy eating lots of fruits and vegetables. These people may be more health conscious and aware of the fact that fruits and vegetables are a very important part of the diet. â€Å" I love fruits and vegetables! They are a part of almost all of my meals for the day†* The acceptors: are the segment of students that eat a moderate amount of fruits and vegetables but also prefer meats and other food items.I like fruits and vegetables but I don’t like including them in all my meals, I prefer meat†* The resistors:this segment is not very fond of fruits and vegetables but eat them on occasion. â€Å"fruits and vegetables are ok but I would rather eat something else†* The rejecters: This portion of students is strongly against adding fruits or vegetables to their daily meals and would most definitely eat other foods ins tead. Insert refrence pg. 206 One of the purposes of the campaign is to try and get the percentage of the resistors and the rejecters to convert to either the acceptors or the appreciators. Time frame: The promotion will last for one month. Starting July 1st and ending July 31st. The duration chosen is during the offseason period where there are no big sales held otherwise. This will make it easier to persuade the target market to purchase their groceries at Coles as it will be cheaper to do so. It gives them an incentive to buy. 20 specimen subjects from Chisholm College that fit the target profile completed a survey about why they picked a particular store over another. Four fixed options were asked and the results were as follows: More than half, i. e 11 people out of 20, said that the main reason they choose a store was because of its low prices. 6 people said they choose a store according to how conveniently it’s located, 2 said it was because of loyalty to the store and 1 said because of good customer service. This further emphasizes the fact that if a sales promotion was held, the response would be enthusiastic and the campaign would be successful. Main Objective: * Increasing the sales of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables by 5 to 10 percent in the month of July. Initially only in Melbourne with an option to expand to other cities if the response is positive. Additional objectives: * Enhance customer loyalty * Create new customers * To reinforce brand advertising * Encouraging students to eat healthier Perception – achieve at least a 65% increase in awareness of the sales promotion in the firstweek Cognition – Achieve recall of discount period at Coles by at least 80% of the students in Melbourne Persuasion – Make the target audience want to go to Coles for their groceries rather than its competitors Emotion – Induce humor and fun through the advertisement Association – Associate Coles with the most reasonable prices and quality goods Behavior – Persuade at least 3% of the customers that shop at Woolworths, Aldi and other competitors to switch over to Coles Approach: The type of approach to be used for this promotion is the emotional approach and a soft sell strategy. Humor will be used a medium in the advertisement to allow students to relate to the campaign easily and for retention of the message to create the need to buy fruits and vegetables at Coles. An anonymous survey was conducted using 20 students in Chisholm College that fit the target audience. They were asked to state what kinds of advertisements they remembered the easiest out of a given three choices. Out of 20 students, 15 said humorous advertisements were the easiest to remember, 2 said informative and 3 said shock advertising. Pull promotional strategy: ‘ In a pull strategy, the manufacturer directs the majority of its promotional effort towards the ultimate consumer in an attempt to get them to pull the products through the marketing channel. ’ (McColl – Kennedy, JR, 1994) A pull promotional strategy creates a high degree of awareness amongst consumers and implants a desire and an interest for the product. This makes the customers to go to the retail store with the determination to find the product to purchase it and if it is not available they urge the retailer to stock up on it. This is the strategy that Coles is aiming at following as the message will be sent directly to the ultimate consumers who are in this case the students, urging them to purchase frozen, fresh and canned fruits and vegetables. And when the demand exceeds the supply, it will cause the Coles retail stores to urge the wholesalers and other links in the product chain to acquire the product causing a pulling effect through the marketing channel. Communication: In order to inform the potential customers about the promotion, effective and efficient advertising must be carried out. The use of Television, the internet, newspapers and magazines help in doing so. Since the target market is only students, it would also be productive to display the advertisements on social networking sites on the internet. To further reach students fliers can be put up on the notice boards and in the college magazines. Point of purchase displays also helps as it improves in store branding and keeps the customer informed. Having sales signs near the product also can lead to impulse buying. The key message sent out here would be that it is cheaper to buy your groceries at Coles than at any other supermarket. Eliciting the desired response: The main reason for fierce advertising and promotions is due to the reason that the sales promotion will be carried out for one month only. During this time period, Coles seeks to attract as many customers as possible to their stores in Melbourne. It is true that the potential customers go through a behavioral or psychological process before purchasing a product called a response hierarchy. The Coles advertisements and promotions seek to fulfill all the steps in this hierarchy chain.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Critical Thinking and Problem solving Essay

Numerous decisions are taken every day. People choose when to get up on a certain morning, what clothing to wear, and whether to read a particular book. Most of the decisions made throughout the day are relatively trivial or inconsequential. It probably does not matter too much if it is decided to sleep an extra 15 minutes on a certain morning or if a blue shirt is selected rather than a green one. However, some of the decisions can carry substantial consequences. Choosing to get an undergraduate or graduate degree, deciding on a new job or career, or selecting one vendor out of many candidates to be the long-term supplier of a company of a necessary resource are important decisions that are likely to have a significant and meaningful impact. Learning, understanding, and applying critical thinking and problem-solving skills can improve the quality of the decisions that mean the most to us. The research paper also explores some fields where critical thinking proves a pathfinder in finding the correct solution to a problem. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Introduction Critical thinking and problem solving have been identified as essential skills for college students. Problem solving is defined as a step-by step process of defining the problem, searching for information. The goal of problem solving is to find and implement a solution, usually to a well defined and well- structured problem. Critical thinking is a broader term describing reasoning in an open-ended manner, with an unlimited number of solutions. The critical thinking process involves constructing the situation and supporting the reasoning behind a solution. Traditionally, critical thinking and problem solving have been associated with different fields: critical thinking is rooted in the behavioral science, whereas problem solving is associated with the math and science disciplines. Although a distinction is made between the two concepts, in real life situations the terms critical thinking and problem solving are often used interchangeably. In addition, assessment tests frequently overlap or measure both skills. Problem solving is defined as understanding the problem, being able to obtain background knowledge, generating possible solutions, identifying and evaluating the process, and exhibiting problem-solving dispositions. It is easy to fall into routine ways of thinking instead of being creative. The accompanying display lists some common barriers to creative thinking. A major block to creativity is groupthink (going along with the majority opinion while personally having another viewpoint). Nurses or the employees of the company, who engage in groupthink generally, wish to avoid interpersonal conflict. It takes intellectual courage to think something new and different from one’s peers, and then act on those thoughts. Independent thinking is a hallmark of persons who think critically and creatively. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Critical thinking includes problem solving and decision making processes. People use problem solving in their daily lives. With the problem-solving method, problems are identified, information is gathered, a specific problem is named, a plan for solving the problem is developed, the plan is put into action, and results of the plan are evaluated. However, this kind of problem solving is frequently based on incomplete data, and plans are sometimes based on incomplete data, and plans are sometimes based on guesses. Conversely, the nurse uses the nursing process to identify and to make decisions about client needs. It is a systematic and scientifically based process that requires the use of many cognitive and psychomotor skills. According to Costello-Nikitas, the following actions interfere with effective problem solving: †¢ Jumping too quickly toward a conclusion before exploring all the aspects of the problem †¢ Failing to obtain critical facts, about either the problem or proposed change †¢ Selecting problems or changes that are too general, too complex, or poorly defined †¢ Failing to articulate a rational solution to the problem or proposed change †¢ Failing to implement and evaluate the proposal appropriately Definition, Explanation and Importance of Problem Solving E. Paul Torrance’s definition of creativity fully describes problem solving and suggests the skill needed to reach this higher level goal: The process of sensing problems or gaps in information, Forming ideas or hypotheses, testing and modifying These hypotheses and communicating the results (Torrance 1994). A problem is â€Å"a question or situation that presents doubt, perplexity, or difficulty or a question offered for consideration, discussion or solutions† (Webster 1995). Problems are ever present in the life, preschoolers learn to say† I have a problem and apply the phrase to everything from a broken crayon to muddy shoes. Adults spend a great deal of time worrying about their own problems, which range from how to get three kids to various ball practices on the same afternoon to devastating financial or health problems. The ability to solve problems is highly important and should be a significant part of educational training. Higher-level Thinking Skills Schools curriculums often include the development of higher-level thinking skills, processes that require more mental effort than simple memory and recall. For example, many social studies guides denote decision making and problem solving (higher-level thinking skills) as key skills (Riecken and Miller 1990), which students use to solve problems. Higher-level thinking skills are sometimes known as higher-order thinking skills or productive thinking skills. Treffinger and Nassab (1996) discuss productive thinking and define it as including â€Å"creative thinking, critical thinking, problem solving, and decision-making†¦. † They further discuss the fact that productive thinking â€Å"builds on a rich knowledge base, motivation, personal characteristics and styles, and meta-cognitive skills. † Critical Thinking Swartz and Perkins (1990) discuss critical thinking as the â€Å"the critical examination and evaluation—actual and potential—of benefits and courses of action. Numerous lists of critical thinking skills exist; however, close analysis of them often reveals similarities in semantics. One list of critical thinking skills (Maker and Nielson 19996) follows: †¢ Determining fact and opinion †¢ Choosing relevant from irrelevant information †¢ Determining the accuracy of a statement †¢ Determining the credibility of a source †¢ Recognizing ambiguities †¢ Identifying underlying assumptions †¢ Determining external and internal bias †¢ Recognizing valid and fallacious arguments Critical thinking in Nursing Profession Nurses use critical thinking skills in each step of the nursing process. â€Å"Everything nurses do require high level thinking; no action is performed without critical thinking† (Rubenfeld & Scheffer, 1999) â€Å"Because the conclusions and decisions, nurses make affect people’s lives, our thinking must be guided by sound reasoning—precise, disciplined thinking that promotes accuracy and depth of data collection, and seeks to clearly identify the issues at hand. The role of the nurse has shifted from one of â€Å"hand maiden† to one of an autonomous partner in health care delivery. The impact of technological expansion and the increased acuity level of patients, combined with consumer demand for accountability and responsibility, have fueled this change. Currently, novice nurses must possess cognitive skills that require critical thinking. The nurse uses critical thinking to solve problems, make decisions, and establish priorities in the clinical setting. The framework for solving patient problems is called the nursing process. Critical thinking is an essential skill in the administration of safe, component nursing care. Critical thinking may be defined as â€Å"the process of purposeful, self regulatory judgment. The process gives reasoned consideration to evidence, contexts, conceptualizations, methods, and criteria† (American Philosophical Association, 1990) Ennis describes critical thinking as â€Å"reasonable, reflective thinking that is focused on deciding what to believe or do† (Nosich, 2001). Critical thinking is a goal directed; it is thinking with a purpose. Critical thinking also involves questioning. These questions include: Why? Who? What if? When? Where? Data are collected and organized within the critical thinking process. Pertinent data are separated from irrelevant data. Related data are clustered together to encourage the recognition of patterns. These clusters of data are then analyzed, and successful solutions to problems are identified. Knowledge Critical thinking calls for a knowledge base that includes declaration knowledge, (specific facts or information) and operative knowledge (an understanding of the nature of that knowledge). Nursing curricula assist the student in learning specific facts about nursing and the delivery of quality care. Students are also taught how to examine the belief underlying the facts in order to analyze and interpret those facts. In other words, students are not expected to merely repeat facts that have been memorized but instead to understand the reasoning behind the knowledge. Finding meaning in what one is learning is the core of critical thinking. In order to think critically, to solve problems, and so make decisions, nurses must develop a broad base of knowledge. This knowledge base includes information from other disciplines such as science (anatomy, physiology, and biology), psychology and philosophy (logic) Nurses apply this knowledge to specific client situation through critical thinking. Critical thinking and Problem solving in Business Gone are the days when management expected workers to check their brains at the door. As a knowledge worker, one is expected to use one’s brains in thinking critically. One will be solving problems and making decisions. Faced with a problem or an issue, most of us do a lot of worrying before separating the issues or making a decision. All that worrying can become directed by channeling it into the following procedure: 1) Identify and clarify the problem Your first task is to recognize that a problem exists. Some problems are big and unmistakable, such as failure of an air-freight delivery service to get package to customers on time. Other problems may be continuing annoyances, such as regularly running out of toner for an office copy machine. The first step in reaching a solution is pinpointing the problem area. 2) Gather Information Learn more about the problem situation. Look for possible causes and solutions. This step may mean checking files, calling suppliers, or brainstorming with fellow workers. For example, the air-freight delivery service would investigate the tracking systems of the commercial airlines carrying its packages to determine what went wrong. 3) Evaluate the evidence Where did the information come from? Does it represent various points of view? What biases could be expected from each source? How accurate is the information gathered? Is it fact or opinion? For example, it is a fact that packages are missing; it is an opinion they are merely lost and will sum up eventually. 4) Consider alternatives and implications Draw conclusions from the gathered evidence and pose solutions. Then weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative. What are the costs, benefits, and consequences? What are the obstacles, and how can they be handled? Most important, what solution best serves your goals and those of your organization? This is where your creativity is especially important. 5) Implement the best alternative Select an alternative and put it into action. Then, follow through on your decision by monitoring the results of implementing your plan. The freight company decided to give its unhappy customers free delivery service to make up for the lost packages and downtime. Be sure to continue monitoring and adjusting the solution to ensure its effectiveness over time. Developing critical thinking and problem solving skills in the child Reasoning, critical thinking or general intellectual functioning is one of the strongest predictors of academic success and resilience. Teaching children problem solving – how to figure things out—is key to success learning, and problem solving is characterized by the ability to generate possible strategies, analyze those strategies,, and anticipate their possible consequences. Skills that a child learns to master under the heading of problem solving include planning, flexibility, resourcefulness, and critical thinking. Planning entails looking ahead, anticipating possible outcomes, and making healthy choices. Flexibility entails shifting plans when one’s original strategy does not work out. Resourcefulness involves seeking help when needed, using resources intelligently, and developing â€Å"street smart. † Critical thinking refers to higher-order thinking skills that go beneath surface impressions and opinions to offer understanding and deeper meaning to an event or situation. Conclusion Many decisions don’t need much thought. Relatively small, routine, or mundane choices generally don’t require spending a lot of time or energy because the outcomes associated with these types of decisions probably don’t affect very much. Important decisions can shape lives, and decision quality is improved if person critically analyze the problems by considering new and different options, weighing the evidence objectively, looking at a problem from a different angle that gives different insights, developing novel solutions that effectively solve dilemmas, and accurately forecasting the probable impact of our decisions. Critical thinking is a process that emphasizes a rational basis for what one believes and provides standards and procedures for analyzing, testing, and evaluating beliefs. Critical thinking skills enable decision makers to define problems within the proper context, to examine evidence objectively, and to analyze the assumptions underlying the evidence and beliefs. Critical thinking enables to understand and deal with the positions of others and to clarify and comprehend one’s own thoughts as well. When critical thinking is applied, all aspects of the decision process are involved, from defining the problem, identifying and weighing decision criteria, and generating and evaluating alternatives to estimating the consequences that will result from our decisions. However, critical thinking does not mean that a person always make best possible decisions, never reach the wrong conclusion, and never make mistakes; it is simply a process person apply that enables, to arrive at superior; it is simply a process one apply that enables, to arrive at superior decisions consistently. Problem solving is a part of decision making. A systematic process that focuses on analyzing a difficult situation, problem solving always includes a decision-making step. Many educators use the terms problem solving and decision making synonymously, but there is a small yet important difference between the two. Although decision making is the last step in the problem-solving process, it is possible for decision making to occur without the full analysis required in problem solving. Because problem solving attempts to identify the root problem in situations, much tine and energy are spent on identifying the real problem. Decision making, on the other hand, is usually triggered by a problem but is often handled in a manner that does not eliminate the problem. Reference DeLaune, Carter, Sue. Ladner, Kelly, Patricia. (2002). Fundamentals of Nursing: Standards & Practice. US: Thomson Delmer Learning. Pg. 82, 89 Heywood, John. (2000). Assessment in Higher Education: Student Learning Teaching, Programmes and†¦ England: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Pg 177 Meador, S, Karen. (1997). Creative Thinking and Problem Solving for Young Learners. Westport: Libraries Unlimited. Pg. 69, 70 Marquis, L, Bessie. Huston, Jorgenson, Carol. (2005). Leadership Roles and Management Functions in Nursing: theory and Application. Wolters Kulwer Health. The NPEC sourcebook on assessment. US: DIANE Publishing. Pg. 11 Williams, W, Steve. (2002). Making Better Business Decisions: Understanding and Improving Critical. North America: Saga Publications. Pg. 1-3

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Global Poverty Essay

Poverty is the condition of not having the means to afford basic human needs e. g. nutrition, clothing, shelter, clean water, healthcare etc. Mahatma Gandhi has previously referred to it as the worst form of violence. Prior to the industrial revolution, poverty had been mostly accepted as inevitable as economies produced little thus making wealth scarce. Today, rises in the cost of living makes poor people less able to afford basic human needs e. g. poor people spend a big portion of their budgets on food in comparison to the rich. It is, however, not enough to blame the poor for their predicament. Governments have also been culpable as they pursue policies that harm successful development. Globalization leads to decisions, policies and practices that are typically influenced, driven or formulated by the rich. These have resulted in a few people getting wealthy while the majority struggle. Poverty is determined by finding the total cost of all essential resources that an average human adult consumes in a year. Poverty threshold or the poverty line is the minimum level of income that is necessary to achieve an adequate standard of living in a given country. It is significantly higher in developed countries than it is in the developing world. Poverty threshold is a useful economic tool which measures poverty on a global scale. Poverty was identified by the United Nations early this century as the first of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that each country was to work towards eradicating by 2015. Statistically, this goal still seems a long way off going by current indicators. According to the World Bank Development Indicators 2008, at least 80% of humanity lives on less than $1 a day with more than 80% of the population living in countries where income differentials are widening. It is also prudent to note that the poorest 40% of the world’s population accounts for 5% of global income. The richest 20% account for three-quarters of world income. There are various causes that have been identified as contributing to global poverty. From a historical perspective, most poor countries were vassals of the great colonial powers of the 19th and 20th centuries. At independence, exit strategies by the colonial masters resulted in geographical boundaries that were inspired more by politics than the creation of new states. Too many countries found themselves lacking a critical mass of resources or with the population being landlocked thus explaining why a significant portion of today’s global poverty exists in war torn and post-conflict countries e. g. the Democratic Republic of Congo. Also, the newly independent countries were also denied fair representation in international negotiations either by exclusion or lack of capacity. Global trade rules have obstructed developing countries from reproducing proven models of industrialization with Agriculture, a mainstay of most African economies, being impeded by massive subsidies. Many developing countries have been architects of their own misfortune with self perpetuating kleptomaniac governance which fails to invest in agriculture. The broader lack of institutional capacity and infrastructure hinders delivery of aid programmes and business investments and is responsible for perpetuating global poverty. To aggregate global poverty on a consistent basis, the World Bank calculates an international poverty line by reference to the average of the national poverty lines in 10-20 of the world’s poorest countries. Using data from 2005, the international poverty line of $1. 25 resulted. However, two countries with the largest populations in the world i. e. India and China have adopted national poverty lines which are even lower. India’s approach, for example, is based on the food poverty line which gives a national poverty rate of 28% compared to 42% on the international basis. Based on World Bank figures, the number of people living below the international poverty line of $1. 25 fell from 1. 8 billion to 1. 4 billion between 1990 and 2005. China accounted for 465 million of this reduction implying that poverty had increased elsewhere within the period e. g. in Sub-Saharan Africa, the increase was 100 million. The need to eradicate global poverty stems from religious teaching which finds secular expression in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights which asserts that ‘everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well being of himself and his family’. Another reason that calls for the eradication of global poverty lies in self interest as in a globalized world, countries large and small are interdependent. Extreme poverty leads to international labor migration which on its own can lead to other problems such as spread of disease. International solutions to global poverty include anti-poverty campaigners pressing rich governments to honor promises made in the Millennium Declaration, lobbying for the removal of agricultural subsidies that protect rich farmers at the expense of poor ones. Countries should also be at the fore front of embracing MDG programs so as to build capacity of national and provincial institutions. Two countries with the greatest success in poverty reduction are China and Vietnam even though their strategies are often at odds with western models. The medical profession, which is in the business of saving life and reducing suffering, should lead the world out of the trap of poverty and death from starvation and preventable diseases. The World Bank Development indicators of 2008 point out that infectious disease continue to blight the lives of the poor across the world with an estimated 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS. Also, every year there are 350-500 million cases of malaria with one million fatalities. Africa thus accounts for 90% of malarial deaths with African children accounting for over 80% of malaria victims worldwide. With such grim statistics, it is clear that the medical profession plays a vital role in saving lives in developing countries and this can ultimately lead to poverty eradication as the population which is a critical resource to any country will not be wiped out. Medics are also actively involved in the health of children worldwide especially in poor countries. With 2. 2 million children dying worldwide due to lack of immunization and a greater number of 10. 6 million children dying worldwide before they reach the age of 5, the role of medicine cannot be gainsaid. Further, lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation leads to the annual deaths of 1. 4 million children. By training more health professionals especially in developing countries, curbing such alarming statistics would be made possible. Averting children’s deaths builds a firm foundation for a country in its attempts to escape the clutches of poverty. Doctors can also get involved in highlighting and tackling water problems affecting half of humanity as some 1. 1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water with 2. 6 billion lacking basic sanitation. Sanitation issues have been known to cause 1. 8 million child deaths each year as a result of preventable ailments such as diarrhea. Doctors can help in educating communities on how best to tackle such relatively straightforward problems thus avoiding attendant problems caused by water and sanitation deficits. In conclusion, poverty has the effect of creating a ‘poverty cycle’ which operates across multiple levels i. e. individual, local, national and global with the affected sectors mostly being health, education and housing. Although poverty reduction has historically come about as a result of economic growth, medicine and the medical profession in general ought to be at the forefront of fighting this global scourge as results have shown how much of an impact the programs they run have had an impact on communities around the globe. In the words of Anais Nin ‘If all of us acted in unison as I act individually there would be no wars and no poverty. I have made myself personally responsible for the fate of every human being who has come my way’. In a sense, this is the hallmark of the medical profession.