Steroid Pros and Cons

The effects of steroid use has been widely documented, especially in the past couple of years with all the high profiled athletes subjecting themselves to a tainted legacy because of the need to keep there competitive edge while there skills where slowly diminishing with age. Sending shock waves through the sports world and fans feeling disappointed and confused, athletes have been slowly coming out In the public eye for their past and current steroid abuse. These athletes have been emotionally distressed and this I imagine is extremely hard to adapt to and handle.But what bout the physical demographer bodies are enduring with these powerful anabolic drugs? This Is where a lot of different pollens come In to play, between the so-called experts and the self proclaimed experts. The so called experts being doctors and self proclaimed experts being â€Å"JUICERS† In the bodybuilding world. Some people would say â€Å"_Well look, he Is a doctor he must be right† _ and I woul d say that I rather take advice after a bad break up from a friend with the same experience than a happily married radio show love expert telling me what Is politically correct.But It Is very arid to argue science, which leads me to read up on many different articles from the other side. Rick Collins a writer for littleness. Com had a interesting article in 1999, that stated how the public was fooled by the physicians into thinking that steroids was not a performance enhancer and did not make people stronger. He then went on to say that congress, was more worried about making competitive sports pure and not so much on the actual health of steroid users. This being his own belief (not fact) says to me that he might be right.The United States of America has a way of gnashing athletes who use these drugs as criminals with huge penalties. This makes Rick Collins argument strong. Something that I also found pretty interesting was that the same physicians who said in the sass's that stero ids did not enhance ones performance retreated form that theory in the sass's. This left a bad taste in the sports communities mouths and made Doctors not look so bright. Where the physicians believed to be credible sources anymore? A majority of the sports and bodybuilding community said yes, they should be credible but Just not when it came to steroids.There is a large population of steroid users that believe the â€Å"JUICE† had a positive impact on their life. These feelings probably came from people who did the drug in proper dosages. But like anything, too much can be unhealthy. Example tanning, alcohol, sleeping and so on. What I feel bothers America about steroids Is not so much the health risks. Turn on a TV and flick through the channels. I would say you can probably come across something to do with steroids, but how much you want to bet It will be about a sports figure. Do the same thing on the Internet, Google steroids. Bet you won't get a story of a death due to steroids.Is It because there arena any stones on everyday people and steroids. No. I'm sure there Is someone who Is suffering from side effects from steroids. But who cares? It's truly about Integrity of competition. And I believe It Is truly blown out of proportion. I am so sick of seeing these ball players getting smashed through the media, getting critiqued on every little thing they say and do. When the concerns are not about health In the news It Is always about an athlete who â€Å"Cheated† -Always drama, I feel like newspapers and articles on two writers sitting on the other side of the fence on this topic.

Time Warner Analysis

BUSINESS CASE ASSIGNMENT 1 Jie Tian Zhaopeng Li A. As part of strategic planning exercise, describe and analyze the vision and mission statements of Time Warner Inc. There is no explicit vision or mission statements on Time Warner’s website. But according to the description of vision and mission statements on class the â€Å"ABOUT US† statement on the company’s website resembles the mission statement and the â€Å"OUR VALUES† statement fits the definition of vision statement. The â€Å"ABOUT US† statement describes that Time Warner Inc. a global leader in media and entertainment with businesses in television networks, film and TV entertainment and publishing, uses its industry-leading operating scale and brands to create, package and deliver high-quality content worldwide through multiple distribution outlets. First off, this mission statement is a product-oriented mission because it states what products and services it serves its customers. Second, the statement emphasizes that Time Warner is a global leader and provide services worldwide. It shows the scope and domain of the organization is around the globe.And it also clearly describes the organization’s purpose is to create, package and deliver high-quality content through multiple distribution outlets. The â€Å"OUR VALUES† on the website describes that the company encourages risk-taking and divergent voices, makes the highest quality premium content available on every device, creates value by working together within and across our business, upholds editorial independence and artistic expression, attracts and develops the world’s best talent and takes pride in serving the public interest.The â€Å"OUR VALUES† statement falls into seven categories which are creativity, customer focus, agility, teamwork, integrity, diversity and responsibility. The statements show the ambitious long-terms goals of the organization such as recruiting the worldâ₠¬â„¢s best talent and making its content available on every device. It also mentions how the organization will generate value for the future through effective teamwork, innovation and originality and embracing changes and opportunities B. Explain, in detail, its basis of competitive advantages using Porter’s generic strategies (show how this is supported through the firm’s value hain activities) Time Warner has four main subsidiaries which are Turner Broadcasting System, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Home Box Office, and Time Inc. Turner’s entertainment networks include TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, tru TV, Turner Classic Movies and Boomerang. Turner’s news networks consist of CNN and HLN. Each of the subsidiaries of Turner has their own specialties for example that TBS focus on contemporary comedies like The Big Bang Theory, TNT focus on drama, tru TV focus on real-life stories from a first-person perspective.Warner Bros. Entertainment include Warner Bros. wh ich produces and distributes feature films, Warner Bros. Television Group which develops, produces and distributes television series, reality-based entertainment shows and animation programs for the Company’s network and third parties. Other subsidiaries under Warner Bros. Entertainment are Warner Bros. Animation Inc. , Warner Home Video, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Warner Bros. Consumer Products Inc. and DC Entertainment.The third segment of the organization is Time Inc. which is the largest magazine publisher in the U. S. based on commercial avenue and published 21 magazines in print in U. S. and over 70 magazines out of U. S. which covers the topic of style and entertainment, lifestyle, news and sports. Time/Warner Retail Sales & Marketing Inc. is also a subsidiary under Time Inc.. Home Box Office (HBO) is the nation’s most widely distributed multi-channel premium pay television service which consists of recently releas ed uncut and uncensored theatrical motion pictures.Based upon the brief introduction of various segments in the organization above it can be concluded that the competitive advantage of Time Warner is founded on differentiation. Porter suggested that a firm could only apply one of the three generic strategies or the company could be â€Å"stuck in the middle† and will not achieve a competitive advantage. However, he also argued that firms could only succeed at multiple strategies by creating separate business units for each strategy.In Time Warner case differentiation strategy and differentiation focus strategy are both applied in achieve its competitive strategy. For networks and film business the company is competing with other film production and network companies. Television programming, feature films and news are the products of these industries which always have a massive audience scope and the companies try to differentiate themselves from competitors. The uniqueness of the product is the key in the competition that customers would like to pay a premium price for the products.Time Warner exploits its brand recognition and embraces innovation and creativity to product various different focused programs and movies to distinguish itself from its competitors. The competitive advantage is achieved through differentiation focus for HBO and magazines business because of their narrow market focus. Magazines like Essence and Golf face targeted audience instead of the broad scope audience. Time Warner has its own well developed distribution channel and sales& marketing company.Therefore, its differentiation could be effectively supported by the outbound logistics and Sales &Marketing sections in the value chain. C. Mintzberg’s family of strategies. Time Warner is involved in both the midstream and downstream business because it develops, produces and distributes feature films, TV programming and magazines. Time Warner distinguishes itself in achievin g competitive advantage through differentiation strategy and differentiation focus strategy. Time Warner elaborates its core business by market development strategy and diversification strategy.Time Warner develops its market mainly by geographic expansion and technology expansion. For example, Turner distributed 57 networks of it regional entertainment brands in over 200 countries. Time Inc. made all of its’ U. S. magazines available at tablet editions. The CW broadcast network cooperated with Netflix. Inc. and Hulu to expand its distribution channel. Time Warner extends its core business by the strategies of entry and control and listening. The 50-50 joint venture between Warner Bros. and CBS Corporation created the CW broadcast network.

Law Reform on Native Title Essay

Indigenous people as defined by the Cobo report (1987) are â€Å"a group having a historical continuity in pre-colonisation societies with a distinct culture now a minority in society today†. Throughout history and times of colonization change has been seen in a plethora of ways. Importantly for Australia has been the take over of land by the British under the doctrine of Terra Nullius, which means meant that if land was populated by â€Å"backward peoples†, as in it was â€Å"unoccupied† it was considered as if it were unpopulated, as there was no formal organised system of living or Government. The common law term for this is acquisition of settlement. There are many cases in our history that have been both effective and ineffective: The Gove Land Rights Case, Mabo I & II and the Native Title & Amendment Acts, which have had the purpose of creating justice, and just outcomes through law reform, with a particular focus on Native Title. The Bark Petition and Gove Land rights case sought to have land rights recognised by the Australian Government (1971). The argument provided was that the yolngu people had a complex social and legal system, a Government of laws, not of men. Justice Blackburn rejected the argument, as Australia had been settled and established by the British, so the Doctrine of Reception existed. With no case of this type in Australia’s history, it was a huge step forward in creating justice, but also meant there was nothing comparable to it. Consequently, it was a big step forward as it was the first time a Legal Fiction of Terra Nullius, which overturned many previous assertions and provided a way forward and a path for the Mabo cases. This was the first step in a long law reform process, none the less providing a developing just and effective outcome for Aboriginal people. Restriction on movement for Aboriginal people provided many problems, including loss of connection to land, spirituality and ancestors. In the eyes of Eddie Mabo, this was an infringement of his basic human rights. In 1982, Fr. David Passi, James Rice and Eddie Mabo began an action, which saw a case before the High Court of Australia in Mabo v. Queensland (No.2). Mabo v. Queensland (No.1) saw the 3 men declare that: the Meriam people were entitled to the Murray Islands and that the State of Queensland had no right to extinguish the Meriam people’s title to the Murray Islands, and that a  system of Native Title had been established, against the Queensland Coast Islands Declatory Act (1985), which attempted to extinguish Native Titles. The final decision in Case1 did not address the issue of whether native title existed, but found Queensland was trying to restrict the land rights because of their race. Mabo v. Queensland (No.2) required the court to consider that: if Australia was truly terra nullius at the time of settlement, then the Islanders had no case, on the other hand, if the English had ‘invaded’, then the original inhabitants would be recognised. The ruling showed a majority of six to one, and the High Court ruled that the Murray Islanders had the right to the possession, occupation and enjoyment of traditional lands. This was based on two key points: firstly that the declaration of Terra Nullius was not valid, so native title could not exist, and secondly that native  title existed wherever Indigenous people had occupied the land prior to European settlement. This was a major step forward in Australia’s history as well as in creating and effectively achieving justice in regard to native title. As apart of a broader picture and a law reform process, it showed a big step toward the future as it meant that Terra Nullius was overturned which meant furt her reform could take place, setting precedent for the overall goal of achieving justice as well as the broader society in terms of recognition. Following Mabo v. Queensland (No.2), the Commonwealth Government passed the Native Title Act (1993), which saw the official recognition of native title. Native Title is defined in Section 61 of the Act as the rights and interests of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders observed under traditional custom and recognised by the common law of Australia. This important step in changing Australian law and achieving justice for Aboriginal people was followed by the Native Title Amendment Act (1998), which saw changes to The Native Title Act after a push by the Howard Government in regards to the response to the Wik case and meant it harder to make registration of a claim and to increase interests of miners and pastoralists. This was met with much criticism, including the United Nations committee, on the Elimination of All forms of Racial Discrimination that found they breached the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination. This is an example of law reform once again,  to fir with changing attitudes, values and behaviours, as well as to reinforce and clarify parts of the act such as pastoral lease’s. It shows elements of positive and negative reform, as on one hand it shows a continuing, effective process, and on the other hand shows a change in the original intention. The effectiveness of law reform process in achieving just outcomes in regard to native title has shown to be effective through a constant law reform process. This process has seen the development of new ways, beliefs and values, as well as the abolishment of the doctrine of terra nullius, creating justice for Indigenous Australians then, now and into the future.

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

Security Audit - Essay Example Also, some team members violated integrity and confidentiality assertions by disclosing information to external parties. This paper entails the details and implications of security audit procedures carried out and observations noted. Conducting audit Lafleur has a complicated network of information systems in place, with various remote offices and centralized IT function. Therefore, to evaluate this complex system, detailed audit procedures were planned including manual as well as automated assessments. Manual assessments mainly comprised interviewing procedures, performing physical checks and security scans and reviewing effectiveness of application and logical controls at different levels of organization. We prepared system notes after developing comprehensive understanding of company’s business activities. Thereafter, we conducted meetings with IT personnel to identify weaker areas requiring more attention and discuss IT policies and procedures. An exhaustive review of orga nogram was conducted to ensure proper segregation of duties were in place between employees holding influential or connected positions such as COO and CIO or programmer and end-user. Automated assessments were computer-aided techniques whereby software was used to assess reporting and change management capabilities of system. All operating systems, physical equipment and applications were appraised for their technical specifications and development capabilities. Contingency and disaster recovery planning for each office was reviewed for effectiveness, physically inspecting for any alternate site and analyzing backup procedures for critical data. Physical security controls, including key cards and biometric devices to different offices were checked for any loopholes allowing unauthorized access. Moreover, environmental controls were also verified to be in place, regulating appropriate temperature and providing adequate fire-fighting equipment and uninterrupted power supply. Additiona l physical security checks were checked and recommendations were made accordingly, such as bodyguards, locks, single entry points and surveillance systems. Due to remote offices and presence of wireless networking, interception during transmission of data was a crucial issue and was tested through procedures. It was ensured that networks are accessible and available at all times to all offices since there is a centralized IT function. (http://www.aurco.com/images/security_audit.png) Recommendations Based on findings and observations noted during fieldwork, we made some voluntary and mandatory recommendations to improve information system controls. We recommended that encryption be adopted to avoid intrusion of sensitive data during transmission on wireless networks. Often malwares limit the passage of traffic allowed on network. To combat this, we recommended that firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and antivirus applications must be installed promptly. We highlighted more focus on protecting information flowing on enterprise systems, mail servers, intranet networks and host applications that are accessed by customers. Since this company relies heavily on wireless networks, we suggested that dual-control access keys must be designed, maintaining them on system that is exclusively accessible to authorized personnel only (Saint-Germain, 2005). We laid great emphasis on monitoring closely all activities being carried out on the network,

Modernist Painting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Modernist Painting - Essay Example The essay "Modernist Painting" discovers Modern painting. In painting, Clement Greenberg adds on, this limit is made up of the flat surface, the properties of pigment and the shape of the support. However, it is the laying of emphasis on the ineluctable flatness of the support which remains most vital in the course of the pictorial art. As a result of this, the picture plane becomes the point of focus, all the senses of illusional depth is reduced to a point where background and the foreground are compressed into one. Due to the limitation brought about by the medium because of the two dimensional plains of the picture, the reality of the painting becomes somehow plain. The space becomes purely pictorial and not sculptural. Whereas the old painters created an illusion of space into which one could imagine being part of, the creation created by a modernist is one into which one can only look, and can travel through, only with the eye. Greenberg reasoned that the transposition of three dimensions into two survived in even the most abstract paintings. He maintains that the first mark which is smudged on a canvas immediately destroys its literal as well as utter flatness and the result of the marks made on it have a sort of illusion that implies or suggests a sort of third dimension. At issue for Greenberg is not modernism’s specificity but its perpetual renovation, a reformation of what had always been inherent to painting, whether â€Å"the flat surface, the shape of the support, or the properties of the pigments.†

Current Event Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 20

Current Event Paper - Assignment Example However, the inventory levels should be kept at minimum while resources are efficiently utilized. Addition, a liquid spices manufacturing company, is preparing for the eggnog season. Matt Hemeyer, the company’s sales director, plans for an increase in production capacity for the company. The current production stands at seven hundred and fifty bottles of the liquid spices a month. The proposed increase in production capacity is set to increase the number of bottles produced to seven thousand five hundred bottles a month, for three months (October, November, and December). Labor is the main input that the company requires for the holiday season. Mr. Hemeyer estimates the labor force to increase by two additional workers for production purposes, in October. In addition, he requires three workers for production and shipping in November and one worker for shipping purposes in December. The sales director plans for material requirements planning by investing the company’s reserves ($10,000) in production equipment. The equipment will aim at automating the production com ponents to achieve the proposed production capacity. The article indicates all the benefits of material requirements planning. The main objective of MRP is to achieve a balance between demand and supply. Mr. Hemeyer explains that he would not want to run out of inventory as it would ruin the company’s reputation. In addition, he is aware of the holiday season and intends to increase the production capacity of his company; in an attempt to balance the demand and supply of liquid spices. The article illustrates how the company will allocate the production time; that is, the quantity of the liquid spices that will be distributed over the three months. Conclusively, it generates information about the quantities of units to be produced and the capacity requirements for

La Marseillaise, the Internationale and The Horst Wessel Song Essay

La Marseillaise, the Internationale and The Horst Wessel Song - Essay Example During different radical and political revolutions occurred in different parts of the world songs are created with motivating lyrics and several propaganda movies have also been produced to influence the behaviors and thoughts of masses(Parker, p126). Some of the popular songs in the history of world revolutionary politics include La Marseillaise, Internationale and The Horst Wessel Song. These songs have been writing during different time spans to advocate the political revolutions of in France, Russia and Germany however these songs are not limited to these countries and nations only but have inspired the whole world through their enthusiastic way of motivating and rousing people towards political changes and revolution. These songs enjoy worldwide popularity and appraisal and they have become international songs of revolution and radical political movements. The essay discusses the importance and role of these songs in fostering the movements during which they were written and pub licized and also illustrates the importance of songs and mass media messages by taking example of Riefenstahl’s political propaganda movie Triumph of the Will. La Marseillaise also called The Marseille song is the national anthem of France. The song was originally titles as the war song for the Army of the Rhine. The song was written in 1792 by Claude Joseph Rouget De Lisle and three years later in 1795 it was adopted as the first national anthem of the country. The melody of the song was adopted from a theme written by Giovan Viotti in 1781. Soon after its composition La Marseillaise received popularity among the masses. People started singing this song on the streets and it became the rallying call to the French revolution (Darnton and Roche, p60). The lyrics of the songs reflect the French invasion by the foreign invaders that came from Austria and Prussia and later the invading forces were repelled from France after losing the Battle of Valmy. However, later the song was banned by Napoleon I, Louis XVIII and Napoleon III because they viewed the song threat to the stability of peace within country. During the regimes of these rulers other songs were adopted as national anthem of France however, in 1879 it was restored as French national anthem and it was widely accepted that La Marseillaise was not only the anthem of France but it became the anthem of the international revolutionary movements occurred during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (Prescott and Nelson, p87). The song played active role in motivating people and geared up their emotions towards fighting for social and political change in the society. La Marseillaise proved to be an impressive song with strong, passionate, encouraging and emotional lyrics and zealous music composition (Parker, p126). Another important and popular revolutionary song is Internationale that was originally written in French language soon after the demise of the Paris Commune by Eugene Pottier who was a revolutionary exile. However, the song didn’t remain engaged with the French revolution but it soon became the international anthem of the working class all over the globe. The song gained the attention as the common voice and expression of the people having firm belief upon socialism. The song gained popularity

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 35

Marketing - Essay Example Buzz.greatfxbusinesscards.com). It also helps to minimize risks associated with business operations and also enables the creation of benchmarks to help measure progress. Marketing research is often outsourced to different companies and this functions as a disadvantage because the data obtained may be too general and may not reflect the elements that only an organization can collect based upon its intimate knowledge of its customers (Gordon, 2008). Contemporary research suggests that companies allot the lion’s share of their resources towards marketing their products rather than on doing research. (Gordon, 2008). Most companies also use third parties, i.e, market research companies, to carry out their research which helps to prevent bias but may also have disadvantages, as indicated above. There is a general tendency to use electronic methods for data collection, through the use of surveys. Additional qualitative research methods may be used to gather general information about companies, while quantitative studies may focus upon quarterly, half yearly or annual measurement of key metrics in assessing changing customer trends over time.(www.lifestyledynamics.com) The process of marketing requires considerable thought and a comprehensive study of the market. Firstly, there must be an adequate level of consumer demand for the product. Secondly, knowledge about the product needs to be communicated to consumers through the use of effective advertising. A product is likely to succeed if it is able to address a demand and is priced reasonably but if consumers are unaware of the availability of the product, or if it is priced too high, it may fail to garner adequate levels of sales. The sale of certain products will also depend upon the place where they are sold, for example, warm clothes sell in cold locations. If a product is to be successful, Price, Promotion and Place must all be considered. Kotler has identified ten

Unionization in Baseball Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Unionization in Baseball Organizations - Essay Example Unionization in Baseball Organizations This study will also aim to increase the awareness and provide a better understanding of the issues and problems concerning the major league baseball and its organizations in order to contribute an effective approach in addressing their problems. The research will be based on the following assumptions: (a) all participants will be utilizing the correct procedures as outlined in the guidelines for the specific methodology employed, and (b) all participants will answer questions honestly to the best of their ability. Time will be the greatest limitation to this research, which could hinder long-term outcome objectives. Environmental factors, such as socioeconomic status, will not be controlled, and this could create many variables within the research. As this study will utilize a small sample of respondents, the results may not effectively represent the general population. This study was conducted in order to determine the positive and negative effects of unionization on major league baseball. In this study, the interview method of data gathering was utilized, with a combined total of 25 football players and 25 football managers as participants. For this study, the descriptive method was utilized. In this method, the study became cheap and quick. It also suggested unanticipated hypotheses. This paper utilized the descriptive approach because it is difficult to disregards alternative explanations. Therefore observations are being used to this study. To illustrate the descriptive type of research, Creswell (1994) guided the researcher. "The purpose of employing this method was to describe the nature of a situation, as it existed at the time of the study and explored the cause/s of particular phenomena. The researcher opted to use this kind of research considering the desire of the researcher to obtain first hand data from the respondents so as to formulate rational and sound conclusions and recommendations for the study" (Remenyi, 1998). To come up with pertinent findings and provide credible recommendations, this study utilized two sources of research: primary and secondary. Primary research data were obtained through this new research study. Questionnaire survey and in-depth interview was also conducted. On the other hand, the secondary research data were obtained from previous studies on the same topic. The Research Design In order to come up with the most suitable research

Feminism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Feminism - Essay Example It deals with the acceptance that woman is the opposite of man and is treated unfairly in this binary relationship. The modernist sought to help women get fair treatment and stand up against their opposites - the men. The third wave of feminism, which is also referred to as the post-modern perspective, according to Wikipedia, began in the 1990s. The third wave of feminism "unlike second-wave feminism, which largely focused on the inclusion of women in traditionally male-dominated areas," it says, "seeks to challenge and expand common definitions of gender and sexuality." Jane Flax in her book 'Post-modernism and Gender Relations in Feminist Theory' states that post-modern feminism seeks to "understand and (re) constitute the self, gender, knowledge, social relations, and culture without resorting to linear, teleological, hierarchical, holistic, or binary ways of thinking and being". (Flax, 2000, p.39). This paper aims to understand the fundamental differences between the perceptions of modernist and post modernist feminism. With references from the works of theorists like Judith Butler and Jane Flax, this paper will argue whether the post modernist perspective, which raises fundamental questions over traditional classification of biological sex into 'men' and 'women', challenges the very nature of modernist feminism and its significance. The arguments presented here will be illustrated using articles like Lisa Soccio's essay titled, "From Girl to Woman to Grrrl:(Sub)Cultural Intervention and Political Activism in the Time of Post-Feminism", published in the Invisible Culture Electronic Journal for visual studies and Stephen Matchhett's, "Just Like Men, actually. The former deals with the culture of all-women rock-bands, and the latter about how films and television project women in politics. This paper will comprise of four main parts, each presenting one fundamental difference between the modernist and post modernist feminist perspectives. The first section will deal with the question of "Who is a woman ". This will look at the differences between the modernists and postmodernists in their perception and definition of the term 'woman'. The focus will then shift to 'sexed bodies'. This section will examine if 'biological sex' is merely a physical fact or is it the basis for gender. The third part of this paper will focus on 'gender performativity'. Is gender merely a socio-cultural phenomenon that we imbibe and live with, as the modernists believe or is it a role that we play, which is the postmodernist perspective. Finally, the paper will raise the significant question of 'what is feminism'. With the aim of trying to understand both the modernist and postmodernist definition of feminism, this last section will highlight the positives and negatives of both these perspect ives and also their relevance. The definition of Woman One of the most progressive nations in the world, the United States of America has never had a woman as its head of state. On the other hand conservative developing nations in Asia like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have had powerful women leading them. So does this imply that the feminist movement has succeeded in breaking gender-related barriers in these nations The answer to this question is simple. These women leaders are the exception and not the rule. Most of these societies continue to be male

Personalisation in Health and Social Care Essay Example for Free

Personalisation in Health and Social Care Essay Autism affects around 1 in 100 people, it affects how they communicate and how they see the world around them. The condition affects people in different ways some may live a fairly independent life, others may have accompany learning disabilities and need more specialist care. Autism is a lifelong developmental disability and affects how they see the world around them. People with Autism have said that the world around them can feel like a mass of people, places and events, which they struggle to make sense of. They also find it hard relating to people, understanding them and taking part in everyday family life and social events. People with Autism have difficulties with the following; social communication, social interaction and social imagination, these are known as the ‘triad of impairments’. The difficulties these cause in people’s lives include finding it difficult to form friendships, understanding and interoperating people’s feelings and actions, understanding danger, coping with changes and new or unfamiliar situations. The main problems with communication that people with autism have, are taking what people say literally, understanding jokes and sarcasm and people’s body language and facial expressions, it is important to speak in a clear and consistent way to enable people with Autism time to process what has been said. The characteristics of people with Autism may vary, but the main ones consist of love of routine, if their routines are changed or disrupted it can cause upset and agitation although if they are given enough time and explanation it may be more comfortable for them. Sensory sensitivity, this can occur in one or more of the senses, it can be hypersensitivity or hypo-sensitivity. Special interests, this can be intense interests from an early age and can be anything from art, music, maths or computers. Learning disability, this can affect all areas of a person’s life which involves learning for example; how people learn at school to learning daily living skills. An early diagnosis by a health professional will make a difference because with the right help and support a person with Autism will make good progress. ASPERGER SYNDROME Asperger syndrome is a form of Autism and has all of the characteristics and difficulties as Autism although is not accompanied with a learning disability, but may have specific learning difficulties. These may include dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD or epilepsy. People with Asperger syndrome have a big love of routine, they may have rules and ritiuals which they must live by to make sense of their world. Children may line things up, collect and organise things and can be very repetitive. Their special interests can be very intense and sometimes obsessive, they have a big focus on learning and with the correct help and support can do well with studying in their chosen interest. Unlike Autism, Asperger syndrome is harder to diagnose due to the wide variety of symptoms and may not be recognised until adulthood. Some people find the diagnoses unhelpful as it is an unwanted label although for others it is helpful to be able to seek help and support to manage needs and behaviours. Asberger synd rome is quite often known as the ‘hidden disability and there is no cure.

Bio Cement Essay Example for Free

Bio Cement Essay The project aims at attaining high durability of concrete and gaining high strength of cement. We plan to make use of bacterial species which can hydrolyze the enzyme Urease efficiently to produce microbial concrete. Such bacterial are known to produce calcium which is useful in giving strength to cement. We are working in 2 stages. Stage 1: Here we check the effect of bacterial solution on cement mortar and along with that we check the effectiveness of the bacterial solution to fill the cracks in concrete by precipitation of calcium in the cracks. Stage 2: To prepare concrete using the cement and solution (bacterial) in optimum ratio and checking its effectiveness from strength and durability perspective. Till now Stage 1 is partially over: We have made use of this bacterial solution(Emulsion: Bacillus culture+ nutrient broth+ sucrose+ urea+ calcium chloride+ antifungal agent(griseofulvin)to heal the existing cracks in the concrete walls. For achieving high 7 days we have made use of bacterial solution in some fixed proportion with water. The 7 days test was performed on 7/12/11 with 5%, 10%, and 15% of the bacterial solution with respective percentage of water. We have gained a significant percentage increase in the strength of the cubes made with bacterial solution with water versus those made with only water Bacteria at work Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is known to be a natural phenomenon associated with a wide range of bacterial species such as Bacillus spp. provided the right conditions, namely, an alkaline environment rich in Ca2+ ions. Bacterially induced mineralization has recently emerged as a method for protecting and consolidating decayed construct materials. Calcite (CaCO3) is one of the most common and widespread minerals on the earth, constituting 4% by weight of the earth’s crust. Calcite precipitation is a common phenomenon which forms natural rock and exists in environments such as marine water, fresh water, and soils. Microbial calcite precipitation can be induced by organisms involved in the nitrogen cycle, via the hydrolysis of urea by enzyme urease, which results in the production of carbonate ions in the presence of ammonium. Calcium carbonate is readily precipitated under these conditions, in the presence of calcium. Microbial calcite precipitation comprises a series of complex biochemical reactions. During microbial urease activity, 1 mol of urea is hydrolyzed intracellularly to 1 mol of ammonia and 1 mol of carbonate, which spontaneously hydrolyzes to form additional 1 mol of ammonia and carbonic acid. Subsequently, these products equilibrate in water to form bicarbonate, 1 mol of ammonium and hydroxide ions which give rise to a pH increase and ions Ca2+ and CO32- present in the surrounding precipitate as CaCO3. Urea hydrolysis is the most easily controlled of the carbonate generating reactions, with the potential to produce high concentrations of carbonate within a short time. Bacillus spp. was used in this study. The culture was grown in Nutrient broth-urea (NBU) medium containing peptone, sodium chloride, yeast extract, 2% urea and 25mM calcium chloride and incubated at room temperature on shaker condition (130 rpm). Calcium chloride acts as the source of calcium ions and urea as the source of carbonate ions. Observations * There is a rise in the compressive strength of the mortar cubes till 5 % bacterial solution. * The strength is reduced when the proportion of bacterial solution is increased up to 10 % and beyond. * The cubes with 15% bacterial solution shows 8 % decrease in strength. * The 1%, 2%, 3% cubes developed less cracks in comparison to control cubes. * The cubes when observed after testing , the control cubes had more number of empty pores. Conclusion * 3% cubes showed an increase in compressive strength of 36 % in comparison to control cubes. * Reduction in empty pore space.(which prevent the ingress of water and other chemicals ) * Bacteria does not have any physical effect on the cement. * Chemically inert. * Bacterial solution can be prepared on a large scale . * No skilled labour is required. * Its production is economical. References * Microbial activity on the microstructure of bacteria modified mortar by S.Ghosh, M.Biswas, B.D. Chattopadhyay, S.Mandal. * Effect of calcifying bacteria on permeation properties of concrete structures by Dr. Varenyam Achal. * Work on BacillaFilla by New Castle University.

Criticisms of Disability Legislation in the UK

Criticisms of Disability Legislation in the UK Do you agree that mentally ill and disabled people are the poor relatives of anti-discriminatory thought and practice? Introduction Disablism and disability The introduction of new legislation against discrimination of disabled people in 2005 marks a temporary milestone in the heated debate on appropriate legislative measures.[1] The last two decades have seen an enormous transformation of anti-discriminatory policy, theoretical and conceptual approach and attempts to solidify these changes in the practices of public life. Arguably the changes have been long overdue, given that antidiscrimination law was hopelessly outdated (1944) and did not reflect the shift in attitudes towards the notions of social justice and inclusion as it affected the relationship between disabled and able-bodied people in society. Whether the most recent proposals for legislative review (2005) redefine the disability agenda in a sufficiently radical manner is debatable. Yet, it seems a shared view in the literature that huge strides have been made towards achieving more equality for disable persons and that the urgency and validity of constant legislative review is recognised by the government. This essay explores the extent to which the changes in law, practice and general attitudes of the public reflect sufficiently the needs of disabled people for adequate recognition of their social, economic and domestic needs in modern society. It will focus mainly on the debate that has taken place in the UK following the first significant changes introduced by parliament in 1995 (under the Major government) and leading up to the last round of public consultation under the Blair government. It will look at three distinct but interrelated fields that seem relevant for a comprehensive answer to the question: first, what are the legislative changes and how did they affect the status and societal position of disabled people in Britain. Second, what policies are currently favoured by the government and local authority effectively addressing the problems that originate in widespread discrimination against disabled persons. And third, what are the conceptual difficulties that underlie the l egal and practical problems with framing the disability agenda in the UK. The aspects one and three will be discussed in the section below, aspect three will be explored in more detail in the last section of this essay. Prior to sketching all three fields of inquiry, however, we need to introduce a concept that has informed more recent critical discussion of discrimination and disability. Disablism is supposed to denote a particular constellation of cultural values, forms of personal prejudice and social constraints that result in severe but often unnoticed types of discriminating behaviour. Outlining the structure and content of discrimination therefore would allow us to identify hidden components of the problem that may escape critical consideration. Disablism attempts to redefine the nature of the various barriers that are discriminatory in character but unrecognised since they are part of habitual human conduct. A sociological critique of disablism would enhance out understanding of the underlying patterns of discrimination. Sociologists speak of PCS which stands for the three elements that make up disablist attitudes in public.[2] Personal prejudice, cultural values and social stratification th at originates in disability and the exclusion of disabled people from mainstream public life. Theorists also highlight the complex interaction between concepts of disability and the capitalist economy which emphasises wage labour and the pursuit of profit.[3] All these various factors act as building blocs for disablism which in turn diminishes the chances of public participation by disabled persons. It fosters an attitude which frames disability as a personal tragedy and de-publicises its impact. Seen as an individual misfortune disablism tends to ignore the social dimension of disability and hence underplays the social and political leverage in alleviating some of the effects of discrimination. It echoes therefore the predominant medical model of disability and rejects any social involvement in rectifying the various instances of discrimination by disabled people. Law and the concept of disability Ever since parliament passed the Disability Discrimination Act in 1995, the criticism by academics and practitioners has focused to a large degree on the legal foundations and the conceptual basis of the legislation. Although the literature is fundamentally critical to the implementation of the Act (henceforth DDA) the bulk of the literature deals with the profound conceptual flaws of the law. Since conceptual and legalistic facets go together and combine to detrimental effects, this section of the essay will explore both aspects together rather than separately. With the ostensible failure of the previous legislation to tackle the problems of discrimination in any consistent fashion, the Major government brought in the new law in 1995 to base anti-discriminatory policies on a updated and more coherent conceptual framework. The shortcomings of this new legislation in the face of numerous challenges for disabled people in modern society however contributed to an almost universal understanding that another consultation process on new legislation was needed and the Blair government anticipates to pass the new DDA this year. The DDA in 1995 marks a significant shift from the original quota requirement to a more regulatory approach which basically emphasises the individual responsibilities of disabled persons in achieving similar status and positions in society. The state acts only as a regulatory body, placing constraints on players in the economic and social domain. This concurs with the broadly liberal theory of society where similar life chanc es are stressed and any bias against irrelevant aspects of individuals are being removed in considering their abilities to function as social agents. In general, the idea is to minimise subjectivity and standardise any decision-making process. Although the various strategies for intervention take place at different stages in the discriminatory process[4], legislation focuses on providing the broader framework within which discriminatory behaviour is identified and possibly prosecuted. Such a liberal notion of individuals and society can accommodate special treatment under certain circumstances for example when equality of opportunity is compromised by the lack of a level playing field. In fact, most of the anti-discrimination legislation of the 1990s has favoured a similar approach and it will be argued later in this essay that such a convergence of approach when dealing with different origins of discrimination is gravely mistaken and enshrines complex conceptual problems into the DDA. (SDA and RRA were drawn up under the Major government and subsequently superseded by more advanced legislation. New legislation on ‘Incitement of racial hatred’ is being debated currently in both houses of parliament. As such the legislative is pretty much in flux). Let us now look at the problems that the DDA has created for disabled persons in the UK. Practitioners and theorists often locate the main dilemma in what they call the medical model of disability which informs the DDA in its current form. They contrast this medical model with a social model which recognises the social dimension of disability and hence widens the fields of societal responsibilities in combating discrimination considerably. Roulstone remarks: ‘The social construction of when harm occurs is entirely central to discussions about the workings and effectiveness of anti-discrimination legislation.’[5] But why is this so? How exactly do the two models differ? Woodhams and Corby outline the problematic nature of the definition of disability in the DDA. The statutory definition identifies somebody as disabled who has ‘a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term edverse effect on his [sic] ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.’[6] The core problem with this definition extends to three areas. First, it attributes disability to a form of impairment, second, it contrasts disability against a norm of human behaviour which asserts a complete and paradigmatic functioning of body and brain, and third, it articulates a benchmark for validating disability by introducing the notion of substantiality and long-term affliction.[7] The medical model thus contributes to a certain bias in evaluating the severity of the disability by (a) assuming that disability supposes a lack of ability which spills over into a lack of functioning ‘normally’. It thus presupposes normality as a criterion while failing to define it accurately. The definition enshrines a picture of difference between people who suffer from a disability and those who do not. Impairment becomes tantamount to ‘abnormality’ which is thought to derive from a personal tragedy not to be able to perform certain activities .[8] Consequently this medical model asserts (b) the need to assist and help the disabled person and therefore often exacerbates the tendencies for patronising or as Woodhams puts it, ‘the impaired individual remains subservient to the teams of ‘disability experts’ charged with ‘helping’, ‘rectifying’ (pitying and patronising) them.’[9] In contrast the social model which some theorists advocate as reflecting more accurately the social dimension of any disability, suggests that the origin of any disability lies in the perception of difference that is prompted by notions of normality. Hence, any anti-discrimination strategy must take into account the cultural values and social construction of normality upon which discriminatory behaviour is built. Woodhams writes: ‘As a result, the territory of ‘correction’ becomes society and the environment, rather than the person with the impairment.’[10] Recognising the role of socialisation and perception are central for any serious programme for change. Some theorists even go further and argue that although the social model widens the field of anti-discriminatory policies and correctly acknowledges the responsibility of social attitudes in discrimination against disabled people, it still lacks recognition of another vital element in debasing or derogatory practice. Even the social model, they note, excludes that group of people who may be subject to discriminatory conduct simply because they are being associated with a disabled person or because they are perceived to be disabled.[11] Additionally, there is a lack to have appreciation for discrimination that ‘may be based on other people’s fears of contracting illness’[12] such as HIV. In general the DDA fails to acknowledge the varied and complex nature of disabilities and therefore also falls short in grasping the multifaceted character of discriminatory behavi our. Woodhams concludes: ‘Disability†¦is frequently invisible, indecipherable and unstable.’[13] With respect to the way in which the legislator has framed the notion of disability various problems arise. The essay will summarily point to some but will not be able to explore them comprehensively and in detail. The current practice in employment tribunals (henceforth: ET) illustrates some of the crucial shortcomings of the DDA. ET very often lack the expertise to deal with the complex issues that are involved in disability litigation. The small number of cases (only 2% of ET cases deal with infringement of rights by disabled persons) means that there will be no radical change in this situation and ET personnel will for a long time coming still work under conditions of insufficient medical proficiency. Since the DDA clearly locates the burden of proof with the disabled person, claimants often have to procure (frequently heavily contested) medical evidence, a process which is costly and often prohibitive given the divergence of medical assessment and the vagueness of thresholds of ‘impairments’ in defining disability. In effect, it is noted in the literature that a remarkable gap between the legal stipulation and the practical application of the DDA by human resources has already opened up. Human resources personnel often apply the DDA intuitively and therefore come closer to recognition of impairment than medical experts, consequently undermining the strict and rigorous application of the law.[14] In practice, it seems also customary to ignore the impact of environmental factors which often contribute to the development and persistence of a disability, while hidden aspects of disabilities are failed to be recognised routinely. Sociologists also point out that the DDA places the claimant in a position where decision-making power is firmly located in the hands of defendants. Successful claims are therefore extremely rare, even when taking into account the number of out of court settlements. The DDA works with an underdeveloped notion of judicial harm as well as constructs formidable hurdles when it comes to defining the nature and origins of harm. This often diminishes the confidence of claimants to articulate grievances and contributes to the fact that many unseen or contested impairments are underrepresented in claims. Effectively the success rate of disability litigation is very low, ‘not because treatment less favourable is not established, but because specific legal tests are not met.’[15] The absence of legal aid in many cases exacerbates the problem for disabled persons who feel their rights have been infringed upon and, consequently many practitioners and theorists propose to introduce a set of prima facie criteria which would make it easier for claimants to get a particular impairment acknowledged. Such a set of criteria would also ensure that an unambiguous acknowledgment of rights and their possible infringement would be easier to obtain in particular cases. The small amount of compensation and the small number of successful cases for such compensation in ET indicates that the DDA still failed to define a clear benchmark for discriminatory behaviour.[16] Some sociologists have gone as far as characterising the DDA as being grounded ‘on profoundly social meanings masquerading as pure realms of law.’[17] We do not need to share this slightly Marxist criticism of the DDA to recognise that the current law is heavily biased against disabled victims of discrimination and rests on incoherent conceptual framework. Policy and Discrimination Most policies initiated by the government after the introduction of the DDA in 1995 focuses on the barriers disabled people face in public life and employment. The inbuilt bias of the DDA against disabled persons is exemplified neatly by the underlying motivation for incorporating disabled persons into the competitive labour market. Although participation in the first labour market is as such a desirable intention, it is widely suspected that the government’s motivation to push this agenda forward has more to do with decreasing expenditure than improving the quality of life for disabled people.[18] It is equally regrettable that for comparative purposes there is still no reliable data on the various groups of disabled people across Europe. The reason why this may be important in the future is that the European Union has, after an initial period of hesitation, become a main driver in anti-discriminatory legislation which has full application in the UK. As the EU becomes a more proactive player in the field and begins to formulate policies that are implemented on a European scale, the conflicts between national and European legislation creates problems. Hvinden uses the concepts of crowded and vacant policy fields to distinguish between those policy areas that are likely to creatively absorb new legislation from the EU and those that are not. He argues that, in addition to various disability legislation, anti-discrimination policies often have to take into account that victims are subject not simply to singular dimensions of discrimination but that attempts to discriminate against others are often motivated by concepts of normality which rests on multiple aspects of human existence. For example, discrimination against disabled people can carry significant elements of gendered behaviour, which anti-discriminatory practice must recognise to be effective.[19] The policy instruments available to European governments differ widely amongst the member states, but there seems to be a sort of convergence emerging when it comes to what Hvinden calls the rights and opportunity discourse.[20] Although this is something that the DDA failed to appreciate in all its complexity, practitioners have gradually come to understand this dimension as the inevitable core of anti-discriminatory strategy in the field of disability. As the European Commission redefines its role in the fight against discrimination, national governments are gently pushed towards a notion that equal opportunities for disabled people should occupy the heart of any future legislation. While the DDA was still far removed from stipulating full active citizenship and participation in public life as the main objective and following this up with effective policy implementation, the increasing involvement of European lawmakers in this field may exert considerable weight to such an agenda.[ 21] Much depends on the future decisions of the European Court of Justice and the articulation of legal competence by this body.[22] Conclusion The DDA was clearly based on a flawed definition of disability, resting it on the medical model which made it difficult for disabled persons to articulate the social dimension of any disability. Policies that were supposed to combat discrimination against disabled people were thus misdirected and neglected the cultural and social component in discriminatory behaviour. Although since 1995, the need for further and more sophisticated legislation is almost universally recognised, the current proposals for consultation must place the social construction of disability at the heart of the debate if it wants to avoid similarly misguided policies and ineffective strategies to combat discrimination. Bibliography Bjoern Hvinden. The Uncertain Convergence of Disability Policies in Western Europe, in Social Policy and Administration, Vol. 37, No.6, December 2003, pp.609-624. Carol Woodhams and Susan Corby. Defining Disability in Theory and Practice: A Critique of the British Disability Discrimination Act 1995, in Journal for Social Policy. Vol. 32, No.2, pp.159-178. Alan Roulstone. The Legal Road to Rights? Disabling Premises, Obiter Dicta and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, in Disability and Society, Vol. 18, No.2, 2003, pp.117-131. Liz Sayce. Beyond Good Intentions. Making Anti-Discrimination Strategies Work, in Disability and Society. Vol.18, No.5, August 2003, pp.625-642. Neil Thompson. Anti-Discriminatory Practice. Second Edition. Basingstoke: MacMillan 1997. Rights of People with Intellectual Disabilities. Access to Education and Employment. Monitoring Report United Kingdom. Budapest: Open Society Institute 2005. 1 Footnotes [1] For an overview of legislation cf. Rights of People with Intellectual Disabilities. Access to Education and Employment. Monitoring Report United Kingdom. Budapest: Open Society Institute 2005, pp.51-58. [2] Neil Thompson. Anti-Discriminatory Practice. Second Edition. Basingstoke: MacMillan 1997, p.107-109. [3] Thompson, Practice, p.108. [4] Liz Sayce. Beyond Good Intentions. Making Anti-Discrimination Strategies Work, in Disability and Society. Vol.18, No.5, August 2003, p.633. [5] Alan Roulstone. The Legal Road to Rights? Disabling Premises, Obiter Dicta and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, in Disability and Society, Vol. 18, No.2, 2003, p.122. [6] quoted in Carol Woodhams and Susan Corby. Defining Disability in Theory and Practice: A Critique of the British Disability Discrimination Act 1995, in Journal for Social Policy. Vol. 32, No.2, p.163. [7] Woodhams, Defining Disability, p.163. [8] Woodhams, Defining Disability, p. 164 [9] Woodhams, Defining Disability, p.164. [10] Woodhams, Defining Disability, p.164. [11] Woodhams, Defining Disability, p.164. [12] Woodhams, Defining Disability, p.165. [13] Woodhams, Defining Disability, p.165. [14] Woodhams, Defining Disability, p.168. [15] Roulstone, Legal Road, p.124. [16] Roulstone, Legal Road, p.126. [17] Roulstone, Legal Road, p.129. [18] Bjoern Hvinden. The Uncertain Convergence of Disability Policies in Western Europe, in Social Policy and Administration, Vol. 37, No.6, December 2003, p.616. [19] Hvinden, Convergence, p. 612. [20] Hvinden, Convergence, pp.617-618. [21] Hvinden, Convergence, p.620. [22] Hvinden, Convergence, p.624.

Rabies :: Biology Medical Disease Rabies

Rabies Rabies virus belongs to the Lyssavirus family in which all the members are animal viruses mainly found in bats and are of a bullet-like shape. The virus is usually spread through bites or scratches. Rabies was first suspected in bats in Brazil during the 1910s. In 1931, it was diagnosed for the first time in Trinidad. Rabies is most common in Asia and found more in wild animals than in domestic animals or humans. There has only been one person who miraculously survived rabies even though she had never been previously exposed to it. Rabies virus belongs to the order Mononegavirales, and within this group, it falls into the Rhabdoviridae family because of its shape. This family includes three genera of animal viruses: Lyssavirus, Ephemerovirus, and Vesiculovirus. The genus Lyssavirus includes the rabies virus and other viruses that are mainly found in bats. The Rabies virus has a distinct bullet-like shape. The length of the virus structure is of about 180 nm with a cross-sectional diameter of about 75nm. Like a bullet, one end of the virus is rounded and the other end is planar or concave. The genome encodes 5-proteins: nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein (P), matrix protein (M), glycoprotein (G), and polymerase (L). The two major structural components of viruses like rabies that fall under the rhabdoviruses family are: a helical ribonucleoprotein core (RNP) and a surrounding envelope. Rabies is an RNA virus. The arrangements of the five proteins and the RNA genome determine the structure of the rabies virus. The genome is a single-stranded, non-segmented, RNA of about 12kb that is followed by the five proteins. The rabies virus is usually spread through bites or scratches, abrasions, or through open wounds in the skin when saliva (and in certain conditions, the urine) from an infected animal that makes contact with the open flesh. The virus-induced, aggressive biting-behavior in the infected animal, along with the viral budding into the salivary glands, maximize the chances of viral infection to a new host. Rabies has been around for many years causing the deaths of animals as well as humans. During the 1910s, rabies in bats was suspected in Brazil. In 1931, it was definitively diagnosed for the first time in Trinidad in Latin America. Since 1985, bats have been the main rabies reservoirs identified. Bats are, and have been, the number one source of infection for the cases diagnosed in domestic animals every year. Recently in 2001, forty-nine U.S.

Pulp Fiction Narrative :: essays research papers

Pulp Fiction is a controversial film, written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, in 1994. It has almost everything you could wish for in a movie; drama, hilarity, intensity, action, thrills, fun, intelligence, romance, intimacy, over-the-top bravado, vulgarity, sweetness, humor, and soul-searching. The film is very raw and brutal, but has a unique sense of style that keeps the viewers entertained. It will build its way up gradually to an incredibly intense scene, before dropping down to a relatively calm, only to build back up again a few scenes later. This goes on throughout the entire course of the film, pummeling the viewer from one scenario to another. In Pulp Fiction we see how Vincent (John Travolta) and the dealer are bringing Mia (Uma Thurman) back to life, after she had an overdose. In a medium shot the dealer explains to Vincent what to do. While the dealer is counting to three, the camera zooms into even tighter close ups of Vincent and Mia's face, the needle where the adrenaline is dribbling off, and the dealer and his pierced girlfriend's face. This effect is used to show how nervous the dealer is, how much his pierced girlfriend enjoys this spectacle, and how afraid Vincent is. The spectator is able to identify with all these emotions. According to the feminist film theorist, Laura Mulvey, one of the most important pleasures of the classical narrative is identification. This is send to occur when the spectator narcissistically identifies with an idealized figure on screen, typically a male hero whose actions determine the narrative, in a process that recapitulates the discovery of the image of oneself in the mirror phase. For the scene just discussed, the idealized figure is Vincent, whom the spectators personally identifies with. Then, to even increase the tension of this extraordinary scene, the camera zooms into the place where the needle has to push in, while there is no noise at all. As Vincent pushes the needle down, the camera shows Mia's opening eyes in a close up shot, while the diegetic sound of the needle stabbed in her heart makes us believe that we have seen the crucial moment. The graphic violence of how the needle is pushed into her heart is again elliptical. In a medium shot we then see Mia screaming. Nevertheless, Quentin Tarantino's films show plenty of violence. In Pulp Fiction there is for example a homosexual rape, the hit-men killing their victims, and a man having his head accidentally shot off in a car.

Sending Technology Back in Time :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Sending Technology Back in Time The hot sun was shining high in the sky, as wind picked up dirt and threw it through the air. A tall, dark haired man stepped carefully behind a wooden plow. The animal that pulled the wooden, manmade creation was a shaggy, dark-gray donkey. The field is approximately two acres, and will probably take from sunrise to sunset to plow. In the distance, a brown horse and buggy slowly move along a flat dirt road. The long and tedious trip to the nearest town will take all day. John, the man guiding the plow, will have to take the same journey in a few days. For the most part, John is able to stay on the farm and perform daily tasks. The farm is self-sufficient. The lives of John and his family are devoted to taking care of the farm; without it, they would have nothing. Days are long on the farm and the five children that are old enough work a full day. The oldest children help in the fields with the plowing or planting. The younger children help with the simpler tasks and the two youngest run and play. The work is laborious and time consuming, and John's body aches after each day of work. The setting sun in the west tells John that it will soon be time to stop. When the only light that revealed any of the outside world was from the small glow of a gas lantern, John finally called it quits. Glad that the day was over, he headed back in the house. Dinner was already on the table, and all the kids were seated around it, hands and faces washed. John's wife, Anne, spent nearly the whole day preparing the meal of foods that were all acquired from their farm. When all the food was cleared from the plates, John headed to bed. He dreamed of little, knowing that all he had to wake up to the next morning was more work. As the sun began to creep through the blinds of the windows, a loud, obnoxious beep rang through his room. John woke with a jump to find that the noise was coming from a small box with a clock face on the front. The beeping continued until, John was finally able to find the off switch. The sound was still ringing in his ears, as he took a glance around his room.

Infection control Essay

1.1 Bacteria are one celled micro-organisms that get their nutrients fro their environment to live eg: The human body. Bacteria causes infections and can reproduce either inside or outside the body. Viruses are pieces of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) wrapped in a thin coat of protein. Viruses need to be inside living cells to grow and reproduce. They do not survive long unless they are inside a living thing eg: person, plant or animal. This is called a host. Fungi are multi celled plant like organisms. They can not make their own food, instead getting their nutrition from plants, people and animals. Parasites may be protozoa, yeasts or multi cellular organisms like fungi or worms, that live inside or on their host to obtain nourishment without providing any benefit to their host. 1.2 Bacterial infections – sore throats (tonsillitis, strep throat), ear infections, pneumonia Viral infections – Chickenpox, Measles, Flu, HIV Fungal infections – Athletes foot, Thrush Parasitical infections – Scabies, Malaria, Legionnaires Disease, Dysentery, Ring Worm 1.3 Infection begins when an organism successfully ‘colonises’ by entering the body, growing and multiplying. 1.4 Localised infection is an infection that is in a specific part or region of the body, while Systemic infection in one that affects the whole body, usually travelling by blood or lymph. 1.5 Inadequate hand washing, not wearing PPE, not following proper food preparation guidelines, lack of risk assessments, and staff not following procedures and incorrect disposal of waste are all poor practises that may lead to the spread of infection. OUTCOME 2 UNDERSTAND THE TRANSMITION OF INFECTION 2.1 Most micro-organisms require food, warmth, moisture, oxygen and time in orger to grow and multiply. 2.2 An infective agent my enter the body by inhalation, ingestion or sexual transmition. The infective agent may enter on the hand or other parts of the body where there are cuts or sores or broken skin. 2.3 Common sources of infection can include direct skin to skin contact, body fluids, human waste and blood. Droplets can be produced by coughing or sneezing and be carried through the air or dust. Infections can also be carried in water or with via contact with animals. 2.4 Transmition of infective agents can be direct, for example person to person, or indirect eg: by water, food, animals or in the air. 2.5 Key factors that make infection more likely are if someone has low immunity, s in young babies, children or the elderly, People who already have low immunity because of other health problems, or if you have open cuts or wounds and come in to contact with an infected person.

Boy Band Bash

Remember New Edition? You know you do.. the â€Å"Mr. Telephone Man† song.. Bobby Brown and those kooky guys known as Bell Biv and DeVoe.. I know you remember the late 80's.. 1988, 89. New Kids On The Block were like, the boy band du jour. But alas, the 90's rolled around and heavier grunge music like Nirvana and Soundgarden, as well as a heavier, edgier rap such as Ice Cube and Snoop Doggy Dog took over the music scene.. Thus ends our tale Somewhere along the lines, while rap and R&B maintained their power, rock music lost a bit of theirs, letting pop music creep back into the scene. I suppose that the Spice Girls can carry some blame for that by being the first pop group to get out there, and while there are a couple of Spice Girl clones, they aren't as prevalent as the boy bands that followed. 1998 had unleashed a torrent of boy bands on the US, many of whom spent time in Europe to start a cult following. The following is a run down of the Boy Bands that have left Unless you've been living under a rock, the Orlando based group, Backstreet Boys reigned supreme as the top Boy Band in 1998. With the top selling album in 1998 behind Titanic, the Backstreet Boys have just released a new album and are planning a second world tour. The band enjoyed 4 top 10 singles in 1998, including â€Å"As Long as You Love Me†, â€Å"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)†, â€Å"I'll Never Break You Heart†, and â€Å"Quit Playing Games (With my Heart)†. Their world tour pulled in $10 million. The middle of 1998 brought a lawsuit between the band and Lou Pearlman. While the details of the settlement has not been released, it resulted in the dismissal of their management team, Donna & Johnny Wright, with Lou Pearlman being named a partner with the Backstreet Boys for 1/6 of the action. Pearlman's Trans-Continental Records is still in legal entanglements with the Backstreet Boys's label, Jive/Zomba. This may or may not be one of the reasons why Trans-Continental began promoting ‘N Sync, a replica of the Backstreet Boys, more aggressively For better or for worse, the fans are happy that ‘N Sync, another Orlando based band, left their mark in 1998. With their self titled album the 22nd topselling album of the year (with 4 million albums sold since it's release last March), and Top Ten Christmas album, the group is also enjoying the success of three top ten singles, â€Å"Tearin' Up My Heart†, â€Å"I Want You Back†, and â€Å"(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time On You†. Their current single, â€Å"I Drive Myself Crazy†, is climbing the charts. Their success proves that there's plenty of love (and money) to go around at the top of the music chart. Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync's album have switched positions in the top many times in the last months of 1998. Not to be left out, the original managers for the Spice Girls have formed another group, Five. With top selling singles, â€Å"When The Lights Go Out† and â€Å"Everybody Get Up†, the five lads from England wandered into the U. S. st October. While the reception has been warm, their success in Europe will keep them in the the limelight for an aggressive promotion Breaking away from the pre-packaged format of boy bands, 98 Degrees, like ‘N Sync, packaged themself and went in search of management. The band snuck backstage at a Boyz II Men concert and the result was a manager in the form of Paris D'Jon. With their first album behind them, 1998 had these Ohio native recording â€Å"True to Your Heart† for Disney's Mulan. At the end of 1998, they released their second album, â€Å"98 Degrees and Rising†. The band is now embarking on their summer tour with their Top 10 single, â€Å"Because of You†, leading the way. One of the most popular boy band in the U. K. has barely made a mark in the United States. Despite a million dollar campaign last August, the group has barely touched the U. S. Billboard charts. Boyzone is one of the oldest, both in term of longevity and age of the members, of the boy bands. However, the designation may be a misnomer. All of the guys are all over 26, and one of whom has a son. The fact that they don't quite fit into the cookie cutter mold of a boy and may be the reason they haven't done as well in the U. S. The more likely reason, though, is that the label doesn't quite know how to pigeonhole Boyzone into their carefully constructed While most of the current crop of boy bands have been around for several years (even if U. S. fans haven't heard of them until now), the recording industry is preparing for the future; hoping the trend can sustain itself. The trend has so far been proven successful, Joey McIntyre and Jordon Knight, who previously where a part of New Kids On The Block, have recently became hits. Also, former Mannuedo star, Ricky Martin has rose again with his smash hit, â€Å"Livin La Vida Loca. 1999 will prove to be an interesting year, as the industry watch to see if the Meanwhile fans continue to flock to sold out shows to see their favorite members of the Backstreet Boys or ‘N Sync. Teenagers driven by hormones into their first crush, enjoy collecting pictures of their favorite members. Is this a plan to brainwash teenage girls into buying millions of CD's, created by Lou Pearlman, king of Boy Bands? Just like how many licks it takes to get to the bottom of the Tootsie Pop, â€Å"The World May Never Know. â€Å"

Criticism Philosophy Essay

Not too many people can listen none defensively, or none antagonistically, to criticism. And very few of those who listen admit it when they see that they are wrong. The thing is, we think that admission of guilt, or of being wrong, or that we have made a mistake, is a sign of weakness. Yet true failure is repeatedly refusing to see your faults. Learning to listen to criticism is a life skill that we’d all do well to master. It is about keeping our hearts open (deferring judgment), and ensuring that we are not emotionally aroused (intimidated, irritated, etc.) by our critic (this is deferring reaction). Learning to listen to criticism is about carefully absorbing what is being said, and then honestly evaluating if it is fair, true, constructive or destructive. Only after we’ve carefully listened to and evaluated the criticism can we respond to it. SECTION B: HOW TO TAKE CRITICISM 1). See criticism as an opportunity to work together with the critic to solve the problem; not as an adversarial situation. Even if you can’t solve the problem together with the critic, consider the moment they criticize you as an opportunity for all of you to grow from whatever the problem is. See it as an opportunity for straightening things out; as an opportunity to hear them out, question them where you need clarity; and as an opportunity for you to clarify what needs to be clarified. This calls for changing your mindset; for changing your attitude (from an adversarial one to a positive one) towards criticism. 2). View criticism as valuable information about how to do better, not as a personal attack. Criticism, regardless of whether it is used as a constructive or a destructive tool, can provide us with valuable feedback on our performance. It provides us with feedback on where we’ve fallen short, and that (i.e., knowing what we need to improve on) is important for our learning and growth. So even when your critic uses criticism as a destructive tool (e.g., as a personal attack, or as a way to put you down, or as a way to manipulate you, or as a way to maintain a psychological advantage), identify his intention but decide to pay particular attention to the criticism itself. Evaluate the criticism itself, and identify what feedback you may get from it. To be able to evaluate the criticism, you must †¦ 3). Listen carefully to what is being said. This is taking up all the data, and evaluating it to see if it has any validity. 4). Watch the impulse to defend (See Defense Mechanisms): Just listen and evaluate. Know the difference between emotional thinking and rational thinking; use your head, not your heart. Don’t give in to your emotions (be it laughter, anger, fear, or whatever): simply listen! 5). And if the criticism is too upsetting, ask to resume the meeting later; after a period to absorb the difficult message, and cool down a bit. SECTION C: HOW TO GIVE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM 1). BE POLITE AND SENSITIVE. This is a call for empathy; for being attuned to the impact of what you say, and how you say it to the person on the receiving end. The person (on the receiving end) is most likely to be defensive. S/he may resort to loud and angry words, or may even cry. Be ready for whatever reaction (including rebuffs, or attacks to hurt you back; breaking down into tears; begging you for forgiveness and sympathy; and so on. There is a whole catalog of reactions to criticism: be ready for any of them, and maintain your calm). 2). BE SPECIFIC. Don’t criticize the whole person (by using global labels or sweeping generalizations). It is demoralizing for people to know that there is something wrong without knowing what the specifics are, so that they can change. Focus on the specifics; saying what the person did well, what was done poorly, and how the situation could be changed. The following approach is very effective (I call it the VWXYZ-approach): V – Tell the person what they did well (â€Å"You did this and that very well.†); W – Tell the person how happy you are, and/or how beneficial to you (or to the organization) this positive input was; X – Tell the person what was poorly done; Y – Tell the person what the damage means to you (or to the organization); Z – Give the person suggestions, if you have any, as to how the situation can be changed or rescued. Tell them how they would be expected to handle a similar problem in future. 3). OFFER A SOLUTION (See Z above). The critique, like any useful feedback, should point to a way to fix the problem. Show the person other possibilities and alternatives. 4). BE PRESENT. Critiques, like praise, are most effective when given face to face, and in private. Writing a memo, letter, or email robs the person receiving the criticism of an opportunity for response or clarification. In conclusion, you have to differentiate between criticizing someone and fighting them because of your own secret agenda. When you criticize, you want the person to improve, so that s/he can be better, or so that you can live in harmony together. But when you fight someone, you criticize out of hate or resentment: your agenda is to hurt, not to help. SECTION D: THE MYTH OF REALITY We all see reality through different colored glasses. Our feelings, inborn abilities, psychological make-ups, personalities, egos, characteristics, physical or emotional well-being, fears, desires, needs, wants, beliefs, and so forth, all play a role in our perception of reality. The assertion, †THERE ARE NONE SO SURE ABOUT (THEIR PERCEPTION OF) REALITY AS THOSE WHO ARE TOTALLY DELUSIONAL,† has a grain of truth in it; at least when it comes to things that can be disputed. Since our perceptions of reality differ, those who criticize us do so based on the perceptions (of reality) that they have in their minds. Our critics’ perception of the reality of what they are criticizing us of usually differs from ours. If one perception can be demonstrated to be 100% correct, then those on the wrong side of perception should admit that they are wrong, without any fear of being conceived as weak! The real truth is that admitting that you are wrong (when you realize that you are) is a sign of being strong minded. If, as in many cases, none of the various perceptions of the conflict-causing situation can be demonstrated to be 100% correct, then we should acknowledge that our perceptions are different, and simply agree to disagree. Before you criticize someone, be sure that your own perception of reality is 100% correct. If you are not so sure, be sure to point out from the onset that you (and the one you are criticizing) have different perceptions of reality, but you are not sure whose perception is correct. You may then criticize the other person’s perception, and then defend your own. SECTION E: TYPES OF CRITICISM Behind each criticism, there is an INTENTION to either put down the one being criticized or to help them (i.e., to build them up). Whether one intends to build up or to destroy, they will use STATEMENTS which are either FACTUAL, or FALSE, or (as is usually the case) a MIXTURE of TRUTHS and LIES. To analyze and evaluate someone’s criticism, we have to LISTEN very carefully to what they say. If we are not sure that we have heard them correctly, we have to SEEK CLARIFICATION. We have to: I). IDENTIFY THEIR INTENTIONS (to help or to put down); II). DETERMINE THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY CRITICIZE US (are they patronizing/condescending/adversarial or tactful/sympathetic/building up?); III). DETERMINE WHETHER THEIR INFORMATION IS ACCURATE OR WRONG. We must SEPARATE FACT FROM FICTION. We now look at the different types of criticism. 1. CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM This occurs when your critic is motivated by the desire to help you; that is, when the person who criticizes you means well. Their manner of presenting the criticism may be good or bad, and they may possess facts, or a mixture of facts and fiction, or only inaccurate information. But the important thing is what drives the critic is the desire to help you. 2. DESTRUCTIVE CRITICISM In this kind of criticism, your critic’s intention may be one or more of the following: 2.1). PUTTING YOU DOWN. This may be in the form of a pointless nagging, or habitual recitation of your failures, or calling you names when they criticize you, or making sweeping generalizations; 2.2). ONE-UPMANSHIP. This occurs when one tries to maintain a psychological advantage over you, or to prove that they are better than you; 2.3). MANIPULATION. The critic may criticize what you are doing in an attempt to get you to do something else. This is often called CHILD PSYCHOLOGY. o SECTION F: RESPONDING TO CRITICISM There are two ways of responding to criticism; one is Ineffective Response, and the other is Effective Response. 1. INEFFECTIVE RESPONSE STYLES These are: 1.1). AGGRESSIVE STYLE. The techniques used include: – Counter Attacks; – Insulting or name-calling; – Loud Denials; – Mocking (Cynicism); and – Sulking in anger. This style of responding to criticism is adversarial, and often leads to fights and/or resentment. 1.2). PASSIVE STYLE. In this style of response to criticism, you agree, apologize, or surrender at the first sign of (a usually destructive) criticism. You may panic and tremble physically. Or you may remain silent in a coward manner (which is different from sulking angrily). In this response style, you give your critic too much power, while sending your own self-esteem crashing rock-bottom. You do not seek clarity, and you do not even try to defend yourself. You do not try to give clarity, even where you feel you have been misunderstood, or wrongly accused. You may even take responsibility/blame for things that you have not done or said. Your fear overpowers you, and you just wish to be left in peace! 1.3). PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE STYLE. This may involve being silent, but not fully cooperative. Or you may respond passively by apologizing and agreeing to change, only to get even with your critic later; by not being fully committed to whatever you promised; or by botching it up; etc. 2. EFFECTIVE RESPONSE I). TRY TO DETERMINE YOUR CRITIC’S PERCEPTION OF REALITY. When someone criticizes you, ask yourself what may be their perception of reality; ask yourself what may be driving him/her to criticize you. Remember that we all see reality through different colored glasses. Resist all urges to respond (aggressively or passively, through panicking or being submissive) before evaluating the criticism. If you are not sure what your critic’s perception of reality is, and if you are allowed to, ask them (See III below). If you are not in a position to ask them directly, evaluate their criticism; for you may get, from the criticism itself, an idea of what your critic’s perception of reality is. In any case, it is important to be sure of what your critic’s perception of reality is. II). EVALUATE THE CRITICISM. It may be possible to tell from your critic’s tone of voice, from their facial expression, or from their posture, what their intentions of criticizing you are. It may be possible to tell this from context (this applies especially when you get a written critique). It is important to IDENTIFY what your critic’s INTENTIONS are. Whilst evaluating your critic’s criticism, do not jump into conclusions, and do not rush to responding. Forget your self-esteem, and concentrate exclusively on the criticism. – As already mentioned, you first have to identify your critic’s perception of whatever they are criticizing you of. – Next, identify the critic’s intention: Do they wish to build up or to destroy/hurt? Is their criticism constructive or destructive? – Next, determine the manner in which the critic gives the criticism: is it good or bad? Are they patronizing/condescending, or are they considerate of your own feelings? Hear their tone. Do they want to help or hassle? – You may also take into consideration your relationship with the critic. Is it a loved one? Is it your boss or superior? Is it a friend? Or is it someone who doesn’t even know you that much? Whatever the case, you want to live in harmony with the critic; but you also want to correct misconceptions. You want to clear the air, and clarify what needs to be clarified. – Check whether the criticism is accurate. Is the critic using facts, a mixture of truths and lies, or only lies? III). PROBE. As already pointed out in I), when someone criticizes you, they have a certain perception of what they are criticizing you of, and it is your right to be sure that you correctly understand what they say. – Ask your critic to be specific; not to make sweeping generalizations. – Ask him to support his claims. – Ask him whether he is sure of what he is saying. – Ask him what his perception of the situation is, and whether he is sure that his perception is correct. – Ask him to give examples of where you went wrong, and to tell you how you should have performed in those instances. – Ask your critic to tell you exactly What you must do. Having probed the critic, and having evaluated his criticism, decide whether his criticism is constructive or destructive; decide whether his manner of presenting the criticism is good (considerate) or bad (patronizing/condescending); and whether the information he uses is accurate, inaccurate, or a mixture of truths and lies. We now give guidelines on how to respond to (constructive and destructive) criticism. 2.1 HOW TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. Depending on your critic’s nature, he may couch his constructive criticism in terms of good suggestions for change, or he may patronize you. However well-meaning someone may be, patronizing and/or condescending (which occurs when someone tries to appear better) is bad, and is likely to provoke an adversarial reaction. This is because when someone is patronizing us, we are bound to feel uncomfortable, and we may give in to impulsive negative reactions. So even when your critic has good intentions, the MANNER of GIVING the CRITICISM may spoil it all (See â€Å"HOW TO GIVE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM† in ‘CRITICISM PHILOSOPHY I’). In criticizing you, your critic will use some statements which are true or false, and/or some statements whose truth values may be unknown. He may have accurate or wrong information. – If, in criticizing you constructively, your critic uses accurate information, or facts, to patronize you, or uses facts in a condescending manner, you may acknowledge the truth or validity of his point(s), but point out that his patronizing (or attempts at appearing better) is spoiling or defeating his good purpose (i.e., to help). – If your critic puts his (accurate) information in a good manner, acknowledge the facts and thank him for pointing them out. Tell him that you are going to consider his points. – If your critic’s information is inaccurate, you may correct him. Thank him for trying to help if his manner is good; but if, in addition to using wrong information, your critic’s manners suck, tell him that not only is his information inaccurate but his patronizing or condescending is really uncalled for. – If your critic uses a mixture of facts and lies, acknowledge the facts (and give thanks for them), and correct misconceptions. 2.2 HOW TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO DESTRUCTIVE CRITICISM Let’s now suppose that you have determined, to your satisfaction, that your critic’s intention is not to help you, but: to put you down; or to maintain a psychological advantage over you; or to manipulate you. As in the constructive case, your critic will use some statements; some of which may be true, whilst others may be false. In handling such a critic, simply acknowledge what is true and refute what is a lie. Disprove what needs to be disproved, and state your opinion on what is neither here nor there. It is important not to pick a fight, but to concentrate on the criticism.

Career Development Plan Part I Essay

The purpose of this Job analysis is in response to the current merger facing InterClean Incorporated and its employees. Welcoming this opportunity and supporting changes on this Journey is encouraged. This report will explain the Job analysis, describe the workforce planning system, identify the selection method, and the chosen employees. Job Analysis for new Salesperson Positions in InterClean Job Analysis Methods: The combination of the Job performance and interview method could help InterClean design the qualifications and primary functions for the new sales position. The Job erformance method is well suited for the development of tests and interviews as well as the design of performance appraisals and training. Interviews can be a integral part of the analysis as the company endeavors to use the information to create Job description and study Job evaluations. The observation method would also be beneficial because direct exposure to Jobs can provide a richer, deeper understanding of Job requirements than workers’ descriptions of what they do. Main job duties and specifications: 0 Maintain a thorough comprehension of company products, services, and rocesses. This will help in knowing how to satisfy the customers’ needs and requests. OPerforms routine and regular follow up with potential clients and former clients. Establish and maintain outstanding customer services, which is geared for long lasting relationships with clients. Responsible for locating and establishing new leads. 0 Convince new leads that InterClean can outperform their current full cleaning services by providing efficient, timely, quality, and expeditious services. 0 Obtain a minimum of two new contracts per personnel per year. Workforce Planning System A successful workforce planning system helps to anticipate future business and environmental demands on an organization, and to provide qualified people to fulfill that business and satisfy those demands. It consists of: 0 Set company’s Strategic Direction 0 How many and what types of Jobs are needed in order to meet the performance objectives of the organization? 0 How will Interclean develop worker skills? 0 What strategies should Interclean use to retain these skills? Conduct workforce analysis 0 Analyze employees and determine current workforce profile; number of mployees, skill assessments, salary, workforce diversity 0 Analyze and develop future workforce profile 0 Develop strategies, which include the programs, policies, and practices that assist in recruiting, developing, and retaining the critical staff needed to achieve sales goals. 0 Identify the workforce needed to carry out the mission of InterClean Selection There will be six new positio ns to fill by someone from Interclean or Envirotech. The Outside Sales Representatives. The employee selection is the â€Å"process of collecting and evaluating information about an individual in order to extend an offer of mployment. † Employee selection is part of the overall staffing process of the organization, which also includes human resource (HR) planning, recruitment, and retention activities. Human resource planning will assist InterClean with identifying the necessary required knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for each position. Then it will be compared to the anticipated availability of the personnel from InterClean and Envirotech. Once that is determined, the positions will be filled using the mental ability and validity generalization tests. The different types of mental bility tests that would be most beneficial include: Measures of general intelligence Verbal, nonverbal, and numerical skills Spatial relations ability (the ability to visualize the effects of manipulating or changing the position of objects) Reasoning, and comprehension Clerical aptitudes (perceptual speed tests), and Inductive reasoning (the ability to draw general conclusions on the basis of specific facts) (Cascio, 2005). Results using Mental Ability Tests 0 Jim Martin- VP of Sales; He is knowledgeable with the products and industry, herefore, he would have easier time in accommodating customer requests. His reputation validates that he knows how to interact with customers and handle situations in a professional manner. Follows through with goals and knows how to implement with success. 0 Susan Burnt- OIS Sales Rep- She has been with the company for a while so it shows she has dedication and a lot of experience with understanding different departments of the company. Her experience with each department she worked in shows that she is determined and aggressive for challenges to help her grow as an individual. Knowing that she understands what’s involved and can go to the root of the problem if there may be any to make sure the job is done correctly. Her interaction with each department shows that she gets along with co-workers, therefore she would have the same type of relationship with customers because she values each relationship.