Hucleberry Finn Essay

Winnie the Pooh didn't take place during one of the most controversial times in American history, when slavery, King Cotton and Jim Crow ruled, when abolitionists and apologists were battling over the fundamental meaning of freedom and humanity, and when the north and the south kept disputing over the issue Of leaver that would eventually lead to the bloodiest war in American history†¦ The Civil War. By writing this book Mark Twain not only gave us an entertaining adventure and a picaresque novel, but also gave us a really deep and analytical synopsis of southern culture and the horrors of slavery.He was really subtle with his commentary on slavery itself, however focused a lot on racism especially by emphasizing racial slurs in dialogues and utilizing racial stereotypes. This in itself justifies its place in high school curriculum by presenting itself as an adventure book with a great deal of history in it, but it also proves that it's an essential part of the curriculum and th e hall of fame for great books, because it's a book that makes you stop and think multiple times about not only the past, but the present and current racism happening in the country and around the world.Huckleberry Finn is a great historical novel, informative and realistic, when it came to slavery in the south during that era. The story starts in Missouri with Houck spending time with Tom and his band of robbers, and finally with his dad which he describes to be as â€Å"greasy and dirty†. He ends up escaping Missouri to run away from his dad and ends up meeting Jim who's also trying to escape. The rest of the story involves them going further south until they can reach a river passage that would guide them north, to the Free states.Going further south always symbolized trouble, since the Deep South was the heart of slavery, and Border States treated slaves more â€Å"kindly/' than southern states. That's why Jim always expresses his fear of being sold further south, and th at's why at the end when they hear Uncle Sills thinking about selling Jim down south if no one claims him causes them to panic. Examples like this makes this book an amazing tool to use to explain what slavery in the south meant to kids.Other than slavery the book effectively depicts southern culture throughout Husk's adventures. The scene where Houck gets on the gigantic raft, with the brawl in the middle, gives a realistic image Of what manhood and honor meant in the south, and how important they were. â€Å"They made fun of him till he got mad and jumped up and began to cuss the crowd, and said he could lam any thief in the lot. They was all about to make a break for him, but the biggest man there jumped up and says: ‘Set Wharton are, entitlement.Leave him to me; he's my meat. â€Å"‘ (98) It shows how physical fortitude was particularly more important than it was in the north; and physical aggression more acceptable. The passage where it went: â€Å"The preaching was going under the same kinds of sheds, only they was bigger and held crowds of peoples†¦ ] The first shed we come to, the preacher was lining out a hymn. He lined out two lines, everybody sung it, and it was kind of grand to hear it, there was so many of them and they done it in such a rousing way[†¦ † (146-147) Showed importance of religion In society and the pep respect and trust people showed towards priests. Other important and common social practices such as lynching were mentioned a lot too, during the 19th century lynching was a big problem, surmounting 300 a year in some cases, and this was the biggest threat for the King and the Duke. People took justice into their own hands and towards the end when the village tarred and feathered them, showing how they were not going to have a trial.The reality and harshness of society in the south was vividly portrayed in the book, and as a result this makes the book a valuable commodity to have in the class mom. The re ason why this book is so essential for the classroom, and for outside of the classroom, is because the ingenious diction and technique Mark Twain used to get the readers to think critically on issues that plague our society even today. Houck never really breaks free of the racism surrounding him, but he manages to see through the curtain it makes.Mark Twain actively gives the feeling of both racial prejudice and childish sympathy Houck feels towards Jim in passages where Houck talks about Jim. An example of this was when Houck talks about]IM feeling sad about his family: I went to sleep, and Jim didn't call me when it was my turn. He often done that. When I waked up, just at daybreak, he was setting there with his head down betwixt his knees, moaning and mourning to himself. I didn't take notice, nor let on. I endowed what it was about.He was thinking about his wife and his children, away up yonder, and he was low and homesick; because he hadn't ever been away from home before in hi s life; and I do believe he cared just as much for his people as white folks does for theirs. It don't seem natural, but I reckon it's so. He was often moaning and mourning that way, nights, when he judged I as asleep, and saying ‘Pop' little ‘Elizabeth! Pop' little Johnny! It mighty hard; I spec' I anti ever Gwynne to see you no MO'! ‘ He was a mighty good Niger, Jim was. (170) This part is not only emotional for Houck and the reader as an observer, but really sad for Jim as well. Bondage of a whole race wasn't only about economic necessities, social customs and politics but also about stories, experiences and incredible hardships. This book shows the human damage slavery had done upon African . Also an interesting thing to note is how Houck feels bad for him but still considers it abnormal for Jim to feel these linings, thus still giving the passage an underlying racist tone, to always remind us how much it was embedded in society all around the nation.The final passage involving a serious tone involving the dilemma of slavery and freedom was when Houck had to decide between ratting out Jim or not: [†¦ ]here was the plain hand of Providence slapping me in the face and letting me know my wickedness was being watched all the time from up there in heaven, whilst I was stealing a poor old woman's Niger that hadn't ever done me no harm So I got a piece of paper and a pencil, all glad and excited, ND set down and wrote and got to thinking over our trip down the river; and I see Jim before me we a floating along, talking and singing, and laughing.But somehow I couldn't seem to strike no places to harden me against him, but only the other kind. [l] see him how glad he was when I come back out of the fog and how good he always was; and at last struck the time saved him by telling the men we had small-pox aboard, and he was so grateful, and said was the best friend old Jim ever had in the world, and the only one he's got now; I'd got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, ND I endowed it. Tidied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself; ‘All right, then, I'll go to hell'- and tore it up† (222-223) That celebrated crisis of conscience Houck experiences is a question. It makes the choices people back then made about the question Houck was pondering about clearer, and also shows the questions people are still trying to answer today. The immigration problem, Ferguson and Staten Island shows that we still struggle between doing the right and wrong thing.This elaborate language, and the continuous underlying tone of racism (Houck describing his hooch of freeing Jim as evil by concluding that he'll go to hell for this is an example of the racist undertone in this passage) really makes this book excellent for young students stepping out into a world where they will face many controversial choices, and this also makes the book an irreplaceable masterpiece in American literature.

Compare Essay Vietnam an Australia Essay

In recent years, there are many Vietnamese students who want to study in other countries as Australia, Singapore, or USA. Because they think that the education system in these countries is better than the system in Vietnam. They will have plenty opportunities after graduating in international college or university. Nevertheless, others have the opinion that the quality of education in both countries is similar. Australian and Vietnamese education systems are very similar in school ages. We can easy to see that both of their education system have kindergarten level and twelve grades which for children from the ages of 3 to 18. After finishing general education, most of students in Australia move on their studying at TAFE or colleges or universities, and so do Vietnamese students. Moreover, both of them have public schools which boys and girls can join equally in class. In spite of the similarities, these two educations have several differences in system division, timetable and the way students can apply to university. The first difference between two education systems is the system division. In Vietnam, public kindergartens frequently admit children from the age of 18 months to 5 years old. They usually study in primary school at 6 years old for 5 years (grades 1 – 5), secondary school at 12 years old for 4 years (grades 6 – 9) and high school for 3 years (grades 10 -12). In contrast, there are preschool and preparatory (also called kindergarten), which started when you are five. Then, primary school goes from grade 1 to 6 and secondary school from grade 7 to 12. Furthermore, they still are difference in timetable. Australian students have to go to school Monday to Friday, from 8:45 am to 3 pm, with breaks for lunch and snacks. Also they have extra activities after school hours such as piano classes, dance classes, etc. Even though, students in Vietnam just have 5 minutes break between two lessons (45 minutes for a lesson), every day from Monday to Friday. The Vietnamese classes usually started at 6:45 am and finished at 11:45 am for morning session or 12:45 pm to 5:15 pm for afternoon session. Another striking difference between education system in Australia and the system in Vietnam is the way students can apply to university. All of grade 12 students in Vietnam who must to pass the High school Graduation Examination to graduate and take the University Examination to study in university. On the other hand, you need to show: Evidence of English knowledge, Evidence of  study as High school Certificate if you want to apply to any universities in Australia. All things considered, while the two education systems offer similar the ages to go to school, they differ widely in the system division, timetable and the way students can apply to university. Study in Australia is the best choice for students who not only want to be more active, more confident but also improve themselves-study and English skill, enlarge their knowledge and create a great working chance.

Diseconomies of Scale Essay

Diseconomies of scale occur when a firm increases its output and the cost of the long run production of this output also increases. Diseconomies of scale occur when a firm is very big to bring about coordination problems and increasing input costs. This occurs because of two main reasons: coordination problems and the increasing input costs. Coordination problems can be broken down to several issues. And this problem is usually due to the number of employees in a firm. One of the issues with coordination is communication.Upon increasing the number of employees in a firm for the purpose of increasing output, the channels for communication (i.e. telephone lines, cost of having internet connection for further information dissemination, etc) also increases. This is so since ratio of the number of employees and the communication channels is not 1:1. This means an increase in cost. So in the long run, having more people becomes not viable already since it now causes coordination problem th rough communication cost, thus increasing in production cost in general. Another issue with having a lot of people in a firm is that the firm’s response time becomes slower. This can also be connected to the communication problem that I discussed above.This is so since, having a lot of people implies the need for bureaucracy. With bureaucracy, come standard operating procedures, policies to be followed, roles and division of responsibilities, and hierarchies. Consider a policy which reduces the company’s daily cost from 1000USD to 500USD. Before it can be approved, it has to go through a lot, thus causing a slower response time for a very urgent need. Because of the bureaucracy that is needed for coordinating a large number of people, the longer the delay of approving this policy; and the longer the company delays producing twice the output for the same input cost.Increasing input costs can also be broken down to several issues. One issue with the increasing input cost s is that when the firm gets so big, one department might be working with the same projects as with other departments. This means that the firm is producing or profiting from a single project and is paying for twice the number of employees who can actually finish the job. Another issue with increasing input costs is that having a lot of people to do the job needs managers to coordinate them.Having more managers means paying more for employees who does not actually contribute to the production and is only there to supervise the people. So let’s say that there are five employees, paid 10USD, that need one manager, paid 20USD, to supervise them. The manager is getting 28. 6% of the over-all salary, but the company which pays for 70USD over all is only producing 83. 3% since only 5 out of 6 people are actually working. So, having a lot of people means getting a lot of managers which leaves lesser people who actually does the production.

Mother's day Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mother's day - Essay Example â€Å"I cannot think of a more thankless job. I hate to even call it a job, but it is work, with long hours, no vacations and no pay. In the end if things don’t go the way they are suppose to then it is mom’s fault† (The importance of mother’s day, 2010). Even grown up people is taking shelter in their mother’s company when they face severe challenges in their life. Mother’s soothing words often act as a medicine to the children in getting rid of their problems. This paper briefly analyses importance of mother’s day to me and why my mother is so special to me. I was not much aware of the importance of mother’s day during my childhood. However, when I was 15 years old, one of my friends told me that she is going to present her mother with a gift in order to mark her respect and love towards her mother. She also told me that the mother’s day is celebrating all over the world and in UAE it is celebrating in every March 21 st . I loved my mother very much and my friend’s comments stimulated thoughts about giving a gift to my mother. I had not enough money with me during that time and I decided to save some money to purchase a gift for my mother. Being a child of 15 years, it was difficult for me to collect more money from father. Even then, I started to save the pocket money I received from my father for two years. I succeeded in saving around 650 dollars in two years time and decided to purchase a gift worth $ 650 for my mother. Parris Gallery one of the popular gift shops in Dubai. It is located in City Centre, Deira, Dubai. Expensive perfumes, flowers, fashionable items etc are available in Paris Gallery. UAE is an extremely hot country and I was staying around 100 kilometers away from Dubai. If I use a taxi, I could have reached there within 35 minutes. However, my parents were not ready to allow me to go out alone. My elder brothers and sisters were too busy and they also did not hear my requ est. It was impossible for me to walk 100 kilometers alone in extreme hot climatic conditions. I was very much worried since my dreams of giving a gift to my beloved mother were not fulfilled. The mother’s day was approaching rapidly. I shared my sorrows and feeling s with my friends and one of my friends asked me to check whether any home delivery option is available with Paris Gallery. I have gone through the telephone directory and succeeded in collecting their telephone number. To my utmost surprise, they informed me that they can deliver the items anywhere in UAE and that also in a day’s time. I have ordered a costly perfume and asked them to pack it in good manner to present it as a gift. They asked me my name and my mother’s name and contact details. They also asked me about the credit card details and I told them that I do not have a credit card and I can pay cash on delivery. They agreed that and delivered the perfume in the evening itself. My mother wa s not aware of my efforts. When I presented the gift to her on mother’s day, she was surprised. She never received such a gift in her life. None of my brothers and sisters so far gave her any gifts. So when she received my gift her eyes were filled with tears and she embraced me with lot of love and care. My mom is a special person to me and I do believe that honoring her in proper manner is the duty of me. My mother helped me a lot during my childhood and even now I am approaching her whenever I confused with something. My mother has a loving character and she never punished me or used any rash

Work place emotions and attittude Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Work place emotions and attittude - Dissertation Example How so? Emotional intelligence plays a vital role in navigating situations at workplace. It is the skill through which employees deals situation at a more tactful and effective way. Often it happens that negative emotional state rejects amazing ideas and takes situation in a negative manner. If employees and act accordingly let’s say if an employee wants to place and idea to the supervisor when he is in a negative mood then there is high chance of irritating the supervisor and the idea gets rejected. With positive mood and emotions people are more open to take information and handle them effectively. Motivation also plays an important role in generating positive emotions and moods amongst the employees as they feel satisfied with their work they performed and facilitates in building a positive workplace culture (Knowledge@Wharton, 2007). What are the causes and symptoms of the problems in the case and its possible solutions? The case study shows that the attitude and behaviour in the workplace can result in a very worst situation and could generate negative emotions amongst the employees.

Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 28

Response - Essay Example They were trained to embrace death without fear or panic. To ensure they faced their dreadful challenges, as society’s militants, they were prepared psychologically to be ready for death by accepting to die when presented with a dilemmatic situation of choosing either life or death. The philosophy that deemed essence of Bushido undoubtedly helped to instill gallantry amongst the Samurai warriors. It was like they were fighting a battle they had nothing to lose. Their only mission was to take down as many enemies as possible. This religion/ philosophy influenced the psych of the warriors making them protect Japan from its foes. However, this philosophical concept is distinctly dissimilar from that Judeo-Christian view of death. In Judeo-Christian, people are alive until they physically die. The unrelenting wars that were seen in Japan during the mid-20th Century can be attributed to these cultural teachings that the fighters had. The Japanese World War II was battled by the philosophical conceptions that significantly motivated the warriors to engage in an unrelenting battle. As a matter of fact, the challenge Japan gave America and other nations during the World War was as a result of its deep culture that had saliently spelt out ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’. As Benedict recounts, it was virtually difficult to understand the real nature of the Japanese culture. It is like the Japanese had a ‘bipolar’ culture that constituted all the extreme features. Its inimitability and unpredictability would confound every rival that sought to challenge Japan. No one knew what to include in the propaganda meant to demoralize the Japanese soldiers. Japan was a mystery. They were invincible; they were a real puzzle to the international community. The secret to Japan’s tenacity was on their deep cultural philosophy known as ‘Essence of Bushido’. The Japanese soldiers’ mental status

The Problems and Attributes of Nursing Assessment Essay

The Problems and Attributes of Nursing Assessment - Essay Example The first problem was when Jane became agitated, the nurse did not respond properly. Due to Jane’s age, she was thought to have dementia when she complained about feeling locked up. Anybody in an accident can feel locked up when admitted to the hospital. The nurse should have listened to the woman more carefully and tried to soothe her or even have her son come and soothe her. This leads to the most important problem. A patient diagnosed with a concussion should never be sedated. This only causes more confusion and balance loss. It might have been a temporary fix, but in the long run, was detrimental to Jane. Age was a big factor in the nursing style here. It does not matter that Jane was productive with no major problems. The nursing staff did not look past the fact Jane was eighty-three. When Jane stubbornly refused their efforts to feed and bath her, they would sedate her more. Of course, constant sedation would mimic the effects of dementia. If diagnosed and treated with a concussion, all of Jane’s problems would have a different outcome, including her broken femur. Since she was written off as having dementia, Jane was not given a rehabilitation plan. If given a rehabilitation plan, Jane would have been more at ease knowing that she was going home. The sedation confused her more. If fewer sedatives were given and a rehabilitation plan given, Jane probably could have left the hospital before going into the nursing home. Age profiling should not have occurred by the nursing staff. All of Jane’s problems could have been avoided by a different, more understanding nursing approach.

Organisational Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Organisational Behaviour - Essay Example From this research it is clear that most of the modern organisations are essentially multi-tasked and multi-faceted. There are numerous theories on contemporary organisations. However, the common factors that are noted in all the theories are the importance of external environment and its influence upon the organisation, the significance of strategic planning and top managerial decision making, the requirement of workers cooperation, the importance of technology and resource dependence among others. The discovery of the human relation theory in management is linked to George Elton Mayo. The theory focuses upon the individuality of each human being. It can be stated that the worker has his own attitude, ways and beliefs and he tends to inculcate this in his workplace. According to scientific management theory which has been prepared by Frederick W. Taylor, managers are supposed to observe and evaluate each aspect of the task in order to identify the most economical way of allocating t he process into general operations. It has been observed by Frederick W. Taylor that all the individuals in this world are not created equal and therefore it is significant to provide them adequate training in order to alter the differences in the behaviour and the performance. The classical management theory was floated by Henry Fayol. He tried to monitor workplace processes and therefore categorized to be into rational and descriptive, possessing broad applications and importance. The numerous workplace processes upon which he paid due attention are division of work, hierarchy, unity of command, discipline, unity of direction, chain of command, order and stability of tenure among others (Montana & Charnov, 2008). Systems Theory It can be mentioned that the systems theory of organisational behaviour embraces various key components to the parameters of the field replicating the evolutionary process of the time. This theory has numerous characteristics which need to be noted. The con temporary organisation tends to obtain inputs from the external environment, change inputs into outputs and therefore return them back to the society. When there is constant interaction with the environment, organisations learn and try to adapt themselves with the environment (McCrie, 2006). Contingency Theory Contingency Theory is almost similar to the systems theory and therefore states that it is the environmental situation that demonstrates the structural and functional perspectives of the organisation. It further tries to mention that in order to respond to the contingencies of the environment there is requirement of numerous organizational forms. Contingency theory can be summarized as the ways of organizing activities that relies upon the characteristics of the environment to which the organisation must have some linkage (Farazmand, 2002). It can be observed that the evolution of the management theory tries to reflect how there has been significant modifications in the enviro nmental conditions as well as in organizational and managerial practices. In order to assist the modern managers

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Research Paper Example In one of their photos, Brady and Gardner covered a scene where many soldiers lay dead following a struggle in the civil war front and it created an impression of the fierceness of the battle that took place between the people and the soldiers. From the photo of Brady and Gardner, it was clear that there killing that happened in the time of the battle were so many and it reflected that many soldiers from the southern and the Union army lost their lives. The photo, however, covered a small section of the war front as an indication of the issues of the civil war in the course of the antagonism between the government side that opposed slavery and the southern states armies that wanted to advance it. Following the American civil war, there were various events that followed in order to address the issues of that resulted as well as to establish frameworks to prevent any occurrence of a similar situation in future. A report on the events of the war was prepared that outlined the main issue s that caused the emergence of the civil war in an otherwise a peaceful country so that the future would be able to be better. In the report, the political stand about slavery of the then elected presidents of United States (US), Abraham Lincoln is said to have triggered the mayhem. In his presidential campaigns, Lincoln had promised that he would contain the spread of slavery and finally abolish it, a move that was not allowed by many people from the south who depended on slaves for their work (Clark and Neely 138-139). When the southern states that supported slavery realized the election of Lincoln as the US president would have a negative impact on slavery, they formed a group by bringing together armies from their different states to frustrate the attempt of the president. Immediately they attacked Fort Sumter, an army garrison at Charleston in South Carolina the Union army, that opposed slavery prepared to attack. This triggered the need to respond to the attack from the govern ment side led by the president Abraham Lincoln so that they can contain the forces that opposed the government’s attempt. This meant that war had to begin so that to abolish slavery, which became the main goal of the civil war after the contention of different soldiers from different states. In the war, southern states wanted to overpower the government so that to advance the slavery but the northern side focused on routing them and attain the abolishment of slavery in America. When the report of the war was written, it focused on the importance of the war in the US and it proposed various things thing that could be done in future so that the conditions could be better for other people. One of the suggestions of the report was the protection of the battlefields as important historical places in the lives of Americans who did not exist during the war and those who lived far from them. The report also gave highlights on the things that the government ought to do to ensure susta inability of the program of protecting the battle field so that they maintain the places for a longer time than they and to remain relevant to the future generation (Civil War Sites Advisory Commission 3-27). According to the photos of Antietam battlefield, many soldier died at the battle field and this could be an indication of the fierceness of war

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY (GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK) Research Paper

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY (GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK) - Research Paper Example The Blue Ridge Parkway is a carefully designed landscape that has been set in a narrow corridor of a protected land estimated to be about 88,000 acres (Whisnant 2). As the name suggests, it is a way through a park with boundaries surrounding the entire landscape designed to present and protect the Pathway. The park is owned and managed by the National Park Service system of the American public and is also the key component of the larger southern Appalachian park complex. The Blue Ridge Parkway is known to be an America’s most favorite drive that spans over 400 miles from Shenandoah Valley in Virginia to the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina (Karen 2). It is the second most visited National Park Services unit and annually welcomes over one million visitors (Reco 2). The park connects Shenandoah National Park in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Cherokee. It I also fed all round by several exits and entrances at all major federal and state highways extending even to towns and communities surrounding the region. Along the Blue Bridge Parkway are major cities like Boone, Asheville, NC, Roanoke, and VA. From its time of construction, the park still evolves through a dynamic increase of relationships in different facets. For instance, there is a continuous change in the landowners, the surrounding communities, and the public (Whisnant 2). Winding its way through 12 Virginia and 17 North California counties, it is characterized by beautiful and uncountable Appalachian landscapes. It is also surrounded by numerous communities with a profound impact on their social, economic, and cultures. The construction of the Pathway was a product of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Great Depression’s New Deal Programs to provide employment to the people to boost the economy of the United States. As the primary

The actual economic bailout of Wall Street and the individual Essay

The actual economic bailout of Wall Street and the individual homeowner bailout by Jeffrey Fu - Essay Example The federal regulation kept the interest on the loans low, which gave room for Fannie Mae. Its counterpart, Freddie Mac, bought billions of dollars and then fed the market to feed them, of which they were risky mortgages bought. The subprime mortgages initially aimed at borrowers who had low or poor credit cases or histories. A great number of people invested and went into a great deal of debt, since the house prices were high till when they started dropping, which brought about the huge losses (NRCC 1). This paper is a comparison and contrast of the actual economic bailout plan of Wall Street and the individual home owner bailout plan. Mortgage meltdown is a common term used to mean subprime mortgage crisis due to the credit crisis in 2008 (Bianco & Pachkowski 1). There were two proposed bailout plans. First was the Economic Bailout Plan of Wall Street announced by Henry Paulson, that holds reverse auctions (Miron 5). A newer expanded version of the bill passed included the buying o f equity positions in the banks, reducing the interest rates and expansion of the deposition insurance. The other plan is Individual Homeowner’s Bailout Plan that has two versions where in one version, the government helps by giving a loan paid as soon as one is financially stable, and the other comes in form of a government grant. In both cases, they don’t involve the principal reduction on the value of the house, and payment is done directly to the mortgage provider. The government share is the same as the percentage reduction in the income of the home owner and it ceases when the financial state is restored. The economic bailout plan has the reverse auctions whereby they buy the assets troubled or in debt of the home financial institutions. Also, the use of taxpayer money to buy equity positions in the country’s biggest banks. All these are aimed to try to stabilize the financial markets and avoid the eventual bank failures and credit freeze that comes with i t (Miron 7). This approach is aimed at taking the taxpayers money to the investors and insured depositors. The home owners on the other hand will keep on plunging into deeper debts. The individual home owner’s bailout plan uses the taxpayer’s money just as the economic bailout plan, but in this case, the government uses the money to try to keep the house with the home owner in either giving a loan or as grant. In case of failure to pay up, the house is put up for foreclosure (Foote, Fuhrer, Mauskopf & Willen 2). At the end of 2005, the housing industry became expensive and this in turn would trickle down to the banks, hence the need to make a plan to avoid the collapse of the major banks came to play. The economic plan stated the buying of equity positions in the major or bigger banks using the taxpayer’s money. The plan allowed for the buying of equity positions to Freddie and Fannie in case of a collapse or destruction, using the taxpayer’s money. This will create a separate entity that is a regulator to Freddie and Fannie, and Federal Home Loan Bank system (NRCC 2). This in turn raises the debt pool. These government institutions enjoy a great deal of bailout money, but there is also the fact that cannot stop the decline of these institutions, and still need an increase in the bailout money (Weiss & Larson 1). The individual bailout plan focuses on the home owner and uses a different approach to get the same results. This approach is designed to help the home owner raise money for the mortgage, and the fact that it is directly paid to the mortgage providers, makes it easier to meet this

Evangelism Paper Essay Example for Free

Evangelism Paper Essay Over the last few months one has to mention an undeniable fact: the church of tomorrow must be reached different than the church of yesterday. Through readings, lectures, and field trips, it has become evident that something different must begin to take place if the church is going to be able to reach the present and future generations. We must become creative in our evangelism if we wish to reach this culture. It is essential to be up to date technologically and even socially. A pastor who falls behind in the social atmosphere around him will lose touch with his or her people. If we are to reach these people as individuals, the pastor cannot be expected to â€Å"do all the work.† â€Å"A clerical ministry will not penetrate this age, but the priesthood of all believers can† (Maddix). That is, we must teach the laity of the church to reach out spiritually and socially to their neighbors, friends, and especially each other. According to Bonhoeffer, the meaning of the statement â€Å"Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No Christian community is more or less than this†¦we belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ† is threefold: â€Å"first, that a Christian needs others because of Jesus Christ†¦second, that a Christian comes to others only through Jesus Christ†¦third, that in Jesus Christ we have been chosen from eternity, accepted in time, and united for eternity† (21). The transformation of members into ministers will spark great growth within the church. In the midst of this, it is essential to remain biblical. The Scripture must always be taken seriously, never downplayed, in an effort to reach someone. We must recognize that we are a body of believers and that, according to Wesley, there is no such thing as solitary religion. Whether Christ is the first thing out of our mouth or not, we must be passionate about Christ before we will be able to reach these generations. We can become passionate by focusing on Christ and focusing on those who are not yet followers of Christ. A passion for the lost is essential in evangelism. Two of my closest friends had not been saved, and my heart felt great pain and anguish knowing that if everything ended right then, I would be without them for eternity, and more importantly, they without God. We must also focus on sin, not avoiding it so as to attract people. A seeker sensitive church will die if sin in not recognized. Evangelistic decisions are the most powerful catalyst for change and growth in a church and pastor. As such, we should know our purpose as a church and embrace it. I will focus on st pauls lutheran church. In tandem with many other churches, St. Pauls indeed has an official membership list that includes many people who have left the congregation. However, around 75 adults have attended or made a contribution to some extent to St. Pauls over the past year, along with 12 children and 3 teenagers. Pastor Nadines yearly salary is $15,500. If we are to create a church, we must begin with a strong foundation. According to Rick Warren, â€Å"If you want to build a healthy, strong, and growing church you must spend time laying a solid foundation. This done by clarifying in the minds of everyone involved exactly why the church exists and what it is supposed to do† (86). First, a clear purpose builds moral. The moral of a church will be much higher if they know why they exist. Second, a clear purpose reduces much frustration. We are helped to put aside the petty things and recognize what we are not seeking to do. A clear purpose within a church allows for concentration. The more focus a church has, the higher impact it will have on the people around it. If focus is lost, therefore, the impact of the church will be negligible. It is also vital not to flood the church calendar. The goal of the church is not to overwhelm its people, but to quench them. Tradition should never stand above excellence within the church. If an event or tradition is now failing, it should probably be removed. Chances are that new traditions could be started that could have a much great impact on both the church and the people in the neighboring areas. Programs should never be started if they do not run in line with the purpose of the church. So, just because a program may seem to be well-intentioned and may even have well affects on the church, that doesn’t mean those affects are furthering the purpose of the church. Serious setbacks could occur in this manner. When beginning new ministries within the church, the pastor or initiator of the idea must not stand alone in developing it. At this point delegations need to be made to people who are trustworthy and effective. They must know their duties or the ministry will fail. A clear purpose also attracts cooperation. We must make sure members understand the purpose of the church so they can be comfortable with what is being taught and what ministries are taking place. Someone who is out of touch with the purpose of the church may begin to feel excluded and angry that things are not going as they â€Å"should.† Some people may transfer to a church with a set purpose and have their own ideas about ways things should be done based on their past experiences. These people must not be part of the decision making processes of the church in terms of its purpose. As the rest of the congregation has already committed to the purpose, changing it now would be quite unhealthy for the church. Finally, having a clear purpose for the church makes it easier to evaluate the growth and success of the church. With clear goals having been set, it is easy to look and see what has and has not been accomplished (Maddix,). Once these purposes are established, it is important to organize around them. In doing so, there are five basic purpose-driven church types as outlined in lecture. First is the Soul Winning Church. The pastor is the evangelist and the primary goal is reaching the lost. Second is the Experiencing God Church. This church focuses on experiencing the presence and power of God in worship. The third type is the Family Reunion Church. The primary focus here is fellowship. The pastor is usually very relational, loving and spending time with his people. The next type is the Classroom Church. Here the pastor is primarily a teacher. The sermons will almost always include taking notes. I would place most of the Nazarene churches I have attended in this category primarily. The final type is the Social Conscience Church. The pastor is seen as a prophet or reformer. The church is primarily concerned with changing society- â€Å"doers of the Word.† With all of these available, it becomes essential to produce a good balance. These purposes must still be applied further. We should work to constantly be working to assimilate newcomers if we wish to keep them as a part of the church. To do this the church must be prepared for newcomers with its Greeter/Usher ministry as well as its care ministries team. A follow-up on newcomers almost always lets them know that they were noticed and are cared about. At least a few contacts should be made in the first week whether from the pastor directly or from care team members. The programs within the church must be relevant to the purpose of the church, as stated before. Programs should be servants to the purpose. Also reiterated, is that the people must be educated as to the purpose of the church. If people know the purpose, they will begin to live according to the purpose as evangelists, worshipers, disciples and ministers. Small groups have become on the most successful ways of reaching out to the present generations. These groups can be seeker groups which meet away from the church in a home or for an activity. The purpose of seeker groups is develop relationship with the lost. Disciple/Growth groups are great for Christians of all maturity levels, but especially for the new Christian. Support groups such as prison ministries, divorce, alcohol and drug recovery groups are widely accepted and appreciated by the community, helping others and their families. If at all possible, staff should be built around people from within the church. Anyone brought in must be extremely likable and hold a similar missional view for the church. There should be mission teams, music teams, membership teams, maturity team, and ministry teams as part of the church. With each owning a specific purpose within the church, no single one is being emphasize, and no one is being left out. The pastor should preach according to the purpose of the church. This should be how the church grows to accept and believe in its purpose. The priorities of a church are easily seen through its budget and calendar. The budget should be scheduled wisely and in ways that directly impact the purposes of the church. The purposes of the church must also show up on the calendar. If they are not there, they will not succeed. Finally we should evaluate our church purposefully. Our standards should be set on how well we achieve our purposes. It is also quite important to recognize the significance of vision for the church. Vision is defined as â€Å"my understanding of what God wants done in the place where he has placed me.† If the vision of the pastor is not accepted by the majority of the congregation, it should probably be reevaluated. In some cases the church itself may be quite ill and not really understand what it needs. A slow movement in the direction is the only way to help such churches turn themselves around. Without a vision, the church has nothing to aspire to. As Proverbs 29:18 says, â€Å"Where there is no vision the people perish.† A can be worn down over time if it lacks vision. Specific goals set for the church keep members active in their faith and daily activities. Vision, like purpose, must be passed on to the congregation through passionate messages from the pastor. Such vision must also inspire the pastor to live accordingly as an example for his congregation. If the people don’t know or understand the vision of the church and the pastor, then the pastor isn’t doing a well enough job communicating it. Vision must not attempt to go beyond the reasonable means of the church. The gifts and talents of the pastor and the congregation limit the vision of a church. This factor of vision is just the first of nine factors that are nearly always present in growing churches. The second factor is evangelism. Because God intends his church to grow, all members of the church body are to be evangelists. Congregation must acknowledge that they have to go outside to evangelize, not sit comfortably within the walls of the church. Thirdly is the maturation factor. The church must develop leaders through the maturing of their faith. Fourth is the worship factor. People must know that worship is key to our faith, for we were created to worship God. Sjogren’s Power Principle #7 states that your style is not the key to success, so although your church will be identified by your worship style, God comes into your midst, not because of worship style, but because hearts are hungry for the presence of God. Fifth is the preaching factor. Preaching must be done in a way that leads the congregation to understand the faith of the pastor. Television and computers have changed the way people expect to be informed at church. According to Rainer, the unchurched want a pastor who is â€Å"real† and is a person of conviction; they want a good communicator and a good leader. Furthermore, they want to hear preaching that teaches the Bible and applies to their own individual lives.† Leadership, giving, mission, and the birthing of new ideas finish of the list of factors for church growth. Leaders must be strong and confident, giving must be done sacrificially, and people must have a world view of missions. Turning attendees in members into ministers is the encompassing purpose in a church’s discipleship program. If members can be made who possess a serious passion for the lost, then a church is well-on its way to long-term success. In our recent trip to the Seattle area, we experienced several churches which had great outreach success. Mars Hill church was by far the most successful. It was obvious because of the size of the church (running c.500), as well as the specific focus and outreach. With hundreds of small groups and a target audience of 16-35, Mars Hill represents a successful outreaching church. Other churches showed their weaknesses within pastoral staff and mixed traditions as compared to the vision and purpose of the church. Bibliography Hunter, George G. III. The Celtic Way of Evagelism. 2000, Abington Press, Nashville, Maddix, Mark. Class Lectures, Spring 2005. Northwest Nazarene University, Nampa, McLaren, Brian D. More Ready Than You Realize. 2002, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, . Warren, Rick. Purpose Driven Church. 1995, Nelson Books, Nashville, TN.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a series of birth defects such as physical, mental, behavioral and learning problems caused by the mother drinking alcohol during pregnancy. Kenneth Jones and David Smith at the University of Washington in Seattle officially identified Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in 1973 (Golden 1). The exact reasons certain fetuses are affected and others are not, is not fully understood. CDC reports state that 0.2 to 1.5 per 1000 babies are born each year in the United States with alcohol related birth defects (CDC 1). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome can be prevented with education. Even small changes in education and behavior can reduce the risk of women giving birth to babies with fetal alcohol syndrome. Women have been drinking for years not knowing or understanding the effects that alcohol had on their babies. Some women that drink do not even know they are pregnant and may unknowingly and unintentionally cause damage to the unborn and developing baby. Then there are the women that are addicted to alcohol. The drive can be stronger for the alcohol than for the health of herself or her unborn baby. Education, behavior modification and detoxification are areas of change needed to help with prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. When alcohol is consumed it is absorbed into the mothers bloodstream and passed through the placenta and into the central nervous system of the fetus. Alcohol depresses the central nervous system of the fetus. Alcohol is a potent teratogen. A teratogen is any substance which has been proven to cause birth defects. It is not fully known if it is the alcohol or acetaldehyde, which is a breakdown product from alcohol, which causes birth defects. How the damage occurs is not completely understood, but alcohol does create a glucose and oxygen deficit for the fetus (Spong 1). There is increased risk for miscarriage, stillbirth, and birth defects in women that drink, especially in the first trimester. Also, the amount of alcohol intake can multiply the chances of these effects. The organs of the fetus begin developing between three to ten weeks. Alcohol may affect the developing organs such as the heart, brain and central nervous system. Because of the effect on the brain, alcohol can cause mental retardation. Damage to the brain can happen anytime during the pregnancy since the brain develops for all nine months and beyond birth (Belfort 2006). The effects of the alcohol can vary in range of severity and parts of the anantomy. Some babies are born with growth deficiencies due to the alcohol consumption during pregnancy. They are short in length, under weight, and have small heads (Wong). Facial abnormalities include small eye openings, drooping eyelids, skin folds across the inner corners of the eyes, a flattened or missing bridge of the nose, underdeveloped philtrum, thin upper lip, cleft lip, and cleft palate (Wong). There are major organ defects, especially of the heart such as septal defects, tetralogy of Fallot, and patent ductus arteriosus (Wong). They may have problems with their respiratory system such as apnea, pulmonary hypertension and SIDS. Renal abnormalities include aplastic, dysplastic, hypoplastic kidneys, horseshoe kidneys, ureteral duplications, and hydronephrosis (Wong 844). They may have joint and limb abnormalities. Some of the skeletal abnormalities are restriction of movement, altered palmar crease pa tterns, hypoplastic nails, shortened digits, radionulnar synostosis, flexion contractures, pectus excavaum and carinatum, Klippei-Feil syndrome, hemivertebrae, and scoliosis (Fry-Johnson 42) . Malformation of the Eustachian tube, conductive hearing loss and nuerosensory hearing loss are some auditory defects. They tend to have chronic ear infections. They have a tendency to be more susceptible to infections (Wong 844). Malnutrition is a risk factor for women that drink and can lead to birth defects. Malnutrition can cause low birth weight, growth retardation, fetal damage, and is an increased risk for spontaneous abortion and stillbirth. There are several reasons for the malnutrition. First, alcoholics prefer alcohol over food therefore the intake of needed nutrients is poor. Then there is reduce absorption and metabolism of nutrients. Women that drink can be deficient in many vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B6, folic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin K, iron, magnesium and zinc. Deficiency in vitamin B6 can result in a clubfoot, cleft lip and palate. Folate acid deficiencies are related to neural tube defects and orofacial defects. Riboflavin deficiency may affect failure to grow, thrive and develop. Lack of thiamine has been found to cause heart defects. Deformities related to vitamin K deficiency are shortened fingers, cupped ears, flat nasal bridges, and underdeveloped nose, mouth and mid face. Babies that are born iron deficient are often smaller and shorter. Deficiency in zinc has been linked to impaired growth and development. Zinc deficiency has been related to lower immunity in infants and abnormalities of the nervous system that lead to learning difficulties and mental retardation (Anderson 3). According to an article by Mary J. OConnor in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol abuse, children with fetal alcohol syndrome may show cognitive and attention deficits, increased activity levels, problems in inhibition and state regulation, perseverative behavior, and expressive language and motor problems. These problems may last into and throughout adulthood. They may have difficulties such as bonding in infants and depression in 4-6 year olds. There have been reports of depression, anxiety, psychosis, somatic complaints, delinquency, hyperactivity and sleep disorders. OConnor also reports in a study done on 473 people that were prenatally exposed to alcohol 44% were diagnosed with major depressive disorder, 40% had psychotic disorders, and 20% had bipolar disorders(Womens Health1). Studies on prenatal alcohol exposure and relation to IQ show varying severities. It was noted that some children for unknown reasons are more susceptible than others to the effects of alcohol. An a rticle in Journal of School Health by Jennifer H. Green reports on a review of studies done showing an average IQ for people with fetal alcohol syndrome at 65.73 with a range of 20-120 (Green 1). Fetal alcohol syndrome is a preventable problem. The public needs to be educated on the effects alcohol can have on an unborn child and that no amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy. The effects from alcohol ingestion during pregnancy can range in severity and last a lifetime. Healthcare worker must educate and advise all females within childbearing years of the potential harm to the fetus. During pregnancy it is never too late to stop and reduce the risk to the fetus. Ultimately it is up to the mother to follow through with these warnings and advice. Work Citied Anderson, Mark. Historical Perspective Prenatal Nutrition and Birth Defects. Selen River Press, 2008. World Wide Web. July 24, 2008. http://www.seleneriverpress.com/media/pdf_docs/36_BirthDefectsandNutrition. Belfort, Mandy. Department of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Childrens Hospital Boston, Boston, MA. , Healthline Pregnancy Guide, February 2006 World Wide Web : July 26, 2008. http://www.healthline.com/yodocontent/pregnancy/premature-baby-brain-problems.html Center for Diease Control and Prevention.(2006) Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. World Wide Web: July 24, 2008.http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/fasask.htm#how Fry-Johnson, Yvonne W. M.D.(2005). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome â€Å"Its a Faith Walk†¦Ã¢â‚¬  World Wide Web: July 25, 2008. http://www.sefasrtc.org/presentations/Its%20a%20Faith%20Walk%2031705Fetal%20Alcohol%20Syndrome.pdf Golden, Janet. 2005. Message in a Bottle The Making of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Green, Jennifer H.  Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: understanding the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and supporting students.Journal of School Health77.3  (March 2007):  103(6).General OneFile.  Gale.  BREVARD COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM.  24 July 2008 http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodId=IPS. Prenatal alcohol exposure has effects far beyond fetal alcohol syndrome.Womens Health Weekly(Dec 9, 2004):  75.General OneFile.  Gale.  BREVARD COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM.  24 July 2008 http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodId=IPS. Work Citied Spong CY (2006) Protection against Prenatal Alcohol-Induced Damage. PLoS Med 3(4): e196 doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0030196 Wong, Donna L., Hockenberry, Marilyn J., Perry, Shannon E., and Lowdermilk, Deitra Leonard. (2006). Maternal Child Nursing Care (3rd edition). St. Louis: Mosby Elsevier.

Consumer Knowledge About Nutritional Information Marketing Essay

Consumer Knowledge About Nutritional Information Marketing Essay The research is based on the impact of nutritional labeling on consumer buying behavior. the purpose of the study is to identify the factors that influence consumers to consider nutritional labeling while making a purchase from them or for their house hold. Moreover it also determines that printed nutritional value on packaged food products is essential for the consumer buying decision. This study made the researchers clear about the knowledge a consumer have about a nutritional content of package food products and also the nutrients a consumer look for their healthy diet through detailed published articles, journals and blogs related to food label. Many articles were referred for understanding of the reasons which play an important role in consumer buying behavior. This research is based on quantitative data; secondary data is referred for the understanding of the topic. The data is collected through questionnaires from 200 respondents of different age, gender, income and education level living in different areas of Karachi mainly from Defence/Clifton, KDA/Bahadarabad/PECHS, North Nazimabad/Nazimabad/F.B. Area, Gulshan e Iqbal/Gulistan e Jauhar/Malir and Saddar. The findings which are analyzed through this research are that there are various factors that influence consumers to read nutritional labeling while making a purchase. By these findings the researchers are able to develop a framework representing the socio economic classifications (SEC) that have an impact on consumer buying behavior. result_________________________ Introduction: Background: Labeling is defined as printed information or written text on the container of the product or it can be define as a subset of packaging (Prathiraja Ariyawardana, 2003). In food industry, labeling might just include the name of a brand, name of a product or logo but mostly it includes variety of information about a product like nutritional information, manufacturing date, expiration date, method of usage, contacts etc along with brand name, product name and logo. A label is one of the points of contact between producer and purchaser and is also a part of producer marketing plan (Prathiraja Ariyawardana, 2003). Labeling make consumers aware about any unique characteristic of the food, its nutritional properties, the way to use and how to preserve, all of these are of the upmost importance when buying, since the consumer has the opportunity to make purchasing decision (Senesi, Nayga, Gà ³mez, Palau, Ordoà ±ez, 2006). The items that consumers are most likely to read are price, prepa ration, manipulation and preservation of products. Another study revealed the items most read comprise calories, fats, sugar and fiber contents (Godwin, Henderson, Thompson, 2006). Information on a food label was found to affect a customer purchase behavior significantly. Nutritional information might make easy label use by increasing its benefits and by increasing the effectiveness of their use, thereby reducing the cost of using them. Nutritional information plays a significant role in providing relevant information to consumer through which the purchasing behavior varies (Prathiraja Ariyawardane, 2003). The level of awareness required to make the purchase decisions are compared across different socio-economic groups. Many investigators have also found that the interest in reading the food labels increases with age up to the mid-fifties, and thereafter it declines (Sushil Kumar Jabir Ali, 2011). The food printed label includes different information but it is found that nutritio nal value is one of the most important information for customers. Research Problem: The purpose of the study is to identify factors on the nutritional food label in influencing purchase decision in accordance with the socio-economic classification (SEC) of the consumers, while secondary objective of the research is to identify the characteristics of consumers and the extent of knowledge concerning nutritional value (senesi et al, 2006). Moreover this research helps to find the relation between printed nutrition value on packaged food product and consumer buying behavior. Consumers will choose better food products if they understand and use the food labels (senesi et al, 2006). The study explores the complex relationship of nutrition knowledge and consumer buying decision (Drichoutis, Lazaridis and Nayga,2006). The study can help to determine that printed nutritional value on packaged food products is essential for the customer buying decision or not. In the context to nutritional labeling, many customer switch towards other products after reading printed nutrition v alue such as fat, calories etc. The study also identifies those nutrition values which have a negative effect on consumer buying behavior. Problem Statement: The impact of printed nutritional labeling on consumer buying behavior. Objective of the study: To analyze the impact of printed nutritional labeling on consumer buying behavior. Sub Objectives: To examine the impact of printed nutritional labeling according to the gender of respondents. To identify how different age group respond to products with nutritional labeling. To analyze how educational level affect the consumers response to nutritional level. To study the impact of households income towards buying products with nutritional labeling. Scope: This research will be a study of Karachi, Pakistan. We will get the forms filled by middle and upper middle class visiting the malls and various supermarkets. We will ask them whether their buying preferences changed after reading the nutrition fact. Justification: By the research we will get to know how nutritional information printed on packaged food will benefit each stake holders: The biggest advantage for consumers will be confidence and ownership as the product is tested under certain standards. They will feel that the product is healthy for them. Consumers will get the advantage of time saving as they dont have to search and find out whether the product is safe or not. It will be beneficial for consumers who are health conscious and individuals who are on special diet recommended by doctors. Consumers can use health claims, which appear on the front of food packages, to recognize foods with positive nutritional qualities related to risk factors. Printed nutritional labeling will serve as a great way of promotion for the manufacture as it will provide their product an image of a safe and healthy brand. The producer will have its own unique product identity. The producer will get the competitive advantage as they will retain the loyal customer, lose fewer customers and attract more new customers. Assumptions: Our assumption is that all the economic indicators will remain same as well as the pattern of buying behavior. This assumption is made so that we can have result that is based on complete objectivity. We are also assuming that the nutrition information printed on the label of the packaged food is correct and by concerned authority. There is no kind of miss interpretation and proper application of government policy is kept in view by the producers while printing of the nutritional labeling.   In this research we are also assuming that consumers are aware of printed nutritional labeling found at the back of the every food item. Limitations: Our study will only consider the impact of gender, income, age, and life style index (LSI) and education level towards consumer buying behavior of nutritional products with printed nutritional labels on them. We are only focusing on those food products that have printed labeling on them. Structure of Report The research is divided into five main chapters which are Introduction, Literature review, Research Methodology, Data Findings and Analysis, Conclusion and Recommendations. Chapter 1 of this research relates to introduction and background of the study, research problem and objectives, justification of the research and a brief study of the search methodology that is used. Chapter 2 is about the previous studies conducted on nutritional labeling and consumer behavior. It also discusses the socio-economic factors which influence consumer buying behavior towards reading nutritional labeling on packaged food products in Karachi. Chapter 3 focuses on the research methodology, research design, sampling techniques, data analysis method, research design, as well as limitations to this research. In Chapter 4, the focus is on the research findings, Chapter 5 on analysis of the data that has been collected from respondents through questionnaires. Chapter 6 is Conclusion and recommendations that have been derived from this research are in Chapter 7. Literature Review: Printed nutrition labels are proposed to be used to help people make healthier choices, and consumers recognize them as a tool to improve health. Consumers can get relevant nutritional information with the help of nutritional labeling. It is found in researches that the consumer purchase behavior is affected by the nutritional labeling. The presence of nutritional information may influence the consumers to switch from unhealthy food products towards healthy food products (Anderson Zarkin, 1992). The interest on the consumers is to purchase and intake of improved nutritional foods which thus depends on the quantity and quality of information provided through a number of sources that also includes nutritional labeling. A printed label not only carries a brand name but also a source of important information (Caswell Padberg, 1999). CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE ABOUT NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: Due to globalization, consumers are becoming more aware about nutritional information because there is an increase in the food information available to them through sources such as food nutritional labeling, electronic and print media.Advertising involvement is another marketing concept that helps to identify consumer interest in processing making information. The impact of advertising creates a perception in the minds of consumers regarding the product and increases the awareness and reinforces the consumer to purchase a certain brand that has high advertisement involvement (KapoorKulshrestha, 2008). As the consumers have become more demanding now days therefore the producers have understand the psychology of consumers and guide them with practical knowledge to cater the market and serve the people. Consumers can end up making better food choices if they value and make use of the nutritional labeling. The government is also playing an essential part by imposing restrictions on the consumption of some products. Therefore, they are regulating product labeling especially on food processing where it is manufactured. This has a positive effect on consumers behavior as they can get to know the amount of nutrients content present in a food. (Senesi et al, 2006). NUTRITIONAL LABELLING: The nutritional labels have become increasingly important, particularly as products move from the status of basic commodities to highly processed, value-added products significance of a well-balanced diet. Nutrition information on groceries items allows consumers to consume a range of healthy foods, maintain optimum weight and choose a diet with low fat/ cholesterol. Select a diet with abundance of vegetables, fruits, and grain products, and restrain from sugars, salt/sodium that are considered unhealthy. Consumers can use health claims, which appear on the front of food packages, to recognize foods with positive nutritional qualities related to risk factors and wellness. These are the claims about the relationship between a nutrient or a food and the risk of an illness or health-related condition (JeddiZaeim, 2010). A label might carry only the brand name or a great deal of nutritional information (Kotler, 2001). A label is the most important point of contact between the manufacturer and the buyer and it is consider as an important part of marketing as well. It is not only consider a piece of paper stuck on the package but also an expression on which consumer important decisions are based. A label should clearly and simply state the name of the product, the nutrition facts (nutritional label), the net weight, the name and address of the producer, and the brand name. The label printed on the packaged food is mostly viewed before purchasing the product which portrays that the label has an impact on the buying behavior of individuals. Consumers inclination to a food item is directly affected by self-control and temptation. (Hassan et al., 2010), (Campos et al., 2011). The printed food labels act as an indicating tool by which food companies assure that their potential consumers are satisfied regarding to their sound quality control practices. However, there are many issues and questions related to food labeling till date, one such question has been raised around the globe which is how far the consumer is aware of printed food labeling and can they understand the provided relevant information on the package. Consumers who are more health conscious have a habit of reading the label. They prefer to purchase an item that fulfills their daily nutritional value even if the brand is of higher price than the other brands available in market. This behavior can also be applied on consumers who have medical problems such as diabetes or cholesterol. This shows that certain category of consumers is willing to pay a higher price for nutrients beneficial for them (Magistris et al., 2010). Nutritional label benefits the consumers to analyze the factors of packaged food which allow them to have a healthier diet choice. According to the mechanism of the body they can balance the amount food to consume that will help them to stay fit in long run (Drichoutis et al., 2008). The consumers in Middle East give preference to the label at the time of first purchase. A study was carried out which showed that when consumers purchase the product for the first time they read the nutrients present in the food and on latter purchase of the same food brand they check the date till which they can use the product and the date of manufacture (Washi, 2012). Consumers also take into consideration of the health claims relation to nutrition such as vitamin, protein, sugar free and etc. people believe them to be true and help them to make the decision quicker. If certain health claim is present in front they grasp the product and further read the nutrient label to know that what other good nutrients are present in it. Consumers prefer that short and easy words are used so that they can understand them easily. Moreover if the claims are approved by FDA it gives an added advantage and surety that an agency is keeping a check on companies (Williams, 2005). The consumers with the help of labeling gets to know and understand the products characteristics, nutritional properties, preservation and instructions to facilitate the consumers to make a sound decision at the time of purchase, hence it carries a great significance (Senesi et al, 2006). By identifying the factors that have an effect on the peoples use of dietary labeling, the manufacturers can do the profiling of the consumers that do or do not exercise nutritional food labeling. It can result in improving public health, manipulating the proper labeling and increasing the productivity of the company (Senesi et al, 2006). Similarly the people who have much time to spend on grocery shopping are found to be more label users (Drichoustis 2006). It can also be seen that consumers who are more anxious about their health and nutrition give more time to read the printed nutritional labels. Similarly, consumers who are on a special diet or organic buyers or even those that have any kind of disease are preferred to search for on-pack printed nutrition information (Drichoustis 2006). Type of household also holds effect on reading of printed nutritional labels, as in a case where smaller households or households with young children are more involved in nutrition information sea rch behaviors. People with a healthier profile and eating habits prefer to see glance at the printed nutritional labeling for a more appropriate knowledge of the product. Moreover printed nutritional labeling is not directly linked with price and is preferred by people following a special diet plan or with health related issues like high BP, sugar, heart diseases or any kind of food allergies (Magistris et al., 2010). Printed nutritional labeling empowers consumers to have their own view at the components of the products which enables them to have a healthier diet choice in a way which they can intake in their busy life style now a days. (Drichoutis et al., 2008). The effects of printing nutritional labeling can be even greater on the buying behavior of consumer and they can be more educated if labeling is combined with an information campaign. It has been found in the research that purchasing behavior of consumers is effected by the nutritional information present on the label because this information influence their perception about the products and thus change their decision ultimately (Drichoustis 2006). It seems like Nutritional information on the back of the package creates favorable judgments about a product. For example, when a consumer reads the nutrients content on the back of the packaged food product which are beneficial for their health they will compare that particular product with other products and will be more likely to purchase that product. Other researchers have argued that provision of health related or printed nutritional labeling information does not always lead to healthier consumption of diet. Most empirical research, however, suggests that providing printed nutritional labeling information can significantly change dietary patterns in a consumers lifestyle of eating (Drichoustis 2006). Printing of Nutritional labels is also associated with giving consumers an edge to improve their diets by intake of high vitamin C, low cholesterol, and low percentage of calories from fat as they are now able to know what exactly they are consuming. Printed nutrition labeling on packaged foods are very clear sources of nutrition information for the consumers. They are observed as a highly trustworthy source of information and many consumers use it as their guidance in order to make purchase decisions easy. (Campos et al., 2011). It is often seen that there are consumers who considers printed nutritional labeling on the products during their shopping experiences and are happy to pay even a premium on the products having printed nutritional labeling on them. (Loureiro et al., 2006). Printed nutrition labeling information lowers down the usage of products which contain harmful ingredients and increases the consumption of products containing healthy ingredients. (Drichoutis et al., 2006). Purpose of printed nutritional labeling is to educate consumers to shift to healthier food choices, and force the competitors to add more printed nutritional value in their product and to competition on nutritional quality; printed nutritional labeling represents a helpful tool making consumers make informed decisions about their diet and lifestyle. (Daud et al., 2011). Nutritional labeling enables the consumers to have a view at the components of the products which enables them to have a healthier diet choice in which they can improve their intake of the require nutritious and proteins (Drichoutis et al., 2008). Nutrition labels on pre-packaged foods are very clear sources of nutrition information. They are perceived as a highly trustworthy source of information and many consumers use their guidance in order to make purchase decisions (Campos et al., 2011). The results show that there are consumers who considers nutritional labeling on the products during their shopping experiences and are happy to pay even a premium on the products having nutritional labeling on them (Loureiro et al., 2006). Nutrition labeling information decreases the use of products containing harmful components and improves the consumption of the products containing healthy components (Drichoutis et al., 2006). Customers do consider nutritional labeling when making a purchasing decision. Especially the old age people or individuals who are sick or with a special diet recommended having at least tertiary education read nutritional labeling. Moreover households with less than four members were willing to pay more for the nutritional labels (Prathiraja et al., 2003). As a whole nutritional labeling has a huge impact on consumer purchase behavior. There is some evidence that nutrition labeling makes consumers to switch products on the name of healthy and unhealthy diet plans. The preference for nutrient intake usually depends on the demand and supply of the product. From the demand perspective, consumers interest in purchase of healthy diets directly depends on consumers intakes. Consumers ability to make a decision regarding healthy diets usually depends on the information available through different sources (PrathirajaAriyawardana, 2008). If the products does not contain label the consumer may be unaware of its nutritional contents. Consumers usually form their own belief regarding the nutritional value of the product on the basis of information that they get from different sources, However this perception usually lead to either over or under value of the nutritional labeling of the product. Choosing food usually contains a trade of between taste and health contents of a particular product have negative impact on health because individuals usually perceived that decreasing the consumption of the food can lead to improve health conditions (PrathirajaAriyawardana, 2008). The results give a clear signal that printed labels is not linked with gender and age though its consumption relates with the income levels, education and occupation of the consumers. Most lifestyle products such as breakfast cereals, readymade dressings etc. that would mostly be used by people who have relatively higher levels of income and education would pay more attention to various kinds of label information (Sushil Kumar Jabir Ali, 2011). In the context of emerging economies, very little is known regarding consumers expectations and their response to printed food label information (Wang et al., 2008). Pakistans emerging economy is witnessing exceptional boom in the organized retail growth. Its consumers are in the process of changing their consumption/buying behavior especially with respect to food items. Consumption of processed and packaged food items has grown tremendously in the recent past. There is an increase in the demand for healthy food products and with this kind of change in lifestyle and consumption pattern, the quality of food and its safety standards are becoming essential from public policy perspective. ROLE OF FDA (FOOD AND DRUG ASSOCIATION) IN NUTRIONAL LABELLING: Labeling is a part of packaging. Label can be defined as an attachment to the product but according to the Food and Drug Association (FDA), a label is the chief point of contact between the manufacturer and the purchaser. It is described as a crucial part of the manufacturers marketing plan. FDA further explains that the label should carry the name, brand name and the net weight of the product with nutrition facts along with some details of the manufacturer. These food labels increases in complexity as the food products moves from basic commodities to highly process. It therefore keeps a check of the quantity of sugar, fiber, protein that is consumed and allows the purchasers to make an informed decision of the product. (FDA,1998). food_label.jpg With the guidance of dietary health experts, consumers can utilize the nutritional labeling to make better choices and to maintain a well-balanced diet. According to FDA (1998), consumers can enjoy a variety of foods; have a hale and hearty diet with low cholesterol/fats. Take a diet with different fruits or grains and can moderate the usage of salt and/or sodium if nutrition information is practiced. Hence, it carries a relationship between the nutrients and the threat of a disease. If the packaged food products are not labeled, customers may not be aware of their nutrient content. If the consumers form their own belief about nutrient content based on advertising or their own knowledge about food, it can result in underestimation or overestimation of the food content in untagged food products (Anderson and Zarkin, 1992). Especially for prepared food products, nutritional labeling is required more often (Godwin, Henderson, Thompson, 2006). Recently Food and Drug Association (FDA) conducted a research for anticipated changes in the plan and for the usage of the current labels. Therefore, with the sample size of 160 consumers to know if they use the labeling and if so, which part of it is more useful? Almost 21% consumers said that they always examine the tagging while the majority of them told that they often use the label before purchasing the item for consumption. Component of the label most frequently read is of fats, calorie, sugar and fiber contents. The list of ingredients with the health statements were read less. Respondents using high calorie food items like chips, sodas, bakery products etc. said that that do not make use of calorie part while two thirds of them said that they use the labeling rather than relying on their food knowledge and they do understand the importance of labeling. So it can be understood that majority of the respondents use and understand the significant of nutritional labeling and perceived themselves as knowledgeable consumers but a large survey has to be conducted to find the complete awareness and the consumers indulgent. (Godwin, Henderson, Thompson, 2006). A consideration to the food tagging can influence a change in purchasing pattern that can result in improving health. (McLean 2001). FDA with its efforts of providing food information on packaged food items educates the consumers and helps them in the purchasing decision (Satia, GalankoNeuhouser, 2001). CONSUMER AWARENESS ABOUT PACKAGED FOOD PRODUCT: A study was conducted in Islamabad to identify the response of consumer buying behavior in terms of packaging and nutritional labeling. The result showed that Pakistani marketing is getting aware of the nutritional facts of a packaged product. Further, it illustrates that Consumers read the content when they buy packaged food of a particular brand. If repetition is carried out then only manufacture date and expiry date is taken into consideration. The study also found out that a lot of people only check the dates to determine the nutrients. Also, people are still unaware that how much each nutrient is desired by their body and the concept of daily consumption/per meal consumption in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle (Zaidi, 2012). Another study was conducted in our neighboring country, India on Assessing Awareness and Usage Level of Indian Consumer and Influences on Food Buying Behavior. The research show that consumer seek extended information on labels. The result showed satisfactory level of awareness about information available on labels displayed on packaged food and people just skim through the nutrient facts before purchasing the product. In the market consumers also give high value to ingredients and nutrients. Whereas the brand and taste of product is the factor that is consider more as compare to the nutritional value. if these two are liked and the nutrients present are harmful for their health even then product will be purchased (kumar, 2008). Another study conducted in Europe on consumer response to nutrition information on food labels shows that people are aware of the importance of nutrition information on packaged foods. Consumers are aware that in order to maintain a healthy life nutritional food must be taken, therefore they try to make use of the information present on the label as much as they can. However the preference among the consumer differs while purchasing the packaged food such as likeable taste and etc. Secondly consumers prefer to have a simple and easy to understand nutrition information printed on the package. Complicated information and usage of too many jargons leads to confusion and consume their time. They like if noticeable printing to highlight the information as it will catch the eye at once and will also grab the attention of the consumers who are not in the habit of reading the label. Another point that was identified in the study was related to the format of the label and the technical terms including numbers, calculations and even percentages make it difficult for the consumer to decide among the products (Grunert, 2006). Therefore it is extremely beneficial if we find out the likeable ways that grabs the attention of the consumer. The ways would differ depending upon the nature of the product. The psychology of a consumer would be kept in mind while providing the information so that it becomes noticeable and every time when she/he purchases the product reads the label. (Kremers et al. 2006). A research carried out on whether consumers look at nutrition labeling showed it depends on the demographics factors that which nutrients ( sugar, fat, calories) are preferred by the consumers and how much are they interested in reading the nutritional label (Drichoutis et al. 2006). A research paper highlighted that nutrition label on the packaged food can guide consumers to maintain and improve their diet plan and make choices among the food. The effect of nutritional information has a positive impact in switching from one product to another due to beneficial nutrients present in the food. On the other hand nutritional label also have a negative impact on the manufacturer as consumers would avoid the food products that have high content of sugar and fats present it (Nayga, 2006). Consumer search for product information is an active process that involves reading nutritional labeling and then comparing them with other products information and after evaluation of each products information a consumer makes a right decision for purchase. The main cost for a consumer in searching information through label use is the time he/she spends on reading labels; the benefits of this will be healthier food choices. Consumers that are health conscious or have poor health condition through this will be able to search for a more nutritious diet and a healthy life, thus reducing all the risk of an unhealthy diet. Consumers may be aware about the importance of nutritional labeling but time can be an obstacle for the people who have to accomplish plenty of tasks. The purchase decision of employed consumers regarding the quality of product can be low, the reason being less time to spare on labeling than the unemployed consumers who have the time to make an appropriate decision regarding the quality of food products they will purchase (Kim, Nayga Capps, 2001). People make use of the label for various purposes but consumers should be encouraged to use the label more often and create awareness on how to apply this information more efficiently and conveniently (Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition 2004). Therefore, policy makers should identify different ways on how to motivate people to change the behavior of reading nutritional labeling before purchase of the packaged product. According to the Lancaster Product Characteristics theory in 1966, the consumers are a

Nursing Care as Applied to a Client with a Mental Health Problem Essay

An extended essay demonstrating the candidate’s ability to evaluate how the application of theoretical knowledge gained during the course influences and effects the provision of quality nursing care as applied to a client with a mental health problem. The aim of this assignment is to explore the application of theory to practice with regards to a client with a mental health problem. In order to effectively care for clients, nurses need to regularly evaluate their knowledge and assess this knowledge increases the quality of mental health nursing care. The client chosen for this assignment was a female, 39 year-old suffering with agoraphobia. She was a single Asian origin, but living in a council flat in London with her father and sisters. The duration of the clients' illness was approximately nine years, since about 1987. For the purpose of the reader, this essay will be written in the first person, as it will make the assignment more coherent. I worked with the client in the community for the duration of my placement. Therefore, for two months I had regular contact with the client everyday. The client needed nursing intervention because she needed help in coping with her agoraphobia. Due to this phobia she was reliably housebound and could not successfully carry out her activities of daily living. Her father did the shopping and housework. In addition to this the client's functioning was impaired due to other physical problems. She suffered from epilepsy and she had a tumour growing in the left hemisphere, which affected her right-sided mobility. â€Å"A phobia is a fear of a specific of a specific object or scenario† ... ...each session. I then used his list as a reference when the client began to ramble. If supervision had not been used we could have become stressed through interpretation and lack of reflection. Supervision is important because it enhances nurses' education, orientation, support and facilities and nurses to think about how to use of self. (Hinchcliffe 1994). Therefore, the nurses are constantly learning and gaining insight, which impresses clients'. Quality of cares and protects nurses. So we can see from this essay that all the care subjects we have gained knowledge of in the course can greatly improve the clients' care it and our ability to care for them. We are constantly learning in practice and need to use knowledge, but supervision, reflection and other disciplines to improve our standard of care. Nursing Care as Applied to a Client with a Mental Health Problem Essay An extended essay demonstrating the candidate’s ability to evaluate how the application of theoretical knowledge gained during the course influences and effects the provision of quality nursing care as applied to a client with a mental health problem. The aim of this assignment is to explore the application of theory to practice with regards to a client with a mental health problem. In order to effectively care for clients, nurses need to regularly evaluate their knowledge and assess this knowledge increases the quality of mental health nursing care. The client chosen for this assignment was a female, 39 year-old suffering with agoraphobia. She was a single Asian origin, but living in a council flat in London with her father and sisters. The duration of the clients' illness was approximately nine years, since about 1987. For the purpose of the reader, this essay will be written in the first person, as it will make the assignment more coherent. I worked with the client in the community for the duration of my placement. Therefore, for two months I had regular contact with the client everyday. The client needed nursing intervention because she needed help in coping with her agoraphobia. Due to this phobia she was reliably housebound and could not successfully carry out her activities of daily living. Her father did the shopping and housework. In addition to this the client's functioning was impaired due to other physical problems. She suffered from epilepsy and she had a tumour growing in the left hemisphere, which affected her right-sided mobility. â€Å"A phobia is a fear of a specific of a specific object or scenario† ... ...each session. I then used his list as a reference when the client began to ramble. If supervision had not been used we could have become stressed through interpretation and lack of reflection. Supervision is important because it enhances nurses' education, orientation, support and facilities and nurses to think about how to use of self. (Hinchcliffe 1994). Therefore, the nurses are constantly learning and gaining insight, which impresses clients'. Quality of cares and protects nurses. So we can see from this essay that all the care subjects we have gained knowledge of in the course can greatly improve the clients' care it and our ability to care for them. We are constantly learning in practice and need to use knowledge, but supervision, reflection and other disciplines to improve our standard of care.

Free Essay on Homers Odyssey: Odyssey as Epic Poem :: Homer Odyssey Essays

The Odyssey as Epic Poem "The Odyssey" is an epic poem. In "The Odyssey", the reader can find at least four characteristics, which help prove it is an epic poem. One characteristic is the vast setting that Odysseus experiences throughout his journey. Another is Odysseus's larger-than-life, imposing stature. So are the superhuman deeds Odysseus completes on his long arduous journey. Also, "The Odyssey" is based around a central hero whose actions determine the fate of his kingdom. Throughout "The Odyssey" the reader is given thorough details of the vast setting that Odysseus experiences. During Odysseus's journey across the sea he experiences many lands and people previously unknown to him. In "The Odyssey", Odysseus leaves his known world of Ithaca and enters the Unknown World. There he finds the land of the Cyclopes, Aeolys Island, and Ogygia. While on his journey Odysseus must travel to the Underworld to find Tiresias. The blind man will tell him whether he will return home to Ithaca or not. Another characteristic is Odysseus's larger-than-life, imposing stature. When Odysseus returns to Ithaca, he strings his bow and continues to slaughter the suitors who threatened his rule. Stringing his bow and shooting it repeatedly, while even the strongest suitor could not pull it shows great strength. It proves he is a larger-than-life man of unmatchable strength. Also throughout his journeys Odysseus is recognized as a man of wisdom and strength. Odysseus must have been an epic hero as he was recognized by the gods on numerous occasions. For instance when Hermes appears and gives Odysseus the magical herb, Moly to protect him from the magical powers of Circe's. Throughout "The Odyssey" Athena shows herself to Odysseus and gives him advice. When Odysseus is attempting to return to Ithaca, Circe tells him he must visit the blind Tiresias, who will tell him his fate. Odysseus is one of only two men who enter the Underworld and live. Odysseus performs many superhuman deeds throughout "The Odyssey" perhaps the most important is when he entered the Underworld. One of the main characteristics of "The Odyssey", which proves it is an epic poem, is that it is based around a central hero whose actions determine the fate of his kingdom.

Motivation and Commitment for the Social Work Profession

X 1) Motivation and Ccommitment for the Social Work Profession As I reminisce back upon my life there are many experiences and factors that have affected and shaped who I am today. If you examine Nature vs. Nurture, Ive always coincluded that human expression is not just black and white, there is a definite grey area where both nature (genetics) and nurture (environment) combine. For example, childhood experiences or family dynamics can either make or break you as a person depending on whether you allow negative experiences or less than ideal environments to detrimentally affect the way in which you view the world.You can prevail forward or stay with the natural human tendency to digress in the past but you decide how long you want that period of digression to be. My immediate family growing up was my father, stepmother, mother, and my twin brothers. My parent's divorced when I was two. My mother was severely depressed; because of this I did not see her again until I was eight years old. I dont remember a lot from when I was young but I do recall my brothers and I visiting our mother under supervision in a playroom of a human services building. She explained to us that she was better and could soon keep us every other weekend.My mother was better for a while but the depression came in cycles, sometimes she was up and other times she was down. My twin brothers were born mentally challenged on the mild spectrum. As I watched my mother and brothers struggle with trials and tribulations of life, I realized how much I enjoy helping others cope with the obstacles and barriers that can come with life, with or without a disability that brings life into another realm. Which is how I came to work with several different companies serving various populations such as, mentally challenged, mentally ill, physically disabled and Traumatic Brain Injury.My interest in social work and psychology began as a teenager in my first psychology class my freshman year in high school. I w as fascinated with how the brain works and what influences and shapes the human mind. I told my parent's at this time my dream of becoming a therapist. As a teenager I always wanted to give support and give advice to my friends. I wanted to help others through their challenges. We all face challenges in life, we all have to face fear at one time or another, every challenge and fear is a chance to gain courage or strength you never knew you had inside you.I began pursuing my bachelors degree at the age of twenty one. I attended school, work, and at the same time held up the role of single motherhood. It was testing and exhausting at times but the feeling of accomplishment at the end was well worth it. After receiving my degree I knew eventually I would want to climb further up the education ladder when I was ready. I wanted a break to gain more work experience serving others. This year I decided was the right time to look into a masters degree program.I was fond of the multidimension al contexts mentioned in the Advanced Generalist Concentration description for the second year. It is important to learn the different levels and aspects of cultures and the influences thereof, in order to better understand and empathize with the individuals you serve as a social worker. My future career goals after I complete the program: I hope to work in a clinic or resource center for individuals with HIV and work towards further prevention and education to the public. I am going to obtain a minor in Drug and Alcohol Counseling so I can better serve this population.After gaining some work experience to broaden my perspective and knowledge, I hope to open my own therapy practice in order to help others through their challenges and succeed in life. 2) A Social Issue of Concern A social issue of concern for me is the stigmatizing of individuals with HIV in society. As the HIV/AIDS epidemic marks its thirtieth year, you can state a lot has changed since 1981 when what was thought of as the gay plague which had symptoms ssimilar to pneumonia and Kaposis Sarcoma, such as, fever, fatigue, rash, swollen lymph nodes, and sore throat.Although many individuals experience no symptoms at all, feel, and appear healthy for several years. A few years later this would come to be known as HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). Now thirty years later society, professionals, and doctors know more about HIV transmission, treatment, and prevention. Society may know more but do they know enough to keep ignorance and stigma at bay? A recent survey performed by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows substantial shares of Americans continue to express discomfort at the idea of interacting with people living with HIV.For example 45% say theyd be uncomfortable having their food prepared by someone who is HIV-positive, 36% with having an HIV roommate, 29% having their child in a classroom with an HIV-positive teacher, and 18 ppercent working with someone who is HIV-positive. One statistic th at does show some promise in decreasing stigma and ignorance within society is the share stating theyd be very comfortable working with someone who has HIV increased from about a third in 1997 to roughly half in 2011. (www. kff. org/kaiserpolls[->0]) Unfortunately other results show the public is still ignorant about modes of transmission of HIV.The KFF survey also shows that over the past twenty years, roughly one in four Americans have continued to either believe that one can get HIV from a drinking glass, or remain unsure whether it is the case. What do these statistics tell about stigma and ignorance within the general public? It says that potentially stigmatizing and dincriminating attitudes still persist. There are a few factors that I believe led to this outcome, 1) The public is not being educated enough in the schools, television, and doctors offices and hospitals are prime places where we can get the information out there. ) More doctors are suggesting HIV tests for non-el derly, 29% but so far it doesn't translate into an increase in reports of actually getting an HIV test. About one in five non-elderly adults say they have been tested for HIV in the past 12 months which is a ppercentage that has held steady since 1997. 3) The information about how HIV is contracted and testing routes/sites needs to get out not to just high-risk population but to the general population as well. Although society ddiscrimination, HIV itself does not discriminate. (statistics obtained from: www. kff. rg/kaiserpolls) 1. Society Response When speaking of HIV in general, people get defensive and uncomfortable. This is where peer advocacy at testing sites, community education sites, and in the clinics/hospitals is vital because those living with HIV can share their stories and show others the different types of people that contract HIV. So a face can be put with the virus, show others that you cant tell who has HIV by looking at someone. Also, a belief that comes into play is that if you talk about sex, even safe sex, that people will be encouraged to have more of it.In reality the opposite rings true. The more that educators and hospital professionals talk about safe sex and STDs, the more comfortable others are talking with their sex partners on the subject. The more you know about a topic, the more confident you feel to discuss it with others. 3) Personal Strengths, Skills, Knowledge, Qualities and Limitations Ive always had an altruistic personality, compassion for others, ability to empathize with external and internal human struggles. In high school I enjoyed giving advice and being the sympathetic ear to my friends.Growing older, I enjoyed listening to and talking with mature adults at work with every day contact I gained more knowledge about their life experience. I was always fascinated when discussing the way they handled their trials and tribulations. I always had a thirst for knowledge whether it is the spoken words of others, reading book s, enjoying new experiences, or researching online. Some professionals who receive vast education, or are in their chosen profession for a long time, come to believe they have learned it all. They get stuck in a rut like doctors treating numbers, not treating the patient.I dont believe I will ever get to that place in my career. At the start and at the end of the day, you need to remember your purpose for yourself and for others. Its innate for all of us to need human experience, to be loved and accepted, to feel needed, to make others happy. In summary, a thirst for human knowledge, an understanding that society and people are forever changing, the ability to empathize with others, and the human experience in general, is what makes an effective social worker. One of my limitations is that I often underestimate myself.Because of that I put limitations on myself that dont need to be there. I let fear of success get in the way of success. However, Ive come to realize this and I do my best to strive further and not give up. There are always obstacles in life whether it is emotional, physical, or environmental. One must learn to get around them, work with them, or run right through them. 4) Ethics and Values My personal values are seen in the work I have chosen to do tthroughout my life. Ive worked with the mentally challenged, mentally ill, and physically challenged individuals for many years.I believe no matter what the differences and limitations are, we as human beings all deserve respect, dignity, and the same opportunities that all Americans are provided. The right to vote, obtain an education, right to work, to serve in the community, have resources available, and to live and experience life to its fullest; are rights and privileges we all have. Some do not realize how in the past those that differ from the norm have had to fight and struggle for these rights, many had to experience anguish, despair, and isolation when institutionalization was standard and no rights were given to these individuals.In 1955 the institutions were slowly shutdown for the most part and deinstitutionalization became the standard. The mentally challenged, physically disabled and mentally ill were more accepted and iintegrated into the community, the educational system, into paid work and vocational positions, the government and state provided adaptions so they could gain access to the community and use their rights. There is always more work to do.The general public has little concept of how significant the population of disabled individuals is, more educating to the public needs to be put into place on how prevalent physical, intellectual, and mental disorders are, for example, the CDC reported 1 in 110 children in the United States have an Autism spectrum disorder, 13% of children have a developmental disability and the last count in 1993 the CDC found 1. 5 million children and adults ages 6-64 had intellectual disabilities.As a social worker one will work with people from all walks of life, characters, belief systems, religion, culture, race, and value systems. Also depending on these factors, the issues individuals deal with in their day to day lives will vary. You have to put your ego and your own beliefs that may be different from theirs aside and take your profession seriously, but dont take yourself too seriously. Put the person youre serving first and remember the service youre providing, whatever your field may be.People will come in with conflicting beliefs, religions, and backgrounds, but unless you have walked in their shoes its not for you to judge or change their mind. However, you are required to report incidents such as, abuse, homicidal and suicidal intentions (if there is a plan set out). You are there to offer help with resources and advice on the use of those resources available to the individual. 5) Meaningful Volunteer and/or Work experience For the year of 2007 I worked for Quality Living Inc. in Omaha, Nebraska , this is a rehab facility specializing in TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and Spinal Cord Injury.Never having worked with this population, it was an eye opening experience to see several people go from living an independent life, to losing the ability to walk or go to the bathroom, losing the ability to speak, process thoughts, control of their muscles, having to relearn everything and not fully gain back certain skills. Also teaching and helping struggling families gain skills to cope and work with their loved ones as well. One tough situation among many was a family with a seventeen year old daughter who was ran over by a vehicle at night; she had a TBI and was in a comma.I watched the family by her side and praying for her to wake up every day. This hit close to my heart because I have a daughter as well and I thought to myself how heartbroken I would be if that happened to her. You are reminded of how valuable life is and how important the moments are that you spend with those you love. I had never assisted people who were in such extensive need of various services. The individuals attended physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and relearning everyday living skills to gain back the skills they lost.I didn't know the need for this service was so extensive. There are few facilities like it which specialize in TBI and SCI. There are rehabilitation hospitals who offer ssimilar therapies and resources but not to this extent and not as individualized. The creator of Quality Living was one person and a community of families with loved ones who have TBI and/or Spinal Cord Injury who werent getting the services they desperately needed. Working with the individuals and those who work for them, reminded me of the power and perseverance of the human spirit to overcome any obstacle. ) Cultural Diversity Experience a. I have some experience working with diverse cultures. I worked as a nursing assistant in various facilities, nursing homes, group homes, a nd hospitals, assisting with personal care and daily living. Working with the elderly you see how people come from different backgrounds and how it affects who they are today. You also see how dementia and Alzheimers affects the brain and physical function. As I went over before, I worked with individuals with physical and mental disabilities; I still do to this day.I gained a lot of patience and understanding from this work. You come across various behaviors that can be aggressive, violent, emotional, and this will challenge you emotionally and intellectually as well. This will also at times drain you physically and emotionally. At the end of the day you get these reminders: a friendship gained, a smile, a thank you, an apology, a new experience, being able to teach someone and help someone. You see youve made a difference despite the difficult days that come and go. b.I have not had professional experience working with many different ethnicities and/or nationalities. However, I ha ve had personal experience with friendships and co-workers of various national origins such as, Africa, Persia, Mexico, India, Ecuador, Haiti, Columbia, France, Portugal and Britain. I myself love learning about different cultures, their views, beliefs, traditions, history, and food of course, its all very fascinating to me. c. I am most comfortable working with those my age or between 20-40 years of age because I can more easily relate and be at the same level maturity and intellect.I also am comfortable with those who have disabilities and mental illnesses, having professional and personal experience with this population I am more apt to see the person, not just their disability. d. After careful thought there is not a population I am uncomfortable working with. 7. ) Social Support and Financial Plan I plan on applying for school loans and sscholarships. As well as meeting with the financial assistance and sscholarship offices. Currently my husband and I are looking into starting a non-profit shelter for female veterans out of our home.We have already begun contacting individuals within The National Veterans Wellness and Healing Center which host retreats for veteran couples and also works constantly on assisting veterans with obtaining the resources that are available to them. While I am at school and doing work credit hours my husband will take care of the business, along with our business partners we will also hire extra people to assist us with running the business. I am very excited about this endeavor and feel my further education with New Mexico State would contribute a great deal to this and future endeavors. [->0] – http://www. kff. org/kaiserpolls