Language and reason as ways of knowing Essay

Knowledge is also said as ‘ways of knowing’. It means ‘information and skills acquired through experience and education’. The acquisition of knowledge is done by three main factors; perception, language and reason. In this essay we sought to see the strengths and limitations of those learning approaches. Let’s take an example, how do we know that in a bottle, labeled crystal, there is water? We would use this example to explore the three cases. Perception is the way of taking messages and processing it by the brain to obtain meaningful information. Using the example above, we would do anything possible to conclude that what we are consuming from the bottle is water. That is we would observe, smell, taste, etc. We can see that we use our senses to identify the substance. We would observe the bottle, its labeling (name, ingredients etc.), colour of the substance and advertisement on the substance; we would smell the substance and even taste it (this would be last because we fear it might be harmful). All this shows that using our senses, we can identify objects and moving organism; this is the major strength of perception (immense knowledge is gained). Another point would be upon losing one of the senses; we are able to intensify the others, which help us even more in detection but surplus always comes with its difficulties. Subliminal perception is the way trying to identify objects with the memory only, for example a patient may not remember someone’s name but seems to know that person, and thus that patient tries to associate a name that goes well with that person that he/she declares to be unidentifiable. The problem is that even with our senses, we are limited in perception and it’s very frustrating to know how little we know. Sometimes our senses may deceive us, we may see the substance transparent but it is not necessarily water but another liquid. We can have perceptual illusions where we believe an object to have a specific shape but actually differs from what we have thought of. We may also have hallucination, we may feel, see, hear, taste and smell something when there is really nothing of such kind. We also tend to conclude on the very first bit of information received as we have been in such situation before (experience). Language is a method of communication which involves a sender, a message and a receiver to express thoughts. It was developed by humans and when using it, the rules were grammar and the symbols were words. The advantage of this method of learning is that it’s very simple (user-friendly) to use and every person in the world uses it. So communication is easy, thus enriching the ability to acquire knowledge. The greatest advantage is that there are many ways to communicate the thought, therefore enabling people to understand in a way or other. Using the example above, we can give important information, express what we feel and enquire about the substance in the bottle and also in different ways so that all the people involved can understand. There are also seven functions of language, which guides us to where each piece of information acquired can be classified. Despite language having a strong face of learning, it still has its disadvantages. The example above, the bottle of supposedly water, we have used our senses to identify it but without language it is impossible to give the facts, views etc correctly and even harder to communicate the information in different ways; some people uses too many words to explain only a word(can be a different language). Also different people have different views and not all will agree on what one has said about the substance. Reason is a way to justify what we have acquired as knowledge based on previous experiences. If we cannot do so, therefore we have not gained any knowledge. Taking the above example again, we say if that substance is water because it’s tasteless; we say so because we have heard, read and experimented on water. The strength of reasoning would be the rationality and logic arguments. Rationality is what allows us to say things that do make sense, we will not say that the substance in the bottle is water because of the shape of the bottle; it does not make sense. The rationality of a statement shows how the processing of all the information acquired is done and says whether it’s â€Å"good† or not (there is really a bad reason as long as a person can justify it). Being logical depends on the argument put forward as example given above. To be logical, the deductive argument must be correct and validate the argument; this differentiates between a â€Å"good† reasoning and â€Å"bad† reasoning, using above example, 1) all liquid that is pH 7 is water and the substance in the bottle is of pH 7, thus the substance in the bottle is water (this a valid deductive argument) . But sometime the arguments may be valid but does not sound, all substances that are colourless are harmless and the substance in the bottle is colourless, therefore it’s harmless (concentrated hydrochloric acid is also colourless but is very harmful).  To conclude knowledge gained through perception, language and reason is a great advantage to us, human beings but often can be deceptive and invalid. We should be more careful when taking in information, processing, expressing and justifying it. Here again we see that they are all linked!

The Following is an article about the FIFA Confederations Cup 2013

Headline: The 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup was the ninth FIFA Confederations Cup, and was held in Brazil from 15 June to 30 June 2013 as a prelude to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The most recent winners of the six continental championships appeared in the tournament, along with hosts Brazil and UEFA Euro 2012 runners-up Italy, who were admitted because the Euro 2012 winners, Spain, had also won the most recent FIFA World Cup in 2010. Generating Ideas: (Points):[ Actually these are facts. But we can generate and customize our own ideas and create a healthy an article. ] Brazil successfully defended their title with a 3–0 win over Spain in the final. It was their fourth Confederations Cup title and third in a row, after previous wins in 1997, 2005 and 2009. #According to FIFA president Sepp Blatter, the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup was the best version of the tournament ever played. The competition was the first national team tournament to employ goal-line technology, which will als o be used at the 2014 World Cup. #Italy was awarded a spot in the competition because Spain had won both the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012. Since both competitions award their winners a place in the FIFA Confederations Cup, the runner-up of UEFA Euro 2012 received an invitation to the tournament. #six stadiums are used, each in a different city. #The Official Emblem of this tournament features a stylized interpretation of Brazil’s national bird, the Rufous-Bellied Thrush (Sabia-Laranjeira). The colouring of the bird is the result of a creative interpretation inspired by the colours of Brazil’s national flag, whilst simultaneously showcasing the country’s colourful fauna. The lightness of the bird’s flight symbolically eflects the warm, hospitable nature of the Brazilian people and acts as a reminder of their national pride. #Teams had to name a 23-man squad (three of whom must be goalkeepers) by the FIFA deadline of 3 June 2013. The squads were announced by FIFA on 7 June 2013. #the competition's dates were confirmed by FIFA on 27 July 2011 in the build-up to the draw for the 2014 World Cup's preliminary qualification rounds. #All eight teams entered the group stage. The group winners and runners-up advanced to the semi-finals, while the bottom two teams in each group were eliminated from the tournament. Prior to the opening ceremony at the Brasilia National Stadium on 15 June, demonstrations took place outside the stadium, organised by people unhappy with the amount of public money spent to enable the hosting of the FIFA World Cup. Police used tear gas and pepper spray to quell the protests. The demonstrations were part of wider unrest and rioting in Brazilian cities initially sparked by increased ticket prices on public transport, but growing to express deeper public disenchantment with the financial management of the country by its Government, specially due to the high inflation. In the knockout stage, if a match was level at the end of normal playing time, extra time would be played (two periods of 15 minutes each) and followed, if necessary, by a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner. #Fernando Torres was awarded the Golden Boot award on tie-breakers. Both he and Fred scored five goals and made one assist, but Torres was given the award due to having played fewer minutes over the tournament #The official match ball for the Cup was produced by Adidas. It was unveiled during the draw for the competition. The ball is named â€Å"Cafusa† #The FIFA Confederations Cup final attracted the largest sports television audience in Brazil this year, and topped 2013 viewing figures in Spain. #The 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup Final was a football match to determine the winners of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. The match was held at the Estadio do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 30 June 2013 and was contested by the winners of the semi-finals, Brazil and Spain. Brazil defeated Spain 3–0 with goals from Fred and Neymar, thus breaking Spain's record of 29 games without a defeat. #Neymar inspired Brazil to a crushing Confederations Cup victory over World and European champions Spain in the Maracana. The Barcelona superstar scored a stunning strike just before the break and his goal was sandwiched by two Fred goals early in each half, the first a scrappy affair and the second a neat curled finish. Spain did not help themselves, with Sergio Ramos missing a penalty before fellow centre back Gerard Pique was sent off.

After School Activities and the Effect on Student Academic Performance Essay

Due to an increase in concern surrounding the academic performance of students, a growth in the number of mothers working outside of the home and the risks surrounding children who are unsupervised after school a national concern has been raised as to the after school activities that captivate the students’ attention.   As the result of numerous studies showed the manner in which students spend their time after school is dismissed significantly influenced the students’ behavior a number of after-school programs were created.   In a study performed by the National Center for Education their findings showed the number of schools providing extended programs for elementary and middle school students increased drastically between 1987 and 1999, an increase from 16% to 47%.   [1]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     As the various research studies conducted focusing on after-school student activities, researchers began to report their findings surrounding the sudden implementation of school affiliated after school programs.   Many reported results that not only showed an increase in academic achievement, they also revealed that as a result the safety of the children improved and an overall reduction in â€Å"negative behaviors such as drug and alcohol use† had occurred.  Ã‚   [1]   One study performed by White, Russell and Birmingham in 2004 reported that one afterschool program increased the overall student attendance and also had a positive impact on the scores students were receiving in mathematics, a subject that has proven to be a struggle to many students.   There were studies; however that reported findings where no change as well as negative change had occurred.   These reports however, were very few.   [1]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marzano’s study performed in 2003 uncovered 11 factors that afterschool activities influence student behavior, which were then divided into three categories – â€Å"school level practices, teacher-level practices and student-level characteristics.†Ã‚   School level practices involve policies and initiatives within the educational facility; teacher-level practices focus on the activities directly under the teacher’s control; and the student-level characteristics are items that are related to the student’s actual background.   [2]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marzano’s study found that the school and teacher level practices gave the institution and the educator the opportunity to focus on various improvements possible to improve the quality of education provided to the students.   An interesting finding revealed that â€Å"only 20% of the variance in student achievement and that on a student-level characteristics account for an astounding 80%.† [2] As a result, educators came to the realization that in order to increase the level of impact on student achievement, educators must turn their focus on student-level characteristics, which consist of focusing on students’ â€Å"home environment, background knowledge and motivation.†Ã‚   [2] More specific, â€Å"educators can affect three factors of the home environment: parents’ communication with their child about schoolwork, parents’ supervision of their child’s homework, and parents’ communication of their expectations for academic achievement.†Ã‚   [2] Through the act of providing an education for parents and creating a â€Å"home away from home† for students, after school programs can have a positive influence on the overall success of their students in and out of the academic environment.   [2]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marzano suggested that educators should pay careful attention to the knowledge students have already obtained concerning their personal environment, as this has a significant impact on their success in the classroom.   Specifically, â€Å"What students already know about academic content is one of the strongest indicators of how well they will learn new information.†Ã‚   [2] This study concluded that after school programs can stimulate improved academic performance if staff members developed methods â€Å"for enhancing students’ background knowledge include direct academic-oriented experiences; virtual experiences and vocabulary instruction.†Ã‚   [2]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marzano’s study also stressed the benefits of the cultural exposure through fine art and museums as well as the Internet for students.   Data revealed that by simply having access to â€Å"a computer and a high speed Internet connection, students can visit the Egyptian pyramids at Google Earth, investigate the science of skateboarding at the Exploratorium.edu or watch an Elephant Seal in action at NationalGraphic.com†Ã‚   without having to leave the building to gain exposure.   [2] As many studies revealed, low income students stood to benefit from these activities the most, as the opportunity to experience such a wide range of activities was limited.   Many parents who were economically challenged not only lacked the funds to provide certain extras for their children, such as an Internet connection, they lacked the educational background to convey their experiences.   [2]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sandra Hofferth and Zita Jankuniene conducted a study in 2001 that posed specific questions surrounding how students spent their time once school had been dismissed.   The focus was placed on preadolescent students and investigated where students went after school and who they spent time with once they had arrived.   The study revealed that students spend approximately 30% of their time free from obligations and supervision weekly and the activities performed during this time has been shown to have a profound impact on â€Å"their long-term achievement and social adjustment.†Ã‚   [3]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hofferth and Jankuniene identified several factors that they feel should concern educators.   One interesting fact uncovered was the fact that 73% of the children surveyed went directly home once school was dismissed and that the dominant activity these particular students performed was watching television.   Two other common activities were reported from children who returned home after school were playing and reading, the statistics were divided equally between the two. Approximately 15% of the students studied reported participating in afterschool sports activities and 10% revealed that they engaged in â€Å"passive leisure,† which consisted of listening to music or sitting around without activity.   [2] The students reported that they spent their time in an after-school program was revealed to be approximately 8% of the group studied.   These students reported that they spent their time after school participating in sports, art activities, socializing with others and playing.   Only 1% of students participating in after school programs reported that they watched television, as it was not easily accessed in this environment.     [3]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Once data was gathered and organized it revealed that the activities students reported varied, however some findings were consistent.   Every student that took part in the study reported that a large percentage of time was spent at home,.   Because of the extended time spent in their home environment, the majority of time he or she spent studying after school took place in the student’s home.   In modern society this produces various implications, one of which is that both parents are most likely to work outside of the home and as a result the number of children spending their time at home after school is decreasing.   As students’ time at home decreases, so does their time spent reading, which is â€Å"the activity most strongly and consistently associated with student achievement.†Ã‚   [3] Yet another implication identified was the fact that even if the focus on reading and studying took place in the presence of a parent, low income families where parents have less education are less likely to provide accurate attention to the student’s progress.   Children from low income families were also found to be less likely to participate in organized activities, such as sports, that were not affiliated with the school.   These children were found more likely to participate in structured activities if they were presented and organized by the public school system.  Ã‚   [3]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Researchers found that school-based programs provided a safe and supervised environment where students stand to benefit from organized activities that stimulate participation and attention to academic activities.   One significant factor that educators face is the fact that as students grow older and mature they prefer the unsupervised environment as they are able to freely â€Å"relax, read and watch television.†Ã‚   [3] For educators to attract the attention of these students, after school programs need to take into account â€Å"the need for independence and self-determination as well as the need for supervision and help with homework.†Ã‚   [3] Preadolescents are a particular challenge to educators; however the statistics showed that the time spent after school is imperative to a student’s performance.   [3]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Not all studies have reported results that are overwhelmingly positive, as a national evaluation of 21st Century Community Learning Center after school programs revealed that â€Å"programs affected the type of care and supervision students received after school† but their â€Å"academic outcomes were not affected and they had more incidents of negative behavior.†Ã‚   [3] This particular study analyzed the behavior of 2,308 elementary students that showed an interest in attending a center and to accurately obtain data for this particular study these students were assigned randomly to a treatment or control group.   The findings that feelings of safety significantly increased did not have a clear basis on which researchers could identify, as the programs shifted students from parental care to unfamiliar adults.   Some speculation was placed on the fact that these programs decreased the amount of time students spent caring for themselves, however this particular study did not address this issue.   [1]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The study identified a number of key factors that might offer an explanation to the lack of improvement in academic outcomes.  Ã‚  Ã‚   One key factor being the fact that there was no coordination between the regular school day curriculum and the afterschool programming, which staff concluded that they came to understand this as a necessity during the study.  Ã‚   Researchers reported that â€Å"coordination was weak or nonexistent† when outside staff made an attempt to coordinate with teachers, â€Å"using burdensome processes such as having teachers send homework assignments to programs or share lesson plans with them.†Ã‚   [1] The coordination of curriculums was far more successful and consistent if both the school educator and staff responsible for after school activities took place in the same location.   [1]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Yet another aspect uncovered imperative to the after-school program’s success was attendance.   Researchers revealed that a student’s attendance â€Å"may need to pass some minimum threshold before gains are realized.†Ã‚   [1] Students who attended the program regularly and more consistent than others showed positive outcomes, however the study reported â€Å"we cannot draw causal inference from that analysis.†Ã‚   [1] Also shown to have an effect on students’ focus was the amount of time spent focusing on academic activities, as the program’s structure was far more fragmented into various activities such as â€Å"snacks, cultural enrichment, recreation, arts and music.†Ã‚     Ã‚  [1] Researchers admitted the fact that it is quite possible that if the amount of time focusing on academics was increased it is quite possible these findings would have revealed different results.   [1]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The results of this particular study, unlike studies completed by other researchers, were inconsistent and did show that some students benefitted from the structured afterschool environment.   They reported that â€Å"By design, the centers included in the study were those that could support random assignment, and those estimates from the study do not represent average impacts of all 21st Century centers serving elementary students.†Ã‚   [1] In order for solid and consistent findings to be revealed, another study would have to take place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 2001 Cosden, Morrison, Albanese and Macias provided a summary of the outcome of a number of studies that had been conducted on the level of influence students receive from their after school activities.   Their summary began by focusing on the fact that when unsupervised, some students have a tendency to act in a negative fashion by committing various crimes.   They revealed that the US Department of Justice reported that the peak time for juvenile crime takes place between the hours of 3pm and 7pm on school days, â€Å"the period after school until parents typically return from work.†Ã‚   [4] The Juvenile Offenders and Victims:   1999 National Report also suggested that this study found that â€Å"after-school programs have greater potential for reducing juvenile crime than imposition of a juvenile curfew.†Ã‚   [4] The students most likely to commit these acts were those students that have been identified as at-risk students, many from families that have limited incomes.   [4]   The government stressed the importance of creating a structured environment for students after school has dismissed offers them the opportunity to focus their mind on positive activities, which will ultimately lessen the number of juvenile crimes committed.   [4]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Out of the various studies summarized by Cosden, Morrison, Albanese and Macias each study focused on â€Å"structured after-school programs that offered students assistance with homework and other academic needs.†Ã‚   [4] In addition most of the studies â€Å"focused on children considered at risk for school failure as a result of low income, limited familial resources, and/or poor grades.†Ã‚   [4] Though each program had variances as to the actual curriculum each study provided the students with a structured environment where the students experienced contact with an adult.   The impact of the student’s academic performance appeared to be â€Å"mediated by other child and teacher factors, such as increases in the child’s self-esteem and school bonding and changes in teacher perceptions regarding the effort and capabilities of the student.†Ã‚   [4]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a 1992 study conducted by Halpern and then a similar study in 1999 by Beck, research was gathered pertaining to programs where students were provided a structured location and time where they could receive â€Å"homework and instructional support.†Ã‚   [4]     Beck’s research focused on student ranging from Kindergarten to 12th grade and suggested that this program was integral in shaping the students’ level of confidence as well as the teacher’s perception of their level of effort. Similar data was reported by Halpern in his study of children between five and twelve years old, in that he felt the â€Å"participation gave students greater confidence in their abilities and provided an opportunity to develop positive, school-related, adult attachments.†Ã‚   [4] Though neither study revealed that these structured after-school programs offered a positive impact in the amount of homework completed by students, it suggested that the structured environment provided an opportunity to increase the level of self-confidence in each student that participated as well as improve the teacher’s perception of the student’s overall effort.   [4]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1992, Ross, Saavedra, Shur, Winters and Felner conducted a study of 400 school aged children that took part in a variety of after-school programs, each offering a structured environment but possessing various cirriculum.   The researchers delivered results that showed each of these programs as integral in building self-esteem in those who took part in the structured activities at the end of the school day.   The group also found that self-esteem was a major factor in determining academic performance in students, as it had â€Å"positive effects on standardized test scores in math and reading.†Ã‚   [4]   This research did, however, report that there were some concerns surrounding after school activities that placed focus specifically on academics.   [4]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is a concern if activities after school specifically focus on academic activities and homework assistance this might promote a negative environment for students, as these programs â€Å"do not replace other non-academic extracurricular activities.†Ã‚   [4] The concern surrounding this topic is that many after-school activities provided through the school system do not provide students opportunities that take focus away from the regular school day curriculum. Researchers suggest that many students require some type of incentive to build their self-esteem and if this isn’t provided it may â€Å"increase the student’s risk for school failure.†Ã‚   [4]   Cosden, Morrison, Gutierrez, and Brown suggest that programs should offer activities that â€Å"enhance student engagement to the school while allowing time for homework to occur.†Ã‚   [4]   Students must be given the opportunity to disengage their minds from the regular school day and place a focus on an alternate structured activity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All studies revealed the importance of parental involvement, as the time spent in the care of others is less time spent in the care of the parents.   Parental involvement is important because not only does it provide students with immediate assistance, but it â€Å"models positive attitudes and study skills needed to succeed in school.†Ã‚   [4] Parents who stress the importance of learning have a large impact on their children, as they see their parents as â€Å"both competent and similar to them.†Ã‚   [4]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though not all research studies conducted have shown conclusive results that prove the overall effectiveness of afterschool programs, each concluded the level of influence students receive from their after school activities.   The majority of these studies have revealed that the various structured programs available to students provide youth with an opportunity to have afterschool supervision in a structured environment that promotes positive behavior.   For the most part it is agreed that â€Å"involvement in extracurricular activities is associated with school engagement and achievement† and that the fact these students become engaged in a school affiliated program means that students are less likely to commit juvenile crimes, â€Å"are less likely to drop out and more likely to have higher academic achievement.†Ã‚   [4] References [1] James, S., Dynarski, M. & Deke, J. (2007). When Elementary Schools Stay Open Late: Results From the National Evaluation of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program. . [2] Parsley, D. & LaBounty, S. (2007). Joining Forces. Principal Leadership, 8 (4), 28-31. [3] Hofferth, S. L. & Jankuniene, Z. (2001). Life After School. Educational Leadership, 58 (7), 19, 5p, 3c. [4] Cosden, M., Morrison, G., Gutierrez, L. & Brown, M. (2004). The Effects of Homework Programs and After-School Activities on School Success. Theory Into Practice, 43 (3), 220-228.

Module of Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Module of Evaluation - Essay Example David Malan talks of the skill of HP Hildebrand when he was appointed to the famous London Clinic of Psychoanalysis back in 1963 (Malan 44). He barred from treatment (by trainees) any person with a severe suicidal attempt, signs of chronic alcoholism and drug addiction, long periods of hospitalisation, and more than one type of ECT, serious incapacitating phobia and OCD, any homosexual longing tobecome heterosexual, or someone with abominably destructive performing out. The fall out rate dropped from 60 percent to 10 percent. Discussion Innovative advances in psychotherapy field have improved its effectiveness and usefulness however, patient variables remain a significant, some may say the greatest, the determinant of the outcome. It has confirmed hard to study; studies and research that are more current are specially sparse and only accessible at a fee (many of them require a book sale or a subscription to a particular journal) or in universal psychiatry journals. Therefore, I have decided to go back on the 1979 piece â€Å"assessment for patients of Psychotherapy† of Sydney Bloch 2 for a bigger view. Adapted from his piece is a list of exclusions that comprise organic brain syndrome, the Bipolar and severe depression. Others are Schizophrenia, the severe Personality disorder (like sociopathic or narcissistic and paranoid), drug or alcohol infatuation, Hypochondriacal or somatisation particularly if alexothymic, like a cure for sexual ‘deviation’ or too distrustful and incompetent cognitively and intolerant of frustration, without impulse control, ‘inhibited, constantly fatigued or submissive’. Those he thought benefited more were those with: rational level in personality integration, the motivation for change and realistic expectation of healing process or psychological mindedness, at slightest average intelligence, average ‘neurosis’ and Personality disorders or strong affect and felt dissatisfaction, life situat ion without any unresolved previous problems (Wolberg 23). The Ego is belived to come from the dissatisfaction of the ID’s drives and the wishes by the external reality (also, it later deals with fault by the Super ego that is belived to come from resolution of oedipal complex). If all the patients have the ability to satisfy their needs maturely, (change in work, love or play to use the George Valiant’s ideas). These ideas are to postpone gratification, cope up with adversity, think and reason logically about the problems or problem solve, and then relate to reality with extra mature ego defence mechanism, they are believed to have excellent ego strength and are much favourable customers for Psychotherapy. The disapproval levelled at therapists was that they excempted those most in requirement of assistance. In his 1964 manuscript â€Å"Psychotherapy the purchase friendship† William Schofield is important of the then inclination of psychotherapists to focus on patients that are more attractive and coined the word YAVIS: Young, then attractive, then verbal, then Intelligent, Successful, others have added second S for ‘similar’. To rephrase Malan and several others, this was not too diverse from other sectors of medicine (particularly at the time) when ill patients with several and severe conditions were regularly excempted from particular procedures medical, the surgical and anesthetic,

Marketing essentials Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing essentials - Essay Example It was originally named as Cadbury Schweppes Overseas Ltd (CSOL) after its merger with Schweppes. The mission of the organisation is to offer best quality products to its customers in order to enhance its market share and brand identity in the markets of the United Kingdom as well as globally (Cadbury, n.d.). Thus, in the year 2007, Cadbury undertook a vital strategic move and shifted from the sector of beverages towards confectionary, which not only augmented its corporate image and but its profit margin as well. It started developing various products such as ‘5 stars’, ‘Perk’, ‘Celebrations’, ‘Temptations’, ‘Diary Milks and Gems’. Along with this, it also has offered milk food beverage as well namely Bournvita. Thus, it can be affirmed that Cadbury is a renowned brand and in terms of financial aspect held annual revenue of ?5, 384 million in the year 2008 (Cadbury, n.d.). The major objective of this assignment is to p repare a marketing plan for Cadbury for the next one to three years. It also highlights the situation of the company and the market in the current scenario. The paper also focuses on the SWOT analysis and competitors’ analysis in order to evaluate the existing position of the organisation, Cadbury in the global market. Moreover, it also includes development of an innovative product idea for the organisation along with financial forecasts for the product for the future three years. Analysis of Company Situation Cadbury is a reputed organisation and it mainly operates in international confectionary market. It is the second leading supplier of chocolate and other sugar confectionaries in the market of the United Kingdom (Cadbury, n.d.). As the company is operating from many years so it has established an apparent market brand image that enhanced its position to a large extent among other leading competitors. Moreover, as the organisation is functioning in global markets, it incl udes high prospects of diversifying the booming products of one market to other emerging markets. This helps to augment the market share and uniqueness of the brand in the varied emerging markets all round the globe (Scribd, n.d.). Although Cadbury functions in more than 60 countries, the maximum turnover is originated from the markets of the United States, South Africa, Ireland and United Kingdom. Along with these, other promising markets namely India, Thailand and China also offer significant impact on the growth and development of the Cadbury brand. The other important factor, which enhanced the individuality of the brand among other apparent players in the market, is heavy concentration and investment over advanced technologies. This helped the organisation to offer various new products at an efficient cost, which enhanced the dependency and receptiveness of the customers (Scribd, n.d.). Thus, it facilitated in improvement of the financial situation of the organisation as well. In addition, the strong administration team with centralised hierarchical structure facilitates Cadbury in maintaining a uniform culture, which amplifies the

College Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

College Writing - Essay Example Further, college students have come out as lacking in the skills of determining which information is relevant, how to obtain it and then how to evaluate the information critically before using it in their writing (Perelman, 130). The major controversy therefore is whether college students are actually lacking in the skills of utilizing sources of information effectively, or the college grading systems have forced the students to misuse the information sources. Nevertheless, whether through summarizing or paraphrasing, college students are not generally lacking in skills of information internalization and subsequent application in their work. Rather, the grading systems of the testing organizations are forcing the students to misuse or misapply the sources. Most contemporary argument regarding the best ways in which college students should complete their academic work and papers hold that summary is the most effective method of students obtaining information from sources. This argument holds that summary enabled students to obtain information from a source in a critical manner, and then incorporate it in their own work, since summary â€Å"compel the writer to understand the source† (Howard, Serviss and Rodrigue, 177). On the other hand, it is argued that paraphrasing is the most suitable method of the college students using information obtained from their sources, owing to the fact that information is most effective as a paraphrase, when it has been written in students’ own words (Perelman, 131). However, the problem may not even rest in which method students should apply in utilizing sources of information and incorporating them in their work. The major issue is what could be the reason behind the students using their s ources in the way the use them. The grading criteria approved and applied by the College Board requires that a

Animal Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Animal Life - Essay Example My weekly snippets in my journal are not only interesting but also endearing. She is the pet of the house and everyone dote on her, including myself. She is a Lhasa apso and is cream in color with a small light brown patch on her back. She is an otherwise well behaved dog except for the fact that she cannot resist chasing the cats around the house. Even today as I opened the door to one of my friends, Trixy escaped and the next thing I knew was that she ran chasing after the cats. After her game was over, she went to her place under the chair and had a real good nap. I was sitting near the window of the living room at my home and was glancing out at all the activity taking place when all of a sudden I noticed Trixy nosing her way to my gate. I quickly ran outside and opened the gate for her and came back to my place at the window. The little dog was fascinating to watch and before I knew it, she had gone to the corner of my garden and began circling around still keeping her nose to the ground. I wondered what she was up to and was soon surprised to find that she began scraping the earth with her paw and again smelt around the area. Very soon she got down to work by digging the soil vigorously. I wanted to go and stop her but was curious as to why she was digging. Finally the digging stopped and the scruffy little creature looked at something sticking through the mud. She sniffed hard again and after making sure that that was what she wanted, held it between her teeth and tugged hard. Trixy fell backwards and went for a small tumble as the object came loose. She happily picked it up and went to another corner of the garden and after circling the place a couple of times, she sat down and started nibbling at the object which was a very old and dry bone, that she must have hidden there quite some time ago! Week 4'''. Running after the cats. Trixy's favorite pastime was playing with a ball. Every time I happened to see her loitering around my garden, I would run inside and get the colored ball I had bought for her to play. As I sat on my doorstep and admired the flowers in the garden on a bright Saturday morning, I spotted Trixy, trying to push open the garden gate and come in. I quickly opened the gate for her and ranDog'.4 to get the ball. She was delighted at the sight of the ball and jumped high and caught it in her mouth as I threw it in the air. She was wagging her tail vigorously and barked loudly as she ran to and fro with the ball. When I threw the ball towards one of the corners in the garden, Trixy rushed to fetch it and the next moment, I heard the screech of a cat. I looked in the direction of the noise to find that Trixy had jumped on the cat who was snugly curled up in the corner. The hair on the cat's back stood

Global Marketing The UK food or drink product or brand must not be Essay

Global Marketing The UK food or drink product or brand must not be currently available in the selected market - Essay Example The company primary founders of the organization are John Wrigh, Adam Balcon, Richard Reed and Maurice Pinto (Wiggins, 2005). At the time of inception, the company had begun to operate with very few employees and possessed limited hierarchy in business. It should be noted that the organization does not own any personal juicing facilities. The corporation just contracts the vocation of mechanized smoothies to different sites. The founders of the company had commenced the business only after analyzing the emerging market demand of smootheis across all economies. With the essence of its superior products and marketing skills, the Innocent Drinks have experienced rising revenue from both its domestic and foreign markets. It at present owns the widest market demand share for smoothies in London. However, the organization is facing monetary crunches in business and has hence joined hands with Coca Cola only for financing purposes. At present Coca Cola owns 90% stake of Innocent Drinks but its commercial strategies and policies for international are considered and determined by its own senior management officials (Lucas, 2013). Thus, the marketing official of the company ensures that any new foreign business expansion program is viable and rational. This is because; raising money for unproductive projects would become non feasible and challenging for the officials. Innocent Drinks had never resisted expending its business in new markets, despite of facing numerous financial problems in commerce. Previously, the company had expanded its trade in some international markets by distributing its products in the new marketplaces through giant multinational supermarket chains like Tesco and Sainsbury. The main markets of the company are Ireland and U.K. Almost 90% revenue of the firm is acquired from the sales in these two economies. However, overtime the company has successfully entered within the markets of Netherlands, Belgium, France and Luxembourg

Inferential and Descriptive Statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Inferential and Descriptive Statistics - Essay Example In order to undertake inferential statistics changes should be made in the analysis of the data, frequencies should be recorded for the gender, for the right handed or left handed variable and for the preferred T shirt variable which should be treated as a dummy variable, for the income, age and grade variable, the mean, standard deviation and variance should be determined. A hypothesis should be formulated following the analysis of the central tendency of the data, for example a hypothesis may aim at finding out whether more participants prefer the red T shirt, another hypothesis may be aimed at finding out whether more male prefer the red T shirt or whether more female prefer red shirt. Finally in order to undertake inferential statistics the sampling method should be random, this involves selecting an appropriate method which will ensure that data is reliable. Example a random sample or cluster sample should be selected. The random sample ensures that the population is properly represented and that if another study is undertaken a study will yield the same results. There are a number of advantages associated with inferential statistics, one of the advantages is that inferential statistics will provide more information than descriptive statistics, for example descriptive statistics regarding the gender variable will indicate percentages of male and female participants, inferential statistics will involve determining the percentage of male, and also will also involve an analysis of the gross income for the year 1993. Inferential statistics may involve determining whether the average male gross income is greater than the average female income in 1993. Further inferential statistics will also provide information regarding the relationship between variables as shown in the above example. Another advantage of inferential statistics is that it reveals causes and effects, for example gender may influence preference. The other advantage is that inferential statistics helps in prediction, for example results may help in predicting the level of demand for both types of T Shirts. This form of analysis also has an advantage in that it provides convincing results which are widely accepted, hypothesis or theory under test in a study will require inferential statistics such as chi square tests, the results are compared and a conclusion is made regarding the hypothesis or theory. Therefore inferential statistics has an advantage over descriptive statistics whereby inferential statistics will aid in making conclusion about the data. Conclusion: From the above discussion it is evident that there are a number of changes that should be undertaken in the analysis in order to perform inferential statistics, frequencies and measures of central tendencies should be determined. A hypothesis should be stated that will be tested in order to make conclusions. There are number of advantages associated with inferential statistics which include the fact that inferential analysis will provide more information, reveal cause and effect and help in making conclusion that widely acceptable. Reference: Cheng Lee and Lee C. J. (2000) Statistics For Business And Financial Economics, Prentice Hall Publishers, New Jersey.

Business Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Management - Essay Example High Definition television aims to bring viewers closer to the reality when pursuing their favorite shows and the global market for these sets is priced at billions of dollars. However, the next ‘big thing’ in the television market in 3D technology which literally brings the characters on screen into the living rooms of the users. Though existing since the mid 1900s, the 3D technology had always been relegated to the realm of ‘unnecessary fads’. Attempts to popularize the technology were made in the 80s but due to ineffective marketing, devices which did not perform as well as had been hyped and an extremely extravagant pricing well above the price point of the average consumer, the trend of 3D did not catch on. It was not until the release of blockbuster movies like ‘Avatar’, beautifully rendered in eye catching 3D and boasting the best visual effects that technology could create that people finally began to see the value of 3D televisions. As the demand increased, the industry responded by producing different types of 3D devices in large sizes which would be more appealing for families (Display Bank 2010). The boom in 3D televisions has been supported by subsequent networks and shows created for this audience, featuring popular dramas, sports coverage and movies which can be enjoyed in 3D. It is obviously an added expense but one that many people are ready to pay for. The current situation and potential for growth: â€Å"The global market for 3D TVs is projected to exceed 200 million units by 2018, primarily driven by increased  consumer interest, falling prices of 3D TVs, and the introduction of 3D standards† (PRweb, 2012) The growth in the interest in 3d TVs has also been supported in turn by other forms of entertainment media and the changing preferences of the average consumer. People demand perfection from their ‘digital media entertainment’ and want it to be synchronized with their hand held d evices, all the time providing an enriching experience at par with real life. An important growth driver has been the penetration of high-bandwidth broadband services throughout households which can easily connect all their devices and provide access to specialized content on demand, and it has become possible due to successful implementation of fiber-based high-capacity broadband connections which provide greater bandwidth speeds. Devices such as smart TVS, smartphones and tablet PCs are steadily becoming a part of the modern landscape and they provide the boost in consumer interest in having the best possible displays for these. The big names in the industry, Samsung, LG, Sony, and Panasonic entered the 3D format in 2010  after analyzing the huge potential that had been created for a new market. Currently the United States is the largest regional market for shipment by volume of 3D TVs and the Asia Pacific a close second; it is also the fastest growing regional market for the pr oduct with volume from the region waxing at a CAGR of about 122% during the analysis period of a report compiled by Global Industry Analysis in 2012 for the market of 3D TVs (PRweb, 2012). Another study published in Quarterly Large Area TFT LCD Shipment Report showed that for the US in 2011 there was massive increase of 104% in the number of shipments of 3D-capable HDTV displays to meet rising demand for the technology just within the

Free

Free Market Essay According to the Investopedia, ‘a free market system is a market economy based on supply and demand with little or no government control. It is a completely free market in which buyers and sellers are allowed to transact freely based on a mutual agreement on price without Government intervention in the form of taxes, subsidies or regulation’. Therefore, the free market system is good for Belize. Belize positively benefits from this system because it ensures competitive markets, the consumers are part of the decision making process, and the supply and demand create competition. The free market system is good for Belize because it ensures competitive markets. There is a need for competitive markets so that we have the survival of the fittest. We need to have the best businesses so that we have more chances of developing as an economy. The fittest businesses bring better opportunities for the society since they will have better quality and service. Also by having competition, it brings about many benefits to the consumer. This may be seen for example in the case of Digicel and Smart, whereby there competitiveness is so high that they give so many advantages to their customers through their regular promotions. In addition, by having the best businesses we have better chances to survive as an international business. Consumers voices are heard in that their decisions determine what products or services are in demand. This is another advantage of Belize having a free market system. In all reality, the consumers are the ones to decide which business stays and which go. The consumers know what they want and need, it is from this that they decide what to buy and consume. For example, most people from Orange Walk would prefer tacos over burritos. This is clearly seen by the increasing numbers of tacos vendors and a small if any number of burrito vendors. If a burrito stand would open, it is probable that it would not have enough demand so hence it would shutdown. Supply and demand create competition, which helps ensure that the best goods or services are provided to consumers at a lower price. This will lead the businesses to having better quality and service and by having this the business itself becomes an overall better business. This benefits the society because they are receiving better goods and services and at a lower price. An example would be the fruits and vegetables sold at the market. Different stalls at the market may have different prices, so the consumer may have the option to buy the one with the lowest price or the one with the best quality. If the good is bought based on the lowest price then the other stalls will need to lower their price as well because if they don’t then they might not sell their goods. In an article by Chris Seabury, he states that in the United States those who want the removal of government intervention say the free market would force the businesses to protect the consumer. This in turn would provide the customers with quality goods and services at low price. Also he stated that there are several disadvantages to having government intervention. Government intervention can create a huge government bureaucracy, it can create huge monopolies, and it can compress innovation by over-regulating. Firstly, government regulation creates a huge government bureaucracy that stifles growth. In USA many labor and environmental regulations force businesses to move jobs off shore, where they can find more reasonable regulations. Secondly, government intervention creates huge monopolies. This will lead us, the customers, to having to pay higher prices for goods and services. For example, ATT functioned as a regulated national monopoly in the 1980s and provided consumers with high telephone rates. Thirdly, regulation by the government compresses innovation by over-regulating. When there are too many regulations, the business will be at a disadvantage in its country. For example, in USA the coal industry has so many regulations that it is more profitable to ship coal overseas than to sell it domestically. Overall, the free market system is good for Belize because it creates opportunities for the economy and benefits the consumers in many ways. The free market system is not perfect but it has many advantages that may lead the country on the path to development. The free market system creates benefits such as ensuring competitive markets, making the consumers part of the decision making process, and supply and demand creating competition. All in all, the government becomes inefficient when it creates bureaucracy that increases the cost of doing business for everyone.

Customs and traditions in the USA Essay Example for Free

Customs and traditions in the USA Essay Customs and traditions are important part of our culture, of our lives. Customs and traditions unite, build community. They provide identity. They tie us to our ancestors and heritage. They remind us of where we came from. Every country and every nation has its own traditions and customs. Its very important to know traditions and customs of different people. It will help you to know more about the history and life of different nations and countries. Custom is a traditional and widely accepted way of behaving or doing something that is specific to a particular society, place, or time; a thing that one does habitually. Tradition is the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way; long-established custom or belief that has been passed on from one generation to another All countries have their social customs and peculiarities, and the US is no exception. The first group of custom which is worth speaking about is connected with meeting someone. When meeting someone for the first time, it is customary to shake hands, both for men and for women. Hugs are only exchanged between close friends. Kissing is not common. Among friends, it’s common for men to kiss ladies on one or both cheeks. Men don’t usually kiss or embrace each other. Americans usually introduce themselves by their first name and last name (such as â€Å"Hello, I’m John Smith†), or, if the setting is very casual, by their first name only (â€Å"Hi, I’m John†). The common response when someone is introduced to you is â€Å"Pleased to meet you.† Americans generally dislike formality or any sort of social deference due to age or position, and most quickly say ‘Please call me Rick (or Rita)’. To Americans, informality shows no lack of respect. Because of the rise of women’s liberation in America, women may be introduced with the title ‘Ms’ (pronounced ‘mizz’) and some women object to being addressed as ‘Miss’ or ‘Mrs’. In some social circles, women are introduced after their husbands, e.g. Mrs Chuck Whizzkid, in which case you shouldn’t address her as Chuck! Americans often reply ‘You’re Welcome’ or something similar when somebody thanks them, and they may think you’re impolite if you don’t do likewise. If someone asks ‘How are you?’, it’s usual to reply ‘Fine thanks’ and don’t complain even if you feel dreadful. Americans don’t have status or inherited titles (e.g. Sir or Lord) but it is necessary to defer to people with a professional title which has been earned. These include foreign diplomats (e.g. Sir), members of the Senate (Senator) or Congress (Congressman/Congresswoman), judges, medical doctors and others with a doctorate, military officers (e.g. General, Colonel), professors, priests and other religious ministers (e.g. Father, Rabbi, Reverend). If you’re invited to dinner, it’s customary to take along a small present, e.g. flowers, a plant, chocolates or a bottle of wine (but nothing extravagant or ostentatious). But choosing flowers you should remember that American people pay attention to the meaning of flowers. For example carnations are associated with bad luck, chrysanthemums are for cemeteries and roses signify love. Guests are normally expected to be punctual with the exception of certain society parties, when late arrival is de rigueur (provided you don’t arrive after the celebrity guest). It’s usual to arrive half an hour to an hour after the official start of a dance. Invitations to cocktail parties or receptions may state 5pm to 7pm, in which case you may arrive at any time between these hours. Dinner invitations are often phrased as 8pm for 8.30pm. This means you should arrive at 8pm for drinks and dinner will be served at 8.30pm. Anyone who arrives late for dinner or doesn’t turn up at all, should expect to be excluded from future guest lists. On the other hand, you must never arrive early. The custom of not taking off the shoes is peculiar to Americans. That is why don’t think of whether you should take off your shoes or not. If it is necessary the host will warn you about it himself. When watching American films I always wondered why Americans did not take off their footwear. The matter turns out to be that there is no much dirty and dust in American streets. Some people who were in America say that it is possible to sit on some pavements and not to make oneself dirty. One more reason explaining this custom is that majority of Americans prefer driving but not going of foot. That is why they are not afraid of dirtying their houses. Some families say grace before meals, so follow your host’s example before tucking in. Table manners are more relaxed in the U.S. than in many other countries. The fork is held in the right hand and is used for eating. The knife is used to cut something. To use the knife, the fork is switched to the left hand. To continue eating, the fork is switched back to the right hand. Don’t overstay your welcome. This becomes obvious when your host starts looking at his watch, talking about his early start the next day. The custom which is also typical for the USA is tipping. Most Americans are shocked by anyone who doesn’t tip or who tips too little. The one you will encounter most often is at restaurants. American restaurants do not add a service charge to the bill. Therefore it is expected that the customer will leave a tip for the server. Common practice is to leave a tip that is equal to 15% of the total bill for acceptable service, and about 20% for superior service. If the service was unusually poor, then you could leave a smaller tip, about 10%. Other professions where tipping is expected include hairdressers, taxi drivers, hotel porters, parking valets, and bartenders. The general rule is to tip approximately 15% of the bill. In situations where there is no bill the tip may range from $1 to $5, depending on the type of establishment and on how good the service was. The custom of tipping came to America from Great Britain. In the 18th century in Great Britain the boxes with the inscription T.I.P.S. which was meant To Insure Prompt Service were on the tables during having tea. Then this term came to America. Baby showers have been a tradition in the US for a long time now, and are growing in popularity here, too. What better excuse is there for getting a group of friends together than to celebrate a new life? Plus, the mum-to-be get lots of great presents for her and her baby, result! The only person who shouldnt arrange a baby shower is the mum-to-be. The whole event should be great fun and completely stress-free for her. Friends, family or work colleagues are the usual organizers. You could either keep it as a surprise for the mum-to-be, or tell her what you are planning. Baby showers usually have some sort of baby theme to get everyone in the mood. Popular themes include: Teddy bears tea party. Get hold of as many teddies as you can and make sure each guest brings one, too! As presents, they could bring teddy bear-related books. The cake could be in the shape of a teddy bear. You get the general idea! Nursery rhymes. Arrange toys linked to nursery rhymes around the room , such as shoes (There was an old lady), a spider (Little Miss Muffet), a bucket (Jack Jills pail), and toy boats (Row row row your boat). Ask guests if they can count how many rhymes are represented. Books. Ask each guest to bring a book that meant something to them as a child. Its a great way for mum to start up her childs library. For decoration, everyone could also bring books to arrange around the room. The cake could be in the shape of a fairytale book. One more tradition connected with babies is to give a baby a birthstone. The Tradition of Birthstones goes back further than written history. People wear jewelry containing stones designated for their Birth Month. In the USA there are a lot of traditions connecting with wedding. It is known that before marriage engagement takes place. As a rule a man invite a woman to the restaurant to make her a proposal. Engagement ring obligatory should have a brilliant. The diamond engagement ring originated with King Maximillian who presented Mary of Burgundy with a diamond ring in 1477 as a token of his love. And the ring is presented unexpectedly. It may found in the glass of champagne by the woman or in the bud of the rose. To my mind this tradition is very romantic. The tradition of a Bachelor Party which is held for the Groom and usually sponsored by The Best Man the night before the Wedding and a Bridal Shower which is usually sponsored by The Brides Maid is very popular in the USA. By the way the number of bridesmaids in America amount from two to twenty. The tradition of bridesmaids dressing the same as each other and in similar style to the bride comes from ancient days when it was believed that evil spirits have a more difficult time distinguishing which one is the bride and putting a hex on her. The tradition of a Wedding Rehearsal Dinner also takes place in America. It is usually celebrated between the immediate families of spouses in the late afternoon the day before the wedding. The Grooms Family traditionally provides for this celebration. The Wedding Ceremony is most often performed as part of a religious ceremony each with its own specific customs and traditions. On the day of the wedding the Groom does not see the Bride until the actual ceremony. As Custom would have it from Victorian Times: the Bride wears Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and a Sixpence in her shoe. The bride and groom exchange their rings to mark the permanent commitment of the new spouses to each other. The rings should be gold. According to history gold rings signified a financial sacrifice on the part of the prospective husband. Ring finger is the fourth ringer which is considered to be connected directly to the heart by a route that was called â€Å"the vein of love.† In the USA tradition of engraving of wedding rings is popular. The kiss on weddings dates back to the earliest days of civilization in the Middle East. A kiss was used as the formal seal to agreements, contracts, etc. In Ancient Rome a kiss was still being used as the legal bold to seal contracts. Hence the obvious use of the custom at the end of the wedding ceremony to â€Å"seal† the marriage vows. After the wedding ceremony newlyweds are covered with rice which is used as a symbol of fertility and as a wish for a â€Å"full pantry†. A Wedding Reception is usually held after the ceremony for all family and friends to celebrate. The Brides Family usually provides for this celebration. Traditionally the groom’s flower, worn on his lapel, usually matches one of the flowers in his bride’s bouquet. This tradition goes back to medieval times when knights wore the colors of their lady in tournaments. All of us know the tradition of throwing bridal bouquet and garter. The history of this tradition is very interesting I believe. In parts of Europe during the 14th contrary, having a piece of the bride’s clothing was thought to bring good luck. Guests would literally destroy the brides dress by ripping off pieces of fabric. In order to prevent this, brides began throwing their bouquets to the unwed girls. And grooms began to throw garter to unmarried men. One more wedding tradition is connected with CARRYING THE BRIDE OVER THE THRESHOLD Traditionally, the bride had to enter her new home the first time through the front door. If she tripped or stumbled while entering it was considered to be very bad luck. And the groom carried her over the threshold les she should stumble. Hence the tradition of the groom carrying the bride over the threshold. They bring us all together, no matter where we are. We can all relate to them and understand each other because we all use them. It is also a great connection for family and friends. There are traditions that are upheld for hundreds of years that are so important in our hearts. It links and connects us to past members of our family and our world whom we may never have gotten the chance to meet. They teach us about ourselves, our families, and the world around us. We can learn our history, why this tradition was started and what it signifies when we follow it today. They can work as the glue that holds us together. They are our culture, our heritage; they are us.

Discussing Communications role in Palliative Care

Discussing Communications role in Palliative Care Palliative care is patient centred, death accepting, a relationship between the patient and the carers, concerned with healing rather than curing. Healing is about the right relationship with self, others, environment and god. Palliative care is concerned with patients quality of life, helping them reach their potential physically, psychologically, socially and spiritually, however ill they may be. Palliative care is best managed by a group of people working as a team interested with the total well being of patient and family. Co-ordination and communication is an important part of teamwork. Effective communication is the key to a therapeutic relationship (Edwards, 2001). Skills such as active listening, reflecting and using open and closed questions to obtain information sensitively, will ensure not only effective assessment and evaluation, but also palliative care as a whole (McEvoy, 2000). Problems with communication can make palliative care hard for patients, family, carers and professional care teams. Furthermore, interpreters do not always solve communication problems. Many care teams depend on family members to assist them interpret. Good communication requires a common understanding of religion and culture and the capability of a interpreter to understand a way of life (Randhawa et al,2003) The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that palliative care is compassionate care of patients when curing or prolonging life isnt attainable. Palliative care involves effective pain relief; psychological and spiritual care of the patient with the intention of improving self-esteem regardless of poor physical ability; working with the family, friends and carers to create a support network to help patients cope and remain autonomous and to live as happy and actively as possible until death; support for the family during the patients illness and in bereavement. PAIN MANAGEMENT AND COMFORT PROMOTION Alleviation of pain and symptoms Pain relief is an extremely important element of palliative care. (Simon , 2009). Accurate and comprehensive pain assessment is essential to providing effective pain management. Assessment that focuses on pain alone misses the other interrelated symptoms (Hemming and Maher, The nurse needs to set goals which are realistic. The nurse must monitor pain repeatedly and must not wait for the patient to complain of pain. Reassessment is also necessary as a patients condition and pain change with time. Brant(2003)states that inadequate assessment is a major problem in effective pain management. The World Health Organization (WHO)(1990) guidelines on cancer pain management stress the main principle is to choose the right drug treatment in accordance with pain severity, not the disease stage. Pain relief needs to be administered regularly to keep a constant therapeutic dose in the blood, or else peaks and troughs take place which cause suffering to the patient and unpleasant effects on their quality of life (Hemming and Maher, ) Pain and other symptoms are frequently not managed well enough, and continue to be a cause of anxiety for patients and their families(Fallon et al, 2006). suitable and sufficient pain relief should be provided. Clarke (2006) stress the importance of giving the patient effective pain relief as well as pain information, and involving patients in their pain management which help to reducing suffering. Some Hindus may request to avoid opiate pain relief, as they may believe it will decrease their ability to meditate or see unwanted visions (Wilkins and Mailoo. Existential distress is the term given to difficulties patients have in making sense of their life, particularly when facing pending death. ( Mok et al, 2010). numerous palliative physicians and pain specialists are aware that there is a link between existential suffering and pain (Strang et al.2004). If they are not addressed, they will both delay recovery and add to the overall suffering of the patient (Mako et al. 2006). Nurses, who have frequent contact with patients, are in a position to deal with the matter as part of holistic care. To solve the problem nurses need to involve the patient, carers and family. It also requires healthcare professionals sensitivity and genuine involvement in the care of the patient. Mr Chauhan has undergone stoma surgery in 2008 and faced several adjustments as a result of alteration in body image. The nurse caring for Mr Chauhan needs to be aware that as he is from an ethnic minority, the psychological and psychosocial effects of a stoma can have a huge impact on the cultural and religious aspects of their lives (Black, 2000) The caring of patients who speak no English has ethical, legal and professional implications for patients, relatives and health care staff. Appropriate communication between patient and the health care team demonstrates respect, and empowers the patient to make health care decisions (Black, 2008). CULTURALLY AND SPIRITUALLY APPROPRIATE CARE Hindus believe that, life is not as much about worshipping God and more about living a good life that will bring the individual closer to God. Hindus prefer to die at home. Home has a religious meaning and death outside the home can cause distress. A Hindu priest reads from the holy books and carries out holy rites which include tying a thread around the wrist or neck, sprinkling the patient with water from the Ganges or placing a sacred tulsi leaf in the patients mouth. Hindus believe that the body should be returned to nature therefore the dead body is cremated . A dying hindu patient may request to be laid on the floor during the final moments of death. Last offices Normally, it is only those of the hindu religion who touch the body and the family wash and prepare the body in the home. (Nazarko, 2006). There may be strict religious beliefs, strong cultural heritage, or the patient may have fled from torture and terror. Some patients with a stoma view it as a punishment or of confirmation as a wrongdoing in a previous life (Black and Stuchfield, 2005) For those with a stoma, arrangements for ritual cleansing before prayer should be discussed and appropriate stoma products should be used. If the nurse is unsure about the care and ritual of a patient they should ask the patient what their needs and expectations are. If unsure, talk to with the appropriate religious leader and seek advice (Black, 2008). Intercultural communication Retired Hindu parents hand over their responsibilities to their children. It is usually the duty the eldest son and his family to care for their parents (Wilkins and Mailoo, 2010). Devoted Hindu people pray numerous times daily; as early as 4:30am to as late as 9:30pm (ISKCon, 2009). The nurse should provide a place of prayer for Mr Chauhan which should be away from unclean facilities such as toilets, and if possible in the north-east side of the room. (Sahasrabudhe and Mahatm, 2000). Modesty issues are extremely important for Hindu people and they usually prefer same-sex staff for care of personal and hygiene needs. All those providing care for Mr Chauhan should respect Hindu beliefs as regards to touch when helping with with mobility, dressing and self-care (Wilkins and Mailoo, 2010) Hindus are very clean and prefer to be washed in running water. Many Hindus flush their nostrils with warm saline solution and some clean their tongues before meals. Nasal flushing is best given up if residents are no longer able to do it with assistance, because it may be unpleasant to receive passively. The right hand is customarily used for eating, and the left for toileting therefore the nurses involved in Mr Chauhans care should be aware of this when giving food, as the use of the left hand may cause offense. Many hindus wash themselves with water after using the toilet therefore Mr Chauhan may need a bowl of water or a shower after toileting (Wilkins and Mailoo, 2010). Thoughts at the time of death are believed to establish a patients reincarnation, therefore it is essential to let Hindus, and their families, know when they are dying. Hindus may request to hear mantras, see particular images or be in a specific place at the time of death (Holland and Hogg, 2001). The Hindu person may ask for the presence of a priest or family members. Alternatively, it could be a dying wish to be left in peace to centre their mind on spiritual thoughts A dying Hindu person may wish to lie on the floor to be closer to the Earth, and have their head facing east. They may also make a sacrifice by giving money to charity. Although facilitating these traditions could be interpreted as malpractice in the west. A natural, dignified death may be preferred to unnaturally prolonged life. Death carries over into the next life. Health and social care staff must discuss spiritual needs with Hindu patients on an individual basis to ensure quality of care. (Wilkins and Mailoo, 20 10). Caring for a dying patient in the community during the last few weeks or months of life requires an extraordinary commitment from the nursing team, not only in terms of human resource, but also in terms of capability, empathy and clarity of focus in caring for the needs of the patient, family and carers. Gold Standard Framework; communication, co-ordination, control of symptoms, continuity, continued learning, carer support and care of the dying( Melvin, 2003). Health care professionals are starting to be aware of the values, beliefs and practices of other cultures and faiths in order to provide culturally appropriate care (Black, 2008) In cancer and palliative care, it is evident that practitioners do not feel their training is sufficient in preparing them to care for the needs of those from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds ( Gunaratnam, 2007). FAMILY EDUCATION NECESSARY FOR THE RECOGNITION OF IMPENDING DEATH AND DEATH The role of the nurse is to understand how the individual with a cancer is affecting his or her family and, in turn, how family reactions and behaviours influence the patients experience. Furthermore, the goal of family care is to assess what can be done to strengthen the support available to them throughout stressful periods. Its important as the patient approaches death to find out what support is needed to meet the patientss spiritual and cultural needs. The patients preferences should be well-known before death, if possible. If the person is too ill to state their final wishes, family and friends may be able to provide the appropriate information. Spiritual needs are often part of the persons culture and its important to understand how culture affects expectations and behaviour in the persons last days of life. (Nazarko, 2006). emotional, physical and social stress; many of the carers felt that they needed respite from the physical and emotional burdens of caring, as well as time to relax and socialize with friends(Scot, 2001). For carers of people with complex and changing palliative care needs, coping with change, doubt and uncertainty can be a daily struggle. Palliative care nurses, the research team noted that professionals commonly choose to relate to one key carer, preferably the next of kin, who are first and foremost given information about the patient, regarding their health. Nurses can feel anxious and uncomfortable in the presence of a large family,as some may have different information needs and may not respond well to the information given (Scot, 2001) Patients and carers constantly criticise the lack of information given to them. Good, clear information helps in reducing anxiety, giving a sense of knowing, and regaining a sense of control. Patients do not always hear things the first time, so doctors need to be patient, being prepared to give information in bits, repeating messages, and checking in later to confirm that it was understood. Printed fact sheets and diagrams can be useful, as can referral to disease-specific community groups or websites. CONCLUSION Ensuring that the persons needs are met during and beyond death is an important aspect of caring and the contribution of nursing staff is invaluable.

Inherit the Wind Think Piece :: essays papers

Inherit the Wind Think Piece In today’s society, where angry children shoot, bomb, and threaten their schoolmates, there exists a rather incoherent line between appropriate classroom conversation and unacceptable discussion. True, this line did not exist some years ago, but as times changed, so did certain parameters. A teacher’s freedom in the classroom is one such hotly debated question. Where should the line be drawn? What is the difference between right and wrong? These are questions that are not easily answered. Some say that we should look at each individual incident of indecent or inappropriate discussion, but really, how will these halt future conversation? In a society where our youth is incredibly impressionable, how will this put an end to the tragedies that have become so terribly regular? Some say that since the community pays teachers’ salaries, they should be the ones to decide the curriculum. But how will this prevent incidents like the one portrayed in Inherit the Wind? True, parents should absolutely have a voice in what their children are taught, but is that where the buck stops? Really, it’s not. Perhaps it is the best idea that the entire community discussion curriculums, and that means teachers, school board comities, PTAs as well as parents. Through this way, everyone can discuss what goes into the minds of our leaders of tomorrow. We will get the best of both worlds. On the subject of how much freedom does a teacher possess, that too is up to the community. And when the term community is used, that again means everyone: teachers, school boards, and parents. Maybe it would be even better if teachers were allowed to discuss things as whole. A subject should be explained in as many ways, from as many view points, as possible. Then students can decide for themselves for themselves what they believe. However, in a time when kids will take most everything literally, and then take it too an extreme, maybe this methods is not the best. If this topic were to have been discussed two years ago, perhaps the answer would be different. However, since the tragedy at Columbine High School in Colorado a couple of years ago, parameters have changed, and perhaps tightened.

Money Cant Buy Happiness :: Happiness Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Economists use the term utility to represent a measure of the satisfaction or happiness that individuals get from the consumption of goods and services. Because a higher income allows one to consume more goods and services, we say that utility increases with income. But does greater income and consumption really translate into greater happiness? In this paper, I will be showing how greater income and consumption does not really translate into greater happiness and how marginal utility is diminishing as income gets higher. However, consumption effect tells us that more consumption of good and services will increase happiness. At least to a degree, we see that money can buy happiness. But what, if anything, does research on consumer satisfaction tell us about the relationship between happiness and the concepts of utility and marginal utility? Based on the research, I found that money does not increase the happiness because as income increases the one's behavior of p references or satisfaction changes and will result in diminishing marginal utility.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sociologist and psychologist would say based on the definition of marginal utility, when additional satisfaction obtained from consuming one additional unit of a good, the one ¡Ã‚ ¯s happiness will increase as their income rises. And because of consumption effect, people are happier when they consume more goods and services. Studies by psychologists and socialists show that, both within a country and across nations, the happiness level of people increases with the income level, but only slightly. For example, using regional and cultural classifications, the Northern European countries with high incomes score top on happiness, followed by the group of English- speaking US, UK, Australia, and Ireland. Central and South American countries including Brazil come next, followed by the Middle East, the Central European, Southern and Eastern European, the Indian Sub-continent, and Africa which does not, however, come last. Southern and Western Europeans score significan tly lower than Africa. And the last group is East Asia, including the country that leads in income, Japan. Singapore has an income level 82.4 times that of India. Even in terms of purchasing power parity instead of using exchange rate, Singapore is still 16.4 times higher than India in income. However, the happiness scores of both countries are exactly the same, both significantly higher than that of Japan. This is due mainly to the inter group difference between the high-income and high-happiness within either of these two groups.

James Carville: Guard Dog of the White House :: Essays Papers

James Carville: Guard Dog of the White House James Carville has been one of President Clinton’s most adamant supporters throughout the impeachment crisis. Carville is a veteran campaign strategist who headed Clinton’s campaign in 1992 and has advised him since the campaign. His harsh and sometimes wild criticisms of Clinton’s opponents have made Carville the rhetorical attack dog of the Democratic Party. The purpose of Carville’s attacks was to rally support for Clinton. Fighting for Clinton was both helpful to Carville’s career and financially beneficial for him. Carville used a few concise points that he presented in his aggressive partisan style to argue against Clinton’s critics. The media frequently covered Carville’s attacks because of their brevity and excessiveness. Carville skillfully used the media to his advantage. He plays an active role in personalizing political issues by attacking the character of his opponents. These personal assaults divert attention away from th e issues themselves. However, questioning the character of those who are often running smear campaigns of their own can bring to light some the faults of Carville’s political adversaries. Kenneth Burke suggested rhetoric could be analyzed using five elements, act, scene, agent, agency, and purpose. Two of these five elements stand out from the rest as most crucial to the speaker’s rhetoric during the impeachment crisis (Nichols 1963). Agency and purpose were the most important facets of James Carville’s rhetoric. Carville’s purpose was to rally support for President Clinton while advancing his carrier and benefiting financially. The agencies he used to accomplish his purpose were several concise complaints against Independent Councilor, Kennith Starr, his aggressive rhetorical assault against Starr, Carville’s image, and the media which Carville used to bring his message to the American public. James Carville’s chief priority has been to defend Bill Clinton since Carville became the chief campaign strategist for Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign. In an interview with Katie Couric on Today, Carville asserts his motives: †¦that man [Clinton] had been good to me, he’s good to my family, he’s good to my country. He’s a friend of mine. He got himself in a jam. I was proud that he called on me to help him, and I’m glad that I was able to–to–help in some small way (Carville 2/12/99). Carville was entirely dedicated to his cause of defending Clinton. In this interview, he asserted his loyalty and willingness to help the President. Carville emphasized how "proud" he was to be working for his "friend" (Carville 2/12/99, Carville 1/6/99).

Cognitive Development of a 5 Year Old

Cognitive developmentChild: Luke Jackson Present/Observed (Oct. 24th, 2012)Observer: Bernique Pinder| Skill| Yes| Not Yet Able| Comments| Names a range of shapes| X| | Completed | Names a range of colours| X| | Completed | Sorts objects easily into alike groups| X| | Completed. Although some objects were classified with some assistance| Orders objects according to size| X| | Completed | Counts up to 20 objects, touching each one (rational counting)| X| | Completed | Retells events in sequence with detail| | X| Details are sketchy and only supplies information when prompted or questioned| Completes puzzles| X| | Completed with assistance|Listens to told story without props| X| | Answers questions when asked and is able to reason| Understands ordinal concepts of first, second, last etc. | X| | Was read the story of the hungry caterpillar and was able to give sequence of food the caterpillar ate in correct order. | Speech/language development | Skill| Completed| Not Yet Completed| Comme nts| Relays messages correctly| | X| During a game of â€Å"pass the message along’ he was unable to pass the correct message with repetition. | Can listen without interrupting| | X| No.Asks questions constantly| Asks about meaning of new words| X| | Relates to words he already knows| Uses adult like sentences| | | Language errors present| Can recite own name and personal details| X| | | Uses language in play activities| X| | | Recognises familiar symbols, simple words| X| | | Prints own first name| X| | | Rating Scale Rating Key 1= Poor or None. The indicator is seldom or never done by the child ( Not at all). 2=Attempted. 3= Moderately. It is not regular or frequent (sometimes) 4= Good. (most of the time) 5= Excellent.Does all the time or does the task well. Skill| Rating Scale| Can tell his physical address and home telephone number | 1 2 3 4 5| Identify or draw, name and describe many pictures. | 1 2 3 4 5| Identify and name many colours. | 1 2 3 4 5| Draw a person addin g much detail to the body. | 1 2 3 4 5| Count to at least 10-20| 1 2 3 4 5| Understand that events have a cause and effect reaction (e. g. if you drop a glass then it will break). 1 2 3 4 5| Make up rhyming words, mimic sounds or even create his own sounds. | 1 2 3 4 5| Speech is understandable to everyone. | 1 2 3 4 5| Uses simple reasoning| 1 2 3 4 5| Understands a whole object or concept| 1 2 3 4 5| Knows about things used every day in the home (money, food, appliances)| 1 2 3 4 5| Understands the concept of time| 1 2 3 4 5| Read simple books. | 1 2 3 4 5|Make up imaginative stories. | 1 2 3 4 5| Reads some words by sight, including own name. | 1 2 3 4 5| Knows alphabet and many letter sounds. | 1 2 3 4 5| Uses long complex sentences. | 1 2 3 4 5| Can recognize numbers regardless of arrangement in groups| 1 2 3 4 5| Tells stories about own experiences| 1 2 3 4 5| Piaget’s Theory: Concrete Operational Skills Experiment| Results| | Child A| Child B|Conservation of Numbers- I placed a row of small bubble gums in front of the child and asked him (both are male) to make another row the same as the first one. After asking the child to exist the room, I then spreaded out the row of gum and the child if there were still the same numbers of gums as there were before. (without counting them)| They were more gums than before. | There were more gums than before| Conservation of Length- Both children are shown two equal length straws aligned, then they are asked if they were the same length. After leaving the room one is moved to project beyond the other. Agreed that they are the same length firstly then on returning said that the protruding straw was longer stating â€Å"because I stretched it†| Agreed they were the same length at first then when he came back he said that â€Å"they were the same length because I moved it. †| Conservation of Liquid- Got two equal glasses and pour juice into each. Asked each child if It was equal. Then ask them to l eave the room and removed one of the glass and poured juice into a tall skinny glass and asked which had more? | Acknowledge that they were equal at first then suggested that the initial cup had more.When asked why? He was unable to say why just that the tall cup was smaller (implying the narrowness)| Acknowledged that they were equal at first then said that the taller cup had more juice. When asked why he stated that â€Å"the juice in the taller cup is higher than the other so that means it contains more†| Analysis of Data Developmental Checklist Based on observation and data collected from the child I observed, He is capable of completing tasks expected of a five year old. He is capable of understanding two or three simple commands given at once.He can sort objects by size, and by what sort of thing they are, e. g. animals, or by colour or shape. He successfully compared two weights to work out which is heavier. He was able to understand taller, smaller and shorter. He can copy his name. Draw a person with a head, body, legs and arms. Tell the difference between morning and afternoon. Luke is a great conversationalist and loves to talk about the details of all sorts of scientific and nature things. He speaks clearly on the whole, but still not using some sounds correctly, e. g. say ‘th’ for ‘s’ or ‘w’ for ‘r’.He asks ‘Why’, ‘When’, ‘How’ questions and ask what words mean. He is eager to tell long stories which to me are partly true and partly made up. He is interested in questions and argues and gives his own ideas about things. He knows a few nursery rhymes which he can say, repeat or sing. Similarly, to Luke’s physical development his cognitive develop is also maturing at what theorist would say is a normal rate. According to HDEV upon reaching the age of five a child should be rapidly expanding his vocabulary. It is evident that he is beginning to thi nk intuitively but still somewhat selfish.As mentioned before, currently, he is speaking in full sentences that vary in lengths and purposes. He enjoys watching television shows about super heroes and cars and planes and he spends large amounts of time, up to 15 minutes, telling me all about them. Luke’s cognitive development in the area of language has a lot to do with the fact he is inquisitive and seems to enjoy learning. According to Rathus Spencer and the developmental checklist of widely held expectations, a five year old should be able to count and should be drawn to letters and sounds.Luke demonstrates a love of reading and will often ask to go in the reading corner. Additionally, by playing games like Snakes and Ladders where he counted the required spaces indicating an understanding of numbers. After presenting him with a book with the cover ripped, he was excited to find the tape and he started to think of ways to fix the book. He suggested taping it, and was excit ed when that idea was welcomed and put to use. This not only demonstrated intuitive thought but helped Luke feel intelligent and begin to learn that it is perfectly okay and acceptable to ask for help when needed.Luke is developing cognitively a little more everyday and seems to be on his way to accomplishing all the key milestones. His language skills are growing each day and he is learning to try new things on his own with the idea that he can always ask for help. Rating Scale Analysis The rating of the scale The present five point scale extends from (1) where the child observed did not adhere to that aspect of the task or was unable to, to (5) where there is very high skill. Thus the scale assesses both adherence to the task and skill of the child.With the hardest tasks being speaking, listening and recall some sequence but his memory being very good otherwise. He is most skilled at recognition of numbers, and reasoning. Piaget’s Theory: Concrete Operational Skills Analysi s Results: Luke has failed at conservation methods across the board whereas child B has successfully achieved conservation of length but has also failed conservation of numbers and liquids. They cannot think of both dimensions at the same time and so trade off one over the other.They do not possess the ability to understand when the amount of something remains constant across two or more situations despite the appearance of that thing changing across those situations, as with the gum. Although the volume of liquid remains constant across the two containers, each container has a very different visual appearance, with one being tall and thin, while another was short and wide. Both children were unable to appreciate that the total amount of liquid was unchanged despite being poured into differently shaped containers.They were fooled by the appearance of the containers and tended to conclude that wider, shorter containers held less water and the taller, thinner containers held more than the wide. Also my subject was unable to realize that the straws were the same length subject B was able to see that the straw was moved but remained constant which is odd considering Piaget’s theory. Reflection As I reflect upon my experience, it is a valuable process in which all teachers should engage in order to improve their professional practice. Assumptions are made about kids and their abilities both for the teacher as well as the student.However, there is a lack of in-depth research on the learning processes of children. This analysis was very useful to illustrate and understand the process of how students learn as well as their abilities as they are experienced and I was able to note these and this can be used to support my upcoming professional development. Data was collected at three levels: reflection upon personal practice, pupils' learning and â€Å"official† professional development activities. Reading of the research literature was incorporated into th e observation process and this was very useful to my knowledge. At the beginning of the process, it was ifficult for me to engage with the child in a meaningful way; however, once the habit of observation became established, it was easy to interact with my subject. This interaction was life changing and it automatically leads to changes in my opinions and practices. Although it was neither easy nor straightforward, i found it engaging in the process of critical analysis and found it to be a valuable experience because it gave me a powerful sense of control over my professional learning and my professional life. Cognitive Development of Children Observation EDU 220 Bernique Pinder November 1st, 2012

Perceptions of African American Women Essay

I am taking some classes that will eventually qualify me to major in Astro – Physics, or Chemical engineering, I also want to work with NASA and train as an astronaut. It was amazing to know that Dr. Mae C. Jemison who happens to be the youngest of three children born to a middle class African American family, Charlie Jemison, a maintenance worker and his wife, Dorothy, a teacher. Dr. Mae C. Jemison was the first black woman astronaut to be in space in an era filled with segregation and racism, she is a Chemical engineer, scientist, physician, teacher and astronaut, she has a wide range of experience in technology, engineering, and medical research. In addition to her extensive background in science, she is well-versed in African and African-American Studies, speaks fluent Russian, Japanese, and Swahili, as well as English and is trained in dance and choreography. Dr. Mae C. Jamison was an inspiration to me, and probably to many African American women. She was full of resilience and determination especially to have reached and achieved success in an unusual field of endeavor for many African American women, I applaud her determination to make a difference among the African American women and blacks in Diaspora. After graduating from Morgan Park High School in 1973 at the age of 16, Dr. Mae Jemison earned a BS in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University, while also fulfilling the requirements for a BA in African-American Studies. After earning these degrees in 1977, she attended Cornell University and received a Doctor of Medicine degree in 1981. During medical school she traveled to Cuba, Kenya and Thailand, providing primary medical care to people living there. This is an indication of her humanitarian efforts and eagerness to reach out to the less privileged population. Having a desire to do more with her life, she enrolled in graduate classes in engineering and applied to NASA for admission to the astronaut program. She was turned down on her first application, maybe because she is a black woman, but she persevered and in 1987 was accepted on her second application. She became one of the fifteen candidates accepted from over 2,000 applicants. When Dr. Mae Jemison successfully completed her astronaut training program in August 1988, she became the fifth black astronaut and the first black female astronaut in NASA history. In completing her first space flight, Dr. Mae Jemison logged 190 hours, 30 minutes, 23 seconds in space, making her the first African-American woman in space. She says, â€Å"I had to learn very early not to limit myself due to others’ limited imaginations. I have learned these days never to limit anyone else due to my limited imagination. † This is an inspiration to other blacks in general who normally assume a second class citizen and believe that they will never do well or will be appreciated in whatever they do. This is a wake-up call, and manifestation of the saying â€Å"Determination is the mother of invention†. In 1993, Dr. Mae Jemison resigned from NASA and founded the Jemison Group, Inc. to research, develop and implement advanced technologies suited to the social, political, cultural and economic context of the individual, especially for the developing world. Current projects include: Alpha, (TM) a satellite based telecommunication system to improve health care in West Africa; and The Earth We Share, (TM) an international science camp for students ages 12 to 16, that utilizes an experiential curriculum. Among her current projects are several that focus on improving healthcare in Africa. She is also a professor of environmental studies at Dartmouth College. Dr. Mae Jamison made a name for herself and name for blacks in general; Her entrepreneurial spirit put her in the limelight and acts as a boost to determined black men and women in Diaspora. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. It was quite surprising to read about Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, I know almost nothing about this â€Å"giant and queen of modern Africa† who is presently the current president of Liberia. According to what I have read so far about this â€Å"queen of Africa† she was born In Monrovia, the capital of Liberia on October 29, 1938. During this period, Liberians had no clue that the First female president of an African country had been born into their mist. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is a daughter to descendents of original colonists of Liberia (ex-African slaves from America, who promptly on arrival set about enslaving the indigenous people using the social system of their old American masters as a basis for their new society). These descendents are known in Liberia as Americo-Liberians. From what I read, I noticed that Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was truly an intellectual power house, a charismatic leader and destined to make a change in Liberia and contribute her quota in Africa. From 1948 to 1955 Ellen Johnson studied accounts and economics at the College of West Africa in Monrovia. After marriage at the age of 17 to James Sirleaf, she travelled to America (in 1961) and continued her studies, achieving a degree from the University of Colorado. From 1969 to 1971 she read economics at Harvard, gaining a masters degree in public administration. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf then returned to Liberia and began working in William Tolbert’s (True Whig Party) government. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf also served as Minister of Finance from 1972 to 73, but left after a disagreement over public spending, this is an indication of her prudence and will power. As the 70s progressed, life under Liberia’s one-party state became more polarized to the benefit of the Americo-Liberian elite. On 12 April 1980 Master Sergeant Samuel Kayon Doe, a member of the indigenous Krahn ethnic group, seized power in a military coup. With the People’s Redemption Council now in power, Samuel Doe began a purge of government. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf narrowly escaped – choosing exile in Kenya. From 1983 to 1985 she served as Director of Citibank in Nairobi. I will say that Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had a lot of courage, because it was quite unusual for a woman to challenge a dictatorial incumbent president in Africa without being kidnapped, tortured or killed in the process, although She was later sentenced to ten years in prison. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf spent just a short time incarcerated, before being allowed to leave the country once again as an exile. During the 1980s she served as Vice President of both the African Regional Office of Citibank, in Nairobi, and of (HSCB) Equator Bank, in Washington. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf played an active role in the transitional government as the country prepared for the 2005 elections, and eventually stood for president against her rival the ex-international footballer, George Manneh Weah. Despite the elections being called fair and orderly, Weah repudiated the result, which gave a majority to Johnson-Sirleaf, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf eventually became Liberia’s first elected female president, as well as the first elected female president in the continent Africa. . In 2005 She established a Truth and Reconciliation Commission with a mandate to â€Å"promote national peace, security, unity and reconciliation† by investigating more than 20 years of civil conflict in the country and in November 2007, she received the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom, the U. S. government’s highest civilian award. She is truly a giant and â€Å"queen of modern Africa†. References: 1. http://space. about. com/cs/formerastronauts/a/jemisonbio. htm 2. http://www. k-grayengineeringeducation. com/blog/index. php/2008/09/12/first-african-american-women-in-space. 3. http://www. joinafrica. com/africa_of_the_week/ellenjohnsonliberia. htm.