(option 2) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

(option 2) - Essay Example All the wars and tragedies that occurred in this century were as a result of one thing, indifference. Indifference refers to a state where a person cannot distinguish between cruelty and companion, dusk and dawn, crime and punishment, good and evil, light and darkness. Indifference is an ethical act that is mostly practiced by people who want to live normally, have fine meals, and keep their sanity, while the world around them perish in suffering. Indifference as a vice has made many people to overlook other people’s despairs and pains. In this situation, most people are only interested in striving for their own safety and success, and this makes them to avoid rude interruptions to their dreams, hopes and work. This means that, people who are indifference consider their neighbors’ despairs and pains as of no consequence to their lives. Their indifferences reduce their neighbors to abstractions. For instance, most people who have never been into the prisons are totally unaware of what happens behind the black gates. The prisoners usually perish in suffering, surviving on unhealthy food and wrapped in torn clothes. Most of them have lost their sense of self worthiness, and they are even unaware of where they are: strangers to their environment. Indifference is also an associate of enmity. This is because it usually only benefits the aggressors, but not the victims whose sufferings and pains intensifies as they fee l forgotten and abandoned. The aggressors always do not respond to the plights of hungry children, homeless refugees, and political prisoners in their cells. This makes the victims to lose hope in fighting for a brighter future by regaining their human memory. As we are moving into a new millennium, it is important for people who are still indifference to learn from the Nineteenth Century’s events that, this act is not only a sin, but it is also a punishment. With indifference, it

Online Education vs. Traditional Education Essay Example for Free

Online Education vs. Traditional Education Essay Which type of education would fit a person’s life and ones family’s life the best online education or traditional education? When making a decision about furthering one’s education think about it hard and think about what type of life that person is living, is it calm and easy going? Or is the person always busy and running around doing something with one’s children or just always doing something? Choosing a type of education is a very important decision to make and should not be made quickly, one would need to think about it and research each type of education rather it be online or traditional before making that choice of which education would work best for that person. Compared to traditional education, online education is the new age of education, and also is much more convenient and less intimidating for most students. Traditional education is more on a set schedule and is more for the hands on learners. Traditional education is still a superior way to receive an education over the online education, but online education is the new, easier and more advanced way to also receive an education. Online education and traditional education are both awesome ways to receive an education, but also are both very different ways to learn. That person just has to decide which type of education would fit one’s life better online education with easier convenience or traditional education that is on a straight and narrow line. Choosing a type of education is one of the most important decisions that one can make in one’s lifetime, so just be careful over which type of education that one should choose. First we will start out by discussing online education. Online education is of much easier convenience than traditional education, because a person can do it at home or even on the go. Online education is ideal for the working parent, or the on the go adult. Many people choose online education over traditional education because for most students it is less intimidating. The student is in their own environment and it lets them feel more comfortable, so the student can participate and not be scared of what another student will say or do. Also it involves the students more because during online education the student has to post to other students or interact with them, and the teacher as well or the student does not get participation grade and that is important when doing online education. The shy type students feel more comfortable doing it online because the student is not face-to-face with all the other students they are hidden behind the computer so the student doesn’t have to worry about getting picked on or anything in that students own home. When one chooses to do education online it also contributes to the students to learn better computer skills and the new technology about the computer so they can keep up and be able to graduate the online classes. When one chooses to do online education you have to be able to use the computer to an extent to be able to complete the necessary work needed for online classes. Online education is for the self-paced learners unlike traditional education which is for the visual learners. Online education and traditional education are different ways of learning and it depends on the person and which one would be correct for that person. Now second let us talk about traditional education. Traditional education is on a set margin every day and nothing changes with the school schedule. In traditional education your attendance is mandatory and is required basically every day for that student’s participation. When in a traditional education class room it enables teacher and student interaction and encourages face-to-face communication. The student has no choice but to talk to the teachers and the other students to get that student’s opinion. When students are in a traditional classroom setting around other students or one’s peers it creates some competition between the other students, and that is a huge thing to have among student peers. A little competition among students only gets them to go over and beyond to be the best or at least on the same page as the other students. One student doesn’t want to be left behind the other students concerning grades or assignments. Traditional education is perfect for the hands on learners, the ones that need things to be in front of their face to learn things completely. In traditional education you are on a set schedule every day, where nothing changes except maybe the class, unlike with online education which is much more flexible. Traditional education is much more on the straight narrow line than online education is. When one chooses to go the traditional education route then you have to show up in class, and you have to sit through lectures from your instructor and cram all that information into notes or in your head. That is why a person has to make sure to make the perfect choice for continuing education if it would be online education or traditional education. Finally when it comes to concerning comparing the two types of education you can find the correct type of education for the type of person you are. Traditional and online education is so very different, but also is alike in many ways to. The two types of education both have classes, teachers, deans or principals, interaction with other students and teachers either face-to-face or over the computer, grades that you have to keep up to pass the class, plus there are many more. Differences in the two types of education between online and traditional education is what makes the choice of the right type of education for that type of person so hard to choose. Some of the things are like the tuition cost, the type of learner that you are, and some of the degrees that you earn from the college are accredited more than the others are. Online education tuition is usually cheaper than traditional education, but traditional education degrees are more accredited than online education in most places of business to receive a job. Like for example if two different people were applying for the same job and one had a degree over an online education university course, and the other person went to an university on campus, then more than likely the one that went to the college on campus will get the job. Not saying that online degrees are not accredited most of them are it all just depends on the university that you got the degree at, and the person over the job you are wanting to get. One of the biggest things about choosing which type of education is the best for that type of person is what type of learner that person is. If you can just read or research something and it helps you learn the subject then online education would be great for you. If you need visual and hands on learning or a teacher showing and instructing you on how to do something then traditional education would be the best option for that person. At last Online education and traditional education both has their own strengths and their own weaknesses in many different and similar ways. When making a choice of going back to school it is such an important decision to make, and one should never just jump into taking classes or continuing one’s education without making sure which type of education would be the best for that person and that person’s family. Online education is much more convenient and easier to incorporate into your everyday life, unlike with traditional education. Traditional education is on a set schedule and set margin. Every day is the same routine and you have to show up for class which could be hard for the working parent or even some students. When it comes to concerning tuition cost online education tuition is usually cheaper, although traditional education tuition may cost more, but there degrees are also more accredited by more businesses so you could get a job easier or faster. So just because online education is cheaper doesn’t mean it is better, but just because traditional education cost more doesn’t mean it is better either, it all depends on the person and the way that person’s life is. Each type of education has its good points and its bad points, so before choosing to go back to school think about it hard and rational so that each person can decide which type of education online education or traditional education is going to work the best for that person and that person’s family. References- www. isnare. com Author: Bob Willouby. Carl Rogers on Personal Power Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Freedom to Learn- Carl Rogers. Humanistic Education: Objectives and Assessment Maslow, A. H. The Farther Reaches of Human Nature- Carl Ed. Letters, and Glickman. What We Can Do About the Real Crisis in Public Education- David F. Labaree The Assessment Debate- Valerie J. Janesick.

Barrie Jean Borich’s Restoring the Color of Roses :: Barrie jean Borich Restoring Color Roses

Barrie Jean Borich’s Restoring the Color of Roses An unstable family environment can shape the way a girl is brought up a great deal. The way her family treats her and reacts to her helps her develop her attitude for and her outlook on the rest of her life. In Barrie Jean Borich’s Restoring the Color of Roses, she presents the reader with a somewhat unstable and sometimes scary family situation. Through her narrative, Borich proves that this type of environment is destructive for a growing girl. With most of her family, Barrie is unable to be her true self. Her mother is not comfortable with Barrie’s lesbianism. In Slouching towards Chicago, Barrie has a conversation with her mother that reveals her mother’s attitude towards her sexuality. Her mother asks her if she’d ever â€Å"do things† with women (21). Barrie’s internal response to this question was, â€Å"And now the implications are clear. Not only will I do it, I will be it. And this is what I didn’t get before. People are going to hate me for this† (21). She can not be completely comfortable with who she is because she does not exist in a supportive family environment. She feels people are going to hate her for her homosexuality. This type of family situation is detrimental to the development of a growing girl. Another aspect of Barrie’s family life that is destructive towards her development is the issue of self confidence and body image. In A Body’s Documentary, moments appear where Barrie’s self image is damaged by her family. One such occasion is when her father got angry and broke a plate because Barrie â€Å"never talk[ed]† and was just like her mother, resulting in Barrie questioning her features and becoming extra self-conscious of them (38). Immediately following that incident, Barrie talks about preparing for picture day: â€Å"On picture day I could not find an outfit that would make my body disappear, but in the back row, at least, my sausage thighs could hide. I could only pray my nose would shrink beneath the crown of my new bangs† (38). She has a very negative opinion of herself. Obviously this self confidence issue stems directly from her father’s comments. Barrie’s mother also shares some of the responsibility f or Barrie’s self esteem.

The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar - Tragic Hero :: essays research papers

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar - Tragic Hero Essay In the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, I saw two main characters as tragic heroes. First, I saw Julius Caesar as a tragic hero because his will to gain power was so strong that he ended up losing his life for it. The fact that he could have been such a strong leader was destroyed when he was killed by conspirators. I saw Marcus Brutus as a second tragic hero in this play. Brutus was such a noble character that did not deserve to die. The main reason why he did die, however, was because he had led a conspiracy against Caesar and eventually killed him. These two characters were the tragic heroes of the play in my opinion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both Caesar and Brutus were main characters in this play. Two sides formed during the play, and these two characters were the leaders of each side, respectively. Also, each character held a high rank in the Roman society. Caesar was the ruler of the Roman Empire, and could basically do whatever he wanted due to his outstanding power. Brutus was a general for the Empire and he was respected and was seen as a noble man and true â€Å"Roman† by many.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Caesar and Brutus were truly noble people. Caesar was a dignified and courageous man. He gained his power through hard work and courage. However, Caesar was marked by a weakness: he wanted too much power. This weakness proved to be fatal in the play. Brutus, on the other hand, was a strong leader throughout the whole play. People listened to him easily and he showed his nobility by always being open to others. Despite his good character, he did make one fatal mistake in judgment. He killed Caesar thinking he would gain too much power, yet it was truly his friend Cassius’s jealously of Caesar that truly snared him into the conspiracy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Each of the two characters gained some kind of wisdom before they came to an unhappy end. Caesar found out that one of his best friends, Brutus, had betrayed him just seconds before he died from the daggers of the conspirators. Brutus also learns something before he dies. When he knows that Cassius had committed suicide, he too commits suicide. He knew that be doing that, Caesar’s ghost was truly avenged.

Dictator Benito Mussolini

Dictator Benito Mussolini rose to power in Italy in the year 1922 as a Fascist Dictator. Years earlier, Mussolini began his political career as a Revolutionary Socialist, but by 1919 he was able to mold the Italian government into a paramilitary Fascist dictatorship giving him full control of Italy by 1922. Mussolini forged the Italian government into a Fascist Dictatorship under his control where he abused his power and performed criminal and unjust activities. Before Mussolini came to power the Italian mafia was still an extremely prominent group within Italy. The organized crime society functioned in illegal ways through drug trafficking, human trafficking and extortion. After close observation, scholars noticed that Mussolini's Fascism and the Italian mafia work in similar ways in that they try to control and manipulate people using their power and fear. Mussolini's fascism and the mafia also have a similar way of dealing with corruption and gaining control of people. This furthermore demonstrates how Mussolini acted in a deceitful way similar to the Italian Mafia. He did this through his actions of bribery towards the mafia for his own political and personal gain, unjust and unfair treatment of people, and being intolerant of the beliefs of others through extreme acts. The mafia was an Italian crime organization that originated in Sicily Italy and was taken to the United States through Italian immigrants moving to the United States in the late nineteenth century. The Italian mafia is a network of organized crime groups based in Italy which evolved over many decades in Sicily. Until the middle of the 19th century Sicily was an island ruled by many different foreign invaders. People of Sicily began to unite in groups to defend others and themselves in order to live in peace and unity. The term Mafioso is translated to a member of the mafia, however originally the word had no association to criminal connections and was used to refer to a person who was suspicious of being connected to central authority. By the 19th century, many of these criminal organizations titled themselves as private armies, also known as the mafia. The mafia soon evolved into a corrupt group who committed felonies like drug trafficking, human trafficking, and extortion and eventually became one of the most violent criminal organization groups known today as the Sicilian Mafia. Fascism is defined as â€Å"a political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition†. Fascism places a very strong emphasis on patriotism and nationalism and is less focused on the wellbeing of the individuals rather than military power. People who object and criticize the nation's main ideals such as war are harshly chastised as unpatriotic and against the nation and can result in many different punishments the worst being treason. Additionally, Fascism loathes the principles of economic equality and disdains equality between immigrant, citizen, and government.Mussolini started out as a soldier in WWI until he was injured, afterwards he became a leading promoter of fascism. He started originally as a revolutionary socialist, but as his power began to grow he started to grow the paramilitary fascist movement in 1919. In 1922 Mussolini became the prime minister. The black shirts were members of the Fascist regime who marched on Rome and made Mussolini their Fascist leader. Mussolini worked to progress the Paramilitary Fascist movement in Italy during the years of 1919-1921. He then harassed his new power to March on Rome, and ultimately become Prime Minister. Mussolini then began to seize dictatorial power and transform the government into what he wanted it to become. Additionally, Mussolini was intolerant to any other political or religious beliefs that differed from his, which led to extreme uses of violence and force upon people.Mussolini started his rule of Italy by turning the country into a Fascist Dictatorship that was to bow down to him and only him. Among the many other flaws in Mussolini's ruling, the fascist guidelines he followed were intolerant to opposition and was therefore ill prepared to be a leader of a country. Mussolini had no way of dealing with adversity or different threatening groups, other than consolidating his power and demonstrating his strength through the government and law. Yet, the threat of the law was still not enough to keep Mussolini from doing the right thing. Mussolini began to use the Italian Mafia as an ally to not only come to power but to help maintain his ideals in the country where the mafia was most occupying. Although both Mussolini and the Mafia were intolerant to anyone with other beliefs â€Å"Mussolini still needed his Mafioso allies for a time, especially their aid in maintaining law†. This action is seen as the beginning of the numerous mischievous works that Mussolini gets himself mixed in with while he was in power. Aliening with a mafia organized crime group while in power is a sign of corrupt behavior and demonstrates his want for political gain without compromise or tolerance. The phrase â€Å"for a time† indicates an ulterior motive of planning to abandon the mafia after he has already benefited from the gain he had hoped the Mafia would help him achieve. Mussolini transformed the country of Italy into a Fascist Dictatorship which gave him the power to control everything and everyone in the country without retaliation. In order to keep the positive opinions of his people he used the Italian mafia to execute certain decisions made. He used the mafia to make his popularity rise in areas he was not pertaining to as much, â€Å"During the first two years of his regime compelling reasons to enter into collaborations with influential Mafioso, men who were capable of enforcing law and order in the countryside†. This furthermore proves the point of Mussolini using the mafia for political gain without having his actions being recorded back to him, therefore he highly influenced the organized crime group to his benefit. This is an unfit and negative attribute for a leader of a country, this relates Mussolini much to the Italian mafia which functions in the same way. However, while neither case is okay in Mussolini's case it is more important because his actions affects the entirety of Italy.One of the major components to Fascism is its intolerance and narrow-mindedness towards people in all aspects of their lives. A Fascist Dictatorship entitles Mussolini to do as he pleases, therefore when the Mafia did not assist him in his goal for unethical political gain, Mussolini's retaliation become very strong. â€Å"Above all else Mussolini was determined to destroy any possibility of effective land occupations and to suppress banditism.† A major goal of Mussolini's was to eliminate the mafia and all organized crime in Italy, he was the first leader of Italy to go to Sicily to take major action. The â€Å"determination† that Mussolini has to take vengeance on the Mafia shows that the way he acts is a sign of immaturity and very alike to the actions of an organized crime group would when faced with an issue. Although the attempted destruction of the Mafia would have been good for Italy, Mussolini's actions were not totally righteous. An ulterior motive of helping himself through destroying the group that refused Mussolini's offer for political gain demonstrates his intolerance towards groups and people that refuse or differ from him. Mussolini had previously used the Italian mafia to bend the law and help him in his Fascist regime, but when the Mafia soon began to stop these actions, Mussolini retaliated against the organized group through methods the mafia would use. However, as a leader of a country Mussolini should handle himself in a much more professional. â€Å"In the meantime, his hand strengthened by the electoral victory of 1924, Mussolini declared war on the Mafia. In May 1924, he made a triumphal tour of Sicily to consolidate his political gains of the previous month.† Mussolini's almost immediate action of punishment and retaliation towards the mafia for not doing as he instructed demonstrates not only his power hungriness but also his intolerance to others in nearly every regard. By â€Å"consolidating his political gains† he is compelling the people of Sicily to support him and his administration otherwise they will face his consequences and punishments. The Mafia and Mussolini's Fascism function in a similar way in regards to retaliation, both have a refusal to be controlled by another force or person.Mussolini was the first ruler of Italy to go on to the Mafia filled island of Sicily as well as attempt to create a plan to end the corruption. Mussolini was not taking care of the dangerous Mafia because of the well-being of the Italian people, but instead because they do not believe in his Fascist regime. The Mafia is not supportive of Fascism because it has a more negative effect on their business which makes them more of a target by the government. Mussolini wanted the Mafia imprisoned so, â€Å"Thousands of suspected Mafia criminals had been captured and tens of thousands of years of imprisonment had been handed down in penal sentence.† Since Mussolini turned the government in Italy to a now Fascist dictatorship he has the power and ability to commit their actions without any repercussions or laws in his way. Fascism entitled Mussolini to punish and imprison whomever he chose however, his actions demonstrate those similar to the Italian Mafia's. When Mussolini began to capture Mafioso's people noticed that, â€Å"When we passed through Sicily, the prisoners were crammed with these unfortunates. Later, I got to know youths of eighteen and nineteen years who said they were accused of crimes committed before they were born. † The action of imprisoning children and innocent people accused of crimes â€Å"committed before they were born† demonstrates a characteristic with Mussolini that shows an ulterior motive of not caring about the corruption the Mafia has caused but caring about personal and political gain. The Mafia has done torturous actions like this when people refuses them which demonstrates a common connection between how the two different groups function.Mussolini demonstrates his unfit behavior to be a leader of a country when he begins his retaliation against the Mafia. Because of their refusal, Mussolini treated the people in the Mafia with utter cruelty through his punishments towards the group for rejection of fascist beliefs. Mussolini imprisoned people through, â€Å"We were jammed into various stinking, crowded cells I was placed in a cell with already twenty or thirty prisoners belonging to the mafia or black hand and the widely known Sicilian society which the Mussolini government is said to have destroyed. † This obviously demonstrate the unfair and irrational treatments of people. History has shown the Mafia punishment or victimizing people through various different types of harsh punishment therefore when Mussolini imprisons people in such a difficult way the similarities between fascism and the mafia become extremely present.The march on Rome is another perfect example of Mussolini and The Mafia working in a similar conduct. Mussolini and the black shirts took control of Rome and the Italian government through force and turned it into the government that they wanted. The mafia functions very closely to that through their actions of force upon people. The illegal business conducted in the mafia has made the people within it rise to power with a high influence and heavy threats. Mussolini and the mafia have this aggressive power in common with one another demonstrating Mussolini's unfit qualities to be a leader and the type of fascist regime he is dictating is like those of an organized crime group.Overall Mussolini turned the Italian government into a Fascist Dictatorship under his control and consolidated power in a similar to the Italian Mafias. Mussolini used the Mafia's power for political and personal gain to help his own regime, then began to retaliate against the Italian mafia when they did not do as he had told. His retaliation was through ridiculous punishments demonstrating his lack of tolerance for opinions and beliefs differing from his own. Finally, the parallel resemblance between both the Mafia and Mussolini's Fascism demonstrates the common connection between both parties in the way that they conduct themselves.

How to Disinfect Rainwater for Drinking

How to Disinfect Rainwater for Drinking You can usually drink rain straight from the sky, but if youre collecting and storing it, youll want to disinfect rainwater for drinking and cleaning. Fortunately, there are simple disinfection methods to use, whether you have power or not. This is handy information to know in case youre stuck after a storm without water or youre out camping. The same techniques can be used to prepare snow for drinking, too. Quick Methods to Disinfect Water Boiling - Reduce pathogens by boiling water for 1 minute at a rolling boil or 3 minutes if youre at an altitude greater than 2,000 meters (6,562 feet). The longer boiling time at high altitude is because water boils at a lower temperature. The recommended duration comes from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). If you store freshly boiled water in sterile containers (which can be boiled) and seal them, the water will remain safe indefinitely. Bleach - For disinfection, add 2.3 fluid ounces of household bleach (sodium hypochlorite in water)  per 1,000 gallons of water (in other words, for a small volume of water, a splash of bleach is  more than sufficient). Allow 30 minutes for the chemicals to react.  It may seem obvious, but use unscented bleach since the scented sort includes perfumes and other undesirable chemicals.  Bleach dosage is not a hard-and-fast rule because its effectiveness depends on the temperature of the water and pH. Also, be aware that bleach may react with chemicals in the water to produce toxic gases (mostly a concern with turbid or cloudy water). Its not ideal to add bleach to water and immediately seal it in containers - its better to wait for any fumes to dissipate. Although drinking straight bleach is dangerous, the small concentration used to disinfect water isnt likely to cause problems.  Bleach dissipates within 24 hours.   Why Would You Disinfect Rainwater? The point of disinfection is to remove disease-causing microbes, which include bacteria, algae, and fungi. Rain generally doesnt contain any more microbes than any other drinking water (its often cleaner than groundwater or surface water), so its usually fine to drink or use for other purposes. If the water falls into a clean cistern or bucket, its still fine. In fact, most people who collect rainwater use it without applying any treatment. Microbial contamination of rain is less of a threat than toxins that might be in the water from surfaces it touched. However, those toxins require filtration or special treatment. What were talking about here is pure rain. Technically, you dont have to disinfect it, but most public agencies recommend taking the extra precaution to prevent illness. Ways to Disinfect Water There are four broad categories of disinfection methods: heat, filtration, irradiation, and chemical methods. Boiling water is an excellent method, but obviously, it only helps if you have a heat source. Boiling water can kill some pathogens, but it does not remove heavy metals, nitrate, pesticides, or other chemical contamination.Chlorine, iodine, and ozone are most often used for chemical disinfection. Chlorination can leave potentially toxic by-products, plus it doesnt kill all cysts or viruses. Iodination is effective, but leaves an unpleasant taste. Use of iodine is not recommended when preparing water for pregnant women or people with thyroid problems.  Adding ozone is effective, but not widely available.Irradiation is accomplished using an ultraviolet light or exposure to strong sunlight. UV light kills bacteria and viruses, but doesnt kill all the algae or cysts of pathogenic organisms. Sunlight is effective if the water is sufficiently clear, the light is bright enough, and the water is exposed to light long enough. There are too many variables to give firm recommendations on use of this method. Microfiltration effectiveness depends on the pore size of the filter. The smaller the pore size, the better the filtration, but its also slower. This technique removes all pathogens. Other techniques are becoming more widespread, including electrolysis, nano-alumina filtration, and LED irradiation.

Statistical Measures of Unemployment

Statistical Measures of Unemployment Most data regarding unemployment in the United States is collected and reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS divides unemployment into six categories (known as U1 through U6), but these categories dont line up directly with the way that economists categorize unemployment. U1 through U6 are defined as follows: U1 Percentage of labor force unemployed 15 weeks or longerU2 Percentage of labor force who lost jobs or completed temporary workU3 Percentage of labor force who are without jobs and have looked for work in the last four weeks (note that this is the officially reported unemployment rate)U4 U3 plus the percent of the labor force that counts as discouraged workers, i.e. people who would like to work but have stopped looking because they are convinced that they cant find jobsU5 U4 plus the percent of the labor force that count as marginally attached or loosely attached workers, i.e. people who would theoretically like to work but havent looked for work within the past four weeksU6 U5 plus the percent of the labor force that counts as underemployed, i.e. part-time workers who would like to work more but cant find full-time jobs Technically speaking, the statistics for U4 through U6 are calculated by adding discouraged workers and marginally attached workers into the labor force as appropriate. (Underemployed workers are always counted in the labor force.) In addition, the BLS defines discouraged workers as a subset of marginally attached workers but is careful not to double count them in the statistics. You can see the definitions directly from the BLS. While U3 is the main officially reported figure, looking at all of the measures together can provide a broader and more nuanced view of what is happening in the labor market.

Phyllis Schlafly Anti-Feminist Quotes

Phyllis Schlafly Anti-Feminist Quotes Phyllis Schlafly was perhaps most famous for her successful mobilization against the Equal Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution in the 1970s.   She is often associated with the backlash against the so-called second wave of feminism.   Before that, she was active in the ultraconservative wing of the Republican party, and she remained active on many conservative issues. See also: biography of Phyllis Schlafly About the ERA ERA means abortion funding, means homosexual privileges, means whatever else.   1999 About Feminism The cry of womens liberation leaps out from the lifestyle sections of newspapers and the pages of slick magazines, from radio speakers and television screens. Cut loose from past patterns of behavior and expectations, women of all ages are searching for their identity the college woman who has new alternatives thrust upon her via womens studies courses, the young woman whose routine is shattered by a chance encounter with a consciousness-raising session, the woman in her middle years who suddenly finds herself in the empty-nest syndrome, the woman of any age whose lover or lifetime partner departs for greener pastures (and a younger crop).   1977 The womens liberationist... is imprisoned by her own negative view of herself and of her place in the world around her.... Someone - it is not clear who, perhaps God, perhaps the Establishment, perhaps a conspiracy of male chauvinist pigs - dealt women a foul blow by making them female. It becomes necessary, therefore, for women to agitate and demonstrate and hurl demands on society in order to wrest from an oppressive male-dominated social structure the status that has been wrongfully denied to women through the centuries. 1977 Confrontation replaces cooperation as the watchword of all relationships. Women and men become adversaries instead of partners.... Within the confines of the womens liberationist ideology, therefore, the abolition of this overriding inequality of women becomes the primary goal. 1977 And the first commandment of feminism is: I am woman; thou shalt not tolerate strange gods who assert that women have capabilities or often choose roles that are different from mens. Feminism is doomed to failure because it is based on an attempt to repeal and restructure human nature. â€Å"The feminist movement taught women to see themselves as victims of an oppressive patriarchy.... Self-imposed victimhood is not a recipe for happiness.† The Womens Lib movement has sealed its own doom by deliberately hanging around its own neck the albatross of abortion, lesbianism, pornography and Federal control. News flash: one reason a woman gets married is to be supported by her husband while caring for her children at home. So long as her husband earns a good income, she doesnt care about the pay gap between them. Characterizing feminists: Someone, it is not clear who, perhaps God, dealt women a foul blow by making them female. Men should stop treating feminists like ladies, and instead treat them like the men they say they want to be. Another silliness of the womens liberationists is their frenetic desire to force all women to accept the title Ms in place of Miss or Mrs. If Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan want to call themselves Ms in order to conceal their marital status, their wishes should be respected. But most married women feel they worked hard for the r in their names; and they dont care to be gratuitously deprived of it... 1977 Womens Nature Without womans innate maternal instinct, the human race would have died out centuries ago....The overriding psychological need of a woman is to love something alive. A baby fulfills this need in the lives of most women. If a baby is not available to fill that need, women search for a baby-substitute. This is the reason why women have traditionally gone into teaching and nursing careers. They are doing what comes naturally to the female psyche. The schoolchild or the patient of any age provides an outlet for a woman to express her natural maternal need. 1977 Men are philosophers, women are practical, and twas ever thus. Men may philosophize about how life began and where we are heading; women are concerned about feeding the kids today. No woman would ever, as Karl Marx did, spend years reading political philosophy in the British Museum while her child starved to death. Women dont take naturally to a search for the intangible and the abstract.   1977 Where man is discursive, logical, abstract, or philosophical, woman tends to be emotional, personal, practical, or mystical. Each set of qualities is vital and complements the other. 1977 About Women and the Military Putting women in military combat is the cutting edge of the feminist goal to force us into an androgynous society. No country in history ever sent mothers of toddlers off to fight enemy soldiers until the United States did this in the Iraq war. Every country that has experimented with women in actual combat has abandoned the idea, and the notion that Israel uses women in combat is a feminist myth. Much of the demand for women in combat comes from female officers who are eager for medals and promotions. The purpose of our military is to field the finest troops possible to defend our nation and win wars. The goal of feminists however, is to impose a mindless equality, regardless of how many people it hurts. 2016 About Sex and Sexuality If man is targeted as the enemy, and the ultimate goal of womens liberation is independence from men and the avoidance of pregnancy and its consequences, then lesbianism is logically the highest form in the ritual of womens liberation. 1977 Sex education classes are like in-home sales parties for abortions. About why condoms should not be available to young women:  Its very healthy for a young girl to be deterred from promiscuity by fear of contracting a painful, incurable disease, or cervical cancer, or sterility, or the likelihood of giving birth to a dead, blind or brain-damage [sic]  baby (even ten years later when she may be happily married). â€Å"How did the court feel empowered to put new limits on the settled law of Meyer-Pierce and give public schools the power to override parents on teaching about sex? Simple. The three liberal judges based their decision on our evolving understanding of the nature of our Constitution.   2012 About Transgender Issues Anyone with a child knows that children learn about the world through binary options: up or down, hot or cold, big or little, inside or outside, wet or dry, good or bad, boy or girl, man or woman. But the radical feminists, who staff womens studies departments at most colleges, have propagated the idea that we have to get rid of the gender binary along with the expectation of distinct roles for men and women. About Sexual Harassment Sexual harassment on the job is not a problem for virtuous women. About the Republican Party [F]rom 1936 through 1960 the Republican presidential nominee was selected by a small group of secret kingmakers who are the most popular opinion makers in the world. 1964 About International Issues It should be clear that teaching Americans we are now part of a global economy and teaching schoolchildren they are citizens of the world is a deceitful message to con us into a plan to add the poor countries around the Earth to our list of welfare handout recipients. 2013 About the United Nations: We certainly dont need a committee of foreigners who call themselves experts to dictate our laws or customs.   2012 It is a mystery why any Americans would support the concept of the EU. About Multiculturalism, Diversity, Race,  Immigrants The United States is the worlds most stunning example of a nation that has peaceably and successfully assimilated people from many disparate cultures. So why are some people trying to separate us into factions, emphasizing what divides us instead of what unites us? 1995 You cant be an American if you dont speak English. Our public schools should be mandated to teach all children in English. The most dangerous area where our laws are not being faithfully executed are the laws designed to protect Americans against the millions of aliens who enter our country illegally every year. How can we protect homeland security unless the government stops the invasion of illegal aliens? Birth on U.S. territory has never been an absolute claim to citizenship. In a world of inhumanity, war and terrorism, American citizenship is a very precious possession. Its not the physical location of birth that defines citizenship, but whether your parents are citizens, and the express or implied consent to jurisdiction of the sovereign. About Climate Change Of course, climate changes. Many changes are due to factors over which humans have no control, such as winds, ocean currents and sun activity. But the liberals want us to believe that climate change is also caused by gases expelled when humans burn so-called fossil fuels.  Ã‚  2011 About the Family â€Å"The American nuclear family made America great, but few are now defending it against forces determined to destroy it. If America continues to have many immigrants with different family types, we are less likely to maintain American values of personal freedom, individualism, and limited government.†Ã‚  2014 What I am defending is the real rights of women. A woman should have the right to be in the home as a wife and mother. People think that child-support enforcement benefits children, but it doesnt. First of all, I want to thank my husband Fred, for letting me come I always like to say that, because it makes the libs so mad! The United States: Exceptionalism The United States is a giant island of freedom, achievement, wealth and prosperity in a world hostile to our values. Education, Schools The cornerstone of the political correctness that dominates campus culture is radical feminism. The worst censors are those prohibiting criticism of the theory of evolution in the classroom. After Big Media, U.S. colleges and universities are the biggest enemies of the values of red-state Americans. Parents, are you ready to teach your kids arithmetic? 2002 National Standards was not a narrative of past events but was leftwing revisionism and Political Correctness. It is long overdue for parents to realize they have the right and duty to protect our children against the intolerant evolutionists. Our public school system is our countrys biggest and most inefficient monopoly, yet it keeps demanding more and more money. The most frequent complaint I hear from college students is that professors inject their leftist political comments into their courses even when they have nothing to do with the subject. Behind frequent protestations by public officials about local control of the schools, a federal curriculum has been quietly imposed by law. All the pieces are now in place for this major goal of the Clinton administration. Elementary and secondary school education used to be organized around subjects such as reading, math, history, geography, language and science. While smatterings of those subjects are still taught, the focus has been shifted from academic subject matter to teaching attitudes, beliefs, values, themes, behaviors and job skills. This is indoctrination, not education. Left-wing professors write the textbooks and the teachers unions control the public schools, so the ideology is what those groups deem politically correct. 2002 About Government, Judges Congress should pass legislation to remove from the federal courts their jurisdiction to hear these outrageous challenges to the Ten Commandments and the Pledge of Allegiance. Under the nanny state of the left, nothing remains private for long. 2012 The justices have constitutionally protected obscenity in libraries, filth over cable television, and now unlimited internet pornography. About Obama â€Å"Obama has compiled a record of hostility to religion that is unmatched by any other president in American history. 2012 â€Å"Obama did not want to join a  historically Christian black church in Chicago that took traditional Christian doctrines seriously. Rather, he sought out  a liberal church that would help him advance his budding political career.† 2012 Should Obama win a second term, the justices he appoints will almost certainly unveil a bogus new constitutional right to gay marriage, discovered within the penumbras of Lawrence v. Texas. At which point Obama, drawing upon the faux-pained honesty he has perfected, can regurgitate what he wrote in his memoirs: that he was once on the wrong side of history† but has now happily come into the light.  2012 Others About Schlafly Betty Friedan in a 1973 debate with Schlafly: I would like to burn you at the stake.... I consider you a traitor to your sex, an Aunt Tom.

California Oil Spill Sparks State of Emergency Term Paper

California Oil Spill Sparks State of Emergency - Term Paper Example Oil spillages such as the BP Mexico Gulf catastrophe have normally been caused by unpredicted engineering failures. However, most of the failures have been attributed to unethical operations by the management of the responsible companies. Significant amounts of money were spent on disaster mitigation and response including compensations for loss of lives, financing cleanups and reconstruction of the damaged property (On-site clean-up of oil spillage, 2013). That solely focused on the California Oil Spillage that even sparked the State of Emergency. The State government of California parted allocated financial and other resources towards the management of the crisis. The paper explores the dangers posed by the threat and destruction that emanated from its occurrence. Engineering and ethical issues emanating from the disaster are discussed and the actual causes that might have resulted in its occurrence. Besides presenting an evaluation of the issues, the construct of this paper also e xplores the engineering efforts that were applied during the crisis to help prevent and reduce the adverse effects of the California Oil

Research question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research question - Essay Example United States is a powerful nation in the world. It is known for its contribution to maintain world peace and order so that democracy is enhanced. Freedom and market venture without insecurity threats is a key pillar that United States embraces for all the countries. Many states are under leadership of cruel and undemocratic leaders and for the purpose of justice, freedom and democracy United States has a mandate to make sure security is provided. Leaders who are known to terrorize their own people especially when it comes to the matters of security, then United States in collaboration with United Nation has to deal with the situation. Global peace and security for the purpose of economic stability is enhanced to make sure that economic and political transformations are obtained. For the purpose of international economy and political principles, security must be provided so that the world is productive. The principle that United States embraces is to attack those who are posing dange r before they attack others. The goal of United States is to make sure transformation of authoritarian states is converted to democratic states and defend those nations from attack by other hostile states. Terrorism is a global issue which has to be dealt with accordingly. The rule of law must apply to curb lawlessness and promote freedom and democracy (Cavell, 31). Based on the fact that United States is a nation that embraces democracy then it has to deal with terrorism so that peaceful coexistence will be achieved. For example, in the case of Middle East, an economy based nation, with variety of products which they export to other countries like United States. For instance, in oil sector, United States has to deal with case of insecurity like terrorism so that business transactions are not hindered. Another example is the case of Saddam Hussein who did not entertain democracy in Iraq. Lawlessness in Iraq existed and thus United States had to

Construction and Purpose of Chumash Tomol Coursework

Construction and Purpose of Chumash Tomol - Coursework Example The dimensions of the Chumash Indians’ canoe aimed at depth and speed with a minimum of materials. The resulting vessel was fully sea-worthy and it impressed even the early Spanish explorers. It could be used for fishing, transportation, and commerce around the islands. It was so efficient that some of the mission padres ordered construction to continue.The Chumash were a North American maritime culture, originally based on the mainland and Channel Islands on both sides of the Santa Barbara Channel in California. Even though the culture of Chumash living in the area today is not fully defined by maritime activities, the area is particularly rich in marine resources, and the Chumash used at least three kinds of boats to exploit them.At the time, cultural devastation was so rapid that canoe building was a dying art by the mid-nineteenth century. Fortunately, Fernando Librado, a Ventureno Chumash and one of the last members of the Brotherhood-of-the-Canoe, lived to the age of 111 , and even more fortunately, that ubiquitous ethnographer, J.P. Harrington2, discovered him. The two collaborated in constructing a replica of the plank canoe, which was exhibited for the first time during the Panama-California Exposition in San Diego on January 1, 1915.If Harrington had not taken detailed notes at the time, the elaborate art of canoe building would have been lost forever. As it was, it was moribund for fifty years until the vast collection of Harrington material became available. The editors sifted through box loads of Harrington's data in compiling the present volume, only those who have worked with these multilingual, cryptic and digressive notes can fully appreciate such a task.The book begins with a synoptic introduction. Precise instructions on plank canoe building follow, augmented by chapters on the tule balsa and the dugout canoe. There is an additional section on the uses of the canoe, one on myths and stories concerning the canoe, and another on the above mentioned Brotherhood-of-the-Canoe, the editors modestly attribute authorship of these chapters to Fernando or Harrington and Fernando. They conclude with an extensive bibliography and a set of photographs.The data on the construction of the canoe was tested by an actual construction of an actual canoe from driftwood under the sponsorship of the American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Santa Barbara. The canoe builders were Chumash descendants, and the resulting craft, named the Helek, has been to see many times.

Ernst & Young Inc Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ernst & Young Inc - Case Study Example Its span to Europe, Middle East, Africa, America, Asia-Pacific and Japan and its service line of Assurance, Tax, Advisory and Transaction Advisory services does not give it the luxury to hire new employees every time. Training employees is an expensive affair and waste of resource, rehiring of employees is a cheaper method. Each employee in an organization brings a different skill and expertise that make the organization run more efficiently and be productive. Those employees that are inconsistent with the company policy of work ethics and do not conform to the company’s policy should not be rehired when they leave. A former employee would reapply owing to the following reasons: 1. Posting of job vacancies on the website may create a feeling not being appreciated by the company as competent for the job. They may feel as if the company does not consider them qualified enough for existing positions. 2. Employees who left the organization, pursued other areas or even the same area of expertise, and are doing well, may create a desire for the current employees to leave and pursue their career development out of the

Human resource in practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Human resource in practice - Essay Example Also employee empowerment should be focus of attention so that employee satisfaction is increased. The case of Southwest Airlines and Starbucks should be taken as a good example. It is also necessary to view the HR department as a strategic partner of the company rather than just a department. Introduction Human resource management is a very important dimension for any business. It is vital that the human capital is managed in an efficient manner in order for any business to excel. The human resource department is extremely important for retail business because customers are directly handled by employees. The attitude of employees and customer care services that they give is extremely essential in determining the profits of the company. For this reason Safe Shoes should increase its focus on the human resource management so that employee performance can be enhanced. Devising a plan that motivates employees to work and doing so in a cost efficient manner is not easy. It has been obser ved lately that the performance of the company’s human resource department is not perfect. This report will identify certain issues that the company is facing regarding its employees and then this report will offer solutions to those issues. It is important to understand that employee issues cannot be ignored because they will have a direct effect on the performance of Safe Shoes. ... These are the two main problems Safe Shoes retail stores are facing right now. Employees have a very high turnover rate and the management is finding very hard to retain employees. Also in the surveys conducted employees have regarded jobs as unsatisfactory and they see no scope of promotion. This feeling of dissatisfaction has been seen in the lower level employees the most. Another issue identified is related to the store managers. Store employees are not satisfied by the behavior of store managers and they find them strict. Employees have also complained that store managers show favoritism. These complain may be directly related to the high turnover rate of the employees. High turnover rate result in high recruiting costs and this directly lowers the profits. The employee evaluation system is not working very well because all employees are getting good ranks but still they are not getting promoted. This shows that either the ranking system is not working or ranks are not being con sidered important. Another major problem is that the evaluation system comes has no affect on the salaries of the employees. This may be the reason that employees are not motivated. The role of HR overall in the organization is not defined very well and its role is limited to hiring and disciplinary issues. All these issues are identified by the HR department in surveys and interviews that were conducted. The following section will review the possible solutions of these issues. Review of Possible Solutions There are many issues that Safe Shoes is facing regarding employees and it is better that all these issues are addressed one by one. Retention is one major

Ernst & Young Inc Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ernst & Young Inc - Case Study Example Its span to Europe, Middle East, Africa, America, Asia-Pacific and Japan and its service line of Assurance, Tax, Advisory and Transaction Advisory services does not give it the luxury to hire new employees every time. Training employees is an expensive affair and waste of resource, rehiring of employees is a cheaper method. Each employee in an organization brings a different skill and expertise that make the organization run more efficiently and be productive. Those employees that are inconsistent with the company policy of work ethics and do not conform to the company’s policy should not be rehired when they leave. A former employee would reapply owing to the following reasons: 1. Posting of job vacancies on the website may create a feeling not being appreciated by the company as competent for the job. They may feel as if the company does not consider them qualified enough for existing positions. 2. Employees who left the organization, pursued other areas or even the same area of expertise, and are doing well, may create a desire for the current employees to leave and pursue their career development out of the

How Did the Protestant Reformation Affect Colonization in the Colonies Research Paper

How Did the Protestant Reformation Affect Colonization in the Colonies - Research Paper Example These preachers mainly had their presence in the areas of northern and central Europe. Protestant Reformation and their followers questioned the position of the Pope. The way in which the Catholic Church looked into religion of Christianity was questioned by this group of Protestants. In the era prior to the Protestant Reformation, the entities that had control over the political power of the country aligned with the Church and there was a concentration of the authority. They claimed that the way in which the power remained in the Church and thereby on the Pope were not acceptable in the modern society. There should be an equitable distribution of power between the Church as well as the princes and pastors who read the Bible. They argued that this political and religious concentration of power in the hands of the Pope should be abolished (Brady 173). This protest and exhibition of the new idea would result in a number of persecutions and wars that the world would witness. History of Protestant Reformation and Colonialism In the medieval the entire Europe happened to believe in Christianity as the guiding light of the people and relied on the teachings of Jesus Christ. However, a sect of the population started questioning the authority of the Pope of Rome. The administrative set up was such that there were smaller units of state and the ruler of each state would determine what religion the people of that state would follow. A large section of the people had shifted to the newly discovered lands of America. These territories belonged to the original states of England, France, Spain, Sweden and Netherlands in Europe. The incident of the discovery of America and the outbreak of the Protestant movement happened almost at the same time. It had a far-reaching effect on the way the new lands were set up and the way people got settled there. The concepts of territorialism came into the scene when the various communities lived in the same land with religious diversity. T hroughout Europe there was a mix in the culture and the religious beliefs. Hence there was not a single religion or faith that governed the people of Europe through many wars were fought to make one central religion by the different groups. The religious rulers of the different states of Europe tried to extend their authority to the America as well. This history has lets its evidence in some of the places of Canada, Mexico and the USA. Another idea that was central to the theme of Protestant Reformation was the freedom of conscience for the people. The people of America were liberated and they had the autonomy to pursue any religious belief that they wished to follow. The idea that was newly formed in the minds of the people was that there was one God and he was the supreme power. The Pope of Rome was not the only mediator. The common people could reach to God through other ways as well. They were free to advocate the religious faith that they believed in and worship God in the form they wanted to. Ideas of Martin Luther King Martin Luther was originally a Catholic himself who had challenged the supremacy of the papal rule. The ideas that he gave was extremely revolutionary in nature and it created turmoil in entire Germany at first and then in Europe.  

The law enforcement code of ethics Essay Example for Free

The law enforcement code of ethics Essay Both the law enforcement code of ethics (LECE) and the professional investigators and security association (PISA) are Law enforcement agencies. Both agencies do not condone criminology. As such, the code of ethics of LECE is clear about this. A law enforcement officer is required to give immunity to innocent citizens against any form of deception, oppression and violent acts. He is also required to respect the laid down constitutional rights of equality and fairness to justice. They are therefore required to carry out their duties impartially without bias, friendship or be guided by personal feelings. Consequently a member of the PISA in a bid to ensure that ethics is portrayed is required to carry out investigations with a high degree of integrity and in a moral and professional manner. They are further required not to exaggerate issues but apply courtesy and honesty in all criminal related matters. The same as LECE code of ethics advocates against carrying duties partially with personal feelings and friendships influencing decisions, same applies to PISA. The members of PISA are restrained from racial, religious and gender discrimination when carrying out official duties. Both bodies require that their members co-operate by working hand in hand in executing their obligatory roles. They are not supposed to receive bribery or engage in any forms of corruption practices. Their codes of ethics also require them to maintain high degrees of confidentiality by keeping as secrets, what they see or do. Both codes of ethics stipulate the different roles played by different officers as far as criminal justice is concerned. Further, both codes require that their members safeguard the reputation of their respective bodies governing them. They are required to exhibit highest possible standards of professionalism. As much as the two bodies are similar in their regularity regulatory code of ethics, they also differ in certain principles. Unlike the members of LECE, members of PISA consult professionals on matters pertaining to justice. These include American Academy of professional law enforcement, The Association of Detectives Inc. mong others. They also invite guest speakers who include retired detectives who offer consultation services on criminology issues. The professional investigators security associations use more of information technology in handling tasks compared to the law enforcement body umbrella Lastly, various countries may have a slight disparity on their professional code of ethics. However the law enforcement code of ethics seems to be standardized across geographical regions/jurisdictions

Case Study Of A Patient With Diabetes Mellitus Nursing Essay

Case Study Of A Patient With Diabetes Mellitus Nursing Essay Patient Mr. NCS is a 53 year old Chinese man with the height of 1.72m, and weighs 82kg where his BMI is 27.7kg/m2 (overweight). Patient runs his own business and is currently staying with his wife and 3 children. He claims that he does not smoke and does not drink at all. According to the patient, the paternal side of his family has family history of hypertension and kidney failure where else for the maternal side, hypertension was known to be the family history. Patient has no known drug or food allergy. Patient was known to have had hypertension 15 years ago and also a history of pulmonary tuberculosis 35 years ago. Patient denied of being diagnosed with diabetes mellitus in the past. As for drug history, patient was only on 10mg of lovastatin (tablet) once at night and according to the patient, he was compliant to the medication. 1.2 Clinical Progress Patient was admitted into Accident and Emergency department and complained of shortness of breath (SOB) and mild giddiness. He also complained of having chest pain and a first episode of shortness of breath earlier before he was admitted into the hospital. On examination, he was found to be alert and conscious. Venous blood gas sampling was done and pH was found to be 7.306 (low), pCO2 was 44.2mmHg, pO2 was 45.8mmHg and HCO3 was 24.7mmol/L. Blood pressure was found to be 157/95mmHg, pulse rate was 72bpm, SPO2 was 97%, body temperature was 35.4 °C and respiratory rate was 21 breaths per minute. Reflo value was also obtained and it was found to be 17.1mmol/L and blood ketone was 0.9. Lungs were clear and abdominal was soft and non tender. Cardiovascular testing was done and it showed dual rhythm no murmur. The initial impression of this patient by the general practitioner in the hospital was impending diabetes ketoacidosis. Patient was immediately given 6 units Actrapid subcutaneousl y and the GP also planned to give O2 3L/min and to prescribe GTN 1/1 subcutaneously and Aspirin 1/1. Later on day 1 of admission, patient complained of increased in sweating, shortness of breath, body weakness and vomiting for 3 times in the morning. Patients blood pressure was 123/76, pulse rate was 82bpm, SPO2 was 99% and respiratory rate was 20 breaths per minute. When patient was asked, he mentioned that he has not done body check up and blood pressure measurement for at least 5 years now. Later in the afternoon, patient complained of excessive sweating and lack of appetite for the past 3 days. Patient then denied of having any chest discomfort or shortness of breath, headache and abdominal pain. Besides that, patient also complained of having polyuria and needed to wake up more than 3 times at night for micturation. He also complained of having polydypsia, lethargic and vomiting for 2 times in the morning. Patient was examined and he was found to be alert and conscious where he responded fully to Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Patient was also found to have good hydration and his ca pillary refill time (CRT) was less than 2 seconds. Vital signs were obtained and temperature was back to normal, 37 °C, blood pressure was 151/69, SPO2 was 97%, pulse rate was 88bpm and reflo value was 14.6. The management plan by the local GP was to continue monitoring the reflo value, prescribe 10mg lovastatin (tablet) once at night and 10mg amlodipine (tablet) once daily and have the patient to rest in bed. As patient was able to tolerate orally, IV drip was off and patient was allowed to take fluid orally. On day 2, patient was found to be comfortable. However, patient complained of having poor oral intake and that he was sweating profusely. He was still feeling mild giddiness and lethargic but no more chest or abdominal pain. Vital signs were observed and temperature was 37 °C, blood pressure was 128/84, pulse rate was 96bpm and reflo was 14.9mmol/L. Fundoscopy was also done and patient was found to not have any signs of retinopathy and chest X-ray was found to be clear. The management plan for day 2 was to continue 10mg amlodipine once daily, allow fluid intake orally, continue reflo monitoring 4 hourly and to trace and review the fasting blood sugar (FBS). On examination, patient was found to be alert and responded well to the GCS with the score of 15/15. Blood pressure was taken and it was 145/100 when patient was lying down and 130/90 when patient was standing. Renal profile was normal except for low potassium level of 3.0mmol/L. Impression for this patient was newly diagnosed d iabetes mellitus. Further management plan for this patient was to conduct a stress test on patient after discussing with the specialists and to monitor patients blood pressure for both lying down and standing up position 4 hourly for a day. Further plan was to start 500mg metformin (tablet) twice daily, 150mg aspirin (tablet) once daily, 20mg lovastatin (tablet) once at night, trace urine full examination microscopic examination and to refer the patient for diabetic counseling. Besides that, local GP also decided to off amlodipine and to change it to 4mg perindopril (tablet) once daily. Table 1 : Patients laboratory findings on Day 2. Sodium 129 mmol/L à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬Å" [135 145mmol/L] Potassium 3.0 mmol/L [ 3.5 5.0mmol/L] Creatinine 83  µmol/L [27 62  µmol/L] Glucose fasting 14.1 mmol/L [3.9-5.0mmol/L] Total Cholesterol 5.7 HDL 0.82 Triglycerides 6.7 AST 24 IU/I [10-37IU/I] ALT 45 IU/I [10-65IU/I] Bilirubin 11  µmol/L [2-24  µmol/L] INR 1.03 Trop I 0.02 CKMB 0.5 Disease Overview and Pharmacological Basis of Drug Therapy. Disease Background The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) varies vastly from population to population and throughout the whole wide world. In United Kingdom (UK) itself, diabetes prevalence increased from 2.8% in the year of 1996 to 4.3% in the year of 2005. The incidence of type 2 DM showed an increase from 2.60/1000 person-years in 1996 to 4.31/1000 person-years in 20059. As much as the incidence of DM is increasing, it was estimated that up to half a million more have not had their condition diagnosed and treated10. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a disorder in which blood glucose level is persistently above the normal range. This hyperglycaemia is thought to be due to either deficiency of insulin secretion or resistance to the action of insulin, or it could also be a combination of these6,7. DM is classified into four different types which include Type 1 DM, Type 2 DM, DM due to specific mechanisms and diseases and lastly, gestational DM8. Only type 2 DM will be discussed further here. Type 2 DM is normally caused by a combination of insulin resistance and decreased insulin secretion to overcome the resistance. It is the more common form of DM and it comprises of approximately 90-95% of the total DM cases8. The common risk factors associated with type 2 DM include increasing age, high caloric intake, overweight, central adiposity and sedentary lifestyle8. In type 2 DM patients, insulin secretory peaks every 5-10 minutes seen in normal subjects are hardly or absolutely not seen. In normal cases, when intravenous glucose is administered into a humans body, this will stimulate normal insulin secretion and is illustrated by a biphasic pattern, with an initial peak rising immediately 3-5 minutes after the administration, and lasted for 10 minutes, then followed by a deliberat e and more progressive phase, which lasts throughout the glucose infusion period. In type 2 DM, initial phase insulin secretion is not seen and the late phase occurs later and to a lesser extent11. For the diagnosis of DM, hyperglycaemia must be established before confirming that the patient has DM. Persistent hyperglycaemia needs to be confirmed and in order to do so, at least two plasma glucose measurements must be taken on separate days. There are three different types of plasma glucose test that can be used which include casual plasma glucose, fasting plasma glucose and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). According to WHO, there are three main criteria to be met to confirm diabetes in patients. The first would be symptoms of diabetes which include thirst, polydipsia, loss of weight and polyuria are seen in patients and their casual plasma glucose à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥ 11mmol/L. The other two would be if patients fasting plasma glucose à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥ 7.0mmol/L and patients 2-hours plasma glucose à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥ 11.1mmol/L during OGTT being conducted by giving the patient 75g of glucose load6. OGTT is the most effective test to detect glucose metabolism disorder where it assesses the rate of glucose excretion after administration of glucose. OGTT is strongly recommended when fasting blood glucose is within 7.0-7.8 mmol/L in the diabetic range where OGTT is practical to clarify the diagnosis6,8. Summary of Drugs Pharmacology Aspirin Aspirin with the dose of 150mg is used as an anti-platelet agent or as prophylaxis to cardiovascular events. The mechanism of action of aspirin as an anti-platelet agent is strongly associated with the permanent inactivation of prostaglandin synthase and cyclooxygenase12. It also inhibits the formation of thromboxane in the platelet concurrently. The common side effects of aspirin include bronchospasm, gastrointestinal haemorrhage and also other forms of haemorrhage13. Lovastatin Statin reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease events without taking into account of the serum cholesterol concentration and is often used as the drug of first choice in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. The mechanism of action of statins involves competitive inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase, which is the enzyme involved in the synthesis of cholesterol13. As liver is the major site of cholesterol biosynthesis, it appears to be the main target organ for the statins14. Statins can cause several muscular adverse effects which include myositis and other side effects include gastrointestinal disturbances, sleep disturbances, dizziness, paraesthesia, fatigue, sexual dysfunction and alopecia13. Metformin Metformin is so far the only biguanide available in the market now. It is an antihyperglycemic agent that improves glucose tolerance in patients with type 2 DM by decreasing both the intestinal absorption of glucose and the hepatic glucose production, and improves insulin sensitivity in the tissues. Metformin was also found to have potentially favourable effects on decreasing serum lipid levels and fibrinolytic activity15. Gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea are common with metformin and may persist in some patients13. Lactic acidosis due to metformin is rare, and the risk of this complication is higher in patients with renal impairment13,15. Amlodipine Amlodipine falls in the calcium channel blockers group which act by interfering with the inward entrance of calcium ions via slow channels present in the active cell membranes. They act mainly on the myocardial cells and the vascular smooth muscle cells which then lead to reduction of myocardial contractility. It affects both the electrical impulses and vascular tone within the heart where they may be depressed or diminished13. 2.2.5 Perindopril Perindopril is an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor where it acts by inhibiting the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II. ACE inhibitors are the preferred initial drug to be used for hypertension13. ACE is the enzyme that converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II where angiotensin II causes increase blood pressure, systemic vasoconstriction, Na2+ and fluid retention and etc16. Thus, ACE inhibitors act by directly blocking the formation of angiotensin II and also increase the bradykinin level at the same time. This results in reduced vasoconstriction and increased vasodilation through the release of bradykinin. The common side effects of perindopril include profound hypotension, dry cough, angioedema, rash and gastrointestinal disturbances13. Actrapid (Soluble Insulin) Insulin plays an important role in the regulation of carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism where it helps to increase the glucose utilization in human body. Actrapid, soluble insulin, is a short acting form of insulin where it is normally injected into patients 15 to 30 minutes pre-meal. Actrapid is normally given in emergency cases especially in patients suspected with diabetic ketoacidosis4. It is normally administered subcutaneously as it gives a rapid onset of action (30 to 60 minutes) and a longer duration of action of up to 8 hours. One of the potential problems of insulin is hypoglycaemia where patients can be advised on how to avoid it13. 2.2.7 Glyceryl Trinitrate (GTN) Nitrate plays a key role in the prophylaxis and treatment of angina. It causes direct relaxation on vascular smooth muscles and also dilation of the coronary vessels which improves oxygen supply to the heart. Dilation of the blood vessels results in reduction of preload and afterload and thus, myocardial oxygen consumption is reduced17. Sublingual form of GTN is one of the most effective drugs to provide a fast symptomatic relief of chest pain but it is of short duration of action. Dose of 300mcg is appropriate as the starting dose for patients who have not used GTN before previously. Side effects of nitrates include postural hypotension, tachycardia, dizziness, throbbing headache and possible nausea, vomiting, flushing and heartburn13. 2.2.8 Oxygen Oxygen is normally prescribed for patients experiencing hypoxia to raise the alveolar oxygen tension and to lessen the workload of breathing in patients. There are generally four types of oxygen therapy which include long term oxygen therapy, short burst oxygen therapy, emergency oxygen and ambulatory oxygen. It is commonly given in emergency cases to achieve oxygen saturation within the normal range, just like in this case. The administration of the correct oxygen concentration is important as inappropriate concentration of oxygen may result in serious or fatal outcomes13. Evidence for Treatment of The Condition. Metformin Metformin is one of the main therapeutic drugs used in managing Type 2 DM and many clinical studies have been conducted to support the clinical use of metformin in the management of type 2 DM. In one of the Cochrane Review, it confirms that metformin as a single agent is one of the key therapeutic options for type 2 DM in patients with overweight or obesity problems, as it may prevent some cardiovascular complications events and mortality as well. Just as mentioned in this patient, he is a newly diagnosed diabetes patient who is overweight and he was given metformin 500 mg twice daily. In the study, 29 trials with 5259 participants were included in the analysis, comparing metformin (2007 participants) with sulphonylureas (1167), placebo (702), diet (493), thiazolidinediones (132), insulin (439), meglitinides (208), and glucosidase inhibitors (111). Obese patients who are given metformin as blood glucose control agent showed a superior benefit than glibenclamide, chlorpropamide, or insulin for any diabetes-related consequences (P = 0.009), and for mortality (P = 0.03). Besides that, patients assigned to metformin as a single therapy showed a significant greater benefit for blood glucose control, weight, dyslipidaemia, and blood pressure18. Besides that, the Comparative Outcomes Study of Metformin Intervention versus Conventional (COSMIC) study was done to compare the incidence of serious adverse effects, mortality and hospitalization in patients receiving metformin and also those who are on other usual care treatments. Among the patients, 7,227 of them received metformin and another 1,505 of the patients received usual care. To the end of the study, there were only 89.7% of the metformin group and 76.9% of the usual care group remained receiving their initial intended treatment. Serious adverse events were reported in 10.3% of the metformin group and in 11.0% of the usual care group, where both the groups reported similar adverse events. Cardiovascular events were found to be the most ordinary cause of death in DM patients where 0.7% occurred in metformin group while 0.9% in usual care group19. A population-based cohort study was also done to study on the mortality rates with the use of sulphonylureas compared to metformin. The mean age of the patients was 66.3 ±13.4 years old where 43.4% were female and their mean length of follow-up was 4.6 ±2.1 years. A greater risk of mortality was observed with higher daily doses of the first-generation sulfonylureas and glyburide but not metformin20. 3.2 Insulin secretagogues (Sulphonylureas and Meglitinides) Sulphonylureas is another group of antidiabetic treatment used after metformin in Type 2 DM. Patients blood glucose level remained high on day 2 and thus should be monitored closely after administering metformin. If blood glucose level has not been brought down, addition of sulphonylureas or meglitinides should be considered. The sulphonylureas act by enhancing insulin secretion. The sulphonylureas act at the pancreatic ÃŽÂ ²-cell membrane by causing closing of ATP-sensitive potassium (K+) channels. Closure of the channels occurred when sulphonylurea binds to the sulphonylurea receptor (SUR) subunit of the K+ channel. Meglitinides, which is not a sulphonylurea, act through the same mechanism where it also binds at the sulphonylurea binding site. Examples of sulphonylureas include tolbutamide, gliclazide, glibenclamide and glimepiride. Meglitinides is referred as an alternative to sulphonylureas as it does not cause additional stimulation of insulin excretion when patient failed to respond to maximal dosage of sulphonylureas. Examples of meglitinides include repaglinide and nateglinide21. Adding on a sulphonylurea or meglitinide to metformin as a therapy to type 2 DM was found to have a better control of blood glucose level. 318 patients (61 from metformin group, 126 from glimepiride group and 131 from glimepiride + metformin group) completed the study to compare the effectiveness of metformin monotherapy, glimepiride monotherapy and the combination treatment in controlling blood glucose level. It was found that the greater efficacy of combination treatment in reducing HbA1c levels than either glimepiride alone (p Comparison was conducted in a study where 124 patients were randomly given either repaglinide 1 mg daily or glimepiride 1 mg daily. The dose of study drug was given over an 8 week titration duration, which then followed by a 12 months treatment length. FPG levels, HbAlc values and PPG levels significantly fall from baseline in both groups after 6 and 12 months of treatment. However, after 12 months, fasting plasma insulin (FPI) levels on the other hand were significantly increased in the repaglinide group (p So far, the most commonly reported adverse event in sulphonylureas was hypoglycaemia. 605 people over 34,052 person-years were diagnosed with hypoglycemia during sulphonylurea therapy, which equals to an annual risk of 1.8%24. There is also high risk of hypoglycaemia in diabetic patients who are taking ACE inhibitors at the same time. Therefore, the use of sulphonylureas in this patient should be used in caution as he is currently taking perindopril as his anti-hypertensive drug. Several studies suggested that there is an increase in mortality due to cardiac events in patients treated with sulphonylureas. In one of the studies, 120, 4138 and 1537 patients were given a first-generation sulfonylurea, glyburide monotherapy and metformin monotherapy respectively. 24.8% of the total deaths were found to be due to an acute ischaemic event. Those given first-generation sulfonylurea monotherapy had the highest mortality (67.6 deaths per 1000 person-years), compared with metformin monotherapy users (39.6 deaths per 1000 person-years). As higher doses are used, higher rates of death are observed as compared to those who are on lower doses20. Other less common side effects of sulphonylureas include weight gain, nausea, diarrhoea, gastrointestinal pain and cutaneous reactions such as rashes, urticaria and pruritus21. Further Management Thiazolidinediones, gliptins (GLP-1) mimetic, also known as exenatide and insulin administrations are the further management in type 2 DM if the above oral anti-diabetic agents are not able to control the high blood glucose level. Pioglitazone and rosiglitazone are examples of thiazolidinediones where they are the newer oral anti-diabetic agents which are more expensive but present better adverse effects profiles. A thiazolidinedione can be added on instead of a sulfonylurea as second-line therapy if sulphonylurea is contraindicated or not well tolerated or it can be added on to the sulphonylurea therapy if metformin is contraindicated. Another recommendation is to add on a thiazolidinedione to metformin plus sulphonylurea when the blood glucose is not well controlled and the use of insulin therapy is not suitable25. Two randomised trials were conducted and in the first study, 317 patients who are already on metformin received an add-on therapy of pioglitazone at the dose 15-45 mg/day and another 313 patients received gliclazide at the dose 80-320 mg/day instead. In the second study, 319 patients who are already on sulphonylurea therapy were randomly assigned to receive add-on therapy of pioglitazone at the do se 15-45 mg/day and another 320 with metformin at the dose of 850-2,550 mg/day. After 2 years, the mean reduction in HbA1c from baseline was found to be 0.89% for pioglitazone and 0.77% for gliclazide addition to metformin. The reduction in mean FBG after 2 years was statistically significant between the two add-on therapies where a decrease of 1.8 mmol/L for pioglitazone and a decrease of 1.1 mmol/L for gliclazide was seen (p Another option is adding on a GLP-1 mimetic agent as third-line therapy to first-line metformin and a second-line sulfonylurea25. Effectiveness of exenatides in bringing down the blood glucose level in type 2 DM patients was extensively studied. One of the studies includes patients at the age of 22-76 years old and had type 2 DM treated with at least the maximally effective dose of a sulfonylurea as monotherapy for at least 3 months. After a 4 weeks single-blind, placebo period, 377 patients were randomized (60% men, age 55 ±11 years, BMI 33 ±6 kg/m2, HbA1c 8.6 ±1.2%) and began either at 5  µg subcutaneous exenatide twice daily(before breakfast and dinner; arms A and B) or placebo for 4 weeks. Patients in arm B were then increased to 10  µg bd of exenatide. At week 30, HbA1c changes from baseline were -0.86 ±0.11, -0.46 ±0.12, and 0.12 ±0.09% ( ±SE) in the 10- µg, 5- µg, and placebo arms respectively (p à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ 0.001). FPG values also showed a significan t reduction in the 10- µg arm compared to the placebo arm (P à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ 0.05) 28. If all else fails to control blood glucose, insulin therapy should be introduced in patients with poorly controlled type 2 DM. It was believed that there is possibility that the oral anti-diabetic agents mentioned above might be useful in combination with insulin therapy in enhancing better blood glucose control, reducing insulin dose requirement, or minimizing side effects of insulin therapy. A study was conducted to compare the efficacy of adding once-daily basal insulin with switching to twice-daily premixed insulin in type 2 DM patients uncontrolled by oral anti-diabetic agents (OADs). It was a 24 weeks period clinical trial where 371 patients with poor glycaemic control (FBG à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥120 mg/dl, HbA1c 7.5-10.5%) were randomized to once-daily morning insulin glargine plus glimepiride and metformin or to only 30% regular/70% human NPH insulin (70/30) twice daily without any OADs. It was found that mean HbA1c decrease from baseline was significantly better in the presence of O ADs than the one without OADs (p = 0.0003). More patients reached HbA1c à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤7.0% without confirmed nocturnal hypoglycemia (45.5 vs. 28.6%, p = 0.0013) with glargine plus OAD than with only 70/30 NPH insulin. In addition, decrease in FPG was greater with glargine plus OAD (p Conclusion In this patient, he was newly diagnosed with type 2 DM and was given metformin 500mg twice daily initially to control his high blood glucose level, which was appropriate according to the guideline. If blood glucose is still not well controlled, changing of medication or further management as above should be considered. As hypertension and overweight are risk factors of DM, hypertension should be well managed in this patient and the patient should be advised on complying with his medication. Besides that, patient should also be advised on healthy diet and lifestyle to control his weight.

Essay --

Comparison Matrix Paper Chloe Dixon Grand Canyon University LDR2: Progression in Leadership Thought February 12, 2014 Introduction When analyzing transformational leadership, it is important to determine the fairness of a leader in an organizational setting. The article, â€Å"Are transformational leaders fair? A multi-level study of transformational leadership, justice perceptions, and organizational citizenship behaviors† (2010) by Cho and Dansereau focused on discovering the mental process that motivated the association between transformational leadership and individual and group-level multifocal managerial social responsibility behaviors. In â€Å"The Relationship Between Transformational Leadership Followers’ Perceptions of Fairness,† (2012) by Bacha and Walker, the focus shifted to study the relationship between transformational leadership and the employee’s discernment of fairness from the leader, whether it was distributive, procedural, and interactional in French firms. The connection between the two articles is their focus on transformational leadership and the relationsh ip between the follower’s perceptions of the leader. Cho and Dansereau (2010) determined their study was important to conclude how followers, individual and group-level, perceived transformational leaders. Bacha and Walker (2012) determined the procedures and interactions the leaders had with the employees were intensely acquainted with transformational leadership. Both articles presented their case for their research questions, validating their studies. Research Questions Although the articles shared similarities, each had their own disposition delineated by their research questions. Cho and Dansereau (2010) developed four research qu... ...rming relationships with employees was made clear by being efficient and fair to preserve and inspire their workforce. These results can be further studied in a dissertation that is duplicated in a different culture to test the consistency of its findings. Using the information from these two studies, it is clear that transformational leaders behaviors have an impact on their follower’s perception (Bacha and Walker, 2012; Cho and Dansereau, 2010). References Bacha, E., & Walker, S. (2013). The Relationship Between Transformational Leadership and Followers' Perceptions of Fairness. Journal Of Business Ethics, 116(3), 667-680. Cho, J., & Dansereau, F. (2010). Are transformational leaders fair? A multi-level study of transformational leadership, justice perceptions, and organizational citizenship behaviors. Leadership Quarterly, 21(3), 409-421.

Abusive Parents :: essays research papers

Researchers at the University of Toronto have taken important steps toward producing a profile of an abusive parent. Prof. Gary Walters and doctoral student Lynn Oldershaw of the Department of Psychology have developed a system to characterize parents who physically abuse their children. This could ultimately allow social service professionals to identify parents in child abuse. Over the last five years, Walters and Oldershaw, in collaboration with Darlene Hall of the West End Creche, have examined over 100 mothers and their three to six-year-old children who have been physically abused. In the laboratory, the mother and child spend 30 minutes in structured activities such as playing, eating and cleaning-up. The family interaction is video-taped and later analyzed. The researchers have developed a system which allows them to record the effectiveness of parenting skills. They are particularly interested in disciplinary strategies because abuse most commonly occurs when the parent wants the child to comply. "It's a question of trying to determine which type of parent produces which type of child or which type of child elicits which type of parental behaviour," explains Oldershaw. As a result of their work, Walters and Oldershaw have identified distinct categories of abusive parents and their children. 'Harsh/intrusive' mothers are excessively harsh and constantly badger their child to behave. Despite the fact that these mothers humiliate and disapprove of their child, there are times when they hug, kiss or speak to them warmly. This type of mothering produces an aggressive, disobedient child. A 'covert/hostile' mother shows no positive feelings towards her child. She makes blatant attacks on the child's self-worth and denies him affection or attention. For his part, the child tries to engage his mother's attention and win her approval. An 'emotionally detached' mother has very little involvement with her child. She appears depressed and uninterested in the child's activities. The child of this type of mother displays no characteristics which set him apart from other children. In order to put together a parenting profile, the two researchers examine the mother/child interaction and their perception and feelings. For instance, Walters and Oldershaw take into account the mother's sense of herself as a parent and her impression of her child. The researchers also try to determine the child's perception of himself or herself and of the parent. Abusive parents are often believed to have inadequate parenting skills and are referred to

Hp and Compaq Merger

Webster University November 6, 2011 Hewlett- Packard Company, referred to as HP, is an American multinational information technology company. Its headquarters is based in California USA. The company was founded in 1939 built in a Palo Alto garage by Bill Hewlett and David Packard and is now one of the world’s largest information technology companies operating worldwide in almost every country. It has 87,000 employees in 120 countries. HP specializes in developing, manufacturing computing, data storage, and networking hardware. In addition it designs software and delivers services. A majority of HP’s product lines include storage devices as well as computing devices, and a wide range of imaging products and last but not least, printers. Its products are widely available to households, small to medium sized businesses, as well as through online distribution, office supply retailers, and major technology vendors. It also caters to enterprises and office supply retailers. The late 90’s brought innovation but low sales growth, as HP faced troubles in keeping up with the changing market. It was at the point where Carly Fiorina was appointed as the new CEO. The focus then became on customer and internet sales. Carly revamped organizational structure. This led to a revenue growth however, share prices still declined and HP faced recession in 2001, which led to pay cuts and layoffs. Stock prices continues to soar which led to the consideration of acquisitions. HP is committed to the development of products, information, and services that are widely accessible to everyone including those with disabilities. The commitment it provides in catering to everyone supports its diversity and â€Å"Total Customer Experience† objectives ensure that its technological benefits serve all. According to Dave Packard, â€Å"it is necessary that people work together in unison toward common objectives and avoid working at cross purposes at all levels if the ultimate in efficiency and achievements is to be obtained. † HP has a vision of diversity as being a main factor that drives success as well as personal leadership from everyone within the company. Their competitive advantage allows them to learn and to adjust through the depth of their values. It is vital for HP managers to come together regularly in order to discuss and assess the â€Å"HP Way† which ensures their top priorities through lower costs, information technology system improvements, increase in business growth, an improvement in efficiency, and customer service improvements. HP is organized in the form of two groups. The first is the Business Customer Organization, and the second group is the Consumer Business Organization (Wagonfeld, Rubenstein, and Block, 2001). Both groups are supplied through the following product divisions: Computing systems, imaging and printing systems, and embedded personal systems. In addition HP services are available which works between the consumer, the product, and the groups. Major product lines include personal computer (PC), desktop and mobile personal computers, software solutions, copiers, scanners, networking solutions, and consulting services. In addition, the company’s support group offers consulting, education, and solution financing to its users. Compaq was founded in 1982 by Rod Canion, Jim Harris, and Bill Murto and its headquarters is based in Houston, Texas. The three founders invested $1,000 each in order to begin the formation of their company and began their first product, a portable personal computer to run all the software being developed at the time for the IBM PC. Four years into operation, the company was able to pave way to the Fortune 500 more rapidly than any other company in the same domain. Compaq products were developed and placed in three different groups. The first group is the Enterprise Computing Group which designs and develops servers, internet products, and networking products. The second group is the Commercial PC Group which designs and develops commercial desktops, and small and medium business solutions. The final group is the Consumer PC Group which designs and develops consumer products such as desktops, printers, and portables. Compaq markets its products mainly to consumers from the following sectors: Business, home, government and education. In 2001, Compaq and HP engaged in a merger. The new HP will become the second largest global technology provider with around $87 billion in revenue as well as many opportunities to create competitive advantages with their existing resources. It then had the ability to provide a multiple number of solutions and will be in position of competitive advantage in comparison to the leader IBM. Prior to Compaq’s merger with HP, its ticker symbol was CPQ, however after the merger its ticker symbol is now HPQ. . The management’s reasons for the merger included the following: Improved economics and innovation, complementary eadership in key markets, strengthened business provides critical mass in key growth market, and financial benefits. First of all, combining HP and Compaq would result in creating economies of scale, direct sales channel, and a more flexible distribution channel. Second of all, the merger would facilitate the industry leading product line in the entire server category, and gain a broader portfolio of pro ducts and services. Thirdly, having around 65,000 IT architects in 160 countries accelerates growth and leads to better customer loyalty. Finally, financially, it estimated $2. 5 billion in annual cost savings by mid 2004 and the merger would also allow HP to increase investment in the imaging and printing business. Reasons against the merger were the following: HP’s business portfolio would be worse due to an increased exposure in unprofitable PC business, and the PC market was expected to shrink. Second of all, the integration risk of the proposed merger is substantial as no merger involving computer companies had ever met expectations, and analysts estimated a revenue loss that could be as high as 15-17%. Third of all, it would have a negative impact on HP stockholders as a dramatic drop in stock price was announced after the proposal of the merger and Wall Street predicted low estimates for future financial performance. A fourth reason against the merger is that HP’s strategic position will not materially improve as neither company had a profitable business model nor successfully transitioned into a direct distribution model. Furthermore, a merger would not materially improve HP’s market position in high profit areas. Despite the debate for or against the merger, there was a 51. % approval margin and supporters believed it was the best option available for both firms. SWOT analysis: The strengths of the merger are Compaq-Server category and overall storage, HP high-end storage, and strong brand recognition. HP and Compaq were to save $2. 5 billion in operating costs by 2004. After their merger, there was an increase in cash flow. The weaknesses they faced are the develo pment of a direct distribution model, consulting and outsourcing (low market share), and Compaq printers (low market share). Consumers were unsure about the reliability of new products, and HP’s market share was to increase to 18. % only. The opportunities they were faced with are the improvement the merger could have of economics and innovation namely economies of scale. It also strengthened market leadership in storage, and market growth in IT services. Finally, the threats posed were the increases of pressure by Dell in the lower-end server market, and the entrants of IBM and Dell into the market that further eroded more market share. Michael E. Porter draws upon Industrial Revolution economics in order to derive the five forces that determine the competition and the overall profitability of a market. For example, an unattractive industry would be one that combines the five forces that drives down overall profitability. The first force in Porter’s model is the threat of the entry of new competitors. Profitable markets that yield high returns and will therefore attract new firms. The result of this is many new entrants which eventually decrease profitability for all firms in the industry. The merger that occurred between Compaq and HP raises a moderate level of threat for new entrants due to economies of scale that are achieved by the already existing players, and this is what results in their competitive advantage. In addition, there is need for high capital requirement for any new player that wants to enter the market. Another factor is product differentiation which results in a constant need for the improvement in technology in order to grab consumers’ attention. A third factor is moderate consumer switching costs. An example of this is the ease for customers to change their laptops due to the standardization of most computer components. In addition, the access to distribution channels makes it easy for consumers to approach the desired products, due to the availability of direct customer service and both internet and computer retailers. The second force in Porter’s model is the bargaining power of buyers. Moderate consumer switching costs makes it easier for consumers to be able to change their laptops, due to standardization of most computer components. A low number of suppliers are providing HP and Compaq products to consumers. In addition, suppliers operate with high fixed costs, which is the main reason there are a low number of suppliers. The third force in the model is the bargaining power of suppliers, which consists of a high number of customers that are fragmented and providing products to them is not an easy task, which is why suppliers bargain highly. There are however, a few large suppliers which are trustworthy, reliable, and recognized. They provide good quality raw material such as Intel and Hitachi. A fourth force in Porter’s model is the threat of substitutes. Switching costs for consumers is high because of low price HP Compaq laptops that indicate its target towards the middle class and upper middle class segment. These people find it harder to switch from one product to another which is why they are more likely to remain loyal. In addition, frequent product introductions and constant improvements in price serve as a cause for moderate threat. A final force in the model is rivalry. High fixed costs in the cost for setup of manufacturing units increases fixed cost, which makes it more difficult for the existing players to exit the market. Also, constant changes in products and price makes competition stiffer. It is important to note that the two big players that hold the top two market share spots in the computer hardware industry are IBM and Dell. IBM has strong research and development and marketing and gave rise to PC industry with Microsoft Windows OS. IBM global services also have strong customer assistance. The latter is a direct business model with low inventory costs, and Dell’s close relationships with its consumers helped build loyalty, and it ranked number one in the global PC market in 2001. In July 1999, Carly Fiorina was appointed as the CEO of HP, and the board believed she was the saviour of HP. Her goal was to reinvent the company according to the HP way. Her motto was: â€Å"Preserve the best and reinvent the rest. † At the time Carly took over, it was a collection of independent businesses, each selling a different kind of product. Her role was to execute an â€Å"e-services† strategy that would unify them into one profitable whole. After merging with Compaq, the main strategies that are focused on are the following: Sustainability where the new HP must both retain and grab additional market share, Uniqueness by being the largest IT company world-wide, value added by which the merger must demonstrate success, an increased product line through enhancement, adaptation to market forces through flexibility, and the retention of customer base through stability. Fiorina promised balanced revenue and earnings growth, targeting 12%-15% growth in 2000. The problem was that Carly Fiorina held too many offices as she was CEO, COO, and Chairman of the board. This led to an abuse of power, poor decision-making, and miscommunication. Both Compaq and HP were in an unwinnable price war with Dell. The merger of HP and Compaq clearly benefited both companies. From Porter’s five forces model of HP-Compaq, it is evident that there are moderate entry barriers, moderate threat of substitutes, high competition, moderate bargaining of power of buyers, and high bargaining power of suppliers. HP focuses on making technology more simple for its users from individual customers to large businesses. Its top priorities are to lower costs, improve its technology systems, increase business growth, and improve both efficiency and customer service. Despite the fact that both HP and Compaq were mature companies before the merger, the merger is still considered to be under restructuring, which resulted in the company losing some of its ground as a mature company. Blending the culture of both companies resulted in more innovative ideas and is now more supportive in providing more effective customer service. Through the successful merger of HP and Compaq, their costs were reduced by $3 billion annually. From the information provided above, it is important to note that the introduction of improved and more innovative products should be of focus as competition in existing players is high in order to gain market share and competitive position in the market. The company is focusing on its strategies in order to ensure achieving all business priorities by adjusting and optimizing the product line and enhancing high end services. When analyzing a merger between two companies like Compaq and HP, it is worth noting that if we were to do a segment analysis of this merger, a different conclusion would be drawn than an increase of profits in the merged firms. In a segment analysis, the combined firms would adversely lose money while trying to gain advantage over its product line in the business sector for example. A large business segment would only see a small increase in profits in this case. Depending on the elasticity in the market and the relevant position of the firms involved, the effects of a merger would vary significantly across different segments. For example, if Dell and Compaq were to have merged in 1998, it would have resulted in a negative consumer surplus. This in turn allows us to assume that the use of segment analysis can be valuable in assessing what impacts a merger could result in in various markets that have different consumer segments. The evolution of the market also plays an important factor. In the case of the HP-Compaq merger, if the same merge had occurred at a different period like 4 years earlier there would have been a smaller consumer welfare as opposed to the results yielded in its 2001 merger. Baker and Breshnan (1985) proposed a strategy of demand and supply to evaluate the effects of mergers. Products and consumers are observed by market participants according to Baker et. al, which in turn will be correlated with equilibrium prices which will lead the price coefficient to be â€Å"biased towards zero†. Furthermore, providing the consumers with a chance to not purchase any of the products available in regards to personal computers plays an important role as it allows the uniform price increase to change the quantities purchased. In addition, by using the demand parameters that are estimated, price-cost margins and marginal costs can be calculated without the use of actual cost information. According to Nevo (2000), in the HP-Compaq merger, â€Å"marginal costs and the number of products are held constant in their pre-merger level†. Furthermore, post-merger equilibrium elasticities are calculated based on the demand parameters in the pre-merger phase. From this, we can make the assumption that both consumer preferences and the value of the good did not change after the firms merged. However, one cannot ignore the fact that changes in the strategy after the merger took place accounted for price sensitivity and particularly changes outside the industry that could impact demand for the product places doubt on whether such an assumption is valid. A way one can look at the estimates of different segments is by looking at the aggregate demand elasticities over time. This is portrayed in a report by Foncel and Invaldi (2000). It is important to note that the total elasticity for the whole market is increasing over time. This is turn means that consumers are being less sensitive as the market is approaching its maturity, this would lead to the expectation that the demand for personal computers would be more elastic. Income effect plays a big role here as soaring prices means that purchasing a PC would become a smaller share of the budget over time. In addition, further developments in software widened the use of computers and have now become a necessity in our daily lives. The total elasticity of the home segment is the one that faces the largest rise. The reason for this is that this segment became less elastic over time due to two reasons. The first reason was due to high income elasticity and the second was due to higher usage of several developments in other domains such as the internet. Qualitative analysis of coordinated effects in the HP-Compaq merger is essential in understanding the formation of the merger that took place between both companies. In order to coordinate firms that are looking into merging should be able to come to an agreement which is not always easy as products in both firms are complex and differentiated. Compaq and HP should monitor one another’s behaviour closely to detect factors such as undercutting, and keeping rivals out by â€Å"collectively coordinating behaviour between them†, Stigler (1964). The distribution of brands and market shares varies both in time and across markets. Most firms are multi product firms which is why it is essential to bear in mind that there is a substantial number of products. Another important factor here is that firms may face elastic demands which arise from the consumers’ substitution of products in quality segments. In addition, market transparency ensures that all coordinating oligopolists are aware of the changes in the evolving markets. In the HP-Compaq merger, there are several market features that pave way for coordination in the server industry and others that prevent it from occurring. Also, competitors like Dell and IBM did not try to stand in the way of the merger. According to Freidman (1971), the merger between HP and Compaq affects the incentive to cooperate, yet it actively decreases the firms’ incentives to cooperate in a strategic manner. Freidman also goes on to portray that his model does not take into account either the entry or exit of a product, nor uncertainty. The reduction of costs, and enrichment of revenues, growth of the industry, and need of product diversification are several reasons why mergers and acquisitions have become proliferate over the last decade or so. When analyzing the financial results of the HP-Compaq merger, it is important to look at the profitability and efficiency ratios of the companies in the pre-merger and post-merger stages. In order to maximize profit and minimize products, HP and Compaq understand and adjust to the constantly shifting and changing markets, which technologies need acceleration, value creation for its consumers, and global development which serves as a shield against competitors like Dell and IBM. It is essential for a firm to understand its position in the industry especially in a market that is saturated with competition like the computer industry where competitors such as Dell, IBM, Toshiba, Sony, Vaio, are present. An organization must be able to identify the factors that have an effect on the firm such as its suppliers, consumers, and competitors. Those factors enable the industry to know how to maintain itself in such a marketplace in order to be in a â€Å"win-win† situation. One of the benefits that resulted from the HP-Compaq merger is the following. Both firms were in a no win situation price war with Dell. The merger resulted in Compaq and HP to stop competing with one another. In February 2001, Dell, the biggest competitor of HP-Compaq launched a campaign to become the largest competitor in the PC industry. In an attempt to grab the market share, Dell announced and intentional undercut in its prices by 10%. Although some mergers produce marginal results or lead to the sinking of companies, HP and Compaq’s merger created a new corporate culture. This helped the company focus its product development efforts. The company improved its position in a number of core markets. By completing the merger when they did, HP was able to position itself by taking the extra leap ahead of trends that were working against the two companies when they existed as independent entities. In addition, its commitment to cultural change helped the merger go through a smoother transition, although HP took certain measures like reducing its workforce size, the change of 2 CEO’s, and the reorganization of the management’s structure. â€Å"The HP-Compaq merger established what it had set out to. Its main aim was to provide the essential mass and ensure a long term-role in an industry that was undergoing a fundamental transition,† according to Jean S. Bozman, research vice president in IDC’s world-wide Server Group. Furthermore, he added that â€Å"this deal enabled the merged company to grow revenue and profits in an increasingly competitive marketplace. † References: Anon (2002): Investor relations- taking a fair share of the responsibility, Strategic Direction. Bradford: Vol. 18, Iss. 8, pgs. 13-16. Ahles, Andrea (2002): Hewlett-Packard Executives Say Its Company Is on Track to Produce Lasting Benefits, Knight Ridder Tribune Business News. Washington: Aug 28, pg. 1. 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(2000a). â€Å"Mergers with Di ¤erentiated Products: The Case of the Ready-to- eat Cereal Industry†, RAND Journal of Economics, 31, 3, 395-421. Foncel, J. and M. Invaldi (2001). â€Å"Operating System Prices in the Home PC Market†, mimeo, University of Toulouse. Bozman, J. S. (2006). HP-Compaq merger a success five years on: IDC. URL http://www. itwire. com/it-industry-news/strategy/6879-hp-compaq-merger-a-success-five-years-on-idc