Saturday, August 31, 2019

Findings in Parthenotes Essay

The reason for the halted development is accounted for by a number of interesting findings that have been reported. This has been termed as genetic imprinting. Normally and naturally, the maternal and paternal genomes have been shown to be epigenetically different, and normal and successful development necessitates both the sets of genomes (Watt, 2007, 554-556). on the other hand, in activated eggs, also called parthenotes, the origin of all the genetic material is maternal, this implies that there is no imprinting from the paternal genome. It is a generally accepted fact that parthenotes do not develop a tropoectoderm neither do they develop any of the primitive endoderm and extraembryonic tissue. Therefore they are not compatible with life; they do not develop to term. They resemble ovarian teratodermoids and comprises only of embryonic tissues (Newman-Smith and Werb, 1995, 2069-2077). Calcium and Parthenotes Release of stored calcium ions in precise pulses plays a major role in egg activation. It is a recognized fact that fluctuations in free ionic Calcium concentration serves as chemical signal. (Rhoton-Vlasak, Lu, Barud, Dewald, and Hammitt, 1996, 793-796). Most cell types contain very similar calcium signaling mechanisms and elements. It appears from findings that calcium signals are apparently ubiquitous (Nanassy, Lee, Javor, and Machaty, 2008, 264-274). They can be demonstrated both in the somatic cell lines and also in the germ cell lines too. In view of this, it can be stated that the development from oocyte to early embryo is a pre determined sequence of events that occur concurrently in a linear and irreversible manner. There is no repetition whatsoever (Susko-Parrish, Leibfried-Rutledge, Northey, Schutzkus, and First, 1994, 729-739). Surprisingly, the context of each calcium signal is different in different set of events. There is thus a high probability that the Calcium ion which serve as signals in the oocytes and also, the embryo mirror changes in the state of the cell. They are the landmarks for monitoring the development of this cell. It can be said to represent the predetermined programmed events. (Wang, Wang, Yu, and Xu, 2008, 292-301). The process has not been completely demystified by science but some evidence points to the fact that Calcium ions function as second messengers in the oocyte cytoplasm. The ions cause the intracellular release of some other stored chemical mediators of this process. (Winston, Johnson, Pickering and Braude, 1991, 904-912). The initial release of the calcium ion would lead to the completion of the second meiotic division. Subsequent quantal releases of calcium ion would start up the process of cleavage. The fine details of the mechanisms involved are still not known. However, there are some pointers to the fact that the quantal Calcium ion release may be timed to be released at regular intervals for several hours. This is necessary for the activation of the egg. (Krivokharchenko et al. , 2003, 829-836). A mechanism is proposed: each timed release activates some steps that follow previous events and this also leads to the activation of subsequent steps processes (Niwa et al. , 2004, 1560-1567). Relation with Cell Cycle The cMos gives room for the continuation of meiosis from its arrested state. Oocytes that are deficient of this factor are readily activated. They are not so dependent on the firm regulation of the ionic Calcium. (Bos-Mikich, Whittingham, and Jones, 1997, 172-179). During, meiosis, a half of all the chromosomes in the second metaphase division are all removed as the second polar body. The other remaining chromosomes remain in the nucleus of the oocyte . the nucleus therefore contains only a half of the genome. The oocyte this carries a haploid nucleus. (Gardner and Davies, 2006, 492-502). As stated above, a discrepancy in the formation of the second polar body, which also translates to halving of the genetic material will lead to the persistence of all the shromosomes that are present in the second metaphase division. This in turn gives rise to a diploid cell. Ozil et al. , 2005, 39-54). (An unfertilized egg differs from a fertilized egg. Since this is a change in the state of the cell, the calcium signal is believed to bring in the changes the cell state. It can be stated as evidenced by the animal models that the calcium signal is sufficiently important in bringing about some or even most of the changes that take place. The other role that the sperm serves aside from triggering the transient calcium flux necessary for fertilization and providing a half of the genome is to make available centrosomes (Taylor and Braude, 1994, 2389-2397). The centrosome is increasingly regarded as the initiator of cell cycle. This action gives room for the duality that is required to divide the cell. The events at fertilization can therefore be viewed as events that are specific for fertilization proper including the ones that are related to the regulation of cell cycle (Gao, Czirr, Chung, Han, and Latham, 2004, 1162-1170). Sperm Incorporation When the sperm is incorporated, the following events occur. The cortical granules are extruded, the microvilli get elongated, superoxides are produced, and overall metabolic ctivity is heightened. The zona reaction that occurs in fertilization occurs due to exocytosis of the cortical granules, and this also develops fertilization envelope. These both arrest the entry of supernumerary sperm (Cibelli , Cunniff, and Vrana, 2006, 117- 135). The series of events are initiated directly by the ionic calcium changes present at fertilization. The subsequent events involve the participation of a variety o f proteins that are in control of the division of both unfertilized eggs and oocytes. (Rho, Wu, Kawarsky, Leibo, and Betteridge, 1998, 885-492). Both the normal cells and the oocytes of the various species have their meiotic division arrested at different points of the cycle. All the primitive germ cells have to produce secondary oocytes in order to mature. To be fertilized. The process involves a meiotic division. (Paffoni et al. , 2007, 77-82). This checkpoint mechanism keeps under surveillance the unattached chromosomes. This does not allow the onset of anaphase until all the chromosomes are securely fastened to the microtubules of the kinetochore. Mos, discussed earlier can influence and bypass this checkpoint mechanism, and this results in maintenance of metaphase arrest before fertilization; biochemically thus preventing degradation of the cyclins (Fulka, Jr, First, Fulka1, and Moor, 1999, 1582-1587). The calcium signal of fertilization appears not to immediately interact with the activity of Mos signaling. Rather, it assumes an alternative pathway that bypasses the checkpoint. It does this by stimulating cyclin degradation. This in turn, is mediated by calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII)-mediated stimulation of cyclin ubiquitination. It goes further to stimulate the proteasome degradation machinery (Whitaker, 2006, 25-88). Germinal Vesicle Breakdown There exists a factor which can be transferred from the mature oocyte to the immature one. This leads to the breaking down of the germinal vesicle. This phenomenon is one of the few observations made that led to the discovery of the CDK/Cyclin Kinases. (Jones, 1998, 7). The female germ line cells grow and differentiate in the ovary, and during this time, they briefly pause within the process of meiosis that again with ovulation of the oocytes. The first stopping point of the oocytes in their cell cycle dues not differ from species to species, however, after fertilization, their second stopping points differ indeed vary (Lee and Campbell, 2006, 691-698). Meiosis is initially arrested at the interphase stage with the nuclear envelope (still intact) the structure that is germinal vesicle in the immature oocytes. This is where the exchange of genetic material occurs. Just as I mitosis, the cyclin-dependent kinase CDK1/Cyclin B controls the activities of such intracellular organelles such as the nuclear envelope, spindle apparatus and even the nuclear chromatin. Salamone et al. , 2001, 1761-1768). The With the germinal vesicle breakdown, the activities of the cyclins increase. MAP kinase has a key role to play during meiosis, in addition. MAP kinase maintains the condensation of the chromatin in the interphase that intervenes the two meiotic divisions, where DNA synthesis is suppressed. This provides the cellular and biochemical environment for creation of the mature oocyte that remains haploid (Rogers et al. , 2006, 45-57). Inositol Phosphate The evidence points to a role for the InsP3 signaling system and transient calcium fluxes in the control of GVBD during meiosis. Calcium is a central figure in the control of this process including the fashion in which it progresses. Just as fertilization activates GVBD. (Higgins and Kane, 2003, 111-118). Fertilization calcium responses have been called termed explosions. After the process of fertilization, the oocyte calcium signaling mechanisms revert to a less vigorous mode. Mature follicles spontaneously starts growing as soon as they are removed from the ovarian stroma (Liu, Trimarchi, and Keefe, 2002, 204-210). Moreover, the growing component also becomes expressed on this removal; however, the non viable oocytes will fail to mature. The aforementioned calcium quantal release in exhibited in the mature oocytes, with a frequency of 1 min. this also occurs in growing follicles but the frequency is lower, at 5 min. however, non viable oocytes do not show this quantal relese This implies, cell cycle progression has a link with calcium pulses. (FitzHarris, Larman, Richards, and Carroll, 2005, 4563-4575). It was also demonstrated that immortal stem cells could be manipulated in vitro, providing the opportunity to study early development as well as lineage potential of derived progenitors in

Friday, August 30, 2019

Feeding Program Report Essay

CAT’s Feeding Program provides a healthy, fresh and nutritious meal to the kids who were in hunger or else to the areas wherein we can see that the people cannot really accommodate their meals clearly. This program also desires to give free meals to those children who where in the particular place that we are destined to go to. Feeding is a tool, which today effectively enables hundreds of millions of poor children worldwide to be sustained to their meals—in developed and developing countries alike. This paper describes the benefits of CAT feeding and how this well-proven tool can be scaled up and specifically targeted to address some of the key constraints to universal primary health completion. One of the advantages of CAT feeding is that, in addition to enabling health status, it has positive direct and indirect benefits relating to a number of other development goals (namely for gender equity, poverty and hunger reduction, partnerships and cooperation, care and prevention, and improvements in health and other social indicators). Some of those implications are discussed herein as well. Even in the most-developed nations, there are hungry children who can be helped by school meals. Through this program, we can help the poor people to at least give them meals so that their hunger will be removed. We, the CAT officers, are the ones who personally made and planned the meals to be cooked. We prepared the meals carefully and cook the meals deliciously so that it would be worth for the children who were eating the meals. We can assure to the children that were eating the meals that we had prepared were all clean and healthy since in has the nutritious ingredients like carrots and sweet potato. We also add some seasonings to the meal so that it would be more delicious and that the children would be very happy to the meal that they were eating. The program tries to close the people’s hunger gap by bringing food to children across the street. Run by the school that funded primarily by the CAT officers, the program offers a safe location for children to eat meals and get free food to take home to their families. At least, in our own simple ways we could help to close the people’s hunger. And through this simple way of helping them closing their hunger, we could also give them nutrition. The objectives of the program are to value the health of every people in the community, to have cooperation while giving foods to others, and to discipline the child’s behavior. And through this program, the children learned how to give, they learned through cooperation and the target objectives were happened. Content/Body On the day of the Feeding Program, it was an exciting day for me since it was my first time to experience that one. Our assembly place was our school and our assembly time was 6:30-7:00 am and I came up late at the school because of the fact that when I came up there, they were only few of them who were there. So, when I came there, there was them and after a few minutes I began to help them. I help them repacking the juice; I also help them chopping the ingredients into small dices. After doing all those preparations, we began cooking. Our teacher divided into three different groups that’s why I am sure it will be easy for the meal to be cooked. We also have three large pots where we can cook the meal. Our group leader was Sinclair F. Seno, I know that he really knows how to cook and besides, he is a skillful person whom I trust on. I trust him that he could make our meal so delicious and he really does. Through his experiences in cooking and on his determination to finish cooking, he made it very fine. And then the other group’s meals were also already cooked. Afterwards, we were preparing so that we can now go to our designated area. The area we will distribute the meals that we had prepared. Then we went to the chapel of their place and tell all the residents that we will be giving out free food and meals. So, we have been working out and then the residents began going out and went to us to ask for food and we also gave them. We also gave them juice so that they will not choke the food that they eat. From the start, the residents were too little and it seems that the food that we had prepared were too much for the people that we are giving food. But when we had announced from each of their homes that we are giving food for free, they were immediately going our from their houses and went to us for food. We were so very happy because it is relieving to the heart that you can help to stop the people’s hunger just in a very simple way. This program is also a way in helping them out of the state of hunger. We also take some videos and pictures for our documentary and also as a remembrance for having this first activity of our CAT. After giving free foods for them, we also immediately clean up the area that we had used and go back again to our school. We wash all those large pots and other things that we had use for cooking. After cleaning those things, we had our picture taking. Together all of us, we had worked out for this event to be successful I enjoy this event and really had fun. Observation I had observed from our program that handling this kind of program is not that easy because you need to have the cooperation between the officials from the place and also from the administration from the office of the school and without their cooperation, the program would be nothing. Also I had observed that without the cooperation of the officers, it wouldn’t be a big success to this program. I had seen that all of us were working together for us to finish this kind of job for the day. We work hard together for us to make this program very successful. This program is also with the residents who support our program. Who were there to ask for food and support what we were doing. This kind of program is not really easy. It really needs time to plan and enough budgets so that the needs would be completed. This program needs to be planned carefully so that the result would be very nice and that the program would be very successful. Recommendation This kind of program should be improved. This program must be in a proper way of having a program. Maybe this should have a list of program so that we can also entertain the children who were there. We can also have games for the children so that they would not only enjoy the food that they eat but also they will be happy and because of the games that will be prepared for them. We can also give them toys (used or donated) so that they would delight the things that will be given to them. We can also perform some intermission numbers for them to be entertained. At least through this simple ways, we could bring joy to their lives and make them happy for this time. This kind of program would be very interesting because it can really help a lot for the children. Conclusion In the current years, the population of the world is getting bigger and bigger and we are not really sure if they can still accommodate their needs and if they can still feed themselves. That is why we have this program to help the people’s hunger to be removed. Giving also nutritious foods to the children could be the best way for them to be provided with adequate nutrition. And also through the food that they eat, it could also energize their day. Therefore, I conclude that this program is for the benefit of the people who are in the state of poverty and hunger.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

The History of Baseball Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The History of Baseball - Research Paper Example n 1908, the commission published their final report concluding that Abner Doubleday invented Baseball in the town called Cooperstown, New York in the year 1939 (John Doyle Papers 49). How they came up with such a conclusion is based on the testimonies of Abner Graves, a resident of Cooperstown. Later on, such report has been proven to be a mistake as it was discovered that Doubleday wasn’t in Cooperstown at that year. To add, Graves was convicted of murder and was sent to the asylum for being insane. Alexander Cartwright Alexander Cartwright is another popular name in the history of Baseball. In 1845, Cartwright wrote the rules of a New York baseball team called Knickerbockers. And later on, Shane Foster help revolutionized the Knickerbocker rules into the modern baseball rules of today. In 1953, the Congressed credited the invention of modern baseball to Alexander Cartwright and he was included in the Baseball Hall of Fame (Peterson 8). Although the term may not be fitting, h e is the most deserving to have the title. Alexander Cartwright was also the umpire of the first recorded baseball game in America dated June 19, 1846 in New Jersey. Knickerbocker Baseball Club and New York Baseball Club, 1846 During the year 1845, the Knickerbocker Club of New York City was making use of the Elysian Field in Hoboken, New Jersey. They were playing and practicing here as this is the only place that has soft ground to play on within the area. In 1846, the first recorded U.S. baseball game took place here with the Knickerbocker Club playing against the New York Nine (Seymour 27). The New York Nine won the game. Because of the success of this game, more amateur teams were formed. By the year 1957, the National Association of Baseball Players was formed and 25 amateur teams joined.... This research paper describes the history of baseball, the most favorite American sport. Abner Doubleday is the man believed to be the inventor of baseball. In 1939, everyone thought that Abner Doubleday was behind the sport because of a testimony of another man. However, there was no evidence to prove that he is indeed the man behind baseball. In fact, through all the papers Doubleday has written, he has never mentioned anything about being the proponent of the American sport; he never made the claim. One of the people behind this theory is Albert Spalding. In 1905, Spalding organized the Mills Commission. Members of the commission include Spalding himself, Abraham Mills, Morgan Bulkely, Arthur Gorman, Nick Young, George Wright, Alfred Reach and James Sulivan. And from this list, none of them are historians. The commission was geared towards coming up with a report on who really is the prominent man behind the sport. In 1908, the commission published their final report concluding that Abner Doubleday invented Baseball in the town called Cooperstown, New York in the year 1939. How they came up with such a conclusion is based on the testimonies of Abner Graves, a resident of Cooperstown. The paper concludes that it can take a lot of work before Baseball will gain as much popularity as leagues like the National Basketball Association or the National Football League. The proud history of the sport is the primary reason why it has survived and why baseball fans should be continuously optimistic for the future of baseball.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Heart Failure study method Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Heart Failure study method - Essay Example the experiment group and control group (Fayazi, Zarea, Abbasi & Ahmadi, 2012). In accordance, this critical review paper intends to explain about the concept of issue of heart failure and the methods along with the research design of the study. This paper also deals with the results of the study through effective implications as well as suggestions of nursing and training. This paper also intends to explain about the ethical considerations that concentrate on whether the patients are protected and the ethical considerations are perfect for the study in Fayazi, Zarea, Abbasi & Ahmadi (2012). Heart failure is a complex health issue, referring to the situation when the heart fails to pump sufficiently to maintain the flow of blood and therefore, fails to meet the demands of the body. The issue of heart failure is worthwhile to be studied as per Fayazi, Zarea, Abbasi & Ahmadi (2012) as through this issue, the practitioners can identify major complications of heart failure and thereafter, develop possible solutions to reduce such occurrences. The purpose of this research study was therefore concentrated on providing requisite information about the importance of exercise for the improvement of the quality of life among patients (Fayazi, Zarea, Abbasi & Ahmadi, 2012). The major objective of this study was further denoted as to recognize the effects of various home walking programs implemented by practitioners for the progress of patient’s quality of life who suffer from heart failure problems. Secondary, but holding considerable significance, the other objective of Fay azi, Zarea, Abbasi & Ahmadi (2012) was to identify problems and the complications associated with the heart failure issue leading to the identification of the significance and implications on the frequency of the issue. In Fayazi, Zarea, Abbasi & Ahmadi (2012), the application of a quantitative method was deemed appropriate for this research study. The research design of the

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

The impact of divorce on human growth and development (childhood Research Paper

The impact of divorce on human growth and development (childhood through adulthood) - Research Paper Example Divorce is veritably a family stressor that cripples the family system. Frequently, it causes chronic anxiety and the affected family members will be hard pressed to defuse the unbearable tension. An adolescent, who is susceptible, could be seriously affected by the crisis in the family. This development permits the quarreling parents to concentrate on the pathology of the adolescent, thereby diverting attention from their private squabbles (Polacek, 2008, p. 10). The US experienced a drastic increase in the rate of divorce and separation, during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. During this time, there was an increase in the number of employed women. There was fluctuation in the relative contribution of spouses to the household income. Despite the enormous amount of research conducted in this area, there is little understanding with regard to the effect of economic resources on marital dissolution (Sanz, 2007, p. iv). The impact of parental divorce on the development of children has been studied for more than three decades. Several research studies have demonstrated an association between divorce and depression, diminished educational attainment, early assumption of high – risk conduct, and enhanced risk of suicidal behavior. In addition, marital discord is generally accompanied by depression. A number of family studies have shown that there is clear association between parental depression and negative child outcomes (Vousoura, et al., 2012, p. 718). In fact, Cummings and Davies have demonstrated a relationship between parental depression and depression in their children. In addition, parental depression has been seen to produce suicidal tendencies in children, anxiety disorders, dependence on intoxicants, somatic symptoms, disruptive behavior problems, insecure attachment, difficulty in controlling emotions, flawed psychosocial functioning, and problems related to attention and cognition (Vousoura, et al., 2012, p.

Monday, August 26, 2019

The Safety of Medication Administration Assignment

The Safety of Medication Administration - Assignment Example he factors that contribute to medication error and immediately address these through an implementation of an electronic ordering system and by â€Å"incorporating bar-code verification technology within an electronic medication-administration system (bar-code eMAR)† (Poon, et al. 1698). could be deduced that from 2009 (Indiana State Department of Health: Report for 2009), the total number of hospitals in Indiana was 147 and was increased to 149 in 2011 (Indiana State Department of Health: Report for 2011). However, the total number of medication errors increased from 89 in 2009 to 94 to 2011, or 5.62%. The increase was noted to have come from care management, which exhibited an increase from 27 errors in 2009 to 44 errors in 2011. The errors under care management were explicitly identified under: Stage 3 or 4 Pressure Ulcers acquired after admission (Indiana State Department of Health). As proposed by Poon, et al., and Preidt, to avoid medication errors that ensue from timing, or inability to immediately address appropriate dispensation and administration of medications, an electronic ordering and administration system, through bar-code verification technology should be applied in contemporary health institutions, like ours. As emphasized by Poon, et al., the â€Å"use of the bar-code eMAR substantially reduced the rate of errors in order transcription and in medication administration as well as potential adverse drug events† (1706). Likewise, Preidt averred that â€Å"’Computerized provider order entry’ systems avoid the need to rely on handwritten instructions and provide built-in checks on drug doses and potentially harmful interactions with other medicines. These features help reduce the risk of medication mistakes† (par. 3). The insitution of these technological advancements would assist in improving care management and avoiding med ication errors associated to delays in dispensation and administration, as required. Solliday, Amanda. "Medical Error Reports

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Capitol Budgeting Long Term Financing Assignment - 4

Capitol Budgeting Long Term Financing - Assignment Example Consequently, the operating budget will be capital dependent on the long-term goals of a firm. Capital budget decisions are made independent of operating decisions. Consequently, managements make long-term capital commitments without understanding the repercussions for daily operations. In addition, they are not flexible thought out the year from draft day to end of the financial year. In case an emergency arises at a certain point, it impose capital strains on the operating budget and the effectiveness of a company declines, as the management tends to cut the budget to respond to the emergency at hand (Mary Alexander, Infusion Nurses Society, Ann Corrigan & Judy Hankins, 2010, p. 137). Operating budgets in some firms operate on fixed asset depending on the season of sales. They mostly entail heavy inputs that later give a considerable profited output. With capital budgets in sight and the knowledge that cash is limited, companies tend to pull out on some projects that have low yields and the amounts set for operations reduces accordingly. In conclusion, Capital budget is not solely responsible to affect operating budget, but plays a major role in determining the operations of a

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Campaign Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Campaign Analysis - Essay Example The goal is one the United Nations formulated in the hope of changing the trends and perceptions of the entire world regarding the management of the environment. The goal is a social change program because it entails both communicative aspects and an implementation that relies on modification of the characters of people. An interpretation of the development goal will elaborate its scope within the social context. The communicative aspects of the project will demonstrate the effectiveness of the theories of communication of social change. Development of the field of development communication is not like the rest of the areas of knowledge because there exists many practical theories used simultaneously. As such, newer ideas emerge and apply alongside older theories of the same case. The developed theories have a basis of a number of factors. Most of them seek to interpret the relationship between people and development projects. For instance, they try to establish the correlation between culture and the environment, psychology and the political interventions to environmental development (Gumucio & Tufte 2006, p.531). They also consider the link between individuals and the community and the existing hierarchy as well as their involvement. As such, the theories explain the importance of communicating the process of social change in the society. The most dominant paradigm has been behavior change models because social change entails behavioral adjustments (McMichael 2008, p. 276). Most of such theories based on the idea that the hindrances to development lied in lack of lack of knowledge of the people. As such, the principles affirmed that the best approaches were those that would provide the people with information that would change their character. One such theory is that of modernization, which proposes that information and culture deficits underlie the development problems, and their solutions

Telephone Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Telephone - Assignment Example Especially, unidentified information received should be treated with a lot of care even though it might be discouraging material. A plan should be developed to help first decision makers in performing on their judgments (Croft, 2001). Also workers assigned to find out should have the knowhow on how to be secretive with the information. In addition, sources from which the information is to be collected should be given notice: subjects whose data is being collected should be become aware of such collection. This is to certify that the source was willing to share the collected information without being forced, pressed or intimidated (Croft, 2001). Data collected should also be used for the intended purpose only Also personal data should not be given out to the third parties without notifying the source, this would lead to terminating the information on the basis of secrecy. The data collected from conversation should be kept as agreed on by the source (Croft, 2001). This enhances confidentiality of the information. Finally, the information collected should be kept secured from abuse, loss or theft. This could lead to failure of prime purpose why data was collected. Information should be kept of bound from suspicious people to maintain its validity (Croft, 2001). Security should therefore be the taken with seriousness to avoid any information from sipping to irrelevant

Friday, August 23, 2019

Critically analyze the major HRM systems of HP Essay

Critically analyze the major HRM systems of HP - Essay Example HP, is used strategically to shape and reinforce a certain type of culture by reinforcing certain ideas, norms, and behavior and by discouraging others. Strong values are passed down by the management and then reinforced by procedures and rituals that emphasize and reward desired behaviors in tandem with a cultural network that is consisted of a system of communication that is used as a tool to disseminate values and create corporate heroes. (Barry 2000, p. 107) This paper will explore the processes involved behind the HP HRM strategy, particularly the organizations rigorous selection and recruitment methods and the emphasis on employee training, compensation and performance evaluation. It is important to underscore that HP, along with IBM, initiated the antecedents of HRM in its studies of non-unionized employee management. For HP, HRM has always been associated with the kind of people management that placed a great deal of emphasis on gaining the commitment of individual employees to organizational goals. Confidence in and respect for our people as opposed to depending upon extensive rules, procedures and so on; which depends upon people to do their job right (individual freedom) without constant directives. (Gratton 1999, p. 109) One needs to remember that HP is now known worldwide as a company that continually creates innovative products and processes. That is why HP wants to recruit not just the best people but those skilled and committed to work in an entrepreneurial team-based environment that breeds innovation. According to Dexter Dunphy (2002), the core approach that drives HP’s way in developing its human capital lie in the following strategies: The above-mentioned strategies supposedly make it possible for HP to be able to quickly respond to the requirements of the market and the customers’ expectations. Such strategies are anchored on the development of enabling departmental structures like the utilization of smaller departments and

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Columbia Gs Admission Essay Essay Example for Free

Columbia Gs Admission Essay Essay My name is Edgar Martinez. I was born in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia) 34 years ago. My childhood was pretty normal. My parents had enough to provide for my little brother and I. My father was a local councilman at the time my mom a homemaker. I always wanted to be a politician like my father I admired him as a matter of fact I still do. I graduated from High School in 1995 and soon after and got drafted to go the Colombian Army. I was sent to Santa Marta a small town located a 200 miles north from my hometown. There I encounter my first experience with the real word and left for good my childhood. In the middle of deployment my father a secretary of Energy for the national government was kidnaped . After that life was never going to be the same. We waited and waited and waited †¦.. and waited. And after a few weeks a platton of navy seals of some sort rescue my father and he was brought back to us alive and almost well. The trauma of being in captivity was devastating for him and the family . My parents desided to send me to the US to be in a safer place. Little did I know I would never return to live in the place I was born. I came to the US in 1997 directly from Cartagena to Salt Lake City.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Law Should Be Kept Separate From Morality Law Essay

Law Should Be Kept Separate From Morality Law Essay The statement quoted from the Wolfenden Report suggests that there should remain a line between sin and crime and that the law should not interfere in matters of private morality or immorality keeping it apart from public morality. This is a broad view and clearly, there are some areas in which the law should act as a moral guardian and interference is justifiable. I will outline some of these areas and critically analyse accordingly. However, there also areas that I feel should not be the laws business and where perhaps the criminal laws intervention cannot be justified. I will also look at the apparent blurring of private and public morality. I will also attempt to outline and clarify all these areas, providing the appropriate authorities, academic commentary and other relevant evidence in order to give a balanced view and to be able to draw a succinct informed conclusion. In order to understand the nexus between law and morality we need to establish the differences. Laws are sets of rules or boundaries established by authorities that should be obeyed and are formally enforced by the Police or the Criminal Prosecution Service. Morals on the other hand are beliefs, values or principles that are set by society or certain aspects of society, determining what is right and what is wrong. Morals do not have to be complied with, they are normally informally enforced through social or domestic pressures. Both laws and morals specify what should or should not be done and mark the boundaries between what is acceptable and unacceptable conduct. Having looked at the nature of laws and morals I will look at the historical debate and attempt to expand on whether or not laws and morals are intrinsically linked. Historically, there has been much philosophical debate as to whether in fact there is a connection between law and morality. Positivists  [2]  such as Jeremy Bentham, John Austin and H.L.A. Hart have all argued that there is not necessarily a connection between law and morality; on the other hand natural law  [3]  , thinkers such as St Thomas Aquinas  [4]  have postulated that there is a clear link between law and morality. To further complicate matters R Dworkin puts forward his own approach of interpretivism  [5]  , developed in a number of his works over the last thirty years  [6]  to try and answer the vexed question of law and morality and the nature of law and the relationship to each other. The links between law and morality can be seen in all areas of law. In Tort, for instance , in cases such as Baker v Hopkins  [7]  where two employees of the defendant company were overcome by carbon monoxide fumes in a well they were attempting to decontaminate. The plaintiff, a doctor, attempted to rescue them even though he was warned of the fumes. It could be said that he felt morally responsible . Unfortunately, all the three men died. The defendant company argued that the plaintiff doctor should either not be compensated because the doctor knowingly accepted the risk he was taking or his damages would be reduced for contributory negligence. The Court of Appeal considered that the suggestion was ungracious and that it was unseemly and irrational to say that a rescuer freely takes on the risks inherent in a rescue attempt. This would appear to be a seemingly moralistic judgement by their Lordships. Similarly, in property cases such as the High Trees Case  [8]  where Lord Denning used the equitable principle of promissory estoppel to prevent the recovery of rent or preventing what he saw as a moral wrong. These could all be seen as instances of the courts making judgements on what is morally right and wrong. In fact, in the case of Knuller v DPP  [9]  concerning a magazine containing advertisements, by homosexuals in order to procure sex, the courts were able to dictate public morality, recognising the offenc e of conspiracy to corrupt public morals established in Shaws Case  [10]  . It is the criminal law that provides us with sufficient evidence to conclude that there is indeed a link between law and morality. The Wolfenden Report itself, actually concerned the role of the law in matters of sexual morality and determining what conduct should be classed as criminal. Unfortunately, the result was not definitive as two diverging views emerged, firstly, that of Lord Devlin who concluded that the legislature was entitled to outlaw behaviour that was generally condemned as immoral on the grounds that such conduct may be likened to treason threatening the continued existence of social cohesion  [11]   and secondly, the view of Hart that immorality alone was not sufficient: law should not be used for prohibiting harm suffered by a person who is offended simply by knowing about other peoples conduct  [12]  . These opposing viewpoints probably accounted for the fact that the part of the Wolfenden Report concerning the decriminalisation of homosexuality was not implemented until the Sexual Offences Act of  1967 (following a motion by Lord Arran in the House of Lords favouring the implementation of the Wolfenden Report and a Sexual Offences Bill sponsored by Leo Abse) which eventually resulted in male homosexuality between consenting adults above the age of twenty-one being decriminalised. Another reason for the delay could be that public opinion and society in general before that time, felt that homosexuality was immoral and the law chose to reflect this, condemning homosexuality as a criminal offence. However, with the more liberated 1960s where there was a seeming relaxation of public and private morality and homosexuality could no longer be seen as immoral, the criminal law acceded to public opinion, leading to the eventual decriminalisation of homosexuality. However, the Wolfenden approach differed when contemplating the matter of prostitution. The committee readily accepted that prostitution was immoral but indicated that it was a matter of private morality, except when it creates a public nuisance. Therefore, the sale of sex was determined not to be an offence but kerb crawling was. This differing approach resulted in the report forming the basis of the Street Offences Act of 1959, an almost immediate response to the Wolfenden report. It seems then, that the criminal law should only intervene where the legislature considers there to be a public nuisance or is harmful to society or as John Stuart Mills stated That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.  [13]   Unfortunately, there are too many unanswered questions. Can we readily say that if something is immoral it is justifiably unlawful? Can we as a society distinguish between one persons perception of a lawful and moral activity and those that are immoral or unlawful and should the law really interfere in matters of private morality? If a person consents to something, would that not be a matter of private morality? The matter of consent and private morality is interesting. Here, criminal law has its vagaries, particularly in non-fatal offences against the person which include actual body harm, grievous bodily harm or wounding. Criminal law will not allow the consent of the victim to be available as a defence, especially if it considers the act to be unlawful. Only if the injury was a result of a lawful activity  [14]   will the defence of consent be available. This does not sit easily with the premise of the law not to interfere in matters of private morality. This has been exemplified in the case of Brown  [15]  . The criminal law deemed homosexual sado masochism as an unlawful activity and the court considered that activities in private between consenting homosexuals involving the infliction of actual bodily harm should constitute offences  [16]  . It seems then that the decision in this case was based on public morality rather than criminality, surely here consent would be a ques tion of private morality and not the laws business, indeed in Brown, Lord Mustill in dissenting, re-iterated that The issue was not whether the appellants conduct was morally right but whether it was properly charged under the 1861 Act. The standards by which questions of private morality fell to be judged were not those of criminal law. The case of Brown can be contrasted with R v Wilson  [17]  where the defendant, with the consent of his wife, branded her buttocks with the initials W and A with a hot knife. The scars led him to being charged with assaulting his wife contrary to section 47 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. He was convicted by a Jury. However, the Court of Appeal held that the defendants conduct amounted to tattooing and that it was not in the public interest to impose a criminal sanction; The initial outcome still shows that the public and their moral judgement still has an influence in criminal law.   It appears then, that generally, the courts are keen to exercise its morality muscle in defence of a perceived public morality. Interfering in what are essentially private morality matters in order to stamp a moral dictum on society in general, however, is not necessarily in the best interest of society as a whole and issues of private morality are thorny issues. There are of course other areas of criminal law where the judiciary has, albeit slowly, intervened in matters of private morality, for the betterment of society, for example in the area of marital rape. Rape itself was enacted as statutory crime in the Offences Against the Person Act  1861. The Act indicated that it is a felony for a man to rape a woman and left the judiciary to establish the elements of the offence and to develop the factors that might allow consent. Its statutory successor, s 1 of the Sexual Offences Act  1956, failed to provide a more substantive definition. It was not until  1976  that s 1(1) of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act defined rape as unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman who at the time of the intercourse does not consent to it. However, there still appeared to be a presumption albeit rebuttable, that a married man could have sex with his wife regardless of consent. Morally, this appears to be reprehensible and surely the law should have c larified the position. However, it was not until the case of R v R  [18]  that the offence of rape was recognised if it was perpetrated by the husband, clearly an example of the law enforcing a specific moral value on society in an appropriate sphere. A further example of the entanglement of law and morality can be seen in the different approaches by Judges in cases where their own moral values or viewpoints have possibly affected judgements. Often the courts will find themselves dealing with difficult moral decisions involving life and death and often have to decide between individual rights and moral codes. This moralistic approach can be seen in various cases involving euthanasia, considered by the majority of society as both morally and legally wrong. In the case of Dianne Pretty  [19]  (a case decided by the House of Lords), for example, Mrs Pretty suffered from motor neurone disease, a progressive degenerative illness from which she had no hope of recovery. She only had a short time to live and faced the prospect of a humiliating and distressing death. She was mentally alert and wanted to bring her life to an end. Unfortunately, because of her physical incapacity she would have needed assistance. Her husband wanted to he lp, but only if he would not be prosecuted under section 2(1) of the Suicide Act 1961 for aiding and abetting her suicide. She sought confirmation through the courts that ultimately refused her appeal. Contrast this with the case of Re B  [20]  . Ms B was a tetraplegic and suffered complete paralysis from the neck down. She was, however, able to move her head and speak. She gave instructions to the hospital through her solicitors that she wanted the artificial ventilation removed. The hospital refused to stop treatment. Ms B took the hospital to court, was successful and was allowed to die. Here the courts appear to take the stance that voluntary euthanasia or assisted suicide is morally reprehensible but the request to withdraw treatment, resulting in, what is in effect, voluntary suicide or passive euthanasia was not a clear example of the complex moral and legal dilemmas faced by the courts. Further evidence of this dilemma between law and morality can be seen in the conjoined twin case  [21]  . Jodie and Mary were conjoined twins and their parents were devout Roman Catholics. Mary was the weaker twin and had she been born on her own she would not have survived. She was in fact, being kept alive by virtue of Jodies own circulatory system. Jodie was considered to be capable of surviving a separation procedure, Mary however was not. If there was no separation both would have died. The medical team wanted to separate them knowing Mary would die as a result. The twins parents would not sanction the operation. The medical team sought a ruling from the High Court, that an operation to separate the twins would not be murder. Their Lordships applied the defence of necessity but restricted the applicability of this defence (for the purposes of public policy) to the unique circumstances of the case. However, despite LJ Wards comment that this is a court of law, not of morals when the judgements are examined, it is clear that their Lordships have actually used moral concepts and language in reaching their decision, a true dichotomy. In conclusion, it is clear from the information provided that there are identifiable links between the law in general and criminal law in particular and morality. However, whether it is justifiable for the legal system in England and Wales to utilise the criminal law in the enforcement of specific moral values in society is debatable. Clearly, as we have seen, there are areas where it is justifiable in rape for example but where it is not so clear is whether it can be justified in those greyer areas such as private morality issues or cases of euthanasia. I believe that religion (which is the subject of other scholarly and academic debate) , morals and the law are all intrinsically linked and that in order to create a balanced modern society there must be some fluidity. One mans morality is different from another and the law must try to bridge the gap for the public good. Sometimes the law is rather slow in reacting to public opinion or changes in morality within society, but ultimately, it is the legislature that creates the laws and the job of the courts is only to apply the meaning of that legislation not to query its validity or to enforce moral limitations on parliament, or by implication, enforce those moral limitations on society.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

ESL Writing Achievement and Grades

ESL Writing Achievement and Grades STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD WRITING ESL STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS PEER RESPONSE Graham, Berninger, and Fan (2007) emphasized that attitude is an effective component of motivation. Concerning (Second Language Acquisition (SLA), Cook (1993) elaborated on the Affective Filter Hypothesis proposed by Krashen’s 1982 theory of second language acquisition. Cook (1993) stated that Krashen theorized that motivation is an essential variable that has a facilitative, affective role in L2 (second language) learning. Cook (1993) explained that Krashen claimed that Language learners who are highly motivated are more inclined to acquire the target language. Unmotivated learners who are highly anxious on the other hand, usually have difficulty understanding the target language because of a high â€Å"affective filter† which results in a â€Å"mental block† that hinders â€Å"comprehensible input† from being acquired. The question here is; how about peer reviewers’ affective state? More critically, and in direct relation with (ESL) writing, Anderman and Wolters (2006) indicated that the affective states may influence the different types of strategies which are utilized by students while writing (as cited in Graham et al., 2007). Along similar lines, Isen (1990) stipulated that students with negative affect tend to use obsolete and dead-end writing strategies whereas students who are characterized by an affirmative and more encouraging attitude towards writing tend to get engaged in more flexible and adaptive self-regulated strategies which help them be cognitively engaged to the writing task (as cited in Graham et al., 2007). According to Graham, Berninger, and Fan (2007) the sole researcher who investigated students’ attitude towards writing in a systematic way during the 90s was Knudson (1992, 1993, 1995) whose main area of focus was elementary age children. Kear, Coffman, McKenna, and Ambrosio (2000) found out that children’s attitude toward writing actually worsens as they move to upper grades. Same results were reported in earlier research done by Knudson (1991, 1992, 1993) who also found out that older students tend to have less positive attitudes towards writing that younger ones (as cited in Kear et al., 2000). Therefore, Knudson (1995) insisted that since research indicates that writing anxiety and apprehension have a negative effect on students’ success in school, practitioners should be more involves in research that has to do with writers’ attitudes towards writing and how it evolved in school environment. Knudson (1995) also emphasized that educators should be know ledgeable about their students’ understanding of the writing tasks so that they would be better able to assess their students’ engagement, involvement, and interest. Knudson (1995) conducted a field study which examined how writing attitude and achievement are correlated in addition to the correlational relationship between writing attitude and grade level in addition to gender. The participants were 430 students enrolled in an elementary school in the USA / English language native speakers who came from either low or lower socio-economic status. The researcher administered a questionnaire for each student grade level. Hence, students in grades (1-3) responded to the writing Attitude Survey for Primary grade students; whereas older students in grades (4-8) responded to the Writing Attitude Survey for Children. It must further be noted that the aforementioned attitude scales were both developed by the researcher. In addition to the questionnaires, students were asked to respond to a given prompt. Each essay written by students was read and graded by two raters who had achieved acceptable terms of inter- rater reliability. Knudson (1995) triangulated her data collection procedures by randomly selecting 12 students from all grade levels and interviewed them to elaborate on their answers they have given in the writing attitude survey . The children were also interviewed to elaborate on their beliefs towards the writing tasks done at school and how they were directly related to their achievement as well as to explain how they perceived writing to be important. The interview contained 10 open –ended questions which provided the researcher more insights about students’ understanding of writing tasks and activities at different grade levels as well as more explanations on students’ responses given in the questionnaires administered earlier. Results indicated that writing achievement was directly related to students’ grade level as well as their perceptions and attitudes towards writing. Hence, Knudson (1995) reported that students who have positive attitudes towards writing regardless of age and gender tend to be better writers. On the other hand, concerning grade level and gender and their relation to writing achievement, the researcher also reported that older students and females in particular have a better inclination towards becoming proficient writers that younger writers and males in particular. What is interesting is that Knudson (1995) claimed that the questionnaires and interviews she conducted also measured how students’ attitudes towards writing changes as a result of specific writing strategies they learner in class. Hence, students in grade 4 for example were able to verbalize the process strategies they used in writing such as planning, organizing, and goal setting. So, the researcher conclu ded that the process writing approach became more prevalent in writing instruction where students engage in prewriting activities and this strategy was verbalized by the participants as â€Å"planning the entire composition†, drafting which was voiced by the interviewed students as â€Å"thinking what to include and leave out†, in addition to revising which was verbalized by Knudson’s participants as â€Å"being sure they stayed on topic† (Knudson, 1995, p. 94). These results are consistent with what Knudson (1991) suggested when she was in the process of developing her writing attitude scales back then. Hence, she recommended that â€Å"it is useful for researchers, program evaluators, and researchers to assess children’s attitudes towards writing and the effect of instruction on their attitudes, including treatment, grade, and times of measurement† (Knudson, 1991, p. 814). Of direct relevancy, Graham, Berninger, and Fan, (2007) investigate d one aspect of motivation; specifically, attitudes of young, beginning writers. The participants were 128 first grade level students (70 females and 58 males) and 113 third grade level students (57 females and 56 males) who were English language native speakers. The educational level of the parents was used as a socioeconomic status as well. The participants’ writing proficiency was average ranged. To begin with, each student wrote a composition and three measurements were conducted for each written composition. The first measure aimed at assessing the sophistication of vocabulary use by students. Therefore, two scorers counted 7- letters or more vocabulary words and transformed into portions (based on TOWL-2). The second measure was the average length of the right word sequence. The average length was measured by obtaining the â€Å"average length and correct word sequences that occurred in sequence before an incorrect word sequence occurred† (Graham, Berninger, and Fan, 2007, p. 525). Two scorers revised and discussed the rules for obtaining a correct word sequence and inter-rater reliability coefficient was 0.85.The overall quality of written essays was calculated by the third measure which was a holistic rating scale based on (Cooper 1977) . The papers were scored on a 7-point Likert scale, 1 being the lowest quality of writing and 7 being the highest by two former e lementary grade school teachers (inter-rater reliability coefficient was 0.93). As for students’ attitude towards writing, students had to cater to seven questions which measured their attitudes toward writing. The researchers used the Garfield the cat scale developed by McKenna et al. (1995). Hence, students chose images ranging from the image of a very happy Garfield the cat (score of 4) and ending up with a score of 1 that is the very unhappy or sad Garfield. Later on, structural equality modeling (SEM) approaches based on (Bollen, 1989, and Kline, 1998) were used to identify the structural relationship between attitude and achievement. It should be noted that in addition to examining the structural relationship between attitude and achievement, the researchers examined age differences (younger / older) and gender differences (male/ female). Results indicated that writing attitude does influence writing achievement because the relationship between them was found to be statistically significant. Moreover, girls were found to have more positive attitudes toward writing and therefore favored writing more than boys did. However, no statistical difference was reported concerning the writing achievement variable. Interestingly enough, Musgrove (1999) conducted a different kind of study concerning students’ attitudes toward writing. The researcher had her students write self-evaluative narratives that reflect how writing attitudes are usually shaped by how successful students’ writing experiences are. The participants were English majors prospective secondary teachers and college students registered in a first-year writing class. At the beginning of the term, Musgrove (1998) identified for her students what is meant by attitude â€Å"one’s predispositions toward particular tasks, ideas, or people† and provided them with lexical terms of attitude. Then, in a series of mini-lessons, she provided her students with literary works which demonstrated particular attitudes (positive and negative critical attitudes) which were discussed by students. The researcher then asked students to track down how their attitudes towards writing developed by keeping records and compiling portfolios. Musgrove (1999) announced that the portfolios included â€Å" a resume, an initial attitudinal survey, learning goals, personal grammar and usage handbook, in class writing, homework assignments, essays, and portfolio self-evaluations written at midterm and end of semester† (p. 5). Musgrove (1998) concluded that drawing students’ attention to their attitudes gave them the opportunity to examine how their beliefs and what they bring to their writing definitely affects their writing achievement. Moreover, the self-evaluations written by students helped them connect to their backgrounds as writers because their writing background actually directly affects their attitudes towards writing. However, Katstra, Tollefson, and Gilbert’s (1987) study was the only study; to my knowledge, that examined the effect of peer response on students’ attitudes toward writing. To elaborate, the study was conducted to investigate whether peer response in a process approach to writing environment could yield to positive attitudes towards writing along increased fluency. The participants were ninth grade native speakers in the USA who registered in seven English classes which were taught by three teachers. The subjects were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups in such a way that each teacher had a control group and an experimental group to teach. Both the control groups and the experimental groups responded to two attitude instruments before treatment. Then, both groups wrote the first draft of a personal narrative. The first drafts’ word number was tallied and recorded as a pretest measure for fluency in writing. The treatment was introduced over a pe riod of four days. First, the experimental group explicitly received training in peer response and participants rewrote their second drafts according to comments suggested by the peers in each response group. The students in the control group on the other hand, wrote their second drafts based on assistance offered by the teacher due to specific questions asked by students in the control group. The two groups then counted the number of words they had written in their second drafts and this became the post-test measure of writing fluency. Finally, the two attitude instruments which were administered to both groups as pertest were administered again as post-tests measures. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was administered in order to measure the three – way interaction between the independent variables which were (1) teachers (three levels) (2) gender of students (3) and treatment condition. Results indicated an increased positive attitude towards writing on behalf of the experim ental group. However, no significant differences were noticed in post-test writing fluency. Therefore, peer evaluation does not affect students’ writing fluency. Some studies tackling the affective benefits of peer response examined students’ perceptions toward peer feedback. Chong (2010) examined student teachers’ perceptions and attitudes toward peer response and the likelihood to how they are willing to use the aforementioned approach in L2 writing classes. Results indicated that student teachers did not favor the usage of peer response in their classes due to â€Å"external reasons such as class size, time restrictions, authority control, as well as internal factors such as inability to see the benefits of peer response, insufficient experience or training in using this technique† (p. 58). As for the affective factor of peer feedback of ESL university students, Zhang (1995) made it clear the majority of his 81 ESL students (75%) who were enrolled at a university in USA actually favored feedback provided by teachers as opposed to feedback provided by peers.. The findings coincide with Nelson and Carson (1998) whose ESL college students expressed their tendency to favor teachers’ feedback rather than their peers’ feedback. Moreover, cultural differences were perceived to negatively affect peer response as some of the participants’ goal in peer review sessions particularly Chinese students was mainly maintaining good harmony by refraining from providing their pees with critical peer response. However, another study actually contradicted Nelson and Carson’s (1998) findings concerning the Chinese group’s perception of peer response. Hence, Roskams (1999) who examined Chinese EFL learners’ perceptions toward peer response. The univer sity –bound Chinese students actually reported their openness to engage in peer response and expressed that this approach could be beneficial to their ESL language learning. Hence, participants generally perceived peer feedback as useful. However, only 5 % of participants did not enjoy the collaborative learning arrangement. Therefore, many studies revealed conflicting results which reported inconsistency in findings which reflected that peer response is problematic due to students’ cultural schemata, their ability to review their peers; work and their attitudes towards peer response. However, Hu (2005) indicates that these problems are not inherent in peer response as research literature suggests that carefully designed training in peer response can help assist L2 writing students as well as their teachers gain understanding of the benefits of peer response (Berg, 1999; Min, 2006; Ting and Qian; 2010). THE ROLE OF THE COMPUTER IN CONVEYING MEDIATED FEEDBACK The role of computers in conveying mediating feedback in L2 (second langue) settings has become central for research concerned with technology-enhanced peer response lately. However, the results on the effects of integrating computer-mediated communication (CMC) into peer response have been conflicting, mixed, and even inconsistent (Schultz, 2000; Hu, 2005; Liu and Sadler, 2003; Tuzi, 2004; DiGiovanni and Nagaswami, 2001). Hence, many researchers (Braine, 1997; Leh, 1999; Biesenbach-Lucas and Weasenforth, 2001; Liu and Sadler, 2003) have expressed concerns about using computer-mediated communication as a substitute for the face-to-face venue of peer response, especially that its ultimate benefits for ESL learners have not been yet established fully by researchers. However, consensus have been researched among researchers that CMC-based peer response should be seriously blended with face-to-face communication in the peer response process (Schultz, 2000; Hu, 2005; Liu and Sadler, 2003; Tuzi, 2004; DiGiovanni and Nagaswami, 2001).

Monday, August 19, 2019

Essay --

La caricatura polà ­tica En sus inicios, la palabra caricatura surgià ³ para designar el arte de resaltar los rasgos fà ­sicos (principalmente del rostro) de ciertos personajes, en ese sentido, se caracterizaba por su estilo recurrente de representar a los actores con cabezas enormes y dejar de lado (en un segundo plano) el resto del cuerpo. Posteriormente, se le da importancia a las extremidades, puesto que se comprendià ³ que lo kinà ©sico y proxà ©mico aportan significado a la imagen; asà ­, por ejemplo, la ropa es un factor importante para representar aspectos relacionados con la cultura. Acto seguido, la caricatura comenzà ³ a incursionar en el à ¡mbito de la polà ­tica, dejando en un segundo plano el interà ©s por mostrar las desfiguraciones faciales, para impregnarse de un tinte polà ­tico y mordaz con miras a criticar aspectos socio-polà ­ticos. En efecto, este à ºltimo aspecto mencionado es lo que interesa en este trabajo. Puesto que, como ya se habà ­a mencionado, la caricatura polà ­tica es de suma importancia dentro de la sociedad colombiana, ya que se constituye como ‘una herramienta’ por medio de la cual se puede criticar el sistema socio-polà ­tico del paà ­s, sus dirigentes y las acciones polà ­ticas que afectan (positiva o negativamente) a la poblacià ³n. En ese orden de ideas, Acevedo (2009) afirma que: La caricatura polà ­tica busca un objetivo distinto: mofar, ironizar, fastidiar, burlarse, ridiculizar, decir las cosas a la inversa, distorsionar el sentido original, agredir, construir opinià ³n y destruir simbà ³licamente al oponente. En la caricatura polà ­tica en general, alguien o algo sale daà ±ado en su imagen (†¦) (p. 35) Al criticar el sistema socio-polà ­tico actual del paà ­s, la caricatura (re)construye una imagen (en la mayorà ­a de los... ...ambià ©n el pensamiento y la accià ³n. Nuestro sistema conceptual ordinario, en tà ©rminos del cual pensamos y actuamos, es fundamentalmente de naturaleza metafà ³rica†. (p. 39). Entendida asà ­ la metà ¡fora, el anà ¡lisis pareciera que solo se quedara en lo verbal, en lo ‘monomodal’, por lo que se hace necesario recurrir al concepto de metà ¡fora multimodal, la cual es definida por Pardo (2012:43) como â€Å"expresiones que se construyen a partir de la presencia de uno o mà ¡s modos en el dominio de origen, y que en el dominio de llegada son representadas predominantemente en modos sà ­gnicos diferentes y en coexistencia, para producir significado†. En ese sentido, la metà ¡fora se materializa dentro de la caricatura no solo en lo verbal, sino en la correlacià ³n de varios sistemas sà ­gnicos (o modos semià ³ticos) que dotan de significado a las representaciones que se dan en la caricatura.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

La Traviata :: essays research papers

La Traviata A Commentary The film â€Å"La Triviata† displayed a fundamental romantic attack on conventional bourgeois morals, arguing that a good heart is more important than social acceptance, that the distinctions which split the beau monde (socially elite) from the demimonde (courtesans) are harsh and hypocritical, and that true love must triumph over all. Alfredo’s father destroyed this relationship when he pays visit to Violetta and request she break off the relationship with his son. Alfredo’s sister is engaged to be married, but if word of his affair with Violetta were to get out, the engagement would be terminated. During this time even the most respectful families would not even want to associate with another family in which one of the members was entangled with such a sinful person. This demonstrates that marriage is viewed as a business arrangement put together by families, rather than by the love between two people. Like the characters in the film, women in the 19th century didn’t have many choices in life. They were expected to get married and be supported by a husband. For those few who didn’t sometimes became prostitutes or if they were lucky, courtesans. Any woman who slept with a man before marriage was thought to be â€Å"ruined† (unfit to wed), and should be shunned as a social outcast. For many such women prostitution was a means of survival. Violetta represents the extent of female independence in the 19th century. She uses men to ‘survive’ by accepting gifts and money, but she is not trapped in the legal repression of marriage. Violetta’s life is filled with parties and wealthy male companions provide her with far more excitement in life than would the traditional role of marriage. However, Violetta’s choice is misleading, for she knows that a woman in this time can’t go against tradition without facing severe repercussions. Contradictions and hypocrisy was prevalent between the lives and values of the bourgeois gentlemen. Prostitution and gambling were extremely popular and widespread, at the same time they were being publically condemned. Men were expected to have mistresses whom they supported financially; but they were expected to conceal that fact, and they were expected not to fall in love with them.

A Look into the Secrets Behind Advertising Essay -- Advertisements Med

A Look into the Secrets behind Advertising Did you know that in the course of an average day you are bombarded by over three thousand advertisements? (Faigley 93) From bus stations and newspapers, to e-mails, television, and music videos, today's marketers are finding innovative ways to make their advertisements sophisticated and appealing so that they can lure consumers to their products. How has this phenomena occurred? This â€Å"strategic advertising† is not as complicated as it sounds. In fact, businesses use a formula-like approach when creating such advertisements. In order to be a savvy consumer, I recommend that you be aware of these techniques. To create an ad, businesses research consumer trends. One steadily growing trend in America is the â€Å"on-the-go† fast food industry . . . and it seems as if Americans can not get enough of those juicy cheeseburgers and greasy fries! In order to encourage healthier habits, marketers focus on weight loss and fitness, using strategic advertising to sell their product. An excellent example of strategic advertising is found in the January 2004 issue of People Magazine . This ad, sponsored by Life Time Fitness, promotes Lean Source weight supplement pills. The ad pictures a beautiful, healthy model standing on the beach during a cloudy day. Her arms are wide open, directing us to read the words written below. In the corner of the ad sits a bright bottle of Lean Source weight loss pills and a â€Å"stamp† of approval for the product. This advertisement illustrates how a company uses strategic advertising to sell its product to consumers like us by displaying its supposed credibility, emotional and sexual appeal, and effective visual design. ... ...Life Time Fitness's ad utilizes marketing strategies by making the ad believable, emotionally and sexually attractive, and visually pleasing. Congratulations! You are now an official savvy consumer, so the next time you see an ad that â€Å"catches your eye†, be sure to take a second glance at it. You will be thankful that you did. Works Cited Faigley , Lester, and Jack Selzer . Good Reasons with Contemporary Arguments . 2nd ed . New York : Pearson bbbbbbLongman, 2004. Meadows, Michelle. â€Å"Public Health Officials Caution Against Ephedra Use† FDA Consumer Magazine June 2003:1-3. 2003. U.S . Food and Drug Administration. 26 Jan. 2004 . Zarefsky , David. Public Speaking: Strategies for Success, Penn State Version . 2003-2004 ed . New York : Pearson Printing, 2003.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Federal Reserve Paper

Federal Reserve Paper Alex Layer Macroeconomics On October 23 and 24 the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee held a meeting to discuss what they need to do or continue to do to stimulate the economy. According to the statement consumer spending has increased, but investment in companies has continued to decrease. They also said that inflation has increased which causes energy costs to go up, but the expectations are looking good. The Fed decided that continuing to buy securities would be a good idea since they are trying to lower the long-term interest rates.Their plan is to continue purchasing these mortgage backed securities until the labor markets improve. They will also plan on purchasing more assets if that is the case. The Committee wants to continue extending the holding of Treasury securities, and it is keeping the policy of reinvesting principal payments from the holding of agency debt and agency mortgage-backed securities. Their goal by doing this is to keep the Federal f unds rate between 0 and . 25%. All of this will increase securities held in the long run. They influence the interest rates by buying securities through open market operations.The Committee decided that the economy is getting better but too slowly so that is why they decided to take these actions to try and increase the speed. According to The New York Times article , they want to max out employment and price stability, which will help stimulate the economy. After reading the Committee’s statement I have concluded that they are using expansionary policies or â€Å"easy money policies†. I figured they are doing this since they are buying and holding their securities in an attempt to raise the aggregate demand.I do agree with what the Fed is planning to do in an attempt to stimulate the economy. I this it is a good idea since our economy is still in somewhat of a slump to use the easy money policies to increase the aggregate demand by changing the interest rates. Overall I agree with what they plan to do seeing that it should give us a positive outlook on the economy in the time to come. Sources http://www. nytimes. com/2012/10/25/business/economy/fed-affirms-low-rates-and-sees-moderate-growth. html? hp&_r=1& http://www. federalreserve. gov/newsevents/press/monetary/20121024a. htm

Friday, August 16, 2019

Why Is Autumn the Best Season?

Autumn, the only season where you can watch the multicolored leaves fall and the unique chirping of birds in the fall. Fall is the best season because you don’t have wear thick jackets as the weather is not too hot or cold, sports could be a main exercise for you outside, and it’s a chance to spend with your family during special holidays. One of the advantages of the autumn weather is that you won’t get chilly or get overheated like the other seasons.You won’t have to stay in all the time because the weather is perfect unlike summer when it’s too hot or too cold like in winter. There is something different about the feeling of wind when you open the door to go outside that begins the feeling of autumn. Sometimes it rains during the fall but that strengthens the feeling of this season. Also during the summer it’s soccer, baseball, football, and rugby season. Fall is a great time to watch and play these sports. You can go outside with your fri ends and family to go sporting outside in the autumn breeze.Fall can make getting tackled by a huge jock a lot more fun. I’m not a huge fan of watching sports but I heard it’s what brings families and friends together in the fall. I wish I watched sports but I rather watch the thanksgiving parade. Holidays are one of the best ways to get together with your family and friends. Autumn holidays include Thanksgiving Day and Halloween. The Thanksgiving holiday is a four-day holiday over the weekend. Families and friends usually eat a special meal together (usually with a turkey as the main dish).This meal also usually includes mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, several casseroles, and stuffing. Halloween is also a special holiday in the fall. Halloween is a holiday in many countries that is celebrated on the night of October 31st. Children wear costumes and they go to peoples' homes saying â€Å"Trick or treat! † to ask for candy and then people give it t o them. This practice originally involved a threat. In this case the threat could be explained as: â€Å"Give me a treat or I will play a trick on you. † Children today usually do not play tricks if they do not get treats.However, some children still get up to mischief (pranks or things to make fun of people; like putting toilet paper in trees; writing on windows with soap or throwing eggs at peoples' houses). For me autumn is when it all comes together The weather is usually the best of the year. The shadows lengthen. The grass green up and loves the cool nights and occasional moisture. The leaves turn gorgeous colors. There’s a crisp scent in the air. Pomegranates are in season. And sports, ah, yes, sports. It’s the best season for sports. That’s why Autumn is the best season.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

The Effects of Social Media on Traditional Marketing

The Effects of Social Media on Traditional Marketing and Advertising Social media is not new. Facebook has been around since 2004, YouTube since 2005, and Twitter in 2006. What is new is how social media sites like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter are affecting the way businesses market their products and services. Never before in our history have consumers been able to communicate so effortlessly with each other and with the businesses they frequent.Never before have businesses been able to interact and react to customer feedback so quickly and efficiently. However, just because businesses have the ability to use social media for their marketing and advertising efforts, does not necessarily mean they should. This paper intends to answer the question of how social media has affected the way businesses market their products and services. This question is significant not only to the business, as it directly affects not only their profit, but also their brand, their image, and their reputa tion.It is also significant to consumers, because as a consumer you will be able to see how you have the power to shape a company’s products and services, as well as shape a company’s image and reputation. No longer can a company run an advertisement on television or radio promoting how ecologically friendly they are and assume people are just going to believe them. 10 years ago that might have worked.Now, consumers can research to see if that company is in fact ecologically friendly and if they are not, consumers can start a Facebook group, a Twitter profile, a YouTube channel, and endless other social media profiles in order to spread the word about the company’s false or misleading advertising. The reverse is also true. If a company creates an amazing quality product which solves a consumer’s need at a fair price, that company may have to do very little traditional advertising as consumers would spread the word about the products through their vast soc ial networks.Social media has forever changed the relationship between business and the consumer and this relationship affects the way businesses market their products and services. In order to see how social media is defining the way businesses have traditionally marketed their products, it is helpful to look at case studies of multiple businesses and social media marketing experts. This paper will center on multiple different businesses and how they are using social media effectively to market their products and services to consumers.According to â€Å"Corporate reputation in the era of Web 2. : the case of Primark† published in the November 1, 2009 issue of the Journal of Marketing Management, Brian Jones, John Temperley, and Anderson Lima draw from the work of multiple authors from multiple publications. Using the multitude of resources the authors draw from, they answer how companies, specifically Primark, position themselves on the internet in order to build relationshi ps, control their image, and build their brand and reputation to indicate that the new era of company reputation is built not only by the company, but rather by both the company and the consumer.According to the authors, â€Å"the new rules for engagement on the social web are explored in relation to how they contribute to, damage, or improve corporate reputation and brand image. † (Jones 927-928) What these new rules mean is that, â€Å"management of corporate reputation is a two-way, top down and bottom up process. † (Jones 928) This means that not only are companies trying to portray a certain image through social media, but that also consumers are projecting their own images on to these companies through social media as well.This information is useful because it shows how social media allows consumers to shape a company as well as how companies can use social media to shape public opinion. According to â€Å"Marketing in a Hyper-Social World† published in th e September 2010 issue of the Journal of Advertising Research, Francois Gossieaux, and Edward Moran draw from the work of multiple authors from multiple publications. Using the multitude of resources the authors draw from, they study the results of a survey of several hundred companies using online marketing in order to determine the best practices for those advertising strategies.The authors ascertain that social media marketing is only as effective as the prevailing psychological factors in which social media works. These factors are inherent in human communication, not only on the internet, but in the real world as well. The authors state that there are communities of people using social media and that â€Å"these communities often thrive because the members primarily are drawn to one another.The importance of person-to-person affinity – and the ability to interact with these other humans – typically trumped the role of the sponsor’s goods or services or the presence of other features in the online communities. † (Moran 232) What the authors are saying is that social media is a new tool in order to bring similar consumers together and that if a company wants to be successful in social media marketing, they must concentrate on the human connection rather than their product or services.According to â€Å"Social marketing meets interactive media† published in the 2011 issue of the International Journal of Advertising, Ronald Hill and Nora Moran draw from the work of multiple authors from multiple publications. Using the multitude of resources the authors draw from, they seek to resolve the dilemma of how models of social marketing have not been easy to implement or analyze effectively. They assert that companies must face opportunities and challenges in implementing social media or otherwise lose their target customers of new and younger generations.The authors propose that a great deal more study and research need to go into how to successfully implement social media, however their research states that, â€Å"overall, studies examined indicate that greater levels of interactivity, feedback and encouragement, customisation, and clarity and support are fundamental components of successful programmes. † (Hill 829) What the authors suggest is that social media allows consumers to interact with each other and with the companies they buy from, and these basic human form of interaction is what makes social media so successful.According to â€Å"Social Media ROI† published in the December 2010/January 2011 issue of Marketing Management, Robert Duboff and Scott Wilkerson draw from the work of multiple authors from multiple publications. Using the multitude of resources the authors draw from, they focus on finding a solution which will help them measure a return on investment for implementing social media and whether or not to invest in social marketing. The authors put forth and interesting questi on as to who actually is in control of a brand with the advent of social media.The peer-to-peer aspect of the Internet, which has been made much more efficient through social media, has prompted the debate about who owns a brand. Some commentators and marketers maintain that consumers, users and the public now own every brand, given their ability to use social media to: laud or criticize the brand and immediately communicate their experience or opinion to everyone they know; send links to websites, video or to articles and information, etc. ; and create and post content. Duboff 34)The idea the authors are putting forward is that consumer are able to control a brand and the perception of that brand because of the immense power of social media. According to â€Å"Marketing on a Shoe String† published in the Winter 2012 issue of Marketing Health Services, Ann Marie Gothard and Kate Sotiridy draw from the work of multiple authors from multiple publications. Using the multitude of resources the authors draw from, they discuss the marketing strategy of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.They discuss how Mount Sinai determined that traditional media would not work for targeting their market and instead opted for using a grassroots approach which included the implementation of social media. The authors show evidence of how using social media effectively was able to increase the percentage of clientele who were exposed to Mount Sinai Medical Center. While using a specific social media campaign, there was, â€Å"an 83 percent increase in Web traffic, coupled with a 42 percent increase in call volume [which is] substantial at any cost. And for a very low cost, it is remarkable. (Gothard 15)The authors here are able to use a case study to show how social media marketing can be used as an effective tool and for a minimal cost. According to â€Å"Evolution of Blogs as a Credible Marketing Communication Tool† published in the June 2011 issue of Journa l of Case Research, Mohit Maurya draws from the work of multiple authors from multiple publications. Using the multitude of resources the author draws from, the author discusses how a two way communication between consumers and corporate brands are being shaped through the use of blogs.The author presents case studies from different companies who have successfully and unsuccessfully used blogs to communicate with consumers. The pace of evolution and adoption of internet has facilitated the development of Consumer Generated Media – CGM or user generated content on the cyber world, which has compelled the marketers to rethink their marketing communication guidelines†¦Consumer Generated Media has begun to prove itself as an outstanding tool for not only social networking, but also as an effective interactive communication medium in the realm of business. Maurya 71)The author proposes that as consumers, we are able to control the messages we receive and that companies need t o recognize these channels of communication if they are to be successful in their marketing efforts. According to â€Å"Social media etiquette: A guide and checklist to the benefits and perils of social marketing† published in the September – December 2010 issue of the Journal of Database Marketing and Customer Strategy Management, Matt Ramsay draws from the work of multiple authors from multiple publications.Using the multitude of resources the author draws from, the author summarizes lessons learned from the successes and failures of social networking as well as compiles a list of best practices for social networking. According to Ramsay, â€Å"businesses that succeed in social media are those who maximize their customer service levels through listening and responding to what people are saying about their brand. † (257) Ramsay is again solidifying the fact that social media is a two way process in which the consumer and business have an equal stake in forming how marketing will take place and whether or not it will be effective.According to â€Å"Social media in branding: Fulfilling a Need† published in the August 2011 issue of the Journal of Brand Management, Jack Yan draws from the work of multiple authors from multiple publications. Using the multitude of resources the author draws from, the author looks at how new media can have an impact on branding. Yan shows how user connection and interactivity are important. â€Å"It is, therefore, necessary for brands to build a connection with users and fostering a sense of belonging through the engagement itself. (Yan 690) According to â€Å"2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report.How Marketers are Using Social Media to Grow Their Businesses† published in April 2011 for the website SocialMediaExaminer. com, Michael A. Stelzner draws from the work of multiple authors from multiple publications. Using the multitude of resources the author draws from, the author surveyed over 3300 marketers with the goal of understanding how marketers are using social media to grow and promote their businesses. Stelzner, in compiling his survey, was able to determine the benefits of social media marketing. The number-one advantage of social media marketing (by a long shot) is generating more business exposure, as indicated by 88% of marketers. † (Stelzner 5) The more exposure a business has, the easier it is for consumers to talk about it and spread the word to their peers. According to â€Å"Social Integration† published in the November/December 2011 issue of the Journal of Property Management, Karen Altes draws from the work of multiple authors from multiple publications. Using the multitude of resources the author draws from, the author focuses on the integration of social media into business.The author ascertains that social media is a tactic rather than a strategy, which should be used in all aspects of marketing, public relations, and communications. à ¢â‚¬Å"However, social media is different from other communication tools you may already be using. It is participatory, and is as much about what your customers, tenants and clients are saying about you and your properties as what you are saying to them. † (Altes 60) The author is again reinforcing that social media is effecting advertising in that marketers are not only able to speak directly to consumers, but that consumers are also able to speak to companies and marketers.Social media has significantly affected the way businesses and consumers interact with each other. It has been shown how important having a two way conversation is in order to implement and manage a company’s brand and reputation. This is significant because it is important to know just how much power we have as consumers. Until the recent advent of the internet and social media, traditional advertising and marketing was a one way conversation. A company advertised their product or service and the co nsumer was just forced to believe them.Now, consumers are able to provide their own voice and have a say in what they believe. This is essential for companies to understand because now they have to not only provide products and services, they need to communicate those products and services with consumers without being false or misleading, otherwise these companies will not be in business very long. Works Cited Moran, Edward, and Francois Gossieaux. â€Å"Marketing In A Hyper-Social World. † Journal Of Advertising Research 50. (2010): 232-239. Business Source Premier. Web. 6 May 2012. Hill, Ronald P. , and Nora Moran. â€Å"Social Marketing Meets Interactive Media. † International Journal Of Advertising 30. 5 (2011): 815-838. Business Source Premier. Web. 6 May 2012. Duboff, Robert, and Scott Wilkerson.â€Å"Social Media Roi. † Marketing Management 19. 4 (2010): 32-37. Business Source Premier. Web. 6 May 2012. Jones, Brian, John Temperley, and Anderson Lima. â₠¬Å"Corporate Reputation In The Era Of Web 2. 0: The Case Of Primark. † Journal Of Marketing Management 25. /10 (2009): 927-939. Business Source Premier. Web. 6 May 2012. â€Å"Marketing On A Shoe String. † Marketing Health Services 32. 1 (2012): 12-15. Business Source Premier. Web. 6 May 2012. Maurya, Mohit. â€Å"Evolution Of Blogs As A Credible Marketing Communication Tool. † Journal Of Case Research 2. 1 (2011): 71-90. Business Source Premier. Web. 6 May 2012. Ramsay, Matt.â€Å"Social Media Etiquette: A Guide And Checklist To The Benefits And Perils Of Social Marketing. † Journal Of Database Marketing & Customer Strategy Management 17. /4 (2010): 257-261. Computer Source. Web. 6 May 2012. Yan, Jack. â€Å"Social Media In Branding: Fulfilling A Need. † Journal Of Brand Management 18. 9 (2011): 688-696. Business Source Premier. Web. 6 May 2012. Stelzner, Michael A. â€Å"2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report. How Marketers are Using Social Media to Grow Their Businesses. † SocialMediaExaminer. com. April 2011, Web. 16 March 2012 Altes, Karen. â€Å"Social Integration. † Journal Of Property Management 76. 6 (2011): 60. Business Source Premier. Web. 6 May 2012.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

North Korea Research Paper

North Korea North Korea is a country that is ruled by a dictator and has a communist government. A communist government rules all the land and gives the same amount of money and supplies to all the people in the country. â€Å"Daily Necessities were obtained from the Public Distribution System (PDS)† (95,Hassig). The PDS shut down in 1995 because foreign aid was cut off expect for Pyongyang, the capital city. In rural areas, a lot of the children were born as â€Å"no-count† meaning that when they were born they weren’t counted as part of the existing society and didn’t have supplies given to them.North Korea was once a unified country with South Korea until September 9, 1948 when it became a separate country. From 1910 to 1945 Japan had ruled all of Korea. â€Å"After World War II from 1939 to 1945 Russia controlled what is right now North Korea, and the United States controlled southern Korea. Three years after the war North and South Korea became indep endent countries. † (6, Haberle) The existing Cold War, the war between Russia and the United States, helped start the Korean War on June 25, 1950 when North Korea attacked South Korea. At the time Japan had control of all of Korea, then the U. S. ad South Korea and Russia had the North. This war went on for three years and afterwards, the Demilitarized Zone better known as the DMZ separated South and North Korea. North and South Korea became independent countries with very few allies. Picking North Korea as a topic is very board because there are many social injustices in North Korea. One injustice is the existing communism government they have there, because with what’s happening in North Korea, it shouldn’t be described as communism. Communism is described as a place where the government distributes an equal amount of daily necessities to all the people living there.When North Korea declared itself an independent country, it used the Public Distribution System until 1995, when foreign aid was cut off. Everyone still got the same amount of necessities in Pyongyang but necessities were cut off everywhere else. Rural North Koreans outside of Pyongyang are still starving and sick from the lack of supplies. People do get by with serving the military though. Men must serve the military for at least ten years then assigned lifelong jobs and are able to support their families with that. (95, Hassig) In North Korea all aspects of life are uled by the government, which essentially takes away human rights. North Koreans, rich or poor have this idea put into their head that their dictator is a supreme god. If someone had the idea of not worshiping the supreme leader in public, they would be sent to a labor camp. North Koreans who try to leave North Korea without permission may be shot on the spot or sent to a labor camp where they may never be released. In every house, no matter where you lived, there is a picture of the supreme leader that you pray to every day.When the supreme leader of North Korea, Kim Jong II, died recently, on December 17th 2011, there was a parade held that had mourners when the casket passed by. As the Supreme Leader’s casket passed by , the mourners were observed to see if they were actually crying. If they didn’t seem like they were sad enough they were sent to prison camps along with other North Koreans that didn’t join the parade. At these Labor camps imprisoned North Koreans are taught how important is to worship the supreme leader and sometimes kept there with their families for as long as they live.With all the money that the government doesn’t give to the people, they spend more than half on the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The DMZ is very familiar with the U. S government and the people stationed in South Korea. High ranking officers of the United States of Marines and Army have tours there, or work there. When asked about it most people talk about the men who stand the re ready for war looking at each other the whole time. There is a building that these men on both sides line up and look at each other to see what the other is going to do.In it is estimated that South Korea there is 20,000 soldiers that guard the DMZ and 1,000,000 people that protect in North Korea. The DMZ is 160 miles long and is the most heavily militarized border in the world. The border was built as a result of the Korean War. From way back during the Cold War to now, there have always been trust issues with North Korea because of the nuclear bombs they possess and their threat possible to the rest of the world. What really makes everyone scared of the nuclear threat is that North Korea is so isolated from the world, rest of the world that other nations don’t know whether or not they are just bluffing.North Korea makes nuclear weapons and threatens they will nuke the West Coast if the United States doesn’t trade with them. Since they started making nuclear weapon s, they have made allies with Iran, who are not allies with the United States at the moment. The world is deeply affected from the problems happening in North Korea. Worldwide, nations are either trading with them, or a huge threat to North Korea. The whole situation with North Korea is a worldwide, complex problem potentially affecting many countries many coutries but countries continue to try to help the people living there.Many charities offer support to children that live there including adoptions. The United States’ foreign policy towards North Korea is to not trade with them until they improve . North Korea doesn’t seem like its going to be around too much longer because of all the famine and the growing awareness in other nations. If North Korea remains isolated and keep their people suppressed, it will become a bigger problem around the world than it already is. North Korea is one of the last remaining communist countries and history has shown communist countri es don’t last long.