Organizational Behavior and the Individual Personal Statement

Organizational Behavior and the Individual - Personal Statement Example An individual who has the physical and mental abilities and who is fully aware of these abilties can determine his capability to do an organizational task. For example, one who excels in good reasoning and memory, and analytical and verbal comprehension may efficiently attend to a work requiring or relating to these abilities, given the task and recognition. Furthermore, one who has a clear self-perception of his job or role also tends to have clear expectations and goals, and come up with sound decisions. Organizational leaders must assess and understand the individual behaviors of its people while each individual makes an effort to adapt to some situational factors in an organization which include the working environment, company policies and ethical codes; and managerial orientation. The ethical codes of a company support or inhibit the way the individual characteristics impact employee morale and organizational performance. According to Feigenbaum (2011), the code of ethics serves as an expectation and guideline for employee conduct and is one tool for achieving standards of ethical behavior in an

How far was Platos Essay Example for Free

How far was Platos Essay With this end in mind, it seems that he can set about the task by whichever means he likes, so long as it will achieve the end. By telling the creation myth, it is his intention to promote the tripartite theory of society, which will, in turn, promote the ideal balance and justice. For justice to be maintained among the people, the Philosopher kings must hold absolute power. Justice is only possible when each class of the society stays in its own place and does that which is its duty. The Philosopher Kings are the rational element, and, according to Plato, the golden part of society. The silver auxiliaries provide the spirited element, and the workers are the base metal, the appetite element. If appetite should begin to rule over reason, then the body is out of balance, and so cannot function correctly. The same is true of society. If the Philosopher Kings were to be ruled over by the workers in society, balance would no longer be maintained. However, even in the reverse direction, should the Philosopher kings try their hand at farming, they are unlikely to have the specialised knowledge to do so, and so society again cannot function correctly. After all, the city cannot have wisdom and judgement because of the knowledge of its carpenters21, as this would simply make it good at carpentry22. The quality of good judgement is clearly a form of knowledge, as it is because of knowledge and not because of ignorance that we judge well. 23. The society must necessarily, then, be hierarchical, where those who know, rule. They are masters of all the others, and perhaps with an eye on Protagoras, Plato says Master of oneself is an absurd phrase. For if youre master of yourself youre presumably also subject to yourself, and so both master and subject24. The rhetorician places the just society in jeopardy. They are capable of influencing the people and so upsetting the balance between the classes of society and between the elements of the soul. They would be capable of over-egging the spirit of the auxiliaries to such an extent that they might overthrow the guardians, or behave in a way which is reckless rather than brave and jeopardise the protection of the state. As he says, we are left with two qualities to look for in our state Self discipline, and the real object of our whole enquiry, justice25. The base metal, or appetite, could be influenced to feed itself to too great an extent, and so cause the state to cease to flourish. Just as in the context of the human body, appetite must be encouraged to sustain balance and life, but if it is over-excited it causes greed and disharmony. Emotion and appetite must remain in the correct balance to allow normally functioning life. Reason must have ultimate control over the system. Therefore, by analogy, Philosopher kings should have power over the people. On the face of it, the picture emerging is a chilling one, similar to the situation in George Orwells 1984. Whilst it may at first seem that it is this sort of world towards which Plato is leading, the Philosopher Kings have access to the world of forms, and most importantly, the form of the good. For Plato, knowing the Good is both a necessary and sufficient condition for doing the Good, and therefore, once the philosopher kings know the good, they will always do the good. If the Philosopher Kings do only what is good for the sake of the state, then Platos creation myth is, in his terms, justified, as the people are being led towards the truth, and to justice. The Philosopher Kings are incorruptible, and as such will only guide the people towards that which is good for them. Having earlier described rhetoric as used by the sophists as flattery26, Plato now presents it as boldness and irresponsibility. 27. Plato believes that it is the popular applause which destroys any good in such people and deceives them into thinking that they really are statesmen28. He knows that, as it stands, they are so sunken into their own rhetoric and lies that they can be easily swayed, in the way that a Philosopher King cannot. The rhetoricians must pander to public opinion to remain powerful. Rhetoric is a dangerous weapon in the hands of people never trained in its use, who are those who do not know the best interests of the state. The implication is that the Philosopher kings, on the other hand, could know how to use rhetoric to the advantage of the community, and so have more than a mind which is good at guessing, some courage, and a natural talent for interacting with people29. As the rhetoricians do not know reality, they are dangerous to the state, and belong to the group in the simile who see only the shadows on the cave wall, and do not see by the light of the sun. However, we are aware that Platos utopia is based on an aristocratic and elitist view. Indeed, Karl Popper, in his Open society and its Enemies holds that, should Platos Republic ever become a reality rather than merely a philosophical exercise, Plato himself, or just such a person, would be the only one with the knowledge, and therefore, the only philosopher king. The people, the silver and most especially the base metal, have no power in this society. In our modern society, we are shocked by dictatorship, associating it with fascism and Communism. In the context of Poppers own experience of twentieth century Europe, his dislike of Platos apparent aspiration is understandable. We cherish what we see as our right to choose between what the politicians have to say. However, if Plato is right, this does not make sense. After all, we would not choose a surgeon simply by virtue of the strength of his rhetoric. If we would not entrust our lives to a doctor on these grounds then we should not entrust our lives to a politician for the same reasons. However, the two would not be comparable if both were not knowable. In his simile of the sea captain, Plato would have us believe that the good for man is just as knowable as the skill of navigation. If we accept that the good is indeed as knowable as navigation, then we are unable to contest Platos ideas. However, I am more convinced by his pupils view. Aristotle states that the science that studies the supreme good for man is politics30 and yet politics is not an exact science31. This is clearly antithetical to Platos form of the good, and in book I, vi, Aristotle says that things are called good in as many senses as they are said to exist Clearly, then, there cannot be a singe universal common to all these cases, because it would be predicated not in all the categories, but in one only32. This appears to confirm my initial response to Platos theory of forms, which does not seem to stand up to scrutiny in the real world, as apart from the evidence given in The Republic 508e, and the images of the sun, and apart from this, which is on no way substantive enough, there is no evidence for the existence of the form of the good. Gorgias argues that the rhetoric can be used like any competitive skill When morally appropriate33. Plato, however maintains that this would lead the general public to believe that he is an expert on morality when he isnt and think hes a moral person when he isnt34. This is odd, as in the Republic, he appears to support the argument made by Gorgias, yet, in the Gorgias, he presents rhetoric as wholly dangerous, and the rhetoricians as dangerous weapons out of control. The Utopia which Plato has created is presented to us largely in terms of metaphors and similes. Some of these are sufficiently outrageous, such as his creation story, that he even apologises. However, Plato, with the subtlety of a true rhetorician, seems to make his similes so close to reality as to make us accept the truth of what he is saying. Many of those in The Republic include references to everyday things such as farming and sailing. In Gorgias, he speaks of cooks and doctors. We are easily led into accepting his ideas through the everyday nature of these discussions. Then suddenly we find that the sun outside the cave is not merely a part of a simile, but is actually being used to describe the source of all reality and truth. There is no doubt as to the existence of the sun in our world, and we are aware that Plato has led us, by clever rhetorical devices, into accepting his similes as reality. However, the evidence that he presents us with is in no way substantive enough to prove the existence of his world of forms, and so we must wonder whether his rhetoric is merely a means to gaining his political ends. If this is the case, then he is going against his professed views of rhetoric, which would indeed be inconstant. However, the only other alternative would be that he truly did wish us to conform to his ideals. Whichever was the case, it seems likely that, ironically, Plato was the greatest rhetorician we have yet experienced. Bibliography Primary Source Aristotle, The Nicomachean Ethics trans. J. A. K. Thomson, Penguin Classics (1976) Plato, Gorgias Worlds Classics (1994) Plato, The Republic Penguin Classics (1987) Popper, Karl, The Open Society and its Enemies: The Spell of Plato Routledge and Kegan Paul (1962) Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War trans. Richard Crawley, Encyclopaedia Britannica: The Great Books (1952) Secondary Source Encyclopaedia Britannica Rhetoric Encyclopaedia Britannica Rhetoric: Importance in Ancient Greek Education www. wikipedia. org: Plato www. wikipedia. org: Rhetoric 1 The Republic, 492b 2 Thucydides, The Peloponnesian war boo.

Comparing Foreshadowing in Train from Rhodesia and Dead Mens Path Essa

Foreshadowing and Alliteration in Train from Rhodesia and Dead Men's Path Authors often use literary devices to appeal to their audience without their awareness. By doing so, certain parts of a story or book will seem more important, in a very private way. They won't scream for attention, but they will stick, for they are catchy. Sometimes, authors are not aware that they are using a device to persuade their audience, it occurs naturally. Common literary devices and elements are metaphors, similes, alliteration, perhaps even couplet rhyming. Though foreshadowing is not necessary a literary device, it is often an element that many authors use in their work as well. Foreshadowing through adjectives and alliteration are two devices used in both "The Train from Rhodesia" by Nadine Gordimer and "Dead Men's Path" by Chinua Achebe. "The Train from Rhodesia" by Nadine Gordimer shows foreshadowing elements through it's adjectives and other important words. It alludes to the end mood of the story through adjectives used throughout. At the end of "The Train from Rhodesia", there is an overwhelming feeling of emptiness, perhaps even a persistent sadness. Throughout the story, many of the adjectives point to that. The words "pale" and "dead" in the sentence, "...on either side of a uniform railway vase with it's pale dead flower." (p. 909) and even the word "uniform" points to the emptiness which will prevail toward the end of the story. "Empty" may seem like a word to describe "the empty sand." (p. 910) but it also points to the emotion of the girl at the end. Words that show uncertainty, basted in melancholy occur all over the book, like "waiting", "wandered", "faint", "da... ...more vibrant than a fulfilled smile, and the way a school should be run contains power within the statement. There is no doubt that Achebe did not use alliteration gratuitously, but to show the reader which elements of his story he feels are the most powerful-to serve a purpose. "The Train from Rhodesia" by Nadine Gordimer and "Dead Men's Path" by Chinua Achebe both employed foreshadowing through adjectives and alliteration in their stories. The use of these devices was not to be charming, or cute, but to instill purpose and meaning to their stories. A story without purpose is simply meaningless drivel, and a story with a purpose that cannot be remembered because of a lack of devices is also equally as meaningless. The devices used in both stories illustrate the author's point as concisely as possible. Both stories have maintained their purpose.

Business Skills for Ecommerce Essay

Introduction This assignment will enable you to apply the business skills needed to design an eCommerce solution for a music production company. You will need to consider the organisation and processes of the company and consider what the impact of the Internet and e-Commerce has been on the company. Answers to the tasks will demonstrate: 1: An understanding of the structure and aims of business organisations. 2: An understanding of the impact of e-Commerce 3: An ability to design e-Commerce solutions Task You have been provided with a description of a music production company which is considering providing a service where customers can download MP3 versions of the music they produce from their own web site. You will need to consider the effects of this proposal on the organisation and processes of the company. You will need to investigate the impact of the Internet on the music industry. Scenario Drums Rock is a small independent company which is owned by two partners and has been in existence for more than twenty years. It is based in a specialist music shop in Birmingham in the centre of England. As this is the home of many famous rock bands such as Black Sabbath, they naturally focus on this style of music and, in particular, drum kits. In addition to selling drum kits and other music related items the company specialises in producing music by rock artistes which it releases in CD and Vinyl format. The CD/Vinyl format is sold direct via a phone line, through retailers via music distributors and at concerts. Drums Rock hires the recording studio and when the recording is produced they have the Vinyl and CDs produced by outside organisations. The invoicing and payment relating to customers and suppliers is basically a manual process supported by records held on a PC. The reason why Drums Rock has not released music via MP3 format before is that there is a resistance from rock listeners to the format. Rock listeners are very concerned about the quality of the recording and the MP3 format provides a lower quality format than Vinyl and CD. However, Drums Rock considers that the ease of using the MP3 format on many different devices could outweigh the quality deficiencies. Task 1 – Understand the structure and aims of Business Organisations. Provide an assessment for the owners of Drums Rock of the potential impact on the organisation’s aims, structure, functions and stakeholders of implementing an Internet based facility for the sale of music in an MP3 format. The assessment should consider what it means for the potential markets, effects on current distribution channels, the structure and organisation of the organisation. This task will allow you to demonstrate the following: Learning Outcome 1. Task 2 – Understand the Impact of e-Commerce. Provide an assessment of the impact, the risks and financial implications of introducing an eCommerce function into Drums Rock. The assessment should consider the impact on the organization, the global impact of e-Commerce, the potential risks involved in e-Commerce and the possible financial factors such as costs/benefits. This task will allow you to demonstrate the following: Learning Outcome 2. Task 3 – Be able to define the objectives of e-Commerce solutions. Provide a statement for the owners’ of Drums Rock that describes the following for the proposal for an e-Commerce solution: Objectives Market Research Target markets Market potential This task will allow you to demonstrate the following: Learning Outcome 3.1. Task 4 – Design of an e-Commerce solution Produce a high level design document for the proposed Drums Rock e-Commerce solution which covers the following areas: Technology requirements e.g. hardware, software, security, maintenance, back end systems, supply sources, distribution channels. Payment systems e.g. electronic cheque, Paypal, NoChex, credit or debit cards. Security – e.g. prevention of hacking, viruses, identity theft, firewall, impact on site performance, Secure Socket Layer(SSL), secure HTTP (HHTPS), digital certificates, strong passwords, alternative authentication methods. Legislation – e.g. Data Protection Act 1998, Computer Misuse Act 1990, Consumer Credit Act 1974, Trading Standards, Freedom of Information Act 2000, copyright legislation. Consideration of other music download sites that exist. The design document should conclude with an evaluation of your proposed design. This task will allow you to demonstrate the following: Learning Outcomes 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 and 3.5. Student Guidelines 1. You should write this assignment in report style, although a formal report structure will not be required. The report should contain the assessments and design document that the Tasks ask for. You should write each task of this assignment as detailed above, in coherent and appropriate English. 2. You should use diagrams and tables of figures where appropriate ensuring that you provide a reference to their source. 3. You should include references using the Harvard referencing system. 4. It is advised that you write your report within approximately 3500/4000 words in order for your research and summarising skills to be developed, and for effective time management. However, you are required to ensure that the assignments meets all of the learning outcomes and there is no penalty for being over the suggested word count. Excessive word counts may be asked to be reduced before marking Grading Criteria ~ Business Skills for E Commerce To achieve a PASS GRADE the evidence must show that the learner is able to meet all of the learning outcomes: P1 (LO 1): Understand the structure and aims of business organisations. 1.1. Summarise the key aims of the organisation. 1.2. Describe the structure of Drums Rock and the music industry P2 (LO 2): Understand the impact of e-Commerce 2.1. Explain the impact on consumers of the development of e-Commerce 2.2. Explain the impact on businesses of the development of e-Commerce 2.3. Explain the global impact of e-Commerce P3 (LO 3): Be able to design e-Commerce solutions 3.1. Explain the role of objectives and market analysis in the development of e-Commerce 3.2. Evaluate the e-Commerce systems used by the music download industry 3.3. Discuss the financial implications of Drums Rock’s proposed e-Commerce solution 3.4. Produce a high level design of an e-Commerce solution that covers technology, payment systems, security and the role of legislation. 3.5. Produce an evaluation of the above design The assignment adequately covers the descriptive areas of the brief but little attempt has been made to analyse or evaluate the information presented. There is little discussion of what has been found through research with limited application of research to practice. Presentation of the material is acceptable but may display weaknesses in the way in which it is communicated. To achieve a MERIT GRADE the evidence must show that the learner is able to: M1- Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions 1.1. How implementing e-Commerce will affect Drums Rock’s aims and organisation 1.2. Demonstrates an understanding of how the structure of the music industry is changing due to the Internet M2 – Select design and apply appropriate methods/techniques 2.1. A range of credible sources of information have been used in the explanation of trends and developments in e-Commerce 2.2. A Structured Design Approach has been taken to the design of the e-Commerce solution and the design approach has been evaluated. 2.3. Research has been carefully selected and summarized. M3 – Present and Communicate Findings 3.1. The report is clear, concise and logical and describes the role of e-Commerce and its possible role in the music download industry. 3.2. Information sources are clearly identified through the use of appropriate referencing To achieve a DISTINCTION GRADE the evidence must show that the learner is able to: D1 – Use critical reflection to evaluate your own work & justify valid conclusions 1.1. Conclusions have been developed on the effects of current and recent trends and development of e-Commerce and the music download industry 1.2. There is a synthesis to the work in that it flows well throughout leading to valid, thought-out conclusions that demonstrate an integrated solution of aims, processes and technology for Drums Rock. D2 – take responsibility for managing and organising activities. 2.1. Independent research, outside of what has been provided in the course materials, has been utilised to prepare a thorough report for Drums Rock. 2.2. Assignment is completed fully to deadline D3 – demonstrate convergent, lateral & creative thinking. 3.1. Ideas are evaluated for their validity and realism in the context of the Drums Rock. 3.2. An attempt has been made at an evaluation of the recommended approach to strategic and tactical decision making in implementing e-Commerce in the music download industry.

Introduction to Unilever Essay

Unilever is a British–Dutch multinational consumer goods company. Its products include foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products. It is the world’s third-largest consumer goods company measured by 2011 revenues (after Procter & Gamble and Nestle) and the world’s largest maker of ice cream. Unilever is a dual-listed company consisting of Unilever N. V. in Rotterdam, Netherlands and Unilever PLC in London, United Kingdom. Both Unilever companies have the same directors and they operate as a single business. The current non-executive Chairman of Unilever N. V. and PLC is Michael Treschow while Paul Polman is Group Chief Executive. Unilever owns over 400 brands, amongst the largest selling of which are Aviance, Axe/Lynx, Ben & Jerry’s, Dove, Flora/Becel, Heartbrand, Hellmann’s, Knorr, Lipton, Lux/Radox, Omo/Surf, Rexona/Sure, Sunsilk, Toni & Guy, TRESemme, VO5 and Wish-Bone. Unilever PLC had a market capitalisation of ? 27. 3 billion as of 23 December 2011, the 18th-largest of any company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange. 1930 to 2001 See more: how to start a paragraph Lever House in New York City, which was the United States headquarters of Unilever from 1952 to 1997 Unilever was founded on 1 January 1930 by Antonius Johannes Jurgens, Samuel van den Bergh and William Hulme Lever, 2nd Viscount Leverhulme. The amalgamation of the operations of British soapmaker Lever Brothers and Dutch margarine producer Margarine Unie (a 1927 amalgamation of Anton Jurgens Margarinefabrieken N. V. and Samuel van den Bergh) made sound commercial sense, as palm oil was a major raw material for both margarines, and soaps, and could be imported more efficiently in larger quantities. The initial harvesting of palm oil was from British West Africa, from where news reports seen back in England showed the workers abroad in favourable conditions. In 1911 the company received a concession for 750,000 hectares of forest in Belgian Congo, mostly south of Bandundu, where a system of forced labour operated. The subsidiary of Lever Brothers was named â€Å"Huileries du Congo Belge†. During the great depression in the thirties, the Huileries sharply decreased the fee for gathered oil nuts, while the government of Belgian Congo strongly increased taxation. This resulted in social unrest in 1931, which is known as the Revolution of the Pende, in which eventually more than 400 members of the Pende tribe were killed. In the 1930s the Unilever business grew and new ventures were launched in Africa and Latin America. In 1972 Unilever purchased A&W Restaurants’ Canadian division but sold its shares through a management buyout to former A&W Food Services of Canada CEO Jefferson J. Mooney in July 1996. By 1980 soap and edible fats contributed just 40% of profits, compared with an original 90%. In 1984 the company bought the brand Brooke Bond (maker of PG Tips tea). In 1987 Unilever strengthened its position in the world skin care market by acquiring Chesebrough-Ponds (merged from Chesebrough Manufacturing and Pond’s Creams), the maker of Ragu, Pond’s, Aqua-Net, Cutex Nail Polish, and Vaseline. In 1989 Unilever bought Calvin Klein Cosmetics, Faberge, and Elizabeth Arden, but the latter was later sold (in 2000) to FFI Fragrances. In 1996 Unilever purchased Helene Curtis Industries, giving the company â€Å"a powerful new presence in the United States shampoo and deodorant market†. The purchase brought Unilever the Suave and Finesse hair-care product brands and Degree deodorant brand. In 1997 Unilever sold the speciality chemicals businesses National Starch & Chemical, Quest, Unichema and Crosfield to ICI for US$8 billion.. The US division carried the Lever Brothers name until the 1990s, when it adopted that of the parent company. The American unit has headquarters in New Jersey, and no longer maintains a presence at Lever House, the iconic skyscraper on Park Avenue in New York City. Unilever established a sustainable agriculture programme in 1998. 2001 to 2011 Global employment at Unilever 2000–2008 Black represents employment numbers in Europe, light grey represents the Americas and dark grey represents Asia, Africa, and Middle East. Between 2000 and 2008 Unilever reduced global workforce numbers by 41%, from 295,000 to 174,000. Notes: Europe figures for 2000–2003 are all Europe; from 2004 figures in black are Western Europe. For 2004–2008 figures for Asia, Africa and Middle East include Eastern and Central Europe. Source: Unilever Annual Reports 2004, 2008 In 2000 the company absorbed the American business Best Foods, strengthening its presence in North America and extending its portfolio of foods brands. In April 2000 it bought both Ben & Jerry’s and Slim Fast. In May 2007 Unilever became the first large-scale company to commit to sourcing all its tea in a sustainable manner, employing the Rainforest Alliance, an international environmental NGO, to certify its tea estates in East Africa, as well as third-party suppliers in Africa and other parts of the world. It declared its aim to have all Lipton Yellow Label and PG Tips tea bags sold in Western Europe certified by 2010, followed by all Lipton tea bags globally by 2015. Covalence, an ethical reputation ranking agency, placed Unilever at the top of its ranking based on positive versus negative news coverage for 2007. In 2007, Unilever’s Dove â€Å"Evolution† video that ran only online, was named the first ever non-TV spot to win the Grand Lion at the Cannes Advertising Festival. And in March, 2008, Unilever was named â€Å"Digital Marketer of the Year† by Advertising Age. In 2008 Unilever was honoured at the 59th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards for â€Å"Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Media Technology for Creation and Distribution of Interactive Commercial Advertising Delivered Through Digital Set Top Boxes† for its program Axe: Boost Your ESP. On 25 September 2009, Unilever agreed to acquire the personal care business of Sara Lee Corporation, including brands such as Radox, Badedas and Duschdas, strengthening its category leadership in skin cleansing and deodorants. On 9 August 2010, Unilever signed an asset purchase agreement with the Norwegian dairy group TINE, to acquire the activities of Diplom-Is in Denmark. On 24 September 2010, Unilever announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to sell its consumer tomato products business in Brazil to Cargill. On 27 September 2010, Unilever purchased Alberto-Culver, a maker of personal care and household products including Simple[disambiguation needed], VO5, Nexxus, TRESemme, and Mrs. Dash, for $US3. 7 billion. On 28 September 2010, Unilever and EVGA announced that they had signed an agreement under which Unilever would acquire EVGA’s ice cream brands (amongst others, Scandal, Variete and Karabola) and distribution network in Greece, for an undisclosed amount. 2011 to present On 23 March 2011 it was announced that Unilever had entered into a binding agreement to sell the Sanex brand to Colgate-Palmolive for â‚ ¬672 million, and that Unilever would acquire Colgate-Palmolive’s laundry detergent brands in Colombia (Fab, Lavomatic and Vel) for US$215 million. On 24 August 2011, it was announced that Unilever had agreed to sell the Alberto VO5 brand in the United States and Puerto Rico, and the Rave brand globally, to Brynwood Partners VI L. P. On 14 October 2011, it was announced that Unilever had agreed to acquire 82% of the Russia-based beauty company Kalina. On 22 May 2012, it was announced that Unilever achieved top-ten status in the 2012 Gartner Supply Chain Top 25, resulting in the company’s best-ever performance in the index and establishing Unilever as one of the world’s top supply chains. Operations The Unilever R&D Centre in Bangalore, India Unilever is multinational with operating companies and factories on every continent (except Antarctica) and research laboratories at: Colworth and Port Sunlight in England; Vlaardingen in the Netherlands; Trumbull, Connecticut and Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey in the United States; Bangalore in India (see also Hindustan Unilever Limited); and Shanghai in China. [edit] Products For a full list of Unilever brands, see List of Unilever brands. Unilever’s products include foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products. The company owns more than 400 brands, although its 25 largest brands account for over 70% of total sales. [29] Unilever focuses resources on 13 â€Å"billion-Euro brands†, each of which has annual sales in excess of â‚ ¬1 billion. Unilever organises its brands into four categories: Homecare, Personal Care, Foods and Refreshment (which includes tea, ice-cream and beverages).

Keep Your Body In Top Condition With Our Health And Wellness Tips

Keep Your Body In Top Condition With Our Health And Wellness Tips Freedom comes in various ways to the college freshmen and continues to reign throughout college. Students daily face new decisions, assignments writing, difficulties and problems and can quickly let their health fall to the wayside. They find it difficult to maintain healthy lifestyles that afterwards negatively effects their mental health, effective studying process and regular sleep. However, with a few simple changes in your diet, sleep and exercise habits it will become easier to preserve a healthy living. Well-being of both your physical and mental health is guaranteed! Nutrition What you drink and eat has a direct impact on your overall wellness. Most college students cannot maintain a healthy diet because of busy schedules. However, without careful attitude to your eating habits, you can easily put on that freshman 15 or even more. Keep the following healthy eating tips in mind to avoid sickness, impaired mental function and lack of energy: Dont skip breakfast. Begin your day with a balanced, healthy meal. If you are short of time, just take a granola bar or some fruit with you and eat it on your way to college. Drink enough water. It is well-known that consuming water is essential for better concentration and keeping yourself from overeating. Thats why take a bottle of water with you to classes. Limit fast food. No doubt, junk food is tasty and easy to consume when you are short of time. However, make sure that eating fast food doesnt become your habit. Drink alcohol moderately. Students are notorious for binge drinking and partying. Consume alcohol beverages in moderation to avoid a lot of calories and hangovers. Dont fight stress by eating. When youre stressed before the exam or important event, it can be yummy to eat some cookies or chips. Instead of grabbing snacks, think about having a break or working out. Exercise Sport and exercise reduce stress, boost brain function, improve mood and quality of sleep. Fitting in exercise into the busy college schedule isnt easy, but consider the following tips to make it a part of your regular routine: Walk to class. Of course, taking a bus is much quicker, but walking to college allows you to burn some calories and just enjoy the nature before a busy day at college. Visit a gym. Most college campuses provide students with perfect sport facilities. Find out what your particular college offers and get active. Ride a bike. Biking will give you a few minutes of exercise before and after classes. Its fun and active. Work out with a friend. With someone else youll be more likely to exercise. Take advantage of such opportunity and you wont be bored for sure. Invest in some low cost home gym equipment. Youd be surprised at just how inexpensive many pieces of home gym exercise equipment are. Check out a website such as HomeFitnessTalk.com for some great home workout ideas! Sleep Are you getting enough sleep? If you are like most college students, probably not. Unfortunately, a lack of sleep causes stress, depression, high blood pressure and decreases productivity. Follow these tips to ensure you are resting enough. Dont study in bed. Try to divide your sleep space from work space as working in bed can make getting to sleep harder. Keep your room quiet and dark. If you want to get asleep, make your room cool and dark. Your body will prepare to the resting time much easier. Take naps. If you have some free time during the day, take a short nap. Youll be surprised how it can boost your energy level. Discuss bedtimes with your roommate. If you share a room with someone, discuss the sleeping times as each of you have own schedules. Your health and wellness depends on how you take care of yourself. Be sure to follow our simple tips to develop better habits for a healthy lifestyle. Be happy and energetic!

Free Essays on Ozone Depletion

Ozone Depletion The ozone layer is the earth’s protection against harmful ultra-violet rays that cause cancer. The ozone is a region of the earth’s atmosphere that is 12 to 30 mi above the earth’s surface. (www.encarta.msn.com) The layer of the Earth's atmosphere that surrounds us is called the troposphere. The stratosphere, the next higher layer, extends about 10–50 kilometers above the Earth's surface. Stratospheric ozone is a naturally occurring gas that filters the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. (www.factmonster.com) The ozone’s job is to absorb much of the radiation that the sun gives off. There are two forms of this radiation that come from the sun: visible light and ultra-violet light. Visible light waves are the only electromagnetic waves we can see with are eyes and ultra-violet light is the radiation that humans have to protect themselves against. (http://imagers.gsfc.nasa.gov) Humans on earth are destroying the very thing that protects us and allow us to continue to live on this earth. Without our ozone all human and living things on this earth will seize to existence. To protect our home we need to evaluate the causes, the effects and the future of ozone depletion. The Cause What is the cause of our depleting ozone? It is believe to be caused by many of the things we used in our everyday lives: cars, refrigerators and aerosol cans. The ingredients that are in these items are compounds called chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), which was created in 1928 and other pollutes like halons that are used in fire extinguishers. (www.factmonster.com) When CFCs reach the stratosphere, the ultraviolet radiation from the sun causes them to break apart and release chlorine atoms, which react with ozone, starting chemical cycles of ozone destruction that deplete the ozone layer. One chlorine atom can break apart more than 100,000 ozone molecules. (www.greenpeace.org) Chlorofluorocarbons and these other polluta... Free Essays on Ozone Depletion Free Essays on Ozone Depletion Ozone Depletion The ozone layer is the earth’s protection against harmful ultra-violet rays that cause cancer. The ozone is a region of the earth’s atmosphere that is 12 to 30 mi above the earth’s surface. (www.encarta.msn.com) The layer of the Earth's atmosphere that surrounds us is called the troposphere. The stratosphere, the next higher layer, extends about 10–50 kilometers above the Earth's surface. Stratospheric ozone is a naturally occurring gas that filters the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. (www.factmonster.com) The ozone’s job is to absorb much of the radiation that the sun gives off. There are two forms of this radiation that come from the sun: visible light and ultra-violet light. Visible light waves are the only electromagnetic waves we can see with are eyes and ultra-violet light is the radiation that humans have to protect themselves against. (http://imagers.gsfc.nasa.gov) Humans on earth are destroying the very thing that protects us and allow us to continue to live on this earth. Without our ozone all human and living things on this earth will seize to existence. To protect our home we need to evaluate the causes, the effects and the future of ozone depletion. The Cause What is the cause of our depleting ozone? It is believe to be caused by many of the things we used in our everyday lives: cars, refrigerators and aerosol cans. The ingredients that are in these items are compounds called chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), which was created in 1928 and other pollutes like halons that are used in fire extinguishers. (www.factmonster.com) When CFCs reach the stratosphere, the ultraviolet radiation from the sun causes them to break apart and release chlorine atoms, which react with ozone, starting chemical cycles of ozone destruction that deplete the ozone layer. One chlorine atom can break apart more than 100,000 ozone molecules. (www.greenpeace.org) Chlorofluorocarbons and these other polluta...

Common English Sports Idioms for ESL Learners

Common English Sports Idioms for ESL Learners Have you ever read an article in Newsweek or Time magazine? If you have, I am sure that you noticed what an important role sporting events play in the creation of idiomatic language in American English. It is quite common to read statements like, President Clinton informed reporters that he felt his environmental program was in the home stretch and that he had hit a home run with his appointment of Mr. X as the ambassador to Y. This language can confuse speakers of English as a second language. Therefore, this feature concerns such language because of the importance it plays in everyday usage in both spoken, and written English in the United States. Below is a fictional conversation chock full of (idiomcontaining many examples of) idioms taken from sporting events. In the repeat of the conversation, the idioms are highlighted and explained. Closing a Deal (In a typical office somewhere in New York) Bob: Well, is Trevisos going to play ball or are we going to strike out on this deal?Pete: The latest locker talk is that our game plan is a real contender for the contract.Bob: Yeah, the other team has two strikes against it after they fumbled last week.Pete: They had a great chance of scoring but I think Trevisos thought they werent up to scratch on some of the details.Bob: They pretty much put themselves into a no win situation by stalling for time on the figures from Smiths and Co. If we can get to home at the next meeting I think that we should be able to take the ball and run.Pete: If our numbers are right, we should be able to call the shots from here.Bob: We just need to jockey ourselves into position to close the deal.Pete: Make sure that you take along your team players next week. I want to be sure that everyone is playing with a full deck and that everyone can field any question asked.Bob. Ill take Shirley and Harry along. They are no second stringers, they can present the ballpark figures and then I will bring it on home. Pete: Great, good luck with the pitch! It seems almost impossible to understand if you dont understand sports idioms! However, these and other idioms are common in daily usage. It is well worth your time to learn these idioms, especially if you work or live with Americans. Now, let me help you with the above passage. Each idiom is explained in its sports context, and in its idiomatic usage in everyday language. Bob: Well, is Trevisos going to play ball (baseball-play a game, idiom-do business with) or are we going to strike out (baseball-go out, idiom-fail) on this deal (idiom-contract)?Pete: The latest locker talk (general sports-talk among the players, idiom-gossip, rumors) is that our game plan (American football-plan which plays to make, idiom-plan of action) is a real contender (boxing- very possible winner, idiom-person with a good chance of success) for the contract.Bob: Yeah, the other team has two strikes against it (baseball-one step from going out or loosing, idiom-close to not succeeding) after they fumbled (American football-lose possession of the ball, idiom-make a serious mistake) last week.Pete: They had a great chance of scoring (any sport-to make a point, idiom-to succeed) but I think Trevisos thought they werent up to scratch (horseracing-not capable of winning, idiom-not having the right qualities) on some of the details.Bob: They pretty much put themselves into a no-win situation (baseball-impossible to win, idiom-impossible to succeed) by stalling for time (American football-to delay the game, idiom-to delay information or a decision) on the figures from Smiths and Co. If we can get to home (baseball-score a run, idiom-complete the desired action) at the next meeting I think that we should be able to take the ball and run (American football-continue to go forward, usually a long distance, idiom-continue in the right direction). Pete: If our numbers are right, we should be able to call the shots (basketball-to decide who shoots, idiom-to make the decisions) from here.Bob: We just need to jockey ourselves into position (horseracing-put yourself into a good position to win the race, idiom-to move into position to succeed) to close the deal.Pete: Make sure that you take along your team players (general sports players who work together with other players, idiom-people who work together with other staff) next week. I want to be sure that everyone is playing with a full deck (cards-having all the necessary cards, idiom-having the correct mental abilities, not stupid) and that everyone can field (baseball-to stop a hit ball, idiom-to handle or deal with) any question asked.Bob. Ill take Shirley and Harry along. They are no second stringers (team sports-second class members of the team, idiom-less important workers), they can present the ballpark figures (baseball-the place where the game is played idiom-general fin ancial numbers) and then I will bring it on home (baseball-to score a run, idiom-to finish with success) Pete: Great, good luck with the pitch (baseball-to throw the ball to the batter, idiom-to present the subject)! For more work on vocabulary related to sports visit: Verbs Used with SportsEquipment Used with SportsPlaces Used with SportsMeasurements Used with Sports

Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech Essay

Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech - Essay Example But that is not what was desired by Martin Luther King. The purpose of the speech was to demand equality and justice for African Americans. What makes the speech remarkable is its content and the passion with which it was delivered. Before the success of American Civil Rights Movement the condition of blacks in America was deplorable. They didn’t have equal rights and were discriminated against because of the color of their skin. The whole movement was triggered by small resistances such as that of Rosa Parks. On 1st December 1955, she refused to give up her seat for a white man. As a consequence of her refusal action was taken against her and she lost her job. This incident created a furor in the black community. Martin Luther King was a great admirer of non-violence. He was greatly inspired by Gandhi and wanted to campaign for his people’s rights in a non-violent manner. He indeed visited India in 1959 and was impressed by the way Indians had fought for Independence with non-violent methods (Ramdin, 2004). After the speech, Martin Luther King cemented his position has one of the greatest political orators of all time. It is a lesser known fact that much of the speech was an improvisation. There was an original speech and it was present right before him on the podium. But after sensing the mood and sentiments of the people and on encouragement from Mahalia Jackson, Martin Luther King decided to touch their hearts. He spoke from his heart about the pain of African Americans and how they felt under the oppressive laws. He spoke about his dream of seeing black and white people living together in harmony. The dream stretched far beyond the present times and touched the future generations as he dreamed about black and white kids playing together and going to school together. Many experts believe that after this speech Martin Luther King became the most powerful person in America at that time. He was the founder of Southern Christian

Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Change Management - Essay Example In recent years, change in business environment has become a way of life and the pace of control, the need to control cost and increase efficiency coupled with increasing customer expectations has forced the organizations to evolve and regenerate in order to survive in the market. The tradition of working in same business with same people, and same customer base throughout the career has changed (Cook, Macaulay and Coldicott, 2004:1). A major finding in change management research reveals that most organizations do not manage change well and only less than 30% organizations that implement large scale change are successful (Nilakant and Ramnarayan, 2006:21). Aaron and Nelson (2008:5) mentioned that change is constant for today’s organization and are continuously looking for ways to work faster, smatter and better. The hunger to succeed in the competitive world where new companies are entering the market with innovative products and services has made it compulsory and necessary f or the existing companies to change in order to match the speed and capability of the new companies much in advance so as to provide stiff and healthy competition to the new business entrants. Change in organization leads to product innovation, service expansion, and expansion of customer base when means that management has to take steps to undergo the ‘process of change’ effectively. The present paper is dealing with the process of change in an Oil & Gas Industry’s contracting strategy wherein the service of placing of contract to own the FPSO has changed to lease the contract to contractor. Change is an emotional experience for those involved and people adjust to change in different phases which can bring pain, confusion, uncertainty, guilt and even excitement for those who see personal advantages in the change. It is a two sided coin which involves both people transformation and

Fingerprint scientific method Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fingerprint scientific method - Coursework Example It comprises 3 steps to compute a fingerprint. No. 1 – an approximation algorithm is used to compute a reduced-fidelity version of the target digital object. No. 2 – this reduced version is put into a normalized serial form, and No. 3 – a hash function is used to compute a unique fingerprint from the resulting serialized object. The UNFs approach is somewhat similar to that of audio & video fingerprinting. However, in contrast to audio and video fingerprints, which entail a long sequence computation, UNFs use a more concise and closely related representation, suitable for use in scholarly citations. Thai, L. & Tam, H. (2010) under ‘Standardized fingerprint model’ states, â€Å"The model includes the following steps: (1) Pre-processing fingerprint image: for each image, we recognize fingerprint area, thinned ridge lines and extract minutiae. (2) Finding and adjusting parameter sets: at first, choose a fingerprint which has largest fingerprint area as mean image.

Globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Globalisation - Essay Example The reason for this is based on the tremendous amount of positives that come hand in hand with the facets of globalization. Hence in order to fully understand the intricate details related with globalization, one must base a sound belief on the strengths related with production and marketing. Once again, it is important to touch upon the exact definition of globalization before moving ahead any further (Hersh 2000). I define globalization as â€Å"the cumulative basis of strengths, transferred from one world region to another, in a capacity that derives opportunities for all the major and minor stakeholders, time and time again.† When one tries to establish the exact basis of production and marketing globalization, the four significant drivers need to be understood in a proper fashion, as these form the core essence of globalization in the first place. These four drivers are the use of Information Technology, the Just in Time and Total Quality Management business processes to speed up work activities, the Sales Force Automation quarters, and lastly the Outsourcing mechanisms which have had a huge say in building growth and development within the globalization auspices on a proactively consistent basis. The four drivers have played their essential roles within the acceleration processes of globalization in the last decade or so. This has happened with the influx of resources and budget more importantly. This has also happened because the top management domains within the organizations that have chosen globalization for their own selves, have understood that globalization indeed is a force to reckon with (Tayl or 2002). They have accepted the challenges thrown their way and have clearly realized the potential of globalization within the broader contexts. These four drivers are essentially the instigating mechanisms of change within the modern day organizations. Their roles have had a huge say in outlining the proper structure of the

The Relationship Between Lobbying, Businesses And Political Decisions Essay

The Relationship Between Lobbying, Businesses And Political Decisions - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that lobbying is the process of trying to influence the decisions made by an administration, for example, the government especially the members of legislative assemblies of regulatory agencies. Economic lobbyists represent, educate and advocate on the behalf of their business clients’ interests. Politics and economics affect each other in complex sometimes inexplicable ways. The aim is to make the people in the administrative capacity to look favorably on the side of the business. Politics and economics are tied together with some scholars even arguing that politics is merely an extension of economics. Political economists strongly speak out on the proactive position of governments in economic policy and for their ability to regulate the business cycle. Regulation of the business cycle involves putting in place fiscal and monetary measures in order to mitigate or avoid adverse effects of economic depressions and recessions. These mea sures also pertain to economic policies such as taxation, economic barriers, price fixation et cetera. The aim of the economic lobbyists is to make sure that the policies the government makes favor them and provide a conducive business environment for the success of their businesses. The lobbying involves delivery of data or opinions to a government decision maker at local or national level. They do this by presenting the interest of their company or client in the context of public interests.

BRAND PERSONALITY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

BRAND PERSONALITY - Essay Example 392). The concept of brand personality eludes clear definition. Anandan (2009) provides what is probably the most practicable description: ‘Simply put, brand personality answers the question â€Å"What happens when the brand turns into a human being?† or â€Å"What happens when the brand comes alive?† (p. 139). Brand personality is also defined as â€Å"the set of human characteristics associated with a brand† (Asperin, 2007, p. 49). The concern of marketing practitioners as far as brand marketing is concerned is therefore how to personify a brand. Kumar (2009) links brand personality to self-concept, and it is self-expression, rather than emotion, that more significantly develops brand personality (p. 177-178). Brand personality is achieved by associating human characteristics that consumers commonly attribute to a brand. The characteristic may be in terms of demographic attributes (age, gender, status), lifestyle (activities, social class), culture (value s, beliefs), and other personality traits. The brand may be associated with celebrities or historical figures, and several devices may be used such as animism, anthropomorphism, personification, and user imagery (Purkayastha, 2009). A well established brand personality must possess the following attributes: (1) elements of the brand’s marketing mix are deliberately coordinated; (2) personality sought is competitively distinctive and desirable; and (3) the personality sought is robust and kept consistent over time and over media (Aaker & Biel, 1993, p. 49). Brand personality influences the choice of consumers by enabling them to express who they are by the brands they use (Asperin, 2007, p. 49). Brand personality can help marketers in: (1) the conception and creation of a brand; (2) evaluating its perception in the minds of the customer and compare it with what was expected; and (3) incorporating necessary changes to make the brand more attractive in order to meet the goals of creating lasting consumer satisfaction and loyalty (Purkayastha, 2009). In recent years, brand personality has become a topic of interest not only among academic researchers but more especially among marketing managers and strategists. This is evident in a scan of professional and academic journals on marketing research and applications. The principal theoretical framework employed in academic literature is the multidimensional framework, first devised by Aaker, and later developed by other researchers to account for market-specific factors and universal, cross-cultural studies. Aaker’s Brand Personality Framework In applying brand personality constructs, the theoretical paradigm most commonly used is the multi-dimensional framework devised by Aaker, which is considered the prevailing standard. The Aaker framework is accepted as a comprehensive framework that may be generalised over a broad number of product categories (Malik & Naeem, 2012). The Aaker framework underlies the Brand Personality Scale, or BPS, developed by the same author. Based on an extensive study of American consumers, Aaker derived a framework comprised of five core dimensions and their facets, as follows (Guse, 2011): (1) Sincerity (Domestic, honest, genuine, cheerful); (2) Excitement (Daring, spirited, imaginative, up-to-date); (3) Competence (Reliable, responsible, dependable, efficient); (4) Sophistication (Glamorous, pretentious, charming, romantic); and (5) Ruggedness (Tough, strong, outdoorsy, rugged). The study of Malik and Naeem (2012), however, called attention to the perception that Aaker’s framework provides only a crude estimation of brand personality because it transposes human personality traits instead of using the brands themselves. The study also expresses concern that the original

The Relationship Between Lobbying, Businesses And Political Decisions Essay

The Relationship Between Lobbying, Businesses And Political Decisions - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that lobbying is the process of trying to influence the decisions made by an administration, for example, the government especially the members of legislative assemblies of regulatory agencies. Economic lobbyists represent, educate and advocate on the behalf of their business clients’ interests. Politics and economics affect each other in complex sometimes inexplicable ways. The aim is to make the people in the administrative capacity to look favorably on the side of the business. Politics and economics are tied together with some scholars even arguing that politics is merely an extension of economics. Political economists strongly speak out on the proactive position of governments in economic policy and for their ability to regulate the business cycle. Regulation of the business cycle involves putting in place fiscal and monetary measures in order to mitigate or avoid adverse effects of economic depressions and recessions. These mea sures also pertain to economic policies such as taxation, economic barriers, price fixation et cetera. The aim of the economic lobbyists is to make sure that the policies the government makes favor them and provide a conducive business environment for the success of their businesses. The lobbying involves delivery of data or opinions to a government decision maker at local or national level. They do this by presenting the interest of their company or client in the context of public interests.

Assig.1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Assig.1 - Essay Example s protà ©gà ©, as he takes her under his wing and guide her in decision-making, attitude, behavior and specific tasks related to the field he is mentoring her with. A mentoring relationship then develops over time, during which the mentee’s needs changes as well as the nature of the mentoring relationship. The mentor is aware of such changes and adjusts the kind of attention, advise, assistance and motivation he provides. Mutual respect, trust, understanding and empathy are values embodied by an effective mentoring relationship (http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/mentor/1.html). Good mentors are good listeners, good observers and good problem-solvers. Mentees feel comfortable opening up to them without fear of being chastised for being mistaken in their views. Mentors acknowledge, accept and respect those views and work together with the mentees in correcting what is wrong. This takes a lot of reflection in both mentor and mentee. Both mentor and mentee affects each other in terms of reputation. Since they influence each other, whatever personality or skills the other has will reflect on the other. Should a mentor be inefficient, he will pass this on to his mentee who may not know any better. Likewise, if a mentee continues to perform poorly in spite of the mentor’s great efforts to help him or her out, then such performance may be blamed on the mentor, for he is supposed to be the wiser one. According to Osterman (1990), â€Å"reflection is the essential part of the learning process because it results in making sense of or extracting meaning from the experience†. People often go through their day doing their work as second nature, sometimes without thinking critically if what they are doing is truly meaningful and relevant. Schon (1983) offers the concept of knowing-in-practice to describe such mindless, functional task. An individual needs to reflect, as it can surface and criticize old, reliable ways of doing things. â€Å"Practitioners do reflect

Great Expectations Essay Example for Free

Great Expectations Essay Great Expectations, a novel by Charles Dickens, was first published in England as a serial in the years 1860 and 61 then later as a novel. It runs to 448 pages in modern paperback. The work is considered to be autobiographical and told in first person as a memoir of the orphan boy, Pip. Dickens’ thesis is moral in nature, saying that love, loyalty and a clean conscience are more important than wealth, social class and ambition. Pip believes he is in love with the Estella, a ward of the rich Mrs. Havisham and seeks to become a gentleman in order to win her heart. He comes to realize his sister and her husband and the convicted criminal, Magwitch, though low in social class, display more character than those he knows of the upper class. Dickens, through his protagonist, advances the idea that nobility is not noble by nature, and one can advance on his own intelligence and work ethic (183). Mrs. Havisham’s family earned their money in commerce but she still represents wealth. Dickens depicts her as a bitter and vengeful old woman, full of hatred for men. She uses Pip and encourages the like-minded Estella to break his heart (60). Pip comes into money and believes that the upper class Mrs. Havisham is his benefactress, which is not true. His money comes from the convict Magwitch who wants to make Pip a gentleman for his own reasons (335). Bentley Drummle, while a minor character, is used by Dickens to show that nobility does not confer morality on a person. Dickens proves his thesis by the relating the callous behavior of the upper classes, compared and contrasted to the kindness of his poor family and the lower classes represented. He produces a litany of noble scoundrels and lowborn citizens with high moral fiber for the reader to consider.

Portion Control for Weight Management

Portion Control for Weight Management Netan Bhardwaj Lifestyle, social status and frame of mind all depend on your health thus everybody wants a perfect physical appearance, which may vary based on gender and age, and the way people see it is by attaining an ideal weight. But every challenge comes with obstacles e.g. lack of knowledge, resources and many other factors, due to that fact obesity and weight management have become enormous problem amongst individuals of all ages. To a certain extent minor weight loss can alter ones path of life. Whether it’s living life to the fullest or being overweight holding you down. And everyone that is overweight or obese is always looking for the â€Å"easy way out† to lose weight by not doing any exercise and eating anything they please. So can weight reduction really occur without any medications, surgery, or even extensive exercise? To begin with, people who are obese tend to be uneducated about effects of obesity, nutrition, and portion control. Now knowing about the major risk that obesity brings is a major issue such as 29% of all deaths in Canada are because of obesity, where females are at a higher risk of dying than males, and learning about these risks can be an eye opener for some and life changer for others. Obesity causes or is closely linked with a large number of health conditions like heart disease, stroke, diabetes are just to name a few and as many as 11 types of cancer, including leukemia, colon, breast cancer [WHO. 2014]. Not just that but obesity also comes with social and emotional effects including discrimination, lower wages, lower Quality of life and people being effected by obesity are more likely susceptible to depression. The type of diet you eat can have a major impact on your weight i.e. eating a high energy/calorie dense meal (coffee and a doughnut) can cause overeating whereas eating multiple low energy/calorie meals (juice, a piece of toast, and scrambled eggs) can provide an provide array of healthy choices by incorporating more food consumption but less calorie intake and also it can help with optimum weight management. For instance [Rolls. 2014] compiled three systematic studies on various individuals and this is what was conducted. The first trial involved overweight men and overweight women, they were given isocaloric portions of either high or low dense food to be eaten daily into a reduced energy diet for two months and one year later the group that was given low energy dense soup saw a 50% more reduction then the other control group. The second trial only obese women were tested and they were split into two groups. One grope was counseled to portion control and eat more water rich foods (fruits, vegetables) and the other group was asked to eat limited portions (fats and everything else). After a year the group that was told to eat more water rich foods lost 23% more weight, had a reduction in hunger and felt greater gratification. In the final trial, participants from trial one and trial two were monitored for six months. It was found that individuals who eat a low energy diet lost more than 50% of weight and eat 300grams more than the high energy diet group. From these trial it can be concluded that for weight management to occur simply saying â€Å"eat less† is not the best approach to reducing the amount of intake. Therefore large portions of low energy dense foods can be used strategically to encourage their lower consumption and caloric intake. If people lowered the density of energy in their diet, they can eat pleasurable portions while managing as well as maintaining their body weight [Rolls. 2014]. Also through these trials it can be said that a variety of portion control methods can be applied, eating less high energy meals or eating more low energy foods, for exemplary portion management leading to a lower chance of weight gain. Obesity has become a significant problem, it causes more deaths the being underweight, across many regions of multiple countries. Obesity has become such a high risk factor that even minimal weight loss of 5 to 10% seems to be enough to provide a clinically significant health benefit and reduce the risk of death, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and many other [Lagerros. 2013]. But there are limitations to weight loss i.e. physical disabilities, the quality of produce at a supermarket, cultural acceptance (being fat or over weight considered good, shows how healthy you are), neighborhood accessibility (neighborhood around the world tend not to have any sidewalks thus making it difficult for individuals of all ages to be healthy) as well as neighborhood safety (Places where criminal activity is high, People are less likely to leave their residence) and other resources. All these aspects play a tremendous role in weight reduction and or weight management. A study done by [Amanda Reichards et al. 2014] about adults with physical disabilities with a BMI of >25%. So these individuals were randomized into two weight management approaches. One of these was My plate diet (consists of a meal with fruits, vegetables, protein and dairy all in one plate) and the other was Stoplight diet (foods are based on the light consisted in traffic lights such as vegetables/fruits are green, potatoes/ cheese are yellow and fat foods are red) supplemented with portion controlled meals for 6 months. There were 126 enrollees and of those 70% of them completed initial 6 months and 60% of the 70% completed a follow up phase. The Stoplight diet group reduced weight during initial 6 month and lost more weight during the follow up phase whereas the My plate diet group only lost weight during the initial 6 months from the studies done by Amanda Reichards and her colleagues it can be stated that by using portion control, barriers can be overcome for individuals that are overweight and have physical mobility impairments. Consumers are uncovered to many pieces of data such as the media, commercials and promotions. The comparison between two merchandises that are similar in prices or completely buying a product for the first time, â€Å"58% of the consumers said that they used product labels† [Wills et al2009].Furthermore, Canadians believe that labels are the most important way to get nutritional data. â€Å"This source is then shadowed by various forms of media, friends and family, electronic media channels and lastly family physicians or other professionals â€Å"[Willset al.2009]. It is notable that family physicians/medical professionals seem to play such a minimal role in general information. In the past, significant findings have been conducted by researchers to help modern scientist. Lexis, L (2004) conducted multiple studies where 38% of the people’s portions were controlled and the others weren’t. The research shows that 5% of the 38% examined saw a weight reduction from their baseline weight whereas the other control group saw a 5% weight gain from their base line. She also did a study on Elevated waist/hip on men and women this a body mass index (BMI) greater the 27. Being overweight comes at a cost and its â€Å"$656 higher annual medical care costs, and the IV results indicate that obesity raises annual medical costs by $2741 in 2005 dollars.† [Cawley J. 2012]. â€Å"More than 2 in 3 adults are considered to be overweight or obese. More than 0.33% adults are considered to be obese. More than 0.05 adults in North America are considered to have extreme obesity. About 0.33%of children and adolescents from ages 6 to 19 are considered to be overwe ight or obese. More than 16% of children and adolescents from the ages of 6 to 19 are considered to be obese† National Health and Nutrition (2010). â€Å"Obesity can occur one pound at a time. Just like obesity so does prevention. † [National Institutes of Health. 2013] these are just some facts about obesity that can be prevented by portion control. Solutions. Are there any? With so many problem and hardly any solutions. Here are a couple of solutions that can help with implicating portion control, first would be liquid meal replacement (shakes) can be a very useful technique there were small experiments designed to makes many of the studies on the effectiveness of meal replacements were tough to interpret as few were intended to regulate whether meal replacements are closely linked with greater weight reduction than a self-selected consumption of regular foods. They also found that there is a relationship between the intakes of meal replacements in exchange of regular meals in the framework of energy controlled diets and decline in body weight. The second method would be tax increasing and front back trafficking. Increasing the tax on unhealthy food could be a substantial answer to many problems, the Danish government has put a 25% tax on unhealthy foods (sweet based) such as ice cream chocolate and many others and beverages. T hey also banned the use of Trans-fatty acid (increases coronary heart cancer) leading companies to use a different method of production and provide a better fat quality product. There is also Front of Pack traffic light nutrition labeling (this is when the nutritional label is put in the front and the product is labelled as a colour that indicated the type of product which is stated earlier in this paper). There was a randomized-controlled study was conducted to determine different food label formats on consumers’ product choices, the study established that traffic light labels had the most influential on consumers, compared to other methods. Even with time constraint consumers the traffic light labels and logos were more effective and efficient rather than the ordinary label furthermore the likelihood of healthy choices had increased moreover with unlabeled food it is more difficult to classify as whether it’s healthy or unhealthy [Borgmeier and Westenhoefer, 2009]. By making such a major impact, neighboring countries are putting an emphasis on disease deduction methods as well. The third method is Pre-portioned foods it is an alternative approach to liquid meal plan it is a pre-packaged single meal /snack which is bound to reduce weight also temporary studies have found that solid meal substitutes (bars) caused the tendency to feel more full than isocaloric liquid meal substitutes (shakes) [ Tieken et al. 2007]. In an 18-month study conducted by [Wing et al. 1996] where contributors were allocated to one of the four groups: a usual behavioral treatment was given, a behavioral treatment accompanied with financial encouragement for weight reduction, food source, or a combination of food establishment and motivations. The food that was provided to the individuals consisted of pre-portioned conventional foods suitable for five breakfasts and five suppers each week for 18 months. The quantity of weight reduction in the two groups, provided with sufficient food, was significantly superior to the other groups at 6, 12 and 18 months [Wing et al. 1996]. Also in another study, patients were given either a prepackaged, nutritionally complete, organised meal, plan that provided almost all of their diet and the other group was given a macronutrient equivalent usual-care diet. The prepackaged meal was designed to sustain long-term weight loss. This was proven at 1 year when the first group lost 5.8 kilograms while the other group only lost 1.7 kilograms loss [Metz et al. 2000]. A certain study, sought to separate the properties of the portion-controlled diets from other mechanisms of the weight reduction intervention by keeping the additional variables similar across the two study groups. The pre-portioned food group was provided with three starters and one snack daily, which they could substitute with conventional foods by the rules of their program. After 6 months, the pre-portioned food group lost 7.3kg whereas the control group only lost [Foster et al. 2013]. The take away message from these studies is that Portioned food can cause a substantial difference between casual meals in terms of weight reduction thus allowing a greater consumption of food and loss in weight. Another solution is by regulating the advertisements that are shown to adolescents. This will cause children to be less attracted to food which can lead them to gain weight. In Sweden, Norway and Quebec the government has restricted television advertisements for children. More specifically , the Swedish Radio and Television act does not grant commercial television advertisement that is intended to attract or gain the attention of children who are under the age of 12. However, most countries tend not to revise advertisements, to make sure they are meant for children. A comparison of food advertising in 13 countries in different parts of the world, found that children who were watching more than 2 hours would be exposed to between 28 and 84 food advertisements per day [Lagerros. 2013]. Weight management/reduction has been a major problem for decades now. Obesity is something that is increasingly on the rise today and will continue to rise unless we do something about it, food is being pushed on television all the time. Corrupting minds to eat calorie dense food but there is a way to fix that by informing people of how bad it really is and encouraging people to live a health-enhancing lifestyle. The solution is as simple as eating a portioned diet and making it a lifelong diet. Some fat is essential for the body. It uses it for various implications such as heat, padding, insulation, and stored energy. Eating healthy and keeping active is all a part of a lifelong daily routine No diet should be promoted as being a temporary eating plan, but rather a permanent plan for healthy eating and living. References Borgmeier I., Westenhoefer J. (2009)Impact of different food label formats on healthiness evaluation and food choice of consumers: a randomized-controlled study.BMC Public Health9: 184. Cawley, J., Meyerhoefer, C. (2012). The medical care costs of obesity: An instrumental variables approach. J Health Econ. Ello-Martin, J., H Ledikwe, J., Rolls, B. (2005). The Influence of Food Portion Size and Energy Density on Energy Intake: Implications for Weight Management. Foster GD, Wadden TA, Lagrotte CA, Vander Veur SS, Hesson LA, Homko CJ, et al.(2013) A randomized comparison of a commercially available portion-controlled weight-loss intervention with a diabetes self-management education program,Nutr Diabetes, 3:e63. Lagerros, Y., Rà ¶ssner, S. (2013). Obesity management: What brings success? Therap Adv Gastroenterol, 6(1), 77–88. Rolls, B. (2012). Dietary strategies for weight management. Nestlà © Nutrition Institute Workshop (2012), 73, 37-48. Rolls, B. (2014). What is the role of portion control in weight management? International Journal of Obesity (2005). Metz JA, Stern JS, Kris-Etherton P, Reusser ME, Morris CD, Hatton DC, et al.(2000) A randomized trial of improved weight loss with a prepared meal plan in overweight and obese patients: impact on cardiovascular risk reduction, Arch Intern Med, 160:2150–2158 National Institues of Health. (2012). Overweight and Obesity Statistics. Weight-control  Information Network. Reichard, A., D. Saunders, M., R. Saunders, R., Ptomey, L. (2014). A comparison of two weight management programs for adults with mobility impairments, Disability and Health Journal. Tieken SM, Leidy HJ, Stull AJ, Mattes RD, Schuster RA, Campbell WW. (2007). Effects of solid versus liquid meal-replacement products of similar energy content on hunger, satiety, and appetite-regulating hormones in older adults,Horm Metab Res, 39:389–394 Wing RR, Jeffery RW, Burton LR, Thorson C, Nissinoff KS, Baxter JE. (1996). Food provision vs structured meal plans in the behavioral treatment of obesity.Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord.;20:56–62 Wills J., Schmidt D., Pillo-Blocka F., Cairns G. (2009)Exploring global consumer attitudes toward nutrition information on food labels.Nutr Rev67(Suppl. 1): S102–S106Frenk, D. (2012, May 1). Obesity Consequences. Retrieved October 22, 2014, from http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-consequences/ Obesity and overweight. (2014, August 1). Retrieved October 22, 2014, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ Statistics Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2014, from http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.3483991/k.34A8/Statistics.htm

Review of Behind the Arch: The Truth about Drinking at BVU :: College Drinking Essays

Review of Behind the Arch: The Truth about Drinking at BVU Behind the Arch: The Truth About Drinking at BVU, by Chris Allen, Alisa Dixson, Jennifer Durham, Shelley Katzer, Max Kenkel, Teri Kramer, Toby Malavong, and Courtney Weller, is a book about drinking at Buena Vista University. It was written because the University of Illinois did a survey on colleges around the county about their drinking habits. When some BVU students read it, some did not think it was accurate, so, they did their own research and got some of their own statistics. By the opinion of the students, the information they found was more accurate than what the University of Illinois found. This book had many things wrong with it. There were many problems with the writing styles and the research in my opinion. It was too long and too detailed, especially with the insignificant ideas in, which should not have been in it, such as the explanation of our campus, an insignificant detail. There was not a good comparison in the national average, Buena Vista University is a small campus in a small town, not similar to, say, the University of Missouri with a large student population and in the city of Columbia. The research was not well done and was unbalanced. This book was about the drinking at BVU found from the survey, not when some of the professors were attending. The book did have some good points. It did have good statistics and were accurate for out campus. I believe that most of the students on campus do drink, but not to get drunk such as the book stated. The personal experiences were well written also. The book does give a bit of reflection on when drinking was not a large problem on campus, but it is insignificant. This book also did do a good job of what is being done on campus to stop the drinking. We now have midnight basketball, and volleyball, and alternative happy hour so the students have something other to do than drink or go to the bar. Many things could have been changed in the book. It was too long. They went off subject with the September, 11 2001 terrorists attacks, that are not significant and way off topic, and made the book last too long. If they had not strayed off the path of where the book was going it would have been shorter and probably kept my interest more, not making me want to sleep. Review of Behind the Arch: The Truth about Drinking at BVU :: College Drinking Essays Review of Behind the Arch: The Truth about Drinking at BVU Behind the Arch: The Truth About Drinking at BVU, by Chris Allen, Alisa Dixson, Jennifer Durham, Shelley Katzer, Max Kenkel, Teri Kramer, Toby Malavong, and Courtney Weller, is a book about drinking at Buena Vista University. It was written because the University of Illinois did a survey on colleges around the county about their drinking habits. When some BVU students read it, some did not think it was accurate, so, they did their own research and got some of their own statistics. By the opinion of the students, the information they found was more accurate than what the University of Illinois found. This book had many things wrong with it. There were many problems with the writing styles and the research in my opinion. It was too long and too detailed, especially with the insignificant ideas in, which should not have been in it, such as the explanation of our campus, an insignificant detail. There was not a good comparison in the national average, Buena Vista University is a small campus in a small town, not similar to, say, the University of Missouri with a large student population and in the city of Columbia. The research was not well done and was unbalanced. This book was about the drinking at BVU found from the survey, not when some of the professors were attending. The book did have some good points. It did have good statistics and were accurate for out campus. I believe that most of the students on campus do drink, but not to get drunk such as the book stated. The personal experiences were well written also. The book does give a bit of reflection on when drinking was not a large problem on campus, but it is insignificant. This book also did do a good job of what is being done on campus to stop the drinking. We now have midnight basketball, and volleyball, and alternative happy hour so the students have something other to do than drink or go to the bar. Many things could have been changed in the book. It was too long. They went off subject with the September, 11 2001 terrorists attacks, that are not significant and way off topic, and made the book last too long. If they had not strayed off the path of where the book was going it would have been shorter and probably kept my interest more, not making me want to sleep.

Effects of Internet on Child Development

180 to learn was reported in 65 cases, to play was reported in 57 cases, to browse in 35 cases, and to communicate in 27 cases. Thus, the five indices of child home Internet use in cluded: 1) the continuous variable years of home Internet access and the dichotomous (report ed-unreported) variables of child home In ternet use to 2) learn, 3) play, 4) browse, and 5) communicate. Family Socioeconomic Characteristics The parent questionnaire assessed five family characteris tics commonly used to determine socioeconomic status (Bradley & Corwyn, 2002; Sirin, 2005).Two items queried father’s and mother’s employment status. Approximately 70% of mothers and 96% of fathers were employed, full-time or part-time. Two questionnaire items requested father’s and mother’s level of education, coded as: elementa ry = 1, junior high school = 2, high school incomplete = 3, high school complete = 4, technical school/college (complete or incomplete) = 5 and university (complet e or incomplete) = 6. The mean educational level of mothers was 4. 79 (SD = 0. 95) suggesting that many mothers had post-secondary education; the mean educational level of fa thers was 4. 45 (SD = 1. 2) suggesting that some fathers had post-secondary education. The final socioeconomic item on the questionnaire asked parents to indicate annual family income by selecting one of the following options: < $20 000 = 1, $20 000 to $40 000 = 2, $40 000 to $60 000 = 3, $60 000 to $80 000 = 4, $80 000 to $100 000 = 5, > $100 000 = 6. Annual income for participating families was approximately $60,000 CD (M = 4. 07, SD = 1. 48). Table 2 presents a summary of measured constructs which includes: four tests of children’s cognitive development, five indices of children’s home Internet use, and five fa ily socioeconomic characteris tics. Which are the better predictors of cognitive development during childhood, — el ements of the microsystem or elements of the techno- subsystem? Two series of stepwise regression analysis we re conducted with the four c ognitive development scores as the dependant variables. In the first regression analyses , family socioeconomic characteristics (elements of the microsystem) were the independent variables. In the second analyses, indices of home Internet use (elements of the techno-subsystem) were the independent variables. Tab le 2 Description of Constructs and Measures Ecological System System Elements Specific Measures Bioecology Cognitive Development Expressive Language Metacognitive Planning Visual Perception Auditory Memory Techno-Subsystem Home Internet Use Years of Internet Access Online Learning Online Playing Online Browsing Online Communication Microsystem Family Characteristics Father Employment Mother Employment Father Education Mother Education Annual Family Income Results Results of analyses revealed that fa mily socioeconomic characteristics (eleme nts of the microsystem) explained a odest (but significant) amount of the variation in children’s cognitive deve lopment scores. As presented in Table 3, adjusted R 2 values indicated that father’s level of education accounted for approximately 7% of the variation in children’s level of expressive language (as measured by the WISC-IV vocabulary subtest), 5% of the variation in children’s visual perception and auditory memory (as measured by the CAS nonverbal matrices subtest and CAS 181 word series subtest, respectively). Whether or not moth ers were employed, part-tim e or full-time, accounted for pproximately 6% of the differences in children’s capacity to execute metacognitive functions such as planning (as measured by the CAS matching numbers subtest). While the other measures of familial socioeconomic status (e. g. , mother’s education and family income) explained some of the variance in children’s cognitive development, such measures did not improve upon the predictive utility of fa ther ’s education or maternal employment; variation is prerequisite to prediction. Almost all fathers were employed and almost all mothers had finished high school. For participating middle-class families, father’s education a d mother’s employment were more sensitive to children’s cognitive development scores than were family income, father’s employment, and mother’s education. Tab le 3 . Stepwise Regression Analysis: Family Characteristics Predicting Child Cognitive Development Cognitive Score Predictor Beta Weight t value R 2 (adj) F value Expressive Language Father Education . 292 2. 70** . 074 (1, 78) = 7. 29** Metacognitive Planning Mother Employed . 270 2. 46* . 061 (1, 77) = 6. 05* Visual Perception Father Education . 244 2. 22* . 047 (1, 78) = 4. 93* Auditory Memory Father Education . 258 2. 6* . 054 (1, 78) = 5. 55* *p < . 05; **p < . 01 Results of analyses further revealed th at indices of home Internet use (elements of the techno-subs ystem), in general, explained more of the variation in children’s cognitive de velopment than did family socioeconomic characteristics (elements of the microsystem). Summarized in Table 4, specific types on online behavior (i. e. , learning, communicating, and playing) and years of home In ternet access combined to predicted child cognitive developmental outcomes. Indicated by adjusted R 2 , children’s online communication, ears of home Internet access, and online learning (as reported by parents) accounted for ap proximately 29% of the varia tion in children’s level of expressive language as measured by the WISC-IV vocabulary subtest. Online learning and communicating (reported- unreported) combined to explain 13. 5% of the variation in children’s metacognitive planning. Online learning and playing (reported-unreported) combined to explain 10. 9% of the variation in children’s auditory memory. Years of home Internet access explained approximately 3% of the diffe rences in children’s visual perception scores. With the xception of visual perception, indices of home Internet use (elements of the techno-subsystem) were better predictors of children’s cognitive development than were family socioeconomic characteristics (elements of the microsystem). Tab le 4 . Stepwise Regression Analysis: Home Internet Use Predicting Child Cognitive Development Cognitive Score Predictor/s Beta Weight t value R 2 (adj) F value Expressive Language Online Communication . 344 4. 00*** Years of Internet Access . 263 3. 12 ** Online Learning . 256 2. 99** . 287 (3, 101) = 14. 97*** Metacognitive Planning Online Learning . 287 3. 03** Online Communication . 201 2. 12* . 35 (2, 101) = 9. 06*** Visual Perception Years of Internet A ccess . 192 1. 99* . 028 (1, 104) = 3. 98* Auditory Memory Online Learning . 242 2. 60* Online Playing . 228 2. 46* . 109 (3, 101) = 14. 97*** *p < . 05; **p < . 01; ***p < . 001 Discussion A variety of mechanism s linking family socioeconomic status to child cognitive development have been proposed including parenting (Petrill, Pike, Price, & Plomin, 2004 ; Mistry, Biesanz, Chien, Howes, & Benner, 2008) and 182 resources (Bradley & Corwyn, 2002). For the current samp le of middle class children, paternal education and maternal employment were associated with measures of hild cognitive development. More educated fathers tended to have offspring who scored high on three of the four cognitive measures (expressive language, visual perception, and auditory memory). Mothers who were employed tended to have children who scored high on the measure of metacognitive planning. Educated fathers and employed mothers may genetically transmit to their offspring some neurological processing advantage (bioecology). Simultaneously, educated fathers may provide enhanced language models and stimulating environments that facilitate the cognitive development of their children (microsystemic influence). Employed mother may provide models of organization and place increased demands on children to self- regulate thereby enhancing the metacognitive planning abilities of their offspring (microsystemic influence). Family socioeconomic status (as measur ed and for the current sample) accounted for 5% to 7% of differences in child cognitive development scores. In contrast, indices of home Internet use (as measured and for the current sample) accounted for 3% to 29% of differences in child cognitive development scores. Me ta-analysis confirms that the impact of socioeconomic status on academic achie vement is eroding over time (Sirin, 2005). Increasingly ffective structures of social equali zation (e. g. , public education, quality daycare, preschool intervention, and prenatal programs) and the expanding middle class create the need for more precise description of home environments. Current results suggest th at indices of home Internet use (i. e. , elements of the ecological techno- subsystem) pro vide more useful information regarding cognitive development than do family socioeconomic characteristics (elements of the microsystem). Only two of five family socioeconom ic characteristics added to the regres sion equation, suggesting that some measures (i. e. , family income father employment, and mother education) did not differ in relation to children’s cognitive development. In contrast, four of the five indices of home Internet use during childhood added to the regression equation, suggesting that these measures differe d in relation to children’s cognitive development. In the context of the current investigation, soci oeconomic status is a crude construct re lative to home Internet use. Internet use includes both organized (e. g. , search) and disorganized (e. g. , browse) interactions with both human (e. g. , chat) and nonhuman (e. g. , database) elements in online environments (Johnson & Kulpa, 2007).Internet use is a complex set of behaviors that vary widel y across individuals and th at is influenced by cognitive and personality characteristics (Joinson, 2003). For the current sample of children, patterns of home Internet use explained more of the variation in cognitive development than did family socioeconomic characteristics. In the context of middle class families, elements in the techno-subsystem (e. g. , Internet access) may not necessarily facilitate child cognitive development; effective use of those elements, highly dependent upon parent behavior, may promote development.For example, Cho and Cheon (2005) surveyed families and found that parents’ perceived control, obtained through shared web activities and family cohesion, reduced children’s exposure to negative Internet content. Lee and Chae (2007) reported a positive relations hip between parental mediation techniques (website recommendation and Internet co-use) and children’s educa tional attainment. In the current investigation, the cognitive experienc es provided to children by employed moth ers may include Internet skills instruction (e. g. , sending email) and models of information management (e. g. acc essing websites for informa tion). Such experiences, over time, may provide children with enhanced opportunities to direct their own cognitive development via increasingly sophisticated uses of the Internet. According to Livingston and Bober (2005), â€Å"a new divide is opening up between those for whom the internet is an increasingly rich, diverse, engaging and stimulating resource and those for whom it remains a narrow, unengaging, if occasionally useful , resource of rather less significance† (p. 2). Bruner (2005) recen tly reiterated that â€Å"our minds ap propriate ways of representing th world from using and relating to the codes or rules of available technology† (p. x). Cognitive abilities prerequisite to utilization of Internet applications constitute an implicit component of contemporary notions of intel ligence (Maynard, Subrahmanyam, & Greenfield, 2005). The ecological techno-s ubsystem furthers our understanding of environmental influences on child development by emphasizing the impact of digital technologies on cognitive growth during childhood. The techno- subsystem provides precise description of microsystemic mechanisms of developmental influence which lead to intervention strategies.According to Livingston and Bober ( 2005), many parents lack the skills to guide and support their children’s Internet use and Intern et-literate parents have Internet-litera te children. Subsequent research may evaluate the effectiveness of techno-subs ystem interventions for elementary school children at-risk, for example, the provision of home Internet access and pa rent Internet literacy training. As stated elsewhere, â€Å"current anxiety surrounding children’s Internet use should be for those whose cognitive processes are not influenced by the cultural tool† (Johnson, 2 006, p. 570).

Protrayal of Australian Landscape and Character

How has the Australian Landscape been used to portray and show the development of Australian Character? Refer to 2 Texts. As a person that calls Australia home, I have seen and heard many criticisms and descriptions of this land that were observed from foreigners. Although there are aspects that create the image of Australia such as the people and the natural fauna, the main and central idea that represents our home are her deadly and awe-inspiring environments and landscape. Australia’s character is built upon first impressions.As most people rely on their sight, their first impressions are from visual perspectives. The environment of which they arrive in or have experienced from media depend largely on what they see, thus making the Australian landscape of vital importance in creating the â€Å"Australian Character. † Due to the fact that we rely on sight, this also includes our limitless imagination; and the key to imaginations are words. Description, tone and the fe elings portrayed through words are the cause of imaginations and perceptions and because the iconic images of Australia are the landscapes we tend to include them in our portrayals.Written languages have been around for centuries, it is a way of communication and as informed so are images. The comparison for the development of Australia flows easily with words and is therefore usually portrayed in texts, other forms of literature and in songs. It goes into more depth. It is a detailed way to represent the character of Australia. There are many text examples, of which use the Australian landscape to portray the development of Australia such as poems like â€Å"My Country† and â€Å"The Fierce Country† and lyrics in the Advance Australian Fair.The poem â€Å"My Country† by Dorothea Mackellar is a famous Australian poem, well-known for the descriptions based upon Australia’s landscape. The poem contains many words related to landform such as â€Å"sweeping plains†, â€Å"ragged mountain ranges† and â€Å"wilful lavish land,† all in which have an adjective to accompany it. This creates allows us to imagine these depictions in the same perspective as the authors, which gives us a clear view to what she is talking about.The way Dorothea used symbolic words to describe Australia’s landscapes, helps us to grasp the concept of Australia’s character. A sample of this would include the contrasting effects in the verse: â€Å"I love a sunburnt country, A land of sweeping plains, Of ragged mountain ranges, Of droughts and flooding rains. I love her far horizons, I love her jewel-sea, Her beauty and her terror – The wide brown land for me! † Here the words symbolise and infer many characteristics that may bring out feelings. There are many ways to interpret Australia’s character through this.For example, the â€Å"sunburnt† gives me the idea of being durable and tough as well as the c olour of red, the â€Å"land of sweeping plains† keeps me thinking of being broad/wide and productive as plains contain fertile soil and the â€Å"ragged mountains† produces the personality of being persistent and being able to stand her ground through many years. Additionally, â€Å"her far horizons† perceives calmness, the â€Å"jewel sea† shows that Australia is rich, valuable and holds substance still to be discovered and the contrast in the line â€Å"her beauty and her terror† indicates that she is diverse.By reading through this verse of the landscape, it overall gives Australia the characteristics of being strong, durable, dynamic, tenacious, relaxed and unique and therefore portraying Australia’s characteristics. Another poem is Douglas Stewart’s, â€Å"Fierce Country. † In this case, the uses of landscapes are used constantly through the poem, in a way forcing us to think about only landscapes throughout the whole thi ng. He uses many personifications such as â€Å"the sun glares down on the stones and the stones glare back†, â€Å"red stones leap with fire† and â€Å"where the mirage still watches with glittering eyes. This enables us to think of this country as a living organism, which gives us an easier way to create Australia’s character and personality. The use of landscapes mixed along with personification also assists our interpretation as we are human and have experienced or seen these personified actions before, hence strengthening the concept through the whole poem and is a way in which the Australian landscape has been used.