Adaptability of Huck Finn essays

Adaptability of Huck Finn essays In Mark Twains novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck is faced with a handful of problems. Sometimes he has to lie to protect his identity, live off the land by hunting and fishing, and help Jim when needed. Huck makes many life-changing decisions as he grows and matures throughout the novel. Through the trials and tribulations that Huck must overcome, readers can see the ability of Huck Finn to adapt to any situation, even if it means lying or being deceitful. One of the first events that shows how well Huck adapts is when he fakes his own murder. Huck does not want to live in the cabin with his drunken father anymore, so he devises a plan to fake his own death. Huck is very methodical in the way he goes about it: I took an ax and smashed in the door...I fetched the pig in and took him back nearly to the table and hacked into his throat with the ax...I pulled out my hair and bloodied the ax good and slung it in the corner (p. 285) Huck thinks he did a good job and even wished Tom Sawyer was there to see his work. Satisfied, Huck leaves Paps cabin and sets out to adventure. The next event that shows Hucks adaptability is when he sets out on an adventure with Jim. They come across a small, rural town along the banks of the Mississippi River. Huck wants to go into town and see what the people are saying about his death. Huck devises a plan where he is to dress up like a girl so he will not be recognized. Huck describes the process of becoming a girl very vividly: So we shortened up one of the calico gowns and I turned up my trouser-legs to my knees and got into it. I put on the sun bonnet and tied it under my chin.(p. 298) Huck finds his way into an old shanty in the woods where he meets Mrs. Judith Loftus. Huck could have fooled her, but he didnt act much like a girl. Mrs. Loftus discovered that Huck was indeed a boy by the way he acted. She knew he was ...

The Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle The Golden Triangle is an area covering 367,000 square miles in Southeast Asia where a significant portion of the world’s opium has been produced since the beginning of the twentieth century. This area is centered around the meeting point of the borders that separate Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand. The Golden Triangle’s mountainous terrain and distance from major urban centers make it an ideal location for illicit poppy cultivation and transnational opium smuggling.   Until the end of the 20th century, the Golden Triangle was the world’s largest producer of opium and heroin, with Myanmar being the single highest-producing country. Since 1991, the Golden Triangle’s opium production has been outpaced by the Golden Crescent, which refers to an area that traverses the mountainous regions of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran.   A Brief History of Opium in Southeast Asia Although opium poppies appear to be native to Southeast Asia, the practice of using opium recreationally was introduced to China and Southeast Asia by Dutch traders in the early 18th century. European traders also introduced the practice of smoking opium and tobacco using pipes.   Soon after the introduction of recreational opium consumption to Asia, Britain replaced the Netherlands as China’s primary European trade partner. According to historians, China became the primary target of British opium traders for financial reasons. In the 18th century, there was high demand in Britain for Chinese and other Asian goods, but there was little demand for British goods in China. This imbalance forced British merchants to pay for Chinese goods in hard currency rather than British goods. In order to make up for this loss of cash, British merchants introduced opium to China with the hope that high rates of opium addiction would generate large amounts of cash for them. In response to this strategy, Chinese rulers outlawed opium for non-medicinal use, and in 1799, Emperor Kia King banned opium and poppy cultivation completely. Nonetheless, British smugglers continued to bring opium into China and the surrounding areas. Following the British victories against China in the Opium Wars in 1842 and 1860, China was forced to legalize opium. This foothold allowed British traders to expand the opium trade to Lower Burma when British forces began to arrive there in 1852. In 1878, after knowledge of the negative effects of opium consumption had thoroughly circulated throughout the British Empire, British Parliament passed the Opium Act, prohibiting all British subjects, including those in Lower Burma, from consuming or producing opium. Nonetheless, illegal opium trade and consumption continued to take place. The Birth of the Golden Triangle In 1886, the British Empire expanded to include Upper Burma, where the modern Kachin and Shan states of Myanmar are located. Nestled in rugged highlands, the populations that inhabited Upper Burma lived relatively beyond the control of British authorities. Despite British efforts to retain a monopoly on the opium trade and regulate its consumption, opium production and smuggling took root in these rugged highlands and fueled much of the region’s economic activity.   In Lower Burma, on the other hand, British efforts to secure a monopoly on opium production succeeded by the 1940s. Similarly, France retained similar control over opium production in the lowland regions of its colonies in Laos and Vietnam. Nonetheless, the mountainous regions surrounding the convergence point of the Burma, Thailand, and Laos borders continued to play a major role in the global opium economy. The Role of the United States Following Burma’s independence in 1948, several ethnic separatist and political militia groups emerged and became embroiled in conflict with the newly formed central government. At the same time, the United States actively sought to forge local alliances in Asia in its effort to contain the spread of communism. In exchange for access and protection during anti-communist operations along China’s southern border, the United States supplied arms, ammunition and air transport for the sale and production of opium to insurgent groups in Burma and ethnic minority groups in Thailand and Laos. This led to a surge in the availability of heroin from the Golden Triangle in the United States and established opium as a major source of funding for separatist groups in the region. During the American war in Vietnam, the CIA trained and armed a militia of ethnic Hmong people in northern Laos to wage an unofficial war against northern Vietnamese and Lao communists. Initially, this war disrupted the economy of the Hmong community, which was dominated by opium cash-cropping. However, this economy was soon stabilized by the CIA-backed militia under Hmong general Vang Pao, who was given access to his own aircraft and permission to continue opium smuggling by his American case handlers, preserving the Hmongs’ access to heroin markets in southern Vietnam and elsewhere. Opium trade continues to be a major feature of Hmong communities in the Golden Triangle as well as in the United States. Khun Sa: King of the Golden Triangle By the 1960s, several rebel groups based in northern Burma, Thailand, and Laos supported their operations through the illegal opium trade, including a faction of the Kuomintang (KMT), which had been expelled from China by the Communist Party. The KMT funded its operations by expanding the opium trade in the region.   Khun Sa, born in Chan Chi-fu in 1934 to a Chinese father and Shan mother, was an uneducated  youth in the Burmese countryside who formed his own gang in the Shan State and sought to break into the opium business. He partnered with the Burmese government, which armed Chan and his gang, essentially outsourcing them to fight the KMT and Shan nationalist militias in the region. In exchange for fighting as the Burmese government’s proxy in the Golden Triangle, Chan was permitted to continue trading opium. However, over time, Chan grew friendlier with Shan separatists, which aggravated the Burmese government, and in 1969, he was imprisoned. Upon his release five years later, he adopted the Shan name Khun Sa and devoted himself, at least nominally, to the cause of Shan separatism. His Shan nationalism and success in drug production garnered the support of many Shan, and by the 1980s, Khun Sa had amassed an army of over 20,000 soldiers, which he dubbed the Mok Tai Army, and established a semi-autonomous fiefdom in the hills of the Golden Triangle near the town of Baan Hin Taek. It is estimated that at this point, Khun Sa controlled over half of the opium in the Golden Triangle, which in turn constituted half of the world’s opium and 45% of the opium that came to the United States. Khun Sa was described by historian Alfred McCoy as â€Å"the only Shan warlord who ran a truly professional smuggling organization capable of transporting large quantities of opium.† Khun Sa was also notorious for his affinity for media attention, and he frequently played host to foreign journalists in his semi-autonomous narco-state. In a 1977 interview 1977 with the now-defunct Bangkok World, he called himself the â€Å"King of the Golden Triangle.† Until the 1990s, Khun Sa and his army ran an international opium operation with impunity. However, in 1994, his empire collapsed due to attacks from the rival United Wa State Army and from the Myanmar Armed Forces. Furthermore, a faction of the Mok Tai Army abandoned Khun Sa and formed the Shan State National Army, declaring that Khun Sa’s Shan nationalism was merely a front for his opium business. To avoid punishment by the government upon his impending capture, Khun Sa surrendered on the condition that he be protected from extradition to the US, which had a $2 million bounty on his head. It is reported that Khun Sa also received a concession from the Burmese government to operate a ruby mine and a transport company, which allowed him to live out the rest of his life in luxury in Burmas main city, Yangon. He died in 2007 at the age of 74. Khun Sa’s Legacy: Narco-development Myanmar expert Bertil Lintner claims that Khun Sa was, in reality, an illiterate frontman for an organization dominated by ethnic Chinese from Yunnan Province and that this organization still operates in the Golden Triangle today. Opium production in the Golden Triangle continues to fund the military operations of several other separatist groups. The largest of these groups is the United Wa State Army (UWSA), a force of over 20,000 troops nestled in the semi-autonomous Wa Special Region. The UWSA is reported to be the largest drug-producing organization in Southeast Asia. The UWSA, along with the  Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) in neighboring Kokang Special Region, have also expanded their drug enterprises to the production of methamphetamine known in the region as yaa baa, which is easier and cheaper to manufacture than heroin.   Like Khun Sa, the leaders of these narco-militias can be seen as both business entrepreneurs, community developers, as well as agents of the Myanmar government. Nearly everyone in the Wa and Kokang regions is involved in the drug trade in some capacity, which supports the argument that drugs are an essential component of the development of these regions, offering an alternative to poverty.   Criminologist Ko-Lin Chin writes that the reason why a political solution to drug production in the Golden Triangle has been so elusive is because â€Å"the difference between a state-builder and drug kingpin, between benevolence and greed, and between public funds and personal wealth† have become difficult to delineate. In a context in which conventional agriculture and local business is stunted by conflict and in which competition between the United States and China deter long-term successful development interventions, drug production and smuggling have become these communities’ path toward development. Throughout the Wa and Kokang special regions, drug profits have been funneled into road construction, hotels, and casino towns, giving rise to what Bertil Lintner calls â€Å"narco-development.† Towns such as Mong La attract over 500,000 Chinese vice tourists every year, who come to this mountainous region of the Shan State to gamble, eat endangered animal speci es and partake in the seedy nightlife.    Statelessness in the Golden Triangle Since 1984, conflict in Myanmar’s ethnic minority states has driven approximately 150,000 Burmese refugees across the border into Thailand, where they have been living in nine UN-recognized refugee camps along the Thai-Myanmar border. These refugees have no legal right to employment in Thailand, and according to Thai law, undocumented Burmese found outside of the camps are subject to arrest and deportation. The provision of temporary shelter in the camps by the Thai Government has remained unchanged over the years, and limited access to higher education, livelihoods and other opportunities for refugees has raised alarm within the UN High Commission for Refugees that many refugees will resort to negative coping mechanisms for survival. Hundreds of thousands of members of Thailand’s indigenous â€Å"hill tribes† constitute another major stateless population in the Golden Triangle. Their statelessness renders them ineligible for state services, including formal education and the right to work legally, leading to a situation in which the average hill tribe member makes less than $1 per day. This poverty leaves hill tribe people vulnerable to exploitation by human traffickers, who recruit poor women and children by promising them jobs in northern Thai cities such as Chiang Mai. Today, one in three sex workers in Chiang Mai comes from a hill tribe family. Girls as young as eight years old are confined to brothels where they may be forced to service up to 20 men per day, putting them at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Older girls are often sold overseas, where they are stripped of their documentation and left powerless to escape. Although the government of Thailand has enacted progressive laws to combat human trafficking, the lack of citizenship of these hill tribes leaves this population at disproportionately elevated risk of exploitation. Human rights groups such as The Thailand Project assert that education for the hill tribes is the key to solving the human trafficking issue in the Golden Triangle.

Capitalization and Depreciation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Capitalization and Depreciation - Research Paper Example If a company, for example, pays $20,000 in cash for equipment, its financial statements will not show that it spent $20,000. The statement will instead show that it converted $20,000 cash into $20,000 worth of equipment which is an asset. Expensing costs refers to reporting them on the income statements as outflows of money. When a company pays $12,000 for rent arrears, its financial statements indicate that money has been spent. Expenses decrease a companys profit or net income. The more costs businesses capitalize on rather than expense, the higher the profits they report to shareholders (Bragg 2007). GAAP refers business assets as the things the business controls or owns and have measurable economic value. When something does not fit in the description of an asset, it cannot be capitalized. Buildings, land, equipment, stocks, bonds, and items held in the inventory have future economic value that is measurable hence can be capitalized as assets. Other costs incurred in advertising, research, development, and marketing should be expensed. Although such costs are meant to produce future value, such value cannot be measured or evaluated at present (Jarnagin 2006). GAAP enables a company to capitalize the costs of acquiring assets and preparing them for use. Suppose a production company purchases a $13 million machine from a manufacturer in Italy. The company can capitalize on the buying price of the machine and also capitalize on the costs incurred in transporting the equipment from Italy. Assemblage costs, costs due to necessary modifications on the machine, taxes and tariffs paid for the equipment can be included on the capitalized costs. On smaller scale businesses, if a factory buys $98 in stock for investment intentions and pays a $1 commission, the company can capitalize on the full cost of acquisition cost: $99 (Weiss 2006). When companies capitalize on assets, it does not mean or refer

Terrorism---criminal justice Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Terrorism---criminal justice - Coursework Example The conversation on this topic has largely been avoided and there is little understanding among the public on this issue. Amimut refers to the Israel official policy of concealing information on nuclear weapons adopted in 1969 in the Nixon-Meir deal. Amimiut is a Hebrew term that means ambiguity or opacity. Amimut evolved out of various decisions that were continuously implemented due to strategic and political needs of the country. In the mid 1970s Shalhevveth Freier and the team of Israel Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC) formed the rules of the national doctrine on nuclear policy. The reasons for the country’s possession of nuclear were varied. Some leaders were of the opinion that the country’s possession of nuclear is a symbol of the country having a weapon of last result. Other leaders were of the opinion that Israel should not be the first country in the Middle East to be in possession of nuclear. During the Six-Day War, the then chief of Mossad, General Meir Amit was of the opinion that if Israel had nuclear weapons, this would act as an incentive for Soviet Union to supply Egypt wi th nuclear weapons. After an accident that occurred in Dimona complex in 1966 that left one person dead, the then Prime Minister of Israel Eshkol was shaken about the nuclear project and was of the opinion American diplomacy could be a better method. However, after heavy casualties that Israel suffered in the Six-Day War he changed his mind and supported the idea of the country creating a weapon and testing it in the desert so as to demonstrate the country’s nuclear capability (Cohen, A., 2013). Israel was also forced to make a stance of not been a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). This stance was because NPT was against the countries acquired nuclear capabilities. NPT also lacked adequate guarantees against protection by nuclear possessing countries such as the Soviet Union. Despite the heavy thought of the

Sports equipment Essay Example for Free

Sports equipment Essay In this paper I argue that the globalisation of sport by international sports corporations, the media and sporting celebrities have through advertising altered the sporting landscape by imparting predefined and specific cultural and social meanings to the sports consumer. Abstract: Highly successful professional sports teams attract heavyweight corporate sponsorship deals and wide ranging media coverage that further broadens their supporter base. The subsequent globalisation of sporting clubs allows sports marketers to target sports consumers through media advertising to convey commercial messages and specific cultural meanings. Particular attention is focused on Nike and Manchester United and the precise use of sports celebrities to promote and endorse sporting goods/apparel. The transfer of meaning from the constituted world and sports celebrity to consumer goods and then to the individual consumer is analysed and discussed. Moreover, the social importance and cultural identities given to the consumer by the iconic celebrity sports star constitutes an attractive culture the sports consumer wants to be in possession of. This paper further explores and discusses the role of corporations and their association with advertising in a commercial-cultural nexus and how they are able to sell a way of life to the sports fan. Additionally, the advertising techniques used by corporations to create iconic sports stars and global brands are discussed as to how this effects the consumer and the traditional sporting landscape. Essay: In a culture preoccupied world, people from all walks of life are obsessed with the celebrity. In particular, the celebrity sportsman and sportswoman are amongst the highest profile individuals. Collectively, we are captivated by sport stars’ lifestyles, love lives, earning power and skill. It is from these characteristics that people want to have some form of connection with the sporting celebrity. The globalisation of sport by international sports corporations, advertising corporations, the media and sporting celebrities have created an environment for sports advertising to  flourish as an industry that is intent to monopolise the market with sporting goods and apparel. The direct relationship between the way sports organisations market their goods and how people consume goods is often considered by many commentators to be symbolic sports branding that shapes the desires and actions of consumers. Holt contends that for advertising to work properly a ‘symbiotic relationship’ is essential between the ‘market prerogatives’ and the ‘cultural frameworks’ that consumers acquaint, understand and interact with market offerings (2002, p. 71). With the main focus of globalisation and increased industry profit, sports corporations seek to become ‘cultural engineers’ to organise how people think and feel through celebrity endorsed consumer sports goods (Holt 2002, p. 71). In this paper I argue that all-powerful sports corporations such as Nike and Manchester United use endorsements by sports celebrities with sophisticated advertising techniques. Their objective is to seduce and manipulate consumers into participating in the accumulation of commodities that oversees the indoctrination of culture, values and social identity. Whats more, I will further contend that through the globalisation of sport and the mass production of sports merchandise, sport corporations develop specific meanings and a set of techniques that rationalises consumer culture as a commodity. Also, I assert that sports advertising agencies exploit sports stars and their ‘aura of authenticity’ so that they themselves and their products become cultural icons. The resultant increased role for the sports star into advertising moves the sporting field boundaries that effectively alters the sporting landscape. I further contend that the imbued cultural meaning from sports corporations to the sports consumer by way of celebrity endorsements leads to new variants of sport being played. Nike’s three-a-side soccer competition is used as evidence to support my claim that sports corporations combined with celebrity advertising effectively alters the way some sports are played. Therefore, modifying the cultural sporting landscape. In the end, the rapidly increasing entity of sports globalisation relies on the sports celebrity to sell a way of life to sports fan/consumer via a commercial-cultural nexus. This not only transfers organisational meaning and culture to the consumer but also creates immense wealth for sports corporations, advertising agencies and the sports star. With the realisation of the power associated with television as an advertising medium, it quickly went beyond radio, newspaper and cinema to be the most influential medium of mass communication. The television has provided a round-table for the sporting consumer to develop intimate, visually informed relationships with sporting celebrities (Andrews Jackson, 2001). Considering Andrews Jackson’s common but insightful cliche, ‘the medium is the message’, the television has come to the fore front of advertising with identifiable sports celebrities encouraging the audience (sports consumer) to develop a ‘faux intimacy’ (2001, p. 3). Consequently, advertising on television and in most media forums has become celebrity saturated (Andrews Jackson, 2001). The fostering of sports celebrities as maintained by Andrews Jackson has made it possible for sports corporations to link the culture of the celebrity with consumer capitalism to take advantage of the dual roles occupied by celebrities as both products (commodities) and processes (celebrity endorsement) (2001, p. 4). In doing this, advertising agencies and sports corporations are able to exploit sports consumers. Andrews Jackson (2001) agree with McCracken (1989, 1986) to assert that the optimum goal of advertising agencies and sports corporations is to ensure that celebrities pass on and orchestrate the various facets of a predefined sports culture to foster a ‘highly visible celebrity identity’ that the consumer can recognise and identify with. In a sense, these sports agencies and corporations have carefully coordinated plans of cultural procedures. The growing media technology such as satellite television and the internet has further accelerated the globalisation of sport and with it the growth and expansion of sports corporations. The ever expanding sports corporations are desperate to associate their brands and products with the unique ‘aura of authenticity’ that is found within the celebrity sports star, so that their products are endowed and visualised as cultural icons. Today, global sports events are indelibly associated with wide media coverage that sees the iconic sports celebrity be portrayed as role models and in high regard (Smart, 2007). Importantly, Smart points out the desires and aspirations of consumers to be similar if not the same as their sporting celebrity icons and also claims that global sport is now increasing important to the promotion of commodity consumption (2007, p. 130). As shown, the contemporary landscape of advertising plays an important role in cultural practices and the process of globalisation of sport. As a result, contemporary social life is determined by advertising moreover, it is defined by it (Jackson Andrews, 2004). Additionally, Jackson Andrews (2004) assert that advertising is a key process that connects meaning and language to culture, thereby constituting social identities in specific contexts (2004, p. 7). The significance of celebrity endorsers can be found in their salaries. Jackson Andrews (2004) highlight that sports stars earn more from endorsements that they do from their sporting profession. Studies have documented and as pointed out by Andrews Jackson (2001), endorsing sports celebrities were present in 11 percent of television advertisements during 1995 that received more than US$1 billion dollars. Throughout the second half of the twentieth century the uncontrollable clandestine relationship between television and sport grew to irresistibly influence the meaning and understanding of sport culture that left the end product of sport being media-driven by celebrities for entertainment (Andrews Jackson 2001, p. 7). Today, sports are constructed, mediated, advertised and seen as contests between identifiable and recognisable individuals or teams of individuals (Andrews Jackson, 2001). Andrews Jackson maintain that sports fans that watch and experience sport develop an intimate attachment with these sporting individuals (2001, p. 7). Sports corporations and advertising agencies intentionally take advantage of this developed intimacy to transform sporting events and the sports celebrity into stories with characters consisting of heroes and villains (Andrews Jackson, 2001). Moreover, Andrews Jackson recognise that the constructed personalities of the heroes and villains are integral to sports advertising that create a purposeful contemporary sporting culture (2001, p.7). The sports celebrity occupies and possesses many complex roles such as elite athletes, entertainers, marketable commodities and role models within the global cultural economy (Andrews Jackson 2001, p. 9). In addition, sport has become a highly commercialised and a capitalist culture. The sporting celebrity as described by Andrews Jackson is a commodity of commercial culture that is forcibly imbued with large corporate values and culture thattries to initiate and intensify sports consumers desires, identification and cultural awareness/development (2001, p. 9). As such, the sporting celebrity has become highly ‘systematized’ with expanded institutional boundaries that effectively increases their sporting fields that allows them to operate as ‘cultural and economic agents’ (Andrews Jackson 2001, p. 7). Accordingly, altering the sports field, equates to altering the sporting landscape through advertising and endorsement of products by celebrities. In understanding the importance of celebrities in the midst of sports globalisation, Andrews Jackson assert that celebrities are significant public entities who are responsible for the formation of meaning and ideologies that offer contextually grounded maps for the sports consumer as they endeavour to gain their individualism and identity (2001, p. 1). What’s more, Andrews Jackson note Marshall’s 1997 insightful understanding of the celebrity to be a descriptor incorporating various forms of public individuality including, hero, leader, famous and star from which the celebrity exercises within popular culture (2001, p. 2). Whats more, the dynamism of the complex celebrity indicates that individual celebrities can and frequently do move back and forth between these individual states making them all the more marketable to endorse sporting goods (2001, p. 2). Accordingly, the role of the media to promote sports stars to the status of celebrity is crucial for sports corporations when deciding on particular celebrities to convey their cultural message to the consumer (Andrews Jackson, 2001). In looking at and analysing Michael Jordan as an athlete and a sports celebrity, his greatness is not only confined to the wooden confines of the basketball court. Considered by McDonald Andrews (2001) as the first truly marketable sport celebrity, Jordan has amassed unimaginable marketing conquests. Jordan’s endorsement of Nike sport shoes and apparel have seen him earn unmatchable capital accumulation, US$45 million in 1998 (more money than he received for playing basketball) (McDonald Andrews, 2001). McDonald Andrews further highlight that Nike made in excess in of US$3 billion from sales on the back of Jordan while Gatorade more than doubled its revenue in 1991 to make an impressive US$1. 5 billion (McDonald Andrews, 2001). It can be noted from these statistics that contemporary cultures are constructed by sporting corporations and advertising agencies that allow the personalities, lifestyles and sporting cultures of sports celebrities to encourage sports consumers to ‘be like mike’. Consequently, McDonald Andrews point out that Gatorade increased its market domination of the nutritional sports drink to an 80 percent share (2001, p. 1). As can be seen, sports celebrities have referent power that enables them to influence and develop sporting cultures in consumers. Advertising agencies and sports corporations view this as a valuable advantage to increase the sports cultural economy (McDonald Andrews, 2001). Pointed out by McDonald Andrews, Bob Dorfman from the advertising agency Foote passed comments to suggest that ‘Jordan is such a superhuman talent that everybody aspires to his level of performance†¦Everybody wants to be that good and have that much success’ (2001, p. p24). With Jordan’s amazing skills and talent the Jordan name produced an amazing amount of ‘Jordan Wannabes’ all wearing Jordan branded shoes and apparel (McDonald Andrews 2001, p.24). These ‘Jordan Wannabes’ could be seen playing street basketball trying to ‘be like Mike’ and slam dunk the basketball. This form of street basketball differed in rules and in the way it was played from the original indoor game. Essentially, the street rules basketball transformed the sporting landscape. Consequently, sports consumers with altered and newly developed cultures and values are playing the sport differently on different sporting fields with newly acquired sports apparel to effectively change the sporting landscape. The transference of values from Nike to Jordan to the sports consumer not only imbues an altered culture, but it also allows the sports consumer to create their own individual identity (McCracken, 1989). As such, the consumer is viewed to adopt the values and culture of the sports celebrity to be more in line with Jordan’s own and that of Nike (McDonald Andrews, 2001). Smart (2005) maintains that sport stars are very visible to the public and potential consumers because of their on field skills and the associated media coverage for publicly demonstrating such a high level of talent. These sport stars are subsequently in the sights of advertising agencies and sporting corporations to endorse sporting goods and apparel (Smart, 2005). As a result, the so called sporting star is transformed into a sporting celebrity that at times may or may not be directly linked with their team or their sport. For example, the commercials of Michael Jordan endorsing the ‘Air Jordan’ shoe by jumping to the basket to the sound of jet engines, ‘constituted the beginning of his cultural ascent to iconic status’ (Smart 2005, p. 113). Although the advertisement made no mention of the ‘Air Jordan’ shoes, the image and the subsequent culture of Jordan in the air combined with his cultural on court athleticism, was enough to persuade and influence consumers to make the ‘Air Jordan’ line of shoes the all time best seeling (Smart 2005, p. 113). The globalisation of sport has always been associated with advertising and as highlighted by Jackson et al. (2004), advertising has been defined in many ways due the ever changing nature of advertising. However, Jackson et al.state that advertising has at all times been strategic within the culture and commodification of sports advertising (2004, p. 1). More to the point Jackson et al. (2004) claim that cultural commodities shape one’s experience and identities which parallels Smart’s (2005) claim that sports celebrities are able to influence and persuade consumers. Additionally, Jackson et al. (2004) argues that advertising is at the forefront of the global economy and post-modern promotional culture. Taking this into account, advertising plays a key role in consumer culture and within the culture of representation and identity formation (Jackson et al. 2004, p.2). Moreover, I put forward that advertising has altered the sporting landscape with predefined cultural meanings by way of celebrity endorsements. The eventual transference of cultural meaning from the advertising agency, endorsed by the sports celebrity and passed on to the consumer not only creates individualised identities and cultural meaning for consumers, but also changes the way sports consumers play sport. As highlighted by Ross, in 2002 Nike promoted a ‘three-a-side sudden-death’ soccer tournament ‘in a cage inside an abandoned tanker’ that highlighted the games elite branded player’s skills, talents and marketability (2004a, p.68). Nike exploited the games stars and consumers by focusing on the individual feats of the elite individual stars rather than on a team focus (Ross, 2004a). Additionally, Nike put into full swing three-a-side tournaments all over the world for teenagers. The immense popularity for this variant of the game altered the way the game was played, where the game was played and therefore changed the cultural sporting landscape. There was no mention of the clothing or footwear worn by the sports celebrities depicted in the commercials rather, Nike concentrated on the three-a-side game and its celebrities to transmit and instil Nike’s corporate cultural meanings on the sports fan and potential consumer to purchase Nike merchandise and construct an individual identity. During the globalisation of sport growth years of the early 1990’s, Manchester United in an effort to increase revenue of more than just gate receipts, tried to convert fans into customers thorough the selling of sports merchandise. The end result for Manchester United saw an increase of fans to more than 25 nations, television deals in 135, its own fashion label and three mega stores (Ross 2004b, p, 88). Consequently, the outcome of the globalisation of Manchester United saw it grow from a soccer club to a global brand. Evidence of being such a global brand is in 1992 when Manchester United and Nike decided to release new playing strips that were continually replaced almost every year. Although, the Nike ‘swoosh’ at this stage was indelibly associated with child labour, it did not stop the fans and consumers buying Manchester United sports appeal (Ross, 2004b). Nike and Manchester United through specific advertising with sports celebrities were able impart their morally and aesthetic pleasing culture onto the sports consumer combined with that of the sport celebrities own values and culture. Ross quite rightly points out that there was much public disgust and rage towards Nike for the use of child labour, however, he further claims that because of the silence and possibly even ignorance of the endorsing sports celebrity, Nike and other sports corporations were able to keep the entire celebrity/branding/sweatshop system of the sports goods industry from unravelling (2004b, p. 93). Fundamentally, it is the values and contemporary culture passed on by celebrities that are exploited by sports corporations such as Nike and Adidas that are transmitted and passed onto the consumer (Ross, 2004b). These imposed values and cultures that the sports consumer takes on allows for individual identities to be seen and heard along with their new culture. Smart formulates the globalisation of sport with consumer culture to suggest that ‘the development of modern sport is bound up with processes of economic and cultural transformation associated with the global diffusion of capitalist forms of consumption’ (2007, p.113). Similarly, the chairman of Nike parallels Smart’s assertions by stating that ‘sport was at the hart of contemporary culture and increasingly defined the culture of the world’ (Smart 2007, p. 114). It is not without reason to put forward that professional sport, the media and corporate sponsorship are all linked together to forge massive profit on the backs of sports celebrities and their endorsement of merchandise. More accurately, Smart refers to this as the ‘golden triangle’ that results with sport being directly coupled with advertising and celebrity endorsements (2007, p.114). Such a link between the sports celebrity, advertising and sport itself highlights the importance of globalisation of sport plays in the economy of the consumer, sports corporations, advertising agencies and the various forms of the media. To be more precise, the globalisation of sport is closely linked with the ‘economic interests and the promotion of consumer culture’ (Smart 2007, p. 114). Sport poses a popular culture appeal and a sense of realism that sporting corporations aim to exploit to increase consumer capital accumulation. The global brands of sports clubs and celebrities combined with global marketing and the promotion of sports merchandise with ‘iconic celebrity sporting figures’ only further contributes to the growth of the supporter and consumer cultures (Smart 2007, p. 114). One of the main purposes for making certain sports and sports organisations global is to make and increase profits. The increased level in spectators and consumers attracts media and advertising interest that further increases the demand for sports equipment and specialised sports clothing that is unashamedly endorsed by sporting celebrities. The large economic growth experienced by sporting corporations innately constructs cultural global sports brands that the fanatical sports fan can identify with and desires (Smart, 2007). For example, Nike’s ‘Air Jordan’ line of shoes endorsed by Jordan himself transformed Nike’s profile, basketball itself and the nature of sports representation that consequently altered the culture of the consumer and the sporting landscape (Smart 2007; McCracken 1989). Smart (2007) points out that sports corporations predicted and understood the effects of globalising sport and the endorsement by sporting celebrities would only increase their revenue. Therefore, is easy to make the assumption that this understanding can be equated to McCracken’s (1986, 1989) theories that symbolic properties and cultural meanings possessed by the celebrity endorser and those of the constituted world are transferred to the consumer goods and then passed onto the consumer. This results in new identities for consumers as well as new or modified cultures. Potentially, the newly formed cultures can change the sporting landscape and place by way of altering the attire worn by participants and also by changing the way the game is played. For instance, backyard or even beach cricket is not played on the traditional field nor do the participants wear traditional attire for cricket. It can be said that these participants are influenced by sporting corporations to buy specialised sporting equipment (plastic bats and stumps) and clothing (celebrity endorsed clothing) that is clearly an action of acculturation brought on by sporting corporations and advertising agencies. Rather than one singular cultural identity constructed from the globalisation of sport there are many and varied cultures. Similarly noted by Mitchell, the cultural sporting landscape becomes quite complex with the introduction of different cultures (2000, p. 28). Moreover, Mitchell adds that the ‘morphology of landscape’ constantly creates and recreates the places and landscapes where people play sport (2000, p. 28). This is echoed through the culture of consumer capitalism and the accumulation of sporting goods and apparel. Hence, the modified clothes and sporting equipment endorsed by the culturally endowed sporting celebrity permits the transfer of cultural meaning and symbolic properties to the consumer (McCracken, 1989). Bertilsson (2007) has the same opinion that sporting celebrities fashion culture and meaning to the consumer to emphasises the value and meaning channelled into brands (2007, p. 2). Pettigrew puts forward that, sport by its physical nature is a form of consumption that is able to provide ‘insight into the role of consumption in human social life’ such as sports advertising and the accumulation of sports consumer goods (2001, p. 1). What’s more, Pettigrew (2001) contests that the consumption of sport including sports advertising and consumer accumulation of sporting merchandise attributes to individual lifestyles and social networks. Moreover, the globalisation and ‘marketisation’ of sport has made sport extremely commercialised that places the sports consumer and fan at a disadvantage because of the over exposure of celebrity sporting endorsements that effectively mould and shape ones social life and culture (Pettigrew 2001, p. 2). Many commentators including Pettigrew (2001) consider sport to be vital to culture and as such, sport has been directly associated with the development of self-identity due to the active lifestyles of people following and participating in sport. For that reason, the promotion of sports merchandise by sports celebrities are able to create social interactions (aided by culturally effective advertising themes), with the sports consumer (Pettigrew, 2001). Such employment of sporting themes and sporting celebrities in advertisements facilitates social interaction that portrays an appropriate context for product consumption that allows for self awareness and identity development to take place for the sports consumer. Importantly, advertising agencies identify the potential social interactions and use sporting celebrities to convey precise emotions, values and culture that represent the needs and desires of sports consumers. For example, the Nike brand has become so trusted, consumers are willing to pay top money for what they believe and determine to be superior quality, style and reliability (East, 1998). Nike through its ‘Just Do It’ advertisements with their many celebrity endorsers was able to influence vast amounts of sporting and non-sporting consumers to purchase their footwear. East points out that 80 percent of the running shoes sold in the US were in fact never used for the intended sporting activities that they were designed to do, thus effectively changing the sporting landscape and sporting culture (1998, p. 2). The iconic status Nike was able to develop for itself tended to focus not on the products it was advertising but rather on the celebrity wearing the product (East, 1998). Through its celebrities, Nike was able to articulate to its consumers that Nike products were cool (East, p. 2). East (1998) suggests that the success of Nike’s campaign is attributable to portraying a culture of quality. Moreover, East states that Nike was able to reassure its customers on quality and perfection by using the following sport stars: Bo Jackson, John McEnroe and Michael Jordan (2001, p. 2). For instance, East suggests that celebrity endorsements appeal to consumers sense of belonging and ‘hipnes’ that led to the prophecy ‘if you want to be hip, wear Nike; if you are hip, you are probably wearing Nike’ (East 1998, p. 2). Nike’s sporting celebrities were able to impart desirability into owing Nike shoes that not only changed the sporting landscape but it also developed new cultures based on sports corporations and advertising agencies values. Advertising plays an integrating role in cultural practices and the process of globalisation (Jackson et al. , 2004). Advertisements of sport generally contain some form of sports setting, imagery and celebrities to promote sports clothing, sports video games and sports equipment that contributes to the development of the globalised culture of commodification and consumption (Hilliard, 2005). In addition, Hilliard (2005) asserts that sports’ advertising encompasses economy, politics and the media. Furthermore, he notes that sports corporations by way of their association with sport sell ‘a way of life based on consumption’ by means of sports celebrity endorsements (2005, p. 4). The use of sports imagery is essential for sports advertising to target specific product categories such as clothing lines and video games. Advertising agencies generally use specific techniques to persuade the intended meaning of sport to ‘rub off’ on their merchandise: Firstly, celebrity athletes are presented in ‘non-threatening’ relationships so as to connect with the intended audience; Secondly, advertisers represent ‘sport as a site for hedonistic consumption’; Thirdly, advertisers continually make reference to sports cliches and slogans that are generally disseminated broadly within the national or territorial culture; and lastly, sporting corporations sponsor sport so as to receive the ‘official sponsor’ tag that appears beside the actual sport logo (Hilliard 2005, p.33). Additionally, the recognition and star appeal of the virtual super-human athletic feats of sports celebrities are captured and transposed into the form of video and arcade games. As suggested by Hilliard, the advertising of sports video games may feed into the culture of sports fans of not participating in sport and thus, altering and transforming the sporting field/landscape from outdoors to the lounge room and subsequent TV (Hilliard, 2005). In conclusion, the globalisation of sport occupies an important part in the economy for the consumer, sports corporations, advertising agencies and the media. The ‘golden triangle’ as described by Smart (2007) illustrates the tactics sports corporations and advertising agencies use to exploit the consumer through intelligent marketing strategies and celebrity endorsements. The resultant symbolic sports branding not only shapes the desires and actions of the sports consumer but also transforms consumer culture and the sporting landscape. Furthermore, the globalisation of sport has seen it loose its playful character while its traditional playing field has been extended by the celebrity sports star to be a global media spectacle with a sizeable financial economy. Advertising as stated by McCracken, is the ‘conduit through which meaning constantly pours from the culturally constituted world to consumer goods’ that allows sports celebrities to become idolised and seen as role models (1989, p. 6). It is from these attributes that sport celebrities and advertising agencies are able promote sports merchandise using the sporting celebrity’s lifestyle and sporting culture to influence and develop sporting cultures in consumers. What’s more, the ‘golden triangle’ has altered the sporting landscape with predefined cultural meanings on the back of celebrity endorsements. The advertising technique of not mentioning the actual product but rather concentrating on the sports star and the actions of the sports star indelibly creates sporting icons and cultural meaning for the sports fan/consumer. Such exploitation by sports corporations allows them to focus on changing popular sports in both rules and the playing field so that the sports consumer will be subdued and manipulated into the capitalist consumption of sports goods that governs the indoctrination of culture, values and social identity. Moreover, the imbued culture and status of wearing and being seen in a particular sports brand combined with the endorsement by celebrities creates a level of trust for consumers. It is this built up trust that consumers are willing to pay top dollar for what they believe is superior quality and reliability, although, in some instances child labour may have been used. The ‘aura of authenticity’ of sports stars helps sporting corporations to achieve significant profit margins and significant wealth for themselves that further contributes to the globalised culture of commodification and consumption of sport. The immense wealth created by the globalisation of sport for sports corporations, advertising agencies and the sports star has seen sport become a highly capitalist culture. Noting this, sport and sports advertising is vital to the development of consumer identity, lifestyles and social acceptance from the accumulation of sports merchandise and also participating in sport. The unambiguous celebrity advertising techniques allow sports corporations such as Nike and Manchester United to create and sell a way of life based on consumer consumption to generate meaning, culture and identity for the consumer that can potentially change the sporting landscape at the same time. Bibliography: Andrews, DL Jackson, SJ 2001, ‘Sport Stars: The Cultural Politics of Sporting Celebrity’, in Andrews, DL Jackson, SJ (ed. ), Introduction: sport celebrities, public culture, and private experience, Routledge, London, pp. 1-19. Bertilsson, J 2007, The Enculturation of Young Consumers, Proceedings of the Nordic Consumer Policy Research Conference 2007, viewed 13 May 2008, . East, S 1998.

Fragile Families Essay -- Article Review, Family Policy

Fragile Families: Articles and How They Contribute to Family Policy This paper will review two articles pertaining to â€Å"fragile families† and assess how they help contribute to family policy. â€Å"Fragile families† are very pertinent to the core of family policy. In the 1990’s the term â€Å"fragile families† originated out of a need to describe families not fitting into the traditional married – unmarried couples with children (McLanahan, Garfinkel, Mincy, & Donahue, 2010). Over a 60 year period non-marital births of children increased significantly. In 1940, 4% of children born were to non-married parents. However, by 2007 this number reached a high of 40%. These families can be compromised of cohabitating couples, non-cohabitating couples, or single mothers (Kalil & Ryan, 2010). They are deemed â€Å"fragile† because they are more likely to experience difficulties economically and relationship wise. They tend to be more impoverished, experience material hardship, and have absent fathers. More importa ntly fragile families are of great concern because they often lack stability as a family unit. Yet, fragile families have become one of the new family types and seem to be a permanent structure steadily on the rise. Bogenschneider (2006) stated that one of the main underlying issues of the family policy debate is the conflicting ideas of families (types). These conflicts are evident when you look at the 3 perspectives with regard to family policy: Concerned, Sanguine, and Impatient. This is why there has been increased focus on this new type of family. One of the issues that need be assessed with regard to fragile families is mothers’ economic conditions and their support systems. (McLanahan et al., 2010). Kalil and Ryan (2010), discuss mot... ... Craigie, and Gunn, 2010). Second, address factors that place the child at risk such as a lack of parent involvement. Third, directly address children’s risk through early child hood education amongst other things. There are also policy changes that can be implemented with regard to mothers’ economic plights and the resources available to them. There should be a strengthening of community based programs that aid mothers and a focus on them working efficiently (Kalil & Ryan, 2010). Safety nets provided in the form of things such as food stamps need to be strengthened as well. Policies should support these resources and have an ultimate goal of economic self sufficiency for mothers in fragile families. The issues presented allow policy makers to be well informed of the possible risks associate with fragile families and the issues they face, especially economically.

Developmental disorders of renal disease

Some of the common developmental kidney disorders include polycystic kidney disease, congenital nephrotic disease, nephroblastoma, renal agenesis, duplication anomalies, fusion anomalies, malrotation, multicystic dysplastic kidney disease, renal dysplasia, renal hypoplasia, etc. Congenital nephrotic disease is an inherited disorder that may present at birth in which the infant has proteins present in the urine (proteinuria) along with swelling of the body (oedema). The condition is rare and is usually found in children born in Finnish families. Children born with the disorder have a protein found in the urine, known as ‘nephrin’.Several substances such as proteins, fats, blood proteins, etc are excreted in the urine. The individuals develops several symptoms including swelling, low birth weight, malnutrion, kidney failure, poor appetite, infections, presence of blood in the urine, poor general health, cloudy appearance of the urine, etc (Charytan, 2006). Nephroblastoma o r ‘Wilm’s tumour’ is a condition characterised by the formation of a malignant tumour in the kidney. It commonly occurs in infants and children. Wilm’s tumour is a very frequent tumour that develops in the abdomen in children.The condition is frequently related to other birth defects such as urinary tract abnormalities, enlargement of one half of the body, missing iris, etc. As the condition is more frequent in identical twins, it is considered to have a genetic link. The tumour seldom spreads to the other parts of the body. One in every 200, 000 children develop this disorder. The child may develop several symptoms including abdominal pain and swelling, presence of blood in the urine, fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, malaise, hypertension, constipation, cloudiness of the urine, etc (Nanda, 2006).Polycystic renal disease (Cystic renal development disorder) is a familial condition in which the affect individuals develop cysts in the kidney. The co ndition is an autosomal dominant condition and the symptoms less frequently develop in childhood. One in every 1000 develops the symptoms of polycystic renal disease. In childhood, an autosomal recessive version of polycystic renal disease can also develop. The child may develop severe symptoms along with renal failure with a fatal outcome. Lung function insufficiency is another frequent complication that can result in death.The common symptoms of polycystic renal disease include abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, presence of blood in urine, flank pain, excessive passage of urine, drowsiness, hypertension, joint pain and swelling, nail defects, cysts in other portions of the body such as testis, liver and pancreas, colon defects, swelling of the kidneys, bile duct defects, portal hypertension, fibrosis, brain abnormalities, kidney stones, anaemia, frequent urinary tract infections, renal failure, liver failure, rupture and bleeding of the cysts, etc. The child has a positive family history of polycystic renal disorder.The exact manner in which multiple cysts are formed in the kidney is not understood clearly. However, a genetic cause has been outlined. Once the kidney cysts are formed, they tend to swell, resulting in deterioration of the kidney function. The individual develops several symptoms (Silberberg, 2007). Renal agenesis is a condition in which the kidneys fail to develop. It can occur unilaterally as well as bilaterally. In the bilateral form, several other conditions such as pulmonary hypoplasia, oligohydramnios, facial defects, limb abnormalities, etc, occur resulting in fatal outcomes.In the unilateral form, the individual develops trigone and ureteral orifice defects, absence of the ureter, etc. This form is less severe compared to the bilateral version. The individual can survive provided the kidney function is managed appropriately (Merck, 2005). Duplication anomalies are conditions in which the individual develops extra collecting systems. Th is may affect one kidney or both, and may involve the ureter, calyx, ureteral orifice and the renal pelvis. These conditions have to be treated very carefully depending on the extent to which function is affected (Merck, 2005).Fusion anomalies are conditions in which the kidneys are united to one another. However, the ureters are separate and enter the bladder on either side. Several conditions such as vesicoureteral reflux, congenital renal cystic dysplasia, etc, tend to occur more frequently with fusion anomalies. A condition known as ‘horseshoe kidneys’ is characterised by the fusion of the renal parenchyma bilaterally. It is one of the most common kidney fusion abnormalities. The ureters tend to function normally. Sometimes the point at which the renal pelvis is united to the ureter is abnormal resulting in urinary obstruction.The second most common kidney union anomaly is ‘crossed fused renal ectopia’ in which the kidneys are present on one of the body , and the ureter crosses the midline of the body and empties into the bladder of the either side. Pancake kidney or ‘fused pelvic kidney’ is a condition in which the kidney is single or fused and is emptied into 2 ureters and collecting systems (Merck, 2005). In multicystic dysplastic kidney, the kidneys consist of multiple cysts, cartilage, primitive tubules, and multiple cysts. The individual develops several symptoms such as infection, swelling, hypertension, etc.Renal dysplasia is a condition in which the renal tubules, vasculature, collecting tubules, etc, develop abnormally, resulting in distortion of the normal kidney function. In renal ectopia, the kidneys are not placed in their exact anatomical position resulting in several problems such as obstruction. Renal hypoplasia is a condition in which the ureteral bud gives rise to an underdeveloped and small kidney. However, the size of the nephrons is normal. The individual can develop hypertension (Merck, 2005). Ur eterocele is a condition in which the ureter is enlarged at the point it is inserted into the bladder.At this point, the flow of urine into the bladder is seriously affected resulting in obstruction and hydronephrosis. In neurogenic bladder, due to a defect in the spine at the lumbosacral region, the nerves that supply the bladder are affected resulting in improper drainage of the bladder. The individual is at a risk of developing several problems such vesicureteral reflux, infection, renal hypertension, scarring, renal failure, etc. Hydronephrosis is a condition in which the ureter and the collecting system are dilated (Conley, 2007). References: Charytan, D. M. (2006). â€Å"Congenital nephrotic syndrome.† Retrieved on January 26, 2008, from Medline Plus Web site: http://wwwils.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001576.htm Conley, S. B. (2007). â€Å"Congenital kidney diseases.† Retrieved on January 26, 2008, from Alberta University Web site: http://cnserver0.nkf.med.ualberta.ca/nephkids/congdiseases.htm Merck (2005). â€Å"Renal Anomalies.† Retrieved on January 26, 2008, from Merck Web site: http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec19/ch290/ch290b.html Nanda, R. (2006). â€Å"Wilms tumor.† Retrieved on January 26, 2008, from Medline Plus Web site: http://wwwils.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001575.htm Silberberg, C. (2007). â€Å"Polycystic kidney disease.† Retrieved on January 26, 2008, from   Medline Plus Web site: http://wwwils.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000502.htm

Aims and Values in School. 2.5

Aims and Values of Schools: Aims: * To attempt to reach a certain goal that gives people a purpose or intension to achieve a desired outcome. * It gives people/organisastions something to follow and work towards to achieve the best outcome. * To attempt the accomplishment of a purpose; to try to gain; to endeavor and aim to do well. Values: In order to achieve goals and aims, one strives and endeavours to attain certain actions, however such actions will not be undertaken at the expense of core values. Values offer principles and standards of behaviour that people and organisations follow. Values have a major influence on a person’s behaviour and attitude and serve as guidelines in all situations. * They are ideals and beliefs shared by members of a culture about what is good or bad, desirable or undesirable. * Values offer a moral code to follow. How schools demonstrate and uphold their aims and values: Aims in schools are set out to follow guidelines and attain what the scho ols desire to achieve. The schools strive to exceed their personal objectives.The aims and objectives of the schools are set by the Head Teacher, working closely together with, parents, staff, the community and sometimes the children of the schools. Although schools mostly share the same aims and objectives, they may differ slightly as schools set out there own goals. It is important for schools to communicate with others their aims and objectives as much as possible, as this gives parents and others the opportunity to gain an impression of the schools in question. This can be done through school prospectuses, school website, and open evenings/days.The schools can also demonstrate their aims by developing links with local communities where they work to develop the aims to improve pupil’s education and environment. Looking at one school in particular, we can see how they communicate and set their aims, and whether they do this successfully. Aims 1: To maximise every child†™s potential both educationally and socially: The schools aim is to teach in a way that interests and motivates pupils and to ensure that all pupils achieve outstanding academic results relative to their ability.The school regally tests the children’s level of abilities and offers extra tuition when needed. This offers extra support on a ‘one to one’ tuition bases. The school also offers the following to maximize every child’s potential: * In year 6 all children will have in their own individual tutor. The tutor meets the child on a regular weekly basis and discusses pastoral concerns as well as academic progress. Parents are welcome, therefore, to liaise with the tutor, who will have a good knowledge and understanding of their child’s progress. At the end of each term, parents are sent full reports, including subject comments, as well as social involvement in the school. * Parents are also sent ‘marked reading slips,’ during the term , which indicate attainment and effort grades, together with comments from the tutor. * Tests are done internally through the school during various times through the school year. This allows for the teachers to monitor the pupil’s academic abilities. The school states that one of the features of the school ethos is that no two days are the same.They offer a wide range of sports and lessons to improve the child’s overall experience. They keep the children busy and offer a fun environment for learning. Sporting success is certainly a major part of life at the school in question, but they also realize that sport is about giving an opportunity for the majority of the school to work in a team, and to give them a sense of pride in their own performance. Games sessions at the school take place for all pupils every day of the week, except Thursdays, including matches on Wednesdays and Saturdays.They believe in ‘putting out' as many teams as possible on match afternoons t o include boys of all abilities. The school offers the following sports: cricket, athletics, squash, swimming, cross-country, hockey, polo, shooting, rugby, table tennis, and chess, tennis, football, athletics, golf, polo and croquet. Aim 2: To ensure that every child is treated equally regardless of race, gender, social background and special needs: Promoting equal opportunities is fundamental to the aims and ethos of the school. They welcome applications from candidates of all cultures and backgrounds.The school believes that this enriches the community and is vital in preparing the pupils for today’s world. They concentrate strongly on educating the individual, providing a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere where each individual feels valued. The school is committed to equal treatment for all, regardless of an individual’s race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, learning difficulty, body image or social background. We believe that the educationa l experience can only be enriched if children are exposed to as wide a range of cultural experiences as possible whilst they are developing.Scholarships and bursaries may be offered in order to make it possible for as many as possible who meet the school’s admission criteria to attend the school. The Headmaster, senior management team and staff play an active role in monitoring the schools policies on equal opportunities. Within their classes, assemblies, and sports they promote the following: * Interact with all children, and encourage them to work as a team. * Tolerance of each other and respect for each other’s position within the school community. * Positive images and role models to avoid prejudice and raise awareness of related issues. Foster an open-minded approach and encourage pupils to recognise the contributions made by different cultures. Bias should be recognised. * Understand why and how we will deal with offensive language and behavior. * Understand why we will deal with any incidents promptly and in a sensitive manner. * The school also offers extra English for children who are struggling with the language. A successful equal opportunities policy requires strong and positive support from parent and guardians, and full acceptance of the school’s ethos of tolerance and respect.Aim 3: To work in partnership with parent to encourage positive attitudes towards learning: A child’s home life has such a powerful effect on children’s learning especially in early years. It is important for parents to get involved and pay a keen interest in the progress of their child in school. The child not only receives skills, knowledge and intellectual stimulation but they also absorb a positive attitude towards learning and encouragement outside of school. At home parents can provide more one-to-one attention.At the school being discussed, they offer the following to encourage families to take an interest in their child’s pr ogression: * Formal meetings for parents to discuss their child’s progress with individual subject teachers are held twice a year. The school also offers parents the chance to attend informal meetings any time of the year to discuss their concerns with their child progress. * Follow a homework policy: as the school along with the Department for Education believes that, ‘Well organised homework can play a vital role in raising standards of achievement. * The school believes that homework provides the following to the child’s success: It raises children’s achievement. It consolidates and extends the work they have done in school. It helps to inform parents about their child’s schoolwork and allows parents the opportunity to support their work. It is a valuable life skill and develops good work habits for secondary school and future employment. Aim 4: To ensure a safe and secure school community: Child Protection is always a top priority at the school in question.They recognise that it is its objective and duty to safeguard from harm, and actively promote the welfare of each individual child. * Their focus is of positive welfare outcomes for the schools children and upon reducing any risks to the children while they are at school. * Their primary aim is to ensure that they create an atmosphere in the school where all children feel secure and valued. All welfare provision is directed towards this goal, whether the provision is a matter of people, premises, policies or practices. Their policies and practices follow the National Minimum Boarding Standards and are informed by the Berkshire Local Safeguarding Children Boards Child Protection Procedures. * The school states that there is no place for abuse of any kind in their community and they will do all in their power to prevent any incidents of physical, emotional or sexual abuse at the school. The school itself recognises that all staff have a full and active part to play in prot ecting the pupils from harm, and that the child’s welfare is of paramount concern.Staff at the school are reminded that the following things must be avoided at all times: * Corporal punishment, having favorites, humiliation and punishment outside of the schools disciplinary system. * Inviting individual boys into a staff room. Staff must respect privacy and private space, particularly in lavatories, changing rooms and showers. They are reminded to supervise and not watch. The school clearly states that all staff receive the relevant training in child protection and interagency working which must be updated every two years. All staff are issued with credit card sized key points for child protection. All staff who are appointed to a position in the school are subject to recruitment checks in line with DCSF Standard 4 and governors to DCSF Standard 4B, as well as in line with National Minimum Boarding Standard 14. * Risk assessments are done throughout the school to ensure that all environments are safe. * The school itself is a gated school and has CCTV cameras which provides the school with valuable information. The school’s child protection policy and procedures will be reviewed once a year by the Governing Body, including a review of the efficiency with which the related duties have been discharged.

How to Launch Your Very Own Podcast the CoSchedule Way

How to Launch Your Very Own Podcast the Way Do you love podcasts? Of course, you do. And you’re not alone. About 48 million people listen to them each year up 6 million from last year. One-third of Americans (ages 25-54) listen to podcasts monthly, so they’re not just for nerds anymore. Its not too late to jump in the game. The time is now. Want to start a podcast? How do you do it? How much does it cost? What equipment and technology will I need? How do I land the best guests? If you dont even know where to begin, fear not. Nathan Ellering and Jordan Loftis of are here to talk about the early days of the Actionable Marketing Podcast (AMP) and lessons they learned along the way. AMP podcast was created as a supplement to ’s blog and reach new audiences Smart people use as a tool, so the podcast gave the company an opportunity to build relationships with them Finding guests can be intimidating; start with those around you,then feature customers and their stories and experience using your product and services AMP was initially focused on content marketing; but people who do content marketing, do it as one part of marketing thats not all they do AMP gives you helpful information, and expect you to act upon it If you want a podcast, start simple with just a microphone, room, and people to talk to; thats all you need don’t over-complicate it and learn as you go Listening to and looking at yourself at first is weird; may sound like a 12-year-old chipmunk and look like Harry Potter in flannel Ultimately, when it comes to podcasts, its about the content whether it gets shared and how it connects with people High-priced and high-tech mics and other equipment are not necessary; keep the cost low when starting a podcast look around to see what you already have Necessities: Mic, filter for that mic, Internet connection, call recorder, and quiet room; use Libsyn or some other podcast hosting option Interviewing: Can be kind of a nerve-wracking experience do it to learn it; #1 thing when interviewing is to be the listeners advocate or sit in the listeners seat Build credibility to snag big-name guests; but don’t try to just name-grab, invite people who you think highly of and offer incredible value Links: Andy Crestodina Gini Dietrich ’s Blog Libsyn Neil Patel Michael Brenner Rand Fishkin Pat Flynn Noah Kagan Amy Porterfield Content Marketing World Write and send a review to receive a care package If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes: â€Å"We knew that we had some really smart people who use as a tool, and it gave us an opportunity to build relationships with those people.† Nathan Ellering â€Å"Something that we want to do is not just give you some information that is somewhat helpful; we want to make sure that you can actually act upon it.† Nathan Ellering â€Å"If you dont start, youll never learn. So, dont let the fear of getting started prevent you from actually starting your own podcast.† Nathan Ellering I think the number one thing that Ive learned interviewing people is try to be the listeners advocate or sit in the listeners seat. Jordan Loftis

How to Refer to Time

How to Refer to Time How to Refer to Time How to Refer to Time By Mark Nichol It’s time to talk about time: specifically, how to write references to units of temporal measurement. This post will note style for increments from seconds to centuries. Time of Day Imprecise times of day are generally spelled out: â€Å"six-o’clock news,† â€Å"half past one,† â€Å"a quarter to three,† and â€Å"eight thirty,† as well as â€Å"noon† and â€Å"midnight,† which are preferable to â€Å"12 pm† or â€Å"12 am,† because technically, these times are neither post meridiem (â€Å"after midday†) or ante meridiem (â€Å"before midday†). Another solution is to write â€Å"12 noon† or â€Å"12 midnight,† although the latter term could refer to either the very beginning or the very end of a given day. The style for precise time is â€Å"12:34,† though one-hour increments can be written with or without double zeroes as placeholders: Write â€Å"1:00 p.m.† or â€Å"1 p.m.,† though the former style is often seen as punctilious. Much of the world uses a twenty-four-hour clock system, so that the U.S. notation â€Å"1:23† is rendered almost everywhere else as â€Å"1323,† without a colon. This system is used occasionally in the United States, as in military and technological usage. Months and Days and/or Years References to dates consisting of the month and day require no comma (â€Å"October 10 is tomorrow†), but set off an appended year with commas (â€Å"October 10, 1960, dawned clear and bright†). (Don’t abbreviate the name of the month except in statistical arrays such as graphs and charts or to preserve direct quotations.) A subsequent mention of a day of the month (in which the month is known but not expressed again), however, should be spelled out in ordinal form (â€Å"The 11th, by contrast, was dark and gray†); note that the ordinal should not be styled in superscript form. Omit a comma before and after the year when the month but not a specific date precedes it: â€Å"January 2010 was an unusually wet month.† A note to writers of American English: Keep in mind that much of the world uses day-month-year notation (â€Å"25 December, 2010,† and â€Å"25-12-10† as shorthand for that date), so make sure international readers are clear about which number-only notation you use. Years Years are almost always rendered in numerals. One major exception honors the convention of not beginning a sentence with a number, but it’s better to recast a sentence than to write, â€Å"Two thousand eleven began auspiciously.† Another end run around this problem is to precede the year at the beginning of a sentence with the phrase â€Å"The year,† but this strategy introduces nonessential wording and creates an inconsistency if other years are mentioned in the same content. Years can also be abbreviated (â€Å"the spirit of ’76,† â€Å"the panic of ’29†), but note that the elision marker is an apostrophe, not an open single quotation mark. Decades Decades are displayed in numeral form or spelled out. However, no apostrophe is needed in the former style (â€Å"2010s,† not â€Å"2010’s†), although some publications retain this archaism. Do, however, precede the elided version of a decade with an apostrophe, just as in informal references to specific years, as mentioned in the previous post. Phrases that include more than one decade generally use complete numbers for all decades (â€Å"the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s†)† but elision is acceptable in informal usage. Lowercase spelled-out versions (â€Å"the nineties†) unless the number is part of the signifier of a cultural era (â€Å"the Roaring Twenties†). Ten-year ranges of decades are divided one of two ways: â€Å"2000-2009† (or â€Å"2000-09†), or â€Å"2001-2010† (or â€Å"2001-10†). If your writing project includes multiple references to decades and you mix decade ranges and spelled-out names of decades throughout, make your preference for when a decade starts known, and stick with it. Note that the first two decades of any given century cannot logically or gracefully be rendered in numerals or words: â€Å"1900s† already applies to the entire century, and â€Å"1910s† is inelegant because the numbers between 10 and 20 do not have the same naming patterns as the larger numbers; meanwhile, â€Å"the oughts† (or â€Å"aughts†) and â€Å"the teens† are widely considered clumsy solutions. Centuries and Eras Spell out or use numerals for names of centuries consistently depending on what style you use for other periods of time, but lowercase the word century. BCE and CE (â€Å"before Common Era† and â€Å"Common Era†) are acceptable secular alternatives to AD (anno Domini, or â€Å"the year of our Lord†) and BC (â€Å"before Christ†), but the traditional forms prevail. Note that syntactically, AD precedes the year, while BC follows it. (You’ll often see these abbreviations rendered in small caps diminutive versions of uppercase letters but this practice is fading in frequency.) Also, although the second number in a range can usually be elided to two digits (â€Å"2001-10†), when used with BC or BCE, the full form should be used to avoid confusion because, in these cases, the range falls rather than rises. (In other words, â€Å"175-50 BC† is the full expression of a 125-year range, not one of a single generation in which the second number is elided.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:4 Types of Gerunds and Gerund PhrasesProbable vs. PossibleThe Uses of â€Å"The†

Educational Law and Students with Disabilities Essay

Educational Law and Students with Disabilities - Essay Example This has been realized by the formulation of a number of legislation that made it mandatory to offer the same educational standards and facilities in all public schools for the disabled children. These legislations gave children protection under the law that acted as a safeguard to their right of education. This paper seeks to highlight educational law and students with disabilities. The article from the New Jersey Times by Erin Duffy/The Times of Trenton highlights the plight of Trenton school district’s Life Skills program in Daylight/Twilight High School. In the article, Duffy gives information pertaining to the situation regarding the plight of education for disabled children. She uses testimonies garnered from a member of staff at the institution who claims to have witnessed the below par educational practices with regard to the Life Skills program at the school. Of particular interest is the case of a disabled youth who is termed as problematic, which leads him to being punished by washing the hallways and washrooms during class time. Another example of student neglect is the case of a Liberian student who gets robbed nearly everyday by his classmates, and there has been no intervention from the teachers. The situation at the institution is further aggravated by the fact that there exists no set school curriculum to cater for the immediate learning requirements of the disabled children in the institution. According to Duffy’s source who goes by the name Deborah Downing Forston, there is cheating when it comes to what the teachers are supposed to teach. This is exemplified by her statements that these students are subjected to the same repetitive learning content everyday of the week throughout the term. Forston claims there is lack of motivation in both the teachers and students which is characterized by low expectations caused by what she termed as a complete lack of learning within the program (Duffy, 2013). Duffy highlights the plight of the disabled students and some concerned members of staff by putting her job on line when she condemns the way things are run at the school with regard to the Life Skills program. In a second article reporting on the same issue after about a week, Erin Duffy is able to learn the history of the institution with regard to education and students with disabilities. Duffy tells of the improving situation not only in Twilight/Daylight High School, but throughout the Trenton area with similar Life Skills programs. According to Duffy, this is being done by efforts from the district’s education Superintendent Francisco Duran who is coordinating visits to schools to assess the situation and formulate policies and instruction of improving the situation. These improvements will include training special education teachers and according to Duran, to broaden and expand life skill activities by increasing the activities for students with higher levels of disabilities (Duffy, 2013). According to Forston the whistle blower, the approval of resolutions by the school board to address this dire situation by investing more attention and funds is long overdue. This will go a long way in alleviating disabled children’s chances of making it out on their own after school. She recognizes earlier efforts by the district’s special services director Stuart Barudin, because the Life Skills p

Management Health Care Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Management Health Care - Term Paper Example Introduction United States healthcare system is currently undergoing a transformation. The changes that are occurring in this industry are totally unprecedented and are responsible for the changed outlook of this industry. In the United States, healthcare services are fundamentally provided by separate legal entities belong to the private sector of the country. Government also lends it support to healthcare seekers in the form of government funded programs like Medicare, Medicaid, Tri-care, Child Health Insurance Program and Veteran Health Administration. In this industry, employers and health insurance agencies also play a vital role (Odier, 2010). Currently, in the United States a heated debate is going on over the issue of healthcare cost to the general public and its widespread availability at the time of need. These healthcare reforms seeks to address issues such as right to healthcare; access to health care for everyone; fairness of the healthcare service provider; and efficien cy with which health care services are administered to patients. ... Despite of huge investments in healthcare, it has been found that its infant mortality rate in USA is higher and life expectancy rate is less than any other industrialized nation. Recent industry data indicates that the country has gained little in returns against huge expenditures. Obesity, heart diseases and cancer has surged amongst American population. This signifies crisis in the healthcare industry (Dougherty and Conway, 2008). These above mentioned situations in the industry are heavily influencing the way the industry is shaping itself. Consequently, a heated debate is underway regarding the role of healthcare service providers and other stakeholders of this industry. Discussion The debate is over the current situation of health care industry in United States, these are administered from four separate perspectives which are elaborated below. Scenario 1: Business as Usual This scenario for health care management and development in United States stems from a business perspectiv e. Accordingly, this side of picture advocates that the health care strategy and its corresponding procedure is a product of health care market demand and supply drift and government intercession. A trend of aging has been witnessed in America with time in the American population progression; it has been found that the life expectancy of Americans has been increased by 20 years over the last 5 decades. The percentage of the total American population heading towards aging has also been increased with baby boomers generations’ senescence. This wide fraction of Americans has identified the growing segment of market which demands integrated health care systems and institutions (Shortell and Kaluzny, 2005). The cost of establishing a