Claude Mckay s Influence On American Culture - 1266 Words

Literature is a big part of all cultures. People acquire a vast amount of information from what is being read. The way they are written and the people who wrote them can change the manner in which values are being seen. Every culture and race is unique it includes language, art, rituals, beliefs plus a great deal more. With all the different race and cultures in the country, it has shaped the American perception and identity. When a person of a certain ethnic background, gender, sexual preference, even religious view writes it is only natural for their heritage, culture and racial influence to be present. This is what makes the work powerful. As in that of Claude McKay, because of him being an African American writer his work offers a new method of considering and appreciating what it entailed to be of a certain race or gender. Showing how culture and race affect the overall meaning in his writing. Claude McKay’s poems reflect on American culture during a specific time in history, known as Harlem Renaissance. A time where racism was predominately a way of living for many, this was a beneficial time in history for African Americans. Bringing blacks together in a new movement that had not been present in America. Development in which blacks emphasized themselves by taking on their racial identity. It was a time period in which the black community helped each other to be able to express themselves as who they truly are, creating a true African American visual doing soShow MoreRelatedBlack Empowerment By Maya Angelou And Claude Mckay921 Words   |  4 Pages Black empowerment in my opinion is the uplifting of African Americans to achieve a greater purpose in life, while enhancing the black community as a whole. Black empowerment can be achieved in many ways, such as influences from musical artists as well as popular actors and actresses. They become major influences based on their celebrity status. Numerous people in our society disregard the influence that literature impacts our culture, especially in earlier time periods. A reason for this is possiblyRead MoreEssay on Journey to the Harlem Renaissance1282 Words   |  6 Pagesof freedom for African Americans. It showed blacks that they were becoming equals in American society. The talents of African Americans soared in art, music, literature and especially poetry. The main writers embodying the Harlem Renaissance were Claude McKay, Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen. Claude was born in Jamaica, in 1898. He got his education from his older brother, who â€Å"possessed a library of English novels, poetry and scientific texts.† (Callahan, 784) Claude was a little older whenRead MorePoetrys Influences on the Harlem Renaissance2031 Words   |  9 PagesEnglish 11 15 May 2013 Poetry’s influence on racial equality Racial equality has been the topic of many works for centuries. Many of those works weren’t written by those actually affected by inequality. During the 1920’s African Americans began to express their opinions on the issue more frequently through the arts. Poetry was among the most prominent forms of art used for spreading equality and justice. Poets like Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Claude McKay wrote many poems that spoke on equalityRead MoreHarlem Renaissance Essay1069 Words   |  5 PagesHARLEM RENAISSANCE Throughout the history of African Americans, there have been important historical figures as well as times. Revered and inspirational leaders and eras like, Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement, Nat Turner and the slave revolt, or Huey Newton and the Black Panther Party. One such period that will always remain a significant part of black art and culture is the Harlem Renaissance. It changed the meaning of art and poetry, as it was known then. Furthermore, theRead More The Harlem Renaissance Essay1031 Words   |  5 PagesHARLEM RENAISSANCE Throughout the history of African Americans, there have been important historical figures as well as times. Revered and inspirational leaders and eras like, Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement, Nat Turner and the slave revolt, or Huey Newton and the Black Panther Party. One such period that will always remain a significant part of black art and culture is the Harlem Renaissance. It changed the meaning of art and poetry, as it was known then. Furthermore, theRead More The Harlem Renaissance: Writers Reacting To Their Political Environment3405 Words   |  14 Pages The Harlem Renaissance emerged during turbulent times for the world, the United States, and black Americans. World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 had left the world in disorder and stimulated anticolonial movements throughout the third world. In America, twenty years of progressive reform ended with the red scare, race riots, and isolationism throughout 1919 and led to conservative administra tions through the twenties. While blacks were stunned by racial violence near the end of theRead MoreAfrican American Relationship With The South : A Dual Perspective1204 Words   |  5 PagesAfrican American relationship with the South: a dual perspective Introduction The experiences that African Americans went through, whether in the North or South, played a significant role in shaping their attitude towards the New World. Markedly, they entered into an era of servitude, where they pledged loyalty to the superior white man. Nevertheless, experiences were different; the North treated African Americans in a different way compared to the South. Part of this reason may be the geographicalRead MoreThe Harlem Renaissance, A Social, Cultural, And Artistic Movement1298 Words   |  6 Pagesstarted in Harlem, New York during the 1920’s. Although it is generally considered to span from 1918 to the mid-1930, many of its ideas continue today. â€Å"The Harlem Renaissance was a phase of a larger New Negro movement that had emerged in the early 20th century and in some ways ushered in the civil rights movement of the late 1940’s and early 1950’s† (Thomas, 2017). â€Å"The social foundations of this movement included the Great Migr ation of African Americans from rural to urban spaces and from South toRead More Writers of the Harlem Renaissance Essay2535 Words   |  11 Pagesof the Harlem Renaissance During the 1920?s, a ?flowering of creativity,? as many have called it, began to sweep the nation. The movement, now known as ?The Harlem Renaissance,? caught like wildfire. Harlem, a part of Manhattan in New York City, became a hugely successful showcase for African American talent. Starting with black literature, the Harlem Renaissance quickly grew to incredible proportions. W.E.B. Du Bois, Claude McKay, and Langston Hughes, along with many other writersRead MoreBrief Summary of the Harlem Renaissance.1863 Words   |  8 Pagesfirst time that mainstream publishers and critics took African American literature seriously and that African American literature and arts attracted significant attention from the nation at large. Although it was primarily a literary movement, it was closely related to developments in African American music, theater, art, and politics. BEGINNINGS The Harlem Renaissance emerged amid social and intellectual upheaval in the African American community in the early 20th century. Several factors laid the

Why Law And Ethics Should Be Legal - 1501 Words

People that work with laws every day know that it isn’t an exact science. The reason is not that it has a lot of issues or that it is always affected by politics, instead the main reason is the human factor. People end up changing their minds and everyone one makes mistakes at some point. For example, in legal situations the information that is collected could be incorrect or made up. That is the main reason why law and ethics go side by side. Most people want to make the correct decision whenever it comes to something that deals with law and ethics. When people look at something that is illegal, they automatically see it as unethical. However, whenever something is legal people think that it is ethical. Law is a system of rules of human conduct created by society but enforced by public authority. Being able to understand what is right or what is wrong, plus the ability to recognize the difference between them is called ethics. To have a successful business, employers need to have intensive ethical values as well as an organizational culture run on a set of ethical principles. As a matter of fact, the ethical issue is very important because it could certainly affect stakeholders who are interested in the company. Furthermore, if an organization has high values in terms of ethics, the impression that the stakeholder obtains will be the key in building a trust relationship convincing them stay in the organization longer. Finally, to gain a good reputation in society it isShow MoreRelatedThe Integration Of Law And Ethics945 Words   |  4 PagesAs the subject title indicates, Substantive ethics is about the integration of law and ethics in corporate ethics programs. The author of this article gives numerous examples of why integration of law and ethics is needed. There are numerous areas of concern, such as dishonest corporate dealings, global human rights, tort lawsuits, and questionable executive salaries (Blodgett, 2012). There is a view that laws ar e rules meant to be followed and not necessarily understood for its ethical value. ThisRead MoreEuthanasi Death And Dignity Act1674 Words   |  7 Pagesbiblical standards of ethics, and discovering my personal ethics about euthanasia. As the group first started researching, we had to decide whether we would support euthanasia or not. This was rather difficult because as the group we had to either decide whether we were for euthanasia or if we were against it. To overcome the difficult task, the group decided to split the group into three people each. Half of the group decided to research the reasons of why euthanasia should be legal, while the otherRead MorePaul And Elder s Mini- Guide : Understanding The Foundations Of Ethical Reasoning Essay1066 Words   |  5 Pagesthe concept of ethics and how it can often create confusion by their counterfeits, such as the domains of social conventions, ideological thinking, and legal thinking. On numerous of occasions ethics is being confused with the very different modes of thinking. Paul and Elder conclude by clarifying, it is essential, to differentiate ethics from other modes of thinking. Ethics essentially provides us the true distinction between what is morally right and what is morally wrong. Ethics is the scienceRead MoreLegal Ethical Environment of Business1025 Words   |  5 PagesLegal amp; Ethical Environment of Business DATE: 2/4/2013 Week 1 Assignment PART 1: Follow the link below, read the article and analyze the practice of â€Å"dumping† dangerous drugs overseas. Can an American company be penalized for marketing a product deemed unsafe by the U.S., if it is not also banned by the foreignRead MoreLaw, Like Human Beings, Can Be A Fickle Thing? Essay1405 Words   |  6 Pages Law, like human beings, can be a fickle thing. The subjects they cover fail to give clear answers, however there are reason why laws are specific and detailed in their construction. Which can explain as to why laws are hard to be describe, define, and determine. Something as complex as a law will always have many ins and outs, for as society changes so will its laws to accommodate for the new world. Laws are passed, and depending on the law it may impact little to countless people. Since the UnitedRead MoreQuestions On Ethical And Legal Issues929 Words   |  4 PagesChapter Summary 4: Ethical and Legal Issues Chapter four was very informative and explain a lot about the legal issues and rules that are placed in the psychology field. The text put in perspective the importance of ethical and legal issues and how interns should be aware of policies. It also talked about confidentiality and release of information. It is very imperative that a client’s information stays private for legal matters. Ethical and law codes were created so that clients can have securityRead MoreLegal Business Practices in the United States and Korea Essay1470 Words   |  6 Pagesbusiness practices. The researcher will define ethical and legal business practice as well as unethical and illegal business practices. Furthermore, the researcher will identify business practices that are considered illegal and unethical in the United States and address why these same practices are considered legal and ethical in South Korea. Finally, the researcher will provide a course of actions to deal with the difference in ethical and legal practices when transacting business with a country thatRead MoreThe Conceptual Frameworks Of Ethics And Systems Leadership1375 Words   |  6 Pages(2015), ethics is the study of what an individual s conduct and actions should be with regard to self, others, and the environment. The goal of nursing is to work for the good of the patient and is viewed as an ethical practice. Each day, nurses, and leaders are faced with ethical, moral, and legal challenges. One of the most powerful ways to promote ethics in healthcare is to role model ethical performance in the leadership levels. A leader s awareness of the ethical constructs of ethics, moralRead MoreChapter 1 Essay1002 Words   |  5 Pagesareas where health care practitioners can gain insight through studying law and ethics. The three areas are the rights, responsibilities, and concerns of health care con summers. The legal and ethical issues facing society, patients, and health care practitioners as the world changes. The impact of rising cost on the laws and ethics of healthcare delivery. 2. Define summary judgment. Summary judgment is the legal term for a decision made by court in a lawsuit in response to a motion thatRead MoreThe Ethics And Laws Of Healthcare1234 Words   |  5 Pagesthat we act in a way that is ethical, legal, and commendable. Medical professionals struggle with healthcare dilemmas that are not experienced by the general public. Medical-ethical decisions have become increasingly complicated with the advancement of medical science and technology. (Fremgen) Just like the government has laws for citizens, not having laws in healthcare would allow people to do anything they want. It is important that we study the ethics and laws of healthcare, because if we were put

Comparison of Vultures and Not my Business Essay Example For Students

Comparison of Vultures and Not my Business Essay In the poem vultures the poet talks about how strange it is that love can exist in places we never thought possible. In the poem Not My Business the narrator describes how various people in his village are mistreated he is not affected by this until they come for him. Both poems are written by Nigerian poets and are set in Africa. However in both case Africa is merely a place and this even could occur anywhere. Likewise both poems protest how humans beings treat each other, but they d this in different ways using different techniques such as structure, vocabulary and poetic devices. The poem vultures is written in free verse and consists of mostly short lines this was done so we read the poem slowly therefore appreciating its dark gloomy atmosphere. The poem not my business is split into four different stanzas each one specially written for each occurrence. At the end of each stanza there is a refrain this repetition is used to show that it is an instinctive response he doesnt want to think about it. The last there isnt the usually words its his turn. His voice has been silenced. The poets shows that turning a blind an eye will not make a problem go away and just because something doesnt affect you should do anything about it. Simile is used to emphasize the brutality his friends go through Beating him softly like clay. This shows how violent the beating is which makes us imagine Akanni as a puppet with no feelings or emotions which is quite the opposite as her is a human just like me or you. The fact the narrator chooses to tells us his friends name makes us feel close to him and when we hear that he has been brutally beaten makes us resent the narrator for just standing back and watching. During the poem the jeep is likened to a wild animal the jeep was waiting in my bewildered lawn. The personification of the lawn shows how the narrator is frightened and confused. The fourth stanza is different. In this instance, the Jeep has turned up at the house of the narrator; it is his or her turn to be dragged away. The repeated lines from the previous stanzas cannot feature now as there is, apparently, no one left to observe the injustice. The only reaction here is that of the lawn, which is personified as bewildered. In the fourth section of Vultures, the poet again uses metaphors: the evil Commandant is an ogre (line 43) with merely a spark of love a tiny glow-worm tenderness (line 44) in the icy caverns of a cruel heart (line 46). These are fairly clichi d images, perhaps because Achebe wanted to suggest that what he is describing is nothing new: there will always be love and evil in the world. Both poems protest how human being treat each other. Vultures its about good and evil living side by side inside of one person. Why does the world see one person as either good or bad? Such as the reference to the German Commandant who gassed people by day in the concentration camps and then stopped for chocolate for his child on the way home. I think this poem shows that good and bad resides inside every person, and that they can surprise you. In Not my business the poet and the narrator voices are different. He has used an argument with which he does not agree, to make his readers create their own argument against it; thus, we agree with him by disagreeing with the point of view he has shown us.

The Issue of the Free Will

Many philosophers argue the issue of the free will and there is no particular opinion about the circumstances which guide people in their decisions. Defining hard determinism, it should be stated that this notion is connected with both determinism and the impossibility of the free will. Thus, hard determinism should be viewed as the item which rejects free will and supports the idea that all the choices are made only under the impact of the particular circumstances and ca never occur without their presence.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Issue of the Free Will specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Hard determinism is opposed to incompatibilism which supports the idea that the universe is at odds and people can make choices of their own as they want, in other words incompatibilism support the idea of free will. Therefore, there are two specific ideas in the relation to free will, hard determinism and incompatibili sm opposite to each other. The supporters of any have strict arguments as they believe which may be easily ruined by another side. The supporters of the hard determinism have a lot of arguments in the favor of their idea. First of all, it should be mentioned that everything in this world is made for a particular reason and is based on the issue of necessity. Thus, when people make decisions they usually apply to the arguments of the necessity and it does not give them an opportunity to make their choices independent. Furthermore, the supported of hard determinism are sure that God is aware of all human actions and the choice is already made. People just follow the existing path to achieve their purposes. Additionally, when people make choices they usually base them on something. It may be either their personal decisions or the decisions based on other circumstances which do not depend on them. Basing the choice on the outside circumstances people do not express free will as well as the basis on the personal considerations as in this case people also base their decision on something which may not be an absolute free will. There are several objections to the hard determinism, however, there is one which is hard to contradict. It is possible to give the arguments about the reasons of the choice after the choice has been made. Thus, a person makes a choice and this choice may be free, however, after it, it is possible to analyze the situation, to combine the circumstances and find out that the choice was dependant. This is the common situation which cannot be solved. On the one hand, the opponents of the hard determinism state that free will exists and people do not base their own decisions on anything, however, it is possible to say that the decision was based on nothing, but this is not true.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thus, the main idea of the objection is when people make choices they do not think about anything but for their personal will and desire and all the further contradictions are based on the analysis of the already made decision and it is more the evaluation of the done actions than the support of the hard determinism theory. Trying to contradict this objection, it is possible to refer to Aquinas’s theory based on the based on the possibility and necessity. Aquinas’s theory is based on the following ideas, all the objects may possibly exist and may possibly not exist as well as they are either necessary or not. The issue of the necessity of the things is explained as follows, if things exist they are necessarily based on the necessity for others. If things are not necessary, they do not exist. This theory is the proof that God exists and that God is the entire necessity, but in our case it is possible to take for granted the idea of God’s existence and in this case we can state that the objection of th e hard determinism is just the failure to accept that there is no another idea except for hard determinism. If ideas exist and the choices are made, they are based on something. It is impossible to construct ideas out of nothing and for nothing. People usually base their decisions and choices on some particular consideration. Thus, they are dependant on these considerations and this is not a free will, this is the dependency. To make sure that the situation is considered in detail, it is important to state an example. Let’s make an assumption that a person wants to go to the cinema. Thus, a persona makes a decision to go to the cinema. Choosing such an entertainment people may say that they are guided by the personal will, however this is not true as people are social being and they need entertainments. Thus, it may be predicted that the choice of going to the cinema is based on the social needs of people they are unable to control. This is not the free will. Therefore, any o bjections to the hard determinism may be contradicted as people are unable to make choices based on free will. This essay on The Issue of the Free Will was written and submitted by user Ashtyn Y. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

breast implants essays

breast implants essays Breast implants, should they be made illegal or kept legal? That is the question. I personally think they should be left legal. I will tell you why, give you facts/statistics, arguments etc. about why I think that breast implants should not be illegal. The results of test and the percentages are all real. Allot of the statistics are from the worlds leading developer and manufacturer of saline and silicone filled breast implants, this is the Mcghan medical corp. In todays society, women can constantly feel the pressure of needing to look their best. Women can develop concerns over their self-image, feeling their breasts are not the right size or shape. A womens breast is fully developed by her twenties. She may have very small under developed breasts or very large breasts that cause back and neck discomfort. Other factors such as pregnancy, nursing, weight loss, age and gravity can take their toll on the appearance of womans breast adding to the concern. Cosmetic breast surgery offers many options of these concerns, with procedures that can sculpt a womans breasts to a more becoming size and shape. Breast enhancement procedures can enlarge and contour the breasts, giving a woman a shapely figure and making her more confident in her appearance. Many women experience a decrease in breast size and shape after pregnancy or with age. Sagging breasts or breast ptosis can be corrected with a breast lift and implants placement, giving firmer and younger looking breasts. Overly large breasts can be embarrassing and can also lead to skin irritation and back, neck and shoulder discomfort. Breast reduction procedures remove excess tissue, skin and fat to reshape and lift the breast. This procedure can greatly benefit women of all ages by relieving discomfort and allowing them to have a more active lifestyle. There are many options available to reconstruct the breast after mastectomy. Using implants or the...

Empress Wu Zetian of Tang and Zhou

Empress Wu Zetian of Tang and Zhou Like so many other strong female leaders, from Catherine the Great to the Empress Dowager Cixi, Chinas only female emperor has been reviled in legend and history.  Yet Wu Zetian was a highly intelligent and motivated lady, with a strong interest in government affairs and literature.  In 7th century China, and for centuries afterward, these were considered inappropriate topics for a woman, so she has been painted as a murderer who poisoned or strangled most of her own family, a sexual deviant, and a ruthless usurper of the imperial throne.  Who was Wu Zetian, really? Early Life The future Empress Wu was born in Lizhou, now in Sichuan Province, on February 16, 624.  Her birth name probably was Wu Zhao, or possibly Wu Mei.  The babys father, Wu Shihuo, was a wealthy timber merchant who would become a provincial governor under the new Tang Dynasty.  Her mother, Lady Yang, was from a politically important noble family.   Wu Zhao was a curious, active girl.  Her father encouraged her to read widely, which was quite unusual at the time, so she studied politics, government, the Confucian classics, literature, poetry, and music.  When she was about 13, the girl was dispatched to the palace to become a fifth rank concubine of the Emperor Taizong of Tang.  It seems that she likely did have sexual relations with the Emperor at least once, but she was not a favorite and spent most of her time working as a secretary or lady in waiting.  She did not bear him any children. In 649, when Consort Wu was 25 years old, Emperor Taizong died.  His youngest son, 21-year-old Li Zhi, became the new Emperor Gaozong of Tang.  Consort Wu, since she had not borne the late emperor a child, was sent to Ganye temple to become a Buddhist nun.   Return From the Convent Its not clear how she accomplished the feat, but the former Consort Wu escaped from the convent and became a concubine of Emperor Gaozong.  Legend holds that Gaozong went to the Ganye Temple on the anniversary of his fathers death to make an offering, spotted the Consort Wu there, and wept at her beauty.  His wife, Empress Wang, encouraged him to make Wu his own concubine, to distract him from her rival, Consort Xiao. Whatever actually happened, Wu soon found herself back in the palace.  Although it was considered incest for a mans concubine to then pair up with his son, Emperor Gaozong took Wu into his harem around 651.  With the new emperor, she was a much higher rank, being the highest of the second rank concubines.   Emperor Gaozong was a weak ruler and suffered an illness that frequently left him dizzy.  He soon became disenchanted with both Empress Wang and Consort Xiao and began to favor Consort Wu.  She bore him two sons in 652 and 653, but he had already named another child as his heir apparent.  In 654, Consort Wu had a daughter, but the infant soon died of smothering, strangulation, or possibly natural causes.   Wu accused Empress Wang of the babys murder since she had been the last to hold the child, but many people believed that Wu herself killed the baby in order to frame the Empress.  At this remove, it is impossible to say what really happened.  In any case, the Emperor believed that Wang murdered the little girl, and by the following summer, he had the empress and also Consort Xiao deposed and imprisoned.  Consort Wu became the new empress consort in 655. Empress Consort Wu In November of 655, Empress Wu allegedly ordered the execution of her former rivals, Empress Wang and Consort Xiao, to prevent Emperor Gaozong from changing his mind and pardoning them.  A blood-thirsty later version of the story says that Wu ordered the womens hands and feet chopped off, and then had them thrown into a large wine barrel.  She reportedly said, Those two witches can get drunk down to their bones.  This ghoulish story seems likely to be a later fabrication. By 656, Emperor Gaozong replaced his former heir apparent with Empress Wus eldest son, Li Hong.  The Empress soon began to arrange for the exile or execution of government officials who had opposed her rise to power, according to traditional stories.  In 660, the sickly Emperor began to suffer from severe headaches and loss of vision, possibly from hypertension or a stroke.  Some historians have accused the Empress Wu of having him slowly poisoned, though he had never been particularly healthy. He began to delegate decisions on some government matters to her; officials were impressed with her political knowledge and the wisdom of her rulings.  By 665, Empress Wu was more or less running the government. The Emperor soon began to resent Wus increasing power. He had a chancellor draft an edict deposing her from power, but she heard what was happening and rushed to his chambers.  Gaozong lost his nerve and ripped up the document.  From that time forward, Empress Wu always sat in on imperial councils, although she sat behind a curtain at the back of Emperor Gaozongs throne. In 675, Empress Wus eldest son and the heir apparent died mysteriously.  He had been agitating to have his mother step back from her position of power, and also wanted his half-sisters by Consort Xiao to be allowed to marry.  Of course, traditional accounts state that the Empress poisoned her son to death, and replaced him with the next brother, Li Xian.  However, within five years, Li Xian fell under suspicion of assassinating his mothers favorite sorcerer, so he was deposed and sent into exile.  Li Zhe, her third son, became the new heir apparent. Empress Regent Wu On December 27, 683, the Emperor Gaozong died after a series of strokes.  Li Zhe ascended the throne as Emperor Zhongzhong.  The 28-year-old soon started to assert his independence from his mother, who was given regency over him in his fathers will despite the fact that he was well into adulthood.  After just six weeks in office (January 3 - February 26, 684), Emperor Zhongzhong was deposed by his own mother, and placed under house arrest. Empress Wu next had her fourth son enthroned on February 27, 684, as the Emperor Ruizong.  A puppet of his mother, the 22-year-old emperor did not exert any actual authority.  His mother no longer hid behind the curtain during official audiences; she was the ruler, in appearance as well as fact.  After a reign of six and a half years, in which he was virtually a prisoner within the inner palace, Emperor Ruizong abdicated in favor of his mother.  Empress Wu became Huangdi, which is usually translated in English as emperor, although it is gender-neutral in Mandarin. Emperor Wu In 690, Emperor Wu announced that she was establishing a new dynastic line, called the Zhou Dynasty.  She reportedly used spies and secret police to root out political opponents and have them exiled or killed.  However, she was also a very capable emperor and surrounded herself with well-chosen officials.  She was instrumental in making the civil service examination a key part of the Chinese imperial bureaucratic system, which allowed only the most learned and talented men to rise to high positions in government. Emperor Wu carefully observed the rites of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism, and made frequent offerings to curry favor with higher powers and retain the Mandate of Heaven.  She made Buddhism the official state religion, placing it above Daoism.  She also was the first female ruler to make offerings at the sacred Buddhist mountain of Wutaishan in the year 666.   Among the ordinary people, Emperor Wu was quite popular.  Her use of the civil service examination meant that bright but poor young men had a chance to become wealthy government officials.  She also redistributed land to ensure that peasant families all had enough to feed their families, and paid high salaries to government workers in the lower ranks. In 692, Emperor Wu had her greatest military success, when her army recaptured the four garrisons of the Western Regions (Xiyu) from the Tibetan Empire.  However, a spring offensive in 696 against the Tibetans (also known as Tufan) failed miserably, and the two leading generals were demoted to commoners as a result.  A few months later, the Khitan people rose up against the Zhou, and it took nearly a year plus some hefty tribute payments as bribes to quell the unrest. The imperial succession was a constant source of unease during Emperor Wus reign.  She had appointed her son, Li Dan (the former Emperor Ruizong), as the Crown Prince.  However, some courtiers urged her to choose a nephew or cousin from the Wu clan instead, to keep the throne in her own bloodline instead of that of her late husband.  Instead, Empress Wu recalled her third son Li Zhe (the former Emperor Zhongzong) from exile, promoted him to Crown Prince, and changed his name to Wu Xian. As Emperor Wu aged, she began to rely increasingly on two handsome brothers who were allegedly also her lovers, Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong.  By the year 700, when she was 75 years old, they were handling many of the affairs of state for the Emperor.  They had also been instrumental in getting Li Zhe to return and become Crown Prince in 698. In the winter of 704, the 79-year-old Emperor fell seriously ill.  She would see nobody except for the Zhang brothers, which fueled speculation that they were planning to seize the throne when she died.  Her chancellor recommended that she allow her sons to visit, but she would not.  She pulled through the illness, but the Zhang brothers were killed in a coup on February 20, 705, and their heads were hung from a bridge along with three of their other brothers.  The same day, Emperor Wu was forced to abdicate the throne to her son. The former Emperor was given the title of Empress Regnant Zetian Dasheng.  However, her dynasty was finished; Emperor Zhongzong restored the Tang Dynasty on March 3, 705.  Empress Regnant Wu died on December 16, 705, and remains to this day the only female to rule imperial China in her own name. Sources Dash, Mike.  The Demonization of Empress Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, August 10, 2012. Empress Wu Zetian: Tang Dynasty China (625 - 705 AD), Women in World History, accessed July 2014. Woo, X.L. Empress Wu the Great: Tang Dynasty China, New York: Algora Publishing, 2008.

Market Solution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 2

Market Solution - Essay Example The morale of employees is the least in the organization because of the huge scrutiny and investigation by the investment companies, especially the media, public, and most prominently Wall Street. Furthermore, the customer confidence in Classic Airlines is decreasing along with the Rewards program, which saw a nineteen percent reduction in Classic Rewards members and also a twenty one percent reduction in the flights per each member. The rising costs of labor and fuel have jeopardized the success of Classic Airlines as it is unable to compete for the most efficient valued numerous flier miles. The aftermath of 9/11 has led Classic Airlines to see a restrained structure of costs unlike the younger airline companies. Adding to the problems is a fifteen percent decline in the board cost over a period of eighteen months (Classic Airlines, 2007). Most of the best opportunities are a result of dilemmas. Such is the case of Classic Airlines. It has the power to change its problems into profitable opportunities via meticulous changes to the whole scenario; therefore the situation is handled carefully. Classic Airlines should keep in mind all the travelers who need a higher level of personal service as compared to the ones they might expect to get from competitors. The customers can greatly help the airlines to enhance the confidence of the general public. This can easily be done without letting additional costs come in the path of Classic Airlines. Contended customers are the best type of advertisement for each and every organization and is also a base to gain attention of the new customers (Classic Airlines, 2007). Classic Airlines should look into the aspect of refurbishing their Classic Rewards Program by coming into partnership with an airline company to enhance the experience of customers on flight. Such a trail would improve the frequent flyer mile partnership and also the opportunities for purchase, which would then make Classic

Managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managment - Essay Example On the other hand, Telstra have to establish administrative set up in Brazil to get the government’s permission to start its telecommunication service. Telstra have been successful in Australia capturing optimum market share. So, Telstra can replicate this success in other markets also, and in that direction Brazil can be the perfect market for its expansion plans. 2.0 Political Environment 2.1 Government stability Although remnants of instability were there, there was progress when Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was reelected as the country’s president for the second term in 2006, and then the election of his protege Dilma Rousseff in 2011. He actualized a stable form of government and also launched many pro-business measures, with Rousseff vouching to follow it. 2.2 Government and contribution Immediately after assuming office as part of his second term in 2006, the Silva government launched a new Growth Acceleration Program called the Programa de Aceleracao de Crescimento , or PAC. Under this program, the Brazilian government is investing sizable funds to establish infrastructures for the entry and development of businesses. Infrastructures for better transportation, telecom and for power energy are the key parts of PAC. 2.3 Analysis When the political climate of Brazil is viewed from the perspective of Telstra’s expansion plans, it augurs well. ... mework and the resultant powers regarding foreign investment are the exclusive competence of the Brazilian Federal government; and states do not have regulatory powers in this matter. (OECD 1998). Thus, with investor friendly environment prevailing under Rousseff’s regime, the regulatory framework also has been made business friendly. 3.2 Business laws A telecommunication service licence can only be granted to companies existing under Brazilian law, with their principal place of business and administration in Brazil. (Campbell 2007). This law clearly makes it mandatory for the companies like Telstra to establish a local set up or even a subsidiary. 3.3 Labour laws In Brazil labor laws; there are impediments to hiring workers and even more to firing them. (Thomas 2006). The labor code encourages litigation to resolve disputes between the employees and the employers. Use of part-time labor is severely constrained. (Thomas 2006). 3.4 Taxation laws As part of PAC, tax system for b usiness as been further simplified and reduced. â€Å"The measures include investment in the creation and repair of roads and railways, simplification and reduction of taxation.† (The President 2011) 3.5 Analysis From the above discussion of the Brazil’s legal environment, it is clear that Brazil has some tough laws. Although, these laws are not disadvantageous, they have to be given a lot more care, for any cell phone company including Telstra to have successful operations. 4.0 Economic Environment (Heading) 4.1 Interest rates (%) The Brazilian Government set the subsidized interested rates at 6.75 percent, with interest rates offered to middle-class producers set still lower at 6.25 percent. (Hrapsky and Ming 2010). These high interest rates and the economic boom are the key reasons for

Essay on school uniforms Essay Example for Free

Essay on school uniforms Essay Imagine being able to wake up every morning, roll out of bed, put on the same thing you wore the day before, and head off to school. Not only would you be able to do such a thing, but all of your friends were doing it, too! Sound too good to be true? Well, its becoming more common in our society as school uniforms have gone beyond private schools to public schools. Uniforms have a positive effect on students self-esteem, attendance, discipline, and test scores. They have also been proven to decrease the rate of crime and violence in public schools. Most students and even parents will argue that SCHOOL UNIFORMS stifle individualism. The teenage years are a time when adolescents try out different personas, often experimenting with different styles of clothing during this phase. Opponents argue that uniforms take away an individuals freedom of expression. However, the clothes that people wear, or can afford to wear, often define the group by which they are accepted. As a result, many teens are outcast due to the fact that they cannot afford the top-of-the-line, name-brand clothing. This rejection can lead to several problems for the outcast teen: depression, inability to concentrate on schoolwork, or just a general feeling of inferiority. School uniforms put everyone on the same level because no outfit is more stylish or expensive than another. Linda Moore, principal at Will Rogers Middle School in Long Beach, California, states, Uniforms reduce the differences between the haves and have-nots (Ritter, 1). Uniforms allow students to interact with one another without experiencing the socioeconomic barrier that non-uniform schools create. More importantly, children are not judged on how much they spent on clothes or how stylish they look, but rather for their talents and personalities. School uniforms not only break down socioeconomic barriers, but they also increase the safety of the students. In 1996, President Bill Clinton encouraged the use of school uniforms as part of an education program that sought to improve safety and discipline (Hoffman, 1). If students are all wearing the same type of outfit, it becomes much easier to spot outsiders  who may wander onto the campus. In addition, uniforms decrease the number of incidences of students being attacked or beaten for items of clothing such as shoes and jackets. Also, members of gangs frequently have a color or style of clothing used to identify themselves. Unsuspecting students who wear gang colors or gang-related attire might be threatened or intimidated by members of opposing gangs, students wearing expensive or fashionable clothes might become victims of theft, or certain fashion accessories or attire may be used as a means of concealing weapons, or even as weapons (Paliokas, 1). At a school in Long Beach, California, after only the first year that uniforms were implemented, overall school crime decreased 36 percent, fights decreased 51 percent, sex offenses decreased 74 percent, weapons offenses decreased 50 percent, assault and battery offenses decreased 34 percent, and vandalism decreased 18 percent (Manual, 3). Schools with uniform-clad students are also proven to have fewer disciplinary problems and increased attendance than non-uniform schools. Dr. John German, principal of South Shore, located in Seattle, Washington, reports, This year the demeanor in the school has improved 98 percent, truancy and tardies are down, and we have not had one reported incident of theft (Manual,4). Ruffner Middle School, located in Norfolk, Virginia, reports a 47 percent decrease in students leaving class without permission (Manual,5). With the implementation of uniforms, students no longer spend hours deciding what they are going to wear to school. This fear of looking uncool will often cause kids to decide that they do not feel well enough to go to school because they cant find anything to wear. Uniforms allow students to focus more on their academics, and less on what everyone else is wearing. According to Long Beach police chief William Ellis, Students concentrate more on education, not on whos wearing $100 shoes or gang attire (Manual, 3). Elementary Guidance Counselor Sharon Carter of Memphis, Tennessee states, The tone of the school is different. Theres not the competitiveness†¦about whos wearing what (Manual, 5). Many families worry about not having enough money to buy uniforms. Due to the fact that no child can be denied an education because of economic  disadvantage, all schools requiring uniforms must include provisions to assist low-income families. For example, the Long Beach School District solved this problem by setting up a boutique shop, funded by private donors, where needy students can shop (Paliokas, 5). In addition, community and business leaders provide or contribute financial support for uniforms, and students who have graduated often donate their used uniforms to incoming students (Manual, 3). However, uniforms are considerably cheaper to buy than non-uniform clothes, and the students can wear them every day and it isnt considered unusual. Parents can buy a few pairs of pants, shirts, or other variations of a uniform for under $100, while parents of non-uniform-wearing students can spend from several hundred up to $1,000 a year on clothing. Parents find that buying two or three uniforms is ultimately cheaper than buying clothes to follow the fads, and it stops arguments at home in the mornings about what to wear (Oland, 1). Pop culture increasingly sends young girls the message that the smaller and tighter the clothes, the more readily they will be accepted. These outfits, which flaunt navels and bra straps, are not only distracting, but detract from teaching time as teachers argue with students about what is considered acceptable attire. With uniforms, there are only a few acceptable variations of the outfit, no questions asked. A less well-known theory concerning the pros of school uniforms is the halo effect. According to researcher Marc Posner, the halo effect refers to the idea that while uniforms may not change student behavior, the uniforms may change the way teachers and other adults perceive the students who wear them. In a study of the correlation of student clothing and teacher and student perceptions, Dorothy Behling of Bowling Green University found that students and teachers alike believe that uniform-clad students not only behave better, but also do better academically than those who dont wear uniforms. While this may be an illusion, these positive perceptions can help create a self-fulfilling prophecy that teachers and administrators raise their discipline and grading standards to reflect their more positive image of students, who, in turn, behave better. (School Discipline, 1). While research on the effectiveness of uniforms is still ongoing, they have been proven to raise test scores, boost self-esteem, reduce violence and crime, and create a sense of newfound pride in students. They help children to focus on learning and schoolwork, not on what everyone else is wearing or whether or not they fit in. Uniforms are not the solution to all of the problems that teens, teachers, and schools face today, but research and statistics suggest that they may be a step in the right direction.

Components in Art Education Essay -- essays papers

Components in Art Education Balanced programs for art education have been constantly changing and adapting over the years. One program that was developed back in the late 1960’s by Elliot Eisner incorporated three areas of art into the curriculum. These included art object, art criticism and the historical context of art. His program developed into a theoretical base for art curriculum in the elementary schools that is very similar to programs used today (Madeja 2001). Today most art education programs are made up of four components. One of these components is art aesthetics. Aesthetics is the study of the nature of a piece of artwork. It analyzes the work by asking specific questions regarding the artist and the piece. The viewer becomes the judge in a sense. It tries to discover what the artwork might be representing. They could also ask what type of emotion the artist was trying to convey in their work. The viewer also takes part in analyzing the physical aspects and characteristics of the work. It focuses on the use of color, sequence and synchrony of an artwork. It notes the artist’s craftsmanship, artistic ability and proficiency in technique (Hoffman 1999). Art criticism is another component of art instruction. It includes showing appreciation for an artwork and its purpose. The critic uses their own knowledge of art and their own depiction of the work to make an opinionated statement on it. It requires background knowledge and a trained eye of perception to be able to make an accurate analysis of a person’s work. This includes knowledge of the physical details, design, technique and style of the work (Hurwitz 1991). Art history is also a component of art education. This component includes teaching children ... ... academic subject. Overby, L. (1992). Status of dance in education (Report No. ED348368). Washington, DC: Eric Clearinghouse on Teacher Education. Discusses the status of dance as a part of the elementary school curriculum. This Digest examines the rationale for dance in education, the status of dance education, and selected issues in dance education. Cato, T. (2001, January1). Reasons to support art education. Retrieved September 18th, 2002 from http://www.gaea.armstrong.edu/. Promotes the teaching of art education in Georgia. Calls for research into art education to show its benefits and advantages. Kaiser, M. (2002, June). National standards of art education. Retrieved October 29th, 2002 from http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/. Provides the national standards for art education. Also has teaching materials and professional resources for art educators.

Basic Academic Writing Essay

Making a Venn diagram or a chart can help you quickly and efficiently compare and contrast two or more things or ideas. To make a Venn diagram, simply draw some overlapping circles, one circle for each item you’re considering. In the central area where they overlap, list the traits the two items have in common. Example: 1. Write each topic name above one of the circles. List attributes or qualities of that topic in the circle, placing any shared qualities in the overlapping section. Be specific and use details. 2. Review the lists and identify three categories or aspects that describe these details. 3. Then choose one option (point by point or block method) to structure your essay. Comparison-contrast Thesis The thesis of your comparison/contrast paper is very important: it can help  you create a focused argument and give your reader a road map so she/he doesn’t get lost in the sea of points you are about to make. As in any paper, you will want to replace vague reports of your general topic (for example, â€Å"This paper will compare and contrast two pizza places,† or â€Å"Pepper’s and Amante are similar in some ways and different in others,† or â€Å"Pepper’s and Amante are similar in many ways, but they have one major difference†) with something more detailed and specific. For example, you might say, â€Å"Pepper’s and Amante have similar prices and ingredients, but their atmospheres and willingness to deliver set them apart.† Be careful, though—although this thesis is fairly specific and does propose a simple argument (that atmosphere and delivery make the two pizza places different), your instructor will often be looki ng for a bit more analysis. In this case, the obvious question is â€Å"So what? Why should anyone care that Pepper’s and Amante are different in this way?† One might also wonder why the writer chose those two particular pizza places to compare—why not Papa John’s, Dominos, or Pizza Hut? Again, thinking about the context the class provides may help you answer such questions and make a stronger argument. Here’s a revision of the thesis mentioned earlier: Pepper’s and Amante both offer a greater variety of ingredients than other Chapel Hill/Carrboro pizza places (and than any of the national chains), but the funky, lively atmosphere at Pepper’s makes it a better place to give visiting friends and family a taste of local culture. How do I know if my thesis is strong? If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following: Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than  making an argument. Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like â€Å"good† or â€Å"successful,† see if you could be more specific: why is something â€Å"good†; what specifically makes something â€Å"successful†? Does my thesis pass the â€Å"So what?† test? If a reader’s first response is, â€Å"So what?† then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue. Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s o.k. to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary. Does my thesis pass the â€Å"how and why?† test? If a reader’s first response is â€Å"how?† or â€Å"why?† your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning. Example of Comparison-Contrast Essay The Similarities and Differences between Public and Private Universities Malaysia has progressed in many areas since its independence. One significant area that all our past and present leaders have emphasized is education. The drastic growth in the number of universities over the past 20 years signifies this, together with the increasing demand for post-secondary education. Therefore, when public universities faced major challenges in operating within the limitations of the financial aid given by the government, the government not only encouraged private institutions to play a more active role in the higher education industry, but also supported these institutions in their efforts to increase their student intake. In 2006, there were 17 public universities and 21 private universities. Within a year, these numbers ballooned to 20 and 30 respectively. Today, students who wish to pursue higher education are spoilt for choices as there are plenty of courses offered in both public and private universities. However,  deciding on which higher education instit ution to go to, after completing secondary school, is a crucial undertaking. Students need to compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of both types of institutions based on the courses available, the course fees charged and the competitiveness of these universities. Firstly, the types of courses that public and private universities offer vary significantly. Public institutions offer a whole range of courses that cover various aspects of science, business, social sciences and humanities in an ala-carte form. For example, the engineering programmes incorporate all aspects of engineering which include specialised areas such as marine, gas and aeronautical. Likewise, the business programmes in these institutions include various degrees in business administration like Islamic banking and insurance. In contrast, private universities only focus on programmes that have higher market value such as health sciences, religious studies, history and literature are not offered by these universities. This is especially so since they are profit-driven institutions. In fact, private institutions only specialise in certain fields, such as health sciences. University Kuala Lumpur Royal College of Medicine Perak, for example, specialises in medicine, pharmacy, nursi ng and radiotherapy, while Masterskill University College specialises in nursing, physiotherapy and environmental health, among others. With such vast choices available, students should choose which university to go to and what programme to enrol in wisely. Another difference between public and private universities lies in the course fees. Even though the roles and responsibilities of both types of institutions are similar, the way they are structured is different. Public universities charge rather modest fees as compared to private universities. The primary reason for this is that public universities are largely funded by the government, as opposed to private universities that are usually privately funded by shareholders. For a public university the high cost involved in managing one is borne by the government. In contrast, private universities manage their institutions through the shareholders’ funds and the revenue they earned. Private universities charge a high fee for their  courses as a means of increasing the revenue. The amount charged is normally very much higher compared to that charged by public universities, where the course fees are subsidised by the government. For instance, the fee to study medicine in University Malaya is about RM100 000 whereas in International Medical University (IMU), the fee is about RM350 000. However, since the income per capita of Malaysians has increased; many parents can afford to pay such expensive fees. Moreover, education has become a priority in Malaysia. The government is willing to support these private institutions by making student loans such as those offered by Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN) available for students. This helps to lessen not only parents’ burden, but also the shareholders’. Despite these differences, public and private universities are similar in being competitive in nature. They compete to be the best educational institution in their respective fields of study. Both types of institutions strive to stay abreast to sustain their position in the education industry. The benchmark has been raised very high so that every university has to be sensitive to their customers’ needs. Most universities have made wi-fi connections available around their campus and have upgraded facilities such as computer laboratories, hostels, cafeterias and transportation. Apart from that, these universities also recruit the best faculty staff to make the teaching and learning process an exciting journey. In addition, these universities advertise their annual graduation ceremonies and highlight their top academic achievers to maintain their name and ranking among the top universities. All these criteria have become the yardstick for universities to measure their reputation as world-class education institutions. There is paradigm shift today in the way parents and children regard education. Parents nowadays are sending their children to higher education institutions so that they could obtain a minimum university qualification. Students take up university courses not only to obtain wisdom and knowledge, but also to acquire the expertise and qualifications needed to compete in today’s knowledge-based economy. Thus, it is up to the students to compare the similarities and differences between a public university and a private  university before deciding which institution to pursue their tertiary education in.

Austronesian Migration Essay

Synopsis: Austronesia, in historical terms, refers to the homeland of the peoples who speak Austronesian languages, including Malay, Filipino, Indonesian, Maori, Malagasy, native Hawaiian, the Fijian language and around a thousand other languages. The Austronesian homeland is thought by linguists to have been prehistoric Taiwan. Review: Researchers believed that our Ancestors came from Southern China and traveled through Taiwan and arrive in Batanes, a northernmost province in the Philippines. They Inhabited the Area for over a Thousand Years. After a thousand years they travelled to south and arrived at Madagascar and also travelled east and arrived at Easter Island in South America. These travelers are called â€Å"Austronesian Speaking People† which means speakers from the South East Asian countries like Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and many more. Austronesian People are also Great Seafarers. They build and use Canoes for travelling the Open seas. They also developed the Technology to navigate and cross the Open seas. Historian’s believed that the Early Filipino’s used Outrigger canoes and sails for very large explorations. And they conclude that our Ancestors doesn’t cross land bridges from Brunei instead they used boats for Transportation. It is believed that Austronesians greatly contribute in the creation of different South East Asian languages an. These discoveries are proved by Relics and Artifacts found in the Colonized countries. Like Burial Jars ( Manunggul Jar ), Talismans, Jewelries ( Lingling-o ) and Tools/Ornaments. Since the Ancient times, Trades are present in the Philippines. Our Ancestors are trading Ornaments and goods for Minerals, Porcelain items, Jewelries, Accessories etc. This proves that our Ancestors played an important role in the Growth of the  Culture and Languages in the whole world.

Australian Federation essays

Australian Federation essays When Australia was first established by white people, Governor Phillip had various powers and was able to rule in an autocratic way to keep the population under control (70% of whom were convicts). The wealthy and privileged filled the early parliaments and courts, which was an unofficial aristocracy. The citizens of the colonies were British citizens in a constitutional monarchy; a political system which is subject to the provisions of a constitution and in which a monarch has a right to be represented. Separate colonies developed into states that were united under a federal system of government after Federation in 1901. Gradually the influence of British governance declined. In the 1840s, males over 21 years old, in the Australian colony who rented or owned properties worth 200 or more were only allowed to vote. Early elections were not decided by secret ballot. Only prosperous people could afford to be parliamentarians as parliamentarians were not paid a salary. People who settled in Australia voiced their opinions about democratic ideals as they did not agree on these undemocratic practices. The working people from Britain fought for better conditions and a right to be heard. In the 1850s, countless people had gone to the goldfields in Victoria where a strong campaign began for reasonable treatment of less fortunate people. In 1854, the Eureka Stockade was an armed uprising by gold miners, and it began out of fury over a licence fee that had to be paid by them. The miners had no political representation; therefore they felt that the fee was unreasonable. The symbol for the fight for justice and equality continues to be represented by the flag that was raised during the stockade, and has been proposed as a national flag, should Australian become a republic; a country in a which the head of a state is elected. In 1856, voting by secret ballot came to Victoria and South Australia, while it came to New South Wa ...

Create and Customize Buttons With the DBNavigator

Create and Customize Buttons With the DBNavigator Ok, the DBNavigator does its job of navigating data and managing records. Unfortunately, my customers want more user-friendly experience, like custom button graphics and captions, ... This inquiry came from a Delphi developer searching for a way to enhance the power of the DBNavigator component.   The DBNavigator is a great component- it provides a VCR-like interface for navigating data and managing records in database applications. Record navigation is provided by the First, Next, Prior, and Last buttons. Record management is provided by the Edit, Post, Cancel, Delete, Insert, and Refresh buttons. In one component Delphi provides everything you need, to operate on your data. However, as the author of the e-mail inquiry also stated, the DBNavigator lacks some features like custom glyphs, button captions, and others. A More Powerful DBNavigator Many Delphi components have useful properties and methods that are marked invisible (protected) to a Delphi developer. Hopefully, to access such protected members of a component, a simple technique called the protected hack can be used. First, youll add a caption to every DBNavigator button, then youll add custom graphics, and finally, youll OnMouseUp-enable each button.   From the boring DBNavigator to either of: Standard graphics and custom captionsOnly captionsCustom graphics and custom captions Lets Rock n Roll The DBNavigator has a protected Buttons property. This member is an array of TNavButton, a descendant of TSpeedButton.   Since each button in this protected property inherits from TSpeedButton, if you get our hands on it, youll be able to work with standard TSpeedButton properties like: Caption (a string that identifies the control to the user), Glyph (the bitmap that appears on the button), Layout (determines where the image or text appears on the button)... From the DBCtrls unit (where DBNavigator is defined) you read that the protected Buttons property is declared as: Buttons: array[TNavigateBtn] of TNavButton; Where TNavButton inherits from TSpeedButton and TNavigateBtn is an enumeration, defined as : TNavigateBtn (nbFirst, nbPrior, nbNext, nbLast, nbInsert, nbDelete, nbEdit, nbPost, nbCancel, nbRefresh); Note that TNavigateBtn holds 10 values, each identifying different button on a TDBNavigator object. Now, lets see how to hack a DBNavigator: Enhanced DBNavigator​ First, set up a simple data editing Delphi form by placing at least a DBNavigator, a DBGrid, a DataSoure and a Dataset object of your choice (ADO, BDE, dbExpres, ...). Make sure all components are connected. Second, hack a DBNavigator by defining an inherited dummy class, above the Form declaration, like: type THackDBNavigator class(TDBNavigator); type TForm1 class(TForm) ... Next, to be able to display custom captions and graphics on each DBNavigator button, youll need to set up some glyphs. You can use the TImageList component and assign 10 pictures (.bmp or .ico), each representing an action of a particular button of a DBNavigator. Third, in the OnCreate event for the Form1, add a call like: procedure TForm1.FormCreate(Sender: TObject); SetupHackedNavigator(DBNavigator1, ImageList1);end; Make sure you add the declaration of this procedure in the private part of the form declaration, like: type TForm1 class(TForm) ... privateprocedure SetupHackedNavigator(const Navigator : TDBNavigator; const Glyphs : TImageList); ... Fourth, add the SetupHackedNavigator procedure. The SetupHackedNavigator procedure adds custom graphics to each button and assigns a custom caption to each button. uses Buttons; //!!! dont forgetprocedure TForm1.SetupHackedNavigator (const Navigator : TDBNavigator; const Glyphs : TImageList);const Captions : array[TNavigateBtn] of string (Initial, Previous, Later, Final, Add, Erase, Correct, Send, Withdraw, Revive);(* Captions : array[TNavigateBtn] of string (First, Prior, Next, Last, Insert, Delete, Edit, Post, Cancel, Refresh); in Croatia (localized): Captions : array[TNavigateBtn] of string (Prvi, Prethodni, Slijedeci, Zadnji, Dodaj, Obrisi, Promjeni, Spremi, Odustani, Osvjezi);*)var btn : TNavigateBtn;beginfor btn : Low(TNavigateBtn) to High(TNavigateBtn) dowith THackDBNavigator(Navigator).Buttons[btn] dobegin//from the Captions const array Caption : Captions[btn]; //the number of images in the Glyph property NumGlyphs : 1; // Remove the old glyph. Glyph : nil; // Assign the custom one Glyphs.GetBitmap(Integer(btn),Glyph); // gylph above text Layout : blGlyphTop; // explained later OnMouseUp : HackNavMouseUp; end;end; (*SetupHackedNav igator*) Ok, lets explain. You iterate through all the buttons in the DBNavigator. Recall that each button is accessible from the protected Buttons array property- therefore the need for the THackDBNavigator class. Since the type of the Buttons array is TNavigateBtn, you go from the first (using the  Low  function) button to the last (using the  High  function) one. For each button, you simply remove the old glyph, assign the new one (from the Glyphs parameter), add the caption from the Captions array and mark the layout of the glyph. Note that you can control which buttons are displayed by a DBNavigator (not the hacked one) through its VisibleButtons property. Another property whose default value you may want to change is Hints- use it to supply Help Hints of your choosing for the individual navigator button. You can control the display of the Hints by editing the ShowHints property. Thats it. This is why youve picked Delphi! Gimme More! Why stop here? You know that when you click the nbNext button the datasets current position is advanced to the next record. What if you want to move, lets say, 5 records ahead if the user is holding the CTRL key while pressing the button? How about that?   The standard DBNavigator does not have the OnMouseUp event- the one that carries the Shift parameter of the TShiftState- enabling you to test for the state of the Alt, Ctrl, and Shift keys. The DBNavigator only provides the OnClick event for you to handle.   However, the THackDBNavigator can simply expose the OnMouseUp event and enable you to see the state of the control keys and even the position of the cursor above the particular button when clicked! Ctrl Click : 5 Rows Ahead To expose the OnMouseUp you simply assign your custom event handling procedure to the OnMouseUp event for the button of the hacked DBNavigator. This exactly is already done in the SetupHackedNavigator procedure:OnMouseUp : HackNavMouseUp; Now, the HackNavMouseUp procedure could look like: procedure TForm1.HackNavMouseUp (Sender:TObject; Button: TMouseButton; Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);const MoveBy : integer 5;beginif NOT (Sender is TNavButton) then Exit; case TNavButton(Sender).Index of nbPrior: if (ssCtrl in Shift) then TDBNavigator(TNavButton(Sender).Parent). DataSource.DataSet.MoveBy(-MoveBy); nbNext: if (ssCtrl in Shift) then TDBNavigator(TNavButton(Sender).Parent). DataSource.DataSet.MoveBy(MoveBy); end; end;(*HackNavMouseUp*) Note that you need to add the signature of the HackNavMouseUp procedure inside the private part of the form declaration (near the declaration of the SetupHackedNavigator procedure): type TForm1 class(TForm) ... privateprocedure SetupHackedNavigator(const Navigator : TDBNavigator; const Glyphs : TImageList); procedure HackNavMouseUp(Sender:TObject; Button: TMouseButton; Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer); ... Ok, lets explain, one more time. The HackNavMouseUp procedure handles the OnMouseUp event for each DBNavigator button. If the user is holding the CTRL key while clicking the nbNext button, the current record for the linked dataset is moved MoveBy (defined as constant with the value of 5) records ahead. What? Overcomplicated? Yep. You do not need to mess with all this if you only need to check the state of the control keys when the button was clicked. Heres how to do the same in the ordinary OnClick event of the ordinary DBNavigator: procedure TForm1.DBNavigator1Click(Sender: TObject; Button: TNavigateBtn); function CtrlDown : Boolean; var State : TKeyboardState; begin GetKeyboardState(State); Result : ((State[vk_Control] And 128) 0); end;const MoveBy : integer 5;begincase Button of nbPrior: if CtrlDown then DBNavigator1.DataSource.DataSet.MoveBy(-MoveBy); nbNext: if CtrlDown then DBNavigator1.DataSource.DataSet.MoveBy(MoveBy); end; //caseend;(*DBNavigator2Click*) Thats All Folks And finally, the project is done.  Or you can keep going.  Heres a scenario/task/idea for you:   Lets say you want only one button to replace the nbFirst, nbPrevious, nbNext, and nbLast buttons. You can use the X, and Y parameters inside the HackNavMouseUp procedure to find the position of the cursor when the button was released. Now, to this one button (to rule them all) you can attach a picture that has 4 areas, each area is suppose to mimic one of the buttons you are replacing ... got the point?

Inflation trends QATAR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Inflation trends QATAR - Essay Example Qatar is the world’s top liquefied natural gas exporter (Reuters, 2011). The economy of Qatar has a policy of maintaining prices and currency stability. Since the early eighties, â€Å"by stimulating economic policies the monetary policy of Qatar was directed†In specific, the average inflation rate of this period was relatively low. For the period of 90s, the rate was at 2.25% that was due the defensive actions of the central bank. However, the Qatar economy is somewhat pegged, because it maintains its currency at a fixed rate. The major objective of the central bank was to maintain the rate as (Q.R 3.64= $1) (Abdulrazaq, Shotar, & Al-Quran, pp. 118-126, 2003). However, the trends show that inflation in Qatar was falling in the eighties. The reason behind this was that there has always been government intervention due to which it was controlling the inflation prices by having an influence on the money supply. Qatar was experiencing a downtrend in inflation until 2004 wh en the long termed deflationary trend ended (Inflation Data, 2010). (Trading Economics, 2010) Inflation in the Gulf Cooperation Council continued to rise with each of the members experiencing a double-digit rise in prices. However, Qatar is one of the countries that have been under most impact due to the increase. The led the government to enact unprecedented protectionist policies (Hassan & Nakibullah, pp. 1-5, 2008). Qatar experienced 15% inflation in 2008. It is an assumption to have the fastest growing economy in the Gulf Cooperation Council and is an assumption to experience the least changes in inflation this year as well as the next. In December 2010, â€Å"Qatar returned to inflation due to which the costs of living rose to 0.4 percent† (Merzaban, 2008). This was so because there was a rise in the prices of clothes, transport, and entertainment. Similarly, on the other hand, rental and energy costs fell. However, deflation is easing in Qatar in recent years because â €Å"the OPEC member’s economy recovered from a slowdown in 2009 when prices fell from 4.9%† (Merzaban, 2008). However, prices in November remained flat. The three major factors, which contribute in the soaring of the inflation rates in Qatar specifically, are the high levels of government spending, growing demands of housing, because of which the prices of the houses and rents are pushed up, and the pegging of riyals with dollars, due to which the interest rates are falling (Whiteman, 2008). If practically take each factor into account, we come to a conclusion which says, that when there is a general rise in government spending, so this pushes up the aggregate demand, which is one of the causes of inflation taking place. Taking the other factor into account- there is an increase in the demand for housing means that more people are there, which means that increased population, which again increases the aggregate demand, hence pushing the inflationary prices. Furthermore , when one converse about the riyals being pegged against the dollars, this means that the government is holding back its reserves in order to control the prices, which eventually extinguishes and hence this leads to a boost in prices causing inflation in the economy (Whiteman, 2008). Another reason for growing rates of inflation in Qatar is that Qatar is the world’s largest exporter and trans-shipper of Liquefied Natural Gas. In addition, it will remain the fastest growing economy despite the lower oil prices. Due to being the largest exporter of Liquefied Natural Gas, the economy can experience increased rates of currency, which will lead a general increase in prices and hence inflation (Reuters, 2011). The increased rates of inflation that have taken place are mostly due to the higher global food prices. Food is a necessity and due to the increased populat

The Impact of ASEAN Free Trade Agreement on Malaysian Automotive Dissertation

The Impact of ASEAN Free Trade Agreement on Malaysian Automotive Industry - Dissertation Example verview of Research Methods 3 1.6 Research Significance 4 1.7 Dissertation 4 1.8 Summary 5 Chapter 2: Literature Review 6 2.1 Introduction 6 2.2 Overview of Malaysian Automotive Industry 6 2.3 ASEAN Free Trade Area 9 2.4 Malaysian Governments’ Reaction to AFTA 10 2.5 Impact of AFTA on Industry 13 Chapter 3: Research Methodology 18 3.1 Introduction 18 3.2 Research Approach 18 3.3 Research Methods 19 3.4 Research Design 20 3.4.1 Sample 20 3.4.2 Data Collection Method 21 3.4.3 Data Collection Instrument 22 3.4.4 Data Analysis 22 3.5 Ethical Considerations 23 3.6 Summary 23 Chapter 4: Findings and Results 24 4.1 Introduction 24 4.2 Section A: Findings from the Customer Interviews 24 4.2.1 Customers’ Perception of Impact of AFTA 24 4.2.2 Customers’ Perception of the fate of PROTON and PERDUA with AFTA 25 4.2.3 Perception of Governments’ Policies 27 4.2.4 Customers’ Preference: Imported vs. Indigenous 27 4.2.5 Customers’ Perception of Problems as a direct result of AFTA 28 4.2.6 Customers’ Perception of Advantages of AFTA 29 4.2.7 Customers’ Perception of the Problems Related to Increase in Traffic Post AFTA.29 4.2.8 Customers’ Perception of Public Transport 30 4.2.9 Customers’ Perception of Selling Indigenous Cars to buy Imported Cars 30 4.2.10 Customers’ Perception of Need to Support Local Manufacturers 30 4.2.11 Customers’ Opinion of Changes that PROTON and PERODUA should undergo to meet the challenges of AFTA 31 4.3 Section B: Financial Analysis of PROTON and PERODUA 31 4.3.1 Ratio Analysis - PROTON HOLDINGS BHD 31 4.3.2 Ratio Analysis - DAIHATSU 35 Chapter 5: Discussion and Analysis 39 5.1 Introduction 39 5.2 Malaysian Government’s Approach to Combat impacts of AFTA 39 5.3 Perception of Malaysian consumers on Policies of Malaysian Government 43...The industry has shown a 20% growth in output in 2010 and appears to be heading towards an era of continuous growth in the futur e (Dinne et al, 2010). While Malaysia started as a country where International brands of cars were initially assembled, the progressive policies of the government have now made the country a manufacturer of world class vehicles. Perusahaan AutomobilNasional (PROTON) and Perusahaan OtomobilKeduaSdn. Bhd (PERODUA) now produce automobiles that dominate the Malaysian market. This has been made possible by enacting a series of protectionist policies like the requirement of local content, local labour, local partnership on the foreign companies that wanted to open their assembly plants in Malaysia. In addition, the government has proactively invested time and resources in boosting the two national automotive organizations - PROTON and PERODUA. As a result of the governmental policies, PROTON and PERODUA sell 90% of all domestic requirements while the two companies also export a large number of units worldwide (Business-in-Asia.com (n.d). However, with the implementation of Asian Free Trad e Area (AFTA) in the year 2005, the Malaysian automotive industry faced new challenges from neighbouring countries like Thailand and China, in terms of the quality and pricing and availability of imported cars in the market (Gabilaia, 2001).

Effect of luxury cars on the uk market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Effect of luxury cars on the uk market - Essay Example In other markets, especially those in the South Eastern Asia region make significant sales of other types of luxury cars too (TATT, 2010). However, these markets are always limited to the sum total volume of sales by the overall size either of the industry or by the local conditions of the market and other preferences (Shende, 2014). Consequently, the market for luxury cars generally is presently undertaking some sort of social change with some of the luxury car brands seeming to be less remote. The brands are also seen to be less varied and at the same time less exclusive with the quality, that they have in improving lives (TATT, 2010). As a result, the increment in the competition between different car makes has intensified the relevance of brand identity (Shende, 2014). As the standards of the product continue to go up, the customer’s perceived image of the car brand plays a major role in making the buying decision. Some of the luxury cars such as the BMW, Lexus and the Mercedes- Benz are bound to develop some values and characteristics that are seen to reflect the ever-changing social values (TATT, 2010). The values then influence the buyer’s emotions, so that the brands maintain their positions in various world regions of the global market (Shende, 2014). In the past several years, the research into the customers’ perception and their behaviors in the luxury car industry has been driven by a couple of researchers all over the world (Shende, 2014). There is very little literature both in writing and in softcopy means that document any research done concerning customer perception of luxury cars. Most of the work is focused on the loyalty of the consumers and that of brand switching (ANURIT, NEWMAN & CHANSARKAR, n.d.). The key research that has been made has focused on the low priced segment ranges of cars rather than the luxury car segment in which any choices between the choice of individual potential buyers and brand image concept play a big

Outcome Analysis of Burns Patients in BICU

Outcome Analysis of Burns Patients in BICU Outcome analysis of burns patients after admission to burns intensive care unit in a tertiary regional referral centre Goh SY, Thong SY, Win MTM, Ng SY ABSTRACT Background: The clinical course of severely burned patients may be stormy and the prognosis tends to be poor in patients with multiple comorbidities and those with inhalational injury. The aim of this study is to develop an objective and reliable predictive model for mortality in patients with major burns. This will help us identify the important factors influencing outcomes and allows more evidence-based prognostication. Methods: Adult patients admitted to the burns intensive care unit (BICU) in a major tertiary referral center from 2008-2011 are selected. Demographic factors, types, severity and complications of burn injury as well as outcomes are reviewed. Results:In the 4-year period, 181 patients were admitted to BICU. Mean age (SD) was 41 (16) years old. Mean (SD) total body surface area burn was 37.2 (30.2%). Mortality was 39.5%. Mean (SD) length of stay in the BICU and hospital for patients who eventually survived were 8.4 (13.4) and 28.5 (37.9) days respectively. Lower airway burns has a significant relationship with the development of renal failure after multivariate analysis (Odds ratio 5.1, Confidence interval 1.1- 24.0). Greater total body surface burns, development of acute respiratory distress syndrome and older patients with more extensive burns predispose to mortality as shown in table 2. In our cohort of patients, the probability of death may be estimated by this equation: Probability of death= (1+ey)-1 y= -7.008+0.04(TBSA) +1.791(ARDS)*+0.054(Age+TBSA) *= ARDS (0=no, 1=yes) Conclusion: We have developed a predictive model for mortality in major burn patients. This may be useful in prognosis during early stages of care. Introduction Survival after burns injury has improved tremendously over the last few decadeswith the refinement of fluid resuscitation, better intensive care and early surgical excision1as some of the strategies that have significantly influenced patient outcomes. These advancements have contributed to lowering mortality rates in burns patients in Singapore to 4.5% between 2003-20052. Despite these advancements, however, overall mortality rates of patients with major burns remain high. Numerous factors such as age, percentage body surface area burns and inhalational injuries3 have been found to influence the prognosis and outcomes in this group of patients. The combination of these predictive factors into scoring systems that would yield an expected mortality rate for each given patient has been the subject of many studies4-6.However, most of these studies have not been performed or validated in our local population. A robust predictive model would be useful for clinicians as a more evidence-based approach for counselling and prognostication at an early stage of treatment. We can even plan further treatment and intervention based on prognosis and other clinical factors. A standardized model will also provide an opportunity for audit and a basis against which new treatment modalities may be compared. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the prognostic variables influencing outcome in patients admitted to our burns intensive care unit and to develop a predictive model for mortality in patients with major burns. Methods Clinical care The burns centre at the Singapore General Hospital is a major tertiary referral centre for burns injury in Singapore as well as the Southeast Asia region. Burn patients presenting at the Accident and Emergency department are assessed by the plastic surgerical team, who decide if the patient requires admission to the specialised burns unit or the burns intensive care unit. The extent and depth of burns were assessed and documented.All patients requiring intensive care, such as those with major burns, are haemodynamically unstable, or have sustained inhalational injury requiring mechanical ventilation, are managed by a team consisting of at least a plastic surgical specialist and an anaesthetist. These patients received fluid resuscitation according to the Parkland’s formula. Adequacy of fluid therapy was assessed by endpoints such as hourly urine output, arterial blood pressure and central venous pressure. Early enteral nutrition, mechanical ventilation and vasoactive support were initiated as required. Early surgery for escharotomy, burns excision and grafting were carried out as early as possible. Patients This study was approved by our centre’s institutional review board. The medical records of all burns patients admitted to the burns intensive care unit at the Singapore General Hospital over a 4-year period between January 2008 and December 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. Information including demographics, comorbidities, mechanism of injury, total body surface area (TBSA) burned, incidence of inhalation injury, complications such as organ failure, length of hospital stay and mortality were recorded and entered into a database. Statistical Analysis Statistical analyses were conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 17, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). Data are presented as mean and standard deviationfor continuous variables and proportions for categorical variables. Univariate comparisons of proportions and means were respectively done using Chi Square test, Fisher exact test and t test. Logistic regression and linear regression analysis was applied to study the relationship between the variables and mortality and length of stay, respectively. Variables with a plausible relationship with mortality or p0.05. Results Patient profile During the 4-year study period, a total of 182 patients were admitted to the burns intensive care unit (BICU).These patient characteristics are presented in table 1. The mean age of these patients was 40.5 +/- 16 years old, with males comprising a larger percentage of the cohort (79.1%). Mean total body surface area (TBSA) burned was 37.2 +/- 30.2%. Most of the patients were healthy prior to their burns, with only a small minority having any significant medical issues. A high proportion of the patients suffered inhalational burns (83%). However, only 26 out of the 182 patients (14.3%) fulfilled the criteria for ARDS. Other significant patient characteristics and details of their burns injuries are listed in Table 1. Flame burn was the commonest injury etiology in our patient population (88.4%). Table 2 shows the mechanism of burn injuries suffered by our group of patients. Length of stay The mean length of stay was 20.9 days. The survivors spent a mean of 8.4 days in ICU, as opposed to 6.9 days for the non-survivors. The majority of patients who survived to discharge were discharged home (table 3). TBSA, albumin level and sepsis were found to be significant predictors of LOS, yielding a final predictive model of: LOS = 41.608 – 0.234(TBSA) – 0.919 (albumin) + 16.14 (sepsis*) Where *=presence of sepsis (yes=1, no=0) Mortality Out of the 182 patients, a total of 65 patients or 35.9 % did not survive the hospital stay. The mean age of these patients was 42.1 years. Mean TBSA involved was 66.8% (compared with a mean of 20.6% in the survivor group). In our analysis, we found that the non-survivor group had significantly larger TBSA burns (p To develop the predictive model, we analysed the variables in univariate analysis. Variables with a plausible relationship with mortality or p A predictive model for mortality was thus developed as follows: Probability of death = (1+ey)-1 Where y = -7.008 + 0.04 (TBSA) + 1.791 (ARDS)* + 0.054( Age+TBSA) * = ARDS (no=0, yes =1) Discussion In this study, we elucidated the risk factors that contribute to mortality in patients admitted to the BICU, and developed a predictive model for mortality incorporating these factors. Previous mortality studies have sought to establish prognostic variables associated with burn mortality. In 1961 Baux described in a French thesis a simple empiric formula, stating that mortality rate was the sum of age and percentage area burned7. Inhalational injury was then found to be an important predictive factor and this was included in a mortality probability equation reported by Clark et al in 19868. The abbreviated burn severity index (ABSI), which is in widespread use, assigns numerical values according to the severity of 5 prognostic variables (age, gender, inhalational injury, %TBSA and presence of full thickness burns). The sum of these variables yields a predicted mortality rate9. Similar predictive factors have been found to be relevant in several other studies3,10,11. However, these st udies generated highly variable predictive models, highlighting the need for individualised models for different patient groups. Our study is unique as it is one of only a handful of studies based on an Asian population2,12-14 , with even fewer attempting to develop predictive mortality models5. In addition, we only included burns intensive care unit patients in our study, as opposed to the entire burn population. Advancements in medical care and aggressive early excision and grafting of burns have led to a global reduction in burn mortality in recent times. In Singapore, the overall mortality for burns victims was found to be 4.5% between 2003 and 200512. This improvement has also been evident in severe burns victims, with mortality falling annually from 60% in 2000 to 30% in 20032. However, death rate remains high in this group of patients, and it is our aim to look at the outcomes and predictive factors determining mortality in this susceptible group, and to develop a clinically relevant predictive model targeted at them. Our study found that TBSA, age+TBSA and ARDS were significant predictive factors affecting mortality in our ICU patients. Inhalational injury, generally accepted as a prognostic factor8,9, was not found to be significantly associated with death in our patient group. There could be several explanations for this finding. In our series, 151 or 83% of our patients were diagnosed with inhalational burns. This is a very high percentage compared to most of the other studies, though it is not entirely surprising. Our patient cohort consisted entirely of ICU patients. This unique group of patients have either sustained major burns or inhalational burns that have required ventilatory support. . The remaining 17% of patients that might have been in ICU due to reasons other than inhalational injuries may not have been sufficient in number to demonstrate a survival advantage, if any. Secondly the lack of universally accepted diagnostic criteria means that the diagnosis of inhalational injury can vary widely between different institutions and intensivists, using either clinical examination or fibreoptic bronchoscopy, or a combination of both. Hence it has been suggested that, the need for invasive ventilation, the determination of which is far less complicated than the diagnosis of inhalational injury, may be a better marker for mortality risk6. In our study, we found that the presence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a common complication associated with major burns or severe inhalational injury, was directly associated with death. This could be an indication that the severity of inhalational injury, rather than the presence of it, may be a more suitable prognostic indicator for death, particularly in the group of patients requiring intensive care management. Since this is a retrospective study, we were not only able to collect data relating to the patient’s characteristics at presentation, but also susbequent clinical data as treatment progressed, such as development of ARDS, sepsis and renal failure. Clearly these factors are important as response to therapy is a vital determinant to patient outcomes. However, inclusion of these variables may not be possible at patient presentation, the point at which prediction of mortality is sometimes vital for determining the direction and aggressiveness of therapy. Perhaps future prospective trials can look at determining predictive factors that influence mortality at various stages of treatment, creating a superior prognostic tool with which we may advise patients and families, guide therapy and perform internal audit and research. Clinicians utilising any kind of predictive model to estimate mortality probability in the clinical setting should always proceed with caution. These may be used as a tool to aid clinical decisions regarding treatment but should not replace sound clinical judgment. Neither should the outcomes be judged solely upon whether the patient lives or dies, without scant consideration for the quality of life after the hospital stay. These endpoints are a lot more difficult to assess, and in the absence of a standardized tool the incorporation of quality of life indicators into prognostic scoring systems may still be a long way away. Conclusion In our study, we have developed a predictive model for mortality in our cohort of burn patients admitted to the burns intensive care unit. The next step would be to validate the model in future prospective studies. A validated model can potentially help teams involved in tough clinical decisions to prognosticate and formulate treatment plans for severely burned patients. It also serves to show that further studies need to be done to validate and come up with a more robust model. We did not find a significant relationship between inhalational injury and mortality in our study, a finding consistent with several other studies.

Hostage Negotiation Essay -- essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hostage and barricade incidents are amongst the most difficult, emotional, and sometimes potentially lethal situations that a negotiator can be involved in. Often, the hostage taker shows signs of mental illness, drug or alcohol intoxication, or personal disputes accompanied by a high level of emotion. (Feldmann) These contributing factors lead to impulsive and often unpredictable behavior on the part of the hostage taker. It is sometimes impossible for negotiators to anticipate possible outcomes and complications that could arise from these incidents. Negotiators use a wide variety of tools, information, and strategies to try and resolve whatever grievances and demands the perpetrator is exhibiting. The main focus on the part of the negotiator is to keep the hostage alive, then try to negotiate a surrender. There is a considerable risk to both the victims and law enforcement when dealing with a hostage situation. (Feldmann) This paper will ide ntify and distinguish several high risk factors that negotiators and law enforcement use to extinguish potentially lethal situations. The presence or absence of these factors can influence the outcome of a situation for the better or for the worst. Second, this paper will identify several motivations for hostage taking. Why and what would prompt an individual to take hostages? Several influential and background reasons will be examined. Finally, some successful and also failed negotiations will be explored, with possible reasons and explanations to what factors made them either a success or a failure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hostage negotiation is as much of an art as it is a science. The negotiator not only holds the lives of the victims in his hands, but the lives of law enforcement and the hostage taker as well. His persuasiveness and communication abilities have the power to protect and save lives. The Hostage Taker   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most common reasons for a hostage taking situation is desperation. The hostage taker feels desperate because of either what he has done or what he is doing. (DeFao) Taking a hostage is a split second decision usually made out of desperation. (DeFao) A person who is in the process of committing a crime, for instance a bank robber who has been surrounded or confron... ...he presence of high-risk factors, consider all other intelligence available, and combine this information with the assessments made by both the negotiation and tactical teams. This combined information will assist in differentiating between a genuine hostage situation, and a pseudo-hostage situation. The success or failure of the situation ultimately lies in the persuasive and communication abilities of the negotiator. Bibliography 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Feldmann, Theodore : Hostage Negotiation Research. Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences: University of Louisvillle school of Medicine: Jan.15, 2001 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  WWW. hostagenegotiationtraining.com 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  American Journal of Forensic Psychiatry: Psychiatric consultation to police hostage negotiation teams: Volume 19, 1998, p.27-44 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  VanZandt, Clinton : Hostage/Barricade Situations: Special operations Unit Training Manual: FBI Academy 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  DeFao, Janine: Hostage crisis calls for an artists touch: Sacramento Bee: Sunday, March 5, 1995: 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  WWW. rcmp-learning.org/docs/ecdd1216.htm