Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma Essay

One very debatable ethical dilemma in today’s society is euthanasia. Euthanasia, like any other medical treatment should be seen as a choice. As a society, there are obligations to the sick that should be up held, but morally and legally may not be supportable. There are many aspects that go with this choice besides the obligation. There are also stakeholders to consider as well as social values, morals and religious implications. Euthanasia is Greek for good death which translates into English as easy death or mercy killing. It was accepted by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Three Asian religious traditions accept euthanasia: Buddhism, Shintoism, and Confucianism. It was rejected by the 3 main monotheistic religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam. It has its supporters and opponents in all countries. Two types of patients are involved in euthanasia: (a) a patient in a persistent vegetative state who is awake but is not aware of self or the environment. Such a patient has no higher brain functions and is kept alive on artificial life support (b) patient in terminal illness with a lot of pain, psychological suffering and loss of dignity. The patient may or may not be on life support. There are different types of euthanasia. Active euthanasia, an act of commission, is taking some action that leads to death like a fatal injection. Passive euthanasia, an act of omission, is letting a person die by taking no action to maintain life. Passive euthanasia can be withholding or withdrawing water, food, drugs, medical or surgical procedures, resuscitation like CPR, and life support such as the respirator. The patient is then left to die from the underlying disease. Sometimes a distinction is made between normal nutrition and hydration on one hand and medical nutritional support involving intravenous and naso-gastric feeding on the other hand. Euthanasia can be by the patient or by the health care giver. Euthanasia can be voluntary when the pat ient takes the decision, non-voluntary when the decision is made by another person for an unconscious patient and involuntary when the decision is made contrary to the patient’s wish. There are ethical implications of European and American arguments for and against euthanasia. Two arguments are made for active euthanasia: (a) mercy killing because of pain, psychological and physical suffering (b) the utilitarian argument is that euthanasia is desirable because it relieves the misery of the terminally ill. Two arguments are made against active  euthanasia: (a) killing is morally wrong and is forbidden by religion (b) unexpected cures or procedures may be discovered to reverse the terminal condition. Nurses are the gatekeepers of the healing facility, although they may have their own outlooks based on their own ethical, cultural, and religious views (LeBaron, 2010). There are always value conflicts when it comes to euthanasia, which can be demonstrated by examining utilitarianism and rights. The nursing practice should be to keep patients alive, do no harm, do everything possible to save the life, and do good to everyone by respecting the right or autonomy of the individual patient. Although most of Americans presently think that physician-assisted suicide should be legal and no existing federal laws prohibiting the practice of euthanasia in United States, voluntary/assisted euthanasia is yet considered illegal and killing in all of the States but in Oregon, Washington, and soon Montana (Webster, 2009). First, Oregon and recently Washington passed a Death with Dignity Act and are actually the only places where euthanasia in terminally ill patients is legally and openly authorized (Blizzard, 2012). In 2009’s Baxter v. Montana case, the Montana Supreme Court declared that no law in state constitution stops patients from practicing voluntary/assisted euthanasia (O’Reilley, 2010). Any time the legislature can act to join Oregon and Washington in the public arena. According to both States’ laws, an adult competent patient must address three witnessed solicitations, two verbally and one in writing, to his/her attending physician for a fatal medica tion. Then the patient administers the dose on her/ his own. Obviously, the Death with Dignity Act unambiguously bans assisted euthanasia that obliges another person than the patient to take part in administering the medication (Exit International Australia, 2012). As euthanasia is observed from a diversity of different perspective, the stake holders’ opinions are considered. In front comes the patient who wishes and requests to discontinue her/his life in respect to human right to select the time and manner of death when she/ he is terminal ill by stopping unwanted, burdensome and/or futile medical treatment. Other people entrusted with the euthanasia dilemma include physicians/healthcare professionals, the family, insurance companies, religious groups, and the government. The second stakeholder is families that have to admit and follow the desires of their loved one to die in nobility. The involvement in this kind of decision  may be an unbearable load for some families who would be would be either not ready to let their darling one go, which could generate a catch-22 mainly if they are bending patient’s wishes, or emotionally scarred by the death. Other stakeholders in this situation are physicians and other practitioners who might come across a real impasse because the euthanasia breaches the â€Å"do no harm† Hippocratic Oath. The insurance companies may drive the patient in opting for death to conserve the money on an individual who does not hope of staying alive. Some religious groups are against euthanasia and consider it a suicide. Lastly the government intervenes in the stake holder in this state of affairs in defensive position for citizen from illegal measures. Voluntary/assisted euthanasia is an ethical dilemma, and creates issues and disagreements amongst those involved (Gore, 2012). Netherland and Belgium are the two countries in the world to legalize euthanasia. In the US, Oregon and Washington also legalized euthanasia. The main barriers to legalize euthanasia are the government, religion, fear, education and the media. More religious people are against euthanasia. Education also plays a major role in euthanasia. The more education a person has he/she believes all individuals have the right to autonomy and therefore the person has the right to decide to end their life. Euthanasia has pros and cons. Pros include relief from pain, relief from low quality or vegetative state of life, relief from financial strain on health care system and the resources can be used for other people. The cons include family members can kill another family member if they don’t like them or reduce financial burden, loss of respect of human life and according to religious view God can only choose when to end life. In Euthanasia legalized countries, such as palliative care nurses in Belgium have important roles and responsibilities in working with euthanasia requested by patients and their families. The nurse involvement starts when the patient requests to euthanasia and ends by supporting family and loved ones. They are in key positions to provide valuable care to the patient and family. Nurses assist the health care team after the life threatening procedure. Pain management and comfort care are their main goals at that time. Nurses are open-minded and have unique relationships with the patient and family. â€Å"In the twentieth century, a number of social and technological changes made euthanasia a morally acceptable choice to growing numbers of people† (Wells, 2006). There are two  types of ethical theories that are going to be focused on. The first is utilitarianism, which is an action that is morally correct if its consequence is good for the greatest numbers. It generally focuses on the greatest good for the greatest number, and neglects the individual rights. The other theory is called deontology, which takes into consideration the way something is to be done and not just on the consequences of that action. One may tell a lie to the doctor, just to save a friend but doesnâ₠¬â„¢t think of the grave consequences they have to suffer later on. A person making a voluntary euthanasia uses the utilitarianism theory when making such a judgment. One might choose to voluntarily do euthanasia if the person has reached an all-time low and the only other option is to the act. The person has to have thoroughly thought about the consequences and make sure his or her judgment is not biased or is not taken personal. There are certain conditions that apply for one to request voluntary euthanasia. Conditions are an unlikelihood of recovering from a cure, suffering from a terminal illness, and most importantly, they must have a voluntary wish to die. As can be seen by the multiple views of the authors, euthanasia is not an easy topic to side on. Due to many religious beliefs, one may feel euthanasia is wrong. But as a nurse that sees suffering every day, this same person would support euthanasia if not condemned by his/her religion. With the support of the ‘do no harm’ belief, it can also be construed that assisting in euthan asia is not doing harm, but preventing harm for those with chronic severe pain. There is no nationwide movement for the majority of the states to legislate for euthanasia, but thankfully there are two, soon to be three compassionate states that have in-acted this law. References Blizzard, R. (2002). Right to die or dead to rights? Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/poll/6265/Right-Die-Dead-Rights.aspx?version=print Euthanasia: The nurses role (2011). Issues in nursing. Retrieved on 10/3/12 from Nursing students 417.wordpress.com Exit International Australia (2012). Death with Dignity in Oregon (soon to be Montana. Retrieved from http://www.exitinternational.net/page/USA Gore, J. (2011) Stakeholders in Euthanasia. Retrieved from http://jacktgore.edublogs.org/2011/08/03/stakeholders-in-euthanasia/ LeBaron Jr, G. (2010). The ethics of euthanasia. Retrieved October 3, 2012, from http://www.quantonics.com/The_Ethics_of_Euthanasia_By_Garn_LeBaron.html Purtilo, R., & Doherty, R. (2011). Ethical dimensions in the health professions (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. Task Force on the Nurse’s Role in End-of-Life Decisions, 2011. (2011). Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 8(1). Webster, B. (2009). Assisted Suicide/Voluntary Euthanasia. International debate education association. UK. Retrieved from http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_print.php?topicID=55 Wells, K. R., Frey, R. (2006). The gale encyclopedia of nursing and allied health ed. In J. L. LONGE (Ed.), (2 ed., Vol. 2, pp. 993-996). DETROIT, GALE

Understanding ALS – Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Medical history has been filled with an array of diseases and illnesses, ranging from the common cold to deadly killers. Some are easily treatable and others can be terminal, but some of the worst are those that still remain without a cure; one such disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a degenerative disease affecting the human nervous system. It is a deadly disease that cripples and kills its victims due to a breakdown in the body†s motor neurons. Motor neurons are nerve cells in the brainstem and spinal cord that control muscle contractions. In ALS, these neurons deteriorate to a point that all movement, including breathing, halts. Muscle weakness first develops in the muscles of body parts distant from the brain, such as the hands, and subsequently spreads through other muscle groups closer to the brain. Such early symptoms as this, however, can hardly be noticed. Early symptoms of ALS are very slight and often overlooked. They begin as simple things, such as tripping or dropping things. Twitching or cramping of muscles and abnormal fatigue of the arms and legs may soon follow, causing difficulty in daily activities, such as walking or dressing. In more advanced stages, however, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing and swallowing ensue, until the body is completely taken over by the disease. Intellect, eye motion, bladder function, and sensation are the only abilities spared. Where and how this deadly disease originated is unknown, but it was first identified in 1869, by the noted French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot. ALS is not contagious, but research is still vague on the cause of the disease. Today, there are three recognized forms of ALS: genetic, sporadic, and Guamanian. The genetic form of ALS appears to be inherited or passed down within a family, and about ten percent of ALS patients have a family history of the disease. An abnormal gene has been located in about half these families, but the cause of the remaining half is still unknown. The next, most common form, is sporadic ALS. These patients have no family history of disease, and the cause of their coming down with ALS is a mystery. Finally, is Guamanian ALS, called this because a high percentage of cases occur in the Pacific Islands near Guam. One major reason ALS is such a frightening disease is because no cure has been established. Although no effective treatment has been developed, a number of drug trials have been conducted, and there are some devices designed to help ALS patients maintain independence as well as safety as the disease progresses. These devices include ankle or foot braces, cervical collars, and reclining chairs. Since there is no cure, however, the primary treatment is for management of symptoms. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is also a difficult disease to diagnose, primarily because no one test can definitely establish if the disease is present. A diagnosis includes most, if not all, of the following procedures: electrodiagnostic tests, blood and urinary study, thyroid and parathyroid hormone levels, spinal tap and imaging, and muscular or nerve biopsy. Most who develop ALS are between the ages of forty and seventy years of age, although cases have been reported of victims in their twenties and thirties. It was once thought to be a rare disease, but studies have shown that about 5,000 people in the United States are newly-diagnosed with ALS each year–about 13 new cases a day! It isn estimated that about 100,000 people who are apparently well in the country today will die with ALS. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is also popularly known as Lou Gehrig disease. Lou Gehrig was a famous baseball player in the 1930†³s for the New York Yankees. Once known as baseball†s â€Å"Ironman†, Lou Gehrig was truly a sports legend. His promising career came to a screeching halt, however, when he was diagnosed with ALS. The disease not only took away his career in baseball, but his life; Lou Gehrig died at the young age of thirty-eight. In conclusion, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a deadly and frightening disease; its victims cannot be saved. Someday, hopefully, a cure will be developed, and the suffering this disease is causing will be stopped.

Discuss the main American film noir influences found in le Doulos PowerPoint Presentation

Discuss the main American film noir influences found in le Doulos (Melville 1964) - PowerPoint Presentation Example The innocence was lost suddenly. The threat of nuclear annihilation was in the air perpetually. The result was widespread pessimism and anxiety among the people in general. It was such a social situation that was responsible for the emergence of the so called â€Å"Film Noir† The optimism and the pleasant mood of the Hollywood musicals and comedies were replaced by violence and greed. Even the title of the films echoed the black tone of the content and treatment. The Dark Passage (1947) Fear in the Night (1947) Kiss me Deadly (1955) are few examples. But Film Noir was not a genre. It was more about the mood and tone of the film. A particular moody content treated in a dark style. These films usually revolve around a main male character who is very cynical and hard hearted. He encounters an amoral and seductive beauty. Through her manipulations the hero becomes a scapegoat often after a murder. Finally the hero gets destroyed and this woman who betrays him also gets destroyed. The protagonists of these films generally belong to a particular class. They come from lower strata of society or rather the underworld. They are very ambitious people who become criminals to fulfill their ambitions. Thus they are cynical, disillusioned and frightened, obsessed with sex or some other vice. They are very insecure and lonely people who end up as ultimate losers. They are driven by their past and they often repeat their mistakes. The story telling is rarely linear and is often elliptical and complex. Flashbacks are aplenty. Orson wells and his film Citizen Kane had great influence in the camera work of Film Noir . , Orson Wells and his camera man Greg Toland contributed to the aesthetics of cinema by using wide angle lens, for dramatic purposes, there by creating what was known later as â€Å"deep focus† and the â€Å"depth of field†. According to the French film critique and New Wave film director Francois Truffaut, â€Å" this film ( Citizen Kane ) has inspired more

The Liberation Day of Kuwait Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Liberation Day of Kuwait - Essay Example Iraq, under the command of Saddam Hussein, invaded Kuwait with the aim of annexing Kuwait and taking over her oilfields. Saddam’s argument was that even before independence from Great Britain in1961; Kuwait should have been Iraqis territory; in addition, he claimed Kuwait did not adhere to agreed oil quota (Khadduri and Ghareeb164). Under the instructions of Saddam Hussein, Iraqi troops invaded Kuwait and occupied some areas. The United Nations (UN) called for the withdrawal of these troops, but this failed to take place. UN forces anchored by American forces began an air bombardment on Iraqis capital Baghdad. Later, they followed this up with the ground incursions; this had the effect of forcing the withdrawal of Iraqi forces from neighboring Kuwait. Looting, plundering and damage of Kuwaitis oil infrastructure by the fleeing Iraqi troops took place (Khadduri and Ghareeb 171). This paper looks into the various ways Kuwaitis commemorate this day in 2011. With the above facts i n mind, it becomes necessary to look into the activities of the day held in pomp and color by the citizens and government. The celebrations in Kuwait city on the 20th eve of this day in 2011 were visible everywhere one went. In an interview, with a man in his 40’s, he recounts how as a youth, he helped to load and unload food and other supplies for the soldiers with former friends. As the patriarch of the house, he helped decorate the house in red, green, and white; the colors of the Kuwait flag. Equally, the hoisting of flags was visible across the streets in his neighborhood. As a national holiday, most people are at home the youth also experienced these celebrations in the neighborhoods through organized football tournaments. Surprisingly, the Imam of the local mosque also gathered some youths in the mosque. The attendance was satisfactory despite being a Saturday, he recounted and emphasized the importance of the day and led in praying for peace. The idea that a Sunni pre sident would attack a neighboring Sunni state seemed incomprehensible to the youth. Nevertheless, this remains a historical reminder of the atrocities that can be committed by power hungry leaders. Significance placed on the day by even religious clerics highlights this. The media fraternity equally celebrated; Kuwait national television and the national broadcaster carried stories of triumphs over the invasion. Qatar based Al jazerra TV equally featured the celebration of this day as one of its main stories. The social networking sites were abuzz with best wishes for state of Kuwait, remembrance of the martyrs of this day and the Kuwaitis held captives in Iraqi jails. The military parade was an impressive sight. The invitation included various leaders from countries that helped liberate Kuwait. This parade also included the 50th anniversary of the independence of Kuwait from being a British protectorate. Various armies of Arab states including Saudi Arabia also marched. Fighter jet s provided a beautiful spectacle of white, green and red smoke symbolizing the national flag. The president of Iraq Jalal Talabani a Kurdish leader was also in attendance, showing there was no animosity between the two neighboring countries. As is customary in celebrations, in Kuwait, ‘Machboos’, (commonly being chicken, fish and beef with rice) serving was carried out in large trays. All family members gathered together at lunch time with coffee mainly served to

Research about Cholera disease Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

About Cholera disease - Research Paper Example The toxin choleragen cause severe diarrhea by disrupting the function of the epithelium of the small intestine. The clinical features of the disease include severe diarrhea which results in loss of body fluids and salts. The persistent diarrhea results in severe dehydration and weakness. The method of diagnosis involves microscopic analysis of feces. The annual incidence of cholera accounts for about 5.5 million worldwide. The annual mortality worldwide is 120 000. The treatment for cholera involves Oral Rehydration Therapy which restores the osmotic balance of the blood and tissue fluids. The only way to prevent cholera infection is to have an access to uncontaminated food and water. (BARUA et al 209-214). Etiology: Cholera is an infectious disease of the small intestine. It is caused by ingesting contaminated food or water, which contains the pathogen Vibrio cholera which is a comma-shaped, motile, Gram negative bacterium. The bacterium produces an enterotoxin which causes rise wat er stools in the individual affected. It can lead to severe dehydration and eventually death if left untreated. The bacterium acts on the intestinal wall to interfere with the flow of sodium and chloride. This flow of the electrolytes causes a misbalance and hence watery diarrhea ensues. Well water, seafood, raw fruits and vegetables along with grains are the possible carriers of the bacterium. The methods of prevention are further highlighted below in the essay (Taylor et al 500-505 ; MayoClinic). Life Cycle: The organism V. cholera has two life cycles – one in the environment and one inside the human body. V. cholera are present in brackish coastal waters and are found attached to copepods (a type of crustacean), as well as chitin-containing shells of crabs, shrimps, and other shellfish. A rise in the temperature of the water creates a favorable environment for the bacterium. The cholera vibrio can also live inside algae, in a dormant state, for years. Sewage tends to encou rage the growth of algae because it contains nutrients. Thus these ‘algal blooms’ also result in the transmission of the disease (MayoClinic). The pathogen multiplies in the intestine, releasing a powerful toxin (CTX) which disrupts the flow of sodium and chloride ions. The disruption of sodium and chloride ions results in diarrhea which causes rapid loss of water, fluids and salts from the body (rice-water stool) (MayoClinic). There are two serogroups of the bacterium, O-group 1 and O-group 139, and it is their toxigenic strains which are known to cause cholera. V. cholera O1 has two biotypes – Classical and El Tor. Each biotype has two serotypes – Inaba and Ogawa. Individuals infected with El Tor, either do not show any symptoms of the disease, or develop only a mild illness. The classical serotype is now only restricted to Bangladesh and India (WHO; CDC). Contaminated standing water, seafood, raw fruits and vegetables and grains like rice and millet may harbor the bacterium especially in developing countries where there is poor sanitation and the provision of clean drinking water is a formidable challenge. The disease can also be spread by vectors like flies when moving from human feces to food. After being infected with the bacterium 25% of the people develop the disease. The rest remain ‘

In-house Photography and Outsourced Photography Essay

In-house Photography and Outsourced Photography - Essay Example They presented the key factors as - Management, Strategy, Technology, Economics and Quality. To add more to these decision points the author presents the arguments by Lankford and Parsa (1999. pp310-312) who insisted that an organization should consider economies of scale, inability to manage the function in-house, strategic realignment, need for focus on core business, short & long term financial advantages, and impact on company's competitiveness when deciding for outsourcing. Roy and Aubert (2002. pp32-33) presented a strong statement on outsourcing decision stating that "outsourcing would be appropriate for activities requiring non-strategic resources while activities linked to key competencies should be jealously kept in-house". They argued that the business critical processes, information & intellectual properties of the organizations should be kept out of the outsourcing framework and the organization should consider outsourcing only those work that does not comprise of the ke y competencies of their business model and do not invite any legal trouble for the organization if there are breaches by the outsourcing vendor. They presented the following model of outsourcing decisions: As presented in the figure, the authors argue that outsourcing should be carried out only for those aspects of the business that possess strategically low value and possess lesser presence of strategic resources. Based on the arguments and empirical generalizations by these scholars, the author presents the following decision criteria for Kudler Fine Foods for outsourcing photography: (a) It should not be part of the internal business competency of the organization. (b) It should not comprise of high strategic value or high value strategic resources. (c) There shouldn't be any legal issues. (d) It should make economic sense for the organization. (e) The technology is too complex & expensive to be handled in-house (f) The function is too complex to be handled in-house The author presents an analysis of photography outsourcing versus in-house for Kudler Fine Foods in the subsequent sections. Pros and cons of outsourcing the photography to a professional photographer or creating the infrastructure to take the photographs in-house Before we argue on whether photography should be outsourced by Kudler Fine Foods, it is important to judge whether this is critical for the business. The primary objective of photography in the business of Kudler Fine Foods is to advertise the images of actual organic products of the store on the Internet and in the Print media. It appears that the actual purpose of Kathy Kudler is to enhance the competitive advantages of the store. Hence, the photography may require lot of internal understanding of the business & products and may demand innovations & ideas from the internal employees who have worked hard to bring the stores to this level of success. It may be wiser to develop the

Legal policy and organisational framework Essay

Legal policy and organisational framework - Essay Example The range of existing legal responses that may be utilized in cases of elder abuse in the UK is evaluated, and recent proposals to reform the law are analyzed. Because no single piece of applicable protective legislation exists, three possible levels of intervention have been identified: preventive measures, private law initiatives and state intervention. ABSTRACT. This article evaluates the range of existing legal responses that may be utilized in cases of elder abuse in the UK. Because no single piece of applicable protective legislation exists, three possible levels of intervention have been identified: preventive measures, private law initiatives, and state intervention. In answer to the criticism of existing law, the Law Commission has published proposals for legal reform drawing on the child protection model. Questions are raised regarding the suitability of the approach given the intrinsic social and legal differences between children and adults. [Article copies available from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-342-9678. E-mail address: getinfo@haworth.com) Elder abuse is a term that is not recognized by English law. There is currently no single piece of applicable protective legislation in contrast with the United States. In England, the one existing law that may be applicable to cases of elder abuse in England is fragmented and lacks coherence. It is less accessible than, for example, the child protection law, which is contained in The Children Act 1989, and is not particularly "user friendly." The challenge of elder abuse, therefore, calls on lawyers to be creative and use their imagination and skills in drawing on existing remedies from statute and common law and adapting these to respond to individual complaints of elder abuse. Existing remedies may not be fully utilized for a number of reasons. For one thing, certain procedures, such as criminal prosecutions, may be perceived as

Industrialization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Industrialization - Essay Example The country had started as a young and weak nation with loose association of the former colonies and a traditional economy. The country had a major focus on agriculture and it was only now that the country was able move into mechanization. This had not only allowed for a bettered living situation for the normal Americans but also led to higher number of work available for the Americans as well. It was in 1851 that the change was very evident as the producers from various nations had gathered to celebrate the industrialization and this also led to higher number of jobs available for the people of the country. The American economy had emerged to become one of the largest and most productive on the globe and this had led to the major changes in the society, it led to urban population growth and rural population decline. Also the nature of the labor also changes to a great extent. The cities grew and the urban areas of the country expanded fivefold. Also there was an explosion in the gro wth of the big cities and the industrial revolution and its effects are seen even until the current day. Overall the industrialization has led to a large hop in the economy of the country along with the general public receiving a lot out of the changes as well. It has been a complete win – win situation for both the nation as well the ordinary

The effects of Interior Design and staff Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

The effects of Interior Design and staff - Essay Example Ulrich (2010, p.97) argues that the failure of hard facilities are attributed to the fact that they are stressful and does not satisfy the psychological needs of patients, staff and visitors. Research indicates that poor design impacts negatively on the well-being of patients. In addition, poor designs can affect the psychological pointers of wellness negatively. In this regard, research has associated poor design of the interior medical environment to a number of negative consequences for patients such as delirium, anxiety, high blood pressure, and increased intake of pain drugs. Therefore, the interior design has a responsibility to produce health facilities that enhances functional efficiency, marking, codes and reduces cost. In addition, designers should also aim at promoting the wellness of patients by designing physical environment that is psychologically supportive. Ulrich (2010, p.97) argues that a psychologically supportive environment promote patients’ coping with il lnesses such as stress and depression. In addition, a supporting environment impacts greatly on the healing effects of drugs, which enhances the recovery process. Poor designs, on the other hand, does not promote patients’ coping with stress since it is associated with stressors that only worsen the patient’s condition. Poor designs have also been found to have effects that negatively impacts on the healing process. Based on the above comments, this paper will examine the extent to which the interior design on medical environment stimulates patients and staff. Why a good healthcare environment is important for patients Edge (2003, p.2) argues that environmental factors influences how people behave in a given building setting. As a result, dating back to 1960s, architects have strongly believed that if someone can manipulate his environment to enhance physical well-being, then he or she can influence it to promote the behavior required and do away with the negative cons equences. The concept has since played a major role in the design of hospitals facilities all over the world. Naturally, when someone is not comfortable with the physical environment where he or she lives, the person can solve the problem by either finding the ways of adapting to the same environment or simply departing the area. However, this does not apply in hospital facilities. This is attributed to the fact that patients have no control of designing to change the environment or leave altogether because they are held captive in their surroundings. As a result, the responsibility of enhancing the wellness of patients on the hospital is placed upon the designers according to Malkin (1992, p.16). Edge (2003, p. 3) notes that designers usually face a huge challenge in coming up with a good interior design that enhances the well-being of patients. Patients usually come to the hospital suffering from a given ailment. As such, it is imperative that the interior design of the hospital f acilities positively influences the psychological state of patients and promote their recovery process. â€Å"Good quality design will contribute to providing an environment in which patients will be safe and secure. Well-designed buildings, capable

Air Pollution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Air Pollution - Essay Example This research paper explores that different places in the world have different air quality, depending on the magnitude of air pollution. The air that people inhale is neither clean nor is it healthy. In fact, the air that people breathe contains harmful gases like ground level ozone gas, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, air particles and lead. Of the five gases, ground level ozone and air borne articles have been identified as the greatest risk to human health in the world major cities. There is a great difference in air qualities in the world and this is manifested in different statistical informations in the major cities of the world. The major cities of the globe are impacted by air pollution, which affects air quality. The Air Quality in the world is assessed through Air Quality Index (AQI). AQI is used for reporting air quality on a daily basis. AQI provides information about how clean or polluted the air is in the places that a person resides and what health haz ards a person should be concerned of. Environmental Protection Agency usually calculates the AQI of five major air pollutants, which are controlled by the Clean Air Act. These pollutants include ground level ozone gas, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and air particles. Of the five gases, ground level ozone and air borne articles have been identified as the greatest risk to human health in the world major cities. Most of the sources of air pollution arise from technological and industrial advancement made by humans.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine Essay Example for Free

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine Essay The conflict between Russia and Ukraine over the annual gas transactions and dealings has been mostly intermittent. This presents the gravity of the matter, alongside the fact that the conflict has mainly been seen to transcend the two parties so as to largely affect European countries that heavily rely on this gas. The negative effect of the war stems from the fact that the gas is clearly seen to be Russian, and the transiting route for this gas is Ukraine. Substantial lists of those countries that are hurting as a result of this state of affair are the actual EU member states and the potential EU member states. The situation at the moment continues to aggravate, given the fact that these countries are in the verge of facing an acute disruption of oil supply, a situation that experts such as Adamski, Johnson and Schweiss (2006)[1] say is likely to culminate into a dearth in security in energy supply. This state of affair only means that European Union is to undergo a lot of repercussions and has a lot of vested interests in the ongoing discussions on the common energy policy. At the moment, it is true that the incumbent conflict has placed the issue of solidarity among the EU member states into the limelight. Herein, there is a rush being made at a full throttle by EU nations to ensure a steady supply of gas individually so as to ward off cases of disruptions. Similarly, these countries in Europe are trying to ensure redistribution from non affected member states, to those that are affected. However, the tenability of this rule is called to questions severally, owing to the diversity of interests that the member states have. Apart from the above effects, sundry types of effects the gas clamor has wrought on European countries are addressed heretofore. Bilateral and Multilateral suspicion among European nations and the plummeting of Gas Supply It can be said with some degree of lucidity that the Russian- Ukrainian conflict has taken a new twist into this affair that is causing spiraling degree of tension in the entire Europe. January 6th 2008 marked a new phase in this affair as the chief Ukrainian gas company, Naftogaz accused publicly, the Russian gas giant, Gazprom of making cuts to Europe by at least two-thirds.   As a rebuttal to this, the deputy Chief Executive Officer of Gazprom Alexander Medvedev, made stark indictments of the Ukrainian government for having shut down, at least three fourths of its export pipelines (Carr, 2007)[2]. At the moment, the underlying issue is that Russia has assuaged the level of supply for her natural gas, meaning that two-fifths of EU’s total gas imports have been extirpated. Because of this, predominantly Eastern European countries remaining dependent on Russian imports have remained consistently susceptible to questionings over energy dependence. Similarly, EU has been grilled too, on the account that its policy makers have always talked of finding and securing recourse to Russian gas continually without any achievement to show for it. On a domestic front, since January 6th, Eastern Europe countries have remained subjected to gas rationing, following announcements by the OMV, an Austrian energy company that its daily supply of natural gas had plummeted by 10%. According to LeCoq and Paltseva (2008)[3], this was followed by Romania reporting a reduction in natural gas supplies by 75%, followed by Hungary’s 25%, and Bulgaria’s 15%.   In the same vein, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Poland reported diminishing amounts of gas supply, albeit on a smaller scale. Stalling Growth of the European Countries’ Economy It is pointed out by political scientists and economists such as Scott (2009)[4] that the present standoff over gas between Ukraine and Russia is only bound aggravate the economic crunch in countries of Eastern Europe. This is because; many of these countries are presently facing exorbitant prices in fuel commodities too: a situation that means that even the cost of electric power has skyrocketed of late. The above state of affair, leading to high cost of production, only means that commodity prices are also likely to take a nosedive. These glaring facts are well underscored by the fact that Slovakia announced on January 7th 2009, that it was facing a state of emergency, due to dwindling reserves. Similarly, whereas Hungary can barely breathe due to stifled gas consumption by industrial users, Croatia, Turkey and Slovenia now have their gas supplies totally severed.   Nonetheless, according to Pierre Noel’s calculations, the most affected countries are: Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia and Hungary (Scott, Ibid). Stunted Development in the Industrial Sector It is pointed out by economists such as Lacolizado (2003)[5] that the current situation is also likely to subject a lot of Eastern European countries to industrial stagnation. This development comes in the wake of the revelation that smaller countries in Eastern Europe are witnessing foreclosures in the industrial sector, following two reasons: the minimal and deficient supply of gas in the oil- dependent industrial sector; and the rising prices in gas and gas products, owing to the miniscule supply and the increased demand. As a state, Slovakia remains the most express epitome of the above scenario, as it is making indictments over the dwindling reserves that has entrenched a state of emergency in this country.   Hungary also reports inefficient industrial supply of gas in the industrial sector, as a factor that has inculcated retrogressive tendencies in the industrial sector. Loss of Credibility by the EU One of the issues that undercut the continual standoff between Russia and Ukraine is the fact that EU itself cannot come to the rescue of many nations in this situation, given the fact that although having a clear grasp on what the oil war portends, yet, EU lacks the moral authority to â€Å"correct† either side. Neither can EU simply coerce Ukraine to resume transportation, nor can it side with Ukraine against Russia. In 2006, EU which has been supporting Ukraine traditionally as a fledgling democracy; accused Russia of political patronage and espionage towards Ukraine (Scott, Op ct). Apart from the fact that pushing Russia to resume oil transportation and supply would confirm fears of EU’s lopsidedness against Russia, EU knows so well that the current impasse is not due to Russia’s machinations. Compelling Ukraine to resume her gas transit obligations would hurt her as a democratic and economic youngling.   The only recourse left for EU is to keep issuing general statements and to keep calling sides for negotiations. It is by the virtue of this EU’s apparent failure that it scored a mere 33% in 2008 in votes from citizens in EU member countries, as far as its credibility is concerned. Conclusion By extension of the above Eastern Europe gas crises, researches point out that in the next decade, the world is going to witness an intensified wave of dependency on major powers in Eastern Europe by relatively smaller economies such as Lithuania, Latvia, Turkey, Slovenia and Poland. These major powers in the Eastern block are bound to be only two- Germany and Russia. This is because, Russia herself monopolizes the supply of gas, while Germany on the other hand, has a separate energy deal with Russia. Apart from the fact that these two countries are the most developed in Eastern Europe, their accessibility to gas while their neighbors suffer lack, is bound to widen the industrial chasm between these two sides. References Adamski, J., Johnson, M. and Schweiss, C. (2006). The Evolution of Europe and New Security Threat. Colorado: Ashgate Publishing. Carr, A. (2007). The Gas Conflict in Europe. California: University of California. Europa Publications. (1999). The Commonwealth of Independent States and Eastern Europe. Europa Publications. Lacolizado, A., et al (2003). The Position of Russia in Eastern Europe. New York: Rutledge. LeCoq, A. and Paltseva, P. (2008). Ascertaining Security and External Supplies in the EU. Retrieved From: http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:LZaiqxBpVawJ:www2.hhs.se/site/policybriefs/Russia_Ukraine%2520comment.pdf+HOW+THE+GAS+CONFLICT+IN+RUSSIA+AND+NEAR+COUNTRIES+AFFECTED+EUROPEcd=2hl=enct=clnkgl=ke Scott, M. (Jan 6th 2009). Russian-Ukrainian Conflict Besets Europe: Business Week. Retrieved From: http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:MM8_mTzwy2QJ:www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/blog/europeinsight/archives/2009/01/russia-ukraine.html+HOW+THE+GAS+CONFLICT+IN+RUSSIA+AND+NEAR+COUNTRIES+AFFECTED+EUROPEcd=1hl=enct=clnkgl=ke

An Overview Of Meningitis

An Overview Of Meningitis Meningitis is swelling and inflammation of the protective membranes that cover brain and spinal cord. Depending on the duration of symptoms, meningitis may be classified as acute or chronic. Acute meningitis denotes the evolution of symptoms within hours to several days, while chronic meningitis has an onset and duration of weeks to months. Meningitis is mainly caused by infection with viruses, several different types of bacteria, or sometimes by a fungus, and less commonly by certain drugs. Meningitis can be life-threatening because of the inflammations proximity to the brain and spinal cord. All types of meningitis tend to cause symptoms that include fever, headache and stiff neck. Knowing whether meningitis is caused by a virus or bacterium is important because the severity of illness and the treatment differ depending on the cause. Viral meningitis, the most common form of meningitis, is less severe than bacterial meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is usually more serious than vira l meningitis and is sometimes fatal, particularly in infants and the elderly. Bacterial meningitis is a major cause of death and disability world-wide. [1] b. The etiology and risk factors Meningitis is usually caused by infection from viruses or micro-organisms. Most cases are due to infection with viruses, with bacteria, fungi, and parasites being the next most common causes. It may also result from various non-infectious causes. The etiology of bacterial meningitis varies by age group and region of the world. Worldwide, without epidemics one million cases of bacterial meningitis are estimated to occur and 200,000 of these die annually. [1] Before antibiotics were widely used, 70 percent or more of bacterial meningitis cases were fatal; with antibiotic treatment, the fatality rate has dropped to 15 percent or less. Bacterial meningitis is most common in the winter and spring. Beyond the perinatal period, three organisms, transmitted from person to person through the exchange of respiratory secretions, are responsible for most cases of bacterial meningitis: Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria (meningococcal disease) can be fatal and should always be viewed as a medical emergency. About 10% of infected people die from the disease. [5] In non-fatal cases, those affected experience long-term disabilities, such as brain damage, loss of limb, or deafness. Preventing the disease through the use of meningococcal vaccine is important. Although anyone can get meningitis, pre-teens and adolescents, college freshmen who live in dormitories and travelers to countries where meningitis is always present are at an increased risk for meningococcal disease. Before the availability of effective vaccines, bacterial meningitis was most commonly diagnosed in young children. Now, as a result of the protection offered by current childhood vaccines, bacterial meningitis is more commonly diagnosed among pre-teens and young adults. As children reach their pre-teen and adolescent years, protection provided by some childhood vaccines can begin to wear off. As a result, pre-teens and adolescents are at a greater risk for catching certain diseases. Introducing vaccinations during the pre-teen years increases the level of protection during adolescence. College freshmen, especially those who live in dormitories, are at a slightly increased risk for bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria (meningococcal disease) compared with other persons of the same age. vaccination against bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria (meningococcal disease) is recommended to persons who travel to or reside in countries in which the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis is hyperendemic or epidemic, particularly if contact with the local population will be prolonged. Meningococcal meningitis, caused by Neisseria meningitidis, is primarily a disease of young children, with the incidence of cases declining in those older than 1 year of age. The disease is most common during winter and spring. In some persons, the bacteria can cause a severe blood infection called meningococcemia. N. meningitidis is classified into serogroups based on the immunological reactivity of the capsular polysaccharide. Although 13 serogroups have been identified, the three serogroups A, B and C account for over 90% of meningococcal disease. [1] Meningococcal disease differs from other leading causes of bacterial meningitis because of its potential to cause large-scale epidemics. A region of sub-Saharan Africa extending from Ethiopia in the East to The Gambia in the West and containing fifteen countries and over 260 million people is known as the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“meningitis beltà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  because of its high endemic rate of disease with superimposed, periodic, large epid emics caused by serogroup A, and to a lesser extent, serogroup C. [1] Haemophilus meningitis is most frequently caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b, also known as Hib. Before effective vaccines became available and widely used, Hib was the most frequent cause of bacterial meningitis in children 5 years of age and younger. While most children are colonized with a species of H. influenzae, only 2-15% harbour Hib. [1] The organism is acquired through the respiratory route. It adheres to the upper respiratory tract epithelial cells and colonizes the nasopharynx. Following acquisition of Hib, illness results when the organism is able to penetrate the respiratory mucosa and enters the blood stream. This is the result of a combination of factors, and subsequently the organism gains access to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), where infection is established and inflammation occurs. An essential virulence factor which plays a major role in determining the invasive potential of an organism is the polysaccharide capsule of Hib. Pneumococcal meningitis, caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococci), generally strikes infants, the elderly and individuals with certain chronic medical conditions. Younger adults with anatomic or functional asplenia, haemoglobinopathies, such as sickle cell disease, or who are otherwise immunocompromised, also have an increased susceptibility to S. pneumoniae infection. S. pneumoniae, like Hib, is acquired through the respiratory route. Following the establishment of nasopharyngeal colonization, illness results once bacteria evade the mucosal defences, thus accessing the bloodstream, and eventually reaching the meninges and CSF. The term aseptic meningitis refers loosely to all cases of meningitis in which no bacterial infection can be demonstrated. This is usually due to viruses, but it may be due to bacterial infection that has already been partially treated, with disappearance of the bacteria from the meninges, or by infection in a space adjacent to the meninges (e.g. sinusitis). Endocarditis (infection of the heart valves with spread of small clusters of bacteria through the bloodstream) may cause aseptic meningitis. Aseptic meningitis may also result from infection with spirochetes, a type of bacteria that includes Treponema pallidum (the cause of syphilis) and Borrelia burgdorferi (known for causing Lyme disease). Meningitis may be encountered in cerebral malaria (malaria infecting the brain). Fungal meningitis, e.g. due to Cryptococcus neoformans, is typically seen in people with immune deficiency such as AIDS. Amoebic meningitis, meningitis due to infection with amoebae such as Naegleria fowleri, is contracted from freshwater sources. [2] Like bacterial meningitis, viral meningitis can affect anyone but infants younger than 1 month old and people whose immune systems are weak are at higher risk for severe infection. People who are around someone with viral meningitis have a chance of becoming infected with the virus that made that person sick, but they are not likely to develop meningitis as a complication of the illness. Viral meningitis is common and often goes unreported. It is a central nervous system (CNS) infection characterized by signs and symptoms of meningeal inflammation in the absence of positive bacterial cultures. The incidence varies with season, and the clinical presentation often includes fever, headache, and stiffness of the neck accompanied by symptoms typical of the specific causal virus. Viral meningitis is usually self-limited and resolves without treatment, although case reports suggest that treatment is indicated and beneficial in certain clinical scenarios. Viruses that can cause meningitis include enteroviruses, herpes simplex virus type 2 (and less commonly type 1), varicella zoster virus (known for causing chickenpox and shingles), mumps virus, HIV, and LCMV. [3] In the absence of a lumbar puncture, viral and bacterial meningitis cannot be differentiated with certainty, and all suspected cases should therefore be referred. Lumbar puncture and analysis of cerebrospinal fluid may be done primarily to exclude bacterial meningitis, but identification of the specific viral cause is itself beneficial. Viral diagnosis informs prognosis , enhances care of the patient, reduces the use of antibiotics, decreases length of stay in hospital, and can help to prevent further spread of infection. Over the past 20 years, vaccination policies, the HIV epidemic, altered sexual behavior, and increasing travel have altered the spectrum of causative agents. [4] A parasitic cause is often assumed when there is a predominance of eosinophils in the CSF. The most common parasites implicated are Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Gnathostoma spinigerum. Tuberculosis, syphilis, cryptococcosis, and coccidiodomycosis are rare causes of eosinophilic meningitis that may need to be considered. Meningitis may occur as the result of several non-infectious causes: spread of cancer to the meninges (malignant meningitis) and certain drugs (mainly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics and intravenous immunoglobulins). It may also be caused by several inflammatory conditions such as sarcoidosis (which is then called neurosarcoidosis), connective tissue disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus, and certain forms of vasculitis. Epidermoid cysts and dermoid cysts may cause meningitis by releasing irritant matter into the subarachnoid space. Mollarets meningitis is a syndrome of recurring episodes of aseptic meningitis; it is now thought to be caused by herpes simplex virus type 2. Rarely, migraine may cause meningitis, but this diagnosis is usually only made when other causes have been eliminated. [2] c. Pathophisiology d. Clinical signs and symptoms Meningitis infection is characterized by a sudden onset of fever, headache, and stiff neck. It is often accompanied by other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, photophobia (sensitivity to light) and altered mental status. The symptoms of bacterial meningitis can appear quickly or over several days. Typically they develop within 3-7 days after exposure. Infants younger than one month old are at a higher risk for severe infection. In newborns and infants, the classic symptoms of fever, headache, and neck stiffness may be absent or difficult to notice. The infant may appear to be slow or inactive, irritable, vomiting or feeding poorly. In young children, doctors may also look at the childà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s reflexes, which can also be a sign of meningitis. Although the early symptoms of viral meningitis and bacterial meningitis may be similar, later symptoms of bacterial meningitis can be very severe (e.g., seizures, coma). Viral meningitis is an infection of the meninges (the covering of the brain and spinal cord) that is caused by a virus. Enteroviruses, the most common cause of viral meningitis, appear most often during the summer and fall in temperate climates. Viral meningitis can affect babies, children, and adults. It is usually less severe than bacterial meningitis and normally clears up without specific treatment. The symptoms of viral meningitis are similar to those for bacterial meningitis, which can be fatal. Symptoms of viral meningitis in adults may differ from those in children. Common symptoms in infants include fever, irritability, poor eating and hard to awaken. Common symptoms in adults include high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to bright light, sleepiness or trouble waking up, nausea, vomiting and lack of appetite. The symptoms of viral meningitis usually last from 7 to 10 days, and people with normal immune systems usually recover completely. Symptoms of fungal meningitis are similar to symptoms of other forms of meningitis; however, they often appear more gradually. In addition to typical meningitis symptoms, like headache, fever, nausea, and stiffness of the neck, people with fungal meningitis may also experience dislike of bright lights, changes in mental status, confusion, hallucinations and personality changes. [5] e. Diagnosis and laboratory findings If meningitis is suspected, samples of blood or cerebrospinal fluid are collected and sent to the laboratory for testing. It is important to know the specific cause of meningitis because the severity of illness and the treatment will differ depending on the cause. In the case of bacterial meningitis, for example, antibiotics can help prevent severe illness and reduce the spread of infection from person to person. If bacteria are present, they can be grown (cultured). Growing the bacteria in the laboratory is important for confirming the presence of bacteria and for identifying the specific type of bacteria that is causing the infection. For viral meningitis, the specific causes of meningitis may be determined by tests used to identify the virus in samples collected from the patient. To confirm fungal meningitis, specific lab tests is performed, depending on the type of fungus suspected. e. Therapeutic management of disease, medical treatment, pharmacologic, dietary Bacterial meningitis can be treated with a number of effective antibiotics. It is important that treatment be started early in the course of the disease. If bacterial meningitis is suspected, initial treatment with ceftriaxone and vancomycin is recommended. Appropriate antibiotic treatment of the most common types of bacterial meningitis should reduce the risk of dying from meningitis to below 15%, although the risk is higher among the elderly. [5] There is no specific treatment for viral meningitis. Antibiotics do not help viral infections, so they are not useful in the treatment of viral meningitis. Most patients completely recover on their own within 7 to 10 days. A hospital stay may be necessary in more severe cases or for people with weak immune systems. Fungal meningitis is treated with long courses of high dose antifungal medications. This is usually given using an IV line and is done in the hospital. The length of treatment depends on the status of the immune system and the t ype of fungus that caused the infection. For people with immune systems that do not function well because of other conditions, like AIDS, diabetes, or cancer, there is often a need for longer treatment. g. Teaching self care h. Health promotion strategies to prevent Keeping up to date with recommended immunizations is the best defense. Maintaining healthy habits, like getting plenty of rest and not coming into close contact with people who are sick, can also help. There are two kinds of vaccines against Neisseria meningitidis. Meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (Menomune) has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and available since 1981. Meningococcal conjugate vaccines, Menactra and Menveo, were licensed in 2005 and 2010, respectively. Each vaccine can prevent 2 of the 3 most commonly occurring strains in the US. Meningococcal vaccines cannot prevent all types of the disease, but they do protect many people who might become sick if they didnt get the vaccine. Meningococcal conjugate vaccine is routinely recommended for all 11 through 18 year olds and for certain high-risk children and adults. There are two types of pneumococcal vaccine currently available: a polysaccharide vaccine and a conjugate vaccine. The pneumococcal c onjugate vaccine, PCV7 (Prevnar) was the first pneumococcal vaccine for use in children under the age of 2 years. PCV13 (Prevnar 13), which was licensed in early 2010, replaces PCV7. [5] Pneumococcal vaccines for the prevention of disease among children who are 2 years and older and adults have been in use since 1977. Pneumovax is a 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV) that is currently recommended for use in adults who are 65 years of age and older, for persons who are 2 years and older and at high risk for pneumococcal disease (including those with sickle cell disease, HIV infection, or other immunocompromising condition), and for persons 19-64 years of age who smoke or have asthma. The Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine is highly effective against bacterial meningitis caused by a type of bacteria called Haemophilus influenzae type b. The Hib vaccine can prevent pneumonia, epiglottitis, and other serious infections caused by Hib bacteria. It is recommended for all chil dren under 5 years old in the US, and it is usually given to infants starting at age 2 months. Hib vaccine can be combined with other vaccines. People with certain viral infections can sometimes develop meningitis. There are no vaccines for the most common causes of viral meningitis. Thus, the best way to prevent it is to prevent viral infections. However, that can be difficult since sometimes people can be infected with a virus and spread the virus even though they do not appear sick. Following are some steps recommended by CDC [5] to help lower the chances of becoming infected with viruses or of passing one on to someone else: Washing hands thoroughly and often, especially after changing diapers, using the toilet, or coughing or blowing nose. Cleaning contaminated surfaces, such as doorknobs or the TV remote control, with soap and water and then disinfecting them with a dilute solution of chlorine-containing bleach. Avoiding kissing or sharing a drinking glass, eating utensil, lipstick, or other such items with sick people or with others when sick. Making sure of vaccinations. Vaccinations included in the childhood vaccination schedule can protect children against some diseases that can lead to viral meningitis. These include vaccines against measles and mumps (MMR vaccine) and chickenpox (varicella-zoster vaccine). Avoiding bites from mosquitoes and other insects that carry diseases that can infect humans. Controlling mice and rats. There is little evidence that specific activities can lead to developing fungal meningitis, although avoiding exposure to environments likely to contain fungal elements is prudent. People who are immunosuppressed (for example, those with HIV infection) should try to avoid bird droppings and avoid digging and dusty activities, particularly if they live in a geographic region where fungi like Histoplasma, Coccidioides, or Blastomyces species exist. HIV-infected people cannot completely avoid exposure. Some guidelines recommend that HIV-infected people receive antifungal prophylaxis if they live in a geographic area where the incidence of fungal infections is very high.

Budget Hotels In Malaysia

Budget Hotels In Malaysia Abstract: The contribution of tourism sector to the economic development is pretty significant in Malaysia. And budget hotels play important role in tourism industry. Budget hotel is defined as a small hotel that is financed by one individual or a small group of individuals, and it is mangers are the same time its owner. Generally the characteristics of those budget hotels are that the managers do not operate through a formalized management structure. At present budget hotels are relatively few in Malaysia. This study tries to find the reason why there are so few budget hotels in Malaysia. We find that the shortage of budget hotels in Malaysia is due to the reason that positive externalities of budget hotels have not been effectively internalized. Externalities of budget hotels means that the development of budget hotels will attract more tourists and those tourists will bring more value to other sectors. When a positive externality exists in a market, the private marginal benefit cu rve is less than the societys marginal benefit curve. With positive externalities, the production and consumption are less than the optimal production to the society. Because the positive externalities of budget hotels have not been effectively internalized, the stimulation for budget hotel owners to supply more budget hotel services is not high enough. Through secondary research, we find that the hotel industry has important influence on the whole tourism industry and the externalities of hotel industry also have significant impacts on the tourism industry. This results means that there is possibility that the budget hotel or other hotels cooperates with firms from other industries and produce more value for customers and for themselves. Furthermore we discuss the needs and wants of budget hotel customers based on Maslows theory of human needs, which he named the Hierarchy of Needs. We classify the needs of budget hotel customers into three levels. The first level is safety, the se cond level is necessary facilities and the third level is the pursuit of happiness. Then we discuss how budget hotels should perform according to the three levels of needs. At last we discuss how a budget hotel is able to control its service quality so as to attract customers and establish customer loyalty. We argue that one characteristic of hotel industry is that the monitoring cost is very high and many behaviors of the servants cannot be easily observed. It indicates that stimulation may be much more important than penalty. Under such a situation, the sense of responsibility is of great importance in the hospitality industry. We argue that the sense of responsibility may arise from good communication between employees. Keywords: Budget Hotel; Externality; Tourism Industry; Cooperation Contents 2 1. Introduction 3 2. Objectives of this paper: 5 3. Literature Review 6 3.1 Price Theory 6 3.2 Determinants of tourism demand 8 3.3 Externalities of hospitality industry 9 4. Theoretical Framework 10 4.1 Classical Price Theory and Hotel Price 10 4.2 Externalities of Hotel Price and Cooperation between Industries 11 5. Research Methodology 13 1. Introduction Tourism is important for the economic development of many countries including Malaysia. The contribution of this sector to the economic development of Malaysia was 37% of GDP in 1970, and increased to 43% in 1980, 47% in 1990 and 53% in 2007 (Abdullah et al. 2011). In addition, the growth rate of this sector has been pretty rapid. The average annual growth rate was 9% during the 1970s, close to 7% in the 1980s, and 8.5% during the most recently. Figure 1.1 shows this trend with concrete data of arrivals and receipts of tourism industry in Malaysia. The significant importance and the rapid growth rate of tourism industry imply a much greater contribution of tourism to the economic growth of Malaysia. It is expected that the contribution of the services sector to GDP will increase up to 60% by 2020. The Malaysian government has recognized the importance of tourism industry and has placed the development of tourism industry at a very important place. At present, tourism has been designa ted as a priority sector in the Ninth Malaysia Plan. Figure 1.1 the Arrivals and Receipts of Malaysian Tourism The Malaysia government tries to promote the development of this industry. But how could we improve the development of tourism industry? The first attention may be focused on the development of hotels or hospitality industry. The reason is that accommodation fee takes a very important weight in the expenditure of tourists, which implies that the development of hotels will pose great influence of tourism industry. The second consideration is that hospitality industry is related with many other industries. Hospitality industry is a huge industry, including not only hotels but also transportation, restaurants and so on. Without any hesitation, the hospitality industry is related to every aspects of peoples daily life. The correlation between hotels and other tourism sectors indicates that the whole tourism may benefit more if the hospitality industry could cooperate well with other related sectors. Therefore we hold the opinion that to promote the development of hotels and to make innov ation in strategies of hospitality industry is fairly important to promoting the development of tourism in Malaysia. In this study, we focus on issues related to budget hotels, because budget hotels play important role in tourism industry and the budget hotel industry has not developed very well in Malaysia  [1]  . According to the existing research, small and mediate enterprises, including budget hotels, are very important in tourism industry and all the business industries. For example, Abdullah (2011) find that firms with less than fifteen employees account for around 79% of all Irish tourism businesses, which is a characteristic of the tourism sector in many other countries recently. Sheldon (1993) find that over 90% of tourist accommodation establishments are represented by small firms in the world. And a similar dominance is reflected within Malaysia where owner operators account for the majority of all hotels. Morrison (1996) argues that the tourism industry has been dominated by the small business traditionally and this is still the fact in 1990s. There are several reasons leading to th e popularity of small hotels. The first reason is the low benchmark of entering into the budget hotel sector. It is not difficult to start up a small hotel business and the professional requirements related to this sector are relatively low in with regard to other industries (Lerner Haber, 2001; Szivas, 2001). The second reason is that demand for small accommodation is high, which enables small hotel providers to offer a wide quality range of products, facilities and special services to the market. The third reason is the flexibility of budget hotels. Budget hotels are small and the small size allows an owner-manager to respond quickly to demand shift and market change. In addition, the costs of budget hotels are relatively low because of the advantage of using family labor (Getz Carlsen, 2000; Lowe, 1988). Because budge hotels are very important in hospitality industry and hospitality industry is pretty significant for tourism industry, it is necessary for us to make clear the in fluence of budget hotel on tourism. Before analyzing the influence of budget hotels on truism industry and discussing the management of budget hotels, we need to make clear the definitions of hotel and budget hotel. A hotel is an establishment providing accommodations and usually meals and other services for travelers  [2]  . Generally there are several categories classifying hotels. Most often we may divide hotels into two subgroups, including star hotels and budget hotels. According to the view of Kim and Mauborgne (1997), there are two market segments in the budget hotel industry and the star hotel industry. Star hotels are generally more expensive than budget hotels while providing more services. Most star hotels have some amenities under certain star rating system, which usually includes private bathroom, color TV, telephone, air conditioner, refrigerator, safety deposit box, daily maid service, 24 hours front desk. The lowest level of star hotels is the one-star hotels, which are the most basic hotels providi ng all the basic amenities for all star hotels. But the rooms of one star hotel are relatively small. Some one-star hotels even do not provide refrigerators and safety deposit boxes. Budget hotels cannot be classified into those standard star rating systems and they are characterized with low price while providing less facilities. Generally these hotels do not offer ancillary facilities on top of the standard basic accommodation facilities. Maybe they are not clean enough, safe enough and do not supply something that you consider as essential for your stay. But many of the budget hotels have their own characteristics which depend on the operation of its managers. But the definition shown above is generally used in other countries than Malaysia. In Malaysia, budget hotels may provide better services than one-star hotels. For example, Malaysia Budget Hotel Dot Com (MBHDC), is an organization uniting some budge hotels, and it specializes in providing high quality and lowest price budget hotels in Malaysia (3 Stars and below)  [3]  . In the understanding of this organization, cheap hotels, youth hostels, low cost resorts, motels, guesthouses and rest houses are all in the category of budget hotels. Based on the definition of Morrison (1996) on a small tourism business, we may define a budget hotel as a small hotel that is financed by one individual or a small group of individuals, and it is mangers are the same time its owner. Generally the characteristics of those budget hotels are that the managers do not operate through a formalized management structure. It is not affiliated to an external agency on a continual basis for at least one manag ement function. In addition, it is small in terms of physical facilities, service capacity, and number of employees. The main purpose of this paper is to evaluate the influence of hotel industry on the whole tourism industry, and to explore the possibility of making innovations in budget hotel industry, which may improve the development of tourism industry of Malaysia. This study tries to find the reason why there are so few budget hotels in Malaysia. We interpret this phenomenon with theories of price and externalities. It is found that the reason for the lack of budget hotels is that the positive externalities of budget hotels have not been effectively internalized. Externalities of budget hotels means that the development of budget hotels will attract more tourists and those tourists will bring more value to other sectors. Because the positive externalities of budget hotels have not been effectively internalized, the stimulation for budget hotel owners to supply more budget hotel services is not high enough. Through secondary research, we find that the hotel industry has important influence on t he whole tourism industry and the externalities of hotel industry also have significant impacts on the tourism industry. This results means that there is possibility that the budget hotel or other hotels cooperates with firms from other industries and produce more value for customers and for themselves. Furthermore we discuss the needs and wants of budget hotel customers based on the theory Maslows levels of human needs, which he named the Hierarchy of Needs. Then we discuss how budget hotels should perform according to the three levels of needs. At last we discuss how a budget hotel is able to control its service quality, attract customers and establish customer loyalty. 2. Objectives of this paper: Defining budget hotel and compare different concepts. Analyzing the influence of budget hotel price on tourism; Understanding customers wants and needs in relation to budget hotel accommodation; Investigating quality and methods to retain customer in budget hotels; Analyzing principles establishing brand loyalty for budget hotels. 3. Literature Review 3.1 Price Theory This study tries to find reasons why there are so few budget hotels in Malaysia. Because the supply of budget hotels is adjusted by price in a market economy, we need to use a proper price theory to explain this economic phenomenon. Therefore we need to select a best price theory that is able to help us to gain deep understanding about the shortage of budget hotels in Malaysia. Economists have for a long time been aware of the importance of price and try different ways explaining the mechanism of price formation. The existing economic thoughts on price are so rich and colorful that we often feel confused when evaluating different kinds of price theories. The evolution of price theory can be classified roughly as three classes, including Marxs theory of value, economic price theory and accounting theories of pricing. In order to understand the evolution of price theory, we need to start thinking from the exchange behavior. The reason of choosing exchange behavior as the starting point is that exchange is the foundation of the market economy. Exchange behavior is the most common phenomenon in a market economy. In fact there is no price if there was no exchange. But why do we exchange with others? Intuitively, we can get more utilities through exchange. In the process of exchange we can get something useful from others, at the same time we must be able to provide something useful for others. Otherwise the deal cannot be done. The great classical economists like Adam Smith and Karl Marx had paid much attention to exchange behavior. In his famous book An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations Adam Smith (1776) wrote down the following words, which have been quoted by numerous economists. Man has almost constant occasion for the help of his brethren, and it is in vain for him to expect it from their benevolence only. He will be more likely to prevail if he can interest their self-love in his favor, and show them that it is for their own advantage to do for him what he requires of them. Whoever offers to another a bargain of any kind, proposes to do this. Give me what I want, and you shall have this which you want, is the meaning of every such offer; and it is the manner that we obtain from one another the far greater part of those good offers which we stand in need of. It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love. Smith saw the pretty positive aspect of the market economy of compelling people to cooperate with each other through exchange. Smith recognized that to propose an exchange is intending to show other people that your goods or service is useful to them. When you finished exchange, it means the other person recognizes that your goods or service is of value. Exchange can be considered as the fundamental factor of the market economy. Karl Marx does provide a special way explaining value and price although Marxism is generally considered a way of engaging and transforming social reality (Tinker, 1999). Marxs theory of value is based on the analysis of exchange behavior. Karl Marx started his analysis on capitalism from the definition of commodity which was obtained from his analysis of exchange behavior. According to Marx commodities are the fundamental units of capitalism and capitalism can be viewed as a form of economy based on the intense accumulation of such objects (Bourguignon, 2005). He also pointed out A commodity is, in the first place, an object outside of us, a thing that by its properties satisfies human wants of some sort or another (Karl Marx, 1887). After noting that commodity exchange, Marx turned his attention to the question: why we are able to exchange two different products? His answer is that there must be comparable thing between the two different products. Therefore people are able to decid e the exchange ratio based on the amount of the comparable thing in the two different products. If this is true, then what is the comparable thing? Marx thought it is labor  [4]  . Although different products have different uses, they are all made through labor. The labor contained in a product is the value of this product. If one product cost more labor, then this product is more valuable. This is a perspective from cost. This analysis is reasonable at that time, but when the productivity becomes so advanced that a lot of different factors besides labor, such as technology and management skill, begin to make greater contribution to production, Marxs theory of value is hardly able to interpret various complex economic phenomenon. Then another class of price theory was developed and become more attractive. That is the price theory based on the concept of utility. The framework of utility-price theory became well established when Economics went into the 20th century with the development of mathematical analysis (Sandmo, 2010). A lot of economists moved their interest from cost perspective to equilibrium perspective when analyzing the price formation mechanism. In this framework the price of a commodity is decided by the equilibrium of demand and supply. Demand of a product reflects the utility of a certain product to some consumers, while supply reflects the cost of producing this product. If supply superiors demand, then price will go down. The result is a lower supply and more demand, which may lead to equilibrium between supply and demand. If demand superiors supply, then price will go up, which results in more supply and less demand. Equilibrium between supply and demand is also possibly to be realized (Man kiw, 2004). The price at the equilibrium is the equilibrium price. This price theory is widely accepted and applied to explain different kinds of price fluctuations. The neoclassic equilibrium theory of price is mainly static, which is hard to explain some modern price formation process, for example financial asset pricing. As the development of productivity, mainly the development of financial techniques, some new price theory taking time and future into account is necessary. Therefore a new class of theory, the core of which is the calculation of present value, has been developed to meet this demand. The theory argues that the value of an asset is decided by the future cash flow that this asset is able to bring (Jones, 2006; Thomas and Ward, 2009). And this theory has been applied widely to the pricing of financial or other kinds of asset. Because the entering benchmark of budget hotels is very low, the supply of budget hotel is mainly decided by demand. And this problem is not a dynamic pricing issue. Therefore, the neoclassical price theory is the best to be used to explain the shortage of budget hotels. 3.2 Determinants of tourism demand Because the supply of budget hotel is mainly decided by demand, we need to know more about determinants of tourism demand and know how to forecast the demand. It has been widely recognized that accurate forecasts of tourism demand is pretty helpful for managerial decision making. Archer (1987) argues that in the tourism industry the need to forecast accurately is especially acute because of the perishable nature of the product. Unfilled airline seats and unused hotel rooms cannot be stockpiled. Some scholars, such as Edwards (1985), publish some predictions for certain countries. There are also some organizations in the tourism industry that publish confidential predictions on tourism demand. There are a lot of review articles on tourism demand up to now, including Crouch (1994),Witt and Witt (1995), Lim (1999), Li et al. (2005), and Li and Song (2008). According to the reviews, the methods applicable to analyzing the influence of the determinants of tourism demand are relatively lim ited. Multiple regression method is the main methodology in this analysis (Witt and Witt, 1995). Tourist visits may happen for several reasons, including holidays, business travel, visiting friends or something else. The majority of existing studies of tourism demand analyze either total tourist trips or just holiday travel, with only a few concerning on business travel. In the empirical literature, tourism demand is generally measured by the number of tourist visits from an origin country to a foreign destination country (for example, Turner Witt, 2001; Kulendran Wong, 2005; Coshall, 2005; Rossello, 2001). An alternative measure is the tourist nights spent in the destination country. The third measurement is the expenditure of tourists in the destination country (such as Li, Song, Witt, 2004, 2006; Li, Wong, Song, Witt, 2006). But up to now there has not been a best method for tourism demand analysis (Li and Song, 2008). With regard to the researched countries, USA, UK, and France are the most popular researched countries while the research on Malaysia is very limited. The quantitative literature on tourism demand can be divided into two classes, including non-causal time-series models and the causal econometric methods, the difference between which is whether the model identifies any causal relationship between the tourism demand and its influencing variables (Li and Song, 2008). The causal econometric methods are useful for the present study. In the review of Li and Song (2008), there are 121 empirical papers on tourism demand in total. Among those literature, 72 used the time-series techniques to model the demand for tourism, while the others employ econometric techniques analyzing the causal relationship between tourism demands and explaining factors. 3.3 Externalities of hospitality industry One major hypothesis of this paper is that the shortage of budget hotels in Malaysia is due to the reason that the externalities of budget hotel have not been well internalized. An externality is a cost or benefit that is not transmitted through prices or is incurred by a party who was not involved as either a buyer or seller of the goods or services causing the cost or benefit (Bishop, 2012). We can understand externality as a consequence of an economic activity that is experienced by unrelated third parties. We can classify externalities into two categories including positive externalities and negative externalities. An example of the negative externality is pollution. A negative externality happens when an individual or firm does not need to pay the full cost of its production. If a good or service has a negative externality, it implies that the cost to society is larger than the cost paid by consumers. Because consumers make consumption decisions according to their own conditions , meaning they try to make their marginal cost equal to their marginal benefit, without considering the cost of the negative externality, negative externalities will cause market inefficiencies where too many goods or too much service are produced. A positive externality occurs under the situation that an individual/firm makes a decision without receiving the full benefit of production. The benefit to the individual/ firm is less than the total benefit to the society. Therefore when a positive externality exists in a market, the private marginal benefit curve is less than the societys marginal benefit curve. With positive externalities, the production and consumption are less than the optimal production to the society (Mankiw, 2011). There has been a lot of literature discussing the impacts of externalities on different industries or economic activities. For example, Katz and Shapiro (1985) provide an analysis on the influence of externalities on the competition in several important markets. They find that if there are externalities, then consumers expectations can influence the structure of the market equilibrium in their model. Azariadis and Drazen (1990) find that externalities can influence the accumulation of human capital. Henderson (1997) employs panel data for five capital goods industries and estimates dynamic externalities. He concludes that externalities pose significant influence on capital goods industries. Warziniack et al. (2009) develop a general equilibrium model measuring welfare effects of taxes for correcting environmental externalities and evaluate the impacts of externalities arising through exports. They find that externalities from exports are resulted in a number of sources. They argue th at taxes on the sector imposing the environmental externality often presents more negative effects than positive effects. There are many other literature studying the influence of externalities on other aspects of an economy, such as Devereux et al. (2007), Acharya and Volpin (2010) and Foster (2012). But there have been few papers on the externalities of hospitality industry on the development of the whole tourism industry. Most of the researches on externalities in tourism industry are related to city planning, location setting or taxes. For example, Chang et al. (2011) analyze the congestion externalities caused by tourism expansion and the wealth effect generated by the revenues from overseas tourism taxation. Schubert (2010) studies optimal taxation (subvention) when tourism is associated with multiple externalities. Chao et al. (2004) examine the welfare effect of tourism on the host economy. They identify three channels influencing domestic welfare by tourism, the most important one of which is the social externality accompanied with tourists. Calveras and Vera-Hernà ¡ndez (2005) place great emphasis on the presence of quality externalities among hotel establishments when they explore the role played by the tour operator in quality investments. These existing researches are helpful for my analysis of the externality effect of hospitality effects on the whole tourism industry and the welfare of lo cal residents in Malaysia. 4. Theoretical Framework 4.1 Classical Price Theory and Hotel Price Pricing is an art. How to set the price of a good at the best level and achieve the most profits is a hard challenge for any manager in any business field including the hospitality industry. According to the classical price theory of Economics, price is related to two aspects of goods and services: supply and demand. Price has a positive relationship with the supply of goods and services. The reason is that profits would be thick if price if high. As a result of the thick profit, more and more firms will enter this industry and supply more goods and services. At the same time, price has a negative supply with demand of goods and services, because a high price means a high cost of consuming the goods or service for the consumers. The positive relationship between price and supply and the negative relationship between price and demand implies that an equilibrium market state will finally be realized. Market equilibrium means that supply and demand of goods and services are equal to eac h other. The price at the equilibrium state is named equilibrium price. When price is higher than the equilibrium price, it means that demand is larger than supply. At this time, firms will provide more goods or services and price will go down. Similarly, when price is lower than equilibrium price, supply is larger than demand. Then firms will supply less because of the low profits, as a result of which price will go up. This theory fits the normal goods market the best, while remains limited exploratory power for luxury goods market and some other markets. Since hotel is a normal goods instead of luxury goods, the classical price theory in Economics is useful in the studying the price of budget hotel. In this paper one our main objectives is to analyze the influence of hotel pricing on the whole tourism industry. In order to answer this question we mainly analyze from the demand perspective, which means that hotel price influences the demand of hotels and the demand of tourism. The reason is that accommodation fee is the majority of tourism expenditure for most of the tourists. If hotel price is too high, fewer tourists will come and the demand for hotels becomes lower. And there is a second perspective that hotel price also influences the welfare of local residents. If the hotel price is set to be very low, then the profits of the hotel and the wage of local workers must be low, which implies that the welfare of local residents is low. As a result, there must be a best choice of price which is able to maximizing the welfare of local residents, and a best price that maximizes the profits of hotels. Price Quantity Supply Curve Demand Curve Figure 4.1 Classical Price Theory 4.2 Externalities of Hotel Price and Cooperation between Industries But there is a difference between the best price for local residents and the best price for hotels. The best price for hotels should be the one that is able to maximize the profits of hotels. This price is not necessarily the price maximizing the welfare of local residents. The price maximizing the welfare of local residents is the one that maximizing the gross income instead of profits of hotels. The difference between hotels best price and local residents best price exists because of the externalities of hotels. An externality (or transaction spillover) is a cost or benefit that is not transmitted through prices or is incurred by a party who was not involved as either a buyer or seller of the goods or services causing the cost or benefit. The externalities of hotels can be understood as the influence of hotel price on other sectors or industries. For example, if the hotel price decreases, then more tourists will come to Malaysia for sightseeing because of the cost becomes lower. More tourists imply more demand for local restaurants, entertainment industries and some other sectors. Similarly, if hotel price increases, fewer tourists will choose to spend their holiday in Malaysia and the local restaurants and entertainment or other industries would benefit less from tourism. Price Quantity Supply of Hotel Demand of Hotel Demand of Tourism Figure 4.2 Externalities of Hotel Price The logic of externality indicates that if the hotels and other sectors could cooperate well, the whole tourism industry would benefit more from the increase of tourists. Imagine that if the hotel price is set to be lower than the present level, which will attract more tourists and those more tourists may bring more spending on local goods and services. Those incurred spending may compensate the loss of hotel revenue. It means that the total benefits of local tourism increases although at the cost of hotel revenue decrease. A good cooperation between the hotel industry and other industries means that other industries are able to transmit part of the incurred revenue to hotel industry and share the increased revenue with hotel industry. There are some examples illustrating this good cooperation in tourism industry. In some states of Malaysia, the scenic spots are free and tourists do not need to pay gate tickets. The loss of tickets income leads to higher income of ot

Hoop Dreams :: Hoop Dreams

Hoop Dreams  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Hoop Dreams is a story about two young men who want to become basketball players in the NBA. The author Ben Joravsky wrote the book. The idea for the book came from the documentary movie, Hoop Dreams, which is a true story. Arthur Agee and William Gates are the names of the two boys who were followed from eighth grade to twelve grade to do the movie. Arthur Agee was a 5'6 125 pound guard from the playgrounds of Chicago when St Joseph recruiters saw him. Arthur was playing against guy's three years older than he was and he was still the best in the neighborhood. Arthur's parents Bo and Sheila Agee were very poor people who were on cocaine and could not support their family. Big Earl, the guy who recruited Arthur told his family that St. Joe's would be able to pay Arthur's tuition if he played basketball for them. Arthur went to St. Joe's and met William Gates. They had become friends in grade school but had never really done anything together. Eventually William turned out to be the b etter player and all the attention and money was focused on him. Therefore, Arthur was booted out of St. Joe's in the middle of the school year. He was forced to enroll at Marshall, the area public school. As a result, Arthur could see his dreams of the NBA were slipping away. Along with that, he couldn't keep his grades up enough to attend a Division I school. He and the Marshall Commandos ended up going downstate Arthur's senior year. They finished third in the state overall. Arthur ended up going to a junior college named Mineral Area in Flat River Mississippi. After his two years in Mississippi, Arthur received a scholarship to Arkansas State. He finished his degree in communications and he graduated. Arthur never did reach his dream of going to the NBA, at least yet. As you can see, it takes a lot for an inner city boy to try and reach his dream, but most of the time it never happens. William Gates was also 14 when he was recruited to go to St. Joseph. He and Arthur both had to wake up around 5:30 every morning so they could get on the subway to make it to school in time.

Essay --

How to Organize Your Home Office It is always the desire of many homeowners to have his or her home office well-organized. Many people know that there is no other way to become more productive than having organized home offices. When the home office is well-organized there are many things one would gain from that. It would help the person in easing the type of work he or she is doing; this is because it helps in doing the work better and faster. When the office is clustered it would become extremely difficult for the person to focus or concentrate on the work he or she is doing. The problem like looking for one office material or the other would always be there; this is because the place is in a mess. There are some negative implications to this. One of them is that the person would spend more time in getting small tasks done. He or she could be losing money in the process. The worst is that it makes the person stressful which has some negative health implications. The only way out of all these is to have a well-org anized home office. Here are some simple steps to organizing the home...

Polar Bears :: essays research papers

Polar bears are big, white bears (sometimes darker fur) that live in very cold regions like around the artic poles. There are 21,000 to 28,000 Polar bears alive that are known. Polar bears swim in water and are carnivores, they eat fish . Polar bears feed mainly on ringed seals and bearded seals. Depending upon their location, they also eat harp and hooded seals and eat carcasses of beluga whales, walruses, narwhals, and Bowhead whales. A polar bears' stomach can hold up to 15% to 20% of its body weight. It can use 84% of the protein and 97% of the fat it eats. Polar bears need about 2 kg (4.4 lb.) of fat per day to survive. A ringed seal weighing 55 kg (121 lb.) could provide up to eight days of energy for a polar bear. On cold days polar bears curl up and cover their muzzle area. During the winter, some polar bears leave their dens and find other places to stay warm. They may use these shelters for several months at a time. Polar bears generally walk with a steady, clumsy walk. The front paws swing towards the sides with each step, landing slightly pigeon-toed. The head swings from side to side. The walk has a four-beat pattern, first the right front foot touches the ground, then the left back foot, then the left front foot, and lastly, the right back foot. Humans may encounter polar bears wherever human and polar bear habitats come together. Polar bear attacks occur most often at sites of human camp where they fish and hunt or in towns close by polars' habitat. Compared to other bears, polar bears are more willing to consider humans as prey. Most likely the person attacked is killed, unless the polar bear is killed first. Polar bears can live up to 20 to 30 years, but only a few of the polar bears live past 15 to 18 years. The oldest known polar bear in the Arctic lived 32 years. And the oldest polar bear in a zoo lived 41 years. Adult polar bears have no natural predators. Males sometimes kill other males competing for mates. Males rarely kill females protecting cubs. Cubs less than one year old sometimes are prey to adult male polar bears and other meat eaters, such as wolves. Newborn cubs may be killed by mothers that are hungry. Polar bears have been hunted for thousands of years.