Case Study Wilton Petroleum Jelly Essay

If you were Morris, and if Taylor had been a conscientious employee in all other areas, would you still have fired Taylor for committing theft? Why or why not? If I were Morris I would fire Taylor regardless if he might have been a conscientious employee within the organization. Even though Taylor had the proper knowledge, skills, and abilities that are associated for Wilton Petroleum Jelly he had a negative employee personality for the company. The fact that Taylor displayed unethical behavior by stealing gas and a ten dollar hammer he should be terminated. As in most companies there is a policy that states the theft of company property is grounds for dismissal. The behavior of Taylor determined that he could not be trusted in the company as an employee. Furthermore, the duty of a manger is to enforce the policy of the organization in relationship to its corporate culture. In addition, the fact that Taylor was a good employee for the company did not justify the reason that he committed a crime. Fortunately, Taylor should be glad that he got terminated from the company instead of facing fine or possible jail time. Also, the ten dollar hammer that was stolen validated the grounds for termination within the organization. Taylor tried to take the a hammer that was worth 10 dollars so he should be charge for the hammer along with the fees of the amount of gas that he stole from the company. There is no reason for Taylor to continue to work for the organization since he is clearly taking advantage of the company for his own personal gain. Employee theft is a problem in which a business can lose thousands of dollars per year. According to the authors Thomas, Kimberly, Jones, et al (2001) there was a relationship associated with employee theft and turnover rates in the restaurant industry. In some cases employees that were likely to steal, would to steal if they were leaving in two weeks than leave within a year of an organization. Equally important, in a company one of roles of an organizational psychologist is to try to understand employee behaviors. The knowledge of employee behaviors may eliminate employees from stealing in the future. Thus, Morris should discuss the incident about the theft to Taylor to find out the reason why Taylor stole from the company before terminating him. Next, do you think Taylor â€Å"got what was coming to him† in this case, or was he â€Å"set up† by Morris and thus was a victim of entrapment? Even though Morris did set him up within the company it did not excuse the fact that Taylor committed a crime at Wilton Petroleum Jelly. As in most companies the security department and managers are not capable of watching employees all the time. In some circumstances it is the employees that are the ones that report thefts that occur in most organizations. In the business Taylor knew he was committing a crime by stealing the gas in the company. Likewise, Taylor was not aware that he was being set up for entrapment which occurs in most companies, and there are notifications of video surveillance on the premises of organizations. Morris may have had an ulterior motive in which he was trying to get Taylor terminated. Equally important, Taylor was not terminated for taking hundreds of dollars’ worth of gas he was terminated for the theft of a hammer. Further, there is a possibility that Taylor might not have been terminated had he not stolen the hammer. Taylor was a victim of entrapment but that does not validate his actions of company theft. Taylor may want to argue that he was setup by Morris and he might have not stolen the hammer in the first place. The problem that Taylor would have to present would be his explanation for stealing company property on his own defense. In reference to the author Dekker (2004) in order to terminate an employee fairly and employer needs to have substantial evidence against the employee. The used of devices such as cameras, telephone tapping, are substantial for employee termination. There are companies that invest thousands of dollars on security systems to reduce employee theft within their organization. Therefore, even though Taylor was entrapped he still violated company policy be stealing from Wilton Petroleum Jelly. Also, do you think that spying on the employees with peepholes and cameras to detect theft or other crime violates an ethical business principle? Why do you feel as you do? The spying of employees with though there knowledge is an invasion privacy. On the other hand, there are circumstances where it might be necessary in order to capture employees that commit corporate crimes. In a company employees need to be aware that they are observed within the company. The process of using cameras is a good theft deterrent to save company cost and create a safer workplace environment. Further, ethics should be considered where to draw the line as far as employee surveillance. Unfortunately, in society there are many crimes that occur in the workplace that are more serious than employee theft. There are some organizations in which employees are searched when they come to work and before they leave the company. The organization should try to take all measures to prevent crimes from occurring ethically. The ethical business principles should be within the legalities of the law when it comes to video surveillance. An employee should not have to be viewed through peepholes without there knowledge. A policy needs to be developed in which all cases of surveillance are covered so the employee is well aware they are being watched. There are places that employees should never be observed such as in restrooms which would be considered unethical. The authors Crossen (1993) in most companies the solution to unethical behaviors is the monitoring of and searches of employees. The strategy may come at the privacy of the employee. Finally, the observation of employees should be ethical so that the employees’ rights are not violated. Too, what effect might Taylor’s dismissal by the company have on other employees? The effects of Taylor’s dismissals will cause employees to think twice about stealing from the organization. Taylor could be used as an example as to what happens when an employee steals from Wilton Petroleum Jelly. In a sense Morris tried his best to prevent stealing from occurring within the business by reporting the actions that happened. The actions of Morris can create a more ethical business because employees will feel as if their being monitored. Morris was determined to try every way possible to reduce unethical behaviors. There are some companies in which a personality test is given in regards to organizational theft. Unfortunately, there are some employees that have to follow the actions of others within a positive or negative manner. The dismissal of the Taylor would most likely be stated to new hires that they could get caught not matter how hard they try to conceal unethical behavior. According to the authors Victor, Trevino, Shapiro, et al (1993) the reporting of a theft by a peer that may have been associated with organizational responsibility, the interest of group associates, and perceptions of justice. Actual reporting of negative behaviors was more likely to occur when peers with retribution of justice. In conclusion, the example of the employee getting terminated from the company may cause prevention. The employees may feel as if they would get caught since they do not know when their being observed within the business. The example of Taylor is beneficial in the prevention of future employee thefts in Wilton Petroleum Company. References Crossen, B. R. (1993). Managing employee unethical behavior without invading individual privacy. Journal of Business and Psychology, 8(2), 227-243. Dekker, A. (2004). Vices or Devices: Employee Monitoring in the Workplace. S. Afr. Mercantile LJ, 16, 622. Thoms, P., Wolper, P., Scott, K. S., & Jones, D. (2001). The relationship between immediate turnover and employee theft in the restaurant industry. Journal of Business and Psychology, 15(4), 561-577. Victor, B., Trevià ±o, L. K., & Shapiro, D. L. (1993). Peer reporting of unethical behavior: The influence of justice evaluations and social context factors. Journal of Business Ethics, 12(4), 253-263.

Arabic Language in Learning Sahria and Islamic Law Essay

Language is very important in our daily life. It serves as the way in communicating and dealing with other people. There are many language used by different people in different places. In field of teaching, language is the most important factor to be considered. Arabic language was known to be the second most used language in the world second to Chinese. A good knowledge of Arabic language will greatly enhance one’s ability to work and interact effectively with Arabic-speaking people and that, the diligent study of Arabic can lead to exciting careers in various fields in that particular vicinity. In addition, Arabic is the language of Islam and to properly understand Islam, that is why Arabic should be learn and taught for every Muslims (Tamano 1996). In teaching Sharia or Islamic Law, Arabic Language should be highly encouraged as the fundamental medium used in the classroom. However, in the case of King Faisal Center most of the students taking up Sharia courses have only miniature background in Arabic field particularly Arabic language. As a result the teachers preferred to use Local language just to make the student understand the discussions of Sharia. Sharia Law or Islamic Law derives its legal rules to Quran and Hadith. The primary sources of Islamic law are the Quran and Hadith which is written in Arabic language. In order to understand the Quran and Hadith you should be knowledgeable in Arabic language. For Muslims, the Qur’an is the literal word of God received verbatim by the Prophet Muhammad in his native Arabic tongue, who passed it on his followers. Qur’an is the foundation of Islam and the primary source of guidance for Muslims in all aspect of life, whether spiritual, legal, moral, political, economic or social (Saeed 2006). Qur’an is the primary source of Islamic Law and it originally written in Arabic text. Sharia derives its law based on the Qur’an. That is why the students and teachers should give an importance in teaching and learning Arabic Language in order to help the students specially Sharia students in order for them to understand the Sharia clearly and to help them in their future job as a Sharia practitioner. In the case of KFCIAAS in Islamic Studies Department, they preferred to use English language in most of their Sharia courses. KFCIAAS should consider that Arabic language is the foundation of Islam and we should give importance for improving and enhancing their methods of teaching Arabic language. The focus of this study is to gather information on the importance of Arabic language in teaching Sharia in King Faisal Center for Islamic Arabic and Asian Studies and try to strengthen and improve the teaching of Arabic language in King Faisal Center.

A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen

The play â€Å"A doll’s house† is written by Henrik Ibsen and was adapted into a film in 1973. It deals with gender discrimination in the Victorian age. It highlights specifically the paths women of the West have treaded to find respect and equality. Ibsen makes it possible to imagine the barbarities that existed within the law and society of those times. Through the years, controversial writings like these, have intentionally or unintentionally forced women to rise up and reclaim their rightful legal and civil rights. In the Victorian Period law dictated that property; children and income belonged solely to men. Divorce or Separation was unthinkable. Women who worked were frowned upon by society. Their status was equivalent to the slaves, criminals or the insane. The main role of a woman was to reproduce children, keep the house clean, and feed the children while their husbands worked. It is sad that although women in the developed world have found equal rights in this century through various equal rights acts and amendments however the women of the developing world still lack basic rights and struggle everyday between gender power relationships. The entire film takes place at Mr. and Mrs. Torvald Helmer’s Apartment. The film is set in Norway in the late 1800’s during Christmas time. This one room shows various shades of hypocrisy, discrimination, arrogance and dishonesty exhibited by society. The room is a microscopic vision of the world. It shows the plight and suffering of every woman in every household all around the world. The fact that Nora does not leave the room throughout the film shows how she is entrapped in this Victorian Doll House. The protagonist of the film is Nora, a Victorian middle class woman. She is ruled by her husband and complete oblivious to her state of unfulfillment. She is thrown into a difficult situation and to protect her husband and family commits forgery. Unaware of the legal consequences she tries dishonestly to obtain a loan. She sits on a puffy pink cloud thinking that her special status would always protect her and her kids in the eye of the state. However, the law expects her to know better. The hypocrisy of the system hits Nora and she tries to break out of her Victorian Doll like shell. She desires a life less frivolous, so she decides to work independently and earn money. She starts enjoying this new found freedom. Her relationship with her husband also spirals downwards and sows the seed of doubt and self reflection. Ibsen broke boundaries when he ended the original play with Nora rebelling against her husband, her father and ultimately the patriarchal society. However, the controversial ending caused shock and disagreement and forced him to change the ending. He later on lived to regret the change. The theme of the play made audiences agree that women should get equal pay for equal work; equal rights to enjoy an independent self sufficient life; rights to child custody and divorce; equal stature in legal matters; Equal access to knowledge. It is unfortunate that Victorian times were so suffocating that Nora had to leave her husband or she would continue to be treated as nothing more than a mere rag doll. She was just an inanimate object, dispensable by others and deserved no respect, rights or esteem. Works Cited Page: Johnston, Ian. (July 2000). On Ibsen's A Doll's House. Johnstonia. Retrieved April 3rd 200. http://www.mala.bc.ca/~johnstoi/introser/ibsen.htm Gillis, G. J. and Westhagen, Jen. SparkNote on A Doll’s House. 2 Apr. 2007 .          A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen The play â€Å"A doll’s house† is written by Henrik Ibsen and was adapted into a film in 1973. It deals with gender discrimination in the Victorian age. It highlights specifically the paths women of the West have treaded to find respect and equality. Ibsen makes it possible to imagine the barbarities that existed within the law and society of those times. Through the years, controversial writings like these, have intentionally or unintentionally forced women to rise up and reclaim their rightful legal and civil rights. In the Victorian Period law dictated that property; children and income belonged solely to men. Divorce or Separation was unthinkable. Women who worked were frowned upon by society. Their status was equivalent to the slaves, criminals or the insane. The main role of a woman was to reproduce children, keep the house clean, and feed the children while their husbands worked. It is sad that although women in the developed world have found equal rights in this century through various equal rights acts and amendments however the women of the developing world still lack basic rights and struggle everyday between gender power relationships. The entire film takes place at Mr. and Mrs. Torvald Helmer’s Apartment. The film is set in Norway in the late 1800’s during Christmas time. This one room shows various shades of hypocrisy, discrimination, arrogance and dishonesty exhibited by society. The room is a microscopic vision of the world. It shows the plight and suffering of every woman in every household all around the world. The fact that Nora does not leave the room throughout the film shows how she is entrapped in this Victorian Doll House. The protagonist of the film is Nora, a Victorian middle class woman. She is ruled by her husband and complete oblivious to her state of unfulfillment. She is thrown into a difficult situation and to protect her husband and family commits forgery. Unaware of the legal consequences she tries dishonestly to obtain a loan. She sits on a puffy pink cloud thinking that her special status would always protect her and her kids in the eye of the state. However, the law expects her to know better. The hypocrisy of the system hits Nora and she tries to break out of her Victorian Doll like shell. She desires a life less frivolous, so she decides to work independently and earn money. She starts enjoying this new found freedom. Her relationship with her husband also spirals downwards and sows the seed of doubt and self reflection. Ibsen broke boundaries when he ended the original play with Nora rebelling against her husband, her father and ultimately the patriarchal society. However, the controversial ending caused shock and disagreement and forced him to change the ending. He later on lived to regret the change. The theme of the play made audiences agree that women should get equal pay for equal work; equal rights to enjoy an independent self sufficient life; rights to child custody and divorce; equal stature in legal matters; Equal access to knowledge. It is unfortunate that Victorian times were so suffocating that Nora had to leave her husband or she would continue to be treated as nothing more than a mere rag doll. She was just an inanimate object, dispensable by others and deserved no respect, rights or esteem. Works Cited Page: Johnston, Ian. (July 2000). On Ibsen's A Doll's House. Johnstonia. Retrieved April 3rd 200. http://www.mala.bc.ca/~johnstoi/introser/ibsen.htm Gillis, G. J. and Westhagen, Jen. SparkNote on A Doll’s House. 2 Apr. 2007 .         

Summery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Summery - Essay Example Modern findings however argue that organisations are forced to adopt the culture of the wider society so as to be perceived as being legitimate (Dingwall & Strangleman, 2005). The early 1980s saw the idea of organizational culture popularized among managers. It was argued that successful companies created and possessed the right culture and managers were charged with initiating this. Dingwall and Strangleman (2005) further outline the role of culture in describing the cognition of members of an organisation to each other and the outsiders and explaining performance. Thus, the public sector was perceived to be inefficient due to the culture of indiscipline. These inefficiencies caused neo-liberal governments to front for privatisation and cultural change so as to equal them to their private counterparts. The interest in culture management in the private sector was largely driven by international competition. In the public sector, neo-liberal governments arriving in the UK and US and colonisation of international organisations pushed for adoption of culture management. Therefore, the modern cultural adaptation by the public sector fosters entrepreneurial go vernments which promote competition among service providers. They link culture to structure. Dingwall, R. & Strangleman, T. (2005). Organizational cultures in the public services. In E. Ferlie, L. E. Lynn & C. Pollitt (Eds.). The Oxford handbook of public management (pp. 468 - 490). Oxford, OX: Oxford University

Capstone Project- Project Structure Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Capstone Project- Project Structure - Assignment Example Clear description of type of information dissemination, including details about the types of visual aids and verbal presentation or demonstration strategies to be used to interact with audience members ANY LATE SUBMISSION OF ASSIGNMENTS WILL RECEIVE A MAXIMUM GRADE REDUCED TO 50% AS LATE PENALTIES. THE LATE PENALTIES MAY BE AVOIDED BY COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR COACHES VIA EMAIL. LATE PENALTIES ARE NOT APPLICABLE IF THE STUDENT HAS MADE PRIOR ARRANGEMENTS FOR LATE SUBMISSION WITH THE COACHES. You will use the chart to describe the structure of your Capstone Project. This is similar to the information that Continuing Education providers must submit to medical or licensing agencies to offer sanctioned, for-credit sessions for nurses and other medical personnel. You have already submitted your draft Outcomes and Content topics, so you will need to copy those to this assignment, making improvements or changes as necessary. For this assignment, you must also include at least three peer-reviewed article citations for each outcome (minimum total of nine references). You may include references that are not from peer-reviewed journals, but be judicious in their use, and do not include those in your count of required articles. Moore, N., Traluch, K., & Cooper, B. (2008). Comparison of obesity rates in the United States. Oklahoma Nurse, 51(6), 11. Retrieved from http://libproxy.uta.edu:2066/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rzh&AN=2019581048&site=ehost-live Describe each visual aid, handout, and/or verbal presentation/demonstration strategy that your information dissemination would include. You may use the same strategies for each outcome, or you may â€Å"mix and match,† but provide some outline-level details for each outcome. Here are some of the types of visual aids you might use: Record the amount of time needed for each activity or part of your presentation. Include time for Q&A at the end of the presentation. Time refers to the time to

Arguing to Convince Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Arguing to Convince - Assignment Example However, the continued extent of freedom has being transferred to the formal set-up whereby individuals believe that restricting them to certain norms in the formal set-up is anyway violating the extent to which they can express their rights and freedoms. Therefore, to maintain their guaranteed rights and freedoms as well as the level of openness, the American modern culture has slowly been promoting a relaxation of restrictions that are normally associated with the formal set-up such as workplaces or formal meetings. This present essay intends to persuade or convince the readers that informality is a positive move towards a more open and natural society. Secondly, the essay will present arguments favoring or agreeing to live in an informal atmosphere. Formalities in the formal set-up According to Clemente, formal practices or behaviors are part of the tradition and culture and therefore, they are things that are passed from one generation to another, with the expectation that those who adhere to these formal practices or behaviors in a formal set-up are showing a high level of discipline and diligence (78-82). Kinosian stated that these formal practices and behaviors are associated with a particular set-up, atmosphere or environment whereby individuals are expected to adopt a particularly different set of behaviors and practices that are totally different with how they interact at home or in informal set-ups (549-551). Rapp and Jackson on their part stated that the formal practices and behaviors are part of the bureaucracies that are associated with formal set-up, where in a great extent there is existence of some form of restrictions to the individuals’ rights and freedoms (103-109). According to Smith, some of the rights that are in a greater extent limited due to the requirement of formal practices and behaviors include the freedom of dressing and speech. The freedom of dressing is restricted in the sense that individuals are limited in the type of c lothes they wear or how they can dress when going to a formal place or attending a formal function. While freedom of speech is limited in the sense that certain words or body of language are restricted in used in the formal set-up (176-181). Kinosian stated that the insistence of adhering to these formal practices or behaviors stifles individuals from fully expressing themselves and fully enjoying their rights and freedom, and it encourages people to have two different sides of characters that may greatly differ, which means that they facilitate people not be open and fully understood by others (549-551). Informality as part of the culture Kinosian stated that formality is part of the traditions and culture, however, informality has become part of the culture because there have been a continued reform of most cultures especially those that were considered retrogressive (549-551). The reforms on most of the world’s culture have been initiated by the heightened extent of global ization, which has enabled people from different cultures to interact thereby refine their individual cultures in order to adopt a common culture that does not lay great emphasis on formalities. Moreover, formalities limits the extent to which two different strangers may get to know each other because formal practices do not encourage probing and there is a strict guideline on how formal communication should take place. Therefore, people should agree to live in an informal atmosphere because it

Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 85

Discussion - Assignment Example Covering such cases ensures that people understand their vulnerability to stalkers thus acting appropriately to protect themselves from such criminals. The coverage of the woman who entered a man’s house illegally portrays the lack luster attitude the society adopts in addressing such crimes despite their importance and the danger they present. The two websites weird News and Mail Online are blogs that do not enjoy any immense traffic. The mainstream media avoided the story thus leaving it for gutter press and blog both of which thrive on sensational reporting. Such media write adopt an entertaining angle to a story instead of informing their target audience. The society must therefore change its attitude and strive to enhance security by observing the dynamic structure of insecurity in the society. Stalking from jilted lovers always turn harmful owing to the emotions that arise from such engagements (Dobbert, 2004). The woman in both cases risked her life and nearly died. She did not only cause harm to herself but also threatened the life of her victim since no one understood her intentions for seeking the illegal entry int o the

Reaction response 13 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reaction response 13 - Essay Example For instance, when students Face book in class instead of listening to the facilitator, there is a reduction on attentiveness and the focus is on the face book or social media. The ability to link with others in the society has been affected by the advent of social media. Therefore, the future of face-to-face communication is bleak and focus should be on communication improvement to ensure change in behavior. For example, in the speech Turkle discusses lady who lost his baby and was talking to a robot instead of being consoled by her friends and relatives. This scene indicates the challenge social media has brought to the society. The focus is on the new media which limits face-to-face communication and changes how we relate in the society have adverse effect on development of personal image (Macy and Thompson 93). Social media has been viewed as the best platform because it allows individuals to present themselves the way they want compared to real communication which allows the listener to develop a perspective about the presenter. Macy, Beverly and Teri Thompson. The Power of Real Time Social Media Marketing:How to Attract and Retain Customers and Grow the Bottom Line in the Globally Connected World. McGraw-Hill Professional.,

What organisational forms are best suited to develop innovation Use Essay

What organisational forms are best suited to develop innovation Use relevant theoretical approaches and illustrative exemples in your answers - Essay Example Organisational forms are dependent on the resources and technology available in a given situation. Other factors include the state’s resources and role, the development of the economy, the political development, technological advancement, and similar other forces. Emergence of organisational forms also depends on three factors: 1.) technological advancement with a corresponding social structural support; 2.) power and wealth available in a given situation; and 3.) the development of labour markets. (Aldrich, 2008, p. 177) This essay will discuss aspects and factors of organisational forms that are best suited to innovations. Innovation takes place when there is a â€Å"new element or a combination of old elements† (Schumpeter, 1934 cited in Sundbo, 2003, p. 98). Globalisation paved the way for new organisational forms. This was further enhanced with the popularity of the internet, information technology and the information revolution. Many organisations have followed the horizontal set-up, freeing some reins of power to their branches and subsidiaries, while some have followed the traditional form or the vertical set up, micro-managing their branches through technology. Organisations have to continuously introduce innovations in this age of intense globalisation. Changes and innovations have to be applied on marketing strategies, product orientation, HRM practices, and many other organisational strategies. Employees have to be prepared, trained and developed. Some strategies are institutionally programmed although change has to be spontaneous. Workers have to study and learn and hold the opportunity of lifelong learning. Companies attain competitive edge through constant innovation. The first periods of the new century marked profound shifts in organisation’s strategies with aims for talents, technologies and customer focus and loyalty (Venkatraman and Henderson, 2008, p. 258). Organisations keep constant contact with

Methodology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Methodology - Research Paper Example he similarities and differences between qualitative and quantitative research will be discussed to provide a clear understanding of the research method used for the study. The main objectives of the research are derived from the literature review is to examine: â€Å"Change Management and Leadership in the context of implementing a Positive Behaviour and Support model in a School environment.† The main aim of this research is to study the effects of the PBIS action plan on the secondary students of Al Amanah College. The research tries to strike a balance between the benefits of implementing PBIS, and its overall impact on the school as a whole. The study enables the researcher to gain the perspective of both the students and the parents on the benefits of implementing the PBIS systems within the school. This chapter further discusses how this balance will be struck and how the research provides a clear understanding of the effects of the PBIS action plan on the secondary students of Al Amanah College. Action research is the methodology used for this research. â€Å"Action research...aims to contribute both to the practical concerns of people in an immediate problematic situation and to further the goals of social science simultaneously.   Thus, there is a dual commitment in action research to study a system and concurrently to collaborate with members of the system in changing it in what is together regarded as a desirable direction.   Accomplishing this twin goal requires the active collaboration of researcher and client, and thus it stresses the importance of co-learning as a primary aspect of the research process† (O’Brien, 1998). The main aim of action research is to ensure complete accuracy and focusing on the data collected to ensure validity and reliability. Significant tends to be spent on â€Å"refining the methodological tools to suit the exigencies of the situation, and on collecting, analyzing, and presenting data on an ongoing, cyclical basis†

The United States Will Fall Like Rome Essay Example for Free

The United States Will Fall Like Rome Essay The United States is a powerful nation that is around 250 years old replicating that of Rome whose empire lasted 270 years. These empires have similar backgrounds regarding their foundation and governmental structures. The U.S. has a democracy that allows citizens to participate in the government while Rome’s republic acts the same way. Also, the United States’ legislative body is made up of Congress just like Rome who had a Senate. Some social pressures that occurred in Rome were the publics’ low confidence in the governing body of the empire. And finally, Inflation was an economic issue that contributed to the fall of Rome and is also occurring in the United States today. The social, economic and political contributions combined with Invasions by germanic tribes caused the final fall of Rome. The fate of the United States will mimic that of Rome in that social pressures, economic turmoil and political corruption will attribute to its demise. Social pressures are a major contributor as to why the U.S. will fall much like Rome. Rome’s Citizens started to show low confidence in Empire, much like what is happening in the U.S. now. Today, in the United States â€Å"sixty-five percent of American voters think the federal government is ‘broken’† (Blanton par1). The government is broken is up seven percentage points from fifty-eight percent two years ago. These percentages show the United States is losing much confidence in its government and is increasing over-time. Not only will the U.S. fall because of social pressures but also because of economic turmoil felt across the nation. Economic turmoil are a major contributor as to why the U.S. will fall much like Rome, inflation specifically. Inflation is an economic indicator that assesses the fall in purchasing power of currency. Usually, inflation is caused by an increase in the money supply, which leads to price increases.â€Å"In recent years there has been a steady increase in inflation rates† (U.S. Inflation). If inflation rates keep increasing so will the gap between the middle class and poor. The increasing of the gap between the middle class and poor is the reasoning for our society splitting up.Usually inflation is caused by an increase in the money supply, which leads to price increases. The lower classes will not be able to afford the price increases, the middle class most likely will thus causing the gap between the lower and middle class. Not only will the U.S. fall because of economic turmoil but also because of political corruption felt across the nation. Political corruption is a major contributor as to why the U.S. will fall much like Rome. Every year (CREW) releases a list of the most corrupt members in Congress.Rob Andrews earmarked federal funds for his wifes employer and also used his campaign money for personal expenses(Hickey par 8). The amount of betrayal that occurs in our government proves the U.S. citizens cant trust the political members in the U.S. government. Without confidence in our government the U.S is sure to fall. The social, economic and political contributions combined with Invasions by germanic tribes caused the final fall of Rome. The fate of the United States will mimic that of Rome in that social pressures, economic turmoil. In conclusion the final blow to the fall of the U.S. will be invasions from North Korea and their alliances..One can only assume that if North Korea develops nuclear weapons the South Koreans wont stand idly by,(Rogers par 6). With the technology that North Korea has such as nuclear missiles proves the U.S. will stand no chance against North Korea, the United States will fall.

Tilting Trains Essay Example for Free

Tilting Trains Essay The technology involved in TILTING TRAIN is that when ever the trains pass over the curves and turnings of the railway tracks the compartments of the train is tilted to a certain angle by which the trains can travel with no reduction in speed. By adopting this technology of TILTING TRAINS the fuel consumed by the trains can be saved ,the passengers can feel comfort and also time can be saved. CONTENTS 1. Introduction 2. Problem with corners 3. What is tilting train? 4. Why tilting helps? 5. How do trains tilt? 6. Problems associated in tilting the track 7. Passenger comfort ness 8. Countries who developed the tilting technology 9. Advantages and Disadvantages of tilting trains 10. Summary 11. Bibliography INTRODUCTION Train is a mass transporter, which transports humans and goods from one place to another place. We have trains, which run by diesel and electricity. Among goods and passenger trains the most concerned one is passenger trains. The passenger train should move quickly with high speeds. The rail road will not be always straight it should pass through curves and turns. We all know that if you are driving in your car and you take a turning at speed you feel centrifugal forces. Well it is no different from trains, if a train takes a turning at speeds centrifugal forces will be experienced. The major problem for any trains is to pass over the curves and turns of the railroads. If the train moves with the same speed at the curves and turns the train may slip from the track, so the speed of the train will be slowdown drastically to avoid slip. This results in wastage of fuel and in turn reduces the speed of the train, which is main consideration for the passenger trains. One of the solution found to avoid this situation is the tilting trains. PROBLEMS WITH CORNERS We all know that if your driving in your car and you take a corner at speed you feel centrifugal forces. Well it is no different from trains; if a train takes a corner at speed then centrifugal forces come in. Often train operating companies face a decision for building a high speed railway transport system hey can either invest money in the train to make it tilt but use existing railway lines, or they invest money in a new railway but dont need to spend money on expensive tilting mechanisms. This is why TGV, and ICE and bullet trains do not tilt, because they have their own dedicated high speed railway lines where curves are built with very high radii. It is worth pointing out that the centrifugal force is a function of v2/r where v is the velocity and r is the radius. This means if you double the velocity, you quadruple the centrifugal force. Similarly, if you want to triple the velocity but keep the centrifugal force the same, you must increase the radius by a factor of nine! Something not always possible. This is why even apparently gentle curves can be much more of a problem with high speeds than one might thing, because the force rises with the square of velocity. WHAT IS TILTING TRAIN ? Tilting train consists of a tilting mechanism that enables increased speed on regular tracks. In the upper part of the tilting trains that is in which the passengers are seated can be tilted sideways. During the motion of the train if the train has to steer to left in a left turning the coaches of the train will be tilted to the left in order to compensate the centrifugal push to the right and conversely during the right turn. These trains are constructed such that inertial forces which cause the tilting can be controlled by a computer. If the trains travel at speeds more than the specified speeds at the turnings of the railway tracks their will be centrifugal forces acting on the train. Due to these centrifugal forces the train may slip and push out of the tracks. But in case of tilting trains which will not happen, because of the reason that centrifugal forces will be compensated by tilting mechanism. WHY TILTING HELPS? When sitting on a corner going at speed there are two forces acting on you, gravitational force and the centrifugal force which is accelerating you into the corner. In physics when two forces act, then this causes a resultant force. The resultant force will push you into your seat and to the side. However if the train is tilting, then the normal contact force of you on your seat will be the same as the resultant force you are experiencing. This means as far as the passenger is concerned he or she is just being pulled into his or her seat, and he or she is used to that so no discomfort is felt. This is true also of aero planes, commercial planes tilt a large amount, up to 30 degrees when going around corners in some cases to cater for passenger comfort. As the tilting of the aero plane is to get rid of the problem of centrifugal forces, or more accurately to disguised the centrifugal forces as a part of gravity as far as the passengers are concerned. The only way you know if the aero plane is tilting is to look out of the window. Trains that tilt can go up to 25% to 40% faster around curves than conventional trains without upsetting the passengers, and as mentioned before this can significantly increase average speeds and cut journey times. HOW DO TRAINS TILT? Carriages have tilting mechanisms. Obviously the bogies cannot tilt because they ride on the track and must follow the path of the track. So the coaches have to tilt on the bogies. The way they do this is simple, the bogie acts a fulcrum in the center and it is free to tilt either side. Then pistons control how much the coach tilts. The pistons are controlled by a small computer, which uses a spirit level. The spirit level is used to check if things are horizontal remember, i. e. at right angles to the resultant force acting. Normally this force is gravity, but when going round a corner the resultant is a combination of gravity and centrifugal forces. This means the spirit level indicates it is no longer horizontal, so the computer adjusts the pistons until horizontal is read. Again this will not be horizontal to the ground, but as far as anyone on the train is concerned it will be horizontal, keeping the passengers happy. In the early days they tried to use inertial force to let the trains tilt†¦ i. e. hey would have no mechanism to make them tilt but the carriages would have a low center of gravity so centrifugal forces on the carriage would cause them to tilt. This proved unsuccessful. PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED IN TILTING THE TRACK Well on high speed lines the track in the UK is heavily banked up on corners, although going in a high speed train you dont notice it at all. Occasionally when a high speed train in the UK comes to a stop because of a red signal or something on a curve you can really notice how much its slanted, on a stop on a curve put a bottle on the floor and will slide across to the other side. However there are limitations with tilting tracks, first of all the banking has to be designed with a specific speed in mind. A banked up track meant for 125mph trains is going to cause discomfort to passengers in a local 75mph train, as when a slower train goes round a banked corner it will make passengers feel like they are falling to a side. Of course you could build dedicated high speed lines, but then you would engineer them without tight curves. This limits the extent to which tracks can be banked up. If the rack is banked too much for really fast trains, then if any train comes to a stop on the curve due to a red signal the slant will cause discomfort to passengers. Also arranging for the overhead pantrograph to make proper contact with a wire above a banked curve is a little tricky. Clearly trains themselves need to tilt, then you get the double benefit of tilted track and tilting train, and the train can tilt to exactly suit the speed it is going at. PASSENGER COMFORTNESS On e might think it is not safe to push a train round a corner at high speed. Indeed that is true. However the crucial thing is that the speed at which it becomes unsafe, i. . the speed at which there is enough force to push the train off the track is incredibly high. In fact the force needed would be enough so that all passengers on the train couldnt move and would be stuck to the sides of the train. This implies that there is scope for increasing the speed of a train round corners a great deal without it becoming unsafe, however passengers will object. There are two reasons why it is bad for passengers. I have been on a late running Inter City 125 and it took a corner at some speed although only about 90mph and the corner wasnt tight enough to say see the train at the other end by looking out of the window. The corner wasnt tight enough to notice turning either. However you could feel the forces definitely, and empty cups rolled across tables, bags creaked and I felt pushed against the wall. Any faster and it would be extremely uncomfortable for passengers and they would rather the train slowed down and take a little longer. Also companies dont like to run trains at speed round corners because it upsets passengers, as when exposed to turning forces they may become worried the train is going to fly off the tracks (which incidentally has never happened). This might make people nervous about traveling on high speed trains. The reason no one is ever nervous about traveling at nearly 200mph on a train is because it is smooth and constant. If it was doing corners at these speeds people wouldnt like it. People get freaked out doing 50mph on a roller coaster which involves tight curves, imagine how they feel when serious speed is involved! Its all down to the forces a passenger feels, if a passenger feels a lot of strong forces then he or she is going to be nervous, and may avoid traveling on the train, or just choose a slow train. COUNTRIES WHO DEVELOPED THE TILTING TECHNOLOGY Britain The UK was interested in developing the advanced passenger train for quite a while France The development of the tilting train in France began in 1956 when eng. Mauzin built and experimented a single car unit that used inertial (non-assisted) tilting. This experiment were suspended because a natural tilting proved too difficult to accomplish. France preferred to built a vast network of high speed lines and the development of TGV started in the early seventies with a two-car modified turbo train. Today GEC-Alsthom has decided to start the development of a tilting TGV that has been delivered few weeks ago for testing and trials. Spain With the ETR-401 Fiat delivered in 1976 a wide-gauge version to Spain that was designated Tren Basculante (RENFE Type 443). However like its Italian sibling it remained a single vehicle. Later Spain developed a tilting version of its own Talgo train (talgo pendular) that so far has proved itself the only successful example of natural tilting and has met with a huge success. USA/Canada The first experiments were carried over in the thirties with non-powered cars (called pendulum), but the first successful tilting train in the USA was the Sikorsky Turbo Train which incorporated an inertial tilting mechanism. Later, in 1973 Amtrak tested an active tilting train called LRC (Light Rapid Comfortable) made of ten cars, that unfortunately had no success. Today Amtrak is trying again with the American Flyer built by Bombardier using some TGV-derived technologies. Sweden ABB developed in the early seventies an active tilting mechanism that was alternative to the Italian and British ones. This was tested in the X15 vehicle and implemented in the X2000 series train that so far has had a good success. One curious feature of this trains is that the tilting mechanism is applied only to the passengers cars and not to the driving motor units. Switzerland As a part of the IC-2000 project the Swiss railways are developing a tilting train that has the provisional designation ICN-2000 and will be built by SIG. Germany Germany has adopted tilting technology on its 610 and 611 class series EMU and will built the ICT for long-range intercity services ADVANTAGES 1. Fuel consumed by the trains can be minimized. 2. Speed of the trains can be maintained constant and hence time to reach the destination is minimized 3. Their will be Comfort ness for the passengers. DISADVANTAGES 1. Very costly to manufacture these kind of trains. . If the coaches do not tilt then it is dangerous. SUMMARY While the Very high speed trains like the TGV could be regarded as the Rolls Royce of trains, tilting trains could be thought of as the cheep and cheerful mini metro. The price differential is fairly similar too, it costs about 20 times more per unit distance to build a dedicated high speed line than it does to upgrade existing lines for tilting train s. This is what makes tilting trains extremely attractive. However there are disadvantages. 140mph or 230km/h is about as fast as trains go when not on dedicated lines. And then they have to be fitted in with slower moving traffic. With rail travel growing all over Europe, the problems of railways reaching saturation point has forced new lines to be build. This is why despite the success of the Italian Pendolini a new high speed line with 300 km/h trains is being built, because existing lines are at saturation. BIBILOGRAPHY Theory of machines KHURMI . R. S Railway Engineering PROFILLDIS . V. A www. goggle search. com TILTING TRAINS [pic] TILTING OF TRAINS WHILE TAKING RIGHT TURN IN THE TRACKS [pic] TILTING OF TRAINS WHILE TAKING RIGHT TURN IN THE TRACKS

Healthcare Professional Understanding and Response to Alarms

Healthcare Professional Understanding and Response to Alarms Obstacles and Solutions for Healthcare Professionals (HP)’s understanding and response to monitor alarms: A literature Review Image(1) Abstract: The alarm systems employed in the intensive care unit (ICU) are vital for patient care and safety. They give readings for heart rate, oximetry and the cut-offs for the alarms are set by the individual or the manufacturer. There have been adverse events associated with alarms systems and recently, it has become a serious health hazard. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature for healthcare professionals’ (HP) understanding and response to monitor alarms in the hospital and any solutions proposed. Mohammad Omar Aziz 112120367 University College Cork 24/11/2014 INTRODUCTION: The alarm systems give readings of many physiological variables including heart rate, respiratory rate, oximetry and the cut-offs for the alarms are set by the individual or the manufacturer(2). These alarms can also be silenced. The machine employed in NICU in CUMH contains a Stop and Pause function(2). The Pause function silences all alarm parameters for 2 minutes, whereas the stop function silences only one particular alarm parameter for 1 minute. There is also a setting known as ‘Extreme alarm’, which alerts the HP when the particular physiological variable has gotten worse (eg oxygen saturation has been gotten less than 80% for neonates in CUMH). The reason for such functions (ie stop and pause) is that an alarm may not be deemed serious by the HP and the HP may decide to ‘wait and see’ if this is just an isolated incident. Also, alarms may not be as serious and the HP may deem it to be a ‘false positive (FP)’. This is because the alarms ar e just one input of information for the HP and he/she takes into account other inputs, such as clinical context(3). Also, the patient population itself in the ICU is to be considered. For example, it is common for neonates to have episodes of tachycardia and as such, isolated incidents would not cause the HP to be worried about patient. Rather, the alarms become worrisome if the variables are not coming back to normal limits (i.e. assessing if the alarms are continuing to sound as opposed to being an isolated incident)(2). The alarms are aimed to have a high specificity so that a true event is not missed. However, this can be burdensome. In a day in the ICU, this could translate to 187 alarms/bed, of which majority are false positive alarms(4). Another study found that for a cardiac surgery, roughly 1 alarm would go off every minute and approximately 80% of the alarms had no practical benefit (i.e. no clinical action could be taken)(5). Alarm systems can lead to adverse events and in 2010, alarm hazards was amongst the top 10 technology health hazards and in 2012, it had surpassed the others to become the leading technology health hazard(6, 7). The potential consequences of adverse events can be fatal as one of the databases for the FDA had reported that in a span of 3 years, from 2005 to 2008, there were 566 deaths related to monitor device alarms(8). In Ireland (NICU in CUMH), a neonate could have been hypoxic after a prolonged period due to misunderstanding of alarms, highlighting the global scale of such a problem(2). OBJECTIVE: This literature review was aimed to see if there are any papers dealing with HP’s understanding and response to monitor alarms in critical care setting and ways in which it is affected. Response and understanding in this paper refers to whether the staff: (i) responded/became aware of the alarm and (ii) carried out the correct response based on the alarm that sounded. These specifically are: Factors affect their response and understanding Effects of in-adequate response and understanding Solution(s) proposed to improve response and understanding Difference in understanding after stratification: between doctors and nurses, between specialties of ICU (e.g. CCU vs NICU) The conclusions drawn from the review will give insight into audits carried out in CUH regarding monitor alarms and solutions to ‘close the audit loop’. It will also allow for comparison of HP’s understanding in CUH to others hospitals. METHODS: Inclusion Criteria: Papers that dealt with the following: HP’s understanding/interaction with monitor alarms Alarms employed in Hospital (as opposed to ambulatory care) The following databases were searched: PubMed, Cochrane Collaboration. Preference was given to most recent articles as well as review articles. Abstracts were reviewed and if they met inclusion criteria, they were read. Filters applied: ‘English’, ‘Full Text available’, ‘Human’ Search terms entered included: ‘Monitor Alarms’, ‘Monitor alarms + Understanding’, ‘Monitor Alarms + Fatigue’, ‘Alarms’. Cochrane database yielded no articles with any of the search terms, except ‘alarms’( which yielded articles, but they had no relevance to topic). RESULTS: Alarm fatigue and its effect on HP’s understanding Alarms, by their nature, are in place to alert the staff that the patient needs attending to and have limits set in place such that a true event is not missed. As a result, they have a tendency to stuffer from a high false positive rate (FP) and thus, poor positive predictive value (PPV)(9). Clinically insignificant and/or FP alarms range from 80-99%(9, 10). Another study done showed the PPV to be as low as 27%(11). This contributes to staff not being aware of the alarms (desensitization), mistrust in the alarms and not responding to them(3, 9). As stated earlier, 566 alarm related deaths were reported to FDA from 2005 to 2008(8). Alarms can be induced by patient motion, which further contributes to false alarms(12). These cases can be avoided by staff silencing the alarms for a set period of time prior to moving the patient(11). Due to the high FP rate of alarms, the more reliable the alarm is (i.e. how well it predicts true alarm), the higher the response will be from staff(9). Also, the factors that determine response can be divided into: intrinsic to the alarm itself and extrinsic. Internal factors are whether alarm continues to sound or it ceases to sound soon (i.e. alarm duration). Also, the more ‘rare’ or unlikely for an alarm to go off, the more it would warrant a response. The limits set by the staff for the alarm may not be appropriate for the given patient resulting in having too many alarms that are not actionable(5). Extrinsic factors to an alarm are: work load, task complexity, patient condition. The higher the workload or task complexity, HP’s have a lower tendency to react to it. The opposite is true for the more severe the patient’s condition is(3, 9). Solutions proposed to improve response and understanding: To reduce the high FP rate, and ultimately, improve alarm response, different solutions have been proposed in the literature. Since alarms often self-correct, by adding a delay time to the alarms before they sound can reduce the number of alarms themselves(11). ‘Smart Alarms’ can be introduced that have algorithms in place that will alert only if it is a true alarm(9). These systems take trends into account as opposed to raw data itself. Increasing the ‘volume’ of alarms higher than environment was recommended (as opposed to having a fixed dB level for an alarm sound)(13). This is supported by the fact that sound may not be heard due to: room doors closed, events such as noise produced by machines that clean the floors(14). It is further supported by the fact that most hospitals have exceeded the noise levels recommended by WHO, and as such, the volume of the alarm should be customized to the environment to ensure it is heard(15). However, other literature f avours different modalities of alarms (i.e. visual or vibrating), since the noise contributes to symptoms in staff such as fatigue and concentration problems(16). Standardization of alarm sounds would decrease the number of alarm sounds the HP’s have to ‘learn’(17). Another solution proposed has been to have a central notification centre as opposed to a staff monitoring patient(s)when their alarms go off, which was reported to be advantageous. Alarm limits should be changed to levels by HP’s taking into account: if the alarm goes off, it will require some sort of clinical action, and the patient’s specific condition(s)(9). This is in contrast to when HP’s do not change limits and keep to default levels set by manufacturer, which are set to different values depending on the country (18). Customizing limits will decrease the alarm load and increase sensitivity to alarms by healthcare staff(18). Ongoing training should be provided to the staff with an aim to have the training environment as closely simulating the real clinical environment as possible(9). Training in the form of showing staff how to troubleshoot alarms should also be implemented. Alarms that have built in ‘intelligent system’ to assist in troubleshooting have shown to be beneficial. In a simulated environment, intelligent alarms helped the anaesthetists solve various breathing circuit faults 62% faster (45 sec to 17 sec)(19). DISCUSSION: Pros and Cons of Literature: There is evidence in the literature on the potential adverse events of alarms and reasons for such events and the severity of this problem. Solutions to improve understanding were also given. There was no study found that dealt with whether staff understood how to operate the alarms properly and to what extent did this problem exist. Information related to the severity of the problem only indicated a problem in understanding and response. However, there was no mention of whether any of the deaths were due to the HP’s not knowing what buttons to press once the alarm came on (eg did they silence the alarm for too long without knowing). This could be a potential barrier in improving understanding since solutions such as ongoing teaching can not be customized effectively. The review of the literature has only taken data from nurses or doctors, but not both. Therefore, comparisons in understanding between doctors and nurses could not be made. Majority of data and studies was done on nurses. However, this is expected since nurses would’ve interacted with the alarms more frequently than doctors since they are more frequently at the bedside of the patient and are the first to react to any alarms of the patient. Also, no studies have been found to compare understanding between HP’s of different specialties. It would be expected that any critical unit, regardless of specialty, would’ve had the same obstacles to monitor alarm understanding since the reasons for alarm fatigue are the same across the specialties. However, knowing of such studies would yield information about which alarm(s) specifically do the staff understand better or worse? Also, there is a possibility that the understanding diminishes when certain machine alarms are simultaneously on (e.g. ventilator machine as well as monitor alarm). As a result, training could be tailored to each specialty and emphasis placed on areas where their understanding is not sufficient. CONCLUSION: The literature review suggests that the level of monitor alarm understanding and response is not sufficient. Also, this problem of monitor alarm response and understanding is serious and not to be taken lightly. In terms of barriers in response and understanding, they include: too many alarms as well as types, low PPV of alarms, inappropriate limits. Also, no studies have been found that stratify this understanding based on staff (ie doctors or nurses) or specialty (e.g. CCU vs NICU). Moreover, the reasons identified for barriers in understanding of alarms did not appear to be different between doctors and nurses. No studies have been found that assess, specifically, whether the HP knew difference in operating the alarm system itself (ie did they press correct button to silence an alarm). The studies looked at whether they reacted to the alarms and if they did, did they carry out the correct response. Solutions proposed include: incorporating delays, having smart alarms, using different modalities for alarms as well as having continuous teaching. HP’s use alarms as one of the inputs in their decision making process. While alarms are there to alert of any physiological variable crossing a limit (in order to not miss a true event), this leads to the PPV being compromised and as such, the confidence and response to such an alarm decreases. Thus, moving forward, it is essential that strategies are aimed to increase the PPV of alarms, decrease the number of alarms themselves, and incorporate continuous teaching to ensure that the input alarms give holds more weight for the HP in the decision making process. Word Count: 1973 (Excluding abstract and methods) REFERENCES: 1.Insights A. [Online]. 2014 [Nov. 21, 2014]. Available from: http://www.anesthesiainsights.com/news/. 2.Aziz MO. Monitor Alarms (CUMH) discussion with Brian (Biomed) and Prof. C. Ryan (Neonatologist). Monitor Alarms in CUMH ed2014. 3.Bitan Y, Meyer J, Shinar D, Zmora E. Nurses’ reactions to alarms in a neonatal intensive care unit. Cogn Tech Work. 2004 2004/11/01;6(4):239-46. English. 4.Drew BJ, Harris P, Zegre-Hemsey JK, Mammone T, Schindler D, Salas-Boni R, et al. Insights into the problem of alarm fatigue with physiologic monitor devices: a comprehensive observational study of consecutive intensive care unit patients. PloS one. 2014;9(10):e110274. PubMed PMID: 25338067. Pubmed Central PMCID: Pmc4206416. Epub 2014/10/23. eng. 5.Schmid F, Goepfert MS, Kuhnt D, Eichhorn V, Diedrichs S, Reichenspurner H, et al. The wolf is crying in the operating room: patient monitor and anesthesia workstation alarming patterns during cardiac surgery. Anesthesia and analgesia. 2011 Jan;112(1):78-83. PubMed PMID: 20966440. Epub 2010/10/23. eng. 6.Institute E. Health Devices: 2010 TOP 10 TECHNOLOGY HAZARDS. US. 7.Institute E. Health Devices: TOP 10 HEALTH TECHNOLOGY HAZARDS FOR 2014. US: ECRI Institute, 2013. 8.(FDA) FaDA. FDA Patient Safety News: Show #106, January 2011: Alarming Monitor Problems. January 2011. Report No. 9.Cvach M. Monitor alarm fatigue: an integrative review. Biomedical instrumentation technology / Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation. 2012 Jul-Aug;46(4):268-77. PubMed PMID: 22839984. Epub 2012/07/31. eng. 10.Lawless ST. Crying wolf: false alarms in a pediatric intensive care unit. Critical care medicine. 1994 Jun;22(6):981-5. PubMed PMID: 8205831. Epub 1994/06/01. eng. 11.Gorges M, Markewitz BA, Westenskow DR. Improving alarm performance in the medical intensive care unit using delays and clinical context. Anesthesia and analgesia. 2009 May;108(5):1546-52. PubMed PMID: 19372334. Epub 2009/04/18. eng. 12.Chambrin MC, Ravaux P, Calvelo-Aros D, Jaborska A, Chopin C, Boniface B. Multicentric study of monitoring alarms in the adult intensive care unit (ICU): a descriptive analysis. Intensive care medicine. 1999 Dec;25(12):1360-6. PubMed PMID: 10660842. Epub 2000/02/08. eng. 13.Minoru H, Eiji S, Mototake T, Kenichi K, Hirosuke K, Satoshi W. Characteristics of Auditory Alarms for Medical Equipment and Future Issues. Journal of Clinical Engineering. 2005;30(4):208-. 14.Sobieraj J, Ortega C, West I, Voepel L, Battle S, Robinson D. Audibility of patient clinical alarms to hospital nursing personnel. Military medicine. 2006 Apr;171(4):306-10. PubMed PMID: 16673744. Epub 2006/05/06. eng. 15.McLaren E, Maxwell-Armstrong C. Noise pollution on an acute surgical ward. Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. 2008 Mar;90(2):136-9. PubMed PMID: 18325214. Pubmed Central PMCID: Pmc2443309. Epub 2008/03/08. eng. 16.Ryherd EE, Waye KP, Ljungkvist L. Characterizing noise and perceived work environment in a neurological intensive care unit. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 2008 Feb;123(2):747-56. PubMed PMID: 18247879. Epub 2008/02/06. eng. 17.Phillips J, Barnsteiner JH. Clinical alarms: improving efficiency and effectiveness. Critical care nursing quarterly. 2005 Oct-Dec;28(4):317-23. PubMed PMID: 16239820. Epub 2005/10/22. eng. 18.Block FE, Jr., Nuutinen L, Ballast B. Optimization of alarms: a study on alarm limits, alarm sounds, and false alarms, intended to reduce annoyance. Journal of clinical monitoring and computing. 1999 Feb;15(2):75-83. PubMed PMID: 12578080. Epub 2003/02/13. eng. 19.Westenskow DR, Orr JA, Simon FH, Bender HJ, Frankenberger H. Intelligent alarms reduce anesthesiologists response time to critical faults. Anesthesiology. 1992 Dec;77(6):1074-9. PubMed PMID: 1466459. Epub 1992/12/01. eng.

Lets all smoke some Pot :: essays research papers

Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal street drug, used by many as a depressant. It is one of the cheapest illegal drugs, and can be found almost all over the world. This makes it very easy to find. In reality, almost anyone can get this drug even though it is presently still illegal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marijuana is grown from the cannabis plant, which was cultivated for its tough stem fibers prior to the advent of synthetic fibers. Most often the leaves and the flowering tops of the plant are dried and rolled into marijuana cigarettes (joints), or cigars (blunts), but there are also various types of pipes used for smoking the drug. Over 2,000 chemicals are released into the body when marijuana is smoked. However, psychological effects on the mind are produced by one main chemical, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). Short term effects include an increased heartbeat, slurred speech, and red, glossy eyes. A high usually lasts approximately three to five hours, and usually consists of a dreamy, relaxed state in which the user seems more aware of their senses and surroundings. Sometimes the user may experience hallucinations, fantasies or a feeling of dread, panic, or paranoia. Above all though, it eases the pain a person feels inside which makes them forget their problems in a current situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In most countries, marijuana is by law illegal because of its classification as an illicit drug, but controversial issues have been established that this illicit drug can and does have many medicinal benefits. People have been using marijuana as a medicine for thousands of years, beginning in China, India, and the Middle East. The plant’s therapeutic potential became known in western countries during the nineteenth century. Now more than one hundred articles have been published about cannabis in the European and American medicinal journals, recommending it as an appetite stimulant, muscle relaxant, painkiller, sedative, and anti-convulsion agent. Much of the controversy surrounding legalization of the drug, in medicinal terms then falls in the hands of the government, which claims that marijuana is not a safe form of medicine. Versus the doctors who have studied and believe that the use of marijuana may benefit their patients. Not all doctors feel marijuana should be a legally prescribed medication, most feel that it should be in their hands to decide it so. Both the government’s and the doctors’ ethics have been questioned in debates about the topic of marijuana use, this has only fueled the controversy, it has been said that smoking marijuana is risky, but also recommended that critically ill patients should be allowed to use it under closely monitored settings.

The War Against Terror and Chinas Treatment of the Uigher Ethnic Minor

The War Against Terror and China's Treatment of the Uigher Ethnic Minority In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, President George W. Bush reached out to the world to back the U.S. in a war to eradicate terrorism. One of the more surprising participants in this coalition, China, had until that point been at odds with U.S. policy but seemed to find sufficient common ground with the U.S. to support the war. In recent months however, China has not been lauded for unprecedented cooperation with its â€Å"strategic competitor† but has instead been criticized for using the war on terror as carte blanche to step up its â€Å"Strike Hard† campaign in the Uigher Xinjiang Autonomous Region in the northwest, resulting in unprecedented numbers of executions of political prisoners, a suspension of free religious worship, and a general decline in respect for human rights. The western media has claimed that Beijing had been waiting for a chance to crack down on Uigher separatists and is now behaving as an opportunist to pu rsue these goals while the U.S. is in no position to decry its behavior. However, this opportunism argument only explains some of the recent actions in Xinjiang; in this paper I will seek to show that Beijing’s increased policing of Xinjiang serves primarily to demonstrate to the international community that it will not be excluded from Central Asia. The Roots of Today’s Conflicts in Xinjiang An overview of the history of this volatile region is vital to understanding the present struggle for control. The movement for self-rule of Xinjiang dates back to the beginnings of China’s last dynasty, the Qing (1644-1911) when ethnic Chinese sought to settle the region and incorporate it into the ... ... with the reports of separatist bombings, verifiable data from the Chinese government is virtually impossible to come by; more recent reports, particularly those from after September 11, are from reliable à ©migrà © sources and anecdotal evidence presented in reputable publications. [17] Dillon, Michael, p. 25. [18] Smith, Craig S. â€Å"China, in Harsh Crackdown, Executes Muslim Separatists.† New York Times, Dec. 16, 2001, p. A1. [19] Smith, Craig S., p. A1. [20] Rosenthal, Elisabeth. â€Å"U.N. Official Fears China Uses Terror War as Front for Abuses.† New York Times, Nov. 10, 2001, p.A7. [21] Smith, Dianne L., p. 163. [22] Donnelly, Tom. â€Å"China’s Persecution Complex.† The Weekly Standard. Feb. 4, 2002, p. 21. [23] Eckholm, Eric. â€Å"U.S. Official Praises China for Its Cooperation in Rooting Out bin Laden’s Terror Network.† New York Times. Dec. 7, 2001, p.B5

The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio Essay -- Literary Analysis

â€Å"You are to look upon this grim opening as travelers on foot confront a steep, rugged mountain: beyond it lies a most enchanting plain which they appreciate all the more for having toiled up and down the mountain first,† (Boccaccio, pg. 7). The Decameron, by Giovanni Boccaccio embodies this verse. Until this time period, religion guided society like an invisible hand pushing everyone along. Throughout many generation religion evolved. From polytheism to monotheism, form idols to churches, people leaned on the virtues that religion presented, and led their lives accordingly. Everyone learned to submit themselves to the Church as they were too scared to pave their own virtuous way. Instead of using the Church as a guide they surrendered themselves completely becoming monkeys in the face of emperors. The Pope was no longer a messenger of God rather he was God-like himself for he too held scores of lives in his hands. The power that the sacred rulers grasped deceived them of their true abilities; they now acted as if they were gods despite their limiting human capabilities. The Popes now used â€Å"virtues† to elicit supremacy, opposed to using authority as an instrument to spread morality. Giovanni Boccaccio wishes to lift the veil and expose the church for what they have become. Using Satire he exposes the true actions of those in command. Though the road in revealing the corruption of the Church is jagged and rocky it allows for a new beginning. It allows everyone to discover â€Å"a most enchanting plain.† While many praise Boccaccio for his disclosure of the Church there still are menacing effects of such an action. He boots the Church off of its pedestal leaving an open seat for the next ruler. While the church may have been crooked Bo... ...ety to a better world was convoluted and crooked. Boccaccio laid out many examples and effects that the church had on civilization in hopes to overcome the fraudulent society that everyone depended on. Life is about living. Human competence has the ability to meld the physical world and the spiritual world into one boulevard. Life is about experiencing freedom. Freedom to control one’s actions, freedom to choose one’s leader and freedom to grow past difficulties. In The Decameron, Boccaccio tried to give everyone their freedom back. Bibliography Alchin, Linda. "Middle Ages." Middle Ages. Online. September 20 2006 16 December 2010. "Avatar ." Avatar; The Journey Continues. Online. 2010 16 December 2010. Boccaccio, Giovanni. The Decameron. New York: Oxford, 1998.

Investment Patterns in India

Changing Trend of Investment Pattern in India and Emergence of Mutual Fund Industry ABSTRACT: This project is about how the Investor's Behavior is changing and they are now leaving behind the sacred investment options like the fixed deposits, company deposits, gold etc. Investors are now looking towards equity linked investment options. Like most developed and developing countries the mutual fund cult has been catching on in India. There are various reasons for this. Mutual Fund makes it easy and less costly for investors to satisfy their need for capital growth, income preservation. And in addition to this a mutual fund brings the benefit of diversification and money management to the individual investor, providing an opportunity for financial success that was once available only to a select few. In this project I have given a brief about economy, inflation, and equity and debt market. Then it is explained how to cope with the inflation and how mutual fund is one of the best investment options today. A brief about mutual fund industry and the some information about HDFC Mutual Fund and its various products are given INTRODUCTION: Many individuals find investments to be fascinating because they can participate in the decision making process and see the results of their choices. Not all investments will be profitable, as investor wills not always make the correct investment decisions over the period of years; however, you should earn a positive return on a diversified portfolio. In addition, there is a thrill from the major success, along with the agony associated with the stock that dramatically rose after you sold or did not buy. Both the big fish you catch and the fish that get away can make wonderful stories. Investing is not a game but a serious subject that can have a major impact on investor's future well being. Virtually everyone makes investments. Even if the individual does not select specific assets such as stock, investments are still made through participation in pension plan, and employee saving programme or through purchase of life insurance or a home. Each of this investment has common characteristics such as potential return and the risk you must bear. The future is uncertain, and you must determine how much risk you are willing to bear since higher return is associated with accepting more risk. In 1986, Microsoft Corporation first offered its stock to the public. Nine years later, the stock's value had increased over 5,000 percent- a $ 10,000 investment was worth over $ 5,00,000 in the same year, worlds of wonder also offered its stocks to the public. Nine years later the company was defunct- a $ 10,000 was worth nothing. These are two examples of emerging firms that could do exceedingly well or fail. Would investing in large, well establish firms generate more consistent returns? The answer depends, of course, on which firms were invested in. Over the years some investments have generated extraordinary gains, while others have produced only mediocre returns, and still others have resulted in substantial losses. The individual should start by specifying investment goals. Once these goals are established, the individual should be aware of the mechanics of investing and the environment in which investment decisions are made. These include the process by which securities are issued and subsequently bought and sold, the regulations and tax laws that have been enacted by various levels of government, and the sources of information concerning investment that are available to the individual. An understanding if this financial background leads to three important general financial concepts that apply to investing. Toady the field of investment is even more dynamic than it was only a decade ago. World event rapidly-events that alter the values of specific assets the individual has so many assets to choose from, and the amount of information available to the investors is staggering and continually growing. Furthermore, inflation has served to increased awareness of the importance of financial planning and wise investing. In this project I will first talk about economy, inflation, equity markets and debt markets to understand investments behavior. INFLATION: Inflation is a situation where there is ‘ too much money chasing too few goods'. In such times buyers bid up prices of scarce products/services The scarcity could be caused by supply issues or a faster than expected rise in demand. Irrespective of what causes inflation, the impact is the same. The value of the currency you are holding declines. Let's explain this with the help of an example. Suppose the Indian Rupee was freely exchangeable with only one commodity- crude oil. Let's assume the conversion rate is Re 1= 1 barrel of crude (wish it were true! ). Now there is tension in the Gulf region resulting in reduced supply. Due to the subsequent rise in price of crude oil in international markets, we would now have to pay more Rupees for every barrel of oil. Suppose crude prices rise by 10%. The new exchange rate will be Rs. 1. 1 = 1 barrel of declined from 1 barrel of crude per Rupee to only 0. 91 barrel of crude per Rupee this is the erosion in the value of the currency that we are talking about. Also note that while the Indian Rupee may be appreciating vis-a-vis other currencies, in the ‘ real sense' there is erosion in value. Another important fallout one can expect due to rising inflation is higher interest rates. The central banks aim to reduce demand in the economy by rising the cost of money. When making fresh investments or evaluating your existing holdings in potentially inflationary times you need to keep two things in mind: The possibility of higher interest rates The erosion in the value of the currency CONCEPT OF MUTUAL FUND: A mutual fund is a pool of money, collected from investors, and is invested according to certain investment objectives. A mutual fund is created when investors put their money tighter. It is therefore a pool of the investor's funds The most important characteristic of a mutual fund is that the contributors and the beneficiaries of the fund are the same class of people, namely the investors. The term mutual means that investors contribute to the pool, and also benefit from the pool. There are no other claimants to the funds. The pool of fund mutually by investors is the mutual fund. A mutual fund's business is to invest the funds thus collected, according to the wishes of the investors who created the pool. In many markets these wishes are articulated as  Ã‚   â€Å"investment mandates†. Usually, the investors appoint professional investment managers, to manage their â€Å"product†, and offer it for investment to the investor. This product represents a share in the pool, and pre-states investment objectives. For example, a mutual fund, which sells a † money market mutual fund â€Å", is actually seeking investors willing to invest in a pool that would invest predominantly in money market instruments. IMPORTANT CHARACTERSTICS: A Mutual fund belongs to the investors who have pooled their funds. The ownership of the mutual fund in the hands of the investors Investment professional and other service providers, who earn a fee for their services, from the fund, manage the mutual fund. The pool of funds is invested in a portfolio of marketable investments. The value of the portfolio is updated every day. The investor's share in the fund is denominated by â€Å"units†. The value of the units changes with change in the portfolio's value, every day. The value of one unit of investors is called as the Net Asset Value or NAV. The investment portfolio of the mutual fund is created according to the stated investment objectives of the fund. PHASES IN THE HISTORY OF MUTUAL FUND: The history of mutual fund in India can be divided into 5 important phases: A 1963-1987: The Unit Trust of India was the sole player in the industry. Created by an Act of Parliament in 1963, UTI launched its first product, the unit scheme 1964, which is even today the single largest mutual fund scheme. UTI created a number products such as monthly income plans, children's plans, equity-Oriented schemes and offshore funds during this period. UTI managed assets of Rs 6700 crore at the end of this phase. B 1987-1993: In 1987 public sector banks and financial institutions entered the mutual fund industry. SBI mutual fund was the first non-UTI fund to be set up in 1987. Significant shift of investors from deposits to mutual fund industry happened during this period. Most funds were growth oriented closed ended funds. By the end of this period, assets under UTI's management grew to Rs 38247 crore and public sector funds managed Rs 8750 crore. C 1993-1996: In 1993, the mutual fund industry was open to private sector players, both Indian and foreign. SEBI's first set of regulations for the industry was formulated in 1993 and, substantially revised in 1996. Significant innovations in servicing, product design and information disclosure happened in the phase, mostly initiated by private sector players. D 1996-1999: The implementation of the new SEBI regulation and the restructuring of the mutual fund industry led to rapid asset growth. Bank mutual fund was re-cast according to the SEBI recommended structure, and UTI came under voluntary SEBI supervision. E 1999-2003: very rapid growth in the industry and significant increase in market shares of private sector player marked this phase. Assets crossed Rs. 100,0000 crore. The tax break offered to mutual funds in 1999 created arbitrage opportunities for a number of institutional players. Bond funds and liquid funds registered the highest growth in this period, accounting for nearly 60% of the assets. UTI's share of the industry dropped below 50%. 2. 3 ADVANTAGES OF MUTUAL FUND: The following are the important advantages of mutual funds to investors: Portfolio diversification Professional management Reduction in risk Reduction of transaction costs Liquidity Convenience and flexibility DISADVANTAGES OF MUTUAL FUND, The following are important disadvantages of investing through mutual fund: No control over costs: Since investors do not directly monitor the fund's operations they cannot control the costs effectively. Regulators therefore usually limit the expenses of mutual funds. No tailor- made portfolio: Mutual fund portfolio is created and marketed by AMCs, into which investors invest. They cannot create tailor made portfolios. Managing a portfolio of funds: As the number of mutual funds increase, in order to tailor a portfolio for himself, an investors may be holding a portfolio of funds, with the costs Of monitoring them and using them, being incurred by him. NEED FOR INVESTMENT: Increasing household expense. Creation of wealth Increasing cost of living. Financial needs according to life stages. Regular income Combination of all above INVESTMENT OPTION AVAILABLE: Physical and Financial assets. Equity and Debt Govt. securities and non-govt. securities Other option Public provident fund RBI Relief Fund. Mutual Fund Others like Indira Vikas Patra, Kisan Vikas Patra CP FD, and Debenture.    |FDs |FI BONDS |Mutual Fund | |Accessibility |Low |Low |Low | |Tenor |Fixed (medium) |Fixed (Long) |No lock in period | |Tax Benefit |None  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   |Under section 80C |None | |Liquidity |Low |Very Low |none | |Convince |Medium |Tedious |Very high | |Transparency |None |None |Very high | CONCLUSION: The unique investment strategy of letting the maturity of the debt investment run down with time and targeting equity investments to capture dividends is targeted to deliver positive returns over medium time frame. The investment strategy of the fixed income portfolio is designed to remove the impact of interest rate movements over the medium term. The strategy of targeting dividends in equities over a period is expected to improve the yield of the fund. The above investment strategy expects to minimize capital loss in adverse market condition and deliver moderate returns in stable/positive market conditions. So, if you are looking for an investment product that offers you low risk of capital loss and the potential to earn reasonable returns in the uncertain environment of today, HDFC Multiple Yield Fund might be the right fund for you.

Black Panther Party during the 1960s Essay

The Black Panther Party was a left-wing organization founded in 1966 for the defense of African Americans (Katsiaficas, and Cleaver 3). It was founded in Oakland, California by Bobby Seale and Huey Newton and would go on to gain fame all over the United States for its deep commitment to defend the rights of the African American population as a minority group (Katsiaficas, and Cleaver 3). For the decade it lasted, the Black Panther Party was able to tackle one of the most pertinent issues of the time: Racism. In this essay, I seek to explain the role the Black Panther Party, whose initial objective was to defend African Americans from police brutality, played in American society in the 1960s. Black Panther Party began as a result of a prior history of activism where African American opinion leaders were pushing for equality and an end to racial prejudices and police brutality (Katsiaficas, and Cleaver 71). African Americans had for long demanded that authorities address the issues that were affecting them as a minority in the American society. The Black Panther Party the discipline and calmness preached by renown African American activist Malcolm X to become the heroes of the African American cause (Smethurst 21). The party symbolized self determination and pride, and initiated programs aimed at educating African Americans politically as an attempt to achieve a revolution in diction, the free spirit and commitment to the cause. It became a symbol of African American culture and even had an impact on fashion. The Black Panther Party, through its Ten Point Program, was able to grasp the attention of the authorities and the American public about the issues that were affecting the African American community (Katsiaficas, and Cleaver 76). It gave an outcry about the oppression that was perpetuated against members of its target community and their lack of control in the political and social institutions that were meant to serve them. The party also petitioned the government and demanded it honors its obligation to provide employment or guarantee an income for all people (Katsiaficas, and Cleaver 76). The other demands in the Ten Point program included a call to end economic exploitation of the African American and other minority communities and the honor of the promise for forty acres of land and a mule that had been made 100 years earlier as reparation for slavery (Jones 177). The party also demanded better housing to be made available in African American neighborhoods failure to which the land should be made cooperative land so that African Americans could build their own decent housing. The Black Panther Party managed to petition authorities about the poor quality of educational infrastructure in African American neighborhoods as well as pushing the agenda for free healthcare for impoverished Americans (Jones 179). Police brutality was rampant in those days, targeting African American and Hispanic men. The Black Panther Party wanted an end to all this; and through sensitizing the public, it helped create an awareness and knowledge of human rights which was later to become instrumental in later activism (Smethurst 26). The Black Panther Party followed the ideals of Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong as he outlined them in his manual, The Little Red Book, to orchestrate economic and social awareness campaigns among African American people through what it called Survival Programs (Katsiaficas, and Cleaver 81). Through these programs, it fought drug abuse and rehabilitated drug addicts, organized free medical clinics and offered emergency response and ambulance services. In addition it founded the Inter-communal Youth Institute with Ericka Huggins as the director to demonstrate how African American youth must be educated so that they would be empowered politically and economically (Katsiaficas, and Cleaver 81). There were also other programs, most of which had an impact on live in areas where the party was operational. The Black Panther Party had an impact on the political landscape during the time it existed. The party assumed the role of teaching African Americans their political rights and their guarantees as legal American citizens to basic human rights, individual freedoms and liberties (Jones 178). To be more effective, it briefly combined efforts with the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee which was headed by Stokely Carmichael who later renamed himself Kwame Ture in line with his Pan African ideals (Jones 178). This was just after it was founded. In the year 1967, the Black Panther Party organized a street march in which many African Americans were involved in a procession to the California State Capital to oppose a proposed directive to ban the carrying of loaded weapons to public places (Katsiaficas, and Cleaver 81)). The panthers (members of the party) had already begun exercising that right; and on this procession they all carried rifles. The Black Panther Party sought to empower African Americans politically; and having garnered widespread support from African Americans and other sympathizers, its Minister of Information, Eldridge Cleaver ran for president in the 1968 presidential elections (Katsiaficas, and Cleaver 85). The party made a bigger impact than its opposite, the White Panther Party. Its biggest role was perhaps in the human rights movement. Even though the party lasted for only 14 years, it left a lasting impression on the struggle for rights and equality, and its ideals of community service are still present in many African American communities today. Works cited Jones, Charles. The Black Panther Party (Reconsidered). Baltimore, MD: Black Classic Press, 1998. Katsiaficas, George, and Cleaver, Kathleen. Liberation, Imagination and the Black Panther Party: A New Look At The Panthers and Their Legacy. New York: Rutledge, 2001. Smethurst, James. The Black Arts Movement: Literary Nationalism in the 1960s and 70s. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2005.

Self Concept Paper

Self Concept Paper Although, many people like and dislike many of their physical appearances they have to cope with the fact that they can not change them and that their unique characteristics make them who they are. My favorite characteristic is my hair; I like my hair because it is long and curly. I can do a number of different styles with my hair such as straightening it, making it wavy or leaving it curly. I’ve never been bothered with my hair because my hair is unique and not many people have the type of curls that I do. Another one of my favorite characteristics is my eyes and eyelashes. I like my eyes because they have a nice shape; like an almond their not to big nor are they too small. My eyelashes are super long, I cut them in fourth grade because I thought they were too long but luckily they grew back at a good length. I also like my legs; I like my legs because they have a nice muscle tone and their not to big. One of my traits that I don’t like is my teeth. I don’t like my teeth because I have a gap. They’re not that bad because they’re all straight but my gap irritates me bad. My feet is another characteristic that I don’t like about myself, the reason I don’t like my feet is because is because they’re too wide and my toes are chunky. Even though, we like to think we don’t relate to anyone and we’re our own person; the truth is that we do, humans share many traits with each other. I like to think that I am caring, hardworking and honest. I’m thoughtful because I care for other people; I like to know what’s going on with people and if something is on their mind. I’m a hard worker because I strive to do my best at anything I do, I don’t like to see myself fail at any goal I’m trying to accomplish. I’m truthful because I’ve been lied to as a child and in the past. The feeling of being lied to hurts, it makes someone feel as though their feelings or emotions don’t matter and that their not strong enough to handle the truth. Me personally, I would never want to lie to someone and put them through anything they shouldn’t have to go through. One bad thing about me is that I’m judgmental, I judge people before I even get the chance to meet them or even know what their like. If I see someone I stereotype them and until I really get to know the person well, I always just have those thoughts. Another thing about me is that I’m naive. I believe anything anyone tells me; someone can tell me there’s a fire in my house while I’m in it and ill say â€Å"where? † The worst thing about me is my attitude. I have a bad attitude and if I don’t like someone it definitely shows, but I have frequent mood swings. If I’m having a bad day or someone frustrated me, half my day will be ruined and ill take it out on everyone else but not intentionally. I have a well rounded personality, I feel as though I’m a easy person to get along with; I’m helpful, friendly, and trustworthy. I like to be beneficial to anyone who needs it, everyone needs a helping hand every once in a while and need someone to help them get on their feet; I like to be that person. I’m extremely outgoing I like to have a good time and enjoy myself know matter where I’m at. I don’t like anyone feeling left out so I always try to make the person I’m with have as much as a good time I’m having. Having someone who is dependable is important. Everyone needs that one friend who they can run to and tell all there secrets to and not second guess them even telling a soul, I feel as though I’m very reliable. A few negative personality traits I have are being shy, stubborn and not talkative. I’m very timid around people I don’t know or around people I feel uncomfortable with, but once I get to know you very welcoming and outgoing. If I don’t know you, I wont talk to you or try to conversate with you, I’m not talkative to people I’m not familiar with. The worst personality trait I have is being stubborn. If I could change me being stubborn I definitely would. Being obstinate can cause a lot of conflict especially with other obstinate people; if things don’t go my way I become highly frustrated very fast. I interviewed three people and how they view me as an individual, I wasn’t too surprise with the responses I received because I can see why they would think that way about me. Some positive things that were said about me are that I’m very responsible, dependable and hardworking. I, myself had also thought I was hardworking; I like to achieve all my goals and get everything done. I’m reliable because everyone knows if they ask me to do something and I’m able to do it, it will get done. That’s sort of where my perfectionist kicks in, where everything has to be done right and in order. A few negative things that my family thought was being hardheaded, impatient and having a bad attitude. I admit that I’m hardheaded because I don’t listen to what people tell me even if they know for a fact it’s a bad decision. I like to make my own mistakes and learn from them because if you don’t learn from your mistakes you’re going to keep making them. I also agree that I’m intolerant because I have no patience to wait for anything. I get easily frustrated when something takes longer than it has to. I take my school work and jobs very seriously, so when it comes to school I work I don’t play around and try my hardest to do everything the way it’s suppose to be and to do everything on time. I’m extremely hard working; I strive to do my best in any and everything I do so I can make something out of myself. I’m a very driven person when it comes to something important because if you loose sight of the big picture, your goals or ambitions you will be lost in the long run and it will take you longer to get to where you want to be. I’m so determined to make something of myself because my whole life I’ve seen my family struggling just to make ends meet and I don’t want to see myself in their shoes, I want to succeed and be someone in the future. I do have a few negative attribute when it comes to performance at school or work, just like everyone else. I’m easily sidetracked because when I’m focused on something I want done and another thing pops up or needs to be done such as cleaning, phone calls or picking up my sister I’ll do it with out finishing the first thing I was doing. I’m most distracted when I’m in school because if I get a text message or phone call while taking notes or listening to a lecture I loose concentration. Being a procrastinator is the worst trait I think I could have picked up on because I throw important things to the backburner, thinking I will do it when I’m ready or when I’m finished with something and I end up forgetting about it all together. I’m often sluggish because I go to school Monday through Thursdays and work everyday, so sometimes I won’t finish or accomplish many things such as homework, projects or studying because I just want sit around, rest or sleep all day. Throughout the day, I’m a pretty laid back relaxed person. I get things done in that process though. I keep myself motivated because if I’m not motivated I won’t succeed but I’m a very organized person and that shows that I care about my priorities. My biggest problem that I’ve dealt with my whole life is waking up late. I tend to sleep in or over sleep most of the time, that’s not a good attribute because I waste my entire day by sleeping and sometimes I’m late to class and miss parts of a lectures. Throughout the day I find myself cleaning up after my self and other all the time. I’m too much of a clean freak, I usually annoy people who are with or around me and because I’m always straightening up the house. A non-clean person irritates me to death, it makes me mad when people don’t clean up after their selves. When it comes to mental functioning I like to think of myself as a multitasked person, very curious and spontaneous, independent, antagonistic, horrible at math and having a bad memory. Being able to do a lot of things at once is a positive attribute to me as long as your doing all the things correct; I can get many things done at one time while doing an impressive job. I like the fact that I’m curious and spontaneous, I like to discover and try new things because we only live once. My friends love hanging out with me and anyways ask me about things to do. I’m a very independent person who doesn’t like to seek help from others, I like to do things on my own and provide for myself, it makes me feel good. I feel as though I need to work for what I want because nothing is ever given to you. Math is my worst subject and I’ve always struggled with it throughout my life, but I’ve come to realize that I am not the only person with that problem. Now that I am in college and need to take 3 more semesters of math I seek help from the math tutors and by doing that I have learned a great amount, math is beginning to become understanding instead of stressful. Having a bad memory is a bad attribute that I have I can never remember important things that I’m suppose to remember. If I’m having a conversation with someone and I get sidetracked I’ll forget my entire train of thought. My friends and family get frustrated with me when I forget things.