Friday, December 27, 2019

Candide Optimism Essay - 1904 Words

Candide, by Voltaire, is a satire written based on the people, events, and thoughts of the 1750s and was published in France, Italy, and the Netherlands. These included Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, most religious groups, the earthquake of Lisbon in 1755, and the idea of Optimism presented by many philosophers. The idea of Optimism is based on the idea presented by most religious figures, that God is here and perfect, therefore anything that happens in life is there for a reason and not just a mistake made by God. The journey of Candide starts with what seems to be an innocent kiss shared between the beautiful Cunegonde, this is what truly starts Candide’s belief in Optimism as presented by his teacher Pangloss. Only moments later they are†¦show more content†¦He also wanted to bring attention to the many problems of the time. This has been observed by many that know the history behind the book and who have read the book. In Candide, Voltaire is also making fun of philos ophers, and philosophical ideas, mainly that of Optimism which Voltaire seems to find idiotic. In Candide, the philosopher Pangloss is supposed to be making fun of one of the main philosophers at the time with the name Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. Voltaire also wrote Candide to show the idiocy behind optimism and to show the true reality. All throughout Candide, Voltaire is pointing out how no matter what the characters had done they ended up living miserable lives. Even the tender Candide, that affectionate lover, upon seeing his fair Cunegonde all sun-burnt, with bloodshot eyes, a withered neck, her face wrinkled, and her arms red and scaly, started back with horror; but recovering himself, he advanced towards her out of good manners.1 This shows that through all of the hardship that Candide went through just to marry his beautiful Cunegonde, he ended up having to marry her just to stick to his promise. Yet somehow, this also shows him to be a liar because instead of telling her his feelings have changed, he goes along with a lie to make her happy, no matter how miserable it may make him. Even though he had helped many people, sacrificing his own time, effort, and money, up until now, he would still feel guilty because he may feel selfish.Show MoreRelated Voltaires Candide as an Attack on Optimism Essays1265 Words   |  6 PagesVoltaires Attack on Optimism in Candide      Ã‚   Leibnitz emphasized, in his Discours de Metaphysique (Discourse on Metaphysics) (1686) the role of a benevolent creator. He called the constituent components of the universe monads, and while the philosophy of monads is of little concern to readers of Candide, the conclusion which Leibnitz drew from these monads is crucial to an understanding of optimism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Leibnitz argued that all of these monads were linked in a complex chainRead More Voltaire Exposes the Fallacy of Optimism in Candide Essay1168 Words   |  5 PagesVoltaire was the French author of the novella Candide, also known as Optimism (Durant and Durant 724). Famous as a playwright and essayist, Voltaire’s Candide is the book where he tries to point out the fallacy of Gottfried William von Leibnizs theory of Optimism. He uses satire, and techniques of exaggeration to contrast highlight the evil and brutality of war and the world in general when men are meekly accepting of their fate. Leibniz, a German philosopher and mathematician of Voltaires timeRead MoreOptimism as a Theme for Candide Essay1121 Words   |  5 PagesOptimism as a Theme for Candide Just as on the title, Candide, or Optimism, Optimism is also used as a major theme. Voltaires satire of philosophical optimism is one of the major issues of Candide. Throughout the story, satirical references to the best of all possible worlds contrast with natural catastrophes and human wrongdoing. According to Wikipedia, optimism, the opposite of pessimism, is a lifeview where the world is looked upon the as a positive place. Optimists generally believe thatRead MoreOptimism and Pessimism in Voltaire’s Candide Essay1187 Words   |  5 PagesVoltaire’s Candide, we are taken by the hand through an adventure which spanned two continents, several countries, and to a multitude of adverse characters. The protagonist, Candide, became the recipient of the horrors which would be faced by any person in the 18th century. But Candide was always accompanied with fellows sufferers, two of which our focus will lay, Pangloss and Martin. In equal respects, both are embodiments of di fferent philosophies of the time: Pangloss the proponent of Optimism and MartinRead MoreEssay on Use of Satire to Attack Optimism in Voltaires Candide1358 Words   |  6 PagesUse of Satire to Attack Optimism in Voltaires Candide       In its time, satire was a powerful tool for political assault on Europes corrupt and deteriorating society. Voltaires Candide uses satire to vibrantly and sarcastically portray optimism, a philosophical view from the Enlightenment used to bury the horrors of 18th century life: superstition, sexually transmitted diseases, aristocracy, the church, tyrannical rulers, civil and religious wars, and the cruel punishment of the innocentRead MoreJonathan Swift’s Essay A Modest Proposal, and Voltaire’s Novella, Candide999 Words   |  4 Pagesworks of literature that employ similar elements of satire, whether the story is long or short, essay or novella. In these two works, the authors bring light to ongoing social, political, and philosophical issues of their time and age. The two works I am referring to are Jonathan Swift’s satirical essay, A Modest Proposal, and Voltaire’s novella, Candide, or Optimism. In both A Modest Proposal and Candide, there is a portrayal of irony, cold logic and reasoning rather than emotion, and misguided philosophyRead More Essay on Voltaire’s Candide: A Typical Enlightenment Work671 Words   |  3 PagesCandide as a Typical Enlightenment Work      Ã‚  Ã‚   Candide on the surface is a witty story. However when inspected deeper it is a philippic writing against people of an uneducated status. Candide is an archetype of these idiocracies, for he lacks reason and has optimism that is truly irking, believing that this is the best of all possible worlds. Thus Voltaire uses a witty, bantering tale on the surface, but in depth a cruel bombast against the ignoramuses of his times.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   CandideRead MoreAnalysis Of Voltaire s Candide 964 Words   |  4 PagesCandide is a French satire that was first published in 1759 by Voltaire, who was a philosopher during the Enlightenment Age. It is a story about a young man, Candide, who is a follower of Leibnizian optimism. Candide witnesses and experiences many hardships in the world that puts his life at risk and tests the strength of his beliefs. During Candide’s many adventures, he faces many historical events that Voltaire uses to simplify subtle philosophies and cultural traditions, by highlighting theirRead More Candide by Voltaire Essay example1218 Words   |  5 Pagesthe author of the novella Candide, also known as Optimism. The the novella, Voltaire portrays the idea of Optimism as being illogical and absurd. In Candide, Voltaire satirizes the doctrine of Optimism, an idea that was greatly used during the Enlightenment time period by philosophers. In this narrati ve, Candide is a young man who goes through a series of undertakings and ventures around the the globe where he experiences evil and adversity. Throughout his journeys, Candide maintained the ideas ofRead MoreCompare and Contrast Happines in Candide, Rasselas, Essay on Man1496 Words   |  6 Pagesviews on the matter of happiness. Alexander Pope talks about the relationship and purpose man has to the universe in An Essay on Man, Voltaire wrote about living in blind optimism with a false notion of happiness in Candide, and Samuel Johnson wrote The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia, in which the main characters are on a quest to find happiness. Alexander Pope’s, An Essay on Man, tries to answer the question many have had about happiness and how to obtain it. In a time where religion was

Thursday, December 19, 2019

The Profile Of Laura Ashley Plc - 1166 Words

Financial Report: Laura Ashley Plc ID NUMBER: FNN 5200 Corporate Finance Dr. Jessica Wang Word Count: 2427 Richmond the American International University in London 1: The Profile of Laura Ashley Plc Laura is a Welsh textile company which held by the MUI Group in Malaysia. The company was founded by an engineer, Bernard Ashley and his wife, Laura Ashley in 1953. Past 20 years times, the company was growing on an international level. The sales in 2000 went up to  £276 million. The products is considered as essentially British. The main shareholders of the company are Malayan United Industries Bhd with 255,938,185 shares, Kay Peng Khoo PhD with 187,845,822 shares, AEON Co. Ltd with 35,220,606 shares and Ruffer LLP with†¦show more content†¦The debt to equity ratio is 2, the beta is 0.2 according to the FT (2015) which means its shares are 80% less risky in comparison to the entire market and the dividend payout ratio (DPS/EPS) for the company is 1.15 2: Laura Ashley Tied with the Trade-Off Theory and Risk Dimension It is important to explain the trade-off theory before applying the theory. This theory relates to the idea that a company selects how much debt and equity it should take on and this is by comparing the costs as well and the benefits. For example there are dead weight costs of being bankrupt by taking debt and there are tax saving benefits of taking debt. Thus, this trade off theory involves analysing the outcomes of taking equity or debt being a negative or a positive. The company is mainly aligned with trade off theory and not pecking order theory because Laura Ashley prefers using equity over debt. This is because the advantages of using equity over debt relates to being less risky than a loan as it does not have to be paid back, more cash at hand to expand business operations and the investors have a long term view of receiving

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Labor Union Disputes Nba Lockout free essay sample

I do know about basketball but this labor dispute had really nothing to do with basketball the game but everything to do with basketball the business. I had never thought of the NBA as a business before. Picking this dispute gave me a chance to dive into information and research on how the business side of things went. I also knew I would learn many new things as this term went on. The NBA lockout began on July 1st, 2011 between the NBPA and NBA regarding the CBA. The NBPA union represents the players in the NBA. It was founded in 1954 making it the oldest of the four major United States sports leagues to have a union. Unfortunately, they were not recognized by NBA team owners until 1964. The NBA was found in New York City on June 6th, 1946 and was called the Basketball Association of America. They changed the name to Nation Basketball Association on August 3rd, 1949 after merging with their rival National Basketball League. The BAA was founded by the owners of the major ice hockey arenas in the NE and Midwestern United States and Canada. The NBA recognizes the first official game to have been played on November 1st, 1946 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The NBA started with 11 teams and now currently has 30 teams all together. 29 of those teams are within the United States and 1 team is in Canada. Bob Cousy was the player who started the NBPA by writing a letter to each of the leagues teams. All but one responded positively. After receiving the letters back Cousy went to the NBA president in the beginning of 1955 with the players’ concerns. The players wanted payment of back salaries to the members of the defunct Baltimore Bullets club, a twenty game limit on exhibition games and players should get share of the profits, eliminate the â€Å"whispering† fee, payment for promoting NBA, a board to settle player and owner disputes, moving expenses paid for traded players, as well as their payments being ten instead of twelve installments to provide more to the players who get cut. NBA president agreed to pay six Baltimore players a two week back salary but then put Cousy and the players off for another two years. In 1957 Cousy went to AFL-CIO to file for a union. The NBA then agreed to â€Å"bargain in good faith† with the players union fallowing the season. The NBPA received the basic terms of their initial offer. NBPA has many important purposes. They negotiate the terms of a CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) with the NBA who control the players’ employment and to make sure the NBA and teams meet their rules and regulations under the CBA. Also to monitor, discuss and insure the players have insurance benefits and retirement options as well as educating and certifying the players’ agents. It is said that at one point a player will call the NBPA for help at least once in his career whether it be about the above points or to get legal advice, negotiation on the contract, to resolve a dispute protect medical benefits and other rights or to file a grievance. As you can see there is a need for the NBPA and they do everything they can to help out the NBA players be seen as people instead of property. The collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is the contract between the NBA, made up of the commissioner and 30 team owners, and the NBPA. The contract covers the rules for player’s contracts, trades, revenue distribution, NBA draft as well as the salary cap. The NBA and NBPA have had trouble in the past. In 1995 there was a labor dispute when the NBA owners imposed a lockout but no games were lost. The first actual lockout that caused the players to lose games happened in 1998-1999 season and lasted 200 days and each of the teams playing only 50 regular season games instead of the normal 82. The CBA expired in the 2010-2011 season, which then lead to the 2011 lockout. When unionizing a workplace both sides, management and employees, each have their own views on the employment relationship to have equal efficiency, equity and voice. Business strategies for management stated in the book is broken down into two general types, one being cost leadership and the other differentiation. Cost leadership emphasizes on low cost which means to have the lowest possible labor costs. Differentiation strategy is an emphasis on features without losing quality. David Stern started as an outside counsel to the NBA in 1966. After 12 years in 1978 he joined the NBA as the general counsel and soon became the executive vice president in 1980. In 1984 he became the commissioner of the NBA and is credited with spiking the popularity of the NBA in the 1990’s and 2000’s. During a regular season each team will play 82 games. 41 of those games will be home and the other 41 away games. Over 5 seasons each team will have played 80 games against their own division, 180 games against the rest of their conference, and 150 games against other conference. On the 16th Thursday of the season is the deadline for being allowed to exchange players with other teams for the remainder of the season however they may still sign and release players still. The regular season ends around the middle of April and they begin voting for individual awards. Then shortly after the NBA playoff start. So far there have been two other lockouts in the NBA. The first one started July 1st 1995 and ended September 12th 1995. This lockout happened in the off season so luckily no games were lost. The second one was during the 1998-1999 season. The season didn’t start until February 5th 1999 which resulted in 464 games being lost for the season. This lockout lasted 200 days and ended up having the 29 NBA teams playing a 50 game schedule for the season. The inability to bargain was a major reason for the 2011 NBA lockout. NBPA accused the league of negotiating in â€Å"bad faith†. Their reasoning for accusing them was because they believed the league was failing to provide critical financial data to the union and continued to threaten to lock out the players. The term â€Å"in bad faith† is a grey area. It’s hard to draw the line between good faith and bad faith, as every perception is different. Four major examples of bad faith bargaining would be, making unilateral changes, direct dealing, refusing to provide information and surface bargaining. Unilateral changes is when an employer changes things such as wages, benefits or other terms and conditions of employment without bargaining first with the union. Direct dealing is when the employer tries to undermine a union by interacting directly with the employees with respect to bargaining issues. Refusing to provide information explains itself, but the information would pertain to something such as job evaluation data, standards for merit raises, and health and safety statistics. The last major example is surface bargaining, which is when an employer or union goes through the motions of bargaining but does not sincerely try to reach an agreement. Since the NBA and NBPA had such a difficult time bargaining with each other there were many â€Å"work days† lost. These work days or game days affected more than just the owners and the players. It affected the people working inside the arena’s where the games would take place, ticket sellers, merchandizing, as well as fans. An estimated 400 NBA jobs were lost due to the layoffs from the lockout. 200 of the jobs lost were within the league office and another 200 among the 30 teams. Because the lockout dragged on toward holiday season, the workers felt the impact. The people who lost their jobs had to go find part-time work in order to make up for their loss of income. For canceling just the NBA preseason the league lost over $200 million. They lost a total of 100 games from the lockout. The league lost between $6 and $10 million for every game. Each month of the lockout the players lost $350 million. The average player lost $220,000 after the first missed paycheck on November 15th, 2011. The NBA did compensate the players $100,000 for their salaries falling below the 57% BRI level in 2010-2011. Bargaining is a key term in any company setting. However, in a union it is the biggest component. It can help or hurt a union and or company extremely. In the NBA lockout the biggest reason for bargaining was the wages. The NBA wanted to cut the salary so much that the union was not okay with it and would not agree. The consequence for not being able to agree on a new CBA cost them even more money. The players were willing to cut their salary but not as much as the NBA was wanting to. Before the NBA lockout happened on July 1st, 2011 there were negotiations being made on a new CBA. The league claimed it was losing $300 million dollars a year and wanted to cut players salary by 40% and institute a hard salary cap. A hard salary cap is a limit on total amount of money that the NBA teams are allowed to pay their players. It is subject to a confusing system of rules and what would be exceptions. Obviously the union challenged those numbers and protested the changes. In May of 2011 the NBPA filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board stating that the league was negotiating in bad faith but failing to provide the union with important financial data and threatening to lock out players. After that the NBA quickly came back saying that they fully comply with the federal labor laws. The union also considered to file an antitrust lawsuit against the NBA. An antitrust lawsuit is when employees represented by a union can petition to decertify the union. They must provide evidence that at least 30% of the union supports the decertification and are bound by the same contract rules as an outside union would be. Decertification elections are subject to the same rules concerning improper campaign conduct as elections initiated by a union. August 1st, 2011 the first bargaining session began but quickly ended three hours later since neither side could negotiate effectively. On August 2, 2011 the NBA filed two unfair labor practice claims against the NBPA accusing the players of not being cooperative in negotiations and making threats to dissolve the union and file antitrust lawsuits. It was said on August 4th by the players union director, Billy Hunter thought that the entire 2011-2012 season would most likely be canceled. The NBPA and the NBA owners sat down again on August 31st, 2011 to negotiate a second time around. Nothing specific were disclosed however both sides were hoping to meet again soon. On September 13th the union and owners met for more negotiating but the meeting ended very soon. The NBA canceled training camp on September 23rd when the camp was supposed to start October 3rd. Another meeting was then planned for September 30th. This meeting too failed. Shortly after on October 4th the NBA canceled the remainder of the preseason which in turn would make them lose $200 million. Following the cancelation the NBA and NBPA met again 6 more times, all of which ended with no agreement the last of those six meetings was on October 20th. After all of these attempts to come up with a new CBA the players said the NBA was negotiating in â€Å"bad faith† and on November 14th they dissolved the union and turned into a trade association. This allowed the players to be represented by lawyers in a class action lawsuit against the NBA. On November 15th a group of NBA players who included Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Kawhi Leonard and Leon Powe filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NBA in a California federal court. In a Minnesota federal court some more players of the NBA such as Anthony Tolliver, Ben Gordon, Caron Butler and Derrick Williams filed their own suit against the NBA. November 15 would have been the day the players were to receive their first paychecks if the season was played like originally planned. The California lawsuit was dropped on November 21st 2011 in order to merge with the Minnesota lawsuit. David Boies was hopping that this would help speed up the process since the courts would most likely merge the suits anyway since they are similar complaints seeking the same outcome. After this the league had until December 5th to respond in court. However it never got to that point because the NBPA was re-formed as a union on December 1st and the new CBA was wrote up on December 8th 2011. If the NBA did not consist of a union I don’t believe the outlook would change much for the 2011 lockout. Since our society is so wrapped up in media this event would always make headlines whether the players were in a union or not. Obviously the lockout probably wouldn’t have happened since there would be no CBA to agree upon again. However I do think that the players would fight back against the NBA regardless. The reason why I do think that they would fight back is because when the NBPA dissolved the union they did so in order to file an antitrust lawsuit. This means that even though they were no longer a union they were still willing to take a stand in their rights as human beings. Union or nonunion this dispute would still appear in headlines, it would just be under different circumstances. The lockout is currently an employee/employer relationship. If you take this dispute as a whole you can generalize that the reason for the lockout was because management and employees did not agree with each other. This does happen quite often in many companies, unions or not. If the company is not a union the employees do have less of a say what is happening, however, they can and should still stand up for what they think is fair and right in an given situation. Disagreeing is common among everyday life. Not every person agrees completely with one another on every subject. You are bound to have disputes in the workplace about a number of things. These disputes can be as small as if a coffee pot or refrigerator being put in a break room and can be as big as how much employees are getting paid or how much their pay may be getting cut. As you do see these conflicts do happen and often and it is normal for companies to have frequent disputes. It’s hard to say what would happen if this dispute happened in the future and if the labor relations and practices were changed. There are a lot of ifs in that and those rely on a number of things to be changed or that could change. If somehow a law was passed that unions would no longer be able to exist that would change this dispute a lot legally. If that were the case there would be no CBA contract to renew and no compromises to be made. The players still could take a stand if they wanted but they would not be protected or have the right to be heard by the owners of the NBA. Even if a drastic change such as outlawing unions happened I do think that the players would fight back. They would somehow find a way to fight against the NBA for completing to trying to complete such huge changes that would affect their careers. The final conclusion between the NBA and the NBPA was not just as simple as how much the players were getting paid; it went far deeper than that. It’s hard for me to draw up my own resolution when what they agreed upon was fair in my mind, considering where both sides stood. Each side did have people who vocally said to the media that they did not agree with or want the changes that were made in the new CBA. The length of the agreement was changed as well as 17 other topics. These other 17 topics included, revenue split, escrow, amnesty provision, revenue sharing, minimum team salary, luxury tax, distribution of luxury-tax funds, additional limits for taxpaying teams, stretch provision, free agents and restricted free agency, new contracts, contract extensions, midlevel exception, disabled player exception, trade rules, base year compensation, as well as re-signing a traded player were changed. This CBA was a tentative agreement or a â€Å"trial† agreement between both sides. In my perspective they wrote this rough draft up on the basics on what they could agree upon so they could in turn start the season. The lockout was more than just a simple union dispute. It was a complete change in the entire scheme of how each side worked with each other to compromise enough to sustain one another. In other words this CBA that was wrote was in comparison like writing and entire new employee/employer handbook as well as changing key factors in almost every aspect of their professional relationship. The spectrum of changes was so broad that the compromises made to start the season were only the surface issues. There were many under lying issues that needed to be addressed in the CBA over a certain amount of time but the 18 things that I mentioned are the framework for this. With the amount of things that were changed it is be incredibly difficult to come up with my own overall resolution. To me the one topic that stood out the most due to the drastic change was how they changed the disabled player exception. In the last CBA (2005) it stated that if a player was injured and could not play the team was allowed to find a replacement, offering them a 5 year contract with their salary being the lower half of the player they were replacing with an 8% increase every year for the 5 years. Now on the 2011 CBA this was dramatically changed to a single year contract for the replacement of the injured player but keeping the same salary basis as the 2005 CBA with no increase due to the 1 year contract. The previous CBA benefited the team and the new CBA benefits the injured player based on the fact that if a player was injured during the length of the 2005 CBA they were in fear of being benched because if their replacement did well during their recovery time the injured player could have their spot taken from them and not play. I would change this for the replacement player’s benefit by changing the agreement to a two year contract allowing the replacement player the oppurtunity to prove himself beneficial to the team rather than being just a replacement for the injured player. This would help unsigned or free agent players the ability to earn a permanent contract with a given team. I believe a single season performance is not a fair amount of time for a player to adapt to a new environment and shine though enough to acquire a full contract with that given team. Two years is a fair amount of time for the players of the team, the coaches and the replacement player to find team coordination. It is also enough time for the replacement player to prove himself as an asset to the team. As a whole the lockout to me was much more than a single disagreement. It was about the entire scheme of how the business was run on both the NBA and NBPA sides. This issue was a very public and complex dispute. Also what makes this event hard to analyze is with the time frame in which they had to come up with an agreement with so many issues in order to not loose even more money, not to mention the effect on the fans, towns, stadium and concessions employees and the possible damage to the entire nation’s economy. Such an intricate dispute as this one where almost every aspect of the CBA was changed should not have been expected to be resolved easily. Bibliography: Budd, John W. Labor Relations: Striking a Balance. 3rd Edition. New York: Ducham, 2010. Print. Beck, Howard. â€Å"N. B. A. Season in Peril as Players Reject Offer. † The New York Times. The New York Times. 14 November 2011. Web. 21 March 2012 Aschburner, Steve. â€Å"NBA lockout timeline. † NBA. NBA. 9 December 2011. Web. 21 March 2012. Aschburner, Steve. â€Å"NBA heads into lockout after sides can’t get deal done. † NBA. NBA. 1 July 2011. Web. 21 March 2012. Beck, Howard. â€Å"N. B. A. Reaches a Tentative Deal to Save the Season. † The New York Times. The New York Times. 6 November 2011. Web. 21 March 2012. â€Å"National Basketball Players Association. † Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. â€Å"2011 NBA lockout. † Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Bradley, Robert. â€Å"Labor Pains Nothing New to the NBA. † APBR. The Association for Professional Basketball Research. Web. 21 March 2012. Coon, Larry. â€Å"Break ing down changes in the new CBA. † ESPN. ESPN. 28 November 2011. Web. 21 March 2012. FoxNews. com. â€Å"NBA Owners, Players Reach a Tentative Deal to End Lockout. † Fox News. Fox News. 26 November 2011. Web. 21 March 2012 Nbpa. org. Web. 21 March 2012

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Tweak by Nic Sheff free essay sample

Addict Tweak is a tale of addiction describing the experiences of Nic Sheff, who was for many years addicted to various drugs. Meth and heroin to begin with, later coke and mixing different drugs (Tweak). This book was actually written in response to a book by David Sheff called Beautiful Boy. It was about the experience of dealing with his sons addictions and their consequences for his family. Nic Sheff was 18 and collage bound when he discovered crystal meth. At first his father had no idea. Then came a call from his school, the late nights, the lying, the ghoulish pallor and the wasting away. David’s life became an eternity of waiting, for the phone to ring, the door to open, or for any sign that his Nic was safe. His fears were less dreadful than his son’s reality; begging, dealing, and promiscuous sex whatever it took to dim the pain. We will write a custom essay sample on Tweak by Nic Sheff or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The feeling of emptiness that had terrorized him at least since his parents’ divorce when he was a child. The first third of Tweak is a demonstration of the kind of depraved lifestyle Nics addiction leads to, a study of how quickly an addict can move down the downward spiral to the point where he or she will do absolutely anything for drugs, or money for drugs, for instances stealing even from his loved ones. Nothing was out of the question. In this book, Nic repeatedly addresses the question of how far a person can fall apart before they realize they need to pull themselves together. Sheff enters rehab multiple times, but for various reasons he relapses into heavy drug use, despite a few near-death occurrences and an absolutely, unlivable lifestyle. Each time he tries to come back to reality, so Sheff reaches out to his family and close friends, but not surprisingly, after several times of hearing the same song the relationships become more and more shaky, and even family members stop believing that he will remain sober. It was the classic story of the boy who cried wolf in their eyes. I have to say at the beginning of the book, I was expecting to get more insight into Nic Sheffs behavior and to gain an understanding of , or sympathy for his choices and lifestyle. This didnt happen. I was truly shocked at just how depraved and desperate his lifestyle became each time he descended into heavy usage. Relationships with friends and family meant nothing, except as a means of gaining money to keep up with his drug habits. Second, I became increasingly upset at how many chances he had to pull himself out of the mess, or at least try to pull himself out, or had even gotten out and chose so easily to return. I really do think that he behaved in an entirely self-centered, and destructive way, completely refusing to open his eyes to the truths around him. I guess thats the point, drugs were a side effect of depressing truths in his life that he was too afraid to realize. I completely understand how after the first few times of listening to him go on about how his life had changed, They would stop believing that he would stay sober. Im not sure I even believed it now. I am glad I read Tweak, if only to open my eyes a bit to just how bad an addiction can really be, how strongly deep-seated insecurities and unfinished business can affect the addiction, and how truly difficult it is to bring yourself out of the cycle of hardcore addiction. Tweak by Nic Sheff free essay sample Addict Tweak is a tale of addiction describing the experiences of Nic Sheff, who was for many years addicted to various drugs. Meth and heroin to begin with, later coke and mixing different drugs (Tweak). This book was actually written in response to a book by David Sheff called Beautiful Boy. It was about the experience of dealing with his sons addictions and their consequences for his family. Nic Sheff was 18 and collage bound when he discovered crystal meth. At first his father had no idea. Then came a call from his school, the late nights, the lying, the ghoulish pallor and the wasting away. David’s life became an eternity of waiting, for the phone to ring, the door to open, or for any sign that his Nic was safe. His fears were less dreadful than his son’s reality; begging, dealing, and promiscuous sex whatever it took to dim the pain. We will write a custom essay sample on Tweak by Nic Sheff or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The feeling of emptiness that had terrorized him at least since his parents’ divorce when he was a child. The first third of Tweak is a demonstration of the kind of depraved lifestyle Nics addiction leads to, a study of how quickly an addict can move down the downward spiral to the point where he or she will do absolutely anything for drugs, or money for drugs, for instances stealing even from his loved ones. Nothing was out of the question. In this book, Nic repeatedly addresses the question of how far a person can fall apart before they realize they need to pull themselves together. Sheff enters rehab multiple times, but for various reasons he relapses into heavy drug use, despite a few near-death occurrences and an absolutely, unlivable lifestyle. Each time he tries to come back to reality, so Sheff reaches out to his family and close friends, but not surprisingly, after several times of hearing the same song the relationships become more and more shaky, and even family members stop believing that he will remain sober. It was the classic story of the boy who cried wolf in their eyes. I have to say at the beginning of the book, I was expecting to get more insight into Nic Sheffs behavior and to gain an understanding of , or sympathy for his choices and lifestyle. This didnt happen. I was truly shocked at just how depraved and desperate his lifestyle became each time he descended into heavy usage. Relationships with friends and family meant nothing, except as a means of gaining money to keep up with his drug habits. Second, I became increasingly upset at how many chances he had to pull himself out of the mess, or at least try to pull himself out, or had even gotten out and chose so easily to return. I really do think that he behaved in an entirely self-centered, and destructive way, completely refusing to open his eyes to the truths around him. I guess thats the point, drugs were a side effect of depressing truths in his life that he was too afraid to realize. I completely understand how after the first few times of listening to him go on about how his life had changed, They would stop believing that he would stay sober. Im not sure I even believed it now. I am glad I read Tweak, if only to open my eyes a bit to just how bad an addiction can really be, how strongly deep-seated insecurities and unfinished business can affect the addiction, and how truly difficult it is to bring yourself out of the cycle of hardcore addiction.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Lesson And Battle Royal Essays - Invisible Man, The Lesson

Lesson And Battle Royal The history of African integration into American society has been Permeated with human tragedy. Ever since the first slave boat reached the shore's of America, a deep affliction to the African race transpired. Generations upon generations were ravished by the rapacity of there captors. Kept enchained and illiterate for hundreds of years, the idea of Blacks as the Untermensch in American society was milled into the American psyche, the remnant of which still till today remains. Untermensch, a German word, meaning sub person has often been used to describe the African status compared to that of their white counterparts. In the short stories "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara and "Battle Royal" by Ralph Ellison, the authors use the idea of race determining the social structure in America where Black's are the Untermensch. In the short story "The Lesson", Bambara through fictional characters makes a serious social commentary. The story portrays a poor black neighborhood, where the narrator is poor little black girl who along with her friends is being thought at home by this old black lady named Ms. Moore. She despises Ms. Moore for dressing and talking proper and most importantly for making her come to study during the hot summer months. Sylvia (the narrator) a rough street kid is brought along with her street friends by Ms. Moore to a ritzy toy shop (FAO SHWARZ) where she and her friends are shown toys which can feed them for years. Sylvia along with her friends questions how people could such ridiculous amount of money on toys, to which one of the kids replies "that this is not much of a democracy if you ask me. Equal chance to pursue happiness means an equal crack at the dough don't it?"(164). That quote basically summarized the lesson, which Ms. Moore was trying to tell her kids. Sylvia and her friends were content with the "piece of pie" (163) they had received, Ms. Moore tried to point out how small it was and how it could change. The next short which in actuality is an part of the novel "The Invisible Man", is "Battle Royal" written by Ralph Ellison which also question the Blacks as the Untermensch. Much of the story contains a lot of symbolic text, which is what makes the reading so intriguing. At face value, its an story of a black H.S. graduate who makes an speech in front of an rowdy crowd after he has fought 10 other man in the ring, but in reality the story is saturated with massive symbolism. The narrator, an African American has just graduated from High School with honors, and is invited to speak in front of the elite community of the town. The setting of the play takes place in fictitious "boxing ring" where there is a naked women who commences the start of the boxing match. The contestant's in the ring are 10 black man who have been put assembled in the ring in order to start of this grand fight. In the audience are the lawyer's, doctors, bankers, teacher's, and judges all of whom were white, spectators of an event which pinned together 10 black men. The narrator (whose names is not revealed) was shock to find this. He had expected to give an enlightening speech about he racial operation in America, while the situation had seemed some what of an entertainment arena rather than a place where a speech can be given. Nevertheless the narrator chose to be part of this "event", just as long (as he had hoped) as was able to deliver this speech. In the Arena the 10 black guys fought against each other, while the spectators urged them on. In the end while all was set and done, a bloodied and damaged narrator made his dear speech to the deaf ears of an entertained audience. For all of this he came home with a college scholarship to a white sponsored black school. When he fell asleep he saw his grandfather who asked him to read a letter which said, "Keep this nigger-boy running"(. The meaning of the story lies in the symbolism. The 10 black men in the ring symbolizing how the white man pitted them against each other in order to keep his high status while they watched as eager spectators. The point of the story was that black community was never given the chance to rise as they were kept uneducated, fighting against each other, while the white man laughed at their expense.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

A Separate Peace Final Essay

A Separate Peace Final Essay A Separate Peace Final Essay A Separate Peace John Knowles Genre – Fiction and Tragedy Adolescent Relationships Antagonist & Protagonist In the story A Separate Peace I believe that Gene is the protagonist and Brinker is his antagonist. This is because Brinker tells Gene that his failure to enlist comes from pity for Finny. He also says that Gene should put the accident in the past by seeing all the details come to light. Brinker hints darkly that Gene knows what he means. Meaning Brinker is starting to figure out the truth about what really happened at the tree. Gene sees Brinker as a threat , because he knows that the truth is finally slipping out in Devon. Although, I also believe that Phineas is the protagonist and Gene as his antagonist. In a Separate Peace, Gene was the one who was on the tree with Finny when he jounced the limb just before Finny fell and broke his leg. Gene was in fact the main problem to Finny and his death, Finny could no longer able to compete and train in the Olympics and play sports as good as he was able to. The trail in the Assembly Room in the First Building would have never have taken place leading up to Finny getting upset and storming out the building breaking his leg as he fell of the marble stairs causing his death. Finny knows none of this would have ever have happened if Gene never jounced the limb on the tree. Character Traits In A Separate Peace , Gene is portrayed as an intelligent student and a thinker, who considers a situation from all sides before making an actual decision. Gene is also a person who strictly conforms to rules and regulations; he always obeys his teachers, studies hard, never misses a class, and makes good grades. Gene has great work ethic and is very hard working. Although he does not really enjoy sports, for he is not a good athlete. Finny, who has a completely opposite personality from Gene, always acts spontaneously and on blind impulse, never thinking about the rules or the consequences. He is also a poor student, for he does not devote himself to his studies and he does not follow the rules. Finny would rather be playing sports, since he is the best athlete on campus. Although Brinker Hadley is extremely smooth with his words and carefully dressed, Brinker strives to impress people and, when he can, exercise control over them. Brinker is very conservative and he in fact tries to be on top with his academics. Brinker is rather strange he makes long-running jokes with rather sinister undertones, seems very independent and determined, and seems like he's his own person. He is the one who starts enlistment fever on campus, and then stops it dead by chickening out since Gene won't go with him. He's a bit of a paradoxical character, and a kind of foil to the rebellious, free-spirited like Finny. Emotions From the beginning of A Separate Peace, when Gene jounces the limb and causes Finny to fall and shatter his leg , I was in complete awe and angry. I asked how can Gene his best friend and his own roommate , do this to him. I believed that Gene was completely loyal to Finny , and he would never turn evil and back stab Finny like that. Gene didn’t just only break Finnys leg , he destroyed everything Finny lived for. My emotions were extremely high at this moment and from that point on I didn’t see Gene the same. Gene might have cried and was truly sorry but from that point on I believe I saw the true colors of Gene. People all the time become jealous and envy one another. But to push a man out of a tree and purposely cause harm isn’t normal or heathy in his or her state of mind. During the story when Gene visits Finny at his house to tell him the truth about the accident , I could almost feel the guilt down my own throat , I felt sorry for Gene. Although I did fe el impressed that Gene matured and acted like a man by going down to Boston to apologize and tell the truth to Finny. Lastly my feelings toward the

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Case study and phenomenal study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Case study and phenomenal study - Essay Example 2). The difference between the two may appear in terms of their applicability. Case study is largely generic in its usage and understanding, the phenomenological study in contrast largely pertains to the cognitive understanding of the human mind, ability and power to reason. Case study would be more important when the previously undertaken models, patterns and policies are addressed and undertaken for purpose of study. The phenomenological study in contrast may be directed towards the educational sector when the role of single unit or single individual is under scrutiny. The kind of research question undertaken and asked for is directly reflective of the nature of research undertaken. If a given question is about a whole scenario and its overall outcome, it can be attributed to the study and assessment in terms of the case study. In case a particular domain has been subjected to determining its influence or finding the potential alternatives, then it would be considered for a different version of research (Schalk, 2009, p

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The differences between macroeconomics and microeconomics Essay

The differences between macroeconomics and microeconomics - Essay Example For example, the objective of study microeconomic theory is to understand the factors related to the optimal allocation of resources whereas, the objective of macroeconomics is to study the factors related to employment and development of scare resources in the economy. Although microeconomics objective is to focus on individual units in the economy and macroeconomics objective to focus on entire economy, both of these fields are contributing to the study of economy and individual behaviours in the economy. The difference between microeconomic theory and macroeconomic theory is that microeconomics focuses on the economic behaviours of individuals including business firms, consumers and resources owners whereas, macroeconomics focuses on economy as a whole and deals with aggregate levels of output, economy, national income and prices (Salvatore, 2006, pp.8). According to Professor G. Thimmaya (cited in Jain & Khanna, 2010) the core difference between the two fields is that price is th e major determinant of problems in microeconomics whereas, income is the major determinant of problems in macroeconomics. In other words, the decisions taken in microeconomics are primarily based on price such as factors of production whereas, the decisions made in macroeconomics are based on income such as total consumption and total investments. Wessels (2006, pp.101) argues that in macroeconomics, the economy is studied as a whole whereas in microeconomics, the economic actions of people including individual firms and the individual households are studied. Wessels explains the difference between the two branches of economics. He argues that if in microeconomics the function of... This essay presents a modern theoretic analysis of the differences and similarities between microeconomics and macroeconomics. Various differences between macroeconomics and microeconomics are identified in the essay however; the primary difference is related to aggregation and objective of the two fields. Both these fields are strong interrelated and concepts and theories of microeconomics are necessary to study concepts in macroeconomics. Economics is the examination of mankind in the normal business of life; it analyses the actions of individuals and society which are closely associated with the achievement and utilisation of needs of well-being. The two branches of economics are microeconomics and macroeconomics. These two fields differ in their scope and objective. The core difference between the two fields is that price is the major determinant of problems in microeconomics whereas, income is the major determinant of problems in macroeconomics. Both subjects have different objectives. The objective of study microeconomic theory is to understand the factors related to the optimal allocation of resources whereas, the objective of macroeconomics is to study the factors related to employment and development of scare resources in the economy. Microeconomics and macroeconomics are substantially related with each other. Major chunk of modern macroeconomics theory involves the applications of microeconomics because the aggregate outcomes in macroeconomics are usually rooted from the decision making theories of consumers and firms

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Managing crisis in Nigeria Oil Sector Case Study

Managing crisis in Nigeria Oil Sector - Case Study Example held their gang members captive. Buerk rejects prospects to evaluate the classified descriptions other concluding remarks: that Shell "make worse conflict" through the issuing of stipends and contracts to those folks who live around delta as well as the offering of stay-at-home-benefits" for disoriented teenagers. The absentia of answerability promotes residents to wage war against Shell, and the whole scenario is abject pandemonium; feuds emerge in towering propositions, the rationale has always been to control a share of the proceeds coming from oil. On the extreme end felony has been propagated through version in the astringent development as well as the compensating through rescue, hence making felony a lucrative, money-spinning game. That Shell's Corporate Social function was flawed and no sooner than soon will it wither. The community living around delta lives under debilitating conditions despite the vast wealth generated from oil fields. Lay blame on oil companies that conspire with Nigeria's regime to drum up divisions flanking rival societal clusters in a move to annihilate oil proceeds from reaching them. Statements of Problem The oil predicament in Nigeria fastidiously what is happening around Niger delta has attracted so much prose writings from historians, political analysts, news media commentators, and many more. And yet less stands to be documented on the functions of the corporate organizations with a global presence; in reference to Shell and their role in establishing a ceasefire flanking the alarming parties of the remote setting, the regime and the Multi National Corporations. This study will endeavor to unearth the function and impact of the strategy as well as decision making by transnational administrators in containing the Oil predicament in Nigeria. Objectives the Study To decisively review the rationale for the existing disaster in terms of partners in the Nigeria oil industry. To inspect the observation of executives in the Nigeria oil commerce with a view to establish their belief on the oil predicament as well as the preeminent channels to resolving the same. To recognize resolutions and originate an approach for solving disaster. To discover key issues and make recommendations to government and industry for the execution of tactic. The Oil Crisis in Nigeria Rationale for the existing predicament Partners in the Nigeria oil Territory: Shell as a case in mind The oil pandemonium witnessed in Nigeria I presented with intricate truth of the Niger Delta- society discontentment, frail and a regime that does not respond to the needs of the people, safekeeping force mistreatments and inter-neighborhood aggression. The case of the environment In responding to allegations,

Friday, November 15, 2019

Electronic Health Record Benefits

Electronic Health Record Benefits The electronic health record is a mean of organizing patients data making use in the field of information technology. Its purpose is to fulfill the various needs for information not only of patients and healthcare providers but also of other beneficiaries. The implementation of electronic health record system in health care organization is very complex and involves many parameters. Introduction Electronic health record is currently used by 12% of the physicians and 11% of the hospitals nationwide. Industry and government have promoted Electronic health record as a means of controlling costs and improving patients care. The electronic health record has become one of president obama main agenda and the investment necessary to ensure that within the coming years, all of Americas medical records are computerized. Today with the advance of globalization the electronic health record is still highly unlikely to advance in the next five years, governmental, technical and industry advances are adopting, which will drive the electronic health record in the hands of medical providers. The electronic health record (E.H.R) is a digital record of patient health information generated by one or more encounters in any care delivery setting. It contains information of the patient includes demographics, problems, medications, vital signs, past medical history, laboratory data and radiology re port . The electronic health record also promises the removal of many barriers in the medical field such as saving lives, money, and time, but unfortunately the fulfillment of this promise in the real world application has remained with a big question mark due to many factors cost of implementation, privacy and security. The following graph is the result of survey experts at nearly 3000 group practice nationwide. The table below lists barriers to Electronic health record adoption. well known factors such as security and cost are cited as key factors, but other factors which is usability is not mentioned frequent is another barrier to the electronic health record adoption. Usability is a primary concern Usability issues are also a factor why electronic health record implementation fails. In a survey paper primary care physicians were asked the reasons why they did not use the electronic health record system. From the research finding 35% of the physicians listed specific electronic health record usability issues, the most common were: Problems with the screen navigation, and the lack of functioning and the concern that the data will be lost. Anecdotal support for usability and Electronic health record failure comes from Cedars- Sinai medical centre of Los Angeles. They developed a $ 34 million computerized physician order entry system, but only included the input of a few physicians before launching it hospital wide in 2002 without thorough training Physicians who previously used to take notes by hand now required going through nearly a dozen screens and responding through numerous alerts for even common orders. Traditional doctors around 400 of them demanded its removal within three months of its launch. Poor usability can also endanger patients health. The electronic health record should be modernized helping the clinician workflow. In the year 1991, the institute of medicine released a report supporting the idea of implementing the Electronic health record within the coming years. In 2010, researchers believe only a small portion of health providers both public and private implementing the system. The implementation o f electronic health record provides answers to many barriers in the medical world. Background An electronic health record is a digital or electronic record of the patient health information gathered over the history of the patients interaction with the health care system. An electronic health record stores all information concerning the patient health statues. Information varies and includes the following age/sex, medications, and vital signs, past medical history, laboratory data and radiology report. The concept of a medical report goes back to the fifth century B.C developed by the Greek physician Hippocrates, also known as the Hippocratic Oath. Hippocrates described two main goals behind his findings 1- a medical record should accurately reflect the course of disease 2- a medical record should indicate the problem cause of the disease. In the present days, the electronic health record first began to appear in the 1960s. Reported that at least 73 hospitals began to use the electronic health record system. In 1991, the institute of medicine released a landmark report recomm ending the electronic health record be implemented in health system within 10 years. Almost 20 years later, according to the latest researchers only a small portion of health providers have implemented electronic health record. A Meta analysis of diffusion rates of the electronic health record in the United States shows that an uptake has slowed in recent years. The study concludes Electronic health record is the future. President Obama administration has the electronic health record as one of its primarily agenda the investment necessary to ensure that within the next five years, all of Americas medical records are computerized. While still with the advance of globalization the electronic health record is highly unlikely within the next five years, governmental, technical and industry advances are adopting, which will drive the electronic health record in the hands of medical providers. The electronic health record also promises the removal of many barriers in the medical field suc h as saving lives, money, and time. The question is still debatable whether the whole world will move towards the implementation of the Electronic health record. The electronic health record is one of the most important electronic patient data collection of our time and with the expanding population of the world it has become a necessity to implement the system in all public and private hospitals. The G.C.C region Literature review The opinions concerning the positive effects an E.H.R can have on patients health and whether all the healthcares in the world should step in and implement the system. The collection of personal health data is described to have many formats when speaking of systems that manage it. Reduction of the storage necessary to keep paper charts is also a noted as a reason to leverage an E.H.R freeing up of space better used for revenue generation. Paper charts have their own risk associated with them in terms of getting lost, productivity impacts to maintain and retrieve paper records and the resulting negative patient care (Carpenter 2002). An electronic health record system is the collection of data that is central to the patient (Rishel, Handler Edwards, 2005). These opinions agree the importance of the E.H.R and implementation of the system. An E.H.R system exists to facilitate the storage, revival and continuity of the record itself (Gans, Kralewski, Hammons Does, 2005). These opinions also strongly agree with the improvisation of the Medical record with the advances with science and technology. reversing the scenario, an E.H.R system can collect and aggregate information from other sources such as laboratory, X-ray and unstructured data like faxes or handwritten notes ( Wojcik, 2006) the scholar Wojcik agrees strongly with the use of E.H.R talking about the positive of the E.H.R reduces the storage of handwritten notes and stacks and piles of paper. The near term presents providers with realizing the digitization of the boxes of paper that is generated by patient encounters. These paper databases represent the clinical data that is ultimately needed to take EMR systems to the next level. The near term presents providers with realizing the digitization of the boxes of paper that is generated by patient encounters. These paper databases represent the clinical data that is ultimately needed to take EMR systems to the next level. Clinical data is the baseline in whic h all healthcare processes subscribe including decision support, health outcome analysis, billing and claims processing and health maintenance. Correlation and access to this data is what EMR systems seek to facilitate (Handler Hieb, 2007). Electronic health record systems, once materially implemented across the healthcare spectrum, will itself become the framework in which more overarching goals can be accomplished, such as the centralization of a persons health history. With Clinical data as a basis, further utilization of EMR systems can occur. EMR systems, once materially implemented across the healthcare spectrum, will itself become the framework in which more overarching goals can be accomplished, such as the centralization of a persons health history (Gartner. Currently, about 25 percent of U.S physicians are using systems that facilitate electronic health records (Murdock, 2007). E.H.R has become a primary concern in the medical world and the according to past literature re view in this generation we find that it some of the scholars are concerned with the paper works as they say that the E.H.R will help save doctors a lot of time and makes the process more efficient. Some scholars say that paper based system is very negative as it leads to losing important patient data which might confuse the doctor in prescribing proper medication to the patient. There are differences of opinion but according to most scholars the E.H.R is a vital tool in solving many of the issues that both public and private hospitals face around the world Questionnaire Results The questionnaire focuses on the importance of the E.H.R system and its implementation in the United States of America at a nation wide level. With growing medical demands around the world Hypothesis one results Our research finding indicate that the U.S government is encouraging the country medical networks to start using the E.H.R Hypothesis two results Our research finding according to 430 surveyors say that 55.1 % of their medical practices use the Electronic health record system Hypothesis three results Our research finding shows that majority of the surveyors have a positive outlook that majority of the medical practices will start using the E.H.R between the next 1 to 2 years Hypothesis four results Our research finding shows that 41.8% of the surveyors believe that their medical providers will qualify for the Medicare and Medicaid programs Hypothesis five results Our research finding again shows a positive outlook of the near future as 65% of the surveyors say that their practices will qualify for the Medicare and Medicaid programs by the end of 2011 Hypothesis six results Our research finding again shows that the U.S government financial incentive can upgrade the performance of E.H.R surveyors helped us with the conclusion that government financial backing to the Medicaid and Medicare programs can improve the medical performance in the near future Hypothesis seven results Our research finding states the importance of the U.S government testing the E.H.R program before purchasing them according to the surveyors 71% agreed the importance of testing the systems before implementing them nationwide Hypothesis eight results Our research finding concluded that most of the clinicians hire 1-5 physicians which is low according to the demands of medical needs of our current era Case Study Questions and answers regarding on implementing the electronic health record (Case Study). The case study focuses on the systematic reviews and the effects of electronic health record system can have in the medical sector if implemented at nationwide level. In the G.C.C the electronic health record is still new and according to our case study taken from the united states we want to find whether implementing the electronic health record system will add value to the medical sector or not. Will electronic health record improve patients health outcome? In a review evidence results in two study cases came up with the following result In 2004 a systematic review conducted 3 study cases that reported patients outcomes, no benefit was the conclusion In 2008 an analytical survey of several U.S patients found very few data or no association between the use of electronic health records and the improvement of patients outcomes In the end of the study there was no evidence linking between electronic health record with better patient outcomes Will electronic health record improve the quality of care? Evidence proves that the following result might occur on the electronic health record if implemented in practice In 2004 a review of 26 studies analyzed several outcomes related to the quality of patient physician encounters and with the research it discovered a sharp incline in provision of preventing care In 2006 a review on health information technologies and their impact on quality, efficiency and cost findings were: Increased adherence to guidelines based care, advanced surveillance and monitoring and a decline in medication errors In 2007 a study of data from some community health centers over the course of one year concluded that while electronic health record related costs had not been recovered, the quality of care improved In 2008 a review on the advantages and costs of electronic patient Concluded that concerning the influence of EPRs on the quality of care The studies did not clearly identify a clear answer to the questions of Benefit In 2009 a review of 7 countries experience implementing health information systems concluded that they had a neutral experience where neither benefit nor harm between the system implementation and quality of care The conclusion of the study indicates that the electronic health record has a positive effect on the quality of care; however some of the reviews still find it neutral so the opinions of the doctors and physicians are still conflicting. Will the Electronic health record be cost effective? In 2003 cost benefit analysis on the electronic health record in primary care settings concludes that electronic health record can result in positive return on investment In 2007 review on informatics system designed to improve care of chronic disease found that both cost effectiveness and adherence were significantly improved In 2008 report on the United States budget office summarized evidence supporting the practice of health information technologies describes the benefits on cost saving as limited In 2010 assessment on the quality of care resulting from hospital computerization concludes that currently implemented hospital computing might improve process measures of quality but not administrative or overall costs The research cite modest cost benefit associated with electronic health record, however based on results for small trails or projections based on modeling: empirical evidence supporting the cost effectiveness on electronic health record remains limited or conflicting Will the electronic health service save time and improve the efficiency of health services delivery? In 2006 a review of quality measures on the use of electronic health records indicated that the lack of implementing health services has been demonstrated, but the author notes that the outcome is limited to a wider health service provider A systematic review in the year 2008 analyzed six studies that addressed electronic health record with respect to consultation time, one study found the decrease in consultation time and the other found no difference A 2008 report from the United States congressional budget office summarized evidence supporting the adoption of health information technologies described the evidence around efficiency as conflicting In 2009 a review examined the impact on regional health information system and figured that, studies were of variable scope and quality improves the medical data access, timely information, and medical data exchange and improvement in communication and coordination within a region between health care professionals While there are some evidence supporting an association between the electronic health record and efficiency, there is also evidence which does not support this conclusion Will electronic health record improve physicians and patients satisfaction? In 2004 a review found that results were mixed with both the patients and physicians expressing enthusiasm for electronic health record and on the other hand expressing significant concerns about the impact of their use on a variety of outcomes A 2009 review of seven united based studies examined patient satisfaction with the electronic health record and figured that: one out of seven studies reported a positive effect on patient satisfaction, five out of seven studies reported a neutral effect and one out of seven studies reported a negative effect Evidence on patients and physician satisfaction is scarce An interview with Dr Michael Shuskho on the electronic health record As a professional in your field how do you find the electronic health record system? Michael: the E.H.R is an advanced system which is very useful for doctors especially in the current Era. It provides better patient care, and makes a permanent record that is legible that other doctors can review the system and also actually streamlines patient care Will the electronic health record improve efficiency and reduce time Michael: yes, the electronic health record is a valuable system to most of the doctors because it replaces the piles of paper and with a few click on your computer screen the doctor can view all the patients past medical record and send all the information to the other doctor within minutes Is the electronic health record system better than the manual paper based system? Michael: yes, the E.H.R is clearer and safer than the manual system provided that it is used carefully. Exg: a doctor can view patients X-Ray, picture of his electro cardio graph in a much clearer and digitalized form while in the paper based system the pages might wear or get old and by the time the picture of the X-Ray gets more aged, it makes it hard for the doctor to identify the exact diagnosis Is it cheaper to implement an electronic health record? Michael: The electronic health record system is expensive and the start up cost of the Medicaid and Medicare programs is high but in the long term it will eventually become cheaper for the clinics and hospitals to use them What are the barriers that prevents the electronic health record system by being in practice at a larger scale Michael: some doctors who arent familiar with updated technology and use practical manuals prefer not to implement the E.H.R in their clinics. Another barrier to the electronic health record is the upfront cost which is expensive and the some doctors find it hard adapting to the system Dr. Michael one last question before we conclude our interview. In your personal opinion will the E.H.R be mandatory by 2015 in the U.S Michael: I assume the probability that the electronic health record system might be mandatory in the U.S and the government might take actions in seeing that all the practices and clinics use the system The implementation of the E.H.R IN Kuwait and Bahrain Based on our research we have found that the electronic health record still needs to adapt at a global scale and the system is new to the G.C.C countries compared to the western countries such as United States, United Kingdom. Kuwait started using the E.H.R in 2005 in private and public clinics replacing the paper based system. According to the hypothesis questions and results in the U.S case studies it shows clearly that the E.H.R is on the way of improving and use the E.H.R rather than the traditional filing system. Bahrain is also taking a step further in implementing the system and the public and private clinics and with the help of the MGA methodology and the case study we have come with proposed solutions and the benefits that the kingdom of Bahrain and other G.C.C countries will achieve through the E.H.R December 2010 The health ministry in Bahrain will launch its national e-files project early 2011. It will cost the ministry between BD 25 Million to BD 30 million. Files of patients at salmaniya Medical complex and health centers will be converted into e-files. The first phase will cost BD 1.5 million and include all SMC and health care patients. Private hospitals and clinics can also be part of the system by paying a fee The health minister stated that many countries were struggling to meet the challenges of providing adequate health care for citizens. Changing demographics increased patients expectations, a global shortage of health professionals and rising costs associated with innovative technologies and new drugs means that healthcare is consuming an increasingly large proportion of gross domestic product and is becoming a priority for most governments. The minister also discussed Bahrain healthcare agenda through some strategic objectives which includes health promotion and prevention by strengthening primary healthcare services, the provision of quality health services by maintaining international accreditation of facilities and enhancing access to all health care services (Gulf Daily News- [emailprotected]) Plan for online health service Patients in Bahrain may soon be able to manage their healthcare online. Patients know best (PKB) enables people to communicate securely with doctors and nurses, access their medical records and send and receive health data. The medical group was founded two years ago by Bahraini Dr Mohammed Al Ubaydli in the United Kingdom. He has more than 15 years of experience in the medical software and trained as a physician at the Cambridge University. The expert worked as a staff scientist at the national institutes of health and was a management consultant to US hospitals at the Advisory board company and is the author of six books. PKB is the first company to integrate into Britains NHS secures connecting for patients to work online with clinicians. The group was voted as the best social innovation start up at tech crunch europas European start up awards 2010. At least two hospitals in Bahrain as well as others in the UAE and Malta have shown interest in signing up to the initiative. In the U.K, PKB affiliates includes great Ormond St hospital, Thalidomide Trust, Cure Parkinson and Two NHS hospitals will also sign up soon Access Dr Al Ubaydli said hospitals and medical centers that have affiliated with the PKB give their patients an online ability to securely access their medical documents, history and test results, have online consultations with their doctors and receive prescriptions. Once you give the medical record to the patient they can give them to their GP, relatives, social workers and so on he told the GDN. The patient can start an online consultation with any doctor they have added, it works a bit like the face book. They can also reach their doctor at any time say, for example, their child is taking medication but develops a fever at 3am and they can go online and ask the doctor how to adjust their medication. The system asks automated questions that your doctor would ask so that when the doctor sees this in the morning it saves them a lot of time and they can quickly respond with advice. ( Gulf Daily News 8 Dec 2010) The articles concludes the following results The kingdom of Bahrain is taking new measures in implementing the E.H.R in the G.C.C and mena region Many of today healthcares can be solved through networking Globalize E.H.R System Networking communication is an intermediary between practicing doctors implementing the E.H.R in their private clinics or public clinics. The information process is much faster through communication networks which reduces time, saves lives and improves efficiency Exg: Steve Dr Akram Favorite doctor has a patient and needs emergency solution to a problem through a communication network can achieve his goal browsing the Globalize E.H.R network finding solutions through other Doctors specialized in that field. An E.H.R system that works like a face book Doctors can log on their account and log on the system with other health professionals and discuss emergency situations and provide solutions The problems can be solved through fast communication and accurate knowledge the tacit knowledge key challenges to health practitioners implementing the E.H.R in the GCC countries Cost of implementation is not offset by the efficiencies in the E.H.R Technical support needs to be modified due to the advancement in IT Stress on staff and the practice in general was significant A 2007 review article recommended strong physician leadership and a staged approach to successful implementation In 2010 an article challenged conventional assumptions that the physicians were to blame for low uptake of electronic health record. Electronic medical records vary greatly in capability, quality, and cost. Doctors will become enthusiastic users if the electronic medical records are helpful in the care of their patients There are significant challenges associated with implementing E.H.R in the Mena or G.C.C countries Benefits of networking for the G.C.C Region Improves patient care through greater access to information Reduces test result times Decrease paper work for clinicians Integrate communication Helps ensure that patient medical data and stats are there when patients need to find his/ her test results Compliance with privacy regulations Proposed solutions for the electronic health record A 2008 synthesis of 3 qualitative studies identifies essential components of successful electronic health record implementation A project champion Realistic expectation of the challenges of implementing an electronic health record Addressing existing staff attitude towards IT Provide adequate training to staff A systematic review of 7 countries experience implementing health information system in primary care identified the following factors Quality of the graphical user interface and feature functionality Quality of implementation project management Users previous experience with information technology systems The Electronic health record today application The adoption of the electronic health record is difficult to overcome due to the lack of the return on investment. Scholars and writers on the subject noted that health care decision makers find it difficult to demonstrate return on investment to undertake a comprehensive electronic health record system within their organization. The health care costs continue to increase and the fact that the initial investment on equipment can be quite expensive. Another fact that complicates the adoption of the electronic health record is that the data is heavily structured, being recorded in the allotted space. Training is an important issue and this is required by a large amount of population. One should keep in mind that the population has different levels of computer literacy (Upham 2004). These contributors of the electronic health services contributed to a slow increase in the adoption of such systems in many hospitals. In a survey question regarding the E.H.R and the implementation of the m ethod out of 436 who have responded to the question, 35.6% said that they have already implemented the electronic health services. The percentage is expected to grow in the coming years of application. The G.C.C is taking all the necessary step in implementing the system with an enhanced knowledge in the field and the governments should test all the Medicare and Medicaid programs before implementing the system The Evolution of the Electronic Health Record The electronic health record is an open field of debate amongst the doctors, physicians, clinicians and scholars. In the electronic implementation of such records, we may also expect to find populations of patients, integrated access to biomedical literature and interactive environment for offering clinical guidelines or consultative advice. Throughout ages the world is becoming more globalized and in the age of science and technology the computer is being the number one tool. The (local area network) is connected to the full internet, with an integrated access to a wide variety of information sources that are geographically distributed well beyond local institutions. The electronic health record system is expanding worldwide and some of the future implementation An enhanced internet: an internet with much higher bandwidth and reliability, increased response time and financial models that makes the application cost effective and practical is required. Major research effort is underway to address some of these concerns, including the federal next generation Internet activity in the United States exploratory effort that continue to push the state of art in internet technology, and all significant implication for the future of health care delivery in general for computer- based health record in particular Better Education and health care training for health care providers: there is a difference between computer literacy (familiarity with computers and the routine users in society) and the knowledge of the role that computing and communication technology can and should play in our health care system. More medical information training programs and the expansion of existing programs are needed. Junior faculty in health science schools who may wish to seek additional training in this area should be supported Changes in the management and organization of health care institution: health care provide some of the most complex organizational structures in society, and it is simplistic to assume the off shelf products will be smoothly introduced into a new institution without major analysis. Discussion The project mainly discusses on electronic health record system that the implementation of the idea goes back to Hippocrates who laid the foundation in the 5th century and by the following years doctors, physicians, pharmacists and clinicians tried to improvise the idea of the health record system on paper but in the 1960s the standards of the paper based changed to the electronic health record systems and hospitals welcomed the new system which was more efficient and reduces paperwork and time. The electronic health record according to numerous researches and articles emphasized that the system should be introduced worldwide. the G.C.C region is expanding in both size and capacity since the countries like Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Uae opened door to foreign investment in their respected countries. Our research focuses on the implementation of the E.H.R in the U.S and the results of the case study gave us a better understanding on whether to implement the system in the G.C.C countries. The results were positive and the need of the system is becoming compulsory in our world today. Kuwait have already

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Iliad :: Literary Analysis, Homer

The Iliad Comparison and Contrast of Achilles and Hector When audiences read Homer’s Iliad, we find that this epic tale is centered around the Greek and the Trojan War. We notice in this tale, that Achilles of the Greeks and Hector of the Trojans carry the title of greatest warrior for their perspective armies, both men are an inspiration for their countrymen in this battle. Each man shows us their strengths and weaknesses, which we will use as points of comparison and contrast between the two heroic men. When reviewing the two men, we find that there are actually very few comparison points. However the common points we do find are critical in describing the characters of both men. One major comparison is that both men are warriors and known as fierce fighters. Agamemnon describes Achilles as â€Å"the most violent man alive (pg. 123).† Achilles himself describes Hector as â€Å"man-killing Hector (pg. 126)†. Another key similarity is that for both men, their fates are influenced by the Gods. Achilles was very angry with Agamemnon because of the situation with the priest’s daughter. Achilles vowed to Agamemnon that he would no longer follow him in battle, bringing home a pittance of the spoils while Agamemnon always brought home the lions share. Agamemnon answered back that he would give back the priests daughter but in return for his loss, he would take Achilles spoil, Briseis. Achilles is gripped with rage and strongly considers killing Agamemnon on the spot, â€Å"should he draw the long sharp sword slung at his hip, thrust through the ranks and kill Agamemnon now? – or check his rage and beat his fury down (pg. 124 – 125)?† Although still extremely angry, Achilles listens to the voice of Athena and pulls back his fury, â€Å"†¦a man submits though his heart breaks with fury. Better for him by far. If a man obeys the gods they’re quick to hea r his prayers (pg. 125).† For Hector, his godly influence is Zeus. He is even described as â€Å"dear to Zeus (pg. 141).† He constantly prays to Zeus and seeks his guidance. He curses his brother Paris to Zeus because he blames Paris for causing the war between Troy and the Achaeans, â€Å"let the earth gape and swallow him on the spot! A great curse Olympian Zeus let live and grow†¦that man – if I could see him bound for the House of Death, I could say my heart had forgot its wrenching grief (pg.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

How does Shakespeare present Ophelia Essay

In â€Å"Hamlet† Shakespeare presents Ophelia as a helpless girl, who is continually manipulated by the men around her for their own gain. In many of his other plays the women are presented as strong and admirable people who play major roles in the live of the protagonist, such as Lady Macbeth in â€Å"Macbeth. † In Hamlet, however, Ophelia becomes a very different role-she is conveyed as a lesser to the men around her. She is continually manipulated by her father, Polonius, her brother, Larertes and Hamlet, the supposed love of her life. Her sweet and innocent nature results in her becoming dependent on the man in her life to tell her how to behave. Hamlet shows a very different style in Shakespeare writing, no longer is the women controversially given respect by the male character, but is instead shown in a more traditional mere pawn for their fathers, brothers and lovers. Ophelia’s relationship with her father is less then the traditional intimate one expected. Instead it shows a controlling man, obsessed with what others think, and a daughter respectful of her fathers wises. Polonius becomes convinced that Ophelia’s relationship with Hamlet will result in the diminish of his families honour, and to him, the respect others have for his families reputation is very important. He thus begins to pressurise Ophelia into breaking off any understanding between herself and Hamlet. Shakespeare uses these characters and their interaction to present a more traditional view of how a woman should act toward the men in their lives during this time period. I personally do not see her as a week character, but instead see her as a women with no other choice than to respect and obey the man who has looked after her all her life. Their relationship is a cold one, with little compassion between the two, but apparent respect on Ophelia’s behalf. Her brother too becomes set against her love for Hamlet, believing that she will ruin herself for Hamlet, yet he will never actually marry her, due to her lower social standing. During the actual play, Larertes is the only man who conveys to her that he actually cares for her, but we can see clearly that he believes her continuous open regard for Hamlet will reduce their family’s nobility. He too adds to the pressure put on her to distance herself from Hamlet. Hamlets strategic plans towards Ophelia are probably the most conniving and vicious. He not only manipulates her constant love for him, but also toys with her emotions throughout, making her play exactly how he wants. He uses the courts knowledge of his relationship with Ophelia to get deeper involved in his plot to avenge his father and kill the king. He evolves Polonius’ theory that Hamlet is mad with love for Ophelia. When she returns Hamlets love letters and other tokens of his affections in act III scene I, Hamlet seizes this moment to cement the beginning of her descend into madness in both Ophelia’s eyes and in Polonius’ and Claudius’ as Hamlet is aware they are watching this encounter between the two ex-lovers. He appears troubled and hysterical as he denies giving her anything and laments the dishonesty of beauty. Confusingly, he claims to both have loved, and never loved her. As he leaves she mourns the â€Å"noble mind† that has now lapsed into apparent madness. Hamlet believes that by hearing this fight between Ophelia and himself, Polonius and Claudius will think he is now crazy and thus not fear him, making Claudius more vulnerable. Hamlet, Polonius and Larertes all put pressure on her to do what they want, they all use her to gain themselves and they all have little regard for her genuine love for Hamlet. Her heart begins to dictate over her head and as a result of being caught in the crossfire of all the men in her life; Ophelia goes crazy, unable to cope with the stress and contradiction. Finally, she kills herself finding no place in the situation for her own feelings. Hamlet is the least idealistic of Shakespeare’s plays, with women being presented in a more realistic view, rather than an idealistic outlook on society where women have more control over their lives and aren’t controlled by the men around them. Ophelia is presented in a more traditional feminine way, relying on men around her. This fits into Hamlet, and makes the play appear more legitimate, due to the emotion involved in the twisted love story. Still, I do not believe she is weak, but instead love struck and susceptible to manipulation by the men closely involved in her life. Many critics have argued that she is a dismal character, which no one can admire, but I see her as instead, a woman who is young, weak and naive to the world around her.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Definition of a Public University

Definition of a Public University The term public indicates that the universitys funding comes partly from state taxpayers. This is not true for  private universities. Its also worth noting that many states do not fund their public universities adequately, and in some cases far less than half of the operating budget comes from the state. Lawmakers often see public education as a place to cut back on spending, and the result can sometimes be significant increases in tuition and fees, larger class sizes, fewer academic options, and longer time to graduation. Examples of Public Universities The largest residential campuses in the country are all public universities. For example, these public institutions all have more than 50,000 students: University of Central Florida, Texas AM University, The Ohio State University, Arizona State University, and the University of Texas at Austin. These schools all have a strong focus on faculty and graduate research, and all have Division I athletic programs. You wont find any residential private universities that are nearly as large as these schools. All of the schools listed above are major or flagship campuses of the state systems. The majority of public universities, however, are lesser-known regional campuses such as the University of West Alabama, Penn State University Altoona, and the University of Wisconsin. Regional campuses often do an excellent job controlling costs, and many offer programs suited for working adults who are trying to earn a degree. Features of Public Universities A public university has a few features that distinguish it from private universities: Size - The size of public universities varies widely. As mentioned above, however, the largest universities in the country are all public. Youll also find regional public universities of just a couple thousand students.Division I Athletics - The great majority of Division I athletic teams are fielded by public universities. For example, all but one member of the SEC (Vanderbilt) are public universities, and all but one member of the Big Ten (Northwestern) are public. At the same, time, there are numerous Division II, Division III, and NAIA athletic programs at public universities, and some public institutions that have no intercollegiate athletic programs at all.Low Cost - Public universities typically have tuition that is considerably lower than private universities, especially for in-state students. Out-of-state tuition can vary widely, and some schools such as those in the University of California System and the University of Michigan have out-of-state tuition that is as high or h igher than many private institutions. Also keep in mind that many public universities dont have the resources for robust grant aid that youll find at top-tier private universities, so if you qualify for financial aid, you may actually find that a top private university will cost you less than a top public university, even if the sticker price is tens of thousands of dollars higher. Commuter and Part-time Students - Public universities tend to have more commuter and part-time students than private colleges and universities. This is particularly true of regional public universities. The flagship campuses of state systems tend to be largely residential.The Downside - Read the profiles of universities carefully. In many cases, public universities have lower graduation rates, higher student/faculty ratios and more loan aid (thus, more student debt) than private universities. Public universities share many features with private universities: Undergraduate and graduate student focus - Large public universities have significant masters and doctoral programs just like top private universities.Graduate degrees - At large public universities, advanced degree offerings such as an M.A., M.F.A., M.B.A., J.D., Ph.D., and M.D. are common.Broad academic offerings - Students can often choose courses in the liberal arts, sciences, engineering, business, health, and fine arts.Faculty focus on research - At big-name public universities, professors are often evaluated for their research and publishing first, and teaching second. Teaching may take priority at branch campuses and regional public universities. A Final Word on Public Universities The most selective colleges in the country are all private, and the colleges with the largest endowments are also private. That said, the countrys best public universities deliver educations that are on par with their private counterparts, and the price tag of public institutions can be as much as $40,000 less per year than elite private institutions. The price tag, however, is rarely the actual price of college, so be sure to look into financial aid. Harvard, for example, has a total cost of over $66,000 a year, but a student from a family that earns less than $100,000 a year can go for free. For in-state students who dont qualify for aid, a public university will frequently be the more affordable option.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Secrets - Ladybug, Ladybud... essays

Secrets - Ladybug, Ladybud... essays Sometimes in life, if you do not tell the truth or if you withhold information it causes a lot more grief than if you had just been honest. These secrets are destroying relationships everywhere. In Ladybug, Ladybug... the secrets kept between characters causes them to come close to losing one another. Without allowing people to become close or neglecting to tell them of important information about yourself you will lead yourself to destruction. In W.O. Mitchell's Ladybug, Ladybug... secrets are destructive as demonstrated through Nadya and Lyon's secrets and also through life assessing images. The worst kind of secret is one in which you withhold information that could potentially save a person's life. Nadya's secret is one of this nature. She neglects to tell her employer, and newfound friend, about her ex-lover who had been stalking her. She also keeps this from her young daughter who should be more cautious with strangers. The problem grows when Nadya becomes worried about her ex-lover and keeping him a secret to the point of ignoring and not paying attention to her child. This causes the child to be distraught and unaware of things around her. As Lyon, her new friend, notices the tension and questions Nadya about what had happened, why she was upset, she replies, "I ran across someone out there, a guy. Somebody I'd just as soon I hadn't run across. That's all. No big deal" (p. 80). Being unaware of the dangers, Lyon does not pay close enough attention to the child either, considering the extra attention needed now to keep away from harm. In fact, while at the park with the child he falls asleep on the park bench. "Maybe he ought to join her now. No. This time the round-about had really taken it out of him, and it was lovely here with that spring sun so kind on his eyelids" (p. 208). Through this unconcern for the child, she falls into the hands of her kidnappe ...

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Organisations and Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organisations and Management - Essay Example The situation of Mainland Enterprises suggests that most people have little contact with people of other cultures/ethnicities in their everyday lives that is not role-related. Some employees avoid interacting with members of other cultures/ethnicities and/or view them as "undesirable" staff. This case vividly portrays that interpersonal communication employed by the CEO is ineffective and inefficient caused by different values and traditions of people, and poor interaction between all employees. For instance, the CEO and Western employees have different perception and understanding of the â€Å"family† concept of organizational culture but the CEO is unable to recognize these difficulties and problems experienced by the subordinates. The â€Å"western† are perceived as impolite and disruptive because of different communication n corms and traditions which have not been communicated and explained to Westerns people by the CEO (Wood, 2003). 2. The case study vividly portrays the important role of CEO and his vision in organizational culture. Communication should be seen as a process by which knowledge that resides in one or more people comes to be represented in one or more others. Certainly the transfer of knowledge is not the only thing that happens in communication, and for certain purposes it may not be the most useful way of thinking about the process. Below we refer briefly to some other dimensions of communication that may be important for cooperative work. Underlying the knowledge transfer view of communication is the assumption that any communicative act rests on a base of mutual knowledge (West and Turner 2006). The example of Mainland Enterprises reveals a set of mechanisms derives from the fact that individuals can often be assigned to social categories, and such category membership often predicts individual knowledge. Of course, category membership is not a perfect predictor of knowledge.