Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Discuss the characteristics of notoriety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discuss the characteristics of notoriety - Essay Example stic husbands and wives make themselves famous in their circle (family, friends and relatives) with their acts of notoriety towards spouse and other family members. As mentioned before one of the forms of the notoriety is about being famous. One type of being famous is being known to society for one’s badness. Generally the anti social elements like murderers, killers generally prefer to be unknown for the fear of capital punishment. But the notorious persons in that category tend to be famous, though working from underground. They want to make the people know about the nature and the things they do. They convey the message of their cruelty with the barbarity in the incident they are involved. We read in News Papers about serial killers who kill only women after raping them. We know about the persons who kill persons just for the sake of satisfaction of their cruel thoughts. In these serial incidents one can observe that the killers follow a system which establishes their cruelty and notoriety. Another form of notoriety is regarding the terrorists and extremists. They pretend that they are fighting for a cause, which is for the benefit of people. In that mask they do barbaric activities filled with cruelty and notoriety. They torch the busses and trains with people. They blast the public property causing harm to common people. With these incidents they want to establish themselves for the cause they pretend to fight for. But there are number of peaceful ways without showing notoriety to fight for a benevolent cause. But they do not tend to choose them. This tells us about the notorious mentality imbibed by (in) them. Terrorists are notorious when compared to common man who tends to live peacefully. But one can see notorious terrorists also now a days. For eg: when we consider the 9/11 destruction of WTC towers in US, it can be termed as notorious out of notorious as it involved not only suicide but also homicide. These types of notorious activities are the

Monday, October 28, 2019

Week 5 â€Finances Essay Example for Free

Week 5 –Finances Essay Debate on profit maximization ethics and corporate social responsibility: Traditionally, the duty of company’s management is to improve the financial welfare of the shareholders of the company by maximum of profits provided it is under the law. This is the canonical law and economics account (Elhauge: 2004) Companies are therefore liable for any act(s) that causes more that usual harm under an independent law. However if the operations do not cause any undesired effect, then, it is socially acceptable that the company maximizes profits. The management of companies is therefore required to consider the interests of other stakeholders in their daily operations. This is as a result of the law that was enacted at the height of corporate takeovers during the 1980s. This law could however be construed to mean that the management of corporations only consider the interests of others only if doing so enhances the company’s profits. Shareholders and management have no legal duty to maximize profit although they have a legal discretion to forego on profits in the public interest. (Elhauge: 2004) According to Manuel Costello Branco and Lucia Lima Rodriquez companies only engage in corporate social responsibility if they are set to gain from such an undertaking. (Brancho Rodriguez: 2007) Corporate social responsibility may include environmental protection, human resource management, health and safety at work, relation with community and with suppliers and customers. (Branco Rodriguez: 2007) CSR boarders on ethics and management should therefore consider the impacts of their activities on the various stakeholders. It is also considered to be a competition strategy which can give a company competitive advantage. (Branco Rodriguez: 2007) This debate on CSR is on shareholders-stakeholders point of view where shareholders view is that management should maximize their wealth while the stakeholders view is towards all stakeholders (Friedman 1998, Jensen 2001) The classical view of business encompasses purely economic basis and constrained profit making views. This is the shareholders view. The stakeholders view on the other hand is of socially aware business where corporations are sensitive to needs if other stakeholders (Lantos: 2001) Companies should therefore, not ignore the interests of other stakeholders if doing so could impact negatively on the company’s intention of maximizing shareholders wealth. (Stern berg 1997, Jensen 2001) Ethics basically is what constitutes right or wrong behavior in business in terms of operations and situations happening in companies. In the daily operations of companies many unethical actions and decisions are made. Corporate citizenship concept is propagated by the society where businesses promote goals that they view as important while at the same time solving social problems thus rejecting the idea of profit maximization and law compliance. The results of an activity rather than the activity itself are what determine whether an action is ethical or not. Clarkson further elaborates that an actions is morally right if it generates the greatest amount of good to many people. (Utilitarian theory) (Clarkson: 1995) It is evident therefore that the concept of ethics is controversial in the sense that there are conflicting positions as to what constitutes what is morally right or wrong as shown by Kantian ethics and Utilitarian ethics. (Hymson 2007) In business ethics, because of competition, actions of one company e.g. adoption of lower prices leads to the other companies adopting the same pricing strategy and hence business ethics tend to be uniform (Hymson 2007) Monopolistic businesses where there is no competition can elect to apply personal ethics. But the cost of following personal ethics is borne by the employees. Hence argument gives credence to the idea that businesses only social responsibility is t maximize profits (Friedman: 1998). Outside business ethics, CSR is usually all about making profits. Government regulations The government should take charge and ensure that companies do not undertake business practice that cause undesirable effects on the community and therefore it should pass laws and regulations that guide corporations in the business practice (Reich 2007). The stiff competition that many corporations in the world today face makes them focus more on ways of making more profits and therefore the need of government regulations to protect the environment, consumers and even the employees. Robert Reich further alludes to the fact that corporations cannot be moral or immoral and can only be responsible if publicly held by their shareholders. The shareholders interest is to maximize their profits and therefore companies should do public good in their quest to maximize their profits (Reich 2007) Reasons for government regulations An example of company that could justify the government regulations is Wal-Mart. This corporation on one hand spends money on CSR projects but on the other it is against employees union, pays low wages with minimum benefits. The company also is against living wage initiatives. Wal-Mart has also been accused of forcing employees to perform overtime duties, sex and race discrimination and a whole lot of other things. The World com and Enron scandals are other examples that call for government regulations on CSR and business ethics. The list is endless, Adelphi, Tyco, Computer associates. All these cases touch on the subject of business ethics. Business ethics violations can also lead to illegalities as exemplified by the Enron and World com cases (Hymson 2007) References Hymson, E.B (2007) Law: The force that harmonizes business ethics with profit maximization. Retrieved on 4/3/2008 from http://www.salsb.org/slj/vol-xv/14hymson.pdf Elhauge, E. (2004) Sacrificing corporate profits in the public interest. Retrieved on 4/3/08 from http://www.law.harvard.edu/programs/olin_center/corporate_governance/papers/04.Elhauge.sacrificing-corporate-profits.pdf. Branco, M.C and Rodriguez L. L (2007). Positioning stakeholders’ theory within the debate on corporate social responsibility (Vol 12. No. 1). Retrieved on 4/3/2008 from http://www.salsb.org/slj/vol-xv/14hymson.pdf Friedman. (1998), â€Å"The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits†, in Pincus, L.B. (Ed.), Perspectives in business ethics, McGraw-Hill, Singapore Jensen, M.C. (2001) â€Å"Value Maximization, Stakeholder Theory, and the Corporate Objective Function†, Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Vol.14 No.3 Sternberg. (1997) â€Å"The Defects of Stakeholder Theory†, Corporate Governance, Vol 5 No.1. Lantos, G.P. (2001) â€Å"The boundaries of strategic corporate social responsibility†, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol.18 No.7 Clarkson, M.B.E. (1995) â€Å"A Stakeholder Framework for Analyzing and Evaluating Corporate Social Performance†, Academy of Management Review, Vol.20 No.1 Robert Reich, R (2007). Super capitalism. The Transformation of Business, Democracy and Everyday Life.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Styles of Dress as Reflections of Social Conditions :: Fashion Clothing Clothes Style

Styles of Dress as Reflections of Social Conditions Something that becomes very apparent when studying the topic of fashion is that clothes and style are related to so much more than merely an individual’s appearance. For thousands of years, fashion and style have been primary indicators about a person’s social status, sexuality, wealth, individuality, and overall personality attributes. Deep rooted in all of us lies an inescapable process of perceiving who an individual is based on what our eyes view. Although this process may be labeled as "superficial," it is no doubt a mechanism that exists, particularly when there is limited additional "information" about someone to go on. In this century alone, each decade has been marked by distinctly different manners for dress for both men and women. Our Halloween tradition exemplifies this very clearly with "costumes" such as a 1920’s "flapper girl," the 1960’s "hippie," or the 1980’s "punk rocker." With deeper consideration, however, these differing fashion styles can be viewed as representative of the related social conditions occurring at the time. As stated by Pasacoe (1998), "The fashion of the [20’s] reflected the Jazz Age perfectly. It was made for fast automobiles and the Charleston. For the first time in western fashion the knee was socially acceptable." Although there are many theories regarding what causes fashion to change, the fact that social climate is reflected in styles of dress has a great deal of support. Perhaps the reason why so much change occurred in women’s dress in the early decades of the century is because so many changes occurred regarding womenâ€℠¢s roles and rights within that same time frame. Another decade in which fashion was strongly indicative of the underlying social conditions is the turbulent 1960’s. One of the most noted developments accredited to this decade is the introduction of the mini skirt, eventually evolving into the "micro mini." Many social historians relate the introduction of the mini skirt to the introduction of the birth control pill. Women became sexually liberated and the "free love" era began. These mini skirts came to symbolize the new liberation for women and the social climate of the decade. As stated in Vogue at the end of the decade, "The length of your skirt is how you feel this moment" (Hoeymakers, 1999.) Fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent gained immense recognition for his highly innovative designs during this decade. Heavily inspired by students in Paris, he introduced see-through shirts to the rest of the world, causing an initial global shock.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Global Positioning System (Gps) Research Paper

The  Global Positioning System  With the proliferation of satellite-based defense systems and their continuing presence in the media it makes us more aware of our national defense. The United States is large, economically strong and a sometimes tumultuous presence in the global community. Although we may feel secure because of our superior technology and defense capabilities, our size and position in world affairs can make us a target for some countries. We can no longer be concerned with just our borders and now what comes from the skies and the sea is more of a threat than ever before. The United States government had to develop a way to counter these possible attacks and the Global Positioning System (GPS) was conceived. The Global Positioning System was initiated in 1973 by the Department of Defense (DOD). It was developed by the the DOD because at a cost of over twelve billion dollars the government had the monetary resources to achieve these idealistic goals. Since that time it has grown from one satellite used strictly by the military to twenty-six satellites that can be used by civilians also. This satellite system is used to determine the speed and position of an object anywhere in the world within one hundred meters to mere millimeters depending on the size and quality of user equipment. (GPS JOINT PROGRAM OFFICE. ICD-GPS-200:GPS INTERFACE CONTROL DOCUMENT. ) The original purpose of GPS was to maintain a strategic military advantage over our enemies. Toward the end of the arms race the targeting of ballistic missiles became so exact they could land directly on an enemy missile silo and destroy any missiles inside of it. The ability to take out your enemies missiles from great distances had a major effect on the balance of power. To maintain the balance of power the United States government had to develop a way to locate surfacing submarines in a matter of minutes anywhere in the world. With the use of satellites in orbit the Global Positioning System was created. GPS uses twenty-six satellites and ground tracking stations around the world to compute distances using time. This is done by finding the difference between the time a signal is sent and the time it is received. The satellites have atomic clocks so the time is extremely accurate. The receivers position is determined by using three satellites, this is called triangulation. (kAPLAN,eLLIOTT. UNDERSTANDING GPS:PRINCPLES AND APPLICATIONS) GPS is made up of three segments: space, control and user. The space segment includes the satellites and the rockets that launch them from Cape Canaveral. The satellites are powered by solar cells and continuously point their  solar panels  toward the sun and their antennae toward earth. The control segment includes the master control station in Colorado and monitor stations around the world. This segment makes sure orbits and clocks operate within acceptable limits. The user segment includes the equipment used by the military and civilians who receive GPS signals. Kaplan, Elliott. UNDERSTANDING GPS:PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS) The military applications of GPS are used in fighters, bombers, helicopters, submarines and soldier's gear. Wartime defense is now more accurate and dependable than ever. While still the most important aspect of this technology, GPS is not used strictly for navigation anymore. Other uses include but are not lim ited to: target designation, air support, soldier rendezvous and â€Å"smart† weapons. â€Å"Smart† bombs use GPS to receive location information so they can guide themselves to a preset target. This technology is a great asset in battle as it basically casts a net over a battlefield and can locate tanks, vehicles or even soldiers who may be in immediate danger. In the everyday world, GPS has also made life easier and safer. Hikers and hunters can carry hand held receivers in case they should get lost in the wilderness. On-board navi destinations through voice-activated user equipment. Drivers can also make cellular calls using these GPS computers should something happen to them in transit. Other aspects of this technology are used in farming. Maps can be created of the fields during harvest and used the next season to plant and fertilize areas that need more attention. This increases crop production while reducing the use and expense of fertilizers, pesticides and fuel which also helps our environment. This process is called â€Å"Precision Farming'. Another very important use of GPS is the avoidance of in-flight collisions. Airlines are in the process of equipping their airplanes with GPS receivers. This will enable each aircraft to detect other planes in the vicinity and make sure they don't cross paths in the air. This is much more accurate and reliable system than is currently available and is sure to make the people flying in these planes more comfortable and secure. The Global Positioning System has grown into a resource that goes far beyond the initial design goals. These days scientists, farmers, soldiers, pilots and delivery drivers are using GPS in ways that make their jobs safer and more productive. The benefits of GPS are not limited to job related aspects alone. The future of this technology is limitless and will change and develop rapidly as new and varied applications are introduced. Works Cited Bibliography Kaplan, Elliott. Understanding GPS: Principles and Applications. Boston: Artech house Publishers, 1996 Thompson, Steven D. An Introduction to GPS, (Everyman's Guide To Satellite Navigation. ARINC Research Corporation, 1994 â€Å"The Untold Story of CALCM: The Secret Weapon Used in the Gulf War†. GPS World January 1995 page 16 GPS Joint Program Office. ICD-GPS-200:GPS Interface Control Document. ARINC Research Corporation. Available On-line from United States Coast Guard Navigation Center. Dana, Peter H. GPS User's Overview. Available on-line at www. utexas. edu/depts/grg/gcraft/notes/gps/gps. h tml

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

“Erin Brockovich”: Effective Communication Essay

Competent Erin Brockovich’s Characteristics The main character in the movie Erin Brockovich is an easy going woman who seems tobe very competent in communication. This paper will discuss three characteristics that a competent communicator, such as Erin Brockovich possesses. I will also explain specific scenes where she demonstrated the following characteristics: self-monitoring, empathy, and commitment; commonly known as denominators that characterize effective communication. The first characteristic Erin displayed was empathy in relationships with her clients. In one scene, Erin met with a cancer suffering child and her family. A young girl named Anna, was suffering from alopecia and wearing a bandana. She had lost her hair from the cancer treatments she had received. Erin’s eyes reflected painful sadness even as she smiled and laughed with Anna. At the end of their conversation, Erin’s genuine concern for Anna left her speechless. Erin’s attitude displayed empathy, which involves feeling and experiencing another person’s situation almost as they do. It is the most important aspect of non-verbal communication competence. The second characteristic Erin showed was her intense commitment for the people ofHinkley. This characteristic was revealed during the scene placed at the Jensen’s residence. Erin sat on the end of the bed with Donna Jensen, the woman that was suffering from uterine cancer. Erin’s eyes filled with tears as Donna tells Erin that her cancer turned malignant, which is the fast spreading form of cancer. Donna’s eyes began to pour due to her fear and hatred she felt toward PG&E. Donna said, â€Å"We are going to get them aren’t we?† Erin replied, â€Å"Yes.† Erin’s willingness to listen and the desire to spend time with her proved her commitment to her. The third characteristic Erin portrays is self-monitoring. This was shown at Ed Masry’slaw office. Erin stood face to face with Ed. In a demanding tone of voice she said, â€Å"I need apaycheck!† Erin’s face turned a shade of red in anger. Her eyes began narrowing as she stared inhis eyes. Erin said, â€Å"I’m smart, hardworking, and I’m not leaving here without a job!† She waspersistent and determined to get the job. Erin’s eyes looked around the room only to notice theskepticism of Ed’s employees. Erin’s shoulders began  to droop and her guilty eyes driftedtowards the floor. She became aware of her behavior and the impression she had given. Sheknew she made a fool of herself. In a whisper Erin said, â€Å"Don’t make me beg.† She then said, â€Å"Ifit doesn’t work out, fire me.† Erin was able to change her behavior when she recognized thingswasn’t looking positive. Erin’s overall communication efforts displayed in her character was unique as well as knowledgeable. Self-monitoring, empathy, and commitment that were explained in this paper were shown with distinction. The communication techniques were useful and helpful to prove her drive for satisfaction and completion for the people in the town Hinkley.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Enter the New Era of Education - Learning Revolution

Enter the New Era of Education - Learning Revolution The Start of the Learning Revolution A lot of countries have already accepted the fact that old formal education system, which we have been using since 1900s, has become completely obsolete in the beginning of the 21st century. As it was based on the needs of industrial era, where people were prepared to perform a certain set of functions for the invariant set of professions, now, when the rules have changed and new professions appear faster than educational system can react, that system has quickly become outdated. The new harbingers of the educational revolution that we are expecting are mobile learning, problem-based learning and open online courses. These three approaches along with other new concepts are what is supposed to change the educational system as we know it. Unfortunately, the embodiment of learning revolution is far from being realized. Both small and big educational platforms often do not give free courses. Software developers are trying hard to make ministries and government officials understand that they should give a try to the newest educational technologies and the latter dont always like this idea because it can take up to year to prepare a test run for a university or school. Thats definitely not what a revolutionary pace assumes. Indeed, if we look at official reforms, theres nothing groundbreaking that we can find there. However, if we consider the individual level, we will clearly see that it is at this level where the revolution will take place, because government cannot influence peoples demand for the new type of education. So, while politicians and officials make test runs or make assumptions about the efficiency of this or that educational tool or program, people have already started the revolution. This revolution is heralded by many innovative start-ups and people who are eager to engage in their initiatives. These start-ups are becoming more and more successful because they dont plan to change the existing educational system, theyre slowly creating a new one. While, unfortunately, the goal of many students in the formal educational system is to pass the final exams and get a degree, instead of developing certain qualities and professional competencies, the new educational start-ups are aiming to provide people with whats valued most about education actual skills and competencies. Self-learning trend is showing especially good result in language learning. Babbel, Busuu, Duolingo and other platforms have already gathered more than 140 million users who are eager to challenge conventional educational methods. And its impossible to imagine this revolution happening without the advent and development of technological marvels, which have already become indispensable parts of our l ife. Smartphones, tablets, Wikipedia, e-mails, webcams are some of the tools that made this revolution possible. Modern language learning platforms include virtual classrooms, interactive online platforms as well as crowd-sourced translation communities. Moreover, the demand for mobile learning tools is growing every year. However, foreign languages is not the only learning revolution trend. Musical, programming and brain training courses emerge every week. New solutions allow people to learn literally everywhere. Although the pace of learning revolution is relatively slow, the fire that can be seen in the eyes if its heralds makes us understand that transformation of the formal educational system is just a matter of time.

Monday, October 21, 2019

buy custom Media and Violence in Racialized Families essay

buy custom Media and Violence in Racialized Families essay Introduction Modern racism in Canada is a designation of inferiority assigned to various racial groups and using the attribution to promulgate and justify imbalanced treatment of these racial groups. Racism in Canada takes three major forms: concept of biological inferiority, cultural deficiency and underdevelopment in technology (Fontaine, 2008). There are however three types of racism in Canada: individual racism (direct), subconscious racism (indirect) and lastly systemic racism (institutional). White Canadians direct individual racism towards people of color such as the Aboriginal people, immigrants and the Quebec community because of their race, culture and socio-economic status. Subconscious or indirect racism towards the minority in Canada occurs because of stereotypical assumptions that Canadian mainstream media fuels, fear of the unknown and ignorance. Institutions such as businesses, government agencies and healthcare facilities practice systemic racism by limiting opportunities and rig hts to minority groups because of race. These institutions are responsible for health care, housing, maintaining public policy, education, commercial and social activities among other frameworks of the Canadian society. Media contributes to violence among racialized groups in Canada because of the stereotypical assumptions it portrays. The mainstream media uses the names disadvantaged or underprivileged to mean people of color. Media pictures these racialized families as failures in academic institutions, lazy in work environment and prone to crime that goes hand in hand with substance abuse. Racialized families face constant discrimination in form of direct violence or rejection from opportunities in the society because the media constantly portrays them as less civilized, less bright and less human. These portrayals justify the types of oppressions the racists, media and other institutions directs to them. The exclusion from all frameworks of the society leads to socio-economic marginalization, loss of voice and powerlessness (Galabuzi, 2010). Literature Review Violence in racialized families in Canada results from poverty, lack of employment and inequality. At the family or domestic level, the use of violence is against children, women and the disabled. At the international or national level, asylum seekers, poor people, African Canadian and Minority ethnic, refugees, Indigenous and migrants face different forms of violence from institutions and states. These institutions use violence against racialized communities to maintain national security, order and peace. Jiwani refers to a murder case in British Columbia in Canada, of Reena Virk a 14-year-old girl from South Asian ethnic background (2006). She further explains how 14-16 year-olds seven girls and a boy beat Reena Virk because of her race. The media covered up the reasons for the murder citing that the crime was a love triangle and that the victim was spreading rumours (Jiwan, 2006). Research shows that violence and crime in racialized communities occur when there is loss of hope and despair in relation to poverty and racism. Violence, gun and gang-related crime occur in Ontario because of the high population of legal and illegal immigrants, Aboriginal people and African Canadian youths. These minority groups resort to violence because they lack proper resources and opportunities. In a company that has racialized workers, employers give them low paying and insecure jobs that take longer hours. Their education is not important because individuals and institutions already consider them illiterate and inexperienced. People working for low incomes and overtime tend to try easy jobs such as selling drugs on the streets. Poverty also pushes racialized people to violence. The war on drugs slogan usually targets racialized communities because they are the low-level drug peddlers. Police focus on such groups rather than the powerful drug lords who supply the drugs (Galabu zi, 2010). Re-enforcement and Reproduction of Violence by Mainstream Media The mainstream media in Canada plays a vital role in communication concepts of racism against people of colour. They help in defining the terms of racism and further localize them within the imagination of the public. In reproduction of Canadas social knowledge, the media acts as crucial vehicles in underpinning hegemonic interests and clarifications (Jiwani, 2006). This means that the mainstream mass media invoke thought and behavior in Canadians when they frame race and acts of racism as derived from the social life of minority groups. The media defines racism as violent or nonviolent acts that arise from immigration, ignorance and uneducated individuals who reside on the rural areas of Canada. Race implies the differences in culture and biological appearance as shown in films and pictures. Jiwani argues that Canadian mainstream media communicate race or racism by commission or omission (2006). In cases where violence is against racialized groups, the mainstream media reports that these are normal cases and this in turn spurs new cases of violence against people of colour in Canadian institutions (schools, homes or workstations) because of the footage on the crime. Canadian mainstream media tries to cover up violence against racialized groups by reporting on prostitution, Aboriginality and girl-an-boy crime instead of hate crimes. Jiwani and Young refer to a missing persons case in Vancouvers Downtown Eastside where the body of a murder victim previously reported as missing resurfaced (2006). This case fueled a heated debate among Aboriginal people and the cover-up by the media focusing on prostitution of the Aboriginal. Such a case will re-enforce violence against Aboriginal women because the offenders will use the media portrayal of prostitutes to carry out violence. Jiwani notes that the media portrays the Aboriginal people as childlike, women as prostitutes and men as criminals who need the white Canadians and the state to push them to development (2009). This means that women and men from racialized groups experience violence in the presence of police officers and other Canadians but because of their stereotypical status as portrayed by th e media, an intervention to stop the violence is rare. When such cases occur, the police and other Canadians believe that these racialized groups deserve the violence. Fontaine reports of a case in Winnipeg Sun, a Canadian newspaper that ran an advertisement for stopping crime using a suggestive photograph portraying police officers frisking two teenage boys from the Aboriginal community (2009). This advertisement ran for several months in the newspaper. The effect of the advertisement and photograph reinforced the stereotype status of the Aboriginal youth as delinquents in mind of Canadian readers. Another example of how mainstream media reproduces violence among racialized groups is the case of Reena Virk, the South Asian girl whose body surfaced after eight days in a river (Jiwani, 2006). She further explains that the media covered up the issue of racism until two years later during the trial of one of Reena Virks murderer when the court and media stressed that the victim faced the violence because of her weight and inability to penetrate the culture of her peers (Jiwani, 2006). This means that her physical appearance and lack of normative stand ards caused the violence. Canadian normative standards implies a thin body, white, athletic (able-bodied) and heterosexual. Racialized groups lack these normative standards and in essence, victims of racialized crime are responsible for their own fates. Violence against Racialized Women in Canada Violence against women and girls within racialized families is rampant in Canada because of the stereotype views portrayed by the media, loss of voice and fear of deportation if they are illegal immigrants. Women in Downtown Eastside of Vancouver are from the Aboriginal community faced with adverse poverty and insecurity resulting to prostitution (Jiwani Young, 2006). These women encounter persistent sexual violence from men of the same community or their spouses but they do not receive any security or protection because the police believe they deserve such crimes because they are sex workers. Cases of homicides among racialized families are common but such stories do not make it to the front-page of newspapers because violence against women of colour is a normal domestic violence within racialized groups. Among immigrants, violence against women and girls is high because they do not have a voice and financial ability to seek protection. Calling the police in Canada during a violent crime committed against a racialized immigrant woman could result to two cases: deportation or lack of response from the police. Women resign to domestic violence from their spouses and people from the same family because they cannot escape relationships that are abusive with their sponsors or benefactors because they will lose their homes, children and right to acquire basic needs. Indigenous men, immigrants and men of colour harass their women who refuse to seek help or protection because many women who do not have the resources to provide basic needs for themselves and their children would receive poor healthcare and social housing. Men abuse racialized women who cannot report cases of domestic violence hence they escape punishment. Family structure as portrayed by Canadian media. Mainstream media in Canada sets up the family structure to male domination by the types of movies that portray men as the backbone of Canada while women are homemakers (Galabuzi, 2010). Advertisements show Canadian families with the male as the head of every aspect of the society: work, entertainment and politics while women and girls take up inferior roles. This image creates a male dominated family structure across Canada in the minds or readers and viewers. Most reporters, news anchors and producers in any media network are men. This gives men the upper hand to act as the head of families in major decision-making. Women in advertisements market personal hygiene products such as bathroom or kitchen products. This portrays the role of women in the society is in the home. The media portray men as intellectual and independent in dramas, advertisements and in the media production industry. In movies, men have superior and heroic roles while women play homemakers, secretaries and prosti tutes (Tastsoglou, 2009). Mainstream media production on sexism and racism. The mainstream media in Canada advocates for movies, advertisements and news presentation by white Canadian men. Native Canadians or other ethnic communities in Canada do not get public representation in the media because of the assumed stereotypes. Movie productioons do not include people of colour or interracial relationships that white Canadians disregard. Aboriginal families only make headline news in cases of crimes or mismanagement of funds (Douglas, 2008). Advertisements focus on white Canadian families and not Native Canadians because the media wants to portray a functional male dominated family structure as compared to a native dysfunctional family. Media portrays racialized families as illiterate, violent, poor and ignorant. Most movies in Canada lack equal representation from all races in the country. People of colour will cut the ratings of a drama, movie, advertisement or viewers in case of reporters from racialized communities (Douglas, 2008). Sexism in the media occurs when women and men play specific roles to portray real personality attributes displayed in real families. Women in the media reflect childcare, homemaker and employees in low-level jobs such as secretaries and servers. Advertisements prescribe roles of women as home and family oriented. There are women who advertise superficial beauty in the sense that, they are tall, thin, without blemish, perfect teeth and long legs but underneath all the beauty, she has no brains. Some advertisements portray women as sex objects void of any feelings or personality. Such advertisements show women lying on a bed half-naked or likened to animals that dehumanize them as acting primarily on sexual instincts. Methodology. The method used to collect data is through questionnaire in the campus and thorough research using scholarly journals. Questionnaires are easy to create, they are cheap and fast mode of collecting data. It also protects the identity of people of colour who contributed to the research. Data analysis. In data collection, twenty students from different ethnic backgrounds contributed to the research. The 20 students are sample population to represent the wider community of racialized families in Canada. This data included all the questions that encompass all issues of racism from direct to indirect racism. The problems met while collecting the data was late submission of the questionnaires. Due to confidentiality, refraining from personally collecting the questionnaires from the sample population was the best option. Some students lost or misplaced the questionnaires and they received new copies that meant extra spending on the tight budget. Results. Twenty students admitted to witnessing racism directed to them or their friends in the campus. The students who encountered racism from individuals either in school or in the community were 15 in number. Two of the students confessed to systemic racism directed to them. All students believe that the mainstream media reproduces violence against racialized families. Law enforcement officers stopped 10 students of the sample population for random search. Eighteen students report cases of institutional racism in healthcare facilities and restaurants. Twenty students believe that the mainstream media is sexist and racist. The reasons that the students gave as personal opinions of the causes of violence against racialized families include race, culture, economic status and ethnic background. Discussion. All students in the research report cases of racism directed towards them at one point in their school life. This means that racism in the school compound and in the wider community is rampant. There are individuals who utter racial slurs and students have witnessed violence due to race. When students apply for residential accommodation outside the school, property owners discriminate the students who are immigrants and Indigenous people. The student report cases of discrimination when they are registering for courses, renting apartments and in restaurants. The mainstream media reproduces violence against racialized families due to the images portrayed about people of colour. The police have a tendency of stopping students from racialized families and doing random search while discriminating their rights to privacy. Media is racist and sexist because of the different stereotypical status depicted on people of colour and women in the society. Conclusion Media and violence against racialized families is a common in Canada due to Somali refugees, African asylum seekers, Indigenous people and minority groups. White Canadians direct racism and violence towards these groups based on race, poverty, crime, lack of education and stereotypical assumptions portrayed by the media. Violence is a common occurrence within racialized families because the victims who are women and children lack the financial power and voice to raise their concerns. These women do not receive protection from the police because the media has portrayed them as prostitutes who deserve the sexual violence and domestic abuse. The media use suggestive images of racialized teenagers to portray crime and illiteracy. These images strike negative thoughts on the minds of viewers and readers hence reinforcing violence against the people of colour. The media also portray sexism and racism in term of advertisement and movie roles given to women. These roles depict women as homem akers, cleaners and sexual objects while men take up powerful roles that portray role models in the society, decision makers and professionals. Buy custom Media and Violence in Racialized Families essay

Sunday, October 20, 2019

John James Audubon - Biography of Painter and Naturalist

John James Audubon - Biography of Painter and Naturalist John James Audubon created a masterpiece of American art, a collection of paintings titled Birds of America published in a series of four enormous volumes from 1827 to 1838. Besides being a remarkable painter, Audubon was a great naturalist, and his visual art and writing helped inspire the conservation movement. Early Life of James John Audubon Audubon was born as Jean-Jacques Audubon on April 26, 1785 in the French colony of Santo Domingo, the illegitimate son of a French naval officer and a French servant girl. After the death of his mother, and a rebellion in Santo Domingo, which became the nation of Haiti, Audubons father took Jean-Jacques and a sister to live in France. Audubon Settled in America In France, Audubon neglected formal studies to spend time in nature, often observing birds. In 1803, when his father became worried that his son would be conscripted into Napoleons army, Audubon was sent to America. His father had purchased a farm outside Philadelphia, and the 18-year-old Audubon was sent to live on the farm. Adopting the Americanized name John James, Audubon adapted to America and lived as a country gentleman, hunting, fishing, and indulging in his passion for observing birds. He became engaged to the daughter of a British neighbor, and soon after marrying Lucy Bakewell the young couple left the Audubon farm to venture into the American frontier. Audubon Failed in Business in America Audubon tried his luck at various endeavors in Ohio and Kentucky, and discovered that he was not suited for a life of business. He later observed that he spent too much time looking at birds to worry about more practical matters. Audubon devoted considerable time to ventures into the wilderness on which he would shoot birds so he could study and draw them. A sawmill business Audubon ran in Kentucky failed in 1819, partly due to the widespread financial crisis known as the Panic of 1819. Aubudon found himself in serious financial trouble, with a wife and two young sons to support. He was able to find some work in Cincinnati doing crayon portraits, and his wife found work as a teacher. Audubon traveled down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, and was soon followed by his wife and sons. His wife found employment as a teacher and governess, and while Audubon devoted himself to what he saw as his true calling, the painting of birds, his wife managed to support the family. A Publisher Was Found In England After failing to interest any American publishers in his ambitious plan to publish a book of paintings of American birds, Audubon sailed to England in 1826. Landing in Liverpool, he managed to impress influential English editors with his portfolio of paintings. Audubon came to be highly regarded in British society as a natural unschooled genius. With his long hair and rough American clothes, he became something of a celebrity. And for his artistic talent and great knowledge of birds he was named a fellow of the Royal Society, Britains leading scientific academy. Audubon eventually met up with an engraver in London, Robert Havell, who agreed to work with him to publish Birds of America. The resulting book, which became known as the double elephant folio edition for the immense size of its pages, was one of the largest books ever published. Each page measured 39.5 inches tall by 29.5 inches wide, so when the book was opened it was more than four feet wide by three feet tall. To produce the book, Audubons images were etched on copper plates, and the resulting printed sheets were colored by artists to match Audubons original paintings. Birds of America Was a Success During the production of the book Audubon returned to the United States twice to collect more bird specimens and sell subscriptions for the book. Eventually the book was sold to 161 subscribers, who paid $1,000 for what eventually became four volumes. In total, Birds of America contained 435 pages featuring more than 1,000 individual paintings of birds. After the lavish double elephant folio edition was finished, Audubon produced a smaller and much more affordable edition which sold very well and brought Audubon and his family a very good income. Audubon Lived Along the Hudson River With the success of Birds of America, Audubon purchased a 14-acre estate along the Hudson River north of New York City. He also wrote a book titled Ornithological Biography containing detailed notes and descriptions about the birds which appeared in Birds of America. Ornithological Biography was another ambitious project, eventually stretching into five volumes. It contained not only material on birds but accounts of Audubons many travels on the American frontier. He recounted stories about meetings with such characters as an escaped slave and the famed frontiersman Daniel Boone. Audubon Painted Other American Animals In 1843 Audubon set off on his last great expedition, visiting the western territories of the United States so he could paint American mammals. He traveled from St. Louis to the Dakota territory in the company of buffalo hunters, and wrote a book which became known as the Missouri Journal. Returning to the east, Audubons health began to decline, and he died at his estate on the Hudson on January 27, 1851. Audubons widow sold his original paintings for Birds of America to the New York Historical Society for $2,000. His work has remained popular, having been published in countless books and as prints. The paintings and writings of John James Audubon helped inspire the conservation movement, and one of the foremost conservation groups, The Audubon Society, was named in his honor. Editions of Birds of America remain in print to this day, and original copies of the double elephant folio fetch high prices on the art market. Sets of the original edition of Birds of America have sold for as much as $8 million.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Airline Cabin Cleaniness Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Airline Cabin Cleaniness - Research Paper Example For instance, cold, which is a common complication among passengers, has been attributed lack of proper hygiene in the aviation industry. It is imperative to ensure that air travellers are protected from such complication. Currently, the world has been grappling with the challenge of Ebola. The disease has not only affected the Africans, but was also witnessed in United States and some European countries. Lack of proper hygiene can predispose passengers to dangerous infections. The discussion will also demonstrate how aircrafts should be cleaned, and how frequently this should be done. The aviation industry has a major challenge when it comes to the cleanliness of the airline cabin. While this is an important exercise that is supposed to ensure that the health status of passengers is not compromised, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has neglected it. For instance, some of the current regulations to ensure safety of passengers include the Clean Water Act of 1997, and Clean Air act of 1970 (Jathar, 2012). The FAA has however failed to establish rules and regulations that would make it mandatory for the airlines to clean their aircrafts. In most cases, inspectors, or other individuals are not allowed to inspect planes during the cleaning process. This has made it difficult to know what kinds of detergents are used, or even whether aircrafts are indeed cleaned. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have established regulation that should ensure that the health of employees is not threatened (Hoffman, 2011). It achieved this by establishing the Hazardous Communication Standards (29 CFR 1910.1200), which has been made part of the Code of Federal Regulations (David, 2011). Protecting the lives of the employees in a plane means that those of passengers are protected as well. The aviation industry has however continued to put the health of its employees and passengers in danger of infections. It has

Epidemiology eassy on Yellow Fever Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Epidemiology eassy on Yellow Fever - Essay Example The family Flaviviridae contains only one genus, Flavivirus. They are somewhat smaller than alphaviruses, being 40 nm in diameter. The name flavivirus refers to the type species, the yellow fever virus ( Flavus, L = Yellow). The yellow fever virus was first isolated in 1927 by inoculating rhesus monkeys with the blood of an African patient named Asibi. The virus was shown by Theiler (1930) to grow well following intracerebral innoculation in mice. The infected mouse brain was used as a vaccine in former French West Africa (Dakar vaccine) though this was encephalitogenic. It was later replaced by a non-neurotropic (17D) vaccine (Panicker 2007, p.527-30). Cases are classified as inapparent ( 1 week; the period of convalescence is usually short except in the more severe cases. There are no known sequele. (Beers 1999, p.1303-4). Statistics In a report by Weir and Shariqe (2004, 1909), each year about 2, 00,000 become ill with yellow fever around the world though the true incidence is likely to be much higher. This was according to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1998. About 90% of the cases occur in Africa and 10% in South America. Epidemiology of yellow fever Approximately 2, 00,000 cases of yellow fever occur annually; 90% of them occur in Africa. A dramatic resurgence of yellow fever has occurred since the 1980s in both sub-Saharan Africa and South America. A series of epidemics and smaller outbreaks of yellow fever that occurred in West African countries were primarily responsible for the increased incidence of yellow fever in Africa, but the first epidemic reported in Kenya in>2 decades signaled that a change in the distribution of the disease was also occurring. Transmission in Africa is maintained by a high density of vector mosquito population that is in close proximity to largely unvaccinated human populations. Although some countries have incorporated programs, vaccine coverage is not optimal. In South America, the rate of transmission of yellow fever is lower than in Africa, in part because high vaccine coverage occurs primarily as part of mass immunization campaign in response to outbreaks of the disease. The largest outbreak of yellow fever in South America since the 1950s occurred in Peru in 1995, and cases were reported in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia,

Friday, October 18, 2019

Reflective Memo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflective Memo - Essay Example This is why English 102 came to me as a joy as I learnt to write the various types of writing. One of the most interesting things I have learnt is writing a research proposal. I consider this very important because it will be of great use in my future academics as well as after college. I learnt the process of putting together a compelling research proposal which will easily get approval. I really hope this will help me in writing better papers in the future and that is will contribute to a productive academic life.. Learning to write a research proposal was probably one of the most interesting things which were very enlightening to me. I learnt that writing a research proposal is a process of expressing oneself and letting the public understand what is important about a certain research project. English 102 was also important in learning how to write an argumentative essay. I was able to learn how to write an effective and compelling argumentative essay, and I believe these skills will be important in especially after my days in college. I believe that the ability to achieve in life is based on one’s ability to look at issues and be able to convince people to see one’s point of view. English 102 was therefore a very important class because I leant how to write an argumentative essay, and this is a skill I believe will be important for me in my career later. This is especially because I am an idea person, and in most cases I find my position where i need to convince people why my point of view is important and probably best. Apart from argumentative writing, this class important in learning other important issues in written communication. I definitely consider myself a better communicator especially where written communication is concerned. Learning how to writ e evaluative essays for various artefacts such as movies sand other productions was interesting for me and I believe that it is helped with my analytical skills. Above everything else,

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 93

Journal - Essay Example His demise was so painful that whenever I think of him I shed tears. 3. Death of my idol. I am the biggest fan of Michael Jackson. His music is both entertaining and inspirational to me. His death was one of the biggest shocks for me. It took me several days to accept that he had passed on. I was very depressed. I felt like I had lost a part of me. 4. The strange kid in school. There was this quiet girl that was surrounded by mystery and creepiness. Apart from wearing dark clothes, she was also a loner and enjoyed moody songs. One day she collapsed in class and was rushed to hospital. We later discovered she had deep cuts on her thighs and hands. At first we thought it was a case of parental abuse. However, bizarre knives and other sharp objects were confiscated from her room. 5. A fish and a coin. I love fishing. One day, my father and I went fishing during the holidays. Basically, it is always my father who catches fish. However, on this particular afternoon, none of us was successful. As the evening approached, I felt my fishing rod shake. I pulled it instantly and shockingly, a fish bigger than the palm of my hand was writhing and begging for mercy beside me. The shock in my father’s eyes was priceless. As we opened the fish, guess what we found- A $25 cent

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Reaction essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Reaction - Essay Example The Ort, or the Centre of Information, offers more insight on the terrors of the holocaust through compelling projections made on the walls of the room. Furthermore, it gives recognition to all known Jewish Holocaust victims through names acquired from the Israel’s Holocaust Museum Yad Vashem. People have argued that the title â€Å"Murdered Jews of Europe† excludes those who died of natural causes in concentration camps. As such, the title â€Å"Memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust† serves as a better title since it would act as a remembrance of the suffering of all the Jewish victims, dead or alive. There are Holocaust Monuments in the United States though none are dedicated to slavery. Some argue that reason behind this lies in the fact that, unlike slavery, the Holocaust was not perpetuated by the United States. In fact, the U.S. fought to have it stopped. However, many people feel that the U.S. should emulate Germany by setting up memorials for crimes they initiated. Emmaly Reed represents a beacon of hope and perseverance. The fact that she survived the Holocaust at such a young age and lived to her eighties shows that people can overcome such trials in life and go on to enjoy a long and healthy life (Cantrell,

Project Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Project Control - Essay Example Technical changes are the alterations of the project scope. Market changes are the changes made so that the project adapts to the changing external market conditions such as regulatory changes and development of new products by competitors (Kerzner, 2001). Contractual changes include the changes made on the contract with the stakeholder involved in the project. The management should prevent uncontrollable changes because they have a negative impact on the project. Implementation of change control can be done using specific procedures. One of the procedures is to conduct impact analysis. In this case, the likely impact of the uncontrollable changes is assessed. In this stage proposed changes are provided and they are analysed in relation to the impact of the changes in order to determine whether they are within or outside the scope of the project requirements. The second step is to determine the financial requirements of the changes. This will determine whether the changes can be implemented using the available financial resources. Thirdly, the management should find out the reason why the change is needed (Stare, 2001). It should determine the business need for the changes and establish whether the business will benefit from the changes if implemented successfully. In the next fourth step, the company should analyse the challenges and constraints that may be faced when implementing the changes. This will enable the management team to be prepa red for any of the challenges and risks and be able to tackle them appropriately. In terms of project quality evaluation, the management should evaluate and communicate whether the project is meeting any stated performance and quality objectives of the management. This is done through comparison of the planned quality standards and the quality outcome of the project. Evaluation of the project quality also involves checking whether specific tasks of the project have been

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Reaction essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Reaction - Essay Example The Ort, or the Centre of Information, offers more insight on the terrors of the holocaust through compelling projections made on the walls of the room. Furthermore, it gives recognition to all known Jewish Holocaust victims through names acquired from the Israel’s Holocaust Museum Yad Vashem. People have argued that the title â€Å"Murdered Jews of Europe† excludes those who died of natural causes in concentration camps. As such, the title â€Å"Memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust† serves as a better title since it would act as a remembrance of the suffering of all the Jewish victims, dead or alive. There are Holocaust Monuments in the United States though none are dedicated to slavery. Some argue that reason behind this lies in the fact that, unlike slavery, the Holocaust was not perpetuated by the United States. In fact, the U.S. fought to have it stopped. However, many people feel that the U.S. should emulate Germany by setting up memorials for crimes they initiated. Emmaly Reed represents a beacon of hope and perseverance. The fact that she survived the Holocaust at such a young age and lived to her eighties shows that people can overcome such trials in life and go on to enjoy a long and healthy life (Cantrell,

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Examine the nature of the distinctive managerial, organisational and Essay

Examine the nature of the distinctive managerial, organisational and developmental characteristics of small businesses vis-a-vis - Essay Example Coaching is more task-oriented whereas mentoring is driven by knowledge sharing meant in a spiritual context with the purpose of developing the personality of a learner. The understanding developed through the work of Garvey et al. (2008) is further strengthened through literary explanation provided by Robert Thurman, Meredith Belbin and Rosemary Ryan. Where Garvey et al. (2008) describes how the definitions of these two terms have evolved over centuries, other three authors explain their relevance to present life. According to Garvey et al. (2008), self-realization is a foundation of coaching and mentoring. The follower has to understand his/ her inner self and then interpret the meaning of knowledge provided to them. Furthermore, they believe that coaching and mentoring are rooted in our cultural norms and values. Like Bruner stated in Garvey et al. (2008), folk wisdom is distributed through interpretations of historical events that later on form our culture; this understanding of cultural norms is further strengthen through dialogues (p.11). In order to elaborate the historical background of coaching and mentoring, frequent references to the work of Plato, Homer, Socrates and Aristotle are given in Garvey et al. (2008). It is stated that frequent questioning and critical debates lead to emergences of true knowledge. Therefore, without questioning the pre-established norms, new ideas cannot be created. While defining their work, it was found that only Plato and Aristotle have used the word mentor for a figure known for disseminating knowledge. Later on, it has been added that Aristotle has introduced a differentiation between practical and theoretical knowledge. He further introduced the concept of productive work which defines creation of something new. Careful analysis of contemporary coaching techniques would reveal that these three concepts are used frequently in present coaching and mentoring. Further referencing to Homer indicated that the word mentor w as introduced into literature around three thousand years back. The word itself meant an advisor. However, Homer’s work has been highly shadowed by unnecessary criticism and relevance to gender issues without giving much attention to social norms. Garvey et al. (2008) further analyzed the literary work with reference to coaching and mentoring in 18th century. According to Fenelon, observing life events is itself a learning process that can provide positive as well as negative lessons. Presence of mentor helps in interpreting important lessons out of these events that helps in attaining better insight of life and virtues. The concept of experiential learning also stemmed out of Fenelon’s ideas of learning and development. The idea was extended by Rousseau in 18th century when he introduced the ideal class size for effective education. The present day concept of multiple students in one group headed by a single teacher was not accepted by Rousseau; in fact he emphasized on having a one-on-one interaction between the student and a teacher whereas the term teacher was replaced by mentor. Where mentor was considered as a figure of knowledge and wisdom, Louis Carccioli attached spiritual attributes to this personality. According to him, a mentor is someone who not only enriches the mind but also lights the heart. Hence, a therapeutic effect of mentoring was introduced by Caraccioli when he writes, â€Å"

Monday, October 14, 2019

Article Review Essay Example for Free

Article Review Essay Resource: Article Review Format Guide located on the student website Locate an article specifically related to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX Act) of 2002. Write a 350- to 700-word review of the article. Your review should discuss how the SOX Act may affect ethical decision making in today’s business environment, and the criminal penalties for which the act provides. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.Article: Why was the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 created and how does it impact financial reporting today? General Questions General General Questions Resource: Article Review Format Guide located on the student website Locate an article specifically related to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX Act) of 2002.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Malnutrition Effects on Quality Of Life

Malnutrition Effects on Quality Of Life The focus of this assessment is quality of life and specifically this paper considers how malnutrition affects quality of life of community settings patients. According to the Scottish Governments publication Older people living in community Nutrition needs, barrier and interventions: a literature review, malnutrition is an umbrella term for undernutrition, overnutrition and imbalance diet intake (The Scottish Government, 2009). Malnutrition has previously been described in the various ways (The Scottish Government, 2009). However, for purpose of this assessment the following term will be used as defined by World Health Organisation (WHO) the cellular imbalance between the supply of nutrients and energy and the bodys demand for them to ensure growth, maintenance, and specific functions (see European Nutrition for Health Alliance, 2005). According to Saunders, Smith and Stroud (2010) 2 per cent of the UK population is underweight: Body Mass Index (BMI) is lower than 18.5 kg/m. However, they agreed that patients could be still at risk of malnutrition whatever their BMI is (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). Malnutrition, as well as other factors, has negative effect on the persons quality of life (The Scottish Government, 2009). In the UK, hospitals admission rate and mortality were greatest in patients with BMI below 20 (kg/m2) (Teo and Wynne, 2001). During nutrition screening survey in the UK various settings it was found that malnutrition doubles risk of mortality in the hospital patients and triples morality in elderly patients in hospitals following discharged (RCN and NPSA, 2009). Care Homes nutrition survey shown that 30 per cent of service users recently admitted to care homes were at risk of malnutrition (RCN and NPSA, 2009). According to Hickson (2006), malnutrition may be secondary to certain health conditions which is increasing risks for patients to become malnourished and those risk factors will be discuss later in this assessment (Hickson, 2006 and Teo and Wynne, 2001). However, European Nutrition for Health Alliance (2005) argued that malnutrition should be classified as independent disease (European Nutrition for Health Alliance, 2005), its due to undernutrition has a negative effect on all organs systems such as muscle-skeleton, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, endocrine systems and in addition, malnutrition has a psychosocial effect (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). It was found that undernutrition could cause following health conditions: in the healthy individuals and has advance exacerbation effects upon existent illnesses or injuries, reduced psychological wellbeing (increase anxiety, depression apathy, and loss of concentration and self-neglect) (Webb and Copeman, 1996 and Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). According to Morley and Kraenzle (1995), balanced diet in general, is improving cognitive and memory performance in elderly (see Vetta et al, 1999). Chandra (1993) found that undernutrition is depressing organism immune function (see Webb and Copeman, 1996). It could be due to impaired cell-mediated immunity and cytokine, complement and phagocyte function this most commonly could lead to developing bacterial and parasitic infections and poor wounds healing (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). Malnourished patients have reduced muscle function, loss of cardiac muscle and reduce cardiac output, which results in impact on the renal function (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). The same individuals have reduced respiratory response to oxygen deficit by poor diaphragmatic and respiratory muscle function (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010), increased risk of hypothermia, increase risk of falls and injuries (Webb and Copeman, 1996). In addition, redaction of fat and muscles mass are more obvious signs of malnutrition (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). According to Clayton (1991), malnourished elderly clients have a poor prognosis for recovery from following fractured femur, hypothermia, pressure ulceration and other conditions (Clayton, 1991). Fracture risk is high then calcium, magnesium and vitamin D intake is insufficient, during the weight loss bone mass is reducing as well (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). Early stage of malnutrition leads to loss of digestive enzymes that result in intolerance of lactose. The colon loses its ability to absorb liquid, electrolytes, and secretions of small and large bowels, which results in diarrhoea (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). According to Saunders, Smith and Stroud (2010), endocrine system is affected in malnourished patience. For example, chronic malnutrition will change the pancreatic exocrine function by reducing the insulin secretion (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). An author is currently working a nursing and residential care home for elderly patients as well as nursing and social recruitment agency, which is covering biggest part of the North West of England. Being allocated in hospitals and nursing homes the author noticed that patiences nutrition needs are being met well but where are still some areas for improvement. During the study carried out in the large the UK hospitals, it was found that 40 per cent patients admitted to hospitals were malnourished and two-thirds subsequently lost weight during their hospital stay (Teo and Wynne, 2001). During the service users meeting in the care home author working in, carried out in January this year, all 14 service users have stated that they are satisfied with food they are getting. However, two patients are still at risk of malnutrition. They have been referred to the GP for dietician support. The author strongly believes that nursing home is providing adequate food to the service users. Catering manager in the UK hospitals compare to chefs in nursing home have a small budge of  £11 to  £15 per patients a week (Teo and Wynne, 2001). The authors care home spends around  £30 per service user a week. However, in March 2007, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) carried out survey questioning nearly 2200 of their member relating nutrition issues. Survey has revealed that 42 per cent said the food provided for patients were below overage expectancy (RCN, 2011). In various reasons government and health profession organisations are now advising for routing screening of all patients admitted to any healthcare facilities (RCN and NPSA, 2009). In authors opinion, the main priority for addressing this issue is promoting patiences health and wellbeing and cutting financial cost. For example, annual financial cost of treatment malnutrition patience and any associated illnesses in the UK was estimated around 7.3 billion pounds. This figure includes treatment malnourished patience in the hospital setting, round 3.8 billion pounds and long-term care facility such as care home, round 2.6 billion (Elia M., et al., 2005). Causes of Malnutrition The author is currently looking after two service users who are scoring on the MUST. All two patients are elderly from 65 to 80 years old, with different background and health conditions. Patient No 1 is 87 years old female, was diagnosed with Alzheimers Disease, history of Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), high blood pressure, right wrist fracture and Dysphasia. Current BMI is 19, which was stable after referral to dietician and commencing on oral supplements, than BMI was 17 back in the October 2010. Patient No 2 is 72 years old man, diagnosed with alcohol excess, CA oesophagus, Gout, Heart Failure. Current BMI is 23, which was stably increasing over past months following admission to nursing home, than his BMI was 17. Both patients have a poor appetite at present. Nursing homes staff cannot establish reasons for anorexia and BMI reduction in one patient. There are number of risk factors, which could cause malnutrition among elderly population. However, the most important factor leading to undernutrition is reducing of oral intake (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). Inadequate dietary intake is depending on various factors (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010), which could be divided into three main categories: medical, social and psychological (Hickson, 2006). Firstly, age related changes such as changing in appetite or sensory (Teo and Wynne, 2001). Working in the care homes author noticed, an appetite is reducing with advanced age. Some people refused or preferred to omit meals, for example, one patient does not take breakfast, then the author asked her why she is not taken breakfast that patient replied that she is not a breakfast person. In addition, during the study carried out in USA it was discovered that elderly population are consumed less energy intake and follow more traditional eating pattern then younger population (Teo and Wynne, 2001). Poor appetite or anorexia is a most common factor leading to malnutrition in both young and old generation (Hickson, 2006). However, during the study commenced by Roberts et al (1994), it was found that ageing seemed to affect the ability to control food intake and weight lost will take longer to re-gains in elderly men compare to young (see Hickson, 2006). In addition, according to work of De Castro (1993), older people are less responsive to stomach contents than younger people, in term of hunger (see Hickson, 2006). Anorexia may occur as process of aging as well as during underlying illnesses (Teo and Wynne, 2001 and Hickson, 2006). Hetherington (1998) argued that changing in taste and smell could lead to loss of appetite through a perceived decline in the pleasantness of food. Loss of taste and smell could be associated with advance age and medications therapy mechanism of these changes are remains unknown (see Hickson, 2006). In authors care environment patients prefer to eat strong flavour and taste meals such as a roast meat with gravy, bacon, fish which are being served with traditional sauces or salt and vinegar to encourage patients to their food. According to Hickson (2006), a few works have been done to find out that improving the flavour of the food can improve diet intake and follow weight increase in hospitals and community healthcare patients (Hickson, 2006). A few patients do not like vegetables, intake of which have being recommended by NHS 5 a day complain based on the WHO (NHS, 2009). Patient No 1 and Patient No 2 do not have own teeth which is reducing ability to chew tender food. For both patients oral problems have not been reported. However, according to Finch et al (1998), National Diet and Nutrition survey, energy consumption was lower in edentate individuals compare to individuals with own teeth (see Hickson, 2006). Dysphasia or swallowing problem is leading concern in reducing dietary intake (Hickson 2006). The author has experienced that often care and catering staff do not understand the different between soft and liquidised diet and which diet should be given to each patients with dysphasia. Moreover, care staff that is responsible for feeding patients, needed assistant, every often do not understand the sings for swallowing problem. This concern has been addressed in the care home that the author is working in by appointed care staff for appropriate training section provided by Liverpool Primary Care Trust (PCT). According to research carried out by Mowe et al (1994), swallowing problem is showing up in 64 per cent of in-patience elderly (see Hickson, 2006). In addition, Gariballa et al (1998) argued that post Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA) patients with Dysphasia had a worse nutrition status then those patients without swallowing problems (see Hickson, 2006). The author strongly believes that malnutrition caused by various factors combined together such as old age and health or mental health problem (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). In the UK, it was estimated that around 8 per cent of patients with chronic diseases living in the community are malnourished (Teo and Wynne, 2001). According to Hickson (2006), diseases-related malnutrition is usually associated with cancer, physical disabilities, endocrinology disorder and respiratory disease, gastrointestinal disorders, neurological disorders, sources of infection and other psychological factors such as depression and Dementia (Hickson, 2006 and Teo and Wynne, 2001). Medical factors increase the risk of patient to become malnourish through, for example, nausea or vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation, anorexia and malabsorption (Hickson, 2006). Cultural factors or social (Vetta et. al. 1999) and food habits are also playing an important role in developing malnutrition as independent illness (Hickson, 2006). As example, an individual who had a long-term hospital stay or had no nutrition support while in the community would not used to have full nutritional meals. Moreover, individual who has been admitted to the authors care home used to take fast food or sandwiches at all the time while at home, instead of cooked meals. According to Hickson (2006), there are lifestyles and social risk factors for malnutrition in elderly people are lack of knowledge about food, nutrition and cooking, isolation and loneliness, poverty, inability to shop or prepare food (Hickson, 2006). Dementia has a great effect on individuals relationship with food (Alzheimers Society, 2011). Dementia patients or patients with low mental status appeared to lost weight due to reducing self-feeding ability, acute sense of smell and taste that is depending on severalty and progression of disease (Teo and Wynne, 2001). Berkhout et al (1998) has confirmed that weight lost in demented patients is caused by patients ability to feed them rather than by dementia as illness (Hickson, 2006). According to Incalzi et al (1998), study carried out for in-hospitals patients found out that cognition is causing impairment to ability or desire to eat (see Hickson, 2006). Progressive dementia is usually associated with uncontrolled weight lost and changing eating habits (Claggett, 1989 see Hickson, 2006). Nutrition screening and risk assessment In 2007, RCN commenced Nutrition Now campaign, which has a wide response from members of public as well as members of multidisciplinary teams. The RCN Principles for Nutrition and Hydration were published in 2007. That principals aim to help of all health professionals grades to improve nutrition and hydration of patience. This paper is highlighting three principles of nursing care: accountability, responsibility and management to improve the patience nutrition and hydration (RCN 2011). Nutrition screening pathway, nutrition risk assessment are widely used which assist nursing staff to indentify the risk of malnutrition or/dehydration and appropriate actions to be taken. Risk of malnutrition screening should be a routine process in all healthcare settings (RCN and NPSA, 2009). In the authors care home as required all service users are being screened for malnutrition on the admission and once a month or more often if required, using Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) as recommended by government bodies and Care Quality Commission (CQC) as registration body. Part of the admission documentation is to collect and record patiences food likes and dislikes. According to Saunders, Smith and Stroud (2010), MUST is reliable and valid screening tool in diagnostic or prediction of malnutrition (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). However, nutrition assessment was only done for patients who have been referral to their GPs following scoring, weight loss of 1 to 2 per cen t per week, 5 per cent per month or 10 per cent over period of six months (Mitchell, 2003). According to RCN and NPSA (2009), purpose of nutritional assessment is details identification of nutritional status and for special dietary plan to be formulated and implicated (RCN and NPSA, 2009). In the authors care home, dietician or dieticians assistant based on the information provided by staff nurse on duty normally carries out the nutritional assessment. As far as author concerns, nutrition assessment should be done by care home nurses as they are working in close contact with patients and their families on the daily basis, know better persons food likes and dislikes. However, special nutrition trainings are not always available to the nursing home staff. This could lead to complicated nutrition issues not to be addressed as quickly as they should be due to community dieticians waiting time is usually 6 weeks. In the authors nursing home all necessary equipments are available such as weight scales and height measures. However, weight scales calibration has not been done which could lead to poor nutrition screening assessment (NPSA). After completing the MUST, the author and colleagues will formulate the personalised care plan for each patient in order to meet nutritional requirements. Nutrition care plan could be based on the information or guidance provided by dietician or other health professions. Treatment According to Hark and Morrison (2003), the nutrition needs of healthy older adults are mainly the same as for middle age adults (Hark and Morrison, 2003). The intake of food containing Calcium, Vitamin D, Folate, Vitamin B12 and B6 should be increased for the elderly population (Hark and Morrison, 2003). Protein intake recommendation is variable from 0.8 g/kg per day in the USA (Mitchell, 2003) to 0.75 g/kg in the UK (McKevith, 2009). However, according to Mitchell (2003), one established nutrition needs recommendation cannot be used for all ages population (Mitchell, 2003). In addition, patients lifestyle, height and weight should be taken in account (Mitchell, 2003). There are number of fundamental support of nutrition available at present such as enteral and parenteral nutrition support (Hark and Morrison, 2003). At this assessment only oral nutrition support (ONS) will be discussed. The aim of the nutrition support is to ensure an individual gets enough energy, proteins, macronutrients and micronutrients to meet patients nutrition requirements (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). Saunders, Smith and Stroud (2010) argued that provision of regular meals with better nutrition content, wide menu choice and assistant with feeding should be enough to meet nutrition requirement and reduce nutrition risk (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). Numerous studies show that nutrition support could reverse weight loss, only if underlying health conditions under control (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). However, not all patients react at the same way (Hickson, 2006). At what reasons care and treatment should take an account of individual needs and preferences (RCN and NPSA, 2009). In practice, knowledge of food preferences and past medical history, following personalised nutrition care plan, serving patients with small meals (Teo and Wynne, 2001) or using a small plate could encourage service user to finish all meal. Currently some of the UKs hospitals commenced to use red tray scheme for serving the meals to patients. A purpose of using red trays is to alert hospital staff that patience with red tray is at nutrition risk and need assistance or supervision with diet intake (Bradley and Rees, 2003 see Davis, 2007). Protection of mealtime scheme is also widely spread across the UK. The purpose of this scheme is to create an environment for hospital patients free from hospital activities and unnecessary disturbance during a mealtime. In addition, this scheme is to assist nursing staff with concentration on the meeting nutrition need of hospital patients (NS, 2007). People with Dementia could loss an ability to use cutlery that could lead to weight loss and malnutrition. Providing those patients with available finger food could improve nutrition status (Alzheimers society, 2011). Teo and Wynne (2001) argued that the possible benefits from using energy supplements in elderly patients have received little or no evaluation in clinical practice (Teo and Wynne, 2001). However, during the study carried out by Volkert et al (1996), it was found that patients consuming food supplement while in-patience and 6 months in community have develop positive nutritional status compare to group of patients without food supplements (see Teo and Wynne, 2001). The author has come across the situation then GP has refused to prescribe food supplement to one of the patience and recommended full fat milk instead. In addition, during controlled trial for six months in patients who have been discharged from hospital and prescribed ONS has no economic benefit. To compare, using ONS in community is costing more than using ONS in hospitals (Elia et al., 2005). However, malnourished patients using could be at risk of re-feeding syndrome, which could results in death (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). Re-feeding syndrome is associated with water retention leading to fluid overload due to decay of potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and sodium in blood plasma (Mallet, 2002). Saunders, Smith and Stroud (2010) recommended that during re-feeding saviour malnourished patients potassium, phosphate and magnesium should be prescribed and thiamine (for patients with history of alcohol excess) (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). Conclusion The UK elderly population is rising, currently about 16 per cent of the population is above 65 (Hickson, 2006) and by 2050 over 30 per cent European population will be over 60 which will result in prevalence of malnutrition to rise (European Nutrition for Health Alliance, 2005). Many changing associated with aging have been documented, however, how senescence leads to the health conditions, related to aging, is still unknown (Mitchell, 2003). It was found that ageing is leading to slow reduction of weight and modification in body composition. It is due to declines in bone, muscle mass and body cell mass. Bone mass reduced due to inadequate intake of Calcium and inadequate exposure skin to the sunlight to encourage production of Vitamin D (Sahyoun, 2002). In general, people are gaining weight until they 60th birthday and after gradually reducing weight, usually 10 per cent between 70 and 80 (Mitchell, 2003). Weight loss related to aging and malnutrition should be indentified during initial nutrition assessment. In addition, community healthcare is facing many concerns. Firstly, malnutrition remains under-recognized problem facing patients, their families and health professions (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). Secondly, according to, Hark and Morrison (2003) argued that there are no single physical or biochemical screening tools could accurate predict the nutrition status in elderly (Hark and Morrison, 2003). Food prices are constantly rising and ONS are costing too much to the local PCT. In the authors opinion, providing service users with good quality food, offer choice of menu and snacks between meals are solution to fight malnutrition. The significant role in education medical students and junior doctors in nutrition has widely recommended (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). However, inadequate knowledge in nutrition of nursing and care staff could increase risk of malnutrition (Saunders, Smith and Stroud, 2010). In the authors care home nutrition in elderly is not mandatory training for the care staff. Following this assessment, the author will provide relevant care staff with information on the nutrition in elderly service users. This could be achieved through supervision sections and face-to-face talks. Moreover, there it is possible, elderly population and their families should be informed about the latest nutrition recommendations related to their age, lifestyle and health conditions and should encouraged to apply those recommendations to individuals lives (Sahyoun, 2002).

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Little Prince ? A Closer L :: essays research papers

Having read the article The Gift Of Imagination this one quote best describes imagination in us. â€Å"Almost all children have vivid imaginations. A few retain them. But somewhere in the process of growing up, most people reject it or learn to conceal it or deny that they have it, even though they use it every day.† Silver Donald Cameron. As we grow up we loose our imagination and form ourselves to the â€Å"norm† of society. In the novel The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint Exupery imagination is evident throughout the entire novel with the â€Å"grown up† and â€Å"child†. The building blocks in the novel are: imagination, life of Antoine, novel, movie comparison, childlike and grownup characteristics, heady stuff and the secret found on page 87. Antoine de Saint Exupery is a French man born in Lyon, France in the year 1900. Being born into a poor aristocratic family, he became a pilot and worked as a mail carrier. Antoine had none to very little of a social life. He traveled to Canada and New York in 1942 with his wife Consuela. Antoine never considered himself a writer, he saw himself as a pilot. While working as a pilot Antoine crashed in the Sahara desert. Most often in coffee shops Antoine would doodle on the napkins drawing cartoons. Antoine’s friend would keep all of his drawings. Consuela bought him a doll along with Antoine’s drawings â€Å"The Little Prince† was written. While working for the French government in 1944, Antoine’s plane was shot down while flying in German territory taking pictures. The wreckage has never been found. After reading and watching the work The Little Prince, one should notice some similarities and differences between the two. The main characters remain the same personality, setting is in the Sahara desert, and the storyline and other aspects remain consistent. The general plot with the little prince moving from one country to another meeting new people is the same in both. During the Princes journey he meets the following characters in both works: the pilot, the businessman, the geographer, the snake, and the fox. Another similarity between the two is that we see pictures drawn and the same pictures are shown in the movie. The Hollywood version and the novel differ. Visually, and vocally are the two different aspects. During the time of thirst in the movie the pilot and the little prince find an oasis while there was an ordinary well in the book.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Inflation always bad for an economy

Is inflation always bad for an economy? Inflation is a general Increase in prices and fall In the purchasing value of money measured as percentage; ways of measuring It Include the retail price index and the consumer price Index. One cost of Inflation Is that firms may have to spend money, time and effort moving money around financial Institutions (banks etc. ) so that they can ensure It doesn't lose Its value, It Incurs shoe leather costs as a result of this.However these costs can be offset by advances in technology, less human intervention is needed and costs are lower Another cost is that inflation leads to Geiger prices, these high prices reduce the competitiveness of the countries companies on global markets this reduces exports and leads to a dependency on imports, severely affecting a countries balance of trade. As imports are a leakage from the circular flow of income, it has negative effects on consumers within the country.Reduced exports due to high prices may lead to firm s having to close, this may lead to staff being made redundant and Increasing the unemployment rate. However, these negative effects may be mitigated If the firms with which the source entry Is trading with has a higher level of Inflation, In which case, the firms In the country will still remain price competitive with foreign companies.One positive of inflation Is that If you have a low and stable rate of demand-pull inflation It may lead to companies producing more as they expect more consumption of their goods. This may lead to them hiring more staff or purchasing more technology, either increasing employment rates or increasing turnovers of other businesses that make the technology required, all of which increase economic activity and have positive effects.Companies can reduce redundancies by increasing real wages by less than inflation, cutting costs but without making staff unemployed which would have sever negative effects on consumers and the economy. The economic costs of i nflation are dependent on a variety of factors, such as the degree of Inflation, for example: higher levels of Inflation always have a worse Impact on an economy than low levels, e. G. Hyperinflation reduces the functionality of money and also as low Inflation reduces the effect of shoe leather costs It Is clearly better than high levels of Inflation. Another determinant of the effects of inflation is whether the inflation was correctly anticipated by consumers and producers and whether inflation in one country is higher than the countries it partakes in trade with because if this is the case, measures can be taken to reduce the negative impacts of inflation.For example pensions could be increased to stay in line with inflation. If these factors are all set in a certain way then the effects of inflation can become positive, however generally this is not the case and inflation negatively affects an economy. Inflation always bad for an economy? By Chatterer Inflation is a general incr ease in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money measured as percentage; ways of measuring it include the retail price index and the consumer price index.One cost of inflation is that firms may have to spend money, time and effort moving money around financial institutions (banks etc. ) so that they can ensure it doesn't lose its value, it incurs shoe leather costs as a result of this. May lead to staff being made redundant and increasing the unemployment rate. However, these negative effects may be mitigated if the firms with which the source entry is trading with has a higher level of inflation, in which case, the firms in the country will still remain price competitive with foreign companies.One positive of inflation is that if you have a low and stable rate of demand-pull inflation it may lead dependent on a variety of factors, such as the degree of inflation, for example: higher levels of inflation always have a worse impact on an economy than low levels, e. G. Hyperinf lation reduces the functionality of money and also as low inflation reduces the effect of shoe leather costs it is clearly better than high levels of inflation.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

The Battle of Tours, the Battle of Syllaeum and the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople

The Battle of Tours, the Battle of Syllaeum and the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople were important battles that averted the entry of Islam into Europe. Had these hostilities been lost to the Arabs, the present idea of European civilization would not exist. Islam and Islamic culture would be the dominant religion and way of life in Europe (both Eastern and Western Europe) and America. The Battle of Tours (also known as the Battle of Poitiers) is considered as one of the most decisive battles in history.On October 10, 732, the Frankish army under Charles Martel defeated the forces of Spanish governor Abd-er Rahman outside the city of Tours (Koeller, n. pag. ). The Battle of Tours was said to have retained Christian predominance over Western Europe by preventing the expansion of Islam in the said region (Culp, n. pag. ). By the 7th century, Islam was the most dominant religion in the Arabian Peninsula. During this period, Islamic armies had already conquered Persia, Syria, Egypt and North Africa and were about to occupy Constantinople and Spain.At the beginning of the 8th century, they had scaled the Pyrenees Mountains and were on the verge of entering France (Whittington, n. pag. ). The Septimania region of Southern France fell to the Moors in 719. Under the leadership of Al-Samh ibn Malik, they invaded the town of Toulouse in the Duchy of Aquitaine two years later. However, Al-Samh was defeated by Duke Odo of Aquitaine and eventually died of war injuries at Narbonne (Whittington, n. pag. ). Al-Samh's loss and demise did not stop Arab raids in France.Islamic forces reached the town of Atun in Burgundy in 725, forcing Duke Odo to align himself with Catalonian Emir Uthman ibn Naissa to maintain peace in the southern border of Aquitaine. But Uthman staged an unsucessful revolt against Al-Andalus governor Abd er Rahman, prompting the latter to go after Duke Odo in retalliation (Whittington, n. pag. ). Abd-er Rahman defeated Duke Odo at the Battle of Bordeaux, res ulting in the mass killing of Christians in the area. Desperate, Duke Odo sought the help of Austrasian Mayor-of-the-Palace Charles Martel. Martel agreed to help him, provided that he will bow down to Frankish rule (Whittington, n.pag. ). Martel and his army waited for Rahman's forces to arrive at Tours (Whittington, n. pag. ). Despite being composed of only 30,000 men, the Franks were well-armed – they had swords, axes, javelins and a small throwing ax called the fran-cisca (Wallechinsky & Wallace, n. pag. ). In addition, they knew the terrain very well and were properly outfitted for the bitterly cold weather. On the other hand, Rahman's 80,000-strong army were equipped with just light cavalry – spears and swords (Whittington, n. pag. ). The two forces only had minor encounters for seven days (Whittington, n. pag. ).Then, on October 10, 732, the Arabs assaulted the Franks. Due to their superior artillery, the Franks easily fended off the Arabs' charge. The Arabs trie d to attack repeatedly, to no avail (Wallechinsky & Wallace, n. pag. ). The Franks struck back as soon as the Arabs' stamina waned. They triumphantly defeated the Arabs and had Rahman captured and killed. The next morning, the Franks discovered that the Arabs had fled, leaving behind their plunder and their dead (Wallechinsky & Wallace, n. pag. ). Martel's victory in the Battle of Tours gained him the title â€Å"The Hammer. † In addition, France never experienced another Arab invasion.On the side of the Arabs, their defeat in the Battle of Tours severely destroyed their unity – a revolt by the Berbers (inhabitants of North Africa) ensued after Rahman's passing (Wallechinsky & Wallace, n. pag. ). Martel went on to crush Arab conquests at the River Berre and Narbonne. He also fought in Frankish expansion wars in Bavaria, Aquitaine, Provence and Alemannia. Martel's sons Carloman, Pippin the Younger and Grifo took over his territories after his death in 741. Pippin became the king of the Franks, while his son, Charlemagne, became the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.However, it must be noted that two more generations passed before the Franks finally suceeded in driving the Muslims back beyond the Pyrenees for good (Whittington, n. pag. ). Historians often claimed that Europe never faced another Islamic threat after the Battle of Tours (Whittington, n. pag. ). This is true to a certain extent – the next Islamic threat that Europe faced after the Battle of Tours was the emergence of the Ottoman Empire (1299-1923). Furthermore, the Christians regained Spain from the Moors after the fall of Granada in 1492 (Whittington, n.pag. ). But the Byzantine empire (667 BC-1453) was also crucial for the presevation of Christian ascendancy throughout Europe. The Battle of Syllaeum (677) and the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople (717-718) were two important wars that averted the spread of Islam in Eastern Europe (Reference, n. pag. ). The Arab fleet a nd the Byzantine navy were constantly in battle with each other since 672 (Reference, n. pag. ). In 677, the Arabs attacked areas along the coast of Anatolia and the Sea of Marmara, as well as Constantinople and Anatolia itself.The Byzantine army found themselves fighting two different battles, as the Slavs were staging an assault of Thessalonica by land (Reference, n. pag. ). Byzantine forces under Emperor Constantine IV met the Arabs near Syllaeum (Reference, n. pag. ). They defeated the latter through Greek fire, a â€Å"burning-liquid weapon†¦that could continue burning even on water† (Reference, n. pag. ). As the Arabs were retreating, a storm sank almost all of their remaining ships. The Byzantine army then proceeded to conduct a land assault on the Arabs, finally defeating them in Syria.The Battle of Syllaeum was believed to have brought peace over Eastern Europe for almost 30 years (Reference, n. pag. ). But Constantine IV’s death in 685 was followed with power struggles for the Byzantine throne, making the Byzantine Empire more prone to defeat in the hands of the Arabs (Gregory, n. pag. ). Caliph Sulieman took advantage of this situation by sending 120,000 Muslim troops (headed by his brother Moslemah) in 717 in an attempt to occupy Constantinople for a second time (TheLatinLibrary, n. pag. ). An additional 100,000 Muslims with 1,800 galleys from Syria and Egypt served as reinforcements (TheLatinLibrary, n.pag. ). But Byzantine forces led by Emperor Leo III quickly defeated them through the Greek fire (TheLatinLibrary, n. pag. ). The vanquished Muslims later died of freezing and starvation outside Constantinople. Muslim troops from Adrianopolis that were supposed to assist them were destroyed by the Bulgarian army (a Byzantine ally) (TheLatinLibrary, n. pag. ). Several historians argued that had the Arabs won the Battle of Tours, the Battle of Syllaeum and the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople, the present concept of European civi lization would be altered dramatically.The Arabs would be able to spread Islam throughout European countries such as France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom. At most, Christianity would end up being a minority religion (Whittington, n. pag. ). America would have been discovered by a Muslim explorer and Islam would be the religion both taught and practiced by the settlers across the United States. Works Cited Culp, Reid. â€Å"The Battle of Tours. † 2008. CCDS. 28 April 2008 . Gregory, Timothy E.â€Å"Leo III and the Beginnings of Iconoclasm. † 19 November 2001. A Chronology of Early Byzantine History. 3 May 2008 . Koeller, David W. â€Å"The Battle of Tours: 732. † 1999. WebChron. 28 April 2008 . Wallechinsky, David, and Irving Wallace. â€Å"About the Battle of Tours in 732 between the Arab Army and the French Army led by Charles. † 1981. Trivia-Library. 28 April 2008 . Whittington, Mark.â€Å"Day of Decision: The Battle of Tours. † 8 Decem ber 2005. Associated Content. 28 April 2008 . â€Å"Battle of Syllaeum. † 17 December 2007. Reference. com. 3 May 2008 . â€Å"Greek Fire. † 10 March 2008. Reference. com. 3 May 2008 . â€Å"Islam and Europe Timeline (355-1291 AD). † n. d. TheLatinLibrary. 3 May 2008 .