Piri Thomas’ “Alien House” Essay

Throughout the short story Alien Turf, Piri, a little Puerto Rican boy who just moved to an all-Italian neighborhood encounters many obstacles. Piri will face rejection and inadequacy. He gets teased, and beaten up, but still, he stays strong and acts older than he really is. At the end of the story, Piri is encountered with a strong sense of compassion from Rocky, an Italian boy who had previously beaten him up. The boys realized that racism is only skin deep, but each person may be a kind, caring human being. In the beginning of the story, all Rocky saw was a Puerto Rican invading his Italian neighborhood. According to him, only Italians belonged in the neighborhood, and Puerto Ricans, like Piri and his family, should be ultimately banned. Racism is a belief that one race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities. Racial differences may produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. Rocky fully lived by this in the beginning, and even throughout most of the story. What is compassion? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, compassion is sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it. Some other people may see compassion as being sympathetic toward someone or something when they are struggling or having some sort of problem. If this is what compassion means, then Rocky truly showed compassion for Piri at the end of the story. During the last fight that the Italian boys got into with Piri was when everything changed. One of the boys screamed to Piri from down the street, â€Å"You even buying from us paisans, you must wantta be an Italians.† Usually, he would just run away from them, but this day was different. Piri, sticking up for himself, screamed back to them, â€Å"I wouldn’t be a guinea on a motherfucking bet!† Rocky and his gang were shocked that he said this. The boys started fist fighting and Piri hit Tony in the stomach as hard as he could, watching him fall to the ground. Tony grabbed a handful of asphalt and threw it in Piri’s face. Rocky hit Tony in the face, knowing that his friend had crossed the line. Rocky showed compassion by sticking up for Piri. He took Piri’s hand saying,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Comon kind, lemme take you home. Rocky recognized that yes, Piri was a little bit different because he was Puerto Rican, but he was also a human being. He realized that racism is only skin deep, and everybody has feelings. Piri was also touched in this instant. He never would have thought that any of the boys, especially Rocky, the leader of the gang, would ever stick up for him. To his amazement, not only did Rocky yell at his friend, but he also threw a couple of punches at him. Compassion was displayed in this because Rocky new that even though he really didn’t like the fact that there was a little Puerto Rican boy that moved into his neighborhood, he could not dismiss the fact that what his friend did was wrong. He was going to help this little boy out. Rocky experienced a true epiphany during this part of the story. His views about everything were disregarded in that instant when his friend threw the asphalt in Piri’s face. He knew that if they really wanted to, they could have beaten Piri up real bad since he couldn’t see, but Rocky knew that it would not be a fair fight. Rocky also recognized the fact that Piri needed his compassion and care in that instant, and that was exactly what he was going to do.

Casing Research Essay

PLYWOOD Plywood is a manufactured board. It is used to case speakers. Birch-faced ply is a light coloured, high-quality plywood that colour-stains and varnishes easily. CHIPBOARD Chipboard is also a manufactured board. It is cheap and will not warp or curl. Chipboard comes in two forms, plain and woodgrain, both of which are usually coated in plastic ‘foil’ or veneered to improve the finish and looks. MDF MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) is another manufactured board. It used to fabricate boxes, and close-textured MDF is cut and sanded to make moulds for vacuum forming plastics. MDF must be glued using PVA carefully and precisely, and requires coating with paint many times to give a good finish, as it absorbs liquids readily. Mild Steel Mild steel can be found in many different forms. Sheet steel, for example, is made into casings and a variety of brackets an fixings. Bright drawn steel is made into round, square, tubular, angled and flat bar versions. Mild steel can be cut and shape into components that are to be permanently fixed to the product. This is done by welding, brazing and using silver solder. Aluminium Aluminium is a light metal in its elemental form. It comes in sheet, bright drawn and mild forms (similar to steel) and can be cast. If a strong lightweight product is needed, aluminium is the only choice. Aluminium can be joined using nuts and bolts, rivets or epoxy resin glue. Aluminium also is superior, in terms of lifespan, to steel because it has an outer layer of aluminium oxide that prevents it from corroding for a long time. Casing Research There are many types of plastics used and many forms of manufacture used to construct both industrial and small-scale casings. The two most relevant to my project are acrylics and polystyrene. ACRYLIC Acrylic is a rigid, strong and smooth-looking plastic. It comes in many colours and forms (e.g. Cast Acrylic). It is durable (10 times the impact resistance of glass), and therefore suitable for outdoor use. Acrylic’s non-toxic properties make it safe to be used with food or made into a toy; however, in the unlikely event that it is broken, it will splinter and expose sharp points. Acrylic becomes malleable when heated and can be easily machined. It is also possible to cement pieces of acrylic together using methylene chloride glue. When polished, acrylic must be handled carefully as its surface dents and scratches easily. POLYSTYRENE Polystyrene comes in many forms. One such form is a thin sheet of polystyrene that is used in vacuum forming machines to fabricate a casing. It has a low melting point and is fairly weak, but unlike acrylic it is not brittle. Polystyrene is also an excellent insulator, minimising any chance of electrocution by the product. It can be cut and assembled rapidly, but it takes time, precision care and effort to manufacture a quality product casing. Plastic casings can be made in a variety of ways. Injection moulding is the most common method of manufacturing casings in industry. The machine makes a casing in three stages: Step 1: The mould is warmed and the thermoplastic substance is placed in the heating chamber. Step 2: The thermoplastic is melted and then pushed into the mould by the plunger, which maintains the pressure for a set ‘dwell time’ to prevent shrunk or hollow products from being formed by stopping any molten plastic from returning to the chamber. Step 3: When the plastic has solidified, it is removed from the mould by hand or by a mechanism built in the machine (this is more likely to be found in industry). Casing Research Vacuum forming is more likely to be used on a smaller scale (e.g. in schools) to produce casings, but is used in industry to make egg boxes and food containers. There is a range of vac. forming machines, but every one works from the same principle and is designed to: 1. Seal a plastic sheet on to the vac. chamber. 2. Heat the plastic sheet. 3. Create a vacuum so air pressure presses the heated plastic over the mould. The vac. forming process occurs like so: Step 1 The plastic sheet is clamed on top of the machine, resting on the heat resistant silicone rubber pads, after the mould of the desired shape has been placed on the raising platform inside the machine. Step 2 A heating element is pulled across the top of the plastic sheet, heating it until it crinkles, then becomes taught again. Step 3 The platform is raised, and the mould is pushed into the plastic. Step 4 The air is then pumped out of the chamber, and air pressure (now greater than inside the machine) presses the sheet over the mould. Step 5 The sheet is removed from the machine (assisted using a taper, which angles all vertical sides of the casing). Excess plastic is trimmed from the casing. The mould is usually constructed from layers of MDF. It is solid because air pressure given no resistance can crush hollow moulds. If the mould is too far down, webbing (plastic sticking together in corners) occurs, not leaving enough plastic to give a full coating on the mould. The mould is smoothed to avoid bumps and lines on the casing. Air pockets are prevented by drilling holes in the mould, allowing excess air to flow into the vacuum.

Hrm Issues

Identify 5 current trends in HRM and how these trends may effect the human resource practice of the company. Human resource management has evolved from its traditional function as workplace management to a more strategic partner in many companies. Many organizations are witnessing changes in its system due to global alignment. Some of the most observable trends in the human resource management are outsourcing, brain drain, globalization, modern management practice, and technological advancement. Human resource outsourcing has become a new accession in most midsize firms. Outsourcing HR has become a strategic tool that relieves businesses off its HR responsibilities and focus on their core business. Outsourcing also enables businesses to get the specialised services and have access to vast experience and knowledge. Besides, outsourcing can also help to reduce cost. For example, companies like Sime Darby Auto Connexion have outsourced their HR functions to Sime Darby Global Services Center (GSC). Sime Darby Global Services Centre (GSC) delivers high performance Finance & Accounting, Human Resource and Information Technology services to the Sime Darby's diverse business in the Asia Pacific Region – Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia and Singapore. Its mission is to provide their customers with cost competitive and high quality services. It is achieved by investing in people, processes and in the right technologies. GSC continuously seek for and invest in talents that are motivated to deliver outstanding performance and breakthrough ideas and solutions, which are key to providing unparalleled services to its clients. Another pressing trend in the human resource management is the flawed approach to it that has lead to a serious issue of brain drain. The main contributing factor to this condition is the harsh economic and political condition of the country and better opportunity, living and working condition in other countries. According to a recent news release in the Star Newspaper, 57% of Singapore’s professionals are Malaysians. The brain drain isn’t only a pressing issue in Malaysia but also in other countries such as Italy and South Africa. According to a recent article published in the Time Magazine, Italy is losing its best and brightest talents to decade of economic stagnation, frozen labor market and entrenched system of patronage and nepotism. Many of its young graduates are fleeing to countries like China, Dubai, Washington, etc where they feel their experience and skills are more valued. Human resource managers have to put serious consideration in addressing this issue. Many young talents leave their home country due to desire to further their careers. Many home companies will not be able to offer financial benefits or resources that are likely to satisfy the demands of these young talents. Thus, creative approach has to be undertaken retain these young talents by identifying other attractive measures to keep them rooted in the home country. The free flow of technology across national boundaries and the spread of Information Technology has presented an ever changing and competitive business environment. Many companies are opening up their economies to external forces and at the same time penetrating into other countries economy. With the aid of globalization, businesses can now concurrently conduct business in any part of the globe. Globalization has made the business process not only more efficient and effective, but more streamlined and modernized. The corporate sector has become more receptive and reactive as new and innovative ideas and opinions such as the outsourcing of labor have emerged. The advancement of technology has also tremendously affected the human resource management. Technology has transformed the way in which human resource personnel manage and communicate employee information and communicate with employee. For example, technologies like intranets, webinars and blogs have made communication among employees across the globe easier and faster. Employees can now collaborate virtually and form distant teams to get works done more effectively without the need to meet physically. They hold meetings and share visuals with teams from all over the world. Technology has also enabled traditional human resource functions such as trainings, seminars and meetings to be held in a more efficient manner via the aid of podcast, tele-seminars, online learning, screen capture and many other technology intensive gadgets. Technology has also brought about difference in employee recruiting. Employee profiles are now easily available via discussion sites such as Linkedln, Facebook, Twitter, Jobstreet and many other social websites. With so many profiles available, recruiting will never be the same again. What are the factors that need to be considered for recruitment and selection of the company? Recruitment and selection involves attracting the right applicants to apply for vacancies and choosing the best applicant to fill the post. Recruiting individuals to fill particular posts can be done either internally by recruitment within the firm, or externally by recruiting people from outside. There advantages of hiring internally as are as follows: †¢Save cost- as internal hires already have knowledge about the business operations and will not need much training and time to fit in. Internal promotions can motivate other employees within the company to work harder as it provides a clear sign that the organization offers room for advancement †¢The firm will know the recruit fills the position perfectly as he/she has already been working in the company and thus reducing the risk of hiring the inappropriate candidate. Disadvantages of hiring from within are: †¢It might create resentment among existing staff that are not promoted †¢Those who have been working in an organization for a long period of time may become familiar with expected methods of doing work and may not be able to identify improvements. Position of the promoted person will have to be replaced. Advantages of hiring externally: †¢External recruiting creates an influx of new ideas into the company. An outsider can review work processes with a fresh perspective and have innovative suggestions for change. †¢Able to hire someone with more knowledge, talent or experience if we have a larger selection of applicants to choose from. †¢When external employees are hired into organizations, especially into management positions, these outside hires don’t have political alliances already set up. This can help them implement new ideas without the â€Å"baggage† of past political battles. And these new ideas are easily accepted and executed by subordinates. Disadvantages of external hiring are that it is more costly and the company may end up with someone who proves to be less effective in practice than they did on paper and in the interview. To what extent the company has to go beyond the number game? HRM implies that planning has to go beyond the ‘numbers game' into the softer areas of employee attitudes, behaviour and commitment. The human resource function doesn’t just end in acquiring the ight amount of talent to fit job vacancies but also to place these candidates into jobs that best fits them to get the best out of the employees. These aspects are critical to HR development, performance assessment and the management of change. Employee attitude, behaviour and commitment can be said as employees’ viewpoint on aspects such as their career and th eir organization. Work situation is one of the major causes of employee attitude and human resource can help address these issues through organizational programs and management practice. Employee attitude, behaviour and commitment can affect the way employees do their job. Although companies can’t impact employee personality, selecting and placing candidates into jobs that fits them best will help to enhance job satisfaction. There are many ways that human resource department can undertake to improve employee job satisfaction that leads to positive employee behaviors such as: †¢Handling negative employee relations such as firing in an orderly manner so that it doesn’t affect the motivation of existing employee †¢Supporting job promotions for deserving employees Providing employees with supports/ aids- financial and morale during hard times †¢Equal share of workload among employees of the same job title †¢Supervision that is not too rigid or demanding or too involved in the work process †¢Supervision that supports and provides needed guidance to employees to complete their job †¢Offering recognition to employee efforts †¢Providing employees with meaningful jobs helps to create self-worth and image The above listed are just the few matters that human resource management division has to look into in order to improve job satisfaction of employees. With these measures looked into, organization can garner employee commitment towards and their continued participation in organization objectives. Committed workers will normally have good attendance records, demonstrate a willing adherence to organization policies and have lower turnover rates. Having a satisfied workforce can increase productivity of employees by reducing tardiness, absences, extended break hours and slow- downs. Satisfied workers may normally provide beyond the call of duty, have good work records, and participation in development activities. 1 + 1 can be more than 2 in HRM. Please discuss. Modern HRM is all about synergizing the workforce to work together and create more value than the total individual input. Allowing individuals to work together as teams can help organizations to achieve their goals. Effective work teams magnify the accomplishments of individuals and enable organizations to better serve customers. With the right amount of motivation, effective work culture, mobilized and empowered employee, these accomplishments can be attained. Empowering employees is one of the most effective method to achieve more within organization. Employee empowerment is when the management vests decision making and approval authority in employees which enables employees to make decisions about their work. Empowered employees feel a greater sense of professionalism, more motivated and feel committed to companies success. Employees who are equipped with the right tools, information and support to make a more informed decision, acts more quickly and thus accomplish more. Organization culture is also another important aspect for the foundation of empowering employee to be built. The organizations which successfully implement employee empowerment will have certain values at their core from which the process of empowerment can flow. Among these values are respect and appreciation for individuals and the value they bring to the organization. Culture of the organization must support the thrust of empowerment if there is any chance for success. For example, the working culture in Google allow every employee to be a hand –on contributor and at Google, everyone is believed to be equally important to its success. Googlers share cubes, yurts and huddle rooms and there are very few solo offices which enables them to work together as a team.

How Plastic Bags Affect our Environment Research Paper

How Plastic Bags Affect our Environment - Research Paper Example astic bags pose to our environment and understand that continuing using plastic bags can even leads to endangerment of marine organisms and other wildlife. Plastics are everywhere and its properties are toxic and poison. Plastic bags should be banned in retail shops because it affects the environment and using alternative solutions that help to reduce using plastic bags. Millions of tonnes of plastic are produced every year. In fact the single used plastic bags have become a popular choice for shoppers and consumers ever since they were introduced in the 1940s. In the 1970s Single Use Plastic bags (SUPB) also known as high density polyethylene bags rose to popularity and they are in use even to this date. Today, almost 1.5 trillion tonnes of SUPBs are used annually around the world while in the U.S. alone about 100 billion are used (Equinox Centre, 2013). Chemically, the normal plastic bag is made up of high density polyethylene. Several monomers make up the bags. Plastic bags contain several additive and chemicals which imparts special characteristics to the bags. Chemicals such as Bisphenol A, Phatlates and Brominated flame retardants are some of the chemicals added to plastic products. In spite of the several problems associated with plastic bags, retail shops continue to use them since they are cheap to produce and are extremely durable and handy. They are also light weight and easy to carry which makes them extremely popular. In the last few decades several studies had focused on the adverse effects that plastic bag usage has had on the environment and on the health of humans and animals. Plastic bans have been the most popular carrying medium among U.S. citizens. Plastic bags are primarily produced by the burning of the fossil fuels. Almost 12 million barrels of oil is required for production of plastic bags in the U.S. alone ((Equinox Centre, 2013). But, the global prevalence of plastic bags included the long life span of plastic bags, littering of bags

Argument about physically disabled people. We choose a Essay

Argument about physically disabled people. We choose a subject(physically disabled people) on which to alter people's thinking - Essay Example This greatly affects the quality of life people with disability can lead. The negative attitude stemming from the society leads to denial of opportunities for the physically disabled. Physical disability is not distant from everyone of us. Personally, I underwent a major surgery at 16 on my legs which forever changed my understanding of physical disability. The surgery culminated into a rare condition called Miserable Malalignment. Eventually, matters became so complicated for me that the doctors tried to perform a correction by aligning my legs through sawing both of my legs' bones in half, twisting them to the right place and eventually using screws to keep them in place. This condition prevented me from going on with normal life and every aspect of my life was interrupted including my studies. I had become a physically disabled person. Coping with the situation was hard because I had always believed that physical disability was a condition one was born with. Therefore for me becoming physically disabled at age 16 was something I least expected. Of all facets in life, it is my schooling and social life that was worst affected. In terms of schooling I had to change from school based learning to home based schooling just because the school I had been attending had not put in place facilities for the physically disabled. This negatively affected my performance in school. During this time I came to understand how the society had been unfair to the physically disabled. The fact that my school lacked or did not have elevators or ramps dawned on me. It led me to look around and I found that very few schools had in place facilities for the physically disabled. Although the government has come up with reforms specifically those aimed at integrating special education to regular schools this has not been widespread as many schools, churches, hospitals, cinema theatres, shopping malls as well as other public places lack facilities for the physically disabled. My social life was equally affected considering the fact that prior to my surgery I had made friends. This enabled me to understand how society views people with social disability specifically how the society lacks important information on physical disability. The fact that friends deserted me was a clear indication that the society has formed very baseless attitudes towards people with disability. The mere sight of a physically disabled person in a wheelchair is enough to cause people to run away from those they are supposed to offer care to. I realized that there are very many stereotypes which have been formed by the society about physical disability. The society does not understand th at disability is not inability. Therefore it is not rare to hear cases of physically disabled people who are qualified being denied opportunities because the stereotype that; disabled people cannot perform like non-disabled people, is very rife in the community. There is even belief in some communities that physical disability is communicable or contagious and therefore if one is physically disabled, friends and foes alike tend to keep a 'safe' distance. The stereotypes formed around physical disability go in as far as making some parents or caregivers to fail to take physically disabled children to school because they hold the belief that physical

HOW FAST FOOD IN AMERICA EFFECTS THE GROWTH OF CHILD OBESITY Research Paper

HOW FAST FOOD IN AMERICA EFFECTS THE GROWTH OF CHILD OBESITY - Research Paper Example Such overweight and obese children are, often, the recipients of consistent harassment, cruel taunts, and likely, bullying. Unfortunately, the number of children falling into the category of obese, or well on their way to becoming obese, is growing and has been for some time. Why are children battling issues of obesity at younger and younger ages? There are multiple theories about the different aspects and elements of modern society that are contributory to the issue of childhood obesity. Many researchers favor the idea that it is the fast food industry that can, and should, be blamed for this unhealthy trend in childhood weight gain. Although, it is unlikely, that fast food alone can be held entirely responsible; however, it is most certainly a contributor. Background A child can be classified as overweight if their â€Å"body mass Index,† or BMI, is higher than the 85th percentile for their age and gender. Obesity is determined when a child’s BMI is at or above the 95 th percentile for their gender and age. The number of children that fall into these percentiles has, essentially, tripled over the last 3 decades. (Miller , Rosenbloom, and Silverstein 1) The dangers for children who are overweight or obese are at risk to contract or develop a number very serious diseases and conditions; cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and prediabetes, which can eventually evolve into actual diabetes. Children who are obese may, also, face unpleasant social isolation, which can lead to psychological and self esteem issues. Overweight and obese children are considerably more likely to grow up to me overweight and obese adults. At which point they, potentially, become even more at risk of developing the aforementioned conditions, but, also, joint problems and heightened risk of developing cancers of the prostate, cervix, breast, pancreas, bladder, and kidney to name a few. Given a bit more time, at this rate, obesity, or complications caused by it, will b ecome the number 1 cause of death in the United States.(Miller, Rosenbloom, and Silverstein 1) Because childhood obesity is a concern that does not seem to be slowing down or stopping, much research has been done to determine causes that have allowed childhood obesity to increase so much, preventions that can combat these modern causes, and treatments to improve the health and lives who are presently overweight or obese. There are a multitude of contributing factors, some genetic, others environmental, and some are related to the nature and quality of the food that they consume. ("Childhood Obesity") Fast food, like pizza, tacos, burgers and fries, and all the franchises open all times and hours, has earned a finger pointed their direction as the pan-ultimate cause of childhood obesity. Although not all researchers agree, but the fast food industry does absolutely play a significant part. Discussion The modern society we live in today is so very different from generations that came before us. The nature of jobs and entertainment have all become far more sedentary with all of the new technological advances; televisions, video games, and computers encourage longer and longer periods devoid of physical activity. The children are a product of that environment. It has, also, been determined that our modern world is far more dangerous than it once was, children’s parents are less comfortable with their children playing outside, parks and playgrounds are

MLA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

MLA - Essay Example I had a circle of close friends who met years ago and studied together for some time. We knew everything about each other because we met at the time when just could not hide anything or pretend. We shared common life goals, helped each other in difficult situations, had our special jokes that nobody else could understand. We lived in a small world of four. When you know a person long enough and he/she starts changing unexpectedly sometimes you cannot see these changes for a long time but notice only the result. Especially when this person is you. We were planning to have a little trip together as we always did but at that time I got acquainted to a new girl Sandra and we clicked immediately. It seemed that all the previous years we read the same books, watched the same movies, and listened to the same bands. This easy and positive atmosphere that became a part of our relationship made me forget about those friends who I was supposed to be with. I suddenly felt that my old friends became boring with their trivial jokes and primitive entertainments when my new fried offered much more inspirational things. She was always there for me with a new proposition. At that time I looked on my friends from a new perspective: â€Å"I don`t see their progress. They are doing the same things they were always doing. No ideas, no positive impact on me†. And in the day of our trip I just realized that I did not want to go, I did not want to spend my time with them because I felt superior to my friends and thought that this experience could not be interesting to me. How superficial and stupid of me! But at that time I was so persuaded in my position that decided not to explain anything to them. And know what I did? I sent a message in which I simply refused to come and refused to explain my solution. Since that episode I have not spoken to any of my old friends and, to be sincere, I

Where Are We with the US Recession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Where Are We with the US Recession - Essay Example The whole of the viewpoints as presented in the article are based on the indications of two different definitions of recession. The first definition is based on the indication of contraction of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in two consecutive quarters. The second definition of a recession is in accordance with the system developed by National Bureau Economic Research (NBER) which is based on the contraction of employment, industrial production, real sales and real income in the economic cycles whose dates are as declared by the Bureau. Â  As analyzed by the authors, as per the first system, the recession in the United States had not begun till that date. The Gross Domestic product graph showed an upward trend in the first quarter of 2008, which accounted for 0.6 percent. This trend was in continuation with similar growth trends indicated in the last quarter of 2007. Though the article envisaged a downward trend by the end of the second quarter, this may be reversed in the third quarter as the consumption of the tax rebate cheques issued by the Bush government would take effect by this period. Â  In the second methodology the National Bureau Economic Research uses monthly indicators from the national accounts against the variables of employment, industrial production, real sales and real income to determine the actual dates of economic cycles and this system thus becomes more inclusive of minute details than in the case of the first methodology which only considers GDP trends whose frequency is quarterly. This allows the freedom to declare recession without the concurrent occurrence of GDP contraction, as happened in 1960 and 2001.The authors of the article also describe the non- predictive nature of this methodology as NBER declares a recession only after six months of the actual start of the recession.

Grammar and composition Pet peeve Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Grammar and composition Pet peeve - Essay Example Just a few minutes will not hurt you at all. I am ___ and I will talk about my pet peeve. If you suddenly interrupt me when I am saying something, or when I am obviously concentrated on a particular task, you will get killed by poisoned arrows from my gaze or receive sarcastic responses to brainless questions. I think hard before and even as I speak. I do not throw words carelessly like crumpled paper missing the trash as its target. The thinking-before-and-while-speaking process is an arduous and sophisticated process for me. It needs and involves order, analysis, and reflection. I frequently speak because I want to say something important. Oftentimes, I want to defend my ideas or claims, or give instructions to others. These arguments and instructions are from my consciousness and subconsciousness, so it is important for these words to flow out continuously. Interruptions are the bane of my creative juices. Attention and concentration will be gone, and I will be loss for words. When I am also doing something, I devote my whole body and mind on it. I remember I was writing a complaint letter to a company, when my dear cousin interrupted me. I forgot a very important detail, which I believed was crucial to my complaint. I could not remember that lost detail up to now. And up to now, that complaint remains unresolved. Point 2: I admit that I have memory retrieval problems, so interruptions stress me to the point that my look alone will feel like arrows on your skin, or my responses to thoughtless questions will result to sarcasm. Interrupt me and arrows will come from my eyes. You will feel yourself shrinking, as I say: â€Å"Can you not wait? I am speaking and you will have your turn. Now that you have interrupted me, you twisted my sanity and dislodged me from humanity.† And then I will smile to dissipate tension. After that, I will say, â€Å"Please do not interrupt me again. What do you have to say that is

The long term effects of drug abuse on the unborn fetus of a pregnant Dissertation

The long term effects of drug abuse on the unborn fetus of a pregnant mother - Dissertation Example It is believed that drug abuse by pregnant mothers causes maladaptive behaviors stemming from Axis II diagnosis including (but not limited to) bipolar disorders, borderline personality disorders, schizophrenia, conduct disorders, antisocial and learning disorders. Introduction Substance abuse is linked to a number of different physical and mental defects in the offspring of abusers. A large volume of research exists on the phenomenon and its various dimensions. The physical and mental disabilities endowed to the fetus of substance abusers are complex and have thus been categorized into various systems for closer examination. This research will largely be concerned with a systematic study of long term effects on the fetuses of substance abusers based on Axis II diagnosis alone. A large amount of rich material both of a qualitative and quantitative nature exists for the current research area. The current research will rely on the examination of existing literature since it has both qua ntitative findings and quantitative findings. This will allow the current research to utilize qualitative methods in order to derive qualitative findings that are supported by quantitative results. The current research could have been geared for a pure mixed methods research but the shortage of time and resources precludes any such methods. In order to investigate fetuses that are born from substance abusing mothers, a large sample set and an adequate amount of time is required. The typical time required for such research would be at least a few years since the born child would only display Axis II disorders when they reach their early learning years. However, the shortage of time and the lack of access to a large sample set ready to participate in quantitative research require that the current research be geared towards qualitative methods alone. As mentioned before, the provision of both qualitative and quantitative results also supports the contention that a comprehensive literat ure review would suffice for the current research. Background to Drug Abuse during Pregnancy Drug abuse refers to the consumption of drugs without direct medical advice or supervision. It is widely believed that drug abuse relates to the recreational abuse of mood altering substances but the use of any drugs for performance enhancement is also essentially drug abuse. Based on this classification, drug abuse involves drugs that are mood altering, performance enhancing as well as psychoactive in character. The use of any forms of drugs, whether legal or illegal, is considered as drug abuse as long as there is no medical justification for their use (Ksir & Ray, 2002). Another major feature of drug abuse is the dependence created by drug use. Drug abusers or substance abusers require continuous consumption of the subject drug in order to satisfy their body’s urges. The number of drugs being abused around the world is too large to be discussed within the framework of this research alone. However, the most common feature displayed by all used drugs is the tendency of the user to rely excessively on the subject drug for mood altering or performance enhancement purposes (Barrett, Meisner, & Stewart, 2008). The dependency of the drug abuser on the drugs causes the greatest problems during pregnancy because the drug abuser is unable to

Internal combustion engine Essay Example for Free

Internal combustion engine Essay An electric car is a vehicle which is driven by electric engines. The engines use electrical energy which is usually stored in batteries. Electric car is a variation of electric vehicle (EV). EV speaks of any vehicles which are propelled by electric engines. â€Å"Electric car† is a general term for high-speed vehicles which are powered by electricity. In the United States, low-speed vehicles which are powered by electricity are known as neighbourhood electric vehicles (NEVs), and as electric motorised quadricycles in Europe. Electric cars which are powered by different energy sources are also referred to by different names: if they are powered by sunlight, they are called solar cars. If they are powered by gasoline generators, they are called hybrid cars. The term â€Å"electric car† is usually referring to battery electric vehicles (BEVs), which are powered by on-board battery packs. Advantages of Electric Cars The first thing which comes to people’s mind when we talk about the advantages of electric cars is usually on pollution. Electric cars do not cause pollution related to internal combustion engines. The electricity used to recharge electric cars obviously has to come from somewhere, and most of the electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels. Yes, this causes pollution for sure, but there are also other methods to produce electricity. Hydropower and nuclear plants have helped in cutting the carbon emissions. Despite all the electricity production, the carbon emissions produced by electric cars is said to be half of what gas-powered cars produce. Another major advantage is you do not need gas anymore. In a year, an average American spends around $2,000 to $4,000 on gas only. Although electricity is not free, the fact that you do not have to pay so much for gas is relieving. The third advantage which needs to be stressed on is the batteries. Though you cannot drive many hundred miles with an electric car, you can still travel a rather long distance. An electric car can travel up to 100 miles on full battery. The distance it can provide is perfect for you to travel from your home to your workplace, and vice versa. Also the batteries recycle well. Almost 100 per cent of the batteries can be recycled; this helps preventing it from causing disposal problems. Electric cars are more efficient compared to gas-powered cars, in terms of energy and maintenance. Electric engines use 75 per cent of the energy from the batteries to run the wheels, while internal combustion engines only use about 20 per cent of the energy from fuel. Electrical engines also require less maintenance compared to internal combustion engines. You no longer need oil to lubricate the engine. The brakes would not wear off as quickly as gas-powered cars. You do not need belts in the engines, which will wear out due to overuse, in electric cars. Disadvantages of Electric Cars The major disadvantage of an electric car is the batteries. Electric car batteries are not cheap. They can cost around $5,000, and the better the batteries, the more expensive they are. Not only are they expensive, but you will also need to change them more than once, as the batteries have a limited lifetime. The time required for recharging the batteries is also very lengthy. To fully charge the batteries, you need 4 to 8 hours. This is a very serious disadvantage, as most people need to have their cars ready 24/7. With gas-powered cars, you just need a few minutes to fully refill the tank. Still on the batteries, another disadvantageous factor is their size and weight. Batteries used for electric cars need to be linked together into arrays, which form battery packs. Battery packs are bulky and heavy. They take up a significant amount of the vehicle space. Given the heavy weight, they battery packs can reduce the distance of how far the car can travel. Another disadvantage is the silence of electric cars. Yes, it can be soothing for some people, but it can also be dangerous for others. People usually listen to the sound of the revving engines when cars are coming up behind or beside them. When it is silent, they might not notice the cars and they can end up in an accident. Bibliography Bhat, N. (n. d. ). The Future: Our Planet in 2050 | Electric Cars. Retrieved November 05, 2013, from ThinkQuest: http://library. thinkquest. org/C008050/ecars4. html CarsDirect. (2012, January 27). Advantages and Disadvantages of Electric Cars. Retrieved November 05, 2013, from CarsDirect: http://www. carsdirect. com/green-cars/electric-cars-advantages-and-disadvantages Demuro, D. (n. d.). Electric Cars: Benefits and Disadvantages. Retrieved November 05, 2013, from AutoTrader: http://www. autotrader. com/research/article/car-tips/208155/electric-cars-benefits-and-disadvantages. jsp Enterprise Industry magazine. (2012, July 13). Automotive Industry. Retrieved November 05, 2013, from European Commissions Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry: http://ec. europa. eu/enterprise/sectors/automotive/index_en. htm Fix, L. (n. d. ). Advantages and Disadvantages of Electric Cars. Retrieved November 05, 2013, from Lauren Fix, The Car Coach, Automotive Expert: http://www.laurenfix. com/Advantages-and-Disadvantages-of-Electric-Cars Khan, A. (2012, November 25). Advantages and Disadvantages of an Electric Car! Retrieved November 06, 2013, from Tune Article: http://www. tunearticle. com/article-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-an-electric-car-. html Lampton, C. (2008, August 18). How Electric Car Batteries Work. Retrieved November 05, 2013, from HowStuffWorks: http://auto. howstuffworks. com/fuel-efficiency/vehicles/electric-car-battery. htm National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT. (1998, June 17). Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Retrieved November 05, 2013, from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): http://www. nhtsa. gov/cars/rules/rulings/lsv/lsv. html#lsv48 Pedrovsky. (2012, February 24). The Advantages and Disadvantages of Electric Vehicles. Retrieved November 06, 2013, from HubPages: http://pedrovsky. hubpages. com/hub/The-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-electric-vehicles Zak, B. (2011, April 04). Advantages and Disadvantages of Electric Cars. Retrieved November 06, 2013, from Goal for the Green: http://www. goalforthegreen. com/2011/04/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-electr.

Anatomy and Physiology Ch. 1 Study Guide Essay Example for Free

Anatomy and Physiology Ch. 1 Study Guide Essay Anatomy the study of the form or structure and arrangement of body parts and their relationships Physiology the study of the functions of the body parts or structures and their relationships in maintaining life processes. Levels of Structural Organization The human body consists of levels of structural organization that are associated with one another. There are six levels of structural organization: I. chemical level It is the simplest level and it includes all of the chemical substances essential for maintaining life. These substances are made up of atoms. An atom is the smallest unit of matter. Matter is anything that takes up space and has mass. Atoms combine to form molecules, which may be simple or complex. Different types of molecules combine to form or~anelles (little organs). Organelles are specific structures that carry out specific functions. 2. cellular level The cell is the basic unit of structure and function and of life. Cells vary in size, shape, and function and may contain many types of organelles. 3. tissue level Tissues are groups of similar cells that perform a specific function. There are four major types of tissues in the human body: a. epithelial tissue It is found lining body cavities and covers the surface of the body. It functions in protection, secretion, and excretion. b. connective tissue It is found on the surfaces of and in organs and tissues and functions in protection, support, and attaching organs and tissues to each other and to the walls of body cavities. c. muscle tissue It functions in the movement of body parts and organs, and in the movement of substances throughout the body. There are three major types of muscle tissue: (1) skeletal muscle It is found attached to and covering bones and it functions in body movement. (2) cardiac muscle It is located in the heart wall and functions in the contraction and relaxation of the heart as it beats. (3) smooth muscle It is located in the walls of internal or visceral organs and it functions in moving substances throughout the body. d. nervous tissue It is located in the brain and spinal cord, and extends to various tissues and organs. It functions in transmitting electrical or nerve impulses from the external and internal environments to the brain and spinal cord where it is interpreted and a response occurs. 4. organ level Organs are groups of two or more types of tissue working together to perform a specific function. 5. organ system level ~ sTstems are groups of organs that work closely together to perform a common function. There are eleven organ systems in the human body: 6. organismal level It is the highest level of structural organization and it consists of groups of organ systems working together to maintain body structure and function. Organ systems work together to maintain an internal environment that is fairly constant, stable, or balanced. This is referred to as homeostasis (to stay the same). Changes do occur, but within very narrow ranges or limits. Homeostasis Body parts or structures function efficiently in maintaining metabolic processes and when the survival needs are within certain limits or optimum levels. The survival needs include: water, oxyqen, nutrients, an appropriate bod~ temperature, and atmospheric pressure. Water is necessary for chemical reactions, excretion, and secretion. Oxyqen is required for many of the metabolic reactions that break down nutrients and provide energy. Nutrients provide energy for cells and cell processes. Bod~ temperature must be maintained within a certain range for chemical reactions and cell processes to perform efficiently. If the body temperature falls too low or increases too high, chemical reactions will slow down or may stop. Atmospheric pressure is the force of air on the body surface by the weight of air. It is important in breathing and in the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs. To maintain homeostasis there are control mechanisms. Control mechanisms consist of three parts: i. receptor It responds to sensory stimuli from the internal and external environments. The information is sent along afferent pathways to the control center. 2. control center It consists of the brain and spinal cord which interpret and analyze the information and determine an appropriate response. Information is then sent along efferent pathways to the effector. 3. effector It consists of tissues, organs, or glands that perform a motor response to the original stimulus that was received by the receptor. The response involves a feedback mechanism. If the response slows down or inhibit~ the stimulus it is a neqative feedback mechanism. If the response speeds up or enhances the stimulus, it is a positive feedback mechanism. Most control mechanisms for homeostasis in the human body are negative feedback mechanisms.

Industry Scenario Analysis Of Arcelormittal Economics Essay

Industry Scenario Analysis Of Arcelormittal Economics Essay Steel is a very important material used in everything from construction to machines, automobiles, appliances and even weapons. Steel has laid the foundation for modern civilization and it played a crucial part in the development of industries all over the world. Essentially it is an alloy with a major content of iron and the rest carbon varying anywhere between 0.2 percentage and 2.1 percentage. Steel itself has been in existence over many hundreds of years but the process of making it has evolved as years progressed along with technology. Steel distinguishes itself from other metals and alloys based on rust resistance, recyclability and weld ability. The advancement of the steel industry is often linked to the economic development as it played a crucial role in it. Around 1.3 billion tonnes of steel was produced in 2007. And according to reports it is expected to grow by more than 10 % in 2010. (Peter Marsh, 2009) ArcelorMittal Mittal steel acquired Arcelor in June 2006 to become the worlds largest steel producer. With operations in more than 60 countries it has its industries rooted in more than 20 countries over four continents. Arcelor based in Luxemburg was the biggest steel producer in Europe when Mittal acquired it after a dramatic five month long takeover battle. Currently Mr.Lakshmi Mittal is the Chairman and main owner of ArcelorMittal. According to ArcelorMittal, it had a crude steel production of 73.2 tonnes which is approximately 8 percentage of the total steel production in the world. It had revenue of $65.1 billion. Listed in stock exchanges of New York, Amsterdam, Paris, Luxemburg, Brussels and Spain it is a global industrial force to be reckoned with (ArcelorMittal, 2010). Major Competitors in the Steel Industry After the acquisition of Arcelor, ArcelorMittal firmly established itself as the leading steel producer in the world. According to the World Steel Association in 2008, the top 5 players in steel the industry were: ArcelorMittal Nippon Baosteel POSCO Hebei Steel Group Rank Company Amount of Production (Million Metric Tonnes) 1 ArcelorMittal 103.3 2 Nippon 37.5 3 Baosteel 35.4 4 POSCO 34.7 5 Hebei Steel Group 33.3 (World Steel Association, 2008) Key Competencies The steel industry focuses on core competency factors such as: advanced technology for example use of advanced laser cutting tools during the production stage environment sustainability by ensuring no damage or pollution to nature employee enrichment example good training and technological exposure effective management of competition with superior technology with constant research and development responsibility to shareholders ArcelorMittal claims the entire above core competencies required in the industry. It has developed a robust corporate social responsibility strategy with the four key points of focus: making steel more sustainable by making steel production greener and environmental friendly transparent governance by careful study of impacts and risks and improvement in quality of disclosure to stakeholders enriching communities by engaging them and progressing with partnerships and open communication investing in people by ensuring safe and healthy work environments which is also innovative These four key strategies form their core competency strategy and were formed soon after the merger of Arcelor and Mittal by careful research and studies into other major players in the industry (ArcelorMittal, 2010). Key Resources The steel industry depends on all or most of the following key resources for its sustainability and growth: Iron ore Coal Limestone Steel scraps Technological resources Research and development resources Human resources (Steel University, 2002) Growth rate and Profitability of the Steel Industry According to the World Steel Association, the major steel production over the world has increased as compared to the previous year. The production in 2009 November was 107.5 million metric tonnes (mmt) which was 24.2 % more than in November 2008. They claim that a month on month comparison with the previous year production definitely shows more production in 2009 as compared to 2008. (World Steel Association, 2010) In terms of profitability, steel prices have had a steady rise helping many companies like Fosun in China to move up in the list from fifteenth to sixth position. Reports clam that it had revenue of $5.7 billion last year. Price of steel has increased over the last year by 35 % and is currently at $ 230 per tonne (Michael Sainsbury, 2010). Many steelmakers in Europe and U.S are investing more in the industry indicating a possible increase in profitability (Alex MacDonald Alexander Kolyandr, 2010). Firms Performance Even though ArcelorMittal is the leading producer of steel in the world and even with the increase in production the same cannot be said of its profits. ArcelorMittal is said to make a net loss of $792 million. Mr Mittal expressed his opinion that the growth in profits would be slow and progressive over time. Mostly the low profits registered were due to efforts of the company to change its debt structure and bring it down from the current $ 22 million. ArcelorMittal is planning to invest around 4 billion in capital expenditure (Alex MacDonald Alexander Kolyandr, 2010). Industry Forces (Porter, 2008) Using Porters five forces framework examining Arcelor Mittals competitive forces we get the following results: Threat of entry: The steel industry has low potential threats in the form of new entrants in the market due to the heavy investment required. Even then new entrants such as Sererstal and Evraz in Russia pose considerable threat to existing steel producers. Rivalry among existing players: While new entrants maybe rare existing competition poses the largest threat to Arcelor Mittal. Close competition in mainly from China, Nippon. Analysts predict the steel industry growth is going to be concentrated in Asia in the future. Other competitors like Tata Steel, Baosteel and POSCO also have to be fought off from eating up profits. Power of buyers: The bargaining powers of buyers are not to be underestimated. Even with growing production the steel industry has not been able to show growth in profitability in the same light due to falling prices. Competition has also led to this state of economic crisis. Power of suppliers: The major suppliers where ArcelorMittal is considered are the iron ore suppliers. Main ore suppliers in the market like Vale, Rio Tinto, BHP and Gloucester were accused by major steel industries of raising ore prices and shifting bargaining power in their favour (Sarah, 2010). ArcelorMittal even raised concerns about possible joint venture by BHP and Rio stating that they were already in power were prices were concerned and this venture could affect the steel industry adversely. (Alex, 2010) Substitutes: Many substitutes to steel such as aluminium pose competition in areas like automobile and aircraft manufacturing. Opportunity or Threat? Entrants: Entrants into the industry are definitely a threat to ArcelorMittal as it would swallow profits and take up part of their space in the global market. The threat that exists may be more of a local nature for example when new entrants come at national level inside a country. Threat of new entrants are however a minor possibility and a rare occurrence and hence not much cause for concern. Existing players: Existing players pose more of a threat than new entrants as they are a force to be reckoned with. They pose a threat in terms of price. ArcelorMittal is the biggest steel producer in volume but not the most profitable. Low prices offered by other existing companies lure away customers and result in lower profits for ArcelorMittal. Power of Buyers: This could be more of an opportunity for ArcelorMittal in the sense that having the biggest resources in their hand they may be able to easily attract buyers. ArcelorMittal has modern technology which is a major attractive feature to potential buyers. Power of suppliers: This is the largest threat so far to the industry. They are hard to deal with. Price bargaining power seems to be concentrated on the part of suppliers and have negatively affected ArcelorMittal and the steel industry as a whole. Joint venture between Rio and BHP is most certainly an offensive strategy. Substitutes: Substitutes do pose a certain amount of threat. But it also holds an opportunity for the industry to research and develop more and more uses for steel and also make advancements in the production processes. As it is technology has enabled steel to be manufactured more thinly than ever before. Experiments in alloy compositions have resulted in more products and discovery of their applications. Industry Position As far as ArcelorMittal is concerned it strongly suggests that the steel industry is a developing industry with a lot of potential. Many of the risky decisions taken by the company were its strong belief in this industry. ArcelorMittal has not broken its stride in its development since it began. New acquisitions and entry into new markets have only confirmed this. ArcelorMittal plans on staying in this market and even acquired Uttam Galva Steels Ltd in India predicting that the next big steel consumer would be India with its rising population and automobile industry (ArcelorMittal, 2010). Mr Mittal also predicted a 10 % growth in the industry in 2010. Combatting Industrial Threats The steel industries face various industrial threats and have to be ready to overcome these threats and still stay in the game. Some examples are as below: Iron ore price: Suppliers are mostly in control of iron ore pricing and these are directly responsible for steel industry profitability. Recently Rio one of the largest suppliers in this market took a decision to price the iron ore on a quarterly basis changing the annual pricing standard. This is was a major setback for the steel industry. The World Steel Association was in negotiation with the iron ore suppliers to change this norm as the steel industries were still recovering from global recessions (James Regan, 2010). A good industrial relation would help overcome this problem. If the whole steel industry disagreed on this and refused to buy on this pricing norm, a change could be brought about. Also it is important to keep communication open between the suppliers and the market and make it clear that their survival depends on the growth of the industry and such decisions could be a setback affecting both the buyer and supplier in one way or the other. European Emissions Trading System: Many companies in the steel industry like ArcelorMittal and Lafarge faced heavy charges based on the carbon emissions according to the EU trading scheme. They were able to combat this problem by lobbying together and convincing the European Union that they deserved considerable reductions in this or they would be forced to shift location of their plants to more profitable nations. This would be an economic downfall or the EU and hence they succumbed to the threat (The Ecologist, 2010). Economic Recession: This is the most dangerous threat of all to the steel industry. In countries like Russia, an entire city depends on a steel plant for its livelihood and in times of recession these places are hit hard and employment rates soar. In such times the government adopts strict measures and sometimes even offer ultimatum to steel companies to improve performance or leave. During this global recession, Siberian government threatened to seize the assets of ArcelorMittal if they failed to increase coal production in their mines. Such situations call for a contingency plan. Companies must be ready for worst case scenarios instead of always looking at a brighter prospect (Stratfor, 2009). Competing firms can combine and combat threat in the industry through organizations like World Steel Association. A strong stand on any issue facing the industry would help to resolve the problem. Recent trends in the industry indicate a higher volume of steel consumption especially in the Asian region and companies are all set to take advantage of this situation by concentrating their efforts in this region. ArcelorMittal hopes to take advantage of this situation and have already set this in motion by purchasing Uttam Steel in India. They are all set to harness the high revenue automobile market by doing so. ArcelorMittal plans on staying in the leadership position by having a strong consistent management strategy. ArcelorMittal states that they lay special emphasis on product diversity, geographic reach, vertical integration both into raw material production, designed to minimize risk caused by economic cycles, and downstream distribution, providing value added and customised steel solutions through further processing to meet customer specific requirements .According to them customers form the core of their business. They also give prime importance to transferring tomorrow with Sustainability, Quality and Leadership (ArcelorMittal, 2010). Top Players in the Steel Industry The top ten players in the steel industry are as follows: ArcelorMittal Heibei Steel Group Baosteel POSCO Wuhan I S Anshan Benxi Shagang Nippon Steel JFE Tata Steel According to news reports, the Chinese are overtaking steel production. More than half the top ten steel producers in the world are from China. (China Tells, 2009) ArcelorMittal is the largest producer and will remain to be so due to its highly competitive investment strategy. Another fast growing company is Tata Steel with its acquisition of Corus, the second largest steel producer in Europe, it poses considerable competition to ArcelorMittal. Positioning of Players in the Industry The major players in the industry are positioning themselves based on the following factors: Environment: With the growing competition and supplier power, the major steel players are trying to find a balance between growth and profitability. Many reforms in the industrial laws and globalisation trends have proved to be both good and bad for the industry. The economic trends have been particularly bad for the industry over the past few years. But this is expected to change and growth in industry and profitability is expected in the next few years. Capability: Each player in the industry is vying for the top technological advancements and is investing heavily in their capital infrastructure as well as in research and development. It has become a highly competitive market. Purpose: The major steel companies are also turning more and more to corporate social responsibility and are taking efforts to implement an environmental friendly production plant and processes. (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington 2008) Role of Distribution and Logistics While the Chinese steel manufacturers are advancing they still lag behind in terms of distribution and logistics as compared to the developed countries. The Chinese government has however taken more interest in this after its entry in the World Trade Organization and are planning to invest more in this sector (China International Steel Distribution and Logistics Conference, 2007). Distribution and logistics play a crucial role especially in the case of automobile industry where new vehicles have a fluctuating demand for materials. ArcelorMittal stayed on top of the game by finding solutions for failings on of the buyer in terms of wrong order, changing order etc. In fact ArcelorMittal won the Logistics award from PSA Peugeot Citroen in March 2010 (Vincent Daenen, 2010). Acquisitions and Mergers and Ownership Patterns Acquisitions and mergers in the industry have definitely changed the ownership patterns in the global steel industry. The biggest change in the history of the steel industry was the acquisition of Arcelor by Mittal steel to form ArcelorMittal. This resulted in the company becoming the worlds top producer of steel. Acquisitions also have helped the companies to penetrate some markets. For example the Tata acquiring Concur resulted in its entry into European markets and Arcelor acquiring Uttam Steel in India also helped it enter a fast developing market. In this industry strategic alliances may not be always possible as it is a highly competitive industry with each player vying for more market share. In such a scenario spin offs or creating of new entity may be the solution. This would help create synergy by combining resources and moving in towards the same goals. Environmental Changes and Constraints Affecting the Industry The changes in the business environment in terms of technological, political, social , etc have a deep impact on the steel industry. Some examples are as follows: Economic changes: the global recession hit the steel industry hard. Profitability went down considerable and even the major players like ArcelorMittal faced threats of shutting down of some of their operations. This has also made them aware of their need to change their debt capital infrastructure after the recession receded. Climatic changes: the Emissions Trading directive has had a direct impact on the three main emissions in the industry which are the coke oven gas, blast furnace gas and basic oxygen furnace gas (EUROFER, 2010). Many of the steel producers have to ask for special treatment or risk change of plant locations. Technological changes: technological diffusion is called for in countries especially China who is expected to lead in the greenhouse gas emissions by early next century owing to its high economic growth rate and also its use of coal (Fisher-Vanden, Karen, 2010). Social changes: Social changes as in the treatment of employees have evolved with the advancement in the steel industries. ArcelorMittal is a company that invests heavily in manpower, its safety and development in its company (ArcelorMittal, 2010) Changes in Customer Demand Patterns The customer demand has been on a rise Financial Strategies in the Industry Conclusion Likely Scenario Pessimistic Scenario OptimisticScenario

My Mom the Matchmaker :: Personal Narrative Profile

My Mom the Matchmaker I was walking around Fairfield High's Arts and Crafts show last weekend when I saw a mirror with that saying engraved around the edge. I didn't know whether to buy it for my mother or myself. I don't think many 17-year-old girls see a similarity between themselves and their mothers. That seems to come much later in life, if at all. But then again, most 17-year-old girls don't have a mother like mine. . . My mother made a list of colleges she wanted me to consider based on the ratio of men to women: Connecticut College was at the top. . . 600 male cadets right across the street. My mother is a professional matchmaker and my brother and I are her biggest challenges. Other third grade girls had arts and crafts parties, or pizza and video sleepovers. . . I had a boy/girl "silver disco" nighttime affair in my finished basement. Mom removed all the furniture, strung up white lights, pre-recorded all the music, and insisted that all the third grade boys arrive in ties and jackets. Their mothers said they would never come. Well, every one of them showed up, all decked out, to my mother's delight. My party was the social event of third grade. . . we still watch the video today! Mom just loves romance, what else can I say? She made her first match when she was a freshman in college, and they just celebrated their 27th anniversary. She also unknowingly fixed up my dad's gay roommate with her lesbian 2nd cousin . . .they actually dated for months before breaking the news to each other, and then to my mom. She even arranged prom dates for four seniors two days before the prom, and considered starting a venture called "Prom Partners." Not at my high school, I warned her. Back in seventh grade, when everyone was in the midst of their "first romance," Mom would always volunteer to drive the carpools home from school dances or the movies. If she saw a new couple sitting in the third seat in her rearview mirror and she thought, given a little extra time, that magical first kiss might take place, she would just keep driving around the block to give romance a chance. Needless to say, all of my friends loved her. My Mom the Matchmaker :: Personal Narrative Profile My Mom the Matchmaker I was walking around Fairfield High's Arts and Crafts show last weekend when I saw a mirror with that saying engraved around the edge. I didn't know whether to buy it for my mother or myself. I don't think many 17-year-old girls see a similarity between themselves and their mothers. That seems to come much later in life, if at all. But then again, most 17-year-old girls don't have a mother like mine. . . My mother made a list of colleges she wanted me to consider based on the ratio of men to women: Connecticut College was at the top. . . 600 male cadets right across the street. My mother is a professional matchmaker and my brother and I are her biggest challenges. Other third grade girls had arts and crafts parties, or pizza and video sleepovers. . . I had a boy/girl "silver disco" nighttime affair in my finished basement. Mom removed all the furniture, strung up white lights, pre-recorded all the music, and insisted that all the third grade boys arrive in ties and jackets. Their mothers said they would never come. Well, every one of them showed up, all decked out, to my mother's delight. My party was the social event of third grade. . . we still watch the video today! Mom just loves romance, what else can I say? She made her first match when she was a freshman in college, and they just celebrated their 27th anniversary. She also unknowingly fixed up my dad's gay roommate with her lesbian 2nd cousin . . .they actually dated for months before breaking the news to each other, and then to my mom. She even arranged prom dates for four seniors two days before the prom, and considered starting a venture called "Prom Partners." Not at my high school, I warned her. Back in seventh grade, when everyone was in the midst of their "first romance," Mom would always volunteer to drive the carpools home from school dances or the movies. If she saw a new couple sitting in the third seat in her rearview mirror and she thought, given a little extra time, that magical first kiss might take place, she would just keep driving around the block to give romance a chance. Needless to say, all of my friends loved her.

Bahamas :: essays research papers

While on vacation on The Disney Cruise, I, along with my family took a tour by boat to a small resort island. As we approached, I was awestruck by its beauty. I knew this was going to be fun, but had no idea that this place would be forever etched in my mind. Two natives dressed in brightly colored tropical shirts, white pants and shoes greeted us at the dock. They were also wearing smiles just as bright. They escorted us to an open-air type restaurant with a thatched roof that was actually attached to the pier at which we docked The restaurant had a casual atmosphere that made us feel very comfortable. The food was served buffet style, with an elegant array of Bahamian and American cuisine. The entertainment during and after the buffet was delightful. A ten minute introduction to the Bahamian culture was followed by an intriguing native dance, performed by a man dressed in an authentic looking costume consisting of only a rawhide g-string with a short apron front. His sandals had leather cords winding halfway up his legs. This dance depicted a story of a hunter and his prey. A woman who was also in costume narrated it. Brightly dressed Bahamian men were beating drums and banging sticks providing the sound effects for the story. This was truly a great beginning to a wonderful afternoon. Behind the restaurant was a private beach area, accessible by walking trails only. We walked one of these trails, observing the brightly colored tropical plants and trees that flourished on this well maintained terrain. A beautiful lagoon added to the splendor, and when we reached the end, a lookout provided a panoramic view of the entire bay. What a breathtaking sight! There was a bar here, and after a cool drink we decided to head back. We took a different trail back that brought us right to the sands. In front of us, about 150 feet was the beach. It was 90 degrees and the Bahamian sun made the sand hot under our feet. However, a gentle breeze kept us comfortable otherwise. On the beach we rented a cabana, which is little more than a thatched umbrella, table and beach chairs, and a hammock. There, we sat and enjoyed one of those big tropical drinks that have fruit on the edge of the glass and a small umbrella of its own.

Evaluating the Impact of Tourism in England Essay -- UK, Britain

Tourist Count During our visit to Ashridge Estate, we carried a tourist count on two honey pot locations known as Bridgewater Monument and Ivinghoe Beacon. 1 out of the 4 groups that visited Ashridge carried out the tourist count as we did not want to hassle the tourists. A member from the group stood at an area in both locations and took a count of the amount of teenagers, adults, OAP’s, family groups and children there were. The information was then tallied onto a table. From this, we will compare the results collected to previous years (2004-2005). The comparison will be useful as it will allow us to analyse the information to see whether there is a correlation between the number of tourism and the hypothesis. If the number of tourists has decreased, then good; less damage done to the wildlife and environment. However, if the number of tourists increased, it may also suggest that the negative impacts have likewise increased. Some of the negative impacts may be footpath erosion; more tourists use the footpath resulting in more damage, Littering; animals may eat the litter which could harm them and also the air/noise pollution created via tourist transportation; affects the air quality and environment of the local wildlife. As we took the tourist count, we categorized the tourists into age groups. The reason for this was to see which age group was more likely to have a negative impact in Ashridge. Children and teenagers for example tend to be more energetic in comparison to OAP’s, doing more active activities that could harm the local wildlife and environment e.g. football; sports. Whilst OAP’s are more passive and less energetic doing activities that are less likely to harm the wildlife and environment e.g. bird watching. So... ...to see whether they were affected by tourism. On the sketch we took detailed annotations to help us visualize the problems we saw such as footpath erosion, debris materials scattered, deep rutted soil and other negative impacts. From this we could see the difference in both footpaths ((un)managed) to see which one was more affected by tourism. The problem with the field sketches was that whilst we were drawing, it was really windy which subsequently distracted us, so there may have been some mistakes. Also, some of the pupils from the groups found it difficult to draw what they saw, so the sketches may also not have been accurate and reliable. We could improve our drawings by taking a camera to capture accurate photos that will give us reliable results. From the pictures we would be able to recall the features of the footpaths we saw in order to help our fieldwork.

Myths And Reality Of Crime Essay

In this paper, I will be providing a prediction of how strangers will describe a criminal and whether those descriptions would be likely to focus on street criminals, corporate, white-collar, or state crime. An insight of how society defines crimes and how decides what to define as a crime will also be provided. A statement about a particular crime will be presented and used in order to illustrate how we as a society know that it is an accurate statement. At last, an example of a widely held myth or misconception about crime and society will be provided explaining how society determines that it is a myth and why is so difficult to abandon that myth. It is clear that as a society we have the misconception that a criminal is a person that comes from a very poor area, lack of resources, and does not have an education. As a society we tend to focus on street criminals rather than other types of crimes that we barely hear about because they are not presented or shown on the news as much as street crimes are. I am sure that if I would have to ask or interview one hundred strangers to describe a criminal, many of them would say that a criminal is a person that breaks or does not want to follow the law. A person that steals because that is the only way they can provide for their families, a person that has mental issues that affect his/her stability to be able to have a normal life without breaking the law, can be also described as a criminal. I would say society has described crime as one of the most serious problem that our community faces due to the different behaviors people have adapted that violate values and norms. As society would say crime is a system that is put in place in order to protect the human rights of others; crime is an act of breaking and violating the law, or a behavior that offends or harm a  community or the ones around it. As the Former President Richard Nixon said in several occasions â€Å"crime is our number-one enemy and we must declare war against it† (Zastrow, 2010) but it can never be that way because we never know when we are going to be involved in some type of crime just like president Nixon was, when he faced criminal charges in connection with the Watergate affair. There are many different types of crimes that had helped society create and understand the definition of it but I think, society tends to â€Å"think that crime is a well-defined phenomenon and to have stereotyped v iews about who criminals are† (Zastrow, 2010). Most of the times, we believe that criminals are only those who are not able to have a decent job, those who does not have an education, those with lack of resources that in order to provide for their families the only way to do it is by committing a crime, and many times we tend to stereotype that generally only people of a certain race and color are the ones that commit crimes, when actually, â€Å"criminal offenses and the characteristics of lawbreakers are almost as varied as noncriminal offenses and law abiders† (Zastrow, 2010). As an example of a particular crime we have â€Å"theft† which refers to â€Å"illegally taking someone’s property without the person’s consent† (Zastrow, 2010). As a society we know this is an accurate statement because as many of us were growing up, our parents always taught us to not to take or touch things that do not belong to us otherwise we would go to jail or we will have consequences since we were committing a crime because we were violating someone else’s property and space. But as we all know this type of offense is not only about taking some else’s property, these types of offenses â€Å"range from pickpocketing and burglary to sophisticated multimillion-dollar swindles (Zastrow, 2010). Misconceptions about crime make society believe certain things that are not true most of the times. And knowing that is not true, we tend to hold this myth and misconception because that is what we heard as were growing up and learning about different types of crimes. As an example of a misconception or myth that we usually believe is true is that, â€Å"Most sexual assaults are committed by strangers† (CSOM, 2012), why do we believe this? Because we would never relate or think that our families or friends would commit a crime such as sexual assault to one of our loved ones. But the truth is that  Ã¢â‚¬Å"most sexual assaults are committed by someone known to the victim or the victim’s family, regardless of whether the victim is a child or an adult† (CSOM, 2012). According to the Center for Sex Offender Management, statistics indicate that the majority of women who have been raped know their assailant. The CSOM also states that relatives, friends, baby-sitters, persons in positions of authority over the child, or persons who supervise children are more likely than strangers to commit sexual assault. It is clear that myths like this one, makes us believe that only strangers have the power to hurt us and our families when the truth is that many times we have the enemy living under the same roof. It is sad but true, nowadays as parents and adults we have to very cautions and aware of the people around us because we never know when someone is going to harm our family and loved ones. I believe this is a myth that is very difficult to abandon because as I have stated before we do not believe that our family or friends, the people we trust are going to hurt us. We have always learned to be aware and be careful of strangers because they are dangerous person that only want to harm us and that is what teach our children too. I think we have to educate ourselves a little more in order to be able to abandon this myth and be able to teach our children the importance of speaking up when someone is trying to touch or hurt them even when is someone we know. In conclusion, as we know crime is one of the most serious problems that we face as a nation and the misconception we have as a society makes us believe that only certain type of people are the ones that commit crimes. When reality is that there are different types of crimes such as organized crimes, gambling, drug trafficking, loan sharking, white-collar crime, computer crime, hare crime, and many more. The misconceptions we have about crime create myths which makes it hard for other to believe that there are many other types of crimes and that anyone is capable of committing a crime or violate laws. References: Center for Sex Offender Management. (CSOM). (2012). Myths and Facts About Sex Offenders. Retrieved from: http://www.csom.org/pubs/mythsfacts.html Collica, K., & Furst, G. (2012). Crime and Society. San Diego, CA: Bridgeport Education, Inc. Short Cuts TV (Producer). (2010). Crimes of the Powerful [Video]. In Crime and Deviance: A Sociological Inquiry. Retrieved from http://digital.films.com/OnDemandEmbed.aspx? Zastrow, Charles. (2010). Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare. Empowering People. Tenth Edition.

According to Aristotle Essay

Laertes verbose and theatrical behaviour causes the audience to dislike him. Nevertheless, unlike Hamlet he is willing to seize revenge at the first opportunity. There are many different perspectives on how Shakespeare addresses the theme of revenge in Hamlet, and also whether it is done successfully. One criticism made by Catherine Belsey, undermines Shakespeare’s approach, as she believed the â€Å"secular injustice is not resolved†. I only agree with the statement to a certain extent, because although Hamlet puts it off and Claudius’ death isn’t planned by him – he does force Claudius to drink the poison, causing his death. If the injustice did remain unresolved, which I don’t believe it did, then that would support the criticism made by T. S Eliot that ‘Hamlet as a revenge tragedy play itself, is a failure’. In my opinion this accusation cannot be sustained as aside from the long wait, Shakespeare does manage to keep revenge the core theme throughout. According to Aristotle; an effective tragic hero is a protagonist who â€Å"†¦ is able to evoke both our pity and terror and is not thoroughly good or thoroughly bad, but a mixture of both†. I think Shakespeare is therefore successful as we do pity Hamlet because he does want to kill Claudius but his orthodox Christianity and strict moral codes acts as a barrier – his tragic flaw is procrastination. We are also scared of his ‘bad’ side which is when he kills Polonius, attacks his mother and rejects Ophelia. Shakespeare uses a number of antitheses; evil vs. good, life vs. death, secular vs. religion and so on and the audience is left to decide which successes over the other. I think Shakespeare constructs Hamlet’s character so that the audience could become him, it is natural for us to question ourselves when faced with a dilemma as imperative as his. We understand his procrastination, but on the other hand his character does raise many questions that remain unresolved even by the end of the play. For example, we question whether his love for his mother and jealousy of Claudius is simply an Oedipus complex – especially as scenes in the film and stage directions of his actions are ambiguous causing us to be unsure of what he’s actually doing to her. Overall, an audience of any century, can relate to him and he becomes a believable psychologically developed character, unlike the others who seem to me to be caricatures and representatives of certain types of people. Word Count: 1,715 A website: http://people. brandeis. edu/~teuber/earlycrit. html http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-9063348/revenge-tragedy http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Revenge_play A book: Gill, Roma ed. , ‘Hamlet’ (Oxford School, Shakespeare), Oxford University Press, 2007.

The Birth of Pleasure by Carol Gilligan

Carol Gilligan Birth of Pleasure can be considered a research in social science. She has hypothesised certain theories regarding men and women behaviour. One of her main hypothesis is that women are different from men in various ways; she argues that female have a higher level of morality that cements the relation among sexes. At times she seems a feminist who is playing for female audience. She overcomes the limitation as the book flows.For example she starts the human life story from a child perspective that is â€Å"under father’s authority† (Pg 5). She mentions that in patriarchy society there are different ways of dealing with boys and girl. For example boys are forced to learn and be disciplined at a young age compared to female. Female are forced to learn from age 13 and above at puberty. The reason for such approach; she argues is the utility of women. In a patriarchal society, women become important when they become fertile; before fertility they have no existe nce.However the problem arises when a child becomes adult and he has to unlearn the older behaviour. Sometimes it is hard to undo the learned behaviour; deep inside sometimes adults feel guilty, if they do not follow the behaviour they have been taught in childhood. Gilligan does not argue in straight forward manner about the theme patriarchy in teenagers life, but the book overall covers the relationship between children and parents as pathologies.For example she mentions that boys have two choices; either becomes good boy or bad boy; either by following the parent’s instructions or negating them to create their own social identities. The problem with such approach is that boys cannot form their own identities with reference to their true self. For girls the process began at much later stage when they approach the puberty. She insists that girls are forced by mothers to follow their footsteps and behave according to the established norms of the society.This situation gives r ise to conflict and breaking of the bond that exists between parents and children. She insists that love is based on democracy; while the patriarchy is based on hierarchy of men and women. The result of such hierarchy is patriarchy; where individuals find pain in love rather than pleasure due to the inherent conflict (in these relations). She suggests that it is possible to find pleasure with in the social norms, if couples overcome their limited roles and try to unlearn the behaviour childhood behaviour.Gilligan has taken ideas from various sources, but she is able to develop her own ideas by studying life of children and couples including her own experience of life spiced with various Western myths and legends; such as Psyche and Cupid. She successfully weaves different pieces together to form one narrative immersing reader in interesting stories with one common theme. The positive effect of this style is that reader finds new interpretations about the stories and myths he is fami liar with.Gilligan sometimes seems to speak in a mystical language, when she declares that the yoke of Western love stories is made of tragedy because of the presence of patriarchy; where male justify their authority by trampling true feelings of women. Her idea of democracy of love seems un-restricted by social norms; such idea seems far from practical. All societies need to survive; the hierarchy allows a society to survive which may look cruel at time but this is how civilization are made from. Reference Gilligan, Carol (2002). The Birth of Pleasure. Random House.

EBay Business Ethics

One thing you have to understand is EBay is a company in business to make money. They offer a product that is one of the best in the industry. When Bidders Edge linked EBay’s site to other online auctions they attempted to level the playing field unfairly by letting all of EBay’s competition see what type of pricing is out there. By doing this they gave EBay’s competition an unfair competitive edge to match prices. They also exposed the user names and information of some of EBay’s customers. If EBay made certain changes to their website or the way they do things other auctions on Bidders Edge website could have made those changes as well. This is not like the competition between two grocery stores. If one store matches the prices of another it will not result in situations like computer servers being overloaded or one store putting the other out of business. If Bidders Edge was allowed to cling on to EBay’s website this would have opened doors for many others to do the same and it possibly could have driven EBay out of business or caused them serious profit losses. EBay was within their rights to protect themselves. It would be in your best interest to create your dating site to be unique to your individual clientele. The last thing you want to do is link singles from other sites like eharmony. com to yours. I’m sure if you did this you would be on the wrong end of a similar law suit. Show your individualism and do your own things don’t rely so much on what your competition is doing. Make yourself stand out. When you look at traditional trespass it is an unlawful act causing injury to a person, property, or rights of another. This could be committed with force or violence, actual or applied. This appears to just cover items like furniture or jewelry, or even stock and bonds. This was tricky for the ruling in the State of California because it had to do with communication over the internet. Can you really cause injury over communication via electronic means? This is what EBay had to prove. This is what was different in the state of California from the original definition of traditional trespass. Since Bidders Edge was communicating with EBay’s servers without EBay’s permission they could have caused injury to EBay by impacting their day to day operation. If Bidders Edge won this case other companies would have been able to pick EBay apart. I trust you will use this information wisely when getting your dating site up and running. Good luck in your future endeavors and feel free to email me if you have additional questions.

Bosnian Refugee Life in America Essay Example for Free

Bosnian Refugee Life in America Essay Thousands of refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina have fled to the United States to seek protection from the ethnoreligious conflicts of the region. To best assist these families, service providers must understand their wartime and migration experiences and their culture. The purpose of this article is to review the literature relevant to working with Bosnian Muslim refugees as well as to understand the uruque issues facing this population. The authors’ interest in Bosnian Muslim refugees is a personal one. Between 1992 and 2001, nearly 3,500 Bosnian refugees escaping ethnic cleansing and war migrated to Bowling Green, a small city of 50,000 in rural southcentral Kentucky. The Bowling Green International Center has been a part of the local community since 1979 and actively works with the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI). For more than 25 years, the center has assisted thousands of refugees of many nationalities in their migration to the United States and the local community. According to the center’s director, Marty Deputy, Bosnians make up the largest percentage of refugees that have relocated to Bowling Green (personal communication, February 3, 2005). Deputy also indicated that while Bosnian refugees have adapted well to the local community, they still face many challenges because of their experiences in Bosnia in addition to their integration into a new culture. One of the issues that continue to haunt many Bosnian refugees is post-traumatic stress—a result of war and genocide. Post-traumatic stress is particularly an issue for the adult women, who experienced the trauma of rape and sexual assault as well as witnessing the murder of their children and spouses. According to Deputy (personal communication, February 3, 2005), social workers should approach Bosnian families and children with cultural competence. If visiting a Bosnian home, for example, removing one’s shoes when entering is a display of respect and sensitivity. A willingness to drink a strong cup of Bosnian coffee is also appreciated. Social workers also must be sensitive about body language and speech tone. It is also important not to assume that all Bosnians are alike. As with all cultures, there is tremendous variation in the Bosnian culture, along with individual differences in personality and environmental experiences. Bosnian Muslim Experiences in the War The 1991 census for Bosnia-Herzegovina shows that Muslims made up 43. 7% of the total population of 4. 3 million people. Serbs accounted for 31. 3% and Croats 17. 3% (Bringa, 1995). Serbs identified the Muslims’ majority population base in Bosnia-Herzegovina as its strategic strength (Cigar, 1995). In 1992, therefore, the Serbs declared war and began a campaign of ethnic cleansing to eradicate non-Serbs. The term â€Å"ethnic cleansing† stands for the policy of ridding an area of an undesirable national group to create a homogenous region; it represents a type of genocide that is designed to spread terror (Friedman, 1996; Weine & Laub, 1995). Serbia’s initial rationale for its policy was promulgated by the belief that the newly formed state of Bosnia-Herzegovina would create national minorities of the Serb population and eventually destroy the Serb populace as a discrete and unique nation (Friedman, 1996). The prospect of acquiring material goods from the Muslims—land, livestock, houses, cars, and cash—apparently was an additional powerful incentive for many Serbs (Cigar, 1995; Sells, 1998). The indigenous Bosnian Serb population was drawn into a terror campaign of killing and mayhem so the non-Serbian populations would never return. This persecution ultimately led to more than one million Balkan refugees migrating to the United States and other countries. The types of experiences they endured in their homeland before emigrating dramatically influenced their initial adaptation to these new environments. Resettlement and Adaptation Issues As difficult as the war-related experiences were, migration to resettlement countries signaled a transition to new types of struggles for Bosnian refugees. Unlike immigrants who leave their homes for a variety of reasons, refugees leave in order to survive, and they face a new realm of stressors as they attempt to rebuild their lives in exile (Keyes, 2000; Worthington, 2001). Such stressors include difficult transit experiences; culture shock; adjustment problems related to language and occupational change; and disruption in their sense of self, family, and community (Lipson, 1993; Worthington, 2001). Additionally, refugees leaving Bosnia-Herzegovina often have suffered multiple losses, such as severance from family and friends who have been left behind or killed, displacement from their homes and communities, social isolation, and the premature death of their children. Such an accumulation of loss can leave a sense of unresolved grief that can significantly impact mental health and future functioning capacity (Akhtar, 1992; Fullilove, 1996; Sundquist & Johansson, 1996; Worthington, 2001). When refugees cross national boundaries seeking asylum, they typically find themselves in an alien social environment with norms that challenge their traditional patterns of family interaction (Mayadas & Segal, 2000). Most Bosnian refugees have a hierarchical familial power structure and clear role definitions; in the homeland, authority was typically gender-based, with males maintaining instrumental roles and females fulfilling nurturing responsibilities. A traditional Bosnian woman’s commitment to her family includes observing strict codes of privacy and public silence on any issue that might bring shame on the family, such as family discord. For many women, this privacy mandate deters them from divulging details about marital strife or child maltreatment by spouses to outsiders such as work colleagues, community members, and mental health professionals. Consequently, Bosnian female refugees continue to be caught between traditional role models prevalent throughout the former Yugoslavia’s patriarchal society in the 20th Century and the expectations of their new culture. The Bosnian family’s patriarchal patterns of behavior tend to be challenged on arrival in the United States, particularly around work-related issues. Women are more likely than men to find jobs in the low-wage labor market, and in becoming the breadwinners exposed to the outside world, they risk upsetting a family equilibrium based on male authority (Mayadas & Segal, 2000). For Bosnian men, key ethnic and social boundary markers of their lives had evaporated; because of their grief over this, many seemed paralyzed in their attempt to move forward in their new life. Bosnian refugee children also face immense acculturation pressures (Mayadas & Segal, 2000). They often are torn between the beliefs, customs, and values learned in their native culture and the often unrealistic expectations of the new one. The pressure to assimilate the cultural norms of their new country can be intense and extremely stressful. Their parents often lack the material resources and support systems to adequately assist them in navigating the complex terrain of foreign school systems, pervasive racism, and intolerance (Mayadas & Segal, 2000). Consequently, many feel as if they are alone in a foreign, sometimes unforgiving new cultural milieu. To further complicate the situation, family roles often reverse as children typically become more fluent in English faster and adapt more quickly to the customs of the new country (Potocky, 1996). Because children are thrust into the role of serving as the interpreters and negotiators of cultural norms for their parents, respect for the authority of elders is often undermined (Carlin, 1990; Drachman; 1992). Even though most teenagers in the United States feel a certain amount of intergenerational tension, the adolescents of refugees often experience the pull of two vastly different worlds: those of their American peers and their parents (Mayadas & Segal, 2000). They also feel subjected to the xenophobia of their American peers, who often ridicule others who they label as â€Å"different. † Immigration to the United States has provided Bosnian Muslim refugee families with many challenges as they struggle to adapt to their new lives. At first glance, their experiences may be similar to that of other immigrants, raising the familiar questions about how to perpetuate the faith of their forebears among their offspring or how to best preserve cherished cultural practices (Yazbeck- Haddad & Esposito, 2000). But there are some real differences. With the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, DC, the potential for a xenophobic reception of Muslim immigrants and refugees by Americans has intensified. For example, disputes over the building of mosques represent a key source of friction for most Westerners (Pipes & Duran, 1993). While Bosnian Muslim families may encounter the same issues earlier generations of immigrants faced, they also are burdened with the question of whether their children will be accepted in the United States, and whether Islam can ever be recognized as a positive force that contributes to a pluralistic, multicultural nation (Yazbeck-Haddad & Esposito, 2000). Culturally Competent Practice with Bosnian Muslims When working with Bosnian Muslim refugees, service providers need to learn as much as possible about their culture, particularly given the pivotal role that ethnoreligious identity has played in their war-related experiences (Witmer & Culver, 2001). Bosnian men and women tend to adhere to traditional gender roles; connected with this issue is the intense stigma attached to the sexual violation of women. This stigma frequently led women to refrain from disclosing war rapes to their families (Witmer & Culver, 2001). Bosnian Muslims typically act in ways that preserve the positive image of the family’s identity, especially males, who see openly revealing vulnerability or suffering as a sign of great personal weakness (Weine et al. , 1997). Family is the most important social structure across the urban and rural regions of Bosnia (Mojica-Castillo, 2001). Up until the 1970s, adult children commonly lived with their parents and multiple generations lived in the same house. But today, twoparent families predominate in this region with extended family members often living nearby. A cluster of shoes can typically be found outside a Bosnian home (Mojica-Castillo, 2001). This is because it is customary to remove street shoes and leave them at the door. Bosnians maintain a strong social tradition of neighborliness. The drinking of strong coffee or the sharing of food, accompanied by the essential element of lively conversation, is an important aspect of social life. Traditional music and folk dances are an important part of cultural celebrations. A basic principle of generalist social work is that practitioners need to be able to intervene on behalf of various systems, including individuals, families, orgaruzations, and communities. Additionally, the generalist social worker operates within an ecological framework that attempts to improve coping patterns for a better match between the client system’s needs and the characteristics of his or her environment. An empowerment approach to generalist practice assumes that clients can draw from existing competencies and reservoirs of strength. Empowerment indicates the intent and the processes of assisting client systems to discover and expand the tools and resources around them (Furuto, 2004). Swift and Levin (1987) referred to empowerment as an evolution from dependence to independence and interdependence. Gutierrez (1990) described empowerment as â€Å"the process of increasing personal, interpersonal, or political power so that individuals can take action to improve their life situations† (p. 140). The strengths perspective enhances the concept of empowerment with its focus on promoting healing. Healing implies both wholeness and the inborn ability of the mind and body to resist and regenerate when faced with disruption, disorder, or disease (Furuto, 2004). Ethnic and religious identity may lead to discrimination when the refugee is seeking a job that requires intervention on a more personal level. Long-term difficulty in finding a job that provides the family with adequate income may cause low self-esteem and family tension culminating in violence (Furuto & Murase, 1992). Various system levels often must be addressed simultaneously (Mayadas & Segal, 2000). Western thinking on designing comprehensive mental health services is mostly based on the individual as the primary system targeted for intervention; hence, existing services tend to be designed for a North American population (Mooren & Kleber, 1999). Furthermore, treatment of mental health disorders typically follows a medical model using talk therapy and drugs. Western theories also emphasize intrapersonal processes in isolation from the cultural context. The prevailing view that the responses to trauma are individual centered is in keeping with this tradition. Service providers must use the refugees’ own, indigenous cultural definitions of health and illness when making mental health assessments (Boothby, 1996; Wing Sue, Ivey, & Pedersen, 1996). For example, a Bosnian client who had the Western diag nosis of major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder â€Å"refused medication saying that there was nothing wrong with him that medications could fix, and insisted that the clinician understand that his current condition was a result of the wrongs that had been done to him, and not because of anything that was wrong with him† (Weine & Laub, 1995, p. 255). To address the issue of respecting the client’s definition of the issue, Yuen (1999) promoted a more holistic biopsychosocial model of intervention when working with Bosnian children and their families; hence, the importance of using an ethnically sensitive ecological framework becomes a second principle of culturally competent practice. A third principle is to respect the indigenous strengths and resources within Bosnians that empower them to cope with their own experiences. Chow & Yuen (2000) noted the necessity for an empowerment and capacity building model where refugees become partners in the design and elivery of services within their community. Efforts to design and deliver human service programs should include using indigenous Bosnian religious and cultural organizations, as well as self-help groups (Chow & Yuen, 2000). Conclusion After Bosnians flee their homeland, they need protection in the asylum country. This necessitates supportive policies and macrolevel intervention competence. The main policy that guides refugee resettlement in the United States is Public Law 96-212, the Refugee Act of 1980 (Mayadas & Segal, 2000). Based on the goal of helping refugees achieve economic self-sufficiency as quickly as possible, the act defines self-sufficiency as not receiving welfare benefits (Potocky, 1996). As such, this policy may be ineffective in helping refugees to settle in an optimal manner. To become truly self-sufficient, service providers need to redefine success in more progressive ways, such as helping refugees to effectively deal with resettlement issues relating to acculturation, psychological trauma, and intergenerational conflict—all of which can impede long-term economic self-sufficiency. This new goal requires adequate fiscal resources to develop programs and engage in active community outreach (Mayadas & Segal, 2000). Social services must aspire to restore the psychological health and dignity of these families and children, who have seen the worst side of human nature. Helping them establish a positive self-image is critical to their success. While the genocide of family members and violent acts can never be forgotten, surrounding Bosnian Muslim refugees with a network of positive, supportive services can help them establish a solid foothold in the United States. Bosnian Refugee Life in America. (2017, Mar 02).