Life Is Beautiful Movie Essay

Toribio Part A All of the qoutations pretty much tells the same message. But for me Rabbi Barry H Block’s qoutation most strongly captures the essense of the film. As i read the qoutation †hope and laughter can bring light into even the darkest corner† affect me,it is because our country is in the list of poorest countries in the world. We need to work everyday under the sun just to buy food for our families. One thing that i am proud of being filipino is you can’t really tell if we have a problem because we are always smiling. One thing that makes every filipino happy is a karaoke machine,there is no family who doesn’t have one. I remember when I was still in the Philippines we sing for forever until we get the 100% score and we even sing until dawn. Thats why were proud of Jessica Sanchez 2nd runner up of American Idol because she get to show other people what filipinos got. Even if people don’t have any food or money in there we have our neighbours who shares what they have,that is love and were still smile and laugh even though deep inside were not. I focused more on the word †laughter† because it is really the best medicine. This response is more on emotional that intelectual because i experienced it before. Part B The three aspects of the film that illustrate the healing effect of story on human life are the direction,the funny scenes and the music. The way Roberto Benigni directed the film he is showing that life is not about laughter only. At first I didn’t expect the film to have a lonely part, in life you don’t know what is going to happen next and what to expect. One funny scene that i love is when Dora is been stung by a wasp and Guido asked her if she is stung in other places. The music of the movie is so calming and everytime I hear it I feel like I’m in a disco or a dance ball in the 90’s.

Communication Sources of Education Essay

The objective of education should be to encourage the search for answers, since it is the only way to advance. Within the aim of advancement in knowledge, various facets incorporated within the teaching portfolio ensure the success of professional educators. To achieve success, educators have to lean on certain ideals to enable them better perform their duties as required. One of the main inclinations that would be crucial to the success of an educator would be showing concern about students. Apart from just teaching them, educators must show interest on aspects such as social, physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being (Capuzzi, 2012). Being alert to these facets not only help the educator teach effectively, but also enables the learning process to be smooth for students. In addition, students can better their current knowledge in given subjects, especially with support from their individual educators. Moreover, the practice accords the educators the opportunity to look in to, in an explorative manner, and challenge the existing educational policies. Literature Review A number of learning theories offer information, which can be quite instrumental in understanding the ability of students to learn within a classroom setting. Social cognitive theory by Albert Bandura was developed purposely with the aim of comprehending how students learn (Murphy, 2010). He felt that initial belief of rewards and behaviorism could not provide an understanding of the full process of human comprehension. His feelings were that people could learn through observation of actions of the others in certain situations. It was realized that his beliefs affect the modern classroom. The modern classroom is full of many factors, which affects students learning. The social cognitive learning theory by Bandura states that a student’s personality is modeled by the environment, thought and behavior. Educators should attempt to identify themes that emerge from teaching and make a decision on whether these themes a coherent pattern. Evidently, at the outset, that by way of example than percept, educators impart more (Capuzzi, 2012). Students are extremely perceptive in recognizing when the instructor does not put into practice what he preaches. Both in actions and in words, educators should always teach several values students. These include; importance of preparation, organization, and homework; respect for people’s view; and the value of effective and clear exchange of information both in written and  oral  form. To cater for more than just teaching the students, educators should come up with strategies to incorporate other aspects of life into the class. Students may become defensive if they feel that the teacher is prying on their privacy. In this, an educator should approach this subject with care, otherwise he or she may risk losing the trust altogether. The theme of inclusiveness ensures diversity is taken into account in all teaching. According to (Gould, 2010), educators should attempt to create a positive atmosphere. When students are called upon to answer questions, mistakes should be treated as opportunities in exploring misconceptions, rather than a reflection of the abilities of the students. Educators should create a fair playing field to teach students that, in their current world, there is no easy way out. With a class of almost many students, it is hardly easy to know each student by their names, let alone know about their emotional, physical, or cognitive experiences. To coun ter this, Capuzzi (2012) suggests that educators work with the policy of an openness, where they are available for consultation and assistance at working hours. There exists a gap between students and educators needs to be bridged if the educators are to effectively teach and guide their students. Koshy & Koshy (2010) realized that a modified approach that teachers use in teaching from question-answer to answer-question approach provides a bridge between teachers and learners, and fosters self-evaluation and self-efficacy. Self-evaluation and self-efficacy provide the perfect opportunity for the educator to get to know his or her student on a personal note. In this, the educator is now able to evaluate the student’s emotional, physical, and cognitive aspects of life. Bandura, a renowned theorist, attained fame after his social-cognitive learning theory. The theory is based on individual self-efficacy and modeling. Despite having a number of ideas on learning, Bandura chose social cognitive learning theory. Through the process of modeling, students were required to account for diverse forms of learning. It was Bandura’s belief that through modeling, students are capable of making significant gains in self-motivation, action, and thought. Psychologists, until that time, had exclusively focused on learning through the consequences of actions. Bandura demonstrated that through the hazardous and tedious process of trial and error learning could be a short cut through modeling of competencies and knowledge exhibited by a variety of model (Murphy, 2010). Bandura’s belief was that students’ learn through experiences of watching others, which lead to self-efficacy or self-motivation. The theorist is credited for developing the social cognitive learning theory. While applying this theory, educators should guide their students by being role models, and by observing their behavior as Bandura suggest. Murphy (2010) observes that at that point in time, educators are able to mentor, advice and teach their students more effectively. Knowing the students’ is emotional, cognitive, and physical situation can be very instrumental in understanding the problems facing them or better still, the methods one can use as an educator to teach them effectively. The important part of advising, mentoring, and teaching student, is caring. Being attached to students begins by caring for them and what they are to become in the future. They have strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, wants and needs, hopes and dreams. Educators should be party to these dreams and hopes, since they facilitate the learning process that they have factored into their futures (Zunker & Osborn, 2012). What becomes on them and the leap-of-faith on their part should increase interest regarding their futures. Conclusion In conclusion, having better and more knowledge of students than just their classroom performance make educators better mentors, better teachers, and better persons. Educators should share reality with students to ensure they feel they are relating to a genuine person, who is willing expose his/her values, feelings, and distinctive perception about the world and the society. It is imperative to increase skills and knowledge in the application of instructional techniques to teaching philosophy by aiming at professional development in the subject matter. Additionally, educators should enhance their knowledge on how problem-solving strategies are related to student assessment. They should voluntarily sit in on their school training meetings to compare results with those of other educators. Educators should target increasing the abilities of students in all aspects of life, since it is an important part of the national, local, and state dialogue on educational achievement. References Capuzzi, D. (2012). Career counseling foundations, perspectives, and applications (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge. Gould, J. (2010). Learning Theory and Classroom Practice in the Lifelong Learning Sector. Exeter: Learning Matters. Koshy, V., & Koshy, V. (2010). Action research for improving educational practice: A step-by-step guide (2nd ed.). Los Angeles: SAGE. Murphy, M. (2010). Habermas, critical theory and education. New York: Routledge. Zunker, V., & Osborn, D. (2012). Using assessment results for career development: Career counseling: A holistic approach (8th ed.). Belmont, Calif.: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning. Source document

Are Criminals Born or Made

There are numerous debates about what causes crime. Some people assume that criminal behavior is due to a person’s upbringing and life experiences (â€Å"nurture†). Others suggest that criminal behavior is more complex and involves a person’s genetic makeup (â€Å"nature†). Are people just born that way? Is criminal behavior pre-determined at some point in people’s lives? This paper will present how crime behaviors can be hereditary but most criminals are shaped by their environment factors instead. As the theories of genetic influences in crimes are undeniable; it should only be seen as an inclination of crime rather then the cause of crime (Raine, A. 1993 pg50). Hence, a criminal can be born but shaped and influenced by the society to cultivate the criminal traits in them. Social scientists have argued the nature-nurture debate for many years, both in the popular press and professional literature. Nature proponents argue that biological factors and genetic composition explain much of human behavior. Nurture proponents contend that environmental factors, such as family, school, church and community, are paramount in the development of behavior patterns. Besides, some traits, such as human intelligence, depend upon a complex combination of both hereditary and environmental influences. According to Pollak, that there is a new way of looking at these different experiences that turn different genes on or off (Pollak S. 2002). New research reveals that life experiences can alter the biochemistry of many genes- our moral development later in life changes our genes and is this could be hereditary. Cesare Lombroso, a 19th century Italian physician, reminded students that nurture, not nature, is responsible for criminal behavior. In contrast, Freudian psychoanalysis and the depth psychologies of Alfred Adler, Erik Erikson, Erich Fromm, Karen Horney, Carl Jung, Melanie Klein, Otto Rank and Harry Stack Sullivan focused on the dynamic unconscious (the natural instinct of a human), theorizing that the depths of human psyche integrates with the conscious mind to produce a healthy human personality. Nevertheless, many researchers show that criminal behaviors can be hereditary. Human genes carry many personality traits inherited from their ancestors and even from their parents. Lombroso, regarded by many as the father of criminology, is convinced that people are born criminals as it is in an individual’s nature to commit crime. Criminals have been found to carry a few certain features and personality traits. According to Darwin and him, we evolved from animals. In this theory, genes mutate and get passed on to each descendant, concluding that some people are predisposed to criminality and they are not the same species as humans (AllAboutScience. org, 2005). According to Sigmund Freud, all humans have criminal tendencies. However, the process of socialization curbs these tendencies by the developing of inner controls that are learned through childhood experience. Freud hypothesized that the most common element that contributed to criminal behavior was faulty identification by children with their parents. Improperly socialized children may develop personality disturbances that causes them to direct antisocial impulses inward or outward. The child who directs them outward becomes a criminal, and the child that directs them inward becomes a neurotic. In Freud’s theory of the Defense Mechanisms, he finds the cause of individual behavior in the unconscious mind (Freud, S. 1930). Sociobiology attributes â€Å"genetics as the only factor of behavior†. The mankind uses each one of them in everyday life. One clear example of man being biological is that at sometimes man can have animal drives and desires. This drive is driven by the idea and of free will that is taken for granted. Another theory Freud developed included the Id, Ego, and Superego (Freud, S. 1923). Here, personality has a definable structure with three basic components. The most primitive part of the personality, present in the infant is the Id, meaning â€Å"it† in Latin. The Id is an unconscious, irrational and immoral part of the personality that exists at birth (by nature), containing all the basic biological drives: hunger, thirst, self-protection, and sex. A component of personality, the id seeks immediate satisfaction of natural urges through primary process, without concern for the morals and norms of society. Ego and Superego deals with how the mind works conscientiously and unconsciously. It describes the behavior of the human body and motives of our actions. Freud was a pessimist when it came to human nature. He identified man’s weaknesses in saying that man is a biological creature with biological drives. He reflected these ideas from Darwin’s original ideas. In Freud’s views, the three parts of the psychic structure – id, ego, and superego are always in dynamic conflict. We are always unaware of the conflicts between the id, ego, and superego. According to psychodynamic theory, when a threat becomes especially serious, it may lead to intense inhibitions and defenses. These may be expressed as violence and aggression- inhibiting reaction. According to Freud, humans are defensive. This defensive mechanism is part of everyday speech and action. The lack of basic need stimulates the unconscious id and impels a person toward aggression which may later express itself in a tendency toward criminal behavior. If moral and social values are instilled from day one, an individual is given ‘will power’ as a tool for survival as well as the ability to practise self control. For example, Socrates, a Greek philosopher was analysed as brutal, sensuous and inclined to being a drunkard by a physiognomist. By admitting that the examination revealed his inner self, and learning to control it, he managed to overcome the negative side (Vold, B. , Bernard, J. amp; Snipes, B. 2002, pg32). The ability to control negative desires or mens rea is a natural thing. If we said that criminals are made by their surroundings and their social factors, we could safely say that criminals are shaped by bad influences or social status. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, when the basic need for an individual is not met or self esteem is threatened, the individual will turn on his or her defensive mechanism as reaction to this perceived threat (Maslow, H. 1943). Some resort to robbing and stealing food and necessities as a way of survival. Another basic need of humankind is the need for belonging and acceptance by others. Some might feel forced into criminal activities to enable them to live certain lifestyles that will achieve this aim. Because defensive mechanisms are unconscious, they are difficult to control. However, the psychologists of the 1950s and 1960s rejected this theory. Nevertheless, in recent years, the cognitive revolution has again made defensive mechanisms the subject of scientific investigation, and cognitive, developmental, and personality psychologists have found some evidence for their existence (Cramer,P. 2000). Carl Jung and Freud shared the same ideas and even theoretical concepts, including psyche, ego, consciousness, and unconsciousness (Somerfield, R. amp; McCrae, R. 000). But Jung greatly expanded the concept of the unconscious. Jung argued that the mind of the newborn infant is not blank slate, but is imprinted with forms from the past experiences that are common to all humans in the universe. One major challenge of our time is to discover the underlying causes of crime and to develop new techniques for preventing it. Although we should not ignore poverty, racism, joblessness, and other environmental factors which do influence criminals, biological and genetic factors may prove to be powerful predictors of criminal behavior. It is hoped that genetic tendencies toward crime, if they do prove to exist, can be modified by early intervention with such methods as psychotherapy, classes in effective parenting, and improved preschool education. Additional research on both genetic and environmental factors is necessary if we are to prevent the emergence of criminals like the serial killer Ivan Milat – â€Å"the backpacker murderer† in future generations. According to Lombroso and Ferri, there are four basic types of criminals. The first type is those who are born criminals. According to Ferri, this group constitute a third of all criminals. They are morally underdeveloped and epileptic. The second type is the insane criminals. This insanity is caused by a defect in their brains which causes them to be incapable from differentiating right from wrong. Intoxicated people are included in this group, since over consumption of alcohol has a similar effect on the brain. The criminal by passion is the third type, where according to Lombroso, these criminals are more likely to be females then male. They are usually urged by emotions or the need for revenge because of something or someone. For example, a mother who murders her husband who was found out to be the serial rapist of daughter. The strong emotions of betrayal and revenge for the overwhelming hurt done to her daughter would have driven her to the murder of her spouse. The fourth type of criminal is the occasional criminal. They comprise of a few categories. Firstly, the pseudocriminal who kills in self defense. Secondly, the criminaloid who are influenced by situations and circumstances to commit crime. Thirdly, the habitual criminals who are normally offenders of the petty crimes such as white collar criminals and last but not the least harmless, the epileptoid criminal who suffers from epilepsy. In conclusion, theories of genetic influences in crimes are reliable, but are only factors influencing crime, rather than its cause. Environment and parent care, peer pressure and human needs play a large part unearthing the underlying motives and causes of crime, because humans are intelligent creatures that learn from experience. Hence, crime is a human act that can develop as a reaction to one’s surroundings and nurture.

Is Freudian theory falsifiable (by Popper's criteria) Essay

Is Freudian theory falsifiable (by Popper's criteria) - Essay Example The matter is the fact that at those times there was a strong belief that works of these scientists are absolutely scientific. But Popper had different point of view. According to him Einstein’s theory was distinguished from theories of Freud, Adler and Marx due to its openness to be falsifiable, i.e. to criticism. Popper considered that Freud, Marx, and Adler gave some true and important issues, despite he thought their theories to be unscientific. In general our intellectual culture has been largely influenced by Popper’s criticism of Freudian theory and his castigation of inductivism. Thus, Frederick Crews, the literary critic states that Popper has proved his own denial of Freudian explanations and Peter Medawar, biologists, has approved both of Karl Popper’s complaints with gusto. In 1935 in the philosophical analysis of the scientific method Karl Popper represented his famous criterion of falsifiability, which is now considered to be an important concept of science as well as of philosophy of science. According to this criterion any theory, proposition or hypothesis can be considered â€Å"scientific† only when it is falsifiable. Thus, Popper’s criterion is necessary but not sufficient for evaluation of any ideas claiming to be scientific (Sokal, 1998). Any theory satisfies Popper’s criterion (i.e. it is falsifiable and therefore scientific) in the event that there is a methodological opportunity to refute it by setting one or another experiment, even if such an experiment has not yet been delivered. According to this criterion, a statement, or system of statements contain information about the empirical world only if it is able to come into collision with the experience, or more accurately - if it can be systematically checked, that is subjected to (according to some â€Å"methodological solutions†) checks, which may result in its denial. In other words, according to Popper's criterion, a scientific theory cannot be fundamentally unassailable. Thus, according to this doctrine, the problem of demarcation (i.e. separation of scientific knowledge from the unscientific) is solved. Popper called this unequal "power" and role in the verification of meaning and truth of scientific theories inherent in confirming and refuting factors â€Å"cognitive asymmetry†. Based on this â€Å"asymmetry† Popper proclaimed the replacement of the â€Å"principle of verification† (i.e. a positive or confirmed check), used by logical empiricists, with the principle of â€Å"falsification† (that is the principle of reliable denial). It means that the verification of scientific essence, and then of the truth of scientific theories must be carried out not through their confirmation, but mainly (or exclusively) through their denial. Popper's criterion requires that a theory or hypothesis should not be fundamentally unassailable. According to Popper a theory cannot be considered scient ific only on the grounds that there is one, several or infinitely many experiments, confirming it. Since almost any theory, formed on the basis of at least some of the experimental data, permits the conducting of a large number of supporting experiments, the existence of confirmation cannot be considered a token of scientific theory. According to Popper, theories differ with respect to the possibility of setting up an experiment able, at least in principle, give a

Learning and Assessing in Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Learning and Assessing in Practice - Essay Example It stated simply that; 'Practice must be sensitive, relevant and responsive to the needs of individual patients and clients and have the capacity to adjust, where and when appropriate to changing circumstances....the range of responsibilities which fall to individual nurses should be related to their personal experience, education and skill' (UKCC, 1992). However, coming as did between the publication of the New Deal for Doctors (NHSME, 1991) and The Calman Report, which respectively initiated reduction of junior doctors hours and shortening of specialist training, scope understandably created considerable tension within the nursing profession (Downie 2000, 1-7). Many were concerned about the 'medicalisation' of nursing and the loss of its intrinsic value. It was feared that in medical terms, the interpretation of 'good' may be to the advantage of medical care and the interests of the physician, but at odds with the interests of the patient and nursing. The scope of practice appears to give nurses more freedom in practice. Cahill (1996, 791-799) described how scope enabled nurses in one trust to move the boundaries of care in almost unlimited ways, for example, the setting up of nurse led clinics. With the removal of need for certification and the placement of onus on individual nurses to decide in what ways to expand their practice, certain legal and professional issues are raised. These will be discussed later in further detail.In accordance with scope, a range of new roles for nurses have since evolved in response to the major changes in UK healthcare and therefore service delivery, national policies and moves to more patient focused care. Indeed, nurses could be said to have a formal responsibility for exploring way in which quality healthcare can be improved under the auspices of clinical governance. More recently both 'Making a Difference' and the NHS Plan promote and encourage continued development of the nurses role. However, despite government and professional bodies continued promotion of expansion of nursing roles and support of advanced nursing practice, definition of advanced practice has not been forthcoming. Quinn (2000, 14-20) quotes the UKCC's failure to define advanced nursing practice as the reason for the diverse interpretation of these roles in practice. Bandura (1977, 21-35) bemoans the UKCC's refusal to be more explicit in defining the role of the advanced practitioner in the acute setting, though acknowledging their reason being not wishing to stifle potential development. Cahill 1996 (791-799) reject the notion of the medical model at the centre of specialist nursing and stress that the truly advanced practitioner focuses their efforts on their clients' and situations which enhance positive outcomes for the client. They are at once intuitive, reflexive and emp owering practitioners that use their expanded roles to foster a sense of the individual and focus wholly on achieving excellence in caring. Cahill 1996, (791-799) recognized two schools of thought regarding advanced nursing roles; one relating to the acceptance by nurses of roles previously considered to be those of doctors, and the other,

Ghana Letters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ghana Letters - Essay Example The philosophy of this political party, as my cousin explained to me, was close to my ideas: independence from Ghana and social justice but with a dynamic form of resistance. In other words, it would be a nationalist party influenced from the ideas of socialism. I was really pleased to hear that and I stated my interest. In a few days, the 10th of June, I was present in the party’s establishment, being one of its founding members. Through the years, I tried to participate in as many meetings of the party as possible, supporting social activities, writing documents and organizing events. Through these public meetings local people had the chance to be informed on the progress of the country’s independency and on the party’s schedule for securing economic growth. Also, emphasis was given to the protection and enhancement of Ghana’s cultural and social identity. Because I have to respond also to my duties as a teacher my involvement in the party’s activities could not exceed the two-three hours on a daily basis. For years, my life was dedicated to inform people on Ghana’s potentials, as a nation, on the history of Ashanti, a population that has suffered a lot from colonialists and from the chances of Ghana to recover from economic devastation, as a result of its long-term occupation from colonialists. The power of Ghana’s culture and tradition had been significant help; G hanaians, being independent by nature, were willing to risk their live for securing the freedom and happiness of their children. All these efforts were terminated unexpectedly. It was the morning of 24 February of 1966 that police officers entered my apartment and arrested me. I had to pass a few years in jail, without specific category but just because of my participation in a political party. My participation in CPP offered to me valuable memories but also an important feeling: I know that I’ve done everything possible for helping my country to escape colonialism and to become

Information Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Information Studies - Essay Example Based on my readings, information literacy is the ability to know what information is needed to solve a problem, the skill to organize that information, and the intuition to know that a source of information is credible with the knowledge of where to look elsewhere. The concept of information literacy, then, is related to the epistemological problem of what is knowledge and what are the credible sources of knowledge, using modern terminology and more practical goals. For the Educational Testing Service, their assessment of Information Literacy is valid but it is not sound. The people in ETS have assumed that the population is more or less homogeneous. If that's the case, any result would be conclusive, and any mistake will like stem from an incompetent administrator of their assessment tool. However, their testing instrument is not sound since the population is more or less heterogeneous. They completely ignored the role of social classes. Different people from different classes will have different values on certain information. The better off a person, the larger is his or her social capital. This has created a digital divide. Formerly, it was just a problem of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. Now, it is a problem of the rich knowing more and more by which to get richer and richer, while the poor will not learn enough to get rich or even a decent living. Until these issu Until these issues are resolved, I hold that the Educational Testing Services must revise their instrument, assumptions, and methodologies so that information literacy can be accurately and reliably measure across differently types of people in the country. 2. A group of software developers has recently published a letter to president Obama encouraging the new administration to adopt open source software in the government's IT infrastructure. Imagine what arguments they may have to support the use open source software by government agencies. What might be some of the drawbacks associated with the government's use of open source software Using the pros and cons you outline, draw your own conclusion about whether the federal government should use open source software. Arguments for the use of open source software are as follows: With the global financial crisis hitting the major economies worldwide and the US government on deficit spending, it is only logical that the government should cut costs. Government financial officials are injecting taxpayers' money to salvage ailing financial institutions, even at the risk of hyperinflation due to artificially low interest rates. It is a fact that every few years, or even months, commercial software companies like Microsoft will release updates or new versions of commercial software. If governments or corporations will like the new features, they will have to purchase updates. Hence, more costs are involved. This can be prevented through the use of open source software. Since they are free, the government could save much from potential expenditures. Besides, monopolies like Microsoft must not be tolerated. If the government could show some support to independent software developers, then true competition and capitalism could help lower the cost of commercial software. The public will benefit, and improved features can be expected. The arguments against the use of Open Source are as follows: Open Source software are not as used as commercial softwar

Data Acquisition and 3D Modelling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Data Acquisition and 3D Modelling - Essay Example The triangulation method is used to infer the surface and their 3D nature in this method. It is known as stereoscopy because it uses two cameras. This is a computationally complex task but now a days it is carried out very successfully with the most modern and sophisticated equipments. This technique is good for apparent physical object reconstruction. The active form of stereoscopic methods use strong source of light to acquire 3D data of a physical object. Laser light source are used typically. It can only be employed for industrial usage with a provision of controlled environment. 3D or three dimensional modeling refers to the making of a real world object by making use of the actual geographical coordinates of the model. 3D modeling usually refers to the execution of 3D computer graphics by using 3D software. This specialized software functions by creating a set of points in 3Dimensional space. These points are connected together by various geometric shapes. These shapes may merely be a line, a dot, a triangle or a curved surface. There are four important methods upon which 3Dimensional models are created. Polygonal modeling. Three Dimensional models are often created as polygonal models that are textured. In Polygonal Modeling a 3D model is created by connected the points in a 3D space with a line segment. These dots or points are generally referred to as vertices when talked about with reference to space. An avid benefit of this modeling technique is that it can be structured and adapted very conveniently by a computer system. This is owing to the fact that Polygonal models are very flexible. A slight disadvantage that is associated with Polygonal modeling is that it cannot be sued to perfectly structure curves. Primitive modeling. By far, the simplest method of modeling a 3D object is 3D Modeling. This method makes use of pre-defined mathematical/geometric shapes such as cylinder, sphere, cube, cone etc. Using these basic geometrical

HCM621-0804A-01 Ethics, Policy, and Law in Health Care Management - Essay - 7

HCM621-0804A-01 Ethics, Policy, and Law in Health Care Management - Phase 3 Discussion Board 2 - Essay Example Confidentiality laws and professional rules of behaviour allow the provider to release medical information only when it is required for your care, required by law, or necessary for the administration of your plan or support the providers programs or operations that evaluate quality service. Let you participate with your health care providers in health decisions and have them give you information about your medical condition and your treatment options, regardless of benefits coverage or cost. Health care provider should fulfill its obligations to its members in order to have a mutual relationship. By doing this the provider can achieved its goal in strengthening consumer confidence. The provider should provide its consumer with effective ways to address their concerns, and encourages them to take an active role in improving and assuring their health. In order to reaffirm the importance of a strong relationship between patients and their health care providers the provider should respect their consumers’ rights. And vice versa the consumer should be cooperative enough in order for the provider to give the needed and required services. Consumers want to be treated with respect and fairly. To provide and maintain a quality health care system the consumer and the provider should have a mutual respect. Cases wherein there is discrimination on the services provided should be given focused. One important factor that a consumer is very particular of is the assurance that their identity should be treated with confidentiality. The provider can disseminate information about the consumer only if needed and required by law. On the other hand the consumer should also give respect to the provider. The consumer should be cooperative enough in order to help the provider to give services that they needed. The consumer should also do its part in order to have a better

The Use of Animals in Biomedical Research Essay Example for Free

The Use of Animals in Biomedical Research Essay There is a big issue on the use of animals for biomedical research (i.e., research done for the understanding and promotion mainly of human life. Such would include, but not limited to, medical formulation and testing, formulation and testing of hypotheses about diseases, surgical experimentations, testing of various consumer goods for safety, and psychological experimentations). At least up to the present time, animals are still widely used for research. In an estimate by Barbara Orlans (2001, 400), there are like 50 to100 million animals being used for research annually. Nevertheless, with an increasing awareness on the complexity of animal psyche and the increased voice that animal rights advocates have, the morality of such research (along with the other uses that animals have) has been put into question. In a Dutch animal committee hearing on the use of animals for cancer medical testing, for example, a woman who is terminally ill due to cancer stepped forward and said that she would rather die than have another animal suffer painlessly just for her cure. Human beings are beginning to be acutely aware of such experimentations and different sentiments and ideas have been brought to the core. Now, amidst the almost unending debate on the use of animals for biomedical research, I would want to first, present the philosophical debate on this issue; then second, present my opinion on it. To be able to accomplish this goal, I would first present the debate between Carl Cohen and Bernard Rollin. Afterwards, I will present what I think is a middle position between the two. The Cohen-Rollin Debate   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A representative debate on this issue would be the debate between Carl Cohen and Bernard Rollin. Basically, the two are debating on the moral status of animals. Allow me to present a summary of the points of these two philosophers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Carl Cohen, a speciesist, says that animals do not have rights and that animal experimentation should go on. A speciesist (2002, 303) is someone who says that our species, i.e., the human species, gives us all the moral rights that we have. That ultimately, what makes us different, and hence rules on human experimentation are different, is the fact that we belong to human kind. As such, humans cannot just be experimented on but would need precautions like informed consent; measurement of risk; the prior and post evaluation of the research using the principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice; etcetera. Hence, because we are humans, we have all the rights and privileges that we know we have.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Now, the next question that we may have, which Cohen answers, is: what makes us humans in the first place? For Cohen, the answer is pretty simple. We are human beings because we have moral capacities which animals do not have. These moral capacities refer to the aptitude of human beings in applying an abstract moral rule on an act; has capabilities to make moral claims; has the capacity to comprehend rules of duty; the capability for self-legislation; and are members of communities governed by moral rules (2002, 300-302). These moral capacities would then make human beings are capable of understanding conceptual principles of morality (like for example, â€Å"do good to others,† or â€Å"do not do actions that would purposely harm other human beings†) and apply such to individual human actions. Now because of this capacity, human beings have the capacity for self-restraint. They do not need others (presuming that they are already within the age of reason, i.e., mature enough to do these tasks) to restrain them from harming their fellows. Nor would they need others to goad them to do acts that are praiseworthy. As such, human beings could legislate themselves, i.e., govern their own actions. Now, because of this, human beings could very well belong to a community of other human beings who are capable of the same moral capacities as he is. And his belonging to this community is of the nature that rules and laws are there to minimally guide human interaction. They are not there to govern each single action of the human being. This would mean that human beings, on the most part, are free on how they interact with each other. She/he is free provided that her/his actions are responsible actions, i.e., actions that the human being may be made accountable for. Now, these moral capacities make human beings capable of rights. Rights basically refer to â€Å"claims, or potential claims, within a community of moral agents† (2002, 300). The human capacity for understanding concepts and applying such concepts in his dealings and acts with each other makes the human being capable of making such claims.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At this point, Cohen says that these rights cannot extend to animals for the simple reason that animals do not have these moral capacities we have mentioned.   They are incapable of understanding, i.e., of moral reasoning, and such, all the other moral capacities could not be attributed to them. We have to state at this point that for Cohen, even psychologically disabled or comatosed human beings retain these rights plainly because they belong to the same kind. In one way or another, such human beings seem to â€Å"ride on† the capabilities of other human beings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hence, for Cohen, animal experimentation (of course not withstanding useless cruelty to animals) should go on for the good of the human race since we could not talk of violation of any rights in the first place since animals do not have rights. Bernard Rollin (2001, 418) responds to Cohen’s arguments by saying that it might be true that rights started from humans, but, it does not mean that such rights should remain among humans. He made an analogy on the game of chess. It might be true that chess was made initially for Persian royalty, nevertheless, the game started to have a life of its own and as such, it is not anymore restricted by the original makers of it. The same may be said about rights that human beings made and sorted out for themselves. What would stop the â€Å"Bill of Rights† from being applied to animals if sociological evolution would lead to such? Plainly, there is no guarantee that such rights would have to remain and be applicable only to its sources. In one way or another, Rollin seems to allude to the Ricoeurean hermeneutics on the life of the text, on the unstoppable and â€Å"unfigurable† refiguration of the text. Now, this may be true if the Bill of Rights could plainly be called a text, as a product of a social contract, but probably not if these rights are perceived in a naturalistic way. Rollin goes on to elaborate his basic stand: there seems to be no morally relevant difference between humans and vertebrate animals â€Å"to include all humans within the full scope of moral concern and yet deny such moral status to the animals† (2001, 413). Then, he goes on to define morally relevant difference: it is a â€Å"difference that rationally justifies treating them differently in some way that bears moral weight† (2001, 413). Hence, Rollin says that if two students coming from two different races and having two different eye colors would have the same class standing, they would be given the same grade. Their differences cannot be considered as â€Å"relevant† for the teacher’s act of grading. Now, Rollin states that the differences between humans and other vertebrates are not relevant because aside from the fact that both feel pain, both also have interests that must be respected. True, human interests may be different from animal interests, but the fact remains that both are interest-driven. Animal interests are violated when they are made to suffer; when social animals are kept in isolation; when burrowing animals are kept in steel cages; etcetera. Rollin also argues that there seems to be no difference between intellectually disabled humans and many animals, and hence, if consent is called for when experimenting on these human beings, such would also be called for when doing animal experimentation. The Middle Position   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cohen is clear on his position: we are not violating anything when animals are used in experimenting since these experiments are needed for the human good. Rollin, on the other hand, is on the soft position that animals and humans are not relevantly different, and hence, the rights accorded to human beings in research ought to be the same rights given to other vertebrates. For Rollin, simply, animals should be treated as humans especially when it comes to biomedical research. Now, the consequences of their positions seem to be clear: Cohen’s position is a defense of the status quo, while Rollin’s position implies that medical codes on human experimentation like the Nuremberg Code should all be extended to vertebrate animals. I would say that though it is true that certain animals exhibit characteristics that are almost like that of humans (like the great apes, for example), still, Cohen is right in saying that rationality as it is present in humanity makes humans largely different from the other animals (just look at all the human civilizations and histories which even the most â€Å"intelligent† animals are incapable of, and as such, I find it hard to understand why Rollin says that the difference between animals and humans are not relevant differences), and as such, things that apply to human beings cannot all be applied to animals, like the medical code of ethics on human experimentation, for example. Such an application leads to d ifficult consequences. For one, such would necessitate the experimenter to gain the subject’s consent. How do we get an animal’s consent? What standard should we use? Should we ask the owners? How about animals that do not have owners? Next would be the issue of informed consent. Again, who do we inform and whose signature do we get? I would say that the present trend in animal experimentation in at least some parts of the world is a sober middle ground since at least in ten developed countries, legal measures have been passed regarding the control of pain and suffering of laboratory animals. Many other countries also have legislation on the inspection of research and breeding facilities, requirement for daily care, the checking on the competency and the licenses of qualified persons who handle the experiment, the monitoring by an independent committee, the searching for available alternatives for the experiment, and the creation of ethical criteria for decision making (Orlans 2001, 405). These legal concerns are far from the contents of the Code of Nuremberg or the Helsinki Declaration, nevertheless, they express a concern for the animals who also feels pain like human beings, and who also deserve a sort of concern from us. Hence, animal experimentation should not be stopped but legal constraints distinct from that of human beings have to be put on such experiments since animals are also capable of pain and have interests. REFERENCE LIST: Cohen, Carl. â€Å"The Case for the Use of Animals in Biomedical Research,† in Ethical Issues in Biotechnology, ed by Richard Sherlock and John Murrey, 299-308.   Rowman and Littlefield, 2002. Orlans, Barbara. â€Å"History and Ethical Regulation of Animal Experimentation: An International Perspective,† in A Companion to Bioethics, ed by Helga Kuhse and Peter Singer, 399-410. Massachusetts, Oxford, and Victoria: Blackwell, 2001. Rollin,   Bernard. â€Å"The Moral Status of Animals and Their Use as Experimental Subjects,† in A Companion to Bioethics, ed by Helga Kuhse and Peter Singer, 411-422. Massachusetts, Oxford, and Victoria: Blackwell, 2001.

2014-2016 Ebola Crisis: US Preparedness

2014-2016 Ebola Crisis: US Preparedness   The 2014-2016 Ebola Crisis and the Effects on U.S. Emergency Preparedness The 2014-2016 Ebola crisis in West Africa proved to be a difficult lesson for the African countries affected as well as for the state of U.S. emergency preparedness when dealing with a relatively unknown infectious disease. Erupting from within a Guinean prefecture in December of 2013, the disease would spread through Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia unchecked due to lack of awareness and emergency preparation due to the unfamiliarity of the disease (Baize et al., 2014). The World Health Organization, Doctors without Borders, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others, would collaborate with regional government and public health officials to contain the disease, but the efforts would require extensive time, funding, education, and preparation, and would ultimately result in the loss of over 11,000 lives (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014, 2016). It would be the largest Ebola outbreak known to date. While U.S. public health agencies and military b ased support would play a crucial role in the end to the outbreak in 2016, the U.S. would have to come to terms with its own lack of planning and emergency preparedness when dealing with an imported infectious disease, and the fear and reservations that plagued its people and healthcare systems in its aftermath. Emergency preparedness has been shaped by a myriad of natural disasters, epidemics, and pandemics that have sieged not only countries, but entire continents. It is the journey in discovering how to approach, contain, treat, and prevent these mass health crises from re-occurring in the future, that has given rise to the complex and unique strategies that keep the general population safe.   These advances in prevention and containment, uncovered particularly in the wake of epidemics and pandemics such as the plague, Spanish Influenza, SARS, and as highlighted in this report, Ebola Virus Disease, prove that the protective measures that responders on the front line must implement to keep disaster at bay, must remain adaptable and ever fluid. The West African Ebola outbreak of 2014-2016 encroached upon the fears and concerns of continental Americans as never before in history. An elusive disease only known by most to be a worry of inhabitants of the sub-Saharan regions of the African continent, Ebola was now knocking on America’s doorstep.   Ã‚  To understand and properly weigh the gravity of the Ebola outbreak, a general understanding of the virus and most recent outbreak is warranted. Ebola virus disease is one of two members of the Filoviridae virus family and is comprised of five differing variations within itself (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014).   First discovered within Africa in 1976 when two variations of the virus led to outbreaks, the Sudan viral strain, or SUDV within South Sudan, and the Ebola virus strain, or EBOV, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, were introduced (Cenciarelli et al., 2015). The spread of the virus among humans is via contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood, vomit, feces, sweat, and urine, or contaminated fomites (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). However, the originating vectors are believed to be fruit bats, which are commonly hunted and eaten as wild game in some areas of Africa, and otherwise known as bushmeat (Saà ©z et al., 2014).    Upon exposure to the virus, the incubation period prior to onset of symptoms ranges anywhere from 2 to 21 days, with symptoms tending to manifest by day 8 through day 10 post-exposure (Signs and Symptoms | Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever | CDC, 2014). It has been identified that infected individuals are not contagious while asymptomatic (Cenciarelli et al., 2015).   Ã‚  The tell-tale symptoms of Ebola virus primarily begin with fever, which progresses to onset of profuse diarrhea and vomiting usually after 3 to 5 days of fever (Chertow et al., 2014).   Accompanied with pain, lethargy, and secondary complications (including hemorrhaging) that occur if the patient is not given supportive treatment, the rapid deterioration in health that transpires due to hypovolemia, shock, or multi-organ failure, will ultimately lead to death (Chertow et al., 2014).   Survivors of the virus tend to improve near day 10 of active viral symptoms and are generally expected to live once they have made it to day 13 (Chertow et al., 2014). Those that do not improve and succumb to the virus tend to pass away between days 7 and 12 of viral infection (Chertow et al., 2014). The case fatality rates for the Ebola virus range anywhere from 50% to 90%, and to date there is still no definitive cure available (World Health Organization, 2018). The unfolding of the 2014-2016 crisis was fast, and the virus rampant by the time the nature of the culprit had been properly unmasked.   Ã‚  A sudden rash of illness exhibiting the characteristics of a filovirus, was first reported by health agencies within the Guà ©ckà ©dou and Macenta prefectures in Guinea in March of 2014, raising the initial red flag of outbreak (Baize et al., 2014).   A team of professionals was sent to the area in mid-March by Medecins sans Frontieres, also known as â€Å"Doctors without Borders†, and research began that same month to uncover the cause of the illnesses (Baize et al., 2014).  Ã‚   Coinciding with the beginning of surveillance and research of the outbreak of illness by Doctors without Borders in March of 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, also arrived on deck with a small team, lending an additional hand with research and guidance to the Guinean government. The CDC had already maintained a supportive presence in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, due to the assistance that it offered in vaccination of the population, and other public health related programs including combating diseases such as malaria and polio (Bell et al, 2016).   Alongside the World Health Organization, UNICEF and International Federation of Red Cross partners, a structured, five-pronged investigation emerged, with the Guinean government primarily orchestrating the response efforts (Dahl et al., 2016).   Extensive investigation and contact tracing led the researchers to surmise that the illness was in fact the EBOV, or Ebola virus, and that the suspected â€Å"patient zero† was a 2-year old from Meliandou in the Guà ©ckà ©dou prefecture (Baize et al., 2014). The toddler had succumbed to the virus in December of 2013, with the second through fourth victims passing afterwards the following January, all within the same prefecture of Guà ©ckà ©dou (Baize et al., 2014).   The agencies worked side by side with the Guinean Ministries of Health to get ahead of the outbreak, as surveillance methods in the region demanded strengthening to debilitate the spread of a disease known to have high case fatality rates, exhibiting at that time an initial 71% case fatality rate (Baize et al., 2014). The CDC, alongside the other agencies worked to support the various villages, towns, and districts through continued tracing of contacts, providing education regarding contact precautions, safety when isolating those that were ill or potentially ill, as well as options for handling the deceased with care (Bell et al, 2016).   Researchers were able to discover that it was a healthcare worker, or the 14th victim, that initiated the spread of EBOV outside of the Guà ©ckà ©dou boundaries, with further incidences popping up in surrounding areas such as Kissidougou and Macenta (Baize et al., 2014). Research indicated that at the close of March, there were well over 100 potential EBOV cases in Guinea, with almost 80 dead (Baize et al., 2014).    The voracity at which the disease spread would be fueled by unchecked traveling of contacts between Guinea and its surrounding countries, as well as individuals and healthcare workers in contact with the homes, surroundings, and families of those sick or becoming sick, unaware that the illness was in fact Ebola, and extremely infectious (Ebola in Sierra Leone: A slow start to an outbreak that eventually outpaced all others, 2015).   By April of 2014, the presence of Ebola had been officially confirmed in Sierra Leone and Liberia (Bell et al, 2016).   The first case of Ebola in Sierra Leone is believed to have been a woman that attended the burial of the â€Å"patient zero† in Meliandou in December of 2013 (Ebola in Sierra Leone: A slow start to an outbreak that eventually outpaced all others, 2015). The woman was apparently still in the home of the family of the first case when they too fell ill, and later returned to her home in Sierra Leone, where she subsequently became sick and passed away (Ebola in Sierra Leone: A slow start to an outbreak that eventually outpaced all others, 2015).   The Lofa County in Liberia, which skirts the Guinean border, was able to confirm its first cases of Ebola at the end of March 2014 (A timeline of the Ebola outbreak, 2014). By the end of April 2014, there were well over 200 cases across the region, however it appeared that the amount of cases was stabilizing, and on the decline in areas such as Liberia (Briand et al., 2014, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016). However, after the next two months of apparent stability, reporting indicated a renewed upward trend in Ebola cases, and the fresh report of confirmed Ebola cases in the city of Monrovia, the heavily populated capital of Liberia, unveiled an exploding time bomb of infection (Liberia: A country-and its capital-are overwhelmed with Ebola cases, 2015). Even with the best efforts of all participating agencies, it had become elusive to keep up with the massive chains of potential contacts, and with the disease now appearing in Monrovia, Liberia, the city was found to be ill-prepared to deal with such a contagion, allowing it to spread like wildfire (World Health Organization, 2015). It is notable to mention that West Africa had not experienced an Ebola outbreak of any measurable magnitude, and the experience and lessons in containing the disease were bestowed upon those countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda (World Health Organization, 2015). Monrovia’s major health center was in desperate need of repairs and had limited resources, in turn opening the door for widespread infection of healthcare personnel on top of the patient care load (Liberia: A country-and its capital-are overwhelmed with Ebola cases, 2015).   With the onset of July, cases of Ebola doubled in Liberia, and a rising trend of infection persisted in Guinea and Sierra Leone (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016). This rash of new cases that now plagued the region prompted the CDC to employ an Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, on July 9th, 2014 (Dahl et al., 2016). The engagement of this operation led the CDC to forward task an increased presence of personnel to directly assist the regional governments, supplying epidemiologists, laboratory scientists and a plethora of supportive staff (Dahl et al., 2016). WHO, UNICEF, and Doctors without Borders remained prominently active during the amplification of support, and with the increased presence of American aid, all agencies worked tirelessly with the local government leaders and Ministries of Health to establish a much-needed emergency management plan capable of supporting and withstanding the outbreak (Dahl et al., 2016). As the supportive efforts amongst first responders and the new cases of Ebola both drew to a fervor in the early summer of 2014, American citizens and other countries became aware of the uniqueness of this Ebola outbreak.   Word spread globally of the first case of Ebola transported into Nigeria in July of 2014 (Fasina et al.,2014). Flying from Liberia to Nigeria after exposure to the disease, the individual was symptomatic in flight, and succumbed to the illness just 5 days after the flight into Nigeria (Fasina et al.,2014). The individual was Patrick Sawyer, an American citizen from Minnesota (Man Who Died of Ebola in Nigeria Was American Citizen: Wife, 2014). A native of Liberia, but an American citizen, Mr. Sawyer had been working and living in Liberia, while his wife and children continued to reside in the United States (Minnesota Man Who Died of Ebola in Nigeria Was American Citizen: Wife, 2014).   On July 31st, 2014, a few days after the death of Patrick Sawyer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a class 3 travel warning, advising against travel to the affected region, and highlighting measures being taken to screen travelers leaving the region to ensure that they are not infected (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). Along with this advisory, the CDC also reported an additional advisory issued to U.S. healthcare workers, to address protocols to be followed when addressing the possibility of encountering potentially infected patients (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). As confirmed cases throughout the affected region peaked to over 1300, with over 700 dead, the CDC announced in the July 2014 advisory that the United States would continue to work with international partners over the next several years to help strengthen and enhance emergency response efforts in the region, with the president of the United States aiming to dedicate $45 million dollars towards the cause (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014, 2016).   The steps that the United States would need to take to ensure its own readiness to handle Ebola would soon be put to the test, when around the same time that the CDC issued its health alert and travel advisory, it was announced that two American healthcare workers had contracted Ebola while stationed in Monrovia, Liberia (CBS/AP,2014). In late July of 2014, Dr. Kent Brantly, a doctor employed in a post-residency position with the aid group Samaritan’s Purse, became infected with Ebola while serving as a medical director in relief efforts in the area (CBS/AP,2014).   Nancy Writebol, an aid worker with the group called Serving in Mission, had also contracted Ebola in the same timeframe while working as a hygienist in the Samaritan’s Purse Ebola care center (CBS/AP,2014). Plans immediately commenced to arrange for the workers to be transported back to the United States to continue supportive care (Achenbach, Dennis, & Hogan, 2014). As part of the CDC’s recent health alert, healthcare agencies within the United States were advised to inquire of patients if they have recently traveled to or from the West African region within the prior 21-day timeframe (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). The CDC stressed the importance of healthcare provider awareness of the signs and symptoms of Ebola, as well as activation of isolation and contact procedures immediately upon any suspicion of the disease (2014). Just as West Africa had never experienced an Ebola outbreak, the CDC was also aware that U.S. healthcare facilities had never dealt with the Ebola disease head on, and problems could arise if facilities were not properly equipped to handle infected patients (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), 2017).   Thus, in planning for the transport of Dr. Brantly and Mrs. Writebol, plans were cemented to arrange for their arrival at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta (Achenbach, Dennis, & Hogan, 2014). Emory University Hospital is one of four facilities across the United States that can treat patients diagnosed with highly infectious diseases (Courage, 2014). The two-room isolation unit housed within Emory Hospital, and constructed in hand with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provides an optimal environment for healthcare personnel and patients when managing infectious diseases (Courage, 2014). Touting state of the art digital pressure monitoring, negative air pressure and HEPA filtration, a safe zone workspace and prep area, contained bathroom facilities, and specialized laboratory space, workers can essentially care for a patient without risk of any contact with the remainder of the facility (Courage, 2014). Regarding medical waste, which is a key concern when dealing with highly infectious cases, the hospital dilutes all bodily waste in toilets with bleach for a set period prior to flushing, and all other items to include personal protective equipment from staff, and other solid items are sanitized and then incinerated (Courage, 2014).   The remaining three facilities across the United States with comparable biocontainment facilities include the National Institutes of Health’s Special Clinical Studies Unit located in Bethesda, MD, the University of Nebraska Medical Centers Biocontainment Patient Care Unit, and Saint Patrick Hospital in Missoula, MT (Courage, 2014).   As Dr. Brantly arrived at Emory University Hospital at the end of July 2014, followed by Mrs. Writebol in the first week of August, President Obama addressed the United States regarding the outbreak, assuring the American public that screening precautions in airports were in effect in West Africa and in the United States to reduce the risk of infected individuals entering the country   (Achenbach, Dennis, & Hogan, 2014). By the 8th of August in 2014, the West African Ebola Virus epidemic had become extreme enough for the World Health Organization to make an international announcement, that the situation had now become an emergency detrimental to public health (Cenciarelli et al., 2015.)   By this time, the total cases over the region equated to just over 1700, with deaths rising to near 1000 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016).   The numbers of cases and deaths associated with the current outbreak exceeded the worst Ebola outbreak previously documented in Uganda in the year 2000, where there were 425 cases and 244 deaths (Bell et al., 2016). The implementation of this Public Health Emergency of International Concern, or PHEIC, by the World Health Organization, is a deliberate tool meant to be used when disaster calls (Briand et al., 2014).   Meant to put emergency plans into action with the assistance of international partners, the beginning of collaborative efforts would begin to aid in mitigating the toll that the virus has taken on the affected countries.   In response to the emergency declaration by the World Health Organization, the CDC would in turn increase the amount of personnel that it had deployed to the area (Dahl et al., 2016). The White House followed suit with an official press release detailing the U.S. response to the crisis. On September 16, 2014, the White House relayed the expansion of funding and support to the evolving outbreak (The White House Office of the Press Secretary, 2014). Along with supplying additional U.S. funding to bring a total of almost $175 million invested collectively towards various supportive efforts, the White House also activated a cell of U.S. Africa Command personnel to provide on ground support in Liberia to arrange operational oversight of the U.S. based activities aligned with response efforts (The White House Office of the Press Secretary, 2014). The press release also entailed the deployment of additional personnel through the U.S Disaster Assistance Response Team, or DART, as well as the supply of care kits, training, and the institution of additional Ebola Treatment Units, as well as laboratory support (The White House Office of the Press Secretary, 2014).   The latter only briefly touches on some of the response efforts engaged by the U.S. in support of the affected region, however the need for effective emergency management measures would hit home, when just days after the White House press release, a man whom had recently traveled from Liberia to Texas to attend his son’s graduation, would arrive at the emergency room of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, TX (Chevalier et al., 2014, VOA News, 2014). Texas Health Presbyterian’s ER would send Thomas Duncan home after treating him for what was believed to be sinusitis (Chevalier et al., 2014). Presenting to the ER with a fever, headache and stomach pain, Mr. Duncan had informed the staff that he had recently arrived from Africa, and while this information was documented in his record, the ER physician at that time somehow overlooked it, and did not conclude that Ebola virus disease should be suspected (Dallas News, 2014). The hospital would later acknowledge this oversight, as three days later, Mr. Duncan would be transported to the Texas Presbyterian Hospital’s ER, this time via ambulance, with an exacerbation of symptoms to include vomiting and diarrhea (Dallas News, 2014, VOA News, 2014). This time, Mr. Duncan’s recent arrival from Liberia would be accounted for in his medical assessment, and subsequent testing would conclude that he was in fact infected with Ebola (Dallas News, 2014).   Further exposing the fissures within the handling of this case, the hospital’s holding company later acknowledged that the clinician training regarding the Ebola virus had been available but was not required of staff at the time when Mr. Duncan presented to the facility (Dallas News, 2014).   The facility was also aware of the CDC health alert from July of 2014 that stressed the possibility of an infected traveler arriving in America due to the magnitude of the outbreak, and the need for American healthcare facilities to be on the lookout for the very symptoms Mr. Duncan presented with on September 25th, 2014 (Dallas News, 2014).   As a result, numerous people would need to be traced and evaluated relating to their contact with Mr. Duncan during his travel and after his arrival to Dallas, TX.   As Texas responders and the CDC personnel worked to trace the 48 potential contacts for Mr. Duncan, the man would eventually succumb to the disease on October 8th, 2014, becoming America’s first death from Ebola Virus Disease (VOA News, 2014.)   Some experts say that the initial misdiagnosis of Mr. Duncan is due to human error, since travel should have been an essential question asked of the patient upon assessment by the physician (Dallas news, 2014). However other experts acknowledge the difficulty of identifying a disease that has never been diagnosed on American soil (Dallas news, 2014). It was more than likely a combination of these factors that led to the results of Mr. Duncan’s case, and while Texas health officials dealt with the missteps of the event, just 3 days after Mr. Duncan’s death, one of the nurses that participated in his care would be diagnosed with Ebola, with a second nurse testing positive 4 days after the first (McCarty et al., 2014). The second nurse diagnosed with Ebola after taking care of Mr. Duncan, reported that she had traveled to Ohio from Texas prior to her diagnosis (McCarty et al., 2014).   Enlisting the CDC to support in guidance and training, Ohio public health officials began the process of tracing contacts (McCarty et al., 2014).   Learning through first-hand experience how to identify and monitor individuals that may have interacted with the infected nurse, as well as how to prepare local health facilities regarding ability to properly triage, isolate, and safely transport infected patients, Ohio officials hoped to avert a crisis while assuring the protection of healthcare staff and the general population (McCarty et al., 2014). The total effort in Ohio was extensive and required cooperation from a considerable portion of the state’s counties, with 164 contacts to follow (McCarty et al., 2014). While most of the facilities were determined to be ready to act in the event of an active case of Ebola, the transportation plans and other points of coordination such as transfers between various agencies needed to be established, and the information gleaned from this real-world scenario exemplified the necessity for healthcare facilities to have these forms of emergency preparedness already in place (McCarty et al., 2014). As the number of Ebola cases continued to escalate in the West African region, with confirmed diagnoses reaching over 8,000 into the first couple weeks of October 2014, and deaths numbering over 4,000, the American public attempted to process that two of its own had contracted Ebola on U.S. soil (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016).   Fear pervaded the comfort zones of many Americans. Some protested allowing anyone from the African continent to travel to the United States, while others feared encountering individuals that had been anywhere near Africa (Sanburn, 2014). During the various stages of emergency preparedness in Ohio after the turn of events surrounding Mr. Duncan, one business closed when it was learned that an employee was a contact of the Ebola-positive nurse from Texas (Sanburn, 2014). The fear of infection also hit healthcare workers particularly hard. As the investigation ensued into how the two nurses in Texas acquired the Ebola virus, despite employing protective measures, the uncertainty regarding the reliability and proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) against Ebola, was compounded with the question of whether training among healthcare personnel was effectively being implemented (Fernandez, 2014).   Both nurses recovered from the disease, and the biocontainment ready facilities in Nebraska and Atlanta would carry on to successfully treat up to 11 total Ebola-positive patients transferred from the West African region by April of 2015 (Hewett, Varkey, Smith, & Ribner, 2015).   The successful treatment and ability to prevent cross-infection of other healthcare workers proved that the U.S. could properly manage an uncommon infectious disease abroad and at home. However the initial problems that led to the fear and uncertainty of the aftermath of Ebola virus disease within the United States, point to unfamiliarity with the disease in general, as well as lack of preparedness at a level that allowed for proper management of a highly infectious patient from the moment they present to a healthcare facility to diagnosis and commensurate care (Hewett, Varkey, Smith, & Ribner, 2015). Management of Ebola virus demands an intricately woven web of planning and preparation that not only carries the foresight of how to identify potential cases, but how to prepare healthcare staff to properly protect themselves and use PPE, how and when to arrange the transport of a patient while preserving a chain of clean and safe hand-off with all involved agencies, and how to conserve the safety of all personnel throughout (Hewett, Varkey, Smith, & Ribner, 2015). This lesson hearkens to the explosion of the outbreak in West Africa as well. Unfamiliar with Ebola virus, many care centers in the affected region attributed initial cases of Ebola to more familiar diseases endemic to the area, such as malaria and yellow fever (World Health Organization, 2015). A combination of initial misinterpretation of disease, lack of effective protocols that would have prevented the continuous spread of cases in both the healthcare facilities and in the civilian sector, populations were simply unaware of the gravity of the situation until it was too late (World Health Organization, 2015). The 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak highlighted the need within the United States to filter more time, attention, and funding into research and planning to deal with unique public health emergencies such as Ebola virus (Gostin, Hodge, & Burris, 2015). U.S. assistance via the CDC, U.S. public health affiliates and aid organizations, in hand with military support, was crucial to the eventual containment of the Ebola crisis in West Africa. Clinical trials would lead to the implementation of a promising vaccination against Ebola known as ZMapp, however a cure remains out of reach to date (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2016). As the outbreak finally died out in 2016, with over 28,000 cases and over 11,000 deaths collectively, a haunting reminder of mistakes and lessons learned would follow all agencies and countries involved (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016).   The phoenix that would arise from this event is the understanding that the United States would be required to fortify its public health awareness and planning, along with tightening emergency preparedness protocols to remain ahead of the inevitability that one day, another infectious disease may find its way to America’s doorstep. References Achenbach, J., Dennis, B., & Hogan, C. (2014, August 02). Special air ambulance to carry American Ebola victims to Atlanta for treatment. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/us-confirms-2-americans-with-ebola-coming-home-for-treatment/2014/08/01/c20a27cc-1995-11e4-9e3b-7f2f110c6265_story.html?utm_term=.da406c3c7030 A timeline of the Ebola outbreak. (2014, November 29). Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-22/ebola-timeline-worst-outbreak-in-history/5831876 Bell BP, Damon IK, Jernigan DB, et al. Overview, Control Strategies, and Lessons Learned in the CDC Response to the 2014–2016 Ebola Epidemic. MMWR Suppl 2016;65(Suppl-3):4–11. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.su6503a2 Briand, S., Bertherat, E., Cox, P., Formenty, P., Kieny, M. P., Myhre, J. K., & Dye, C. (2014). The international Ebola emergency. New England Journal of Medicine, 371(13), 1180-1183. CBS/AP. (2014, July 27). Two Americans infected with deadly Ebola virus in West Africa. Retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/american-doctor-in-west-africa-contracts-deadly-ebola-virus/ Cenciarelli, O., Pietropaoli, S., Malizia, A., Carestia, M., D’Amico, F., Sassolini, A., & Palombi, L. (2015). Ebola virus disease 2013-2014 outbreak in west Africa: an analysis of the epidemic spread and response. International journal of microbiology, 2015. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014, April 07). Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/virus-families/filoviridae.html Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014, July 28). CDC Newsroom. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/t0728-ebola.html Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014, July 31). CDC Newsroom. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/p0731-ebola.html Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016, April 14). Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/previous-case-counts.htmlhttps://www.cdc.gov/mmWR/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6346a9.htm Chertow, D. S., Kleine, C., Edwards, J. K., Scaini, R., Giuliani, R., & Sprecher, A. (2014). Ebola virus disease in West Africa—clinical manifestations and management. New England Journal of Medicine, 371(22), 2054-2057. Chevalier, M. S., Chung, W., Smith, J., Weil, L. M., Hughes, S. M., Joyner, S. N., & Threadgill, H. (2014). Ebola virus disease cluster in the United StatesDallas County, Texas, 2014.  MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report,  63(46), 1087-1088. Courage, K. H. (2014, October 24). Inside the 4 U.S. Biocontainment Hospitals That Are Stopping Ebola [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/inside-the-4-u-s-biocontainment-hospitals-that-are-stopping-ebola-video/ Dahl BA, Kinzer MH, Raghunathan PL, et al. CDC’s Response to the 2014–2016 Ebola Epidemic — Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. MMWR Suppl 2016;65(Suppl-3):12–20. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.su6503a3 Dallas News. (2014, December 07). ER doctor discusses role in Ebola patients initial misdiagnosis. Retrieved from https://www.dallasnews.com/news/news/2014/12/06/er-doctor-discusses-role-in-ebola-patients-initial-misdiagnosis Ebola in Sierra Leone: A slow start to an outbreak that eventually outpaced all others. (2015, November 10). Retrieved from http://www.who.int/csr/disease/ebola/one-year-report/sierra-leone/en/ Fasina, F. O., Shittu, A., Lazarus, D., Tomori, O., Simonsen, L., Viboud, C., & Chowell, G. (2014). Transmission dynamics and control of Ebola virus disease outbreak in Nigeria, July to September 2014.  Eurosurveillance,  19(40), 20920. Fernandez, M. (2014, October 12). 2nd Ebola Case in U.S. Stokes Fears of Health Care Workers. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/13/us/texas-health-worker-tests-positive-for-ebola.html Freedman, A. (2014, October 16). Americas 4 Ebola Hospitals Can Only Hold 9 Patients. Retrieved from https://mashable.com/2014/10/16/ebola-us-hospital-capacity/#jlTEhWW9igq9 Frieden, T. R., & Damon, I. K. (2015). Ebola in West Africa—CDC’s Role in Epidemic Detection, Control, and Prevention. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 21(11), 1897–1905. http://doi.org/10.3201/eid2111.150949 Gostin, L. O., Hodge, J. G., & Burris, S. (2014). Is the United States Prepared for Ebola?.  Jama,  312(23), 2497-2498. Hewlett, A. L., Varkey, J. B., Smith, P. W., & Ribner, B. S. (2015). Ebola virus disease: preparedness and infection control lessons learned from two biocontainment units.  Current opinion in infectious diseases,  28(4), 343. Liberia: A country-and its capital-are overwhelmed with Ebola cases. (2015, October 01). Retrieved from http://www.who.int/csr/disease/ebola/one-year-report/liberia/en/ Man Who Died of Ebola in Nigeria Was American Citizen: Wife. (2014, July 29). Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ebola-virus-outbreak/man-who-died-ebola-nigeria-was-american-citizen-wife-n167546 McCarty, C. L., Basler, C., Karwowski, M., Erme, M., Nixon, G., Kippes, C., & Stone, N. D. (2014). Response to importation of a case of Ebola virus disease—Ohio, October 2014.  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report,  63(46), 1089-1091. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). (2017, July 17). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/su/su6503a8.htm Response to Importation of a Case of Ebola Virus Disease Ohio, October 2014. (2014, November 14). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm63e1114a6.htm Saà ©z, A. M., Weiss, S., Nowak, K., Lapeyre, V., Zimmermann, F., Dà ¼x, A., & Sachse, A. (2014). Investigating the zoonotic origin of the West African Ebola epidemic. EMBO molecular medicine, e201404792. Sanburn, J. (2014, October 20). Ebola: Psychology of Fear During Disease Outbreak. Retrieved from http://time.com/3525666/ebola-psychology-fear-symptoms/ Signs and Symptoms | Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever | CDC. (2014, November 2). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/symptoms/index.html The White House Office of the Press Secretary. (2014, September 16). FACT SHEET: U.S. Response to the Ebola Epidemic in West Africa. Retrieved from https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/09/16/fact-sheet-us-response-ebola-epidemic-west-africa U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2016, October 13). Study finds Ebola treatment ZMapp holds promise, although results not definitive. Retrieved from https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/study-finds-ebola-treatment-zmapp-holds-promise-although-results-not-definitive VOA News. (2014, October 08). Liberian Man Infected with Ebola Dies at Texas Hospital. Retrieved from https://www.voanews.com/a/second-un-staffer-infected-iwth-ebola-in-liberia/2476380.html World Health Organization. (2015, September 22). Factors that contributed to undetected spread of the Ebola virus and impeded rapid containment. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/csr/disease/ebola/one-year-report/factors/en/ World Health Organization. (2018, January). Ebola virus disease. Retrieved  March  1, 2018, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/

Twentieth Century History of South Africa Essay -- African History

The twentieth century history of South Africa contains many struggles and obstacles as its people worked towards creating a more unified country. Modern human beings have inhabited South Africa for more than 100,000 years and a great deal of colonization has occurred within the last 300 years. During the late 18th century, 90 Dutchmen landed on the Cape of Good Hope as part of the Dutch East India Company, representing the first permanent settlers of South Africa. In 1652, they were instructed to build a fort and to start growing crops to aid the ships travelling along the Eastern trade route. Five short years later, approximately 250 white men occupied the area, bringing with them slaves to aid in growing more crops. Their farmland began to expand, and the native South Africans concern of expanding Dutch colonization was becoming a reality. Immigration was encouraged in the 19th century, and the independent farmers called â€Å"trekboers† started to expand their farmlan d to the north and east. Slaves brought into South Africa by the white colonists created a mixed race group known as â€Å"colored†, creating a mixture of race and culture seen today in South Africa. Native South Africans were losing ground to this expanding Dutch colony and their slaves (Southafrica.info, 2012, pg. 1). According to the U.S. State Department (2012), African farmers known as the Boers began to migrate into South Africa in 1836. These colonists fled to Africa partly to escape British rule and due to the recent abolition of slavery in Britain. This created strife and conflict with the native South Africans, the most formidable being the Zulus. The leader of the Zulus, Shaka, reigned over the area from 1787 to 1828. Under him, the Zulus were able... ...racial election. The citizens of Africa are counting on South Africa's post-apartheid governments to continue the trend of reformation and reconciliation. References A Short History of South Africa - SouthAfrica.info. (n.d.). South Africa's official gateway - investment, travel, country information - SouthAfrica.info. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from http://www.southafrica.info/about/history/history.htm History of South Africa. (n.d.). HistoryWorld - History and Timelines. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?groupid=588&HistoryID=aa62>rack=pthc Jost, K. (1994). Can South Africa make the transition to a non-racial democracy?. South Africa's future (pp. 1-25). Washington, D.C.: CQ Press. South Africa. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2898.htm#political

Chemical Transport During Surface Irrigation :: Agriculture Farming Papers

Chemical Transport During Surface Irrigation Surface irrigation, the most prominent method used for irrigating agricultural crops, is the flowing of water across the field surface. As the water flows, it infiltrates into the soil. The amount of water applied to the field is regulated by the length of time that the water is allowed to flow. Surface irrigation can be subdivided into following four types based the amount of water flow control; wild flooding, graded boarders, level boarders and furrow irrigation. Wild flooding uses a series of field ditches running parallel or perpendicular to the fields' contour. Water is introduced into the field either be overflowing the ditches or by siphon. Once the water enters the field, the water is allowed to flow uncontrolled under the force of gravity. The water then infiltrates the soil as it moves across the field. The graded boarder method is similar to wild flooding except that the field is divided into a series of smaller narrower fields varying from 10 to 20 meters wide and 100 to 400 meters long. Each of these smaller fields is surrounded by a low ridge that keeps the water from spreading to much laterally. This method gives some control over the flow of water. Level boarder irrigation is similar to the graded boarder method except that the field is leveled within the low ridges surrounding it. Water can be introduced into the field at a faster rate so the field is covered much quicker. The water is then allowed to infiltrate into the soil. Furrow irrigation chanalizes the water into narrow furrows running the length of the field perpendicular to the contour of the field. This submerges only about one fifth of the soil surface. As the water flows down the furrow it infiltrates into the soil below and to the sides of the furrow. All four of these methods result in excess water being applied to the field to ensure that the far ends of the field are adequately watered. This means that there will be water running off the field on the downhill side of the field. A ditch is run along the side of the field to collect this water and remove it from the field. This excess water is of concern from a water quality standpoint. Almost all crops grown in the united states are done so under intense fertilization and pest control programs that result in large amounts of fertilizers and pesticides being applied to the soil and crop itself.

Trade Commission :: essays research papers

The Federal Trade Commission, in submitting a Request For Public Comment Concerning Guides For The Dog And Cat Food Industry, is asking the American Public to assess guidelines for monitoring the pet food industry that have been in place since 1969. Since the basic thrust of the original guidelines was to control misrepresentation in the industry, it is hard to imagine that the public would disagree with the original intent of the guidelines. It would also be prudent to assess whether a review of such sound guidelines would be either necessary or worth the cost of carrying out the assessment. On the other hand, it has been thirty years since the original guidelines were implemented, giving the public and the industry time to see if the guidelines have done their job in a cost-effective manner and whether or not they need to be retooled for an industry that has gone through considerable technological and economic changes. Therefore, it would seem reasonable to conduct a survey that wo uld target key areas, such as any overlapping of the guidelines with federal, state, and local laws, the integrity of industry self-regulation in a new era of economic and technological advances, and whether or not the guidelines have imposed undue cost to both the industry and the public. Few would argue with the points of the original guidelines, whether it is monitoring misleading claims in advertising, or monitoring the quality of the products themselves. Despite economic and technological advances that have taken place in the industry since 1969, the guidelines still hold up as sound. There are also federal, state, and local laws that attempt to insure the same integrity in the pet food industry. The pet food industry also closely monitors itself. Given all these factors, it would seem best to question the necessity of such a survey, or, at least, to limit its scope and cost. What could be unseen motives for initiating such a reassessment? The American pet food industry would certainly want to keep pressure on the government to regulate foreign competition, insisting that competitors meet the same stringent standards set for American manufacturers. The FTC would also stand to gain from the number of its workers that would be paid for conducting the reassessment and the power and prestige that such guidelines tend to give the FTC It might be useful to assess how much cost the original guidelines have imposed on the industry and the consumer in increased prices for pet foods and if the guidelines have added anything to federal, state, and local laws that already monitor the industry.

Animal Bullying

The horizon melted across the sky, the setting sun nowhere to be seen. A seagull dived across the sky, heading horizon. I sat on the sandy beach, staring at the mesmerizing obediently beside me. Looking at it, a wave of fresh memories came rushing back into my mind, engulfing me in it†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ It was a sultry Saturday afternoon, left to my own devices. I sat on my squishy couch, eyes peeled on the goggle box, enjoying my favourite television show, ‘Zero no Tsukaima’. Then, the show finally ended, I rubbed my still bleary eyes and gave the clock a quick glance.It was still early, only 3 o’clock. Wondering what to do, I stared blankly at the ceiling. Then the telephone started ringing shrilly. Without further hesitation, I dashed to answer it and to my surprise, it was my best friend, John inviting me for a ride in the park. I agreed readily. Like a cat on hot brick, I quickly changed and glanced countless times at the clock in the process, then, I quickly boar ded my bike and started cycling towards the park. Though the park was only a stone’s throw away from my house, then it seemed as if it was miles away.After what seemed like an eternity, I finally reached the park and found John waiting for me there impatiently. I quickly approached him and we began cycling around while chatting about the interesting happenings in school. Just as we having a whale of our time, a scared ‘mew’ and then a crowd of raucous laughter aroused our attention. We quickly alighted from our bikes and then edged nearer and nearer to the direction where the laughter was coming from. Hiding behind a clump of bushes, we peered carefully through the gaps between the leaves to see what had happened.To our utter horror, three teenage boys formed a small circle around a white and brown splotched cat and each was armed with several rubber bands and a packet of soft drink. Then, one of the boys let loose a rubber band striking the cat near the eye, it retreated and the boy behind it let loose another rubber band hitting it on the back and he also edged forward to step its tail. The cat gave another loud pitiful ‘mew’ and it nearly broke my heart. â€Å"How dare they do that to such a helpless little cat? † I thought.I began to stand up, but John grabbed my arm and we retreated to a few metres away and John frantically asked me, â€Å"What do you want to do? They are so much bigger and stronger than us! † I gave a sigh and told him how I felt and I also told him that I could not bear to see the kitten being bullied and beaten by the teenagers and I turned to go towards the teenager, and John grabbed me again and tried his best to persuade me not to go but I would not listen, the commotion aroused the attention of the teenagers and they came out, looking at what had happened. When they saw us, they snickered and asked, â€Å"What business do you have here kid? Anger started to boil within me and I longed to go up to him and give him a bash straight in the face, but I had to suppress my anger and said, â€Å"I may be a kid but at least I know it is wrong to hurt innocent animals unlike you dunces. † The teenagers instantly flared up and were cracking their knuckles. Instantly, I regretted what I had just said. John was standing beside me trembling from head to toe. Then, the leader of the gang snarled at me, â€Å"Who cares about a rotten ball of fur. † I made a quick dash for the kitten that came limping towards us and then without a second look, I dashed away.John also followed me and also kept looking backwards, but to our surprise, the teenagers did not chase us. After running for quite a long distance, we stopped to catch a breath. I also stopped to take a look at the kitten, its right leg was bleeding and its blood dyed my red shirt as I held it close to myself just now. Then the kitten started licking its wound. After discussing with John, we decided to bring it to the vet. Upon reaching the vet, we showed him the veterinarian and he told us that the kitten was not too badly hurt except for some skin deep cuts.Only then, we sighed in relief. Then, we decided to go home and John said that he had nothing to do with the kitten, so I brought it home. When my parents came home, I related the incident to them and I asked them if I could keep the kitten. At first, they were firm and said no, but after much begging and persuasion, they finally agreed me and requested me to take care of the kitten myself as my mother was afraid that after some time, I would lose interest in the cat and the responsibility of taking care of it would land on her.That, I readily agreed. Suddenly, my cat bounded from my torch and ran it around me back into reality. Looking at the sky again, it was turning dark and I gave a sigh ready to get up and go back home for dinner, carrying the kitten in one hand, I set off to home. I was really grateful that I had the chance to come by the kitten. I will devote myself to take care of the kitten for life. That is what it takes to be a responsible pet owner.

Racial Diversity Worksheet

According to Wikipedia Encyclopedia African Americans have experienced significant changes in their economic, social and political standings since the Civil Rights Movement. African Americans have more access to getting a higher education, a better paying job, and they are more involved in the American political process than any other minority group in the United States. Even though you still see many African Americans living in poverty, struggling to survive, and having limited access to healthcare, you also see many African Americans working extremely hard to accomplish many great things.Many of them have great jobs, own their own homes, and are living a wonderful life all together. For example, Barrack Obama beat all the odds and became the first African American President of the United States. Barrack Obama survived being and â€Å"average† American to complete school, go to college, raise a family, and eventually becoming the President. He is changing the way the â€Å"a verage† African American and Americans in general are viewed and what their potential standings in economic, social, and political America will be.  I know that President Obama is having a lot of issues right  now and not looking like a good role model, but at one point he was someone that African Americans and all Americans did look up to.1. There are two definitions for racism. The first definition of racism is the belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others. The second definition of racism is discrimination or prejudice based on race. There are many ways that racism affects diversity. Racism keeps people away from people of different races and with that happening they are not learning about all the different ethnic backgrounds.2.  According to the National Journal the interactions of racial groups has become more positive than negative or neutral. Many people do not see their friends and neig hbors as different races even though they are. Today many people are open to diversity. They are willing to learn more about the different cultural backgrounds, because of the potential day to day interaction with friends, family, and neighbors.3. Even though we the people believe that we are all equal there is still existing social inequities based on race. African Americans and Latinos are more likely to live in high- poverty communities than poor white people.  This means that African Americans and Latino are at high risk of not being to have quality schools, housing, healthcare, affordable consumer credit, or anything else that will help them to get out of poverty.4. I believe that the causes of racial prejudice and discrimination in today's society is people are afraid to give a person of another racial group a chance to prove who the really are. Many people live in the past and are brought up to believe that their racial group is superior over any other racial group. Many of these people are stuck in their own ways and are not open to any change.