Different roles within group

Identify five different roles within groups; discuss the ways in which they can contribute to the successful completion of a task. Leader/Facilitator The position of the leader is significant, as the team would not have any guide or direction and would most likely become unproductive. The leader clarifies goals, promotes decision-making and delegates well. She/he must have outstanding interpersonal skills, being able to communicate effectively with team members hrough good listening, verbal and non-verbal communication.Team worker/ Motivator The role of the team worker is to maintain harmony and unity between all members; they work towards resolving any conflicts that affect the team's dynamics. They are very motivating and supportive of other team members. They tend to never take part in decision making as they wouldn't want to be seen taking sides. Resource Investigator The Resource Investigator is a strong communicator, good at discussing with people utside the team and gathering external information and resources.They are usually very rapid thinkers and excellent at extracting information from the foundation. They also are very advanced at networking with other teams and organisations. Completer/ Finisher The Completer/Finisher is a task-orientated member of the group and as their name implies they like to complete tasks; they pay great attention to detail and are very good at organising meetings/ discussions for the team.They keep the team up on schedule and can usually have a tendency for being anxious about meeting targets and deadlines. Implementer People who play the implementer in the team are the one who usually get everything done. They are practical, focused and strong minded individuals and turn the team's proposals into plans. Due to their rigid nature, implementers would rather stick to old, tried and tested methods than to embrace change and improvement.

Irony in Ozymandias Essay

Shelly produces a wonderful piece of irony in Ozymandias. When looking at Ozymandias we should look at the Greek breakdown of the name. â€Å"Ozy comes from the Greek ‘ozium,’ which means to breath, or air. Mandias comes from the Greek ‘mandate,’ which means to rule,† notes Biterman in his analysis of the poem. The fact that the derivative of the great Ozymandias’s name is Ruler of Air is where the irony begins. When one looks upon what was written on the base of the statue and then to what has become of that statue and all that surrounds it one sees how ironic that name really is. It is easiest to begin from the inscription on the base of the statue as it gives us the best insight into the man it represents. ‘My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!(lines 10-11)’ This quote infers his belief that no one will ever surpass his works. One might even conclude from this that he would even challenge God himself. We then can go back and look at how Shelley described the statue. His description tells us what condition God leaves the model of this mocking fool: â€Å"Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command.(lines 2-5)† The condition of the statue in itself shows that Ozymandias was not the greatest ruler there ever was. In looking at the condition of the statue and his words after you really do see the irony of the situation. All which this great king accomplished and what he once was has eroded into the sand leaving nothing but â€Å"two vast and trunkless legs of stone.† God allows only the legs and words to stand so that he might prove a point. The point Shelly tried to raise in the poem was that God will outlast all those who attempt to make a mockery of him. Shelly writes, â€Å"Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed.(lines 6-8)† On this point I would have to agree with Joe Kelly in his belief that Ozymandias’s heart fed on the passions of his people. If he had nurtured his people instead of oppressing them their  passion would have been with maintaining his memory, instead of destroying it. There is a great deal of irony in Ozymandias’ shattered visage on the sand. The king who so terrified those he commanded for so long no longer has any power, yet, his face still tries to dominate all he sees. The very actions that brought to him a period of glory also brought the destruction of what he worked so vigilantly on. Once finished the reader can look back and realize how ironic the entire situation is; at one point this ruler was (or believed himself to be) the most powerful man to have ever lived, and now people look at his lifeless shrine and realize the truth. As long as this poem goes on being read Ozymandias will live on. Works Cited Biterman, Aaron J. † Analysis of Ozymandias.† Dec. 2000. 23 Mar. 2003 . Kelly, Joe. † Mighty Works in Shelley’s â€Å"Ozymandias†.† 23 Mar. 2003 < http://www.cofc.edu/~kellyj/explication.html>.

Ideas and Ideologies of Mill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ideas and Ideologies of Mill - Essay Example Later at the age of twenty Mill suffered a mental break down which made him conscious, that more was needed in life than devotion to the public good and an analytical intellect. He turned towards Coleridge, Carlyle, Wordsworth, and Goethe to cultivate his aesthetic sensibilities. From 1830 to his death, he tried to persuade the British public of the necessity of a scientific approach, h to understanding social, political and economic change while not neglecting the insights of poets and other imaginative writers. (The Penguin Dictionary of Philosophy ed.) Mill was also strongly influenced by his wife Harriet Taylor and became more inclined and sympathetic towards socialism, womens rights and political and social reforms such as proportional representation, labour unions, and farm co-operatives. Mill use logic derived from the principles of the natural sciences to address questions of language and logic, induction, the relativity of knowledge, the structure of the scientific method, the structure of arithmetic and geometry, and the principles of the moral sciences. Mill was committed to the idea that our best methods of explaining the world are those employed by the natural sciences. His System of Logic 1843 was an account not only of logic, as the title implies, but of the methods of science and their applicability to social as well as purely natural phenomena. ‘The object of logic â€Å"is to ascertain how we come by that portion of our knowledge (much the greatest portion) which is not intuitive: and by what criterion we can, in matters not self-evident, distinguish between things proved and things not proved, between what is worthy and what is unworthy of belief.† (A System of Logic [System], I.i.1).

Vomiting Reflex Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Vomiting Reflex - Essay Example This means that it can receive direct emetogenic stimulation from the cerebrospinal fluid and blood. The CTZ sends impulses to the vomiting impulses to the vomiting centre. The process of vomiting includes the retching and the expulsive phase. In the retching phase, the vomiting centre transmits motor efferent impulses to the abdominal muscles and the diaphragm resulting in increased intra-abdominal pressure. It also results in anti-peristalsis forces that can go all the way to the duodenum and ileum. Gastric content accumulates in the stomach resulting in relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter (John, 2010). This is accompanied by hypersalivation, increased heart rate and sweating through the parasympathetic outflow. The hyoid bone and the larynx are elevated so as to open the upper esophageal sphincter. This is followed by the closure of the glottis. The increased intra-abdominal pressure and anti-peristalsis forces results in the expulsion of the abdominal contents. The following is a flow chart demonstrating the vomiting reflex. The contents and color of the vomitus may be used to diagnosis the cause of vomiting. Bleeding from the esophagus is showed by the presence of fresh blood in the vomitus. When the blood originates from the stomach, for example, perforated peptic ulcer, the vomitus has coffee ground appearance. This is because the acid found in the stomach reacts with the iron found in hemoglobin. Presence of bile in the vomitus indicates that the pyloric valve is open. This means that there is massive contraction of the duodenum leading to expulsion of bile (John, 2010). Fecal content in the vomitus indicates a gastrocolic fistula or intestinal obstruction. In case of intestinal obstruction, the vomiting relieves the associated abdominal pain and distension. These features are used to determine the origin of pathology in the gastrointestinal

No Child Left Behind Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

No Child Left Behind Act - Essay Example The strong and weak points of the law will be discussed in this paper in addition to the aforementioned information. When the NCLB was passed, a lot of politicians looked forward to its positive effects to the system of education in America considering all groups like the administrators, teachers, students and parents. In 2006, there have been positive reports about the act and heads have been nodding in approval to the statistics presented. The long term Nation’s Report Card results in 2005 claims that achievements in Math and Reading of elementary students reached the highest level and that achievement gaps were minimal (Ed.gov). The Department of Education gave similar reports on the statistics submitted in favor of the act and these were applauded during President George W. Bush’s 2008 State of the Union Address. He claimed that in 2007, fourth and eighth graders achieved the highest math scores on record, reading scores are on the rise and African-American and Hisp anic students posted all-time highs (Bush).

Sexual harrassment in the workplace Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sexual harrassment in the workplace - Article Example The writer believes that sexual harassment is a costly matter at company level and on a personal level for the victims. Consequences companies can face are in three levels: business consequences, legal consequences and personal consequences. Business consequences are such as low productivity among staff members. Sexual harassment reduces the victims’ morale. Some victims who were valuable to the company end up resigning from their jobs. Companies would also have to deal with unnecessary operational costs. In a hypothetical situation, these costs are identifiable when a senior member of the staff in the company goes on a business trip with a junior staff member. The senior member wants the junior member to satisfy their sexual needs and work related obligations. In that case, the cost incurred in funding the junior member’s trip is a waste of company resources (Prekel, 2010). The writer argues that the consequences also extend to a company’s reputation. For exampl e, the writer postulates a situation whereby somebody discovers that a company has cases of sexual harassment. The person finds out again that the management of that the company is lax in dealing with the harassment cases. The writer states that this revelation would dent the company’s image among clients and the public. Consequences under legal actions are such as costs the company will have to incur in litigation. By law, employers should account for any cases of sexual harassment under their purview regardless of their knowledge or ignorance of sexual harassment at the workplace. Another possible consequence could be that a harasser who has faced disciplinary action can take advantage of the fact that, the company does not have a clear sexual harassment policy to challenge the action taken against him. This reaction means that the company would have to incur the cost of defending their action in a court of law financially. On a personal level, victims get

Starbucks Company Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Starbucks Company - Research Paper Example The Company’s mission is to â€Å"inspire and nature the human spirit-one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.† The company has dedicated itself to serving people with the best coffee that the prevailing market can possibly offer. Starbucks’ main goal is to ensure that all their coffee is grown and natured under high quality standards, which they realize through the use of ethical sourcing practices. The intended suppliers of the company’s coffee personally tour its coffee firms in Africa, Asia and Latin America in order to select arabica beans of highest quality. Once the buyers have selected the beans, they are brought to the company’s roasting plants where experts bring out the rich flavor and balance of the beans via Starbucks Roast TM signature. Starbucks is committed to conducting its business responsibly and conducting themselves in ways that earn their partners, customers and neighbors respect and trust (â€Å"Starbucks Company P rofile†). The purpose of this paper is to describe how Starbucks Company uses the four management functions: Planning, organizing, influencing and controlling to achieve its goals. Starbucks Planning function Effective planning helps an organization in achieving its goals and objectives. The process often commences with the reviewing of the organization’s current operations and identifying the loopholes that need to be operationally improved. As such, planning encompasses the envisioning of the outcomes to be achieved by the organization and the necessary steps for achieving desired success. Success is often measured in terms of goals or financial terms including high rating of the organization based on the satisfaction of their customers. All businesses including Starbucks require a plan in order to grow and survive in their respective industries. Plans are significant in guiding Starbucks to accomplish its desired goals and objectives. The planning process is an essen tial element of an organization’s performance as it helps a business and its managers in determining processes needed to achieve the goals of the company. In any competitive industry, it is difficult to encounter businesses as frequently as is the case with Starbucks. The Starbucks Company has retails located in each and every street corner, a factor that places its retail shops right at the doorsteps of its customers. This makes it extremely convenient for consumers to buy a cup of coffee at a premium price while home, at the office or out for a fun day. The company’s functional plan organized along with its business plan has helped it to achieve a near monopoly in the coffee industry. Executive managers and company employees work hand in hand to ensure their customers are satisfied. Starbucks does not only train its employees on the hard production skills, but also on the soft skills on how best to interact with the customers and other stakeholders. Soft skills are s uch as donning an inviting smile or creating a friendly eye contact with the potential customers. In terms of legendary service, the Company remembers its regular customers and their preferred drinks. Starbucks is a service oriented companies that ensures a high degree of customer contact and visibility. It is of great significance for the company to continue training their employees with the sole aim of perfecting their service to both casual and regular customers since it is

Accounting information systems development Essay

Accounting information systems development - Essay Example The company in this scenario is a small, local CPA firm. The personnel at the organization include three new CPAs and an office manager. Primarily, the company's business consists of tax and write-up work.However, recently the company has required a new client: a homeowner's association with a total of 150 homeowners.The firm has agreed to provide the homeowner's association with several services. There are six service areas that the company has agreed to service the homeowner's association with: billing, collection, payments, reporting, tax, and advisory. With billing, each homeowner will be sent an itemized bill each quarter, dues being payable by the month. Late fees accumulate at one percent of the unpaid balance each month that passes. On the first day of the last month of the quarter, bills are mailed out to the homeowners, and payment is expected by the quarter's end.With collection, the accounting firm is responsible for collecting the payments from the post office box that i t has rented specially for the homeowner's association. They are also responsible for depositing the checks they collect.With the large, new client, the company is hoping to expand that area of their practice by computerizing the main functions of their system. The goal of the company is to computerized the system's main functions. The main focus of the computerization will be on billing and reporting. Other than the actual interface of the new system, the checking account, financial statements, and tax preparation parts will not be computerized at this time. Instead, the billing and collections portions of the system will be computerized. The System and Manual Functions (Inputs, Outputs, and Controls) BusinessTown (2008) tell us to "Think of the accounting system as a wheel whose hub is the general ledger (G/L). Feeding the hub information are the spokes of the wheel. These include accounts receivable, accounts payable, order entry, inventory control, cost accounting, payroll, and fixed assets accounting." Each of these items is a subledger of the general ledger, and each summarizes the entries and then feeds that information to the general ledger. There are a few differences between manual and automated ledgers. In order to consider this, think of the general ledger as a piece of paper that shows assets, liabilities, income, and expenses where all transactions are recorded by hand in a manual fashion. While some of the entries from the different subledgers flow upwards, others are entered manually through the utilization of a general journal entry. "The same concept of a sheet of paper holds for each subledger that feeds the general ledger. A computerized accounting system works the same way, except that the general ledger and subledgers are computer files instead of sheets of paper. Entries are posted to each and summarized, then the summary is sent up to the G/L for posting" (BusinessTown, 2008). Billing is the first component that will be computerized at the firm. This will be highly beneficial to the organization since "Accounting firms can improve their profitability and relations with clients by automating client billing with computers. Accounting firms c

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay Example for Free

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay The Lottery written by Shirley Jackson tells such a story: There is an ancient traditional annual event held in a small town in America. Anyone who wins the â€Å"lottery† will be stoned to death for harvest. Tessie is the new unluckier this time, who has to suffer this cruel and inhumane punishment. Seen deeply, females’ inferior position is showed elaborately in this novel. First, the appellation to females shows that they are in subordination to males. â€Å"Mrs. Hutchinson came hurriedly along the path to the square† (Jackson, 2), â€Å"she said to Mrs.   Delacroix† (Jackson, 2), â€Å"Mrs. Dunbar said regretfully† (Jackson, 3). Here â€Å"Mrs. Delacroix†, â€Å"Mrs. Hutchinson† and â€Å"Mrs. Dunbar† all suggest that one female cannot be an individual being after her marriage, since she has to be a part of her husband by calling her â€Å"Mrs†. When Tessie comes lately, the villager’s addresses that â€Å"Here comes your Missus, Hutchinson† (Jackson, 2) instead of calling her own name also shows that she has become a subordinate object for her husband. Just like Lakoff says in his book Language and Womans Place, â€Å"It is with Mrs, Miss, and Mr.  Since a significant part of the opinion one normally forms about a womans character and social station depends on her marital status as is not the case with men† (Lakoff, 73). This phenomenon is common all over the world. Why don’t males change their appellations like female do? Actually, the marriage cannot change anything but the couple’s new relationship and family lifestyle. So does a female have to compromise to become her husband’s stooge? Perhaps only when she makes accomplishment can she be introduced as an independent individual. Those who are satisfied with their status quo are likely to accept the new subsidiary address. Thus, females’ subordinated appellations gradually become accustomed. Second, the role of being a housewife unconsciously influences a female’s equal right to fulfill her own accomplishment. In the novel, â€Å"Mrs. Hutchinson came hurriedly along the path to the square, her sweater thrown over her shoulders†¦ â€Å"Clean forgot what day it was,† she said to Mrs. Delacroix†¦She dried her hands on her apron†¦Wouldnt have me leave mdishes in the sink, now, would you, Joe? † (Jackson, 3) Tessie’s words and the act of â€Å"drying her hands on her apron† suggest the female’s low social position at that time. Obviously, if she does not â€Å"win the lottery†, her next work is to rush home and serve meals for the family, since the traditional allocation of family roles has subsided into an established social norm: once a woman is married, she will give up her career and play the role of a housewife, heart and soul. So how can a female have more time to do something more prominent fulfillment since she has been limited into such situation? It’s no wonder that females do not share the equal position to do something more meaningful to some extent. Just like Journalist Ruth Franklin subtitled her 2010 piece in The New Republic: â€Å"On Shirley Jackson and the challenge of being both a mother and a writer† (p. 1). She says, â€Å"In the 1950s, just as much as now, women can only write when the baby naps, or while the children are at school, or after the dishes are done and the lunches are packed and the house is, at last, quiet. This sort of logistics has always worked with efficiency, once the woman understands that no matter how smoothly the thoughts are flowing, they will have to stop when the school bus comes. It works as a resignation to frustration† (FRANKLIN, 2010). It’s easy to perceive that Shirley Jackson’s writing career is somewhat influenced demonstrably because of her female identity. Being both as a mother and a wife, she has to regard her career—writing as the secondary mission to the family. The embarrassing situation she faced is linked with any females at that time. Thus, the role of being a housewife unconsciously influences a female’s equal right to fulfill her own accomplishment. Third, females don’t have the power to make decisions. As it is showed in the novel, males govern all the affairs, â€Å"The lottery was conducted by Mr. Summers; The postmaster, Mr. Graves carried a three- legged stool; Mr. Martin†¦ came forward to hold the box steady on the stool† (Jackson, 1). Three most powerful men dominate the whole village politically and financially. â€Å"There were the lists to make up of heads of families, heads of households in each family† (Jackson 2), which suggests the male’s dominant position in a family. Moreover, â€Å"Dunbar’s wife substituted him to draw the lottery because he had broken his leg, but Mr.  Summers asked whether she had a grown boy to do it† (Jackson, 2) also shows that the unusuality of a female to do such an essencial and decisive thing. In the end, Tessie’s death is another evidence to show that female is not only inferior, but a victim in that lamentable social circumstance. Having no rights to make decisions, females doom to be decided instead of deciding. Thus, the female’s inferior position has formed. In a world, females’ inferior position is shown elaborately in The Lottery. Their appellations, their family division of the labor and their no power to make decisions all display the inferior position of females.

How Reading As A Young Child Encouraged Essay Example for Free

How Reading As A Young Child Encouraged Essay When I was a young boy, while my other friends were busy playing ball, riding bicycles, playing games and doing other forms of leisure, I was always listening to my mother as she read comic books to my ears. My mother would always read the interesting comic books to my attentive ears; I would sit with my mother on the sofa as she read the comic books to my ears. I grew up from listening to my mother to reading the comic books on my own. My mother always bought me several books to read every week, as soon as I finished reading one book there was always another book to be read. I developed interest in several comic books, ranging from Iron Man, Spiderman and the likes. I inculcated the habit of reading right from a very tender age. My early reading habit really helped me in life as I developed an undying love for reading and improved greatly on my writing. While growing, I developed from reading comic books to reading more voluminous books, newspaper articles, magazines, novels etc. Books were packed in the shelves of our house. My friends always called our house a library. Reading was always the only option to kill boredom. My flare for reading encouraged me to get involved in writing as I discovered that the more I read the better I wrote. I could relate what I read in several books and combine them into writing something better. My reading habit really boosted my diction and I learnt new words each day I picked up a book to read. I learnt the rules of language, my grammar was greatly improved. Over the years I garnered a lot of experience from reading both fictional and true life stories. I applied some of the knowledge acquired from reading these books to various aspects of my life. Reading lots of books gave me a hint on the ways writers wrote, the style of language used and how best to communicate to a particular audience. I am a testimony of the quote that says that â€Å"A good reader is a good writer†. The more I read, the more I improved on my reading speed and grasped new ideas on how to write. Reading frequently made me a better reader and a good writer. I developed from reading for fun to reading for the acquisition of knowledge. Books like; the Richest man in Babylon, Thinking Big, the tale of two cities and many others were already in the long list of books that I have read . My whole life was affected positively by my reading habit as I read several motivational books that have been spurring me to achieve greatness in life. Through writing I could now transfer my thoughts and imaginations into a book or piece of article. The knowledge that I have acquired over time is what has made me the better person I am today. As I now read more, write better, have better grammar and have become a better man. The saying that you are what you read and you are an expression of what you write is definitely true as I have noticed tremendous changes in my life as a result of the past books I have read. I will have to thank my mother for imbibing the culture of reading in me; if not for her I would not have been a good writer and would definitely not be what I have been fashioned out to be today.

Media Bias And How It Affects Us Media Essay

Media Bias And How It Affects Us Media Essay The media affects our daily lives in numerous ways from television to radio to print. Sometimes these media avenues persuade our opinions on certain issues such as abortion, homosexuality, racism, and political. Numerous times throughout history the media has downplayed bias, which simply means prejudiced (â€Å"biased†). Media bias dates back to the early days of the newspaper and continues to this present day (Media Bias US 5). There are many examples throughout history showing biased media. Benjamin Franklin wrote a great example of early media bias in 1728 when he wrote an article in favor of printing paper money. Franklin did not specify he would be one of the beneficiaries, in terms of business, in printing the money (Media Bias US 5). Sometimes such bias pushed the political leaders of the time to limit the freedom of press, as did Abraham Lincoln when he ordered many newspapers, in favor of the South during the American Civil War era, to shutdown operation (Media Bia s US 5). There are countless times in history where the media has been bias towards one particular point of view. Many people in America today are not even aware the media is manipulating their way of thinking, although statistics state Americans realize the media is biased (Media Bias Basics 21-23). Some media bias has proven to be good, such as the mixing of racial characters in movies. The downside to this, however, was parts of the South would not show the racially mixed programs on television, as they believed in being separate and wanted to keep their agenda pushed through the media (Media Bias US 6). Most media bias is wrong and puts misguided thoughts and ideas into the minds of unknowing Americans. A good instance of this type of biased occurred when CBS aired falsified documents degrading both the character and the military service of George W. Bush (Media Bias US 3). Dan Rather eventually had to step down as anchor of CBS news for the story, as much of the public agreed that the news story and reporter swayed towards the liberal side. A poll taken in 2001 shows those in the media are four times as likely to identify with being â€Å"liberal† as compared to â€Å"conservative† (Media Bias Basics 11). This same report also showed members of the media were seven times more likely to identify with being a Democrat as opposed to being a Republican (Media Bias Basics 11, 12). This is a staggering statistics when a 2001 Gallop Poll found only 18 percent of the American people identify with being liberal, as opposed to 41 percent identify with being conservative (Media Bias Basics 15). While most may agree the media is bias to some extent, the media, for the most part, slants to the left when dealing with issues. While some may believe this is good, there are also consequences and repercussions to believing everything shown on television, radio, and in print. There are many different types of bias in the media. From racial to corporate, to bias appealing to the senses such issues persuade our views on issues and we are bombard daily by them (Media Bias 1). A good example of media entertaining these different types of media bias are there have been many missing people reported by the media, predominantly white women; this has lead some to speculate the news media shows more favor towards white girls who are attractive, as opposed to men and nonOsborne 3 white women by the media (Missing 1-3). While there are many other examples to media bias in these particular avenues, the topic the media spends the most time on is government and the political system. Very few, if any, media outlets existing today are striving to give the American people a balanced report on the news. A report done by the Project for Excellence in Journalism has published a report of the news media networks, of those reported only Fox News Channel reported positive (38%) about the same as they did negative or neutral (39%) on the war in Iraq (Annual Report 8). Much of the left accuses Fox News of containing a conservative point of view with many liberals not agreeing with the programming on Fox News no matter if it is true or not (Media Bias News Networks 1). Other media outlets fair poorly with conservatives too, with conservatives rating CNN and CBS amongst the worst in reporting the news (Media Bias News Networks 1). It is therefore not surprising the media outlet one political party despises, the other enjoys; as such, the majority of conservatives think highly of Fox News, with liberals thinking highly of CNN and PBS (Media Bias News Networks 2). Moreover, it is not surprising conservatives and liberals said the news anchors they found most entertaining were on the news networks they favored most (Media Bias News Networks 2). There are many different areas and topics for the media to cover; how the media covers those topics is solely up to them. Their mistakes these media outlets make in journalism, by using the power of persuasion, make it evident in the way people from various groups vote and feel about certain topics. While some may argue certain media outlets are better than others are, the argument of biased media will always be an issue. Since the founding of America there has always been media bias good and bad it has always helped shape the way Americans look at politics and the way the people vote.

school prayer :: essays research papers

did when I was growing up there. Today it is necessary to have a Police Officer in the village of Larsen Bay, Alaska because of domestic violence and alcohol/drug abuse. There was the Russian Orthodox religion, but Priests only made a short visit approximately every six months to a year, that is if the weather and the Priest's schedule permitted. Whenever a Russian Orthodox Priest would visit, he would give all of his sermons in either Russian, or Slavonic. Very few if any of the villagers understood Russian or the Slavonic language. A few years before I left the village the Baptists moved in to cleanse our heathen souls. The Baptist presence in the village lasted for about 10 years after I left. There is a Russian Orthodox religious presence in the village today. The Russian Orthodox religion moved into the village, built a Church and this time give their sermons in English or at least through an interpreter. I had a childhood that was without the pressures and influence of organized religion. When I left the village and went out into the world, my curiosity was aroused to the different supernatural god-beliefs of the world. I found that some people believed so strongly that they had the "only" one true religion that they would fight and die for that belief. Supernatural god-beliefs are just that - beliefs, a figment of imagination and a superstition. People that are indoctrinated from birth into supernatural god-beliefs know that they are right and that the others have it all wrong. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Public School Pre-game Prayer Halt prayer before games judge orders This was on the front page of the Atlanta Constitution on September 25, 1986. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order banning prayers before football games at the Douglas County High School in Douglasville, GA. Doug Jager just returned to Douglasville, GA from his first trip to Larsen Bay, Alaska where he spent the summer. Emotions were intense and out of control for Christians who suddenly found that they lost one of their means of imposing their prayers onto the public. After the Atlanta Constitution's front-page story to halt prayers at public school football games, Georgia went crazy. The Jager household was besieged with some of the nastiest phone calls and open public abuse coming from Christians in the name of God. The abuse coming from Christians was very intense, and meant to terrorize and to intimidate.

Affirmitive Action In The College Admissions Process Essay -- essays r

Every year millions of high school seniors apply to colleges and universities across the country. Some get in, some don’t. These schools have strict policies on the criteria for the acceptance of such students. The criteria involve many aspects of a student’s prior academic career, such as their academic standing, extra curricular activities and work ethic. These are criteria that put everyone on the same level because everyone has the ability to work harder or join more athletics. However, no one can change the color of their skin, and colleges base their admissions on these variables as well. So racism, in a sense, affects even the most basic of human ideals, education. If all men are truly created equal, as it is written, then race should not matter. Why aren’t college admissions based solely on merit? No person should be given an advantage based solely on the color of his or her skin.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Racism is the belief that one particular race is superior to another. Throughout history people have been persecuted or singled out because of the color of their skin, even in our own country. How can this be in a country that claims that all men are created equal? Racism is so much a part of American culture now that we have claims of reverse racism and programs implemented, such as affirmative action, not just to protect the rights of a different person but to further them along in life and to make things easier for them. When this country was founded, it was believed that people that were born with a different color skin were inferior to those with white skin. They were in fact enslaved before America was actually founded, and this treatment continued until the country was nearly a hundred years old. Since then African Americans and other races have been attempting to reach equality in this country. One such method has been through education. In America, intell igence for the most part is respected, just as much as hard work. College in this country is the epitome of both.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the university setting young adults are pushed to their limits. Their intelligence is tested on a daily basis in many different ways. Some classes involve heavy writing and still others involve written exams as their form of grading. Work ethic is also pushed. Homework is assigned and the true student does these assignments to maintain th... ... Lomotey. The Racial Crisis in American Higher Education. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1991. Browne-Miller, Angela. Shameful Admissions. San Franscisco: Jossey Bass Inc., 1996. Kleiner, Carolyn. â€Å"Wanted: a whole rainbow of talent Colleges are vying for minority students.† U.S. News and World Report 18 Volume 129 Sep. 2000. Marcus, Amy Dockser. â€Å"Class struggle.† Money Volume 29 Oct. 2000. Meacham, Jon. â€Å"The new face of race† Newsweek Volume 136 Sep/ 18, 2000. Reisberg, Leo. â€Å"A professor’s controversial analysis of why black students are losing the race† The Chronicle of Higher Education Volume 46 11 Aug. 2000. Selingo, Jeffrey. Florida’s universities see rise in minority enrollment after end of racial preferences.† The Chronicle of Higher Education Volume 47 8 Sep. 2000. Pages 1-3. Walsh, Laurie A. et al. â€Å"Affirmative action in American higher education and the goal of diversity in physical therapy programs† Journal of Physical Therapy Volume 14 Spring 2000.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

My Genome, Myself

Amy Harmon is living normal and healthy life with one child in preschool, I assume that she is living a pretty good and pleasant life, still Amy feels attracted to the idea of knowing about her genome and how her health Is evolving through out her life. Amy Harmon Is telling us about the breaking technology with DNA, how It can reveal our future, and tell us if we have any heart disease or cancer, this will let us know our destiny and make us stop the eventually evolving cancer tumor in our body.These kind of tests only cost about 1,000 $ and one simple salvia sample, and that's it, Amy tells us that he feels addicted after Just three weeks of daily communion with her genes, it has become a natural daily routine for her, as normal as brushing our teeth every night and morning, Amy checks her account on the site â€Å"anadem† the site Is the start up company that deals with DNA and our genomes. His Is also the site Amy uses on a daily basis, actually hours every day, Amy is not only using the site to check out dangers that may appear in the future, but also things like temperament and regular behavior, to check all these DNA strips is like looking under the skin and see the robbers you wont see with your bare eyes, that's why the DNA test attracts people from every corner of the world. But what would you do when or if a very rare heart disease appears In your system that is Incurable, or something you can't work your way through, Like a skin disease or eye-problems, cancer, aids or many other dangerous disease.This is something Amy Harmon has thought about, she wont let her daughter look at her DNA strips, this is because she is afraid to find something that Is incurable and life threatening. Amy Harmon uses a very difficult and adult engage in this article, it makes the content much more serious then If the article was written In a childish way, the difficult words makes us automatically think that this Is a serious case and therefore we don't doubt the case.Another thing that makes the reader interested in thing topic, is that Amy uses very personal examples instead of using examples from other peoples life, the article is suddenly very close to our own life, we can understand her issues and we can also understand her addiction to the secret of our body. Many of the risks associated with genetic testing involve the ethical, legal emotional, social, and consequences of the test results.The result can reveal a very ugly and grim discovery witch not all people can deal with, I thank many people will get storage Trot Walton Day Knolling all sorts AT things Insane you, in worst case it can end in suicide witch would be gruesome. And many people won't be able to provide the same amount of work if they knew they are carrying a deadly disease with them, this would be fatal for a society, the system would have to ay for all the people who got sick and needed medical treatment and by this I mean mental sick.

International Business Climate Essay

1.0 Introduction Business climate refers to the economic environment in general which depicts how businesses and business activities are supported by the government as well as the lending institutions. Business climate is also a reflection of the attitude of the labor unions toward inflation rates, taxation rates, employers and other issues which affect business activities   in a given region or country. Switzerland ranks the most attractive country in terms of having the most conducive international business climate which has attracted tremendous investments and highly skilled labor from all over the globe. The country enjoys a safe and stable working environment and most small and medium enterprises are located in the Greater Geneva Berne area (GGBa) which has an excellent international business track record (ggba-switzerland.ch, n.d). Switzerland experienced one of the weakest economies in the Western Europe in the 1990s during which the annual GDP growth averaged 0% between the years 1991 and 1997. A gradual economic growth was witnessed in the beginning of late 1997 and it reached a peak in 2000 with a GDP of 3%. Between 2001 and 2003, the economic growth slowed down but began to grow at 2.5% per annum since the year 2004 until the latest global economic crises which have had a great impact on its economic growth (state.gov, 2010). Being at the heart of Europe, Switzerland is a hub for the crucial communication systems which are indispensable in the industrial Europe. Therefore, the expansive modern and reliable infrastructure encompassing the country facilitates an extremely high number of international and local business activities. The good international business climate of the country has been influenced by several factors which entails economic, cultural, legal, and political issues. It is therefore the obj ective of this paper to discuss these issues with reference to Switzerland as a country. 2.0 Economic Climate Trade is the backbone of Switzerland’s prospering economy which has made its per capita income be among the highest globally. International climate highly favors the export markets upon which the country depends for generating enormous income while at the same time facilitating the imports of raw materials which are essential for the expansion of the range of goods and services available in the economy. Economic climate is also made better by the liberal trade and investment policies which has attracted many investors in addition to the well defined commercial law and well developed legal system. Switzerland is a member of several international economic organizations including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Trade Organization (WTO), Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and The World Bank (state.gov, 2010). Important sectors of the economy include tourism, engineering, banking and insurance which have a heavy influence in the economic policies of the country. The existing trading companies enjoy unique expertise from Far East, Africa, Middle East and Eastern Europe. The highly developed tourism industry gives the country’s market the   opportunity to trade in services and equipment related to tourism. The export industry provides the economy with about half of the country’s corporate earnings with the largest trading partner being the European Union. The trade and economic barriers between Switzerland and the EU are minimal hence facilitating more business activities. The U.S   is a major export destination of products from Switzerland and also a major source of imports of raw materials for the country. U.S is the second-largest importer of Swiss goods after Germany and also is the largest foreign investor in Switzerland (state.gov, 2010). 3.0 Legal Climate The business regulatory system in Switzerland is highly transparent and regulations affecting the activities of both local and international investors are applied with no discrimination. Previously, cartels were common in the economy whereby companies in various industrial and service sectors through industrial and trade associations organized themselves into vertical and horizontal cartels. The new law governing the formation of cartels ensures that such cartels do no harm to the society and the economy. The adoption of this law which includes the authority to stop anti-competitive behavior without prior warning has facilitated an extra GDP growth of 0.5-0.8% per annum following the reduction of harmful cartels (Dimireva, 2010). The legal system governing international and local business activities has propagated an efficient capital markets and   portfolio investment. One of the largest markets for foreign borrowers is the Swiss franc dominated foreign bond market and generally there are no restrictions on the sale or purchase of   foreign equities and currencies. Forward transactions between Swiss nationals and foreigners can be carried out at the prevailing market rates. The liberal market of Switzerland is protected from being misused as a platform for criminal activity and money laundering by regulations which serve to adjust particular aspects of portfolio investment. A good example is the signing of OECD Anti-Bribery Convention in 1997 which started operating in 2000 (Dimireva, 2010). The effective legal and policy framework of Switzerland has excelled in combating corruption which if unchecked can adversely impact the international business climate. Following implementatation of laws deterring corruption, for instance the U.S firms which have invested in Switzerland have not issued any complaints about cases of corruption. There are highl y effective investigative and enforcement mechanisms which deals with any domestic corruption and this has attracted more international investors who have developed confidence in the Swiss economy. 4.0 Political Climate The Swiss political system is highly stable and effective since both the county and state government bodies possess high levels opf control. The system has been structured in such a way that all the rural and urban areas of the country have access to government officials for requests or essential information. A referendum which requires a popular one million signatures is enough to give people the power to demand certain changes concerning business practice, the established law or the environment. One of the main contributors to the country’s political stability is the stability existing within different institutions.The Swiss National Bank for instance is a highly steadfast finanacial institution which has strengthened and stabilised the Swiss Franc. Political stability is further stabilised by the fact that Switzerland   is a representative democracy in which the major governing body is the Federal Council made up of seven persons. The government is considered to be trustw orthy and honest by the populace (mkeever.com, n.d). 5.0 Cultural Climate International business climate in Switzerland is greatly influenced by the etiquette and cultural expectations in the Swiss professional environment. In order to develop productive working relationships and successful business strategies, it is a preriquisite to understand and respect the various aspects of Swiss culture. The country offers Communicaid’s Doing Business cultural awareness courses to enhance the creation of fruitful business relationships between foreign business professionals and the Swiss clients partners and colleagues (Guliyev, 2007). Such courses are essential in ensuring competitive advantage which offers foreign business people with the ideal opportunity to comfortably do business in the country. In addition, there are a wide range of cultural and leisure activioties which has further facilitated the progress of the country in doing intyernational business. The ideal cultural climate has prompted a large number of   sports lovers, business travellers an d nature enthusiasist to visit the country all year round which has elevated international business relations a notch higher. 6.0 Conclusion The creation of an enabling international business climate is a collective task of various institutions and aspects of the society. These aspects must comprehensively address cultural, political, economic, and legal situations of the particular country which is willing to create a conducive business environment. Switzerland is a good example of a country in the heart of Europe which has embarked in creating such an environment which consequently has attracted huge investments. The creation of   an excellent international business climate may not be as challenging as sustaining it and therefore firm political, legal, cultural and economic strategies are indispensable in achieving it.

Refusal Skills Study Essay

1. What are they asking me to do and why? (10 points) To attend a party because he/she said that the party will be so much fun and he/she wants you to come. 2. Label what they are asking you to do (i.e. illegal, dangerous, etc.). (10 points) To have your friend cover for you if your parents call. to do drugs, have sex and drink alcohol. 3. Determine the consequences if you get caught or if you participate in this activity. (10 points) If you get caught, you lose all of your parents trust because they didnt want you to go but you did anyway. 4. Communicate my refusal. (10 points) I cant do drugs or drink alcohol, No thank you. 5. Say no. (10 points) No, I cant. 6. Use â€Å"I† statements. (10 points) Im sorry but I cann’t do any of that. 7. Suggest an alternative. (10 points) No, But lets go to the park instead. 8. Leave the scene and avoid questionable places. (10 points) Im going to call someone to come and pick me up. Personal Reflections 1. Explain how healthy behaviors and choices can positively affect your health status and how unhealthy behaviors and choices will negatively affect your health status. (10 points) Choosing healthy behaviors and choices can really have an positively affect your health status becausing choosing not to smoke or do anything that can harm, makes you feel more alive, more happy, more outgoing and having self control on your actions. But choosing unhealthy behaviors and choices will have an negative afftect your health status because haveing poorly health desicions can damage you and your health, make poor lifestyles, making poorly chioces can make you an unhappy person. 2. Compare a time when one of your peers influenced healthy behavior to a time when a peer has influenced unhealthy behavior in your life. (10 points) When one of my peers had influence me to dont do drugs or drink or anything they really influenced my health because they dont want me to have no negative in my life just a positive attittude and be a more happy person unlike when one of my friends tryed to get me to smoke like them and drink like them, they tryed for my life to be unhealthy and have unhealthy behavior and they want me to lie to my to my parent at one time.

Analysis of an Antacid

Analysis of an Antacid In this lab report we will discuss the results of the ‘Determining the Most Effective Antacids’ lab. In this lab we tested different brands of antacids to find out which will be the most effective at neutralizing acids. We will test this by seeing how much drops of hydrochloric acid (HCl) are required to neutralize a certain amount of the antacid. Antacids are used to resist heartburn. We sometimes use them to treat this because antacids are a mild base that can neutralize acids in our stomachs, such as HCl.The purpose of this lab is to see how well each antacid neutralize hydrochloric acid. Procedure: 1. Obtain two burets, one for use with the HCl and others for use with the NaOH. 2. Record the exact molarity as they appear on the stock bottles. 3. Determine the mass of each of you antacid tablets. 4. Dispense 25 mL of HCl solution into the Erlenmeyer flask, and then add one of the antacid tablets to the flask. 5. Bring the solution to a boil to d ispel any undissolved CO2. 6. Add two or three drops of an indicator to our antacid mixture. 7.Titrate antacid mixture with the NaOH solution until we have reached the end point of the indicator used. Mass tablet| VHCl| Vinitial NaOH| Vfinal NaOH| #moles HCl neutralized By antacid/ g tablet| x? – x| ( x? – x )2| 1. 29 g| 25 mL| 0 mL| 18 mL| 0. 0055961 mol/g| 0. 0024959| 6. 22952*10-6| 1. 221 g| 25 mL| 0 mL| 17 mL| 0. 0067452907 mol/g| 0. 00134671| 1. 8136*10-6| 1. 24 g| 25 mL| 0 mL| 18. 9 mL| 0. 005083629 mol/g| 0. 003| 9. 050296*10-6| 1. 273 g| 25 mL| 0 mL| 16. 2 mL| 0. 00714 mol/g| 9. 52*10-4| 9. 063*10-7| 1. 289 g| 25 mL| 0 mL| 15. 2 mL| 0. 0078 mol/g| 2. 2*10-4| 8. 5264*10-8| 1. 248 g| 25 mL| 0 mL| 10. 6 mL| 0. 01185 mol/g| -0. 003758| 1. 412*10-5| 1. 29 g| 25 mL| 0 mL| 9. 3 mL| 0. 01243 mol/g| -0. 00434| 1. 8818*10| Average x? = 0. 008092 mol/g ? (x? – x) 2 = 5. 102298*10-5 Standard Division = SD = Â ± ? x- x 2n-1 = Â ±0. 0029161 A brand name| Tums| Safew ay| Safeway| Phillips| Tums| Safeway| ActiveIngredient| CaCO3| CaCO3| CaCO3| Mg(OH)2| CaCO3| CaCO3| G active ingredient from battle| 0. 5 g| 0. 5 g| 0. 5 g| 0. 311 g| 0. 5 g| 0. 5 g| Calculated gActive ingredient| 0. 911 g| 0. 3718 g| 0. 3548 g| 0. 392 g| 0. 285 g| 0. 15 g| #moles HCl neutralized by active ingredient/g tablet| 0. 00587 mol| 0. 0060 mol/g| 0. 00709 mol/g| 0. 01345 mol/g| 0. 00648 mol/g| 0. 0081 mol/g| Cost / g| 4. 3835 ? /g| 7. 35 ? /g| 7. 50 ? /g| 17. 83 ? /g| 14. 011 ? /g| 5. 16 ? /g| Brand = Safeway regular strength Cost = $ 3. 99 #tablets = 150 g active ingredient = 500 mg each tablet Ingredient = (active) calcium carbonate, (inactive) corn starch, crospovidone, dextrose, flavor, magnesium stearate, maltodextrin, sucrose, talc. CaCO3 (s) + 2HCl (aq) > CaCl2 (aq) + H2O (l) + CO2 (g) Calculation: 1.Calculate moles HCl neutralized by antacid per gram tablet: (Total moles HCl – moles HCl neutralized by NaOH) / mass of tablet Total moles HCl = Moles HCl neutral ized by NaOH = 2. Calculate grams active ingredient: 3. Calculate cost/gram: Based on the results, although Phillips brand was expensive, it was the most effective antacid. This is because it neutralized the most moles of HCl per gram of antacid. The active ingredient in this antacid is Magnesium Hydroxide. As the result, I prefer to buy Phillips antacid to resist heartburn. Chemical Equation: Mg (OH) 2 + HCl Cl (OH) 2 + MgH

A Discussion on Moral Issues of Cosmetic Surgery

A Discussion on Moral Issues of Cosmetic Surgery Cosmetic Surgery Cosmetic surgery is a surgical procedure that is done on body parts that are healthy, and has the purpose of improving appearance. Cosmetic surgery has become more common over the years, especially in the United States. However, many are bringing to attention ethical problems related to the increasing percentage of people who have undergone this procedure. While some critics make a few good points about moral issues of cosmetic surgery, many who bring up the ethical issues of the procedure do not make strong enough arguments. Just like any other surgery, cosmetic surgery is a procedure that comes with many risks, but it is still an important one that should continue to be taught to and performed by physicians. Stephen Coleman writes a great defensive argument for cosmetic surgery in his â€Å"A Defense of Cosmetic Surgery†, which specifically excludes reconstructive surgery. Coleman makes an accurate point by stating that cosmetic surgery can be morally justifiable for actors and actresses because the want for these surgeries are based off of their desire to sustain their jobs. (176) People on television are often critiqued on their physical appearance, and this can skew the hiring process for actresses and actors to role in movies and television shows. This especially affects women in the Hollywood industry. Women are strongly pressured to have certain physical features, and to display those features while playing their roles for media. This leads many actresses, female singers, and female models to undergo breast augmentation, breast reduction, abdominoplasty, and many other cosmetic surgeries to look appealing for the general audience and for directors to hire them for media role s. Even though it is sexist and unfair to hire women solely based on their looks, it is the reality of the world we live in today and many women in the media industry are forced to look a certain way to keep their jobs. This suggestion that is reasonable for women in Hollywood to undergo cosmetic surgery can be further expanded to any person looking for a job, seeking a job, or looking to get a better job. Several studies have come to the conclusion that attractive people are more likely to be get call backs for job interviews, get promoted, and get paid more compared to unattractive people. While attractiveness can be seen as subjective, there are certain beauty standards that people are held to such as facial symmetry, a youthful appearance, and large sexual body parts. Since having certain physical features would make a person more successful in terms of careers, it would be ethical for a person to seek to attain those features. However, not every person who wants cosmetic surgery is doing so to have a successful career. As Coleman states in his argument, many of the first plastic surgeons performed plastic surgeries to alleviate problems that other people had on a person’s appearance. He gives a great example saying that many Jewish, Black, and Asian people underwent the surgery to avoid prejudice. These minorities had cosmetic surgery done in order to fight against stereotypes and to conform to the standards of beauty at that time. (Coleman 177). However, Coleman is not seeking to defend these types of surgeries. I disagree with Coleman when he states that surgeries of these circumstances do not fit his definition of cosmetic surgery. Coleman states that surgeries that are performed to relieve serve psychological stress, decrease functional disturbances, and increase physical appearance outside a normal variation should really be considered reconstructive surgery. (173) I argue that surgeries performed to have a more successful career and to decrease stereotypical features of a certain race are definitely cosmetic. They are not medically necessary and some are only performed to fit within Caucasian physical appearance norms, which should not be the standard of attractiveness. Despite my disagreement with Coleman on these issues, I agree with his main argument, which brings the topic of autonomy into the picture. Coleman argues that since autonomy is a basic human right, then people should be allowed to get surgery solely for the purpose of increasing their physical appearance. It would be unethical to shame people into not getting cosmetic surgery or to ban cosmetic surgery. This would be a violation of patient autonomy. Even though there may be risks associated with cosmetic surgeries, just like any other surgery, it does not cause any direct harm. Therefore it could also be argued that beneficence is also a factor that could come to play, because cosmetic surgery increases physical appearance and does not inflict intentional harm. (Coleman 178-180). While Coleman makes the argument that cosmetic surgery is ethical because it respects patient autonomy, Franklin Miller suggests patient sovereignty is a topic that should as be discussed in regards to cosmetic surgery. Miller argues that some physicians and medical companies promote cosmetic surgeries by planting subliminal messages in advertisements for men and women by suggesting that they would look better if they undergo cosmetic surgery. He argues that the field of cosmetic surgery is more business than it is medical. While Miller does raise good points, I believe that these advertisements do not increase the likelihood of people undergoing cosmetic surgeries. Miller suggests that physicians are planting the idea in people’s minds that their bodies should be modified. (Miller 355) However, people are fed these ideas everyday. From actresses to models, people are constantly shown what makes someone physically attractive. People always look up to those in the media, and wa nt to look like those actresses and models. Therefore it would not be accurate in suggesting that physicians are the ones planting these new ideas that our bodies are not perfect. Many physicians are capitalizing on Hollywood’s portrayal of perfect looking people, but it is not an idea that they made themselves. I also argue that not all cosmetic surgeons are doing their jobs simply for the money. Many physicians perform cosmetic surgeries because they actually care about the well being of people and want to help patients in whatever way they can. If a patient would feel better in undergoing cosmetic surgery, then it would be ethical for a doctor to perform the surgery. Also, if one were not thinking about getting cosmetic surgery, advertisements would not suddenly make them believe that they would need the surgery. Advertisements for cosmetic surgeries simply make it more accessible for those seeking to get the surgery. Overall cosmetic surgery should not be an ethical problem. The two main ethical theories that are upheld through cosmetic surgery are nonmaleficence and autonomy. Physicians are doing no harm to the patients that they perform the surgery on, and performing the surgery would be respecting patients’ autonomy for those who want to enhance their physical appearance. Cosmetic surgeries are also beneficial because they can increase one’s self-esteem, increase likelihood of a successful career, and can help people avoid discrimination due to physical features, thereby avoiding psychological harm. In conclusion, cosmetic surgery is a procedure that should be treated like any other surgery, as it causes no direct or intentional harm, and can increase the overall mental health of a patient.

Do the events management questions on the ppt Assignment

Do the events management questions on the ppt - Assignment Example Current Supply Chain Management tools are capable of helping event managers and organizations achieve and retain a competitive edge through empowering them to streamline and improve their most vital supply chain operations from the beginning to the end. With the tools of supply chain management installed, the event manager and the organization in question can maximize cost-efficiency; enhance productivity while giving the bottom line a massive boost. The functionality is crafted to automate totally and enhance chain process (De Waart, 2013, p. 22). The supply chain package aids the event manager in bettering the supervision and management of the supplies, raw materials and the components needed for the events in the organization. As such, any possible threats of excessive wastes are accounted for, in the process freeing up valuable real estate for other vital functions and cuts on associated storage charges. In its role in the management of orders, the supply chain management drastically accelerates the execution of the whole order-to-delivery cycle through enabling firms to be more productive. SCM allows the dynamic scheduling of supplier deliveries to more efficiently meet the demand and more quickly create the pricing and product configuration (De Waart, 2013, p. 24) Another critical aspect of SCM is the ability to forecast and plan events in the organization (De Waart, 2013, p. 25). With the tools of SCM in place, the event manager can more specifically anticipate client needs and plan the procurement and production activities more accurately. Consequently, the event manager can avoid unnecessary purchases of raw materials, reduce production over-runs, and curtail the need to store vast quantities of processed goods. Another feature of supply chain management is logistical capability. With the rapid expansion of the organization on the global scale, the supply chains of such firms gain much complexity (De Waart, 2013, p.

Smoke Signal Film Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Smoke Signal Film Analysis - Essay Example The existence if this film completed the conception of Indians churning out their own stories a reality. Even so, will self-depiction by Native Americans within Hollywood finally, eventually take place again? American Indians inhabit a controversial position in the Hollywood thoughts. They would seemingly appear to be an element of America’s unusual myth. This falsehood glaringly seems to be overtly determined to twirl into realism. The last decade has observed more Indian themed movies launched with the participation of bona fide Indian actors than ever before. Additionally, whether modern Indian Smoke Signals is an outstanding incident still is debatable. However, time will only tell whether actors of Native American origins will eventually, absolutely, be granted the starring responsibilities to which they rightfully deserve. In the film Smoke Signal, Native Americans were classified into an assortment of the noble savage, the atrocious warrior, the faithful assistant, amid other subversive names (Morgan, 2010). It is evident that Native Americans stand in for a very minimal margin of the American population. The only way they are represented according to solid evidence is though the medium that is the media. The media such as television and movies have a certain primacy with which they represent this minority group of Native Americans. A major exit from the classic action against the Native Americans, Smoke Signal is a superficially human anecdote, superfluous with dissident political commentary (Morgan, 2010). The issue of Alcoholism in the film is brought out by Victor’s father who is an erratic alcoholic. Victor’s father in this scenario depicts parental desertion and alcoholism. Here, the movie sends up Indian cynics, who struggle with dysfunctions. Even more, Smoke Signals gallops on not present fathers and wondering fathers. As a clever way of settling his late father’s affairs, Victor goes down to Arizona and comes back wi th his ashes. Victor is depicted as very bitter at his father’s drinking and desertion. While in Arizona Victor realizes some truths about his father. In this context, Smoke Signals stresses the importance for bringing together between father and son. This movie, as a result, depicts Indians as down-and-out drunks, unseemly addicted to alcohol as they are to the unpleasantness at their batch in life. This film depends heavily on human correlation and salvation. Struggling with the crippling grief, Victor’s father takes to alcoholism and violence as way of escapisms from the challenges facing him. When he dies, Victor is put to the task of inheriting his father’s estate. But the crippling financial challenges combating his family do not allow him to travel to Arizona. But his friend bails him out his financial crisis by providing him with the money required to travel to Arizona. This point depicts that Native American were always looking after each other, incase of dire hardships (Morgan, 2010). Victor’s father abandonment is seen not as decision, but as something he was meant to do. In order to escape from guilt, Victor’s father then resorts to alcoholism. However, the abandonment of Victor’s father is much less important than his own acceptance of it. This is because Victor has is left no option but to continue with his daily existence. Conversely, the Indian reservation is cast in a fashion as if it existed in a time line where progress is

Multicultralism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Multicultralism - Essay Example As the first man found his way to the trunk, he stroked the beast, calming and reassuring it that they meant no harm. The others eventually found the animal, and they spent most of the afternoon stroking and feeling the pachyderm in order to determine just what an elephant is, and to build a clear image in their own minds. As the sun began to set, the animal meandered off, leaving the men to discuss their experience. The four were each excited, and burst into chatter as they found their way back to the path which led to their village. "What a majestic beast the elephant is," said the first. "An elephant is like a large tree, strong and unbending; only with skin hard and strong rather than rough bark." This man had been holding the elephant's leg, and could only visualize the creature in terms he could compare to a familiar object. "A tree, did you get lost in the forest again" asked the second. "An elephant isn't like a tree. It is long, and winding. An elephant has many rumples up and down its back, and when it breaths, the moist air is like a windstorm." This man had been grasping the elephant's trunk, and he was sure that his encounter with the beast was the correct one. The other two added to the argu... The fourth had encountered snakes before, and this elephant was no more impressive than these. The four men became so heated in their debate, defending their own positions rather than listening to the others that their conversation ended in stony silence. Eventually, as they came across different paths in the jungle the men separated. Each decided that he could better experience the jungle by themselves than to continue company with a group of blind and ignorant men. Sadly to say, none of the men made it out of the jungle alive. Blind and alone, they made easy prey to the land's natural predators. This fable is an accurate illustration of the current multicultural debate. The parties debate who social order should be arrayed as a result of a multicultural mindset. The factions fight over verbiage, stereotypes, and even the purpose of educational, political and social order in order to defend their own perspective. While each faction has its own piece of accurate truth, the idea of creating a culture together is quickly becoming lost in the disagreement. As a result, our culture is more at risk of loosing the strength and protective power it once had when all our citizens were working for a common good, for a common goal, for a strong and prosperous economic and social structure which provided opportunity for all its citizens. Defining the elephant Harrison gives this rather vague definition. "Multiculturalism...is a theory (albeit vague) about the foundations of a culture rather than a practice which subsumes cultural ideas." (Harrison, 1984) His input is about as helpful as asking directions from one of the proverbial blind men. But the idea is that a multicultural mindset is one which recognizes, and even promotes the

Exxon Mobile Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Exxon Mobile - Research Paper Example Its large production operations reserves and diversity, possession of one of the largest E&P portfolios and its technological superiority are some of the benefits attributed to its efficiency. Exxon Mobile markets its products under three brands including Esso, Mobil, and Exxon. The company also owns smaller subsidiary such as Sea River Maritime and Imperial Oil Limited. The biggest cash flow is, however, dominated by the upstream divisions, which account for about 70% of the total revenue (Exxon Mobile Corp, 2011). Company and industry characteristics Primary products Exxon mobile’s primary products include fuels, chemicals, natural gas and lubricants and special products. The fuel products, which is its core activity, is produced in a variety of types including gas oil for industrial applications, heavy fuel oils for power stations, domestic fuel oil for heating in buildings and houses, LPG and diesel for cars and gas oil for industrial applications and heavy fuel oils for p ower stations. Exxon also manufactures lubricants and fuels for the aviation industry. Lubricants and special products are sold under the Mobil brand, which comes in a wide range of amounts and types. The chemicals are classified as petrochemicals, which are produced from petroleum and include the common chemicals that are used in everyday life, such as synthetic rubber, packaging materials, solvents, plastic bottles and other consumer products. Lastly, ExxonMobil produces natural gas, which is in pure form of LPG used as a propellant for manufacturing cosmetics. Competitiveness of the industry The oil and gas industry is operating under a challenging and a dynamic global marketplace and a progressively more adamant group of participants. The regulatory demand is increasingly putting pressure on the operations, and the demand growth is becoming sluggish, while the existing reserves are more expensive and difficult to generate. As the demand to meet future demand builds up, worldwide alliances are becoming more significant. Over the recent years, oil price fluctuation has become the order of the day. In spite of this, the companies in this industry have a challenging task of ensuring they focus on the medium to long-term conditions if they are to make credible decisions and achieve their growth targets. Investing in people, technology and R&D are critical in ensuring a lasting competitive edge. Exxon Mobile’s primary competitors include Chevron Corporation and BP. Chevron is an American multinational energy Corporation with the presence in more than 180 nations. Its operations cover all aspects of gas, oil, and geothermal energy industries that include mining; refinement, marketing and transportation; sale and manufacture of chemicals; and also generation of power. Chevron is among the top 6 major oil companies. (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2011). Financial statements and ratio analysis Financial statement analysis In financial statements ana lysis, we have used year 2008 to 2011 comparatives. Total revenue reported in year 2008 amounting to $ 433,526,000 dropped to $ 275,564,000 in 2010 (Exxon Mobile Corp, 2011). This significant decline in revenues could be attributed to the effects of global economic depression that had just started to bite and due to sharp rise in prices of fuel products - this forced many people and businesses to use alternative sources of energy. To guard against losses occasioned by reduced economic activity, the

The Significance of Improving Productivity in the Hospitality Industry Essay

The Significance of Improving Productivity in the Hospitality Industry - Essay Example Introduction Productivity has a huge impact on all businesses; both individual and corporate. In fact, the hospitality industry is witnessing a steady decline in productivity after World War II, and for many decades the industry effectively hid its poor productivity behind the baby boom in the size of the market. According to estimates, the hospitality industry is only 50% as effective as other industries. Still, it is surprising to note that am effective strategy that could be used to measure the productivity in hospitality industry is not available. This work intends to check why productivity is important in hospitality industry; especially bars and clubs, and also it tries to analyse the existing notion of and attitude towards productivity in the hospitality industry. Thereafter, it tries to suggest some ways that can be adopted to improve productivity in the hospitality industry, especially bars and clubs. The Productivity Paradox of Hospitality Industry The main problem with hos pitality industry, according to scholars, is poor productivity. From studies, it became evident that most people in the hospitality industry possess relatively little idea about the importance of human resources in the hospitality industry. In the opinion of Mill (2010), in hospitality industry, the role of human resources has been undervalued. ... cording to them, despite the best efforts by the hospitality industry to incorporate information technology in operations, there is no evident improvement in productivity. According to them, an important reason for this lack of evidence lies in the fact that there is no effective tool for the measurement of productivity improvement. In addition, it became evident from the study that those who used technology did not use it to improve productivity, but to improve the guest experience. Another serious issue is that different people use different set of criteria to measure productivity (ibid). Similarly, the study by Ingram and Fraenkel (2006) looked into the perception of productivity among hospitality managers. It is pointed out that they possess little idea about the notion of productivity, and the more they tried to understand what productivity is, the more confused they became. The same opinion is revealed by Mill. So, it seems useful to look into the different ideologies on produc tivity. Definition of Productivity and its Measurement In the opinion of Gummesson (1998), it is both ambiguous and inadequate to measure service productivity. However, in the opinion of Reynolds (2004), as about 30% of the hospitality cost comes from labour, a general tendency in the industry is to reduce labour costs while maintaining productivity. However, an article published by the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute warns that the productivity targets achieved in this way will not last long. This is so because reduced costs will lead to a decline in service standards. As Kimes (2001) states, this poor service, in turn, will affect customer satisfaction, which, eventually, will result in poor sales, and finally, poor productivity. There are people like Parasuraman (2002) who argue

Oedipus the King Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Oedipus the King - Essay Example All this happened because he tried to escape the predictions that he will commit these mistakes. He ran away from his foster parents, thinking that they were his real parents and ran into the horror all by himself. Oedipus represents the basic predicament of human beings trapped in the unknown spheres of their own destiny. In the beginning, he laments the suffering of himself and everyone else in the inflicted city of Thebes, without realizing that the cause for it is his sinful actions: Oedipus can be seen as belonging to the Greek culture which operated on the pragmatic aspects of life which included action at the expense of introspection though the element of piety was a major element in their day-to-day existence. In a broad analysis, it is possible to analyze Oedipus as a Dionysian representation in Greek terms, exhibiting sudden action, excesses, violence, ruthlessness, and so on. The Apollonian representations, on the contrary would depict contemplative action with due emphasis on intelligence over impulse Terry Eagleton, in his Holy Terror (2005) observes how in Sophocles’s Oedipus at Colonus, Oedipus â€Å"is transformed into a tutelary deity, protecting the citizens of Athens from assault† (15) and states that the Dionysian impulse for violence is normally a reaction to â€Å"lack of piety† (16). In Oedipus the King, the question of morality is not strictly the concern of its protagonist, a man of action. He kills Laius where the three roads meet, because he was denied his freedom to proceed further. Even as he was troubled by the need to discover his identity, Oedipus does not try to find out the identity of the people whom he attacked and killed. He did not exhibit any sense of guilt even as he had to narrate this incident to Teiresias, after many years. Even though Oedipus has committed his sins unknowingly, the thoughtless actions from his side are not to be discounted, especially as he was

Sustainability and the built environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sustainability and the built environment - Essay Example It therefore follows that sustainable community is a community that is able to persist over generations, one that is flexible, wise enough, and foresighted enough not to compromise either its social or physical systems of support. Discussion Until mid 1980s, economic growth was the major focus as a means of alleviating the conditions of humanity; however, it came to the attention of the international community that it was useless to focus on economic development if it compromises the community’s social and natural foundations. In the terms of Siranni and Friedland 2001, this view of the international community was based on the consideration that focus on economic development that is unrestricted would continuously pollute the world’s water, soil, and air not to mention that it can decimates natural resources as well as forests, thus creating overflowing landfills and toxic wastes to our environment. The desire to have a better life and also to increase the opportunities that accrues from economic growth stimulated the interest in sustainability for purposes of preserving the environment for both the present and future generations. As Davis 2007 argues, it would be worthless after all to have a strong economy and jobs yet we do not have a planet that is habitable to them. Communities facing the same predicament around the country have echoed sustainability. It is quite evident that various communities are facing negative predicaments from the conventional approaches to development of the built environment, economic growth, and transportation planning, yet these are efforts that are meant to alleviate the communities’ quality of life and opportunities. It has been argued that if the same approach is maintained, it would degrade the present quality of life and cause devastating environmental predicaments for the next generation (Huckle 1996). The need to design a workable approach to avoid and repair such problems should therefore be prioritiz ed (Girardet 1999). Sustainable development has proved to be an approach that that can effectively be able to counter such predicaments as it is a process that is ongoing. Through sustainable communities it is indeed possible to alleviate the community wellbeing and economic development in such a way that does not compromise the environment. There are several strategies that can be employed to achieve the balance between sustainable communities as well as maintain a healthy environment. Efficiency use of the available resources is one of the essential factors of achieving sustainability. As a matter of fact, environmental impacts may be reduced significantly if the communities embark on efficiently using the available water, energy, and the available resources. As echoed by Huckle 1996, using improved techniques of manufacturing may also go a long way in reducing waste, pollution, not to mention the reduction in the cost of production. These would in turn enhance economic developmen t with minimal environmental degradation. Energy efficiency for instance can be used as a means of reducing climate change, air pollution, smog, acid rain oil spill among other harms to the environment related to the

Jon Lebed Essay Example for Free

Jon Lebed Essay Summary: In this case study we learn about Jonathan Lebed, at 15 years old, the youngest person during that time and the first minor to ever to face proceedings by the SEC for stock-market fraud. In 2000, Jonathan Lebed caused chaos in the stock trading industry and was accused of â€Å"pumping and dumping† stocks over the Internet. Between September 1999 and February 2000 Lebed made hundreds of thousands of dollars by posting in internet chat rooms and on message boards encouraging people to buy penny stocks he already owned, thus, according to the SEC, artificially raising the price of the stock. Lebed was found guilty by the SEC of wrong doing under Section 17(a) of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 which addresses fraud in the use on interstate commerce. Under these acts it is unlawful for a person to intentionally provide false statements for the purposes of deceiving buyers. The SEC settled with him for a $285,000 of his earnings. His actions proved that the Internet could be a very powerful tool for fraud. The Context: The moral tone of the case study we were given to read, written by Michael Lewis, almost seemed to be a defense as to why what Jonathan had done should have been acceptable. Lewis seemed to portray Jonathan as just a kid doing what all financial analyst and stock gurus do daily, but since Jonathan was 15, and doing it well, then the Securities and Exchange Commission was â€Å"picking† on him. At times in the story their was a sense on emotional disarray, and no one wanting to be the blame or accept responsibility for the situation, especially between Jonathans, his mother, and father. Broader Ethical Perspective: In the case it was obvious that Jonathan did not have the best interest of all the parties involved in his best interest, which to me constitutes for one of the first red flags of the lack of ethical behavior. He also never showed care or any remorse of any potential wrong doing for anyone who may have been a victim to his gimmicks; he never took responsibility for his actions.

Vitamin D Deficiency Among Subfertile Women: Case Study

Vitamin D Deficiency Among Subfertile Women: Case Study Abstract Objective: To compare the dietary vitamin D and calcium intake among subfertile women (cases) versus pregnant women (controls) and to determine the vitamin D levels in the subfertile and pregnant women Study design was an observational case-control study where a total of 181 (83 previously diagnosed subfertile cases from various causes and 98 pregnant controls) women of reproductive age (20-40 years old) attending the reproductive endocrinology and infertility clinics were recruited. Ethical approval was granted from the Institutional Review Board at KFMC and written informed consent was obtained from each participant prior to inclusion. A validated questionnaire was used where it focused on key indicators evaluating vitamin D related factors. Blood was withdrawn for the measurement of serum calcium, albumin and phosphate to exclude secondary causes that might affect Vitamin D level. Data Analysis Data was analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA). Frequencies were presented as percentages (%) and continuous variables were presented as mean  ± standard deviation. Chi-square was done to elicit differences in frequencies between cases and controls. Independent T-test was done to compare differences among continuous variables. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was significantly higher in the subfertile group than controls (59.0% versus 40.4%; p < 0.01). Calcium supplements intake was significantly higher in controls than the subfertile group (64.6% versus 10.0%; p-value < 0.001). Total dietary vitamin D intake (> 400IU/day) was significantly higher in the controls than the subfertile group. Conclusions: Total dietary vitamin D intake (> 400IU/day) was found to be significantly higher in the controls than the subfertile group. Thus, dietary vitamin D intake greater than 400IU/day and calcium supplementation should be encouraged amongst subfertile women since it may improve their fertility, but this needs to be proven prospectively. Optimization of serum calcium and vitamin D levels are encouraged. Key Words: Vitamin D, infertility, calcium, supplementation, Middle Eastern Condensation Dietary vitamin D intake and calcium supplementation may improve fertility. Optimization of serum calcium and vitamin D levels are encouraged. Introduction Vitamin D deficiency phenomenon over the recent years has earned the notorious reputation of being significantly associated to a plethora of many diseases, making it a major global public health burden [1]. Evidence that vitamin D is also associated with the reproductive physiology is just recently accumulating yet limited to animal models and very few human studies [2]. Animal and human studies have suggested vitamin D role in the reproductive system where vitamin D has recently been described to modulate reproductive processes in women and men [3]. Studies have found the presence of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and vitamin D metabolizing enzymes in reproductive tissues of women [3]. Additionally, low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels have been associated with obesity, metabolic, and endocrine disturbances in PCOS women and vitamin D supplementation has been suggested to improve menstrual frequency and metabolic disturbances in those women [3]. Moreover, vitamin D might influence ste roidogenesis of both estradiol and progesterone in healthy women where low levels of 25(OH)D levels might be associated with infertility and high levels might be associated with endometriosis [4]. The most up to date vitamin D studies outside its conventional role of calcium homeostasis in the Middle East so far have covered most of the obesity-related diseases including diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, and the full metabolic syndrome [5-9]. Despite the abundance and overflow of recent literature with respect to vitamin D role in health and disease, there are an equal overwhelming number of questions left unanswered and this probably explains the rationale to conduct more research on vitamin D, namely the reported association between vitamin D deficiency and infertility. In brief, the target effects of vitamin D on certain reproductive parameters including pregnancy, spermatogenesis, implantation and progeny have been studied in both animal and human studies [10,11,12,13], whereas folliculogenesis and steroidogenesis were only proven in animal models [11]. Studies involving humans have so far pointed the vitamin D role in the endometrial regulation [11, 12] rather than folliculogenesis [13, 14]. In the Middle East where most women of reproductive age are vitamin D deficient, follicular fluid has been observed to be reflective of vitamin D status, but does not have a role in assisted reproductive technology [15]. A recent large, prospective, cross-sectional study has shown that low serum levels of vitamin D may impair a woman's chances of conceiving through in vitro fertilization (IVF) [14]. The authors concluded that a serum vitamin D level of 20 ng/mL or more was associated with a significantly greater chance of obtaining 3 or more high-quality embryos and with successful embryo implantation and clinical pregnancy compared with lower levels [14,16]. Given the novel and emerging role of vitamin D in the field of reproductive biology, the present observational study aims to determine on a nutritional level, whether differences exist in the dietary intake of vitamin D among sub-fertile Middle-Eastern women attending in-vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics versus pregnant women which was assessed by 25 (OH) D serum level. Material and Methods A total of 181 (83 previously diagnosedsubfertile cases from various causes and 98 pregnant controls) Saudi women of reproductive age (20-40 years old) attendingthe reproductive endocrinology and infertility clinics at King Fahad Medical City (KFMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from August 2012 to January 2013 were recruited for this observational case-control study. Subjects requiring immediate medical attention and those with co-morbidities such as malignancies, chronic infection, chronic and cardiovascular-related diseases were excluded. Ethical approval was granted from the Institutional Review Board at KFMC and written informed consent was obtained from each participant prior to inclusion. Data Collection Variables include demographics (age and weight), subfertility types and causes. In addition, dichotomous variables (yes or no) on what type of vitamin D-rich food sources were also collected as well as data on other vitamin D related factors such as sunlight exposure for at least 10 minutes a day, use of Vitamin D supplement, and intake of Vitamin D rich food. A validated questionnaire was used to capture from recruited patients. It focused on key indicators evaluating vitamin D related factors. These indicators were adopted from pre-tested patient questionnaires used in various accredited hospitals. Our questionnaire was validated bybenchmarking against similar ones in the literature targeting diverse populations and using different approaches. Initially, the questionnaire was tested on 20 patients from KFMC to determinewhether the questions were clear, understandable, and in a logical order (face validity). Besides, 2 health professionalswho had experience in clinical research were asked to criticize the content of the questionnaire (content validity). Blood was withdrawn for the measurement of serum calcium, albumin and phosphate to exclude secondary causes that might affect Vitamin D level using routine laboratory methods. Serum 25(OH)vitamin D was also assessed using Cobas e411 (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany). For the purpose of this study, vitamin D deficiency was defined as serum 25(OH)vitamin D level less than 20ng/ml [2]. Data Analysis Data was analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA). Frequencies were presented as percentages (%) and continuous variables were presented as mean  ± standard deviation. Chi-square was done to elicit differences in frequencies between cases and controls. Variables exhibiting non-Gaussian distribution were logarithmically transformed prior to analysis. Independent T-test was done to compare differences among continuous variables. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was done using the grouping variable (presence or absence of subfertility) as the dependent variable and dietary vitamin D intake > 400IU/day as independent variables with obesity, sunlight exposure and skin color as co-variates. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Results One hundred and eighty one patients were analyzed, 83 cases and 98 controls. There was no statistical difference between the mean age of cases ,29.5  ± 5.5 years, verses controls, 29.9  ± 5.2 (P=0.64).Vitamin D deficiency (< 20ng/ml) was observed in 48.9% of the entire cohort. Comparatively, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was significantly higher in the subfertile group than controls (59.0% versus 40.4%; p < 0.01). On the other hand, calcium supplements intake was significantly higher in controls than the subfertile group (64.6% versus 10.0%; p-value < 0.001). The controls significantly took more vitamin D supplements than the subfertile group (p < 0.05). The rest of the comparisons were unremarkable (Table 1). Table 2 shows the percentage differences in the vitamin D dietary intake of both controls and the subfertile group. The controls had significantly higher percentage consumption of food than the subfertile group in 9 out of 14 vitamin D dietary sources included in the study (wild salmon, farmed salmon, mushrooms, egg yolk, fortified milk, fo rtified orange juice, yogurts, butter and breakfast cereals; all p-values < 0.001). Consequently, total dietary vitamin D intake > 400IU/day was significantly higher in the controls than the subfertile group (p < 0.001) (Table 2). Table 3 shows the metabolic characteristics of subjects. There was a modest, borderline significance in BMI and vitamin D status between groups, with controls being higher than the subfertile group (p-values 0.051 and 0.08, respectively). The control group also had significantly higher levels of corrected calcium (p < 0.001) while the infertile group had significantly higher levels of circulating albumin (p < 0.001) (Table 3). Comments This study addresses the possible protective effects of increased dietary vitamin D intake and calcium supplementation among Middle Eastern women that harbor infertility conditions. Previous studies in Saudi Arabia considered obesity as a major risk factor for infertility [17]. Consequently, obesity is a major risk factor for vitamin D deficiency and both abnormal metabolic states can be manipulated through dietary interventions [18]. The issue of vitamin D status correction to improve fertility status among vitamin D deficient women of reproductive age may still require rigorous investigation since randomized trials are scarce. Nevertheless, several studies can already attest that micronutrient supplementation including vitamin D improves fertility outcomes [19,20]. Furthermore, available evidence confirms present findings in the beneficial effects of vitamin D in female infertility, with favorable outcomes among women with endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome [4,22]. Calcium supplementation to improve female fertility is not a surprise since it is directly regulated by vitamin D, receptors of which are found in various reproduction tissues, and correction of levels confer positive effects in terms of follicle maturation, menstrual regularity and improvement of hyperandrogenism especially among women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) [21,22]. The other equally important but less novel finding in the present study is the high vitamin D deficiency prevalent in both pregnant and sub fertile women. Vitamin D deficiency is relatively common in the Middle East in general, but more so for women because of cultural traditions and manner of clothing. Prevalence of hypovitaminosis D among this group ranges from 80-100% from the most recent local studies [23,24]. The modest but still insignificant difference in mean vitamin D status levels in both groups in our study could be attributed to a more vigilant behavior among pregnant women to ingest more food and vitamin supplements although comparison by prevalence clearly shows the high significant difference between the subfertile group and the control group. The authors acknowledge several limitations. Findings of the present study may only be true for women and as such a separate study should be done to reinforce if not negate the present results in non-pregnant women in comparison to subfertile women. Furthermore the case control nature of the study maybe subject to selection bias. Prospective studies are essential to determine whether vitamin D correction through dietary intervention and lifestyle modification can improve fertility among vitamin D deficient women. In conclusion, Middle-Eastern (Saudi) subfertile women have a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency as compared to apparently healthy controls, and this is aggravated by their lower intake of foodrich in vitamin D and lower calcium supplementation. Dietary vitamin D intake greater than 400IU/day and calcium supplementation may improve fertility in this population, but this needs to be proven prospectively. Optimization of vitamin D and calcium status among women of reproductive age are encouraged.