Attitudes Towards Older People Essay - 1193 Words

Attitudes towards Older People Attitudes and treatment towards elderly people can be said to vary drastically across cultures. From Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas, Africa and Australia, the attitudes expressed by the community towards older people are very different when compared to one another. An `attitude can be defined as `a mental view or disposition (Wilkes Krebs, 1987), or if the content is used in has a psychological basis ` the learned, relative stable tendency to respond to people, concepts, and events in an evaluative way (Gerrig Zimbardo, 2002). When discussing `older people there is no way of determining an exact definition that all people will agree on, as it is a socially†¦show more content†¦Australian societys attitudes towards the elderly are interesting as they display a slightly negative response. In a recent survey conducted by `The Office of Seniors Interest, it was discovered that one third of the population believed that people over seventy years of age had lost some of their mental capacity, and one fifth believed that people over seventy years had `nothing or little to offer the community (The Office of Seniors Interest, 2001). Considering this survey, Australian society does not possess a positive attitude towards the elderly but instead believe that `they just get in the way (The Office of Seniors Interest, 2001). Although, this is the case, support and information groups are being founded regularly in an attempt to increase public awareness of the lives and lifestyle of the elderly to try to change the trend in attitudes across the nation. While Afro-Americans display a fairly `positive attitude towards the aging and display a great deal of respect towards the aged (Ajrouch, Antonucci Janevic, 2003), Anglo-Saxon Americans are said to hold similar attitudes as Australians. Considering this, elder abuse and neglect is most prominent in America as `every year an estimated 2.1 million older Americans are victims of physical, psychological or other forms of abuse and neglect (AmericanShow MoreRelatedSociety s Negative Attitudes Toward Older People1857 Words   |  8 Pagesare many of society’s negative attitudes toward older people and it is a serious problem in our nation, such as older people are weak and helpless so their view, opinion or experience not taken into consideration, older adults are grumpy and they don’t have a stable relationship. b. The negative attitudes towards older people occur due to people’s beliefs about older people and aging process , the level of knowledge, education and experience about attitude toward elderly and their interest inRead More‚Äà ºElderly Care: Attitudes of Nurses‚Äà ¹976 Words   |  4 PagesNURSES ATTITUDE TOWARD THE ELDERLY The world is aging; however chronological age may have little relation to the reality of aging. When caring for this group of people nurses must consider culture, ethnic and racial diversities. Elderly clients will expect that the nurse render culturally competent care and one major aim is to help promote independence and help client maintain or restore activities of daily living. The age 65 becomes the boundary of old age. Why does the age groupRead MoreHealthy People 20201231 Words   |  5 PagesHealthy People 2020 Healthy People 2020 was launched on December 2, 2010 by the government of the United States with a set of ambitious, yet achievable, 10-year agenda for improving the Nation’s health. Healthy People 2020 is the result of a multiyear process that reflects input from a diverse group of individuals and organizations. It is a science-based, 10-year national objective for improving the health of all Americans. For 3 decades, Healthy People has established benchmarks and monitoredRead MoreAge And Gender Differences Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help1617 Words   |  7 PagesGender Differences in Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Dawn Poulose 4285054 Wednesday, 18:00hrs Bert Oraison Abstract Attitude towards seeking psychological help has been influenced by various factors. One of the main factors is the stigma attached to consulting psychologists. Many people thinks that, seeking psychological help as a disgrace. Demographic factors and individual attitudes also affect the willingness of the person towards seeking psychologicalRead MoreIs Ageism Against The Older People Could Potentially Be Reversed Through The Participation Of A Lifespan Human Development Course1620 Words   |  7 Pagesarticle, the author examine if negative attitudes towards older people could potentially be reversed through the participation in a Lifespan Human Development Course. He states that research findings shows that a prevailing factor that is affecting the elder population today is ageism. Researchers found, that the younger generation, 35 years and younger, are judgmental and in many cases disrespectful and hold some form of prejudice towards older adults. Older adult are often described in negative wayRead MoreThe Effects Of Ageism On The Delivery Of Nursing Care For The Older Person1736 Words   |  7 Pagesthis essay is to provide the audience with an understanding of ageism in healthcare by critically analyzing the impact of ageism on the delivery of nursing care for the older person. This essay will be based from the perspective of the impact of a registered nurse’s ageist behaviour on the older patient, the nursing care of the older patient and the impact on colleagues in the health care team. This essay will also discuss theories and relevant principles of ageism, nursing care and the health careRead MoreIs Ageism The Intentional And Subconscious Discrimination Against Older Adults? Essay1265 Words   |  6 PagesAgeism is the intentional and subconscious discrimination against older adults, but it seems the younger generation does not understand that and dismisses the elderly. Showing respect and dignity to the older adult (OA) should be a courte sy ingrained in each of us, sadly, that has been forgotten in today’s society. The younger generations must learn the importance of respecting and take the time to listen to what the OA has to say and spend quality time with them. Children should be taught fromRead MoreAgeism Is Defined By The World Health Organization Essay1410 Words   |  6 Pagesstereotyping of an individual or group of people base on their age, it is commonly found in older people. The older people has been labeled as mentally slow, physically weak, helpless and â€Å"past by their due date.† These attitudes held against the older people restrict them in participating in any form of social, economic, and cultural activities. This paper will evaluate a scenario where ageism arose in the care of a patient, how the prejudice against the older people impacts the patient well-being andRead More Technology and Older Adults Essay1746 Words   |  7 PagesTechnology and Older Adults It is commonly believed that older people are uncomfortable with new forms of technology and that they are more resistant to using technology than are younger people. This belief often places older people at a disadvantage, because designers fail to consider older people as a potential user group when designing technology, both software and hardware (Parsons, Terner, Kersley, 1994). Another misconception is that the elderly are unable to learn new skills. Older peopleRead MoreAnalysis Of Tuesdays With Morrie By Mitch Albom1092 Words   |  5 Pagesit means, fearing ageing, developing a fulfilled life, death and the meaning thereof, fearing death, and obtaining a positive attitude about an inevitable life event, are all important aspects to communicate with others. Knowing and having an understanding of what ageing stands for, remains an important step, growing-up or growing older and ageism are theories about older individuals. Ageism includes preconceptions that elderly are categorized for their age and perceived as weak, and incapable

Movie Review View Full Screen - 1452 Words

VIEW FULL SCREEN Prologue Once there was a wizard called Severus Snape. He was tall and lanky, and his black greasy hair hung like curtains around his face. He grew up as a half-blood wizard in an unhappy family, but found solace in a witch called Lily Evans, a childhood friend. Snape loved Lily deeply: through their years at Hogwarts; through her marriage to another wizard, James Potter; through his time as a Death Eater; and long after her murder at the wand of Lord Voldemort. After her death, a heartbroken Snape took up a position at Hogwarts as Potions Master (under Dumbledore s protection), and began his secret mission to keep safe the only thing that he had left of her: her son, a boy with his mother s eyes. Severus Snape and the†¦show more content†¦The unwelcome reunion occured when Potter’s old friend Remus Lupin secured Snape’s dream job of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. As Potions master, Snape kindly helped out Lupin – a werewolf. Of course, when he had to take over Lupin’s lesson, he may have accidentally taught his class how to spot a werewolf, but that was a complete coincidence. Meanwhile, Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban and is after Harry Potter. Not forgetting their years at Hogwarts, Snape wasted no time in trying to bring Black to justice when he came to the school. Towards the end of the year, Snape finally caught him in the Shrieking Shack. Once there Snape was hailed as a hero by Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, who promised that he would be duly rewarded. The Order of Merlin! A profile in the Daily Prophet! Finally, everything s coming up Severus! Some other stuff happened after that but it wasn’t really that interesting. VIEW FULL SCREEN  © JKR/Pottermore Ltd. â„ ¢ Warner Bros. Severus Snape and the Goblet of Fire As Hogwarts celebrated the return of the Triwizard Tournament, Snape had bigger fish to fry. For his days of being a Death Eater were coming back to haunt him, and his Dark Mark – a magical stamp tied to the Dark Lord – was becoming more and more pronounced. His worst fears were confirmed later inShow MoreRelatedMasculinity in Movies: Full Metal Jacket Essay753 Words   |  4 PagesMasculinity in Movies: Full Metal Jacket Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket is a 1987 film which portrays the early careers of U.S. Marine Corps recruits preparing for the Vietnam War. Throughout the movie, one recognizes concepts covered in the TV and film analysis film class; specifically the issue of masculinity. 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This paper will look at two film that have been re-made since the 1960’s, which provides an analysis of the concept of race and how political ideas andRead MoreExample Of 3p Movies1410 Words   |  6 PagesTop 15 Free 3GP Mobile Movie Download Sites Having a video content movie to play directly on your cell phone is a big addition to any website that targets mobile users. Increasingly people are getting more attached to their mobile phones than their laptops. 3GP movies can be downloaded to your mobile using a third-party tool. 1. Fztvseries.com It’s a perfect website if you want to download easily newly released movies and various TV series in 3GP and AVI formats. It has a great database and mostRead MoreThe Wonderful Wizard Of Oz : Book Vs. Movie946 Words   |  4 PagesThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz: Book vs. Movie There always seems to be some discrepancy when a film is adapted into a movie. 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Billy Budd by Herman Melville Free Essays

The story, Billy Budd, by Herman Melville embodies many themes. The same story has also been the subject of many different interpretations because of these themes. One of the more popular interpretations has to do with the many different allusions to the holy Christian bible. We will write a custom essay sample on Billy Budd by Herman Melville or any similar topic only for you Order Now Billy has often been interpreted as Adam from the book of Genesis, while his counterpart, Claggart, has often been compared to the serpent in the Garden of Eden or as Satan. The reason for this comparison has to do with the sacrifice that Billy makes at the end of the story. Good natured and kind hearted, Billy becomes the innocent victim of a harsh society. In order to make this portrayal, however, it is necessary to briefly discuss the trials and tribulations that Billy endured. The goodness of Billy is highlighted more during the times when Claggart tries to tempt Billy in committing dastardly acts and deeds of evil; the temptations that Claggart dangles in Billy’s way show Claggart’s different attempts to destroy the character of Billy. This is analogous to the situation in the Garden of Eden where the Serpent tries to deceive Adam into taking the fruit of the forbidden tree. The description of Claggart’s dead body as it lies lifeless in the form of a snake reinforces this point. This is an important characterization that is used well in the story as it makes it easier for the readers to identify one of the many themes that are embedded in Billy Budd. Without these comparisons to Adam, the innocence and the tragedy of the downfall of Billy would not be as highlighted as they are in the story. The sacrifice that Billy makes in the end becomes the haunting image of how a hostile society can corrupt the lives and minds of the innocent ones. How to cite Billy Budd by Herman Melville, Papers

The Windows To My Future free essay sample

The air filled the car with the strong smell of quaking aspen and bristlecone pine. Looking out the window I saw tons of trees, bright green grass, and mountains higher than I could see. Riding alongthe winding roads I continued to stare out the window in awe. The foggy air damped my skin and frizzed my mane-like hair. The ground glistened in in the sunlight as if someone had sprinkled glitter all around. I could hear the sounds streams of water flowing over rocks in the creeks near by, and the leaves rustling and crackling in the wind. And then I saw it. My reason for wanting to live in Colorado. I pointed outside the car and said â€Å"The windows.† Everyone in the car turned and looked at me but I was still staring out the window amused. â€Å"What?†, my boyfriend Timothy’s mom finally said. Timothy replied, â€Å" Gina is obsessed with houses with big windows and big doors. We will write a custom essay sample on The Windows To My Future or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Living in a house like that has always been a dream of hers.† Rochelle, Timothy’s mom, squinched her eyebrows together and said, â€Å"Ohhh†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , and turned back around in her seat. As i continued to stare out the window, hidden in the trees high up in the mountains, I could see houses with large windows starting from the first floor and stretching all the up to the second floor. Everytime I saw one of the houses I would point and say, â€Å"The windows.† I saw so many houses with big windows and doors that I began to realize that if I moved to Colorado there would be a higher possibility for me to live in my dream house. This story is significant because, living in a house with big windows and big doors is one of my biggest lifetime goals. This goal requires a lot of money of course, but Colorado provides me the perfect situation because I want to be a physical therapist, and a lot skiers and hikers just so happen to hurt themselves there. Determination is my biggest quality. When it comes to my dreams and goals in life I’ll do whatever it takes to achieve them. I started taking medical classes in the eighth grade. I first took pre-med, which was very easy for me, and in the ninth grade I took medical terminology and principles of health science. Determined to achieve my goals faster, my senior year I’ve decided to take on 5 extra classes online in order to graduate a year early. As a result, not only will I be living in my dream house but, I’ll have my dream job. Helping people recover from an injury or hard time in their life. It’s as if me and Colorado were meant to be. I’ll have the life I had always wanted, having to be able to raise my family in a peaceful and completely beautiful environment. I feel so close I can almost smell the quaking aspen and, see the sunrise over the mountains through the two story windows of my dream house.

The effect of growth medium on duckweed growth Essay Example Essay Example

The effect of growth medium on duckweed growth Essay Example Paper The effect of growth medium on duckweed growth Essay Introduction Duckweed (Lemna minor) is a common plant that floats in water and is common to stagnant water such as ponds. According to Texas AM University Duckweed is the smallest flowering plant on earth. It is thought duckweed helps to reduce pollution levels. Duckweed is quick growing new leaves. The plant undergoes asexual reproduction by splitting into two (or more) new plants.CharacteristicsDuckweed plants consist of between two or three leaves known as fronds; these fronds are commonly between 1/6th and 1/8th of an inch in length.HabitatDuckweeds grow in large colonies on the surface of calm water, and more than one species can grow in the same body of water.WarningDuckweed grows rapidly and can aggressively invade pods and bodies of water. It can disrupt marine ecosystems. If the Duckweed grows rapidly and covers the body of water it can prevent light from reaching plants that live on the bottom of the pond. This can then cause fish that feed on the plants to die. It can also reduce the l evels of oxygen in the pond water.BenefitsDuckweed plants do provide a habitat for micro invertebrates. Duckweed plants grow best in nitrogen rich environments. This is especially high in polluted ponds. This means the plant is especially good in cleaning polluted ponds.Factors that affect the growth of plantsThe major difference between distilled water and that obtained from the tap; is that distillation removes the minerals that are found in tap water. Distilled water does not have the fluoride, chloride or trace amounts of sodium found in tap water.Soil contains a complex mixture array of minerals; it is this in combination with water, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen that forms the soil solution. Plants are thought to use sixteen elements in order to grow successfully. Of the sixteen, twelve are found primarily in the soil.Plants are presently recognized to utilize sixteen elements in order to sustain growth. Of these sixteen elements twelve are minerals found primarily in the soil. This is the part of this particular chapter where we could easily go into a litany of items on the periodic table of elements, but we’ll stick to the basics.Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen are said to be non mineral. Carbon forms the organic skeleton of the plant. This is taken up from the atmosphere with the absorption of carbon dioxide. This is fixed to make sugars during photosynthesis.Oxygen is needed for respiration to take place in the plant. In this process energy is created by the breakdown of the sugars that are made during photosynthesis. Oxygen combines with hydrogen to form water. Water makes up a large proportion of the mass of any plant. Water is used to transport minerals and sugars produced during photosynthesis.Magnesium – is essential for many of the functions inside of the plant. It is an essential element of the chlorophyll molecule. It is an enzyme activator and constituent of many of the enzymes in a plant. Magnesium deficiency sy mptoms in tomato (Epstein and Bloom 2004). Leaves are often a pale green colour (due to the effect on chlorophyll). Some of the leaf margins will curl upwards or turn red-brown to a purple colour.Manganese -The leaves will show a light interveinal chlorosis developed under a limited supply of Mn. The early stages of the chlorosis induced by manganese deficiency are somewhat similar to iron deficiency. Manganese deficiency symptoms in tomato (Epstein and Bloom 2004)Nitrogen – deficiency will affect the rate at which the plant will grow. The older leaves at the bottom of the plant will first turn a yellow-greenish colour, then yellow, red or even purple. The newer leaves at the top of the plant will turn slightly yellowish-green. The colour change is due to the destruction of chloroplasts.Phosphorus deficient plants are often stunted and short in stature. The stalks that develop are weak and thin and appear spindly. Purple veins may appear on the leaves or the leaves may turn p urplish. Older leaves may appear bluish-green.Sulphur deficiency resembles that of Nitrogen, but it appears first in younger leaves with them pale-yellow or light green.Iron deficient leaves show strong chlorosis at the top of the plant and then moves down to the bottom. Leaves turn a yellow colour but keep there green veins.Potassium deficient leaves show marginal tip burn. As the deficiency progresses death occurs in the interveinal spaces between the main veins along with interveinal chlorosis.Biological AimThe aim of this experiment is to determine what effect the lack on minerals has on the growth of a plant.HypothesisAs fertiliser contains all of the necessary minerals that a plant will need to grow, the duckweed grown in fertiliser will produce the most leaflets. As tap water contains some minerals (chloride etc), duckweed will grow better in this than in distilled water that contains no minerals.Null HypothesisThe duckweed will not be affected by the absence of minerals and therefore there will be no difference between the number of leaflets in the three experiments.EquipmentThe equipment used was a described in the NEC handoutMethodThe method was conducted as described in the NEC handoutVariablesIndependent variable = the conditions in which the duckweed is grownConstant variablesNeed to make sure that the volume of liquid added to each of the containers is the same amount. This ensures that any effect of growth rate is not as a result of the amount of water added.The duckweed is taken from the same area of the pond this should ensure that the pond weed has gown in the same nutrients and environmental conditions.The duckweed taken from the pond is of a proportionate size. That the samples have the same amount of leaflets.Risk assessmentThere is a risk of infectious diseases such as weil’s disease from contaminated water supplies. It is therefore essential that precautions are taken when placing hands into the water. All open wounds on the hands should be covered and vinyl gloves warn when coming into contact. Also care must be taken when around ponds, ensure that no risks are taken to get hold of the duckweed.ResultsDayTreatmentDistilled WaterTap WaterWith fertiliserNumber of leafletsNumber of leafletsNumber of leaflets12Mean12Mean12mean133333333343334447887344576131213104447881815171345591110252123164551113123229311955512151444424322566131715585758Table 1 shows the number of leaflets on each duckweed plant grown under different conditionsDayTreatmentDistilled WaterNumber of leaflets121Leaves are normalLeaves are normal4Leaves are normalLeaves are normal7New leaflets a light interveinal chlorosisNew leaflets a light interveinal chlorosis10New leaflets a light interveinal chlorosisNew leaflets a light interveinal chlorosis13More â€Å"newer† of the leaf is turning yellowishMore â€Å"newer† of the leaf is turning yellowish16All of the leaves including older leaves turning yellowAll of the leaves including old er leaves turning yellow19All of the leaves including older leaves turning yellowAll of the leaves including older leaves turning yellow22Most leaves are now yellowMost leaves are now yellowTap WaterNumber of leaflets12Leaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalNewer leaflets are much smaller and growing less rapidlyNewer leaflets are much smaller and growing less rapidlyNewer leaflets are much smaller and growing less rapidlyNewer leaflets are much smaller and growing less rapidlyWith fertiliserNumber of leaflets12Leaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalLeaves are normalGraph 1 shows the effect of minerals on the growth of leaflets on DuckweedThe plants grown in distilled water show very little difference in the amount of leaflets that grew on the duckweed plant. It also showed the smallest amount of growth in overall size. The growth of the duckweed is due to the minerals held in the plant, those minerals absorbed from the pond. As the duckweed ages the minerals are used up, there are no new minerals being replaced and the plant starts to show deficiencies in many of the minerals by the loss of chlorophyll and turn yellow.The duckweed grown in the tap water like the one grown in the distilled water retains minerals from the pond. There are some minerals in the tap water that aid grow this is shown by more leaflets growing in the later stages of the experiment. However if this experiment was elongated the amount of new leaflets would decrease that the plant would plateau as in the distilled water. This is due toany nutrients in the tap water being used up by the plant. The plant would also begin to exhibit phenotypic symptoms of nutrient deficieny such as yellow leaves.Plants grown in the fertiliser have the greatest rate of growth. The rate at which new leaves is not slowing and all leaves are a healthy green colour. This is because the nutrients that were in the plants from the pond are being replaced by excess minerals in the fertilisers. The longer the experiment proceeds the greater the rate of leaflet growth. This is shown by an increase in the gradient of the graph.ANOVA: Single FactorSUMMARYGroupsCountSumAverageVarianceColumn 18334.1250.839286Column 28718.87519.76786Column 38193.524.1875346.8527ANOVASource of VariationSSdfMSFP-valueF critBetween Groups1758.7712879.38547.1794410.0042083.4668Within Groups2572.21921122.4866Total4330.9923With a p value of 0.01 we can reject the null hypothesis and accept the hypothesis with a confidence of 99%. This means that there is a significant difference in the growth of leaflets in plants grown in different mediums. It sugg ests that minerals have a significant difference in the growth of plants.EvaluationAlthough this experiment shows the effect that minerals and the lack of minerals have on plant growth. This is all that it tells use. It makes no advancement to our knowledge of the effect of individual minerals to plants. This would have been overcome by the use of Sachs solutions which are specifically designed to have a single nutrient deficiency. This would then show how the effect of removing one nutrient would have on the phenotype of a plants growth.There was also a problem with water loss from the containers probably due to evaporation from the container and the leaves of the plant. No attempt was made to replace the loss fluid. This could then have had an effect on the growth of the plants. Before the experiment started I should have marked the meniscus of the water and then topped up the volume with distilled water.The health of the duckweed plants used was not investigated at the beginning of the experiment. Even though the duckweed was taken from the same area of the pond, some of the samples could have been diseased. If I would have had time I could of investigated this by growing all of the duckweed in nutrient rich water for a few weeks before replacing them in the new mediums. This would have meant all of the samples would have been healthy and disease free.I also noticed that to the end of the experiment algae was growing in the tap water and fertiliser samples. This could have some effect on the rate of plant growth. To prevent this, the water could have been boiled and cooled before adding in the plant. The effect of growth medium on duckweed growth Essay Thank you for reading this Sample!

Why Homeschooling Is on the Rise

Why Homeschooling Is on the Rise Homeschooling is an educational choice surrounded by many myths and misconceptions. Even though this method continues to provide high national test scores and well-rounded, diversely educated children, many people still do not see the virtue of the choice. They often have preconceived notions about what goes on in homeschooling. History and Background of Homeschooling Homeschooling is defined as instruction in an educational program outside of established schools. Homeschooling  dates back to the 1960s with a counter-culture movement that soon fizzled out. The movement was rekindled in the 1970s after the Supreme Court upheld the decision that removing school prayer was not unconstitutional. This decision sparked the Christian movement to homeschool although, at the time, it was illegal in 45 states. Laws slowly changed, and by 1993 homeschooling was recognized as a parent’s right in all 50 states. (Neal, 2006) As people continue to see the benefits, the numbers continue to grow. In 2007, the U.S. Department of Education reported that the number of homeschooling students had climbed from 850,000 in 1999 to 1.1 million in 2003. (Fagan, 2007) Reasons People Homeschool As a homeschooling mother of two I am frequently asked why I homeschool. I believe that Mariette Ulrich (2008) best summed up the reasons why people homeschool when she said: I prefer to make those [educational] choices myself. Not because I think I know ‘better’ than all those professional educators, but I do think I know my own children best, and consequently which programs and methods would benefit them. Homeschooling is not about rejecting other people and things; it’s about making personal and positive choices for your own family. (1) While statistics do not show that violence is on the rise, it is hard to ignore stories in the news relating violent school events on a regular basis. Because of these perceptions of school violence, it isn’t difficult to understand why some parents want to educate their children at home. However, this is sometimes viewed as an attempt to shelter their children. Homeschoolers understand that sheltering their children would not do any good. They will still be exposed to the violence in the world through other mediums. Nevertheless, homeschooling does help to keep them safe by keeping them away from the current trend of school violence. While school violence is now a leading factor in many parents’ decisions there are many different reasons for choosing to homeschool. The statistics state that: 31.2 percent of home-schooling parents say that â€Å"concern about the environment of other schools† was their primary reason for home instruction16.5 percent stated â€Å"dissatisfaction with the academic instruction in other schools†29.8 percent said â€Å"to provide religious or moral instruction†6.5 percent was â€Å"because the child has a physical or mental health problem†7.2 percent said â€Å"because the child has other special needs†8.8 percent gave â€Å"other reasons† (Fagan, 2007). For my family it was a combination of the first three reasons- academic dissatisfaction being top- along with specific incidents that led us to decide to homeschool. How Homeschooled Students Perform Academically People might have their own preconceived ideas about who exactly homeschools. Homeschoolers initially consisted of white, middle-class, and/or religious fundamentalist families, but is no longer limited to this group. (Greene Greene, 2007) In fact, the number of African American homeschoolers has steadily grown in recent years.  (Black, 2006,) You can understand why when looking at national statistics. A significant discovery in the study Strengths of Their Own: Home Schoolers Across America stated that there was no difference in homeschooling scores based on the student’s race, and that scores for both minority and white students in grades k-12 averaged in the 87th percentile. (Klicka, 2006) This statistic is in sharp contrast to the public school systems where 8th grade white students score in th e 57th percentile on average, while blacks and Hispanic students score in the 28th percentile in reading alone. (Klicka, 2006) Statistics do not speak favorably only about minorities but all students who homeschool, regardless of their demographics. The study â€Å"Strengths of Their Own: Home Schoolers Across America† completed in 1997, included 5,402 students that homeschool. The study verified that on average, homeschoolers were performing higher than their public school equivalent â€Å"by 30 to 37 percentile points in all subjects.† (Klicka, 2006) This seems to be the case in all studies performed on homeschoolers; however, due to the lack of standard test practices in each state and no unbiased collection of these scores, it is hard to determine the exact average score for homeschooling families. In addition to flourishing standardized test scores, many homeschool students also have the benefit of fulfilling graduation requirements and going to college earlier. This is attributed to flexible nature of homeschooling.  (Neal, 2006) Studies have also been made to compare homeschool and public school settings in cases of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders. The studies showed that homeschooling parents provided educational settings yielding more â€Å"academic engaged time (AET)† in comparison to the public school settings, making homeschooling more beneficial for the child’s development and learning. (Duvall, 2004) Due to this increase in academic performance it is no wonder that colleges are attempting to recruit more homeschoolers because of their high test scores coupled with their self-discipline for completing work. In an article sent around to college personnel about the benefits of making special efforts to recruit homeschoolers Greene and Green say, â€Å"We believe that the homeschool population represents fertile ground for college enrollment efforts, consisting as it does of many bright students with a wide array of educational, personal, and family experiences.†Ã‚   Homeschool Teacher Qualifications Beyond the statistics, when someone talks about homeschooling, usually two points come up. The first is whether the parent is qualified to teach their child, and the second and possibly biggest question asked of  homeschoolers everywhere is about socialization. Qualification is a big concern because opponents of homeschooling believe that parents do not have the ability to teach children like a certified teacher does. I do agree that teachers have accreditation beyond what typical homeschooling parents do, but I also believe that parents have the ability to teach a child any class that they would need, especially in the elementary years. Children have an ability in homeschool that is not available to them in a traditional classroom. If a student has a question in class, it might not be the appropriate time to ask the question, or the teacher might be too busy to answer. However, in homeschool if a child has a question, time can be taken to answer the question or look up the answer if it is unknown. No one all of the answers, not even teachers; after all they are human as well. Dave Arnold of the National Education Association (NEA) stated, â€Å"You would think that they might leave this- the shaping of their children’s minds, careers, and futures- to trained professionals.† (Arnold, 2008) Why would it make more sense to leave these important factors in a child’s life to a person who with be with him for only a year? Why leave those factors to someone  who does not have time to develop the child’s strengths and weaknesses and provide one-on-one time with him? After all even Albert Einstein was homeschooled. However, there are resources for parents who aren’t confident about teaching higher level classes. Some options include: online or correspondence coursesco-opscommunity college classes (Fagan, 2007) With these classes- usually utilized in math or science but available in all subjects- students have the benefit of a teacher knowledgeable in the subject. Tutoring and access to the teacher for specific help are usually available.   While I do disagree with the statement that parents are not qualified to teach their children, I believe that there should be end of year testing. This requirement is on a state to state guideline, and I believe that it should be made mandatory so that a parent can prove that homeschooling is effective for her child. If public school children are required to take these tests, then so should homeschoolers. Virginia law states that all families must register [with their local school district] on a per yearly basis and submit results of professional standardized testing scores (similar to SOL) although there is an option of â€Å"religious exemption† that does not require any end of year testing. (Fagan, 2007) The study â€Å"Strengths of Their Own: Home Schoolers Across America† also found that students ranged in the 86th percentile â€Å"regardless of state regulation,† whether a state had no regulations or a large amount of regulations. (Klicka, 2006, p. 2) These statistics show that state regulations on testing, on what degree of certification a parent has (which can range from no high school diploma to certified teacher to holder of a non-relational bachelors degree), and compulsory attendance laws all have no significance in regards to scores achieved on tests. Homeschool Student Socialization Finally the biggest concern among  those questioning or outright opposed to homeschooling is socialization. Socialization is defined as : â€Å"1. To place under government or group ownership or control. 2. To make fit for companionship with others; make sociable. 3. To convert or adapt to the needs of society.† The first definition is not applicable to education but the second and third are worth looking into. People believe that kids need socialization with other children in order for them to be productive members of society. I completely agree with that. I believe if you have a child who is homeschooled and is rarely in public, interacting with others, then I agree that you will have a problem with that child in years to come. That is just common sense. However, I do not believe socializing is fitting in with other children their own ages that have no moral compass, no sense of right, or wrong and no respect for teachers and authority figures. When children are young and impressionable, it is hard for them to tell which children to steer clear of, often until it is too late. This is where peer pressure comes into play, and children want to mimic their peer group’s behavior in order to fit in and receive group acceptance. Dave Arnold of the NEA also speaks about one specific website that says not to worry about socialization. He says, â€Å"If this website encouraged homeschooled children to join after-school clubs at the local school, or participate in sports or other community activities, then I might feel different. Maine state laws, for example, require local school districts to allow home-schooled students to participate in their athletic programs† (Arnold, 2008, p. 1). There are two problems with his statement. The first untruth is that most homeschoolers dont want to participate in elementary and high school sports like this. There arent legal requirements in each state allowing them to so in states without laws it is based on the individual school board. The problem with this is that school boards sometimes do not allow homeschoolers to participate in their organized sports, whether due to lack of funding or discrimination. The second untruth in his statement is that homeschoolers do encourage these types of activities. Homeschoolers in general know that their children need interaction with other children (of all age ranges not just specific to their own grade) and do everything possible to ensure their children receive this. This comes in the form of: team sportsco-ops (groups of homeschoolers who get together weekly to exchange classes to allow for socialization and taking advantage of the parents’ strong teaching points)support groups (homeschoolers that get together on a regular basis for the children to play or participate in activities such as bowling or roller skating)clubs such as 4H  and scoutslessons such as dance and karate. Many  public libraries, museums, gyms and other community groups and businesses offer programs and classes, catering to the growing number of homeschoolers. (Fagan, 2007) This usually allows more avenues for education as well as opportunities for homeschooling families to get together. Socialization is a very important aspect in every child’s life. However, homeschool graduates that have been exposed to these avenues of socialization have shown just as much ability to survive in and contribute to society as their public school counterparts. Homeschooling is a viable option to those who feel that their children aren’t learning enough, are falling prey to peer pressure, or are exposed or susceptible to too much violence in school. Homeschooling has statistically proven over time that it is a method of education that succeeds with test scores surpassing those in public schools. Homeschool graduates have proven themselves in the college arena and beyond. The questions of qualification and socialization are often argued, but as you can see have no solid facts to stand on. As long as the test scores of those students whose parents are not certified teachers remains higher than public school children, no one can argue for higher qualification regulations. Even though the socialization of homeschoolers does not fit in the standard box of a public classroom setting, it is proven to be just as effective if not better in providing quality (not quantity) socializing opportunities. The results speak for themselves in the long run. I am often asked why I homeschool.  There are so many answers to this question- dissatisfaction with public schools, safety, the state of society today, lack of religion and morals- that I would end up going on and on. However, I think my feelings are summed up in the popular phrase, â€Å"I’ve seen the village, and I don’t want it raising my child.† References Arnold, D. (2008, February 24). Home schools run by well-meaning amateurs: schools with good teachers are best-suited to shape young minds. National Education Association. Retrieved March 7, 2006, from nea.org/espcolumns/dv040220.html Black flight- to homeschool (2006, March-April). Practical Homeschooling 69. 8(1). Retrieved March 2, 2006, from Gale database. Duvall, S., Delaquadri, J., Ward D. L. (2004, Wntr). A preliminary investigation of the effectiveness of homeschool instructional environments for student with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. School Psychological Review, 331; 140(19). Retrieved March 2, 2008, from Gale database. Fagan, A. (2007, November 26) Teach your children well; with new resources, home-schooling numbers grow (page one)(special report). The Washington Times, A01. Retrieved March 2, 2008, from Gale database. Greene, H. Greene, M. (2007, August). There’s no place like home: as the homeschool population grows, college and universities must increase enrollment efforts targeted to this group (Admissions). University Business, 10.8, 25(2). Retrieved March 2, 2008, from Gale database. Klicka, C. (2004, October 22). Academic statistics on homeschooling. HSLDA. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from www.hslda.org Neal, A. (2006, September-October) Excelling in and out of the home, homeschooled kids are thriving across the country. Students demonstrating exceptional academic honors are capturing top slots at national competitions. Saturday Evening Post, 278.5, 54(4). Retrieved March 2, 2008, from Gale database. Ulrich, M. (2008, January) Why I homeschool: (because people keep asking). Catholic Insight, 16.1. Retrieved March 2, 2008 from Gale database. Updated by  Kris Bales

Did women have a Renaissance in Early Modern Europe Essay - 1

Did women have a Renaissance in Early Modern Europe - Essay Example The early modern period saw many rapid changes in the way that society interacted with itself. Whereas the middle-aged should have been defined by dogmatic religious interpretation, the early modern period saw something of a relaxation of the means by which society and the laws that constrained it operated. Moreover, trade began to flourish and created the first exhibitions of what we might now term the middle class. Arts and literature came to be in greater and greater prevalence within this particular era due to the fact that the daily struggle to provide food, security, and basic human needs was simplified. Political theory and the means by which society was structured became less chaotic and more orderly. However, even though it might be tempting to state that each of these progressions somehow invariably impacted upon the plight of women, it is the assumption and understanding of this brief analysis that even though a great many societal changes were occurring during this time, the majority of these did not impact upon the rights and/or freedoms that women would otherwise experience. Instead, the benefits of this â€Å"early modern era†, as it was dumb, were almost invariably concentric upon the males within society. However, even though a low level of benefit was able to be derived by women during this period in time, the reduction in power that the church was able to exert over societal shareholders was necessarily a net in a fit with regard to the overall level of rights and privileges that women could exercise and experience within their respective societies. Naturally, this reduction in the church’s power existed to varying degrees based upon geography and/or ethnic/cultural determinants. Secondarily, as a direct result of the level of economic growth and the rise in the existence of the middle class, women of this particular class experienced a different type of lifestyle than those which had traditionally been confined to and constrain ed by abject poverty and/or the differential between the extraordinarily wealthy and carefree and those who struggled under varying forms of servitude to provide for the needs of themselves and for their families. Firstly, any study or examination of human rights and the progression of feminism denotes the fact that religion, by very definition, has traditionally negatively impacted upon the way and manner that these freedoms were experienced. Whether one considers the case of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, or any of the other world’s great religions, each of these has at its core a patriarchal respect which necessarily places women and their rights in a position of lesser importance (Andrea 275). In much the same way, medieval Europe was defined and structured along religious lines. This was so much the case that cultural differences between the French and the Italians, between the Germans and the Danes, and/or between the Swiss and the Poles were more concerned wit h whether or not a particular religion defined this interaction than they were with regard to the differential and cultures that necessarily existed between the two. For a large part of the dark/Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church had near unchallenged sway with regard to how people thought and believed in Europe. However, as a result of the challenge that Protestantism posed, the role and power of the Roman Catholic Church, and indeed the overall power that religion itself was able to project within this system were necessarily reduced. This is not say that Europe experienced anything like a miniature enlightenment during this period. Rather, the challenge of an alternate point of view led many individuals to challenge, at least on a personal level, whether or not the religion that they had so long clung to was effective in determining the mores and norms by which they would live. It is important to note at this juncture that even though Protestantism allowed for a deviation and distraction from the rigid constructs of Roman Catholicism, it was not necessarily any more friendly or

The sexual objectification of women in advertising Essay

The sexual objectification of women in advertising - Essay Example This "The sexual objectification of women in advertising" outlines the issue of gender inequality and the image of women as a sexual object ad. Ads are great, in several senses. They are one amongst the rarely thriving creative fields in the society. They make us smile and forget our problems through their imaginative rosy world. But, sadly a great proportion of ad directors simply believe they can sell their product only by portraying a woman sexually. The history of this notion started way back from the days of Esquire magazine and several others like the "Play Boy" continued on their footsteps. The copy writer turned editor of the Esquire magazine initially started to feature the petty girls and the pin up models to satisfy the male ego. They were in a crucial state to produce a magazine which attracts men. They used strong sarcasm under the cover of humour against the growing women power in the late 20's. Men who lost their jobs to the ever increasing women flock, found solace in such magazines. Everything from the cooking talent of women to their housekeeping norms were strongly criticized in the Esquire (Breazael, 2003). The magazine simply represented the mainstream idea of "Why don't these women keep quiet and let men manage the world?" in every bit. Several women groups stood up strongly against them. In fact the magazine was forced to keep their views under elite cover, mostly because of the rising feminist groups. There doesn’t seem to be much change in the way the advertising world view women. In fact, the objectification of women in media only increases as years pass. There are several reasons for this. Goffman who researched over 500 advertisements on a gender based view noted three important points. The size and the height of men always seemed to be higher than women. Women were shown as stereotypical, overexcited beings often laughing or acting hysterically. Their touch and body is always combined with overt graze, usually representing th em lying down in sofa's or beds (Goffman, 1979). The poses and mannerisms of women are usually depicted to be childlike, innocent or immature. Men see in such poses what women see in a baby, the need to nurture. A woman buys a product where a baby looks at her sheepishly with its finger on the mouth, kindled by her motherly instincts. Similarly a man buys a product showcasing a beautiful woman, with wide eyes, slightly open lips, stretched hands and legs, kindled by his natural dominant side. The problem here is both men and women are equal and the necessity for prince in armour has long disappeared. There is no point in portraying women as helpless, innocent, dependable creatures, luring men with sexiness when they live a completely respectful life. Women movements and associations should join hands together to stop such senselessness. If men cannot accept themselves being portrayed as cavemen when they wear Armani suit, why should a normal women accept a bimbo portrayal wherever s he turns to. This is an age where governments are overthrown through Facebook. If women around the world join hands, such arrogance will be put to check immediately. The products of the Nestle Company were boycotted because they buy palm oil by destroying forests where orang-utan’s live. The company was forced to stop the worthless act saving the primitive species. If consumer

Nursing care and treatment of cerebral vasospasm following Essay

Nursing care and treatment of cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid haemorrhage - Essay Example Cerebral vasospasm is one of the devastating complications following subarachnoid hemorrhage and is associated with high mortality.Despite extensive study and research,the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of this complication remains poorly understood Despite extensive study and research, the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of this complication remains poorly understood. Because of this, medical treatment of this condition is largely limited to calcium channel blockers, triple-H therapy and the most recent papaverine infusion and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. More often than not, clinical signs and symptoms of cerebral vasospasm are first recognised by a nurse, who then alerts the physician. Thus, nurses caring for patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage must be aware of cerebral vasospasm and the necessary steps that must be taken after detecting the condition (Kosty, 2005). Also, treatments for vasospasm are at risk of several complications which must be monitored by the ca re taking nurse closely. Thus, nurses play a very important role in the recognition and management of cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage (Campbell, 1997). In this review, critical analysis of nursing management of cerebral vasospasm will be done. Aims The aims of the review are to critically analyse and evaluate treatment of cerebral vasospasm secondary to subarachnoid hemorrhage through a nursing perspective. Objectives ... There are several causes for subarachnoid hemorrhage, the most common cause being pre-existing aneurysm. Subarachnoid hemorrhage due to aneurysm is not preventable because; it is very difficult to detect aneurysms that are unruptured (Kosty, 2005). Aneurysms are lesions that are acquired on the arterial walls because of hemodynamic stress. They usually occur over bends and points of bifurcation. There are several types of aneurysms, those which occur in intracranial arteries are saccular and berry aneurysms (Kosty, 2005). This is because; intracranial arteries do not have external elastic lamina and have adventia that is very thin. Both these predispose to aneurysms. Another factor that makes intracranial arteries vulnerable to aneurysms is the fact that they lie in the subarachnoid space without any support. Aneurysms mainly occur in the internal carotid artery's terminal portion and also from the branches arises from the anterior aspect of the circle of Willis (Becske, and Jallo, 2 010). The estimated prevalence of subarachnoid hemorrhage in populations all over the world is 0.3- 5 percent (Becske, and Jallo, 2010). The incidence is slightly more in women than in men. The mean age of this emergency is around 50 years (Becske, and Jallo, 2010). The mortality associated with this condition is very high. 60 percent of the patients die within 30 days following the hemorrhage (Becske, and Jallo, 2010). Of these, 10 percent die without any warning (Becske, and Jallo, 2010). 30 percent of patients die within the first 2 weeks (Kosty, 2005) and 15 percent of the patients develop severe disability (Kosty, 2005). Only less than 30 percent patients have moderate or good recovery (Kosty, 2005). Other than mortality, sub-arachnoid hemorrhage also leads to

Characterization of Biochemical Pathways

Characterization of Biochemical Pathways Disscussion: Scorpion envenoming resulted in alteration in pyramidin, histidin, tyrosine, glycerophospholipid and steroid hormone biosynthesis pathways after 48 hours. These effects are an outcome of acute seizures and early myocardial injuries disorder in the group of experimental rates. Metabolite set enrichment analysis results also showed that pancreas, nerve cells and mitochondria are the most affected organs. The toxicity of a given compound refers to its ability to disrupt some biological functions at a certain level of biological organization (i.e., cell, tissue, or organ) It is also related to the amplitude and the duration of the exposure and also to the degree of absorption of the substance by the organism, its distribution, biotransformation and elimination or accumulation (Topol, 2004). Understanding the mechanism of a toxic event is a challenging task, especially in the field of drug research and development. The symptoms caused by scorpion stings in animal models are similar to those observed in humans (Padilla et al., 2005). Glycerophospholipids are known to display a high degree of molecular heterogeneity in mammalian tissues. In addition to their function as structural components of membranes, some molecular species may participate in specific biophysical and biochemical functions (Mason and Dobbs, 1980). Krshina Murthy (2000) suggested that the probable mechanism of death due to scorpion envenoming syndrome is alteration in phospholipid fractions concentrations mainly phosphatidylinositol and phospatidylglycerol (Murthy, 2000). He postulated that disruption of phosphatidylglycerol choline and phosphatidyl inositol are the main causes of death. Glycerophosphocholine metabolite are involved in cell signaling and membrane integrity of the cell and serine is the precursor for choline and acetylcholine biosynthesis which is required in the brain and therefore any damage of the cell membrane can affect glycerophospholipids metabolites pathway and its concentration. In our study, Glycerophospholipid metabolism was one of the main pathways that have been altered by envenomation and this confirms the Krishna Murthy hypothesis. Scorpion envenoming causes fuel-energy deficits and results in inability to utilize the existing metabolic substrates by different organs, which ultimately may lead to death. This is caused by a massive release of catecholamine, angiotensin II, an increase in glucagon and cortisol (Amaral et al., 1994; Avogaro et al., 1996; Balasubramaniam and Murthy, 1984; Basu et al., 1990; el-Amin, 1992; Gajalakshmi, 1982; Gueron and Ilia, 1996; Mirakabadi, 2013). Steroid hormones mediate a wide variety of vital physiological functions such as anti-inflammatory agents. They are also principally, involved in cell signaling, integrity and stability of the cell membrane as well as fuel or energy storage and energy source in cells. In our study cholesterol, dehydroepiandrosterone, 2-methoxyesterone and aldosterone profiles have shown changes. Disruption of cell membrane and liver function failure resulted due to cytotoxic effect of the H.lepturus venom (Heidarpour et al., 2012; R . Dehghani 2012). So the alterations in steroid hormones metabolites pathway are due to cytotoxic effects of venom. In the present investigation, envenomation by H. lepturus causes alteration in carnosine and 1-methylhistidine metabolite concentration of histidine metabolism pathway. Carnosine which is an endogenous cytoplasmic dipeptide(b-alanyl-l-histidine) and have numerous physiological activities in normal muscles activities (Nagasawa et al., 2001) Histidine and carnosine at low concentration could improve hyperglycemia complications with reduction of proinflammatory cytokine levels, increase insulin secretion, and enhance glutathione peroxidase activity. It has been showed that serum glucose elevated and hyperglycemia resulted by envenomation (Lee et al., 2005). Therefore, alteration in carnosine might be due to hyperglycemia state produced by scorpion venom. GENNIP (1999) showed that pyrimidine metabolism which is the building blocks of DNA and RNA is responsible for the cell programming machinery. Pyrimidine metabolism along with purine pathway fulfills a variety of functions in the metabolism of the cell of which the most important are regulation of energy conservation and transport, formation of coenzymes and of active intermediates of phospholipid and carbohydrate metabolism (GENNIP, 1999). Nyhan (2005) postulated that the catabolic pathways for pyrimidine have yielded a number of patients with specific enzymatic deficiencies, most of them with mental retardation, seizures, or both (Nyhan, 2005; Nyhan, 2005 ). Degradation disorders of pyrimidine can be presented as anemia, neurological deficits or devastating multisystem mitochondrial disorder (H. Anne Simmonds and Gennip, 2003). Our results also showed that the concentration of four metabolites of pyrimidine pathway i.e. Dihydrothymine, Deoxyuridine, Deoxycytidine, and Beta-alanine were changed which might be due to neurological deficits and acute seizures, which are caused by scorpion venom and change in cell metabolism. Venom of many scorpions species cause the activation and delay of inactivation of neural sodium channel which induce a massive release of catecholamines and acetylcholines by the postganglionic nerve both in the circulation and in specific organs, such as increase in rate and force of contraction of the heart tissues.(Gueron and Yaron, 1970; Sofer et al., 1997) Tyrosine is the main precursor for catecholamine, dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. Our results demonstrated that some of intermediate metabolites in this pathway including iodotyrosine, p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid and acetoacetic acid metabolite show changes which might be due to increase in catecholamine secretion in the stung victim. Similar clinical manifestations of diabetes are usually observed in scorpion sting victims(Zare and Tanikawa, 2002). Scorpion envenoming causes the release of counter-regulatory hormones (glucagon and cortisol) with suppressed insulin secretion. Under these conditions, the metabolism of carbohydrate, protein, and fat is directed towards catabolism. This provokes gluconeogenesis with glucose elevation in serum. During catabolic states such as starvation and diabetes free fatty acids and ketone bodies, compete as fuels for muscle metabolism. Whereas, after prolonged starvation in man free fatty acids displaced ketone bodies as preferred fuels for oxidation in striated muscle (Hagenfeldt et al., 1971; Owen and Reichard, 1971) intracellular ketone-body concentrations in striated muscle increased plasma concentrations rose during starvation and diabetic states and causes ketoacidosis and increase of H+ ions concentration of blood . In our study, synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies specially acetoacetic acid was affected in this pathway which is in accordance with Krishna Murthy study (Murthy, 2000). To summarize, our findings show that the application of metabolomics approaches could play an important role in the characterization of biochemical pathways in the animal model, which envenomed with Hemiscorpius lepturus venom. Our finding indicates the involvement of multiple system and organs in scorpion envenoming syndrome in which the most affected organs are pancreas, nerve cells, mitochondria, and spleen with similarities to acute seizures, the early marker of myocardial injuries and different seizures disorder, which confirm the earlier acute scorpion pancreatitis and myocardial injury reports (Bartholomew, 1970; Novikov et al., 2000).

The Physics of Cooling Techniques :: thermodynamics physics refrigerator

There are many reasons for wanting to cool things, but whatever the reason, the Second Law of Thermodynamics dictates that cooling something will take effort (sorry, no spontaneously cool sodas). Different techniques have been developed to address this issue, each having its own limitations and ideal uses. The most commonly used method of cooling is with vapor-compression cycles, because it is fairly easy to construct a cooling device employing this method and the cost is low. In fact, conventional refrigerators use this method of cooling to keep your leftovers and drinks chilled! Air conditioners also employ a vapor-compression cycle to cool the ambient air temperature in a room. Basically, vapor-compression refrigeration employs a heat engine run backwards, so heat energy is taken from a cold reservoir and deposited into a hot reservoir. By the Second Law of Thermodynamics, heat energy does not spontaneously transfer from a cold to a hot reservoir. In order to have heat transfer in that direction (and not from from hot to cold, as the system is naturally inclined to do), it is necessary to do work on the system. Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycle This refrigeration cycle is approximately a Rankine cycle run in reverse. A working fluid (often called the refrigerant) is pushed through the system and undergoes state changes (from liquid to gas and back). The latent heat of vaporization of the refrigerant is used to transfer large amounts of heat energy, and changes in pressure are used to control when the refrigerant expels or absorbs heat energy. However, for a refrigeration cycle that has a hot reservoir at around room temperature (or a bit higher) and a cold reservoir that is desired to be at around 34Â °F, the boiling point of the refrigerant needs to be fairly low. Thus, various fluids have been identified as practical refrigerants. The most common include ammonia, Freon (and other chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants, aka CFCs), and HFC-134a (a non-toxic hydrofluorocarbon). Stages of the Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycle The Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Cycle is comprised of four steps. The conceptual figure of the process shows the PV changes during each part. Part 1: Compression In this stage, the refrigerant enters the compressor as a gas under low pressure and having a low temperature.

Assessment of Vulnerability and Adaption to Climate Change

ASSESSMENT OF THE VULNERABILITY AND ADAPTION TO CLIMATE CHANGEQUESTIONNAIRE No.INTERVIEWEE NAMEINTERVIEWED DATE____/____/2014Part A: Family Information 1. Name of interviewee: ____________________________________________________Male ___ Female____ 2. Relation to the family held: ____________________________________ Telephone: ____________________ 3. Religion a. Islam _______ b. Christian__________ c. Others _______ 4. Name of small town: 1. Kipini _______________ 2. Ozi ___________________ 3. Kilelengwani ____________ Part B: Composition OF HOUSEHOLD AND HUMAN CAPITALFamily memberPresently present ( P/A )Gender ( M/F )Age ( old ages )Marital position ( 1. Married 2. Unmarried 3. OthersEducation degree 0 – none 1. Primary 2. Secondary 3. High school 4. Certificate/Diploma 5. Bachelor 6. MaestroCondition of wellnessTechnical accomplishmentsNumber of yearss in the past 12 months unable to transport out support activitiesNameNumberPart C. PHYSICAL AND NATURAL CAPITALName of Rhizophora mangle related physical capitalMeasureValue at market monetary valueObservations/ notesPart B. ( PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES ) OF YOUR FAMILY ( KEY NATURAL RESOURCE DEPENDENT LIVELIHOOD ACTIVITIES ) 1. What is your family’s chief beginning of income? ( What is your family’s cardinal support? ) — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — – — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — – 2. Could you delight name the other beginnings of income, in order of importance?Livelihood/jobWhereRating3. Calendar of support activities:Support activitiesJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSeptOctNovDec4. Please rate the importance ( value ) of natural resources ( Rhizophora mangles ) in to your support and day-to-day life:Natural resourceImportance5. Changes ( e.g. , Total country, location and quality ) of natural resources that relate to your support from 2000 up to nowNatural resourceChanges in 2000 – 2011AreaLocationQuality6. Make your family own a house? 1. Yes 2. No 7. If yes, what is the current market value ( Kshs ) _________ 8. How many roomw does the house have _______________ Family ACTIVITIES AND ASSOCIATED FINANCIAL CAPITALFamily memberBeginning of incomeEstimate of clip invested ( days/ twelvemonth )Estimate of income degree ( Kshs/yr )1.2.FisheriesAgribusinessAgricultural labourerCattle/ domestic fowl rise upingBusinessOccupationSelling firewood3. OthersInterest from deposited moneyInterest from money loaningRentSocial security benefitsOthers ( relations, contribution )OtherSocial capital C. NATURAL HAZARD RISKS, HUMAN IMPACTS AND RESPONSE 10. Make you retrieve, in the past 10 old ages, that your local community experienced any natural jeopardies or unusual conditions conditions ( delight grade X on the months that it happened ) ?JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSeptOctNovDecHigh temperature ( warm )DroughtsFloodTidal inundationLow temperature ( cold )Other unusual jeopardies11. Compared to the past 10 old ages, how have the usual conditions conditions changed?JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSeptOctNovDecHigh temperature ( warm )DroughtsFloodTidal inundationLow temperature ( cold )Other unusual jeopardies12. In the past 10 old ages, did your community experience any troubles ensuing from authorities ordinances on land/crops/hydro-construction or were there any self-generated activities of local occupants that affected the area’s support ( please list in the tabular array below ) ?Factors/ causesLivelihood/agricultural production theoretical accountDamage13. Loss in production and day-to-day life due to unusual conditions conditi ons in the past 10 old ages,JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSeptOctNovDecPoor harvestsLack of imbibing H2OCattle diseasePlant diseasesHuman diseasesHouse harmLosing occupationPlease explicate harm causes? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 14. Loss in production and day-to-day life due to presently unusual conditions conditions?JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSeptOctNovDecPoor harvestsLack of imbibing H2OCattle diseasePlant diseasesHuman diseasesHouse harmLosing occupationPlease explicate harm causes? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Respondents will be asked to name the types and Numberss of conditions and clime events impacting them and so name down their impact degrees. Three different impact degrees will be used: Increased, Stable and Decreas C. HOUSEHOLD HISTORY 1. Is the above reference family head’s birth topographic point? Yes ( 1 ) / No ( 0 ) If no go inquiry 2 ; if yes go inquiry 4. 2. When have your family migrated? 3. From where have you come here? ( Village: Union: Upazila: ) 4. Why did your family move to this small town? 5. When did your ain family start? 6. Please reference all the old economic activities of your familyYear ( from, to )Previous economic activitiesReason for altering occupation/activitiesObservation/notesAppendix B – Checklists for Oral History Interviews Purpose Oral history interviews were used to garner in-depth information on impacts, responses ( both short- and long-run ) and restraints to responses to climatic dazes and emphasiss of families and their supports in each community. Common checklists for the families of all three survey communities How climatic dazes and emphasiss impact your family ( negatively or positively ) both inland and at sea? Dazes and emphasiss include: – cyclones – inundations – sea degree alterations – land eroding, and – fluctuations in temperature and rainfall – others Impacts on – support capital assets, – substructure, societal services, markets, transforming constructions and procedures, – support activities and schemes ( piscaries or non-fisheries related ) and – overall supports. How you tackle these, both in the short-run and in the longer-term? What things facilitate or constrain while undertaking these? What things help most while undertaking these and how? What things constrain most while undertaking these and how? What are the tendencies ( both frequence and strength ) in the above dazes and emphasiss? What have you learned from the above? In future how are you traveling to undertake these? How can others, outside your families, aid undertake these? – 229 – Extra checklists for the families of Kutubdia Para Why and how did your family migrate? Why did you migrate to Kutubdia Para? Why did you non migrate to other topographic points? Which factors influenced you to travel? Was there any support from non-government beginnings? Was there any support from authorities? How did migration impact your life? What things and how helped or constrained you go oning or bettering your life here? Can you state whether migration is/was a successful or unsuccessful scheme? How is your life traveling to be here in future? Extra checklists for the families of Kutubdia Island Could you speak about the history of your colony here? Why did your family non migrate? Which factors influenced your family non to travel from Kutubdia Island to Kutubdia Para or to other mainland countries? What have been the impacts of non traveling on supports / flights / passages taking topographic point? Do you believe that your family has taken the right determination non to migrate? Is your family more or less successful in relation to livelihood than the families who hold migrated? What are your household’s future programs – migration or remaining on the island? If staying, so how will your family tackle future climatic emphasiss and dazes? How could your current supports be improved? If migration, so how will your family overcome the limitations of migration? How can others, outside your household aid you in migration?

Current Third Parties essays

Current Third Parties essays All throughout the American history of politics there have been two major parties, the Republicans and the Democrats. While most people can find a candidate from these groups who have the beliefs and ideals they look for in a candidate, there are always some people who want someone else to represent them in the presidential race. When enough interest is found, a third party is formed. These third parties have been a big part of American political history. Originally called the Association of State Green Parties, the Green Party was formed after the 1996 elections to fill a space in national Green politics. The American Green Party's platform is based on the following ten major ideals including ecological wisdom, community-based economics, grassroots democracy, decentralization, gender equality, personal and social responsibility, respect for diversity, nonviolence, global responsibility, and future focus. Greens are renewing democracy without the support of business donors. Initially, the partys goal was to help existing state parties grow and to promote the development of parties in all 50 states. The primary goal is still helping state parties, but also, they try to devote attention to establishing a national conservational presence in politics and policy debate while continuing to facilitate party growth and action at the state and local level. American Taxpayer Party presidential representative Howard Phillips was seen on the ballot in twenty-one states in 1992. Mr. Phillips again ran in 1996, this time appearing on ballots in thirty-nine states. At its national convention in 1999, the party officially changed its name to the Constitution Party and again chose Howard Phillips as its presidential candidate for 2000. The Constitution Party favors a government based a strict interpretation of the Constitution and the principals expressed in it by the Founding Fathers. They support a government limited in capaci...

NUCORs History and Development

NUCORs History and Development Introduction NUCOR is one of the largest steel companies in America. It has been in existence since 1955 when after a merger, the REO Motor Company changed to Nuclear Corporation of America. NUCOR’s founding father is Ransom Olds. The company has evolved a lot over its existence. It has been through tough times and survived. This case study looks into NUCOR’s history and development, then analyzes its internal and external environment and finally ends with recommendations.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on NUCOR’s History and Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nuclear Corporation of America practised growth by acquisition of strategic businesses. However, in the beginning, this strategy failed miserably and the company made huge losses. The turnaround came in 1966 when NUCOR hired a new CEO, Ken Iverson. This visionary leader would transform the company’s fortunes thus leading it to success. Ken Iverson studied Aeronautical Engineering. He then worked for different metal companies. This gave him a lot of knowledge and skills that would come in handy in his job as NUCOR’s CEO. Iverson first encountered NUCOR when the company tried to buy a metal company where he worked. This bid failed. NUCOR hired Iverson to find them suitable metal companies to purchase. When he found Vulcraft, NUCOR bought it on condition that Iverson would run it. He agreed. By the time he was appointed CEO, Vulcraft was the only profitable division of the almost bankrupt conglomerate. Iverson had a great task ahead. Iverson loved technological leadership. He led the company to open its first mini-mill in South Carolina. This was the beginning of the company’s success. The mini-mills were created to serve NUCOR’s other divisions. However, on realizing that other companies needed their services, NUCOR expanded to provide services to them too. Iverson continued to g row NUCOR by strategic acquisition and technological leadership too. Nucor’s Strengths This company has several great internal traits that enabled it to survive its 54 years in operation. The first major strength is its leadership. Ken Iverson led the company for 30 years. Iverson had the necessary technical competence and vast experience to lead a great steel company. He also believed greatly in decentralization, which gave divisional managers enough autonomy to run their divisions successfully. The organizational structure with few layers of management and less bureaucracy was motivating to NUCOR’s people. The second strength was NUCOR’s highly productive workforce. The company motivated its workers by implementing bonus pay schemes that saw them earn much more than their counterparts in similar jobs. NUCOR also avoided laying off its workers even during difficult times. Instead, it froze their wages and reduced the Executive’s wage. Iverson and his tea m also engaged the workers in conversation and kept them well informed about the company’s performance. WAdvertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More hen the company made profits, everyone benefitted from the profit sharing scheme. In return, NUCOR’s employees remained loyal and produced more than average. All workers’ children were also included in the education scheme. They also remained non- union for a very long time. After all, there were rarely industrial disputes between employer and employee. The third strength is technology. Iverson made a deliberate effort to keep NUCOR at the frontline of new steel technology. He sought and acquired rights to innovative ways of manufacturing. These methods went a long way in reducing cost. NUCOR also had the best inventory management system in its time. The cost savings the company created were passed on to its consumers in form of reduced price. This helped NUCOR to beat its competitors in a market with a homogenous product with no aesthetic value. The company’s factories are also located close to their major customers. This makes it easy to form strategic partnerships. NUCOR had several offshore joint ventures that enhanced its performance. The most significant of these is Yamato Kogyo, a Japanese firm. This venture increased NUCOR’s technological leadership as it entered the Beaming business. NUCOR started to manufacture wide flange beams. The company also practised backward integration of its supply chain; ensuring raw materials were available when needed. When building its plants, NUCOR considered its major customers. It left enough space for such customers to locate near it. This also reduced transport costs. Nucor’s Weaknesses Weaknesses are internal problems that can result in a company’s failure. Though successful, NUCOR has several identifiable we aknesses. First, most of the company’s plants are located in America. This is a weakness because America is a high-wage country. This means that NUCOR absorbs the cost of this expensive labour into its selling price. Having a high selling price reduces its competitiveness against cheaper offshore imports from countries such as China. NUCOR’s second weakness is the failure to research internally. This means that in order for the company to develop, it must depend on strategic acquisitions and external partners. This is quite risky. Supposing these partners fail to innovate, NUCOR will be stuck in a rut. External cost of Research and Development is also likely to be much higher than if the company carried out its own research internally.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on NUCOR’s History and Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company is highly decentralized, running the different d ivisions like different businesses all together. This is a weakness because it promotes inefficiency and duplication of efforts. The case study indicates that sometimes as many as six different sales people of the company would visit the same client. This is a huge waste of resources and reflects the company poorly before customers. It shows lack of synergy. Sensitive customers may even get irritated and fail to purchase from NUCOR all together. This will reduce income and profits too. Opportunities NUCOR’s major opportunity lies in becoming a globalized company. It can no longer depend on the American market as its only source of revenue. Lately, the demand for steel in this market has slowed down. This has affected negatively on NUCOR’s revenues and profits. However, there is a huge untapped market for steel in Asia and Africa. This is because developing nations still require a lot of steel for infrastructure construction. NUCOR needs to take advantage of this opport unity and enter these markets. These markets are not as saturated as the American market. This will help it to continue on its growth path. This company has a chance to begin carrying out internal Research and Development. This is the only way to guarantee continuous improvement, which is necessary to survive in this dynamic market. The company already has several divisions with a multitude of acquired knowledge over time. NUCOR can leverage on this knowledge and begin its own internal RD department. Having it internal will help reduce dependency on external partners. NUCOR’s major opportunity lies in becoming a globalized company. It can no longer depend on the American market as its only source of revenue. Lately, the demand for steel in this market has slowed down. This has affected negatively on NUCOR’s revenues and profits. However, there is a huge untapped market for steel in Asia and Africa. This is because developing nations still require a lot of steel for inf rastructure construction. NUCOR needs to take advantage of this opportunity and enter these markets. This will help it to continue on its growth path. This company has a chance to begin carrying out internal Research and Development. This is the only way to guarantee continuous improvement, which is necessary to survive in this dynamic market. The company already has several divisions with a multitude of acquired knowledge over time. NUCOR can leverage on this knowledge and begin its own internal RD department. Having it internal will help reduce dependency on external partners.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Threats NUCOR depends on the American market for its major revenues and profits. Unfortunately, this market has become flooded with cheaper imports dumped from foreign countries. Since steel is a homogenous, non-aesthetic product, customers have preferred to switch to these cheaper alternatives. Thus, NUCOR has found it difficult to compete on a global front. The US government tried to salvage steel makers by imposing sanctions and quotas. Commerce players criticized this move. NUCOR needs to find ways to compete sustainably in the global market without depending on government subsidies. Environmental agencies have become quite active in the past decade. NUCOR’s operations are energy intensive hence result in pollution. These agencies have the power to compel NUCOR to take steps to reduce its carbon emissions, which could be quite expensive. If NUCOR fails to comply with their demands, these agencies are capable of calling for boycotts of NUCOR’s products. Steel custom ers have an easy time switching suppliers. The cost of switching is almost zero. This is a threat to NUCOR because businesses are always looking for the cheaper option. If NUCOR’s customers find cheaper options, they will obviously opt to switch. This leaves the company with no source of revenue. NUCOR’s process of production is energy intensive. There has been a general increase in energy costs. This is not likely to reverse soon. This also translates into increased production costs hence increased selling price and thus reduced demand of the company’s products. Demand for steel is also cyclical. This pattern results in high steel prices during some seasons and rock bottom prices during other seasons. The final threat is substitutes. Customers are looking into materials that are lighter but as durable as steel. These alternatives are also likely to be cheaper than steel. If this trend catches on, NUCOR could soon be out of business. Corporate strategy The corpo rate strategy refers to the strategic path taken by the company as a whole in an effort to grow. NUCOR has pursued growth by acquisition, thus creating a conglomerate organization. The first successful strategic acquisition was that of Vulcraft, the joists, and girders producer. This division remained the only profitable one during the troubled ‘60s. In the early years, NUCOR purchased smaller companies in order to acquire the technology they possessed. This enabled NUCOR to maintain a position of technological leadership. In later years, NUCOR continued with these mergers and acquisitions because it was cheaper to buy than build a new plant. The strategic partnership with Japan’s Yamato Kogyo was also an essential part of the corporate strategy. It resulted in NUCOR beginning to use the mini-mill technology. NUCOR’s people are also an integral part of its corporate strategy. The company managed to keep its workers happy and non-union for the major part of its ex istence. NUCOR had an incentive pay programme in place that linked pay and productivity very directly. People knew that if they worked hard, and worked well they would be rewarded. Thus, they strived to do well. This resulted in greater productivity for the company. The people were also kept informed on the company’s performance. This helped them to have realistic expectations about pay. The organization structure also played a part in the company’s corporate strategy. Iverson maintained a ‘flat’ organization structure with few levels of management thus reduced bureaucracy. Division managers stayed in touch with their workers and headquarters avoided interfering with the activities of the divisions. Each division operated as a profit centre, managing its own income and expenses. They were required to provide contribution to corporate profits at year-end. It is difficult to point out NUCOR’s business-level strategy. This is because the corporate stra tegy allowed each division to operate in an autonomous manner provided it was profitable. Such a corporate strategy allows each division to pursue any business strategy it sees fit in its circumstances. Conclusion This case study has detailed the evolution of NUCOR from a bankrupt motor company, to one of the largest steel makers in America. The company prospered under the leadership of a great President, Ken Iverson. Iverson combined both the knowledge and skills necessary to lead such a company. It completed many acquisitions and mergers, which positioned it as a market leader. The company’s greatest strength is its people. They have continued to be productive and loyal to their employer. The greatest weakness is that NUCOR lacks a global presence. In turn, the greatest threat is the cheaper imports from lower-cost overseas producers. The government attempted to protect NUCOR and other steel producers. However, this move is not sustainable. Recommendations NUCOR should keep doing what it is doing well. The company should continue with its personnel policies that have guaranteed a motivated work force over time. The lean organization structure should also be maintained. The company should continue to avoid bureaucracy. The new CEO John Ferriola needs to prioritize internal Research and Development. This will enable the company to find cheaper and more effective production methods. Cheaper steel is the greatest competitive advantage NUCOR can have in a global market. Finally, NUCOR should enter other world markets soon. This will reduce its dependency on the volatile American market. CASE 12-SATELLITE RADIO Introduction The development of Satellite Radio began in 1991 when a venture capitalist, David Margolese invested $1 million in Robert Briskman’s company. This company had designed the unified S Band. This technology was the core of the future satellite radio. Briskman had a great idea, but lacked the funds to implement it. Margolese fell in l ove with the idea and set out to commercialize it. The idea was to provide radio services nation-wide and of high sound quality. This was in contrast to the existing analogue radio that existed locally and faded once one moved out of the locality. This new radio service required the company to put satellites into space to broadcast the signal. Before putting the satellites into space, the company had to purchase a license from the Federal Communication Commission (FCC). This license, together with the cost of satellite installation was projected to be quite high. However, Margolese believed in the idea and was willing to put in the required capital. He projected that this new radio would be operational latest by 1997. Apart from the cost, there was the question of how to convince potential customers to purchase new radios that could support the new technology. This would be difficult since almost everyone already had a radio at home and in his or her car. Secondly, cable TV companie s also provided some form of satellite radio at no cost to their subscribers. It would be challenging to convince people to subscribe to this new radio when they could get the old form free. However, the company did market research and found that customers were willing to pay for superior quality radio. The company also faced opposition from Association of National Broadcasters, which predicted that this new technology might lead to the downfall of local AM, and FM radio stations. This would lead to loss of jobs and local content that residents relied on. XM radio was the second company licensed to provide satellite radio services. External Environment The grand plans for satellite radio faced stiff competition from traditional radio. This radio was already established and relatively free. No monthly subscription was required as opposed to Satellite radio, which required users to pay. In order to counter this hurdle, both XM radio and Margolese’s company –now called Si rus Radio- entered into deals with car manufactures to install their satellite radios during manufacturing. This would force the car buyer to subscribe to satellite radio too. The second threat was internet radio. This is also free as long as the customer has an active internet connection. Unlike local AM and FM, Internet radio had the advantage of ubiquity. Users could access it anywhere in the world. Satellite radio also promised to provide service to the whole country, thus creating competition. The third threat was cable radio that came with cable television. Most Americans already subscribed to cable television. Most cable television companies provided cable radio free with the package. Those that charged did not put a high price to the radio. It was almost free too. Sirus Radio would compete with XM radio for satellite radio subscribers. There was a difference of $2.96 in their subscription fees, Sirus Radio charging the higher fee. Sirus justified this fee with the fact that it aired zero commercials on the music channels. XM radio aired a few commercials and planned to earn money from these commercials rather than charge a high subscription fee. The formats for both radio companies were almost similar, differing in very few respects. Sirus had three motor vehicle companies and XM had two motor vehicle companies as strategic partners. These companies would install their radios in their cars. Threats and challenges These companies needed to install satellites in space to broadcast their signal. Each company planned to install two satellites and have a third one on standby ready to launch in case of emergency. This project would cost Sirus and XM $1.2Billion and $1.1 Billion respectively. They were to be launched in 1999 and 2000. This means that the original timeline for launching the satellite radio was pushed forward by over two years. Margolese’s investment would not pay off as fast as he had imagined. The companies also needed to install repea ters to amplify the sound since America was full of tall buildings that interfered with its path. In addition, special studios were necessary for transmission. Infrastructure for this venture was proving to be quite expensive. Sirus and XM both delayed further in entering the market due to technological problems. Sirus had trouble with its receivers while XM had trouble with its satellites. Sirus took two years to resolve its issues while XM took one. In the end, XM launched nine months earlier than Sirus, in2001. This gave XM first mover advantage. By the end of 2002, Sirus had also launched its services. Unfortunately, XM had ten times Sirus’ customers. This trend continued over time. It was enhanced further by the fact that Sirus charged higher subscription fees than XM. The huge capital requirements meant that these companies would take longer to break even than initially projected. XM, the leading company, hoped to break-even by 2004. This was four years after the initia l launch. XM’s lead was also enhanced by the speed with which its automobile manufacturer firm partners installed XM’s radios. In contrast, Sirus’ partners took much longer to install their radios, hence slowing the growth of their customer base. This delay in launching and long time to break even took a huge toll on Sirus. The company almost went bankrupt in 2002. However, it managed to raise more capital in form of debt and equity to keep it afloat. XM radio also faced cash flow problems in 2003 and sought to raise more capital to survive. The company managed to raise an extra $475 million. This way, it was able to survive the difficult times. XM radio also has some trouble with its satellites. They are degrading faster than expected. This has reduced their useful life by seven years. This will also be an additional capital expense in 2008. The huge capital requirements meant that these companies would take longer to break even than initially projected. XM, th e leading company, hoped to break-even by 2004. This was four years after the initial launch. XM’s lead was also enhanced by the speed with which its automobile manufacturer firm partners installed XM’s radios. In contrast, Sirus’ partners took much longer to install their radios, hence slowing the growth of their customer base. This delay in launching and long time to break even took a huge toll on Sirus. The company almost went bankrupt in 2002. However, it managed to raise more capital in form of debt and equity to keep it afloat. XM radio also faced cash flow problems in 2003 and sought to raise more capital to survive. The company managed to raise an extra $475 million. This way, it was able to survive the difficult times. XM radio also has some trouble with its satellites. They are degrading faster than expected. This has reduced their useful life by seven years. This will also be an additional capital expense in 2008. Competitive Advantage Sirus and XM bo th tried to outdo each other and win more market share. Sirus spent a lot of money signing deals to access exclusive content. The company hoped this exclusive content would motivate subscribers to join its network. The most significant deal was with National Football League and it cost $188 million. Sirus hoped to recover this from increased subscriber numbers. The company also signed Howard Stern for $500 million. This exclusive content was projected to attract new subscribers. XM did not take these moves lying down. They also sought their own exclusive deals to counter. They signed a deal with Major League Basketball that gave them exclusive rights to broadcast their content. Additionally, they signed a shock jock that had previously been banned from radio. These new additions would cost subscribers some extra money. For $1.99 per month, subscribers could enjoy the channels. The deal with Major League Basketball cost the company $650 million. These two companies reduced their comp etition when they signed a deal to develop a common radio that could receive both their channels. This meant that subscribers’ switching costs between the two service providers was now quite low. Financial Performance Initially, satellite radio was projected to be launched in 1997. Unfortunately, this delayed until 2001. On launching, the operating costs were still too high and the companies were projected to break even only after 2004. This did not happen. Analysts pushed this broadcast forward to 2007 for XM radio and 2008 for Sirus Radio. The forecast predicted that in 2007, XM would earn a positive cash flow of $51.1 million while Sirus would still make a loss of $154.2. What had seemed to be a grand business idea that Margolese had planned to invest $500 million in, turned out to be a financial disaster. Over ten years after the original idea was conceived, investors were still pumping money into satellite radio with no tangible returns. This is the mark of a bad busines s idea. It is evident that neither of the two companies carried out proper market research. They were fascinated by the idea and proceeded to invest in it without doing the groundwork. Unfortunately, it failed the test of time. Satellie Radio Today Poor financial performance and inefficient operations led the two satellite radio companies to merge in 2008 to form Sirus XM radio. There was stiff opposition to this move by other stakeholders who believed that a monopoly was not in consumers’ best interests. However, consolidating operations was the only way Sirus and XM would survive. This consolidation proved successful and the new company, Sirus XM posted a profit for the first time in 2009. The company has continued to pursue growth through deals with automobile, aeroplane and boat manufacturers. Conclusion and Recommendation Satellite radio was a noble idea. However, its implementation has cost XM and Sirus much more than the returns. It is unfortunate that so much has alre ady been invested into this idea. The companies, which started out as competitors over ten years earlier, have ended up merging into one. Satellite radios are continuing to be installed in new automobiles. However, drivers are still reluctant to subscribe for this service after the trial period expires. The challenge for Sirus XM is to continue marketing and target the new, younger drivers who are more likely to adapt to the idea.