Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Zynga’s Revenue Recognition Dilemma

http://accrualperspective. wordpress. com/2012/10/10/zyngas-income acknowledgment predicament/Zynga’s Revenue Recognition Dilemma Leave an answer Zynga’s Revenue Recognition Dilemma Zynga has been the focal point of an exceptionally contested theme on appointments and incomes starting late. Tragically for the web based gaming organization, numerous bookkeepers and money related investigators are not in Zynga’s favor in transit that the organization has been perceiving incomes. To place the organization in context, there are 26 million computerized ranchers by means of the incomprehensibly widespread FarmVille application run by Zynga.In the mainstream game, Facebook clients fabricate homesteads to deliver crops and make the sort of efficiency that they want. This makes the requirement for virtual, substantial hardware, for example, tractors, seeders and collectors, all which can be purchased with FarmVille Currency. Zynga brings in cash by permitting clients to h ustle the procedure by changing over genuine dollars from their charge cards into the virtual money important to get the gear they have to take care of business. Like FarmVille, Zynga has clients over an assortment of uses, for example, CityVille, Words with Friends, and Mafia Wars, all of which utilizing the equivalent models.This kind of one of a kind income anyway incites an extraordinary inquiry; that is, how is Zynga expected to report incomes from these items that they’ve advertised? As per the company’s 10-k report, it’s approaches on detailing states that: * â€Å"For the offer of consumable virtual merchandise, we perceive income as the products are consumed† * â€Å"We perceive income from the offer of tough virtual merchandise ratably over the assessed normal playing time of paying players for the material game, which speaks to our best gauge of the normal existence of our strong virtual goods† And maybe the most significant: â€Å"If w e don't be able to separate income owing to sturdy virtual merchandise from consumable virtual products for a particular game, we perceive income from the offer of solid and consumable virtual merchandise for that game ratably over the evaluated normal time frame that paying players regularly play our games† This sort of money related announcing is essentially excessively befuddling and invites a lot of adjustment inside the reports. Additionally, this kind of flighty announcing strategy permits the organization to slant main concern benefits and move their income to mirror a false valuation of the company’s worth.These sorts of controls are particularly disturbing to clients of the financials who are hoping to put resources into an organization that has all the earmarks of being developing, when as a general rule it is adjusting creation numbers with each sequential quarter. With respect to the income acknowledgment contest, the manner in which their bookkeepers gauge normal periods that paying players really play the Zynga games must be approved. In an ongoing article by Bloomberg’s Cory Johnson, he takes note of that Zynga has made changes to these assessments five of the last six quarters. These progressions made radically impact the net benefits that Zynga is answering to the public.By taking the gauge and contorting it, they can report benefits when without a doubt there are none. It is interested that the examiner relegated to Zynga, Ernst and Young, has permitted this technique for bookkeeping to be actualized when unmistakably it is influencing the primary concern. It is additionally inquisitive that E&Y is likewise the reviewer for the Zynga’s wholesaler, Facebook whose Zynga benefits have represented generally 12% of its income. This â€Å"independence† (or need there of) raises doubt about the genuine realness behind these revealing principles and what they intend to the bookkeeping calling just as fiscal repor t clients world-wide.At any rate, this is a subject that should be exposed, talked about and administered upon. Zynga can't only continue announcing as they wish to incite the presence of a triumph while the genuine benefits and misfortunes go unnoticed. http://web journals. smeal. psu. edu/grumpyoldaccountants/documents/746#more-746 http://articles. businessinsider. com/2011-10-12/research/30269486_1_zynga-virtual-products appointments http://www. forbes. com/destinations/francinemckenna/2012/04/23/how-zynga-facebook-and-groupons-go-to-evaluator revises bookkeeping rules/

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Case Study for Brand Relationship on Cadbury And Nestle

Question: We examined brand character. I might want you to direct short meetings. If it's not too much trouble read the rule below.Pick two famous/contending brands in an item class (e.g., Coke versus Pepsi) and discover two individuals you know for this task. Kindly don't utilize the model I examined in class (Apple versus IBM). As we examined in class, approach them four fundamental inquiries for the two brands (face to face or on the telephone): (1) Is the brand, male, female, or not one or the other? (2) Is the brand, youthful, moderately aged, old, or for all ages? (3) Is the brand refined, standard, or something different? (4) Is the brand neighborhood, territorial, national, or worldwide? Likewise, ask an open-finished inquiry: If this brand was to transform into an individual, what kind of an individual would you envision and in what manner may the individual act? Inquire as to why they imagine that way. Record their reactions. You can pose other pertinent inquiries, for example, their image inclination and use, and so forth. Each meeting will take about 5+ minutes.Based on the meeting results and your own encounters/perceptions, do you think brand publicizing assumes a noteworthy job in making brand character in shoppers mind? Furthermore, do you think all brands need to construct solid brand character? Answer: Do you think brand promoting assumes a huge job in making brand character in shoppers mind? By directing 5 minutes meet with two unique individuals inclining toward Cadbury and Nestle as their brands, it was very evident that promotions of these two brands have a solid effect in their brains. While conversation, it was discovered that Cadbury is a standard brand that accentuates on all ages directly from child to mature age. Their publicizing procedures mostly underlines on the feelings of the individuals with the chocolates. Cadbury underscores on the family holding or relationship of the human life. Along these lines, they need if brand would have been an individual, they need to see Cadbury, either as an old individual, kid, mother, youth or father, any individual of all ages. Then again, Nestle for the most part focuses on the youngsters. It is likewise a standard brand however predominantly underscores on the vitality viewpoints. Hence, they predominantly need to see Child in Nestle. This shows publicizing encourages the customers to self-characterize their utilization procedure and which brand they have a place with. This causes the client to connect with the brand. Publicizing assists with conveying the brand as a human before the clients. This fortifies the character of brand and the clients recollect through this viewpoint (Blythe, 2007). Promoting makes a picture, shading, sexual orientation and so on that encourages the purchasers to perceive and recollect the brand. Further, promoting likewise gives different worth included data, recognitions, disposition which assists with making passionate incitement in the brain of the clients. Along these lines promoting assists with building up connection between the customer and the brand (Rajagopal, 2006). In this way, publicizing assists with making brand character in the psyche of the clients. Do you think all brands need to assemble solid brand character? From, the meeting, it is seen that each brand ought to underscore on building solid brand character. Like both Cadbury and Nestle are the two driving brands in the confectionary part because of their solid image character, each different brands can make such situation in their market (Rajagopal, 2006). Creating solid brand really gives different money related prizes to the organizations like Cadbury and Nestle appeared underneath in the figure: Source: (Statista, 2015) Further, this brand character assists with setting up profound profundity and expansiveness of brand mindfulness. It makes a solid, interesting and good relationship among client and brand. Alongside promoting, the brand character holds the conviction of their clients about a brand that prompts increment in the client base. Building solid brand personality fill in as an affirmation of unwavering quality and quality and decrease any threats purchasers may find in buying a thing moreover saves time while securing things. It can affect purchaser direct, win unwaveringness and obligation from the customers and help overcome any lack that the things may have (Lee, and Kang, 2013). A solid brand can even be sold as an income source. Solid brand character likewise assists with conveying the 3Cs of showcasing that are the Connection, certainty and correspondence (Centres.smu.edu.sg, 2015). Along these lines, it is significant for each association to stress on building a solid brand character . Refrences Blythe, J. (2007). Promoting creatives and brand character: A grounded hypothesis point of view. J Brand Manag. Centres.smu.edu.sg, (2015). How might I fabricate my image? | USAEI | SME Portal Marketing Tookit. [online] Available at: https://centres.smu.edu.sg/web/spring/marking/how-might I-construct my-image/[Accessed 13 Mar. 2015]. Lee,, H. what's more, Kang, M. (2013). The Effect of Crisis and Consumer Loss Type on Consumer Brand Relationship and Brand Attitude: With a Focus on Recovery Action Type and Brand Personality. journalofconsumptionculture, 16(3), pp.147-167. Pandey, A. (n.d.). Fortifying Consumer Brand Relationship Through Brand Personality. SSRN Journal. Rajagopal, (2006). Brand greatness: estimating the effect of promoting and brand character on purchasing choices. Estimating Business Excellence, 10(3), pp.56-65. Statista, (2015). Worldwide piece of the overall industry of the main 5 chocolate makers in 2011 | Statistic. [online] Available at: https://www.statista.com/measurements/238294/piece of the pie of-the-main 5-chocolate-makers around the world/[Accessed 13 Mar. 2015].

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Pluto Flyby

Pluto Flyby Close up shot of Pluto. (Image Credit: NASA) On Jan 19, 2006, the New Horizons team at NASA launched a space probe to the Kuiper Belt. Nine and half years and 3 billion miles later, it has reached its destination and made its closest approach to Pluto. It sent back a preliminary photo of Pluto, much crisper than the 1996 Hubble photo. Right now the probe is facing towards Pluto to collect data. Once its finished, it will turn back to the Earth and begin transmit it. The New Horizons team estimates 16 months before all the data is fully transmitted. But when the data is fully transmitted and the full resolution photos arrive, scientists will be able to pick out details on Pluto as small as the ponds in New York Citys Central Park. Photos of Pluto in 1930, 1996, and 2015 pic.twitter.com/Nfw63iQBjG â€" John D. Cook (@JohnDCook) July 14, 2015 Richard Binzel, a New Horizons mission co-investigator, is also professor in MITs Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences. Hes been studying Pluto for 35 years and helped design the New Horizons spacecraft. “Just the inspiration of that human spirit of exploration the insatiable curiosity we have as a species I hope that gets into the minds and hearts of every kid around the world,”  said Binzel, according to an article in CBS Boston. MIT professor Richard Binzel, MIT graduate student Alissa Earle, and Cristina Dalle Ore (SETI Institute) react to seeing the spacecrafts latest image of Pluto. (Image Credit: Bill Ingalls/NASA) But Richard Binzel isnt the only MIT affiliate working with New Horizons. In fact, MIT has had a long history with Pluto: Professor Jim Elliot MIT EAPS (Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences) professor. Pioneer of the stellar occultation technique that led to the discovery of Uranus rings, as well as Plutos atmosphere by his steam including Leslie Young. Professor Richard Binzel MIT EAPS professor. Co-investigator on the New Horizons Team and expert on near-Earth asteroids. Among other things, Binzel invented the Torino Scale, a method for categorizing the danger levels of near-Earth objects like asteroids. He was also on the committee that developed the proposal on whether Pluto should be considered as a planet. Michael Person 94, SM01, PhD 06 Research scientist aboard SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy), a high-altitude NASA plane that went over New Zealand on June 29 to catch the stellar occultation of of Pluto passing directly between Earth and a distant star. The way Pluto blocked the starlight gave hints as to its atmospheric composition. Amanda Bosh 86, PhD 94 MIT Lecturer, part of a team in Arizona that triangulated the planetary and stellar positions at the same time as Person. Read more about Person and Bosh in  QA: Catching Plutos shadow | MIT News. Eliot Young ScD 92 MIT grad student studying planetary sciences in the late 1980s. Worked with Professor Jim Elliot and Ted Dunham to build instruments for airborne missions, including ones to study Pluto. Then worked to map out the dark and light areas of Pluto by measuring how Plutos face dimmed as sections of it eclipsed with Charon a property called albedo between 1985 and 1995 when Pluto and Charon where regularly eclipsing each other. Leslie Young PhD 94 Deputy project scientist on the New Horizons mission. Shes been studying Pluto since the 80s, helping to discover Plutos atmosphere as an undergrad at Harvard. Her MIT team, led by Jim Elliot, used stellar occultations to deduce properties about Pluto. In measuring how much the light dims during an eclipse, Leslies team more closely estimated Plutos size. And in noting whether the light dims suddenly or slowly, Leslies team deduced that Pluto did have an atmosphere. Her first job out of college was programming for Jim Elliot at MIT. She then did her doctoral thesis on Pluto with Elliot as her adviser. Now works for the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). When Leslie and Eliot Young were growing up in Newton, Massachusetts, family life revolved around their father, Larry Young, a legendary researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge. Young specializes in the biological effects of weightlessness, and he trained to fly on the space shuttle although he never went into orbit. Read more about Leslie and Eliot in Planetary science: The Pluto siblings | Nature Cathy Olkin 88, PhD 96 Another of New Horizons deputy project scientists. Was part of Jim Elliots MIT group a few years after Leslie. She also worked on observing occultations and has chased Plutos shadows across Pacific islands and New Zealand, as they require very time-crucial measurements. Amanda Zangari PhD 13 Postdoctoral Researcher at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) working with NASA’s New Horizons Mission. She has a blog called Postcards from Pluto where she shares all the different tasks from her job. She studied astrophysics at Wellesley College and then went on to graduate school at MIT, graduating with a PhD in Planetary Science. Alissa Earle Current MIT graduate student pursuing her doctorate in planetary sciences, working for New Horizons. She graduated undergrad in 13 with a physics and math major from Sienna College. She appears in the New Horizons photo above next to Binzel. But why is all this important though? Its just a rock, right? Well, no, we cant even be too sure what it is yet. Its in the Kuiper belt, in the far reaches of our solar system. And the Kuiper belt could be home to many strange things we have no idea about. Pluto isnt one of our terrestrial planets like Venus or Earth nor is it a gas giant like Jupiter or Saturn. It, along with the possibly millions of other cosmic bodies whirling around in the Kuiper belt, are another thing entirely. And now we have crystal clear photos to figure it out. The last time a space probe visited a new world for the first time was when Voyager 2 shot photos of Neptune during its flyby in 1989. And now, in 2015, the initial survey of all the known planets, starting when NASAs Mariner 4 flew by Mars and captured its first images fifty years ago, has been completed. We should feel proud we will soon know much more about Pluto that may surprise us. Textbooks will change, but our movies and fiction books might too. When Mars was heavily surveyed, Martian films became popular. The same may go for Pluto. In the realm of politics, things may be different too. America is now the first and only country to have surveyed all the major known bodies in our solar system. NASA continues to demonstrate American ingenuity and capability. Sadly it seems exploring a new major territory outside of the solar system is very unlikely with our lifetime, so enjoy this moment. It may be the last of its kind. What did you think of the flyby? Read More: Pluto Flyby: Anybody Home? | Slice of MIT MIT professor hopes Pluto flyby proves picture perfect | The Boston Globe 3 Questions: Richard Binzel on New Horizons closest view of Pluto | MIT News MIT Astronomer Was Gasping For Air After Seeing Historic Pluto Flyby | CBS Boston What New Horizon Means to An MIT Professor Who Spent Almost 35 Years On A Pluto Mission | RadioBoston

Friday, May 22, 2020

Geography and Overview of Tsunamis

A tsunami is a series of ocean waves that are generated by large movements or other disturbances on the oceans floor. Such disturbances include volcanic eruptions, landslides, and underwater explosions, but earthquakes are the most common cause. Tsunamis can occur close to the shore or travel thousands of miles if the disturbance occurs in the deep ocean. Tsunamis are important to study because they are a natural hazard that can occur at any time in coastal areas around the world. In an effort to gain a more complete understanding of tsunamis and generate stronger warning systems, there are monitors throughout the worlds oceans to measure wave height and potential underwater disturbances. The Tsunami Warning System in the Pacific Ocean is one of the largest monitoring systems in the world and it is made up of 26 different countries and a series of monitors placed throughout the Pacific. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) in Honolulu, Hawaii collects and processes data gathered from these monitors and provides warnings throughout the Pacific Basin. Causes of Tsunamis Tsunamis are also called seismic sea waves because they are most commonly caused by earthquakes. Because tsunamis are caused mainly by earthquakes, they are most common in the Pacific Oceans Ring of Fire - the margins of the Pacific with many plate tectonic boundaries and faults that are capable of producing large earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In order for an earthquake to cause a tsunami, it must occur below the oceans surface or near the ocean and be a magnitude large enough to cause disturbances on the seafloor. Once the earthquake or other underwater disturbance occurs, the water surrounding the disturbance is displaced and radiates away from the initial source of the disturbance (i.e. the epicenter in an earthquake) in a series of fast-moving waves. Not all earthquakes or underwater disturbances cause tsunamis - they must be large enough to move a significant amount of material. In addition, in the case of an earthquake, its magnitude, depth, water depth and the speed at which the material moves all factor into whether or not a tsunami is generated. Tsunami Movement Once a tsunami is generated, it can travel thousands of miles at speeds of up to 500 miles per hour (805 km per hour). If a tsunami is generated in the deep ocean, the waves radiate out from the source of the disturbance and move toward land on all sides. These waves usually have a large wavelength and a short wave height so they are not easily recognized by the human eye in these regions. As the tsunami moves toward shore and the oceans depth decreases, its speed slows quickly and the waves begin to grow in height as the wavelength decreases (diagram) This is called amplification and it is when the tsunami is the most visible. As the tsunami reaches the shore, the trough of the wave hits first which appears as a very low tide. This is a warning that a tsunami is imminent. Following the trough, the peak of the tsunami comes ashore. The waves hit the land like a strong, fast tide, instead of a giant wave. Giant waves only occur if the tsunami is very large. This is called runup and it is when the most flooding and damage from the tsunami occurs as the waters often travel farther inland than normal waves would. Tsunami Watch Versus Warning Because tsunamis are not easily seen until they are close to shore, researchers and emergency managers rely on monitors that are located throughout the oceans that track slight changes in the height of waves. Whenever there is an earthquake with a magnitude greater than 7.5 in the Pacific Ocean, a Tsunami Watch is automatically declared by the PTWC if it was in a region capable of producing a tsunami. Once a tsunami watch is issued, PTWC watches tide monitors in the ocean to determine whether or not a tsunami was generated. If a tsunami is generated, a Tsunami Warning is issued and coastal areas are evacuated. In the case of deep ocean tsunamis, the public is normally given time to evacuate, but if it is a locally generated tsunami, a Tsunami Warning is automatically issued and people should immediately evacuate coastal areas. Large Tsunamis and Earthquakes Tsunamis occur all over the world and they cannot be predicted since earthquakes and other underwater disturbances occur without warning. The only tsunami prediction possible is the monitoring of waves after the earthquake has already happened. In addition, scientists today know where tsunamis are most likely to occur due to large events in the past. In March 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck near the coast of Sendai, Japan and generated a tsunami that devastated that region and caused damage thousands of miles away in Hawaii and the west coast of the United States. In December 2004, a major earthquake struck near the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia and generated a tsunami that damaged countries all over the Indian Ocean. In April 1946 a magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck near Alaskas Aleutian Islands and generated a tsunami that destroyed much of Hilo, Hawaii thousands of miles away. The PTWC was created in 1949 as a result. To learn more about tsunamis, visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Tsunami Website. References National Weather Service. (n.d.). Tsunami: The Great Waves. Retrieved from: http://www.weather.gov/om/brochures/tsunami.htmNatural Hazards Hawaii. (n.d.). Understanding the Difference Between a Tsunami Watch and Warning. University of Hawaii at Hilo. Retrieved from: http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/~nat_haz/tsunamis/watchvwarning.phpUnited States Geological Survey. (22 October 2008). Life of a Tsunami. Retrieved from: http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/tsunami/basics.htmlWikipedia.org. (28 March 2011). Tsunami - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/tsunami

Saturday, May 9, 2020

Decriminalization Of Drug Usage Among Portugal - 1299 Words

Decriminalization of Drug Usage in Portugal Derrick Routon American Government 101 Professor Newman 21 April 2016 Portugal has garnered a large amount of attention since adopting a new method to combat drug usage. They have moved to decriminalize low scale drug possession and usage instead of an incarceration of low level offenders. Many nations have desired to reevaluate their own regimen of substance control and the way abuses were handled. The Portuguese government has collected a plethora of data while the implementation of their drug governance changed. The statistics gathered have shown that current United States policies would benefit from changes in its rabid criminalization of substance abuse. In 2001, the European Monitoring Centre for Dugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) enacted the new drug policy in Portugal. The new law focused on the decriminalization of drug use. In their words, this â€Å"comprises removal of a conduct or activity from the sphere of criminal law. Prohibition remains the rule, but sanctions for use (and its preparatory acts) no longer fall within the f ramework of the criminal law.† Notice the wording focused on the fact that drug use was still a societal obstacle even with the new law. The reason for such a drastic policy shift was due to staggering statics centered on the rise of drug usage. The political reasons for the shift to decriminalization was due to the increases in drug abuse and the other diseases thatShow MoreRelatedDrug Use And Its Effect On Crime1610 Words   |  7 PagesCrime and drug use in Portugal has been a major issue, however after the government instated decriminalization, the number has decreased. Decriminalization appears to have had a slight positive effect on crime. â€Å"With its recategorization of low level drug possession as an administrative rather than a criminal offence, decriminalization inevitably produced a reduction in the number of people arrested and sent to criminal court for drug offences from over 14,000 in the year 2000, to around 5,500-6Read MoreShould Marijuana Drugs Be Legal ized?932 Words   |  4 PagesThe subject of drugs has certainly been an issue that has been widely discussed. Over the years, it has always boiled down to whether all drugs should be legalized or not. While the United States has been arguing over the topic of for many years, countries, such as Portugal, have taken an alternative and very unique way to fight the war on drugs. In 2001, the Portuguese government decided to flip its war on drugs strategy entirely: It decriminalized them all (Aleem). 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This approach was taken from a public health perspective and was accompanied by a concurrent increase in treatment and harm-reduction options.2 The combination of decriminalization, taking drug-users out of the criminal justice system, and investment in harm-reductionRead MoreThe Encyclopedia Of Drug Abuse760 Words   |  4 PagesEncyclopedia of Drug Abuse. 2nd ed. New York: Facts on File, 1992. 175-79. Print. Summary: The article in this reference source also offers an overview of what marijuana is, but provides a more thorough overview of its ancient history than the above reference source. What is truly excellent about this article is that it examines the effects of marijuana usage. Also, the article discusses how the effects are highly subjective and dependent on several variables 2. Greenwald, Glenn. Decriminalization in PortugalRead MoreLegalization of all Drugs - Persuasion Essay1645 Words   |  7 PagesLegalization of all Drugs - Persuasion Essay â€Å"I ve never had a problem with drugs. I ve had problems with the police.† This quote, told by Keith Richards, represents a major problem affecting the rights of the American people. Contrary to what former presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan and much of the American population believed, the effects of illegalizing drugs and declaring the â€Å"War on Drugs† have been far more detrimental to the wellbeing of the nation than if all of the drugs on the ControlledRead MoreDrugs : Why They Should Be Decriminalized2049 Words   |  9 PagesDrugs: Why they should be decriminalized Imagine this scenario, you and a friend are at a party. The host offers you and your friend to smoke a joint. Thinking that it’s a cigarette you and your friend both take one, without realizing it’s actually marijuana. You and your friend enjoy it so much thinking it’s a different brand of cigarette that you end up smoking more than usual. Before leaving you grab a handful of marijuana. You and your friend end up driving back home, but you two are pulledRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1714 Words   |  7 PagesEthics 312 18 April 2016 Drugs in the United States There has been controversy centered around the thought of legalizing drugs in the U.S and the effects of legalizing or not legalizing drugs. There are several drugs such as cocaine, heroin, opium, to name a few, with the most common being marijuana. The question raised on this topic is whether we should prohibit drug use, making it illegal or only allow marijuana to be legal. Discussions on this topic mention that drugs will be available in theRead MoreThe War On Drugs, And Sale Of Illegal Drugs1865 Words   |  8 PagesThe usage, abuse, and sale of illegal drugs is an epidemic that has remained an unsolved problem of the United States. The biggest effort that the United States has launched in order to deal with rampancy of drug issues is the War on Drugs that was started by former president Richard Nixon. During its beginning, the War on Drugs was controversial due to the attitudes that were directed to drug users that were cultivated by the policies being set. In the present d ay, the War on Drugs is under scrutinyRead MoreDiscussing Drug Legalization1821 Words   |  7 Pages â€Å"Drugs are bad, mkay.† That’s what we’ve come to learn from Mr. Mackey in South Park (Ike’s Wee Wee). While that is known, what is the best way to combat drug use in society today? It is true the government is spending billions of dollars on the â€Å"War on Drugs,† but if they were to be legalized would that be replaced with money being spent on healthcare due to drug related incidents, or drug treatment programs? It is true that a large amount of crime and the prison population are drug related offenders

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Role of a Trainer / Assessor Free Essays

The role of a Trainer / Assessor In my opinion, the role of a trainer / assessor is:- * Liaise with clients / learners and the sponsoring organisation. * Completing Individual learning plans with learners. * Preparing session plans / Scheme of work. We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of a Trainer / Assessor or any similar topic only for you Order Now * Conducting inductions where appropriate. * Delivering of training sessions. * Carry out one to one sessions. * Conduct assessments and tests. * Marking learners work and providing feedback to learners on progress throughout the course. * Complete assessment results forms that has to be submitted to awarding bodies within the stated deadline. Complete course reports that have to be submitted to awarding body within the specified deadline. * Maintain learners’ attendance records. * Handing out certificates at the end of course and submitting evaluation to the awarding body at the required time. * Carrying out duties including collection of enrolment forms that are forwarded to central administration by specified times. * A trainer / assessor is expected to monitor the behaviour of learners and advise management where incidents which causes concern to staff or learners. Such matters may include discrimination, bullying, equity issues, language and literacy problems that are affecting student performance. * Monitor classroom safety and OHS issues (Duty of Care) and advices of matters that need to be reported for follow up in premises that have been provided by clients. * Must always source out ways of providing help and support for learners. * Must have an understanding of the Equality Act with the ability to set boundaries. * Excellent Time management skill Plan for first 30 days at work| Week 1| Date| Topics| Details| Time| Notes| MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday| Getting to know the ethos of the organisation, | * Understand the rules and regulations * Who are my learners / my client group * My duties and work structure * Get to know my boss / verifier and colleagues * Work materials and resources available to me * Start building folders for learner / clients * Go through the list of learners / Clients * Booking one to one sessions * Sending out letters where needed. 9:00am to —–pm| (1) It is important for me to understand the rules and regulations of the organisation in order for me to know the boundaries set for learners and me. | | | | | (2) Important to understand how my workload and duties has been structured, set targets, deadlines etc. | | | | | (3) Meeting the team, seeing and understanding how they work is useful and will guide me. A meeting with the verifier is important. | | | | | (4) Imperative to see what work materials that I n eed to use and what resources that are available for my learners and I. | | | | (5) If there is a list of clients already, seeing the list of learners and their files will be useful. | | | | | (6) Booking learners to meet with me for a one to one session to complete individual learning plans and getting to know each other and their needs. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Week 2| Date| Topic| Details| Time| Notes| MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday| Initial assessments and planning| * Getting to know my learners / clients. Understanding their needs * Agreeing mile stones with learners * Planning and sourcing various training materials and resources for my learners / clients * Planning training sessions / assessments * Booking training sessions / assessments * Consulting with management / verifier to give and gain feedbacks| 9:00am to —–pm| (1) The plan is to see approximately 7 learners per day booked at 30 minutes intervals. | | | | | (2) Using the one to one information to source out what resources and support needed for each learner / client. | | | | (3) A design for the training session to commence, it needs to include various methods to include all learners, i. e, visual, audio, handouts and games. | | | | | (4) Booking in house training sessions, group and individual sessions, source out the needs and work materials for each learner. | | | | | (5) Consulting with verifier and management to ensure that I am on the right track. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Week 3| Date| Topics| Details| Time| Notes| MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday| Start of training / assessments. | * Start first training session * Hand learners feedback form to rate session * Next session with learner * Agree on review dates * Updating of learners data base * Send management feedbacks * Liaise with management / verifier. * Prepare for the next day. | 9:00am to —–pm| (1) The amount of clients seen in a week for training will depend on the amount of clients in group sessions or a one to one sessions and locations. | | | | (2) Review dates will be on a fortnightly plan or as designed by the organisation. | | | | | (3) At the end of each session / day learners data base must be updated. | | | | | (4) Ensure feedbacks are handed in and liaise with line manager. | | | | | (5) Make calls to learners to be visited the next day to ensure they remember the appointment, liaise with their managers to ensure that the session is still ok to go on. | | | | | (6) Ensure that all learning materials and resources for the next day sessions are ready. | | | | (7) Liaise with management / verifier for feedback and support where needed. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Week 4| Date| Topics| Details| Time| Notes| MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday| | Training sessions| * Continue training sessions * Making appointments for new sessions and booking review dates. * Liaising with management / verifier. * Ensuring resources and work materials available. * Complete all documents. * Assess learner’s work * Update learner’s database. Confirming next day’s appointments. | 9:00am to —- pm| | | | | | | (1) Continue training sessions and re-capping on previous session, confirming the next session. | | | | | | (2) Ensure reviews are booked with learners, send out emails to notify / remind learners. | | | | | | (3) Review learners work handed in. | | | | | | (4) Ensure that all documents are completed on a daily basis to avoid back log and loss. All learners database must be updated each time new information comes in and after each review, assessment or test. | | | | | (5) Always ensure that there are work materials and resources available for learners. | | | | | | (6) Ensure that all appoints for the next day are confirmed, a re-booking should be made on the same day of receiving a cancellation. | | | | | | (7) Ensure communication with verifier / management, complete feedbacks, submit feedbacks etc. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Week 5| Date| Topics| Details| Time| Notes| MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday| Training and Review sessions. * Conduct training sessions * Start first review session using individual learning plan. * Provide feedbacks and set new mile stones. * Complete learners database * Liaise with management / verifier. * B ook sessions and confirm next day’s sessions / meetings * Complete all needed documents. | 9:00am to —- pm| (1) Ensure that there is a feedback from learners after each session. | | | | | (2) Ensure all reviews are carried out promptly, fairly, with positive and encouraging notes to it. Set new goals after a review of previous goals set in the individual learning plan. Adopt the PSP Mode. | | | | | (3) Ensure learner’s database is completed and booked next review session and one to one tutoring if need be. | | | | | (4) Ensure all documents are completed promptly and correctly. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Week 6| Date| Topics| details| Time| Notes| MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday| Training, Reviews and Tests| * Continue training sessions. * Continue reviews, setting new mile stones and providing feedbacks. Set Tests where needed depending on awarding body. * Liaise with management / verifier. * Book new appointments and confirm next day’s appointments. * Update Learners database * Complete various documents needed. | 9:00am to —-pm| (1) Set tests when required to do so by verifier and management. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | How to cite The Role of a Trainer / Assessor, Papers

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

The United States Society free essay sample

There were also outing their hair short, wearing more colorful make-up, going to petty parties, and taking risks. They wore short dresses with stockings and garter belts. The Jazz age created different ways of clothing and hair styles for these women. Women In the asss didnt really care what people thought about them and they did what they wanted to do. Also women In the ASS didnt want to Walt around for men to ask them to marry them they Just wanted to live their lives. During the sasss women were very different from how they were in the sasss. Women were viewed as repressive and constrictive.Society placed a very high importance and many expectations on how women behaved at home as well as in public. The perfect mother was supposed to stay home and take care of her children so that society would accept them. We will write a custom essay sample on The United States Society or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Also the perfect women had dinner ready for her husband when he got home from work, and was at her husbands every beck and call. She agreed with her husband on everything. Women were not allowed to voice any opinion or want schooling or anything like that. During the sasss consumerism was taking a growth. It was continuing to grow and take hold of a variety of technological and organization transitions andInnovations that were beginning to grow since the call war. Many ways of the consumer population growing is that many businesses used advertising to get publicity for their businesses. Many consumers also began investing into automobiles and other forms of transportation. The biggest way that consumerism grew was the new rise of credit for consumers. Many people found out about credit and soon had credit cards. The only bad thing is that people didnt realize what you had to do when you had credit cards and some people became in debt and even bankrupt. During the sasss consumerism was very different from the consumers ways in the asss.The consumer values dominated the American economy and culture. Consumers were confident that this way of life was permanent and they enjoyed flashy cars, TV, and there had an openness about sex that was new. There was a material conformity that was brought on during these times. Also during these times consumers/Americans felt that they didnt need the government. They looked to the Different times in history have different ways of how things are done and seen and made. However, in some way they are all the same and Just evolve through out time to each and every new trend and way of life.

Friday, March 20, 2020

How to Organize Your Classroom Files

How to Organize Your Classroom Files Its a challenge to think of a profession that involves more paper than teaching. Whether its lesson plans, handouts, flyers from the office, schedules or an infinity of other types of papers, teachers juggle, shuffle, search for, file and pass out enough papers on a daily basis to get any environmentalist up in arms. Invest in a File Cabinet So, how can teachers win the daily battles in this never-ending paper war? Theres only way to win, and thats through down and dirty organization. One of the most important ways to get organized is through a properly categorized and maintained file cabinet. Usually, a file cabinet will come with your classroom. If not, ask the custodian if he or she can find one for you through the district office. The bigger, the better because you will need it. Label the  File Drawers Depending on how many files you have, you can decide the best way to label the file drawers. However, there are two major categories to consider and almost everything fits into them: Curriculum and Management. Curriculum means handouts and information that you use to teach Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Holidays and any other subjects you cover with your students. Management can broadly be defined as things you use to manage your classroom and teaching career. For example, your management files might include discipline, professional development, school-wide programs, classroom jobs, etc. Discard What You Can Now comes the ugly part. Hopefully, youve already been using some type of file folder system, even if they are just stacked in a corner some place. But, if not, youre going to have to sit down with all of the papers you use during teaching and go through them one by one. First of all, look for things that you can throw away. The more you can pare down to the papers you really use, the further you go towards the ultimate goal of true organization. For those papers you need to keep, start organizing them into piles or, better yet, make file folders on the spot, label them, and just put the papers right into their new homes. Be Specific With the Categories You Use For example, if you are organizing your  science materials, dont just make one big Science folder. Take it one step further and make one file for oceans, space, plants, etc. That way, when it comes time to teach your ocean unit, for example, you can just grab that file and have everything you need to photocopy.  Next, use hanging files to place your file folders in a logical sequence.   Maintain Organization Then, take a deep breath - youre essentially organized! The trick, though, is to maintain this level of organization over the long term. Dont forget to file new materials, handouts, and papers as as soon as they come across your desk. Try not to let them linger in a bottomless pile out of sight. This is easy to say and harder to do. But, dig right in and get to work. Being organized feels so good!

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Library Cave at Dunhuang - Buddhist Scholarly Cache

Library Cave at Dunhuang - Buddhist Scholarly Cache When the Library Cave, known as Cave 17 from the Mogao Cave Complex at Dunhuang, China, was opened in 1900, an estimated 40,000 manuscripts, scrolls, booklets and paintings on silk, hemp and paper were found literally stuffed into it. This treasure trove of writings was collected between the 9th and 10th centuries AD, by Tang and Song dynasty Buddhist monks who carved the cave and then filled it with ancient and current manuscripts on topics ranging from  religion and philosophy, history and mathematics, folk songs and dance. Cave of Manuscripts Cave 17 is only one of ~500 human-made caves called the Mogao Ku or Mogao Grottoes, which were dug into a loess cliff approximately 25 kilometers (15 miles) southeast of the town of Dunhuang in Gansu province of northeastern China. Dunhuang has an oasis (around Crescent Lake) and it was an important cultural and religious crossroads on the famous Silk Road. The Mogao Cave complex is one of five cave temple complexes in the Dunhuang region. These caves were excavated and maintained by Buddhist monks until about a thousand years ago  when they were sealed and hidden until rediscovery in 1900. The religious and philosophical subjects of the manuscripts include works on Taoism, Buddhism, Nestorianism, and Judaism (at least one of the manuscripts is in Hebrew). Many of the texts are scriptures, but they also cover politics, economy, philology, military affairs and art, written in several languages predominated by Chinese and Tibetan. Dating the Dunhuang Manuscripts From inscriptions, we know that the original librarian in the cave was a Chinese monk called Hongbian, the leader of the Buddhist community at Dunhuang. After his death in 862, the cave was consecrated as a Buddhist shrine complete with a statue of Hongbian, and some manuscripts after that may have been left as offerings. Scholars also suggest that perhaps as other caves were emptied and reused, the overflow storage might have ended up in Cave 17. Chinese historical documents typically have colophons, introductions to the information in the manuscript that include the date they were written, or textual evidence of that date. The most recent of the dated manuscripts from Cave 17 was written in 1002. Scholars believe the cave was sealed shortly afterward. Together, the manuscripts date between the Western Jin dynasty (AD 265-316) to the Northern Song dynasty (AD 960-1127) and, if the history of the cave is correct, were likely collected between the 9th and 10th centuries AD. Paper and Ink A recent study (Helman-Wazny and Van Schaik) looked at the processes of Tibetan paper-making in evidence on a selection of manuscripts from the Stein Collection in the British Library, manuscripts collected from Cave 17 by the Hungarian-British archaeologist Aurel Stein in the early 20th century. The primary type of paper reported by Helman-Wazny and Van Schaik were rag papers composed of ramie (Boehmeria sp) and hemp (Cannabis sp), with minor additions of jute (Corchorus sp) and   paper mulberry ( Broussonetia sp). Six manuscripts were made entirely of   Thymelaeaceae (​Daphne or Edgeworthia sp); several were made primarily from paper mulberry. A study of inks and paper-making by Richardin and colleagues was conducted on two Chinese manuscripts in the Pelliot collections in the National Library of France. These were collected from Cave 17 in the early 20th century by French scholar Paul Pelliot.   Inks used in the Chinese manuscripts include reds made of a mixture of hematite and red and yellow ochres; red paint on the murals in other Mogao caves are made of ochre, cinnabar, synthetic vermilion, red lead and organic red. Black inks are made primarily of carbon, with an addition of ochre, calcium carbonate, quartz, and kaolinite. Wood identified from the papers in the Pelliot collections include salt cedar (Tamaricaceae). Initial Discovery and Recent Research Cave 17 at Mogao was discovered in 1900 by a Taoist priest named Wang Yuanlu. Aurel Stein visited the caves in 1907-1908, taking a collection of manuscripts and paintings on paper, silk, and ramie, as well as a few wall paintings. French sinologist Paul Pelliot, American Langdon Warner, Russian Sergei Oldenburg and many other explorers and scholars visited Dunhuang and walked off with other relics, which can now be found scattered in museums around the world. The Dunhuang Academy was set up in China in the 1980s, to collect and preserve the manuscripts; the International Dunhuang Project was formed in 1994 to bring the international scholars together to work collaboratively on the far-flung collections. Recent investigations into environmental issues such as the effect of ambient air quality on the manuscripts and the continuing deposit of sand from the surrounding region into the Mogao caves have identified threats to Library Cave, and the others in the Mogao system (see Wang). Sources This article is a part of the About.com guide to the Archaeology of Buddhism, Ancient Writing, and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Helman-Wazny A, and Van Schaik S. 2013. Witnesses for Tibetan craftsmanship: bringing together paper analysis, palaeography and codicology in the examination of the earliest Tibetan manuscripts. Archaeometry 55(4):707-741. Jianjun Q, Ning H, Guangrong D, and Weimin Z. 2001. The role and significance of the Gobi Desert pavement in controlling sand movement on the cliff top near the Dunhuang Magao Grottoes. Journal of Arid Environments 48(3):357-371. Richardin P, Cuisance F, Buisson N, Asensi-Amoros V, and Lavier C. 2010. AMS radiocarbon dating and scientific examination of high historical value manuscripts: Application to two Chinese manuscripts from Dunhuang. Journal of Cultural Heritage 11(4):398-403. Shichang M. 1995. Buddhist Cave-Temples and the Cao Family at Mogao Ku, Dunhuang. World Archaeology 27(2):303-317. Wang W, Ma X, Ma Y, Mao L, Wu F, Ma X, An L, and Feng H. 2010. Seasonal dynamics of airborne fungi in different caves of the Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang, China. International Biodeterioration Biodegradation 64(6):461-466. Wang W, Ma Y, Ma X, Wu F, Ma X, An L, and Feng H. 2010. Seasonal variations of airborne bacteria in the Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang, China. International Biodeterioration Biodegradation 64(4):309-315.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

Hindu religion in yoga Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hindu religion in yoga - Essay Example yoga can hardly be called a religion; however, it is absolutely clear that it heavily relies on the spiritual tradition that was developed by the Hindu. In other words, yoga should be regarded a disguised religious practice and if it is really so, should not it be regulated by other rules and regulations that are different than those which are applicable at the moment? In addition to that, one of the biggest negative aspects of the influence of the above mentioned activities is that they eliminate the difference between ordinary citizens and believers: people who take up yoga classes end up operating a large array of terms that are used in Hindu tradition. It is quite obvious that the state should be concerned that a considerable part of the population is being converted into religious followers. Secondly, one would make no mistake arguing that yoga glasses have a negative impact on Christianity as a religion. Indeed, no matter how sorrowful it may be, but most people tend to go to church once a week – on Sundays. Contrary to that, yoga classes are at least twice or even three times a week. As a result, people tend to be in this religiously filled environment more often than they would be in the church that they associate themselves with. It is my strong belief that this distorts spiritual outlook of the people and does not allow them to be good Christians. In addition to that, it is quite obvious that the religious traditions that are being promoted in the course of yoga classes are quite different from the religious traditions that are preached in churches. There may be no doubt that if a believer spends one day in one religious environment and three days in a different one, the chances that his or her faith will become less strong are quite high. Finally, the great est threat lies in the fact that the views in yoga as well as in Christianity are incompatible. The latter is largely based on faith in Jesus Christ which is considered to be the cornerstone of

Sunday, February 2, 2020

The Death penalty versus Life Without Parole Research Proposal

The Death penalty versus Life Without Parole - Research Proposal Example Such people argue that life sentence without parole is far better than death penalty since death penalty is immoral and highly expensive compared to other means of punishment. In my opinion, capital punishment is not suitable for a civilized society like America and I would like to research this topic further in order to help my readers to better understand why life sentencing without parole is better than capital punishment. â€Å"If we execute a person, what is the difference between us and the criminal who has committed the horrifying crime of killing another individual?†(10 Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment). The criminal justice system normally give capital punishment to the criminals for taking the life of innocent people, citing the reasons that nobody has the right to take the life of others. However, by giving capital punishment, the criminal justice system is also repeating the same mistake done by the criminal. â€Å"According to a study by the Indiana Criminal L aw Study Commission released in 2002, executions cost the state 38 percent more than the costs of keeping an inmate incarcerated for life† (Capital Punishment - The Costs of Capital Punishment). Capital punishment is highly expensive because of the complexities in the trial procedures in such cases.

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Overview of Ebola

Overview of Ebola Ebola virus is a deadly virus which cause disease in humans and nonhuman primates for instance monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees. Infection caused by the Ebola virus strains is known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever or Ebola. Virus which cause Ebola infection belong to familyFiloviridae, genusEbolavirus. Five species of Ebola virus are identified. Among these five species,four cause disease in humans which are: Ebola virus Sudan virus Taà ¯ Forest virus Bundibugyo virus Reston virus is the fifth specie and is known to cause disease in nonhuman primates and not in humans. History: Ebola virus disease first emerged in 1976 in 2 simultaneous outbreaks, first one in Nzara, Sudan, and second one in Yambuku few months later. Later a case was reported in a village located near a river named as Ebola River. The disease is named after that river.The first attack of Ebola in Sudan affected about 284 people with mortality rate of approx. 53%.The second Ebola virus appeared from Yambuku(EBOZ) has mortality rate of 88% and affected 318 people. Use of contaminated syringes and needles in clinics and hospitals and close personal contact with infected ones are considered as main cause of outbreak of disease. In 1989,the third strain of Ebola named as Ebola Reston (EBOR) was discovered in USA(Virginia and Pennsylvania) through imported infected monkeys into Virginia from Philippines.In 1990,once again EBOR was emerged in Virginia and Texas by imported monkeys but four people developed antibodies and remained safe. Later in 1994,the last strain of Ebola named as Ebola Cote dIvoire (EBO-CI) was discovered while conductance of a necropsy on a dead chimpanzee sighted in the Tai Forest by a female ethologist. One more case occurred in gold-mining camps located in the rain forest in the same year with mortality rate of 60%. Initially the disease was thought to be yellow fever and was identified as Ebola virus disease much later. In 1995, virus apperared in Kikwit with mortality rate of 81%.Later in 1996, ebola virus appeared in South Africa with mortality rate of 50% when medical professional travelled to South Africa from Gabon after treating Ebola-infected patients. He was admitted in hospita l and a nurse whose duty was to take care of doctor, also became infected and died. Another case occurred in Mayibout area with mortality rate of 57% when an infected chimpanzee was eaten by people hunting for food. In 2000,virus appeared in Masindi, Gulu, and districts of Uganda with mortality rate of 53%. In 2001 and 2002,disease emerged in the Republic of the Congo and over the border of Gabon and with mortality rate of 82% and was the first time that Ebola virus disease spread in the Republic of the Congo. In 2003, outbreak of infection appeared in Mbomo and Mbandza villages with mortality rate of 83%.In 2004,cases of disease were reported in Yambio county of southern Sudan accompanied with measles at the same time with mortality rate of 41%.Later in 2007, virus affected people in Kasai Occidental Province and Bundibugyo District in western Uganda with mortality rate of 71% and 25% respectively.In 2008,strains of Ebola-Reston were discovered in pigs.In 2011, a patient died in th e Luwero district, Uganda due to Ebola Hemorrhagic fever as diagnosed by The Uganda Ministry of Health.In 2012,a viral attack was reported in the Kibaale District of Uganda. In 2013, disease emerged in the Luwero District.Samples were tested by CDCs Viral Special Pathogens.Recently in 2014,infection was reported in several villages located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in months of august to November with mortality rate of 74%.In March, virus attacked multiple countries in West Africa. Worldwide occurance: Ebola is a rare disease and has spread in Guinea,Sierra Leone and Liberia. Severely affected countries by Eboal a-included Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia due to weak health systems,shortfall of infrastructural and human resources. Ebola outbreak also began in Boende, Equateur which is a part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ebola virus disease occurs in the Republic of the Congo, Africa, Ivory Coast, Sudan , Gabon, and Uganda, but there are chances of its occurance in other African countries. Transmission: Fruit bats that are included in Pteropodidae family are considered as natural Ebola virus hosts. Introduction of Ebola virus into the human population occurs through close contact with the organs, blood and secretions. Virus can also be transmitted by bodily fluids of infected animals such as gorillas, chimpanzees, forest antelope ,monkeys, porcupines. and fruit bats. Virus spreads via direct close contact through broken skin,fluids of infected people, mucous membranes and materials or surfaces contaminated with these fluids e.g. clothing and bedding. EVD spreads through close contact with infected patients when control precautions are not firmly practiced. It is transmitted by needles and syringes used to treat Ebola-infected patients. Transmission of Ebola occurs via those burial ceremonies in which people have direct close contact with the body of the dead infected by EVD. As long as blood and body fluids e.g semen and breast milk contain the ebola virus,people are considered infectious. Interestingly men can transmit the virus via their semen after recovering from illness for up to seven weeks. Symptoms Symptoms of Ebola virus disease are nonspecific. After the incubation period of 2 to 21 days, signs of Ebola virus are: abruptfever and fever fatigue headache joint pain muscle aches and pain sore throat weakness These symptoms are followed by : . This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function both external and internal bleeding e.g. blood in the stools and oozing from the gums in some cases. Hiccups Stomach pain It is important to mention that humans are not infectious until they develop specific symptoms for disease. Diagnosis Distinguishing EVD from other infectious diseases for instance malaria, typhoid fever and meningitis is a difficult task. For identification of Ebola virus disease following strategies are used in order to confirm that symptoms are caused by Ebola virus. antibody-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antigen-capture detection tests serum neutralization test reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay electron microscopy virus isolation by cell culture. ELISA and PCR are considered as efficient diagnostic tests for Ebola virus disease. Treatment Still there is no standard treatment for Ebola virus disease and only supportive therapy is available. Supportive therapy includes treatment of specific symptoms and supportive care-rehydration with intravenous fluids or orally. A wide range of treatments including immune therapies, drug therapies and blood products, are recently being evaluated for treatment of Ebola virus disease. Two vaccines are undergoing human safety testing but still there is no licensed vaccine available for treatment. Prevention and control Prevention and control of Ebola virus disease is much difficult. One can prevent from disease by early testing and isolation of the infected patient. Moreover ,barrier protection for caregivers for instance mask, gown, goggles, and gloves is necessary to prevent others from getting infected. Outbreak of disease can be controlled by applying a package of interventions, e.g., safe burials ,surveillance, , case management , social mobilisation., contact tracing and a good laboratory service. Outbreak control of disease relies on raising awareness of risk factors and protective measures that individuals can take in order to reduce human transmission. Risk reduction must consider following factors: Reducing the risk of wildlife-to-human transmission: In order to control its outbreak,it is very necessary to avoid contact with infected monkeys or fruit bats and the consumption of their infected meat. Infected and uninfected animals must carefully be handled with gloves and significant protective clothing. Thorough cooking of animal’s meat is required to reduce risk of infection. Reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission: One must avoid from direct or close contact with people suspected to be Ebola victims.Gloves and specific personal protective equipment must be used while looking after patients at hospitals or at home. Outbreak containment measures: It refers to safe burial of the dead,identification of people who may have been remained in contact with infected people, the significance of separating the healthy ones from the sick to prevent further spread and finally the importance of maintaining a neat and clean environment and good hygiene.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Genetically modified (GM) foods Essay

What does a tomato, soybean, and McDonald’s French fry have in common? They are all some of the most commonly genetically modified foods sold on the market today. By using the genetic information from one organism, and inserting or modifying it into another organism, scientists can make food crops stay fresher, grow bigger, and have the crops create their own pesticides. Nevertheless, the technology to modify genes has surpassed its practicality. Genetically modified foods need to be removed from everyday agriculture because of the threat they pose to human health, the environment, and the impact on global economy. Genetically modified (GM) foods could produce new toxic substances, and/or allergens. A gene from the Brazil nut was inserted into the DNA of a soybean plant to increase the nutritional value of the soybean. However, this particular gene in the GM soybean also produced an allergen (a substance that causes allergic reactions in people). Fortunately, the plant was not put into production (McHughen 119). Another example is of a GM tomato called â€Å"FLAVR SAVR†. The tomato is larger, tastier, and stays fresher longer than commercial tomatoes on the market. Combining conventional tomato genes with the genes of an arctic trout produces the â€Å"FLAVR SAVR†. Nevertheless, questions such as â€Å"Will people with sea food allergies be able to consume the tomato?† and â€Å"Will the trout genes in the tomato enable new bacteria growth, and thereby make the tomato hazardous to eat?† have still not been answered. This causes the â€Å"FLAVR SAVR† to be a potential hazard to human health (McHughen 14, 112). Since technology is new with regards to genetics, there is no real way of knowing whether genetically modified foods would take a negative impact on the body. An incident that occurred in 1989 concerning the nutritional supplement L- Tryptophan is one way of testing the long-term effects of a GM food (Background on L-tryptophan and 5-hydroxy L-tryptophan and the eosinophilia myalgia syndrome, U.S. Food and Drug Administration). The manufacturer had apparently altered its manufacturing process to speed up production, and had not realized the toxic side effects. However, it caused a potentially fatal illness called Eosinophilia Myolgia Syndrome in which 37 people died and 1500 more were permanently disabled (Background on L-tryptophan and 5-hydroxy L-tryptophan and the eosinophilia myalgia syndrome, U.S. Food and Drug Administration). Therefore, it was taken off the market shortly after the reports of widespread illness among consumers of the supplement. Another two examples of diseases that have been created by GM crops are glufosinate (Hart 21), which causes birth defects in mammals, and glyphosate (Hart 88), which is now linked to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Therefore, it is evident that the general public is the guinea pig for GM food, and today’s drugs may not be able to combat the diseases that may arise from eating the food. Superbugs are created when genes transfer from one species to another, and if an antibiotic-resistant or pesticide-resistant gene were to transfer from an organism into a disease creating bacteria, then an antibiotic-resistant or pesticide-resistant bug would be created (Miller 83). This applies to bacteria and viruses that are symbiotically related. Gene modification is indirectly making life resistant to diseases, and these bacteria and viruses will adapt to the new form of life and create new disorders. Furthermore, GM crops may make the â€Å"normal† biological pest spray obsolete. This is because pests will soon develop resistance to the spray because of the widespread planting of GM crops. Nevertheless, superbug pesticides have not yet been manufactured, nor have superbug antibiotics been created (Miller 92). Consequently, the health risks for humans through superbug infections or by eating GM food is very serious, and the consequences that may come about have the potent ial to be life threatening. Genetic engineering of food crops has the potential to affect the biodiversity of a region in effectively two ways. First, wild populations of weed may be replaced by GM crop/weed, due to the GM crop spreading outside the crop field and interacting with natural weed and slowly becoming GM weed. Since GM crops are produced to be resistant to pesticides and herbicides, there is the possibility that they could invade wild grasslands and other places and prosper because of these special characteristics. If this happened, the native grasses would be unable to compete and biodiversity would be lost in these regions. Also, many genetically engineered crops contain anti-viral genes and there is the potential that these genes could combine to form new and dangerous strains of viruses, which could destroy specific crops. Although, to date, there is no direct evidence of these occurring naturally, the potential is clearly increasing (UK Agricultural Biodiversity Coalition. What is happening to Agricultural Biodiversity?). The second way in which the biodiversity of a region is potentially affected is by the decreasing crop varieties that are being planted. This is a problem already existing in agriculture today, and results in a loss of genetic variety within crop cultures. Farmers being forced to use only patented seeds are an example of a potential decrease in biodiversity. If traditional seed varieties are used, farmers will be at a financial disadvantage due to better tasting, better looking crops produced by farmers using GM seeds. In the U.S., and some other countries, laws have been passed and are currently in effect stating that the use of non-patented seeds is prohibited. This will restrict the crops to a few species, leaving them more at risk to new pests that may form (UK Agricultural Biodiversity Coalition. What are the underlying causes of the Losses of Agricultural Biodiversity?). The European community is by far the most anti-GM, so to speak, when it comes to the retail of GM food in their supermarkets (Tackling Food Safety Concerns over GMO’s, Consumer attitudes and decision-making with regard to genetically modified food products). Regulations are being imposed on the European Parliament, individual European nations, and some stores themselves have all imposed restrictions on GM foods. Manufacturers must label all foods that might have genetically altered ingredients. This includes food with genetically manufactured organisms, food with an intentionally modified molecular structure, and food that has been isolated for microorganisms, fungi, and algae. Furthermore, the genetically altered food must not mislead the consumer, present any danger to the consumer, or differ from the food that it is intended to replace so that the altered food is a nutritional disadvantage to the consumer (Tackling Food Safety Concerns over GMO’s, Development of meth ods to identify foods produced by means of genetic engineering). This legislation has now created trade barriers for food coming into Europe – some imported food is genetically modified and creates a risk to the people’s health and safety. Nevertheless, because some supermarkets in Europe have decided to be non-GM only, this has created a competitive disadvantage for the â€Å"half†-GM supermarkets. This response to consumer pressure is also having an effect on some companies or countries that cannot meet the legislative needs, and are obliged to lose markets and/or market shares (Tackling Food Safety Concerns over GMO’s, European network safety assessment of genetically modified food crops). If the world finally agrees to the consumption of GM food, European countries will be the last to â€Å"give-in† to the more lenient regulations. If one is to ask a North American if the product he or she is eating contains GM food, he or she will most likely show a blank stare. This is because regulation of GM food in North America is relatively relaxed when compared to Europe (Borger, second paragraph). Since the manufacturer is not required to label their products, the consumer is oblivious to buying GM food at the supermarket. Agriculture and technology are both being heavily invested in the United States. Profit is an important driving force for the developed world, and agricultural exports make up a large portion of exports from the United States (Borger, third paragraph). Since the demand for food is always increasing, the demand to produce more food at a faster rate requires the need for better biotechnology to be put into practice. And because of the lax laws in effect for the United States, and Canada, North Americans are â€Å"in the dark† with regards to what they are eating during their meals. North Americans are not educated about the risks of GM food, nor are they aware of where to find information regarding how much GM food is in their groceries (Borger, 12th paragraph). This poses a serious threat to the potential health of North Americans, as they are nothing but â€Å"lab rats† waiting for their first abnormal â€Å"twitch†. Human health can be seen as the greatest factor when considering the manufacturing of GM food. This is because of the few diseases and viruses that have been discovered which formed through the use of GM food. Also, the potential for new diseases and/or viruses through the use of GM food is increasing, and people are not aware of the risks. Antibiotics or pesticides have not yet been created to combat the superbug, and this is a concern for humans, as it will infect people, and crops altogether. There is a potential for the biodiversity to decrease because of gene transfers from one species to another, creating more powerful crops, which may take over the natural populations of weeds and grasslands. An additional way for the biodiversity to decrease is by farmers planting only a single variety of crop, thus wiping out the varied species needed to keep the diversity within crop fields. Europeans are the most aware of GM food, and are taking the necessary precautions and legislative actions to protect themselves against the use of GM food. However, North Americans are the least aware of GM food, and their government has not yet educated their citizens on the risks of GM food. There are too many risks involved in the use of GM food, and its removal from the agricultural and biotechnological industries will benefit human health, the environment, and global economy.

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Multicultural Aging Project 2015 Interviewing A Native...

Multicultural Aging Project 2015 Interviewing a Native American elder helped me to better understand her physical and emotional needs. I learned that the elders are vulnerable people who need support. After my interview, I recognized that there are many conditions that the Native American elders face such as lack of support from the government; discrimination from fellow Americans; lack of support from their families; limited respect from their community; lastly, they feel neglected because of their disabilities. Why are vulnerable groups suffering, especially elderly Native Americans? They are suffering because they have no advocates, and they don t know the resources and programs that are available to them. We can avoid the difficulties they are facing by making sure that the communities, the U.S. government, relatives, and fellow Americans work together to support this vulnerable group of people. Native American elders are challenged by the American government because of their history and relationship to the government. Native Americans have been discriminated by the government by, Acts of violence and murder, isolation on reservations, land-grabbing, denial voting rights, removal from traditional lands to new and unfamiliar reservations, efforts to force Native Americans to conform to European culture, stealing of mineral and resources for rights (Aguirre Turner, 2009 p. 174). This means that the Native Americans encountered many problems that impacted Native