BP Deep Water Horizontal Explosion

BP originated from a British petroleum company founded in 1909. After experiencing crises during the 1980s-1990s, the company started to have a cost cutting culture. During mid-1990s, with an aggressive growth strategy, BP started to grow and reposition. After BP merged with Amoco in 1998, John Browne started to serve as chief executive until May 2007. Browne repositioned BP as a â€Å"green† oil company after he took over and practiced the model of organizational decision-making strategy, known as â€Å"asset federation. Under this new strategy, onsite asset managers had the authority to make decisions, and employees’ compensation was directly tied to asset performance (Ingersoll et. al, 4). Many decisions made by John Browne were directly related to the Deepwater Horizon explosion. In 2007, Tony Hayward replaced John Browne and became the new chief executive. Tony Hayward slightly adjusted BP’s organizational structure and decided to pay more attention to BPâ €™s safety issues and risk averse culture. However, the Deepwater Horizon explosion happened when Tony Hayward was in charge. The BP Deepwater Horizon oil explosion occurred in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, which is considered as the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused tremendous damages to the surrounding environment and enormous losses to shareholders. BP acquired the right of operating the Macondo Well Project from the U. S. Minerals Management Service in 2009, and then BP leased the Deepwater Horizon rig from Transocean who provides offshore drilling equipment and personnel operation. Both BP and Transocean operated the Deepwater Horizon when the disaster happened. The Deepwater Horizon explosion resulted in major damages and losses. When the explosion occurred, workers abandoned ship and jumped into the burning ocean. Among the 126 workers on board the Deepwater Horizon, 17 were injured and 11 died. Additionally, the rig burned down 700,000 gallons of oil within 36 hours, and the smoke trail spread over 30 miles (Ingersoll et. al, 2). BP’s stock price declined dramatically after the explosion. The disaster not only dragged BP into the major scandal but also destroyed many surrounding businesses and families. The consequences of the explosion affected not only organization, shareholders, and employees but also the environment, social issues, and public relations. The Deepwater Horizon disaster had many causes, direct and indirect; it mainly involved people-issues, managers and managing, organizational weaknesses, and external oversight and accountability. â€Å"CAUSES† OF THE EXPLOSION Firstly, individuals in an organization always have decision-making biases, and thus they would have a â€Å"huge capacity to rationalize their behavior† (Crews). Individuals usually make decisions subjectively based on their value set. The former CEO John Browne set up how BP would develop after mid 90’s; he also was the key person who affected the future of Tony Hayward. Browne relied on and promoted Hayward. A metaphor in Elkind’s article said that Hayward was favored prince of Browne, and Browne opened Hayward’s eyes to the world of business (Elkind et. al, 9). It was not clear why Browne relied on Hayward so much, but he made Hayward become the CEO of BP. On the other hand, Browne played an important role in BP’s management strategy. Browne decided to focus on cutting costs and had a desire to make BP become the largest oil producer. He created the big picture of BP’s development, which influenced the future CEO Hayward’s value set of decision-making and employees’ behaviors in BP. Not only managers had bias of decision-making, the engineers who constructed and maintained the rig also had bias. BP chose long string casing for the Macondo well because several individuals overvalued the cost. As a result, the well casing choice created the condition of the rig’s explosion (Ingersoll et. al, 19). Additionally, the drilling engineers decided not to run the â€Å"cement bond log† test, and that test could accurately diagnose a bond failure to improve process safety. Mark Hafle, one of BP’s drilling engineers even claimed the cement job was working fine at court (Ingersoll et. al, 16). The drilling engineers of the Macondo project were warned about potential risks, but they willfully ignored the warnings and insisted everything would work fine. Such bias and rationalized behavior of drilling engineers just added another warning sign to the explosion of Deepwater Horizon. Secondly, BP’s business relationships are complex, and the legitimate priorities often conflict (Crews). BP’s failure to prevent the explosion was due in part to complex partnership. BP held the rights to drill using the rig and operation services leased from Transocean. As a result, â€Å"of the 126 people aboard the Deepwater Horizon, 79 were from Transocean, seven were from BP, and the rest were from other firms† (Ingersoll et. al, 1). People serving on Deepwater Horizon came from different organizations. A decision making process involved many authorities, which decreased the efficiency and effectiveness of decision-making. Even though BP maintained main operational authority, only six percent of people aboard the Deepwater Horizon rig were from BP. As an important business partner of BP, Transocean provided the equipment and performed the majority of the work, and thereafter it had some authority over operations and maintenance. The complex business partnership caused serious operational consequence. Upon the day of explosion, the Deepwater Horizon rig had been operating 29 days more than it should had been, and the leasing fee owed to Transocean far exceeded the budget (Ingersoll et. al, 7). It was a problem that both companies had authority of decision making over operation. This led to legitimate conflict of priorities. For example, when closing a well, â€Å"11 companies played a role in the construction of the casing for the Macondo well, and all with different responsibilities for various aspects of setting the well† (Ingersoll et. al, 9). Different companies made decisions based on their own company’s interest of cost, time, and safety. As a result, any decision-making process would be very time-consuming, given that all companies kept competing and were not willing to compromise. Because of the conflict of interests and inadequate information, decisions made under such condition were inconsistent and unclear. The inefficient and ineffective decision-making processes slowed the progress of drilling and over-drafted the budget. If the drilling on Deepwater Horizon rig would have been completed within 51 days as expected, BP may have stopped a disaster. Thirdly, the misalignment occurs when managers’ words and action conflict. To prevent corporate scandals, managers’ actions are more powerful than words in shaping employees’ behavior and presenting a positive image to society (Crews). BP faced safety issues in last few decades. Even though each time its CEOs made a commitment to the public about safety, disasters still happened continuously. For instance, â€Å"in 2000, after a string of fires and equipment failures, CEO John Browne announced plans to ‘review the commitment to safety. † In 2005, the explosion of BP’s Texas City refinery killed 15 people; ironically, Browne swore to fix safety problems again like previously. The Deepwater Horizon spill, the worst one in history, happened two years after CEO Tony Hayward took over, and he had promised to focus on safety issue â€Å"like a laser† (Elkind et. al, 4). Empty promises are just like checks without sufficient funds. The conflic t of managers’ words and action caused the corporation lose credibility to the public. BP’s CEO kept vowing to correct safety issues, and the sequential disasters revoked their promises time after time. The U. S. Chemical Safety Board investigated BP’s real safety operation after the Texas City refinery explosion, and they found that BP Group failed to review its refinery operation systematically. Even though the Group Chief Executive claimed, â€Å"BP would learn lessons from Grangemouth and other incidents† (National Commission Chapter 8, 6), BP’s actions were against its public commitment. BP had desires to change, but it never improved in respect to safety weaknesses. BP emphasized personal safety instead of process safety, which led to the serious consequence (Elkind et. l, 5). BP’s board of directors failed to enhance process safety, and this helped BP lose credibility with the public. They needed to create an environment of safety concern to train employees from every level of the organization. Fourthly, BP’s managers were more concerned with seeking profits than with ethics (Crews). Employees’ performance was evaluated by ability of cost cutting and profit generating. For example, in 2008, BP introduced an â€Å"every dollar counts† program that aimed to reduce the costs of their drilling operation (Smith, 1). Another example would be that leaders of BP’s drilling team considered the $2. 2 million of incremental cost benefit over safety when they handled installation problem of lockdown sleeve (Smith, 2). Likewise, many other decisions of construction of the Macondo well were made based on cost and profit instead of safety concerns. BP’s failure was highly related to managers blindly seeking profit and ignoring safety issues. BP used Long-string casing, which made production less costly and shortened the time of return on investment (Deepwater Horizon Study Group, 56). This was one of the main causes of the explosion. Oil drilling is a highly risky industry, and BP was supposed to emphasize safety; however, managers valued profit over ethics, and that hastened up the failure of BP. Fifthly, an organization’s culture, structure, strategy, and resource allocation strongly affect the behaviors of managers and employees (Crews). BP’s organizational culture is cost cutting and risk taking, which directly affected managers’ decision-making. Since 1995 when John Bowne took over, he â€Å"imposed a tough bottom-line mentality† to focus on cutting costs. He also chose to give more operating authority to his managers. Bowne targeted aggressive profit growth by making his managers sign an annual performance contract (Elkind et. al, 8). BP’s organizational culture pushed CEOs to set profit as the primary goal. An organization’s culture is its personality, which implies how managers would operate the organization. With the cost-cutting culture, managers and employees made decisions driven by the organizational culture. Additionally, BP’s unethical management structure and strategy caused the bad competition between employees. BP had a management strategy, â€Å"asset federation. † BP’s onsite asset managers had â€Å"decision-making authority and responsibility for meeting performance targets;† moreover, onsite employees’ compensation was valued by overall performance of the site (Ingersoll et. al, 4). As a result, BP exploration sites had an unethical competition and were less likely to share best practice on risk management; that was a big concern for an oil company whose process safety was a problem. On the other hand, BP also had a weakness of high bureaucracy operating costs. BP had â€Å"a starched, rigidly hierarchical management culture;† for example, headquarter employees and senior employees had preferential treatment in company, which shows BP’s unbalanced and unsound reward system (Elkind et. al, 7). In other words, BP was weak in human resource management. The company rewarded employees by position instead of ethical behavior and good performance. A lack of focus on safety issues directly led to the explosion. BP’s â€Å"creative† management strategy introduced by John Browne made exploration onsite managers keep their best practice to themselves and blindly chase profit. Such management contributed to Deepwater Horizon explosion. Finally, external auditing and regulatory weaknesses also indirectly contributed to the explosion (Crews). Offshore oil drilling is a risky industry. Therefore, in some region, the government essentially banned it due to environmental concerns. However, in the Gulf, the environmental protections and safety regulation were relaxed and ineffective because the oil drilling would bring billions of dollars to federal government (National Commission Chapter 3, 3). Driven by revenue, the government and regulators id not put forth too many restrictions for oil industry in the Gulf. With this important advantage, BP continually neglected safety issues and took risks, which eventually caused the disaster. According to the national commission report, revenue increases when moving drilling deeper into the water, but the corresponding safety risks also increases; however, such increased risks were not covered by additional regularly over sight (National Commission Chapter 3, 3). Investigators found that Deepwater Horizon extended drilling by 18360 feet below sea level. BP drilled aggressively by ignoring the risks and consequences. However, regulators might be more than happy to accept the huge revenue contributions instead of considering environmental concerns and set restrictions. More importantly, the regulation and auditing office had a culture of revenue maximization. BP acquired the right of exploration from MMS. The national commission report points out that the MMS office had culture of accepting gifts from oil companies. An employee of MMS even negotiated with the oil company when he conducted inspections on this company's oil platforms (National Commission Chapter 3, 23). Oil companies and public regulation office benefitted each other, and that made improvement of safety issue in entire oil industry became obstructive. The government did not provide strict regulation to an industry that could bring it money because more regulation means less revenue. Along with a long list of safety issues, BP risked drilling down below the sea to seek more oil and profit without additional auditing and regulation; all the factors pushed and forced the disaster happened. First, The Deepwater horizon explosion killed 11 people, and 17 were injured. The ocean was flaming when the rig became a graveyard. To those dead employees, their family had to face the loss of family members. Second, The Deepwater Horizon explosion affected BP’s and Transocean’s financial market. The sharp drop of stock price wiped out $91 million in market value. BP’s working capital that founded by $10 billion in short-term paper was shut out (Elkind et. al, 20). The credit situations of both companies weakened. Moreover, BP and Transocean had to pay for the damages by billions of dollars. Even two years later in 2012, BP still had $8. 3 billion on damage payouts caused by the explosion (Helman, 3). Both companies were required to pay for environmental restoration, damage to surrounding businesses, and cleanup cost. On the other hand, the explosion also destroyed the reputation of BP and Transocean, and scandals were harmful to two companies’ public relationship. After Deepwater Horizon explosion, the financial market for BP securities had a dramatically change. BP’s investors faced a huge loss on investment. BP’s stock price dropped more than 50%, and the stock and option trading volume increased instantly by fifteen to twentyfold. Interest rate of BP bonds increased, and the company announced the suspension of cash dividends to shareholders (Fodor and Stowe, 1). BP’s disaster made shareholders face a tremendous loss. The value of stocks in hand became worthless and the dividend payments might endless delay. Furthermore, the explosion also affected business in the gulf and the coast tourism industry. The disaster dramatically affected the Alabama coast, which depended on tourism: compared to 2009, the number of visitors decreased by 1 million, real estate values dropped by more than 65%, retail sale declined by 50% (Keegen, 2). The most affected business was fishing industry in the gulf. Since the spilling oil, many fishes were killed and many families whose life depended on fishing and tourist service were bankrupt instantly. In addition, the explosion affected the gulf coast ecosystem. After the explosion, the rig burned for 36 hours. Deepwater Horizon rig exploded about 100 miles southwest of Orange Beach,† and â€Å"more than 200 million gallons of crude went into the gulf† before July 15, 2010 (Keegen, 2). As a result, spilling oil â€Å"fouled beaches and shorelines,† and it destroyed gulf coast ecosystem; creatures and species were killed. The Deepwater Horizon explosion â€Å"created one of worst environmental disaster in U. S. history (Keegen, 2). Ba sed on a research of Texas A& M’s Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, the real loss of gulf coast ecosystem and fisheries were huge and need decades for recovery (Keegen, 5). PREVENTION One of the reasons for BP’s failure is that top managers did not have ethical concerns. The safety issue is the major problem of BP; however, CEOs and managers were concerned for profit over safety concern. Internally, the Board of Directors should create a clear plan that focuses on addressing particular ethical needs for different situations. Additionally, BP should increase the responsibility of the Board of Directors in overseeing the managing executives. An organization should had ethical oversight, and it should provide employees ethical training to advocate ethical behavior. Management fault also was the main reason contributed to the explosion. BP had problems with management structure and management strategy. Managers who focused on cost cutting and wilfully ignored safety problem made numerous poor decisions. Employees should be rewarded by performance overall instead of the ability to cut cost. Rig managers and engineering leader should regard the warning signs and conduct safety test regularly. The managers should pay attention to â€Å"near misses† and avoid the â€Å"favorable wind direction,† and then they might be able to predict and prevent the crises (Tinsley et. l, 1). Considering all of the factors that contributed to Deepwater Horizon explosion, the root cause was the cost-cutting organizational culture. An organizational culture is the characteristic of a corporation; it affects people’s perspectives and values. Employees use the organizational culture to guide and rationalize their behavior. Therefore, directors of bo ard, executives, and top managers should create and inform employees with a positive organizational culture and build conditions for employees’ learning and appreciating. BP’s explosion had internal and external reason. Internally, BP Deepwater Horizon explosion involved two CEOs’ main decisions; besides, BP had a complex organizational strategy, management structure, and partnership. Externally, the outside weakness of legality and regulation contribute to BP’s ethical scandals. Thereafter, besides corporation internal control, the regulators should provide more specific regulations and auditing that conduct oil industry operating with a safer procedure.

Career Paper

Deciding on a certain career has been difficult and very challenging. Going through elementary school and middle school and deciding what career path way I should take, the first two that caught my attention were anesthesiologist and general surgeon. As a child, I never thought that I would want to go to these fields. As a student, I sometimes have my ups and downs in school but that doesn't stop me from doing what I love. In my opinion school is like the next level of a game and I must do my best to beat that level. Sometimes it's tough but I'll manage somehow. Preparing to become an anesthesiologist begins in high school.Since university or college focuses on classes in premed, some recommends getting a head start taking science classes in high school. Biology and chemistry classes will provide you with the knowledge required to be successful. I still don't know which of the two careers I should decide on. Luckily, the two careers matched closely to my personality type. What do sur geons do? General Surgeons are doctors who are specialized in performing surgery on abdominal areas such as the esophagi, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts, but sometime often the thyroid gland.They also focus on disease involving the breast, skin, or any soft tissue. Depending on the type of surgeon, they perform different surgeries. For example a cardiovascular surgeon might do open heart surgery, while a breast surgeon might do breast surgery to save someone from having breast cancer. Surgeons are part of a team. They rely on an anesthesiologist to keep the patient asleep and comfortable, nurses and assistants are responsible for passing the surgeon any tools that are needed to do the surgery, and keeping track of the patient's vital signs and many other things.Sometimes in difficult procedures surgeons often work together as a am to do more work in less time, and in teaching hospitals interns and residents are with more experienced surgeons to observe and learn. Many surgeons work for very long hours, some are scheduled to work for certain amount of hours depending on the hospital. Even doctors who work in private practice spends long hours in the operating room, and are expected to work with other health care professionals to make sure that everything is going smoothly.A lot of surgeons, most of the time are responsible for managing a lot of paperwork such as possessing a patient's files to reviewing records and so much more. There are many types of surgeon and focusing in different areas of the body. Unlike other doctors, surgeons must first complete four years of study at any college, depending which one has the specific field. Surgeons must complete an additional four year and get their MD or Doctor of Medicine degree from an approved medical school. Most applicants take a large amount of courses in subjects like chemistry, and physics.Also, they must pass the Medical College Admission Test (MICA). Once they have gotten their MD, graduates have to go through a minimum of five years of surgery residency. During this course, dents are trained in general surgical procedures. Why is an anesthesiologist important during any surgery? Anesthesiologists are medical doctors specializing in preoperative care. They help to ensure the patients are safe while going through surgery and are involve in putting the patient to sleep so they won't feel pain or sensation.Without anesthesiologists, surgery would not be possible in a lot of operations. They are responsible for the patient before, during and after the surgery. In terms of education, one must complete at least 3 years of a bachelor's degree, many applicants have 4 years which also include ultimate science courses. Anesthesiologist must have a high score on the Medical College Admission Test (MICA), also a letter of recommendation from their teachers and advisors. Many medical schools also consider things like leadership qualities, and extracurricul ar activities when making admissions decisions.After graduation, anesthesiologists enter into a residency program. Usually the first year is spent in an internship, practicing general medicine and learning from other anesthesiologist. During the next couple years, they learn the techniques and skills of anesthesiology with the help and supervision of another. At the end of the residency, they will need to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination to obtain licenser to practice medicine in the United States, and then they can work as an anesthesiologist.What exactly does an anesthesiologist do? Their Job is to keep you safe and comfortable during surgery and recovery. They monitor your heart rhythm, blood pressure and the amount of oxygen in your blood. Also, they monitor your temperature and your level of consciousness. When patients are sleeping, they monitor the patient's breath by measuring the volume of breath exhaled and the mount of carbon dioxide in their breathing . Sometimes, they may monitor how much blood the patient is pumping and the pressure in the lung.The anesthesiologist must keep the patient asleep during a surgery by giving them anesthetic drugs and some drugs are giving to them at all times. Some drugs are mixed in with others and sometimes with the oxygen the patient is breathing. If the patient comes across problem during surgery such as low blood pressure, asthma, blood loss, heart arrhythmia and many others, the anesthesiologist must find a way to correct the problem. The care nurse and the anesthesiologist work together to cake sure the patient is safe and comfortable. How much does an anesthesiologist and surgeon make?The annual salary for an Anesthesiologist is about $166,400 while the median is about $355,100 in the United States. The anesthesiologist is one of the highest paying Jobs in the medical field. According to US Bureau of Labor statistics, the top paid anesthesiologist employed in public sectors is about $197,000 per year while self employed received about $316,500 yearly. They make more than $80. 00 per for the median. The lowest 10 percent receive up to $55. 52 per hour. Depending on the state or location that you vive in, some places have a higher income than others.On the other hand, surgeons make a little bit more. The median salary for a typical surgeon in the United States is about $343,000. Depends on the particular procedure, they range at around $250 per hour. Different surgeon makes more money than others, for example a pediatric surgeon make about $166,000 a year, while a barbaric surgeon make $433,000 a year. The salary is different in most cases. Choosing a career can be difficult but as time goes by you will soon know what interests you. As we Journey through life, we will have to decide on what we want to o or become.Everything and anything is possible if you take your time and give it your best. You really won't know the possibility that you have to get into Med School unti l you have taken the science courses that college offer. Medical Schools don't really care what kind of grades or experience you have in High School. That doesn't mean you should stop and give up, start by participating in some sort of extracurricular activity, and possibly doing some volunteer work. Volunteering at a hospital is going to look better and increase your chances of getting into that particular school.An anesthesiologist and a surgeon are two different things yet they depend on one another for a surgery to be possible. Sometimes it is difficult and hard to decide what you want to do in life. As a freshman, I still haven't decide what to do with my life but for now I will continue with school and hopefully one day I will know what I should do. With the overwhelming responsibilities of anesthesiologists and surgeons, some people decide to become something else that they love. Doesn't matter what you become as long as you love what you do then it shouldn't matter to how mu ch you make a year.

Systems Analysis and Design Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Systems Analysis and Design - Case Study Example This new inspiring media has the capability to help people find their true purpose, reinforce their ability to bond compassionately with others, as well as motivate them to find greater achievement in every area of their lives (Satzinger, Jackson, & Burd, 2012). The application also specializes in creating music for healing settings that deepens someone’s connection to what is most useful. It is enhanced by the influence of a musical recording. Products of contemplative media feature the sympathetic verbal messages of the worlds humanitarian and spiritual leaders. They also have those of common people facing unusual circumstances. Contemplative Media is an innovative kind in contemplative, life-attractive media. The films can give a refreshing method to decrease stress as well as restore stability to the heart, mind, and soul. By including oral wisdom from the present most celebrated voices in spirituality and self-help, these film havens offer experiences of reflective beauty and an association with what is most useful. Users will turn out to be more fulfilled by heartening their lives with music, as well as messages from the contemplative media (Satzinger, Jackson, & Burd, 2012). The media system anticipates answering the following issues: What types of occurrences can be anticipated on or after meditation? What foretells why some individuals have intricate and other pleasing experiences? Could there be some meditation practices that appear to yield more compassionate or vivid incidences than others? Are there definite classes of people that ought to use concern when meditating? If somebody experiences difficult experiences while meditating, what must they do? Interviews can occur over Skype, over the phone, or in person. It depends on where the respondents live. In the interviews, respondents will answer about their meditation interrelated experiences, factors of influence, and ways that

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CAn Toxic Leadership be Mitigated Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CAn Toxic Leadership be Mitigated - Coursework Example Secondly, I would suggest that the gap between the leader and the workforce is what is contributing to lack of trust among them. Also, it would be better if a free, casual and yet a professional relationship existed, which would prove to be healthier and has a potential of improving the situation. In addition, I would present some statistical information that connects greater productivity to more trust in an organizational setup. Since there are different cultures in the organization, I would recommend a monthly meeting that focuses on learning and recognizing everyone’s cultures. It will be in order to assist the leader into realizing and acknowledging the diverse culture he is dealing with, hence making him respect and appreciate all of them. Bring in a speaker who specializes in improving culture for a quarterly. Lastly, in order for the leader to have a constant reminder of what is right or wrong, I would ask the workers to contribute by reminding the leader of things he has done right, (Korn, 2004). In conclusion, by using the right channels, it is possible to reform a toxic leader. Although some situations appears tough, having a professional do it is more advisable, since they tend t know how to go about it smoothly and

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Telecommunications and Networking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Telecommunications and Networking - Essay Example The imaginary Internet cloud of a corporate network environment is trustworthy for data transportation. Moreover, it is incorporated with advanced cloud generalization. In order to extend the cloud-computing concept, there are services along with network components consisting of routers, switches, application servers, and data servers. The components of the network are installed to operate at the back-end for providing advanced services that are proficient to develop web application (What is cloud computing?). Moreover, cloud computing consists of applications that are represented as a service on the web and the provision of hardware / software services provided by companies operating data centers. Likewise, the services provided over the Internet are referred as (Software as a Service) ‘SaaS’. Few sellers use the term (Infrastructure as a service) IaaS and (Platform as a service) PaaS ’in order to demonstrate their products and services. However, these terms are avoided and not accepted globally, due to variation (ARMBRUST, FOX et al. 2010). The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have illustrated some helpful definitions that focus on three concepts (Ryan, Loeffler 2010): Cloud infrastructure as a service ‘IaaS’ consists of provisioning elementary computing resources. Cloud software as a service ‘SaaS’ access software application that operates on a cloud infrastructure. Cloud platform as a service (PaaS) provides the accessibility to users for implementing and developing applications with programming language and tools supported by the providers. The core components of a cloud are consists of the data center hardware and software. When these resources are made available to the public, they are referred as public clouds and the service provided by the cloud is called as utility computing. Moreover, private clouds are only available to private organizations and are not accessible by public. Accordingly, cloud computing is the combination of ‘SaaS’ and utility computing (ARMBRUST, FOX et al. 2010). Furthermore, cloud computing is a successful contributor economically for cyber infrastructure as it â€Å"makes applications dramatically easier to develop and deploy, thus expanding the feasible scope of applications possible within budget and organizational constraints, and shifting the scientist’s and engineer’s effort away from information technology development and concentrating it on scientific and engineering research. Cyber infrastructure also increases efficiency, quality, and reliability by capturing commonalities among application needs, and facilitates the efficient sharing of equipment and services† (Vouk 2008)(Vouk 2008). Business Trends Information Technology organization has already invested millions since the 1990’s, to contribute in reshaping cloud computing. For instance, a popular slogan from Sun that was â€Å"Network is a computer† was recognized in 1980’s. Furthermore, salesforce.com, a ‘SaaS’ enabled website is providing services since 1999. Today, cloud computing represents a more innovative and productive approach, in order to provide online services along with online operating systems. Microsoft Azure provides an online operating

Critical analysis skills at an advanced practice level Essay

Critical analysis skills at an advanced practice level - Essay Example Before this course, I could have easily overlooked the importance of the context but now I understand how slight changes in context can change the meaning of a situation. This course has improved my critical thinking by expanding by capacity to imagine and explore alternatives of addressing an issue. In addition, this course has improved my critical thinking by equipping me with skepticism skills (Oermann et. al., 2000). For example, if I was considering the issue of the spread of coronavirus, I would seek to establish the assumptions attached to it. An example of an assumption attached to this disease would be that coronavirus is a problem of the Middle East. I would engage my critical thinking in challenging this assumption by gathering information on the prevalence of the disease in other parts of the world. I would interrogate the role of context in how differently the disease manifests across different regions. Using skepticism, I would review the different methods used in studying the disease, preventing and treating it and assess their effectiveness (Oermann et. al., 2000). Advanced Nursing practice course has taught me how to utilize nursing theories in interpreting and understanding a situation. For example, I have found Callista Roy’s Adaptation Theory useful in understanding disease and illnesses especially because it presents the human person in a holistic manner. As a nurse educator, I can use this theory in instructing a nurse on how to assess a patient on the basis of its four adaptive modes namely, physiologic, self-concept, role function and interdependence in deciding on the intervention that addresses all the needs of a patient. For example, if I was to instruct a nurse on how best to address coronavirus, I would let them know that there exist ways that help avoid the spread of the disease without undermining the person’s family or

Pakistan Power 100 Gala Essay Example for Free

Pakistan Power 100 Gala Essay An occasion of pride with sense of triumph and feeling of respect and euphoria for every patriotic Pakistani, domestically and internationally ‘Pakistan Power 100 gala’ Launched by Carter-Anderson the British Pakistan Trust, a group of young professional men and women who strive to improve Pakistan’s image abroad and connect inspiring individuals so they can work for the betterment of all Pakistanis. Khalid Darr, a veteran who founded the Pakistan Power 100 Awards and won applauses for highlighting the role of Pakistanis in Britain; the prestigious award ceremony hosted by Pakistan Power 100 in London on September 29, attended by hundreds of prominent personalities from the international Pakistani community and a multitude of non-Pakistani invitees who came to show their support and to appreciate the achievements by Pakistanis and the British Pakistani community. It was a preeminent gala projecting a real and sanguine image of a progressive Pakistan and not only the award winners but the whole 33,000+ nominated power leaders were also being projected as the brand ambassadors of the ‘Brand Pakistan’. In my view just those 100 awardees are not the only power leaders representing Pakistan but the 33,000 nominated and many more who have dedicated their services to the communities in or outside Pakistan are all power leaders and brand ambassadors of the ‘BRAND PAKISTAN’. Some reservations have been expressed from different quarters of business and other segments of the society about the credibility of the whole process from nominations to the formation of judges’ panel (led by British investor James Caan) and to the final selections of awardees, I would not go into the details but must say that those awarded with power 100 awards definitely deserve it but there are many others who deserve this honor as well although choosing 100 out of more than 33000 is not an easy job but still I would say that there are some professionals who definitely are far better power leaders and more influential than some of those in the Power 100 list. Anyway public is the best judge so I better leave this issue for the public to decide and would like to move on to the auspicious event. The largest ever initiative of its kind in promoting the most influential Pakistani men and women within Britain; Pakistan Power 100, developed by the British Pakistan Trust, has a mission to honor the very highest levels of achievements from within the Pakistani community and to positively promote the outstanding contribution made by Pakistani men and women on a local, national, and international level. The trust is a non-profit organization that will use the Pakistan Power 100 list to generate funds contributing to the betterment of all Pakistanis. The illustrious ceremony began, after an intricate reception, the founder Khalid Darr welcomed the guests and was grateful to all the invitees and nominees for attending the ceremony and commenting on the importance of Power 100 Darr said, â€Å"To build a better Pakistan we need to learn the art of working together, we should seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. The Pakistani Diaspora across the world is a source of great strength for Pakistan and I believe that if we all come together to collectively use our intellectual and financial capital, we can bring significant and positive change to the people of Pakistan.† Pakistan Power 100 aimed to promote Pakistan to the global community, to showcase the greatest influencers and to work towards changing the perception of Pakistan through the highest achievers. The aim of awards should be to celebrate achievements and very rightly he said there are many ways this can be done, it doesn’t always have to be done at a glamorous event. After Darr’s patriotic speech, the awards were presented to the outstanding achievers in their respective fields. Since its inception Pakistan has been surrounded by countless issues including but not limited to ill-formed/missing infrastructure, insufficient refined resources, barren or obsolete factories and technologies, has been oscillating between civilian and military rulers and all these have contributed to the current prevailing chaos and pessimism among the masses for which people often say â€Å"don’t know how this country is surviving†, even many of us ready to go a step ahead to declare it a failed state. My words for them are; it will never be a failed state and not only it will survive  but will thrive and outshine in the galaxies of world nations, as long as we have a core group of dynamic Pakistani men women, representing a wide range of fields and sectors including politics, business, media, technology, culture, healthcare, and social welfare/philanthropy who, against all odds have been working hard for the betterment of state of affairs of Pakistanis. In recent years the once patriotic Pakistani Diaspora, although continuing to demonstrate a level of patriotism, has become more cynical towards Pakistan due to the regularity of damaging news stories about Pakistan which have caused great challenges for the country on a national and international level. This event brought sanguinity to the depressing Pakistani diaspora. These individuals are leaders, able to steer opinion and action towards the most positive possible outcomes in economic, social or cultural contexts. They are people who, either through position or personality exercise a significant power that influences events and sets parameters in the conduct of their organization, the climate of political debate and the shaping of new ideas. Pakistan Power 100 recognizes the most influential Pakistani men women internationally, whose exceptional work makes an enormous and essential contribution to the wealth, health and intellectual wellbeing of their respective communities. The purpose of these awards is to pay tribute to these and to inspire the upcoming generations to prepare Pakistan to face the upcoming challenges and responsibilities of global citizenship by bringing together the future power leaders from across the world to generate creative, cross-sect-oral approaches to leadership and problem solving; to build networks of trust across regional boundaries; and, to educate each other in the highest ideals of values-based intellectual capital. Influence is the act or power of producing an effect without apparent exertion of force or direct exercise of command. Societies around the globe are driven by influential people, objects and ideas from various sources. Highlighting any name here would be controversial except one for which no one will have any objection is the name of Mr. Abdul Sattar Edhi about whom Khalid Darr very rightly said â€Å"when talking about outstanding Pakistanis, the first name that comes to mind is the magnanimous Abdul Sattar Edhi†, who hardly managed to show up and take part at the event despite his sickness  and a hectic schedule. Mr. Edhi received the Humanitarian Lifetime Award for his lifelong commitment to bettering the lives of all Pakistanis. His devotion to the welfare of mankind was reflected in his selfless and heart-felt speech for which many of the attendees couldn’t control their tears and he received a standing ovation at the end. The overall purpose should be to highlight role models so that the next generation of young Pakistanis has mentors to motivate themselves and to change the perception of Pakistan across the globe and to reignite the collective consciousness. We need a stronger, more professional manner in which to promote the positive aspects of our culture and religion and the valued contribution our academics, doctors, professionals and business men women make to this country in which we live and work. The glamorous gala event was then concluded with a brilliant performance by Salman Ahmad. Alongside the Pakistan Power 100, Carter-Anderson also published several supplementary lists, including the Pakistan Power 100 Women, the Pakistan Past 50 list of influential Pakistanis from history, and the Pakistan Future 50, which will rank the top 50 up and coming young professionals in Pakistan today and the power 100 future leaders who are destined to become tomorrow’s leaders.

Wireless Technologies Paper Essay Example for Free

Wireless Technologies Paper Essay Party Plates Company has come to the conclusion that there is a need for a new proposal for wireless technology. Our goal is to meet goals in technology advancement and to be up to date with our consumers and business associates. Our proposal will focus on wireless technology that will benefit the party plate business. Our team will also provide the pros and cons to our idea and justify our choices to incorporate them into Party Plates Company. In the proposal we will also include a spreadsheet presenting the equipment needed for using the technologies and the costs involved with the equipment. The wireless technologies that our team recommends for Party Plates Company are WIFI and Laptops. WIFI is wireless technology that allows electronic devices to exchange data using radio waves. These radio waves are transmitted using an antenna called a wireless access point. (Rainer Jr Cegieiski, 2011) WIFI has the potential to save Party Plates Company the cost of having wires installed throughout the company. Laptop technology consists of a small computer that is portable, you can access customer files from anywhere in the building that and also check inventory from the comfort of your home if needed. You will no longer be confined to your office or to any electrical cords. It also involves less wire tangling around your desk which could be a safety hazard. A laptop will allow a manager or supervisor communicate with staff, clients, and employees. WIFI and Laptops are reliable wireless technologies; however, they also possess their own disadvantages. WIFI signals can be slow depending upon how far you are from the router. This can delay the network speed, just like when too many people are using the service at the same time. The demands of a large number of users attempting to access a Wi-Fi network at once can tax the bandwidth capacity of the network, causing outages. † (Blank, 1999-2012) There is also the problem of security when using WIFI. Using this wireless technology makes it harder to control the content viewed, especially when personal computers can access the network. Laptops can typically be a more expensive technology than your normal desktop system. They can also pose a security drawback. Laptops now have cameras making it easy to copy or transfer confidential information. Regardless of the drawbacks associated with these two devices, the ease of use, the availability, and the functions outweighs its flaws. We feel that both of these wireless technologies would work well for Party Plates Company. WIFI is easy to use, efficient, and flexible. Although there may be difficulties with security and network overload, if the WIFI is password protected and monitored these possibilities could be diminished. Laptops can be secure, efficient, and portable. The increased price for system upkeep and possible collisions are only small problems to accurately control inventory and regulate sales.

Evaluation of Digital and Online Marketing Technology

Evaluation of Digital and Online Marketing Technology Part A Question 1 I believe online marketing tools are part of the marketing mix as channels that can be made use of. There may be diverted focus in regards to digital marketing if it is just used for advertising or promoting a product/service online. Digital marketing can be used in multiple ways whilst we consider facilitating it in an organisations marketing communication mix, rather than focus on 1 form of the marketing communication mix. As technologies are on a rise and the attention span of users is declining, I would suggest investigating marketing tools to help advertising via online content behaviour, understanding ways to inform consumers about the product if for example they were to search a certain product. If we look at the amount of data mining, consumer purchase behaviour and so on via the internet. The organisation can use such data to tap into relevant information that would help accelerate their sales or avail specific products whilst understanding the demand exists. If we look at A mazon and Google, these two organisations tend to have a lot of digital marketing working very well for them, as they have put it into practice in collecting information and monitoring what they purchase and how they purchase it. With such tools an organisation can tailor advertisements towards the users, we can see it more like an On-Demand Advert which would then grab the attention of users who are looking for specific items. There exists many accelerated ways of marketing on the web, with the level of innovation we have adopted, web marketing made it simpler to facilitate the following: Public Relations Investor Relations Customer Service Prospect Qualifications Product Sales Customer Interaction and Feedback Internal Communications With that all being said, the digital world has opened up more opportunities for marketers as to understanding Buyer behaviour, Communicating frequently to the customer, Public relations and so much more. Marketers tend to consider digital marketing to be more time-efficient and is used by the masses, hence it makes it easier to capture a wider reach, whereas the ways they market or allow themselves to be seen by the consumer may need to change as to avoid the click-through behaviour of the customer. I agree that digital marketing will become critical tools in brand building and other forms of communicating to the consumer, mainly Customer Relationships. Marketers can evade ad-blocks and such, if they just spend a bit of time trying to learn a bit about the online content behaviour and yet look out for technologies out there such as Geo-tagging, proximity marketing and so on. Question 2 As a marketing manager, there are 5 steps to evaluating digital technologies: Step 1: I would evaluate the goals of the organisations digital marketing campaigns by understanding the number of social shares our posts are receiving, size of our fan base on social networks, the amount of times Nike is being mentioned on social media, look up the number of positive reviews found online via consumers, check the amount of online traffic we are getting on our webpage as well as how many times links are being diverted to our webpage from other social media outlets. If all these things were done by the previous marketing team, I would look at whether or not the targets are being met, if not I would then revise our goals as to accommodate our objectives. Step 2: I would re-assess the target market, if it is changed I will have to facilitate an information search as to have an idea of the demographics, interests and online activities that the consumers may have, this will allow me to achieve consumer profiling as to marketing reasonable content to them. Step 3: I would have to look at our online digital presence, this means I will have to see how well Nike is doing in the social online environment, are they active or passive when it comes to public relations and customer relationships. Are they utilizing everything the online world has to offer from technologies that can be feasible to adopt? Step 4: I would evaluate the types of messages Nike is communicating to the consumers in digital form. Are they sending the right message to the right consumer? Is the consumer understanding the message and acting upon it, positively or negatively? Step 5: I would evaluate the performance of Nikes digital marketing campaigns. How is Nike benefiting from such channels? Are we making a profit while keeping costs low? Is our rate of investment on digital marketing visible to us, and is it positive? Question 3 I would utilize almost all online marketing tools to allow the visibility of the new product. The common marketing communication tools will be put into effect, such as advertising, promoting the concept in various trade shows, speaking opportunities as to describe the product, joint marketing, co-branding and many more traditional ways that can be broadcasted online via online content ads, which are simple adverts that will pop up due to their relevance whilst consumers maybe be browsing for a new phone for example. Search Engine Optimization. Get the word out there, be noticeable via social outlets. Email marketing is one way to inform the consumers about the product. Google AdWords to help online advertising. Bloggers or social media influencers, by offering the phone for testing by wide reach blogger or youtubers as to mention your product or talk in more detail about it. Online retail stores, you can be selective as to who you wish to sell the new phone and when they can sell it, such as your own website, amazon and the likes of amazon. The strategy would start differing as adoption rates either increase or decrease, if they increase then the organisation will need to be and stay proactive whilst dealing with public relations, enhance customer services and promote customer satisfaction, if they decrease I would then suggest revisiting the product and re-examining the whole process of the marketing communication. Part B Question 1 I would particularly evaluate why should McDonalds introduce a vegetable burger to their store? I will need to define the problem and understand where the information search should start, before developing the needed research, once that is arranged then I would identify the research method. It will either be Primary or Secondary, or both. For this particular scenario, I will explore the secondary data at first since it is cheaper, faster and available whereas this may be biased. For example, in certain region McDonalds can idealise a target market for such a product, such as in place where there exists a great population of vegetarians in compared to non-vegetarians, and see if the product gains popularity, if so they can proceed in furthering the choices of products in different places as to cater to the groups of people who are vegetarian per se. Therefore, I would select Descriptive and Causal research rather than Explanatory research. Once I have found the relevant, impartial, accurate and current data I require, we can advise for testing of the product as to not waste much time in looking for primary data, when such data can be availed to us by promoting the product on trial basis and see how well it does.

Being Nonexistent Essay -- Homeless Chicago Personal Narratives Essays

Being Nonexistent Grant Park in Chicago is large enough to get in the way of the city. Where I come from, the parks are contained within and of themselves. They take up a good city block, in my stomping grounds of small city south-west, and they "contain themselves" like a margarita that spills nothing over the rim of the glass. Grant Park, however, is interrupted by streets and railroad tracks and buildings, and these seem to be the ingredients that push the slush of the park over it’s curbs like fruit over a rim, and it seems as though these big cities like to make a park more like an event. Large ovals of flowerbeds enclosed within and without by large expanses of grass. Purple, white, and yellow flowers sleep. Tasteful walkways lead to fancy fountains and massive statues. People sit and read and tan and eat and feed pigeons and loathe pigeons and smoke cigarettes and watch people watch people, and most are quiet, making sure not to wake the flowers. And some look happy, and most look sad. A nd some are bums, and most are sad. And it’s as if this list I’ve written is hanging on a lamppost under an entrance sign, and you have to check in by choosing a collection of things from this list to do, to get in. I chose people watching and the bum.. An old, fat black man as big as the park, his beard all round and full like the flowers, he looks like a black Santa. White Santa gives presents with nothing in return, and this man seems to be expected to receive presents with nothing in return. And then old Chris Kringle is white in the winter, and this man is black in summer, sitting atop powder coffee creamer steps, and I think that black children must be confused as to the descent of Santa Clause come Christmas mourning. It se... ...f our own minds. It seems as though this man lives inside his own head, and that’s a long way to fall. Watching this particular man I wonder weather or not I could lead him to anything but food. I wonder if he is happy. I wonder whether or not he is a good man. I wonder what he has learned from living in this state and how his life has changed so since childhood. I think the how is important. How do we get to this point, individually, and how do we get to this point as a species where we don’t know how to take care of each other enough so that we all have the will to live enough to work and take care of ourselves so that we can, in turn, share ourselves in a positive way with this family. And we must find a beginning. Pardon the revolution of "when(?)." I know only that this man looks like a good man, fallen off the face of the earth like a chess piece off a board. Being Nonexistent Essay -- Homeless Chicago Personal Narratives Essays Being Nonexistent Grant Park in Chicago is large enough to get in the way of the city. Where I come from, the parks are contained within and of themselves. They take up a good city block, in my stomping grounds of small city south-west, and they "contain themselves" like a margarita that spills nothing over the rim of the glass. Grant Park, however, is interrupted by streets and railroad tracks and buildings, and these seem to be the ingredients that push the slush of the park over it’s curbs like fruit over a rim, and it seems as though these big cities like to make a park more like an event. Large ovals of flowerbeds enclosed within and without by large expanses of grass. Purple, white, and yellow flowers sleep. Tasteful walkways lead to fancy fountains and massive statues. People sit and read and tan and eat and feed pigeons and loathe pigeons and smoke cigarettes and watch people watch people, and most are quiet, making sure not to wake the flowers. And some look happy, and most look sad. A nd some are bums, and most are sad. And it’s as if this list I’ve written is hanging on a lamppost under an entrance sign, and you have to check in by choosing a collection of things from this list to do, to get in. I chose people watching and the bum.. An old, fat black man as big as the park, his beard all round and full like the flowers, he looks like a black Santa. White Santa gives presents with nothing in return, and this man seems to be expected to receive presents with nothing in return. And then old Chris Kringle is white in the winter, and this man is black in summer, sitting atop powder coffee creamer steps, and I think that black children must be confused as to the descent of Santa Clause come Christmas mourning. It se... ...f our own minds. It seems as though this man lives inside his own head, and that’s a long way to fall. Watching this particular man I wonder weather or not I could lead him to anything but food. I wonder if he is happy. I wonder whether or not he is a good man. I wonder what he has learned from living in this state and how his life has changed so since childhood. I think the how is important. How do we get to this point, individually, and how do we get to this point as a species where we don’t know how to take care of each other enough so that we all have the will to live enough to work and take care of ourselves so that we can, in turn, share ourselves in a positive way with this family. And we must find a beginning. Pardon the revolution of "when(?)." I know only that this man looks like a good man, fallen off the face of the earth like a chess piece off a board.

Disparities in Health of Children :: Teaching Education

Disparities in Health of Children Abstract There has been much research that verifies the existence of health disparities among different socioeconomic groups and different racial and ethnic groups. I will take a look at this research to determine why these disparities exist and how these effect the education among those who experience it. When we consider the education of our children in the United States, we must consider their health as a significant issue as it can positively or negatively impact a student’s education. It has generally been acknowledged that there is a great disparity in our country in the area of health care. Healthy People2010, a published report put out by the Health and Human Services Division of the Unites States Government (2000) has included as part of its Goals for 2010, to eliminate health disparities among different segments of the population. According to this report, health differences occur depending on a persons gender, race or ethnicity, education or income, disability, rural locality, or sexual orientation. In this paper, I will mostly concentrate on racial and ethnic differences as well as socioeconomic differences. According to the Healthy People 2010 report, biological and genetic differences do not explain the health disparities experienced by non-White populations in t he United States. Besides "complex interaction among genetic variations, environmental factors, and specific health behaviors," Health and Human Services says, "inequalities in income and education underlie many health disparities in the United States." Also, "population groups that suffer the worst health status are also those that have the highest poverty rates and least education." Health, United States (1998) reported that each increase of income or education increased the likelihood of being in good health. According to this report, those with less education tend to die younger than those with more education for all major causes of death including chronic diseases, communicable diseases and injuries. There are several factors that account for differences between socioeconomic and racial and ethnic groups. These factors include a lower sedentary life style, cigarette smoking and less likely to have health insurance coverage or receive preventive care among these groups. Those who live more sedentary life styles are at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, all things that effect lower-socioeconomic groups more often than those in higher income brackets. Those who are less educated are also twice as likely to smoke cigarettes as the most educated.

A Story About My Mother

Vu Lan celebration is coming, on websites there are many written works about mother. They are simple but meaningful and reminded me of my mother. Accordingly, I want to share with everyone my story-a long one to tell†¦ When I was a child, I always imagined my mother as a serious and frightening woman. She was constantly forcing me to stay at home whereas my friend can freely go out and enjoy their childhood. That’s not fair!!! There was a question that kept haunting my mind â€Å"Is she exactly my mother? † . I think that I found the answer after that story.One time, being too passionate about games with my friends, I forgot to come back home, making my parents extremely worry and find me everywhere. Finding out me in the yard with my friends, she furiously shouted at me and hit me in front of all my friends including the boy that I liked. It is too ashamed! I did not have dinner and kept myself in my room on that day. During that night, instead of sleeping, I plan ned to revenge my mother in the next days. In the following day,as usual she went to work and left me alone at home .However, this time I decided not to stay alone in that boring house. Fortunately, I came across a tiny hole in the window, which was small enough for my little friends to creep into. Being too happy, we play many games one by one. Suddenly, I had an accident while I was playing skipping with my mother’s scraft, leading to my chin’s blooding. I was very afraid no matter how much my friends encouraged me. I cried so much my friends had to find the help of my neighbor. He immediately informed my mother. â€Å" This time surely my mother will hit me seriously† I thought that.Especially when I heard the sound of her motorbike, my heart beat faster to wait my mother’s punishment. Nevertheless, everything was totally unexpected. Right after the door had been opened, the scene I saw was not her furious eyes but her eyes with continuously dropping t ears. My mother hurriedly ran to me and embraced me tightly. I could not forget those eye. I feel that my mother was also painful like me. That was the moment I realized her invaluable love for me. Until now I learned that mother’s love is not just pampering but the strict as well and that mother is the one love us the most.

Herbal supplements Essay

A survey conducted in the United States in 2002 revealed that approximately 38 million people were using herbal and dietary supplements, citing them as important for their health, yet only about one third of them had reported the usage of these herbal products to a qualified medical practitioner. Estimates from other reports suggested that approximately 25% of those seeking medical treatment for serious medical conditions were also using ‘unconventional’ treatment which they rarely reported to their doctors. Herbal and dietary supplements have become readily available and can be purchased in almost all retail outlets. This makes it easy for patients to use them without supervision from a qualified medical practitioner (Medscape Today, 2007). Most people tend to think that since herbs have been obtained from nature, they are automatically safe. But is this really the case? True, some of these products may be consumed without occasioning any harm to the body but some may contain contaminants that may lead to medical complications and even death. For this reason, it is important that the US Food and Drug Administration regulate these herbal supplements for safety and efficacy (Finkel & Pray, 2004). Concerns arising from use of Herbal supplements The use of herbal and dietary supplements is not under regulation by the US Food and Drug administration. This is very dangerous since it means that these products have not been tested for purity and potency yet they are being consumed by humans in large quantities every day (Medscape Today, 2007). Many plants are quite toxic depending on the climate as well as the condition of the soil where they were grown. The FDA warns that most of the herbal products which are marketed have not been tested and do not contain any information on their toxic content. Thus, while most users may escape injury, there have been some isolated reports of some people dying or incurring grave injuries as a result of using herbs (Finkel & Pray, 2004). Other than the natural toxicity which may be present in plants, it has also been reported that the preparation of these herbs is questionable. Medscape today reports that some of the prepared herbs have been found to actually contain prescription drugs and worse still, heavy metals. These products are never labeled as part of the ingredients and this poses a risk to those who consume them. The danger here lies not only in the fact that these contaminants may cause toxic poisoning to the patients but also in the fact that some patients are allergic to certain products and may consume them without knowing, thus endangering their lives (Medscape Today, 2007). Currently, the labeling of products from herbs is under the regulation of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Manufactures of herbal products are required to make general statements on the safety and efficacy of the product. This includes a compulsory statement that disclaims the product from diagnosis, prevention or cure of any disease. Unfortunately, these labels have been designed to promote the use of the product but do not really give the consumer any concrete information on the nature and content of the product. If the FDA is mandated to regulate these products, they will be able to place more necessary information such as side effects and contraindications so that the users know what to expect. This will also put herbal products in the same category as prescription drugs which might probably make the users more inclined to report the usage of these products to their physicians (Medscape Today, 2007). Another issue that raises concerns on the efficacy and safety of the herbal supplements is the fact that no testing or quality control is performed on them prior to being sold in the market. As such, a consumer cannot really be sure if the supposed ingredients that the manufacturer claims to be the contents are actually there or if the product can actually perform the healing wonders that it is purported to. Other than the obvious rip-off, this issue presents concerns over the overall safety of the product (Finkel & Pray, 2004). In deed, the effects of no FDA regulation on herbal products have been seen in the ban on some of the herbal supplements such as those containing ephedra whose usage had resulted in adverse effects on the cardiovascular system in patients. Another product, Kava, was also prohibited due to worries on hepatotoxicity (Medscape Today, 2007). It is rather unfortunate that the FDA can only act against the use of herbal supplements as they evaluate them case by case. In the event that a product has brought about serious injury, investigations will not occur unless there are many other similar reports. This is rather dangerous because by the time the FDA reacts; many people could have been permanently injured or killed as a result of using the product, a situation which could have been easily avoided if the products had been suggested to quality control and analysis. Prevention is always better than cure and mandating the FDA to regulate herbal products will not only go a long way in improving the quality of these products but is also bound to save many lives (Finkel & Pray, 2004). Evidence supporting lack of Safety and Efficacy in Herbal Products There are very many herbal supplements which are available in the market and which are purported to heal a variety of ailments ranging from the common cold to more serious illnesses such as cancer. Some have been successful in healing these ailments but there are those which have failed in achieving this goal. Other than the above mentioned herbal products, Ephedra and kava whose usage was banned due to the danger posed to the users, there are other products which also exhibit the same concerns. Serious reactions to some herbal supplements purchased over the counter have also been recorded with permanent injuries and even death. A case study by Marks (2007), researches on the effects of Tricana which was sold as a herbal supplement to the user and had been hailed for promoting good effects to one’s metabolism which included, loss of weight and the enhancement of energy. Mark focuses on a patient who developed dilated cardiomyopathy after ingesting this supplement, a potentially fatal condition. In deed, the use of this product did not promote the much hailed beneficial effects but instead caused insomnia, nervous conditions and diarrhea. The FDA withdrew Tricana from the market in the year 2000 as a result of these safety concerns (Marks, 2007). Other products include Chaparral which was purported to be a blood purifier as well as a cure for cancer and has also resulted in adverse reactions. It has caused very many cases of liver and kidney related conditions and actually left one patient in need of a liver transplant. Apparently the research on this product has found that the use of chaparral has no benefit whatsoever on the body and pharmacist were advised to inform consumers against using this product (Finkel & Pray, 2004). These are just a few examples of the dangerous effects that over the counter herbal supplements have posed to their users. Thus, one cannot help but feel that some form of regulation by the FDA will have prevented such occurrences. Granted, some herbal products have a record of success. But it is precisely due to the other dangers posed by the other supplements that the US Food and Drug Administration should regulate the use of these products. Right now, the reaction of the FDA is more reactive than proactive; removing herbal supplements from the market only after they have occasioned some serious harm to the user. America cannot afford to have knee jerk reactions to matters that concern the safety of the public. Conclusion While we advocate for the FDA to regulate the use of these products so as to promote their safety and efficacy, it will also be in order to engage in some form of public awareness so that the consumers can know ways in which to check for the safety of the herbal supplements. If they have to buy these products, they should be encouraged to purchase them from pharmacists who are more inclined to give them correct information on the product efficacy. Other sales agents are more inclined to make misleading statements on the product so as to make a quick sale. Above all, it is essential for consumers to be encouraged to report the usage of any of these herbal supplements to their physicians especially if they are taking other medication to prevent any adverse reactions as some of these drugs may not interact well (Finkel & Pray, 2004). ]

Literature: Harlem Renaissance and New Negro

Climax: George's mother confronts Death's belief that it was k to send her love to kill other people's loved ones and did not expect George to die. In doing this she forces Edited to leave her romantic notion of war and see the reality of war. * In the end she forgets and leaves the reality of life and returns to the ideal (Romanticism). Desires baby: * Racism * When a baby is three months old the baby's true skin color comes into view. Vernacular: French * El blanches, black slaves, but it meaner the whites.Desire has no known background * Desire could have been white * Race and color do not have a connection. * Armband says that Desire is not white. * Finds a letter from his mother when he is burning Desires letters reveals that his mother was black. 6/10/13 Naturalism: Spanish-American war: 1890 * The letter * Naturalism: without the human mask of morality and humanity, we are brute beasts, living in an indifferent world. * He lives in a determinist world * Steven Grain was writin g at the end of the 18th century so he is a naturalist * Three college students after the age of literature called realism * Charles Darwin:Theory of Evolution * Survival of the fittest * Realists acknowledge God in that it is our Job to help others live a more ethical life. * Romanticism: believes in God as the creator of all and we are made in his image. * Darwin, challenges these viewpoints. * He looks at man as the sum of changes that they must make in order to survive in their changing environment. * A battle between those who have and those who have not. * A battle against the cold, unfeeling, power of nature. Karl Marx * He took the fundamental aspects of Darning's theory to propose the philosophy of Class antagonism.The battle between the classes for the resources needed for life and advancement. * Naturalism is the idea that all life is about money and that some living to be a doctor and other are destined to be the nurse. * As long as there is plenty to go around we are ni ce to each other. * When there is scarcity we become vicious dogs fighting for survival. * The animal in all humans will come out in situation of life or death. Sigmund Freud: the father of psychology * Our tendency is to want to be the leader. * We will do whatever it takes to acquire wealth and resources.

Adolescent Sexuality

SEXUALITY OVERVIEW Most teens and pre-teens have a lot of questions about sex and sexuality. This is normal and natural. It also is normal to feel shy or embarrassed about raising these issues with adults or healthcare providers. Sexual development is an important part of health, similar to other measures of physical growth, such as height and weight. Sexual behavior, which is related to sexual development, has important health implications for everyone, and especially for teens. It is particularly important that to be well informed about all aspects of sex and sexual health. Some basic information on sex and sexuality is provided in this review, which may answer some questions and raise others. Find an adult you feel comfortable with — perhaps a healthcare provider, parent, or teacher — to discuss any questions or concerns you may have. SEXUALITY: WHAT IS IT? Human sexuality is more than just whether you are male or female, and it is more than just the act of sex. It is a complex idea that involves your physical make-up, how you think about yourself, and how you feel about others and the society you live in. Here are some of the things that contribute to sexuality: Anatomic sex — Anatomic sex refers to the sex organs with which you were born. That is, you are either a boy (with a penis and testicles) or a girl (with breasts, a uterus, vagina, and ovaries). Occasionally, a baby is born with sex organs that are not normally developed and/or may appear to resemble both sexes; these individuals are said to have ambiguous genitalia or to be intersex. Anatomic sex is only one component of sexuality. Gender identity — Gender identity relates to how you feel inside, and whether you â€Å"feel† like a boy or a girl. Most people have a combination of feelings, including some that are thought of as â€Å"male† or â€Å"masculine† and some that are thought of as â€Å"female† or â€Å"feminine†. In most cases, someone feels mostly like a boy or mostly like a girl. Gender identity and anatomic sex sometimes do not match. For example, a person can be born as a boy but feel like a girl. This is sometimes referred to as transgender. Sexual orientation — Once you begin puberty, you are likely to begin to have strong physical and emotional attractions to others. Sexual orientation refers to whether you are primarily attracted to people of the opposite sex (heterosexual), the same sex as you (homosexual, gay, or lesbian), or both (bisexual). Sexual orientation is influenced by many factors, including your anatomic sex, your gender identity, the society you live in, and other factors, some of which are not completely understood. Sexual orientation is believed to exist on a continuum. That is, you may feel mostly attracted to people of the same sex as you but still have some feelings for people of the opposite sex, or vice versa. These feelings are normal and may change throughout life. ADOLESCENT SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT Sexual development begins in the pre-teen years and continues into adulthood. The body produces hormones that cause outward changes, including breast development in girls, the appearance of facial hair in boys, and growth of hair under the arms and in the genital area of both boys and girls. However, puberty is more than physical changes. As your body grows into adulthood, your way of thinking, emotions, and wants and needs will change as well. The factors discussed above (your anatomic sex, your gender identity, and your sexual orientation) will all become a part of how these changes affect you as a person. You will probably start to feel strong attractions toward others. Sometimes these feelings include developing friendships with other teenagers. Other feelings include wanting to be physically close to another person. You may find yourself attracted to someone of the opposite sex, someone of the same sex, or both. It's important to remember that these physical attractions can shift and change and that they develop at different times in different people. You may find you are attracted to someone of the same sex for a time, then find stronger attractions to someone of the opposite sex. Alternately, the reverse could occur. Over time, most teens will come to identify themselves as primarily heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual. However, you should not be surprised if you feel confused about some of these issues during your teen years. This time of life may be troubling for teens who begin to identify themselves as homosexual or bisexual, especially if these ideas are not openly accepted by family members, friends, or the society in which they live. In this case, it is especially important for the teen to find a trusted adult and friends with whom he or she can talk openly. Several of the online resources listed below can also be of benefit (see ‘Where to get more information' below. It also is important to know that in the early years of puberty, it's normal to want to experiment with sexual activity. This often happens before a teenager is fully aware of how this activity might affect his or herself or others. As teens continue to grow and mature, they are better able to make choices about intimacy and physical relationships that will enhance their lives, rather than making choices that will cause problems for themselves or others. Adults generally recommend that teens not rush into sexual activity too soon, but rather wait until they are more mature. (See ‘Health issues related to sex' below. ) When you are sexually mature, you'll have a more developed sense of your preferences and desires. You will understand the possible consequences of having sexual relationships with others, and you will be ready to take responsibility for whatever occurs. You will be more ready to engage in the satisfying, intimate relationships that are an important part of life. SEXUAL ACTIVITY: THE FACTS There are many ways to express intimacy. Spending time with another person, holding hands, and kissing are all ways to show affection and begin to explore physical intimacy. As you develop attractions toward others, you will probably want to explore these and other types of physical intimacy. What might this involve? Most teens have questions about sex and sex acts. Here are some basic facts and definitions, including some important information about sexual boundaries; that is, what is and what is not OK as part of a sexual relationship. Genitals — Genitals are the external sex organs that are sensitive to and stimulated by being touched, which typically occurs during sexual activity. The male external organs are the penis and scrotum, which holds the testicles (figure 1). The female external organs are the vulva, clitoris, and the opening to the vagina (figure 2). Petting — Petting is feeling parts of another person's body. This usually refers to touching the genitals or other sexually sensitive areas, such as breasts. Orgasm — Orgasm is an intensely pleasurable release of tension felt in the genital area and elsewhere in the body. It usually results from stimulation of the genitals. In men and boys, orgasm is associated with the release of semen (called ejaculation), which contains sperm. The term â€Å"come† is a slang word for orgasm. Sexual intercourse — In general, this refers to sex involving a man's penis being placed inside a woman's vagina. When the man ejaculates during sexual intercourse, this semen is released into the woman's vagina. Pregnancy occurs if sperm, contained in the semen, are able to fertilize the egg released by a woman's ovary. However, semen can be released even if the man does not have an orgasm. Oral sex — Oral sex involves using the mouth and/or tongue to stimulate the genitals. Oral sex can occur between a man and a woman, between two men, or between two women. Anal sex — Anal sex is sexual activity involving penetration of the anus (the opening where bowel movements leave the body). A penis or another object is inserted into the anus during anal sex. Both men and women are able to engage in anal sex. Masturbation — Masturbation involves using the hands, or sometimes a device such as a vibrator or other sex toy, to stimulate one's own or someone else's genitals. Some people believe â€Å"having sex† only means sexual intercourse. But other activities, including oral sex, anal sex, or masturbation can also be considered as â€Å"having sex†. Even things like kissing or petting are considered to be sexual activity because they are part of how one person responds sexually to another person. Sexual boundaries — The only kind of sexual activity that is OK is activity that occurs between people who want to have sex with each other. Activity that occurs when a person is alone, such as masturbation, is also OK. If two people are having sex, both of them must be old enough and mature enough to participate without feeling pressured to prove something or try something new. If a sex act is forced upon a person who does not want to participate, this is called rape. Rape is a serious crime that can result in being arrested, spending time in jail, and having a permanent criminal record. Having sex with someone who is not sure they want to have sex can also be called rape. For teens, feelings about sex can be new and confusing. For example, sometimes a person begins kissing or petting but then changes their mind and wants to stop. The other person must always listen, even if it is very difficult to stop. It is not harmful to stop sex before orgasm occurs. Teens sometimes get into difficult situations if they are drinking or using drugs and having sex. In these cases, someone may seem to want sex, but they may be too drunk or high to know what they are doing. Later, the sex can be called rape. Teens may be lured into having sex with an adult. It is never OK for an adult to behave in this way. If an adult wants to engage in any type of sexual activity (kissing, petting, oral sex, intercourse), the teen should talk to a parent, healthcare provider, law officer, or other trusted adult at once. Even if you feel like you have done something to cause the adult to be attracted or have sexual feelings, the adult is responsible for controlling his or her behavior, regardless of the circumstances. Certain state laws, which vary from state to state, impose certain regulations or rules on sexual activity, even among teens. As discussed above, it is always a crime for anyone to force or coerce you into having sex against your wishes, no matter if it is an adult or someone around your own age. However, in some states, sex between teens below a certain age may also be illegal, even if both people want to have sex. Rules may depend upon the age of both partners and upon the sex of your other partner(s). Before deciding to have sex, speak to a trusted adult about these important issues. HEALTH ISSUES RELATED TO SEX The main reason it is important to postpone sexual activity until you are mature is that sexual activity affects both the physical and emotional health of the people involved. Here are some facts. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) — There are a number of infections that can be spread during sexual activity. Infections can be spread through sexual intercourse, anal sex, oral sex, and using fingers, other body parts, or sex toys that have come in contact with another person's genitals or body fluids. These diseases are called sexually transmitted infections, or STIs (often called sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs). Common places STIs can occur are the genital organs, anus, and throat. Research has shown that young people are at an increased risk of developing STIs. The reasons for this are not completely understood. However, the younger you are when you start having sex, the more likely it is that you will get an STI. Also, having one STI can make it easier to acquire other STIs at the same time. In many cases, you can get an STI and not know it. This is because STIs often do not have any noticeable signs or symptoms. All of the STIs can have serious consequences for future health. For example, a woman who gets an STI may have difficulty becoming pregnant later in life or may be more prone to developing certain types of cancer, such as cervical cancer. Some of the most important STIs are: HIV — HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). AIDS is a serious, incurable disease of the immune system. Until recently, everyone who developed AIDS died. Although new treatments are now helping many people with HIV infection live longer, there is still no cure for this serious disease or vaccine to prevent it. Many people still die each year from AIDS. Each year, between 40,000 and 80,000 people are newly infected with HIV. Half of these new infections are in people younger than 25 years old. New recommendations call for those who have been sexually active to be tested routinely for HIV infection. The earlier HIV is detected, the sooner a person can obtain treatment and the better their chances are of survival. Speak to your healthcare provider about HIV testing. (See â€Å"Patient information: Testing for HIV†. ) Human papillomavirus — Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common STI in adolescents. Most people who get HPV do not know they have it. Some types of HPV cause genital warts. Other types of HPV cause cervical cancer in woman, penile cancer in men, and anal cancer in either sex. A Pap smear is one important way your healthcare provider can screen for cervical cancer associated with HPV. (See â€Å"Patient information: Condyloma (genital warts) in women† and â€Å"Patient information: Cervical cancer screening†. ) In addition, there is a vaccine for girls age 9 to 26 years to protect against four common types of HPV. Speak to your healthcare provider about this important vaccine. (See â€Å"Patient information: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine†. ) Gonorrhea and chlamydia — These are serious bacterial infections of the genital tract. They can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women, which can cause severe pain and can lead to infertility (inability to become pregnant). Both gonorrhea and chlamydia can be cured with antibiotics. It is important to be screened for these infections if you have had sex, because you may not always have symptoms. (See â€Å"Patient information: Gonorrhea† and â€Å"Patient information: Chlamydia†. ) Herpes simplex virus — This is a viral infection that causes painful or itchy sores or blisters in the genital area. The sores heal but can reappear at any point later in life. There is no cure. The virus can be spread even when there are no blisters present. Medications are available from your healthcare provider to shorten the length of time the blisters last and decrease your risk of repeat outbreaks. (See â€Å"Patient information: Genital herpes†. ) Hepatitis B virus — This is a viral infection that can cause liver disease. In most cases, the disease resolves after the initial illness. But in some people, serious liver damage or liver failure can occur. Most children and adolescents are being vaccinated against this infection with a series of three shots. You should speak to your healthcare provider if you are not sure if you have had this vaccine. (See â€Å"Patient information: Hepatitis B†. ) Syphilis — This is an infection caused by a small organism called a spirochete (/SPY-ro-keet/), which can cause an ulcer on a person's genitals or anus. It is fairly uncommon in teens but more common in certain populations. Sometimes you may not notice the ulcer, because it does not usually cause pain or may be on the inside of the vagina (in females) or anus (in both sexes). It is important to see your healthcare provider right away if you notice any sores or ulcers. The sore usually heals but can cause important long-term problems if untreated. Trichomonas — Trichomonas (â€Å"trich†) is a common infection caused by a tiny parasite that can cause itching and/or a discharge from a person's genital organs. Females notice symptoms far more often than males, although both sexes can be affected and require treatment by a healthcare provider. This infection can be cured with antibiotics. PREVENTING AND SCREENING FOR STIS The only way to be sure you will not get an STI is to not have sex. STIs can be transmitted through sexual intercourse, oral sex, anal sex, and using fingers, other body parts, or sex toys that have come in contact with another person's genitals or body fluids. STIs can be transmitted between a male and a female, between two females, and between two males who have sex. It is not possible to tell by looking at someone whether he or she has an STI. Even if the other person tells you they do not have an STI or says they are â€Å"clean†, you cannot be sure this is true. That is because the person may not know if they are infected. Also, it is common for teens to not be completely truthful about many things in relationships, including whether they may have been exposed to an STI. Condom use — People who are sexually active can reduce their risk of getting an STI by using a latex or polyurethane condom every time they have sex. Male condoms are worn on the penis, helping to prevent body fluids from passing to another person. Female condoms are also available, and can be placed in the vagina to help prevent fluids from passing from one person to another. (If a male and female are having sex, only one should wear a condom. If both the male and female wear a condom, the condoms could rub together and move out of place. ) Dental dams are another barrier device that can be used when performing oral sex on a female. (See â€Å"Patient information: Barrier methods of birth control†. ) Condoms and dental dams reduce the risk of getting an STI, but they do not take away the risk completely. Condoms can break or leak, allowing passage of body fluids and transmission of infection. In addition, condoms do not completely cover all of the skin that is exposed during sex; herpes and HPV can be passed by skin-to-skin contact. Other birth control methods do not reduce the risk of STIs. You can reduce the risk that a male condom will break or slip off in two ways. First, make sure the penis is completely hard before putting on the condom. Also, be sure to squeeze and hold the tip of the condom as you roll the rest of it down the penis, making sure there is no air pocket (like a small balloon) at the end of the penis. Immunizations — Another way to reduce the risk of two specific STIs (HPV and hepatitis B) is to talk to a healthcare provider about immunizations. As previously mentioned, most children and adolescents are routinely immunized against hepatitis B in the United States. The HPV vaccine is now available to females aged nine years and older. Check ups — Regular check-ups by your healthcare provider are important to all adolescents, but it is particularly important to speak with a healthcare provider if you decide to have sex. This talk should include ways to prevent pregnancy and STIs, as well as the need for regular testing for STIs, including HIV. Since STIs can occur in different body sites (genital organs, anus, and throat) and may have no symptoms, it is important to speak honestly with the provider about sexual behavior to get appropriate testing. If your healthcare provider is not comfortable or able to screen you for STIs, ask for a referral to a provider who can. Pregnancy and birth control — Pregnancy is a serious consequence of sexual activity between males and females. Each year in the United States, about 1 million adolescents become pregnant. Pregnancy in teens has serious health consequences. Pregnant teens are more likely to have babies who are premature or sick. A pregnant adolescent is more likely to drop out of school and live in poverty. Although some teens who become pregnant choose to have an abortion, this choice also carries risks. As with STIs, the only way a young woman can be sure she will not become pregnant is to not have sexual intercourse. There is no reliable way to determine a â€Å"safe† time when she will not become pregnant; menstrual cycles at this age can be irregular. Teens should know that pregnancy is possible each time they have sexual intercourse, including the first time and during the menstrual period. Birth control methods are available that can reduce the risk of pregnancy. However, birth control methods other than condoms do not reduce the risk of STIs. The most reliable methods (other than abstinence) must be prescribed by a doctor or nurse. These include birth control pills, patches, and injections. Other newer options for females include a vaginal ring that is worn in the vagina or a small device that must be inserted under the skin by a healthcare provider. (See â€Å"Patient information: Hormonal methods of birth control†. ) Some methods, such as condoms and contraceptive foam, can be purchased without a prescription. A condom should be used every time you have sex, even if another method is used to prevent pregnancy. (See â€Å"Patient information: Barrier methods of birth control†. ) If you use birth control but have an accident (the condom breaks, you forget a pill), you can take a â€Å"morning after pill† to reduce the risk of pregnancy. (See â€Å"Patient information: Emergency contraception (morning after pill)†. ) Teens who engage in sexual activity must be sure they have accurate information about the available birth control options. The best time to decide on a method of birth control is before you start having sex.