Foreign Policy in the Nixon Presidency Essay

Richard Nixon is one of the most controversial figures in American history. His presidency is remembered most for the Watergate scandal and his subsequent resignation but some of his foreign policies forever altered American foreign diplomacy. One of the major policies that President Nixon was responsible for was changing the nature of the United States relationship with China. He did this by setting into motion covert diplomatic actions and cultural exchanges between the two countries. Nixon’s reasons for improving relationships with the Communist regime was to force the Soviet Union to be more accommodating to American demands and to also help end the war in Vietnam. Another reason for improving relations was very personal for Richard Nixon. He wanted to show his power as an international statesman to the world and American public. American/Chinese relations for many years were friendly and involved the trade of goods and ideas. American missionaries had gone to China to bui ld churches and hospitals. The two countries were allies against the Japanese during World War II. After the war ended the United States was not an ally of China as a whole but one political group, the Kuomintang. The Kuomintang, led by Chang Kai Shek, were in battled in a civil war with the Chinese communists who would eventually win out. Chang Kai Shek would take his government to the island of Taiwan. After the civil war, the United States only recognized Chang’s Republic of China and kept the People’s Republic of China, led by Mao Ze-Dong, out of the United Nations and other international bodies. This led to an isolation of China by a majority of the international community. The only diplomatic relations the United States had with China were through intermediary countries. While relations with the United States were sour, the Chinese relationship with the Soviet Union had quickly deteriorated. Both China and the Soviet Union were communist countries but their ideologies were very different. Their relationship slowly became strained and both countries started to build up troops along their common border through the 1960s. After the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia and released the Brezhnev Doctrine, which stated that the Kremlin â€Å"had the right to correct deviationism in other communist countries by military intervention,† the Chinese no longer considered the Soviet Union as an ally. This led to violent border clashes between the two countries in March 1969. By the end of 1969 the Soviet Union had over a million troops stationed along the Soviet/Chinese border and missiles aimed at major Chinese cities. The year before, a former republican vice-president from California, Richard Nixon, was elected president. He had made a name for him self in Congress as a leading anti-communist and he went on to serve as vice-president under Dwight D Eisenhower. Even before he was elected president, Nixon had expressed interest in opening up relations with China despite his previous negative views of communism. In 1967 he wrote an article for Foreign Affairs magazine where he stated â€Å"We simply cannot afford to leave China forever outside the family of nations, there to nurture its fantasies, cherish its hates and threaten its neighbors. There is no place on this small planet for a billion of its potentially most able people to live in angry isolation.† After his election as President Richard Nixon decided to make China one of the primary focuses of his foreign policy. One of his primary reasons for doing this was to gain an upper hand in the now 20-year-old Cold War with the Soviet Union. The Soviets had taken over several Eastern European countries and turned them into communist states in an attempt to show the world the successes of Communism. Also by the late 1960s the United States was no longer confident that it could win a war with the Soviet Union since they had had the two decades since the Second World War to regain it military strength. This required the United States to have to change strategies in dealing with the Soviet Union. They now had to shift their focus to gaining China as an ally. The State Department in the summer of 1969 began to announce various unilateral gestures of reconciliation. Many restrictions on travel and trade were lifted. This would become know as â€Å"Ping Pong† diplomacy. It was so named after the United States ping-pong team was invited to the Chinese capital in April of 1971. During their visit the group was treated as though they were dignitaries or royalty. They played matches against the Chinese team but also visited important landmarks through out China. The American delegation was accompanied by members of the press and was closely watched by the American public. At a banquet for the visiting Americans, Chou En-Lai, the Chinese Premier told the group, â€Å"Exchanges between our two countries have been cut off for a long time but now, with your acceptance of our invitation, you have opened a new page in the relations of the Chinese and American people.† While the American ping-pong players were the talk of the media, behi nd the scenes Nixon was putting into action his plan to improve relations with China. He did this by employing his National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger, to make covert communications with the Chinese government. Before the Ping-Pong players had ever set foot in China and at the beginning of his presidency Nixon had Kissinger prepare a study on the feasibility of improving American/Chinese relations. Originally Kissinger was hesitant about the idea of talks with China even being quoted as saying â€Å"this crazy guy really does want to normalize relations with China.† But even Kissinger knew that an alliance between the United States and China could shift the global political powers more in favor of the United States and away from communism and the Soviet Union. One of the biggest roadblocks to improving relations with China was the issue of Taiwan. Since the Chinese civil war ended the United States had only recognized the government of the Republic of China on the island of Taiwan. So even as Nixon is trying to improve relations with communist China there is still the issue that the United States does not officially recognize the People’s Republic of China as a legitimate government. To ease some of China’s concerns, Nixon instructs his administration to terminate navel patrols in the Straight of Taiwan. Also in a radio address that Nixon gave on February 25, 1971 regarding his congressional foreign policy report he reiterated both his intention to protect Taiwan but open up talks with China. â€Å"We will search for consecutive discussions with Communist China while maintaining our defense commitment to Taiwan. When the Government of the People’s Republic of China is ready to engage in talks, it will find us receptive to agreements that further the legitimate national interests of China and its neighbors.† A visit to China was next on Nixon’s foreign policy agenda. He announced his intentions in 1970, taking much of the world by surprise especially the Soviet Union. He negotiated this visit first by secretly sending Henry Kissinger to Beijing in July of 1971. Kissinger made this covert trip by faking illness on a diplomatic visit to Pakistan and flying to China to convey Nixon’s intention to Premier Zhou En-Lai. It was decided that President Nixon would visit the following year. On February 21, 1972, Richard Nixon became the first United States President to visit China. The following week would become known as the â€Å"week that changed the world. † President Nixon would only meet with an ailing Mao Ze-dong one time during his visit but it would set in motion events that would lead to United States recognition of Mao’s government and an end to the Cold War. The visit ended with both countries issuing the Shanghai Communiquà ©. In this document both countries pledged to work towards normalization of relations. The United States also agreed to remove military forces from Taiwan. Shortly after the delegations return from their visit to China, Richard Nixon tasked Henry Kissinger with negotiating arms treaties with the Soviet Union. With the well-publicized visit closely watched by the Soviets the United States now had more bargaining power. In 1972, Kissinger negotiated the Strategic Arms Limitations Talks. The two Cold-War super powers agreed that they would begin limiting missiles, nuclear arms, and delivery systems. With his relative success in negotiating deals with both China and the Soviet Union, Richard Nixon was hopeful that he would have the same success in negotiating a deal with North Vietnam to end the Vietnam War. Going into his re-election campaign in 1972 the United States had been at war in Vietnam for 12 years, over 50,000 had been killed, and billions of dollars had been spent. His first major policy regarding Vietnam that Nixon put into place was the Nixon Doctrine. The Doctrine had three major tenants. First, the United States would honor all of its treaty agreements. Secondly, the United States would provide a shield if a nuclear power threatened an ally or a country the United States deemed to be vital to its national security. And, lastly, the United States would provide military and economic aid to countries under treaty agreements, but the requesting nation would be expected to bear primary responsibility to provide the manpower for its own defense. The Nixon Doctrine led to the withdrawal of ground troops from Vietnam and training the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) in defense of their own country. Nixon had also hoped that his new treaties with China would help to isolate the North Vietnamese and convince them to sign a peace treaty. In 1973, a cease-fire was negotiated at the Paris Peace Accords and ended United States involvement in Vietnam. However this did not stop the spread of communism to south Vietnam. Nixon’s improved relations with China were largely unsuccessful in there being a positive resolution of the Vietnam War. While the entire episode of the Vietnam War was seen as a blemish on Richard Nixon’s Presidency he was still very concerned about his image not only among the American public but on the world stage as well. He wanted to use his visit to China to draw attention to his expertise as a global statesman. Among the people that accompanied Nixon on his trip to China was White House Chief of Staff Bob Haldeman. While Nixon was meeting mostly with Chinese Premier Zhou and negotiating agreements, Haldeman and Nixon’s wife Pat toured factories and schools throughout China. Mrs. Nixon was followed by a large group of press. Bob Haldeman was in charge of making their visit look very positive to the American public. Margaret MacMillan writes in her book Nixon in China, â€Å"The images flowed back to the United States, targeted for prime-time evening television. It was a presidential election year at home and Haldeman wanted to make sure that Nixon shone out as the great leader and statesman.† From the very beginning of his Presidency Richard Nixon always wanted to be seen in a positive light especially his portrayal in the media. He tasked members of his staff with combating any negative comments said about him and manage any news about him. He bordered on obsessive when it came to public image. His first week in office he formed a task called the â€Å"Five O’clock† group that was responsible for monitoring television programs for any negative comments about the President or his administration and defending them. With the Vietnam War and the protests to the end the war at the top of most news stories, Nixon needed to do something to get his name back in the limelight. Many believe that this a major factor for his motivation to reach out to China and his subsequent visit. During his time in China he made sure the entire trip was highly publicized. He did numerous photo opportunities at such places like the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. The reception his visit received by the American public was very positive. This was their first view into the isolated nation in over 20 years. This view, however, was a carefully scripted play put on by the Chinese government. This was their attempt to show a â€Å"New† China, not one that was still suffering from th e isolationist policies of the Cultural Revolution. The Chinese officials responsible for showing China in a positive way had people picnicking outside of factories in the bitter cold listening to revolutionary music and then collected the radios they were listening to after the delegation left. These inconsistencies were noticed by a Canadian member of the press to which Premier Zhou had to quietly admit that this was wrong of them to do. But the idea of a â€Å"New† China would only help President Nixon portray to the world that America and China, even with such opposite political views, could come to an understanding. His visit took the entire worlds view off of Vietnam and on to him personally while he visited China. Kissinger had pled with President Nixon to not make his trip to China a media circus because of the impact it would have internationally with America’s allies and enemies. International reaction to the visit was mixed. The United States allies were mostly disappointed that they had been kept in the dark about the new relations. The British felt particularly offended that they were not informed before hand about the dealings going on between the Americans and the Chinese. Even with the somewhat cool reception in the international community about Richard Nixon’s visit to China it was still one of the most significant moments in United States foreign policy during the Cold War. Henry Kissinger wrote in his memoir On China, â€Å" The reward for Sino-American rapprochement would not be a state of perpetual friendship or a harmony of values, but a rebalancing of the global equilibrium.† Richard Nixon helped to accomplish this by improving relations with China in an effort to change the American relationship with the Soviet Union and end the Vietnam War. While his intentions were for both personal and professional gain, either way his foreign policies remain at the top of his successes as President. Nixon’s presidency is mostly remembered of one wrought with corruption and following the Watergate scandal, he is still the only United States President to resign from office. He became known as politician that would use any means necessary to accomplish his goals but this also led to his downfall. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bundy, William. A Tangled Web: The making of Foreign Policy in the Nixon Presidency. New York, 1989. Chang, Gordon H.. Friends and enemies: the United States, China, and the Soviet Union, 1948-1972. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1990. Devoss, David A. â€Å"Ping-Pong Diplomacy.† Smithsonian . 33. no. 1 2002 Keilers, John G. U.S. Army Military History Institute, â€Å"Nixon Doctrine and Vietnamization.† Last modified 2007. Accessed November 14, 2012. http://www.army.mil/article/3867/Nixon_Doctrine_and_Vietnamization/. Kissinger, Henry On China. New York: Penguin Press, 2011. Print. MacMillan, Margaret. Nixon in China: the week that changed the world. Toronto: Viking Canada, 2006. Nixon, Richard. Miller Center, â€Å"Radio Address About Second Annual Foreign Policy Report to the Congress .† Last modified 1971. Accessed November 14, 2012. http://millercenter.org/president/speeches/detail/3875. Nixon, Richard M. â€Å"Asia After Viet Nam.† Foreign Affairs, October 1967. http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/23927/richard-m-nixon/asia-after-viet-nam (accessed October 18, 2012) Small, Melvin. The presidency of Richard Nixon. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1999. Walker, Anne Collins, John Eastman, and Elizabeth C Eastman. China calls: paving the way for Nixon’s historic journey to China. Lanham, Md.: Madison Books :, 1992.

Sex Education in the School

In today's society there is an on going debate over sex education and its influence on our children. â€Å"The question is no longer should sex education be taught, but rather how it should be taught† (DeCarlo). With teenage pregnancy rates higher than ever and the imminent threat of the contraction of STD's, such as HIV, the role of sex education in the school is of greater importance now then ever before. By denying children sex education you are in a sense sheltering them from the harsh realities they are bound to encounter. Sex education has become an essential part of the curriculum and by removing the information provided by this class we'll be voluntarily putting our children in danger. During the teenage years every boy and girl undergo major changes in the body that most of the time need explaining. This underscores one of the most evident reasons for sexual education being taught to students. Sex education can help children to cope with the many changes caused by the onset of puberty. One such example is a female's first menstruation and the uneasiness they feel. If this girl had been informed of this change prior to its onset, then her ability to accept and understand it would be greatly enhanced. Hormonal and physical changes in the body begin without warning and a child needs to know why these changes are occurring. Students are taught about the anatomy of the human body and how and why it works the way it does. Knowing and understanding how ones body works is a fundamental part any persons life and ability to gain this knowledge should not be removed. At the beginning of puberty hormones start rushing and all teenagers begin to experience sexual urges. It's not something anyone, including a parent or teacher, can control. It's a natural function of the body and has been since the beginning of time. With this hormone rush comes experimentation among teenagers. They begin to explore their bodies along with the bodies of other people. â€Å"You can't prevent teenagers from having sex, no matter what you preach. If students are having sex they might as well do it the safe way. It's a way for schools to show that they actually care,† says Shauna Ling-Choung (qt. Richardson â€Å"When sex_† B1). Students need the support from schools to know they have somewhere to go for the good or bad. With sex education classes the students are taught about various methods of contraception, including abstinence. By teaching the students about the many types of contraception, the chance of contraceptives being used is greatly increased. Many schools have recently begun programs to distribute condoms to students in their schools in order to hopefully increase the use of condoms. A recent study shows that the availability of condoms in schools did in fact increase condom use. Condom access is a â€Å"low-cost harmless addition† to our current sex education programs (Richardson â€Å"Condoms in_† B8). When thinking of sex education for our children, the cliche‚ â€Å"better safe than sorry† should immediately come to mind. Along with teaching contraceptives to students the vital information of STD's are also taught. Currently, out of all age groups, teenagers have the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases, with one in four young people contracting and STD by the age of twenty-one (DeCarlo). Included in the STD category is the HIV virus, which is spreading at alarming rates among our teenage population. It is believed that at least twenty percent of new patients with AIDS were infected during their teenage or early adult years. † And still some school leaders are trying to remove our best means of prevention of the disease: sex education (Roye 581) Teachers are able to educate students with the correct information on the many types of sexually transmitted diseases that exist in the world today. False information about ways of contracting diseases, symptoms of and treatments of STDs, and preventative measures are weeded out and students receive the accurate information about sexually transmitted diseases. Protection of our children from sexually transmitted diseases should start in the classroom where it can be assured that the correct and critical information will be provided to them. Nobody likes to be talked to like they are a child, and by denying teenagers sexual education, schools are in a sense talking down to them. By teaching them the facts about sex, teenagers feel a sense of maturity because it's a mature topic and they are fully aware of that. Students get the feeling that the adults in their lives feel that they are responsible enough to learn about this topic. Therefore bringing on more of a response from teenagers. They know they are being treated as adults so they are going to pay attention to what they are being taught and then act as adults and carry out what they were taught. Teenagers appreciate when adults treat them as equals, and anyone will see that children will always respond better to this than to being treated as a Much of the typical family structure in the United States and many other places in the world have deteriorated over the last century. A good portion of parents today are divorced and many of the families that haven't experienced divorce live with both parents working full time jobs. Families today aren't like the family on â€Å"Leave It to Beaver,† a sitcom that aired in the sixties; the mother isn't home all day baking and making sure that the house is clean. Since family structure has changed, so have the way children are being raised. Society cannot count on all parents to instill morals into their children and teach them the facts of life or even the difference between right and wrong these days. Parents just don't have the time for it. Recently the Vatican released a document stating that † parents alone cannot give children the positive sex education they need to develop healthy attitudes towards sex† (Euchner). Another view on the subject taken by the Nebraska Public School system is that sex education in today's society is to complicated to be left to â€Å"the varying influences of parental attitudes and haphazard environmental exposure† (Chaumont et al. ). Besides, even if the parent were around more often then not, the chances of a child approaching their parent about the â€Å"bird and the bees† is very unlikely. These children need to have a place were the information on this touchy subject is provided to them without them needing to ask. â€Å"Kids don't go asking their parents, this is the only way for them to find out answers because they are to embarrassed to ask anyone else,† says Pallodino, and eighteen-year-old from Virginia. (O'Hanlon B8). In order for children to grow up with the correct information regarding sex, it is necessary to have sex education provided to them in schools. Even though sex education seems as if it can do no wrong, there still remain many opponents, including many authors who clearly express their view, that are still against it in our schools. There are many reasons why people feel like this, two of which are they feel as if sex education does no good at all and another is that people feel that it is influencing students to have sex. Ellen Hopkins, author of â€Å"Sex is for Adults†, says that sex education does many great things , except for the one thing we want it to do, make our children more responsible. (Hopkins 589). She feels as though the information that students are receiving is not having any influence on them. The feeling that sex education classes are influencing teenagers to have sex is a feeling that is shared by William Kilpatrick. He states that â€Å"as the statistics show, American teenagers are living up to expectation. They are having more sex and using more condoms† (Kilpatrick 597). These two individuals, along with many others, feel that sex education is doing more harm then it is good. Teenage sexual activity has been raising steadily for more than two decades until now. A recent survey shows the first drop since the nineteen seventies. In 1990 girls that had engaged in sexual intercourse was at fifty-five percent, until 1995 when it dropped to fifty percent. The percentage of boys engaging in sexual intercourse also dropped by five percent. The use of condoms have tripled since the 1970's showing people are being safer about sex (Vobejda et al. A1). A poll done by Reuter's show that eighty-two percent of the people who participated in the survey supported sex education in schools (Yahoo). Studies obviously show that sex education courses are helping today's teenagers to become more responsible for their own actions. The information that sex education provides teenagers is indispensable. Schools are meant to educate our children in not just one topic but all topics. â€Å"Why would anyone on the state Board of Education not want to cover something comprehensively? Do we take that approach with history or math? † says Denice Bruce of Wichita, Kansas (Associated Press). Sexually educating our children is just important if not more important than math or history because sex education can mean the difference between life and death of your child.

1950’s Nostalgia

1950s Nostalgia Real and Imagined Stephanie Coontz is a professor of Family History at the Evergreen State College in Olympia Washington. She is a nationally recognized expert on the family and an award winning writer. In her 1997 book â€Å"The Way We Really Are: Coming to Terms with America’s Changing Families†, Stephanie Coontz wrote an essay entitled â€Å"What We Really Miss about the 1950s†. In Stephanie Coontz’s â€Å"What We Really Miss about the 1950s†, she argues that we as a country collectively remember the 1950s with a nostalgic tone, but we are not remembering this era in its entirety, nor are we completely accurate.She explains that the family and economic life that we remember and long for does not represent the whole truth of that era by any means. Coontz keeps a semi-formal tone throughout this essay. She begins by acknowledging the nostalgia that America feels toward the 1950s era. She continues by reminding us that there are also things that we do not miss about that time period in America. She elaborates on several points that we do specifically miss about the 1950s, such as the nuclear focus of family life and the profound wage increases.Coontz talks about how in the 1950s, employers and the government did a lot to help families prosper, including offering housing and employment assistance, as well as offering the GI Bill to armed services veterans who wanted to go back to school. Booming economic prosperity and the downturn in the economy that occurred in the 1970s, these were, she states, the real reasons behind the end of the 1950s family experiment.People sometimes reminisce on the past with nostalgia, remembering the â€Å"Good Old Days† and how values and ethics have seemed to disappear. In the 1950’s, like in no other decade, people became homeowners; prosperity was plentiful and bad times were thought to be something of the past. Capitalism was working and it was working well, to hav e a better life than one’s parents was only matter of willingness. Clearly it is evident why â€Å"Americans chose the 1950’s than any other single decade as the best time for children to grow up. † (Coontz, 32).In the essay â€Å"What We really Miss About the 1950’s† Stephanie Coontz has made several observations that â€Å"The Golden Age† was not brought by a thriving free-market competition but by large government spending to provide jobs and benefits to millions of Americans that which resembled a socialistic nation. Coontz implies that Americans miss high taxes and large government spending, because of the prosperity they brought. â€Å"40 percent of young men were eligible for veteran’s benefits, and these benefits were far more extensive than those available to Vietnam-era vets. (Coontz, 42). Apart from these benefits people began to have high paying jobs, many provided by government programs. The government also made it easie r for Americans to finance a house by â€Å"creating two new national institutions to facilitate home loans, allowed veterans to put down payments as low as a dollar on a house, and offered tax breaks to people who bought homes†(Coontz,42,43). WWII brought the highest level of taxation the United States has ever experienced; â€Å"top earning Americans paid 87 percent of their income while corporate taxes were 52 percent† (Coontz, 42). hese rates were kept well thru the 1950’s. Coontz argues that this extra revenue made it possible for many veterans to go to college almost tuition-free, doubling the percentage of college students from prewar levels. Throughout the 20th Century, families have radically changed. After WWI, a large transitional phase began and all the women that worked to support the war effort now had their jobs stripped from them. During the 1950's, there was a lifestyle in America that was essentially set in stone from birth. Television portraye d an image that women were to stay to home with the children.Shows such as, Leave it to Beaver, and Father Knows Best displayed a stereotypical way of life and structure in a family. â€Å"The sitcoms were simultaneously advertisements, etiquette manuals, and how-to lessons for a new way of organizing marriage and child rising† (Coontz, 39). Although television shows of the 1950's were not true reality, it seemed to be a good model at the time. Family life in the 50's era differs greatly from today's family unit. Children of that generation didn't have many choices when they were growing up. They typically followed the â€Å"blueprint† presented to them by their family and societal norms.Boys and girls went to school together throughout their youth, and upon completion, they would typically follow in their families’ footsteps. They were mainly interested in marriage. Starting a â€Å"functional† family was considered successful. An idle family to them was not only getting along, but focused also on appearance. Like the show Leave it to Beaver where the mother is â€Å"decked out in earrings and a pearl necklace. † (Soto, 29). The children and father also had to look prim and proper with their hair neatly combed and their clothes ironed.Women would stay at home caring for the children and household duties, while men would go to work and insure the family’s financial stability. The father would have full demeanor of the family and women were not expected to work outside. The issue that the â€Å"perfect† family is present in an important part of the advertisement, represent the idea that the people still want to live in that way, because the reality as Gary Soto show us is very different and difficult, and in the other hand as Coontz explain the ideal of this perfect family represented in the 50s generate more nostalgic and desire of any other idea if family lived in other decade.The perfect family is different of the real family in that the perfect family live in a scenario in which are no major problems with a very structured routine as Gary Soto explain, living a life which is not affected by external variables, and the real family in the other hand has different nuances in which are observed everyday problems and where it has be to solved, besides being a participant in a number of variables that affect daily living.There is a trend to idealize the past as Coontz says, being idealized the decade of the 50s by the presence of this perfect family, however, this perfect family hide problems as serious as sexism, racism and intolerance among others, being exposed that the existence of the perfect family is nothing more than a myth. At present, the perfect family is idealized because it offers a utopian alternative in which people can live better, although there is evidence that even in the best case in the pursuit of the perfect family are presented important collateral effects in other topi cs.The publicity that is currently being developed provides recurring images of the perfect family, showing that the idealization of the perfect family and the aspirational sense that it represents remains as a constant in the advertising in time as an effort to associate products with the perfect family because it is an important driver of purchase. Stephanie Coontz mention a show called Leave it to Beaver. They watched them to see how families were suppose to live – and also to get a little reassurance that they were headed in the right direction† (Coontz 39). This image led to the most common dream myths about America that, most people seem to be in agreements is that everyone can achieve the dream, everyone has equal playing field to obtain the dream, and the American dream is obtainable no matter what race the person is. This is not the case once here; many people soon find this out in their race for happiness.

Astronomy_xtra2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Astronomy_xtra2 - Essay Example â€Å"Beyond the Big Bang† is a must see video for beginning or advanced students. The concepts taken for granted today, like the planets revolving around the sun, gravity, and star compositions were unknown thousands of years ago. This led to the Greeks and Romans to create Gods out of the stars. Astrology was born out of the superstitious thoughts of events happening due to star and planet position. The Greeks and Romans could only view the sky with the naked eye. Without modern technologies or telescopes, the ancient world believed the Earth was the center of the universe. Copernicus, Keppler, and Galileo built upon each other’s work. Despite religious interference, the sun was proven to be the center of the universe. However, Galileo’s attempt to interpret the Biblical passage to fit his theories caused his downfall. From the beginning religious dogma interfered with astronomy and science. Although the telescope was proving Church doctrine wrong, Galileo was silenced due to Church belief. It is amazing how humans wanted to stay ignorant in the name of faith. Gravity was proven by Newton. This helped prove how planets revolve around the Earth. Gravity holds our universe together. Newton’s formula for gravity and mathematics has built the study of physics. The science and mathematical merger of physics helped future scientists create new theories. Einstein built upon Newton’s theories. The idea of a finite universe scared Einstein, who wanted an infinite universe. After studying gravity, Einstein came to the conclusion the universe did have a beginning. Einstein’s Theory of Relativity was arrived by shear thought. He was an intelligent man that could think out experiments in his head. Einstein figured out that the universe was expanding or contracting. Despite his reservations, Einstein proved that the universe was moving away. Einstein could not have imagined that his research would prove the

Nike Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nike - Case Study Example Maintaining a level of high innovation, operational efficiency, and driving the creative and wild spirit of the brand culture will continue to be the differentiating factor between Nike and their closest competitors in the marketplace. The major competitors for Nike are: Adidas/Reebok- Both are very established brands domestically and especially internationally with a loyal customer base. For Adidas their key demographics are especially the 35 and older crowd. Their grass roots presence and their history of amateur sports sponsorship especially in soccer has allowed the company to maintain its position as the number two performance apparel and footwear company of Europe. Reebok with their strong market presence, strong endorsement, and fashion focus has captured a significant portion of the market share. 1) Nike has grown from its humble beginnings back in 1962 when Phil Knight started Blue Ribbon Sports the precursor to Nike to become the world’s largest athletic footwear and apparel company. Nike as a brand became known for its edginess, innovation and cutting edge technology. The brand's focus on performance and true innovation has built a high level of consumer acceptance and brand equity from serious athletes and amateurs and as a direct consequence the general public alike. Through savvy marketing campaigns, key sponsorships of professional athletes, sport leagues, teams, and its tradition for continuous technological and operational improvements the company has maintained its leadership position in the industry both domestically and internationally. By shifting its focus towards the consumer and not just the product Nike succeeded in capturing and maintaining the largest market share in the industry. 2) Despite incredible success in the domestic market by the 1980's Nike passed Adidas as the number one domestic athletic shoe company. Nike faced a lot of difficulty getting a foothold in the European market with formidable competitors like Adidas an d Puma controlling over 75% of the athletic shoe and apparel market. By adapting its marketing campaign to suit its target audience and through savvy marketing and grassroots efforts Nike has developed its brand equity to become the market leader in the world. By becoming the world's largest athletic shoe and apparel company in the world Nike has had to face a lot of criticism for their unfair labor practices in their Asian manufacturing facilities. 3) Sponsorship deals with athletes like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods were crucial to development of Nike's brand image as a whole. One of the key elements that helped Nike develop its brand equity domestically and internationally was through a marketing strategy where individual markets saw ads that featured local heroes and athletes and through direct financial support of local sport leagues and teams in the markets they served. Becoming an official sponsor for world renowned international sport events such as the Olympics places the brand in a unique position to increase the brand's goodwill, consumer confidence, and increases loyalty to the brand as a whole. 4) By becoming the number one athletic footwear and apparel company Nike is open to a diversity of operational factors and exposure that need to be constantly monitored. Nike's corporate image was negatively affected when allegations of unsafe work

Family violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Family violence - Essay Example Elders undergo different forms of abuse including physical, psychological, sexual, material abuse and at times they risk being neglected. These forms of abuse may result to physical, emotional or behavior injury to the victim. According to Wallace & Roberson (2013), the most serious and common type of elder abuse is psychological abuse (p. 297). This form of abuse involves inflictions of pain and distress mostly through non-verbal act, example humiliating, intimidating or isolating the elderly. In many occasions, the victims may deny this form of abuse although he/she may feel deprived of family support or rejections resulting to the victim believing there is no reason of continuing living. This may lead to depression, neurotic disorders, anxiety or even the psychoneurotic behavior. At times, elders can fall victims of caretakers who may act as predators or those caretakers who have mental disorders that make them abusive. If the elders value their independence and are in a position to handle their affairs, they should not accept any form of abuse, intimidation or exploitation from their caretakers. Instead, as written by Wallace & Roberson (2013) they should take reasonable measures to protect themselves by seeking advice and powers from the attorney (p. 299). There are some institutions that ensure that the elderly live with dignity and are free from any type of abuse or exploitation. This will ease the challenges that they face during their old age. Stalking is a behavior involving repeated unwanted communication in a way that would cause fear and stress in people. There are many types of stalkers each being complex because of the varying reasons and time. According to Wallace & Roberson (2013), the victims of stalking are usually harassed or threatened with contact ranging from making calls or visiting the victim (p. 371). Zamu et al. established a database that clearly explains the different categories of

Impact of Genetic Engineering Technology on People, Society and the Research Paper

Impact of Genetic Engineering Technology on People, Society and the Community - Research Paper Example The genetic engineering technology was made possible also because of the contribution of many scientists in the past who discovered many things relating to genetics and molecular biology (Joshi, 2012, p. 12). Genetic engineering technology has had a wide range of developments in diverse fields. Genetic engineering has been applied in the field of agriculture, medicine, and industry. The technology of engineering the genetic composition or the genome of an organism has been capitalized by many scientists. For example in agriculture, it all started with cross-breeding of animals and cross-pollination of the plant. This has advanced to the genetic modification through engineering the genome of the plants and animals through genetic alterations where a set of genetic codes can be added to an organism to enhance a certain trait that is required. Various methods of carrying out this process safely and in the right manner have been exploited. This was after it was realized that the traits of an organism can be altered through this process. Advances were made on the use of viral vectors to inject genetic material into the genome of an organism, through the use of natural transformation and other processes (Joshi, 2012, p. 68). Genetic engineering has been employed in a range of fields as stated above including agriculture, medicine, and industry. Genetic engineering has been used in the field of Agriculture for the production of better-performing crops and animals. It has been used to enhance agricultural production by enhancing the quality, increasing the yield, the nutritional value, the quality of meat in animals among other things (Joshi, 2012, p. 152). This technology has also been used in the field of medicine for therapeutic purposes, the treatment of cancer, the correction of genetic disorders among other purposes.  Ã‚  

GW Restaurant Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

GW Restaurant Project - Essay Example Gantt, an American engineer and social scientist. There are now many other PM tools available, for project design, analysis, control, and decision-making, such as Microsoft Project 2002. The ultimate goal of the project is successful establishment of the new restaurant named GW Restaurant. The project is important for expansion of George Wright's empire. Team has become an increasingly important part of business success. Efficient people management can lead the project to good result, while inefficient one often becomes the main reason for project failure. Therefore a great responsibility is incumbent on project manager. The project manager has sole responsibility and authority for project and contract direction and control, however he or she may delegate single or multiple responsibilities. A Project Management Plan is commonly used to document key management parameters in a central location and is updated throughout the project focusing on recognition of changes in program planning and management of those changes. (WBDG Project Management Committee 2005) As Gray and Larson write, projects must have a defined endpoint - this is contrary to the ongoing duties and responsibilities of traditional jobs. (Gray, C.F. and Larson, E.W. 2000, p.2) Duration of the GW Restaurant Project is 52 days; it starts 1st October 2005 and finishes 9th December 2005. All project participants are working without overtime. I think that absence of overtime produces more effective and qualitative work of personnel. Also if something goes wrong, it would be possible to make the team work on weekend and in that way to keep time limits. The time schedule for the project is built based on the Work Breakdown Structure. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is used to provide a... As the report declar the ultimate goal of the project is successful establishment of the new restaurant named GW Restaurant. The project is important for expansion of George Wright’s empire. Team has become an increasingly important part of business success. Efficient people management can lead the project to good result, while inefficient one often becomes the main reason for project failure. Therefore a great responsibility is incumbent on project manager. The project manager has sole responsibility and authority for project and contract direction and control, however he or she may delegate single or multiple responsibilities. According to the report findings a Project Management Plan is commonly used to document key management parameters in a central location and is updated throughout the project focusing on recognition of changes in program planning and management of those changes. The time schedule for the project is built based on the Work Breakdown Structure. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is used to provide a framework for breaking the GW Restaurant Project into Stages and Activities and then organizing them in a logical way. The critical path is a sequence of activities through a project network from start to finish, the sum of whose durations determines the overall project duration.

Creating Academic and Professional Success Essay - 1

Creating Academic and Professional Success - Essay Example A team is a collection of individuals that have unique talents and expertise. As a team they are able to exploit and share the knowledge that they possess. A team is able to assign a task to the most applicable member of the team and in doing so it makes the most advantageous use of their resources. This also allows the team members some flexibility in their role as a team member. In addition, the team allows management to assign workflow as needed. Teams can be assembled for a short period of time on an as needed basis. Teams also have the advantage of sharing a common goal. When the group shares the common goal, all work and resources are devoted to reaching the goal. This reduces redundancy and ambiguity among the workforce and makes the best use of their time. It further allows the team to direct their attention to complex problem solving as a group that an individual may not be able to accomplish. This interjects more creativity and flexibility into the workflow process. While there are many advantages, it must be remembered that teams must have the appropriate communication skills to be able to take advantage of the team structure. When using a team for decision making, the group may be guided by group-think or extreme positions advocated by powerful members. This is a major challenge to overcome to assure all team members have an equal input. Another challenge to a team is the acceptance, by its members, that responsibility and rewards are shared equally. This may face difficulties in introducing the team concept where the organizational culture is ingrained with a task oriented and individual concept. The team may have loafers that assume they can slack off and spread the responsibility out among the other members. Miscommunication or cultural differences that are misunderstood can also challenge the team. The team will be challenged to work to overcome these problems as the team matures. For Chris to deal with stress

Othello Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Othello - Essay Example In his final words, Othello confesses that he has â€Å"loved not wisely, but too well† (V, ii, 353). This insight goes a long way toward explaining Othello’s character. It is because of where he’s placed his love that he behaves the way he does. He is a hero because of his ability to act according to what love dictates and is brought to his ruin because of where that love had been placed. Generally, heroism refers to a character that embodies our concepts of what is good and noble in the human race (Vest, 2002). Othello is a good example of this as he has risen, through his own hard effort, from the pits of slavery to the General of the Venetian ships. â€Å"I fetch my life and being / From men of royal siege [rank]; and my demerits [deserts] / May speak unbonneted to as proud a fortune / As this that I have reached [are equal to]† (21-23). In addition, the Duke himself calls upon Othello at times of great need as in â€Å"Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you / Against the general enemy Ottoman† (48-49). However, Othello’s nobility lies not just on the surface level of his position in society, but in his own moral judgment as when he is faced with an angry father and his warlike supporters: â€Å"Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them / Good signior, you shall more command with years / Than with your weapons† (59-61 ). It is thus in his love for Desdemona that his nobility shines through. In this statement, his nobility shines through as he defends his wife’s honor, acknowledges the respect owed to his elders and refuses to cross swords with them. All classic heroes also have an element of excessive pride, which contributes to their downfall as they become unable to discern truth from reality (McAlindon, 2002). Although it is harder to see in Othello because he is working to keep his speech humble, this same pride is

EXPENDITURE PLANNING AND CONTROL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

EXPENDITURE PLANNING AND CONTROL - Essay Example Conclusion......................................................................................13 Appendix A: Time and Cost Calculation................................................15 Appendix B: Preliminaries cost due to the Prolongation of the Works. 15 References 16 Bibliography 17 Expenditure Planning and Control – Assignment 1 I. Introduction I have been instructed by the main contractor (‘the Contractor’) to prepare a report in relation to a construction project which has experienced significant problems from the get go, which have resulted in delay and disruptions during the course of the Works. These delays and disruptions have inevitably affected the Contractor’s ability to complete the work in a timely fashion. This report provides an independent assessment of the surrounding particulars and contract documentation with a view to resolving the matter. I have specifically been instructed to include in the report the following points: an analysis of the delays; extension of time (‘EOT’); liquidated damages; valuation of work and claims for loss and / or expense. Generally speaking, I am instructed to provide my opinion in relation to the parties’ rights and obligations under the contract. The report begins by outlining in brief the ‘Background Facts’ and issues which arose (see section II). Section III of the report provides an ‘Analysis of the Issues’. Under this section, each problem is addressed in chronological order. The ‘Procedural Issues’ are set out at section IV. Section V addresses the ‘Methods of Quantification’. Finally, section VI is the Conclusion. II. Background Facts The contract was entered into by the parties for the construction of an extension to a cancer centre at a hospital in the north east (‘the project’). The project can be more specifically summarised as the construction of an extension and some refurbishment work t o the cancer unit. The standard form construction contract used for the works is the JCT Standard Building Contract with Quantities (SBC/Q) (‘JCT05’) with sectional completion. This form of contract is generally used where the works have been designed / detailed by or on behalf of the Employer. The contract documentation is comprised of the JCT05 contract, contract drawing and the bill of quantities. The Contract Sum for the Works was set at ?4,000,000 under a firm price contract; otherwise known as a fixed price contract. The Contractor was to be paid monthly with 3% of the Contract Sum being retained by the Employer until completion. The duration of the contract was 34 weeks with a start date scheduled for 1st February 2008. The Works were to be executed whilst the neighbouring hospital buildings were to be occupied. It was specifically mentioned in the Preliminaries, however, that the Works were to be carried out with ‘as little disruption as possible to the da y to day working of the hospital’. Albeit, contractors were advised to visit the site at the pre-tendering stage in order to assess the conditions which could potentially impede the execution of the Works (see the Preliminaries). Furthermore, there is only one site entrance, which is situated along a busy road and is also on a ‘blind corner’, which requires careful supervision at the time of site deliveries. The following issues arose on site soon after the works commenced: Relevant Issues i) A delay of six weeks resulted after site conditions were found to be of poor quality which demanded that the foundations be redesigned; ii) A further five

Problems of Modern India and Swami Vivekanand Essay Example for Free

Problems of Modern India and Swami Vivekanand Essay India is one of the fastest developing countries in the world. With its diversified culture, civilization, natural resources, technology and a wealth of skilled human resources, it is also one of the fastest growing economies in the world. But at the same time there are several problems plaguing our Modern India which are affecting the growth and development of our country. Widespread corruption and terrorism are some of the main problems facing India today. Corruption is very widespread in India. It ranks 72 amongst the top most corrupt countries in the world. In India corruption takes the form of bribes, evasion of taxes, misappropriation of funds, and embezzlement amongst others. A study found that more than 50% of the Indian population had firsthand experience of paying bribes or peddling influence to get a job done in a public office. The main consequence of corruption is a loss to exchequer, an unhealthy environment for investment and an increase in cost of government services. Apart from this Corruption also leads to an unethical society. This increases the already existing gap between poor and wealthy. This may lead to unrest and destruction of modern societies. This social evil needs to be curbed so as to bring back moral values in the society as well as to fill the widening gap between the wealthy and the poor. Swami Vivekananda was, above all, an honest and ethical man on a righteous path. He had a strong sense of ethics, morals and principles. One of his famous sayings is that â€Å"Unselfishness is God†. Selfishness and greed are the main causes of corruption. If we all followed in Swami Vivekananda’s footsteps and followed his teachings, we would know better than to be so selfish as to extort money from other people in the form of bribes and embezzlement. If more people followed Swami Vivekananda’s teachings and principles, we would not have so many selfish people who only think about what they want and not about the situation of the poor person whom they are forcing to pay bribes. We would not have so many greed driven people who, in spite of having more wealth than the person sitting across them, still extort and bully the other person into paying them massive bribes. If only more people followed the righteous path shown by Swami Vivekananda and put the ideals he taught to practice, the evil of corruption wouldn’t be so rampant in modern India. Terrorism today is a global issue that’s feared by almost every country in the world. But it’s a major issue in modern India owing to the basic religious differences present in India since the time of independence. Religion is the main cause behind terrorism. Terrorists commit acts of terrorism and violence in the name of protecting and promoting their religion. Pakistani militants have constantly attacked India since the Mumbai bombings of 1993 in the name of Jihad. Swami Vivekananda always preached about the importance of uniting religious beliefs for the progress of the human race. He didn’t believe in marginalizing any religion and believed every religion to be equal. He definitely was against any kind of violence especially for the preaching of religion. One of his famous sayings was â€Å"The secret of religion lies not in theories but in practice. To be good and do good that is the whole of religion†. He preached about spreading religion by doing good and teaching people how to always do good unto others. Terrorists today have chosen the path of violence to spread their religious beliefs which is totally opposite to what Swami Vivekananda taught us so no wonder terrorism is such a big issue. Religious tolerance and respect for one other’s beliefs would go a long way towards helping us curb the evil of terrorism and also help humanity move forward harmoniously on the path of progress in unity. Corruption and terrorism are two of the major issues eating away at our glorious nation and hindering its progress greatly. Following in Swami Vivekananda’s footsteps and practicing the ideals and principles that he preached would help the populace of modern India be less selfish so as to consider the needs of others and less greedy so that people think twice before extorting and bullying some poor guy for their money. It would also increase religious tolerance amongst people so that terrorism is curbed and modern India can progress without such hindrances.

Maternal Nutrition During Pregnancy

Maternal Nutrition During Pregnancy Reflection on maternal nutrition during pregnancy and advice given to a client The aim of this assignment is to reflect on my learning experience and the time spent with a midwife in an antenatal clinic advising pregnant women on a nutritional diet for a healthy pregnancy. Also, the reflection helped me recognise a negative aspect of my experience, as well as focus on the positive part of the event. For this essay I will use Gibbs’ (1988) type of reflective cycle. The model contains six phases necessary to complete one cycle of reflection associated with description of an event; my feelings and deep thoughts, evaluation and analysis of the case, examination of the whole situation and summary of my experience. My second clinical placement was in an antenatal clinic in a hospital. On the day I worked with a registered midwife providing nutritional advice to pregnant women. According to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2015), in order to protect the chosen woman and her partner’s anonymity, I will refer to them utilising the pseudonyms Anne and Tom. Anne arrived on time for her appointment with the midwife. She was a twenty two year old lady, primigravida, nine weeks plus one day pregnant. Also, Anne had a body mass index (BMI) of 23, and her pregnancy was unplanned, but she was excited to discuss her nutritional needs with us. After welcoming Anne and introducing ourselves, I obtained a verbal consent from the client to participate and discuss nutritional issues during her pregnancy. The midwife knew me well as we had worked together almost a week. I had some experience managing and recording maternal observation, but she was aware that I had never presented nutritional information directly to a woman. At first, the midwife advised me to get familiar with the hospital policy and procedural guidance about food and nutrition during pregnancy. A day before Anne’s appointment, the midwife and I discussed the subject of high nutritional requirements and the appropriate diet to be maintained throughout the pregnancy. I began my interview with Anne by communicating in a friendly and professional manner in order to establish a positive attitude to her future maternity care. After that Anne was asked some general questions in relation to her food preferences and allergies. At all times I was closely supported and supervised by the midwife, and as the discussion progressed I felt more confident in providing Anne with the required details for a healthy diet. I explained that a healthy eating is essential throughout pregnancy and a variety of different types of food is recommended to help the mothers stay fit and well. In addition, I indicated that plenty of fruits and vegetables of different colours will provide the body with essential vitamins, minerals and fibre, which will help the digestive system and prevent constipation. Anne remarked that she felt nausea in the mornings and that she could only tolerate certain foods. She added that meals did not taste the same as before. Also, she indicated tha t her stomach got upset and her appetite considerably diminished following the smell of certain foods. Next, the midwife got involved in the conversation and reassured Anne that morning sickness in the early days was completely normal, but as long as it was not severe would resolve by 16 to 20 weeks of pregnancy. Moreover, the midwife suggested that getting up slowly from bed in the morning may reduce the symptoms. Also, Anne was advised to drink plenty of clear fluids and to eat something dry, such as a toast or crackers for breakfast. I added that eating frequently small snacks and avoiding heavy meals can improve food intake significantly. Furthermore, Anne was encouraged to drink approximately two litres of water a day. It was essential for her body system to work perfectly and to prevent dehydration. On the other hand, soft fizzy drinks contain high amount of carbohydrates and could lead to overweight. Particular attention was paid to meals containing substantial amounts of sugar, salt and fat. The National Health Service (NHS) (2009) states that an increased amount of saturated fat can lead to overweight and heart disease. Furthermore, the midwife went through all the information about protein meals, dairy food and carbohydrates. In addition, Anne was informed about some foods and drinks which were unsafe in pregnancy, as they may harm or cause severe malformation of the fetus. For example, daily consumption of caffeine needs to be limited to 200mg. There are concerns that high amounts of it can cause miscarriage or delivery of an infant with low birth weight. Alcohol intake is completely forbidden, due to the fact that it can affect the foetus’s development. Risk of Salmonela virus can be avoided by cooking all meat and eggs thoroughly. Another harmful bacteria to pregnant women is Listeriosis, found in soft cheeses, unpasteurised milk, shellfish and undercooked meat (NHS, 2009). However, listeria can be destroyed by cooking all type of meat, eggs and ready meals thoroughly (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE], 2014). I briefly informed Anne about some of the important vitamins and minerals she needed throughout pregnancy. For instance, folic acid, vitamin D, iron, vitamin C and calcium. For example, the daily recommended dose of folic acid in the first trimester of pregnancy is 400mcg (NICE, 2014). The midwife added that frequent intake of folic acid can diminish the risk of having an infant with health issues such as spina bifida. Furthermore, a nutrition brochure was offered to Anne and she was advised to read it. Finally, Anne was encouraged to take daily supplements due to the high level of vitamins and minerals required in pregnancy. Anne appreciated the nutrition-related details, but at the same time she looked overwhelmed with information. Initially, I was somewhat anxious and hesitant to speak in front of a client and to provide Anne with evidence based information on nutrition in pregnancy. However, as the client became comfortable and appeared willing to understand the importance of healthy eating while pregnant, I felt confident communicating with her. Moreover, it was essential that I was supported by my mentor and encouraged to move outside of my comfort zone. The midwife and I felt united throughout our preparation for the interview with the client and we built strong cooperative skills. Sloper (2004) identified that cooperative working is beneficial for the clients, as it increases their satisfaction of care provided and builds trust in staff members. Nevertheless, I felt that Anne was overloaded with information. It might have been more helpful to present a smaller amount of educational materials over several meetings, rather than the bulk of it in one single session. However, Anne was pleased with the information presented, as we tried to focus on her individual needs. Some studies show that an antenatal education increases women’s knowledge and helps them choose a variety of healthy meals during the pregnancy (Feilitzen, Radestad, Hildinsson Hà ¤ggstrà ¶m-Nordin, 2009). However, one of the main problems was that great amount of information was given in a short time. Lavender, Moffat and Rixon (2000), reported that some nutrition information may be given to women in their preconception consultation with a general practitioner. On a few occasions use of medical jargon was observed. England and Morgan (2012) assert that use of medical language in the health sector can create misinterpretation and confusion in clients and this may have a negative effect on their care. Both my mentor and I had prepared well for the session, applying evidence-based information. We had planned the discussion and kept the client engaged with the presentation material. Furthermore, I was guided by my mentor to find relevant sources of dietary information and present them to Anne in a simple way. After the interview I felt more comfortable speaking in front of a client and I realised that it is completely normal to feel nervous. On a few occasions, my mentor used sensitive humour to decrease the level of stress and to stimulate discussion. Moreover, developing a good relationship with my mentor helped me to expand my understanding of what I need to achieve through my clinical placement. Also, I had opportunity to combine my theoretical knowledge with practical experience and reflect on my clinical involvement. It was vital understanding Anne, and I set aside my judgement in order to recognise her current condition of nausea and vomiting. Valuing Anne as an individual and understanding her current condition will boost her belief in health professionals. Studies show that moderate nausea and vomiting during pregnancy do not need medical treatment (Tiran, 2014). Nevertheless, women suffering from this must not be dismissed, but monitored and supported by health care professionals. Specifically, a knowledgeable midwife can advise the women on the use of complementary therapies. The Royal College of Midwives (2014) state that all midwives must have basic knowledge of the advantages and dangers of complementary therapies. On the other hand, if the midwife has little or no understanding of natural remedies, it can lead the clients to seek advice from unreliable sources, such as the internet. Therefore, it may be equally risky for these women, as information provided via internet can sometimes be unsafe or inaccurate. The women must be mentally supported by midwives, as hyperemesis can lead to serious conditions and women isolation (Dean, 2014). Effective communication between a client and a medical practitioner, as well as good nutritional planning, can significantly decrease the symptoms of hyperemesis. Midwives often advise pregnant women to take multivitamin supplements. The best option is to provide vitamins and minerals through a varied diet, such as consuming plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables (NICE, 2014), as this will reduce the need for purchasing expensive supplements. On the contrary, use of over the counter vitamins by pregnant women could falsely raise the sense of security (Coutts, 2000). Moreover, synthetic supplements are often not distinguished by the human body and are excreted in urine or stored up as fat (Nolan, 1998). Additionally, pregnant women should be extra cautious with supplements containing vitamin A, as high levels could be detrimental for the fetus (Blincoe, 2008). The most significant challenge for me in a clinical setting was the ability to listen effectively to my mentor in order to support and advise a healthy pregnant women about the right nutritional choices. Furthermore, it was important to educate our clients about a balanced diet in order to maximize the possibility for growth of a healthy infant. Women with sensible eating habits and normal BMI will provide the fetus with the perfect environment (Seaman, 1997). Alternatively, poor maternal nutrition could affect the growth and development of the normal fetus. Reflecting on that day and analysing the meeting with Anne helped me understand how I can improve presentation of information in the future. I have reviewed the session with my mentor and realise that I can facilitate discussion, rather than just provide information. My mentor openly shared her practical experience with me and this made me realise that I can use posters to visualise the dietary information. For example, next time I can play a short video related to the benefits of healthy eating to prompt further debate. Also, I need to increase my basic nutritional knowledge in order to support women better in their dietary needs. Overall, the involvement in a clinical placement helped me become logical and creative in my future career. Moreover, various information presentation strategies were discussed with my mentor to help me improve my service user presentation in a clinical setting. The benefits of learning by doing increased my understanding of establishing a nutritious diet in pregnant women in order to deliver a healthy infant. From others’ experience and my own mistakes I learnt how to improve in the future.

Image And Impression Management

Image And Impression Management This sections aims to uncover and analyze past researches that had been done by other researchers on related topics of image and impression management. This chapter, will provide the theoretical foundation for this research. First, the historical background of impression management will be discussed. Second, the definition and scope of impression management will be examined. Review should contain critical evaluation and discussion of other related research. Image management A growing body of research indicates that we engage in image management in various social situations. Most research has focused on image management in face-to-face situations, particularly as it pertains to career success and performance appraisal. Previous studies have focused on how personality traits and certain situational factors affect image management (Boline Turley, 2002, p. 141). Image management can be defined as: a process by which individuals present information about themselves to appear as they wish others to see them (Kacmar et al., 2007, p. 16). Erving Goffman, who studied human interaction, first introduced the idea of impression management. Goffman described the social world as deceptive. In The Presentation of Self and Everyday Life (1959), Goffman describes human social interaction as a theatrical performance, meaning that people act as performers to give off certain impressions in certain social situations (Manning, 2009 p. 8). Therefore, we intentionally mislead people in efforts to give off a certain impression that we feel will benefit us within a specific social situation. Goffman uses the term fabrication to describe the way an individual misleads others (Manning, 2009, p. 9). Through fabrications, we frame ourselves to be who we want to be. Image management is also defined as the process by which people attempt to influence the images that others have of them (Rosenfeld, Giacalone Riordan, 1995). Regardless of the specific context in which it is used, the general goal of image management is to create a particular impression in others minds (Leary Kowalski, 1990; Rosenfeld et al., 1995). According to several theorists (Schlenker, 1980; McFarland, 2005) image management can be both conscious and unconscious. As Leary and Kowalski (1990) acknowledge as well, at one extreme people are unaware of others reactions to them, while on the other extreme people are conscious about the aspects of themselves that others can observe, such as their appearance and behaviour. Since image management behaviour can be learned, habitually and unconsciously, humans engage in impression management behaviour without considering what they are actually doing. With reference to Jones and Pittman (1982), people should be cautious in using image management tactics since one carries the risk that it will be perceived negatively; for every desired image, there is a corresponding undesired image at risk. For instance, an individual using self-promotion would like to be seen as competent, though he risks to be perceived as arrogant instead. In addition, image management research has mostly concentrate on purposive behaviour like verbal, non-verbal, and artificial behaviours that influence the images that other people have of the person. (Schneider, 1981). However, people often exercise image management behaviour without considering their own behaviour. In such instances, image management tactics become over learned habits. As Schlenker (1980) concludes, a great deal of image management behaviour appears to be non-purposive since it occurs automatically without conscious thought or control. Regarding purposive behaviours, Jones and Pittman (1980) have identified ingratiation, self-promotion, intimidation, exemplification, and supplication as image management. In todays world it is very important to understand who is playing which role, how one should act, and why other people are doing what they are doing. We project our image in very different manners: what we do, how we do it, what we say, how we say it, the arrangement of our offices, and our physical appearance, such as clothes and make-up as well as facial expressions. All these behaviors in some way help us define who we are (Rosenfeld et al., 1995, p.4). They form an identity and express what we want and expect from other people around us. These social identities constitute how individuals are defined and regarded in social interaction (Schlenker, 1980, p.69). The general definition used by scholars is that image management is the process through which individuals attempt to influence the impressions other people form of them (Gardner, 1992). Individuals manage their impressions when they wish to present a favorable image of themselves to others (Jones Pittman, 1982). Ways in which individuals manage their impressions can vary from verbal statements to their physical appearance or by using non-verbal gestures and expressions. Some theorists like Schlenker (1980) and Schneider (1981) make a distinction between the terms image management and self-presentation, even though most literature uses these terms interchangeably. Schlenker (1980) classifies image management as the attempt to control images that are projected in real or imagined social interactions while self-presentation is applied to situations in which the created impression is self-relevant (Schlenker, 1980, p.6). Schneider (1981) claims that self-presentation can be seen as a close cousin of image management, but still is dissimilar: Image can be managed by means other than self-presentation, and presentations may be used for goals other than image management (Schneider, 1981, p.25). Schneider (1981) mentions that image of an individual can also be controlled by a third party. Several theorists propose that self-presentation not only attempts to influence the images that others form, but also has an influence on the impression the person has about himself (Greenwald Breckler, 1985; Hogan, Jones Cheek, 1985; Schlenker, 1985). This in fact can be regarded as self-presentation to the self (Leary et al., 1990), as people are motivated to preserve particular beliefs about themselves (Greenwald Breckler, 1985). Overall, image management can be seen as a broader and more encompassing term than self-presentation (Leary et al., 1990). Impression Management Goffmans impression management work has developed and continuous to be a popular research topic addressing studies of identity and social interaction. Many impression management studies use the theory of self-monitoring to measure how anindividual works to achieve a desirable self-image. Self-monitoring can be described as an internal state combining self-observation and self-control (Scher et al., 2007, p. 186). Self-monitoring is an internal process in which a person tries to control the impressions they give off to others as a means of self-presentation (Scher et al., 2007, p. 187). In trying to give off certain impressions of ones self, a person controls their behaviors to ensure that they are socially appropriate. Lennox (1984) describes two sources of information that a person uses to assess how to act: ones personal disposition and situational cues (p. 199). Some people, known as low self-monitors, rely more on their inner states and feelings in assessing the appropriateness o f their behavior while others, known as high self-monitors, tend to respond to their social environments cues when deciding how to behave appropriately (Lennox, 1984, p. 199). High self-monitors adapt their behaviors to specific social situations. They look at the way others are behaving in the immediate social scene for cues on how they should behave. On the contrary, low self-monitors use their internal factors their attitudes, opinions, beliefs, and dispositions as cues on how they should behave in certain situations. Therefore, they are less affected by situational factors than high self-monitors. Their behaviors are more reflective of their personality (Lennox, 1984, p. 199). Studies have shown that high self-monitors are more likely to conform than low self-monitors and show more inconsistency between their behaviors and attitudes (Scher et al., 2007, p. 187). It is thought that high self-monitors are more concerned with what others think of them than low self-monitors, maki ng them more likely to conform in social situations (Sher et al., 2007, p. 190). Studies show that high self-monitors are more concerned with what others think and are more likely than low self-monitors to achieve desired images while avoiding undesired ones (Turnley Bolino, 2001, p. 251). They are skillful in controlling their self-image and often use impression management tactics. Jones and Pittman (1982) came up with a list of impression management tactics (Turnley Bolino, 2001, p. 352). These includes: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ingratiation using flattery in efforts to get others to view you favorably à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Self Promotion displaying your successes and skills in efforts to appear competent à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Exemplification striving to be seen as dedicated by exerting yourself to the fullest à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Supplication displaying your needs and shortcoming in efforts to appear needy à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Intimidation striving to be seen as threatening or dangerous by intimidating others Turnley and Bolinos study (2001) found that high self-monitors would more frequently achieve the desired image of likeable when using ingratiation, competent when using self promotion and dedicated when using exemplification than low self-monitors (Turnley Bolino, p. 353). A similar study done by Bolino Turnley (2003) found evidence that high self-monitors prefer to use positive impression management tactics (ingratiation, self promotion and exemplification) to negative tactics (supplication and intimidation) (p. 141). This same study also suggests that individuals who engage in positive impression management tactics are seen by others as more favorable than those who use all types of impression management tactics (Bolino Turnley, 2003, p. 141). This study asserts that women are less aggressive in using impression management tactics than men and therefore, are more likely to engage in positive tactics rather than negative ones (Bolino Turnley, 2003, p. 141). Bolino Turnley suggest that this may be because women follow the less aggressive tactics of the female gender role, which discourages aggressive or assertive behavior (Bolino Turnley, 2003, p. 148). Therefore, men are more active and aggressive in managing their impressions while women are mor e likely to do so passively (Bolino Turnley, 2003, p. 148). Siibaks study used the self-discrepancy theory to explain the reasons behind managing ones social media image. This theory asserts that individuals have three self-domains: The Actual Self an individuals representation of the attributes that he or she believes he/she possesses The Ideal Self an individuals representation of the attributes that someone (yourself or another person) wants you to possess The Ought Self and individuals representation of the attributes that someone (yourself or another person) believes you should possess (Higgins, 1987, p. 319) The Ought Self comes into play in impression management. Individuals seek to represent the Ought Self by emphasizing the attributes they believe a person ought to possess in a certain social situation. Many studies have focused on the Cultivation Theory as it pertains to self-image and distorted body image problems. Most of these studies look at television and magazines and their role in making females believe ideal beauty means excessive thinness. This study is more focused on exploring whether image management affects womens perceptions of ideal beauty. A study done on college women using print advertisements found that making social comparisons to ultra-thin models is significantly associated with greater internalization of the thin ideal and decreased satisfaction with ones own appearance (Engeln Maddox, 2005, p. 1114). This study uses a sociocultural model that describes body image problems and disordered eating as a result of the continued exposure to thin images. This prolonged exposure reinforces the Western ideal of thinness being attractive (Engeln-Maddox, 2005, p. 1115). A similar study was done on the effects of fashion magazines on body dissatisfaction and disordered eating among females. This study also connects the medias promotion of the thin ideal to body distortion issues that remain at the center of anorexia and bulimia (Shaw, 1995, p. 15). It compared adolescents and adults and their responses to thin images present in magazines (Shaw, 1995, p. 20). Age, BMI and greater bulimic tendencies were positively correlated with greater responsiveness to images of thin models among adolescents (Shaw, 1995, p. 20). The adults, although still responsive to the thin ideal, were less responsive than adolescents (Shaw, 1995, p. 21). This is thought to be in part because adults, unlike adolescents, are not in a developmental stage in which they are concerned with collecting personal identity information (Shaw, 1995, p. 21). Shaw (2005) uses Social Identity Theory, which states that ones social identity is positively related to the degree of social attractiveness conferred by their membership of a particular social group to describe why females have greater body dissatisfaction after being exposed to ultra-thin magazine models (p. 21). Shaw also explains that our culture provides cues that teach females at an early age that they are judged by their physical beauty (p. 21). Therefore, females work to conform to the ideal images of beauty that our society has spelled out for them. If they are not able to conform to this ideal image of beauty, they may experience body dissatisfaction, which may lead to disordered eating habits. One study looked at the role of the peer environment and its ability to provide a subculture that emphasizes the importance of thinness throughà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ peer pressure to diet and be thin and teasing from peers about weight and shape (Gerner Wilson, 2005, p. 313). Female adolescents believe being thin is connected to a better popularity standing among friends and increases the perception of being dateable (Gerner Wilson, 2005, p. 314). This is linked to disordered dieting, poor self-image evaluations, and bulimia (Gerner Wilson, 2005, pg. 314). This study also suggests girls friendships with males, more than females, are closely tied to how they feel about their bodies, reflecting a sociocultural emphasis on the importance of physical attractiveness for successful relationships with males (Gerner Wilson, 2005, p. 318). 2.2.1 Historical review on Impression management A distinction will be made between before and after the 1980s. The idea that people actively manage their image that others form of them has existed for centuries, but it was in the early 1900s that social philosophers incorporated these ideas into their thinking. It was only during the 1980s that the topic of image management started to become widely accepted as an element of organizational life and communications. 2.2.1 Impression management before the 1980s The concept of image and impression management relates back to prehistoric and primitive people who also were concerned about self-presentation. Cosmetics, clothing, jewelry and other aids to physical attractiveness were universally used to present positive identities to others (Tedeschi, 1981, p.xv). The idea that people project identities to one another and form identities from the reactions of others to them, has existed for a long period of time, yet it has not been until this century that social philosophers have incorporated this interactive process into their thinking (Cooley, 1902; Mead, 1934) 2.2.2 Impression management after the 1980s Prior to the 1980s generally social psychologists regarded impression management as a peripheral concept. It was rarely regarded as a fundamental interpersonal process on its own (Schlenker Weigold, 1992, p.135) . In the second half of the 1980s interest for impression management started to increase and the concept of impression management became more important. In 1989 two books were published by Giacalone and Rosenfeld about impression management in organizations. These two books served as source books for what is nowadays the distinctive field of organizational impression management (Rosenfeld et al., 1995). Impression management in organizations consists of strategic communications designed to establish, maintain, or protect desired identities (Rosenfeld et al., 1995). Since the 1980s impression management has been studied in organizational contexts such as leader-member exchange, job interviews and performance appraisal. The study of impression management in organizations is of great importance (Bozeman Kacmar, 1997, p.9). As popularity among researchers and practitioners grew it also started to be viewed as a mainstream rather than a peripheral concept. It is difficult to understand how impression management could have been overlooked in many theoretical discussions. Incorporating impression management into current research and practice is started to provide a better understanding of how organizational processes were to a large extent affected by individuals concerns over how they were being perceived by others (Rosenfeld et al., 1995). Most social psychological investigations have focused on intentional behaviors that decorate or modify ongoing behavior. Impression management is assumed to become more intentional and focused when people believe that they will gain valued outcomes by encouraging certain impressions in others (Schlenker Weigold, 1992). Since the 80s analysts have applied and studied the concept of impression management to a wide range of social phenomena, such as attitude change, nonverbal behavior, social anxiety and recently also to concepts such as eating behavior, organizational behavior. While in specifics being different, the analyses share in common the idea that people attempt to control information for one or more salient audiences in ways that try to facilitate goal-achievement (Schlenker Weigold, 1992, p.136). The concept of impression, specifically in the field of organizational life, has received much more importance than ever before. Impression management is a commonly occurring part of organizational life and it is seen as essential to effective organizational communication (Rosenfeld et al., 1995). In the next section a look will be taken at the motives people have to engage or use impression management. 2.3 Motives to engage in impression management Being skilled in the process of impression management is becoming more significant for managers and it is especially true in work settings with high pressure and where quick decisions need to be made in a dynamic environment. Individuals who are not aware of this aspect of organizational life run the risk of performing poorly, or even being moved to lower positions in the organization (Gardner, 1992). The statement and explanation given above by Gardner might in some way explain why people would attempt to use impression management at work with their colleagues. Yet in general people wish to be perceived as intelligent, friendly and morally good (Rosenfeld, GiacaloneTedeschi, 1983, p.60). This explanation is given for the question of why people laugh more often at humorous stimuli when others are present than when they are own their own, the answer being to establish an identity of oneself as a friendly person. People engage in impression management for many reasons that are influenced by social, personal and situational factors. Some theorists describe the process as a quick cost-benefit analysis (Schlenker, 1980). At the same time people are assessing the benefits that might be achieved by presenting one image rather then another one, they are also considering the costs of presenting that particular image (Rosenfeld et al.,1995). Some situations in which impression management is less likely to occur were described by Jones and Pittman (1980). Under conditions of high task involvement, where the individual becomes absorbed in the task itself. In another research on the use of impression management in assessment centers it was mentioned that the process of impression management required much of an individuals cognitive resources and so it could interfere with effective performance of the individual (McFarland, Ryan, Kriska, 2003). Other situations mentioned by Jones and Pittman (1980) are purely expressive behaviors such as anger and joy and situations in which the person is most of all concerned with presenting his/her true self, such as therapy sessions (Gardner Martinko, 1988). Next to situational factors also social and personal factors influence the motives of individuals to engage in impression management. Leary and Kowalski (1990) believed that impression management could be used to increase personal well-being in three interrelated goals. First of all by maximizing ones reward-cost ratio in social relations. As mentioned earlier, self-presentation also allows individuals to optimize their benefit-cost ratio when dealing with others (Schlenker, 1980). Being able to form a good impression will increase the probability of a desired outcome, be it a interpersonal one such as friendship or power or be it material such as raise in salary due to being seen as more competent (Leary Kowalski, 1990, p.37). The second goal that Leary and Kowalski (1990) mention is enhancing ones self esteem. People might employ in impression management, to regulate their self-esteem in a two-fold manner. One reason was that reactions that other individuals have will positively (compliments) or negatively (criticism) affect your self-esteem. So individuals will act in a manner to be able to inflate their self-esteem by trying to receive positive feedback (Leary Kowalski, 1990, p.37). A second reason is that the self esteem of individuals is also influenced by the self-evaluation of their performances and the feedback that you as an individuals will expect to receive from others (Leary Kowalski, 1990). The third and final goal proposed by Leary and Kowalski (1990) is facilitating the development of desired identities. According to Cooley (1902) and Mead (1934) our identity is in the end derived from society, and individuals sometimes engage in certain behaviors to indicate the ownership of such identity-relevant characteristics (Leary Kowalski, 1990). People may even engage in impression management activities as protection if they feel there is a threat to their social image. As can be seen above there are several motives for people to engage in impression managing. Aside of situational and social factors there are also some personality traits that will affect the degree of impression management being used. For example the extent to which an individual possess the trait of machiavellianism might have an impact on the degree of impression management being used. In todays world it is defined as one who employs aggressive, manipulative, exploiting and devious moves in order to achie ve personal and organizational objectives (Calhoon, 1969, p. 241). From this definition it seems obvious to conclude that the higher the score for machiavellianism the more likely the individual will engage in impression management to achieve personal objectives. A second and final trait that can be decisive for the degree in which an individual engages in impression management is self-monitoring. Individuals differ in the way they monitor their self-presentation and expressive behavior (Snyder, 1974, p.536). Individuals with high levels of self-monitoring can effectively use this skill to create impressions they want. Furthermore these individuals are also better at purposely communicating and expressing emotion in verbal and non verbal manners (Snyder, 1974). Before reaching the overall conclusion of this chapter it can be said that indeed personality as well as social and situational factors play a clear role and deciding what individual will or will not use impression management in certain situations. 2.4 Conclusion In this chapter an in depth look was taken at the historical background of impression management and it can be said that since the mid 80s the topic has increasingly received attention from social psychologists and the awareness of its importance is also dramatically increasing in organizational life. Furthermore a look was taken at the several definitions of the concept by different researchers. The definition that will be employed throughout this paper will be the process through which individuals attempt to influence the impressions other people form of them. In the final part of this chapter the several factors that might affect the motives of individuals to engage in impression management where studied. It was found that several situational, social and personality factors affect an individuals decision to employ impression management. In the next chapter a look will be taken at the choice of the type of impression management style or tactic that and individuals will choose.

What Is the Ozone Hype Anyway? :: Free Essay Writer

What Is the Ozone Hype Anyway? â€Å"The ozone is a pale bluish form of oxygen gas with an odor like chlorine, formed by an electrical discharge in the air† (Webster 185). The first time that I thought about this research narrative was the first time that I read the syllabus for class. My immediate reaction was that I could not believe that we were actually going to write a ten-page narrative. I was never expected to write a paper of this length before and I was unsure if I were going to be able to do so. However, it turned out that it was not that bad, although I did go through many frustrations along the way. First, I had to come up with a topic. I think that this was the hardest part. In our class, we used one of our textbooks to help with this part of the process for our papers. In exercise 1.1, Ballenger suggests that you make a list under a number of different topics (23). Therefore, I made a list of at least twenty things under each topic that I thought might be a possible topic for my paper. My list ranged from pets all the way to relationships and back to health problems. However, after talking to my professor and my friends, and taking Ballenger’s advice on how to eliminate topics, I decided to go with the ozone layer (25). I had a few different reasons for making this choice. One of them was that this was something that I did not know very much about. In addition, the topic was something that I did want to know more about. Consequently, due to the fact that I did not know much, I would not do my research with a bias and more importantly, I would do the research w ell because I wanted to know more. Next, I had to come up with a question that I wanted to know the answer to. Again, Ballenger came with help. In exercise 2.1, Ballenger suggests that you make a list of questions and then have peers add questions also. During this process, I went through so many questions. Why was the ozone layer depleting? What could we do to help? How long has this been going on?

Environmentally Friendly Cars Essay -- automotive industry, global war

When I was younger, I remember begging my mom at every toy aisle in the department store to buy at least one hot wheel car that I picked out. I had a problem; I had an undying thirst for these tiny cars in those recyclable blue cardboard and plastic packages. I used to pretend that I was a small person, small enough to fit in the cool cars I bought with just a glimmer of hope that maybe I would be able to fit inside and drive away. That never did happen though, but I had an indomitable dream. I had the patience that maybe one day, I would be able to drive my own actual car. I am nineteen now, and my fascination for cars has not changed one bit. I am finally old enough to drive, but it still feels like I am still my younger self; stuck at the store in a hot wheels aisle trying to decide what car I should get. I look at the cars today to notice that even though the essentials of a car never changes, essentially four wheels and some sort of motor to move, something is different about ca rs that are in the present compared to what they were when I was a kid. Today, the growing concern of Global Warming is taking affect into people’s mindset. Automobiles emit more than 333 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. (Ginovieto) In United States, and other countries like Europe there is a fossil fuel shortage that threaten the futures of the automotive industry. Gas prices have been fluctuating an all time high. The consumer market for cars continually grows. Many countries are industrializing at a rapid pace, such as China, and demand for cars and transportation have also increased. These problems all affect one another to add and combine to bigger problems. Pollution, overcrowding on the roads, and rising gas prices, all are prevalent in ... ... industry can focus on environmentally friendly but unreasonably fast super-cars like the hot wheels I always dreamed to be in. Works Cited "Advantages of Turbochargers." Turbo Servis -. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2014. Williams, Stephan. "Toyota Engineers Flowers to Offset Production Pollution." Wheels Toyota Engineers Flowers to Offset Production Pollution Comments. New York Times, 3 Nov. 2009. Web. 08 Dec. 2014. Sutcliffe, Steve. "Has Audi Spoiled Le Mans?" Autocar. Autocar, 21 June 2013. Web. 08 Dec. 2014. Roos, Dave. "Does Hybrid Car Production Waste Offset Hybrid Benefits?"HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2014. Ginovieto. "Global Warming Causes." : Cars and Global Warming. Global Warming Blogspot, 06 Mar. 2009. Web. 08 Dec. 2014. Zoellter, Juergen. "2014 Volkswagen XL1." Car and Driver. Car and Driver, June 2013. Web. 08 Dec. 2014.