Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Violence against Women and Girls Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Violence against Women and Girls - Essay Example Although some international and regional instruments of law have put in place the necessary measures for the states to use in order to cub, eradicate and even punish violence against young girls and women by demanding that the states ought to take the necessary measures to combat the violence, there has however continued prevalence of these vice. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) indicates that the vice has grown to a global pandemic of alarming proportions which is yet to be addressed with all the appropriate political commitment as well as resources. According to UNIFEM (2010), approximately six out of every ten women in post conflict countries have experienced sexual or physical violence in their lifetime. A study by World Health Organization related to some twenty four thousand women in some ten countries indicates that prevalence of physical and sexual violence by a woman's partner ranged from 15 % in most urban areas of developed countries to a range of 30 - 60 % in most rural areas of post conflict states (UNIFEM, 2010). In most of these states, the violence against young girls and women have had some far reaching aftermath including so much harm to the families and communities affected. It has become a major source of disability or even death for girls and women of 16 up to 44 years of age. A World Bank investigation into some selected risk factors facing women and girls at the indicated age group showed that rape and domestic violence have emerged as more dangerous to the affected ladies than war, malaria, motor vehicle accidents and cancer. There has also been a close association between these kind of violence and HIV and AIFDS with a survey showing that there are some 1,366 women from South African region who have been beaten by the life partners and were more likely to be infected with HIV more than those who were not. Gender-related violence violates human rights as well as hampering of human productivity, reduction of human capital and undermining of economic growth to the affected lives. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report in 2003 indicated that the intimate partner violence costs in the USA alone have been found to exceed US$ 5.8 billion a year with US $ 4.1 billion being budgeted for direct medical as well as services related to health care (UNIFEM, 2010). Young girls at the tender age have unfortunately happened to be majority victims of sexual assault. Other group that has become subject to unwarranted sexual coercion is women who are in position of abject dependence on male power. Rape cases have also been high in post-conflict countries. This has been very much documented in the last few years in countries affected by civil conflicts. Rape in such cases has been employed systematically as a torture instrument or even domination of ethnic groups (Gender Equality, 2009). Although there has been indication of growth of the vice, some efforts by the post conflict nations in addressing the vice need to be put in place in preventing this situation. Some 89 post conflict countries in 2006 have installed some legislation measures targeting prevention of the domestic violence and plans of action. In most of these states, marital rape has become prosecutable

Monday, October 28, 2019

Salmon Farming in British Columbia and Sea Lice Essay Example for Free

Salmon Farming in British Columbia and Sea Lice Essay British Columbia is lucky to have one the largest diversities of wild salmon on earth. There are about 8,000 races of wild salmon which are still surviving in British Columbia’s rivers today. For a long time, this population has been taken for granted and no one has been very keen on the preservation of the same. It is however emerging that this diversity is today being threatened by a host of human activities which are propelled by the financial benefit derived from them. The future of salmon on the coast of British Columbia is at risk if a sustainable solution will not be put in place (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2004). This paper seeks to analyze the situation in British Columbia and suggest sustainable solutions that should be implemented with an aim of saving wild salmon inhabiting this region. History Salmon farming in British Colombia started in the 1970s with small farms which were locally owned. These were concentrated more on the sunshine coast. The efforts for large scale farming of salmon at this time were curtailed by poor environmental conditions, market challenges and diseases. These challenges forced many out of business. The first voice to be raised against the impact of salmon farming on the wild species was raised by nations, local communities, environmentalists and fishermen in the 1980s. Apparently, they had realized the negative effect salmon farming was having on the ocean communities. They therefore called upon the concerned parties to act in order to ensure the safety of the wild salmon. The main player in the fisheries industry to whom these complains were raised was the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2004). In the year 1985, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) allowed salmon eggs from the Atlantic to be imported to the British Columbia. This move was in complete disregard of the dangers that were associated with such importation. Such included the issue of diseases and possible displacement of the wild salmon species. This was perhaps the first mistake the DFO committed in the management and protection of the wild species of salmon in the British Columbia (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2004). One year later, there was massive loss of farmed salmon in this region. An inquiry was set up to investigate this loss among other issues such as poor placement of salmon farms and the increasing number of complaints from the members of public. These events lead the government to impose a ban for one month against the setting up of new fish sites. Between the years 1985 to 1990, the salmon farming in British Columbia expanded rapidly from ten sites to more than one hundred and eighty sites. This was a great increment and was bound to bring problems in the future (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2004). In 1991, the first report was released explaining a case of Atlantic salmon trying to spawn in a pacific stream. The provincial government moratorium in 1995 prevented the formation of new farms but allowed the expansion of the existing farms. The number of tenures was capped at one hundred and twenty one. During this time, fish production increases tremendously. Between the years 1995 and 1997, a review of the environmental condition of the fish farming industry was initiated by the government. The main purpose of this review was to address the public concerns which by now had started to worry the government. The recommendations of this review were made public in 1997. These findings were supported by the provincial government. The British Columbia salmon farmers association also supported the findings and came up with a plan to implement them (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2004). It was in the year 2000 the an audit by Federal Auditor General identified conflicts of interest that existed between Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ promotion of farming of salmon and its mandate of protecting both wild fish and their habitat. This was followed by a senate committees report in 2001which revealed that DFO disregarded the mandate it had been given of protecting the stocks of wild fish. In 2001, a critique of the aquaculture industry that was funded by the David Suzuki foundation was conducted. The moratorium on new tenures that had been put in place in 1995 by the government was lifted in 2002 (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2001). The full picture of the extent to which the damage had been done on wild salmon came into public picture in 2002. During this year, there was a serious decrease in the stock of Broughton Archipelago pink salmon. This went to less than 5% of the expected returns. It was agreed by both the Department of Fisheries and Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council that the decreased numbers were particularly exceptional. Almost everyone, including First Nations, independent scientists, environmental groups and local communities suspected sea lice infestation as being the cause of this decline (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2001). The PFRCC released an advisory in the same year to the federal and provincial fisheries ministers. They were advised to order for the immediate removal of Broughton Archipelago salmon farms with the aim of protecting outward bound young pink salmon in the year 2003. However, Broughton Archipelago salmon farms continued to operate in 2003 disregarding the comprehensive media coverage on their effects and the opposition of the public against salmon’ farming (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2001). Salmon farming in British Columbia The origin of commercial farming was Europe. This then expanded up to Canada’s Maritime Provinces. The Atlantic salmon has been, and still is, the most liked species by the farmers. Reasons given for this include the fact that these types of salmon are more easily domesticated. They also have higher net-pen growth rates and are more stress resistant than their pacific counterparts (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2004). The British Columbia currently holds 121 tenures of fish farms. Of these, 80 are active. At this point, there is need to differentiate between fish farm tenure and a fish farm. â€Å"Tenure† is a legal term which is used to refer entitlement issued by British Columbia land and water and give directions on how the business of fish farming in these lands should be carried out. Fish farm tenures identify the number of fish farm sites that have been approved by the government. The capacities of fish farms here depend on the size and species of fish. A fish farm pen with an area of 1000m2 normally holds from 35000 to 90000 fish. For Atlantic salmon, stocking densities are normally from 8 to 18 kilograms per cubic meter. The range for Chinook salmon ranges from 5 to 10 kilograms per cubic meter. These stocking densities are normally varied by farmers as penned salmon grow with an aim of minimizing losses brought about by overcrowding and to maximize growth. (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2004). There are several species of salmon farmed in British Columbia. However, a large percentage (80%) of salmon farmed here are Atlantic salmon. The other species found here include Chinook and Coho, which are pacific species. These are the two species that farmers relied on most until 1985 but did very poorly. The Atlantic species are easier to raise and when the industry switched to this species, it prospered greatly. Despite there being a moratorium preventing the expansion of the industry between years 1986 and 1995, the production of salmon from the farms increased from and average of 400 to 68,000 tons (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2004). The problem of sea lice Serena Black in her article Sea lice hurting B. C. salmon that appeared in Capital News on April 1, 2010 compares the effect sea lice have on fish with the effect lice have on children. According to her, â€Å"sea lice to fish are like lice to a child. † According to her, lice are pests which can spread very quickly within close quarters. However, they do not normally cause much damage. This is however changing in the British Columbia especially with regard to wild salmon found along the British Columbia coast (Black, 2010). Black says that research carried out indicates that the farming of salmon in British Columbia is disturbing the life cycle of wild salmon and these cause outbreaks of diseases such as those caused by sea lice. This is a fact that that has for long been established by many scientists and organizations that have been doing research in the region about the effects of salmon farming in British Columbia. This has however been refuted strongly by the government. It has for long maintained that salmon farming in BC has much more benefit than the negative effects it brings on the environment (Black, 2010). A biologist by the name Alexandra Morton who is the director of the Salmon Coast Field Station in Simoom Sound in partnership with other scientists from all over North America carried out a research on the effects of sea lice to wild fish populations. These researchers were informed that there had been a case of increased catch of more diseased fish especially around the farms. This team came up with observations and they brought them to the provincial government (Black 2010). The government could however not act on the recommendations on the pretext that the researchers did not have sufficient scientific evidence to substantiate their claims. This prompted Morton to work with experts in the fisheries industry to ensure she gives professionalism to her research. The second research was published. This research addresses the impacts of sea lice from fish farms to wild fish (Black 2010). How sea lice affect salmon Sea lice feed and breed on the mucus covered membranes of fish. They mostly affect the young defenseless fish which have no scales. The fish farms are infected by sea lice through wild fish as they go back from migration. The lice are carried in the water by these wild fish and once they pass through fish farms, they leave them infected. The genesis of sea lice is therefore not the fish farms but wild fish (Black, 2010). Naturally, adult fish normally die before their eggs hatch. When the eggs hatch, the juvenile salmon are left defenseless and exposed to the attacks of sea lice. When the eggs hatch, the young fish enter the clean waters in preparation for their migration to the ocean. At this point they are not at any risk of infection (Black, 2010). Due to the large number of sea lice harbored by the fish farms, the young salmon pick them on their way back to the ocean. Once the lice attack fish, they leave large open holes that make it easy for the fish to be infected by other diseases. They also make them weak and therefore unable to withstand the challenge of the predators. This makes their death rates alarmingly high. The holes also make them unable to balance the salt levels in their bodies and those in the environment around them. Due to these reasons, juvenile fish die before they can reproduce and this reduces their numbers significantly. Black says that â€Å"Because there are no predators in the fish farms to get rid of the sick fish, they act as incubators to the disease. It spreads like wild fire† (Black, 2010). Adequacy of regulations on fish farming The farming of salmon in British Columbia is much like the farming of the same throughout the world. There are no special regulations put in place in terms of the manner in which this business is carried out. Fish are kept in large open net-pens and are mostly fed on commercial feed. They are treated with antibiotics and other relevant drugs according to the disorders the farmers want to treat. Harvesting is done at particular times when the fish attain a specified size and the harvest is sold the world over (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2004). The only differences are the regulations of the specific countries. The province has not come up with regulations beyond the control of pollution in its aquaculture industry. This seems inadequate considering the fact the British Columbia has to lose a lot. Despite the fact that British Columbia still boasts of maintaining most of its original races, this may not be the case in the near future if there is nothing that is going to be done urgently. This is because of the threats that are facing these races such as over fishing, habitat loss among other serious problems. The diversity in the Pacific has been as a result of many years of evolution. The six main species here include Coho, sockeye, pink, chum, steelhead and Chinook (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2004) The available regulations are therefore not adequate to protect the wild species from the hostility of the sea lice so well bred by salmon farms in the region. Without such regulations, there lacks a framework upon which the government can work to ensure that nature is protected from man’s activities. It is also dangerous because the salmon farmers act without fear since there are no restrictions on their operations. Even when some restrictions had been put in place, it was only restricting the formation of new sites but not the expansion of the existing ones. This was the major reason why the production of farmed salmon was on the rise even with the moratorium in place. This shows that the government has not fully appreciated the effects farmed salmon has on the wild species (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2004). Government’s position The government clearly refutes the ‘claim’ that farmed salmon has any serious effects on the wild salmon. Its view is that the magnitude of the effect of farmed salmon on the wild species is so insignificant that the public should not worry about it. According to fisheries and oceans Canada, there are no fish farms in the Broughton Archipelago causing a dramatic increase in sea lice levels. According to the government, â€Å"there have been significant fluctuations in the number of pink salmon returns. This was long before salmon farms were introduced to the area in 1987† (DFO, 2010). DFO claims that the research that has been ongoing is showing that levels of sea lice affecting the wild pacific salmon have continued to decrease since 2004. It is of the opinion that sea lice do not only come from farmed salmon. They also have their sources on natural sources, that is, the marine environment (DFO, 2010). Solutions In looking for a sustainable solution to this problem, it is vital for everyone who is concerned to understand the magnitude of the problem. All the stakeholders must come together and decide on a way forward since protecting nature is paramount and is beyond personal interests. The government should take the lead and bring together the players in this industry for a round table discussion. Everyone must be willing to sacrifice for the sake of the environment (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2004). British Columbia should weigh the returns it gets from fish farming the damage this is doing to the environment for it to see how urgent this issue is. It is well known for example that most of the farms are not locally owned. They are owned by multinational companies and therefore the benefits derived from salmon farming here do not go to the immediate community which is suffering the effects of environmental damage (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2004). Chemical control of sea lice can not be a sustainable solution as the government claims. This is because these chemicals will also be harmful to the environment when they get to the ocean. SLICE, a pest control chemical, has been used for some time but has failed to offer a lasting solution. Farmers have been arguing that since their farms are seen as incubators to the sea lice, they can use chemicals to cure their fish and hence make it safer to farm salmon. They argue that they are not the ones who originated with the sea lice but the oceans. For this reason, they believe that they should not be blamed for any instances of loss of wild salmon. They believe that by using chemicals to treat their domesticated salmon, they are doing their part in the process of solving the problem of sea lice. More importantly, these farmers argue that they contribute a lot to the economy of British Columbia and they have a right to be spared by the government (Schering, 2010). It is therefore important to look for a way of making sure the farmed salmon and wild species do not interact at all. This may call for restructuring the whole industry especially on how the salmon is farmed. The farmers should come up with a way of ensuring that there is no chance of domesticated and wild salmon meeting (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2004). Meanwhile, it is important that fish farms are restricted from operation since the government cannot risk the loss of its wild salmon because of human activities. Whereas this may seem a violent approach to safeguarding the environment and in particular wild salmon, the benefits of the same go far and the returns will much better than the short term losses experienced (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2004). Any business in a country must be carried out in a sustainable way to ensure future generations enjoy the beauty of the environment enjoyed today. This is what is called for the fisheries industry in British Columbia. If the fish farms here cannot come up with a sustainable way of carrying out their business, they should not be allowed to operate at the expense of the environment (Watershed Watches Salmon Society, 2004). Conclusion Salmon farming in British Columbia has been going on for many decades. It has benefited many people ant the country at large. For a long time, this business went on in complete ignorance of the negative effects it was causing on wild species. However, today, it is evident that this business is very dangerous to the life cycle of wild salmon. This is evidenced by the researches done and the rapid decrease of wild salmon in the Coast of BC. It is time for all the stakeholders to find a lasting solution to this problem. This, as mentioned in the discussion above, must stem from the realization of the supremacy of nature above human selfishness and his thirst for wealth. References Black, S. (2010). Sea Lice Hurting B. C. Salmon. Capital news. Retrieved from http://www. capitalnews. ca/index. php/news/sealice-hurting-B. C. -salmon DFO, Fisheries and Oceans Canada. (2009) Facts about Sea Lice. Retrieved from http://www. dfo-mpo. gc. ca/aquaculture/lice-pou/lice-pou04-eng. htm Schering. (2010). SLICE For the control of Sea-lice. Retrieved from http://www. thefishsite. com/articles/9/slice-for-the-control-of-sealice Watershed Watches Salmon Society. (2004). Sea Lice and Salmon. Retrieved from https://docs. google. com/viewer? a=vpid=gmailattid=0. 2thid=128d00c4b32b7c67mt=application%2Fpdfurl=https%3A%2F%2Fmail. google. com%2Fmail%2F%3Fui%3D2%26ik%3D458390d2c6%26view%3Datt%26th%3D128d00c4b32b7c67%26attid%3D0. 2%26disp%3Dattd%26realattid%3Df_g9mvd2yl1%26zwsig=AHIEtbR6W7XWCSm6Ik_c7Scn1njQ8IQvlwpli=1a

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Essay on Janie in Their Eyes Were Watching God -- Their Eyes Were Watc

The Charater of Janie in Their Eyes Were Watching God      Ã‚  Ã‚   In Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie Crawford is the heroine. She helps women to deal with their own problems by dealing with hers. She deals with personal relationships as well as searches for self-awareness. Janie Crawford is more than a heroine, however, she is a woman who has overcome the restrictions placed on her by the oppressive forces and people in her life.    As a young woman, Janie had no complaints about her role in society and fit in as most young people do. Eventually, Janie made it her purpose to outgrow this mold, defying her societal role and fulfilling her dream of becoming the assertive woman she always wanted to be. To personalize the novel, the female perspective is introduced very early in the story. "Now, women forget all those things they don't want to remember, and remember everything they don't want to forget. The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly" (Page 1). This phrase not only explains female dreams in Janie's world, but it also foreshadows the restrictions placed upon women in that world. "They act and do things accordingly." Women are expected to comply and not fight when they are told they are not allowed to... ... Connection: Feminist Strategies in American Fiction. " Women's Studies 28.2 (1999): 185-201. Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. New York: Perennial Classics, 1990. Interpretations: Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. Kayano, Yoshiko. "Burden, Escape, and Nature's Role: A Study of Janie's Development in Their Eyes Were Watching God." Publications of the Mississippi Philological Association (1998): 36-44. Kubitschek, Missy Dehn. " 'Tuh de Horizon and Back': The Female Quest in Their Eyes Were Watching God." Modern Critical

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Tobacco Smoking and Legal Marijuana

Marijuana vs  cigarettes See also: Smoking Marijuana does not cause lung cancer Top anti drug researcher changes his mind: says legalize marijuana Marijuana and your lungs: recent studies Pot is not like tobacco The Effects of Marijuana Smoke There are many reasons why marijuana is  not  worse for you than smoking cigarettes. You may have heard that â€Å"one joint is equal to ten cigarettes† but this is exaggerated and misleading. Marijuana does contain more tar than tobacco — but low tar cigarettes cause just as much cancer, so what is that supposed to mean? Scientists have hown that smoking any plant is bad for your lungs, because it increases the number of ‘lesions’ in your small airways. This usually does not threaten your life, but there is a chance it will lead to infections. Marijuana users who are worried about this can find less harmful ways of taking marijuana like eating or vaporizing. (Be careful – marijuana is safe to eat — but tobacco is not, you might overdose! )  Marijuana does not cause cancer  the way tobacco does, though. Here is a list of interesting facts about marijuana smoking and tobacco smoking: o Marijuana smokers generally don’t chain smoke, nd so they smoke less. (Marijuana is not physically addictive like tobacco. ) The more potent marijuana is, the less a smoker will use at a time. o Tobacco contains nicotine, and marijuana doesn’t. Nicotine may harden the arteries and may be responsible for much of the heart disease caused by tobacco. New research has found that it may also cause a lot of the cancer in tobacco smokers and people who live or work where tobacco is smoked. This is because it breaks down into a cancer causing chemical called `N Nitrosamine’ when it is burned (and maybe even while it is inside the body as well. o Marijuana contains THC. THC is a bronchial dilator, which means it works like a cough drop and opens up your lungs, which aids clearance of smoke and dirt. Nicotine does just the opposite; it makes your lungs bunch up and makes it harder to cough anything up. o There are benefits from marijuana (besides bronchial dilation) that you don’t get from tobacco. Mainly, marijuana makes you relax, which improves your health and well-being. o  Scientists do not really know what it is that causes malignant lung cancer in tobacco. Many think it may be a substance known as Lead 210.Of course, there are many other theories as to what does cause cancer, but if this is true, it is easy to see why  no case of lung cancer resulting from marijuana use alone has ever been documented, because tobacco contains much more of this substance than marijuana. o Marijuana laws make it harder to use marijuana without damaging your body. Water-pipes are illegal in many states. Filtered cigarettes, vaporizers, and inhalers have to be mass produced, which is hard to arrange `underground. ’ People don’t eat marijuana often because you need more to get as high that way, nd it isn’t cheap or easy to get (which is the reason why some people will stoop to smoking leaves. ) This may sound funny to you — but  the more legal marijuana gets, the safer it is. It is pretty obvious to users that marijuana prohibition laws are not â€Å"for their own good. † In addition to the above, legal marijuana would be clean and free from adulterants. Some people add other drugs to marijuana before they sell it. Some people spray room freshener on it or soak in in chemicals like formaldehyde! A lot of the marijuana is grown outdoors, where it may be sprayed with esticides or contaminated with dangerous fungi. If the government really cared about our health, they would form an agency which would make sure only quality marijuana was sold. This would be cheaper than keeping it illegal, and it would keep people from getting hurt and going to the emergency room. (source) FACT: Studies have shown that smoki ng marijuana does NOT increase your chance of getting cancer and may even lower it slightly! Of course, vaping or eating cannabis are still considered the safest methods of ingestion especially for daily consumers. Early on, when our research appeared as if there would be a negative impact on lung health, I was opposed to legalization because I thought it would lead to increased use and that would lead to increased health effects,† Tashkin says. â€Å"But at this point, I’d be in favor of legalization. Tobacco smoking causes far more harm. And in terms of an intoxicant, alcohol causes far more harm. UCLA’s Tashkin studied heavy marijuana smokers to determine whether the use led to increased risk of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.He hypothesized that there would be a definitive link between cancer and marijuana smoking, but the results proved otherwise. â€Å"What we found instead was no association and even a suggestion of some p rotective effect,† says Tashkin, whose research was the largest case-control study ever conducted. Listen to Tashkin’s full video  here UPDATE Source  A new study, published in this month’s  Journal of the American Medical Association, tested the lung function of over 5,000 young adults between 18 and 30.After 20 years of testing, researchers found some buzzworthy results:  regular marijuana smokers (defined by up to a joint a day for seven years) had no discernible impairment in lung activity from non-smokers. In fact, researchers were surprised to find marijuana smokers performed slightly better than both smokers and non-smokers on the lung performance test. Why? The most likely explanation seems to be that the act of inhaling marijuana—holding each puff in for as long as possible—is a lot like a pulmonary function test, giving marijuana smokers an edge over their igarette smoking counterparts. For most of human existence, cannabis has bee n considered a medicine. Queen Victoria used it to alleviate her menstrual cramps. Extracts were prescribed by doctors and available at every pharmacy in the U. S. According to  Fast Food Nation  author Eric Schlosser, attitudes toward cannabis only shifted when Americans began to notice and object to its use by immigrants around the turn of the 20th century. More  here

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

My Ambition To Become an Engineer Essay

â€Å"Try and try until you succeed† These words have always inspired me at every point in my life . It has made me cross all the hurdles that came across and focus on my career goals so far . I have been blessed to have parents who have instilled me with such good values and principles. They have supported me in accomplishing and standing up for the goals I have set forth. With this mindset I gathered knowledge to succeed in my studies and to be one of the best in my class .I am currently pursuing my 12th Grade from Science Stream . I have scored 92% in my 10th grade . Physics has always been my subject of interest which made me score †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ . Besides Physics , Mathematics has always been a strong weapon for me. One of the reasons why I'd chosen Engineering as my career stream was because of my family and relatives . Most of the people in my family belong to a Engineering Background and seeing them brought in me the enthusiasm to become and Engineer .Most of all my da d had been quite a huge part of my inspiration , seeing him work hard to attain the goals he has set in his life and his work place made me even more ambitious that i should not only become a Engineer but explore and become one of the Best Engineers . Universe had always been a mystery for me , I always use to hear new stories about the universe which made me even more keen to explore it and know what else does it consist of . Since then i always wanted to get into the Aeronautics field of Engineering so that i could get the opportunity to be one of those people i use to look up in Magazines and newspapers .

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Benefits of Artificial Insemenation in Beef Cattle essays

The Benefits of Artificial Insemenation in Beef Cattle essays The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service defines Artificial Insemination as the procedure of collecting semen form the male of a species and transferring it to the female reproductive tract so that conception can take place. Artificial Insemination is used throughout the world for many purposes ranging from production agriculture to preventing extinction of endangered animals. The use of this practice is not limited to cows, pigs, and horses, but is used in zoos and other exotic breeding programs on including water buffalo, elephants, and ferrets. Artificial Insemination gives a beef producer the opportunity to use a bull possessing superior genetics on their breeding operation. Depending on the goals of an individuals program, A.I. offers a feasible solution to increasing productivity without sacrificing huge investments. Success in an Artificial Insemination program, however, does require attention to detail in the management and production of a herd. There are several steps to establishing an Artificial Insemination breeding program. These steps include record keeping, heat detection, estrus synchronization, sire selection, and the insemination procedure itself. These procedures, combined with sound herd management practices such as herd health, can allow the producer to reap numerous benefits. Just like any other agricultural practice, Artificial Insemination has had many years of development and research, over three centuries to be exact. Artificial Insemination was haphazardly discovered by Arabian horse breeders in the 1400s. By using a sponge, they took semen for a stud and inserted into a vagina of a mare in heat. Over the next 300 years, many trial and error periods took place. In 1780, Spallanzani, an Italian physiologist, first documented the use of AI on dogs and amphibians. In 1914, a Russian scientist named Ivanoff developed a method of retrieving semen by us...

Monday, October 21, 2019

HATCHET essays

HATCHET essays His dad and mom were divored. The boy was on his way to see is dad. so he got in a plane. the ploit showed he to fly the plane . then the ploit had a heartattack he did not know how to fly a lot.than the plane ran out of gas then crased in a lake he got but not the ploit. so he swam to shore then he woke up and he was hungere ** so he went ot get berres he ate so much he was sick so he slept. then he had to build a shelter a fire but he did not have a matches so he did not have one so he went to bed. he woke up spear so he can get food. then he got food so he went to bed shelter so he fixed it.then he took his hatchet then he saw the tale of the plane so he built a boat to get in so did he saw the ploit in the back he saw a bag he grabed it slept he woke up transmitter flicked the switch but nothing haped so he made some food that was in the bag than a plane landed ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

AICE Diploma What Is It Should You Get One

AICE Diploma What Is It Should You Get One SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips There are several options for students who wish to accelerate to college-level learning duringtheir high school years. BesidesAP classes and the IB program, there's the AICE Diploma. If you're not very familiar with the AICE program, never fear- this article will bring you up to speed. Here, we'll cover what the diploma is and how you can get it as well as the benefits of pursuing this program (including scholarships and college credit). What Is the AICE Diploma? The Cambridge AICE Diploma(or Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education)is an internationally recognized diploma awarded to students for the satisfactory completion of a series of academically rigorous courses specific to AICE in high school. It's viewed as a graduation option in some places:the diploma can stand in for the graduation requirements of certain high schools, although most students will likely earn it in addition to their traditional high school diplomas. The AICE program is also described as an acceleration mechanism, meaning it gets you ready for hard college classes at a more rapid pace than traditional coursework. As withthe AP and IB programs, AICEinvolvesstudying college-level material before you graduate high school. You are also more likely to be accepted into honors classes right away when you get to collegeif you have anAICE (or AP or IB) Diploma under your belt. The whole AICE program is overseen, ultimately, by a branch of the University of Cambridge.The classes are hard, and most are offered at two levels: the Advanced Subsidiary (AS) Level, and the Advanced (A) Level. AS Level classes are one year long and less demanding than their A Level counterparts, which are two years in length. Classes tend to be narrow and specific in focus; the AICE Diploma entails an extremely specialized program. In this way, AICE is more like IB than it is AP (if you're familiar with these programs). With AICE, there are about 50 subjects to choose from across four different groups: Group 1: Mathematics and Sciences Example: Marine Science Group 2: Languages Example: Afrikaans Group 3: Arts and Humanities Example: Hindi Literature Group 4: Interdisciplinary and Skills-Based Subjects Example: Thinking Skills The AICE Diploma is internationally used and recognized, and is accepted at many universities around the world. At some schools, AICE courses will earn you college credits(we'll go over this in more detail when we talk about the benefits of the program shortly). With AICE's degree of international recognition, this is probably a good idea. How to Get an AICE Diploma Students wanting to earn anAICE Diploma must first considerwhether there is a school nearby that offers the program.These AICE classes aren't something you can freelance- you must earn the diploma through an approved school. Andthese schools are much more common overseas than they are in the United States. Furthermore, they'remuch more common in Florida than they are in any other state (though they do exist in the other 49). You can locate the nearest school offering AICE on the Cambridge website. Schools that offer AICE might offer AP and/or IB as well. If you're aiming for a diploma, though, you'll have to commit to one program in the end. You might be able to get a certificate or two from a second program, but don't count on diplomas from the AICE programand the IB program, for instance. Each diploma program entails a number of classes, and it's not practical to think you could fulfill all the requirements of two programs! Once you're enrolled in a program, it's time to think about the classes you'll need to take. Seven credits are required for earning the diploma: one credit each from Groups 1, 2, and 3, and three credits distributed across the groups in any desired combination. The last credit is earned through Cambridge International AS Level Global Perspectives Research.Optionally, up to two credits may be taken fromtheinterdisciplinary and skills-based subjects group.Your exact options when it comes to classes will depend on which courses areoffered at your school. Passing an AS Level exam (corresponding to a one-year course) earns you one credit; passing an A Level exam (corresponding to a two-year course) earns you two credits. You must take all exams within a 25-month period. In each subjectyou can earn an A*, A, B, C, D, or E, or you can fail. An A* is similar to a high A+ in the US, while an E is similar to a C in the US. Yes, you read that right- each letter grade is more impressive than its American counterpart, with even an E being counted as a passing grade. Depending on your scores, you can earn the AICE Diploma at Pass level, with Merit, or with Distinction.There are 20-60 points awarded per credit. Here are the point ranges you must have in order to meet each level of distinction: AICE Diploma at Pass Level: 140-249 points AICE Diploma with Merit: 250-359 points AICE Diploma with Distinction: 360 or more points (maximum score is 420 points) If you don't earn the diploma, you can still be awarded certificates in the various subjects you took, which couldhelp you with getting into college or earning college credit. Imagine if yourto-do list for the AICE Diploma lookedthis simple. What Are the Benefits of the AICE Diploma? There are many ways that earning the AICE Diploma pays off forstudents. Here are a few of the benefitsyou should consider if you're looking intothe program. College Credit Depending on the college youdecide to attend, you can earn up to 45 hours of college credit from the AICEDiploma. Individual course certificates can also earn you college credit if you don't earn the diploma. All of thisdepends on which college you go to, though. You can check out which schools around the worldrecognize AICE at the Cambridge website. Schools in the US are much less likely to recognize AICE than they are AP scores or the IB diploma. Schools in theUS that do recognize AICE tend to cluster in Florida, and AICEis once again a more internationally minded program, with AICE recognition much more commonplace overseas. AICE is recognized at places such as Florida State University, Colorado College, the University of Oxford, and Qatar University. Scholarships In Florida, completing the diploma and 100 hours of community service automatically nets you the Florida Academic Scholarships Awardviathe Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program. In Kentucky, you can earn a Kentucky Excellence in Education Scholarship that pays out for each E or higher you score on your exams if you're on free or reduced-price lunch. There are also various school-specific scholarships at colleges such as Mississippi State. Check with individual schools for details. Preparation for College AICE is more flexible than IB, allowing students greater choice in the balance of classes they select. If, for instance, a student wants to take four credits in languages and only one in each of the other required categories, that's completely OK! AICE also demonstrates more concern over the amount of time students spend on busywork, remaining committed- by its own declaration- to helping students learn without excessive amounts of homework. On the other hand, AICE courses are more specific in their focus than AP classes are. AP classes are known for their broad and shallow approach, whereas AICE classes narrow in on particular subjects and drill deep. In a lot of ways, AICE seems to be a happy medium between these two other college preparatory programs. Plus, according to studies by the University of Florida and University of Virginia, it also appears that AICE Diploma students earn higher GPAs in college than AP or IB students. All of this indicates that it might not be a bad idea to pursue AICE just for the preparedness factor. In fact, AICE could be a great option for your education as a whole. I'm not saying getting your AICE Diploma willdefinitelymake you feel this good- just probably. Conclusion: What Is the AICE Diploma? AICEis not currently as well known within the US as are its academic counterparts, AP and IB; however, the program definitely has its own merits. The AICE Diploma, which is overseen by the University of Cambridge,demandsthat students fulfill a number of rigorous requirements.This program can earn students recognition, credit, and scholarship moneyat certain schools, and it's also an excellent way to further your education all around. What's Next? For suggestions on when to take AICE over AP or IB, check out our complete introduction to AICE. If AICE doesn't sound like your cup of tea, head on over to our discussion of AP and IB and see which of these programs might be more appealing to you. If you're not clearon what the IB program is, we've got you covered.Take a moment to read about IB classes and the IB program as a whole. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Human Race Past and Future in Anthropology Essay

Human Race Past and Future in Anthropology - Essay Example Agriculture means man’s interference in animal and plant reproduction as well as the distribution system-reaching peak in ecologically simplified and genetically susceptible monoculture. Dependency on few cultivated and domesticated plants decrease dependability on wild resources. The dependency makes it necessary for the society to maintain food producing economy and transformation of conventional base of society or even change of the physical environment. Change in dependency of cultivated food makes increases impossibility of returning to the gathering economy; thus, village farming communities resulted in cities and eventually countries hence attributes of civilization are firmly established and with uninterrupted material progress (Khatry 20). Therefore, agriculture was never an idea of an individual or group of individuals it developed in various ways in different parts of the world. Some of the consequences are far-reaching and similar to all people everywhere. The vari ous consequences of food production include increased carrying capacity of land, growth of sedentary society, transformation of social structure, specialization in craft and rise of civilization. Thus, whatever is visible in the modern civilization is a product of man’s shift to agriculture; moreover, not all consequences are favorable to human society. Agriculture brought a lot of pressure, chain of problems and deficiencies for man to handle particularly when the production of food moved beyond the incipient level. The significant consequences resulting from food production include increase of numbers and density of human population, the rise of political organization, conflicts and exchange, human health and biology and impact on physical environment (Haviland 300). The shift to food production though not a planned event, it has not been able to handle some of the problems it creates. While gatherers still live above starvation with less effort to procure food, agriculture struggles to feed the population despite utilization of technology. Agriculture cause damage to natural vegetation since it kills plants by use of biochemical elements. Therefore, civilization together with technology, state government increased problems in man’s life. Since narrowing of food resources to few plants and animals man’s healthy condition deteriorated (Khatry 22-23). Q2 The future of human race has been a point of concern to writers for centuries with some arguing the human race is destined to evolve into super-beings, while other writers argue that human beings are changing into goblins incapable of nothing more demanding. Nevertheless, leading geneticists believe that these observations are wrong since human evolution has halted. According to Jones, a professor at University College London believes that the forces driving evolution like natural selection and gene

Medical Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Medical Law - Essay Example s are legally considered to be negligent in their work, if their actions are not in accordance with what is expected of a medical professional with analogous skill and competence. The general opinion is that negligence claims originate due to inadequate communication by medical professionals, in situations involving medical complications. Physicians who do not caution their patients, in cases where the results prove to be serious, are deemed to guilty of negligence1. The duties of doctors are set out in medical ethics or deontology. Doctors are under a duty to protect the best interests of their patients, protect third parties and maintain confidentiality. The Mental Health Act and the Children’s Act of the United Kingdom specify the professional ethics to be followed by medical practitioners2. However, all the duties of doctors are not enshrined in a single Act, and there are several applicable acts. The General Medical Council maintains the list of duties that doctors are required to follow in an ethical manner3. Doctors have to provide medical care that corresponds to the medical status established by general medical opinion. Medical practitioners have to take the utmost care while discharging their duties. Doctors have to ensure that their medical treatment does not infringe the patient’s freedom. This was established in Mallette v. Shulman. In that case, the plaintiff was a Jehovah’s Witness. The doctor at the clinic had given her a blood transfusion in order to save her life4. The plaintiff sued the defendants on charges of battery, and the trial court accepted her plaint. The appellate court also upheld this decision; and it became very clear that patients were at liberty to choose any particular medical treatment. It was also established, that patients could refuse to accept treatment; even though such treatment would save their life5. Doctors are under a legal obligation to provide patients with sufficient information about their disease.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Digital Marketing Plan for an online multi-brand retail Essay

Digital Marketing Plan for an online multi-brand retail - Essay Example It is targeting to cater to the online shopping needs of modern females of UK, by offering the next generation trends in the fashion segment. Situational Analysis The UK is recognized as one of the leading markets for manufacturing and evolution of the fashion in the global arena with textile industries producing 8.5 billion pounds of finished goods (Fashionunited, 2009). As of the year 2010, the UK fashion industry has been valued at around 21 billion pounds (Guardian, 2010).The recession and the slowdown in the markets all over the globe, created a down trend in the industry. Further slowdown happened in this particular sector, as more and more consumers tried cutting their expenses. Also, the continuous fear emerging out of the slowdown in the Euro zone and possible chances of a double dip recession has continued to impact the economy as well as public spending for the fashionable clothing sector (Centre For Retail Research, 2012). This has led to the retaliation of fears contributing to a possible bleak outlook for the UK fashion and garments sector. Also, there has been a unique factor that has been realised and noticed in this particular industry for the year 2011. The online model of purchase, which has been prompted by extensive promotion for the online model of shopping has started to cannibalize the in store sales. This has further impacted and hampered the sales that are happening in stores for the entire year of 2011 (Centre For Retail Research, 2012). Objectives The high end ‘New Waves’ is trying to act as a platform for providing a collaboration between the new and emerging pool of new designers as well as the fashion industry of UK. The primary focus of New Waves online model is to act as an online window for the fashion conscious consumers of UK and introducing them to the next big thing that is going to happen in the fashion industry of UK. They are making efforts to aim for a 65% recall from the total target segment, within a period of 6 months duration. It also is trying to achieve the objective of promoting itself as a national level clothing brand in the UK Market. Strategy Segmentation Marketing segmentation is an important and vital role, which is employed by all organizations large or small and is considered as an extremely strong weapon in identifying the target consumers (Charles, Hair & McDaniel, 2011, p. 260). New Waves, in an attempt to promote itself as a national level brand in the UK market are essentially targeting the modern fashion conscious female consumers of the UK zone falling within the age bracket of 18-36 yrs. Targeting The modern generations of consumers, who are mostly falling within the specified age group, are increasingly becoming tech savvy and are more increasingly inclined towards the internet. So, it will be very much essential for the brand to target and communicate as well as interact with the consumers in order to make the brand’s presence felt online to these young consumers. Positioning In an effort to communicate the brand well in the minds of the modern consumers of UK, New Wave should increasingly use a combination of st rategies and tactics for promoting the concept online. The best way to make this happen is to use a number of effective online promotional tactics. Tactics and Actions New Waves can utilize a variety of online promotional strategy and techniques in an effort to market its platform and communicate effectively to the young target segment. In an effort to communicate with the young fashionable modern consumers, New Waves should think of making its presence felt by tying up and collaborating with various online fashion magazines like MC Magazine,

Religious figures Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Religious figures - Term Paper Example According to the History, Lord Mahavir was the last Tirthankara of the Jain religion. As per the Jain methodology all Tirthankaras were human beings. They acquired the status of perfection / enlightenment after passing through meditation and self realization. Hence, Jains consider themselves as the perfect human beings. They do not either accept God as their creator, protector and the destroyer of the Universe nor they believe in the destruction of demons (Nagaraja 43). Mahavira was born in 599 B.C. in the Bihar State of India in the King’s house. His followers celebrate his birthday each year as Mahavir Jayanti. The name given to him by his parents was Vardhaman. Being a loving son of his parents, he used to enjoy pleasures and comforts of life in a princely manner. When he attained the age of 30, he gave up all the pleasures of material world and left his family and the Royal abode for good in search of finding solution to the problems of common people and became Monk (Jain & Upadhye 36). After leaving the family and the Royal home, he spent his next 12 years in deep silence and meditation to get rid of the pleasures of life. He did not indulge in any activities that could be harmful for the animals and the birds. In some part of the mentioned period, he lived without food. He found himself quite calm and composed in the face of unbearable sufferings. Due to cited qualities, he earned the fame of Mahavir, which means brave and courageous. During said period, his spiritual power completely developed and comes to the stage of self realization. Such realization in the religion of Jain is known as keval jnana (perfect/enlighten) (Jain & Upadhye 39).   Soon after completion of self realization exercise, Mahavir spent another 30 years of his life to travel in the length and width of India barefooted. During this period, he used to teach people about the truth that he realized. He appraised the people how an individual can enjoy freedom from the cycle of bi rth, pain, misery, life and death and to achieve the state of bliss for good. This state of bliss is known as nirvana or moksha (Nagaraja 54). According to the beliefs of Mahavir, under the influence of karma, the soul becomes greedy of worldly pleasures (personal belongings and possessions). In his view, worldly pleasures make an individual self centered resulting in more and more amassing of karmas.  He used to preach the right faith, right path and good conduct, which played decisive role in freeing the soul from the clutches of karma (Winternitz 107). We cite here three major events of the life of Mahavir a) Conception (Chyavana), an event when his mother conceived him in her womb b) after conceiving him in womb, the mother had fourteen dreams, but as per the belief of Digambar, they were sixteen dreams and c) his birth was the memorable event for his mother and the family alike. According to the belief of Mahavir’s followers, soon after his birth, the King of Heaven to ok him to the Mount of Meru and celebrated his birthday. The most important event in his life was when he gave up all worldly materials in his possession and took refuge in the ascetic order (Jain & Upadhye 47). The ages of darkness in the life of mankind, gave birth to three great religions namely Islam, Christianity and Judaism. The mentioned religions are deep rooted religions. The said religions made its inroads in the Old Testament patriarch. Abraham used to teach their followers about one God and no more (known as Ibrahim in Islam), was said

Thursday, October 17, 2019

An Evaluation of the Teacher Certification Process Research Paper

An Evaluation of the Teacher Certification Process - Research Paper Example In this paper, I will endeavor to discuss the traditional route for attaining a teaching certificate, and the alternative routes available to becoming a teacher. Certification, from the very essence of the word, pertains to the process wherein students receive a professional credit from their colleges or universities for completing all the requirements of their curriculum and for being a graduate of their program. Normally, students receive a professional certification through engaging in a four-year college or university degree, which is basically the same for the standard teacher certification route. In the standard route, also called traditional certification process, students have to take a four-year college or university bachelor’s degree (for instance education courses), complete all the requirements from different subjects, serve as a student teacher for a certain number of months under the guidance of a certified classroom teacher, and take the state mandated teaching certification test to obtain a teaching license (Steeley, 2010). The standard certification route requires students to complete a bachelor’s degree with a carefully planned coursework, which means that there are obligatory subjects that students have to take each year of their studies (Teachers Support, 2011). For example, during the first year of their studies students are required to take fundamental courses in English, science, math, and history, or sometimes categorized as the general education courses. In the second year, the students have to take major courses in education, or courses which are more centered on the subject of education, for instance theories in teaching, psychology of teaching, and others. Teaching methods will then be the focus of the students’ third and fourth years, and two of the most critical parts of these teaching methods are the teacher training program and the supervised student teaching. After the completion of all the bachelor degreeâ €™s requirements, the students are expected to take and pass the state mandated standard teaching certification examination. The traditional route for obtaining a teaching certificate is perceived to be most suitable for students who just graduated high school and are pursuing a college education in teaching (Watts, 2008). Since this type of teacher certification sets the highest requirements for teachers, this route is basically appropriate for those students who have the time and financial capabilities to support their studies. On the other hand, the alternative, or non-traditional, routes for obtaining a teacher certification is designed for those individuals who have not completed a four-year bachelor’s degree in education through a university or college but are interested in attaining a certificate in teaching. It might be that these individuals who are seeking for alternative route teaching certificate have already completed a bachelor’s or master’s de gree in a different field, or career changers (Teachers Support, 2011). Furthermore, the alternative routes to certification suit those people who lack the time and money to go through the traditional certification process. The various alternative routes for obtaining a teaching certificate have surfaced due to the alleged shortage of teachers (Steeley, 2010). Due to the highly competitive standards set

Book report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Book report - Essay Example In the footsteps of an international pacifist network that had protested nuclear armament since the 1950s, the anti ­war movement was also able to gather a worldwide following of protesters by the late 1960s, all of whom had one thing in common—their opposition to the Vietnam War. The international aspect of this opposition and its transnationalism can attribute to a collective zeitgeist of the time. Many people in America did not want the U.S to engage in another deadly war. The book clearly shows how the American army during the Vietnam war failed to offer moral counsel to young soldiers who were traumatized the events of the war. Further, the U.S soldiers believed that the war was unjust and most of them were afraid to die. Instead, the U.S army I only concerned about bringing men to the battlefield, men who do not question who to shoot or why they have to shoot, nor require to comprehend the effects it may cause on their mental and physical health. This is an example whe re O’Brien is engaged in the war to struggle against the U.S involvement in the war as he sees his friends and other soldiers die. Despite the fact that he feels the power of revenge to his enemies, he feels that killing innocent people and villagers is morally or ethically wrong (O’Brien 34). ... American soldiers opted to make courageous acts in order to express their manliness. From the book, it is clear that many American soldiers realized that they were not brave enough to withstand their moral or ethical beliefs, losing their respect for their relatives, family seemed to outweigh their convictions, and the soldiers did not want to fail anybody. Peace and antiwar movements extract at least some set of intricate phenomena with varying sources, constituencies, goals, and principles. Some of them have roots in the ancient and medieval world. Contemporary advocacy for peace adapted and inherited the concept of just war and absolute pacifism as propagated by religious non-resistance. In addition, peace and antiwar movements base their argument from the concept of political economy. The antiwar movement against U.S involvement in war with Vietnam began in 1950s and gained its momentum in 1960s up to 1970s. It was the most significant movement of its type in the history of U.S. The U.S got involved in the Vietnam War in 1950 when Harry Truman the then President of the U.S began to underwrite the costs of France’s war against the Vietnam. When the Vietnam War started, most Americans believed that defending South Vietnam from communism was a noble and brilliant idea for their national interest. Communism was posing a threat to democracy around the world by preaching anarchy and authoritarian ideas. During the course of the war, many Americans were concerned about the escalating war costs and rising number of casualties. This led to emergence of anti-war movement that grew into in a strong force in opposing the Vietnam War while pressuring America leaders to withdraw from the war. Together with the civil rights movements of the 1960s, the antiwar movements

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

An Evaluation of the Teacher Certification Process Research Paper

An Evaluation of the Teacher Certification Process - Research Paper Example In this paper, I will endeavor to discuss the traditional route for attaining a teaching certificate, and the alternative routes available to becoming a teacher. Certification, from the very essence of the word, pertains to the process wherein students receive a professional credit from their colleges or universities for completing all the requirements of their curriculum and for being a graduate of their program. Normally, students receive a professional certification through engaging in a four-year college or university degree, which is basically the same for the standard teacher certification route. In the standard route, also called traditional certification process, students have to take a four-year college or university bachelor’s degree (for instance education courses), complete all the requirements from different subjects, serve as a student teacher for a certain number of months under the guidance of a certified classroom teacher, and take the state mandated teaching certification test to obtain a teaching license (Steeley, 2010). The standard certification route requires students to complete a bachelor’s degree with a carefully planned coursework, which means that there are obligatory subjects that students have to take each year of their studies (Teachers Support, 2011). For example, during the first year of their studies students are required to take fundamental courses in English, science, math, and history, or sometimes categorized as the general education courses. In the second year, the students have to take major courses in education, or courses which are more centered on the subject of education, for instance theories in teaching, psychology of teaching, and others. Teaching methods will then be the focus of the students’ third and fourth years, and two of the most critical parts of these teaching methods are the teacher training program and the supervised student teaching. After the completion of all the bachelor degreeâ €™s requirements, the students are expected to take and pass the state mandated standard teaching certification examination. The traditional route for obtaining a teaching certificate is perceived to be most suitable for students who just graduated high school and are pursuing a college education in teaching (Watts, 2008). Since this type of teacher certification sets the highest requirements for teachers, this route is basically appropriate for those students who have the time and financial capabilities to support their studies. On the other hand, the alternative, or non-traditional, routes for obtaining a teacher certification is designed for those individuals who have not completed a four-year bachelor’s degree in education through a university or college but are interested in attaining a certificate in teaching. It might be that these individuals who are seeking for alternative route teaching certificate have already completed a bachelor’s or master’s de gree in a different field, or career changers (Teachers Support, 2011). Furthermore, the alternative routes to certification suit those people who lack the time and money to go through the traditional certification process. The various alternative routes for obtaining a teaching certificate have surfaced due to the alleged shortage of teachers (Steeley, 2010). Due to the highly competitive standards set

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Game theory research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Game theory - Research Paper Example While doing so, the player must always think about the good mechanism for selling the painting in that given game. When developing such a game, one may have to consider a single shot game in which each of the players is asked to states his or her sealed bid for the painting. Based on the bids presented, the painting will be given or awarded to the most suitable bidder or player in the game. The most straightforward way of awarding the painting would be giving it to the highest bidder and then charging him for the bid. Teo and Sethuraman however notes that taking such an approach may not been very helpful because the developed situation does not have any dominant strategy solution (881). In such a case, the best strategy for each of the player or bidder would be entirely dependent on what he knows or assumes about the bidding strategy which is going to be used by the other players. When the player takes a wrong assumption about the strategy that is going to be used by other players, then the strategy that they will opt for will not be the best one. On the other hand, when the player makes the right assumption about the approach that is being used by the other bidders, then his strategy will be the best available one. On this basis, it is quite apparent that deciding on the value which should be placed on the bid by the bidder will always be a very big problem. The compl exity of the situation will automatically result in unpredictable behaviour in the game. Regardless of this, there are several available approaches which can be employed to deal with such situations just as it is effectively done in other games which lack a dominant strategy. One of the main ways through which such situations can be dealt with is the use and the applications of the Vickery auction approach. Vickery mechanism is a very common approach which is used to deal with various gaming situations which do

Monday, October 14, 2019

Over all Impacts of Hobby Lobby Case Essay Example for Free

Over all Impacts of Hobby Lobby Case Essay As the Supreme Court has ruled against the ObamaCare mandate recently, commonly referred as the The Affordable Care Act (ACA), many of the religious communities are overwhelmed about the decision and take it as a victory whereas others are outraged about this situation as women community will be greatly affected by the rulings of the court. It is a setback for the women society that in the name of religious liberty they will be deprived of their medical concerned issues. The companies that consist of religious ideology will be able to legitimize something that may harm others. Certainly these events will have constant series of effects on the society and as well as some changes may also occur in the legislation relating to ObamaCare. Obamacare covers twenty types of birth control, upon four of them; the court has objected (Tom Cohen, 2014). Hobby lobby states that it is showing efforts to provide religious freedom but majority of the public don’t agree with this statement. Instead people are outraged that it is interfering in their personal lives. It will not let them exercise there constitutional rights. Moreover they would be forced to obey or practice something that they don’t agree upon. People will not tolerate that there liberty and freedom will be in risk. Soon the similar types of entities like Hobby Lobby will be legitimizing discrimination against gays and lesbians by businesses (Salon.com, 2014). Defintly it would be unethical of doing so because what kind of an individual is having relationships is their personal right. In the name of faith and religion they will be creating barriers in there jobs and at work places. On the stance of ethical issues, the question arises about the religious liberty. Will it really make us a good Christian or minimizing our choices and freedom? It will be unacceptable by the public that the Supreme Court has legalized something that creates discrimination and deprives women from their medical rights. Indeed it is a biased decision made by the Supreme Court. In the light of the decisions made, employees of any company will be obliged to practice the religious beliefs practiced by their owners. Common people have a religious perspective that, every individual is responsible for his or her own deeds and will be answerable to God. But the decision that has been taken in this case by the court will certainly snatch the liberty from the company’s employees. Upper management will be able to force their religious beliefs and customs down the throats  of their employees. On the other hand, the decision will have negative effects on the women employees as majority of them may have a chance of suffering from medical problems for example in case of ovarian cancer, ovarian cysts, they won’t be able to get enough or no treatment because of the objection of contraceptives. Thousands of women employees of these companies would have to pay double or be out of their birth control plan (Tom Cohen, 2014). It would be unethical for the companies for interfering in their employee’s private personal medical matters. References Tom Cohen, C. (2014). Hobby Lobby ruling much more than abortion. CNN. Retrieved 4 October 2014, from http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/02/politics/scotus-hobby-lobby-impacts/ Salon.com,. (2014). Hobby Lobbyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s secret agenda: How ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s quietly funding a vast right-wing movement. Retrieved 4 October 2014, from http://www.salon.com/2014/03/27/hobby_lobbys_secret_agenda_how_its_secretly_funding_a_vast_right_wing_movement/

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Many Factors That Affect Communication Social Work Essay

Many Factors That Affect Communication Social Work Essay Interpersonal skills, majority of the managers chose interpersonal skills as their greatest strength. Managers must have a good communication skill in dealing with their stakeholders. In Catherine Lodge, our manager has effective communication skills in dealing with the entire situation with regards to residents needs if it is being met, staff, and residents families. A good company wouldnt have a very strong foundation without a team that helps in problem-solving. Care workers must be careful in recognising a problem by assessment, know the possible cause and effect, and plan for the procedure thoroughly. Team work will set in, as the person who recognises the problem will report to the team, to assess, collect all the data, and to plan the best action. Communication is still there as they are following a process of solving a problem, and in decision-making. (http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2629217?uid=3738032uid=2129uid=2uid=70uid=4sid=21101226337883) The aim of the policy is to ensure that the effective channels of communication are established, supported and maintained. It believes that the communication of good information promotes quality care, offers clients assistance in making informed choices and plays a vital role in motivating and supporting staff. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢To enable us to fulfil our statutory responsibilities to provide information. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To communicate effectively with staff about ongoing issues, policies and procedures. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To provide opportunities to consult with staff and for them to express their Views and offer ideas and suggestions. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To communicate effectively with clients and their representatives. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To promote the quality of service that we provide to our clients. Technology is moving so fast nowadays that we have many electronic aids to help us communicate. For example, smart phones can used to make calls, send text messages and emails; can used to make video call where you can see the person on the other line, can leave a voice message if its not available. There are many factors that affect communication. They are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sensory deprivation when someone cannot receive or pass information because of visual and hearing disabilities. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Foreign language when someone has different accent, different pronunciations, and/or uses sign language that the other person does not speak, or understand. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Jargon Using of medical terminology to a patients, service users, and family members that they may not understand, it is better to explain things according to the level of their understanding because understanding the facts can make something appear less scary. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Slang when a care worker uses a language that is not everyone uses, or familiar with. Cultural differences there are some things that has the same meaning but could mean different in two cultures. For example, keeping an eye contact whilst communicating is seen as being respectful, and being truthful, but for some culture like in East Asia for them it is a sign of being rude and defiant. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Distress everyone can experience distress, this can be difficult for them to clearly understand what is being said due to lack of focus. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Emotional difficulties every one of us has emotional difficulties at times and can make us upset. The negative effect is not to hear or understand clearly what the other person is is telling you and can lead to misunderstanding. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Health issues when the person is ill, he/she cannot be an effective communicator, especially service users that suffering from Parkinsons disease or Multiple Sclerosis affect an individuals ability to communicate properly, care worker should be trained and aware on how to work with these people. Communication Audit it is a method use to identify the Strengths and Weakness of your current and external communications. Organisations recognise the benefit of keeping their customers, clients, investors, partners and/or members aware of happening with in their organisation. The techniques they choose are varied, ranging from the tried and true e.g. e-mailings, and website postings, variant of high technology tools. Placing a suggestions box at the front door gives the residents family to write their comments and suggestions anonymously or they can name their names, and/or they can even go straight to the managers, seniors for their comments. Making quarter year survey that requires family member of clients to answer a questionnaire, and they are free to add their comments. When Stakeholders reach out: developing and implementing a promotion plan We go into developing a promotion plan. We offer steps and examples. From there we look at what a communication plan entails. Emerging from this we look at relating to the media. We highlight the importance of identifying key messages and who your target audience is for different promotion work. Finally, we offer lots of suggestions for nervous speechmakers. Promoting your organisation: when people reach in: A large part of an organisations work happens through telephone contact and with visitors coming to your office. If you put people off with a negative attitude when people phone in or visit, you will probably end up having an organisational image not to your liking. So, we look at promoting your organisations image in this context. We give ideas about your reception area, how you receive people, handling phone calls and e-mails. And we end off looking at how you can monitor and evaluate your organisat ion. Task 2 Report Catherine Lodge is a residential care home that aims to provide continuous professional care to all its residents within a safe, friendly and relaxed environment. It caters up to 39 elderly residents providing each individual with a personal form of service derived from a carefully formulated care plan that meets their needs. This is provided both in short and long term basis depending on each individual. Since each resident has specific needs that range from physical, psychological, social or spiritual needs on a 24 hour basis it requires a certain level of personnel to facilitate this. Show me the money! Well, thats what financial data do. They show you the money. They show you where a companys money came from, where it went, and where it is now. There are four main financial data. They are: (1)  balance sheets; (2)  income statements; (3)  cash flow statements; and (4)  statements of shareholders equity. Balance sheets show what a company owns and what it owes at a fixed point in time. Income statements show how much money a company made and spent over a period of time. Cash flow statements show the exchange of money between a company and the outside world also over a period of time. The fourth financial statement, called a statement of shareholders equity, shows changes in the interests of the companys shareholders over time. A balance sheet provides detailed information of companys asset, liabilities and shareholders equity. Assets are things that company owns that have value. They can either be sold or used by the company to provide services that can also be sold. It also includes physical property of the residents that can/cant be touched but nevertheless exist and have value. Liabilities are amounts of money that a company owes to others e.g. all kinds of obligations like borrowed money from a bank, payroll a company owes to its employees, environmental costs, taxes owed, and obligations to provide good quality of services. Shareholders equity or capital Income statements is a report that shows how much revenue a company earned over a specific period, it also shows the companys net earnings and losses. Cash flow statement report a companys inflows and outflows of cash. This is important because a company needs to have enough cash on hand to pay its expenses and purchase assets. While an  income statement  can tell you whether a company made a profit, a cash flow statement can tell you whether the company generated cash. It shows the net increase or decrease in cash for a period. In Residential home, we have enough staff to work in the morning, in the afternoon and at night. We have a monthly staff meeting to raise our concern at work, problems with our colleagues, and suggestions on resident/s care plan, and we also have a separate Senior Carers meeting, the Manager/Owner and the Deputy Manager always presents the Carers the needs of good communication, and team work. We have supervision every 3 months, the manager is giving feedback to identify our strengths and weaknesses, and if they think the staff needs to be trained, and appraisal every 6 months in which we rate ourselves, and the Deputy Manager is rating the staff as well in our performance, we can voice out our own opinion, about the job, colleagues and if we are getting support from the Managers. The company also provided us mandatory training, manuals, booklets, presentation from the lecturer and a questionnaire that we need to answer at the end of the training. Catherine Lodge has a seasonal newsl etter where they introduce new staff member, residents who celebrated their birthday, and about the achievements of the company. A good communication skill is very important, specially working in care settings. Working with vulnerable adults requires more understanding, must have different techniques and strategies use in supporting communication between the individual with specific communication needs. Good communication with vulnerable adult is essential. This includes identifying behaviour triggers, by means of visual prompts and speaking in short, clear sentences. I considered that the social workers used verbal and non-verbal forms of communications and applied the principles of active listening. Some people with disabilities are not able to use speech as their principle means of communication. They may however be able to use an alternative method of communication such as symbols and symbolic languages. It is vital to recognise that symbols are different from pictures. Pictures generally convey a lot of information at once but their focus is often unclear. Symbols, on the other hand, are often designed to convey a particular meaning. Symbols or symbolic languages can be applied to signify many aspects of verbal communication. Symbols can be presented through visual, auditory and/or tactile media and can take the form of gestures, photos, manual signs, printed words, objects, reproduced spoken words or Braille. Symbols help understanding which can increase involvement, choice and confidence. It helps support creativity and self expressions. Using mobile phones at work is strictly prohibited, as it may interfere in whatever the carer is doing or it may cause accident e.g if the Carer is feeding, doing morning care. Some residents may have challenging behaviour that sometimes affects the carer itself, they best react in a calm, quiet environment, Carer must consider the Residents preference, cultural difference, language and environment, assumptions, judging, noise, and distraction. The use of technology helps the care workers by having an easy access by just typing the residents name all his/her information daily report will come out in one click, comparison graph of residentials weight incomparable from past to present will easily available in one click, not unlike if it is just written and filled you have to search for it and check the book where you filed it. Make work a lot easy, report will neat and tidy, because it is easy to edit if you accidentally misspelled. Disadvantage of it is if the computer got virus and/or the system got hacked all the information will wipe out, that will give an extra work for the manager, care workers, and andmin. Code of Practice sets out the minimum standards and guidelines for hygiene, fire building safety, and the level of care required , which aims at ensuring that residents in the homes receive services of acceptable standards that are of benefit to them physically, emotionally and socially. (http://www.swd.gov.hk/doc/downsecdoc/code_rchpd.pdf)I will assess the workplace strategies, policies and procedures that should be in place to ensure good practice in relation to all forms of communication in health and social care setting. The health and social care industry mainly focuses on the heart of care. Since it involves people, communication takes a very important role. Effective communication is not only significant to the health care professionals in ensuring the improvement of clients quality of life by addressing their needs. It is also the clients and support systems right in the promotion of their equality and diversity as people. Workplace strategies, policies, and procedures for good practice in communication focus on ensuring privacy, and confidentiality, disclosure, protection of individuals, rights and responsibilities, and equal opportunities. Moreover, a practice on disciplinary procedures, complaints policy, and flexible working also benefit the entire health care team. If all these flow efficiently, there will be no hindrance in the system of communication. For example, one of our residents had a GP appointment and I escorted her. When we arrived in the GP surgery, the receptionist asks the residents loudly for the reason that I am in the GP surgery in which other patients can hear, there is a break in the policy of ensuring privacy. Whenever I start expressing my concerns at her pace, then I will definitely not have my privacy. It establishes a barrier between us personally and professionally. As a patient, I might start complaining with regards to her action. Effective communication is a key factor in success may it be in work or association. It is always a part of personal and professional progress. Therefore, to master communication skills and techniques is a very important area to develop in each individual. In the given scenario its implication is to render a quality health care service which benefits the service providers and the service users. Data Protection is designed for person responsible for safeguarding the confidentiality of information and of the person giving his or her own information. One of its purposes is to safeguard the fundamental rights of individuals. This act governs the right storage and processing of personal data held in manual records and on computers. Under this act, the rights of the individual are protected by forcing organisations to follow proper and sound practices, known as data principles (DPP). Reporting and recording of information is a vital form of communication needed to ensure the safety of vulnerable adults. Parts of a carers daily routine should include making notes in a care file, as well as using communication books, forms and documents. Make sure that the writing is legible and clear, that is signed and dated, and that where necessary copies are made. http://transparency.dh.gov.uk/dataprotection/information-charter/ Health and Safety inspections are an important monitoring tool to help ensure that workplace hazards are controlled and that risk to employees and others are eliminated or minimised. Inspections should be carried out regularly.  Carers must inspect the equipment/s before using it, report and record all faulty equipment/s to the Manager e.g. heating, lightning, and ventilation. Charter is for anyone who has dealings with the Department of Health whether through correspondence, involvement in public policy consultations or if for any other reason we hold personal information about the resident. Communication and listening gives clues to a better understanding of an individuals preferences and wishes. Gathering information about an individual will lead to creative and supportive ways of providing care. Carers must exercised active listening and having the ability to empathise with the residents by paraphrasing what the others saying to her and understand it. So that, she will increased the trust and gain more information from the individuals. Communication itself is influenced by individuals values and culture. Carers should always make sure of eye contact; focus on what they are saying and acknowledged what is being said to her by paraphrasing or nodding her head. Carers must also use different technique to enhance their social culture, beliefs and values. Like for instances, I usually greets and chat with the individuals by smiling , Carers must apply the sense of touch in her communication. I believes that by means of touch can be a very positive form of communication in that it can provide comfort and re-assurance when someone is distressed making them feel safe and secure, it can also be a signed of love, respect and affection to somebody or it may calm someone who is agitated. In this case carers show that they met the desires of the human beings to their client which are love, purpose and self expression. Carers should be warm and caring in nature and she has the ability to connect well with others. Fine qualities and having a good communication skill plays important role in the delivery of care in whatever ethnicity, sex, education or social care they may be. Saving face is saving your credibility, dignity and ethics by means of being honest, getting out of the situation by means of good explanation. Theories of Organisational communication Attraction- selection attrition framework; In Attraction, everyone is different, people are differently attracted to a career for different reasons, this could be their passion, helping and/or looking after people could make them happy and fulfilled, even if they just want to try different job, and this is depending on their personality to choose the organization they want. In Selection, in organization the Manager chooses who she thinks will qualified for the job, with the same interest, goals, and personal reasons. Attrition, this is the complete opposite of attraction, where the people who didnt qualify, or found that they are not happy with the organization, management, job tend to leave, only those people who have the same ideas, interest, fits in the job chose to stay. A very good example is in the residential home I used to work, Id chose that residential home to apply because of a good reputation. The manager hired me because she thinks have got the qualification they are loo king for, and I can contribute to the organization. I and the other lady started working as a Induction carer, 3 days after the manager talked to me, and told me my colleagues are happy working with me and I can start working as a regular carer, working on my own. The sad part was, the new lady didnt appear two days after. http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20clusters/Public%20Relations,%20Advertising,%20Marketing%20and%20Consumer%20Behavior/Attraction-Selection-Attrition_Framework(ASA).doc/ There are many types of organizational communication. Individuals communicate with peers, superiors, and subordinates within the organization. Managers manage through communication. Employee communication departments attempt to inform and/or secure cooperation; from employees. Labour relations specialists deal with labour unions. Formal and informal communication takes place between departments and role occupants throughout the organization. Public relations specialists communicate to external audiences about the organization in general,and advertising departments communicate to consumers about the organizations products and services. Change agents; and other organizational representatives communicate with clients and community representatives. Finally, organizations communicate with other organizations which generally share common problems or values. In groupthink or team work, a manager or team leader should be sensitive, open to accept suggestions from your subordinates in order t o meet the target goal. Working in groups are building blocks for meeting organization goals.   Managers should also consider ways to develop leadership in team members.   Training for versatility in leadership styles through workshops could encourage this growth.   Encouraging self-growth through concept of motivation. It is very important to have an effective communication at shift turnover; Care workers should give this a high priority. Shift turnover should be included in the safety-critical topics supervised and audited periodically by management. They should identify its importance in policy and procedures, assign responsibilities and set minimum standards. A description of how to conduct an effective handover should be available so individuals can assess and improve their own practice. High risk handovers needing extra attention should be flagged up. The importance of effective communication skills during shift handover and throughout other work activities suggests this attribute should be amongst the selection criteria for key posts. Furthermore, opportunities should be available for existing staff to develop their communication skills if required. To be able to motivate a care worker is to identify his strengths and weaknesses, and by giving him feedback. Being open to accept negative feedback is the key for being productive by improving, and being eager to learn, and update skills. Team work and good communication with one another will make each others work easy. Task 3 Interpersonal communication How the use of ICT in health and social care benefits service users? The Information Communication Technology aims to the efficiency of the health care services. This means to b a better outcome for the same or a lesser use of resources. ICT also helps and empowers the health and social care staff, it improves positive patients experiences and facilities research and development relevant to health and social care, the legal consideration in the use of ICT is the Health and Safety. How the ICT supports and enhances the activities of care workers and care organisations? As aforementioned, the ICT supports and enhances health and social care activities of care workers and care organisations. It is through administrative, financial, clinical, infrastructure applications, etc. That the needs of staff are met; and there is a high regard innovation in business administration, efficiency and quality of service. It also helps in meeting requirement of other agencies, accountability, and audit . For example, the use of a computer screen is an indication of a patients arrival makes the work of the receptionist lighter and easier. Imagine if there was no such thing then the receptionist will have to entertain every person coming in a queue. She will not have enough have time to do other things. Working with vulnerable adult, Professionals must shows different techniques and strategies used in supporting communication between the individual with specific communication needs. Good communication with people with vulnerable adult is essential. This includes identifying behaviour triggers, by means of visual prompts and speaking in short, clear sentences. I considered that the carers must use verbal and non-verbal forms of communications and applied the principles of active listening. Some people with disabilities are not able to use speech as their principle means of communication. They may however be able to use an alternative method of communication such as symbols and body language. It is vital to recognise that symbols are different from pictures. Pictures generally convey a lot of information at once but their focus is often unclear. Symbols, on the other hand, are often designed to convey a particular meaning. Symbols or body language can be applied to signify many aspect s of verbal communication. Symbols can be presented through visual, auditory and/or tactile media and can take the form of gestures, photos, manual signs, printed words, objects, reproduced spoken words or Braille. Symbols help understanding which can increase involvement, choice and confidence; it helps support creativity and self expressions. Theories of Interpersonal Communication Uncertainty reduction model People have an urge or need to reduce uncertainty about individuals that they find attractive and this motivates them to communicate In Social network theory closeness develops if people proceed in gradual and orderly fashion from superficial to more intimate levels of exchange. People consciously and deliberately weigh the costs and rewards associated with a relationship and seek relationships that reward them and avoid those that are costly. People connect with others because they believe that rewards or positive outcomes will result. Expectancy value model People believe according to their expectations, and evaluation. The behaviours they perform in response to their beliefs and values are undertaken to achieve some end. However, although expectancy-value theory can be used to explain central concepts in uses and gratifications research, there are other factors that influence the process.  Attribution theory is significantly driven by motivational dri ves, looking at how the person constructs the meaning of an event based on the persons motives to find cause on persons surroundings. Personal development planning is the lifelong process of nurturing, shaping, and updating persons knowledge. It is about allowing individuals to improve and develop in line with the industry in which they engage or aspire to engage. It is about widening or broadening their knowledge and skills in order that they will continue to have a place in the flatter structures of todays organisations. The benefits of personal development planning are that it provides a schedule to work to motivate the individual and suggests a framework for monitoring and evaluating achievements. A good example is If you are currently working as a first line manager or senior administrator and aspire to the position of your manager, you may need to acquire new skills or develop your lower level skills to a higher level in, for example, budgeting, managing people, performance review, report writing and chairing meetings. You would need to planhow you are going to acquire these skills and over what time frame. Personal development planning can also be the basis for: Assessing where you want to be and how you can get there ,keeping skills up-to-date through meetings, trainings, reading the record book of the residents, updating it via computer, particularly in IT and technical areas, Continuous learning, gaining satisfaction from achievements through feedback from colleagues and management whether it is formal or informal, Building up transferable skills, such as time management, adaptability to change, self-awareness, and supporting future employability. You have to set yourself a SMART objective; they must be attainable, viable and realistic time-frame. A good example of SMART objective is; Within the next 12 months (time-bound), I will devise and implement a system (specific) which will enable the team to communicate more effectively with each other (achievable and realistic) through monthly group meetings and three-monthly one-to-one meetings (measurable).