Saturday, August 31, 2019

Advocacy for Families and Youth

Josie is an 11-year-old bi-racial â€Å"at-risk† adolescent who lives with her single mother. Josie has a history of learning and behavioral problems in school. She attends a large suburban school and is struggling in sixth grade. Josie can be a behavioral problem in the home and community and has been referred to your agency for advocacy services. She has been asked not to return to her soccer team because of her behavior and is no longer permitted at her after school program. One day when you are talking with Josie, she reports that she has been extremely depressed and just does not care about living anymore. In paragraph format, discuss, and describe the basic theories or methodologies involved in advocacy and the role of the advocate in working with at-risk families or youth. Explain how you would advocate for Josie in both the personal and professional setting by addressing the following questions: 1.What are the key advocacy issues or risk factors impacting this case? List at least three and explain why these are key issues. Make sure to take cultural considerations into account. 2.What should be done to address the advocacy issues? List at least three solutions per issue identified. Be very specific and support your response with at least two sources. 3.Identify any roadblocks that could occur to successful advocacy for this scenario. List and explain at least three roadblocks. Support your response with at least two sources. 4.What are the key legal and ethical considerations relevant to this case? How would you address these considerations?

Friday, August 30, 2019

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Oppositional Defiant Disorder: Case Study and Research Samaritan L. Carlo Suffolk County Community College SYS 213, Exceptional Child Able Keller is an English-speaking and physically healthy four-year-old boy. He lives with his mother and eighteen-year-old sister, and attends preschool during the week. Babel's mother works seven days a week and he is supervised on the weekends by a nanny. His current nanny began working for the family fairly recently; the two nannies prior to her both worked for less than two months before quitting.Babel's parents have been divorced for two years. His mother is his primary care-giver and is father sees him infrequently. Lately, Babel's mother and preschool teacher have been unable to cope with his disruptive and distressing behaviors. Babel's teacher estimates that his disruptive behaviors began at the beginning of the school year, which was approximately eight months ago; his mother says that the behaviors began roughly one year ago and have been i ncreasing in severity and frequency since then.Babel's sister has also voiced concerns regarding her brother's spiteful actions towards her due to the strain his recent behaviors have put on their relationship (PAP, 2013). Babel's mother reports that Able cannot go more than two days without becoming extremely irritated with necessary daily tasks. Once, Babel's mother requested that he go wash his hands before dinner. Able became irrationally frustrated, blatantly refused to wash his hands, and began lashing out in a manner which she describes as â€Å"one of his tantrums. Babel's mother also describes an instance in which their last nanny was on the receiving end of Babel's disruptive behavior. The nanny took away Babel's toy at his refusal to brush his teeth and get ready for bed, and later found her toothbrush in the toilet boil. After further acts of blatant defiance by Able, the nanny resigned and Babel's mother was forced to find a new nanny. Able exhibited a similar behavior towards his sister when she asked him if he could grab her a pencil for her homework. Able was instantly irritated at this request and yelled â€Å"Don't tell me what to do! He then proceeded to rip up her homework and run to his room. According to his mother, destruction of property in such an aggressive manner has been very infrequent in Babel's behavior. However, his spitefulness resulted in the loss of a nanny and his sister's increasing emotional sisters that her â€Å"sweet baby brother† has taken on such a resentful attitude towards her (PAP, 2013). Babel's preschool teacher told his mother that his behavior will no longer be tolerated and recommended that he be assessed. His teacher explains his behaviors in class as â€Å"defiant and disruptive. Almost daily, he actively ignores class rules, such as not talking during reading time, and becomes even more defiant when his violations are addressed by the teacher. His teacher has paused class multiple times to stop hi m from distracting either the whole class or individual students. She ports that the most troublesome aspects of Babel's behavior are the frequency of the disruptions and his responses to being reprimanded. Once, when a classmate went to the teacher after Able ignored her plea that he stop poking her arm, Able became outwardly more motivated to continue poking her relentlessly.When his teacher explained why his behavior is unacceptable, Able accused the classmate that he had been poking of initiating the incident and provoking him by being â€Å"annoying. † Babel's teacher reports that he has yet to accept blame or responsibility for any of his misdoings and that he is often ostracizes by his peers. Classmates have called him â€Å"annoying† and † a tattle-tale. † Teachers discourage this taunting behavior, but the discrimination has led to further emotional distress within Able which has been exhibited by more frequent moods of frustration and irritability at home (PAP, 2013).Babel's behavior has been extremely distressing at home and in school over a duration of at least eight months, but has not presented a problem elsewhere thus far. His teacher has felt stress due to her inability to get him to obey rules, a lack of time to address his disruptions, and phone calls from parents whose children claim to have en harassed in some way by Able. His sister has become distraught over his behavior and his mother has been put under enormous pressure to maintain a trustworthy and reliable nanny.Due to the duration of his irritable, defiant, and occasionally vindictive behaviors, which have occurred at home and at school, have had negative consequences in his academic, social, and emotional functioning, and have caused distress for several people in his life, Able has been diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder of a moderate severity. Babel's defiant, argumentative, ND vindictive symptoms put him at risk for developing Conduct Disorder, and his increasing emotional distress due to peer issues at school increases his risk of developing an emotional disorder (PAP, 2013).Recent research of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is characterized by the emergence of two themes: developmental precursors to the disorder and the dimension of irritability. The study of precursors to ODD are discussed by Tinfoil and Malta (2013) in their research study which examines the relations between interpretative understanding, moral emotional attribution, and sympathy with the ability to predict ODD symptoms.Burke, Babylon, Rowe, Duke, Steep, Hippies, and Walden (2014) discuss varying dimensionality models of ODD, the identification of irritability by certain symptoms, and the implications of the results for further research on ODD. Tinfoil and Malta (2013) suggest that the limited success of current ODD treatments may be attributed to the lack of empirical research on the disorder's developmental antecedents. Their research responds t o this insufficiency by assessing supposed key components in the genesis of antisocial behaviors: social-cognitive development and moral emotions (Tinfoil & Malt', 2013).The study analyzes a sample of 128 four- and eight-year-old children with ODD and investigates the links between the symptoms of ODD and interpretative understanding, or theory of mind skills, in children (Tinfoil & Malt', 2013). The research of Tinfoil and Malta (2013) also analyzes ODD symptoms in relation to sympathy and moral emotion attribution (MEA), and examines the mediating role that each of these may have on each others' development. The participants of the study include 128 English-speaking children and one caregiver each parent assessments (Tinfoil & Malta, 2013).The only exclusion criterion is a hill with autism spectrum disorder, and the ethnicities of the participants vary (Tinfoil & Malt', 2013). Symptoms of ODD in the children are rated by caregivers using ADSM-oriented scales, interpretive understa nding ratings are obtained by professionals using the Landed and Chandler's puppet activity, sympathy is measured by caregiver and child self-reports, and MEA is evaluated using each child's negative or positive responses to the presentation of hypothetical vignettes of varying lapses in morality (Tinfoil & Malt', 2013).The procedure of the research study involved each child and their caregiver attending one session at the research ABA, the parent providing written consent and the child providing oral agreement, and the child being interviewed for a duration of approximately forty-five minutes by psychology undergraduate students (Tinfoil & Malta, 2013). The caregiver for each child filled out the symptom questionnaires outside of the interview room during the process (Tinfoil & Malta, 2013). Tinfoil and Malta (2013) find that interpretive understanding, sympathy, and MEA all influence ODD symptoms.Ratings of child sympathy by the caregivers play a mediating role on the effect of in terpretive understanding on ODD symptoms, and MEA strength significantly influences interpretative understanding in the domain of rule violation (Tinfoil & Malt', 2013). The research of Tinfoil and Malta (2013) indicates the necessity of further research on social-cognitive and affective-moral factors that could potentially precede ODD and help with early prediction, and highlights a possible origin of the rule-violating behavior so prevalent in Babel's case as a deficit in MEA.Recent research on ODD also focuses on the importance of irritability and on reaching a consensus regarding which symptoms best identify irritability (Burke et al. , 2014). Burke et al. (2014) introduces the study by explaining how existing data purports that symptoms of ODD represent a unidirectional assembly and are distinct from those of other disorders. Recently, studies have found conflicting evidence regarding the dimensions ODD symptoms are categorized by, which questions the reliability of assessment using the existing ODD model (Burke et al. 2014). Also, inconsistencies exist concerning which symptoms of ODD comprise which dimensions (Burke et al. , 2014). Burke et al. (2014) suggests that a factor model of the disorder may help solve these conflicts surrounding the concept of diagnostic irritability. The study tests single and multi- dimensional models of ODD including factor and competing models, analyzes various elements of measurement within symptoms, and aims to identify the extent to which specific dimensions relate to each other and general ODD symptoms (Burke et al. 2014). The study also attempts to determine if there is a distinguishing dimension of irritability within ODD, if one model of ODD is superior to all other models, and if there is an additional general dimension of ODD (Burke et al. , 2014). ODD symptom data of five community samples of five- to eighteen-year-old boys and arils is evaluated by Burke et. Al (2014) using assorted measurement scales and care- g iver reports.Methods of assessing symptom presence, frequency, and severity are the Revised Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, Parent Version, Child Symptom Inventory-4, Child and Adolescent Psychopathology Scale, Developmental and Well-Being Assessment, and Emory Diagnostic Rating Scale (Burke et al. , 2014). The data is analyzed using five models of ODD dimensionality and two models of irritability, which identify irritability as either touchy, angry, and spiteful, or touchy, angry, and frequent loss of temper (Burke et al. 2014). Burke el al. (2014) concludes that the best model for symptoms of ODD is a general factor model in which irritability and oppositional behavior factors exist alongside a general ODD factor, and in which irritability and oppositional behaviors significantly correlate with each other (Burke et al. , 2014). This model is consistently better across multiple samples and is made up of eight general ODD items, each correlated with either an irritabilit y or an oppositional behavioral dimension (Burke et. Al, 2014).The irritability mission includes temper, touchiness, and anger; the oppositional behavior dimension includes argumentativeness, defiance, annoyance, balefulness, and spitefulness (Burke et. Al, 2014). Burke et. Al (2014) also finds that irritability is most accurately characterized by touchiness, anger, and temper loss. The implications of the results are the emergence of strong evidence for a multidimensionality within ODD, and support for an identification of irritability characterized by loss of temper, touchiness, and anger (Burke et al. , 2014).Although the research is unable to answer attention questions regarding the existence of a third dimension, the initial questions are addressed concerning the underlying structure of symptom dimensions and provide evidence for a superior set of characteristics of irritability (Burke et al. , 2014). Lastly, Burke et al. (2014) addresses that possible limitations in the study were due to the variability of the questionnaires, the variability of the scaling systems, and the different research structure for boys and girls in the samples. References American Psychiatric Association. (2013).Section II: Disruptive, impulse-control, and induct disorders. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th De. ). New York: PAP Press. Burke, J. D. , Babylon, K. , Rowe, R. , Duke, E. , Steep, S. D. , Hippies, A. E. , & Walden, l. D. (2014). Identifying the irritability dimension of ODD: Application of a modified factor model across five large community samples of children. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1-11. Tinfoil, M. & Malt', T. (2013). Interpretive understanding, sympathy, and moral emotion attribution in oppositional defiant disorder symptomatically. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 44, 633-645.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Evidence based in nursing Essay

Evidence based in nursing Introduction Literature search            The topic I searched on was management of brain injuries. The main purpose of this research was to ascertain what literature stated on how to monitor and treat a patient to curb post traumatic seizures, which are brought about due to limitation of amount of oxygen that goes to the brain. This causes excessive release of excitory neurotransmitters, thereby increasing the brain’s metabolic needs, that raises pressure within the intercranial space. Unfiltered Evidence            The unfiltered article that I came across had important information in it. It had three authors namely; James W. Y. Chen, Robert L. Ruff and Roland Eavey. It had 21 references in it, â€Å"Post traumatic epilepsy and treatment.† I found it in the Wiley online library database. It clearly defined the whole post traumatic epilepsy symptoms, diagnosis and physiotherapy practices involved in treating it. This article was very useful as it gave a clear highlight on how to go about the nursing process of post-traumatic seizures. However, this did not show the research and advances that have been made in diagnosing and treatment of the condition. Filtered Evidence            Filtering of articles was critically hectic and cumbersome. I discovered informative articles on post traumatic seizures diagnosis, treatment and care. However, most of them were obsolete and did not show clear progress in current research and health advances towards dealing with brain injury associated epilepsy. I succeeded in getting present day ideas when I used the online Harvey/ John Hay Whitney medical library tool. I got 20 results from the search. Despite most of them being outdated, I managed to find a relevant one which was talking about the advances and treatment administered to the epileptic patients. It had a broad variety of the whole process and it had a lot of information. The article I found was in synopsis form (Fulton, John F. and Ralph W. Gerard, 2014). Critically Appraised Topics            When I used the AHRQ database I collected 173 searches on head injury post traumatic seizures. It was very wide thus difficult to obtain the information required. It was comprised of all other neural based injuries like the spines making it difficult to come up with a clear article on post traumatic epilepsy. The nearest article that I came across was on â€Å"Nerve and Brain Conditions.† Systematic Reviews            It was the most effective tool that I used and its results were very easy to internalize. I found an article in the Pubmed database that showed the way forward in dealing with head injury traumas in a comprehensive context and I liked it a lot. I dealt with the symptoms, diagnosis and medications, and therapeutics used in dealing with the post trauma epilepsy. (Dalmady & Zasler, 2014) Useful Tip            In order for one to have a complete literature research, the most sufficient way to go about it as I learnt from this assignment, is by using more than one database when searching for a specific topic. Another way is that, with the higher you go the more broad the evidence you get in a distinct hierarchical order. References Dalmady-Israel, C., & Zasler, N. (n.d.). Post-traumatic seizures: A critical review. Brain Injury, 263-273. Retrieved December 9, 2014.Tsao, J. (2012). Traumatic brain injury a clinician’s guide to diagnosis, management, and rehabilitation. New York: Springer. Source document

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Data wharehousing case study assignment PowerPoint Presentation

Data wharehousing case study assignment - PowerPoint Presentation Example Facts table present real data stored while dimension tables describes each row in a fact table. Any data mart must present business changing trends and the user requirements in an organization. The database for MEGA SAVE was analyzed using OLAP Statistics and Reporting. The main advantage of data mart is that it can be used to analyze both small and large data of an organization because data marts are response to real business needs. This are some of the key guidelines that the designers of the database should base in coming up with the data mart. Charts and reports are used to describe the data set. Table 1.0 The above table shows group customer against group product from the sales. Table 1.2 From the schema the main aim of the developers of the schema is to evaluate the sales according to different groups of the buyers. The group products and the customer group ID are illustrated in the table above. For instance, customer group ID 1 is for Young Rich Women while 2 for Young Poor Wo men. The total sales for each product is given in the columns. Graph 1.0 The graph above shows the sales of group products sold overall in all counties. Fresh meat, soft drink and dairy were the least sold items while the highest sales was fruit vegetable followed by beer. The schema designed was to outline the group sales that has the highest score. The graph below shows the sales grouped by the product. The group customers are also categorized in the graph this graph is aimed at identifying the favorite precuts customers buy frequently. By different type of buyers. Decision makers can use this information in determining the type of product to be focused a given group of the consumers. Graph 2.0 Graph 3.0 The graph above shows sales of group product over the county. The decision makers may want to know which county has the highest sales and which product is the best sales. West Yorkshire has the largest sales above 1200 sales for fruit vegetables while east Yorkshire has the least sales below 800 sales for fruits vegetables. The decision maker may want to identify the sales in each county based on the scores. For instance, which store is in which county and how is it performing? The table below shows these data. Table 1.3 The company’s main trend or patterns are to the target population on the market and the kind of products it is selling to these regions. After looking at the design principles about data mart, there should be a single access point to the data mart hence the information from all the stores should be accessed at a given point. The schema omitted the most important question about the sales in each region. From a business perspective, the two main questions that emerge are: What is the specific business application of the data being loaded to the data mart from the operating system files. Therefore loading legacy data during the loading of the data mart should be done. The first law in data mart designing is the law of loading complexity in this case having multiple sources where data will be extracted from is a complexity. Some sources may not be loaded or the administrator may present information to the users in the format that they did not expect, hence to users data will not be available. Feedback mechanism should be design early in the designing stage of the data mart. I used bar graphs in representing my information because the values in the database are of frequency

Effects of earthquakes on people and properties Research Paper

Effects of earthquakes on people and properties - Research Paper Example The highest ever disaster caused by an earthquake occurred on January 24, 1556 taking a toll of 8, 30,000 lives in Shensi province of China. Affected people bear the risk of loosing their property, as the whole city gets changed into debris. There is double burden of evacuation besides the property damage, which is equally torturing as is the occurrence of an earthquake. After being evacuated people are compelled to live under the sky as the property is destroyed (Asimov 1998). Powerful earthquakes put people and property in danger by swaying buildings and creating cracks beneath resulting in landslides. Such powerful earthquakes have caused huge destruction of property including bridges, water tanks, sewer, and utility services the world over wherever they have occurred. Damage increases multifold where soil is soft due to water saturation, which enlarges the circumference of ground movements. On slanting slopes, soil starts falling during the occurrence of earthquakes, causing landslides. Tsunami is an indirect reaction of earthquake, causing more loss of life and property than the earthquake itself because of powerful sea waves (USGS 1997). The effect of earthquakes is measured through their intensity and magnitude. Intensity of the earthquake is measured by the violence of feeling its impact at different places of the affected area. The magnitude of the violence is decided by the effect on buildings, grounds, and the people. The intensity scale of determining the loss of people and property is different for different countries. In most of the America, the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale having 12 intensity levels is used. Earthquake of intensity I is hardly felt. Intensity II is noticed by people resting on the top floors of the building. Earthquake of intensity III is felt while remaining inside of the upper floor buildings. Effect of intensity IV can be

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Homework assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Homework assignment - Research Paper Example Over the years, many employers have been faced with the dilemma of having to recruit workers but they lack ideas of how to get the right person for the job. This happens in situations where someone may require a house help, mechanic, electrician and many more to work for an individual. An example of the problem is that an individual may be travelling and their car experiences a mechanical breakdown and you are unaware of how to deal with this problem. This site will help an individual get a mechanic near their location. This section outlines the approach to the problem described above. The approach is from Foster et al. [2, Sec. 6], which discusses a scenario of service-based distributed query processing using OGSA-DAI. The key idea is to make the data available to all the users via a web service with the help of Grid Distributed Query Processing Service techniques (GQPS). An adequate method of solving this problem is to create a web browser where all interested personnel can sign up and fill a form which involve entry of personal details like; location, age, profession among others (Oliver, 2005). All those who sign up will have an account with their details that will be stored in a database. The web interface will contain a search option which will enable anyone interested in getting a worker will enter the profession and a list of all those in that category of profession will be. In case the employer needs some from a particular area, he or she needs only to specify the area while searching (Converse, 2004). The design delivers a web based interface for data access. The intended deliverable of this project is the development of a site for data access search of professions in a distributed environment, which indeed will provide more opportunities for work applications in real world scenarios (Vikram, 2005). The site will also have a rating system through which service providers can be rated. This is vital information that employers

Monday, August 26, 2019

Morden dance final Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Morden dance final - Assignment Example Alvin and his mother, Elizabeth, shifted to Navasota, Texas when he was only six years old. As for his education, he attended a school for the whites, where he felt so much discriminated and undermined, as there was so much of racism. He attended a church for the blacks named as Black Baptism Church. Here, only people of a specific race were accommodated. This also happened in theatres and anything that surrounded the place. In their childhood therefore, Ailey and his generation mates grew feeling singled out from the society. Ailey and his mother moved from Navasota to Los Angeles in the year 1942 (Gitenstein 12-14). The ensuing part of his childhood seemed better as his mother got a better job with an aircraft factory and Ailey joined high school as a result. In high school, Ailey decided to join football players in the school’s gymnastics team. This was due to his great passion for athletics in those times. Though Ailey never believed in himself when it came to dancing skills, he always admired the dancers as he watched them perfect their dancing skills at school. He also loved the music that he used to hear at the local dancehalls. His favorite dancers were Gene Kelly, who were in the industry for over fifty years, from 1912 to 1996, and Fred Astaire, from 1899 to 1987 (Gitenstein 16-19). He made up his mind to take part in the dancing lessons that were going on at a neighbor’s home. Ailey’s strong passion for dancing was created after visiting a modern dance school, which was operated by Lester Horton. He was persuaded to make the visit by his good friend called Carmen. There he realized that the dance company was the first and only institution to acknowledge members from any race. To him, it was much pleasing to be in a place where racism is not an issue of concern. Ailey decided to train there as a dancer for a whole month. What inspired him even more was the performa nce of Ballet Carlo and

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Motor Cycle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Motor Cycle - Essay Example Provide a rationale for the response. A project organization is a formation that allows the management and execution of project tasks. Its primary motive is to create a setting that promotes communications amongst the group participants with a minimal amount of disorder, conflict and overlap. One of the significant results of project management is the type of managerial structure that will be applied for the project. Every project has its exclusive features and the framework of a managerial outline must deem the organizational background, the project attributes in which it will function, and the range of power and control the project manager is delegated with. A project framework can take on a variety of types with every type having its own benefits and limitations. One of the key purposes of the structure is to lessen uncertainty and perplexity that characteristically takes place at the project commencement stage. The type of project organization explains the relationships amongst a ssociates of the project team and the link with the outside ambience. The structure exhibits the ability through the way of a graphical diagram referred to as an organization chart (PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS, 2007). For the present scenario a suitable project organization should be developed for manufacturing larger touring class motor cycles.... In this type of structure the project manager exerts total control over the essential resources and the project tasks necessary to attain the aims from within the parent management or from staying away from it, subject to the quality, budget and scope restraints recognized within the process involved in the completion of the project. For manufacturing larger touring class motor cycles it would be appropriate to choose the project based structure since a project manager is involved in this specific structure who would handle the organization’s new project of manufacturing large touring class motorcycles. The recommended steps for the organization are- Surveying the market for getting the response of the customers regarding the large touring class motorcycles. This will help the firm to acquire important information about the customer’s choice and competitor’s product. Considering all other environmental forces like political, economic, social, cultural, legal and technological factors and their effects on the product. Implementing the feedback collected from the market in efficiently developing a sample product. Marketing a few sample products to find out its level of acceptability. Finally setting up the product development framework. 2. Recommend one (1) strategy to the senior executives that the organization might use to balance short- and long-term needs. Specify the crucial resources that you would need as a project manager to run the existing business interests at the same time that the business changes to the production of touring class motorcycles. A strategy suitable for the senior executives which can be implemented by the firm to strike a balance between the short and long term requirements is the application of

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Industry - Essay Example Smarthand is a company that manufactures smart hand products that are mainly for university professors who engage in teaching practices in large lecture rooms. The product manufactured by the company is a multifunctional remote controlling glove that is bundled with a computer software. The software functions in such a way that it allows the person using it to give instructions using touch screen by the use of hand gestures and commands using figures. The smart hand product has a lot of promise to its users. The product promises the users to make controls to the screen of the computer at a far distance with the use of a Wi-Fi environment. Unlike other means of computer operating equipment such as clicker or mouse, the smart hand product offers several instructions that are customized in a more convenient manner. In summary, it can be said that smart hand product takes a total control of the university lecturer class in his or her palm. The company’s mission statement is to enable users to control computer and give customized instructions in the palm of the hand. SmartHand LCC will strive to accomplish the mission by focusing on four main objectives: provide users better experience in manipulating virtual space, improving convenience of use, developing new software features based on customization, and changing the way of teaching in a smart classroom. The product idea is based on designs from students from School of Information Studies and further improved by the management team at SmartHand LLC. The inventors designed the intelligence glove in order to develop a technology to manipulate objects in a virtual space. After consideration of the executive team from SmartHand LLC, the features of the glove is decided to focus more on educational use so that the product can be bundled with other teaching station technology to improve professors teaching experience. SmartHand is a multi-functional intelligence glove that allows using figure commands and hand gestures

Friday, August 23, 2019

The Impact of Beijing Olympic Games on China Essay

The Impact of Beijing Olympic Games on China - Essay Example This paper argues that Beijing Olympic Games brought a positive impact on China, making it more competitive in the international sphere. It would also discuss the three significant themes that were accentuated in this event and would provide an in-depth analysis on the impact of the Beijing Olympic Games on economic, socio-political, environmental, and technological aspects of China. Essence of the Olympic Games in Beijing China According to Kronick and Dorne, managing director of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide and associate in Corporate Communications at Ogilvy & Mather China, respectively, the Olympic Games in 2008 is like a debutante ball for China to show to the world its wondrous Chinese culture (32). Also, it was a means to express Chinese people are now eager to communicate and join people from all over the world in promoting peace and progress (BOCOG, qtd. in Close, Askew, and Xu). After decades of closing its doors away from developing tight relations with other countries, even neighboring ones, it has finally opened the aperture towards a long-term and progressive relationship with these nations. Moreover, Kronick and Dorne refer to the Olympic games as a catalyst for change in China, just like what it already did to a number of cities like that of Tokyo, Japan, Barcelona Spain, and Sydney Australia. For instance, the 1964 Olympic Games which was held in Tokyo resulted to a technological boom due to consumers who were very eager to buy television sets just to watch the games in their homes. The same thing happened in Barcelona that held the 1992 Olympic Games wherein it awakened the sluggish place into a prestigious city. In Sydney, it incredibly showcased its unique Australian hospitality in the 2000 games (Kronick and Dorne 32). For Beijing, China, it serves as an exceptional way of marketing, no less than, the country itself. As a matter of fact, marketing experts would view the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games not solely intended for sports purposes but more importantly, as the launch of China as a superbrand that would be a huge opportunity as well as a large threat to many na tions (Kronick and Dorne 32). Apparently, China is serious on showing to the world that more than a manufacturing country, it is also on the road to a total improvement, progress, and innovation. The Beijing Olympic Games---Central Themes and Its Impact on the Macro-Environment of China In launching China as a superbrand, the Beijing Olympics in 2008 carried with it three major identifiable themes: people, technology, and â€Å"Green Olympics† (Kronick and Dorne 32). First, it highlighted people, most especially the majority of poverty-stricken Chinese who are yet to experience an upliftment of their condition. This theme on people served as the flagship in promoting a strong fight against the persisting social problems in the country (Kronick and Dorne 32). In so doing, this event had positive in the socio-political aspect of China. Second is technology which reflects the 2008 Beijing Olympics’ aim to provide highly advanced Olympic Games. The plan revealed a total of approximately US$157m worth of government funds and US$217m to 449 worth of private company contribution, all to support the Olympic technology projects (Kronick and Dorne 32). Thus, Beijing Olympic Games was an instrument to improve the technological facilities in China. Third is the so-called â€Å"

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Essay Example for Free

Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Essay 1) How have changes relating to management and organisational structural affected a global organisation of your choice, over the last 75 years. Relate your findings to growth, distribution, and various external influences and strategies. 2) Undertake a SWOT analysis and explain its relevance in relation to your company and/or its sector Word Count 1250. Harvard Style Referencing. Bibliography Required. Global organisation Laura Ashley Holdings Plc has suffered differing fortunes since Bernard and Laura Ashley founded it in the 1950s. It has been involved in the designing, manufacturing, distribution and selling of garments, accessories, perfume, gift items, fabric, wall coverings, bedding, lighting, and furniture. Famed for its floral prints, the chain was highly successful during the early and mid 1980s but things changed in the early 1990s when various management and structural problems as well as those relating to growth, distribution, and various external influences such as global recession surfaced Laura Ashley herself died in 1985. There is a notable difference in the organisation up to and after this year. Up to 1985, it was a simply structured, steadily expanding organisation operating in a non-complex environment (complexity arises when there are numerous complicated environmental influences [Johnson and Scholes, 1989]). In the months and years after, many changes took place. Laura Ashley went public in flotation, acquired other companies involved in areas such as knitwear and perfume, made heavier investments in manufacturing and information technology (IT), moved towards segmentation with Mother and Child shops, exclusively home furnishing shops and unit shops (franchise operations). The organisation moved gradually away from vertical integration (it had always manufactured and delivered all goods itself) The Guardian reported that Laura Ashley was withdrawing from manufacturing by the end of the year in 1998. In order to facilitate growth, there was a shift from the simple functional organisational structure to a more complex divisional structure (which was  re-organised with every change of leadership). The most notable chief executives of Laura Ashley who were in place whilst and after problems developed were Jim Maxmin (1991-1994) and Ann Iverson (1995-1997). Each of these people were responsible for major overhauls within the organisation. Vora (1998) states, Laura Ashley has undergone various restructuring strategies and umpteen management upheavals, all to no avail, and all of which have decimated shareholder value and abused the brand name. As highlighted above, the major problems of Laura Ashley began to manifest in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The first fall of profits were reported in the year to January 1989. It is important, then, to look at its success before this from its beginnings in the 1950s to 1985. One area to naturally consider is the key success factors of the organisation for this period i.e. what specifically can its success is attributed to. Key success factors are what an organisation must do well in order to be successful, be an effective competitor and satisfy stakeholder requirements (Thompson, 1997). Bearing this in mind, the key success factors of Laura Ashley up to 1985 are identified as high quality production, innovative designs, good brand management (the Laura Ashley name was and is strong), well placing of stores, creation of good atmospheres in stores, general design and creative competencies, staff training, creation of a vertically integrated structure and operation within a simplist ic organisational structure in general. Also, the Groups IT capabilities factored into the success as it was a source of competitive advantage e.g. they were an early adopter of electronic point of sale (Heath, 1996 as cited by Johnson and Scholes, 1999). These factors may also be interpreted as strategic excellence positions (SEPs), which can be described as the capabilities, which allow an organisation to produce better than average results in comparison with competitors (PUmpin, 1987). Thompson (1997) presents a particularly useful model that can be helpful in explaining the success of Laura Ashley up to 1985. The EVR congruence model, by Thompson, considers if an organisation is being managed effectively with regards to strategy. It represents the matching of an organisations resources (for Laura Ashley these would include plants, vehicles, IT systems  and locations) to the key success factors dictated by the environment (external factors such as opportunities and threats, stakeholders, competition etc). A determinant in matching these is the values of the organisation (again, in the case of Laura Ashley, these would include the lifestyle they promote/project, shop designs and atmospheres, product designs, the brand, staff training policy and the family culture). If the congruence (fit) between these three areas is great, then this indicates effective management of resources (Hamel and Prahalad [1993] comment that it is important for organisations to manage reso urces well in order to achieve objectives), strategy formulation and all-round success. It can be argued that the success of Laura Ashley up to 1985 can be attributed to greater EVR congruence. That is such things as the number of shops and plants, distribution systems, stakeholders, threats (including competition), products, level of vertical integration and so on fit together well in relation to the size, structure, culture and speed of growth of the organisation then. The key success factors are also indicative of this congruence. So that they can be developed to help ensure both present and future success, it is important key success factors are recognised and understood. One particular way Laura Ashley could do this is through a SWOT analysis. This reviews an organisations internal strengths and weaknesses and opportunities and threats in the external environment (Cole, 1996). This may be done for a particular moment in time or as an overview encompassing the past and present. As made clear, Laura Ashley has faced much change during its existence. Opportunities and threats come about as a result of constant change and the SWOT analysis can help to identify these and internal strengths and weaknesses relevant when dealing with change (Johnson and Scholes, 1989). This SWOT analysis can be used in relation to analysing the problems faced by Laura Ashley in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. They can be greatly attributed to the weaknesses and threats identified. For example, fluctuations in the economy had a knock-on effect on the sale of property and hence on the sale of household furnishings. Also, high borrowing, wastage and forced discounting meant that, despite sales increases, shops were making a loss. The reorganisations in 1988, 1991 and twice in 1995 had their effect too they were costly and highlighted inefficiency. Chandler (1977) states that structures are not adapted until pressure of inefficiency forces the change and that this change process is usually a painful one often carried out by a different chief executive each time. Upon and after his appointment in 1991, Jim Maxmin found that the organisation lacked a core identity, clear strategies, empowered staff, thorough market research, efficient logistics, and many probl ems in the US such as limited growth, poor management and delivery problems. He responded with his Simplify, Focus and Act programme. This included reorganisation, institution of a Global Operations Executive (GOE) and Global Collection Development (GCD) which aided globalisation and marketing, encouragement to empower staff, an alliance with Federal Express Business Logistics to improve delivery and distribution systems, sourcing half of the organisations manufacturing to  the Far East (rather than in-house in Britain) and management replacement in the US. Before leaving Laura Ashley in 1994, Jim Maxmin commented that throughout the entire organisation, people has embraced the principles of the Simplify, Focus and Act programme and set about sorting out the operational problems which have plagued Laura Ashley (Maxmin, 1993 as cited by Warnaby, 1994). Ann Iverson was appointed chief executive of Laura Ashley in 1995. She was to spearhead the rush into the US and revamp the product range (Teather, 1999). Her observations found various problems all of which can again be attributed to identified weaknesses. It was found that the product range was too broad, there was no unified look to match globalisation, the supply chain was inefficient and problems continued in the US. Ann Iversons response included strengthening the alliance with Federal Express Business Logistics, opening larger stores in the US and reviewing marketing and sales. These changes were considered to be good as Laura Ashley restored dividend payments in 1996 for the first time since 1989. Ann Iverson was dismissed in 1997, however, mainly due to continuing problems in the US and the organisations image (Keynotes, 1997). Each of the changes mentioned came about from the organisations particular strengths (as identified) at the time. For example, whilst such things as restructuring and shop closures were happening, the strong name of Laura Ashley and strong customer loyalty were greatly relied upon. Bowman and Asch (1987) comment that the strengths of an organisation are a if not the determinant in how it handles weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Opportunities open to the organisation in dealing with its various problems can be identified as the opportunities in the SWOT analysis. Opportunities change and differ over time. For example, the alliance with Federal Express Business Logistics resulted from available opportunities at the time. A possible opportunity in the early 1990s would have been a speedier move away from vertical integration for example. Laura Ashley became totally vertically integrated in the 1970s and continued  to be so though gradually moved away from this in the 1990s completely in 1998. Vertical integration can be backwards e.g. manufacturer purchasing/owning supplier and forwards e.g. manufacturer purchasing/owning retailer Laura Ashley was both backwardly and forwardly vertically integrated everything from the supplying of materials and manufacturing to distribution and retail. The main benefits of this throughout the organisations development included greater control, greater ability to differentiate, the opportunity to achieve economies of scale (higher margins), assurance of supply and greater synergy. Despite this, there were numerous disadvantages particularly that it was costly and greatly increased operational leverage as well as the need to keep up with technological change. This tied up capital having long-term affects. It meant that there was not full concentration of key strengths (design and retail) on which key success factors are dependent (Thompson, 1997). Furthermore, vertical integration was inflexible (cheaper manufacturers could not be sourced) and sensitivity to decreases in sales increased. It was the cost aspect that had the greatest impact particularly in the face of costly expansion (especially in the US). Warnaby (1994) comments that vertical integration was responsible for financial problems in the early 1990s. The costs of vertical integration had an impact on the organisations ability to successfully expand internationally. Perhaps with the exception of a distinctive product look and the adoption of a divisional structure, Laura Ashley did not expand internationally applying Treadgolds keys/strategies each was applied/introduced incrementally as problems arose to highlight the need e.g. it was not until 1995 when Ann Iverson felt the need for a unified product look. This is indicative that the organisation was not particularly capable of embarking on such ambitious international expansion as it did. This is highlighted by the numerous problems faced by the organisation e.g. poor marketing/marketing strategy, inefficient logistics and lack of direction and clear strategy. Additionally, the paternalistic management style was not suited to rapid expansion and this coupled with high finance demands from vertical integration, reorganisation and early acquisitions further indicate poor planning in terms of development Laura Ashley has faced so many problems throughout its existence. Problems owing to management, organisational structure, logistics and rapid international expansion continuously came and went. In 1998 bankruptcy looked imminent but an injection of ?44 million in equity capital by Malaysian businessman Dr Kay Peng Khoo (giving his MUI property company 47.5% share ownership whilst the Ashley family retained just 9% [Gibbs, 1999]). He installed Ng Kwan Cheong as chief executive who made changes including the disposal of the problematic North American franchise (retail operations were sold to a management buyout team for $1 at the end of July, 1999 [Gibbs, 1999]), targeting of younger markets and investment in e-commerce (Abdullah, 2000). However, all of these changes looked to have no major impact in the Groups success with sales steadily decreasing from 1998. Whether or not Laura Ashley manages to achieve the sort of success it enjoyed in the early 1980s under its new management remains to be seen as does its survival. Chief Executive Ng Kwan Cheong refrained from placing false hopes, commenting in March of 2000 We have a lot of things to do. All I can say is we are moving in the right direction and things are changing (Cheong, 2000 as cited by Abdullah, 2000). REFERENCES Texts  · Bowman, C. and Asch, C. (1987). Strategic Management. Macmillan Education.  · Chandler, A.D. (1997). The Visible Hand: The Managerial Revolution in American Business. Harvard University Press.  · Cole, G.A. (1996). Management Theory and Practice (5th Edition). Letts Educational.  · Johnson, G. and Scholes, K. (1989). Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases. Prentice Hall.  · Johnson, G. and Scholes, K. (1999). Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases (5th Edition). Prentice Hall.  · PUmpin, C. (1987). The Essence of Corporate Strategy. Gower.  · Thompson, J.L. (1997). Strategic Management: Awareness and Change. International Thomson Business Press. Journals and Publications  · Hamel, G. and Prahalad, C.K. (1993). Strategy as stretch and leverage. Harvard Business Review, 71, March-April, pp75-84.  · Keynotes (1997), Keynote Market Report Clothing Retailing, 1997 Reports, p23.  · Treadgold, A. (1991) Dixons and Laura Ashley: Different Routes to International Growth. International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management. Vol. 19(4), pp13-19.  · Warnaby, G. (1994). Laura Ashley An International Retail Brand. Management Decision, Volume 32 (3). Other  · Abdullah, S.A. Turning around Laura Ashley. http://adtimes.nstp.com.my/archive/mar3.htm (09 December 2000).  · Gibbs, G. (1999) Laura Ashley bids farewell The Guardian Unlimited Archive. http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3904775,00.html (18 December 2000).  · Teather, D. (1999) Banks push Laura Ashley to quit US The Guardian Unlimited Archive. http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3855892,00.html (18 December 2000).  · Vora, K. (1998) Lessons from Laura Ashley. The Motley Fool: The Daily Fool, Evening Fool Tuesday, 03 March 1998, (online) (cited 04 January 2001). http://www.fool.co.uk/DailyFool/1998/DailyFool980303.htm . BIBLIOGRAPHY Texts  · Cole, G.A. (1997). Strategic Management (2nd Edition). Continuum.  · De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (1994) Strategy Process, Content, Context: An International Perspective. West Publishing.  · Hatch, M.J. (1997). Organization Theory. Oxford.  · Palmer, A. and Hartley, B. (1996). The Business and Marketing Environment (2nd Edition). McGraw-Hill.  · Palmer, A. (2000). Principles of Marketing. Oxford.  · Porter, M.E. (1980) Competitive Strategy Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competition. The Free Press.  · Porter, M.E. (1985) Competitive Advantage Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. The Free Press.  · Wild, R. (1994) How to Manage (2nd Edition). BCA. Other  · Framed-Art Wholesale. Laura Ashley The History http://www.framedartwholesale.com/aboutLA.htm (20 December 2000).  · Herzog, J. (1997) Laura Ashley closure a strategic decision. Daily Yale News Online Friday, 12 September 1997, (online) (cited 20 December 2000). http://www.yale.edu/ydn/paper/9.12.97/I-1lauraashley.html .  · Hoovers Online. Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Company Capsule Companies and Industries http://www.hoovers.co.uk/uk?capsule/5/0,3042,90245,00.html?referer= (20 December 2000).  · Wetfeet. Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Company Profiles. http://www.wetfeet.com/asp/companyprofiles.asp (18 December 2000).  · Wright Investors Service. Research Report: Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Corporate Information http://profiles.wisi.com/profiles/scripts/corpinfo2.asp?cusip=C826EG930 (18 December 2000).

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Eliminating Genetically Modified Foods Essay Example for Free

Eliminating Genetically Modified Foods Essay What comes to mind when reading the words genetic modification or Bacillus thurigiensis (abbreviated Bt)? I envision laboratories and science experiments, when in reality these words are related to the food we eat every day. What most Americans do not know is the threat that genetically modified food presents to our communities. PLU should do everything in its power to ensure that its students and faculty members are not exposed to genetically modified foods and crops that have been â€Å"protected† through the usage of Bt that has been artificially incorporated into crops, at least while eating on campus. We also need to educate those individuals about the truths of genetic modification and how it can potentially harm the lives of our generation and those to come. After all, PLU’s slogan is â€Å"educating for lives of thoughtful inquiry, service, leadership and care – for other people for their communities and for the earth. † If we can raise awareness of genetic modification on campus, we can help spread the importance of eliminating it to the rest of our community. Researchers have recently found that genetically modified foods have more baggage than advertised, baggage such as the risk of formation of allergies, exposure to toxins in herbicides, and a significant reduction in nutritional value. The genetic modification of crops began in the 1980s and has been growing in popularity ever since. In 1994, researchers successfully genetically modified tomatoes for human consumption. The genetic modification involved deleting a gene which produced the enzyme polygalacturonase which helps in fruit softening. This meant that the tomatoes could ripen on the vine but not spoil by the time they reached the store (â€Å"Tomatoes†). Tomatoes are no longer genetically modified, but are instead made to postpone ripening when the green tomato is picked; they are then taken to a processing plant and â€Å"artificially gassed with ethylene until they are the rosy-red skin tones of a ripe tomato† (Estabrook p. x). Seeing the words gassed and ethylene in the same context as human consumption seems concerning. Unfortunately, many Americans are unaware of how their food has been treated when they are consuming it. Some produce is â€Å"too good to be true† because they seem perfect, without a blemish or bruise, not to mention free from flavor. But, I now know that this is due to gasses that act as a sort of make-up. The tomatoes in PLU’s commons are unsatisfactory in taste, but impeccable in terms of looks. This leads me to think that PLU is purchasing out of season, gassed tomatoes that are bred to be green, as opposed to better quality organically grown produce. This brings nutritional value into question. In a study conducted by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, â€Å"100 grams of fresh tomato today has 30 percent less vitamin C, 30 percent less thiamin, 19 percent less niacin, and 62 percent less calcium than it did in the 1960s,† not to mention fourteen times as much sodium (Estabrook p. x). Who would have thought that an individual’s sky rocketing levels of sodium was not only from McDonalds french fries, but also from what they thought of as a healthy alternative, a tomato bought from the grocery store. Parents are unknowingly buying these tomatoes with the intention of feeding their children something healthy, but in reality they are being undermined by the U. S. Agricultural System. What really is genetic modification? It can be defined as: â€Å"organisms that have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques† (Genetically Modified). According to Assistant Professor Romey Haberle, these types of â€Å"genetic engineering techniques† include the usage of either a gene gun or a natural vector, which sounds just as bad as the ethylene gas previously stated. A gene gun is just that, a gun. Its purpose is to inject cells with specific genetic information into plants or other cells. Natural vector is the usage of DNA cells as a means of transportation into a plant’s cells. The DNA cells contain other specific and modified cells that are foreign to the plant in which it is being injected. These two types of genetic engineering are used to produce specific plants that can have special immunities to certain insecticides, or even to alter the crops’ general composition. Guns and natural vectors are the most common ways of studying and performing genetic modification in today’s agricultural world. â€Å"Bacillus thurigiensis (Bt) is an insecticide with unusual properties that make it useful for pest control in certain situations† (W. S. Cranshaw). An insecticide is a poison designed for insects. In the past it was usually sprayed over fields in an effort to reduce the amount of crops lost to insects. There has recently been in increase in the amount of crops that have this toxin genetically modified to into its DNA, making it impossible to wash off or get rid of. Unfortunately, the crops resist the effects but the toxin is still present on crops as they grow and are picked. Bt works by â€Å"producing proteins that react with the cells of the gut lining within insects†¦these proteins then paralyze the digestive system, and the infected insect stops feeding within hours† (W. S. Cranshaw). In short, Bt causes the insect to die from starvation since their digestive tract is unable to digest. This makes me question the safety of using this product within proximity of humans since it specifically attacks the gut lining of the digestive system. An unfortunate incident with Bt in the Philippines almost caused 100 members of a community to become ill. A crop within close proximity to their area of living had been sprayed with Bt. This crop was then pollinated, filling the air with pollen. The town’s people began to show symptoms of headaches, dizziness, extreme stomach pain, vomiting, chest pains, fever, and allergies plus respiratory, intestinal and skin reactions. Trying to get to the root of the problem, blood tests proved that 39 of the victims showed an anti-body response to the Bt-toxin. This means that the Bt toxin had traveled from the crops to their internal systems. Other villagers also encountered animal deaths from the same problems (Lendman p. 7). This shows that Bt is not suitable for human consumption or human contact. My concern is that PLU will purchase and serve food that has this same toxin present. Yes, the chances of this happening are rare, but we can eliminate the risk altogether by purchasing non-genetically modified produce that has not been exposed to the Bt toxin. PLU’s dining services do a great job of offering fresh and healthy foods for all meals of the day. Each menu is clearly labeled as to whether its food is all natural – grown without fertilizers or pesticides, locally grown, vegan – free from all animal products, vegetarian, or organic. However, organic is rarely seen. The most common labels seen are the locally grown and all natural labels, but it is usually only next to the grilled or sliced chicken breast. PLU should make an effort to move away from genetically modified foods and begin advertising the elimination of engineered foods on the menus. We could do this by allotting more of our food budget to buying organically grown food. We know that to be labeled as â€Å"organic† a farm has to adapt to specific regulations such as not utilizing pesticides or other harmful preservatives and of course, to stay away from genetically modified seeds or plants. I believe that most PLU students are aware of the benefits of organically grown produce but I do not think they are educated as to the benefits of eating non-genetically modified foods. PLU recently had food and water seminars, these seminars present a perfect opportunity to speak and educate about the negatives of eating genetically modified food in order to educate them to help others and make the right decisions for our earth. Most PLU students are interested in the environment and doing what we can to ensure sustainability, this includes the usage of harmful pesticides to our environment. By eating organic we can make a small impact in reducing the amount of non-organic produce bought and distributed. We also reduce the possibility of consuming these same pesticides that pose a threat to our atmosphere by avoiding them all together. By educating the students at PLU about the potential hazards that genetically modified food can present we can influence and encourage the right decisions to be made, the decision of going organic and avoiding genetic modification at all costs. The controversy of golden rice is one that has caused much disagreement within the world of genetic modification. Golden rice is a genetically engineered grain that is being used to â€Å"help fight vitamin A deficiency in the developing world, a disease that contributes to the deaths of 8 million young children in the world† (Ronald). Although this statistic demonstrates the drastic improvement of the overall health in the most underdeveloped parts of the world, it fails to include the â€Å"massive changes in the natural functioning of a plants DNA. Native genes can be mutated, deleted, permanently turned on or off and the inserted gene can become truncated, fragmented, mixed with other genes, inverted or multiplied, and the GM protein it produces may have unintended characteristics† (Lendman p. 2) that could compromise the health of the individual or community consuming it. Researchers have failed to imply the potential harmful effects on gut function, liver function, kidney function, the immune system, endocrine system, blood composition, allergic response and even the potential to cause cancer because of the mutilated DNA that is being ingested by our bodies every time we eat genetically modified foods. Researchers are so quick to glorify the one added nutrient to golden rice that they forget, or rather choose to not advertise the adverse and undesired side effects that could come from eating rice that has a complex and unnatural DNA. Yes, vitamin A deficiency is a real and prominent problem in today’s underdeveloped nations, but solving the problem with genetically altered â€Å"golden rice† presents the risks of forming allergies, being exposed to toxins such as pesticides, and ultimately causing cancer. Instead of investing most of our resources and money into genetically modifying vitamin A into rice, we could donate it to charities that provide food to those underdeveloped countries that are impoverished and are in need of proper nutrition. Allergies seem to be more and more common in today’s society. I too, have been directly impacted. One of my best friends from my junior high and high school years has a deathly peanut and soybean allergy. She constantly carries around an epinephrine auto-injector, abbreviated â€Å"epi-pen,† that she is required to use if she comes into contact with any kind of nut. We find ourselves constantly reading labels and isolating what she can and cannot eat, a practice which is tedious and inconvenient. Her soybean allergy is not as prevalent as her peanut allergy, but it is still concerning. She had an experience of eating an ice cream popsicle, in which she took two bites and her lips started to swell with red hives. Even after carefully analyzing the ingredient list, she still had a reaction to some kind of soybean that had been present within one of the ingredients. Soybeans are present in many foods, and 93% of the soybeans used in the U. S.are genetically modified (â€Å"Genetically Modified†). They are created to withstand herbicides used to kill weeds. This means that 93% of the soybeans used in food across America have the herbicides glyphosate or glufosinate within them since they are modified to resist the harmful effects that the weeds encounter when they are sprayed with a herbicide, the same herbicide that is designed to kill insects and weeds. Our bodies are not meant to ingest these harmful herbicides, so some children react adversely to soybeans that have been genetically altered. Nut allergies seem to be the most common allergy in today’s communities. â€Å"From 1997 to 2007, the prevalence of reported food allergy increased 18% among children under age 18† (Prevalence). This increase in food allergies seems to directly mimic the pattern of genetically modified food’s rise in popularity. Is this comparison ironic? I do not think so. PLU’s ability to specifically mark the types of allergens present in each meal is very important to the rising of today’s allergies that so many young adults are affected by. â€Å"As of 2012 there are many outgoing court cases and FDA investigation into genetically modified foods† (Genetically Modified). There is obviously a concern for the welfare of our communities and the production of genetically modified foods, and PLU should take into consideration the recent increase in food allergies in children, the push for organically grown food, the lost nutrition, and the potential for cancer development. By educating the minds of PLU students about the harmful effects genetically modified food presents to society we can promote for lives of thoughtful inquiry, service, leadership and care both for others and for our planet. These contributors all add up to one conclusion: the reduction or elimination of genetically modified food in our diets. I do not want to pick up the baggage that genetically modified food carries, do you? Works Cited Cranshaw, W. S. Bacillus Thuringiensis. Colorado State University Extension. Dec. 2008. Web. 23 Mar. 2012. http://www. ext. colostate. edu/pubs/insect/05556. html. Estabrook, Barry. Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel, 2011. Print. Genetically Modified Food. 20 Mar. 2012. Web. 23 Mar. 2012. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food. Lendman, Stephen. GlobalResearch.ca Centre for Research on Globalization. GlobalResearch. ca. 22 Feb. 2008. Web. 23 Mar. 2012. http://www. globalresearch. ca/index. php? context=va. Prevalence of Food Allergies in Todays World. 23 Mar. 2012. Web. 23 Mar. 2012. http://allergicchild. com/prevalence. html. Ronald, Pamela. What If Organic Farmers Joined Forces with Genetic Engineers? July 2008: 35-38. Web. 19 Mar. 2012. Tomatoes. GMO Compass. 27 Nov. 2006. Web. 17 Apr. 2012. http://www. gmo- compass. org/eng/grocery_shopping/fruit_vegetables/15. genetically_modified_tomatoes. html.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Types and Effects

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Types and Effects Statistics shows that one out of six couples experienced the problem corresponding with infertility (Olmedo, Chilik and Kopelman, 173). Infertility can be considered a disease affecting more than 80 million people around the world consisting primarily of young population accounting to around 10-15% having problems on the ability to conceive and give live births (Hochschild, Schwarze and Alam, 2008). Considering these figures, infertility becomes one of the centers of attraction especially that many couples are becoming desperate to have a child. They would just take any chances in order to have a child after for so long time having sexual intercourse but then without contraception that takes place. There are many advanced ways nowadays in order to treat infertility or even defy its capacity for couples not to experience contraception. Embryo transfer is one. Then one of the most popular is in vitro fertilization which is a technique used by 53 countries around the world today, implying that the treatment is no longer experimental but safe to use (Ezra and Schenker, 127). Causes of Infertility The continuing many studies about infertility are clear indications that the discovery on what is really is it is still on the process of creating series of scientific investigations. One of these scientific investigations is in line with knowing the probable causes of infertility. It was hypothesized that it could be due to four factors such as delayed childbearing, problem on semen quality because of bad habits such as cigarette smoking and abusive alcohol intake, changes in sexual behavior and elimination of most taboos (Olmedo, Chilik and Kopelman, 173). It is because of these considered factors that studies on infertile couples are focused on ovulatory factor which is present to 20% of couples, utero-tubal peritoneal factor which is present to 30% of couples, then 40% of couples have together the two previous factors and 15% of couples can be diagnosed because of no alterations (Olmedo, Chilik and Kopelman, 173). Statistics on IVF Statistics shows the following figures regarding in vitro fertilization (Ezra and Schenker, 127). Since it started in 1985 to be used as infertility treatment, over 53,635 women were already treated which corresponds to around 34,316 babies born by 224,473 treatment cycles then next after it were 160,518 transfer cycles. With the resulting pregnancies, around 65% to 75% were able to come up with live births then the rest went to spontaneous abortions of around 26% and ectopic pregnancies of around 5.54%. The higher rates of preterm deliveries and perinatal mortality have been expounded by around 22% of multiple pregnancy rate which was higher than the normal population. It remained to around 2.25% of chromosomal aberrations and malformations as documented within the years and success rate for in vitro fertilization did not improve within the covered period during the survey. It was noted that the procedures were becoming much more reliable due to the scope of procedures included whic h became at some point, final steps in the diagnosis. Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is part of the changes in infertility practice. It provided a right chance to study basic reproductive processes (Olmedo, Chilik and Kopelman, 173). The reason is that ART is an artificial means used in order to achieve pregnancy. In 2000, the United States reported 13.5% increase in reported cycles compared to the data presented in 1999 and overall success rate of 0.6% which represents 2.2% increase as compared to the result in 1999 (Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 1207). In 2006, Canada reported that with ART, clinical pregnancy and live birth rates continued to increase compared with the previous years, but only small rate decrease for multiple births (Gunby et al., 2189). Indicators for IVF (in vitro fertilization) Continuing studies about in vitro fertilization lead to significant findings of significant predictors for its success rate. Considering that sperm morphology is correlated with fertilization failure, then the sperm chromatin packaging was found to be significant indicator of in-vitro fertilization rates. The study of Esterhuizen et al. (657) found that sperm chromatin packaging was significantly correlated with in-vitro fertilization rates. Takahashi et al. (586) found that oocytes have great chance to be fertilized when follicles can make high concentrations of AMH in the follicular fluid. It is in this result that AMH was found to be a significant predictor for fertilization. It was found out that follicular volume can be the new indicator of oocyte maturity. The study of Fuentes et al. (616) found that SonoAVC when it comes to evaluation of stimulated ovaries can be reliable allowing further to establish new criteria for timing hCG administration on follicular volume estimation instead of the follicular size. From the result of the study of Sifer et al. (150), they found that glanula cells of humans and its resistance to apoptosis has the possibility to be associated in the success rate of IVF. There was an association between the declining of age of implanted embryo with the embryoà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s impaired growth rates (Hsu et al., 679). Based on the recent findings and investigations conducted about in vitro fertilization, the above results are just one of those showing significant indicators for the success rate of in vitro fertilization. The list goes on and on. So there are remarkable and significant indicators that can possibly be associated with IVF. Steps in the IVF Treatment Just prior to the actual IVF treatment, there are preliminary steps that need to be undergone by a patient who wants to undergo the procedure. The following are the least steps a patient who wants to undergo with IVF can possibly undergo (Falcone and Young, 93). Select infertility specialist Both partners who are involved in the treatment needs to undergo series of medical tests. Medical steps that need to be taken to address infertility needs to be considered Agreement with the infertility specialist about the chance a patient can have with IVF. IVF Techniques: The following are common IVF techniques that are commonly used to treat infertility among couples who are willing to take chances. Intra-cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) In Intra-cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) sperm is mechanically injected into the cytoplasm of an oocyte. This technique was applied initially in sea urchin, followed in mouse and hamster and was successful to humans in 1992 (Peas and Lois, 23). GIFT: Gametic Intra-fallopian Transfer As the name implies, Gametic Intra-follopian Transfer (GIFT) is the direct transfer of human gametes, sperm and oocytes in the fallopian tube which was first successful in 1984 (Serhal and Overton, 256). The good thing about GIFT is that it mimics the natural process in which the gamete is restored in the fallopian tube. Z.I.F.T. Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer Zygote intrafallopian transfer is an advanced form of gametic intrafallopian transfer. By using the gametic intra-fallopian transfer, the oocytes are harvested by transvaginal aspiration, fertilized in vitro and transfer in the fallopian tube (Schmidt and Kurjak, 85). Patients with tubal pathology cannot use zygote intrafallopian transfer as well as gametic intra-fallopian transfer (Schmidt and Kurjak, 85). T.E.T (Tubal Embryo Transfer) Tubal embryo transfer is the development of simple embryo transfer over the years. Tubal embryo transfer is part of the stage of embryogenesis transfer encompassed by zygote intrafallopina transfer in general (Allahbadia and Das, 182). P.R.O.S.T (Pronuclear Stage Transfer Just like the tubal embryo transfer, as a modification of embryo transfer, the pronuclear stage transfer is also part of the stage of embryogenesis transfer encompassed by zygote intrafallopian transfer in general (Allahbadia and Das, 182). Direct Intraperitoneal Insemination D.I.P.I In direct intraperitoneal insemination, the syringe with prepared sperm is punctured into the vaginal pouch leading to good consistency of result especially if after ovarian stimulation (Nieschlag, Behre and Nieschlag, 473). Peritoneal Occyte Sperm Transter P.O.S.T Peritoneal Occyte Sperm Transfer can be applied to women with bilateral tubal block. This procedure is an alternative to IVF. This procedure was described by Coulam et al in 1989 (Rao, 391). Direct Oocyte Sperm Transfer) D.O.S.T Another alternative to IVF is direct oocyte and sperm transfer. This can also be applied to women with bilateral tubal block. This procedure was first introduced by Craft et al. in 1982 and later in modified by Bucktt and Tan by simply having oocytes with sperm directly transferred to the uterine cavity (Rao, 392). Incubation of oocytes is done in this procedure and then followed by the actual insemination in the uterine cavity. Transuterine Fallopian Transfer) T.U.F.T Transuterine fallopian transfer is the actual placement of an embryo into the fallopian tube after IVF has been done. The procedure involves threading the tube through the uterus and placing the embryo into the fallopian tube (Blickstein and Keith, 47) Developing Embryos Embryos are formed specially because there was fertilization that took place. The fertilized egg will slowly develop into en embryo undergoing different stages. It took only 12 days in the uterus for the implantation of newly formed embryo, then it will start the development of organs within 50 days. In other words, the standard definition of embryo period is two months after fertilization (Ostnor, 3). Transferring Embryos Embryo transfer is as good as finding its failure and success. In particular, there is a great area of interest in knowing what makes embryo transfer a success or a failure. Various studies have been developed in order to find out the factors to optimize the success of embryo transfer. The study of Schoolcraft, Surrey and Gardner (863) suggested that avoidance of blood, mucus, bacterial contamination, excessive uterine contraction and trauma to the endometrium is having relationship with optimal pregnancy implantation rates after embryo transfer. More so, they also found out that unltrasonographic guidance and utilization of soft catheters will provide good chance of successful embryo transfer. Therefore, it is implied that it is important to look for factors that can be associated with embryo transfer especially on embryo implantation in maximizing IVF. The common method used in embryo transfer is transcervical intrauterine transfer. As mentioned earlier, the factors affecting its success are of great importance such as technical ability and training of personnel, catheter choice, value of a previous dummy transfer and any other factors to prevent damage of the uterine lining, bleeding and uterine contractions (Pasqualini and Quintans, 83). According to the study of Pasqualini and Quintans, the mentioned factors have negative effects on the pregnancy rates. In fact, the actual concern in embryo transfer is as much as possible eliminate or if not minimize multiple pregnancies and any unwanted side effects. Single embryo transfer and culture in the blastocyst stages are means commonly used to prevent multiple pregnancies. Techniques such as ultrasound-controlled transcervical intrauterine transfer and ultrasound-controlled transmyometrial transfer are of great interest since these are often used in order to properly and successfully i mplement embryo transfer. However there are also more invasive procedures that need to be taken consideration in embryo transfer such as the following: gamete intra-Fallopian transfer (GIFT), zygote intra-Fallopian transfer (ZIFT), pronuclear stage transfer and embryo intra-Fallopian transfer (EIFT). These techniques are commonly used when the need to use of alternative assisted reproductive technologies cannot be substantially catered by laboratories. However in todayà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s highly refined laboratories, alternative assisted reproductive technologies such as direct intra-follicular insemination, fallopian spermatic perfusion and peritoneal stage and sperm transfer and intra vaginal culture can highly be performed even with high precision. Positive and Negative Effects of IVF Treatment As mentioned earlier, IVF has already gained wider scope of acceptance in the field of medicine. However, such acceptance needs to be considered even more especially on finding the positive and negative effects of IVF treatment. Even though there is a chance for successful conception with IVF treatment, it still remains a challenge today considering that not everyone has the same level of bodily response to the treatment. There are many things that need to be considered in detail. This detail can somehow be significant factor that will slowly give more meaningful improvement in the treatment. For instance, the ovarian stimulation is said to be very important especially in the assisted reproductive technologies (Ubaldi et al. 235). The ovarian stimulation is said to be associated with several factors as far as its reduction is concerned. When it is reduced, the mutltifollicular growth will live to be a great challenge and it continues to be the most frequent aetilogical factor. Thus, it remains a challenge when it comes to predicting ovarian response. This is just one of the important considerations with respect to obtaining successful IVF treatment. The negative thing about it is that there is no enough assurance for everyone that it can be successful. Thus, there is a continuing area for the body of knowledge covering the issues about the success and failure of IVF treatment. Another thing, with IVF those couples who have been psychologically depressed and at the same time so determined to have an offspring are most likely to feel discomfort the moment procedure or treatment fails. This is a common scenario. However, there are also some couples who have been so determined and it would be enough for them knowing they still have chance with IVF. This is comforting on their side at some point knowing that they still have the chance even if that chance of getting failed is also high. Cloning and In Vitro Fertilization Cloning aside from in vitro fertilization is also one of the most highly studied areas in the field of genetics and molecular biology. There are good points about cloning especially when it comes to food production and other related aspects. However, there is a great challenge of cloning when it comes to creating human beings. The reason is that there are various ethical and political challenges when it comes to its implementation if ever it would be allowed. Cloning therefore cannot be applied to humans but for other animals and plants, it is well appreciated and even now it is already put into implementation for the purpose of food production and other related concerns. Thus, when talking about cloning and in vitro fertilization, even if there is a high chance of failure in the latter, it remains to be the mostly studied in the field of human fertilization. Conclusion Modern techniques in human reproduction have slowly evolved and even the rate of success is becoming remarkably promising. The reason is that there are continuous studies applied in this field resulting to more discoveries of promising and significant information in order to improve the methods and procedures involved in the modern techniques of human reproduction. The case of IVF is a very important contribution to the development of modern techniques of human reproduction in modern times. The emergence of different methods and techniques related to modern techniques of reproduction is a clear indication how important is reproduction to humans. In fact, the bottom line of these all is the fact that humans are designed to reproduce which is meant to be part of their biological design.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Lobster: A Poor Man’s Food Evolves into a Wealthy Man’s Food :: Essays Papers

Lobster: A Poor Man’s Food Evolves into a Wealthy Man’s Food When do natural products become a delicacy? They become a delicacy when they become harder to find in their natural setting. This is what happened to the lobster and how the demands of the consumers changed. During Colonial times, the status of lobster was much different than today. It was once considered a poor man’s food. Now, it is considered a delicacy and found in many fancy dishes and at most higher priced restaurants. Today, lobster prices are high. If you want to eat a good lobster, you have to pay a decent price for it. The change in status of lobster occurred when the supply of lobster started to become depleted. As the sources of lobster were being depleted the demand increased in wealthier markets. This occurred because wealthier people could afford the higher prices created by a shrinking supply. The supply of the lobster population is what influenced the changing demands of the consumers. When settlers first came to America, lobster was considered a poor man’s food. The lobsters were so abundant at that time that many people felt that they were competing with them for space on the shore. The settlers felt that the lobster had no nutritional value. At that time both Native Americans and settlers used the lobster as fertilizer for their fields and as bait to catch other fish. Lobster was so disdained that it was given to prisoners, indentured servants, and children. This was such a common practice that in Massachusetts many servants and prisoners had it put into their contract that they could not be fed lobster more than two times a week. In the end, new technological innovations caused the disappearance of cheap lobster. Traps and smack boats were two technologies that greatly influenced the depleting lobster population. Lobstering changed from a hunting and gathering activity for local subsistence into a prosperous business enterprise. It became a business because fishermen were now trying to fill the demands of the consumers. The New Englanders were suddenly using lobster as a way to earn an income. New technologies helped them catch more lobsters to sell to more people. One of the new technologies invented was the use of traps to get the lobsters.

Monday, August 19, 2019

The secret to success of East Asian economies Essay examples -- Intern

Since the end of the second world war, many East Asian economies have seen a â€Å"miraculous† growth. And with so many other nations still in poverty, economists and leaders are turning their eyes towards the â€Å"East Asian tigers† to see if they can replicate their results. When looking at the facts it is obvious that the the circumstances facing the East Asian nations were quite different than the ones that nations face today. But outside of these differences a loose model of the East Asian miracle can be utilized in Third World nations today and, considering the high success rate of so many of the East Asian economies, would most likely see positive results. The secret to success of East Asian economies is the hand that the government has had in industrial affairs. Starting in the 1950s nations like china began taking steps towards centralized government through reform. One example of this would be the Chinese land reform of the 50s under the new Mao Zedong's communist regime (Blecher, 2010:p.27). This land reform took away the oligarchic control of the landlords, changing the feudalistic policy of landlordism over to a more capitalistic form of socialism in which the government has the control. This is clearly a very vital part of the industrialization process as many nations that have failed with the agrarian reform continue to find themselves struggling to get out of poverty. A modern example of this would be Brazil, where the rural landlords have stalled any sort of reform that might dismantle their rule over peasants farmers and tenants (Kay, 2002:p.1076). The institution of land reform was a vital part of industrialization in East Asia, unlike other nations it was introduced before the economies had gotten on their feet and w... ... to ever truly practise total free trade, only even opened its borders in the 19th century (Chang, 2003:23). Despite this, Industrialized nations, with the United States at the forefront, continue to advocate for more 'freedom' in the economies of developing nations, claiming that there is no other way to be free from poverty. By doing this they make themselves out to be hypocrites calling for more market-freedom when in fact nations who practice state intervention, as they did during earlier stages, have seen more economic success. Two great examples would be China and India who both have a high level of state involvement in their respective markets, yet both nations have become the model for developing nations in the 21st century (Chang and Grabel, 2004:13). But for whatever reason the West continues to advocate a policy that they themselves have barely used.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Ernest J. Gainess Gathering of Old Men :: Essays Papers

Ernest J. Gaines's Gathering of Old Men In A Gathering of Old Men, by Ernest J. Gaines, racism plays a huge part of life in the south. When a white man is found dead; his family and friends start to gather to find the man who did this. After time these men start to drink and make a plan to kill the man; who just happened to be black. This just shows how even though the Civil was brought freedom to blacks, there is still hate towards them because of their skin color. After time the black men also start to gather at Mathu’s house (the man who murdered the white man) and they all bring twelve gauge shotguns. The sheriff arrives and asks who killed that man, and all the black men say, â€Å"it was me.† The sheriff then threatens to take them all to prison, but he cannot because he does not know who the murder is. The sheriff knowing the racism of the town; has a deputy stand on Mathus sidewalk to make sure nothing happens. As time goes by and the white men are starting to get angry the man who’s son was killed steps in and says â€Å"this cannot go on any longer.† This shows how after time color or race does not matter to people, and how after time a man is a man and a woman is a woman. This upsets the rest of the men even more because this shows them how they are not superior to the black men anymore. As time goes on the sheriff is starting to worry even more; because he knows the men have been drinking excessively. When night falls the sheriff and his men go home, praying that nothing will happen. By this time the white men are very drunk and want revenge. To the white men’s surprise when they arrive to Mathu’s house they are out numbered at least two to one. The white men realize that they are going to loose once again. When the white men start to shoot this shows how childish people are when they are not on top of the world. Ernest J. Gaines's Gathering of Old Men :: Essays Papers Ernest J. Gaines's Gathering of Old Men In A Gathering of Old Men, by Ernest J. Gaines, racism plays a huge part of life in the south. When a white man is found dead; his family and friends start to gather to find the man who did this. After time these men start to drink and make a plan to kill the man; who just happened to be black. This just shows how even though the Civil was brought freedom to blacks, there is still hate towards them because of their skin color. After time the black men also start to gather at Mathu’s house (the man who murdered the white man) and they all bring twelve gauge shotguns. The sheriff arrives and asks who killed that man, and all the black men say, â€Å"it was me.† The sheriff then threatens to take them all to prison, but he cannot because he does not know who the murder is. The sheriff knowing the racism of the town; has a deputy stand on Mathus sidewalk to make sure nothing happens. As time goes by and the white men are starting to get angry the man who’s son was killed steps in and says â€Å"this cannot go on any longer.† This shows how after time color or race does not matter to people, and how after time a man is a man and a woman is a woman. This upsets the rest of the men even more because this shows them how they are not superior to the black men anymore. As time goes on the sheriff is starting to worry even more; because he knows the men have been drinking excessively. When night falls the sheriff and his men go home, praying that nothing will happen. By this time the white men are very drunk and want revenge. To the white men’s surprise when they arrive to Mathu’s house they are out numbered at least two to one. The white men realize that they are going to loose once again. When the white men start to shoot this shows how childish people are when they are not on top of the world.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

The Rise of Punk in 70’s Britain.

hDuring 1970s Britain, life was a picture of austerity and hardship for many members of the public. The country was facing the worst economic recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s and large numbers of the electorate were quickly beginning to grow tired of the failing policies being touted by both Labour and Conservative minority governments. The experience of Britain for many in the 1970s was one of drawn out decline and decay, the consensus politics of the 1960's was falling apart and Harold Macmillan’s notion of ‘You’ve never had it so good’ couldn’t have been further from the truth.It could be argued that the aforementioned factors played a role of importance when assessing the largely spontaneous emergence of the punk movement into British society. Economic recession, not only in Britain but in other major world nations, was ever increasing, mainly due to the 1973 oil crisis which eventually cost Heath his post as prime minister and p aved the way towards ‘The Rise of Thatcherism’.The crisis was due to the Arab members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), announcing, as a result of the ongoing Yom Kippur War, that they would no longer ship oil to nations that had supported Israel in its conflict with Syria and Egypt. These nations included the United States of America and their allies in the shape of Britain and Japan.British industry suffered a great deal due to the lack of oil being imported into the country, Britain began to face major competition from other major economies, such as Japan and the USA, in certain sectors such as manufacturing, which had previously been a large and consistent area of income. With the flight of capital in the face of increasing working class militancy, it soon became clear that Governments in the industrialised economies could no longer sustain a commitment to full employment.As factories within these newly competitive industries were forc ed to close due to falling sales, it consequently had the effect of rising unemployment. By the mid 1970s unemployment had reached well over a million people and did not show signs of ceasing at any point soon after. The electorate began to resent the emergence of mass unemployment as it had not played any real part within British politics since the years shortly following the end of World War I, a period of British history which the British public would not look back on with any great affection and certainly would not want to revisit.Considerable amounts of workers who had been recently made redundant began supporting trade unions on a more regular and meaningful basis. The unemployed became aggrieved with the failing British economy and felt adamant that they deserved better support and welfare than they were currently receiving due to the government’s current inadequacies. Now that the trade unions had a much greater support, albeit in unfortunate circumstances, they began to put increasing pressure on Heath’s conservative government to pass legislative measures to aid the unemployed in their hour of need.Workers from almost all of the countries key industries such as mining, ship building and car manufacture went on strike to demonstrate their frustrations and vent their anger towards the incompetence of the Tory’ administration. The refusal by either party to make compromises on their respective arguments only furthered the problems and deepened the mire which Britain was steadily descending into.Due to the prolonged strikes by the mining community which started on the 10th February 1974 and lasted until 7th March of the same year, Britain found herself being exceedingly stretched to the point of what resources they had left circa the aforesaid strike action. Electrical power was deemed to be being consumed at too much of a prompt pace and under the rule of Edward Heath, the Conservatives decided on the introduction of the ‘Thre e Day Week’. The Three Day Week was a policy in which commercial users of electricity would be limited to a quota of three specified consecutive days use in a week long period.General members of the public also had to deal with the consequences of the striking populations’ actions. Ministers solemnly urged the populace to share baths and brush their teeth in the dark. Television, which by now was one of the nation's favourite pastimes, was brought to an untimely end at 10. 30pm each evening. Heath had promised â€Å"tomorrow would be better than today†, but he couldn't even keep the lights on. An image synonymous with the mid to late 1970s was that of piles of rotting rubbish collecting on pavements throughout the country.Waste centres were closed and emergency refuse sites were opened in town streets after binmen joined in months of strikes. This only became a further irritant to the British electorate who were becoming increasingly restless waiting for the gov ernment to develop new strategies in order to tackle the ongoing disrepute between themselves and Britain’s workforce. The social and economic problems of Britain, however, could not be solved simply by government legislation. Unrest was caused by much more than Heath’s perceived shortcomings as a Prime Minister. The problems of society ran far deeper than that.A process of fallout from the 1960's had occurred; a sizeable part of the generation born at the end of the late 50's and early 60's were coming into maturity and most were without the guarantee of a job, economic stability and a sense of community. The younger generations within Britain began to feel alienated from their peers and it could also be argued that some may have wished alienation upon themselves to escape from what was fast becoming a dire excuse for a society. The youth of the time were on the lookout for an escape from their lives of conservatism, conformity and control.This accumulated feeling of resentment towards the authoritarian government manifested itself in the form of the Punk movement. From late 1976, kids started to appear on Britain’s streets in attire which shocked the everyday British citizen. Ripped t-shirts with hastily drawn band logos, safety pins, bin liners and spiked hair defined a new image. Since the 1960s any diversity became a wagon to jump on; any music, fashion or ideologies that were incorporated within the ‘free love’ scene were no longer something that the uninspired youth of the ‘70s aspired to be part of.Mods, Rockers and Hippies were all fast becoming sub-cultures that were deemed to be cliched by the nation’s youth. The ‘60s scene had been entirely commercialised by the establishment and had been turned into areas of profit by large record companies. These record labels however also were not putting any interest or faith into anything new in the music industry, they wanted to stick with what had brought them so much profit and it seemed nothing would be able to shift their ‘if its not broken, don’t fix it’ mentality.The establishment of the 1960’s-70’s did not want their youth creating counter-cultures, thus the average youth felt the need to rebel and so the DIY culture exploded. Although punk never reached the forefront in the 60’s, the rebellious ethos of the movement was beginning to show, mainly in American acts and specifically within the New York rock scene. Teenagers influenced by the R;B styled groups of the decades earlier years began to form their own garage bands across the United States. Various trends and events would occur at the inception of the 1970’s that would be helpful in advancing the music ndustry and working towards the growth of punk rock, namely the deaths of Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison which seemed to have brought the popular music lovers into a state of uncertainty and would now mean music journalists wou ld have to find new acts to write about. In Great Britain, bands and artists such as David Bowie had started to refine their sounds in hope of reviving their careers. The result of this was the so called ‘glam’ movement, which saw artists like T-Rex and Roxy Music beginning to blend pop song structures with harder edged guitar based material.Back in the New York Scene, a trashy streetwise orientated version of glam was starting to surface. A band eager to take to the throne of this was the New York Dolls. The Dolls, and later, The Ramones would serve as somewhat of a prototype, from which later came the Sex Pistols and many other of London’s punk bands such as The Clash, The Jam and Siouxsie and The Banshees. By the mid ‘70s many music lovers had become tiresome towards the industry’s ‘run of the mill’ rock that the public were being force-fed. Members of the public began to see rock and roll acts as nothing more than that acts – artificial, manufactured and uninspiring.The world of rock had become a tightly controlled, moneymaking machine in which record sales and success held precedence over any passion or true emotion. Essentially people yearned for a rock and roll that was innovative and fun again. On December 1st 1976 an infamous event occurred that made sure that anyone who was not aware of the emergence of punk was now fully conscious of its presence. The Sex Pistols appeared on the ‘Today’ show as a last minute replacement. The band was interviewed by Bill Grundy who naively on his part, proceeded to provoke the band to â€Å"say something outrageous†.For Mick Jones in particular, he took this as an open invitation and obliged with a barrage of expletives, which not surprisingly, shocked the early evening audience. The following day the front page of various national newspapers contained pictures of the band on the show and a summary of their antics. The older generation of Britai n, needless to say, were in outrage. This however was exactly the kind of reaction the band had dreamed of. It gained them column inches and further made the public aware of their existence. Whilst in the public spotlight the band released arguably their most famous single, ‘God Save The Queen.The song came at a time when opposition to royalty was still seen as treasonous and frowned upon by the majority of British people. The record was quickly refused airtime by the BBC whose station, Radio 1, dominated the broadcasting of music at the time. Only DJs such as John Peel dared to play punk in succession to other popular music hits of the era. Nevertheless, during the week of Queen Elizabeth II’s silver jubilee, the single ‘officially’ reached number two in the UK charts although many large record stores knew that ‘God Save The Queen’ was outselling Rod Stewart’s â€Å"I Don’t Want To Talk About It† by four to one.Unbelievabl y, the charts had been rigged so the music industry would not be red-faced by such a spectacle. However this did not deter the band from putting out further material. ‘Pretty Vacant’ and ‘Holidays In The Sun’ were released to promote the Sex Pistols’ first and only full length album, ‘Never Mind The Bollocks – Here’s The Sex Pistols’, which was released in November and subsequently went straight to the top of the album charts despite many stores refusing to stock it.After another tour, this time held in secret to avoid bans, The Pistols’ final gig took place at Ivanhoe’s in Huddersfield on Christmas Day 1977 before they took off for the ill-fated U. S. tour in January 1978. They had originally been scheduled to start the tour in December 1977, beginning with a performance on Saturday Night Live, but due to the bands run-ins with the law, were unable to get their passports in time, so Stiff Records’ band , Elvis Costello and the Attractions, went on in their place. The eight show tour of the U. S. was a badly planned and dispiriting experience for all concerned.Sid Vicious, the band’s bassist, was beaten by the bodyguards who were hired to protect him, Johnny Rotten was ill and the bands’ performances were destroyed by awful sound and hostile audiences. On the final date of January 14th at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, Rotten quit, famously asking â€Å"Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated? † before walking off. Punk bands continued to play the usual haunts around London, but never again did anyone come close to causing the outrage or having the success which the Sex Pistols had experienced.I went about organising a question and answer session with my father Martin, who was in his teens during the emergence of punk and also followed the movement with great interest. Through summarising the feedback I gained from the aforementioned intervie w I was given a great personal viewpoint on the society of the mid 1970s as well as his own personal experiences of the same period. ‘Through the 1970s the news was all about strikes, economic downturns and lost opportunities.As a teenager I can recall the 3 day week when places of work closed to save energy, my dad would be at home on reduced pay (he worked for the GPO – now BT) and the newspapers would print schedules showing when your area would have power cuts, which were a regular part of life. I remember my dad taking my sister and me for a drive in the car to Falkirk to get out of the house and keep warm rather than sit in the house with no power. TV stations shut down after the news at 10. 30 in the hope that people would just go to bed and save electricity.A mate of mine bought packets of candles from the market in Glasgow and made a decent addition to his pocket money by selling them round the neighbourhood where he lived. Also the entitlement to dole money fo r school leavers had been stopped which meant that you couldn’t sign on and get money straight away, you had to wait for a number of weeks before you’d get a â€Å"Giro†. Unemployment was making the headlines in the papers and for the first time in years people were leaving school believing that they wouldn’t get a job, or at least wouldn’t get one that was worth having as the factories and shipyards which traditionally paid well were closing.I started to become aware, mainly through the pages of the NME, a number of bands from London who were playing music inspired by early Iggy Pop and The Stooges as well as The Ramones. The latter had made front page headlines in The Glasgow Evening Times, which had got itself in a state of moral outrage over the song â€Å"Sniffin’ Glue† arguing that the number of kids dying from glue sniffing could be increased due to the song. Bearing in mind how few copies it sold, it was nonsense.John Peel onc e said of the punk era â€Å"You don’t know you’re bored, until you stop being bored. † I was 17 in 1976 and probably the only band I was currently into was Dr Feelgood. They were a band playing Chuck Berry influenced songs, wearing bad suits! The prevailing music of the time was bland, inconsequential, middle of the road rubbish by Rod Stewart, The Eagles and Queen. I still remember vividly the moment I first actually heard the Sex Pistols in November 1976.My friend Davie had borrowed a copy of ‘Anarchy in the UK’ from his friend in school and we played it in my bedroom. I can remember us both laughing out loud at how different it was and how blown away we were by it. We must have played it 10 times in a row. Looking back, I think we felt like we were part of a â€Å"privileged few† who had heard the song as it was subsequently banned by all radio stations at the time, this is hard to imagine now. The 3rd single released by the Pistols, â₠¬Å"Pretty Vacant†, could only be played on Radio 1 after 10pm.If anything, it only reinforced the Pistols credentials as the band you most wanted to be associated with. We started to see and hear of people dressed as â€Å"punks† around the city, though what constituted the punk look was very difficult to describe. It could be anything from old school jumpers ripped and worn inside out, t-shirts torn or cut and held together with safety pins with band names scrawled on in biro or marker pen or even t-shirts made from bin liners.For girls the look was heavily based on Jordan (Pamela Hook) and Siouxsie Sioux; short skirts, fishnets, and heavy eye make-up. . Glasgow District Council decided to withdraw licences of any venue which had booked punk acts, effectively banning punk in the city. Occasionally you’d hear of a secret gig being played somewhere in Glasgow and you had to meet up to be told where it was. By the Summer of 1977 I’d left school and got a job in an independent record shop and remember the clamour when the first Pistols album came out.People were waiting around in the shop for it to be delivered. Every box that arrived, we’d be asked if that was the album. First one out of the box went onto the sound system at maximum volume and we couldn’t keep up with people shoving to the front of the queue. Eventually the council lifted the ban and loads of bands came to Glasgow, many playing small gigs and doing signing sessions in the shop where I worked, including The Clash who were considered to be the most overtly â€Å"political† band of the era. ’