Legal and Ethical Aspects of Electronic Monitoring and...

mANAGEMENT 350: hUMAN RESOURCE mANAGEMENT | â€Å"Legal and Ethical Aspects of Electronic Monitoring and Surveillance of Employees† | | By: Chakana Moore, Patricia Davis, Eric Luken, Michelle Dailey, Jeffrey Webb | | 11/21/2011 Electronic Monitoring and Surveillance Human Resource Management Research Project November 21, 2011 Legal and Ethical Aspects of Electronic Monitoring and Surveillance of Employees Introduction Workplace monitoring has been a point of discussion within businesses as Human Resource Management feels that there is a need to watch their employees and how they conduct themselves at all times during the work day. Unless a government employee, employees are subject to any monitoring the employer†¦show more content†¦Last exception is the â€Å"consent†. â€Å"Consent† exception applies to even when the sender of the intercepted communication has been assured that all email communications would remain confidential and privileged. In Smyth v The Pillsbury Company, Smyth sent emails to his supervisor that contained unprofessional comments from his home computer. Because his supervisor gave consent to the company to intercept the emails and the emails were later retrieved by the courts, Smyth was terminated and was not able to be protected under the consent exception. A second commonplace monitoring method used by employers is internet tracking . Internet tracking can be used to visit non-work websites like Facebook and Yahoo accounts. Statistics show over 90% of employees admits to visiting other websites doing work hours. About 76% of firms monitor internet use. This can help companies prevent employees from going to inappropriate sites which could possibly create legal issues. For instance, a New Jersey case contained a log that showed one employee accessing porn websites. This activity caused an employee to be arrested due to repeatedly logging on that site when told by his supervisor to stop. Also, this type of activity draws attention to companies and causes law enforcement to get involved and companies can be charged with aiding and abetting legal behavior if found with evidence. A third form of employeeShow MoreRelatedA Brief Note On Privacy And Electronic Monitoring2350 Words   |  10 Pages Moral Rights in the Work Place Research Question: Privacy and Electronic Monitoring in the Work Place? Introduction: Work is one of the most important and highly valued human activities in large part because it is necessary for so many other central human goods. Moral Rights and Work are connected because by the actions of others opportunities to work can be jeopardized. The expansion and proliferation of technology has dawned a new era. Employers can easily monitor various side ofRead MoreShould Privacy Be Careful Of Who Is Watching Privacy? Essay2177 Words   |  9 PagesEmployment Monitoring Employee monitoring has been on the rise since the boost for technology in the business world. Different Organizations engage in monitoring of employee’s to track performance and to avoid legal liability, protect business secrets and to address other concerns such as security. Certain monitoring practices are not upheld by employees because of the downfall it has on their satisfaction of privacy. Employers typically must not show some of their private monitoring duties whileRead MoreThe Value Of Digital Privacy In An Information Technology Age1799 Words   |  7 Pagesvolatile catalyst that continues to change the ethical, legal and personal landscape rights of digital privacy in the information technology age. The depth and pace of change that is occurring in the areas of capturing, aggregating, analyzing and using personal data is unprecedented and will continued to escalate as new risks emerge (Ottensmeyer, Heroux, 1991). In conjunction with these volatile catalysts of ch ange, there has never been an era where every aspect of activity in a company or enterprise isRead MorePrivacy and Citizens Data1498 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction This is an era of massive violations of privacy rights and individual liberties due to the new technologies of surveillance, data mining, electronic monitoring, biometric chips, spamming, hacking, phishing, and security breaches at major private and public institutions. These new technologies make the protection of privacy rights far more difficult than in the pre-electronic past. Given the nature of the Internet, thousands or even millions of people can view these Twitter and Facebook postingsRead MoreElectronic Surveillance in the Workplace6778 Words   |  28 PagesElectronic surveillance in the workplace Electronic Surveillance in the Workplace: Concerns for Employees and Challenges for Privacy Advocates Anna Johnston and Myra Cheng Paper delivered 28 November 2002 International Conference on Personal Data Protection Hosted by Personal Information Dispute Mediation Committee, Korea Information Security Agency Seoul, Korea Ms Anna Johnston is the NSW Deputy Privacy Commissioner. Ms Myra Cheng is a Research amp; Policy Officer with Privacy NSWRead MoreNational Security vs. the Right to Privacy Essay1769 Words   |  8 Pages     Ã‚  Ã‚   Abstract: Electronic mail is quickly becoming the most prevalent method of communication in the world. However, e-mail systems in corporate, institutional, and commercial environments are all potential targets of monitoring, surveillance and ultimately, censorship.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Electronic mail is a phenomenon that has begun to pervade all aspects of our lives today. We use e-mail in our personal lives, at our schools, at our jobs, and everywhere in between. However, very few of us considerRead MoreEmployee Monitoring at Work3158 Words   |  13 PagesEmployee monitoring at work Outline: Evolution of employee monitoring Why do employers monitor their employees? Workplace Privacy and Employee Monitoring Types of employee monitoring ââ€" ª New way of monitoring Successful implementation of the monitoring system The Law Monitoring shouldn’t go too far My perspective conclusion Evolution of employee monitoring For many years, organizations have engaged in many practices in order to monitor their employees for the intention of controlRead MoreThe Value of Digital Privacy in the Information Technology Age1283 Words   |  5 Pagesbeen such a strong emphasis on capturing, analyzing, categorizing and using personal data that had been highly protected in the past for purposes of securing nations (Ottensmeyer, Heroux, 1991). Correspondingly, there has never been a time when every aspect of life in an organization is monitored, from personal computer and telephone use to the use of personal Wi-Fi and networking devices (Riedy, Wen, 2010). The first section of this analysis is to analyze three technologies that allow individuals toRead MorePrivacy in the Workplace Essay1624 Words   |  7 Pagespersonal aspects of privacy (Townsend Bennet, 2003). Employers have always monitored employees to insure good work performance and they sought to deter unproductive behavior through looking over the shoulder technology, but advances in technology have made recording even the minutest detail of an employees activities and behavior a simple task. Currently, employees have few privacy rights, especially while utilizing their employers communication systems. The corporations monitoring and recordingRead MoreEssay on Work Environment and Legal Issues1779 Words   |  8 Pagesdiscovering that employees are spending hours of wasted time surfing the Internet and sending inappropriate emails. Employers classify this type of behavior as, â€Å"Internet abuse,† and breaking company’s policies. While employees see this type of behavior harmless, employers see this as potential risks to their organization. Previous researched study show employees spend hours surfing the Internet and sending non-work related emails to co-workers, f amily, and friends. With millions of employees having access

Essay on The American Civil War - 498 Words

The American Civil War One of the documents I have chosen is the Address of Negroes. It started in Alexandria, Virginia, from August 2 to 5, 1865 was address to the Loyal Citizens and Congress of the United States of America adopted by a Convention of Negroes. It states that the war is over, the rebellion is â€Å" put down†, and we are declared free! Four-fifths of our enemies are paroled or amnestied, and the other fifth are being pardoned, and the president has, in his efforts at the reconstruction of the Civil government of the states, late in rebellion, left us entirely at the mercy of these subjugated but unconverted rebels, in everything save the privilege of bringing us, our wives and little†¦show more content†¦The amendments remained, though legal equality faded with the reassertion of â€Å"states rights† and white supremacy in southern states after 1877. This is where we learn about Abraham Lincoln who was elected in 1860 and fears of anti-slavery gains. Lincoln’s speech was to free slaves from slavery. He wrote the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, and ended slavery in areas in rebellion against the United States Lincoln speech of the first inaugural address was that Lincoln rejected their action, putting forward legal, geographic, historical, and emotional reasons for the indivisibility of the United States, and making the case that, despite their differences, American were truly one nation. Frederick Douglass (1817-1895) himself an escaped slave, who became a leading abolitionist speaker; his life and accomplishments provided daily proof that blacks’ were fully capable of participating as equals in American Society. In 1841, a meeting with the Massachusetts Anti-slavery Society, Douglass told what freedom meant to him. The society was so impressed with his speech that it hired him to lecture about his experiences as a slave. During the American Civil War Douglass helped recruited African-Americans for the Union Army. He discussed the problems of slavery with President Lincoln several times. Frederick Douglass of NewShow MoreRelatedAmerican War And The American Civil War1551 Words   |  7 Pageswhich then caused the Southern states of America to decide to leave the American Union and create their own Southern Confederacy. This tore our nation apart. The American Civil War had begun and the very people that were once neighbors had each other’s blood on their hands. Many American lives had been lost. The American lives lost in the Civil War even exceeded the number of American lives lost during World War I and World War II. We were divided. The North wanted to reunite with the southern statesRead MoreThe War Of The American Civil War1376 Words   |  6 PagesThe American Civil War was arguably the most important war in the history of the country. The War of Independence may have allowed American to become its’ own country, but the Civil War resulted in something even more important than that, the end of slavery in the southern states. All of the issues that caused the Civil war were based around slavery, such as states’ rights that involved how slavery would be handled in each state, and trying to preserve the Union since the south seceded from the northRead MoreThe American Civil War1296 Words   |  6 Pages The American Civil War, also known as the State’s War, was a conflict that arose mostly from the issue of slavery, but deep down was due to economic differences between the North and the South. The South seceded from the North and created their own self-government due to their belief in the lack of state’s rights versus the federal government and what they saw as a weakness in the Articles of Confederation. While the Confederacy of the United States depended on slave labor for their economy in regardsRead MoreThe War Of The American Civil War1618 Words   |  7 Pages A Civil War is a battle between the same citizens in a country. The American Civil War was fought from 1861 to 1865 to determine the in dependence for the Confederacy or the survival of the Union. By the time Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1861, in the mist of 34 states, the constant disagreement caused seven Southern slave states to their independence from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America. The Confederacy, generally known as the South, grew to include elevenRead MoreThe American Civil War1418 Words   |  6 PagesGuns fired, smoke lingering in the air, people dying. The American Civil War had a huge impact on the United States. Two compromises took place before the start of the Civil War. These compromises include the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850. The Missouri Compromise dealt with the crisis in 1819 over Missouri entering the Union as a slave state. The compromise was â€Å"the first major crisis over slavery, and it shattered a tacit agreement between the two regions that had been in placeRead MoreThe War Of The American Civil War1324 Words   |  6 Pa gesThere were many events that led to the cause of one of America’s most devastating war, the American Civil War. The American Civil War was an unfortunate war that cost more than the lives of six hundred thousand people. Events such as the Missouri Compromise, Kansas Nebraska Act, Dred Scott Decision, and the Election of Abraham Lincoln resulted in the four yearlong battles between the Northern and Southern states due to social and economic differences on the idea of slavery. In the 19th century,Read MoreThe War Of The American Civil War Essay1472 Words   |  6 PagesThe American Civil War lasted from April 12, 1861 to May 9, 1865. It was the bloodiest war in American history, killing approximately 620,000 soldiers in total. The War was fought and won by the North, ensuring that all the United States would stay united and slavery would be illegal in The United States. However, history is one of the most complicated things in the world. It’s also one of the most important things in the world because history is what made the present possible. Historians have debatedRead MoreThe War Of The American Civil War960 Words   |  4 Pagesslavery even if it meant war caused peace in this nation. Slavery was the vital cause of the American Civil War. The north and the south both had their differences on how to run the country. People in the North believed in unity and that slavery should not exist because â€Å"all men are created equally.† On the o ther hand, the South believed in continuing slavery. People tried to talk it out and come to a middle ground after both sides compromising, however that didn’t work and caused war. Ideological differencesRead MoreThe War Of The American Civil War856 Words   |  4 PagesSlavery may have been established as the catalyst of the American Civil War, but the beginning of the dispute began in the time of the Revolution with a weak decentralized government under the Articles of Confederation. Later gained momentum as territorial expansion set Americans against each other on debating whether the new states should be slave states or free states, it questioned the power of the Federal government regarding state rights, and brought about instability in the unity of the UnitedRead MoreThe War Of The American Civil War1439 Words   |  6 PagesWhen the American Civil War began in the spring of 1861, those flocking to enlistment stations in states both north and south chiefly defined the ir cause as one of preservation. From Maine to Minnesota, young men joined up to preserve the Union. From Virginia to Texas, their future foes on the battlefield enlisted to preserve a social order, a social order at its core built on the institution of slavery and racial superiority . Secession had not been framed by prominent Southerners like Robert Toombs

Songs From the Portuguese XLIII and O What is That Sound Essay Example For Students

Songs From the Portuguese XLIII and O What is That Sound Essay The two poems Songs From the Portuguese XLIII By Elizabeth Browning and W. H. Audens O What is That Sound? are both examples of the best words in the best order. Each poem conveys strong feelings and evokes these feelings in the reader also. They are able to build upon ideas and emotions through words in the best order. Elizabeth Brownings poem is a celebration of love. She uses the best words to show the strength, truth and power of her love. She begins in her asking her lover and herself, how do I love thee? and goes on to tell us she will, count the ways, showing that she wants to show him the many ways in which she loves him, immediately demonstrating great love with the necessity to count the ways in which she loves. She describes her love filling the, depth breadth and height, that her soul can reach, these words showing her spiritual being and the extent of her love to whom she writes, with it filling her entirely, also that her soul reaches to him giving a sense of her soul stretching out to reach him seeming almost desperate to be with him, showing a new level more love. Yet Elizabeth goes on even more loving when feeling out of sight clearly showing her spiritual desire for her lover. However there is purity and religious constraint in her love for him, as she states, For the ends of being and ideal grace. This theme of purity and love that is dignified by God is reciprocated further on with Elizabeth loving him, freely purely. We feel that this is a very religiously acceptable love comparing the feeling of love to the feeling of forgiveness of sins being pure and free. Moving onto a more domestic level explaining her love on a, level of every days most quiet need, it shows her love to be in every aspect of her day to day existence, so much so that she needs him as sun and candle-light which is needed to see, and so builds different layers of love. The sense of reaching for her lover is again referred to shownas men strive for right, showing her desperation to love him freely and so strive increases further the readers perception of her love. Elizabeth also loves, with a passion put to use in my old griefs conveying a love collectively merged from her lost family members into a new love for her lover. A love she felt she, seemed to lose, this shows how somehow he has rekindled a flame that her sad past extinguished; we see how he has touched her deeply. Passion and grief seem not to fit together comfortably in the sentence and by Elizabeth placing them so they stand out further and we perceive the transformation of her emotions. This shows the strength of her love that it can overcome the grief she felt with the loss of hersaints, again a religious reference that reminds us of her love being followed in a religiously acceptable way. After demonstrating to the reader the strength of her love Elizabeth demonstrates how she loves him entirely-now also with her mind, and as we have seen earlier in the poem, body and soul. We see this when she says that she loves, with the breath, smiles and tears of all my life! Using these words Elizabeth conveys all the emotions in life that she loves him still more with, it shows that she loves her lover with all her emotion, so we feel that Elizabeth loves with every part of herself, mind, body and soul. With this sense of complete love she takes it to a final most high and powerful level, showing an absoloute love. Her eternity of love makes her desire to, if God choose love thee better after death. This final line is a powerful demonstration of love. Teaming death with love is so abstract that it has lasting impact on the reader with such a build of emotion that the reader can almost feel breathless. It construes finality and permanence of Elizabeths affections for her lover. The words of Elizabeth Brownings poem are in the best order by counting the ways that she loves in a crescendo form with a feeling that appears to become stronger with each new description. It conveys the strength and passion of her love building upon layers to fulfil an emotional depth to her poem. Using 'A birthday' and 'Rememeber', show how the theme of love effects ones emotions EssayThe power then being described as, forces, a connotation to the different layers of opinion from the writer, he perhaps making a gesture to the growing fascism regime in context of the poem. The tension is developed further with increased questioning from the fearful first narrator asking the partner, is it the parson they want is it, is it? These short words broken into short phrases suggest panic. Also there is an element of the soldiers beginning to enclose them with the primary narrator trying to console himself by thinking that, it must be the farmer who lives so near, this not only builds more layers of tension with the nearing of the soldiers but is symbolic again of the nearing of the fascism in Spain in context of when the poem was written. In this stanza also the second narrator becomes more certain, now they are running creating, now, suspense and clarity on the fact the are definitely in danger, however as well as this Auden has changed the language from casual, perhaps, to definite answers. The change of structure in the next stanza creates a tone of panic, O where are you going? This shorter, questioning sentence conveys the panic. In the chaos truth is questioned, Were the vows you swore deceiving? Truth and lie are linked, juxtaposing each other as swearing symbolises truth and promise so evoking hurt and anger. This creates a frantic rush of emotions which is emotive so the reader can sense the atmosphere of chaos and may feel panic of the narrator. However the second narrator becomes strong and continues his definite tone answer plainly, No, showing his change in tone and mood from his affection beforehand, I promised to love you, dear These are the last words of affection Auden uses, with the promising love giving the impression of a goodbye to the reader. His departure is then used by Auden symbolically showing how he, must be leaving to flee the law, representing the persecution of innocent people by the fascists the need for them to run from unjust persecution. The final stanza of has a lot of assonance giving the distress and despair, O its broken the lock O its the gate this emphasises the fear and heightens the tension to a final dramatic level. Auden taking us back to the, force, takes away the human characteristics of the soldiers, O its broken the lock its the gate where theyre turning, this gives an animalistic, beastly feature to the army force that gives us no empathy for them and increases the vulnerability of the narrator evoking fear for him. This vulnerability is built upon by the contrast of, their boots heavy on the floor, the hard imagery is a different to the gentleness of the narrator and it helps evolve the sense of helplessness. In this way Auden evokes sympathy from the reader. The soldiers ruthlessness is shown with, their eyes are burning making the hot image feel live, present and dangerous in our minds. We feel the fear in the tone and sympathy for the vulnerable and innocent narrator. We can therefore see, as with Elizabeth Brownings poem, the order of words allows for a building process, in this case building tension and fear increasingly as the poem continues. The words in both poems, chosen by the writer allows them to individually control the readers thoughts, feelings and ideas, this only done however by use of the best words in the best order to create a poem that effectively controls the reader in a way that the writer would wish. Therefore through use of the best words in the best order the writer can control their audiences and create constructive builds of emotion and tension.

Unmanaged Heart Essays - Emotion, Life Skills, Social Psychology

Unmanaged Heart Can a person's heart be controlled? Do all people go have some form of emotional management or emotional labor in their lives? In the book, The Managed Heart, written by Arlie Hochschild , discusses the issues of emotional labor and emotional management. In the book, it describes the difference between the two issues and gives Hochschild's opinion on those issues. The first issue is emotional management. This is where the fight attendants learn how to deal with certain situations that they might encounter. Basically, they are taught to manage their emotions and look at their situation from the other side. By doing this, the flight attendants can create a happy and more comfortable setting for the passengers. On page 113 in the book, it states that the fight attendants should imagine a reason to excuse an obnoxious or unruly passenger. This is what Delta teaches: emotional management. The other issue is emotional labor. The use of emotional management is emotional labor. They flight attendants use surface acting in everyday work life. They are there to make the passenger feel comfortable and happy. This is a cover sheet for the flight attendants emotions. They are in a way bottling up their feelings to produce another feeling. The problem with emotional labor and surface acting are they become a part of that person. Hochschild thinks that this is a bad thing because one will never break away from the emotional labor and in turn have trouble expressing their inner feelings, (deep acting) in their private lives. In summary, emotional management is emotional labor. Emotional management is the learning how to deal with situations. Emotional labor is the actual use of the emotional management. Learning emotional management is helpful, but can affect that person's lifestyle. When they use emotional labor, they are hiding their inner feelings to create are better atmosphere for others. People using this might never be able to distinguish the difference between their surface acting and deep acting. Hochschild's sees this as a problem for the people affected by this emotion manipulator. This will affect their friend's, family, and the rest of society.

porter Essays

porter Essays porter Essay porter Essay According to Porter (1985), the sustainability of a firms competitive advantage was, firstly, dependent on the ability of a firms strategies to resist erosion by competitive activities and, secondly, the firms ability to anticipate the evolution within the industry which it competed in. By strategies, Porter refers specifically to the three generic strategies of low cost, differentiation and focus which Porter posits could be a source of competitive advantage for the firm. However, for the strategy to ucceed the firm must possess some barriers that make imitation of the strategy by competitors difficult. The evolution within the industry refers to changes or challenges within the industry structure that could render the abovementioned competitive advantage ineffective. In addition, having a competitive strategy was insufficient. It must be translated into an above-average performance in the long run a sustainable competitive advantage. Porters generic strategy matrix, which highlights cost leadership, differentiation and focus as the three basic choices for irms, has dominated corporate competitive strategy for the last 30 years (Pretorius, 2008). According to this model, a company can choose how it wants to compete, based on the match between its type of competitive advantage and the market target pursued, as the key determinants of choice (Pretorius, 2008). Porters (Porter, 1998 and Porter, 1985), generic strategy typology remains one of the most notable in the strategic management literature (Salavou, 2010). A business can maximize performance either by striving to be the low cost producer in an industry or by ifferentiating its line of products or services from those of other businesses; either of these two approaches can be accompanied by a focus of organizational efforts on a given segment of the market. Any organization that fails to make a strategic decision to opt for one of these strategies was in danger of being stuck in the middle. The organization in failing to decide, tries both to be the cost leader and differentiator and achieved neither, and in the process confused consumers.

Utilitarianism and Morality essays

Utilitarianism and Morality essays Utilitarianism is often defined as the greatest good for the most people. It is also considered to be the greatest good with the least amount of pain. John Stuart Mill was amongst the few who thought this way. His utilitarian ideas advocate a hedonistic ethical theory. In this theory, he believes human beings, or agents, actions should be contingent upon the consequences. The end of all human conduct should be happiness. Mill defines utility as pleasure itself, together with exemption from pain... (Philosophical Classics, 949). Mill suggests that utility should be the foundation of morality. He says, the foundations of morals Utility or the Greatest Happiness Principle holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privation of pleasure. (Philosophical Classics, 949). Peoples moral actions should increase the overall amount of utility. This would limit people from pursing personal pleasures at the expense of others. However, this type of philosophy can eventually lead to serious social problems. The absence of natural rights in Mills ideas can result in unethical choices and social turmoil. Mill believes that we should assess the consequences of our actions. In doing so, we are not supposed to include our motives, characters, or traits when making a decision. We are to simply choose the path which yields the most overall pleasure. Happiness comes from both intellectual and sensual pleasures according to Mill. He argues that there are different kinds of pleasures, and It is quite compatible with the principle of utility to recognize the fact, that some kinds of pleasure are more desirable and more valuable than others. (Philosophical Classics, 950). Higher&qu...

Management issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management issue - Essay Example Naturally, business environments are dynamic and volatile; however, information systems have to deal with the volatile nature of business requirements thus Information systems in an organization can easily be outdated. IS environment is changing at an increasing rate since technology which is apparently up-to-date becomes outdated at a high speed. IS flexibility is the ability of an information system to respond to changing technology and business environments. For instance top enterprise technology companies like Microsoft, Citrix, Dell, IBM, HP, and Cisco embrace NVIDIA GRID thus offering organizations flexibility of the GRID enabled solutions and servers. Use NVIDIA GRID technology is crucial in helping companies grasp the gains of virtualization like flexibility, manageability and security, while at the same time offering a complete PC experience to users. IT departments grapple with the challenge of employees increasingly bringing their gadgets to work expecting great mobility a nd experience offered by virtualization through secure and consistent access to company resources; however, this is often done at the expense of performance and features nevertheless, GRID eliminates the compromise. Enterprises are taking advantage of the globalization trend and mobility through virtualization of desktops together their applications to offer users the ability to work anytime, anywhere on any gadget while ensuring security of company IP address (NVIDIA, 2013). To operationalise information system flexibility, there are three categories of application and they include personnel, integration of data and functionality and the module of system components. With the multidimensional nature of information system flexibility, recognizing and assessing the necessary levels of flexibility required to respond to change is changeling for organizations. Nevertheless, contingency theory emphasizes the fact that managers make decision in accordance with the prevailing conditions an d act on aspects that are vital to the situation. For instance managing IS flexibility in an organization various aspects are considered like IS requirements, IT staff and the end-users. Management has to consider the degree of fit between ideal IS and its capability; even though, the environment is conceptualised with uncertain forces like complex competition, global challenges and market shifts as well as the rapid technological developments like e-commerce. Due to the changes in environmental forces, there is need to address the turbulent changes in order to effectively deal with opportunities brought by the changes. Since there is increasing pressure on businesses to respond and deal with the environmental changes efficiently, it is essential that organizations be flexible and adaptable. A flexible information system is a crucial element of organizational flexibility; thus, IS has to quickly and inexpensively adapt to new situations in the business. Information system changes in volve changes in both internal and external business requirements and changes in IT in the implementation of information systems. The system theory states that a system consists of objects, attributes, internal relationship with its objects and it exists in an environment; thus, a system is a set of entities that affect one another in an environment to form a large pattern different from any of its parts. In an open system, information is received which

Legal, Safety, and Regulatory Requirements Paper Essay

Legal, Safety, and Regulatory Requirements Paper - Essay Example However, some industrial scholars also have the idea that litigation has already replaced common sense and compassion in the workplace, given the fact that there are very stringent legal, regulatory requirements in the workplace, and that disagreements in the workplace are already commonly settled through litigation. In this case, this paper aims to answer the following question: have common sense and compassion in the workplace already been replaced by litigation? In order to answer this question, the researcher would primarily rely upon three main sources: the United States Department of Labor (United States Department of Labor, n. d.), the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (U. S. EEOC, n. d.), and the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA.gov, n. d.). One of the main agencies of the United States government that oversees working place relations in the country is the United States Department of Labor (United States Department of Labor, n. d.).

Common Traits of the Filipinos Essay Example for Free

Common Traits of the Filipinos Essay Common Traits It is difficult to define and ascertain the very core of what it is to be a Filipino. History tells us that the Filipinos as we know now had an untraceable origin. All that we can do now is to determine the common traits that are common to all of the Filipinos. Common traits among Filipinos can be traced throughout its existence, from the pre-colonial era up to the present era that we have now. There is something that is particularly common and at the same time unique from among all of us as oppose to different races from Asia. And from this point of view we can depart and establish in some commonalities what it is to be a Filipino which is unique in particular throughout Asia and in general throughout the world. A. Hospitality One of the common traits of a Filipino is the word Hospitality. Hospitality comes from the Latin word, â€Å"Hospes†meaning â€Å"Host†, â€Å"guest†, or â€Å"stranger†. Hospes is formed from hostis, which means â€Å"stranger† or â€Å"enemy† which is synonymous to hostility. In a nutshell, Hospitality means welcoming the guest, stranger, or even the enemy into your own house. According to Derrida there two(2) types of hospitality, the first one is Conditional Hospitality, and the second one is the Absolute Hospitality. In the vernacular language, Conditional Hospitality means, you welcome the stranger, guest, or even the hostile within the bounds of condition e. g like they should only sleep in the master bedroom and only sleep in the couch or sala, they cannot go into the bedroom or they should not touch anything. In other words, they are bound to certain restrictions. On the other hand, in contrast to Conditional Hospitality, Absolute hospitality is a form of welcoming the other with open arms up to the point of embracing the other unconditionally. Absolute hospitality knows no boundaries, in fact, welcoming the other might be dangerous because this other’s personality is unascertainable, maybe he is a convict or any other psychopath but absolute hospitality will welcome any other stranger that will knock into your own homes even if such stranger would kill you. And this Absolute hospitality is the kind of hospitality that is present and predominant among Filipinos, this is a kind of hospitality that is selfless at its purest up to the point of even sacrificing his own family just for the sake of the visitor or guest. And this was clearly depicted by the historian Teodoro A. Agoncillo when he wrote that: â€Å"Perhaps you happen to drop in at an unholy hour of the day or night. Sensing that you are hungry, he prepares the best food for you, ignoring the fact that there would not be enough for the next supper for his family. Meanwhile, he gives you something with which you could eat whiles away your time. You hear him or his wife puttering about the kitchen desperately hurrying up the preparation of the food in order not to keep you waiting. There is always a sense of urgency in his movements, for he does not want to inconvenience you. He makes you feel that he is honored by your invasion of his privacy at an unholy hour of the night. † This Absolute hospitality is the one that is being misunderstood by foreigners, especially by the Spanish colonizers, who thought that such trait is an embodiment of inferiority and obsequiousness. And only that such trait is also prone to abuses made up by the Foreign colonizers which proceeded to tell their hearers that they fell victims to the wiles of the Filipino women. B. Close Family ties The family is one of the oldest and most important social institutions on earth in it is the basic institution of the government, all starts from and within the family it is the primordial institution of our society. With this, it is noteworthy to mention Anthropologist Margaret Mead,she based her research and affirmed the centrality of the nuclear family in human society. She said: â€Å"As far back as our knowledge takes us, human beings have lived in families. We know of no period when this was not so. We know of no people who have succeeded for long in dissolving the family or displacing it†¦ Again and again, in spite of proposals for change and actual experiments, human societies have reaffirmed their dependence on the family as the basic unit of human living—the family of father, mother and children. ’’ In consonance with such research, one of the traits among Filipinos is its close family ties because even up to time immemorial Filipinos are still dependent and interdependent with their families, that even some are already at the age of 40 and having produced so many kids, his existence is still closely related to his Parents. Parents up to the end of the adolescent period of their sons or daughters still have the capacity to support and even provided sustenance to their own sons or daughters. Unlike in foreign countries, particularly in the U. S wherein the their sons or daughters have achieved the age of 18, they are already free to go out of the boundaries of their home and eventually establish a life outside the reach of their family, they can already rent their own apartment and have a job. Which is particularly remote to the traits of a Filipino, if such person was allowed by their parents to live in own life and establish his own stance then eventually such Family would be treated or lookup upon with unbecoming eyes, like such parents is not a worthy parent to father their own child. In Filipino Family, it ordinarily consist of the grandparents, the parents and the children. The Father is the head of the family, but while he rules, the mother governs. For it is the mother that reigns in the home, she is the educator, the financial officer, the accountant, the censor, the laundry woman, and the cook. But above the ruler and the governor are the grandparents, who opinions and decisions on all important matters are sought. Will a newborn child be baptized? The grandparents are consulted and what they say carries much weight. It is the grandparents that have the last word from every decision that the family would make, would they consult a doctor in case the child or sick? The answer depends on the grandparents since they would prefer a herbolario (herb doctor) It is in their experience that will go against any written knowledge that their sons and daughters have achieved, it is with experience that they will use to override you knowledge. And besides such characteristics, one of the predominant characters of the Family is its hierarchical status, since the Philippines is a predominantly catholic country, the impact of such religions echoes even up to the deepest depth of the Family which is embodied in its patriarchal stance. Every decision if you would not be consulted with the grandparent should be consulted with the Father, and nothing more nothing else. The mother may have to say many things, but if the head of the family started to talk then it is the end of the line for is words, would be the law and only the prevailing law of every family. C. Respect for the elders In addition to the power of the grandparents, every grandparents should be treated with respect in all kinds of behavior towards them. In casual conversation, the should be an additional words of respect like â€Å"po† and â€Å"opo. † It is unthinkable for a Filipino do utter words of ingratitude to their elderly. If in other country, they just call their elderly in their own names as oppose to the Filipinos which they approach their elderly in a courteous manner characterized by words of gratitude and respect. And the respect for the elderly includes respect for the elder sister and brother. It is the responsibility of the elder brother to perform the duties of the father and mother to the younger members of the family. One finds that among Filipino family the elder brother or sister sacrifice his career for the sake of the young ones who must have an education. Even after his marriage, the elder brother sets aside a small part of his salary for his younger brother and sisters. The latter, in turn, are expected to look up to their elder brother with awe and respect. Kissing the hands of the parents and old relatives or neighbors as a sign of respect is extended to the elder brother or sister. Among â€Å"old† and â€Å"respectable families,† even cousins kiss the hands of their elder cousins as a sign of respect. D. Fatalistic Filipinos are intrinsically fatalistic. Fatalism is defined as a doctrine that events are fixed in advance so that human beings are powerless to change them. In other words, everything is determined, it is a doctrine that amplifies the subjugation of all events or actions to fate. Philosophically, fatalism generally refer to these ideas, that humans are powerless to do anything other than we can actually do, e. g the power to influence the future which is very similar to pre-determinsm. An attitude of resignation in the face of some future event or events which are thought to be inevitable, that actions are free, but nevertheless work toward an inevitable end, and lastly that acceptance is appropriate, rather than against inevitability. These fatalism is best symbolized in the phrase â€Å"Bahalana,† a phrase that defies translation but which may be rendered loosely as â€Å"come what may. † Can you go through that wall of fire? Bahalana. Are you sure you can convince him to give up his plan of leaving home? Bahalana. There are dangers ahead, Bahalana. Such fatalism has bred in the Filipino a sense of resignation. It is tis that he faces disaster or tragedy with resignation. HE appears indifferent in the face of graft and corruption. He appears impassive in the face of personal misfortune. Yet this â€Å"Bahalana† attitude prevents him from being a crackpot. E. Loyalty As Joyce Mayanrd puts it, â€Å"A person who deserves my loyalty receives it. † Loyalty is defined as a faithfulness or devotion to a person, country, group or cause. For Josiah Joyce loyalty is the willing and practical and thoroughgoing devotion of a person to a cause. The cause has to be an objective one. It cannot be ones personal self. It is something external to oneself that one looks outward to the world to find, and that cannot be found within. It concerns not ones own person, but other people. The devotion is active, a surrendering of ones self-will to the cause, that one loves. Moreover, according to Royce, loyalty is social. Loyalty to a cause unites the many fellow-servants of that cause, binding them together in their service. That is why loyalty to a friend or benefactor is one trait that is very strong with every Filipino. Do him a little favor and he remembers you to the ends of his days. And such trait is best described and characterized as â€Å"utangnaloob. † For the Filipino, friendship is sacred and implies mutual help under any circumstances. A friend is expected to come to the aid not only of personal friend but also to the friend’s family. That is why when the Americans gave their help to oust the Japanese imperial army here in the Philippines, such help was inculcated to every minds of the Filipino people and throughout the history books, the such a friend help you in such detrimental situation. For the Filipino, it is hardly conceivable that the United States should turn out to be an ingrate, knowing that they stood by her in the darkest hour. Such attitude is beyond the comprehension of the Americans, for the latter understands of friendship is different from that of the Filipino. The American is ruthlessly businesslike and will not allow sentimentalism to stand in the way of fulfilling his destiny or objective. This â€Å"ruthlessness† the Filipino does not understand. Thus, it can be considered as a misplaced loyalty, which is an unreciprocated loyalty, because the Americans would only be loyal only to such an end that it will satisfy their desires and needs, and as long as they are being benefited with such they would not care if such things would be treated as sentimental as the Filipino’s see as it is. F. Tendency to be indolent For Luc de Clapiers â€Å"Indolence is the sleep of the mind. † It is a state where the body and mind of a person is idle. Nothing innovative to do nor to say. This trait is common to every Filipino, as Rizal explained, the Filipinos has this tendency to be indolent as the result of the tropical climate which makes even the Westerner indolent in these parts of the paradise. But aside from the warm climate, indolence may partly explained by the abundance with which Nature has endowed the country, a fact which makes the Filipino exert less effort in the belief that he does not have to work hard to make both ends meet. Then too because of the close family and personal ties, the Filipino is assured of three square meals every day if only e would have the nerve to go from one relative to another. He knows that no relative or friend would turn him out and so he imposes himself on his willing or unwilling victims. G. Jealousy For Lawrence Durrell, â€Å"it is not love that is blind, but jealousy. † One of the trait of a Filipino is the feeling of being jealous. For every Filipino does not look with favor on a woman who flirts with several men. To him the sweet heart’s or the wife’s eyes are meant only form him and for no other. Even his closest friend cannot kiss his wife with impunity on the pretext that it is a brotherly kiss. The Filipino, therefore, requires complete faith and loyalty of his wife or sweetheart. A deviation from this unwritten law oftentimes leads to a bloody mess. Among the many examples is when a Jealous husband stabs his wife and hacks his neighbor, It is in a fit of jealousy that a husband stabbed dead his wife then attack the woman’s alleged paramour in barangay Yati, Liloan, northern Cebu. Police said that the husband was furius when his 41 year old wife, admitted to him that she and a married neighbor in 39 years of age had a relationship. It was their daughter who told the police that she heard her mother shouting for help in the 1:30 a. m in that morning. The daughter ran to her parents room and saw her knife wielding father standing in front of her mother, who was lying bloodied on the top of the bed. Her mother died because of multiple stab wounds. It is not only this instance that the jealousy of a betrayed husband was actualize there are many instances wherein such things had happened, bloody killings, are often enough reported in the daily newspapers, and are frequent and usual upshot is jealousy, for to a Filipino blood is required to was the stain of his honor H. Camaraderie Pakikisama or camaraderie among other nation is also one of the best traits that Filipino possesses. The spirit of comradeship makes Filipinos trustworthy beings. The idea of bayanihan was established because of Filipino camaraderie. Filipino shows no elements of deceit, dishonesty and selfishness. Everybody is willing to help one another is the other is in need of help. I. Regionalism Regionalism is defined as a Political subdivision of an area into partially autonomous region, which characterize by loyalty to the interest of a particular region. A Feature of such is an expression, a pronunciation, or a custom, that is characteristic of a geographical area. It is also a quality in literature that is the product of fidelity to the habits, speech, manners, history, folklore, and beliefs of a particular geographical section. That is why a Filipino, does not think in terms of national boundaries but in regional oneness. This feeling is an extension of the closeness of family ties. Invariably, the Filipino believes that the person known to him, no matter how bad is btter than the one unknown to him no matter how. Good. Thus one finds college or university students calling a meeting of all those who come from the different parts of county. [ 2 ]. C. Lewis, Elementary Latin Dictionary (Oxford Univ. Press, 2000), p. 371. [ 3 ]. Who is derrida [ 4 ]. Teodoro A. Agocillo, History of the Filipino People eight edition, CE publishing Inc. ,2012, p. 6-7 [ 5 ]. Teodoro A. Agocillo, History of the Filipino People eight edition, p. 7 [ 6 ]. Editorial, Familiy Ties, Philippine Daily Inquirer, September 20, 2011 [ 7 ]. Teodoro A. Agocillo, History of the Filipino People eight edition, p. 7 [ 8 ]. Hugh Rice ,Fatalism. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved December 2, 2010 p. 71 [ 9 ]. Teodoro A. Agocillo, History of the Filipino People eight edition, p. 9-10 [ 10 ]. Martin, Mike W. ,Virtuous giving: philanthropy, voluntary service, and caring. Indiana University Press. p. 40. [ 11 ]. Teodoro A. Agocillo, History of the Filipino People eight edition, p. 10 [ 12 ]. Teodoro A. Agocillo, History of the Filipino People eight edition, p. 11 [ 13 ]. Teodoro A. Agocillo, History of the Filipino People eight edition, p. 12.

Depression Essay -- essays research papers

Depression is a psychiatric disorder characterized by feelings of worthlessness, guilt, sadness, helplessness, and hopelessness. It is different then normal sadness or grief from the loss of a loved one because it is persistent and severe. Clinical depression has many related symptoms trouble sleeping, eating disorders, withdrawal and inactivity, self-punishment, and loss of pleasure. People that are depressed do not like to do things they may usually like to.Surveys that have been taken that show approximately 20 in 100 people suffer from depression at any one time. About one if four Americans will suffer from a depression over the course of their lifetime. Depression strikes men and women of all ages, in all races, but most studies indicate that women are more often afflicted.There are two major forms of depression that people get. One form is called depressive disorder. It is diagnosed only by episodes of depression. Episodes can be short or long but are usually brought about by an incident in a persons life. An example of this is if someone close to them dies. The other kind is called bipolar or manic depressive illness, it is recognized by alternating depressed and manic episodes. This is an actual brain dysfunction. In the major depression or the depressed phase of bipolar illness, a depressed mood predominates, even though the patient may not be aware of feeling sad. Typically, he or she loses all interest in activities. Symptoms include sleep disturbances, not ab...

Firepower Kills

â€Å"Le feu tue† (‘Firepower kills') Henri-Philippe Petain – 1916 Verdun. World War 1 is often called â€Å"the first modern war†. During World War 1 many new kinds of weapons and technology were invented and improved. Some of these weapons included tanks, chemical gases, grenades, and machine guns. Chemical Warfare was used for the first time on a large scale in World War I. many advancements were made during the war; in the air, on the ground, and in the sea. World War 1 started by a conflict and was fought between countries that were equipped with modern weapons. Some of these weapons rose and were very powerful like machine guns and others declined like bayonets. Both weapons and technology made a drastic impact on World War 1.Land battles were mostly fought on both the Western and Eastern fronts. Soldiers were surrounded by new technology and weapons that helped throughout the battlefield but also caused danger/death. Soldiers experienced a great deal of hardship while fighting on the fronts. The western front consisted of small parts of Europe, most of the fighting took over in France and Belgium. The eastern front was made up of battlefields in Eastern Europe, especially in Russia. â€Å"But on the last day, an astonishing number of English field guns opened up on us with high-explosive, drumming ceaselessly on our position, so that we suffered heavily and came back only eighty strong† (1.4). land war started by the use of Machine guns. Machine guns were the first and most famous weapon used in war, they are claimed to be the most dangerous weapon because the killed numerous lives during the war. Machine guns were invented by the Americans, however, the idea was stolen by the Germans. Machine guns at the time could fire up to 500 rounds per minute, but they were very heavy and they were very heavy. They had to be used by well-trained men who knew how to setup a gun and operate it quickly.Tanks were armored steel plated, belt tired, and heavily armed combat vehicles. First use of tanks on a battlefield was the use of British mark 1 tank at the battle of flers courcelette in 1915. The French soon followed the idea and created Renault FT, which established the look of the tank we see today. The Germans never got to producing their own tanks in WW1. The only German design of war was the A7V.Flamethrowers were first invented by a German inventor named Richard Fiedler. The flamethrower was designed to be carried on soldiers backs. It had two tanks, one that carried flammable liquid and the other that carried propellant gas. The squeeze of the trigger would send shooting flammable liquid up to 18 meters away, it was a weapon used to shoot big flames of fire against its enemies. It was used to burn soldiers and wooden obstacles such as bunkers. The Germans used these flamethrowers to attack more than 650 soldiers, mainly the British and French.Small bombs thrown by hand or shot by a rifle attachment were called grenades/bombs. Germans are the ones who created and mostly used these grenades during the war. The British made their own model of a grenade but it needed more work. By the year of 1917, all troops were required to carry extra grenades to capture and hold them against their enemies.Poisonous gas was introduced by the Germans in 1915. It is toxic smoke that can be very deadly if inhaled by humans. When the gas is inhaled it burns and liquidizes your lungs which causes death. If wind currents occurred while soldiers threw the gas at their enemies then it could easily be brought back to them and kill them. The only way to avoid the poisonous gas was to urinate on a cloth and hold up to ur mouth and nose. However, over time gas mask kits were provided to the soldiers. Airplanes were very recent they were invented by the Wright brothers 11 years ago. Airplanes were simple machines, more like to birds than anything else. The first missions were carried out as an observation. Most airplanes at the time were slow/flimsy contraptions with barely enough power to lift a single pilot and perhaps one passenger. Airplanes technology developed throughout war they became very important/useful.At the beginning of the war, most soldiers used the planes to spy on their enemies strategies. These planes usually carried a pilot and a photographer who would photograph the soldier's positions. The use of planes became very popular during the war, it became a crucial part of achieving victories. One of the first contributions in the war was at the first battle of Marne were reconnaissance planes spotted a gap in the German lines. The allies attacked the gap and were able to split the German army and drive them back. Fighter planes came into the war when they wanted to stop the reconnaissance planes. With more planes in the skies, enemy pilots began to fight each other in the air. At first, they tried throwing grenades at each other or shooting with rifles and pistols. It was useless and it didn't work very well. Pilots soon found out that the best way to shoot down an enemy is to mount a machine gun to the plane. However, because the machine gun was mounted to the front of the plane the propeller would get in the way of the bullets. Soon a new invention called the â€Å"interredur† was invented by Anton Fokker, it allowed the machine gun to be synchronized with the propeller, all planes started using this invention. As the war progressed, both sides began to use airplanes to drop bombs on enemy locations. The first planes used for bombings were made by the Russians and could only carry small bombs and they were very powerless to attack from the ground. By the end of the war, faster long-range bombers were built that could carry much larger weight bombs.Germany used zeppelins to drop bombs on targets from far away. These were slow moving but could carry a large load of explosives. Zeppelins were filled with hydrogen, so a small spark could blow up the entire aircraft. Germans used these zeppelins to bomb London and eastern England. â€Å"Germany's enemies, however, soon found that zeppelins, which were filled with hydrogen gas, quickly became raging infernos when hit by anti-aircraft guns† (Spielvogel, McTighe, 331). As the war continued it became useless because of the fast fighter planes that were used. The battles at sea were known as naval battles. These battles mainly took place in the northern sea and the Atlantic. The wars were mainly between Britain and Germany. Britain was trying to stop Germany from traveling or trading with the rest of the world across the north sea. that meant Germany could not receive important resources like food. Germany reacted by using u-boats to attack the ships that were trading and sending resources to Britain. Germany is the first one to create U-Boats and used them to destroy many enemy ships. U-Boats were dangerous and accurate. â€Å"U-boat is an abbreviation of the German unterseeboot and is a synonym for submarine†(Axelrod, 127). On September 1914, a U-Boat sank 3 British ships. In the U.S. U-boats turned its public opinion against Germany. This increased when Germany ordered a new policy of unrestricted submarine warfare, they sank every boat seen on the surface. This eventually made the U.S start sending ships into the war. Later on the British liner, Lusitania was sunk by a U-boat which carried innocent British and American civilians. Then on February 1, 1917, Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare effective, But on February 3, 1917, Germany stopped unrestricted submarine warfare. Britain, France, Russia and the U.S had all developed submarine forces before Germany began development on the U-Boats in 1906, but during WW1 submarines were associated with the Imperial German Navy, which used the submarines to try to bridge the gap in naval strength because it struggles compared to Britain's Royal Navy. Longer-range U-boats were developed and torpedo quality improved during the war. Submarines could strike long bombs from beneath the waves with torpedoes but also surfaced them to use as their deck gun. An unsuccessful post-war effort was made to ban submarine warfare.Torpedoes are self-propelled missiles that can be launched from submarines or ships, or dropped into the sea from the undercarriage of planes. The first torpedoes were produced in the 1870s, it ran on compressed air and was slow and inaccurate. By 1914 German torpedoes could travel at up to 75 kilometers per hour over a range of several miles. This gave German U-boats a deadly advantage over the Allied ships. As the war progressed the British made rapid advances in torpedoes and sank at least 18 German U-boats with them. Mines were large explosive bombs planted underground, they were either remotely activated or by the impact of the soldier's footsteps. Navies also used sea mines which floated on the ocean and exploded when in contact with ships. Trench soldiers often dug tunnels to plant huge mines under enemy trenches and positions. One example of an incident occurred at Hill 60 during the Battle of Messines (June 1917) where Australian tunneling specialists exploded 450,000 kilograms of underground explosives, killing thousands of German troops.So it is clear that although the war was very deadly it still inherited many new weapons and technologies that helped throughout the war. Weapons and new technology really did affect the war it changed many lives, it brought innovation, creativity, and originality. WW1 weapons and technology proved to other countries who fought that humans will adapt to difficult environments and strategies that come by.

Communication Assignment Essay

Describe the main differences between communicating with adults and communication with children and young people (3. 2) Although there are some factors of communication that should be present regardless of age or development such as respect and courtesy, as adults and teaching staff we should adapt our communication and language with who we are talking to and their age. There is a need when communicating with children and young people to be clear and unambiguous. This helps children and young people understand what we are saying and expressing as well as helping them develop language and communication skills to use for themselves. As teaching staff when communicating with a child or young person it is important not to use too much language as the message or request could become confused and lost by the child or young person. It is important to ensure that the child or young people understand what is being asked of them and that teaching staff should ensure that this level of understanding is achieved and remember to be patient and mindful of age and development. It is also important to bear in mind that child and young people will copy adult behaviour and it is therefore imperative to model the kind of communication you would expect from them. This is why ensuring respect, accepting contributions and differences of opinions, being polite and courteous are crucial when communicating with children/ young people and adults. Identify examples of communication difficulties that may exist (3. 3) Communication is a crucial skill and helps us express feelings, make choices and aids us in all aspects of life, there are many pupils that struggle with communication and areas of difficulty can arise for a variety of reasons. This could be due to special needs or because of attitudes and beliefs. Physical Factors These could include speech impediments such as a stammer or more serious physical conditions or special needs which effect the ability of communication. Working in a special needs school I work with many students that are not able to verbally communicate for a number of different reasons such as severe autism, severe developmental delay and down syndrome. Although these students are fully supported and often have other ways to communicate they can often become frustrated that they cannot communicate their feelings. It also affects their independence. Confidence Confidence could be another barrier to communication. Confidence can be developed with practise; a pupil’s self esteem is linked to feelings of self-affirmation and belonging. As teaching staff it is important to empower pupils and give them the confidence that assists communication for example this could be done by giving a pupil enough time to respond and by being sensitive. Cultural Differences There may be communication difficulties due to cultural differences. This could be created because of different expectations created by culture. An example of this could be that a student in a school maybe part of a culture where eye contact is not encouraged this could mean that people may not pick up as many non verbal cues. Describe how to adapt communication to meet different communication needs (3. 4) It may be necessary to adapt the way in which you communicate if you are communicating with someone who has difficulties in this area. The following techniques can be used †¢ Speak clearly and appropriately when communicating. †¢ Slow your speech if necessary. Use visual aids such as pictures, photograph or flashcards. †¢ Use a translator if necessary. †¢ Use sign language. †¢ Maintain good eye contact and use positive body language. †¢ Use facial expressions and hand gestures. Working in a school for severely disabled young people, many of the students have communication difficulties, for many their communication skills are not representative of their age. This has meant that staff in the scho ol have to adapt to enable the students ways to communicate their feelings/wants/needs appropriately. Although teaching staff try to encourage speech there are other techniques that are used. For example * Makaton signing Makaton is a language programme using signs and symbols to help people to communicate. It is designed to support spoken language and the signs and symbols are used with speech, in spoken word order. * Symbols/ Visual aids/ Visual timetables Symbols can be used to re enforce a message or a request used along side speech, an example of this could be handing a student a stop sign and saying â€Å"stop† if the student was being silly. Symbols can also be used as part of a visual timetable, these are usually used in autistic classes, symbols (or words) that represent the activities the students will be doing that day and in the correct order so they are aware of what they will be doing. * Electronic speakers Some students that are not able to communicate verbally use an electronic speaker; these are specialised computers that enable people to communicate. The user presses different buttons to communicate what they are trying to say, the speaker says the different words out loud. * PECS Picture, exchange, communication system (PECS) is a system of communication in which the student hands symbols to an adult to request something or to communicate a feeling. It tends to be used in autistic settings and gives students the opportunity for spontaneous communication. Describe how to deal with disagreements between; * The practitioner and child/ young people There can often be disagreements between teaching assistant staff and young people. This could be because staff have to put boundaries and rules in place which the young people may not agree with. In the case of a disagreement it is important to address the situation. The staff member should stay calm and collected and explain why they have taken the action that they have taken. In this case, of a disagreement because of boundaries the staff team should be consistent. Depending on the nature of the disagreement it may also be an idea to discuss it afterwards when everybody is thinking rationally, this could be an opportunity to talk about why it happened and how to prevent in the future. In my care setting there have been occasions that young people have targeted staff for unknown reasons. This can be difficult for the staff, in this case it’s important to provide support as a team. The staff member may want to do activities and tasks with the young person in the future to develop relationships. * The practitioner and other adults (3. 5) It is likely that when working along side people in a work setting that there will be disagreements. This could be for a number of reasons, including poor communication or clashes of personalities and ideas, as adults we can sometimes misread situations and information given, we can also be defensive and lead by our emotions. In these conflict situations it is important to be sensitive as well as keen to resolve the situation and soon as possible. Being open and honest about thoughts and feelings can help resolve a situation and ensure that both parties do their best to prevent it happening again. It is also important to remember that as an employee you are contracted to be professional. If employees are not able to resolve a disagreement they should refer to the schools grievance policy or procedure.

Killing Us Softly a film review essays

Killing Us Softly a film review essays One of the films that struck me the most was Killing Us Softly, the documentary on how advertising and the whole media in general can basically run this entire world. Sounds a bit drastic, but I really believe that this statement is true because of the many horrible incidents that happen throughout the world today. The documentary effectively demonstrated how easy it is for advertising to send across many different hidden meanings that can cause tremendous effects like bulimia, rapes, murders, disrespect towards women and vise versa, and several other things like making a weak minded person go crazy. For example, if for decades all the media has been showing is women who barely weigh 110 lbs, dont you think every girl who weighs over 130 lbs is going to try to do the impossible to try to fit into what society thinks is the norm only because the media has planted it into our subconscious minds without us even noticing it. Another example that is extremely disturbing to even hear about is the J B Ramsey case. Obviously the person who committed this crime was a Bergen Pines basket case, but I think that if the media wasnt so big on showing 6 yr olds as beautiful models dressed up to look provocative, these pedophiles wouldnt get much of a chance to view such pageants. The more exposure we g et of something, the more acceptable it becomes in our society whether its wrong or right. Personally Ive realized that, the media brought about even my style of dressing. If you see a commercial on TV or in a magazine for a shirt you thought looked good, wouldnt you buy it? I know I would. I guess thats my problem. Killing Us Softly relates to several other works studied in the course. For example, in The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter the media basically controlled every American society by turning women into the reciprocal of what they were used to...

5 tips on how to keep employee turnover low

5 tips on  how to keep employee turnover low One core aspect of successfully running a business- regardless of its size or the industry it’s operating in- is keeping staff happy and motivated so that they continue to perform at effective levels. It also helps to reduce levels of employee turnover- something that strategic, forward-thinking management teams should always consider.Why is employee turnover so crucial to manage carefully? Simple- its potential negative effects on an organization can be profound, and can impact every aspect of a company’s ability to operate efficiently.Entrepreneur published an insightful article on the hidden costs of employee turnover  in which  Toronto-based human resources consultant Tom Armour discussed the hidden ways turnover can have a financial effect on a company, including:The cost  of  the work that isn’t getting done when an employee is missingCo-workers not being able to work to their full potential because they’re picking up the slack from missing e mployeesA loss of credibility for management when a work environment has a reputation for excessive turnover and employees grow discouraged that they will thrive thereSo, it’s clear that employee turnover is a potential problem for any business and that its potential effects are wide and deep. That said, there are some strategic steps that key management, HR teams, and hiring personnel can take in an effort to minimize its prevalence. Forbes recently published an article that highlights several key ways to reduce employee turnover.Consider using these 5 strategies in your company.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});1. Hire the right people.Keeping employees starts with hiring the right employees. You likely  hire employees  who have strong skills that match your open position. But, how well do your employees fit in with your business’s culture?You must hire employees who are behavioral and cultural fits for the job. You can ask emplo yees  behavioral interview questions  to find out how they react in certain situations. Also, during interviews, be sure to show candidates around your business and tell them about your workplace culture. Candidates will hopefully eliminate themselves if they don’t fit in.If employees don’t fit in with your work environment, I guarantee they won’t be happy. They won’t fit in, they won’t get along with their co-workers and they’ll feel lonely. An outstanding candidate that doesn’t match the behaviors and culture of your business won’t stay around long. They’ll take their skills somewhere where they fit in.2. Offer competitive pay and benefits.People want to be compensated well. They need to cover standard expenses like housing, utilities, and food- and most people want enough money for extras, too. If you don’t pay your employees well, they’ll find a business that will.When determining compensation for y our employees, it’s good to do market research on wages. Find out what your competitors pay their employees. Research a  competitive salary range  based on similar jobs in your local area. For example, if you want to hire an IT specialist in San Francisco, you should consider what other businesses in San Francisco pay their IT specialists.And you can’t simply give employees paychecks and be done. Employees want good benefits, too. You must offer competitive benefits that your employees want. Learn about  common employee benefits. Then, find out what benefits competitors and other businesses in your area offer.3. Give praise freely and often.Your employees need encouragement and recognition. When they do something right, show your appreciation. When they finish a large, difficult project or submit a project before the deadline, congratulate them. Show them that you see their hard work.Of course, don’t feel like you have to shower employees with praise for e verything they do. You don’t have to praise employees for small, everyday tasks. But, when employees truly do something worth congratulations, give it.The goal here is to create an encouraging, positive work environment. When employees feel respected, acknowledged, desired, and motivated, they are more likely to stay. Best of all, this method to decrease employee turnover is free. You just have to use your words.4. Guide employees down a career path at your company.If employees stay stagnate in one job for too long, they might search for another job where they can advance. Most employees want to increase their skills and knowledge and move up the career ladder. Showing employees a projected career path gives them a sense of direction and purpose.You should lay out an ideal plan for your employees. Where can they go from their current position? Maybe it’s an upward or lateral move. Or, maybe your employees can earn more responsibility in their current position. Whatever it is, let your employees know how they can advance.After you’ve set up a plan with them, you can help employees advance along their career path. Provide them with coaching quarterly by recommending ways to advance. You can also offer employees training opportunities. Give them plenty of chances to learn new skills and put them into practice in their current job.5. Don’t shy away from flexibility.If it’s possible, allow  flexible work schedules that let employees adjust their work time and location. That way, employees can create a work-life balance for themselves. Your workers can pursue things beyond work, go to appointments, and take care of their families- all while getting their work done on time.Flexible work schedules might not be possible for all businesses; your employees might need to be at your business at specific times. But there still might be ways you can offer flexibility, such as the option of working from home one day a week or adjusting a s tart time for the day.There you have it- if you’re interested in minimizing the effects of employee turnover in your organization, take advantage of the tips listed here to help keep your business operating effectively.

Endocrine Disorders Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Endocrine Disorders - Term Paper Example In some diseases abnormalities occur in the gland which cause irregularity in the secretion of these thyroid hormones. The most common abnormalities of thyroid gland are hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism means the excessive secretion of thyroid hormones from thyroid gland whereas Hypothyroidism is the decreased secretion of thyroid hormone from thyroid gland. ETIOLOGY Graves disease is an autoimmune disease whereas Myxedema is a disease caused by hypothyroidism. In autoimmune diseases our immune system produces antibodies against our own organs or organ system. In Graves disease our immune system produces antibodies against thyroid gland which increase the secretion of the thyroxine from thyroid gland. These antibodies are called thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI). Thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins bind to the receptor and imitate the action of thyroid stimulating hormone in releasing thyroxine from the thyroid gland. The effect of thyroid stimulating immuno globulin is excessive and causes increased production and secretion of thyroxine from the thyroid gland. Another type of immunoglobulin that is formed by our immune system against the thyroid gland also acts on the TSH receptors and stimulates the growth of thyroid gland excessively. These immunoglobulins are known as thyroid growth stimulating immunoglobulins (TGI). These antibodies are the primary cause because of which Graves Disease occurs in an individual. Myxedema on the other hand is a condition caused by hypothyroidism and not hyperthyroidism which is seen patients with Graves Disease. The reason for which edema occurs in hypothyroidism is not clearly known but it is said that the increased deposition of chondrioton sulphate and hyaluronic acid in interstitial spaces causes it. The causes of hypothyroidism that eventually lead to myxedema are autoimmune diseases, thyroiditis or surgically removed thyroid gland. In other words Myxedema is a condition caused by lack of thyroid hormones whereas Graves Disease itself leads to excess activity of the thyroid gland. Myxedema and Graves Disease are both concerned with the abnormality of the thyroid gland. SYMPTOMS The patients suffering from Graves disease show diffuse hyperplasia of thyroid, anxiety and tremor of hands. The patient also loses weight and suffers from muscle weakness. The patient will experience extreme fatigue but will be unable to sleep properly. The skin of the patient will be soft and warm. Intolerance to heat and extreme sweating are also seen in the patients suffering from Graves disease. Increased gastrointestinal tract motility also occurs which leads to mal-absorption of food and diarrhea. Exophthalmos is also seen in these patients which is the protrusion of eyeball. The patients with myxedema on the other hand show sluggishness in mental and physical activity. The patients suffering from myxedema show difficulty in speech and intolerance to cold. Sympathetic activity is decreased whi ch in turn decreases the gastrointestinal motility and sweating. The decreased gastrointestinal motility in turn causes constipation. Due to decreased sympathetic activity the blood flow in these patients is low and so the patients looks pale. These patients have coarse facial features and enlarged tongue. The voice becomes deep in myxedema. TREATMENT In Graves disease the

Analysis of Campbell v Mirror Group Newspapers judgment Essay

Analysis of Campbell v Mirror Group Newspapers judgment - Essay Example In the final judgment the House of Lords noted the words of Lord Wolf in A v B and C when he said, ‘for our part we would observe that the fact that an individual has achieved prominence on the public stage does not mean that his private life can be laid bare by the media. We do not see why it should necessarily be in the public interest that an individual who has been adopted as a role model, without seeking this distinction, should be demonstrated to have feet of clay.’1 The facts of the case are necessary for an appreciable understanding of this pronouncement. Following the publication of articles with accompanying photographs showcasing model Naomi Campbell’s therapy and attendance at Narcotic’s Anonymous meetings, Campbell filed a complaint in the High Court for damages for invasion of privacy. The High Court found in her favor. On appeal to the Court of Appeal the High Court’s judgment was reversed and the Court of Appeal found that on the facts, ‘that since Ms Campbell had courted publicity and gone out of her way to promote a drug-free media image, the Mirror was entitled to put the record straight, irrespective of the methods it used to uncover the story. The Appeal Court judges decided that "therapy" did not qualify for legal protection in the same way as treatment by a doctor, and that publication of the details of Ms Campbells therapy was necessary to lend the story credibility.’2 On appeal to the House of Lords, the Court of Appeal’s findings were rejected and the High Court’s ruling was upheld. The House substantiated its findings by striking a balance between privacy and freedom of expression as contained in Articles 8 and 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. 3 Lord Hope, in delivering his opinion for the House of Lords said of the Court of Appeal’s findings, ‘they

Motivational strategy to an existing lesson plan Research Paper

Motivational strategy to an existing lesson plan - Research Paper Example Therefore, for learning to be effective, teachers do requires strategies and should frequently modify them while also adding new ones to the existing strategies. Hence, the purpose of this document is to examine the effect of new instructional and motivational strategy to an existing lesson plan on human brain.Lesson Plan: Effect of new instructional and motivational strategy to an existing lesson plan on human brain.Lesson 1: The BrainTeaching time: 1 hourTopic outline Teaching and Homework activities Teaching Strategies Points to not Learning objectives: To state the function of the cerebral cortex.To discuss ways scientists can map different brain’s regions to particular functions. Opportunity for practical work: carry brain models to class and let students explore the brain.  Ã‚  Notably, the brain models have a lot of information thus the teacher should help students to find areas of the brain that control specific functions.  Summarise at the end of lesson that stude nts only need to note that the cerebral cortex is a brain part that is mostly concerned with memory, intelligence, language and consciousness.Assignment: students to discuss different techniques that can be used to map functions of a brain’s different areas. Instructional strategyAfter Learning: Summarizing and note takingMotivational StrategyAfter Learning: Intrinsic motivation strategy Specification points: Students should recall that cerebral cortex is a part of our brain that is mainly concerned with memory and consciousness.

Human condition and the passage from innocence to experience Essay Example for Free

Human condition and the passage from innocence to experience Essay In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley reflects her views on the faults and weaknesses of human beings and the disasters these imperfections can cause through the personalities and actions of the characters in the novel. The results of the characters personalities and actions show how significant certain undesired traits can be. Through the journeys of the individual characters Mary Shelly shows how we, as human beings, develop in the path from innocence to experience. Surprisingly, the majority of Shelleys obvious criticisms are divulged through the hero, Victor Frankenstein. Frankenstein is used to fulfil this purpose in a multitude of ways: In her 1823 Introduction, Mary Shelley suggests that Victors main crime is his presumption in displacing God. The works of Milton could have inspired this; by way of her parents, he would have been a natural choice of inspiration for Shelley. Milton believed that power corrupts human beings and distrusted anyone who could claim power over anyone else. Therefore, Frankenstein does wrong in claiming power over the monsters life by creating him. We see a change in Victors views on this subject; at the beginning of the novel Frankenstein is fixated with the idea of creating a new being from the remains of dead people and bringing this new being to life by means of electricity. As the novel develops, through his experiences he begins to see the true repercussions of his actions and finally sees the magnitude of what he has done in his thoughtlessness (innocence. ) This can also be seen as an attack on human nature. As the creature opens his eyes for the first time, facets of Victors character become revealed. Whereas the read expects Victor to reflect the joy of having finally received his goal, his reaction is on of horror: now that I have finished, the beauty of the dream has vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. While one may assume that his repulsion is due to the physical appearance of the wretch (p56), Victor had created the monster and knew very well what the creature looked like before it awoke. Therefore, his terror seems to represent a sort of subconscious self-vision. This could be Shelleys way of criticising how we can become clouded by ambition and do not realise the consequences of our actions until it is too late. Towards the end of the novel Victor has learnt from his experiences and realises what the possible consequences could be of creating a companion for the monster. He knows the destruction of the female monster could result in his own death but for once he is selfless and takes responsibility. Unlike his first venture, he is thinking of the greater-good rather than his own happiness. In the beginning of the novel we see the development of Victors ambition from healthy to obsessive. Fired by his enthusiasm during his first experiments, he imagines how A new species would bless me as its creator and source No father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I should deserve theirs(p54). A possibly interpretation here would be to presume that this is a criticism of mans belief that he is indestructible and he can thus take on the role of God and do whatever he likes. This could have sprung from the death of Marys mother; human beings believe themselves to be all-powerful and virtually invincible but they cannot avoid death. On the other hand, perhaps the crime upon which Shelley focuses is not what he does, but what he fails to do: nurture his creation. Victors ambition and achievement may be heroic, problems only occur in his inability to bear responsibility for his creation. In Brannaghs film interpretation, Frankensteins soul motivation for the creation of the monster is to cheat death (possibly an honourable purpose which would not suggest that Shelley meant Victor to be disliked). However, in the novel, there is no evidence to suggest that this is the case. Frankenstein is also portrayed to wish to undermine the power and position of women. By this we see him rebelling against the normal family unit and the responsibilities that belonging to such a unit entails. This could be interpreted as a fear of the natural process of birth, possibly echoing Shelleys own mixed feelings towards childbirth. First pregnant at sixteen, and almost constantly pregnant during the next five years, Shelley lost most of her children soon after they were born. Victors workshop of filthy creation (p55) may have womb-like suggestions. Following this argument, Helen Moers likens the description of the newly created monster to that of a newborn baby in her book Female Gothic. Shelley also uses Frankenstein, and his failure to comply with social expectations in his creation of his creature, to criticise society on many different levels. When Frankenstein gives life to the monster, he is so disgusted with its appearance and its deviation from a normal human being that he rejects and abandons it. This reflects how society shuns anyone or anything that does not conform to their idea of normality. This particular criticism probably sprung from Shelleys up bringing. With two revolutionary parents, Mary Shelley was certainly not born in to a conformist family. A particular example of this is the fact that Mary Shelleys parents were not married. At the time this would have been virtually unheard of in decent families. Mary was possible criticised by her peers as having radical parents, or being bullied because her parents were not normal. She shows her anger at their ignorance by showing Victor be uncaring, and leading the reader to sympathise with the monster rather than his cruel creator. After the conviction of Justine we see a possibility that Victor will admit to being responsible for the death of Justine. However, he is cowardly. He claims Justine to be innocent, and claims to know Williams murderer but does not confess. Again, it is his failure to act that results in disastrous consequences. However, by announcing his faith in Justines innocence we are endeared to him. Shelley used this to show us how he improves with the experience he gains. Towards the end of the novel the monster requests that Frankenstein grant him a companion to end his misery. We see a blinker of sympathy and consideration for the monster in Victor at this point. He has improved himself slightly by this point. When the monster makes his proposition, Frankenstein actually considers with the monster. We can, therefore, see that by this point he becoming prepared to reason with the monster like an equal. We begin to think he is going to take responsibility for his actions by taking pity on the monster. After all it cannot be forgotten that the monster could have honoured his promise and disappeared with its mate, thus preventing the death of Clerval, Elizabeth and possibly Victors own father. But on the destruction of the female monsters body Victor fails to take true responsibility and virtually caused the deaths of Clerval and Elizabeth. Again, his experience has made improved him, almost to the point where he could redeem himself of the crime that is abandoning what is effectively his child. At the end of the novel, although Victors dying wish is that the deaths of his loved ones be avenged, we can see how his journey has changed him. His last expressed feelings are that of fatigue and exhaustion. This shows how Shelley hopes human beings will become tired of their flawed ways of thinking and learn from their experiences. In a direct contrast, the monsters passage from innocence to experience only produces negative results. In spite of his unnatural creation, the monster can be seen to symbolize a new start. However, as he proceeds with his education, as he moves from nature to culture, the monster learns more and more about the injustices of society. He learns about human emotions and comes to desire compassion and love but is rejected on account of his repulsive physical appearance. He masters language, but language fails him; rather than allowing his entry into human society as he had hoped, it only serves to make him more fully aware of his unique origin and alien nature. His education is part of what makes him miserable. It is only when he is exposed to, and suffers from the viciousness of human society that he himself begins to demonstrate violent behaviour, to act as the monster his appearance suggests him to be. What I perceive to be the monsters most vicious act is the murder of Elizabeth on Victor and Elizabeths wedding night. Without his primitive human emotions he would never have known what he was missing out in a female companion. With his experiences with the DeLaceys he saw how strong the family unit could be and felt even more bitter when he was rejected. Without such knowledge or experience he would never have had the determination to enact such a terrible crime. It is his human emotions that finally cause his misery to consume him at the end of the novel. When Victor dies, the monster if found by his body crying. This is a common human characteristic; in most cases, even if two people did not get along well in life or had not spoken in years, if one is to die, the other forgets the past and exonerates their dead friend, acquaintance or family member by mourning their loss. They regret things that they may not have said or done, and wish they could turn back time to put things right before the other passed away. It is the monsters sadness at the death of his creator and his regret for the events of the past that finally consume him and tear from him his desire to live. Without these human emotions, the monster may not have destined himself to such a tragic end. It could be argued that Shelley was criticising the power of human emotions and the negative results they can produce. As I mentioned before, Shelley lost many of her children, this must have caused her great depression misery. These may have affected her ability to live her life; thus, she may have been suggesting that if she could have been less humane, her life may not have been as miserable. In conclusion both the monster and Frankenstein show Shelleys feelings towards human behaviour, how we learn from our experiences, and how we deal with things in the future. However, it is arguable whether she is intending to show that knowledge or ignorance is bliss through he contrasting passages of Frankenstein and his creation.

Acupuncture As An Alternative Medicine In The Western Culture :: essays research papers

Debora Cytrynowicz Acupuncture as an Alternative Medicine ( in the Western Culture)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alternative medicine is a very general term whose definition can be very controversial. Basically, it is many holistic techniques for preventing and treating illnesses. Acupuncture, and many other therapies, have long been a part of Asian cultures and have recently been integrated into the Western culture. Since Acupuncture is such an important tradition in China, it has gained much respect from other cultures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Acupuncture is a strong component in China, and can be traced to their health care system for at least 2,500 years. The procedure involves inserting hair-thin steel surgical needles into specific points in the body which are supposed to make you feel better, and be healthier. This is only the technical aspect though. To understand the â€Å"art† of this procedure, you must have a background on Chinese medicine. How it works is this: health is achieved though the balance of the opposing forces between â€Å"yin† (spirit), and â€Å"yang† (blood). The attraction between them creates an energy called â€Å"Qi† ( pronounced chee). This energy flows to all parts of the body through channels which are known as â€Å"meridians† (pathways that run along the surface of the body and branch into the body’s interior). An imbalance in these forces is what is believed to cause illness and disease. When needles are placed on the acupuncture points along the meridians, balance, and hence, health is restored. There are several styles of acupuncture, the differences being h ow the acupuncture points are stimulated (be it by hand pressure, electrical impulse, ultrasound, or wavelengths of light). Acupuncture was introduced to American doctors by Sir William Osler, who is often called the father of modern medicine. In a classic medical textbook written more than a century ago, he said, â€Å"For lumbago, acupuncture is, in acute cases, the most efficient treatment.† The first time acupuncture really got notice wasn’t until 1972. James Reston, a New York Times correspondent, was assigned to cover President Nixon’s now historic trip to China. During his stay, Reston had to have an emergency appendectomy, and was treated with acupuncture for the postoperative pain he had to endure. The report of his experience with acupuncture caught the interest of many American doctors who wanted to see how the Chinese used acupuncture as an anesthetic. Many non-physicians went to train overseas or with acupuncturists who had been silently practicing in the States, in many Asian communities.

Baobab

1. Description 2. Background Information a. Common Names African Baobab, Baobab, Monkey Bread Tree, Upside Down Tree, Cream of Tartar Tree b. Scientific Name Adansonia digitata L. c. Family Name Bombacaceae 3. Species a. Adansonia digitata L. b. Adansonia Grandidieri c. Adansonia Gregorii d. Adansonia Madagascarcariensis e. Adansonia Perrieri f. Adansonia rubrostipa g. Adansonia suarezensis h. Adansonia za 4. Geographical Distribution/Distribution Range a. Located in Semiarid regions of tropical Africa, including countries south of the Sahara except Liberia, Uganda, Djibouti, Burundi and Central African Republic. . Found in coastal areas of eastern and western Africa c. In East Africa – found in the lowlands 5. Conservation Status 6. Importance and Use a. Leaves b. Fruit c. Food Uses d. Seeds 7. Environmental Characteristics 8. Morphological Traits and Variation a. Characteristics b. Traits c. Genetic Variation 9. Threats 10. Socio-economic Value 11. Environmental Impact 12. E ffects on Indigenous People Adansonias reach heights of 5 to 30 m (16 to 98 ft) and have trunk diameters of 7 to 11 m (23 to 36 ft) †¢ Adansonia digitata L. African Baobab (western, northeastern, central & southern Africa, and in Oman and Yemen in the Arabian Peninsula, Asia) †¢ Adansonia grandidieri Baill. – Grandidier's Baobab (Madagascar) †¢ Adansonia gregorii F. Muell. (syn. A. gibbosa) – Boab or Australian Baobab (northwest Australia) †¢ Adansonia madagascariensis Baill. – Madagascar Baobab (Madagascar) †¢ Adansonia perrieri Capuron – Perrier's Baobab (North Madagascar) †¢ Adansonia rubrostipa Jum. & H. Perrier (syn. A. fony) – Fony Baobab (Madagascar) †¢ Adansonia suarezensis H. Perrier – Suarez Baobab (Diego Suarez, Madagascar) †¢ Adansonia za Baill. Za Baobab (Madagascar)[5] Distributional range: Native: †¢ AFRICA Northeast Tropical Africa: Chad; Ethiopia; Somalia; Sudan East Tropical Afri ca: Kenya; Tanzania West-Central Tropical Africa: Cameroon; Zaire West Tropical Africa: Benin; Burkina Faso; Cote D'Ivoire; Ghana; Guinea; Mali; Niger; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Togo South Tropical Africa: Angola; Malawi; Mozambique; Zambia; Zimbabwe Southern Africa: Botswana; Namibia; South Africa – Transvaal Western Indian Ocean: Madagascar Naturalized: †¢ widely naturalized in tropics Cultivated: †¢ AFRICA Africa †¢ ASIA-TROPICAL Indian Subcontinent: Bangladesh; India; Sri LankaMalesia: Indonesia – Java †¢ SOUTHERN AMERICA Caribbean: West Indies South America An Ecosystem Within a Tree The sculptured branches, with their hollows, dents and bloated stems, provide shelter and home for a great variety of animals. Galagos (bushbaby), squirrels, rodents, lizards, snakes and tree frogs, as well as spiders, scorpions and insects may live out their entire life in a single tree. Holes in the trunk provide ideal nesting sites for birds such as rollers, hornbi lls, parrots, kestrels and spinetails. Larger cavities are frequently occupied by families of Barn Owls or Ground Hornbills.Eagles, vultures and storks frequently build their large stick nests on the outer branches, and the colonial nests of Red-billed Buffalo-weavers are more often found in Baobabs than any other tree. Uses to Mankind For centuries, the baobab tree has played an important role in the economy and culture of Africa. Practically every part of the tree is useful and in Sudan they are so highly valued that individual trees may be privately owned! The wood itself is too fibrous for structural use but the bark is shredded into strands of fibre for use as rope, baskets, nets, snares and cloth.Tonics and cosmetics are derived from the roots, and spinach and soup from the large palmate leaves. The seeds may be ground into a coffee-substitute or eaten fresh and the white pulp is used as ‘cream of tartar' for baking. The hollow trunks of living trees have served as homes , storage barns, places of refuge or worship, and even as prisons or tombs. One tree at Katimo Mulilo in Namibia has suffered the rather ignominious fate of having been converted into a flush toilet, while one near Gravelotte in South Africa's Northern Province was once used as a bar where up to a dozen thirsty gold diggers would quench their thirst.The Future Because of its many uses and its ability to survive in semi-arid conditions, the Baobab survives in the face of man's expansion across the continent. Ironically, the tree is probably most at risk in wildlife reserves where confined populations of African Elephant may outstrip their resources and demolish and consume baobab trees in their struggle for survival. [pic] Baobabs are trees recognisable by their distinctive swollen stems. Occurring naturally in the dry areas of Magagascar, Africa and Australia, they store massive amounts of water in their stems to cope with seasonal droughts.The tree's fruits are large pods known as ‘monkey bread' or ‘cream of tartar fruit' and are rich in vitamin C. One baobab tree in South Africa, known as ‘Big Baobab', has a circumference of 47 metres and even a bar for 60 people inside the trunk. 1. The African tribes call the tree â€Å"the upside down tree†. When bare of leaves, the spreading branches of the Baobab look like roots sticking up into the air as if it had been planted upside-down. An African legend tells that the baobab was amongst the first trees to appear on Earth.When the palm tree, the flame tree and the fig tree appeared, the Baobab began to grumble that it wanted to be taller, to have brilliant flame coloured flowers, and bear tasty fruit too. The Gods grew angry at this incessant wailing and pulled up the tree by its roots, and replanted in upside down to keep it quiet! 2. The African baobab tree is also called the â€Å"tree of life† as it can store water during the drought season which is sometimes vital to the rural p opulation. Large baobab trees could contain more than 30,000 gallons of water, and to get to it, Kalahari bushmen use hollow pieces of grass like a straw to suck the water out. . The baobab is Africa's latest fair trade sensation. On the 15th July 2008 the European Union has officially approved the export of powdered baobab fruit to the United Kingdom as a healthy additive to cereal bars and smoothies. The baobab is said to have three times the vitamin C content of an orange, and as much calcium as a glass of milk. According to Britain's University of Southampton, the baobab is rich in vitamin B1, B2, and C, and calcium, plus it's bursting with antioxidants. 4. The citric and tartaric acids found in the pulp provide the base for cream of tartar, often used as a baking ingredient. . Because of their size, people have been storing supplies in old hollow trunks or have been living inside a Baobab Tree. Have a look at a website called â€Å"bigbaob† for some amazing videos. 6. Na tural medicine uses the bark of the Baobab to lower fevers, chewing a leave is apparently waking you up and ingesting some of the tartar powder is helping with stomach aches. 7. In rural Africa the bark is used to make ropes and even clothing. Article Source: http://EzineArticles. com/4214639 Why the Baobab is endangeredSevere droughts of recent years have affected the thorn woodlands of the savannahs and fears have been expressed about the regeneration of plant species. In Sudan the over-use of multipurpose fruit trees, such as the Baobab, has become a significant problem. There is high year-round demand for fruits, even in cities like Khartoum. With fruit being collected from wild stands of trees, stocks are decreasing and no provision is made for replacing these trees – no plantations have ever been seen in Sudan. In cities seeds are just thrown away as garbage, eliminating any chance of regeneration.There is often a lack of awareness by the local people on the need to pla nt, protect and manage under-utilized fruit species. It is believed that in the past the Baobab fruits were widely eaten by large animals, especially elephants. They dispersed seeds and broke the seed dormancy which encouraged regeneration. With elephants now in danger of extinction because of habitat destruction and illegal killing, the natural regeneration of Baobab has been badly affected. Practical Action realized the importance of organizing a campaign to save the endangered species of this region, especially the Baobab tree.What’s the cause? The Baobab tree is on the endangered list for many reasons. For one, droughts within the tree’s habitat have caused them to not have enough water to grow properly. Also, these trees are often cut down so that people can use the trunks to store water in, which can hold about 2376 gallons of water. The fruit is also used for making porridge as well as the leaves, which can be used to make a salad. Some of these seeds are even e aten by elephants, but the elephants would be able to break the seed dormancy which will cause regeneration; however, the population of the elephant is also endangered.Because of all of this, many Baobab trees are used for multiple purposes which then cause the trees population to decline because no one is taking the time to replace the trees that were used. To help regenerate the Baobab Tree, a group known as Practical Action has come about, which aims to save this species of tree before it’s too late. They collect and plant seeds, raise awareness, and encourage others to plant Baobab trees as well. Read more: http://www. toptenz. net/top-10-endangered-trees. php#ixzz2Bkpm44sJ Read more at http://www. toptenz. net/top-10-endangered-trees. php#8rIWSqRUArdUEQt3. 99The food industry is always looking to launch the next big thing Providing these exotic products for Western palates can be both good and bad for the environment. There is the obvious concern of carbon and transporti ng these products over long distances. However, these new markets allow local farmers and suppliers to enjoy newfound wealth. Deforestation, fair trade, and sustainability are other issues. However, the demand for some fruit trees can result in reforestation and afforestation projects. Baobabs,  Adansonia sp. , consist of eight species, which are naturally found on the continents of Africa and Australia.Six species are native to Madagascar, so Madagascar has the highest endemism. Mainland Africa and Australia both have one species. The entire genus is spectacular. The first image below shows the giant  Adansonia grandidieri, which is endemic to Madagascar. This titan-sized tree is considered endangered. Baobabs are trees recognisable by their distinctive swollen stems. Occurring naturally in the dry areas of Magagascar, Africa and Australia, they store massive amounts of water in their stems to cope with seasonal droughts. The tree's fruits are large pods known as ‘monkey bread' or ‘cream of tartar fruit' and are rich in vitamin C.One baobab tree in South Africa, known as ‘Big Baobab', has a circumference of 47 metres and even a bar for 60 people inside the trunk. Adansonia is a genus of eight species of tree, six native to Madagascar, one native to mainland Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and one to Australia. The mainland African species also occurs on Madagascar, but it is not a native of that island. A typical common name is baobab. Other common names include boab, boaboa, tabaldi, bottle tree, upside-down tree, and monkey bread tree. The generic name honours Michel Adanson, the French naturalist and explorer who described A. igitata. Baobabs (Adansonia spp. ) are iconic trees, known for their immense size, strange forms, sources of food Baobab trees are iconic plants and represent some of the most recognisable trees in the world. The eight species of baobabs reside in the single genus, Adansonia. Madagascar is their centre of divers ity, with six species endemic to the island. These include A. grandidieri, A. madagascariensis, A. perrieri, A. rubrostipa, A. suarezensis and A. za (Baum 1995, Wickens & Lowe 2008) The baobabs are trees of considerable importance in local economies