Compare and Contrast Essay Sample on Cultural Diversity

Compare and Contrast Essay Sample on Cultural Diversity The traditional custom of female circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation (FGM) persists primarily in Africa but has occurrences in at least 28 countries (Morris, 1996, pg. 43). FGM is a collective term that describes several different traditional, not religious, rituals. It has been estimated that between 100 million and 140 million infants, toddlers, children and adolescent females have undergone a FGM procedure and that between 4-5 million of these procedures are performed yearly (Althaus, 1997, pg.1). FGM is most often performed between the ages of 4-10 years and is performed by the village physician (Althaus, 1997, pg. 2). Typically the procedure uses a variety of instruments, such as knives, broken glass, and fruit thorns (Morris, 1996, pg. 45). According to Rita Morris, PhD, the procedures are classified according to the severity of structural disfigurement. Type I, often known as clitorectomy, involves removal of the skin surrounding the clitoris, and may or may not include removal of the clitoris. Type II, or excision, is the removal of the clitoris and part of all of the labia minora. The excisions are sutured with catgut or fruit thorns. Type III, infibulation, is the most severe form of FGM. In infibulation, the entire clitoris and labia minora are removed and the labia majora are sewn together, leaving only a large enough opening in the vagina for urination and menstruation. There are many physical and psychosocial ramifications associated with all types of FGM. FGM has been performed on individuals from many cultures; however, the procedure is not indoctrinated or required by any specific faith or religion (JAMA, 1995, pg. 1714). It has been estimated that approximately 98% of all Somalian women, 94% of Mali women, and 82% of Sudanese women have undergone FGM (JAMA, 1995, pg. 1714). The cultures that uphold these customs do so to: uphold group identity, maintain cleanliness and health, preserve virginity and family honor, and to further marriage goals (Morris, 1996, pg. 47). If a woman is not circumcised, she is considered to be â€Å"unmarriable†. In some societies, uncircumcised women are regarded as unclean and are not allowed to handle food or water (Morris, 1996, pg. 47). Others believe that the clitoris is dangerous and that if during childbirth, the baby’s head touches the clitoris, the baby will die (Morris, 1996, pg. 47). Those women that have not undergone the procedure are shunned by the culture and are considered t o be dangerous (Morris, 1996, pg.47). The debate over medicalization of FGM is relatively recent. In 1996, the Congress of the United States enacted legislation to criminalize the performance of FGM by practitioners on females younger than 18 years of age and to develop educational programs about the harmful consequences of FGM (Althaus, 1997, pg. 2). The World Health Organization (WHO) considers that â€Å"the medicalization of the procedure does not eliminate harm and is inappropriate for two major reasons: genital mutilation runs against basic ethics of health care whereby unnecessary bodily mutilation cannot be condoned: and, it’s medicalization seems to legitimize the harmful practice† (JAMA, 1995. pg. 1715). In1997, the WHO, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and the United Nations Population Fund issued a statement noting that FGM is a deeply rooted cultural practice; culture is a dynamic state and is capable of change (Althaus, 1997, pg. 4). Much work is being done in the area of education and cultural sensitivity. Although the Western medical community believes that refusal to perform FGM may reflect an ethnocentric viewpoint, protection of physical and mental health should be of utmost concern (Althaus, 1997. pg. 48). Various approaches to education can be implemented: community education, alternative rituals, and support groups should be available. Upon reviewing the literature cited above, this researcher believes that this will be a very prevalent issue in her practice. Since Minnesota has quite a number of Somalian families, these issues will need to be addressed and in various settings and environments. This controversy may exist on an OB/GYN floor, a women’s unit, in labor and delivery, in an OR setting; in rural settings or in big cities. Since western medicine laws have been enacted, our practice of this procedure is very limited for those of varying cultures. It is a crime to perform these procedures on females under the age of 18 years and legislation does not regulate which types of FGM are available. It has been criminalized because the procedures have been viewed as a human rights violation and because the procedures are barbaric (Morris, 1996. pg. 46), however, the United States has a growing number of elective cosmetic surgeries each year, including labial reductions and genital reconstructions. Although th ese elective surgeries are legal, certain laws could be written to lessen the severity of FGM, yet still allow the culture to express itself. It is this researcher’s view that Western medicine allows our people to make a choice, but in the African culture, this procedure is not a choice. The procedures are severe in surgical nature and are performed in unsterile environments, using unclean techniques (Althaus, 1997, pg. 3). Our culture is aware of the sensitivity needed to ensure good quality and proper health care. This researcher believes that to guarantee the best health care experience, the client must be able to make their own decisions, thus adults should be allowed to make decisions for themselves, based on proper teaching, knowledge base, medical practice, and counseling.

Artificial Selection in Plants

Artificial Selection in Plants In the 1800s, Charles Darwin, with some help from Alfred Russel Wallace, first came up with his Theory of Evolution. In this theory, for the first time that had been published, Darwin proposed an actual mechanism for how species changed over time. He called this idea natural selection. What Is Natural Selection? Basically, natural selection means individuals with the favorable adaptations for their environments would survive long enough to reproduce and pass down those desirable traits to their offspring. Eventually, the unfavorable characteristics would no longer exist after many generations and only the new, favorable adaptation would survive in the gene pool. This process, Darwin hypothesized, would take very long periods of time and several generations of offspring in nature. When Darwin returned from his voyage on the HMS Beagle where he first developed his theory, he wanted to test his new hypothesis and turned to artificial selection to gather that data. Artificial selection is very similar to natural selection since its aim is to accumulate favorable adaptations to create a more desirable species. However, instead of letting nature take its course, evolution is helped along by humans who choose the traits that are desirable and breed individuals possessing those characteristics to create offspring that have those traits. Experiments With Artificial Selection Charles Darwin worked with breeding birds and could artificially select various characteristics such as beak size and shape and color. He showed that he could change the visible features of the birds to show certain traits, much like natural selection would do over many generations in the wild. Artificial selection does not only work with animals, however. There is also a great demand for artificial selection in plants in the present time. Perhaps the most famous artificial selection of plants in biology is the origin of Genetics when Austrian monk Gregor Mendel bred pea plants in his monastery’s garden to collect all of the data that began the entire field of Genetics. Mendel was able to cross-pollinate the pea plants or let them self-pollinate depending on what traits he wished to see in the offspring generation. By doing an artificial selection of his pea plants, he was able to figure out many of the laws that govern the genetics of sexually reproducing organisms. For centuries, humans have been using artificial selection to manipulate the phenotypes of plants. Most of the time, these manipulations are meant to produce some sort of aesthetic change in the plant that is pleasing to look at for their tastes. For instance, flower color is a large portion of artificially selecting for the plant’s traits. Brides planning their wedding day have a special color scheme in mind, and flowers that match that scheme are important to bringing their imagination to life. Florists and flower producers can use artificial selection to create blends of colors, different color patterns, and even leaf coloring patterns on their stems to get the desired results. Benefits of Artificial Selection in Plants Around Christmas time, poinsettia plants are popular decorations. The colors of poinsettias can range from a deep red or burgundy to a more traditional bright red for Christmas, to white, or a mixture of any of those. The colored part of the poinsettia is actually a leaf and not a flower, but artificial selection is still used to get the desired color for any given plant. Artificial selection in plants is not just for pleasing colors, however. Over the last century, artificial selection has been used to create new hybrids of crops and fruit. For instance, corn can be bred to be larger and thicker in the cobs to increase grain yield from a single plant. Other notable crosses include broccoflower (a cross between broccoli and cauliflower) and a tangelo (the hybrid of a tangerine and a grapefruit). The new crosses create a distinctive flavor of the vegetable or fruit that combines properties of their parents.

Write a paper to compare the external and internal forces, how do Term

Write a to compare the external and internal forces, how do earthquakes and vocanoes develope can we predict their occurance - Term Paper Example They also help in the determination of the distribution of the surface and ground water (A Living Planet 19), and the shape of the deserts and features such as sandbars (FCAT Science 187). The formation of the soil occurs as a result of erosion and weathering (A Living Planet 20). Erosion can be of many types, such as water erosion, wind erosion, glacial erosion, and loess formation (A Living Planet 20). The process of weathering could be mechanical or chemical (A Living Planet 19). Other external forces include tornadoes, hurricanes, and water runoff (FCAT Science). On the other hand, the internal forces of the earth result in the formation of deep seafloor features (FCAT Science 175), along with the formation of landscape structures such as mountain ridges, fault lines, and phenomena such as volcanoes and earthquakes (FCAT Science 176). The internal forces can be attributed to the movement of the lithosphere which is explained most satisfactorily by the plate tectonics theory (FCAT Science 178). It states that the crust or the lithosphere of the earth is divided into twenty plates (FCAT Science 178), which are dynamic in nature due to the movement of underlying magma in the asthenosphere below (FCAT Science 178). Their movements include sliding, colliding, convergent, and divergent movements (FCAT Science 178). Divergent movements, in which the plates move away from each other (FCAT Science 179), have resulted in the formation of the Atlantic mid-ocean ridge and the Atlantic ocean seafloor (FCAT Science 179). As the crust is pulled apart, it r esults in earthquakes (FCAT Science 179). Convergent movements occur when the plates move towards each other (FCAT Science 180), resulting in the

Training and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Training and Development - Essay Example Who receives the training in the organization and what are the topics? First, before conducting the training, managers are briefed on the key topics that will be covered as well as the courses to be discussed in length. Additionally, after briefings of the management, the employees are trained on the topics such as quality management, business continuity, information security and environmental management among others. What are the typical steps in the training process in your organization?The steps that I would consider when training is taking place are needs analysis. This is where the managers consider the audience program that is suited for them, their level of education among others. The next step I would incorporate is an instructional design where materials for learning are provided like video scripts, leaders guide among others. The next step that I will engage is validation where the introduction is done before a representative audience. The fourth step is implementation, whe re knowledge and skills learned, are implemented. Lastly is evaluation and follow up to make sure that the skills learned are used correctly.How are your training efforts evaluated for effectiveness and efficiency?Training efforts are evaluated for effectiveness and efficiency by the results were in the company improvement in job performance is acquired (John, 2008). The behavior of the learner’s performance following completion of the training will also indicate effectiveness and efficiency in the organization.

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Essay Example for Free

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Essay The geriatric assessment is a multidimensional, multidisciplinary diagnostic instrument designed to collect data on the medical, psychosocial and functional capabilities and limitations of elderly patients. Various geriatric practitioners use the information generated to develop treatment and long-term follow-up plans, arrange for primary care and rehabilitative services, organize and facilitate the intricate process of case management, determine long-term care requirements and optimal placement, and make the best use of health care resources. The geriatric assessment differs from a standard medical evaluation in three general ways: (1) it focuses on elderly individuals with complex problems, (2) it emphasizes functional status and quality of life, and (3) it frequently takes advantage of an interdisciplinary team of providers. Whereas the standard medical evaluation works reasonably well in most other populations, it tends to miss some of the most prevalent problems faced by the elder patient. These challenges, often referred to as the Five Is of Geriatrics, include intellectual impairment, immobility, instability, incontinence and iatrogenic disorders. The geriatric assessment effectively addresses these and many other areas of geriatric care that are crucial to the successful treatment and prevention of disease and disability in older people. Performing a comprehensive assessment is an ambitious undertaking. Below is a list of the areas geriatric providers may choose to assess: †¢ Current symptoms and illnesses and their functional impact. †¢ Current medications, their indications and effects. †¢ Relevant past illnesses. †¢ Recent and impending life changes. †¢ Objective measure of overall personal and social functionality. †¢ Current and future living environment and its appropriateness to function and prognosis. †¢ Family situation and availability. †¢ Current caregiver network including its deficiencies and potential. †¢ Objective measure of cognitive status. †¢ Objective assessment of mobility and balance. †¢ Rehabilitative status and prognosis if ill or disabled. †¢ Current emotional health and substance abuse. †¢ Nutritional status and needs. †¢ Disease risk factors, screening status, and health promotion activities. †¢ Services required and received. The primary care physician or community health worker usually initiates an assessment when he or she detects a potential problem. Like any effective medical evaluation, the geriatric assessment needs to be sufficiently flexible in scope and adaptable in content to serve a wide range of patients. A complete geriatric assessment, performed by multiple personnel over many encounters, is best suited for elders with multiple medical problems and significant functional limitations. Ideally, under these circumstances, an interdisciplinary team representing medicine, psychiatry, social work, nutrition, physical and occupational therapy and others performs a detailed assessment, analyzes the information, devises an intervention strategy, initiates treatment, and follows-up on the patients progress. Due to the intricate nature of comprehensive assessments, many teams designate a case-manager or caseworker to coordinate the entire effort. Most assessments take place in medical offices and inpatient units over multiple visits. If at all possible, however, at least one member of the team (rarely the physician) will attempt to visit the patient at home. Despite the problem of low or no reimbursement, the typically high-yield of information from even a single home visit makes it an extremely efficient use of resources. Most geriatric assessments, performed under the constraints of time and money, tend to be less comprehensive and more directed. Although such modifications are best suited to relatively high-functioning elders living in the community, many practitioners find some version of a directed geriatric assessment to be a more realistic tool in a busy practice. Patient-driven assessment instruments are also popular among geriatricians. Asking patients to complete questionnaires and perform specific tasks not  only saves time, but also it provides useful insight into their motivation and cognitive ability. To the extent that patients are unable to complete the assessment themselves, practitioners resort to traditional patient interview techniques that frequently involve input from a family member or other caregiver. During your upcoming site visits, you will perform a directed geriatric assessment (DGA), ideally with the same patient, over two sessions. In the interest of education, most of your DGA instruments are student-driven, rather than patient-driven, and require relatively little information from caregivers who may or may not be available at the time of your visit. We have divided the DGA in two parts, each with three subsections. In Part I, you will perform an expanded medical interview covering the clinical history, nutritional assessment and a social evaluation. In Part II, you will perform neuropsychiatric, physical and functional examinations. What follows is a reproduction of the History and Physical (HP) format that you will use in your Physical Diagnosis II course next semester. Although all geriatric practitioners do not use a standard assessment format (comprehensive or otherwise), most agree on basic content. The comprehensive geriatric assessment (history examination) following the Physical Diagnosis outline covers the most significant content areas of a prototypical geriatric assessment. As you can see, it moves well beyond the standard HP, which is precisely the point. We have designed it to correlate as closely as possible with the history and physical you will be learning later this year. It is to your considerable advantage to review this information before meeting your patients face-to-face on the site visits. The DGA instrument you will use during your encounter immediately follows this section.

An Article, a Short Story, and a Poem :: Writing Literature Volcanoes Essays

An Article, a Short Story, and a Poem This paper will analyze and compare an article, a short story, and a poem according to; audience, purpose, context, ethics, and stance. The article â€Å"Under the Volcano† is written by Jack McClintock and is the most informative. The persuasion to have people move away from the danger area of Mt. Rainier is very subtle. The article lists volcanoes that have erupted and when they did so. Throughout the article there are pictures of volcanoes and the corresponding text shows what is being done to monitor them. The focus of the piece is the danger to Seattle and Tacoma posed by Mt. Rainier. There is an illustration of the danger zones of Mt. Rainier when it goes off and the towns that would be destroyed by it. The next piece is a short story called â€Å"A Very Warm Mountain† which is written by Ursula K. LeGuin. This story is a first-hand account of what Mt. St. Helens was like when it erupted. She also tells of news coverage and what she writes as well. She also writes people’s reactions as well as her viewing of the eruption like a giant pyrotechnics display. The third is a short poem entitled â€Å"Loo-Wit† and was written by Wendy Rose. This poem gives Mt. St. Helens a female persona and talks about it as if it were a living woman. It tells of how humanity ignored the warning â€Å"she† gave and the destruction that ensued. All three pieces deal with volcanoes and their impact on the existing environment as well as people’s reactions. All three pieces were similar in the intended audience and the author’s stance however, they were contrasting in purpose, context, and the author’s ethics. The purposes for these three pieces were radically different. In McClintock’s article the purpose is to inform people that there is a danger that can affect them. The most blatant way this is displayed is by the map that shows Mt. Rainier’s flow lines overrunning multiple cities including Seattle and Tacoma. The article also has a landscape picture of a big town with Mt. Rainier looming over it in the background. On the opposing page is a picture of Mt.

Emergency Medical service Essay

The purpose of this report is to socially analyze the first assignment that has already been conducted. This report is divided into two parts, the first part reflects on the matter of the first assignment to identify and list significant issues discussed in the assignment. The second part performs a social analysis of the identified problems of the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) organization by using a number of sources related to the subject. Personal reflection of first assignment In the first assignment, my task was to analyse and construct a common KADS model for an Emergency Medical service (EMS) situated in Netherlands. EMS was facing difficulties in serving the large area around its location in a proper and efficient way. Many efficiency related issues were arising regarding the functioning of EMS. On analysis it became apparent that these difficulties were related to three types of delays that were encountered: †¢ Patient delay †¢ GP arrival delay †¢ Treatment delay In order to overcome these difficulties, some solutions were recommended. Analysing real life organizations and making recommendations for betterment is not an easy task and relatively new for me therefore, lots of effort was put in gathering the relevant information, understanding the job descriptions and requirements. Then in depth analysis and thorough study of the working of organization was performed to reach the proper conclusions and the recommendations made were also tested for efficiency and betterment. The common KADS methodology was employed to perform the analysis and resolve the problems regarding the real life data of organizations which was a new concept for me and common KADS requires analysis and modelling to be performed through tables that depict many aspects of organization like problems and opportunities, solutions available and the process and working of the organization. Application of these methodologies to improve the efficiency of working of an organization and finding solution is different and new but with constant effort I was able to grasp the general idea of application of common KADS and making use of the common KADS methodology tables were used for analysis of EMS organization and solution was found to resolve the difficulties faced by the organization in its working. The example of Ice cream case study provided by the lecturer went a long way in helping me understand the idea of common KADS and how we perform analysis of real life organization data using the common KADS methodology. On reflection I find common KADS methodology interesting to study and I fully understand now the worth of this tool in making in depth analysis of organizations to find solutions for betterment in an organization. Common KADS is an efficient tool to use in group projects for data analysis and to make inferences regarding the state of organizations. Social analysis: In the previous assignment Common KADS modelling and analysis was applied to the EMS organization and three problem areas were identified: patient delay, GP arrival delay and treatment delay. In this section we will analyse the above identified problems and we shall define social theories to gain in depth understanding of these problems. The first problem identified is the patient delay. Patient delay is the average waiting time of the patient before calling the GP. This estimated time for the EMS organization is one hour. Reducing this delay can play a major role in decreasing the rate of death due to patient delay. In Netherlands monarchy system of government is established where a policy exists in which an individual or a function is in authority and controls all other persons under him in a company or organization. In this situation most people are trained to work under one person’s authority without any interference (Davenport & Prusak 1997). In this kind of monarch system of government implemented in Netherlands, people often own little responsibility as they are more prone to listening than action. Therefore, most of the people are hesitant in calling the GP even when they feel sick, until they are quite sure of their ailing condition. This patient delay problem can be solved by starting awareness programs in public to make them take due action quickly and contact the GP when they fall ill. According to Nonaka and konno(1998, pp42) the tacit knowledge can be exchanged between the individuals through a lot of activities such as being together, spending time and written or verbal instructions which is called the socialization. Moreover, this awareness is considered as a tacit knowledge so it can be imparted to the general public by distributing some educational materials and starting some training programmes that provide heuristic lessons to the public. As a result, the people will become aware of the danger of waiting too long before calling the GP and how it may affect their health. The disqualifications of the GP to make the right decision at the right time could be the result of the lack of education or the lack of training and experience. To overcome the problems related to poor diagnosis of the GP the EMS organisation needs to recruit more experienced and qualified GP staff or train existing GP by arranging different work shops and seminars where the GP could be further educated through the exchange of experience between the staff. The third problem identified during analysis was the treatment delay. In the treatment delay another 25 minutes are wasted before treating the patient after arrival and diagnosis at the hospital unless the patient is diagnosed to have AMI. The reason of this delay can be associated with the relationship between the paramedic and the doctor. As mentioned before, the system of government in Netherlands is a monarchy system. This system is covering all the levels of governmental organisations where the paramedic level comes under the GP level. As a result of this structure, the paramedic examines the patient before the GP as he was with the patient in the ambulance before reaching the hospital. The GP should listen to the paramedic’s account of patient condition and involve the paramedic in making the treatment decision regarding the patient. To find a solution to this problem the system of dealing with the levels in hierarchical structure must be changed. For example, the EMS should implement the federalism system which involves representative democracy which would help in eradicating the problems faced due to a weak central government and a high level of local autonomy (Davenport & Prusak 1997). Conclusion Therefore after conducting the above reflection on my previous assignment and performing social analysis I find myself better acquainted with the common KADS methodology. It is a worthy tool in analysing and resolving the problems of any organization. As in the case of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) this tool was helpful in identifying the major delay problems faced by the patients and provided many alternative solutions for the betterment of EMS service available for the patients.

The Coldest Winter Ever – Personal Reflection on Winter

Winter Santiago Isn't Just a typical teenager. She Isn't typical at all, she barely ever goes to school, she only goes when she wants something. Her family life Is anything but typical, her father Is a big drug dealer with a lot of money and her mother Isn't even Like a mother to Winter, she's more Like a sister to her. Winter Is very self- absorbed; she only worries about herself, even when her mom got shot In the face Winter gets jealous because she thinks her mother's hogging all the attention.She really only cares about herself. She is very street smart though, after her father goes to prison, her mother becomes a crack head and her sisters go into care, Winter knew how to take care of herself, she knew what to do to survive on the streets without the help of her father. She's done horrible things to survive and live the life she knew, like robbing people and betraying her family. Winter wouldn't make a good best friend at all; I don't even think she would make a good friend.She betrayed all of her friends one way or another, either by hooking up with their man because he had what she needed, or betraying Simons when she got arrested because she was telling for Winter, Simons was ready to have her baby and even though she said no, Winter persisted that she go and steal for her, because she wanted something, she didn't care that Simons was having a baby, if anything she used it against her saying she would need the money that she's making stealing, for the baby, in the end Simons lost the baby, and in my opinion a lot of the blame should be on Winter.She may be a fun person to be around and go out with because she does know how to have fun, but I would never want her as a friend because she's not loyal and she is untrustworthy.She does have a of of maturing to do though, so I really shouldn't judge too harshly, you can tell by the end of the book, when she Is In prison, and goes to her mother's funeral, she's a different person, her views on life are totally different, and when she sees her younger sister doing the same things she was doing she wants to stop her and tell her everything that she had gone through, but she held back knowing that it would only make her sister angry and make Winter look Jealous.I think that going to prison changed Winter In the best way, she was no longer the elf-absorbed, conceited â€Å"ghetto-princess† that she was before she had gone to prison, she actually grew up, and matured during her time In. The Coldest Winter Ever – Personal Reflection on Winter Santiago. By Joann Winter Santiago isn't Just a typical teenager. She isn't typical at all, she barely ever goes to school, she only goes when she wants something.Her family life is anything but typical, her father is a big drug dealer with a lot of money and her mother isn't even like a mother to Winter, she's more like a sister to her. Winter is very self- absorbed; she only worries about herself, even when her mom got shot in the face Win ter gets Jealous because she thinks her mother's hogging all the attention. She friend at all; I don't even think she would make a good friend.She betrayed all of her didn't care that Simons was having a baby, if anything she used it against her saying untrustworthy. She does have a of of maturing to do though, so I really shouldn't judge too harshly, you can tell by the end of the book, when she is in prison, and goes I think that going to prison changed Winter in the best way, she was no longer the prison, she actually grew up, and matured during her time in.

How Static Fields in Java Work

How Static Fields in Java Work There can be times when its useful to have values that are shared across all instances of a particular class. Static fields and static constants enable this type of sharing by belonging to the class and not to the actual objects. The Static Modifier Normally fields and methods defined in a class can be used only when an object of that class type has been created. For example, consider a simple Item class that keeps track of goods in a store: public class Item {   Ã‚  private String itemName;   Ã‚  public Item(String itemName)   Ã‚  {   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  this.itemName itemName;   Ã‚  }   Ã‚  public String getItemName()   Ã‚  {   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  return itemName;   Ã‚  } } To be able to use the getItemName() method, we must first create an Item object, in this case, catFood: public class StaticExample {   Ã‚  public static void main(String[] args) {   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Item catFood new Item(Whiskas);   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  System.out.println(catFood.getItemName());   Ã‚  } } However, if the static modifier is included in a field or method declaration, no instance of the class is required in order to use the field or method - they are  associated with the class and not an individual object. If you look back at the above example, you will see that the static modifier is already being used in the main method declaration: public static void main(String[] args) { The main method is a static method that does not require an object to exist before it can be called. As main() is the starting point for any Java application, there are in fact no objects already in existence to call it. You could, if you felt like having a program that continually calls itself, do this: public class StaticExample {   Ã‚  public static void main(String[] args) {   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  String[] s {random,string};   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  StaticExample.main(s);   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  } } Not very useful, but notice how the main() method can be called without an instance of a StaticExample class. What Is a Static Field? Static fields are also known as class fields. They are simply fields that have the static modifier in their declarations. For example, lets go back to the Item class and add a static field: public class Item {   Ã‚  //static field uniqueId   Ã‚  private static int uniqueId 1;   Ã‚  private int itemId;   Ã‚  private String itemName;   Ã‚  public Item(String itemName)   Ã‚  {   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  this.itemName itemName;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  itemId uniqueId;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  uniqueId;   Ã‚  } } The fields itemId and itemName are normal non-static fields. When an instance of an Item class is created, these fields will have values that are held inside that object. If another Item object is created, it too will have itemId and itemName fields for storing values. The uniqueId static field, however, holds a value that will be the same across all Item objects. If there are 100 Item objects, there will be 100 instances of the itemId and itemName fields, but only one uniqueId static field. In the above example, uniqueId is used to give each Item object a unique number. This is easy to do if every Item object that is created takes the current value in the uniqueId static field and then increments it by one. The use of a static field means that each object does not need to know about the other objects to get a unique id. This could be useful if you wanted to know the order in which the Item objects were created. What Is a Static Constant? Static constants are exactly like static fields except that their values cannot be changed. In the field declaration, the final and static modifiers are both used. For example, perhaps the Item class should impose a restriction on the length of the itemName. We could create a static constant maxItemNameLength: public class Item {   Ã‚  private static int id 1;   Ã‚  public static final int maxItemNameLength 20;   Ã‚  private int itemId;   Ã‚  private String itemName;   Ã‚  public Item(String itemName)   Ã‚  {   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  if (itemName.length() maxItemNameLength)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  {   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  this.itemName itemName.substring(0,20);   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  }   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  else   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  {   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  this.itemName itemName;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  }   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  itemId id;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  id;   Ã‚  } } As with static fields, static constants are associated with the class rather than an individual object: public class StaticExample {   Ã‚  public static void main(String[] args) {   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Item catFood new Item(Whiskas);   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  System.out.println(catFood.getItemName());   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  System.out.println(Item.maxItemNameLength);   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  } } There are two important things to notice about the maxItemNameLength static constant: It is declared as a public field. Generally its a bad idea to make a field public in any class you design but in this case, it doesnt matter. The value of the constant cannot be changed.The static constant is used from the class name Item, not an Item object. Static constants can be seen throughout the Java API. For example, the integer wrapper class has two that store the maximum and minimum values an int data type can have: System.out.println(The max value for int is: Integer.MAX_VALUE); System.out.println(The min value for int is: Integer.MIN_VALUE); Output: The max value for int is: 2147483647 The min value for int is: -2147483648

Why You Should Consider Uploading Your Books to IngramSpark

Why You Should Consider Uploading Your Books to IngramSpark How can you add another stream of passive book-sale income? Upload your books to  IngramSpark. Ingram has been a global book distributor for decades, and partnered with Lightning Source in 2009 to become a print-on-demand publisher. The beauty of print-on-demand is that you don’t have to pay for a print run- books aren’t printed until they’re actually ordered.   As a long-time global distributor, Ingram makes books available for distribution to every outlet in the world, including libraries, indie bookstores, and university bookstores. Some authors have complained that even local bookstores who love local authors won’t carry books printed Other authors complain about CreateSpace’s bad customer service, hidden costs, and the quality of the books. I’m not saying CreateSpace isn’t a great option, because I personally know several authors who are very happy with their experience of publishing with CreateSpace. But why not take advantage of every market? I especially appreciate having my books available on  Indiebound.org  for readers who carry torches for indie bookstores. And the real plus for IngramSpark is that you can send a copy of your book for consideration to Barnes Noble’s Small Press Department (barnesandnobleinc.com/publishers-authors/sell-your-book-at-barnes-noble/). So far, I’ve had three of my books accepted, and when I sent two together, BN ordered 36 copies of each. Plus, if you promote your books with BN links, there’s nobody there selling used copies of your books to take new sales away. If you use IngramSpark, you can bop around to bookstores and let them know your book is available in Ingram’s database (or, if you’re an introvert, just call and ask if they have it - maybe they’ll order a couple!). Before you quit your day job, there is a caveat: if you want to sell many books, you have to choose the 55 percent discount to booksellers, and make the books returnable. After Ingram takes their cut, I only make a bit over $4 per book. You can choose a 40 percent discount, but probably won’t sell as many books. Here’s a tip: IngramSpark usually has two periods during the year when they offer a free promo (spring and fall), so you don’t have to pay their standard $49 (print) or $25 (ebook) setup fee.   If you’re in a hurry, that’s not even a high price.   You’ll need to buy an ISBN (https://www.myidentifiers.com/). I have a lot of books, so I made one quantity purchase when I began, which was my primary expense ($295 for 10 ISBNs). Buying your own ISBN lets you provide comprehensive details about your book (including searchable tags) for Bowker’s Books in Print database, which is used Unlike Amazon, IngramSpark provides no setup support- you’ll need to complete the entire pre-production process yourself or hire someone to do the editing and the interior and cover designs, so you have everything (interior and full-size cover) ready to upload.   Interior design is not that hard, and IngramSpark offers very clear info about their specs to make the learning curve easier.   It does take some time to master the process.   After you upload, you’ll receive specific info about any changes that are needed. There’s also a Cover Creator tool, which will send you a template to work with based on the size of your book. Two more reasons: the quality of the books is generally very good, and customer service is excellent. You can even get chat support during office hours in the midst of a frustrating issue. Some authors use both CreateSpace (to get Amazon’s attention) and IngramSpark. Might as well cover all the bases Happy Publishing!

Air Pollution or Endocrine Disrupters Research Paper

Air Pollution or Endocrine Disrupters - Research Paper Example Such disruptions manifest among humans with most affectations in the male and female reproduction systems. The US EPA has set forth the screening of thousand of chemicals in order to screen endocrine disruptors before they are introduced to the human body. This screening program has proven to be problematic because of the bulk of chemicals which have to be screened. There are thousands of disruptors which have to be tested and testing them cannot adequately be carried out without incurring high costs which the government agencies and laboratories cannot afford. Nevertheless, these tests help establish clear guidelines and standards for government officials and the general public in the assessment of these products and their use by the general public. There are advantages and disadvantages to these tests; mostly these tests are advantageous because they help determine the health impact of chemicals to the general health of the population. The validation of chemicals and the investigat ion of the disruptor effects to the endocrine system can be determined through in vitro and in vivo assays. However, carrying out these tests can also be disadvantageous because of the practical considerations for testing. In effect, there is a need for the government to be more prudent and selective in the programs it would implement to evaluate these chemicals. Moreover, people also need to be more cautious about the chemicals they use because they can have negative impacts on both humans and animals. Introduction We are currently in the midst of an era where we are facing various environmental issues. The Global Warming phenomenon has been explained and explored by various experts and politicians as a major cause of concern to our planet because of its growing impact on all living things. One of these issues pertains to air pollution and their effects to our human physiology. Air pollution largely affects our respiratory system because chemical and air-borne toxins enter our body through inhalation. The respiratory system then helps to process the inhaled gases while exchanging carbon dioxide for oxygen which is crucial to our survival. This paper shall consider the role of air pollution in terms of chemical endocrine disruptors which mimic the hormone in our bodies. These chemicals seem to interfere with the actions of hormones – mimicking behavior and upsetting normal growth, behavior, and reproduction of wildlife. This paper shall explain how endocrine disruptors enter the cells. It shall evaluate if these compounds also harm people and how they affect the human body. This paper shall also discuss the pros and cons of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) screening thousands of chemicals that are used as endocrine disruptors before they are introduced to the human body. It shall discuss this student’s opinion on whether EPA is right in conducting the screening. This paper is being carried out in order to establish a clear and comprehens ive assessment of these endocrine disruptors and their impact on the human body. Body There are various chemical toxins which enter the lungs and the respiratory system and which affect the endocrine and the normal processes of our body. Some of these chemicals are known as endocrine disruptors. These chemicals are often seen in our daily use products, including â€Å"plastic bottles, metal food cans, detergents, flame retardants, food, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides†

T-Mobile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

T-Mobile - Essay Example For example, as material resources such as buildings, equipment or machinery deteriorate or lose efficiency; or as human resources get older, or as skills and abilities become outdated. Some of this change can be managed through careful planning; for example, regular repairs and maintenance; choice of introducing new technology or methods of work; effective manpower planning to prevent a large number of staff retiring at the same time; management succession planning; training and staff development (Handy, 1993). A senior manager should take into account internal and external factors that influence the company. T-mobile can only perform effectively through interactions with the broader external environment of which it is part. The structure and functioning of T-mobile must reflect, therefore, the nature of the environment in which it is operating. Factors such as uncertain economic conditions, fierce world competition, the level of government intervention, scarcity of natural resources and rapid developments in new technology create an increasingly volatile environment. In order to help ensure its survival and future success T-mobile must be readily adaptable to the external demands placed upon it. External change drivers are caused by innovation rapid technological changes and innovations proposed by competitors within the industry. One of the major changes deals with the specification of goods which may be considered in terms of their design features and performance characteristics (Vonderembse, White, 2003). Together these measurements define what the item is and how it is intended to perform its purpose. Also, the specification of a transport may be expressed in terms of its "design" and performance. In this context design i.e. the nature of the transport, movement may be expressed in terms of the origin, destination and route of movement. Present day situation in T-Mobile USA is marked by two factor - specification, which is to do with the 'design quality' of service, and conformity, which is to do with the 'process' quality which is achieved are of particular importance to customers. Ultimately they are the two factors which determine the quality levels provided by T-Mobile USA to its customers. These two factors however are themselves determined by other factors. Service concepts are based on understanding the unique environment in which T-Mobile USA operate. Service concepts include improvement of communication, and the environment composed of all the individual services used for implementation of the group communication primitives. T-mobile planned organisational change is triggered by the need to respond to new challenges or opportunities presented by the external environment, or in anticipation of the need to cope with potential future problems. Major competitors of T-mobile, Sony and Samsung, recently develop a completely new model of portable mobile phones which goes ahead all models exciting on the market, that is why further technological development is an urgent need for T-mobile. This planned change represents an intentional attempt to improve, in some important way, the operational effectiveness of T-mobile. The basic underlying objectives can be seen in general terms as: modifying the behavioural patterns of members of T-mobile; and improving the ability of T-mobile to cope with changes in its environment. Internal change drivers The increasing need for change in T-mobile Corporation