Problem with Weapons of Mass Destruction

Problem with Weapons of Mass Destruction Until the First World War, the kinds of weapons used in battles had limited potential to destroy life and property on a large scale. But with the invention of the nuclear bomb, the scenario changed drastically. The whole world was stunned by the devastation that two solitary bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki could create. No other manmade device could unleash the amount of damage as the nuclear bomb. Although the United States could put an end to the Second World War with these bombs, it opened up the world to a new set of intriguing and frightening possibilities. As long as this kind of destructive power is in the hands of a responsible nation, things could be fine. But if we try to imagine what could happen if someone like Hitler had access to this kind of power, then the real gravity of the situation would become clear. Even this millennium has had its share of crackpots like Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. If they had access to this kind of technology, the world would be in constant danger. We know how much damage terrorists can cause with conventional bombs. Just imagine the situation when weapons of mass destruction get into the hands of these deranged individuals it could be a catastrophic situation. The world has seen a number of dictators and tyrants who have caused misery and anguish to people under their rule. Time and again, men and women with deranged minds have come to power and caused untold damage to the lives of innocent people. We need to find ways to prevent the weapons of mass destruction from getting into their hands.

Their Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neal Hurston - 888 Words

In the story Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston, the main character Janie dream is to attain unconditional, fulfilling and true love. Throughout her life she experiences different types of love. As a result from her quest to find her desired love Janie’s gains personal freedom and independence, this makes her the true heroine of this novel. Janie searches for the love she always wanted, the one that is represented by the marriage between a bee and a blossom on the pear tree that stood in Nanny s backyard. All Janie wants is to find true love and independence in her life. The first type of the love that Janie experiences are protective love from her Nanny (her grandmother). Her Nanny strives for her to have a better life than she ever did, and wants to make sure that Janie is well taken car of. This protective love that Nanny bestows to Janie is the way Nanny forces the arranged marriage with Logan Killicks. With Logan, Janie had the similar protective love much like Nanny had provided her. Logan owned a 60-acre potato farm, which represents a sense of security for Janie. Living on such a large acre Janie had to put it a lot of work on the farm. Janie was getting tired of working on the farm and wanted to be able to travel to the town with Logan but he never allowed because there was work that needed to be done on the farm. Even though Janie was given protection and land this type of love is not the one she had always desired. Joe Starks cameShow MoreRelatedThe Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neal Hurston930 Words   |  4 PagesZora Neal Hurston’s ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’, was published in 1937 and is often celebrated for it’s realistic use of language and dialect of the black American south. However, as Wright pinpoints, there is a sense of Hurston catering to the white audience in her use of language, and prompts the question of whether ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’ should be conside red a ‘community text’ or comparable to minstrelsy. This essay will explore the ways in which Hurston creates a community text throughRead MoreTheir Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neal Hurston1176 Words   |  5 Pages In Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neal Hurston, Janie Starks is a girl who has a hard time finding love through out the novel. Janie marries three very different men in her life. Their names are Logan Killicks, Jody Starks and Tea Cake. Each marriage is very different from the other. Janie learns different lessons from each of her three marriages. Each lesson is very useful to her. She learns that marriage does not lead to love, in order to have a good marriage, both partners must be treatedRead MoreTheir Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neal Hurston1533 Words   |  7 PagesEveryone in the world today whether is be now or later on in your life, hopes to find a special someone that can spent the rest on their life with and fall in love as well. In the Novel, Their eyes were watching god written by Zora Neal Hurston, this is exactly what the main character Janie goal is. Janie encounters three different man she hopes to achieve her life goals and fall in love with. Each relationship that she experiences differs due to the different cultural context present or broughtRead MoreAn Analysis Of Zora Neal Hurston s Their Eyes Were Watching God1174 Words   |  5 Pagesof death. Zora Neal Hurston uses these and similar aspects of nature as a pillar in her novel Their Eyes were Watching God to describe the progression of the life of Janie, the main character. One of the many natural images Hurston provided the reader with was that of the pear tree. The pear tree was a predominant image throughout the early stages of the book because it represented the innocence of Janie. The beautiful, sun-kissed tree was first introduced in the paragraph where Hurston says â€Å"FromRead More Zora Neale Hurston Essay1149 Words   |  5 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Zora Neale Hurston was a phenomenal woman. At the height of her success she was known as the â€Å"Queen of the Harlem Renaissance.† She came to overcome obstacles that were placed in front of her. Hurston rose from poverty to fame and lost it all at the time of her death. Zora had an unusual life; she was a child that was forced to grow up to fast. But despite Zora Neale Hurston’s unsettled life, she managed to surmount every obstacle to become one of the most profound authorsRead MoreZora Neale Hurston1163 Words   |  5 PagesZora Neale Hurston Zora Neale Hurston was a phenomenal woman. At the height of her success she was known as the Queen of the Harlem Renaissance. She came to overcome obstacles that were placed in front of her. Hurston rose from poverty to fame and lost it all at the time of her death. Zora had an unusual life; she was a child that was forced to grow up to fast. But despite Zora Neale Hurstons unsettled life, she managed to surmount every obstacle to become one of the most profound authorsRead More Symbolism in Their Eyes Were Watching God Essay example1117 Words   |  5 PagesIn Zora Neale Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, she utilizes an array of symbolism such as color, the store, and her husbands to solidify the overall theme of independence and individuality. Their Eyes Were Watching God is considered by many a classic American Feminist piece that emphasizes how life was for African Americans post slave era in the early 1900s. One source summarizes the story as, 1 † a womans quest for fulfillment and liberation in a society where women are objects toRead MoreMarxism And Feminism In Sweat By Zora Neal Hurston949 Words   |  4 Pagesnineteenth century on. Zora Neal Hurston’s work entitled â€Å"Sweat† is a prime example of how culture is affected by its cultures standards of economic â€Å"base†. The story was published in 1926 during a time of trial and error considering the obstacles that faced many female authors at the time. Hurston’s story â€Å"Sweat† overlaps with her novel â€Å"Their Eyes are Watching God† which also supports the idea that culture is affected by periods of economic â€Å"base†. Hurston’s â€Å"Their Eyes Were Watching God† also portraysRead MoreZora Neal Hurston Integrates Folklore with Fiction Essay examples780 Words   |  4 Pages Zora Neal Hurston integrates folklore with fiction in her works. Zora Neale Hurston was an author during the time of the Harlem Renaissance who won Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. She wrote a number of books but â€Å"Their Eyes Were watching God† was by far her most successful book that she has written. â€Å"Their Eyes Were watching God’† was published in 1937 had fifty-two editions and had a rating of 109,737. This was not only the most successful book that she had written but it was also one of theRead MoreAnalysis Of Zora Neale Hurston s The Eyes Were Watching God Essay1690 Words   |  7 PagesIntersectionality is the study of identity that looks at how different aspects of identity intersect with each other to form specific and differing experiences of oppression. Zora Neale Hurston deals with the intersection of race and gender through the story of Janie in Their Eyes Were Watching God. However, rather than seeing the way in which Hurston deals with this intersection, the author Richard Wright claims, â€Å"The sen sory sweep of her novel carries no theme, no message, no thought. In the main, her novel

Social Media Manipulation

Question: Write an essay on "Social Media Manipulation". Answer: Social media manipulation is the methodology that involves deliberate portrayal of an illusion or crafting an argument that serves the purpose of a particular individual, cause, community or group. In most cases these groups involve a particular party. The propaganda of a wrong notion to the mass is one of the tactics while the other techniques are use of false logic, suppression of true information and often making vicious attempt of diverting attention of the populace. It has been noted from time immemorial that the common mass has a very limited attention span and media manipulation functions exactly pin pointing on this psychology. Hence, social media manipulation is a process which often resorts to unethical practices to accomplish certain objectives. But incorporation of certain ethical principles may propel social media manipulation (SMM) into a more positive direction. The FCC once decided to propagate net neutrality by regulating broadband as a tool for public, eliminating any scope for discrimination between high paying users and the low paying ones in regards of speeding up traffic (Newhoff 2015). This has been, undoubtedly, viewed as a boon as it appeared to protect universal digital rights on one hand, and the government reaching out into the free market, on the other. But this has not kept at bay the unethical practices related to the information manipulation theory (Lee 2014). Viewed from both sides, the entire action seems to pave the way to freedom of speech and expression, which is a primary requirement of human mind that craves for freedom even before the basics. And in this regard, the credit also goes to the internet giants like Microsoft, Facebook, Google, Amazon, eBay etc (Newhoff 2015). But the notion, that digital media is the only tool that can be banked upon for freedom of expression and democracy, is a myth. Presently Facebook happens to be the most cherished social networking site used by members irrespective of age, sex, nationality, caste or creed. It has been now known for both manipulation of image and text (Manipulation by information 2010). Hence, it is utterly easy to manipulate public opinion or color the expression for or against a definite issue through Facebook. It is not illiteracy or lack of intelligence that plays the convict in this context, but aggregated impression that actually colors the thought process (Newhoff 2015). Unless someone is tedious enough to delve deep inside every story or perform thorough research, it is quite obvious to be influenced by conglomeration of images, posts and headlines. When someone performs a Google search, the researcher, in most cases, happens to search the first page only. The one who failed to exist on the first page actually ceases to exist on internet (Newhoff 2015). So search results are doctored by social media leading to optimizing the preferences. Social media somewhat dramatically plays with peoples thoughts, ideas and emotions and cunningly serves certain purpose or ascertain political outcomes and the entire act of guile goes unnoticed (Birkett 2016). The discussion, though, highlights the gloomy aspect of social media manipulation, there are ways which can be persuaded to convert or influence SMM for the best interest of people. The most important change that must be brought in this regard is to incorporate many different layers of editorial and journalistic positions within the system of SMM vertically (Ward n.d.). And in this respect it must be said that the manifold vertical layers should include citizen journalists and bloggers in the newsroom or such vigilant individuals must be somehow closely related with the newsroom. Moreover, every manipulative attempt must have to be evaluated by the global community and social media platforms must pave the way for free exchange of opinions on every such promotions having manipulative power (Ward n.d.). And it is primarily such revamping of the entire system of SMM that is going to ensure the presence of ethical principles in its domain. References Birkett, A. (2016). Online Manipulation: All The Ways Youre Currently Being Deceived. Lee, K. (2016). How to Win Friends and Influence Your Audience: 10 Theories to Know For Greater Persuasion. Newhoff, D. (2015). Social Medias Power to Manipulate. [online] The Illusion of More. Ward, S. (n.d.). Digital Media Ethics. [online] University of Wisconsis.

Sony Playstation free essay sample

What, if anything, should Sony do to turn around the sales of the PS3? * Instead of focusing on one particular target segment (18 to 35 year-old male gamers with above average-education and high degree of comfort with new technology) further target segments should also be focused (e. g. women, children, occasional gamers and non-gamers). Some of the further customers require games which are easy to play because they have a low degree of comfort with new technologies. Furthermore some of them don’t want to invest a significant amount of their time to learn and play these games because of their busy lives. * Supply simpler games irrespective of age, gender or gaming experience. This could lead Sony to two advantages: 1. Larger number of potential customers 2. Lower production costs for the simpler games higher margins * Supply more especially higher ranked PS3 titles to create stronger incentives for customers to buy a PS3 console/ to prefer PS3 over other game consoles * Sell the PS3 in different packages (e. We will write a custom essay sample on Sony Playstation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page g. 2 controllers and one game included when you buy a PS3) * Introduce a motion-sensing game controller for the PS3 to have similar features like the Wii ( â€Å"Playstation Move† already launched in 2009) 2. What has been Sony’s strategic approach with regard to new product development? * Sony supplied usually products with higher quality than the competitors (technical superiority) e. g. Betamax vs. VHS, PS3 vs. Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii * Sony products were usually significantly more expensive than the products of the competitors e. g. Betamax vs. VHS, PSP vs. Nintendo DS, PS3 vs. Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii * Sony didn’t adapt its products to the wishes of the consumers e. g. Betamax: Consumers preferred longer recording times over higher definitions but Sony was unwilling to adapt the technology to accommodate longer play times because doing so would degrade the video quality * Sony wanted to provide their own formats for their products; Sony has been reluctant to license its technologies to competitors (copy protection schemes) e. g. ATRAC: unwillingness to support other formats on their products; SACD: player incompatible with most stereos * Created high expectations before launching their products, e. g. PS3:†Play Beyond† 3. What are the key success factors in the video gaming industry today? Are these the same as in the past? * A key success factor is still having a library of quality game titles to offer consumers key success factor today as well as in the past * The backward compatibility between the consoles is still a key success factor key success factor today as well as in the past (See PS2 to PS1 and PS3 to PS2) * A key success factor today is the possibility to play online in networks * In the past game consoles were just for playing games but today they are more than just for playing: surfing in the internet, download pictures and movies, rip music, and watch movies (e. . Sony’s integrated Blu-ray) past: gaming ; today: gaming and home entertainment systems. Quality of graphics and the power of processors has lost its importance Wii more successful than PS3 despite its underpowered processor and comparatively basic graphics 4. What was Sony’s marketing program for the launch of the PS3? What is the competitive advantage of the PS3? What are the weaknesses of the PS3? Sony supported the launch of the PS3 with a $150 million advertising campaign that aimed to convince potential customers to hold off purchasing a new system until after the PS3 is launched instead of buying a Xbox360 or Wii * Sony wanted to launch its product after Microsoft’s Xbox 360 to learn from their mistakes and adapt its console more to the needs of customers Sony gave a free high-definition television valued at more than $4,000 to the first 125 people to purchase a PS3 * Sony launched its PS3 first in Japan and US, later in Europe * With the integrated Blu-ray Player in the PS3 Sony wanted to penetrate the market with the Blu-ray Player * Sony continued its previous strategy of increasing the computing power of its newest product and adding more impressive graphical interfaces. However, Nintendo used another strategy for its new product * Competitive advantages of the PS3: 1. integrated Blu-ray Player; 2. better processing power; 3. ability to go online and surf in the Internet for free; 4. free online play; 5. ability to download pictures and videos; 6. ability to rip your music; 7. Long years of leadership in the gaming industry (with the PS2) * Weaknesses of the PS3: 1. most expensive console (highest costs and highest prices); 2. Longer development cycles for PS3 titles than for Wii titles; 3. Fewer titles available/ less exclusive titles; 4. spotty support for PS2/ just a few backward compatible titles; 5. PS3 games look just the same as they do in Xbox360 despite higher prices for the PS3; 6. Uninspiring online capabilities; 7. Isolated vibration feature from the motion sensors 5. Compare the marketing program of the Nintendo Wii to the PS3. How are they different? * PS 3 is much more expensive than the Nintendo Wii Nintendo boasted a number of exclusive titles for the launch of the Wii, including highly rated games (more titles than the PS3) – Sony launched its PS3 with only 15 titles and the majority of these titles were franchise games that had previously been available for the Xbox360 * Sony: the needed video cables to take advantage of the PS3’s graphics capabilities are not included in the offered package – Nintendo: included its popular â€Å"Wii Sports† title with each console * PS3 controller: vibration feature isolated from the motion sensors to reduce costs – Nintendo Wii controller: vibration feature with motion sensors * Sony PS3: Blu-ray player integrated into the console - Nintendo Wii: No integrated Video Player * The PS3 has got more advanced graphical and processing capabilities than the Wii 6. What would you have done to launch the PS3 more successfully? * I would have launched the PS3 earlier and tried to prevent delays in the market launch, even though there would be higher production costs. The fact that Sony couldn’t hold its promises (Planned launch of the PS3 pushed back from spring 2006 to fall 2006), led to loss of trust and image * Furthermore, it would be better to launch the PS3 as soon as possible to reduce the head start advantage of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 * I would have tried to launch the PS3 in Europe at the same time as in Japan and in the US to provide a greater Hype-effect all over the world. * I would have tried to enlarge the target market for the PS3 * Even before the PS2 console was launched, Sony entered into development partnerships with 164 Japanese software companies. This strategy would also have been better for the PS3 to supply more games at the time of the market launch. * Conducting more or better Conjoint analysis to request the willingness to pay and the importance of certain product features for the consumers

6 Jobs With Amazing Benefits and Perks

6 Jobs With Amazing Benefits and Perks a lot of jobs hover around the same salary range, and seem sort of boring around the edges. if you’re straining to pick what you want to be when you grow up, and you appreciate the quirkier and slightly more original job perks package, then these 6Â  jobs might be for you. 1. flight attendantbeing a flight attendant is kind of like being a waitress in a sealed capsule, traveling very long distances. the people can be grumpy, the job physically demanding, but you also have the benefit of seeing many different parts of the world. there’s good insurance, tuition assistance, excellent travel options like reciprocal travel agreements, and you won’t ever have to work a typical 9-5. the job can be demanding, both physically and emotionally, but it will rarely be boring.2. circus artistfew people can threaten to run off and join the circus. but if you happen to have a talent or penchant for physical theatre or performance, and the chutzpah to make it in this punishing w orld, then it isn’t quite as ridiculous as it might sound. circus performers, though they must be incredibly skilled, make great money, travel widely, and are given generous meal and lodging allowances, not to mention the close knit family of a group of performers on tour. if you have the heart and soul required, it can be an incredibly exciting career.3. journalistobviously, you would need a significant talent for writing, plus the ability to work in a fast-paced high-stress environment. it won’t pay as much as many other sexy fields, but you really can get access to corners of the world you may never have dreamed of. you can see and record things- be at the center of history, and really make a difference writing about things you truly care about.4. radio djif you love music and have an extensive enough collection, you might consider breaking into this field. imagine spending your day spinning your favorite tunes and chatting up a devoted audience. sound like more fun than pushing paper? well it is. you won’t work typical hours, but you’ll get lots of comp tickets and swag, not to mention the ability to meet people in the music industry, and you’ll spend hours and hours listening to the music that you love.5. personal assistantit doesn’t sound as sexy as some other possible careers, but a personal assistant actually gets some great perks for that low salary and high number of hours required to get her job done. the job is demanding, but if you happen to work for someone famous or fantastic, then you’re in for some sweet perks. you could end up tagging along at red carpet events, fancy dinners, epic vacations, and though you might have to work the whole time you are in it, you’ll have a taste of access to the vip world.6. sommelierif you love wine and have a keen nose and palate, this is for you. imagine getting paid to obsess over the tiniest details of the most exquisite wines, and then tasting them, fo r a living. at the master level, you could make a lot of money, but even a new sommelier will have the chance to travel, taste some of the best and rarest wines out there, pair those wines with delicious gourmet food, and chat to people from around the world. the hours are long, but the life is indisputably good for an aspiring enologist.6 careers with great benefits

Religious Coursework

Religious Coursework Religious Coursework Religious Coursework Usually algorithm of religious coursework writing includes the following: The choice of religious coursework topics: Creation of the coursework outline. Collecting material for college coursework writing. Writing coursework draft. Making the necessary additions and changes. Final editing before turning in the coursework. Religious coursework writing is a self-study of the student, formulated in the form of a scientific work. Religious coursework writing is an essential part of the educational process. The purpose of college religious coursework is: firstly, to give the student an opportunity to conduct an independent scientific study, to deepen the knowledge of general religious course; secondly, to determine the student's ability to conduct scientific research. Coursework topic should be associated with the program studied at religious course. Topic may be assigned by the adviser as well as proposed by the student. Religious coursework contains the following main parts: introduction, theory, the results, discussion of the results, conclusions, and the recommendation. In the introduction you should, firstly, justify the need of the proposed study and, secondly, explain your interest and the value of selected coursework. It should provide answers to the questions: "What is already known about the problem? Who has already done something to solve the problem? What results were obtained prior to your research? With the help of what methods they were obtained? Clearly show what you are going to investigate, highlight "the main sector" of the issue, and clearly define the goal. Keep in mind that your reader might have a different interpretation of the problem and it is your responsibility to deliver the intended message. Show the methods you will use to solve the problem. Highlight strengths and weaknesses of the used methods, the complexity and difficulties of such coursework writing. Coursework Help Coursework writers should pay attention to style they use for writing coursework. The language of the English courseworkmust to be scientific, not conversational. At the same time, heavy and unusual verbal constructions are unlikely to give greater solidity to your writing. It is needless to recall that the college coursework should be written in accordance to assigned format. Once the coursework is written and turned in to the adviser, the work is not over yet because you would have to deliver a speech to protect your coursework. The procedure doesn;t contain anything terrible, you will have to tell few words about your English coursework (in fact - squeezing from introduction and conclusion). Here, the main thing is confidence, the ability to pick up the most important tings, clearly and concisely express your thoughts. .com We offer you an opportunity to benefit from professional religious coursework writing service at our site. We hire exceptionally experienced and educated writers who are confident in their writing abilities. We guarantee originality and timely delivery. Custom essay writing service is your chance to improve grades. Read also: Nursing School Admission Essay Custom Admission Essay College Entrance Essay Outline Application Essay Admission Essay Writing

Video Games Ethics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Video Games Ethics - Research Paper Example This essay stresses that farming is a practice when a player decides to performed a considerable number of some basic actions that will give one small reward; however, due to repetition, the amount of benefit that is accumulated is rather big. It is true that this practice also does not seem to violate ethics, but if one takes a close look, one will be able to notice that it undermines the very game play. For example, in experience based games, a person might develop one’s character in the early locations and the balance of the further play will be lost. In other words, while farming does not mean breaking the rules of the game, it surely does not follow the spirit of it, according to which the gradual development of the character of one’s abilities is an essential part of the game play. This paper makes a conclusion that video games ethics as well as real world ethics are different in a number of aspects. First of all, paying games is inseparably connected with necessity to perform certain actions and fulfill responsibilities. In real life this obligation is not as mandatory as in the virtual environment. Secondly, one should always keep in mind that it would not be logical to apply ethics with all its aspects to the actions which exist purely in the virtual world. In other words, gamer’s behavior in and outside the game might be different. This might be explained by the fact that while playing a game a person has to deal with issues that are rooted in fiction.

Case study presentation PowerPoint Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Case study - PowerPoint Presentation Example This will help motivate employees such that they take up their tasks as responsibilities and not routine work (Adams, 1997, p.50-58). Thorntree should use training and development within the organisation to boost the employee morale and creativity (Fox, 2007, p. 22-32). The management in Benchill should adopt a top-down approach and, hence, it should be an authoritative culture in the company (Durai, 2010, p.119). The human resource practices that managers in Speke Furnishing should aim for will be Succession planning and performance appraisal to keep the employees always on their toes (Kleiman, 2003, p.14-18). In Throntree the management should aim at creating a diverse workforce and also allow them creative freedom so that they are able to bring new ideas to the table (Deb, 2006, p.77). The HR practices should reward the employees by giving both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Armstrong, 2006, p.21-28). The reward system should also be linked to a fair appraisal system that would help generate greater transparency (Jennifer, 2009, p.258). Career development plans should also be introduced so as to improve the learning curve of the employees and also to generate job satisfaction (Aamodt, 2012, p.330-336). This is important because job satisfaction is directly linked to employee motivation (Madura, 2006, p.373-375). Steps should also be taken to create a flat organizational hierarchy that allows greater ease in communications and prevents grapevine communications in the organization (Hamilton, 2010, p.40-41). The HR strategy in case of all the three companies will be very different from each other. Different concepts of human resource practices need to be adopted by all the three. People, as we know, are very critical for the success of every organisation and serve as the backbone for achieving the purpose of the company (Enz, 2010, p.721). Every company should design their organisational culture keeping in mind the goals of

Beauty Pageants and Our Children Essay Example for Free

Beauty Pageants and Our Children Essay Alost 3 million children, most of them girls, from the ages of 6 months and 17 years compete in beauty pageants annually in America. Competition can be local and national and they compete in categories such as swimwear, talent, costume of your choice, and eveningwear. This is an industry where mothers give her daughter energy drinks for a boost before pageants, 3-year-olds don fake fingernails, and parents regularly spend five thousand dollars on a childs pageant outfit (O’Neill 1). Beauty pageants have negative consequences on America’s youth contestants through the pressure to be â€Å"perfect,† media influences, and child sexualization, which results in exhaustion, eating disorders, and body image issues in their future. In recent years, the child beauty pageant industry has exponentially grown in size and popularity. This growth is mainly due to television shows, such as Toddlers Tiaras and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo that may be entertaining but exploit little girls in the process. These reality shows expose the behind-the-scenes horrors of beauty pageants that most people were oblivious too before. These shows have also revealed the use of energy supplements to improve the contestants performance, age-inappropriate costumes, intense and painful beauty regimens. Alana Thompson, featured on TLC’s Toddlers Tiaras, is a seven-year-old beauty queen, nicknamed Honey Boo Boo, whose mother frequently gives her the infamous â€Å"Go-Go Juice†, a mix of Red Bull and Mountain Dew, before pageants. It is common knowledge that energy drinks are bad for one’s health, but every nutritionist in the world would agree that Red Bull for a seven-year-old is tremendously dangerous. Alana now has her own reality television show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. Parents are not only harming their children’s health but also their moral. On one Toddlers Tiaras episode, Paisley, merely 3-years-old, sported a costume based on the prostitute in Pretty Woman. In a 2011 episode, Madiysyn Mady Verst‘s mother filled out the then-4-year-olds chest with fake breasts and an impossibly round behind for a Dolly Parton routine. Experts in child development argue the difference between playing dress-up and making a profession out of it. Little girls are supposed to play with dolls, not be dolls, says Mark Sichel, a New York-based licensed clinical social worker, who calls the extreme grooming common at pageants a form of child abuse. Playing dress-up is normal and healthy, but when its demanded, it leaves the child not knowing what they want, he says. Accentuating their appearance with such accoutrements as fake hair, teeth, spray tans and breast padding causes the children tremendous confusion, wondering why they are not okay without those th ings (Triggs 1). All of this confusion and body image problems is instilled in child beauty pageant contestants at a very young age. Ultimately, this leads to eating disorders, psychological issues, and relationship problems in the contestants’ later years. A study conducted at the University of Minnesota by Anna Wonderlich, Diann Ackard, and Judith Henderson showed the correlation between childhood beauty pageants and adult disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, depression, and self-esteem (Wonderlich 1). The results of this scientific experiment proved that for all the tests that assessed characteristics of anorexia and bulimia nervosa scores for those who had participated in beauty pageants were higher than scores for those who had not participated (Wonderlich 5). These results indicate a significant association between childhood beauty pageant participation and increased body dissatisfaction, difficulty trusting interpersonal relationships, and greater impulsive behaviors, and indicate a trend toward increased feelings of ineffectiveness (Wonderlich 6). Another example of the destructive effects of childhood beauty pageant is Brooke Breedwell, now nineteen, who was a child pageant contestant and a star of the television documentary, â€Å"Painted Babies.† â€Å"As a girl, [Breedwell] suffered from stress and anxiety while striving for an unrealistic standard of perfection. [In various interviews], she explains that her mothers ambition, coupled with her own obsessive drive to win, resulted in severe social and psychological consequences† (Ahrens 86). Another negative consequence of childhood beauty pageants is the disturbing sexualization of young girls that steals away their treasured innocence–as if eating disorders and body image problems were not enough. Former child beauty queen Nicole Hunter confirms this theory by explaining that â€Å"dressing and acting like a woman at a young age compelled her to prematurely confront her sexuality, which in turn lowered her self-esteem† (Liberman 741). The child pageant circuit concentrates on the ideals of perfection and beauty, with an accompanying focus on sexuality. Innocent girls dressed in skimpy costumes parade and dance, remove pieces of their outfits and wink at judges. Basically, young beauty queens are taught to flirt and manipulate their early sexuality in order to win. Though frequently condemned for such eccentric and damaging practices, the child pageant industry has been gaining success and extensive popularity (Liberman 745). Additionally, reporter Richard Goldstein investigated the JonBenet Ramsey, a child beauty queen, murder case and brought to the surface both our horror at how effectively a child can be constructed as a sexual being and our guilt at the please we take in such a sight (Giroux 50). Her dynamic role in pageants was vastly examined by media after the murder. After JonBenet’s highly publicized murder, the problems of child beauty pageants, especially the degradation of young girls, are first brought to society’s attention. Although many pageant parents argue that the press unfairly focused on the connection of beauty pageants to Jon Benet’s murder, these defenders rarely address the concerns of robbing a child of her virtue by depicting young girls as â€Å"sexualized nymphets.† They have little to say about what adolescents actually gain in pageants. Those in favor of the pageants overlook how a child might see herself and her ability to form relationships with society when her feelings of self-worth is defined solely through a belief that beauty is one-dimensional and patronizing (Giroux 54-55). No five-year-old child enjoys getting her hair ripped out and teased, spending hours each day practicing exhausting dance routines, or devoting every weekend traveling to pageants rather than playing with friends. It is the beauty pageant contestant’s mother who forces them to endure these strenuous and sometimes painful rituals in order to achieve their own satisfaction. When feminist writer-performer, StaceyAnn Chin first saw Toddlers Tiaras she was â€Å"flabbergasted by the parents who were so invested in these contests they got angry if their girls showed any signs of flagging.† In regards to the infamous pageant moms, Chin states that, † the pageant reminded me a little of dog showstiny, powerless competitors trained to do as they are told, with trainers who exploit their charges to gain fame and fortune and live out some archaic dream they once had for themselves† (Chin 1). The vast majority of pageant moms deny the harmful effects beauty pageants have own their child. Pageant mothers often â€Å"neutralize† their deviant behavior of enrolling their daughter in pageants by claiming pageants help their daughter rather than hurt. Also, mothers deny their own responsibility as the accountable parent by claiming that her daughter chooses to participate in beauty pageants (Pannell 68). Every single pageant mom asked in a study about childhood beauty pageants talked about competitors winning prize money, crowns, trophies and gifts in child beauty pageants (Mosel-Talavera 81). Some mothers deceptively sign their children up for pageants to exploit their daughters financially. One pageant mother says that there is a very infamous pageant child that always wins a large sum of money, ‘There is one little girl down South – she’s the daughter of one of the biggest known photographers. In six weeks’ time she went from pageant to pageant and won like $40,000.’ In the summer of 2005, there was another child, whose mother also owns a pageant business, who won three cars at pageants (Levey 204-205). These examples clearly reveal the evils of parents exploiting their children in pageants for their own selfish rewards. In childhood beauty pageants, the pressure from parents, influence from the media, and the desire to win all lead to disastrous consequences for the participants, which will stay with them for the rest of their life. Eating disorders, body image issues, and an early loss of innocence are just a few of the consequences these precious girls will have to deal with in their lifetime. No child should have to struggle with these problems at such a young age. Although little girls dressed up in frilly dresses and tiaras may be cute, there is a fine line between a fun beauty pageant and ruining a young girls life.

Cyber Security Policies and Defense Contractors Essay -- Cyberspace Po

Abstract Cyber security policies in the private sector have been a challenging issue for major defense contractors, especially after recent attacks. As a result, the U.S. increased its strict enforcement against these companies by justifying its intervention to improve cyber security. The government would like to impose standards for companies who lack the proper protocol. Due to the revised and new procedures, corporations are responding by rejecting any congressional intervention. This has caused major friction in the relationship between the government and industry. The executive, judicial and legislative branch believes its responsibility is to provide cyber security capabilities to protect all information at contractor facilities. On the other hand, companies believe their current structure will provide the best protection for their clients. In addition, businesses believe their not being compensated enough by the government for the responsibility they have taken on. As these issues continue to arise, lawmakers have taken drastic measures to implement policies that will allow them to oversee their cyber security practices. Introduction Past and recent cyber attacks like Wiki Leaks have prompted the United States government to make drastic modifications to its cyber security policies. Various regulations are, have been and will be put in place to meet the growing problems within the cyber realm. The Cyberspace Policy Review is one plan to evaluate all U.S. strategies pertaining to cyber security. This review will include many procedures that handle security, operations, incident response and recovery. New and existing policies are being revised to meet the requirement set by U.S. government. As a result, the privat... ...o overcome these obstacles, both entities will need to establish a partnership that will assist each other in securing their classified and highly sensitive information. It is imperative that corporations adhere to the rules and regulations outlined by the federal government to prevent cyber attacks and information lost. Although private sector disagrees with these new regulations, the government still believes these policies will benefit the industry tremendously. If these two entities work together, they can provide resources between both domains to help eliminate the rise in cyber attacks. Even though hack events will continue to rise, the government can reduce the amount of cyber attacks with experience security professionals and open communication. These modifications will help prevent further attacks before they occur and defend against others when they occur.

Person-centred care Essay

1.1Describe person centred approaches. The term ‘person-centred care’ does exactly what it says – it essentially places the person at the heart of everything that the care worker and the care setting do. The individual’s needs and emotions are the focal point, and any difficulties are resolved in the interest of the person with dementia (rather than attempting to change the behaviour of the individual). It places the person at the centre of all – thinking, discussions, processes and procedures. The person- centred approach also sees the interactions between the person and different elements within their support systems as being of paramount importance, and therefore places emphasis on supporting the system that supports the person i.e. the family and friends, and other professionals. Person centred approach seeks to view the person with dementia as a whole and considers how the person is influenced by factors beyond the physical changes in their brain. 1.2 Explain why person-centred values must influence all aspects of social care work Person-centered values must influence all aspects of health and social care work. The Human Rights Act 1998 makes it a law that health and social care should be based on person-centered values. 1.3 Explain how person-centred values should influence all aspects of social care work If person-centered values become guidelines for health and social care practices. It will definitely help to provide anti-discriminatory practices and help to promote and support individual’s rights to equal opportunities, dignity, independence, choice and safety 2.1Explain how finding out the history, preferences, wishes and needs of an individual contributes to their care plan. Finding out the history, preferences, wishes and needs of a customer, when writing their care plan, ensures: Needs and wishes of the customers are met in their daily routine The Care worker has a factual reference point with which to encourage conversation with the customer Helps the Care worker to understand the customer and therefore have empathy which will result in a high level of care 2.2Describe ways to put person centred values into practice in a complex or sensitive situation. I have a customer who is blind; he lives in the house with his wife. He has 4 children, when we started their care, 3 of his children did not speak to him. The one daughter and their grand daughter took care of shopping (online) amongst other things. His wife went into hospital and the children blame him (never explaining to the care provider how or why this was the case) As the care worker for the customer I naturally have the gentleman’s needs first and foremost. Whilst I was on one of my visits to the customer (this day was usually to receive the online shop and put away amongst other things), I rang my manager as the delivery had not come and time was running out before I went to my next customer. I requested that they ring the family member and was informed that there would be no delivery as the customer had stated that he did not want any more deliveries. When I spoke with the customer he was not aware of this and asked me what he should do. I spoke with my office and asked if it was ok for me to do his shop as I knew what foods he liked, where he liked his shop to be done and also the fact that he trusted me to do this for him as I was his regular carer. The customer was happy for me to do this and I was able to calm him down talking about things that I knew were of interest to him. 2.3Evaluate the use of care plans in applying person centred values I believe that care plans are essential in applying person centred values as when dealing with a customer you must have a thorough medical history so you  can deal with their needs effectively and also deal with the medical services GP/Paramedics. A full history on the background of the customer is also important, knowing what work they have done, what are their hobbies and interests, family members that they may have and how they may help them in their lives, as it is a conversation point and shows that you are interested in the customer and their lives. Knowing your customer gives you an understanding and an empathy with them. 2.4Explain the importance of monitoring an individual’s changing needs or preferences. It is very important to monitor and record a customers changing needs or preferences as it will help to make the customer more comfortable and happy that their requests are being heard and acted upon. It is also important because it will let other carers about any changes and if the customer is acting unusual or saying things that do not seem quiet right the this may be due to the fact that they have a UTI or be unwell in some way. 3.1Describe factors that influence the capacity of an individual to express consent It is crucial for a care worker to be aware and take the matter carefully, because the capability to make decisions among individuals are different. It may look quiet simple o think that people with mental impairment, physical illness or people who have got language barriers, may have a lack of capabilities to express agreement. A care worker will understand how to work sensitively with customers individually and design goals to achieve a successful outcome. The mental capacity act states that every adult has the right to make their own decisions. It must be assumed that they have the capacity to do so, unless it has been proven otherwise. It also states people should be supported in making their own decisions. 3.2Explain how to establish consent for an activity or action. Consent for an activity or action must done in writing and signed by the  customer/family member or a person acting on the customers behalf. 3.3Explain what steps to take if consent cannot be readily established. Consent (permission) must be given before care can be given to a person. To even touch a person when forbidden, can be considered assault. If there is nobody available when an intoxicated, unconscious or impaired customer requires care, then consent is â€Å"implied,† as there is nobody to give that consent. It is assumed that consent would be given by family or that person, if they were able to communicate that. 4.1Explain the principles of active participation Active participation is a partnership between a customer and the care workers whom support them; it is designed around the customers, letting them choose to live their life as independently as possible 4.2Explain how the holistic needs of an individual can be addressed by active participation. Holistic means whole so by a customer being involved in active participation it will treat the customer as a whole. Active participation is will enhance the customers life both mentally and physically. They will benefit by being stimulated by the interaction of others and the activity. 4.3Explain how to work with an individual and others to agree how active participation will be implemented. Firstly you must determine the best way to communicate with the customer you must then determine what activity would be of interest to the customer Contact the relevant professional and arrange a meeting to see how they may actively participate in the activity. A taster session may be given to confirm that the customer is happy to continue. Once the customer is happy with the activity then arrangements for the activity can be confirmed. 4.4Explain how to promote the understanding and use of active participation. Discussion and encouragement with the customer Providing useful information and choice. Using friends and family to encourage Using appropriate activity Pier group encouragement Highlight the benefits of the different activities 5.1Describe different approaches to support an individual to make informed choices. How you support an individual to make informed choices depends predominantly on the customer’s abilities or inabilities. The main support you can give them is information so they can make an informed choice and once they have that information then they are able to make that decision. If a customer is unable to speak then you can give them visual options so they can show you what interest them and what they would like to do. You can also refer to the care plan for extra information on how to best support your customer with their choices. Some customers may have problems with the memory, therefore discussing their choices and writing them down so they have a reference point. 5.2Describe how to support an individual to question or challenge decisions concerning them that they are made by others. I believe that giving customers the information they need is vital. You can support them by :- Offering to attend any meeting they may have to offer moral support Finding out the information which they may need. Speaking on the customers behalf (if they are not able to speak) Making written notes for customers so they have the information they need in front of them. 5.3Explain the consequences of allowing the personal views of others to influence an individual’s choices If you allow the personal views of others to influence a customers choice then you may find that:- The customer will not have an interest the choices being made May become insular and feel undervalued as their opinion was not taken into consideration. It may spoil the relationship between the customer and carer. Explain the links between identity, self image and self esteem Just because someone is older/ill it does not mean that they cannot keep their own identity. When looking after a customer in their own home you are trying as a carer to help the person maintain as normal and unchanged life as possible. Helping them to remain as independent as possible. 6.1 Explain the links between identity, self image and self esteem The links between identity, self image and self esteem I believe are as follows:- Identity is knowing who you are and what you what identifies you as THE person you are – with that comes self image which again identifies you as THE person who dresses the way you do, wears your hair the way you do etc, with keeping that same identiy and same self image it contributes how you feel about yourself and/or your self esteem. If you are able to keep all of the above in place for a customer then it will benefit them greatly in their day to day life and in any recovery. 6.2Explain factors that contribute to the well-being of an individual Factors which contribute to the well-being of a customer may be as follows:- Familiar Surroundings – living in their own homes and surrounded by their possession People contact – daily contact with people especially family members and friends Good Care Plans – an indepth care plan can give the care worker the knowledge on how to look after the customer to a high standard 6.3 Explain the importance of supporting an individual in a way that promotes their sense of identity, self image and self esteem To enable a customer to live independently in their own home, giving them a sense of identity, self image and self esteem can I believe help in the physical recover of a customer. If they have dementia then it is vital that they keep the identity as familiarity is very important, to make them feel more at ease with what is a very confusing and sometimes upsetting time. 6.4Describe ways to contribute to an environment that promotes well-being In order to contribute in a positive way, you must firstly know what makes the individual tick Surround the customer with familiar possessions, environment and family and friends. Give the customers the information that they need to feel confident. Enable them to feel confident to question things that make them feel safer 7.1 Compare different uses of risk assessment in adult social care settings There are various uses for doing risk assessments in an adult social care setting Accident Prevention: – carrying out work directions to ensure the safety of the customer and others Prevention of injury to individuals:- Ensuring the correct handling of customers so injury does not happen Prevention of injury to workers and other professional individuals: – Again ensuring the correct handling of customers so the care worker or other professionals are not going to put themselves at risk of injury. Description of procedures or steps:- Ensuring that everything in the written to an exacting standard so other care workers will know the correct steps to ensure the safety of the customer and the care worker. To meet Legal requirements – Rightly so there are rules/regulations and guidelines put into place to protect the customers, care workers and other professionals. These are again done, to protect all concerned. 7.2Explain how risk-taking assessments relate to rights and responsibilities. There are guidelines to follow when doing a risk assessment which are put into place for reasons mainly relating to:- Legal requirement Prevention of danger and harm Clear guidance and instructions. All these are once again for the benefit of customers/care workers and other professionals. 7.3Explain how risk-taking relate to rights and responsibilities. We all need to take some risks in order to have as full a life as possible. Customers have the right to choose the risks they want to take but have the responsibility not to put others in danger. You have a responsibility to support their choices whilst keeping them as safe as possible. 7.4Explain why risk assessments need to be regularly revised Risk Assessments need to be regularly revisited as circumstances change i.e. condition of the customer and that of their surroundings. 7.5 Explain the importance of using agreed risk assessment processes to support choice Using agreed risk assessment processes to support choice are essential as this supports the safety and well being of the customer and that of the care worker and other professionals who come in contact with the customer and their property. It is essential to discuss the risk assessment with the customers as they are the people best placed to make a contribution.

Breathless Reaction Paper Essay

Katherine Paler- Rivera According to the many articles and film history that I read, this is the first feature film directed by Jean- Luc Godard who was considered the influencial director that started the French New Wave. And based on our lectures, what makes the French New Wave famous was the technique like jumpcuts, shooting on location, using handheld cameras, loose narrative form or improvised dialogue. Godard also uses the history of cinema art and music. He also includes pictures in posters of famous artists like Picasso and Renoir women. The music in the soundtrack also includes Mozart’s clarinet concerto and French pop radio. The entire story started when the character of Michel Poiccard which Jean Paul Belmondo portrays, has stolen a car. While he was driving he passed by two hitch hikers and decides to decline for the thought they were far too ugly for him. Then suddenly, he realized that the cops was behind him. He hid on the side of the street. Thinking he got away he feels relieved. But suddenly a cop found him. He was shocked and unconsciously because of his instinct killed the cop. It was not shown how he shot the cop, it was suggested because the next scene, the cop falls down in the bushes. Then he runs away in an open field. In Paris, he called up somebody on the phone but no one is answering. Then he bought a newspaper from a boy in a bicyle, browse it a bit then head to an apartment employee asking for that somebody. He just took the keys when the man was not looking. Next scene he was inside the room. He just had a quick time in the wash room to freshen up. He was looking for money in the drawer but he was disappointed. He took a newspaper, read a bit then rubs in in his shoes. Then a some girl opens the door and let him in. The room was full of posters of girls. He was asking for money. While the girl was changing, Michel easily took the money in her wallet. Then in the next scene he was on the streets looking for a girl. It was Patricia Franchini who was portrayed by Jean Seberg. She was studying journalism whom he had met in Nice a few weeks earlier. She was selling New York Herald Tribune. Michel was having a conversation with him about what had happen in their stay in Nice, his women and their plans. He asks for a copy of the newspaper but return it once he realized it had no horoscope. They were planning to see each other on the same same street when the day ends. When they parted, he saw a newspaper stand, bought a copy. Patricia rushed through him and gave him a quick smack on the cheek. Right then and there I observed that these two were an item. In the building where he got inside, he was looking for a guy friend named Tolmachov.. They talked about certain guys common to them. Then his friend handed him an envelope which he was not please. He was given a certain phone number that he called. Then he bid goodbye. Two gentlemen came inside the building, the bigger man I knew was an inspector. He was asking for Michel or a certain other name. At first Tomalchov denied he saw Michel but they were busted when a girl passed by and the detective asked her if he saw Tomalchov with a man 5 minutes ago. He was also reminded that accessory of a murder is a crime. I find Michel’s character rude, proud, dishonest and self centered. He likes to have everything easy without trying to work on it. Examples are the cars he stolen, the man he beat up in the comfort room so he can have money. I don’t think the respect Patricia. He â€Å"uses† people and loves to use the word â€Å"louse†. He almost always has a cigarette on her mouth which makes me annoyed. Some critic said he made it sexy but I don’t find it appealing. As usual he always has a newspaper but I don’t think he paid for it. He wore sunglassed even if its late in the afternoon which I find truly absurd. Patricia’s character gets into my nerve. I hate movies that shows women they are like a â€Å"thing to be used†. I don’t like if someone used bad words to a woman. Good for him that he told the police about Michel. The background music also bores me. They keep on using it again and again. Except for the classical music they played when they were inside Patricia’s room. There was also this scene when Patricia was interviewing a man alongside other journalist. When she asked â€Å"What’s your greatest ambiton? † The man replied, â€Å" To become immortal and then die. † Patricia took off her sunglasses, think deeply and face the camera as if connecting to the viewers. In the scene where he called the cops about Michel, she even talked to him hear to heart. She love him that’s why she gave him away which made him furious. According to Wikipedia, â€Å"Godard envisaged Breathless as a reportage (documentary), and asked the Cinematographer Raoul Coutard to shoot the entire film on a hand- held camera, with next to no lighting. In order to shoot under low light levels, Coutard had to use liford HPS film, which was not available as motion picture film stock at the time. He therefore took 18 metre lengths of HPS film sold for 35mm still cameras and spliced them together to 120 metre rolls. During development he pushed the negative one stop from 400 ASA to 800 ASA. The size of the sprocket holes for motion picture film and the Cameflex camera was the only camera that would work for the film used. † â€Å"The production was filmed on location in Paris during the months of August and September in 1959, using an Eclair Cameflex. Almost the whole film had to be dubbed in post- production because of the noisiness of the Cameflex camera and because the Cameflex was incapable of synchronized sound. † â€Å"Filming began in August 17, 1959. Godard met his crew at the Notre Dame cafe near the Hotel de Suede and shot for two hours until he ran out of ideas. Coutard has stated that the film was virtually improvised on the spot, with Godard writing lines of dialogue in an exercise book that no one else was allowed to look at. Godard would give the lines to Belmondo and Seberg while having a few brief rehearsals on scenes involved, then filming them. No permission was received to shoot the filmin its various locations (mainly the side streets and boulevards of Paris) either, adding the spontaneous feel that Godard was aiming for. However all locations were picked out before shooting began and Assistant Director Pierre Rissient has described the shoot very organized. Actor Richard Balducci has stated that shooting days ranged from 15 minutes to 12 hours, depending on how many ideas Godard had that day. Producer Georges de Beauregard wrote a letter to the entire crew complaining about the erratic shooting schedule. Coutard claims that on a day that Godard had called in sick de Beauregard bumped into the director at a cafe and the two got into a fist fight. † â€Å"Godard shot most of the film chronologically, with the exception of the first sequence which was shot towards the end of the shoot. Filming at the Hotel de Suede for the lengthy bedroom scene between Michel and Patricia included minimal crew and no lights. This location was difficult to secure, but Godard was determined to shoot there after having lives at the hotel after returning from South America in the early 1950’s. Instead of renting a dolly with complicated and time- consuming tracks to lay, Godard and Coutard rented a wheelchair for the film that Godard often pushed himself. For certain street scenes Coutard would hide in a postal cart with a hole in it for the lens and stamped packages piled on top of Coutard. Shooting lasted 23 days and ended on September 12, 1959. The final scene where Michel is shot in the street was filmed on the rue Campagne- Premiere in Paris. † It left me hanging where Michel was shoot and Patricai catched up with the detective. Their dialogue had me thinking what was the meaning of their conversation especially the word â€Å"louse†. In my research it means a plural of â€Å"lice†, a wingless usually flattened blood sucking insect parasitic on warm- blooded animals or a person who has a nasty or unethical character underserving of respect. Michel for me is the big â€Å"louse†! Frankly speaking I was not really into the film. The very first time I watched it, it was all in French with no subtitles. I tried myself to be interested with it but I just found myself bored. Good thing our teacher shared a copy with subtitle. Being a student I was diligent in all the dialougues and scenes. I was carefully observing the techniques that I’ve learn in French New Wave. I find it fascinating that during that time, Godard was a young director who was thinking outside the box. I love the confidence and the guts he puts into his film. He was even part of the film. So I tried to know him more. His most influential innovations was to design shots that seem astonishingly flat. He is the most widely imitated director of the entire post war era.

Free Essays on The Experience

â€Å"The Experience† By: Jill Tweedie â€Å"Some day my prince will come†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The epigraph of this essay shows a girl’s childlike dreams, and an involved fantasy. Ironically as the essay progresses the reader is shown that the epigraph is but a bitter irony to a woman who found no refuge in love. In the opening paragraphs Tweedie made reference to the intentions she had by writing â€Å"The Experience†. She enlightens the reader to the fact that she is a white, now happily married, heterosexual female, born in one of the most fortunate parts of the globe, America. I would assume fortunate not only for the freedom America offers, but the fact that she had more of a chance to grow as a woman compared to women of other nationalities, which is still a prevalent fact today. Tweedie’s objectives were to show others her mistakes in love so they can learn from them. The essay uses several allusions to properly portray the happenings in Tweedie’s life. On page 1258 Tweedie is giving insight into the life she led during her first marriage to a man old enough to be her father. In his eyes she was an innocent girl, respectable yet irresponsible, but when her husband was away at work she began to give way to a new side of herself she was just coming to know. In an allusion to Alice in Wonderland Tweedie wrote, â€Å"I came across a cake labeled ‘eat me’ and I ate and I grew. Each day, before 5 p.m., I nibbled the other side of Alice’s cake and, in the nick of time, shrank to being a little woman again. I was always afraid I would not make it down in time and my husband would come home and fall back in horror at the monster who had taken over his home, and pushed me out into the big wide world.† What the allusion portrayed was the fact the innocent child had secretly found a way out of the constraints her husband put on her, and threw herself into the arms of other men, which led to multiple affairs. As time passes by, with Twee... Free Essays on The Experience Free Essays on The Experience â€Å"The Experience† By: Jill Tweedie â€Å"Some day my prince will come†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The epigraph of this essay shows a girl’s childlike dreams, and an involved fantasy. Ironically as the essay progresses the reader is shown that the epigraph is but a bitter irony to a woman who found no refuge in love. In the opening paragraphs Tweedie made reference to the intentions she had by writing â€Å"The Experience†. She enlightens the reader to the fact that she is a white, now happily married, heterosexual female, born in one of the most fortunate parts of the globe, America. I would assume fortunate not only for the freedom America offers, but the fact that she had more of a chance to grow as a woman compared to women of other nationalities, which is still a prevalent fact today. Tweedie’s objectives were to show others her mistakes in love so they can learn from them. The essay uses several allusions to properly portray the happenings in Tweedie’s life. On page 1258 Tweedie is giving insight into the life she led during her first marriage to a man old enough to be her father. In his eyes she was an innocent girl, respectable yet irresponsible, but when her husband was away at work she began to give way to a new side of herself she was just coming to know. In an allusion to Alice in Wonderland Tweedie wrote, â€Å"I came across a cake labeled ‘eat me’ and I ate and I grew. Each day, before 5 p.m., I nibbled the other side of Alice’s cake and, in the nick of time, shrank to being a little woman again. I was always afraid I would not make it down in time and my husband would come home and fall back in horror at the monster who had taken over his home, and pushed me out into the big wide world.† What the allusion portrayed was the fact the innocent child had secretly found a way out of the constraints her husband put on her, and threw herself into the arms of other men, which led to multiple affairs. As time passes by, with Twee...

The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand On the morning of June 28, 1914, a 19-year-old Bosnian nationalist named Gavrilo Princip shot and killed Sophie and Franz Ferdinand, the future heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary (the second-largest empire in Europe) in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo. Gavrilo Princip, a simple postman’s son, probably didn’t realize at the time that by firing those three fateful shots, he was starting a chain reaction that would lead directly to the start of World War I. A Multinational Empire In the summer of 1914, the by now 47-year-old Austro-Hungarian Empire stretched from the Austrian Alps in the west to the Russian border in the east and reached far into the Balkans to the south (map). It was the second-largest European nation next to Russia and boasted a multi-ethnic population made up of at least ten different nationalities. These included Austrian Germans, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Poles, Romanians, Italians, Croats and Bosnians among others. But the empire was far from united. Its various ethnic groups and nationalities were constantly competing for control in a state that was predominantly ruled by the Austrian-German Habsburg family and the Hungarian nationals- both of whom resisted sharing the majority of their power and influence with the rest of the empire’s diverse population. For many of those outside the German-Hungarian ruling class, the empire represented nothing more than an undemocratic, repressive regime occupying their traditional homelands. Nationalistic sentiments and struggles for autonomy often resulted in public riots and clashes with the ruling authorities such as in Vienna in 1905 and in Budapest in 1912. The Austro-Hungarians responded harshly to incidents of unrest, sending in troops to keep the peace and suspending local parliaments. Nevertheless, by 1914 unrest was a constant in almost every part of the realm. Franz Josef and Franz Ferdinand: A Tense Relationship By 1914, Emperor Franz Josef- a member of the long-standing royal House of Habsburg- had ruled Austria (called Austria-Hungary from 1867) for nearly 66 years. As a monarch, Franz Josef was a staunch traditionalist and remained so well into the later years of his reign, despite the many great changes that had led to the weakening of monarchical power in other parts of Europe. He resisted all notions of political reform and viewed himself as the last of the old-school European monarchs. Emperor Franz Josef fathered two children. The first, however, died in infancy and the second committed suicide in 1889. By right of succession, the emperor’s nephew, Franz Ferdinand, became next in line to rule Austria-Hungary. The uncle and the nephew often clashed over differences in approach to ruling the vast empire. Franz Ferdinand had little patience for the ostentatious pomp of the ruling Habsburg class. Nor did he agree with his uncle’s harsh stance towards the rights and autonomy of the empire’s various national groups. He felt the old system, which allowed ethnic Germans and ethnic Hungarians to dominate, could not last. Franz Ferdinand believed the best way to regain the population’s loyalty was to make concessions towards the Slavs and other ethnicities by allowing them greater sovereignty and influence over the governance of the empire. He envisioned the eventual emergence of a type of â€Å"United States of Greater Austria,† with the empire’s many nationalities sharing equally in its administration. He believed strongly that this was the only way to keep the empire together and to secure his own future as its ruler. The result of these disagreements was that the emperor had little love for his nephew and bristled at the thought of Franz Ferdinand’s future ascension to the throne. The tension between them grew even stronger when, in 1900, Franz Ferdinand took as his wife the Countess Sophie Chotek. Franz Josef did not consider Sophie to be an appropriate future empress as she was not directly descended from royal, imperial blood. Serbia: The Great Hope of the Slavs In 1914, Serbia was one of the few independent Slavic states in Europe, having gained its autonomy piecemeal throughout the previous century after hundreds of years of Ottoman rule. The majority of Serbs were staunch nationalists and the kingdom saw itself as the great hope for the sovereignty of Slavic peoples in the Balkans.  The great dream of Serbian nationalists was the unification of Slavic peoples into a single sovereign state. The Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, and Russian empires, however, were perpetually struggling for control and influence over the Balkans and Serbs felt under constant threat from their powerful neighbors. Austria-Hungary, in particular, posed a threat due to its close proximity to Serbia’s northern border. The situation was exasperated by the fact that pro-Austrian monarchs- with close ties to the Habsburgs- had ruled Serbia since the late 19th century. The last of these monarchs, King Alexander I, was deposed and executed in 1903 by a clandestine society comprised of nationalistic Serbian army officers known as the Black Hand. It was this same group that would come to help plan and support the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand eleven years later. Dragutin Dimitrijević and the Black Hand The aim of the Black Hand was the unification of all southern Slavic peoples into the single Slavic nation-state of Yugoslavia- with Serbia as its leading member- and to protect those Slavs and Serbs still living under Austro-Hungarian rule by any means necessary. The group relished in the ethnic and nationalistic strife that had overtaken Austria-Hungary and sought to stoke the flames of its decline. Anything that was potentially bad for its powerful northern neighbor was seen as potentially good for Serbia. The high-ranking, Serbian, military positions of its founding members put the group in a unique position to carry out clandestine operations deep within Austria-Hungary itself. This included army colonel Dragutin Dimitrijević, who would later become the head of Serbian military intelligence and leader of the Black Hand. The Black Hand frequently sent spies into Austria-Hungary to commit acts of sabotage or to foment discontent amongst Slavic peoples inside the empire. Their various anti-Austrian propaganda campaigns were designed, especially, to attract and recruit angry and restless Slavic youths with strong nationalistic sentiments. One of these youths- a Bosnian, and a member of the Black Hand-backed youth movement known as Young Bosnia- would personally carry out the murders of Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, and thus help to unleash the biggest crisis ever to face Europe and the world to that point. Gavrilo Princip and Young Bosnia Gavrilo Princip was born and raised in the countryside of Bosnia-Herzegovina, which had been annexed by Austria-Hungary in 1908 as a means to preempt Ottoman expansion into the region and to thwart Serbia’s aims for a greater Yugoslavia. Like many of the Slavic peoples living under Austro-Hungarian rule, Bosnians dreamed of the day when they would gain their independence and join a larger Slavic union alongside Serbia. Princip, a young nationalist, left for Serbia in 1912 to continue the studies he had undertaken in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina. While there, he fell in with a group of fellow nationalist Bosnian youths calling themselves Young Bosnia. The young men in Young Bosnia would sit long hours together and discuss their ideas for bringing about change for Balkan Slavs. They agreed that violent, terroristic methods would help to bring about a speedy demise of the Habsburg rulers and ensure the eventual sovereignty of their native homeland. When, in the spring of 1914, they learned of Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s visit to Sarajevo that June, they decided he would be a perfect target for assassination. But they would need the help of a highly organized group like the Black Hand to pull off their plan. A Plan Is Hatched The Young Bosnians’ plan to do away with the Archduke eventually reached the ears of Black Hand leader Dragutin Dimitrijević, the architect of the 1903 overthrow of Serbia’s king and by now chief of Serbian military intelligence. Dimitrijević had been made aware of Princip and his friends by a subordinate officer and fellow Black Hand member who had complained of being pestered by a group of Bosnian youths bent on killing Franz Ferdinand. By all accounts, Dimitrijević very casually agreed to help the young men; although secretly, he may have received Princip and his friends as a blessing. The official reason given for the Archduke’s visit was to observe Austro-Hungarian military exercises outside the city, as the emperor had appointed him inspector general of the armed forces the previous year. Dimitrijević, however, felt sure the visit was nothing more than a smokescreen for a coming Austro-Hungarian invasion of Serbia, though no evidence exists to suggest such an invasion was ever planned. Furthermore, Dimitrijević saw a golden opportunity to do away with a future ruler who could seriously undermine Slavic nationalistic interests, were he ever to be allowed to ascend to the throne. The Serbian nationalists knew well of Franz Ferdinand’s ideas for political reform and feared that any concessions made by Austria-Hungary towards the empire’s Slavic population could potentially undermine Serbian attempts at fomenting discontent and inciting Slavic nationalists to rise up against their Habsburg rulers. A plan was devised to send Princip, along with Young Bosnian members Nedjelko ÄÅ'abrinović and Trifko GrabeÃ… ¾, to Sarajevo, where they were to meet up with six other conspirators and carry out the assassination of the Archduke. Dimitrijević, fearing the assassins’ inevitable capture and questioning, instructed the men to swallow cyanide capsules and commit suicide immediately after the attack. No one was to be allowed to learn who had authorized the murders. Concerns Over Safety Initially, Franz Ferdinand never intended to visit Sarajevo itself; he was to keep himself outside the city for the task of observing military exercises. To this day it is unclear why he chose to visit the city, which was a hotbed of Bosnian nationalism and thus a very hostile environment for any visiting Habsburg. One account suggests that Bosnia’s governor-general, Oskar Potiorek- who may have been seeking a political boost at Franz Ferdinand’s expense- urged the Archduke to pay the city an official, all day visit. Many in the Archduke’s entourage, however, protested out of fear for the Archduke’s safety. What Bardolff and the rest of the Archduke’s entourage did not know was that June 28 was a Serb national holiday- a day that represented Serbia’s historical struggle against foreign invaders. After much debate and negotiation, the Archduke finally bent to Potiorek’s wishes and agreed to visit the city on June 28, 1914, but only in an unofficial capacity and for only a few hours in the morning. Getting Into Position Gavrilo Princip and his co-conspirators arrived in Bosnia sometime in early June. They had been ushered across the border from Serbia by a network of Black Hand operatives, who provided them with faked documents stating the three men were customs officials and thus entitled to free passage. Once inside Bosnia, they met up with six other conspirators and made their way toward Sarajevo, arriving in the city sometime around June 25. There they stayed in various hostels and even lodged with family to await Archduke’s visit three days later. Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, arrived in Sarajevo sometime before ten in the morning of June 28. After a short welcoming ceremony at the train station, the couple was ushered into a 1910 Grf Stift touring car and, along with a small procession of other cars carrying members of their entourage, made their way to the Town Hall for an official reception. It was a sunny day and the car’s canvas top had been taken down to allow for the crowds to better see the visitors. A map of the Archduke’s route had been published in the newspapers prior to his visit, so spectators would know where to stand in order to catch a glimpse of the couple as they rode by. The procession was to move down the Appel Quay along the northern bank of the Miljacka River. Princip and his six co-conspirators had also obtained the route from the newspapers. That morning, after receiving their weapons and their instructions from a local Black Hand operative, they split up and positioned themselves at strategic points along the riverbank. Muhamed MehmedbaÃ… ¡ić and Nedeljko ÄÅ'abrinović mingled with the crowds and positioned themselves near the Cumurja Bridge where they would be the first of the conspirators to see the procession going by. Vaso ÄÅ'ubrilović and Cvjetko Popović positioned themselves further up the Appel Quay. Gavrilo Princip and Trifko GrabeÃ… ¾ stood near the Lateiner Bridge toward the center of the route while Danilo Ilić moved about trying to find a good position. A Tossed Bomb MehmedbaÃ… ¡ić would be the first to see the car appear; however, as it approached, he froze with fear and was unable to take action. ÄÅ'abrinović, on the other hand, acted without hesitation. He pulled a bomb from his pocket, struck the detonator against a lamp post, and tossed it at the Archduke’s car. The car’s driver, Leopold Loyka, noticed the object flying towards them and hit the accelerator. The bomb landed behind the car where it exploded, causing debris to fly and nearby shop windows to shatter. About 20 onlookers were injured. The Archduke and his wife were safe, however, save for a small scratch on Sophie’s neck caused by flying debris from the explosion. Immediately after throwing the bomb, ÄÅ'abrinović swallowed his vial of cyanide and jumped over a railing down into the riverbed. The cyanide, however, failed to work and ÄÅ'abrinović was caught by a group of policemen and dragged away. The Appel Quay had erupted into chaos by now and the Archduke had ordered the driver to stop so that the injured parties could be attended to. Once satisfied that nobody was seriously injured, he ordered the procession to continue to the Town Hall. The other conspirators along the route had by now received news of ÄÅ'abrinović’s failed attempt and most of them, probably out of fear, decided to leave the scene. Princip and GrabeÃ… ¾, however, remained. The procession continued on to the Town Hall, where Sarajevo’s mayor launched into his welcoming speech as if nothing had happened. The Archduke immediately interrupted and admonished him, outraged at the bombing attempt that had put him and his wife in such danger and questioned the apparent lapse in security.   The Archduke’s wife, Sophie, gently urged her husband to calm down. The mayor was allowed to continue his speech in what was later described by witnesses as a bizarre and otherworldly spectacle. Despite reassurances from Potiorek that the danger had passed, the Archduke insisted on abandoning the day’s remaining schedule; he wanted to visit the hospital to check on the wounded. Some discussion on the safest way to proceed to the hospital ensued and it was decided that quickest way would be to go by the same route. The Assassination Franz Ferdinand’s car sped down the Appel Quay, where the crowds had thinned out by now. The driver, Leopold Loyka, seemed to have been unaware of the change of plans. He turned left at the Lateiner Bridge toward Franz Josef Strasse as if to proceed to the National Museum, which the Archduke had planned to visit next prior to the assassination attempt. The car drove past a delicatessen where Gavrilo Princip had bought a sandwich. He had resigned himself to the fact that the plot was a failure and that the Archduke’s return route would have been altered by now. Somebody yelled out to the driver that he had made a mistake and should have kept going along the Appel Quay to the hospital. Loyka stopped the vehicle and attempted to reverse as Princip emerged from the delicatessen and noticed, to his great surprise, the Archduke and his wife only a few feet from him. He pulled out his pistol and fired. Witnesses would later say they heard three shots. Princip was immediately seized and beaten by bystanders and the gun wrested from his hand. He managed to swallow his cyanide before being tackled to the ground but it, too, failed to work. Count Franz Harrach, the owner of the Grf Stift car that was carrying the royal couple, heard Sophie cry out to her husband, â€Å"What has happened to you?† before she appeared to faint and slump over in her seat. (King and Woolmans, 2013) Harrach then noticed that blood was trickling from the Archduke’s mouth and ordered the driver to drive to the Hotel Konak- where the royal couple was supposed to stay during their visit- as quickly as possible. The Archduke was still alive but barely audible as he continually muttered, â€Å"It is nothing.† Sophie had completely lost consciousness. The Archduke, too, eventually fell silent. The Couple’s Wounds Upon arriving at the Konak, the Archduke and his wife were carried up to their suite and attended to by regimental surgeon Eduard Bayer. The Archduke’s coat was removed to reveal a wound in his neck just above the collarbone. Blood was gurgling from his mouth. After a few moments, it was determined that Franz Ferdinand had died from his wound. â€Å"His Highness’s suffering is over,† the surgeon announced. (King and Woolmans, 2013 Sophie had been laid out on a bed in the next room. Everyone still assumed she had simply fainted but when her mistress removed her clothes she discovered blood and a bullet wound in her lower right abdomen. She had already been dead by the time they had reached the Konak. Aftermath The assassination sent shockwaves throughout Europe. Austro-Hungarian officials discovered the Serbian roots of the plot and declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914 exactly one month after the assassination. Fearing reprisals from Russia, which had been a strong ally of Serbia, Austria-Hungary now sought to activate its alliance with Germany in an attempt to scare the Russians out of taking action. Germany, in turn, sent Russia an ultimatum to stop mobilizing, which Russia ignored. The two powers- Russia and Germany- declared war on each other on August 1, 1914. Britain and France would soon enter the conflict on the side of Russia. Old alliances, which had been dormant since the 19th century, had suddenly created a dangerous situation across the continent. The war that ensued, World War I, would last four years and claim the lives of millions. Gavrilo Princip never lived to see the end of the conflict he helped to unleash. After a lengthy trial, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison (he avoided the death penalty due to his young age). While in prison, he contracted tuberculosis and died there on April 28, 1918. Sources Greg King and Sue Woolmans, The Assassination of the Archduke (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2013), 207.

Unionized organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Unionized organization - Essay Example The benefits of the union because of having a union are that the organization does not have to face unnecessary threats from the employees in cases of termination of services. This is because of the presence of a written agreement between the organization and the union declaring and clearly stating the terms of service. As a result, in cases of violation of the terms of service by the employee, the postal organization has every right to terminate the individual without fear of rebuttal by the union. In addition, the postal corporation stands to gain by setting the standards of work that the employees have to follow failure to which the employee can be terminated without threats and repercussions for the organization. The union also sets a clear guideline for the postal corporation on what is expected of it under any situation relating to its employees starting from the medical benefits to the leave that employees are entitled. With this is in mind the post corporation has improved pl anning strategies in that nothing catches it off guard. This is as see in cases of covering retirement benefits and disciplinary issues. The post office also gains substantially by having disciplinary issues handled by the workers’ union in that their agreement stipulates disciplinary measures. In such cases, the organization is free from liability as it only follows the terms of the agreement by applying corrective measures and not punitive; punitive measures are left for severe cases (APWU 107). The union bargains in a number of ways to ensure that the needs of the members are met at all times, which include dialogue and other drastic means. One such means is through strikes, which is a right of every worker should the organization fail to meet the terms that are agreed on in the union contract (APWU).However, this means is a drastic one and only applies in cases where contract negotiations do end in an agreement.

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Deppression in older adults(community) - Essay Example This depression is not only painful for the person who experiences it, but also for the people existing in surroundings of this person. Gone is the time when treatment of this disease was unavailable, now the complete treatment and cure of the disease is accessible throughout the world. Many types of depression can affect the health of older adults. This mental illness changes the way the old people used to perceive feelings about their own selves and about their environment. This depression can affect the person in every walk of life, for minute aspects to the major ones. It induces the negative impacts not only in personal life of the old people but it also influence social, and office lives, as well to a great extent. Depression unlike mood disorders is a permanent feeling that just only gets worse if it goes untreated even for the life of the patient. There is no particular theory about the development of depression however; there are certain factors that can maximize the effects of depression. Researchers (Miller, pp. 11-13) showed that depression is a medical illness that is the effect of certain variations and instability in the chemistry of brain, these brain chemical agents known as neurotransmitters do help in regulation and controlling of moods. One of the most significant types of depression that occurs in older adults is the major depressive disorder. Studies have indicated that every one or two person out of the older adults having age of 65 above suffer from major depressive disorder. It may be possible that the older adults have the first attack of depression in their youth and then it returns back in the older age with greater intensity. There are two major symptoms of this kind of depression; one is the distressed moods and feelings for periods as long as two weeks and the other is the lacking or losing of interest or concern in

Diagnosing And Monitoring Of Thrombocytopenia Biology Essay

Diagnosing And Monitoring Of Thrombocytopenia Biology Essay Thrombocytopenia is a haematological condition marked by a decrease in platelet number in peripheral blood (5). To identify the source, it is important to understand the mechanism of platelet formation and its pathophysiology. 1.1.1 Role of platelets Platelets were first described in the 19th century as dust of blood(44, 45). Over the last 100 years, there have been many advances in understanding the role of platelets. These cells have a diameter of 2-3mm and have been identified as playing a crucial role in repairing of damaged blood vessels, in response to injury; achieved via a clotting mechanism and the involvement of various clotting factors (1). It is a continuous cascade, where one factor activates the next with the end product being a fibrin clot. Formation of the clot prevents blood loss, maintaining cell concentration within vessels. Under normal conditions, 11011 platelets are released from the bone marrow into circulation, which helps provide the balance between formation and sequestration (43). Larger platelets are considered to be more reactive and efficient at performing their role than mature platelets (11). During vascular damage, there is increased activity from cytokines, transcription and growth factors to res tore the balance, as more than 20-fold rise in cells are released into blood (45). 1.1.2 Thrombopoiesis Thrombopoiesis is the process of platelet formation, occurring in the bone marrow. The mature cells have a life span of 10 days and make up 5litres of the total blood volume; one third of which is found in the spleen due to platelet senescence (43). Thrombopoiesis consists of a negative feedback mechanism, regulated by the glycoprotein thrombopoietin (TPO) (43). TPO was named after erythropoietin in 1950, after being shown to have inducing capabilities in a study performed on rats with bleeding disorders (43). In the last decade, a greater understanding of the growth factor has been achieved (41). Its association with the cellular oncogene; cellular myeloproliferative leukaemia (c-Mpl) found on the surface of megarkaryocytes and platelets has been identified (40). TPO has a high affinity for c-Mpl (43). Research carried out in mice in 19__ showed 15% of patients with thrombocytopenia had a defect in TPO or c-Mpl (41,[2,3]). It was suspected to have a role in the differentiation of megakaryocytes to platelets (41). Megakaryocytes are immature platelets derived from haematopoietic stem cells, via megakaryopoeisis, with the help of various cytokines (Figure 1) (45). They are larger than platelets, consisting of organelles, granules and soluble macromolecules bound within a cell membrane (45). As seen in the diagram, megarkaryocyte organelles are fragmented to form proplatelets (45). These are long and thin cells, with hallmark features, consisting of swollen tips, which constitute the cell organelles and granules (45). The shape is made up of overlapping microtubules (45). The cell content is further phagocytosed by macrophages prior to entering peripheral circulation (45). The formation of proplatelets are dependent on environmental factors, for example during inflammation, synthesis is increased due to the rapid consumption of platelets (41). TPO proliferate megakaryocytic activity by stimulating stem cells to enter the G0 phase of the cell cycle (1). Its involvement does not stop at platelets, as it also stimulates activity of other stem lines. This shows that TPO is of great importance in the formation of the blood cells. 1.1.3 Pathophysiology of thrombocytopenia The cause of thrombocytopenia is of great importance to clinicians. To establish the correct treatment of patients, it is important to identify the source of the condition and its pathophysiology (17). There are many causes of thrombocytopenia; 2 of the main mechanisms include: Hypoproduction of platelets Hyperdestruction of platelets Hypoproduction Decrease in platelet production is associated with suppression of thrombopoiesis, resulting in megakaryocyte hypoplasia within the bone marrow (50). There are several factors, which may contribute e.g. exposure to radioactive substances, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy (50). A defect in the stem line can be due to haematological malignancies, such as acute leukaemia, aplastic anaemia, myelodysplastic syndrome and multiple myeloma. In the hypoproduction of platelets, there is a decrease in all progenitor cells of platelets, thus an increase in plasma TPO and a decrease in immature platelets seen in blood Hyperdestruction An increase in destruction of platelets in peripheral blood may be due to sequestration of platelets by the spleen, via reticuloendothelial system (22). To compensate for the loss of platelets, the bone marrow releases immature platelets into circulation, indicating normal megakaryocytic activity (5). Hyperdestruction conditions can be further classified into immunological causes, such as idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) and non-immunological causes, e.g. disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) (23, 34). ITP continuing for periods longer than one year is known as chronic ITP (7). The condition is characterised by mucocataneous bleeding and a decrease in platelet count, often associated with the humoral cell-mediated mechanism (7). It is proposed that the complement pathway mediated by anti-platelet antibodies, may be a contributing factor (7). 1.1.4 Treatment of thrombocytopenia The severity of the abnormality varies from chronic to acute and is commonly associated with bleeding (10). Therefore the treatment of thrombocytopenia is dependent on the progression of the symptoms. There are many management schemes available to patients with this condition, one being TPO drug therapy, such as Electrombopag and AM G531 (45). The molecules of TPO bind to c-Mpl receptors, stimulating megakaryopoiesis (45). In many cases, there is a dramatic decrease in platelet count, resulting in excessive abnormal bleeding. The loss of whole blood is likely to be managed with red cell transfusion followed by other blood products. Due to the cause being thrombocytopenia, the patient is likely to need platelet transfusion. National blood transfusion guidelines state the platelet threshold as 20109/l (___). This would be decided by clinicians and consultants. 1.2 Historical Review 1.2.1 History of Platelets It wasnt until 1962 that platelet function was truly understood (44). Platelets named by Bizzozero was first detected in the mid 19th Century by Max Schulitz (44,45). They were noted as being the smallest blood cells, equivalent to 1/10 of erythrocytes (44). Following on from this theory, Bizzozero in 1882 studies these cells in vivo, using microscopy and detected platelets to consist of adhesion qualities, which was significant during vascular damage (45[2,3]). It was later suspected to play a role in thrombosis (44). 1.2.2 History of reticulated platelets Reticulated platelets were first observed in 1969 in peripheral blood of dogs, following acute blood loss. Ingram and Cooper-Smith (1969) used methylene blue to stain the RNA of cells, based on which a count was achieved (13). They were microscopically shown to be more reactive than mature platelets and have resemblance with reticulocytes, thus was named reticulated platelets (13, 18). Further investigation showed reticulated platelets to be RNA containing immature platelets derived from megakaryocytes, in the bone marrow (4,10). Similarly, Boayse and Rafelson observed the same platelet characteristics in humans, which then lead to opportunities for greater research into the area (35). By 1970, megakaryocytic progenitor cells could be detected, followed by the identification of growth factors responsible for differentiation of stem cells in 1980 and 1990 (45). To date, several discoveries have been concluded, which has lead to a better understanding of the mechanism. This has resulte d in advances in the diagnosis of thrombocytopenia. Based on reticulocyte analysis, Kienast and Schmitz introduced a fluorescent dye; thiazole orange to stain the nucleic acid, using flow cytometry (24). 1.2.3 History of thrombocytopenia The clinical symptoms of epitaxis and pupura were first classified with thrombocytopenia by Brohm, Kraus and Denys in 1883 (56). Later in the year, Kaznelson associated thrombocytopenia with a destruction of platelets (55). By 1946, increase numbers of megakaryocytes were seen in the bone marrow of patients with low platelets, forming the basis of idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) repectively (56). 1.2.4 Diagnosis In 1953, Brecher et al developed the first manual phase microscopy (55). Using counting chambers, platelets could easily be identified from red cells and counted (55). This method was soon replaced in 1950 by the Coulter principle, followed by automation in 1970 (55). Since then, there has been a vast improvement in the counting of platelets. The discovery of the light microscopy has also helped in achieving this and is still used in diagnosing thrombocytopenia to date. However, in the last decade, Sysmex have designed new upgraded software, designed for Sysmex XE2100 and XE5000 analysers. It has adopted the flow cytometry technique discovered by Kienasr and Schmitz, where reticulated platelets can be measured, in the form of immature platelet fraction (IPF) (11). 1.3 Discussion 1.3.1 Diagnosis of thrombocytopenia Preliminary studies consisted of platelet counts to be achieved microscopically (44). It wasnt until 1962 that platelet function was truly understood (44). A great deal of time and research has resulted in implementation of various specialised tests. Current diagnostic methods Thrombocytopenia can be an incidental laboratory finding or suspected from clinical feature presented by patients (40). Characteristics seen include bruising, purpura and bleeding. The bleeding condition may progress to severe forms (27). Therefore, the importance of diagnosis cannot be emphasised enough. Screening consists of full blood count marked with a decrease in platelet count followed by morphology examination for confirmation of results. On many occasions, larger megakaryocytes are released in peripheral, which may be visible by microscopy. Currently, a bone marrow examination is the gold standard method for detecting autoimmune thrombocytopenia (5). It investigates megakaryopoietic activity, where a hypoplastic image indicates decreased production (17). A bone marrow aspirate is not desired by patients, as it is an invasive and uncomfortable procedure. The method is vulnerable to sampling errors and examination can be subjective (22) There is limited specialised testing ava ilable to achieve this information, thus is crucial, especially in chronic thrombocytopenia, where 30% of cases are due to immune reaction or cytokine associated (45). Another crucial test includes plasma TPO levels. This is carried out by ELISA (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay), using anti-TPO monoclonal antibody against recombinant TPO (50). This technique is expensive and time-consuming (2). Plasma TPO concentration have are reported to increase in hypoproduction conditions and normal in ITP (22) Plasma Glycocalicin (GC) levels can also be examined. It is a hydrophilic fragment made up of carbohydrates, which forms part of the ÃŽÂ ±-subunit of the platelet glycoprotein membrane (22). Low levels have been suspected in thrombocytopenia due to decreased production, and elevated in ITP (22). Thrombopoiesis is cytokine-mediated; therefore it would be useful to determine the expression of c-Mpl, as mutations in the gene have been identified in conditions such as congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (50). This may be achieved by proteomic assays. Immature platelet fraction (IPF): the future diagnostic tool Over the past years, there have been several advances in detection of reticulated platelet. After years of research, Sysmex have introduced an automated flow cytometric method on the XE2100 and XE5000 analysers (11). It uses upgraded software to calculate an accurate measure of immature platelet fraction (IPF). The cells obtained from the peripheral sample is stained using fluorescence dyes and passed through a semi-conductor diode beam, where approximately 30,000 cells are counted and displayed on the basis of cell size and RNA content (12). The data is converted into a graph, showing the RNA content and cell size as forwards scatter and side scatter (figure 2)(12). Many authors have commented on the positivity of the technique in the diagnosis and management of patients (3). IPF was shown to be increase in ITP patient of a study performed by (5). 46 AITP patients had a median IPF of 17.4%, signifying the probable increase in megakaryocytic activity occurring in the bone marrow (5). Abe et al. (2006) conducted a similar study comparing healthy volunteers with patients diagnosed with thrombocytopenia (17). It was proposed that patients with ITP have a significantly increased IPF (17). This was agreed by (3,[8]), as ITP cases with platelet count >50 was observed to have an increase in numbers varying from 2.3-52.1%, and patients with A similar trend was observed in DIC patients by _____(16). Comparably, a positive correlation with D-Dimer was noted, whereas the data was inversely proportional to platelet count (16). DIC is commonly associated with a decrease in platelets, due to the intravascular formation of clots (16). In response, the bone marrow releases immature platelets into circulation, increasing the count (16). A study which compared hypoproduction and hyperdestruction of platelets showed a significant deferent between the groups (34). The mean IPF in subjects with decreased production was 7.5%, whereas in-patient with ITP and DIC, the mean IPF was 30.0% (34). This is evident that IPF can be used as a marker to distinguish between hypoproduction and hyperdestruction of platelets (34). Thrombocytopenia can be seen in patients with HIV, as they are most probably immune-compressed, thus are more vulnerable to infection. According to(8, [Briggs et al]), patients suffering from infections are more likely to have reduced platelet count, which explains why 40% of HIV patients in (8)s investigation were observed to have a low platelet count and raised IPF (8). IPF is a very quick and useful technique. The data obtained can be used for various clinical applications (2). It is relatively inexpensive and commercially available, therefore its use in monitoring drug therapy for bone marrow malignancies can be beneficial (2). (4) has shown the positive use of IPF in monitoring patients on chemotherapy, as well as (37), who reported IPF having 70% predictive value for detecting early platelet recovery (4, 37). The platelet count and IPF was monitored post exposure to chemotherapy. During the process, 3 pools of platelets were transfused. Completion of the second transfusion resulted in an IPF peak of 11.3% at day 11 (4). The increase in IPF indicates the existence of immature platelets in peripheral blood, predicting the increased release of cells from the bone marrow, which would eventually result in a normal platelet count. The improvement in platelet numbers was seen 3 days post transfusion (4). Within this period, another pool of platelet was given (4). Based on the results, the last transfusion was not required, thus could have been avoided (4). Briggs at al. (4, [3]) discovered similar findings to (4) and concluded IPF a better parameter. A similar scenario was presented by (10), who monitored patients undergone haematopoietic stem cell transplant (10). There was a rise in IPF, 3 days prior to platelet count. (4) and (5) also observed a decrease in IPF during the process, which was described by (4,[5]) as being part of the feedback mechanism of TPO or due to dilution of patient blood with prophylactic platelets (4,[5]). There was no significant difference observed between authors, suggesting good precision (5). Paediatric patients are most likely to show increase levels of immature platelets, as there is increased megakaryocytic activity during foetal and neonatal periods (3, 9). Previous reports obtained detected good sensitivity and specificity in IPF measurement using Sysmex XE2100 analysers. In majority of investigations, sensitivity was between 91-96%, with the specificity ranging from 67-100% for ITP (22). These figures suggest IPF to have a good degree of sensitivity. Specificity is widely distributed; however another study performed by (17) showed 86.8% sensitive and 92.6% specific. Therefore IPF (5) is an accurate parameter of reticulated platelets. Precision measurement reviewed by (14, [Biggs et al. 2004]) showed the coefficient of variance (CV) between 10-78% (14, [Biggs et al. 2004]). The vast variation of intra-assays questions the precision of the assay, when using XE2100 analysers. Other platelet indices Other platelet parameter that may be useful in determining thrombocytopenia includes mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW). A decreased MPV is detected in bone marrow malignancies, where thrombocytopenia is present, however levels are shown to increase in myeloid leukaemia (M1) (11). PDW is a good indicator in thrombocytopenia of autoimmune cause, as the variation of the size of platelets marks the types of platelets available in peripheral (11). These parameters are commonly used in conjunction with morphology, IPF and TPO as individually, they have minimal clinical significance due to its lack of standardisation and instability with samples embedded in EDTA anti-coagulant (11). 1.3.2 Clinical Management and utility of IPF In severe cases with the need for rapid platelet increase, prophylactic platelet transfusions are given (18). National blood transfusion guidelines state the platelet threshold as 20109/l (___). The platelet count may vary from one analyser to another and may be dependent on the method used to detect the cells, as (12) compared the impedance method to the reference immune count (12). It was showed a decrease in correlation with decrease in platelet count (12). A change in the threshold would have a direct affect on the sensitivity and specificity, as adopting a higher threshold would result in false negatives and adjusted the count to about 10109/l would raise false positives (12). In comparison, the optical fluorescence method showed a good correlation (12). (10,[2,3]) studied the platelet transfusion guidelines and suggested a more accurate marker to detect early marrow activity to be used (10,[2,3]). (17) proposed the use of IPF (17) Chemotherapy treatment due to haematological malignancies can result in myelosuppression of bone marrow (27). It is important that these patients are monitored regularly. Currently, the need to transfuse platelets is dependant on clinical observation and platelet count. An early report from the national external quality assessment scheme (NEQAS) has shown a varying coefficient of variation (CV) between 20-60% when measured using automation (27[Parlar-William 03(NEQAS__ 2003)). It has been reported that the accuracy of the measure of platelet count decreases as the rate of thrombocytopenia increases (27). Therefore, a more sensitive marker would be beneficial. IPF has been shown to have capabilities of a good diagnostic marker. Several authors have discussed its use in monitoring and management with platelet transfusion; however its use in the clinical field is yet to be established (17). It is believed that this preliminary study will enable further investigations into the field at K ing George Hospital, which will eventually result in the positive use of IPF, to aid in diagnosing and monitoring of thrombocytopenia and determining treatment, respectively. 1.4 Future Prospects In the last decade, there have been many discussions on the diagnostic use of immature platelet fraction. Several studies have demonstrated the parameter to be beneficial in routine haematology laboratories for the diagnosis of thrombocytopenia. Regardless of the intensive studies performed, its use is yet to be established. Investigations carried out have shown up to a 3 days increase in IPF prior to platelet count during recovery of patients undergone chemotherapy. This is evident that it is a more useful marker for predicting a rise in platelet count, thus may aid in preventing unnecessary platelet transfusions from occurring. As stated by many authors, the lack of standardisation and questionable specificity has limited it from progressing. Therefore, a study confirming these findings would be useful. An audit can then be carried out, showing its effects follow the change, which can aid in interpreting the best possible technique for diagnosis of thrombocytopenia and monitoring chemotherapy patient. If successful, a larger secondary study can be performed, where a threshold for IPF can be calculated for clinical decisions regarding platelet transfusion. Hopefully, in the near future, IPF will be incorporated into routine laboratories for diagnosis of thrombocytopenia and management of patients with haematological malignancies. This would, in-time improve patient care and cost management of blood transfusion. Based on the above information, a question is asked; is IPF a good indicator of bone marrow function, which can be used to diagnose and monitor thrombocytopenia and help make clinical decisions regarding platelet transfusion? WORD COUNT: 3,140 References Section 2: Design Study 2.1 Introduction Thrombocytopenia is a common haematological condition, which if not treated, can progress to bleeding abnormalities. It is diagnosed routinely at King George Hospital via a full blood count. Further action consists of morphology assessment and bone marrow examination. The bone marrow aspirate is the final step, only performed if diagnosis is not identified. It is an invasive technique, thus not favoured by patients. A new parameter on the Sysmex XE-2100; known as immature reticulated platelet fraction (IPF) has been developed, which targets this problem. It is a measure of reticulated platelets; a form of immature platelets found in peripheral blood. It has been considered to be a true reflection of thrombopoietic activity of the bone marrow. IPF can be detected by a quick, simple and non-invasive technique, which can help in identifying the pathophysiology of the condition. By investigating the parameter in peripheral blood, a prediction can be made on the status of the bone marrow recovery in chemotherapy patient. Therefore it may be a beneficial marker in monitoring of therapeutic patients and in aiding clinical decisions regarding treatment, i.e. platelet transfusions. Based on the information above, the following aims, objectives and hypothesis are drawn, which form the foundation of the study. 2.1.1 Aim To determine if IPF can be used as a diagnostic marker to identify the pathophysiology of thrombocytopenia. To determine if IPF can be used as a predictive marker to assess bone marrow function in chemotherapy patients. To determine whether IPF can be used to help clinical decisions regarding treatment with prophylactic platelet transfusion. 2.1.2 Hypothesis IPF is a good indicator of bone marrow function, which can be used to diagnose and monitor thrombocytopenia and help make clinical decisions regarding platelet transfusion. 2.1.3.Objectives Determine the reference range for IPF at King George Hospital. Determine the stability of IPF measurement during storage Determine the precision of the IPF assay. Compare IPF values for thrombocytopenic patients with different clinical conditions in order to identify its use in determining the pathophysiology. Determine whether IPF predicts a rise in total platelet count in-patient with bone marrow suppression. Determine in how many cases monitoring of IPF could have prevented the need for platelet transfusion 2.2 Research Plan 2.2.1 Flow Chart Figure 3: flow chart of sequential events to take place to accomplish the study 2.2.2 Timeline Table 1: timetable consisting of events and the time in which is aimed to be completed Month (2010-2011) Task Comments July 2010 Obtain 200 EDTA samples from patients with normal full blood counts and perform IPF analysis using Sysmex XE2100, to determine reference range View patients clinical details provided. Samples should have a normal full blood count results. July 2010 Measure the stability and precision of IPF Repeat analysis at 0hrs, 3 times to calculate the precision of the assay. Analyze 50 samples with normal full blood count over a 48hr at two different temperatures. July-December 2010 Identify thrombocytopenic patients and categorise into group 1 and 2 Measure the IPF Monitor IPF and PLT count of chemotherapy patients. Most samples will be taken from the haematology/oncology unit at King George and Queens hospital For each patient, collect the full blood count results. December 2010 Perform statistical analysis on the information gathered January -March 2011 Write up first draft Meet up with supervisor and add any suggestions and improvements made by supervisor April -May 2011 Complete project write up June 2011 Hand into campus office Make sure two copies are submitted. 2.3 Experimental Approach The study protocol is awaiting ethical approval from the Research and Development (RD) department of Barking, Havering and Redbridge university trust (BHRUT). This must be awarded before the practical commences. All analysis will be performed in haematology laboratory at King George hospital and is aimed to be completed by December 2010. 2.3.1 Sample collection and criteria Samples will be collected from King George and Queens hospital with a minimum of 2-3 ml of blood, taken by venepuncture in anticoagulant ethylene diamine tetracetic acid (EDTA). All data processed will be from adult samples, thus this study is not valid for paediatrics or neonatal. In the study, normal will be defined as a patient with a full blood count within the hospital reference range, excluding any haematological abnormalities or unexplained clinical symptoms. Samples selected will be from patients samples requested for a full blood count between 20-50 years of age, with no bias towards sex. Thrombocytopenia is defined as a platelet count of Group 1: Hyperdestruction Group 2: Hypoproduction Before executing the practical, performance of the analysers needs to be checked. The internal quality controls used are purchased from Sysmex and analysed twice a day to ensure quality of the machines. Other quality measures taken include participation in the national external quality assurance scheme (NEQAS) and the Addenbrookes program, run weekly. 2.3.2 Reference range The initial step consists of generating a reference range of IPF (%). To accomplish this, 250 normal patient samples will be analysed on the Sysmex XE2100 analysers. The data will be tabulated and the reference range will be calculated as mean +/- 1.96SD of the normal distribution. 2.3.3 Validation Precision The precision of the test will be determined by repeating IPF analysis five times on 50 normal samples. The standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV) will need to be calculated. Stability The stability of immature platelets in EDTA will be established by analysing 50 normal samples kept in different conditions. Each sample will be separated into 2 aliquots, one, which will be kept in the fridge between 2-8Â °C, and the other, which will be kept at room temperature at about 20-25Â °C. The room temperature and fridge temperature will be monitored daily. Each sample will be analysed at 24hrs and 48hrs. The IPF at 0hrs will also be recorded. The data will be tabulated and presented as a scatter diagram. The best condition for storage of samples will be identified along with the time frame of analysis. 2.3.4 IPF analysis Immature platelet fraction will be analysed in the RET chamber of the Sysmex XE2100 analyser (Sysmex, Kobe, Japan), using upgraded softawre. 4.5ml of EDTA blood will be aspirated via the sample rotor valve. The blood will then be diluted in 1:200 using 0.8955ml RetSearch (II) diluent, before being stained with 18ÃŽÂ ¼l RetSearch (II) dye for approximately 31 seconds. 2.8ÃŽÂ ¼l of the stained and diluted sample will enter the optical detector block. With the use of flow cytometry, the sample will go through a semi-conductor laser beam. The samples are then counted and separated based on cell size and RNA content. This will appear as an image of forward scatter and side scatter. Thrombocytopenia detection in group 1 and 2 30 samples for each group needs to be obtained to continue with the study. Patients of group 2 will be selected on the basis of bone marrow examination. The samples will be analysed for a full blood count and IPF, where the data will be recorded in a table. Further unpaired t-test analysis will be carried out to establish the relationship between platelet count and IPF, which can then be used to determine whether IPF is a better marker than platelet count in detecting thrombocytopenia and the underlying cause. Monitoring thrombocytopenia in chemotherapy patients The use of IPF in monitoring patients on chemotherapy will also be investigated. The hypothesis states IPF to be used to monitor thrombocytopenia and help make clinical decisions regarding platelet transfusion. To prove this, 50 patients with thrombocytopenia post chemotherapy will be monitored for 14 days. The platelet count and IPF will be recorded along with any transfusion that may be given. 2.4 Data and Statistical Analysis To perform statistical analysis and ease interpretation of results all raw data will be tabulated and presented in the appendix of the final project. The design of the tables can be seen below. 2.4.1 Analysis for Reference Range Table 2: shows raw data used to determine reference range of IPF (%) Sample IPF (%) PLT (x109/l) Age (yrs) Sex(m/f) The normal samples selected will be from patients between the ages 20-50 years. 2.4.2 Validation Precision Table 3: shows the IPF (%) value obtained at each repeat interval, Sample 1 2 3 4 5 The data will be used to determine the precision by calculating the standard deviation of the mean and CV (%). Stability Table 4: shows the IPF (%) data over 48% of samples stored at different temperatures Sample 0 hrs (Â °C) 24 hrs (Â °C) 48 hrs (Â °C) 2-8Â °C