Customers expect Essay

Customers expect their problems and enquiries to be dealt with rapidly. Most customers get frustrated if their problems or enquires aren’t dealt with quickly. It is ideal for a business to set targets in dealing with customer problems in the least amount of time as possible, so that customers are satisfied with the service provided.  When customers call in with problems and enquiries, they expect to receive clear and good communication from the business. It is the business’s duty to provide clear communication, whether it is telephone calls, letters or face to face communication. Any faults in communicating with the customer can lead to a customer’s opinion of the business being lowered; this can result in a bad reputation for the business, if word is passed on. Providing after sales service is probably what all customers expect a business to give. If the goods or service that has been purchased isn’t at reasonable quality, then customers will be very angry towards the business. That anger can be stopped if the business offers a full refund or an exchange for the goods or services purchased.  Why the business uses the Customer Service methods & Evaluation on how to improve Richer Sounds use management commitment, so that colleagues from high level of management also understand that customers are their top priority in the business. This method makes sure that no matter what level of management you are at, your customers will always be a top priority. This is a really good and effective method; it shows that the level of customer service Richer Sounds offers is high, because they have chosen that customers are their top priority. They use recruiting and training the right people, because they want people with good attitude, because if people who have bad attitude are recruited then it may lead to a downfall in the business. A colleague must be able to control his/her temper if customers started arguing. Richer Sounds give an induction training course to all their colleagues, so that problems like these don’t occur and so that they keep on increasing the level of customer service provided, to satisfy their customers.  They use their mystery shopper scheme, because this allows the business to know exactly what level of customer service the business is providing, it allows them to know where the business is going wrong and where they need improving. Conclusion My conclusion is that Richer Sounds is a stable company, who have good relations with all their stakeholders, as they understand the importance of them. The working arrangements is flexible for all colleagues as all colleagues benefit from a 20 day paid holiday and more if they have worked for more than six years with Richer Sounds. Employee’s rights are taken into account very seriously in Richer Sounds, but they are also suspected to take responsibility for their actions as well as it is mentioned in employee responsibilities. Richer Sounds have two main procedures which they use when dealing with disputes, one is the grievance procedure and the other is disciplinary procedure, the procedure they use depends upon how serious the dispute is. The recruitment process in Richer Sounds is simple and a fair way of recruiting. It is fair because everyone who applies has to go through the same recruitment process; no one is exceptional even if the person has been introduced by a family relative or a friend, who works for Richer Sounds. Training in Richer Sounds is done using four different training programmes; each one is at a higher level than the one before it. This means that if colleagues complete the 4 training programmes, then they will be at management level and will have the opportunity to apply for a role in management only if there is a vacancy for a management role. Providing great customer service is Richer Sounds top priority, which all the colleagues agree with. Customers are the stakeholders that provide the business with its output, which is money and profits. The level of customer service that Richer Sounds provide is high, because colleagues are trained continuously on how to deliver excellent customer service. They are trained continuously because customers’ expectations are always changing so the business will need to retrain their colleagues in how to satisfy their customers’ expectations. Bibliography www.richersounds.com

Heavily Christian Essay

She creates a reputation for herself right at the beginning that you learn later in the play she has had most of her life. She seems unwilling to let anything spoil her reputation; it is quite astounding how she manages to keep this up all the way through the production until act 4 scene 5 where Petruchio’s scheme to tame Kate begins to work. Up until then everyone has seen Kate as a ‘Wicked Witch’ but not of the wrinkly kind. Just a Curst froward woman who cannot hold a conversation without making some nasty remark. All the way through the play various people say what they think of her. Hortensio refers to her as a ‘Devil’ and Tranio – â€Å"Stark Mad Wrench. † From this it is clear to see she is not really a well liked person. To make it seem worse her sister, Bianca, is what seems to be the most perfect woman ever. She started off with 3 suitors Gremio, Hortensio and Luchentio: Who thought she was fair, virtuous, beautiful and modest. It seems impossible that any woman can be so perfect. However in Elizabethan times it was expected that women were to behave like that. Behaving like a sweet innocent girl is what made Bianca seem so attractive, Idyllic Elizabethan young woman. There are many references in the play to suggest that Bianca is what every man wants. Gremio refers to her as â€Å"Sweeter than perfume itself. † Which is just another thing to add to her list of perfections. Once suitors had been chosen, in this case it was Luchentio and Bianca, Katherina and Petruchio, they were married soon after. Katherina and Petruchio were married within a week of knowing each other. Form what the play is putting across; it appears that once women are married they belong to their husbands. They do as they say and agree with everything. As it is said in the marriage vows â€Å"Love, Honour, and Obey. † This is demonstrated really well by Katherina in the final speech after she has been tamed by Petruchio’s schemes. If I were the directed of this play for the final speech I would have Kate walking around near Bianca and the Widow and looking at them, with them looking uneasy. Kate would also look at Petruchio admirably in the areas on the speech where she is referring to him. There is some irony in Kate’s speech. For example where she says â€Å"A wife can be Froward, Peevish, Sullen and Sour. † These are all the things that Kate used to be. To me her speech sounds sincere. It seemed like she is trying to apologise, as well as trying to get her own back on her sister Bianca and everyone who has called her a Shrew over the years. Her reputation that we had found out about in the beginning of the play has changed. However I think that some people don’t believe that she has changed. In this speech she is proving to everyone that.

Effects of Wolf Predation

This paper discusses four hypotheses to explain the effects of wolf predation on prey populations of large ungulates. The four proposed hypotheses examined are the predation limiting hypothesis, the predation regulating hypothesis, the predator pit hypothesis, and the stable limit cycle hypothesis. There is much research literature that discusses how these hypotheses can be used to interpret various data sets obtained from field studies. It was concluded that the predation limiting hypothesis fit most study cases, but that more research is necessary to account for multiple predator – multiple prey The effects of predation can have an enormous impact on the ecological organization and structure of communities. The processes of predation affect virtually every species to some degree or another. Predation can be defined as when members of one species eat (and/or kill) those of another species. The specific type of predation between wolves and large ungulates involves carnivores preying on herbivores. Predation can have many possible effects on the interrelations of populations. To draw any correlations between the effects of these predator-prey interactions requires studies of a long duration, and tatistical analysis of large data sets representative of the populations as a whole. Predation could limit the prey distribution and decrease abundance. Such limitation may be desirable in the case of pest species, or undesirable to some individuals as with game animals or endangered species. Predation may also act as a major selective force. The effects of predator prey coevolution can explain many evolutionary adaptations in both predator and prey species. The effects of wolf predation on species of large ungulates have proven to be controversial and elusive. There have been many different odels proposed to describe the processes operating on populations influenced by wolf predation. Some of the proposed mechanisms include the predation limiting hypothesis, the predation regulating hypothesis, the predator pit hypothesis, and the stable limit cycle hypothesis (Boutin 1992). The purpose of this paper is to assess the empirical data on population dynamics and attempt to determine if one of the four hypotheses is a better model of the effects of wolf predation on ungulate population densities. The predation limiting hypothesis proposes that predation is the primary factor that limits prey density. In this non- equilibrium model recurrent fluctuations occur in the prey population. This implies that the prey population does not return to some particular equilibrium after deviation. The predation limiting hypothesis involves a density independent mechanism. The mechanism might apply to one prey – one predator systems (Boutin 1992). This hypothesis predicts that losses of prey due to predation will be large enough to Many studies support the hypothesis that predation limits prey density. Bergerud et al. (1983) concluded from their study of the interrelations of wolves and moose in the Pukaskwa National Park that olf predation limited, and may have caused a decline in, the moose population, and that if wolves were eliminated, the moose population would increase until limited by some other regulatory factor, such as food availability. However, they go on to point out that this upper limit will not be sustainable, but will eventually lead to resource depletion and population decline. Seip (1992) found that high wolf predation on caribou in the Quesnel Lake area resulted in a decline in the population, while low wolf predation in the Wells Gray Provincial Park resulted in a slowly increasing population. Wolf predation at the Quesnel Lake area remained high despite a fifty percent decline in the caribou population, indicating that mortality due to predation was not density-dependent within this range of population densities. Dale et al. (1994), in their study of wolves and caribou in Gates National Park and Preserve, showed that wolf predation can be an important limiting factor at low caribou population densities, and may have an anti-regulatory effect. They also state that wolf predation may affect the distribution and abundance of caribou populations. Bergerud and Ballard (1988), in their interpretation of the Nelchina caribou herd case history, said that during and immediately following a reduction in the wolf population, calf recruitment increased, which should result in a future caribou population increase. Gasaway et al. (1983) also indicated that wolf predation can sufficiently increase the rate of mortality in a prey population to prevent the population's increase. Even though there has been much support of this hypothesis, Boutin (1992) suggests that â€Å"there is little doubt that predation is a limiting factor, but in cases where its magnitude has been measured, t is no greater than other factors such as hunting. † A second hypothesis about the effects of wolf predation is the predation regulating hypothesis, which proposes that predation regulates prey densities around a low-density equilibrium. This hypothesis fits an equilibrium model, and assumes that following deviation, prey populations return to their pre-existing equilibrium levels. This predator regulating hypothesis proposes that predation is a density-dependent mechanism affecting low to intermediate prey densities, and a density-independent mechanism at high prey densities. Some research supports predation as a regulating mechanism. Messier (1985), in a study of moose near Quebec, Canada, draws the conclusion that wolf-ungulate systems, if regulated naturally, stabilize at low prey and low predator population densities. In Messier's (1994) later analysis, based on twenty-seven studies where moose were the dominant prey species of wolves, he determined that wolf predation can be density-dependent at the lower range of moose densities. This result demonstrates that predation is capable of regulating ungulate populations. Even so, according to Boutin (1992) ore studies are necessary, particularly at high moose densities, to determine if predation is regulatory. A third proposal to model the effects of wolf predation on prey populations is the predator pit hypothesis. This hypothesis is a multiple equilibria model. It proposes that predation regulates prey densities around a low-density equilibrium. The prey population can then escape this regulation once prey densities pass a certain threshold. Once this takes place, the population reaches an upper equilibrium. At this upper equilibrium, the prey population densities re regulated by competition for (and or availability of) food. This predator pit hypothesis assumes that predator losses are density-dependent at low prey densities, but inversely density-dependent at high prey densities. Van Ballenberghe (1985) states that wolf population regulation is needed when a caribou herd population declines and becomes trapped in a predator pit, wherein predators are able to prevent caribou populations from increasing. The final model that attempts to describe the effects of predation on prey populations is the stable limit cycle hypothesis. This hypothesis proposes that vulnerability of prey to predation depends on past environmental conditions. According to this theory, individuals of a prey population born under unfavorable conditions are more vulnerable to predation throughout their adult lives than those born under favorable conditions. This model would produce time lags between the proliferation of the predator and the prey populations, in effect generating recurring cycles. Boutin (1992) states that if this hypothesis is correct, the effects of food availability (or the lack of) should be more subtle than outright starvation. Relatively severe inters could have long- term effects by altering growth, production, and vulnerability. Thompson and Peterson (1988) reported that there are no documented cases of wolf predation imposing a long-term limit on ungulate populations independent of environmental influences. They also point out that summer moose calf mortality was high whether predators were present or not, and that snow conditions during the winter affected the vulnerability of calves to predation. Messier (1994) asserts that snow accumulation during consecutive winters does not create a cumulative impact on the nutritional status of deer and All of the four proposed theories mentioned above could describe the interrelationships between the predation of wolves and their usual north american prey of large ungulate species. There has been ample evidence presented in the primary research literature to support any one of the four potential models. The predation limiting hypothesis seems to enjoy wide popular support, and seems to most accurately describe most of the trends observed in predator-prey populations. Most researchers seem to think that more specific studies need to be conducted to find an ideal model of the effects of predation. Bergerud and Ballard (1988) stated â€Å"A simple numbers argument regarding prey:predator ratios overlooks the complexities in multi-predator-prey systems that can involve surplus killing, additive predation between predators, enhancement and interference between predator species, switch over between prey species, and a three-fold variation in food consumption rates by wolves. † Dale et al. (1994) stated that further knowledge of the factors affecting prey switching, such as density-dependent changes in vulnerability within and between prey species, and further knowledge of wolf population response is needed o draw any firm conclusions. Boutin (1992) also proposed that the full impact of predation has seldom been measured because researchers have concentrated on measuring losses of prey to wolves only. Recently, bear predation on moose calves has been found to be substantial, but there are few studies which examine this phenomenon (Boutin 1992). Messier (1994) also pointed out that grizzly and black bears may be important predators of moose calves during the summer. Seip (1992), too, states that bear predation was a significant cause of adult caribou mortality.

Marketing - Mini-cooper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing - Mini-cooper - Essay Example Demand in the United States, especially, has taken off, thanks to a marketing strategy designed to build mystique through stealth advertising and limited distribution†( Maynard) Mini Cooper has attracted world not only because of the unique features, but because of the innovative marketing strategies as well. The manufacturer BMW has created waves of innovation in marketing and advertising strategies adopted for their car Mini Cooper which captured the attraction of the worldwide people. This paper briefly analyses the features of Mini cooper and the marketing strategies adopted by BMW for marketing their product mini cooper in international market. â€Å"From the toggle switches for the windows and fog lights to the rocker buttons for the fan-speed controls, every switch and dial in the Mini feels of a piece with Mini and only the Mini. In truth, some of the components are gently massaged BMW parts, but thats not really obvious. And besides, BMW is a prestigious brand, so its not as if youre getting second hand Daewoo stuff in your Mini†( Frank). Mini Cooper is not only attractive in appearance, but it is filled with lot of useful features which other cars of same type may not possess. Its hatch layout is well designed, with a low well for groceries and with seat uprights that flip forward 50/50. Mini Cooper excels in safety features also compared to its competitors. It has defeated its competitors in most of the road tests and also excelled in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash tests. Moreover, it comes with six airbags (front, side, headliner), while its competitors only has standard front airbags. F or an additional $500, people can purchase a Mini Cooper with stability control that will help keep the car on track in an emergency situation. ‘A marvelous marriage of British character and German know-how, the 2009 Mini Cooper is stylish, fun to drive and remarkably good on gas. Stellar fuel economy, sharp handling, excellent all-around

Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology - Essay Example The extensive shoreline in Greece, which comprises of gulfs such as the one of Corinth and Thessalonica, which extends towards the sea, provides a connection as a means of communication with the adjacent areas. This also has enabled the interior provinces of the Balkans to contribute to the cultural facilities in the Mediterranean (Smith & Anthon 990). The sea also posed as a source of concern on security matters. The seaborne right of entry from the north, west, and south through the Black sea instilled Greece, Peloponnese prone to attack, and disarticulation (Larned & Reilly 1010). The Greece position on the Mediterranean Sea played a momentous role in modifying the climatic conditions thus making its population practice terrace agriculture. The sea also provided a secure environment for trading, making it a rich hub for trading grapes and olives (Larned & Reilly 1010). The presence of the mountains played a significant role in Greek mythology. The myths in the ancient served to unveil how the world was formed and manipulated. The Greeks believed that the primary gods made of Twelve Gods, or dodekatheon resided in mount Olympus (Smith & Anthon 990). Smith, William & Anthon, Charles. .A new classical dictionary of Greek and Roman biography, mythology, and geography: Partly based upon the Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. Chicago, CA: Chicago University Press, 1850, 976-1030.

Sources of Mali Crisis and Causes of Military Intervention Research Paper

Sources of Mali Crisis and Causes of Military Intervention - Research Paper Example Most of them were serving in the Gaddafi army and as such carried alongside with them an assortment of arms. Also, since they had just returned from a revolutionary war in Libya, these returnees were still motivated by their combative instincts to propagate the same war in Mali3. The Malian government, as well as the military, was caught unawares by the events. Their army was too weak and incapacitated to contain the insurgents. That aside, a large group of foreign Arab fighters, who are also linked to Al Qaeda, were infiltrating Mali at the same time. It is this unfolding that supposedly inspired United States and France to push for regional military intervention in Mali through the UN Security Council. The extremist groups in Mali operating in Mali are regarded as outright threats to the security of the entire world. There are three major armed Islamist groups operating in the northern Mali. They include AQIM, Ansar al Dine, and MUJAO. The origin of AQIM is traced back to the 1990s civil conflict in the nearby state of Algeria. As per now, this group has been in existence in the northern Mali for close to a decade. It is linked with the numerous and constant attacks and kidnapping of Westerners. They do this mainly in a bid to demand for ransom for their release. In 2007, AQIM is linked with the bombing that wrecked Algeria, which also included an attack on U.N. office in Algeria’s capital Algiers. The leader of AQIM, Abdelmalek Droukdel, remains widely at large although there are reports indicating that he could be cased somewhere in Timbuktu. This group has been among United States designated Foreign Terrorist Organization for close to a decade now4.... That aside, a large group of foreign Arab fighters, who are also linked to Al Qaeda, were infiltrating Mali at the same time. It is this unfolding that supposedly inspired the United States and France to push for regional military intervention in Mali through the UN Security Council. The extremist groups in Mali operating in Mali are regarded as outright threats to the security of the entire world. There are three major armed Islamist groups operating in the northern Mali. They include AQIM, Ansar al Dine, and MUJAO. The origin of AQIM is traced back to the 1990s civil conflict in the nearby state of Algeria. As per now, this group has been in existence in the northern Mali for close to a decade. It is linked with the numerous and constant attacks and kidnapping of Westerners. They do this mainly in a bid to demand ransom for their release. In 2007, AQIM is linked with the bombing that wrecked Algeria, which also included an attack on U.N. office in Algeria’s capital Algiers. The leader of AQIM, Abdelmalek Droukdel, remains widely at large although there are reports indicating that he could be cased somewhere in Timbuktu. This group has been among the United States designated Foreign Terrorist Organization for close to a decade now. The other group is the MUJWA whose emergence is traced to in the latter parts of 2011. It was born as a splinter faction of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and is also reported to be engaged in kidnappings and terrorist attacks in the region.

Assessing Educational Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Assessing Educational Change - Essay Example In seeking to empower the people, the government began offering bilingual education to enhance the capacity for individuals to understand Portuguese. The government considered such educational changes as essential in enhancing the perceptions of individuals regarding acquisition of education. The planning phase for the project was undertaken with numerous conferences and meetings within different location across the country. This sensitisation process was aimed at ensuring majority of the stakeholders became aware of the project being undertaken across the country. The project was aimed at ensuring creation of people networks across the country through language. The nationwide conferences were undertaken to inform the general public about the process of implementing the project and the purposes of the entire project. During the project initiation process, the project proposals were presented to various stakeholders who would provide essential resources for implementation of the project. These included financiers and facilitators across the country. These stakeholders accepted the proposal and the project commenced. While the project management team performed numerous essential preplanning activities to ensure the successful implementation of the project, many processes were overlooked during the planning phase. The project management team focused on only two stakeholders, while ignoring, majority of the fundamental stakeholders. Universities were given a priority over schools during the initiation phase. The project management team should consult all stakeholders and seek their opinion regarding the process. They would however classify the stakeholders in terms of their influence on the project. The public schools and their teachers were ignored during the planning phase. Consultations with these stakeholders would have sought to identify the requirements in implementing the project, consequently

Service Learning Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Service Learning Reflection - Essay Example With the experience and learning I gained, I am now more inspired to do my best and serve as a nurse where ever I am needed. Service Learning at Papakolea Garden Since I was a little kid, I have always seen myself as a nurse. Working in the hospital, wearing the coveted white uniform or scrubs, doing rounds, filling patients’ charts, handing out medicines, serving as the doctor’s or surgeon’s assistant. However, my view about what a nurse really is, and what a nurse can do was literally broadened after my 10 hour service learning at Papakole’a Garden. My service learning project was conducted from Saturday, March 09, 2013 to Saturday, April 06, 2013 at the Papakole’a Community Gardens near the neighborhood’s schools. The 60’x80’ plot of land was planted to promote food sustainability, but as the project continued, the produce kept growing and eventually the harvest may even cater to the local community kitchen. I was merely a nu rsing student when I started working in the garden. I didn’t see the connection of health and gardening right away. But as my time in the garden grew, a new image of a nurse started to form in my head – that of the community nurse. A nurse that has all the training and bears all the competencies of a health care professional but has a deep understanding of his/ her own culture, and a proud sense of community. I. What the community taught me about nursing I was born and raised in Kailua, Hawaii and though I don’t have any Hawaiian roots, I can claim that I belong and have a grasp of the state’s culture. Understanding your patient’s cultural background is essential in providing proper and sensitive care for them. The community of Papakolea is quite unique because in its community and infrastructure planning, the wellness of the kupuna as they age is given much priority and high regard. They even built a kupuna supportive living center to cater to the needs of the aging and their families. There are also schools in the area that have sound health and wellness policies and practices integrated in their curriculum. As is observed, the health and wellness of every generation is deemed important in this community. This initiative of the Papakolea government is congruent with the concept of Ohana or family that is a cultural identity for every person that resides in Hawaii. They have actually dubbed their health program as Ohana-health – giving healthcare services with a big emphasis on the importance of families and community relationships as an extension of the family. Being a nurse in this setting taught me about how big of a matter family is to the Papakolea residents and to the Hawaiians as a whole. Since family is central to their wellbeing, then care should be given with the family in mind. In this context, the giving of treatment may also be more effective if the patient’s family is involved as a support system for the patient during treatment. The garden in the community of Papakolea also taught me another integral part of being a nurse. The health of the land reflects the health of its people. The relatively small garden that the community maintains expresses their dedication for wholesome food that is sustainable for everyone in the community. Every resident has access to the community garden and although the produce is mainly allotted for the kupuna, everyone pitches in so that the land’s production is maximized and wholesome food will be available for all. This regard for the environment and the food source

The Major Negative Effect of the Technological Developments Essay

The Major Negative Effect of the Technological Developments - Essay Example Air pollution also results due to the emissions from motor vehicles and it has been analyzed that the smoke from the motor cars tends to contain small particles. These small particles lay effect on the vasculature of human beings and promote cardiac problems. A study conducted by Dr. Robert Brook and his colleagues at the University of Michigan highlighted this aspect that the traffic smoke was very dangerous for the cardiovascular system. He analyzed that after individuals inhale particles in the smoke of vehicles, they experience a rise in their blood pressure which is accompanied by alterations in their vasculature after a day of the exposure. The heartbeat also increases (Park 2009). Â   Â   Â   Water pollution is also very harmful and it mainly results from the dumping of toxic wastes in the water beyond the limits set by the governments of the areas. In the city of Charleston located in the state of West Virginia in the United States, industries dump their wastes in the water which results in the presence of metals like nickel and lead in the water supply which reaches the houses of the individuals residing in the city. This water pollution can serve to have serious health effects on the individuals who come in contact with this water. This polluted water in Charleston was linked with skin lesions for the people in the city and it was analyzed that their normal functioning of the nervous and renal system may also be compromised. Furthermore, it was highlighted that this water pollution increased the susceptibility for the development of cancer. It is hence very essential that this problem of water pollution should be controlled as almost one out of every 10 Americans has had exposure to contaminated water (Duhigg 2009). Â   Â   Â   The pollution of the soil is also very dangerous. The dumping of chemicals results in polluting the soil which becomes a reservoir for diseases. In the United States, in California as well as Wisconsin, the fertilizers that are used are derived from the excreta of animals. These fertilizers not only contaminate the soil but also infiltrate the underground water.

Diabetes is a Public Health Epidemic Research Paper

Diabetes is a Public Health Epidemic - Research Paper Example In this paper, we will also discuss the role that the government should play in order to reduce the health concerns related to Diabetes. We will argue in this paper that diabetes is a public health epidemic that needs to be addressed on a governmental level. There are governmental programs and legislations that should be passed to help reduce the prevalence of Diabetes in the younger population. Also many other public and private measures should be taken to reduce health concerns related to Diabetes especially in younger generation. Diabetes in Youth and its types Medical practitioners have shown their deep interest in the study of diabetes in youth despite the fact that the probability of children (under the age of twenty) getting this disease is very low. According to the survey of Diabetes Prevention and Control Program (DPCP), there were around 18.2 million cases of diabetes in the United States in 2002 (Steno Diabetes research group, 120-134). Out of these, 206,000 were in peopl e under the age of 20. Though this may seem very low as compared to the total number of cases of diabetes, it has become more prevalent in youth. Unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical exercise are major reasons why many of the children today are overweight and obese, and are at a higher risk of developing this disease. Generally there are three types of diabetes out which two of them affect the children most. They are discusses below in detail. Type 1 Diabetes Type 1 diabetes is also known as juvenile-onset diabetes. It is a type of diabetes in which body’s immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The insulin is a chemical produced in the pancreas that converts food into energy. The body cannot function without insulin. To carry out the daily routine functions, it is important that our body constantly produces insulin. Type 1 diabetes generally strikes the children at a very young age and it is usually passed genetically. Type 1 diabetes pati ents require insulin for their survival. There are many ways through which the patients can in-take insulin such as syringes, insulin pumps and injectable pens. The symptoms of Type 1 diabetes are loss of weight, constant feeling of hunger, increase in urine and thirst, blurred vision and exhaustion. Type 2 Diabetes Type 2 Diabetes, also known as adult onsets, is the most common type of diabetes. It is usually diagnosed in people who are above the ages of 35. The primary cause of type 2 diabetes is basically a critical medical condition called insulin resistance (Blonde and Lawrence, 123-150). Insulin resistance means that the body is able to produce insulin in the pancreas but is unable to work effectively. Approximately 85 to 90 percent of the diabetic people have type 2 diabetes. One thing that is very important to mention is that the type 2 diabetes is associated with heart disease and if not treated appropriately, the situation can become worst. Therefore it is necessary that t he patient should take proper diet, walk, and exercise so as to maintain the normal diabetic level. It is important to mention here that both types of diabetes are independent of age. They may affect a person at any age so it is important that certain precautionary measures are taken to avoid both types of diabetes. Relationship between childhood obesity and childhood diabetes Over the past few years childhood

Policy Change Proposal Section II Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Policy Change Proposal Section II - Assignment Example on would necessitate all health care organizations to have well established internal governing body that directly consult periodically with individuals concerned with organization of hospital medical staff. A requirement for a medical practitioner to be part of hospital’s governing body should be removed to avoid conflict of interests as it may hamper quality service delivery (Tavenner & Sebelius, 2013). There is no provision for establishment of Medicare inpatient rehabilitation facility and an effective long-term acute care quality reporting by either health practitioners or health care organizations. We propose that a secretary in the Ministry of Health and Medical Services would be required to establish an effective quality programs that would facilitate establishment of inpatient rehabilitation and group of providers that would cater for the need of individuals who require long term care in the hospital. Under this policy, all health care providers would be required to identify measures for this provision by 2013 and implement the identified quality measure reporting programs by 2014. These measures would lead to realization of efficient care and all dimensions of quality that are feasible and practicable (Tavenner & Sebelius, 2013). Some regulations passed by Center of Medical Services (CMS) subject hospices to financial and ethical problems. For instance, the current law requires hospices to be well equipped to resuscitate all patients that do not have a signed do-not-resuscitate order. The proposed policy change would ensure that hospice patient would access improved care and financial viability. The eligibility requirements would be re-evaluated to ensure that the policy is no longer a barrier to access. This would ensure that hospice patients access proper health care as they expect (Petersen, 2002). A number of policies and rules in the proposed policy change are aimed at helping hospitals and health care providers to better coordinate care

Why I Wanted to Pursue Culinary Arts Essay Example for Free

Why I Wanted to Pursue Culinary Arts Essay â€Å"The Three Idiots†, this film was popular since then. I was just curios why was it so. My first connotation was; the film was pure comedy movie, actually, an ordinary comedy film, that it was a companionship of three men who make a lot of sophistries but I was definitely wrong. Its title was captivating; it’s attention-catcher which I think one of the reasons why it was entitled that way, to win the attention of the public but that doesn’t end in that, I think that it was entitled â€Å"The Three Idiots† because there are three college students, who are best of friends, they are called â€Å"idiots† because they do things which are against to what is being done so; traditions, they oppose the rules, and do stuffs which they think are right. These three ‘idiots’ pursue their college education, actually, with the same reason: they do it for the sake of others’ favours, not for themselves. They pursue college to satisfy the wants of their parents because they believe so that through college education, they can be saved from the sufferings brought by poverty, for the reason of â€Å"spotlight†, that by education, their sons and daughters can build themselves; to be independent, their future; we cannot deny these mere facts because these really exist. That the relevance of attending college is for learning; that being a college student must comply with the rules and regulations of the administration, of the school. The film made me remember the times I was about to enter college. I remembered that in my senior year, my teachers, schoolmates were asking where I’m going to study for college and what course I’m going to take. My first answer was, Culinary Arts, I want to be a chef someday, no one believed me. They thought I was kidding, but I was serious. Then when I took the Entrance Examination in SLU, Baguio City, I didn’t know what course am I going to put in my form, that when I was in my way to the said university, I just put BSNursing there, how funny it was, right? No options. Then after two months, I found out the benefits when you graduate in this course, BS Accountancy. I pursue Accountancy in my college, at first, it was just alright, I want to be a future CPA but as time went by, my great desire for Culinary Arts emerges and I need to fight it because I need to graduate. During the film showing, I was bit emotional because in the last part of the film, the 2 friends of Rancho achieved what they wanted to, oh! How I wish. The â€Å"College Uneducation† and â€Å"The Three Idiots† are similar in the theme which they went to school and follow all the inhuman rules of the institution. It was true that we cannot learn all things in the four corners of the classroom. The lessons taught to us are not all be applied to our daily lives. How will be those mathematical formulas be applied to our daily lives? Do we need those when we buy in Sari-sari stores? Can we apply the computation of Velocity when we are running? Quite funny but it makes sense! â€Å"College Uneducation† tries to imply to us that some activities in college make us suffer and more uneducated, the same is through in the â€Å"Three Idiots†, the professor in the movie was disciplining the students in a wrong way and he didn’t teach Engineering as it is. We can pick lessons from the movie; it also emphasized the meaning of friendship, that no matter how hard the situation is; friends help one another and no matter the distance and the span of time, the closeness and love for one another do not fade. Next, you must follow what your heart desires. You will regret in time if you did not follow it. You’ll never find true happiness if you do not love what you are doing. You cannot give the best in you if you do not really want what you are doing. Third lesson is, you must know how to take risks. Life is all about risks. You may not succeed but atleast, you’ve tried, and nothing will be lost to you but then if you succeed, well and good. Thank God! And one important lesson in the movie is, in every bad situation, we must know how to be calm and believe that we can do it, we should believe in our capabilities as an individual. You must see things in its bright side. These lines in the film caught my heart, the most famous line in the movie: â€Å"Aal iz well.†, â€Å"All is well.†, â€Å"For once, dump your fears.†, â€Å"Life is a race.†, â€Å"No one knows what the future holds.†, â€Å"Life is full of pressures.†, â€Å"Run your life, it’s free advice, take it or leave it.† So much realizations I have in that film and in that day, January 12, 2013.

Conflict Resolution and Communication in Healthcare

Conflict Resolution and Communication in Healthcare Reflective Writing on Critical Incident in the Clinical Experience with Integration of Leadership Theories in Analysis. This write up aims at exploring a conflict that occurred in an urban private hospital concerning a patient, relatives and medical team. Its purpose is to reflect and critically study and understand a clinical incident and use it as a learning episode by use of reflective model. To identify the measures put in place to manage the conflict and the type of leadership skills and leadership theories used to resolve the conflict. Gibbs reflective cycle will be used to expound on the scenario as it unfolded. This is because Gibbs is clear and thus allows description, analysis and evaluation of the experience helping me to make sense of experiences and examines my practice (Gibbs, 1988). Conflict can be defined as disagreement in which the people involved feels that their needs, interests and concerns are threatened. Health care related conflicts are complicated because the care process is ongoing and involving a lot of emotional effort and professional relationships therefore tends to occur frequently and thus interpersonal conflicts, (Johansen, 2012) Incident description I once worked in private urban hospital and while there on my practice I encountered a scenario that left me thinking on how well our patients are informed and involved in their care. On this particular day I reported to work as usual and received the report in a high dependency unit, about the unit and the patients admitted. Special report given was that there were some pending investigative procedures on two patients to be facilitated by one consultant. This investigation were requested on the previous day therefore follow up was to be done during this shift to ensure they are done. After receiving the report we went for quick unit round and assessed the patient status and then the unit manager embarked on contacting the consultant to come and do the tests, efforts to trace him were futile since his phone was not going through. The unit manager contacted the second on call for the same and said that he was out of town thus not in a position of performing the test the same day. In this particular organization the patient and relatives are appraised on daily basis of everything that it’s to be done therefore the relatives were eagerly waiting for the test result when they came back during the visiting. When the relatives came back they wanted to know the test results unfortunately they were not available because the test had not been done, the manager and the doctor covering the unit tried to explain to them in vain. They became very furious and agitated and started using abusive language. Efforts to make them understand were futile. They walked out of the unit to have a discussion among themselves and in 30minutes they were back demanding that their patient be discharged against medical advice so that they can outsource the service elsewhere saying â€Å"you people do not care about our patient but we care about him and we are ready do anything possible to facilitate this test been done†. They signed the form for leaving against medical advice and left. From this episode a crisis meeting was convened to include the medical director, director of nursing the unit in-charge and the doctor who was covering the unit then and a critical analysis and evaluation of the scenario was done and it was resolved that this particular consultant always have an issue with his patient whenever he is on call and therefore it was agreed that the director of medical services and nursing service will meet with the doctor and have a one on one discussion in order to prevent a recurrence. It was also agreed that we follow up on this particular patient and find out what was their progress and whether they went for the test and to even apologize to them and let them understand that we care and patients interest come first and only that there was a problem on that day, the patient was traced and found to be doing well and they never went for the test on that particular day they had to wait until the next since they could not get the service where they went because it’s the same consultant who doing the procedure in that facility and therefore opted to come back to our facility for readmission and they very apologetic and remorseful for the actions â€Å"we regret our action and we want to apologize for unnecessary attention that we demanded for while your efforts was to ensure for better outcome of patient. We are sincerely sorry for the disturbance and our shameful acts† we reassured the relatives and readmitted the patient for continued care. Feelings This experience made me feel like we failed no matter how we tried explaining to the client and his relatives it never seemed to be working. I also felt that we failed to meet our goal of ensuring that patients are satisfied with the services they receive, though the unit manager was very composed throughout this situation and handled the relatives with a lot of care and caution she never seemed to be worked up by their demand. This leader portrayed very good qualities that I really admired and felt that I should emulate, she had a good charisma. Felt that she was a transformational leader because she displayed charisma and we as her juniors followed her way of instituting measures in place. She was able to reason with the relatives and explain on the events as they were unfolding even though they never paid any attention or reasoned with her, she explained of the challenge we were facing in the situation. She engaged the relative by stimulating them to understand through use of logical questions and exploring on their assumptions (Hendel, Fish Galon, 2005). I also felt the manager had some qualities of transactional leader because she was able to monitor the performance and step in to correct the situations as they arose and also utilized passive management since the problem arose unexpectedly and therefore rushed in to handle the situations (Hendel, Fish Galon, 2005). Utilization of these skills gave the manager an upper hand in handling the furious relatives and creating their understanding even though they decided to leave the hospital. Convening a crisis meeting by the management was a very important step as this created an opportunity to address the issue as it happened and come up with solutions to prevent recurrence and provide steps in handling the situation in case it recurs. The affected consultant was also give an opportunity to explain what transpired and he had a genuine reason because he was in theater doing a procedure and he called back to the facility after he was done to inquire why we were calling him them. I felt that the relatives also have role to play during care of their loved by been supportive and establishing a trusting professional relationship with the health professional to establish a common working ground. Decision to withdraw the patient from the hospital was solely made by the relative and the patient felt vulnerable and tossed around since he could not make sound decision there compromising on the patient care in the name of seeking for a service. Evaluation This episode provided a learning situation for me as I experience how difficult it might be in handling clients that you have already established a professional relationship with, and with all efforts to try and let the clients understand the situation by providing them with information. What was good about this incident is that the manager was very calm and composed all through and understood the feelings of the relatives concerning their loved one. She was able to utilize her skills optimally to handle the situation. What was bad about the situation is that the investigation was not carried out and the clients felt ignored or left out and thus opted to leave the hospital and seek services elsewhere as fate would have its way they never accessed the services on the material day because most of them are outsourced and the same consultant does the procedure in the facility they went too. They were embarrassed by their behavior and even come back to apologize on the same and we reassur ed them. Eventually they brought the patient for readmission. Study done in an Israel hospital on conflict resolution on nursing managers indicated that they mostly utilized transformational leadership style because it allows for creativity and flexibility in problem solving and scrutinizing all protocols and policies set to manage situation through critical analysis (Hendel, Fish Galon, 2005). Actions to withdraw the patient and interrupt care compromised on the patient health status and even the expected outcome. Analysis From this situation the patient’s relatives were right in demanding for action because they had been explained about the test, its importance and why the result may be needed to make decision on the way forward in patient’s management. On the same case having not done the test on the same day would not have worsened patient’s condition and still medical management would still be ongoing as we awaited the test to be done. The crisis meeting organized ensured the lasting solution is availed in order to improve on patient care and therefore a ensure quality care leading to better patient outcome. To effectively resolve a conflict a better understanding should be ensured through clear communication and understanding the crisis leading to disagreement. Therefore conflict resolution becomes an important aspect in prevention of errors occurring (Sportsman Hamilton, 2007). The unit manager utilized the transformational theory and understood that followers are an important aspect to facilitate leadership and that the follower is always accountable and with skills to critiques scenarios and issues as they unfold just like the leader does. Similar to the incident the manger took control of the situation vividly which was a learning opportunity for in the unit that day as potential leaders (Daft, 2008). Conclusion From this incident it can be concluded that the health team played their part well though an element of ineffective communication is evident since the relatives were aware that the test needed to be done in order to make decision on the management therefore emphasis had been put across thus explains their fury when it was not done. Leadership experience plays an important role in ensuring or equipping the leader with skills to handle situation in future thus creating an understanding of the theories used in leadership. For one to be effective leader one must learn whom they are what are the strengths and weaknesses establish a personal philosophy and be strong to stand firm and represent what we believe in terms of patients care and skills of conflict resolution (Daft, 2008). Action plan To work as a team is an important aspect of nursing and that effective communication is paramount in ensuring that the patient and relatives are well informed on the care provided to their loved ones. This experience has been an eye opener in me and it has made me realize that I can never be ready to solve a conflict this because each occurrence is always unique and present in a different manner, therefore utilization of leaderships skills become important. This will change the current practice because more emphasis will be on passing information to the relevant bodies. References. Daft, R.L. (2008). The Leadership experience. Mason, OH: SouthWestern. Gibbs, G., (1988) Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods, Oxford Polytechnic Further Education unit. Hendel T., Fish M Galon V. (2005) Leadership style and choice of strategy in conflict management among Israeli nurse managers in general hospitals; Journal of Nursing Management 13, 137–146 Mary L. Johansen (2012 ) Keeping the peace: Conflict management strategies for nurse managers Nursing Management: 43 ( 2) doi: 10.1097/01.NUMA.0000410920.90831.96 Sportsman S, Hamilton P(2007;). Conflict management styles in the health professions. J Prof Nurs. 23(3):157–166.

My Trip To Egypt

My Trip To Egypt It was my grandmothers 70th Birthday in May this year and my Mum, my sister Sophie and my Mums three sisters decided to have a girly long weekend in Dorset during the May half term. Consequently, my Dad and I had most of the week on our own. My Dad came up with a few options of places to go ranging from Paris to Rome but also suggested going to Cairo. As I have always wanted to go to Cairo and see ancient Egypt, I thought that this was a brilliant idea and a fabulous gift from my Dad and I readily agreed to the trip. It was a five hour flight to Cairo and my Mum drove us to the nearest underground station for us to reach Heathrow airport in time for our early morning flight of course the anticipation was killing me as and I desperately wanted to see what an Arab country was like, especially one with all the mysteries of the ancient world that I imagined Egypt to have. We enjoyed the flight I enjoy my Dads company as he is such a good story teller and of course, he had been to Egypt about 20 years before so was telling me about all the things I could expect I couldnt wait! When we stepped off the airplane, the first thing I could feel was the intense heat that was thrown against my face and it seemed to suck the moisture from not only my face but seemed to reach right into my mouth and towel dry my tongue I knew then that I was in a desert country. When we stepped off of the tarmac into the custom hall, the first culture shock hit me and I have never seen so many guns pointing at me as if I was public enemy number one, although on the other hand, it seemed like I was the prime minister arriving! My Dad had arranged for us to be met by a personal driver, and he treated us like visiting royalty, escorting us to the car, looking after our luggage and settling us in for the journey. Although we arent used to that kind of service at home (well apart from my Mum!!), for comfortably-off Westerners with our standard of living this was probably just an average means of transport. I was really interested in seeing Cairo as we drove to our hotel and while it was not immediately as spectacular compared to some of the cities I have visited, it seemed a fairly average city with a lot of slums, colourful graffiti, stray dogs but balanced with some fairly modern buildings too. On the next day my Dad and I decided to visit the market, which was called the Khan E Khali Bazaar and which had a range of shops and stalls that I had never seen before with most of the goods on offer being so cheap that I felt that I could virtually buy the whole bazaar. I bought a lot of souvenirs right away as this was one of the aims of my visit I am a great shopper and collector, especially on holiday, and this visit was going to be no exception! The market was based near the citys main Egyptian museum, is one of the major areas of Cairo and which houses all the mummies and Egyptian artefacts, which are of course key to defining the history of Egypt. The sun was scorching and I felt as if I was inside an oven, but suffering the heat was worth it we ended up spending most of the morning in the colourful, bustling market, taking refuge in the little tea-rooms and of course buying about three shopping bags of a wide range of goodies to take home, for example I bought an old Egypt ian coin which in this country would be worth a lot of money because it is an ancient artefact. The texture of the coin was very rough; I made me think of all the hands it must have been through. I also allowed my imagination to wander and dream about the very strong sun in the sky, beating down on the coin; how many hardworking slaves in Ancient Egypt had stood where I stood now with the sun beating down on them as they toiled in the heat and the dust all those centuries ago, battling with famine and the anxiety of not knowing if theyd see another day? The smells of anywhere new is always something that lodges in your memory and this was no different; we visited a perfume shop that had a whole range of intoxicating perfumed oils and lotions and we bought a full set of different liquids all in their own intricately made glass bottles to take back home to my Mum and Sister. There were so many different spices and perfumes and I just know that when I smell any of these intoxicating aromas, or the smell of meat mixed with the aroma of jasmine and various herbs of the Arabic world, this will remind me of various soap shops that we walked past. Also, I think that the smell of raw meat reminds me of walking past open meat stalls in various supermarkets, such as, Asda, Tesco and Sainsburys I will be instantly transported back to that busy market! We had a really full and interesting day but eventually decided to head back to the hotel and take an afternoon nap so that we would be in the best shape to be ready for a lovely dinner in the hotel in the evening. After a long and relaxing sleep, the next morning, we decided to visit what is called the Gem of Egypt and the world famous pyramids. There were many more pyramids than I expected as there are actually three major ones and three smaller ones. The one I liked best was one known as the step pyramid as this was a major landmark in history for the Egyptians. I cannot imagine how long it would have taken to construct these Wonders of the World. Again my mind wandered back to the Egypt of 3000 years ago when I tried to imagine what it would have been like to be part of the many thousands of poor slaves who were forced to build these massive constructions; I was finding difficult just to stand or walk in this intense heat how hard would it be to pull massive stone blocks into place, or using rope and tackle having to pull the stones up and into their place and then to have these monuments to hard labour stand for thousands of years the whole scene and where it stood in history was mind bl owing. Another equally impressive installation sitting serenely nearby was of course the Sphinx which dominates the pyramids with its beauty and its uniqueness. To see and touch the Sphinx had been one of my life long ambitions and of course, I had to buy a memento a small replica of the beautiful monument, although this souvenir had been painted. Although this is not currently the case, whos to say it wasnt originally painted? At the end of this long, hot and sweaty day making tiring journeys to, from and inside the pyramids, I desperately needed a shower and then we had a relaxing meal and after dinner drink by the moonlit pool (although did have to battle the treacherous nightlife in the form of mosquitoes!), we repeated our pattern of fairly early night and off to bed. Lying in bed of an evening, I heard various different noises of the Arabic world, my imagination was very much alive this holiday due to the lack of internet, television and video games, I had a lot of time to think and reflect on what might have gone on in the surroundings around me. I acted out many scenes in my head, filled with various battles and mysterious tales that have been centred in and around Ancient Egypt. We were very tired the next day and so we decided to take it easy and decided against some trips from the hotel. We woke up lazily at around eleven in the morning, because of the exhausting past two days. After a scrumptious breakfast, we went to the swimming pool which was a clear as a diamond with lovely clean as water. The pool was neither too hot nor too cold but just perfect and the water was of the same quality as in England with no dirt. We swam for about half the day and then made our way to the restaurant again for lunch, this time a buffet laid out perfectly with such a vast selection of delicious food that I felt quite confused as to what I should have for lunch. In the afternoon, we decided to visit the mosque of the Emperor which was so beautiful with all carvings of the Quran and people praying it almost felt like you were in Mecca, the holiest city in Islam, everything was just so authentic. I think when you are faced with a completely different religion or culture, t here are very stark differences and on the surface, you feel that there are no similarities; this is especially true with the differences between Christianity and Islam. However, it is only when you study the religions in depth that you come to realise that there are some things that are very similar or in fact the same. During my visit to the mosque I also learnt some Arabic (for numbers) which sounded like a language made by God. Later on in the evening, we had a real contrast to the holy experiences of the day when we went to watch a typical Arab belly dance with a woman dressed in an Arabian dress showing her bare stomach. It was like a dance exhibition for a king, and she had thousands of pounds worth of jewellery all over her. The dance lasted for about thirty minutes and it was performed while we ate some typical Arab fare for dinner. Finally, we went back to our hotel and because we already had had dinner, went straight to bed. All so quickly, I reached the last day of our fantastic visit to this wonderful country with such diversity, such rich culture and rich smells and tastes. Our flight was quite late at night so during our last day we visited the world renowned Egyptian museum, which contained wonderful artefacts. One artefact which startled me the most was the picture of Tutankhamen, one of the great rulers of Egypt, which was full of rich colours and was truly a work of a great artist. I never imagined that the people of so long ago would have had such refined and great skills, especially artistic and also construction work. The museum was really fascinating and I felt honoured to have witnessed so many treasures. We finally made our way to the airport and even though I didnt want to go home, we had to our flights were booked and so we could not stay longer. The airport had the same high security situation with the guards holding guns on display. I will never forget this trip and the only thing that would have made it even better was if I had my mum and sister with me too.

Mars and the Earth Essay -- Astronomy Space Essays

Mars and the Earth Geologists study the surface of both Mars and Earth by using interplanetary comparative analysis to further their understanding of the two planets. In some ways, Mars resembles Earth. Features on Mars such as an atmosphere, a wind-modified surface, near-surface water, volcanism, seasons, ice caps, dust storms, and channels can be found on Earth as well, albeit slightly different in origination or intensity. Despite their similarities, their differences are profound. Their acute differences in their tectonic framework and their quantities of liquid water affect the geological theories behind the formation of the surface of Earth and Mars. By investigating these similarities and differences, geologists can grasp and acquire a better understanding of the evolution of these two planets. Mars, named after the Roman war god, is known as the Red Planet due to its’ red or pink appearance as it glows in the night sky. Galileo first saw Mars around the year 1610, since then numerous others have viewed the mysterious planet. Just to name a few, Michael Carr in The Surface of Mars (1) describes the trail of Mars’ historical observations; starting with Huyghens in 1659 who verified that Mars, like Earth, had a north-south rotation in a 24-hour period, Cassini who observed polar caps on Mars in 1666, and Herschel who, in the late 1700’s, determined that Mars had seasons much like Earth. According to Cross and Moore, Mars is much smaller and less massive than Earth (8). They also argue that Mars and the Earth move around the Sun in different periods, making observation of geological features extremely difficult since sightings are limited to a few months every other year (12). As difficult as Mars is to obse... ... Editors of Life. The Earth. New York, NY: Time Inc. Book Division, 1962. Carr. Michael H. Images of Mars. Washington, DC: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1980. Carr, Michael H. The Surface of Mars. Westford, Mass: The Murray Printing Co., 1981. Gornitz, Vivien. Geology of the Planet Mars. Stroudsburg, PA: Dowden, Hutchinson & Ross, Inc., 1979. Guest, John. The Earth and Its Satellite. New York, NY: David McKay Company, Inc., 1971. Michaux, C. M. Handbook of the Physical Properties of the Planet Mars. Washington, D. C.: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1967. Mutch, Thomas A. The Geology of Mars. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1976. Moore, Patrick, & Charles A. Cross. Mars. New York, NY: Crown Publishers Inc., 1973. â€Å"Poles Apart: North and South on Mars.† Valley News [Hanover] 6 May 2002, first ed:

Wally :: essays research papers

Elmer, â€Å"Walt† was a friend I knew when I lived in California. Despite being a throwback from the 1960’s and a reject from society’s public eye, Walt still lived with a smile on his face and a story in his heart. Walt loved to tell stories and he loved the place where he told them. Walt also loved to drink and toward the end of an evening the bottle had met his lips way too many times. Old hippy ways faded to history for everyone else but Walt. Elmer didn’t like his real name. He liked being called by his middle name, Walter, because of the relentless teasing that went on in his childhood. Elmer shared the same name as the famous Warner Brothers cartoon character, Elmer Fudd. The small circle of friends which Wally and myself were a part of gave him several nicknames. Two stood out the most. Walt Walter Wally Wallester, all one nickname but kind of long and the other Sir Walter Wally. He liked to be called the latter of the two. I would call him Wallester, which he disliked vehemently, to get a reaction from him. When Walt entered a room, he’d get noticed. It wasn’t his stature. His normal five foot ten inch medium frame didn’t give him away. It was his demeanor and the clothes he wore that would make heads turn. His shoulder length kinked hair and long untrimmed beard surrounding leathery skin would be the focal point for his audience. Walt almost always wore a smile. His facial expression was one of comfort, not hatred. People did not fear him. He chose to wear clothes reminiscent of the late sixties. His brown fringed sued vest would wrap around layers of unmatched colored tee-shirts. His oversized Budweiser belt buckle would rest on his hips holding up striped bellbottom pants that partially coved white on black high top tennis shoes. He’d wear his belt buckle not in the center of his torso but way off to the side almost on his left hip. â€Å"Because I’m cool.† he’d reply when asked about his fashion choice. Sir Walter Wally lived about twenty miles south of Berkeley, California in the small town of Castro Valley. His tiny second story apartment was just outside the downtown area. The complex was old and out of code. The walls had been painted so many times before due to past tenants that it was hard to tell what was wall and what was trim, for the two had blended together creating a single texture.

Curleys Wife in Chapter 4 of Of Mice and Men

1. What does Curley’s wife mean when she says, ‘They left all the weak ones here’? 2. State the three things that you think are most significant about Curley’s wife’s character, situation or behaviour in this chapter. 3. Find and copy down the quotations which show how Crooks reacts to the threats of Curley’s wife. What exactly is she threatening, and why does Crooks react in the way he does? 4. What is Candy referring to when he says that Curley’s wife ‘can move quiet’? 5. (Links to question 2) How does Curley’s wife come across to you in this extract? Compare how she has been portrayed before to how she is now. 6. How do you think Lennie feels about Curley’s wife now? Extension: There are some descriptions in this extract which suggest disturbance. These create a mood for the final events in the novel. Find these, and comment on them. Answers: 1. When Curleys wife says they left all the weak ones here I think she is referring to the reality that because of their circumstances; candy, crooks & Lennie were not capable of visiting the whore house like the other men. Curelys wife is suggesting that they are weaker because of their incapacity to take part in some of the activities other men can. 2. In this chapter I think that Curleys wife comes across as unkind cruel and nasty. She gives off the impressions that she likes feeling higher than others and she seems as though she can be quite dishonest with a inclination to lie. 3. â€Å"Crooks stared hopelessy at her and then sat down on his bunkk and drew into himself† i wrote in my opinion candy says curleys wife can ,move quite because he is making reference to and notifying the fact that curley;s wife is quite sly in what she does as she causes problems and looks for trouble without being seen or heard from others especially curley

The Defensive Mechanisms in Ordinary People by Judith Guest

Ordinary People by Judith Guest is the story of a dysfunctional family who relate to one another through a series of extensive defense mechanisms, i. e. an unconscious process whereby reality is distorted to reduce or prevent anxiety. The book opens with seventeen year old Conrad, son of upper middle-class Beth and Calvin Jarrett, home after eight months in a psychiatric hospital, there because he had attempted suicide by slashing his wrists. His mother is a meticulously orderly person who, Jared, through projection, feels despises him. She does all the right things; attending to Jared's physical needs, keeping a spotless home, plays golf and bridge with other women in her social circle, but, in her own words â€Å"is an emotional cripple†. Jared's father, raised in an orphanage, seems anxious to please everyone, a commonplace reaction of individuals who, as children, experienced parental indifference or inconsistency. Though a successful tax attorney, he is jumpy around Conrad, and, according to his wife, drinks too many martinis. Conrad seems consumed with despair. A return to normalcy, school and home-life, appear to be more than Conrad can handle. Chalk-faced, hair-hacked Conrad seems bent on perpetuating the family myth that all is well in the world. His family, after all, â€Å"are people of good taste. They do not discuss a problem in the face of the problem. And, besides, there is no problem. † Yet, there is not one problem in this family but two – Conrad's suicide and the death by drowning of Conrad's older brother, Buck. Conrad eventually contacts a psychiatrist, Dr. Berger, because he feels the â€Å"air is full of flying glass† and wants to feel in control. Their initial sessions together frustrate the psychiatrist because of Conrad's inability to express his feelings. Berger cajoles him into expressing his emotions by saying, â€Å"That's what happens when you bury this junk, kiddo. It keeps resurfacing. Won't leave you alone. † Conrad's slow but steady journey towards healing seems partially the result of cathartic revelations which purge guilt feelings regarding his brother's death and his family's denial of that death, plus the â€Å"love of a good woman. Jeannine, who sings soprano to Conrad's tenor†¦ † There is no doubt that Conrad is consumed with guilt, â€Å"the feeling one has when one acts contrary to a role he has assumed while interacting with a significant person in his life,† This guilt engenders in Conrad feelings of low self esteem. Survivors of horrible tragedies, such as the Holocaust, frequently express similar feelings of worthlessness. In his book, â€Å"Against All Odds†, William Helmreich relates how one survivor articulates a feeling of abandonment. â€Å"Did I abandon them, or did they abandon me? † Conrad expresses a similar thought in remembering the sequence of events when the sailboat they were on turned over. Buck soothes Conrad saying, â€Å"Okay, okay. They'll be looking now, for sure, just hang on, don't get tired, promise? In an imagined conversation with his dead brother, Conrad asks, â€Å"‘Man, why'd you let go? ‘ ‘Because I got tired. ‘ ‘The hell! You never get tired, not before me, you don't! You tell me not to get tired, you tell me to hang on, and then you let go! ‘ ‘I couldn't help it. Well, screw you, then! ‘† Conrad feels terrible anger with his brother, but cannot comfortably express that anger. His psychiatrist, after needling Conrad, asks, â€Å"Are you mad? When Conrad responds that he is not mad, the psychiatrist says, â€Å"Now that is a lie. You are mad as hell. † Conrad asserts that, â€Å"When you let yourself feel, all you feel is lousy. † When his psychiatrist questions him about his relationship with his mother, Calvin says, â€Å"My mother and I do not connect. Why should it bother me? My mother is a very private person. † This sort of response is called, in psychological literature, â€Å"rationalization†. We see Conrad's anger and aggression is displaced, i. e. vented on another, as when he physically attacked a schoolmate. Yet, he also turns his anger on himself and expresses in extreme and dangerous depression and guilt. â€Å"Guilt is a normal emotion felt by most people, but among survivors it takes on special meaning. Most feel guilty about the death of loved ones whom they feel they could have, or should have, saved. Some feel guilty about situations in which they behaved selfishly (Conrad held on to the boat even after his brother let go), even if there was no other way to survive. In answer to a query from his psychiatrist on when he last got really mad, Conrad responds, â€Å"When it comes, there's always too much of it. I don't know how to handle it. † When Conrad is finally able to express his anger, Berger, the psychiatrist says to Calvin, â€Å"Razoring is anger; self-mutilation is anger. So this is a good sign; turning his anger outward at last. † Because his family, and especially his mother, frowns upon public displays of emotion, Conrad keeps his feelings bottled up, which further contributes to depression. Encyclopedia Britannica, in explicating the dynamics of depression states, â€Å"Upon close study, the attacks on the self are revealed to be unconscious expressions of disappointment and anger toward another person, or even a circumstance†¦ deflected from their real direction onto the self. The aggression, therefore, directed toward the outside world is turned against the self. † The article further asserts that, â€Å"There are three cardinal psychodynamic considerations in depression: (1) a deep sense of loss of what is loved or valued, which may be a person, a thing or even liberty; (2) a conflict of mixed feelings of love and hatred toward what is loved or highly valued; (3) a heightened overcritical concern with the self. † Conrad's parents are also busily engaged in the business of denial. Calvin, Conrad's father, says, â€Å"Don't worry. Everything is all right. By his own admission, he drinks too much, â€Å"because drinking helps†¦ , deadening the pain†. Calvin cannot tolerate conflict. Things must go smoothly. â€Å"Everything is jello and pudding with you, Dad. † Calvin, the orphan says, â€Å"Grief is ugly. It is something to be afraid of, to get rid of†. â€Å"Safety and order. Definitely the priorities of his life. He constantly questions himself as to whether or not he is a good father. â€Å"What is fatherhood, anyway? † Beth, Conrad's mother, is very self-possessed. She appears to have a highly developed super-ego, that part of an individual's personality which is â€Å"moralistic†¦ , meeting the demands of social convention, which can be irrational in requiring certain behaviors in spite of reason, convenience and common sense†. She is furthermore, a perfectionist. â€Å"Everything had to be perfect, never mind the impossible hardship it worked on her, on them all. † Conrad is not unlike his mother. He is an overachiever, an â€Å"A† student, on the swim team and a list-maker. His father tells the psychiatrist, â€Å"I see her not being able to forgive him. For surviving, maybe. No, that's not it, for being too much like her. † A psychoanalyst might call her anal retentive. Someone who is â€Å"fixated symbolically in orderliness and a tendency toward perfectionism†. â€Å"Excessive self-control, not expressing feelings, guards against anxiety by controlling any expression of emotion and denying emotional investment in a thing or person. â€Å"She had not cried at the funeral†¦. She and Conrad had been strong and calm throughout. The message of the book is contained in Berger's glib saying that, â€Å"People who keep stiff upper lips find that it's damn hard to smile†. We see Conrad moving toward recovery and the successful management of his stage of development, as articulated by Erikson, â€Å"intimacy vs. isolation†. At story end, his father is more open with Conrad, moving closer to him, while his mother goes off on her own to work out her issues. Both trying to realize congruence in their development stage (Erikson), â€Å"ego integrity vs. despair†.

Gawai Day or Gawai Dayak

Gawai Day or Gawai Dayak is a festival celebrated in Sarawak on 1 June every year. It is both a religious and social occasion. The word Gawai means a ritual or festival whereas Dayak is a collective name for the native ethnic groups of Sarawak (and neighboring Indonesian Kalimantan): the Iban, also known as Sea Dayak and the Bidayuh people, also known as Land Dayak. Thus, Gawai Dayak literally means â€Å"Dayak Festival†. Dayak would visit their friends and relatives on this day. Such visit is more commonly known as â€Å"ngabang† in the Iban language. Those too far away to visit would receive greeting cards. It started back in 1957 in a radio forum held by Mr Ian Kingsley, a radio programme organiser. This generated a lot of interest among the Dayak community. The mode of celebration varies from place to place. Preparation starts early. Tuak (rice wine) is brewed (at least one month before the celebration) and traditional delicacies like penganan (cakes from rice flour, sugar and coconut milk) are prepared. As the big day approaches, everyone will be busy with general cleaning and preparing food and cakes. On Gawai Eve, glutinous rice is steamed in bamboo (ngelulun pulut). In the longhouse, new mats will be laid out on the ruai (an open gallery which runs through the entire length of the longhouse). The walls of most bilik (rooms) and the ruai are decorated with Pua Kumbu (traditional blankets). A visit to clean the graveyard is also conducted and offerings offered to the dead. After the visit it is important to bathe before entering the longhouse to ward off bad luck. The celebration starts on the evening of 31 May. In most Iban longhouses, it starts with a ceremony called Muai Antu Rua (to cast away the spirit of greed), signifying the non-interference of the spirit of bad luck in the celebration. Two children or men each dragging a chapan (winnowing basket) will pass each family's room. Every family will throw some unwanted article into the basket. The unwanted articles will be tossed to the ground from the end of the longhouse for the spirit of bad luck. Around 6 pm or as the sun sets, miring (offering ceremony) will take place. Before the ceremony, gendang rayah (ritual music) is performed. The Feast Chief thanks the gods for the good harvest, and asks for guidance, blessings and long life as he waves a cockerel over the offerings. He then sacrifices the cockerel and a little blood is used together with the offerings. Once the offering ceremony is done, dinner is then served at the ruai. Just before midnight, a procession up and down the ruai seven times called Ngalu Petara (welcoming the spirit gods) is performed. During this procession, a beauty pageant to choose the festival's queen and king (Kumang & Keling Gawai) is sometimes conducted. Meanwhile, drinks, traditional cakes and delicacies are served. At midnight, the gong is beaten to call the celebrants to attention. The longhouse Chief (tuai rumah) or Festival Chief will lead everyone to drink the Ai Pengayu (normally tuak for long life) and at the same time wish each other â€Å"gayu-guru, gerai-nyamai† (long life, health and prosperity). The celebration now turns merrier and less formal. Some will dance to the traditional music played, others will sing the pantun (poems). In urban areas, Dayaks will organise gatherings at community centres or restaurants to celebrate the evening. Other activities that may follow the next few days include: cock-fighting matches, and blowpipe and ngajat competitions. On this day, 1 June, homes of the Dayaks are opened to visitors and guests. Traditionally, when guests arrive at a longhouse, they are given the ai tiki as a welcome. From time to time, guests are served tuak. This would be called nyibur temuai which literally means â€Å"watering of guests†. Christian Dayaks normally attend a church mass service to thank God for the good harvest. Gawai Dayak celebrations may last for several days. It is also during this time of year that many Dayak weddings take place, as it is one of the rare occasions when all the members of the community return home to their ancestral longhouse. Up till 1962, the British colonial government refused to recognise Dayak Day. Gawai Dayak was formally gazetted on 25 September 1964 as a public holiday in place of Sarawak Day. It was first celebrated on 1 June 1965 and became a symbol of unity, aspiration and hope for the Dayak community. Today, it is an integral part of Dayak social life. It is a thanksgiving day marking good harvest and a time to plan for the new farming season or activities ahead.

Black Social Movements Essay

The political and social structure of the United States can be difficult to comprehend. How does one rationalize that in 1776, America declared its independence from England by stating, in part that â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness,† yet, in 1818, in the very same country, Frederick Douglass is born a slave? (Jefferson, 2004 p. 612; Library). It appears that under certain circumstances, it is not self-evident that the Right to Liberty is unalienable. Fortunately, America has progressed, and while it would be difficult to support the position that Blacks have arrived at a point of complete equity with Whites, it is safe to say that giant strides have been made, but these strides have required action in the form of organized social movements. Blumer (1939) stated that â€Å"social movements can be viewed as collective enterprises to establish a new order of life. They have their inception in the condition of unrest, and derive their motive power on one hand from dissatisfaction with the current form of life, and on the other hand, from wishes and hopes for a new scheme or system of living† (p. 199). This analysis captures the meaning and significance of today’s Black social movements: that while the Black community now enjoys an increased equality and level of privilege when compared with what it was allowed in the recent past, there remains significant ground to be covered before true parity can be reached. The awareness of this need within the Black community has created both unrest and dissatisfaction, but past successes in the fight for social equality have nurtured a desire for even more change. One of the most influential areas of modern, American society is the media—specifically television—and it is here that an important social movement can be traced: the increased inclusion of Blacks on T. V. During the 1950’s, shows like I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, and Dick Clark’s American Bandstand all premiered (List of years in television). Each of these shows featured characters and storylines that dealt with an America that was portrayed as White. Moving into the 1960’s, a time of great advances in the Nation’s struggle for racial equality, the television fare featured the premier of The Dick Van Dyke Show, Green Acres, and the original Star Trek (List of years in television). This decade’s entertainment also featured a predominantly White world-view; however, Star Trek’s promise â€Å"to go where no man has gone before† was as much a testament to the people, issues, and possibilities that were at the forefront of social improvement as it was a reference to space travel (Star Trek: The Original Series). To the credit of Star Trek’s creator, Gene Roddenberry, his multi-racial, multi-gender crew, included Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Uhura, a stunning, articulate, high-ranking, black woman whose role it was to keep lines of communication open. This was a step in the right direction for Blacks as it allowed White America to absorb a new concept: Blacks are intelligent, responsible, and worthy of authority; they do not exist merely to dust, clear tables, and act as the butt of jokes. Currently, the face of television has become far more diverse, and there are networks such as BET (Black Entertainment Television) that cater to and feature Blacks. It is my belief that the change that has taken place in television media over the last half-century can be attributed to the increased awareness of those who once had sole control of the medium (Whites), coupled with the increase in buying power of Blacks, and the desire on the part of Blacks to assume command of part of television (e. g. BET). The fact that Blacks desire greater representation and control within television media is part of the ongoing, modern social movement towards equality that the Black community embraces. What does this all mean? Primarily, it means that social changes come about slowly, pushed by two forces: natural social change, and active social movements. It was natural that at some point someone would include a character like Lieutenant Uhura in a series, but along with this natural progression, more action was needed. There was only one Uhura on television, but there were thousands of Black women like her out in the world. This is why networks such as BET are so important: they represent an active social movement in the Black community; an insistence that part of the focus, part of the power, and part of the control be in the hands of Blacks. It may be true that our Nation’s Declaration of Independence seemed to say one thing but represent another; however, Frederick Douglass survived the mixed message and went on to contribute significantly to American history and ideals. Today’s Blacks are aware of a truth Douglass understood: that to make strides, one must work within the framework of the majority, while never doubting the singular strength of an individual’s effect on a nation. Without the early encouragement of his Master’s wife, Douglass may not have been introduced to the desire to learn, but that desire led Douglass to greater pursuits (Douglass, 2004, pp. 62-65). The Black community is now represented in local, state, and federal government: a sign that the community is working individually (i. e. running and voting), and within the framework of the majority (i. e. the established government and its rules) to improve its position within the United States of America. Schools are filled with a variety of ethnicities, both in front of the classroom and seated within it, and Blacks are embracing the need to educate themselves to ensure better jobs, financial success, and future opportunities. Essentially, the focus of today’s Black social movements can be viewed as those actions that fall within the context of the majority’s framework and are designed to allow members of the Black community greater parity within this frameowrk. At the same time, these actions are being encouraged and supported on an individual by individual basis, so that the overall strength of each person can be added to the collective, and both might benefit from natural social change as well as active social movements. References Blumer, H. (1939). Collective behavior. In R. E. Park (Ed. ), An outline f the principles of Sociology. (pp. 199). New York, NY: Barnes and Noble. Douglass, F. (2004). Learning to read and write. In Comley, N. , Hamilto, D. , Klaus, C. H. , Scholes, R. , & Sommers, N. (Eds. ), Fields of reading: motives for writing. (pp. 62-66). Boston, Mass. : Bedford. Jefferson, T. (2004). The Declaration of Independence. In Comley, N. , Hamilto, D. , Klaus, C. H. , Scholes, R. , & Sommers, N. (Eds. ), Fields of reading: motives for writing. (pp. 612-615). Boston, Mass. : Bedford. Library of Congress, The. The Frederick Douglass papers. Timeline. Retrieved September 12, 2006, from http://rs6. loc. gov/ammem/doughtml/timeline. html. List of years in television. (2006, September 11). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 12, 2006, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/ List_of_years_in_television. Star Trek: The Original Series. (2006, September 11). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 12, 2006, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/ Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series.

Selecting a suitable computer system

Task: Find three computer systems which are currently for sale and evaluate their specifications and select the one which you think is most suitable for Ben and Jerry. Write a detailed report to the family identifying the computers you have selected and explaining which computer that you consider to be the most suitable, justifying your choice. (Distinction Criteria) Dear Andrew, I received your letter regarding a new computer for your children and I looked up several computers matching the criteria you provided. I trimmed the list to just three computers and I gave you my honest thoughts about them including a critical, technical analysis of each computer. I hope you find my advice helpful. The first computer I wanted you to look at was the Apple Mac Pro which at à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5691 is a high end, top of the line PC that is very expensive but very powerful nonetheless. The Mac Pro has a powerful quad core processor with two dual core processors capable of 16 GB of SDRAM. To have 16 GBs is unheard of in the computing world so Ben should find that whatever demanding application he uses, the computer still handles smoothly. At 2 TB it has a huge hard disk space that dwarfs other mainstream hard drive sizes. Having this amount of space would allow Ben to store as many games as he wants without worrying about the size of it. The graphics card is the impressive 512MB nVidia Quadro FX 4500 that has a 128 bit memory interface when most these days only have 64 bit. This graphics card however seems more appropriate for casual gamer, and those who are not in the market for the latest graphics card. I'm unsure that Ben is just a casual gamer or if he's a games enthusiast who is very interested in his gaming. Nonetheless, this graphics card is not only supportive of the latest graphics but it also possesses enough processing power to generate smooth gaming with out any noticeable lagging. The Mac Pro comes with one of the best professional video editing software programmes that's used by many Hollywood movie editors. Final Cut Pro is one of the leading video editing applications with thousands of effects and although, it looks complicated to begin with, eventually it does become much easier to use. Its image editing package is impressive as well with Adobe Fireworks, Illustrator and Photoshop available for Jerry to play around with. Illustrator is a vector based image editor and Photoshop is simply the best application for the editing of digital images.Windows 7 Check Your Understanding One mustn't discount the Photobooth feature which uses its webcam to take pictures and videos. It has a range of standard effects such as sepia tone, black and white, thermal camera, X ray, comic, mirror etc. There are range of backdrops like clouds, colour dots and rollercoaster available. This would please Jerry since he preferred a PC with a webcam to record. The price includes an Apple DVI to Video adaptor to connect the PC to your Television in order to view the movies you downloaded. An excellent aspect of this PC is the operating system it uses. The Mac OS snow leopard is a far more efficient OS when compared to Windows due to the fact that it's not susceptible to viruses and its stunning user interface. Every button has a glassy feel and all applications are organised very well. The finder application searches through the hard drive at incredible speeds to look for a document or another application. It has a futuristic feel that Windows Vista and 7 have recently tried to emulate, however, the original is always the best. It was largely well received by many critics and was referred to as the most advanced OS in the world. Apple Macs are reputed to have excellent screen quality and its 23 inch screen is suitable for gaming and having such a wide screen would allow Jerry to have a spacious desktop and to work freely when editing his images or videos. The next computer that maybe worth a look in is the Dell XPS 430 Desktop which at à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½670 is very much cheaper than the Apple Mac Pro; in truth this is a very competitive price for a powerful machine such as this. In addition to this, Dell is market leader manufacturing high quality PCs with a glowing worldwide reputation. Most of the features match up to your criteria. For example, you said that Jerry has an interest in photo editing. The XPS 430 has the latest Adobe Elements package including Photoshop which is tailored for a person like Jerry. Adobe Photoshop is industry standard editing software that has a plethora of editing effects and capabilities and I assure you that it's perfect for an image editing enthusiast like Jerry. Granted Adobe Premiere elements is a scaled down version of the industry standard Adobe Premier Pro, however, it's still the best selling consumer video editing software because it has a range of advantages over its competitors. Features like real time rendering would help Jerry to immediately preview his edits to the timeline. This machine also has a deck-top docking area to conveniently dock, charge and cable route for portable devices – such as digital camera, in the case of Jerry. This undoubtedly makes things much easier where all Jerry would have to do is to doc k the camera and then edit straight from there! In addition to this, the XPS is a self-titled gaming computer which is perfect for Ben. By using ATI2 and NVIDIA2 graphic solutions, the XPS 430 is capable of delivering high end multimedia features including next generation graphics and HD quality video. Most impressive of all, the machine's processor is a top of the line Intel Quad Core 2 processor that was specifically built to handle the most demanding games. High detailed games are rendered by four hardware threads, which in turn distribute the AI and physics evenly. This powerful processor is tailor made for Ben who thrives on the latest games. Nowadays, many games take up several GB's of space meaning smaller hard drives would struggle. The XPS 430 has 2 TB's (that's a 2000 GB) of hard drive space which is more than three times the size of a hard drive on normal computer. Plus, there are plenty of USB ports (5 internal, 7 external to be precise) in case Ben wants to plug in a games controller or joystick. The speaker that come s with the package is the Bose Companion 3 Series II which is a multimedia speaker system that is unlike any other conventional speaker in the sense that it delivers crisp sound and stunning ambience that creates a life like atmosphere, be it playing games or watching a HD movie. Also, since the computer has a Blu-Ray disk drive, it has the ability to play games or watch films in true high definition. I'm also impressed with the Dell Ultrasharp widescreen display that completes the High definition capability of the PC. Since the monitor's widescreen, you get the sense that it's almost a widescreen television not a PC monitor. Its operating system Windows Vista is reputed to be a media centric OS so Jerry and Ben would enjoy using its 3D user interface which has an Apple Mac feel. The XPS 430's RAM is well above average too with 8GB. Most computers have 2, maybe 3 GB because that's an acceptable amount. RAM is a good indicator of how good a computer is because it shows how many programmes a machine can run without having to slow down. So the more RAM on store, the more programmes you can run without worrying about it slowing things down. Finally, we mustn't ignore the digital video capture capability in this PC. It has a built in 2.0 mega pixel camera which is capable of taking pictures, record videos and it's perfect when added with VOIP(Voice over Internet Protocol) software such as Skype. The XPS 430 also has 1 VGA and HDMI output to connect the PC to your TV, allowing you to watch downloaded films on your TV; This PC certainly ticks all your boxes. The last PC I picked out was the HP Pavilion Elite which is nearly twice as expensive as the Dell at à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1279. The feature you immediately notice is the processor which is twice as capable as the Intel Quad Core 2 processor that was in the Dell XPS 430. The Intel Core i7-860 Processor is a processor that was specifically designed for multi-tasking purposes. That's why unlike the Intel Quad Core 2 it has 8 threads to share the workload. One of its features, Intel Smart Cache, was optimized to deliver a higher quality gaming performance with an improved capable cache system. In addition to this, other features like HD Boost and Turbo Boost technology handle the most demanding programmes maximising the performance leading to an overall improvement of a plethora of multimedia and computer intensive programmes. Its clock speed of 2.8 GHz is also marginally better than the Quad Core 2 Processor (2.66 GHz) – the clock speed measures how fast a PC can complete basic calculations and operations. This processor would be incredibly useful for both your children as it's perfect for high detail HD gaming and image editing which would need multiple applications to be open. The OS system Microsoft 7 Home premium is the latest OS from windows and has a range of multimedia applications that would satisfy both Ben and Jerry. The latest Windows media centre can act as a hub for all your children's multimedia needs. Here they can watch videos, photos and even play games! Applications that are included with the OS under Microsoft like Movie Maker, DVD Maker and photo gallery are standard multimedia programmes that are still competent in helping the user to maximise their multimedia experience. The graphics card would no doubt excite Ben who I understand is a games enthusiast. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 230 is a graphics card with Purevideo HD technology which like the graphics card in the XPS 430 allows the user to immerse themselves in true high definition gaming. Another added benefit to gaming, is the â€Å"7.1 HD audio support† that would undoubtedly create a unique gaming atmosphere. The disk drive size of 1.5 TB is enormous even though it's not as much the XPS 430 (2 TB in size) and it would mean that both your children can store plenty of games, videos and images without worrying about how big they are. It has an equal RAM capability to the XPS 430 at 8 GB, allowing the computer to run many programmes at the same time without worrying about it slowing things down. This is ideal for Jerry in particular who would be using multiple, highly demanding applications to edit his videos and images. This particular PC comes with a HP games console that has hours of free gameplay that would certainly entertain Ben. The fact that it has 10 external USB ports is useful if he were to plug in his joystick or games controller. This PC may however disappoint Jerry due to the fact that it doesn't have an image editing software included. However, it does have one of the world's best video editing software in Cyberlink DVDSuite. This application is not as competent as Adobe Premiere Elements but I still feel that it's an excellent video editing software that is suited for an amateur video editing enthusiast. This machine also doesn't have a webcam which is a downside but it does have a VGA and a HDMI port to plug the PC on to your television. In conclusion, the HP pavilion would not be recommended by me due to the absence of an image editing software. I feel for à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1279 it doesn't suit the criteria and so would be a waste of money. It doesn't have a webcam either further deteriorating its credibility. However, this PC is very suited for Ben because of the quality of the graphics card, the audio support and the free HP games console that's included and not to forget the brilliant PC monitor. On the other extreme, the Apple Mac Pro is nearly à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½6000 and for that money you're getting the best OS in the world, superb image editing software and a world class video editing application in Final Cut pro. Its Imagebooth applications boast the ability to take pictures and videos and have a range of effects. This makes it perfect for Jerry who loves editing videos and images. However, I don't believe it's suitable for Ben as the graphics card is a just a mainstream graphics card that may struggle with certain demanding games. The fact that it doesn't have a blu-ray disc drive is a negative as well as it would be unable to play HD games. For the amount of money, you'd expect this PC to be perfect but it's far from it. That leaves me with the Dell XPS 430 which I reckon is the most suitable PC as it satisfies the needs of both Jerry and Ben equally well. Its graphics card is incredibly powerful and the RAM it possesses is enough to handle the most highly detailed games. It even has a blu-ray disc drive to play HD games and its quad core 2 processor is one of the best for gaming. Ben is sure to be impressed with these specifications. Jerry on the other hand will be excited to have Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere which are excellent programmes for image and video editing. The XPS 430 even has deck-top docking area to conveniently dock portable devices like a digital camera. This would without doubt be convenient for Jerry as he can simply plug in his camera and get editing without wasting much time. It has a VGA and HDMI output to connect to the television and watch movies and its sound system gives an incredible atmosphere. Whether it's watching videos or playing games this sound system would simply maximise the viewing experience. One mustn't forget that it also has a 2.0 mega pixel camera that records and takes pictures and is suitable for applications like Skype. The icing on the cake without doubt has to be the fact that it's the cheapest PC from the ones I've listed at à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½670 and that's why I recommend that you purchase the Dell XPS 430.