The Industrial Revolution Was An Innovative Period For...

The Industrial Revolution was an innovative period for entrepreneurs and inventors, in which many monumental technologies were introduced. However, many of those of the factory workers suffered from the social and economic conditions that resulted from the revolution in the 19th and 20th centuries. Some social conditions were that working women increasingly took up the workforce in textile factories as a way to earn money, but they also faced abuse from men and the harsh working conditions. Furthermore, manufacturers wanted to increase their profits by ensuring that the maximum amount of work could be done in a day, thus they increased the working shifts. The want to increase profits was an economic condition that factory workers had to†¦show more content†¦Although most females workers were older than 20, a social condition was strongly indicated that child labor was very much existent during the 19th and early 20th centuries as a way to provide for themselves and their fam ilies. E. Patricia Tsurumi also provided the genders and ages in the silk factories, but in Nagano Japan. In Nagano, female workers from ages 15 to 20 took up the majority of the workforce. Despite the varied numbers of female workers, both Coleman and Tsurumi presented information that females were mainly employed in textile factories. On the other hand, Harriet Hanson Robinson provided a closer perspective in a former female factory worker’s experience. Robinson, the female factory worker, wrote about how females in the cotton factory had to endure abusive working conditions and the reduced wages in Lowell. Robinson held a specific opinion upon the working conditions as the greatest hardship in the lives of children and that the reduced wages were unfair social conditions, because she was once a factory girl. A factory girl was considered to be the lowest among the employments of women; as a result, Robison may have endured much of the hardships and cruel treatment in the f actories at a very young age. It was a common social condition among many factory workers that they had to withstand the long hours, such as described in documents 3, 4, and 5. In Okaya, Japan, an average workday was 13 to 14 hours long with

Surfacing-Margaret Atwood Free Essays

Back at her old nature satiated homestead she begins to recall from her mind the clouded thoughts of a mime that was and the memories burled deep In her soul that will eventually surface. I believe the protagonist suffers from a combination of Inferiority complex and anxiety; and stemming from the fact that she has had several failed relationships only solidifies the belief that her Internal disorders magnify and rule her life, but she eventually comes to recognize this. Throughout the story she Intentionally looks for flaws In the people around, and uses this as an excuse for not giving herself to a relationship. We will write a custom essay sample on Surfacing-Margaret Atwood or any similar topic only for you Order Now She routinely correlates good evil as a manipulative tool to ensure her isolation. She has suffered rejection, abortion, and the cold and not-so-pretty realities of the world and passes the blame to her parents for not preparing her. It began after her college Professor, a married father, paid for her abortion and left her alone in an ‘abortion house’ so she could pass away the life of their unborn daughter. Snatched from her womb, she is haunted by the images. She wanted to conceive Joey’s baby in order to replace the terminated seedling that she had destroyed. She talks in artful metaphors about that day throughout the story and I didn’t fully realize the implications until after she surfaced from the bottom of the cake. As she lay there in the boat recalling the created lies and the distance she had created with her family in order to preserve her sanity I began to flip back toward the beginning correlating the vague and indirect innuendos from earlier in the story. The picturesque wedding at the post office, the daughter that never was, these were all a collage; layered memories, crafted and cleverly constructed in order to hide the ugly truth. Finally, her tattered and broken emotions are able to surface from the bottom of the lake, only to have them buried again as she receives the news of her ethers death from that liar David’, and its as if the denial seed would grow new roots again, saving her from yet another brink of despair. She decides she will take the â€Å"Random Samples† of David and Joe with her and reels them out Into the lake, and In doing so I think she is freeing Anne from her life of pain with David. The mind Is a powerful place, and his was a powerful story. My only disappointment was at the end, for not knowing whether or not she and Joe reunited. Was, she really pregnant? Did she regain her sanity? I’d Like to think so†¦ Margaret Atwood tells a story In an absolutely magical way. She has such strong construction of words, blending and layering them effortlessly to construct raw emotion In the process. I’m keeping this one! Surfacing-Margaret Atwood By Marseille their two friendly antagonist acquaintances’, Anne David, have Joined her in the the remote summer lake house, situated on a private island. Back at her old nature time that was and the memories buried deep in her soul that will eventually surface. I believe the protagonist suffers from a combination of inferiority complex and only solidifies the belief that her internal disorders magnify and rule her life, but she eventually comes to recognize this. Throughout the story she intentionally looks for flaws in the people around, and uses this as an excuse for not giving herself to a relationship. She routinely correlates good evil as a manipulative tool to ensure â€Å"Random Samples† of David and Joe with her and reels them out into the lake, and in doing so I think she is freeing Anne from her life of pain with David. The mind is a Did she regain her sanity? I’d like to think so†¦ Margaret Atwood tells a story in an layering them effortlessly to construct raw emotion in the process. I’m keeping this How to cite Surfacing-Margaret Atwood, Papers

Sunflowers Incorporated case study free essay sample

?Sunflower Incorporated An Organization Development Case Study Presented By: Sunflower Inc is a Large Distribution Company Throughout US Canada Which are Divided into 22 Regions. Autonomous Management Because of Local Tastes Practices. Great Variance of Profit Margins Across Regions Due to: Huge Profits by Offering Substandard Products. Struggling to Keep up With Competition. Standardization Decision Was Taken Albanese, Proposed Implementation of Standardized Pricing Purchasing Decision Across All Regions. The Change Was Implemented by Sending Email to the Executives. 8 weeks later, Albanese had not Received any Notices. â€Å"They Believed that Highly Profitable Regions Use Lower Quality Items, Even Seconds†. â€Å"Albanese Believed that the Only Way to Standardize Operations was for Each Region to Notify the Home office in advance†¦. † â€Å"She Believed the Procedures was Needed Now! † Could Sunflower’s Top Management Successfully Make a Proper Diagnosis? If Quality is at Risk, Could Monitoring the Pricing Purchasing Practice be a Proper Fix? Did the Management Followed the Proper Steps to Select a Qualified OD Practitioner? Can Ms. We will write a custom essay sample on Sunflowers Incorporated case study or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Albanese be a Good Candidate as an OD Practitioner? After 3 weeks of the job, Could Albanese the Management Assess the Impacts Justify the Need for Standardization? Could All Parties Perceive the Magnitude of Change They were About to Adopt? In Understanding the Nature Requirements of the Planned Change Process. Insufficient Diagnosis (by Internals) Wrong Selection of the OD Practitioner. Insufficient Diagnosis by the OD as Well. Entering Contracting Lacked 3 Core keys. Setting Mutual Expectations. The Time Resources Devoted to it. Developing the Ground Rules for Working Together. Engage an Expert with Experience in Organizational Development or Behavioral Science. Explain Clearly the Need for Change to the Client or Organization. Joint Diagnosis of the Problem with main Stakeholders. Create a Clear Forum for Discussion With all the Necessary Stakeholders. Ensure Proper Communication Model is used. Thank You Questions

Violence Essays (791 words) - Dispute Resolution, Crime, Criminology

Violence Enjoying Violence There are many different views on how violent films and music affect people. Personally, I believe violent films and music do not affect people, but some studies show they do. There are also various reasons why people want to see violent films, and why artists and producers continue to produce violent films and music. From the article ?Film Violence and Subsequent Aggressive Tendencies,? they write that even in the 1920's and 1930's people were affected by watching and reading things containing violent behavior. The authors write that media violence induces crime and juvenile delinquency. Through their experiments, when a film is being watched, the emotional state of the audience plays a big role. When preschoolers watched the aggressive behavior of adults in a movie, they later reacted to mild frustrations. Violence in films does not just affect youngsters, but people of all ages. In the same study Lovaas and Walters experimented with the same idea. Their final conclusion was that, ?stimuli presented on the movie screen can arouse previously learned aggressiveness habits, producing overtly hostile behavior.? As you can see through these experiments, people can and sometimes do react to violence in films. Most often, however, people do not react to the violence in films and music. People who have been raised ?properly? and who have word structure will most likely not react to the violence that is put out there on films and in music. On the other hand, if you were raised in a violent situation with faltering vocal structure, violence could majorly affect you. Aggression is normal in all of us. But when aggression turns into violence, the people behind the violence are probably troubled already. The hit single, C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me), by hip-hop artists Wu-Tang Clan, best describes why people make violent films and music; its the 4 money says Danyel Smith, ?Tough Talk on Entertainment.? Rappers rap about shooting people and gunfire in songs. Films show people being shot to death. Do you really think the listeners and viewers are going to go out and shoot someone or something? The producers are all about making money too. In the article ?Tough Talk on Entertainment,? rapper Ice Cube summed it up in an interview. ?His work is for young people and if his audience wanted something else he would give it to them.? These people are about making money and by doing that they have to produce things that people want. I guess violence is in right now. When films and songs show violence or have violent lyrics, I believe that this is quality. Violence in the media, in this case films and music, does not cause violence, but merely reflects the truth of the society we live in. Any reasonable person can see that only ?disturbed? people are the ones reacting and this is why we have all the violence we do. So why is there so much violence in the media? There are many reasons why people enjoy going to violent films. From ?Why We Crave Horror Movies,? Stephen King writes, to show that we can and that we are not afraid. Another reason is to re-establish our feelings of essential normality. We also go for fun. This fun, in a twisted way, we get when we see others threatened, sometimes even killed. Basically, horror and violent films appeal to all that is the worst in us. People enjoy the suspense and the reaction of others. Many reasons come to mind why I go to see violent films, but Stephen King sums it up in his article, ?If we share a brotherhood of man, then we also share an insanity of man.? I realize that violence in films and music can affect people. I thinks that if people blame films and music on their actions, they are ignorant. Yes, you may get ideas in your head, but if you act upon those ideas then you must be mentally ill. The producers and artists do it for one main reason, the money. If people didn't enjoy violent films and 4 music, then why is there such a high demand for it? *Final Note As I stated earlier I do not believe that violence in the media has a impact on the violence in society. When people blame song lyrics and movies on their actions, I do not believe them. Their minds were already disturbed, they just finally decided to go and create the violence. If we are trying to stop all the violence

Aristotles Ethics and Metaphysics

Aristotles Ethics and Metaphysics Aristototles metaphysics The subject ‘Ethics’ owes its origin to the work of Aristotle. The original emphasis was on the question of virtue of personality. According to Aristotle the acquisition of virtue led to a good life (Aristotle 12-14). Generally, Ethics is a topic that chronologically exposes how people should live satisfactory lives.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Aristotle’s Ethics and Metaphysics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Initially, the study was principally associated with the study of politics particularly the issue of law making which looks at how people were brought up. The study looked at this question by studying the community from which the individuals hailed from. Aristotle’s initial response to the question on how best one can live a good life was through a life of philosophy and self-reflection. He looked at the issue of ethics by looking at virtue, the good life , friendship, and political science. Virtue Aristotle is of the view that a virtue makes it possible for a thing to function well. Its function is seen as what it can do or what it emerges best in doing. He uses a sharp knife to explain this idea; a good knife is one that cuts with ease and a sharp knife is most appropriate for that definition. A man’s virtue is his personality that makes him good and which enables his to perform tasks well. For a man to function well, there are many virtues that have to be in place. These virtues may be physical or intellectual (Aristotle 45-47). His arguments are agreeable since the when it comes to the issue of talent; those who are talented in some aspects of life are best suited to their areas of interest. However much a doctor or an engineer is learned, he or she cannot perform the work of a sculptor. It is accurate that specific persons have special abilities to perform functions best than others. That is why we find that doctors who w ere trained in the same institutions over the same period of time differ in their professionalism. There is therefore someone somewhere who can undertake a certain task better than others. He divided this topic into three; moral virtue, continence, patience, and virtue, desert, and the intellectual values. He differentiates moral virtue from natural virtue. Natural virtue is said to be innate while moral virtue is acquired in the course of one’s life. A person may be born brave or calm but moral virtues are necessary to ensure that such a person acts appropriately to arising situations. Moral standards cannot be easily defined hence they have to be determined by good judgment. A good judge should have practical wisdom and should be in a position to judge well in a range of cases. Aristotle overemphasizes on moral virtue which is chiefly concerned with the correct amount of feeling. He overlooks other important factors such as the act of feeling them in the most appropriate ti me, with special reference to the right objects, to the right individuals, with the right intention, and in the correct way. He therefore fails to look at these factors in depth hence erroneous claims.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Virtuous people feel obliged to do good things and they take pleasure in undertaking such tasks without regrets or great effort, on the other hand vicious people take pleasure in doing the wrong things without uncertainty and regrets. In real life situations, to do what is right often calls for great struggle. This is because people prefer using shortcuts when doing something. When one decides to do what is good, no shortcuts can be used in most cases hence more effort is needed. On the other hand, Aristotle is mistaken when he states that those who do wrong are not hesitant and bear no remorse. Human beings have been created in way that unless one’s conscience is dead, then one still has room for remorse during and after doing wrong. He assumes that when studying the nature of virtue, one needs to have the knowledge to distinguish between the voluntary and involuntary situations (Aristotle 78-79). He for instance states that acts that are compulsory make an act to be involuntary. This is agreeable, when students are forced to be in for preps till ten o’clock, they read involuntarily since if they were to be consulted they may prefer waking up early to study and retire to bed early. His view that ignorance or error cannot be excused at all times is true. Sometimes carelessness brings about these errors. In dealing with intellectual virtues, Aristotle is of the view that moral virtues correct that part of the soul that reasons; this part can be controlled (Aristotle 123-134). When looking at the issue from a modern point of view, intellectual values do not reflect morals; the fact that one is a good mathemati cian does not imply that he or she is morally upright. On the other hand, excellence in mathematics can bring about a good life. The modern sense of morals views practical wisdom as the intellectual virtue which happens to be a moral value. He is on point when he points out that practical wisdom enables people to plan well hence choosing avenues that lead to satisfactory outcomes. When one reasons creatively, it becomes possible to predict the outcomes of an incident; one is able to point out the possible threats hence coming up with viable solutions to solve them. The Good Life A good life is defined by considering the main components that define what it entails. These are; the good for man, happiness, production and action, action and contemplation (Aristotle 178-179). The well being of human beings is determined by one’s ability to actively take part in activities in accordance to human virtues.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Aristotle’s E thics and Metaphysics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This means that for a human being to exist well, he or she should undertake tasks well with special reference to the specifications of individual tasks. This is what he covers in the good for man. Each job category has its own rules and for man to perfect his or her duties, the rules that are specified in such jobs have to be followed. Failure to follow these rules can result in unexpected outcomes. A happy life is one that a sensible judge can consider fortunate, it takes more than a happy state of mind to attain a good life. He hits the nail on the head by stating that factors that bring about a happy life are both external and internal, an internal factor such as courage is necessary when it comes to taking risks while an internal factor such as thinking enables one to make wise decisions. A happy person is evidently one who acts in accordance to the set rules in any task being undert aken. Under production and action Aristotle states that it is impossible to spend the entire time in undertaking actions that suit one’s needs only. At some point one is involved in producing products that will be of use to the community. For instance, industries that produce farming tools do so to make sales and get profits, farmers buying such tools will use them to produce crops which will in turn be sold and consumed. Three subjects will have gained from this, the industry, the farmers and the consumers. Action and contemplation emphasizes that a good life is as a result of intellectual activity. Clearly, happiness is attained following a combination of many factors. Intellectual activity leads to production and not necessarily happiness. Research has shown that leisure can be termed as the activity that brings about happiness; it however calls for hard work which can only be attained through intellectual capacity. With proper reasoning, one is able to put knowledge into practice hence bringing about satisfying results. One’s intellectual capability indirectly leads to happiness through the chain of events involved. Friendship His main argument here is that friendship is an essential ingredient to good life. It is defined as a virtue that is necessary for livelihood. The presence of friends makes one to make the right choices and to act right. It is seen as a bond that holds states together and with it, justice prevails (Aristotle 260-262). Aristotle chiefly discusses friendship between men since he fails to mention women. Basing arguments on his definition of friendship as the outcome of an impulse of respect and welfare, then his arguments are agreeable. The fact that he specifies what kind of friendship he discusses in his arguments, then one can confidently second him. His definition can be used to mean true friends who can go an extra mile to protect their friends. Although such kinds of friends are rare, the few that one may have can fi t well in Aristotle’s definition.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Political Science A good life propels a state to survive. By this, he means that ethics are superior to political science and not the other way round. For one to determine the most appropriate form of a state, he or she should first define a good life. He sees citizens as a team of friends. He argues that the outcome of a political activity has nothing to do with the production of external goods or military supremacy (Aristotle 166-167). To some extent, his argument is agreeable; the most important function of a state is to unite people in the entire region. When there is turmoil in a given state, it is the work of the state to bring about calm. Political, social, and economical prosperity are the elements that make up a good life. Aristotle’s central idea is ethics and a good life. Ethics is seen as a main determinant of a good life. The absence of ethics indicates a bad life. Is this always the case? The answer is a big NO. It is important to note that provided that one has peace of mind, it does not matter how the person acquired the good life. The issue of abortion has been a contentious issue that has given rise to debates, whether one decides to undergo the operation depends on how one sees the life after. If one feels that she is not economically or psychologically prepared to bring forth a baby, then opting to undergo the operation would lead to a good life than if the child was born and suffer due to lack of enough money for upbringing. Aristototles metaphysics The subject matter of metaphysics bears various definitions according to Aristotle. The definitions include the study of being qua being, wisdom, or theology. He proposes that men expect to use wisdom to deal with causes and principles of issues affecting them. Wisdom is evidently necessary when it comes to dealing with life’s issues since wise people always dwell on facts rather than what they assume to be true. They do not experiment with the truth since it is already establishe d. With wisdom, one can make the right choices hence it becomes easy to deal with issues. He carefully studies these causes and principles in his work. He believes that the best thing to do before dealing with a situation is to inquire other people’s opinions (Aristotle 204). The idea of assessing previous opinions by others is logical since in most cases people build their conclusion from original work. This enables one to point out the strengths and the weaknesses of those opinions hence excluding the latter from the newly formulated ideas. He uses the word ‘qua’ to mean roughly in this subject (Aristotle 26-30). He makes a clear distinction between things that are familiar to us from those that are familiar to themselves. Here, emphasis is on the importance of having a clear understanding of things that are familiar to us and later attempt to study those that seem unfamiliar (Aristotle 98-102). This holds true for most of the subjects studied in schools. It is customary to start from the known to the unknown. Detectives start by uncovering the evident facts before uncovering the culprits. It would be hard to try and solve a mathematic problem without basics such as the formula and the steps that have to be followed in solving the problem; this is made easier if one is aware of the relationships between the different variables. Researchers need to have a good understanding of the problem before setting out to conduct their research work. Generally, the starting point of anything has to be effected by what is already known to the people. Philosophy is seen as one among many fields that studies beings. Mathematics and natural sciences also study the same but using different approaches. For a natural scientist, beings are studied as things that are controlled by nature. A mathematician will study beings in measurable and countable terms (Aristotle 201-206). Most of the subjects that are studied at school indeed study beings. Most of the topi cs will focus on the effect that a factor has on people, or how people affect a certain factor. His claims can therefore be confirmed since most studies revolve around human beings and the immediate environment. Philosophy therefore studies the causes and principles of substances just like other fields. One thing that comes out clear is that the study of beings is done in different degrees in individual fields. Substances are regarded as unique and independent things that can stand on their own. Items that form other categories are seen to depend on substances when it comes to giving an account of certain aspects in them. This, he says makes the non-substances to exist thanks to the presence of the substances (Aristotle 221-223). A unit measure of quantity such as a kilogram owes its origin to the existence of a measurable substance like sugar or salt. That is why we say ‘a kilogram of sugar or salt’ the ‘of’ in this case acts as a determinant that brings o ut the relationship between the two variables indicating that sugar is the independent variable. A house is also an independent variable. People depend on it for shelter; the house does not depend on people since it can survive without people. People on the other hand need houses to shelter them from bad weather; they may contract diseases if they are exposed to the harsh weather. Items like color are found in bodies and not vice versa. Items within a given category are also seen to have a relationship. He uses the term ‘said of’ to show that there is a relationship that exists between items in a single category. Man is seen to depend on animals and at the same time animals depend on man for existence. Both man and animal depend on a particular substance for their existence. This can hold true for some instances in life, man will depend on cow for milk and at the same time the cow will depend on man for food. Both man and the cow will depend on the weather. When it is r ainy, man will provide the food adequately but when the weather is bad, then food will be less hence the cow may not provide as much milk. The fundamental nature of a thing is how it is defined with respect to itself. He holds that when it comes to definitions, one should define the subject not words. By this he means that when it comes to defining a tiger, we should not go ahead and define the word, we should bring out the main characteristics of a tiger. The definition of any object should therefore present the essence or the characteristics that have to be in place for an animal to be regarded as a tiger. This notion is justified since when giving definitions the main characteristics of an object have to stand out for the definition to be comprehensive. When defining an insect for instance, qualities like the number of body parts and compound eyes have to be considered. The complexity of the words used in defining an object are not as important as the contents which are expected to comprehensively bring out the main characteristics of the object in question. If definitions can be given for items regardless of their category then these items have essence (Aristotle 27). In giving definition about an item, its function is also brought out. In the same way that there is an essence of man, there is also an essence of color white. Each part of a machine is an item that performs certain functions. Its presence plays a role in ensuring that the machine functions well. It is important to note that however small some things may look, they are part and parcel of the whole and it would be impossible to function without them. Despite the fact that there is a large variety of colors, some colors simply fit in some places than others. According to him, when it comes to discussing primary things as a topic on its own, then we are indirectly touching on its essence. This is because the main ideas that are likely to stem out here are its function and its main components. Th e in depth discussion focuses on the ‘something’ as a whole. When tackling the issue of food, the definition will definitely bring out the function that food plays in our day to day life, further; looking at the different types of food and their function further exposes the essence of the parts that make the whole. Although, the precise implication of this claim has brought about controversy, it is evident that Aristotle’s arguments are agreeable in as far as the essence of a substance is concerned. The main ideas presented by Aristotle in this argument are valid. This argument is brought out well when he tackles the issue off substance and definition. If we have a definable substance X having a part Y as a component, then the definition of X will include a certain quality of X say Z, Z in this case is an indirect definition of Y. The proposition of using a method of division in definitions where one begins by considering the genus from which the species to be de fined is found is justifiable. If one was to define a butterfly for instance, the first thing would be to look the characteristics that are common to all insects, as one moves from the broadest division, the characteristics of the butterfly are brought out hence contributing to the overall definition. In each of the divisions, there are certain qualities that differentiate the species. Conclusion Aristotle’s arguments on ethics are not fully justified. Some of the arguments leave unanswered questions to which answers have not been provided yet. The arguments mainly focus on the role that ethics play in as far as a good life is concerned. To live a good life, one needs to follow the specifications of a given tasks so as to attain the desired results. He overemphasizes on the role that ethics play in politics and other sectors of life. The subject of metaphysics brings out reality and arguments that are valid. Aristotle’s arguments about substances and essence are justif iable and one can easily relate them to everyday experiences, this does not however disregard his arguments concerning ethics. The latter is also applicable but some of the issues that he presents are controversial. In metaphysics, Aristotle presents his arguments in a chronological and a comprehensive manner hence the arguments can be easily understood. He can therefore be credited for his standpoints and his intellectual capacity to bring out logical definitions at a time when the resources were scarce. In comparison, the subject of metaphysics appears to have been tacked well and in a professional manner than that of ethics. The main reason for this is because most of the ideas presented in metaphysics are applicable in the modern world. Aristotle. The Nicomachean ethics of Aristotle. New York: Taylor Francis, 1954. Pp. 12-262. Aristotle. Aristotles Metaphysics. New Jersey: Clarendon Press, 1958. Pp. 26-223

5 Great SEO Tips for Copy Writers

5 Great SEO Tips for Copy Writers 5 Great SEO Tips for Copy Writers Every modern business has a website. And if you have a website, you need an SEO strategy to help customers find you online. But how exactly does this work in terms of writing website copy? In this post, we run through a few SEO tips that you can use when writing online content. 1. Picking Keywords SEO is all about keywords. These are terms that people search for online to find your website, so it is crucial to use the right keywords in the right places. And this means working out the keywords your target customers are searching for online and building online content around them. A good starting point for this is using a keyword research tool. Alternatively, you can check competitors’ websites to see which terms they use. 2. Integrating Keywords How you work keywords into your copy is also crucial. For instance, you should try to: Use the main keyword(s) in the title of the page Include the main keyword(s) in the first paragraph of the copy Use keywords in subheadings within the copy Highlight keywords with bold or italic formatting where appropriate Include variations of keywords within the copy These may be small touches, but they make a big difference to SEO results. 3. Humans Are More Important Than Computers Keywords are good, but not if they come at the expense of readability. This is because, ultimately, the best way to boost SEO is to write good content that people want to share online. In the old days, you could get away with loading a webpage with keywords and search engines would still find them. This was known as â€Å"keyword stuffing.† But now, if you use too many keywords on a single page (more than 5% of the word count), Google may reduce the ranking of your website. Consequently, you should always focus on writing good content for human readers first. This also means making sure your website is error free, so don’t skip the proofreading! 4. Writing a Good Meta Description Getting your website to rank on search engines is only part of the battle. You also need people to click through to the site when they see the search results. And this is where the meta description is key. The meta description is the text that search engines use to â€Å"preview† a page in a list of results. It should therefore provide a brief summary of what the page is about. To do this: Keep it short (ideally between 155 and 320 characters) Explain how the page will resolve the reader’s problem For example, for this page, we could write: Check out our SEO tips for copy writers to boost your page ranking. Simple solutions for increasing traffic to your website. Perfect for businesses seeking a competitive edge online. In three short statements, we’ve made sure the reader will immediately know what the page is, what following our advice will achieve, and who we’re targeting with the page. 5. Strategic Linking One of the most important SEO tips is to work hyperlinks into your copy, including both internal links to other pages on your website and external links to other sites. Internal links should direct readers towards relevant information on your site. External links, meanwhile, can make your site more authoritative and boost its reputation. And if another site sees that you have linked to them, they might do the same in return, which will boost your SEO results significantly. However, don’t link to sites that rank higher than you for the same keywords, as this will be counterproductive. Focus instead on links to sites that cover related topics. Summary: 5 SEO Tips for Copy Writers When writing website copy, you need to think about SEO. This may include: Researching keywords and picking the right ones for your site Working keywords into the page copy effectively Making sure your work is easy to read for humans as well as computers Writing a strong meta description so people click through to your site Using internal and external links in your copy Applied well, these SEO tips should help boost your website traffic.

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries Essay

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries - Essay Example The founding statute of OPEC in 1960 highlights its purpose as being geared to ensuring stability in the petroleum market with â€Å"steady supplies to consumers, reasonable prices and fair returns to investors in the oil industry† (www.opec.org/home). As far as supplies to consumers, a central mechanism deployed by OPEC to stabilize the market is limit the oil output by Member countries, however recently OPEC has expressed concern at the impact of national taxation as a factor in oil pricing. Therefore, while OPEC central aim is to combat cartels and monopolistic pricing in the oil industry, it is submitted that the role of OPEC is somewhat limited by the interrelationship of other factors, particularly governmental and local infrastructure. Indeed, Asali (2008) acknowledges that â€Å"structural changes in petroleum markets and its pricing systems in the last decades and increasing exposure of the financial markets to international oil trade have contributed to the growing complexity of oil market dynamics and volatility of its prices† (p.54). It is precisely this inherent complexity in the market prices that has fuelled polarised debate regarding OPEC’s policies in stabilising the market to achieve economic efficiency. For example, somewhat ironically, OPEC attempts to stabilise oil prices, however its very nature arguably operates as a cartel. This proposition is further supported by the arguments of Grossman (2004) who comments that: â€Å"whilst some scholars have questioned whether OPEC, an organization of countries not firms, should be thought of as a cartel at all, there is no doubt that it represented a collusive agreement that at times was clearly able to rise prices and control output† (p.1). This in turn clearly has ramifications for how a business operates within the oil market and the focus of this research paper is to critically evaluate how OPEC

Stakeholder Letter Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Stakeholder Letter - Article Example For the students, they can have a chart in class with all their names listed down. Then against each name of the student, a star should be put for any positive effort by the students towards learning and understanding English as a foreign language. This will also include either academic or extra-curricular activity. There will be special motivation packages for the ESL students who will have mastered the English language in the shortest time during the time of evaluation. By doing this, each of the students will be motivated to get more stars in order to be ranked the best at the end of the evaluation period. The chart containing the stars should be reviewed at the end of every month, and after undertaking an exam. In addition, for students who will have negative remarks, a demerit star should be indicated against their names as well. Not only will this method help improve the student’s grades, but it will also help them learn the English language in a more interesting and attractive way. The principal will be responsible in overseeing that the rules of giving credit to various students and teachers are followed. Similarly, he or she should make sure that the credit awarded will make other students or teachers work towards getting one. This project is not only going to benefit the students, but also the stakeholders who are the teachers. Once the students get motivated the teacher will have an easy time explaining concepts to them. This is because the students will be willing to understand the concepts so that they can become the best. In addition, the whole school will benefit because of the overall improved performance. Parents will also be proud of their parents as they score higher marks. Everyone loves to be praised after attaining positive results. However, the efforts to work harder may fade if one is not recognized or motivated.  

Role of Port Authorities Essay Example for Free

Role of Port Authorities Essay Ports usually have a governing body referred to as the port authority, port management, or port administration. Port authority is used widely to indicate any of these three terms. The definition of port authority has been defined in various ways. In 1977, a commission of the European Union (EU) defined a port authority as a State, Municipal, public, or private body, which is largely responsible for the tasks of construction, administration and sometimes the operation of port facilities and, in certain circumstances, for security. This definition is sufficiently broad to accommodate the various port management models existing within the EU and elsewhere. (http://www.ppiaf.org/sites/ppiaf.org/files/documents/toolkits/Portoolkit/Toolkit/module3/port_functions.html#2) Ports authorities may be established at all levels of government: national, regional, provincial, or local. The most common form is a local port authority, an authority administering only one port area. However, national port authorities still exist in various countries such as Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and Aruba. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Handbook for Port Planners in Developing Countries lists the statutory powers of a national port authority as follows (on the assumption that operational decisions will be taken locally): (http://www.uctc.net/research/diss131.pdf) * Investment: Power to approve proposals for port investments in amounts above a certain figure. The criterion for approval would be that the proposal was broadly in accordance with a national plan, which the authority would maintain. * Financial policy: Power to set common financial objectives for ports (for example, required return on investment defined on a common basis), with a common policy on what infrastructure will be funded centrally versus locally, and advising the government on loan applications. * Tariff policy: Power to regulate rates and charges as required protecting the public interest. * Labour policy: Power to set common recruitment standards, a common wage structure, and common qualifications for promotion; and the power to approve common labour union procedures. * Licensing: When appropriate, power to establish principles for licensing of port employees or agents. * Information and research: Power to collect, collates, analyze, and disseminate statistical information on port activity for general use, and to sponsor research into port matters as required. * Legal: Power to act as legal advisor to local port authorities. Increasingly, central governments implement seaport policies through the allocation of resources rather than through the exercise of wide-ranging regulatory powers. While central governments should pursue macroeconomic objectives through an active seaport policy, port authority objectives should be more narrowly focused on port finances and operations. It is a widely accepted opinion among port specialists that a port authority should have as a principal objective the full recovery of all port-related costs, including capital costs, plus an adequate return on capital. The full recovery of costs will help a port authority to: (http://www.businessnz.co.nz/file/1947/100813%20Port%20Performance%20and%20Ownership.pdf) * Maintain internal cost discipline. * Attract outside investment and establish secure long-term cash flows. * Stimulate innovation in the various functional areas to guarantee a long-term balance between costs and revenues, especially when faced with innovations by terminal operators, port users, rival ports, and hinterland operators. * Generate internal cash flows needed to replace and expand port infrastructure and superstructure. * Compete according to the rules of the market system, without excessive distortions of competition. * Put limits on cross-subsidization, which may be rational from a marketing point of view (market penetration, traffic attraction), but which can undermine financial performance. * Avoid dissipation of the port authorities asset base to satisfy objectives of third parties (for example, port users demanding the use of land in the port area without regard to the lands most economic use or port and city administrations using port authority assets to pursue general city goals). Ownership of the Port of Koper The port of Koper is the largest and the only public cargo port in the Republic of Slovenia. The ownership transformation of the port of Koper was finalized in 1995. Before the ownership transformation, the government of the Republic of Slovenie brought a decree that the shores, land and water territory around the port are also a public asset in the sense of state ownership. The value of the port infrastructure was set at the amount of USD 180 million. A part of the port infrastructure was defined as infrastructural bases, and they included: * Haulage roads, * Railroad tracks, * Entryways, * Partitions, * Sewage * Water supply systems, * Electric power facilities, * Lighting and telecommunication facilities The mentioned part of the port infrastructure, the port superstructure, machinery and other assets were evaluated in 1995 in the amount of USD 220 million. The total capital was divided into 14,000,000 shares at a nominal value of Sit. 1000. The Republic of Slovenia is the owner of 6,860,000 shares, which is a 49% ownership in priority shares and 2% in ordinary shares. The ownership structure of the Port of Koper; 51% the state, 17.33% government funds, 7.65% municipality of Koper, 7.48% internal distribution to employees and pensioners, 10.20% internal buyout from employees and pensioners, 6.34% public sale. In addition to shares in ownership of the state, the Port of Koper deals with shares on the Ljubljana stock market, hence its ownership structure is subject to daily changes The state has decided to sell its share in the ownership of the Luka Koper d. d. in 2003. During the transitional period the state, with its 49% ownership has decreased its ownership share down to 25% + 1% but in the form of ordinary shares, which enables it to gain control of functions connected to certain more important business decisions that are in close association with status changes of the enterprise. Luka Koper d. d. is the manager of the port. On Nov. 21,2002 a Decree was issued according to which the Government Administration allocated concessions, and the decision was reached that the first concession be given to enterprise Luka Koper d. d. for a period of 35 years. Luka Koper d. d. does not have Port Authority in the classical sense of the term. According to the Statute of the Luka Koper d. d., the enterprise has a single-member management supervised by a supervisory board of 9 members in the structure of which there are three representatives of the state, a representative of the local administration of the municipality of Koper that is itself a 7% owner of ordinary shares, a member representing small shareholders, a representative of the funds that the Luka Koper d. d. holds in its portfolio and three representatives of the employees of LukaKoper d. d. Such a structure of the supervisory board that chooses the president of the management of the joint stock company does not allow the predominance of state power over the management of the port. The state has minimal rights in bringing decisions on occasion of shareholder assemblies of the enterprise Luka Koper d. d, with merely 2% of votes. From this we may assess that the autonomy of port management in the Luka Koper d. d. is very high. Managerial responsibility of the port ofKoperLuka Koper d. d., as the sole port operator manages the entire port. The Management of the enterprise Luka Koper d. d. has complete freedom in conducting its economic policies, policy of superstructure development, and the right of bringing forth a medium- term plan of development of the port infrastructure that is previously acknowledged by the Government of the RS. The port management is also responsible for maintenance of the port infrastructure. The Port of Koper can be evaluated as a Full service port.

The Importance of Names in Toni Morrison’s Song Of Solomon Essay

The Importance of Names in Toni Morrison’s Song Of Solomon Toni Morrison’s award-winning novel Song of Solomon is full of very interesting, deep symbolism. Macon Dead III, nicknamed â€Å"Milkman,† is a very symbolic character throughout the novel. His character is not only symbolic, for so is his name. Also, Milkman’s paternal aunt, Pilate, has an extremely significant and symbolic role in the novel. To her father, she represents the child who killed her own mother and took away her father’s wife. Seeing that Pontius Pilate sentenced Jesus to death, the name Pilate seems to coincide with her father, Macon Dead’s, opinion. Ironically, though, Pilate is a good person and is murdered in the end, just as Jesus was by Pontius Pilate. Another important character in the novel who portrays a great deal of symbolism is Guitar, Milkman’s best friend. Guitar is named after something that he is ultimately unable to attain. â€Å"I saw it when my mother took me downtown with her. I was just a baby†¦I crie d for it, they said. And always asked about it.† This unreachable goal accurately describes his character throughout the novel. He is never able to overcome the obstacles that stand in his way or to reach the goals he has set for himself. Toni Morrison intelligently uses the characters Milkman, Pilate, and Guitar to successfully portray a great deal of symbolism throughout her novel. â€Å"A milkman. That’s what you got here, Miss Rufie.† Milkman is given his name for a very logical reason: hi...

Women and Food Security

There is a strong link between food security, good nutrition and gender. A gender approach to food security can enable shifts in gender power relations and assure that all people, re-gardless of gender, benefit from, and are em-powered by development policies and practices to improve food security and nutrition. This brief gives an overview on why and how to consider gender aspects in both short-term humanitarian assistance and long-term development coopera-tion that address food security. Every woman, man and child has the right to ade-quate food. In far too many cases, women and girls are overrepresented among those who are food-insecure, partly because women often are denied basic human rights such as the right to own property, to find decent work, and to have an education and good health. People's overall access to food relies to a great extent on the work of rural women. Women comprise, in average, 43 percent of the agricultural labour force in developing countries.1 Hence, securing women's human rights is a key strategy in assuring food security for all. Women are involved in a variety of agricultural operations such as crops, livestock and fish farming. They produce food and cash crops at subsistence and commercial levels. At community level women undertake a range of activities that support natural resource management and agricultur-al development, such as soil and water conservation, afforestation and crop domestication. Women often have 1 FAO 2011 (see references under â€Å"Further reading†). unique perspectives on, as well as understanding of local biodiversity importance for the development of adapted and improved varieties. Also for dietary diversity women have a decisive role. Poor households headed by women often succeed in providing more nutritional food for their children than those headed by men. There is a strong correlation between a higher level of gender equality and lower level of child mortality. Cultural traditions and social structures often mean that women are more affect-ed by hunger and poverty than men even though women, and in particular expectant and nursing mothers, often need special or increased intake of food. And too often, child hunger is inherited: a mother who is stunted or underweight due to an inadequate diet often give birth to low birth weight children. The critical link between women's social status and nutrition The wide differences in women's nutrition among coun-tries that have similar income levels indicate that some-thing other than income affects women's nutrition. Re-search indicates that cultural norms about eating and women's low social status often affect women's diets. In 2003, India and Bolivia had similar gross national in-comes, but 36 percent of Indian women were under-weight, compared with only 1 percent of Bolivian women.3 2 ADB 2013. 3 Ransom, E. ; Elder, L. (2003) Nutrition of Women and Adolescent Girls: Why It Matters. Population Reference Bureau. [ BRIEF ] Women and Food Security Women face numerous obstacles to access productive inputs, assets to land and services required for rural livelihoods. These include access to fertilizers, livestock, mechanical equipment, improved seed varieties, exten-sion services, agricultural education and credit. Women receive for example only 5 percent of agricultural exten-sion services worldwide. As rural women often spend a large amount of their time on additional household obli-gations they have less time to spend on food production or other income opportunities. Women also have less access to markets than men which hamper their opportu-nities to earn an income even further, and thus their pos-sibilities to be able to buy food. With fewer assets and heavier burdens, women are more vulnerable to shocks and less well positioned to respond to e.g. the effects of climate change or other rapid changes in the environ-ment. Social and economic inequalities between men and women result in less food being produced, less income being earned, and higher levels of poverty and food inse-curity. If women farmers had the same access to re-sources as men, the agricultural yield could increase by 20 to 30 percent. This could raise total agricultural output in developing countries by 2.5 percent, which could re-duce the number of hungry people in the world by 12 to 17 percent. Another emerging challenge in food security and nutri-tion that needs to be addressed is to enhance women and men's resilience to climate change; e.g. by diversified production as well as strengthened capacity to respond to challenges related to climate change, building on the different needs and coping mechanisms of women, men, boys and girls. Disasters, especially droughts, and emergency situa-tions are the most common causes of food shortages in the world (WFP). In humanitarian contexts discrimina-tion of women and girls may be reinforced, and the oc-currence of domestic violence increase during times of food scarcity. Because of women's specific roles and experiences in food production and preparation, it is crucial to include them in emergency-related food securi-ty planning and decision making as potential change agents and decision makers, rather than as the â€Å"victims† they often are portrayed to be. Gender dynamics within households must be taken into account in situations of displacement when food aid and other relief items are distributed. This includes men's and 4 UNDP 2012. 5 FAO 2012. women's ability to access and equitably distribute relief items within households. Humanitarian interventions that radically alter gender roles, for example by giving women greater control over water and food distribution, may impact power dynamics negatively and can also lead to increased gender-based violence. The four dimension of food security from a gender perspective Availability. Inequalities in ownership of, access to and control of livelihoods assets negatively affect women's food production and food security. Tenure insecurity for women results in lower investment and potential envi-ronmental degradation. It compromises future production potential and increases food insecurity and reduces women ´s income and the availability of food. Stability. Differences in risk and vulnerability between men and women can affect the stability of their food security in different ways. During times of crisis, women and girls are often forced to reduce their intake in (fa-vour?) of other household members. In cases of crop failure or natural disasters, cultural traditions make it easier for men to leave their farm in search for employ-ment elsewhere, leaving women behind to struggle for feeding their families and making ends meet. Utilization. Women ´s role in food utilization for food security is perhaps the most critical and outweighs the importance of their role in food production and how they spend the income they earn. Women are typically re-sponsible for food preparation and thus are crucial to the dietary diversity of their households. Access. Access to food within the household is deter-mined by cultural practices and power relationships within the family. Although food may be available, adequate amounts to maintain nutritional intake may not necessari-ly be as accessible to women compared to men. Source: FAO (2013): Gender and climate change research in agriculture and food security for rural development. Food security and agricultural programmes can strength-en human rights and be more effective if they also tackle the constraints around women's access to resources. This is done through addressing the issue of unequal gender roles, responsibilities and workloads. To acknowledge women's role in food security, contributions are needed at all levels in a variety of result areas. Entry points for Sida can be identified within the following areas: Women's right to food ? Assure women's human rights including the rights to education, knowledge and employment and women's equal rights to land, water and other resources that are necessary for raising the productivity of their agricul-tural activity, food and nutrition security. Promote women's productive activities by providing trainings, credit and access to improved and appropriate technology to reduce their work load. ? Ensure that women are empowered and trained to exercise their rights and take active participation in decision-making bodies. ? Mother-and-child health and nutrition programmes can break gender barriers in childcare by including men and boys in nutrition and health education activities. Women's access to land? Contribute to the reforming of laws on tenure, land distribution, land reform and family law, including marital and inheritance laws, to become gender equal. ? Support education and capacity building for govern-ment officials, legislators, and local land officials on gender equality in access to land and property rights. ? Advocate the creation of mechanisms to monitor the enforcement of policies, targets and laws on women's access and rights to land. ? Promote women's access and rights to land in custom-ary law e.g. by supporting women's participation in bodies responsible for interpreting customary law. ? Support awareness-raising and access to information among women regarding land rights, including infor-mation about complaints mechanisms. Women's equal participation in labour markets ? Support government legislation that guarantees equita-ble employment conditions that protect workers in both formal and informal employment. ? Extend the coverage of social protection to all catego-ries of rural workers and ensure that they incorporate women's special needs. ? Support policies and investments in labour-saving technologies and support public investments that make it easier for women to participate in the labour market. ? Intensify the provision of better-quality education and vocational training for women. Policy processes and frameworks ? â€Å"The right to adequate food†: 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ? Women's specific role for rural development: 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), (Article 14) ? Special attention to the gender gap in nutrition: 1992 The Global Plan of Action on Nutrition of the In-ternational Conference on Nutrition ? Highlight the close interlinkages between gender equality and women's empowerment: 1992 the Mil-lennium Development Goals (MDGs) ? Emphasize the specific role that women play in food security: 2004 The Voluntary Guidelines to sup-port Member States' efforts to achieve the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security ? Highlights full and equal participation of men and women for achieving sustainable food security: 2006 World Summit on Food Security and The World Food Summit Plan of Action (e.g. 16, 1.3) ? Gender issues in food security and nutrition: 2012 The First Version of the Global Strategic Framework for Food Security and Nutrition GSF ? Women's empowerment & equality of opportunity: 2012 UN Secretary General â€Å"Zero hunger Challenge† ? The importance of empowering rural women as critical agents: 2012 Rio +20 Outcome Document ? Food insecurity indicator allowing disparities in food access based on e.g. gender: 2013 FAO's Voices of the Hungry ? Support women's engagement in producer organisa-tions, cooperatives, labour unions, outgrow schemes etc. to strengthen women's voice and decision-making power. ? Support women's groups and other forms of collective action that builds relations and networks addressing gender gaps by reducing transaction costs, pooling risks, developing skills and building confidence. Women's access to financial services ? Improve financial systems and services, e.g. loans and insurances, to respond to the needs and constraints of women producers and entrepreneurs. ? Ensure that women are being consulted and included in discussions, decision-making, planning and provi-sion of financial services. Support financial institutions, governments and NGOs to offer financial literacy training to ensure that wom-en can make informed financial decisions. ? Promote technological innovations, such as prepaid cards and mobile phone plans for making loan pay-ments and transfer cash, to facilitate for women to gain access to capital. Women's access to technology ? Promote productivity enhancing agricultural tech-niques, including machines and tools, improved plant varieties and animal breeds, fertilizers, pest control measures and management techniques that address women ´s needs. ? Invest in labour-saving and productivity enhancing technologies and infrastructure, e.g. water sources in villages, fuel efficient stoves, and roads, to free wom-en ´s time for more productive activities. Promote women's training on farming adaptation techniques such as rainwater harvesting and agrofor-estry, and on agricultural diversification to increase their resilience. ? Promote extension services that are more gender-responsive, i.e. considering all the roles of women and are closely linked to women's activities. Support participatory gender-inclusive research and technology development programmes. Example of indicators ? Share of population (women/men) in targeted areas suffering from starvation (impact level indicator, measures effect on target group) ? Proportion of population (women/men/girls/boys) below minimum level of dietary energy consump-tion (impact level indicator, measures effect on target group) ? A monitoring system providing food-security data disaggregated by sex, geographic location (or oth-er as relevant in the specific context) in use (out-come level indicator, measures capacity development) ? Share of women and men using agricultural exten-sion services (output level indicator, measures ca-pacity development) Gender mainstreaming in humanitarian assis-tance ? Collect sex-disaggregated data for planning, imple-mentation and evaluation of food aid. Ensure that women and men take part equally in deci-sion-making, planning, implementation and manage-ment of food aid programmes. ? Design services to reduce women ´s and children's time spent getting to, and from food distribution points. ? Ensure that women's access to services is routinely monitored through observations and discussions with affected communities. Asian Development Bank (2013) & FAO (2013): Gen-der Equality and Food Security – Women's empower-ment as a tool against hunger, FAO (2013): Training Guide: Gender and climate change research in agriculture and food security FAO (2012): Global Strategic Framework for Food Se-curity and Nutrition FAO (2011): The state of Food and Agriculture – Wom-en in agriculture Gender in agriculture: Platform for knowledge sharing Global Gender ; Climate Alliance and UNDP (2012): Gender, agriculture and food security IFAD, FAO ; WB (2009): Gender in Agriculture Sourcebook IFPRI, 2012 Global Food Policy Report, chapter 4: Closing the Gender Gap IASC (2006): Gender Handbook in Humanitarian Action World Bank (2012): World Development Report on Gender Equality and Development World Food Program: Causes to hunger ; the Zero Hunger Challenge UN Human Rights Council (2010): HRC's Advisory Committee on discrimination in the context of the right to food

Overpopulation and Water shortage Essay

Increased life expectancies as a result of advances in science are causing overpopulation. In the west immigration and increased life expectancies are causing overpopulation. This directly translates to various economic and social problems for all the residents in an area due to the increased strain in resources. While there is increased need for other countries to adapt better policies that will improve the living conditions for its residents and curb the need to immigrate, nations have to address the issues that are resulting from overpopulation. These issues arising from overpopulation include starvation due to increased population, reduced food supplies and increased prices of food. In addition there is an increasing danger of water shortages in the world due to overexploitation of water resources. The issue of water shortages also arises from the changing global climatic patterns which have resorted from global warming as a result of climate unfriendly practices such as deforestation from increased need for land to settle on and increased air pollution due to increased number of industries and emissions. Systems such as healthcare have also not been spared from strain due to overpopulation and people are receiving lower quality medical care resulting to more deaths. Environmental degradation and overexploitation of available natural resources is a result of overpopulation. Populations are polluting the environment more by inefficient waste disposal mechanisms and increased air and water pollution. Overpopulation results to overcrowding and increased levels of unemployment which has led to increased poverty, more injustices, violence, hunger and an increase in spreading diseases. Human beings like all other species depend on natural ecosystems self regulating processes for supply of basic life support processes such as the purification of air, decomposition of waste, climate regulation and the supply of water. Water is a natural renewable resource that will automatically self renew. However this is when all other natural processes are held constant. An increase in the population of people living in an area to an amount that will bring a strain to all natural resources is called overpopulation. The integrity of all these ecosystems is compromised by the strain and as a result there is either insufficient water supply or a compromise in the quality of water (Zuckerman & Jefferson, 56) There is a world wide crisis over water. According to the recent report by the United Nations, the problems arising from water shortages cannot be ignored. More than thirty one countries are currently facing dire water shortages. More than a billion of the world’s population is facing water scarcity or is lacking access to clean water for drinking. The reports published by World Bank predict that by 2025, more than two thirds of the world population will have insufficient water (Cooper, 16). The amount of water being consumed is on an upward global trend and is doubling every two decades due to the increasing populations and needs. At the same time, the available water resources are under the constant threat of pollution, depletion and overexploitation in a bid to meet the rising needs. Countries and municipal systems have proved inefficient in the provision of sufficient and safe water to the constantly increasing population. In addition the most crucial aspect to this dilemma is the strain the over population is placing on the existing water resources. Illinois is the fifth largest state in the United States with a population of more than 12. 4 million people. More immigrants are moving to Illinois and experts predict a slow but rapid increase in the state in the future. Illinois has always been thought to have ample water supply. The fact that Lake Michigan has constantly supplied Illinois with water has always given residents security in water supply. Researchers have raised concern over this current trend of affairs and have predicted that in the next fifteen years Illinois will be facing possible water shortage crisis. Cities in the south like Chicago and Bloomington used cooperative agreement with the surrounding California states to limit their water consumption. In the Chicago area, similar to other parts of the continent, awareness on the looming water crisis as experienced by other states in the south has resulted in local and state officials implementing measures that will allow conservation of the fresh water supplies and ensure that water is more efficiently used by the residents (Zuckerman & Jefferson, 64). Illinois as a state has realized the importance of addressing impending water crisis before they become a reality. The solution to the looming water shortages in Illinois were first geared towards increasing the number of water supplies in the state by digging more wells and aquifers. There was an outcry by environmental conservationists and as all the stakeholders began to realize that this approach would not last them long, they initiated a better strategy into the 21st century. This approach is on better management of the already established supplies. To this ideal, numerous water conservation programs have been established at the regional level that are geared towards the application of better water saving approaches at the individual level. In addition they advocate for residents to use water efficient appliances as well as fixtures. The battle over water resources at the Southern states has created awareness among all the US states and the politicians and policy makers have geared their efforts towards addressing the threat of water shortages. Illinois is one of the eight states of United Sates of America which approved the Great Lakes Compact. This is an initiative by the southern states to protect the five great lakes by restricting and regulating access to them thereby ensuring a constant safe supply of water for those Southern Sates in the future. There is a rapid growth in all the towns in Illinois and due to this the demand for water has increased. This has translated to higher water consumption and Illinois is approaching the maximum allotted limit from Lake Michigan. These limits have been in use since 1985 after being decreed by the Supreme Court in 1967. Researches have been analyzing the possibility of utilizing alternative water supplies such as Aquifers for meeting the growing water demands. They discovered that the aquifers would only sustain water use up to 2030 if the populations’ consumption remained stable. Under the growing population strain and the corresponding rising need for more water that would not be enough for sustaining the population (Cooper, 20). Sufficient fresh water which is of good quality is vital for any state to sustain the various people and animals living there. Water is a basic need used for drinking and bathing, irrigation, sustaining fisheries and other crucial services in a state (Shah, 90). There is a global change in the climatic conditions and this has led to the eventual and rapid disappearance of critical ecosystems not only in Bloomington but also in other cities all over the world threatening the continuous supply of water for their increasing populations. The situation at hand in Bloomington is that which is being faced by all the other cities all over the United States. Bloomington city is located in the center of Illinois southwest of Chicago. It is the largest county in Illinois with a population of more than 64. 8 million. Bloomington is the fastest growing city in Illinois and recorded a population growth of more than 20%. There is an increased trend over the last few years due to increased immigration. The city council of Bloomington is working towards the expansion of the Monroe WTPs’ capacity. They are attempting to address this issue by using membrane filtration to bring the additional flow to provide population with sufficient water. Bloomington is major city in Illinois. The main source of drinking water for Bloomington city is Monroe Reservoir. Lake Griffy and Lake Lemon supplement the water supply. In Bloomington, the main regional water conservation body is campaigning for addressing both quality and quantity water issues for Bloomington’s rapidly growing population. Among the recommended strategies they have given to improve the quality of water they are advocating for planting green roofs and eliminating the use of chemical fertilizers. This is because the chemical residues are eventually drained off to the lakes and the water reservoirs. In addition residents are dissuaded from over exploiting fossil fuels and instead using alternative energy (Shah, 102). To address the issue of water shortages the city has focused on implementing measures that will reduce water use for the growing population. They have recommended and are facilitating the implementation of better strategies which will lead the way towards the achievement of a self sustainable biosphere in the light of the increasing population. These include the installation of low flow shower heads, introduction of machines that maximize washing loads, ensuring roof run off is not wasted and is instead used for irrigation and landscaping with native plants that are water efficient. Experts have also advocated for the installation of ultra flow sanitary units, better washing machines and more water efficient sprinkler systems (Shah, 86). The increase in the human population is inevitable and the state and city policy makers have had to address the issue of the increasing strain in natural resources including water. For this approach to be successful, Bloomington like other cities needs to engage a more cyclical approach which will be more efficient and cost effective to ensure long term future sustainability of water resources for its growing population. Bloomington seems to be taking initiative towards implementing this model by an increase in recycling strategies, decreasing the water consumption and toxic releases to the water sources and air. The Bloomington city government seems to have acknowledged the need to do more in regard to establishing initiatives that are addressing the impending overpopulation crisis. To this regard, they have established a commission on sustainability that addresses issues regarding the establishment of policies geared towards conservation of the already available resources. The mayor signed the climate protection agreement and implemented city council resolutions which are Kyoto protocol friendly. These have worked towards reducing the soaring green gas emissions which are targeted towards stabilizing global climatic conditions (Zuckerman & Jefferson, 76). The town needs to increase the North’s supply by incorporating Lake Lemon and Lake Griffy as well as the Bean Blossom Creek. This would only be more slightly expensive than the current model and would supply water to a larger region and would serve as a better supply alternative for Lake Monroe. Other sources that would end the impending crisis would include investing in ground water supplies. Aquifers in the north would supplement the water supply but this would require an intensive study and analysis to ensure that they are a safe alternative for sully of water for consumption. Both of these approaches would ensure reliability in supply but in the light of the growing populations there is need to do more to ensure that these supplies will be consistent and will supply water for the populations. More crucial to implementing any conservation approach is the need to create water awareness campaigns for the residents. There is need to translate the soaring water costs and the reasons behind it so that communities can actively participate in implementing the recommended approaches. REFERENCES Ben Zuckerman & David Jefferson, Human Population and the Environmental Crisis, New York: Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 1996, 18-78. Anup Shah, Ecology and the Crisis of Overpopulation: Future Prospects for Global Sustainability, Northampton: Edward Elgar publishers, 1998, 86-162. Mary H Cooper, Water Shortages: Is There Enough Fresh Water for Everyone? , Washington: CQ Press, 2003, 16-35.

9 High-Growth Careers in Healthcare Support

9 High-Growth Careers in Healthcare Support You don’t have to be a doctor or spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and years on medical school to be part of the lucrative health care industry. The field of health care support is rumored to be one of the fastest growing job sectors and is only going to get bigger in the years to come. Here are 9Â  of the best and fastest growing job areas in this break-out field.1. Occupational TherapyOccupational therapy assistants work with patients directly, helping them through their stretches and exercises, instructing them in how to use special therapeutic equipment, and recording their progress. In the next 10 years, this field could increase by as much as 43%.2. Dental HygieneDental hygienists actually do most of the day-to-day work in the dentist’s office: cleaning teeth, taking x-rays, assisting the dentist in procedures and exams. There may be more than 37,000 new job openings for dental hygienists in the coming decade.3. Orthotics and ProsthesesOrthotists and prosthe tists design artificial limbs for amputees, as well as body braces and other medical devices. OP professionals also work directly with patients helping them to adapt to their new devices. This field is slated to grow 23% in the next 10Â  years.4. Physical Therapy (PT)Much like occupational therapy assistants, physical therapy assistants and aides assist physical therapists in the work of helping rehabilitate patients after surgeries and injuries. Expect nearly 32,000 new jobs to come in this field.5. Diagnostic SonographyDiagnostic sonographers don’t just take ultrasounds of babies for expecting mothers! There is a huge demand for these non-invasive images of internal organs. Expect this field to grow by over 25%.6. Hearing AidsHearing aid specialists help patients select and fit their auditory devices, modifying them as necessary, and testing their efficacy. This field is looking at growth of up to 27% in the years to come.7. Medical AdministrationEver consider being a medi cal secretary? These are the folks who ready reports and charts and provide doctors with valuable behind-the-scenes support, sorting out insurance particulars, billing, and transcribing notes. There may be as many as 108,000 new positions available in this field in the next decade.8. Massage TherapyGood with your hands? Want to participate in the project of healing people? Massage therapists can be a valuable part of alleviating painful conditions and relieving stress. With an increase of 22% in the next 10Â  years, you’d be getting into this growing field at a great time.9. MRI TechnologyEver had an MRI? You could be the person shepherding you through the process, obtaining all those images of what is happening in your spine. Expect a 10% increase in this field.

5 Super Tips On How to Get Your Resume Noticed

5 Super Tips On How to Get Your Resume Noticed You’ve come of age in the era of social media. Which probably means you assume everything can be done online: networking, socializing, job applications. And that’s more or less true. But there’s one vestige of the old world that will still be crucial to you in finding yourself a satisfying job: a resume. Don’t be fooled into thinking you don’t need one. Everybody does. Do concern yourself with making sure your resume gets in the right hands. It doesn’t have to be perfect; you’ll likely tinker with it for the entirety of your career. But you need to start somewhere. Here are five tips for how to get your resume noticed and read, so you can get that job and get your start.1. Think like a computerYour cover letter and your interview need to be geared towards the human recruiters who’ll be reading it. Your resume, on the other hand, will probably be read first by a search engine. Keep that simple fact in mind and gear your document to get through the machines.2. OptimizePart of this strategy means using the right words to get through the computer programs that will sort your resume. Part of it is simply making sure you’re showing a hiring manager that you can do the job. Start by reverse-engineering the job description and peppering your resume with the keywords necessary to showcase your skills. You can also create a â€Å"core competencies† section at the top and listing your most valuable skills there. And if you have to cheat, and include keywords for skills you don’t quite have, you can try putting them in in white font, so computer searches will pick up on it, but human recruiters won’t see that text.3. Make it easyMake sure to get all the basics covered: school, major, GPA, objective. When writing your objective, err on the side of specifics. Don’t just say you want a great job doing great things; make sure to let the recruiter know you mean business. Be clear about th e location and the industry you’re looking for. Take the guess work out of it.4. Go electronic with your cover letterMore often than not, you’re going to need to email a cover letter rather than sending the traditional hard copy. Again, there’s no guarantee a human is going to see it. But you shouldn’t cut any corners all the same. Start with as personal an opening as possible- whether a friend referred you, or you have a mutual acquaintance, or you have a particular affinity for this particular position. Then use the rest of the message to contextualize the bullet points on your resume. Again, be as specific as possible.5. Think â€Å"means to an end†Your resume doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to do everything. But it does need to be attention-grabbing. And it needs to present your brand clearly and effectively to the people who will hire you. Be honest and showcase your unique qualities and talents and you’ll do f ine.

Divorce in popular culture and Its relationship to the American Essay

Divorce in popular culture and Its relationship to the American culture,beliefs and attitude - Essay Example Despite the growing trend of marital disruption in the United States and how its romantic plot remains to be an accepted theme in the popular culture, it is often the case that the destructive nature of divorce is overlooked especially when its negative consequences on the society, family, man, woman and child are not taken into consideration. Divorce has been an existing theme of popular culture over the years. In 1938, a British comedy romantic comedy movie â€Å"The Divorce of Lady X† was released. From the title itself, the film had a main theme of marital disruption. Even up to now, after several decades have already passed, such theme is very much alive like the American romantic comedy film â€Å"Le Divorce† which was made available to the public on 20 Meanwhile, even when bound with marriage, having sexual affairs in both men and women can be observed as a common plot in some popular culture. Both films illustrate the romance that can be found in infidelity in g eneral, not only unfaithfulness within marriage. Likewise, the fun, thrill and excitement in such affairs of this sort are present. Nonetheless, pleasure is not always the side of every story for the reason that despondency can be found on the parts of those people who have been affected and hurt by such relationships. Without a doubt, those people who are hurt in the cases of divorce are often not taken into consideration. ... Divorce in Popular Culture and Its Relationship to the American Culture, Beliefs and Attitude According to Stevenson and Wolfers (27), the family as an institution is not stable. This reality is reflected by the artifacts of popular culture as well as different studies on divorce which have a wide array of scopes. As a matter of fact, Chandra, Martinez, Mosher, Abma,  and Jones (17 and 90) claimed in 2002 that within a span of 10 years, there are about 29 percent of first marriages among 15 – 44 year old women that used to end their union through separation, annulment or even divorce. In the analysis of how the artifacts of popular culture speak about the American culture, beliefs and attitudes, I have evaluated divorce as the subject matter. In this sense, I have assessed two films coming from different eras. I have first assessed â€Å"The Divorce of Lady X† which was released in the year 1938 as well as the other film, â€Å"Le Divorce† which was released in 2003. Aside from the fact that it talks about divorce, for me, their point of convergence is that both have promoted the romance in extra – marital affairs as if there are no other people to be affected in set up of this sort. The way I look at it, this is most especially true for â€Å"The Divorce of Lady X† because the marital disruption issue including infidelity is managed in a way of comedy. In the first movie, both husband, Everard Logan, and wife, Lady Meere, have cheated on each other but the story has managed to end up happily through remarriage to other partner. Meanwhile, â€Å"Le Divorce† has more heart – breaking aspects in a sense that Roxy, a pregnant wife, was cheated by her husband and was asked by her husband to end their marriage even if they have kids to consider. Her husband

Literature review on the topic of deviation in international carriage Essay

Literature review on the topic of deviation in international carriage of goods and trade - Essay Example It led to an explosion of world trade that involved people in all over the world. (Wilson 8-12) Transportation is a significant part of doing business globally. Freight logistic companies nowadays have to adapt themselves to serve customers' need which is endless. Customers have become global, they require global support and multimodal capabilities. They are interested to use fewer service providers to extend cooperation and communication among modes and between carriers to them. The role of the freight forwarder is changing from an agent who arranges transportation and prepares shipping documentation to a provider of the whole range of additional value-added services to shippers. At the same time, many forwarders are merging with large logistics companies to become part of one-stop-shop specialist companies. (D'Arcy 71-80) In 2002, market demand grew by double digits. As China joined the World Trade Organisation, many multinationals relocate production of a whole range of consumer goods from their domestic plants, mainly in the US and Europe, to this region, where production costs are much cheaper, which led to rapid growth in all trades from China. The major route of ship liners are divided into three main routes, Transpacific (Asia/US), Asia/Europe/Asia, and Transatlantic (US/Europe). The strength of the Transpacific (Asia to US East Coast) trade is continuing, with 491,000TEU moving in 3Q 2003, 18% up from 2Q 2003 and 5.6% up from the same period in 2002. (Chuah 1-22) This has been encouraged by low interest rates despite the slowdown in the US economy. The Asia-Europe trade also grew by 11% in 2002, and carriers have deployed any extra ships on the Asian trades to maximise profits. This strategy is also benefiting other trades such as the Transatlantic, as it keeps the supply of capacity down. Market share of shipping company is based on their capacity in number of TEU(Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit). The top-ten liners are held around 40% of the whole market, while the total market has 459 different players faced with high competitive environment. (Schnitzer 5-25) Maersk Sealand held the largest proportion of market share in the industry over the last five year. Not only the biggest by far but also probably one of the best equipped lines to face the future. MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) are a young shipping line. (Taylor 87-99) The company has grown incredibly fast and ranking number two toward this year and last year. P&O Nedlloyd was following the merger of P&O Containers (UK) and Nedlloyd Lines (Rotterdam). It face with high competitive and fell down to 3rd ranking since 2002. The settlement in the contract is mainly composed of the service provided by the shippers, the flexibility of services, price and the length of contract. The leading companies try to get the globe shipper to be in the part of their portfolio. (Todd 11-13) Due to the fact that a different group of clients have different requirements, some may look for the quality of service rather than price. As a result, the shipper has to offer the tailor-made contract to each group of customer. Whenever the contract has been signed, it means that the carrier is obligated with their promise. In case of missing their commitment, the shippers would loose their reputation which is

A one page summary of a lawsuit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A one page summary of a lawsuit - Essay Example SAP vowed to install the required changes in their current system which to them, was operation was as a result of negligence in the operational insight of TomorrowNow. The defense in this case was that the fault had nothing to do with SAP employees. SAP is quoted as saying they consider illegal downloading as illegal and unacceptable and would never condone such actions. Two years later, a judge ruled that SAP must pay Oracle 1.3 billion in damages. The crime was copyright infringement. SAP went back to court to appeal over the ruling. SAP argued that the amount they were liable to pay was the money lost by Oracle due to the customers that moved to TommorowNow and not the amount suggested by Oracle. Several motions were filed with the judge in a bid to ensure that a fairer and just sum was charged. Over a year later, a judge overruled the judgment terming it as â€Å"grossly excessive†. SAP had previously argued that the damages paid were in excess and they should have paid only 40 million dollars in damages to Oracle to cover lost profits (Niccolai, p.1). The verdict was read in Oakland, California in a U.S District Court. The case, which has taken place over four years, will now open even more court cases as Oracle will definitely fight this overruling. This will, however, take place only if Oracle rejects the 217 million that the judge ruled should have been the original damages received by the company. My opinion is that the original ruling was too much as the damages imposed on Oracle could not have amounted to 1.3 billion. The case would have opened additional cases and set the pace for more court cases of the same nature to be developed, costing a lot of companies a lot of

Natural And Conventional Medicine Health And Social Care Essay

Natural And Conventional Medicine Health And Social Care Essay This paper discusses and compares the two main medical traditions natural and conventional medicine. Both conventional and natural medicine have been practiced and found proven to hold many advantages but conventional medicine is regarded as the universal, hence, more popular method of healing illness. Conventional medicine relies on science and technology to contribute to the preservation and longevity of peoples lives and the leaps that this tradition has made has surpassed expectation. Nevertheless, with the rising cost of medicines, procedures, and hospitalization, and the preference for more holistic and non-invasive methods in the treatment of illness, naturopathy or natural medicine has grown in popularity. In its comparison with conventional medicine, this paper highlights the advantages of naturopathy including its effectiveness, safety, a good patient-healer relationship, the sense of being in control over illness, and its non-invasive nature. Naturopathys congruence with the culture and psychological belief systems of diverse peoples also contributes to growing preference of it. Moreover, conventional treatment has slowly incorporated natural methods such as the use of herbs, crossing over with acupuncture and other alternative practices, proving that the next best step for medicine is to maximize knowledge from both conventional and natural methods toward a better quality of life for mankind. Introduction In the current world, medical practice is dichotomized. Medical practice may either be classified as conventional or alternative. Sometimes, classifications go by conventional versus natural or traditional. These medical traditions and their respective practitioners are often pitted against one another. Yet, a closer look reveals that these classifications are arbitrary and are not actually in blanket opposition. Conventional medicine also has a long history of utilizing natural resources in the past. Meanwhile, various natural methods of healing are now using technologies too. The real nature of these categories are hegemonic. Conventional medicine which was developed by more dominant societies and cultures arose as the dominant and in this respect, the most scientific way of healing. Meanwhile, indigenous, natural and traditional forms of healing that have long histories of local practices were simply lumped together in opposition to the conventional. This is similar to how various forms of traditional music have been clustered together under the banner of world music despite obvious aesthetic variations. Sadly, the burden of proof was pushed more to the side of the alternative or natural medical traditions. This paper intends to give a brief discussion and comparison of conventional and natural medicine. Being the less dominant one, this paper will put stress on the strengths and positive attributes of natural medicine. Although the historical importance and contributions of conventional medicine are recognized, this paper asserts the need for a greater recognition, utilization, and further improvement in the realm of natural medicine. Conventional Medicine Conventional medicine, sometimes called allopathic medicine or even Western medicine, is the most widely used medical system in the world today, particularly in the Western hemisphere. It is largely based on the physical and biological sciences. Its universality lies in its materialist and standardized approaches and to its positivist and experimental tradition. The materialism of this medical school enables the easy translation of the discipline to different countries and cultures. This enables its practitioners to speak the same language and to have a unified view of medical problems. Advances in the field of conventional medicine owe to its strong research tradition. Conventional treatments are all supposed to subscribe to proven treatments based on evidence. Of course, many researches are now being done by multi-national pharmaceutical corporations owing to conventional medicines strong commercial nature. Thus, the price to pay for getting oneself cured can be very high due to the commercialized and increasingly privatized treatment facilities, medicines and other diagnostic procedures. Indeed, it is undeniable that conventional medicine has gone through great leaps and bounds in preserving the quality and longevity of lives of people around the world. This owes very much to advances in diagnostic and treatment procedures and preventive measures. The use of X-rays, CT scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologies now give more accurate diagnoses over a shorter period of time. Vaccinations are now preventing the spread of diseases over large populations. Advances in the pharmaceutical industries are now presenting greater potential in curing some of the worlds deadliest diseases. Even medical doctors (M.D.) who recognize and advocate and use alternative medicine, like Weil (1998), still point out the greater ability and efficacy of conventional medicine in treating particular diseases as compared to alternative medical systems. Particularly, they mention the management and cure of viral infections; allergies; chronic degenerative diseases; autoimmune problems such as AIDS; bacterial infection; trauma; many of the serious forms of cancer; mental illnesses, which require medication; other functional illnesses; and medical and surgical emergencies. However, there are still many imperfections in conventional treatments. For example, there are drugs that are effective in treating particular problems but may bring about ugly side effects. For instance, thalidomide, a morning sickness drug is known to produce severe birth defects. The taking of malarial prophylaxis, such as doxycyclin, can damage the liver over long use, thus deemed inadvisable for usage of people living in malaria-infested areas. A recent online news report told how Americans get the most radiation from medical radiology. Viruses also evolve every day which presents continuous new challenges to the medical world. Natural Medicine The term natural medicine for the purpose of this paper refers to alternative medical systems that lean towards the usage of more natural means of healing, especially in comparison to conventional medicine. This adoption of a more simplified definition is due to the existence of several yet still similar and related definitions. The term is oftentimes almost equated to alternative medicine which was defined by Brannon and Feist (2007) as a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices and products that are not currently considered part of conventional medicine (p. 190). In actuality, the term alternative medicine covers a wide array of medical systems which evolved more or less independently from different cultures. Examples are the Chinese traditional medicine, from which acupuncture and acupressure arose; Ayurvedic medicine from India, Naturopathy from Europe; macrobiotics; chiropractic and other various massage treatments from all over the world. When these methods a re incorporated by conventional doctors to their practice, the treatments are termed complementary medicine. The clustering of these diverse medical systems and traditions, some of which from great civilizations, either under the term alternative medicine or complementary medicine, implies how the former is deemed only secondary to conventional medicine. On the other hand, natural medicine is also treated as synonymous to naturopathy. Naturopathy is a cure system which targets the prevention and cure of diseases with the use of safe and efficient natural remedies (Muetzell, 2008). The practitioners central belief is that the human being in his normal state is healthy and that disobedience to natural laws results to illnesses (Brown, 1988). It then follows that nature has the power and resources to heal and that the human body has the ability to maintain, nurse and heal itself back to health. It is said that the movement became sufficiently coherent in Europe in the 19th century. A man named Benedict Lust, a German patient who was treated for tuberculosis through hydrotheraphy and other natural means, migrated to the United States and popularized the movement. The naturopathy movement was popular in Germany and in Britain during those days and was later popularized in the United States (Brannon Feist, 2007). In spite of the varying definitions of natural medicine, the various alternative medical systems named early in the paper have significant similarities in their principles, which like naturopathy leans towards the healing power of nature. The seeking of natural balance is quite universal to various traditional and indigenous medical systems. In reverse, naturopathy employs various healing practices from various cultures. Increasing Popularity in Conventional Medicine-Dominated Countries More and more, natural medicine has been enjoying increasing popularity and patronage in countries with advanced levels of conventional medical practice. Eisenberg et al. (1993) reported that the unconventional medicine usage frequency of the United States adult population had been way higher than stated in previous reports. Particularly, they estimated that one in three persons in the U.S. adult population had been utilizing unconventional medicine in 1990. This figure also implied a greater number of patient visits to unconventional medicine practitioners as compared to visits to conventional medical practitioners. They added that the amount spent by these adults on unconventional treatment was also comparable to the amount spent by Americans for all hospitalizations. A telephone survey in Britain revealed a 20% usage of alternative medicine, most popular of which is the use of herbs, aroma therapy, acupuncture, massage and reflexology (Ernst, 2000). This increasing patronage of natural and other alternative medicine may also be attributed to the increasing number of physicians who practice or recommend alternative therapies to their patients. Astin (1998) mentioned how a 1994 survey showed that more than 60% of the surveyed variably specialized physicians in Washington State, New Mexico and Israel recommended alternative therapies to their patients in the previous year while 38% had done so in the previous month. Meanwhile, 47% of these physicians use alternative therapies on themselves and 23% of the physicians have incorporated alternative therapies to their practices. The practice of naturopathy as a discipline is also becoming more and more regulated and consolidated with the creation of professional associations such as the American Naturopathic Association. More so, various schools have been accredited to teach naturopathy such as the Bastyr University, National College of Natural Medicine and the Broucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine. More mainstream medical schools are now tackling or offering alternative medicine. Examples of such schools are Harvard, Columbia, Georgetown and Duke (Barney, 1998). Many conventional medical practitioners critique the usage of natural medicine. According to Ernst (2003), alternative medicine is largely opinion-based. Practitioners tend to give inconsistent and different prescriptions for the same diseases or medical conditions. For example, he cites how 100 different complementary therapies were recommended for asthma, while systemic reviews failed to back up a single treatment for this indication (p. 1134). Ernst was also disappointed at the scarcity of systematically gathered evidence. Yet, he is not against alternative medicine per se. He advocated for a more objective and scientific usage of alternative medicine. Why the Shift towards Natural Medicine? Overly-commercialized Conventional Medicine Weil (1998) tells how the commercialization of orthodox medicine is discouraging patients to continue seeking conventional treatments. He characterizes how mainstream medicine continues to become more expensive and technology-reliant. He tells how the popularity of health maintenance organizations (HMOs) has gravely affected the health care system. HMOs, he claims, want doctors to see as many patients as possible for the purpose of profit. Sadly, doctors spend less time with their patients which translate to less detailed medical and family histories, thus affecting the quality of diagnosis and treatment. In contrast, naturopathic consultations involves long and thorough interview with patients. Interviews look at medical and family histories, patient lifestyle, emotional health, and other physical features. Ernst (2000) points to various motivating factors for trying complementary and alternative medicine, which he divides into two positive and negative motivations. Positive motivations consist of the attributes of alternative medicine itself while negative motivations refer to negative attributes of conventional medicine which pushes patients to try alternative medicine. Examples of those enlisted as positive motivation are the following: 1) perceptions of effectiveness; 2) perception of safety; 3) control over treatment; 4) good patient-healer relationship; and 5) non-invasive nature. Meanwhile, enumerated as negative motivations are: 1) dissatisfaction of- and case-to-case ineffectiveness of conventional medicine; 2) rejection of science and technology; 3) rejection of the establishment; and 4) desperation. Education, Poorer Health Status and Congruence to Patient Beliefs and Principles The national study of Astin (1998) revealed that the most significant factors leading to the use of alternative medicine are the attainment of a higher level of education, having a poorer health status and the greater congruence of alternative medicine to the patients values, beliefs and philosophies. Patrons, he said, tend to hold a philosophical orientation towards health and holism. He also found out that dissatisfaction with the conventional medical system is not as significant as the earlier mentioned factors. Key Principles of Natural Medicine and their Implication to Treatment in Comparison to Conventional Medicine As mentioned in Astins study (1998), the principles of natural medicine appeals significantly to patients. The key principles of naturologists can be summed up into six guidelines, which are: 1) Promote the healing power of nature; 2) First do no harm; 3) Treat the whole person; 4) Treat the cause rather than the symptom; 5) Prevention is the best cure; 6) The physician is a teacher, teaching patients to take care of themselves (Brannon Feist, 2007). Holistic (system-oriented vis-a-vis disease oriented) The most common word to describe naturalistic treatment is holistic. This owes to natural medicines strong faith and reliance on the natural balance of nature. Particularly, the body was said to have a stable state that when bothered can lead to illnesses. Natural medicine also believes that excretion of wastes is a valuable part of this system and a stoppage to this normal functions lead to an unhealthy state. To illustrate, Chinese traditional medicine believes in the concept of Chi, a local concept which closely translates to vital energy. Chi, the Chinese believe, flows throughout the body. In line with this, illnesses are attributed to the blockage of this energy flow. Acupuncture for instance targets to solve this blockage. Natural medicine practitioners look at patients in their wholeness as individuals. Practitioners usually look at factors that may be disrupting the bodys natural balance. They are not only focused on the physical body but also looks at the mind and spirit. It is common for natural medicine practitioners to look at the lifestyles of patients and tries to being out the natural healing capacity of the body. They advise and help patients incorporate stress reduction methods and healthy eating into their lifestyles. This was in contrast to the treatment of conventional medicine which commonly isolates the physical body from the exclusion of mind and spirit (Weil, 1998). Barney (1998) a medical doctor who subscribes to medical complementation, criticizes the rigidity of conventional medicine in its approach to diseases. Particularly, he describes conventional treatments as disease-oriented. For instance, to address an infection, doctors may prescribe antibiotics that can weaken the kidneys. This shows a disregard to the body as a system only comprised of body parts. He said that treatment options must be expanded to fit the specific needs of each patient. Regard for particularities While natural medicine practitioners look at the whole in everyone, they also do not forget to look at the particular attributes of the individual. For instance, Ayurvedic medicine subscribes to the belief that there are different types of human bodies and that each body type must be given customized medical treatment. People who are fat or thin are also not automatically considered unhealthy in Ayurvedic medicine. Whereas in conventional medicine, normal body mass is calculated based on the height and weight of a person compared to universal standards. Also, some of the healthiest food prescribed by conventional medicine for a healthy person can be classified as unhealthy in Chinese medicine based on individual conditions. In this tradition, the definition of healthy food varies from person to person, even to those who may be classified by conventional medicine as being in a state of good health. Bias towards the Natural Natural medicine also attributes illnesses to actions and activities which veer away from natural laws of the body. For example, in macrobiotics, it is viewed that meat and poultry products being sold nowadays are very characteristically un-natural due to the hormones and chemicals being fed to the animals to facilitate speedy growth. Thus, natural medicine avoids or minimizes the usage of synthetic drugs such as antibiotics, radiation technologies, biomedical technologies such as vaccines and major surgery. Furthermore, it uses more natural substances and medicines found in the body and in the natural environment such as water in hydrotherapy. It has a far greater respect for herbal medicines which was used by a great number of people around the world. In contrast, conventional medical treatments can sometimes suppress the bodys efforts and capability to self-heal. Conclusion The fact that natural medicine is enjoying widening and growing support especially in the Western world gives credence to its claims of efficacy in relieving problems of the mind, body and soul. It also reflects particular weaknesses in the current conventional medical practice, which translates as negative motivations for usage of natural medicine. This validates the importance of the key characteristics of natural medicine which are: 1) holism; 2) bias towards the natural; and 3) attention to the particular. Outside the efficacy in dealing with physical problems, I think that the greatest trait espoused by natural medicine that conventional medicine lacks is in the formers attention to the mind and body. This translates to patients feelings of peace, control over their bodies and feelings of being valued and respected by their healers. Like Ernst, I believe that natural medicine and other alternative medical systems can benefit from addressing the critiques of conventional medical practitioners. In particular, it would be beneficial if natural medicine practitioners from various traditions can take steps in systematically documenting and gathering our- and other unexplored healing practices and their results. This is a positive step towards a maximization of knowledge from all over the world and the integration of various know-hows and towards more informed choices among patients.