Sexual Stereotypes In Advertising

A stereotype is a standardized character, of appearance or lifestyle which people expect. For example most people if asked to describe a ‘Super Hero' would reply with, ‘strong, tall, brave and good looking,' but is this always the case? Therefore sexual stereotypes are about how people expect a person to look or act because of their gender. Men are thought of as successful businessmen in suits and striped shirts, which is a sign of wealth. In some cases the male is seen as the father figure in a family of four, but in both of these cases his is attractive to the opposite sex. Young boys are often cheeky and mischievous, they tend to wear blue as it is though of as a ‘boy's' colour. In the majority of cases they are portrayed as been sporty and even from this early age show a keen interest in cars. In advertising, a woman is seen as the mother of a family who does all of the housework and cooking for the other members of the family. They wear purple or pastel blue, which brings across the message that they are soft and feminine. If they are acting the housewife they are usually slim, attractive and extremely good-looking. The reason for this is that the company will try and sell the product using a ‘sex appeal' method which can be very effective. If this is the case, bright, bold colours such as red and pink are used so that the model stands out. Little girls are often portrayed as cute and gentle, so that viewers get emotional when they are watching. In most cases they are dresses in a pink dress, with a doll and their hair is styled into little curls. I have decided to use three ‘OXO' advertisements, which are advertising gravy to show how different sexes are addressed in different circumstances. In the first advertisement a women is cooking in a kitchen with a big grin on her face, this suggests that she is happy with what she is doing and feels at ‘home' with cooking. She is wearing a light purple top, the reason for this is that it helps the bright colours of the ‘OXO' logo to stand out. The young girl who is most probably the lady's daughter is helping her mother happily and brings across the message that she will one day become the mother and cook for her own family. Finally the little boy is watching his mother but not taking any part in the cooking. He has a big smile on his face, as he waits for his lunch to be made. The fact that he is not helping is significant because this is the case in most advertisements that include males and cooking. On the whole this is a stereotypical advertisement with the mother cooking the dinner and the male not taking part. The text in the advert is emboldened and bright, this is so that the logo stands out and if someone has a quick glance at the poster the logo is the image that will stay in their mind. The second advertisement is different from the first for the simple fact that this time it is the farther in the kitchen not the mother. The father has done the cooking for his two sons but he has made a mess, this shows that most people have the idea then men can not cook but women can and this is another stereotypical idea which is obviously not true at all. The two sons are looking at their father in disgust and as most likely thinking, ‘What will mum do?' The advertisement shows that even though the father does not know how to cook he still knows that ‘OXO' is the best and if a man who can not cook knows this, its obvious to a woman who can cook that ‘OXO' is the best gravy to use. There is no ‘OXO' logo on this advertisement and I think that is because it is a ‘still' from a television advertisement unlike the first which was a poster. The third and final ‘OXO' advertisement uses both male and female characters. It contains a stereotypical image of a women who has done the cooking and serving the food to the other three family members two of which are male and are sitting at the table waiting for their dinner. The father figure, in the scene is just reading his newspaper and the fact that he is doing nothing else is a stereotypical idea of a father waiting for his dinner. All of the family is smiling as they receive their dinner and this is because they are about to receive ‘OXO' gravy, which brings across the message that it is good. The way in which the advertisement uses both male and female characters in a stereotypical form is important because it sets a common family scene and people think that it also applies to their family. On the whole all three of the advertisements used both male and female characters and I think that is because the product is for both sexes but I also think that even though this is the case women are still portrayed as the cook. There are some adverts, which use only male models, and these usually advertise products such as cars, aftershave, DIY products and shaving equipment. One example of an advert, which uses just a male character, is advertising Hugo Boss Aftershave. The man in the advert is brought across as a successful businessman and we can tell this by the way he dresses. I think that the striped shirt, which he is wearing, is a sign of wealth and success. The man's hands are clean and his nails have been professionally manicured which suggests to me that he has a surplus of money. He is holding a file-fax in his hands, which would mean that he, is heading for a meeting and therefore adding to the ‘Businessman Image'. The advert contains a typical stereotype image of a man and I think that he dresses like this so that a man will buy the aftershave because he will think that it will make him rich and successful. If this is not the case and the mans wife or girlfriend is buying him a present she may buy this because her sub-conscious will tell her that her man will end up looking like the model in the advert. In the same way that men are used solely in advertisements, women are also used in order to sell products to males using sex appeal or to sell products to women through a sub-conscious method. In an advert for ‘Hot Choc Drinks' an attractive woman is dressed in red and has a slim figure and this is another example of stereotyping. The reason that the woman is dressed in red is to attract the customers' attention and the colour red is good at doing this. The attractive face and slim figure suggests to other women that if they drink ‘Hot Choc' they too will get a body like the model, which unfortunately is untrue. To a male buyer it suggests to his sub-conscious that he will be likely to encounter girls like the model. The cup in the model's hand is the same shape as her body to remind the customer of what's in store in the unlikely event that they will forget. After looking at the five different adverts I have decided that companies use different types of models and stereotype these models to grab the customers attention or to act on their sub-conscious, which will hopefully result in an increase in sales. Nowadays most advertisements are shown on television and here are two examples showing how television also uses stereotyping. The Yorkie advert has a slogan, which states, ‘Yorkie; it's not for girls.' This shows that the chocolate is so big and chunky that it is only for men. The idea of the big chunks of chocolate suggests that women are too small and weak to handle this. It may be also portraying the same message as in the ‘Hot Chocs' advertisement meaning that women are not allowed it because it will cause them to become fat and unattractive. During the adverts a women dresses as a man in order to purchase the chocolate, she wears male clothing and a fake beard as it would be extraordinary for a woman to have so much facial hair. The woman also speaks in a deep voice so that the shop owner does not realise because women are expected to talk in a soft voice and doing so would give her game away. This is an example of sexual stereotyping saying that men have facial hair and speak in deep voices, which may not always be the case. Towards the end of the advertisement the women's real identity is revealed which is another example of sexual stereotypes. The second television advertisement that I have chosen is advertising an insurance company, which is just for women. The company says the if you chance your insurance to them it could be cheaper because it is just for women. This brings across a stereotypical image that males, young and old, are dangerous drivers who push their car it its limits. This of cause is untrue and there, as just as many bad female drivers as there are bad male drivers. In the advertisement there is a women who is presenting the information and the company logo contains the colour pink, these two points are significant if the company wants to keep with the idea that women are better drivers. The reason for this is that the people who are watching the advertisement will be getting the information from another women, which they will probably value more. Pink is a stereotypical colour which as always been associated with females of every age. Both of these advertisements express stereotypical images of men and women in completely different ways, but these are just a small selection of the many ways men and women are portrayed. The roles of men and women have changed considerably over time, but in peoples sub-conscious they appear to have stayed the same and therefore have also not changed in advertising. For example most males are portrayed most successful businessmen and nowadays women go to work rather than staying at home doing the housework.

The First Knight

In medieval times people lived by the medieval code of chivalry which is usually associated with ideals of knightly virtues, honor and courtly love. In a knights code of chivalry a knight was expected to have strength and skills to fight but also was expected to be kind. In the rules of courtly love it describes the pure romance of love but also the love for another man’s wife. In the movie the first knight, Lancelot displays the ideals of medieval chivalry and courtly love in admirable ways but also in ways that caused pure chaos.In the film, Lancelot illustrates the knight’s code of chivalry even before he became a knight. In the code of chivalry, one of the rules is to protect the weak and defenseless. Lancelot shows this again and again by protecting Guinevere. The first time he shows this is when Guinevere’s carriage was attacked by prince Malagants followers and her carriage was being taken away he saved her and brought her back safely.Another time is when he goes to save her from Malagants cave when she was abducted by his people from the castle in the middle of the night. Although he protects her all the time his reason to do so is very abstruse because he doesn’t do it to protect the queen but because they both have a clandestine love for each other which later on leads to a calamity. Courtly love is very well illustrated in Lancelot’s love for Guinevere in the film the first knight.In the rules of courtly love it points out that a true lover is continually and without interruption obsessed by the image of his beloved and that in sight of his beloved, the heart of the lover begins to palpitate. In the first knight, Lancelot admits to Guinevere more than once that he cherishes her so much that he can’t balk the thought of her out of his head. Another part of the movie where he displays courtly love is when the people are playing the gauntlet and he sees her you can see that he is mesmerized by her sight and that his heart is palpitating.Even though Lancelot was in love with King Arthur’s wife (Queen Guinevere) behind his back he still displayed even more chivalry when King Arthur noticed he would make an adept knight and made him a knight of the round table. When Lancelot joined this camaraderie he vowed to protect every one of his brothers no matter what. In the knights code of chivalry it points out that you have to guard the honor of his fellow knights and to protect them.When Lancelot saw that his brothers (Knights of the Round Table) needed help during a battle, he would go and protect them from the enemy. Although I accede with many of the rules of courtly love the times have changed and today its hard to find someone who still follows the rules as well as Lancelot followed them for the love he had for Queen Guinevere. In spite of the fact that he is loving a married woman Lancelot stuck to many of the rules of chivalry and courtly love.

Civil Liberties, Habeas Corpus, and the War on Terror Essay - 1

Civil Liberties, Habeas Corpus, and the War on Terror - Essay Example In addition, the paper examines the habeas corpus in relation to the war against terrorism and the Supreme Court’s involvement, the involvement of the President and Congress in decisions regarding habeas corpus. Civil Liberties, Habeas Corpus, and the War on Terror Following the September 11th attack, the US, then under the Bush Administration, viewed the act as an initiator to a war against the country. In addition, successive terror attacks in Bali, Madrid train attack and the London subway attack, the Bush Government saw enough proof that terrorism was escalating (Cole, 2003). The Government did not take these activities lightly as this saw immediate measures from it and allies against terror activities. Among this stern measures included military intervention into Afghanistan, capture, persecution, and in worst cases, the elimination of potential suspects in the terror activities. In addition, the War on Terror implemented methods such as detention centers for extra-judici al prisoners like Guantanamo Bay, rendition flights and new interrogation techniques among many others. Nature of the Writ Historically, the role of habeas corpus was to protect those arrested by the Executive without the involvement of any judicial activities. ... public Safety may require it.† Strange enough, this is the only statement about the Great Writ found in the US constitution as opposed to the high regard in which it was held during its inception. It has been established that it is only the Federal Government that is limited to the writ and not the State. Attention has arose as to who should be given the authority to suspend the writ or rather determine the case in which suspension of the writ would be most appropriate. Initially, the power of suspending the law rested with the legislature but in early commentary, the power of the Congress to suspend the law assumed and stated by the Court. In early Civil War period, the privilege law was suspended by President Lincoln on his own motion only to be met with much resistance forcing him to seek for authorization from the Congress. Presidents, in times of wars and emergencies, have extraordinary authority accompanied with possession of executive powers that result in asserted viola tions of rights of the constitution and other known legal rights. When a dispute is taken to court, one side of the court is of the view that a ruling for the challenger would expose the security of the nation while the other side is of the opinion that the ideals that make the preservation of the nation’s security worth should be held at all costs. Many courts, in their habeas corpus jurisdiction, have handled issues regarding separation of powers during wars. The writ of habeas corpus is a mechanism in which the courts have insisted that none of the King, the President or any other official may subject someone to detention unless a court of law does so. As long as the writ runs and in any given circumstance, including war, the courts have the power to enforcement of the most basic law

A Radical Reinterpretation for the Soviet Union Essay

A Radical Reinterpretation for the Soviet Union - Essay Example Reagan and Thatcher, both took the dynamics of conservative approach of politics, such as the severancesgovernmental law of legislation, electoral command, and media treatment for implementing such programs on the ground of national and economic policy. The relationship between both allies (the Soviet Union and the USA) of the Second World War deteriorate after the war period severance on the ground of control of world power already started between the world’s top two powerful nation even before the war. Knowing as the cold war, the rival relationship between these two nations mainly started due to their complete opposite standpoints regarding the management and execution of politics and economic functionalities. When America believed in a democratic political environment, Soviet accepted the policy of dictatorship and autocratic− completely different from democratic orientation. Communist believes the Soviet Union wanted to demoralize the doctrine of ‘Survival of the fittest’ of capitalist America. During the Second World War for defeating Germany and Italy, the associate nations expressed interest to handshake with the communist Soviet Union though both Russia and the USA did not like to agree on that iss ue. Differences in thought between Russia and the USA started to gather the momentum on the ground of allocation of power at the post-war period. After the war, when Russia and the Allies partners divided the territories of Germany into their respective occupancies, the relationship of Russia with the USA and Great Britain turned out into a bitter state of affairs. In one hand Russia almost took the controlling power of eastern Europe in its hand. On the other hand, Britain and especially the USA wanted to prevent the stretching of the power of communism in the world.  

The differences between Ayyubid, Mamluk and Ottoman Mosques Essay

The differences between Ayyubid, Mamluk and Ottoman Mosques - Essay Example It was was founded in the eighth century by Suleiman Abd probably after the conquest of Aleppo. The mosque is slim, and its base is square having built using minaret. The Great Mosque is a six storey building divided by naskhi and Kufic inscriptions. Architected by Hassan Mufarraj, the Mosque has continuous moldings, pilasters, polyfoil arches and elaborate trefoil. It is the earliest extant monument in the prehistoric city of Aleppo and one hemicycle of the then city’s Byzantine cathedral still exists in the northern part of Bab Antikiyah (Ernst 38). Additionally, the mosque also has three major fragments: inscribed stones, grans antique and capitals. Moreover, the minaret of the Great Mosque in Aleppo is seen to be heavy with some relief ornament. The classicizing details, continuous moldings, cusped arches and certain idiosyncratic details all originate from the distinctive northwest Syria. The idiosyncratic details included pointed ovals that were inserted at the cusps of the moldings. The Mosque also is had mugarnas-like cornice on top of the shaft that helped to support the balcony. From a closer range, the masonry finishing does not look as fine as on the later ornamented style mosques in the Mamluk and Ottoman dynasties. The softer stones make the overall surface of the mosque to look smooth thus a finer finish. From a different dimension, the east and south courtyard facades preserve the significant sections of Nural-Din’s reconstruction of the mosques. Additionally, the complex Stereotomy of the ornamented style is left to free play and is accompanied by moldings drawn from local Late Antique monuments, inscriptions and finely dressed masonry that is beveled along the coursing. The Mosque was of great importance in the Muslim world since it is the oldest congregational mosque in the Islamic architecture (Burgoyne, 68). On the hand, the Mamluk dynasties new form of architecture evolved

Marketing in Global Financial Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Marketing in Global Financial Crisis - Essay Example The global value proposition reveals the insights achieved from extensive global research into consumers' existing, as well as potential requirements, in addition to the business's leadership statement. It explains the emotional  and practical advantages to customers and motives why the company will deliver. The value proposition will help significantly in differentiating from the competitors. Rather than being identified as offering everything for everyone, the business will be identified as the world’s strongest economic society (Simchi-Levi, p. 183, 2010). The long-term brand policy, along with brand structural design, pursues a one-brand vision, and promoted by the brand communication and campaigns. Consumers gain knowledge from experience whether the assurance behind a brand is factual or bogus, especially in times of global financial crisis. The global financial crisis has called for a number of strong points that can assist to differentiate a company for its stakehold ers. For this purpose, companies should implement an innovative communication approach that will meet the requirement to change the position and revitalize the brand. The innovative communication policy should leverages on this strength: it produces a new sort of discussion with the consumers and is even more open as well as transparent than before. Well-known brands keep developing their brand identity to progress with the times, constantly keeping the most identifiable components. That way they continue to look fresh and advanced, securing brand stability at the same time. The redesign reveals the brand policy with respect to the different prerequisites of the local... This paper stresses that traders are increasingly launching low cost ranges into their superstore’s shelves. The private-label merchandise is turning out to be a smart substitute to the cost responsive customer in times of global financial crisis. In a recent survey, 61 percent of customers said they were switching to inexpensive grocery brands in the financial crisis and approximately one-third of them said that they would carry on to buy low-priced grocery items even when the financial recession is finished. The author of the essay declares that the global financial crisis has a considerable impact on the way customers shop for groceries. With the purpose of getting the best value for their condensed earnings, customers are shopping around for the top bargains and increasingly dividing their grocery spending across at least four different sellers. For businesses, long-term policies may be the most important factor to brand success. When customers come out of the tough times, they may intentionally choose not to change all of their new practices and revert. An increasing number of customers are looking around for a bargain to shop, and this was obvious in a number of studies. This report makes a conclusion that marketing is struggling to meet the challenge of different communities. The majority of customers rely on the opinion of acquaintances and strangers more than official marketing.

Organizational Development in HRD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organizational Development in HRD - Essay Example The last manager to be terminated, Leon McLaughlin had 15 years of Marine experience, but he could not deliver results. Although, he did his best, he was handicapped by the lack of funds, which were originally promised, leading to underperformance. The main task before the new manger, Jack Keltner, is how to successfully run Fourwinds Marina through new strategies, even while generating funds. Strengths Lake Monroe is a happening place in Indiana with all safeguards and opportunities FourWinds has been providing optimum services for the last few years There are other value added services, which would complement it Jack Keltner’s previous good performance in Marina’s accounting department Weakness Managers are being changed in a short-term manner, without long-term perspective Thus, there is no optimum continuity of the various organizational processes, initiated by each one of them Charges for anchoring boats are also increasing, leading to higher operational costs Oppo rtunities Indianapolis metropolitan area’s population is over one million, and they have some $3.5 billion dollars to spend annually.

Alternative Solutions Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Alternative Solutions Analysis - Essay Example Following are three alternative solutions to the problem identified by the management and employees of Carriage Enterprises, Inc. A task force is in place and will meet to determine which solution will be implemented as the primary plan. Implementation of the plan will require management and direct reports to cooperate and accept the necessary changes for growth and productivity. The management at of Carriage Enterprises, Inc. would like to issue a formal apology to the candidates involved in the hiring misunderstanding. Management does however, understands that an executive management position requires the chosen candidate to possess certain expertise in place usually before the position is given. In this case, management and the chosen candidate both employed recognized that more training in various departments would be necessary, to maintain the position. Therefore, Aa management mentor will work very closely with the individual to strengthen those needednecessary skills in the areas of communication, incentives and public relations. This situation has afforded management provided the opportunity to make rightcorrect the wrong harm done to those employees directly affected by the decision. Our management team has put in place a contingency plan do due to this dilemma., The plan requires the person hired will have to commit to increased training that must be completed satisfactory within one year. This The new manager must also grasp andfully comprehend the strict guidelines required to maintain the position. The management team will also monitor the candidate's through performance on various tests to ensure this personhe/she can handle the upcoming required work schedule and responsibilities. One of theAnother ideas to solve the recent promotion problem at Carriage Enterprises, Inc. , is to promote the more qualified candidate and demote the less qualified candidate. Two key terms will guide the organizations' decision to accept or reject this alternative. These terms are identified and defined by Gomez-Mejia an d Balkin (2002) as decision quality (or the facts used to make a decision), and decision acceptance, which ""is based on people's feelings: decision acceptance happens when people who are affected by a decision like it."". In Tvalidating the quality of this decision, two factors are must be considered in determining whether this would be a sound basis for the decision. FThe first, is a fact based comparison of the qualifications of the two candidates should be made. Unfortunately, since an offer has already been tendered and accepted for the position, it would be risky for there is significant risk for the organization to admit they performedthat less than acceptablepoor quality research on the candidatewas performed prior to making the offer of employment. Secondly, a decision to demote an employee based on job performance is not only reasonable but accepted in the business worlda perfectly acceptable business practice. But Nevertheless, it is too early in this

The Laraamie Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Laraamie Project - Essay Example From watching this movie, certain things are clear. People of Wyoming are not as tolerant of homosexuality as they like to proclaim. They seem derogatory of the lifestyle and say it is a sin, no matter how much they like to proclaim that they believe in the philosophy of live and let live. This has affected the gay community of the state very much. They are all terrified of being who they are openly since they could be the next victims of such a heinous crime. We don’t really know what happened with Matthew Shepard that night, whether he really propositioned and thus offended his murderers. But one thing is for sure, no one deserves to meet their end the way he did. The Laramie Project covers the murder of Matthew Shepard. It is based on over two hundred interviews that were conducted by the Tectonic Theatre Project in this regard. The movie clearly shows how most people were absolutely unwilling to talk about the incident. They didn’t want anything to do with the membe rs of Tectonic Theatre Project. They were angry, depressed and in denial. And they obviously believed that getting involved in this case would put them in danger as well. The members of the Tectonic Theatre Project however, did find people that were willing to talk to them – about Matthew, how he was, his characteristics, his dreams and what he was doing just minutes before he was kidnapped. It is nice to see that people were willing to speak up about Matthew Shepard. The movie takes us through the entire case by showing news reports, interviews from friends and relatives to people who hate homosexuals to supportive and unsupportive priests, interviews with the boy who found Matthew Shepard in the morning, tied to the fence, interviews with a group of gay and lesbian people talking about how nervous the entire episode had made them, the court case and interviews with people who were close to the criminals – Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson. The film also takes a cl ose look at the turmoil that the film crew underwent. The members of the Tectonic Theatre Project, who wanted to convey Matthew’s story to the world. It shows what they went through, not just the difficulties in getting people to speak to them, but also in terms of how they had to convey Matthew’s story to the world without being biased and without offending people. It also showed the hardships they went through, being homosexuals, as a lot of the people of Laramie were not very welcoming of them and were blatantly rude and insulting about their sexuality. The film also covered the story of the police officer who rescued Matthew and was exposed to his HIV. All in all, the movie is a complete telling of what happened that night and how the people dealt with later. The only thing missing from it was – Matthew’s version of the events, which obviously no one will ever know. Matthew Shepard was a very well-known young boy from Laramie. For this movie, the grou p cast a great set of people to play the interviewees and characters that were affected by Matthew’s death. Matthew’s close friend, Romaine Patterson was played by Christina Ricci. She greatly captured the essence of being best friend to Matthew. She was strong and her belief in Matthew never wavered. She knew he hadn’t done anything wrong. Christina Ricci played the part very well, especially when she and the others dress up as angels to protest the bad mouthing of the gay community. Joshua Jackson plays the bartender who was

The Way in Which Wordsworth Presents Emotion in Strange Fits of Passion Essay Example for Free

The Way in Which Wordsworth Presents Emotion in Strange Fits of Passion Essay Emotion is a central theme in ‘Strange fits of passion’; even in the title we have â€Å"Passion†, shown in the Poet’s feelings for Lucy and in the sudden (seemingly unfounded) idea that â€Å"Lucy should be dead† Overseeing the whole scene we also have the moon, used by Wordsworth to counterpoint the Poet’s Journey to â€Å"Lucy’s cot†. As he draws closer to the cottage the moon descends until suddenly â€Å"the planet dropped† which in turn causes the Poet to have a startling thought exclaiming â€Å"O mercy! † â€Å"If Lucy should be dead! † moving the Poet from a dazed half-sleep to startled alertness, as the feeling of dread overwhelms him. Given the rather jaunty ballad rhyming structure and rather tongue-in-cheek opening stanza, we could assume that the Poet is indulging in slight self-mockery at this notion, seen as ridiculous in hindsight. Or given some of the other imagery used, such as the moon’s slow decline—which given its romantic connotations could symbolize the decline and end of the Poet’s relationship with Lucy—and the analogy to a â€Å"rose in June†, we could assume that the Poet is reflecting on this incident with sadness regarding his memories of Lucy. This idea is further supported by the themes of the other â€Å"Lucy Poems†, namely loss. Poems such as â€Å"Three Years She Grew in Sun and Shower† and She dwelt among the untrodden ways showcase the Joy of the Poet in Lucy’s company and feelings of great sorrow at her demise. While it is unlikely that the women featured in the â€Å"Lucy Poems† are one and the same, it makes no difference to the common feelings expressed throughout the poems. As stated above, the poem is written in the style of a ballad (as indeed all the â€Å"Lucy Poems† are, though none as obviously as â€Å"Strange fits of passion†), using the Common language of the people, as Wordsworth was often wont to do. This enables the reader to have an immediate reaction to the work, generally one of amusement at the â€Å"fond and wayward thoughts† of the Poet which is then gradually turned to a feeling of sorrow at the eventual death as implied in the â€Å"Strange fits of passion† and made plain in the other â€Å"Lucy Poems† and in the omitted last stanza from â€Å"Strange fits of passion† I told her this; her laughter light Is ringing in my ears: And when I think upon that night My eyes are dim with tears This reaction, in a way, shadows the Poet’s emotional response. In fact, it could be argued that there is a similar reaction from the reader to the Poet’s emotional state throughout, at first we are warned that this tale is for â€Å"lover’s ear alone† setting us up for a romantic, if slightly farcical, story. As the Poet sets out to Lucy’s cottage with rapt anticipation, we too anticipate the characteristic â€Å"reveal† of Wordsworth poetry. We at first part in our reactions when the poet draws near the cottage, as the Poet has his sudden revelation; while he is struck by despair and fear we are temped to laugh at his seemingly ludicrous thought. This position is then taken by the Poet himself once he is safely in Lucy’s company but his â€Å"wayward thought† is proven all to shrewd, as reader and Poet both weep at Lucy’s demise.

Risk Assessment And Decision Making Of Adult Protection

Risk Assessment And Decision Making Of Adult Protection This essay gives an overview of the risk assessment and decision making in adult protection. The main purpose of this essay is to bring a more clear concept of risk; meaning of risk assessment and risk management decision making in adult protection and further it will examine existing based on upon research and evidence finally, it will critically analyse national and local reports which are related to risk assessment. It also contains a section dedicated to the specialized agencies in social assistance and their role in helping vulnerable adults, by creating procedures meant to assure the proper protection and care, offering them security, assistance and guidance to create a normal life. Identify a series of definition of risk and risk management for better understanding the concepts that are aiming to develop. Next, it will connect the existent literature review on this topic to own research. Furthermore, it will present the risks that the adults with disabilities are exposed to, t hat can cause their injury, or even death, as we will understand from a presented case study. Discussing about risk management, risk assessment, it can automatically presume that are referring to a situation in which something might go wrong. According to Hope and Sparks (2000) risk assessment may only able to identify probability of harm or danger, consider the impact of risk on individuals key and pretence intervention strategies which may reduce the risk or minimize the harm. However, assessment does not prevent risk. Risk level (or simply risk) should be seen as a continuous probability statement, rather than a dichotomous variable (risk or no risk) since risk levels are often not stable but fluctuate over time and context, estimates of risk should be in the form of ongoing assessments rather than one-time predictions. The above definition speaks about the fluctuations of risks in time and in different contexts. It recommends that risk should be continuously monitored. Further, in their study, the authors refer to clinical risk assessment, a more related issue to this study. A frequent suggestion for improving the validity of clinical risk assessment is to take into account predictor variables reflecting the environmental or situational context in which violent behaviour is likely to occur, in addition to measuring dispositional, historical, or clinical factors. (Monham and Steadman 1994, p. 8) A more precise definition of the term is offered by Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary (2010, p.1) the act of identifying possible risks, calculating how likely they are to happen and estimating what effects they might have. Risk is closely linked to dangerousness, resulting in harm which seems to be agreed means harm to self or others and extend of harm which constitutes a risk in various situations especially adult with learning disabilities. Brown (2005) states assessment of risk for adult with learning disabilities which should be evolutionary in nature constantly informed and shaped by changes of circumstances upon service users needs. The practice of risk assessment and management is the process of data collection, recording, interpretation, communication and implementation of risk reduction plan (Brown, 2005). According to Kemshall and Pritchard (2001) every human being becomes vulnerable during their lifetime for many of reasons they all respond differently to events that happen to them because of who they are and the lack of support that they have For the risk of learning disability, clinical model of risk assessment have become the norm. There are two kinds of risk that are relevant to work people with learning disabilities, risk of unnecessary exposure to undesirable events or experience, and risk of negative consequences when possible benefits and desirable experiences are perused (William et al, 2006). Further present a series of acceptance regarding the risk management concept. Risk Management aims to facilitate the exchange of information and expertise across countries and across disciplines. Its purpose is to generate ideas and promote good practice for those involved in the business of managing risk. (Palgrave-journals, 2011, p.1.). In this definition, the risk management is perceived as a discipline, moreover, as a business solution meant to ease the communication flow and to propose a model for the risk management practice across countries and business areas. The concern of this study is not so general. Main focus is upon the risk management in the protection of vulnerable adults. Increasingly responding to the risks of others, preventing risks to vulnerable adults or running risks to themselves is all in days work for the busy practitioners and manager in the field of social care (Brearley, 1982). Adult with learning disabilities are subject to risk all time due to their vulnerability they sometimes abused by those who have control over them or by those who realize that they are vulnerable because of their disabilities they often find it very much more difficult to assess risk the way most of social carer and services do. According to Vaughn Fuchs (2003) adult with learning disabilities they always find this difficult and also fail to recognize any risk at all as they cant explain due to lack of communication. Nevertheless, take risks because they feel vulnerable to a point approaching hopelessness (Fischhoff et al., 2000). In either case, these perceptions can prompt adults to make poor decisions that can put them at risk and leave them vulnerable to physical or psychological harm that may have a negative impact on their long-term health and viability. According to Kemshall and Pritchard (2001) there has been much debate about a welfare model or a criminal justice model should be adopted. Alaszewski (1998) states that, risk is used different ways. It is possible to identify a narrow common sense definition of risk which risk is equated with danger and the negative outcomes of events. Kemshall and Pritchard (2001) indicate that, adults vulnerable protection systems are likely to come under close scrutiny. Protecting Vulnerable Adults, Valuing People (2010, P. 93) states: People with learning disabilities are entitled to at least the same level of support and intervention from abuse and harm as other citizens. This needs to be provided in a way that respects their own choices and decisions. Vaughn Fuchs (2003) state that, the difficulty for a person with learning disabilities is that carers often do feel often they are expected to make these choices for them. The law of negligence often can appear to inhibit decision making personal freedom and choice sit uncomfortably next to the concepts of duty of care and professional liability. Above the study and definition, it needs to identify the risk that a vulnerable adult was exposed to. However, it will not be able to make precise mathematical calculations to exactly identifying the risk factor that the vulnerable adult was submitted to. These studies are mostly concerned with the risk assessment that a mental disordered person can cause to others and to himself/herself. An orientation towards the abuse that other people or the society, through its system, can cause to a disordered person is not clearly presented. The murder of Steven Hoskin has been rendered cold bloodedly by a five peoples in St. Austell, Cornwall on July 6, 2006 (BBC, 2007; Daily Mail, 2007). Hoskin was a 39 years old man with an IQ level equal to a six year old child and living lonely in bedsit when the perpetrators made friendship with him to accomplish their brutal task (Society Guardian, 2007; BBC, 2007). Darren Stewart, the ring leader of the gang, along with his accomplices arrived at his apartment during the night of 5th and 6th July, 2006 (Daily Mail Online, 2007; BBC, 2007). Soon they started torturing and burning his body with cigarettes out of their hate toward his learning disability (Daily Mail Online, 2007). Later on, they coerce him to swallow more than 70 pills of Paracetamol which severely damaged his liver (BBC, 2007). Then they dragged him to the nearby viaduct where he was again stamped on and lashed out by the felons (BBC, 2007; Daily Mail Online, 2007). He was then forced to jump from a 100 feet tall b ridge (Daily Mail Online, 2007). Later on, he was found dead in the river (BBC, 2007). The crooks were later arrested and penalized by the court (BBC, 2007). The question arises here is that why this event occurred in the first place? Why the concerned authorities failed to protect him from the perpetrators even after the fact that some agencies (e.g. adult social care) know about his mental condition (Ahmed, 2007) and let him die helplessly? This is the subject of next discussion. It was found in the investigation report of multiagency that Hoskin has cancelled his contact with the adult social care unit some days before his death (Society Guardian, 2007; BBC, 2007). This unilateral suspension was not taken seriously by the authorities and did not bother to inquire into the matter seriously (Ahmed, 2007). It was also found that he tried to contact many emergency service agencies nonetheless the matter was considered as a routine and over looked by the officials (Ahmed, 2007). Cornwall Adult Protection Committee (2007) report, before his death Steven Hoskin gave up his social care protection. Hoskin was placed in a bed-sit by adult social care in April 2005 and he was allocated two hours of help each week, but he chose to cancel the service in August and by September the council closed his case (Community Care, 2007, p.1). The institutions involved in investigating Hoskins death and the reasons for which the specialized social cares agencies failed to prevent his death, didnt searched on how and why did the man gave up his rights of social care. The multiagency report further indicated that every single agency (i.e. Police, the housing association, emergency ambulance and adult social care etc.) did posses some piece of information regarding the conditions of Hoskin owing to the complaints of his neighbours or of himself (Ahmed, 2007). On the other hand no one of them has the complete information that can be used to see the big picture of the situation at hand (Ahmed, 2007). Each one of them was analysing the matter in an isolated environment (Ahmed, 2007). Perhaps, this can be better understood by following the jigsaw approach (Aronson, 1990). In this approach, every member of the group has some minor but important piece of information, nonetheless to make the whole picture complete, every ones contribution is essential (Aronson, 1990). Likewise, in the case of Hoskin, every agency has some minute but important pieces of information about him that can be used to make out what is actually going on with him and help can be la unched to stop the danger approaching toward him (Aronson, 1990). For example, police knew that Darren Stewart, the main murder of Haskin, has already criminal record nonetheless this information was hidden to the adult social care which has the information that Stewart is now being seen with Hoskin (Ahmed, 2007). If these two pieces of jigsaw put together, it is very easy to conclude that Darren Stewart may be planning to do something wrong to the vulnerable Hoskin. Hence, it is clear that the lack of integration was the first drawback found in the previous setup. Second main problem was that there was no mechanism to assemble discrete complaints from the same address several times at the emergency helpline service (Cornwall Adult Protection Committee, 2007). In the multiagency report, it is found that police and ambulance services visited the resident of Steven several times however, these individual complaints were not considered sufficient to alert an authority (Cornwall Adult Protection Committee, 2007). At the call centre, each time when a person in emergency calls, the phone is picked by some random person and the information remain isolated from the other people. There was no such system in place that can assemble the complaints from a unique address which can be used to raise alert (Cornwall Adult Protection Committee, 2007). Third important problem was the lack of effective communication within an emergency service agency (Ahmed, 2007). For example, Carol Tozel, the director of adult social care, was unaware of the death of Hoskin until June 2007 (Ahmed, 2007). Carol Tozel was taken aback at the extreme lack of intra-communication in her department (Ahmed, 2007). Moreover, she was not provided any risk assessment review regarding the unilateral suspension of adult care services by Hoskin (Ahmed, 2007). This may be due the absence of any alert which her agency failed to raise for Hoskin or the common red-tape problem prevalent in governmental agencies almost all over the world. Another significant issue was the reduction in the budget of social care services agency for disabled and old aged (Forder and Fernà ¡ndez, 2010). The politicians have played a prominent role in the reduction of budget for this purpose (Forder and Fernà ¡ndez, 2010). It is sorrowful to know that there are millions of pounds available for buying bombs to through at Iraq and Afghanistan however there is little money available to spend on the social care services of helpless and disabled persons. Steven Hoskin was a vulnerable man who did not receive the professional help that he ought to. The specialized institutions mistreated the case and because he had no protection, the man was brutally murdered. Only after Stevens murdered his case considered and in addition identified as a vulnerable adult. The agencies responsible for social care did not make the clear connections to determine the man a vulnerable adult while he was still alive. According to the Adult Protection Act.(1989 p.1) R.S., c. 2, s. 1 an adult in need of protection means an adult who, in the premises where he resides, (i) is a victim of physical abuse, sexual abuse, mental cruelty or a combination thereof, is incapable of protecting himself therefore by reason of physical disability or mental infirmity, and refuses, delays or is unable to make provision for his protection therefore, or (ii) is not receiving adequate care and attention, is incapable of caring adequately for himself by reason of physical disability or mental infirmity, and refuses, delays or is unable to make provision for his adequate care and attention. After learning the atrocities that Hoskin was exposed to, there is no doubt about the fact that he was a vulnerable adult, in need of protection. According to a report issued by Devon County Council (2007, p.1) an abuse to a person in need is also when he/she is neglected and specialized authorities failed to act upon his/her problem. Hoskins problems were long time ignored and through the end of his life he did not benefit of the protection guaranteed by his rights as an adult in need, also because of the bureaucracy of the social care system, which at the time implemented a ration of the time and resources. Hence, because the man was not considered a vulnerable adult (his needs criteria were established within low to low moderate), the authorities just pulled him out of their system (An independent management review, cited in Community Care, 2007). From the Community Care website we find out that social care representatives are being investigated for failing to prevent the abuse upon Steven Hoskin. According to the online publication Community Care (2007), the agencies in charge with protecting Hoskin missed more than 40 opportunities to help the man and to prevent him being killed. As keep on investigating this subject, other interesting facts about this case are being revealed. According to Health Service Journal (2008, p.8) the man who took advantage of Hoskins mental state, into living with him, was also a mental disordered person. His own history was chaotic: from being a runaway child, he became a violent and self-harming young man, leading a nomadic existence and making frequent suicidal gestures. He had convictions for arson and assault. Here is another case of authoritys incompetency. Because of the repeated calls to hospital, the ambulance service representatives acknowledged the fact that Steven Hoskin was sharing his accommodation with Darren Stewart, who was no stranger to them. They even called police to join them in several actions, to Stevens apartment, because they knew that Stewart, who shared the bed-sit with Steven, was a very dangerous man (Health Service Journal, 2008). Evan so, because neither the police nor the ambulance service communicated this fact to the social assistance institutions, the case was further neglected. Further discuss about some procedures that the social care institutions need to follow for avoiding cases like Steven Hoskins to happen. Actually, Hoskins case was the base of many new regulations for the social care institutions: No Secret refers to this case. Created in November, 2003 the Adult Protection and Decision Act. Provide a rate of tools to assist adults (19 and older) who have some diminished ability to make their own decisions (Health and Social Services, 2010 p.1). The No Secrets (2000) guidance refers to the adult being any person of 18 and older. According to Health and Social Services (2010), the tools refer to decision making and representation agreements, guardianship appointed by court and adult protection for persons who are unable to look out for them and to search for help when abused or neglected. Hence, the Health and Social Services (2010) definition of a vulnerable adult, the adults who need protection are the ones who are not able to make their own decisions Studying Hoskins case; we learnt that the man cancelled his social care assistance. Knowing these facts, an interesting question arises how was Steven Hoskin allowed to cancel his social care program if he was acknowledged as a vulnerable patient, incapable of taking decisions and to protect himself? Unfortunately there have no evident information to understand the context in which the man gave up his social care rights and what authority and on what grounds approved the mans request, as these issues were not investigated. The single information that have for this issue, was found in the Community Care article (2007), which presented Ray Jones (former social service director Cornwall Council) findings on the case. The Cornwall Council was, at that time, limited to adult care with critical needs. As seen above, Hoskin was considered a low to medium low case, so his was dropped, according to Ray Jones. This is the only statement that we found regarding Hoskins cancellation of his social assistance rights. No Secrets (2000) sates that, guidance defines the term abuse as a violation of an individuals human and civil rights by any other person or persons. (2:9). Cornwall Adult Protection Committee (2007) presents in its serious case review study the measures created in order not to neglect adults with mental disorders and to prevent them of being harmed. A first recommendation would be to identify the disabled adults who live in a certain community (within conferences and meetings between multi-agencies meant to discover the persons who abused the ambulance or police services and that neighbors identified as problem-makers or disordered persons; by enhancing the communication between the social care institutions through trainings and communication conferences; by improving the information sharing across the statutory agencies; by raising community awareness and understanding about the identity and the possible behavior of vulnerable adults). The No Secret (2000), guidance also imposes procedures for the statutory agencies to follow, when dealing with a case of vulnerable adult abuse. It is needed to indentify the responsible and relevant agencies (3:14). This is a very serious concern, because in order to understand how a vulnerable adult should be taken care of, one needs to understand which the institutions are involved in offering protection and support to vulnerable adults. Among the statutory agencies, such as commissioners of health and social care services, providers of sheltered and supported housing, police, regulator services, the guidance also specifies other actors as relevant agencies: voluntary and private sector agencies (3:14). The guidance also suggests creating a multi agency management committee, which should consist of the leaders of the appointed agencies, in charge with identifying objectives and setting priorities, coordinating activities between agencies, creating training programs, monitoring and reviewing the progress of the institutions responsible for the vulnerable adults welfare. (3:15). From studied case, Steven Hoskin was also the victim of the agencies negligence. The specialized institutions who were in charge with the mans health status did not communicate amongst each other the reactions that they observed his behaviour. Other actions established in the No Secrets (2000) guidance frameworks, to identify roles and to appoint authority; to develop procedures that need to be followed by the agencies involved in the social care system. To protect the vulnerable adults confidentiality, as much as possible (the act specifies that a disabled persons identity should only be communicated on need to know basis); to involve the local authority in this matter (for instance, local police should work closely to the directly appointed agencies by communicating their observations) and all the actions that the multi-agency management committee undertake should be submitted to an annual audit in order to establish if its policies and strategies were correctly applied (No Secrets 2000,3 : 15, p 17, 18). The Adult Protection Committee (2007) serious case review, also proposes an induction procedure, as part of the training policy, which is to be undertaken every three years. Within the training plan, as part of the supervision, there is also included a day to day supervision. (Cornwall Adult Protection Committee 2007, p.16). These procedures are followed in Cornwall district but this seems to be an effective model that could be established in the social care system, in general. Following these rules and suggestions, the risk assessment is supposed to decrease. Just by communicating certain observation that an institution makes upon a vulnerable adult, this could bring many changes. Should a care assistant observe certain reactions at a disabled person and he/she doesnt assure that the monitored observations are treated with the proper gravity, the treated vulnerable adult can suffer greatly, because his/her symptoms were not detected on time (Adult Protection Committee, 2007). This is why, all the social care workers should be trained and their tasks and completion of their work to be daily supervised. This requires a more complex system, in which there should be included different levels of co-ordination. Within such a bureaucratic system, another risk factor interferes, the long communication flow which can cause information losses or redundant data (Adult Protection Committee, 2007). This also encounters a beneficial factor the different interpretation forms of certain information. According to Adult Protection Committee (2007), as in the case of a common work of different specialized social care institutions, the agencies can interpret differently a communicated problem related to the vulnerable adults monitored problems. Consequently, inter-communication and the information exchange between multi-agencies are so important. If certain information regarding the disabled adult might seem unimportant for a care institution, one other specialized care agen cy might find it crucial. Like in the case of Hoskin, the police and the ambulance service didnt consider very important the fact the that man made so many phone calls to hospitals and neither the fact that he was living with another disabled man seemed to be reflected as a problem for the police or the ambulance. If these facts would have been further communicated to the social care specialized agencies, the mans live could have been saved. According to Sellars (2002) risks change constantly and people grow, change, and develop. It is important to review risk assessment regularly, and aim always to increase choice and freedom for the people with learning disability. The presented and analyzed case is a serious, sad and unwanted example for understanding that the social care agencies, and other departments involved in the protection of vulnerable adults did not properly did their jobs. After studying the reports and the publications that treated Steven Hoskins case, conclude that the man was the victim of the institutional abuse. His problems were not treated with seriousness, even more; the man was considered a danger to his community because of his lout outburst and violent behaviour. Hoskins case is a clear prove that the institutions didnt take into consideration the mans repeated outburst, obvious factors of risk assessment: his repeated calls to hospitals, requiring ambulance services to his home; the polices visits to his bed-sit (in many occasions required by the ambulance service, aware of the fact that Hoskin was leaving with a dangerous, ex-convicted man, the noisy visits that the neighbours identified with a few months before Steven Hoskins death, coming from his apartment). All these examples were neglected by the agencies responsible for Hoskins case. Actually no institution took into consideration that the man was vulnerable. He was known to have severe learning problems, having the IQ of a six year child. These are serious facts which prove that the man was a vulnerable adult, not able to make decisions for his own welfare and not able to take care of himself. The authorities involved in Hoskins case didnt properly manage the mans life. They didnt ev en properly investigated the mans abuse and the reasons that brought him in the situation that caused his death (what determined him to cancel his social assistance program, or did he really cancelled it, who approved this, how did Hoskin come to share his bed-sit with one of his murderers, months before his death).

pascal :: essays research papers fc

Blaise Pascal Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician, physicist, and religious philosopher. He had many important contributions to the mathematics and physics such as: the construction of mechanical calculators, considerations on probability theory, the study of fluids, concepts of the pressure and vacuum, and the Pascal Triangle. After a divine experience in 1654, he devoted himself to meditating and writing philosophy. His many discoveries in the field of mathematics have made him one of the most important mathematicians in history (Broome). Blaise Pascal was born in Clermont, France in 1623. He was one of five children and lost his mother at the age of three. Starting in 1631, his father, Étienne Pascal, devoted himself to the education of Blaise, who showed extraordinary intelligence. At age 16, Pascal produced a paper on conic sections, which is now called Pascal's theorem. At age 18, Pascal created a mechanical calculator able to do addition and subtraction (Pascal). In 1653, Pascal wrote the Traità © du Triangle Arithmà ©tique, which was a theory described as a convenient tabular presentation for binomial coefficients. Today his theory is called the arithmetical triangle or Pascal triangle (Broome). Pascal did much research in science that included contributions to the study of fluids, pressures, and vacuums. He also invented the hydraulic press and syringe. In 1654, he worked with another mathematician, Fermat, on the mathematical theory of probabilities (Broome). In 1654, he was in a carriage accident and fifteen days later had an intense religious vision (Pascal). After the vision, Pascal began to attack the ideas of casuistry or complex reasoning to justify moral laxity. His wrote many essays and letters against this idea and was hated for this. Louis XIV of France ordered that his papers be shredded and burnt. Pascal largest theological writing was the Pensà ©es, which was a sustained and coherent examination of and defense of the Christian faith. However, the novel was left unfinished because of his death in Paris on August 19, 1662 (Broome). Blaise Pascal’s finding have provided much information to the mathmatic, scientific, and religious communitys.

Internal Co-op vs. External Co-op: Is There a Difference? :: Journalism Journalistic Essays

Internal Co-op vs. External Co-op: Is There a Difference? Paul Ethier, a 20-year-old middler entrepreneurship major at Northeastern University, stands at the Information Center in the Curry Student Center on a busy Friday afternoon. In freshly pressed khakis and a slate blue button down shirt, he smiles as he chats casually with one of his employees. Two floors above, Frank Grajales, a middler entrepreneurship and MIS major, sits at the scheduling desk, beside his employees, booking reservations for the student center meeting rooms. Besides the obvious, what do these students have in common? They both are co-op students employed by Northeastern University. The co-op department places students in co-ops with outside companies as well as in positions within Northeastern. According to Doreen Hodgkin, Senior Associate Dean for Administration in the Division of Cooperative Education, the university offers a variety of co-op jobs in most on campus departments. They range from jobs in the Registrar’s Office to the Admissions Office and Public Relations Department. There are also jobs in the Career Services Department as well as managerial positions and a co-op at WRBB, the campus radio station. There are only a few locations on campus, such as Lane Health Center, who do not hire co-op students for confidentiality purposes, Hodgkin said. Ethier manages the Information Center and Game Room in the student center. He oversees 26 work-study employees and his tasks range from hiring and scheduling employees to running staff meetings to managing game room revenues and organizing tournaments. He makes decisions on what games and programs to provide in the game room. Ethier said he was first attracted to the job because he enjoys arcade games and was looking for a managerial position. He thought the job would be a great way to combine his interests and to build his resume and did not think he could find a similar experience anywhere else. Grajales manages the scheduling desk in the Curry Student Center, which is a busy hub responsible for all activities going on in the student center. Grajales’ tasks include managing a work-study staff of 11, hiring and scheduling new employees, taking reservations for rooms and database entry. He also deals with and resolves conflicts with room reservations. â€Å"To some people, I’m sort of a figurehead,† said Grajales. Grajales first interviewed for a different position within the student center, but was offered the scheduling desk job instead. After speaking with his future manager he thought it seemed like a fun environment to work in, which proved true when he began working there.

The tour :: Short Stories Science Medical Essays

The tour Her breath was becoming labored. It was always like this after working a full shift in the zone. The dust made her throat dry and her lungs ache. The feeling of every pore in her body closing in response to the biological assault was all too familiar. She had been on the Tour now for three months; many people did not survive more than two, and she theoretically had to serve five. There wasn't anyone she knew that had actually completed their Tour, except for Xern, and his respiratory system had been replaced at least twice. But now Sweepers were just as expendable as cars used to be -- internal organs could be replaced or even upgraded, but it eventually became more cost effective to generate a new body than to constantly maintain an old one. Besides, the Sweepers did not seem to be of use to anyone, beyond the task they performed. And after working a full shift, they were not even of use to themselves. Sometimes she was so mentally and physically spent that she would barely make it through the evening recalibration before falling asleep -- only to wake up feverish a few hours later. Tonight was no exception. It hurt so much to breathe, let alone cough or yawn. She had trained herself to take short, even breaths, because any sudden or deep intake sent a stabbing sensation throughout her chest. She couldn't even remember the last time she felt healthy. It was certainly sometime before she received that notice on her monitor: The Federal Medical Management and Research Association has identified a particular segment of your DNA that indicates immunity to BH-247XN30. This immunity merits a rarity of 5 on the Milton Scale, and has been identified in only .000014% of the population. Less than 5% of the same have been randomly selected to participate in Tour 598E that begins 1645/28/07/2048†¦ She had only vaguely heard of these Tours up until that point. They were of the vicious rumor variety, much like the perpetual threat of a comet-Earth collision. After she received the notice, she accessed the information site for the Tours. The laws governing them had been implemented 1022/03/05/2045, almost three years earlier. When she checked her voting account, she discovered that she had even submitted her approval for the laws.

Critically assess porter’s contribution to strategic thinking

Henry Mintzberg, Abraham Maslow and Michael Porter are renowned gurus whose hard works have left a footprint on management. Some of their works has helped in explaining the success and failure of big businesses over the past few decades and question marks have been raised in recent years if their work can still be applied to our present environment considering the rapid rise in globalisation and technological innovations. Few of the works done by these management experts have been on significant topics such as leadership, strategy and motivation, but this essay will focus on the effort of Porter in elucidating how businesses can gain competitive advantage in our growing competitive environment. The essay aims to assess Porter's contribution to the way in which people in an organization think about, assess, view, and create the future for themselves and their associates. However, given the space available the essay will only take a detailed look at the most criticised work of Porter and only few of his other works will be described. This essay will be based on previous researches by academics and strategists, and all information should not be judged as accurate but as a springboard since they are mostly based on historical theories. In order to get a grip of the essay; it is necessary to highlight the key words related to the topic of the essay as any precise delusion can de delusive. To start with, Wit and Meyer (2002) defined strategy in terms of organisational objective as a course of action for achieving an organization's purpose. For Kay (1996), strategy is the match between the organisation's internal capabilities and its external relationships, describing ‘how it responds to its suppliers, its customers, its competitors, and the social and economic within which it operates' (cited in Boddy, 2002 page 165). Both definitions are acceptable but assessing various strategies is the theme of the essay that is why a well defined structure of the essay is required. The first part will introduce Porter's works, the major assumptions of five forces analysis and Resource Based View. The second part will detail the fundamental differences between Porter's work and recent works such as RBV before highlighting key areas of debate principally those presented by D'Aveni, Hamel and Downes. The third part will give a brief evaluation on how Porter's work has developed our understanding of Strategy which will help develop a conclusion to the essay. From the eighties, Porter has developed a number of models for businesses on how to gain competitive advantage. Porter developed models such as three generic strategies, five forces analysis, Porter's diamond and value chain. In his three generic strategies model, Porter (1980b, 1985) identified two basic types of competitive advantage namely low cost or differentiation (cited in Wit & Meyer, 2002 page 350). He developed a third generic strategy from this called focus and proposed that an organization that hopes to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage must implement one of the three strategies. This is not the first and the very last of Porter's works and another model he developed was value chain analysis (1985) where Porter argued that it is necessary to examine activities separately in order to identify sources of competitive advantage (Boddy 2002, page 166-167). The value chain provides a way to identify a firm's sources of differentiation where it results from actual uniqueness in creating buyer value and from the ability to signal that value so that buyers perceive it (Toby Harfield, Strategic Management and Michael Porter: a postmodern reading). However, it is five forces analysis that has attracted the most number of criticisms. The model, developed by Michael E. Porter in his book â€Å"Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors† in 1980 (www3) pointed out that the state of competition in an industry is determined not only by the existence of competitors but also by the strength of buyers (customers) and suppliers, by the existence of substitute products or services and by the ability of new competitors to enter the industry which he collectively referred to Porter's five forces. However, he argued that whatever the collective strength, the corporate strategist's goal is to find a position in the industry where his or her company can best defend itself against these forces or can influence them in his favour (Mintzberg et al, pg 61). Thorelli 1977; Masson & Quall 1976 explained that forces mentioned above determine the conduct of firms, which in turn determines firm performance (Toby Harfield, Strategic Management and Michael Porter: a postmodern reading). Although the five forces analysis has become an important device for analyzing strategy the vast number of criticisms received consequently led to the development of a different approach called the Resource Based View (RBV). RBV, which has received the highest number of plaudit since the evolution of Porter's work was first spotted in Wernerfelt's article in 1984 before further development by Rumelt 1984, Barney (1986a; 1986b; 1988; 1991) (power point). RBV explains how a company's resources drive its performance in a dynamic competitive environment (David J. Collis et al, 1995, pg 118-128). The idea behind the development of RBV is to state the importance of resources to gaining competitive advantage over rivals where resources are heterogeneous in nature. In clarifying the prerequisite of resources Barney (1991) explained that a firm resource must be valuable, rare, and imperfectly imitable and substitutable in order to be source of a sustained competitive advantage (cited in Henderson and Mitchell, 1997). However, both frameworks have received appraisals but conflicting assumptions have been made by both theories which further developed more theoretical views. Porter 1980 assumes that understanding the external environment and decision making (or â€Å"moves†) according to the five forces is the primary role of strategy, thus opposing the argument of Barney 1986a who argued that analyzing internal skills and capabilities produces more accurate information on the potential value of strategic resources than does environmental analysis (www2). Barney's argument wasn't wholly accepted by Priem and Butler (2001 a & b) but argued that Barney's (1991) statement â€Å"if a resource is valuable and rare, then it can be source of competitive advantage† is necessarily true if the concepts ‘valuable' and ‘competitive advantage' are defined in the same terms (cited in Henderson and Mitchell, 1997). It is obvious from this point that Porter's assumptions have developed other strategist notions which are cited further. Another underlying assumption made by Porter is the homogeneity of firms which revealed that all firms have the same ability to implement the right strategy, which contradicts the basic premise of the RBV that all firms are different and consequently do not have the same ability to implement a given strategy (www1). Even though both theories have been applauded, theorists have not been totally overwhelmed by the five forces analysis and RBV; different strategies are still in constant development which they deem useful for our current environment. D'Aveni (1995) in his article â€Å"Coping with hypercompetition† claimed that no organization can build a competitive advantage that is sustainable in our dynamic environment as any advantage gained is only temporary, therefore companies must actively work to disrupt their own advantages and the advantages of competitors by employing a new 7S's framework. IBM is an example mentioned to have suffered from ignoring this approach. Firstly, this view opposes that of Porter and RBV as its strategy does not believe in a sustainable competitive advantage. Secondly, it can be deduced from D'Aveni's article that Porter's model assumes a relatively static market structure (Porters five forces article www3) by saying that the forces mentioned by Porter such as buyer and supplier power (Five forces analysis) that raises barrier to entry and leadership in price and quality (three generic strategies) are not enough to guarantee success. Downes (2001) saw a similar argument in his article â€Å"Beyond Porter† where he quoted that â€Å"Porters theories base on the economic situation in the eighties and the period was characterised by strong competition, cyclical developments and relatively stable market structures†. He condemned the view made by Porter that competitive advantages develop from strengthening the own position within the five forces framework and stated that three new forces namely digitalization, globalization and deregulation should be taken into context has the main driver for change today is technology. Hamel (1996) also conducted a work on strategy in an article called â€Å"Strategy as Revolution† where he categorised companies based on their successes into rule makers, rule takers and rule breakers. Logically, IBM whose strategy was also questioned by Downes (2001) was tagged as a rule maker because they have shaped their industry but subsequently failed. Tagged with rule breakers (the industry revolutionaries) is Dell Computer whose intent is to overturn the industrial order with the support of the crumbling oligarchy under the weight of deregulation, technological upheaval, globalization and social change. It is evident that Porter's five forces analysis is extremely influential in the field of strategic management as it has developed other strategic views and further improved our understanding of strategy. Porter's work has been the basis for recent strategic notions and his work has received more criticism than RBV which followed suit. Referring back to the question, Porter has developed numerous strategic frameworks with the most criticised work being the five forces analysis which has the most impact on strategic thinking. His work mystified many strategists because of the one-sided approach of the model where it made certain assumptions such as external environment is the primary role of strategy, homogeneity of firms and market structures are relatively stable. These assumptions led to the development of RBV whose main unit of analysis was the internal environment. RBV claimed that the key to sustaining competitive advantage is to have resources which are valuable, rare, imperfectly imitable and substitutable. Briem and Butler debated this approach where they said it is the way the concept are defined that determines if it is a source of competitive advantage. Other strategists were not left in the cold and they voiced out their criticisms of Porter's work. D'Aveni stated that there is no sustainable competitive advantage and market structures are dynamic. Downes claimed that three new forces namely digitalization, globalization and deregulation should be taken into context has the main driver for change today is technology and not just the forces mentioned by Porter. Lastly, Hamel in his article explained that companies can either be a rule taker, maker or breaker. In order to give a valid conclusion to the essay, it is important to reconsider the definition made by Kay (1996) where strategy definition was given has the match between the organisation's internal capabilities and its external relationships. It would be correct to state that a successful strategy will take both the internal and external environment into consideration when developing its strategy. It is obvious that neither the five forces analysis nor the RBV has done so in this case; none of the theories can be considered capable of achieving competitive advantage but will only be valuable if both approaches are combined. Based on the level of knowledge of this essay it would be interesting to see a strategist which will develop a strategy that will link the internal resources with the external environment.

Religious Education Coursework Assignment Essay

COURSEWORK QUESTION: a) (i) What is Hajj? (ii) Describe and explain why a Muslim would take part in Hajj and what this involves [40] b) (i) Explain the meaning and significance of the events of Hajj for a Muslim. (ii) What difficulties might there be for a Muslim performing Hajj? (iii) How might participating in Hajj affect the life of a believer? [35] c) â€Å"A true pilgrimage is really a journey within.† Do you agree with this statement? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Islam in your answer. [25] A (i)Hajj is the pilgrimage to Makkah, a Muslim-only city. Tourists aren’t welcome to Makkah; Hajj is for Muslims to get closer to God and isn’t meant to be a tourist attraction. It is the duty of every healthy and financially stable Muslim to complete Hajj once in their lifetime. It is a deeply spiritual journey for the millions of Muslims who complete Hajj every Muslim year, between 8 and 13 Dhul-Hijjah – the final month. Some Muslims may prefer to visit Makkah on a pilgrimage at another time in the year, but this is not considered as important as Hajj, and is called Umrah. Because so many Muslims want to experience Hajj for the first time, those who have done it before often do Umrah instead. Hajj is the fifth of the five pillars of Islam; the basis of the religion. It is meant for the sane and mature Muslim mind, and it is usually considered an honour to die during one’s Hajj, as it is widely believed burial in the city of Makkah will bring Muslims clo ser to their God, and is a good indication of their dedication to Islam. A (ii)Hajj is widely considered essential in order to be a devout Muslim. It is one of the five pillars of Islam which are the biggest and main requirements of the religion. It is considered that Hajj is something of a ticket to heaven in the afterlife. The pilgrimage is to show ones self to Allah, and let him be the judge of character. With a good Hajj comes a peaceful afterlife and paradise. It is not just a physical practice, for true meaning a pilgrim must enter a whole new mindset and way of living, at least for the days of Hajj. This was of living is called Ihram, and is the first obligatory rite of Hajj. All men must wear two white unhemmed sheets so that all look alike, and wealth, age and status in general is not even considered. Whilst in Ihram, Muslims should not argue, swear, kill (even insects!) or participate in a sexual relationship even accompanied by husband or wife. Ihram creates an equilibrium and purity for Hajj. It unites every pilgrim and crates a pure mental canvas solely ready to think about nothing but God. The physical part of Hajj is all about recreating significant and very old events in Islam. First the pilgrims all run or walk quickly around the Ka’bah seven times, if close enough they will touch or kiss it. They then pray close to the Ka’bah, near Maqam Ibrahim. Next the Muslims rush between Marwah and Safa, two hills; seven times. The hills are linked now by a corridor for convenience and safety. After doing this, the pilgrims must make their way to the plain of Arafat, around 20km from Makkah. The pilgrims stand under the sun from midday until sunset praying to Allah, and asking for forgiveness. After this the pilgrims go to Muzdalifah to pray, collect stones and camp overnight. In the morning the pilgrims go to Mina to throw seven stones at three walls. After stoning the walls pilgrims make a sacrifice, often through companies nowadays. The sacrificed animal is the either frozen for future use or given to the poor Muslim community to eat. Men then shave their heads, and women cut off a lock of hair, usually a small amount; a few centimetres or a quarter. Muslims are then allowed to exit Ihram, changing into their normal clothes. They camp at Mina for three nights, and then return to Makkah to walk around the Ka’bah once again. They then drink water from the ZamZam well and their Hajj is complete. They are then a male Hajji, or a female Hajjah. B (i)Carrying out the actions of Hajj is not meaningful without a proper understanding for the ideas behind each procedure. It is all about representing the past and having empathy for Muhammad (PBUH), Ibrahim his son Ismah’il and others. The Ka’bah is a cube-shaped building supposedly first constructed for God by the first man Adam. It was washed away in Noah’s time, but Ibrahim and his son Ismah’il rebuilt it. It is covered in a black cloth called kiswah with verses of the Qu’ran stitched into it. The Ka’bah is rebuilt on the same foundations by the same method when it needs to be, and the cover is re-made every year, after it is cut up and given to some lucky pilgrims as a memento of their journey. The Ka’bah is the very first house of God and many prophets have visited it. It is for this reason that pilgrims feel such closeness and representation to God when they visit it during Hajj. Tawaf is the circling of the Ka’bah seve n times. To begin, the pilgrims can kiss the Black Stone al-hajar-al-aswad or just raise their hands towards it (on the east corner of the courtyard) and recite a prayer. After this the Pilgrims rush around the Ka’bah seven times to represent the fact that their lives revolve around God. It is the first thing that the pilgrims do when they arrive in Makkah. Tawaf is the second rite of Hajj, after Ihram, mentioned earlier. The second event is called the sa’i, where pilgrims rush between the hills Marwah and Safa, to show perseverance and patience. This is what Ibrahim’s wife Hajar did as she desperately searched for aid as her and her thirsty son came close to death in the desert. This part of Hajj can be very tiring and difficult under the blazing sun, despite there being a modern corridor built especially for sa’i. Hajar’s patience was rewarded by God with a spring of water that appeared at her son Ismah’il’s feet, which was named the ZamZam well; today it is in the courtyard of the great Mosque in Makkah. Sa’i is not a compulsory part of Hajj but is usually included in the pilgrimage, and has a deep meaning. The pilgrims travel to Mina, a city of tents near the plain of Arafat. In Ihram, the Muslims are united and equal; they sleep side by side often grouped only by language if anything. All of the pilgrims sleep in tents in their Ihram clothes, poor and rich sleep aside each other as the devout, proud and fellow Muslims of Hajj. The following day the pilgrims travel to Mount Arafat for the most important part of Hajj, where they stand before Allah and ask forgiveness for all of their sins. This is the third obligatory rit e of Hajj. Mount Arafat is also known as the ‘Mount of Mercy’ and is supposed to be where God forgave Adam and Eve for their sins and reunited them, after previously separating them for wrongdoing. Here the Muslims stand before God, the wuquf. The pilgrims stand from midday to sunset praying, weeping and meditating, all under the searing Saudi sun. The afternoon of wuquf is purely concentrated on Allah, and some pilgrims have to rush to make the stand, as without it their Hajj is invalid. Everyone is expected to stand alone and analyse every wrong doing individually, and pray to Allah for forgiveness for their sins. In this rite, repent is essential, and if pilgrims are truly sorry for their sins, it is said they will be completely purified and forgiven by Allah, and can start again, as pure as the day they were born. It is an unforgettable experience and is savoured by every pilgrim. After wuquf, pilgrims travel to camp in Muzdalifah in time for prayers in the evening. Here they usually collect 49 pebbles for the ramy al-jamarat (stoning of the devil) the following day. In 2004 Saudi authorities got rid of the pillars and replaced them with long walls, to make the stoning the devil process easier and therefore safer. Hund reds of people have died in the large crowds all trying to get a good shot at the pillars. On the first day of the process, after a night in Muzdalifah, the first wall is stoned 7 times. The following days each of the three walls has to be stoned 7 times for two consecutive days. This means 49 pebbles are required, but if the pilgrims miss any shots they may need at least 21 extra pebbles to stone all three walls 7 times the following day. This seems like a strange ritual when no background is supporting it, but there is good meaning. Ibrahim was told by God one day he had to sacrifice his son Ismah’il. Ibrahim made his way to the place of sacrifice, abiding Allah’s instruction, after consulting his son who told him to do what he had to. On the way the devil appeared before him first to try and tempt him not to sacrifice his son, and the angel Gabriel, the messenger of God told him to â€Å"pelt him†. Ibrahim threw 7 pebbles at the devil and it disappeared. It soon reappeared along the way, this time representing the temptation of Hajar to stop her husband sacrificing her son to God, and Gabriel told Ibrahim to â€Å"pelt him† again. He did what he was told and threw 7 stones at the devil who once again disappeared. The devil appeared a third time along the road, to tempt Ismah’il to avoid being sacrificed. Gabriel’s order to â€Å"pelt him† was followed by Ibrahim, and the devil then disappeared for the final time. Ibrahim’s loyalty and resistance to the devil was rewarded by God when Ibrahim was told to stop as he prepared to kill his son. He was told by God to sacrifice a ram instead, and Ibrahim’s resistance to temptation paid off. Ramy al-jamarat shows the pilgrim ’s dedication to God’s wishes, and rejection to the temptations of the devil. Most Muslims make a sacrifice after stoning the devil, to recreate Ibrahim’s experience as closely as possible. Because there are so many pilgrims who want to make a sacrifice, there are special companies, who make it on their behalf and feed the poor. What cannot be used immediately to feed the poor Muslim community is frozen and used later. After making a sacrifice, male pilgrims have their heads shaven by a person who is not in Ihram and women have usually around an inch cut off. Pilgrims usually change into their normal clothes and do a single Tawaf; this is the fourth obligatory rite of Hajj. After doing this single Tawaf the Muslims are now officially Hajjis or Hajjahs as a female. They can then return home but most choose to stay and visit other places such as Medina, where the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was buried. B (ii)There are many factors to prevent Muslims going to Hajj. It is said Allah excuses these factors. It is intention or niyyah that counts with the pilgrimage, and when there is something to prevent Muslims from attending it, they will be excused by Allah. The most common circumstance is poverty. There are around 1.4 billion Muslims in the world, and many live in poverty. Lots of Muslims will save up most of their life to do Hajj, and by the time they have enough money to go, they are of old age and aren’t physically able. In this case the Muslim can pay another existing Hajji to attend on their behalf, or donate their savings for Hajj to charity. If they do this they will be blessed as fully as if they had completed Hajj themselves. For those who can’t afford Hajj, they can donate their available savings for Hajj to charity. They will receive the full Hajj benefits also. If a Muslim passes away on their way to carry out Hajj, they will receive the full blessing also, they have died making a commitment to their religion, this shows devotion and niyyah if anything does! Of course there are difficulties that could occur during Hajj. Because around two million pilgrims undergo Hajj every year, and are all dressed in near identical garments, it is very likely that groups will be separated for the period of Hajj. This may seem like a panicking time but Muslims in Ihram will be very sympathetic and helpful with each other in such circumstances, and probably take on new members into their travel groups. The overwhelming feeling of closeness to God on Hajj is enough to eliminate any feelings of worry for the meantime anyhow, so separation doesn’t cause much of a fright. Those unfortunate enough to die during Hajj are proud. It is a blessing to be buried in or near Makkah, close to God. Passing away making commitments to Islam is an honour, and a will is usually written before leaving for Hajj anyway. For those who fear the physical strain of Hajj, or are encouraged not to repeat the journey if they have already, Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage which can be carried out all year round. It involves the seven rotations of the Ka’bah (Tawaf), the Sa’i (Between Marwah and Safa) and a halq or taqsir; which is to cut the hair. Taqsir is shortening hair; halqis the complete head shave. B (iii)Hajj creates equilibrium, and a sympathetic atmosphere among the pilgrims who share the highs and lows of the journey. For most, the journey strengthens and confirms their commitment to Islam. After Hajj, a Muslim is more likely to be more courteous to people in general, and more at ease with life. Once a good Hajj is completed, the afterlife should be more peaceful and happy. Some Muslims like the experience of the pilgrimage so much they move to a Muslim country if they do not live in one already, as they like the convenience and feeling of togetherness and empathy. Hajj strengthens the belief of many Muslims, and if they weren’t a very good Muslim before Hajj, they might feel the need to be more committed to their faith, and practice Islam more regularly. Although for most the pilgrimage of Hajj is a blessing experience, some may have felt let down and disengaged during the journey. For those who could not get into a good Ihram, or feel true belief in God on the mount of mercy; their belief in Islam and Allah may have been hindered. C To me, this statement means that although all of the processes of a pilgrimage are physical, the true idea is the thoughts within the pilgrim’s mind and the intention, empathy and symbolism of what they are doing in the pilgrimage. The vast majority of Hajjis find the sacred journey to Makkah nourishing and feel they have found forgiveness from Allah. As they travel around the different rites of Hajj they cherish the experience and remember the meaning of each process, going back as far as the time of Adam and Eve. They enter a new realm as they stand before God on the Mount of Mercy, are unable to hold in their tears and are swept with emotion. On the other hand, Hajj is purely a physical process for some pilgrims. It isn’t supposed to be, but some can’t get into the frame of mind which is intended during the pilgrimage. The journey is supposed to be emotional, deeply thoughtful and soul cleansing. To some Muslims, their belief may be slightly hampered by the fact they struggle to get into a real Ihram. They will get their money’s worth on the trip and see people from all different cultures following the same rituals, but not feel truly engaged in the experience. Some people might argue that if you go on Hajj, and carry out the same processes as the prophets did, that is adequate in displaying your devotion to Allah and Islam. Some may say the fact that so much is physically required of them in Hajj, that alone shows they are a devout Muslim. Personally, I fully agree with the statement, because I would say that Hajj is a journey to Makkah to carry out the rites, and a true Hajj is a deep and thoughtful journey not only to Makkah, but to the bottom of a pilgrim’s heart. Although carrying out Hajj is a blessing experience cherished by Muslims, it is not truly meaningful unless they feel a certain dedication and spiritual enrichment on their journey.

Food And Culture Essay

Culture is broadly defined as the beliefs, attitudes, values, customs, and habits accepted by a community of individuals. Cultural behavior patterns are reinforced when a group is isolated by geography or segregated by socioeconomic status. Culture is learned, not inherited; it is passed from generation to generation. The term food habits refers to the ways in which humans use food, including how food is obtained and stored, how it is prepared, how it is served and to whom, and how it is consumed. A. H. Maslow’s theory of human maturation as applied to food habits explains how food use progresses from eating for existence to eating for self-actualization. 1.Physical needs for survival: Daily needs for nutrients must be met before more complex food use can occur. 2.Social needs for security: Once the immediate need for food is satisfied, future needs can be and are considered. The storage of food, in a pantry or in a refrigerator, may represent security. 3.Belongingness: This use of food shows that an individual belongs to a group. The need to belong is satisfied by consuming the foods that are eaten by the social group as a whole. These foods represent comfort and happiness for many people; during periods of stress or illness, people often want the foods they ate during childhood. Sometimes people adopt a special diet to demonstrate belongingness. For example, African Americans who live outside the South, may choose to eat what is called soul food (such as pork ribs and greens) on certain occasions as an expression of ethnic identity. Etiquette, the appropriate use of food, is also a way of demonstrating belongingness. Entirely different manners are required when lunching with business associates at an expensive restaurant, when attending a tea, when eating in a school cafeteria, when drinking with friends at a bar, or when  picnicking with a significant other. 4.Status: Food can be used to define social position. Champagne and caviar imply wealth, beans and potatoes are traditionally associated with the poor. Status foods are used for social interaction. When a man picks up his date, he brings her chocolates, not broccoli. Wine is considered an appropriate gift to the hostess, a gallon of milk is not. In general, eating with someone connotes social equality with that person. Many societies regulate who can dine together as a means of establishing class relationships. Women and children may eat separately from men, or servants may eat in the kitchen, away from their employers. This attempted separation by class was also seen in the U.S. restaurants that excluded African Americans before the civil rights legislation of the 1960s. 5.Self-realization: This stage of food use occurs when all previous stages have been achieved to the individual’s satisfaction. Personal preference takes precedence, and the individual may experiment with the foods of different ethnic or economic groups. Food and Culture in America. A Nutrition Handbook, 2nd Edition. Pamela Kittler & Kathryn P. Sucher. Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1998. Cultural Paper Complete a three to five page paper on the nutritional habits/customs, health beliefs and practices of a specific culture. As you prepare this paper, think about the issues addressed in the previous pages and how these influences shape a culture’s eating habits. As your paper takes shape, you may want to include some of the following points: History of the specific culture Common food rituals Food beliefs: is food used symbolically, spiritually or does the culture use specific food/foods for therapeutic purposes? Are there any traditional or  staple foods used regularly in their diet. What is the meaning of this food? Do the people of the culture follow a specific daily pattern related to diet and meals? Does the culture change their nutritional beliefs or have different food customs throughout the lifecycle, from infancy to adult years, during pregnancy and lactation or during sickness and health? What did you learn about this culture? Feel free to include personal experiences and any recipes to share with the class from this culture. Please include a minimum of two references published within the past five years from a reputable health/nutrition related journal and/or book. Suggestions include Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Journal of Nutrition Education, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition or Journal of the American Medical Association.