Conflicts Resolution Conflict Resolution - 1827 Words

Running Head: Conflict Resolution 1 CONFLICT RESOLUTION VII Conflict Resolution Delonna Reed ANT101: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Tracy Samperio September 26, 2016 Abstract Within a neighboring community, compromise and sacrifice are a thing of necessity and need not be considered advantageous. A very good example will that which is displayed among the people of the Hadza and Zapotec cultures which profoundly are different in how go about living their daily life?s but still share a great similarity in how the resolve their conflicts. In the course of this paper, struggle within the two viewpoint culture and community will be discussed. According to Crapo (2013), culture is defined as ?a way of life of any individual or group of individuals.? For the two cultures identified, conflict resolution is not based on language, cultural failure or customs as the have nothing in common in those respect. The overall good of parties involved is the main reason why compromise is reached. According to Durham (1992), ?it is economically important that each culture rely on conflict resolution as opposed to other less productive measures that could lead to a le ss desirous outcome or even risk catastrophic loss.? Just as Crapo (2013) stated, ?Communication is a key element in any society when attempting to resolve conflicts that may arise among its societal members.? In a study of language and evolution among families and communities conducted by Durham (1992),Show MoreRelatedConflict Resolution : Conflicts Resolution988 Words   |  4 PagesWhen it comes to conflict resolution there are several ways to handle this. There’ve been several times that I’ve had to deal with conflict resolution. Conflict resolution also has several tips that you can learn to be able to handle a conflict. A conflict resolution can be handled in a positive way or a negative way. What is conflict resolution? In Community Tool Box it states â€Å"Conflict resolution is a way for two or more parties to find a peaceful solution to a disagreement among them. The disagreementRead More Conflict Resolution Essay614 Words   |  3 Pages Conflict Resolution nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;What does conflict resolution mean to me? Conflict resolution is when an impartial or neutral person puts a plan into action to resolve and settle issues within an organization or a team. In the business world today a great amount of focus is being placed on employees working as team unit to increase new ideas, distribute more job responsibilities among a larger group, and most important create a unified front and camaraderie. Along with advantagesRead More Conflict Resolution Essay1054 Words   |  5 PagesConflict Resolution Conflict is part of human existence. The world is filled with conflicts in all realms of life. Evidence of unresolved conflicts in greaterRead MoreConflict Resolution Paper2205 Words   |  9 PagesConflict Resolution Paper As nurses, it is imperative that we have skills to deal with conflict we encounter throughout the day. Some conflicts are easily handled with simple solutions; other disagreements can persist for weeks or even months and never be handled in a proper way to resolve the situation. The later kind of situation can create resentment, anger, and animosity between employees or colleagues. In this paper I will describe a conflict situation with resolution strategies usedRead More Conflict Resolution Essay1017 Words   |  5 Pagesprofessional to personal, they are all prone to encountering some form of conflict. John Dewey has designed a problem solving sequence with 6 (six) steps, listed and explained below, to facilitate resolution of these conflicts. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Since the way one deals with conflict within the relationship will affect how the relationship progresses, it is vital that one posse all the necessary skills to resolve conflict in a way that brings satisfaction to everyone involved. Dewey’s stepsRead More Conflict Resolution Essay1288 Words   |  6 Pages Major conflict that is not dealt with can devastate a team or organization (Make Conflict Work, 2008). In some situations, conflict can be more constructive than destructive. Recognizing the difference between conflict that is constructive to the team and conflict that is destructive to the team is important. Trying to prevent the conflict is not always the best way to manage conflict when working within a team setting. Understanding conflict, what causes it, and how to resolve conflict effectivelyRead MoreQuestions On The Conflict Resolution Process1757 Words   |  8 PagesDiscuss the conflict resolution process that you would use to resolve th e workplace situation. †¢ Take responsibility for finding a solution to conflict: Meeting for finding a solution to conflict with both parties †¢ Establish and agree on the nature and details of conflict with all parties and assess impact: When resolving a conflict, start by finding common ground. Identify and acknowledge areas of agreement and then move on to negotiate areas of disagreement. †¢ Deal with conflict sensitively,Read MoreConflict Resolution Strategies Essay1444 Words   |  6 PagesConflict Resolution Strategies Conflict has long been viewed as negative, and is usually associated with things as trivial as an argument to something as extreme as war, and is seldom seen as beneficial. In the team environment however, conflict can be very beneficial if recognized early and managed properly and can enhance team performance as well as relationships between team members. Conflict is inevitable as humans interact, because not everyone shares the same beliefs, values, opinions, levelRead MoreInterpersonal Communication And Conflict Resolution1439 Words   |  6 Pagesresearch resources that helped me understand my interpersonal communication topic, Conflict Management, and how theories, relevant skills and strategies can play a big role throughout the resolution and frequency of conflict among my peers. Personality Types and Development of Adolescents’ Conflict with Friends This study aimed to examine the developmental pattern of adolescents’ conflict frequency and conflict resolution with their best friends, and differences in these developmental changes betweenRead MoreOpportunity For Improvement : Conflict Resolution1180 Words   |  5 PagesOpportunity for Improvement: Conflict Resolution As humans being we should constantly be trying to improve ourselves each and every day. It is not easy to try and assess ourselves but it is a necessary task. We have strengths and weaknesses that make us unique and it is important that we accept our flaws but at the same time try to improve them. Hence, we should refer to our vulnerabilities as opportunities for improvement in order to better ourselves. This has been a constant struggle for me because

Effects Of Diabetes On The Incidence Of Diabetes - 818 Words

Introduction Type 2 diabetes is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in developed countries (ref). Perhaps because of this, it is frequently mentioned in the media (see the recent article â€Å"health† in the Herald Sun - Bartone, 2015 for example). This report will discuss two social determinates (social gradient and early life) on the incidence of diabetes. These social determinates, along with several others, have been identified in a report on diabetic risk factors the causal pathways (Wilkinson and Marmot, 2003). This report will also discuss the contributing factors to diabetes such as nutrition, obesity and other lifestyle factors including convenience and high-density housing Obesity, high-density housing and social gradient Obesity is one of the major contributing factors that leads to type 2 diabetes (Golya, 2005). The author found that an increase in fatness, especially abdominal, is associated with insulin resistance, which can result in hyperglycemia and hence diabetes. To grasp a greater understanding of the way in which type 2 diabetes is developed, the causality of social determinates must be identified. It is known that there is a strong link between a person’s social status (or gradient) and the likelihood of becoming obese and then developing diabetes (Turrell and Vandevijvere, 2015; Drewnowski and Darmon, 2005). Research has demonstrated that people of a lower social gradient are less likely to eat fruits, vegetables, fish, grains and low fat diaryShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Socioeconomic Disparities On The Incidence And Care Of Diabetes1531 Words   |  7 Pages The study examined the effect of socioeconomic disparities on the incidence and care of diabetes in a country with a universal health care system. The authors claimed that poverty plays a large role in increasing diabetes incidence among poor citizens in Taiwan. The authors claimed that the disparities may lead to delayed care and worsening of complications related to diabetes. Therefore, it is important to identify and resolve those disparities. The study adopted a quantitative research designRead MoreDiabetes And Its Effects On Diabetes1603 Words   |  7 Pages Diabetes is caused when a person’s blood sugar level becomes too high. This is often described as a lifelong condition. There are two types of Diabetes within the UK; Type 1 Diabetes, where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that the body uses to produce insulin. This can develop over weeks or even days. Type 2 Diabetes occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or the body’s cells do not react to insulin. Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1. Many peopleRead MoreAnalysis Of Prospective Cohort Study Data916 Words   |  4 Pagesof prospective cohort study data is to compare disease occurrence in the group to the exposure factors. Disease occurrence is measured using cumulative incidence or incidence rates, and the relationship between exposure and disease occurrence is quantified by the cumulative incidence or incidence rate difference and ratio. Calculating an incidence rate involves determining the amount of pers on-time accrued by each study subject. Relative risks of each of the variables that are evaluated in the studyRead MorePreventing And Managing Diabetes, A Global Health Challenge872 Words   |  4 PagesConclusion and Recommendation: Preventing and Managing Diabetes, A Global Health Challenge Diabetes continues to be a major global health issue and prevention is the best approach towards reducing its attendant complications. There are lots of concerted efforts globally to address this chronic disease and this has led to an increased awareness and better management of the disease. No effort, no matter how small is misplaced and every effort targeted at diabetes prevention and control is well targeted, sinceRead MoreDiabetes : A Growing Pandemic1627 Words   |  7 PagesType 1 diabetes is a growing pandemic in our world today, and is being diagnosed at a higher rate with each coming year. Diabetes prevention and education must be a top priority for countries such as the United States, so that this alarming trend of increased diagnosis can be brought to a halt. The United States has one of the best education systems in the world, however does not put a focus on diabetes education for those at risk. Diabetes is a growing pandemic in the United States and the worldRead MoreEv aluation Of A Research Study On Diabetes Incidence And Establishing Causal Relationship From Exposure Essay1122 Words   |  5 Pagesfor documenting diabetes incidence and establishing causal relationship from exposure to the intervention and time sequence in which incident cases of diabetes occurs. In the program, individuals with prevalent cases diabetes at baseline were appropriately excluded however, there was no explicit explanation why incident cases that occurred in the year following the baseline VIP assessment was excluded, since the primary outcome of the study was to determine incident type 2 diabetes cases between baselineRead MoreGestational Diabetes And Antenatal Literacy1375 Words   |  6 PagesGestational Diabetes and Antenatal Education of Women with Gestational Diabetes It is estimated that 1-14% of pregnant women will develop gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM) (Hieronymus, Combs, Coleman, Ashford, Wiggins, 2016). GDM is carbohydrate intolerance developed during pregnancy and is the most common metabolic complication of pregnancy (Wilson, Dyer, Latendresse, Wong, Baksh, 2015). Gestational diabetes has been known to have serious complications for both the mother and the infant (GilbertRead MoreType 1 Diabetes1021 Words   |  5 PagesType 1 Diabetes: Causes: Autoimmune Response Type 1 diabetes is usually a progressive autoimmune disease, in which the beta cells that produce insulin are slowly destroyed by the bodys own immune system. It is unknown what first starts this cascade of immune events, but evidence suggests that both a genetic predisposition and environmental factors, such as a viral infection, are involved. Islets of Langerhans contain beta cells and are located within the pancreas. Beta cells produceRead MoreDiabetes And How A Person With This Condition s Experience Has Affected Her Daily Life1401 Words   |  6 PagesIn my paper, I am going to focus on Type 2 Diabetes and how a person with this condition’s experience has affected her daily life. About the Disability Cause: Experts say diabetes is partly genetic and at least partly behavioral. Obesity and lack of exercise are key risk factors for the most common form. Many people think that diabetes results from eating too many sweets, but the truth is more complex. Type 2 diabetes -- also known as adult-onset diabetes -- is characterized by â€Å"insulin resistanceRead MoreHigh Incidence Of Early Onset Type 2 Diabetes1613 Words   |  7 PagesThe High Incidence of Early-Onset Type 2 Diabetes Introduction Diabetes is a metabolic body condition in which the pancreas is unable to secrete enough insulin, hence leading to increased levels of blood sugar. Age, genetics, weight and ethnicity are the four main risk factors of Type 2 diabetes. Common symptoms include frequent urination, persistent fatigue, slow healing process for cuts and wounds and blurred vision. Type 2 diabetes affects 1 out of 10 people in America, as research has concluded

Health Care Utilization Free Essays

According to â€Å"Keeping America Healthy† (2013), â€Å"Medicaid provides coverage for individuals according to poverty guidelines who are unable to afford health care insurance because of limited income† (Eligibility). John Q. Qualifies for Medicaid but lives in a rural community with no public transportation to travel to access his benefits due to provider office hours and the distance he must travel to the location. We will write a custom essay sample on Health Care Utilization or any similar topic only for you Order Now John does own have a car. John is predisposed to heart disease through heredity and has been diagnosed with high blood pressure. According to â€Å"What Is High Blood Pressure? 2011),† blood pressure is when blood is forced against the artery walls to disperse oxygen and turbines carried in the blood to the body. Blood pressure is measured by two numbers; Systolic the top number or the higher of the two is measured when the heart beats pushing the blood against the walls of the arteries. Diastolic is the measure when the heart is at rest between beats. The normal measure for normal is 120/80. Persons with a measuring of 140/90 or higher is a person with High Blood Pressure or HIP† (What happens in the body when blood pressure is high? ). HIP can lead to Hypertensive heart disease (â€Å"Hypertensive Heart Disease†, 2013). Regular doctor visits and prescribed medications to control blood pressure can offset the nest of Hypertensive Heart disease in patients with high blood pressure. Regular physician visits are required to keep check on John’s condition (â€Å"What Is High Blood pressure? † 2011). The problems with health care utilization for John is that he lives in a rural community with limited providers, the distance of travel to reach locations, time needed to schedule appointments, and office hours of the available physician locations will not provide him with reasonable access. Many Medicaid participants are faced with this same set of problems and have to adjust their lives to gain access o healthcare. Medicaid programs have benefits available to help participants conquer many obstacles. Patients need to inquire and learn what benefits are available to help. Utilizing social programs available in the community, and accessing information on Medicaid websites help to inform members of what is available for help. Medicaid programs have established grants for rural health clinics; John needs to find out if a clinic exits in his area. These clinics provide information about benefits and do health screenings. The clinic can be a place where John can go to get blood erasure checks to make sure he is in target range regularly without having to travel too physician’s location for blood pressure checks. Rural health clinics provide education to patients and can issue devices such as blood pressure monitoring equipment and train patients to utilize self-check methods between physician visits. Government medical programs do provide for education and training to use medical devices like blood pressure monitors used at home for patient self-monitoring. Missing time from work can be a problem. Most employers have paid time off that employees can access and schedule for personal situations. John can have his physician provide documentation of his appointments to submit to his employer and arrangements can be made for an adjustment in hours or to come into work on additional days if possible. Other options to John may be to use vacation time or sick time to cover missed time at work when he has to visit the doctor. According to â€Å"Medicaid. Ova; Keeping America Healthy† (2013), â€Å"Medicaid benefits cover inpatient hospital care, outpatient hospital services, and rural clinic services. These services give John comprehensive coverage to help with chronic illnesses like high loot pressure. He also has available prescription coverage for medications to help manage his blood pressure. Preventive services and diagnostic screenings are available for early detection and prevention† (Benefits). Medicaid and Medicare also pa ys for transportation to and from medical appointments for patients covered through the government programs. John can research and locate Passport certified transportation providers in his area to reach his medical provider of choice. The Affordable Health Care Act of 2010 gave states the option to expand Medicaid in their states with federal funding. It also provides more insurance options for lower income residents to other insurance plans that may be more accessible for member access to services and providers. Starting in 2014 the act also makes John eligible for insurance through other carriers even though he has a preexisting illness (â€Å"Gpo. Ova†, 2010). John may need to make lifestyle changes to accommodate his illness. Eating a healthy diet and reducing sodium intake would be the first changes to make. John’s diet should consist of heart healthy foods, like Broccoli and other dark green vegetables. By exercising and keeping weight under control at an ideal weight or his height and age he will decrease the chances of heart problems and promote self-healing by keeping blood pressure numbers from getting higher increasing risk of other related illnesses. John and many Americans face the dilemma of access to quality healthcare. John has a chronic illness that may lead to other related illnesses and continuous access to healthcare is crucial to his remaining healthy and productive enough to continue working. The government provides financial coverage because of his eligibility status as beneath poverty level income. Although he has uncial assistance, he still has problems with appointment times and transportation. These obstacles are mutable, but his illness is a predisposed health condition that is immutable. Educating himself in what is covered by government assisted health plans and obtaining the needed medical care access would help John’s situation. He must also be responsible for his own well-being. Adapting his life, eating healthy, and exercising will not only deter worse health but also improve his high blood pressure. How to cite Health Care Utilization, Papers

Economics for Business Modeling Global Wine

Question: Describe about the Economics for Business for Modeling Global Wine. Answer: Introduction This study has been aimed to identify the concept of economics for business. In this context, this study has tried to highlight five different concepts under the shade of Australian background. Therefore, firstly, this study has focused to the rate of GDP of Australia. In addition, the rate of GDP of last 2 to5 years of Australia has been discussed. The influential factors, which influence the rate of Australian GDP have also been discussed in this section. On the other hand, this study is also helpful to estimate the unemployment rate of Australia. This unemployment rate is also highlighted the economic position and the growth of Australia. The issues and the governmental policy of Australia regarding the unemployment rate have been mentioned. Moreover, this study is beneficial to understand the unemployment rate of different states of Australia and this is assumed to be helpful to understand the economic position of these states within the country (Anderson Wittwer, 2013). On the other hand, this essay is helpful to measure the inflation rate of Australia. In this purpose, this study has tried to establish the inflation rate of Germany, UK, USA, China, India, Japan, Korea, Indonesia in order to compare the economic position and the growth of these countries as well as Australia. In this connection, the causes of inflation within the countries have been also mentioned. Next, this study has aimed to the Australias monetary policy during last 5 years. Lastly, this study has tried to demonstrate the economic growth of Australia and also discuss the economic growth of other developing country such as China in order to develop the comparison. In this occasion, this study has tried to identify the effects of this economic position on the society (Arnone Romelli, 2013). Comparison of Australian GDP with other economy from 2011 to 2015 and the factors, which affect the Australian GDP This section is helpful to estimate the Australian GDP rate with the other economy such as Chinas GDP rate has been discussed. In this connection, this study has tried to accumulate last 5 years GDP rate for both Australia and for China. According to Board (2012), the GDP rate of Australia has been rising with the increase of time. This rate has been increasing significantly from the year of 2011 to the year of 2012. After that, the GDP rate has been decreasing over time. In addition, it can be observed that the GDP rate was the highest in the year of 2012 and the rate was 3.63%. On the contrary, this rate was lowest in the year of 2015 and the rate was 2.26%. Australia's GDP rate of last 5 years Year GDP rate (in %) 2011 2.38 2012 3.63 2013 2.44 2014 2.5 2015 2.26 In case of Chinas GDP rate, it can be observed that this rate has been decreasing with the rise in time, more specifically from the year of 2011 to 2015. In 2011, the rate was 9.48% and at the end of the 2015, this GDP rate was 6.9%. The following table has developed the last five years GDP rate of China. Year GDP rate (in %) 2011 9.48 2012 7.75 2013 7.68 2014 7.27 2015 6.9 Comparing the GDP rates of last five years of two mentioned countries, (Eichengreen, Park Shin (2013) mentioned that Australias GDP rate was lower compared to China. Although the GDP rate has been decreasing over time in case of both the countries, China is at better position compared to Australia. On the other hand, as per the statement of Butlin (2013), Australias average GDP rate is 3.2% based on the average of 25 years. In this concern, it can be assumed that aggregate demand of a country has made an impact on the countrys GDP rate. In this connection, it can be stated that lower rate of interest rate reflects to borrow at cheaper rate. Therefore, due to this reason GDP growth rate of Australia has been decreasing. On the other hand, the price of the houses in Australia has been increasing with the rise in time; hence, it leads to make a direct wealth effect. On the contrary, the real wages of the individual has been decreasing in Australia, therefore, the real income also decreased. As a result, the GDP rate has been falling. Moreover, Cecchetti Kharroubi (2012) opined that inventories have been significantly stock, which they have been produced, however, these stocks have not sold. Since, the past five years, these inventories lead to reduce the GDP growth rate of Austra lia. The growth rate of mining gross valuation has been rising within the country, the GDP rate has been seasonally decreasing. Again, in case of Australian dollar evaluation, the export of the goods and the services become costlier whereas rate of imports are getting cheaper. Therefore, this would reflect the fall in the demand of the Australian goods and the services. This appreciation would leads to the inflation rate and the GDP rate has been decreased. Discuss the unemployment rate, types, issues and the governmental policy of Australia From the above analysis, it can be observed that the rate of GDP has been decreasing in Australia with the rise in time from 2011 to 2015. This also has an impact on the rate of unemployment in Australia. According to Egert (2015), it can be predicted that the rate of unemployment may be increased in Australia. In this connection, it can be found that the rate of unemployment has been increased by the rate of 5.8% as per the prediction. On the contrary, as per the Australian Bureau of Statistics, it can be observed that the monthly employment rate has been increasing. In July, 2016, the employment has been raised by 100 persons. In the month of June, the number of employment was 11800 whereas in July, the number was 11955. As a result, Eichengreen, Park Shin (2012) mentioned that if this trend has been maintained, then the economy will be at better position from the current situation. In addition, smooth trend series can be easily maintained by the volatility of the behaviour of the labour market. In addition, in order to discuss the role of Australian government for reducing the unemployment rate of Australia, the government can lowering down the rate of interest, which can enhance the aggregate demand of Australia. Therefore, the unemployment can be reduced. On the other hand, with cutting down the tax rates, the fiscal policy as well as the aggregate demand will be improved. As a result, the unemployment rate in Australia will also be decreased. Therefore, the employment will be significantly increased. According to Eichengreen, Park Shin (2013), labour market of Australia is required to flexible. Discuss the unemployment rate in different states of Australia In this section, the unemployment rates of different states of Australia have been discussed. The states are such as New South Wales, Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland and the South Australia. In this context, it can be observed that the unemployment rate in New South Australia is 5.2% in 2016. The unemployment rate in Western Australia is 5.7%. On the other hand, the unemployment rate in Tasmania is 7.6% and in Queensland is 6.4%. Moreover, in South Australia, the rate is 6.9%. Comparing all of the unemployment rates of these states of Australia, it can be observed that the rate is lower in New South Australia and the rate is higher in Tasmania. Hence, Elsby, Hobijn Ã…Å ¾ahin (2013) cited that the wage growth rate of Tasmania has been decreased. Therefore, it can be concluded that demand for labour is lower compared to the supply of labour. More precisely, the higher unemployment rate has an immediate impact in the economy is lowering down the employment rate. As a result , the higher unemployment rate reflects the lowering down the GDP growth rate. According to Gerlach Tillmann (2012), the exchange rate will also be decreased. Compare the inflation rate of Australia with the different countries As per the current information, it can be observed that the inflation rate in Australia is 1%. On the other hand, the inflation rate in Germany is 0.4%, in UK the rate is 0.6%, in USA the rate is 0.8%, in China this rate is 1.3%, the rate in India is 6.07%, in Japan the rate is -0.4%, in Korea the rate is 0.4% and in Indonesia, the rate is 2.79%. After the observation, it can be mentioned that the inflation rate is highest in Indonesia and it is lowest in Korea and Germany among the above mentioned countries. On the contrary, Jaramillo Cottarelli (2012) argued that in the country like Japan, the inflation rate is negative. Therefore, there is a deflationary situation within the economy. In order o discuss the reason for higher inflationary rate, it can be mentioned that with the rise of the price of goods and services, the rate of inflation of an economy has been increased. On the other hand, when the demand for the products is higher but the supply is lower, then it can be stated that the inflation will be increased. This concept can be analysed with the help of the demand-pull theory. With this theory, Kilian Hicks (2013) added that this situation occurs due to the overpopulation rate. On the other hand, if the manufacturing cost of the products increase, then it can be predicted that inflation will be higher, this can be explained by the cost-push inflationary theory. As a result, the cost of the employees also increase and the monetary policy will also alter. Moreover, rise in the price reflects to increase the cost of production. Nevertheless, Kremer, Bick Nautz (2013) criticised that deflationary situation refers that lower performance of the economy. In thi s connection, it can be stated that Japan has been suffering from lower rate of growth. In addition, deflationary situation leads to the rise of the real valuation of debt. On the other hand, the disposable income of the individuals will also decrease as well. In the words of Kumar, Webber Perry (2012), higher inflation rate leads to the growth of the economy. With the rise in the price, it reflects to the higher production cost and the employment of the country. Therefore, it can be concluded that inflation can leads to boost up an economy. On the contrary, Lavoie Stockhammer (2013) argued that higher inflation rate leads to the higher interest rate within the country. This higher interest rate in turn reflects the larger burden on the amount of debt. Furthermore, higher inflation leads to the country to be uncompetitive within the global markets. The situation has occurred due to the depreciation of the currency. As a result, decrease in the exports refers the further pressure of the foreign exchange reserves in the countrys economy. In the points of Mumtaz Surico (2012), if the higher inflation rate of a country cannot be controlled, then the existing inflationary situation can be converted into the hyperinflationary situation. This is not favourable to the economy. As a result, the breakdown of the economy will be occurred. Discuss the monetary policy of Australia from 2011 to 2015 and the impact on the society As per the statement of Panizza Presbitero (2013), the monetary policy of Australia of last 5 years can be determined by the value of the cash rate. Cash rate refers the rate of interest in the overnight money market. The cash rate of the last five years can be represented with the help of the following table: Year Cash rate (in %) 2011 4.75 2012 3.5 2013 3 2014 2.5 2015 2 The above table has been depicted that the cash rate has been decreasing over time in Australia. It can be observed that the rate was higher in the year of 2011 and the rate was 4.75%. Again, the rate was lower in the year of 2015 and the rate was 2%. Therefore, it can be concluded that lowering interest rate will be helpful to expand the countrys economy. According to Pescatori, Sandri Simon (2014), monetary policy of a country can control and state that how the money can be circulated as well as the cost of borrowing of money, more specifically it is known as the rate of interest. Based on the above rate of interest, it can be observed that this rate reflects the lower borrowing rate. This in turn motivate the spending as well as the investment. In addition, this in turn reflects to enhance the aggregate demand as well as the growth of the economy. Therefore, it can be stated that this increase in the aggregate demand will improve the pressure, which arise due to the inflation. Moreover, Rapetti, Skott Razmi (2012) opined that lower rate of interest rate aim to the lower return from the saving. The lower rate of incentive of saving will focus to motivate the customers spending compared to hold money in the account. In addition, lower interest rate will reduce the repayment of the monthly mortgages. This in turn is helpful to earn higher disposable incomes. As a result, the consumer will also increase in Australia. On the other hand, lower rate of interest is beneficial to purchase assets. As a result, Anderson Wittwer (2013) mentioned that the wealth of the individual will rise effectively. Hence, rise in the wealth will encourage and improve the consumer spending. Furthermore, the lowering of interest rate has a positive impact on the society. Lower interest rate leads to the lowering down of exchange rate and this in turn aim to the Australian exports highly competitive and make the import highly costlier. Therefore, the aggregate demand will be effecti vely increased. Discuss the economic growth of Australia and compare it with the other developing country According to Arnone Romelli (2013), the growth rate of Australia in 2015 was 2.26%. In this connection, it can be stated that the developing country such as Chinas growth rate in 2015 was 6.9%. From this analysis, it can be concluded that China is at better position compared to Australia. In this context, it can be demonstrated that due to the increase in the inflation rate, the growth rate has been increased in China. Therefore, previously, it can be observed that the inflation rate in China is higher compared to Australia as Chinas rate of inflation is 1.3% and Australias rate of inflation is 1% in the year of 2015 (Weale et al., 2015). Moreover, it can be concluded that higher the rate of growth, greater will be the per capita income. As a result, the national income will be fruitfully increased. In this purpose, Board (2012) highlighted that the national income is higher in China compared to Australia. On the other hand, the labour productivity and the physical capital will be i ncreased. Hence, the socio real per capita growth within the economy will be occurred. Discuss the economic growth of the country during last 5 years and the impact on the society Australia's GDP rate of last 5 years Year GDP rate (in %) 2011 2.38 2012 3.63 2013 2.44 2014 2.5 2015 2.26 The above table shows the growth rate of last five years of Australia. It has been decreased over time. Therefore, in this purpose, this section has tried to demonstrate the effect of this growth rate in the society. Therefore, based on this outcome, Butlin (2013) mentioned that greater GDP growth rate aimed to the greater position of the economy. Nonetheless, as the growth rate of Australia has been decreasing, therefore, it can be concluded that the inflation rate of the country is not so high. Therefore, it can be stated that the countrys investment will not discourage. Therefore, this will effectively lead to the stable economy. The firms within the country will also interest to take risks and henceforth, they will invest (Shahiduzzaman Alam, 2012). On the contrary, it can be assumed that reduction in the growth rate may leads to the economy to experience the deflationary situation or the negative inflationary situation. As a result, in this case, the consumers will reluctant to spend money. In this purpose, Cecchetti Kharroubi (2012) mentioned that the future prices of the products will be lower and the deflation will be increased with the rise of time. Moreover, the amount of debt will in turn increase. The disposable income of the residents of Australia will massively decrease, which reflect to reduce the national income of the country as mentioned by Elsby, Hobijn Ã…Å ¾ahin (2013) Conclusion The overall study has been developed on the concept of economics for business. In this purpose, this study has tried to establish the last five years of GDP rate of Australia, which is helpful to identify and understand the economic performance of Australia. In addition, in his purpose, this essay is also beneficial to recognise the economic performance of China by estimating the GDP rate of last five years of this country. This study has also discussed the unemployment rate of Australia, which is 5.8% in the year of 2016. Moreover, after analysing the study, it can be stated that unemployment rate is depend upon the GDP rate of the country. On the other hand, the unemployment rates of different rates of Australia have been mentioned in his essay. Instead of this, As the GDP rate of Australia has been decreasing over time; therefore, the unemployment rate is higher in this country. After that, this study has tried to accumulate the inflation rate of Australia and made a comparison wi th the other countries such as Germany, UK, USA, Japan, Korea etc. In this connection, several governmental policy and the advantage of inflationary situation has been discussed. Lastly, this study is seemed to be beneficial as this study also tried to highlight the cash rate of last 5 years of Australia has been evaluated, which are necessary to identify the monetary policy of the country. References Anderson, K., Wittwer, G. (2013). Modeling global wine markets to 2018: Exchange rates, taste changes, and China's import growth.Journal of Wine Economics,8(02), 131-158. Arnone, M., Romelli, D. (2013). Dynamic central bank independence indices and inflation rate: A new empirical exploration.Journal of Financial Stability,9(3), 385-398. Board, A. S. I. (2012).Social inclusion in Australia: How Australia is faring. Canberra: Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Butlin, N. G. (2013).Investment in Australian economic development, 1861-1900. Cambridge University Press. Cecchetti, S. G., Kharroubi, E. (2012). Reassessing the impact of finance on growth. Egert, B. (2015). Public debt, economic growth and nonlinear effects: myth or reality?.Journal of Macroeconomics,43, 226-238. Eichengreen, B., Park, D., Shin, K. (2012). When Fast-Growing Economies Slow Down: International Evidence and Implications for China.Asian Economic Papers,11(1), 42-87. Eichengreen, B., Park, D., Shin, K. (2013).Growth slowdowns redux: New evidence on the middle-income trap(No. w18673). National bureau of economic research. Elsby, M. W., Hobijn, B., Ã…Å ¾ahin, A. (2013). Unemployment dynamics in the OECD.Review of Economics and Statistics,95(2), 530-548. Gerlach, S., Tillmann, P. (2012). Inflation targeting and inflation persistence in AsiaPacific.Journal of Asian Economics,23(4), 360-373. Jaramillo, L., Cottarelli, M. C. (2012).Walking hand in hand: fiscal policy and growth in advanced economies(No. 12-137). International Monetary Fund. Kilian, L., Hicks, B. (2013). Did unexpectedly strong economic growth cause the oil price shock of 20032008?.Journal of Forecasting,32(5), 385-394. Kremer, S., Bick, A., Nautz, D. (2013). Inflation and growth: new evidence from a dynamic panel threshold analysis.Empirical Economics,44(2), 861-878. Kumar, S., Webber, D. J., Perry, G. (2012). Real wages, inflation and labour productivity in Australia.Applied Economics,44(23), 2945-2954. Lavoie, M., Stockhammer, E. (Eds.). (2013).Wage-led Growth: An equitable strategy for economic recovery. Springer. Mumtaz, H., Surico, P. (2012). Evolving international inflation dynamics: world and countryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ specific factors.Journal of the European Economic Association,10(4), 716-734. Panizza, U., Presbitero, A. F. (2013). Public debt and economic growth in advanced economies: A survey.Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics,149(2), 175-204. Pescatori, A., Sandri, D., Simon, J. (2014).Debt and growth: is there a magic threshold?(No. 14-34). International Monetary Fund. Rapetti, M., Skott, P., Razmi, A. (2012). The real exchange rate and economic growth: are developing countries different?.International Review of Applied Economics,26(6), 735-753. Shahiduzzaman, M., Alam, K. (2012). Cointegration and causal relationships between energy consumption and output: Assessing the evidence from Australia.Energy Economics,34(6), 2182-2188. Svensson, L. E. (2015). The possible unemployment cost of average inflation below a credible target.American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics,7(1), 258-296. Szirmai, A. (2012). Industrialisation as an engine of growth in developing countries, 19502005.Structural Change and Economic Dynamics,23(4), 406-420. Weale, M., Blake, A., Christodoulakis, N., Meade, J. E., Vines, D. (2015).Macroeconomic Policy: inflation, wealth and the exchange rate(Vol. 8). Routledge. Willard, L. B. (2012). Does inflation targeting matter? A reassessment.Applied Economics,44(17), 2231-2244.

Vincent Romano Essays (952 words) - Rhetoric, Neurotrauma, Medicine

Vincent Romano Dr. Myers English 1301.4033 March 27, 2017 Concussions in Football Playing football is a childhood dream for many kids as they are growing up. Football is a great way to compete, make new friends, and even pay for a free college education by receiving a full ride scholarship. Sometimes, for very few, football can be a career. As a child, most of the time, safety is the last thing on the mind. In the Public Service Announcement (PSA)"Concussion Awareness - HOSA Public Service Announcement" by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were successful presentations of both ethos and logos, but there could have been a better use of pathos to strengthen the emotional response. A logos appeal is clearly presented in the second scenario when the coach makes it apparent that logically, if a player shows signs of a concussion, the coach needs to follow the concussion protocol to prevent further damage. Ethos is successfully used in the PSA announcement by showing a credible coach to relay the message in this scenario. Pathos, an emotionally ch arged appeal, was not demonstrated as much as the other approaches and could have been enhanced by more quickly engaging the audience. The first major reason the PSA on concussion awareness was logically apparent is by the use of a logos appeal. A male narrator details the effects in a way that when a player shows signs of a concussion, the coach needs to follow the concussion protocol to prevent further damage. The narrator makes it understood that following the concussion protocol is extremely important because if a concussion has occurred and the correct protocol is not followed, it could have a big impact on the athlete's career and quality of life. Though the PSA provided logical information about concussions in football, a possible way to strengthen it would be to refer to progress researchers are making in brain concussion examinations. Another successful appeal in the PSA on concussion awareness was the use of ethos. The ethos is the credibility the reader can assume from the information provided. In the first scenario, at the :10 mark, after the coach sends the player back into the game when the player clearly shows signs of a concussion, across the screen in big, red, bold letters that states, "REALLY COACH?" ("Concussion Awareness"). The ethical idea that can be taken away from the message is that the coach needs to be a responsible leader and make the right and credible decision. The ethical information provided during the thirty-two-second-long PSA was effective because it suggests in the second scenario, at the :19 mark, an alternate solution. The coach identifies the concussion symptom the player is displaying and then makes him sit out of the game and be looked at by the team trainer ("Concussion Awareness"). In contrast, the PSA on concussion awareness emotional or pathos appeal seemed to be lacking compared to ethos and logos. It is not until the halfway point, :16 mark, that the male narrator begins to express his message ("Concussion Awareness"). The narrator begins to talk and direct his message towards coaches. The narrator's voice is in a calm, low tone, as if he is having a normal conversation on a topic that is not a serious matter. The pathos appeal in the narrator's message could have been enhanced and more heartfelt if the narrator were displaying more passion and sympathy in his voice to grab more of an emotional response from the audience. The greatest impact the PSA on concussion awareness made relating to the pathos appeal comes in the opening scenario, at the :2 mark ("Concussion Awareness"). The PSA posits in big, bold, red capital letters, "CONCUSSION?" ("Concussion Awareness") across the top of screen. The video continues to show one player making a big hit on anoth er player. The player that gets hit falls back, and at the same time, that player's helmet comes off and soars through the air. This opening scene in the PSA best represents pathos, because as the big hit is demonstrated, the audience can see and sense the impact that just transpired as well as presume the possible consequences the fallen player will suffer from the hard blow. The pathos

Facts About Soft Coral (Octocorals)

Facts About Soft Coral (Octocorals) Soft corals refer to the organisms in the class Octocorallia, which includes gorgonians, sea fans, sea pens, sea feathers, and blue corals. These corals have a flexible, sometimes leathery, appearance. Although many resemble plants, they are actually animals. Soft corals are colonial organisms, which means they are formed of colonies of polyps. The polyps of soft corals have eight feathery tentacles, which is why they are also known as octocorals. One way to tell the difference between soft corals and hard (stony) corals is that the polyps of hard corals have six tentacles, which are not feathery. Here are some stony coral characteristics, with some of the key differences with soft corals identified: They have polyps that secrete a cup (calyx or calice) in which they live. The polyps of soft corals usually have feathery tentacles.They may harbor zooxanthellae, algae that live within coral polyps and can produce brilliant colors. Others may be colored by bright pink, blue or purple pigmentation.They may contain spikes called sclerites, which are made of calcium carbonate and protein, and are located within a jelly-like tissue called coenenchyme. This tissue lies between the polyps and contains canals called solenia, which transport fluids between the polyps. In addition to providing structure to the coral and protection from predators, the shape and orientation of the sclerites can be used to identify coral species.They have an inner core made out of a protein called gorgonin.They may have a variety of shapes, including fan-like, whip-like or feather-like, or even leathery or encrusting. Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: CnidariaClass: AnthozoaSubclass: OctocoralliaOrders:Alcyonacea (the horny corals, also known as the gorgonians, sea fans and sea feathers)Helioporacea (blue corals)Pennatulacea (sea pens) Habitat and Distribution Soft corals are found worldwide, primarily in tropical or subtropical waters. Soft corals do not produce reefs but may live on them. They may also be found in the deep sea. Feeding and Diet Soft corals may feed during the night or day. They use their nematocysts (stinging cells) to sting passing plankton or other small organisms, which they pass to their mouth. Reproduction Soft corals can reproduce both sexually and asexually. Asexual reproduction occurs by budding when a new polyp grows out of an existing polyp. Sexual reproduction occurs either when sperm and eggs are released in a mass spawning event, or by brooding, when only sperm are released, and these are captured by female polyps with eggs. Once the egg is fertilized, a larva is produced and eventually settles to the bottom. Conservation and Human Uses Soft corals may be harvested for use in aquariums. Wild soft corals may also attract tourism in the form of dive and snorkeling operations. Compounds within the tissues of soft corals may be used for medicines. Threats include human disturbance (through humans stepping on corals or dropping anchors on them), overharvesting, pollution, and habitat destruction. Examples of Soft Corals Soft coral species include: Dead Mans Fingers (Alcyonium digitatum)Sea FansSea Pens Sources and Further Reading GBR Explorer. Soft Corals. ReefED.NOAA. Coral Anatomy and Structure. NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program.Simpson, A. 2009. Reproduction in Octocorals (Subclass Octocorallia): A Review of Published Literature. Version 16 July 2009. In Deep-Sea Corals Portal.South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Octocoral Morphology.Tan, Ria. 2008. Soft Corals. Wild Fact Sheets.Wet Web Media. The Soft Corals, Order Alcyonacea; Use In Marine Aquariums.

Macromolecules and Enzymes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Macromolecules and Enzymes - Essay Example Effect of different physical parameters including temperature, enzyme concentration and pH was determined for the enzyme tyrosinase. Phenylthiourea, an inhibitor was also used to study its effect on the eznyme. Every living thing on earth is made of carbon, and each compound containing carbon is known as organic compound. Four kinds of major organic compounds are known carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Proteins are organic compounds made up of amino acids joined by peptide bonds between the amino and the carboxyl group of the adjacent amino acids. The proteins can be classified according to their structure; the linear chain of amino acid is called the primary amino acid. In secondary structure there occurs a regular repeating structure that is stabilized by hydrogen bonds. In tertiary structure the stabilization occurs by salt bridges, disulfide bonds, hydrogen bonds. Protein subunits combine together to form the quaternary structure. Enzymes are also an organic compound, basically a protein. â€Å"All enzymes are proteins, but all proteins are enzymes†. Enzymes are biocatalyst that speed up the rate of the reaction but do not take part in the reaction. Enzymes have active site, basically a group of amino acids that binds with the substrate, which further carry out the reaction to give a specific product. Enzymes are known for their specificity for substrates, although not all enzymes are specific. The rate of the reaction governed by enzymes is increased when the optimal conditions like temperature, pH, and substrates concentration are provided for the reaction. Two theories are known for the action of enzymes on substrates. 1. The lock and Key Mechanism and, 2) Induced fit theory. Enzymes are also inhibited by inhibitors, which can be substrate analog or any other compound that binds to the enzyme such a manner that the enzymes is unable to function. Inhibitors can be of two kinds, competitive, uncompetitive and non-competitive.

Market research Assignment Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Market Assignment - Research Paper Example Energy drinks are products that became popular in the year 2000 and their popularity kept on increasing since then. These products are really suited for those individuals who have to work at night hours or have a hectic nature of work on their shoulder. The launch of a 12 hour energy drink would be considered a market leader product in a market where the current offering is only a 5 or a 6 hour version of the energy drink. As it is considered to be newer version of the product in the existing market, it would be really beneficial if a market research is conducted to analyze whether the product will succeed in the market or not. As the company in question lacks the budget to conduct a survey or the focus group research analysis, the only option left would be to use public information on the energy drink market that would help in identifying the target markets for such an energy drink. On the basis of the information and the current buying behaviors of individuals, it seems obvious tha t the target market for a 12 hour energy drink would be the age group of 16 to 30 years old. The recent trend of advertising for the energy drinks currently focus on the young generation of such age group. This age group is can further be divided into athletes, gamers, party lovers and workaholics. Now it would be really difficult to target all these different target groups with a uniform/similar product but since the product brings an extension to the time period i.e. 12 hour version, it may be possible that it can serve all the different target groups with a uniform product i.e. similar product, packaging, etc. By identifying the target market, a segment of the market would be identified. This market segmentation would help in reduced marketing costs for the company. For a successful market segmentation and target market, proper consumer data would be analyzed with respect to the energy drinks. Using the public information, both quantitative and qualitative would be analyzed. Quan titative data would include such as age group, the age group of 16 to 30 years old would be the perfect market as far as the age group is concerned for the 12 hour Power O energy drink. The income factor would not be much of a concern as far as the target market is concerned, the prices of such energy drinks are cheap and these can be easily bought by the target age groups. As far as the qualitative data is concerned, there would be no effect based upon the education of that particular target market. The occupation of the target market may come into question with regards to the occupation. People working at night hours are deemed to be fond of energy drinks, hence a 12 hour Power O energy drinks would really help them. The only question that would really matter would be the fact that such 12 hour energy drink would have ingredients that might have negative effects on the users. Such 12 hour energy drink would have heavy amount of caffeine that can be considered to have negative and harmful effects on the users of such energy drinks. Hence at the target age range of 16-30, it could be excessively harmful and it can create legal restrictions on the sale of such energy drinks (as is the case in Norway and Iceland where under 16 sales is prohibited) because of the increased amount of caffeine

Plea Bargaining Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Plea Bargaining - Assignment Example On the part of the prosecution, the advantage is the assurance of having a conviction, albeit for a lesser crime or minimal penalty, over the possibility of the accused walking off with an acquittal. On the part of the defense, the benefit is the chance of being convicted to a lesser offense or for the same offense for a significantly lighter penalty over the possibility of a conviction on the original charge and for the maximum penalty [Premo v.  Moore (Docket No. 09-658)]. Finally, especially for high profile parties to case, a plea bargain avoids prolonged trial which means less publicity and media frenzy. It is admitted that a criminal prosecution is an action of the State and the prosecutor represents the State; nevertheless, the victim needs to be consulted in the process of plea bargaining. The victim suffered from the criminal act and will have difficulty in overcoming the trauma and in moving on if he still feels that he has never been truly vindicated with the plea bargai n deal. I agree with plea bargaining. Although it is never a perfect system, it sure does make the wheels of our criminal justice system move forward for the common good. Reference List: Jeff Premo v. Randy Joseph Moore, Docket No. 09-658. Accessed on May 26, 2011. Available at http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/09-658.pdf

Eyewitness Testimony Essay

Eyewitness Testimony Essay The use of eyewitness testimony is infamously a primary source of evidence used within the judicial system around the world; however its use has raised various questions as to its reliability and validity especially within court cases. This essay explored first of all, the biological factors of memory and recollection of memories within the human brain. Memories are believed to be stored and processed within the hippocampus part of the brain where it goes through the multi-store model (Atkinson and Shiffrin, 1968). This is where danger of the reliability of memory occurs. It was argued that eyewitness testimony is a reliable form of evidence especially with its validity in terms of the events leading up to the use of EWT; what is deemed important information is believed to be remembered more clearly. Sigmund Freud (1920) suggested that memories can only be retrieved by encouraging remembering past episodes and re-instating these past memories into their consciousness. Psychologists N ibett and Ross (1980) quoted that the reason why eyewitness testimony is persuasive is that it influences the jury on a deeper level. However, eyewitness testimony posed more disadvantages than advantages with the various factors that affect it such as weapons focus in incidents involving weapons which cause distractions and loss of memories. The primary psychologist that tested the use of memory was Elizabeth Loftus who conducted various experiment to test this, such as the Automobile Destruction experiment in the 1970s. After having collated all the arguments together, it was suggested that improvements must be made in order to improve the quality of eyewitness testimony; these included the legal system and police forces involvement in collating information as quickly as possible. The most imperative form of evidence when investigating a crime is the honesty of witnesses on trial, the application of eyewitness testimony. Though the use of eyewitness testimony by juries is considered most valuable, the question of fallibility of witness statements poses various problems and issues. Eyewitness testimony has been a thriving aspect of the Criminal Justice System, an incredible amount of research into this element of cognitive psychology questions the reliability of peoples memory especially using it as evidence to determine the outcome of the trial and convictions. Research into the reliability of evidence, often referred to as witness psychology is renowned as being the longest established area of law and psychology, dating back to the beginning of the 20th century.  [1]   The area of eyewitness testimony has always posed a problem with reliability and the effectiveness of human memory. Human memory is described by cognitive psychologists Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968)  [2]  as a three stage theory in which memory is modelled in, this memory stage model is called the Multi-Store Model. The Multi-store model theory consists of the memory being divided into three stages, the first stage being the sensory store, the second stage is the short term memory (working memory) and the third being long term memory. The transfer of information from one store to another is controlled by the process of attention and rehearsal of memories. One of the most critical assumptions made by cognitive psychologists is that the human mind has a limited capacity for processing information. Therefore, any external information that the environment consists of is often very difficult for the human mind to assimilate and process; so people are selective about what information is to be retrieved and this is otherwise known as attention, where some information is assimilated while other pieces are ignored. The first stage of the multi-store model, the sensory store, is where the information from the senses (iconic, echoic, tactile, olfactory and gustatory), is transferred into but this is only for a very short period of time. The initial information retrieved by the senses is then transferred into the short term memory store; this is transferred through attention given to the information transferred from the senses involved. When the information has been transferred into the short-term memory store, this is the store concerned with forgetting information and this information is ultimately lost entirely. Therefore, for information to be remained in the memory, from the short term store into the long term store, the information must be rehearsed. Rehearsal is the cycling of information through the memory, this rehearsal of memory can be carried out in two different methods. Therefore this essay will investigate whether the application of eyewitness testimony statements is a reliable form of evidence to be used by the judicial system. Furthermore, this essay will argue whether eyewitness testimony is ideal to use as one of the most important pieces of evidence to use or whether the application of eyewitness testimony is fallible. After comparing for and against the reliability of eyewitness accounts, an evaluation will be drawn over how eyewitness testimony can be improved to an extent where it can be further accurate. This essay will explore the elements of eyewitness testimony and how these factors can determine whether an eyewitness account is accurate. These elements include the effect of weapon focus on witness memory, how leading questions can manipulate witness statements and recollection of memory, reconstructive errors of memory and the application of psychological experiments when exploring the function of these elements on the human memory. Th e application of the eyewitness testimony includes multiple formal questioning sessions with witnesses on trial, taking statements of the events witnessed and witnesses appearing in court with the jury. The issue of integrity when applying eyewitness testimony accounts is delegated to the jury, who are assigned the role of determining the judgement of whether the eyewitness statements are fallible or reliable  [3]  . The use of eyewitness testimony has a profound and compelling effect on the outcome of a trial and conviction, and this is why an accurate eyewitness testimony is needed in order to gain justice. The Aspects of Eyewitness Testimony As a consequence of the limitations of information processing in the human mind, witness statements need to be reviewed for accuracy and if any external factors of either the environment or the function of memory may have affected the outcome of the witness account  [4]  . Quite often, when the memory cannot recall the entire incident or situation, it may result in the unknown areas being replaced by events that may never have took place in reality but the mind may perceive as a potential occurrence and therefore causes fallibility in the eyewitness testimony. In essence, the memory may fill in gaps where it fails to recall what may have happened  [5]  . Many factors affect eyewitness memories which are illustrated below: Interference of Memory Processing: The period of time that has lapsed between the witnessing of the incident and the questioning of the eyewitness can determine the amount of information that the witness can recall. On the other hand, interference which is the loss of old stimuli as a result of new information can also subsequently reduce the accuracy of eyewitness accounts.  [6]   Leading Questions in Witness Interviews: A leading question in its form or content, suggests to the witness being interviewed what answer is desired or leads them to the desired answer. Some questions can often be made more suggestive than others and these questions the legal concept of a leading question. The main pioneer for investigating the consequences of particular leading questions was Elizabeth F. Loftus in 1974.  [7]   Schemas: The human mind has evolved its memory capacity and the ability to remember certain aspects by organising information into categories, otherwise known as schemas  [8]  . Schemas help organise memories that can consist of familiar people, objects and situations and allow people to understand and act appropriately to whatever is encountered. Arousal, Anxiety and Violence Distraction: Quite often, cognitive psychologists have questioned the poor recall of eyewitness accounts is primarily a result of where their attention is focused upon. A possible reason for arousal, anxiety and violence distraction could be that a violent incident, with the use of weapons, draws the focus of the witnesss attention away from who is causing this anxiety, which results in little or no processing of other information.  [9]   Weapon Focus: When a witness views a crime in which a weapon is used as a method of violence and distraction, the weapon achieves its purpose in distracting the attention of those witnessing the crime. The distraction affects the witnesss attention due to the potential threat of violence9. External Influences: Quite often, external influences can affect the accuracy of eyewitness accounts, especially if the media has been influencing the events that have taken place. The witness may re-interpret their witness statements to match what the media has claimed may have existed or happened. Apart from the media, other external influences may include other witness accounts of what happened and/or the type of environment that the situation may have occurred in, e.g. in darkness, low-lit room etc. Conformity: Through the questioning process that witnesses must endure, group questioning in particular, gives into reason the reliability of witness recollections as they may conform in order to fit each others interpretation of what happened. Reliability of Eyewitness Testimony The use of eyewitness testimony has provided crucial evidence that can often lead to the identification and arrest of a criminal suspect or a hazardous event can be avoided. Eyewitness testimony impacts strongly upon the trial process and the verdicts that are given by the jury are quite often influenced heavily by eyewitness accounts. Stern and Dunning, 1994  [10]  quoted that eyewitness testimony is perhaps the most compelling types of evidence presented to police investigations and criminal trials. Although the human memory and its information processing ability, has substantial amounts of limitations that can lead to invalidity and inaccuracy, it does however, demonstrate a unique ability to process information where the acquired stimulus information is stored. The human mind can potentially hold millions of pieces of information, though not all at once, which when acquired by the brain can be reinstated and remembered. The memories that the mind deems as important for growth and use consistently is life are episonic which represents the episode of the memory where as certain skill or piece of information; semantic which identifies what that piece of information consists of and what it is and finally procedural which processes who that information is to be used or handled. For example, teaching a child how to read a book at a particular age is episonic, knowing what a book is, is semantic and how to read the words in a book would be procedural.  [11]   The process of information being transferred from the short term memory into the long term memory was an experiment conducted by psychologists Welch and Burnett in 1924. The experiment was to test the theory of the serial position curve where it consisted of the subjects being presented with a list of 16 words in which they had to recall in order. The results of this experiment, illustrated the serial position curve in which the recollection of words and the results of the experiment were graphed and this illustrated a curve effect were the last recalled words were remembered best whereas the words in the middle of the recall were remembered poorly. Cognitive psychologist, Sigmund Freud believed that memories were allocated in the brain  [12]  . Freud referred to these memories as true memories and described that they lay deep in the unconscious element of the brain, where they lay undisturbed as a factor of surface mental activity. Freud insisted that these memories were never lost or forgotten as they are only inaccessible and latent, having become a part of the unconscious  [13]  . For these memories to be accessed, Freud promoted the technique free association. By encouraging witnesses to reminisce about past episodes that have occurred within their lives, Freud insinuated that they could reinstate long-forgotten yet important memories from their past into their consciousness. However, it can be argued that the true memories that Freud insisted exist in the human sub-conscious are in fact potential complex blendings of both fact and fiction. Memory is an extremely fragile aspect of the human mind that can potentially be supplemented, altered and reconstructed by external stimuli that can question an event that may never have occurred. However, it is argued that the human mind is capable of remembering significant pieces of information that is considered vital and important. This is considered one of the key factors in which juries do consider eyewitness testimony accounts as a vital piece of evidence. Psychologists Nibett and Ross, 1980 quoted that the reason why eyewitness testimony is persuasive is that vivid testimonies have a strong impact on observers so this conclusively means that they are easier to remember especially upon the jury  [14]  . Though the potential invalidity of eyewitness accounts is extensive, error made in witness accounts are extraneous when the observers are able to distinguish between accurate and inaccurate witnesses  [15]  . However, there may be a possibility that the eyewitness account is accurate but leading questions by the criminal investigation team may provoke the memory to be changed to fit the question or the most relevant and fitting answer  [16]  . The Unreliability of Eyewitness Testimony The malleability of eyewitness accounts demonstrates the excessive inaccuracy of it being used as a vital evidential piece in the courts and criminal justice system. Many hypotheses have been established that suggest reasons for the valued use of eyewitness testimony. Saunders et al believe that jurors tend to place too much faith in eyewitness testimonies; however the problem lies with whether eyewitness testimony is a reliable source of evidence to use  [17]  . The inaccuracy of witness accounts is demonstrated by the various aspects that intercept with each other and substantiate hesitation for its use as evidence. The use of leading questions can quite often alter information/intelligence or can quite often misinterpreted accounts to match the information that the witness has been presented with. An experiment conducted by Elizabeth Loftus and John Parmer illustrates the interaction between language and memory in 1974  [18]  . The reconstruction of an automobile destruction consisted of two experiments in which subjects were shown films of automobile accidents. After the observation, the subjects were then asked questions about the events that occurred in the films; How fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other? The use of the word smash demonstrated higher estimations in the speed of the car as opposed to other verbs used in place of smash such as collided, bumped, contacted and hit. When the experiment was repeated a week later, the subjects who received the word smashed were more likely to agree to the question asked Did you see any broken glass? even though there was n o recollection of broken glass within the video. These results highlight the theory that the questions asked in relation to an event can result in a reconstruction of a witnesss memory of that event. Though witness memory is quite often inaccurate in that they fail to distinguish the events that had occurred, quite often, the human memory can remember erroneous events and details that may be introduced by third party interference. In the 1970s, Elizabeth Loftus conducted an experiment to demonstrate how third party interference can invalidate witness accounts by introducing false facts. Subjects were shown a slideshow of a car at an intersection with either a yield sign or a stop sign. The experimenter then asked the participants questions which falsely used the word stop sign instead of yield sign which is what was actually shown in the slideshow. The results indicated that subjects remembered seeing the false image; the introduction of false cues altered the memory of the participants in the experiment. Bartlett conducted an experiment in which he read a story The war of the ghosts out loud to a group of participants where he concluded that participants attempted to fit the story into their western schemas and as a result, distorted it during recall  [19]  . This showed that they were not recalling the information exactly as it had been presented to them, but were making assumptions at the story, based on their own understanding. This correlates with what a witness may assume a criminal or crime scene may look like and therefore use this to describe the suspected. Schemas are an effective method of processing and encoding information  [20]  . The idea of schemas were originally established by Frederick Bartlett in the 1930s which involved a large number studies in which he showed ways in which participants made sense of whatever they were shown affects the way they recall it later  [21]  . For example, in one of his studies, Bartlett showed participants unfamiliar line d rawings and instructed them to memorise it. Bartlett then asked his participants to talk aloud at the same time as memorising the picture. He found that different participants made sense of the figures in different ways. Later in the experiment, the participants were asked to draw the figures as they remembered them and Bartlett discovered that the schemas which they established during their initial encoding influenced their recall. Therefore, schemas may influence what witnesses may define what a criminal looks like or behaves like and this may influence their account of events. Through the questioning process that witnesses must endure, witnesses can either be questioned on a one-to-one basis where the interviewer questions the witness independently or witnesses can be questioned as a group if the incident has been witnesses by multiple people. In particular, group questioning which gives into reason the reliability of witness recollections as they may conform in order to fit each others interpretation of what happened. This conformity can purposely invalidate information as the witness does not want to be isolated from the events that the other witnesss describe as having happened. This subjective information again affects the testimony because false information is being interpreted is invalid due to conformity of information. The weapons focus effect  [22]  perceives to be a result of the witnesss attention being predominantly directed towards the weapon, resulting in diversion of attention away from the situational aspects and the criminal suspect. When a witness views a crime in which a weapon is used as a method of violence and distraction, the weapon achieves its purpose in distracting the attention of those witnessing the crime. The distraction affects the witnesss attention due to the potential threat of violence. Although an incident has occurred, the attention of the witness is primarily upon the weapon so they are not observing the rest of the incident or the person who is posing the threat and this causes the witness to have lack of information about the incident. This area of eyewitness psychology is known as weapon focus; unfortunately this distraction results in a very poor eyewitness testimony as the witness is unable to recall events and descriptions. Unfortunately, most crimes involve the use of a weapon as a vulnerability tool, which in essence causes the stress and anxiety levels of the witness to rise and therefore will fail to encode and remember vital information. Eyewitness inaccuracy may also be a result of errors that occur within the memory process; the memory is divided into three distinct stages of processing: encoding, storage and retrieval. The occurrence of errors is very likely at any particular stage within the memory processing stages. Acquiring information or otherwise known as encoding is illustrated within the Yerkes-Dodson principle which according to its theorists, an increase in arousal improves performance up to a certain point. Once arousal has passed the critical point which is otherwise known as the optimum, performance tends to decline and these results in poorer memory performance. So, in essence when a person is moderately aroused, the information is encoded best as opposed to extreme arousal or stress where the information is lost or encoded insufficiently. The Yerkes-Dodson theory  [23]  demonstrates that if a witness observes a crime that is substantially violent and/or makes the witness experience high levels o f fear and anxiety, they are less likely to remember any significant levels of information because of the extreme stress which results in encoding of information inaccurate. This conclusively makes their eyewitness account unreliable because they fail to remember any substantial amounts of information and detail of what happened and of the perpetrator. The question of witness account accuracy raises questions about whether the time after the incident occurred, if the account is still valid as evidence because quite often, large amounts of time and substantial interference can deteriorate the information from memory. This deterioration refers to the loss of stimulus information as a result of passed time. The amount of time that has lapsed between the occurrence of the event and the questioning and testimony of the witness can quite often determines the amount of information the witness can recall  [24]  . This interference is due to the loss of old stimulus information caused by new stimulus information; this can also reduce the accuracy of eyewitness accounts. People are more likely to overestimate the duration of brief events but on the other hand underestimate the duration of prolonged events (Penrod, Loftus and Winkler, 1982). Other psychological research has demonstrated that the presence of a weapon also reduces the accur acy of eyewitness accounts. Evaluation of Eyewitness Testimony Taking into consideration the flaws in which eyewitness accounts may consist of, which effectively invalidates the testimony, these flaws can be avoided by both the eyewitness and the criminal justice system that use the accounts as a form of evidence. Most importantly, the way in which witness accounts are handled is vital in establishing a valid eyewitness testimony with as much truth as possible. The interviewing process which is conducted by the criminal justice system i.e. police, courtroom judges, need to be done in a careful and delicate way so that there is no decay or deterioration of information. Though the memory of the witnesses may differ, depending on age and memory capacity, quite often the initial first few hours after the occurrence of an incident is vital in collecting as much valid information as possible. So, the interviewing of witnesses should be conducted right after the incident when possible to avoid any decay of information and/or third party interference. In terms of the actual interviewing process, the use of leading questions should entirely be avoided unless the witness has mentioned specific events or descriptions which would not invalidate information as it has been confirmed by the witness. Leading questions  [25]  can quite often add new information that the witness may not have known about and will therefore mention false information in order to fit their account with what is evidently known by the police. Specific questions that can be used in the interviewing process may help the witness to run through their track of events which in some circumstances reveal any recollection of events without any external influence. Quite often through the criminal investigation, the witness needs to be interviewed many times to establish the course of events and important descriptions, whether this is through the crown prosecution trial or by the police. If later eyewitnesses need to be interviewed, they should be able to recall as much information that they reported initially, avoiding any extra information that they may have picked up from third party interference. So in essence, there is no uncertain information but information that the mind has remembered and rehearsed within their memory and indicates a positive recollection of events. Though no control can be given to what eyewitnesses will focus on and concentrate entirely on, measures on how information is collected can partially help to distinguish between valid and false information within accounts. Conclusion It can be concluded that the use of eyewitness testimony will also be used as a vital source of evidence by the criminal justice system for years to come. Eyewitness testimony can hold vital pieces of information that cannot be retrieved from any other source, without eyewitness testimony, the police would find it incredibly difficult to discover any potential clues and evidence of what happened or description of what the perpetrator physically looks like. Criminal cases in which there is not eyewitnesses to give evidence are usually those cases which find it incredibly hard to convict the guilty so have to rely upon other physical evidence such as CCTV, DNA, fingerprints etc. However, the use of eyewitness accounts seems to create a lot of doubt in whether it is a reliable source of evidence to be used because its accuracy is questioned based on interpretation. The use of leading questions and third party interference can decay any initial recollection of events that the eyewitness may have believed to have happened. But the human memory has flaws within itself regardless of extra information that can falsify or invalidate the recollection of what occurred and why. The initial pioneer of evaluating eyewitness evidence, Elizabeth F. Loftus  [26]  highlights the flaws of eyewitness accounts and of the human memory. The conclusions in which Loftus has discovered were advantageously used to improve quality of interviews and valid eyewitness accounts but unfortunately cannot eliminate all invalid information. So, in essence, the question as to whether eyewitness testimony is a reliable source of evidence still remains unclear on the basis that it is vital evidence which is needed to collate important information. However, its reliability is questioned in terms of validity and how much the witness is able to accurately recall all pieces of information especially having experienced high amounts of anxiety and stress. Eyewitness testimony will always remain a vital source of evidence but its use should be delicately considered to avoid any false information or invalid convictions.

Free College Essays - Imagery, Metaphors, and Diction in Dulce et Decorum Est :: Dulce et Decorum Est Essays

Imagery, Metaphors, and Diction in Dulce et Decorum Est All exceptional poetry displays a good use of figurative language, imagery, and diction. Wilfred Owen's "Dulce et Decorum Est" is a powerful antiwar poem which takes place on a battlefield during World War I. Through dramatic use of imagery, metaphors, and diction, he clearly states his theme that war is terrible and horrific. The use of compelling figurative language helps to reveal the reality of war. In the first line, "Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,"(1) shows us that the troops are so tired that they can be compared to old beggars. Another great use of simile, "His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin,"(20) suggests that his face is probably covered with blood which is the colour symbolizing the devil. A very powerful metaphor is the comparison of painful experiences of the troops to "[v]ile, incurable sores on innocent tongues."(24) This metaphor emphasizes that the troops will never forget these horrific experiences. As you can see, Owen has used figurative language so effectively that the reader gets drawn into the poem. The images drawn in this poem are so graphic that it could make readers feel sick. For example, in these lines: "If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood/ Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs/ Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud,"(21-23) shows us that so many men were brutally killed during this war. Also, when the gas bomb was dropped, "[s]omeone still yelling out and stumbling/ [a]nd flound'ring like a man in fire or lime.../ [h]e plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning."(11-12,16) These compelling lines indicate that men drowned helplessly in the toxic gasses. These graphic images are very disturbing but play a very effective role in the development of the poem. Another tool in developing the effectiveness of the poem is the excellent use of diction. The word "blood-shod" explains how the troops have been on their feet for days without rest. Also, words like "guttering", "choking", and "drowning" shows us that the troops are suffering in extreme pain and misery. If you haven't noticed, most of these words are examples of cacophony, which are words with harsh and discordant sounds. As this poem is about how harsh and terrible war is, Owen's use of cacophony is very effective in generating the tone of the poem. Is it really that sweet to die for one's country?

Minority Cultures in Mississippi Essay

The purpose of this paper is to develop a better understanding of African American and Mexican American cultures in my region and their importance to United States society, as well as relating their similarities and differences to each other and my own culture. This will be done in an effort to develop skills that assist me in providing my future students the opportunity to value diversity and overcome cultural barriers and biases. This paper covers various aspects of each culture, beginning with the beliefs and traditions of each culture. In addition to those areas, the facets of religion, holidays, and foods of great significance to each culture are explored. Finally, the most meaningful area in relation to my teaching success is analyzed. The area of education is considered, focusing on educational aspirations as well as the professions of members of these cultures due to their educational backgrounds. After examining all of the aspects, the cultures will be compared and contrasted in an effort to learn how to overcome cultural differences. African American Family Life Family life is one of the most important aspects in the African American culture. This belief stems from both their African roots and early slavery. Keeping family members close was important in both tribal Africa and among slaves. Your family is believed to give you strength and support; this belief is still widely practiced today. African American families frequently visit both immediate as well as extended family. In fact, neighborhood barbeques and parties are a common occurrence. African American families also hold family reunions yearly, which include several surnames of families who may be closely related or as distant as fourteenth cousins or more. Often times, non-relatives are also invited and treated as family. Many African American neighborhoods are close-knit communities who often spend much of their spare time socializing with one another. Because of this closeness, many non-relatives become known as â€Å"play† family. These â€Å"play† family members have become such good friends to the family that they are treated as members of the extended family. The elderly are regarded as the head of the family and are given the utmost respect. To the African American culture, living a long life means the person is very wise and is often the first source for advice. An elder is believed to have led a fulfilled life and the funeral, therefore, is often celebrated as a joyous occasion. To the African American culture, death is simply passing from one realm of life to another. They believe their loved one is leaving the evils of this world behind for a utopia, so there is often a party after the burial service. African American Hairstyles and Names Many African American beliefs and traditions can be traced back to their original African roots. Locks and braiding are two of these. They are widely practiced hairstyles among African Americans today. Both types of hairstyles were started by tribes in Africa. Locks, commonly called dread-locks, are common among the tribes of South Africa. Because water is scarce and dust is prevalent in that area, locks are popular due to their ease of maintenance. Braiding, on the other hand, is an aspect of worth among Western African tribes. Often, the men of tribes there receive a braided lock for achieving a substantial accomplishment. Both of these traditional African hairstyles made their way to the United States with the slaves and are still of great importance to African American culture today, as a method of displaying pride in their historical roots. Another aspect of African American culture with ties to Africa is naming children. Children are often given names with African roots. However, the members of the African American culture have also developed a set of names, which are uniquely African American. They often add the prefixes of La-, Le-, and Da- to their children’s names, which is exclusive only to their culture. African American Music African American culture has given United States society various styles of music in the form of religious hymns and spirituals, jazz, blues, and hip-hop. Spirituals began with slaves on the plantations. They were often used to send secret messages between each other because the plantation owners could not understand their meanings. These songs were religious folk songs based on African music styles and were improvisational. The spirituals used various musical aspects from smooth flowing styles, which led to the sensual sounds of jazz, to sadness and despair, which led to the blues, to spoken-word singsong, which eventually led to hip-hop. â€Å"Ethnomusicologists trace hip-hop’s roots to the dance, drum, and song of West African griots, or storytellers, its pairing of word and music, and the manifestation of the painful journey of slaves who survived the middle passage† (McBride, 2007, p. 102). African American Language The American English language was also greatly influenced by the African American culture, especially in the Southern United States. â€Å"African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is a variation of the American English language closely associated with the speech of African Americans† (Coulmas, 2005, p. 177). AAVE is considered by many as slang, and it is in prevalent use by African Americans, as well as other cultures, all over the United States today. African American Religion The Black Church has historically been a source of hope and strength for the African American community. Religion is an essential and integral part of their lives, with approximately 85 percent of African Americans belonging to a Protestant denomination. In the African American society, God is viewed as the source of both good health and serious illness. The most common method of treating illness in the African American culture is prayer. It is expected in most churches that an individual should present their best appearance for worship. African American women in particular are known for wearing vibrant dresses and suits. The Black Church is one of intense enthusiasm and high emotion. African American author W. E. B. DuBois perhaps captured the spirit of the Black Church best by stating, â€Å"Even in the midst of preaching, the worshipers carried on a dialogue with the preacher by shouting approvals or calling out remarks aimed at encouraging him to work harder to reach his point† (DuBois, 2005, pp. 184 – 185). It is not uncommon to hear an African American congregation shouting â€Å"Amen! † or â€Å"Preach it, Brother! † or â€Å"You tell ‘em, Reverend† in agreeance with their pastor or to hear the choir echoing â€Å"Well? † behind the pulpit to advance the pastor’s next words. The entire world could learn from the African American culture’s passion for Christ. African American Holidays The African American culture has several holidays which not only help its members connect to their historical roots but assist the rest of society in identifying the significant impact African Americans have had on shaping the United States. One way this is done is through Black History Month. Each February, television networks and schools throughout the United States celebrate the contributions of various African Americans to the world. One of the individuals focused on during Black History Month is Martin Luther King Jr. , whose quest for equality, peace, and civil rights was so powerful in shaping American society that his birthday is another important holiday in the African American culture. Now recognized as a national federal holiday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated nationwide on January 15. Another significant holiday is Juneteenth. The news of the Emancipation Proclamation signing reached the slaves of the South on June 19, 1865, and the slaves responded by having a huge celebration. Today, Juneteenth allows African Americans the opportunity to celebrate freedom and is celebrated all over the United States with food, storytelling, games, music, and African American culture. â€Å"Each year, over thirteen million African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa† (Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, 2003, p. 57). This holiday uses customs from the harvest celebrations of Africa and was developed to help African Americans celebrate their heritage. This holiday lasts seven days and focuses on seven principles of the Swahili people. Upon a unity mat sits a candleholder with seven candles, and one candle is lit each day to represent one of the principles. Christmas is another important holiday for African Americans because of the Black Nativity play performed in many churches. Originally written by Langston Hughes, it is a retelling of the classic nativity story, only with an entirely African American cast and gospel style Christmas carols. A major performance of this play is held yearly in Boston at Tremont Temple by The National Center of Afro-American Artists (NCAAA), who refer to Black Nativity as, â€Å"a legendary Christmas event and the Black community’s Christmas gift to the world† (NCAAA, 2008). African American Foods The foods of the African Americans also play an important role in most cultures of the United Stated. These foods, commonly referred to as soul food, have become widely popular throughout the United States. Many of these foods such as black-eyed peas, cornbread, greens, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and deep fried foods were originally eaten in Africa and made their way to the United States with the slaves. While others, such as chitlins, neck bones, and ham hocks, were created by the slaves out of necessity. During their time in captivity, they were only fed the scraps that their owners would not eat, ant they had to discover methods of cooking these items in such a way that they would be edible. African American Education and Employment African Americans in Mississippi unfortunately live in one of the poorest states in the country, and their education is influenced by that factor. The poor economic state of Mississippi greatly hinders the public school system here due to lack of funding. In the Mississippi Delta, where the population is almost entirely African American, â€Å"the economy is so depleted that obtaining a quality education is extremely difficult† (U. S. Commission on Civil Rights, 2001, p. 36). The lack of a quality education hinders Mississippi’s number of high school and college graduates, but for African Americans the number is extremely grave. Only 47. 3 percent of African American students in Mississippi will earn a high school diploma, and of that percentage, only 8. 8 percent of them will go on to earn a bachelor’s degree or higher† (U. S. Commission on Civil Rights, 2001, p. 36). It is a widely known fact that not graduating high school greatly influences a person’s financial and professional future. With less than half of the African American population of Mississippi graduating high school, the poverty level among these individuals is obviously high. The number of African American families living below poverty level is tremendous, especially in majority-black communities like one would find in the Mississippi Delta. â€Å"The percentage of black families with incomes below the poverty level runs from a low of 46. 4 percent in Washington County to a high of 68 percent in Tunica County, and most Mississippi counties are marked by double-digit unemployment rates† (U. S. Commission on Civil Rights, 2001, p. 1 – 2). The individuals who are employed are most likely employed in a position that pays the federal minimum wage rate, such as fast food or retail chains, due to the low high school graduation rate. Overall, the African American culture in Mississippi is at a great disadvantage when it comes to educational and professional success. Mexican American Family Life Family closeness is an important aspect of Mexican American culture, as well. Not only do the members of this culture spend a great deal of time with their families, but they often all live together under one roof. It is not uncommon for grandparents, parents, children, cousins, aunts, and uncles to all live in the same home. The entire family is involved in all aspects of each other’s lives, with the elders being the most respected and revered members of the family. Children are expected to honor their families no matter the circumstances. Their actions must never bring shame to their family, and traditional Mexican American families are very strict on their children in an effort to keep them from participating in dishonorable acts. These values of honor, respect, and family endearment are carried out in death as well. When a loved one passes away, they are dressed in special clothing and stay in the family home overnight. While in the family home, a wake is held, and friends and family bring food to serve at the wake. Only the family then accompanies the body to the grave. No service is held, but the family members sing religious Spanish hymns. â€Å"Most significant is the perspective on death held by many Mexican American Catholics that, rather than an end, death is seen as a new beginning† (Diaz-Stevens & Stevens Arroyo, 1998, p. 73). Because of this view, for years after the original wake, on the same date, those who attended it will reunite to celebrate the life and passing of their loved one. Mexican American Names and Language For the most part, Mexican Americans stay true to their original Mexican heritage and culture. While a few Mexican American families choose to name their children more traditional American names, the majority of parents choose names with Mexican ties and meanings, like Javier, Joaquin, Carmen, and Rosa. Another way, Mexican Americans stay connected to their heritage is through their language. Even fluent English speakers tend to speak Spanish with other members of their culture, as opposed to English. Mexican American parents who choose to teach their children to speak English teach them Spanish as well and most often speak to them in the Spanish language. Mexican Americans also choose to incorporate Spanish music and television into their daily lives. In fact, the interest is so high among Mexican Americans to have Spanish television in the United States that cable and satellite providers have special packages created especially for the Hispanic people, which include channels from Mexico such as Telemundo and Univision. Mexican American Quinces Another tradition of Mexican American families is a quince. â€Å"No matter how Americanized a Latina is, chances are she will look forward to her quince. No matter how economically tight her parents might be, they will maintain the tradition† (Figueredo, 2002, p. 152). A quince is the Mexican equivalent to a sweet sixteen party combined with a debutant ball. The quince takes place on a girl’s fifteenth birthday and is very formal. The birthday girl has several female maids and male escorts in her court. The court makes its grand entrance, and the birthday girl and her father begin to waltz. Soon, the entire court joins in, and once the waltz is complete, the party continues, as would an American sweet sixteen party. Mexican American Religion Religion and prayer are very important to the Mexican American culture. â€Å"Approximately 80 percent of the Mexican American population is of the Catholic faith† (Figueredo, 2002, p. 166). Mexican Americans are a very superstitious people, frequently wearing medallions or amulets for protection. The prevention of illness and unfortunate events is believed to be accomplished with prayer, wearing religious relics, and keeping religious charms in the home. Many homes have shrines for prayer in them; these shrines contain religious statues, pictures of various saints, and prayer candles. The family members gather at these shrines, light the prayer candles and rigorously pray. Mexican American Holidays Holidays are of great significance in the Mexican culture, and many of the holidays celebrated in Mexico are still celebrated by Mexican Americans in the United States. Semana Santa celebrates the Christian holiday of Easter and runs from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. The most essential aspect of this holiday is attending mass on both Good Friday and Easter Sunday. â€Å"Live representations of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion take place in many communities†¦people from the communities assume the roles of Jesus, Virgin Mary, St. Peter, St. John, and many other characters† (Michigan State University, 2008). Cinco de Mayo is celebrated yearly on May 5 and commemorates the defeat of the French army by the Mexicans at The Battle of Puebla in 1862. â€Å"This victory gave the Mexican people pride in their country and the spirit of freedom and is celebrated in various parts of Mexico and in U. S. cities with a significant Mexican American population† (Michigan State University, 2008). The Day of the Dead is a celebration that represents the unity between life and death. On October 31, relatives decorate the gravesite of their loved ones in preparation for the return of their loved one’s soul. They also decorate an altar at their home with photos of the loved one and some of the loved one’s favorite items. The Feast of Our Lady Guadalupe is a very important religious holiday among Mexican Americans. It is believed that a female appeared to an Indian, outside of Mexico City, and said she was the mother of God. She left an image of herself on his cactus-cloth. â€Å"It [the cloth] should have deteriorated in twenty years but shows no sign of decay 477 years later† (Michigan State University, 2008). She has become a prestigious religious figure for Mexican American Catholics, and her holiday is celebrated on December 12 each year by attending a special mass service. The Christmas holiday season for the Mexican American culture runs from December 16 through February 2 each year and is combined with traditional Christian aspects as well as special Mexican festivities. The first of these is Las Posadas, which is nine consecutive days of candlelight processions and parties. Neighborhood families gather to reenact the holy family’s night in Bethlehem. The breaking of the pinata is a very important aspect of this holiday. The second of these is Noche Buena, which is the peak of holiday festivities, with the celebration of a midnight mass on Christmas Eve. After the mass, the families enjoy a traditional Christmas supper, common to the United States, of turkey, ham, and other common Christmas dinner items. The family then opens gifts and celebrates with a pinata and sparklers. Christmas Day is traditionally set aside for rest. The final of these celebrations occurs on January 6 and is called Dia de Los Tres Reyes Magos. This day celebrates the arrival of the Wise Men in Bethlehem. Mexican American children wake up to toys and other gifts. Rosca de Reyes is served on this day, which is a crown-shaped sweet bread decorated with jewel-like candied fruits and a tiny plastic baby hidden inside. Whoever finds the baby in their piece is required to host a party before the Christmas holiday season ends on February 2. Mexican American Foods â€Å"Tex-Mex is a term used to describe a regional American cuisine that blends food products available in the United States and the culinary creations of Mexican Americans influenced by the cuisines of Mexico† (Barrios Trevino, 2002, p. 3). Many dishes such as chili, fajitas, salsa, quesadillas, burritos, and nachos are not true Mexican dishes but were invented in the United States by Mexican Americans. Even dishes cooked here that originated in Mexico, like tacos, are not prepared in the same manner they would be in Mexico. While Mexican American Tex-Mex dishes are cooked to be hot, topped with tons of cheese, and served in large portions, true Mexican dishes are exactly the opposite. Therefore, Mexican Americans coined their own style of cooking and created some of the United States most loved dishes. Mexican American Education and Employment Unfortunately, the graduation rates for Mexican Americans are very low. The language barrier between the Mexican American culture and the English speaking population of the United States combined with the obligation on many Mexican Americans to work to help support family in Mexico no doubt contribute to this. â€Å"Only about half, 48. 7 percent, of the Mexican American population complete their high school education, and a mere 15. 4 percent of those students earn at least a bachelor’s degree† (U. S. Dept of Commerce Bureau of the Census, 2003 p. 5). The majority of Mexican Americans gain employment at blue-collar jobs such as construction or in the restaurant industry. Many Mexican Americans come to the United States illegally, which causes them to look for employment with employers who will look past their status. Being here illegally or working a blue-collar job means that most Mexican Americans must settle for low wages of minimum wage or slightly higher. Similarities Between the Two Cultures Conducting this research led to the surprising discovery of several similarities. Both cultures desire to remain close to their families, both immediate and extended, by not only seeing each other often but also buy having parties and get-togethers. Both cultures rely greatly on the elderly members of their culture for their knowledge and advice and treat them with the utmost respect and endearment. While the actual proceedings of the funeral are quite different, the cultures are the same in that they see death as a new beginning and, therefore, a cause for celebration. Both cultures are also proud of their heritage. This can be seen in everything from their celebratory traditions during certain holidays to giving their children names, which are unique to their culture. Another similarity is the strong part religion and prayer play in the lives of the members of each culture. In both cultures, prayer is believed to provide comfort and protection. Finally, the most disheartening theme which is common among both cultures is the high dropout rate among high school students and the fact that most members of each culture are employed in low paying positions either due to a lack of education or opportunity. Differences Among the Two Cultures As suspected, the research also led to the discovery of many differences among the cultures as well. As previously mentioned, the burial process of a loved one is quite different among the cultures. African Americans tend to have elaborate, celebratory services honoring the life of their loved one and invite all friends and family members to the burial service. The body is usually sent to a funeral home for preparation and burial. Mexican Americans, on the other hand, keep the body in their home and invite friends and family to pay their respects during a wake. The body is initially prepared by the family for the wake, and only family members attend the actual burial. Although African American families work hard to keep their families close, only their immediate family lives in the home with them unless circumstances cause otherwise, while Mexican Americans quite often live in a home with many relatives of both their immediate and extended family. Their religions and religious practices are also very different. Most all African Americans are of a Protestant denomination, while most all Mexican Americans are Catholic. The Catholic services of Mexican Americans tend to be very quiet and solemn, while African American services are very loud, emotional affairs, with frequent shouts of praise and singing. Shrines are also very important to Mexican American prayer, while African Americans choose to pray almost anywhere. They do not feel the need to pray at a particular place or around particular items. Another major difference is in the types of foods each culture consumes. African Americans tend to eat a lot of vegetables and fried foods, heavy in salt. Mexican Americans, however, eat meals, which include a lot of meat and tortillas with very few vegetables, which include tomatoes, onions, and hot peppers. Applying the Project to the Classroom Recognizing the characteristics of each culture, along with the similarities and differences in each culture, will assist one in overcoming cultural barriers and biases. The information in this project will prove to be very useful inside a classroom. It could be used in several ways, the first being to teach students about each culture. The second way would be to teach students how the cultures are alike or different. The final way would help students compare the cultures to their own. One way this information could be applied is by teaching students about a holiday unique to one of the cultures. For example, on or close to December 16, the teacher could ask the students to come to school dressed as a character from the nativity story such as an angel, a Wise Man, or a shepherd. Then, after studying about Las Posadas and even having a Mexican American student tell a story about the holiday if possible, the students could parade up and down the hallways of the school and end their festivities by taking turns trying to break a pinata. Another way this information could be applied is to have the children write a story about a family celebration or gathering and then having each student read their story aloud. By doing this, each child will have the opportunity to see similarities and differences between each cultural group represented in the classroom. This would also help minority groups such as African Americans and Mexican Americans identify with majority students and move toward forming bonds. A final way this information could be applied is by studying the foods eaten by both cultures. The teacher could read a story about the foods of both cultures and explain the origins of each culture’s foods. During this lesson, the students should sample various foods from both cultures. By doing this, the students will not only be learning about another culture and receiving the opportunity to try something new but will also most likely discover that they have already had many of the foods from both cultures but were unaware of it. Each culture has aspects, which are unique only to that culture. However, both cultures also have aspects, which can be related to one’s own culture. In any event, both cultures are uniquely beautiful and contribute to the United States society and culture as a whole and should therefore not only be respected but also treasured. In its own way, each culture, combined with all of the other cultures of the United States people make our nation the greatly extraordinary country that it is. ? References Barrios Trevino, D. (2002). Los Barrios family cookbook: Tex-Mex recipes from the heart of San Antonio. New York, NY: Villard Books. (Primary Source) Coulmas, F. (2005). Sociolinguistics: The study of speakers’ choices. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press. (Secondary Source) Diaz-Stevens, A. M. & Stevens Arroyo, A. M. (1998). Recognizing the Latino resurgence in U. S. religion. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. (Secondary Source) DuBois, W. E. B. (2005). The souls of black folk. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. (Primary Source) Figueredo, D. H. (2002). The complete idiot’s guide to Latino history and culture. New York, NY: Alpha Books. (Secondary Source) McBride, J (2007, April). Hip hop planet. National Geographic, 211(4), 100-118. (Secondary Source) Michigan State University Teaching Hispanic Cultures of the Americas Institute (2008). Learning about Hispanic cultures through the study of Latino and Mexican holidays, celebrations and traditions. Retrieved June 28, 2009, from http://www. educ. msu. edu/teachglobal/Americas/module1. html (Primary Source) National Center of Afro-American Artists (2008). Black nativity. Retrieved June 27, 2009, from http://www. blacknativity. org/about/index. html (Secondary Source) Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences (2003). Guide to exploring African American culture. Retrieved June 28, 2009, from http://pubs. cas. psu. edu/FreePubs/pdfs/agrs92. pdf (Primary Source) U. S. Commission on Civil Rights (2001). Racial and ethnic tensions in American communities: Poverty, inequality, and discrimination the Mississippi delta report. Retrieved June 28, 2009, from http://www. usccr. gov/pubs/msdelta/main. htm (Primary Source) U. S. Dept of Commerce Bureau of the Census (2003). We the American: Hispanics. Retrieved June 26, 2009, from http://www. census. gov/apsd/wepeople/we-2r. pdf (Primary Source)