Finance assignment related to china and jordan political risk

Finance related to china and jordan political risk - Assignment Example 14). This paper aims at comparing the corruption price index rating of China and Jordan, reasons for the differences, and issues that create these differences, a rating of political risks of Chin and Jordan, examples of political risks on all countries, and potential drawbacks, and ways to hedge against risk. Corruption percentage index in Jordan is at 45 a decline from the 2012 rating of 48 while China’s corruption percentage index is at 40 showing that it increased from a rating of 39 in 2012 (Transparency International., 2014). Both countries were downgraded in the latest corruption percentage index owing to some factor that necessitated this action by Transparency international. The corruption price index differ by 5 points that that of Jordan being higher than in China and this can be explained by some reasons including a deterioration in political risk in China owing to increased political violence, slowing of the growth of the economy, and nationalism of resources. In Jordan, the differences is as a result for the lowering of corruption percentage index are fighting in Syrian that have led to the influx of refugees into Jordan leading to the domestic shocks on the Jordan economy and domestic strain on the economy owing to insecurity (Intelligence Quarterly, July 22, 2011). The issues that this could create are a reduction in foreign investment in the two countries as well as a reduction in the economic growth of the country. The other issues that could be created by increased political risk I inability of the county to attract new investments and investments by local investors in other countries with a high corruption percentage index. Generally, the political risk in China is low while in Jordan it is high. Examples of political risk in Jordan include the 2011 protests that rocked the country. There have not been enough reforms as agreed in 2011, as a measure to end the protests

A Lesson Before Dying Essay Example for Free

A Lesson Before Dying Essay The economic downturn of the past several years has been devastating to local economies and, by extension, their local law enforcement agencies. According to a report by the National Institute of Justice, the United States is currently experiencing the 10th economic decline since World War II (Wiseman 2011). The impact of this downturn will result in a change of how law enforcement services are delivered. As has been discussed by the COPS Office Director, Bernard Melekian, in a series of recent articles published in the Community Policing Dispatch, expectations will not be lowered just because an agency now has fewer officers, or because the budget is limited. Simply doing less while waiting for local budgets to recover to pre-2008 levels is not a viable option. Law enforcement leaders are faced with budget contractions that are in need to identified in different ways to deliver police services and, perhaps more importantly, articulate what the new public safety models will look like to their communities (Melekian 2011a). The effects of the economic downturn on law enforcement agencies may be felt for the next 5–10 years, or worse, permanently. These changes could be permanently driven not just by the economy, but by local government officials who determined that allocating 30–50 percent of their general fund budgets for public safety costs is no longer a fiscal possibility (Melekian 2011b). While it appears that the economy is beginning to recover on the national level, most economists agree that local jurisdictions are still in decline and will continue to be so, at least in the short term. Due to the decline of tax revenues because of Foreclosures County and municipal budgets tend lagging behind the general economy, which is one of the main source of funding for local agencies. Agencies are also faced with the budget realities, the current model for service delivery—which has been with us for the last 50 years—is already starting to change, and will be forced to continue to change dramatically and rapidly in the next 3–5 years. Police departments have been one of the affected by the current economic climate. Restricting revenues nationwide have forced local governments to make cuts in spending across the board, which has affected everything to include public safety operating budgets. However, while these budget cuts are threatening law enforcement jobs the responsibility to serve and protect remain. There has been no methodical way of measuring the effect the economic downturn has had on police agencies across our nation. A good example is how Nigeria has been experiencing difficulties in Budget implementation. The objective of the article was to present alternative forms of budgeting and after exposition on them, to recommend one that could mitigate budget implementation problem for Nigeria. Two types of budgeting addressed are incremental and zero-base. Under incremental budgeting, a certain percentage is added or subtracted from previous periods figures to arrive at new periods budget. Under zero bases, every program is reevaluated for its merits, as if previous budgets never existed. The starting points are the results hoped to achieve, and every debate about budget implementation is done prior to passage. Zero base budgeting is analogous to marketing concept in terms of information requirement and zeroing in on customized needs. To the extent that zero base budgeting plans, executes and controls, it serves as a management tool. Nigerias budgeting has been incremental, overly politicized and not carried out by experts, but merely based on benchmark price and quota of daily oil production. Factors militating against proper budgeting in Nigeria are distortions in fiscal transparency. Budget implementation in Nigeria is a critical problem. Many have blamed our poor socio-economic and infrastructural development on low degree of budget implementation, which is a result of incremental budgeting process. The paper therefore recommends zero based budgeting to Nigeria at all levels (GJSS, 2012). Sometimes inefficiencies result due to poor integration of the finance and strategy. Budgeting and performance are typically overseen by the finance department, whereas planning s coordinated by strategy department. Often, the two processes arent well integrated, resulting in strategies that are often dictated by the budget process instead of vice versa (Gary 2003). The reason for this could be that everyone involved may be attempting to accomplish the same goals, but also trying to make sure that the outcome will be beneficial to them, such as a substantial bonus or a reward. A budget cycle refers to the whole process from the commencement of developing a budget to the execution of the final charge on the budget. Since the majority of the budgets are prepared for a one year period, budget cycles cover the costs and expenditures for a period of one year. However, there are budget cycles that run for more than one year period. Government budgets have a budget cycle of at least 18 months from the conception of the various departments’ budgets to the time the appropriation bills are signed into law (Hyde, 2001). The initial steps of the budget cycle take place in the various departments and agencies. The program officers in the various departments compile all information that is necessary in the preparation of the budget. The budget cycle culminates with the president’s budget application to the Congress. This often takes place in February (USDOJ, 2011). A budget refers to a list of premeditated revenues and expenses. It represents a tool for savings and expenditure. A budget can also be defined as an organizational plan that is stated in monetary terms. It is used as a road map for conducting the activities, objectives, assumptions, and strategies of an organization. A budget cycle is comprised of various stages. Budget planning for the new fiscal year marks the first step of the budget cycle, while closing and carry forward activities mark the end of a budget cycle (Hyde, 2001). The steps outlined below are steps of a sample government’s budget cycle: Budget submissions: this entails the submission of the budget plans to the respective Budget Offers in various government departments. The budgets are reviewed and approved. Budget approval: this entails the executive committee approving the budget. The Initial Budget Authorizations are then submitted to the respective supervisors who address the respective cost items. Global Changes: the salaries are adjusted so that they reflect salary increases that are permitted by the Salary Subcommittee and the Human Resources Department. Closing: this entails the closure of the budgets at the end of the fiscal year. Carry forwards: it entails carrying forward all the unspent money to the following fiscal year. This marks the last step in the budget cycle. In most instances, law enforcement management prepares master budget for the coming year. The master budget includes the projected expenses and maintenance which is incorporated in the master budget and other smaller budgets such as training, overtime, marketing, administrative, and departmental budgets. By establishing an operating and financial budget for a future period, management can identify problems in advance. This can be maintained by forecasting for future predictions. A forecast is a reflection of the future. When forecasting is taken into account, two key aspects to consider are cash budgets and expenditure forecast. In most instances, budgets are and should be prepared for a future period such as an oncoming accounting or financial year. They are detailed by quarters or months. Typically, annual budgets are not altered once the year begins. However, budgets should not be rigid so as to prevent timely actions if need arises. Instead, budgets should only act as a guide rather than a restriction. However, there are rare circumstances when an annual budget should be revised such as due to a radical change in the business environment. Budgets are also important for obtaining funding since they portray an organization’s capacity to the lending institutions and financiers. Additionally, budgets are important management tools, they aid in setting milestones that need accountability to achieve, and aid an organization in identifying risks and establishing benchmarks. Thus, budgets facilitate the process of making adjustments to avoid risks, and to measure the benchmarks. Understanding the significance of budgeting marks the first step towards successful financial planning. It plays a significant role in the strategic planning process by an organization. It outlines the future financial goals and needs of an organization such as technological needs, overhead needs, financial requirements, and capital improvements. I have a very strong opinion that budgeting should not be scrapped, rather be modified to meet the current business environment. Organizations would have to restructure compensation programs so that managers no longer have an incentive to favors short-term goals over the longer-term. Budgeting will have to be flexible to be able to be adjusted from time to time to reflect changes in organizational goals and the economic environment. Again, accounting department should be responsible for compiling only budget information; they should not determine the budgeting process. Management, through the planning process should determine the budget, and all departments should be included in the process. Budgeting should be both top down and bottom up; i. e. upper level management and middle level management will both work to finalize a budget. We can streamline the budgeting process by developing a financial model. Financial models can facilitate what if analysis so we can assess decisions before they are made. This can dramatically improve the budgeting process. One of the biggest challenges within financial planning and budgeting is how do we make it value-added. Budgeting requires clear channels of communication, support from upper-level management, participation from various personnel, and predictive characteristics. Budgeting should not strive for accuracy, but should strive to support the decision making process. If we focus too much on accuracy, we will end-up with a budgeting process that incurs time and costs in excess of the benefits derived. The challenge is to make financial planning a value-added activity that helps the organization achieve its strategic goals and objectives. In order for department to compensate for dwindling budget, many law enforcement officer have had to learn how to focus on what can they can sacrifice from their normal lifestyle in order to offset the reduction in available spending. Some of these sacrifices have included families foregoing summer vacations, or shopping in discount stores instead of department stores they are accustomed too. However, today law enforcement agencies are faced with the difficult task of maintaining the same service that their communities expect despite the extreme reduction in available resources. And, in order for them to deliver the same high level of protection and emergency responsiveness that the communities depend on, law enforcement agencies must find new and inventive techniques to address those needs in cost-effective and maintainable way. Agencies must have a good understanding of how budgeting marks the first step towards successful financial planning. Budgeting has a significant role in the strategic planning process by any organization. It provides the framework for future financial goals and the needs of an organization such as technical equipment like laptops, radios, and side arms. It also shows the overhead needs, and departmental financial requirements. It can also outline the costs involved in order to get the resources that are required to meet their financial goals. Developing a budget is an important tool for determining the department’s performance, in motivating the upper-management, other members of staff, and measuring the results towards accomplishing the organization’s financial goal. References Gary, L (2003) Breaking the Budget Impasse. Pg 3, Retrieved September 30, 2013, Idio, U. S. (2012). THE BUDGET AS A MANAGEMENT TOOL: ZERO BASE BUDGETING, PANACEA TO BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION IN NIGERIA. Global Journal of Social Sciences, 11(1), 1-7. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/1036581432? accountid=32521 http://www. cops. usdoj. gov/files/RIC/Publications/e101113406_Economic%20Impact. pdf Melekian, B. , (2011a). Director’s Message. Community Policing Dispatch vol. 4, no. 3. http://cops. usdoj. gov/html/dispatch/03-2011/DirectorMessage. asp. Melekian, B. , (2011b). Director’s Column: July 2011. Community Policing Dispatch vol. 4, no. 7. http://cops. usdoj. gov/html/dispatch/07-2011/DirectorMessage. asp. Wiseman, J. , (2011). Strategic Cutback Management: Law Enforcement Leadership for Lean Times. Research for Practice, Washington, D. C. : U. S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, NCJ 232077.

A Tale of Two Hearts in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre :: Jane Eyre Essays

A TALE OF TWO HEARTS While an artist uses a variety of colors and brushes to create a portrait, Charlotte Bronte used contrasting characters and their vivid personalities to create a masterpiece of her own.   In her novel Jane Eyre, Bronte uses narration and her characters to portray the struggle between a society’s Victorian realism and the people’s repressed urges of Romanticism.   In order to discern between the Victorian and Romantic themes, Bronte selects certain characters to portray the perfect stereotype of each theme.   Mademoiselle Celine Varens is the model of the Romantic attitude.   Varens a â€Å"French opera-dancer† found herself as the â€Å"grande passion† of Mr. Rochester.   The amour between Rochester and Varens started in a â€Å"complete establishment of servants, a carriage, cashmere, diamonds, dentells, etc.† and ended with Rochester â€Å"finding her out† with another man.   Varens’ irrationality did not only affect Rochester, but also her child: â€Å"she abandoned her child and ran away with a musician or singer.†Ã‚   Celine Varens, a woman in a daring profession, led a life of passion, freedom and irresponsibility.   Her life was ballad of adventure idolized by Romantics but frowned upon by society.   Mrs. Reed is the perfect representative of Victorian realism.   She had all t he visual attributes found in a Victorian styled lady.   She possessed gentry as the mistress of Gateshead Hall and her material wealth was made obvious by the luxuries found in her home –â€Å"a bed supported on massive pillows of mahogany, hung with curtains of damask†Ã¢â‚¬â€and in her children â€Å"in their Muslim frocks and scarlet sashes.†Ã‚   Besides wealth and gentility, Mrs. Reed also maintained Victorian characteristics of insularity and censoriousness.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Eliza, John and Georgiana were now clustered round their mama in the drawing room: she lay reclined on the sofa by the fireplace and her darlings about her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mrs. Reed literally maintains insularity – snobbishly creating an island of her and her children, detaching themselves from Jane.   Lastly Mrs. Reed exercised censoriousness towards Jane on a continual basis until Jane was left with â€Å"a habitual mood of humiliation, self doubt, forlorn depression.†Ã‚   Jane’s state is the result of the Victorian need of moral severity, which was expressed by blame and disapproval.   Bronte uses Varens and Reed to paint the contrast between the Romantics controlled by emotion, freedom and imagination and the Victorians who exhibit middle-class stuffiness and pompous conservatism. But any author can capture the essence of two societies and illustrate the opposites in two opposing characters.

What is a Self-injurious Behavior

The incident which I have chosen for my Nursing Project happened on the last day of my learning difficulties placement. It involved a young Autistic man, who I will refer to as ‘John† throughout my assignment. This is to protect the client†s identity, this is in accordance with the UKCC Code of professional conduct (1992) clause 10: â€Å"Protect all confidential information concerning patients and clients obtained in the course of professional practice and make disclosures only with consent, where required by the order of a court or where you can justify disclosure in the wider public interest.† One incident which I believe highlights the problem I will address, involved myself bathing ‘John†. This was not the first time that I had bathed a person during the placement, however, the difference this time was that while I was washing ‘John†, he would display elf-injurious behaviour by slapping his face and then repeating the phrase ‘stop slapping face†. I chose this incident from my clinical diary as I feel that the self-injurious behaviour that ‘John† exhibited is an interesting and difficult Nursing problem and one, which affected my ability to care for him. Rather than focussing on the self-injury specifically related to ‘John†s† case, I will examine the possible ways to manage self-injurious behaviour, especially in persons with learning disabilities. To manage this problem effectively, a multi-disciplinary approach is required, but for the purposes of this essay I will look at the problem from a Nurse†s perspective. I will begin by giving a brief description of self-injurious behaviour and the possible causes. I will then highlight the different techniques available to Nurses for the management of this behaviour. Murphy and Wilson(1985) define this as: â€Å"Any behaviour initiated by the individual, which directly results in physical harm to that individual.† As is apparent in the literature, self-injurious behaviour is referred to as any behaviour that can cause tissue damage, such as bruises, redness, and open wounds. The most common forms of these behaviours include head banging, hand biting, head-slapping, and excessive scratching. There are two main sets of theories on the subject and these concentrate on physiological or social causes. The main physiological theories are: Self-injurious behaviour releases beta-endorphins in the person†s brain. Beta-endorphins are opiate like substances in the brain, which provide the person with some pleasure when released. Sudden episodes of self-injury may be caused by sub-clinical seizures. Sub-clinical seizures are not typically associated with the behaviours of normal seizures by they are characterised by abnormal EEG patterns. May be caused by over arousal such as frustration. Self-injury acts as a release, and thus lowers arousal. Self-injury may be a form of self-stimulatory, stereotypic behaviour. Some people exhibit self-injury to escape or avoid a task. Self-injurious behaviour may be used as an attention-seeking device. An incident that involved ‘John† which illustrated the difficulty in managing self-injurious behaviour, was when an object he was obsessed with, was removed. This was using a punishment strategy which I will discuss later. This was thought to be the best course of action, but it lead to ‘John† being restrained for nearly an hour, followed by him being sedated with an intra-muscular injection of chlorpromazine. What can learned from this is that it demonstrates the need for careful assessment of the individual. As highlighted by Murphy and Wilson(1985): â€Å"The treatment selected will depend on how the self-injurious behaviour originally developed and what factors maintain it.† There are a wide variety of different strategies or factors involved in treating or managing self-injurious behaviour. These include restraint, pharmacotheraphy, behavioural therapy, inter-personal strategies, normalisation and environmental factors. I will now examine in turn each of these strategies or factors. This is the most effective way of dealing with self-injurious behaviour in an emergency but there are a number of problems that can arise. Firstly, restraint raises some ethical questions, such as does someone have the right to injure themselves? This dilemna and others related to this topic are difficult to answer, but in general we make the assumption that the client is not capable of choosing for themselves. Secondly, the use of restraint present devaluing images of the client. Thirdly, they involve the violation of personal space which is usual for everyday social interaction. This can lead to a detrimental effect on the nurse/client relationship. Furthermore, there is the risk of injury to staff and to the client. Also there is the possibility of staff being accused of abuse, this is highlighted by Jones and Eayrs(1993): â€Å"Care staff may well face allegations of client abuse associated with the use of restraint.† There are some drawbacks in the use of restraint but it is an essential tool available to the Nurse in the management of Self-injurious or challenging behaviour. A number of drug treatments were used at Woodlands namely Chlorpromazine and Hapliperidol. These were reasonably effective but with these drugs there are serious side effects. As stated by Bernstein et al(1994): â€Å"Serious side effects include symptoms similar to those of Parkinson†s disease, such as muscle rigidity, restlessness, tremor and slowed movement.† These side effects can be treated with anti-Parkinson drugs. When trying to manage inappropriate behaviour using psychoactive drugs they should only be used as an integral part of the client†s programme. For example to combine Pharamacotherapy with other strategies such as behavioural treatments. In general behavioural approaches to treatment seem to be the most effective and long lasting ways of managing violent and aggressive behaviour. A reason for this is suggested by Murphy Wilson( ): â€Å"The fact that the ‘learned behaviour hypothesis† is one of the most convincing hypotheses for explaining the development of self-injurious behaviour.† This term covers a variety of different approaches but some of the main methods are positive reinforcement, modelling, extinction, aversive conditioning and punishment. This means, in the context of my essay, reinforcing or strengthening any behaviour that is not self-injurious. An example of this is raised by Bernstein et al (1994): † Autistic children, who, use very little language, were rewarded with grapes, popcorn, or other items for saying ‘please†, ‘thank you† and ‘your welcome† while exchanging crayons and blocks with a therapist.† This is defined by Bernstein et al(1994) as: â€Å"The gradual disappearance of a conditioned response or operand behaviour due to elimination either of the association between conditioned and unconditioned stimuli or of rewards for certain behaviours.† In the case of treating self-injurious behaviour it can be effective, but it is not always possible to use this method, because, firstly the client may seriously injure himself before the behaviour disappears. Secondly, if the reason for the behaviour is self-stimulation, it may not be possible to remove the source of reinforcement. This is basically a method of therapy in which desirable behaviours are demonstrated as a way of teaching them to clients. This method employs classical conditioning principles to link physical or psychological discomfort with undesirable behaviours. An example of this by Bernstein et al(1994) is: â€Å"Alcoholics might be allowed to drink after taking a nausea-producing drug, so that the taste and smell of alcohol are associated with nausea rather than the usual pleasurable feelings.† This was used extensively at woodlands. The main way in which clients were relaxed was through the use of a ‘sensory room.† This was basically a room that contained various lights, music and tactile objects designed to relax the client. The ‘sensory room† was extremely effective at woodlands and was an invaluable apparatus in the management of violent or aggressive behaviour. This kind of strategy involves penalising any behaviour considered to be inappropriate. These were used at Woodlands, sometimes they were effective, but in one case regarding ‘John† it seemed to make matters worse, leading to him to require to be sedated. In general punishment strategies should be used in conjunction with reinforcement of desirable and non-injurious behaviours. This is an important strategy in the treatment of challenging behaviour. It is the way in which a Nurse communicates verbally or non-verbally with the client. It is recognised that inappropriate behaviour from carers can instigate or maintain aggressive behaviours. The important factors as indicated by my research are eye contact, posture, touch and how the nurse actually speaks to the client. From my research I have found that there is a great deal of contradictory advice when dealing with an aggressive client. For example there is some evidence that remaining calm is the best thing to do but Breakwell(1989) cited by Jones and Eayrs(1993) suggests that: â€Å"The assailant who shouts is shouted at: calm intensity is greeted with equal intensity.† What is obvious is that when dealing with a client, interpersonal strategies are extremely important, but there is no right or wrong way. This is defined by Bank-Mikkelson (1980) cited by Murphy and Wilson(1985) as the need to: † Create an existence for the mentally retarded as close to normal living conditions as possible† This means to make conditions of education, housing, work and leisure to as near normal as possible and to bring greater equality of rights, obligations and responsibilities under law. Although it is not necessarily related with the treatment of someone who presents challenging behaviour, it is an important factor in considering the overall care of the client. This is providing an environment safe from potential factors, which may cause challenging behaviours. Some of these negative environmental factors may be things like loud noise, absence of attention, aggression from other residents, isolation or not enough space.

Cultural Diversity in Afghanistan Essay

Afghanistan is an Islamic country. It is divided into different regions where people manifest their own culture and beliefs. Though Afghans dwell in same country yet they practiced different cultures because of their regions’ location and tradition. What is applied to a certain region of Afghanistan may not be applicable to the other regions of the country. This would only show that there is a cultural diversity amongst regions of Afghanistan. Moreover, Afghanistan is located in south-central Asia. The encyclopedia of Islam stated that: Afghanistan has borne that name only since the middle of the 18th century, when the supremacy of the Afghan race (Pashtuns) became assured: previously various districts bore distinct appellations, but the country was not a definite political unit, and its component parts were not bound together by any identity of race or language. The earlier meaning of the word was simply â€Å"the land of the Afghans†, a limited territory which did not include many parts of the present state but did comprise large districts now either independent or within the boundary of Pakistan† (see â€Å"Afghanistan†. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. November 15, 2006). The northern part of the country is bordered by the Soviet Union and on the northeast; it is bordered by China and Kashmir, on the west side is bordered by Iran and on the east and south it is bordered by Pakistan. Every citizen of the country is called as Afghan though the country is composed of various ethnic groups. One of these ethnic groups is the Pashtun (it is also be spelled as Pakhtun, Pathan, Pushtun, and Pukhtun) which makes up about 60 percent of the population. They are from the Caucasian origin and dwelt in Afghanistan in not less than 1, 3000 year. Normally, they are recognized and acknowledged as the â€Å"true Afghans†. Pashtuns are separated into numerous tribes and sub-tribes, followed an ancient code of conduct called as Pashtunwali. The second most populated group is the Tajik, who were also come from the Caucasian origin (see â€Å"Afghanistan†. New Standard Encyclopedia. Volume 1, Pp. A-91, A-93, 94). The intent of this paper is to describe the different cultures in Afghanistan. II. Discussion As I have mentioned earlier, there are two ethnic groups who dwelt in Afghanistan. These groups practiced different cultures. Moreover, different cultures are practiced in Afghanistan because there are numerous ethnic groups that are smaller in number who are scattered throughout the country. Nuristanis is another ethnic group of Afghnistan. They dwell in the secluded mountains of the northeast of Kabul, near the Pakistan border. The Nuristanis claimed that they are the descendants of Alexander the Great. Before they were converted into Islam, Nuristanis had statue of wooden idols and ancestral images sculpted by them and these are well-preserved in the Kabul Museum. Several of these were possibly used to venerate dead ancestors and used in healing rituals or ceremonials (see â€Å"Other Minority Ethnic Groups in Afghanistan†. 2002). Moreover, life in the Afghan home is upholding high values because they really defined the roles of the men and women. These roles are very different from any culture around the world. The women’s lives only revolve in their home and to their children; thus, this practice is in line with their Muslim beliefs. Starting from late 1950s, the urban women who belonged in a well-off family were allowed to find their work far from their homeland and had opportunity to study on higher education. But these privileges were not enjoyed by all women because women who dwelt in the rural areas or amongst nomadic tribes are not given these opportunities. Everyday, Afghan women supply their families with two meals, together with snacks. Their traditional meals are pilau which has meat or vegetables, poultry or wild game kebabas, mutton, yogurt, hot soup and nan which a flat bread. In addition, Afghan has different ways when they engage in marriage. A man and a woman are united in marriage through an agreement made by both parents by settling financial commitments or also called as the â€Å"marketplace† or â€Å"dowry†. In their culture, marriage is considered as a deal between families not just by individuals and it includes financial commitments on both families. The groom will give a dowry to the family of the bride. The dowry comprises of decorative and functional items that are necessary for establishing a household. It comprises goods like beddings, utensils, clothing, jewelry, fans and hangings. The men who attend the weddings are given presents like embroidered handkerchiefs or turban caps. The process in assembling a dowry involves a long period of time and much effort and it is usually started while the girl is still young. The relatives of the females help in the wedding preparations (see â€Å"Afghanistan†). III. Conclusion Truly, the cultures in Afghanistan are one of a kind. Afghan women are just like precious stones because they are well taken care by their parents. During in their younger years, parents set an arrange marriage for their daughter and ask for a dowry to the male’s side. References 1. â€Å"Afghanistan†. New Standard Encyclopedia. Volume 1, Pp. A-91, A-93, 94. 2. â€Å"Other Minority Ethnic Groups in Afghanistan†. 2002. http://www. afghan- network. net/Ethnic-Groups/other-groups. html 3. â€Å"Afghanistan†. http://146. 186. 95. 23/mat_mus/Tour/t_afghan. htm 4. â€Å"Afghanistan†. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. November 15, 2006. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Afghanistan#_note-4

Patrilineal and Matrilineal Descent Groups

Patrilineal and Matrilineal Descent Groups Often referred to as agnatic, patrilineal descent is an affiliation arrangement of a society where the lineage and ancestry is drawn from the male link. Through the great ancestors to the current generation, family tree concentrates on the male members. For instance, ancestry is passed through the grandfather, to his son, to his grandson, and to his great grandson in the same sequence.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Patrilineal and Matrilineal Descent Groups specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, matrilineal descent, commonly known as uterine descent, is an affiliation in the family ancestry which concentrates on the ancestress. From a generation to another, descent is passed through an intertwined series of female dichotomy. Unlike Cognatic descent, which embrace the male and female links simultaneously, Patrilineal and Matrilineal descents are independent of each other and often exist as whole in a s pecific society depending on the traditional circumstances from which acculturation used to operate, and still does. Different societal settings tend to embrace and associate with different descent groupings controlled by exchange restraint which is an organized alliance of systems functioning concurrently to maintain and transfer tangible kinship validation ‘certificate’. For example, in a patrilineal descent, the descent group is composed of both the females and males sired by a father belonging to the patriarchal affiliation. However, the descent of the mother is matrilineal. Analogously, the same scenario is true for a matrilineal decent. In role assignment, one society might consider patrilineal decent affiliation for certain responsibilities such as political functions, and the other embrace matrilineal descent in inheritance channeling. Matrilineal descent is still common in the Kingdom of Msuati of Swaziland. In this society, the political goodwill is only viabl e when the aspirant is endorsed by his matrilineal affiliations. In Palestine, inheritance channeling is exclusively determined by the fact that such an individual, irrespective of sex, belongs to a patrilineal descent. The foundation of the American constitution was laid on the solid equal rights plate. Overtime, irrespective of gender, American culture has embraced independence and autonomy as families adopt nuclear affiliations as opposed to extended family ties.Advertising Looking for report on anthropology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As these families grow smaller and smaller, the majority has finally accepted every member of their families as equals when allocating resources, opportunities, and roles. This trend has necessitated the adoption of Cognatic descent, which is a fusion between matrilineal and patrilineal descents (Schultz and Lavenda 48). Class and Caste Systems of Stratification While class seg mentation is temporary, a caste system is permanent. Across the globe, economic, political, and social circumstances may trigger upward, neutral, and downward nobilities characterized by a change in the social class an individual belongs to. However, a caste is a ‘permanent tag caste on a stone’ on an individual irrespective of the class. Thus, it is in order to categorically quantify the fact that class is dependent on opportunities such as education, income variance, employment, and infrastructure. In contrast, caste system is of social inherency and physical from birth, and is organized in such away that it will determine types of lifetime opportunities assigned permanently to that caste (Schultz and Lavenda 87). In caste system, the type of job, marriage partner, and social groupings is determined by social ideology or religious dogma deeply rooted and embraced by the society in which it exists. On the other hand, in class affiliation, these factors are not determin ed by a religious ideology; rather, they are determined by education level, hard work, and talents among others. Besides, there is complete freedom and ability to move, make decisions on occupation, and lifestyle. Although caste system is illegal across many societies and countries across the globe, the system is still deeply rooted in Indian where the type of job, marriage partner, religious role, and social group is determined by the caste of such an individual. The social structure of the United States of America functions in class system stratification though inclusive of hidden discrepancies associated with caste system such as discrimination of the minorities due to skin color, gender, race, nationality, and religion since it is a state acquired in life and not determined by birth. Often, Americans who practice Islamic religious are prone to harassment by C.I.A and the Homeland Security for baseless allegations of terrorism affiliation. Though practiced in small scale, the dis trict courts are pilled with cases on racism slug due to skin color and belonging to a minority group especially Latino and Negro.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Patrilineal and Matrilineal Descent Groups specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Social Change Being an intriguing idea, social change focuses on a mirrored reflection of what a society would like to visualize from a string of intertwining ideas. Social change involves impersonal consciousness, stepwise process, and absolute necessity assumptions aimed at creating a sustainable, friendly, and acceptable irksome feeling. The reactive process to these components is what is referred to as social change. At quantitative level, this continuous process embraces both ecological dimension and internal operation engine as a measure of variance between the former and the later result when these occurrences fuse. Change advocacy is a necessity towards actualizing ideas a cceptable to the society. Irrespective of the social and economic climate in which change agents operate, the questions to consider in change advocacy revolves around policy solutions, engagement, administration, and change argumentation. In the America society, citizens have adopted bureaucratic, ideological, legislative, and mass appeal to advocate for change (Schultz and Lavenda 79). Under the bureaucratic arrangement, individual involved is often an expert with vast experience in the subject of change. For instance, in the new health plan proposed by the Obama administration, experts have presented a well researched optional approach into health provision to the government decision makers with an intention of convincing this group to accept their proposal. In practicing ideological advocacy as a means of influencing change, individuals sharing the same ideology mobilize together in protests and demonstrations to express their dissatisfactions to the decision making organs for ap propriate actions. Across the societies of the world, it is a common occurrence to spot protesting workers and unions due to low wages and poor working conditions. Specifically, this criterion is almost succeeding in Yemen where the mass have mobilized to protest against poor governance and mismanagement. On the facets of legislative approach, an individual might opt to use the constitutional law courts to present a proposal, complaint, or complement with an intention of convincing the decision making academy to buy such ideas. Here, the basis of arguments is based on federal legislative process. Mass advocacy is the most common approach used by change agents to pass information on the necessity and purpose of change. In the Arab society, the people have successfully practiced this approach to petition leaders believed to be of authoritarian school of thought.Advertising Looking for report on anthropology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More From Libya to Egypt in Africa, the people have successfully used the social media to influence opinion of the mass and gain their support. In the end, the seasoned leaders were misplaced and displaced by the mass influence organized in continuous solidarity protests. Besides, assimilation approach has bared fruit among the gays and lesbians in America. The members of this group have managed to convince the society on the need to coexist by employing civil rights movements, public protests, and race riots as actualized by the sin city sisters of Las Vegas. Marriage Patterns In defining marriage, anthropologists formulate valid cross-cultural variations of modern and traditional forms. Thus, in traditional definition, marriage is a permanent union organizing parents and children in a domestic arrangement with each member having defined roles to play within institutionalized patterns. In the modern definition, marriage is a permanent and exclusive union of a man and a woman with define d parental responsibilities and sex rights. Monogamy marriage limits the individual in this union to a partner at a time. Marriage arrangement is thus between a man and a woman in a permanent union. On the other hand, polygyny marriage is a union of a man to more than one female as practiced in several societies of Africa and Asia since time in sundry. This may also occur in the form of serial polygyny under which the union occurs seriatim. Polyandry marriage is a union of a woman to more than one man. When the men in this arrangement are brothers, it is referred to as fraternal polyandry. These forms of marriage unions exist in different societies depending on acculturation and societal beliefs and values (Schultz and Lavenda 89). In the traditional society of the Asian culture, men were considered complete and respect accorded on the number of wives a man had. The religion demanded that men had to marry and take care of many women as a symbol of continuation. Polyandry functioned in West Ghana in the 18th century. This culture was adopted and practiced by members of this society who idolized women as goddess of continuation and a link from a generation to another. Monogamy is the most common type of marriage in the contemporary society. This practice can be attributed to economic hardships, religion, and modernization which has librated women as equals of men. The existence of these forms of marriages has been influenced by the type of religion, economic status, and traditional practices upon which the society is founded. Essence of Cultural Anthropology Since the commencement of this semester, I have learnt to appreciate the essence of culture as part and parcel of an individual existing in any society. Culture is as complex as the society itself. Culture consists of unique identity symbolism, language, politics, and religion. The deep knowledge on culture is of essence in appreciating and reflecting on behavior and understanding inter and intra personal de scent. In addition, I have learnt to appreciate different theories on culture developed to explain the uniqueness and geographical setting of cultures in America and a cross the globe. The most interesting concepts in this class were the organization dimensions, marriage and family, and globalization as defined by different theories in cultural anthropology. Specifically, organization dimension widen my scope in understanding functionality of a system. However, the caste system as practiced in India drew various arguments especially with the modernization in the 21st century. Though research confirmed the existence of this system in some parts of India, it is almost impossible to live with the reality of a generational existence pegged merely on dogmatic ideology in a planet where everyone has become a global citizen. Schultz, Emily, and Lavenda, R. Cultural Anthropology: A Perspective on the Human  Condition. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print.

Social Administration Social Welfare Essays

Social Administration Social Welfare Essays Social Administration Social Welfare Essay Social Administration Social Welfare Essay Wong. S. L. p. 53. Indicators of social development, Hong Kong 1988. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies) also found that Chinese people in Hong Kong were reluctant in seeking assistance from the government. Over 90% of them will solve the trouble by their own, seek help from relatives and friends but not any NGOs nor from the government. As suggested by Lee, these findings are â€Å"consistent with the syndrome of utilitarianistic familiam: the larger society and the polity are kept at a distance while familial groups are relied on as the principal agents for safe-guarding and furthering one’s interests. Chow(1986) further explained that. The development of social welfare was largely ‘a history of charitable effort’. Religious organizations like Church World Service, Catholic Relief Services, Lutheran World Services; indigenous organizations like Tung Wah Group of hospitals and the Po Leung Kuk became the main providers of social welfare. There were also some mutual aids associations like clansmen associations, mutual aids societies and locality associations which provided help for destitute members by collecting subscriptions from those who were more fortunate. Their effort was mainly concentrated on relieving the very poor and their dependent members. Self-reliance People would satisfy their basic needs by their own effort rather than with government assistance, unless they tried their best effort and failed. The ideas of â€Å"no one should depend on the welfare system for more than is necessary† and â€Å"welfare should be earned by one’s effort† are further supported by the study conducted by Lau in 1990. (â€Å"Indicators if social development. Hong Kong 1990†. ) In the study majority (over 40%) of the respondents agree that welfare services should go to the most needed. Only 3. % of the respondents think that welfare should be distributed on a charity basis. Referring to the survey conducted by Lee Ming Kwan in 1988 (table 2. 4), almost half of the respondents claims that they would solve it by their own effort in case of they or their families run into financial difficulties. In contrast, only about six pe rcent of them claim that they would seek help from relevant government departments. The finding indicates that Hong Kong Chinese in general tend to put great emphasis on one’s own effort in times of adversity. This conclusion is also consistent with the findings by Lee Ming Kwan in 1990. In the survey, people were asked to identify their source of help that they would most frequently resort when there were needs in eight areas. According to the figures collected(table 2. 5), when the family was troubled by financial problems, 27% of the respondents would seek help from oneself while none of the respondents would seek help from social services. When difficulties occurred in work or career, over 45% of the respondents would work them out by oneself. In general, close kin, relatives, neighbors, workmates and friends had all been active in the respondent’s help-seeking network. Table 2. 5- persons from whom one sought help (%) (extract) | |When there was someone |When the family was |When difficulties |When one was upset and |When one needed advice or | | |sick in the family |troubled by financial |occurred in work or |needed someone to talk |information on certain | | | |problems |career |to |matters | |Oneself |45. 3 |27 |46. |20. 4 |13 | |Spouse |20. 4 |20. 6 |9. 5 |27. 3 |10. 2 | |Children |5. 5 |7. 6 |0. 9 |2. 4 |4. 3 | |Parents |13 |17. 1 |3. 7 |1. 9 |2. 4 | |Spouse’s kin |2. 6 |0. |0 |0. 2 |0. 4 | |Siblings |5. 5 |5. 7 |2. 8 |1. 9 |4 | |Other relatives |0. 7 |1. 9 |4 |0. 7 |1. 4 | |Workmates |0 |0. 7 |0 |1. 4 |5. 2 | |Neighbors |0. |0 |4 |0. 7 |0. 9 | |Friends |0. 4 |10 |1. 8 |33. 2 |39. 4 | |Buying services |0. 5 |0 |0. 4 |0 |1. 7 | |Social services |1. 4 |0 |0. 9 |0. 2 |1. | |Others |0. 7 |0. 5 |0. 4 |1. 2 |1. 7 | |Don’t know/ not |4. 7 |8. 1 |9. 3 |8. 6 |14. 7 | |applicable | | | | | | Other Reasons Living under ‘borrowed time and borrowed place’, the young people stroke no roots in Hong Kong. As people came to make money and went away all the time, Hong Kong people felt that there was no need to care for the well being of others who just happened to be living in the same community for a while. A short term horizon was developed as a result. People were generally reluctant to commit resources to uncertain long term future. Welfare programmes thus lacked long term goals. As a highly commercialized and industrialized society, Hong Kong has often been described as a city where no one is concerned about the well-being of other people. As upward social mobility through political channel was blocked under British colonial rule, people could only place emphasis on economic pursuits. They were thus often characterized to be highly egoistic, materialistic and pragmatic. A lukewarm attitude towards the government and other matters outside personal orbit was shared among majority of Hong Kong people. The better-off class was unwilling to share resources with the poor. Fighting for more social benefits from the government was something undesirable as this might disrupt order and stability. They just wanted to maintain the status quo. ) Changes in people’s values and attitudes towards social welfare Political change – democratization and the change of sovereignty Hong Kong has been undergoing a gradual process of democratization since the 1970s. There was the first election of District Board in 1981. Before 1985, members of Hong Kongs Legislative Council received executive appointment. They served as an advis ory body for the colonial governor and had no power to introduce legislation or overturn acts of the executive. The British colonial government began to introduce democratic reforms into Hong Kongs legislature after the signing of the Joint Declaration in 1984. Beginning in 1985 these representatives were elected by professionals from functional constituencies. It was not until 1991 that any part of the legislature was elected directly through geographically defined constituencies. After 1989 Tiananmen Massacre in Beijing, Governor Patten was sent to Hong Kong to further accelerate the democratization process. The voting age was lowered and the number of voters selecting LegCo seats through indirect elections was raised. Under such reforms, Hong Kong people have become more politically socialized. Through the experience of election and political participation, the Hong Kong people have become more aware of their rights, including their right to social welfare. The change of sovereignty in 1997 also contributed to an increasing social expectation on the government. The handover has enhanced sense of belonging among the Hong Kong people and they now expect their own government to be more responsive to their needs. It is submitted that the introduction of the Principle Official Accountability System is also another reason for the rise of expectation on the government. Breakdown of traditional family system Nowadays, the family system is losing most of its traditional functions. With high percentage of old people, increasing number of young mothers going out to work, escalating incidence of divorce and higher number of domestic violence reports, family may no longer be acting as an institution where emotional, social and financial support can be provided. Instead, the family is now shedding most of its responsibilities on the society and people expect more from the government. Also, with the change in family structure and increasing economic difficulties, some problems may be so burdensome that is beyond what a family can handle. Many look to government for help as a result. . Economic difficulties The Hong Kong society is facing many challenges today. Economic restructuring, rapid ageing population and erosion of family functioning are some of the biggest challenges identified by the Hong Kong Council of Social Services. The new mode of business operation due to technological globalization causes structural job displacement and leads to high rate of unemployment. The ageing of baby-boomed generation increases financial burden of the family and our society. According to a survey conducted by the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, 59. % respondents considered social cause as the reason for poverty. Only 14. 2% considered individual problem as cause of poverty. As most people believe that it is not their fault or laziness which makes them poor, they expect the government to give them more help. It should be noted that not only the grassroots, but also the middle class has adopted a more active attitud es towards public affairs. In the past, the middle class as a whole seldom took up class-specific issues through collective action. However, many middle class families now find that they no longer have a secure future to look to. Some are even suffering negative equity. In the July 1st parade, the middle class was actually the backbone of the protest. This shows that the middle class is no longer apathetic with social issues now. More aware of rights as a citizen People become more aware of their rights as citizens and their social awareness were increased, more attention have been given to the issues on welfare services and social policy. According to the study conducted by Wong Chack-kie in 1993 (indicators of social development Hong Kong 1993), public welfare represents a contract of rights and duties among citizens of a society, and the Government’s welfare responsibility is supported. Table 3. 1. Government’s welfare responsibility (%) | |disagree |average |agree |Don’t know | |1. providing medial care for the sick |2. 1 |5 |91. 1 |1. 8 | |2. providing care for the elderly |3. 3 |6. 5 |88. 1 |2. 1 | |3. providing financial subsidy to university students |2. 4 |5. 9 |87. 8 |3. | |from low income families | | | | | |4. reducing the gap between rich and poor |10. 7 |6. 2 |75. 3 |7. 7 | |5. improving living standards of single-parent |13. 6 |11 |70 |5. 4 | |families | | | | | |6. providing unemployment benefits |14. |11 |69. 8 |4. 5 | |7. providing subsidies to new immigrants from mainland|65. 5 |12. 2 |14. 9 |7. 4 | |China | | | | | This change is largely brought about by political factors which made public opinions more reflected. Political parties in the 90’s joined the legislative council and exerted pressure on government’s social policy formulation. People were taken part into the vote as the legislation of social policy was opened to the public, so people’s awareness of the rights to receive social welfare services were raised. In addition, democratic parties’ campaigns encouraged the development of social welfare. For example, in 1991, â€Å"one man one vote† was realized and eighteen members were directly elected in the Legislative Council. More issues related to social welfare policy were being discussed in the Legislature afterwards. The set up of the District Board also encourage the expression of opinions towards public welfare. The responsibilities of the District Board is to advice the District Management Committee on the well being of district residents and on the provision and use of public services and the priorities of government programs. Citizens who had lived in Hong Kong for seven years would have the right to vote and elect their representatives to reflect their ideas on the government’s social welfare policy. Although the District Board had a limited authority and no power to the legislation of the social policy, the public could express their opinions through the District Board. Members of the District Board gave vote to the problems and needs, which are uppermost in the minds of the people of the District. It made suggestions for improvement of social welfare. For the sake of receiving better social welfare services, people would voice out their opinions and suggestions. Growing demand on quality social services provided by the government After the change of sovereignty in 1997, people have higher expectations on the government and are more demanding in terms of social services provision. After the 1st July 1997, Hong Kong became the special administrative region (SAR) of China and the British colonial government no longer holds the sovereignty. The government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) announced that social welfare, including the extent of education, housing and elderly care, would be carried out efficiently in order to improve peoples’ life. In the past, people felt helpless under the colonial ruling and the self-reliance id eology was formed. After the transition of sovereignty in 1997, people began to expect more on the government as their â€Å"own government† rather than a government in a â€Å"borrowed time† and at a â€Å"borrowed place†. People are less reluctant in seeking government’s assistance. Hong Kong’s economy has been in decline for some time. After 1997, GDP growth slowed to 2. 3 percent a year, compared to 5 percent previously. Structural unemployment arises due to the offshoring of jobs to low-cost economies, and business process improvements in which redesign of operating processes and IT-enabled process redesign reduce the number pf people that need to be employed. The portion of respondents perceiving â€Å"government assistance† to be the best way in meeting personal needs has almost doubled from 4. 7% to 8. 6% from 1998 to 2001. This drastic increase could partly be attributed to the economic turmoil which disables many in meeting their basic needs, thus turning to the government for assistance under no choice. d) Traditional values towards social welfare that are still commonly uphold Self-reliance and reliance on family The upholding value of self-reliance could be reflected in the survey conducted by C. K. Wong and K. Y. Wong in 1998. Referring to table 3. 3, comparing the figures obtained in 1998 and 2001. For each year, around seventy percent of the respondents have the perception that one’s own effort in the best way in meeting personal needs. The rather stable figures indicate that self-reliance is still a commonly uphold concept among Hong Kong Chinese in general. A survey was conducted by Leung Sai-wing in 1997 to study how people assess the extent of poverty in Hong Kong. A great majority of the respondents chose individual failure from the answer categories as the main reason for Hong Kong Chinese being poor. including â€Å"the poor are lazy and lack of willpower†, â€Å"they do not have good educational qualification†, â€Å"they do not know how to speculate†, â€Å"they have been unlucky†, â€Å"they have unhealthy habits† and â€Å"their children do not support their living†). The one-fourth of respondents choosing â€Å"injustice in society† migh t be attributed to their dissatisfaction with the present institutional arrangement of wealth distribution. Anyway, the majority of them still explain poverty in terms of individual failure, which reflects people’s emphasis on self-reliance. Table 4. 1. Main reasons for Hong Kong Chinese being poor (%) |Because of injustice in society |23. 3 | |Because of their laziness and lack of willpower |22. 2 | |Because they do not have good educational qualification |19. 9 | e) Conclusion There is a value shift of Hong Kong people’s views towards social welfare as comparing to the past. Though people are usually referring social welfare to a narrow definition of providing help to those who are poor and needy, we, in recent years, discover that there has been progress in people’s perception of the term ‘social welfare’. People are trying to interpret the term in a boarder sense. They are also more open-minded towards social welfare and dependency on the government nowadays is more common than before, though we should not overlook the existent of the self-reliance ideology in the mind of many Hong Kong people. There is a growing urge for social assistance particularly due to the worsening of economic condition. It is not surprising that government spending on social welfare has been increasing over years. Thus, it is very true that government’s effort in welfare provision is directly related to people’s attitudes towards welfare. Reference: Lau. S. K. , Lee. lM. K, Wan. P. S, Wong. S. L. (1999, 2001). Indicators of social development, Hong Kong 1997 Hong Kong: Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Wong. C. K. , Chow K. Wong K. Y. (1998). The assessment of social welfare policy : the views of Hong Kong people. HK: Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Lau. S. K. , Lee. M. K, Wan. P. S, Wong. S. L. (1995, 1998). Indicators of social development, Hong Kong 1993 Hong Kong: Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Lau. S. K. (1991). Society and politics in Hong Kong. HK: The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Lau. S. K, Kuan. H. C. (1988). The ethos of Hong Kong Chinese. Hong Kong: The Chinese University Press

The Eastern Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum)

The Eastern Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum) Eastern tent caterpillars (Malacosoma americanum) may be the only insects recognized by their homes rather than their appearance. These sociable caterpillars live together in silk nests, which they build in the crotches of cherry and apple trees. Eastern tent caterpillars may be confused with gypsy moths or even fall webworm. What Do They Look Like? Eastern tent caterpillars feed on the leaves of some favorite ornamental landscape trees, making their presence a concern to most homeowners. In truth, they rarely do enough damage to kill a healthy plant, and if you want an interesting insect to observe, this is one to watch. Several hundred caterpillars reside communally in their silken tent, built in the crotch of tree branches. Models of cooperation, the eastern tent caterpillars live and work in harmony until they are ready to pupate. The caterpillars emerge in early spring. In their final instar, they reach over 2 inches long and sport visible hairs down the sides of their bodies. The dark larvae are marked with a white stripe down their backs. Broken lines of brown and yellow run along the sides, punctuated by oval spots of blue. Malacosoma americanum moths break free of their cocoons after three weeks. Like many moths, they lack bright colors and appear almost drab. A close look reveals two parallel lines of cream across wings of tan or reddish brown. Classification Kingdom - AnimaliaPhylum - ArthropodaClass - InsectaOrder - LepidopteraFamily - LasiocampidaeGenus - MalacosomaSpecies - Malacosoma americanum What DoThey Eat? Eastern tent caterpillars feed on the foliage of cherry, apple, plum, peach, and hawthorn trees. In years when Malacosoma americanum is abundant, the large number of caterpillars may defoliate their host trees entirely and then wander to less preferable plants to feed. The adult moths live just a few days and do not feed. Life Cycle Like all butterflies and moths, eastern tent caterpillars undergo complete metamorphosis with four stages: Egg - The female oviposits 200–300 eggs in late spring.Larva - Caterpillars develop in just a few weeks, but remain quiescent in the egg mass until the following spring, when new leaves appear.Pupa - The sixth instar larva spins a silken cocoon in a sheltered location, and pupates within. The pupal case is brown.Adult - Moths fly in search of mates in May and June, and live just long enough to reproduce. Special Adaptations and Defenses Larvae emerge in early spring when temperatures tend to fluctuate. The caterpillars live communally in silken tents designed to keep them warm during cool spells. The broad side of the tent faces the sun, and caterpillars may huddle together on cold or rainy days. Before each of three daily feeding excursions, the caterpillars tend to their tent, adding silk as needed. As the caterpillars grow, they add new layers to accommodate their larger size and to move away from the accumulating waste of frass.​ Eastern tent caterpillars exit en masse three times each day: before dawn, around midday, and right after sunset. As they crawl along branches and twigs in search of leaves to eat, they leave behind silk trails and pheromones. The trails mark the path to food for their fellow tentmates. Pheromone signals alert other caterpillars to not only the presence of foliage but provide information about the quality of the food on a particular branch. Like most hairy caterpillars, eastern tent larvae are thought to deter birds and other predators with their irritating bristles. When they perceive a threat, the caterpillars rear up and thrash their bodies. The community members respond to these movements by doing the same, which makes for an amusing group display to observe. The tent itself also provides cover from predators and between feedings, the caterpillars retreat to its safety to rest. Where DoEastern Tent Caterpillars Live? Eastern tent caterpillars may infest the home landscape, making tents in ornamental cherry, plum, and apple trees. Roadside stands of trees might provide suitable wild cherries and crabapples, where dozens of caterpillar tents decorate the forest edge. These early spring caterpillars require the warmth of the sun to heat their bodies, so tents would rarely, if ever, be found in shaded woodland areas. The eastern tent caterpillar lives throughout the eastern United States, to the Rocky Mountains and into southern Canada. Malacosoma americanum is a native insect of North America. Sources Eastern tent caterpillar. Texas AM University.Eastern tent caterpillar.  University of Kentucky Agriculture Department.T. D. Fitzgerald. The Tent Caterpillars.Stephen A. Marshal. ​Insects: Their Natural History and Diversity.

SCHOOL LAW STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES CASES AND LEGAL JURISDICTIONS Essay

SCHOOL LAW STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES CASES AND LEGAL JURISDICTIONS - Essay Example related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for employment and independent living;† (2) ensure the rights of such children and their parents are protected; and (3) assist states and localities in providing educational services to meet these legal requirements. Meeting these requirements has imposed signal burdens over the years on states, municipalities, and local school districts. Likewise, providing specific definition to those requirements has fallen to Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Courts. This report describes the IDEA in its most recent configuration, discusses certain salient issues relating to state, municipal, and local responsibility, reviews applicable court cases, and suggests problem areas still in need of resolution. IDEA is the successor to the Education of All Handicapped Children Act (or EAHCA, Public Law 94-142, November 29, 1975). In its ‘statement of findings and purpose,’ the Act established â€Å"that all children [shall] have available to them †¦ a free appropriate public education which emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs†¦ [PL 94-142].† The Act was not sui generis. According to Apling, PL 94-142) was enacted in 1975 in response â€Å"to increased awareness of the need to educate children with disabilities and to judicial decisions requiring that states provide education for children with disabilities if they provided an education for children without disabilities [pp 1-2].† The most commonly cited antecedent cases were PARC v. State of Pennsylvania, 343 F.Supp. 279 (E.D. Pa. 1972) and Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia, 348 F.Supp. 866 (D.D.C. 1972), both decisions having been rendered in Federal district court. However, In Smith v. Robinson [468 U.S. 992, 1984], the Supreme Court described the statute as â€Å"a comprehensive scheme set up by Congress to aid the States in complying with the constitutional

Maximising Stock Valuation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Maximising Stock Valuation - Essay Example With this background, as per the BT management's opinion as on 31st March 1983 with the NFL loan amount of 2944 million the debt ratio for the company was too high and a new capital structure was needed to increase the stock valuation for the proposed floatation move. In the management's view the ideal capital structure should have a low level of debt which not only increases the value of the stock but also reduces the interest burden. One possible way to achieve this was to consider writing off of some portion of the debts or converting them into equity. The management also estimated that the company would have to borrow additionally to meet the cash outflow in the form of dividends, tax payments, interest charges and other necessary capital expenditure. This may increase the debt content of the capital structure which will further have negative impact on the stock valuation. Taking the argument of the management it would be ideal for the company to arrive at a capital structure where the debt equity ratio is kept at the ideal level from the point of payment of interest as well as to maintain the value of the stock. In order to achieve these objectives, the proposal by the government in converting 750 million of debts into preference shares would have been the best suggestion to follow. This can be substantiated by the following arguments that go in favour of this suggestion: 1. The calculation of the financial leverage ratio and debt equity ratio based on the projected balance sheets after incorporating the proposed conversion of debt into preference shares look as shown below: 2. In view of the lowering leverage and debt equity ratio figures the proposed Scheme of structuring of debts as suggested by the government appear to be of the optimum solution available to BT in the matter of capital structuring. 3. The proposed leverage ratio and equity ratio make the shares attractive to the shareholders since it will result in increased earnings per share. 4. Since immediately after the floatation there would be no chances for BT to go in to the equity market for making a right issue to raise funds for the capital expenditures. Even if the company had to go in for acquisitions, the company should have more cash resources to meet the acquisition cost. Such a situation can be handled only with the above proposed restructuring where the company's cash flow position improves every year with lower cost of capital. 5. Another argument that goes in favour of the proposed restructuring is that without the government converting certain portions of the loan into equity BT would be showing a 126 percent debt to equity as at the end of the year 31st March 1983 and even with the flow of retentions without the write offs the debt-equity ratio would at best be at 96 percent as the end of 31st March 1984. These levels are very high as compared to the other quoted companies. 6. Moreover the level of gearing without debt restructuring along with the interest cover of 2.8 times as existed for 1983-84 would not have made the BT's share attractive for investment. 2. As an advisor to the Government, what level of gearing would you recommend for BT and

Teaching and Learning Styles Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Teaching and Learning Styles - Assignment Example They loved to sing and dance to entertain me, and that was how we started our classes. I learned from them the value of fun whilst learning. In the future, I would love to see my students feeling comfortable and having fun as they learn. My experience in the community made me realize that I want to be a teacher. If I become a teacher, I then I can give my share in transforming lives and making the world a better place to live in. Teaching is a noble profession because it helps people become productive citizens. It raises human dignity and leads people to be humane, morally upright and rational. 212 words II. The words of Horace Mann explain the importance of education for me. If people will be educated, then they will have a chance to a better life. They can find a decent job, and poverty will be less or even non-existent. In being a teacher, I shall follow what I learned from Reggio Emilia, a community in North Italy famous for bringing about educational transformation for children. According to Malaguzzi (cited in Malaguzzi & Rubizzi,1995), one of the founders of the community, in order to teach children well, one must learn how to listen. This means that a teacher should value the thoughts of students and listen to what they know in order to determine what else needs to be taught and how they should be taught. In the future, I will apply this concept in order to design lessons that cater the needs of students in the multicultural classroom. 174 words III. In order to become a good teacher, I will strive to learn the fundamentals of teaching and comply with all the requirements that professors will give. I shall cherish every moment and think of teaching as an art that needs to be perfect. From designing lessons to executing plans and assessing students appropriately, I will always exercise caution in order to help students achieve their best.

Paper on changes on the land Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Paper on changes on the land - Essay Example This is where Cronon starts to heavily contrast Indians and settlers. The Indians made it a point to move from location to location as a form of survival. Cronon says, â€Å"To take advantage of their land’s diversity, Indian villages had to be mobile† (54). Colonists disagreed with this practice because it constituted change, one that they were unfamiliar with and it led to criticism. They wished to mirror their settlements from the old world in New England by remaining in one place and only traveling village-to-village if need-be. Although, the Indians did not suffer from hunger, the settlers disapproved of their lifestyle as it reminded them of the poor people in England: â€Å"To those who compared Massachusetts Indians to English beggars, Morton replied, ‘If our beggars of England should, with so much easy as they, furnish themselves with foode at all seasons, there would not be so many starved in the streets’† (55). They saw Indians as starving people despite the truth. Cronon describes settlers as saying, â€Å"Indian poverty was the result of Indian waste: underused land, underused natural abundance, underused human labor† (56). Since the Indians â€Å"failed† to utilize all of the land, the colonists considered it to be wasteful. This is ironic because the settlers’ practice of hoarding every thing affected the ecological system most negatively because once they took it all, they did not give back; or at least not in the proper way. The settler’s political agenda in remaining bound to the land imposed an imbalance of nature and the land. Instead of taking just a little here and there, moving on, then returning later once the land has been replenished like the Indians, the colonists robbed the land of its resources. They cut down trees, uprooted plant-life and later, introduced agriculture without the means to accurately replenish the soil. It also brought up the question of property lines. T his was a concept that the Indian’s did not enforce because they did not need to when moving as often as they did. Land boundaries reinforced the need for property rights given to individuals in a New England colony. This also affected social wealth and trade. The act of taking a forest and what that meant in relation to the settlers and the land was important because it characterized the difference between ownership and items free-for-the-taking. For example, trees as they are rooted in the forest, untouched by man, are considered lacking ownership. The actual act of ownership came into play when the trees were sawed down and made to form ships and homes. Property as defined as â€Å"†¦to represent boundaries between people; equally, it is to articulate at least one set of conscious ecological boundaries between people and things† (58). English settlers believed in possession rather than a community pool of property. Where the Indians differ is how they attribute d ownership. Cronon says, â€Å"What the Indians owned - or, more precisely, what their villages gave them claim to - was not the land but the things that were on the land during the various seasons of the year† (65). The Indians had to abide by this over what the settlers believed because they frequently moved across the land as an act of continued existence. The colonists, on the other hand, prone to mimic British society, desired to remain in one spot on the land: â€Å"

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Paper Example It comes under the category of social sciences which deal with the costs, profits, efficiency and other related concepts. Along with their application in business and services sectors, the public sectors of the country such as medical and healthcare services also make use of economics in their management and decision making (Kitty & Mack, 1995). Significance in Medical and Healthcare The recent research studies indicate that the ideas of theoretical and practical applications have contributed greatly to the medical and health sector. This great deal of contribution can be initially summed up in three words: heterogeneity, sustainability and scarcity. In order to identify and imply the technically best and socially desirable approach, the medical practitioners apply the concepts of providing the patients and need with ‘optimal’ care and benefits. It is the maximum point where the marginal benefits of the service provider is zero and does not care for the opportunity costs involved in it.

Bicycle Thieves Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bicycle Thieves - Movie Review Example In many ways, the young boy represents a purity and moral fortitude that elders around him have difficulty to master. The young boy accompanies his father through his long, arduous and ultimately futile attempt to locate his stolen bicycle. But throughout these travails, he hardly betrays his immaturity. The poise and understated maturity of young Bruno is pleasing to see. I believe it is upon De Sica’s directorial discretion that Bruno’s character was drawn on those lines. There is one scene in particular where the young boy’s maturity comes to light. It was when his frayed and tired father slaps him on the cheek out of his own inner frustrations. Bruno was hurt and he starts to cry. He moves away from his father and sulks. Yet, when his repentant father comes to him to console and cajole, he does not rebuke him. Instead of playing truant and throwing a tantrum, young Bruno allows his dad to make peace with him. Eventually, his father takes him to a restaurant t o buy him a luxurious cake. In a subtle irony, De Sica showcases how the young can sometimes lead the old and display more maturity. Neo-realist cinema might be passe for modern audiences, but when De Sica gave it full expression in Bicycle Thieves it was fresh and inventive. In fact, poverty as a theme for commercial cinema was thought unviable by many producers. Consequently, De Sica had difficulty garnering funding for his project. The fact of the availability of only a limited funding actually accentuated the neo-realist feel in the film. For example, the lead actors are all amateurs who barely had any acting experience prior to the film. The scenes were all shot on location without using any studio settings. The material reality of poverty was well captured too. After all, it doesn’t require expensive props to execute a film based on the ordeals of poverty. Consistent with the neo-realist style the background music for the film is minimal. The idea is to let the story cr eate its own sense of drama and poignancy without the aid of music. Moreover, an austere production philosophy resonates with the poverty and frugality at display onscreen. (Wakeman, 1988) The film is good material for philosophical inquiry. In my view, the essence of the film is the last scene where the victim decides to become the victimizer. When Antonio Ricci (the protagonist) decides out of desperation that he would steal a bicycle to recompense what had been stolen from him, the title Bicycle Thieves takes on an added dimension. What was till that point in film a reference to the gang of burglars who steal bicycles and resell them in the market, now includes the aggrieved loser himself. This is a powerful political statement on part of De Sica about the nature of poverty and the evaluation of morality in this economic realm. In other words, the film can be seen as an early exploration on the vicious cycle of poverty and crime. There is little doubt that the director’s t ake on these twin blights of society are rather sympathetic. This much is evident from the overall tone and effect of the film. In this sense, the film is a powerful social and political comment – something that is apt for further study from sociological perspectives. (Ratner, 2005) In sum, Bicycle Thieves is an important work in the history of world cinema. Its appeal is universal because its theme is universal and based on humanism. Bicycle Thieves is an intense film that has an underlying engagement with humanist

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Paper Example It comes under the category of social sciences which deal with the costs, profits, efficiency and other related concepts. Along with their application in business and services sectors, the public sectors of the country such as medical and healthcare services also make use of economics in their management and decision making (Kitty & Mack, 1995). Significance in Medical and Healthcare The recent research studies indicate that the ideas of theoretical and practical applications have contributed greatly to the medical and health sector. This great deal of contribution can be initially summed up in three words: heterogeneity, sustainability and scarcity. In order to identify and imply the technically best and socially desirable approach, the medical practitioners apply the concepts of providing the patients and need with ‘optimal’ care and benefits. It is the maximum point where the marginal benefits of the service provider is zero and does not care for the opportunity costs involved in it.

Fair trade- how good is fair trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fair trade- how good is fair trade - Essay Example only do they feel penalised for having saved, they also pay a premium for being capable of meeting their own costs, and allow local authorities to carry on paying less than the full cost! Looking for a care home is not easy. People are often doing so under time pressures and in the wake of huge emotional upset. So they need as much information as possible, not least about how much it will cost. The report recommends setting up a one-stop shop specialising in care home information, and this, along with the recommendation that regulations should be amended to make clearer price information a requirement on homes, could make a big difference for many vulnerable people. Those who are meeting their own fees will then see that the home they are considering charges self-funders more than those who are placed by local authorities. And families searching for a home for someone who qualifies for local authority support will also be able to see that there are few - if any - homes in the locality that are prepared to take publicly-funded residents without recourse to the family 'topping-up'. The need for a 'third party top-up' often means that the price the local authority has se t is insufficient to enable the home to operate. So this move towards greater transparency will go some way towards creating 'fair trade in care' and may, for some homes, make the difference between carrying on in business or closing, making existing residents homeless and reducing choices available to future generations. I am optimistic about the scope for change and improvement. But I should not get too carried away, as there is evidence that a very large number of people have either no contract, or one containing unfair terms. And this is despite an earlier study (OFT 1998) identifying contractual...Every one of us has probably seen reports or heard something about demonstrations against globalisation when international organizations like the WTO meet. One example was the G8 meeting in July 2001. So we have to ask us the question why there are some people who protest against globalisation and also against the free trade the WTO stands for. The main complain and concern of these groups is unfairness. They say free trade is unfair, the low wages are unfair, the poor working conditions of foreign workers, the environmental standards in less developed countries, the high profits of multinational corporations, the inequality in incomes around the world, everything is unfair. If these reproofs are true i t would mean that also free trade and globalisation is unfair. However the people of international institutions and multinational corporations who are in favour of free trade and globalisation also use the term fairness in their arguments. If a multinational company pays low wages in less developed countries, they can claim that the wages are still fair set because they are above the legal minimum wage standards and that the workers would not get a better opportunity in a company of their country or their government. The WTO and other international organisations consider free trade even as help because it will promote economic growth, which in turn will raise the living standards throughout the whole world and reduce also the income inequality in the future.

Business Decision Mapping Essay Example for Free

Business Decision Mapping Essay The Shamrock Manufacturing Chicago plant manager, Sean Fitzpatrick is contemplating replacing a large piece of manufacturing equipment. Mr. Fitzpatrick is also inline for a promotion to Shamrocks larger Houston plant within the next year, and is hesitant to make any decisions that will reduce short-run operating income and his performance evaluation. While the prospective replacement equipment promises to reduce cash operating costs, it costs $90,000, as well as the loss on disposal cost of the old equipment, which has not fully depreciated. Prior to making a decision, Mr. Fitzgerald must identify all relevant costs and chose a decision for the best interest of Shamrock (Datar, Rajan, 2013). Analysis The available data to consider in this case is the old machines purchase price ($150,000); the current book value of the old machine ($60,000); the market value of the old machine ($36,000); the cost of the new equipment ($90,000); and the reduction in annual cash operating costs ($32,500). All historical costs are considered irrelevant, as they have already occurred and have no effect on future costs. The only relevant costs that should be considered for this decision are the future cash operating costs, the disposal value of the old machine, and the cost of the new machine that will be deprecated over the next two years. Based on the #1 and #2 worksheets in Appendix A of this document, year one yields an increase in expenditures of $6500, but includes the $24,000 loss of disposal of the old machine, which is irrelevant. The only relevant data is the total two-year costs shown on worksheet #2 that shows a reduction in total relevant cash flow of $11,000. The results of worksheet #1 are not beneficial for Mr. Fitzgerald, but the overall results in year two benefit Shamrock. Based on the #3 worksheet, with a lower new equipment cost ($77,000), year one breaks even, which is irrelevant, and the total two-year reductions in total relevant cash flow are $24,000. Conclusion Based solely on the worksheet information (Appendix A), the company should replace the equipment. All relevant costs located in worksheets #2, and #3 indicate that Shamrock manufacturing will benefit by replacing the machines at either equipment cost. However, worksheet #1 presents a problem for Mr. Fitzgerald as it shows a $6500 increase in the first year expenses, which are irrelevant in the long-run, but may encourage Mr. Fitzgerald not to purchase the new equipment because it may reflect badly on the short-run net operating income of his plant during the evaluation period for his promotion. Worksheet #3 offers a breakeven scenario in the first year and a $24,000 reduction in relevant cash flows in year two, which is the best option for Mr. Fitzgerald and Shamrock, if available. Reference: Datar, S., Rajan, M., (2013). Financial and Managerial accounting, custom edition, Pearson Learning Solutions, Ch. 9 Appendix A Shamrock Manufacturing relevant cash flow analysis Appendix B 5-Step Critical Thinking Decision-Making Process Matrix Step 1: Identify the problem(s) and uncertainties. What exactly is the problem†¦ Sean Fitzpatrick has an opportunity to decrease long-run cash flow by replacing a large piece of plant equipment. The problem is this †¦ Mr. Fitzpatrick is up for a promotion and is concerned that any short-run decreases in operating income will affect his performance evaluation. This is an important problem because†¦ Mr. Fitzpatrick’s decision may be good for the company, but could hurt his career aspirations. The key question(s) that needs to be answered to solve this problem is†¦ What is the best decision for shamrock in the long-run? Step 2: Obtain information. The following information is needed to answer this question†¦ What are the relevant costs that impact the decision to keep or replace the equipment? Based on the #1 and #2 worksheets, what decision would be made in years one and two? Based on the #3 worksheet, would the decision be different for years one and two compared to the initial cost of the new equipment? Some important assumptions I am using in my thinking are†¦ I believe that the best decision for Shamrock is not the best decision for Mr. Fitzpatrick, which creates an ethical dilemma. The points of view relevant to this problem belong to†¦ Sean Fitzpatrick. Note: Remember to view the information you have obtained for potential bias. This is from the perspective of your own bias to the research and the bias of the authors who compiled the data and the research you gathered. In other words, do not discount the importance of other’s data because of your own bias(is). Step 3: Make predictions about the future. If this problem gets solved, some important implications are†¦ Long-run relevant cash flows will be reduced, and operating income will increase. If this problem does not get solved, some important implications are†¦ An opportunity to decrease relevant cash flows will be missed. The potential alternative solutions to solve the problem are†¦ Keep the status quo or make a tough decision that will benefit Shamrock in the long-run. Note: if the problem is one-dimensional, there may be just one correct solution. Step 4: Make decisions by choosing among alternatives. What is the best solution and why†¦ By the new equipment, because it decreases long-run relevant cash flows. Step 5: Implement the decision, evaluate performance, and learn. In business, the fifth step in the decision making process is implementation. In the MBA program, most times you will end with Step 4 since you will not have the opportunity to implement. You may be asked to develop an implementation plan and recommend how you will evaluate performance in some assignments.

Literature Review on Childhood Obesity and Treatment

Literature Review on Childhood Obesity and Treatment Obesity has become a huge problem within the Western World over recent years. (34% of the adult population in the US in 2007 (Barness (1986: 75)). It is known from the general media that the incidences of childhood obesity are also on the increase. This review aims to evaluate the ideas and concepts from two Journals. Barness, L.A. (2007) Obesity in Children. Ells et al, (2005) Prevention of Childhood Obesity. Childhood Obesity According to Barness (1986: 75-76), there are a number of tools used to define the obese child. weight for height is the most common used as it uses a chart and the skinfold thickness becomes very erroneous in the obese child due to errors in measurement. The BMI uses charts to which take into account the gender and age of the child which then encompasses more of the variables within children (not apparent in adults) resulting in increased accuracy. There is some debate as to causes of obesity. Some causes are thought to be (Ells et al. (2005: 443)) gender, race, socioeconomic status, special educational needs, environmental factors and genetics (although Ells et al. (2005: 442) states that fewer than 1% of childhood obesity cases are directly caused by a genetic disorder). There are also a number of disease states causing secondary obesity which need to be ruled out prior to attributing the unexplained weight gain to the above causes. These include neurological lesions, endocrinopathies and congenital syndromes (Barness (1986: 82)). There are various factors affecting the obese child including psychological as Obese children often suffer from low self esteem and some can go on to develop depression (10% become clinically depressed Barness (1986: 77)) whereas others comfort eat leading to obesity. There are a number of risk factors which can result from an obese child which include hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia. (Chu et al. (1998: 1141) Dyslipidaemia includes hyperlipidaemia, elevated low-density lipoproteins, and decreased high density lipoproteins (Barness (1986: 81)). Sleep apnoea a common cause of pulmonary insufficiency Barness (1986: 77). The child can wake up many times a night resulting in constant sleep deprivation. This can be life limiting as it puts a strain on the heart also. It has been reported that some children can benefit from tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy Barness (1986: 77). However, Zafer et al. (1999: 33) have concluded that this treatment is associated with an increase in weight, height and BMI. Obesity Treatment As the causes of obesity are varied, so the treatment also needs to be varied. As well as dealing with the causes of obesity there maybe other health issues to be dealt with also. (see above) . The major treatment options involve diet, exercise and behaviour modification (Barness (1986: 83). The dietary requirements need to be under strict medical supervisions as the child is still growing and requires essential nutrients for growth. Barness (1986: 83) states that a protein-sparing modified fast (PSMF) diet has been used and appears safe and can stimulate the respiratory system and blunt the appetite due to ketones being released as the diet is also low in carbohydrates. Barnes does not, however, go into details of behaviour modification or exercise programmes. Obesity Prevention There a number of factors which cause obesity, as stated above. A holistic approach is required to ensure obesity does not occur in the child. According to Ells et al. (2005: 441) evidence supports measures which ensure physical activity and a healthy diet as well as adequate behavioural support for the child to reduce the risk of obesity. Interventions which will aid children to live and grow healthily can come from a number of different sources. School Intervention Schools can influence a childs behaviour and therefore help in the health prevention of obesity. Ells et al. (2005: 444) that a review highlighted a number of health prevention programmes. One of these was based on children being taught via a national curriculum to reduce their sedendatory behaviour. This showed a reduction in obesity. Another two were based on physical activity programmes which showed that there was no significant reduction in obesity over a control group. The multi-faceted approach of nutrition, education, behavioural therapy and physical activity showed that this may help to reduce obesity, especially in girls. Ells et al. (2005: 444) concluded that much more research is needed in this area. Research carried out by Nauta, Byrne and Wesley (2009: 16-17) concluded that school nurses had an awareness of childhood obesity but were unable to set up treatment programmes. Family Intervention There are a number of different behavioural causes within the family environment, including the mothers knowledge of nutrition and opportunities to share family meals. Ells et al. (2005: 445 446) also cited studies undertaken to examine the efficiency of family based behaviour modification programmes and health promotion which did not support any significant decrease in weight in the obese child. Goodfellow and Northstone (2008: 117) found out that children from the Isle of Man were more likely to be obese than in Avon, showing that external influences will have a bearing on the family and individuals health. Preschool / Anti-Natal Intervention A significant number of children are obese at pre-school age. However there is little evidence to support the need for intervention within the pre-school age chilidren. Ells et al. (2005: 446 447) questions whether obesity prevention should begin during the ante-natal period and cited a study finding maternal weight to correlate to preschool obesity but another found that breast feeding had a protective effect on childhood obesity. A study by Rossem et al. (2010: 7) supports the link between breast feeding and reduced obesity in the child. Morgan (1986: 34)) cited that expectant parents should be alerted to the dangers of childhood obesity as there is a strong link with a parent and childs body weight. Government Policies Ells et al. (2005: 449) indicates that in order to prevent the growing trend of obesity Governments must have a key role. For instance Ells et al. (2005: 449) a number of UK police documents including the Health Select Committee Report on Obesity (2004). Monitoring To Ensure Prevention is Working It is vital that preventative measures in place are monitored to ensure that they are reducing both the incidence and severity of childhood obesity so that resources can go to the appropriate measures. Ells et al. (2005: 449) stated that monitoring in most countries consists of only occasional surveys. The UK Essential Core Database for child health have recommended that monitoring (BMI) be carried out on children at entry and exit from both primary and secondary schools. Research carried out by Levine et al. (2008: 255), however, showed that monitoring of primary school children was achievable but that of secondary schools was not. Conclusion It can be concluded that childhood obesity is a large, increasing problem within the western world which will follow on into adulthood. This essay has aimed to give an overview of the theories and evidence surrounding childhood obesity including associated diseases, treatments, preventative measures and people involved in supporting the obese child as well as those factors thought to cause the obesity in the first place. This is a complex issue with evidence currently emerging. This review was mainly focussing on the use of two articles Obesity in Childhood and Prevention of Childhood Obesity which between then cover all the issues surrounding childhood obesity. Where there is further supporting or refuting evidence I have added this. The literature included here is by no means comprehensive and the reader may wish to research an aspect of childhood obesity in greater depth.