The Costs of Production

Case #1 †Microsoft’s MACH Program Designed to Help...

The Microsoft Academy for College Hires (MACH) is as an accelerated career development program designed to recruit and hire top-performing graduates across a broad range of roles, and aims to cultivate talent utilizing training, mentoring, and community support. Microsoft believes that work is a place for exploration, creativity, innovation and professional growth. It’s about being inspired and motivated to achieve extraordinary things that leave a lasting impact. At Microsoft, graduates learn from the finest in the business. As a full time graduate employee, they experience an inspiring world-class program. MACH participants are hired based on potential and are provided with a comprehensive on-boarding curriculum, enabling them to†¦show more content†¦It is intended to ensure that new hires get the very basics of what they have and usually includes a lot of paperwork filling out time. It is not very interactive and certainly does not help the new hire after it is over. Onboarding is much longer. It takes place both before and after the hire. It could last weeks or months – the longer the better. It is meant to introduce and ingrain the company culture and way of working. It should reinforce everything the new hire was told in the recruiting phase. It should incentivize new hires to do their best work until they can do better. Then it should incentivize them to do better. It should make them happy with their decision. It should develop, coach and mentor. It should turn a great hire into a great employee. †¢ Why do you think Microsoft implemented the MACH program? Can you see any drawbacks of doing so? Microsoft Academy for College Hires (MACH) is a two-year program designed to provide new university graduates hired into the company’s sales, marketing, and services divisions with onboarding courses, hands-on training, coaching and networking opportunities. The main objective of MACH is not only to onboard new graduates so they can start adding value to their teams quickly, but to help them more efficiently navigate the corporate culture and politics. MACH has help numerous graduates maneuver throughout the corporate world by helping them build network with senior employees and also to connect

Company and Tort Law for Hairina Binti Mohamed - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theCompany and Tort Law for Hairina Binti Mohamed. Answer: Establishing Patent Rights A patent is a statutory monopoly privilege bestowed to the proprietor of an invention to help him to prevent others from copying, using, or creating the invention without the consent in the nation in which he has acquired patent security. The application of patent may be filed be filed domestically with the Registry of Patent in the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS). It can also be applied through the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). The laws that govern patent are found under Patents Act (Cap.221). Section 13(1) of the Patent Act requires that the invention to be patented must be new, can be processed using industrial procedures, and involve an inventive step. A product can only be considered to be new if it does not resembles any already existing or known product or process. That is, it should not form or be part of the state of the art. NoFat is a healthy plant-based fat substitute that Pravina has experimented and invented on her own. It makes her product taste like the common roti prata but is not ghee-laden and is not high in cholesterol making it different from the known roti prata. Since NoFat is a creation that has been not been used in production ofroti prata in Singapore, pursuant to section 14(1) and (2), Pravina should be allowed to establish her rights over NoFat. An inventive step under section 15 of the Patent Act states that an invention must show advancement from the existing product or process. The advancement must not be an obvious process to anybody who is experienced in the specific field. With regard to Pravinas invention, it is clear that she is the only one who knows the whole process of producing the product by using various different ingredients including whole meal wheat flour and her newly invented plant-based fat substitute', NoFat. . All other known roti prata use plain flour and are fried with ghee. Therefore, NoFat should be patentable. Lastly, section 16(1) states that an invention must be capable of being applied in an industry. Pravinas invention of a fat substitute plant-based NoFat can be widely applied in the food and beverage industry. NoFat can be used in the production of many categories of products in the industry to substitute ingredientsthat are high in cholesterol or fat. Pravinas creation would thus fulfil the requirement of being capable of being applied in an industry.Q3b) Trade Mark In Singapore, for any trader to claim common rights to a trade mark, he or she must prove its reputation, and be able to persuade the court that customers will get misguided by conflicting trade mark and that as a result, the business is or will be affected. The process that Pravina has to follow for her to register the trade mark MissPrata must satisfy the provisions of sections 7 and 8 of the Trade Marks Act (Cap. 332). This Act pronounces that for a trade mark to get registered, it must: Fall in the description of a trade mark as given under section 2(1), Not conflicting with any existing trade mark, and Be distinctive. It is clear under Section 2(1) that the trade mark must be characterized in two ways; able to be graphically represented and must be able to differentiate the products and services that are to be supplied. On the other hand, for the trade mark to be distinctive it must not contain generic words such as butter, cheese or coffee. However, any made up words with no significant meaning can be accepted to serve as a brand name. Can apply a bit more to the case, Hairina J, e.g.: In this case, Pravina would have to prepare detailed information on the sales volume of her products and be certain that her pink elephant and name and font of her MissPrata are unique and are not similar to that of other products in the same product category before she submits her trade mark application. Lastly, the planned trade mark must not be in conflict with the existing ones and should value the rights of the owner of the already existing trade mark and stops creating confusion to the customers. The applicant can confirm if the trade mark proposed resembles the already registered. Such check should be done before the applicant lodges the application. After the application, IPOS will perform an assessment to guarantee that there is no conflict. The suggested mark will then be published and any objecting person can then file the disagreement, but the decision will be made by IPSO to whether the conflict exists or not.

Laundromat Business Plan free essay sample

Laura’s Laundromat The Eco-Friendly Laundromat Business Plan March 1, 2009 403 S. Czech Hall Road Yukon, OK 73099 405-577-5651 [emailprotected] com www. LaurasLaundromat. com 1 INDEX 1. 0 1. 1 1. 2 1. 3 2. 0 2. 1 2. 2 2. 3 3. 0 3. 1 4. 0 5. 0 6. 0 7. 0 8. 0 9. 0 Executive Summary Objectives Mission Keys to Success Company Summary Company Ownership Startup Summary Location Equipment Permits Local Competition Marketing / Advertisement / Operations Store Layout Demographics Industry Summary Monthly Projected Income Proforma 10. 0 Attachments 11. 0 Additional income source 12. Investor Return 2 1. 0 Executive Summary Laura’s Laundromat is a startup laundromat that will target a customer base of low to middle income renters or owners. Laura’s Laundromat will differ from the conventional â€Å"coin-op† laundry by implementing the newest technologies available in the laundry industry. The most notable of these technologies is the ability to eliminate the coin fro m the â€Å"coin-op† business. Laura’s Laundromat will be implementing the smart card technology that allows customers to purchase a vending card that can be used for all equipment located within the store. Some of the obvious advantages of using the smart card are the elimination of the daily collections of coins from each machine, the ability to change prices throughout the day in various increments and as a marketing tool to bring customers back each week since they will still have a credit value on their card. We will write a custom essay sample on Laundromat Business Plan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 1. 1 Objectives Laura’s Laundromat objectives for 2009: ? ? ? ? ? Secure financing by the end of April Incorporate to an LLC by Build and install equipment in the store by the end of October 2009. Open for business by November 1, 2009. Achieve profitability by the end of December 2009. Laura’s Laundromat growth objectives for years 2009 and 2010. ? 2009-10 – Stabilize costs while extending customer base to maximize profits. 1. 2 Mission Laura’s Laundromat will be the leader in the self-laundry business by providing a clean, safe and reliable store at a cost less than or equal to its competitors, along with satisfying the customers needs and costs objectives. Laura’s Laundromat will also be environmentally conscious by installing high efficiency washers that use less than 50% of the water and detergent than most conventional washers. Laura’s Laundromat will provide a safe and secure children’s play area so our customers can have a place for their children to play while they take care of their laundry. In addition, we will provide free Wi-Fi 3 services. The most innovative feature of Laura’s Laundromat will be two exercise machines for those who would like to exercise while their laundry is being cleaned. In this, Laura’s Laundromat will be a community friendly establishment that is friendly to the environment, yet technologically innovated in its approach to securing a consistent customer base. . 3 Keys to Success As a start-up company new to the area, and introducing new technologies, we must be focused and work hard to create acceptance for ourselves and our services within the marketplace. The keys to our success are: ? Provide a clean and safe environment. ? Provide competitive pricing. ? Maintain a steady, disciplined pattern of growth. ? To make laundry a social event, not a drud gery. ? Minimize wait times for equipment. ? New features such as Wi-Fi and exercise equipment which allows one to multi-task. ? Provide signage in English and Spanish. . 0 Company Summary Laura’s Laundromat is a family owned and operated company that provides self-laundry services targeting low to middle income renters or home owners. By implementing the smart card system it will eliminate the need for our customers to carry change around with them to do their laundry and create return customers to utilize their smart card. 2. 1 Company Ownership Laura Ridley will be the sole owner of Laura’s Laundromat. Mrs. Ridley is currently a homemaker and an Independent Distributor for Shaklee Corporation. Her experience in sales, marketing, and customer service will be an asset to this business. 4 2. 2 Start-up Summary Startup cost have been estimated and budgeted at $125,000. Investors will be sought to provide the startup cost for land acquisition and building construction. A conventional loan will be used for the remainder of the costs. Mrs. Ridley will be responsible for making the monthly payments each month. (See table 2A). Table 2A Land Furniture Security Cameras Personal Computer 5 TV’s with mounts Exercise Equipment Vending Machine Misc. Expenses Construction Sub totals Equipment Total Estimated Amount $365,000 $10,000 $3,500 $3,500 $5,000 $4,000 $4,500 $5,000 $500,000 $900,500 $242,000 $1,142,500 Budget Amount $365,000 $10,000 $3,500 $3,500 $5,000 $4,000 $4,500 $5,000 $500,000 $900,500 $242,000 $1,142,500 2. 3 Location Laura’s Laundromat’s office will be located at 403 S. Czech Hall Road, Yukon, Oklahoma. The location of the store is essential to acquiring the target customer base of low to middle income renters and home owners since it is located in an area that has a heavy concentration of apartment complexes. Laura’s Laundromat will be located approximately 3. 0 miles from nearest competitor to the north and 6. 0 miles from the nearest competitor to the south. More about competitors and their stores are described later in detail. Utilities will be provided as follows: Oklahoma Gas Electric for all electric, Oklahoma Natural Gas for natural gas, The City of Oklahoma City for water, sewer and garbage, Cox Communications for cable and ATT for phone and internet service. 5 3. 0 Equipment Laura’s Laundromat will install the following equipment: ? 3– 40† flat panel TVs ? – 32† TV for power point advertisement/entertainment ? 1 – 32† TV in the children’s play area ? 1 – Netmaster smart card system ? 1 Snack machine and soda machine ? 1 Laundry soap dispenser ? 1 – Large cork board for customer postings ? 1 DVR system ? 1 PC for power point ads and security recording ? 1- Treadmill Exercise Machine ? 1- Elliptical Mach ine See (distributor’s equipment list) attachment for model numbers and prices for several of the major items noted above. 3. 1 Permits Laura’s Laundromat will acquire a vendor’s license, sign permit, and a letter of acceptable use for the location in question. . 0 Local Competition Epperson Laundry at 361 N. Mustang Road, Mustang, OK is approximately six miles to the south. It is a smaller and older Laundromat. It is approximately 1000 square feet. Equipment consists of 24 top load washers, one 30 lbs, one 40 lbs, and one 50 lbs washing machine, and 17 dryers. Facilities and equipment are dated. There is no children’s play area, television or entertainment of any type. The Laundromat is not well kept and at any given time there are several machines out of order. Services offered are wash dry fold, dry cleaning and alterations. Highland Center is located at the corner of Vandament and Holly Ave in Yukon, Oklahoma and is located approximately three miles to the north. The store is approximately 1000 square feet and consists of (5) 40 lbs washing machines, 26 top loading machines, 8 large capacity dryers and 23 smaller dryers. The facilities and equipment are dated. There is no children’s play area, no vending machines 6 and no TV or entertainment of any type. Personal services offered are wash, dry, and fold. 5. Marketing / Advertising / Operations Laura’s Laundromat will be utilizing various marketing and advertising methods to draw in new customers and to retain them. ? Card System: Instead of using quarter’s through out the store, Laura’s Laundromat will be implementing the Smart Card system that distributes a credit card to the customer that can be used through out the store on all washing machines and dryers. C ard Advantages: ? Less coin transactions – Money is collected less often and can be done in minutes rather than hours. ? Variable pricing – All vending prices can be increased in as little as $. 1 increments instead of the normal $. 25. This will be extremely helpful in off setting variable utility costs by being able to raise or lower prices at any time without having to touch the actual machines. With the older quarter systems, the owner could only go up or down in $. 25 increments. Therefore, either cutting his profits, or by losing customers with higher increases. ? Timely pricing – Since the card system is networked, sales and specials can be preprogrammed. This way you could run afternoon specials and actually set the price in advance, and at a predetermined time. All of the specials will spread the customer base from the peak hours to the off peak hours. To do this on a traditional coin-op system would take hours to change the prices in a store. ? Customer loyalty – When a customer leaves the store, chances are they will still have credit on their card (since we will be charging odd amounts). Customers will be more determined to return next week to use up the remaining credit or add value to their card to finish the current week of laundry. ? Bonus Dollars – If a customer adds value to their card, Laura’s Laundromat can give a bonus credit if they add a specified amount to their card. Example: If the customer adds $20. 00 to their card, Laura’s Laundromat will add a bonus of $2. 00 to the card giving the customer a total of $22. 00. Instant coupons! 7 ? Additional features include: ? Vending: There will be one soda machine and one candy machine. ? Customer bulletin board: Laura’s Laundromat will hang a bulletin board so customers can post advertisements for free. ? Entertainment: One 40† flat panel TV will be placed in the entertainment area. This TV will broadcast various shows. One 40† flat panel TV will be located in the exercise area also broadcasting various shows. Another 40† flat panel TV will be placed above the washing machines. ? Children’s Entertainment: One 32† flat panel TV will be inset in the wall of the children’s play area with protective Plexiglas covering the screen. This TV will be attached to a DVD player in the office to play children’s programming. ? Advertisement: One 32† Flat panel TV will be placed in the entertainment area (no sound) and will be used for Power Point presentations to advertise Laura’s Laundromat’s specials and also for other local business advertisements. We will charge $50. 00 to $100. 00 dollars per month for this advertisement. Local businesses may be asked to place a flyer for Laura’s Laundromat in their establishment in exchange for the Power Point advertisement. ? Local Newspaper – Advertisements will run weekly for the first month. In three separate newspapers: The Mustang News, The Mustang Times, and The Yukon Review. ? Giveaways –Laura’s Laundromat will give away various items each month for the first several months. ? Customer Training – By educating the customer on the efficiency of the new Speed Queen equipment, they will return to Laura’s Laundromat each week knowing that they will be getting the best service available for their money. Placards will be placed in various locations explaining the cost efficiency of using the equipment at Laura’s Laundromat. 8 ? Clean store –Laura’s Laundromat will be maintained at a minimum of twice a day. The bathroom will have fixtures that will operate automatically to keep the bathroom as clean as possible. ? Hours – Laura’s Laundromat will be open from 8:00 am until 9:00 pm Monday thru Saturday and 10:00 am to 7:00 pm on Sunday. The hours may be adjusted to meet demand. ? Safety – To deter vandalism and fraud, Laura’s Laundromat will be equipped with the newest video technologies available. Various cameras will be placed in positions to give the best possible coverage of the entire store. One camera will be dedicated to record anyone who comes in the front door. Laura’s Laundromat will have an attendant on duty at all times. ? Equipment: Laura’s Laundromat will utilize the tank less, or instant hot water system. This system will heat only what water is needed at the time. This eliminates the need to keep large amounts of water heated at all times. It also eliminates the need for a continuous pilot light. This system combined with the water saving front loaders will save money on natural gas as well as water. ? Seating –Laura’s Laundromat will furnish two round tables with chairs in the entertainment area, including additional seating through out the store. There will also be a number of folding tables located near drying areas. 6. 0 Store Layout Laura’s Laundromat was designed to promote safety and efficiency. Please see the attached floor plan. Laura’s Laundromat will use recycled materials during construction when available to make the building as environmentally friendly as possible. . 0 Demographics A demographic study has been completed and is available with this business plan. 9 8. 0 Industry Summary A few points about the laundry business: ? No inventories to maintain. ? Cash only business, no receivables. ? A service that is always needed, even during economic downturns. 9. 0 Monthly Projected Pro forma Please see attached Projected Pro forma. 10. 0 Attachments ? Distributor’s equipment list ? Laura’s Laundromat floor plans ? Monthly Projected Pro forma 11. Additional Income Source The $500,000 construction price includes an additional 4500 square feet of space to be leased as retail space to other vendors. At a price of $9. 00 per square feet, which is comparable with other retail property in the area, this will add an additional $3375. 00 income per month. 12. 0 Investor Return The investor will receive 10% of the net profit until the equipment loan is paid off. At that time the investor will receive 15% of the net profit until the construction loan is paid off, then the investor will receive 20% of the net profit for the remainder of the business partnership. 10

Digging Seamus Heaney Essay Example

Digging Seamus Heaney Essay The first theme of the poem â€Å"Digging† is one of Heaney looking back at his family’s history and tradition. Heaney’s ancestry includes both a farming Gaelic past and the modern Ulster industrial revolution, and this tension between the two sides of his past are demonstrated through this poem â€Å"digging†. This is a free verse poem containing eight stanzas and two couplets and it is written in the first person narrative, the free nature of this poem allows us to see Heaney expressing the turmoil he feels between the past the present. But it also demonstrates the love and respect he feels for his ancestors. The poem starts with an image of the poet’s hand â€Å"a squat pen rests; snug as gun. † In using this metaphor Heaney is expressing the power of the written word and the pen much like the power of the gun. Initially Heaney appears far removed from his family’s heritage and the idea that boys are expected to follow in their father’s footsteps. However, when you explore the poem further it becomes clear that Heaney is in fact reminiscing of his past and how he holds both his father and grandfather in great esteem. Whilst reflecting within the poem Heaney is disturbed â€Å"under my window, a clean rasping sound†. We will write a custom essay sample on Digging Seamus Heaney specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Digging Seamus Heaney specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Digging Seamus Heaney specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Heaney looks and sees his â€Å"father, digging. I look down† Whilst watching his father it suggests that he sees how natural his father is at digging and it invokes the memories he had as a child of both his father and grandfather. Heaney describes both men with a boyish admiration and of his father Heaney exclaims â€Å"By god, the old man could handle a spade. Just like his old man. † And of his grandfather â€Å"My grandfather cut more turf in a day than any other man on Toner’s bog. † a true local legend. This demonstrates how Heaney sees both men as working class heroes. The second theme of the poem has Heaney reflecting on himself, whom he considers to have less-admirable qualities compared to his honest and hardworking father and grandfather. Heaney wonders if his grandfather forever associated him with the bottle of milk that was â€Å"corked sloppily with paper†, as Heaney is not the traditional man that his grandfather was. Heaney then draws comparisons the sloppiness of the cork and the softness of the paper to the no-nonsense attitude of his grandfather as demonstrated when the states of this grandfather â€Å"He straightened up to drink it, and then fell right to way. This leads Heaney to believe that he will never measure up to his father and grandfather whose earthy physicality he so admires. The third theme is one of realisation about Heaney to himself â€Å"But I have no spade to follow men like them. †Heaney understands that whilst he is not the traditional man like his ancestors his ultimate accomplishment is in fact lett ing go of the guilt associated with not following in their footsteps and looking down upon the manual labour as mere pre modernist stages of human existence. Upon reflecting Heaney does uncover his connection to his past and realises he has modernity of his mother’s nature within him. Heaney realises he can express the traditional side of his character through the power of the pen and his writing and in the last stanza Heaney writes â€Å"Between my finger and my thumb the squat pen tests. I’ll dig with it. † Heaney will continue the traditions of his father by â€Å"digging† with the pen through his writing.

Customer Request Listening Quiz

Customer Request Listening Quiz You will hear a customer asking for help in a shop. Write down the answers to the questions concerning what she wants. Click on the listen here link. Once you have listened twice, return to this page and take the listening quiz. Write or type the answers. After you have finished, find the answer key at the bottom of the page to see if you have answered the questions correctly. Listen here.   What did the woman receive as a gift?What kind of gift was it?Why does she not want it?Why cant she get her money back?What can she do with it?What would she like?What kid of handbag would she like?What kind of handbag was she looking for?Where is the handbag that she likes?What is the problem with the handbag she likes?What can she have instead of a refund?Who would she like to speak to?What does the man think the manager will say?Where has the manager been? Answer Key: A briefcaseA birthday giftShe doesnt like it and she already has one.She doesnt have a receipt.She can exchange the briefcase.A handbagSomething black, smallish, and not too expensiveSomething more classicalIn the windowIt costs less than the briefcaseA credit noteThe ManagerHe will say the same thing.At lunch

Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Argument - Essay Example Although many prefer to practice premarital cohabitation, some sectors who are conservative within the society view premarital cohabitation as abominable. This is because of the consequences it brings. To them cohabitation causes confusion among younger generations and other people. They find the value of marriage and marriage certificate for granted. Marriage becomes a matter of ceremony without importance because they do not exactly know what constitutes marriage. However, some people find marriage as not the sole criterion of confusion among younger groups when considering the relationship of couples. In fact, youth who comes from a family whose parents are married but quarrel most of the time are more confused. Younger generations who understand the goal of premarital cohabitation may find it not confusing and may consider it a better option of marriage. This idea is supported in the article of Budinski & Trovato (72) where they made it clear that cohabitation is a viable alterna tive for marriage especially to those who do not have the confidence in entering a long term marriage just yet. They further stated that when couples cohabit, components of marriage are present like sharing of home, sexual intimacy, childbearing, and economic resources. With this, the couple may live like husband and wife just the same where they can enjoy playing their role as partners and parents. Individuals of any age who understand this purpose may consider premarital cohabitation as a springboard to marriage. Thus this does not post confusion. People who are against living together before marriage or premarital cohabitation claim that entering such situation may result in habitually changing their partners and are observed to be having difficulty finding a lifelong partner. This practice gives a belief that repeated cohabitation would be a predictor for future marriage failures as a result of weeding out process. Through selection, the person may change partner every now and t hen. However, observation shows that cohabiters and non cohabiters experience divorce at almost the same rate. In the study of Bruderl and company (1), they explained that it is not the cohabitation that increases the chance of couple’s separation but rather mismatches of some psychological traits. Once the mismatch traits are detected, it is likely that the person is going to weed out those incompatible traits resulting in an improved experience which makes the next relationship a success. This is evident among couples who were recently questioned in their answers that they are improving their chances of success in their marital relationship with their experience thus the prevalence of separation or divorce is reduced in the subsequent relationship. A large number of people especially Muslims believe that the practice of premarital cohabitation is better because it ensures stronger compatibility and commitment of couples. To be compatible needs adjustment to each other. Perh aps the way couples do this would be to live together. Couples have to be close together to really observe the way each lives. Doing this could help couples find out if they could bear each other without too much tension, quarrels and other problems. If they find out that they are comfortable with each other’s lifestyle, then they may consider marriage. However, if they are not, then it would be easy for them to just break apart because of the absence of legal paper works and commitment. Taxes would be easier to handle

Rights of accused Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Rights of accused - Essay Example Due process refers to the legal principles that the state should respect the rights of all the individuals. It is used in the law to ensure the right of a free trial, and that the court has to listen to both the parties and their evidences before making a decision. The government cannot harm the accused until the exact course of law doesn’t allow them to. The concept of due process has been written in the US constitution but it was originated before it was drafted in the constitution. The concept is older than the English Common Law (Ramen, 2001). It developed from the Magna Carta in England. In the early times, in some of the ancient private court, there was an appearance made at an unrecorded time. It was unofficially recognized by the councils that the accused person also needs some protection against the ruling authority to ensure his rights, life and possessions are protected. This was the time when rough justice was a normal thing, but there still were some leaders who w ould understand the basic rights. There are many aspects that are covered under the concept of due process. The primary role of the due process is to ensure that the government does not take any action against an individual which could result in loss to life, property or liberty. They must provide the individual with a notice and give them the opportunity to be heard. As these legal requirements were tied up by law, any government officer violating the due process will be charged. Before the final verdict is given by the court, the government must make sure the individual is given fair, impartial measures to challenge the state action. Since all criminal cases are against the state, the state offers lawyers to the criminals who can speak their case (Siegel, 2011). The government, at times, abuses the accused individuals and their property, for example by eminent domain for a public purpose without giving the fair value of land. Such

How Did Kurt Cobain Die Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

How Did Kurt Cobain Die - Essay Example His marriage to Courtney Love in 1992 was based partially on shared drug use, primarily heroin, and mostly on her unexpected pregnancy. Despite this, Cobain was reportedly happy for the first time he could remember and adored his daughter and his wife. He almost overdosed several times on drugs, with Love claiming some of these were suicide attempts, yet Cobain denied feeling suicidal and instead claimed that he was attempting to escape his wife. When his body was discovered on April 8, 1994, his death was ruled a suicide. A shotgun was found pointing at his chin, a poorly worded suicide note was left behind and his body contained a high dose of heroin and valium. Police ruled the death a suicide for these reasons, but further investigation revealed details suggesting he was murdered. Whether Cobain’s death was murder or suicide, it seems clear that the police did not do an adequate job in investigating the death. The facts of the case seem pretty straightforward. Kurt Cobain was found dead in his home in Seattle, Washington on April 8, 1994 after having been reported missing from a drug rehab center for seven days. According to Smoking Gun reports (2008), the missing person report indicates police knew Cobain had returned to Seattle after leaving the California rehab facility, yet it seems no one went to look for him at his house. It was also known that he had purchased a shotgun and was considered potentially suicidal. The first detectives to arrive on the scene note that the body was discovered by an electrician who had arrived at Cobain’s home to install an alarm system. The body was discovered lying on the floor of a greenhouse located just above the detached garage of the home. The fire department had also responded to the call and forced their way into the room by breaking through the glass French doors at one end. This had the

Osteogenesis Imperfecta Bone

Osteogenesis Imperfecta Bone Osteogenesis Imperfecta or more commonly known as Brittle Bone Disease, is a condition causing extremely fragile bones and is known to be a congenital disease. This means you are born with it. It is caused by a defect in the gene that produces type I collagen which is an important building block of bone. Most causes of Osteogenesis Imperfecta are inherited from a parent caring the gene . Some cases are the result of new genetic mutations. People with Osteogenesis Imperfecta are usually below average hight. Osteogenesis Imperfecta does not seem to occur in any certain race, it effects all races male and or female. A person with Osteogenesis Imperfecta has a 50 per cent chance of passing on the gene and the disease to there offspring. The symptoms of Osteogenesis Imperfecta are as follows: Type I which accounts for 60 per cent of all cases Most common and mildest type of Osteogenesis Imperfecta Bones predisposed to fractures. Most occurring before puberty Normal to near-normal stature loose joints with low muscle tone Bone deformity absent or minimal Spinal curvature Collagen structure is normal, but the amount is less than normal Triangular shaped face Sclera (whites of the eyes) usually have a blue, grey or purple tint to them Brittle teeth Hearing loss The increase liability to bruising (thought to be due to the defective collagen) Hernias are more common in people with Osteogenesis Imperfecta Excessive sweating or intolerance of heat are common complaints, the cause is unknown Type II Most sever form Death occurring shortly after birth, often due to respiratory problems Small stature with underdeveloped lungs Collagen is improperly formed Numerous fractures Severe bone deformities Type III Bones fracture easily Fractures often present at birth Short stature Sclera (whites of eyes) to be a blue, grey, or purple tint Loose joints Poor muscle development in arms and legs Triangular shaped face Barrel-shaped rib cage Spinal curvature Bone deformity, often severe Brittle teeth Hearing loss Respiratory problems Collagen is improperly formed The increase liability to bruising (thought to be due to the defective collagen) Hernias are more common in people with Osteogenesis Imperfecta Excessive sweating or intolerance of heat are common complaints, the cause is unknown Type IV Between Type I and Type III in severity Bones fracture easily, usually before puberty Shorter than average stature Sclera are white or near white, normal in color Mild to moderate bone deformity Barrel-shaped rib cage Triangular shaped face Spinal curvature Brittle teeth Hearing loss Collagen is improperly formed The increase liability to bruising (thought to be due to the defective collagen) Hernias are more common in people with Osteogenesis Imperfecta Excessive sweating or intolerance of heat are common complaints, the cause is unknown The diagnoses of Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Osteogenesis Imperfecta is diagnosed a few different ways. In most cases the diagnosis is made from the pattern of fractures. In severely affected people X-rays may show characteristics abnormalities. In the USA two specialized tests are sometimes used for the diagnosis of Osteogenesis Imperfecta. One involves taking a small piece of the skin, culturing the cells and chemically examining the collagen produced. The other uses a blood sample and searches for mutations of the genes coding for the collagen of bone. Neither tests are more than 85 per cent accurate in identifying cases of Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Chronic Villus Sampling maybe done during pregnancy to determine if the fetus has the condition. However, because so many different mutations can cause Osteogenesis Imperfecta, some forms can not be diagnosed with a genetic test. Often the severe form Type II can be detected on an ultra sound when the fetus is as young as sixteen weeks old. The treatment of Osteogenesis Imperfecta. There is no cure yet for this disease however curtain therapies can reduce pain and complications due to this disease. Bisphosphonates are drugs that have been used to treat Osteoporosis. They can increase the strength and the hardness of bone in people with Osteogenesis Imperfecta . They have also been shown to highly reduce fracture rate. Swimming and low impact exercises help maintain the strength of the bones. In more severe causes surgery may be used to place metal rods into long bone in the leg to help reduce the risk of any further fractures.

Factors Affecting the Rate of Reaction Between Sodium Thiosulfate and E

Factors Affecting the Rate of Reaction Between Sodium Thiosulfate and Hydrochloric acid. Plan I will be conducting an experiment to find out if concentrating Thiosulfate and Hydrochloric Acid will effect the rate of reaction. I predict that the higher the concentration of the Thiosulfate, the quicker it will react with the Hydrochloric Acid. I will test: 20 Acid 20 Thio 0 Water 20 Acid 15 Thio 5 Water 20 Acid 10 Thio 10 Water 15 Acid 20 Thio 5 Water 10 Acid 20 Thio 10 Water The total volume of all the liquids will be kept the same. As will the temperature, conical glass, measuring cylinder and the cross on the piece of paper. I will ensure that all these are kept the same by doing all the experiments on the same day, not changing my equipment and the to...

Kill everybody

Thus, sleep is an essential for good health. Sleep is one of the most essential things a human body needs in order to function effectively. Even a short nap can benefit a tired body and give a weary mind a few minutes Of rest. A good niches sleep removes tiredness, stress, tensions and worries. Identified and correcting poor sleeping habits can help older adults to improve their well-being and quality of life. In addition, we must take in balance diet. For example, determine the food before we eat. We should plan our time to eat so that we will eat less.A lot of people ban certain foods from their diet such as chocolate and ice-cream. Doing so will only make them crave for more, therefore do not ban them but enjoy a small portion from time to time. A food diary will enable us to identify which food or drinks that we need to cut down on and whether we are getting a balanced diet with enough food and vegetable. Furthermore, regular exercise can prevent obesity. When we exercise, our bo dies will burn up all the extra calories which would otherwise be converted into fat and then lead to unwanted bulges. Being overweight carry us With it a number of other lath problems.Hence exercising not only keeps us trim, but it also keeps away weight-related problems. However we spend most of our time in claustrophobic classrooms and homes. As a student with loads of homework, assignments and exams, exercise seems to be a monotonous chore. Nonetheless, healthy experts prescribe exercise as a prerequisite for a long healthy life, as saying goes, ‘a life free from diseases and ailments. Besides that, we should go to a clinic or hospital for regular medical check up. We also can check blood circulation, level of cholesterol, heart ache and others.If our blood circulation is in good condition, the capacity of blood to carry oxygen is increased. At the same time, payment of a clinic is cheap especially the 1 Malaysia Clinic. The clinic is really helpful for people who are not wealthy and the equipment of the clinic are satisfactory. Moreover, stay away from things that may harm us. For example, illegal racing, drugs, smoking and others. The killer thing that is very dangerous is drug because drug can kill everybody regardless of color and religion. So stay away from drug as drug is addictive. Becquerel about whom we mix with. Reuse a hobby, participate in sports and other co-curricular activities. Taking drug will not solve our problems but it will only increase them and make us a social misfit. We will end up being a burden to our own family, friend and society. In a nutshell, life is precious moment from God. It is the duty of every individual to value the moment. Keeping fit is therefore our responsibility Shirking from our responsibility indicates either we are ignorance or indifference. We have to get our priorities right before we become victims of our own careless habits.

Asylum seekers and refugees as a social problem in the UK The WritePass Journal

Asylum seekers and refugees as a social problem in the UK Abstract Asylum seekers and refugees as a social problem in the UK ). Due to the word count, the term asylum seekers will refer to both asylum seekers and refugees in the following work. The following essay aims to examine why asylum seekers have been perceived as a social problem in the UK as well as to analyse how the government approaches this problem. First, the essay considers the changes in the number of asylum seekers in the UK over the past twenty years. Further, the essay discusses different perspectives of asylum seekers in the social context. Finally, the essay presents the government responses to the problem. Asylum seekers in the UK – statistical approach From the 1990s the UK has been characterized by significant fluctuations in numbers of asylum applications, as demonstrated in Appendix 1. Between 1993 and 2002 the number of asylum applications has increased rapidly from 19,700 to its peak of 103,080 in 2002. In this period of time a number of applications fell slightly in 1996 and 2001, based on year-to-year changes (Institute of Race Relations). The four major countries, from which the asylum applications were addressed to the UK at that time were Iraq, Zimbabwe, Somalia and Afghanistan. Wars, conflicts and political oppression, being the key features of these countries in the 1990s are perceived as major causes of the dramatic increase of the asylum applications to the UK from the mid-1990s (Prior et.al., 2008). From 2002 the number of applications was gradually reduced, reaching 17,916 in 2010 (Refugee Council, 2011). Currently, most of the applicants come from Pakistan, Iran, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan (Refugee Council, 2011). S uch decrease is a consequence of the government policy, strongly restricting the border control in the past decade. Additionally, from 2002 the government continues to reject almost 70% of applications each year.   In 2010 68% of applications were refused; 24% of them were granted the refugee status; 7% Discretionary Leave, while 1% Humanitarian Protection (Refugee Council, 2012). Nonetheless, the UK continues to be a country with one of the highest numbers of asylum applications in the European Union, next to Sweden, France, Greece and Germany, as presented in Appendix 2 (Eurostat, 2012). According to the report prepared by the Asylum and Destitution Working Group, there are four major pull factors that shape, shaping a decision to apply for asylum in the UK. These are the perception of the UK as a safe, democratic and tolerant country; the ability to speak English or willingness to learn the language; previous connections (including colonialism) between the country of origin or residence and the UK; and having relatives or family in the UK (Prior et.al., 2008). Asylum seekers and refugees as a social problem in the UK A rapidly growing number of asylum applicants in the UK led the great focus on asylum seekers in the British media. The media started to present asylum seekers in an unfavourable light, emphasizing the negative socio-economic effects of the massive inflows of foreigners. For instance, the Daily Express has published 22 negative front page stories on asylum within 31 days period of time in 2003, often using very abusive language. Further, the issue of asylum became a hot topic of the debate between the two main parties during the 2005 general election (Prior et.al., 2008). Exaggeration of the issue and misinformation resulted in spreading the perception of asylum seekers as a thread to the British people in the socio-economic context. Numerous research and surveys conducted amongst the British seem to confirm such approach. For instance, the IAC’s Citizens Speak research from 2008 revealed that most of the respondent perceived the asylum seekers as economic migrants, stealing j obs and welfare benefits from the British. Further, they believed that asylum seekers had a privileged access to housing and public services as well as that there were too many asylum seekers within the country. In turn, the 2003 Citizenship Survey conducted amongst the young British showed that 15% of them cited prejudice against the asylum seekers (Aspinall and Waters, 2010). Also the YouGov survey from 2011 demonstrated that the respondents had the poorest perception of asylum seekers amongst various groups of people, including the categories such as people from ethnic minorities; people from Christian religious groups; or people with disabilities (YouGov, 2011). Additionally, another survey conducted by YouGov in 2008 disclosed that 59% of the respondents argued that asylum seekers were a â€Å"drain on resources† and did not contribute to the economic growth of the UK. Additionally, 30% of the respondents saw the reduction in the number of asylum seekers as the most welc ome change in the British system (YouGov, 2008). It is important to add that at the same time the British have a highly exaggerated view on the number of the asylum applications in the UK. In YouGov survey from 2007 46% of the respondents estimated this number at 80,000 when additional 31% at 160,000. In fact, there was actually 23,430 asylum applicants in 2007 (Prior et.al., 2008). While the British media built the image of asylum seekers as a social problem amongst the British citizens, many academic scholars emphasized that asylum seekers are a disadvantaged group and that they often have to face various social problems. In particular, asylum seekers are vulnerable to poverty and destitution (Aspinall and Waters, 2010). They usually arrive to the UK without any financial reserves. Additionally, the financial support offered by the government to asylum seekers constitutes only 70% of Income Support, while they are not permitted to work (Buster, 2010). According to the British Red Cross in 2006 there was approximately 26,000 asylum seekers living in poverty in the UK (Prior et.al., 2008). Asylum seekers also have a limited access to the basic health care services mainly due to the registration problems (i.e. lack of documents proving the address or identity; lack of interpreting services). Similarly, asylum seekers face difficulties in education and training[3] what is mostly caused by limited knowledge of the British education system, poor level of English and high costs (NIACE, 2009). Finally, asylum seekers are the victims of crime rather than offenders. Although there are no official records, the research conducted by Stanley in 2001 revealed that a third of the respondents have experienced racism, harassment or bullying. Also 81% of the asylum seeking women interviewed by the Refugee Strategy Women Group in 2007 admitted that they had experienced racial harassment (Aspinall and Waters, 2010). The policy response to the problem of asylum seekers As asylum seekers started to be perceived as a thread by the British society, the government aimed to reduce their number by implementing new policies and regulations from 1999. The 1999 Immigration and Asylum Act tightened the borders control to block new arrivals to the UK by extending visa requirements, pre-entry controls as well as by imposing financial penalties on the companies that transported passengers without permission to enter the UK (Crawley, 2010). The 2002 Immigration and Asylum Act gave greater power to the authorities responsible for application process, including the right to detain the application at any time during the process, not just prior to removal. Additionally, people applying for legal staying in the UK by granting citizenship need to meet English recruitments; take Life in the UK test and attend citizenship ceremony (Guardian, 2009). Further, in 2004 the government established the juxtaposed UK border control in France and Belgium and thus, the UK was abl e to decide whether the foreigners are eligible to enter the UK on the territory of another country. Further in the framework of the New Asylum Model from 2007, the application process became accelerated (new screening process; single case workers), while detentions and deportations became commonly used (Aspinall and Waters, 2010). More importantly, the new legislation affected the asylum seekers’ access to accommodation and welfare. The 1999 Immigration and Asylum Act established the financial support for asylum seekers at the level of 70% of Income Support. Additionally, the food vouchers were granted to the asylum seekers instead of the cash.   In 2007 the government reduced the support rate for lone parents (66% of Income Support) and for the single adult above the age of 25 (55% of Income Support) (Williams and Kaye, 2010). Despite numerous controversies around the effectiveness of the voucher system, the government still supports such solution. Further, the government implemented the dispersal policies, providing the accommodation and housing to asylum seekers on ‘no-choice’ basis (Crawley, 2010). From 2002 asylum seekers are not permitted to work when their application is considered. There are only a few exceptions from this rule. It is crucial to emphasize that despite the overall fall in asylum applications to the UK and rising concerns on the government policy on asylum, the government continues to implement restrictive measures. These measures often worsen further the living conditions of asylum seekers in the UK (Prior et.al., 2008). Conclusions The UK is one of the main destinations of asylum seekers in Europe. From the 1990s the number of asylum applications rose sharply, reaching its peak in 2002. Asylum seekers started to be perceived as a thread within the British society. Such negative attitudes were mainly caused by the British media, postulating that asylum seekers steal jobs and welfare benefits from the British. Thus, the government aim became to reduce the number of asylum seekers by new legislation. From 1999 the government implemented numerous regulations and policies. Particularly important were the 1999 Immigration Asylum Act, the 2002 Immigration and Asylum Act as well as the 2007 New Asylum Model. As a consequence, the UK border control was tightened, including higher visa requirement and pre-entry control. The asylum process became faster and more effective; the detentions and deportations are commonly used. The government also decided to limit the access to welfare for asylum seekers, seeing it as an impor tant pull factor for high number of applications. To achieve that, various measures have been implemented. Amongst the most important were dispersal policies, withdrawing the rights to work for these asylum seekers whose applications has not been decided; as well as low financial support delivered in kind instead of cash. While the government is proud of reducing in 2010 the number of asylum application to the level from 1993; a number of academic scholars postulate that asylum seekers are not a thread to the British. Asylum seekers do not take the employment opportunities from the British. They have a very limited access to the welfare benefits. They also do not increase the crime level across the country. The scholars underline that asylum seekers are at the risk of poverty, discrimination and social exclusion due to the government policy. Additionally, some international organizations (i.e. Amnesty International; the Refugee Council) argue that the British policy â€Å"may also have the impact of denying the internationally agreed rights of people to seek asylum† (Aspinall and Watters, 2010, p.10). Despite these claims made by the academic scholars and various organizations, the British government seems to continue its strict policy towards asylum seekers and discourage asylum seekers from c hoosing the UK. It indicates that the government still perceives asylum seekers as a social problem rather than notice serious social problems that asylum seekers struggle with.pplications in selected European countries, 2007. References: Aspinall P. and Watters (2010). Refugees and asylum seekers. A review from an equality and human rights perspective. Manchester: Equality and Human Rights Commission. Buster M. (2010). Asylum seekers and refugees. London: Social Inclusion Unit. Crowley (2010). Chance or choice. Understanding why asylum seekers come to the UK. London: Refugee Council.    Eurostat (2012). Asylum applications [online] Available from: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/graphDownload.do?tab=graphlanguage=enplugin=1pcode=tps00021 (Accessed on 24.06.2012). Guardian (2009). Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 [online] Available from: guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2009/jan/15/nationality-immigration-asylum-act (Accessed on 24.06.2012) Institute of Race Relations (2012). Asylum Statistics [online] available from: irr.org.uk/research/statistics/asylum/ (Accessed on 24.06.2012). NIACE (2009). Refugee and asylum seekers in the UK: the challenges of accessing education and employment. Leicester: NIACE. Prior J., McDowell , Morell G., Taruvinga Y., Zanre L., Garner K. and Stranack A. (2008). Asylum Matters: Restoring Trust in the UK Asylum System. London: The Centre for Social Justice. Refugee Council (2011). Asylum Statistics. London: Refugee Council. Refugee Council (2012). Asylum Statistics. London: Refugee Council. RULAC (2012). International Refugee Law [online] Available from: adh-geneva.ch/RULAC/international_refugee_law.php (Accessed on 24.06.2012). UNESCO (2011). Asylum seeker [online] Available from: unesco.org/new/en/social-and-human-sciences/themes/international-migration/glossary/asylum-seeker/ (Accessed on 24.06.2012). YouGov (2008). Juniper TV Survey Results. London: YouGov. YouGov (2011). Stonewall attitude tables. London: YouGov. Williams R. and Kaye M. (2010). At the end of the line. Restoring the integrity of the UK’s asylum system. London: Amnesty International.

Counterfactual aper on The Age of Aquarius essays

Counterfactual aper on The Age of Aquarius essays What if the Age of Aquarius Had Not Been? The year 1969 brings back memories for many people. Some have good memories while some have bad. Today some people are still living in the late sixties and early seventies while some regret this era ever existed. What if these years had not existed? Not actually the years themselves, but what if the Age of Aquarius, as it has been referred to, had never existed? Can you imagine how life would be different for us today? Family dynamics would be entirely different, as would the overall perception of the female population. Controversial topics such as drugs, sex, abortion, racism, etc. would be viewed with entirely different opinions from the majority of the population. How different would our lives be had the people we call hippies never exercised their freedom from the restraint they had known in their ordinary lives? Looking back first into the decade of the fifties, we find storybook families such as The Cleavers from Leave It To Beaver (1957-1963) and the Andersons from Father Knows Best (1954-1958)(Rich). The characters in these popular fifties television programs depict family life as being perfect as perfect could be. Wives wore high heals and pearls and had three hot meals on the table at the same time every day, dinner of course being as soon as the husband walked in from a hard days work. Husbands worked hard all day and came home to a fresh home-cooked meal, then relaxed in their chair while reading the newspaper for the remainder of the evening. Children played in the yard with the white picket fence. Every once in a while the kids broke a window playing ball or argued over something petty, but everyones differences were resolved by simply saying Im sorry. Children respected their parents and spouses respected each other. Now everyone knows these families were strictly fi ctional and in no way existed in real l...

Global Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Global Business Plan - Essay Example The political, legal and regulatory risks highlighted that the region has a stable and development oriented political scene, which is supported by the legal system in Canada. Moreover the regulations in the region are similar to the ones in US, making the low and favorable for investment. The exchange rate risks are low for the country is low as well as the currency of the country is quite stable. The competitive risks in the region however are high as there exists fierce competition amongst the local and the international business. The government has taken steps to lower this risk for investors. The distribution and supply chain risks highlighted that the middleman in the oil production sector who is responsible for transporting and dealing with manufacturers and distributor faces high level of risks. The physical and environmental risks are also high in Canada due to its extreme climate and the rocky terrain of the land which makes extraction and digging difficult and time consuming. Additionally the social risks in the region are also present which relate to the conflicts attitudes of the French speaking and the English speaking Canadians. The SWOT analysis of the Oilpec Inc Company was also performed which identified that the strengths of the Oilpec Inc pertained to its knowledge and experience in the field of distribution, marketing, exploration, storage and refining of oil. The weaknesses of the company pertained to the stigma that is related with the oil companies in the minds of the people and the rising prices of oil which creates hardships for people in the worked. The opportunities that are available to the company pertain to the fact that the company can keep its operations costs low and offer consumers in the market with oil at lower prices. The threats that are faced by the company however include the high level of competition in the industry. Rationale for Selecting the Country The rationale for selecting Canada as a prospective region for operations for the Oilpec Inc Company was based on the strategic and risk analysis of the region. This analysis provided that the economy of the region is a fast growing one which is supported by the incrementing Canadian dollar and the increased economic activity. Moreover in Canada there is no currency restrictions placed on the repatriation of funds. Thus, in some cases, the repatriation may have tax consequences. In Canada, exchange rates are stable, so a foreign company will avoid these risks The policies of the region specific to immigration have allowed the country to have access to skilled people resources. Additionally while the crude oil sector in the region has a competitive industry, this allows new companies to enter in the market as by lowering barriers to entry. Additionally the legal environment is favorable for international companies, as Canada is a US oriented country with strong cultural and economic relations with the USA partners. This enables businesses form the United States to establish them selves in Canada with relative ease. Marketing Mix and Marketing Plan The target markets for the products to be manufactured by Oilpec Inc include all oil consumers in the international market. There exists intense competition in the industry for exploration, manufacture and distribution of crude oil in Canada and this requires a unique marketing strategy for the product by Oilpec Inc. The company

Lerisure and Tourism Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Lerisure and Tourism Marketing - Essay Example The principal analysis reveals that property in most of Darebin's suburbs is historically undervalued and this continues to attract residents and others from neighbouring regions to come and settle in the city. This trend is not strong enough to enable vigorous socio-economic development of the city, which is found to be disadvantaged in comparison to many other municipal council areas of Australia. So the report prepares a marketing strategy whereby this unique advantage Darebin has is utilised. The principal component of the strategy is to induce existing and lure outside investors, builders, architects, designers, property agents and others related to the trade to develop property in Darebin so that built-up space at attractive prices can be sold to outsiders. This venture is expected to generate employment as well as other local economic activities that can, together, benefit Darebin's disadvantaged population and uplift them to a higher status. Also, finally, the report states that it has been thoroughly responsible in seeking solutions that will benefit the existing population within Darebin instead of pushing them off somewhere else while replacing them with affluent outsiders.Contents 1. Introduction 4 1.1 SWOT Analysis: Significance 4-6 2. The Macro-Environment 6 2.1 Darebin Trends 7-9 2.2 Special Note 9 3. SWOT Analysis 9-11 4. Key Marketing Objectives 11 5. Conclusion 12 References 13 Bibliography 14 Word Count: 2892 (Including headings) 1. Introduction The City of Darebin may be taken to be a large municipality located in the northern suburbs of Melbourne in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is a local government area and comprises of 53 square kilometers (Darebin, Wikipedia, 2006). The city had a population of approximately 131,000 people (2002 Census) but the population is increasing. The local council website notes that though the area has been governed since the earliest times when white settlers set up their homes in the greater Melbourne area the modern City of Darebin was formed in June, 1994. It was formed by the amalgamation of the Cities of Preston, Northcote and small parts of the Cities of Coburg, Heidelberg and Diamond Valley (Darebin City Council, History Section, 2006). Since it is germane to the purpose of the report the exact geographical location of the municipality is being given. As mentioned earlier the city lies to the immediate north of Melbourne within the inner and middle metropolitan areas. It is bounded in the south by Heidelberg Road, to the north by Mahoneys Road, in the east by Darebin Creek and in the west by Merri Creek. It is comprised of seven principal suburbs of Kingsbury,

How can an Asian society preserve its traditional culture while Essay

How can an Asian society preserve its traditional culture while modernizing - Essay Example East Asia is presented by Inoguchi and Newman (1) as a value system in the context of an East-West dichotomy. Their thesis maintains that cultural values have underpinned the growth rates of East Asian countries and conditioned the orderly social and political characteristics of the region. Of cause, there are some common "Asian values", such as celebrating the community over individualism, the family as the basis of society, frugality, respect for learning, hard work, public duty, teamwork. Mahathir bin Mohamad cited in Inoguchi and Newman (1) notes that some explorers usually demean their argument by contrasting these with the breakdown of the family, decadence, hedonism, excessive individualism, lack of teamwork, fecklessness, and ill discipline in the West. At its most nonsensical, the dynamism and cohesion of East Asia is contrasted with the West's "moral degeneration" and its imminent social collapse, no less. Inoguchi and Newman (1) suggest an ascendancy of the "Asian way" of strong government, social conservatism and free market economics. The renaissance theme is common. It is interesting that some political leaders in the West have begun to "learn from the East" and use the rhetoric of this agenda in response to the perceived excesses of individualism and social deterioration. Reinvigorating community values and the public spirit is a popular theme. As China Daily (3) writes, culture, as heritage, includes both material or "built" aspects of culture such as sites, buildings, landscapes, monuments, and objects, as well as non-material or "living" heritage embodied in social practices, community life, values, beliefs, and expressive forms such as language, arts and handicrafts, music, dance and poetry. Non-material cultural heritage is characteristic of certain nationalities and is passed from generation to generation. A nation rich in cultural resources, China has an ocean of non-material cultural heritage including folk art, literature, opera and dance. But many of these precious traditions are under the threat of extinction with the modernization of the country. There is not enough awareness of what these cultural heritages are, let alone the necessary personnel, funding and legislative efforts to rescue and protect them. What's more worrying is that random tourism development in many local areas have misled people's understanding of aboriginal culture and have proved to be destructive to the maintenance of the original cultural ecology. (China Daily 3) China's long history has made the country heir to countless intangible cultural assets, but modern times have sent folk arts into a decline, as China Daily (4) writes. As the master craftsmen grow old and die, many of their precious traditional arts die with them. Pop songs are replacing local operas and cartoons are killing off shadow puppet plays. Most people see a centuries' old residential compound as shabby housing, while a section of an ancient city wall is merely an obstacle to traffic. The importance of traditional holidays such as the Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival are waning, too. In contrast, imports such as Christmas and Valentine's Day are gaining widespread attention. To those who are blindly enchanted by all that is new,

The US Environmental Protection Agency Essay Example for Free

The US Environmental Protection Agency Essay The US Environmental Protection Agency, USEPA or more commonly referred simply as the EPA, is federal agency responsible for the protection of the natural environment for the protection of human health and ecology. It was established under the President Richard Nixon in December 1970 and is currently being headed by Administrator Stephen L. Johnson (EPA, 2008a). The EPA acts through twelve administrative offices and ten regional offices: the administrative offices are in charge with the development and assessment of policies and regional offices are the serve as the primary executive arm of the agency (EPA, 2008b). Prior to the establishment of the agency, there was no national structure for addressing environmental concerns, develop legislation and management programs or to implement corrective measures. The EPA implements and monitors compliance to environmental protection statutes it establishes or as passed thorough by federal legislation (EPA, 2008a). Shortcomings of the agency are viewed not only as a failure of related policies but also an indication of the political will, ethical standards and social concern for the protection of the environment (Heilprin, 2008; Marris, 2007; Morrissey, 2008). Case in point: when policies are considered to be restrictive to industries, this relegates the ethical cost of violation of EPA regulations, encouraging subterfuge if not blatant opposition to policies. On the other hand, hesitation on the part of the EPA to implement polices and prosecute offenders diminishes the public’s interests and violates its functional mandates. Moreover, as Pelley (2008) and Sood (2008) have highlighted, the EPA’s mandate is extends far beyond its functions. It is designed to delivery in its fullest extent the intention behind environmental protection legislation and to provide framework standards of environmental and social responsibility. References Environmental Protection Agency (2008a).Available at http://www. epa. gov/ Environmental Protection Agency (2008b). Laws that We Administer. Retrieved July 13, 2008, from http://www. epa. gov/lawsregs/laws/index. html Heilprin, John (2006). Ex-EPA chiefs: Bush neglects environmental problems. USA Today On Deadline, January 18, 2008. Retrieved July 13, 2008, from http://blogs. usatoday. com/ondeadline/2006/01/exepa_chiefs_bu. html Marris, E. (2007). Car emissions are EPAs problem. Nature, 446(7136):589. Morrissey, Susan R. (2008). EPA Issues Nanotechnology White Paper Intra-agency group gives overview, identifies research needs for nanotech. Washington, DC: Environmental Protection Agency Pelley, Janet (2008). EPA toxicity risk assessments in crisis. Environmental Science Technology, March 21, 2008. Retrieved July 13, 2008, from http://pubs. acs. org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2008/may/policy/jp_iris. html Sood, Suemedha (2008). EPA Success Masks Problems. The Washington Independent, May 28, 2008. Retrieved July 13, 2008, from http://washingtonindependent. com/view/epa-cases-mask-long

Essay examples --

The overall attractiveness of the PC manufacturing business is affected by several factors. These include general macroeconomic conditions as well as industry specific factors such as the unique economic features of the industry, competitive forces, forces of change, the market position and expected behavior of the various competitors already in the industry, and the industry’s key success factors. This report examines each of these factors in turn to arrive at an overall assessment of the attractiveness of the industry, and the types of companies that would, or would not be, attracted to it. The analysis starts with an assessment of the macroeconomic conditions affecting the market The PC marketplace has plausibly grasped its maximum penetration in words of households and businesses. At this point, substitute due to wreck and obsolescence due to increasingly demanding requests are the main drivers of new PC by (see Pace of Technical Change – page 15). Substitute reports for 80% of U.S. PC purchases. As countless of these demanding requests are in the home-computer marketplace dema...

Importance of Family Essay

THE FAMILY AS THE BASIC UNIT OF SOCIETY The family unit – principally a man and a woman living together in harmony and peace – is and always will be the basic social organization or unit of any society. This relationship alone provides stability in a sexual, emotional, intellectual and social way as no other can. This statement may seem prejudiced or biased against other forms of social organization, but it has proven true over hundreds and even thousands of years. Other forms of societal organization include most people remaining single or unattached, homosexuality, or various forms of collective living arrangements that are called free love societies, communes, kibbutz living in some cases, and others. To the best of my knowledge, none of these have worked out on a large scale nearly as well as what is called a monogamous man-woman relationship in terms of stability and happiness for the couple, and for the society as a whole. When the families are strong, society is strong, as a rule. When families are weak, societies begin to break down. This is the important concept of this article. EXACTLY WHAT IS MEANT BY A FAMILY? A family is a unit of two dedicated to healing, even if they do not enunciate it or even understand it fully. It means two who are happy to be together, who want to be together, and who deeply love one another, even though it can just be friends, for example, or a parent and a child. This is what is meant by a family in this article. Stated differently, the definition of family is two living in a close personal relationship. Close relationships most often exist between family members, but not always by any means. Couples may live together for years and not be that close, for example. In fact, close relationships often develop among friends of either sex, work colleagues, and perhaps in other situations such as members of a sports team who work and play together constantly, for example. This is important to understand. They don’t even need to live in the same town or know each other personally, as long as they love each other enough. Also, those living under the same roof must be in a close relationship. Just because two are roommates, for example, or even sexual partners living together, married, church-going, or just â€Å"shacking up†, as they call it, does not mean they are a family because they must be in a close, loving relationship with each other. One in relationship with the other, if it is not returned, is not good enough. They both must feel the same way about each other, and this is the key. The rest of this article deals with various topics related to those living in families, or in close relationships, as explained in the preceding paragraphs. HEALING WITHIN FAMILIES – EMPATHIC BLENDING IN FAMILIES An interesting phenomenon that can be used for healing, but which can also have negative effects, is called empathic blending. It occurs in all close relationships, including, of course, within many families. It is a slight blending of the aura or energy fields of individuals who live together or even those who just work together or recreate together. However, it is much stronger in those who are in intimate relationships and having sex together. This interesting phenomenon has been known for thousands of years, but is rarely discussed. It can help bind a family or relationship together and help heal all members of a family. Unfortunately, it sometimes also causes problems in families if the man and woman are not that compatible. What  this means is that at times, two in a relationship have issues that do not blend well. Each can bring out the worst aspects of another, for example, instead of the best. For more on this topic, read Empathic Blending on this website. MALE-FEMALE BLENDING IN FAMILIES This is a subset or type of empathic blending that occurs only between members of the opposite sex. It does not occur in homosexual relationships, and it is one reason these relationships are always inferior to a good man-woman relationship. Two of the same sex may blend empathically, and often do. But only a man and a woman can blend in a very special way. For the same reason, it will not occur in members of an all-male or all-female sports team, work team, etc. This type of blending is similar to other empathic blending, but much stronger and much more able to cause healing in both parties. It is a powerful advantage to having friends of the opposite sex, a wife or husband, and even having children, at times. Children and parents. Interestingly, this type of blending can be done between a male parent and a female child, and conversely, between a female parent and a male child. It can even occur between siblings of the opposite sex, too, although this is not nearly as common. To read more about this very exciting method of healing, read Male-Female Blending on this website. OTHER TYPES OF UNUSUAL HEALING IN FAMILIES AND IN OTHER CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS A phenomenon we observe within families, and within all close relationships, is that when one person begins to heal, particularly a parent, often the partner and the children also experience a degree of healing. This occurs even when the others are not following a nutritional balancing program at all. I call it healing by osmosis, because I don’t know what else to name it. This phenomenon may be due to empathic blending, described in a paragraph above. However, it may be also be due to other factors, such as less stress in the home, better food in the home, more of a healing atmosphere in the home, or something else. In addition to these reasons, other reasons help explain unusual healing in those who in close relationships such as in families. For example, as one heals, he or she serves as an example to the other and perhaps as an inspiration to the other. As one heals, the body becomes more capable of love, and this felt by the other As one heals, some nutrients are actually transferred to the other in sexual fluids, for example, or in saliva in kissing. This may sound odd, but these are factors in healing within families or close relationships only. THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY UNDER ATTACK EVERYWHERE For the past 100 years of so, the family unit in America and Europe, in particular, has been under constant attack. The attack has been coming from work outside of the home, two parents having to work, the school system that takes away authority of parents, and a much more intrusive government that also takes away the rights and powers of parents to control their children and even their homes. Unemployment is very hard on families, and there is plenty of that in Europe, particularly. Pressure from Anti-Christian groups such as gay rights advocates and even some women’s advocate groups has also forced the passage of laws that discourage marriage. The growth of the welfare system is another anti-family factor. These systems often contain incentives to have children out of wedlock, for example, in order to collect more money from the government. Asia has much less of these pressures, but they are growing on a daily basis. Communism, for example, practiced still today in Russia, China, and other large nations, has a devastating effect on the family. Also, Asia has other problems, such as a traditional hierarchical male-dominated culture that may  seem to support the family, but really is very hard on women, and impedes the development of deep love between men and women among the population. Other nations, such as those in the Middle East, insist on rules and regulations that are so rigid and strict that they may hold society together, but they stop love from developing because the roles of man and wife are too rigidly defined. The Muslim world has some serious family problems. Here the family unit is strong, but in some homes the male dominates and the women are treated so badly that they cannot love their husbands and children correctly. I hope someday soon this will stop. Some of the best family units are found among the Jewish families and some of the Asian cultures, such as the Chinese and Koreans. Even here, however, divorce rates are rising and the traditional family is under attack. THE NEED TO RESTORE THE INTEGRITY OF THE FAMILY The above leads us to the need to clarify, correct and realize the importance of the traditional family unit and restore it legally, culturally, socially, and in every other way as well. This is also a goal of nutritional balancing science. It must begin with each person understanding the need for very high-quality relationships, and then acting at all levels of society to push for a more family-friendly society. The kind of reforms needed in society include: 1. Legislative action and tax reform to encourage marriage. This means that married couples should have tax advantages, which is not true today. Often it is the opposite. Also laws must clearly define marriage as the relationship between one many and one woman. All other arrangements of living and sexuality must not be given equal recognition or equal treatment under the law. This means no gay marriage, no homosexual or gay rights laws, and no gay-friendly legislation at all. This sounds harsh, but gay rights laws are the worst thing for the traditional family today. It also means that polygamy must be banned altogether. It does not matter if all members of a polygamous community like the arrangement. It does not work well and it is usually a cult. For more on this topic, read Cults and Terror Societies on this site. Tax credits should be given for having children, but only if a couple is married and filing jointly. Society should not be giving tax credits to single parent households of the same magnitude, as it encourages promiscuity and single-parent households. I know this is a difficult area, but it is important to strengthen and protect traditional marriage. 2. Legislative action and tax reform to strengthen families. Here are examples of laws and tax arrangements that favor the family unit in society: Smaller government favors families. This is because power in society is always shared between individuals and their families, and the government. The more power and scope of the government, the less power and scope the family will have. Laws that should be abolished to assist the family are all laws that allow schools to give out condoms and birth control pills without parental consent, and all laws that allow minor children to obtain abortions and even driver’s licenses without parental consent. Some states claim they can vaccinate children without parental consent, and some allow medical treatment without parental consent. All these laws destroy the integrity and strength of the family unit and ought to be repealed. I realize that repealing these laws will permit some abuse by uncaring or unthinking parents. However, this is better than an across-the-board rule that damages the family, which is still the best hope for children in the entire world. Government welfare agencies do not do a good job, overall, and I would not expect them to do so. They are too distant and too â€Å"professional† to care deeply enough about the children. Similarly, judges and juries should not have the right to remove minor children from the home unless the abuse is obvious and severe. Low taxes strongly favor the family unit and family integrity. Much higher taxes for everyone today is forcing two parents to work outside of the home and to send children to government or private daycare centers and pre-schools. This is horrendous for families. While in some nations, the poor and even middle classes do not pay income taxes, they pay for taxes that are hidden in every product and service that they buy. This is the case especially in America and Europe where corporate taxes are high. These are hidden taxes on all products that can account for up to half the cost of the product such as a car, food, clothing, building materials and other necessities. This is why corporate tax rates should be zero. Tax income, tax consumption, or tax imports and exports, but do not tax in hidden ways such as corporate taxes that no one can see and that are regressive, meaning they harm the poor much more than they harm the wealthy because the poor must spend a lot more of their income on necessities, while the rich can easily afford the taxes on goods and services such as electricity, etc. Laws that permit, encourage and even pay one parent to stay at home with children and teach them favor the family strongly. Parents should be discouraged from both working outside the home, and young children should be at home. If a parent does not want to raise a child at home, he or she should not become a parent. It is that simple. Home schooling favors the family unit. In the same vein, home schooling must be encouraged, not attacked, as it is in many nations, including the United States of America. Home schooling is the ideal, and should not be considered a deviant or religious or unusual concept. It is far better, according to statistics, than any school situation. Home schooling parents should not have to pay school taxes, for example, and perhaps should be compensated so that a parent can stay home and teach rather than have to take a job outside the home and send the child to public or private schools. No death taxes favor the family. Death taxes are also called estate taxes. They do not allow some families to pass on their wealth to their children,  or anyone else. Instead, the government takes a large portion of their money, even though they have already paid taxes on that income. Families should be permitted to pass on their wealth, as it is theirs and they often worked hard for it. The government has no right to it, having already taxed it once or perhaps twice. Tort reform strongly favors families and employment. It is important that if one is truly injured, that one can sue for damages. However, the situation in America, in particular, but also in Europe in which attorneys are able to sue basically innocent people for all sorts of frivolous reasons places great strain and a huge financial burden on everyone. It raises the price of all goods and services, frightens away many businesses and keeps good products off the market. It also supports a class of parasitic attorneys who make good money often by ruining other people’s lives. There are simple answers for this problem, but the trial lawyers lobby, and their political allies – the Democratic party – has so far prevented them from being implemented, especially in the United States. The solutions include: 1. Simplify legal proceedings so that people do not need attorneys to represent them and can handle simple cases themselves. This is certainly possible, but judges and attorneys don’t like the idea. It is similar to learning how to take care of your health, which the doctor’s don’t like. Court proceedings, rules of evidence, rules of discovery, motions, and so on can be made simpler. 2. The loser in a suit should pay all court and attorney fees. This is the system in Great Britain and some other nations. It can stop some frivolous lawsuits, especially in the health care area, but also in product safety. 3. Attorneys must not be allowed to disqualify jurors at their whim. The only reason to disqualify a juror should be a direct conflict of interest, perhaps. The current system today allows sharp attorneys to get rid of potential jurors whom they sense they cannot manipulate or influence. This  should not be the way the jury system works and it makes a mockery of the jury system. 4. It may be necessary to place a cap on damages. This is more complex, especially in a class action lawsuit but sometimes juries are talked into awarding far too much money for damages because attorneys take a percentage for themselves. A capitalist economic system, with controls to prevent corporate raiding and cheating, tends to favor families, while socialism is usually even more corrupt and it destroys families. It does this because the government gains so much power that the family becomes secondary to government, which becomes the nanny, the provider, the police force and everything else. This must be taught and the reasons for it thoroughly understood in society. The basic reason is that a large, powerful government always competes for power with the family, so it is inherently inimical to the family. In contrast, a weak government allows the family unit to have more power over itself and over society. It is not an accident that the weakest families occur in communist and socialist nations, while the strongest are found in the capitalist nations. Private and not socialized, nationalized or â€Å"universal† health care helps the family unit. Caring for one’s health and that of the children are extremely important issues that are best handled within families. This is because they have to do with diet, lifestyle, thinking patterns and other personal habits that are learned and practiced in families. In general, when people are forced into a governmental system, the family loses a lot of power and control over this important area of life. If the government system were perfect, it would not be so bad. However, all governmental systems are more costly, the dietary recommendations are often poor, bureaucrats are distant and don’t care as much for people as private doctoring arrangements, and waste and corruption are worse. Also, just turning over control of this vital area of life is a bad idea. Even the HMO or PPO system in the USA, which is based on private insurance but herds people into groups with little choice in health care, is not good for family integrity and strength. This is just one reason why Obamacare, for example, in the USA, will not work and must be repealed at once before it further bankrupts the USA, which it is doing and with no good results. It is just socialism, and that is harmful for families, as explained above. Freedom, in general, is wonderful for the family. Repression in society works against families. Freedoms of religion, of speech, of assembly, the right to bear arms and all the freedoms that some nations permit are helpful for the family as they weaken governmental power and encourage responsibility and power to be centered in the family. Denying the people freedom weakens the family in all cases. Traditional religions and, in general, religious freedom tend to favor the family unit. However, too much repression in the religion harms families by several means. Repressing women, for example, leads to anger and hatred of women for men and for the religious leaders. Also, if the family roles are so rigidly defined, some will rebel and avoid families altogether. They also, of course, may just leave the religion, but this is not always possible, as with Islam. As these legal and other changes occur, and only when they occur, we can expect to see great improvements and restoration of our societies. They will be safer, more sane, healthier, with far more emphasis on spiritual values and the dignity of each individual soul. All will be happier and life will be far more worthwhile and enjoyable for women, in particular, for our children, and for everyone. Easy divorce laws have mixed effects upon families. On one hand, they make it easy for a selfish parent to basically abandon their children or â€Å"steal† them from a partner. They may also leave a former partner stranded without financial support at all, or very little. On the other hand, very strict divorce laws that existed in the past kept families together where there was physical or emotional abuse, or just terrible unhappiness. This is not ideal for families, either. Many people say that the traditional family is dead, as evidenced by the high divorce rates in the Western world, in particular. However, they forget that although the divorce rate is high, the remarriage rate is also very high. In other words, many people do not want to be single. They just want to be with the right type of person. If they are not, then they are more likely today than in the past to split up and move on to what is often, though not always, a better marriage the second time around. When children are involved, the situation is more complex. Children need a stable home and they need love – plenty of it. So it is more complicated. Here one must use good judgment and try to avoid selfishness. Selfishness is often the problem and the reason that a couple does not blend and heal one another. Laws favoring easy abortions probably harm families. This is an ongoing debate in the USA, though not much in Europe. ALL abortions terminate a life, and some women suffer psychological damage from abortions, even if they are not fully aware of it. I particularly dislike the Planned Parenthood approach, often, in which young women are just told they can get their abortion right away, no one needs to know about it, and that is all there is to it. However, those who favor abortions rightly point out that women perhaps should have more control over their reproductive abilities, especially in case of rape, incest, and all conditions in which the health and well-being of the mother or even the father is at stake. So I suspect this issue will be debated for many years. I believe anti-abortion laws are there to protect women in many cases, and this is how they should be â€Å"sold† or promoted. They help women avoid psychological damage that comes with abortions, they help prevent infections and other problems of abortions, and they help the family in many cases, which helps women the most. If the family does not want another child, then put it up for adoption. Encouraging monogamous man-woman relationships is by far best for the family. Sadly, this is not what is taught in schools today. Politically correct teachers often stress that homosexuality, communal living, open marriage and other â€Å"alternatives† are just as good as the traditional one man-one woman relationship. I believe this is a lie in most cases, due to the nature and construction of human beings. I believe there exist certain differences between men and women that are often subtle, but very real. Living together, they tend to balance one another, help one another, heal one another, and love one another better than any other type of arrangement. This does not mean that in a few cases a different type of relationship is best, but I am speaking in general terms of what seems to work best for the great majority of people in our world. I strongly believe that if this were not so, we would see around the world plenty of societies in which marriage is not supported or practiced much, and instead we would see much more of other living arrangements such as homosexuality or just staying single and living alone or in one’s family of origin during one’s entire lifespan. But we do not see this very much among the thousands of human societies of every race and religion. This is not an indictment of other ways to live socially, just an observation. For this reason, I want to suggest that laws should protect, proclaim, educate and demand that the young are taught this truth, and nothing else.

Engage In Personal Development Essay

1.1 Describe the duties and responsibilities of own work role Job description 1.2 And 3.1 Explain expectations about own work role as expressed in relevant standards. Evaluate own knowledge, performance and understanding against relevant standards. A day in the life at my setting. Arriving at my setting each day I am required to sign in and note down the time. I put my bag in a safe and secure place so children cannot access. I check the message board and liaise with other staff members for any important updates. We have a child with a food intolerance so I informed the cook to make them aware the child was catered for at all meals during the day. My 1st hour was spent upstairs with the toddlers aged between 2 and 3 years. I then checked the planner to see what activities we had for that day. Today I set up the drawing table ensuring there was enough paper, crayons and chairs available for all the children present. I sat with the children whilst they joined in with the activity. Talking to the children about what they were doing and describing all the different colours, sizes, shapes etc. This was promoting their speech and language development and using creative skills too. Whilst supervising this activity I decided to complete a short observation on one of t he children as she began to count and sing. I was interacting with all of the children trying to maintain interest. After a short while it was then time to tidy away all the equipment from the actives in which we encourage the children to help too. Once the room was tidy we decided to take the children outside in to the garden. Most of our toddlers are able to collect and put on their coats which we also encourage to do but some children are unable to achieve this at the moment. I helped to escort the children safely down the stairs ensuring they hold on to the rail and do a head count to make sure all children were present. I performed the outdoor risk assessment using the  daily check list. The children then are supervised using the toilet and washing their hands ready for lunch. I seat the children down at the tables ensuring they have cleaned their hands and they have adequate space to eat. I supply them all with a drink and we sing songs whilst the food is being dished out. I have prepared the child’s food separately who has the food intolerance ensuring they receive the correct meal . The child is also supervised eating to ensure they do not mix foods with the other children. Some children have not developed the skills to cut their own food so I will assist with helping them to do that. Ensuring the meals are cool enough I then give each child a meal and always remind them of good manners by saying â€Å"please† and â€Å"thank you†. If children do not like the meal or try to refuse it I will always encourage them to try it. If I am working alongside the babies the above applies except some of the babies are too young to feed themselves and have not yet developed those skills. Babies will also need help with bottle feeding. I would also prepare the bottle feeds following the nursery policy. Ensuring correct formula is mixed and all bottles have been sterilised. Back in the toddler room, a child was struggling with their food and looked like they was choking. I immediately helped the child by taking the food out of their mouth with my little finger. The child became distressed so I comforted them until they were able to return to their meal. Meal times are always supervised by all members of staff to help with any incidents like this. All meal times are recorded in the daily chart. This is where we write down what the child has eaten so we can relay this back to the parents/carers. When the children have finished their meal I help to clean the children up and get them ready for their afternoon sleep. I assist with the toileting and other members of staff will go through the nappy change routine. The children in the toddler room go to find their own sleep mats with the aid of their name and picture tag. Most children will remove their own footwear but again some have not yet developed those skills, so I will help. Some children have their own comforters which I put out for them and I help to get them off to sleep with gentle patting. Once the children are asleep, I ensure the room monitors are on and working, make sure the room temperature is ok and all the children have their own blankets and they are safe. I then record each child in the daily sleep chart. This chart is for ours and parents benefits. We record when they sleep and when they wake up. As some children are only allowed a certain amount of sleep, this will help us to know when we have to wake them up. I then check on the children in the sleep room every 10 minutes with the aid of a timer. When children wake from their afternoon sleep they are always asked to use the toilet. Some children are upset when they awake so I will always comfort them. The afternoon usually consists of taking the children outside for free play. I get all their coats bags etc together and help to put their coats on. On this occasion it was a nice sunny day so I applied their own sun cream following the nursery sun cream policy. I ensure they have sun hats and the sun cream is applied liberally. Before we go outside I take 4 children at a time down the stair and reiterate the importance of holding the hand rail. A head count is once again recorded and an outdoor check is done following the outdoor risk assessment. The toddlers are escorted outsi de counting each child as they go. They are shortly followed by the children/babies from the tiny room downstairs and they all play in the same garden. The children are supervised with in ratio. As its free play time, I leave the children to play but some children like me to join in with what they are playing with. Child A is playing with a dolls pram and child B is trying to take that away from them. I intervene and explain to child B â€Å"we do not take toys from our friends when they are playing with them, it’s not very kind†. Child B is upset so I took the child away and provided them with another toy to distract them from child A. This works very well and child B goes off playing happily alone with the other toy. Child A is also happy and also continues to play. Shortly after another incident happened where a child has fallen and bumped their head. As I comfort the child I asked another staff member to get a cold compress. This is applied to the child for 10 minutes whilst still trying to comfort the child. The head bump is not too bad and the child soon calms down and returns playing. I then completed an accident form following nursery policy. This is then signed by the parent when the child is collected. During the afternoon, parents/carers come to collect their children. I greet the parents and explain what their child has been doing throughout the day, taking the information off the daily record sheet. We usually have a short chat with the parents/carers about the child’s day and will also take interest in their day too. We have a good  relationship with our parents/carers and this also helps us to get to know the parents/carers and children too. After all the children have gone home, we tidy round and ensure the nursery is ready for the next day ahead. 2.1 Explain the importance of reflective practice in continuously improving the quality of service provided. The nursery setting is always changing is so many different ways. We have new children being welcomed in to the setting and then we have children going through different types of transitions. The service we provide must reflect the needs of the children and by constantly improving our services we can better meet the need of the children and support their development. By constantly reflecting on out practice we can assess where we may be lacking in skills or knowledge and we can update these regularly to keep our services up to date and as supportive to the children as possible. A good example on reflective practice is, we have a child that has developed an intolerance to milk, dairy products etc. We have briefed all staff members with information regarding lactose free diet for this child. We have a couple of children who have turned 2 years and have completed the transition u pstairs to the toddler room. This meant we have more babies downstairs in our tiny room and the room has been slightly equipped with more age relevant toys and equipment. If we did not reflect on this, it could hinder the development of the younger babies. Everyone makes mistakes – they are one way of learning. It is important not to waste your mistakes, so if something has gone wrong, make sure you learn from it. Discuss problems and mistakes with your supervisor, and work out how to do things differently next time. You can use reflective skills in order to learn from situations that have not worked out the way you planned. It is important that you consider carefully why things turned out the way they did and think about how you will ensure that they go according to plan next time. Talking to colleagues and supervisors is equally useful when things work out really well, as it is important to reflect on success as well as failure. If you reflect on why something worked, this will make it more likely that you can repeat it. Information taken from http://www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk/ 2.3 Describe how own values, belief systems and experiences may affect  working practices What we believe in, what we see as important and what we see as acceptable or desirable is an essential part of who we are. The way in which we respond to people is linked to what we believe in, what we consider important and what interests us. We may find we react positively to people who share our values and less warmly to people who have different priorities. As a professionals, we are required to provide the same quality of support for all, not just for those who share our views and beliefs. The key term here is Diversity – being different; people are unique according to their own background, culture, personality, race, any disability, gender, religion/belief, sexual orientation and age. 4.1 Identify sources of support for planning and reviewing own development. Personal development is to do with developing the personal qualities and skills that everyone needs in order to live and work with others, such as understanding, empathy, patience, communication and relationship-building. It is also to do with the development of self-confidence, self-esteem and self-respect. In my setting there is always support for planning and reviewing my own development. I have already opted to improve my skills and development with a couple of course due to start in December 2014. You need to have these goals in mind; †¢ What you are trying to achieve? †¢ How you are you going to achieve it? †¢ How you will be able to tell when you have achieved it? It’s also helpful to further your development by asking other team members, duty manager and managers. We have a fantastic team who are very helpful and are ready to give any help and advice to anyone who needs it. At my setting there are many text books, magazines and brochures with vital information I can look through if I feel need some extra information in a certain topic of interest to further my development. We also have regular appraisals to guide and encourage further development and to also discuss current work practice. I feel this is extremely important. This not only boosts self-esteem but also gives management a chance to reflect on your work practice and if there is any further development training needed. Ref: http://www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk