Compilation of Poems, Short Fiction and Non-Fiction Stories

How it's like to be Invisible It's kind of a nerdy question, but it always seems to come up. You'll be hanging out with a few friends and someone will ask, â€Å"If you could have any superpower you wanted, what would it be? Most people can't answer right away because there?s so many to choose from. But not me, know exactly what I'd pick, hands down, overtime invisibility. Just think about invisibility for a second. No one can see you. You're there but not there. You could be in the same room with someone, standing inches away, and they wouldn't realize it.Sure, they could reach out and touch you if they wanted – but would they? They wouldn't know you were there! An invisible person could be watching e this very second, and if not for the fact that my super hearing allows me to detect a heartbeat any'. Where in the world, I'd have no way of knowing. Go stand in front of a mirror. Now imagine there's no one looking back at you. Or what it would be like if you hold your hands d irectly in front of your face and saw nothing but the wall on the other side if the room. That's impossible right? That simply does not happen!For me, invisibility is the best superpower, without a doubt. Honestly don't know why people even have this discussion. The only downside to invisibility can think of – and given this lot of thought – is how tempting it would be to abuse it. For instance, it would be very easy to rob a bank. Could just stand in the lobby, totally unnoticed by anyone and wait until everyone went home for the evening. Then with the whole building to myself, could simply walk up, rip the vault door off its hinges and fill my money bags at the speed of light. But with power like that I just need to be very careful.In any case I realize it's a silly fantasy. It's never going to happen and theft how it's always going to be. There is no getting around the limitations of the real world. It's fun to ponder through. Come to think of it, it'd also be cost to have an elastic body and be able to stretch my arms and legs twenty feet or something. That'd be amazing. Can you imagine? In state of Coma And then suddenly, I just woke up in the middle of a spacious galactic vastness where my footsteps somehow reached the info unity but still finding myself wandering in the same old place.I feel nothing but the serenity of voices I hear randomly everywhere, as I continued walking in the path of uncertainty, I bumped in a dead end wall. I started to shiver in fear as the wall gradually pushed itself as if its about to crush me into pieces. I cannot do anything but to scream in a world am the only one existing, as if the walls duplicated themselves to put me inside a shrinking cube of darkness. Eventually, I began hearing random voices inflicting despair and agony around the vicinity of my perfectly working ears.I hear my name as it is being called several times with the murmurs and sounds of grief that pinch my heart to explode as devastating a s a volcanic eruption. I cannot move my arms or any parts of my body. â€Å"Help! I'm trapped inside these four walls. I'm being squeezed and can barely breathe. â€Å"Toot, toot, toot, toot†¦ † – the only mound that can distinguish coming from a man-made machine that emphasizes how stable the vitals of a person are. I finally remember now, was hit by a car on my way home, and perhaps I'm under a medical custody.A Poem about Marriage A promise of a lifetime and eternal fusion Binding two completely different persons, Both grown-ups of glee, and dosages of laments Epitomized by a rounded finger ornament Even procrastination would not turn back time Its sacrament means ‘two' must never sublime â€Å"For richer or for poorer, for better or for worst† In the altar you acknowledge, love may be cursed. A pledge where we crack holy names and scriptures Words that are sacred and shall not devour with time Union of two souls are meant not by the skies But the one who sees us, in ethereal disguise. One's longevity is not a mere necessity.For at once we promised in the presence of deity One may forget in mind all the memories But never in the heart, which knows camaraderie For it all begins with the words â€Å"l love you† And a box of sweet chocolates, flowers in red hue Always bear in mind, marriage is something to ponder, Indeed an obligation, bound to last forever A Poem about Change Change is just a cause; time and space is its agent, A crucial process brought by either fame or torment Even a photograph, would seem just imperfect You'd only see appearance? That's simply incorrect. All these people can do, around you is to whisper What can only be heard? A version that is newer? † â€Å"Is that him, is that you? † You seem a little different While you walk with glamour, along the crowded pavement You were hurt, and once lost, that is actually overt All your pain and sufferings, you considered like dirt. When you ca me back they thought, you're the person they once knew Its just so surprising; your voice is their only clue! Change is a reflection of what things you've gone through That is why there's no doubt, it transformed the whole you You're not that one person, who knows pain and blue Until you leave your homeland, on an airplane, you flew.Perhaps, that is just, how life really goes on, That you walk on earth and then everything is gone We change for the better or either for the worst Unanswered question: Do we need to be hurt first? A Poem about Faith in God Oh Lord God is it true? That you are soon to come? Because for quite a long time, you let me be lonesome. Help me understand, that your existence is true Because somehow in my heart, know there is You. Overtime I fall, get wounds that never heal It somewhat tears my belief, that heaven is for real. They say You died for our sins, and was crucified Maybe you're just a myth, or maybe I'm just blind.For years, I didn't go to church at le ast to say thank you Come on, judge me, may have forgotten you too. But wonder in spite all the wrongdoings I had Blessings rain like shower- makes me smile when I'm sad. Sometimes think you're an invisible entity You're there but not there, now believe serendipity You just do not speak, through your mouth or your hands Even I forget you, you never reprimand. Wrote this poem not because its a requirement But because I believe You, and your wise judgment And for that I will rate you, a grade of ten For my endless devotion, Hallelujah, Amen!A Poem about Hope Every ray of the sun that shines the green leafy meadows, Begins a day to be distant from tears and rear shadows For every breath that we take, for every smile that we see Is the knowledge that there's hope, in our life there's always glee For each day that passes through is a new fight that awaits A battle with the fortune, where we need a little faith Every day may not be good; we know life is a roulette Thank God, He loves us, though we're as dark as a silhouette Hoping perhaps is something we could all ever do,For penthouse we don't know if we can still make it through But there's always something to ponder, when our life gets rough â€Å"For every rain, comes the rainbow – that will make us all tough Never ever be afraid to wake up in the morning And think that life is over – that it only means nothing. Together with the glory that the world offers us, is a whispering sound, saying â€Å"strive harder and surpass†. A leaf may wither like our hair when it turns white, Life may seem to be darker than the middle of the night But even if the darkest night hides the glow of the little moon, Don't forget to go with the flow and to dance with its tune.A Poem about Betrayal You knocked at my humble door, and so I opened it up, That is how you have gain my trust, as quicker as a nap didn't wonder how fragile it was, since the day we met, until you managed to betray me, and I felt like death . You walked into my life, like dancing papers in the wind, It was smooth ‘twats graceful; on my wall our pictures are pinned. You left me so much to remember, memories indeed. Tell me what is the reason, why you have changed quite rapid!What I've given you was something, which for me was priceless It was trust that you have broken, how could you not care less? A round of applause for our very well-done performance, For making me believe, it's a non-fictional romance Still fresh in my memory when you told me to trust you, That we'll never be apart and I'm your â€Å"my only you†. Easy come, easy go? You're like common people I know, Now you ask for my trust again? Well my answer is no. What you've done was something which is not irreversible, Betraying me was your choice? Go read yourself a bible.Find the story about Judas, and please learn your lesson, â€Å"Trust is only given once, be a trustworthy person† If Only I Knew Nothing could ever be more exciting tha n the night before the day of school field trip. Tell me if Pm wrong? And so right now, time check it's 10:PM, 6 hours, and 13 minutes left as I countdown before I ride that fully air- conditioned Wi-If equipped bus. My travel bag can be my home! Almost everything need is here. Have cookies, principles, sandwiches, sweaters, orange juices, chocolates, my favorite Sponge pillow and my gadgets.Meanwhile, really can't sleep, so I turned on my laptop and watched some movies. After watching two Science Fiction movies, my mom came into my room and yelled at me. She told me to go to sleep so could have energy for tomorrow. Its 3:AMA, 2 hours left before the trip, and so decided to take a AP. Data! It's field trip time! I'm awake now. I ran quickly to take a shower and afterwards, had my breakfast and I've changed my clothes, too. Then my mom sent me to school. Wow! Here is my bus now.But something seems not right; the right tire at the back part of the bus is quite flat, I was about to tel l it to the driver but my teacher scolded me, and told me to quickly get inside because the bus was leaving and so did. I am seated at the very back part of the bus, you know, where I can lie down and have some rest while we travel. Meanwhile, think I know I'm already asleep, but it was a shallow one. I can still hear the engine of the bus, the chattering noise of my classmates, and a bit of hording from other cars stuck on the same traffic.After like, maybe forty-five minutes? Our bus has escaped the traffic and think we're now passing through the fields. This time have really fallen into a deep sleep. Just before I have my visit to dreamland, there was this weird screeching and banging sound that heard and at the same time there were a lot of people screaming for help. I couldn't care less. Maybe I'm already in dreamland and those strange noises that heard were just some sort of my imagination. I ally had a very long sleep.But I'm just right on time; we've just arrived in our dest ination, but I'm a bit worried because the tour guide who's been waiting for us would not talk to my teacher, my teacher kept on poking her but she never looked back. So, my teacher gathered all of her students, and that includes me and she said if the tour guide wont pay attention to us, then perhaps she'll be the tour guide. â€Å"Very well said ma'am! Let's go! † I said in intense excitement. Our teacher started touring us first in the Zoo. There were really lots of awesome creatures I've never seen in person before!Vie en a tarsier, an owl, an alligator, lion, tiger, parrot, a hippo, a kangaroo and there's this one animal that really stunned me, it was the shark. I'm really enjoying this trip. I could touch every animal and they do not get aggressive at all! – Specially the lion. Next stop – Enchanted Kingdom! This is it, my chance to face my fear of heights. I called three of my buddies to join me ride the Ferris wheel; navy we've got free access to all the rides. Was just a bit disgusted; the guard didn't even assist us So that We could be safe!And another thing, a Ferris wheel slot can accommodate 3 persons, but he kept eying that our seat is vacant! He's so mean. Just because were little kids he would say that? Thank God he already let us have the spin. Anyway, this is supposed to be a happy day, so even if there are people trying to ruin it, me and my buddies will just give them a smile. It was really very exhausting yet fulfilling. We've enjoyed the entire field trip. My 300 peso pocket money remained still in my bag. Time check, it's already PM, and its our call time to go back to the bus.But this trip wouldn't be so remarkable if I wont be buying any souvenir items. So I walked with haste into the souvenir shop – which eventually made me a bit passed off again, because the store owner kept ignoring me. Well, anyway, saw the shirt that caught my interest and so I grabbed it and just put my payment on the cashier's table. I hurriedly ran back to our bus because I'm afraid it may leave me behind. I don't know how I can come back home if that happens. Again, I'm just right on time. The bus is leaving and so I hopped up and proceeded to my special seat.It was really tiring that I've managed to fall quickly into a deep sleep. I dreamt of beautiful things in my life. I saw mom, I saw dad, my puppy â€Å"Bummed†, and they were all smiling at me. However, upon my deep sleep, I didn't notice the bus is already at the front of our house, my buddies woke me up. I got up and said goodbye to them. I reached home at exactly 1 1:PM. I'm very excited to see mom, I couldn't wait to tell her a lot of fascinating stories I had during the trip, but as stepped into our living room, she was there knitting, the television is turned on in the news channel.I was touched to see her repair my favorite dress – though it's too late and I cannot use it anymore in the fielder, she still carries on. I'm surprised I h ave a picture in a frame she just put on the table, she ever did that. I thought she was about to welcome me back home. I thought of it much of a surprise. But then she suddenly started weeping. I said â€Å"Mom? I'm home! Why are you crying? † bought a souvenir. A white shirt from EEK! Here! Take a look! † I am terrified, really, really terrified. If this is a joke, it's not funny anymore! â€Å"Mom! I'm here! Please pay attention! I did everything to make her look at me, but she just kept ignoring me like I'm just a part of the air. She still remained sobbing. She has finished knitting. She folded it and put in right beside my framed picture on the table. I sat beside her as she etches the news. It was breaking news, a road accident, â€Å"A bus collides with a delivery truck† I was shocked, because the bus looks just like the one I rode on the trip. It kind of like catches my interest because it says in the news that it was also heading into the Zoo for a sch ool field trip activity. Such a coincidence!The sad thing about this tragedy is that all of the passengers died – the teacher and the students. Not one managed to survive. Watched as the rescuers release the corpse from within the mangled bus. My tears suddenly fell off my eyes. My cheeks turned red as I witness the last corpse Ewing taken out of the bus – was me, it was me†¦. The Zero Visibility The Earth was one once called the II Verdure, where all the inhabitants were not humans but mutants called â€Å"Material†. Creatures that are capable of physically morphing into something or someone they want to be once they were able to touch the object or person they desire to copy.But their rules prohibit all of the Material citizens to use this skill as it can be very deceiving to anyone and it is considered a mortal sin for them. Their god is the Nature. They don't have spirits. But they also have feelings and emotions. They reproduce by hand contact. They br eathe through the existence of one another. Each Material breathes sulfur. When one Material dies, the one, or the thing he copied also vanishes. They don't have divergent personality. They are all the same two-legged creatures.But there is one special yet abominable gift each Material gets when they are born on El Verdure and this is the only thing divergent about them. Material gets the power to control one of any of the nature's wrath; volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, snow storms and lightning. However, there is only one in a million chance for a particular Material citizen to possess the ability of controlling the superior power of the Earthquake and many has believed that it will never get to exist again. About CHOICE, the Earth stood to be the only planet existing in the universe.It is said to be that the Earth measures twenty times its size compare to the present time. However, this changed when one Material, decided to break free. Matisse's government system is called â€Å"Gaillardia†. (It is like a democratic system in the present time). A Material named â€Å"Scabbard† works as a â€Å"limpidly† or a helper in the Egalitarian tyrants. He is the one who keeps he darkest secrets of II Verdure's rulers. The government officials they call â€Å"functionaries† never do their jobs – to promote peace and order, and proper distribution of â€Å"razor† (rice in English).Each Material family only receives one kilogram of razor every 3 days. The Egalitarian Functionaries in the other hand receives 5 chests of razor every day. Scabbard belongs to a family that is well supported by the functionaries. But his virtues, however is telling him something ideally contrasted to what he does. El Verdure has 7 functionaries. The President who controls the lightning, the vice president, ho controls the wildfires, the two senators that can control volcanic eruptions and tsunamis, and the three governors possessing the power to control hurricanes, tornadoes and snow storms.The Egalitarian Functionaries are not just gluttonous but ruthless. They don't even care if the ordinary poor Materials die in poverty. They are heartless and sometimes they even do the killing by their own hands. They permanently take away the innate power of a Material in the process of â€Å"Montage† by injecting through the veins a red luminous elixir. It permanently disables a Material to use and trigger en of the 7 existing nature's wrath present in an individual. But in just a blink Of an eye, everything will just be dust in the wind. One day, Scabbard's mother â€Å"Matter†, was terribly sick.To see his son is his only cure because she copied the physical appearance of her son that why she needs an exchange of sulfur exclusively coming from his son only. However it is not yet time to go home for Scabbard. He didn't know what was happening to her mother. Matter goes to the â₠¬Å"Evasively† (the house of the Egalitarian Functionaries) to find her son. But the â€Å"Flaky† (Security guards) would not let her come in. Even if she explained that his son is a faithful servant of the Functionaries for years, and she's just want to talk to him inside the Evasively, still the flaky refused to agree.Instead, they bring Matter to the President for violating the rule of copying a person, and before Matter were executed; her power was cleansed first in Montage. Scabbard, finally heard about the execution and so he ran quickly to the â€Å"Domain Skittles† (or the execution room) just to witness the death of her mother. In his two eyes he watch as her mother's hurricane power is being taken away. In great anger, Scabbard screamed! And suddenly it started shaking all over El Verdure. His scream full of rage and fury has made him discovered he possess the superior power.

Public Meeting Okaloosa County Commissioners

Public information update included Stillwell Park, which had replaced an old sewage plant. Two future additions to the park include a water feature and special needs section. Reported that a plaque, US Saloons PAP 21 9 was present to the County and placed in one of the County buildings. The County Administrator updated the board about money saved by purchasing TV less expensive vehicles to complete work in the county. He related that it is normal business to discuss these items with the board, but felt that when employees save monies for the County he wanted to bring this to the Boards for acknowledgement.Commissioners updated section included them commenting about employ awards, and the great staff that the County has to sustain the County. Commissioner Goodwin discuss the need to evaluate how well the contracted lobbyists are representing the County. He suggested adding this to agenda to discuss coming up with quantitative measures to evaluate the lobbyist's effectiveness for the c ounty. Several of the County Commissioners attended the Florida Association of Counties meeting in Tampa where they discuss priority list for the upcoming legislative session.Some of the priorities that were mention were set funding priorities, priority sit for upcoming legislative session, and collecting monies from DEJA. Commissioner Bowels volunteered to prepare the packet for the next meeting for both the funning priorities and the priority list for the FACE. He also related that the City League has requested placement on the next agenda for a round table discussion about reported cross–jurisdictional issues that both the County and sister cities in Saloons County are experiencing.They also brought up in the meeting to set up an ordinance in the county for assisting residents with road grading on non-county roads by using County equipment and staff. The Commissioner reiterated that the County would receive consent from the effected residents and bill them for the services . They approved the recommendation from the Saloons County School board to add Dewy Destine to the of ORCA committee. Visitor, Dry. Karen Chapman provided a presentation to the Board on status and history of Bola virus.A Public hearing request for plan amendment and rezoning was heard and the board approved the plan amendment and rezoning as requested of T. Davis Gordon. Consent agenda where they approved 22 of the 23 items and discussed item number 16. They discussed Medicaid Amendment for approval the contract for transportation to assist medically needy patients. Change orders to extend time limit for completing of the contract at West Hangar Area Parking Facilities. Request for approval of five FOOT Airport Grants more change orders to reduce contract amounts on the Administration Building and Sheriffs New Building.New business on the agenda was a request from board member to select for Chairman and Vice Chairman for 201 5, and discussion of County Administrator selection. They unanimous elected a new chair and vice chair for County Commissioners Board. All parties agreed to elect the current acting County Administrator because he has done an outstanding job. The Commissioners open the floor for comment and Tim Anderson owner of an Airport Shuttle / Taxi business requested to address the Board.He reported that he was unsure as o how he went about making a request. He wanted to request a change in how Valparaiso conducted business. He reported that he had a letter for each of the Board members to read. The Chairperson advised him that he could pass the letter to the clerk for their review and they would contact him. Attending this meeting was very educational by learning the recess to petition the board for a hearing or about other request and concerns that we might have for our neighborhood and community.Speaking with our County Commissioners could make a change for the community and people who need assistance. It is important to be prepared and confident about any request that you plan on making. Lastly, the board controls the monies that legislators approve for the county level. An Advocate could use this venue to request funds to provide services to clients or even use of a county building. My impression of the speakers who address the board meeting from the audience seem direct and to the point, UT seemed a little nervous about the process.

Reconfiguration of Invoices and Payment Methods Essay

This proposal lays out the benefits and impact of applying technology in order to reconfigure invoicing and payment method acceptance at Sunny’s Landscaping. The company suffers from low collection rates and long collection times. Its traditional method of work and invoicing is both ineffective and costly. Additional staff is required just to attempt to collect past due bills which are oftentimes erroneous and outdated. Moreover, the company would further benefit from a customer database that would compile all work orders and reduce or eliminate redundancy. The lack of technology use has put the company at a disadvantage in the industry. Problem The issues to be addressed are to lessen collection time of payments while simultaneously reduce overhead costs, create a customer database that can be accessed through marketing, finance, and customer service departments, and greatly improve upon operational processes. Approach Establish if implementing a handheld credit card acceptance method at the point-of-sale will effectively reduce payment collection time and give the company a competitive advantage. Further determine if electronic invoicing and database creation will eliminate redundancy and reduce costs. Methodology Meet with appropriate department heads—finance, customer service, operations, marketing—to determine how each will benefit by the reconfiguration and how to maximize profits from those benefits. Decide which database program would be most compatible for meeting the needs of the organization. Additionally, establish the costs and time associated with educating and training staff on the products and software being introduced. Allocate the time and expense and determine the best quarter to implement the changes. Company expenses, due to lack of payment collection and overhead, severely cut into profits. Immediate payment by way of a mobile credit card processing adapter at time of service will help increase company profitability and efficiency. Each program will tie into the next. The credit card processor will automatically generate electronic invoices to be emailed to the customer. These invoices will be housed in a database that will collect and store releva nt customer information. The impact on the company as a whole will be positive as departments will have the ability to share information and collaborate for optimal efficiency. Milestone 1 Problem The issues to be addressed are to lessen collection time of payments while simultaneously reduce overhead costs, create a customer database that can be accessed through marketing, finance, and customer service departments, and greatly improve upon operational processes. Company Background Sunny’s Landscaping was formed in 1976 by one man in Pennsylvania and started operations with only two additional employees. Sunny’s provides construction of ponds & rock walls, irrigation, lawn maintenance, flowerbed design, and all landscaping needs to its customers. It has grown to employ as many as seventy-five people and has net revenues of almost one million dollars per year. Sunny’s (The Company) services both residential and commercial properties with commercial generating nearly 75% of its annual revenues. In the early 1990’s the Company began providing additional services, such as snow removal and ice buildup prevention that would allow it to stay operational year-round. With these additional services came an increase in new accounts; most of which have been residential. The profit increase with respect to the new accounts has been mediocre at best. The Company’s inability to collect payment on the new residential accoun ts has begun to severely decrease profits and it has been proposed to reduce services. In an effort to continue all service and grow, the Company has begun to seek solutions. Approach Internal financial research has shown that decreased profits are due to a multitude of issues including the high number of delinquent or late accounts, excessive staffing expenses, and a general lack of sufficient and effective use of technology. Determine if introducing a new method of point-of-sale payment collection will reduce expenses related to residential accounts. Further determine if an electronic invoicing process will enable the Company reduce staffing costs while simultaneously creating a customer database. Methodology Convene with all the appropriate departments—finance, customer service, operations, & marketing—to determine how a database should be constructed so it is cross functional for each department. The company currently uses Microsoft Access for its customer list. Information pulled from this list is oftentimes outdated and erroneous. It is inappropriate software to use in order to transfer customer information to an invoice. This process increases work hours and is redundant. As work orders are issued and workers are dispatched, each should be provided with the ability to adjust the invoice electronically onsite for immediate customer payment. The method used now is to issue the order, perform the work, adjust the invoice if necessary, and then mail it out in the traditional fashion. The increase in new residential customers has also caused an increase in non-payment. The use of a mobile credit card processor could help reduce this payment delinquency. Options/Solutions Sunny’s Landscaping has very little collaboration amongst its departments and few tools to work with. Each department is independently operated from the others and has not yet adapted to the influx of residential accounts. Whereas, the larger commercial accounts are well known and recognized, the smaller residential accounts are given very little customer service. The Company must find a solution that will reconcile both the residential and commercial accounts with company’s overall needs and each department’s ability to operate. One centralized system would allow the Company to function as a whole. The Company has a need for a system that can accomplish three goals: 1. Generate invoices 2. Allow for point-of-sale credit card processing 3. Create a database that is cross functional All three systems must work in tandem and allow information to flow from one process to the next. For example, as work is completed a foreman requires the ability to generate an invoice on the spot. Then they must also have the ability to accept payment from the customer. Lastly, the customer’s information and work performed must be electronically transferred into the database where other departments will be able to access it for a follow-up service. Marketing could use the information for promotional mailers, customer service could use it to obtain feedback, finance would use it for records, and operations could use it to find out the type of service performed. If one system can be constructed that will support all three functions, it will reduce costs company wide, allow for customer informat ion to be used effectively throughout all departments, and increase profits while reducing delinquent accounts. Milestone 2 Sunny’s Landscaping will need to research further to determine if and what additional resources will be required to reconfigure its invoicing and payment methods. It must also determine how much training will be required for frontline workers and supporting staff. Sunny’s Landscaping should consider the following questions prior to making a decision about which software and hardware to use: 1. What point-of-sale device will allow for data to be stored in a database and extracted for invoicing? a. Is there one device that is superior over the other in price and performance? b. Will this device need any additional in-house hardware to function? c. Will customer’s financial and personal information be stored and processed securely; how can we ensure customers that it is? 2. How long, if at all, will funds be held for before deposit? 3. Will one database be able to support all the functions that each department requires? 4. Can prior customer’s information be easily entered into the new database? 5. Will a lack of mobile or internet connection affect point-of-sale processing; and if so, how are payments accepted otherwise? Point-of Sale Device The two most compatible devices with Sunny’s Landscaping needs are SquareUp and Intuit GoPayment. Each device works similar to one another. Research has shown the greatest differences are in payment deposit time and customer service. SquareUp appears to have a longer slower deposit time of funds, especially with new accounts. Moreover, the first few months of service do not allow new customers to withdraw entire deposit amounts. According to the SquareUp website, this payment hold is to reduce fraud. GoPayment by Intuit seems to have the greatest customer satisfaction. GoPayments device hardware also seems to be of a better, more secure design as can be seen in the figure below.

Psychological reaserch methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Psychological reaserch methods - Essay Example For the purposes of this study, and determining the effect of attention on these elements, perception is defined as that which makes visual information available, and cognition is the uses of that visual information. This is significant in this study because of the questions related to when does perception cease and cognitive processing begin. Subjects were recruited from the New York City public school system, and all were tested with standardized methods to obtain an experimental group which demonstrated moderate reading disability. This was determined by using a selection criterion of scoring between 0.5 SD and 1.0 SD below national mean scores; one parameter of the study was to focus on mild-to-moderate reading disability (rather than severe) given the authors' perception that this group has been neglected in the area of therapeutic efficacy. Informed consent was obtained from both the parents and the children, and was approved by an independent review board. The methodology was to use a battery of standardized attention tests to determine the level of reading disability and, once the parameters had been set, to divide the qualified population into two groups; control and test subject. The control group received no therapy between the initial and final rounds of testing, and the experimental group received 12 one-hour weekly sessions of computer-based reading comprehension therapy. At the end of the 12 week study period, both groups were re-tested and the results compared. The analysis of the study was thorough, and utilized relevant literature and previous studies to provide scope and comment. While the authors recognize the need for further study in various areas, the results indicated that attention skills are measurable, attention therapy improves attention, and that the experimental group outscored the control group. The only additional elements that I might add to this research would be to expand it beyond its limited scope to include the evaluation of other attention deficit factors. The limitations to this study included a relatively small sample size, using an experimental methodology in a first-step study, and the inherent uncertainty related to attention studies generally. I think the researchers were thorough and appropriate, in their methodology, ethical in their application, correct in their analysis, and validated their hypothesis. The study itself was presented logically, clearly, and comports with the standard research reporting regimen of practitioners at this level. References Solan, H.A., Shelley-Tremblay, J., Ficarra, A., Silverman, M., & Larson, S. (2003).Effect of attention therapy on reading comprehen

Agricultural Settlers and the Great Plains Essay

Agricultural Settlers and the Great Plains - Essay Example Those who remained in the region supplemented their farming income from railway construction and other economic activities. These settlers who remained exhibited their abilities to adapt to the local environment (Adamson, 1998 p39). The sustainability of grain farming was of the doubt due to the frequent droughts that were experienced in this region. Sometimes the areas received low crop yield that was not enough to support life. Farmers, therefore, recognized the need to let the land to lie fallow for some time. During this period, livestock farming became dominant activity on the land (Adamson, 1998 p63). Depending on the settlers’ activities on the land, they grouped themselves into Indians of the Great Plains; Wagon Trains, Railroads, and Ranchers; The Cattle Kingdom; Mythic West and Buffalo Bill; Homesteaders; and the Tribal Cultures such as Wounded Knees and the Ghost Dance (Adamson, 1998 p55). For example, the cattle Kingdom comprised of Cattle Towns and the Cowboys lifestyle was the culture in this region. In summary, Great Plains is a region that is dominated by agricultural activities, both crop and animal farming. Earlier settlers came into this region by the opportunity to acquire land, and to practice agriculture as a source of income. Settlers in this region are characterized by the type of economic activity they practice on the land. For example, there are ranchers, Indians, The Cattle Kingdom and Homesteaders. The Paris Peace Conference is the meeting that was held to sign peace deals with defeated nations after World War 1. It was held in Paris France in 1919 and attended by delegates from more than twenty-nine nations (Adamson, 1998 p105). The key leaders and Nations which led this meeting include; Prime Minister David Lloyd George of Great Britain, President Woodrow Wilson of the United States, George Clemenceau of France, and Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando of Italy  (Adamson, 1998 p106). Other countries in attendant include China, Canada, Ukraine, and Australia.

Seniors and aging Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Seniors and aging - Essay Example There are difficulties seen in the abilities to cope with â€Å"the complex and socially angiogenic world†. These difficulties would increase the dependence of the seniors on psycho-therapeutic support (Mermet, 2005). I agree with author and recommend this to others. The article is significant in that it provides information on the increase in the proportion of seniors in society, their needs and desires, and the possibility of their inability to cope with the world that is become more complex. Hence the likelihood of the requirement of enhanced psycho-therapeutic support for the seniors. It is for these reasons that this article has been included. In the United States of America, the seniors form the segment of population having the highest risk for suicides. This becomes clear from the figures provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the year 2004. The average suicide rate in the U.S. is eleven for every hundred thousand people, but rises to fourteen per hundred thousand people in the age group of sixty-five and older. Expert opinion suggests that seniors are less likely to seek help and their suicide attempts are more likely to lead to death. Hence there is the need to extend help to the elderly. In spite of all this information the response of society shows lack of concern and the willingness to a lot finances. Ten states have introduced laws in 2006 to curb suicides among children and young adults. Yet, only two states have passed legislation addressing the issue of suicides among senior citizens. This means that the elderly have fewer treatment options for their depressed state than the younger citi zens. This article is thought provoking and recommended for reading. Mermet (2005) has suggested that the complexities of the modern world are likely to increase the requirement of psycho-therapeutic support for the seniors, and this article clearly indicates the need for this enhanced support. The significance of this article lies

Diabetic health education and client's non adherence to teaching Research Paper

Diabetic health education and client's non adherence to teaching - Research Paper Example The proposed program focuses on diabetes patients in Cobb County in Georgia. Introduction Diabetes is one of the major chronic diseases found in the current world. It is in the group of metabolic ailment that is diagnosed in relation to high level of sugar in the body. The level of sugar in the body is determined by the inability of the pancreas to produce enough insulin or the poor response of cells towards the insulin produced (Brill, 2011). High levels of sugar in the blood lead to classical symptoms of diabetes which are: increased thirst, frequent urination and increased hunger. Scientifically, these symptoms are termed as polydipsia, polyuria and polyphagia respectively. The adverse impacts of this diagnosis are loss of weight while in other cases paralyze some of the body parts (Fratti, 2011). However, there are three types of diabetes. This is articulated to the cause of the ailment. The first type is known as Type 1 which is caused by failure of the body to produce insulin. This requires the patients to frequently inject insulin into their bodies. The second type is known as Type 2. It is caused by insulin resistance thus the condition occurs when cells fail to utilize insulin produced in a proper manner. The third type is referred to as gestational diabetes. This type of diabetes arises when pregnant women who have not been previously diagnosed with diabetes eventually develop high levels of glucose in their blood during the gestation period (Graffy, 2013). Description There is need to educate the public on the causes of diabetes and ways of surviving with it if diagnosed. This approach can foster control of the disease through proper management and mitigation. Basic education provides the public with a rough idea of the disease and ways of managing it as well as the approaches taken towards its control. In this case education is an essential tool in the minimization of diabetes infection. The greatest fear in dealing with diabetic patience is their n on-adherence to teaching. Lack of knowledge about the disease makes the patient vulnerable and prone to worse stages of the disease. Education reduces chances of accruing the disease by providing healthy living tips. Healthy living makes the immune system stronger as well as creates room for positive metabolic processes. This makes it hard for the body to experience sugar deficiencies as well as high levels of glucose in the blood. Wellstar Cobb clinic has designed a proposal that will foster education in the region and minimize the adverse effects of diabetes disease in Cobb County. The main aim of the program is to assist at least 20 financially disabled patients diagnosed with diabetes. This notion came into concern after the clinic realized that some patients abort medication after a certain period of time. This form of ignorance is associated with the type of lifestyle in the region as well as the harsh economic conditions. Assessment Diabetes is currently a world pandemic. 34% of annual death rate result from diabetes related cases. Countries such as Canada are highly affected as it has registered over 9 million diabetic patients between the year 2011 and 2013. The worst scenario is that of the developing countries as the case is sterilized by high poverty levels. Most diabetic patients from the developing nations hardly survive for a long period of time with the disease due to high costs of food products and medical facilities in these regions. In other cases, developed nations

Human Resource Development, Motivation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Resource Development, Motivation - Essay Example There are certain criteria by which employees decide whether their jobs are on the level or not. Any one of these criteria can derail the employer's efforts to motivate employees if it isn't right. The evaluative criteria of concern to employees are: (1) Security - Majority of employees feel insecure, and these insecurities and fears can get in the way of their buying into motivational efforts. Industrial Psychologist Andrew DuBrin divides these fears and concerns into following broad categories: (2) Commitment - To employees, most managers seem to lack commitment. The constant shifts of direction and reshuffling of priorities send an unintended signal that today's priority will be forgotten tomorrow. Some employees learn to 'wait it out' when they get an instruction. (3) Fairness - Employees are keenly aware that their managers have more authority than they do. Lacking the power to stick up for themselves, they are quick to perceive unfairness in the treatment they receive from those who do hold power. (4) Respect - Employees feel respected only when they feel that their superiors take them seriously and have a genuine concern for the employee's desires. Supervisors who treat employees without respect hurt their self-respect. Self-respect is a prerequisite for self-awareness and self-awareness is the most important thing towards being a champion. (1) Build (5) Development Opportunities - People have a very natural and healthy urge to accomplish things, to grow and develop. Sometimes their desires seem to be at odds with the goals of the organization. (Hiam Alexander (1999) Motivating and Rewarding Employees, p.74 - 89) Keeping in view the employee's criteria as discussed above, an employer may consider the following tips to constantly motivate the employees: (1) Build a solid foundation for the employees so that they feel invested in the company. Tell them about the history of the company as well as its vision for the future and ask them about their expectations and career goals. (2) Create a positive office environment that makes all employees feel worthwhile and important. Avoid playing favorites with the staff. (3) Work with each of them to develop a career growth plan. If employees become excited about what's down the road, they will engage themselves better with the present work. (4) Help employees improve their professional skills by providing training and in-house career development. Encourage them to attend seminars, workshops and educational classes paid for by the company. Employees may appreciate the fact that the company is investing in them. (5) Acknowledge employee's contribution and boost their morale. (6) Provide Incentives. (7) Honor the promises made. Failure to do so will result in a loss of trust. (8) Match tasks to talents. Assign individuals with tasks they would enjoy or are particularly good at. This would help improve employee's confidence level. (9) Don't forget the fun. Once in a while, put work aside and do something nice for the employees. (10) Set an example. Great people make others around them

Information technology revolution impact on the third world countries Essay

Information technology revolution impact on the third world countries - Essay Example Besides, one of the signs of the extent of attention and alertness dedicated to information and communication technology globally is its immense contribution to the global GDP, which augmented from 5.5% in the past years to 6.75% contemporarily. Moreover, the size of this sector in the contemporary or present world tallies to 2.5 trillion dollars globally. Furthermore, the implication of ICT on the level of productivity and the GDP is overtly consummate, and a single illustration of this factual statement is the yearly growth rate of prime monetary systems such as the U.S.A., which notably augmented from approximately 1.4% for up to 1995 to the eventual or present 2.3% up to the year 2000. Notably, this augmentation attributes to the augmented productivity in diverse sectors of the community, with close regard to the ICT contribution of 75%. Moreover, in the Australian monetary system, ICT has augmented productivity in virtually all economic sections by approximately 30%. A further positive implication of ICT on the global perspective is that its industries are effectually aiding in the complete diversification of capital sources and structuring of new immensely paying job opportunities for the people (Chandra 144). Moreover, this reduces the current unemployment rate and notably augments income of a common inhabitant. Saudi Arabia is a conferrable nation in whose case ICT has immensely contributed more than 15% of the GDP. Additionally, another feature of ICT on the global perspective is that its penetration into diverse fields and dispensations with a general purpose of enabling or activating technology. This happens via ICT providing a ready platform for virtually all sectors of the economy. In this case, it has contributed immensely to numerous sectors of the economy in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, this comes as an addition

Evaluating the Research Process Essay Example for Free

Evaluating the Research Process Essay Remote communities face several challenges concerning health care. For instance, communication with health care professionals, transportation, availability of doctors, and shortage of doctors. Literature review to identify and review new methods of improving access to health, quality of care, and improving the effectiveness of delivering health care services in remote Alaskan villages. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases that index health research were used along with Artic health databases. Abstracts and full articles were reviewed and categorized into four sections. Organizational structure of health services, Telehealth, E-health, and medical transportation. â€Å"Despite the challenges facing rural and remote regions, there is a distinctly positive message from this broad literature review. Evidence-based initiatives exist across a range of areas which include operational efficiency and integration, access to care, organizational structure, public health, continuing education and workforce composition that have the potential to positively impact health care quality and health-related outcomes† (Masucci, Mitton, Dionne, 2011). The literature review did not identify any past research associated with new ideas to improve access, quality, and efficiency in the organizational structures and delivery of health care services in northern rural and remote and rural populations. This review was directed toward the redesign of health care systems in Nunavut territory in Canada. When conducting research in an academic or professional setting, it is important to display ethical responsibility throughout the research study. For instance, Researchers conducting the study and collecting data should obtain permission from individuals who are involved in the study in any way. Researchers must ensure subjects involved in the study are not in any physical or emotional harm, such as asking difficult questions or using insensitive words. One very important consideration for researchers to remember when conducting any form of data collection is to be sure to maintain their own personal biases and opinions so they do not get in the way of the research. Research such as questionaries’ or observations should be conducted under the assumption that findings are kept anonymous. It is important to let the research subject know whether the research results will be anonymous or not. Research subjects should be chosen based on what and who will be most beneficial to  the research. And last, when reporting results from the research study the results must be accurately represented from what he or she was told or what you observed. For example, do not discuss parts of observations without putting them in appropriate context. Research has found that telehealth and ehealth has been effective in providing information of health professions with educational opportunities to in these rural populations that would not have been provided without telehealth and ehealth. Therefore, telehelath and ehealth system have a significant impact on improving access and quality care. The research also identified the use of medical air transport when needed services are not available as well as transportation to and from rural and remote regions. The study affirmed the importance of medical air transport in rural and remote regions while indicating such concerns are not unusual. Second, there are no evidence-based guidelines indicating which services to provide in local regions as opposed to having access by medical air transport or procedures in selecting which patients to select for emergency are transported. Currently no framework exists to determine the over or underutilization of medical air transport. Researchers found that the regions with the largest potential impact in remote regions are public health where several programs have been implemented, and analyzed indicating high degree of success. For example, health promotion programs such as alcohol and smoking cessation, obesity, exercise, dental care, hygiene, and suicide prevention. The literature strongly indicates these programs have positive impacts. Therefore, the regions in the research study have opportunity to improve the delivery and organization structure of health care services. This particular research study was not a systematic review. According to Masucci, Mitton, and Dionne (2011) â€Å"The purpose of the article was not to find literature on a wide range of topics but rather to find exemplary articles that could speak to the topics at hand. However, the caution is that while we attempted to provide both sides of any given story, in some cases important papers may have been missed which could suggest important alternative courses of action.† (p. 470). The research team relied on an advisory board that gave advice on their work. Review of only found positive solutions in which history politics, structures, and behavior contribute to improvement the key factor is action ability. This information will be crucial to enhancing care in the targeted regions as well as other  remote and rural regions nationwide. The research study identifies several challenges that northern rural remote regions face. The literature review found several evidence based initiative from operational efficiency, integration, applying telehealth, applying ehealth, organizational structure, public health, continuing education, and workforce composition have potential to have a positive impact on health outcomes in rural and remote northern regions. The only area of research that indicated not to have a positive impact was medical air transport indicating further research is needed. The research study has provided an extensive survey from literate regarding innovations in the organizational structure and delivery of health serveries in northern rural and remote regions. This study did not find any conflicts of interest regarding the improvement of health care in these rural and remote regions. Specific ideas and strategies found to improving access, quality, and efficiency in the organization structure and delivery of health care services in rural and remote northern regions are palliative model, which performed most effective for patients on weekly case conferences, on-call nursing, patient held records, shared protocols, and procedures. Reference: Masucci, L., Mitton, C., Dionne, F. (2011). ) Innovations in health service organization and delivery in northern rural and remote regions: a review of the literature. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 70(5), 460-472.

Honey Markets in the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve (NBR)

Honey Markets in the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve (NBR) p>A STUDY ON THE HONEY MARKETS OF NILGIRIS BIOSPHERE RESERVE INSTITUTE OF RURAL MANAGEMENT ANAND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The project that we have worked on is Honey markets in the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve (NBR). In this study we have traced the flow of honey from the honey hunters of NBR to the end consumers. This study is a part of a larger study, Darwin Initiative, aimed at studying the underlying linkages between Bees, Biodiversity and Livelihood in the NBR, undertaken by Keystone foundation along with University of East Anglia and Bees for Development. For the study on Honey markets in the NBR, six sites were chosen from the sixteen sites chosen for Darwin Initiative, based on the accessibility of the site, the predominant trade channels present (based on previously available information, the sites were divided as formal and informal markets), the number of honey hunters in the site (used as a proxy to determine amount of honey collected in the sites to ensure presence of high and low honey collecting areas) and also ensuring that all the three states (Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh) were represented. Three sites with formal trade channels and three sites with informal trade channels were selected. In the selected sites, a few honey hunters, all the traders and institutional buyers and forest officials were interviewed to compose the value chain of honey. The impact of Price, Credit, State regulation, Volume of honey collected in the site, presence of an accessible institutional buyer at the site, presence of a powerful leader and direct access of consumers to the honey hunters on the sale of honey by the honey hunter was studied and analyzed across the six sites. Of the factors considered, price, presence of an institutional buyer and the presence of a powerful leader had a significant impact on the flow of honey. Based on the above obtained information, the value chain of honey was drawn for all the six sites. 1. INTRODUCTION The project that we had to work is Honey flow in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. In this study we have analyzed the flow of honey from the native indigenous honey hunters in the forest to the end consumers in the area of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. According to the Codex Alimentarius the definition of honey is as follows: Honey is the unfermented, natural sweet substance produced by honeybees from the nectar of blossoms or from secretions of living parts of plants or excretions of plant-sucking insects on the living parts of plants, which honeybees collect, transform and combine with specific substances of their own, store and leave in the honey comb to ripen and mature. Honey shall not have any objectionable flavour, aroma or taint absorbed from foreign matter during its production, harvesting, processing and storage and shall not contain natural plant toxins in an amount that may constitute hazard to health. The honey collected in Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is from four different sources depending on the type of honey bees collecting them i.e. Apis cerana, Apis dorsata, Apis florea and Apis dammer. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is the first internationally designated Biosphere Reserve of India. It was established in the year 1986 under the proposition of UNESCO. It comprises the three states of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It covers 0.15% of Indias land area i.e. an area of 5520 sq. km and is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. The NBR has six protected areas and more than five different types of forests. The major honey zones in the area include Kotagiri and Coonoor areas of Nilgiris, Sigur, Mukkurthi, Mudumalai, Bandipur, Nagarhole, Wynad, Silent Valley, Nilambur, and New Amarambalam Reserve Forest, Attapadi Valley, Pillur Valley, Anaikatti, Boluvampatti and Sathyamangalam Hills. It also home to a large number of indigenous communities, most of them forest dwellers and hunter gatherers. There around eighteen ethnic groups living in the area each of these having small populations and living in geographical concentrations. Not all the ethnic groups engage in honey hunti ng, the main honey hunters are Sholigas, Kattunaickens, Kurumbas, Cholanaickens and Irulas. Todas generally collect honey for home consumption and minor sales. The dorsata honey which is generally obtained from combs that are built in cliffs and not all the tribals engage in cliff honey hunting. Kurumbas are the experts in cliff hunting of honey whereas Irulas collect it from giant trees. The cerana honey is generally collected from tree cavities whereas florea and dammer honey is collected in small quantities from twigs and cavities in walls. The dammer honey is highly priced and used for medicinal purposes. Each of this ethnic group specializes in different ways and methods to collect honey which has given rise to specific techniques and traditions. Honey hunting is a seasonal activity for them; it starts in March and extends up to June. Thus the activity happens only for a period of three to four months in a year. Honey forms a component of the Non Timber Forest Produce which is commonly known as Minor Forest Produce. In this study we have tried to capture the existing market for honey operating in the major honey zones of the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve. We met the different native honey hunters engaged in this vocation and enquired about the various selling options that they have. This study looks at how markets function work in these areas and identifies and analyses the factors affecting the honey market. The study tries to explore the various channels through which honey reaches the consumer from the hunter. It also analyzes the major factors affecting the emergence and establishment of particular channel in an area. The study also tries to explain how each channel function in an area, the intermediaries involved, their roles in the channel. The study also describes the value chain of honey with the prices at which different intermediaries purchase honey and wax. For the purpose of study specific sites were selected in the NBR to study the honey market and track the honey flow. This report begins by giving a brief idea about the context in which these markets are operating followed by the methodology adopted for the selection of sites. The market existing in these sites are then described followed by an analysis of all the sites. 2. POLICIES AND STATE REGULATIONS There is neither any policy on NTFP in the state of Karnataka or any laws that have direct consequences on NTFP its collection, processing and marketing. Several legal documents have some rules regarding the extraction of certain NTFPs such as the Karnataka Forest Manual, The Karnataka Forest Act 1963 etc but by far it does not restrict the collection of honey. The state of Karnataka has defined MFP through its Karnataka Forest Act, 1963 as forest produce other than timber, sandal wood, firewood, charcoals, bamboos and minerals, and includes forest produce such as myrobolans, barks, fibres, flosses, gums, resin, dyes, grass, leaves, roots, fruits, seeds, creepers, reeds, moss, lichens, wood-oil, honey, wax, lac, wild animals, wild birds, horns, hides, bones, tusks etc. The Karnataka Forest department has allowed the collection of 45 items from the leased forest areas. The price fixation of these MFPs is done by Karnataka LAMPS. The Tamilnadu Forest department allowed 23 items for collection from the leased forest areas. There is no proper definition for MFP in the state. The price fixation mechanism operating for these products is through the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. Honey does not figure in the list of allowable items for collection. In the state of Kerala, forest department permitted 100 items to Tribal Services Cooperative Societies(TSCS) for extraction from the leased forest areas. The price fixation mechanism operating here is through Kerala Minor Forest Products committee. Honey and wax collection in the state is not banned but it is regulated through Cooperative Societies. In these states for several years the trade of NTFP had been in favour of private contractors. Recently the government guideline for constitution of Village Forest Committee has, to some extent, kept the private traders away but the NTFP market is still with the hand of those traders. With the absence of any legal documents, the states like Tamil Nadu have complicated the NTFP management. The Tamil Nadu state Act has not defined NTFP and there are no transit rules for movement of produces outside the states. 3. METHODOLOGY The study was carried out in a sample of six sites out of the total sixteen Darwin sites. The sampling which was suggested earlier on societies may not give a uniform analysis as these function only in Kerala and parts of Karnataka. Hence we have chosen six Darwin sites for the purpose of study. The six sites chosen to study the value chain of honey under the Darwin Initiative were selected on the basis of the following criteria. Type of trade (formal or informal trade). Number of honey hunters in the site. Representation of all the three states Research Sites Region , State Indigenous Community No of hhlds No. Hhlds inter-viewed No.of Honey hunting Hhlds Trade Aspects 1 Bedaguli Chamraj Nagar Karnataka Sholiga, Kannadiga 55 55 25 Collection is banned. 2 Kannur Sathy Tamil Nadu Sholiga 96 48 30 Collection is banned in Tamil Nadu, but the Village Forest Council (VFC) collects honey from harvesters along with other NTFPs. 3 Kalidimbam Sathy Tamil Nadu Irula 55 55 20 Collection is banned in Tamil Nadu, but the Village Forest Council (VFC) collects honey from harvesters along with other NTFPs. 4 Athoor Chamraj Nagar Karnataka Sholigas, Kannadiga2 Badaga3 103 52 14 Collection is banned. 5 Comop Coonoor Tamil Nadu Kurumba 7 7 4 Honey is sold to green shop Keystone in Coonoor both honey as well as beeswax. Occasionally sold to other local shops as well. 6 Pudukadu Coonoor Tamil Nadu Kurumba 34 34 4 The Honey is sold to shops on the Coonoor- Mettupalayam highway 7 Situkunni Coonoor Tamil Nadu Irula 10 10 1-2 Sold to local traders, tourists and occasionally to Keystones centre. 8 Kobo Kotagiri Tamil Nadu Toda 9 9 3-4 Honey is collected mostly for personal consumption. 9 Koduthen mund Kotagiri Tamil Nadu Toda, Others 4 8 8 1-2 Cerana honey collected for consumption but not regularly. 10 Tunieri Kotagiri Tamil Nadu Badaga, Others 320 51 None None of the households are engaged in HH. 11 Perur Sigur Tamil Nadu Kattunaicken 51 51 18 The product is sold within the village, tourists and local customers or to Kallur cooperative society in Kerala. 12 Chemmanatham Sigur Tamil Nadu Kasava/Irula 44 44 5-10 Honey collection is banned. It is collected and sold to local traders or the numerous resorts adjacent to the Mudumalai sanctuary. 13 Siriyoor Sigur Tamil Nadu Kasava/Irula/Jenu Kurumba 52 52 7-10 Honey collection is banned. It is collected and sold to local traders or the numerous resorts adjacent to the Mudumalai sanctuary. 14 Nala Nilambur Kerala Kattunaicken, Paniyas 54 54 15-20 Honey is sold to the cooperative society. Society has a captive market as selling outside is illegal. 15 Mancheri Nilambur Kerala Cholanaicken 145* All caves have Honey Hunters Honey is sold to the society Bees wax is also sold to the society. Society has a captive market as selling outside is illegal. 16 Mundakadavu Nilambur Kerala Padinaickens, Paniyas 29 29 6 Honey is sold to the society and to the local traders. Bees wax is also sold to the society for Rs.120/kg. Society has a captive market as selling outside is illegal. Table 1: Information about honey trade across Darwin sites As mentioned above the criteria used for selection of site for the study of value chain of honey from the Darwin sites were the type of trade (formal or informal trade), number of honey hunters in the site and the representation of all the three states. These criteria were applied to the sites in the above mentioned order. The Darwin sites were initially categorized into one of the three trade types prevalent by large. Throughout our study, we have used the terms formal, informal trade to describe the trade channels existing in the different sites. Informal trade includes the honey collection and trade in the area where it is banned by law and is not allowed by the forest officials. This kind of a trade can be seen on the Karnataka part of NBR. By Informal trade we refer to honey trade with private traders and the flow through informal channels of trade. Here there is no organizational set up for buying honey. The honey traded here is unbilled. Honey trade in Tamil Nadu is not allowed by law but it is permitted by the forest officials. This is also included under informal trade. Honey collection and trade in this area happen with the knowledge of the forest officials. The above mentioned are considered as permitted trade. The permit ted trade, can again be formal and informal trade. By formal trade, we refer to honey trade with organizations like keystone (in Tamil Nadu) or cooperative societies (in Kerala). In this, the honey traded is billed. Honey collection and trade in Kerala is permitted by law. The following table shows the classification of Darwin sites according to the type of trade Table 2: Classification of Darwin sites based on the type of trade INFORMAL TRADE FORMAL TRADE ATHOOR MANCHERI BEDAGULI KANNUR PERUR KALIDIMBAM SIRIYUR NALA CHEMMANATHAM MUNDAKADAVU PUTHUKADU COMOP KOBO KODUTHENMUNDU SITUKUNNI Tuneri has not been included in the table because no honey collection takes place there. In the next step, the sites were ranked based on the number of honey hunting households present in the village. The following table shows the sites ranked in descending order of honey hunters present in a village. Table 3: Sites selected for the study INFORMAL TRADE FORMAL TRADE NAME HH NAME HH BEDAGULI (KARNATAKA) 25 MANCHERI (KERALA) 36 PERUR (TN) 18 KANNUR (TN) 30 ATHOOR (KARNATAKA) 14 KALIDIMBAM (TN) 20 SIRIYUR (TN) 7 NALA (KERALA) 15 CHEMMANATHAM (TN) 5 MUNDAKADAVU (TN) 6 PUTHUKADU (TN) 4 COMOP (TN) 4 KOBO (TN) 3 KODUTHENMUNDU (TN) 1 SITUKUNNI (TN) 1 After the sites were ranked, they were selected based on the number of honey hunters and other factors as mentioned below Athoor and Bedaguli are the two Darwin sites in Karnataka. In these sites, honey hunting is banned as per the state regulation and is also not permitted by the forest officials. In spite of it, honey is being collected there. Athoor was chosen over Bedaguli in the state of Karnataka because of the following reasons Easy accessibility. Athoor is located on a highway (Sathyamangalam Mysore highway). Athoor is the only site that is located on a highway and has the possibility of sale to travelers on the road. It has the potential for retail trade by honey hunters. There are nine sites that fall under the informal trade category including the two sites in Karnataka. Of these seven sites, Perur had the highest number of honey hunters (more than twice the number of the second highest) and was selected. Koduthenmundu and Situkunni were not selected for low honey flow areas even though they had only one honey hunting house hold each because the hunters here do not go for honey hunting every year. So Kobo with three honey hunting house holds was selected as the site for low honey flow area under the informal trade category. In the formal trade category, Mancheri (even though it has the highest number of honey hunting house holds) was not selected because of accessibility problems. Kannur with thirty house holds was selected as the site for high honey flow and Comop with the least number of honey hunting house holds in the category was selected. Then the selected

The Year of the Zombie :: Personal Narrative Essay Example

The Year of the Zombie Now a high-school senior, I still remember my freshman year with a shudder; it was the year my friends and I joked about as the "Year of the Zombie." It wasn't that I had contracted a rare medical disorder that transformed me into one of the walking dead. I had done what many diligent students do: sacrifice most of my sleep time for the sake of academic success. Don't get me wrong; my parents never mandated that I take all the honors classes I could gain admission to. No one told me to take three honors classes. No one, that is, except the little voice in my head that convinced me scholarly success was based upon the number of "H's" on my high-school transcript. The counselors cautioned me not to do it, students who had fallen into the trap before warned me against it and my parents just left it up to me. Through it all, I just smiled and reassured them, "Don't worry; I can handle it." The trouble was, I didn't have the slightest idea what lay ahead. I soon found myself mired in work. For a person whose friends teased her about being a neat freak, I grew increasingly messy. My room and desk looked like my backpack had exploded. There was no time to talk to friends on the phone, not even on the weekends. Going to bed at midnight was a luxury, 1 a.m. was normal, 3 a.m. meant time to panic and 4 a.m. meant it was time to go to sleep defeated. Most days, I would shuffle clumsily from class to class with sleep-clouded eyes and nod off during classroom lectures. There was even a month in winter when I was so self-conscious of my raccoon eyes that I wore sunglasses to school. My parents applauded my academic success, but hardly knew the price I paid for it. I vividly remember one night when my mother couldn't fall asleep. She kept going to bed and getting up again. Every -, time I heard her get up, I'd turn off my light so she wouldn't catch me still awake. By 5 o'clock that morning, I was so sleepy that I didn't hear her footsteps as she shuffled down the hallway. When she saw the light under my door, she came in and demanded to know why I wasn't sleeping.

West Virginia, My Home :: Personal Narrative Writing

West Virginia, My Home Where is home? Home is West Virginia, where spring flowers grow, summer nights are cool and calm, and fall leaves change colors as they blow across the ground. The three things I love most about West Virginia is the beautiful seasons, the recreational activities, and the fact that all my family live here. West Virginia is a recreational state, filled with beautiful seasons and strong family values. The number one reason I love West Virginia is because all my family lives here. Moving away would mean missing out on those Sunday lunches at grandmas’, and the annual holiday gatherings. My family is a close knit family who enjoy spending time together even though we do argue. West Virginia as a whole prides itself on their strong family values. I as a West Virginia citizen, have adopted these family values and could never leave the people and state I love the most. The number two reason I love West Virginia is the fun recreational activities it has to offer. In the spring I can go watch a baseball game, or take a relaxing walk through the beautifully flowered gardens. In the summer I may enjoy a soothing swim, or white water raft down the New River. Also in the fall I can walk through Grandview State Park and see the various colors of the leaves. After my walk I could stop by the theater and take in a production of Annie. These are just a few of the recreational activities that I enjoy every year in West Virginia. The third reason I love West Virginia is because we are blessed with a variety of seasons. These beautiful seasons include; spring, summer, fall, and winter. In the spring I love to watch nature as life renews itself all around me. In the summer I love the warm weather as I take a dip in the calm lake. During the fall I love to watch the leaves change colors as I walk through the woods.

The Role of Educational Institutions in New Business Trends Essay

Jon-Arild Johannessen, a professor of Management and Innovation at Harstad University and Bjà ¸rn Olsen, a professor of Management and Organizational Behaviour at Bodà ¸ Graduate School of Business, Norway (2010) asserted â€Å"with this economic landscape, knowledge itself became a key factor of production—specifically, knowledge related to identifying and exploiting new ways to establish temporary competitive advantage† (p. 502). However, consider today’s company that conducts and performs business in a global level. Under globalization the environment also creates a higher level of competition in business. Therefore, how such a company enable itself to win in at business in the global game. A company needs accurate information for analyzing and evaluating business trends and the competitive environment in such markets for producing the right decision. Meanwhile, such a company needs talents who obtain leadership skills to play the role of decision-making. A s a result, educational institutions may need to prepare graduates to be able to use information effectively relevant to business strategy. Accordingly, these new business trends would affect a company’s strategy in human resources management, especially in the area of staffing. Because the new business strategy requires the use of these elements for achieving results, such as information, knowledge, and competence combined with technology, which focuses on the customer (customer centric) (Johannessen & Olsen, 2010). Meanwhile, the new business strategy would require certain personal talents as a leadership to use those elements to perform corporate tasks. Consider the elements of the new business trends that function as the business process, which identifies talents in using an in... ...alents to be ready for business practices. Works Cited Badke, W. (2009). How we failed the net generation. Online, 33(4), pp. 47-49. Retrieved from EBSCOhost database. doi: 2010356030 Johannessen, J., & Olsen, B. (2010). The future of value creation and innovation: Aspacts of a theory of value creation and innovation in a global knowledge economy. International Journal of Information Management, 30(6), pp. 502-511. Retrieved from Science Direct database. doi: 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2010.03.007 Rusell, P. (2009). Why universities need information literacy now more than ever. Feliciter, 55(3), pp. 92-94. Retrieved from EBSCOhost database. doi: 41553415 Turusheva, L. (2009). Students’ information competence and its importance for life-long education. Problem of Education in the 21st Century, 12, pp. 126-132. Retrieved from EBSCOhost database. doi: 42742862

Competetive Nucleophiles Essay

Introduction: The purpose of this experiment was to compare the relative nucleophilicities of chloride ions and bromide ions in two different reactions. One reaction involved n-butyl alcohol and the other involved t-pentyl alcohol. We performed the reactions and compared the percentages of alkyl chloride and alkyl bromide in the product. To perform this experiment, we used methods including heating reaction mixture under reflux, extraction using a separatory funnel, drying with anhydrous sodium sulfate, and refractometry. Experiment Scheme: First, we prepared the solvent-nucleophile medium. We combined 44mL 7.7M sulfuric acid with 4.75g ammonium chloride and 8.75g ammonium bromide, and we heated the mixture with stirring to dissolve the salts. We put 17mL into a separatory funnel for use in the second reaction, and placed the rest into a reflux apparatus for our first reaction. We performed the first reaction of the competitive nucleophiles with 1-Butanol. We added 2.5mL of 1-butanol to the solvent-nucleophile medium in the reflux apparatus with a boiling stone and heated the mixture under reflux for 75 minutes. After reflux was completed, we allowed it to cool in an ice bath, and transferred the solution to a clean separatory funnel. The different phases separated, and we drained the lower aqueous layer. We added 5mL water to organic layer, mixed and collected the lower organic layer. We extracted the organic layer with 5mL sodium bicarbonate, drained organic layer and dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate. We decanted the alkyl halide solution and set it aside to be analyzed by refractometry. We performed the second reaction of competitive nucleophiles with 2-methyl-2-butanol. We measured 2.5mL of 2-methyl-2-butanol into the separatory funnel containing 17mL of the solvent-nucleophile medium. We swirled the mixture, venting occasionally until pressure equalized, then shook it vigorously with occasional venting for 2 minutes. We then allowed phases to separate. We drained the lower aqueous layer and poured the top organic layer into a small beaker containing 0.5g sodium bicarbonate. When bubbling stopped and clear liquid was obtained, we decanted the alkyl halide and began analysis by refractometry of the products from both reactions. By refractometry, we measured the refractive index of the products and used Equation 1 and 2 to calculate the percentages of each product (Pavia, Lampman, Kriz, and Engel, Organic Chemistry Laboratory Manual p. 47-50). Reaction 1 (Pavia, Lampman, Kriz, and Engel, Organic Chemistry Laboratory Manual p. 47-50) Discussion: In this experiment we used 2 nucleophiles, the bromide ion and the chloride ion. We performed 2 reactions with these nucleophiles in equimolar concentrations, and they competed with each other for the substrate. Normally, alcohols do not react well in nucleophilic substitution reactions because the hydroxide ion (a strong base) would need to be displaced, and it is not a good leaving group. For that reason, the substitution reaction must take place in acidic solution; the alcohol must first be protonated because water is a stable molecule and a better leaving group. After protonation, the substrate reacts by either the SN1 or SN2 mechanism. 1-Butanol will react by the SN2 mechanism because it is a primary alcohol while 2-methyl-2-butanol will react by the SN1 mechanism because it is a tertiary alcohol. In Reaction 1, the major product was the alkyl bromide and the minor product was the alkyl chloride because bromine is more reactive; bromide is a stronger nucleophile. In Reaction 2, there essentially was no major product because the alkyl bromide and alkyl chloride formed in nearly equal amounts; the product was racemic. This is because it followed the SN1 reaction mechanism. The rate determining step is the loss of the H2O molecule forming a carbocation, and this step does not require a nucleophile (Pavia, Lampman, Kriz, and Engel, Organic Chemistry Laboratory Manual p. 47-50). Important methods used in this experiment included heating reaction mixture under reflux, extraction using a separatory funnel, drying with anhydrous sodium sulfate, and refractometry. When heating under reflux, we used a condenser attached to the flask that we were heating. Under reflux, our system could heat the mixture to boiling and vapors condensed and drop back into the flask. We can heat our mixture for a long time at boiling point without losing any product. In refractometry, we measured the refractive index of our product mixture, which is the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in the media of interest. We can use our measured values with the standard values to calculate the percentages of alkyl chloride and alkyl bromide. Sources of error could include the extraction process and the reading of the refractive index values. During extraction, it is possible that the phases may not have completely separated or the reactants did not fully react to form products, so some of the reactants could possibly enter into our final mixture. When finding refractive index values, it is possible to have some error when reading the value. Overall, error did not have a huge effect on our results. We could improve the procedure by being very careful to remove the entire aqueous layer during extraction so none gets into our final product for refractometry testing. In conclusion, the experiment turned out well. Our results align with the expected results. We expected that the alkyl bromide will be the major product of Reaction 1 because it followed the SN2 mechanism, and we expected that the product from Reaction 2 would be a racemic mixture because it followed the SN1 mechanism. Questions: Bromide is a stronger nucleophile because the chlorine is more electronegative than bromine, so it holds electrons in closer. Bromine is less electronegative and has more electrons, and it is able to share unpaired electrons much more easily than chlorine. References ChemSpider Chemical Database. Royal Society of Chemistry, 4 July 2012. Web. Accessed 11 Sept. 2012. Sigma-Aldrich. Sigma-Aldrich. 2012. Web. Accessed 11 Sept. 2012. Pavia, Lampman, Kriz, and Engel. Organic Chemistry Laboratory Manual. Cengage Learning: Mason, OH, 2009. Print.

Why We Form Relationships

Why We Form Relationships Corbin Smith Estrella Mountain Community College There are many reasons as to why we form relationships with a person. Appearance is one of those reasons. Most people claim that a person’s personality is the main reason why we get into a relationship with them and not by the way they look which is really not true. There has to be some type of attraction towards their appearance because the way they look is extremely important in the early stages of a relationship.Even if your appearance isn’t considered beautiful by societal standards, people will find you attractive if you’re just ordinary-looking with an amazing personality that fits the other persons needs. Attractive beauty may open doors to a relationship but it takes way more than just being attractive to keep a relationship going. Forming relationships is the ultimate way to gaining attraction and love towards a certain person that you might want to be with for the rest of your li fe. Forming relationships is a skill that not many people consider to be important but it’s a skill that most people want so they can find their lifelong partner.My understanding of this skill is that we all have used it at some point in our lives to form relationship, whether if it’s just a friendship or more than that. Like I said before, appearance is one of the main things that jumpstart a relationship but it won’t be the only trait that’ll keep a bond going. Similarity, complementary, competence, disclosure, proximity, and rewards are all factors in how relationship is formed. I’ve used this skill plenty of times because I’m a person who loves to make new friends and meet new people every single day.Whenever I get the chance to meet someone new, whether if I’m attracted to them or not, I try not to miss the opportunity. I met a girl in the beginning of this semester who is just the most gorgeous girl I’ve seen at this scho ol so far. I had to take an opportunity to get to know this girl and fortunately, she gave me the light of day and now we both are really good friends. Not only does she look beautiful, we both have many of the same similarities such as music taste, fashion sense, and other amazing things. When I met her, I used her appearance to draw me to her and from then on, it was the similarities and complementarities.By me using this skill, there have also been several consequences. I’ve been shot down by many girls many times because of me being too confident and by trying to get to know them way too fast. Unfortunately this skill doesn’t always work to our advantage but it doesn’t hurt to try it. Like the old saying goes, â€Å"You’ll never know for yourself until you try. † I live by that saying because you can’t live your life in fear of getting rejected by people you’re attracted to. Just take the chance and run with it. The reason why thi s skill doesn’t work all the time is because of the mindset of the person that you’re attracted to.Is that person already in a relationship? Is that person not looking for a relationship even though they are single? Is the person you’re attracted to not attracted to you back? There are many reasons as to why the negative effects might take place. Overall, never skip out on an opportunity to possibly engage in a lifelong friendship or relationship. You’ll never know the outcome until you try. â€Å"For communication to have meaning it must have a life. It must transcend ‘you’ and ‘me’ and become ‘us. ’ In a small way we then grow out of our old selves and become something new. † – Hugh Prather

The Merger of Ranbaxy and Daiichi

A REPORT ON Ranbaxy-Daiichi Deal 1/26/2012 Ranbaxy-Daiichi Deal Introduction: Daiichi Sankyo bought Ranbaxy for $4. 6 billion in June 2008. This report studies the implications of the merger between Ranbaxy and Daiichi Sankyo, from an intellectual property as well as a market point of view. There are many critical events happening in international pharma market including the growing preference for generics, increasing dominance of emerging markets such as India, fast approaching patent expiry etc. Also, this deal involves 2 major players who are the largest among their respective markets. Background: Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. acquired 34. 8% of Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. from its promoters and increased its stake through preferential allotment, public offer and preferential issue of warrants to acquire a majority in Ranbaxy, i. e. at least 50. 1%. After the acquisition, Ranbaxy operates as Daiichi Sankyo’s subsidiary but supposed to manage independently under the leadership of its current CEO & Managing Director Malvinder Singh. Mr. Singh left the company in 2009 with a 4. 5 billion rupees severance package. Why: Daiichi Sankyo wanted to acquire a drug maker that specialized in generics after Japan eased its laws allowing sales of these cheaper versions of expensive drugs. The deal was a trendsetter in Indian market for future M&A deals. India's family-owned companies realized that it was not shameful to sell and profit from their businesses. Benefits Expected: Operational: The main benefit for Daiichi Sankyo from the merger was Ranbaxy’s low-cost manufacturing infrastructure and supply chain strengths. Ranbaxy gained access to Daiichi Sankyo’s research and development expertise to advance its branded drugs business. Expansion: Daiichi Sankyo’s strength in proprietary medicine complements Ranbaxy’s leadership in the generics segment and both companies acquire a broader product base, therapeutic focus areas and well distributed risks. Ranbaxy gains smoother access to and a strong foothold in the Japanese drug market. Financial: The immediate benefit for Ranbaxy was that the deal freed up its debt. Also, Ranbaxy’s addition elevated Daiichi Sankyo’s position from #22 to #15 by market capitalization in the global pharmaceutical market. Synergies: . A complementary business combination that provides sustainable growth by diversification that spans the full spectrum of the pharmaceutica l business. 2. An expanded global reach that enables leading market positions in both mature and emerging markets with proprietary and non-proprietary products. 3. Strong growth potential by effectively managing opportunities across the full pharmaceutical life-cycle. 4. Cost competitiveness by optimizing usage of R and manufacturing facilities of both companies, especially in India. † 5. Respective presence of Daiichi Sankyo and Ranbaxy in the developed and emerging markets 6. Ranbaxy’s strengths in the 21 emerging generic drug markets allow Daiichi Sankyo to tap the potential of the generics business. 7. Ranbaxy’s branded drug development initiatives for the developed markets significantly boosted through this relationship. 8. Daiichi Sankyo able to reduce its reliance on only branded drugs and margin risks in mature markets and benefit from Ranbaxy’s strengths in generics to introduce generic versions of patent expired drugs, particularly in the Japanese market. Post-acquisition objectives: Daiichi Sankyo’s focus was to develop new drugs to fill the gaps and take advantage of Ranbaxy’s strong areas ? To overcome its current challenges in cost structure and supply chain ? To establish a management framework that would expedite synergies ? To reduce its exposure to branded drugs in a way that it can cover the impact of margin pressu res on the business, especially in Japan ? In a global pharmaceutical industry making a shift towards generics and emerging market opportunities, Daiichi Sankyo’s acquisition of Ranbaxy signalled a move on the lines of its global counterparts Novartis and local competitors Astellas Pharma. Post acquisition challenges: Post acquisition challenges included managing the different working and business cultures of the two organizations, undertaking minimal and essential integration and retaining the management independence of Ranbaxy without hampering synergies. Ranbaxy and Daiichi Sankyo also needed to consolidate their intellectual capital and acquire an edge over their foreign counterparts. What went wrong? A lack of proper due diligence In its eagerness to tap the expertise of a generic drug maker, Daiichi took the risk of buying Ranbaxy for top dollar. Three weeks later, the US Food and Drug Administration banned imports of 30 of Ranbaxy's generic drugs, and later determined that the company was selling adulterated or misbranded medicine. It blacklisted two of the company's manufacturing units, limiting the company's ability to sell drugs made in those facilities. Ranbaxy then reported currency-exchange losses of nine billion rupees in 2008. This made Ranbaxy post losses in the same year. Ranbaxy Laboratories Cash Flow ——————- in Rs. Cr. ——————Dec '10 Dec '09 Dec '08 Dec '07 Dec '06 12 mths 12 mths 12 mths 12 mths 12 mths Net Profit Before Tax Net Cash From Operating Activities Net Cash (used in)/from Investing Activities Net Cash (used in)/from Financing Activities Net (decrease)/increase In Cash and Cash Equivalents Opening Cash & Cash Equivalents Closing Cash & Cash Equivalents 1565. 25 1168. 89 -2067. 8 991. 48 92. 57 69. 26 161. 83 1061. 92 -1619. 08 -665. 43 -599. 22 86. 12 -462. 91 -214. 14 2817. 2 -793. 46 1755. 07 862. 39 172. 14 68. 93 1927. 21 774. 41 442. 98 685. 77 315. 49 -708. 18 -2103. 74 132. 19 1739. 65 109. 78 -48. 6 62. 36 110. 96 172. 14 62. 36 What worked? Mr. Singh timed the sale of his family silver perfectly – he got a huge premium for the stake before U. S. regulatory concerns came to light. Daiichi, after the initial stumbles, seems to now be heading in the right direction and in the past year has integrated Ranbaxy's R&D unit in an effort to gain synergies. Daiichi also launched a generic version of Pfizer Inc. ‘s cholesterol drug, Lipitor in US recently. The verdict: Fail This is a classic example of an acquirer paying top price without looking too closely at the quality of the goods. Daiichi continues to pay for the huge risk it took in the deal. U. S. regulatory problems have slowed down the integration of Daiichi and Ranbaxy a lot more than expected. We can see that Daiichi is having similar level of operating expenses and yet to achieve anything special from Ranbaxy. US FDA said that, Ranbaxy had ‘numerous problems' at its facilities in US and India. The US DOJ has also filed the consent decree against Ranbaxy in the US district court of Maryland on 26th January 2012, which would further put pressure on the margins. â€Å"Daiichi is yet to realize anything concrete from this deal. â€Å"

Analytical Essay Super Size Me Essay

Welcome to At the Movies on ABC 1 and as usual I’m your host, _______. Tonight we’ll be reviewing the socially critical 2004 documentary, â€Å"Super Size Me† directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock. The film documents the 30 day period in which Morgan Spurlock ate three meals a day consisting of nothing but McDonalds whilst following these four rules: he can only eat things on sale, he must super size his meal if asked, he must eat everything on the menu at least once and lastly he must restrict himself to the ‘average’ amount of exercise, typical of the American population. It also documents the drastic effects this lifestyle has on Spurlock’s physical and psychological, wellbeing, and explores the fast food industry’s corporate influence, including how it encourages poor nutrition for its own profit. I found this documentary to be quite enjoyable and it was an overall quality film. â€Å"Super Size Me† was fun to watch with i ts colourful graphics and catchy lyrics which drew the audience closer and focused them on what Spurlock was representing. The documentary was effective in creating shock and disgust within the audience to further help the audience agree with and accept Spurlock’s views. The narrative structure of â€Å"Super Size Me† was built around a central enigma, this being the obesity crisis facing the American people. The documentary follows a format, showing the audience Spurlock eating McDonalds food and then feeling sick because of it and then followed by footage of Spurlock seeing a specialist to inform both Spurlock and the audience of the many health risks this diet is inflicting on Spurlock. The documentary then proceeds to show such things as what school canteens are serving kids at school. This is meant to shock the audience and position them to believe what is happening to Spurlock and his health after eating fast food will also happen to the kids who are eating unhealthy and processed meals at school every day. (INCLUDE FOOTAGE HERE) Spurlock’s purpose in this documentary was to in form and position the audience to accept his views on America’s obesity epidemic. Read Also:  Analytical Essay Topics This was achieved through cunning and intelligent choices as to what was filmed and what was cut out. He had also employed a number of other techniques such as camera angles, shot composition, editing and intentional use of music to accompany the visuals. Through these techniques Spurlock has effectively positioned the audience to accept his views on America’s aforementioned obesity epidemic. Spurlock has positioned the audience to accept a somewhat version of the truth as not all sides of the story are given a voice. The way in which Spurlock presents himself to the audience has also deliberately been altered to position the audience to coincide with the attitudes he’s presenting throughout the documentary. Spurlock intentionally wore relaxed clothing and spoke directly to the audience in order to position the audience to feel comfortable accepting Spurlock’s attitudes towards America’s obesity crisis. (INCLUDE FOOTAGE HERE) To further position and help the audience connect with Spulock, he has introduced them to his fiancà © who’s a vegan chef which will be in juxtaposition to the unhealthy food served by most fast food restaurants. These inclusions have positioned the audience to feel close and trusting of Spurlock so that his opinions could be accepted. The use of irony during this documentary has been used because if the audience finds something humorous and therefore having a positive reaction, they are more likely to accept what is being represented. The use of irony was used throughout the documentary in such scenes as when Spurlock was referring to his headaches, stomach aches and general sick feeling from the food as McHeadaches and a McTummy. (INCLUDE FOOTAGE HERE)This positions the audience to react in a way which enables them to accept the Spurlocks view on how McDonalds is affecting his health and how it’s making him generally sick. The audience is positioned to accept certain views without hearing or seeing the other sides of the argument. Spurlock has used bias by silencing or tarnishing the credibility of certain interviewees in interviews. When Spurlock interviews the CEO of McDonalds Australia, Guy Russo, the use of higher camera angles and editing positioned the audience to disagree and view what Guy Russo said negatively which in turn has led to the audience viewing poorly of McDonalds even though they were not completely silenced. Spurlock has also positioned the audience to accept the opinions and beliefs of the three medical specialists who are monitoring Spulock’s health throughout the ‘experiment’. The use of eye level camera angles positions the audience to feel equal with the specialists as they present their opinions and to immediately believe and accept what the specialists are saying due to the camera angles and their superior level of education within the medical field which once again positions the audience to accept their attitudes. The included footage has also been deliberately used to further position the audience to accept Spurlock’s views on America’s fast food industries and how their corporate profit is weighted over the health of their consumers. Footage of the many advertisements and meals which are specifically positioned at kids were intentionally shown to position us to believe McDonalds is using these things to appeal to and lure the kids in. This then results in the audience being positioned to reflect poorly of McDonalds and their constant need of profits which are put over the wellbeing of their customers. Frequent shots of Spurlock without a shirt have intentionally been included to show the weight he may or may not have gained as a result of his high fat intake diet. (INCLUDE FOOTAGE HERE) This positions the audience to once again think poorly of McDonalds and the food they are serving as they are seeing the drastic effects that accompany Spurlock’s heavy McDonalds diet. Wh en the interviews between Spurlock and the three health experts took place, key terms where placed on the screen so that they were imprinted into the viewer’s mind. These key terms included: â€Å"poor nutrition† and especially â€Å"Addiction† which led the audience to believe how fast food is affecting the health of Spurlock and to view the companies behind the food negatively without taking into consideration the amount of fast food he is eating and how often it’s being eaten. The music and soundtrack within this documentary often complements the visuals, making it easier for the audience to accept the visuals or the lyrics of the complementing soundtrack. During the opening menu of the documentary and closing credits the â€Å"Super Size Me† song was played and the colours of the menu reflected the colours of the American flag. (INCLUDE FOOTAGE HERE) This song was co-written by Spurlock and included phrases such as: â€Å"Super size me – the American way† and â€Å"everything’s bigger in America†. These lyrics were intentionally used as they position the audience to accept that the American culture is the result of the American fast food industries influence on the American society whether it’s a positive or negative influence. Overall the documentary was very enjoyable to watch and I found the footage rather shocking and attention grabbing at times. It was a very informative and eye opening documentary with a numerous number of techniques which position the audience to accept Spurlock’s views on America’s thirst for profits which have sadly resulted in the percentage of obese citizens growing at an alarming rate. However, the use of the included techniques and selective editing resulted in a documentary which lacked objectivity. This lack of objectivity effected the audience’s perception of fast food companies and how they might consider an alternative choice when deciding to dine at McDonalds or any other fast food ‘restaurant’. Overall I gave this documentary, 3 out of 5 stars as it was enjoyable to watch but at times I felt as if I was being positioned and the whole ‘experiment’ was over the top as someone coming from eating healthy vegan foods is obviously going to have a dramatically negative reaction to fatty fast foods, which is skewing the audiences perception of fast food companies.