Leadership in a Police Organization Research Paper

Leadership in a Police Organization - Research Paper Example By calling the attention of the harassing officers, I will also show that I do not condone the improper behavior and hope that my subordinates will adopt my example. Because the people in a police organization depend on each other, at times, even for their lives, there is a strong bond of loyalty tying one to the other which discourages them from speaking about each other’s misconducts. The whistleblowers broke this bond. As their leader, I will publicly applaud their courage to stick to their principles and go against the norm. By doing so, I am subconsciously sending a message to the harassing officers that upholding the law should start amongst those enforcing it. Hopefully, this loyalty to principle will end the harassment and encourage the rest to behave appropriately. (Mullen, A., 2000)Â  It is difficult to be a new leader in an environment such as a police organization. The relationship among its members is bound by a certain sense of devotion that can sometimes cause one to act unethically. However, it is a trait of a good leader to be able to assess the situation and take appropriate action which would serve as an inspiration.

The Olympic Games Essay Example for Free

The Olympic Games Essay Introduction: The Olympic Games is one of the earliest Pan-Hellenic festival as well as its modern revival. The Games as held today, is the largest showcase and competition of the world’s best athletic skills and sportsmanship. It embodies and promotes nationalism, politics and commerce among competing nations. The coming together for participation promotes unity among nations while national pride upholds the competitive spirit. The existence of such opposing elements during Olympic Games can be found not only today but could also be traced during its early versions. Their high ideal, as opposed to commercialism and politics has been observed even from its ancient celebrations. The origin of the early games is obscure but the date of the first festival is traditionally 776 B.C. at Olympia. This was the year from which the Greeks dated their chronology in Olympiads and about the same year that Homer was born. Thereafter, the festival was held in quadrennials in celebration of each new Olympiad (or every after four years). The festivities were closely related with religious rites but it also includes athletic contests, oratory, music, poetry, and other art forms. It was during the late 19th century that the Olympic Games were revived as an international athletic contest, retaining the ideals of the original Olympian festival and some of the events in its modified form. Although its initial revival was successful, it was not spared from a few hurdles. Over the years, the Games continued to attract international participants. About 203 countries are now involved in the Olympics, as compared to 14 participating countries way back in 1896. The current numbers of participating countries are markedly higher than the recognized 193 countries by the United Nations. Reason of which comes from the International Olympic Committee’s regulations, which allows nations that had not been duly recognized by the United Nations to participate and compete. Consequently, colonies of other member nation are allowed to organize their own Olympic teams and make representations even though their athletes hold the same citizenship of another competing nation. Taiwan for example, used to compete as â€Å"Republic of China†, causing conflict with the People’s Republic of China, which refused to participate until 1980. Taiwan thereafter, competed with the official name â€Å"Chinese Taipei†. In fact, the next Olympic Games will be held in 2008 at Beijing. China is now busy in its preparation as 2008 Olympics host. Countries vying to host the Games have to accommodate large numbers of athletes, tourists, and journalists. The growth of the number of people involved in the Games’ celebration is one of the major concerns that organizers continually face. Nevertheless, the Olympics are one of the most awaited and popular major world events today. Ancient Olympics: As the world looks on with anticipation as the years draw nearer (and with great preparation) for the coming of the next Olympic games, one cannot but help to look back from its origin. Despite its popularity, its ancient origins had been shrouded in obscurity. The ancient festivities are quite different compared to the modern version of the Games. It had lesser number of events to compete on.   Foremost criteria for athletes are having the ability to speak Greek, and that only free men were allowed to compete.  Ã‚   Olympia is the official site of every festivity of the ancient Olympic Games, in contrast to the current practice wherein hosts countries differ from every celebration. Despite the accepted tradition that 776 B.C. marked the first Olympiad, it seems reasonably certain that the Olympic Games were instituted prior to that time. But there are various stories about the origin of the Olympics. It is probable that the Olympian festival developed from the custom of holding athletic contests in honor of a god or dead hero. Some believed that the Games might have been closely associated with funeral rites, such as those at the funeral of Patroclus, as described by Homer in the Iliad. Achilles, Patroclus’ best friend, held games for  Ã‚   Patroclus’ honor as part of the funeral service. It included boxing, wrestling, a chariot race, and footrace. Later, they may have been held at regular intervals to honor all who had died within that period. According to the poet Pindar, in the 15th century B.C., Heracles instituted the Olympic Games as a celebration for his victory over Elis and killing King Augeas. Another legend has it that when dissension ravaged Greece, Iphitus was ordered by an oracle to restore the Games. Pausanias, a Greek traveler, tells of a bronze desk in the Heraeum at Olympia, inscribed in the rules of the Games and with the names of Lycurgus and Iphitus. Pausanias also relates that according to ancient archives of the people of Elis, the Game’s founder was attributed to Idean Heracles and was responsible for giving the name to the Olympian contests. The Games started when he challenged his brothers to a footrace at Olympia. Another account, according to Pausinias, relates that Zeus himself initiated the first Olympiad when he contended with his father Cronus for the sovereignty of heaven and control of the world; and that Zeus proclaimed the Games after his victory. Another legend states that the Games was established after the Greek hero Pelops won against King Oenomaus in a chariot race in a bid to marry Oenomaus’ daughter, Hippodamia. Although it is uncertain as to who is truly responsible for the initiation of the Games, Olympia had always been the consistent site where the Games’ events were held. This is not surprising since even before 776 B.C., Olympia had been the site of cult worship for Zeus. It is located far from human residences, majestically overlooked by a hill, and the River Alph flowing through it (a river considered sacred by the Greeks). It was held in midsummer at Olympia in the northwest part of the Peloponnesus where a stadium and a temple to Zeus were built on the eastern and northern banks of the rivers Alpheus and Claudeus. During the Hellenic era this sanctuary became the symbol of the Greek’s devotion to physical beauty and the training of mind and body to the highest state of coordination. The ancient Olympics had four types of races. First type of race requires runners to sprint the full length of the stadium, about 192 meters long. This is called a STADION. The second type is called a 2-STADE race, about 384 meters. Then there were races, which entail its competitors to run wearing armor in 2 or 4- STADE. It is good to note that a standard armor at this time could weigh as much as 50 to 60 lbs. Though this might seem ridiculous for modern standards, but the Greeks were particularly concerned with improving its chances over battles. Greeks have made use of the Games as an opportunity to help build the speed and endurance among its men when they are called to render military service (â€Å"Ancient Olympic Games†). By 724 B.C., diaulos was introduced. Later, the dolichos was added which require 12 laps. Perhaps one of the major reasons for emphasizing running in the events could also be related to the Greek’s idea that excellent soldiers possess good speed and stamina. An all-power race, called Pancreaton, combines all kinds of physical attack. The tremendous importance of the Olympic Games dates from the sixth century B.C. when Sparta attained preeminence among the Greek states. At first Pisa, a city-state was in control of the Olympic Games, but Elis, a neighboring city-state to the North, had usurped control by 572 B.C. In time, Olympia became the center of a federation, and the Games began to achieve a more than local significance. Powerful Sparta formed an alliance with Elis; and thus it came about that Elis controlled the religious aspects of the Olympic festival, while Sparta was the official â€Å"protector† of the Games, spreading its own fame and prestige. It was the political supervisor, enacting and enforcing the â€Å"sacred truce†, which even during wars permitted Hellenes to come from all parts of Greece and the Greek colonies to compete in the great Olympic Games. The Games came to constitute the one international bond that held through all wars and differences. From 776 to  Ã‚   721 B.C., the list of the victors included only the names of Eleans and their neighbors. Later, Megarians, Corinthians, Athenians, and others appear as winners. Religion The ancient Olympics always had a religious element; not only that a myth considered Zeus as the initiator of the Games every festivity was held in his honor. Moreover, Zeus was believed to have a hand over the results of the Games: those he favored were believed to become the victors while athletes who did not will ever have any chances for winning on the competition. Pindar’s victory-ode credits victory among champions to their talents and through the unseen influence of the gods. Cheating and bribery were not alien even those early times, and so those that were caught were fined. The money goes for building projects such as a cult statue of their chief god, Zeus. Grand celebration in Zeus honor is done all throughout the Games. The people would offer sacrifices and Zeus is petitioned to keep off flies from the meat, Zeus being considered the â€Å"averter of flies†. While burnt offerings were given, the temple priest would examine the sacrifices. The priest pronounces great oracles in Zeus honor and continues to give ambiguous prediction of the things to come. Athletes base their chances of winning over the competition through these oracles. As an expression of the Greek’s idea, the Olympic games continued to thrive as a Pan-Hellenic institution. While it would seem distant for modern man how a religious festivity came to be expressed through athletic competition, it must be remembered that Zeus was honored by the Greeks through the harmonious blending of mind and body. Surviving the independence of the Greek states, they continued through Macedonia and Roman times. Cedrenus, a Greek writer of the 11th century, declared that the Olympic festivals ceased to function after A.D. 392. The Tempe of Zeus was destroyed by the Christians or Goths during the reign of Theodosius II, early in the fifth century, being rebuilt as a fort. The statue of Zeus was carted away to Constantinople, where it was ruined in the fire of 476. Prizes The prizes awarded to the victors of the events in Olympic games the crown of olive and the palm branch. These were only of symbolic value. The victors were treated as heroes on their return home; statutes were erected in their honor both in the Altis at Olympia and at home, and they were given a place of honor at all public spectacles. Athletic champions of today are still treated with great honor in their own country as well as earn the respect of others. Pindar of Thebes composed odes in honor of victors, giving adulation even to the point of bringing them close to divine level. Though statues may now be fewer in number, but commercialism of the Games had substituted statues with billboards, magazines, television, and print images of celebrated athletes. They occupy a special place of honor in society and adoring fans ‘idolize’ them. Origin of Prizes Pausanias relates, in his Itinerary of Greece, the origin of the prizes at Olympia: â€Å"In the marketplace, which is in shape very like a brick, is a temple of Aphrodite called the Brick Aphrodite, and a stone statue of the goddess. And there are two pillars, on one of which are effigies of Antiphanes, Crisus, Tyronidas, and Pyrrhias, who are held in honor to this day as legislators for Tegea, and on the other pillar Iasius, with his left hand on a horse and on his right hand a branch of palm. They say he won the horse race at Olympia, when Hercules the Theban established the Olympian Games†¦A crown of wild olive was given to the victor at Olympia†¦Most games have a crown of palm as the prize, and every where the palm is put into the right hand of the victor†¦When Theseus was returning from Crete, he instituted James, they say, to Apollo at Delos, and himself crowned the victors with palm. This was, they say, the origin of the custom, and Homer has mentioned the palm in Delos in that part of the Odyssey where Odysseus makes his supplication to the daughter of Alcinoǘs.†   (â€Å"Olympics†). Politics:    Ancient and modern Olympics have the main purpose of promoting peace, unity among the people of different nations. Messari, an Olympic historian, that the games had played an important role in attaining more unity among nations (D.K. Tandon, noted it. â€Å"The Politics of the Games and the Games as Politics†). However, such good intentions are marred by politics. Politics continue to creep into the Games, even during earlier times. As the Greeks struggled to keep politics out of the Games with little success, so do current Olympic organizers. While the Games was purposed to bring an end or ceasefire all over Greece, and allowing competing participants to travel safely, this was usually not the case. Thucydides gives an account in 420 B.C. when Spartans broke a truce when they attacked a fort and sent off hoplites. The Spartans were castigated by being banned from competing in the Games. During the fifth century, the Sicilian dictators were said to have boosted their political grip by participating in the equestrian event of the Olympic competition. Athletes would try to gain media mileage by commissioning well-known poets to recite odes in their honor, recounting their victories (Dr. S. Instone. â€Å"The Olympics: Ancient versus Modern†). When the Arcadians and Pisatans conquered the Altis, they took it upon themselves to be in charge for the 104th Olympiad. But it was proclaimed invalid by the Eleans when they regained control. Pantarces of Elis was credited not only for winning in horse-race but made a peace treaty with the Achaeans and Eleans, seizing the opportunity to negotiate the release of prisoners on both sides of the war. Herodotus also relates how a wealthy but exiled aristocrat bargained his way back in to his homeland and property by giving his victory over the displeased ruler. Cultural Achievements Through the Games: The Greeks celebrated the excellence of the fusion of mind and body, a reason why ancient Olympics contain not only events whereby participants try to outdo one another through physical strength. Ancient Olympics gave opportunity for Greeks to create long-lasting cultural achievements in various fields such as poetry, sculpture, architecture, and mathematics, a contribution in which the world will always be indebted. Early Greeks had designed and built magnificent structures, which still continue to inspire present-day builders. One of the largest Doric temples in Greece was the temple of Zeus. Designed by the Greek architect Libon, he attempted to create the right proportions between the temple’s height and the distance between columns. This ‘ideal ratio’ can be found in the book Elements, by Euclid. Since part of celebrating Olympic victories usually done by erecting statues of champions, Greek sculptors honed their craft. Their works depicted the natural shapes and muscles of the body in motion. The Discuss Thrower is one of the famous statues made showcasing athletic activity. Poetry flourished through the Olympics as poets express their own admiration towards victors or as some were commissioned to do. Popular poets during this period were Pindar, Simonides, and Bacchylides. Amazingly, the poems outlasted the sculptures and its inscriptions. The poems were recited over and over the passing generations, allowing past victories to be known and remembered (â€Å"The Context of the Games and the Olympic Spirit†). Transition:    The Olympics had ceased to be a religious festival. Originally observed as an honor to Zeus by giving of dedicatory offerings, the people have moved their focus from religious practices to honoring Zeus through athletic feats. There are several factors attributed to this change. One of which is the growth of Greek city-state or ‘polis’. As city-states emerged in various locations, each polis wanted to prove their excellence over the others and consequently, would send their own representatives to prove their supremacy. Such attitude prevailed up to this day as national pride. Countries send off their athletes, and their victories are considered as bringing great honor to their own people. Another cause for the transition is closely related to military training. The Games motivated the men to be physically fit. Furthermore, the Greek’s traditional view that the gods have a hand in helping the victors; the Greeks were claiming the supremacy of their own god, Zeus.    Modern Olympics The reinstitution of the Olympics in modern times is usually attributed to Baron Pierre de Courbertin of France. He proposed the modern Olympic Games in 1892 and in 1894 had helped organize the International Olympic Committee, which has governed the Games ever since. Courbertin became the first secretary-general of the organization. The first modern Games were held in 1896 in Athens, Greece. During the first modern Olympics, medals were awarded to only the top two finishers: a silver medal to the winner and a bronze medal to the runner-up. The winner also received a crown of olive branches, and the runner-up a laurel crown. Competition was in nine sports, and all the athletes were male. In 1900 in Paris the Games were part of the Universal Exposition festivities. For the first time, women took part in the competition, with 11 of the total field of 1,330 athletes. Women competed only in golf and tennis. Britain’s Charlotte Cooper won the tennis singles to become the first woman top medallist. Pres. Theodore Roosevelt used his influence to have the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis to coincide with its World’s Fair. Very few foreign athletes competed because of the difficulty of travel towards the city host. Other than the inaugural Games in Athens in 1896, those in St. Louis drew the smallest number of competitors in modern Olympic history. In 1906 a special tenth anniversary of the modern Olympics was held in Athens, Greece. The large crowd helped bolster the enthusiasm of the host country. However, the Interim, or Intercalated, Games, as they were called, was later declared unofficial, and the results were not retained in official Olympic history. The 1908 Games in London were marred by controversies. It was the 1912 Olympic games in Stockholm, Sweden, which was the most successful in renewing the prestige of the Olympics. The 1st World War interrupted the Games but was reinstated by 1920 in Belgium. Countries that were enemies of Belgium were not invited to participate. Nazi leader Adolph Hitler orchestrated the 1936 Summer Games amidst protests from other countries, especially the United States (â€Å"Olympics†). The political overtones of the Olympics did not lessen with the fall of nazi Germany. In 1956, Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon boycotted the Melbourne Games to protest the Anglo-French seizure of the Suez Canal, and the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland boycotted as well to protest the USSR’s invasion of Hungary. In Mexico City in 1968, two American black used the victory pedestal to publicize their disdain for U.S. racial policies. In Munich in 1972, Palestinian terrorists massacred 11 Israeli athletes. And in 1976 in Montreal, 33 African nations, to be presented by about 400 athletes, boycotted the Games to protest South Africa’s apartheid policies. The most serious disruptions to the modern Olympics, however, came in 1980 and 1984. Under strong pressure from the Carter administration, the U.S. Olympic Committee voted to boycott the Summer Games in Moscow to protest the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. About 40 nations followed, including West Germany, China, and Japan, depriving the Soviets of the chief athletic competition and raising doubts about the future of the Olympic movement. Post September 11 attacks had also created greater security problems that organizers and the United States had to contend with. This would entail stricter measures of checking athletes, spectators, and the media as they gather at the event. The Secret Service has employed a tactic of pairing off a local law enforcer with a federal secret service. Local officers would be in-charge of disciplining local troublemakers, while the secret service agent is responsible for looking out for terrorists (B. Howell. â€Å"New Security After 9-11†). As one views over the history of modern Olympics, it is easily noticeable that as the Games bolstered national pride, it also helped to foster politics. The two elements had become inseparable from affecting the Games. References: â€Å"Ancient Olympic Games†. http://www.wucho.com/Ancient%20Olympic%20Events.doc â€Å"Olympics†. Cited in Collier’s Encyclopedia. Vol. 18. 1990. Tandon, D.K. â€Å"The Politics of the Games and the Games as Politics† http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011118/spectrum/main2.htm Instone, S. â€Å"The Olympics: Ancient versus Modern†. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greek_olympics_01.shtml â€Å"The Context of the Games and the Olympic Spirit†. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics/spirit.html â€Å"Olympics†. Encyclopedia Americana. Vol. 20, 1994. Howell, Brennan. â€Å"New Security After 9-11†. Tiger Times. Issue Five. http://www.chagrin-falls.k12.oh.us/CFHS/newspape/m02_issu/metro/metro18.html

Management of Global Warming Impacts

Management of Global Warming Impacts David Vellacott Title: How are the impacts of global warming best managed? Accompanying files: n/a Did you know that there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere today than at any point in the last 800,000 years?11 This is a massive contributor to global warming, is mostly induced by human activity and needs urgent attention. The impacts of global warming could feasibly be managed at a variety of scales, local, national and global, but before deciding which approach or combination of approaches is best, we must surely look at the causes, that way we potentially find a cure as opposed to merely treating the symptoms. Causes Over many centuries, CO2 levels have built up, trapped beneath the Earth’s ozone layer, creating an ever thickening ‘blanket’. This is a big problem for us as it will take many centuries for it to be dispersed. Furthermore, rainforests and large areas of vegetation have been removed. This exacerbates the problem of adding extra CO2 when we are essentially removing our natural carbon storage devices. There is a proven strong link between population size, economic activity and our consumer led lifestyle and global warming. As the population has risen over time, so has the level of production of greenhouse gases, further contributing to global warming (see Fig. 1) Fig. 17 China, the most populated country on the planet, which had a population of 1.241 billion in 1998 and 1.351 billion in 2012 4, has seen a rise of 100.1 million people in the space of 10 years and has become the world’s biggest contributor of emissions, therefore leading me to believe that one cause of the worsening of Earth’s global warming is down to overall population increase. However, it would be short sighted to say that this is the only determining factor. Globalisation and extensive economic development/industrialisation is fuelling China’s consumption of fossil fuels and it’s carbon footprint. Fig.2 below shows the Global Warming Emissions by Economic Sector 1 Fig. 2 If we could manage our use of fossil fuels, we can begin to control our carbon excesses, but that won’t reverse the damage already done. Fig. 3 From a different, more focussed local perspective, a cause of climate change is the relentless mass production of new products. Most of the ‘old’ products were sent to landfill sites. Eventually this emits methane (a greenhouse gas). It is only recently (last 20 years) that we have seen the introduction of extensive recycling schemes to try and alleviate this. This allows re-use of materials, helping to reduce emissions from factories producing new materials, as now there is less demand for them, reduces emissions from landfill sites and helps oil supplies last longer. If local schemes like this are continued to be emphasised as they are now, I believe this will have a significant impact on climate change and global warming. Impacts Local Case Study: Telford, Shropshire Telford is an urban area with a population size of 155,000 (2010). Telford’s economy is tertiary based, with some manufacturing. Telford Wrekin Council reported emissions of 18,728 tonnes from the usage of gas, electricity and oil within its property portfolio which includes schools, libraries and leisure centres13. Telford and Wrekin is home to a coal fired power station (owned currently by E.on), which contributes significantly to our local CO2 emissions. As a result of national government’s pressure on local councils to act upon the effects of global warming (Agenda 21), Telford and Wrekin council operates a recycling scheme as a way to cut down on the amount of household waste sent to landfill. Reusable items from households are collected fortnightly and sorted at a recycling centre in the town. The scheme is encouraging in every way. The page about their recycling explains why you don’t have to pay an upfront cost (definitely a positive, good for getting the public on board): because the council saves a great deal of money by recycling; this is cheaper than sending rubbish to landfill. I believe the Telford and Wrekin council runs their recycling scheme very well, ensuring each household has the right containers and are adequately advertising the programme. Since recycling was introduced into Telford, there must surely have been a huge reduction in the amount of rubbish sent to landfill, thus reducing the volume of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere. Telford’s recycling scheme, however, may not have come into existence if the effects of global warming had not been recognised. [used 15] The council are also very conscious about the amount of gases released from industrial processes, believing it is very easy to let it get out of hand, to pose a health risk and to harm land, water and air quality through pollution. Therefore, they use a regime called ‘Environmental Permitting’, also known as pollution prevention control, whereby â€Å"it is an offence for any person/company to operate a permitted (prescribed) activity without a valid permit.† 14 National The UK government is keen to mitigate the effects of climate change by looking to reduce our reliance upon fossil fuels for the generation of electricity. It is encouraging energy companies to look at alternative sources eg renewables like wind and wave and is also encouraging individuals to ‘do their bit’ by part funding their investment in solar panels – many homeowners may see this as the crucial time to invest in solar panels for the roof of their house. This is seemingly confirmed by governmental minister Greg Barker. He states: â€Å"Solar PV can play a central role in meeting this challenge [global warming]. It’s a genuinely exciting energy technology which has already seen rapid growth and enjoys strong public support. I want this growth to continue and to help us push further ahead in the global race† Global I believe that the amount of energy produced from renewable methods will increase. It has been predicted that wind and solar power production will increase 4% by 2018 from 2011 figures.2 In time, the polar ice caps will melt as a result of the higher temperatures brought about by global warming. This will cause a rise in sea levels. It is predicted that by 2100, the global sea level is estimated to rise 28 to 98 centimetres (a maximum of more than three feet)10. Having a warmer planet will interfere with countries’ climates. It has been predicted that on average, there will be more warmer days, and fewer colder; there has been a rise of 0.7 °C over the last century.1 Even in our country, UK, we can see the changes to our climate: in recent years, we have had more prolonged spells of sunny weather in the summer months, and much more severe snowy conditions, eg January 2011. In addition, the extreme weather will result in a global increase in the amount of money put towards predicting what may happen. And when this isn’t enough, even more money will be spent reducing the overall impact of climate change. Global warming could lead to water becoming harder to come by in some places. There may be increasing competition over water, which could lead to conflict between nations and areas of the world. How is global warming being managed? Global In recent years, many countries have created laws that restrict the amount of emissions they produce. For example, the Kyoto Protocol was set up to attempt to control the problem. It was intended to monitor the greenhouse emissions produced by all countries that signed, and reduce them by 5% below 1990 levels by 2012; some countries, such as UK, have subsequently set their own targets (UK 12.5% by 2012)6. But not all countries in the world have signed, so in my opinion, the protocol is not at its most effective. If all countries signed up to the Kyoto Protocol, I strongly believe that this would be an extremely effective method of reducing climate change because the whole world would be tackling a global problem as one, hopefully better than using many different methods which may lead to confusion. National Recently, the UK has raised road taxes, perhaps in a bid to discourage the public from buying and using cars emitting large volumes of harmful gases. Cars that emit high or excessive amounts of emissions are charged a higher road tax, and the opposite for those that produce a lesser amount. However, I feel that this  £140 road tax fee would not be enough to discourage most motorists. Many may see this as simply an additional cost to pay for the car, rather than thinking about or realising the true reason for the extra cost the government has imposed. I truly believe that even the smallest changes will have some impact on the overall global warming picture. In the UK a few years ago, homeowners were strongly encouraged to purchase energy efficient light bulbs. Traditional high wattage incandescent light bulbs were deemed to be inefficient, and people started to buy energy efficient light bulbs to replace these. Using an energy efficient light bulb rather than a 60-watt incandescent bulb will save approximately  £20 in bulb costs, last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, use two-thirds less energy, and give off 70 percent less heat. If every UK household installed 3 Compact Fluorescent light bulbs, enough energy would be saved in a year to supply all street lighting in the UK12. I would say that this small change is indeed a very efficient method of reducing the effects of global warming and is very economically and environmentally viable. Local In cities such as London, a congestion charge has been put into action since the year 2002. Between 07:00 and 18:00 Monday to Friday, vehicles are charged for using particular roads in an area of London. This was introduced to encourage motorists to use their cars less, resulting in a decrease in emissions. On the first day 190,000 vehicles moved into or within the zone during charging hours, a decrease of around 25% on normal traffic levels, partly due to it also being the half-term school holiday8. However, this congestion charge area may backfire. I think that there would be, before and after the congestion charge was imposed in 2002, exactly the same number of vehicles wishing travel to destinations at these times, if not more. The tax may in turn bring the opposite to the desired effect- vehicles would travel a further distance around the area to avoid paying the money, thus increasing harmful emissions produced, not what the scheme was implemented for. Fig.4: The congestion charge area. Scenarios Local Case Study- Proactive There are many scenarios that could emerge as a result of the pressure from the local council and the national government alike. Telford and Wrekin council’s recycling scheme could be increased in capacity in relation to its success- we could see in the future more frequent collections, possibly once a week, and an even bigger reduction in the amount of waste this town sends to landfill, again reducing the effects of climate change. Another option for the future may be using more public transport than we do currently. In Telford, 2011, there were 84,671 cars and vans in the area16. That equates to an average of 1.3 cars or vans per household in the area. In addition, in Telford there are 1406 households with 4 or more cars16. If these 1406 households reduced down to one car and depended more on public transport, there would be 81,893 cars in the area, only a small reduction. Would depending on public transport more in this area then be worthwhile? Global Case Study Laissez Faire vs Proactive What if we do nothing? It is after all the cheapest option! Can ‘nature’ protect itself? If we consider unmanaged coastal erosion, nature usually ‘stops’ in time. Sea level rise will inevitably ‘drown’ low lying countries but it is a slow process, so we have time to relocate those people or to manage the effects eg building coastal defences to protect them. Alternatively, we look to generate power solely from renewable sources; this way, very few or no emissions will be released into the atmosphere. However, this doesn’t solve the here and now issue of the current emission levels! One viable solution for the future may be to avoid transporting goods far distances across the world, such as to the UK from China. But, factories will need to be built in the countries the goods are intended for in order to use less ‘air miles’. However, this is not completely feasible as some countries have very little room to accommodate the factories. It does however mean that the emissions impacts are felt in the place that created them, which is fairer than at present. Conclusion I believe that some of the best ways to combat the impacts of global warming include: Reduce- Re-use-Recycle – achievable by all global inhabitants Change/convert to energy efficient appliances – mostly applicable to NIC and MEDC residents Using fewer ‘air miles’ – mostly applicable to NIC and MEDC residents Increasing the use of public transport – applicable to most global urban inhabitants – but how do we convince them to leave their cars behind? The smallest changes can, collectively make the biggest difference. If everybody could pull together to address the issues surrounding global warming and climate change, I believe we can achieve a sustainable future. However, I feel that we need to better educate people so that they do not adopt the selfish, ‘couldn’t care less, not my problem’ approach. Bibliography http://www.climatehotmap.org/about/global-warming-causes.html http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/10-Renewable-Energy-Statistics-you-Might-Not-Know.html https://www.gov.uk/government/news/solar-energy-central-to-renewables-expansion http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL http://www.worldcoal.org/coal/uses-of-coal/coal-electricity/ Page 83, GCSE Geography OCR Specification B, Bowness, Ellen, Brazier, Joe et al,CGP, 2009 http://quietmike.org/2013/05/28/global-warmings-biggest-contributors/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_congestion_charge#Immediate_impact http://environment.about.com/od/globalwarming/tp/globalwarmtips.htm http://e360.yale.edu/feature/rising_waters_how_fast_and_how_far_will_sea_levels_rise/2702/ http://www.dosomething.org/actnow/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-global-warming http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/51002 http://www.telford.gov.uk/news/article/398/councils_carbon_reduction_recognised http://www.telford.gov.uk/info/200075/pollution/319/environmental_permitting http://www.telford.gov.uk/faqs/200084/recycling_and_rubbish http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7b=6275277c=telfordd=13e=14g=6386646i=1001x1003x1004m=0r=1s=1386883440731enc=1dsFamilyId=2483

An Inspector Calls :: English Literature

An Inspector Calls: Set In 1912; written 1940's but a play for the millennium. What important issues are raised by the play? How does Priestly use the Settings, Characters and Events to convey? I've been studying the play 'An Inspector Calls' that is concerned about problems and issues of year 1912 and used the characters of the play to allow his feelings of the time to be put across to others, in 1912 and now. Many of the problems faced then are still around today and will be probably will be in years to come, despite him trying to make changes in the way we think. However the play was wrote in 1946, just after the Second World War, he was trying to make people aware of what was going on and how this shouldn't happen again. At the time there were a lot of coal miners on strike for having low wages, working, living and conditions also Dockers for the same reasons nothing was done. The poor were manipulated by the rich into what they wanted, for instance take the World War Two Germany the much stronger, powerful and richer country, against poorer countries such as Poland and there was many more countries in similar situations. The play was attempting to get across, that we need to look after the people and things around us no matter how small, as it's not acceptable to use them to our advantages: Remember this. One Eva Smith has gone but there are millions and millions of Eva Smith and John Smiths still left with us. There were always people there to look after or at least realise about the 'Eva Smiths' in the world. In a world scale other countries came into help the poorer countries but notice its always too late in a way, people have already been hurt, In the play there was Sheila and Eric Birling and of course the inspector. A more recent event like this took place in 1982, the Falklands. Argentina invaded the Islands, thinking nothing would be done because they're so small. The British advanced to help their fellow men, and stopped the conflict in its tracks. They made Argentina pay for it, in the death of their own men, 'then they will be taught in fire and blood and anguish', The Inspector (page 56). I think the ideas of Priestly were heard by the people, but still have not embedded themselves into today's society: Nonsense! You'll have a good laugh over it yet. We've been had, that's all. Birling(both p70) This is only Mr Birling's general opinion but this could also be the

Types of culture

Organizational cultureOrganizational culture is beliefs and assumptions, which are shared by all members of an organization (Seymour, 2013).Charles Handy researched four types of organizational culture, which may be accepted by companies. The first type is â€Å"the power culture†, which means that the power is concentrated in one person and dominated by one person in the company (Greener, 2010). One person influences all decision-making. A type of organization with this cultural type is able to solve problems and provide solutions easily, however solutions depend on the central person for their success. The fact is that with this cultural type it is difficult to connect activities together, because of group sizes (Greener, 2010).The performance in the companies, which use this cultural type, can be examined by their results. The second type, according to Handy, is â€Å"the role culture†. In this type of culture each person has his or her own well-detailed job position (Greener, 2010). The influence comes from rules and procedures, which are very well-established. In addition, this type of culture can be a good choice in a resistant type of market. This type of culture can provide security and reward promotions for employees. The third type of culture, which Handy explained, is â€Å"the task culture†.This type of culture is activityoriented; the main focus is on task outcome (Greener, 2010). This is a team culture, which is oriented on the completion of a project. This culture is appropriate on the competitive market. The main difficulty is a control in this type of organizations, however there is a control in each type of project. The fourth and last type of culture is â€Å"Person culture†. This type of culture that is not used by many companies, because it is very unusual (Greener, 2010). In such organizations employees prefer to do a job in which they have efficient skills and can perform successfully.Furthermore, employees ten d to do a job, which they wish to do. In addition, these are standard types of culture and the majority of companies do not have only one cultural type. Moreover, most of the companies prefer to choose the culture type, which can become appropriate to the organization policy, in most cases they choose a mix of culture types. Furthermore, Quinn et al. decided to describe type of culture with the help of environment, which can be flexible or controlled, and with two types of focuses: internal and external.Internal means the environment inside the organization, while external environment means factors outside the organization, which organization can’t change. Quinn et al. proposed four different types of culture: the first type is called â€Å"clan†, which is based on human relations; this culture type is internal and flexible (Cameron and Quinn, 2005). There is a friendly atmosphere in such organizations. The second type of Quinn et al. culture is called â€Å"hierarchy †, which is based on control; this type of culture is internal and controlled (Cameron and Quinn, 2005).The work area is very formal and leaders play a role of the representatives of a company (Angel, 2003). The third type of Quinn et al. type of culture is called â€Å"adhocracy†, which is based on innovations; this type of culture is external and flexible (Cameron and Quinn, 2005). Work areas in such organizations are very positive, which have a vital energy (Angel, 2003). The last type of Quinn et al. type of culture is â€Å"market†, which is based on control; this type of organizational culture is external and controlled (Cameron and Quinn, 2005). The work atmosphere is a competitive place (Angel, 2003).In addition, Geert Hofstede research showed that a type of organizational culture depends on national values and vary from country to country (Hofstede G. , 2001; Hofstede G. et al. , 2010). The research found out that â€Å"the Organizational Cultural model consists of six autonomous dimensions (variables) and two semi-autonomous dimensions†(Hofstede G. , 2001:1; Hofstede G. et al. , 2010).For instance, there are several measurements for organizational culture: â€Å"oriented vs. goal oriented, internally driven vs. externally driven, easy going work discipline vs. strict work discipline, local vs.  professional, open system vs. closed system, employee oriented vs. work oriented, degree of acceptance of leadership style and degree of identification with your organization† (Hofstede G. , 2001:2; Hofstede G. et al. , 2010). Furthermore, depending on the goals of a business some of these dimensions or combinations of these dimensions may be more suitable for the company then others are. Organizational performance directly depends on the type of organizational culture. Organizational performance is a way in which employees present the results of their tasks.

A Complete Student’s Guide to Religious Studies Essays

A Complete Student’s Guide to Religious Studies Essays Religious studies is a popular college class. While religious studies classes are not usually required, taking one of these classes can be an eye-opening experience. Learning about other religions can help students to better understand the culture and values of the religious group members. Occasionally religious studies can also be a high school elective class. For the sake of this article, we will use tips and examples that are suitable for both college and high school religious studies essays. Religious Studies Essays: What’s Behind Them There are four basic types of essays that can be used in high school or college classes: narratives, descriptive essays, expository essays, and persuasive essays. Essays are usually based on a student’s opinion and backed up with facts. Each type of essay can be used in religious studies classes. Let’s take a look at how. The first of these essays are narrative essays. Narrative essays tell a story, usually based on a student’s life. Descriptive language, the use of adjectives and dialogue, helps to make the story more vivid. For this type of essay to be used in a religious studies class, a student could write about their experience with their religion or with people who follow other religions. However, when writing these kinds of essays, it is important to not be derogatory towards people of other religions. Descriptive essays are exactly what they sound like. They involve writing about a person, place, or thing in extreme detail. In these essays, it important to use adjectives. This type of essay is best when you are discussing religious figures or religious artwork. These types of essays are likely to work best as a part of a religious studies essay, rather than the whole essay. Expository essays are concerned with the facts and nothing but the facts. This type of essay is great for religious studies classes when you need to write about historical events, rather than topics based on opinions. While writing these essays, it is best to avoid putting any bias in your paper, as this may make your essay seem less reliable. The last major type of essay is a persuasive essay. With this type of essay, you want your audience to agree with your argument. To do this, you will need to back up your opinion with facts. Make sure to use reliable sources when you do this. One way this could be used in religious studies classes is to write about an opinion you have on a religious matter and explain why your opinion is right by using facts How to Choose the Most Interesting Religious Essay Topics Picking a topic for a religious studies paper can be difficult, especially since religious studies classes often cover a variety of subjects. Below are some topic suggestions with ideas on how to use them in your essay. These topic ideas will work for either Christian religious studies classes or world religion classes. We have put listed at least one topic for every major world religion. Feel free to use any of these topics for your own essay, just make sure to cite your source! Paul brought Christianity to Europe, but he made many changes to the teachings (compared to what Jesus taught). Were these changes for the better or worse?Paul never met Jesus, but he had a dream in which Jesus spoke to him. He often disagreed with Jesus’s apostles who had known him in life. Does Paul’s dream give him the authority to make changes to Christianity or should he have left the teachings of the church to Jesus’s primary disciples? The Five Pillars of Islam help to guide the Muslim faith. How do these pillars compare and contrast to the virtues of other major world religions? Muslims are often prejudged in today’s society. Is there anything in their pillars that make them â€Å"look bad† or are the pillars all positive? How do the pillars affect the way Muslim people should act? Are the pillars similar to virtues in other religions? Discuss. There are four noble truths (four central beliefs) in Buddhism. Are these truths still expressed in Buddhism today? Are they also shown in other religions?Buddhism is an Eastern religion that is practiced in many Asian countries. However, there are several branches/sects of Buddhism. Do all of the branches follow the four noble truths? If so, do they have anything else in common? If not, what are the other branch’s values? Hinduism is one of the world’s oldest religions. Discuss the changes that have occurred in the religion over the years. Are these changes good or bad?Over the centuries, Hinduism is sure to have gone through some changes. How have these changes affected Hindu people? What were some of the primary beliefs of the religion centuries ago and what are they now? There are several Jewish holidays each year. Describe one of these holidays and their significance to the Jewish faith. Some of the most important holidays in Judaism include Hanukkah and Passover. Describe one of these holidays or another prominent Jewish holiday. Write about the history of the holiday and how it is celebrated today. This could make a great expository essay. Writing Tips from Our Experts Now that we’ve discussed some of the types of essays there are and some of the topics that would work well for a religious studies essay, let’s discuss how to actually write the essay. Follow some of the tips below to learn how to organize your paper, write the various parts of the paper, and to learn some editing skills. Pre-Writing The more research and organizing you do before you write a paper, the less time you will have to waste by looking for sources and trying to cure a writer’s block while you are actually writing. There are two basic ways to do this. The first way to save time on your paper is to write an outline for your paper. Outlines are helpful for all sorts of written documents. This includes essays, term papers, and even this very article! This can help you to avoid writer’s block because you will have all of your ideas written out before you even begin writing your essay. When you don’t have to stop to think of new ideas, your writing can flow! You can use this link to be redirected to an essay outline worksheet. This worksheet gives step-by-step instructions to help write an outline. Another thing you can do to make things easier on yourself is to do all of your research and take notes before you even begin writing your paper. Make sure to write down your sources or type up your works cited to save even more time. The more notes you take, the less time you will have to spend rereading your sources later. While this will take up some more time before you start writing your paper, it will save you time in the long-run. One good place to find scholarly sources for your essay is to search by using Google Scholar. Essay Writing: The Importance of Structuring Of course, writing the actual essay is the most important part. There are five basic elements that need to be included in every essay. In this section, we will go over how each of these sections can be applied effectively in your essay. Introduction; Thesis Statement; Body Paragraphs; Conclusion; Reference/ Page. Let’s look at writing an introduction and a thesis statement, as a thesis statement is always a part of the introduction, often as the last sentence in the paragraph. A thesis statement is a one-sentence-long part of the induction that describes what your main argument is and what points you are going to use to support it. An example a thesis statement you could use for a religious studies class is below. ‘The Virgin Mary is an important figurehead in many Christian sects, but women are not always treated fairly in the religion; this essay will discuss the factors, including the role of women in and outside of the physical church.’ To make this into a complete introduction, simply add on a few more sentences (before the thesis statement) to further explain what your essay will discuss. An introduction is usually around four sentences long, with the thesis statement being the main component of the introduction. Keep this in mind as you write your introduction. Body Paragraphs The body paragraphs will make up the bulk of the essay. Most essays in both high school and college classes contain at least three body paragraphs. These paragraphs each have a specific structure that should be followed. The first sentence should work to introduce the main point of the body paragraph. The next two or three sentences should be focused on evidence to support your main point! Make sure to cite your sources! The last paragraph should be a short summary (conclusion) to wrap up the paragraph. Conclusion The conclusion is actually very similar to the introduction. It is only one paragraph long. Instead of introducing the main points of the paper, you are summing up what you already wrote. In this paragraph, make sure to restate your thesis statement and your main points. Once you do this, your paper is almost done! Reference Page A reference page is a vital part of any essay! If you skip this section, you may very well fail your entire paper. This is because if you do not cite your sources, then you can be accused of plagiarism. You are most likely to be required to use MLA or APA formatting with your sources. To learn how to use these citations styles (and more), you can click on this link. The site can also teach you how to use internal sources, which are just as important to have as the sources listed in your reference page. Post-Writing Tips You Can’t Ignore When scheduling time to work on your essay, make sure that you make time for editing your paper. While many students skip this step, editing is the key to improving your overall essay grade. There are a few things that you should always check for when you are editing your essay: spelling and grammar mistakes, accidental plagiarism, and awkward sentence structure. Let’s take a look at how to improve each of these parts of your essay. Whether you are writing your essay in a Word document, in Google Docs, or in a third-party writing program, you are likely to have some sort of grammar and spelling checking system build into the program. While these programs can catch a lot of mistakes, they miss out on a few key features. That’s why it is best to always look over your paper again, or run it through another spelling/grammar checker, like Grammarly. Doing this can help you catch simple mistakes before your teacher does. Next, make sure that you have not accidentally plagiarized. To do this, you will want to make sure that all of your sources are cited both internally and in a page. Read over your paper to make sure you have done this. If after doing this you are still worried, run your paper through a plagiarism checker. One great plagiarism checker for students is Turnitin, which provides free trials of their service. Lastly, look for sentences that just don’t sound right. One of the best ways to do this is to read your paper out loud. Sometimes, when you read in your head, you may skip over awkward lines. Reading out loud can help you to more easily catch these mistakes. You can also have a friend look over your paper, as they might catch something that you didn’t. Well, we hope that these tips can help you to write your religious studies paper. Make sure to check out some of the sources we’ve outlined in this article for additional help. If you follow our tips, you are almost guaranteed to get a passing grade on your essay. Good luck!

Treating Jellyfish and Man-O-War Stings

Treating Jellyfish and Man-O-War Stings Its beach weather! The ocean is full of fun, but its also full of wildlife, including jellyfish. Do you know what to do if you or someone with you sees a jellyfish or is stung by one? You should know the answer to these questions before you go to the beach since an encounter with a jellyfish can be a painful or possibly lethal experience. As a matter of practical chemistry, your biggest risk from a jellyfish or man of war sting may come from improper first aid intended to deal with the venom, so pay attention...Question: What should you do if you see a jellyfish?Best Answer: Leave it alone.If its in the water, get away from it. If its on the beach and you need to walk around it, walk above it (dune side) rather than below it (surf side), since it may be trailing tentacles. Keep in mind a jellyfish does not need to be alive in order to sting you. Detached tentacles are capable of stinging and releasing venom for several weeks.My Actual Answer: It depends on what kind of jellyfish it i s.I realize if it looks like floating jelly, its considered a jellyfish, but there are different types of jellyfish and also animals that look like jellyfish but are something else entirely. Not all jellyfish can hurt you. The jellyball pictured above, for example, is common off the coast of South Carolina, where I live. What do you do when you see one? If you are a kid, youll probably pick it up and throw it at another kid (unless its alive and then you avoid it because they kind of hurt when the waves throw one at you). This is a non-venomous jellyfish. Most parts of the world have non-venomous jellyfish, which tend to be easy-to-spot. Its the jellyfish you dont see that present the biggest threat. Many jellyfish are transparent. You probably wont see them in the water, so if you are stung you wont know exactly what got you. If you see a jellyfish and dont know what type it is, treat it like a venomous species and get away from it.Question: How do I treat a jellyfish sting?Answer: Act quickly and calmly to remove the tentacles, stop the stinging, and deactivate any toxin.Here is where people get confused because the best steps to take depend on what type of animal cau sed the sting. Heres a good basic strategy, especially if you dont know what caused the sting: Get out of the water. Its easier to deal with the sting and it takes drowning out of the equation.Rinse the affected area with sea water. Do not use fresh water! Fresh water will cause any stinging cells that havent fired (called nematocysts) to do so and release their venom, possibly worsening the situation. Do not rub sand on the area (same reason).If you see any tentacles, carefully lift them off the skin and remove them with a stick, shell, credit card, or towel (just not your bare hand). They will stick to swimwear, so use caution touching clothing.Keep an eye on the victim. If you see any signs of an allergic reaction, call 911 immediately. Symptoms could include difficulty breathing, nausea, or dizziness. Some redness and swelling is normal, but if it spreads outward from the sting or if you see hives on other parts of the body, that could indicate an allergic response. If you suspect a reaction, do not hesitate to seek medical attention!Now... if you are sure the sting is fro m a jellyfish and not a Portuguese Man of War (shown below, the Man of War is not a true jellyfish) or any other animal, you can use chemistry to your advantage to inactivate the toxin, which is a protein. (Technically the venom tends to be a mixture of polypeptides and proteins including catecholamines, histamine, hyaluronidase, fibrolysins, kinins, phospholipases, and assorted toxins). How do you inactivate proteins? You can change the temperature or acidity by applying heat or an acid or base, such as vinegar or baking soda or diluted ammonia, or even an enzyme, such as the papain found in papaya and meat tenderizer. However, chemicals may cause the stinging cells to fire, which is bad news for someone allergic to jellyfish toxin or anyone stung by a Portuguese Man of War. If you do not know what caused the sting or if you suspect it is from a Man of War, do not apply fresh water or any chemical. Your best course of action is to apply heat to the affected area since it penetrates the skin and inactivates the toxin without causing more venom to be injected. Also, heat quickly helps alleviate the pain of the sting. Hot seawater is great, but if you dont have that handy, use any warmed object. Some people carry aloe vera gel, Benadryl cream, or hydrocortisone cream. Im not sure how effective the aloe is, but Benadryl is an antihistamine, which may help limit an allergic response to the sting. Hydrocortisone can help reduce inflammation. If you seek medical attention and used Benadryl or hydrocortisone, be sure to alert the medical professionals. Acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen commonly are used to relieve pain.The Portuguese Man of War (Physalia physalis) looks a lot like a jellyfish, but it is a different animal. While the blue or pink sail cannot harm you, the trailing tentacles pack a potentially-lethal sting. The tentacles can sting you even if the animal is dead.

Use of Social Media In The Police Force In Queensland

Use of Social Media In The Police Force In Queensland Introduction Social media is a fast growing type of technology used for social interaction. It entails the use of internet based and mobile technologies for effective dialogue. It is capable of reaching a large number of the target audience at a short period of time.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Use of Social Media In The Police Force In Queensland specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Though most of the social networking was an attraction to the younger generation, the audience using it has expanded to include both the younger and the older generation. It has been used over the years to communicate effective strategies and it is cost effective. Use Of Social Media By Queensland Government Departments We are all aware of the tragedy that hit the state of Queensland in the period December 2010-January 2011 when a series of floods. The floods which created a huge disaster left more than 35 people dead, some missing and created damages worth over 30 billion dollars. The horrific scenes will forever be embedded in the minds of many people who witnessed the horrifying incident. People turned to digital channels to follow the happenings of the rescuing team and the effect of the flooding in the affected areas (Big Click 2011). Facebook and twitter were the most common social tools that people used to convey information to their friends online and which such information was relayed in a short span of time to millions of people all over the world. However, the Queensland Police force was forced to step in due to misinformation that circulated in these social networks (Atfield 2011). One outstanding false rumor that circulated in the social networks around this time was that Wivenhoe Dam was about to breach, an information that caused much distress to many people. This incidence forced the Queensland police service to step in and open a Facebook site to effectively relay the correct information to the ci tizens and other people who were following the happenings worldwide (Computer World 2011).Advertising Looking for report on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They successfully managed to communicate to dozens of people and this helped to ease tension that had gripped the residents over the spread of false information. The focus of my presentation is therefore to show the importance of social networking as a tool of communication in the government departments in Queensland State especially the Queensland Police Service. It further gives examples of possible social media that can be adopted for the sake of communicating effectively the state messages to the citizens. The Power Of Social Media: Katrina Vs Haiti Disasters Before we discuss the reasons why social media should be adopted in the police media in response of disasters, it is very important at this stage to find out the impact social media has in times of disasters. Katrina and Haiti are two scenarios that can explain this particular point. In the year 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit the Louisiana coast killing more than 1500 people, social media had not been born (Brunsma and Picou 2007). There was no Facebook or Twitter to pass the information of what was happening to millions of people following the event. Instead, people relied on Televisions, radios and print media to get the news. The response needed was slow and a lot of anxiety was created with a lot of people waiting for the media to report any breaking news. The second scenario presents the devastating earthquake that recently hit Haiti in 2010. Millions of people logged into various social media such as twitter and Facebook to follow the events as they happened. Other social media such as Youtube relayed video clips of recent images and happenings during the earthquake. A Facebook page was set up by Red-Cross appealing for help for Haiti victims and more than 3 billion dollars was raised in less than a day. The debate of adopting social media in government offices heated up after the Haiti incidence with many people arguing that social media had indeed transformed the cycle of news. The speed of response in the two disaster scenarios above is clear proof of how powerful social media has become.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Use of Social Media In The Police Force In Queensland specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Advantages and Disadvantages Associated With the Use Of Social Media Before the disaster hit the State of Queensland, the use of social media in the government departments was unheard phenomenon. The mode of communication form used to pass information was ineffective and mostly landed in wrong hands. The disaster however has changed the belief and with the above disaster scenario in mind, it will be important to state the benefits of introducing use of socia l media in the police force. What then are the benefits? Cost effective using the social media as a mode of effective communication will save lots of state money as it is very cheap. It is cheaper than other tools of communication such as telephones. Greater reach – it has the capability of reaching many people at the same time to convey the intended message. Engage community participation – the police will be able to engage the community in a message sent by a social media tool. An example is a delicate topic put up on Facebook as an update which allows the members to respond. Besides the benefits, social media can also be associated with some disadvantages if adopted by Queensland Police Service. Some of the disadvantages include (Fearn-Banks 1996): Privacy issues – Social networking sites has private issues such as cyber criminals hacking into accounts and getting access to private information. Time – Social media networking tends to take up a lot of time and effort as it involves updating the group status often and responding to the issues rose by the members of the public. Trust – members of the public are always paranoid when it comes to information from the police department. By using social media, the department needs to earn the trust of the public slowly but firmly. The Preferred Social Media To Be Adopted In The Police Department Having discussed the benefits and disadvantages of adopting social media in the police department, it is important to highlight the social media that should be adopted. There are three social networking websites that should be reviewed and implemented. This is the use of Twitter, Facebook and Flick’r. Use of Twitter Social Networking Site This site allows for instant messages which are known as tweets of not more than 140 characters. This is actually the most ideal site to rely breaking news to the world and any other important information (Riordan 2011). If it had been adopted by the police force during the flood disaster, the members of the public would have been able to be kept up to date with the happenings thus preventing the spread of false rumors. An example of a police department that has already adopted use of Twitter is the Bellevue, Nebraska Police Department where the officers tweet messages using their real identity and the message is relayed on the homepage for public viewing. In cases of emergencies, they use Nixel to send out alerts through Twitter. Reason For Adopting It Into The Force Due to its rapid growth, people have turned it to a policing forum and it will not be surprising to find that most followers, as they are called on Twitter are already discussing the force. The public comments and opinions may prove to be very helpful to make vital decisions.Advertising Looking for report on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The discussion forum will also create a comfortable atmosphere to air different delicate views that the public may be unwilling to speak out in other instances. This is due to the fact that this type of social media is very informal and feels more like a social gathering forum. One major pitfall is that a message sent cannot be deleted easily. This means that if the force sends a wrong message that is not intended for public viewing, it will spread very fast as others will be bound to copy the comments and post them. However, this is not an alarming pitfall as it can be easily controlled and maintained. Use Of Facebook Networking Site With the highest number of social networking fans, this will be the ideal social media to join due to the huge following. It involves the crowd in a discussion through a status update that the Facebook user keeps on updating and responding to the comments posted in response. Hence, Facebook will act as a good forum to discuss public issues and elicit a ll kinds of responses from the public that will help the force gauge their reaction towards a specific issue. The Vancouver Police Department in British Columbia is a good example of a police force that has already adopted the Facebook social networking. Their social page helps the followers to be kept up to date with the recent happenings in the world of crimes, activities taking place in the force and even recruitment news. Reason For Adopting It Into The Force Just like Twitter, Facebook also acts a great forum to discuss issues with the public and in doing so will get to have the feedback they can use for major decisions. Messages posted on Facebook reach so many people at once through status updates that should be updated from time to time. Incase of a crisis, the force can be able to know the public’s reactions and how well they are handling the situation. Most information that spread during the flood crisis were through Facebook status updates and the police got to kno w about it when panic had already gripped most people (Hearn 2011). The major pitfall that is associated with Facebook is the fact that a status update can easily be misinterpreted and in most cases evoke emotional reactions from members of the public through the comments. This however can be avoided by reviewing the status update being posted. Use Of Flick’r Networking Site This site allows the users to upload photos or images and videos for other users to view. Adopting Social Media Into The Police Department For the technology to work and become integrated into the force, the police should undergo training on how to use the social media technology for purpose of interaction with the community. This will ensure that the technology is not abused and that it serves the purpose it is intended to. A social media course is very important as the department force in charge will be taken under intensive training on how to adopt the new technology of Facebook, Twitter and Flick†™r. The following is a simple concept outlining the importance of students taking a social media course to pass information to the community. Using the above concept map, it is important to show an example of how social media training in the police force would have played a vital role during the flood crisis. Social media course serves the following three main purposes: Equips the student with adequate knowledge of use of social media tools – possessing the know how tool of using Facebook, Twitter and Flick’r would have reduced tension in the community as many people were passing false information through these three main social media tools. Raises issues of the community – through application of suggested media tools, the police force would have been in a better position to relate with the community by engaging them in a discussion. This would have enabled the police to gather information that was circulating at the moment, read the moods and emotions of th e community and be able to come up with a solution before hand to calm the community members. Requires individual participation – active inquiry and individual participation would have helped to build more trust in the police force during the flood crisis hence calming the affected community. Criticism Of Social Media As An Important Tool Numerous arguments have been put forward with how social media act as a faster mean of relaying information. It has also been argued that major response can be achieved due to use of social media. But how true is this information? As much as social media tools are viewed as important in times of disaster, this is not the case following the Pakistan flood disaster which has claimed over 2000 lives and more than 15 million people either homeless or injured. In comparison between the Haiti Facebook page and the Pakistan page, the Haiti disaster has a following of over 40,000 people liking the page while the Pakistan page has just recently hit the mark of 2500 people. It is important to note that the two are recent events that took place when social media was so much in use. It has also been claimed that whereas Haiti received donations of over 500 million dollars within a short period following their Twitter and Facebook help pages, Pakistan received much less donations. It is not clear why there is much difference in the two scenarios and probably, it can be argued that in some disasters, social media is not very important. Another angle of this argument is failure by the state or the citizens to incorporate these tools to relay information as it happens. Either way, it creates confusion on how important is the use of social media and if so, it means that people choose which disaster to take seriously. Implementation Of A Workable Social Media Policies For social media to become a workable solution there are important steps that need to be followed so as to successfully adopt the policy in the police department. The pre sentation has already outlined the importance of adopting the social media in our police force with workable examples of the same tools working in other police forces departments such as the Bellevue, Nebraska Police Department and The Vancouver Police Department in British Columbia. Strategy development – we have already come up with the social media tools that we would wish to be adopted in the police force that is, use of Facebook, Twitter and Flick’r. A strategy should then be developed as the first step of implementation to determine several factors such as the hours to be allotted for working on this tool, the interrelationship of the adopted social media tools and finally the timeline to roll out the project. Create a Departmental Policy – social media policy should be adopted and adhered to due to legal risks and in that case, all social media sites have policies which even a police department should agree to the terms when joining the site. It is there fore important for the department to create a departmental policy to outline and regulate the information appearing on their site. Assign staff – there should be people from the police on the standby concerned with handling and updating the social media information at all times. In most cases, the community members will post questions that need to be addressed and therefore, it is necessary for the police force who have already been trained on how to handle the social media tools to be always available. Content flow of information has to be maintained. Conclusion Social media is an important technology and its usage is growing rapidly throughout the world. The government department will enhance their spread of information more effectively if they adopt the social media technology. The implementation may take a while but when fully integrated, it will be a very important tool to respond to disasters. Millions of people are using social media as a tool of communication and the refore the government should see the urgent need of introducing it to all the departments for effective communication. By so doing, the government will get to know what is going on in the outside world hence assisting in its administration. References Atfield, C. (2011) Rumor has it wrong in flood crisis. Brisbane Times. Web. Big Click (2011) Social Media and The Queensland Flood. Web. Brunsma, D and Picou, S (2007) The Sociology of Katrina: perspectives on a modern catastrophe. New York: Rowman Littlefield. Computer World (2011) Google launches Queensland Flood Crisis Response Site. Web. Fearn-Banks, K (1996) Crisis Communication: A Casebook Approach. New York: Routlledge. Hearn, L. (2011) Hunt for Missing Flood Victims Goes Online. Web. Riordan, K. (2011) Police Tweet on the Beat During Flood Crisis. ABC  News. Web.

Functional Status Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Functional Status - Assignment Example Patient’s history is needed when assessing and interviewing patients, because they could be characteristics that might interfere with the assessment. When interviewing, the clinician should be aware of the patient’s daily concerns and ask specific questions. This rapport helps the clinician and patient communicate effectively. Medical history is another area clinicians should ask elderly patients questions regarding their physical nature. For example, eyes, mouth, ears, throat, chest, neck, musculoskeletal back pains, and neurologic. Regarding drug use history, the history has to be recorded, and the elderly counseled in order to stop the habit. For example, tobacco and alcohol abuse (Besdine, 2013). Physical examination is something clinicians have to observe critically because it tells a lot about elderly patients, for example vital signs such as heart rate, skin color, and abnormalities within the body (Bickley, 2013). The process of reasoning is what all clinicians go through, and they differ broadly in terms of personal style, training, communication skills, and experience (Bickley, 2013). Clinical reasoning involves developing, testing hypotheses and establishing working diagnosis. Besdine, R. W. ( 2013). Evaluation of the elderly patient. Retrieved Dec 30, 2014 from

Antibiotic resistance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Antibiotic resistance - Research Paper Example In other words, it is "resistance of a microorganism to an antimicrobial medicine to which it was previously sensitive" (WHO, 2011). According to WHO (2011), more than 440,000 new cases of multidrug resistant tuberculosis emerge every year, resulting significant morbidity and mortality (David et al, 2008). To date, antibiotic resistance has been reported in more than 64 countries (WHO, 2011). Antibiotic resistance occurs due to genetic alteration of the organism and transferring of the altered genes between the organisms. The transfer can occur through transduction, conjugation or transformation. Antibiotic resistance is a major public health challenge globally because; resistant microorganisms fail to respond to medical therapy and result in prolonged illness and sometimes death. It hampers the control of infectious diseases. According to WHO (2011), "many infectious diseases risk becoming uncontrollable and could derail the progress made towards reaching the targets of the health-r elated United Nations Millennium Development Goals set for 2015. " Other than these, antibiotic resistance also contributes to increased cost to health care and jeopardizes various health gains to the society. In this research article, various strategies to prevent emergence of antibiotic resistance will be discussed through review of suitable literature. The article will also discuss about causes and mechanism of antibiotic resistance and consequences of antibiotic resistance. Literature review According to Williams and Sefton (1999), prevention of antibiotics resistance consists of mainly 2 parts, one is prevention of acquisition of strains that are antibiotics resistent and interruption of the various mechanisms by which antibiotic resistant organisms can spread from person to person. Antibiotic resistance mainly occurs due to use of antibiotics both in humans and animals. The greater the duration of exposure of the antibiotic, the greater is the risk of development of resistance to that particular antibiotic. The resistance occurs irrespective of the severity of the need to administer antibiotics. Thus antibiotic resistance is a major problems for clinicians. Antibiotics are often used for rearing animals for consumption purpose and this is a significant cause for antibiotic resistance. As far as use in humans is concerned, these drugs are administered to patients for both necessary and unnecessary causes and this contributes to drug resistance. In several countries, antibiotics are available over the counter and patients use them without medical advice. According to Costelloe et al (2010), even one single dose of antibiotic can contribute to resistance to that antibiotic upto one year. Arnols and Straus (2005) opined that inappropriate antibiotic prescription is the most common cause of antibiotic resistance and this can occur when the patient insists on antibiotics, when the physician prescribes antibiotics either for caution against medical legal issues , or because he has not time to explain why antibiotics must not be administered or the physician prescribes the antibiotics because of poor judgement regarding the cause of infection. According to a study by McNulty et al (2007), 33 percent of individuals feel that antibiotics have treated their common cold effectively. With such ignorance both from public and professional side, erratic prescription and intake of antibiotics

Business Engineering With ERP Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Engineering With ERP Systems - Essay Example Integration of processes means that any change in a particular field will reflect on all the related fields of the organization. In this sense each centre or branch will be connected with the other, as the same information will be available throughout. For example: a change in the inventory levels will be detected by the purchase department without delay, enabling them increase the inflow of raw materials accordingly, further leading the manufacturing department to increase production, so on and so forth. As and when an event or functions occur its consequent actions will be automatically triggered, resulting in efficient and effective handling of each task. Moreover, R/3 provides a system that provides for the storage of Static ('Master') and dynamic ('transaction') data about the organization structures, products, customers and the process to be followed. The Master Data is centrally stored and therefore shared across application modules) so as to eliminate data redundancy and to enforce data consistency and integrity. Thus, when creating transactions like a sales order, the R/3 system copies information from master data.

Criminolgy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Criminolgy - Essay Example These diverse punishments will be examined in this paper. Traditional methods of punishment have â€Å"individual outcome goals of incapacitation, retribution, rehabilitation, and deterrence† (Osler, 253). Normally this means prison and monetary retribution. An example of a traditional method of punishment for larceny could be the amount stolen as the amount of restitution and two years in jail. This depends on the amount stolen. Most crimes have traditional methods of punishments, especially for violent crimes and repeat offenders. Violent crimes and repeat offenders are normally placed in prison to segregate the offender from society. Traditional methods of punishment fall into two categories. The first is judicial discretion. All crimes have traditional guidelines. For example, a first time drug conviction can have guidelines for one to ten years. That means the judge can sentence the defendant up to ten years and no more. The sentence is up to the judge. Mandatory sentences are sentences that the judge has to pass upon conviction. An example of mandatory sentencing is California’s three strikes. If a felon is convicted of three strikes or felonies, then they are sentenced to life in prison. The judge has to convict the felon to life, no matter what circumstances, or mitigating factors. The first category of traditional methods of punishment is preferred by defense attorneys. Mitigating factors can be considered when a judge has discretion. Examples of mitigating factors are battered woman syndrome, child abuse, passion, and poverty. While these factors might not sway every judge, some judges can be swayed. Susan Smith is a good example of a judge letting mitigating circumstances influences his decision. Smith was convicted of killing her two sons. However after learning Smith had been molested as a child and her father’s suicide, the judge sentenced her to life instead of death. When a judge has discretion,

Criminal procedure 1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Criminal procedure 1 - Assignment Example e certain aspects of life, such as the abolition of segregation and definition of sexual harassment, which was brought before the supreme court for a final, legal decision. Since the courts cannot issue a legal opinion until it is officially requested, it is understandable why they did not implement the Bill of Rights until the 1960s, when it officially came into play for political and judicial changes ( â€Å"The Bill of Rights: A Brief History†). Source: American Civil Liberties Union. (n.d.). The bill of rights: A brief history. Retrieved from https://www.aclu.org/racial-justice_prisoners-rights_drug-law-reform_immigrants- rights/bill-rights-brief-history 2. In Dred Scott v. Sanford, the issue of American citizenship came into question for African- Americans. The issue was that African-Americans, whether in slavery or free were not to be considered American citizens and therefore, had not right to sue in the federal courts and that the federal government had no right to regulate slavery. The suit was brought forth by Dred Scott whose owners had brought him across territories where he was considered a free man in some states and tried to sue in order to gain his freedom. The supreme court protected the rights of the slave owners, deciding that Scott did not have the right to sue for his freedom. This landmark case is remembered for being only the second time that the courts did not uphold an Act of Congress. 3. The 14th amendement guaranteed citizenship to the United States for any person who was born or naturalized in the United States. Had this law been passed prior to Dredd v. Scott, Dredd would have seen his citizenship as an American recognized by the courts, which would then have ensure his rights as an American citizen, quite possibly gaining him his freedom in the process. It is important to remember that the courts can only act upon legal issues regarding constitutional matters once it is brought to their attention. The Dredd v. Scott case no doubt

The Future of Women's Professional Sport Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The Future of Women's Professional Sport - Essay Example The author of the essay "The Future of Women's Professional Sport" begins with the short introduction. He mentions that until recently, women’s professional sports were considered by many to be a novelty at best. Yet to assume men’s sports have been widely accepted throughout a long period of time would be incorrect. In 1950, only one professional sport, major league baseball, was dominant in America. Men’s professional football, basketball, and hockey organizations were, by comparison, niche businesses. It was only with the advent of television that interest in all men’s sports grew, for most at a fast pace starting in the 1960’s. To understand where the future of women’s professional sports might be headed, it is important to understand its past and its present in terms of the challenges that have been overcome as well as the problems that remain to be faced. Prior to the 1960’s, U.S. women lived in a society that discouraged girlsâ €™ participation in sporting activities and work outside the home. Because of this, few females at the time had aspirations of sport as a career path. The women who did pursue their athletic goals were therefore not as advanced as their male counterparts and remained unprepared to take advantage of the new media. Girls’ and women’s sports received a boost in 1972 when Title IX became law. To sum up the author says that excluding a few sports, such as tennis, ice skating and gymnastics, low salaries and unequal publicity are some of the problems that many professional female athletes still face.

Criminolgy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Criminolgy - Essay Example These diverse punishments will be examined in this paper. Traditional methods of punishment have â€Å"individual outcome goals of incapacitation, retribution, rehabilitation, and deterrence† (Osler, 253). Normally this means prison and monetary retribution. An example of a traditional method of punishment for larceny could be the amount stolen as the amount of restitution and two years in jail. This depends on the amount stolen. Most crimes have traditional methods of punishments, especially for violent crimes and repeat offenders. Violent crimes and repeat offenders are normally placed in prison to segregate the offender from society. Traditional methods of punishment fall into two categories. The first is judicial discretion. All crimes have traditional guidelines. For example, a first time drug conviction can have guidelines for one to ten years. That means the judge can sentence the defendant up to ten years and no more. The sentence is up to the judge. Mandatory sentences are sentences that the judge has to pass upon conviction. An example of mandatory sentencing is California’s three strikes. If a felon is convicted of three strikes or felonies, then they are sentenced to life in prison. The judge has to convict the felon to life, no matter what circumstances, or mitigating factors. The first category of traditional methods of punishment is preferred by defense attorneys. Mitigating factors can be considered when a judge has discretion. Examples of mitigating factors are battered woman syndrome, child abuse, passion, and poverty. While these factors might not sway every judge, some judges can be swayed. Susan Smith is a good example of a judge letting mitigating circumstances influences his decision. Smith was convicted of killing her two sons. However after learning Smith had been molested as a child and her father’s suicide, the judge sentenced her to life instead of death. When a judge has discretion,

The Future of Women's Professional Sport Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The Future of Women's Professional Sport - Essay Example The author of the essay "The Future of Women's Professional Sport" begins with the short introduction. He mentions that until recently, women’s professional sports were considered by many to be a novelty at best. Yet to assume men’s sports have been widely accepted throughout a long period of time would be incorrect. In 1950, only one professional sport, major league baseball, was dominant in America. Men’s professional football, basketball, and hockey organizations were, by comparison, niche businesses. It was only with the advent of television that interest in all men’s sports grew, for most at a fast pace starting in the 1960’s. To understand where the future of women’s professional sports might be headed, it is important to understand its past and its present in terms of the challenges that have been overcome as well as the problems that remain to be faced. Prior to the 1960’s, U.S. women lived in a society that discouraged girlsâ €™ participation in sporting activities and work outside the home. Because of this, few females at the time had aspirations of sport as a career path. The women who did pursue their athletic goals were therefore not as advanced as their male counterparts and remained unprepared to take advantage of the new media. Girls’ and women’s sports received a boost in 1972 when Title IX became law. To sum up the author says that excluding a few sports, such as tennis, ice skating and gymnastics, low salaries and unequal publicity are some of the problems that many professional female athletes still face.

Working as a registered nurse Essay Example for Free

Working as a registered nurse Essay I have been working as a registered nurse in Tacoma, WA since 2011 and I have chosen to assess the community health of Pierce County. Tacoma is the county seat of Pierce County and the largest city in the county and third largest city in the state (US Census Bureau, 2014). Pierce County is located south of Seattle and is comprised of 1,679 sq. miles, many of which front the Puget Sound. Northern areas of the county are comprised of islands and peninsulas only accessible by bridges or boats. It also contains one of the nation’s national parks and the state’s tallest peak, Mount Rainier. The Park’s boundaries largely define the eastern border of the County and the White and Nisqually Rivers make up the North and South boundaries respectively. (Snob Hollow Designs, 2014) Population Economic Status Assessment Nearly 820,000 people call Pierce County home. It boasts a high population density with 481 people per sq. mile. Urban areas comprise 93 percent of the county. (City-Data, 2014) The median household income in 2013 was estimated to be close to $60,000 and 12 percent of residents are living below the poverty level. (US Census Bureau, 2014) Blacks and African Americans make up the majority of low-income people despite the fact that they comprise only 7 percent of the County population. The majority of residents (76.5 percent) are white, 10 percent are non-black Hispanics and 6 percent are Asians. The median resident age is 35 years and 12 percent of residents are 65 years or older. (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 2014). More than a third of Pierce County children are eligible for free lunch benefits and 8.9 percent of residents are unemployed. As many as 16 percent of residents are uninsured despite a per capita personal health expenditure of $8,160 annually. Ten percent of those uninsured are children. What’s more, close to 6 percent of residents make less that $10,000/year. It’s estimated that 15 percent of residents are not able to see a health care provider when they need to because they can’t afford it. When they can afford to, primary  care providers (PCP) are in short supply and overworked. There are an estimated 1500 patients for every PCP in Pierce County. (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 2014)Medicare is the primary payer of health care expenditures for 10 percent of County residents. (City-Data, 2014) Pierce County has some of the highest rates of obesity in the nation with a 31 percent obesity rate. This is despite the fact that nearly 80 percent of residents reported exercising in the previous month. (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 2014)The County has numerous parks, hiking trails, walking paths and enjoys a temperate climate with little snow accumulation and mild summer temperatures. Poor nutrition is likely a key contributor with 16 percent of residents classified as food insecure. The County has the lowest access to healthy foods with 8 percent of people living in urban areas where the nearest grocery store is more than a mile from their home. Access to convenience stores is slightly better. (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 2014). Neighborhood and Community Safety Any Pierce County resident can testify to smelling the â€Å"Aroma of Tacoma† on a regular basis. At various parts of the day, a pungent smell not unlike that of rotten eggs fills the air. The source of the stench is attributed to industries located at the Port of Tacoma, the forest industry, car exhaust, or the tidal changes on the Puget Sound. The extent of air pollution in the area is large. More than three quarters of county residents drive alone to work every day. Just 3 percent take public transportation. The County ranks 16th in counties reporting high carbon monoxide one hour concentration. It is among the dirtiest 10 percent of US counties for its release of water and carcinogens. Chief among these deadly chemicals is methanol and hydrochloric acid. (City-Data, 2014) (Good Guide, 2011) There are four Superfund Sites in the County that continue to cause contamination of drinking water. One of these sites is Commencement Bay, the hub of the Port of Tacoma, one of the world’s busiest ports. The biggest polluter in the area is the Simpson Tacoma Kraft Company, a forest product  company that prides itself on using â€Å"every part of the tree except its shadow.† (Simpson, 2014) Another well-known polluter and also a major area employer is the US Military. Superfund Sites exist at both McChord AFB and the US Army Fort Lewis Range. (Good Guide, 2011) Cultural Assessment For a personal perspective of life inside Pierce County I consulted with a colleague who works as a lactation consultant. She is a 50-year-old college-educated white female who also works as an instructor in a local vocational college. She reports that her cohort’s attitude toward aging is not altogether positive. She is beginning to feel the gradual decline in her body functions and says that she and others like her find it frustrating that their bodies don’t work as well as they did in their youth. That attitude of reluctance tends to affect how readily her peers seek assistance, especially if it means accepting the realities of aging. Some of the physical health problems common in her cohort involve vision, sleep apnea, joint pain, and decreased stamina. She states that individuals in her cohort tend to be individualistic and prefer their yards, both physically and metaphorically, to be fenced. This perspective crosses over to how children are parented with a high value placed on raising adults that are independent and self-sufficient. Her children have either graduated from college or are currently attending university. She considers financial independence a mark of adulthood. A ritual associated with adulthood is moving out of the family home and their own. One of the challenges she sees in her cohort is that of obtaining access to mental health care. A colleague recently lost her son to suicide after numerous attempts to help him gain access to care failed and he committed suicide. She feels that only those who are going to hurt others or hurt themselves are recipients of care in a broken system. Because so many are aching for help in the community and a greater awareness of the need, the result has been a reduced stigma associated with mental illness. Acknowledging that mental illness is far from being treated on plane with biological illness, she reports that the awareness of an individual’s lack  of control over what is a real disease is growing. Disaster Assessment and Planning The incredible amount of physical beauty present in Pierce County is also a source of danger to its residents. The area has been declared as a disaster area 19 times in recorded history. Most of these events were the result of severe storms that caused flooding, landslides, and mudslides. The area is situated on or near several tectonic plates giving it an earthquake risk that is 355 percent greater than the national average. In 2001, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake was centered just 10.8 miles from the city center and caused tens of thousands in damage. An earthquake centered even farther away could affect the county via a subsequent Tsunami. Coastline areas comprise many of the County’s industries, parks, and homes and could be destroyed by a tsunami’s tidal surge. Mt. Rainier frames many of Tacoma’s picturesque views but it is a volcano that could come back to life at any moment. Its last eruption is estimated to have occurred more than 150 years ago but a recent e ruption could cause massive downstream flooding in nearly the entire County. (City-Data, 2014) Disasters caused by flooding precipitated by a tsunami, volcanic eruption, or one of the areas many rainstorms could displace many residents from their homes and block access to urgent and chronic healthcare services. Sewage systems could be affected by the flooding as well as decrease access to clean water. A massive earthquake could destroy many of Tacoma’s older buildings, many of which were built in the early 1900s and well before any seismic construction rules went into effect. Falling objects from an earthquake and resulting fires could result in massive injuries in the short-term and damage to public infrastructure in the long-term. (Pierce County Department of Emergency Management, 2010) Many of the possible disasters that could strike the area do not have the luxury of advance warning. Severe storms may give as little as a day or two notice, tsunamis and flooding just a few hours. Many residents are unlikely to understand the severity of a disaster until they are in i ts midst. Because the residents lack the ability to prepare, The Pierce County Department of Emergency Management has five departments to deal with every day emergencies and  large-scale disasters. The services include emergency management, enhanced 9-1-1 services, fire prevention, radio communications and an urban search and rescue task force. The Department is working to enroll all residents in an emergency alert system via text. Area hospital employees also have an alert system that sends a text message to employees to report to duty in the event of an emergency. The enhanced 9-1-1 system automatically finds the street address for landline calls. The radio communications team works to ensure that radio remains active in the event cell towers fall during an earthquake or are damaged during severe flooding. Urban Search and Rescue can provide vital services in the event of an earthquake, mudslide, avalanche or abandoned mine collapse. (Pierce County Department of Emergency Management, 2010) Windshield Survey Housing The majority of housing options available in Tacoma are single-family detached homes. A housing boom in the 1990s resulted in many newer homes and apartment buildings in both high and poor-income areas. Housing density appears to be highest in high-income neighborhoods. Many homes in both areas have grassed front and back yards. Although the area was heavily wooded when settled in the 1890s, much of the native evergreen trees are gone. Tree replacement appears limited to higher-income areas and is limited to non-native deciduous trees. Housing in lower-income neighborhoods appears to be in fair to moderate repair. Very few homes in these areas have bars over windows or doors. (Patamia, 2015) Open Space In Tacoma, there appears to be a moderate amount of open space, especially considering it is an urban area. I saw a large strip of valuable waterfront in the Ruston area dedicated to a walking path and docks used for office space and dining. The jewel in the crown of the Tacoma Metropolitan Park System is Wright Park, a 27-acre parcel spanning more than 10 city blocks in the heart of the city that features an arboretum, lawn bowling, playgrounds, and a pond. In addition, Mt Rainier National Park has more than 235,000 acres of protected forestland and numerous State parks dot the County. All of these spaces are open for public use and park passes are enveloped as part of the residents’ vehicle tax. Boundaries The boundaries of the area are largely natural features like rivers and mountains. Neighborhoods begin and end without notification but poorer areas tend to have more chain link fences, fewer shopping areas, and homes that lack fresh paint and ornamental landscaping. Ironically, the most expensive homes in the county have roads that are either gravel or so unkempt that potholes dominate. Commons People in the county tended to congregate around grocery stores and the strip malls that surround them. I visited an upscale grocery store in the middle of the day and found parking difficult despite an ample lot. Areas surrounding the Port of Tacoma business district tend to always have a large amount of traffic, especially large trucks carrying containers to and from the ships docked in Commencement Bay. Transportation Pierce County, despite the low numbers of residents who use public transportation has numerous options for getting out of your car. Buses travel to every part of the county, even across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge to the Olympic Peninsula town of Gig Harbor. Residents can travel to Seattle using rail or bus. Residents enjoy the capability of attaching their bikes to city buses but since the area is very hilly and frequently rainy, few take advantage of the service. For all of its access capabilities in Tacoma, getting around in surrounding communities is difficult. Interstate 5 intersects the county, enabling easy access for Port of Tacoma traffic to Canada and the western states. Several state highways run through the community and many are currently undergoing expansive improvement projects. Long-term plans include expanding Seattle’s light rail into Tacoma but recent initiatives to expand inter-county bus services was voted down by residents. Service Centers One of the most impressive things about Pierce County is how new and beautiful its schools are. Around these areas, it’s easy to spot social service centers such as YMCAs or Community Healthcare Clinics. Even in the poorest areas of the County, I saw many dentist offices, parks with  playground facilities, and sidewalks. I drove by a newer looking middle school several times during my survey and always saw it occupied by students despite heavy rain. Stores Commercial areas in the county appear to be centered on large chain grocery stores. There are few non-chain, independent dining options and those that are tend to offer high-calorie, high-fat options like hamburgers and milkshakes. I did not see any signs advertising farmers markets but there were more than a few community gardens where residents could grow their own fruits and vegetables. I was also impressed by how few grocery stores there were outside of major shopping areas and how far even the wealthiest had to travel to buy food. In more than one area, there were several grocery stores in close proximity to each other. People Out and About I saw several people walking around the County during my survey but all of them appeared to be walking for exercise and leisure, not for transportation. Almost all of these walkers were white and non-obese. A majority of those I saw were wearing Seahawk jerseys and/or colors. It was so persuasive that I felt out of place with an orange sweatshirt. Dogs accompanied many of the walkers and every dog was leashed. Signs of Community Vibrancy The Pierce County Community is very diverse but in nearly every area I traveled, I saw signs of vibrancy evidenced by hanging flower baskets, children playing outside, areas of preserved natural beauty, easy access to healthcare, and a lack of abandoned homes, stray animals, or countless homeless people. Race/Ethnicity Given that nearly three-quarters of Pierce County residents are white, its not surprising to see mostly white people in the County. Surprisingly, there are two major Indian Reservations, the Nisqually and Puyallup, inside Pierce County yet less than 2 percent of residents are Native American. Most of the County looks and feels American with few ethnic grocery stores or signs in a language other than English. Areas where whites live tend to be predominantly white but areas with larger populations of Blacks, Asians, and  Hispanics are well integrated. In one strip mall, there was a Mexican taqueria next door to an Asian grocery store. Religion While only 30 percent of Pierce County residents report being affiliated with a religious congregation, nearly half of them are non-denominational Christian churches. A third of residents report an affiliation with a Roman Catholic Church. I saw many more churches in the less affluent areas of the County than I did in wealthy ones. I also saw one Buddhist temple and Muslim Mosque. Health There are 10 hospitals serving Pierce County the largest of which is Tacoma General Hospital that has more than 400 beds and a level II trauma center. A few blocks away with the area’s second level II trauma center and a level III NICU is St Joseph Medical Center with 367 beds. Signs of homelessness are slightly invisible in Pierce County and tend to be clustered around area shelters or service providers such as the Union Gospel Mission and the YWCA. It’s estimated that 2,000 people including children are homeless on any given night in Tacoma. One of the area hospitals, Western State Hospital, provides services exclusively to the mentally ill but the lack of services to the homeless and mentally ill is striking. There are an estimated 368 mentally ill people for every mental health provider in Pierce County. Top performing counties have 521 providers per patient. The State ranks 49th in number of available psychiatric beds and several agencies have recently closed their doors or decreased services due to the economic turn down. (League of Women Voters Pierce County, 2013) (Good Guide, 2011) Forty percent of female tenth-grade children are classified as depressed. The Tacoma Pierce County Health Department lists mental health as its #1 priority in the coming years. Politics I toured the area in January when the nearest election was months or years away. Cars I viewed had a mix of bumper stickers that indicated the metropolitan area voted for Obama in the previous presidential election, supports the legalization of marijuana, and is a fan of the Seattle Seahawks. Media No matter the area, evidence of satellite dishes was seen on nearly every home. I did not see any newspaper boxes around area stores. It seems that the primary form of communication medium is through television and the Internet. Television stations accessed by residents are primarily in English but there are two stations that are exclusively in Spanish. Physical Environment As mentioned previously, Pierce County is a very beautiful place with views of mountains, water, dense forest, and even a volcano visible from nearly every corner of the County. During my survey, I even viewed a pair of bald eagles playing over the Puget Sound. The areas around the Port of Tacoma and the two Indian reservations tend to be the least attractive areas of the city where billboards for nearby tribal-run casinos predominate the landscape. Scavenger Hunt Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) WIC is a nutrition program that helps ensure that pregnant women, nursing moms and children under five have access to healthy foods. They also provide health education and breastfeeding support including peer counselors. Women who use WIC get money to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, cheese, whole grain breads and tortillas. They also ensure that children are vaccinated and stay on recommended growth curves. A family of four is eligible for WIC benefits if they have an annual income equal or less than $43,000. Accessing the services requires visiting a WIC location, which are located on major bus routes near hospitals, health clinics, or in tribal offices. There are more than 15 WIC locations in the county and offer services in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, Tagalog, and Cambodian. (Tacoma Pierce County Health Department, 2015) YMCA The YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties offer a variety of services including seven healthy living centers, a summer camp and more than 70 child care sites. Their mission is to offer programs that â€Å"build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.† (YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties, 2014) Monthly fees that are based on household income support membership and financial aid is  available. There are steep discounts for members of the military and their families. The variety of services available at the healthy living center is broad. Members of the Tacoma facility take piano lessons, learn how to box, and enjoy an indoor pool. Family Renewal Shelter There are 16 different resources for those dealing with domestic violence in Pierce County. Among them is the Family Renewal Shelter. They provide emergency services by way of confidential shelters, self-defense classes, spiritual support, and pet therapy. They also offer help with access to vehicles, educational scholarships, and relocation. Support for the organization comes from private donations from individuals, foundations, businesses, and churches. Access to services is via the organization’s 24-hour crisis line. Information about domestic violence is available on the organization’s website including a button that allows a user to leave the site quickly and eliminate a computer trail. (Family Renewal Shelter, 2014) National Alliance on Mental Illness – Pierce County The purpose of NAMI is to support people and those who love them with the challenges of mental illness. Members are people whose lives have been touched by mental illness and can share resources, lessons learned, and empathy with one another. They also advocate for change on local and legislative issues. Support group meeting occur three times a week and are located in a local Episcopal Church. They are free to attend. NAMI Walks occur several times a year and help to reduce the stigma of mental health and expand services, especially in education of mental health issues with police, fire and other first responders. (NAMI Pierce County, 2015) Planned Parenthood A group of community volunteers opened the first Planned Parenthood clinic in Tacoma in 1972 to address concerns about high rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. The organization believes that everyone has the right to choose whether and when to get pregnant and works to prevent unwanted pregnancies. They rely heavily of individual donor support to provide basic low-cost health care, adoption planning, vasectomy services, and fitting for menstrual cups. They also provide abortion services and are  frequented by protestors. (PPGNW, 2015) Tacoma Rescue Mission There are more than 36 homeless shelters in Tacoma offering everything from emergency shelter, transitional housing, and assisted housing for people dealing with domestic violence, drug addiction, and sexual trafficking. They are a Christian organization funded by the United Way of Pierce County and the cities of Lakewood and Tacoma in addition to funding from Pierce County itself. They report that they provide shelter to more than 400 people nightly and provide food for 26,000 people who have no other access to food. They work to help people overcome drug and alcohol addiction with rehabilitation serves, educational assistance and case management. (Tacoma Rescue Mission, 2015) Interpretation of Collected Data Epidemiology examines how health status or health events are distributed across a community and what determines it. The preceding examples give a broad stroke painting of health in Pierce County. Overall, the birth rate (15 per 1000) exceeds the death rate (7.3 per 1000) in Pierce County and the infant mortality rate (6.5 per 100,000) is in line with the national average (6.15 per 1000). (City-Data, 2014) Pierce County offers many assets that empower the health of its residents. Among these are a large population of college-educated people with 90 percent of adults 25 years and older completing at least high school or obtaining a GED. Although 8 percent of residents are foreign born, more than 80 percent of these report speaking English fluently. The people of Pierce County have access to nature and local foods, including the nation’s largest crop of rhubarb. Strong faith communities with social outreach programs help neighbors in need. The community brims with people who are largely open-minded and access complementary care such as massage, acupuncture, and chiropractic adjustments is common. (Tacoma Pierce County Health Department, 2014) Community Diagnosis In my analysis of the data collected, it appears that Pierce County’s top three problems are access to mental health services, high rates of obesity, and access to quality health care. Access to mental health services A community that is mentally healthy is productive, enjoys fulfilling relationships with others in the community and is resilient through life’s challenges. Without it, even the healthiest body can fall into disrepair quickly. It’s no wonder then that mental illness is one of the most common causes of disability. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that as many as one in every 17 people has a seriously debilitating mental illness. The good news is that mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders can be prevented. We know more about how the brain functions than ever before and current research indicates that greatest opportunity to prevent illness is to get people into treatment early and often. (Healthy People 2020, 2015) With Washington State’s dismal rankings in the availability of psychiatric beds and the high patient load of mental health care providers in the County, there is much work to be done. Healthy People 2020 goals state that 87 percent of primary care facilities should provide mental health treatment onsite or by paid referral. This goal represents a 10 percent improvement over the baseline rate of 79 percent in 2006. (Healthy People 2020, 2015) High rates of obesity Pierce County’s high rate of obesity is well above the national average and may be attributed to large number of food deserts, especially in urban areas. People who have healthy weights and access to fresh foods have lower rates of chronic disease and a higher quality of life. Addressing obesity is complex, however, and requires a multi-faceted approach. As with mental health, the most powerful interventions are aimed at prevention. According to Healthy People 2020, more than 10.4 percent of children ages two to five were considered obese in 2008. The 2020 goal is to reduce that number to 9.4 percent. (Healthy People 2020, 2015)One of the most cost effective ways to achieve that goal is to increase the number of children who are breastfed. A history of breastfeeding, especially exclusive breast milk feeding for the first six months, is associated with an estimated 40 percent reduction in childhood obesity. (AHRQ, 2009) Unfortunately, just  14.1 percent of infants born in 2006 achieved this. Healthy People 2020’s target is 25.5 percent. (Healthy People 2020, 2015) Access to quality healthcare Optimal health is not a state achieved without support, education and intervention. Ensuring that Pierce County residents get the help they need when they need it is a big part of preventing chronic disease, improving quality of life, and preventing unnecessary death. Some of the reasons people do not see a health care provider are they can’t find one, they can’t afford it, or they don’t have insurance coverage. The most recent data suggests that as many as 16 percent of County residents do not have health insurance. (Good Guide, 2011) According to Healthy People 2020, the national average is slightly higher at 16.8 percent. The objective is an ambitious one with 100 percent of individuals covered by private insurance or Medicaid/Medicare by 2020. (Healthy People 2020, 2015) According to Washington State’s Department of Public Health, there are approximately 543 providers in Pierce County including doctors, ARNPs, CNMs, and PAs. A little more than half of them report that they are accepting new Medicaid and Medicare patients. (Washington State Department of Public Health, 2011) Interestingly, Healthy People 2020 has yet to define specific goals for increasing the number of practicing providers in all areas. (Healthy People 2020, 2015) Primary Prevention Topic When John Snow, the â€Å"father of epidemiology,† was investigating cholera outbreaks in mid-nineteenth century London, the chief cause of unnecessary death was communicable disease. Today, chronic disease that damages the heart, pancreas, and lungs are more likely to kill than bacteria. A large contributor to hypertension, diabetes, and heart failure is obesity. In a society obsessed with weight loss and thinness, obesity rates in adults and even children are growing. Just as John Snow found the source of the disease that was claiming lives in his community, we must also find the source but it is unlikely to be in a solitary water pump in the middle of the city. Preventing obesity appears to be a life-long task best started at birth. The data demonstrate that increasing breastfeeding rates is a powerful tool in decreasing childhood obesity. Breastfeeding rates for older, educated and more affluent women are already at Healthy People 2020 targets but women who are young, have low levels of education and who are poor are more likely to never breastfeed and are extremely unlikely to continue to do so for six months. (Grummer-Strawn, Scanlon, Darling, Conrey, 2004) An organization in the community that helps low-income women establish and maintain breastfeeding is the Women, Infants, and Children Program. A team of peer counselors who have themselves struggled with issues common to low-income breastfeeding women including pumping in the workplace help new moms navigate a difficult terrain and provide their children with the best start in life. Area hospital-based birth centers are working toward or have already achieved certification as a Baby Friendly Hospital. This designation indicates that the facility employs evidence-based practice that lead to dramatic increases in breastfeeding rates. (DiGirolamo, Grummer-Strawn, Fein, 2008) Given that the problem of obesity is large in Pierce County, the rewards for reducing it great, and the interventions that are most likely to help are known and inexpensive, I am focusing my primary prevention topic on promoting breastfeeding as a means to reduce obesity in Pierce County. Bibliography AHRQ. (2009). Breastfeeding, Maternal Infant Health Outcomes. Retrieved January 22, 2015, from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: http://archive.ahrq.gov/clinic/tp/brfouttp.htm City-Data. (2014). PIerce County, WA. Retrieved January 16, 2014, from City-Data.com: http://www.city-data.com/county/Pierce_County-WA.html DiGirolamo, A., Grummer-Strawn, L., Fein, S. (2008). Effect of Maternity-Care Practices on Breastfeeding. Pediatrics , S43-S49. Family Renewal Shelter. (2014). About the family renewal shelter. Retrieved January 21, 2015, from Family Renewal Shelter: www.domesticviolencehelp.org/aboutfrs.html Good Guide. (2011). Good Guide. Retrieved January 17, 2014, from Score Card The Pollution Information Site: http://scorecard.goodguide.com/community/index.tcl?zip_code=98404set_community_zipcode_cookie_p=tx=11y=11 Grummer-Strawn, L., Scanlon, K., Darling, N., Conrey, E. (2004). Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Breastfeeding . Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy People 2020. (2015). Access to Health Services. Retrieved January 22, 2015, from Healthy People.gov: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/Access-to-Health-Services Healthy People 2020. (2015). Maternal, Infant, and Child Health. Retrieved January 22, 2015, from Healthy People.gov: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/maternal-infant-and-child-health/objectives Healthy People 2020. (2015). Mental Health and Mental Disorders. Retrieved January 2015, 2015, from HealthyPeople.gov: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/mental-health-and-mental-disorders Healthy People 2020. (2015). Nutrition and Weight Status. Retrieved January 22, 2015, from Healthy People 2020: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/nutrition-and-weight-status/objectives League of Women Voters Pierce County. (2013, December 11). Introduction to services for the seriously mentally ill in Pierce County . Retrieved January 18, 2015, from National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Pierce County: http://www.lwvwa.org/tacoma/pdfs/Mental%20Health%20Report%20from%20November%202013%20Unit%20Meetings%20%205%20pgs.pdf NAMI Pierce County. (2015). Welcome to the NAMI of Pierce County Web Site. Retrieved January 21, 2015, from NAMI Pierce County: http://www.namipierce.org/ Patamia, K. (2015, January 16). Windshield Survey of Pierce County. (K. Patamia, Interviewer) Pierce County Department of Emergency Management. (2010). Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment. Retrieved January 17, 2015, from Pierce County Emergency Management: http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/7032 PPGNW. (2015). Who We Are. Retrieved January 21, 2015, from Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-great-northwest/who-we-are Simpson. (2014). Environment. Retrieved January 17, 2015, from Simpson Company: http://www.simpson.com/Environment.aspx Snob Hollow Designs. (2014). County Maps of Washington. Retrieved January 17, 2014, from County Maps of Washington: http://www.countymapsofwashington.com/pierce.shtml Tacoma Pierce County Health Department. (2015). Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. Retrieved January 21, 2015, from Health and Wellness: http://www.tpchd.org/health-wellness-1/wic-nutrition-program/ Tacoma Pierce County Health Department. (2014, August). Pierce County Community Health Improvement Plan. Retrieved January 15, 2015, from Pierce County Community Health Improvement Plan: http://www.tpchd.org/files/library/474287fe72cf69af.pdf Tacoma Rescue Mission. (2015). Rescue Mission. Retrieved January 21, 2015, from About Us: http://www.rescue-mission.org/aboutus University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. (2014). County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. Retrieved January 17, 2014, from Washington Pierce County: http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/app/washington/2014/rankings/pierce/county/outcomes/overall/snapshot US Census Bureau. (2014, December 4). State and County Quick Facts. Retrieved January 16, 2013, from United States Census Bureau: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/53/53053.html Washington State Department of Public Health. (2011, July). Primary Care Provider Survey: Pierce County. Retrieved January 22, 2015, from Office of Community Health Systems: http://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/689048.pdf YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties. (2014). About Us. Retrieved January 21, 2015, from YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties: http://www.ymcapkc.org/about-us/