News Updates on “Tree man” Essay Example for Free

News Updates on â€Å"Tree man† Essay On January 19, Shurmer (2010), an author for the Comment News site composed an article refreshing the site perusers on the progressing battles of Richard Pennicuik, also called â€Å"Tree man. † Since early December of the earlier year, Tree man had been living in a gum tree close to his home in Hume Road, in the City of Gosnells, as a type of dissent and to spare the tree from the city gathering intends to free the road from all develop trees that may cause hurt by dropping huge appendages. As of the composition of the article, he had been in the tree for 43 days and was encountering physical challenges on his legitimate issues as there was a serious heatwave and the high temperatures were causing him inconvenience. Entitled â€Å"‘Tree man’ loses hope,† the article chronicled Tree man’s blurring idealism brought about by heat-instigated cerebral pains; the gathering fining him $5000, as it considered the stages that filled in as his stopgap treehouse were unlawful, and driving him to evacuate these structures; and the deserting of an adjoining gum tree by a pivoting group who had involved it for a similar reason. Two or after three months on March thirteenth, a Staff Writer (2010) for Perthnow a nearby auxiliary of The Sunday Times, composed a generally later update piece on the Tree man. Approaching â€Å"Tree man Richard Pennicuik for city hall leader? † the report goes ahead the impact points of a stalemate the earlier day wherein he despite everything wouldn't descend from the tree significantly after cops and tree-cutting apparatus had shown up. Evidently, in spite of the past report on his spirit and medical issues, he had remained on the tree for an additional 53 days. The title of the article originates from a remark Tree man had made, saying he had aims of running for city chairman as the current gathering he was doing combating was â€Å"laughable and unworkable. † An expository correlation of these two Tree man news story updates will be talked about. The main, generally perceptible, contrast between the two news stories is their stamped distinction long, with the principal article any longer than the second. In spite of the fact that amount doesn't really mean substance, it tends to be seen that the Comment News article contains moderately more established truths about the circumstance than the PerthNow article. Moreover, on a related note, it can likewise be seen that the previous article has progressively content identified with the genuine subject, as indicated by the article title, than the last mentioned. For instance to help both of these perceptions, in spite of the fact that Comment News does exclude a statement wherein Tree man expressly expressed that he was â€Å"losing hope,† it specifies why this would be the situation by including a statement where he said he â€Å"didn’t adapt well† to the heatwave cerebral pains and how the $5000 fine would â€Å"ruin his family. † The PerthNow article, then again, just legitimizes the title referencing Tree man’s mayoral yearnings with the statement: The current system is absurd and unworkable and I need to get in there, in the event that I have enough supporters, to run the gathering the manner in which it ought to be run. The remainder of the article, be that as it may, doesn't make reference to the issue again and just contains a short rundown of the past day’s deadlock and another statement from Tree man where he reasserts his position. The Comment News article appears to marginally constrain the â€Å"losing hope† topic however, by quickly referencing that the road was forlorn because of the surrender of the neighboring gum tree, in spite of the fact that Tree man isn't referenced as having a sentiment on this. Be that as it may, this perception despite everything adds to the conversation of the principle subject. Soundness to a particular theme is fairly a prerequisite for any proper article, particularly one that is expertly composed. The curtness and absence of cognizance on account of the last article can, in any case, can be credited to the author expecting the reades to definitely know the subtleties as the circumstance was at that point months-long, and there was a climactic update the day preceding. The two articles do, notwithstanding, paint Tree man as both a committed lobbyist from his demonstrations of resistance, and furthermore an oddity character as the tones of his statements in the principal article are marginally shaken and emotional and in the second, observably vague.He was likewise portrayed as remaining â€Å"defiantly aloft† regardless of lawful and physical threat, and his lawyer’s fights. References hurmer, J. (2010, January 19). ‘Tree man’ loses trust. Remark News. Recovered from http://southern. inmycommunity. com. au/news-and-perspectives/neighborhood news/Tree-man-loses-trust/7546357/Staff Writer. (2010, March 13) Tree man Richard Pennicuik for civic chairman? PerthNow. com. The Sunday Times. Recovered from http://www. perthnow. com. au/news/tree-man-richard-pennicuik-for-city hall leader/story-e6frg12c-1225840398316

Freedom both Digital and Literal Essay -- Censorship

With late occasions, for example, the Megaupload shutdown and possess dissents the world over, the web and its present state has been getting a lot of consideration. The web has become a vital piece of our lives, interface individuals abroad, transmitting thoughts, and moving development. Along these lines, governments and specialist co-ops ought not direct, confine, or edit the web. The Internet we realize today fills in as a mechanism for our amusement, correspondence, and business needs. It is something a large number of us have come to underestimate. Be that as it may, the first proposed motivation behind the first â€Å"internet† returns to the times of the Cold War where the consistently approaching danger of an atomic rocket strike provoked the U.S., just as numerous different nations, to assemble a strong, flaw open minded, and conveyed PC arrange. By 1970, ARPANET had been conceived, subsidized by the Department of Defense and connecting research offices from the east coast toward the west. Not until the 1990’s was the web marketed, increasing broad fame and joined into numerous parts of our lives. With 2.2 billion individuals associated today, issues should without a doubt rise. Be that as it may, how various gatherings endeavor to deal with these issues can be as various as day and night. There are a few issues in question here with respect to guideline, including hostile to robbery laws, unhindered internet, and the right to speak freely of discourse. The latest of these issues concerns numerous pieces â€Å"anti-piracy† enactment that have showed up before Congress in the United States and before the European Union. In 2010, Congress endeavored to unobtrusively pass the Combatting Infringement and Counterfeits Act. Luckily, news immediately spread and petitions were submitted to forestall its passing. Congressperson Wy... ... saw.ZDNet. ZDNet, 15 Nov 2011. Web. 13 Apr 2012. Developing Chorus of Opposition to Stop Online Piracy Act.Center for Democracy and Technology. N.P., 09 Jan 2012. Web. 13 Apr 2012. Ensure IP Act of 2011, S. 968, 112th Cong.  § 3(d)(2)(D); Content of S. 968, Govtrack.us. May 26, 2011. Recovered June 23, 2011. Congressperson: Web Censorship Bill A ‘Bunker-Busting Cluster Bomb’. Wired. (2012): 1. Web. 13 Apr. 2012. Tassi, Paul. You Will Never Kill Piracy, and Piracy Will Never Kill You. Forbes. Forbes, 03 FEB 2012. Web. 13 Apr 2012. BitTorrent Piracy Doesn’t Affect US Box Office Returns, Study Finds. Torrentfreak. N.p., 10 Feb 2012. Web. 13 Apr 2012. Suderman, Peter. Web Cop. Reason. 01 Mar. 2011: 20. eLibrary. Web. 13 Apr. 2012. Foundation. Global Internet Freedom Consortium. 04 June 2006. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. .

Is Morgellons Disease Real or Imagined

Is Morgellons Disease Real or Imagined Basics Print Is Morgellons Disease Real or a Delusional Disorder? By Naveed Saleh, MD, MS twitter linkedin Naveed Saleh, MD, MS, is a medical writer and editor covering new treatments and trending health news. Learn about our editorial policy Naveed Saleh, MD, MS Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Richard Fogoros, MD on April 15, 2015 Richard N. Fogoros, MD, is a retired professor of medicine and board-certified internal medicine physician and cardiologist. He is Verywells Senior Medical Advisor. Learn about our Medical Review Board Richard Fogoros, MD Updated on February 21, 2020 Science Photo Library / Getty Images More in Psychology Basics Psychotherapy Student Resources History and Biographies Theories Phobias Emotions Sleep and Dreaming In recent years, a very small yet vociferous patient population has complained of skin infestation by either parasites or inanimate matter along with related somatic complaints. People with convictions of such infestation report poor or non-healing skin sores (skin lesions); itchiness (pruritis), and sensations of stinging, biting, and insects crawling on or under the skin (formication). These people also claim that thread-like fibers are excreted from these skin lesions. Despite this condition having neither any established diagnostic criteria and treatment nor any formal institutional recognition, among members of the lay population, this dermopathy has been termed Morgellons disease. Emerging Research and Controversy About Morgellons Disease This condition is controversial. Many dermatologists and psychiatrists believe that Morgellons is, in fact, delusional parasitosis, a psychiatric disease.??  More specifically, such experts point out that delusional parasitosis is a monosymptomatic psychosis, and formication is a common complaint among people with psychiatric disease. Furthermore, cases of Morgellons disease often clump among couples and other family members suggesting shared psychosis. Newer research is exploring whether Morgellons disease is caused by the bodys reaction to an infectious agent, the Borrelia spirochete that causes Lyme disease.?? The filaments may be composed of keratin and collagen, a reaction by the skin cells, and colored due to the presences of melanin. Much of our knowledge is based on case reports, case series, anecdotal accounts and a limited number of retrospective analyses done by catchment health-care institutions including the Mayo Clinic and Kaiser Permanente. Undoubtedly, and as is the case with many  other diseases, more research needs to be done on Morgellons disease. Characteristics of People With Morgellons Typical characteristics of people who complain of Morgellons disease include the following: Middle-aged??Symptoms lasting more than 3 yearsDisability caused by this conditionCo-morbid psychiatric diseaseIllicit drug use??Doctor-hopping with hopes of finding treatmentA steadfast belief that the disease is medical in nature Of note, few people with complaints of Morgellons disease initially present to psychiatrists  and instead are referred to psychiatry only after being seen by a dermatologist or emergency physician. Morgellons disease came to wider attention among health professionals in the early aughts. Because complaints of Morgellons disease increased shortly after Internet use became ubiquitous, many people have called it a disease spread by the Internetâ€"a disease that patients ascribe to only after reading other personal accounts. A common complaint among people with Morgellons disease is that fibers can be pulled from skin lesions. In a 2012 PLoS ONE article titled Clinical, Epidemiological, Histopathologic and Molecular Features of an Unexplained Dermopathy, researchers at Kaiser Permanente examined 115 people with complaints consistent with Morgellons disease and found that on skin biopsy, lesions contained no parasites or mycobacteria.??  Instead, materials procured from skin usually consisted of cotton-like material mixed with pus, and skin changes were most likely caused by excoriation (scratching) or arthropod (insect) bites. These findings seem to suggest that these fibers come from clothing. However, other research has found that fibers more meticulously collected from deeper in the skin are composed of collagen and keratin and may be colored by melatonin.?? They might be produced by the body due to a reaction to the Borrelia spirochetes. It is also notable that people with spirochete infection often develop brain involvement, which can produce psychiatric symptoms. Final Thoughts on Morgellons Disease Without a doubt, people who complain of Morgellons disease suffer. More specifically, a majority of people with this condition complain of chronic fatigue and a host of co-morbid conditions including depression and substance abuse. We still are unsure how to treat people with Morgellons disease. A very limited amount of research has shown that people with Morgellons disease may benefit from antipsychotic medication. However, because many people with Morgellons disease (and some researchers) truly believe that the etiology is infectious, its often difficult to convince these patients that psychiatric treatment is a good idea. Some experts have gone so far as suggesting that clinicians essentially trick patients with Morgellons disease into taking psychiatric medications under the auspices of therapeutic privilege or therapeutic exception.??  A better solution probably involves psychiatrists working with dermatologists as a therapeutic team to provide guidance and treatment. A mere 200 years ago, before the advent of modern medical research and evidence-based practice, physicians believed that four humors â€" yellow bile, black bile, phlegm, and blood â€" struck the balance of health.  Without a doubt, weve come a long way from these early views of physiologic homeostasis; nevertheless, we still have much more to learn about disease and the human body.  In light of our still limited comprehension of the ineffable complexity of health, we must be careful to refrain from outright dismissing possible pathology no matter how unlikely.

America s War On Drugs - 1539 Words

On June 17th, 1971, President Richard Nixon declared drug abuse to be â€Å"America’s Public Enemy #1† in a press conference in which he called for an â€Å"all out offensive† against this enemy, an initiative that would later be known as America’s War on Drugs. By giving this speech, thus starting â€Å"The War on Drugs,† President Nixon created what would eventually become one of the most catastrophic failures in United States political history. Analysis of the historical events surrounding Nixon’s declaration reveal ulterior motives behind the initiative, providing context to the reasons for its failure, which were based short term in its moral failure, and long term in its failure of efficiency and results. The War on Drugs has lasted for generations and continues to be responsible for policies that criminalize non-violent drug offenders at the expense of taxpayers, contributing to a devastating mass incarceration dilemma in the United States that perpetuates a disproportionate marginalization of low-class, particularly African American citizens. The declaration of a â€Å"War on Drugs,† upon surface inspection, addressed the American public in its entirety. The issue that the speech and the coinciding initiative sought to resolve was drug use in American society, which was becoming an increasing problem, particularly in African American communities and among Vietnam War protesters. The speech occurred in 1971 during the Vietnam War, and just after the resolution of the Civil RightsShow MoreRelatedAmerica s War On Drugs1306 Words   |  6 Pagesas eugenics. One of the primary focuses of America s War on Drugs has always been the controversial drug Marijuana. In the early twentieth century, Henry Anslinger became the first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics where he remained between 1930-62. Anslinger’s campaign was driven primarily by racism. He convinced the public to believe Blacks were negative influences in society and negatively associated African Americans with the drug. Anslinger made heavily racist remarks such asRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs Essay1299 Words   |  6 Pagesserved time in prison for his connection in the Watergate scandal, the Drug War was â€Å"intended to disempower the anti-war and black rights movements in the 1970s.† It’s no secret that drug use in the United States has been a problem. Many Americans have struggled with addiction to some of the worse drugs. Many lives have been affected in some of the most terrible ways. It can be easily said that due to America’ s history with drugs that former president Richard Nixon noticed the problem and felt thereRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs2030 Words   |  9 PagesThe â€Å"War on Drugs† has been a hot topic for several decades in the United States. The argument for the success of this campaign usually varies depending on one’s political affiliation. The government handled the ongoing campaign differently with each new administration taking command, most of them having no little success. The fact of the matter is that the ideal of a â€Å"drug free civilization† is far from reality. The world is coming to terms that the various drug-fighting programs across the worldRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs2885 Words   |  12 PagesRunning head: AMERICA’S WAR ON DRUGS 1 America’s War on Drugs: A Battle against Drugs or a display of Racial Intolerance? Sharon Curry-Robinson, Duval County Court Bailiff Florida Gulf Coast University â€Æ' America’s War on Drugs 3 Abstract It was surprising to learn that, while the United States makes up just five percent of the world population, over twenty-five percent of the world’s detainees are from the United States. Yes, at a projected figure of moreRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs3748 Words   |  15 PagesThe term â€Å"War on drugs† was first announced when President Richard Nixon created a volume of programs intended to suppress the consumption of certain recreational drugs in 1972. It marked the beginning for the era of mandatory minimum sentencing, privatized prisons, racism, and constituency that profits as a result of the illegal drugs. The â€Å"Just Say No† and the D.A.R.E. campaign were created to help youths from starting to use drugs but they were not effective. Treatment programs have directed theirRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs2355 Words   |  10 PagesOne of the primary focuses of America s War on Drugs is the controversial drug Marijuana. Marijuana remains the most widely used illegal drug and stirs up constant debate everywhere. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime from the World Drug Report 2004 an estimation of about 4 percent of the world’s adult population (162 million) consume marijuana annually (156). For thousands of years human beings have attempted to find ways to get passed the struggles of everyday life. WithRead MoreThe War On Drugs And America s Drug Problem1878 Words   |  8 PagesSpitz D Block 5/19/2016 The War on Drugs Based on the success and failures of the drug policies of the past, what is the best strategy for the United States to implement to help America’s drug problem? Throughout time, United States drug policy has shifted dramatically. From all drugs being legal to Prohibition and the War on Drugs, the US has had conflicting ideas about what is best for society and American citizens when it comes to drugs. The current War on Drugs has resulted in countless arrestsRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs1754 Words   |  8 Pagesplan was afoot for them: the war on drugs. The war on drugs is unequivocally the biggest and most durable war this country has ever fought against its own citizens. Like any other wars the United-States has engaged in, the war on drugs is remarkably different; it was fought internally, and intended to target a specific group, people of color. Their communities, houses and churches were flooded with law enforcements, constantly checking for illegal possession of drugs. They were branded criminalsRead More Bad Neighbor Policy: Washington?s futile war on drugs in Latin America?3153 Words   |  13 PagesBook review: â€Å"Bad Neighbor Policy: Washington’s futile war on drugs in Latin America† Edited by Ted Galen Carpenter Overview Introductionnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;3 Read MoreThe Impacts of the War on Drugs1075 Words   |  4 Pages The War On Drugs has lasted many years, including before it was officially called â€Å"War On Drugs.† The prohibition of drugs first got its start in the late 1800’s with anti-opium laws, focusing on chinese immigrants. This was common with the first anti-drug laws. It entirely about scientific based facts on what the effects or risks of the drugs, rather who was associated with the use of the specific drugs. For example, the anti-cocaine laws in the early 1900’s were directed at black men, and the

A Befriended Brother in Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

William Price is well regarded in â€Å"Mansfield Park† by Jane Austen. He is the brother of Fanny Price, whom is the main character of the novel. Fanny is taken in by her uncle, Sir Thomas Bertram and leaves her biological family, which is both unfortunate as well as fortunate for Fanny. By living with the Bertrams, she is allowed a better education and to be raised in a higher form of etiquette due to the fact that her family did not have as much money as the Bertrams did. The ill-fated part of her story is that she must leave her brother, William who, in the result, gains access into the navy because of his connections with Fanny’s adopted family. Jane Austen writes a novel that both pushes at the romantic standards that women had to obey to while also focusing on a great deal of love within the family. The love that Fanny has for her brother right until the end of the novel is striking and heart-warming. William is the older brother that every little sister wants to look up to, he is not only an idol to Fanny but a role model to the readers of the narrative. Austen creates characters to dislike and characters that convey emotion. Lady Bertram is one character of which the reader’s dislike does not stop for due to her mean attitude towards Fanny and the fact that she is almost constantly sitting on the couch with her pug, which she treats as if she loves more than her own children. Other characters, such as William, allow for the novel to not be one of complete hate amongstShow MoreRelated The Importance of Home and Family in Jane Austens Mansfield Park1450 Words   |  6 PagesThe Importance of Home and Family in Jane Austens Mansfield Park         They were a remarkably fine family...and all of them well-grown and forward of their age, which produced as striking a difference between the cousins in person, as education had given to their address. (Austen, 49)   Within the first few pages of Mansfield Park, Jane Austen implants in the minds of her readers the idea that contrasting and conflicting environments are the forces that will

Pre Revolutionary War Attitudes Free Essays

By the 1750’s, Americans began to query their involvement with the British Empire by establishing their own identity and unity as Americans. The colonist began to see a strong display of British oppression. Taxes and the different Acts, such as the Intolerable Acts caused the colonists to believe that it would be better if they were separated from their mother country. We will write a custom essay sample on Pre Revolutionary War Attitudes or any similar topic only for you Order Now Colonists also felt that some of their rights and liberties were being taken away by the British Empire. By the eve of the revolution colonist had a sense of identity of an American. America became the melting pot of the world. Colonist began to think of themselves as a new race of men (Document H). Colonist slowly dismissed their ancient dispositions and demeanor and accommodated new ones (Document H). With a natural barrier (the ocean) between Great Britain and America, colonist started to think of the colonies as a separate nation (Document B). The ocean caused the colonist to believe that they were separated from the mother land for a reason (Document B). They believed that the ocean was there to prevent the colonies from blending with Great Britain (Document B). Since colonists were separated from Great Britain they considered having their own congress (Document D). The colonist would rather have three thousand people who is living near them and who can see the problems they are facing govern them rather than have one person govern them that isn’t there and doesn’t know what’s going on in the area the colonist are located at (Document D). Another act of identity is show in 1774 and 1775 (Document G). During those years Boston wasn’t relying on Great Britain to provide them with donations of goods, such as food, animals, or money (Document G). This illustrates that the colonies don’t need to confide on Great Britain and they can depend on the other colonies alternatively. Throughout these events it is evident that the colonists are displaying a sense of identity. Before the revolution, the colonist displayed many acts of unity. In 1754, a picture of a cut up snake was posted in the Pennsylvania Gazette (Document A). Benjamin Franklin once said, â€Å"If not united to form a whole snake, then the snake cannot survive†. The picture displayed that if the colonies do not come together as one united nation, it is possible that the different colonies could perish (Document A). This picture could have motivated the colonies to act as one nation. In 1774, it was said that a very small corrupted Junto, a self appointed committee in New York acknowledged the idea that all of North America was united (Document C). The Junto also acknowledged that North America was determined to defend their rights and liberties endlessly against Great Britain (Document C). On July 6, 1775, the representatives of the United Colonies of North America met in Congress at Philadelphia to talk about going to war (Document E). Colonists were daring to start rebellions and resist their authority to preserve their liberties (Document E). The representatives were under the impression that all the colonist had the same state of mind. They thought that they would rather die as freemen rather than like slaves (Document E). Another unifying act of the colonies was when many of the colonies donated food, animals, money, and etc to Boston in 1774 and 1775 (Document G). The colonies donated goods due to the Intolerable Acts, when the British closed the Boston ports. This illustrates that the colonist were willing to come and work together to help other colonies in need. Throughout these events it is evident that the colonists are displaying a sense of unity. Throughout history there has been many acts of Americans developing a sense of identity and unifying as one nation. Americans were very devoted to making sure they were not taken advantage of by Great Britain. Although Americans had to fight for their independence and their liberties they were able to push and break free from the British Empire. How to cite Pre Revolutionary War Attitudes, Essay examples

Cultural Identity Essay Research Paper free essay sample

Cultural Identity Essay, Research Paper # 8216 ; Cultural individuality # 8217 ; , harmonizing to Stuart Hall can be viewed through two different ways. The first place positions # 8216 ; cultural individuality # 8217 ; in footings of one shared civilization, reflecting typical historical experiences and shared cultural codifications. Further, these cultural codifications and common historical experiences # 8216 ; supply us, as # 8216 ; one people # 8217 ; , with stable, unchanging and uninterrupted frames of mention and significance # 8217 ; ( Hall, p.393 ) . The 2nd position relies to a great extent on the single # 8217 ; s experience of their civilization. Through this position, civilization is ever altering, it is non inactive as claimed by the first definition. # 8216 ; Far from being everlastingly fixed in some essentialised yesteryear, they are capable to the uninterrupted # 8216 ; play # 8217 ; of history, civilization and power # 8217 ; ( Hall, p.394 ) . We all write and speak from a peculiar topograph ic point and clip, from a history and a civilization that is specific to us, in other words from a # 8216 ; place of diction # 8217 ; . The # 8216 ; black experience # 8217 ; which Hall refers to as a normally shared history and political orientation, pendent on coloring material, is in world something which relies to a great extent on single experience, and each experience in this instance is context positioned. We will write a custom essay sample on Cultural Identity Essay Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For illustration, the black experience of a Jamaican and an African life in Britain will be different even though they are both black. Hall talks about the synthesis of civilizations, of holding an original civilization that is dominated by a colonising civilization and the consequence being an integrating of the two into something wholly new. This # 8216 ; mixture # 8217 ; or # 8216 ; hybridity # 8217 ; is the kernel of what makes Jamaica what it is today. Peoples can’t return to the mystical beginnings of an idealized clip in history and disregard the influences of the colonial invasion. His decision is that the intent of the modern black film is to let us to recognize and research the different parts that go into building our # 8216 ; cultural individualities # 8217 ; . # 8216 ; This is the career of modern black film: by leting us to see and recognize the different parts and histories of ourselves, to build those points of designation, those positionalities we call in retrospect our # 8216 ; cultural individualities # 8221 ; ( Hall, p.402 ) . Culture is socially transmitted and if non passed on, will be forgotten, and therefore will discontinue to be. Through the media, civilization is constructed and by analyzing these cultural individualities we attempt to explicate ourselves and our yesteryear, hence go oning our being. # 8216 ; A national civilization is the whole organic structure of attempts made by a people in the domain of idea to depict, justify and praise the action through which that people has created itself and maintain itself in being # 8217 ; ( Fanon, p.188 ) . During the British business of Malta, the Maltese adopted many of the British imposts but modified them to suit their ain cultural norms, hence making a hybridity of the two. For illustration, the linguistic communication usage of the upper # 8211 ; category in Malta. It is English, but it has been altered plenty, through the speech pattern, to do it distinguishable and recognizable as a Maltese idiom of the English linguistic communication. This shows the synthesis of the two civilizations, uniting to make a new signifier particular to the Maltese civilization after British regulation.

Customer Relationship Management Summary Essay Example

Customer Relationship Management: Summary Essay Definition CRM CRM is a core business strategy that integrates internal processes and functions, and external networks, to create and deliver value to targeted customers at a profit grounded on high-quality customer-related data and enabled by information technology (book) Types of CRM Strategic CRM: customer-centric business strategy Dedicated to winning and keeping customers by creating and developing better value than competitors. Reduce oriented: customer choose products with best quality, performance, design destruction oriented: low price products Sales oriented: customers are persuaded by advertisement and sales promotions Customer market oriented: uses customer and competitive information to develop better value propositions. is a learning firm that constantly adapts to customer requirements and competitive conditions. Operational CRM: automation of customer-facing processes Automates and improves customer facing and customer supporting business processes. Market automation: applies technology to marketing purposes. Sales force automation: applies the technology to the management of a companys selling activities (provides a standardized view of the sales cycle and a common language for concussion of sales issues). Service automation: allows companies to manage their service operations: call centers, contact centers, web or face-to-face. Enables efficiency of users Reducing service costs Partner relationship management: Allows partners to communicate with suppliers through a portal to: manage leads, sales orders, information, incentives Analytical CRM: intelligent mining of customer-related data Focuses on the intelligent mining of customer-related data for strategic or tactical purposes. Build on the foundation of customer related information Essential part of CRM implementations Helps makes decisions like: Which customer to target Focus of sales effort Relative priority for customers and what level of service to offer. Collaborative CRM: application of technology across organizational boundaries Strategic and tactical alignment of normally separate enterprises in the supply chain for the more profitable identification of customers. Enables separate organizations to align their effort to service customers more effectively. We will write a custom essay sample on Customer Relationship Management: Summary specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Customer Relationship Management: Summary specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Customer Relationship Management: Summary specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Service: The non-material equivalent of a good Economic activity that does not result in ownership The product is the act of delivery Special attributes that characterize services: Intangible (Services which cannot be seen), variable (mechanically reproduced to exact specifications an tolerances, services cannot), perishable (Services cannot be held in inventory for sale at a later time), inseparable (service are produced at the same time and place ), difficult to evaluate, based on experience and credence Traditional customer service = do to the customer vs.. Modern CRM = done with the customer Ongoing, cooperative and built for the long term 5 phases of CRM implementation CRM models DIG methodologies that companies should take four actions in order to build closer en-to-one relationships with customers. Identify who your customers are and build a deep understanding of them Differentiate your customers to identify which customers have most value now and which offer most for the future. Interact with customers to ensure that you understand customer expectations and their relationships with other suppliers or brands Customize the offer and communications to ensure that the expectations of customers are met. CRM Value Chain by Francis Buttes mode primary stages and 4 conditions which lead to the end goal of enhanced customer profitability. Settlers 8-step Change Model : Create Urgency change to happen, it helps if the whole company really wants it. Develop a sense of urgency around the need for change. This may help you spark the initial motivation to get things moving. : Form a Powerful Coalitionists people that change is necessary. 3: Create a Vision for Changed you first start thinking about change, there will probably be many great ideas and solutions floating around. Link these concepts to an overall vision that people can grasp easily and remember. 4: Communicate the Visitation you do with your vision after you create it will determine your success. Your message will probably have strong competition from other day-to-day communications within the company, so you need to communicate it frequently and powerfully, and embed it within everything that you do. : Remove Obstacles in place the structure for change, and continually check for barriers to it. Removing obstacles can empower the people you need to execute your vision, and it can help the change move forward. 6: Create Short-term Wins Nothing motivates more than success. Give your company a taste of victory early in the change process. Within a short time frame, youll want to have results that your Taft can see. Without this, critics and negative thinkers might hurt your progress. : Build on the Changeover argues that many change projects fail because victory is declared too early. Real change runs deep. Launching one new product using a new system is great. But if you can launch 10 products, that means the new system is working. 8: Anchor the Changes in Corporate Calculatingly, to make any change stick, it should become part of the core of your organization. Identify critical success factors (SF) for CRM projects CIFS are attributes and variables that can significantly impact business outcomes. SF most strongly association with CRM is an accurate and well developed knowledge management system. Critical success factor People Process Technology 1. Senior management commitment X 2. Creation off multi-disciplinary team XX 3. Objectives definition X 4. Interdepartmental integration XX 5. Communication of the CRM strategy to staff X X 6. Staff commitment X 7. Customer information management X 8. Customer service XX 9. Sales automation XX 10. Marketing automation XX 11. Support for operational management XX 12. Customer contact management X X 13. Information systems integration X Strategic: encountered at the beginning of the project (clear CRM vision, top management commitment and management expertise) Tactical: becomes important later on (trouble shooting skills, good communication, software configurations) Customer portfolio Management Market segmentation: dividing up the market in homogeneous subleases forecasting: 3 techniques = qualitative methods, time series methods, casual methodically based costing: see which customer are or will be profitabilitys value estimation: present day value of all net margins earned from a relationship tit a customer; enables to estimate companys valued mining: find pattern or relationships in large volumes of data (SEEMS, SPAS) Customer experience Formal: Customer experience is the cognitive and affective outcome of the customers exposure to, or interaction with, a companys people, processes, technologies, products, services and other outputs Informal: If you were to ask your customers, What is it like doing business with us? Their answers would be descriptions of their customer experience. Methods to understand customer experience Mystery shopping: paid shoppers report their superintendences mapping: focus groups, ace-to-face and telephone interviews with sample streptococcuss mapping: using blueprint (graphical representation of business processes)customer activity cycle: describes the processes customers go through in making and reviewing buying processes. Participant observation: senior management at front line customer service Sources of customer value (3 value disciplines) A value proposition is the explicit or implicit promise made by a company to its customers that it will deliver a particular bundle of value-creating benefits. (page 191, table 7. ) Operational excellence: A philosophy of the workplace where problem-solving, marrow, and leadership results in the ongoing improvement in an organization. The process involves focusing on the customers needs, keeping the employees positive and empowered, and continually improving the current activities in the workpla ce. Product leadership: Product leaders are companies that dominate their markets because they continuously offer the best and most innovative products or services in their industry. These companies display the ability and determination to make products that customers consider superior, products that deliver more benefits than others. Customer intimacy: A marketing strategy where a service supplier or product retailer gets close to their clients. The benefits of greater customer intimacy for a business might include improved highly tailored problem solving capabilities and greater adaptation of products to customer needs, as well as higher customer loyalty levels. Value from Service SURVIVAL model of service quality 5 core components of service qualitatively offers managers a systematic approach to measuring and managing service quality. It emphasizes the importance of understanding customer expectations, and of developing internal procedures that align company processes to customer expectations. Reliability Ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately Assurance Knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence Tangibles Appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel and communication materials Empathy Provision of caring, individualized attention to customers Responsiveness Willingness to help customers and to provide prompt service 3 stages of customer life cycle ; Key customer acquisition Acquiring new customers New customers: new-to-category (identified a new need or found new category of elution for existing need ; new-to-company (are won from competitors) Conversion model by Jan Hypertrophied customers Entrenched customers unlikely to switch in future Average customers unlikely to change in short but maybe in medium Uncommitted customers Shallow customers lower commitment than average; some already consider alternatives Convertible customers most likely to defect Prospecting Searching for opportunities tha t might generate additional value for the company. BOB Satisfied customers (Referrals from satisfied customers), Networking (Personal contacts with well-connected and co-operative people), Promotional activities (Exhibitions, seminars, trademarks and conferences, Delegate and attendee lists, Advertising response inquiries, Publicity), Web-sites, Lists and directories (SIC listings, telephone directories), Canvassing, Tell-marketing, E-mail BBC Advertising, Message, Media, Sales promotion, buzz or WOMB, Merchandising Retaining existing customers Keeping your customers to buy your productive measures of customer retention Raw customer retention rate: This is the number of customers doing business with a firm at the end of a training period expressed as percentage of those who were active customers a the beginning of the period Sales-adjustment retention rate: this is the value of sales achieved from the retained customer, expressed as a percentage of the sales achieved from all customers who were active at the beginning of the period P rofit-adjusted retention rate: This is the profit earned from the retained customers, expresses as a percentage of the profit earned from all customers who were active at the beginning of the period. Retention issues Not beneficial to maintain all relationships -; some are too costly to serve, others are strategic switchers in search of a better deal. Which customer to retain (strategic significant customers)? L . High future lifetime value: These customers will contribute significantly to the companys profitability in the future. 2. High volume: These customers might not generate much profit, but they are strategically significant because of their absorption of fixed costs, and the economies of scale they generate to keep unit cost low. 3. Benchmark customers: These are customers that other customers follow. 4. Inspirations: These are customers who bring about improvement in the business. They may identify new applications for a product, product improvement, or opportunities for cost reduction. They may complain loudly and make unreasonable demands, but in doing so, force change for the better 5. Door openers: These are customers that allow the business to gain access to a new market. This may be done for no initial profit, but with a view to proving credentials for further expansion. This may be particularly important for crossing cultural boundaries. Strategies for Customer Retention Positive: delight customers, create customer-perceived added value, create social and structural bonds, create customer engagement Negative: create exit barriers, enforce the contract, extract switching penalties Development customer value 3 ways to create customer-perceived added value loyalty schemes: rewarding customers for their potentiometers clubs: offers value-adding benefits exclusively to embarrasses promotions: in-pack or on-pack voucher, rebate or cash back, patronage awards, free premium for continuous purchase, collection schemes, Self-liquidation premium Two main strategies for customer developments-selling is selling additional products and services to an existing customer. Up-selling is selling higher priced or higher margin products and arrives to an existing customer. Of CRM technologies that are useful for customer development overcompensating management, Event-based marketing, Data mining, Customization, Channel integration, Integ rated customer communications, Marketing optimization Customer related database Is not Just a customer database and consists of all kinds of data related to the customer Secondary data: data have already been collected for other purpose than Criminal data: collected for the first time for CRM or other purpose 6 major steps in developing a customer-related database Define the database functions Databases support the four forms of CRM: Collaborative, Analytical, Operational, Strategic Define the information requirements A direct marketer might need general customer info, a senior manager might need bigger picture data like who are our customers, what do they buy, etc. Indemnify the information sources Internal data: acquired from marketing (market size, segmentation etc. ) sales (purchasing history, buyers names etc. ) Customer service (service histories and requirements, satisfaction levels, etc. ) finance (credit ratings, accounts receivable, etc) and the webmaster may have click-st ream data. Eternal data: from the outside world (market research companies) Select the database technology and hardware platform Customer-related data can be stored in a hierarchical, network or relational way. Relational databases are common nowadays Populate the database CRM databases need data that are appropriately accurate: the accuracy level depends on the databases function. Operational CRM applications need more accurate data than analytical ones. Maintain the database Make sure your database stays up to date . 2 major challenges of multinational CRM Multiple communication technology channels: all the devices that help an organization as well as customers to communicate with each other. Customers expect consistent dialogue. CRM technology lets you create and track a consistent dialogue that reflects the value of the customer. Multiple organizational touch points: not only the different technology channels of an organization, but also the different people within the organization. (Marketing sends out customer offers, sales reps call to negotiate terms and the customer calls the service desk for assistance. The marketing offer should be visible in order for the customer service agent to treat the customer correctly. Channel partners must be included in the communication loop if channel conflict over pricing, leads, and commissions is to be avoided. A customer portfolio is the collection of mutually customer groups that comprise a businesss entire customer base. It is used because not all customers can or should be managed in the same way. Customers have different needs, preferences and expectations. Customers have different revenue and cost profiles. The Customer Journey Stage 1 : Suspect Does the potential customer fit your target market profile? Stage 2: Prospect The potential customer does fit your profile and is being approached for the iris time Stage 3: First-time customer The customer made his first purchase Stage 4: Repeat customer Made additional purchases, your offer plays a minor role in the customer portfolio Stage 5: Majority customer Selects your company as supplier of choice Stage 6: Loyal customer Resistant to switching suppliers, shows positive attitude to your company Stage 7: Advocate The customer generates additional referral dollars through positive word-of-mouth. A company wants to have a relationship with its customers because companies that manage their customer base n order to identify, satisfy and retain profitable customers, enjoy better business performance. Value = Benefits/Sacrifices Sacrifices: Money (price, hidden cost) Search cost (time, effort) Psychic cost (stress, frustration, risk) Perceived risk is a psychic cost. How customers reduce perceived cost: Delay purchase Seek word-of-mouth endorsements Buy with credit-card Negotiate discounts Lifetime Value (L TV) or Customer Lifetime Value (CLC) = The lifetime value is the present day value of all net margins earned from a relationship with a customer, customer segment or cohort. Its also the measure of profit-generation for a company. Calculated by computing the present day value of all net margins (gross margins less cost to serve) earned from a relationship with a customer. The positive customer experience describes customer experience as it is. The normative customer experience describes customer experience as management or customers believe it ought to be. Touch point Touch points exist wherever customers come into virtual or concrete contact with a companys products, services, communications, places, people, processes or technologies. Moment-of-truth Moments of truth occur during customer interactions at touch-points. These are the endorsement customers form evaluative Judgments, positive or negative, about their experience. Engagement A customers emotional and rational response to an experience. Closing the Gaps: Examples Gap 1 Conduct primary research, learn from front-line staff Gap 2 Develop a standard documentation process; assess the feasibility of meeting customer expectations Gap 3 Invest in people, invest in technology, redesign workflow Gap 4 Train employees not to over-promise, excel at service recovery Gap 5 If gaps 1-4 are closed, gap 5 will also close! A successful complaints handling recess enables companies to capture customer complaints before customers start spreading negative word-of-mouth or take their business elsewhere. Why dont unhappy customers complain? They feel the company doesnt care. Perhaps the company or the industry has a reputation for treating customers poorly It takes too much time and effort They fear retribution. Many people are reluctant to complain about the police, for example They dont know how to complain. Three Stages of the Customer Lifestyle 1 . Customer acquisition 2. Customer retention aims to keep a high proportion of current customers by educing customer defections. 3. Customer development aims to increase the value of those retained customers to the company. Difference between customer retention and value retention is customer retention looks at the number of customers that stay with a company whereas value retention looks at the value customers bring and may force the company to look at the buying behavior and manage the value adders. Open non-customers Available non-customers prefer the alternative to their current offer though they have not yet switched, and are ready to switch. Ambivalent non-customers are as attracted to the alternative as they are to their current brand Unavailable non- Weakly unavailable non-customers prefer their current brands Strongly unavailable non-customers have a strong preference for their current brands Cognitive advertising = raising awareness, developing understanding, and generating knowledge. New customers generally need to be made aware of the product and to understand what benefits it can deliver. Affective advertising = developing a liking for the product, and generating preference. Why Focus on Newly Acquired Customers? New customers may have greater future life-time value potential than longer tenure customers. Evidence suggests that retention rates rise over time, so if defections can be prevented in the early stages of a relationship, there will be a pay-off in future revenue streams. Consumer delight: Perception ; Expectation Three Forms of Commitment Instrumental: customers are convinced that no other offer or company could do a better Job of meeting their needs. Relational: customer develops an emotional tie may be with an individual person, a work group or the generalized company as a whole. Values-based: customers values are aligned with those of the company.

Free Essays on Alienation According To Marx

What does one mean by alienation? Alienation is said to be the misperceived separation of essence from the object that it characterizes.1 In 1844 Karl Marx wrote and published The Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844, better known as The Paris Manuscripts. This was Karl Marx’s first work, where he writes a study about alienation of workers. Alienation manifests itself in many different forms. Marx argues that; â€Å"One must understand, there are three types of alienation. The first type of alienation is alienation from oneself. The second type of alienation is alienation from his fellow human beings. The third type of alienation is alienation from the world as a whole. These three forms of alienation are interconnected.† This is the core of his approach to the problem of alienation. (Monthly Review, 2000, p.35) However, Alienation has also been associated with early theological writings to refer to the estrangement of a person from God as well.2 Therefore it is without question that Alienation can be extremely harmful as its principle action is to cause people to feel isolated and alone. The recognition of man as a â€Å"species† becomes important to the theory of Alienation, which is central to Marx’s work and vital in reiterating the human essence of man.3 Alienation for Marx was a consequence of the conditions within systems of mutual production, which caused man to lose his identity as a species being and fall into an alienated state through the production of capital.4 Subsequently, he became detached from his conscious life activity causing him to be detached from himself, from others and the product of his labor. Essentially man comes to lose all his traits that identify his recognition of himself as human, causing him to become de-humanized. In the Paris Manuscripts Marx identified four specific ways in which alienation pervades capitalist society. The product of labour: The worker is alienate... Free Essays on Alienation According To Marx Free Essays on Alienation According To Marx What does one mean by alienation? Alienation is said to be the misperceived separation of essence from the object that it characterizes.1 In 1844 Karl Marx wrote and published The Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844, better known as The Paris Manuscripts. This was Karl Marx’s first work, where he writes a study about alienation of workers. Alienation manifests itself in many different forms. Marx argues that; â€Å"One must understand, there are three types of alienation. The first type of alienation is alienation from oneself. The second type of alienation is alienation from his fellow human beings. The third type of alienation is alienation from the world as a whole. These three forms of alienation are interconnected.† This is the core of his approach to the problem of alienation. (Monthly Review, 2000, p.35) However, Alienation has also been associated with early theological writings to refer to the estrangement of a person from God as well.2 Therefore it is without question that Alienation can be extremely harmful as its principle action is to cause people to feel isolated and alone. The recognition of man as a â€Å"species† becomes important to the theory of Alienation, which is central to Marx’s work and vital in reiterating the human essence of man.3 Alienation for Marx was a consequence of the conditions within systems of mutual production, which caused man to lose his identity as a species being and fall into an alienated state through the production of capital.4 Subsequently, he became detached from his conscious life activity causing him to be detached from himself, from others and the product of his labor. Essentially man comes to lose all his traits that identify his recognition of himself as human, causing him to become de-humanized. In the Paris Manuscripts Marx identified four specific ways in which alienation pervades capitalist society. The product of labour: The worker is alienate...

Old dependency ratio(demography) Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Old dependency ratio(demography) - Lab Report Example The question remains, what other factors are likely to be varied, simultaneously, along the change? How have people’s behavior been adjusted and in what manners? Whether the high dependency ratio is a burden on working population or the situation is merely another social outcome of the demographic transition; without concluding it to be negative or positive? Figure.1 is a diagram of historical data, projecting â€Å"old dependency ratio† in U.S. As graph shows, old dependency ratio has been substantially raised historically due to both lower fertility and reduced mortality of old population. It is anticipated to sharply increase after 2010s. From year 1950 to 2010 the ODR changed from a value of 0.14 to 0.22, where as the likely jump for the period from 2010 to 2030 will be from a value of 0.22 to 0.35 (all figures are noted approximately) (the change for 20 years after 2010 is almost double the change between 1950 and 2010). The projected sharp increase (from 2010 to 2030) can be interpreted as a result of post WWII baby boom from 1946-1964. From 2010s, some of the babies born between 1946 and 1964 will be over 65. The diagram indicates that during this period there will be a huge financial burden on rest of the population (the working population). However, it is pre-mature to assume a negative situation without further investigation into more details. Something favorable might be happening as a consequence of demographic changes in the population ratios of the old and young. There are factors which might change as consequence of change in the old dependency ratio. This change might be helpful rather than being adverse. First of all, let us look at the historical data of expenditure on education. Table 1 and Table 2 show the yearly expenditure on education as well as income over the years. Table 1 shows this data on the

Personal financial planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Personal financial planning - Essay Example Many countries use the Bismarck System that combines insurance with private health care providers. Most Americans pay for and received medical services in a manner that resembles the Bismarck System, although many insurance providers in other countries are not operated for profit and cannot discriminate against persons for pre-existing medical conditions. The Medicare System of healthcare, like the system in Canada, combines private healthcare providers with government payer insurance. While some American healthcare programs combine private providers with a single government payer, these programs are funded through taxes rather than insurance premiums. A few countries have adopted the Beveridge System of healthcare in which the government is both the provider and payer of healthcare. Healthcare for American military veterans utilizes the Beveridge System. Unlike the healthcare systems in other countries, the American healthcare system combines elements of different systems. It has ye t to be determined how long this mixed system will remain viable. Works Cited Kaiser Commission. â€Å"Medicaid and the Uninsured.† 2010.

Degrees Of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Health And Social Care Essay

Degrees Of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Health And Social Care Essay Carpal tunnel syndrome is a most common compression neuropathy of the upper extremity. It is caused by compression of median nerve in the carpal tunnel. Women are more commonly affected than men. It is commonly seen in age group between 30 and 60 years. Carpal tunnel syndrome usually occurs due to excessive use of the hands and occupational exposure to repeated trauma. Average cross sectional area of the carpal tunnel is 1.7 cm2 with the wrist in neutral position. Passive flexion and extension of the wrist has been increased the carpal tunnel pressure. Wrist extension increases carpal tunnel pressure more than the wrist flexion. Any space occupying mass or swelling of the structures in the tunnel also causes pressure on the median nerve. Mostly, the cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is unknown. Any condition which causes pressure on median nerve at the wrist will result in carpal tunnel syndrome. Obesity, pregnancy, hypothyroidism, arthritis, diabetes and trauma are the common conditions that lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. Repetitive work such as uninterrupted typing which result in tendon inflammation can also cause carpal tunnel symptoms. Carpal tunnel syndrome due to repetitive activities has referred to one of the repetitive stress injuries. In some rare diseases such as amyloidosis, leukemia, multiple myeloma, and sarcoidosis, deposition of abnormal substances in and around the carpal tunnel leads to nerve irritation. Prolonged flexion or extension of the wrists under the patients head or pillow during sleep is believed to contribute to the prevalence of nocturnal symptoms. Usually patient complaints pain, numbness and tingling sensation in the hand and fingers. Symptoms worsening at night typically awakening the patient or occurring on bunching up the hand for tasks such as writing. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common cause of acroparaesthesiae often pain and paraesthesiae may be the only symptoms for many months or years. The syndrome is essentially a sensory one; the loss or impairment of superficial sensation affects the thumb, index and middle fingers and may be or may not split the ring finger. There may be wasting and weakness of the thenar muscles. Weakness and atrophy of the abductor pollicis brevis and other muscles supplied by median nerve occur in only the most advanced cases of compression. Degrees of carpal tunnel syndrome are classified as dynamic, mild, moderate and severe. The pathophysiology of carpal tunnel syndrome is typically demyelination. Secondary axon loss may present in more severe cases. With 20 to 30 mm hg compression, the initial insult is a reduction in epineural blood flow. With wrist extension, intracarpal pressures routinely measure atleast 33 mm hg and often upto 110 mm hg in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. Edema in the epineurium and endoneurium is caused by continued or increased pressure. Carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosed by detailed history collection, phalen maneuver, percussion test, two point discrimination test, vibrometry, monofilament test, distal sensory latency and conduction velocity, distal motor latency conduction, upper limb tension tests. X-ray is taken to check for arthritis and fracture. If there is a suspected medical condition that is associated with carpal tunnel syndrome, laboratory tests may be done. This condition could be mistaken for a brachial neuritis due to cervical intervertebral disc prolapse at C5 C7 level. Nerve conduction tests on the median nerve help to localize the lesion in the tunnel. Both conservative and surgical management options are available in order to reduce pressure over median nerve. The current conservative treatments include non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs, sometimes rest, local injection of corticosteroids, activity modification, ultrasound therapy, carpal bone mobilization, magnetic therapy, night and/or daytime wrist splint positioned at 0 to 15 degrees of extension, nerve and tendon gliding exercises. Anyone of the measures alone or in combination can be effective in treating early carpal tunnel syndrome. Tendon gliding exercises are performed to lubricate and increase gliding of the flexor pollicis longus, flexor digitorum superficialis and flexor digitorum profundus tendons. They are best performed with the hand elevated to concurrently control local edema. Median nerve gliding exercises and the upper limb tension test with median nerve bias can be used as treatment techniques. Modality treatment can also control symptoms and enhance the therapeutic exercise program. Exercise intervention for carpal tunnel syndrome focuses on mobility and strengthening without producing an exacerbation. Stretches for the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles are prescribed for several times each day. If working, a patient should perform them before work. They should be performed slowly and gently; the patient feel only a gentle stretching sensation. In workplace, modification of the job site or complete ergonomic redesign is typically the most helpful approach. In addition yoga, chiropractics, laser treatment have been advocated. Surgery is indicated in advanced cases with objective sensory loss and /or weakness or atrophy of the abductor pollicis brevis. In severe cases surgical division of the transverse carpal ligament relieves the condition. Surgical management includes open carpal tunnel release and endoscopic release. It aims to decompress nerve, to improve excursion and to prevent flexor damage. Splinting is the most popular method of conservative management of carpal tunnel syndrome. Splints are recommended by the American Academy of Neurology for the Carpal tunnel syndrome with light and moderate pathology. Immobilization of the wrist joint in a neutral position with splint will increase the carpal tunnel volume and minimize the median nerve pressure. Wrist Splinting in a neutral position will help reduce and may even completely relieve Carpal tunnel syndrome (Slater RR et al 1999). Ultrasound therapy is more useful in the management of Carpal tunnel syndrome. It has the potential to accelerate normal resolution of inflammation. Ultrasound therapy elicit anti inflammatory and tissue stimulating effects. Ultrasound therapy accelerates the healing process in damaged tissues. Pulsed Ultrasound therapy with the intensity of 1.0 w/cm2, 1:4 for fifteen minutes per session has significantly improved subjective symptoms in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (Ebenbichler GR et al). Nerve and tendon gliding exercises are used in conservative treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome to decrease adhesions and to regulate venous return in nerve bundles (Rozmaryn et al). Nerve and tendon gliding exercises may maximize the relative movement of the median nerve within the Carpal tunnel and the excursion of flexor tendon relative to one another (Rempel D, Manojlovic R et al). Wrist splint along with nerve and tendon gliding exercises showed significant improvement in reducing symptoms in Carpal tunnel syndrome. (Akalin et al) NEED FOR THE STUDY: Ultra sound therapy, splints, nerve and tendon gliding exercises are significantly effective in reducing symptoms in the treatment of Carpal tunnel syndrome. Combination of various treatments is also useful in reducing symptoms in Carpal tunnel syndrome. Ultrasound therapy helps to increase healing process in damaged tissue. This study aimed to find out the effect of Ultrasound therapy in reducing pain in patients with Carpal tunnel syndrome. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Effect of Ultrasound Therapy in reducing pain in patients with Carpal tunnel syndrome. KEY WORDS: Carpal tunnel syndrome Ultrasound therapy Splint Exercises Pain Visual analogue scale (VAS) AIM: To find out the Effect of Ultrasound Therapy in reducing pain in patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. OBJECTIVE: To study the Effect of Ultrasound Therapy in reducing pain in patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. HYPOTHESIS: 1.6.1. NULL HYPOTHESIS There is no significant effect of Ultrasound Therapy, Splint and Exercises in reducing pain in patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. There is no significant effect of Splint and Exercises in reducing pain in patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. There is no significant difference between the effect of Ultrasound Therapy, Splint and Exercises and Splint and Exercises in reducing pain in patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. 1.6.2. ALTERNATE HYPOTHESIS There is significant effect of Ultrasound Therapy, Splint and Exercises in reducing pain in patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. There is significant effect of Splint and Exercises in reducing pain in patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. There is significant difference between the effect of Ultrasound Therapy, Splint and Exercises and Splint and Exercises in reducing pain in patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. II.REVIEW OF LITERATURE CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME DAVID A FULLER, MD, et al (2010) Stated that carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common entrapment neuropathy. The syndrome is characterised by pain, paraesthesia, and weakness in the median nerve distribution of the hand. The etiology of carpal tunnel syndrome is multifactorial which is contributed by various degrees of local and systemic factors. Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are due to ischemia and impaired axonal transport of the median nerve which results from median nerve compression at the wrist. (Lunborg G, Dahlin LB 1992). Elevated pressure inside the carpal tunnel leads to compression. HARVEY SIMON, MD et al, (2009) Stated that carpal tunnel syndrome is considered as an inflammatory disorder caused by medical conditions, physical injury or repetitive stress. JEFFREY G NORVELL, MD et al (2009) Stated that carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is caused predominantly by median nerve compression at the wrist because of hypertrophy or oedema of the flexor synovium. Pain is thought to be secondary to nerve ischemia rather than direct physical damage of the nerve. S.BRENT BROTZMAN, MD (2003) Explained that degree of the carpal tunnel syndrome as dynamic, mild moderate and severe. In mild cases, patients has intermittent symptoms, decreased light touch, positive digital compression test and positive tinel sign or phalen test may or may not be present. In moderate cases, patients have frequent symptoms, decreased vibratory sense, muscle weakness, positive tinel sign, phalen test and digital compression test. GERRITSEN AA, DE KROM MC, STRUIJS MA, ET AL (2002) Stated that carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is caused by median nerve compression at the wrist and is considered to be the more common entrapment neuropathy. Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include pain, numbness or tingling sensation, paraesthesia, involving the fingers innervated by the median nerve. (Bakhtiary AH, Rashidy Pour AR et al 2004) GELBERMAN RH, HERGENROEDER PT, HARGENS AR, RYDEVIK B, LUNDBORG G, BAGGE U (1981) Fracture callus, osteophytes, anomalous muscle bodies, tumours, hypertrophic synovium, and infection as well as gout and other inflammatory conditions can produce increased pressure within the carpal tunnel. Extremes of wrist flexion and extension also elevate pressure within the carpal tunnel. Intraneural blood flow is affected by compression on nerve. Venular blood flow in a nerve is reduced by pressure as low as twenty to thirty mm Hg. At level of thirty mm Hg, axonal transport is impaired. At forty mm Hg, neurophysiologic changes manifested as sensory and motor dysfunctions are present. Any further increase in pressure will produce sensory and motor block. At level of sixty to eighty mm Hg, complete cessation of intraneural blood flow is seen. In one study, the carpal tunnel pressure in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome averaged thirty two mm Hg, compared with only about two mm Hg in control subjects. RH GELBERMAN, AR HARGENS, GN LUNDBORG, PT HERGENROEDER et al, (1981) Measured intra carpal canal pressures with the wick catheter in 15 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and in 12 control subjects. The average pressure in the carpal tunnel was raised significantly in the patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. When the wrist was in neutral position, the mean pressure was 32 millimeters of mercury. With ninety degrees of wrist flexion the pressure raised to 94 millimeters of mercury. While with ninety degrees of wrist extension the average pressure was 110 millimeters of mercury. The pressure of carpal canal in the control subjects with the neutral position of wrist was 2.5 millimeters of mercury; with wrist flexion the carpal canal pressure rise to 31 millimeters of mercury, and with wrist extension it increased to 30 millimeters of mercury.  ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­GEORGE S. PHALEN M.D, et al (1966) Stated that diagnosed Carpal tunnel syndrome has been made in 654 hands of 439 patients during the last seventeen years. The typical patient with this syndrome is a middle-aged housewife with numbness and tingling in the thumb and index, long, and ring fingers, which is worse at night and worse after excessive activity of the hands. The sensory disturbances both objective and subjective must be directly related to the sensory distribution of the median nerve distal to the wrist but pain may be referred proximal to the wrist as high as the shoulder. There is usually a positive tinel sign over the median nerve at the wrist, and the wrist flexion test is also usually positive. About half of the patients also have some degree of thenar atrophy. In clinical practice, Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most commonly seen entrapment mononeuropathy which is caused by median nerve compression at the wrist (PHALEN 1966, GELBERMAN et al 1998). Usually patients show one or more symptoms of hand weakness, pain, numbness or tingling in the hand, especially in the thumb, index and middle fingers (SIMOVIC and WEINBERG 2000). Symptoms are worst during night time and often wakeup the patient. WILLIAM C. SHIEL JR., MD.FACP, FACR, et al Stated that the cause of the carpal tunnel syndrome is unknown. Any condition which causes pressure on the median nerve at the wrist will result in carpal tunnel syndrome. Common conditions such as obesity, pregnancy, hypothyroidism, arthritis, diabetes, and trauma can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. Repetitive work such as uninterrupted typing result in tendon inflammation can also cause Carpal tunnel symptoms. In some rare diseases such as amyloidosis, leukemia, multiple myeloma, and sarcoidosis, deposition of abnormal substances in and around the carpal tunnel leads to nerve irritation. MEDIAN NERVE LUNDBORG G, DAHLIN LB, et al (1996) Stated that throughout the extremity movement, mobility of the peripheral nerve changes and longitudinal movement of the median nerve mostly occur in the carpal tunnel. In Carpal tunnel syndrome, this physiologic mobility of the median nerve disappears. REMPEL D, MANOJLOVIC R, LEVINSOHN DG, et al (1994) Stated that during the exercise there may be redistribution of the point of maximal compression on the median nerve. This milking effect would promote venous return from the median nerve, thus decreasing the pressure inside the perineurium. NAKAMICHI AND S. TACHIBANA et al Conducted a study the motion of median nerve in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and normal subjects. Median nerve motion was assessed by axial ultrasonographic imaging the mid carpal tunnel. They concluded that wrist of patients with Carpal tunnel syndrome showed less sliding which indicates that physiological motion of the nerve is restricted. This decrease in nerve mobility may be of significance in the pathophysiology of carpal tunnel syndrome. ULTRASOUND THERAPY BAKHTIARY AH, RASHIDY-POUR A et al (2004) Conducted a study to compare the effect of Ultrasound and laser therapy in patients with mild to moderate idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome. By electromyography findings, 90 hands in 50 consecutive patients with carpal tunnel syndrome were confirmed and allocated randomly in two groups. One group received low level laser therapy and the other group received ultrasound therapy. Ultrasound treatment (pulsed 1:4, 1.0 W/cm2, 1 MHz, 15 min/session) and low level laser therapy (infrared laser, 830nm, 9 Joules, at five points) were given to the carpal tunnel for fifteen daily treatment sessions. Ultrasound group showed more significant improvement than low level laser therapy group in motor latency, motor action potential amplitude, finger pinch strength, and pain reduction. Effects were also sustained in the follow-up period. They concluded that ultrasound therapy was more effective than laser therapy in the management of carpal tunnel syndrome. EBENBICHLER GR, RESCH KL et al (1998) Studied the efficacy of Ultrasound therapy in patients with mild to moderate idiopathic Carpal tunnel syndrome. Ultrasound with parameters 1MHZ, 1.0 W/cm2 pulsed mode 1:4, 15 minutes per session was applied over the carpal tunnel and compared with Sham Ultrasound. Actively treated ultrasound group showed significant improvement than sham treated wrists in both subjective symptoms and electroneurographic variables. To confirm the usefulness of ultrasound therapy for Carpal tunnel syndrome, more studies are needed. Additional randomized trials comparing conservative therapies for Carpal tunnel syndrome would be useful in selecting appropriate treatments for individual patients. EL HAG M, COGHLAN K, CHRISMAS P et al (1985) Stated that Ultrasound could elicit anti-inflammatory and tissue-stimulating effects as already shown in clinical trials and experimentally (Byl et al 1992, Young and Dyson 1990). In this way, Ultrasound has the potential to accelerate normal resolution of inflammation (Dyson 1989). The results of these studies confirm that Ultrasound may accelerate the healing process in damaged tissues. In mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome patients, these mechanisms may explain their findings including pain relief, increased grip and pinch strength, and changed electrophysiological parameters toward normal values better than Laser therapy. WRIST SPLINT Wrist splints help to keep the wrist straight and reduce pressure on the compressed nerve. Doctor may recommend the patients to wear wrist splints either at night, or both day and night, although patient may find that they get in the way when they are doing their daily activities. Some research indicates that ultrasound treatment may help to reduce the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. (BUPAS health information team 2010) BRININGER TL, ROGERS JC et al (2007) Fabricated customized neutral splint and nerve and tendon gliding exercises is more effective than wrist cock up splint and nerve and tendon gliding exercises in reducing symptoms and improving functional status in the treatment of Carpal tunnel syndrome. GERRITSEN AA, DE KROM MC, STRUIJS MA, et al (2002) Immobilization of the wrist joint in a neutral position with a splint will maximizes carpal tunnel volume and minimize the pressure acting on median nerve. AKALIN E, EL O, SENOCAK O, et al (2002) Compared the effect of wrist splint alone to wrist splint with nerve and tendon gliding exercises in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. In their study, both groups showed significant improvement in clinical parameters, functional status scale and symptom severity scale. They also reported significant improvement only in pinch strength in the group with wrist splint in combination with exercises compared with the wrist splint group. MANENTE G, TORRIERI F, et al (2001) Stated that wearing a specially designed wrist splint at night time for four weeks was more effective than no treatment in reducing the symptoms of Carpal tunnel syndrome. SLATER RR, et al (1999) Stated that splinting the wrist in a neutral position will help to reduce and may even completely relieve carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. SAILER SM, et al (1996) Stated that the optimal splinting regimen depends on the patients symptoms and preferences. To prevent prolonged wrist flexion or extension, night splint use is recommended. BURKE DT, STEWRT GW, CAMBER A, et Al (1994) Stated that carpal tunnel syndrome is the commonest compression neuropathy in the upper limb. Several studies have demonstrated the effect of wrist splint in reducing the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. But the chosen angle of immobilization has varied in the management of carpal tunnel syndrome. Wick catheter measurements of carpal tunnel pressures suggest that the neural position has less pressure and, therefore, greater potential to provide relief from symptoms. KRUGER VL, KRAFT GH, et al (1991) Stated that wrist splint at a neutral angle helps to decrease repetitive flexion and rotation, thereby relieving mild soft tissue swelling or tenosynovitis. Splinting is most effective when it is applied within three months of the onset of symptoms. NERVE AND TENDON GLIDING EXERCISES BAYSAL O, ERTEMK, YOLOGLUS, ALTAY Z, KAYHANA et al (2006) Stated that combination of ultrasound therapy, splinting and exercises is a preferable and an efficacious treatment for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. ROZMARYN LM, et al (1998) Used nerve and tendon gliding exercises in conservative treatment models to decrease adhesions developed in the carpal tunnel and regulate venous return in the nerve bundles. They reviewed more than 200 hands under consideration for carpal tunnel decompression. Altogether 71% of the patients who were not offered gliding exercises went forward to surgery; only 43% of the gliding exercise group was felt to require surgery. SERADGE et al (1995) Stated that intermittent active wrist and finger flexion-extension exercises reduce the pressure in the carpal tunnel. SZABO et al (1994) Showed that the relationship between median nerve and flexor tendon excursion was consistently linear. They suggested active finger motion of the median nerve and flexor tendons in the vicinity of the wrist to prevent adhesion formation even if the wrist is immobilized. REMPEL D, MANOJLOVIC R, LEVINSOHN DG, et al (1994) Stated that the median nerve movement is increased by nerve and tendon gliding exercises in the carpal tunnel and the flexor tendons excursion is increased in relative to one another. TOTTEN AND HUNTER, et al (1991) Proposed a series of exercises enhancing the gliding of the median nerve and tendon at the carpal tunnel for management of postoperative Carpal tunnel syndrome. They also suggested these exercises for non-operative Carpal tunnel syndrome. LAMINA PINAR, SAIT ADA AND NEVIN GUNGOR ET AL Stated that nerve and tendon gliding exercises included in conservative therapy approaches showed more rapid pain reduction and greater functional improvement in grip strength. HANNAH RICE MYERS, et al Stated that carpal tunnel exercises reduce the tension on the tendons in the tunnel and strengthen the weakened muscles of wrist and forearms. Even though nerve and tendon gliding exercises are effective when used alone, they have a greater effect when used along with other intervention such as splint. For people who are involving jobs with keeping their hands in a fixed position throughout the day such as typing secretaries, these exercises may help to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome from developing. VISUAL ANALOGUE SCALE POLLY E. BIJUR PHD, WENDY SILVER MA, E. JOHN GALLAGHER MD et al (2008) Conducted to study to assess the reliability of the visual analogue scale (VAS) for acute pain measurement as assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) appears to be high. The results showed that the Visual analogue scale (VAS) is sufficiently reliable to be used to assess acute pain. PAUL S. MYLES, MBBS, MPH, MD, FFARCSI, et al (1999) Stated Visual analog scale (VAS) is a tool widely used to measure pain. A patient is asked to indicate his/her perceived pain intensity (most commonly) along a 100 mm horizontal line, and this rating is then measured from the left edge (VAS score). The visual analogue scale score correlates well with acute pain. JOYCE, et al Suggested that visual analogue scale and another scales have been compared in terms of sensitivity, distribution of responses and preferences. Results of these studies appear equal. The visual analogue scale has been described as superior in one study because it was more sensitivity than any other scale. III. METHODOLOGY 3.1 STUDY DESIGN: Pretest and Posttest Experimental group study design. 3.2 STUDY SETTING: The study was conducted at Department of Physiotherapy, K.G.Hospital, Coimbatore. 3.3 STUDY DURATION: 3 weeks for each individual subject and the total duration was one year. 3.4 STUDY POPULATION: Patients with Carpal tunnel syndrome referred to the Department of physiotherapy, K.G.Hospital, Coimbatore. 3.5 STUDY SAMPLE: All patients with carpal tunnel syndrome who referred to Department of Physiotherapy, K.G. Hospital were selected. Among all patients, 20 patients who satisfied inclusive and exclusive criteria were selected and assigned into two groups, 10 of each by using Purposive Sampling method. 3.6 CRITERIA FOR SELECTION: INCLUSIVE CRITERIA: Age group above 30 years. Both sexes. Patients with mild to moderate unilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. Patients with Positive Tinel sign, Phalens test and Digital compression test. EXCLUSIVE CRITERIA: Patients with severe carpal tunnel syndrome Patients having thenar atrophy or denervation on electromyographic findings Patients with a neuropathy other than carpal tunnel syndrome in the past year Patient with history of steroid injection in carpal tunnel in the past 3 months Patients had a prior carpal tunnel release Cervical disc prolapse Degenerative changes of cervical spine Acute upper limb fractures Wrist and fingers stiffness Recent hand surgeries Deqeurains disease Pregnancy Acute Infections of Wrist and Hand 3.7 Variables: Dependent variable Pain. Independent variable Visual analogue scale. 3.8 Orientation of subjects: Before treatment all the patients were explained about the study and procedure to be applied and were asked to inform if they feel any discomfort during the course of the treatment. All the willing patients were asked to sign the consent form before the treatment. 3.9 OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain. 3.10 OPERATIONAL TOOLS: Visual analogue scale 3.11 STUDY PROCEDURE: 20 Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome were selected for this study after due consideration of inclusive and exclusive criteria. 20 patients were divided into 2 groups of 10 each. Group A: 10 patients received ultrasound therapy, splint and exercises. Ultrasound therapy with parameters of 1 MHz pulsed mode, 1:4, 1 w/cm2 is given 15 minutes per day, five times per week. Custom made neutral volar splint is given at night and during day time. Exercises are nerve and tendon gliding exercises. During tendon-gliding exercises, the fingers are placed in five discrete positions. Those were straight, hook, fist, table top, and straight fist. During the median nerve-gliding exercise the median nerve was mobilized by putting the hand and wrist in six different positions. During these exercises the neck and the shoulder were in a neutral position and the elbow was in supination and 90 degrees of flexion. Each position was maintained for 5 seconds. Each exercise is repeated 10 times at each session, 5 sessions per day. The total treatment duration is 3 weeks. Group B: 10 patients received only Splint and Exercises. Custom made neutral volar splint is given at night and during day time. Exercises are nerve and tendon gliding exercises. During tendon-gliding exercises, the fingers are placed in five discrete positions. Those were straight, hook, fist, table top, and straight fist. During the median nerve-gliding exercise the median nerve was mobilized by putting the hand and wrist in six different positions. During these exercises the neck and the shoulder were in a neutral position and the elbow was in supination and 90 degrees of flexion. Each position was maintained for 5 seconds. Each exercise is repeated 10 times at each session, 5 sessions per day. The total treatment duration is 3 weeks. 3.12 STATISTICAL TOOLS: Statistical analysis was done using Student t-test. Paired t test Where, n = Total number of subjects SD = Standard deviation d = Difference between initial and final value = Mean difference between initial and final value. (ii) Unpairedt test: To compare the pre test, post test values of both groups independentt test is used. Where, n1 = Number of subjects in Group A. n2 = Number of subjects in Group B. = Mean of Group A = Mean of Group B s1 = Standard deviation of Group A. s2 = Standard deviation of Group B. S = Combined standard deviation IV.DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION TABLE-1 VISUAL ANALOGUE SCALE FOR PAIN GROUP A PAIREDt TEST Mean values, mean differences, standard deviation andt values of Visual Analogue Scale for Group A who underwent Ultrasound therapy, Splint, Nerve and Tendon gliding exercises. S. NO VAS Improvement t value Mean Mean difference Standard deviation 1. Pre test 5.60 3.90 0.70 39.0 2. Post test 1.70 0.67 FIGURE-1 GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF MEAN VISUAL ANALOGUE SCALE FOR GROUP A TABLE-2 VISUAL ANALOGUE SCALE FOR PAIN FOR GROUP B PAIREDt TEST Mean values, mean differences, standard deviation andt values of Visual Analogue Scale for Group B who underwent to Splint, Nerve and Tendon gliding exercises. S. NO VAS Improvement t value Mean Mean difference Standard deviation 1. Pre test 5.40 3.0 0.70 20.12 2. Post test 2.40 0.52 FIGURE-2 GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF MEAN VISUAL ANALOGUE SCALE FOR GROUP B TABLE-3 VISUAL ANALOGUE SCALE FOR PAIN PRETEST VALUES OF GROUP A VERSUS GROUP B UNPAIREDt TEST Mean, mean difference, standard deviation and unpairedt test of pre test v

Letter home nurse

My dearest Mother, I am missing you dearly and I hope everything is well. I am getting very home sick, life here is different than over there. I can hear sounds of the battlefield and it's very frightening. We also get very little sleep and It is so cold here. The food is so plain; we rarely eat meat. We eat mostly beans, potatoes and soup. I'm getting so tired of it. Many of the things I see are very disturbing but it feels good to help these men.Some of them have talked to me about their families or what they plan to do after the war. like to hear them being positive. I've started keeping a diary and I've even started writing poems. This helps me take all my emotions out. It feels really good, but you know what doesn't? Feeling to dirty all the time. I feel Ilke I feel this way most of the time. We have to take sponge baths with cold water, which doesnt help at all. Many girls have not been able to handle all of this and have gone home but that ont happen to me.Everything here move s so fast and the men come and go or we have to move and some are left behind. I get very sad when I think about those men and if they had families or not. Maybe that's why some girls are leaving, I don't blame them. I hope to see you and Father and sister soon, I hope this Is all over really soon. I miss you all so much It hurts. I've made some friends but I wish I was at home in my own bed, or having dinner with all of you. Ill be home soon! Love, Leslie

American workforce

The American workforce is becoming diversified than ever.   The issue on workplace discrimination has been around since time immemorial. Discrimination is part of the process of three components, the cognitive, affective and behavioral. The behavioral component means the tendency to take negative actions against a particular group. The behavior stems form attitudes and feelings which constitute prejudice. Although prejudice is generally negative it is not as damaging as discrimination. The behavior component makes it possible to make the thoughts become real. Research has found that discrimination in any form is detrimental to the well being of the discriminated individual (Mathis & Jackson, 2004). The workplace is the place in which the employee comes to work on his tasks and to carry out his profession. If the workplace is non-discriminatory, the employee is more likely to work effectively and efficiently and to increase productivity and performance as well. The most common methods employed by organizations to ensure that their work environment is non-discriminatory are to conduct sensitivity trainings, to provide provisions for grievances and complaints of discriminatory behavior and to follow non-discriminatory guidelines in terms of hiring, selection and promotions. Sensitivity trainings are common in most organizations especially if the company is culturally diverse as well as sexual orientation, disability and religion. The advantages of using sensitivity trainings to make employees become aware of the prejudices and discrimination they may have for other people and teaches the employees how to change their thoughts about minority groups in an experiential manner. It also communicates to each employee that an individual is a person in his/her own right and should be respected as such, and not be accorded respect based on one’s race, religion or sex. The disadvantage in using this method is that if  employees do not have a positive attitude towards the training then this would surely limit their capacity to learn from the sessions. Moreover, sensitivity trainings are periodically given and is not reinforced thus limiting its effectiveness. The provisions for grievances and complaints communicate to the employees that discrimination will not be tolerated by the management. It is effective as a control mechanism to lessen discrimination in the workplace and make the employees become cautious of their behavior. This method does not really ensure that the workplace would be discrimination free since it does not teach the employees why discrimination is wrong. It only holds people accountable for their actions, although it gives the employees who belong to the minority group comfort. Besides, discrimination may come in subtle forms and not even many employees who are victims of discrimination will file a complaint for fear of repercussions in terms of inter-office politics. Hiring, selection and promotion of employees based on merit and performance is a non-discriminatory principle to ensure that people become part of the organization based on criteria that can be achieved by most people. The difficulty with this measure is that although it is an objective measure, subjectivity is still present. It is common knowledge that when it comes to promotions and even selecting candidates for the job a certain amount of subjectivity that cannot be monitored by a guideline. It also does not consider that mangers may have their own prejudices which may dictate their decisions on hiring and promotion. References Bohlander, G. & Snell, S. (2003). Managing Human Resources 13th ed., South-Western College Publication Fitzenz, J. (2001). How to Measure Human Resource Management 3rd. ed , New York; McGraw-Hill Mathis, R. & Jackson, J. (2004). Human Resource Management 11th ed., South-Western College Publication    American workforce The American workforce is becoming diversified than ever.   The issue on workplace discrimination has been around since time immemorial. Discrimination is part of the process of three components, the cognitive, affective and behavioral. The behavioral component means the tendency to take negative actions against a particular group. The behavior stems form attitudes and feelings which constitute prejudice. Although prejudice is generally negative it is not as damaging as discrimination. The behavior component makes it possible to make the thoughts become real. Research has found that discrimination in any form is detrimental to the well being of the discriminated individual (Mathis & Jackson, 2004). The workplace is the place in which the employee comes to work on his tasks and to carry out his profession. If the workplace is non-discriminatory, the employee is more likely to work effectively and efficiently and to increase productivity and performance as well. The most common methods employed by organizations to ensure that their work environment is non-discriminatory are to conduct sensitivity trainings, to provide provisions for grievances and complaints of discriminatory behavior and to follow non-discriminatory guidelines in terms of hiring, selection and promotions. Sensitivity trainings are common in most organizations especially if the company is culturally diverse as well as sexual orientation, disability and religion. The advantages of using sensitivity trainings to make employees become aware of the prejudices and discrimination they may have for other people and teaches the employees how to change their thoughts about minority groups in an experiential manner. It also communicates to each employee that an individual is a person in his/her own right and should be respected as such, and not be accorded respect based on one’s race, religion or sex. The disadvantage in using this method is that if  employees do not have a positive attitude towards the training then this would surely limit their capacity to learn from the sessions. Moreover, sensitivity trainings are periodically given and is not reinforced thus limiting its effectiveness. The provisions for grievances and complaints communicate to the employees that discrimination will not be tolerated by the management. It is effective as a control mechanism to lessen discrimination in the workplace and make the employees become cautious of their behavior. This method does not really ensure that the workplace would be discrimination free since it does not teach the employees why discrimination is wrong. It only holds people accountable for their actions, although it gives the employees who belong to the minority group comfort. Besides, discrimination may come in subtle forms and not even many employees who are victims of discrimination will file a complaint for fear of repercussions in terms of inter-office politics. Hiring, selection and promotion of employees based on merit and performance is a non-discriminatory principle to ensure that people become part of the organization based on criteria that can be achieved by most people. The difficulty with this measure is that although it is an objective measure, subjectivity is still present. It is common knowledge that when it comes to promotions and even selecting candidates for the job a certain amount of subjectivity that cannot be monitored by a guideline. It also does not consider that mangers may have their own prejudices which may dictate their decisions on hiring and promotion. References Bohlander, G. & Snell, S. (2003). Managing Human Resources 13th ed., South-Western College Publication Fitzenz, J. (2001). How to Measure Human Resource Management 3rd. ed , New York; McGraw-Hill Mathis, R. & Jackson, J. (2004). Human Resource Management 11th ed., South-Western College Publication