The Battle of Algiers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Battle of Algiers - Essay Example The movie is a real picture of what happened in Algeria during the colonial era. The movie is also developed following the story in the book the â€Å"Wretched of the earth.† The movie is featuring an actor representing the real Frantz Fanon who is the author of the book and was a key player during the Algerian independence struggle. The movie is reconstructed using realistic styles to be like a documentary in order to elaborately inform viewer on the historic event (Proyect). The movie documents all injustices and inhumanity the colonizers imposed on the people as they struggled for independence. In the movie the battle of the Algiers, the entire scenes are constructed using historic memories and content of the book written by Frantz Fanon â€Å"The wretched of the earth.† It is visualized that some content of the book were being imitated live in the movie. For example, there are live scenes in the movie where reenactment of a character acting as Fanon appears (Proyect). The actor representing Fanon in the movie speaks out citing real words used by the real Fanon from his various books (Proyect). In addition to this, there are various interviews in the movie showing statements from people who knew Fanon, his family, and FLN members (Proyect). Other people included were Fanon’s colleagues from the hospital he used to work from. When the movie is compared to the book, definitely the interviews and real speech are not evident. The book is purely descriptive of the events that took place. The entire move is also supported by inclusion of styles like music and other sounds that could depict emotion or an incurring incident (Proyect). There are real sounds of gunfire and bomb explosion heard and seen in the movie. Contrary, when comparing this with the book, it is different. The author of the book has to use written exclamation marks and written sound symbols to illustrate emotion and other sounds. In both the Frantz Fanons Wretched of the Earth

Supporting Children Essay Example for Free

Supporting Children Essay â€Å"The Human Rights Act 1998 came in to force in October 2000 and had a big impact on current legislation in UK.† (Tassoni. P, 2007, pg. 115) Although this Act was not created specifically for the protection of children, It does ensure that children have the same rights as adults, for example the right to dignity. It also ensures they are given respect and fairness in the way theyre treated. This led to settings not being able to use any type of physical punishment, like slapping or caning despite gaining the parents consent to do so or not because it is seen as a violation to a childs right as it is degrading. The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child 1989 was also signed by the UK as an addition to The Human Right Act 1998 as it gives children under the age of 18 their own set of rights. This particular piece of legislation was separated into five separate strands; reinforcing the importance of fundamental human dignity; highlighting and defending the familys role in childrens lives; making sure children are respected; supporting the principle of not discriminating children; as well ensuring that the legal framework of the UK complies with the Convention. Within this piece of legislation are many articles which focus on difference parts of childrens rights, but there are a specific few that have an impact on practice. For example: Article 2 – which talks about the right to be protected against any discrimination – means that practitioners have to treat all children fairly and settings must give equal opportunities; Article 3 – says that the best interest of the child should always be considered in actions where they are concerned – this means that practitioners have to ensure the child has the care they needs and that all their needs are being met, whether the practitioner agrees with the way its done; Article 12 – states that children have a right to express their views freely, and be listened to – which means that all childrens opinions, likes, dislikes etc. are taken into consideration at all times; Article 13 – Talks about children having freedom of expression and exchange of information regardless of frontiers – this means children should be able to ask questions and be answered with things that concern them; and Article 28 – A child has the right to education with a view to achieving – which is why children in the UK from the age of around 5 must attend some kind of educational setting. Another piece of legislation used in the UK is the Children Act 1989 which was created after the UNCRC was adopted, it was made to bring other pieces of legislation together into one Act, but this meant that it covered a wide range of things from child protection to the inspection of settings to parental responsibilities. As a result of this act settings now have to make sure they view parents as partners as they are the childs main carer and have a right to know and help with their childs development, this is done by regularly updating the parents and sharing all information. It also stated that the welfare of the child is paramount and that children and young peoples views should always be taken into consideration during any decision making about their future care within all settings. After the Children Act 1989 came the Children Act 2004 which was made as an addition and provided for a childrens commissioner as well as allowing the government to ensure that the Every Child Matters scheme had a legal framework to go with it. This scheme is now used through out appropriate childcare settings and ensures that the services at hand for children work together more effectively. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 was made so that discrimination against children and their families was prevented, this is because the act made it illegal not to provide access for disabled people to their settings whether this meant providing wheelchair access, or having things printed in large fonts for parents/carers or ensuring children are given the opportunity to join in all activities and experiences regardless of their disability. E3 – In order to safeguard children, all settings have many policies and procedures in place to ensure that practitioners know what their roles and responsibilities are at all times. Other wise, the children would be at risk from many different things. Policies like; Health and Safety; Child Protection; Anti Bullying; Behaviour; Fire Procedures; Partnership with Parents; Anti-Discrimination; Food Hygiene/Avoiding Cross-infection; Whistle blowing; Confidentiality and a Signing in/out Policy all help to keep children healthy, safe and secure and avoid putting them in any danger or harm. The signing in/out policy means that any visitor or volunteer who comes into the setting should wear proof of identification that shows that they are a member of staff especially in larger settings. It is also crucial to check the adults coming in, are allowed to be in the setting, (for example parents who are not allowed to pick up their child) and all visitors should sign in and out of the setting which not only provides the setting with proof of identity but also lets the staff know who has entered the building and when, which helps to protect children as it means no one who may put the children at risk are allowed around the children, and that in the case of any child being abused by a visitor or someone entering the building, it is possible to look back and have access to important information like names and dates. A whistle blowing policy is for someone within the organisation or setting that wants to report inappropriate actions of another practitioner by alerting someone in a higher position to them e.g. room supervisor who then deals with the report and helps to prevent any abuse from those employees working directly with the children which in turn helps to prevents the allegations of abuse in future. The Food hygiene or Cross infection policy was implemented to avoid any children (or staff) becoming ill and catching infectious illnesses. Using this policy means that all staff who prepare and cook food which is served to others, have to be trained in food handling procedures, as well cleaning of resources, toys and equipment of there is an outbreak of infectious illness within the setting. This is to avoid any germs spreading causing other children and staff to have poor health. E4 All settings have specific policies to ensure that children and their families feel welcomed and included at all times during their time at the nursery. One of the policies which does this is the Equal Opportunities policy which means as a practitioner you have a duty to ensure that children as well as their carers are valued and not discriminated against either by adults or by other children. This policy also helps to prevent discrimination because every one is entitled to join in all activities, regardless of their age/stage or ability. This is because the policy says that every activity or experience provided at the nursery must be easily adaptable for everyone to participate in. By having a settling in policy, this also makes parents/carers feel more welcomed into the setting and more reassured about their child starting at the nursery, because it shows them you understand that each child is different in the way they adapt to new situations, some fit right in, and others take time to get used to the new people and activities. The behaviour policy which can be found in all childcare settings also helps to prevent any children or families being discriminated against, because by having this policy parents/carers understand that the practitioners are being fair if a situation occurs where a child behaves inappropriately, this means that allegations of discrimination are less likely to be made against practitioners and parents understand that behaviour policy applies to ALL children, and any other child would be treated equally. E5 – As children, we depend on adults a lot, but the older we get, the more independent we become. If adults give children the chance to be self-reliant, and independent, they become confident in themselves and their ability to do certain things, which means they feel empowered. To do this, children must be given choice in lots of things they do, and encouragement to do things by themselves where choice is not available, for example getting dressed or going to the toilet. One way to offer children choice as part of their daily routine, is through food, as all children have to eat, but all children are different and enjoy different food. If a practitioner gives the child choice between two types of vegetables or drinks, for example then the child will learn to make simple decisions, and the more they do it the more confidence they will gain as they know what they like and dislike, and this will make them feel grown up and help there self-esteem grow rather than someone telling them what they are eating and them doing so. One other strategy for helping children to feel empowered through choice, would be in play, this is done by setting up various activities and letting them choose between them, this is a more child-led approach, as they are able to find an activity most suited to their interests, instead of being told they are doing a specific activity and not enjoying it. By letting them choose, again they will feel more independent and if they enjoy the activity they will also become more confident because they will feel like they made the right choice for themselves giving them a sense of achievement. D2 – By giving children choice in both food, and in play, you are encouraging them to be independent, even if they dont realise it. However, it is important that children are allowed to change there mind in play as this helps them learn what they enjoy doing, children might not understand what kind of things they like or dislike they just know what they want to do. By giving them choice, and asking why they made that choice, they should learn and understand their preferences helping them to make simple decisions in the future, leading them to make more complicated ones later on. It is important that practitioners ensure they are using choice-giving as a way to empower children, rather than getting them to do what the practitioner wants. For example, it is not helpful to the child, if you say you can either choose to apologise to this girl, or you are not going outside the child is being given a choice, rather than understanding their actions were unkind. You need to be clear on what is right or wrong and explain consequences and give choice through other activities, and as a practitioner, it is unfair on the child if you tell them they made a bad choice, instead you should ask them to evaluate their own choice and the consequences so they can make a better choice for them in future. By doing this, they have confidence in themselves because they will feel good after making a choice which is suitable for them, for example being kind to another child, will mean they are praised and shows they know how to respect others, not only encouraging them to be kind more often, but also easing decision making for them helping them to feel empowered. E6 – During a childs life, they will have to go through many transitions, most children will go through the transition of moving class, or school, some children may move house or city, and other children may go through bereavement. Most of these transitions, practitioners can help prepare for by doing many things. For example, most childcare settings have a settling in policy that they can refer to for new children. This is because If a child is moving from nursery to reception in a completely separate building with new teachers, they will find it very distressing if it is quite sudden. However there are many things settings can do to help the child settle in steadily, like: Meeting the teacher/key worker a few times before they start, where the practitioner will introduce themselves and get to know the child, this is so they know a familiar face, and know that they can trust the teacher/key worker. Having half days is also an important way of introducing a child to a new situation, especially if they are going from half days to full days in a new place. Other wise the child will be overwhelmed, they will feel uncomfortable being in a new place with new people for longer than they are usually left without their parent/carer. Once they have started at a new place, it may be reassuring for them to have their previous teachers or key workers visit, as they are likely to trust them, and notice that if they feel comfortable here, then it is okay for the child to feel comfortable too helping them feel reassured. Some places may offer for the child to come once or twice for short sessions and participate in activities like stories, this gets them used to the place in small doses and that way when they officially move, they will be used to the building and the people, making it less distressing for them. E7 – Unfortunately in some settings discrimination may occur, against some children and families. Which is why it important to ensure that you are fair and treat everyone as a unique individual. Discrimination can occur when people have stereotypical attitudes, this means that they see a group of people with one characteristic in common and think they are all the same, for example, disabled people cannot live by themselves. Some stereotypes can lead to practitioners making assumptions about what children can do. Prejudice is also another cause of discrimination, as it stems from stereotyping. If someone is prejudice then it means they are pre-judging someone without knowing anything about them, due to a specific stereotypical view a practitioner may hold. For example, if a child is over weight, they may assume the child doesnt want to take part in physical activities. Which is unfair on the child, as this is not necessarily true. If a child or there family, is discriminated against, they will start to pick up on the actions of the practitioner, and it will have an affect on their self-esteem, and self-worth, as by the age of 3 or 4 a child will have developed their sense of identity and understand racial and gender differences, and the way people treat each other. A child will understand the differences in the way the people they look up to treat others especially if it because they are a different race, age or gender. If they feel discriminated against, they will have a lower self-worth and self-esteem, they may grow up feeling inferior to others because of different characteristics like colour, they may fear failing new activities, leading them t achieve and succeed less at school, or have difficulty in developing emotionally/socially in order to form relationships in the future. D1 Gathering information to support the child would be a good way to prepare children for transitions because practitioners often feel the need to reassure children by talking about the new setting they are going to, whether it is a hospital, new school etc. but often the children are given misinformation, leading them to expect certain things or do things in a particular way, this can make their first experiences within a setting more difficult. Therefore it is important that practitioners find out information for themselves before sharing with the children, this can be done through websites, particularly for schools, brochures, prospectus or leaflets about certain procedures, talking to other people who may have already been through the same transition, e.g. older siblings. Or possible letters and phone calls where you can directly find out about certain enquiries you or the children may have. By doing this you can successfully answer childrens questions and support them and hopefully they will then feel reassured about the change. Working in partnership with parents is crucial for a child to succeed in calmly changing settings. This is because we can only do our best for the children in our care if we involve their parents and families. We need to listen to what parents can tell us about their children and accept that as their childs main carer they hold a lot information, practitioners could use to help support the child. Firstly, children may confide in their parents/carers about things troubling them linked with the transition, and whilst parents may not have the answers, practitioners may be able to help, therefore it is essential that communication between the two is continuous. There are many other ways to help children communicate their expectations and fears, some more subtle than others. For example, Role play, using an object or toy, drawing, changing activities and promoting the development of self-help skills. One way to encourage children to talk about their worries or questions, is bringing an object or toy, for example using a teddy, explaining that he is going through a transition just like the children and asking them what they think the teddy may be worried about. This strategy often brings up their subconscious thoughts. Using drawing activities can also be helpful, as you could ask them to draw scenarios they predict will happen at the new setting. Changing activities and promoting self help skills is particularly important, if the child is moving in education, as they will have to be more independent, have the ability organise themselves, particularly if they are in charge of their own lunch money, or transport, and need to be responsible for their own possessions. Helping them to prepare for practical activities, like getting a bus on their own, will give them confidence as they feel more grown up and independent, although in this case it important that the child is given accurate information so they know what to expect. C1 – A lot of childcare settings have modelled their techniques after Vygotskys principles, allowing children to have a supportive learning environment and empowering them to develop their personal strengths. Experiences that students have at school contribute to learning both inside and outside of the classroom. Vygotsky says that children need to be taught using structured education where a teacher can give clear instructions to help children learn as well as social interaction between children. Vygotskys theory suggests that there are three ways in which children learn; firstly, imitative learning, where the child copies the actions of others; Instructed learning comes second, where a child acts out what the teacher tells them to do and they learn through activities, and; the third is collaborative learning. Collaborative learning happens when a group of children work together in order to achieve a specific goal which helps them as they are working to understand each other. Teachers and carers, want to get the most from students, challenging them to reach their highest potential and once they do they will feel confident in their own abilities and have a higher self-esteem. Vygotskys belief that social interaction leads not only to easier learning for the child, but that it actually changes a childs thoughts and behaviours. Vygotsky believed that exposing children to various cultures meant that they would be more knowledgeable about the world and themselves. Learning through this means that children develop their own self-worth as they will evaluate how much knowledge they can put forward into a group and how helpful they are. The more experiences that a child has, the more about other people and cultures they find out, and the more they learn the more independent they should become as experiences such as these will help them to form their perceptions of the world which all leads to children feeling independent and therefore empowered. B1 An equal opportunities policy means as a practitioner you have a duty to ensure that children are valued and not discriminated against either by adults or by other children. Equality of opportunity means ensuring children in a setting’s care are seen as being individual and special. However, this does not mean treating all children exactly the same as some children may need more adult help and support than others or even special equipment to undertake and participate in activities. Equality of opportunity means ensuring that children are equally valued and given the same opportunities to fulfil their own potential.

Obesity in the Southern United States

Obesity in the Southern United States Marion T. Stevens Introduction Obesity has emerged as one of the leading causes of death in the United States of America. In the Bible belt (Southern States) obesity is very common which complicates health and the economy as well as treatment to individuals. Furthermore, obesity in the southern states is a result of culture, economic status and ethnicity. According to Akil (2011), obesity is basically a manifestation of energy imbalance mainly defined as the balance between the consumed energy, by drink as well as food, and the energy expended through physical activity and metabolism. Obesity, which correlates to lifestyle behaviors, can be characterized by reducing levels of physical activity or increased consumption of diets that are energy-dense, or even both. Over the past three decades, the US has witnessed a dramatic increase in the prevalence of obesity as well as reports on disparities among the population. With regard to the disparities in the prevalence of diabetes among the US population, the Southern States of the US record the highest obesity rates in the country based on the new report by the Institute for America’s Health. According to the report obesity rates increased in twenty eight states by 2010 with a decline only reported in Washington, DC. Out of the 11 states recording the highest rates, 10 of them are situated in the South, with Mississippi recording the highest rate for six consecutive years (World Health Organization, 2013). Statement of the problem There has been an increasing debate and the controversy over the appropriate intervention measures to be taken in order to curb the prevalence of diabetes in the southern states. The issue is whether the government should intervene and take a stand on the daily recommended dietary consumption. For instance, as a response to this and for the very first time, the Southern Obesity Summit, the largest regional obesity prevention unit, held its 7th Annual Southern Obesity Summit in November, 2013, drawing a majority of the participants from the sixteen southern states. Looking at it from a broader cultural perspective, the increased rate of diabetes can be attributed to the lifestyle of the Southerners and their nutrition. The high prevalence of obesity in the southern states of the US (the Bible Belt) poses challenges to both the government as well as health institutions. This phenomenon complicates the health and the economic situation of the region as well as the high cost of treatment. As pointed out in Wang and Beydoun (2007), the cost of treatment stood at $ 117 billion annually. Today, the cost has almost tripled (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009). The CDC survey report goes further to indicate that over 30 percent of the population in the Southern States is obese. Studies have shown that obesity in these Southern States is mainly as a result of socio-economic factors, ethnicity, as well as the culture of the Southerners. Review of Literature According to the Institute for America’s Health Report (2010), obesity in America in 2008 cost the nation approximately $147 billion in weight-related medical bills that is double the amount in the previous decade. Parham and Scarinci (2007), point out that people with obesity have an annual medical bill of $ 1,429 higher than the normal-weight people. The leading states in the south for obesity rate include: Mississippi (33.8%), Alabama and Tennessee (31 % tie), West Virginia (31.3 %), Louisiana (31.2%), Kentucky (30.5%), Arkansas (30.1%), South Carolina (29.9%), and Michigan (29.4%) tied with North Carolina (29.4%) (United States Census Bureau, 2009). According to Akil (2011), the higher rate of obesity can be linked to socioeconomic factors such as income, poverty, and unemployment, among others. The study indicates that the higher rates of obesity were recorded among the Southerners as compared to the Northerners. The prevalence was highest in Mississippi, which also recorded the highest level of poverty with 21 percent of its residents living below the poverty line. Alabama and West Virginia, which rank second and third in obesity prevalence rates respectively, are both ranked the fifth poorest (Ezzati, Martin, Skjold, Vander Hoorn, Murray, 2006). Generally, the south has a poverty rate of 14 percent being the most impoverished part of the country (U. S. Census Bureau, 2009). The income disparities among the population is considered as a contributing factor to this trend in the US and more so in the Southern States. The southerners have limited access to healthy food with little purchasing power. The cultural lifestyle of the southerners predisposes them to obesity. Southerners enjoy feeding on fried food ranging from chicken, onions, green tomatoes, and pickles, to corn bread. Nutritional educators attribute the increased rate of obesity to the regional feeding habits. This situation is aggravated by poor physical exercise among the Southerners, since it is difficult for them to exercise outdoors when an opportunity arises, it is often hot, at times over 100 degrees, and humid. Furthermore, states such as Mississippi and Tennessee lack abundant sidewalks and have narrow roads, hence jogging and biking becomes hard for them (Wang Beydoun, 2007). Nutritional education is a significant contributor to the increased rate of obesity among the residents of the southern states of America. Nutrition educators have put concerted efforts in educating the people on the proper eating and exercise habits (Balluz, Okoro Mokdad, 2008). The majority of the population feed on junk food, fried food, and do not engage in regular physical exercise, thus predisposing themselves to obesity. For instance, Arkansas passed a body mass index-screening program, in elementary schools to assess weight and then send the results to the parents. Tennessee, on the other hand, encourages schools to purchase fresh ingredients from the local growers. In 2007, the state of Mississippi adopted certain nutritional standards for its school lunches. All these nutritional interventions are taken in a bid to combat this affliction (Powell, Stater, Mirtcheva, Bao Chaloupka, 2007). Methods The study used descriptive survey design where data was collected and analyzed (CDC, 2013). Since it is hard to study the whole population in the southern United States, the research sample was selected using random sampling technique. The following southern states were selected for the study: Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Colorado was also selected in the sample for comparison. The study was mainly qualitative, and qualitative data was collected and analyzed. Data was presented using texts, to describe the prevalence of obesity among the Southern Unites States. This research paper derives from secondary sources, mainly the obesity and obesity-related health studies conducted in the Southern States and the United States at large, and the above stated southern states in particular. Factual data has been retrieved from articles published in Peer Reviewed Health Journals as well as from world fact sheets. The study collected demographic data such as ethnicity, sex and geographic location. Data analysis was done using regression analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results and Discussion The research study found that obesity in the Southern States is exacerbated by inadequate significant policies to address issues of community design, such as suburban sprawl and sidewalks, as well as wider accessibility and affordability of healthy food options including the ‘urban grocery store gap’ (World Health Organization, 2013). The results indicated that there is a correlation between ethnicity and obesity in the southern United States. This high prevalence is mainly attributed to the lifestyle of southerners who mainly feed on fried foods. For instance, in 2004, a study by the University of North Carolina found out that majority of the food-shopping options in most part of the southern region fall under the category of ‘convenient stores’ since traditional grocery stores are situated too far away, hence the aforementioned gap. The lifestyle of Southerners is a predisposing factor to obesity due to their dietary habits. In addition, the high rate of o besity in the southern states is as a result of economic constraints. The majority of the states in the southern region are ranked among the poorest in the country (Ezzati et al, 2006). Colorado recorded the lowest rate of obesity, according to the study results (Akil, 2011). The researcher included Colorado in the study sample so as to check for any disparity and/or offer a comparison. The findings of this study provided a justification for hypothesis that there is a significant relationship between obesity and the Southerner’s nutrition education. Conclusion Deriving from the finding of this study it is evident that the rate of diabetes is highest among residents of the southern states of the United States. The causes are mainly attributed to socioeconomic factors, culture and lifestyle, as well as ethnicity. However, the US government has put in place policy measures to combat the affliction. The intervention measures are mainly skewed toward provisional of nutritional education and implementation of poverty reduction strategies. The health status was found to improve with the rise in incomes. The poorer people have a limited access to groceries and health care. Limitations of the Study Since it was hard to study all the states in the south, only a few states were selected for the study. Moreover, there could be other predisposing factors for obesity rather than those focused on by the researcher. The demographics of the study also need to be more detailed, the study did not address race and income levels nor did it cover the environment of green space available for exercise within the studies. Recommendation for further Research There is need for further research to check for any relationship between obesity and other factors such as education, gender, heredity, climate and age. Similar studies should be extended to other states in the north to establish other causal factors that could be leading to the increased obesity rates in the south as compared to the northern states. Routine (BMI) Body Mass Index calculation, weight, height and blood pressure should be conducted at all routine patient visits. If the BMI is above 85 percentile, initiate farther screening. Obesity warrants immediate attention; consider using the HEAT clinical practice guidelines (McAdams, 2010). The key to battling obesity is prevention in the early stages; this will be led by promoting health eating and exercise to the new generation of youth. References Akil, L. (2011). Effects of Socio-economic Factors on obesity rates in four southern states and Colorado. National institute of Health Journal. 21 (1): 58-62. Balluz, L. S., Okoro, C. A, Mokdad, A. (2008). Association between selected unhealthy lifestyle factors, body mass index, and chronic health condition among individuals 50 years of age or older, by race /ethnicity. Ethnicity Dis. 18(4):450–457. CDC, (2013) Health Disparities and Inequalities Report United States. Retrieved on February 20, 2014 from: www.cdc.gov Ezzati, M., Martin, H., Skjold, S., Vander Hoorn, S. Murray, C. J. (2006). Trends in national and state-level obesity in the USA after correction for self-report bias: analysis of health surveys. J R Soc Med. 99:250–257. McAdams, Cynthia (2010). The environment and pediatric overweight: a review for nurse practioners. American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 22 (9), 460-467. Dio 10,1111/j.1745-7599.2010.00537.x Parham, G. P. Scarinci, I. C. (2007). Strategies for achieving healthy energy balance among African Americans in the Mississippi Delta. Prev Chronic Dis. 4(4): A97. Powell, L. M., Stater, S., Mirtcheva, D., Bao, Y. Chaloupka, F.J. (2007). Food store availability and neighborhood characteristics in the United States. Prev Med. 44(3): 189–195. The Institute for America’s Health. Retrieved on January 23, 2014 from: www.healthy-america.org United States Census of Bureau (2009). Cen-Stats Database. Retrieved on January 23, 2014 from: www.censtats.census.gov Wang. Y., Beydoun, M. A. (2007). The obesity epidemic in the United States—gender, age, socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and geographic characteristics: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis. Epidemiol Rev. 29:6–28. Word Health Organization. (2013). Obesity and overweight. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/index.html

Dioxin and The Times Beach Evacuation :: Nature Place Essays

Dioxin and The Times Beach Evacuation The Jingle Bells of 1982 did not bring in a merry Christmas for the residents of Times Beach, Missouri, a small town of some 1400 people. During the annual town Christmas dinner the residents finally received the news that they had hoped would never come. The residents of Times Beach were to be relocated and the town were to be bought out by the federal government. This was the first time such a thing was done since the founding of the nation. The buyout of Times Beach and some 50 other sites in Missouri by the government beginning in 1983 was prompted by the largest civilian exposure to dioxin in the United States. Dioxin is a member of the family of organic compounds known as aromatics. Dioxin is the shorthand that refers to a family of polychlorinated dibezodioxins or PCDDs. Their general structure is that of two chlorinated benzene rings joined by two oxygens, hence dioxin. Dioxin is not made intentionally but are usually formed as by-products in many large scale chemical processes such as paper pulp bleaching with chlorine and most significantly, the manufacture of chlorophenol chemicals. This last process is significant not only because it brought dioxin the current notoriety but it also is a chemical process used to make products that were used and are still been used in many applications. These applications include pesticide, herbicide, defoliating agent such as Agent Orange, cleaning agent and electrical insulation. Consequently, human exposure to dioxin is not a recent phenomenon and the dangers of dioxin are not unknown. Only in recent years, especially after the Vietnam War, has the media concentrated on the dangers and impact of dioxin. The physical effect of exposure to dioxin was first seen in skin diseases developed by chemical plant workers in 1895. The exposure to dioxin results in a type of skin disease like acne called "chloroacne," since its cause was initially and incorrectly linked to chlorine gas. In 1957, in Germany, Dr. Karl Schulz of the University of Hamburg identified chloroacne in several workers from a Boehringer chemical plant. The disease in its mildest form resembles teen-age acne but differs in that the blackheads and cyst cluster in two locations: appearing in a crescent shape outside of and under the eyes and ears. In more pronounced cases, pus-containing spots erupt and spread across the rest of the face, neck, shoulder and down to the rest of the body.

Exposure Wilfred Owen

Exposure is a poem written by the one of the most famous poets of the World War 1, Wilfred Owen. The poem illustrates the conditions that the soldiers were exposed to while living in the trenches of the war zone. The poem is divided into two parts, with the first one being an introduction to the weather acting as more of the enemy to the British than the Germans were and comparing the war with the Germans less deadly than the war with the environmental conditions. In this essay, I will analyse how Owen uses imagery to evoke both past and present feelings in this poem.The first line of part tow of Exposure is, â€Å"Pale flakes with lingering stealth come feeling for our faces†. The personification of the flakes create tactile imagery that is felt by the reader as he describes how the snow sends the soldiers to a form of trance about their homes and the past, before the war. The phrase, â€Å"So we drowse, sun-dozed, littered with blossoms trickling where the blackbird fusses, † evokes the image of the soldiers lying in a garden perhaps at their home showing that the soldiers are indeed in a trance remembering about their lives before the war.These diction used to describe their state such as â€Å"snow-dazed† and â€Å"sun-dozed† all add to the idea of them drifting back into time and are also associated with bright light that is normally linked with death. The stanza ends with Owen asking the rhetorical question, â€Å"Is it that we are dying? † showing that it is as though their lives are flashing before their lives, which is correlated with their forthcoming deaths. The next stanza is an extension of the previous one as Owen continues to explore further on their past memories of home, which give off a warm tone to the reader.The phrase, â€Å"glimpsing the sunk fires glozed with crusted-red jewels,† has a lot of visual imagery reminding the reader of the sun, which is always related with positive feelings. The poet bl ends the words glow and glazed to create a new word, â€Å"glozed,† which strengthens the warmness of the imagery used to describe their memories. But as they are in the trance of remembering the past, they are brought back to reality by use of the phrases, â€Å"Shutters and doors all closed: on us the doors are closed†, and, â€Å"We turn back to our dying. The repetition of the closed doors shows the emphasis of their hopelessness and how they can’t go back to the past; they are forced to face the present, which is their death. The last stanza of the poem demonstrates the end of their dying. The phrase, â€Å"To-night, His frost will fasten on this mud and us, Shrivelling many hands and puckering foreheads crisp† shows the extent of what the exposure to the weather does to the soldiers. The first letter of the word, â€Å"His† is capitalized and this punctuation suggest that it is God’s frost that kills the soldiers.There is onomatopoeia in the word shrivelling, creating the image of the soldiers being reduced to nothing because of the frost. The last phrases explore the aftermath of this exposure to the weather, as the remaining soldiers bury the dead ones. There is some sibilance in the phrase; â€Å"picks and shovels in their shaking grasp,† which creates audio imagery that suggests the remaining soldiers are shivering from the cold. The effects of the exposure make the soldiers only half recognisable, supporting the severity of this weather.The phrase, â€Å"All their eyes are ice, But nothing happens† is the last of the poem showing the reader all that is left of the soldiers is a blank cold stare compared to with ice. The â€Å"but nothing happens† phrase is repeated several times in the poem proving that even after their death, everything remains the same, the war is still their. This gives the reader the idea of the soldiers dying in vain. In conclusion, part two of Exposure allows the reader to explore the feelings of the soldiers as they are going through this slow death.The effects of the weather cause the soldiers to go into a trance, remembering the past and all the warm memories that come with it. But the soldiers are then bounced back to their death where they face the intense conditions of the weather that is more deadly than the bullets of the war with the Germans. The poem concludes with the death of several soldiers caused by the exposure to the environment and how the remaining soldiers attempt to bury half recognisable men who died in vain.

Effects of Auditing in a Company? Essay

Introduction Internal audit is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization’s operations. Proper internal control not only ensures that the assets and records are safeguarded, but also creates an environment in which efficiency and effectiveness are encouraged and monitored. This report is mainly focused on internal audit and internal control system in a company. In this case, the company is Kejora Bhd.. This report also focused on two main questions to be answered which is regarding on the evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of Kejora Bhd.’s control environment. Another question is regarding on the factors in Kejora Bhd.’s control environment have lead to and facilitate one of Kejora Bhd.’s division which is the Fabricator Division’s general manager named Adam. This case is all about Kejora Bhd.’s rules of conduct and its internal control system. There are basically four rules of conduct which is integrity, competency, objectivity and confidentiality to be joint with the Kejora case. What factors in KejoraBhd’s control environment have lead to and facilitated Adam’s manipulation of inventory? Based on the task, the factor that lead Adam to manipulate the inventory because he wants to avoid reduces of bonus and salary. Kejora Bhd’s procedure is to give salary depends on high performance of the staff. This lead Adam to manipulate the inventory which is considered as fraud. Adam does not have competency knowledge to compete with the competitor and Adam not integrity in his job. Furthermore, the other factor that lead Adam to do fraud is Kejora Bhd does not have an internal audit to control the environment. It helps Adam to do the fraud without any risk as there are no internal audit to found out the fraud. Morever, Kejora Bhd corporate intervention only occurred when planned result were not obtained. When Adam did fraud by showing constant or good profitability, so there won’t be corporate intervention occurred and it is a encouragement for Adam to manipulate the inventory. In addition to, Adam did fraud because he wants to get maintain performance to get compensator packages which can lead him to make fraud by increasing the performances constantly. The other factor is it easy to control the inventory as the inventory section is weak. This is because the no proper internal audit to maintain it. It can be see when Adam manipulates the inventory to show a constant profitability and avoid the salary and bonus. Besides that, the employee is not following the compliance which is the code of conduct. Adam does not follow the law of audit. Moreover, Adam does not have loyalty and ethical value on his job. According to this, Adam attitude will affects other employee in the firm. Furthermore, there is no participation by the those charged with governance of the entity. The top management should always take a part in the entity. But in this case the board of directors and audit is not very active. When they are not concern about their management, Adam as one of higher position officer in the company make own decision which excess of his limit which consider as fraud. More than that, this entity does not have an organize structure to perform the business. In this case, this entity does not have a proper internal audit and the board directors is not very active. Besides that, all the staff in the entity should be responsible in their authority. In this case, certain staff does not play their role properly as Adam does not play his role properly and this lead him to do fraud. The human resources not only responsible to hiring employee but also have to provide a practice to train employee. Eventhough the entity’s human resources have proper policies but Human Resources department forget to monitor employee which weak in code of conduct. Adam whom responsibly done his work for 7 years and finally lead to fraud because of weakness of management which give encourage to fraud. Conclusion Based on the case, there are several things that has to be put into consideration. First of all, the management and internal control as well as internal audits must be compliance to laws, procedures and policy of the company. In this case, Mr. Adam cannot manipulate the inventories as it is very unethical to his profession. Although the rationality of him doing that is because he is afraid that his salary and bonus will be reduced, he still must be compliance to the rules of conduct when doing his job. Here, we can see that the internal control is not very strong because the employees such as Mr. Adam are able to do things that can jeopardize the company’s reputation by altering its business records. Second, Kejora Bhd. must hire an internal audit to examine all the financial statements all the time. The board of directors and the audit committee should also be active and provide full participation on the management of kejora Bhd.