Griots essays

Griots essays Among the things existing in the world, speech is the only thing given birth in the world. Little discoveries lead to big discoveries. Speech is a link and establishes order. It includes images, metaphors, stories, and proverbs. The Griots of West Africa use speech to establish a link to the people. The Griots entertain and educate a village. Like the common folklore that we know, Griots memorize lineage, practice traditional rituals, tell myths, pass on wisdom, sing songs of praise, and tell epics and history. For example, in Mali, using oral tradition, they say that if there is a full eclipse of the moon, it is because a black cat covers it and they drive it away using a drum. Oral tradition is a part of the Griot tradition. Griots use the old speech to tell myths and communicate. Even though it may become dormant, old speech will never die. Itll reemerge when the time is right. The Griot tradition is passed on only if you are born into a specific caste. The nobles who support them are their benefactors. They attend story events and apprenticeships. If this does not work out, they become commoners such as farmers and herders. If they continue, they educate themselves from the master Griot by learning about cooking, cleaning, instruments, genealogy, praise songs, and politics. It is believed a Griot is born a Griot and it just takes time to release that, that is within. Although West Africans are being introduced to more modern appliances, the Griot tradition will never die. Theyll use televisions and generators, but the old speech will still be passed on. Oral traditions will be remembered and spoken as well as the process to preserve and pass on the Griot tradition. ...

The battle of little bighorn essays

The battle of little bighorn essays George A. Custer and the Army would have/could have won the Battle of Little Bighorn if they didnt spread out their men, followed orders, and arrived at the Little Bighorn River at the same time. The Battle of Little Bighorn began on June 25, 1876, because the Native Americans where tried of having to move all the time for White men, so they decided to take a stance and fight for their land. The Sioux and Cheyenne joined together in Montana to fight, lead by the great leader, Sitting Bull. George Armstrong Custer perhaps could have beaten the Indians if he didnt spread out all his regiments. Custer divided his force into 3 smaller ones and sent them off to different people. One of the 3 forces went to Captain Frederick Benteen to prevent the Indians from escaping up the upper valley of the Little Bighorn River. Now because of the split Custer was left with only 556 troops compared to the 1,000 or so men he would have had. If Custer didnt divided his men up he could have put up a long, mean battle against the Indians. George Custer could have won the battle if he had followed orders and didnt make rash decides. When Custer and his men where making their way along to the Sioux village along the Little Bighorn River, Custer spotted about 40 Indian warriors. Custer thought that those Indian warriors where scouts of the Sioux village and hastily decided to attack the Sioux village right away. Because of this hast attack, Custer did not realize what terrain he had to go through to attack the Native Americans, giving the Indians an advantage. If Custer followed the orders given by the Army he could have made better decisions which could have saved his life and his mens life. The Army would have won the Battle of Little Bighorn if all the cavalrys reached the Sioux village at the same time. George Custer and Marcus Renos men where the only ones who made it t ...

Why the current third level colleges are not using emerging technology Essay

Why the current third level colleges are not using emerging technology in the classroom to teach students - Essay Example Additionally, the studies done by Becker, and by Bonk and Fischer, show the significant effects that using online instruction and other forms of technological interaction can have on the learning of primary and elementary students. If students are learning to use emerging technology at a young age, and have attuned their minds to the high levels of visual stimulation that come from a computer screen, how can they be expected, once they emerge from secondary school and enter a third-level institution, to turn their attention to an auditory presentation? Bednar, Duffy and Perry’s paper about converting theory into practice is an instructive look at the ways in which the idea of technological instruction can be made practical. Instructional modules and online presentations can take the information from an auditory presentation and make it appear in a completely different medium to students used to watching their instruction. Jonassen’s study of the ways that students use the Internet has come to demonstrate the ways that the Internet is now used to solve problems. One example of this, of course, is the fact that the word google has become a commonly used verb in the English language. The card catalogues that were in every library thirty years ago have long since been superseded by the computer terminal, which sends students not only to print resources in that particular library, but to resources that are available on the World Wide Web to print anywhere. Research has become a much faster, less burdensome process, although the former drudgery of the card catalogue has, in some sense, been replaced by the need to vigilantly make sure that sources are reliable and valid. Finally, Duit’s research on the proper limits to put on student creativity is instructive. His analysis of the ways in which science students learn shows how free-ranging their studies should be permitted to

Research Topic Literature Exploration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Research Topic Literature Exploration - Essay Example Other than that working outside in long hour jobs, pursuing other interests, sibling rivalry and lack of interest on the parts of parents to take keen interest in children’s school work results in dropouts (Ash, Katie). What should be: There is need to mark future dropouts. Building an early warning data system and a two-fold agenda of high standards and high graduation rates can help in decreasing high school dropouts. Schools should provide a pleasant experience to students through their operational activities to obstruct the speed of dropouts. Data collection on high school dropouts is very important and should not be skipped. Checklist approach to know the students at risk of dropping out of school should not be the only alterative method to know future dropouts, as it has its own drawbacks. An alternative checklist should be prepared to analyze the data on comparison between two groups -- dropouts and graduates, called â€Å"regression analysis† to develop a â€Å"statistically generated prediction formula.† Longitudinal data helps in assessing risk factors; On track indicators used by preventive programs should be used to bring down dropout rates (Craig D. Jerald). What should be? Research on instructional and structural strategies to inculcate reading and writing skills among students suggests that motivational and self-directed learning can be an easy and effective way by allowing them freedom of reading time and providing range in reading besides giving them freedom to select research and writing topics (Biancarosa, Gina). Strategic tutoring -- It also helps students not only in completing particular tasks but helps them in writing independently. Strategic tutoring provides customized help to students – identifying and focusing their weak areas such as poor writing skills (Biancarosa, Gina). Intensive writing – It requires integration of writing with reading comprehension for which reading instructions should be clear and specific

Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc Essay Example for Free

Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc Essay Dr Pepper Snapple group, Inc. is a major integrated brand owner, bottler, and distributer of nonalcoholic beverages in the United States. In 2007 they had net sales of $5.748 billion, 21 manufacturing facilities and approximately 200 distribution centers in the United States. They are the number one Company in carbonated soft drink products in the United States. Their business strategy is to invest most heavily in their key brands to drive profitable and sustainable growth by strengthening consumer awareness, developing innovative products, and brand extensions to take advantage of evolving consumer trends, improving distribution and increasing promotional effectiveness. Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. also wants to focus on driving growth in their business with emerging categories, through brand extensions, new product launches, and selective acquisitions of brands and distribution rights. The company has a future goal of significantly increasing the number of branded coolers and other cold drink equipment over the next few years, which is expected to provide an attractive return on investment. The company also intends to leverage its integrated business model to reduce costs by strategically creating greater geographic manufacturing and distribution coverage and to be more flexible and responsive to the changing needs of large retail customers by coordinating sales, service, distribution, promotions, and product launches. A question came into play of whether or not a profitable market opportunity existed for a new energy beverage brand to be produced, marketed, and distributed by the company in 2008. With the company’s current strengths, business strategy, and positive reputation, it would seem to be a good move. But one must first consider the competition, customer, and if the company itself can successfully introduce a new product to a specific market. The company has several succinct strengths. They have a strong portfolio of leading consumer- preferred brands. This means that they have a diverse portfolio of bottlers, distributors, and retailers with a wide variety of products and provide a foundation for growth and profitability. Their Snapple brand is also a leading ready to drink tea. Overall, in 2007 more than 75 percent of Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. volume was generated by brands that hold either the first or second position in their category. The strength of these key  supporting brands has served as a platform for lunching innovations and brand extensions in the past such as Accelerade RTD, a ready to drink sports drink that launched in late May 2007. The company therefore had experience in what it truly meant to create a new branded energy drink which would serve to be useful, as the strategy would be similar. Entering a new product market. A second strength the company possesses is their Integrated Business Model. This provides opportunities for net sales and profit growth through the alignment of the economic interest of its brand ownership and its bottling and distribution business. Thirdly, they have strong and long standing customer relationships. This is so important for the success of a company. They have a wide range of strong relationships from bottlers and distributors, to national retailers, large food service, and convenience store customers. They also have strong relationships with some of the most important U.S. retailers including Walmart, Safeway, Kroger, and Target. Another strength is their attractive positioning within a large, growing, and profitable market. They hold the number three position in the United St ates, Canada, and Mexico beverage market. The company has a great competitive edge, as they cater to the need for convince and the demand for product with health and wellness benefits more so than any of their competitors. Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. also has a broad geographic manufacturing and distribution coverage. They have 21 manufacturing facilities and approximately 200 distribution centers in the United States. The company has strategically laced their warehouse at or near bottling pants and geographically dispersed them across sales regions to ensure company products are available to meet consumer demand. This enables them to better align their operations with customers, reduce transportation costs, and have greater control over the timing and coordination of new product launches. Another strength is their strong operating margins and significant stable cash flows. The breadth and strength of the Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. product portfolio has enabled the company to generate strong operating margins, which combined with relatively modest capital expenditures, have delivered significant and stable cash flows. This in turn creates stockholder value by enabling the company to consider a var iety of alternatives, such as investing in its business, reducing debt and returning capital to its stockholders. Lastly, they have an experienced executive  management team. They all have an average of more than 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industry. The team has a broad experience in brand ownership, bottling, distribution, and enjoys strong relations both within the industry and with major customers. They also have diverse skills that support operating strategies, including driving organic growth through target and efficient marketing, reducing operating costs, enhancing distribution efficiencies, aligning manufacturing, bottling, distribution interests, and executing strategic acquisitions. Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. realized they had a weakness, as they were the only major nonalcoholic beverage company with no energy drink brand of their own. They also recognized an opportunity, no company had yet positioned themselves as an adult energy drink. Going into the Energy beverage market also seemed to correlate with what their future and current goals were. Industry analysts were projecting an average annual growth rate of 10.5 percent from 2007 to 2011. Also, since their current demographic was more health conscious then the c ompetition, which gives them a competitive competency, they also had another untapped opportunity to market their energy drink by differentiation. Currently, there are five major competitors that dominate the U.S. energy beverage market: Red Bull North America, Hansen Natural Corporation, Pepsi-Cola, Rockstar Inc., and Coca-Cola. Pepsi and Coca-Cola also compete with what Dr Pepper already offers from an industry and market point of view. Sadly, when it comes to advertising funds available, Dr Pepper has some funds available, but not nearly close to what Red Bull has. With that being the case, we feel that an avoidance of the competition, by going the route of a product innovation technique by means of differentiation, would be the best route for Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. to be successful. There are some warning signs in the industry. The energy beverage market has experienced product proliferation and price erosion in recent years. Proliferation resulted from line extensions new packaging and size, and market segmentation. Existing brands also typically offer regular and sugar free verities which have a sizeable share already in the market. Brand position typically emphasizes an energy boost, metal alertness, refreshment, and taste. This is why our product differentiation positioning is so important for the brand to be truly successful. Several opportunities for product differentiation exist. One of which are the ingredients. Specifically, a new brand could augment the energy and mental alertness benefits by increasing the amount of herbs, vitamins, and natural ingredients. Secondly, no brand has positioned itself as an adult energy drink. Adults between the ages of 35 to 54 consumed energy beverages at a rate that was only slightly less than consumers under 24. Thirdly, the packaging. All the energy brands on the market lacked meaningful differentiation. They all looked the same. With the product, they felt it would be smart to introduce a new drink with a re-sealable lid, something that would stand out in the crowd. The current energy beverage consumer typically consists of males between the ages of 18-24. Energy beverages are most often consumed in the afternoon, the second most popular time of day is morning consumption. Convenience stores and supermarkets are the dominant off-premise retail channels for energy beverages. In general, energy beverage manufactures with a broad product line and an extensive distribution network have had the greatest success in gaining shelf space in supermarkets and mass merchandisers for their brand. This would correlate with Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. strength of having great relationships with their vendors. We would recommend that they follow suit with partnerships with the dominate off-premise retail channels, but as a more health conscious beverage. The solution that we came up with for the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group was to incorporate all of these opportunities into a new product called RAM, which stands for Real Alive Micro-Nutrients. The product’s target market will be adults ages 25- 44 both males and females, who are interested in their health. In specific we are targeting the working middle class. Our average consumer would be someone working long hours that need constant energy throughout the day, even after work when they need to go home and take care of their families. They are constantly on the go and busy. When developing a new product you must implement the marketing mix. The first being the product, RAM energy drink. Our product is focused on providing the same alert and energized feeling as traditional energy drinks, without including ingredients that have harmful side effects. Other drinks such as Red Bull can lead to dangers such as cardiac arrest, headaches, insomnia, type two diabetes, and many other health issues (Top 10  Energy Drink Dangers). Our new product RAM, will be replacing ingredients that lead to these dangers with more vitamins. For example our product will not include ingredients such as Carnitine, Guarnana, Ginseng, and Ginko Biloba. All of which are commonly used in energy beverages but there presence is not clearly reflected on their labels. Inst ead they cover it up by listing them as â€Å"part of a 5000- mg energy blend† these ingredients can be extremely dangerous (Higgens). Instead, we will have ingredients such as Iron, Biotin, Zinc, Omega -3 fatty acids, antioxidants, Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, C, D. All of these attributes to healthy energy levels but are a more natural way of doing so. Another detail of RAM will be lower calories, right now out of the five leading companies in the energy beverage market, not including sugar free products, Monster has the lowest calories being 200 per 16oz can. We want our product RAM to be around 150 calories per bottle, with only about 25 grams of sugar. Compared to Monster, which has 54 grams of sugar. RAM will also only be made up of natural flavors with no added artificial flavors or colors added, whereas the other lead competitors all ad coloring and most admit to adding artificial flavoring when some do not list the specification, which usually means they are trying to hide something. We want our customers to know every little ingredient that makes up RAM and hopefully this will build trust and r elationships in return. Many people are just now starting to notice all of the potential dangers that energy drinks contain, which is why our product will stand out as a healthier choice that offers the same benefits. The look of our product will be completely unlike any other energy drink, which are usually un-sealable cans. RAM will be sold in a 17 ounce recyclable cardboard bottle with a re-sealable screw on cap, similar to those that Vita Coco coconut water uses. This type of bottling will fit better with the target market’s lifestyle because the container will be easier to bring on the go with no spills or messes. They are also able to drink some now and easily save the rest for later. When designing the prototype of the bottle we choose the colors dark blue and black so that they would be gender neutral and attract the more mature market. The label is also clear and easy to read. We suggest that RAM only starts off introducing two flavors and see how they perform and introducing a new flavor wi thin the next 8 months of the campaign. The two flavors to start  with might be RAM berry and citrus, because they are common and consumers might be more willing to try. From there they can extend the product line even further by offering a sugar-free option and even being sold in packs of four or large cases. The next aspect of the marketing mix to look at with RAM is pricing. We think that it is best to price themselves competitively at about $2.15 a bottle. Which is only a few cents cheaper than drinks such as Monster and Amp depending on the location. The third part of the marketing mix is place. Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. has a wide range of strong relationships from bottlers and distributors, to national retailers, large food service, and convenience stores, such as 7-11, and their customers. They also have strong relationships with some of the most important U.S. retailers including Walmart, Safeway, Kroger, and Target. Building on their current strength of market channels, we felt that off premise retailers wo uld represent the best choice for the product to be carried. Lastly, we have to figure out the promotion that will be used for RAM. Since our funds are low compared to competitors, and we are going to avoid any conflict, we will be focusing on giving out samples while the product is being first introduced. We recommend the company hires sales reps to go to local grocery stores, with whom they already are doing business with, to give out samples to customers for them to try the new drink. It would also be a good idea to promote the new brand at events such races, athletic games, and concerts that our target market would be attending. This can be as simple as setting up a tent offering free samples and coupons. We also recommend using social media as a platform because it is extremely cost efficient and we can easily select our target. By means of analyzing the company’s strengths, tactics, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats, we were able to come up with a product that would be successful. Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. vision statement says, â€Å"It is our vision to be the best beverage business in the Americas. Our brands have been synonymous with refreshment, fun, and flavor for generations, and our sales are poised to keep growing into the future.† We feel that by building on their current strengths and marketing a product by means of differentiation through its ingredients, demographic, unisex packaging, and partnerships with loyal vendors, we will have a success with RAM. Real, Alive, Micro-nutrients. Works Cited Higgens, John. Energy Beverage: Content and Safety. (2011). Print. Top 10 Energy Drink Dangers. Caffeine Informer. 24 Apr. 2012. Web.

Social Work :: essays research papers

Service Learning Research Paper Dictionary.com defines homelessness as the state or condition of having no home (especially the state of living in the streets), people without homes considered as a group, having no home or haven. The homeless are the most noticeable of America’s social tribulations. You can see homeless individuals everywhere in cities, town, suburbs, and rural areas. Believe it or not everyone has a reason to why they are homeless.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Well if that is the case, why do many individuals choose to be homeless is the question? Who are the homeless? Are they comfortable with their living situation? Do they have any family? What are wrong with shelters? Who actually goes to shelters? These are many questions you ask yourself. As an issue homelessness first really hit the public consciousness in the early 1980s. By 1987, the federal government had decided to help, passing the McKinney Act, which directed federal money to support homeless shelters. Yet 15 years later, the cycle continues.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"It has been suggested that newly homeless people are more likely to bypass the shelters and use their homeless assistance money to stay in a motel. Because the government assistance is not sufficient to help the most needy† (Seltser & Miller, pg 48). Again you ask yourself what is the meaning of being homeless? Just think about people who sleep on a park bench thinking warm thoughts, while you’re sleeping in a bed as comfortable as a cloud. Talley, Eitzen, & Timmer stated that, public welfare fails to supply adequate levels of wages and housing support that would avoid them from becoming homeless. People might lose their homes due to loss of employment, overwhelming medical expenses and debt, or domestic violence. Homelessness can affect people of any age or gender, but the majority of homeless people are elderly men, single women with young children, and teens who have run away from home. You can categorize homelessness as a social class. Race also plays an important role, since people of color are among the extremely poor. There are people with many different problems that force then to become homeless. They do however all have one thing in common they have nowhere to live. Some factors that contribute to homelessness in America that make it unpreventable are the lack of education, economic factors and mental illness. Lack of education is something that is looked down upon in today’s society.

Colonial Synthesis in-Class Essay

Colonial Synthesis In-Class Essay The literature of the Colonial Period has left a positive mark upon American culture. The connotations of the literature are sometimes hypocritical, and are often contradictory to other works at the time. As a result, the messages conveyed through writing have not been overlooked. Source A’s narrative of an enslaved African American arriving in America would just be one of many that would take place over the course of 200 years.I remember in the vessel in which I was brought over, in the men's apartment, there were several brothers, who, in the sale, were sold in different lots; and it was very moving on this occasion to see and hear their cries at parting. â€Å"O, ye nominal Christians! might not an African ask you, learned you this from your God, who says unto you, Do unto all men as you would men should do unto you? † (Source A). The excerpt bluntly criticizes more prominent works at that time, from the staunch Puritan literature of Taylor. Make me O Lord, Thy spinning wheel complete. † (Source E) Taylor preached goodwill to men and stressed religious freedom, but he owned slaves at the same time. Jonathan Edwards, whom preached â€Å"So that, whatever some have imagined and pretended about promises made to natural men's earnest seeking and knocking, it is plain and manifest, that whatever pains a natural man takes in religion, whatever prayers he makes, till he believes in Christ, God is under no manner of obligation to keep him a moment from eternal destruction. (Source F) Many slave owners throughout the 18th and 19th century believed this, fueling conflicts like the Civil War and in some respect, the Civil Rights Movement. Racial persecution in the south can be attributed to blacks not necessarily being deemed by the Bible, as Puritans such as Edwards had preached. As a result, much of the negative bigotry had been sparked by Puritan work.On the other hand, Eqiuano influenced a much more positive as pect of American culture, as his autobiography can be deemed one of the earliest Abolitionist works. It depicted the cruel and bitter environment of a slave ship, and the often futile fate of being a slave. By being one of the first AfricanAmerican authors, many more African Americans after him would be inspired to write themselves.For better or for worse, early Abolitionist writings like Eqiuano’s and religious works like Taylor’s both have a significant impact for centuries after they have been written. They model conflicting sides of a society condoning secularism and one that promotes it. Whatever the case may be, these writings have given us a glimpse of early society in America, and better our understanding about the ways people responded to controversial subjects like slavery.

Current Health Care Issues

Current Health Care Issues HCS/545 Camille Fuller University of Phoenix The health care industry exist to provide preventative measures, diagnose health conditions, repair, and provide services to improve the quality of life. The cost of health care continues to rise each year. Health care fraud is a factor that continues to plague the health care industry. The affect health care fraud has on hospitals, is the increasing cost of medical services. The following research will examine and evaluate how organizational structure and governance, culture and the lack of focus on social responsibility affects on health care fraud. The following research will also include recommendations for prevention of health care fraud, recommendations for change of structure, governance, and culture. The following research will include prevention measure for future situations involving health care fraud. Health care fraud is a preventable situation in hospitals across the nation. Hospitals spend thousands of dollars on quality assurance and patient safety and still health care fraud continues to occur. Individuals across the nation make a living through health care fraud. Honest, hard working citizens of this country are financing health care fraud recipients, not by choice. Insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid are being schemed by fraudulent businesses. Channel 11 news in Colorado a scheme called, â€Å"Medical Provider Identity Theft† has been uncovered. Perpetrators stol the identity of a physician in Pueblo, Colorado. The perpetrators set up an office in Denver, Colorado called, â€Å"A Plus Billing. † The office and address was used to receive mail and phone calls. The physician’s name and medical identification number was used to bill Medicare for test and procedures that were not preformed. This type of scheme is running rampant across the United States. Dr. Cabiling did not know that his identity had been stolen until he received a phone call from Medicare. Medicare asked Dr. Cabiling if he practiced in Denver and Dr. Cabiling said, â€Å"No. † Medicare then notified Dr. Cabililng that they had received bills from an office in Denver with his name and medical identification number for payment of services rendered. Dr. Cabiling only practices in Pueblo and not in Denver. Further investigation uncovered more than $1. 8 million dollars had been paid out to the A Plus Billing Company. â€Å"Court documents show the address A Plus Billing used was 600 17th Street in Denver, room 2800. The company submitted bills for numerous things including MRI’s and EKG testing, claiming they had medical offices at that address. But instead, 11 News discovered it was home to a company hired to receive mail and answer the phone for $150 a month. And, according to records, the lady who was suppose to pay that bill, Aliya Valeeva, is no longer in the country. Medicare sent the money to an account at a BBVA/Compass Bank in Denver, under the name of A Plus Billing. Now the FBI has moved to seize nearly $800,000 of it (Potter, 2011). † Dr. Cabiling inadvertently received checks from Cigna, leading the physician to believe that the ghost company had targeted other insurance companies other than Medicare. Prior to President Obama’s health care reform, insurance companies were required to submit payment for services rendered within 15 days of receipt of the claim. Since President Obama's health care reform act the timeline for payment of services rendered gives agencies more time to make payments, review and investigate claims. Fraudulent claims are easier to detect with the new health care reform in affect. Fraudulent claims are nothing new to insurance companies. Perpetrators have targeted insurance companies for a long time. Medicare and Medicaid are the two type of insurance companies targeted. Medicare and Medicaid staff is inundated with claims. There are more claims to be processed then there are staff and time. New timelines and guidances to follow, allow the staff to follow up on suspicious claims. Since the Affordable Health Care Act was passed and implemented â€Å"Medicare officials say with their new tools for fighting fraud, they have reclaimed $4 billion last year alone (Potter, 2011)†. The previous organizational structure for payment of services rendered did not allow officials enough time to investigate claims to ensure the claims were legitimate. Perpetrators study the law and use the knowledge to fraud insurance and government agencies. The governance of rules, regulations and laws was not stringent enough to stop perpetrators from frauding the system. New guidelines allow agencies more time to detect suspicious claims, investigate and save the insurance companies millions of dollars. Society does not concentrate on proactive actions to prevent fraud, instead society deals with the problem after the fact. Consumer watch groups do not have tools in place to prevent fraud. Perpetrators rely on the oversites of insurance companies in order to target and fraud insurance companies. Insurance companies and the federal government should pool resources using a percentage of profits to finance a task force to arrestively fight fraud. The penalty for fraud should be more stringent which will cause perpetrators to think twice before formulating a plan to commit fraud. The Affordable Health Care Act is the beginning of many programs established to fight against fraud. Health care fraud is a growing problem and should be taken more seriously by citizens of the United States. Physicians, health care workers, and patients are responsible for proactively protecting personal information to prevent identity theft. The case of Dr. Cabiling could not have occured if his medical identity had not been stolen. A closer watch of personal information to prevent identity theft is the beginning to prevent health care fraud. The federal government should have in place the ability to prosecute offenders to the fullest extent. Harsh punishment may deter offenders from comiting the offence. Ethical issues concerning medical fraud is as simple as knowing what is right and what is wrong. Society should take responsibility of his or her own personal information. Identity theft is no secret, therefore society should be more proactive. Do not leave an open door for offenders to walk in and take what does not belong them. The laws for offenders should be more stringent. The current structure of physicans medical information is too easy to obtain. The structure of physicains medical information should be in encripted messages making the degree of difficulty high enough to ward off offenders. There are some offenders that will stop at nothing until they have gotten the information he or she is wishes to obtain. Stricter rules and guidelines can ward off these offenders. Governance over the guidelines for payment for services rendered should include the following; varification of physician’s medical information making sure the physican is aware of the charges being submitted to insurance companies. The time line for payments to be released to physicians or billing companies are lenghtened to allow incurance companies time to investigate suspecious claims. The culture of one waiting for another to do what is right is an occurance needing change. The culture can be changed through leading by example. Educating society through public service announcement is a start. Public service announcements reach more people than emails, newspaper articles, and phoone calls. An aggressive campaign to stamp out medical fraud through prosecuting identity theft offenders is an additional way to combat medical fraud. Through public service announcements society is informed of his or her responsibility to protect personal information to prevent identity theft and medical fraud. Fighting identiy theft and medical fraud cost less than the billions of dollars paid out to offenders. Remind society they the communities in which he or she live in are the one that ultimately pay the price through higher health care premiums, higher prices for health care services, and through higher taxes. In conclusion health care fraud is now being done through identity theft. Identity theft can be combatted through public awareness and the public taking responsibility to protect his or her own persoanl information. Dr. Cabiling through no fault of his own was a victim of identity theft. Dr. Cabiling did not know that his medical identity had been stolen until he received a phone call from Medicare. Dr. Cabiling can now contact the different insurance companies to alert them of the fraudulant activities concerning his medical information. The insurance companies can contact Dr. Cabiling prior to making payments on calims. The insurance companies making phone calls to Dr. Cabiling may take more time, but will save the companies money in the long run. Combatting medical fraud and identity theft is everyone’s responsibility. References Cohen, G. (2010, March/April). Medical tourism: The view from ten thousand feet. Hastings Center Report, 40(2), 11. Health care reform to have impact on ethics. (2010, May). Medical Ethics Advisor, 26(5), 54. K. Potter, 2011. Medicare Fraud Scheme Takes Nearly $2 Million, Pueblo Doctor’s Identity Stolen; http://www. kktv. com/home/headlines/Medicare_Fraud_Scheme_Steals_Millions_131567818. html

Where Germans Go for Winter Holidays

Where Germans Go for Winter Holidays Its no secret that the Germans love to travel. According to the UNWTO Tourism Barometer, theres no European country that produces more tourists and spends more money on seeing the world. Family holidays during the summer can last up to five or six weeks. And its not uncommon for people to squeeze in another short trip over the winter holidays.   There is no need to worry about Germans missing out on their work duties. The average German employee benefits from 29 Urlaubstage (annual leave days) per year, which puts them into the oberes Mittelfeld (upper mid-field) of Europes leave allowances. School holidays are staggered throughout the Lnder to avoid traffic chaos  so that even German downtime is as efficiently planned as it can be. Since 1 January marks the day that many employees lose their outstanding allowance, its high time for them to use up that Resturlaub (remaining leave). Lets have a look at the most popular holiday destinations for German people escaping the house in winter. 1. Germany Germanys number 1 travel destination is Germany! As a country where all winter lovers can get their share of snow, forest and mountains, ski trips is high on every winter lovers wish list. Families love that it only takes a few hours by train or car until they can let the kids roam free and slip into their mountainwear. Family trips to the Alps are popular with families from all around the country. They indulge in winter sports and healthy walks, warming up by a fire in the chalet by night. Its a tradition so popular that many songs have been sung about it.   But in fact, Germany can boast snowy mountain peaks far North of the usual suspects with Gebirge (mountain regions) like the Hunsrà ¼ck and Harz. In this country, youre never far from winter fun. Essential Skiurlaub vocabulary: Ski fahren - skiingLanglauf - cross-country skiingRodeln - sledgingSchneewandern - hiking in the snowder Kamin - chimney 2. The Mediterranean (Spain, Egypt, Tunisia) Summer in Italy, winter in Egypt. Germans love chasing the sun and the beach, and many believe that a comfortable 24 degrees C is preferable to Christmas trees and freezing in February. Its the perfect answer to a dreaded new disease the Germans are scared of: Die Winterdepression. 3. Dubai For those who are seriously sun-deprived, sunny long-haul destinations like Thailand offer exactly what they have been dreaming of. Its a true escape from Weihnachtsstress, especially when there are the added delights of insane attractions (ironic indoor skiing)  and cut-price shopping. Essential Strandurlaub  vocabulary: der Strand - beachsich sonnen - to sunbathedie Sonnencreme - suncreamder Badeanzug/die Badehose - swimming costume/swimming shortsdas Meer - the sea 4. New York and Other Cities New York is the leading destination for travelers who love nothing more than Stdteurlaub  (city trips). When there is only a tiny supply of Resturlaub  left, even a long weekend in Hamburg, Kà ¶ln or Mà ¼nchen is more attractive than staying at home. Braving cold temperatures, the German tourists wrap up warm and still get their supplies of culture and escapism. After all, who wants to experience the same Alltagstrott  (daily grind) all the time? Essential Stdteurlaub  vocabulary: die Anfahrt - journey to the destinationdie Erkundung - discoveryspazieren gehen - going for a relaxed walkdie Theaterkarte - theatre ticketdie Rundfahrt - city tour

Introduction to Landscape Painting

Introduction to Landscape Painting Landscapes are works of art that feature scenes of nature. This includes mountains, lakes, gardens, rivers, and any scenic view. Landscapes can be oil paintings, watercolors, gauche, pastels, or prints of any kind. Painting the Scenery Derived from the Dutch word landschap, landscape paintings capture the natural world around us. We tend to think of this genre as majestic mountain scenes, gently rolling hills, and still water garden ponds. Yet, landscapes can depict any scenery and feature subjects within them such as buildings, animals, and people. While there is a traditional viewpoint of landscapes, over the years artists have turned to other settings. Cityscapes, for instance, are views of urban areas, seascapes capture the ocean, and  waterscapes feature freshwater such as the work of Monet on the Seine. Landscape as a Format In art, the word landscape has another definition. Landscape format refers to a picture plane that has a width which is greater than its height. Essentially, it is a piece of art in a horizontal rather than a vertical orientation. Landscape in this sense is indeed derived from landscape paintings. The horizontal format is much more conducive to capturing the wide vistas that artists hope to portray in their work. A vertical format, though used for some landscapes, tends to restrict the vantage point of the subject and may not have the same impact. Landscape Painting in History As popular as they may be today, landscapes are relatively new to the art world. Capturing the beauty of the natural world was not a priority in early art when the focus was on spiritual or historical subjects.   It was not until the 17th century that landscape painting began to emerge. Many art historians recognize that it was during this time that scenery became the subject itself and not just an element in the background. This included the work of French painters Claude Lorraine and Nicholas Poussin as well as Dutch artists like Jacob van Ruysdael. Landscape painting ranked fourth in the hierarchy of genres set up by the French Academy. History painting, portraiture, and genre painting were considered more important. The still life genre was considered less important. This new genre of painting took off, and by the 19th century, it had gained widespread popularity. It often romanticized the scenic views and came to dominate the subjects of paintings as artists attempted to capture what was around them for all to see. Landscapes also gave the first (and only) glimpse many people had of foreign lands. When the Impressionists emerged in the mid-1800s, landscapes began to be less realistic and literal. Though collectors will always enjoy realistic landscapes, artists like Monet, Renoir,  and Cezanne demonstrated a new view of the natural world. From there, landscape painting has thrived, and it is now one of the most popular genres among collectors. Artists have taken the landscape to a variety of places with new interpretations and many sticking with tradition. One thing is for sure; the landscape genre now dominates the landscape of the art world.

IAQ & Thermal Comfort Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

IAQ & Thermal Comfort - Research Paper Example Both regional and international standards have been developed to prescribe indoor environmental conditions that are safe for buildings’ occupants. In order understand how these factors (Thermal comfort and indoor air quality) affect the quality of life people leave indoors, it is important to know the various aspects affecting them. This research paper, therefore, aims at discussing and understanding the various factors that affect the quality of indoor air (known as Indoor Air quality, IAQ), and factors that affect human thermal comfort. The paper also aims at discussing the relationship that exists between thermal comfort and Indoor Air quality. The research paper will also discuss challenge of combination and maintenance of these factors (Thermal Comfort and Indoor Air quality) in Saudi Arabia, among others. Indoor air quality Description Indoor air quality can be described as the quality of air around and within structures and buildings which people occupy (Amissah, 2005). This quality of air is related to the comfort and health of individuals who occupy these structures and/or buildings. An â€Å"accepted indoor air quality† can be defined as an air condition in which majority of the occupants are satisfied with it, and in which there is no accumulation of contaminants to levels that can affect humans negatively (harm occupants) (Amissah, 2005). The quality of indoor air depend on a number of factors, among them include: quantity, strength and type of indoor emissions and quality, quantity and type of air outdoor. In order to ensure that indoor air conditions are comfortable and at accepted levels, the spaces that exist indoors must receive sufficient amount of clean outdoor air (Al-ajmi, 2010). In addition to receiving sufficient amount of air, indoors should be ventilated. During ventilation it should be ensured that all the spaces indoors receive air that is not contaminated with harmful microbiological components or chemicals which are ha zardous in nature (Amissah, 2005). In summary, the quality of indoor is normally affected by outdoor climate, variations in operations that take place in buildings or structures, and activities of the building occupants. Before proceeding to discussing more about the factors that affect quality of indoor, it is important that certain terms and expression that relate to indoor air quality are understood. These terms include: a) Perceived air quality b) Standard person c) Olf (Amissah, 2005) Perceived air quality Perceived air quality can be defined as the fraction of percentage of people who are dissatisfied (Amissah, 2005). Meaning that, it is the fraction of people who feel that the quality of air in a space just after entering in is not acceptable. Perceived air quality is measured in decipols. One decipol is considered as the quality of perceived air in a space that is polluted with a pollution source of one olf, and is ventilated using clean air fed at a rate of 10 liters per se cond. Olf This is unit for measuring amount of pollution generated by occupants of a building or a structure (Al-ajmi, 2010). It is estimated a standard person generates pollution of one (1) olf. Standard person A standard person can be defined as an average sedentary individual (adult) who works in an office, and feels neutral in terms air and thermal quality, or an average office worker who is not

Discuss a book you have read all the way through that is not related Essay

Discuss a book you have read all the way through that is not related to economics, business, or finance, and its influence on your thinking - Essay Example The story is characterized by traditional approach to life as opposed to modernism which is displayed in the lives of Wung Lung and O-lan. Women are considered as mere materials that can be purchased to satisfy a man’s needs in the traditional Chinese community. O-lan is a slave from a rich family who was given for marriage due to a request from Wung Lun father. This is portrayed as forced marriage in a modern culture context because a woman is given against her own will for marriage. A twist is seen where the two rather connect even without prior courtship (Burk 189). Their marriage however faces a couple of challenges. Wung Lung chauvinism plays out when he is not pleased by the fact that his wife’s feet are not bound, a demeaning traditional practice that undermined women by binding women with tight formations so as to forcefully stunt their growth. Traditions appeared to have outshone modernism that was busy creeping in. modernism seemed to be embraced by the rich and traditionalism had held the poor hostage. Interference is a factor noted in the book in pearl’s book. Traditional interference is hard to miss in Wung Lung happy marriage to O-lan. One time Wung Lung makes a concubine because of the bound feet that his wife didn’t have which was a traditional practice (Burk 200). Hwang rich family faces its demise because of drug addiction and women addiction which act as interference to the financial status of the family making them sell their property. Modernism appears to be a threat to Chinese traditions because the traditionalists are less appealed by this modern trend that was slowly taking root in the Chinese society. The ‘Good Earth’ might be telling a story of successful harvest by the mentioned Chinese families at the end of a successful planting season characterized by financial success but the story’s plot echoes more