Saturday, August 31, 2019

Kodak and Fujifilm

Kodak and Fujifilm Kodak and Fujifilm are well known companies in the households in the United States and across the world. Few people know the actual history of both companies and the competition they have been in over the years. It’s an interesting history on how both companies started and how they have developed and challenged each other over the years. George Eastman, who was the founder of Kodak, started his business career as a 14-year old boy when he had to quit school and work to support his mother and two sisters. Mr.Eastman had a gift for organization and management while his lively and inventive mind made him a successful entrepreneur by his mid-twenties. What sparked the idea of a simple camera was that his coworker suggested he make a record of his vacation to Santo Domingo. As a result, he became absorbed with photography and wanting to simplify the photography process. Eastman started Kodak in 1880 and built it on four basic principles: mass production at low co st, international distribution, extensive advertising, and a focus on the customer.Later on he added the following policies: foster growth and development through continuing research, treat employees in a fair, self-respecting way, and reinvest profits to build and extend the business. Mr. Eastman started the company by manufacturing dry plates for sale to photographers. One mishap almost shut down the company when dry plates that were sold went bad. Eastman came up with a quick solution to recall the bad plates and replace them with a good product. His quick thinking saved the company and the company’s reputation.Mr. Eastman began experiments that focused on the use of a lighter and more flexible support than glass. He began advertising to the public to look out for a new product that will prove an economical and convenient substitute for glass dry plates for outdoors and studio work. Once he started perfecting the transparent roll film and the roll holder, Eastman realized he would have to reach out to the general public and amateur photography. The Kodak camera debuted in 1888. They developed the slogan â€Å"you press the button, we do the rest. Kodak made the process of taking and developing pictures easy and accessible to nearly everyone. Kodak has led the way with a plentitude of new products and processes that makes photography simpler, more useful and enjoyable. The company Kodak has grown to be is known not only for photography but also for images used in leisure, commercial, entertainment and scientific applications. They are constantly developing technology to combine images and information which is creating the potential to greatly change how businesses and people communicate.Eastman’s goal was to make photography â€Å"as convenient as the pencil† while Kodak is continuing to expand the ways images touch people’s lives. Kodak continues to rank as a premier multinational corporation and with a brand that is recognized in nearly every country. Kodak has been involved in technological innovation throughout the motion picture industry as well as the health imaging industry, document imaging, printing and publishing, and space exploration. Mr. Eastman believed employees should have more than good wages. He believed that worker’s goodwill and loyalty contributed to the prosperity of an organization.Eastman started the â€Å"Wage Dividend† in which each employee benefited from the yearly dividend on the company stock above his or her wages. The wage dividends represented a large part of the company’s net earnings; the wage dividends were viewed as an innovation. To show even more appreciation to his employees, Eastman gave one-third of his own holdings of company stock to his employees. He also provided them with a retirement annuity, life insurance and disability benefit plans. (History of Kodak) Fujifilm was established in 1934 in Japan.Fujifilm has established itself as a leader in in the motion picture photography, videotape, audio tape and floppy disc industries. The company is also involved in still cameras, camcorders, photofinishing equipment, paper and chemicals, imaging and information products for office and medical use markets. The company first started out producing motion picture film, dry plates and photographic paper. It was hard to develop brand recognition at first partly because of the competition with Eastman Kodak. Because of this, Fujifilm focused on improving the quality of the products it developed.Since the company was focused on the quality of the products, it developed its first film product and a motion picture negative film which proved to many in Japan that Fujifilm was technically proficient in the motion-picture industry. After World War II, Fuji was able to begin exporting film and optical products to South America and Asia. The postwar boom was a great advantage to Fuji with the demands for new products to be developed. One d ownfall for Eastman Kodak but an advantage to Fuji was when Kodak agreed to let Fuji produce black and white amateur roll film during 1952 and three more black and white roll film products by 1958.The company became the number one manufacturer of consumer films in Japan. Because of the agreement with Kodak this opened doors for Fuji and they were able to make more export agreements and opened sales offices in other countries, including the United States. (Photography Type – The History of Fujifilm, Part I, 2010) Fujifilm still had to overcome two major challenges: Eastman Kodak and Fujifilm’s reputation for below-par film product. Fuji tackled the challenge of film product and developed film and paper that was compatible with the processing systems mostly used worldwide.In 1969 all of their films, photo paper and chemicals completely matched the processing systems. They saw a significant upsurge in their exports. The other challenge was going head to head with Kodak wh ich they took on full-force. When Fuji entered the US market, it introduced a cartridge-film eight-millimeter home movie system. Kodak retaliated with introducing their system which swept Fuji aside and took control of the world market. The market started to notice that Fuji’s film was faster than Kodak’s and produced warmer tones.Fuji advertised making sure amateurs and professionals knew the difference while Kodak continued to concentrate on the beginner/amateur consumers. In 1972, Fuji marketed a film in the US with their name on it. Fuji gained its first significant market share with this product. To try and stay ahead of Kodak, Fuji had to develop, manufacture and market equivalent products quickly before Kodak released new products. By 1980, Fuji was the third largest film producer and stayed competitive by increasing its prices a lot less than the other manufactures.The also took advantage of the growing consumer demand for audio and videotapes. Their early mark eting to amateur and professionals paid off since many amateurs wanted to shoot pictures with high quality film. This boosted Fuji’s status to the second largest film manufacturer. A major advantage Fuji had was researching electronic technology before Kodak. Fuji beat Kodak out for a 1984 Olympics sponsorship which was a huge breakthrough for Fuji. Fuji also took full advantage of the untapped market of disposable cameras. They sold 1. million cameras in 6 months which took them to the top as the number one global camera manufacturer in 1992. Fuji introduced the first digital camera in 1988 which was a historical moment in the camera industry. Fuji has been an innovative competitor since the start of the company. (Photography Type – The History of Fujifilm, Part II, 2010) Kodak failed to grasp the importance of the complex environmental changes that were occurring in the industry. They didn’t react fast enough to stay as the leading company in the industry and Fujifilm took advantage of that.While Kodak had the technological skills to develop products, their rigid leadership culture prevented them from adapting with the changes taking place. Kodak had the â€Å"mentality of perfect products, rather than the high-tech mindset of make it, launch it, fix it. † Fujifilm embraced the changes that were occurring in the photographic market. They diversified through acquisition and changed its business model to conquer digital photography with a commitment to innovation and new technologies. Fuji showed a technological discontinuity by developing the first digital camera.This shows they are innovative and creative in their thinking and think ahead of what is happening in the industry. (Integrated Company Analysis, 2009) One major management concept that has impacted both Fuji and Kodak are their marketing strategies. While Kodak was focused on marketing to amateur photographers, Fuji took it a step beyond and focused on amateurs and profes sionals. This has had a huge impact on both companies. Kodak is focused on positioning itself as providing user-friendly products while the quality of some of their products contradict that claim.This has kept Kodak from advancing as they should have while Fuji has seen a huge benefit from their marketing strategy. I view Fujifilm as a prospector since they think outside of the box and look at what is needed in the future. Kodak started out originally as a prospector but has turned to be a reactor. Kodak is at the point where they are developing products in response to products being released from their competitors, mainly Fujifilm. I believe that Kodak needs to look at their current situation and assess what they need to do to become more profitable again and rebuild their reputation.I can see Kodak using the retrenchment strategy for the redevelopment of the company. One action that leaves it questionable about Fujifilm’s ethical approach is when Kodak filed a complaint wit h the United States that Fuji was blocking their products from entering the Japanese market. Looking at the situation, it could be the Japanese government that had the ethical and social responsibility for these actions. The blocking of Kodak entering the Japanese market maintained the Fujifilm’s profits while it stopped potential revenue for Kodak.Even if the Japanese government would let Kodak sell its products in Japan, the Japanese citizens would most likely still purchase Fujifilm since that is the product that they recognize and are familiar with. Kodak over the years has slowed down it’s adaptation to the market condition changes. When Mr. Eastman was in charge, the business stayed ahead of the industry and adapted well. As the years have gone by that situation has changed to where Kodak reacts after changes have been made. Their reactions are to produce a product so fast that it makes inferior products, which has affected Kodak’s reputation in the indust ry.Fujifilm adapts well to the change in the market conditions. In fact, they are in the forefront of anticipating what is needed next by the consumers. One way a company should build in flexibility is to have openness. Company executives need to be open to new ideas, information sources, and roles. Typically companies stick with the routine processes and don’t consider ideas that may be suggested by people and other sources outside of the company. Some companies are not receptive to ideas that are internally suggested by their own employees either.In order to prosper and advance, company executives need to be able and willing to take ideas and suggestions into consideration. Another way to build in flexibility is the processes of decision making. Companies need to analyze how and if their decision process works. They need re-examine the assumptions that bring the decision to a given point. Executives also should refine their plans according with the brief feedback they recei ve. Companies have to be careful not to develop a competitive inertia where they are reluctant to change their current strategies because they want to keep their current processes which have been successful so far.A third way is to develop a shadow strategy task force. Companies need to analyze themselves and determine what their weaknesses are to be able to make adjustments to strengthen them. One way to look at your weaknesses is to think like your competitors and try to determine how the company can be exploited for competitive advantage. The company should have a wide range of employees on the task force to provide opinions, suggestions and information instead of the task force being only executives.Companies can learn a lot from researching Kodak and Fujifilm’s history. Their history shows how strong companies can be and the bumps in the road they encounter by not adapting to change and competition. There is definitely a lesson in what to do and what not to do as you are building your company and making it stronger throughout the years. References: 1. History of Kodak. Retrieved November 5, 2012, from http://www. kodak. com/ek/US/en/Our_Company/History_of_Kodak/Imaging-_the_basics. htm 2. Photography Type – The History of Fujifilm, Part I (2010).Retrieved November 5, 2012, from http://www. photographytalk. com/photography-articles/1682-photography-tipthe-history-of-fujifilm-part-1 3. Photography Type – The History of Fujifilm, Part II (2010). Retrieved November 5, 2012, from http://www. photographytalk. com/photography-articles/1686-photography-tipthe-history-of-fujifilm-part-2 4. Integrated Company Analysis – Kodak. Fall 2009. Wisconsin School of Business. Retrieved from http://business. library. wisc. edu/resources/kavajecz/09%20Fall/kodak_rep. pdf

Friday, August 30, 2019

Much Ado About Nothing Essay

In the play, Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare introduces the character Claudio. Count Claudio is characterized as a gullible, naive and immature. Throughout the play, Claudio is placed in situations which reveal his level of maturity. By the end of the play, he is still a carefree, foolish boy who has not come to terms with his own faults-such as almost ruining Hero’s reputation. From the beginning to the end of the play, Claudio exhibits childish behavior, which does not change. Through his depiction of Claudio’s interaction with Hero, Leonato and Benedick, Shakespeare criticizes that in reality, even for people as naive as Claudio, people get what they want because of their status. In the beginning of the play, Don John and Barachio tell Claudio that Hero is being wooed by Don Pedro, and his immediate reaction is to believe that it is true. As Don Pedro agrees to woo Hero for Claudio, it seems to Claudio that Don Pedro is pleading for himself. â€Å"The Prince woos for himself,† he says (2. 1, 172). For Claudio, â€Å"friendship is constant in all other things save in office and affairs of love† (2. 1, 173-174). The nature of â€Å"all is fair in love and war† should warn the reader that Claudio thinks with an old nature about male competition for women. The misunderstanding is soon forgotten when Don Pedro assures Claudio that he was truly wooing Hero for Claudio and not for himself. Claudio takes Hero back and says, â€Å"lady you are mine, I am yours† (2. 1, 301-303). Claudio easily forgives and forgets and makes himself look foolish by taking her back so quickly. His immaturity is revealed by the speed of forgiveness. Shakespeare mocks reality in a sense that even though he acts like a child, a woman like Hero will still â€Å"love† him. However, Claudio does not learn from his rash judgement of Don Pedro. When Don John later accuses Hero for sleeping with another man, Claudio is again quick to think that worst of Hero. Claudio tells Leonato that Hero is a â€Å"rotten orange† (4. 1, 32). By referring to Hero as a piece of rotten fruit, Claudio implies that what was once sweet and pure is now spoiled and lustful. Just as Eve was tempted by fruit in the Garden of Eden that turned out to be evil, Claudio was first attracted and then forced away by the crude Hero. After slandering his daughter, Leonato is more angered at Hero than at Claudio. Even after being so idiotic and stupid, Claudio wins the woman of his dreams: a woman who he scolds and takes him back. At first and before considering other possibilities, Leonato seams to point his finger at Hero for being the one who ruin everything; not Claudio. Considering what happens, it can be inferred that Shakespeare is mocking the idea that men with a status such as Claudio get what they want, even if they make a big mistake such as insulting and ruining a girl’s life. Claudio not only slanders Hero, but Leonato, too. To Leonato’s face, Claudio makes a big show of respecting his age, but it’s clear from this comment that Claudio does not understand what it means to have great respect for someone. Claudio says, â€Å"We had like to have had out two noses snapped off with two old men without teeth† (5. 1, 128-129). Age doesn’t seem to command respect for Claudio; he approaches it more as a weakness than a reason for reverence, which is immature of him. It’s another strike against Claudio’s character, and Shakespeare does this to portray that even when he shows disrespect to someone of high standards, he still gets what he wants in the end. After Claudio slanders Hero, he joins the conversation between Leonato and Leonato’s brother. Claudio immediately insults Leonato by â€Å"fleer[ing] and jest[ing] at [him]† (5. 1, 65). Though Claudio claims that he â€Å"never lay[s] [his] hand upon [his] sword,† Leonato claims that he is â€Å"under privilege of age to brag† (5. 1, 60; 67). By reaching for his sword, Claudio is attempting to intimidate and undermine Leonato to reveal that he is more powerful and a better man than Leonato. However, Leonato knows that it is not true, and he tells Claudio to stop being a fool. The undercut actions of Claudio towards Leonato is a direct way in which Shakespeare reveals his immaturity and disrespect towards his elders. Even though he is disrespectful and cruel to both Leonato and Hero, Leonato allows Claudio to marry his daughter. Claudio’s events with Benedick are also a way in which Shakespeare depicts Claudio to be an immature boy. When Benedick challenges Claudio, he thinks that it is a joke. Benedick tells Claudio that he wants to fight him in a dull, and says to Don Pedro that he should â€Å"give [Benedick] another staff† because â€Å"the last one was broke ‘cross† (5. 1, 151-152). Claudio makes fun of Benedick for looking so angry and for seemingly having lost his ability to wittily reply to his jests. The immaturity among the men by Claudio is to insult the ways of men, and how status is the only thing that matters because, in the end, Claudio gets Beatrice for himself. Benedick finally thanks Don Pedro and informs him that Don John has fled Messina. He then turns to Claudio and tells him they will meet soon to fight. Don Pedro remarks that Benedick â€Å"is in earnest† about his challenge (5. 1, 206). Claudio sarcastically replies that it is â€Å"for the love of Beatrice† (5. , 208). Even after having someone as highly ranked as Don Pedro telling him that Benedick is serious about the dull, and that Don John is responsible for Hero’s â€Å"death,† Claudio makes a sarcastic remark back claiming that he is only fighting for Beatrice and does not think to mention what Benedick says about Don John. His inconsiderate remarks and vagueness of his awareness are both ways of Shakespeare mocking men. The childish antics in Shakespearean times is caused by the young age that men and women are forced to be married at. Claudio, at this point, still has not grown up. Shakespeare uses Claudio to mock that in reality, because of his status and the fact that he is a male, he gets is allowed to marry Hero, without any confrontation of Benedick. Throughout the play, Claudio makes immature mistakes that are used to criticize that in reality, men as stupid as Claudio still get what they want based on status. In life, men tend to have a better status than most women because people base status on sex. Claudio had better treatment than Hero throughout the play with both Leonato and Don Pedro, Prince of Argon. In the end, none of his events with Hero, Benedick, or Leonato come out. The three people also decide to leave him alone without another confrontation. Today, men and women get married at a later age, when they are mature enough to be married. Even so, status definitely plays a major role in society today in a sense that the higher a person’s status, the more likely they will get what they want. That is what Shakespeare is trying to reveal; that in reality, even as long ago as his time, men and women get what they want based on their status in the world.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Tension between Idealism and Naturalism Assignment

Tension between Idealism and Naturalism - Assignment Example Naturalism involves the observation of science and relevant impact of it to the society. Naturalism is an ideology that everything in the universe is a product of physical stuff or nature. It shows that there is nothing supernatural in the world, and everything could be explained using application of hard and soft sciences. It is a method of truth-seeking within the society and has an impact on the public policy. It doesn’t mean the denial of human spirituality but an embrace of real spirituality. Naturalism clashes with idealism in the sense that, it suggests humans are like stardust and their atoms exchanged with the rest of the Earth system. It connects humans to nature and shows the sense of its feeling to the universe. The greatest Greek artist Praxiteles used the idealism to explain the charm of his work to the society by representing the god Hermes holding the young Dionysus on his arm playing with him. The idea shows the Greek art expansion within a short period. In Praxiteles works, there are no traces of rigidity but depicts that god stands before us in a relaxed pose that does not impair his dignity. Praxiteles shows the society the hinges of the body to improve the understanding and clarity of his work. He wants to bring to bring to reality in his idealistic styles the impression of a living body in all its grace and beauty. It is important to understand that Praxiteles and other Greek artists achieved the Hermes beauty through knowledge. Hence a quote â€Å"no living body quite as symmetrical, well-built and beautiful as those of the Greek status†.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

World after 25 years Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

World after 25 years - Essay Example There is quite a lot of representation of people in the population that gets the liposuction done who are not actually obese, or even overweight! In fact, â€Å"The best candidates for liposuction are normal-weight people with firm, elastic skin who have pockets of excess fat in certain areas† (Ramos). All they want the surgery done for is to remove the fat from specific areas of body like thighs or breast etc to enhance their looks. Likewise, gynecomastia is a condition in which men develop lumps in their chest which are totally benign and can be lived with, yet many men with gynecomsatia get the lumps removed through surgery. â€Å"Male gynecomastia surgery was performed on over 16500 men in 2001, up 48 percent from 1997† (â€Å"Male Gynecomastia†). This essentially tells that a vast majority of people getting surgeries are unnecessarily conscious about their looks and have no medical reasons to get the surgery done. Another growing concern in the whole world i n the contemporary age, that is quite different from the one discussed above, is the depleting natural resources. Natural resources are depleting readily, and scientists estimate abolishment of oil reserves 25 years from now in many areas which are the key producers of oil today.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Coconut Oil, although a saturated fat, is good for you Essay

Coconut Oil, although a saturated fat, is good for you - Essay Example For that matter, different data and information regarding the use of coconut oil for different applications can be found in abundance. The study conducted is related to the said accumulation of data and information that can present the benefits and useful applications of coconut oil in different field and aspects of the human subsistence. In addition, one of the important objectives is to be able to state the different nutritional and health benefits of coconut oil. The determination of the composition of coconut oil is one of the primary aspects that are needed to be studied to be able to present the reasons behind the benefits of the said oil. Coconut oil is composed of saturated fat (90%). Although this is the case, the said fats are primarily medium chain triglycerides that are considered less harmful that other types of saturated fats that are generally considered harmful. Specifically it is composed if saturated fatty acids (92%), monounsaturated fatty acids (6%) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (2%) (Fife, 2004; 2006; Holzapfel and Holzapfel, 2004). The kinds of fatty acid composition are presented in Table 1. The fat content of coconut oil can be considered to bring about false impression that it is bad for the health due to the word fat itself. On the other hand, the main compositions of coconut oil which are medium chain triglycerides are different from the saturated fat that can harm a person upon high intake. On the contrary, the components of coconut oil with the unique saturated fat composition had been proven for its positive effects (Fife, 2004). Based on different studies and researches coconut oil can be used for both the nutritional and health benefits. For that matter it had been described as â€Å"nutraceutical† due to the capability to cure ailments and help in the nourishment of the body (Holzapfel and

Monday, August 26, 2019

A Critical Review in the Contemporary Themes in Youth Work Practice, Essay - 4

A Critical Review in the Contemporary Themes in Youth Work Practice, Thematic Area Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing - Essay Example Brendtro, Ph.D, the President of Reclaiming Youth International. The main message of the article is that a crisis should be perceived as a unique opportunity that can help a student or a young person come to grips or understand an important life problem. As opposed to a glass half empty, successful management of a crisis requires looking at it as a glass half filled with water. This understanding is critical in successfully managing the crisis, therefore illuminating the pattern of self-defeating behavior of the student and providing strength-based skills. In this regard, LSCI is presented as an advanced and effective strategy of this paradigm to help promote understanding and change (Perry & Hambrick, 2008, pg. 34). In my opinion, the authors stress upon focusing upon the LSCI as opposed to other traditional approaches used to help troubled youth. Traditional approaches, or alternatives to the LSCI method, are explained and presented as reactive in nature and ineffective for solving youth problems. The LSCI, on the other hand, seeks to focus on understanding the facts and causes of counterproductive conflict styles. In support of the theories and principles presented by the authors is my own experience as well as broader research and reading on the subject. Several experts and scholars on the issue of ways of reclaiming young people who show patterns of self-defeating behavior are in favor of the LSCI approach as opposed to conventional approaches, which are seen as reactive. My evaluation of what the authors presented in this article is that it is exactly right and effective in especially the present-day challenging environments for youth growth and development. One of the major reasons why I am in support of the theories presented by the authors is with regard to the interventions for various patterns of self-defeating behavior common among young people and children. The LSCI process has been broken down into six stages

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Toyotas Position in the Automobile Industry Research Paper

Toyotas Position in the Automobile Industry - Research Paper Example The competencies are responsible for the growth of an organization’s core products which in turn support the growth of other business units. Eventually, the business units are responsible for the production of the end products. This has been the case of Toyota. Toyota is among the most successful businesses in the global car manufacturing market. The success of the company is attributed to its core competencies and capabilities.   Toyota entered the vehicle manufacturing market with the few competencies and low capabilities that saw the company manufacture small volumes of cars annually. In 1947, the company could only manage to manufacture 100,000 cars only. The company was small in size and had limited resources and capacity to produce significant volumes for its market. This situation was compounded by the fact that the company was a new entrant in the car manufacturing market. However, the company made the first step towards growth by creating a team of visionary manager s that had competent skills in the manufacturing of cars and the management of the company in the new Japanese market. The operations of the company were directed by the exceptional skills of the founder. The founding team has been at center of the management of the company because of the management principles that they managed to establish when Toyota was making entry into the car manufacturing industry.   In terms of effectiveness, the company produces such large volumes but still maintain quality.  For instance, in the year 1962, the company was taking 15 minutes to change dies but the time was later reduced to only 3 seconds in its current production process.  

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Causes of Lung Cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Causes of Lung Cancer - Essay Example Dr. Oscar Auerbach and his colleagues conducted research (stretched over eight years) to investigate the link between lung cancer and smoking. 1500 male and female patients of lung cancer were studied and 100,000 slides of lung tissues were taken from their bodies. The degree of cancer cells was more in patients who were smokers as compared to those who were not. The research’s findings were that the degree of cell damage was directly related to the number of cigarettes smoked per day. Dr. Auerbach’s researched data contributed to the Surgeon General’s report which was published in 1964 (Adams). After that time period, it was very common to associate lung cancer with smoking. Causes Studies targeted at deriving a relationship between cigarettes and lung cancer started in 1948 at Washington University’s School of Medicine and a student named Ernst Wynder tried connecting the dots. He did research in 1950 that involved 649 lung cancer patients and 600 contro ls. Wynder discovered that the rate of lung cancer was 40 times higher in smokers than in nonsmokers. Richard Doll was a British scientist who discovered (in the same year) evidence supporting the causal relationship between smoking and lung cancer. Doll researched on physicians, both who smoked and did not smoke and waited for years to see if any of them developed lung cancer. Undoubtedly the ones who did develop lung cancer were smokers (Johnson). There were a total of 158,900 deaths in the USA in 1999 because of lung cancer and this figure included men and women both. The death toll for lung cancer patients in 1999 world over was 1 billion. But lung cancer was not this common in the 1800s and it was rare. In 1929, a German physician named Fritz Lickint pointed out in his report that lung cancer patients were majorly smokers and he was so disturbed by his findings that he started an anti-tobacco movement in Germany to discourage smoking (Witschi). Before 1996, studies on causes of lung cancer-derived a relationship between lung cancer and smoking but the causes of lung cancer were not narrowed down to the cellular level. In 1996, Dr. Moonshong Tang and Dr. Gerd Pfeiffer explained how smoking affects cells and causes cancer. Both the doctors explained that cigarettes contain a chemical called benzopyrene and it damages p53, a protein found in lung cells. This protein is exactly the same as the protein found in lung cancer patients. The function of p53 is that it controls the abnormal growth of cells which can result in tumors. Benzopyrene damages p53 and the abnormal growth of cells cannot be controlled because of this (Adams). Specialists have worked on deriving a causal relationship between smoking and lung cancer. But epidemiological research has been done predominantly for deriving this relationship. Under epidemiological research, subjects are given the freedom of self-reporting their smoking habits and they do not have good memories as a result of which facts are under- or overstated. Smoking can cause other types of cancer as well: such as nasal cavity cancer, liver cancer, and stomach cancer. Lung cancer can be caused by all forms of smoking such as cigarettes, cigars, pipes or bidis (tobacco wrapped in a plant). When we say smoking causes cancer people generally assume that we are referring to active smoking. This is not plausible as lung cancer is also caused by passive smoking (Connie Henke Yarbro).

Friday, August 23, 2019

Pheochromocytoma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Pheochromocytoma - Essay Example They are usually derived from the adrenal medulla but may develop from chromaffin cells in or about sympathetic ganglia (pheochromocytomas or paragangliomas). The mechanism of catecholamine release is not well documented. It is suspected that the tumor may be caused by the changes in blood flow and necrosis within the tumor. The tumors do not contain nerves and therefore neural stimulation will not trigger catecholamine release. They also store and secrete a variety of peptides, such as endogenous opioids, neuropeptide Y, and chromagranin, which may contribute to the clinical manifestation in selected cases. The term pheochromocytoma was coined by a pathologist named Pick after the Greek work phaios, meaning dark or dusky, and chroma, meaning color - to describe the chromaffin reaction seen in adrenomedullary tumors. The term is mostly used to refer to tumors that arise from the adrenal medulla. Pheochromocytoma's most common manifestation is hypertension. Spectacular and alarming hypertensive paroxysms or crises may occur in over half the cases. Although they only occur in .1% of the hypertensive population, it is nevertheless a significant cause of high blood pressure and is correctible, if properly diagnosed and treated. If it is ignored, then it could be fatal and will put patients at risk for a lethal hypertensive paroxysm and long-term sequelae (a pathological condition resulting from a prior disease, injury or attack) of the disease. It is also an indication of the presence of a familiar disorder. An early detection may reduce the risk of metastasis. Description Pheochromocytoma is a rare disease in which tumors form in chromaffin cells of the body. Most pheochromocytomas, about 98% of the time, start inside the adrenal glands (adrenal medulla). It is a tumor which is made up of large, polyhedral, pleomorphic chromaffin cells, which is only malignant in less than 10% of the case, and which causes the adrenal glands to produce too much adrenaline. The histologic appearance will not show malignancy. A local invasion of the surrounding tissue or distant metastases will reveal malignancy. It usually affects only one of the adrenal glands, although it may also start in other parts of the body, such as the area around the heart or bladder. Pathology Statistically, pheochromocytoma occur in 1-2 out of 100,000 adults, around 80% of which are unilateral and solitary, only 10% are bilateral, and the remaining 10% are extraadrenal. Majority of these cases, about 80-90% are sporadic, and the remaining are connected to hereditary syndromes (.eg. multiple endocrine neoplasia). In pediatric patients, about are bilateral and another are extraadrenal. For yet unexplained reason, lesions are usually in the right side. Most pheochromocytomas are small, weighing less than 100 grams and are about 10 cm in diameter. They may however grow to over 3 kg in size. The tumors have vessels or ducts, or are highly vascular. Extraadrenal pheochromocytomas usually weigh 20-40 g and are less than 5 cm in diameter. Most are located within the abdomen in association with the celiac, superior mesenteric ganglia. Approximately 1% are in the thorax, 1 percent are within the urinary bladder, and less than 1% are in the neck, usually in association with the sympathetic ganglia or the extracranial branches of the ninth or tenth cranial nerves. Clinical Features Most of pheochromocytomas

Examine and analyse the concept of HRM and Innovation, using lessons Essay

Examine and analyse the concept of HRM and Innovation, using lessons from the worlds most innovative firms to support your study - Essay Example It is stated as a science as it requires appropriate and constant application of the theory in practices for greater efficiency (Jackson 1-20). The present era of competition and rapidly changing world, has made innovation a significant factor, which is critical for every business organization its success and sustainability. The organizations with more innovation capability are performing well in the present economy and innovation has become a benchmark on which the success of an organization is assessed. The relation between HRM and innovation has been studied from various possible approaches and it has been evaluated that the HRM has a significant relation with innovation both directly and indirectly. It is has been found that the impact of the HRM practices on employees have created immense opportunities for innovations. Toyota Motor Corporation is one such organization that takes into consideration the HRM practices and innovation for greater market share. Thus, to obtain a better understanding of the stated issue, this thesis aims to evaluate the concept of HRM and Innovation. HRM is a system, which generally comprises of specific practice that stimulates innovation. The empirical studies also have recognized that HRM influences and supports activities, which facilities innovation such as intellectual development, knowledge expansion and development of new products. It has been identified that the HRM plays a crucial role in motivating innovation in organization, as it increases individual creativity, enhances knowledge sharing between the employees and shapes their skills and behaviors for better performance and greater innovations for the success of the organization (Karlsson 1-64). The roles and objectives of HRM in an organization is indeed very vast and it comprises all the aspects of employees from the time they enter into an organization till the time

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Amusement Parks Essay Example for Free

Amusement Parks Essay At Six Flags on Friday July 19, 2013 a woman was riding the Texas Giant rollercoaster when she fell out of her restraints. Carmen Brown, a witness, says that the woman had asked the staff to check her restraints shortly before the ride was starting. The gentleman that she had asked asked the woman if she heard the restraints click, the woman responded saying it didn’t sound like everyone else’s. The gentleman then, nonchalantly, told her that as long as it clicked it was okay. Nothing else was ever done to ensure the woman’s restraints were secure. Some witnesses have reported that as the rollercoaster was making a turn the woman was thrown out. The name of the victim and any further information has not been released. It is suspected that the woman was with her son. When the train had returned from the ride, it was reported that two people were shouting, one was screaming â€Å"My mom† â€Å"My mom†. The rollercoaster staff parked the train far enough away from the platform so no one was allowed get off of the train. www.dallasnews.com Due to the traumatic experience and people fearing the safety of the rides at Six Flags, the company will probably lose a good portion of money because people will not want or continue going to their park. This accident has caused an unexpected economic change in not only Six Flags but in all other amusement parks as well. Society will now have this negative view on amusement parks which means, for a little while at least, they will not want to go to the parks. This will cause the parks income to decline which can be very bad for the company, especially for Six Flags, who declared bankruptcy in 2009. When society loses trust in something they will usually pull back their economic support, leaving companies with fewer customers. It is important that companies and organizations remember that they have to keep the customer happy and safe. If not they will no longer have any customers. The majority of the people that witnessed the tragic event of the woman falling to her death due to a mechanical issue will probably no longer return to the park and they will likely have a large influence on their friends and family to not trust the park as well.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Diversification In Agriculture Environmental Sciences Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Diversification In Agriculture Environmental Sciences Essay Agriculture is the pre-dominant economic line of work of the rural communities in India, and plays a vital role in the socio-economic development of these communities. India acquires its major share of production revenues from the rural / agricultural sector of the economy. The agriculture sector in India is enormously significant in spite of its declining share in GDP. Sectoral shifts occurred as a result of the industrialization which had raised the Services sector shares in GDP during the 1990s, where as Agriculture, which had a major share in GDP in the 1950s, contributed only 22.5 % by the end of March 2004 (Economic Survey, GOl, 2003-04). Thus came up a pressing need for a paradigm shift in the governments agricultural policy to address the problems faced in the agricultural sector in the new domestic and global economic environment and avenues to enhance the income of the farmers. The possible solution for meliorating the agro sector is Diversification. This study traces the d efinition of diversification, area expansion problems, immediate needs, and its future prospects. Diversification can also involve a shift of resources from one crop (or livestock) to a larger mix of crops and livestock, keeping in view the varying nature of risks and expected returns from each crop/livestock activity, and adjusting in such a way that it leads to optimum portfolio of income (Joshi, et al, 2003). It is a way of a gradual movement from subsistence staple food crops towards diversified market-oriented crops which have a larger potential for land returns. DOA being a strategy would open up opportunities, to a large extent, for value addition in agriculture and will also lead to better crop planning and improve the earning opportunities in the farm community. In India, Andhra Pradesh has been proactive in taking up agricultural diversification as a strategy to accelerate the growth of agriculture. Crop Diversification Crop diversification takes into account the economic returns from different value-added crops. It also implies the effective use of environmental as well as human resources to grow a mix of crops with complementary marketing opportunities, and it entails shifting of resources from low value crops to high value crops. Due to globalization, crop diversification in agriculture is also a means to increase the total crop productivity in terms of quality, monetary and quantity value under specific, diverse agro-climatic situations all over the world. There are two approaches to crop diversification in agriculture. Horizontal diversification the primary approach to crop diversification used in production agriculture. In this approach, diversification normally takes place through crop intensification which means adding new high-value crops to existing cropping systems as a way of improving the overall productivity of a particular farm or a regions farming economy as a whole. Vertical diversification approach in which value is added to the products by farmers through various methods such as processing, regional branding, packaging, merchandising, or other efforts to enhance the product. Opportunities for crop diversification normally vary depending upon the risk, opportunity and the feasibility of proposed changes within a socio-economic and agro-economic context. Crop diversification may occur as a result of government policies. The Technology Mission on Oilseeds, Spices Development Board, and Coconut Development Board etc is some examples where the Indian government created policies to thrust changes upon farmers and the food supply chain at large as a way of promoting crop diversity. Crop diversification is the outcome of several interactive effects of many factors: Environmental factors which includes irrigation, rainfall, and temperature and soil fertility. Price-related factors which includes output and input prices with respect to national and international trade policies and other economic policies that affect the prices either directly or indirectly. Technology-related factors which includes seeds, fertilizers and water technologies, but also those related to marketing, harvest, storage, agro-processing, distribution, logistics, etc. Household-related factors which includes regional food traditions, fodder and fuel as well as the labor and investment capacity of farm people and their communities. Institutional and Infrastructure-related factors which includes farm size, location and tenancy arrangements, research, in-field technical support, marketing systems and government regulating policies, etc. All these five factors are interrelated. Area expansion problems under rice and wheat crops Scaling up production area poses several new problems of significance such as: 1. Excessive use of groundwater leading to poor water use efficiency and depletion of groundwater. 2. Deterioration of soil health or soil fertility. 3. Multiple infestations of weed flora, insect pests and diseases. 4. Indiscriminate use of energy such as chemical, electricity or disease, etc. 5. Reduction in the availability of other protective food and high value crops. 6. Pollution of agro-ecosystems. Despite the expansion problems, crop diversification has the potential to be an economic driver in agricultural regions. It may prove to become the paramount importance in meeting challenges that arise from a post-green revolution scenario. In view of shrinkage of agricultural land and operational holdings due to expansion of urban centers, changes in consumer food habits, exponential population growth rate, farmers are pressured to include or substitute additional crops in to the cropping system. Key Drivers Of Diversification The key drivers of diversification that are identified are : (1) Food Security; (2) Employment generation through creation of off-farm and non-farm investment opportunities within the capabilities of the resource-poor farmers; (3) Changes in crop patterns and farming systems; (4) More effective use of land and water resources; (5) Market access initiatives replacing risk aversion with risk acceptance; (6) Changing consumer demands irrespective of the nature of habitation and standards of living due to spread-effect of health consciousness caused by the visual media and non-discriminatory demand for quality goods, and (7) The role of urbanization in fast developing countries like India. Crop diversification can better tolerate the ups and downs in the market value of farm products and may ensure economic stability for farming families of the country. The adverse effects of aberrant weather, such as erratic and scanty rainfall and drought are very common in a vast area in agricultural production of the country. Incidence of flood in one part of the country and drought in the other part is a very frequent phenomenon in India. Under these aberrant weather situations, dependence on one or two major cereals (rice, wheat, etc.) is always risky. Hence, crop diversification through substitution of one crop or mixed cropping/inter-cropping may be a useful tool to mitigate problems associated with aberrant weather to some extent, especially in the arid and semi-arid drought-prone/dry land areas. Immediate Need In India, crop diversification in agriculture takes place vertically or horizontally, depending upon the market forces and also occasionally due to the domestic needs. With regards to use of land and water use and quality, there is an immediate need to consider the following factors (Aradhana , 2009): Farm produce processing into value added products will offer employment scope in non-farm works as in distillation of active ingredients from medicinal and aromatic plants (herbal products), scope of industrialization in agriculture for sugar, paper board manufacturing, etc. There is a need to find place-based approaches for diversifying the farming situations under various socio-economic conditions, infrastructure of market, domestic needs, supply of inputs, etc. The research and development on crop diversification is best done in a farmer-participatory mode where a multi-disciplinary team consisting of scientists will involve farmers from the project planning phase till arriving at conclusions and solutions. The concept of sustainable productivity for each land and water units through crop diversification needs to be fostered. There is critical need for promoting co-operatives in rural areas to solve micro-level and demographic problems. Strengthening food processing and other value-added industries in rural areas is a means to provide employment to rural youth. Alternate cropping systems and farm enterprise diversification are most important for environment protection. There are abundant opportunities in adopting the subsidiary occupations to the rice-wheat cropping systems present in India. They are vegetable farming, fruit cultivation, floriculture, medicinal and aromatic plants cultivation, mushroom farming, dairying, piggery, goatery, poultry and duckery, fishery or aquaculture, bee-keeping, to provide ample scope for diversification of rice-wheat cropping system in north-western and south India and north-eastern states. Farm enterprise diversification will generate more income opportunities and rural employment round the year. Conclusion Diversification in agriculture will have a tremendous impact on the agro-socio-economic areas and also in the uplifting of resource-inadequate farming communities. It will be able to generate income and employment opportunities for rural youth around the year for the utmost benefits of the Indian farmers. It shows the use of local resources in a bigger mix of diversified cropping systems and livestock, aquaculture and other non-farm sectors in the rural areas. As in the WTO era along with the globalization of markets, diversification in agriculture is an ace means to step up the total production and productivity with respect to quality, quantity and monetary benefits under diverse agro-climatic state of affairs in the country. There are still numerous opportunities for crop diversification present in both- irrigated and non-irrigated vast areas in the rural India.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Is International Adoption Justified In The Usa Social Work Essay

Is International Adoption Justified In The Usa Social Work Essay The reason I chose this subject was mainly because International adoption has played a major role in the news during the last few years. On the one hand, there are thousands of orphan children worldwide, mainly in poor countries. On the other hand, there is an increasing demand for adoption in the U.S. and many people turn to international adoption because the supply of national children for adoption is lower than demand. In order to draw a conclusion I have made an extensively research. In particular, I made a thorough analysis for the current situation in the country, the types of adoption that exist and also some celebrities views and acts, since it is believed that celebrities have contributed to the popularity of international adoptions. Moreover, I have described the adoption system in the U.S.A., the main reasons people tend to adopt and why they turn to international adoption. Furthermore, I examined the consequences (positive and negative) of international adoption for the child, for the adoptive parents, for the birth parents and for the society in general. In the end I concluded that international adoption should be justified under certain circumstances. More specifically, I believe that it is better for a child to be adopted from a family in its own country. If this is not possible, someone should turn to international adoption, instead of leaving the child in an inadequate orphanage, where social care is non-existent. Of course, he/she should not overlook the negative impacts of international adoption and the implications it may have on the child, the original parents and the country of birth. Adoption is the act of establishing a person as parent to one who is not in fact or in law his child  [1]  . Adoption is so widely recognized that it can be characterized as an almost worldwide institution with historical roots traceable to antiquity.  [2]  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nowadays, adoption can be either open or closed. Open adoption is a process in which the birthparents and the adoptive parents meet and exchange identifying information. The birthparents relinquish legal and basic childrearing rights to the adoptive parents. Both sets of parents retain the right to continuing contact and access to knowledge on behalf of the child  [3]  . On the contrary, closed adoption, the traditional closed system in adoption, seals all identifying information and bans any contact between children and their biological families.  [4]  However, during the last decades more and more countries have acknowledged the legal right of the adoptee to search for his/her original roots. There are also two types of adoption: national and international or intercountry adoption. National adoption is a type of adoption in which an individual or couple adopts a child born in the same country. On the contrary, international adoption, is a type of adoption in which an individual or couple adopts a child from a different country through permanent legal means, and brings that child to the home country permanently. Through international adoption, the  legal transfer of parental rights from birth parent(s) to another parent(s) takes place. United States citizens started adopting war orphan children from other countries mainly after World War II. Recently, the number of families that adopt children from countries other than their own has increased considerably  [5]  . In U.S., in particular, families have adopted on average approximately 20,000 children from foreign nations each year  [6]  . And, not long ago, factors such as poverty and social changes resulted in the adoption of children from Latin America, the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and China.  [7]   Nowadays, international adoption has become a common practice and in some countries accounts for the majority of cases. International adoption can be conducted through both public and private agencies in each country. However, each country has passed different laws as regards international adoptions. In order to  ensure that intercountry adoptions are in the best interests of children, The Hague Conference on Private International Law developed the Convention of May 1993 on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. This is known as the Hague Adoption Convention and it is an international treaty among over 75 nations around the world, including the United States  [8]  . Its aim is  to prevent the abduction, sale of, or traffic in children; it enables  intercountry adoption under certain circumstances and, recognises intercountry adoption as a means of offering the advantage of a permanent home to a child when a suitable family has not been found in the childs country of origin  [9]  . The aim of this study is to show whether international adoption in the United States is justified, examining the consequences on three levels: for the child, for the family, and for society in general. MAIN REASONS FOR INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION International adoption is gaining ground in our day and time. Couples and individuals tend to look for children to adopt from developing countries, such as China, Thailand, India and may more. There are a plurality of reasons that urge American people to resort to this course of action and are related to the changes effected to the social structure of society at large, the status of women, the financial situation and the changes effected in the mentality of the population. The social structure of the society and especially demographics in the United States has changed significantly. According to recent statistics  [10]  , the percentage of households headed by single parents is at about 9%, up from 5% in 1970. Out of 12.9 million one-parent families in 2006, 10.4 million were single-mother families and 2.5 million were single-father families. Some other highlights are as follows: Average household size in 2006 was 2.57 people, down from 3.14 in 1970. Slightly more than one in four households (26%) consisted of a person living alone in 2006, up from 17% in 1970. In 2006, 33% of males and 26% of females 15 and older had never married, compared to a respective 28% and 22% in 1970. In addition, contemporary society in the US faces fertility problems. According to recent data  [11]  , the level of childlessness among women 40 to 44 years old in June 2006 (20%) is twice as high as 30 years ago (10%). Moreover, 45% of the women in the principal childbearing ages of 15 to 44 years were childless. Financial pressures and the changes in the traditional stereotypical perceptions about the role of women in the society, force American people to consider marriage at a later age in their lives (40-44), after having established their careers and secured a steady income. In particular, women at this age or older do not want to risk a pregnancy, which may put the mothers life at risk or bear children with physical and/or mental diseases. This was not the case in previous decades, in which American people were very conservative with regards to accepting young, unmarried mothers in the society. The norm called for a well-built family around the patriarchal symbol, with the woman playing the role of the child-raising parent. Back then, unmarried women who got pregnant had no option other than having an illegal abortion to avoid the consequences of ostracism from the rest of the societal members. For those women who wanted to keep the child they were bearing, adoption away from home was the only choice once the child was born. Changes in social norms nowadays have made it possible for unmarried women in the United States and abroad to give birth to their children without the fear of facing all sorts of different sanctions, be it moral or psychological. This significant turn on behalf of the American society to higher tolerance levels has made possible the acceptance of unmarried mothers. Even more so, in the case of young girls giving birth, their parents are willing to adopt the new-born and thus support both psychologically and practically their young daughter. Tolerance to abortion has also been heightened and although illegal in many states, abortion is a safe resort -with the advancements in medicine- for many women who want to terminate their pregnancy at an early stage. This limits the number of children available for adoption nationally in the U.S. Added to the above is the fact that women who have a career feel that the nine months of pregnancy could interfere with their job, therefore, adoption would be a better option for them. They may not even want to take that much time out of work to have a baby. This trend is further supported by the fact that in the last decades women have become more financially independent and educated; hence, they are more capable of making ends meet and stand on their feet to run their own households, without having to get married. Still, they want to have the privilege of raising a child and reap the benefits of parenthood. Because a married couple has much higher chances of being allowed to adopt a child, unmarried women resort to international adoption, to overcome their handicap against married couples. In other cases, people who know that they carry a serious genetic disease may not want to give birth to a child, to avoid the risk of passing the disease to their offspring. Still, some families choose to adopt believing that they will be saving a child, offering a loving and supportive family. This is mainly the reason why some people prefer international adoption to national adoption, believing they offer service to the developing world. They usually choose children from developing countries, where the standard of living is very low and they mainly prefer children with no families or relatives, who live in orphanage. International adoption has received widespread media coverage lately, due to the recent adoption of foreign children by several high-profile celebrities. Nowadays, there are many cases of famous people who choose to adopt. Generally, famous people have the same reasons for adopting children that people who are not famous have. Adopting children may be one way for them to feel like they are helping the world out  [12]  . Moreover, famous people often have both financial resources and influence, so, in contrast to an ordinary family, adoption process is much easier for them  [13]  . There are many examples of celebrities who have adopted several children from abroad  [14]  , such as Sharon Stone, Meg Ryan (from China), Mia Farrow (from Vietnam and Korea), Madonna/Guy Ritchie (from Malawi) and Angelina Jolie/Brad Pitt (from Cambodia, Ethiopia and Vietnam). However, in contrast to what has been discussed above, there are some negative aspects of adoption, mainly international adoption. A negative reason for adoption is when people choose to adopt in order to deduct an amount from their tax liability. In the US both those who adopt internationally and domestically can take advantage of the Adoption Tax Credit  [15]  . The Adoption Tax Credit is a valuable benefit for adopting families since they may take a tax credit for qualifying expenses paid to adopt an eligible child (including a child with special needs). Such expenses include reasonable and necessary adoption fees, court costs, attorney fees, travelling expenses (including amounts spent for meals and lodging while away from home), and other expenses directly related to and for which the principal purpose is the legal adoption of an eligible child  [16]  . Another negative issue is when adoption becomes so crucial to a celebrity only to get fame, power and admiration. In such cases, international adoption becomes a trend that may result in a negative impact that could last a childs lifetime. Also, a negative aspect of international adoption relates to a tendency of the rich and famous to bypass the law. Celebrities sometimes are bending the rules and pushing the boundaries to bring babies to their own countries. They do not always respect the laws of the third countries and do not follow the procedures as ordinary people usually do. Two cases of famous people that have been discussed a lot are the cases of Madonna and Angelina Jolie. Angelina Jolie acts as a very good example. She has adopted following the proper procedures, she has shown great sensitivity and interest in such issues and has been Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency. On the other hand, Madonna has not followed all the proper procedures according to the Malawian Law, and there have been legal disputes over whether her adoption was totally legal or not  [17]  . Her practice was condemned by many humanitarian organisations and agencies that deal with international adoptions (ISS Headquarters in Geneva expressed their disapproval for the way the procedure was carried out). In short, the discussion in this part of the essay has focused on the rationale behind international adoption. Evidently, there is a trend towards international adoption, which is attributed to the increasing demand for adoption in the U.S. It appears that many people turn to international adoption because the supply of national children for adoption is lower than demand  [18]  . Also, the rising number of single mothers in America as well as in the rest of the western world has turned international adoption into an attractive alternative to national adoption, with its legal complexities and the preference for married couples. INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION IN THE U.S. IS IT JUSTIFIED? Adoption, either national or international, came into effect so that children can live in a loving and healthy environment. In addition, through adoption, individuals as well as childless couples who wish to raise a child can enjoy parenthood. Adoption involves three parties, the child (adoptee), the family (adoptive parents) and the home country of the child (birth parents). It is evident that adoption alters traditional family structure and functioning. In other words, positive and negative aspects of international adoption emerge for each one of these parties. Positive aspects For the adoptee As I stated previously, United States citizens started adopting orphan children from other countries in substantial numbers after World War II. Moreover, over the last twenty years, many children have been adopted from poor countries all over the world. So there are numerous positive aspects for the orphan and poor children worldwide. Research shows that children do best when raised in a supportive, caring family  [19]  . The most important is that international adoption provides a permanent family for the orphan children worldwide. Also, nowadays, many high society individuals are adopting children from underdeveloped nations. This, besides a good home to live, provides the children with a secure future. Living with a rich family, children can have not only a decent living, but also good educational opportunities that they would never have had in their birth country. In addition, most children who need new homes are older than five, sick, disabled, or somehow traumatised. So they have more opportunities for a better life if adopted by a prosperous and caring family. Statistical data derived from parents, teachers and children themselves show that the vast majority of the adopted children demonstrate satisfactory adjustment  [20]  . More specifically, adopted children felt strongly attached to their adoptive families. This can be explained, in part, by the fact that the American society is highly multi-cultural, reducing thus the time for adjustment of a new member originating from a foreign country. Evidently, adjustment is even easier for an adopted international child at the age of five, which is quite malleable and open to stimuli from a different culture. For the adoptive parents Most adults, when they get married plan to have children. Few of these individuals expect ahead of time that there will be difficulties in conceiving a child. Yet, approximately, one in six couples in the U.S. will experience a fertility problem  [21]  . When this happens, most couples seek a medical solution. Nearly 50% of them will be eventually able to have a child biologically  [22]  . The remaining couples must decide whether to remain childless or to seek parenthood through adoption. There are thousands of children without a family all over the world and people who wish to adopt have a better chance of obtaining a child internationally. Thus they are able to give a permanent home and a nurturing environment for an orphan child. This is definitely a positive scenario and, according to statistical data derived from interviews, adoptive parents expressed considerable satisfaction in their roles  [23]  . For the birth parents The biological parents are forced to give away their children, usually because they are very poor, and they cannot provide a stable home and the necessary basics for living. Giving their child for adoption makes them happy that their child gets a family, and a secure future in a loving and healthy environment. Even though the process of separation from their children is painful, they realise that this is a far better solution than not being able to provide their children with a safe, healthy and promising future. On occasions when the mother is very young and has little or no experience to raise a child, adoption is also a better option than entrusting the fate of a newborn to an inexperienced mother, who may be living in the slums of an impoverished nation. For the society of the birth parents International adoption brings significant financial resources into poor countries, putting them in a better economic condition. Still, societies are deprived of their younger members in cases where the adoptee goes to another country. Celebrities like Madonna and Angelina Jolie have provided significant financial resources to poor countries. In addition, celebrity adoptions, through the publicity that they have, play a major role in increasing peoples awareness as regards poverty all over the world. Negative aspects For the adoptee International adoption often, but not always, involves trans-racial placement. Opponents of trans-racial adoption suggest that placement of children outside their own racial group will undermine the development of positive racial identity, ultimately leading to cultural genocide  [24]  . The childs removal from its birth country would mean the loss of the childs original language and culture. According to research, adopted children may experience the loss of birth parents and extended birth family; loss of status; loss of ethnic, racial, and genealogical connections, loss of feelings of stability in the adoptive family, and loss of identity  [25]  . For some children, adoption is associated with feelings of confusion, sadness, anger, embarrassment, and shame. When children begin to understand the meaning and implications of adoption, around five to seven years of age, emergence of sensitivity to adoption related stigma and loss occurs. Some children appraise being adopted in negative ways and have great adjustment problems. In reality, the younger the children the more sensitive they are to adoption issues. For the adoptive parents Among the many tasks experienced by parents are those associated with coping with infertility and the transition to adoptive parenthood, discussing adoption with their child, creating a family environment that supports the childs exploration of adoption issues, helping their child cope with loss, supporting a positive self-image and identity in their child in relation to adoption and, in some cases, as the adoptee moves into adolescence and adulthood, supporting their childs plans to search for birth family. Although not necessarily a negative implication of adoption, it is a great challenge for the adoptive parents, especially when they have adopted a child from abroad. For this child, the pursuit of answers to questions about his/her origins, cultural differences, ethnic background and the like is a long journey that many a times has an unclear destination. The decision to adopt a child is not an easy choice. Profound stress, typically associated with infertility, often results in both short-term and long-term psychological problems, including heightened feelings of anxiety, guilt, shame, anger, and depression; diminished self-esteem and marital difficulties  [26]  . For the birth parents The child is genetically connected with the birthparents and this connection is lost with adoption. As a result, birthparents suffer from a loss of their role as parents, which makes them feel irresponsible and incapable of bringing up their child. Sometimes birthparents are under great pressure and are enforced to give their child to adoption against their will. Sometimes they worry about the future of their child, and they wonder if they will ever see it again. They may feel anger with themselves, with the society, even with the adoptive parents. And the most important issue is that they will have to deal with this for the rest of their lives. From what has been covered in the preceding paragraphs it is concluded that adoption can change significantly the life of all parties involved. Adoption is therefore justified and should be made with the best interests of the child. Likewise, international adoption should be an option only when and if there is no viable alternative in the childs country of origin  [27]  . It should be also mentioned that Unicef believes that international adoption should be considered as a last resort, for children who cannot find a permanent home in their country  [28]  . CONCLUSION Through my study I can understand that international adoption constitutes a great part of the total adoption and has caused public reaction, both positive and negative. I agree with adoption critics, which focus on the issue of exploitation since adoption often involves the transfer of children from less to more privileged people, or from black to white families  [29]  . However, I would like to make it clear that international adoption does not always cause injustice. It should be taken under consideration that there are many orphan children in poor countries or families that are not in a good situation to raise a child. In the case of international adoption, I believe that all alternative solutions for orphan children in poor countries should be considered. These children have no home and family and they are suffering neglected in various institutions. Keeping orphan children in inadequate institutions rather than giving them good permanent homes, does not mean that they will be happier. If a family in their country could offer them home, love and affection, I am convinced this solution would be preferred. If not, international adoption clearly represents an extraordinarily positive option for them. Otherwise, homeless children around the world will probably live or die in inadequate institutions or on the streets. In my opinion the U.S. is a suitable new home for internationally adopted children since a large part of the population who want to adopt a child are well-off and can offer a good and caring family. Since the number of national children for adoption is less than the demand for adoptions, international adoption is the next best alternative  [30]  . To this end, international adoption in the U.S. is justified. Yet, we should not overlook the negative impact of international adoption discussed in the previous section and the implications it may have on the child, the original parents and the country of birth. Ideally, it would be better to provide a home in the country of birth but this is not always possible if the child was born in a very poor country, where social care and infrastructure to support local adoption are non-existent. Banning international adoption will not solve the problems of homelessness in poor countries. Being anti-foreign without a reason is not reasonable. As far as international adoption works well under the existing adoption laws and serves childrens interests, it should be justified and facilitated. The destructive earthquake in Haiti left almost 300,000 people dead and thousands of children without a family. I am of the opinion that for many of these children, international adoption could be a justifiable solution and a unique opportunity for the U.S. to prove that its citizens can make good use of it for the sake of the children and their future.

Monday, August 19, 2019

A Feminist Perspective of Othello Essay -- Feminism Feminist Women Cr

A Feminist Perspective of   Othello      Ã‚   Throughout the length of Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello there is a steady undercurrent of sexism. It is originating from not one, but rather various male characters in the play, who manifest prejudicial, discriminatory attitudes toward women.    In the opening scene, while Iago is expressing his hatred for the general Othello for his having chosen Michael Cassio for the lieutenancy, he contrives a plan to partially avenge himself (â€Å"I follow him to serve my turn upon him†), with Roderigo’s assistance, by alerting Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, to the fact of his daughter’s elopement with Othello: â€Å"Call up her father, / Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight [. . .] .† Implied in this move is the fact of a father’s assumed control over the daughter’s choice of a marriage partner. Iago’s warning to the senator follows closely: â€Å"'Zounds, sir, you're robb'd; for shame, put on your gown; / Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul.† This statement also implies that the father has authority over the daughter. Brabantio’s admonition to Roderigo implicitly expresses the same message:    The worser welcome:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In honest plainness thou hast heard me say   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   My daughter is not for thee [. . .] . (1.1)    Iago’s continuing earthy appraisals of the situation all seem to bestow upon the father the power to make decisions for the daughter. Roderigo even calls Desdemona’s action a â€Å"revolt† against paternal authority: â€Å"Your daughter, if you have not given her leave, /   I say again, hath made a gross revolt [. . .] .† Upon verifying the absence of his daughter from the home, Brabantio exhorts all fathe... ...view, LXIV, 1 (Winter 1956), 1-4, 8-10; and Arizona Quarterly (Spring 1956), pp.5-16.    Mack, Maynard. Everybody’s Shakespeare: Reflections Chiefly on the Tragedies. Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press, 1993.    Muir, Kenneth. Introduction. William Shakespeare: Othello. New York: Penguin Books, 1968.    Neely, Carol. "Women and Men in Othello" Critical Essays on Shakespeare's Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. (page 68-90)       Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.    Wayne, Valerie. â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello.† The Matter of Difference: Materialist Feminist Criticism of Shakespeare. Ed Valerie Wayne. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1991.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

He Knows He Was There :: essays papers

He Knows He Was There Human beings have a tendency to need some sort of tangible or perceivable proof in order to fully understand a concept. Most people will not take what is being told to them as true unless they are shown somehow that it is true. In a work of fiction, the author strives to create a tangible setting for the reader to captivate him in his reading experience. The author uses believable scenes to reveal character traits and various themes by showing how the characters act and react in different situations. This is apparent in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s greatest work, The Great Gatsby. This novel is set during the 1920’s in the New York City area. It revolves around the events and lives of a group of individual. These few people are of higher social rank. Fitzgerald takes the reader into this high society through the eyes of Nick, the narrator. His use of a first hand narrator aids him greatly in revealing the wasteful and greedy moral values of the characters and the soci ety in which they live in his novel, The Great Gatsby. During the 1920’s, wasteful use of money by the elite was rampant. In The Great Gatsby, there is a scene that depicts a sort of social gathering in a New York apartment. Tom and Nick, wealthy residents of the ‘Eggs’, are present. Myrtle and her sister Catherine are also present. Tom is currently having an affair with Myrtle, so she has a connection with the rich culture. Her sister Catherine, on the other hand, does not have any connection with such people. Nick, the narrator of the novel, provides us with a first hand account of the scene: â€Å"The bottle of whisky - a second one - was now in constant demand by all present, excepting Catherine who ‘felt just as good on nothing at all’† (39). This scene, depicted by a narrator who was present, reveals many details about the characters that otherwise could have not been displayed. It shows a group of people being dependent on a substance to have fun. The people participating are mainly the ri ch or individuals with some connection to the rich. To many, alcohol is a symbol of escape. Somebody abuses alcohol in order to run away from reality and to seclude himself from society. It seems silly that such an apparently well off group of individuals would want to escape reality.

Cloning and Genetical Enginering - If it Aint Broke, Why Fix it? :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

Cloning and Genetical Enginering - If it Ain't Broke, Why Fix it? Taking a Pro or Con stand on cloning is difficult, because we know very little about genes, and there are different genetic sciences involved. We must, as Socrates so sagaciously points out, define the subject. Only then can we debate it. There is obviously the full-bore version of cloning, being the complete duplication of an existing life-form, be it plant, animal, or human. (I separate animal and human purely for logistics.) We copy Sheep A's genes, strand by strand, and produce an exact duplicate. Meet Sheep B, C and D. Then, there is gene therapy, which is not cloning proper, but genetics nevertheless, and therefore, worth mentioning. Gene therapy is the process of splicing out malevolent genes, like cerebral palsy, schizophrenia, and physical deformations. There is also the dangerous gene mutation: Rearranging D.N.A. in the hopes of discovering how genes work, and hopefully, producing new wonders of plant, animal, and human life. Essentially playing cards with God, vainly hoping He'll fold. All these possibilities are difficult to discuss, for they are fledgling sciences. We know very little of genes or D.N.A., which was only discovered in1951 by Francis Crick, James Watson, and Maurice Wilkins using X-ray diffraction. Realizing my relative lack of knowledge concerning this subject, and realizing there are probably numerous, and very wise, arguments refuting mine, I shall, nevertheless, make my stand: The pseudo-science of gene mutation is, at best, a risky experiment. To casually rearrange a thousand genes, as if building a new house of Legos, is exceedingly dangerous. We have only cataloged a few genes. We do not know if the order is important. And just as the child attempts a castle with his Legos, and ends up with a blue house with two chimneys, we end up with an abomination. Let us stick to Tinker-toys, shall we? Besides, mutations, by definition, are mistakes in the architectural blue-prints of life. Although evolution is made possible by mutations, these mutations are slight and minor ones. One gene is dropped, tweaked, or duplicated. But the thousand remaining genes are untouched, in the same intangible, enigmatic, but important, order. This, combined with natural selection, relieves the gene pool of any dangerous or extraordinary change, and only allows the subtle, positive changes to take hold.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Evaluate Research on Conformity Making Reference to 2 Studies Essay

Conformity is the tendency to adjust one’s thoughts, feelings or behaviour in ways that are in agreement with those of a particular individual or group, or with accepted standards about how a person should behave in specific situations (social norms). It is also the key ways that a society or culture passes down its values or behaviours to its peers through an indirect form of social influence. Deusch and Gerald (1995) first presented that the reasons of people conforming is due to two factors that are information social influence and normative social influences. Information social influence is based on the ways people cognitively process information about specific situations. Normative social influence is based on our nature as social animals, and our need to be accepted and to ‘belong’ in society. Individuals often conform to avoid rejection and gain social approval within society. Festinger (1954) also agreed that people evaluate their own opinions and judgement through social comparisons, which is when the individual compares themselves to the peers around them When one realizes that others are not behaving in the same way, or think differently, it leads to anxiety, which is known as cognitive dissonance. In order to test for conformity, Asch carried a test where the subject was given a simple task of matching a length of line to one of three other comparison lines. The control subjects (who were able to take the test alone without any confederates) that served as the comparison to the variable (the individual who was tested for conformity) made almost no errors. In the experimental condition, one individual was tested but were surrounded by seven other confederates of the experimenter, who were told to give wrong estimates almost 70% of the trials. The subject was also second to last giving their answers, so that they were faced either giving their own opinion or conforming to the group. The average rate of conformity was 32%. 74% conformed at least once and 26% never conformed. In order to identity factors influencing conformity, Asch conducted variations to his experiment. Asch found out that with only one confederate, only 3% of the participant conformed, and with two confederates the rate rose to 14% and with three confederates, it rose to 32%. Larger groups did not increase the rate of conformity. Unanimity was an another factor, where conformity was more prominent when all the confederates agreed. If one of the confederates disagreed, the participant was less likely to conform. The difficulty of the task also increased conformity. Also when the participant was given the choice to write down their response, conformity decreased. Confidence and self-esteem was another significant role in influencing the participants, as people with high confidence strongly believed in their opinion, and were less likely to conform. However, even the participants that did not conform still felt strong social pressure. Although these results were quite reliable to a certain extent, there were multiple criticism towards the experiment. The experiment was considered ‘artificial’ with low ecological validity. There were also ‘demanding characteristics,’ where the participant may have changed their behaviour in order to please researchers. Also there was a lack in cultural diversity as the experiment may only represent the US in 1940-1950s. Because the individuals were placed in deception and anxiety, it also resulted in ethic concerns. Also, there were ethic concerns as the individuals were placed in deception and anxiety. Berry (1967) suggested that conformity is required by their respective survival level economics. Low food receiving societies tend to produce self-reliant independent individuals, while high food producing societies are group reliant and dependent. He also proved his theory by using a variation of Asch’s experiment through using samples of the Temne Sierra Leone and the Inuit people of Canada. Hunting and fishing in Eskimos show great tolerance in disciplining children, therefore resulting in independent and risk taking individuals. Rich farming Temne people apply strict disciplinary measures, resulting in more dependent and group reliant individuals. Therefore the experiment resulted that the Temne people of Sierra Leone conformed significantly more than the Inuit people of Canada, probably because of the economic differences. The Temne people usually had to survive on a single crop that is harvested by all the people in the society, therefore requiring each other’s trust and coordination of effort. . The culture also mainly focuses on agreement and harmony. Consensus is less present in Inuit culture as their economy is based on continual hunting and gathering on a relatively individual basis. However sometimes, there have been several examples of minority commitment to a view not held by the majority throughout the 20th century. This includes women’s right’s to vote in civil rights movement, environmental movement etc. Also research proved that minority opinions are significant in a group’s decision-making process. Groupthink happens when someone in a group suggest an idea, and everyone accepts the idea without considering other possible opinions It represents the group members having concordant opinions in an issue, resulting in not seeking alternative or disagreeing opinions, often because optimism prevents their decisions from becoming successful.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Research, Analysis and Preservation of Archaeological Sites and Remains Essay

If humans were to suddenly disappear from the earth, roots and weeds would heave up sidewalks and roads. Poison ivy would crawl up walls, and structures of buildings would collapse and deteriorate. Earthquakes, tsunamis, fires or other natural disasters wipe away towns and cities. Insects, vermin, and rats invade and break materials down until the jungle ultimately swallows towns and cities completely. Within a few thousand years civilization would vanish without a trace. However, when civilization vanishes from a group of boys the process of the boys returning back to our animal instincts takes some only a couple of days. In William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies, Ralph would be most fitted as leader of these savages because he remains fixed on the main goal, he is assertive, and the boys chose him. A critical part of being a leader in strategy and execution because a leader has to set a goal and then follow through in completing their goal. When the boys crash they are faced with an immediate concern of being rescued, and Ralph faces this problem head on and announces, â€Å"If a ship comes near the island they may not notice us. So we must make smoke on top of the mountain† (Golding 30). Although it may seem simple enough the boy lose sight of their desire to be rescued and accept their savage lives on the island. Ralph persistently stresses the importance of the fire until he sounds like a broken record and even still, the boys cannot match his same urgency. In a conversation with Piggy he portrays his frustration, â€Å"If someone threw you a rope when you were drowning. If a doctor said take this because if you don’t take it you’ll die – you would, wouldn’t you?† (Golding 139). Ralph compares drowning and dying to their life on the island and symbolizes the rope and the pill as the equivalent of the fire. In his comparison it seems undeniable that the fire is the only way to be rescued. This was the main goal ever since the beginning and Ralph further displays his ability to lead above all others because, throughout all the chaos and disturbances, he is the only one who remains fixed on the central mission of returning home. Jack could claim he is a more worthy leader since he provides meat and feasts from his skillful hunting. However, not long after the boys arrive on the island, a ship passes and Jack leaves to hunt, abandoning his duty of keeping the fire burning causing it to go out. Piggy and Ralph scold Jack on his lack of accountability exclaiming, â€Å"You and your blood, Jack Merridew! You and your hunting! We might have gone home† (Golding 70). Jack continues on to generate excuses and eventually apologize, all the same, this mistake is inexcusable. The boys could have been rescued right the n and there and avoided the deaths and trauma later to come. Jack’s lack of responsibility and desire to go home is detrimental to his argument as chief. Ralph, on the other hand, understands the fire is the most important thing and follows through on ensuring it is done. Ralph is assertive, which is key in leadership because a chief must be strong to set limits and stand firm in holding them. At the time when the fire goes out, Ralph demands the boys to build a new fire and then stands assertively atop the mountain so, â€Å"No one, not even Jack, would ask him to move and in the end they had to build the fire three yards away and in a place not really as convenient† (Golding 73). Ralph’s decision to stand on the mound of ashes and refuse to move is symbolic because he made it clear to everyone he was in authority, including Jack who became powerless to him. Ralph is the symbol of strength and dominance and is the right leader for the boys on the island. Piggy, could present a valid argument that he has a higher intellect, therefore would make a better leader. As Ralph contemplates multiple pressing issues pertaining to being chief of the island, he is forced to stretch his mind beyond any way he has had to think before, he had to adjus t his values, â€Å"Piggy could think. He could go step by step inside that fat head of his, only Piggy was no chief† (Golding 103). No matter how intelligent Piggy is, he will always be an outsider because of his fat, his asthma, and his cowardice personality. Piggy, despite his brains, does not have the assertiveness, charisma, or respect of others like Ralph, to be chief. Ralph should be the leader on the island because the boys chose him, which gives him authority because a leader is made up of followers and they chose to follow him. The boys vote on a chief and when Ralph’s name is brought up, â€Å"Every hand outside of the choir except Piggy’s was raised immediately. Then Piggy, too, raised his hand grudgingly into the air,† then the votes were counted and he was declared chief and, â€Å"The circle of boys broke into applause† (Golding 22-23). The boys voting for him as chief is a critical part of him being a leader because the boys chose him. He gained their votes and, as a result, they are more likely to take him seriously as a leader, respect him, and listen to his orders. Jack may argue that Ralph does not have the same qualifications and experience as him to be chief because he has prior experience being the leader of the choir. However, Jack’s self-importance and leadership quality is more of a negative at tribute than a positive one, â€Å"I ought to be chief,† said Jack with simple arrogance, â€Å"because I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp† (Golding 22). As the leader of the choir, Jack is used to being obeyed in an oppressive, tyrannic way. Even the choir, voted for Jack out of dreary obedience. This made it all the more important that Ralph was chosen in a Democratic process, because it was revealed that Ralph’s stillness, was a more likable quality then Jack’s self-righteousness. A chief must be able to attain the starting mission, have strength and boldness, and be chosen by their followers. Ralph, through all the challenges facing him, maintains these qualities and is, therefore, the fitting leader of the boys. Without humans, it is a matter of time before the earth returns to its original form. Similarly without law and order, it is a matter of time before human’s turn back to their primitive instincts. Thus emphasizing how easily human nature is tempted and the way one must strive to continue doing right.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Common College Diseases Essay

College students are young, lively and generally healthy individuals, but just like any population, they are prone tocertain health problems. Not only do college students have some of the worst eating, exercising and sleeping habits,they also have to deal with stress from school, relationships and job hunting that takes a major toll on their health.Here are the 8 most common college diseases: 1. Depression : Depression is a growing issue that even college campuses are dealing with more and more. An alarming 44 percent of college students reported feeling symptoms of depression during college andmany do not seek treatment for their mental illness. Depression can be brought on by a number of factors,including anxiety from school or work, the loss of a loved one, a troubled relationship and early childhoodtrauma. College students have a high risk of being depressed because their hormones are often out of whack and imbalanced at this age, and they face a great deal of pressures and obstacles while in schooland away from their parents. 2. Meningococcal Meningitis: Meningococcal meningitis is a rare but often deadly bacterial infection that isspread through air droplets and direct contact with infected persons. When the disease attacks, it will shutdown major organs and prevent blood flow to the limbs, often causing tissue to die and extremities to beamputated. From a national perspective, meningococcal meningitis is a rare disease that strikes fewer than 3,000 people every year. However, it tends to thrive on college students living in the dorms becauseof the close-quartered arrangements and their often weak immune systems. 3. Alcohol and Drug Addiction: Alcohol and drug abuse has, and continues to be, a health problem amongcollege students. College students have higher rates of alcohol and drug addiction than the rest of thepublic, with nearly 2.7 million full-time college students abusing drugs and alcohol at least once a month. As students relish in their newfound freedom, they are more likely to try drugs and alcohol with friends for the first time. Although alcohol is still the preferred drug of choice by most college students, there has alsobeen an increase in marijuana and prescription drug abuse. 4. Sexually Transmitted Diseasesc: With the increased amount of sexual activity and unprotected sexhappening in todays colleges, its no wonder why sexually transmitted diseases are rampant amongcollege students. An estimated 20 to 25 percent of college students have been infected or are carriers of STDs. Sexually active young adults have high rates of STDs because they do not use adequate protectionand often do not seek medical attention. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes and HPV (Human Papillomavirus)are some of the most common STDs among college students. 5. Eating Disorders: Eating disorders continue to be a major concern among college students today. Inaddition to the classic eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, there are a number of other eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS) that have become more rampant in college, suchas caloric restriction, drastic weight loss, excessive exercise, binging and purging. Disordered eating iscommonplace in college, when students are eating on their own and trying to avoid gaining the â€Å"freshman15.† 6. Obesity: Eating disorders continue to garner attention in college, but many students are troubled by theother end of the spectrum  ± obesity. Today, more than 30 percent of college students are consideredobese or overweight by the American College Health Associations standards. A combination of unhealthydiets, limited physical activity and poor lifestyle choices has caused many college students to becomeobese or overweight. 7. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): We hear a great deal about the amount of studentsabusing Adderall and other psychostimulant medications in non-medical ways, but there is a growingnumber of college students being tested and diagnosed with ADHD, as well. The growing number of diagnoses can be attributed to several reasons, including the pressures of college studies, poor academic