Physics Essay - 2033 Words

Physics You can find a law of physics in everything that you do. It does not matter if you are doing complex scientific experiments, working as a laborer in a field, or enjoying your favorite pastime, you are involved in putting the laws of physics to work. I will try to demonstrate this as I discuss the laws of physics that are involved in my favorite pastime, which is steer wrestling. The art of steer wrestling is complex and simple all at the same time. To start, let’s define what exactly steer wrestling is. Steer wrestling is a rodeo event that is also known as bull dogging. This is the event where there are two mounted cowboys that run along the side of a steer. When they get close to the steer the cowboy on the left hand†¦show more content†¦The next step, as mentioned above is changing the steer’s direction. This is done by using the steer’s momentum and his horns. In this process I will discuss the laws and ideas of torque, centripetal forces, and the idea of center of mass. As I mentioned in the paragraph above, I will first discuss the collisions involved in the sport of steer wrestling. To properly discuss the collisions let’s talk about he linear momentum involved in the sport. There are two things that carry momentum in this sport, one being the bulldogger who is riding the horse, and the second being the steer that is being bulldogged. According to our physics text book A World View, it states that linear momentum is defined as, â€Å"the product of an objects inertial mass and its velocity.†(p. 106). Therefore linear momentum = mass x velocity. Knowing this equation we can figure out the momentums carried by both the bulldogger and the steer. For instance if the bulldogger weighed as much as I do, which is 200 lbs and his horse ran 35 mph, we can figure his momentum using the formula above. Let’s do that exactly, p = 200 lbs x 35 mph. To do this correctly lets change the lbs into kilograms and the mph into meters per second, 2 00 lbs = 90.90 kilograms, and 35 mph = 15.65 m/s. Knowing these new figures, we can now find the momentum of the steer wrestler which would beShow MoreRelatedPhysics And Physics Of Molecular Levels1109 Words   |  5 Pagesconsider interaction within a molecule, which had three bodies at least, in terms of quantum and relativistic laws. Facing the fascinating, but, daunting goal, I would have to take step by step to find a practical path. Even I had taken theoretical physics courses and was familiar with special relativity, I did not know much about micro-scale theoretical work. â€Å"Define a problem is the first step for any project. 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Flexible Budget - the Relationship between Fixed and Variable Costs Assignment

Essays on Flexible Budget - the Relationship between Fixed and Variable Costs Assignment The paper â€Å"Flexible Budget - the Relationship between Fixed and Variable Costs" is a   potent example of an assignment on finance accounting. Fixed cost is the constant cost that is acquired for a period of accounting within certain turnover and output limits which tend to stay unaffected due to the changes in the activity level. Fixed cost is considered as the expenses of a business that do not depend on the production level of the goods and the services of the business.   The fixed costs can be classified in different divisions such as, ‘the time period classification’, ‘the volume classification’, ‘the joint classification’ and ‘the policy classification’. There are various kinds of fixed costs in a production process such as buildings, machinery and cost related to the individual finished products. The fixed cost can be considered as the period cost, and this period cost does not generate any further benefits, so fixe d cost should not be incorporated with the unit cost of production (Lucey Lucey, 2002).  Variable CostVariable cost is the other element of the total cost. Variable costing is the income statement that considers the overhead cost for the manufacturing, based on a certain period compared to the per-unit basis. Variable costs are the only directly related costs to per unit production. For example, when leather is used to manufacture a bag, the amount of leather would come under the measurement of unit. All the costs related to the fixed overhead, the variable costs, the fixed costs for selling goods and the expenses for administration are allotted for each period, instead of putting it into inventory (Khan Jain, 2003).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The variable cost provides assistance to control the variable expenses, avoiding the random distribution or allotment of the fixed costs. The variable costing involves direct materials, the variable part of production over head and direct labor (Khan Jain, 2003).Q.2. Differences between Static and Flexible BudgetsStatic BudgetThe static budget integrates the estimated values regarding outputs and inputs which are induced before the beginning of the financial period. Most of the time, the predictable value through the static budget is quite distinct from the actually received values. It is the budget that will remain unchanged throughout the whole financial period, once determined by the management of a firm. It is named as static budget due to the reason for developing the budget for a single (static) planned level of output for the period (Horngren, Datar, Foster, Rajan, Ittner, 2009).Flexible BudgetA flexible budget is a tool to evaluate the performance of a business activity. It is impossible to prepare a flexible budget before the financial period ends. The flexible budget is used to regulate the actually received budget with a static budget. It is arranged to show the comparison between the bud gets. The flexible budget acts as a constraint to the static budget. It describes that the process of budgeting is very much useful if it can adapt to the changing conditions. A flexible budget can be prepared following certain steps such as determination of the cost of the budgeted variables, determination of the fixed cost of the budgeted level, determination of the actual output volume and determination of the budgeted information costs (Shim, Siegel, Shim, 2011).

Event Management for Australian Grand Prix - Procedure of Management

Question: Discuss about theEvent Management for Australian Grand Prix. Answer: Introduction Event management can be referred to as a technique or procedure of management which involves the planning and co-ordination of all the individuals and teams in order to create and manage various sorts of events. The professionals involved with event management ensure that the best possible experience can be offered to the guests, sponsors, other stakeholders as well as the spectators. In this research, the researcher elaborates about the most decorated and celebrated event organized in Australia in the last five years, which is known as the Australian Grand Prix. It is regarded as the oldest motor racing competition in the world and by far and large the most globally recognized and followed event organized in Australia. Type and Background of the Event The Australian Grand Prix is a motor racing event which is currently contracted under Formula One. Formula One can be deemed as the zenith of motor racing competitions (Fairley et.al, 2011). As it is a globally recognized event, it attracts a huge number of spectators from around the globe as well as an enormous proportion of television audiences involving vast media coverage and sponsorship. Formula One conducts its decorated Grand Prix every year in major cities across the globe. The Australian Grand Prix is held in Melbourne, Victoria. This event is scheduled over four days, primarily in the month of March or early April. This event is promoted and managed by the Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) and the Victorian Government is also responsible for the partial funding of this major event. The Victorian Government takes a considerable amount of interest in this global event due to the fact that it is the perfect platform to stage Australia in the annual calendar of internati onally recognized events so as to accomplish a considerable amount of economic, social as well as cultural benefits for the country as a whole (Henderson et.al, 2010). The organization of this humongous event involves a wide range of benefits such as generation of a considerable number of job vacancies, industrial development, tourist attraction and development of tourism industry in Australia, development of infrastructural facilities as well as a vast proportion of cultural involvement from the people of Australia. Moreover, as motor racing sport is a genre of sports which is widely loved and encouraged across the globe, and Formula One competitions being at the summit of the sports, the Australian Grand Prix has become one of the major events in the sporting calendar from the perspective of international standards (Tranter and Lowes, 2009). Purpose The fundamental purpose of organizing such as huge scale event is the simple fact that the Australian Grand Prix significantly increases the brand value of the nation to the entire world due to its economic as well as cultural impacts (Mair, 2009). The host city Melbourne in the state of Victoria benefits enormously when an event of this caliber and scale is organized. This sort of an event ticks every box such as entertainment, global recognition by media coverage, an increase in brand value of the nation, positive impacts on the economic as well as social and cultural parameters, tourism attraction, infrastructural and industrial development and the other benefits associated with it as well. This is also the reason why the nation of Australia organizes this event with utmost seriousness and enthusiasm as this event is a way of representation of the country to the entire world and global audiences. The Australian Grand Prix constitutes a fundamental part of Victoria's annual calenda r of international sporting events. In accordance with a statistical survey, it is eminent that the advent of Australian Grand Prix has generated approximately 351 to 411 full-time jobs for the mass of Australia. In a nutshell, it can be stated that the primary purpose of organizing this large-scale event is to increase the brand value of Australia among other nations of the world, bring about a positive impact in terms of economic and cultural perspectives, attract a considerable number of tourists as well as generate job vacancies for the people of Australia (Zhou et.al, 2009). History There is a vast proportion of history which is related to this event known as Australian Grand Prix. According to the statistical evidence, it can be stated that the first Australian Grand Prix was organized in the year 1927, near Sydney, Australia (Deery and Jago, 2010). The winner of the inaugural race was Arthur Waite which was an entry that was supported by the Austin Motor Company. In that era, races were primarily organized on a rectangular dirt circuit road. Moreover, in accordance with the statistical data, it is also believed that some of the Grand Prix machines were imported from different parts of Europe as well. The Grand Prix race held in the year 1956 deserves a special mention, owing to the fact that it effectively shaped the future of the upcoming Grand Prix races. The ever growing influence of engineer drivers in the sport was imminent after 1956. The Australian cars became a huge point of attraction for the other European teams due to their design as well productive brilliance on the track (Bekker and Lotz, 2009). The Australian Grand Prix reached astonishing heights when the event was included in the Formula One World Championship in the year 1985, and the event was held on the street circuit in Adelaide, Australia. This event was also set the benchmarks very high, as it was a demanding, challenging and a somewhat tricky circuit resulting in the cut-throat competition which in turn provided an awesome spectacle for the spectators. The Australian Grand Prix moved to Melbourne in the year 1996, in Albert Park, which is also a street circuit and it continues to set high standards year after year (Mair and Whitford, 2013). Event Organizers and Other Stakeholders Various event organizers and the other stakeholders involved with an event have their different roles and responsibilities which have to be fulfilled to perfection. In the case of the Australian Grand Prix, it is imminent that the Government invests quite a hefty amount in organizing this event and can be deemed as one of the primary stakeholders (Kim et.al, 2013). The fundamental reason for such an interest from the Government is the positive economic and the cultural impacts that this event has on the nation of Australia. The other stakeholders involved with this event are broadly the various business organizations, event organizers, sponsors, media and broadcast partners etc. Various different internationally recognized business organizations and brands have been associated with the primary sponsorship rights of the Australian Grand Prix ranging from brands such as Mitsubishi, Fosters, EDS, ING etc. But, since the year 2013 a world renowned business organization namely Rolex has t he primary sponsorship rights of the Australian Grand Prix. The sponsors can be also deemed as major stakeholders for an event, and especially for an event of this magnitude and global following the sponsors play an essential part. As far as the other stakeholders are concerned, the Australian Grand Prix has various business organizations as its stakeholders namely FOM, Ten Network, as well as Bernie Ecclestone. These stakeholders may have a claim or ownership rights or may even be impacted or affected by the conduction of the event and it should also be taken into account that these stakeholders play an essential role in making the event so successful (Mair, 2011). Evaluation in Terms of Various Impacts of the Event As the Australian Grand Prix is a huge and globally recognized the sporting event, it is only natural that it has various types of impacts on the organizing city as well as the whole nation. The various sorts of impacts involve economic impact, social and cultural impact as well as environmental impact. Economic Impact The fundamental economic impact of an event is immersed upon the organizing state and the city which organizes the event. In the case of the Australian Grand Prix, the state of Victoria has experienced the economic impact in a positive sense predominantly (Lopes et.al, 2012). To assess the approximation of the economic impact level that this mega event has brought about, a few statistical data has to be analyzed. In accordance with the statistical data, in the year 2011, the Victorian Government has made significant increment in the Gross State Product (GSP) which incremented in the range of $32.04 million and $39.34 million. The impact on the state's economy was so extensive that in that very year, the mega event generated about 351 to 411 full-time equivalent job vacancies. However, despite all these positive impacts, it should also be acknowledged that the real private consumption declined by $14.93, which indicated the fact that much of the domestic income was shipped to overseas instead of being spent for or utilized for the good of Victoria (Smolianov and Aiyeku, 2009). Social and Cultural Impact Along with the economic benefits, the region, and its surrounding areas are also deemed eligible to enjoy some social benefits from organizing a mega event such as the Australian Grand Prix (Nickson, 2009). These benefits are listed under the social and cultural impacts of organizing such a huge scale event. Moreover, it should also be taken into account that the benefits could be non-pecuniary as well in case of the local residents. A global scale event such as the Australian Grand Prix contributes to very positive social impacts to the community such as enhancement in quality of life, the increment in communal pride, upgrade the infrastructure, enhancement in the recreational and other social opportunities as well. However, the fact should also be acknowledged that in some cases, the organization of the large-scale events may also impact in a negative sense socially as well as culturally. For instance, an organization of a mega event such as the Australian Grand Prix can result in a few hazards for the local residents such as displacement of the local people due to space and other problems, disruption in daily life, massive crowding and congestion in nearby regions etc (Tranter, 2009). Environmental Impact Along with the economic, social and cultural impacts, environmental impact should also be taken into consideration, when a humongous event such as the Australian Grand Prix is organized (Cairns and Roberts, 2011). Environmental impacts involve various parameters of environmental factors such as air pollution, noise pollution, damage or harm inflicted to the natural resources etc. In the case of Australian Grand Prix, the event is organized at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Victoria. It has an immense environmental impact as Albert Park is a natural area owing to the fact that it is public parkland. This potential damage to the environmental ecosystem is an immense cause of concern for the event organizers and the other associated stakeholders as it is duly harming the environmental ecosystem through the immense air as well as noise pollution. The Victorian Government has existing laws for the parks, which should not allow these sort of events to take place at such venues but this is a un ique situation where an event such as the Australian Grand Prix is allowed to be conducted in this venue, despite the negative environmental effects it bears on the place and its surroundings (Payne et.al, 2012). Recommendations for Improvements in the Future A few recommendations can be made by the researcher in order to improve a few potential factors in the conduction of the Australian Grand Prix. These recommendations are discussed in this section. Firstly, an environmental friendly approach could be implemented in the conduction of a mega event such as the Australian Grand Prix. The venue of the conduction of the event is Albert Park, which is situated in Melbourne. As the name suggests it is a public park and conduction of such an event causes various sorts of hazards such as hazards to the existing ecosystem, as well as air and noise pollution. So, it is highly recommended that the conduction of such an event should be in an ecosystem friendly atmosphere and the organizing authority as well as the government should acknowledge the fact that air pollution and associated noise pollution should be curbed to a minimum possible level. Secondly, in the viewpoint of the researcher, it is also recommended that a huge scale event such as the Australian Grand Prix should be organized in such a manner that the people residing near the event venue should not face any sorts of issues associated with the event. It is often the case when the local people face various sorts of issues in the conduction of their day to day lives during the days of the event. Sometimes the discomfort level of the people reaches high levels due to constant congestion and pollution of different sorts owing to the conduction of the event. The organizing authority, as well as the Government, should also take appropriate steps so as to minimize these discomforting situations in case of the local residents residing in a close proximity to the venue of conduction of the event. Lastly, from the researchers perspective, another significant recommendation can be made, which involves the sponsors of the event. The sponsors along with the media and broadcasting personnel should spread awareness of the sport and this particular event among the countries where this sport and this event is not so popular. This generation of awareness through advertisements and other sorts will help this event enormously and will in turn result in the addition of a more global fan base from across the world. Conclusion By thorough evaluation of the entire research, it can be easily concluded that proper event management technique is an essential part in order to make any event a success. In the various event management techniques, various sorts of personnel and teams, as well as organizations, are involved and they have to play their part with utmost sincerity in order to achieve success. The Australian Grand Prix is one of the major events which is followed by a global audience as motor racing sports in one of the most famous and widely followed sports in the world. It also goes without saying that the Australian Grand Prix is one of the fundamental sporting events in the Australian calendar and this event represents Australia vastly on the global stage. Through this extensive research, it is also evident that this mega event has various sorts of impacts on the economic, social, cultural and environmental factors with respects to the organizing state and the nation as a whole. The researcher has a lso made some recommendations by virtue of which this huge event can even achieve greater success rate than what it has already achieved. Reference Fairley, S., Tyler, B.D., Kellett, P. and DElia, K., 2011. The formula one Australian grand Prix: Exploring the triple bottom line. Sport Management Review, 14(2), pp.141-152. Henderson, J.C., Foo, K., Lim, H. and Yip, S., 2010. Sports events and tourism: The Singapore formula one grand prix. International Journal of Event and Festival Management, 1(1), pp.60-73. Tranter, P.J. and Lowes, M., 2009. " Life in the Fast Lane":: Environmental, Economic and Public Health Outcomes of Motorsport Spectacles in Australia. Journal of Sport Social Issues. Mair, J., 2009. 1 The Events Industry: the Employment Context. People and work in events and conventions: a research perspective, p.1. Zhou, Y., Lambrides, C., Kearns, R., Ye, C., Cao, N. and Fukai, S., 2009. Selecting for drought tolerance among Australian green couch grasses (Cynodon spp.). Crop and Pasture Science, 60(12), pp.1175-1183. Deery, M. and Jago, L., 2010. Social impacts of events and the role of anti-social behaviour. International Journal of Event and Festival Management, 1(1), pp.8-28. Bekker, J. and Lotz, W., 2009. Planning Formula One race strategies using discrete-event simulation. journal of the Operational Research Society, 60(7), pp.952-961. Mair, J. and Whitford, M., 2013. An exploration of events research: Event topics, themes and emerging trends. International Journal of Event and Festival Management, 4(1), pp.6-30. Macfarlane, I.E. and Jago, L., 2009. The role of brand equity in helping to evaluate the contribution of major events. Sustainable Tourism CRC. Kim, S.K., Byon, K.K., Yu, J.G., Zhang, J.J. and Kim, C., 2013. Social motivations and consumption behavior of spectators attending a Formula One motor-racing event. Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal, 41(8), pp.1359-1377. Wilson, J.K. and Pomfret, R., 2009. Government subsidies for professional team sports in Australia. Australian Economic Review, 42(3), pp.264-275. Mair, J., 2011. Events and climate change: an Australian perspective. International Journal of Event and Festival Management, 2(3), pp.245-253. Taylor, T. and Toohey, K., 2011. Ensuring Safety at Australian Sport Event Precincts Creating Securitised, Sanitised and Stifling Spaces?. Urban Studies, 48(15), pp.3259-3275. Fredline, L., Deery, M. and Jago, L., 2013. A longitudinal study of the impacts of an annual event on local residents. Tourism Planning Development, 10(4), pp.416-432. Payne, C.J., Jessop, T.S., Guay, P.J., Johnstone, M., Feore, M. and Mulder, R.A., 2012. Population, behavioural and physiological responses of an urban population of black swans to an intense annual noise event. PloS one, 7(9), p.e45014. Cairns, G. and Roberts, J., 2011. Reflections on seven years of critical perspectives on international business: an extended editorial. critical perspectives on international business, 7(4), pp.289-296. Nickson, D., 2009. Cynodon dactylon plant named Grand Prix. U.S. Patent PP20,017. Tranter, P.J., 2009. The crucial'where'of motorsport marketing: is motorsport now" a race out of place"?. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 11(1), pp.55-74. Smolianov, P. and Aiyeku, J.F., 2009. Corporate marketing objectives and evaluation measures for integrated television advertising and sports event sponsorships. Journal of Promotion Management, 15(1-2), pp.74-89. Lopes, A.D., Hespanhol Jr, M.L.C., Yeung, S.S. and Costa, L.O.P., 2012. What are the main running-related musculoskeletal injuries?. Sports medicine, 42(10), pp.891-905.

Southern Gothic Literature free essay sample

Literature is a genre that focuses on events occurring in the American South after the Civil War. It involves supernatural events, monsters, heroes, and must reveal social and cultural issues. Boo Radley, a character who lives in Maycomb, fits the supernatural role in Southern Gothic Literature. To fit this role, ironic and unusual events should occur involving that person. Boo does a lot of unusual things throughout the story. He lives in an old, eerie house which reflects his character, â€Å"the misery of that house began many years before† (9). Scout and Jem were born after Boo Radley started staying inside, and Boo ended up being hidden for years. He is sheltered, deprived, and keeps to himself. The house begins to represent Boo and how he lives in â€Å"misery. † This is ironic because most people like to be social when living in a neighborhood like his, but it’s his choice to be kept up inside. We will write a custom essay sample on Southern Gothic Literature or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If he’s really miserable, you would think he would change the way he’s living. He â€Å"dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch,† which isn’t the normal for most people (13). In fact, it’s quite disturbing. Including the fact that he dines on raw squirrels and cats helps his character fit the role even better because this is very unusual. The fact that he hasn’t made any physical appearances yet shows that he is only viewed in spirit; he is truly a supernatural creature. When the kids thought they â€Å"saw an inside shutter move,† it gave the readers a hint that Boo Radley might actually be the â€Å"malevolent phantom† he’s portrayed as (12). This isn’t unusual in the sense of him eating squirrels, but unusual as in he’s never been seen by Scout, Jem, or many others, but it seems as though he’s getting curious. Whether or not he fits the title given to him by the people of Maycomb, they are going to believe whatever they hear because it has been a controversial topic for fifteen years. The supernatural literal figure he is wouldn’t be the same without the characteristics of the house, and the stories that have been told about him in the community.

Conservative Guide to Florida

Conservative Guide to Florida Welcome to the resource page for conservatives in Florida. Here, you will find a comprehensive list of people, groups, laws, and other items of interest to conservative Floridians. Whether you want to get involved with conservative politics in the state or are just trying to learn more, this will be the place for you.   Florida: Purple State Politics Florida is a center-right state where conservatives have dominated state-level politics since the late 1990s. Jeb Bush became governor in 1999, starting a string of GOP control of the governors mansion through at least 2019. Rick Scott is the current Republican Governor. As of 2013, Republicans control more than 60% of the seats in both the state house and state senate. The story is quite a bit different when it comes to national politics. Presidential elections are almost always close. Florida gave two close victories to both George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004 and to Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. Since 1981, the US Senate seats have been split between 1 Republican and 1 Democrat in all but four years. Democrats usually run as moderates in the state, while Republicans run moderate to very conservative in statewide elections. Democrats and liberals tend to populate the heavy population zones including the southeastern part of the state near Miami and Palm Beach County, Tampa in the northwest, and Orlando in the middle of the state. Republicans and conservatives do well in the many low-population and rural inland counties, the gulf coast region on the southwest, and throughout the military-friendly Florida panhandle. Duval County (Jacksonville) is one of the few large cities in the state where Republicans also do well, relatively speaking. Snowbirds and retirees have a major impact on the political scene in Florida. A large portion of these residents often flock from liberal northeastern states and bring their votes with them. Key Laws of Interest Florida is a very strong 2nd amendment state with strong gun rights. The Stand Your Ground law enables Floridians to defend themselves without the threat of a lawsuit. Florida also has a three strikes law which has severe punishments for repeat felons. Florida is one of just six states to have no state income tax while also having relatively low state sales taxes. Food purchases are non-taxed. In regards to abortion, parental notification is a requirement and an ultrasound is required prior to an abortion being performed and the provider must offer to let the patient see the ultrasound. Same-sex marriage is banned in Florida, with 62% of voters having approved a constitutional ban in 2008. Important Conservative Figures From the State Marco Rubio: US Senate 2011-2017 and 2016 presidential candidate. Allen West: US Congressman 2011-2013. Jeb Bush: Governor 1999-2007 and 2016 presidential candidate. Rush Limbaugh: #1 Talk Radio Host nationwide and Palm Beach County resident. Tim Tebow: NFL Player, motivational speaker, and conservative role model. Will Weatherford: Florida House Representative 2006-Current and Speaker of the House 2012-Current. Florida Organizations, Websites, and Thinkers The James Madison Institute: Operates with a mission to keep the citizens of Florida informed about their government and to shape our state’s future through the advancement of practical free-market ideas on public policy issues. The Republican Party of Florida: The GOP team that works to promote the Republican party agenda and Republican candidates in the state. BizPac Review: Florida-based news and information site for conservatives. Features both original reporting, editorials on local issues, and information on Florida elections. Conservative Radio Stations (Major Cities) A listing of major-market radio stations in the state of Florida. Personality lineups are as reported by the stations as of May 2013. Ft Myers - FOX 92.5 (Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity) Miami - WIOD AM610 (Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck)Orlando - WFLA 104.5 (Glenn Beck, Dave Ramsey, Rush Limbaugh) Jacksonville - WBOB AM600 (Laura Ingraham, Glenn Beck, Mike Huckabee)Jacksonville - WOKV FM104.5 (Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Herman Cain)Naples - WGUF 98.9FM (Jim Bohannon, Laura Ingraham, Dennis Miller)Naples - WNOG 1270 (Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck)Pensacola/Panhandle: WPNN 790AM (Laura Ingraham, Burnie Thomspon/local, Mike Gallagher)Pensacola/Panhandle: WCOA 1370AM (Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity)Pensacola/Panhandle: WCOA 100.7FM (Mike Huckabee, Phil Valentine, Mark Levin)Tampa - WFLA AM970 (Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Todd Schnitt/Local, Sean Hannity)Tallahassee - WFLA 100.7 FM (Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity) West Palm Beach - WJNO AM1290 (Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin)

Flirts and Philanderers

Flirts and Philanderers Flirts and Philanderers Flirts and Philanderers By Maeve Maddox When I was a child, I learned that the name Philadelphia derives from the Greek words philos (loving) and adelphos (brother) and that William Penn chose the name because he wanted to establish â€Å"a city of brotherly love.† I’ve recently learned that the word philander derives from the Greek words philos (loving) and andro (man/male) and that in ancient Greek it meant â€Å"a lover of men.† According to a note in the OED, the word in Hellenistic Greek could also be applied to a woman who loved the man who was her husband. Philander was appropriated by 17th century poets as a stock name for a lover and came to be used for any man known for his popularity with women: You know I was always a Philander among the ladies.† (OED citation, 1785) In modern use, philander has become a verb that has in turn produced the agent noun philanderer. philander (verb): to engage in casual sexual encounters. Used chiefly of men. philanderer (noun): a man who philanders. Both the OED and Merriam-Webster give flirt as a synonym for philanderer, but philanderer is more negative and gender-specific than flirt. Either a man or a woman may be a flirt, but a philanderer is a man. Another difference is that flirting applies to a playful sort of sexual innuendo that does not assume sexual activity, while philandering connotes promiscuity and lack of marital or romantic integrity. Here are examples of recent use of philandering and philanderer: Power and  philandering  seem to go hand in hand.   Actor Jon Hamm has played the  philandering  ad executive Don Draper on the American Movie Classics show Mad Men. Unlike many presidents,  Nixon  had never been suspected of being a  philanderer. [In] 2007, Vitter was exposed as a paying philanderer. Here are some additional words that are or have been used to describe men of loose character: Casanova Don Juan Lothario playboy rake rouà © skirt-chaser womanizer Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Is She a "Lady" or a "Woman"?16 Misquoted QuotationsA "Diploma" is not a "Degree"

Needs Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Needs Assessment - Essay Example The greatest area of need is the family support that these students are accorded by their families while handling stress. The educational program that the children go through is quite demanding and occasionally puts them under undue stress. That was the opinion of most parents. In reference to the educational staff at school, most parents were of the view that they made students work harder and thus put them under so much stress. In spite of the presence of the families, the stress needs to be managed well. In fact, most parents had a fair understanding of the processes that their students underwent during their therapy sessions at school. From the interviews, it is obvious that the students observed had shown incredible improvements since the first time that they attended the therapy sessions. It should be noted that the levels of motor coordination of the students directly affect their motor activities. This directly affects their concentration while doing activities, like dressing and eating. Overall, most parents thought that the performance of their children was improving. The progress that most parents would want to see is an exponential improvement in the physical performance of activities. The set goals that most parents needed to achieve were material support from the institution. Most parents shared their sentiments with other parents as well as the therapist. The biggest problem that affects the performance of the therapist is the overwhelming workload. He or she has to tend to the needs of the diverse student population alone. The biggest strength of the therapist is his/her understanding of the individual needs of the students. A therapist has a personal relationship with the students and thus is able to attend to their needs more effectively. Such a specialist’s biggest weakness is the fact that he/she lacks additional human resources to assist in delivering services. The priority that the therapist uses

Strategic Position of the UK Tourism Industry Essay

Strategic Position of the UK Tourism Industry - Essay Example The present research has identified that the UK tourism industry is facing tough competition from other tourist destinations in Europe, such as France, Italy, Spain, and Germany. Due to decline in the valuable US market, the industry is facing the slowdown. The increasing number of Chinese tourists over past few years and the high average spending capacity of these visitors present China as a potential emerging market for UK tourism. While competitive tourist destinations are already capturing Chinese visitors, UK tourism industry needs to take some urgent steps including promotion of UK as a favorite tourist destination along with government taking suitable measures related to visa and tax policies. The information regarding the strategic position of UK tourism industry and strategic option suitable for it are collected from secondary sources on the internet including newspaper articles, articles from websites, such as Visit Britain, tourism society, etc. Other authentic sources of secondary information have also been searched to take the strategic audit. In order to do the strategic audit, suitable marketing models are used. The report has focused on the tourism industry as a whole and complies with the guidelines of the national tourism agency of Britain i.e. Visit Britain. A threat of new entrants: The threat of new entrants into the tourism industry of UK is quite high. Earlier, there were only a handful of low-cost carriers in the airline sector of the tourism industry. However, today there are a significant number of low-cost carriers that are presenting competition to well-established low-cost carrier services of Ryan Air and Easy Jet. Considering the emergence of new destinations for tourists on the global tourism map, the threat of new entrants is high. Governments of several countries and specifically the third world countries, such as Sri Lanka, India, etc. are seeing tourism as the major source to give the boost to their economy. Â  

Absence Of Populism In Colombia Essay Example for Free

Absence Of Populism In Colombia Essay The term populism refers to a political system where the leaders appeal directly to the people and seek the support of social sectors that are not adequately represented in the political arrangements that exist. In a populist system, the leaders tend to enjoy the support of the mass as a result of mass mobilization. In many Latin American nations such as Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Panama, Peru and Mexico, one or more administrations have adopted populist policies (Dornbusch and Edwards, pg. 7). However, populism has failed to emerge in Colombia raising the question of why populism is not part of the Colombian society. Although populism in Colombian was promoted by the political leader Jorge Eliecer Gaitan who was assassinated in 1948, populism failed to emerge after his death. Gaitan assassinated ended populist leadership in Columbia . Up to date, Colombia has managed to adopt a non-populist political system. Although the current Colombian President Alvaro Uribe leadership is considered to have some elements common with many populists, he is not a populist. The issue of absence of populism in Colombia in a continent dominated by populism and the reasons behind the absence needs to be examined. President Alvaro Uribe non-populist leadership has been attributed to his lack of interest in mobilizing masses and activating supporters. These factors are important elements in populism. This paper will explore the reasons behind absence of populism in Colombia by tracing historical events in the country. The paper will first present a belief history of Colombia and important events during the leadership of Jorge Gaitan. His emergence as a political leader and the peoples’ reaction to his emergence will be explored as well as the reasons behind lack of populism emergence after his death . Finally, the paper will evaluate President Uribe non-populist policies and why/how he has made great efforts to make Colombia prosper in absence of populism and left tendencies. Discussion A Brief overview of populism Populism embraces political representation that challenges the democratic political society where a highly polarized concept of society exists. Populist regimes like the ones that have been witnessed in Latin American emphasize on the social divide between the privileged who have benefited from the existing political practices and the underprivileged who account for the excluded majority (Coniff, pg. 22). Populist leaders claim to represent this underprivileged group that comprises of the poor and promise social justice. As a result, the leaders tend to reject any political intermediation that aim at limiting and checking their political power. Some political analysts consider populism to be nationalistic, authoritarian and depend on social mobilization for support. Many populist regimes often destroy traditional parties. The populist manifestation indicates that the traditional market reforms in a populist regime are unable to sustain economic growth, reduce poverty, generate employment opportunities and reduce inequality. Although populist leaders use democratic means to assume into political power, they are involved in undermining democratic institutions once they get into office. History of Colombia and events at the time of populist Jorge Eliecier Gaitan The collapse of the Gran Colombia 1830 led to the emergence of Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. Colombia became a republic in 1886. Two major political parties, the Liberal and Conservative parties emerged in Colombia due to the differences between the followers of two leaders Paula Santander and Simon Bolivar These two parties dominated the Colombian politics for a long time. Gaitan became achieved national prestige through his efforts of addressing the issues of concern of the peasants. For instance, he was involved in a Congressional investigation of worker’s revolt and strike in 1929 in Santa Marta and also wrote on the excesses of management and repressive intervention of the army in Colombia. This made Gaitan win great popular prestige and become a hero among the peasants. He joined the left wing of the Liberal party after 1930s and managed to win Congressional elections in March 1947. He continued to strengthen his position and increase his popularity by trying to reach the masses and giving them hope The Colombian society comprised of the privileged who held political offices and the poor who considered Gaitan to fight for their rights. Peasant populism and rural protests were witnessed since the 1930s. Gaitan became a charismatic leader of the Liberal party (Sharpless, pg,36). His popularity and claims to fight for the welfare of the masses attracted hundreds of thousands of low income Colombians and Union members in his political meetings. He was admired for denouncing moral, social and economic events that oppressed the masses which he promised to eliminate with cooperation and support from the people . His claim to champion the cause of the masses increased populism. The people, most of whom were peasants and low income earners were attracted by Gaitans leadership. For instance, the issue of land reforms which he seemed to address was of great concern to the people. For example, by mobilizing the masses to protest through the streets of Bogota in February 1948, Gaitan gained the support of the masses . He was assassinated two months later, an event that triggered the â€Å"La violencia†. This was characterized by confrontation between the Conservative and Liberal parties’ supporters and hostilities between classes. The Colombian society experienced violence and instability. Non-populism in Colombia after Gaitan’s death .The absence of populist regimes in Colombia in the 1930s and 1940s as well as the political instability that was witnessed in Colombia (Dix, pg. 342). After Gaitan’s assassination made it impossible for the political leaders to put into place populist regime in Colombia. Uncontrolled human confrontation in Bogota spread to the country side where bands were organized to create terror. La Violencia is estimated to have led to the deaths of more than 200,000 people over duration of eighteen years, the 1948 – 1958 periods was bloodiest . One of the most powerful guerilla group in Colombia, and known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) was the product of this conflict. The period after Gaitan’s death was marked by lack of hope in the masses and the political society. Armed confrontation was characterized by rebellions and riots between 1948 and 1966(Hylton, pg. 40). Because populism requires leaders to mobilize the masses, violence drove Colombia into a politically unstable nation. The political instability that was experienced in the country made it impossible for the political leaders to secure leadership through populism. There was mass social frustration due to the killings and displacement of a large number of people. Those who had believed that Jorge Gaitan was the only hope for improving the lives of the masses were disappointed. In Bogota and the Mariano Ospina’s government struggled to restore order in Colombia. However, the rural violence that was witnessed triggered a state of undeclared civil war and violence spread throughout the country. Only the southernmost parts of Marino and Caribbean coastal area were spared. The violence phenomenon became complex and was characterized by sheer rural banditry as well as partisan political rivalry (Roldan, pg. 93). The political rivalry undermined the emergence of populism because this period of internal disorder led to the refusal by successive Colombian governments to give in to the peoples’ demand for social economic change. The repressive nature of the Ospina government undermined efforts of political leadership to participate in political meetings or engage in efforts that could increase one’s popularity but undermine the government. Violence and instability continued (Palacios, pg. 72). For example, the government on March 1949 banned all public meetings and had all Liberal governors leave their positions. These measures were being taken to restore order in the country. Furthermore, the government in 1949 ordered the closure of Congress. This meant that the political system in Colombia could no longer function as usual. The rural police forces intensified efforts to fight the Liberals and the belligerents. As a result, the liberals protest led to the liberals’ eventual resignation form their positions and as a result, protests by the Liberals continued. The failure by the Liberal party to contest during the presidential elections had Laureano Gomez, a Conservative candidate take over office in 1950. Gomez was the leader of a reactionary faction and preferred authority and order. The constitution that was drafted under Gomez’s’ guidance in 1953 was expected to expand the powers of departmental governors and enhance presidential autonomy. In order to contain the mounting violence and to prevent the regaining of power by the liberals, Gomez tried to curtail avail liberties and to acquire broad powers. In addition, the independent labor unions were removed and the congressional elections were held without any opposition. Other measures that the Gomez administration put into place included the control of courts by the executive, censoring of the press. Gomez also directed his repression against the Liberal opposition. There was relative economic prosperity during this time due to the expansion of the export markets and foreign investment increase. However, Gomez lost support due to military establishment, attacks on moderate conservatives. Gomez illness in 1951 had Roberto Urdaneta become the acting president. General Gustavo Rojas took over power in 1953 and military leadership that was witnessed in the country continued to undermine political participation and democracy in the country. In the 1960s, armed conflicts whereby left-wing insurgents, government forces and right-wing paramilitaries were witnessed in Colombia. There was lack of civil authority and public order and intense military operations were undertaken to counter the opposition. Rojas was however removed from power in 1957 leading to the restoration of civilian rule after some moderate Liberals and Conservatives formed a bipartisan coalition known as the National Front. Alberto Lleras Camargo served as Colombia’s president upto 1962. All these events made it difficult for populist regimes to emerge again in Colombia and up to date, Colombian leadership is still non-populist. Alvaro Uribe’s policies and non-populism The absence of populism in Colombia is unique in a continent where populist politics are still evident today . The current Colombian President Alvaro Uribe policies are not populist despite having some elements of populism. President Uribes is now in his second term in office. His policies have not aimed at increasing mass support for his government. In populist regimes, government policies tend to be implemented in a manner that tries to win the support of the masses. Since Uribe assumed into power, he has not advocated for policies that aim at addressing the needs of all the citizens. Instead, he has focused on improving economic development and improving security in the country. The main reason why Uribe is not populist can therefore be attributed to the fact that he has not made efforts to mobilize masses and cultivate supporters. Rather than focusing on efforts to uplift the poor in order to gain the support of the masses, President Uribe policies emphasize on improving economic growth and security. As a result, since his elections into office in 2002, he has received high approval ratings due to his policies that have promoted sustained economic growth, security and continuous implementation of sound social programs. The domestic security policy that Uribe has adopted plays a critical role in promoting democratic representation in governance. The policy was unveiled in 2003 and the efforts by Uribe’s administration to deepen democracy and strengthen democratic representation have ensured that democratic institutions have not been undermined to create populism. After being elected into office and inaugurated on 7th August 2002, President Uribe introduced radical policies to improve security. Insecurity in Colombia due to violence has for decades undermined economic and social development. President Uribe is a tough conservative whose political life has focused in fighting rebels and illegal armed groups in the country which cause the instability. The landslide victory for the second term provided him with adequate time to address the issue of drug trafficking and armed groups. The democratic security policy seeks to cater for the wellbeing of all Colombians. (The Uribe Administrations Democratic Security and Defense Policy, pg 1). The Colombian government has been working together with the US to fight drug trafficking groups and leftist insurgent groups by consolidating state control so that the country is not a sanctuary of perpetrators of violence, terrorists and drug traffickers (Kirk, pg 52). This has protected the entire population from illegal drug trade and victimization by illegal armed groups. The government social programs have been well planned and coordinated unlike in populist regimes. The programs receive consistent and great financial support from the government in order to increase social and economic development across the country. In other populist regimes in Latin America, social programs are poorly coordinated, fail to reach the targeted beneficiaries and receive huge funds during the election period. This has not been the case for Colombia. Uribe’s social programs to improve the living standards of the people by reducing inequalities has minimized sectoral and class conflicts in Colombia (US Central Intelligence,np) Agency. Populism is established when inequalities are not eliminated hence they create a social divide between the privileged and the underprivileged. In addition, populism is promoted when a large group of people who feel that they very minimal benefits from economic development support populists who promise to improve their welfare. In Colombia, the social divide has been addressed by the economic policy that has been implemented to improve income distribution. The benefits of the social programs reach the expected beneficiaries. The element of clientelism that still exists in Colombia prevents enlarged political participation and mobilization. The political system is supported by faithfulness and loyalty and together with the development of professional class of politicians who are committed to intermediating between the voters and the state has made it difficult for populists to succeed. The government has accepted limits and checks in governance and intermediation between the state and the civil society is possible. Uribe’s leadership has not in any way attempted to mobilize the masses in efforts to overcome inequality and poverty. The efforts to improve leadership and promote democracy in the government oppose the utilization of state resources for personal interests or to maximize political support. This is a clear indication that Uribe is not a populist. However, his efforts to have the constitution amended so that he may run for a third term in office has made him resemble the populist presidents who undermine traditional institutions of democracy. President Uribe has shown great commitment in maintaining democratic institutions and addressing the needs of Colombia as a nation rather than focusing on issues that increase the support of the masses. Why and how President Uribe efforts to make Colombia prosperous President Uribe has been making great efforts to make Colombia a prosperous nation free of populism and leftist tendencies. Populism and leftist tendencies undermine democratic institutions and result to political instability that compromises prosperity of a nation. Political stability is meant to support economic prosperity which improves the living standards of the poor. This narrows the social divide that allows populism to contribute to low economic and social development. For instance, the presence of leftist armed groups for decades has made it impossible for the government and the people to increase economic prosperity. The primary groups that are considered to be a threat to Colombia’s stability and peace are the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the ELN guerillas. These groups rely on criminal activities to generate funds. War and drug trade have derailed economic prosperity in Colombia for a long time (Livingstone, pg. 21). This has turned Colombia into one of the world’s largest center for drug trafficking. President Uribe democratic security policy has improved both the national security and economic growth due to stability. In Uribe’s administration government policies, lack of populism is clear . This has been achieved by ensuring that market reforms move towards sustaining economic growth, reduction of poverty and unemployment as well as a reduction in inequality. Uribe’s economic policy has been able to move away from economic populism where emphasis is placed on the risk of deficit finance and inflation, reaction of economic agents on non-market policies and external constraints. Rather than mobilize the masses through the implementation of social programs that never benefit the people, Uribe’s government has developed and implemented sound social programs that distribute resources equally and have the living standards of the underprivileged improved. In other Latin American nations, social programs are implemented by the political leaders to win the support of the masses. Unfortunately, the people never benefit from the programs because a large proportion of the financial resources put aside to support the programs is either wasted or embezzled. The allocation of resources to support government programs has been consistent, an issue that has improved economic growth in Colombia. Transparency and democracy ensure that leaders are responsible and accountable. By improving the living standards of the people across the nation, Uribe’s leadership has made it difficult for political leaders to become populists by claiming to represent the underprivileged. The presence of leftist groups in Colombia has led to blood shed, prosperity of the drug trade and social injustice. These groups have been involved in the drug trade and in the rural areas impose their rules on the people. The domestic security policy has aimed at defeating armed groups such as the ELN and FARC. The president has expressed concern that some of the major security threats in Colombia include narcotics trade and terrorism. He has therefore taken a hard line stance against guerillas. Together with the assistance from its neighbors and the US, the Colombian government has managed to force out rebels from Colombia’s cities and towns. For example, the government has succeeded in fighting the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. The need to restore peace in the country and invest in improving the welfare of the people has become a priority. For example, the security program that is implemented is expected to increase judicial action against the perpetrators of crimes with high social impact, restore peace, reduce human rights violation as well as the dismantle terrorist or leftist groups. The security policy is expected to demobilize illegal groups, increase intelligence capacity, engage civilians in leadership and increase defense spending. Colombia is engaged in regional economic cooperation as a means of improving regional economic growth, political stability and security. For instance, President Uribe has been able to put aside political differences that Colombia has had with its neighbours such as Venezuela to pursue economic progress. Furthermore, because the neigbouring nations are concerned about the presence of illegal armed groups in Colombia, bilateral relations have made it possible for the nations to fight leftist groups together. Regional economic growth has had positive impact on the Colombian economy. President Uribe has been working hard to strengthen government institutions that increase freedom. For example, in 2004, President Uribe managed to engage citizens throughout the country in governance after he established a government present in about 1,099 municipalities in Colombia. President Alvaro Uribe supports free trade policies and has attempted to fight internal forces that cause political instability which affect the country’s economic and social development for decades. He has strong domestic policies that support government programs that empower people economically. For example, his administration supports economic cooperation with its neigbours. Diplomatic ties with the neighbours in Latin America has been supported, economic development supported and efforts to combat leftist tendencies improved. The Colombian government has been involved in expanding the country’s participation in the international trade, strengthening the rule of law, promoting good governanace, protecting human rights and reducing poverty (US Central Intelligence Agency, np). Conclusion Populism has been a common element in Latin American nations whereby the leaders attempt to win the support of the masses through mobilization. Countries such as Chile, Peru and Brazil have had populist political parties dominate political leadership. However, Colombia is a Latin American country that has managed to maintain non-populism since the death of the populist Jorge Gaitan in 1948. The current Colombian President Alvaro Uribe policies have shown that he is not a populist. In addition, great efforts by Uribe to make Colombia prosperous free of populism and leftist groups have been successful. Works Cited Conniff, Michael. Populism in Latin America. University of Alabama Press, 1999 Dix, Robert. The Varieties of Populism; the case of Colombia. Western. Political Quarterly, 31, 334-351, 1978 Dornbusch, Rudiger and Edwards, Sebastian. Macroeconomics of Populism in Latin America, University of Chicago Press, 1991 Hylton, Forrest. Evil Hour in Colombia. New York: Verso Books, 2006 Kirk, Robin . More Terrible Than Death: Drugs, Violence, and Americas War in Colombia. United States: PublicAffairs, 2004 Livingstone, Grace. Inside Colombia: Drugs, Democracy, and War. Rutgers University Press, 2004 Palacios, Marco. Between Legitimacy and Violence: A History of Colombia, 1875– 2002. United States of America: Duke University Press, 2006 Roldan, Mary. Blood and Fire; La Violencia in Antioquia, Colombia, 1946-1953. Duke University Press, 2002 Sharpless, Richard. Gaitan of Colombia: a political biography. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1978 The Uribe Administrations Democratic Security and Defense Policy. Embassy of Colombia. Accessed on April, 29 2010from http://www. presidencia. gov. co/sne/visita_bush/documentos/security. pdf Urrutia, Miguel. On the Absence of Economic Populism in Colombia. University of Chicago Press, 1991 US Central Intelligence Agency. Colombia. Accessed on April 29, 2010 from; https://www. cia. gov/library/ /the /co. html

The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twains The Adventures of Hucklebe

The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Aristotle was once asked what he thought friendship was. His response was, "One soul inhabiting two bodies." This was the kind of relationship that Huckleberry Finn and Jim shared in Mark Twain's epic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This novel is a tool that Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemmons, was using to impress the great benefits of friendship upon society. However, others feel that Clemmons was using this book for another motive, to promote racism and ever since The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in 1885, there have been people trying to ban it from public bookshelves and trying to remove it from required reading lists, alleging that it promoted racism. This was not Mark Twain's motive; rather, he was trying to show how the prejudices that society places upon people could be overcome by friendship. Mark Twain's novel has caused much controversy from the beginning. In 1885, the year the book was published, the Concord, Massachusetts Public Library banned the book and described it as "trash and suitable only for the slums" (Haight 1). Other than saying that the book was trash, the library did not express any reason for the book's banning, but it can be assumed that the reason was racism. The complaints did not end there: in New York City, seventy-two years later, Twain's publication found itself "dropped from a list of approved books for senior and junior high schools, partly because of objection to frequent use of the term 'nigger' and famed character 'Nigger Jim,'" (2). The statement from New York showed from where the popular misconception of Twain's intent comes; the usage of the word, "nig... ...t Huck and Jim shared, Huckleberry probably would have never seen Jim as an equal. Huck and Jim showed that friendship is so powerful that it can overcome any obstacle, even prejudices created by society - this was the message that Mark Twain was promoting, and certainly cannot be counted as offensive to anyone. The classic tale of Huck and Jim's travels down the Mississippi River dealt with many complex issues, but the most important of these is friendship. This is what Mark Twain was promoting, not racism. Friendship does not need to be banned from our society; neither does The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Works Cited American Library Association. "Challenged and Banned Books." Haight, Anne Lyon & B., Chandler. "'Tom Sawyer' and 'Huckleberry Finn.'" Phan, Giang & Nguyen, Diep. "Pro Huck Finn." Twain, Mark. "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Hucklebe The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Aristotle was once asked what he thought friendship was. His response was, "One soul inhabiting two bodies." This was the kind of relationship that Huckleberry Finn and Jim shared in Mark Twain's epic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This novel is a tool that Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemmons, was using to impress the great benefits of friendship upon society. However, others feel that Clemmons was using this book for another motive, to promote racism and ever since The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in 1885, there have been people trying to ban it from public bookshelves and trying to remove it from required reading lists, alleging that it promoted racism. This was not Mark Twain's motive; rather, he was trying to show how the prejudices that society places upon people could be overcome by friendship. Mark Twain's novel has caused much controversy from the beginning. In 1885, the year the book was published, the Concord, Massachusetts Public Library banned the book and described it as "trash and suitable only for the slums" (Haight 1). Other than saying that the book was trash, the library did not express any reason for the book's banning, but it can be assumed that the reason was racism. The complaints did not end there: in New York City, seventy-two years later, Twain's publication found itself "dropped from a list of approved books for senior and junior high schools, partly because of objection to frequent use of the term 'nigger' and famed character 'Nigger Jim,'" (2). The statement from New York showed from where the popular misconception of Twain's intent comes; the usage of the word, "nig... ...t Huck and Jim shared, Huckleberry probably would have never seen Jim as an equal. Huck and Jim showed that friendship is so powerful that it can overcome any obstacle, even prejudices created by society - this was the message that Mark Twain was promoting, and certainly cannot be counted as offensive to anyone. The classic tale of Huck and Jim's travels down the Mississippi River dealt with many complex issues, but the most important of these is friendship. This is what Mark Twain was promoting, not racism. Friendship does not need to be banned from our society; neither does The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Works Cited American Library Association. "Challenged and Banned Books." Haight, Anne Lyon & B., Chandler. "'Tom Sawyer' and 'Huckleberry Finn.'" Phan, Giang & Nguyen, Diep. "Pro Huck Finn." Twain, Mark. "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."

Debeers Case Analysis

For more than a century, the powerful DeBeers Consolidated Mines, a South African corporation controlled by the Rothschild Bank in London, has managed to organize the cartel, restricting the supply of diamonds on the market and raising the price far above what would have been market levels How could DeBeers maintain such a flourishing, century-long cartel on the free market? The market has not been really free. In particular, in South Africa, the major center of world diamond production, there has been no free enterprise in diamond mining. The government long ago nationalized all diamond mines, and anyone who finds a diamond mine on his property discovers that the mine immediately becomes government property. The South African government then licenses mine operators who lease the mines from the government and, it so happened, that lo and behold! , the only licensees turned out to be either DeBeers itself or other firms who were willing to play ball with the DeBeers cartel. In short: the international diamond cartel was only maintained and has only prospered because it was enforced by the South African government. he very structure of the cartel is at stake, with the problem centering on the African country of Angola. First, even though the Angolan civil war is over, the results have left the government powerless to control most of the country. Secondly, the end of the war has given independent wildcatters access to the Cuango River in northern Angola, a territory rich in diamonds. And thirdly, the African drought has d ried up the Cuango along with other rivers, leaving the rich alluvial diamond deposits in the beds and on the banks of the Cuango accessible to the eager prospectors. With the diamond deposits available and free of war, and the central government unable to enforce the cartel, 50,000 prospectors have happily poured into the Cuango Valley of Angola. For most of the 20th century, De Beers sold 85% to 90% of the diamonds mined worldwide. With this monopoly, it could artificially keep diamond prices stable by matching its supply to world demand. The De Beers legacy was more than 100 years old. In 1888, Cecil Rhodes successfully consolidated South Africa's diamond mines, laying the foundation for De Beers. He formed a cartel with the ten largest merchants. Each was guaranteed a certain percentage of the diamonds coming out of De Beers' mines. In return, they provided Rhodes with market data, enabling him to ensure a steady, controlled supply it both controls supply and influences demand, combining the roles of major distributor, marketing agency and buffer-stock manager. It has developed an expertise in matching supply to demand and the financial strength to hold diamonds temporarily off the market. A monopoly on marketing

Criminal Investigation (Arson) Essay

What are the similarities and differences between an arson investigation and a bombing investigation? Arson is the intentionally setting of fires to property, persons, and vehicles. Bombing can be defined as the offense of using a projectile, or explosive weapon to cause alarm, panic, danger, or death. There are many similarities and differences between the investigation of a bombing and the investigation of arson. The similarities to conducting an investigation for arson or bombing is as follows: 1) secures the scene upon arrival, have authorities evacuate the area and keep people from contaminating the crime scene further. 2) Notify the proper authorities or investigators to respond to the scene. 3) Begin the process of eliminating any accidental possibilities. 4) Begin to observe the structure, person, or object damaged by the fire or explosion and attempt to locate the point of origin. 5) Observe if any physical issues caused the damage. 6) Begin to collect and process the evidence. 7) Back track and make sure all information is taken and processed before leaving the scene. Be sure during the entire investigation we are using our senses and interviewing any credible witnesses. There are numerous differences when investigating an arson or bombing. Normally a bombing situation is going to be more chaotic, and have the possible for more causalities. During a bombing investigation, many other agencies including federal, local, and state agencies will deploy teams and personnel to assist. Bomb dogs and Bomb technicians will arrive on scene and control the security cordons for the scene. Many different groups and personnel will have certain jobs and duties to perform in order for the scene to become clear. During any bombing investigation a secondary (explosive) device needs to be discovered before any time of physical investigation can begin. After the scene is cleared a further investigation can began. During an arson investigation, the local Arson investigator will normally control the scene upon arrival and complete the arson investigation. Very  seldom do federal authorities become involved unless the arson occurs to federal property. Generally Arson investigations are not a chaotic and time sensitive as the bombing investigation. Arson investigations are filed through police and the fire department at most agencies. As shown there are many similarities and differences between an Arson investigation and a Bombing investigation. Both investigations are important and represent direct threats to our country, citizens and property.

star trek essays

star trek essays Television programs provide one of the most popular forms of entertainment today. From The Simpsons to The X-Files, television shows amuse, shock, sadden, and excite us by turns. Television does more, however, than simply entertain. Television shows are cultural products, and as such, they reflect, reinforce, and challenge cultural ideas. It acts as a mirror and a model for society. In examining and understanding those cultural messages and popular appeal of certain television shows, we should understand something about the society that has created and sustained them. Arguably, Star Trek is one of the most popular television shows ever produced. Today Star Trek includes four television series and nine motion pictures . Like some of the other television shows, Star Trek has been subject to the vagaries of producers and writers so it is difficult to generalize about the intent of the authors of Star Trek or the viewpoint of the readers. Yet, it is also clear that Star Trek has at various times been reflective, informative, and critical about the culture -American culture- that produced it. Star Trek has addressed a wide variety of issues, including war, capitalism, individualism, technology, race, gender, prejudice, religion, etc. The list can be extended to many other issues but here I will focus on race, gender, prejudice and religion only. As portrayed on television such issues are representations of socio-cultural perspectives on broad human concerns. For taking a closer look to those issues, in the continuing parts I will give some exam ples from a number of Star Trek episodes that had written in different times. The portrayal and treatment of religion in the Star Trek television series and films provides an important cultural commentary on the place of religion in society. Although no single coherent approach to religion appears in Star Trek, the series is nevertheless variously reflective of, informed by, an...

Underdog Play Characters and Summary

Topdog/Underdog Play Characters and Summary Topdog/Underdog is about the men who hustle cards and take money from fools. But these characters are not as slick as the con-men in David Mamet’s scripts. They are soured, worn-out, self-reflective, and on the brink of destruction. Written by Suzan-Lori Parks, Topdog/Underdog  won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2002. This two-person drama is filled with gritty dialogue and age-old themes, rooted in a long tradition of fraternal rivals: Cain and Abel, Romulus and Remus, Moses and Pharaoh. The Plot and Characters Two brothers in their mid-to-late thirties struggle to eke out an existence in a shabby little rooming house. The older brother, Lincoln (also known as â€Å"Link†), was once a skilled Three-card Monte con-artist who gave it up after the untimely death of his friend. The younger brother, Booth, wants to be a big shot – but spends most of his time shoplifting and awkwardly practicing the art of card hustling. Their father named them Booth and Lincoln; it was his dismal idea of a joke. Booth talks about his many goals and dreams. He discusses his sexual conquests and his romantic frustrations. Lincoln is much lower-key. He often thinks about his past: his ex-wife, his successes as a card hustler, his parents who abandoned him when he was sixteen. Booth is impulsive throughout most of the play, sometimes reacting violently whenever frustrated or intimidated. Lincoln, on the other hand, seems to let the world step all over him. Instead of grifting, Lincoln has settled into a very odd job at a carnival arcade. For hours on end, he sits in a display box dressed as Abraham Lincoln. Because he is black, his employers insist that he wears â€Å"white-face† make-up. He sits still, reenacting the final moments of the famed president. The â€Å"real† Lincoln was assassinated by a man named Booth as he watched the play, My American Cousin ). Throughout the day, paying customers sneak up and shoot Link in the back of the head with a cap-gun. It’s a strange and morbid occupation. Link gets lured back into card hustling; he’s in his natural element when hes working the cards. Seething Sibling Rivalry Lincoln and Booth share a complex (and therefore fascinating) relationship. They constantly tease and insult one another, but alternately offer support and encouragement. They both pine over failed romantic relationships. They were both abandoned by their parents. Link practically raised Booth, and the younger brother is both envious and in awe of his elder. Despite this kinship, they often betray each other. By the play’s end, Booth graphically describes how he seduced Link’s wife. In turn, the older brother swindles Booth. And even though he promised to teach the younger brother how to throw cards, Lincoln keeps all the secrets to himself. Conclusion of "Topdog/Underdog" The inevitable conclusion is as violent as one might expect, considering the names of the two characters. In fact, there is something disturbingly voyeuristic about the final scene. The explosive ending feels very similar to the unpleasant job that poor Link has at the arcade. Perhaps the message is that we the audience are just as blood-thirsty and macabre as the carnival patrons who pretend to shoot Lincoln day after day. Throughout the play, the brothers exhibit very shady, misguided, and misogynistic characteristics. Yet, through it all, they are very human and very believable as brothers who have been through so much together. It seems the climactic violence stems not so much from a believable progression of the characters, but from the author forcing these deadly themes onto her creations. Is the ending predictable? Somewhat. Predictability is not entirely a bad thing in drama. But the playwright could give us one more throw of the cards so that we could be fooled again.

When jobs are illegal, only illegals will have jobs Essay

When jobs are illegal, only illegals will have jobs - Essay Example es to unskilled workers is overburdening the employers because many of these workers do not know how to perform the job and are ineffective and inefficient. The author states that providing employees with so many benefits is overburdening the employers and this is leading to increase in their cost of production. The author states that the inequality in the wages that are being paid to different employees is resulting in unemployment of unskilled workers because employers do not have enough money to pay the unskilled labor force. Since the unskilled jobs are paid less, the natives are not willing to take up these jobs and these jobs are being taken by immigrant populations. This situation is quite clearly reflected in the region of United States because in United States people who work in the suburban centers are mostly illegal immigrants because suburban employers prefer paying low wages and the requirement of paying high wages to American citizens is discouraging them to employ the unskilled population of United

Satisfying Corporate Shareholders or the Stakeholder as Business Essay

Satisfying Corporate Shareholders or the Stakeholder as Business Priority - Essay Example Adam Smith, an 18th Century theorist, proposed his theory of the invisible hand, which essentially states that business’ thirst for profitability will automatically create positive environmental outcomes for society, hence satisfying corporate responsibility toward the betterment of society (Nickels, McHugh & McHugh, 2005). These outcomes include better economic stability for the region in which the firm operates, as well as providing new jobs and better quality products for citizens. When a firm moves its operations from domestic to the foreign, the outcomes, as measured by the invisible hand theory, would indeed be positive for the foreign nation in which the business thrives. However, moving operations out of the domestic environment, especially in times of national economic crisis, only serves to eliminate career positions for already-struggling citizens in the United States, thus corporate expectations for profitability tend to blind businesses from the needs of its poten tial local workforce. This topic is hotly debated today which is quite obvious in the media and with recent activities of striking workers who fight to ensure that jobs stay local by preventing foreign expansion efforts. Today, Adam Smith might attempt to quiet the barrage of social outcry regarding business shifting its operations overseas by stating that the business had, in some fashion, restored health to the local region while it was domestically in place. Thus, corporate proponents of Smith’s theory might suggest that business had performed ethically...

Wall Street Journal Executive Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Wall Street Journal Executive Summary - Essay Example This lending has brought a new life to Ms. Mathews’ family business and also to her bank. â€Å"For a lot of the big regional banks, the future is a return to the past, â€Å"says Eric Wasserstrom, an analyst at Guggenheim Securities LLC. ’’It’s more like their traditional lending, more balanced† (Sterngold Web). After the recession, some businessmen and lawmakers, said banks were not playing their part in economic growth, although they received a lot of funds from the government. Banks increased their lending across the country in the second quarter of 2012.since then they have increased their lending. However, not all banks accelerated their lending. Some local banks increased their lending to businesses earlier than the national banks in past recession period. The volume of commercial and industrial loans at the major street banks is larger in dollar terms than at regional lenders, although the loans only make a small amount of their total share. For example, Bank of American Corp. made $233.6 billion in loans in 2014 which was 26.5 percent of its total and Citigroup Inc. 6.4 percent of its total. Large banks are mostly concentrating on giving the other types of loans; smaller banks put much emphasis on loaning business persons. KeyBank, for instance, increased its commercial and industrial loan by 12.3 percent in 2014, taking a lion share among its peers in 2014. Fifth Third Bancorp increased its bank loan by 4 percent last year and PNC Financial Services grew hers by 10 percent. KeyBank is established in 12 states, from Maine to Alaska. In July it announced that it had agreed to own Pacific Crest Securities, a technology focussed investment bank. The stock price for KeyCorp, the holding company which consists almost entirely of the banking operation has out competed most of its competitors. During the recession of 2008 and 2009, KeyBank just like the other banks was affected by the economic crisis. It

Nurse-led Clinics in Respiratory Care: a Literature Review

Nurse-led Clinics in Respiratory Care: a Literature Review INTRODUCTION 1. What is a nurse-led clinic? As the coined term suggests, a nurse-led clinic is a health care centre in which nurses are involved in high level specialist procedures and assessments. In such centres, nurses are the critical decision makers, being involved in patient care at the micro-, meso-, and macro-levels. While the role of the physician in the provision of health care is undisputable, the deity-like status that medical practitioners typically have in the mind of patients, coupled with the limited time available for individual patient consultations, make it hard for these group of health care professionals to tackle the ‘softer’ side of patient care. Nurses, on the other hand, defined by the Oxford Medical Dictionary as health care professionals that are trained and experienced in nursing matters and entrusted with the care of the sick and the carrying out of medical and surgical routines, are better placed to provide this essential follow-up, especially in the care of patients with chronic dise ases. According to Hatchett (2003), a nurse-led clinic is a clinic in which nurses have their own patient case loads of whom they take complete charge. Hatchett broadly describes the components of such a clinic. There would be an increase in autonomy associated with the nursing role in the nurse-led clinic, with the power to admit, discharge or refer patients, as appropriate. In Hatchett’s own words, the roles which nurses adopt in these revolutionary settings can be broadly classified as follows (Hatchett, 2003): Education Psychological support Patient monitoring The initiation of nurse-led initiatives probably owes its origins to the rise in nursing specialties in the United Kingdom. Throughout primary and secondary care, nurses are taking senior positions in health care institutions, such as nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, nurse consultants, nurse prescribers, etc, leading to a marked change in service delivery and the profile of the nursing profession. In addition to the usual registered nurse training, nurses working at higher levels of practice receive training to acquire a range of other medical skills such as physical examination and medical history taking in order to recognise abnormal clinical findings. In a two-phase exploratory study to evaluate the domains of structure, process and outcome of nurse-led clinics in supporting intermediate care after the acute phase of disease, Wong et al (2006) interviewed nurses from 34 clinics and 16 physicians and observed 162 nurse-led clinic sessions. Their findings demonstrated the high level of skill and experience of the nurses who ran the clinics. Their work involved skills such as adjusting medications and initiating therapies, and diagnostic tests according to protocols. Interventions included assessments and evaluations, and health counselling. All patients studied showed improvement after the nurse clinic consultation, with the best rates reported in wound and continence clinics; satisfaction scores for both nurses and clients were high. However, although physicians valued their partnership in care with the nurses, they were concerned about possible legal liability resulting from the advanced roles assumed by these nurses. Ultimately, nurse-led clinics provide an integral and invaluable patient-centred approach to the management of chronic disease which build upon skills such as counselling, teaching and health promotion which are key to contemporary nursing practice, as well as newly acquired medical skills. The advent if nurse-led clinics provides an opportunity for nurses to develop enhanced roles in which they can achieve more autonomy in their practice. This can be made a reality if adequate training and education, as well as effective leadership are in place (Wiles et al, 2001). 2. The general roles of nurses in chronic care management The chief nursing officer, Sarah Mullally has proposed ten key roles for nurses in autonomous patient care. These are outlined below as cited by Hatchett (2003): Order diagnostic interventions: just like a medical practitioner would, the present-day nurse is able to ask for laboratory or clinical diagnostic tests to aid the process of diagnosis. Furthermore, a well-trained nurse will also be able to read and interpret laboratory results effectively Make and receive referrals directly: while the all-important roles of nurses are recognised, the need for a multidisciplinary approach to patient care remains key in order to optimise patient outcomes. Accordingly, nurses should be able to recognise the patients’ needs and refer them to the appropriate health care service as required. Similarly, nurses should be ready to accept referrals from other health care disciplines as necessary. Admit and discharge patients for specified conditions, within agreed protocols: in order to make the best use of the often limited hospital resources, a nurse should have the power to recommend patients for hospital admission and subsequent discharge Manage patient case loads: in nurse-led clinics, nurses are also responsible for managing their individual case loads. It is important to delegate patient cases to other members of the team, when necessary to ensure that patients receive the best care possible. Run clinics: the autonomous role of the nurse in a nurse-led clinic includes all aspects of the management and day-to-day running of the clinic. Prescribe medications and treatments: nurse prescribers are able to advise patients on appropriate treatment, based on diagnosis of ailment and individual characteristics and laboratory findings. Carry out a wide range of resuscitation procedures, including defribillation Perform minor surgery and outpatient procedures: especially in injury clinics. While nurses are probably not equipped to carry out full-fledged surgical operations alone, they are trained to conduct emergency processes as appropriate. Triage patients, using the latest information technology, to the most appropriate health care professional Take a lead in the way local health services are organised and in the way they are run Nurses have always been considered as a supplement to the fundamental care provided by medical doctors. In fact, in some geographical regions, nursing roles are limited to menial tasks such as changing bedpans etc. In the new age, the nursing role as we know it is becoming increasingly important with nurses taking on infinitely more clinical roles. This has led to controversial debates with critics arguing that nurses cannot replace doctors in the provision of health care services. As Richard Hatchett very astutely pointed out (2003), the increased autonomy being acquired by nurses is not a bid to compete with medical doctors. Instead, â€Å"it is a case of considering who can provide the most appropriate service to the patient† (Hatchett, 2003). Thus, it is clear that the roles of nurses in chronic care management is very diverse and can be integrated into any nurse-led clinic intervention to the utmost benefit of the patient and all stakeholders. There have been numerous studies on the role of nurses in the care of patients with chronic diseases. In addition, and more specifically, the feasibility and benefits of implementing nurse-led clinics in practice have also been investigated to some extent. In the subsequent sections, we will review the evidence to support these innovative nursing interventions in an attempt to make the best use of health care resources. 3. Nurse-led clinics in the management of chronic care diseases: the evidence The World Health Organization (2002) defines chronic diseases as health care problems that require ongoing management over a period of years or decades. The nature of these disease conditions make it necessary to provide long term care and follow-up for the afflicted patients. Nurse-led interventions have been investigated a wide range of chronic diseases. It could be a logical, user-friendly, cost-effective and practical approach to improving long-term patient outcomes and should be explored fully to maximise the contributions of nurses to the chronic care management. Although this review aims to analyse the effectiveness of nurse-led clinics in the treatment of respiratory diseases, a prior look at the role of these interventions in the management of other chronic care diseases will provide an insight to the general contributory roles of nurses and will serve as a foundation for complete understanding of this state of the art intervention. 3.1 Nurse-led interventions in the management of diabetes Numerous studies have evaluated the benefits and practicalities of nurse-led clinics in the long-term management of diabetes. The renal diabetic nurse specialist is described as an â€Å"essential player† in organising the management of, and to meet, all aspects of need of this group of patients (Marchant, 2002). An unintended benefit of a nurse-led clinic to reduce cardiovascular risk is improved glycaemic control, HbA1c (Woodward et al, 2005). In particular, nurse-led diabetic clinics have been shown to benefit specific ethnic groups. Matthias et al (1998) identified the needs of diabetic patients from minority ethnic groups, such as blacks and Asians and postulated that nurse-led clinics were of particular benefit in this patient group. As epidemiological data show that diabetes is most common in minority ethnic groups (Carter et al, 1996), the importance of these innovative interventions is further emphasised. 3.2 Nurse-led interventions in the management of cardiovascular disease Care of patients with cardiovascular diseases is broad and involves many aspects, from risk factor management (non pharmacological interventions), primary and secondary prevention of clinical events, pharmacological therapy, surgical procedures, etc. Through a large well-designed randomised controlled trial in Scotland, Campbell et al (1998) showed that nurse-led clinics were practical to implement general practice and led to an significant increase in various aspects of the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. Significant improvements were noted in aspirin management, blood pressure management, lipid profile management, diet and physical activity, regardless of the individual patient’s baseline cardio performance or status. However, surprisingly, there was no recorded improvement on smoking cessation, which would have been a beneficial intervention in most acute and chronic disease states, including respiratory diseases. In addition to the apparent effectiveness of the nurse-led clinics in the long-term primary and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease, the optimal use of nurses in the care of these patients has been shown to be cost-effective in terms of quality adjusted life years (QALYs) (Raftery et al, 2005). In this large cost-effectiveness analysis, although the cost of the nurse-led clinic intervention was  £136 higher per patient, the differences in other National Health Service (NHS) costs was not statistically significant. Furthermore, there were 28 more deaths in the non-intervention group leading to a gain, in the intervention group, in mean life-years per patient of 0.110 and of 0.124 QALYs. 3.3 Nurse-led interventions in rheumatology The role of clinical specialist medical doctors in the care of their patients is unquestionable; however, the role of nurses in the therapy area of rheumatology (i.e. in patients with rheumatoid arthritis) is also well documented. Hill and colleagues (1994) clearly demonstrated the effectiveness, safety and acceptability of a nurse practitioner in a rheumatology outpatient clinic. Although this was a small study with a sample size that only included 70 patients, the statistical significance of the findings of this randomised controlled trial cannot be ignored. In patients managed in the Rheumatology Nurse Practitioner clinic, pain, morning stiffness, psychological status, patient management and satisfaction all improved significantly (p = 0.001; p = 0.028; p = 0.0005; p In addition, patient satisfaction is frequently higher in patients who are allocated to nurse care than those allocated to standard medical care (Hill, 1997). In yet another study by Dr Jackie Hill, a registered nurse at the Academic and Clinical Unit for Musculoskeletal Nursing in the Chapel Allerton Hospital in Leeds, the researchers concluded that a nurse-led clinic is effective and safe and is associated with additional benefits, such as greater symptom control and enhanced patient self-care, compared with standard outpatient care. 3.4 Nurse-led interventions in cancer care The effectiveness of nurse-led care in different common cancer afflictions has been researched variously. An extensive review article by Loftus and Weston (2001) discussed the patient needs that could be met by nurses working in nurse-led clinics and highlighted the experience and skills of advanced nursing practice that make such innovative care a reality. The types of nurse-led interventions are as varied as the different types of cancers for which they are used. These range from nurse-led telephone clinics in patients with malignant glioma (Sardell et al, 2001); nurse-led follow up in patients receiving therapy for breast cancer (Koinberg et al, 2004); and nurse-led screening programmes in Hong Kong Chinese women with cervical cancer (Twinn and Cheung, 1999). In a randomised controlled trial in a specialist cancer hospital and three cancer units in southeastern England, Moore et al (2002) assessed the effectiveness of nurse-led follow-up in the management of patients with lung cancer. The findings of the study showed high levels (75%) of patient acceptability. This negates the possibility of patients’ reduced confidence in nurses’ ability and preference for standard medical doctor care. Clinical outcomes were also greatly improved as shown by less severe dyspnoea at three months (p=0.03), better scores for emotional functioning (p=0.03), and less peripheral neuropathy at 12 months (p=0.05). 3.5 Nurse-led interventions in the management of HIV infection Using a rigorous model of comprehensive care nurse-led clinic in genitourinary medicine to compare nurse-led and doctor-led clinics at a central London medicine clinic, Miles and colleagues (2003) reported reliable and valid results to support the use of the nurse-led variety as an acceptable alternative to the existing doctor-led clinics. More specifically, the British HIV Association (BHIVA)/British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) advocate the benefits that can be accrued from a nurse-led educational intervention in the care of patients with HIV infection (Poppa et al, 2003). A small pilot study that investigated the effects of a 6-month nurse-led educational programme reported that improved virological responses were seen in treatment-experienced patients (Alexander et al, 2001). While a majority of the studies on nurse-led clinics in other chronic diseases can be broadly applied to nurse-led care in patients with respiratory diseases, differences in the nature of these diseases and the necessary care pathways mean that the extent to which these tested interventions can be applied to other therapy areas is, in actual fact, limited. Government policies that advocate the clinical and economic effectiveness of nurse-led interventions frequently pool together evidence from all therapeutic areas. Indeed, it can be hypothesised that, if nursing interventions are shown be practical alternatives for medical care in complex diseases with poor prognoses, such as cancer, HIV and coronary heart diseases, care of patients with respiratory diseases which generally have better prognoses should be easily, effectively and safely undertaken by qualified and well-trained nurses. Nevertheless, these findings of the effectiveness of nurse-led interventions in the numerous chronic diseases explored in previous sections, should be applied to the different patient population with respiratory diseases. As much as possible, research findings from similar patient groups should be applied in clinical practice in order to ensure that evidence-based practice in this case is relevant. 4. Government policies influencing the establishment of nurse-led clinics Government health policies in the United Kingdom actively support the extension of nurses’ skills into areas such as nurse prescribing and the development of nurse practitioner posts (NHS Plan 2000; Department of Health). Government initiatives that that strive to reduce consultation waiting times and optimise the use of medical practitioners indirectly support the establishment of nurse-led clinics. The Government has endorsed the implementation of nurse-led clinics as a means of increasing access to specialist health care and treatment more quickly and also as an effective way to manage chronic conditions (Hatchett, 2003). In the Department of Health (1999) document, ‘Making a difference’, government plans for strengthening nursing contribution to health care is presented. The Government has launched an ambitious programme of measures to improve the National Health Service and the health of the public, and the role of the nursing profession in this initiative cannot be overemphasised. The key nurse-related points of the document are outlined below: To extend the roles of nurses, midwives and health visitors to make better use of their knowledge an skills – including making it easier for them to prescribe To modernise the roles of school nurses and health visitors in supporting the new health strategy and other policies To see more nurse-led primary care services to improve accessibility and responsiveness The document highlights numerous nurse-led initiatives that have been effectively implemented all around the United Kingdom. A nurse-led minor injury service in rural Cornwall has provided patients with a number of benefits: easier accessibility, reduced waiting times, reduced need for on-site medical; attendance, increased patient satisfaction and reduced need for transfers to local Accident and Emergency departments. Similarly, a nurse-led rapid response team in Peterborough responds to acute crisis cases and allows patients to be nursed at home. Evaluation has shown that 71% of patients referred to this ‘hospital at home’ service would have been admitted to hospital if the service did not exist. Other effective live nurse-led services include a nurse-led rheumatology service in Merseyside and a nurse-led intermediate care unit in Liverpool. Furthermore, several nurse interventions are advocated in the document for contributing to the management of cardiovascular disease. Several of these are also applicable to respiratory diseases; these include: Smoking cessation clinics using national smoking cessation guidelines Healthy lifestyle clinics in collaboration with other health professionals to address factors such as diet, nutrition and exercise, thus improving overall health Care for patients with congestive cardiac failure under ‘home-based’ initiatives Nurse-led chest pain clinics or risk factor screening and reduction clinics Nurse-led blood pressure clinics to identify and help manage blood pressure disorders and medication adherence 5. Review objectives The objectives of this review are: To briefly summarise various studies on effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of nurse-led interventions in common respiratory diseases To critically appraise the methods employed by these studies To evaluate, interpret, and where possible, compare the findings of the various studies To explore the applicability and generalisability of the results to practice in the appropriate patient population To make suggestions for future studies in this area. METHODS Literature search A search of two major databases, MEDLINE and EMBASE, was conducted to identify articles published from 1990 through 2008. Search terms that were used include nurse, nurse-led clinic, nurse-led interventions, respiratory diseases, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and economics. A secondary search of the reference lists was then conducted to identify relevant articles, editorials, and other unoriginal reports that may have been missed in the primary search. Some studies were excluded based on the following criteria: They were not conducted in patient populations with respiratory diseases Independent nurse-led interventions were not investigated The study populations being investigated were mixed in terms of diagnosis, which would affect the integrity of the study findings for respiratory diseases The methodology and/ or statistical analysis methods were not clearly elucidated 6. Nurse-led clinics in the management of respiratory diseases: a review of the evidence The role of the specialist respiratory nurse has evolved since the early 1980’s with the support of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP 1981). The possible complexity of respiratory patients’ regimens necessitates support with various aspects of their care plans, such as: Supervising nebuliser and inhaler techniques Monitoring progress, i.e. by periodical assessment of lung function and exercise capacity Education on the specific disorder, medications, potential adverse events, etc Counselling and education on positive lifestyle, or non-pharmacological, changes Adherence support and monitoring The role has developed further with nurses providing nurse-led clinics in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma along with nurses providing early supportive discharge and ’hospital at home’ for patients with COPD (French et al, 2003). Some schools of thought argue that nurse-led clinics would culminate in the neglect of the more traditional nursing roles, as nurses focus on a more medical-focused aspect of patient care. However, research in other therapy areas, such as rheumatology (Hill et al, 1994) and mental health (Reynolds et al, 2000) shows that nurses can effectively combine the medical role with the traditional nursing approach. Nursing care strives to provide a holistic approach to care through practical management of disability, education and counselling and referral to other health care services as required (Rafferty and Elborn 2002). 6.1 Bronchiectasis Nurse-led clinics have been evaluated, compared with regular doctor-led clinics, in a single randomised controlled trial in patients with bronchiectasis, a respiratory condition in which there is widening of the bronchi or their branches (Sharples et al, 2002). The study was a randomised controlled crossover trial including 80 patients in a bronchiectasis outpatient clinic. Patients received 1 year of nurse led care and 1 year of doctor led care in random order, and were followed up for 2 years. Various outcome indicators were used in the comparison, including lung function and exercise capacity, infective exacerbations, hospital admissions, quality of life and cost-effectiveness of the intervention. The results of this study are illustrated in Table 1 below. Table 1: Nurse-led and doctor-led care in care of patients with bronchiectasis (Sharples et al, 2002) Measurement outcome Nurse-led Doctor-led Mean difference (95% CI) p-value Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (%) 1.87 1.86 0.01 (-0.04 to 0.06) Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (L) 69.7 69.5 0.2 (-1.6 to 2.0) Forced vital capacity (FVC) (%) 87.6 87.6 -0.02 (-1.5 to 1.4) 12 minute walk distance (m) 765 746 18 (-13 to 48) Infective exacerbations (patient years of follow up) 262 (79.4) 238 (77.8) 0.34 Hospital admissions attributable to patient’s bronchiectasis 43 23 0.22 As the table above clearly shows, there was no statistical difference in FEV1/FVC percent predicted or distance walked between nurse led and doctor led care in the two treatment periods. Furthermore, 262 episodes of infective exacerbations were recorded by patients in the nurse practitioner-led care group in 79.4 patient years of follow up, compared with 238 in 77.8 years in the doctor-led care group. Thus, nurse practitioner-led care is associated with a relative rate of exacerbations of 1.09 (95% CI 0.91 to 1.30), p=0.34. Using the St Georges Respiratory Disease questionnaire to assess differences in health-related quality of life between the two groups, there was no statistically significant differences in each of the scores for Symptoms, Control, Impact or total score. Also, the study showed that nurse-led care resulted in significantly higher costs per patient compared with doctor-led care; this was largely due to the difference in the number of hospital admissions and intravenous and nebulised antibiotic costs. The authors concluded that nurse practitioner-led care for stable patients within a chronic chest clinic is safe and is as effective as doctor led care, but may use more resources. This study has several potential limitations which could invalidate the findings. As the study relied on patient report to record the prescriptions issued by general practitioners, these may have been underestimated and could grossly affect the cost analysis. Conversely, the nurse practitioner was required to record prescriptions and tests issued at the clinic, and thus these records are probably more reliable and she would be more likely to have ensured that patients left with supplies of routine treatment. Another possible drawback of this study is the use of a crossover design in the methodology. Unless a wash-out period is incorporated in the study design, there is the possibility of a carryover effect with crossover study designs, with the danger that the effects of the earlier treatment is falsely attributed to the final experimental treatment. In this study, there was no allowance for a washout period and thus this could affect the reliability and validity of the study results. This order and time effect needs to be checked for within the analyses but it can rarely be excluded as potential biasing factors (Pocock 1983). However, as recruited patients received the interventions in random order, this may negate the carryover effect. Despite the possible limitations of the study that could potentially hinder its applicability in practice, the findings support the implementation of a nurse-led clinic in patients with chronic cases of bronchiectasis as an alternative to the standard rigid medical care. 6.2 Asthma Similar to the findings in the study by Sharples and colleagues (2002) in patients with bronchiectasis, Nathan et al (2006) more recently compared the effect of follow-up by a nurse specialist with follow-up by a respiratory doctor following an acute asthma admission. In a single centre prospective randomised controlled trial, 154 patients admitted with acute asthma were randomly assigned to receive an initial 30-min follow-up clinic appointment within 2 weeks of hospital discharge with either a specialist nurse or respiratory doctor. The intervention comprised a medical review, patient education, and a self-management asthma plan. Further follow-up was then arranged as was deemed appropriate by the corresponding doctor or nurse, and all patients were asked to attend a 6-month appointment. Despite hospital outpatient follow-up, there was a significant proportion of patients in both groups who had exacerbations. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (Table 2). In the same manner, there was no statistically significant difference in quality of life assessed with two different validated questionnaires, the Asthma Questionnaire and the St George Respiratory Questionnaire. Mean change in peak flow at 6 months was similar between the two groups, probably indicating equivalence of the two tested interventions. Nathan et al (2006) concluded that follow-up care by a nurse specialist for patients admitted with acute asthma can be delivered equivocally with comparable safety and effectiveness to that traditionally provided by a doctor practitioner. Table 2: Nurse-led and doctor-led care in follow-up care of patients admitted with acute asthma (Nathan et al, 2006) Measurement outcome Nurse-led Doctor-led Odds ratio (95% CI) Mean difference (95% CI) p-value Change in peak flow 1.39 (-3.84 to 6.63) 0.122 Infective exacerbations (%) 45.6 49.2 0.86 (0.44 to 1.71) 0.674 Quality of life 87.6 87.6 -0.02 (-1.5 to 1.4) Asthma Questionnaire 0.78 (-0.64 to 2.19) 0.285 St George Respiratory Questionnaire 1.08 (5.05 to 7.21) 0.891 The possible limitations associated with this study is the large amount of missing data for some outcomes, especially peak flow and quality of life