Social Media at Ibm and a Case Study of Yammer at Deloitte

IT InfrastructureSession 01 Social Media at IBM IBM has been aggressively using social media to tie its far-flung and huge workforce together and, without a doubt, also with a mind towards selling these technologies as part of its service offering. IBM’s Beehive Social Network is a glimpse of how social networks might be used and received in the future. It is an Internet-based social networking site that gives IBM staff a â€Å"rich connection to the people they work with,† both professionally and personally.Using it, employees can make new connections, track current friends and co-workers, and renew contact with people they have worked with in the past. In the first nine months of use, over 35,000 registered IBM employees created over 280,000 social network connections to each other, posted more than 150,000 comments, shared more than 43,000 photos, created about 15,000 ‘Hive5s,’ and hosted more than 2,000 events. Beehive seems to be succeeding â€Å"to h elp IBM employees meet the challenge of building the relationships vital to working in large, distributed enterprises. †Ref: IBM Watson Research Center (2008) â€Å"Project: Beehive†, available at http://domain. watson. ibm. com/cambridgeresearch. nsf/0/8b6d4cd68f, last accessed 28 Feb 2013. A Case Study of Yammer at Deloitte Social media technologies are making fast inroads into organisations. In the context of knowledge intensive work the propositions of improving communication, information sharing and user involvement seem particularly promising. However, the role and impact of social technologies in enterprises in general, and knowledge work in particular, are still not well understood, despite emerging scholarly works in this field.Our case investigates emerging communicative work practices on the Enterprise Social Networking platform Yammer within Deloitte Australia. We uncover a set of emerging practices enabled by the platform within the case company and reflect on our results in the context of the knowledge-intensive nature of professional service work. We find that Yammer in the case company has become 1) an information-sharing channel, 2) a space for crowd-sourcing ideas, 3) a place for finding expertise and solving problems, and most importantly 4) a conversation medium for context and relationship building.Ref: Riemer, K, Scifleet, P & Reddig, R (2012), â€Å"Powercrowd: Enterprise Social Networking in Professional Service Work: A Case Study of Yammer at Deloitte Australia†, available at http://hdl. handle. net/2123/8352, last accessed 28 Feb 2013. 1. What aspects of social media technologies do the above case studies illustrate? †¢ Information sharing †¢ Communication †¢ Joint problem sharing †¢ Discussion forums †¢ Networking †¢ Events management †¢ Generation of ideas/innovation 2. What other examples of the use of social media technologies for corporate communication are you aware of? Face book for marketing, discussion boards, event notification †¢ Dropbox for document sharing, joint authorship †¢ Google docs for document sharing, joint authorship †¢ Google talk, Skype for voice and video communications †¢ Linkedin for networking, profile, job seeking, employ seeking, outsourcing †¢ Share-point for document sharing, discussion board, joint authorship 3. To what extent can / should an IT Infrastructure Manager control the extent and mode of use of social media technologies? Can / Should Control Use |Cannot / Should Not Control Use | |Control access to some social media, such as personal email |Access to information | |accounts that deliberately bypass corporate mail pathways |Use of personal communication devices, especially for personal | |Access to and storage of certain type of content (pornography,|communication | |racial, anti-social) |Downloading of apps to non-corporate devices | |Privacy of corporate data – identifying realms of privacy: |Communication outside of work hours | |confidential, internally confidential, public, potentially |External threats – hacking, invasion, blocking, loss of | |public |external security | |Censorship of inappropriate non-professional communication – | | |through policies & governance | | 4. What are some implications of these developments in the use of social media technologies for the management of existing corporate IT infrastructures? †¢ The company needs to choice between hard censorship approach, or open communication sharing approach Need to provide training and education for staff to understanding guidelines and penalties †¢ Need protection against external threats by between fire-walls and software management †¢ Need a communication policy framework that covers all aspects of information communication, storage, access and use within the company †¢ Need to have staff sign communication agreements, based on these policies and comp letion of training and education †¢ Want a better understanding of what social media are used in the company, how they are currently used and how they may be used 5. Are social media technologies really any different from the technology used in existing corporate IT infrastructures? Social Media Technologies ARE Different |Social Media Technologies AREN’T Different | |Global scope of communication and exposure |Underlying motivations are similar | |Policies of social media providers |Underlying mechanisms and technology are the same | |Motivation of social media – recognition, networking, |Accessibility is the same | |crowd-sourcing, accessibility, to make money |Company needs to manage different levels of access and rights | |Relative to the existing infrastructure of the organisation |to publish company information | |Higher functionality has a different purpose | | |Based on equity of access and right to publish | | Social Media at Ibm and a Case Study of Yammer at Deloitte IT InfrastructureSession 01 Social Media at IBM IBM has been aggressively using social media to tie its far-flung and huge workforce together and, without a doubt, also with a mind towards selling these technologies as part of its service offering. IBM’s Beehive Social Network is a glimpse of how social networks might be used and received in the future. It is an Internet-based social networking site that gives IBM staff a â€Å"rich connection to the people they work with,† both professionally and personally.Using it, employees can make new connections, track current friends and co-workers, and renew contact with people they have worked with in the past. In the first nine months of use, over 35,000 registered IBM employees created over 280,000 social network connections to each other, posted more than 150,000 comments, shared more than 43,000 photos, created about 15,000 ‘Hive5s,’ and hosted more than 2,000 events. Beehive seems to be succeeding â€Å"to h elp IBM employees meet the challenge of building the relationships vital to working in large, distributed enterprises. †Ref: IBM Watson Research Center (2008) â€Å"Project: Beehive†, available at http://domain. watson. ibm. com/cambridgeresearch. nsf/0/8b6d4cd68f, last accessed 28 Feb 2013. A Case Study of Yammer at Deloitte Social media technologies are making fast inroads into organisations. In the context of knowledge intensive work the propositions of improving communication, information sharing and user involvement seem particularly promising. However, the role and impact of social technologies in enterprises in general, and knowledge work in particular, are still not well understood, despite emerging scholarly works in this field.Our case investigates emerging communicative work practices on the Enterprise Social Networking platform Yammer within Deloitte Australia. We uncover a set of emerging practices enabled by the platform within the case company and reflect on our results in the context of the knowledge-intensive nature of professional service work. We find that Yammer in the case company has become 1) an information-sharing channel, 2) a space for crowd-sourcing ideas, 3) a place for finding expertise and solving problems, and most importantly 4) a conversation medium for context and relationship building.Ref: Riemer, K, Scifleet, P & Reddig, R (2012), â€Å"Powercrowd: Enterprise Social Networking in Professional Service Work: A Case Study of Yammer at Deloitte Australia†, available at http://hdl. handle. net/2123/8352, last accessed 28 Feb 2013. 1. What aspects of social media technologies do the above case studies illustrate? †¢ Information sharing †¢ Communication †¢ Joint problem sharing †¢ Discussion forums †¢ Networking †¢ Events management †¢ Generation of ideas/innovation 2. What other examples of the use of social media technologies for corporate communication are you aware of? Face book for marketing, discussion boards, event notification †¢ Dropbox for document sharing, joint authorship †¢ Google docs for document sharing, joint authorship †¢ Google talk, Skype for voice and video communications †¢ Linkedin for networking, profile, job seeking, employ seeking, outsourcing †¢ Share-point for document sharing, discussion board, joint authorship 3. To what extent can / should an IT Infrastructure Manager control the extent and mode of use of social media technologies? Can / Should Control Use |Cannot / Should Not Control Use | |Control access to some social media, such as personal email |Access to information | |accounts that deliberately bypass corporate mail pathways |Use of personal communication devices, especially for personal | |Access to and storage of certain type of content (pornography,|communication | |racial, anti-social) |Downloading of apps to non-corporate devices | |Privacy of corporate data – identifying realms of privacy: |Communication outside of work hours | |confidential, internally confidential, public, potentially |External threats – hacking, invasion, blocking, loss of | |public |external security | |Censorship of inappropriate non-professional communication – | | |through policies & governance | | 4. What are some implications of these developments in the use of social media technologies for the management of existing corporate IT infrastructures? †¢ The company needs to choice between hard censorship approach, or open communication sharing approach Need to provide training and education for staff to understanding guidelines and penalties †¢ Need protection against external threats by between fire-walls and software management †¢ Need a communication policy framework that covers all aspects of information communication, storage, access and use within the company †¢ Need to have staff sign communication agreements, based on these policies and comp letion of training and education †¢ Want a better understanding of what social media are used in the company, how they are currently used and how they may be used 5. Are social media technologies really any different from the technology used in existing corporate IT infrastructures? Social Media Technologies ARE Different |Social Media Technologies AREN’T Different | |Global scope of communication and exposure |Underlying motivations are similar | |Policies of social media providers |Underlying mechanisms and technology are the same | |Motivation of social media – recognition, networking, |Accessibility is the same | |crowd-sourcing, accessibility, to make money |Company needs to manage different levels of access and rights | |Relative to the existing infrastructure of the organisation |to publish company information | |Higher functionality has a different purpose | | |Based on equity of access and right to publish | |

Social Impacts and Threats of IT

Over the last 40-50 years the impact IT has had on our lives and our society is astonishing! There are many different impacts associated with this topic, a few of which are Social, Economical, Legal and Ethnical. We rely on IT systems to do the simple things we take for granted in our day-to-day lives such as: media, entertainment (gaming and television), advertising (products and services) etc. IT has developed more than ever over the past decade and although we may not notice how IT has changed, it is constantly altering everything we do in our everyday lives. Many people nowadays take the use of IT for granted. Social Impacts How we spend out extra time Currently in the U.K a staggering 97% of people in the U.K have a PC or a computer of some sort in their homes. However, in this day and age most people use a computer as part of everyday life, whether it is for work or socialising. Nowadays most young people in the U.K spend a large quantity of their time on the computer. It is thought that on average a normal teenager spends around 31 hours a week on the computer alone and a mind-blowing nine of these hours are on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace etc. Although for many of our Grandparents and even our Parents this was very different! Nowadays young people are constantly being nagged by Grandparents and Parents about spending too much time indoors and not enough outdoors. We are told that we spend far too much of our time inside (playing computer games or watching television) and that we do not spend nearly enough time outside getting the fresh air that our body needs. It is thought that this younger generation seems to have a lot more recreational time than the older, previous generations. It is obvious that people of the older generations did not have nearly as much free time on their hands as we do today. As nearly all of their time was taken up by working, chores and other tasks and duties. However, for us many of these chores have been made easier by various IT solutions throughout the years. Saving time and effort for us today and as a result leaving us much more free time. Effects on local communities Now as a result of internet development, there are 1000’s of new and diversified websites that are available to consumers, offering them a wider and larger selection of goods and services online. Consequently some traditional facilities, such as local clothing shops, continue to lose customers and are subsequently forced to close down as they are no longer needed within the society. Another prime reason for this reoccurring problem is that people are becoming increasingly laid-back and don’t want to have to take a trip into the shops when they can just order everything they need to their doorstep from the comfort of their own homes. As more local shops close down there is less work within this industry and the immediate area. This can have a very negative effect on the local community. Economic Impacts Employment structure and working practices IT has changed the foundation of how people work in many different occupations. Good examples of occupations that have been transformed by the Impact of IT include typists who typed letters on a typewriter and administrators who used to keep paper based records. Now as well as IT transforming the methods of work in many other occupations, new jobs have been created, giving people the chance to develop new skills within the Information Technology industry. In addition to this IT is now an essential part and key skill to many jobs today and is further required 90% of all employers! With Internet access extensively available throughout the world, many people can communicate and work away from their office and in the comfort of their own home as it may suit their lifestyle better. This is now a very popular option for several employees. Sustainability Computers are not all good. There are negative points and various problems related to the invention of the computer. Computers use a high amount of power and electricity and with so many in homes, businesses and even schools; this is becoming a foremost problem and a colossal contribution to energy consumption and other issues relating to this such as climate change! Additionally, people are overjoyed and excited when new and more modern versions of the computer are developed because it means there is a new and better way of doing things that make life that extra bit easier. However, behind the scenes this is not good, it is a huge problem. The question many people in our society today forget to ask ourselves is where does the old computer equipment that we no longer need or use go? As a result of not enough people caring where the disposal of unwanted electrical equipment (not only computers) goes this problem is handed over to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive 2007). Under the rules and regulations of this organisation, the manufactures of electrical equipment are obligated to provide consumers that purchase a new piece of electrical equipment a method of disposing of the apparatus that their purchase is replacing. Legal Impacts Ownership, copyright and plagiarism When using information or data that is not your own work it is important that you recognize that copyright of the creator. In the United Kingdom the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 gives the authors of written work, music and films rights to control the ways that their material may be used. However because music and films are so easy to download over the internet, many people break this law and use the internet to steal material in copyright. Some people even set up file sharing web services that allow users to share and view copyrighted material, mainly films and music. As well as copyright, plagiarism is an increasing problem and is commonly found within schools. Most school children today view plagiarism as â€Å"changing it into their own words† and don’t really recognise or grasp the concept that is it illegal! Plagiarism is commonly carried out in assignment work submitted by learners in schools, colleges, and even universities. You are allowed to quote other peoples work as long as you recognise the source of information, however you are not allowed (and it is illegal) to pass other peoples work off as your own. Ethnical Impacts Privacy of information Currently with so much personal and private information stored on computers, personal privacy has become a problem. Nowadays almost every small characteristic and proportion of your life is recorded on a computer, including who you call on your mobile phone, what you search for on search engines such as Google, your medical records and even you relatives. Social Networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter etc are becoming a major problem when relating to privacy. Millions and millions of people all over the world have an account of some sort on a social networking site, many people put up pictures of themselves and post blogs and wall posts of exactly where they will be and exactly what time they will be there. As a result of this, it could be dangerous as many of these sites are not secured properly. However personal information about living individuals is protected by the Data Protection Act (1998). The Data Protection Act is a law passed in 1998 that requires companies that store personal information about people on their computers, to register with the Data Protection Registrar which obligates them to keep to the eight Data Protection Principles. Unequal Access Although there are numerous different benefits of Internet access, what happens to the people who can’t get high speed access to the internet? Local and national implications In the United Kingdom many people who live in rural or countryside areas are not able to get broadband internet access because of the location in which they live in. Many telephone and cable companies refuse to lay down cables which allow people in the countryside to receive internet access because they believe that the cost of laying down the cables would be a lot higher than that of what the customer have to pay to receive the broadband connection. Another prime contribution to this problem is age, some elderly people may find it difficult to understand and interpret new technology. As many services such as banking and utilities (for example electricity and oil) become progressively more internet-based, many older people might find it hard to access these facilities. They could also be placed at an economic disadvantage as many goods and services are mostly cheaper online than that of their usual ways. For example many oil suppliers offer a discounted rate if people manage their accounts online. It is also good to remember that Internet access in not free and not everyone can afford to pay Internet charges therefore it is putting less economically stabled families at a disadvantage compared to more economically stabled families. Global implications Many people in today’s society that live in Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDC’S) may too find it difficult to receive internet access. Today many aspects of development such as economic and educational rely on the internet and computer skills. For some people who do not have access to this they are in danger of being left further behind. Sometimes people call the divide between the people who don’t have easy access to computer technologies and those who do the digital divide. Now as a result of unequal access a number projects have been set up, such as One Laptop per Child to help develop low-cost computing solutions. Abuse of IT The same as many other great things in life, all great things have a drawback and in IT this is no different especially with the internet. There are many different threats and exasperations that all IT users need to be conscious and aware of. Threats Cyber Bullying Around 10 percent of all adolescents’ are victims of internet bullying. This type of bullying can be a scary and worrying problem and in turn can be more serious than conventional bullying. There are many different ways that and methods that can be used, including social networking sites, SMS, e-mails and chartrooms. Many Cyber bullies encourage their friends to join in the bullying and therefore are all bullying the one person collectively as a group. Spam Spam is unwanted e-mail advertising. If you have an e-mail account you will generally receive e-mails that are advertisements most of which are annoying and have the potential to be dangers and harmful to your computer or PC. However e-mail users need to be cautious and aware when opening attachments in e-mails as they could contain viruses. Phishing Phishing is a method, used by criminals, to try and acquire information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy individual in an electronic communication service. A widely used method that almost all phishing criminals use is they send people an e-mail disguised as if it is coming from their bank. The e-mail usually tells them to then click a link within the e-mail which then directs them to a page that looks like the log-on screen to their online bank account. However, the web page is under complete control of the criminals’ and therefore allows them to determine the victim’s username, password and various other security details. After this the criminals then use this information to gain access to the victim’s bank account and go on to steal money out of it. Denial of service attacks A denial of service attack (DOS attack) or distributed denial of service attack (DDoS attack) is an attempt to make a computer resource unavailable to its intended users. Although the means to carry out, motives for, and targets of a DoS attack may vary, it generally consists of the determined efforts of a person, or multiple people to prevent an Internet site or service from working efficiently or at all, temporarily or indefinitely. Perpetrators of DoS attacks typically targets sites or services hosted on high-profile web servers such as banks and credit card payment gateways.

Air Pollution in Los Angeles, CA Research Paper

Air Pollution in Los Angeles, CA - Research Paper Example Beginning back in the 1960s, the United States began drafting multiple versions of legislation designed to clean up the area. The intent of these policies was to strengthen existing legislation governing air pollution through the industrialized world, particularly in the United States and in Europe. Commonly referred to as the Clean Air Act, there were limits placed on certain groups of air pollutants, and cities were required to report particulate levels and to state what the were doing to enforce the policies set forth in the legislation. Naturally, Los Angeles is a primary target of the Clean Air Acts. This paper aims to discuss current policies being implemented in the Los Angeles area, look at the long term impacts of air pollution if current curbing measure to not work, and the effect that air pollution has on the minority communities around Los Angeles. Current Public Policies Current policies in place in America overall seem to be having a positive affect. Over the course of the past four decades, levels of carbon monoxide emissions have been reduce by nearly 100 million tons. Nitrogen oxide emission have fallen about 8 million tons, while emissions from sulfur dioxides have been reduced about in half. In general, the United States has seen particulate emissions fall by more than 80% and lead emission by more than 98% (Jerrett and Calle 731). While these figures represent a significant improvement, they do not tell the complete story. Pollution in Los Angeles still remains a serious problem. Certain areas are more polluted that young children and the elderly can handle, leading to countless health issues and even death. The government of Los Angeles County is still seeking ways to reduce pollution across communities for the benefit of all people. For decades, Los Angeles has had some of the, if not the most, polluted air in the country. Los Angeles has the most polluted ozone and the fourth most polluted year-round particulate levels (Su & Jerrett 662). Many attribute the problem to the dense population in the city and its notorious traffic congestion. As such, most legislative policies aimed at reducing air pollution have been aimed at reducing traffic related issues. This has not paid dividends, which is one of the contributing factors behind Los Angeles lagging behind other cities its size in reducing the level of toxic chemicals in the air (Linn & Szlachcic 429). The public, and indeed the government, see the problem of air pollution as being the most serious environmental issue facing the city (Kunzli & Jerrett 202). While the Environmental Protection Agency, an arm of the federal government, has proposed even stricter regulations on air pollution levels and companies that pollute, subsequent presidential administrations have been hesitant to ask out of risk of the adverse economic impact that might result. They also point out the reality that there has been a decrease in the amount of air pollutants in recent decades, yet th is is not enough in the eyes of many. Many experts in the field contend that the improvements have only taken the problem from ‘dangerously high’ to ‘dangerous’

The characteristics of a growing and a mature product market Essay

The characteristics of a growing and a mature product market - Essay Example Under this phase, there are rapidly rising sales volume and profit, and the overall-growth is at a very fast-paced manner (Kotler, 2002, p.173). For example, consumer electronic markets, particularly entertainment devices, are in the growing product market. Portable DVD player is the hottest, trending category and â€Å"derives its popularity from its portability and compact size† (Atico International, n.d.). It also constitutes an annual growth rate of 25% in the hi-fi product market together with turntable, amplifier and digital radio tuner, MP3 players, four-unit speaker and wi-fi capability. During this stage, the average production cost of portable DVD player is being assessed as to what the company could sustain. Samsung Electronics is one of the prominent manufacturers of consumer electronic devices, but because it is not the first-mover, it needs to do extensive research to enhance the quality and features of its product. It has launched the world’s smallest por table DVD with a tiniest DVD format, quality screen format and a good battery life. In addition, the high production cost during the introduction stage is initially recovered in the growth phase because of scale economies or increased output. Customers at this stage are early adopters and old-users because the former will become aware of product benefits and participate while the latter will increase their consumption level or usage rate. This phase is very attractive to new entrants because profitability and market share are certain; thus, the business must expect a growing competition. A higher sales volume and profits that Samsung have gained from its portable DVD players make competitors such as Sony, Philips and LG to emerge. For the product to compete and obtain superior sales rate and market share, its product features should be unique and different, and the cost of promotion should be increased. Strategies. Sales and marketing strategies should be strengthened by providing t he market segment with the necessary information about the product. The product quality, feature, style, and design should be improved to increase the usage rate and brand identity. It is also an advantage if the business will involve in new market segments such as first-time buyers or non-users to widen its distribution coverage as demand increases. Furthermore, the original price should be maintained because the demand is rising, and it should use an informative promotion to attract a wide market audience. 1.2 Mature Product Market The mature product market is the third product life cycle phase. During this level, the rate of sales and profits is high, but starting to level-off because the overall growth is at a very slow manner (Kotler, 2002, p.174). For instance, Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola are the two well-known competitors in carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) market wherein the former is the leading sales and market shareholder in the early years of competition. However, in the most recent soft-drink sales, Pepsi has total sales of $43.23 billion while Coca-Cola has $30.99 billion (Dlugosch, 2010). The

China (1000-1600CE) economic Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

China (1000-1600CE) economic - Research Paper Example Moreover, the production of coal was also increased and this was because an estimated one million households were using it every day for heating purposes.1 In those centuries, the light industry also continued to prosper in China and it included the making of porcelain, the building of ships and the textile industry. The making of textiles especially grew considerably and many families worked in this industry and depended on it to make a living.2 The rate of urbanization also increased as people realized that it was in the cities that wealth could be made. Several industries were heavily regulated by the government and these included the production of sulphur, which was a crucial ingredient in the production of gunpowder, which was then a new weapon component. The other industry that was under the government monopoly was the tea industry, whose revenues the government used to fund the equipment of its military. As for agricultural development in that period, there were great agricult ural advancements and this was because the government encouraged and sponsored irrigation projects, which increased the amount of land that could be cultivated. Furthermore, the government often encouraged the peasants to cultivate more land so that they could produce enough food for themselves and the surplus could be kept for emergency purposes. A large variety of crops were cultivated and these included rice, which was a staple, and other specialized crops such as oranges and sugarcane which tended to be planted alongside rice. Many peasants sold the surplus of the food they had produced, and they further added to this income through the making of sculptures among other handicraft, and this ensured that they had a steady income to enable them to live comfortably. It was during this period that a new breed of rice, called champa, was introduced in China, which had more yields than the other types of rice planted before, and this ensured the food security of the entire population o f this state for a long time to come.3 The structure of agricultural production also changes in such a way that, whereas before agriculture had either been dominated by the land owning aristocracy or self-sufficient peasants, in this period, agricultural production came to be dominated by a non-aristocratic land owning class. In this system, most of the farmers did not own the land, which they farmed, and instead, they were tenants to these new landowners. Commercial development. The merchant class of this time had become more sophisticated than its predecessors and not only was it well organized, but it was also very much respected in the Chinese society. These merchants through their business ventures managed to accumulate great wealth and it is said that this wealth even rivaled that of the educated class government officials. Many merchants were members of guilds, which were organized according to the sort of products they put on the market. Those tended to set the costs of the particular products that they sold.4 In the urban areas of China, the privately owned businesses dominated the markets in these cities. The most successful businesses in this period tended to be family owned enterprises and these experienced a fair amount of success as the quality of products from particular businesses was well known by their customers. The government’s lifting of all restrictions to trading activities greatly enhanced the

CAN COMPASSION BE TAUGHT An exploration of the concept of teaching Literature review

CAN COMPASSION BE TAUGHT An exploration of the concept of teaching compassion to nursing staff within the field of dementia - Literature review Example In this regard, a framework was developed using the guide for critiquing quantitative research suggested by Coughlan, Cronin and Ryan (2007) and the guide for critiquing qualitative research suggested by Ryan, Coughlan and Cronin (2007). Ten journal articles were selected using an exclusion and inclusion criteria based on relevance, appropriateness and the most recent research on the subject under investigation. A Fishbone analysis was conducted to determine the challenges for implementing and using compassion in the delivery of care to patients with dementia for determining the extent to which compassion can be taught as revealed in the literature. Results: The results of the study indicate that nursing staff delivering care to dementia patients and dealing with families and carers are at an increased risk of compassion fatigue. The results indicate that compassion can be taught directly and indirectly provided the welfare and wellbeing of nurses are safeguarded and promoted. Discus sion: Implications for practice and directions for further research are discussed. The limitations and strengths of the research are also discussed. Conclusion: It is concluded that in order to successfully teach and maintain compassion in the context of nursing staff in the field of dementia, three approaches have to be taken. ... dementia are at an increased risk of suffering compassion fatigue, efforts must be made to safeguard the welfare and well-being of nursing staff to ensure that they are retained and nurses do not become over-burdened with an imbalance in demand and supply. Table of Contents Abstract 2 Chapter One: Introduction and Background 4 1.1.Introduction 4 1.2.Background 5 1.3.Aim of the Study 7 1.3.1.Objectives of the Study 7 1.3. Research Methods 8 Chapter Two: A Critical Review of Literature 11 2.1. Compassion: Definition and Concepts 12 2.2. The Role of Compassion in the Care of Dementia Patients 15 2.3. Teaching Compassion to Nursing Staff in the Field of Dementia 20 Chapter Three: Findings and Conclusion 28 3.1. Findings and Conclusion 29 3.2. Implications for Practice 34 3.3. Suggestions for Further Research 36 3.4. Limitations of the Study 36 3.5. Strengths of the Study 37 Bibliography 37 Chapter One: Introduction and Background 1.1. Introduction Compassion is described as a significant quality in nursing that has an impact on the care delivered to patients (Kret, 2011). With respect to patients suffering from dementia, care science theorises that core competence and skills among nursing staff includes patience, consideration and compassion (Rundqvist & Severinsson, 1999). However, studies have shown that caregivers administering care to patients suffering from dementia are at a heightened risk of suffering from ‘compassion fatigue† (Day & Anderson, 2011, p. 2). Compassion fatigue is associated with a lack of nursing staff juxtaposed against increasing patient demands and the physical and mental burdens nursing staff confront in meeting increased patient care demands (Bush, 2009). Effective nursing care for patients with dementia is accomplished by the ability to look

Homo heidelbergensis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Homo heidelbergensis - Research Paper Example Another group headed to eastwards side throughout Asia and evolved to Denisovans. Homo heidelbergensis were discovered in 1907 near Herdelberg, Germany. Between 300000 and 400000 years ago, a group of Homo heidelbergensis left Africa, one group went into Europe and west Asia and another group went eastwards through Asia which later evolved into Homo Sapiens about 130,000 years ago. The Schoningen spears were discovered between 1994 and 1998 in Schoningen, Germany under the management of Dr. Hartmut Thieme. About 16000 animal bones were also found at that time approximated to be about 300000 years old. These were the oldest complete hunting weapons preserved in the world and provided proof that Homo heidelbergensis was hunting. In 1992, a team from Spain located about 5500 human bones in Sima de los Huesos site, northern Spain that were dated to be at least 350000 years of age. The pit that was excavated had 32 individuals. In 1994, a british scientist discovered a lower hominin Tibia bone a few distance from the English channel together with many primordial hand axes at Boxgrove Quarry site. The discovered leg dated between 478000 to 524000 years old. A number of Homo heidelbergensis teeth were also discovered in subsequent researches. In 2005, there was a discovery of flint tools from water vole in Suffolk, England. Mimomys Savini which was a key dating species were discovered at Pakefields, Suffolk in the cliff. This is an indication that Hominins can be dated to 700000 years ago in England. Homo heidelbergensis is approximately 300000 to 400000 years old as evidenced in the above descriptions. About 30 human skeletons found in Atapuerca, Spain suggested that Homo heidelbergensis were the first species to bury their dead. The Homo heidelbergensis was discovered by first discovered by Daniel Hartman in 1907 in Mauer,

Risk-Return Concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Risk-Return Concepts - Essay Example Thus, small investors concentrate on putting their money on government bonds, debt, and real estate. These decisions are somehow warranted due to the investor's aversion to risk. However, in addressing this situation, it is crucial to look at one of the core principles in finance-the risk-return concept. The risk-return principle stipulates that the potential return of an investment rises with its potential risk (Risk-Return Tradeoff 2003). In other words, low risk investments generate low rewards to the investor while high risk ones presents probable returns. The risk and return principle clearly asserts that investors are faced with the tradeoff between risk and return. In line with this, an investment risk pyramid is devised in order to fully understand the equation of risk and return. The base of the pyramid is occupied by low risk-low return investments such as cash, cash deposits, notes, bills, and government bonds. It should be noted that these financial instruments often have a fixed return for a certain duration making investors less prone to financial default. The middle of the pyramid is occupied by medium risk investment like real estate, mutual funds, large/small capital stocks, and high income bonds and debt.

Taino Lifestyle Essay Example for Free

Taino Lifestyle Essay The Arawak/Taino society was basically a very gentle culture. It was characterized by happiness, friendliness and a highly organized hierarchical, paternal society, and a lack of guile. Each society was a small kingdom and the leader was called a cacique. The cacique’s function was to keep the welfare of the village by assigning daily work and making sure everyone got an equal share. The relatives of the caciques lived together in large houses in the center of the village. These houses reflect the warmth of the climate and simply used mud, straw and palm leaves. The houses did not contain much furniture. People slept in cotton hammocks or simply on mats of banana leaves. The general population lived in large circular buildings called bohios, constructed with wooden poles, woven straw, and palm leaves. At the time of Columbus there were five different kingdoms on the island of Hispaniola. The Indians practiced polygamy. Most men had 2 or 3 wives, but the caciques had as many as 30. It was a great honor for a woman to be married to a cacique. Not only did she enjoy a materially superior lifestyle, but her children were held in high esteem. HOUSING AND DRESS The Arawak/Taino used two primary architectural styles for their homes. The general population lived in circular buildings with poles providing the primary support and these were covered with woven straw and palm leaves. They were somewhat like North American teepees except rather than being covered with skins they needed to reflect the warmth of the climate and simply used straw and palm leaves. The caciques were singled out for unique housing. Their house were rectangular and even featured a small porch. Despite the difference in shape, and the considerably larger buildings, the same materials were used. When the Africans came beginning in 1507 they introduced mud and wattle as primary building materials. However, there is no record of the Arawak/Tainos having used these materials. The house of the cacique contained only his own family. However, given the number of wives he might have, this constituted a huge family. The round houses of the common people were also large. Each one had about 10-15 men and their whole families. Thus any Arawak/Taino home might house a hundred people. The houses did not contain much furniture. People slept in cotton hammocks or simply on mats of banana leaves. They also made wooden chairs with woven seats, couches and built cradles for their children. In addition to houses the typical Arawak/Taino village contained a flat court in the center of the village which was used for ball games and various festivals, both religious and secular. Houses were around this court. This was a hierarchical society, and while there was only one cacique who was paid a tribute (tax) to oversee the village, there were other levels of sub-caciques, who were not paid, but did hold positions of honor. They were liable for various services to the village and cacique. Stone making was especially developed among the Arawak/Tainos, but they seem not to have used it at all in building houses. It was primarily used for tools and especially religious artifacts. The men were generally naked, but the women sometimes wore short skirts. Men and women alike adorned their bodies with paint and shells and other decorations. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Arawak/Taino diet, like ours, centered around meat or fish as the primary source of protein. There never were many wild animals to hunt on Hispaniola, but there were some small mammals which were hunted and enjoyed. They also ate snakes, various rodents, bats, worms, birds, in general any living things they could find with the exception of humans. They were able to hunt ducks and turtles in the lakes and sea. The costal natives relied heavily on fishing, and tended to eat their fish either raw or only partially cooked. Since they did grow cotton on the island, the natives had fishing nets made of cotton. The natives of the interior relied more on agriculture and de-emphasized meat or fish in their diet. The Taino had a developed system of agriculture which was environmentally friendly and almost maintenance free. They raised their crops in a conuco, a large mound which was devised especially for farming. They packed the conuco with leaves which improved drainage and protected it from soil erosion. One of the primary crops cultivated by the Taino was cassava or yuca, which they ate as a flat bread. They also grew corn, squash, beans, peppers, sweet potatoes, yams, peanuts as well as tobacco. (As an aside I would like to comment that many people in the pre-Columbian Americas had virtually work free agriculture. This system meant that people living in these materially simple social systems had enormous amounts of free time and often developed elaborate religious rites which took a lot of their time, but also had highly developed systems of games and recreation. There are some nice advantages to very simple living and diet!) One of the Arawak/Taino’s primary crops was cassava. This is a root crop from which a poisonous juice must be squeezed. Then it is baked into a bread like slab. The current method of doing this in Haiti produces a flat bread, sort of like a stale burrito or pizza shell. The Arawak/Taino grew corn (maize), squash, beans, peppers, sweet potatoes, yams and peanuts. They not only had cotton, but they raised tobacco and enjoyed smoking very much. It was not only a part of their social life, but was used in religious ceremonies too. TRANSPORTATION The Arawak/Taino had no large animals like horses, oxen or mules to ride or use for work. But they did have river and sea transportation. They used dugout canoes which were cut from a single tree trunk and used with paddles. They could take 70-80 people in a single canoe and even used them for long travels on the sea. These dugouts allowed fishing the few lakes of Hispaniola as well as fishing out a bit off the coast. DEFENSE The Arawak/Taino themselves were quite peaceful people, but they did have to defend themselves from the Caribs who were cannibals. The Caribs of this area were centered at what is today Puerto Rico, but some did live in northeast Hispaniola, an area that today is the Dominican Republic. The Caribs were war-like cannibals. They often raided the more peaceful Arawak/Tainos, killing off the men, stealing and holding the women for breeding, and fattening the children to eat. Thus the Arawak/Taino had some weapons which they used in defense. They used the bow and arrow, and had developed some poisons for their arrow tips. They had cotton ropes for defensive purposes and some spears with fish hooks on the end. Since there were hardwoods on the island, they did have a war club made of macana. This was about 1†³ thick and reminds one very much of the cocomaque stick used in later Haitian days. They did not develop any armor or specifically defensive weapons (shields, etc.). RELIGION AND MYTH The Arawak/Taino were polytheists and their gods were called zemi. The zemi controlled various functions of the universe, very much like Greek gods did, or like later Haitian Voodoo lwa. However, they do not seem to have had particular personalities like the Greek and Haitian gods/spirits do. There were three primary religious practices: Religious worship and obeisance to the zemi themselves Dancing in the village court during special festivals of thanksgiving or petition Medicine men, or priests, consulting the zemi for advice and healing. This was done in public ceremonies with song and dance People had special dress for the ceremonies which included paint and feathers. From their knees on down they would be covered in shells. The shaman (medicine man or priests) presented the carved figures of the zemi. The cacique sat on wooden stool, a place of honor. (There are many surviving stone carvings of the cacique on his stool.) There was a ceremonial beating of drums. People induced vomiting with a swallowing stick. This was to purge the body of impurities, both a literal physical purging and a symbolic spiritual purging. This ceremonial purging and other rites were a symbolic changing before zemi. Women served bread (a communion rite), first to zemi, then to the cacique followed by the other people. The sacred bread was a powerful protector. (The interesting similarities between this ritual and the Christian practice of eucharist is obvious!) Finally came an oral history lesson — the singing of the village epic in honor of the cacique and his ancestors. As the poet recited he was accompanied by a maraca, a piece of hardwood which was beaten with pebbles. There was an afterlife where the good would be rewarded. They would meet up with dead relatives and friends. Since most of the people they would meet in this paradise were women, it is curious to speculate if it was mainly women who were considered good, or if some other reason accounted for this division of the sexes in the afterlife. There are many stone religious artifacts which have been found in Haiti. The zemi take on strange forms like toads, turtles, snakes, alligators and various distorted and hideous human faces. The zemi, as well as dead caciques, have certain powers over the natural world and must be dealt with. Thus these various services are ways of acknowledging their power (worship and thanksgiving) and at the same time seeking their aid. Because of these powers there are many Arawak/Tanio stories which account for the origins of some experienced phenomena in myth and or magic. Several myths had to do with caves. The sun and moon, for example, came out of caves. Another story tells that the people lived in caves and only came out at night. One guard was supposed to watch carefully over people to be sure they were well divided in the land. However, one day he was late in returning and the sun caught him and turned him into a stone pillar. Another Indian became angry at the sun for its various tricks and decided to leave. He convinced all the women to abandon their men and come with him along with their children. But, the children were deserted, and in their hunger they turned into frogs. The women simply disappeared. This left the men without women. But, they did find some sexless creatures roaming around and eventually captured them. (Actually they used people with a disease like mange since they had rough hands and could hold on to these elusive creatures.) However, they tied these creatures up and put woodpeckers on them. The birds, thinking these were trees started pecking on them and carved out the sex organs of women, thus re-establishing the possibility of survival. A different myth simply tells that once there were no women. Man brought woman from an island where there were only women. The origin of the oceans was in a huge flood which occurred when a father murdered his son (who was about to murder the father), and then put his bones in a calabash. The bones turned to fish and then the gourd broke and all the water of the world flowed from the broken gourd. GENOCIDE AGAINST THE ARAWAK/TAINO INDIANS There is a great debate as to just how many Arawak/Taino inhabited Hispaniola when Columbus landed in 1492. Some of the early Spanish historian/observers claimed there were as many as 3,000,000 to 4,000,000. These numbers seem to be based on very little reliable evidence and are thought to be gross exaggerations. However, since nothing like a census was done, the methods for estimating the numbers are extremely shaky, whether by these early historians or later critics. One long technical article on the population comes in the with the low estimate of 100,000. Several other modern scholars seem to lean more forcefully in the area of 300,000 to 400,000. Whatever the number, what happened to them is extremely tragic. They were not immune to European diseases, especially smallpox, and the Spanish worked them unmercifully in the mines and fields. By 1507 the Spanish were settled and able to do a more reliable job of counting the Arawak/Tainos. It is generally agreed that by 1507 their numbers had shrunk to 60,000. By 1531 the number was down to 600. Today there are no easily discerned traces of the Arawak/Tanio at all except for some of the archaeological remains that have been found. Not only on Hispaniola, but also across the Windward Passage in Cuba, complete genocide was practiced on these natives. Disease was a major cause of their demise. However, on Columbus’ 2nd voyage he began to require a tribute from the Arawak/Tainos. They were expected to yield a certain quantity of gold per capita. Failing that each adult of 14 was required to submit 25lbs. of cotton. For those who could not produce the cotton either, there was a service requirement for them to work for the Spanish. This set the stage for a system of assigning the Arawak/Taino to Spanish settlers as effective slave labor. This system contributed significantly to their genocide.

Social Psychology Essay Example for Free

Social Psychology Essay Now imagine that you are a social psychologist, for this assignment you must use social concepts learned in this chapter to explain some of the strange, terrible, and outrageous things that people do to each other. Read the following stories and respond to the questions with complete sentences that are free of spelling and grammatical errors. All of the following are based on a real-life story reported in the press!!!! CAN YOU MAKE FAT DISAPPEAR?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Adapted from: Newsweek, March 2, 1992, p. 69)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The cosmetic companies made an estimated $50 million by selling anticellulite creams to women. However, research by respected dermatologists show that anticellulite creams are totally worthless in eliminating cellulite, which is really little pockets of fat. With these negative findings in mind, how does the cosmetics industry persuade American women to spend $50 million a year on anticellulite creams that dermatologists claim are worthless? The cosmetics companies use very clever advertising. They show photos of beautiful women along with promises that anticellulite creams will wash away unsightly ripples, create a new you, and give you the beautiful body you always wanted. Question1: What are the four elements of persuasion? Identify the four elements using the above scenario.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Persuasion, to be effective, has to possess the four elements namely: meaningful, relevant, challenging and actionable. â€Å"Anticellulite creams†, the product introduced in the market is in itself very meaningful to women in order to stay attractive. It is relevant to the need and current trend, which is reducing fats that could affect the attractiveness of a woman. Its introduction in the market is likewise, challenging because its effectiveness is being challenged by some respected dermatologists that made it increase its publicity even more. Lastly, it is actionable because the way its being advertised has hit the weakness of the target market, women, with the use of â€Å"photos of beautiful women along with promises that anticellulite creams will wash away unsightly ripples, create a new you, and give you the beautiful body you always wanted†, a truly perfect way to catch womens attention. Question 2: Why do women continue to buy anticellulite creams when scientists have demonstrated that these creams are worthless?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Despite the claims that â€Å"anticellulite† creams are worthless, they continue to attract women because the way they are being introduced in the market is very persuasive. It possessed the four major elements of persuasion. Moreover, customers are after for the concrete result. Research findings that are often expressed in figures or mere words do not create as much impact as a photo of a beautiful woman, whose face became younger and more attractive after using the product. Customers esily link the beautiful face with the product, thus making it easier to sell. CAN A LABEL FOOL A BEER DRINKER?   Ã‚  Ã‚   (Adapted from: Los Angeles Times, Dec. 30, 1988, p. IV-4)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Last summer, the Coors brewery added only two new words Original Draft to the labels of its best-selling beer. Regular Coors drinkers saw the new label and believed it was a new beer. They complained about the new taste and said they preferred the taste of their old Coors. Suddenly, sales slowed as drinkers refused to buy cans of beer with the two new words. But, Coors had not changed the beer. They had only changed two words on the label. However, the Coors brewery was not about to argue with its loyal customers. Coors removed the two new words from the label. Within weeks, sales rose and the drinkers were happy. Question 1: Can you define one component of attitudes and illustrate it with an example from the beer drinkers?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One component of attitude is cognition which refers to our beliefs, theories, expectancies, cause and effect beliefs, and perceptions relative to the focal object. In the scenario presented above, the focal object was a beer with two new words on the label. Since there was something new on the label, the beer drinkers have automatically expected something new on the product itself, which they claimed to have a different taste than the original. The two new words added on the label have influenced them to believe that there was a change in the formulation or ingredient, causing the perceived change in taste, even   if none was really altered from the original fomulation. Question 2: Can you define a second component of attitudes and illustrate it with an example from the beer drinkers?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A second component of attitude that can be found in this example is behavioral intentions, which refers to our goals, aspirations, and our expected responses to the attitude object. The beer drinkers in this example definitely wanted the original label, thus affecting the sales of Coors. Instead of arguing with their loyal customers, Coors resumed to its original label and the response was good because sales started to rise again.   Question 3: Can you define a third component of attitudes and illustrate it with an example from the beer drinkers?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A third component of attitude, which i have also seen in the example presented above is Evaluation. This is said to be the function of cognitive, affect and behavioral intentions of the object. The beer drinkers believed that the beer with a new two words in the label is different from the original best-selling beer of Coors. This belief caused them to describe its taste as different from the original. As a result, sales went down but when the label was restored to the original, even if none was changed in the formualtion, sales rose and the customers became happy again. GIRL RAPED AND CROWDS LOOKS ON?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Adapted from: San Diego Tribune, July 29, 1983)       After spending the whole day visiting the zoo, 13-year-old Diane decided to cool off in the large pool with a water fountain in the middle. She rolled up her baggy jeans and waded in up to her knees. She wasnt paying much attention to the two older boys who had waded in and were approaching her. When they got close, they grabbed her and pulled her to the middle of the pool. They held her down against the concrete base of the fountain. As the fountain sprayed them with water, the two boys took turns raping Diane. About 35 people who were walking around the fountain heard Dianes screams for help. Not one of them offered to help. Question 1: Can you explain the concept that describes why none of the 35 people did anything to help Diane?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The sad experience of Diane is attributable to what we call in social pschology as the â€Å"bystander effect†. When there is an emergency, the more bystanders there are, the less likely it is that any of them will acually help. The 35 people, though they heard the screams of Diane, did not actually offer help because they assumed that nothing was wrong because nobody else looks concerned. Question 2: Can you explain how the diffusion of responsibility theory describes why 35 people who heard Dianes screams did nothing to help?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bystanders go through a five-step process and during each of which, they can decide to do nothing. Firstly, they were probably in a hurry to notice the event, thus are unable to help. If they did notice, they assumed that as others are not acting, it is not an emergency, so again no help was offered. Next, they assumed that others will do this, since there are many people around, so no help was offered. Sometimes, bystanders simply do not know what to do out of panicky thus, unable to help lastly, instead of acting on it and help, some worry about the danger and hassle of being involved, thus they pretend to have not known anything about it or pretend that nothing was wrong.

Language Very Important Part Of Everyday Life English Language Essay

Language Very Important Part Of Everyday Life English Language Essay Language is a very important part of everyday life. It is used to communicate in every aspect. Emails, conversations, signs and symbols, are just a few examples of our way of communicating with others, and without language this would not be possible. By definition language is, a body of words, symbols, signs, sounds, gestures, and the systems for their use common to people who are of the same community, nation or same cultural tradition (dictionary.com). Language is not just the way a person talks, there is a lot more to it than that. A person who is deaf does not use the oral aspect of language; they use signs and gestures that were developed for such purpose, called sign language. Other known gestures that are not always verbally expressed and are part of a more vulgar and offensive language that most people nationwide recognize such as the use of the middle finger. Written language, another form of non verbal communication, has been used for centuries. Some of the earliest uses of the written language were hieroglyphics, scrolls, engravings in stone, and many others. Throughout history the written language has enhanced and became our second most used way of communication. Another form of language that many do not think of is using our sense of hearing. People have been trained in their minds to know what people in different situations are communicating, whether it a cry of pain, sobs from someone in tears, or the honk! from the road ragers. Each sense plays its own role in language which will be explained further at a later time. Symbols are a part of our everyday life and also another part of language. Language is a very broad and not fully understood word that is necessary in everyday life. How? In this reading language will be broken down so that one may understand what language is, how is used in this nation, and furthermore how it is used universally. Language is more than just a means of communication (ONeil). Language is used all over the world every day. Language derives its meaning from culture, every culture is embodied in the language it speaks. Every language is rooted in the culture that speaks it (Universal Language). Language is used in every culture, and enrooted in the regions where someone lives, but that does not change how language is used. Language can be taken back to the beginning of time. Symbols in caves, which have been found, photographed and interpreted; scrolls found from the earliest teachings, to the stone engravings, the use of language began way before those who are living now. Without language, learning would not be possible. As we get older we use every source of language there is. When we learn to talk, read, write, drive, basically everything we learn to do is learning another form of language. As a student you explore the cultures, communities, people and languages of the world (Ziegler). In school children are introduced to multilanguages. Every culture, nation, and community has its own language. They may write differently, speak differently, and have different means of learning; however the use of language still remains unchanged (Ziegler). Language is used in the workplace, to communicate sales, used in every aspect of customer services, by contractors and construction workers, janitors, politics; basically every corner of a persons job has language involved. Language is also used in lifes rituals. In the car ride to work, one must use language skills to read signs, to drive a car, those using a GPS, and to communicate with other passengers. And also used when having a phone conversation, when reading a book or recipes, when talking to family and friends, and when using our senses to know what is going on around us. Our senses play a very important role in knowing language. Our sense of sight allows us to read the written language. Our sense of hearing allows us to hear t he words one is trying to communicate and to hear the sounds around us that are also communicating what is going on in our surroundings. Our sense of touch allows us to communicate when something is hot or cold, sharp or dull; our sense of touch communicates with our brain even during the most intimate touches. Our sense of taste is another form of language our body communicates with our brain. Lastly is our sense of smell. Smell is very important, one example is when there is a fire; the smell communicates with our brain, which causes a chain reaction, once our brain gets the signal from the smell, we then call emergency services, and so on. Every aspect of our lives is a form of language. And furthermore it is a very important part of the function of this nation. In the United States, language plays a big role in government. We are given the rights to free speech, which is our right to communicate verbally. We are given freedom of press, which gives us the freedom to the written language. We have relied on these freedoms based on the written words that have given us these rights which are exercising the written language. Along with the written language, during the birth of the USA, government set language guidelines for the immigrants who wished to live in this country in hopes to develop a national language. When one wished to move to this country they were first registered at Ellis Island, and then they were required to learn to speak English in order to become a citizen. The national language was in full swing, until the amount of immigrants coming in became hard to track. There is no national language currently set. Although English is technically the main language, Spanish is our secondary and so on. The USA has become such a diverse nat ion; there are several languages that are becoming more and more used. Telemarketers, billing centers, government agencies, etc. all have the Spanish option when beginning your phone call. This is where multi-languages come in, and the attempt at universal language. A universal language by definition is, any kind of expression that is used and understood everywhere (Dictionary.com). A universal language is essential in todays world. Modern communication and transport accelerate mass migrations from one continent to another (Schlesinger). Due to the high amount of travelling that is done worldwide, a universal language is a must. Many companies have already developed a universal language using logos that will be recognized everywhere. Universal language is a visual and picture language, which will fill the need (Universal Language). That is exactly what companies like McDonalds have done. When travelling to China, France, Israel, wherever one travels they will always recognize the golden arches. Pepsi, Coke, Nike, Lincoln, the Olympic Rings, all are symbols (pictures) that are recognized in every culture and nation. According Pei, the universal language is intended to bring people of different linguistic backgrounds together and form communicatio n among them to reduce the amount of misunderstandings (Pei). This however is yet to be developed though many have tried it is yet to come about.

American Democracy in the 21st Century: A Look into the Effects and Val

I. Introduction to Global Leadership â€Å"The one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked† (Luke 12:48). â€Å"It is now a clichà © that America is the world’s only superpower†¦[n]ever before, however, has America been so alone at the pinnacle of global leadership.† It is this belief, that the U.S. has assumed the role of â€Å"global leadership, which caused American foreign policy to shift from being more isolationistic in the mid 20th Century to becoming infamously characterized by imperialism. Unfortunately, the modern interpretation of American â€Å"leadership† has been â€Å"taken to an extreme, [where] global leadership implies U.S. interest in and responsibility for virtually everything, anywhere.† It is because America clings so tightly onto this role as the world’s â€Å"police† that its foreign policy has made it become involved in the affairs of other countries, even when matters of national security or others are not at stake. The price of â€Å"global leadership† costs the U.S in excess of a $600 billion â€Å"defense budget spent to support U.S. aspirations to lead the world, not to defend the United States.† As American involvement in other nations increases, so declines international support and the legitimacy of the U.S.’s policy involving itself in serious international affairs. Recently, the United States became involved in yet another conflict which has no direct affect upon its economy or security. As of March, 2011 the U.S. started yet another bombing campaign against a third Muslim nation, Libya, on the basis that its leader Prime Minister, and Colonel, Muammar el-Qaddafi was committing â€Å"human rights violations† by attacking his own citizens, who were notably attempting to oust him from his role as Libya’s president. The Unit... ... 2011. . Ryan, Julia L, and Kevin J Wu. "Profs React to U.S. Involvement in Libya." The Harvard Crimson. Harvard University, 29 Mar. 2011. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. history-military-granara-libya/>. WPO. "World Publics Reject US Role as the World Leader." World Public Opinion. N.p., 17 Apr. 2007. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. pipa/articles/views_on_countriesregions_bt/ 345.php?nid=&id=&pnt=345&lb=btvoc>. Zunes, Stephen. "History of US-Libya Relations Indicates US Must Tread Carefully as Uprising Continues." Truthout. N.p., 24 Feb. 2011. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. history-us-libya-relations-indicates-us-must-tread-carefully-uprising-continues68 033>. American Democracy in the 21st Century: A Look into the Effects and Val I. Introduction to Global Leadership â€Å"The one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked† (Luke 12:48). â€Å"It is now a clichà © that America is the world’s only superpower†¦[n]ever before, however, has America been so alone at the pinnacle of global leadership.† It is this belief, that the U.S. has assumed the role of â€Å"global leadership, which caused American foreign policy to shift from being more isolationistic in the mid 20th Century to becoming infamously characterized by imperialism. Unfortunately, the modern interpretation of American â€Å"leadership† has been â€Å"taken to an extreme, [where] global leadership implies U.S. interest in and responsibility for virtually everything, anywhere.† It is because America clings so tightly onto this role as the world’s â€Å"police† that its foreign policy has made it become involved in the affairs of other countries, even when matters of national security or others are not at stake. The price of â€Å"global leadership† costs the U.S in excess of a $600 billion â€Å"defense budget spent to support U.S. aspirations to lead the world, not to defend the United States.† As American involvement in other nations increases, so declines international support and the legitimacy of the U.S.’s policy involving itself in serious international affairs. Recently, the United States became involved in yet another conflict which has no direct affect upon its economy or security. As of March, 2011 the U.S. started yet another bombing campaign against a third Muslim nation, Libya, on the basis that its leader Prime Minister, and Colonel, Muammar el-Qaddafi was committing â€Å"human rights violations† by attacking his own citizens, who were notably attempting to oust him from his role as Libya’s president. The Unit... ... 2011. . Ryan, Julia L, and Kevin J Wu. "Profs React to U.S. Involvement in Libya." The Harvard Crimson. Harvard University, 29 Mar. 2011. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. history-military-granara-libya/>. WPO. "World Publics Reject US Role as the World Leader." World Public Opinion. N.p., 17 Apr. 2007. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. pipa/articles/views_on_countriesregions_bt/ 345.php?nid=&id=&pnt=345&lb=btvoc>. Zunes, Stephen. "History of US-Libya Relations Indicates US Must Tread Carefully as Uprising Continues." Truthout. N.p., 24 Feb. 2011. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. history-us-libya-relations-indicates-us-must-tread-carefully-uprising-continues68 033>.

Physician Assisted Suicide Essays -- Physician Assisted Death

"With the stroke of a pen, California Gov. Jerry Brown made it legal for physicians in the state to prescribe lethal doses of medications if their terminally ill patients wish to end their lives. Brown signed the "End of Life Act" into law on Monday, and in doing so California joins four other states — Oregon, Washington, Vermont and Montana — where patients' right to choose doctor-assisted death is protected either by law or court order." http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/10/05/446115171/california-governor-signs-physician-assisted-suicide-bill-into-law Death, despite various definitions of the concept, is an unavoidable part of life in which all persons will one day become acquainted. However one prefers to essentially exist and prolong this event is completely his or her choice. Or is it? What, then, if an individual should choose death itself? Should that person, regardless of the reason for hastening death, be denied assistance if sought after? The concept of physician-assisted suicide has been a topic of debate since the birth of medicine. Controversy even surrounds its name as the term â€Å"suicide† is associated with a form of mental illness and irrational behavior, both of which are to be prevented it if at all possible according to medical obligation (Quill and Greenlaw). Physician assisted death/suicide occurs when a physician provides a medical means of death and instruction to a patient but does not administer the actual cause of death (Lonnquist and Weiss 389-91). This is quite different than the concept of active euthanasia in which a physician directly administers the cause of death. Recognized as far back as the 5th century BCE in the ancient Hippocratic Oath, the origin of this practice cou... ...hy E., and Greenlaw, Jane. "Physician Assisted Death." From Birth to Death and Bench to Clinic: The Hastings Center Bioethics Briefing Book for Journalists, Policymakers, and Campaigns. Garrison: Hastings Center, 2008. 137- 42. Physician Assisted Death. Web. 5 Nov. 2013. http://www.thehastingscenter.org/Publications/BriefingBook/Detail.aspx?id=220 2. 5. Reich, Warren T. "The Hippocratic Oath." Encyclopedia of Bioethics. Revised ed. N.p.: n.p., 1995. University of Minnesota Human Rights Library. Web. 5 Nov. 2013. http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/hippocratic.html 6. Roberts, John, and Kjellstra, D. Carl. "Jack Kevorkian: A Medical Hero." BMJ. JSTOR, 8 June 1996. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. 7. "Frontline: The Kevorkian Verdict: The Thanatron." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kevorkian/aboutk/thanatronblurb.html Physician Assisted Suicide Essays -- Physician Assisted Death "With the stroke of a pen, California Gov. Jerry Brown made it legal for physicians in the state to prescribe lethal doses of medications if their terminally ill patients wish to end their lives. Brown signed the "End of Life Act" into law on Monday, and in doing so California joins four other states — Oregon, Washington, Vermont and Montana — where patients' right to choose doctor-assisted death is protected either by law or court order." http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/10/05/446115171/california-governor-signs-physician-assisted-suicide-bill-into-law Death, despite various definitions of the concept, is an unavoidable part of life in which all persons will one day become acquainted. However one prefers to essentially exist and prolong this event is completely his or her choice. Or is it? What, then, if an individual should choose death itself? Should that person, regardless of the reason for hastening death, be denied assistance if sought after? The concept of physician-assisted suicide has been a topic of debate since the birth of medicine. Controversy even surrounds its name as the term â€Å"suicide† is associated with a form of mental illness and irrational behavior, both of which are to be prevented it if at all possible according to medical obligation (Quill and Greenlaw). Physician assisted death/suicide occurs when a physician provides a medical means of death and instruction to a patient but does not administer the actual cause of death (Lonnquist and Weiss 389-91). This is quite different than the concept of active euthanasia in which a physician directly administers the cause of death. Recognized as far back as the 5th century BCE in the ancient Hippocratic Oath, the origin of this practice cou... ...hy E., and Greenlaw, Jane. "Physician Assisted Death." From Birth to Death and Bench to Clinic: The Hastings Center Bioethics Briefing Book for Journalists, Policymakers, and Campaigns. Garrison: Hastings Center, 2008. 137- 42. Physician Assisted Death. Web. 5 Nov. 2013. http://www.thehastingscenter.org/Publications/BriefingBook/Detail.aspx?id=220 2. 5. Reich, Warren T. "The Hippocratic Oath." Encyclopedia of Bioethics. Revised ed. N.p.: n.p., 1995. University of Minnesota Human Rights Library. Web. 5 Nov. 2013. http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/hippocratic.html 6. Roberts, John, and Kjellstra, D. Carl. "Jack Kevorkian: A Medical Hero." BMJ. JSTOR, 8 June 1996. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. 7. "Frontline: The Kevorkian Verdict: The Thanatron." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kevorkian/aboutk/thanatronblurb.html

The changes in ethnic cultures over the years in America

The USA is consists of a wide variety of cultural and ethic groups. Such diversity has variously been described as being a â€Å"melting pot†, â€Å"cultural mosaic† or evens still a â€Å"tossed salad†. Such ethnicities include Chicano, Afro-Latin American, Asian American, American-Indian and African-American. Such peoples exhibit different cultural elements through clothing, food, ceremonies and recreation. Native Americans have evolved from the interaction of typical US culture plus subjection to alien government structures, ideology, and social arrangement with different Native Americans’ traditional civilizations.Present Native Americans exhibit certain common features which, to some extent, may be a merger of conventional elements, adaptive tactics, as well as different acculturation levels to prevailing cultures. Such elements include: a persisting feeling of pride regarding cultural legacy; a conviction in spirit and body interrelatedness; dependen ce upon relationship networks and extended society and culturally unique communication methods (Amoko, 2000, 377). The communication style so depicted is less spoken and less direct compared to that of mainstream USA culture.It exhibits courtesy standards and suitable interaction standards. African Americans are in touch with some conscious knowledge of existing as an ingredient of a grouping having a specific historical position and some political association with different groups in the USA. Additionally, particular African Americans have common world viewpoints and affiliations which are based upon aspects of Protestantism, conventional African culture and indenturehood, subordination and slavery within United States society.Every African American does not embrace a black uniqueness. Possession of such identity implies that reference grouping functions within individual identity become grounded within an individual’s blackness (Tamase, 2007, 476). The values, cultural favo rites, artistic flavors, leisure actions, food preferences and cooking methods, religious and secular musical preferences, church association, group membership, plus social associations or close friends all are prejudiced by individual apparent relationship with black persons.Therefore, several or majority of the hope and meaning individuals have for leading purposeful lifestyle’s are related to personal self-perception as African-Americans (Azoulay, 1999, 364). Africentric viewpoints of the world are characterized by common responsibility, interdependence and cooperation. Protestantism within black civilization promotes collectivity and group unity. Extended families are the suitable examination for African American family studies. With no regard to revenue levels, African Americans exhibit more probability of living together with extended family relatives.African American place substantially more value to spiritual matters in treating and causing developmental plus other ph ysical disabilities. Rather that, or on top of, seeking medical help or consulting rehabilitation schemes, numerous African Americans greatly depend upon community assistance, especially church aid. Parents of African American children exhibit wider perceptions regarding normalcy plus they possess a broader variety of expectations regarding developmental landmarks in the behavior of children as compared to numerous educational experts (Pincheon, 2000, 273).The Hispanic culture exhibits high diversity as regards ethnicity, Culture, economic and education levels, and geographic source. However, certain commonalities as regards beliefs, customs as well as world viewpoints exist. Conventional Hispanics exhibit a culture founded on catholic philosophy with inextricable intertwining of native South American and central ideologies concerning the world.Characteristics identified from Hispanic cultures include: the dominance of the family concept having a obviously defined authority hierarch y; an individualized though ritualistic admiration based upon selfhood as opposed to achievement, and that which makes persons from conventional Hispanic civilization to feel at ease amid north American-type professionalism that accords respect based on a person’s possession of particular skills and devaluation of persons with darker skin and according of more value to social standing (Amoko, 2000, 376)Viewpoints regarding disability among Hispanics are prejudiced by convictions regarding the interaction of spiritual and physical realms. Families, acting as very influential support organizations, regard certain situations as being only reflections of personal differences as opposed to disability. They thus adapt work and family roles in order to put up with such differences (Anderson, 2004, 346). Nevertheless, extreme disability, particularly developmental types, is regarded as a shame within traditional Hispanic families.Numerous conventional families, despite the fact that they could look for aid from conventional health structures, also could look for assistance from traditional healers and clergy members. However, acculturated, urbanized Hispanics do not exhibit much utilization of traditional healers’ services. A 1991 survey involving seventy five Mexican women revealed that 97% were conversant with traditional healing and in excess of 50% had already been subjected to folk healing (Dernbach, 2005, 503).Thus, for numerous Mexican Americans, traditional medical services as well as folk therapy are crucial, with each tackling various requirements in various ways. The Asian American group is very difficult to explain owing to huge racial disparities among groupings and disparities regarding language, culture and religion. It comprises close to 5 percent of the American population. However, certain commonalities exhibit themselves because the core of eastern civilizations is harmony and collectivity.Such cultures exhibit characteristics such as: social regulation; harmony; regulations regarding propriety; benevolence; filial faithfulness; cooperation; loyalty; obligation and reciprocity. Such qualities exist in a structure of arranged relationships and roles which focus on interdependence and subordination. A conviction regarding the preeminence of the collective harmony over the individual is further exhibited in respect to history (Amoko, 2000, 382). American having Chinese lineage exhibit high levels of social harmony (collectivism) as opposed to individualism portrayed within mainstream USA culture.Such concern for harmony-within-hierarchy borrows heavily from Confucian ideology and usually persists to influence American with Chinese lineage. Such preoccupation with conventional Chinese culture regarding operation in structured and well-defined social linkages could result to certain Chinese Americans expecting similar well-defined system and function within a counseling (rehabilitation) relationship (Simon-Klutz, 2002 , 284). The client-oriented viewpoint employed by numerous USA rehabilitation therapists could be regarded as too ambiguous by clients of Chinese descent.Pacific civilization exhibits cultural observations like observing humility, respect, family involvement and choice and being and living with ones family. Conventional pacific Culture reveres family life plus the safeguarding of family respect. For instance, within conventional Samoan traditions, individuals are conferred identity only if they can illustrate their relationships to â€Å"alga† or the extended family (Tamase, 2007, 472). Individual requirements, eccentricities and objectives should be suppressed to benefit the family grouping.Within Samoa as well as in the greater Pacific region, strong restraints against exposure of family issues to outside parties exist. The language used among American Samoans originates from the Austronesian linguistic family. The subgroups are Tuvalu, Tokelu and Samoan. Residents of Ameri can Samoa speak both English and Samoan languages. Symbolism among Samoans exists in from of ‘the Samoan way† or ‘fa’samoa’. This includes beliefs, traditions and attitudes symbolizing a world viewpoint explaining suitable way of life, common through out the archipelago (Anderson, 2004, 349).Ancient Samoans cultivated taro and yams, kept chickens, dogs and pigs and practiced lapita pottery. They sailed using double-hulled sea vessels. Under United States navy government, Samoan culture was preserved when it was not counter to us regulations. Hereditary and talking chiefs had permission to continue assemblage forms to handle local politics. Up to the 1900s, Samoans practiced rural lifestyles and this still is the case within many villages out of Pago Pago Bay and outlying isles. Urbanization has been slightly attained near the airfield and Pago Pago bay.Up to the 1950s, ‘fale’ or traditional homes consisted of elliptical structures having corral pebble floors plus round wood prop underneath a beehive-like roof enveloped by sugarcane leaves thatch. Such open residences promoted contact with members of the public and offered little privacy (Esbenshade, 2004, 351). Many households had a sleeping plus a cooking house of smaller size located at the rear, several owned guest houses for hosting visitors. Starting in the 1970s, construction of ‘hurricane’ concrete houses having corrugated metallic roofs has been encouraged by the American administration to reduce tempest damage.Such rectangular houses exhibit increased privacy since they have windows, doors, and at times room dividers. Houses may also be constructed from brick or wood (Amoko, 2000, 385). Traditional homes had minimal furnishings consisting only of sleeping and sitting mats however, contemporary houses exhibit full furnishing with most having telephones and television. Parliamentary structures are of the conventional elliptical shape, as well as community school structures, sections of the airfield terminal and the growers market.Several business buildings at present depict American building designs. Staple foodstuffs in American Samoa include breadfruit, taro, coconuts, bananas, mangoes, papayas, chicken, canned corned beef, seafood and pork. Occasional foods include potatoes, onions, lettuce, carrots, cabbages, tomatoes and beans. Mostly foodstuffs found within us markets are in stock in supermarkets (Anderson, 2004, 356). Long ago, food was eaten during the mid-morning plus early dusk. Food gets cooked although it could be eaten raw. Majority of families sat on mats down on the ground in the traditional times.Guests and elders get served initially and children and women eat last. Owing to changing work cycle, now families have three mealtimes per day. Majority of Tutuila restaurants concentrate on American plus other alien foods, however several present more conventional Samoan foodstuffs (Pincheon, 2000, 277). Foods dis hed up during ceremonial functions include: entire pigs plus daily fare; potato salad; puddings; palusami; chop suey; ice cream and cakes. A lot of food is prepared and served during special occasions as guest may carry home excess servings.Kava, which is a slightly narcotic, none-alcoholic drink, is given to chiefs during ceremonial events. Majority of land is possessed by Samoans except for a little church and government owned land. Traditional communal land ownership was done through ‘aiga’ and was governed by ‘matai’ and this remains the case up to now. Several whites who were spouses to women from Samoa obtained land ownership prior to the 1930s at the time land selling was prohibited by the USA navy (Esbenshade, 2004, 351). Personal land buying is currently allowed only fro individuals having a minimum of 50% Samoan ancestry.Majority of business is related to trading in imported commodities and the American dollar is the exchange medium. Eating places are the most popular retail business ventures followed by grocery shops especially little family-operated general shops. Fish handling and canning is the biggest industry. Tuna is canned and exported to the USA. Age is crucial in determining work functions; young people undertake strenuous undertakings and elderly persons have more inactive, educational and supervisory roles. Children responsibilities are bases in the household while older and middle-aged people assume leadership functions.Formerly a number of persons possess special skills regarding making traditional houses and boats, medicine and fishing (Dernbach, 2005, 511). No real class systems exist within American Samoa. The titles of chiefs are classified to some extent on the basis of ancient traditions. Such titles are reserved to particular families, called ‘aiga’; however, a number of them are positioned higher and get more respect compared to others. Such ranking is basically important ceremonially becau se it decides membership to the ‘village council’ or ‘fono’ and the order of serving kava, however everyone gets a speaking opportunity (Azoulay, 1999, 369).Any man can vie to become a â€Å"matai, because titles get obtained through democratic elections held by the â€Å"aiga†. Prior to adoption of currency economic systems, men performed strenuous agriculture, house building and fishing. Young males prepared most of normal meals and cooked during ceremonial occasions. Women’ chores included weaving mats, sewing, child nurturing, laundry and afterwards preparing meals using contemporary appliances. Majority of such traditional chores persist to date, however, fresh alternatives are significant.Women and men currently work within banks, tuna factories, stores, schools and tourist ventures. Men are employed in transportation, construction, government organizations and shipping. Historically, men have dominated Samoan society with women exertin g much behind-the-scenes authority authoritative and professional posts are mostly held by males, however females occupy significant positions within government organizations and sometimes act as â€Å"matai† (Simon-Klutz, 2002, 282). The youth select wedding partners; however marriage remains basically a financial alliance joining families.Previously, chiefs’ children intermarried, while those having lower statuses usually eloped. Individuals may not marry or date close relatives. Almost all persons marry, often during mid towards late 20s, and marriages involve intricate exchange of gifts by two family units. Divorce cases are uncommon; however remarriages among the youth are quite common. Households average 7 persons consisting of a single or additional nuclear family units plus relatives. They involve 3 generations and exhibits flexibility as regards composition. Members are linked by blood, adoption and marriage.Following marriage, reside at the groom’s or bride’s household. Each household is led by a ‘matai’. All economic and social activities are governed by ‘matai’ (Anderson, 2004, 350). The biggest kin grouping remains ‘aiga’ that involves every person having a shared ancestor. Such extensive family could have family units in various sections of the village or within a number of villages. Such households’ matai exert different authority levels in the ‘aiga’. Matai resolves family disputes and decides regarding fiscal contributions of a family to funerals, church gifts and weddings.The complete aiga primarily intermingles during funerals, weddings, elections plus matai installation and emergencies within families (http://www. everyculture. com/A-Bo/American-Samoa. html). Infants are accorded much attention and affection and are carried or held in the initial year. Household usually have grandmothers who often act as key babysitters. Usually young kids are overseen by grandmothers or other household females and usually by elder siblings. Respect and reverence for authority and age are instilled from early ages.Educational programs for nursery kids plus universal community school schooling is in place. America Samoans exhibit meticulousness regarding courtesy, especially to chiefs and elderly persons. It is not proper to stand up when other people are sitting. In case an individual gets into a room and finds other persons seated on the ground, they ought to slightly bend and utter â€Å"tulouna† or ‘excuse me’. Respectful terms are employed when holding discussions with chiefs. Etiquette plus reciprocal politeness are used during political and ceremonial events.Prior to influx of missionaries by 1830, the maker of the isles plus the people therein was taken to be Tagaloa and religious headship from families was provided by matai (Tamase, 2007, 475). Initial missionaries were from the London Missionary Society and they establis hed the congregation of Christian Church of American Samoa to which 5% of Samoans belong. The Catholic Church has 20% of Samoan followers while the other 30% is taken by Methodist, Pentecostal and Mormon denominations. Western rites are involved during church proceedings with vocal music being a vital element.Devotion of fresh churches has supreme significance and vocal competitions and feasts mark it. Visitors from the USA and close by islands come for such celebrations. Death is regarded as the will of God and the customary conviction that when one dies at a far away location from their residence such person’s spirits trouble survivors continues. Up to the 1980s, funeral services were held one day after one died. Introduction of morgue services permits delayed interment to cater for elatives abroad. During burials, the deceased family is offered gifts.Interment happens on relations’ land (Dernbach, 2005, 515). April 17th Flag Day is marked by activities like customar y grouping singing and dancing, cricket matches, canoe races and speeches. This commemorates the time when the Samoan isles became part of the USA in 1900. Oratory remains a vital custom, and numerous mythology, poetry and legends have survived owing to usage by talking chiefs during village committee deliberation as well as during ceremonial events (http://www. ncddr. org/products/researchexchange/v04n01/cultures. html).The people of Samoa treasure bark cloth wall-hangings (siapo) plus finemats and regard them as family possessions for exchanging during ceremonial events. Finemat and siapo production increasingly is becoming rare. Formerly having tattoos was a prerequisite for being admitted into aumage or qualification fro the title of ac chief. Such art was outlawed within American Samoa a long time ago. However, fresh interest recently draws young males to previously Western Samoa to have the intricate knee-to-upper-abdomen tattoos done on them.Dancing and singing in groups rema in popular forms of art. Huge women or men dancing groups perform unified movements characterized by body and hand claps. Village ritual princesses (taupou) perform Solo dances at times accompanied by men prop dancers (http://www. everyculture. com/A-Bo/American-Samoa. html). The ‘face’ notion, originating from Confucian ideology, among traditional Pacific and Asian Americans makes people’s belief that â€Å"losing face† owing to mental diseases within families could subject families or the person to spiritual or religious crisis.Asians exhibit the least optimistic attitudes towards disabled persons. Numerous Asian Americans are convinced that metaphysical or supernatural forces have a function in disease and health and in misfortune and fortune (Anderson, 2004, 357). Such convictions greatly influence perceptions regarding reasons for disability, therapy of such disability and guilt feelings and shame or responsibility related to having a disabled family member. Conventional Asian Pacific citizens usually source for assistance from sources different from, or on top of, western rehabilitation or medical system.Families will usually desire to seek customary Asian therapies, like herbal medication, or perform particular actions with a view to restoring the equilibrium of the natural world. Asian Americans depend more upon casual social associations as compared to other minorities. American Indians comprise of in excess of five hundred tribal groupings that exhibit great diversity within. Majority of conventional Indian dialects have no word for disabled, handicapped or retarded. Instead of utilizing such classifications, phrases regarding persons descriptive of disabilities, for instance, â€Å"one-who-walks-with-a-limp† or â€Å"one-arm,† may be assigned.Convictions regarding spirit and body interrelatedness contrasts with mainstream belief systems. Strongly traditional American Indians could source for assistance form t raditional healers and also the typical rehabilitation and medical systems (http://www. ncddr. org/products/researchexchange/v04n01/cultures. html). Paradigm modifications happen within all disciplines as technology or knowledge advances. Key shifts within such cultural models are comprehensive, rare and significantly impact on cultural, social as well as political precedence within society.Industrial revolution’s second stage resulted to contemporary society which is characterized by capitalism, humanist principles, political democratic systems, Newton’s physics and transcendental romanticism. Contemporary regimes witnessed the appearance of bourgeoisie, contemporary art plus the conviction that it is possible to understand the earth by applying reason. Modern age also incorporated cultural, economic and political policies on the basis of freedom and equality ideals and progress. Postmodernism’s arrival within the 1960s led to slight alterations within contempo rary society.Despite the fact that postmodernism dislodged occidental theories plus numerous other ideals related to the contemporary period, it failed to offer the momentum needed to restructure society. This impetus required some circumstances which exposed social injustices prevailed within existing economic and political systems and at the same time offer alternative solutions (Anderson, 2004, 359). America has ceased to be a â€Å"melting point† because it does not incorporate minorities within majority cultures. Currently, there exists diverse pluralism of culture developed by way of acculturation.Such pluralism is described in regard to minorities’ liberties relative to prevailing culture. Minorities contribute within majority cultures while disregarding the threat of losing their sub-culture uniqueness. Racial minorities, religious groupings, and philosophical subcultures exist side by side and stand other groups’ customs. A non-hierarchical democratic p luralism supported through communication expertise is substituting the prevailing culture. The notion of regarding product utilization as being an end is dying away and focus is directed locally.The majority has discarded its fixation upon consumerism to embrace fresh attention to friends, family plus social groupings having comparable interests. Owing to divisions emanating from cultural wars and facing economic stagnation, the majority culture started self-realignment on the basis of sub-cultural schemes that offer belonging and equality (Amoko, 2000, 388). While America is enduring economic woes, fresh social systems are developing within the debris offered by disenfranchised cultures.Majority cultures are experiencing transition from a community of financial classes, credit expenditure and consumer principles to an extra group-centered society. Such shift involves change from getting cultural significance out of purchasing and possessing media-produced patterns’ consumer commodities, to promoting an extra individualized participatory and personality culture. Such change of priorities emancipates a stressed community and offers a feeling of dignity and authority to society (http://www.culturewars. org. uk/index. php/site/article/changing_cultural_paradigm/). The principal culture has ditched the business sponsored political programs, because of the wickedness within oppressive economic and social policies and also owing to the absence of prestige and gratification exhibited by buyer indulgence within the financial crisis. While the principal culture was losing confidence within consumer principles, the pluralism of culture metamorphosed to become pluralism free of hierarchies.Within such fresh systems, privileges and rights existent within a democracy get expressed within society with no oppression to lower castes. This seems to be a result of free market financial systems having their majority cultures being hierarchically- arranged. The divisions g enerated through culture wars merged the diverse and vast multicultural system of hyphenated citizens and subcultures to form a political grouping united through democratic principles, humanitarian standards, and the requirement to make the playing arena even.Pluralism, which necessarily is not liberal owing to its incorporation of every political viewpoint, also existed alongside the cultural war. Such a multicultural grouping became prominent when consumerism faded away from the principal culture, and assumed the role of acting as a representation of the fresh social arrangement (http://www. culturewars. org. uk/index. php/site/article/changing_cultural_paradigm/). Works cited Amoko, Apollo O. Resilient Imaginations: No-no Boy, Obasan and the Limits of Minority Discourse. Mosaic, vol.33. 2000; pp. 375-390 Anderson, Crystal S. Racial Discourse and Black-Japanese Dynamics in Ishmael Reed’s Japanese by Spring. MELUS, vol. 29, 2004; pp. 345-360 Azoulay, Katya Gibel. The New Col ored People: The Mixed-race Movement in America. African American Review, vol. 33. 1999; pp. 360-374. Crank, R ip. (April 17th 2009). Culture Wars. Changing Cultural Paradigm. Retrieved on 5th may 2009 from http://www. culturewars. org. uk/index. php/site/article/changing_cultural_paradigm/ Culture of American Samoa Forum. (2007).Culture of American Samoa History and Ethnic Relations, Urbanism, Architecture, and the Use of . retrieved on 5th may 2009 from http://www. everyculture. com/A-Bo/American-Samoa. html Dernbach, Katherine Boris. Spirits of the Hereafter: Death, Funeral Procession, and the Hereafter in Chuuk, Micronesia. Ethnology, vol. 44, 2005; pp. 502-517 Esbenshade, Jill. Codes of Conduct: Challenges and Opportunities for Workers Rights. Social Justice, vol. 31, 2004; pp. 340-355. Pincheon, Bill. â€Å"A Deeper Territory†; Race, Gender, Historical Narrative and the Recorded Field Blues.The Western Journal of Black Studies, vol. 24, 2000; pp. 270-283. Simon-Klutz, L ufuata. On Being Samoan, on Being Woman (E Au Pea Ina’ilau a Tama’itai) (1). Frontier- A Journal of Women’s Studies, vol. 23, 2002; pp. 275-291. Southwest Educational Development Laboratory. (2004). Descriptions of Ethnic Cultures in the United States. Vol. 4, no. 1. Retrieved on 5th may 2009 from http://www. ncddr. org/products/researchexchange/v04n01/cultures. html Tamase, Tui Atua Tupua. In Search of Tagaloa, Samoan Mythology and Science. Archaeology in Oceania, vol. 42, 2007; pp. 462-478.