Buchanan- Human Status and Moral Enhancement (Summary 2nd Half) Essay

Buchanan- Human Status and Moral Enhancement (Summary 2nd Half) - Essay Example Buchanan treats this larger question under two subsets, the first of which deals with the question â€Å"If enhancement did result in posthumans, what implications would this have for the concept of human rights: would it make that concept obsolete, as some have claimed; and if it did, would this be a moral catastrophe, as they have intimated?†. The second subset, which and the further sections are under analysis in this paper, deals with the question â€Å"Could the emergence of post humans result in there being a moral status higher than that of persons and hence require a rejection of the widely held Moral Equality Assumption, the assumption that all who have the characteristics sufficient for being persons are of equal moral status?† (353). The second question which rather addresses the concerns regarding privileging the enhanced group of persons – post persons – and thus resulting in a higher moral status raises questions regarding the very basic assumptions regarding moral equality. Buchanan, in the second section, contemplates on this basic assumption and challenges those concerns on the basis of the â€Å"inviolability†, which should be understood as a threshold concept, of this assumption (363-364). That greater â€Å"personhood† does not confer â€Å"greater inviolability† seems to question the belief that ‘persons’’ interests might be sacrificed in the interests of the ‘post persons’ (364). Even in times of â€Å"supreme emergency† when persons might literally have to be sacrificed for the benefit of many it does not follow that there is a difference between the values of the former and the latter (364). Buchanan justifies himself by refe rring to instances of racism, ethnic minorities, developmental and physical disabilities etc., where similar concerns popped up and were dealt with on the basis of the

Gothic literature Essay Example for Free

Gothic literature Essay In response to the question â€Å"is gothic literature purely escapist? † considering Austen’s Northanger Abbey and Walpole’s novel The Castle of Ontranto, which is recognized as pretty much establishing the genre, the answer is yes. Castle of Ontranto Brief Plot summary The plot of Castle begins full tilt as Conrad, son of Manfred of house Otranto, is crushed by a giant helmet on his wedding day, also his birthday. Because of the marriages political connections, Manfred decides to divorce his wife, Hippolita, and marry Conrads betrothed, Isabella. Amid speculations about an ancient prophecy claiming That the castle and lordship of Otranto should pass from the present family, whenever the real owner should be grown too large to inhabit it, Manfreds second union is disrupted by a series of supernatural events involving many oversized limbs, ghosts, mysterious blood, and a true prince (Wikipedia). Castle of Ontranto represents the quintessential Gothic story. It created the genre. Key examples of this can be seen as follows: 1 Note: that Gothic literature is escapist through the use of contrasting specific elements to create conflict and draw the attention of the reader. (the main themes most common in these two novels are: horror vs romance, good vs evil, and the element of mystery basically the known vs the unknown. ) The Castle of Ontranto opens with the line â€Å"Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda (chp1). † This is a very fantastic scenario from the main character being a Prince to the daughter being a beautiful eighteen year old virgin in an era when many women in prestigious families were married off by the age of 14. The author goes on to point out how the son Conrad three years younger than Matilda is ugly sickly frail and pale. The act of immediately contrasting Conrad’s ugly sickliness with Matilda’s beauty and pure virginity, significantly defines the gothic genre, which is literally defined as â€Å"an important genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. † -Another important contrast other than horror and romance is good and evil. This can be seen in Walpole’s novel through the differences in the characters. The Castle of Otranto revolves around a curse that has been placed upon the family of Manfred, ruler of the principality of Otranto. The curse is slightly ill defined, but apparently threatens the end of Manfreds rule and destruction of his family. Manfred is a greedy man who plots and schemes to outwit this curse. He is clearly the villain of the novel and contrasts strongly with the three leading women, Hippolita his wife, Matilda his daughter and Isabella the intended wife of his son. These women represent the forces of good throughout the novel. NOTE: Heroines in gothic books as well as in contemporary horror is a common theme a major example of this being emphasized in Northanger abbey can be seen when Austen says, â€Å"Chapter 1 But from fifteen to seventeen she was in training for a heroine; she read all such works as heroines must read to supply their memories with those quotations which are so serviceable and so soothing in the vicissitudes of their eventfuly lives. † (page 9) NOTE: examples of Romance as a theme in Northanger Abbey â€Å"Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love. † Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey â€Å"In every power, of which taste is the foundation, excellence is pretty fairly divided between the sexes. â€Å" Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey, 1818

The American Dream: A Can of Coke and a Lexus :: Argumentative Argument Media Papers

The American Dream: A Can of Coke and a Lexus Following the crowd in 2001 is the American way. Our lives have been infected with directions on who, how, and what we should be and do. Every day our televisions blare out talk shows, sitcoms, and soap operas to stagnate our minds. Our radios scream obscenities and false hopes with a beat that permeates our thoughts. Magazines, newspapers, billboards, televisions, and radios continually tell us what we need and want. Fashion dictates the way we dress, what styles we wear, and even the food we eat. We must follow rigid exercise routines in expensive gymnasiums, drive only the best automobiles, and buy only certain brands of products for our families to consume. The media constantly inundates our subconscious with messages that instruct us how to behave, what to say, and gives directions on what is necessary to be accepted in the elite privileged society that we perceive to be the American dream. This is the education we get from the world around us. Where has this propaganda come from? Why are we not able to see the forest for the trees? Why do we accept all that is handed to us without questioning the motives? We have been led to believe that â€Å"they† are always right. We have been taught to fear our own judgment, to accept life without question. Such programming begins at birth, is exemplified by our elementary education, and snowballs as we continue to learn. We are a society of sheep, waiting for slaughter. Paulo Freire describes this kind of education in his essay â€Å"The Banking Concept of Education† as: Education thus becomes an act of depositing, in which the students are the depositories, and the teacher is the depositor. Instead of communicating, the teacher issues communiquà ©s and makes deposits which the students patiently receive, memorize, and repeat. This is the â€Å"banking† concept of education, in which the scope of action allowed to the students extends only as far as receiving, filing, and storing the deposits. (349) Schooling in American society has become a process of transferring a pre-arranged amount of information to our children. It begins around age five and continues through the late teens, or until the students have successfully completed the courses required of them. Teachers force-feed a curriculum determined by the state, the county school board, and the school itself.

Amimal Farm :: essays research papers

ANIMAL FARM Political satire is not an uncommon literary genre. George Orwell is known for having written two of the most famous political satires in English literature. In Animal Farm, Orwell satirizes the show trials, the propaganda, and the cult of personality of Stalinist Russia. First, there are the show trials. For example, the book states, â€Å"In the following days, the dogs become his (Napoleon’s) bodyguard and killing machine.† Napoleon orders the dogs to kill the farm animals because they don’t believe that Snowball is the cause of all bad. Once again, one of the seven commandments, â€Å"no animal shall kill another,† is changed to fit Napoleon’s way of doing things. Squealer, with his quick and smooth talk is always right there to explain for Napoleon’s actions. In addition, when the hens fail to â€Å"meet the egg productions,† the pigs become violent and slaughter them. The slaughter of animals continues when a sheep dies after it confesses to having urinated in the drinking pool. As more animals come and confess their wrong doings, the pigs kill them, so it becomes necessary to alter the sixth commandment in order to show that they are faithful followers of the set commandments. The new commandment now says, â€Å"No animal shall kill any other animal without cause.† Second, there is the propaganda. For instance, Squealer uses propaganda more then any other animal on the farm, and he prospers from it. He becomes Napoleon’s second hand man by making everyone believe they remember wrongly about the commandments by asking, â€Å"Are you certain that this is not something that you have dreamed, comrades? Have you any record of such a resolution? Is it written down anywhere?† and makes sure everyone always believes Napoleon is a good leader. Furthermore, when Boxer is taken away in the knacker truck, Squealer tells all the animals that â€Å"the truck has been bought by the hospital, but they haven’t painted the old name out.† Squealer also brainwashes many of the animals into believing that they do not like apples and milk, which they were given to eat, while he, Napoleon, and other pigs are stealing food for themselves. Many things happen to Napoleon and the pigs because of propaganda. Finally, there is the cult of personality. For example, Minimus expresses his feelings for Napoleon by writing a poem which, runs as the following: Friend of fatherless! Fountain of happiness! Lord of the swill-bucket! Oh, how my soul is on

Risk Management & Health Care Regs

Homework Week 4 1. How does OSHA protect health care employees? OSHA is in place to help with strong reminders of the potential dangers existing in a health care facility. These reminders help health care facilities to function safely, efficiently and for safety and security incidents that seem to create a serious threat to the financial well-being of any health care organization. 2. What should be included in a waste management plan? †¢Define and designate those wastes to be considered and handled as infectious material. Segregates infectious waste from noninfectious wast. †¢Establishes packing standards for waste disposal. †¢Sets storage guidelines. †¢Specifies disposal methods. †¢Details contingency measures for emergency situations. †¢Arranges for staff education. 3. What does the employee health department do to protect employees? They monitor employee’s health y giving periodic health exams for those employees that are exposed to a hazard en vironment, or giving health exams to those who are returning to work from an illness or injury to protect that employee and others. By monitoring, protecting and maintaining, hazards are controlled, and injuries are avoided or minimized. 4. Describe the functions of facility safety committee. To set a facility safety plan in which to help to reduce liabilities to health care facilities, these plans are put together by the facility safety committee and the various institutional departments. These plans have to also conform to mandatory government regulations and several other agencies. 5. What is your regulatory agency and what type of license do you have? 6. Why is a national tracking agency for licensed physicians necessary? The national tracking agency for licensed physicians is necessary to keep track of physicians and any type of complaints or lawsuits that may have been filed on them. This is a sure way for patients to check the physician out before they decide to visit these physicians. 7. Does physician peer review override legal action against a physician? Physician peer review is legally protected ranging from complete immunity to qualified immunity. Peer reviewers prefer absolute immunity, since abuses of the process could result in unwarranted damages to professional reputations if the information became public. But, peer review participants have been subject to law suits, initiated mainly by physicians whose clinical privileges were revoked or denied. 8. What are some alternatives to malpractice litigation? Both mediation and arbitration remove procedure bound litigation from the courtroom to an informal setting where neutral intermediaries work with litigants to resolve the problem. Mediators can only try to negotiate agreements. In contrast, arbitrators can make judgments and impose awards. About 15 states authorize a form of voluntary arbitration, and some states allow for pretreatment arbitration agreements between physicians and patients. . What are the requirements to prove megligence? Four requirements define an act as one of negligence: †¢A legally recognized relationship exists between the parties. †¢The health care worker has a duty of care to the patient. †¢The health care worker breached the duty of care by failing to conform to the required standards of care. â⠂¬ ¢The breach of duty was the direct cause of harm, resulting in compensable damages for the negligent actions. 10. How do negligence and malpractice differ? Negligence is the improper treatment of neglect of a patient. Malpractice is the commission or omission of an action causing the injury that must arise from the exercising of professional medical judgment. For example, failure of a nurse to properly maintain an intravenous tube constitutes as professional malpractice, and failure to properly supervise the patient in the bathroom is ordinary negligence. 11. What are the sources of the Standards of Practice? In 1998 the JCAHO Board of Directors recognized the importance of guidelines for improvement purposes and requirements were added to the leadership and performance improvement standards. In July 2001, the use of knowledge-based information for improving patient safety was added as an accreditation standard. Organizations should use a variety of information sources including practice guidelines, literature resources, and information from other outside sources. The Joint Commission expects practitioners to consider the recommendations found in knowledge-based sources. These recommendations may come from professional medical societies and physician organizations, nursing and allied healthcare associations and policy-making bodies, and/or local organizations. Knowledge-based information helps to broaden the perspective of physicians and other caregivers, who have traditionally relied on personal experiences to define best practices. 12. Explain respondent superior and vicarious liability. Vicarious liability in medical malpractice is the doctrine of holding one person liable for the acts of another depending on the theories of agency and control. Respondeat Superior establishes the responsibility of an employer for the wrongful acts of its employees. The elements of responeat superior include: (1) medical malpractice by a health care provider; (2) an employment relationship between providers and the MCO, as opposed to an independent contractor relationship, and (3) providers acting within the scope of their employment. 13. How can high risk be avoided? Risk management actions are seen to be effective in avoiding many high risk situations. Good communication with patients, making sure there is sufficient documentation, gathering sufficient information in reference to the patient, their history as well as information on their condition and treatment. With this type of risk management, it is a great way to start in prevention of lawsuits. 14. What are some of the positive elements that make a department low risk? Risk managers are supported by major legislation, OSHA and HIPAA regulations, to help provide a safe and secure health care environment. Surveillance and monitoring of potential risks are bolstered by rapid advances in security technology and cooperative team approaches to prevent incidents of unsafe practices, and to react appropriately to incursions on security of people and property. 15. What are some of the high risk departments in a hospital? The following selected high risk departments within clinical care deserve special attention: emergency medicine, obstetrics and neonatology, and surgery and anesthesia. Emergency medicine has a unique set of inherent risks. Most patients arrive at the emergency department are in a medical crisis. Obstetrics and neonatology have their risk to both mother and baby. For surgery and anesthesia, they work hand and hand because anesthesia causes risks to any patient not knowing if they are going to have a reaction and surgery, can either go good or bad depending on what the physician finds once the patient is opened up. 6. Explain emergency triage. Proper triage classifies patients by level of need: †¢ Emergency cases require immediate medical attention because delaying medical care would be harmful to the patient. †¢Urgent cases require medical attention within a few hours of arrival at the hospital because the patient is in danger of acute, but not life threatening problems. â € ¢Non urgent cases do not require the resources of an emergency department, because the problem is minor or nonacute, or treatment cannot affect outcome or suffering. 7. What are some causes of high litigation rates in surgery? †¢Unrealistic patient expectations – About 88 percent of the lawyers stated that the patient and/or the family were surprised by the adverse outcome. Either they had unrealistic expectations, or that they were not adequately educated regarding the course of treatment. †¢No Response to complaints – A failure by the physician to respond to the specific complaints that had instigated a patient’s visit to the physician was cited by more than 80 percent of the attorneys. Illegible Medical Records – About 77 percent of the lawyers identified illegibility as a significant problem, and this situation seriously inhibits the defense of the lawsuit. †¢Insufficient Information in Medical Records – Almost 70 percent of the lawyers claimed that information relative to medications, allergies, problems, telephone calls, and so on was missing from records and that the operative notes were written more than twenty-four hours after the procedure. No Follow-up on Abnormal Tests – Attorneys indicated that 62 percent of the suits involved the failure to follow up on abnormal test results. †¢Professional Miscommunication – About 58 percent of the attorneys states that miscommunication had occurred in many of their cases. References (Spath, Brown-Spath & Associates Web site, 2002) Kavaler, F. & Spiegel, A. (2003). Risk management in health care institutions: A strategic approach. (2nd ed. ). Boston, MA: Jones & Bartlett. Wachter RM. Understanding Patient Safety. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2008 (Neurology. org)

The Relationship Between Personality Types, Test Anxiety and Self-Esteem with regards to Academic Achievement

The Relationship Between Personality Types, Test Anxiety and Self-Esteem with regards to Academic Achievement Free Online Research Papers This study was performed to determine if there is a relationship between personality type, test anxiety, self-esteem and academic achievement, which was measured by the students GPA. The study was conducted at a university in Indiana using undergraduate volunteers. The study used a scale from the MBTI to help determine personality types (introvert or extrovert), also Rosenberg’s 10 item scale for self-esteem, and Spielberger’s test anxiety inventory. The hypothesis was that extraverts who have a higher self-esteem, and low test anxiety would have better success with academic achievement than those who are introverts with low self-esteem and high test anxiety. It was found in this study that there was no significant relationship between personality type, test anxiety, self-esteem and academic achievement. The Relationship Between Personality Types, Test Anxiety and Self-Esteem with Regards to GPA. Cognitive styles have been used to explain individuals’ behavior most notable using Carl Jung’s psychological types, as operationalized by Myers (1965) with the Myers – Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Using personality theory, individuals’ dispositions for certain behaviors and actions can be understood. Recent research application of the MBTI include such areas as counseling, communications, learning education, empathetic response, decision making, business investments, general theory of the MBTI, construct validity of the MBTI scales, and convergent validity of the MBTI scales with other personality constructs. Despite the MBTI’s mixed validity and weak predictive value, it has been used extensively over the past 35 years in research and training efforts worldwide (Barbuto Plummer 1998). The MBTI is used to present four scales representing four pairs of preferences: Extraversion and Introversion; Sensing and Intuition; Thinking and Felling; and Judging and Perceiving. These preferences result in 16 learning types. A type is the combination of the four preferences. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is one of the most popular instruments for assessing these preferences. This study will only be using one of the four scales. Extraversion – Introversion preference tells us how people are energized. Extraverts prefer to focus on the outer world of people and things. Extraverts find energy in things and people. They prefer interaction with others and are action oriented (Vincent Ross, 2001). Myers (1980) defined extraverts are the after thinkers; they cannot understand life until they have lived it. Their attitude is relaxed and confident. They expect the waters to prove shallow, and plunge readily into new and untried experiences. Minds outwardly directed, interest and attention following objective happenings, primarily those of the immediate environment. Their real world therefore is the outer world of people and things (Myers, 1980). Introverts focus on the inner world of ideas and impressions. Introverts find energy in the inner world of ideas, concepts, and abstractions. They can be sociable but need quiet to recharge their energies (Vincent Ross, 2001). They are the fore thinkers, and cannot live life until they understand it. Attitude reserved and questioning. They expect the waters to prove deep, and pause to take soundings in the new and untried. Minds are inwardly directed, frequently unaware of the objective environment, interest and attention being engrossed be inner events. Their real world therefore is the inner world of ideas and understanding (Myers, 1980). Extraversion and introversion have their own special dynamics and both attitudes have progressive and regressive properties (Ryckman, 1982). Speilberger (1979) states that an anxiety state may be defined in terms of the intensity of the subjective feelings of tension, apprehension, nervousness, and worry that are experienced by an individual at a particular moment, and by heightened activity of the automatic nervous system that accompanies these feelings. Anxiety will also vary in duration and also in intensity, and fluctuate over time as a function of the amount of stress that impinges upon an individual and that individual’s interpretation of the stressful situation as personally dangerous or threatening. Many students feel anxious or nervous when taking tests in college. Self-Esteem refers to an individual’s personal judgment of his or her own worth (Englert, Weed, Watson 2000). Before the 1980’s, most researchers typically computed correlations between children’s self-esteem and academic success. One comprehensive review of research up to them found that most studies reported positive correlations, usually form 0.20 to 0.40 on a 1.00 scale. But since correlations between IQ and academic performance range from 0.50 to 0.70, such results show, at best, a moderate relationship between self–esteem and academic performance (Moeller 1994). Although this is important, my study will use college students and not children. Asendorpf and Wilpers (1998) found that extraversion and socialablity predicted the overall interaction rate, the number of new peers, and various aspects of relationships with opposite – sex peers. Whether the students reported a partner or not and the number of quality of their non-peer relationships were not affected by their personality. The study that will be conducted here will focus on all aspects of extraverts and introverts, also their self-esteem. Individuals with achieving personality priorities had higher self–esteem than individuals with pleasing personality priorities and individual with detaching personality priorities. They also had higher social interest than individuals with outgoing personality priorities and fewer dysfunctional attitudes than those with pleasing personality priorities and those with detaching personality priorities (Alderian, Kottman, and Rice 1998). Ashby (1998) also found personality types were significantly different on self–esteem, social interest, internal locus of control, and dysfunctional attitudes. In general, these differences were consistent with the theoretical descriptions of each of the personality priorities. This study will also be focusing on achievement and self–esteem, but also that personality types indicated by the MBTI. Speilberger (1979) found that students with high-test anxiety tend to blame themselves for their poor performance, while low test-anxious students did not. He also found that high test- anxious students apparently respond to examination stress with intense emotional reactions and negative self-centered thoughts that impair the performance, while those low in test anxiety react with increased motivation and concentration. Gaudry and Speilberger (1971) found that at the college level, there is evidence that anxiety tends to be associated with lower grades and higher dropout rates. As cited in an article written by Kwan, Bond, Singelis (1997) there has been relative research in which links have been found between self-esteem and the five factors of personality. Concerning the effects of personality on self-esteem, previous work on American samples has found that self-esteem is positively correlated with Extraversion (strong), Openness to Experience (weak), and Conscientiousness (moderate) and is negatively correlated with Neuroticism (strong) (Costa, McCrae, Dye, 1991; Digman 1990; McCrae Costa, 1988). The same personality correlates with self-esteem were also found is Chinese student samples (Ho, 1994; Luk Bond, 1992). It thus seems that the relations between self-esteem and Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, and Conscientiousness are quite robust across cultures. Therefore they expected that the effects of Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, and Conscientiousness on life satisfaction be meditated through self-esteem acros s the two cultures. (Kwan et al, 1997) Other relevant research has found that Individuals with achieving personality priorities had higher self-esteem that individuals with pleasing personality priorities and individuals with detaching personality priorities. Ashby et al. also had higher social interests than individuals with outgoing personality priorities and fewer dysfunctional attitudes than those with pleasing personality priorities and those with detaching personality priorities. (Ashby, Kottman, Rice, 1998) There has been much debate regarding whether personality variables exist as discrete classes or on a continuum. Much of the criticism surrounding the MBTI is its treatment of personality variables as discrete classes (Barbuto, 1997). Ross and Broh (2000) found that academic achievement boosts self–esteem and the sense of personal control, but the latter influences subsequent academic achievement. Most previous research on adolescent self–concept has included self–esteem or, less commonly, the sense of personal control but not both. Ross and Broh also stated that the sense of personal control and self–esteem are highly correlated but may have different consequences for academic achievement. My study believes that self-esteem does improve academic achievement. Battle (as cited by Ross and Broh, 2000) stated that in the self–esteem model, adolescents who feel good about themselves do better in school than do those who have low self–worth. Proponents of this model contend that self-esteem leads to academic success. Of course there have been alternative views such as the one cited by Ross and Broh. In contrast to the effectiveness theory of personal control presented her e others have argued that self-esteem does affect academic performance and that the consequences of self–esteem are real, not spurious, for a number of reasons. First according to self- consistency theory, self-esteem shapes our behavior because of the self–consistency motive (Rosenberg 1989), that is people act in a way that is consistent with their self-concept, so that adolescents with high self–esteem would act in ways that maintain their self-esteem (like getting good grades). My variables that are being examined in this study are personality type, test anxiety, self-esteem and it’s relationship to GPA. This research study is designed to find a relationship, if any, between the following variables: self-esteem and test anxiety, introvert / extrovert and test anxiety, GPA and test anxiety, self-esteem and GPA, extrovert / introvert and GPA, extrovert / introvert and self-esteem. The hypothesis was that Extraverts who have a higher self-esteem and low test anxiety would have better success with academic achievement than those who are introverts with low self-esteem and high test anxiety. Methods Participants There were 60 volunteers, 20 males and 40 females, who have participated in this study. The ages ranged from 18 – 44 with a mean age of 22. The participants were students who were enrolled in undergraduate courses at a university in Indiana. Participants who volunteered in this study signed an informed consent form. Questionnaire Rosenberg’s (1965) Self–Esteem scale is a well validated, 10-item measure of global, personal self – esteem. Its average type reliability analysis is greater than .80. Responses were made on a 4- point scale with the anchors of 1 (strongly disagree) and 4 (strongly agree). Half of the items have been formulated and scored in reverse direction to reduce the possibility of an acquiescence response set (Kwan, Bond, Singelis, 1997). The alpha measure for this scale in this research was .856. The Myers – Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI), which is composed of sixteen four letter combinations that represents characteristics about someone’s personality type (Myers 1965). These combinations include Extroverts and Introverts, intuition and Sensing, Thinking and Feeling, Perceiving and Judging. This research only focuses on the scales using Extroverts, Introverts. Gardner (as cited in Hill, 1999) found that test-rest reliability for continuous scores of the MBTI usually exceed .70 and often will surpass .80. Costa and McCrae (as cited in Hill, 1999) found that the MBTI is related to NEO-PI scale and found positive correlations for the E-I scale of .72. Speilberger (1979) Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI) is a self-report inventory designed to measure test anxiety (TA) as a situation-specific personality trait. The TAI consists of 20 item or statements, and the respondents indicate on a four-point scale how often they experience the feeling described in each statement. The TAI provides a measure of total TA (TAI-T) as measures of two TA components worry (W) and emotionality (E). Sapp (1993) found that unlike traditional test anxiety measures, the TAI suggests that worry is not the most important component to interfere with test performance. It is the combination of high worry and emotionality scores that affect test performance. Speilberger (1979) found a test-rest reliability of .80 to .81 for two-week to one-month periods, and .62 after six months. Alpha coefficients ranged from .92 to 96. Validity for the TAI was established with a relationship between TAI and other anxiety measures, such as Sarason’s Test Anxiety Scale an d the Liebert and Morris’ Worry and Emotionality Questionnaire. There was also found to be a high correlation of .82 to .83, between the TAI score and the Test Anxiety Scale (Speilberger 1979). The alpha measure for this scale in this research was .94. Academic achievement will be measured on a 4.0 scale. All volunteers will be asked to write their current GPA in a provided space on the survey that will be passed out during normal class hours. The university GPA scales are 0.0 – 4.0. All participants were asked their age, gender, year in college, and department major. Participation was optional and those who wished to decline involvement in the study were given the opportunity to decline. All participants were also assured that their responses would be completely anonymous, that there are no right or wrong answers to any of the questions, and that their true responses are very important for the study. The questionnaires were passed out and respondents were given a week to fill out and turn back in. Results Bivariate correlations were computed for GPA, personality type, test anxiety, self-esteem, sex and age. There were no significant correlations found among the variables being studied. The mean for GPA’s extroverts was 3.03, SD = .47 and for an introvert it was 3.03, SD = .57. The mean for self-esteem’s extrovert was 1.62, SD = .48 and for introvert it was 1.77, SD = .46. The mean for test anxiety for extroverts were 2.06, SD = .68 and for introverts it was 1.89, SD = .62. Discussion The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any correlations between GPA, self-esteem, test anxiety and personality types. There were no correlations found between the variables listed above. In contrast to Ashby (1998) who found that personality types were significantly different in self-esteem, I found no such correlations. In summary, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is a powerful tool in examining differences in personality. If there were a higher response rate in the return of the surveys, it is possible that some significance would have been found. Some other recommendations for future research would be to replicate this study with a larger sample regarding other colleges or universities, also to conduct this study comparing universities or colleges to one another. The results may have been affected by the participant’s year in school because a higher-level student may have experienced or developed techniques regarding test anxiety that a freshman may no t have yet developed. Also because this was a voluntary self-report measure, an introvert may be less willing to participate in the survey and less willing to report anxiety levels. The measure’s length may have also been a factor in the results because potential subjects may have been less willing to participate or accurately fill out the MBTI. An alternate scale of introversion / extroversion may have been more appropriate for this study and could have provided more accurate results. A future study involving the MBTI would be to measure the relationship between personality type to those students who complete college to those who withdraw from colleges or universities. References Asendorph, J., Wilpers, S. (1998). Personality effects on social relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 6, 1531-1544. Ashby, J. (1998). Adlerian personality priorities: Psychological and attitudinal differences. Journal of Counseling and Development, 76, 467-475. Barbuto, J.E., (1997). A critique of the Myers – Briggs indicator and its operationalization of Carl Jung’s psychological types. Psychological Reports, 80, 611 – 625. Barbuto, J.E., Plummer, B.A. (1998). Mental boundaries as a new dimension of personality. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 13, 421-437. Englert, D.R., Weed, N.C., Watson G.S. (2000). Convergent, discriminate, and internal properties of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (2nd ed.). Low Self-Esteem Content Scale. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 33, 42-55 Guadry, E., Spielberger, C. D., (1971). Anxiety and educational achievement. Sydney: John Wiley Sons. Hill, A. B., (1999). Personality characteristics associated with academic achivement among developmental college students. (Doctoral dissertaton, The Fielding Institute, 2000). Dissertation Abstracts International, 60, 3288 Kwan, V.S.Y., Bond, M.H., Singelis, T.M. (1997). Pancultural explanations for life satisfaction: Adding relationship harmony to self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 5, 1038-1051. Moeller, T.G. (1994). What research says about self – esteem and academic performance. Education Digest, 59, 34-38. Myers, I.B. (1965). Manual: The Myers – Briggs Type Indicator. Princeton, N.J: Education Testing Service. Myers, I.B. (1980). Gifts Differing. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press. Nezlek, J.B., Kowalski, R.M., Leary, M.R., Blevins, T., Holgate, S. (1997). Personality moderators of reactions to interpersonal rejection: Depression and trait self-esteem. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23, 1235-1244. Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Rosenberg, M., Schooler, C., Schoenbach, C., (1989). Self – esteem and adolescent problems: Modeling reciprocal effects. American Sociological Review, 54, 1004 – 1018. Ross, E.R., Broh, B.A., (2000). The roles of self-esteem and the sense of personal control in the academic achievement process, Sociology of Education. , 73, 270 –284. Ryckman R.M. (1982). Theories of personality. Belmont, CA: Brooks/ Cole. Sapp, M., (1993). Test anxiety: Applied research, assessment, and treatment interventions. Lanham: University Press of America. Spielberger, C. D., (1979). Understanding stress and anxiety. New York: Harper. Spielberger, C.D., (1980). Test Anxiety Inventory. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychology Press. Spielberger, C. D., Diaz-Guerrero, R., (1976). Cross cultural anxiety. Washington DC: Hemisphere. Vincent, A., Ross, D. (2001). Personalized training: Determined learning styles, personality types and multiple intelligence online. The Learning Organization, 8, 36 – 43. Research Papers on The Relationship Between Personality Types, Test Anxiety and Self-Esteem with regards to Academic AchievementThree Concepts of PsychodynamicResearch Process Part OneStandardized TestingThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalComparison: Letter from Birmingham and Crito

Treatment of Bipolar Disorder

Treatment of Bipolar Disorder It is normal to experience mood changes throughout the day. In high mood, one may feel happy and energized while in low mood one may feel sad and inactive. To a normal person, the mood changes do not get out of control; one is able to have a balance between the high and low moods.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Treatment of Bipolar Disorder specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Unlike normal people, people with Bipolar disorder experience extreme and sustaining mood changes that interfere with their lives (Smith, Segal and Segal par 3). The extreme mood swings experienced by Bipolar disorder patients lead to severe psychological distress that makes it impossible for the patients to lead normal lives. Also referred to as Manic Depression or Bipolar Affective Disorder, Bipolar disorder is categorized as one of the serious mood disorders. The mood disorder is characterized by extremely high (manic or hypomanic) and unusual depression states that last for days or weeks. Bipolar disorder can lead to very severe effects if not treated. Mood swings resulting from the disorder can affect school or job performance, break relationships or even lead to suicide. Pharmacotherapy and psychological therapy are the treatment options that are found to be most effective with Bipolar disorder patients. As aforementioned, Bipolar disorder has great effects on normal functioning of the patients. The sad thing about Bipolar disorder is that it tends to be a life time problem and getting an effective treatment is a challenge. However, early diagnosis and treatment of the disorder lead to positive results. Use of medication is the common option for treating Bipolar disorder (Smith, Segal and Segal par 14). Medications referred to as ‘mood stabilizers’ are used to counter mood swings and reduce the symptoms of the disorder. Use of mood stabilizers for on a long-term basis is known to have positive res ults on Bipolar disorder patients. However, since patients respond differently to mood stabilizers, different medication should be tried in order to come up with the best combination for a particular patient (Sachs, et al. 9). For effective treatment, mood stabilizers are used with combination of antidepressants and anticonvulsants. The mood stabilizer that is found to be most effective with most Bipolar disorder patients is Lithium (Sachs, et al. 9). The mood stabilizer is used together with anticonvulsants such as Carbamazepine, Valproic acid and Lamotrigine. The effective combination of medications has to be used for a long time in order to prevent reoccurrence of the mood changes. Many Bipolar disorder patients however tend to default medication. It is therefore advisable for Bipolar disorder patients to continue with their medications even when they feel as if they are cured. Although medications provide the most immediate intervention to Bipolar disorder, they do not completel y cure the disorder but manage it. In addition to medications, a Bipolar disorder patient has to adopt a lifestyle that supports wellness.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Though medications are the most obvious treatment option for Bipolar disorder, better results are attained when the patients receive psychotherapy alongside medications. Therapy helps Bipolar disorder patients to manage various issues resulting from the disorder, including affected self-esteem, work and relationship. Psychotherapy can also be of great help if a Bipolar disorder patient is struggling with other issues such as substance abuse. Considering that treatment for Bipolar disorder can continue for a long time, psychotherapy helps to keep the patient in medications and therefore increase chance for success. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, Family-focused therapy and Interpersonal and social rh ythm therapy are the common psychotherapies with Bipolar disorder (Smith, Segal and Segal par 16). Cognitive-behavioral therapy is particularly helpful in helping a Bipolar disorder patient to manage symptoms. This type of therapy targets the thinking patterns of a patient and can help Bipolar disorder patients to avoid triggering the symptoms through their thinking patterns. Interpersonal therapy is very important to a Bipolar disorder patient. The psychological therapy helps Bipolar disorder patients to manage their relationships, which could be highly affected by the mood disorder. Interpersonal therapy also helps the patients to manage stress and therefore reduce occurrence of the symptoms. Considering that Bipolar disorder affect biological rhythms, social rhythm therapy can be of great help to Bipolar disorder patients. In addition to the above mentioned therapies, family focused therapy can be incorporated in treatment of Bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder affects not only th e patient but also other family members living with the patient. Family focused therapy helps in addressing the effects of the disorder to the family and therefore helps to create a strong support system for the patient. Bipolar disorder is among the severe mood disorders. Apart from affecting the normal functioning of the patients, Bipolar disorder can have severe effects on a patient’s relationships or even lead to suicide. For better results, a Bipolar disorder patient should seek early treatment. Medications and psychological therapy are the main treatment options for Bipolar disorder. Mood stabilizers such as lithium are effective in treating the disorder. The mood stabilizers are used together with anticonvulsants and antidepressants in order to achieve the better result. In addition to medications, psychotherapy is used to achieve the best result. Therapies such cognitive therapy, family-focused therapy and interpersonal therapy help in managing symptoms and helping th e patients to live well in spite of their suffering. Sachs, Gary, David Printz, David Kahn, Daniel Carpenter and John Docherty. The Expert Consensus Guideline Series Medication Treatment of Bipolar Disorder. Apr. 2000. 22 Nov. 2010. https://www.psychguides.com/bipolar/Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Treatment of Bipolar Disorder specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Smith, Melinda, Jeanne Segal and Robert Segal. Treatment for Bipolar Disorder: Getting Help and Choosing Treatments. Nov. 2010. 22 Nov. 2010. https://www.helpguide.org/

About the U.S. House of Representatives

About the U.S. House of Representatives The United States is a large, fractured, diverse and yet still unified nation, and few government bodies reflect the paradox that is this country better than the House of Representatives. Key Takeaways: U.S. House of Representatives The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the two legislative bodies in the United States federal government.The House is currently made up of 435 representatives- referred to as congressmen or congresswomen- who serve an unlimited number of two-year terms. The number of representatives from each state is based on the state’s population.As required by the Constitution, representatives must reside in the state from which they are elected, must have been a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and be at least 25 years old.A representative’s primary duties include introducing, debating, and voting on bills, proposing amendments to bills, and serving on committees.The House has the exclusive powers to initiate all tax and spending bills and to impeach federal officials.   Metrics of the House The House is the lower of the two legislative bodies in the U.S. government. It has 435 members, with the number of representatives per state dependent upon that states population. House members serve two-year terms. Rather than represent their entire state, as Senate members do, they represent a specific district. This tends to give House members a closer link to their constituents-and more accountability, since they have but two years to satisfy voters before having to run for re-election. Also referred to as a congressman or congresswoman, a representative’s primary duties include introducing bills and resolutions, offering amendments and serving on committees.   Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming, all sprawling but sparsely populated states, have just one representative each in the House; tiny states like Delaware and Vermont also send just one representative to the House. By contrast, California sends 53 representatives; Texas sends 32; New York sends 29, and Florida sends 25 representatives to Capitol Hill. The number of representatives each state is allotted is determined every 10 years in accordance with the federal census. Although the number has changed periodically through the years, the House has remained at 435 members since 1913, with shifts in representation occurring among different states. The system of House representation based on district population was part of the Great Compromise of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which led to the Permanent Seat of Government Act establishing the nations federal capital in Washington, DC. The House assembled for the first time in New York in 1789, moved to Philadelphia in 1790 and then to Washington, DC, in 1800. The Powers of the House While the Senates more exclusive membership may make it seem the more powerful of the two chambers of Congress, the House is charged with a vital task: the power to raise revenue through taxes. The House of Representatives also has the power of impeachment, in which a sitting president, vice president or other civil officials such as judges may be removed for high crimes and misdemeanors, as enumerated in the Constitution. The House is solely responsible for calling for impeachment. Once it decides to do so, the Senate tries that official to determine whether he or she should be convicted, which means automatic removal from office. Leading the House House leadership rests with the speaker of the house, usually a senior member of the majority party. The speaker applies House rules and refers bills to specific House committees for review. The speaker is also third in line to the presidency, after the vice president. Other leadership positions include the majority and minority leaders who monitor legislative activity on the floor, and the majority and minority whips who ensure that House members vote according to their respective parties positions. The  House Committee System The House is divided into committees in order to tackle the complex and various matters on which it legislates. House committees study bills and hold public hearings, gathering expert testimony and listening to voters. If a committee approves a bill, it then puts it before the entire House for debate. House committees have changed and evolved over time. Current committees include those on: agriculture;appropriations;armed services;the budget, education, and labor;energy and commerce;financial services;foreign affairs;homeland security;House administration;judiciary;natural resources;oversight and government reform;rules;science and technology;small business;standards of official conduct;transportation and infrastructure;veterans affairs; andways and means. In addition, House members may serve on joint committees with Senate members. The Raucous Chamber Given the shorter terms of House members, their relative proximity to their constituents and their larger numbers, the House is generally the more fractious and partisan of the two chambers. Its proceedings and deliberations, like those of the Senate, are recorded in the Congressional Record, ensuring transparency in the legislative process. Phaedra Trethan is a freelance writer who also works as a copy editor for the Camden Courier-Post. She formerly worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer, where she wrote about books, religion, sports, music, films, and restaurants. Updated by Robert Longley

The New Deal and Opportunities in the World Wars Assignment

The New Deal and Opportunities in the World Wars - Assignment Example As the paper outlines, the New Deal’s biggest achievement was restoring faith in American democracy in a time when there was very little if any, faith when people thought that they could only turn to communism or fascism. The greatest failure of the New Deal was its inability to bring full recovery to the economy. The New Deal set out to finish the work of progressivism but succeeded in more than it had been planned to. It would not be considered an actual revival, but something even greater than what it had been before.  Many accomplishments brought on by the New Deal owed much to the Progressive movement. Even so, progressivism also brought along many major events and changes by itself, without the need of the New Deal. The New Deal merely finished the work of progressivism and made a few changes of its own, such as the unfair civil welfare practices that the progressive era brought being noticed and eliminated. Without progressivism, the New Deal would have never come int o existence. While separate, they are each a branch of the other.  The changes that took place during the progressive era and the New Deal, when compared to the events and changes that took place in the 1920s, only set up a foundation for what was to take place during the 1920s. Historians refer to progressivism as an influential social movement that started in the later 1800s and came to an end with the United States entering into the first World War. Progressivism succeeded in many things; some of these things concerned state and national income tax, minimum wage laws, increased business regulation, and the creation of the Federal Reserve System. One of the biggest successions of progressivism was the passing of antitrust laws, broke up numerous trusts and set things in the right direction for future prosperity. This was passed because huge businesses were heightening up their prices and monopolizing the economy. With these laws passed, the economy was able to be at a more avera ge and solid rate.

International relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International relations - Essay Example This paper discusses the currency war that has been in the center of discussions of the major economic powers of the world in the context of international relations and the impact of policies and actions by the different parties on the global economy and the global political order. The discussions relating to the currency war cannot but take on a heavy slant in economics and economic policy, even as one cannot argue that trade is a major force that knits or destroys relationships among nations, something that has been discussed in much detail in many theoretical discussions in international relations. The latest round of efforts by the major powers in particular by the United States and Japan has been hailed as efforts that have come to be identified with a budding currency war. For instance, efforts to keep interest rates low are in keeping with the two country economies’ interests in spurring borrowing and economic activity from such lowered interest rates, but the net effec t of the actions tied to this have been a downward pressure on their currencies, leading to a currency devaluation in practice if not in direct fact. The consensus even among the major central banks in Europe is that indeed the currency war is at hand, with Japan, for instance, deliberately setting the stage for a weaker yen on the back of announcements to pump massive amounts of liquidity, to the tune of US 1.4 trillion dollars, into the Japanese economy for the next 24 months. This has led to the yen depreciating by 14 percent after the announcement versus the US dollar. A weaker currency helps countries like Japan because it allows them to export their products at lower prices compared to competitors in other countries. At the same time, a weaker currency allows a country to shore up its investment base, owing from the way the weaker currency reflects the efforts of government, such as Japan, to infuse liquidity and to keep interest rates low, all in the name of priming the count ry economies for growth (Chavez-Dreyfus; Popplewell; Morley-Freer; Tan and Noonan). Of course this state of affairs is not lost on China, which has said likewise that the move by Japan to infuse massive amounts of liquidity into the Japanese economy is, as others have noted, tantamount to launching a currency war. Already, Chinese economists have pressed the panic signal owing to the fact that the infusion has resulted in the massive weakening of the value of the Japanese yen, which in effect is also a devaluation of the currency done through the liquidity infusion rather than by direct means. In retaliation, the Chinese economists have urged the Chinese government to launch its own moves aimed at devaluing the yuan, The interconnectedness of world trade and the way trade has become so intertwined that it has come to dominate discussions in international relations more than war is being demonstrated in the way the move by Japan is causing a cascade of effects through the global econ omy and potentially hurting many players. For instance, in China, the prognosis is that the de facto devaluation of the Japanese yen would cause a diminishing of the competitiveness of Chinese exports. Moreover, the move by Japan to infuse money into the system while keeping interest rates down is being seen as encouraging speculative activities across borders. Speculators may use low interest rate loans from Japan to borrow money that they can then use to speculate in Chinese securities and investment instruments, causing havoc in the Chinese equities and financial markets. It is in these terms that the Chinese are viewing the currency devaluation in Japan and the United States, and it is along the lines of Japan waging an economic war that the Chinese econo

Theology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Theology - Assignment Example By praying, we seek God’s forgiveness of our sins and we in turn forgive others. This way, our human suffering, which is normally as a result of confining ourselves to our areas of operation, is reduced and we remain focused and hoping for the kingdom of God (Gibbs et al. 131). 3. According to Fischer and Hart, How does Jesus resolve the problem of suffering and evil? Briefly explain each of the four elements in his response. How does this response help us to understand what a Christian response to one who has AIDS might be? When we are suffering, Jesus is always on our side to guide us on how to respond to the evil and suffering. Through Jesus, God intervenes in our circumstances and walks with us, showing us what to do at those moments when we feel weak. In regard to solving the problem of evil and suffering, there are four elements involved, which are (Fischer & Hart 121): (1). Jesus forgives us our sins and calls people to get converted. He is merciful enough and is always ready to forgive everyone who seeks his mercy. He forgives us our sins and converts us to be among his chosen ones. Based on the above four elements, a Christian suffering from AIDS will get encouragement to fight the AIDS knowing that even Christ Jesus himself suffered so much. The Christian will have the assurance that the suffering is just for a short time while on this earth, and then inherit the eternal kingdom in the life after. According to Bonhoeffera, suffering can destroy the ability to respond to God, something which he considered as a temptation, a temptation which to some extent may result from despair driving someone into committing suicide. Bonhoeffera however gives us hope from suffering by assuring us that the compassion of Christ is always with us and is enough to rescue a person who is tempted (Blackburn 178). Bonhoeffera noted that the suffering of Christ Jesus on the cross brought people closer to the Christian faith. The death of Christ meant to bring us

What role does autonomy play in achieving a 'good death' Essay

What role does autonomy play in achieving a 'good death' - Essay Example â€Å"The main reason for the complex situation at the end of life is the development of life-sustaining technologies within the last fifty years† (Earle et al 2008, p.25). Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of autonomy in achieving a ‘good death’. Hence, the concepts of autonomy and ‘good death’, along with their guiding principles and their application will be evaluated and illustrated. â€Å"The care of dying patients is a responsibility for families, healthcare professionals and society† (Jeffrey 2006, p.2). Most care support is provided by families and non-professional carers. To improve the care of dying patients it is essential to understand end-of-life issues and promote effective communication. Palliative care for patients with chronic, life-threatening diseases such as advanced cancer involves decision making. Professionals are required to include patients in decisions that affect their care, while explaining to the patients and their carers, the ethical issues involved. Patient autonomy is perceived as key to ‘good death’. However, Brown (2003) argues that patient’s autonomy or freedom of choice at the end of life care is not merely a matter of individual preference. Other important criteria that influence a patient’s autonomy are socioeconomic status, availability of services, cultural factors, emotional and relationship factors, along with the political and other aspects of care. The manner in which people are cared for at the end of their lives is one indicator of a civilised society. Recent medical advances can delay death as well as prolong the process of dying. These dynamics generate tension from which emerge ethical dilemmas requiring debate. Though the technological aspect of care increases progressively, the new concerns are regarding the neglect of the softer, psychological elements of care.

Contracts and Leases in Common Law and UCC Essay

Contracts and Leases in Common Law and UCC - Essay Example Normally, a contract is enforced and governed by the laws of the country where it was made. In the United States of America, a contract is governed by two types of state laws, that is, the common law and the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) (Bagley and Dauchy, 2012). Common law is a law which governs contracts for services and contracts that are not governed by the Uniform Commercial Code. Most contracts such as employment agreements, general business agreements and leases are controlled by common law. Common law contracts can either be bilateral or unilateral. However, the contracts are valid only if the three elements of common law contract formation are met. The elements of formation are offer, acceptance and consideration (Bagley and Dauchy, 2012). The uniform commercial code (UCC) governs the contracts between merchants and the sale of goods. The law was written by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL) and the American Law Institute (ALI). It was p ublished in 1952 to harmonize the law of sales and other commercial transactions in the United States. Although it has not been fully enacted, some provisions of the code have been adopted by all the fifty states of the US (Fullerton, 2011). Previously, the code was divided into 9 articles; however, after a number of reviews and revisions, the code is now divided into eleven articles with each giving provisions that relate to a particular area of commercial law. Article 1, gives the definitions of terms used in commercial law and the general principles that apply to the UCC. Article 2 covers all contracts pertaining to the sale of goods. Article 2A covers all transactions pertaining to leases of goods. Article 3 covers negotiable instruments such as checks and promissory notes.

What role does autonomy play in achieving a 'good death' Essay

What role does autonomy play in achieving a 'good death' - Essay Example â€Å"The main reason for the complex situation at the end of life is the development of life-sustaining technologies within the last fifty years† (Earle et al 2008, p.25). Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of autonomy in achieving a ‘good death’. Hence, the concepts of autonomy and ‘good death’, along with their guiding principles and their application will be evaluated and illustrated. â€Å"The care of dying patients is a responsibility for families, healthcare professionals and society† (Jeffrey 2006, p.2). Most care support is provided by families and non-professional carers. To improve the care of dying patients it is essential to understand end-of-life issues and promote effective communication. Palliative care for patients with chronic, life-threatening diseases such as advanced cancer involves decision making. Professionals are required to include patients in decisions that affect their care, while explaining to the patients and their carers, the ethical issues involved. Patient autonomy is perceived as key to ‘good death’. However, Brown (2003) argues that patient’s autonomy or freedom of choice at the end of life care is not merely a matter of individual preference. Other important criteria that influence a patient’s autonomy are socioeconomic status, availability of services, cultural factors, emotional and relationship factors, along with the political and other aspects of care. The manner in which people are cared for at the end of their lives is one indicator of a civilised society. Recent medical advances can delay death as well as prolong the process of dying. These dynamics generate tension from which emerge ethical dilemmas requiring debate. Though the technological aspect of care increases progressively, the new concerns are regarding the neglect of the softer, psychological elements of care.

Discussion Board Question for criminal justice Essay

Discussion Board Question for criminal justice - Essay Example If Simpson was poor and Caucasian, the likelihood of him being found guilty of murder is as high as they would be for a black of medium wealth. My views on race have changed after an analysis of the DNA structure of people from different races. This test revealed that, however different people of different race may appear, the differences in genetics between them are negligible. After this, I shall take the racial and ethnic differences as lightly as possible given that they are not determinants to anything in life. Unlike in the past, today’s society has drawn dividing lines between people of different illnesses, political orientation, sexuality and addictions. On the basis of sex, many women are prevented from attaining positions in society that they could comfortably fulfill without the barriers set up by society. Political affiliations also determine the success of an individual especially on a business perspective. In terms of illnesses, many of those suffering from lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and arthritis are secretly discriminated against. Those with addictions such as alcoholics and drug addicts are generally viewed as unfortunate members of society who cannot stand up for themselves in many ways. A course in Ethnic Groups and Minorities is of course necessary given that Obama’s rise to the top is one is a million story of a member of the minority groups breaking free of the stereotypes labeled against his group. Stereotypes have changed by a very small degree given that, even today, racial conflicts still show up in isolated cases. The discrimination in today’s society is more secretive as people fear being labeled as enemies of unity. The fact that America elected and African American to the presidency does not in any way mean that America is ready for elections to office of other minorities. Obama’s story is quite dramatic and his entry into the highest office on the land was aided by his having faced weaker

Gatorade Sport Drinks Essay Example for Free

Gatorade Sport Drinks Essay Gatorade is a brand of flavored non-carbonated sports drinks manufactured by PepsiCo and distributed in over 80 countries. [1] It was first developed in 1965 by researchers at the University of Florida, as a means of replenishing the fluid, carbohydrates and electrolytes that are divested from the body during physical exertion. Its name was derived from the school’s football team, the Gators. Originally produced and marketed by Stokley-Van Camp, the Gatorade sports drink brand was purchased by the Quaker Oats Company in 1983, which was acquired by PepsiCo in 2001. As of 2009, Gatorade is PepsiCo’s 4th-largest brand, on the basis of worldwide annual retail sales. It primarily competes with Powerade and Vitaminwater worldwide, as well as Lucozade Sport in the United Kingdom. Within the U. S. , Gatorade accounts for approximately 75 percent market share in the sports drink category. [2] PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE:PEP) is a global manufacturer, distributor, and marketer of food and beverages, owning many well-known brands including Pepsi, Frito-Lay, Tropicana, Gatorade, and Quaker Oats. [1] PepsiCo operates in over 200 countries, with its largest markets in North America and the United Kingdom. [2] In 2009, the companys revenues were $43. 23 billion with net income of $5. 95 billion. [3] Unlike its major competitor, the Coca-Cola Company (KO), the majority of PepsiCos revenues do not come from carbonated soft drinks. [4] In fact, beverages account for less than 50% of total revenue. [4] Additionally, over 60% of PepsiCos beverage sales come from its key noncarbonated brands like Gatorade and Tropicana. [5] PepsiCos diverse portfolio can mitigate the impact of poor conditions in any one of its markets. Strong demand growth in international markets the company serves 86% of the worlds population and international sales account for 48% of revenue is helping to offset a sluggish domestic market and provided the company with opportunities for continued expansion. [6] [7] PepsiCo is highly exposed to raw materials costs. Prices for the most important input materials, aluminum, PET plastic, corn, sugar, and juice concentrates fluctuate widely. For example, aluminum prices have fallen nearly 60% from their 2008 highs of $1. 50/pound to less than $0. 90/pound. [8]. PepsiCo has benefitted from lower input prices after the collapse of the commodities super spike of 2008. Contents 1 Company Overview 1. 1 Quarterly Earnings 1. 2 Bottlers 1. 3 Operating Segments 2 Trends Forces 2. 1 PepsiCo Must Survive a US Slowdown While Capturing International Growth 2. 2 Commodity Costs are Pressuring Margins 2. 2. 1 Pepsi Must Face a Declining Demand for Carbonated Soft Drinks 2. 2. 2 The Dollar Affects International Performance 3 Competition 3. 1 Beverages 3. 2 Snacks and Convenient Foods 3. 3 Coke vs. Pepsi 3. 3. 1 Global Footprint 3. 3. 2 Diversified Product Offering 4 References On April 20, 2009, PepsiCo made an offer to acquire its two largest bottlers, Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) and Whitman (PAS), for $6 billion in a combined cash and stock deal. The deal was turned down, forcing PepsiCo to make a sweetened $7. 8 billion offer on August 4, 2009. PepsiCo hopes to streamline manufacturing and distribution through the acquisitions, allowing it to bring new products to market more quickly and efficiently. The company expects to gain full control of 80% of its North American market and increase pre-tax profit by $300 million, increasing eps by $. 15. [9] The deal adds $4 billion in debt to PepsiCos balance sheet. According to PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, the acquisition is necessary to consolidate profit as there is not enough total profit in the North American beverage industry to support investments in several different companies. [10] The acquisition closed on March 1, 2010. [11] With the purchase of Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) and Whitman (PAS) in 2010, company executives have said that it will lead to increased joint marketing that will bundle the companys snack and beverage offerings together. [12]. In December 2010, PepsiCo announced the purchase of 66% of Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods, a Russian food and beverage company, for $3. 8 billion. After completing this acquisition, the company is planning to buy the remaining 34%. [13] Wimm-Bill-Dan is the leading producer of dairy products in Russia and they also have a large market share for juice; the purchase significantly expands Pepsis presence in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The addition of Wimm-Bill-Dann moves Pepsi closer to their goal of creating a global nutrition business worth $20 billion by 2020. [14] The acquisition comes three months after the Coca-Cola Companys purchase of Nidan Juices, a leading Russian juice manufacturer. [15] Company Overview PEP Revenues by Segment[16] PepsiCo is the largest snack and non-alcoholic drink producer in the United States, with 39% and 25% of the respective market shares. [16] Although the carbonated soft drink market in the US has gradually declined since the mid-2000s, PepsiCo has been able to grow revenues and net income through product diversification and international expansion. In 2008, the company posted revenues of $43. 3 billion, a 9. 6% increase from 2007; net income fell by 9% to $5. 1 billion. [17] The increase in revenues was primarily driven by higher sales volumes in the key European and Asian markets as well as company wide price increases. [18] The fall in net income was attributable to two reasons. First, PepsiCo recognized a $346 million mark-to-market loss on derivatives used to hedge its commodity exposure. [19] Next, the company incurred restructuring costs of $543 million in relation to its Productivity for Growth program. [20] PepsiCo expects to record another $30-60 million charge in 2009 to complete the program, which will close six plants in an effort to streamline PepsiCos global supply chain. [20] Quarterly Earnings Q1 2009 In the first quarter of 2009, PepsiCo posted revenues of $8. 263 billion, a 1% decrease from Q1 2008 figures; net income fell less than 1% to $1. 135 billion. [21] Although net pricing across PepsiCos product line increased by 7% during the quarter, the company was negatively impacted by a 7% foreign exchange loss due to the strengthening US dollar, as well as a 2% net decrease in sales volume. [22] Q2 2009 In the second quarter of 2009, PepsiCo posted revenues of $10. 592 billion, a 3% decrease from Q2 2008 figures; net income fell less than 1% to $1. 66 billion. [23] PepsiCos volumes remained roughly constant between the quarters, with snack gaining 1% and beverages losing 1%. The decrease in net revenues was due to a weakening of the companys US beverage operations, which decreased by 9%, in addition to the strengthening dollar, which adversely affected revenues by 8. 5%. Ignoring these changes, revenues would have grown by 5. 5%, driven by gains in the the Latin America Foods and Asia/Middle East/Africa divisions. Net income remained roughly constant as input costs fell in line with net revenues. Ignoring currency fluctuations, Earnings Per Share (EPS) would have grown by 8%. [23] Q3 2009 In the third quarter of 2009, PepsiCo had revenues of $11. 08 billion, a 1. 5% decrease from Q3 2008; net income increased 12% to $2. 23 billion. [24] The increasing value of the US Dollar negatively affected net income by 7% and the company had $9 million in costs associated with its merger with PBG and PAS, its two largest bottlers. [25] Worldwide, beverage volume increased 0. 5% while snack volume increased 2%. Frito-Lay North America, the largest division of PepsiCo, grew net revenue by 5% and increased volume by 3%. [26] Through the first three quarters of 2009, Frito-Lay was the fastest growing consumer goods company in North America. [27] The second largest division, PepsiCo Americas Beverages, saw net revenues decline by 9% and total volume decline of 6%. [28] Both Gatorade and Aquafina had double-digit volume declines; discussing Gatorade, executives attribute the decline to casual consumers budget worries and insist that the core consumer, athletes, are still buying the brand. [29] In Latin America and Europe, net revenue declined 10% and 2% respectively, driven primarily by foreign currency weakness compared to the US Dollar. [30] Q4 2009 In the fourth quarter of 2009, PepsiCo had revenues of $13. 3 billion, a 4. 7% increase from Q4 2008; net income increased 99% to $1. 43 billion. [31] Operating income for the quarter was $2 billion. [32] Pepsi American Foods net revenues increased 4%, with a 5% revenues decrease for Quaker Foods being offset by 2% revenue growth for Frito-Lay and 10% revenue growth for Latin American Foods. Pepsi American Beverages net revenues decreased 2% as a result of a 5% decrease in volume. Pepsi Internationals net revenues increased 5%, supported by 4% revenue growth in Europe and 7% growth in AMEA. Volumes for AMEA increased 13% in the quarter while volumes for Europe decreased 3%. [33] AMEAs strong quarter was based on a 13% increase in snack sales and 5% increase in beverage volumes, with 21% growth in beverage volume in India. [34] However, Chinas beverage volume decreased, which implies a market share loss to Coca-Cola Company (KO), whose China volumes grew 29% during the same period. [35] Q1 2010 In the first quarter of 2010, PepsiCo had revenues of $9. 4 billion, a 13. 4% increase from Q1 2009; net income increased 26% to $1. 4 billion. Operating income for the quarter decreased 47% to $840 million. [36] On February 26, PepsiCo completed the acquisition of its two largest bottlers for approximately $12. 6 billion; charges related to the merger in this quarter were approximately $282 million . [37] Worldwide snack volume for the quarter increased 1% while beverages volume dropped 0. 5%. Frito-Lays operating profit increased 10%, primarily as a result of increased sales of variety product packs and the decreased cost of cooking oil. [38] Quaker Foods revenue decreased 1% because of declines in ready-to-eat cereals and oatmeal, which were partially offset by substantial growth in the Roni brand; operating profit declined by 12% mainly as a result of insurance recoveries related to last years flood at Cedar Rapids. [39] In Latin America, favorable net pricing and a 1% increase in volume resulted in a 13% increase in revenues; however unfavorable currency exchange rates in Venezuela (19% decrease) accounted for a 12% decline in operating profit. [40] In Europe, favorable currency exchange rates offset 4% declines in snack and beverage volumes, for net revenues increase of 5% and operating income increase of 16%. [41] Double-digit growth in snacks and beverages volumes for India and China drove net revenues up 23% and operating income up 17% for the Asia, Middle East, and Africa segment. [42] The companys Americas Beverages segment saw volumes slip 4% (despite a 2% gain from a recent distribution agreement with Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS)) with a double-digit decline in Aquafina volume. However, net revenues increased 32% while operating income decreased 83% as a result of the completed merger with PepsiCos two largest bottlers. [43] The merger makes comparisons to previous quarters very challenging, however the Americas Beverages segment is in the process of de-emphasizing less-profitable products in favor of higher end offerings, such as Gatorade, which saw nearly 10% volume gains in the quarter. [44] Q2 2010 In the second quarter of 2010, PepsiCo had revenues of $14. 8 billion, up 40% from Q2 2009; net income decreased 3. 4% to $1. 6 billion. Operating income increased 12. 3% to $2. 46 billion. [45] The primary reason for the discrepancy in revenues and net income was the ongoing costs associated with the companys purchase of its primary bottlers. In Q2 2010 charges related to the restructuring decreased income by $155 million. [46] Worldwide volume increased 7% with an 11% increase in beverages and 1% increase in snacks. Frito-Lay pound volume fell 3% but net income increased 2%. The segment also benefited from lower commodity costs, in particular lower prices for cooking oil. Quaker Foods North Americas revenue fell by 4% with a 2% decline in volume that was primarily attributable to a decrease in cereal volume. [47] Latin America Foods net revenue increased 12% with a 2% increase in volume. However, operating profit fell by 5% after an unfavorable court settlement decreased profits by 5% and unfavorable currency exchange rates added another 5% to the decrease. The companys Americas Beverages increased revenues by 112% as a result of the merger with its major bottlers; volume for the quarter increased 13% with 8% coming from the acquisition of bottling operations in Mexico and 6% from PepsiCos contract with Dr. Pepper Snapple Group. [48] In Europe, net revenues increased 47% with snack volumes growing at 2% and beverage volume growing at 10%. Sales improved in most of Western Europe and Russia but declined slightly in Eastern European countries such as Romania and Ukraine (with the one exception of double-digit beverage growth in Turkey). [49] In Asia, Middle East, and Africa, where the company has recently invested significant funds in increasing manufacturing capabilities, net revenue grew 22%. Snack volume grew 16% and beverage volumes increased by 8%. India saw double-digit growth in both categories, while snack volume in the Middle East and China grew more than 10%. [50] Q3 2010 In the third quarter of 2010, PepsiCo had revenues of $15. 5 billion, up nearly 40% from Q3 2009; net income increased more than 11% to $1. 9 billion. Operating income increased by 25% to $2. 8 billion. [51] The companys volume and revenues increased worldwide for both food (+2. 5%) and beverages (+11%). Quaker Foods was the companys only division that failed to grow its operating income from 2009 with the largest gains posted by North American beverages, Europe, and Latin America Foods. [52] PepsiCo Americas Beverages operating profit grew nearly 80% for the quarter with the majority of this growth related to the companys purchase of its main bottlers in Q1 2010. However, volume grew by 13% during the quarter reflecting 8% growth in Mexico (operations in Mexico were included in the bottling merger), 6% volume growth due to the companys new contract with Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS), and a 4% decline in carbonated beverages in North America that was more than offset by a 5% increase in non-carbonated beverages. The success of the latter was due primarily to a double-digit increase in volume for Gatorade; water sales continued to fall during the quarter. [53] In Europe, volume growth related to the bottling merger accounted for a 7% increase, while double-digit growth in Russia, the UK, and Turkey pushed volume up 17% in total. Snack volume for the quarter grew by 3%, again supported by Russia, the UK, Turkey, and France. Both beverages and snack volume fell by more than 10% in Romania during the quarter. [54] Latin America Foods operating profit grew by 22% as a result of a double-digit volume increase in Brazil and nearly 10% increase in volume for the Sabritas brand in Mexico. [55] Operating profit for Quaker Foods decreased by more than 5% as a result of a 1% decline in volume, especially for Roni and Oatmeal brands. For Frito-Lay North America, pound volume declined 2% as a result of overlap with the companys 20% More Free promotion; sales of Sun Chips fell by more than 10% forced the company to abandon its compostable, albeit noisy, packaging. [56] In the Asia, Middle East, and Africa segment snack volume grew by 16% and beverage volume grew by 4%. Snack volumes grew significantly in the Middle East, China, India, and Australia while only China exhibited strong single-digit beverage growth. [57] Bottlers *Note Pepsis acquisition of Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) and PepsiAmericas (PAS) was completed on March 1, 2010 PepsiCos beverage division manufactures concentrated syrup forms for all of Pepsis beverage brands. PEP sells these concentrates to bottlers for production, packaging, and distribution of the final products. PepsiCo grants bottlers the use of Pepsi trademarks and other brand rights within certain geographic regions. In August 2009, Pepsi made a $7 billion offer to acquire Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) and PepsiAmericas (PAS). As the US carbonated beverage market shrinks from 60% of all nonalcoholic beverages in 1999 to 35% in 2009 PepsiCo hopes to consolidate the earnings of the three companies for shareholders. [9] Additionally, PepsiCo believes the acquisitions will streamline company-wide distribution through economies of scales. Three companies distribute 60% of PepsiCos North American beverage volume:[58] The Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) is the largest of PepsiCos bottlers. PepsiCo has a 33% stake in Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG), and claims its share of income under the equity method of accounting. [59] PepsiAmericas (PAS) is the second-largest bottler in the Pepsi system. PepsiCo has a 43% stake in PepsiAmericas (PAS), and claims its share of income under the equity method of accounting. [60] Pepsi Bottling Ventures is the third-largest domestic bottling company within the Pepsi system. The company was formed in 1999 when five of Pepsi’s bottling companies consolidated to form PBV. Operating Segments PepsiCo operates in six divisions: Frito-Lay North America (29% of Revenue, 43% of Operating Income)[61] manufactures, markets and sells branded snacks. Popular products include Lays Potato Chips, Doritos Tortilla Chips, Cheetos, Rold Gold Pretzels, and SunChips. [1] Following the companys purchase of Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) and Whitman (PAS), company executives have said that it will lead to increased joint marketing, bundling the companys snack and beverage offerings. [62] Quaker Foods North America (4% of Revenue, 8% of Operating Income)[61] manufactures, markets and sells cereals, rice, pasta and other branded products. Popular products include Quaker Oatmeal, Aunt Jemima mixes and syrups, Cap n Crunch cereal, Rice-A-Roni, and Life cereal. [1] Latin America Foods (14% of Revenue, 13% of Operating Income)[61] manufactures, markets and sells a number of leading salty and sweet snack brands. Popular products include Gamesa, Doritos, Cheetos, and Ruffles. [4] PepsiCo Americas Beverages (25% of Revenue, 29% of Operating Income)[61] manufactures, markets and sells beverage concentrates, fountain syrups and finished goods, under various beverage brands. Popular products include Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Tropicana, and Izze. [4] United Kingdom Europe (15% of Revenue, 10% of Operating Income)[61] manufactures, markets and sells a number of leading salty and sweet snack brands. Popular products include Lays, Walkers, Doritos, and Cheetos. [4] Middle East, Africa, and Asia (13% of Revenue, 8% of Operating Income)[61] manufactures, markets and sells a number of leading salty and sweet snack brands. Popular products include Lays, Smiths, Doritos, and Cheetos. [63] Trends Forces PepsiCo Must Survive a US Slowdown While Capturing International Growth Soaring food and energy prices[64], the housing slump[65] and a weakening job market[66] are putting the breaks on consumer spending in North America, even in the typically recession proof drinks and snacks market. Emerging markets such as China, India, Eastern Europe and Latin America present strong growth opportunities for Pepsico. In December 2010, Pepsi announced their purchase of Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods, a Russian food and beverage company, for $5. 4 billion[67]; the purchase followed Coca-Colas purchase of a Russian juice company for $300 million in summer 2010. [68] Wimm-Bill-Dan is the leading producer of dairy products in Russia and they also have a large market share for juice; the purchase significantly expands Pepsis presence in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The company had sales of $2. 6 billion in 2010 and serves approximately 280 million customers in Eurasia. [69] In addition to making international acquisitions, PepsiCo is investing significant resources in expanding their manufacturing capabilities in developing markets. The company has pledged to invest $3. 5 billion in China through 2013, mainly through the construction of 10 to 12 new manufacturing facilities (in addition to the 27 it currently operates). In China, Pepsi is also pursuing a strategy of buying back stakes in its Chinese operations from local partners. These acquisitions will give the company greater control over its operations while increasing profits. Unlike the saturated North American market, Chinas carbonated drink market is growing at almost 20% annually. [70] In late August 2010, PepsiCo announced its plan to invest $250 million in new manufacturing plants in Vietnam further expanding its footprint in the region. In the past two years, the company invested in two other manufacturing plants in Vietnam, and it currently operates five plants in the country. [71] In Latin America, the company has pledged $3 million over the next three years to create an agriculture research center in Peru, which will focus on the discovery of new potato and other vegetable varieties. [72] Pepsis expects their global nutrition business will be worth $20 billion by 2020. [73] Commodity Costs are Pressuring Margins 2007-2009 PET resin prices, ? /pound [74] PepsiCos profitability can be affected directly and indirectly by the costs of various production inputs. PEP is responsible for purchasing the raw materials used to make its products in all its markets and also acts as an agent for the purchase of its bottlers raw materials. Some of the raw materials used by PEP include grains such as corn, wheat flour, oats and rice; fruit and vegetable products like oranges, potatoes, and juice concentrates; sugar; and vegetable and essential oils. For example, aluminum prices have fallen more than 60% from their 2008 highs of $1. 50/pound to less than $0. 65/pound. [8] Changes in the prices of such raw materials could impact total production costs and the company’s profit margins. Changes in bottlers production input costs can also indirectly impact PEPs profits. If a bottlers raw materials become more expensive, it might pass on the increase to customers, which could lead to a loss of market share as customers switch to more affordable alternatives. The primary raw materials used by bottlers are high fructose corn syrup, which is used as a sweetener, aluminum, used to make cans, and PET Resin, used for plastic bottles. In an effort to insulate itself from market forces, PepsiCo has invested $29. 3 million in five farms in China, making it one of the countrys largest agricultural companies. [75] The farms primarily produce potatoes for the companys potato chip brands and by 2005, the company was the largest private potato grower in the country. [76] In her 2008 visit to China, CEO Indra Nooyi said that the company is planning to invest $1 billion in China by 2012. [77] In addition to its farms in China, Pepsi has 12,000 contract farmers in India growing potatoes on 16,000 acres of land. In addition to potatoes, the company is hoping to expand its contract farming initiative to include oats in the near future. [78] Pepsi Must Face a Declining Demand for Carbonated Soft Drinks Consumer demand for CSD has been negatively affected by concerns about health and wellness. Since 1999, carbonated soft drinks have dropped from 60% to 35% of total US beverage volume. [9] Rising health and wellness concerns can be attributed to increasing concern for obesity as well as education campaigns on the part of the FDA as well as non-profit groups. Public campaigns to ban sales of soft drinks and fatty snacks in schools have also negatively impacted demand for sugary sodas. These factors have driven a shift in consumption away from CSD to healthier alternatives, such as tea, juices, and water. Even within the CSD segment, consumers have been moving away from the sugared drinks, opting instead for diet beverages, which do not generally contain any sugar or calories. In response to this shift in consumer demand, PEP has increased its development of both diet CSD and non-CSD beverages. With its popular Tropicana and Gatorade brands, PepsiCo is much better situated than Coca-Cola Company (KO) to react to these changing trends. Facing lower Gatorade sales in 2010, Pepsi developed a social marketing department to track the brands performance and online reputation. By tracking user discussions online and Gatorade groups on Facebook, the company has been able to quickly respond to consumer demands. The results of Pepsis new marketing initiative is inconclusive because the brand rose 2. 4% during the first half of 2010 but this is compared with low sales in 2009. [79] The Dollar Affects International Performance Changes in the strength of the dollar compared to foreign currency could impact the company by decreasing both costs and revenue in dollars. As the strength of the dollar increases, all sales made in foreign currency end up being worth less because the amount of US dollars the company gets per sale decreases. On the other hand the cost of foreign inputs (food and other commodities that go into PepsiCo products) sold in foreign currencies would decrease with the strengthening dollar. Since over half of PepsiCos sales are in international markets, the increasing value of the dollar could be a significant factor driving revenues down overseas. Specifically the company primarily deals with the British Pound, Euro, Australian dollar, and Canadian dollar. Between July and December 2008, the dollar regained nearly all its 2007 losses against foreign currencies, and has continued this trend through 2009. [23] Competition 2008 U. S. non-alcoholic beverage market by volume[80] Beverages In the domestic beverage market, the Coca-Cola Company (KO) is PepsiCos main competitor. In 2008, Coca-Cola had a 23% share of the U. S. non-alcoholic beverage volume, while PEP held a 25% share. Coca-Cola Company (KO) has a higher worldwide share of carbonated soda beverages, but PepsiCo has a more diverse product line and leads the industry in non-carbonated soft drink innovations. [81] PepsiCos revenues are also substantially higher than Coca-Colas, due to PepsiCos snack and convenient foods business, a market in which KO does not participate. PepsiCos presence in the snack and convenient food industries, as well as its industry-leading innovations in the non-carbonated soft drink segment, gives it a somewhat more balanced portfolio than Coca-Cola and provides the company with some protection against further declining demand for CSD. Pepsi also pays the Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) for the rights to sell its products, along with Coca-Cola Company (KO). In December 2009, Pepsi agreed to pay Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) $900 million for the continued rights to sell Dr. Pepper products following the companys acquisition of its North American bottlers. [82] This deal was similar to a contract signed by Coke and Dr. Pepper in June 2010, worth $$715 million, that gave Coke similar distribution rights following their acquisition of Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE). [83] Snacks and Convenient Foods 2008 U. S. Snack Market by volume[80] PepsiCos Frito-Lay and Quaker brands compete in various parts of the larger food industry. Its snack foods manufactured by the Frito-Lay segment hold a commanding share of the U. S. market, accounting for around 39% of domestic snack food sales in 2006. PepsiCos main competitor in the food market overall is Kraft Foods (KFT). Krafts products include snacks, cheese, diary, and cereal products, which puts it in competition both with Frito-Lay and Quaker products. Much like the Coca-Cola Company (KO), Kraft does not participate in both the food and soft drink markets, giving PEP the advantage of having a more diverse offering of products. Coke vs. Pepsi For decades now, Coke and Pepsi have battled for our hearts and minds but what about our capital? Which company will add the best flavor to your investment portfolio? Although both companies share powerful brand names and global franchises, there are two important distinctions between Pepsico and Coca-Cola that any investor should consider before choosing between these comestible titans: Global Footprint When it comes to international presence, Coca-Cola easily trumps Pepsico. In 2009, Coca-Cola generated 74% of its revenue overseas compared to 48% revenue for Pepsico. [84][85] Coca-Colas impressive global footprint puts it in a better position to benefit from strong growth across the globe, particularly in the developing world. Furthermore, because Coke generates so much of its revenue abroad, it stands to benefit greatly from the continuing weakening of the dollar as sales denominated in foreign currencies are suddenly worth more dollars back home. At the same time, Pepsicos heavy dependence on North America makes it much more susceptible to a slowing US economy. Diversified Product Offering. Another important distinction between the two companies is their product offering. While KO is essentially a one-product company that focuses on beverages, Pepsico has a much broader product base that includes beverages, foods and snacks. Coca-Colas heavy dependence on beverages, particularly carbonated beverages, makes it more susceptible than Pepsico to a growing aversion to soda which is perceived as fattening and unhealthy. On the other hand, Pepsicos extensive portfolio of beverages, foods and snacks puts it in a better position from the trend to healthier eating.

Consequences of Celebrity Obsession

Consequences of Celebrity Obsession Sewon Chu Celebrity/Media Addiction In this world we live in, there are over seven billion people with many different dreams and ambitions. Some are satisfied with living in a small village with close relationship with just about everyone living in that village. Some are content to live the fast-paced life of the metropolis, where millions of people carry on their daily lives. Then there are some people who seek fame through acting, singing, beauty or their hard work and have their faces all over the media: celebrities. Celebrity is defined as not only those who sing, dance, and act but just famous or well-known person according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary.[1] Celebrities exist in all parts of the globe because they are essential needs to human life called entertainment. Entertainment is a necessity to human life because it brings joy, happiness and different sorts of positive feelings. However, it has expanded from just pure entertainment into something more serious recently. Now, the public is starting to become he avily interested in the daily personal lives of these celebrities because of the media, which has led to many people becoming obsessed with the lives of celebrities. People are obsessed with celebrities now more than ever because the obsession has become an integral part of our daily lives that results from psychological and social reasons. According to the Daily Banter, one of the reasons why people are obsessed with celebrities is because our brains think that the leaders or creative innovators should be respected.[2] Celebrities can become inspirations to the future generations who aim to become acknowledged for their hard work one day in fields that may be very difficult to become successful in. People are able to form a bond in their minds with their favorite public figure through the assimilation of the celebrity’s characteristics and have positive emotions when they think about that celebrity.[3] Granted, some of the actions by celebrities are not the actions leaders or innovators should be doing, such as drug usage, but the public is interested in all aspects of a celebrity’s life because of the media coverage. When a celebrity couple like for an example artists Beyoncà © Knowles and Jay-Z has a child, the news of the birth was all over social networks, newspapers, T.V., and internet news. However , if someone who was just an ordinary couple were to give birth to a child, only their friends and families will know about the good news. As a result, because the celebrity couple will have media exposure of their child’s birth, they are considered â€Å"more special† than the ordinary couple even though they are doing the same thing: giving birth to a child, which leads to other ordinary people to pay attention to the news of the celebrity couple. The fact that media is exposing these news about celebrities makes ordinary people have this notion that the celebrity is special which leads to the feeling of envy and the need to make those celebrities their personal role models. Also, when the media shows the celebrities, the celebrity tends to live the luxurious life. They wear nice and fashionable clothes that are sometimes custom-made, wear exquisite jewelry, drive or hire a driver that drives their exotic cars, drink expensive alcohol. This result in people wanting c elebrities as their role models because with their talent and fortune they were able to make these purchases. Having a celebrity for a role model can be positive because role models help people aspire to become better and grow as a human being. Celebrity admiration can have an influence on other people. For an example, when celebrities donate money to charity and be philanthropic to others or win awards for their hard work, it aspire people to become the same better person. One good example was how many well-known people such as Bill Gates, Whoopi Goldberg, Matt Damon, Will Smith, Kevin Hart, Anne Hathaway and Benedict Cumberbatch took part in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge which served as a cause to raise awareness of Lou Gehrig’s disease. Consequently, this led to many people to participate as well. But certainly celebrity influence can’t only be positive. While the ALS Bucket Challenge may have succeeded in raising awareness to people and it was for a good cause, many people did it without knowing what ALS even is, also they forget the fact that there are parts of the world th at has little to no access to fresh/clean water. So while the ALS Bucket Challenge has raised awareness for a disease, in a sense, it has left people less aware of the water shortage issue in other countries. Also, this shows just how much celebrities can influence ordinary people in a negative way. They forget that they’re wasting water because famous people were doing it which means that in some cases people will be blinded and wouldn’t be able to differentiate whether what their role model celebrity is doing is the right thing or not. For an example, celebrities such as Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus both have a massive fan base. When they were younger than they were now, they had an innocent image as well as their talent that attracted so many fans. However, now that some years have passed since they debuted, it seems as though their image has become rather negative. There are YouTube videos that show Justin Bieber trying to fight a reporter and also he was charged with DUI (driving under the influence) in Florida, and Miley Cyrus has made some controversial music videos and statements. The reason why this is a major problem is that media exposure to these negative characteristics mixed with obsession about these celebrities will make people think that what they are doing is reasonable and in turn, result in people imitating those celebrities. Celebrities have so much influence now that even the governor of California from 2003 to 2011 was none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger[4], who is an immigrant from Austria. Before Schwarzenegger, Ronald Reagan was also a celebrity turned governor, and he went further as to become a U.S. president. The point is not if these two men were the right choice but the point is that it seems as though celebrity influence has a greater power than people realize. Psychologist James Houran has conducted a survey of more than 600 people and has discovered a psychiatric condition: celebrity worship syndrome.[5] According to the survey, one out of three Americans and British has it to a certain degree that the groups were divided into three different categories: entertainment social, casual stargazing; intense personal, feeling a connection with a celebrity; borderline pathological, similar to a stalker. He believes that the numbers will intensify with the advancement of technology such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media which allows easier access to information worldwide. People will â€Å"share†, â€Å"like†, â€Å"tag†, â€Å"retweet† videos or articles about celebrities and whoever is their social network friend or follower will have access to that celebrity news. Technology has indeed become an important factor as to why people are becoming more and more obsessed with celebrities. Today, the ac cess to media is easier than ever before; there are magazines solely dedicated to stories about the latest celebrity gossip, known as tabloids. Other than that, there are various social network sources as mentioned before such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media that can provide the latest update on celebrity news. Also, TV news channels cover celebrity gossip when there are other important news stories to be discussed. It has become a trend nowadays to know the basic knowledge of celebrity gossip as Daniel Kruger, an evolutionary psychologist at the University of Michigan points out, â€Å"Knowing what is going on with high-status individuals, you’d be better able to navigate the social scene.†[6] If a person does not know the latest news of a certain celebrity, that person can possibly be socially excluded from a conversation or a group because they lack the information. They do not want to feel like an outcast from their group of people so even if they do not care about celebrity gossip, some are forced to know all of the juicy gossip. Socially, people want to be fit in and have a sense of belonging in a community. As a result, people will spend more time watching the latest celebrity gossip instead of learning something new or better their lives in some way because they might believe that knowing the latest gossip is in fact bettering them because of the social benefits of fitting in. Today’s social standards of beauty has also become a poisonous because every year it seems as though those standards are becoming higher as more and more beautiful and handsome models become the faces of the entertainment industry. This leads to many young people to resort to plastic surgery because they believe that their natural face is unfit for the standard of society as Anisha Abraham and Diana Zuckerman points out in their article, Adolescents, Celebrity Worship, and Cosmetic Surgery: â€Å"Cosmetic procedures have become pervasive, advertised in the mass media, and the subject of countless TV programs, such as Dr. 90210 (created in the United States but internationally known). The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery estimates that the number of children less than 18 years of age undergoing cosmetic surgery procedures by their members has ranged from 33,000 to 65,000 annually in the past 10 years, with nonsurgical cosmetic procedures ranging from 91,000 to 190,000 per year[7]† As bad as celebrity obsession might sound, it can actually be helpful for people with social difficulties. Celebrities now can interact with their fans via social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and have a one-sided relationship with them. While it does sound like an unhealthy relationship, studies show that it is quite the opposite. There was a study conducted in 2008 by University of Buffalo researchers who discovered that â€Å"celebrity worship† helps people with self-esteem issues or fears or rejections by allowing them to have one-sided bond with a celebrity. Another study involved 348 undergraduate students completing a self-esteem questionnaire, writing an open-ended essay about their favorite celebrity, and then completing the questionnaire again. The results showed that people who initially scored low on the self-esteem, after completing the essay scored much higher the second time.[8] This shows that one-sided relationships with these celebrities fi ll the void of loneliness to those who have low self-esteem, and to those who do not have many real friends. These one-sided relationships can possibly help them become more social to other people as well. Celebrity obsession should not be dismissed completely because the celebrities can become positive role models for the growth of people and the obsession can also assist people with social difficulties. However, it is evident that people are becoming more and more obsessed with media now than ever before and it is becoming a major problem. With the advancement of media technology, the accessibility of celebrity news is easier than ever before. Psychologically, our brains are programmed to instinctively respect or idolize someone who seems to be of a higher class and since celebrities attract attention we unconsciously believe they are of a higher class, which leads to celebrities having a major influence in people as well as people following the way celebrities act in their personal life. The fact that nowadays celebrity gossip is a necessity to be fit in is also another negative aspect of celebrity obsession, which leads to using cosmetic surgeries as an option. Bibliography Abraham, Anisha and Diana Zuckerman, â€Å"Adolescents, Celebrity Worship, and Cosmetic Surgery† Journal of Adolescent Health, November 2011,  www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1054139X11003028 Furst, Jessica. â€Å"Why Are We Obsessed With Celebrities? Our DNA Provides a Clue.† Daily Banter, June 27th 2013,  http://thedailybanter.com/2013/06/why-are-we-obsessed-with-celebrities-our-dna-provides-a-clue/ Gray, Keturah. â€Å"Celebrity Worship Syndrome Abounds.† ABC News, September 23rd, http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=101029 Park, Alice. â€Å"Celebrity Worship: Good for Your Health?† TIME Health Family, September 15th 2008, http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1841093,00.html Sifferlin, Alexandra. â€Å"Oscar Fixation: Why Are We Obsessed With Celebrities?† TIME Health Family, February 27th 2012, http://healthland.time.com/2012/02/27/oscar-fixation-why-are-we-obsessed-with-celebrities/ Wikipedia Contributors, â€Å"List of Governors of California.† Wikipedia, November 6th 2014, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Governors_of_California [1] Merriam-webster.com. Celebrity Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary. N. p., 2014 [2] Jessica Furst, â€Å"Why Are We Obsessed With Celebrities? Our DNA Provides a Clue,† Daily Banter, June 27th 2013 [3] Alexandra Sifferlin, â€Å"Oscar Fixation: Why Are We Obsessed With Celebrities?,† TIME Health Family, February 27th 2012 [4] Wikipedia Contributors, â€Å"List of Governors of California.† Wikipedia, November 6th 2014, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Governors_of_California [5] Keturah Gray, â€Å"Celebrity Worship Syndrome Abounds†, ABC News, September 23rd, http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=101029 [6] Alexandra Sifferlin, â€Å"Oscar Fixation: Why Are We Obsessed With Celebrities?† TIME Health Family, February 27th 2012, http://healthland.time.com/2012/02/27/oscar-fixation-why-are-we-obsessed-with-celebrities/ [7] Anisha Abraham and Diana Zuckerman, â€Å"Adolescents, Celebrity Worship, and Cosmetic Surgery† Journal of Adolescent Health, November 2011, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1054139X11003028 [8] Alice Park, â€Å"Celebrity Worship: Good for Your Health?† TIME Health Family, September 15th 2008, http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1841093,00.html