Letter of complaint Essay

This year in school my son Shem has brought to my attention that â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† will no longer be included in the school curriculum, though I feel this is a poor decision and that â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† is an important classic novel to read in school and should be included in lessons once more. Although â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† has been commonly regarded as a ‘banned book’ for explicit language and racism it is very informative and a noteworthy example of coming of age, and the wrongness of racism and stereotypes. For example Atticus, a character in To Kill a Mockingbird, who was a very respectable man in his community, represents a black man in court during a very racist era, doing all that he could to prove he was innocent despite the color of his skin; this shows that not all of the topics regarding racism in the novel are negative. The poor language is also something that unfortunately children are already exposed to in everyday life. I feel that as long as they understand the wrongness of this language and do not continue to repeat it then it shouldn’t be of much concern. This langue it is important for children to be exposed to, to fully understand what life was like in the 1930’s. This novel was set in a very important time in American history and exposes old practices that young students may not be familiar with in a more enjoyable and memorable fashion; through the narrations of the character Scout. This may help the children learn more willingly and enjoyably rather than learning from a text book that does not give them as great of an idea of what it might be like for someone to live during that time period. Teachers are also able to teach students about dialect, figures of speech, allusions and other literary devices using this novel. The characters in it are very colorful and developed well as well making a lot of material for discussions about characters. To Kill a Mocking Bird has been ranked by British librarians even before the Bible as a book that every adult must read before dying. The adaptation of the book was also made into an Oscar-winning film which was released in 1962. The novel has became popular with time and the style of writing, the plot and characterization places it in the top 10 books that everyone should read, therefore as students are maturing I believe that they should read â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† and be able to analyze and dig deeper into the book with the guidance of teachers and peers during school. In conclusion I believe that â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† should be included in school curriculum because it shows that racism and stereo types are unjust and not always true, exposes children to important times in history and is a great example of literary devices and character development. Kind Regards,

Transformations of the American West

Brittany Exam 3 Essay 9 Dec 2012 Transformations of the American West The three most important transformations of the American West were the completion of the railway system, economically, the diversity of the people, socially, and the conservation of land, politically. All of these transformations have made an unmistakable impact of the American West and what it is today. The largest economic transformation in American Western history was the building of the railroad systems. It was the key factor in united the East and West. The railroads were by far the biggest, most impressive technological achievement ever for that time period.The pace at which goods, people, livestock, etc. changed from the steady speed of a horse, ox, or mule to the most powerful driving force the country had ever seen. The United States would finally be a united continental nation. Barren fields that flowed as far as the eye could see were turned into boon towns like Wichita, Abilene and Dodge. People of an e normous diversity traveled to the West. Civil War veterans, former European peasants, poor families all wanted to own land and start farms. And so they did, fields that had once been nothing but grass became rolling fields of wheat.Railroads carried hundreds of thousands of western longhorn cattle to markets in the east for sale. This was the key to making the â€Å"cowboy† much more famous than just a young, dusty, man with nothing but a saddle and a horse. Buffalo hunters also traveled by railroad. So many people traveled to hunt the animal, that it almost became extinct. The building of these railroads was no easy feat. The mountains of the Sierra Nevada were a big slow-down for the production by the Central Pacific railroad company. Making that even more difficult, was the fact that the companies had a hard time holding onto workers.About 3 out of 5 used the company for a free ride to the West and then disappeared. The plans called for about 5,000 workers, but only about 600 were showing up. That’s when the Chinese immigrants came into play. A large part of their population was making a living looking for leftover gold and silver. At first, they were thought to be incapable due to their size and inexperience, but they proved that to be untrue. Before long, nearly 11,000 Chinese were employed by the Central Pacific and there were advertisements in China offering employment for immigrants.This large work force in addition to lots of black powder gave them what they needed to make it through the mountains in about 3 years. Beef prices were low due to the amount of cattle in the West so, to compensate cattle needed to be sold in eastern marketplaces where they weren’t as present. In less than 20 years, 6 million steers and cows were moved along cattle trails to railheads for shipping. As the railroads were being laid in the Great Plains, people were flocking to the west. People who had never before seen a buffalo. They shot the bison for s port, even organizing hunting excursions.People enjoyed it. So when word got out that people were being paid to kill bison because of their interference with the railroads, their meat, and their hides, they were slaughtered extremely quickly. The government even provided free ammunition. The bison population dropped from about 25 million to almost 100, nearly causing extinction. All of these aspects not only created many jobs, but also drew enormous profits, while moving crowds of people to the west. The railroad was an economic machine and absolutely transformed the west.The biggest social transformation of the American West was the amount of diversity in the people moving west. The West represented a lot of the same qualities that the original new America represented. Anyone could be a land owner, have a fresh start, escape racial inequality, find a job, etc. People of all races and religions were pursuing the same dream. The Homestead Act played a large part in attracting people to move to the west, by way of railroad, and work the land in order for nearly free ownership rights. The population skyrocketed in the west.States even competed to get the most people to move to their state. Immigrants moving to those states included Scottish, European Jews, German-Russian Mennonites, Swedish, Dutch, French, Bohemian, Norwegian, and many Americans from the East. Cowboys also came in an array of ethnicities. They were confederate veterans, assimilated Indians, freed slaves, and white men, and they all rode the long dusty trails together just trying to make a buck. After the civil war, many freed slaves and former buffalo soldiers moved to the West and worked the land in peace from racial inequality.All these people played a part in settling and transforming to West, making it the diverse place it is today. The biggest political transformation of American Western history was that of the environmental/conservation politics. The country had never had such a need for la nd conservation because before, we had so much unsettled land, but as people moved westward, things changed. Land was being destroyed to build railroads, trees were being cleared, animals were being hunted, land was being settled very quickly, and natural resources we diminishing.The frontier was being lost, and it would take government and political action to help preserve some of the land that was remaining. Lumber and coal companies wanted to do anything and everything they could to maximize jobs, growth, and profits. Conservationists, scientists, and outdoorsmen wanted to reduce waste, emphasize beauty for tourists, and protect wildlife. Theodore Roosevelt was an avid hunter, and he fought for the conservation movement when he saw the destruction of the natural animal habitat in the West.Roosevelt used his entire career to make this a national agenda, and it is still present in politics today. The Newlands Reclamation Act in 1902 created dams to help irrigate and preserve 230 mi llion acres of farm land. The Yellowstone Act set aside a large portion of land in the Wyoming/Montana area to be a park. It was created to preserve timber, mineral deposits, and natural wonders, like the geysers in the park. It was enacted by the Senate and Congress in 1872. It was the first national park.In 1889 preservationist started organizing a movement to save the sequoia trees in the Yosemite Valley of Californian, eventually leading to the creating of Yosemite National Park. In 1891 Congress passed the Forest Reserve Act. This allowed the President of the United States to set aside forests which cannot be destructed. There became political groups, conservationist and preservationists, that had really never before existed. Conservation and preservation were political transformations that still hold true to be extremely important in American politics today.

Sports Event Sponsorship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sports Event Sponsorship - Essay Example Although the benefits for an event management company are the profits, more benefits are gained by the sponsors. Due to this, the popularity of sponsorship events is increasing. Sponsorship is now seen as the new marketing tool. This is because it can overcome communication barriers that media advertising cannot (Walliser, 2003). In addition to this, sponsorship marketing can access unlimited target audience. The most popular corporate sponsorship is seen in sports events. Through sports events, corporations can reach a large number of audiences and can also target their brands according to the type of sports and the events. The aim of this research is to evaluate the importance of corporate sponsorships for sporting events and how can event management companies attract sponsors for such events. The recommendations derived from the research will be given to both the corporations and event management companies so that both gain more benefits. The data collection methods used to accomplish this research include primary and secondary methods. The primary research will be conducted through semi-structured interviews of corporations and event management companies. ... Different occasions are being celebrated around the world on daily basis. People especially the organizations find it difficult to plan an occasion or an event thus give this responsibility over to someone who can perform it well. Thus, event planning started. As the growth of different events and occasions started in the world, an events industry was formed (Bowdin et al. 2006). Now-a-days, the event planning industry has evolved and changed as compared to what it was in the past. According to Ash (2006) as the trends in event planning kept changing over the time and the industry began to grow, many organizations outsource their company events to the event planning agencies that offer a complete management package from the starting point to the end point. The formation of the event industry has been led by the globalization of markets and communication affecting the trends and nature of the events industry (Bowdin et al. 2006). According to Allen (2008) the event planning industry now includes professional event management organizations that plan corporate events, social events and weddings. The industry also includes the independent event planners, incentive houses, meeting planners (Allen, 2002). This event planning industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry globally. Preparing for an event and organizing everything has been compared to the direction of a movie where once an event starts there is no turning back (Allen, 2008). Sponsorship According to Walliser (2003), a proper definition of sponsorship does not exist but it usually taken as a strategic corporate giving. Companies now incorporate their sponsoring activities into their marketing plan which has made it a strategic marketing tool (Ferrand & Pages, 1999). Sponsorship management

Art Institute Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Art Institute - Assignment Example It was not just a picture of women crying, but also had lots of expressions on it. The overall experience was great, although there were certain areas that really put me off. For instance, the employees who worked there did not seem to be very friendly. In addition, flash photography was not permitted inside the museum and, therefore, one could not really experience the fun of walking around the museum. I took interest in a medieval painting of a child being held by the parent. This child looked like a miniature adult and that is one common thing from the painting of the medieval times. However, neither the name of the artist nor the school of art has been provided for this particular painting (Gardner et al. 126). I particularly enjoyed various works of sculptures, but there is mostly one that caught my attention. This was a work done by Richmond Barthe of ‘The boxer’. The piece of art depicts African Americans. In the year 1942, the boxer corresponded to the period of time where boxers, especially the blacks like Joe Louis, used to fight with their white rivals and ended up beating them. It meant a huge step for the African Americans and on the basis of equality at least while boxing (Gardner et al. 99). In the institute there is a widely known arms and armor collection that have been put on a special display. There are half and full suits, cannons, pole arms, a knight mounted on a horse that if fully arrayed and a shield in the company of two swords. There are ceiling which are high enough to allow for the Baroque tapestries and Renaissance to be included along with a sculpture. In addition, some paintings and objects imply a wide range of settings. The installation looks at the close association between the arms and armor and the contemporary art and style hence demonstrating the different ways hose objects put emphasis on the social status of the owner (Gardner et al. 226). There is a

Art-opinion paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Art-opinion paper - Essay Example There is a wide variety of artworks in the art gallery which range from traditional fine art to contemporary art. These works are outstanding examples of the role of art in a society. At its best, Robischon Gallery gives a completed and perfect picture of the various types of artworks in the art galleries in Denver, Colorado. I was happy to visit the Robischon Gallery last month for the monthly exhibition of regional, national and international artists and such exhibitions have been in practice since 1976. I witnessed the gallery’s major exhibitions which embody the current pluralism in artworks. The artists who were present in the exhibition dealt in detail with a wide range of stylistic and contextual concerns in artworks which also suggested the current pluralism in artworks. The Robischon Gallery’s fundamental exhibition program was also a forum for the discussions on the current dialogues in the art world, including the rise and impact of Chinese contemporary art. There were several major artworks by the significant artists of integrity with vision and compelling ideas. â€Å"Robischon Gallery represents and exhibits artists who cover a range of notoriety including Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Manuel Neri, Bernar Venet, Robert Motherwell, Judy Pfaff, Richard Serra and Ellsworth Kelly, in tandem with emerging artists new to the professional level. Robischon Gallery consistently features work by artists of integrity with vision and compelling ideas, while acknowledging the historical precedence of their idiom.† (Robischon Gallery) Therefore, the artworks in the Robischon Gallery in the Denver art galleries, Colorado have significant permanence in the minds of the art lovers who visit the gallery and I was fortunate to have a personal acquaintance with these important works of art which were luxury to the eyes and heart. The Robischon Gallery in the Denver art galleries, Colorado is an awesome gallery to visit and

The life of a nuer cow Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The life of a nuer cow - Essay Example They began an especially active migration about the mid 1800s. As they moved gradually east, they pushed the Anuak farther east into Ethiopia. During this period many Dinka people were incorporated into the Nuer community. Atuot and Nuer traditions indicate origins with the Dinka in what is now known as Western Nuerland. These traditions say the separation of the three occurred due to a dispute over cattle ownership.Like many of his pastoral neighbors, a Nuer man's dearest possession is his cattle. Life depends on cattle and a Nuer will risk his life to defend them or to raid his neighbor's cattle. The Nuer worldview is built around the herds and prestige is measured by the quantity and quality of the cattle a man owns. Men and women take the names of their favourite oxen or cows and prefer to be greeted by their cattle names. While they do engage in agricultural pursuits, the care of cattle is the only labour they enjoy. It is said that conversation on virtually any subject will ine vitably involve a discussion of cattle.The Nuer, a tall and very dark people, and are related to the Dinka, who live to their west, and their culture is very similar. The Nuer, call themselves Naath, meaning "human beings." The Nuer, Dinka and Atwot (Atuot) are sometimes considered one ethnic group.Their culture is organized around cattle. But since the Nuer people live in the Upper Nile valley, Nile perch is also an essential part of their economy. Grains and vegetables supplement this diet. None of the food commodities are produced for market purposes. Cattle are not primarily for food, but Nuer drink their milk. Meat is eaten at important celebrations when an animal is sacrificed. The Nuer living pattern changes according to the seasons of the year. As the rivers flood, the people have to move farther back from the river onto higher ground, where the women cultivate millet and maize while the men herd the cattle nearby. In the dry season, the younger men take the cattle herds closer to the receding rivers. Cooperative extended family groups live around communal cattle camps. Cattle play an important part in Nuer religion and ritual. Cows are dedicated to the ghosts of the owner's lineages and any personal spirits that may have possessed them at any time. The Nuer believe they establish contact with these ancestor ghosts and spirits by rubbing ashes along the backs of oxen or cows dedicated to them, through the sacrifice of cattle. No important Nuer ceremony of any kind is complete without such a sacrifice. NUER COW - 1930's It was the Dry season of 1931 and I had recently been purchased by a young, tall man from a small tribe in Southern Sudan. He purchased me as a wedding gift for his new wife, who was later revealed to be the one who was my primary milker. When I was taken back to their tribal area, I was in complete surprise at how many other cattle there were surrounding me. I had never seen anything like it, as I had been bought up in a relatively poor community. The fact that there were many other cattle neighbouring me gave me the impression that the tribe I had now been apart of, must have been fairly rich. I couldn't help but wonder why I was chosen out of all the other cattle, to be taken back to this place. I thought that it might've been because I was relatively plump and fat, and this worried me. My owner would occasionally rub ash across my back and speak of ceremonial chants, in a very loud and daunting matter. It

System Design in IT Area Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

System Design in IT Area - Essay Example The various customers are tracked for their quality of return with respect to date and material. The various records pertain to determining the loyal customers so that promotions and special offers are facilitated to them. 4. Record of holding status: The system maintains the currently held stock by the employees and ensures better management of records. The customers holding stock would ensure better management of the DVDs and Game consoles for effective stock management and grant other customers. 5. Wishlist: The customer’s wish list would focus on various future stocks which they desire so that they are able to procure that on a priority basis. The knowledge would ensure system to capture ways to serve the customers. 6. FAQ: The system must enforce a help status so that better management of DVDs and Game consoles are done and would fetch the user with detailed documentation of hardware and software’s required for ensuring the correct workability of the system. 8. Inventory status: The various inventory, comprising the DVD and game consoles, required to be ascertained for their availability in the store. The knowledge is useful in determining the amount of stock and the existing detail of the present availability. This would largely help in granting or denying requests. 9. Damaged stock: Knowing the damaged stock is very crucial so as to reduce any complications with respect to customer satisfaction. Also, the returning orders must be checked for their damage status. This requirement is very important to be present as it incurs a loss to the inventory and successively the profit. 10. Fines: Determining the fines to be levied would ensure better use of the system towards negligence of the customers so that the loss towards damage is recovered. It also puts a negative rating to the customer and decides a condition for their repeat. 11. Determination of final accounts: The determination of the statement of expenditures and incomes are to be ascertained so that the firm 6ME successfully determines their profit or loss for the desired period. The system would create better impression for audit trails and maximizes the computation of company financial status.

Business continuity and crisis management Essay - 2

Business continuity and crisis management - Essay Example BCM plays an important role in every organization that uses it. One major aim of having a BCM program on any business to is to give it the capacity to have a quick and effective response to global crises such as cyber attacks mostly through data breaches, natural disasters and ensure the business interests of the organization are protected. (Blyth, M. 2009). What this means is that BCM is not only about crisis management, but it also includes disaster and business recovery, incident and emergency management. The ISO 22301, which is a system of business continuity management, places emphasis on a few areas that are crucial in BCM.First, it suggests that there is a great need to have an understanding of the needs of continuity and preparedness. Moreover, there is need to understand why it is necessary to establish a BCM policy and objectives in an organization. It adds that the effectiveness of the entire process relies heavily on this understanding. Secondly, there is need for an orga nization to implement and operate controls that can manage its overall continuity risks. It therefore, suggests that it would be meaningless to have a BCM policy when the organization is not ready to implement it. (Bajgoric, N. (n.d.). Thirdly, the organization should constantly review and monitor the effectiveness of the BCM program to ensure it is working according to its goals. Finally, the regular assessment of BCM will lead to objective measurements that are important in continual improvement.

Effects of Junk food Essay Example for Free

Effects of Junk food Essay The moons of Saturn are a very interesting topic to research. Before beginning this amazing journey on the moons, first we must do a brief overview of the planet Saturn. Saturn is the sixth largest planet from the sun; it is very large and does not have very much water. This research paper will explore the different moons, the names, atmosphere, similarities and sizes of the moons. Saturn has 62 moons that have been discovered but only 52 have been given an official name while the others still are waiting to have specific information found out about them to give them a name. Only 18 moons have been officially sanctioned by the International Astronomical Union. The names of the moons come from characters in Greek and Roman mythology. The moons are made up of about 30 to 40 percent rock and about 60 to 70 percent water. The Saturn Moons so diversity in many area, let’s explore their differences. Since there are too many to name we will discuss the more poplar moons. Pan- Named after the Greek God of the wild, it is about 20km in diameter and its mass is 11x 10 15th lbs. Saturn is at a distance of 83,000 miles and has an orbital period around Saturn is 13.8 hours. Pan was discovered in 1990 by the Voyager team. A Pan orbit within the Encke Gap which is located in the Saturn’s A ring. The Encke Gap is a space in the A ring that helps Pan to orbit around Saturn. Helene- named after Greek goddess Helene popularly known as Helene of Troy and the name means torch. Helene’s moon is an irregular shape in body and is measured about36 x 32 x 30 km in diameter. The moon orbits Saturn at 234,500 in distance and its mass is 8x 10by 17. The surface materials are composed of particularly dark and organic rich mater and condense ices. Helene was discovered by P. Laques and J. Leacheus in the year 1990. Dione- Named after  Greek goddess Dione and the mother for Aphrodite she was describe as a temple associate. Dione is about 1,118km is diameter and has a density of 1.43gm/cm the rest is ice. The temperature is extremely cold and the distance from Saturn is 377,400 km, and includes crater area that measure about 100 km in diameter. Dione was discovered in 1684 by Giovanni Cassini. Rhea- Named after the god of fruitfulness the mother of Poseidon. Rhea is far away from and the second largest moon of Saturn. It is 1,528 km in size, its distance from the sun is 527,040 and it mass is2.31 x 10 sub 21 kg. Rhea’s temperature is cold like Dione and only one side of its surface faces Saturn. The surface of Rhea is a mixture of ice and rock similar to a frozen dirty snowball. Dione was discovered in 1672 by Giovanni Cassini. Mimas- Named after the Greek god giant of war. It looks like a bull’s eye by viewing in space. The surface of is covered with impact craters due to shock waves that happens on the moon which measure is size of about 40 kg . It is also very low in density and is composed of mostly water with small amounts of rock. The distance from Saturn is 185,520km, the period of orbit around Saturn is 22.6 hrs and its mass is 3.81 x 10 sub 19kg. The temperature of Mimas is minus 344 degrees Fahrenheit. It was discovered by Williams Herschel in 1789. Enceladus- Named the god that was responsible for tremors and volcanoes, and he was considered the leader of the giants. Distance from the Saturn is 237,378 km, about 512 x 494489 km in diameter, its mass id 1.2 x 10 sub 20 kg. The period Encelasus orbit around Saturn is 32.8 hours. It is also covered in water ice and is about -330 degrees Fahrenheit. It also reflects the sunlight. It was discove red by Williams Herschel in 1789. Titan- Named after group Greek gods who ruled the cosmos. Titan is largest of the Saturn’s moon and is the most Earthlike of its kind; it looks a lot like a frozen version of the plant earth. The surface is very cold; it has a temperature of -290 degrees Fahrenheit and has a thick atmosphere but does not hold gravity well. Titan’s atmosphere has an altitude 10 times higher than or nearly 600 km into space as oppose to the earth. According to a space expedition in 1980 by the Voyager 1Titan showed to only have air pressure of one and a half at sea level and four times as dense of the earth. Titan has chemical readings is mostly gas about 95% nitrogen and 5% methane, which are two chemicals that are present in earth’s surface. Nitrogen help produces this thick smog like cloud that can hold water and  produces rain. With the help of methane which is a gas allows the cloud s rain to produce or rain down liquids similar to gasoline. Titan orbits Saturn 1.2 million km or 745,000 miles it take16 days to make complete circle. The radius is 2,575 km and 112 km in diameter. The Greek mythology of how the naming group of Titans , hence thus the naming of the moons came about, the Titans devoured the limbs of Dionysus, the son of Zeus (the god of thunder and war) was intended to have dominion over the world. Zeus was so angry he struck the titans with lighting and the fire burned them to ashes. The moons of Saturn are too numerous to number, just like the story of the Titans. They all have their own characteristics, this paper only names a few, here are the rest: Aegean, Aegir, Albiorix, Anthe, Benhionn, Bergeimir, Calypso, Dapjnis, Epimetheus, Erriapus, Farbauti, Fenrir, Fornjot, Greip, Hati, Hyperion, Hyrrokkin, Lapetus, Lijraq, Janus, Jamsaxa, Kari, Kiviug, Loge, Methone, Mundifari, Narvi, Paaliaq, Pallene, Phoebe, Polydueces, Siamaq, Skadi, Skoll, Suttung, Tarqeq, Telesto, Tethys, Thrym, Ymir. The names of these moons will continue to grow as new moons are discovered. The moons will begin the naming process which astronomer gives each moon a temporary name that will follow this format S/2011-S1. The first S stands for Saturn and the second S after the stands for its satellite or location in space. Then the names are assigning by the International Astronomical Union. In conclusion, with the study of the moons of Saturn we learned that some range very large in size. We also learned the amount of time it takes each moon s to orbit Saturn. The time varies amongst the moon of Saturn. The all of the temperature each of the moons are too cold for human life to be sustained, and the surfaces of each one of the moons are somewhat similar; with the exception of the moon Titan. During the study of the Titan moons the discovery of the similarities between the planet Earth and Titan’s atmosphere. The naming of the moons came from Greek mythology and the history of the Greek gods were interesting the in its own way. Finally, scientists are still discover ing new moons in Saturn’s atmosphere, as of today there are only 53 moons officially named; who knows how many more are lurking out there. References The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2011 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Pan-ast.html Hatzitsinidou, Evangelia. (2005-2011). Greek-Gods.Info Gods and Goddess of Ancient Greece. October 26,2011, http://www.greek-gods.info/greek-mythology/a.php Munsell,Kirk. (2011). Cassini Solstice Misson. November 23, 2011, http://www.jpl.nasa.gov./science/mooms

Primo Levis Survival in Auschwitz Essay Example for Free

Primo Levis Survival in Auschwitz Essay â€Å"Why is the pain of every day translated so constantly into our dreams, in the ever-repeated scene of the unlistened-to story† (Levi, p 60)? As I read this quote in my book, I highlighted it and wrote in the margin â€Å"foreshadowing†. I feel confident that these dreams signified just that; that the author (amongst the other survivors) would forever re-live those horrors and try tell their stories†¦and no one listens. The poem at the beginning of the book, Survival in Auschwitz, by Primo Levi, warns us of just this and curses us should we fail to listen. It is imperative that we a global community never forget and forever respect the struggle. I believe that this feeling, of sharing his story over and over again in his books and with people as he goes through Europe on his journey home and not truly being heard could have been a major factor in his deciding to take his own life. With such an important story, why aren’t we listening? Reflecting back on Levi’s words, I think one of the many reasons people choose to not really â€Å"listen† and take these stories to heart is because they are extremely hard to bear or even imagine. â€Å"Do you know how one says ‘never’ in camp slang? ‘Morgen fruh’, tomorrow morning† (p 133). Nowadays we plan things out in advance; we have 12 year old girls planning out their ideal weddings! The idea that we might not live to wake up in the morning is preposterous. This was their reality. We cannot even pretend to understand what that might be like. So instead of acknowledge that the men among us can do such terrible things to one another, isn’t it easier for us to say â€Å"What a tragedy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and move on with our lives? Isn’t easier on us, to watch the news and see the horrors of the world, and then turn the TV off and pretend like it is all fiction, so we really don’t have to go out of our comfort zone to do anything about it? For those of us who are religious, isn’t our duty to give thanks to the Lord when we are blessed? There is an example of prayer on page 129 when Kuhn is thanking God after a selecti on for not being selected to go to the gas chambers. We would think this to a reasonable response, however Levi goes on to educate otherwise. â€Å"Kuhn is out of his senses. Does he not see†¦Beppo, who is twenty years old and is going to the gas chamber the day after tomorrow and knows it†¦? If I was God, I would spit at Kuhn’s prayer† (p129). I thought that Levi’s response to Kuhn’s prayer was extreme at first, for isn’t it customary to give thanks for good fortune? But then as I reflected on this, Levi was absolutely correct. How dare one man thank God for living another day when the man beside him has been condemned? There is no rhyme or reason to it, there is no why in the Lager. It is impossible for them at the time to understand, which is why the law of the camp was â€Å"do not think†. How can we begin to fathom now the how’s or why’s? It doesn’t make sense. Who wants to listen to a story that doesn’t make any sense and acknowledge that it could happen all over again? Sometimes, we love to hear the story of a tragedy. For example, some of the most well liked tragedies of all time include Gone with the Wind, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, many of Shakespeare’s plays, and a Streetcar Named Desire. These are not only stories though; they have their sadness b ut throughout there is also hope and there are also morals, these are things to gain by these stories. The story the Levi needs to share with us has no hope, it has no moral storyline that we can learn from (aside from all of the wrong ones demonstrated by the Nazi’s). The tone for the story can be seen in one paragraph, and it’s a sad truth†¦ which means many people don’t want to hear it. â€Å"We Italians had decided to meet every Sunday evening in a corner of the Lager, but we stopped it at once, because it was too sad to count our numbers and find fewer each time, and to see each other even more deformed and more squalid. And it was so tiring to walk those few steps and then, meeting each other, to remember and to think. It was better not to think (p 37).† It took me a few years to understand the concept of â€Å"humanity†. If you look it up in the dictionary or online the definitions are abstract and I do not feel that they give you an adequate description of the connotation and denotation together. Levi, however, does a very clear job in showing us examples of the clear inhumane acts of the Nazi’s and the humanity within the camp to help each other. One of the stories that most clearly show us a true meaning of humanity and that really resonates with me can be found in Chapter 17: The Story of Ten Days. On January 22 at night, after everyone has gone to bed, Levi talks about Lakmaker, a 17 year old Dutch Jew boy who has been sick for months and cannot seem to communicate verbally very well others due to their language barrier. Levi describes the scene as the boy â€Å"†¦groaned and then threw himself from the bed. He tried †¦ too weak and fell to the ground crying and shouting loudly† (p 176). Their companion in the ward called Charles climbed down from his bunk and cleaned Lakmaker’s bunk for him as best he could and then cleaned him. Afterwards Charles picked him up and placed him in his bunk so that he could once again be comfortable. This was no small act of kindness, especially considering the position in which they are in in the Lager. Disease and the risk of contracting viruses is extremely high and survival is a fundamental part of brains. It makes no sense, considering what has happened to these men and remembering that they have no idea what to expect in the coming days, to risk ones’ self for another yet this is exactly what they do. To find such greatness and nobility in such a time as this is the true meaning of humanity.

Strategic Business Plan

Strategic Business Plan Developing a Strategic Business Plan Either in the start up process or when re-inventing ones business development, the design of a strategic business plan is an indispensable step towards a successful and viable business. Strategic planning involves setting up a sound and multifaceted plan or strategy to follow over a defined time period.It can involve all aspects of the business, or just a small part of it i.e. a selected department such as the marketing department.However, this does not mean that strategic business planning is only for large scale businesses since it can also benefit the small business, especially at start up, when the business sets its first goals and establishes itself in the business landscape. Writing up a business plan is an important step of a starting business, since most lending bodies will not authorize loans in absense of a detailed business plan.Why is it important? Imagine sailing off for a voyage in the sea and not planning for resources or supplies that you might need. Developing a business plan is the only way to determine the allocation needs, personnel, utilities, marketing goals, outreach and all valuable aspects that make your business useful and unique in the sea of business. However, strategic planning is a process employed in any time period in a formal business administration, since it usually comprises of a long range planning process of a specific or broader managerial aspect, that will in a time-frame manner set the outline of the business goals and image and ultimately form its policy. To be successful, a strategic business plan, either at start up or as a means of sustainment of a particular policy, should provide with day to day reference for the decision making in organization and management of the business and should provide a template against which all decisions can be evaluated (Goodstein et al ,1993).Ackoffs (1981) typology of planning, provides with several points to the understanding of the planning process, identifies as a key step in the business or organizations decision to adhere to the long term goals of strategic planning.These are l Reactive planning ( planning through the rear view mirror) l Inactive (going with the flow) l Preactive or future planning l Proactive or designing the future planning. The most challenging and demanding type of planning is the proactive planning, which is based on the beleif that the organization or business itself, is responsible for shaping its future and thus can do differently i.e. to solve an anticipated problem.In order for an administration to sustain an applied strategic planning process in its midsts, it is anticipated that efforts are made to develop an openness for new ideas and allow for envisioning in serving the future. An area where envisioning is particularly useful is the mision development : who the business customers are, how will the business go about its tasks and the business raison detre. Moreover, the strategic planning process must be strongly intercalated with the organizational culture of the business, the latter being the social context in and through which the business performs its work. This connection will facilitate the easy transmission to the workers and administrators of the mission of the business, the specific operational goals and the means to acheive them. After the decision and contexts of the strategic planning are made, several steps are indispensable in the successful inplementation of the process: 1st setting the stage for planning: understanding the way planning works, the values scan and mission formulation 2nd Setting strategic business directions : strategic business modeling such as performance auditing, gap analysis 3rd Implementing the strategic plan : integrating action plans, contigency planning and implementation. In conclusion, a strategic business planning process is an expansion of the traditional business plan method towards the future developmentof the business, that formulates a strategy in anticipating change and maintaining its status in the business arena. Several steps are necessary in implementing a viable and successful strategy plan, most of which require serious documentation, market research and official design and control. In several examples in history, an inspired and well grounded strategy plan has been the means to ground-breaking enterpreneurships and immense success. REFERENCES: Ackoff (1981) Creating the corporate future. New York : John Riley Goodstein LD, Nolan T, Pfeiffer JW (1993) Applied strategic planning. Mc Graw Hill

Good Advice :: Psychology Advising Essays

Good Advice I consider good advice to be a balanced combination of many things. To me, the most important is that when I receive advice, it must not be forced onto me. When advice is truly sincere, it is given to me in the hopes that I might take it, but it should never make me feel guilty if I don't. A perfect example of a forced piece of advice, is article A that we read about contractions. To me, this article didn't advise the reader about what not to do, but it told them. It pretty much said that you "can" do this and you "can't" do that. Good advice should just throw another opinion up in the air, and let the advisee choose what to do with it. The whole idea behind giving advice, is that it allows the advisor to state their opinion about something concerning the advisee, and hope that it is of some use to them. Advice involves two people, the advisor (giver of advice), and the advisee (taker of advice). Both people play an equal role in the giving and taking of advice. Someone can give me all of the advice that they want to, but if I choose not to take the advice, then the cycle is incomplete. However, it doesn't mean that the advice is worthless, because it may be of use at a later date. My job is to determine what I want to do with the advice given to me. If I believe it is good, then I will put it to use, probably in the near future. If I don't agree with it, then I may disregard it totally. Another thing that constitutes good advice is that it should be honest. If I give someone advice that I wouldn't take, were I put in the same situation, then it most likely isn't good. If I know that the advice clearly isn't going to work, but it "sounds good," then that isn't good advice at all. Don't give it if you wouldn't take it. Good advice must also come from a reliable source. When I ask someone for advice I should trust that he/she won't lead me in the wrong direction. The information (advice) that they give me should, in no way, be of any benefit to themselves over the me and my situation. A perfect example of this is the advice that Earl gave to Jackie.

Subliminal Advertising :: essays research papers

Subliminal advertising: A collective term for public announcements designed to promote the sale of specific commodities or services while being integrated below the threshold of perception or awareness. To sell products, merchants consciously use subliminal advertising as a basis for general consumerism. This seems like an unnecessary task, but when taken into consideration all the people, who have expressed their disbelief in its effectiveness, it is obvious to see how vital and necessary such a task commands. Through this, corporations must take on new strategies and methods of persuasion and justification. The importance is that advertisers rely on a trust relationship with consumers in order to successfully subliminally sell products. In other words, those who don't believe in subliminal advertising, are its likely victims. The effect of subliminal advertising on the individual and the culture has been influenced and promoted by many different elements. Let it be magazines, newspapers or radio; but the most prominent in this field is television. Television advertising influences the choices we make, perhaps more so than anyone cares to believe. It may not be so obvious, but even teachers face competition with advertising. Television stations, for example, have some four billion dollars a year from industry to spend on programming for the same students that teacher’s face. Nicholas Johnson, a former Federal Communications Commission Commissioner from 1966 to 1973 writes that television is diametrically opposed to almost everything a teacher tries to do: TV tells them that the only thing necessary to give them all the joys in life and the values that are important is the acquisition of yet another product. TV is telling them to sit still and don't think. TV is telling them that they are to be treated as a mass. He writes that it is extremely important to understand this force in our society if a teacher is to deal with it. He writes the most important thing to know is that advertising is a business. Johnson continues: It is the business of selling. But what it is in the business of selling is you and your students. You are the product being sold. Who are you being sold to? You're being sold to an advertiser. It is the advertiser who is the consumer in this equation. The advertiser is buying you. The advertiser is buying you from the broadcaster. And why the advertiser is buying you is because he wants you to look at his message; his billboard, his magazine ad, and in this instance, his TV commercial.

How to Throw a Party Without Getting Caught By Parents?

Then, he wonders how e will ever keep it a secret from his parents. His life will be over if his parents find out and he will be grounded until he Is married. Luckily for him, he Just has to follow numerous steps In order to not receive a miserable punishment from his parents. He will conquer his high school dream of becoming a part of the popular crowd and earn respect from his peers all while acting Like the perfect child towards his mother and father. As he learned in high school English class, research must be done before writing a huge research paper.He must first see when his parents and siblings will be out of own for more than a couple of hours in order to throw the party. He should do this by tip-toeing down to the kitchen, looking at the family calendar, and finding a day where the house will be completely empty and useable. He absolutely cannot ask his parents directly when they will be gone or the entire plan Is ruined and suspicion will fill his parents' heads. If his pa rents planned for a family vacation for the weekend, he can simply play sick and contract a viral disease that will inhibit him from going on the family trip.With this terrible Illness, the family will have to leave him at home while they go on to their vacation. After all, he Is a high school boy and can take care of himself. If the whole family decides to stay home and â€Å"take care† of their beloved son, then he must magically hop out of bed, claim to be well again, and go on the trip. There will be another available time slot to have a house party. Once he finds a time where the family is gone for the day or night, he can begin to plan the party.If the parents decide to ask their neighbor or grandparents to check in on him, he should avoid this by telling the â€Å"watcher† that he does not want to get them sick and will send periodic pictures of what he is doing throughout the night. He will of course cake pictures alone in a room doing homework, reading, or lis tening to music while the rest of the party Is In another room. He must first find a close group of friends that will evaluate the student population and figure out who to invite. These friends must be trustworthy and not have parents who are friendly with the host's parents.If a parent of one of his friends calls the host's mom, the entire plan could be ruined If the friend's mom says her son was at a party at their house. Once a group is formed, speak of the party to anyone but his close group of friends until he is 100% certain of the time and day of the party. He should wait till the day of the party to invite people. This should be done through Backbone. He should create an invite on Backbone and make the invite private which means only people he invited can see it.If he tells his peers a week before the party, talk could go around school, get whispered to parents, and get told to his mom and dad. The planning behind the party is key. Once the day of the party comes, he must th ink about every possible situation that could occur and safe proof the house. He must remove any objects that are sentimental to his parents, things that are easily broken, and valuables of any kind in moms where the teenagers will be occupying. Before doing so, he should take a picture of each room so that he can put back all objects into the correct spot.If his parents noticed a picture or lamp was moved to the other side of the room, they may become suspicious and ask questions. He must lock doors to rooms he does not want anyone in such as the parents room or the father's office. If a teenager were to get into these rooms while unlocked, things could be moved around or stolen without the host even noticing. If the parents came home and saw a disruption in their bedroom r office, he would be punished immediately due to suspicion.The fewer the rooms that teenagers are allowed to go in to, the easier clean up will be. If there is illegal activity going on at the party such as under age drinking, the bathroom can be a common living area for party goers. There should be an excessive amount of toilet paper, paper towels, plungers, trash bags, and air fresheners in the bathrooms. With these available necessities, hopefully his guests will have chances to clean up after themselves. In order to minimize visibility to neighbors, he should drape or tape blankets and towels over the windows.This way, neighbors will not see any suspicious activity and call up his parents.. If his parents are coming home at one in the afternoon the following day, he should set three alarms in order to wake up four hours before his parents arrive. Once he does all these things, the party can begin and guests can arrive, but with caution. To lessen suspicion amongst neighbors, all guests should carpool with as many people as possible and park a block away from the house or scatter their cars throughout the neighborhood.This way, there will not be a line of cars in front of the house that i s supposedly vacant. Once the guests enter the house, he should pump up the music to an appropriate level and peruse the party making sure all guests are having a great time. After each guest enters the house, he must lock the door immediately after. This way no uninvited teenagers can come in the party. Also, if a guest leaves the door open without the host knowing, the neighbors might catch a glimpse of the activity going on in the house and call the parents.Once he does this, he can enjoy himself at the party. He should monitor the rooms people are allowed in and clean up food, cups, or any trash left behind. If he does this, the cleanup will be easier the next day and trash will not accumulate under sofas or tables. He should make sure guests are all feeling well and having a good time. While doing these steps, he will also be meeting numerous friends and becoming the most popular guy in Tree Hill High School. Once the host becomes tired, he should tell all guests to leave and t ravel home safely.Before he falls asleep, he should call his parents to and say goodnight. They will not be suspicious of their son's activities. After he says his goodbyes, he should clean up as much as he can. The clean-up process cannot be put aside and done five minutes before the parents come home. If he misses a single alarm and does not have time to clean up, the house will not be in perfect condition and his mom and dad will know he threw a raging house party. That is why he set three alarms to ensure this does not happen.After all three alarms wake him up; he must start with loading trash bags with bottles, cans, cups, boxes, or any large trash items. Because he woke up so early, he can have enough time to take these trash bags to a public dumping site so that his parents do not wonder why there are numerous trash bags for one person. He must look outside the window and make sure his guests did not dump their trash on his rent lawn. Once this is done, he should then move on to general clean-up such as mopping, sweeping, and putting back all the objects he originally took away.He must grab his camera, look at the pre-party pictures and make sure all heirlooms, pictures, and valuables are in their precise starting position. He should then unlock all the original rooms he blocked off. The host should do a scan of the house and make sure there are no holes in the walls or stains on the floors. If so, he should have enough time to figure out a solution. If there is a hole in the wall, he can cover it up with mouthing such as a chair and then casually admit that he caused the hole at a later time in the week when playing football in the house by himself.After the clean-up is done, he should change into casual clothes, plop on the couch, pop in a movie, and pretend that he Just woke up and is having a relaxing day. Once his parents came home, they will suspect no party occurred in the house and see that they have the best son in the world. As long as he foll ows every necessary step, he will throw the biggest, most raging house party to ever occur in his small town without his parents ever finding out.

Epitaph and Dreaming Black Boy

a) Compare the ways in which these two poems deal with the experience of oppression and racism. b) State which of the two poems you find more disturbing, and give reasons to support your answer. c) Identify and comment on TWO poetic devices used in each poem to highlight the workings of oppression or racism. â€Å"Dreaming Black Boy† and â€Å"Epitaph† are two poems which address the issues of oppression and racism. though they both deal with the same problem, it is handled and discussed differently. In † Dreaming Black Boy†, the persona, a young black boy in school, talks about his aspirations and dreams. He hopes for an end to racism. The persona tries to use his education to try to escape the harsh reality of racism. He not only mentions what is going on around him now, but also the past and even how he would like things to be in the future. He longs for acceptance, a good education, success, to travel and a break from mental slavery. He fails to grasp that despite his intelligence and physical maturity, the racist treatment will continue, thinking that what he experiences as a young boy is the worst, he has yet to find out how it is in the future. On the other hand, â€Å"Epitaph†, a significantly shorter poem, is about a black slave who was hanged, people stop what they are doing to watch the sight, yet the rest of the world continues to go on. The sugar cane continues to grow, unlike in â€Å"Dreaming Black Boy†, the persona in â€Å"Epitaph† is an adult, looking on a past occurrence and commenting on how these types of events have impacted on our lives today. â€Å"Epitaph† appears to be the most disturbing as it suggests that many of these slaves' deaths are forgotten. The idea or notion that life goes on after you die and all you are awarded is a â€Å"pause†. The images in â€Å"Epitaph† are also more graphic. In â€Å"Dreaming Black Boy†, the poet uses euphemism to down play the harsh reality of the young black boy. For example, â€Å"plotters in pajamas† is used to refer to the KKK, a group infamous for the terror they caused on the black race. The main literary device used in â€Å"Dreaming Black Boy† is allusion. The persona alludes to white supremacy groups, a famous singer etcetera, to express the things he would like to change about his reality. â€Å"Epitaph† uses the â€Å"apostrophe† to give a visual image f the black slave hanging and swinging as he is hanged. This metaphor is effective in showing also how the slave has taken on the problems of the black race as his own. And his death belongs to the blacks. It is their history. Racism and slavery are two of the most controversial and oppressive elements in human history. Though both poems differ in style and technique, both successfully describe the physical and emotional effects of racism and oppression (slavery). This success is achieved through the use of allusions, vivid images, symbolic language and even euphemism. ) Compare the ways in which these two poems deal with the experience of oppression and racism. b) State which of the two poems you find more disturbing, and give reasons to support your answer. c) Identify and comment on TWO poetic devices used in each poem to highlight the workings of oppression or racism. â€Å"Dreaming Black Boy† and â€Å"Epitaph† are two poems which address the issues of oppression and racism. though they both deal with the same problem, it is handled and discussed differently. In † Dreaming Black Boy†, the persona, a young black boy in school, talks about his aspirations and dreams. He hopes for an end to racism. The persona tries to use his education to try to escape the harsh reality of racism. He not only mentions what is going on around him now, but also the past and even how he would like things to be in the future. He longs for acceptance, a good education, success, to travel and a break from mental slavery. He fails to grasp that despite his intelligence and physical maturity, the racist treatment will continue, thinking that what he experiences as a young boy is the worst, he has yet to find out how it is in the future. On the other hand, â€Å"Epitaph†, a significantly shorter poem, is about a black slave who was hanged, people stop what they are doing to watch the sight, yet the rest of the world continues to go on. The sugar cane continues to grow, unlike in â€Å"Dreaming Black Boy†, the persona in â€Å"Epitaph† is an adult, looking on a past occurrence and commenting on how these types of events have impacted on our lives today. â€Å"Epitaph† appears to be the most disturbing as it suggests that many of these slaves' deaths are forgotten. The idea or notion that life goes on after you die and all you are awarded is a â€Å"pause†. The images in â€Å"Epitaph† are also more graphic. In â€Å"Dreaming Black Boy†, the poet uses euphemism to down play the harsh reality of the young black boy. For example, â€Å"plotters in pajamas† is used to refer to the KKK, a group infamous for the terror they caused on the black race. The main literary device used in â€Å"Dreaming Black Boy† is allusion. The persona alludes to white supremacy groups, a famous singer etcetera, to express the things he would like to change about his reality. â€Å"Epitaph† uses the â€Å"apostrophe† to give a visual image of the black slave hanging and swinging as he is hanged. This metaphor is effective in showing also how the slave has taken on the problems of the black race as his own. And his death belongs to the blacks. It is their history. Racism and slavery are two of the most controversial and oppressive elements in human history. Though both poems differ in style and technique, both successfully describe the physical and emotional effects of racism and oppression (slavery). This success is achieved through the use of allusions, vivid images, symbolic language and even euphemism.

Marketing Channels Essay

Suppliers should not deal with intermediaries who are more powerful than they are†. Debate this statement. If a supplier deals with strong intermediaries, they will probably exercise power over him. As they are able to provide him with more utilities (value, benefits and satisfaction). However, if there are many strong distributors in the market offering similar packages of benefits and utilities. Then there will be no harm for a supplier to deal with a more powerful distributor or intermediary as they will no longer be so special and powerful since they know the supplier can switch to a any other intermediary anytime (they are easily replaced). Therefore, the level of dependence of the supplier on the intermediaries will be lower. Another way is to excel in logistics when dealing with downstream channel members. Therefore increasing their rewards for doing business with the supplier and becoming difficult to imitate. In turn, channel members make markets and are the faces of their producer to those markets. Question 4: â€Å"We should not deal with powerful suppliers. They are sure to abuse us, after they use us†. Debate this statement, often heard in the meeting rooms of distributors and sales agents. As the usual channel conflict is a zero sum game where the gains of one party are the loss of the other. Many problems may arise between channel members till they actually reach a compromise where each party is satisfied and is able to see where he benefits from the relationship and cooperation.

School Life: What I Learned

As I look back, there are multiple reason I am who I am today, but when I think about it changing to a public school my junior year really had a huge impact on my life and who I am today. It has made me independent and trust of myself, become more involved in school and learned how to balance my time. Also, switch schools, I have experienced a huge diversity of people. My first two years of high school, I attended St.Pius X, there I had gone to school ith all the same people I had known my whole life. Pius was a very small school and very easy to adapt to. After my sophomore year, I just knew something wasn’t right with me. I felt very sheltered and I felt like I wasn’t my own person, I felt myself being like everyone else. Knowing myself and what I wanted in life, I knew St. Pius was no longer the school for me. My Junior year, I switched to North Kansas City, knowing few people going in. Going through something like that, I had no friends and no one to trust myself.I had no fear going in. Being able to start completely over with no friends and no one to trust or go to I developed so much confidence in myself and knew I would adapt quickly. Still to this day, even with the close relationships I have made with people, I am still very independent. I make sure no matter what goes on in my life to take care of all of my responsibilities and this quality will come in handy in college with everything I will experience and will continue to stay successful. To help myself adapt to the change, I became as involved as I possibly could.I joined clubs, did volunteer work and also played three sports all while maintaining a job. Being this involved I was nervous I would become overwhelmed and thought it would be easy to loose my focus with academics but I knew that I couldn’t let that happen. My grades really improved and I was able to manage all of my activities and always get my school work done. This will definitely benefit me in college because I k now that I will be as involved as possible and that i will still maintain the motivation to get ll my work done and take care of every single of my responsibilities I develop in college. North Kansas City is not only a bigger school that I am used to, but also a very diverse school. We represent people from about thirty six different countries. I have developed close relationships with people from places I have never even heard of. At North Kansas City high school there are so many opportunities, every individual person seems like they have found comfort there. I know I have found many things to be involved in.When I get in college I know there will be people all over the world and for most it will be a huge culture shock. Being surrounded by people with different backgrounds and all walks of life and my experience with going to one of the most diverse schools in the country will help me understand people and where they are all coming from. As much as I miss my old friends and old l ife, in the end I am so happy with the change. The self trusting, time management skills and experience to a very diverse school is what is best for me in the future, not only in college but in my career after college as well.

A New Ending to the Lord of the Flies

Instead of coming at me, like I thought he would he ran the opposite direction and started screaming at the top of his lungs. By now the fire was out of control; it was racing down the mountain side, faster than fast. I started to run again, this time I was running toward the beach. â€Å"I need to get the littluns to safety† I said to myself. I ran and ran to the beach and went to grab the conch were it should have been; but I stopped myself. The conch is gone just like Piggy. Shattered, into a million pieces. I fell to the ground with exhaustion and grief. I could feel the heat of the fire coming nearer and nearer. As Jacks hunters came closer to me I heard them chanting a different chant. I could have sworn that I hear Jack screaming in pain. Someone burst out of the trees, screaming in pain. â€Å"Jack,† I said to myself as I looked to see if I was right. Sure enough I was right, but this was worse than I imagined, he was on fire! Half of his body was burnt. He looked at me with a sad, hurt look. He ran past me and jumped into the ocean. Jack never resurfaced, and I wasn’t about to go and get him. I heard more screaming behind me. I knew they were coming after me so I ducked down and tried to not move. Maybe they won’t notice me. It must have been ten minutes before I heard any noise coming out of the forest. But as everyone gathered around me it became silent. â€Å"Is everything all right? † I heard a somewhat familiar voice say. I looked up to see who was talking. I started to talk, but as I saw who it was my mouth just stayed open. â€Å"Dad? † I said in unbelief. â€Å"I knew it. † I yelled as I got up and ran to him. He stared as if I was dead. Maybe I am dead and this is all a dream. As I jumped in to his arms I was assured that I was alive when he caught me. He whispered in my ear. â€Å"Ralph? Is that you? † â€Å"YES! † I yelled â€Å"it is me! † I said more quietly. I started to cry out of relief. Dad started to cry too. â€Å"I thought you were dead! † he said barely above a whisper. â€Å"Well, how many of you are there? † he asked getting up and putting me down. â€Å"Um, I really don’t know. There are a few kids dead. † I said the last part a little quieter. â€Å"Well than, who is the leader. Roger was standing next to me. When dad said this, I half expected him to claim the glory, and I was going to let him. Instead he backed up, as did all the other kids. Roger spoke up, â€Å"Ralph is the leader. † He said this with a sound of remorse. â€Å"Ralph? How could you let this happen? † dad sounded surprised that I could let everything get so out of hand . â€Å"I tried to keep everything under control, but when jack got mad and left, everything went out of hand. You can’t honestly think that I could keep control over twenty some boys. I said this and started to cry. â€Å"Well then I guess we should get you boy’s home. † My dad said with a look of guilt on his face. I don’t blame him, though. On the ride home I couldn’t help but ask how mom is. She is fine apparently. I can’t wait to see her. Dad said she couldn’t get over the fact that I was gone. When we made sure that every one was home and good, we made our way home. As we arrived to the house I was reminded of the day I left here some time ago. As I burst through the door to start my life over.

Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 21

Research - Essay Example In effect, the care that the nurses offer should be based on current knowledge and research that support the delivery of the highest standards of care. It is through research that the nurses develop a strong knowledge base to deliver quality care, The basis of nursing research is scientific facts. The scientific method is a valuable method that supports the gathering of credible information in the research process (Nieswiadomy, 2012). Hence, it is significant to gather evidence in order to conduct and present evidence-based research. The nurses ought to obtain the facts or data in a way devoid of bias in order to minimize the flaws in the research process. In essence, gathering data enables the researchers to evaluate the significance of the information to the issue under investigation. The basis of evidence-based research is the researcher’s ability to review critically and interpret the results in order to contribute knowledge (Stevens, 2013). Such contributions are impossible if one does not gather evidence in the

Developing an evaluation plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Developing an evaluation plan - Research Paper Example The staff is the most important part of any care setting, so it only makes sense that the staff itself should be surveyed. According to Brown (1992), there must be â€Å"identifie[d] broad categories of determinants of nursing turn-over† (pp. 154). The people who are in the administration should obtain turn-over rates before and after initiating change. This would be helpful in order to analyze whether or not changing policies effectively reduced the rate of turn-over among the nursing staff. †¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨ Another thing that the administration should do is to compare patient discharge surveys before the change and after the initiation of change. This â€Å"customer service satisfaction† survey would definitely help nurses to increase their level of effectiveness and visibility.†¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨ Staff attitudes towards the patient are definitely issues that must be addressed. If we are to be serious about the quality of the nursing, we need to know what the staff thinks of the organization they are working for, without having fear of retribution. Perhaps an anonymous questionnaire or survey would be a good indicator that would allow those overseeing the staff to more closely evaluate some of their policies. Patient attitudes and perceptions could definitely help the matrix to be devised which would help reduce the turn-over of the nurses in the organization and improve service to the customers, who in this case would be the patients. Patient attitudes and perceptions are part of what will make the rate of turn-over improve or decline. Thus, it is most important to have the patients’ input. The rate of nursing staff turn-over must be addressed. If there is a problem with retention of the staff, there must be something or someone in the organization that is causing these nurses to leave after a short time. Hopefully, with the analysis of the nursing staff, and with the assistance of questionnaires and surveys, it is then and only then that

Korean and Japanese Americans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Korean and Japanese Americans - Essay Example History, Generations, Immigration and Length of U.S. Residency Koreans are one of the largest, fastest growing Asian groups in the United States (Jackson, 2006; library.ca.gov, N.D.a). During 1903-1905 came the first wave of Korean immigrants to the United States. Around 7,000 Korean came to Hawaii as farm laborers in sugar plantation. Within a few years 1,000 of them returned to Korea. About 2,000 of the early immigrants left Hawaii and came to the continental United States. In less than one century the number has grown to an estimated one million (Lee, 1995). Many more began to immigrate after the passage of the Immigration Act of 1965. As of 2000, ethnic Koreans living in the United States are largely concentrated in California, New York, Texas, Washington, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia. Los Angeles, with its Korea town district, is home to the largest concentration of Koreans outside of Asia (Wikipedia, 2007a). The Census 2000 recorded an additional 151,555 Americans of part-Korean ancestry. There are 56,825 adopted children of Korean nativity and place of birth. (2000 US Census) 99,061 Koreans were adopted into the U.S. during 1953-2001. (Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare, 2002) According to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2,157,498 ethnic Koreans live in the United States in 2003. However a large number of these are students or temporary workers and hence do not have permanent residence status. A number of US states have declared January 13 as Korean-American Day due to their impact and contributions to the American society (Wikipedia, 2007a). ... The population of Korean Americans is high when compared to the Japanese Americans. Japanese Americans have historically been among the three largest Asian American communities, but in recent decades have become the sixth largest (at roughly 1,148,000, including those of mixed-race or mixed-ethnicity). Japanese Americans are a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans. The largest Japanese American communities are in California with roughly 395,000, Hawaii with roughly 297,000, Washington with 56,000, and New York with 45,000 according to the 2000 Census. In addition there are large numbers in Texas, Illinois, Oregon, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Florida. Each year, about 7,000 new Japanese immigrants enter United States ports, comprising about 4% of immigration from Asia; however, net immigration is closer to zero as some older Japanese Americans emigrate back to their homeland. Hence, there is a constant outflow and inflow of this population (Wikipedia, 2007b). On of the uniqueness of Japanese Americans community is that they have special names for each of its generations in the United States. The first generation born in Japan or Okinawa, is called Issei. The second generation is Nisei, third is called Sansei, fourth is Yonsei and fifth is Gosei. The term Nikkei was coined by Japanese American sociologists and encompasses the entire population across generations. Issei and many Nisei speak Japanese or Okinawan in addition to English as a second language (Wikipedia, 2007b). This shows the community is open towards learning and adapting to their new environment. Religion and Spiritually For Koreans, religion traditionally has been important. In fact their religiosity has become all the more evident

Block 7 (Week 13&14) Exercise 7 (Respiratory System Mechanics) Coursework

Block 7 (Week 13) Exercise 7 (Respiratory System Mechanics) assigned from pages 85-95 - Coursework Example narrowing of the airways due to bronchial smooth muscle contraction as in Asthma; inflammation of the bronchial mucosa and hypertrophy of bronchial glands as happens in Bronchitis. 2. As a result of the tidal volume change, what happens to the flow into each lung and total air flow? Air flow into each lung is also increased resulting in increase in increased total flow into the lungs. The puncture in the lungs causes the air to flow into the intrapleural cavity of the lungs through the puncture equating the pressure inside with that of the atmosphere. The elasticity (surface tension) of the lung aleoli compresses the aleoli resulting in the collapse. There is minimum airflow to the left lung. The pressure in the left lung is still the same (zero), the air flow in the left lung ecomes zero. The lungs are only using right lung for respiration. The total air flow is equal to that to the right lung (69.56 ml). The diaphragm descends and the ribcage elevates (expands) – the increased intrathoracic volume results in decreased intrathoracic pressure compared to the atmospheric pressure. Air flows from the high atmospheric pressure to the low intrathoracic pressure filling the lungs. Rapid respiration (hyperventilation) results in the expulsion of more CO2 from the lungs. The CO2 is drawn from the bicarbonate buffer system of the blood. The concentration of CO2 in blood decreases resulting in increase in blood pH (alkalosis). The two values are used to assess the pulmonary function. They tell the clinician about the health of the lungs, any comression or obstruction to tht airflow as well as the extent of the pulmonary dieases (e.g. COPD). They reflect how much the lung function ahs been compromised due to the disease. Emphysema is a disease characterized by dilation f the alveolar spaces and destruction of the alveolar walls. The reoil function of the lungs is also compromised causing a decrease in expiratory flow. Therefore FEV1 is decreased. The lungs become

Informal Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Informal Assessment - Essay Example It so turns out that, critical reasoning, is in itself difficult a task. It is a skill, and like any skill, it is expected that it can be acquired and sustained with practice. As majority of individuals seeking to learn as well as explore different sectors in the market, with the main aim of making it in life, it is necessary to also learn that, the first step comes from ones individual effort itself. It can be argued that, with reference to the goals that majority of the students aspire to achieve, it can be narrowed down to, success as the bottom-line (Daniels, 2009). The fact that, opinion in terms of career preferences is concerned plays a major role in the case study. Opinion tends to vary from one individual to another, thus broadening the scope of learning involved. It is thus only necessary that each individual receive fair and necessary knowledge as expected. Nothing less of which is considered reasonable. Ambition too falls into question, as it is this, which draws the separating line between the success levels expected. Individuals may follow this particular course, in pursuit for bigger dream realization. In a separate scenario, the issue of an individual’s background may also facilitate what facilitates the coming together of random people, as in topic. It is only fair that boundaries limited to background issues are kept, to ascertain that equality is widespread amongst everyone. It is thus acceptable, to come up with strategies within reason, that aim at delivering to all the random individuals in a more or less equal manner. In a move to deliver every single detail as elaborated, use of emotional appeals would play a huge role in this. These are also referred to as the appeals to pathos. They are powerful tools for influence what individuals think, as well as believe. Everyone, especially at such a critical moment, makes decisions. Some of these decisions are of huge importance, some being based on ones

Political Science 419 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Political Science 419 - Essay Example This theory was later explicitly formulated in Marx’s Critique of Political Economy in 1859. He emphasized the major periods he perceived in history to begin with primitive communism, then slavery, feudalism and capitalism. He thought that eventually, these various stages in history would end in the stage of socialism (Marx). Karl Marx argued that socialism would provide economic equality, eradicate poverty and provide a utopian society where people could live in social solidarity. How to lay the foundation and eventually operate the structure of socialism that would abolish the so-called latest mode of production which is capitalism is something that Karl Marx wasn’t able to explain in details. Many disgruntled elements of a capitalist society have been attracted to Marx’s philosophy. They view the Marxian doctrine as the best way out of the cruel exploitations and dog-eat-dog jungle associated with the free enterprise economic system. Marx promises an It is in this regard that capitalism will survive even with the temperament of the economic environment. It is not too difficult to identify the dangerous features of Marxian philosophy. Marx downgrades a human being by regarding him as a mere material being. The root of Marxian philosophy is materialism. According to him, only matter matters. Nothing else exists but matter. Man is completely conditioned by the material facts of life. Thus, there is nothing sacred about human life. Every man is merely a pawn that can and should be sacrificed if the good of the communist party should so dictate. Marx’s vision of pure communism is the height of utopia and completely disregards the basic traits of human nature. It is indeed quite difficult to visualize ourselves as unselfish saints who will willingly work for the common good without being motivated by economic rewards. Man is not just a material being. He is both body and soul, flesh and spirit, mind and matter. An economic system is not something that

Macro Economics - Supply Side Options Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Macro Economics - Supply Side Options - Essay Example Classical economists therefore focus on endogenous supply-side causes of unemployment and will prescribe policies that affect the aggregate supply of labor such as reducing information asymmetries and removing constraints on worker's mobility to lower unemployment in the long-run. On the other hand, Keynesian economists view the labor market in the short-run assuming fluctuations in the economy; the Keynesian aggregate supply curve is horizontal where wages are "sticky" and not everyone in the labor force finds jobs. Thus, Keynesian unemployment is demand-driven and caused by variables exogenous to the labor market, such as economic recessions and decreases in output that alters aggregate demand causing disequilibrium. Keynesian economists who give importance to exogenous demand-driven causes of unemployment will therefore prescribe expansionary fiscal policies to stimulate aggregate demand such as increasing government expenditures and inducing consumption to restore equilibrium and lower short-run unemployment. Supply-siders focus on managing aggregate supply to stabilize short-run fluctuations, and increase output in the long-run. They begin with the implications that without structural policies to shift the aggregate supply curve outward, fiscal policies focusing on demand-effects cannot increase aggregate output in the long-run because of crowding-out effects; while at the same time causing inflation because despite the shift in the aggregate demand curve, the crowding-effect causes excess demand, thereby increasing prices. However, since structural policies are difficult to implement, supply-siders emphasize the supply-side effects of fiscal policies assuming that aside from demand-effects, fiscal policies have strong supply-side effects, which can shift both the short-run and long-run aggregate supply curves to the right, offsetting inflationary pressures while increasing aggregate output. Hence, supply-siders would advocate fiscal policies that reduce taxes affecting the labor force, such as an income tax cut because of its ability to stimulate aggregate supply by providing laborers greater incentives to work thereby increasing over-all productivity. Furthermore, the shift in aggregate supply offsets inflationary pressures in the long-run, such that if the supply curve shifts far enough, aggregate output can increase without increasing prices. Question 3: In reaction to Keynesian prescriptions that governments must take an active policy role in stabilizing the economy, Monetarists take a more passive stance regarding economic policy, advising that the Fed must simply allow money supply to grow at a constant rate, and make adjustments only if the rate which the full employment economy grows deviate from nominal targets. Hence, Monetarists prefer rules-based policy regimes as opposed to discretionary ones, where the margin for error is larger. The rationale for Monetarist prescriptions lies in the assumption that the economy is inherently stable, wherein disruptions within the economy are caused by wrong economic policies. Monetarists argue that the economy is better-off if policymakers, with their limited abilities, refrain from fine-tuning the economy. They emphasize the time lags present in implementing economic policie

Who have to deal with loss Essay Example for Free

Who have to deal with loss Essay These shoes are a symbol of the daughter, One shoe pointed in fact towards the bedroom window and the other pointed towards the door. They wanted to get out The writer has used personification here to suggest how the mother is trying to figure out why her daughter has left her, just like in Chemistry where the narrator misunderstands the mothers motives to set out for a new life. The boy mistakes this look of relief, as if she had recovered from an illness. As if she did not care about the grandfather. The mother in Your Shoes makes the reader sympathize for her. In this way, we see how the character of the mother is presented in the manner she deals with loss. The shoes are abandoned and this suggests that these shoes are a metaphor of the rejected parents. In comparison the structure that both the writers have used are that the stories are written in non- chronological order. In Your Shoes the mothers thoughts flit backwards and forwards the mother does not deal with her loss and neither does she come to terms with it. Just like in Chemistry although the boy witnessed a lot he does not share his feelings. It is clear when Mother said: Hes only ten what can he know? the boy certainly knows a lot more than he is credited for. Furthermore the stories Your Shoes and Chemistry are both written from the 1st person which then only shows the thoughts of the main characters so the readers may have to work out for themselves how the characters feel although it is fairly obvious in Your Shoes. In this way, we see that the writers have presented the way the characters deal with their losses differently. The themes explored in both stories is conflict as in Your Shoes the father deals with the situation by calling his daughter a dirty slut and actually makes the situation worse, which is equal to Chemistry where the grandfather comes between Ralph and the mothers relationship. The theme of change is also mentioned in the stories as the mother is not prepared to face anything different, Ive taken a weeks sick leave from school she does not want to go back without her daughter, but instead she wants everything back to how it was. Whereas the boy in Chemistry is perhaps not ready but is forced to change the way he lives. The ways these characters deal with loss differ greatly. The setting in Your Shoes is of the mother lying curled up in the middle of the bed here the mothers surroundings reflect the presence of her daughter. The mother is almost like a foetus, weak and unable to look after herself. The room symbolizes her daughter just like her shoes. In contrast the setting in Chemistry symbolizes the relationships drifting apart between each generation, she had grown neglectful of Grandfather. Here Swift is describing the invisible thread that is holding the family together is shifting. The setting in these stories symbolizes how the characters in each story deal with loss. The setting in these stories symbolizes how the characters in each story deal with loss. To conclude I think that the main difference between the stories Your Shoes and Chemistry is that the mother does not come to conditions with the way she deals with loss. Whereas in Chemistry the boy realizes that dealing with loss is part of your life.

Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies (IIMs)

Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies (IIMs) 1.1 Introduction to IIMs Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are a group of rheumatic disorders affecting skeletal muscle, they are thought to be auto immune in origin (Rothwell et al., 2013), but as their name implies the actual cause remains something of an enigma. The phenotype of IMMs is generally characterised by progressive symmetrical proximal muscle weakness and rapid fatigue, MHC class 1 expression in muscle fibres (van der Pas et al., 2004), increased circulating muscle enzymes (Creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase)(Cox et al., 2010), and the invasion of inflammatory infiltrates such as immune cells and cytokines (Lundberg et al., 1997; Grundtman et al., 2007). They are heterogeneous in their clinical presentation with patients displaying differing histopathological features, and exhibiting varying disease durations and treatment responses; this is probably associated with the numerous genetic and environmentally implicated factors that have been recently discovered (Rothwell et al., 2013). Interestingly, overt muscle atrophy is not a typical feature of IMM as it is in most diseases associated with muscle fatigue. Inflammatory infiltrate presence in muscle fibres is indicative of cytotoxicity (Lundberg et al., 1997). However, it is often observed that the extent of infiltrate presence in the muscle fibre does not often correlate with the degree of muscle dysfunction (Grundtman et al., 2010), implying that impaired muscle performance is the result of something other than muscle cell damage induced by inflammatory cells and their products; and the continued progression of pathology in the absence of infiltrates suggests that the muscle itself could be contributing. Furthermore, it has been found that weakness can in-fact precede infiltrate presence, and in immune-suppressed individuals weakness can persist (Lundberg Chung, 2000). Muscle weakness is usually initiated in the large muscles around the hips and shoulders, but often spreads to more distal areas resulting in quadriparesis (weakness in all four limbs) that can be severely debilitating. The impact of this can cause the patient difficult y in carrying out even simple everyday tasks such as climbing stairs and can be particularly dangerous in older patients who often have related morbidities. As the disease progresses, eventually the patient’s fine motor skills can be impeded: distal muscle action is required for these movements and weakness in these regions can have affect fine motor skills (Dalakas, 1991). Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) is also common in severe cases and can cause fatal choking. IMMs clearly have an adverse impact on the patient’s quality of life, and a deeper understanding into the disease is essential for this to be improved. However, some patients are only mildly affected; this heterogeneity makes it difficult to establish the definitive cause of myositis, and treatment is therefore limited. IMMs can be subdivided into three main discrete histological categories: Polymyositis, Dermatomyositis, and Inclusion Body Myositis. 1.2 Dermatomyositis (DM) DM is a microangiopathy that affects both the skin and muscle tissue, and is caused by the lysis of endomysial capillaries and muscle ischemia (Dalakas Hohlfeld, 2003). It was Hohlfeld that described the criteria for diagnosing IMMs; a diagnosis can be made subsequent to three laboratory experiments: serum muscle enzyme concentrations, electromyography, and muscle biopsy (Dalakas Hohlfeld, 2003), and in some cases a skin biopsy may be useful in diagnosing DM. Creatine Kinase (CK) elevation is the main indicator of DM, and is usually correlative to disease severity. It is common for skeletal muscle CK concentration to increase fifty-fold in patients with active DM, but in some patients levels remain basal (Dalakas Hohlfeld, 2003). The muscle biopsy is critical for an accurate diagnosis and would generally show perifascicular atrophy caused by phagocytosis and necrosis of the muscle fasciculus; this is diagnostic of DM even in the absence of inflammation. CD4 positive T-cells are us ually detected in the dermis at sites of perivascular inflammation, and capillary density is dramatically reduced with vessel perforation. DM was unsurprisingly the first to be reported in 1875 by Potain (Potain, 1875) (Oddis Medsger Jr, 1995), probably due to its extramuscular manifestation of heliotrope (upper eyelids), and erythematous (face, neck, back, shoulders) rashes that commonly precede muscular weakness (Dalakas Hohlfeld, 2003). The extensor joint surfaces of DM sufferers are commonly covered in Gottrons papules, along with dilated capillary loops at the base of the finger nail with thickened cuticles (Dalakas Hohlfeld, 2003). The outward appearance of DM often leads to a false diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus as muscle weakness is not always evident in DM patients; however, the two diseases differ in that only the latter involves a phalangeal rash. DM has been shown to be the most common form of juvenile myositis, though there have been reported rare incidences of polymyositis (Sato et al., 2000). If treated early on, DM has been shown to respond to immunotherapeutic agents; however, the first line of treatment is usually corticosteroids such as high-dose oral Prednisone. Patients usually show some degree of response to steroid treatment alone, but they are usually administered in conjunction with other immune targeted treatments (Aggarwal Oddis, 2012). 1.2 Polymyositis (PM) In 1887 Unverricht reported the first case of PM (Unverricht, 1887), which presents without the classical rash associated with DM. It is the least common form of myositis and onset is almost universally after 18 years of age, though as previously mentioned it has been reported in the juvenile form (Sato et al., 2000). Epidemiology of PM is difficult to quantify due to it being a rare form of a rare disease that was for many years indistinguishable from Inclusion Body Myositis. PM develops slowly over months or years, and identifying the exact, or even approximate, time of onset is difficult due to the progressive nature and lack of the characteristic rash associated with DM. Muscle weakness progresses in much the same way as DM and is equally as debilitating (Dalakas Hohlfeld, 2003). Diagnosing PM generally involves the exclusion of other similar myopathies using the three diagnostic laboratory experiments described earlier. In PM, unlike DM, CK concentration is always elevated significantly above the basal level. CD8-positive T-cells are found to be invading healthy muscle fibres expressing MHC class I antigens forming a CD8/MHC-1 complex (Dalakas Hohlfeld, 2003). There has long been evidence to suggest that PM could be induced by viral infiltration, possibly via retro-viral infection (Dalakas et al., 1986). The treatment approaches for PM are the same as DM, and in about 70% of patients intravenous immunoglobulin appears to be a promising treatment. 1.3 Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) IBM was not universally accepted as a separate classification to DM and PM until 1978 (CARPENTER et al., 1978), but it has since been found to be the most common acquired IMM in the elderly, and in men over the age of fifty (Dalakas Hohlfeld, 2003). There are two types, sporadic- and hereditary-IBM, the two are histologically and ultrastructurally similar, but hIBM lacks inflammation. IBM was pathologically characterised by Yunis and Samaha, who coined the term in 1971 (Yunis Samaha, 1971); they noted in patients the presence of vacuoles containing cytoplasmic degradation products with fibrillary nuclear and cytoplasmic inclusions that distinguished IBM from PM, something it is often misdiagnosed as. Insoluble amyloid protein deposits are also found in the muscle tissue of IBM patients, along with the invasion of CD8/MHC-1 complexes that are also associated with PM, and perivascular and endomisial inflammatory infiltrates (Grau Selva-O’Callaghan, 2008). CK levels are usuall y, but not always, elevated slightly. The vacuoles associated with IBM are indicative of muscle atrophy, something that is not generally seen in DM or PM. The process is gradual, occurring slowly over years similarly to many muscular dystrophies. In PM patients that do not respond to therapy, a diagnosis of IBM is now generally considered. Most IBM patients do not show a marked response to anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressant therapy; a few, probably those with an early diagnosis, show a limited response to corticosteroids, and cytotoxic drugs, but this is not always sustained. Exercise therapy is often suggested to stabilize muscle strength and function, and is frequently advised (Grau Selva-O’Callaghan, 2008). 1.4 Epidemiology Onset of myositis is most common in adults and is generally sporadic, though it has been postulated that there could be some underlying genetic predisposition that could attribute to myositic presentation in some individuals (Cox et al., 2010; Rothwell et al., 2013). Juvenile myositis is less common than the adult form, with dermatomyositis being most prevalent (Dalakas Hohlfeld, 2003); it’s incidence creates discrete age brackets in which IIMs occur. IIMs are regarded as rare, and though there have been numerous attempted epidemiological studies they generally have a low sample size, and it is therefore difficult to determine accurate statistics; also, most statistics are no longer accurate as the old classification of IMMs (Bohan and Peter) could not distinguish between Polymyositis and Inclusion Body Myositis. IMMs have been shown to be most prevalent in women, with DM being the most common diagnosis (Dalakas Hohlfeld, 2003). 1.4 High Mobility Group-box 1 Protein (HMGB1) HMGB1 is a non-histone chromatin associated protein; under typical physiological conditions it is confined within the nucleus where it regulates an array of important transcriptional pathways by binding to and distorting sections of DNA, allowing for the assembly of multi-protein complexes (Bianchi Manfredi, 2004). In response to tissue damage, the normally nuclear protein translocates to the extracellular space and acts as an inflammatory cytokine. Excessive cytokine signalling by HMGB1 has been shown to be fatal in mice (Wang et al., 1999). However, it has been observed that in models of tissue regeneration HMGB1 acts as a chemotactic agent to recruit stem cells such as mesangioblasts in vitro, which indicates it has an in vivo role of favouring muscle regeneration by promoting vessel formation (Vezzoli et al., 2011) (Sachdev et al., 2013). It is therefore interesting that it’s implicated role in IMMs is pathological. 1.5 HMGB1 in IIMs When activated by inflammatory stimulants, HMGB1 is actively secreted from monocytes and macrophages via specialised organelles such as secretory lysosomes (Bianchi Manfredi, 2004); HMGB1 is found to be significantly elevated in patients with IIMs (Grundtman et al., 2010). This translocation is permitted by the hyperacetylation of lysines on HMGB1 (Bonaldi et al., 2003) allowing it to be permanently dissociated from the chromatin, and become packaged in secretory lysosomes. In necrotic cells the cellular membranes lose their integrity and soluble proteins such as HMGB1 are allowed to leak out; this differs from apoptosis where the cell death is not signalled by this leak as HMGB1 remains tightly bound to the chromatin (Bianchi Manfredi, 2004). Necrosis is thought to be the predominant route for cell death in IIMs (Schneider et al., 1996); this allows for HMGB1 to be passively released from the cell. HMGB1 exists in mutually exclusive redox forms that mediate specific inflammatory roles (Venereau et al., 2012). Full reduction of Cysteines 23, 45, and 106 occurs initially, forming all-thiol-HMGB1; in this state it has a cytokine stimulating activity. It is thought that this is the form secreted by activated monocytes to help contribute to the inflammatory response. Later, a disulphide bond forms between C23 and 45 in the HMG-BoxA domain of HMGB1 whilst the Box B C106 remains unpaired and in the thiol state (Venereau et al., 2012). The disulfide form possesses chemoattractant capabilities, causing the migration of leukocytes to the region of inflammation (Venereau et al., 2012). Only the fully reduced form can recruit motile cells, making the cytokine stimulating and chemoattractant activities of HMGB1 also mutually exclusive. Terminal oxidation of HMGB1 fully abrogates its bioactivity, but slight oxidation is required to convert all-thiol HMGB1 to disulphide-HMGB1; it is thought that infiltrating inflammatory cells cause the conversion by maintaining the extracellular oxidative environment as they are a well characterised source of reactive oxygen species (ROS). HMGB1 is a ligand for the Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4), a mediator of the innate immune response; though it is found in both healthy individuals and myositis patients, it is proposed to be the receptor for which muscle dysfunction in IIMs is mediated (Zong et al., 2013). The TLR4 plays an important role macrophages and monocytes where it is involved in pathogen recognition. Patient data from a recent study suggests that HMGB1 may induce MHC class 1 expression in patients with IIMs via activation of the TLR4: MHC class 1 and TLR4 have been found to be coexpressed in the muscle fibres of patients with myositis but not healthy individuals (Zong et al., 2013). Another receptor through which HMGB1 signals is the Receptor for Advanced Glycation Endproducts (RAGE); an in-vitro knock out study using intact single fibres demonstrated that HMGB1 acts via the TLR4 and not RAGE to induce muscle MHC class 1 expression and fatigue by decreasing the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum (SR) Ca2+ released by actio n potentials (Zong et al., 2013). However, this may not necessarily be true in-vivo. Nevertheless, the HMGB1-TLR4-MHC 1 pathway seems to be an integral part of the pathogenesis of IMMs and could therefore be a potential therapeutic target. It has been shown that aerobic exercise (a common and beneficial intervention for IIM patients) reduces TLR4 mRNA in skeletal muscle of rats (Zanchi et al., 2010), thus further suggesting that TLR4 plays a key role in IMMs. References Aggarwal R Oddis CV. (2012). Therapeutic advances in myositis. Current opinion in rheumatology 24, 635-641. Bianchi ME Manfredi A. (2004). Chromatin and cell death. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) Gene Structure and Expression 1677, 181-186. Bonaldi T, Talamo F, Scaffidi P, Ferrera D, Porto A, Bachi A, Rubartelli A, Agresti A Bianchi ME. (2003). Monocytic cells hyperacetylate chromatin protein HMGB1 to redirect it towards secretion. The EMBO Journal 22, 5551-5560. CARPENTER S, KARPATI G, HELLER I EISEN A. (1978). Inclusion body myositis A distinct variety of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy. Neurology 28, 8-8. Cox S, Limaye V, Hill C, Blumbergs P ROBERTSà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ THOMSON P. (2010). Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: diagnostic criteria, classification and epidemiological features. International journal of rheumatic diseases 13, 117-124. Dalakas M, London W, Gravell M Sever J. (1986). Polymyositis in an immunodeficiency disease in monkeys induced by a type D retrovirus. Neurology 36, 569-572. Dalakas MC. (1991). Polymyositis, Dermatomyositis, and Inclusion-Body Myositis. New England Journal of Medicine 325, 1487-1498. Dalakas MC Hohlfeld R. (2003). Polymyositis and dermatomyositis. The Lancet 362, 971-982. Grau JM Selva-O’Callaghan A. (2008). Sporadic inclusion body myositis. In Diagnostic Criteria in Autoimmune Diseases, pp. 165-168. Springer. Grundtman C, Bruton J, Yamada T, Ãâ€"stberg T, Pisetsky DS, Harris HE, Andersson U, Lundberg IE Westerblad H. (2010). Effects of HMGB1 on in vitro responses of isolated muscle fibers and functional aspects in skeletal muscles of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. The FASEB Journal 24, 570-578. 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