Chinese vs American Culture

Sarah Gonzalez Chinese Culture VS American Culture It doesn’t matter what kind of ethnicity you are, or how you were brought up. Everyone is deeply rooted in their own culture. â€Å"Culture† has a different meaning to everyone. Comparing American culture to Chinese culture we will find many different meanings to the word â€Å"culture†. For example, we Americans are always looking for something bigger and better for our future, and the Chinese are content with a small reserved lifestyle with no intentions of changing it for something bigger.A culture is a way of life of a group of people-the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next. Growing up in America we are taught to never settle for less, that we can do anything that we set our minds too, and when we grow up we can be anyone we want to be. After all we are the â€Å"ho me of the brave and the land of the free†, right? The Chinese are more set on if you are a girl you are too be the homemaker, and the men are too make the money doing physical labor.The story â€Å"I Answer to Elaine† concluded it all perfectly to me. â€Å"She continued to sign Father’s name. I threatened legal action: â€Å"That’s forgery! It’s not your name†. [Example from I Answer to Elaine] This shows that the Chinese believe that the men are dominate, head of the household, the only say so. In the American home mom and dad have a shared liability for the children and both set of parents go out into the work force. â€Å"A deep frustration set in. I was sickened by her statement’s implication for my future.I hated helplessness, believing it unique to her alone† [Example from I Answer to Elaine]. I feel like Elaine is frustrated with her mom because she knows because of her gender her mom doesn’t expect mush out of h er other than to be a care giver. This has to be confusing to Elaine when she sees all over her American friends dreaming about their big futures and what they will do. Elaine should be able to grow bigger than just a housewife. Believe it or not, but American and Chinese culture do have something’s in common. They see eye-to-eye on some aspects.Like providing for their children â€Å"Parents work together for the well-being of their children† [Example from Article]. It is true that parents do the best they can to work towards a better financial life for their kids. That’s why many Chinese parents come over to the states, so that they can provide a better life, and a better education. They would also go to great lengths for their children no matter what the cause â€Å"Parents will risk their life for their children† [Example from Article]. Any parent would risk their life for their children no matter what ethnicity, or cultural aspect!There is no bond li ke a parent and their child. Chinese and American culture has a lot more differences than similarities. To the Chinese reputation of the individual is very important. If an action will humiliate someone or ruin a reputation, it is avoided. When shame occurs, the person sacrifices their job or whatever it is that will heal the shame. In America, reputations come and go overnight and in the end usually does not matter. â€Å"Go to an American home in exurbia, and almost the first thing you do is drift towards the picture window† [Example from American space, Chinese Place].It is true that we American’s always want something more than what we have in front of us. We are always looking forward to the big picture of our future. â€Å"Consider the traditional Chinese home. Blank walls enclose it† [Example from American Space, Chinese Place]. The Chinese are very content with what they have, and have no intensions of a â€Å"bigger picture†. They keep what they have close to them. All in all, I think we can see the difference and the similarities between the two cultures. The Chinese are set on their morals.One is to respect all others, the men is the runner of the household, and keep your opinion to yourself. Americans don’t always follow the rules. When we don’t agree with something we are going to speak out about it, and give them out opinion. In the households sometimes there is a man of the house, and sometimes it’s a single mother running the house. I think the Chinese have a better wrap around the meaning of â€Å"culture† they stick to what they believe, and it stays that way for years. Rather than American’s missing the meaning of â€Å"culture† and worrying about what the future has to hold for them.

Communication and Collaboration Strategy Essay

Being able to accomplish a task with a team can be both rewarding and challenging. Learning how to effectively work with a group of people from diverse backgrounds can ultimately be draining. First and foremost there has to be an understanding that everyone is not the same, personalities are different, attitudes are different, work habits are not the same, and definitely learning styles are different. Becoming more sensitive with other team members actions or behaviors is a must. This will help to guide the team as a whole in developing different work strategies to reach the success of the team. The tests that I took to determine my personality and learning style were called â€Å"Multiple Pathways to Learning and the Personality Spectrum. † My highest most dominant personality scores were about equal between â€Å"organizer, thinker, and giver† my weakest point was being an adventurer. It also revealed that I my most dominant learning style is bodily-kinesthetic, musical, intrapersonal, and interpersonal but I am also verbal-linguistic. I find that I do agree with the results of these tests and I will use these learning styles to connect to my fellow team members that are in my group and those that are yet to come. I can use these beneficial techniques in my studies and work on those benefits that I am not yet strong in. There are other different personality types that were mentioned in the tests, they include: Thinker, Giver, and Adventurer, along with Organizer. They can all have an effective way that can increase the advance of a team. Thinkers are good at solving problems, and are very efficient when constructing models, while still able to analyze things. The Givers are peaceful, helpful, and caring and are very useful when dealing with human relationships. During times of conflicts between the team givers are exceptional at resolving the conflict and are seemingly good at negotiating (Carter, Bishop, & Kravits 2007). The Adventurer are individuals who love to explore new things. They often excel at new ideas and are also problem solvers. They also are always thinking of new ways to learn and are very good a puzzles and riddles. The different learning styles that are helpful in a team environment are: visual-spatial learning, verbal-linguistic, interpersonal, and logical-mathematics. People with the Verbal-Linguistic learning style are those people who are good in remembering terms, and familiarizing sentence structures, syntax, and word meanings (Carter, Bishop, & Kravits 2007). These individuals are also good in grammar, and would excel in teaching, and discussion. The best way to communicate with these individuals would be to be as clear as possible. Individuals with interpersonal learning style like being around people so this would best work in a team environment. Always in a clear manner they have no problem expressing themselves either verbally or non- verbally. The best way to deal with these individuals would be to allow them to express their concerns and find a way to get the job done. Being kind and warm with these individuals will help to further the progress of the team. Individuals with logical-mathematics are always reasoning logically. These individuals have above average skills when it comes to scientific reasoning and using tables and charts. It is best to use logical communication skills when dealing with this learning style. Maybe make presentations with charts and graphs or just plain common sense. When dealing with a team environment you have to first set ground rules and figure out a way that everyone can have their voice heard. This will ensure that no one is left out and everyone participates without any problems or conflicts. But should they arise being patient with one another and allowing an open floor for discussion will be beneficial to resolving any conflicts and getting the job done.

Marketing for financial serivces Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing for financial serivces - Essay Example The company faces in launching the new products and services for the customers in such economic conditions and therefore loses the retention rate of customers and faces many problems. Coming towards social conditions of the bank, the bank micro environment was enough good but its macro-social environment wasn't that much strong. However, the company launches many Acts against the unfair banking conditions and after 11 years the Act of Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection becomes a law in 2005. Similarly, the company launches the law of Frontline Pbs in 2004 again against the unfair banking services. The companies social condition was much better but its competitor when enter in the market in the year 2003, when these competitors introduces new services and products the company faces a huge lost. Coming towards the last agenda, Technology, the company didn't introduce the latest technology in the company and was unable to introduced latest products and services. This ma ke the competitor more strong and thus reduces the market growth of the MBNA. The major competitor and players in the Europe against the MBNA is HSBC and Barclay. Barclay mainly deals in personal loans, mortgages and basically deals in personal banking and same is the condition of HSBC. As in his competitor environment the MBNA needs some thing new that helps in achieving the market place. Therefore, MBNA launches insurance products and business credit cards in order to meet the political conditions of the Europe. In last few years the government has changed many rules and regulations in order to decrease the interest rage charging on credit cards and thus this directly affect the MBNA credit card services. Due to the low productivity of MBNA from the last few years there is a clear space between the market positions. Let involves the Porter's Model in it in order to understand the five forces. The threat of substitute products: there is the threat that the HSBC new product and services may capture the MBNA customers which may cause a huge cost to the company. Their product differentiation may cause a huge cost on the company. The HSBC is the key player that will affect the MBNA. The threat of the entry of new competitors: due to the new regulations of government the financial services of the Europe is becoming more stable. That is the reason that why the new companies are emerging and causing the switching cost to the MBNA. In 2003 and 2004 the government policies affect a lot on the success of MBNA and causing the customers to quit to other new opportunities. This causing a clear market space between the MBNA and its competitor. On the other hand the brand does matters a lot. Different services in credit card may cause in lowering the retention rate of the customers in the MBNA. The intensity of competitive rivalry: the competitors though are very few at present conditions but these competitors are very strong. On the other hand, many new companies are deciding to provide their services in the near future. The HSBC is offering international financial

Financial Economy and Royal Bank Of Scotland Essay

Financial Economy and Royal Bank Of Scotland - Essay Example RBS is engaged in international banking and financial services business and thus confronts with the challenges posed by any changes taking place in financial economic conditions only in the United Kingdom but throughout the world. This paper provides an insightful study on the effects of financial economic factors on the activities, operations, profits and reported earnings of the Royal Bank of Scotland. The paper starts from discussing the prime banking and financial services activities of the bank and its international operations. It then moves towards the company's debt/ gearing level and analyzes the impact of changes in interest rates, inflation and exchange rates in the activities and earnings of the company. The paper also sheds light on the extent of the RBS' involvement with the Financial Services Authority (FSA). The Royal Bank of Scotland is one of the largest companies in the UK as well as the world. The company is ranked as the greatest company in Scotland, second largest in the United Kingdom and sixth largest in the world. The company is involved with provision of financial services to a variety of customers ranging from large corporations to small businesses and individuals (Scotland PLC: The financial industry in Edinburgh, 13.04.07). RBS has its banking operations in various parts of the world. Being a banking and financial services company, the Royal Bank of Scotland is greatly influenced by changes in financial economic conditions. RBS- Operations The Royal Bank of Scotland has a wide range of operations in various areas of banking i.e. corporate markets (investment and risk management services in both the UK and global large businesses and financial institutions), retail markets (including retail operations and wealth management), Ulser bank providing products and services to retail and corporate customers in Ireland, Citizens commercial banking organisation, RBS insurance and manufacturing (RBS annual report, 2006). The major business segments of RBS are personal banking, private banking, business banking and corporate banking (Royal Bank of Scotland, 13.04.07). Overseas Operations The Royal Bank of Scotland has its operations in different parts of the world including UK the home market, the United States, Europe and Asia Pacific. The company's operations in UK include dealing in the areas of corporate markets, retail markets, insurance and manufacturing. In the United States, RBS has its operations in the areas of corporate and retail banking. The company is engaged in the same operations as in UK all over the Europe, whereas in Asia Pacific the RBS is involved with corporate market, retail market and manufacturing operations (RBS Annual Report, 2006). Retail Operations The company operates in a vast range of financial services including retail operations. The Royal Bank of Scotland's retail banking operations includes services to personal and small business customers. In this regard, the company provides its services in the areas of consumer banking, business banking, cards and direct finance in the United Kingdom. The Royal Bank of Scotland's has its international wealth management operations in continental Europe and Asia Pacific region, as well as in the UK home market. RBS- Debt/Gearing: The Royal Bank o

Ethics In Disability Sports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Ethics In Disability Sports - Essay Example Disability sport can be defined as recreational, competitive, and Paralympics sport for individuals with disabilities or a body of knowledge that guides philosophy and practices. The relationship among disability, sport, and knowledge is multifaceted. Such concepts are created by social groups and reflect the affordances and constraints of specific times and cultures.Disabilities have been conceptualized as limitations in physical, mental, or sensory functional ability and activity that prevent or compromise equitable participation in able-bodied sport. Disability sport has been associated mainly with disability sport organizations (DSOs) or the International Paralympics Committee (IPC). However, people with disabilities can now choose to participate in a wide variety of sport contexts (Sherrill & Williams 1996). Thus, the meaning of disability sport has been widened to include any combination of sport and disability. DePauw defined disability sport as a term that gives equal weight to concepts of disability and sport (1986).4. Theories and Conceptualizations of Sport DisabilitySome of the studies and researchers have defined theories of sports disability that might fit into a disability sport conceptual framework.5. Sport Performance TheorySport performance theory includes all of the inconstant, excluding classification, that facilitate explaining or foreseeing phenomenon such as attaining an individual best, winning and losing, managing injury, burnout, stress, anxiety.

Summary and Impact Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Summary and Impact - Essay Example The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) doubts the claim that e-cigarettes are safe because vapor and smoke are harmful regardless of the way they are consumed. E-cigarettes are new to people; it is the reason why they are treated with interest and attention. I see many people who smoke e-cigarettes during the day. They are massively promoted as a healthy alternative which is 100% safe for people. This study shows that these promiscuous results have not been confirmed yet. After reading this article I believe that e-cigarettes are not as healthy as they are advertised. The only healthy alternative to smoking presupposes that people quit this bad habit forever. If any of my friends decide to try e-cigarettes in order to reduce tobacco consumption, I would warn them that there are no studies to check long-term outcomes or side effects related to this innovation. â€Å"E-Cigarettes: Not a Healthy Alternative to Smoking†. Biology News Net. May 27, 2014. Web. May 28, 2014.

Theorization & Generalization of Findings Article

Theorization & Generalization of Findings - Article Example Thus, Social Work Research is a means of providing a flexible system through which targets of a given Social Work projects can be analyzed, critiqued and evaluated in order to provide an opinion or view of the existing state of affairs in the status of a given community. The purpose of this paper is to critique a given article on the basis of standards, conventions, and ethics of Social Work Research presented by authoritative academics and researchers in the field. This will include a thorough review and analysis of the content of the article and how it meets the standards in the absolute and relativist sense. The article selected for this study is titled â€Å"Violence Exposure Among Children of Incarcerated Mothers† by Dana, D. DeHart and Sandra J. Altshuler which was published in the Child Adolescent Social Work Journal in 2009. As the title suggests, the article focuses on the social welfare of a class of people in society who need the help of social service providers and other social workers to gain a normal life – children of incarcerated women. Clearly, when a woman gives birth to a child in prison, the child is in a less than ideal social setting. Hence, there is the need for social workers in the community to find ways of ensuring that the child in question gets the right level of care and attention in order to grow to become a responsible adult. The title makes it easier for people searching the web to locate it because the words â€Å"violence†, â€Å"children† and â€Å"incarcerated mothers† are likely to be searched when anyone with a research interest needs to find an article with these features. This implies that it is conveniently titled and can be easily located. The title is also direct and straightforward because most thinkers can easily understand it and deduce a lot of meaning from it when they first see it.

Breast Cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Breast Cancer - Essay Example Like all the cancerous growth, early stage breast cancer also does not produce any clinical manifestations to get it noticed early. Therefore, recommended check up guidelines should be followed regularly with alertness before major clinical manifestations are observed. Early stage diagnosis of breast cancer and its treatment, may actually cure the cancer. The different treatment alternatives for breast cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, and/or chemotherapy. Proactive preventive measures of cancer are related to reducing potential causes of breast cancer. Aromatase inhibitors are used to prevent recurrence in early-stage breast cancer and are under clinical trials as prevention measures in high-risk postmenopausal women. breast. In breast cancer, normal cells grow abnormally and give rise to transformed cells which eventually spreads in the body. These evade on healthy cells, tissues and organs by depriving them of essential nutrients and space. It is the second most leading cause of cancer mortality in US. National Cancer Institute has estimated that in the US, 0.5% women will develop breast cancer by the age of 50 and it may rise to10% by the age of 80 (Paddock). In 2007, it was estimated that 178,480 new females with invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in addition to 62,030 cases of in situ breast cancer (Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2007-2008, p.2). The breast cancer related deaths equal to 40,460 women was predicted in 2007. American Cancer Society has reported that breast cancer related deaths are declining due to increased awareness among the population. This decline could be directly attributed to more number of women undergoing screening test like mammography. This makes early diagnos is possible and early treatment leads to better clinical outcome in terms of improved survival rates. Still women between the ages of 45 and 55 are predisposed to breast cancer related

Correlation between ESL students Research Paper

Correlation between ESL students - Research Paper Example Two studies were done in regards to preparing instructors to teach critical languages particularly Chinese and Arabic before joining US schools. The examination was geared towards illuminating the effects of on-going professional opportunities and pedagogical training. The need to train the teachers was informed by lack of background on different religious practices, cultures and ethnicities by pre-service teachers. Lack of exposure to diverse cultures by most of the foreign teachers impacted on their teaching since they relied mostly on myths and stereotypical misconceptions. The ultimate result was poor performance for ESL students not exposed to American culture in IETLS. Millennial learners are racially diverse. They have exhibit varying ethnic, religious, educational, cultural behaviors and characteristics leading to differences in the ability and capacity to adapt new languages, particularly English. According to Ota, millennial learners vary across regions as per socio-economi c conditions. It is more dependent on familiarity and use of digital technologies, media and communications. There is a gap between efforts students have in the classroom and what they finally score in IELTS leading to a need to carry out a qualitative analysis on more than 100 participants particularly millennial learners to establish whether narratives on ESL and IELTS especially in regards to bridging the gap between the two.  The major issue faced by Saudi students being taught IELTS in U.S.  Ã‚  

Hard Rock Cafe Case Study Essay Example for Free

Hard Rock Cafe Case Study Essay 1. When the Hard Rock Cafe opened up it first location in London, England in 1971, their strategy was based on expansion, placing their restaurants in areas with heavy tourism. In recent years, this strategy has changed in a few ways. First off they began putting social factors into play by each location. For instance, they have tweaked some of the menus to satisfy local taste. For example, in London, they have replaced much of the burgers and beef with seafood dishes. Secondly, instead of focusing on tourist locations like they used to do, the Hard Rock Cafe has begun to place establishments in areas where tourism isn’t as heavily counted on. 2. Product the menus at each Hard Rock location has been made up to fit the personalities of each region. As stated earlier, in London much of the burger and beef dishes in the England locations have been switched out with seafood dishes. Location when the Hard Rock Cafe first began expansion, they decided to place restaurants in locations that attracted heavy tourism. Decades later they decided to begin putting Hard Rock Cafe’s in locations that arent as heavily relied on by tourists. Inventory at each location, they began to sell merchandise unique to each location. About 48% of the cafe’s sales come from its merchandising. 3. The Hard Rock Cafe fits within the multidomestic strategy. Although it has become a recognized name by most people, it is still growing worldwide with them having 157 facilities in 57 countries. They have used this strategy by customizing both their product offering and market strategy to match different locations. For example in London cafe s, they offer seafood dishes over some of their hamburger and beef dishes that are offered elsewhere. Also in each location they have merchandise, such as; t-shirts, pins, and even shot glasses that are unique to that location

Reflective Assessment of Holistic Wellbeing

Reflective Assessment of Holistic Wellbeing Introduction Health, like beauty, lies in the eyes of the beholder and a single definition cannot capture its complexity. To this end, this essay aims to explore what health means to me and how it has been influenced by the experience of coping with my mothers chronic illness. To me, health transcends the absence of disease to include the physical, psychological and social well-being of a person; it means the empowerment of the individual, and is the foundation of a fulfilling life; it also means caring about the people who care about you and whom you care about. Describe For a period of time, my mother has been complaining of pain in her joints, hips and more recently, her back. I always had a bad feeling that there was something sinister about her pain even though our general practitioner could not pinpoint anything serious after several differential diagnoses. However, as she has a family history of joint pains, I chose to be in a state of denial to her pain and attributed it to a genetic condition she had that would go away with time. However, that was not the case. My family observed that my mother was getting more emotionally irritable as time went by, and the nagging pain meant that she often found reasons not to take part in social activities that we organized. It got to the extent that she was constantly lying in bed and could not do her favourite activities, such as going to the market, without considering the amount of movements she would have to go through. The radiating pain also gave her sleepless nights and all these were taking a toll on her quality of life, among many other factors. It was debilitating. And as her daughter, I felt helpless. More so because I was studying medicine, and was plagued with the guilt of not being able to relieve the suffering of the person I loved the most. The persistent pain worsened and my family decided to consult a specialist for a second opinion. A tumour was suspected. While the specialist made his diagnosis, I was very worried for my mother. I tried to prepare myself mentally to cope with the worst case scenarios, and this affected me emotionally and psychologically. I had no one to turn to as I did not want to worry others, and was at a loss of what to do. The results later revealed that my mother was diagnosed with a benign tumour (spine haemangioma). The specialist said that it was the lesser evil because it was not malignant, but that she would feel chronic pain throughout her life. What provided comfort to my family was the knowledge that there were treatments available to contain the tumour through methods such as radiotherapy and physiotherapy. Reflect It pains me to know that the person I love would be put through suffering both from the disease and its treatment, and I wished I could be the one going through it instead. Upon reflection, I realize that I had not been dealing with my emotions effectively. The fear of finding out more and my escapist mentality had prompted me to create an internal barrier, such that I could not provide the care and support for my mother as I would have liked her to have felt. Health means the holistic wellbeing of a person Witnessing her chronic suffering has made me realise that health does not merely mean the absence of disease but it requires a more holistic view which encompasses the physical, psychological and social well-being of a person. I used to think of health as merely the absence of physical pain that arose from diseases, and to this extent, the physicians task of relieving suffering was merely to alleviate the immediate physical pain and discomfort. However the literature I was exposed to on the nature of suffering in ill persons made me come to the realisation of my limited understanding of the term suffering. Through my research to understand the multi-faceted dimension of a person, and what suffering entails, I hope to be able to better understand what my mother is going through (albeit only the tip of the ice berg). Health means the empowerment of the individual, and is the foundation for a fulfilling life As the Catalan proverb goes, from the bitterness of disease, man learns the sweetness of health. I have too often taken for granted the gift of health that empowers a healthy individual to pursue things that matter in life not only ones aspirations or happiness, but down to the little things that affects our everyday living. For instance, I have seen how the chronic pain influenced my mothers daily routine, and brought much discomfort when travelling or doing household chores. I have come to appreciate that health enables individuals to use their body as a vessel to fulfil their dreams and satisfy their needs without being tied down or be restricted by suffering. Health is thus the basis which enables people to pursue happiness and wealth, aptly worded by Elbert Hubbard, who said, If you have health, you probably will be happy, and if you have health and happiness, you have all the wealth you need, even if it is not all you want. It takes a loss of health to appreciate these words o f wisdom. Health means caring about the people who care about you and whom you care about I always thought of Health as merely a personal responsibility and a duty that an individual owed only to himself. However, this experience has prompted me to comprehend how the absence of health in individuals will affect the mental, social and physical health of their loved ones as well. Research, analyse and connect The academic literature available allows me to gain a deeper insight on what health means to me and allows me to make sense of my experience in a broader context through considering the perspectives of others. Through examining the concept of human suffering brought about by the absence of good health, I learnt about the distinction between suffering and pain. A person who is in pain may not feel a proportional sense of suffering it is similarly possible for one to suffer even in the absence of pain. (Sanders 2009) In light of my mothers chronic illness, I was prompted to examine the literature on human suffering which made me realised that my understanding of the word suffering was limited at best. While I had always aspired to be a doctor to relieve the pain and suffering of people, I was of the view that human suffering was synonymous with physical pain brought upon an ill person due to diseases. However, literature has shown that suffering goes beyond the physical pain, and suffering defined merely as pain, disregards the broader significance of the suffering experienced by the ill. (Charmaz 2008) Suffering includes physical pain, but it is not limited to it. It can be understood by examining the many aspects of a holistic person and when any of these aspects is threatened, suffering ensues. These aspects may include a persons past, his or her role in society, relationships with others, day-to-day behaviour, and perception of the future. (Cassell 2004) The persistent pain my mother experienced affected her ability to do things that she had long associated herself with, such as playing tennis or climbing the stairs. In addition, my mother may have seen herself as being defined by several societal roles, such as being a wife, mother, caregiver to her parents, and a useful member of society. If the pain overwhelms her and restricts her from fulfilling these roles, she may see herself as being less than whole, and this may contribute to her perpetual suffering. In considering the holistic person and the suffering which impacts upon the many aspects of a person other than physical afflictions, it confirmed my understanding that health should also mean the physical, psychological and social well-being of a person. By understanding the multiple aspects of a personhood, I now better appreciate why medical education is shifting its emphasis from the traditional reductionist biomedical model of medicine to the biopsychosocial model of health. The limitations of the biomedical model is that it treats diseases in terms of abnormal physical mechanisms (Engel 2002) and this is inadequate in relieving sufferings in patients, as we now understand it to transcend the physical mechanisms to also encompass the holistic well-being of a person. The implications of the failure of physicians to understand the nature of sufferings can lead to medical interventions that (though technically adequate) not only fails to relieve suffering but becomes a source of su ffering itself. (Cassell 2004) This reflective practice also gives me a timely opportunity to evaluate my emotions and thoughts against that of the wider community. Relevant academic studies have shown that chronic illnesses also has an impact of the lives of caregivers. (Jung-Won Zebrack 2004) The emotions and thoughts that I felt were validated by researchers that show that receiving news of the chronic illness of a loved one can provoke emotions such as sadness, denial, grief and guilt. This may be due to guilty feelings of not giving adequate support to the ill person or it could be due to the emotional pain of feeling the loss of a loved ones health. (McIntyre 2005) It is important to attend to the impact of chronic illness on caregivers as research has shown that the holistic health of a caregiver has the potential to influence the health outcomes of persons with chronic illness. (WE 1999) Suggested methods of coping with these emotions include talking to someone; being informed about the disease as it give s the caregiver a sense of control; and accepting that there is a limit to the relief that a caregiver can provide. (familydoctor.org 2010) Decide, act and evaluate In light of the reflective writing and the academic literature reviewed, I hope that this will help me to come to terms and cope with the negative emotions I felt since receiving news of my mothers tumour. I can approach this by confiding in someone I am comfortable with, confronting my escapist mentality by finding out more about my mothers spinal haemangioma, and being aware of the treatments that she is going through. Her treatment is likely to expand over a long period of time, and she would need much emotional support and love from me. I have to be open to discussions about her illness and not evade any conversation on the topic as I did before. This reflective practice has also helped me to be more understanding and sensitive to the suffering of patients and their families. As a medical student, I have been made aware that the suffering of patients extends beyond physical pain, and that it is necessary for physicians to focus on patient-centred medicine and attend to the biopsychosocial model of health. It is also important to be aware of the impact that caring for a chronic ill patient has on the caregiver. To this end, I can be proactive as a future practitioner in asking caregivers how they are coping, and provide them with support services that they can turn to. I have also realised the important roles that practitioners play in preparing caregivers for the transition of roles to care for the ill, and in helping them anticipate changes that may occur in their lives. This gives caregivers a better sense of control over the situation, and increases their confidence in caring for the patient. A major takeaway from reflecting on what health means to me has been my understanding of the importance of medical practitioner to focus not only on curing diseases but also to relieve the sufferings of patients, understood holistically. To me, health transcends the absence of disease to include the physical, psychological and social well-being of a person; it means the empowerment of the individual, and is the foundation of a fulfilling life; it also means caring about the people who care about you and whom you care about.

The Garment Industry :: essays research papers

Globalization is basically about attempting to make things global and expanding products and companies over seas to countries all around the world. It can also be classified as the process of creating languages, services, and products that apply not just to an individual neighborhood or city or country, but to the whole world. Canadians have experienced many benefits that globalization has brought to their lives including the availability to products and services from all around the world. However, at the same time on the other side of the world it has had many pessimistic or negative effects on workers in developing countries. As Globalization began to boom, the number of sweatshops also increased greatly and its effects were most definitely harming in many ways to the individuals employed by them; mainly women and children. Out of all the industries that have become globalized, the textile and garment industries are amongst the most. Mutually the textile and garment industries mak e up one of the largest sources of industrial employment in the world. In virtually every country around the world clothing is being produced but being sold somewhere else. Around 30 million people are making clothes and textiles around the globe and out of those thirty million, most of them are women. Around the world women and children are suffering because of the introduction of sweatshops, low wages, unsafe working environments, free trade zones, foreign control, sub contracting and abuses of human and worker rights. Historically, the word "sweatshop" originated in the Industrial Revolution to describe a subcontracting system in which the middlemen earned profits from the margin between the amount they received for a contract and the amount they paid to the workers. Today a sweatshop is defined by the government as any business or factory that violates one or more of the federal or provincial labor laws which are as follows: minimum wage and overtime, child labor, industrial homework, occupational health and safety, workers compensation, or industry registration. Originally when the garment industry went global it was all about the positive effects it was having on the developing countries in which the factories were located and about all the jobs that were introduced to those who once could not ever imagine getting paid to work. As Globalization began to show more of its negative effects on those lives of the individuals in developing countries, it became more evident that because of this globalization people on every continent and territory were exposed to and forced to consume a North American culture.

Effects of Leadership in the US Army Essay --

The readiness of the United States Army is something that many American citizens are guilty of taking advantage of. For nearly two hundred and thirty-nine years the Army has been responsible for all land-based military operations concerning the United States of America and it's interests. Months and years of training go into readying every single soldier for that moment when he or she will be called upon. Now, imagine that readiness being compromised by poor leadership or the poor development of future Army leaders. With the ever changing landscape of how the world fights it's wars, coupled with the probable possibility of downsizing in the US military, existing and new leaders must be sharp and honorable (Tan, 2011). They must be intellectually capable to overcome and adapt to any situation to keep the soldiers safe and effective. Sergeant Jones Sergeant (Sgt) Jones was an incredibly successful non-commissioned officer (NCO) in the Army. Projecting through the ranks quickly, Sgt Jones appeared to have everything it took to have a highly decorated career doing what appeared to be his calling. And although he was highly sought after by higher ranking NCO's and officers, he was often hated and bad-mouthed by those under his command. Now, one might think – â€Å"well it's the military, of course you dislike your superior†, but in the confines of the Army this is almost never true. Good leaders, particularly those at the Sgt level, are regularly loved and admired for the care, compassion and ultimate leadership that they show their soldiers. Toxic Leadership In Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Sgt Jones and his team were conducting a training exercise under the sweltering July sun of 1997. As part of the training exercise, Jones' t... ...maybe, save someone's life. Works Cited Clark, D. (2013). Leadership & direction. Retrieved from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/ leaddir.html Hargrove, D. & Sitkin, S. (2011). Next Generation Leadership Development in a Changing and Complex Environment: An Interview With General Martin E. Dempsey. Academy Of Management Learning & Education, 10(3), 528-533. Lindsay, D. R., Day, D. V., & Halpin, S. M. (2011). Shared Leadership in the Military: Reality, Possibility, or Pipedream?. Military Psychology (Taylor & Francis Ltd), 23(5), 528-549. doi:10.1080/08995605.2011.600150 Reed, G. A. (2010). Toxic Leadership: Part Deux. Military Review, 90(6), 58-64. Tan, M. (2011). Survey: bad leadership drives soldiers to leave. Retrieved November 16th, 2013 from http://www.armytimes.com/article/20110521/NEWS/105210315/Survey-Bad-leadership-drives- soldiers-to-leave

Essay --

Healthcare is the fastest-growing industry in America, because health affects every facet of all Americans’ lives. People are living longer and longer than before. The lengthier life expectancy is due to advancements in the science and delivery of healthcare. Health communication has been an essential aspect of the delivery of healthcare. Also, health communication makes an impact and influence on healthcare policy and political initiatives, therefore, affects the health and lives of the people. Thus, it is important to understand the health communication’s overview, planning processes, techniques, and methods that affect and influence healthcare policy and political initiatives. Communications has long been essential part in the healthcare business. It goes back to the mid 1900s when hospital used communications professionals to delivered patient situation reports and release news about the facility. As seen in pharmaceutical corporations, they would employ communication consultants or internal workers to publicize a new drug approval. Now-a-days, healthcare companies also used vast staffs for trademark and corporate communications. Hence, there have been a growing numbers of consulting companies in public relations and medical advertisement due to many new advanced social media. In the addition, as the healthcare communications grow, more health communication specialists are needed. In the last thirty years, more health communication degrees are offered in universities (Hicks & Nicols, 2012). Through communication, health information can be shared to the public or the individual patient. Health material is transferred by newspaper, television, Internet, radio, flyers, or billboard, etc. Though there is a reduction i... ...tfeeding. They trained their staffs to educate new mothers about the important of breastfeeding (Mahone, 1996). Also, media campaigns reach and inform pregnant and lactating women and father the important of breastfeeding. The campaigns also reach general public about breastfeeding benefit through using public service announcements on radio, television, and in newspapers, journals, and magazines. From the campaigns, the publics are more aware of advantages of breastfeeding and women are more contented breastfeeding in public (Arias, 2005). Effective planning processes, techniques, and methods will make a major impact in healthcare policies and political initiatives. Individuals and groups definitely promote the public health through communication. Collaboration among individuals and different media outlets will transpire information throughout the nation.

Comparing the Two Poems: Clown Punk and Medusa Essay

Compare the ways the ‘Clown Punk’ and ‘Medusa’ show characteristics of being isolated and having bad or no kind of relationship with people. Both the ‘Clown Punk’ and ‘Medusa’ show characteristics of being isolated from humans; as shown in the ‘Clown Punk’, a man is being shunned by the general public, he is thought to be a bit of a joke – not to be taken seriously or treated as an equal. People fear him, yet despite this they also have a contrasting emotion of pity. Once thought of as rebellious, the man has now faded into the background, being forced to choose a simple job; his lack of education ensures this. He is a clown. The town clown. ‘Medusa’ can relate to the ‘Clown Punk’ because, although she was once accepted amongst people; beautiful and in love – she doubted her fiancà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s loyalty, slowly transforming her into a bitter and unsightly woman, thinking it would be ‘so better by far for me if you were stone’ in hopes that he would feel as isolated as she felt. Medusa’s wild thoughts slowly began to take actio n on her appearance, transforming her into a gorgon. Although Medusa and the clown punk are similar in many ways, Medusa chose to exclude herself from the rest of society, wanting to be unseen and living in the shadows of life, while the clown punk was turned away – wanting to be noticed but forever ignored. The ‘Clown Punk’ uses plenty of emotive language to emphasize the fact that the clown punk is a character the reader must feel for. The structure of the poem is 4 lines long within 4 stanzas, apart from the last which contains only 2, perhaps to draw attention to the fact that people wish that they could see less of the clown. ‘Medusa’ however uses a lot of figurative language – using similes and metaphors to emphasise the fact that Medusa is a character the reader must fear but also pity, similar to the ‘Clown Punk’ Emotive language, such as ‘deflated face’ is used in the ‘Clown Punk’ to create a vivid image for the reader. The language used allows the reader to picture the clown, making him appear more realistic and letting the reader feel sympathy for the clown punk because they can now imagine him clearer as a person with emotions. ‘Turned the hairs on my head to filthy snakes, as though my thoughts his sed and spat on my scalp’ This sentence is used in the Medusa poem because unlike the ‘Clown Punk’ it uses  both figurative language and emotive language, such as the simile, the use of the word ‘filthy’ and alliteration of the ‘S’ sound. The ‘S’ sound creates the sense that the reader can actually hear the snakes upon Medusas head, these snakes share Medusa’s thoughts, and take action upon them. ‘The shonky side of town’ is used in the ‘Clown Punk’ because the clown does not belong to the ‘good’ side of town. ‘shonky’ is a new word, invented by the author to show that there is no way to describe the awfulness of where the clown lives without mixing and matching words, (shonky is made up of shady and wonky) this is perhaps to show the slang attitude of punk rock. At the end of the second stanza within the ‘Medusa’ poem, their is a question which seems rhetorical – where in actual fact the question is answered at the beginning of the third stanza, making the reader pause momentarily before receiving the answer. This pause makes the question more frightening because waiting slightly adds drama and suspense to the poem. Within the structure of the ‘Clown Punk’ you could argue that the poem contains some characteristics of a sonnet, this could show that the clown punk is going against normal rules, he is rebelling. The structure of the ‘Medusa’ poem is rather long compared to the relatively short ‘Clown Punk’ ‘Medusa’ poem does not rhyme, whereas the ‘Clown Punk’ rhymes in the first, part of the third, and last stanza. The clown punk uses the same amount of syllables in each line in the first stanza. The reader of ‘Medusa’ would feel sorry her. Although Medusa rejected herself from social interaction, she is wild and can barely think straight without the snakes twisting her every thought. In addition to this, the reader may also attempt to understand medusa’s situation, in spite of the fact that she is no longer human – the reader can still sympathise with her. The author of the ‘Clown Punk’ never reveals the clowns actual name, this makes him seem mysterious and less human. Without a name, the public nickname him words that can scare other people away from him. It is this fear that contradicts the readers’ earlier emotion of pity. The reader of this poem would feel sympathetic at the relationship between the clown and the people, they would perhaps also feel grateful that they are accepted into their community – and no longer take for granted their friends and family.

Pluralist democracy Essay

Pluralist democracy works with numerous organised groups who all have some political power in the decision-making setting. It assumes that it’s ‘neutral’ government who listens to, and acts on the outcomes of these competing interests. Thus the large number and operation of pressure groups is considered to be a vital element in the promotion of pluralist democracy. There are considerations that pressure groups strengthen pluralist democracy. An argument for this encompasses that the existence of varied numerous pressure groups support the theory of pluralism. The modern political culture in the UK can be referred to as being one of pluralism in nature. This means that we expect a wide range of groups, interests, beliefs and ideologies to flourish together, all competing for attention and influence. The UK is a fundamentally free society, tolerant of different cultures, ideas and demands. As long as a group does not break the law, threaten the security of the state or incite others to commit crime or adopt racist ideas, it will be tolerated and protected from discrimination. Thus, pressure groups are able to operate in an extremely free and tolerant environment. In short, they are a key element in a pluralist society. Another argument that suggests pressure groups strengthen pluralist democracy is that pressure groups are a channel of representation between the people and the government, keeping government in touch with public opinion. Whether we take an active part or not, pressure groups represent our interests to those who govern. In virtually all our activities there is probably a group that is seeking to secure favourable legislation or decisions and to avoid unfavourable ones. As motorists, hospital patients, students, environmentalists, workers, and so on, we can be sure there is a group that is fighting our corner. In some cases we may be active members and so know exactly what issues are being addressed. In other cases we are not active but are nevertheless being passively represented. Even the smallest minorities are likely to enjoy such benefits; so pressure groups have important representation functions to perform. Additionally, the government openly accept the existence of pressure groups and involve them in decision making. They are a key part in the governing process. Their involvement at all stages of the policy and decision-making process helps to inform government itself and ensures that the interests and views of sections of the pubic are taken into account. In this sense, they can improve the quality of policy making. Governments also take into account the claims of pressure groups when making decisions. Pressure group activity in itself serves to enhance pluralist democracy by providing information and education to the public. It is clear that groups offer a considerable amount of information to the people. They are, by definition, independent of government (if they were not, we could not describe them as pressure groups), so we are receiving important messages from which we can make sound judgements. Of course, we cannot always rely upon the information being totally accurate, but if we combine all the various sources of information available to us we are able to form some kind of reasonable judgement. So, pressure groups certainly help to inform and educate us, which enhances a pluralist democracy. Pressure groups can be considered to widen the access to power and decision making for the mass of the citizens. The conventional view of pressure groups is that they help to spread power more widely. This would be seen by most commentators as an enhancement of democracy. Governments and parties tend to concentrate power in the hands of leaderships. Pressure groups, meanwhile, can empower their wider memberships. They represent the full range of the population and allow many voices to be heard. As long as they have any influence, they give the politically active part of the population access to decision makers, either directly or indirectly. We see this particularly effectively when considering mass-membership groups such as Age UK or unions representing public service workers. However, there are arguments that pressure groups weaken pluralist democracy. Pressure group activity can be viewed as elitist from several perspectives. When we look at the wealthy, strategically important groups we can see evidence of elitism. Some pressure groups may, in fact, concentrate power in the hands of a few. Governments favour certain groups who share their views or are at the time ‘electorally’ beneficial to their cause. The banking lobby can be seen as a prominent example, as can the various producer groups representing major industries. Producer groups, in particular, tend to represent their shareholders and management rather than their workers (a view that might be contested on the grounds that what is good for the industry is also good for its employees). When such elite are ‘insider’ groups, they might form powerful elite in combination with government. Ministers who are more influenced by group leaderships than by wider memberships could be accused of further elitism. This can be related to outsider or insider status. Some groups because of their economic power have more influence than others and this causes a disruption of the pluralist democratic position. Some groups can afford advertising to get their message across and thus they ‘buy’ their power. Related to their position in society is the issue of wealth. Clearly some groups have access to considerably more funds than others. All those sectional interests that represent employers and business in general inevitably have far more finance available to them than charities, which have to rely on hand-outs from the public or scarce lottery funding. The banking community is a similar example. In particular, wealthy groups, including individual companies, have adopted the practice of giving donations to political parties. Clearly they are hoping for a sympathetic attitude if their chosen party wins power. Perhaps more seriously, in 2006-07 it was alleged that a number of individuals had donated to political parties in return for the granting of peerages. The so-called ‘cash for peerages’ scandal did much to undermine faith in British democracy and further highlighted the issue of undue influence by those who command great wealth. In conclusion, pressure groups do strengthen pluralist democracy through its pluralism, representative function in keeping the government additionally in-touch with public views, role of educating the public on issues and empowering them with informed decisions after pressure group observation, and their acknowledgement and influence on some government decision-making. It is more that fixed elitism holds pressure groups back from pure pluralist democracy.

Health and Safety of Using a Computer

You need to use the internet to search for the following information. Use the table below to store your answers along with the web address of websites where you found the information. You should use more than one website to check your answers Why is posture important when using a computer? Information found (copy and paste from the website)| Web address| Your ‘computer posture' can have a huge impact on your health. If it's poor, and you slouch for 7 hours a day in front of your PC, your body will suffer in the long-term. | http://www. fitness-programs-for-life. om/computer-posture. html| Why should you take regular breaks or change of activity when using a computer? Information found (copy and paste from the website)| Web address| Eye muscles that shift focus between your source document and a screen for a long period of time can tire. | http://www. staffs. ac. uk/images/user042_tcm68-12657. pdf| Find an image to show how you should correctly sit when you are using a computer? Information found (copy and paste from the website)| Web address| | http://www. google. co. uk/imgres? imgurl=https://www. ourloungelearning. co. uk/materials/popups/new_screenshots/hse1. gif;imgrefurl=https://www. yourloungelearning. co. uk/materials/popups/health_safety. php;usg=__IFMYnONBLFJMUTBDRGIS4N0Y5NU=;h=328;w=425;sz=27;hl=en;start=3;zoom=1;tbnid=3kv5FZAK84FF1M:;tbnh=97;tbnw=126;ei=JhUxT_mxGIqK0AXjwtC0Bw;prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhow%2Bshould%2Byou%2Bsit%2Bat%2Ba%2Bcomputer%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom. microsoft:en-gb%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D852%26sout%3D1%26tbm%3Disch;um=1;itbs=1|Why should computer screens and chairs be adjustable? Information found (copy and paste from the website)| Web address| Adjust your keyboard and screen to get a good keying and viewing position. A space in front of the keyboard is sometimes helpful for resting the hands and wrists while not keying. Adjust seat height to ensure hands are perpendicular to keyboard (height adjustme nt is usually achieved by a handle to the left underside of the chair). | http://www3. imperial. ac. uk/occhealth/guidanceandadvice/computerhealth/compute healthgeneralguidance| Find out at least two health problems that might be related to computer use? Information found (copy and paste from the website)| Web address| 1. Eye Disease 2. Computer Stress Injuries 3. Hurting Hands| http://heheli. com/business/top-4-health-problems-caused-by-computer-use/| Find an image to show overloading sockets and find out why you should not overload sockets Information found (copy and paste from the website)| Web address| | http://images. google. co. uk/imgres? imgurl=http://www. ambethliving. org. uk/images/overloaded%2520socket_m. gif;imgrefurl=http://www. lambethliving. org. uk/Default. aspx%3Fpage%3D516;usg=__PGOPSK2MwkKZwGesrJ2Em_8vjEo=;h=183;w=150;sz=13;hl=en;start=17;zoom=1;tbnid=XTRUfXeqS4U0ZM:;tbnh=102;tbnw=84;ei=IhcxT_7NEM2GhQfr9sz-BA;prev=/search%3Fq%3Doverloading%2Bsockets%26hl%3Den%26s afe%3Dactive%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D852%26gbv%3D2%26sout%3D1%26tbm%3Disch;itbs=1| Why should you not have trailing cables around a computer room?Information found (copy and paste from the website)| Web address| A large number of accidents around the work place, are cause by tripping over trailing wires. | http://wiki. answers. com/Q/Why_shouldn't_you_have_trailing_wires_near_a_computer#ixzz1lhKk6ABs| Find out what is meant by ergonomic furniture Information found (copy and paste from the website)| Web address| What does ergonomics mean? | ‘Ergonomics' is the science of designing environments and products to match the individuals who use them.The word ‘ergonomics' comes from the Greek ‘ergon' meaning ‘work' and ‘nomos' meaning ‘law'. â€Å"Fitting the worker to the job not the job to the worker. † * Fitting the job to the worker through task design and procedures * Fitting the worker to the job through the use of proper placement procedures an d training. It should be noted â€Å"What works for one worker may not work for another, so it's important to emphasize individual solutions. † Your basic knowledge of ergonomics is a prevention of physical damage or injuries that may occur.

Bad Therapy

In the book â€Å"Bad Therapy: Master Therapists Share Their Worst Failures† by Jeffrey A Kottler it shows how other therapists use psychotherapy and how the therapists deem certain sessions as bad therapy. When the authors began this work their aim was to create an opportunity by which some of the most prominent therapists in the field could talk about what they considered to be their worst work in order to encourage other practitioners to be more open to admitting their mistakes. The authors are among the 22 therapists who agreed to participate in the project.The result of the interviews, all conducted over the telephone is this collection of short and very readable accounts. The credentials of the list of contributors to the book are impressive. In the preface the authors explained that they selected the participants because all were prominent and influential, had a body of published work and years of clinical experience. Arnold A. Lazarus, a pioneer of Behavior Therapy is among the writers. Between them, the authors alone have written over 70 books on counseling and psychotherapy. The majority of these therapists are working in a public professional life.They write books, run training courses, lecture and demonstrate their techniques to large professional audiences. They produce tapes and videos of their work. Throughout the text there are many references to the anxiety stirred by the nature of the subject on which these therapists were asked to reflect this because of the possibility of a lawsuit and laws. Each chapter is a narrative account of the conversation the authors had with the therapist who was asked to talk about incidences in his or her clinical practice which evoked uncomfortable memories, feelings of regret or guilt, or a sense of failure.Strong emphasis is laid upon what can be learned from the mistakes. I found this and the more general reflections on the theme of what makes therapy bad helpful to me considering a career in the clinic al practice. The refreshing honesty of the therapist’s accounts that gave me a sense of the tensions that arise during these sessions, â€Å"projecting an image of perfection†, and â€Å"stories of miraculous successes† (p. 189) or the â€Å"stunning failures† (p. ix). These words made me reflect on the nature of idealization and its opposite, devaluation on what success and failure means in therapy.It also helped me to reflect on the high expectations we put on ourselves as therapist to train well and to be viewed as doing a good job in the eyes of our clients, peers, trainers and supervisors. There is an uncertainty to what we view as good and what is bad in therapy. Good and bad can become intertwined with emotionally charged meaning along the success-failure road and their use is dependent upon expectations of good techniques or good interpretations. The value of the ordinary human contact with the client can get caught up in an anxiety ridden preoccu pation with the right way of doing things.At the beginning of the book, the authors state that they â€Å"tried for a cross section of representative styles and theoretical orientations† (p. x). But none of the 22 contributing therapist practices in the psychodynamic tradition. The therapeutic relationship is known as being important and the interaction between therapist and client is very much the basis of what happens in these accounts but the term â€Å"transference† is used only once or twice and not explained.The term â€Å"countertransference† is used in several places and in the context of some exploration of interpersonal dynamics but this is not explained either as a concept or as a useful frame within which to understand what happens in the emotional field between therapist and client. One of the few exceptions occurs in the discussion between the authors and Richard Schwartz (p. 51-52) in which the therapist talks about the importance of noting counte rtransference thoughts or behaviors, commenting that many therapists do not think about their own emotional responses to their clients.In several accounts, the therapist was left with a hangover of guilt or regret as a result of the bad therapy practiced. If a detailed exploration of the transference and countertransference dynamics had been possible then I suspect the focus of what was bad might have been shifted from it being a bad technique or an unfortunate intervention or maybe strategy to the kind of understanding that psychoanalytic psychotherapists are more familiar with.Also the impact of unconscious projection and introjections upon ourselves and our client’s behavior or emotional response, an example was given of this occurrence in the first chapter when the therapist, Kottler, briefly describes how he got mad at a client who would not dump her abusive boyfriend, and told her not to come back because he could not help her and then hoped she received better care els ewhere from another therapist.If a way of attempting to unravel what happened in this session were to think about the repetitive actions of an explosive situation in the client’s life during the session, the conclusion that this was bad therapy would be different. The kind of understanding that a psychodynamically trained therapist or counselor brings on some of these accounts made gave me a sense of what could happen during a session, such as Jeffrey Kottlers confession to sometimes feeling invisible and irrelevant as part of the personal process he encountered in interviewing the contributors (p.195). Both authors remarked that the contributors did not â€Å"go deeper† (pgs. 195, 197). Neither really explains what they meant by this and I suspect a similar sentiment is felt by many therapists. I felt there was a certain lack of depth and substance to the book because of the absence of consideration of the workings of the unconscious mind. The meaning of â€Å"bad th erapy† must be deemed by individuals reading the book.But in the book bad therapy means â€Å"In summary, bad therapy occurs when either the client or the therapist is not satisfied with the result and when that outcome can be traced to the therapist’s repeated miscalculations, misjudgments, or mistakes† (p. 198). It would be very interesting to extend this question of what makes for bad therapy by opening a clinically orientated debate among psychodynamic counselors and psychotherapists. What is the difference between bad practice and bad experience in psychotherapy and counseling would be a good question to pose.Both the therapists and clients may from time to time have a bad experience of each other or of the effects of our words or of feelings which cannot be thought about or adequately contained in a single moment. If we are open enough to be available to receive our client’s projections and be affected by emotions unconsciously intended to be a commu nication, we will no doubt feel the bad emotions or the mental state being projected. It will be enough to call this countertransference.If a bad experience is not able to be recognized then transforming the experience into something understandable in terms of the need of the client or even the mental state of the therapist it could become an example of bad therapy. What makes for bad therapy cannot be limited to doubtful strategies or mistimed interpretations or the wrong techniques. We are human in relationship to another and constantly affected by the emotional impact the other has on us if we are not really emotionally present to the client for some reason or if the client is using the therapist to communicate his or her experience of not being responded to emotionally.The point is that therapists need to find ways of transcending the experience so that it can be understood or changed by being given the benefit of thoughtful reflection. This may be a result of consulting our int ernal supervisor or of talking with a trusted peer group or external supervisor or consultant. Another related question has to do with the responsibility we take upon ourselves for monitoring and understanding what we call countertransference. In the book the point is made, several times, which we can all too easily label or blame our clients for their bad behavior or resistance or ability to make us feel tired, angry or irritable.Are we so focused on what the client does to us and on using this as a helpful therapeutic tool that the therapist will lose sight of their own state of mind or emotion which Freud cautions in relation to countertransference may be interfering with therapist’s ability? We need our peer colleagues and supervisors to help monitor therapists state of mind and reactions to their clients so that the ability to enter into the experience of the encounter with the client does not turn into a case of bad practice due to the absence of reflective thinking or insightful monitoring.I would recommend â€Å"Bad Therapy† to both trainees and the more experienced counselors and psychotherapists for its very thought provoking and interesting content as well as the unusual opportunity to gain insight into the mind and emotions of the practitioner at work. Reference: Kottler, J. A. , & Carlson, J. (2003). Bad therapy: Master therapists share their worst failures. New York: Brunner-Routledge.

Pfizer- puffery or deception Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Pfizer- puffery or deception - Essay Example However, this does not, in any way, mean that Dr. Robert Jarvik may make assertions about subjects that do relate to, but are not an intrinsic part of what he has discovered. Not all quality products are advertised through celebrities. Keeping that in view, Dr. Robert Jarvik’s claim about the potential utility of Lipitor in lowering cholesterol level is an attempt to decline the market value of other drugs that might be just as useful, if not more, in reducing cholesterol level. 2. Advertisements should be unbiased and rational, and the decision to buy should be left up to the customers to make. Instead of relying on Dr. Robert Jarvik’s name and fame, Pfizer should support its claims with scientific data and evidence. 3. It can not be said whether a company has crossed the line between puffery and outright deception unless one personally uses the product and experiences it. If the product comes up to users’ expectations, its company would have used puffery in adv ertising it. In the other case, there is outright deception in the advertisement.

Review Restaurant Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Review Restaurant - Research Paper Example I visited the Olive Garden Restaurant in the mid afternoon when it is less crowded, so that I could definitely secure a place there. The place was styled in a typically Tuscan farmhouse fashion, which radiated a spirit of being welcomed. The lighting was adjusted to a comfort mode, highlighting the dà ©cor, without taxing the eyes. I must say the seating arrangement was contrived, keeping in mind the comfort and privacy of the people visiting the place. Overall, the atmosphere there was imbued with a sense of comfort and hospitality. The meal at the restaurant was served in a typical Italian manner, starting with a first course and followed by a second course usually comprising of some soup or pasta, sumptuously marked by an entrà ©e, comprising of side dishes and dessert. I must say that the food had its good and bad points. Overall the cuisine there was rich in carbohydrates, and fats, to the accompaniment of little protein and too few greens. The lasagna they served was delicious with the tomato sauce carrying just the right blend of sweetness. I found the pasta a little plain and drab. A bit of cheese and some mild sauce would have certainly accentuated its flavor. The chicken breast that was well pounded and fried in butter, dressed with an aptly flavored tomato sauce was a real delight. Though, by the time I was done with it, I could have evaded the dessert, but considering its yummy, sticky and sweet look, I could not help savoring it. Certainly, a visit to a restaurant could leave much to be desired, if the staff there does not evince just the right attitude and spirit (Daily Post, 2005). On that context, the waiters at Olive Garden managed to wrench a perfect score from me. The waiters were neatly dressed in black and white, to the accompaniment of gold hued aprons. Their attitude effused with pride and courtesy and a desire to serve the guests. The made it a point to keep my glass filled with water till the end. I was

Portfolio for Managing business responsibilities Essay

Portfolio for Managing business responsibilities - Essay Example This makes its more complex to sustain their social relationships. Recently, I had to watch two of my friends, male and female of medium age, argue after they had failed to agree on the way they should organize their group meetings. They failed to agree on the day they could meet to handle their assignments. Since each member proposed a day of their own when they would be free, they failed to reach a concession since every one of them wanted their decision be taken into consideration. At the end, they started shouting at one another and this resulted to a serious argument that I had to intervene. My boyfriend felt that the lady should submit to his suggestion while the lady felt that the boy was exercising male chauvinism and this was against the principle of equality which she upheld. On intervention, I advised them to calm down and avoid the row that was now attracting a larger crowd. I felt that it was not a good idea for each person to pursue personal interests as this was would be a selfish behaviour that may affect the process of socializatio n. Evaluating the idea of cultural influence in the social realms as expressed by many scholars, personality crashes arise due to the cultural social behaviour that people acquire in their traditional lifestyle (Melà © & Sà ¡nchez-Runde, 2013: Li, 2007). While the two friends may have given selfish propositions, their ideas may be in a way regarded as correct. They followed the decision making process that they feel is most suitable. While my male friend seems to have been brought up in a society where the males make decisions, the lady seems to have been brought up in a culture where females are empowered and they have the same rights to make decisions. Therefore, this kind of crash was a result of their cultural understandings. However, it would be important for them to learn to listen to each other so as to sustain their social relationship. They should solve their problems more easily by

Development of English as a Global Language Essay

Development of English as a Global Language - Essay Example "Standard English" is a general term for a form of written and spoken English that is considered the model for educated people. There are no set rules or vocabulary for "standard English" because, unlike languages such as French, English does not have a governing body that establishes official usage. The concept of "standard English" is therefore fluid. ELFE stands for "English as a lingua franca for Europe." It is promoted by some linguistics experts, and aims to standardise the use of the English language in the European Union. RP, as in "British RP," is short for "Received Pronunciation" - received from the Queen or King, as it were. It is sometimes defined as the "educated spoken English of south-eastern England." RP is itself sometimes called the Queen's English, which stands to reason, but the Queen's English is sometimes even defined as "the language of the United Kingdom." RP was sometimes referred to as "BBC English," since this was the traditional pronunciation to be heard on the BBC, but RP is not often called "BBC English" any more-as a result of the multitude of accents heard on the BBC these days. "Oxford English" is simply the dialect of English spoken at Oxford University. Some consider Oxford English the most standardised, and sometimes even as synonymous with "Standard English," whereas others consider it pompous and pretentious. Standard English: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_English RP: www.infowrangler.com/phpwiki/wiki.phtmltitle=Received_Pronounciation BBC English: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Received_pronunciation Oxford English: Wikipedia. The rest of the information is something that I know. Official versus Global Status How does one language achieve such a status First, the using of language is a social act (Cameron, 1995); language is the means of communication. It follows that social change will contribute to a change in status of a language, as Knowles implies in his study of the history of the English language (Knowles, 1997). Next, that medium can become the official language (as distinguished from global) of a country when it is adopted (and adapted) as the mother tongue and used by "such domains as government, the law courts, media, and the educational system [of that country]" (Crystal, 2003, p.4). Finally, language achieves a genuinely global status as it "develops a specific role that is recognised in every country" (Crystal, 2003, p.3). English, however, did not achieve global status by way of one or two variables. Several factors contributed to the process and arrival of English as a global language. These factors are part of a slowly evolving phenomenon that parallel the social changes experienced by numerous cultures over many eras. Social Changes as Influences Political, military, economic, cultural, scientific and technological changes in society propelled the English language towards the historically significant status of "global language," since no other language has ever laid stake to so grand a claim. 1. Emigration and Invasion The Old Saxon language (also called Old Low German) and related dialects influenced Germanic populations. Germanic peoples from the coast of Frisia, Lower Saxony, Jutland and Southern Sweden emigrated to Britain during the Roman occupation of Britain, lasting,

Pathophysioloty of a chronic condition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Pathophysioloty of a chronic condition - Essay Example On questioning the patient had a localised pain score of 8/10 in her back and a pains in her joints and muscles with a pain score of 4/10. When questioned about her medical history, she stated she had a condition called systemic lupus erythematosus. This is not a condition I had heard of before I, therefore, questioned her more about it. A 20 year-old women patient presented with fatigue, heart palpitations and anxiety. Examining her medical history including her ANA, CBC, skin biopsy of lesions on her legs, complementary series, and anti-DNA antibody test, reveals vessel vasculitis. The results indicate hematocrit: 10.5 g/dL. ANA: 1.640, an elevated Anti-DNA antibody test, 3.8 million/mm3 for red blood cell count, 6000/mm3 of White blood cell count, 35% for Hematocrit, 138,000/mm3 for platelets, 6000/mm3 for White blood cell count, Decreased C3 level at 43 mg/dl for the Complement assay, and a decreased C4 level a 14 mg/dl (Appendix A). The patient’s rheumatoid arthritis factor had been found to be negative with

Actions should police officer take when he stopper a deepression Essay

Actions should police officer take when he stopper a deepression person - Essay Example According to Cordner, people suffering from depression should be handled with care but not forced to follow the protocol involved (1). For example, being arrested, giving them orders and even giving them direction. Police officers should be well equipped with skills to be able to deal with people suffering from depression. This will enable them to analyze the incidence and find the underlying reason behind the action involved. If the officer finds the situation to be beyond his/her skills, there should involvement another police officer from the nearby jurisdiction who is specialized in this area of people with mental illnesses. Moreover, police should try to maintain the coolness of the depressed individual. After achieving the objective, the officer can contact emergency hospital dealing with depressed people. Police response to these incidences has been improved in recent years since training and substantial experience that contributes to better performance. They are not only trained to handle a crisis, but also to deliver treatment and other services to the person in the crisis of depression (Cordner 1). In conclusion, not all police officers are well equipped to handle depressed people. Hence, involvement of a medical practitioner is the only best choice or any other specialized police officer in the

Qualitative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Qualitative - Essay Example Since previous studies reveal that women above 30 are the most affected by this phenomenon, this study will focus on women above 30 years around 75 percent of the sample. The other 25 percent will comprise of women below the age of 30. To access obese women above 30 years, the study will be conducted in major hospitals, social clubs, gymnasium, and supermarket parking lots. The intended outcome is to get the bulk of the sample from hospitals, gymnasium, social clubs, and supplement with data from the parking lot study. The sampling approach to will be quota sampling. Quota sampling approach the design focusses on a specific number of people with specified characteristics that are consistent with the participants. This approach will be adopted because of available knowledge on groups of women that are affected, therefore need to focus on this group, which is women above 30 years. Observation and interviews will be used to collect the data required for the study. The interview sessions will be carried out on a daily basis with a target to interview at least three obese women. The observation will also be carried out on a daily basis on a chosen sample group from gymnasiums and social clubs. The main data that will be collected includes stigmatisation, family history, medical history, social life, and how they are controlling the solutions. To find out all this the questions to be asked will be as

Water Pollution in China Essay Example for Free

Water Pollution in China Essay River like blood in Roxian, Guangxi About one third of the industrial waste water and more than 90 percent of household sewage in China is released into rivers and lakes without being treated. Nearly 80 percent of Chinas cities (278 of them) have no sewage treatment facilities and few have plans to build any and underground water supplies in 90 percent of the cites are contaminated. Water shortages and water pollution in China are such a problem that the World Bank warns of â€Å"catastrophic consequences for future generations. † Half of China’s population lacks safe drinking water. Nearly two thirds of China’s rural population—more than 500 million people—use water contaminated by human and industrial waste. In summer of 2011, the China government reported 43 percent of state-monitored rivers are so polluted, theyre unsuitable for human contact. By one estimate one sixth of China’s population is threatened by seriously polluted water. One study found that eight of 10 Chinese coastal cities discharge excessive amounts of sewage and pollutants into the sea, often near coastal resorts and sea farming areas. Water pollution is especially bad along the coastal manufacturing belt. Despite the closure of thousands of paper mills, breweries, chemical factories and other potential sources of contamination, the water quality along a third of the waterway falls far below even the modest standards that the government requires. Most of China’s rural areas have no system in place to treat waste water. A study by China’s Environmental Protection Agency in February 2010 said that water pollution levels were double what the government predicted them to be mainly because agricultural waste was ignored. China’s s first pollution census in 2010 revealed farm fertilizer was a bigger source of water contamination than factory effluent. water pollution by Caijing Water pollution—caused primarily by industrial waste, chemical fertilizers and raw sewage— accounts for half of the $69 billion that the Chinese economy loses to pollution every year. About 11. 7 million pounds of organic pollutants are emitted into Chinese waters very day, compared to 5. 5 in the United States, 3. 4 in Japan, 2. 3 in Germany, 3. 2 in India, and 0. in South Africa. Water consumed by people in China contains dangerous levels of arsenic, fluorine and sulfates. An estimated 980 million of China’s 1. 3 billion people drink water every day that is partly polluted. More than 600 million Chinese drink water contaminated with human or animal wastes and 20 million people drink well water contaminated with high levels of radiation. A large number of arsenic-tainted water have been discovered. China’s high rates of liver, stomach and esophageal cancer have been linked to water pollution. In many cases factories fouling critical water sources are making goods consumed by people in the U. S. and Europe. Problems created by China’s water pollution are not just confined to China either. Water pollution and garbage produced in China floats down its rivers to the sea and is carried by prevailing winds and currents to Japan and South Korea. Water pollution and shortages are a more serious problem in northern China than southern China. The percentage of water considered unfit for human consumption is 45 percent in northern China, compared to 10 percent in southern China. Some 80 percent of the rivers in the northern province of Shanxi have been rated â€Å"unfit for human contact. † A poll conducted by the Pew Research Center before the 2008 Olympics found that 68 percent of the Chinese interviewed said they were concerned about water pollution. Effects of Water Pollution in China Waters that used to team with fish and welcome swimmers now have film and foam at the top and give off bad smells. Canals are often covered layers of floating trash, with the deposits particularly thick on the banks. Most of it is plastic containers in a variety of sun-bleached colors. Deformities in fish such as one or no eyes and misshapen skeletons and a decreasing numbers of rare wild Chinese sturgeon in the Yangtze has been blamed on a paint chemical widely used in Chinese industry. China is the largest polluter of the Pacific Ocean. Offshore dead zones — oxygen-starved areas in the sea that are virtually devoid off life — are not only found in shallow water but also in deep water. They are mainly created by agricultural run-off—namely fertilizer—and reach their peak in the summer. In the spring freshwater creates a barrier layer, cutting off the salt water below from the oxygen in the air. Warm water and fertilizers cause algae blooms. Dead algae sinks to the bottom and is decomposed by bacteria, depleting oxygen in deep water. Water Pollution and Health and Protests Nearly two thirds of China’s rural population—more than 500 million people—use water contaminated by human and industrial waste. Accordingly it is not all that surprising that gastrointestinal cancer is now the number one killer in the countryside, More than 130 residents of two villages in Guangxi Province in southern China were poisoned by arsenic-contaminated water. Arsenic showed up in their urine. The source is believed to be waste from a nearby metallurgy factory. In August 2009, a thousand villagers gathered outside a government office in Zhentouu township in Hunan Province to protests a the presence of the Xiange Chemical factory, which villagers say has polluted water used to irrigate rice and vegetables and caused at least two deaths in the area. Sources of Water Pollution Major polluters include chemical factories, drug manufactures, fertilizer makers, tanneries, paper mills. In October 2009, Greenpeace identified five industrial facilities in southern China’s Pearl River delta that were dumping poisonous metals and chemicals—such as beryllium, manganese, nonylphenol and tetrabromobisphenol— into water used by local residents for drinking. The group found the toxins in pipes that led from the facilities. In February 2008 the Fuan textile factory, a multimillion dollar operation in Guangdong Province that produces enormous quantities of T-shirts and other clothes for export, was shut down for dumping waste from dyes into the Maozhou River and turning the water red. It turned out the factory produced 47,000 tons of waste a day and could only process 20,000 tons with the rest being dumped into the river. It latter quietly reopened in a new location. Polluted Chinese Rivers and Lakes China has some of the worlds worst water pollution. All of Chinas lakes and rivers are polluted to some degree. According to a Chinese government report, 70 percent of rivers, lakes and waterways are seriously polluted, many so seriously they have no fish, and 78 percent of the water from Chinas rivers is not fit for human consumption. In a middle class development near Nanjing call Straford a polluted river has buried underground in giant pipe while a new ornamental river, rally a lake, has been built above it. According to one government survey, 436 of China’s 532 rivers are polluted, with more than half of them too polluted to serve as sources of drinking water, and 13 of 15 sectors of Chinas seven largest rivers are seriously polluted. The most polluted rivers are in the east and south around the major population centers with the pollution getting worse the further downstream one goes. In some cases each city along a river dumps pollutants outside their city limits, creating increasingly more pollution for the cities down stream. Chinese environmentalist Ma Jun said, ‘What’s not receiving attention is the destruction of the river ecosystem, which I think will have long-tern effects on our water resources. ’ Many rivers are filled with garbage, heavy metals and factory chemicals. Suzhou Creek in Shanghai stinks of human waste and effluence from pig farms. There have been devastating fish kills caused by the release of chemicals into the Haozhongou River in Anhui province and Min Jiang River in Sichuan Province. The Huai flows through densely populated farmland between the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers. Bottlenecks and elevation changes make the river both prone to flooding and collecting pollutants. Half the checkpoints along the Huai River in central and eastern China revealed pollution levels of â€Å"Grade 5 or worse, with pollutants detected in ground water 300 meters below the river. The Huai river in Anhui province is so polluted all the fish have died and people have to drink bottled water to avoid getting sick. Some places have water that is too toxic to touch and leaves behind scum when it is boiled. Here, crops have been destroyed by irrigation water from the river; fish farms have been wiped out; and fishermen have lost their livelihoods. The South-North Water Transfer Project—which will travel through the Huai basin—is likely to deliver water that is dangerously polluted. The Qingshui River, a tributary of the Huai whose names means â€Å"clear water,† has turned black with trails of yellow foam from pollution from small mines that have opened up to meet the demand for magnesium, molybdenum and vanadium used in the booming steel industry. River samples indicate unhealthy levels of magnesium and chromium. The vanadium refineries foul the water and produce smokes that deposits a yellowing powder on teh countryside. The Liao River is also a mess. Gains made with new water treatment facilities have been canceled out by higher than ever levels of industrial pollution. In May 2007, 11 companies along the Songhua River, including local food companies, were ordered to shut down because of the heavily-polluted water they dumped into the river. A survey found that 80 percent exceeded pollution discharge limits. One company turned off pollution control devices and dumped sewage directly into the river. In March 2008 contamination of the Dongjing River with ammonia, nitrogen and metal-cleaning chemicals turned the water red and foamy and forced authorities to cut water supplies for at least 200,000 people in Hubei Province in central China. Cancer Villages and Polluted Waterways in China According to the World Bank, 60,000 people die each year from diarrhea, bladder and stomach cancer and other diseases directly caused by water-borne pollution. A study by the WHO came with a much higher figure. Cancer village is a term used to describe villages or towns where cancer rates have risen dramatically because of pollution. There are said to be around 100 cancer villages along the Huai River and its tributaries in Henan Province, especially on the Shaying River. Death rates on Huai River are 30 percent higher than the national average. In 1995, the government declared that water from a Huai tributary was undrinkable and the water supply for 1 million people was cut off. The military had to truck in water for a month until 1,111 paper mills and 413 other industrial plants on the river were shut down. In the village of Huangmengying—where a once-clear stream is now greenish black from factory wastes—cancer accounted for 11 of the 17 deaths in 2003. Both the river and well water in the village—the main source of drinking water—have an acrid smell and taste produced by pollutants dumped upstream by tanneries, paper mills, a huge MSG plant, and other factories. Cancer had been rare when the stream was clear. Tuanjieku is town six kilometers northwest of Xian that still uses an ancient system of moats to irrigate its crops. The moats unfortunately don’t drain so well and are now badly contaminated by household discharges and industrial waste. Visitors to the town are often overwhelmed by the rotten egg smell and feel faint after five minutes of breathing in the air. Vegetables produced in the fields are discolored and sometimes black. Residents suffer from abnormally high cancer rates. One third of peasants in the village Badbui are mentally ill or seriously ill. Women report high numbers of miscarriages and many people die in middle age. The culprit is believed to be drinking water drawn from the Yellow River downstream from a fertilizer plant. The waters around Taizhou in Zhejiang, the home of Hisun Pharmaceutical, one of China’s largest drug makers, are so contaminated with sludge and chemicals that fishermen complain their hands and legs become ulcerated, and in extreme cases need amputation. Studies have show that people who live around the city have high cancer and birth defect rates. Polluted Yangtze, Pearl and Yellow Rivers Chinas three great rivers—the Yangtze, Pearl and Yellow River—are so filthy that it is dangerous to swim or eat fish caught in them. Parts of the Pearl River in Guangzhou are so thick, dark and soupy it looks like one could walk across it. In recent years pollution has become a problem on the Yellow River. By one count 4,000 of China’s 20,000 petrochemical factories are on the Yellow River and a third of all fish species found in the Yellow River have become extinct because of dams, falling water levels, pollution and over fishing. More than 80 percent of the Hai-Huaih Yellow river basin is chronically polluted. In October 2006, a one kilometer section of the Yellow River turned red in the city of Lanzhou in Gansu Province as result of a â€Å"red and smelly† discharge from a sewage pipe. In December 2005, six tons of diesel oil leaked into a tributary of the Yellow River from a pipe that cracked because of freezing conditions. It produced a 40 mile long slick. Sixty-three water pumps had to be shut down, including some in Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province. The Yangtze River is polluted with 40 million tons of industrial and sewage waste. Half of China’s 20,000 petrochemical factories lie on its banks. About 40 percent of all waste water produced in China—about 25 billion tons—flows into the Yangtze, of which only about 20 percent is treated beforehand. The pollution has taken its toll on aquatic life. Fish catches from the river declined from 427,000 tons in the 1950s to 100,000 tons in the 1990s. The Yangtze is in danger of becoming a â€Å"dead river† unable to sustain marine life or providing drinking water. According to report by the Chinese Academy of Sciences released in April 2007 the Yangtze is seriously and largely irreversibly polluted. More than 600 kilometers of its length and almost 30 percent of its major tributaries are in critical condition. Sections of the Grand Canal that have water deep enough to accommodate boats are often filled with trash sewage and oil licks. Chemical waste and fertilizer and pesticide run-off empties into the canal. The water is mostly brownish green. People who drink it often get diarrhea and break out in rashes. Polluted Lakes, Canals and Coastal Areas in China Dead fish in Hangzhou pond Studies have showed that the quality of coastal waters are deteriorating quickly as a result of land-based pollution. The study found that 8. 3 billion tons of sewage was released in Guangdong Province’s coastal waters in 2006, 60 percent more than five years earlier. Altogether 12. million tons of polluted â€Å"material was dumped in waters off the southern province. Some lakes are in equally bad shape. China’s great lakes—the Tai, Chao and Dianchi—have water that is rated Grade V, the most degraded level. It is unfit for drinking or for agricultural or industrial use. Describing Chinas fifth-biggest lake a Wall Street Journal reporter wrote: The slow, hot days of summer are here, and sun-fed algae is starting to clot the milky surface of Chao Lake. Soon a living scum will carpet a patch the size of New York City. It will quickly blacken and rot  The smell is so terrible you can not describe it. † Canals, See Changzhou, Places Apple Accused of Making a River Runs Black In March 2012, Peter Smith wrote in The Times, Beyond the brick cottages of Tongxin runs Lou Xia Bang, once the soul of the farming village and a river where, until the digital revolution, children swam and mothers washed rice. Today it flows black: a chemical mess heavy with the stench of China’s high-tech industry — the hidden companion of the world’s most famous electronics brands and a reason the world gets its gadgets on the cheap. Source: Peter Smith, The Times, March 9, 2012] The article then goes on to describe how the town of Tongxin was being affected by chemical waste from local factories that, as well as turning the river black, has caused a â€Å"phenomenal† increase in cancer rates in Tongxin (according to research by five Chinese non-governmental organisations). The factories have grown up in the last few years and make circuit boards, touch screens and the casings of smartphones, laptops and tablet computers. As usual in these cases, Apple as mentioned – although the evidence appears to be a little sketchy as to whether these factories are actually players in the Apple supply chain. [Source: Spendmatter UK/Europe blog] Smith wrote in the Times: â€Å"Workers at the Kaedar factory, five metres from a kindergarten where children have complained of dizziness and nausea, have secretly confirmed that products had left the factory bearing the Apple trademark. † Red Tides, Salt Tides an d Algae Bloom in China Algae blooms, or eutrophication, in lakes are caused by too much nutrients in the water. They turn lakes green and suffocate fish by depleting the oxygen. They are often caused by human and animal waste and run off of chemical fertilizers. Similar conditions create red tides in the sea. The government estimates that $240 million worth of damage and economic loses was caused by 45 major red tides between 1997 and 1999. Describing a red tide near the town of Aotoum that left the seas blanketed with dead fish and fishermen badly in debt, a fisherman told the Los Angeles Times, The sea turned dark, like tea. If you talk to the fishermen around here, theyll all break into tears. In some places the Chinese have tried to minimize the damage caused by algae blooms by pumping oxygen into the water and containing the blooms by adding clay which acts as a magnet for algae. A lack funds keeps China from tackling the problem using more conventional means. A severe drought in 2006, caused large amounts of seawater to flow upstream on the Xinjiang River in southern China. In Macau salinity levels in the river jumped to almost three time above the World Health Organization standards. To combat the problem water was diverted into it from the Beijiang River in Guangdong. Water Bodies Struck by Algae Blooms in China Red tides have increased in their numbers and severity in coastal areas of China, particularly in Bohai Bay off eastern China, the East China Sea and the South China Sea. Large red tides have occurred around the Zhoushan Islands near Shanghai. In May and June 2004, two huge red tides, covering a total area size of 1. 3 million soccer fields, developed in Bohai Bay. One occurred near the mouth of the Yellow River and affected an area of 1,850 square kilometers. Another struck near the port city of Tianjin and covered nearly 3,200 square kilometers. It was blamed on the dumping of large amounts of waste water and sewage into the bay and rivers leading into the bay. In June 2007, coastal waters off the booming industrial town of Shenzhen were hit by one the biggest ever red tides. It produced a 50 square kilometer slick and was caused by pollution and persisted because of a lack of rain. There were large algae blooms in freshwater lakes throughout China in 2007. Some were blamed on pollution. Others were blamed on drought. In Jiangsu Province the water level in one lake dropped to its lowest level in 50 years and became inundated with blue-green algae that produced smelly, undrinkable water. Lake Tai Pollution Lake Tai is often choked with industrial waste from factories producing paper, film and dyes, urban sewage and agricultural run-off. It sometimes is covered with green algae as a result of nitrogen and phosphate pollution. Locals complain of polluted irrigation water that causes their skin to peal, dyes that turn the water red and fumes that sting their eyes. Dams built for flood control and irrigation have prevented Lake Tai’s from flushing out pesticides and fertilizers that flow into it. Particularly damaging are phosphates which suck out life-sustaining oxygen. Starting in the 1980s a number of chemical factories were built on its shores. As of the late 1990s there were 2,800 chemical factories around the lake, some of which released their waste directly into the lake in the middle of the night to avoid detection. Lake Tai Algae Blooms Algae bloom in Lake Tai In the summer of 2007, large algae blooms covered parts of Lake Tai and Lake Chao, China’s third and fifth largest freshwater lakes, making the water undrinkable and producing a terrible stench. Two million of residents of Wuxi, who normally rely on water from the Lake Tai for drinking water, couldnt bathe or wash dishes and hoarded bottled water that rose in price from $1 a bottle to $6 a bottle. Some turned on their taps only to have sludge emerge. The bloom on Lake Tai lasted for six days until it was flushed out by rain and water diverted from the Yangtze River. The bloom on Lake Chao did not threaten water supplies. Reporting from Zhoutie, near Lake Tai, William Wan wrote in Washington Post, â€Å"You smell the lake before you see it, an overwhelming stench like rotten eggs mixed with manure. The visuals are just as bad, the shore caked with toxic blue-green algae. Farther out, where the algae is more diluted but equally fueled by pollution, it swirls with the currents, a vast network of green tendrils across the surface of Tai Lake. [Source: William Wan, Washington Post, October 29, 2010] â€Å" Such pollution problems are now widespread in China after three decades of unbridled economic growth. But whats surprising about Tai Lake is the money and attention thats been spent on the problem and how little either has accomplished. Some of the countrys highest-ranking leaders, including Premier Wen Jiabao, have declared it a national priority. Millions of dollars have been poured into the cleanup. And yet, the lake is still a mess. The water remains undrinkable, the fish nearly gone, the fetid smell lingering over villages. [Ibid] At Tai Lake, part of the problem is that the same industrial factories poisoning the water also transformed the region into an economic powerhouse. Shutting them down, local leaders say, would destroy the economy overnight. In fact, many of the factories shut down during the 2007 scandal have since reopened under different names, environmentalists say. † [Ibid] â€Å"Tai Lake is the embodiment of Chinas losing fight against pollution. This summer, the government said that, despite stricter rules, pollution is rising again across the country in key categories such as emissions of sulfur dioxide, which causes acid rain. Just months before, the government had revealed that water pollution was more than twice as severe as previous official figures had shown. † [Ibid] The algae bloom on Lake Tai was caused by toxic cyanobacteria, commonly called pond scum. It turned much of the lake florescent green and produced a terrible stench that could be smelled miles away from the lake. The Lake Tai bloom became a symbol of China’s lack of environmental regulations. Afterwards a high-level meeting on the lake’s future was convened, with Beijing closing down hundreds of chemical factories and promising to spend $14. 4 billion to clean up the lake.