Tuesday, December 24, 2019

The Future of Indonesia Is in the Childrens Hands Essay

Generally, all of people around the world must have known that children are assets for the nation because the future of the country is in their hands, the burden of the state is on their shoulder, the bright future is on their feet. However, why there are still some people who have not realized the importance of children for country, especially in Indonesia. Children are important for the future of this country. Therefore, the rights of children must be protected. The period of childhood is a phase where each human is more vulnerable because they have not finished developing both in physics or mental. Furthermore, children require a particular attention and protection. In order to ensure the children’s well-being, the government must†¦show more content†¦Actually, the parents did not realize the consequences if those mistreatment happened to their children. Children who are mistreated physically or mentally by their parents such as human trafficking, child domestic violence, sexual abuse usually will get some negative effects after the incident happened. Children who get sexual abuse experience by their parents will get any kind of trauma or even worse in some cases that child will get disorder, usually called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a severe condition that can occur in anyone who has experienced a life-threatening or violent event. The causes will be from war, torture, terrorism, violence, natural disasters or even rape. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is categorized as an anxiety disorder and basically develops as a result of a frightening or life-threatening experience. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was first introduced to public attention in relation to war veterans. However, it can result from a variety of traumatic incidents, for example, being kidnapped, child abuse, rape, torture, mugging, car accidents or natural disasters (Shiromani, Keane, LeDoux, 2009). A Post Traumatic Stress Disorder children will tend to avoid people or places that highly remind them of the event (avoidance behavior), and are sensitive to normal life experience (hyperarousal). Furthermore, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder will affect their daily activities. Sometimes it looks like theShow MoreRelatedFrench Culture vs Indonesian Culture1461 Words   |  6 Pagesf HTM 3242 INTERCULTURAL MANAGEMENT REFLECTIVE LEARNING Ms. Sara Abourich Vicentia 1007LR213 BR2 France and Indonesia are two different countries with different cultures, lifestyle and behavior. It is so obvious that Indonesian is more traditional compared to French, where most Indonesian is scared to make mistakes and be judged by people around them yet French are more open to mistakes and judges from the surrounding. 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Answer: It is important in Indonesia that the children will need to take care of their old-age parentsRead MoreA Global Perspective On Childhood Stunting1147 Words   |  5 Pagesresort to extreme measures just to survive, imagine witnessing first hand, your children suffering and you can’t do anything for them, imagine living day to day in fear and not knowing whether today or tomorrow would be the last day of you or your child being alive. This is a major concern for families facing food insecurity all over the world. Everyday children in developing countries are suffering from childhood stunting. These children are going days without having anything to eat, clean water to drinkRead MoreThe Film Secrets Of Tobacco Industry925 Words   |  4 Pagesmarketing and sale of tobacco in Indonesia. To start of the Christof Putzel proceeds to New York where mayor Michael Bloomberg discuses his effective mission to decrease smoking in his city. 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The person I interview is FDG, a 23 year-old female college student with a Motion Picture/Movie Production at the Academy of Art in San Francisco. FDG was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia. Her father is Indonesian and her mother is from Turkmenistan (formerly part of the Soviet Union). Her father comes from a very religious (Moslem) family in Sumatra and it was quite a horror to his family when he decided to marry a foreign Jewish

Monday, December 16, 2019

Globalization in Canada Free Essays

Globalization in Canada Canada is considered to be one of the biggest countries worldwide, yet as far as it gets from other countries, globalization seems to have a strong impact on the people regardless of what it offers from products and/or services from abroad, it may seem to have taken some of Canada away to the rest of the world too. Globalization is affecting most of the aspects that control life in Canada, from social aspects, to economical aspects, also reaching to as far as to political aspects, and that may have pushed us ten steps ahead, yet it has blinded us through a few. This has resulted in separating people from each other, where as the immigration of people to Canada is now separating the people of Canada from each other (Gerges, 2006), for example, poor immigrants live in poor communities while other Canadians with more resources (money, land, investments†¦ tc. We will write a custom essay sample on Globalization in Canada or any similar topic only for you Order Now ) are moving to better and newer suburbs by themselves. (Gerges, 2006) One other issue adding to the peoples fears is that they are afraid that foreigners are going to take credit for what Canadians did, just like what happened with Alexander Graham Bell, where he conducted most of research and work on the telephone in Canada, and now the United States of America is taking credit that the telephone has been made there. Gerges, 2006) As David Kilgour, (2000), says in his website that globalization aims for a borderless world, this has actually resulted in providing ease in laws affecting foreign imports and international trade, which in return provided more choice for Canadians as consumers, leading to higher satisfaction. (Daniels, 1996) it â€Å"has led to forming a world government to normalize the existing interaction among countries,† (EconomyWatch), strengthening the rights of countries in addition to the bonds between each. According to a discussion paper by Ronald Daniels, (1996), investors are now free from abiding by Canadian laws regarding manufacturing, and certain issues, and are now free to move their factories and/or companies to other locations, which negatively affects Canadian exports and international sales. Globalization, however, has decreased unemployment in Canada since most foreign companies open remote of? ces and showrooms in Canada, resulting in employment of the people, eventually helping the economical aspects of the people, and ? nally the country itself. To some people, globalization seems to have a tightening effect on the people of Canada (Gerges, 2006), but in my point of view, I believe that due to globalization, all the countries, including Canada, are now in rapport with each other, in addition to business being connected and intertwined, Canada is now dependent on other countries, likewise all the countries on each other and Canada, yet it has helped in making Canada more independent, and it has strengthened relations between people, where Canada and its people are known for their hospitality, and their welcoming to different cultures, different people, and different mentalities from all over the world. This has resulted in strengthening the morals of people, and the principle of equity in between people. Globalization has not only helped in doing all this, but it made Canada what is it now; a place for and with everything, and everyone. REFERENCES Gerges, Andrew. (2006) Effects of Globalization on Canada. Docstoc. September 18, 2011, from http://www. docstoc. com/docs/21489192/Effects-of-Globalization-on-Canada Daniels, Ronald. (1996) Canadian Corporate Governance Policy Options. Industry Canada. September 18, 2011, from http://www. ic. gc. ca/eic/site/eas-aes. nsf/eng/ra01011. html Kilgour, David. (2000) Canada and Globalization. David Kilgour. September 18, 2011, from http://www. david-kilgour. com/secstate/globali3. htm Stanley St. Labs. Effects of Globalization. EconomyWatch. September 18, 2011, from http:// www. economywatch. com/economics-theory/globalization/effects. html How to cite Globalization in Canada, Essay examples

Sunday, December 8, 2019

The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry Case Study

Questions: Task 1 Essay Using Case study 11.1 Explain how technology can be used to support users of health and social care services in living independently. To answer this question: Define independent living (reference properly) Explain who the users of health and social care services are Explain the meaning of assistive technology in health and social care Describe the assistive technologies provided to Sally to live independently ( Case study 1) and the support they provided 1.2 Analyse barriers to the use of technology to support users of health and social care services in living independently. To answer this question: Mention and explain barriers of assistive technologies in supporting independent living in Health and Social Care practice Explain the challenges Sally (Case study 1) is likely to face in using the assistive technology she was provided with Explain how barriers to the use of assistive technology in supporting independent living can be limited 1.3 Explain the benefits of these technologies to health and social care organisations and their users. To answer this question: Explain the benefits of assistive technology to users of health and social care and their carers (family, friends) Explain how Sally (case study 1) benefited from the assistive technology she was provided with Explain the advantages of assistive technologies to health and social care organisations (example, care homes, hospital, schools) Task 2 - EssayUsing case study 1 2.1 Explain health and safety considerations in the use of technologies in health and social care.To answer this question: Explain Health and Safety legislation 1974 Explain what should be considered when using assistive technologies in health and social care practice (example hospitals, care homes, clients homes, schools) according to the Health and safety legislation Describe the health and safety considerations in supporting Sally (case study 1) with assistive technology2.2 Discuss ethical considerations in the use of assistive technologiesTo answer this question: Define ethics Explain ethical considerations in the use of assistive technologies in health and social care Explain the benefits of following ethical guidelines in supporting users of health and social care with assistive technologies Explain the implications (disadvantages) of not following ethical guidelines in using assistive technologies in health and social care practice Recommend ways compliance to ethics in the use of assistive technologies can be promoted2.3 Explain the impact of recent and emerging technological developments on health and social care services, organisations and care workers To answer this question: Describe emerging assistive technologies used to support users of health and social care Explain the positive and negative impacts of emerging assistive technologies to: 1. Care workers 2. Organisations (hospitals, care homes, schools) Task 3 Mini reportProvide introduction to the report: give a brief sum mary of the content of your reportUsing case study 2: 3.1 Identify Maggies specific needs and To answer this question: Explain/define specific needs Briefly explain the needs of people with dementia Explain Maggies specific needs (Case study 2)3.2 Recommend assistive devices to support Maggie to continue living independently3.3 Evaluate the usefulness of technology for users of health and social care servicesTo answer this question: Briefly explain the benefits of assistive technology to health and social care organisations (hospitals, care homes, supported housing) and clients (elderly, disabled) Give example (2 or more) of assistive technology explaining the positives and negatives Explain how certain types of assistive technology will be useful to Maggie, also explain the type of AT that may not be useful to Maggie due to Dementia Considering Maggies health problem (Dementia), explain how technology may not promote her independence as her illness advances (deteriorates) Summari se and conclude your report Case Study 1:Sally is a 42-year-old female who presents to her GP with complaints of tingling and numbness in her left foot, 18 months later she also complained of double vision. Consultation with a neurologist at that time results in a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. She is placed on disease-modulating medication and educated about lifestyle changes to avoid fatigue, which manages her double vision, with the exception of long workdays. The GP refers her to a vision specialist for management of the impairment of double vision that interferes with activities and participation in her job as an account executive. The GP has also requested the assistive technology specialist to provide information and education about other assistive devices that are available should she develop additional impairments. A vision specialist recommends an eye patch for use when warranted and suggests she stay in touch with the assistive technology specialist should other problem s arise. Two years later, Sally returns to her GP with complaints of weakness and numbness in her right side (upper and lower body). These new impairments interfere with her ability to drive to and from work and chauffeur her children to soccer and other after-school activities. Her function at work has been greatly compromised as well. She is experiencing difficulty with typing, maneuvering around the building, holding her lunch tray, and performing other activities of daily living. She is referred to the Occupation Therapist for an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) for the right foot and a cane to improve her mobility, and she is also referred to the Assistive Technology Specialist for consideration of alternate input methods for the keyboard. A keyboard was chosen that covered a larger surface with large black letters surrounded by a yellow background. Both specialists worked together to identify other aids to facilitate additional activities, such as Sally's personal care activities usi ng a dressing stick and toothbrush handles; cooking using kitchen aids, including jar openers, recipe card holders, and large-handled pots and pans; and gardening using adapted gardening tools. The GP refers her to a driver's trainer specialist to adapt her vehicle with a spinner knob and left foot accelerator and to train her in this new way of driving. At this time, the GP also referred her to a social worker for support and counseling regarding her finances, work, and personal life decisions. Throughout the previous 4 years, Sally's family has noticed changes in her memory function. After the psychologist completes a cognitive evaluation and identifies strengths and weaknesses, Sally is provided a hand-held personal digital assistant (PDA), called the "PocketCoach," to aid in her memory skills. This device enables her to push a single button to remember "what to do next." It assists her to remember to complete task activities and to manage important aspects of her healthcare, suc h as taking medications and nutritional supplements. Task 3: Mini ReportCase Study 2:Maggie is a 62 year old lady who has early onset dementia. She recently lost her husband. She is an extremely active lady who goes out on a number of occasions each day. She is disorientated to the day and time. Her family has significant concerns that Maggie is leaving her home at night and reports from her neighbour confirm this. A fortnight ago her daughter, Lisa paid her a visit and she found water flowing out of her door. When she pressed the door bell there was no answer because Maggie was not home. On occasions homecare arrive early in the morning and Maggie is already out which means she can miss taking her medication and is skipping meals. A risk assessment highlighted an unknown prevalence of Maggie leaving her home. Answers: Task 1 1.1 Technology has brought number of changes in healthcare services and delivery. Technology has enabled patients to live their life in a better way. With technology, the concepts of independent living and assistive living have also evolved. Independent living, as seen by itsadvocates, is aphilosophy, a way of looking atdisabilityandsociety, and a worldwide movement of people with disabilities working forself-determination,self-respectandequal opportunities (Larsson, 2011). In the context ofeldercare, independent living is seen as a step in the continuum of care, withassisted livingbeing the next step. Most of the times, the users of health and social care services are the patients living independently. These are the people that live alone and require the assistance of other people. To meet this demand, the concept of assistive living was established. Typically assistive living is provided for people with disabilities. There are dedicated ALF (Assisted Living Facility) and ALH (Assis ted Living Homes) that are being used to provide accommodation and support to people with disabilities (Aloise, 2008). It is important for government and private care institutions to realize the need of patients and develop the assistive program for people with disabilities. The case study presented the situation of Sally whose life is manageable with the help of technology. It can be said that technology has enabled Sally to live independently. There were certain assistive technologies that were recommended to Sally in order to live in a better way. Sally was provided a bigger keyboard as the basic assistive technology. This keyboard has a larger surface area that enabled Sally to type even with limited vision. Sally was also provided a dressing stick and toothbrush handles; cooking using kitchen aids, including jar openers, recipe card holders, and large-handled pots and pans; and gardening using adapted gardening tools. All these small tools should also be considered as assistive technologies provided to Sally. The most important and useful assistive technology comes in form of hand held personal digital assistant (PDA). This assistive technology helped Sally to live her life in a controlled way even when she had memory problems. This PDA was an important assistive technology and was known as pocket coach. 1.2 It can be said that technology has helped number of patients. The concept of assistive living and independent living would not have been possible without the spread of technology (Mitchell, 2009). However, any technological advancement is also linked with some barriers and challenges. One of major barriers of assistive technologies in supporting independent living in Health and Social Care practice is training program. It is never easy to teach patients the method to use assistive device or tool. For example, Sally would realize that PDA device would help her to overcome her memory issues. But it would be difficult for Sally to learn all the features of personal device. This barrier can be overcome with an effective training program. It is important that the training for people with disabilities should be developed in a simple manner (Yeager, 2008). Another challenge or barrier of assistive challenges could be the cost associated with the device. It is fortune that Sally can affo rd the cost of PDA and other tools of assistive technology but all the patients cannot afford this cost. Typically any device that provides assistive technology is costly and it is not easy to find the devices. The mismatch between the demand and the supply is also a challenge with assistive technologies. There also exists a social barrier or challenge associated with assistive technologies. It can be that a certain section of society can be reluctant to accept the people with assistive technology. It is not a desired thing but it is observed that some level of discrimination can arise with the use of assistive technology. Sally would be able to live a better life with assistive technology but it could be possible that some people in the society would not like Sally. This barrier could be removed by spreading the word about the assistive technology. It is important that society should be made aware of assistive technologies and independent living. 1.3 The assistive technologies have various benefits to offer to different stakeholders. These technologies are helpful not only for patients but also to health and social care organizations. The users of the assistive technologies get the benefit in a way that their life gets easy. The family and friends of patients also gets the benefits as their headache is reduced. Without assistive technology a lot depend on the family and nurses. It can be said that assistive technology has made the life of nurses and family easy (Forlizzi, 2009). Sally is already 42 years of age and she was getting so many problems for her vision and memory. The assistive technologies helped her to bring her life on the track. With the support of assistive technologies, Sally was able to drive. It can be said that Sally would be living her life in a nursing care without assistive technology. The management and control of people is very difficult without the use of technology. The health care institutions would have to find the people or nurses with specific skills in order to manage all the patients. With the penetration of assistive technology, this dependent has reduced. It can be said that assistive technology is not the solution for everything but assistive technology has definitely helped the hospitals and health care institutions to manage the patients with dementia and other patients. It is expected that the use of assistive technology would only increase in future as more and more people would be covered under this program. The benefits of assistive technology are numerous and it is important that the health care institutions should work hard in order to deliver these values to end customers or patients. References Bharucha, A. J., Anand, V., Forlizzi, J., Dew, M. A., Reynolds, C. F., Stevens, S., Wactlar, H. (2009). Intelligent assistive technology applications to dementia care: current capabilities, limitations, and future challenges.The American Journal Of Geriatric Psychiatry,17(2), 88-104. Borg, J., Larsson, S., stergren, P. O. (2011). The right to assistive technology: For whom, for what, and by whom?.Disability Society,26(2), 151-167. Cincotti, F., Mattia, D., Aloise, F., Bufalari, S., Schalk, G., Oriolo, G., ... Babiloni, F. (2008). Non-invasive braincomputer interface system: towards its application as assistive technology.Brain research bulletin,75(6), 796-803. Kaye, H. S., Yeager, P., Reed, M. (2008). Disparities in usage of assistive technology among people with disabilities.Assistive Technology,20(4), 194-203. Wilson, D. J., Mitchell, J. M., Kemp, B. J., Adkins, R. H., Mann, W. (2009). Effects of assistive technology on functional decline in people aging with a disability.Assistive Technology,21(4), 208-217. Task 2 2.1 The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (also referred to as HSWA, the HSW Act, the 1974 Act or HASAWA) is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in Great Britain. The government of UK initiated this act but other governments also introduced this act in their country. It is an important act that ensured that the health of patients should be taken into consideration. There are certain parameters that should be considered while using the assistive technologies in health and social care practices. There are three main stakeholders in the use of assistive technologies. These are users or patients, hospitals or care homes or nursing homes and society at large (Reed, 2008). The patients should consider the care that is given to them through assistive technologies. The users of assistive technologies should realize that their way of living gets improved with the use of assistive technology. The second stakeholders in assistive technology are hospital s and nursing cares. The management of stakeholders should realize that the care of patients should be the first agenda and top most priority of nursing cares. It is never easy for nurses or hospitals attendants to handle the people who require assistive care. It is also important that the people providing nursing care should also have effective training program. The training program should focus on the training of nurses and training of users. It is important that nurses and doctors should also provide training to users of assistive care. The case study presented the case of Sally. She has been using assistive care and technology to love a normal life. It can be said that assistive care is one of the reasons that Sally has been able to lead a normal life. The people who would provide training to Sally should consider the condition of Sally. The assistive technology like PDA has the potential to improve the life of Sally and many other patients like her. It is important that the nur sing care homes and hospitals should work under the laws and regulation while providing assistive care to users like Sally and other users. 2.2 One of the important aspects to consider in assistive care and the health care policies is the ethical consideration. Health care ethics (a/k/a "medical" ethics or "bioethics"), at its simplest, is a set of moral principles, beliefs and values that guide us in making choices about medical care. It is important that all the stakeholders should realize the importance of ethics. In the field of medical and health care services, ethics should be defined in terms of individual aspect and organizational aspect. The ethical consideration in the use of assistive technology should also be defined from the point of view of different stakeholders. The ethical consideration for hospitals and nursing care homes should focus to provide transparent health care services to all the users. The ethical consideration for users should be the way they would get the assistive care. It is important that the users of assistive care should have ethical practices while taking the assistive care. The users of assistive care should not present the wrong issues. It is important that the users of assistive care should show high standards while taking the assistive care. It is important that all the stakeholders of assistive care should show high ethical standards. It could happen only when there exists ethical guidelines that should be followed by all the stakeholders (Kemp, 2009). It is important that the hospitals and nursing cares should define the ethical guidelines. These ethical guidelines should be communicated to all the stakeholders of assistive care. One of the benefits of following ethical guidelines is that things would be standardized with the establishment of guidelines. With the establishment of ethical guidelines all the nurses would have a clear agenda and all the users would also be aware of the standards set by hospitals and nursing care. One of the disadvantages of not following the ethical guidelines is that there would be no means to check and control in the absence of ethical guidelines (Borg, 2011). It is recommended that all the stakeholders of assistive care should have compliance procedures in place. It is important that all the institutions should set up their own compliance procedures that would be internal in nature. 2.3 There have been several technological advancements in the field of assistive care. Some of these emerging technologies would include the use of Personal devices like PDA, use of small machines and devices that could be used by users. Google Glass has also been seen as an important assistive technology. The assistive technology in this world of globalization would be any technology that can help users to make life easy. The assistive technology in current generation would also be mainstream mobile devices. The users of assistive technology have realized that mobile devices could also be used to help users (Anand, 2009). The development of assistive technology could have both positive and negative impacts on care workers and organization. One of the positive impacts of use of emerging technologies in assistive care is that the life of users and nurses can improve a lot. With the technological evolving products it is comparatively easy to provide assistive care. With the technologic al evolving products in the field of assistive care, organizations would also have certain benefits. The technological advancements would be additional assets for organization. Most of the new and emerging technologies are in the field of digital media. People to have a track of their time can use the devices such as digital calendars. It is important the users group of assistive technology should know the ways to devices. It can be said that the impact of assistive technology has been great on all the stakeholders and it is expected that assistive technology would continue to have an influence on healthcare services and healthcare delivery. References Bharucha, A. J., Anand, V., Forlizzi, J., Dew, M. A., Reynolds, C. F., Stevens, S., Wactlar, H. (2009). Intelligent assistive technology applications to dementia care: current capabilities, limitations, and future challenges.The American journal of geriatric psychiatry,17(2), 88-104. Borg, J., Larsson, S., stergren, P. O. (2011). The right to assistive technology: For whom, for what, and by whom?.Disability Society,26(2), 151-167. Cincotti, F., Mattia, D., Aloise, F., Bufalari, S., Schalk, G., Oriolo, G., ... Babiloni, F. (2008). Non-invasive braincomputer interface system: towards its application as assistive technology.Brain research bulletin,75(6), 796-803. Kaye, H. S., Yeager, P., Reed, M. (2008). Disparities in usage of assistive technology among people with disabilities.Assistive Technology,20(4), 194-203. Wilson, D. J., Mitchell, J. M., Kemp, B. J., Adkins, R. H., Mann, W. (2009). Effects of assistive technology on functional decline in people aging with a disability.Assistive Technology,21(4), 208-217. Task 3 3.1 Introduction Dementia is a very serious disease and hospital cares and nursing homes have realized the importance of this disease. One of the challenges with this disease is that the people may not realize the wrong things that they would do under the influence of disease. Dementia is a type of brain disease in which people have the tendency to forget things (Mattia, 2008). People under the influence of dementia may not be able to make correct choices. One of the challenges of dementia is that the normal and daily life of people also gets affected due to this disease. As mentioned in the case study, Maggie is suffering from dementia. It is important that nursing staff takes proper care of Maggie. The objective of this report is to discuss the specific needs of Maggie under dementia and discuss the use of assistive technologies for people under the influence of dementia. Analysis It can be said that dementia is one of those medical problems that is difficult to treat. People like Maggie have always found it difficult to manage their lives. As mentioned in the case study, Maggie is an outbound person and she likes to go out. Sometimes he is out at night. There are cases when nursing staff would visit the home in the morning and would not find Maggie. It can be said that Maggie has been missing her medication also. It can be said that Maggie has certain specific needs that should be addresses. The specific needs of Maggie can be discussed as: 3.2 Maggies specific needs Typically, specific needs are the particular needs that are the requirement of particular patients. The specific needs are not the same for patients with cancer and people with dementia. One of the important specific needs of people with dementia is the need and support of family member or nurse of health professional. The specific need of Maggie in this case is to have a support staff that could remain with Maggie 24X7. The term 'assistive technology' refers to 'any device or system that allows an individual to perform a task that they would otherwise be unable to do, or increases the ease and safety with which the task can be performed. There are certain assistive devices that could be used to support Maggie. Generally people under dementia use Reminder messages (stergren, 2011). With this assistive technology people would get the voice message every time they would leave the home or enter the home. Another important assistive technology that could be used in this case would be dig ital clock and calendars. With clock and calendars, users would be able to keep a track of all the activities that they are doing. It can be said that assistive technologies have played a critical role to simplify the life of people under dementia. The basic assistive technologies have been useful not only for patients but also for people providing care to patients (Yeager, 2008). The usefulness of technology for users of health and social care services can be discussed as: 3.3 Usefulness of technology One of the biggest benefits of assistive technology is that it promotes independence for the users and the people around the users. It means that with the use of assistive technology the life of Maggie would be improved and at the same time the life of people around Maggie would also improve. With assistive technology the life of health care professionals around Maggie would also improve, as it would mean less control (Reynolds, 2009).The assistive technology devices like wheelchair are common in use for elder age people. Few examples of assistive technologies can be discussed as: Hearing aid is a very common assistive device that is being used by people who have hearing problem. One of the major benefit of this assistive device is that it can help people to hear the things that otherwise would not have been possible. One of the disadvantages of this device could be that it creates a dependency. Another very common example of assistive device is wheel chair. This device is being used by people who have difficult to walk. One of the biggest advantages of this device is that, it helps people to mover from place to another. The only disadvantage of this device is that it can also make people dependent (Wilson, 2009). The assistive technology that would be useful for Maggie would be digital assistive technology. It is important that Maggie should not miss her medication. There are medication devices that would help Maggie to take her medicine on time. The alarm would be set at the time of medication and this would help Maggie to take her medicine. Some of the assistive technology that may not be useful for Maggie would be hearing aid, speaking aid etc. Dementia is a serious problem and Maggie has already crossed 60 years of age. It is important that Maggie should not have a casual attitude for her illness. It is observed that the problem of dementia gets serious with age. Technology and assistive devices would be able to support Maggie but this support would not be an endless support. It is important that Maggie should also get the support of individuals and personal. Conclusions The above report discussed the specific needs of people with dementia and it also discussed the role of assistive technology and assistive devices. The case of Maggie is a common case where patient is not aware of the activities performed by him or her. It is important that the patients like Maggie should get the support of assistive technology like digital calendars, location devices, medication devices etc. It would ensure that patients are under control. References Bharucha, A. J., Anand, V., Forlizzi, J., Dew, M. A., Reynolds, C. F., Stevens, S., Wactlar, H. (2009). Intelligent assistive technology applications to dementia care: current capabilities, limitations, and future challenges.The American journal of geriatric psychiatry,17(2), 88-104. Borg, J., Larsson, S., stergren, P. O. (2011). The right to assistive technology: For whom, for what, and by whom?.Disability Society,26(2), 151-167. Cincotti, F., Mattia, D., Aloise, F., Bufalari, S., Schalk, G., Oriolo, G., ... Babiloni, F. (2008). Non-invasive braincomputer interface system: towards its application as assistive technology.Brain research bulletin,75(6), 796-803. Kaye, H. S., Yeager, P., Reed, M. (2008). Disparities in usage of assistive technology among people with disabilities.Assistive Technology,20(4), 194-203. Wilson, D. J., Mitchell, J. M., Kemp, B. J., Adkins, R. H., Mann, W. (2009). Effects of assistive technology on functional decline in people aging with a disability.Assistive Technology,21(4), 208-217.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Trayce Gray Essays (1072 words) - Relentless, Dwarf,

Trayce Gray Donald P. Carey English 1302 October 16 th , 2017 Mankind's Relentless Adversary Many people argue that the single, strongest foe mankind faces today are each other. These innate desires to create war and expand our ambitions are deeply rooted in our being. The truth is that despite these destructive primal behaviors, we see a relentless and reoccurring force or "foe" that dwarfs even the most pernicious of issues we face today. These forces are known as "mother nature". An excellent example that portrays the force of nature not only as a setting, but also as a menacing and unforgiving antagonist is Jack London's short story "To Build A Fire". London's use of setting, point of view, and symbolism to support the theme of man's struggle against nature is an immensely lopsided battle that leaves little margin for miscalculation. To prove the given theme, London uses setting evocatively and beautifully to play a critical role. To start, London elaborately introduces the setting by showing the reader how in paragraph one "[Narrator] Day had broken cold and gray, exceedingly cold and gray, when the man turned aside from the main Yukon trail and climbed the high earth-bank, where a dim and little-travelled trail led eastward through the fat spruce timberland" (London 124). The beginning of this story is important because it creates imagery to describe the dim and harsh conditions the man has found himself in. London uses "exceedingly" in the following quotation to put emphasis on the extremely cold condition. "Exceedingly" could also be interpreted as foreshadowing to the man's tragic fate. A "little-travelled trail" portrays to the reader just how far out into the wild the man is venturing in the story. The descriptions that London uses gives the reader an in depth look of the treacherous nature that th e man encounters. The idea of "man versus nature" can be easily interpreted through the illustrations he provides. Nature also continues to work against the man and the dog throughout their journey. As they are traveling, in paragraph 26 " [Narrator] High up in the tree one bough capsized its load of snow. This fell on the boughs beneath, capsizing them. The process continued, spreading out and involving the whole tree. It grew like an avalanche, and it descended without warning upon the man and the fire, and the fire was blotted out!" (London 129-130). This scene is pivotal in london's illustration of the unforgiving strength that nature holds. Here we see nature both literally and symbolically lower the man's chance of survival. What's interesting about london's personification of nature as a unforgiving force is how unlike a traditional antagonist it has no target or motive. There is no reasoning with the destructive forces of nature. We see this theme frequently throughout londo n's other works such as "White Fang" and "Call of The Wild". The lack of compassion and direction of nature makes the battle of "man versus nature" ultimately futile. The next element that London uses to prove just how vastly uneven our struggle against nature is and how it leaves little margin for miscalculation is point of view. This amazing short story is told in third person omniscient (all knowing). There are two important reasons for this: the narrator can not only tell us the thoughts of the man, but also the instinctive thoughts of the dog surviving with him. London uses this precisely to contrast intellectual thoughts of the man to the instinctive thoughts of the surviving dog. London does this to portray one of man's many fatal flaws. Prideful arrogance and self removal from the rest of nature. Secondly, London uses this point of view to criticize the prideful man through the narrator. In paragraph three we see the narrator make comments on the man's lack of attention to detail and respect of nature. The narrator said this in paragraph 3, "He was quick and alert in the things of life, but only in the things,and not in the signifi cances. Fifty degrees below zero meant eighty-odd degrees of frost. Such fact impressed him as being cold and uncomfortable, and that was all. It did not lead him to meditate upon his frailty as a creature

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

How To Write A Critical Analysis Essay Step-By-Step Guide - Paperell

How To Write A Critical Analysis Essay Step-By-Step Guide How to Write a Critical Analysis Essay: Step-by-Step Guide What Is A Critical Analysis Essay?This type of essay lets you apply your analytical skills and critical thinking. Your goal is to examine an article, a book, or other work by another person – you do it to determine how effectively its author make an argument or point. Even though many college students think that the word â€Å"critical† is always connected with a wrong impression, critique can also be positive. It depends on your position about the examined piece.How to Make a Critical EssayTo create such an essay, you need to be familiar with other similar works and examples. If you have never read classical literature, you shouldn’t work on a critical paper about a piece of modern writing. You should read the full text of an examined book. If you judge it only by first pages or even small fragments taken out of context, it wouldn’t be a correct way to criticize. Also if this piece is huge, you need to spend time reading it. The goal is to examine the eff ectiveness of a specific article, book, painting, film, or other work created by another person. To do it, you need to understand the objective of an author and also their background. There are many other tips to make the process easier. Many young people are unsure how to write a critical analysis essay merely because they have never faced the need to write it earlier and lack experience with this type of assignment. Here, we will tell you how to write a critical analysis essay step by step, starting from choosing good topics and up to logically arranging your text.How To Start A Critical Analysis Essay?Many students wonder how to write an introduction for a critical analysis essay. It’s not difficult, and it can be similar to an opening for other types of essays – you will need to provide your thesis statement, provide information on your objectives and research methods, tell readers what can they get from your paper, and describe why this paper is significant and ho w did you come to writing it.You need to read not only the examined piece but also the background information on it. Provide facts about other works by this author, where and how he or she lived and what ideas popularized. It lets you understand the point of view of the author, their objectives for writing, and the background that ties this work with other works written earlier and influenced this book. Take note of the main ideas from the text. Consider are they presented effectively and will readers understand them clearly. Determine if an author reached the goal and convinced readers that the given point of view is right.When reading a piece of writing, do it critically. Examine the style and technique, how impressive is the book for readers, it is still relevant for readers, or its ideas are too old. It will help you to examine the text and proceed to create an outline.Critical Analysis Essay OutlineThe main three parts of an outline are the Background, Summary, and Interpretati on. You can extend these sections or add more elements to your essay if needed. You should also present your essay in the usual format with an introduction, the main body, and the conclusion.BackgroundTo understand the purpose and meaning of a book, you need to provide background information on it. How to do it? Describe the historical context of this book, information about the author and his or her ideas, what is the title of the book and when it was published. In the thesis statement, you can indicate your reaction to this work. Write several sentences about your impression after reading; it should be presented briefly because you will explain it with more details in the Summary and Interpretation sections.SummaryIt is a fundamental part of the critical analysis. You should create the main content of your analytical essay, by analyzing how effectively ideas are presented in the book.InterpretationThere you write your understanding of this book. It will be subjective and based on your experience. Discuss how the book is organized, the style of writing, its effectiveness, the treatment of the topic, and how it appeals to people who read it.Practical Tips On Writing A Critical Analysis EssayLook through other referencesMany books contain a lot of references to other works. What does it mean? You should find and analyze them to understand the objectives of an author better and provide a more detailed background. When you know these references, you can change your opinion on this book.Consider sources surroundingStudy when the historical background of writing this book. Social and political circumstances could affect their writing and knowledge of these circumstances is crucial for understanding the ideas of an author and his or her objectives.Check other reviewsIf there are any reviews on this book, read them. They let you look at the book from another point of view and understand things that you haven’t noticed before. However, you should realize that e ach review is subjective.Compare to similar writingsResearch other similar books of that period. Examine if an author copies the style of other writers or present their own story with the original form of writing. It helps you determine how original is this book.If you don’t have time for writing such an essay, you can order a custom essay online from professional writers. They know how to criticize books correctly and write a paper for you.

Friday, November 22, 2019

6 Steps for Self-Discipline When You Study

6 Steps for Self-Discipline When You Study Have you ever heard the quote, Self-discipline is the difference between choosing what you want now and choosing what you want most? Its a quote that tons of people in the business world follow religiously in order to get exactly what they most desire from their companies. Its a theory that many people use to get themselves out of bed to get to the gym before going to work. Its a mantra that athletes use to do that last set of squats, even though their legs are burning and they want nothing more than to quit. But its message of endurance and self-denial is perfect for those students looking to gain an edge on their competition by acing the ACT in order to get into the college or university of their dreams or those students who simply want to score their highest on their midterm or final exams.   Why Self-Discipline Is Important According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of self-discipline is the  correction or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement. This definition implies that certain regulation or stopping of ourselves from certain behaviors is important if we are going to improve in some way. If we are relating this to studying, it means that we need to stop doing certain things or start doing certain things while studying in order to get the positive results we crave. Regulating ourselves in this way is incredibly important because it can build self-esteem. When we achieve the goals we set for ourselves, we get a boost of confidence which can improve many aspects of our lives. How to Have Self-Discipline When You Study Step 1: Remove Temptations Self-discipline is the easiest when things that distract you from your studies are out of sight, out of earshot, and out the window, if necessary. If you find yourself tempted by external distractions like your cell phone, then by all means, turn the thing completely off. Nothing is going to happen in the 45 minutes that you are going to sit down to study (more on that in a minute) that cannot wait until you have a scheduled break. Also, take the time to remove the clutter from your study area if clutter makes you crazy. Unpaid bills, notes to yourself of things you need to accomplish, letters or even pictures can pull your focus off your studies and into places it does not belong when you are trying to learn how to write a stellar essay for the Enhanced ACT test. Step 2: Eat Brain Food Before You Begin Studies have shown that when we are  exercising willpower (another word for self-discipline), our  mental energy tanks slowly get  emptied. Forcing ourselves to give up what we want in the now for what we want later physically zaps our reserves of glucose, which is the brains favorite fuel. This is why  when we are sitting diligently ignoring our cell phones and pushing back our need  to check Instagram, we are more likely to head to the pantry for a chocolate chip cookie than we would be if we were not practicing self-discipline at all. So, before we ever sit down to study, we need to be sure to indulge in some brain foods like scrambled eggs, a little bit of dark chocolate, maybe even a jolt of caffeine to make sure that our glucose is steady enough to NOT drive us away from the learning were trying to do. Step 3: Do Away With Perfect Timing There is never a perfect time to begin studying for your test. The more time you give yourself the better off you will be, but if you sit around and wait for the  perfect  moment to start studying, you will be waiting for the rest of your  life. There will  always  be something more important than reviewing the SAT Mathematics test questions. Your friends will beg you to go out to the movies to see the final showing of the seasons top film. Your family members will need to be driven on errands or your parents will need you to finish cleaning your room. If you wait until everything is just right- when everything else is accomplished and you feel  great  - you will never find the time to study. Step 4: Ask Yourself If I Had to, Could I? Imagine that you are sitting at your desk. Behind you is an intruder with a weapon pointed at your head. If the only thing between life and saying goodbye to the world as you know it was studying for the next several hours (with scheduled breaks), could you do it? Of course, you could!  Nothing in the world would mean more than your life at that moment. So, if you could do it then- drop everything and give studying everything you have in you- then you can do it in the safety of your own bedroom or library when the stakes arent quite that high. Its all about mental strength. Give yourself a pep-talk. Tell yourself, I have to do this. Everything depends on it. Sometimes, imagining a real life-death scenario works when youre staring at 37 pages of differential equations. Step 4: Give Yourself a Break And by giving yourself a break, we definitely dont mean abandoning all self-discipline and settling down in front of the TV. Schedule mini-breaks into your study session strategically. Set a watch or timer (not the phone - thats turned off) for 45 minutes. Then, force yourself to study for those 45 minutes, making sure that nothing interferes with your work. Then, at 45 minutes, take a scheduled 5- to 7-minute break. Use the bathroom, stretch your legs, grab some brain food, reorganize, and get back at it when the break is over. Step 5: Give Yourself Rewards Sometimes the answer to being self-disciplined lies in the quality of the reward you give yourself for exercising willpower. For many people, the practice of self-discipline is a reward in and of itself. For others, especially those who are just trying to learn to have some willpower when studying, you will need something a little more tangible. So, set up a reward system. Set your timer. Practice studying for that final  for 20 minutes with no interruptions. If youve made it that far, then give yourself a point. Then, after a short break, do it again. If you make it another 20 minutes, give yourself another point. Once youve accumulated three points- you have managed to study for a full hour without surrendering to distractions- you get your reward. Perhaps its a Starbucks latte, one episode of Seinfeld, or even just the luxury of getting onto social media for a few minutes. Make the reward worth it and withhold the reward until youve met your goal! Step 6: Start Small Self-discipline is not a natural thing. Sure. Some people are more self-disciplined than others. They have the rare ability to say no to themselves when they want to say yes. What you need to remember, however, is that self-discipline is a learned skill. Just like the ability to make a perfect free-throw with a high percentage of accuracy  only comes after hours and hours on the court, self-discipline comes from the repeated exercise of willpower. Dr. Anders Ericsson, a Florida State University psychologist says that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something, but â€Å"You don’t get benefits from mechanical repetition, but by adjusting your execution over and over to get closer to your goal. You have to tweak the system by pushing,† he adds, â€Å"allowing for more errors at first as you increase your limits.† So, if you truly want to become an expert at having self-discipline while studying, you not only have to practice the skill, you have to start small, especially if you repeatedly give in to what you want now instead of waiting for what you want most. Start by forcing yourself to study (I have to style) for just 10 straight minutes with 5-minute breaks in between. Then, once that becomes relatively easy, shoot for fifteen minutes. Keep increasing the time you manage self-discipline until you are able to focus for the full 45 minutes. Then, reward yourself with something and get back at it.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Adaptive Portfolio Management using Evolutionary Algorithm Essay

Adaptive Portfolio Management using Evolutionary Algorithm - Essay Example Introduction: Portfolio management is the process of managing assets i.e. stocks, bonds, etc., such that a large return with a low risk is obtained. Forecasting price movements in financial markets is an important part of constructing portfolios. Most traders believe that the financial markets are not fully efficient and that there exist temporary predictability, which could be exploited for collecting excess returns above the market average [1]. Consequently, many financial institutions have developed decision support systems to help traders and analysts make decisions about portfolio management more quickly and more effectively. Technical indicators use statistics to determine trends in security prices and are often used by financial markets and private traders to assist with portfolio management. A survey of foreign exchange traders in London [2] estimates that up to 90% of traders use some form of technical indicators and trading rules in their daily trading. Technical indicators assume that securities move according to trends and patterns that are continued over a short periods of time until another trend is triggered by the change in the market condition. The success of technical indicators depends on how one interprets the signals. Expert human traders are capable of combining several technical indicators and trading rules to arrive at composite strategies which are used in portfolio selection, execution and risk management. The process of arriving at such strategies requires high experience, expertise and often long and tidies hours of observation of historical and current market data to test and fine-tune different combinations of technical indicators and trading rules. Although there are agreements that financial markets do sometimes show periods where certain trading rules work [3], it is very hard to find evidence that a single trading strategy can function over an extended period of time. This can be due to the fact that financial markets are const antly evolving, and that when a trading rule is found to work it would not take long before it is exploited until it no longer harvests a significant profit. This forces the traders and technical analyst to constantly create new strategies or retune the existing strategies so that they would work under the new market conditions. The goal of my research would be to create a system that emulates human behaviour in combining a set of simple rules and technical indicators to create sophisticated trading strategies. The system then would constantly evolve those strategies or creating new strategies that would adapt to changing market conditions. 2. Motivation: In the past several years, there has been a notable increase in the use of financial modeling and optimization tools such as algorithmic trading and automated portfolio management in financial industries. In addition to the pressure on asset management firms to reduce costs and maintain a more stable and predictable performance in the aftermath of the downturn in the world’s markets in recent years, three other general trends have contributed to this increase. First, there has been an increase of interest in predictive models for asset returns. Predictive models assume that it is possible to make conditional forecasts of future returns—an objective that was previously considered not achievable by classical financial theory. Second, the wide availability of sophisticated and specialized software packages has enabled generating and exploiting

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

(SAVE OUR STUDENTS) SCHOLARSHIP PERSONAL STATEMENT

(SAVE OUR STUDENTS) SCHOLARSHIP - Personal Statement Example As we all know, health insurance will cover only a partial amount of medical needs, and since my mother fell ill we have seen the medical bills pile up faster than expected. Our out of pocket costs were larger than my father could have ever imagined, and he was forced to dip into my college fund to cover the amount of money needed to help lower my mothers medical expenditures. This situation was not something that could have totally depleted my college fund though. Another event happened that has finally pushed my familys finances over the edge. In what can only be called a double whammy of bad luck, my father has been injured at work. This work-related injury has sidelined him from the workforce and has depleted our family savings in the process. Needless to say, my parents’ medical needs take priority over my college education. So it comes as no surprise that my college fund went from helping keep me in the college to helping keep food on the table and bill collectors at bay. At this crucial stage of my health science educational career, it is imperative that I stay in school. I am only a number of units shy of graduating from my chosen major, which I hope to parlay for a nursing education in 2013. However, I can afford to pay for my school fees this coming school year only if I manage to obtain some financial aid. Due to the situation of my parents, I am not in a position to look for a full-time job that will allow me to attend college on my days off. These days, I help augment the family income by working on a part-time basis as a cashier and delivery person. Part-time jobs will not help me pay for my college bills and the needs of my family. That is why I have chosen to become pro-active and to apply for financial aid and scholarships whenever possible. My grades in schools are pretty decent. I have been able to keep up my grade point average despite the situation that I find myself in at home. I managed to

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Factors Affecting Essay Example for Free

Factors Affecting Essay This paper examines the factors affecting students career choice of accounting in Nigerian university. The study was conducted using the survey with a sampling population of 300 undergraduates from three universities. It has been discovered that the factors affecting students career choice of accounting are numerous but they can be group into personal, reference and job factors. The findings indicate that personal and job factors such as students interest and motivation in the subject, job prospects and high pay, performance in secondary school are the most influencing factors of students choice of accounting. In particular, male students were found to be more influenced by the reference factors than their female counterparts in the choice of accounting. The paper recommends the need for enlightenment  and counseling of the students and their wards about career choice in accounting.. Keywords: Accounting, personal factors, job-related factors, choice 1. Introduction In recent years, the declining of accounting students has become a major concern to the accounting profession (Hunt, Falgiani Intrieri, 2004). For instance, in the US the decline has been attributed to many factors such as: change in the business environment, decrease in salary level, alternative careers perceived as more attractive to students, misunderstanding and lack of information related to the accounting career (Albrecht Sack,2000). In Nigeria, the choice of accounting tends to rank among other professional courses like law, medicine, engineering ,economics etc. Although many researchers have considered the factors affecting students career choice in accounting, there is dearth of researches in relation to accounting in Nigeria. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the factors which influence students choice of accounting in Nigerian universities and determine whether there are significant differences between male and female accounting students in the choice of accounting. The rest of the paper is organized as follows: Section two reviews the relevant literature on the factors.Section three is the methodology adopted. The data analysis and research findings are documented in Section four and the overall conclusions regarding these results are presented in Section five. 2. Literature review There have been many researches carried out in both developing and developing countries to identify factors influencing students choice of accounting. Some of the factors considered were subjective factors such are social, cultural, sociological, psychological and personal factors. Others are the objective factors or both categories (Zhang, 2006). Factors frequently cited as determinants of students career choice are intrinsic values, financial rewards, job market and the cost-benefit. Some of these factors are long term salary possibilities, prestige of the profession, job security and starting salary. It has been found that students consider stereotype about the different careers when making their decisions .Yayla   Cengiz (2005) find respondents own choice, family, environment, interesting profession, earnings  expectations and job opportunities play a significant role in choosing an accounting career. These factors are grouped into personal, reference or and job related factors and considered in subsequent sections. 2.1 Personal Factors Many researchers have identified that the choice of accounting is influenced by the stud ents interest. For instance, Zhang (2006) finds students interest in the subject and ability very important in making choice to study accounting. Other factors like quantitative skills and intellectually challenging also influence students choices (Mladenovic,2000, Zhang, 2006).When students see accounting as interesting and enjoyable, they are more likely to choose it (Saemann Calero, 1999., Adam et al 1994., Mauldin et al, 2000).This finding was supported by results of Jackling Calero (2006) where intrinsic rewards such as enjoyment of the topics in accounting influence career in accounting. Kaur Leen (2006) establish that students choices of major is influenced by factors such as gender, race, quantitative skills, interest in the subject, expected marketability, performance in major classes, the approachability and teaching reputation of faculty member. Cohen Hanno (1993) conduct a survey of 287 students who had either declared or intended to declare themselves as accounting majors and those who had either declared or intended to declare themselves as major in a field other than accounting. The results indicated that non-accounting majors may choose accounting because they believe accounting to be too number-oriented and boring. 2.2 Reference Group Previous studies confirmed that referent group such as: parents, parents occupation, instructors in high school and friends could influence students  choice of major (Pimpa, 2007, Kim et al, 2002, Paolilo Estes 1982, Geiger Ogibly 2000, Mauldin et al, 2000, Kim et al,2002). Family plays a critical role in a childs career development (Guerra Braungart-Rieker, 1999). High school teachers and college instructors play a significant role in students final choice of business major. However, Hardin et al (2000) find high school educators to have a relatively low opinion of accounting as a career option for high school students.Similarly, parents and instructors had a strong influence on students choice of majors (Inman et al, 1989, Mauldin et al, 2000., Tan Laswad, 2006). Mauldin et al (2000) investigate the choices of accounting major and find the largest percentage of students who chose accounting as their major during the first accounting course in college (41%) followed by selection during high school (34%).They also find twelve factors that influence the students decisions to include: career opportunities, interest in the subject, instructors, money, parents, enjoyments, previous experience, life style opportunity because of the career, challenge, prestige, usefulness in rating a business and other students. Among referents, the instructor was found to be the most influential factor. 2.3 Job Related Factors Job attributes are the most important factors that influence the choice of career among undergraduates. The job related include: the job itself, compensation or security and the company or work environment (Moy Lee, 2002, Teo Poon (1994). The influencing factors are job satisfaction (Paolilo Estes,1982), higher earnings, prestige and career advancement (Kim,et al, 2002). Lowe Simons (1997) study the relative importance of 13 factors influencing the choice of business major. They find that the most important criteria influencing the choice of major business students are: future earnings, career options, initial earnings and ability/aptitude. Moreover, they find distinguishable differences among majors. For example, accounting students were influenced by external factors such as: long term earnings, initial earnings and career options whereas marketing majors highlighted interesting subject matter and management majors rated self employment opportunities highly. These findings support the results that students choice of business major are influenced by earnings, prestige and career advancement (Tan Laswad, 2006, Maudlin et al 2000, Felton et al, 1994). Noland et al (2003)  find the factors influencing major selection by accounting and information systems majors are long- term salary possibilities, prestige of the profession, job security, and starting salary; the influence of a professor, family members and difficulty of the subject matter are rated much lower. Kim et al (2002) conducted a study on business majors (accounting, finance, general business, management, marketing, management information system and double major). They discovered that the top five reasons for choosing a major were: interest in a career, good job opportunities, good fit with respondents abilities, a desire to run a business some day and projected earnings in the related career. The least selected reasons for choosing a major were the  reputation of the major at the university, the perceived quality of instruction, the parents influence, the amount and type of promotional information and the influence of friends. 2.4 Perception of Accounting Accounting education has been the subject of considerable debates since 1980s. Prior researches document that introductory accounting students have negative perception of accounting. Accounting is attractive to the students in terms of profession but the negative views regarding the nature and role of accounting persist (Fisher Murphy, 1995:58). Societys perception of the legitimacy of the accounting profession and its members is grounded in the verbal and visual images of accountants that are projected not only by accountants themselves but also by the media. How accountants are portrayed in media have a significant impact on the accounting profession. Typically, accountants have been referred to as number crunchers, focusing on numerical accuracy, routine recording and calculation methods. Abrecht Sack (2000), Cory (1992), Garner Dombrowski (1997) attribute the negative perception to misinformation or lack of information about accounting and the duties performed by accountants. To date, efforts by professional accounting bodies and firms to change the negative and inaccurate perception of accountancy and accountants have yielded limited success (Jackling Calero, 2006). Byrne Willis (2005) maintain that the public view of accountants is generally negative and that this perception might discourage potential students from studying the subject. Similarly, Cohen Hanno (1993) find that the perception of accounting as boring and excessively number- oriented might lead student to choose other majors than accounting. Furthermore, the traditional view of accounting as involving precision and order has been found to drive creative people away from the profession. In addition, many bright young people are seeking careers in professional fields other than accounting as a result of the poor image of the accounting profession (Saemann Crooker 1999, Cohen Hanno,1993).The personal image of accountants and how they market themselves are more important than the price, product and Smart.Anyone whose success depends upon or requires the cooperation of another individual or group needs a positive personal image. Unfortunately, high-quality students hardly ever perceive accountants as they perceive themselves. People regard accountants as boring, middle- aged men sitting in a back office with a calculator and a stack of flies. As a consequence, the accounting profession does not always attract high quality students. Whether a person chooses to pursue an accounting career may be determined by the image of accountants in the media. Byrne Willis (2005) find that perceptions of accounting are influenced by factual media. Mathus Fowler (2009) find that the portrayal of accountants in the media could be recalled by the sampling group. Tan Laswad (2009) in an extension of their 2006 study survey university students at the beginning and end of their degree. The comparisons between accounting and non accounting students reveal that those who intended to major in accounting generally hold positive attitudes towards the accounting profession. Tan Laswad (2009) found that a higher proportion of accounting students decide on their major  prior to university study. Therefore they recommended that the accounting profession should promote the positive aspects of accounting career not only to pre-university students but also to the public as this strategy would enhance the public profile of members of the profession. 2.5 Status of accounting compared with other professions Students are more likely to aspire to a career that is held in high esteem by society. In the Byrne Willis (2005) study, accounting students ranked accounting ranked 5th and non-accounting students ranked it 7th among ten professional courses. Irish high schools ranked accountants behind doctors, lawyers, dentists and architects as professionals. In the United States, the Gallun organization (1991) reported that both high school and university students rated the accounting profession last among six professions of law, medicine, teaching, engineering, financial planning and accounting. In a New Zealand study, the accounting profession was ranked lower in social status compared to the profession of law, medicine and engineering by high school teachers. This was also the view of high school teachers in the United States (Hardin et al, 2000) and Japan (Sagahara et al, 2006) 3. Methodology The population of interest comprised all accounting students in three (3) universities: University of Benin (UNIBEN), Igbinedion University Okada (IUO) and Ambrose Alli University (AAU). The sample size was made up of three hundred (300) full and part-time accounting students from these universities. The total number include: two hundred (200)  accounting students from UNIBEN, fifty (50) from IUO and fifty (50) students from AAU. The data for this study was mainly from the administration of questionnaire. A total of 300 questionnaires were administered and retrieved from the respondents representing a response rate of 100%.The likert scale  type close ended questions was used .The data was analysis using percentage analysis, independent t-test and regression analysis.The t-test was used to find out if there was significant difference between male and female accounting students in the choice of accounting. The descriptive statistics of the respondents is shown in table 1 below.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Piping Plover :: essays papers

Piping Plover Background Information Piping plovers are small shorebirds that usually lives on sandy beach and is considered to be endangered. It has a pale color that blend perfectly with dry beach sand. During the spring and summer, it appears to have a single black neckband and a narrow black band across its forehead. The plover’s bills and legs are yellowish but their bills have a black tip. During their flight its rump is white in color. The sexes appear similar, in both their size and color. During the winter, their legs and bill gets darker. Piping plovers are seen in small flocks or singularly. Food Piping plover eats insects, marine worms, mollusks, or small crustaceans. Habitat and nesting place During the warm season (summer), piping plovers usually lives and nest on the sandy beaches, shores of the Great Lakes, major rivers, or the prairies. They usually breed on dry sandy beaches and in the winter, they settle along the shores of southeastern United States. The piping plover usually nests on the sandy beach, some distance away from the water and is often located near a large rock or clump of grass. There are usually 4 eggs in the nest. The eggs begin to hatch for 25 to 30 days. Why are they endangered? Piping Plovers are endangered because of habitat loss and degradation. Homes and roads are being built onto their habitat. Off-road vehicles run over and destroy their nest. As a result, their habitat is being destroyed, leaving them with no place to live and to nest their young. They are also being disturbed by human activities near their habitat. Some people even step on their nest and bringing pets that kill the chicks and destroy the eggs. As these things kept on happening, their population started to decrease. When did it get on the list? The United States Fish and Wildlife Service listed the piping plovers as endangered in 1985. Recovery Plans Some of the plans that protected the piping plover were the closing of beaches, and making public announcements. Several beaches were reserved for these birds, including some of the coastal beaches in Massachusetts. This helped the piping plover from being disturbed and from loosing their habitat. As a result their survival rate and reproduction increased. Another plan was making public announcements to alert people about the extinction of piping plovers. This made people to be more careful when they see one and not to disturb them.

Monday, November 11, 2019

No Link Between Autism and Vaccination

According to the World Health Organization and the American Psychological Association, autism is a developmental disability, manifesting itself before the age of three, and resulting from a disorder of the central nervous system.   The developmental disability is diagnosed with the use of specific criteria for impairments in the areas of communication, basic social interaction, the interests of affected individuals, and their imagination as well as activities.   Autistic children are known to be slow at basic processes like language acquisition that healthy children are known to learn quickly (â€Å"Autism†). The causes of autism are controversial, which is why it is possible for people to formulate a host of theories on the causes of this developmental disability (â€Å"Autism†).   A British study published in February 1998 was misinterpreted by countless people who believed that the data provided proof that the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine was responsible for autism in children.   The study was conducted by a team of thirteen scientists with Dr. Andrew Wakefield of Oxford University as the team leader. After it was discovered that parents had begun to fear the MMR vaccine because a debate had been waged with regards to the data presented in their study, ten of the thirteen authors of the study report made the following statement which was published on the BBC website: â€Å"We wish to make it clear that in this paper no causal link was established between MMR vaccine and autism, as the data were insufficient† (Jackson). The demand for vaccination fell in the United Kingdom after the data in the above mentioned study had been misunderstood, and the misinterpreted information had been publicized.   This meant that children could no longer be protected from measles, mumps, and rubella.   In point of  fact, it was found that a significant number of families had entirely given up on the idea of vaccination for their children. Some parents had opted for single vaccines rather than the MMR at the time, but health organizations and the UK government warned that even single vaccines put children at risk (Burke).   What is more, even some doctors in the United States had begun to believe that the MMR vaccination was responsible for autism.   Globalization had spread the rumor overseas.   According to Dr. Mary Megson from Virginia, The segment of children with â€Å"regressive autism,† the form where children develop normally for a period of time then lose skills and sink into autism, most commonly at 18-24 months of age, is increasing at a phenomenal rate.   I am seeing several children in the same family affected, including in the last week four cases of â€Å"autistic regression† developing in four-year-old children after their MMR and DPT vaccination.   In the past, this was unheard of. The doctor from Virginia advised that the implementation of safe vaccine policies should become a first priority, seeing that vaccination cannot be kept away from children (Megson).   The doctor had believed that there was definitely a link between autism and vaccination.   As a matter of fact, many doctors believed what Dr. Megson had believed.   This is because the link between MMR vaccination and autism was that of â€Å"coincidental-timing.†Ã‚   In other words, the symptoms of autism began to occur around the same time as the vaccination. Hence, parents began to falsely believe that the vaccine was indeed responsible for autism.   Dr. Ken Haller, who works as a primary care pediatrician with the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital explained  the false belief thus: â€Å"When something terrible happens to a child, everyone wants a reason for it†¦Ã‚   As a physician, it's very difficult for me, when I see a kid who's diagnosed with autism or a seizure disorder, to say we have no idea why this happened.   But people want to grasp onto something; that's human nature. (Jackson)† The â€Å"insufficient† data in the study conducted by Dr. Wakefield and his colleagues could not find a link between autism and vaccination.   So, two different groups of investigators in the United States attempted to find out whether there was truly a link between autism and vaccination.   Dr. James A. Kaye and his colleagues at the Boston University used the United Kingdom General Practice Research Database to find out whether 254 boys suffering from autism in their study were actually suffering because of MMR vaccination. Dr. Loring Dales and her colleagues at the California Department of Health Services in Berkeley performed a similar study during the same time.   Both of these studies eventually showed that there is no link whatsoever between autism and vaccination.   The results of both of these studies actually showed that while the use of vaccination remained constant over time, the cases of autism increased dramatically among children without vaccination being responsible for the increase (Kubetin). Although it had already been clearly proven that there is definitely no link between autism and vaccination, the developed world where the debate on autism and vaccination had been waged was seeking a truly comprehensive study to show whether there really is a link between autism and vaccination, or not.   K. Madsen, A. Hvii, and M. Vestergaard report on exactly the kind of study that was being sought and finally conducted on Danish children: This is the most direct evaluation of whether MMR causes autism published to date. Though all epidemiological studies conducted in recent years have found no association between the MMR vaccine and onset of autism, design limitations have left some doubt about this issue.   This historical cohort included all Danish children born between 1991 and 1998 when prevalence rates for autism and autistic spectrum disorders were increasing.   Because of the thoroughness of the Danish system of registration, ascertainment of vaccination status and health problems was remarkably accurate and complete.   Since the cohort was composed of the entire population, both vaccinated and unvaccinated children had the same risk of autism prior to exposure to the vaccine.   Nearly all children were accounted for at the end of the study period.   Specialists using the same diagnostic classification system made the diagnosis of autism in a uniform manner. No doubt, this was the comprehensive study with ‘sufficient data’ that parents were seeking the results of.   The design of the study was virtually immaculate.   Most importantly, the study showed once again that there was no difference in the risk of autism in the children that were vaccinated verses those that were not vaccinated.   Moreover, the cases considered as part of the study were not clustered at any point after the immunization.   Madsen et al. report that the registry data that was used did not contain information on children that were suffering from developmental regression.   Hence, the issue that there might be children who show vulnerability to vaccination, could not be ruled out.   If there is a group of such children, the risk for vaccinated  children would be greater than 1.   However, the opposite turned out to be true – that is, there is definitely no risk of autism in children especially because of vaccination. Because the size of the sample of children studied was extraordinarily large, and there was no evidence to show that there is a link between autism and vaccination, Madsen et al. concluded that parents should fearlessly continue to vaccinate their children in order to avoid future outbreaks of disease.   Given that parents had previously only trusted false interpretations of the British study that had seemed to show a link between autism and vaccination, it is now time to give up the false belief entirely.   Science is based on real facts, which is why we all trust scientific information. We have been shown through several studies that there is certainly no link between autism and vaccination.   There have been more studies of the same kind with the same results that we have not discussed.   Future studies may similarly show that there is no link between autism and vaccination.   Even so, parents cannot keep their children from immunization waiting for future studies of the same kind, churning out the same results.   The future of children is at stake without vaccination.   The scientific evidence that has been found thus far is sufficient. Works Cited â€Å"Autism.† (2007). Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autism. (4 April 2007). Burke, Maria. â€Å"Every parent's choice? Autism and vaccination — the jury's out.† Chemistry and Industry (2002, February 18). Jackson, Harry Jr. â€Å"Debate on autism and vaccination started after British medical study.† St. Louis Post-Dispatch (2004, May 28). Kubetin, Sally Koch. â€Å"MMR Vaccination Not Tied to Rise in Autism Rate.† Clinical Psychiatry News (2001, July 1). Madson, K., A. Hvii, and M. Vestergaard. â€Å"There is little evidence that combined vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella is associated with autism.† Evidence-Based Mental Health (2003, May 1). Megson, Mary. â€Å"Autism and Vaccinations.† The Weston A. Price Foundation (2004, March 16). Retrieved from http://www.westonaprice.org/children/index.html. (3 April 2007).         

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Bill Miller and Value Trust

? Bill Miller and Value Trust Background Information Bill Miller is one of the most renowned professional fund managers. This can be proven by the outperformance of the Value Trust, which is managed by him, compared to its benchmark index, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (S&P 500), for an astonishing 14 years in a row; and this marked the longest streak of success for any manager in the mutual-fund industry. By the middle of 2005, Value Trust is worth $11. 2-billion. Bill Miller’s approach to investment management was research-intensive and highly concentrated. For instance, nearly 50 percent of Value Trust’s assets were invested in just 10 large-capitalization companies. While most of Bill Miller’s investments were value stocks, he was not averse to taking large positions in the stocks of growth companies. In other words, Bill Miller’s investing style is iconoclastic: â€Å"You simply can’t do what he’s done in the supremely competitive, ultra-efficient world of stock picking by following the pack†¦The fact is that Miller has spent decades studying freethinking overachievers, and along the way he’s become one himself. † Mutual Funds Definition A mutual fund is an investment vehicle that pooled the funds of individual investors to buy a portfolio of securities, stocks, bonds, and money-market instruments to meet specific investment objectives; investors owned a pro rata share of the overall investment portfolio (Bruner, 2007). The various investments included in a fund’s portfolio are handled by professional money managers in line with the stated investment policy of the fund. All mutual funds have a portfolio manager, or investment advisor, who directs the fund’s investments according to explicit investment objectives. Mutual Fund Types Investors have different objectives, so various types of mutual funds are needed to help them achieve their goals. Most mutual funds fit into one of three basic categories: money market mutual funds, bond funds, and stock funds. Money market mutual funds hold cash reserves, or short-term debt investments issued by the government, corporations, or financial institutions (i. e. , U. S. Treasury bills and bank certificates of deposit). Bond funds invest in debt instruments issued by corporations or government agencies. Stock funds are one of the most popular types of mutual funds, ranging from relatively conservative equity income funds to value funds, growth funds, aggressive growth funds, small-company funds, and international funds (Hirschey and Nofsinger, 2008). Advantages of Mutual Funds Diversification Using mutual funds can help an investor diversify their portfolio with a minimum investment. When investing in a single mutual fund, an investor is actually investing in numerous securities and spreading investment across a range of securities can help to reduce risk but will never completely eliminate it. If a few securities in the mutual fund lose value or become worthless, the loss maybe offset by other securities that appreciate in value. Professional Management Mutual funds are managed and supervised by investment professionals. As per the stated objectives set forth in the prospectus, along with prevailing market conditions and other factors, the mutual fund manager will decide when to buy or sell securities. This eliminates the investor of the difficult task of trying to time the market. Furthermore, mutual funds can eliminate the cost an investor would incur when proper due diligence is given to researching securities. Convenience With most mutual funds, buying and selling shares, changing distribution options, and obtaining information can be accomplished conveniently by telephone, by mail, or online. Minimum Initial Investment Most mutual funds have a minimum initial purchase of $2,500 but some are as low as $1,000. Disadvantages of Mutual Funds Risks and Costs Changing market conditions can create fluctuations in the value of a mutual fund investment. There are fees and expenses associated with investing in mutual funds that do not usually occur when purchasing individual securities directly. There are drawbacks associated with mutual funds: No Guarantees. The value of mutual fund investment could fall and be worth less than the principle initially invested. The Diversification â€Å"Penalty†. Diversification can help to reduce your risk of loss from holding a single security, but it limits your potential for a â€Å"home run† if a single security increases dramatically in value. Costs. In some cases, the efficiencies of fund ownership are offset by a combination of sales commissions, redemption fees, and operating expenses. If the fund is purchased in a taxable account, taxes may have to be paid on capital gains. Expenses Because mutual funds are professionally managed investments, there are management fees and operating expenses associated with investing in a fund, which is called expense ratios ranging from 0. 2% to 2. 0%. These fees and expenses charged by the fund are passed onto shareholders and deducted from the fund’s return. Taxes As a fund shareholder, you can be taxed on distributions of dividends and/or capital gains made by the fund and profits you make when you sell the fund shares. Research Hypothesis 1. There is a possibility that his overall performance may be affected because of Bill Miller’s choice of concentrating heavily in certain sectors such as financials, health, consumer goods, and telecommunications. 2. By examining and analyzing various theoretical explanations, we will be able to determine whether Bill Miller’s success is dependent on luck and/or skill and whether it is sustainable or not. Evaluation of Bill Miller’s Performance Bill Miller’s results seemed to contradict conventional theories, which suggested that, in markets characterized by high competition, easy entry, and information efficiency, it would be extremely difficult to beat the market on sustained basis. Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) There are three levels of market efficiency which were distinguished by the degree of information believed to be reflected in current securities’ prices. The weak form of efficiency maintained that all past prices for a tock were impounded into today’s price. The semistrong form of efficiency held that today’s prices reflected not only all past prices, but also all publicly available information. The strong form of efficiency held that today’s stock price reflected all the information that could be acquired through a close analysis of the company and the economy. Many scholars argued that the sock market followed a â€Å"random walk†, where the price movements of tomorrow were essentially uncorrelated with the price movements of today. They argued that capital markets’ information was efficient, and that the insights available to any one fundamental analyst were bound to be impounded quickly into share prices. If EMH were correct and all current prices reflected the true value of the underlying securities, then arguably it would be impossible to beat the market with superior skill or intellect. â€Å"In such a market,† as one economist said, â€Å"We would observe lucky and unlucky investors, but we wouldn’t find any superior investment managers who can consistently beat the market. Yet, Bill Miller, who over long periods, greatly outperformed the market. In reply, Malkiel suggested that beating the market was much like participating in a coin-tossing contest where those who consistently flip heads are the winners. Malkiel suggested that the success of a few superstar portfolio managers could be explained as luck. Similarly, the stock-market crash on October 1987 had also seemed to undermine t he strength of the EMH. Academic research exposed other inconsistencies with the EMH, for example, January effect, blue Monday effect, etc. Those results were inconsistent with a random walk of prices and returns. Bill Miller was an adherent of fundamental analysis; his approach was research-intensive and highly concentrated. Nearly 50% of Value Trust’s asserts were invested in just 10 large-capitalization companies. Analysis of Bill Miller’s Key Strategies Bill Miller, portfolio manager for Legg Mason Value Trust, had a great track record for an astonishing fourteen years in a row. He was the only active mutual fund manager to have consistently beaten the S&P 500 over the last fourteen years. Bill Miller pointed out that his streak was due to luck; 95 percent luck. This section will evaluate Bill Miller’s investment philosophies and whether he is just plain lucky or it is based on luck and sustainability. The figure below lists the categories in which Bill Miller has invested in and the annual returns each category receives: As can be seen in the figure above, Value Trust has a portfolio that is highly volatile. Although highly volatile, the concentrated portfolio still showed outperformance when judged by calendar years, thus giving an ominous sign that the outperformance is not the result of good stock picking, but merely the result of taking on greater risk than the market as a whole. Bill Miller’s investment philosophy to build up Value Trust is to consistently buy cheap stocks, and focused on established companies suffering through periods of poor performance. These judgments resulted in Value Trust’s outperformance for fourteen years. However, taking risks (i. . having a highly concentrated volatile portfolio) and underperforming the value style (i. e. buying cheap stocks from companies suffering through periods of poor performance) is not a good combination and could hurt him later on. One might think that Bill Miller’s investment philosophy could be a â€Å"value trap†, mistaking a more or less permanent change in value or industry conditions for a tempora ry one. The bulk of Bill Miller’s portfolio is from consumer (i. e. homebuilding) and financial categories. These stocks tend to trade at cheap prices. Furthermore, the housing bubble began inflating in mid 1990’s, thus making it an easy way for investors like Bill Miller to make money. This event led to further success of Value Trust despite the high level of volatility. Investment Philosophies Buy low-price, high intrinsic-value stocks Bill Miller tends to invest in stocks that are undervalued by the market. People believe that a business is broken, scandal, but the company is still able to generate positive future cash flows. He buys low and sell high. The market price in long run still imitates the value of the firm. Take heart in pessimistic markets Bill Miller tends to invest in stocks that have the least promising outlook and sell those stocks that have the greatest opportunity for near-term gain. In other words, Bill Miller is investing in stocks that have the greatest opportunity for long-term gain instead of near-term gain. Remember that the lowest average cost wins The lower the shares go, the higher the future rate of return and the more money you should invest in them. When a stock drops and he believes in the fundamentals, the case for future retunes goes up. Again, market price in long run still imitates the value of the firm. Buy low-expectation stocks When the market’s been down for a while, and it looks bad, then you should be more aggressive, and when it’s been up for a while, then you should be less aggressive. Bill Miller thinks buying low-expectation stocks, buying higher dividend-yielding stocks, staying away from things with high expense ratios. Take the long view Bill Miller tends to hold onto stocks he invested in for a long period of time which results in a low portfolio turnover. According to him, the biggest opportunity for investors is really thinking out longer term. Look for cyclical and secular underpricing Bill Miller tends to invest in stocks that are undervalued or mispriced. He believes that most growth people own stocks that are secularly underpriced; things that can grow for long periods of time. Behavioural Finance Bill Miller’s educational background in Philosophy and Economics and his active involvement in the study of Behavioural Finance reflect his investment strategy. During Bill Miller’s Investment Conference in 2004, he remarked that â€Å"I believe that every exploitable anomaly in the market is behaviourally based. This is the only way that sustainable anomalies can be created. These are the anomalies that are not easily arbitraged away. One of the most remarkable behavioural anomalies that we see is that people take today’s data (e. g. , the GDP report, the unemployment report) and concludes that the market is getting ahead of itself. The market does not look at today’s data. It is looking at the data down the road. † This statement demonstrates that his belief that the market reflects the available information fairly accurately in the short term. In addition, he remarked that â€Å"Because the market looks forward, because the market discounts, and because the market prices reflect, in essence, the data refracted through the decision procedures and emotions of investors, then the market will change as the world changes because it is incorporating new information. † With this statement, it appears that Bill Miller expresses a partial belief in the EMH, unlike Warren Buffet. Value Investing As what was stated in the case, Bill Miller has been following an approach to equity investing and followed a number of strategies, specifically Ben Graham’s. Bill Miller analyzes and evaluates the stocks performance in the long run which explains his strategy of buying low, with high intrinsic value. In addition, he has been holding onto stocks for a longer period than an average fund manager, hence a low turn-over rate which explains his strategy of taking the long view. Conclusion By comparing Miller’s investment philosophy with Warren Buffett’s, there is one thing that makes Buffett’s investment philosophy more applicable and Miller’s philosophy a â€Å"swing-for-the-fences† approach. Miller should look at a company’s financials before making an investment. His view of welcoming negative sentiment about companies and buying stocks as their prices fall failed to look at the company’s liquidity. The company could have issues with high levels of debt and poor financials. Even though if for instance, some of his stocks (due to volatility) have failed to meet his expectations (a â€Å"stinker†), the inflated housing bubble that grew during the 1990s caused high levels of annual return could still make the overall performance of Value Trust successful compared to the others. Thus, given the nature of his concentrated portfolio, his long outperformance can be seen as a random variable, or â€Å"luck†. There are approximately 8,044 mutual funds out there; and 4,600 of these were U. S. equity mutual funds. Thus, there is a 50 percent chance of beating the market. Since Bill Miller has outperformed its competitors over fourteen consecutive years, how come no one has followed in his footsteps?