12 Years a Slave Essay

The plot of the book Twelve Years A Slave is the reflection of the author's own life experience. The uniqueness of Northup’s book lies in the fact that unlike other slave narrated books; a man who was born free wrote this novel. All other slave narrators had been born into slavery. Dedicated to Harriet Beecher Stowe and introduced as â€Å"Another Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin,† Northup's book was published in 1853, less than a year after his liberation.The significance of Northup’s experiences of being a slave described in the book is hard to deny. People who read this book can virtually see the world through the eyes of a person that got locked away into a cage of slavery, a person that was cut off from society and normal life of a free man. Can we possibly imagine how this person must have felt like? We should not doubt what Solomon Northup went through when he found himself in a situation when he was not free anymore.It is obvious that the whole story and the port rayal of slavery acquires an entirely different perspective than if it had been written by a narrator who was born into slavery and passed through stages of his childhood and adolescence wearing a stamp of being someone's property. The most harrowing moment from Northup’s brilliant and painful Twelve Years A Slave is when slave master, Edwin Epps, is questioning his slave girl and mistress, Patsy, about her whereabouts the previous afternoon.When Patsy returns, she reveals that she was at a neighbor’s plantation, trying to get a bar of soap, but he refuses to listen. Epps does not believe her and orders her undressed, tied to a tree and beaten. Epps forces Platt to whip her repeatedly, but becomes frustrated, snatches the whip and whales on her himself. In my opinion, this was the most touching; yet disturbing section of the book. I cannot imagine how devastated Platt felt having to whip his best friend and then watch helplessly as she suffered.Because it was so violen t and graphic it was almost impossible for me to read this section of the novel. Northup trusted that Armsby would mail a letter to Northup's family for him, but instead Armsby told Epps about Northup’s letter so that he could get him into trouble. Obviously Armsby did not have the intention of helping Northup and he was trying to cajole Epps. He is described as a man who came to the plantation looking to fill the position of overseer but was reduced to labor with the slaves.In an effort to better his role on the plantation, he revealed Northup's secret to Epps. Instead of giving the letter to Armsby, Northup should have mailed the letter himself. By mailing it himself, he could assure that no one would find out about the letter and he would not have had to suffer through ten years of enslavement. He would have had to have someone cover for him, however, this would not be as bad as having Epps find out, knowing how harsh the consequences would be.Northup is first sold to the infamous Washington-based slave trader James H.Burch, who brutally whips him for protesting that he is a free man. He is purchased by a fair-minded but feeble master named Ford. Northup writes that there never was a kinder, candid, Christian man. Northup is then sold in the winter of 1842 to John Tibeats, a quick-tempered carpenter to whom Ford had become indebted. Unlike Ford, Tibeats was never satisfied and he worked his slaves from earliest dawn until late at night. Lastly, Tibeats sells Northup to Edwin Epps, a repulsive and coarse cotton planter whom Northup describes as lacking any redeeming qualities.Religion appears in 12 Years a Slave in its conservative theme as an eloquent technology that slave owners use to persuade their slaves to be obedient. We see Epps, for instance, preaching to his slaves and verbally underlining a Bible verse emphasizing weakness. This scene also portrays the limitations of this analysis by showing the disconnect between discourse and power. The s laves are not moved to serve by Epps’s readings, but by practice of physical and psychological violence.Race and religion merge to become a highly effective mechanism for solidifying dignity by asserting the corruptness of outside bodies. A reader will obtain some sense of what it meant to be owned by another human being, what it meant to be considered a piece of property that could be bought and sold, an object whose sole purpose and function was to make life more comfortable for the master and his family. Readers will also be able to gain insight into the fact that despite the general cruelty, black people consciously struggled to maintain their dignity, humanity, and their moral and cultural integrity.The book of Solomon Northup gave me a chance to go beyond what we learn in history books, taking me into the human story of slavery. Our country is founded on a system of institutional racism, and slavery is among the strongest examples of this reality. This is a hard truth t o accept while at the same time enjoying the freedoms our country offers. 12 Years a Slave showed me human dignity and beauty in the face of extreme oppression. That story of slavery, not the stories of land ownership and wealth, should become the narrative of what our country stands for.

Discuss the importance of LOYALTY in Millers Essay

Loyalty is one of the big themes in this play and most people are loyal to each other in the neighborhood, because there are quite a few illegal immigrants living there and working at the piers, so everyone trusts everyone else. This shows loyalty between this neighborhood because no one would snitch on anybody else. Because people understand that life is hard back home and they need the money to help their families, because perhaps there isn’t any work to earn the money they need, so they come to a better country hoping they have a better life there. Eddie and Beatrice are happily married, and live together in an apartment with Beatrice’s niece, Catherine. Beatrice as Eddie’s wife is very loyal and loves Eddie, he also loves Beatrice very much, but he is not as loyal to her as she is to him. I can see this on page 24, when Beatrice says to Eddie, â€Å"When am I gonna be a wife again, Eddie? † I think that Beatrice is insecure about how Eddie feels about her and their marriage. It seems that Eddie is paying more attention to Catherine then Beatrice, because he is worried that Rodolfo is taking Catherine for a ride, but he isn’t, Eddie is just getting worried over nothing, but Beatrice thinks that Eddie may think that she is just jealous, but she is just insecure about the way Eddie really feels about Catherine. Beatrice respects Eddie so much, I can see this because when Eddie is telling Beatrice that nobody will go to that wedding until Marco apologizes to him, on page 61 and Beatrice’s response to this was, â€Å"I cant Katie, I cant†¦ She says this because Eddie had already told her before that if she goes to that wedding then she as well not come back. So Beatrice obviously chose her husband and his wishes, rather than go to her nieces wedding. This proves that Beatrice is loyal and would do anything for Eddie. However, Eddie is not so faithful to Beatrice. Evidence of this is on page 47 when Eddie kisses Catherine on the mouth; I can see that she didn’t want Eddie to do that because the text says, ‘he reaches out suddenly, draws her to him, and as she strives to free herself, he kisses her on the mouth! Then suddenly Rodolfo pulls on Eddies arm and says, â€Å"Don’t! Stop that. Have respect for her. † Rodolfo obviously thinks that what Eddie is doing is wrong and he is trying to stop him. Like I mentioned before, Catherine lives in the same apartment as Eddie, and they get along really well, in fact a little to well. Catherine is a 17 year old young woman, she wants to prove to people that she isn’t a little girl anymore, but Eddie is having some trouble believing that. For example on page 5, Catherine comes in wearing her new skirt and shows it of to Eddie. He likes it but he doesn’t want other boys to see her wearing that and so he says to her, â€Å"you’re a baby, you don’t understand these things. † Eddie is saying that she can’t be going out wearing short skirts, high heels and ‘walking wavy’. He is only looking out for Catherine. Beatrice has also realized that Catherine is still acting like a little girl in front Eddie. Beatrice says to Catherine on page 30, â€Å"†¦ like you sit on the bathtub talkin’ to him when he’s shaving, in his underwear. † Beatrice is trying to explain to Catherine that she can’t still be doing that, because Beatrice knows that Catherine is trying to show everyone that she is independent, but Catherine doesn’t seem to understand because Beatrice says to her again on page 30, â€Å"but if you act like a baby, then he be treain’ you like a baby. Like when he comes home sometimes you throw yourself at him like when you was 12 years old! † This shows that Beatrice is really trying to tell Catherine that she has to stop acting like that in front of Eddie, because she isn’t 12 years old anymore, she is nearly 18 years old. This links in quite well with the meaning of this play because; Catherine wants Eddie to have enough faith in her, to let her go to do whatever she wants. Another character who is part of this is, Rodolfo. He and his brother, Marco, are illegal immigrants from Italy. They are Beatrice’s cousins and who have come over to America to work and earn some money to send back home, for their poor families. From the first time Rodolfo met Catherine he really liked her, and as Catherine got to know Rodolfo, she began to like him, a lot. Eddie soon realizes that there is something going on between Catherine and Rodolfo, because they are going out a lot together and coming home late. Eddie feels jealousy towards Rodolfo because he feels like Catherine is never at home anymore and she is always out with Rodolfo. Eddie is obviously jealous of Rodolfo, and he doesn’t really like him as much as he did, this is because Eddie thinks that all Rodolfo wants is his papers so he could stay in America and become an American citizen. This is not true at all, Rodolfo and Catherine are in love and that is why they want to get married. When Eddie found this out he really didn’t know what to do, but he did know that he wasn’t going to attend their wedding! This made Catherine really upset and she felt as thought she had lost her faith in Eddie, because he can’t be happy for her; whoever she would be with. This brings me to a different character in the play, someone who is very trustworthy and loyal. Alfieri is a lawyer and so he knows everyone in the neighborhood and their problems. Everyone always comes to Alfieri because he is a very honest and fair man, who people respect. From the first moment Eddie started to feel ‘bad’ about the whole Catherine and Rodolfo situation, he straight away turned to Alfieri, because Eddie knew he could tell Alfieri anything; even if it’s nothing to do with the law. When Eddie is talking to Alfieri on page 31, Eddie had explained the whole situation to Alfieri asked Eddie if there is a question of law somewhere and he also added, â€Å"Because there is nothing illegal about a girl falling in love with an immigrant. † But Eddie is convinced that all Rodolfo wants is his papers, Alfieri said to Eddie that he doesn’t know that but Eddie is determined for Catherine not to be with Rodolfo. As the conversation draws to an end, Alfieri says to Eddie on page 34, â€Å"†¦ let her go. That’s my advice. You did your job, now it’s her life. † Alfieri is trying to help Eddie saying that there is nothing he can do just wish her luck and let her go. Eddie thanks Alfieri; this shows trust between Eddie and Alfieri because even though Eddie doesn’t like Alfieri’s advice, he still tells him he won’t do anything, because there is nothing he can do. But later on Eddie betrays Alfieri’s trust and he calls the immigration bureau. On page 50 he says, â€Å"I want to report something. Illegal immigrants. Two of them. That’s right. † He also tells them the address and that he is just around the neighborhood. But when they start to question him further, he hangs up. There is also a lot of trust between the neighborhood and people seem to get along quite well. But when Eddie found out that there are two more illegal immigrants living upstairs with Marco and Rodolfo, who are Lipari the butchers nephews, he realizes that he just snitched on them as well as Marco and Rodolfo. Now he is scared because Lipari the butcher’s families are very hot headed and he will be in trouble when Lipari finds out Eddie snitched on them. So when the immigration officers show up on Eddie’s door Beatrice is shocked because she realizes what Eddie had done and she is ashamed with Eddie, because she never thought he would actually do that. The immigration officers start to search the apartment, they found no one, and so they run upstairs. Soon they come back down with Marco, Rodolfo and the two strange immigrants; Catherine follows down, suddenly Marco breaks from the group and dashes into the room and faces Eddie, Marco spits in Eddies face and shouts, â€Å"that one! I accuse that one! † Marco wants the whole neighborhood to know that Eddie was the man who snitched them up and Eddie was the man who snitched them up and Eddie tries to explain himself on page 58 but Lipari turns away with his arm around his wife, and they walk away, Eddie shouts â€Å"for Christ’s sake! I kept them, I gave them the blankets off my bed! † by saying this he is still trying to explain himself to everyone, but they just turn away and walk off, even his close friends, Louis and Mike. Eddie now learns how important trust is and he also realizes that the neighborhood has lost their trust and loyalty in him. In conclusion I have found out that in this play there is a lot of trust and loyalty between; Catherine and Eddie and Rodolfo, Beatrice and Eddie, and Alfieri and Eddie, but in the end there is not so much trust between Eddie and the neighborhood, more like betrayal. In that neighborhood there are quite a few immigrants working on the piers, but people keep it to themselves, because no one wants to snitch. This proves there is trust between everyone in the neighborhood. I think that Miller’s point of this play was to, actually make people realize that life isn’t just all happy endings but there are some issues which need to be talked about, like trust and loyalty in a illegal immigrant environment. I think this quote I got from the back of the book explains my point, â€Å"all the plays that I was trying to write were plays that would grab the audience by the throat and not release them, rather than presenting an emotion which you could observe and walk away. † – Arthur Miler.

Company Introduction, Market Segmentation, and Product Positioning Assignment

Company Introduction, Market Segmentation, and Product Positioning - Assignment Example Additionally, recent financial crisis has also affected company’s revenue trends and has raised concern in management to focus on foreign markets and explore regions which have potential demand for its products. The management of the company is now planning to target a foreign market for its products, where the company can expand its products’ line and generate more revenues. In this regard, the management of the company believe that UAE is the most appropriate target foreign market while considering the nature of company’s business. Mission Statement UW’s mission statement is to â€Å"become a favorite clothing brand of kids both in UK and internationally†. Target Foreign Market for Company’s Product The company has planned to target kids clothing market in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The rationale for doing so is that there has been a phenomenal increase recorded in the demand and consumption of kids clothing. Moreover, kids clothing br ands which have already entered UAE’s market have earned their place in the market. ... Following are the key factors favoring UAE as a target market for UW’s brand: Kids clothing brands market has experienced a growth of 16 % in the United Arab Emirates during the year 2010 (Jones, 2012). According to Liwa Trading, kids clothing brands, who are popular in other parts of the world, are expressing their wish to enter UAE’s market (Jones, 2012). Kids in the UAE have an increasing concern of what they wear and have developed a fashion sense (Jones, 2012). In 2011, there were about $ 1 billion spent by people living in the UAE on children clothing and footwear brands, thus implying how strong demand and consumption is for kids clothing products (Jones, 2012). There is a wide range of prices of clothing available in the UAE’s store, i.e. prices of clothing products are ranged between Dh 250 and Dh 2,500, and as a result UW can set its target price for products relatively easily (Jones, 2012). Potential Audience for a Marketing Plan The potential audience s of a marketing plan can be both internal and external stakeholders of a business. These stakeholders include management, departmental staff, investors, regulatory authorities, analysts, customers and others. The needs of this wide audience for a marketing plan may vary from person to person. It is actually the perceptions they have which in turn shape their needs. People listen what they want to listen, and the same goes for marketing plan. Information contained in a marketing plan may be of high value and interest for management, but at the same time it may be regarded as useless or even unworthy to be looked at by others. Therefore, a perfect marketing plan caters the

Comparison of Functional and Dysfunctional Relationships Research Paper

Comparison of Functional and Dysfunctional Relationships - Research Paper Example In the commitment stage, the couple is now ready to settle down with each other. Practically, remarkably few people get to the co-creation stage which is characterized by the existence of couples who have decided that they were meant to be together and continue to strengthen their relationship (Miltenberger 45). A functional relationship is a harmonious relationship between two individuals in a given situation such that both parties are emotionally fulfilled. The individuals involved put all their efforts to nurture their relationship ensuring that it succeeds so that they can reap the maximum benefits (Giannet 14). It is established if a procedure is implemented and the process is repeated over and over again so as to improve behavior (Miltenberger, 32). In Desperate House Wives, there are a number of functional relationships that take place at the Romance stage. This is clearly seen from the relationship between Susan and Mike. Mike is seen as a social misfit because everyone thinks that he is responsible for the death of Mary Alice. Susan has a kidney problem and Mike stands by her. Although she has been told that she has only a few months to live, but through all these, Mike still helps her through (Website). They always work as a team and have always been able to resolve any issues that come their way. Lynette and Tom have a functional relationship too. They are in the commitment stage, with some of their children being grown-ups. A lot has taken place in their lives, and they are able to overcome so many challenges (Website). Though they face a major challenge when Tom gets a job that keeps him away from home, they try to work on their relationship together; nobody blames the other for their problems. Dysfunctional relationships are those that emotionally deprive the individuals involved such that they do not perform their functions adequately.  A dysfunctional relationship may become to be if one person in a relationship is more involved than the other, instead of both contributing equally to the establishment

Automotive Production Levels Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Automotive Production Levels - Research Paper Example It is price which either actually exists in market or market is moving towards it assuming no market impediments or government policies exist to prevent equilibrium to be reached. At equilibrium price, both forces do not have any tendency to change, provided all other things remain same (Abel and Bernanke, 2005). If all the conditions of free market are met, then GM should have been able fetch sales of 2478001 units of vehicles in second quarter. If compared this figure with its last two quarter units sold, there exits a gap of 87000 vehicles in all. Price elasticity of demand is a quantitative measure (coefficient) showing percentage change in the quantity demanded with respect to percentage change in price (Leamer, 2009). Price elasticity for second quarter of 2012 for GM motor is – 0.95. Negative coefficient of price elasticity shows negative relation of price and demand. Categorization is made based on where the elasticity coefficient lies from 0 to 1. Price elasticity of GM being -0.95 refers to inelastic demand. It refers; only large proportionate change in price can bring small proportionate change in demand which results in steeper demand curve. This kind of elasticity is usually for products that are considered necessities and importance of vehicle has no question in every aspect from business to personal lives. Since it has inelastic demand and there lies a gap between equilibrium price and average unit price of about $ 4000.00 i.e. 19,558 - 15,527 respectively, management can increase profitability by increasing it price that will finally benefit its total revenue which is going negative. If calculated elasticity is considered to be of another brand say A than comparison would guide the future strategy. For instance, if competitor’s brand A increases prices by the differential discussed in previous question, then there is little chance that its customers would switch to ours due to inelastic demand.

A critucal revuew of the cause and effect of employee turnover in the Essay - 1

A critucal revuew of the cause and effect of employee turnover in the first six months of employment at ABC - Essay Example It is visibly evidenced that there is unconstructively relationship between the dependable variables of company performance and the Independent variables worker turnover, work stress, workload, family to work conflict, salary. The ABC study showed turn over effect on the functions of the operations. Turnover or inter-company mobility is a relocate of employees among the corporations and its environments such as other institutions or organizations. It can have both attractive and unattractive effects. Over the previous two decades of alertness of managerial matters, the issue of employee turnover still prevails in most of the corporation throughout the globe. This research study was done to assess the cause and effect of turnover in ABC Corporation. Even in the highly urbanized industrial countries, the rate of employee turnover is still very elevated. The area for the research study was ABC first six months employee turnover. The research study was implemented using quantitative technique for research. This was to assist in getting primary data. The questionnaire circulated among the employees of ABC was collected to know how much employee turnover affect the operation of the organization. The research was to provide causes and effects to assist the management in making wise de cision during employment practices. The research paper purpose was to handle the questions that is; what are the causes and effects of employee turnover on the performance of the ABC organization? Various investigations show that employee turnover unconstructively affect the overall competence of the organization. If appropriate action is implemented on employee workload, salary, work stress, job satisfaction, and work to family conflict, the turnover proportion alternatively declines and organization performance improves. A research article journal of applied psychology (2007) revealed that job satisfaction and affective

Williston on Contracts Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Williston on Contracts - Case Study Example Within a few days after the completion of the agreement, the plaintiff learned that the Government had lessened the amount of asphalt that was predetermined under the contract by around the number of tons of lessening supposed in the complaint. The defendant was directed by the plaintiff advised of its receipt and on the contention that the lessening of asphalt considered under the contract would augment the unit cost in the act of the contract. The defendant replied to the plaintiff confirming the plaintiff’s information concerning the reduction of asphalt required under the contract and promising to submit to the proper Government officials’ requests for increased unit prices. The defendant’s letter was acknowledged and the plaintiff signed its intention of proceeding with performance of the contracts as changed, and express confidence that defendant would adequately present to the Government the plaintiff’s request for an increase in unit prices for wor k under the contract. The defendant later wrote to the plaintiff saying that it had received from the Government a change order providing for the changes in the original contract that resulted in the reduction of the asphalt required The plaintiff sought to recover the expenses incurred in shipping the large asphalt plant to the place of performance of the work and in installing and equipping the plant for the production of 50,000 tons of asphalt. Further, there was a demand for dismantling and returning the asphalt plant to the point from which it was shipped as damages for breach of the contract. RATIONALE: The fundamental basis for an award of damages for contravening a contract is just compensation for losses necessarily flowing from the breach (Lord, 1338). In addition, while the breach of contract gives rise to a right of action, it is nevertheless possible for a breach to occur without causing damage.  

Coursework for information retrieval knowledge management course Essay

Coursework for information retrieval knowledge management course - Essay Example creation and management." The authors write, "†¦effective organizations need to grow not just as individuals but their own intellectual capital and property and their ability to deploy them effectively". Drucker (1998, p.9) in the Harvard Business Review on Knowledge Management has suggested that, information-based organizations require clear, simple common objectives that translate into particular actions". In How Organizations Learn by Anthony DiBella and Edwin Nevis (1998, p.124), the authors suggest that "involved leadership" can be enhanced by benchmarking within the organization; providing coaches; leadership development activities; and conducting studies on processes. Searching, Gathering, aggregating, analysing and disseminating information from diverse internal and external information sources. Since all the required and relevant information cannot be gathered from a single source and is usually spread over a number of files and web locations therefore it needs to be searched and consolidated from different business information vendors, websites, enterprise databases and spreadsheets, then distribute visual representations of their research and analysis in the form of easy-to-navigate charts. The concept of crawling is also relevant in this type of solution as it uses aggregation of diverse information spread across documents and URLs. Crawler is written specifically for gathering or capturing data by working recursively within various links or URLs. It does this by starting with a single URL and searching for some specific keywords then it replicates itself for all the links found and starts searching on all of them. This way extensive search is carried out in parallel saving precious time and gathering vast amount of valuable information. Enables the visual discovery and analysis of intelligence in both online and enterprise information formats. The solutions are typically used in the areas of competitive intelligence, risk management, mergers and

Public opinion on health care reform in the United States Research Paper

Public opinion on health care reform in the United States - Research Paper Example There have been many efforts to impose some kind of health care reform in the United States, and the aim of this essay is to examine the public opinion of the most recent effort by current President, Barack Obama, to change the way the system works in the US. The hypothesis is that most people asked, using a short survey written on the Qualtrics system, would have a favorable opinion of the current reforms suggested, particularly in regards to the reform of the private health insurance market and aiding those with long-term chronic conditions in qualifying for affordable health insurance policies. This topic is particularly important because healthcare is something that is required by every individual at some point in their lives, and thus this issue affects everyone in the United States. It is also particularly timely because of the current economic recession (Blendon and Benson, â€Å"Public Opinion, the Deep Recession†, 2010), meaning that health insurance premiums are out of reach for more people than ever. This is part of the reason why we have hypothesized that the public opinion will be generally positive concerning this issue. Existing research on the topic has suggested that people are of generally mixed views about the reforms. We can see from evidence provided by Zis, Jacobs and Shapiro (1996) that showed public opinion on healthcare before the reforms were suggested that is particularly difficult to find a common ground between politicians and the public on this issue. More recent research suggests that public opinion on the specifics of the healthcare system as proposed by and passed by Obama are mixed (Blendon and Benson, â€Å"Public Opinion at the Time†, 2010). This is also shown in evidence from Gelman, Lee and Ghitza (2010). This article goes on to state that the majority of reform opposition comes from those within a higher income bracket and those over 65. This has led to the formation of the third hypothesis being tested by th is questionnaire. This research proposes that it will in fact be those over the age of 40 that will be more opposed to the healthcare reforms, although the age responses will be grouped to allow us to see if this statement will back up Gelman, Lee and Ghitza (2010). The first hypothesis will be testing the current thought in research that people have mixed views on the topic of healthcare reform. Existing research has also shown that people are in agreement with some of the pieces of the healthcare reform, and it is as a whole that it causes controversy (Brodie et al., 2010). This research covered the topic from a more historical perspective and additionally used information from those leaving the polling stations. This meant that people were more likely to be volatile in the opinions they expressed. The theory put forward by this research is that people are generally happy with certain aspects of the reform, and the questionnaire will question the opinion of people on the specific topic of extending Medicaid coverage to test this theory. Finally, there has been a lot of research on whether the healthcare reforms benefit certain ethnic groups and as such they show a more positive response to the laws, for example the work by Tesler and Sears (2010). This has been widely debated and as such is not a gap in the research and will not be included in the hypotheses. The three testable hypotheses are, then: 1. Individuals questioned will generally express positive views (as indicated by the

Banks and Credit System of Exchange Essay Example for Free

Banks and Credit System of Exchange Essay Definition of Banks—Banks are financial institutions that help people to save and borrow money.In a growing economy, the banks help to create a new pool of money to be ised for other economic activities.They complement the money or cash system of exchange with the system of credit. History of Banking in the Philippines During the pre-colonial period, Filipinos also saved and borrowed money, but usually this was done by families, relatives of tribal leaders.The oldest written relic of our precolonial past is the famous Laguna Copperplate inscriptin (LCI), which contains a record of a debt payment in 900A. D.It proves that we have a longt tradition of honoring our debts in our culture. Modern banking, as we know it, really began with the coming of the Europeans. The first credit organizations were the Obras Pias(pious work), created by the Spanish colonial government starting in the 16th century. It is interesting to know that the early Catholics in the Philippines were taught how to tithe(give 10 percent of income to the church).Thus, thye early church in the Philippines was able to collect a fund od money, and its growth and good works increased tremendously. The first general bank in Southeast Asia was the Banco Espaà ±ol-Filipino (now known as Bank of the Philippine Islands), which opened in 1851.It was given authority to issue bank notes.Soon, other banks were opened.The Catholic Church anf their trustees owned and operated most banks during the Spanish colonial period. During the American period, more banks began operations. In 1906, the government established postal savings banks all over the country to bring banking closer to the people.This Promoted the habit of thrift and savings among low-income groups. Now Americans, Chinese and Filipinos also entered the picture. In 1916 the philippine National Bank was organized. Other banks which followed were the China Banking Corporation and the Philippine Bank of Commerce.Before World War II there were 17 banks in the country. The PNB and Postal banks were owned by the Catholic Church and religious organizations, and two by Filipinos and others. The Japanese m,ilitary occupation in 1941-45 briefly restructed Philippine banking. Only Japanese and their Filipino sympathizers were allowed to operate banks. In 1946, after independence, the otigins of our modern banking system were established. Prewar banks were re-opened and resumed operations. The Central Banking Act was passed in 1948. Today, there are thousands of banks all over the country, and some Filipino banks have opened branches abroad. Tyhe Volume of banking services has also increased, as more and more services are being offered. Among these services are car loans, time deposits, automatic tellers, dreive-in windows, night depository, safe deposit boxes, payroll handling, automatic debits, and many more. KINDS OF BANKS There are different kinds of banks as follows: 1. Rural banks-These are located mostly in the countryside. The government encourages the establishment of these small banks in order to bring asavings and banking closer to people in the provinces. For example, a group may set up a rural bank with P20 million capital outside of metro Manila or cities; but p50 million is needed for a bank in the city. The main reason for rural banks is to help farmers with agricultural loans. In 1994, the Pagsanjan Rural Bank founded by Victor Zaide cabreza and Soledad Benitez Cabreza, won the award fo â€Å"Outstanding Rural Bank in he Philippines† 2. Savings and loan association—These small banks gather savings and invest them in long term securities, such as housing loans. A good example is the Monte de Piedad Bank. 3.Special government banks—The Philippine government established several bnks to handle specific duties involving its financial projects.For example, after the war, the Rehabilitation and Finance Corporation (RFC) was created to receive postwar reconstuction funds ang give financial aid to the war-damaged economy. The RFG eventually beame the Development bank of the Philippines (DBP). The Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) helps the government implement the land reform program. The Philippine Amanah Bank was organized in 1970s to cater for the growing economic needs of Muslim Filpinos. The government may also operate postal banks within selected post iffides around the country. Many small savers and children like to use postal banks because it is closer and more familiar to them. 4.Commercial banks—These make up the biggest banking group, and comprises nearly 50% of the total banking resources in the country. The main function of this type is to supply the circulating capital for the economy in the form of short-term loans.Example are the Philippine National Bank, Metrobank, BPI, FarEast Bank and Trust Company and others. 6.Universal Bank- Also known as a ful-service bank, a universal bank provides more servies than a commercial bank. Banks which have reached a capitalixation of P50 million or more can apply for a universal banking liscence. A universal bank can make more investments and lending.It can act as an investment house, a savings bank etc. It can invest directlyin private companies. Several banks are iniversal banks, starting with the Philipine National Bank, republic Planters Bank, United Cocunot Planters Bank, Allied Bank, PCIB, BPI, Far East Bank and Trust Company, and Metrobank. 6. international banks—As the name says international banks have operations in more than one country. Some Filipino bamks have branches in other countries, e.e. PNB, FEBTC, etc. Similarly, some foreign banks have branches in the Philippines, e.g. Hongkong ang Shanghai Chartered Bank, Citibank, Australia New Zealand, etc. Apart from the private banks, thee are government-owned banks, such as the International Bank for Reconstrucyion and Development (IBRD or World Bank) ased in Washington, D.C.; the Asian Development Bank (ABD) based in Metro Manila; the Bank of International Settkements (BIS) based in Basle, Switzerland. The Uses or Function of Banks The services of banks are: 1.To accept aand guard deposits of money.People go to a bank because they trust that their money will not be stolen inside.ThePhilippine Deposit Insurace Corporation (PDIC) encures each depositor’s money up to a limit. In case the bank closes doen or is robbed, the depositor will still get their money bacl up to a fixed limit. In turn, the bank keeps a written list of the deposit in a savings book, a monthly statement or a certificate . For the right to use the money, the banks pay interest. 2. to lend money. Banks led money to qualified clients. in this way, the bank earns interest and profits. loans are ofdifferent kinds: are short-term. Loans may also be typedaccording to purpose( car loan, housing loan, business loan etc.) This may be a property title, which the bank can get in case the loan is not paid. Next, bigl loans must have a co- signer or one who will guarantee to pay the loan if the borrower defaults 9faiks to pay). 3.To remit and collect money. Banks als transfer or collect money for clients. for example, overseas contract workers can send their remittances to family through a bank to be picked up in Manila by the relative. A businesman can pay for a supply ordered from abroad through a local bank which send the payment to the foreign supplier. Usually, a bank has a correspondent bank abroad in case it does not have branches ther. Banks accept checks, bank dreafts or telegraphic transfers from other banks, according to certain conditions. 4..To perform legal roles like supervising a business, managing a private

Integumentary System Disorders

Integumentary System Disorders This report discusses about disorders of integumentary system their pathophysiology, sign and symptoms and their medications. Skin is an organ of integumentary system which protects our body from several types of harms like it work as an umbrella for deeper tissues and it eliminates the wastes from body in the form of sweat and it also maintain the temperature of human body. Skin Human body is covered by a layer of skin, which has two main layers and it is accounts approximately 10 to 15% weight of human body. Skin works as a barrier against ultra violet radiations. Skin has two layers, epidermis is out and dermis is inner layer of skin. Hypodermis layer is made by adipose tissue thats why it is not consider as a major layer. Epidermis It is surface of the skin which is rest on the fatty subcutaneous layer. Epidermis has four layers stratum germinativum, stratum spinosum, stratum granulosam, and stratum corneum. It doesnt contain blood vessels and totally depends upon dermis for the transportation of nutrients and elimination of the waste. Dermis Dermis is inner layer of human body and it also has two layers papillary layer and reticular layer. Dermis is more complicated in structure. Reticular consists thick layer and thick combinative tissues with large blood vessels and papillary layer is made up of thin layer and loose connective tissues with capillaries and elastic fibres. Hypodermis It is the thickest and innermost layer of the skin which release chitinous cuticle. It is fat storage layer. Hypodermis works as an energy holding part of human body. It converts fat in energy and put back in the circulation and sent it to needy areas via venous route. Functions of skin Skin is the biggest organ of human body in surface and mass. Skin has three main functions. Sensation, regulation and protection. Sensation is a major function of skin, by this function we feels heat, cold, touch and pain. Regulation- skin maintains the body temperature via sweat and hair and also balances the body fluid via sweat. Skin works as a barrier for our body, it prevent our body form ultra violet rays and many bacterial infections. Disorders Stasis dermatitis It is a type of dermatitis. Stasis dermatitis is a common skin inflammatory disease occurs on below the ankles. It occurs due to poor blood circulation and in complicated cases it can progress in ulcers. Usually it happens when blood is collects in the veins of lower legs and that bloods increases pressure in the veins which harms the capillaries. This damage of capillaries forces the proteins to leak in the tissues. This leakage causes legs to swell. Thats why the people suffering with this disease usually have swollen legs, open sores itchy skin. Sign and symptoms A person who is suffering from this disease has some symptoms like in first stage the skin of legs become thin. Skin blemish Prickle Scaling Ulcers, sores Leg swelling Calf pain Heaviness in legs Medications Drug Brand name Dosage Side effects Triamcinolone Triderm, Kenalog 3-4 times daily on effected area. Irritation, hypertrichosis, itching. Pimecrolimus Elidel Apply thin layer q12hr on affected area. Burning sensation, headache. Tacrolimus ointment Protopic Apply thin layer q12hr on affected area. Skin erythema, headache, burning sensation. Cutaneous candidiasis Candidiasis is a skin disorder which occurs by the excessive growth of candida fungus on skin. The person who is suffering from this disease has red rash and itchy skin. In early stages it can be prevent by antifungal creams and powders. It may cause by hot weather, rare undergarment changes, poor hygiene and obesity. Usually candida fungi are developed in warm and moist areas like fold of skin, armpits, under breast and between the fingers. It can also effects nails. Sign and symptoms Ring worms Rash on body Crack on the fold areas Rash on genitals Patches of red and purple colour on hips and under breast. Medications Drug Brand name Dosage Side effects Miconazole fungoid tincture, cavilon antifungal cream Apply twice in a day without rubbing. Irritation, hypersensitivity. Terbinafine, topical Lamisil Apply on folding areas for up to 4 weeks. Allergic reactions, redness and itch. Ketoconazole, topical Nizoral topical, extina Apply once daily for 2-3 weeks Burning sensation, irritation, and allergic reaction.

Raney :: Essays Papers

Raney In my opinion, I did not like this book. I do not like books, which involve racist notions. How could she be so narrow-minded? Her parents taught her everything when it came to treating people who were different as different, and she could not manage to ignore their advice. She was a very racist woman, which caused a conflict between her and her husband, whose best friend was a black man named Johnny Dobbs. Raney believed that if her mother could be racist that she could be too. This caused conflict with Charles because she believed she could eaves drop on Charles’s phone conservations through the heating vent in the bedroom. Charles and Raney had very different beliefs and that is why they have trouble getting along with each other sometimes. Raney comes from a family who has strong family and religious ties. Charles is not a serious church attendant, and his family is very spread out across the nation, preventing him from seeing them on a regular basis. Charles is a highly educated man, whereas Raney has only a High School degree. The only things that they have in common are that they both have respect for each other and they both like music. This is not a very strong basis for a relationship between two people who are supposed to be in love. In the beginning, Raney is a mama’s girl who wants to do everything that her mother did when she was young. On the honeymoon she was upset with Charles because he didn’t do exactly what he was supposed to do, which means that he did not do exactly what Raney’s father did on his honeymoon. On his honeymoon, he just stood there in his Fruit of a Loom underwear drinking champagne out of a plastic cup. She was probably told how the honeymoon went from her mother. One of the biggest conflicts the couple had was the fact that Raney was very racist and Charles best friend was black. Charles was upset because he did not agree with Raney’s feelings towards Mr. Dobbs. This is another thing that Raney was taught by her parents to be racist. At one point, it appears that Raney is getting over her racist views when Johnny Dobbs is named the godfather of her child. The only thing that keeps it the same way, racist, is that he still stays at the Ramada Inn.

Growth for the Future: Biofuels Essay -- Economics Economy Papers

Growth for the Future: Biofuels The internal combustion engine, so vital for sustaining America's burgeoning economy, is omnipresent in most vehicles from the greatest semis to the smallest economy cars. The combustion engine is also a mode of transportation that is fraught with problems, both costing billions of U.S. dollars to fuel and causing enormous air pollution problems. Iowa, the nation's largest producer of corn and a leading agricultural state, may have the solution to the problems caused by the enormous burden of gasoline and diesel powered engines, biofuel. Biofuels coming out of Iowa include biodiesel, a diesel fuel additive, and ethanol, a gasoline additive. Both are locally produced products that reduce domestic dependence on volatile foreign oil prices, decrease polluting emissions and stimulate the local economy. Every internal combustion engine is built the same. It is composed of a varying number of fuel-saturated gas-filled chambers called cylinders. Each cylinder is expanded and compressed by a piston, driven by a rotating arm called a crankshaft. Every time the piston is pushed into the cylinder, gas inside is compressed to nearly 6 to 10 times atmospheric pressure. At this instant of maximum pressure, the gasoline-saturated air is ignited by a spark and the mixture literally explodes, causing the gas to expand rapidly and force the piston back down, then to come back up again to repeat the process20. When the piston is pushed back down, the crankshaft rotates and performs work which can be harnessed to drive the vehicle. This process, unfortunately, does not capture all of the energy contained in the gasoline, in fact it only uses about one-fifth of the available chemical energy20. Diesel engine... ...hew, "A New Breed of Fuel," Canadian Business. (2002). 14Paulos, Bentham, "Renewable Energy Proposals Are Inadequate, Say Environmental Groups," American Wind Energy Association. (2000). 15Stipp, David, "Why Ethanol Is No Longer a Punch Line," Fortune. (2000). 16Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Energy Bureau, "Switch grass and Other Energy Crops." http://www.sate.ea.us/dnr/energy/pubs/irerg/switchgrass.htm 17Economagic.com, "Unemployment Rate: Iowa." http://www.economagic.com. (2003). 18Iowa Corn, "Where Does America's (Iowa's) Corn Go?" Educational Information. http://www.iowacorn.org/consumption.htm. (2002). 19Renewable Fuels Association, "U.S. Ethanol Industry Today." http://www.ethanolRFA.org. (2002). 20Kraushaar, Jack J. and Ristinen, Robert A., Energy and the Environment, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 2002), pp. 73-77, 293-299.

The Color Red in American Beauty Essay -- essays papers

The Color Red in American Beauty "The beauty that addresses itself to the eyes is only the spell of the moment; the eye of the body is not always that of the soul." George Sand hit the nail right on the head when he said this in 1872. Appearance versus reality has been a central theme in many American creative works including the film American Beauty. American Beauty is a film that delves into your typical, middle-class suburban American home and slowly uncovers all of the abnormalities that lie within. The family is portrayed as normal but as the films tag line suggests "look closer" then it is possible to fully understand the implications that takes place in this seemingly happy home. The film is masterfully directed by the famous theater director Sam Mendes and encompasses a great number of cinematic techniques that appear fresh and exciting. Critics have mentioned many of these techniques. However, they failed to notice the clever use of color used throughout the film--especially the color red. Sam Mendes e ffectively uses the color red; as a central motif to accentuate mood and theme, to contrast families, and to reveal characters personalities and feelings. In American culture red is a color of various meanings and images. The color red is the essence of life; it is the color of blood. It can insinuate energy, vitality, passion, anger, power, excitement, and sacrifice. It is a grounding color. Red can stand for warmth, danger, love, sex, death, rage, lust, and beauty. Red is the color used for the women's clothing, the cars, the doors and also it is the color of Lester's blood splattered across the white table at the end of the movie. Red is the central motif of the film. Sam Mendes incorporated many of these meaning of red within the film American Beauty, Not only did Sam Mendes implant a motif of red, he also incorporated a motif of the red rose. Roses in American culture are the ultimate symbol of love, life and death. Flowers are a large part of the American culture. They have come to symbolize compassion, caring and love. The beauty of roses are superceded with danger, for they have thorns that can prick. Roses epitomize bea uty; perhaps that is why they chose the title American Beauty. The title American Beauty is a hodgepodge of symbolism; it encompasses a variety of meanings. For the viewer it can stand for the American beauty rose... ...aroline. Jane and Ricky are important too, they are the more grounded of the characters, they are both presented in neutral colors throughout most of the film. They represent balance and neutrality in the movie. Ricky's parents are not so neutral; they are dressed in pale, washed out colors to show their lack of vitality. Especially Mrs. Fritt's, she plays a minor role in the movie and that is precisely the point Sam Mendes makes. She is seen as a minor role in the family. She is usually wearing a long white nightgown and appears almost as a ghost in the picture, t her family, she barely exists. American Beauty is a fantastic film that encourages viewers to "look closer." Sam Mendes directed a film about American Beauty and foolish things that Americans do to keep up with appearances. He is urging us to find beauty in our lives, and to forget about having the perfect garden and home. He effectively uses the color red; as a central motif to accentuate mood and theme, to contrast families, and to reveal characters personalities and feelings. "Mere colour, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways."--Oscar Wilde

How does Stevenson explore duality in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde? Essay

The idea of duality, in this case, of people displaying duality of character, being â€Å"two faced†, of showing contrasting sides to a person, was of much interest to people in the late 19th century, due to the way it reflected upon their society, and was a key concept of Gothic literature written at the time. In this essay, I shall see how Stevenson explores this, the techniques and methods he uses, and the way in which he shows us how duality is significant in Victorian society. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was one of the first novels to re-introduce the Gothic literary genre, and thus has several elements that are common to other Gothic novels, which I shall explore in this chapter. With Gothicism being a genre of horror fiction, almost all Gothic novels have some kind of monster as the antagonist. Mr Hyde, although generally regarded as human (a point which I will explore further later on), is quite obviously a monster in the original sense, that is, a being of pure evil and sadism. He is described as a repulsive, grotesque person, for example, by Mr Enfield: â€Å"There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable †¦ he gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldn’t specify the point.† The fact that his features are not truly described, but only hinted on vaguely, is also important; it is common for Gothic literature to prey upon the fear of the unknown. Hyde as a monster is only ever witnessed through the eyes of others’, in other words, at no point in the novel do we get an explanation from his viewpoint. This is also another Gothic technique, designed to de-humanise the monster: if we could see things from it’s perspective, we could sympathise with it, therefore this is not allowed. In this novel, the idea of a monster is combined with another Gothic element: the double. The double is the idea of duality taken to an extreme, physical level: a character who has two different forms, often with one being good, the other evil. Common doubles in Gothic literature include werewolves, people who transform from regular humans into a wolf form, and vampires, people who, by night, become blood-sucking monsters. Hyde is the double of Jekyll; although he has a different form, he is not an entirely separate person, but is the evil side of Jekyll. By creating Hyde, Jekyll allows himself to express his innermost desires, without receiving the consequences, such as shame, guilt, or a loss of respect and reputation. This is part of one of the key themes of the book, which is exposing duality in Victorian society, that will be explored later. Finally, there is one thing that sets Jekyll and Hyde apart from other Gothic novels. Usually, they are set in very remote places, often in foreign, Catholic countries. This distances the reader from the often scary events happening, however, in Jekyll and Hyde, the fact that it is set in London makes the events seem much closer and real, and therefore scarier. Other than this minor point, however, it is easy to see how Stevenson uses the Gothic genre to explore duality in the book. Stevenson also uses a particular style of writing and a variety of techniques that help to explore duality, for example, the story is titled as â€Å"The Case of†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , which, as well as being a case as in a particular event, it is in some ways presented almost as a legal case. As the story unfolds, we see Mr Utterson on an investigation, with â€Å"evidence† in the form of accounts from Mr Enfield, the maid and others, as well as various letters and the will made by Dr Jekyll. At the end of the book, we get the full statements of the two main witnesses, Dr Jekyll and Dr Lanyon. As noted before, Mr Hyde’s recollection of the events is never known. By writing in this way, Stevenson clearly shows us contrast between the protagonist â€Å"prosecutor† and the antagonist â€Å"defendant† in the book, as well as involving the other characters as more neutral witnesses, but leaving it open to speculation whether they are in this case necessarily good or bad, exposing their duality, for example with Dr Jekyll, who, although he obviously hates Hyde for his crimes, still continues to crave becoming him for the purposes of expressing his desires. Another technique Stevenson uses is symbolism, mostly in the form of weather, for example, the city streets were filled with smog when Hyde was out, and in chapters 2 and 4, where Utterson and others are trying to find Mr Hyde, there is a thick early-morning fog. This, although common in London at the time, still had associations of secrecy and obscurity, as it was the domain of people like Jack the Ripper, and therefore the perfect setting for the crimes of Mr Hyde. As well as weather, Stevenson used the symbolism of doors and windows also as metaphors for secrecy. For instance, in Jekyll’s laboratory, it is always behind the closed cabinet door that he transforms into Hyde, and it is only when this door is broken down that the mystery is solved. Also, when Utterson and Enfield go to speak with Jekyll in Incident at the Window, the window serves as a barrier between Utterson and the truth that Jekyll hides. To understand how the book as a whole expresses duality, it is important to understand how contemporary readers would have viewed and reacted to the book. Obviously, at the time it was published, readers would have not suspected the idea of transforming into an evil doppelgà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nger was the key to the mystery about Jekyll and Hyde. We should bear in mind that the most logical solutions are that Jekyll and Hyde were having a homosexual relationship, that Hyde was the illegitimate son of Jekyll, or that Jekyll was somehow being intimidated and controlled by Hyde, possibly via blackmail or debt; contemporary readers would probably have guessed that one of those was the most likely to be the case. It is also important to understand how readers would have viewed Hyde. In the late 19th century, many post-Darwinist theories about evolution and creationism were being discussed and debated, and people were beginning to accept the idea that humans were descended from apes. From this came the idea that people who were socially unacceptable, that is, anyone who did not confirm to the Victorian ideals of etiquette and manners, could be regarded as less evolved, and in a way sub-human. This is highly evident with Mr Hyde, who is described as being very short, deformed and ape-like. There is, however, a final point about the readers of the book, which I regard as one of the most important, and it is what made the book so shocking and controversial at the time. This is the way in which the book exposes the duality that was present in Victorian society, which is displayed by the important characters in the book. Society and culture at the time were based highly on etiquette and conformity, and of appearing the best as possible in public. Any person’s vices were kept behind closed doors, even with close friends and family, and thus, this lead to people leading very separate public and private lives. In Jekyll and Hyde, Stevenson shows this to some extent with all of the major characters, the most significant of which I shall explore further. Mr Utterson seems to be the most single-track, sincere character, however, he does display moral ambivalence as a lawyer. In his own words, â€Å"I let my brother go to the Devil in his own way†. At first, it seems that it is good of him, as a lawyer, to not judge people at all, however, although this seems helpful, it can also be bad, for example it means that he will not step in to help someone who is â€Å"going to the Devil†, but rather let them sort things out in their own way. He only seems to change this at the end of the book, and that is only because Poole suspects that Hyde has murdered Dr Jekyll. Mr Carew, an MP, is clearly shown as being a well-mannered gentlemanly figure, but because of this, we can not help but wonder why he is out in a shady district of London at night, and what he said to anger Mr Hyde so much (if anything). This shows once again the idea of having a private life, kept hidden and separate from your public life, which is what Carew appears to be doing. Finally, there is Dr Jekyll. Throughout the book he is described as a good man, who was respectable, admired by his friends, as someone seen as nearly perfect by Victorian standards. However, beneath the public face we can see that his fascination with Mr Hyde is not purely scientific. Once he has experienced what it is like to be in Hyde’s body, he begins to crave it more, this is because, through Hyde, he can do things that are completely unacceptable, even by modern standards. The book suggests that, as well as murder, he practised many sexual perversions, and similar acts. This shows how a man can fall and become a lesser human, as noted before, and that this is achieved by science. At the time, people believed in the idea that humanity could reach a peak level, and then devolve, becoming ape-like once again, Jekyll and Hyde could be seen as a metaphor for this. As you can see, Stevenson uses these characters effectively as well a wide variety of literary techniques and in the style of a Gothic novel to explore duality and how it relates to society at the time.

Nail Biting

Nail Biting Do you constantly find yourself biting your nails off for no reason at all? Or have you ever thought about the damages caused by nail biting? Many people do not realize and know that there are medical affects and explanations for nail biting. Adults usually do not find themselves with this bad habit because nail biting is most common among kids and teens but mainly more within guys than girls. However regardless of gender or age nail biting can lead to unwanted consequences caused by stress, nervousness, or hunger. Unwanted consequences mainly consist with dental complications such as the chipping of your teeth.For most people, chipping a tooth is the only negative effect that biting your nails might have on your teeth. In fact, the book Pediatric Dentistry by Pinkham states: There is no evidence that nail biting can cause dental change other than minor enamel fractures. Nail biting can also cause a gap between your two front teeth. If the nail biting habit begins when th e child is very young, it has been reported to cause a gap between teeth. In addition causing gaps between your teeth can cause the roots of your teeth to become weaker. Nail biting during braces has been shown to cause root resorption.Last but not least nail biting can cause gingivitis. For example in the case report of a nine-year-old boy whose father called the dental office to describe his son's complaint of swelling of the gums surrounding the top front tooth. The patient came to the office the same day. The initial clinical examination revealed swelling of the gingival. During discussion with the parent and patient, the dentist noted that the patient's fingernails were bitten off. The patient and parent confirmed a habit of nail biting. Therefore the dentist removed from the gums a piece of nail that was compressed in.Nail biting can cause many dental complications however, what causes people to bit their nails? Many doctors and psychologists state that medical and psychologic al situations cause nail biting to occur without even realizing it. For example nail-biting is a common stress-relieving habit. Stress is that feeling you get when you're really worried about something. There are general factors that can lead to stress such as threats which include physical threats, social threats, financial threats, fears, and uncertainty. Therefore a common way people to react to stress is nail biting.A child or even an adult uses nail biting as a coping mechanism to relieve stuffed emotions. It has been documented that some people bite their nails in their sleep, sometimes wholly. This has been linked to stress while dreaming. Secondly, nervousness also leads to nail biting. When people are nervous, they fidget. Fidgeting involves moving with excitement. Hands, legs and other parts of the body make quick movements, with no particular aim. This is a reflex movement, initiated by the subconscious mind. This is a reaction to a tense situation. We do not know what to do but we know that we have to do something.Nail biting is one way of the body's response to the call for doing something. Children sometimes face an unpleasant situation. They commit a mischief and are caught. When they are confronted by their parents or teachers, they just stand biting their nails. This is a defense mechanism to prevent the children from doing an absurd act that could make the matter worse. Thirdly, as simple as this may sound, it has been revealed that some people who suffer from biting on their nails complains that they will only do so when they are feeling extremely hungry.Some will even go as far as to say that when they are hungry and they chew on their fingernails, they will get a soothing, as well as a comforting feeling that will sometimes drive away the hunger sensation. Several treatment measures may help you stop biting your nails. For example keeping your nails trimmed and filed, taking care of your nails can help reduce your nail-biting habit and enc ourage you to keep your nails attractive. Also try substituting another activity, such as drawing, writing when you find yourself biting your nails.Substituting nail biting can reduce the chances of getting dental complications. However it is important to keep in mind that psychological factors contribute to the bad habit of nail biting which is stress nervousness or hunger. These factors should be considered in stopping the reoccurrence of nail biting. http://www. nail-care-tips. com/nail-biting. php http://www. ehow. com/about_5097901_reasons-nail-biting. html http://www. tellinitlikeitis. net/2009/04/nail-biting-causes-consequences-cure-how-to-stop- biting-your-nails. html http://www. webmd. com/healthy-beauty/guide/stop-nail-biting-tips

Systematic Review Paper

The purpose of this meta-synthesis research was to synthesize a qualitative study performed to better understand the underlying reasons why only a fraction of cancer patients participate in cancer research trials. The attempt is to explore factors that influence participation in this type of study. Literature in the subject indicates poorly understood process of how patients are enrolled into clinical trials.This systematic review tries to improve the patient decision-making process in participating in cancer clinical trial and to provide Oncology nurses to treat patients with solid background utilizing evidence based practice (Biedrzycki, 2010). The study was conducted in hope to eliminate misconceptions on the negative feelings of cancer clinical trials. A common misconception is participation can cause harm instead of cure. The report clearly describes how the variation in research design and methods revealed low percentages of cancer patient participation in previous studies.An i nformation specialist assisted with the selection of relevant studies. Data selection was reviewed through PubMed. Patient participation and decision making were topics reviewed. A PRISMA-type flow chart elaborates on the multiple studies reviewed (Biedrzycki, 2010). The criteria for reviewing articles included articles published since 2004. Research from other countries was reviewed and was not confined to the United States.Literature reviewed through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) roadmap for Medical Research, fortified the research by emphasizing important aspects of human research participants and transforming this into clinical research. 62 articles met criteria and 24 articles did not meet the initial criteria. Articles beyond five years provided evidence of inaccurate representation of the current views on patients’ will to participate in clinical trials (Biedrzycki, 2010). The research article indicates the sample sizes ranged from 16 to more than 115000 whic h yield a median=162.The combined sample of participants includes gender, race, and age. Most participants were Caucasian. One study included only Asian women. Ages ranged from 50 to 64 years, median 57. 6 years. Cancer diagnoses were reported in 10 studies, six studies omitted reporting cancer as a diagnosis. Four studies reported advanced cancer. Six studies reported participation in phase I clinical trials. One study reported participation in a phase III clinical study. The rest of the studies did not report the phase of trials. There is no indication whether follow up was done with the original reporter to clarify missing information (Biedrzycki, 2010).The criteria used to appraise the research consisted of decision-making process, communication, educational interventions, perceptions, benefits and burdens, quality of life, reasons for declining participation, knowledge, relative health stock, timing of consent, satisfaction, and decisional regret. Most studies focused on decisi on making, however; thirteen studies described multiple aspects of cancer clinical trial participation. Some studies focused on the psychosocial consequences of clinical trial decision making.This data was appraised by several research team members (Biedrzycki, 2010). Decision-making instruments included the Llewellyn-Thomas, an unnamed instrument and the Homes-Rovner et al. Satisfaction with Decision Scale. Other instruments included the Understanding of Clinical Trials by Joffe et al. and The Decisional Regret Scale and the Karmonos Accrual Analysis System. Most studies did not report psychometric measures and almost all studies used one question to assess willingness, interest or knowledge about cancer clinical trials (Biedrzycki, 2010).Data analysis is presented in table format. Table 1 consists of factors reflecting the rigor of the studies reviewed. Table 2 consists of measures of decision making used in the studies reviewed and Table 3 lists strengths, limitations, and key po ints of the studies reviewed. The studies were mainly descriptive, consisting of mixed-methods design. Three studies tested an educational intervention and two studies used an experimental design. 50% of the studies did not report timing of the research in relation to the decision regarding clinical trial participation (Biedrzycki, 2010).During meta-analysis, response rates varied by type of measure and study design, only 50% reported response rates (range = 21% – 95%, median=71%. 29% declined participating because they had no interest and 24% declined with no reason given. One major reason people declined to participate was because they had no access or could not use a computer. Multiple time measures were conducted in decision regret, it was noted that responses were reduced (Biedrzycki, 2010). The process used to pool the data together was clinical trial decision making.The main factors influencing this process consist of patient, provider, and treatment. Two studies speci fically explored decision making by the patient. Education requirements impacted decision making since understanding the risks and benefits of clinical trials was the most important factor taken into consideration by the patient. Educational interventions were noted to have increased patient enrollment. (Biedrzycki, 2010). If the patient found the education from the provider to be coercive, treatment was considered a burden.Time and travel also posed an inconvenience on the patient since it adversely affected quality of life and therefore deterred patients from cancer clinical trials. On a positive note, studies reported factors associated with positive decision making outcomes. Positive decision making included being more spiritual, younger, and having more advanced cancer, and having a good understanding of the education received. Several other aspects were indicated as positive decision making outcomes when providers introduced user-friendly systems (Biedrzycki, 2010).The primary focus of the study was accepting or declining clinical trial participation. The secondary focus was decision-making and the silent variable was the influence on clinical trial participation. All criteria were elegantly spelled out in form of charts and tables. Figure 1 included factors associated with the decision to participate in a cancer clinical trial. Figure 2 revealed factors associated with a positive decision making outcome (Biedrzycki, 2010). A factor that was clearly noted as missing was a review on the process by which patients decide on whether or not to participate in clinical research trial.Components of the decision making preferences have not been determined. Consenting for a research process is autonomous and the current healthcare system does did not provide sufficient learning opportunities for the patient to acquire enough information to make an adequate informed consent. When the patient lacks this knowledge and the healthcare provider lacks the understanding o f the patient’s values, it is difficult for the patient to want to participate in clinical trials (Biedrzycki, 2010).The reviewers concluded that future research is needed for continuation of exploring the reasons for lack of cancer patients’ participation in clinical research trials. The need for sound construct for decision making can prepare nurses and healthcare workers to understand the cancer patient’s values and to provide education that may enhance knowledge and strengthen interventions, and improve cancer clinical trial participation (Biedrzycki, 2010).

Bullying in Schools

James Smith Sociology Nancy Rosen Bullying In Schools Many problems in society need public attention, bullying is one of the top problems. The problem of bullying affects everyone in some aspect whether it is by being the victim, victimizer, and both the victim and the victimizer, friend, or family member of the victim or just a bystander that does nothing to prevent this problem. When you think of bullying you might picture a young child. While bullying is most common in elementary and high schools, it is important for education programs to be aware that associated bullying behaviors begin early even into the preschool years.When one thinks of a bully, the image of a movie villain may come into their minds; this isn’t always the case. In reality, a victimizer of bullying can be male or female, small or large, young or old. Bullying has no social, financial, or cultural boundaries. Bullying is most common in middle schools, with 6th graders on the receiving end the most and 8t h graders handing out the most bullying. In a study of 15,686 students in 6th through 10th grade in private and public schools, it was found that 13-23% of boys and 4-11% of girls experience some sort of bullying. (Nansel 2003).Nearly one in six children in that age range fall victim to bullying each year, which means about 3. 2 million children, were being bullied. Whereas, 3. 7 million children are acting as bullies (Kerlikowske 2003). Six out ten children witness some form of bullying on a daily basis. In schools, bullying most likely takes place on the playground, followed by the classroom, then the hallways (Drake 2003). For the students at Dunn Middle School, a lot of the bullying occurs out of school. If it occurs in school, most students said bullying occurs in the hallways or in the lunchroom.One student even mentioned a fight that took place during an assembly, which was initiated because one student was bullying another. Although anyone can be a bully, there are many comm on characteristics found in most bullies. Most bullies are male, popular, and often athletes (Espelage 2001). They have excellent social skills, with the ability to attract many followers, and easily manipulate others (â€Å"Bullies†¦ † 2001). Bullies are psychologically strong and very popular among their peers. This peer status is important in terms of boosting their well-being. It's disturbing to think that bullies are feeling really good about themselves.Bullying behavior is self-reinforcing: When kids find that putting others down earns them approval from their peers, they are likely to do it again and again. Many times they can easily butter up to adults, making them unsuspecting bullies (Espelage 2001). In general, a bully is someone who teases and intimidates other students, although there are many other ways to bully a fellow student. Many people feel the typical bully comes from a broken home, but this is not necessarily true. Yet, the less supervision a child gets at home, the more likely he is to be a bully.About 30 to 40% of bullies show some levels of depression, and their bullying is often a cry for help. (Espelage 2001). I asked my little brother what he thought caused students to bully one another and I was impressed with his response. He felt bullies exist because they probably can’t get their way at home. Many of the other students felt very similarly. One student even thought that maybe bullies were bullied as little kids, which turned them into bullies themselves. Most bullies look for a victim to be smaller, younger, and weaker. Most likely the victim will be both less confident and popular. â€Å"Bullies†¦ † 2001). Many victims react by becoming upset or crying as a way of dealing with their anger and fear. Victims have a tendency to be depressed, anxious, shy and lonely (Drake 2003). Luckily, as they grow older, victims are less likely to stay a victim because they learn to cope, while the bullies tend to remain that way (Drake 2003). Tonja Narsel, a psychologist at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, says that from previous research victims tend to have a lower self-esteem and have a higher level of depression (Rubin 2003).When people think of bullying they will most likely think of a boy getting shoved into a locker by older boys or getting pushed as they walk through the hallways. While this is the most common form of bullying, especially with males, many girls experience a different form of bullying. Although it is a more indirect form of bullying, social manipulation is very prevalent within females. Social manipulation can include many actions, including spreading gossip, telling lies, betraying trust, passing notes, ignoring the victim, or excluding the victim (Bullies 2001).Many of the girls said there was a lot of bullying between girls. They said many girls would get bullied if they get a lot of attention from the boys. It seemed as if the girls wo uld get jealous, and then in turn make that girl the object of their bullying. They said the bullying most often consisted of calling names, pulling hair, and occasionally fighting. There are many repercussions from bullying that are quite shocking: 1) Children who are bullied are more likely to be depressed – 26% of girls who were frequently bullied reported depression as opposed to 8% of girls who were not; the boys were 16% vs. %; 2) Victims are more likely to be suicidal, with 8% for girls and 4% for boys, compared to 1% overall for non-victims of bullying; 3) Bullies are more likely to carry weapons, with 43% carrying a weapon to school at least once a week, compared to 8%. 4) Bullies are more likely to be injured, 46% vs. 16%. (Kerlikowske 2003). The topic of bullying entered the spotlight due to the numerous school shootings. In two-thirds of the 37 school shooting that were examined, the shooters felt persecuted, bullied, threatened, attacked or injured by others prio r to the incident (Drake 2003).It is very important for teachers to be involved and to keep their eyes out for bullies to help keep the incidence of bullying at a low. All future teachers need to acknowledge the need for anti-bullying programs, which can significantly reduce the occurrence of bullying. Bullying prevention programs are interventions for the reduction and prevention of bully/victim problems. The program targets students in elementary, middle, and junior high schools. All students within a school participate in most aspects of the program. Additional individual interventions are targeted at students who are identified as bullies or victims of bullying.The core components of the program are implemented at the school, class and the individual level. To make sure this program is a success the staff and students must work together cooperatively. For a safe classroom environment against bullying, there must be the establishment and enforcement of class rules against bullyin g. Teachers need to teach and develop good interpersonal skills and values with the children. The students also need to be taught non-violent values, non-racist values, conflict resolution, and problem solving skills.If a child in a class is identified as a bully there needs to be interventions and discussions with parents. The school must do its part to ensure effective communication between itself and parents. Parents need to be informed of any bullying incidents right away. School counselors or school psychologists can assist teachers in this process. Children can be taught habits to lessen the possibility of becoming the target of a bully. If a child starts looking people in the eye, speaking up and standing up straight they can begin to develop self-confidence.Kids need help developing strategies to deal with the intimidating behavior of their peers, like walking away or telling the bully to stop, but they also need to know that adults can and will come to their aid. A teacher' s openness about bullying can give them that assurance (Feldman, 2004). Unfortunately, most of the students at Dunn Middle School felt fighting back was the best solution. One student mentioned going to an adult for help, but another student quickly responded, you snitch, you’ll get beat up worse. One student offered the solution of fighting back and got a weapon.I feel that there has to be a strict punishment for the bullies so the victims can be reassured that the bully won’t continue such behavior. Cyber bulling is another form of teen violence that can do lasting harm to young people. Statistics show that cyber bullying is a serious problem among young teens. This problems comes in many forms, such as sending mean messages through email or through text messaging, posting harmful or threatening messages on social networks i. e. Facebook or twitter or pretending to be someone else online to hurt another person. The behavior of bystanders who see bullying happen is to o often overlooked or excused.Bystanders provide bullies with an audience and sometimes even encouragement. When witnesses do nothing to stop abusive behavior, they also give their implicit approval. It should be made very clear to students that failing to stop or report an act of bullying makes them responsible and they too can get into trouble. Yet, it is very difficult to speak up against the bully. Many of the students don’t want to get involved because they don’t want to be the next victim. Yet again, I feel that strict punishment needs to be enacted for such bullies so the other students can have a sense of security.If anti-bullying programs are implemented the right way, results can be amazing. Many programs that are used in schools nationwide have had these results with their interventions: 1. A substantial reduction in boys and girls reports of bullying and victimization. 2. A significant reduction in student’s actions such as vandalism, fighting, theft and truancy. 3. Significant improvements in the aspect of the class, such as students reports of improved order and discipline, more positive social relationships, and a more positive attitude toward schoolwork and school (Svoboda, 2004).Preventing bullying is just one important aspect of maintaining good discipline in school environments. Children who feel secure want to go to school, enjoy school, and therefore learn more. Teachers who are in classrooms that are safe, orderly, and free of bullies can accomplish many things. All children can benefit from lessons about treating each other with respect. Bullying is one childhood memory no youngster should have.Works Cited Bullies and their Victims. Harvard Mental Health Letter. 2001, 4-7. Drake, J. Teacher preparation and practices regarding school bullying. Journal of School Health. 2003, 347-356. Espelage, D. Schoolroom torment. People. 2/05/2001, 91-92. Feldman, S. Bullying prevention. Teaching PreK-8. 2004, 6. Kerlikowske, G. On e in six students fall prey to bullies. Inside School Safety. 2003,6-9. Nansel, T. Bullies found to be at risk for violent behavior. Inside School Safety. 2003, 1-4. Rubin, R. Study: Bullies and their victims ten to be more violent. USA Today. 4/15/03 Svoboda, E. Everyone loves a bully. Psychology Today. 2004, 1-20. Bullying in Schools James Smith Sociology Nancy Rosen Bullying In Schools Many problems in society need public attention, bullying is one of the top problems. The problem of bullying affects everyone in some aspect whether it is by being the victim, victimizer, and both the victim and the victimizer, friend, or family member of the victim or just a bystander that does nothing to prevent this problem. When you think of bullying you might picture a young child. While bullying is most common in elementary and high schools, it is important for education programs to be aware that associated bullying behaviors begin early even into the preschool years.When one thinks of a bully, the image of a movie villain may come into their minds; this isn’t always the case. In reality, a victimizer of bullying can be male or female, small or large, young or old. Bullying has no social, financial, or cultural boundaries. Bullying is most common in middle schools, with 6th graders on the receiving end the most and 8t h graders handing out the most bullying. In a study of 15,686 students in 6th through 10th grade in private and public schools, it was found that 13-23% of boys and 4-11% of girls experience some sort of bullying. (Nansel 2003).Nearly one in six children in that age range fall victim to bullying each year, which means about 3. 2 million children, were being bullied. Whereas, 3. 7 million children are acting as bullies (Kerlikowske 2003). Six out ten children witness some form of bullying on a daily basis. In schools, bullying most likely takes place on the playground, followed by the classroom, then the hallways (Drake 2003). For the students at Dunn Middle School, a lot of the bullying occurs out of school. If it occurs in school, most students said bullying occurs in the hallways or in the lunchroom.One student even mentioned a fight that took place during an assembly, which was initiated because one student was bullying another. Although anyone can be a bully, there are many comm on characteristics found in most bullies. Most bullies are male, popular, and often athletes (Espelage 2001). They have excellent social skills, with the ability to attract many followers, and easily manipulate others (â€Å"Bullies†¦ † 2001). Bullies are psychologically strong and very popular among their peers. This peer status is important in terms of boosting their well-being. It's disturbing to think that bullies are feeling really good about themselves.Bullying behavior is self-reinforcing: When kids find that putting others down earns them approval from their peers, they are likely to do it again and again. Many times they can easily butter up to adults, making them unsuspecting bullies (Espelage 2001). In general, a bully is someone who teases and intimidates other students, although there are many other ways to bully a fellow student. Many people feel the typical bully comes from a broken home, but this is not necessarily true. Yet, the less supervision a child gets at home, the more likely he is to be a bully.About 30 to 40% of bullies show some levels of depression, and their bullying is often a cry for help. (Espelage 2001). I asked my little brother what he thought caused students to bully one another and I was impressed with his response. He felt bullies exist because they probably can’t get their way at home. Many of the other students felt very similarly. One student even thought that maybe bullies were bullied as little kids, which turned them into bullies themselves. Most bullies look for a victim to be smaller, younger, and weaker. Most likely the victim will be both less confident and popular. â€Å"Bullies†¦ † 2001). Many victims react by becoming upset or crying as a way of dealing with their anger and fear. Victims have a tendency to be depressed, anxious, shy and lonely (Drake 2003). Luckily, as they grow older, victims are less likely to stay a victim because they learn to cope, while the bullies tend to remain that way (Drake 2003). Tonja Narsel, a psychologist at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, says that from previous research victims tend to have a lower self-esteem and have a higher level of depression (Rubin 2003).When people think of bullying they will most likely think of a boy getting shoved into a locker by older boys or getting pushed as they walk through the hallways. While this is the most common form of bullying, especially with males, many girls experience a different form of bullying. Although it is a more indirect form of bullying, social manipulation is very prevalent within females. Social manipulation can include many actions, including spreading gossip, telling lies, betraying trust, passing notes, ignoring the victim, or excluding the victim (Bullies 2001).Many of the girls said there was a lot of bullying between girls. They said many girls would get bullied if they get a lot of attention from the boys. It seemed as if the girls wo uld get jealous, and then in turn make that girl the object of their bullying. They said the bullying most often consisted of calling names, pulling hair, and occasionally fighting. There are many repercussions from bullying that are quite shocking: 1) Children who are bullied are more likely to be depressed – 26% of girls who were frequently bullied reported depression as opposed to 8% of girls who were not; the boys were 16% vs. %; 2) Victims are more likely to be suicidal, with 8% for girls and 4% for boys, compared to 1% overall for non-victims of bullying; 3) Bullies are more likely to carry weapons, with 43% carrying a weapon to school at least once a week, compared to 8%. 4) Bullies are more likely to be injured, 46% vs. 16%. (Kerlikowske 2003). The topic of bullying entered the spotlight due to the numerous school shootings. In two-thirds of the 37 school shooting that were examined, the shooters felt persecuted, bullied, threatened, attacked or injured by others prio r to the incident (Drake 2003).It is very important for teachers to be involved and to keep their eyes out for bullies to help keep the incidence of bullying at a low. All future teachers need to acknowledge the need for anti-bullying programs, which can significantly reduce the occurrence of bullying. Bullying prevention programs are interventions for the reduction and prevention of bully/victim problems. The program targets students in elementary, middle, and junior high schools. All students within a school participate in most aspects of the program. Additional individual interventions are targeted at students who are identified as bullies or victims of bullying.The core components of the program are implemented at the school, class and the individual level. To make sure this program is a success the staff and students must work together cooperatively. For a safe classroom environment against bullying, there must be the establishment and enforcement of class rules against bullyin g. Teachers need to teach and develop good interpersonal skills and values with the children. The students also need to be taught non-violent values, non-racist values, conflict resolution, and problem solving skills.If a child in a class is identified as a bully there needs to be interventions and discussions with parents. The school must do its part to ensure effective communication between itself and parents. Parents need to be informed of any bullying incidents right away. School counselors or school psychologists can assist teachers in this process. Children can be taught habits to lessen the possibility of becoming the target of a bully. If a child starts looking people in the eye, speaking up and standing up straight they can begin to develop self-confidence.Kids need help developing strategies to deal with the intimidating behavior of their peers, like walking away or telling the bully to stop, but they also need to know that adults can and will come to their aid. A teacher' s openness about bullying can give them that assurance (Feldman, 2004). Unfortunately, most of the students at Dunn Middle School felt fighting back was the best solution. One student mentioned going to an adult for help, but another student quickly responded, you snitch, you’ll get beat up worse. One student offered the solution of fighting back and got a weapon.I feel that there has to be a strict punishment for the bullies so the victims can be reassured that the bully won’t continue such behavior. Cyber bulling is another form of teen violence that can do lasting harm to young people. Statistics show that cyber bullying is a serious problem among young teens. This problems comes in many forms, such as sending mean messages through email or through text messaging, posting harmful or threatening messages on social networks i. e. Facebook or twitter or pretending to be someone else online to hurt another person. The behavior of bystanders who see bullying happen is to o often overlooked or excused.Bystanders provide bullies with an audience and sometimes even encouragement. When witnesses do nothing to stop abusive behavior, they also give their implicit approval. It should be made very clear to students that failing to stop or report an act of bullying makes them responsible and they too can get into trouble. Yet, it is very difficult to speak up against the bully. Many of the students don’t want to get involved because they don’t want to be the next victim. Yet again, I feel that strict punishment needs to be enacted for such bullies so the other students can have a sense of security.If anti-bullying programs are implemented the right way, results can be amazing. Many programs that are used in schools nationwide have had these results with their interventions: 1. A substantial reduction in boys and girls reports of bullying and victimization. 2. A significant reduction in student’s actions such as vandalism, fighting, theft and truancy. 3. Significant improvements in the aspect of the class, such as students reports of improved order and discipline, more positive social relationships, and a more positive attitude toward schoolwork and school (Svoboda, 2004).Preventing bullying is just one important aspect of maintaining good discipline in school environments. Children who feel secure want to go to school, enjoy school, and therefore learn more. Teachers who are in classrooms that are safe, orderly, and free of bullies can accomplish many things. All children can benefit from lessons about treating each other with respect. Bullying is one childhood memory no youngster should have.Works Cited Bullies and their Victims. Harvard Mental Health Letter. 2001, 4-7. Drake, J. Teacher preparation and practices regarding school bullying. Journal of School Health. 2003, 347-356. Espelage, D. Schoolroom torment. People. 2/05/2001, 91-92. Feldman, S. Bullying prevention. Teaching PreK-8. 2004, 6. Kerlikowske, G. On e in six students fall prey to bullies. Inside School Safety. 2003,6-9. Nansel, T. Bullies found to be at risk for violent behavior. Inside School Safety. 2003, 1-4. Rubin, R. Study: Bullies and their victims ten to be more violent. USA Today. 4/15/03 Svoboda, E. Everyone loves a bully. Psychology Today. 2004, 1-20. Bullying in Schools Bullying in schools: Bullying Paula Bergbreiter Com. 220 3/21/2010 Valerie Black Bullying and cyber-bullying have become an increasing problem in the schools Everyday there is more and more stories on the outcome of what can happen when a person becomes a victim of bullies. Suicide and violence has risen in schools because of children being bullied. Adolescent children are among the highest at risk for bullying. What are the risk factors for bullying? Is one type of person more likely to be bullied? What are the schools doing to protect children from becoming a victim? Bullying is a form of intimidation ( Baldry, 2010, Farrington, 2010 ): A bully may use force or coercion to gain what they want from a weaker person. This is their way to establish superiority over an individual. Bullying has been around for many years. Today, it has become a serious issue for children in schools and on the internet. According to ( Roberts,2010, Harlow, 2010 ) bullying was more common in children who were less physically attractive, overweight, and had disability problems such as sight, hearing, or speech deficits. There are different types of bullying verbal taunting, physical assaults and exclusion. Some signs That a teacher or parent can look for to identify a child who is a bully may be aggression towards other’s, has little empathy, easily frustrated, and views violence as a positive way to solve problems. Some signs that a child is a victim of bullying may be fear of going to school, signs of depression, withdrawn, and signs of physical altercations such as bruises, and or scrapes. According to the National Center for Education Statistics report shows that middle school and elementary school children are bullied more than high school children. According to the Table below done at a Baltimore City public school, shows the number of tudents who were bullied or know someone who is a bully. Table I Percentage of Students who are bullied daily |Students verbally assaulted daily |70% | |Students who are threatened daily |60% | |Students who know a bully |80% | |Students who are the bully |30% | Bullying has been around for as long as anyone can remember. Not only do schools need to tr y to find a way to stop bullying but, in recent years the schools are seeing an increase in cyber-bullying among adolescents. Cyber-bullying is, the modern communication technologies to embarrass, humiliate, threaten, or intimidate an individual to attempt gain power and control over them ( Stutzky, 2006 ). Cyber-bullying has become has become an increasing problem in schools today. I believe that this form of bullying is more severe and has much worse outcomes. Everyday the media writes stories of children who have become victims of cyber- bullying. In 2006 statistics showed that 75 to 80 percent of 12 to 14 year olds had been cyber bullied ( Meech, 2008 ). Because of the use of modern technology this type of bullying can be one without being face to face. The use of computers today by children to cyber-bully makes it harder for authorities to pinpoint who is posting negative messages toward another person. A person who bullies on-line can send text messages, and photos. Cyber-bulling can spread through the internet fast and damage a persons reputation. Most times children who are being cyber-bullied do no t report it to their parents or an adult. Children are taught that home is where you feel safe, when an individual is being cyber-bullied they don’t have that feeling of safety. Parents need to look for signs if they feel their child is being cyber-bullied. Some signs may be depression, becoming withdrawn, a decline in school activities, and how they may view themselves. One of the big problems that authorities have with cyber-bullying is, a bully can use the help of another person to do the bullying for them. This is called cyber-bullying by proxy. When this happens it makes it harder to identify the real bully. The different forms of cyber-bullying can range from embarrassing rumors to threats, harassment, or stalking. Young adults and tenagers are among the most common victims. In the schools today computer technology is part of a child’s curriculum. Some schools are implementing a internet usage contract ( waiver), this contract or waiver will make the schools exempt from liability. students will be liable for what they do on-line. If schools are using these types of contracts they are not addressing the problem of cyber-bullying. If the issue of cyber-bullying is not addressed children will make the decision to take matters into their own hands. When this happens children think that revenge is their only option to protect themselves. Revenge can then urn into violence. This is when children start bringing guns and other types of weapons into school. Studies show that each day 100,00 students carry a gun to school ( American Justice Department). The impact that bullying can have children in schools is overwhelming. Some of the children that are bullied will develop mental and emotional problems, which they will carry into adulthood. Some children wi ll become violent towards their peers. In most severe of cases children or youths begin to feel like the only way to protect themselves is to threaten the bully with a gun or weapon. This can lead to shootings in schools or off of school property. At times when this happens the victim will take their own life. It can also lead to suicide. The suicide rate among adolescent children has gone up in recent years along with cyber-bullying. There have several reported cases of suicide in the last few years among teenage children due to cyber-bullying. The first steps that parents and teachers need to take when trying to stop a bully is to make sure to intervene when they see a child bullying another child. Watch for signs that a child is being bullied, or signs that the child is a bully. Most schools have a zero tolerance for bullying but, there needs to be more interventions put in place for children who are victims to feel safe at school. Parents need to talk to their children on a daily basis about what goes on at school. If a parent talks to their children on a regular basis they may know if something is wrong. I believe that bullying is something that is learned from an early age. Children who are subjected to violent situations daily it will show in the childs behavior. The child may not be the bully but aides the bully. All children in school need to be aware that bullying an happen to anyone and if they are a victim they should report it. Teachers and parents need to inform children that if they bully someone that they will have consequences. Children also need to be told that it’s not their fault, they did nothing wrong and that no child deserves to be bullied. My son was a victim of bullying in 4th. Grade, he reported it to the principle like we had taught him. It stopped for a while and then it started again, he reported again to the principle but, this time it didn’t stop. As parents we felt it was time to step in and try to find a way to intervene with the bully. The school informed us that they would address the situation and let us know what the outcome was. After some time we started to notice changes in our son, he was withdrawn, didn’t want to go to school, and his grades were dropping. The was notified and we set up a meeting with the principle. At the meeting we were told that our son needed to grow thicker skin because this is something that happens in school everyday. As parents we were shocked to be told this by people we trusted to keep our son safe. We removed him from the school and put him into a private school. His grades improved soon after e started he wasn’t withdrawn anymore and he wanted to go to school. My hope is that no child has to go through what our son went through. In conclusion, bullying in schools has become an increasing problem. It is our job as teachers and parents to make sure that our children feel safe at school. If children do not feel that the environment they are in is safe then, they will find ways to protect themselves. When this happens violence can occur. Teachers and parents are working to try to find a solution to stop children from being victims of bullying. As parents we should also work with our schools to elp find the solution. In the end the person that we are helping is our child. References: Farrington, D. P. & Baldry, A. C. (Jan. 2010). Individual risk factors for school bullying: Journal of Aggression, Conflict, and Peace Research. 2(1) 4-16. Ford, A. , (July 2009). Journal of Law & Education: School Liability: Holding Middle schools liable for Cyber-bullying despite their implementations of the Internet Usage Contracts. 38(3) 535-543 Harlow, Kirk C. , and Roberts, Roe ( Jan. 2010). An exploration of the relationship between Social and Psychological Factors and Being Bullied: Children & Schools; 32(1), 15-26. 2p. Hymel, Shelley and Swearer, Susan. Bullying Special Edition Contributor, education. com: Bullying: An Age Old Problem That Needs New Solutions . 1-6 Meech, Scott. (August 2008), Tech & Learning: Cyber Bullying: Worse Than Traditional Bullying, article7284 Stutzky,Glen. M. S. W, Clinical Instructor, ( 2006), School of Social Work, MSU, Cyber_bullying_information, 3p. Unnever, J. & Cornell, D. (2003). School of Education, University of Virginia, The culture of bullying in middle school. Journal of School and Violence, 2, 5-27.