History of Eugenics: How Those in Power Shape the Perfect Human Essay

Eugenics, the study of hereditary traits with the aim of producing an ideal human, and â€Å"on a societal level, programs that control human reproduction with the intent of changing the genetic structureof the population†, (Lewis, 299) are not a new concept. The history of eugenics reaches as far back as 400 B. C. , and extends to dates as recent as 1994. From Athens to Sparta, United States to Germany and China, the quest to improve the human race has spanned the world. ‘Improve’, however, is a highly subjective term. Who decides what an ideal human looks like? And what are the appropriate ways to build a race of such people? The answers to these questions have changed throughout the centuries. People considered ‘ideal’ by the eugenics program in one culture would be scheduled to be euthanized as ‘undesirable’ in another culture a few centuries later. Upon reviewing the history of eugenics, it becomes apparent that the section of a society in power at a particular time in history, usually seeks to eliminate those least like themselves, in order to impose not only their values, but their very phenotype on society at large. The first written accounts of eugenics reach back to 386 B. C. In his work â€Å"The Republic†, a description and plan for an Utopia, or ‘ideal society’, the Athenian philosopher Plato is said to have written that procreation should be controlled by the state. Through a state-sponsored selection of mates, â€Å"race would be strengthened by improved children†. (â€Å"Life of Plato†). Men aged 30-45 would be allowed to reproduce, as well as women aged 20-40. Any child born in violation of these laws would be abandoned outside the walls of the city. Some of Plato’s ideas had already been put into action in Sparta, around 431 BC. In line with the concept of ‘Eunomia’, weak male infants were left to die on slopes of Mt. Taygetus. (â€Å"The true story†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) â€Å"The Spartans practiced an uncompromising genetics programme. Newborn babies were raised only if healthy and perfect, so as not to be a burden to the state and to ensure genetic up-breeding. † (â€Å"Leonidas the Spartan†). It is worthy of noting that the Spartans were Greeks- with olive skin, dark curling hair, and brown eyes. To them, physical fitness was more important than moral virtues: â€Å"Sparta was hardly famous for chaste women,† according to Euripides, a then-contemporary writer. â€Å"Leonidas†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) The ideal person was a strong, fit male, and a woman who could reproduce often, bearing healthy children. This ideal was written into law by the Spartan King Leonidas, and adhered to until the eventual fall of the Spartan city-state. The next worldwide resurgence of eugenics occurred in the Victorian era. In 1863, Britain’s Sir Francis Galton, who was a cousin of Charles Darwin, coined the term ‘eugenics. ’ (Lewis, 300). He theorized that the mating of two talented people would produce better offspring. (â€Å"Eugenics Timeline†). His ideas rapidly spread to the United States and Germany. The concept of selective mating to achieve the elimination of undesirable traits became popular. â€Å"Stanford President David Starr Jordan originated the notion of â€Å"race and blood† in his 1902 racial epistle â€Å"Blood of a Nation,† in which the university scholar declared that human qualities and conditions such as talent and poverty were passed through the blood. † (Black, Edwin. ) Soon after, in 1907, the US state of Indiana passed the world’s first mandatory sterilization law. (Smith, pg. 36-137). The aim of the law was to prevent the birth of children which might inherit such undesirable traits as ‘criminality, mental defects and feeble-mindedness’. In 1911, the â€Å"Preliminary Report of the Committee of the Eugenic Section of the American Breeder’s Association to Study and to Report on the Best Practical Means for Cutting Off the Defective Germ-Plasm in the Human Population†, a venture which was supported by Andrew Carnegie, one of the greatest philanthropists of that era, listed 18 solutions to resolve this problem. Number Eight was euthanasia of undesirables. A gas chamber was suggested as a possible option. (Black, Edwin). In 1918, Paul Popenoe wrote a widely used textbook, â€Å"Applied Eugenics†, which again recommended euthanasia: â€Å"From an historical point of view, the first method which presents itself is execution†¦ Its value in keeping up the standard of the race should not be underestimated. â€Å"(Black, Edwin). We may be tempted to believe that euthanasia as a form of genetic control never came to be used in the United States, but this is not the case. At the ame time Popenoe propagated his ideas, a mental institution in Lincoln, Illinois had a policy of feeding incoming patients milk from tuberculosis-infected cows. It was thought that an ‘eugenically strong’ individual would be immune. The institution had a 30-40% death rate of incoming patients. (Black, Edwin. ) But those deemed insane were only the first on the long list of people considered ‘genetically inferior’. They were closely followed by those deemed ‘feeble-minded’ or ‘licentious’. Most recent immigrants fell into the first group- IQ tests of the time determined that the average immigrant had a â€Å"moron-grade† intelligence level. Smith, John David. pg. 161) IQ was considered an innate characteristic, something that was definite, unchangeable and inheritable. Nevermind the fact that the IQ tests were administered in what usually the immigrants’ second language, by untrained secretaries or other flunkies , and skewed to favor Americans of ‘Nordic’ descent. Because of economic hardship during those times, many people in power sought to limit the tide of immigrants- which were coming mostly from Eastern European countries, as well as Italy. Eugenecists and their wealthy supporters shared an antipathy for [†¦] class struggle†, and considered ‘poverty’ another inheritable trait. In this way, they could successfully â€Å"blame the victims for their own problems†. (Allen, Garland E. â€Å"Social Origins of Eugenics†. ) Jews and Gypsies, in addition to African-Americans, were also considered of inferior genetic stock, because they did not represent the Nordic phenotype ideal that was most similar to those in the ‘ruling class’. Eugenic tests were conducted to support this agenda. The results were mostly skewed, and sometimes, as in the now-infamous Kalikak study, altogether manufactured. The Kalikak study was the basis of a book written in 1914 by Henry Goddard, titled â€Å"Feeblemindedness: Its Causes and Consequences. † The book became very influential, and led to many states adopting laws for the forcible sterilization of ‘feebleminded’ individuals, and other undesirable traits shuch as being ‘passionate’ or ‘sexually wayward’. In Sonoma, California, some women were sterilized because of ‘abnormally large clitoris or labia’, which doctors thought may lead to licentious behavior! Black, Edwin. ) Rapists and similar criminals were generally not subjected to sterilization; instead, most of the sterilized were women. It quickly becomes apparent that the less-than-ideal traits in the United States in this age were: being promiscuous, socially dependent, or from a non-Nordic country. These qualities are quite different from those considered undesirable a few centuries earlier, by the Athenians and Spartans. The spread of eugenics continued, from the United States to Germany. Germany was undergoing great economic hardship after WWI, and Hitler’s proclamation that they were of a superior ‘Germanic’ or ‘Aryan’ race and thus entitled to more of the world’s resources was very well received. In 1924, Hitler espoused his version of eugenics in his book ‘Mein Kampf’. Hitler even wrote a fan letter to US eugenics leader Madison Grant, calling Grant’s book ‘The Passing of the Great Race’ his ‘bible’. (Black, Edwin. ) Hitler’s ideas corresponded to the American eugenecists concepts of the superiority of a White Race. In the US, marriage between Whites and Blacks was forbidden by law in many states, with the aim of keeping the ‘superior’ White race ‘pure’. In fact, inter-racial marriage did not become universally legal in the United States until 1967. Because of their similar outlooks, American and Nazi eugenicists often corresponded and shared research. John D. Rockefeller even donated $410,000 ($4 million by today’s standards) to German researchers for eugenics research. The ‘research’ was done on Jews, Gypsies and others. In 1932, the Rockefeller Foundation gave additional funds for the Germans’ research on twins and â€Å"substances toxic to germ plasm†. In other words, human testing of lethal substances, or those causing infertility. As eugenics research continued, so did the collaboration of German and American scientists- in 1934 there was even a Nazi display in LA, for the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association. (Black, Edwin). The Germans seized upon the American idea of sterilization of undesirables, and by 1934, were sterilizing 5,000 people per month. By 1939, they had moved on to euthanizing 5,000 children with birth defects or mental retardation, followed by 70,000 ‘unfit’ adults. (Lewis, Ricky. pg 300) As WWII swept over Europe and Hitler gained control of more lands, his armies and his doctors embarked on a quest of purging the lands of their native, ‘inferior’ populations. According to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, â€Å"in 1933, there were approximately 9 million Jews in Europe. By 1945, the Nazis had reduced that number to about 3 million. Roma (Gypsies) were also sent to the concentration camps, resulting in about 200,000 Gypsy deaths. Physically and mentally handicapped, homosexuals, and Polish intellectuals accounted for at least another 200,000. This totals about 6,400,000 victims of the concentration camps. The Nazis also killed between 2 and 3 million Soviet prisoners in labor camps or executions. Added to this toll should be the non-Jewish Poles and Soviets sent to forced labor who died due to malnutrition, unsafe work conditions, disease and â€Å"experimentation. † The experimentation in question was most notably conducted by Josef Mengele, an eugenicist who arrived in 1943 in Auschwitz. His aim was to conduct ‘anthropological testing’, which involved gruesome torture of his subjects. (Black, Edwin. ) Once again, the prerogatives of the class in power influenced the eugenics movement, by seeking ways to eliminate those not fitting the ‘Aryan’ ideal, which included men and women who were tall, blonde and blue-eyed, and of the ‘pure’ Germanic stock. After World War II, eugenics was declared ‘a crime against humanity’. (Black, Edwin. ) The American eugenics movement was renamed â€Å"human genetics† in 1949, and many of the same scientists continued their research. Meanwhile in Germany, Mengele’s boss and mentor became a dean of a university, and a member of the American Society of Human Genetics. The eugenics movement, though renamed, was not extinct. Eugenics laws were passed as recently as 1994 in China. â€Å"The Maternal and Infant Health Care Law’ proposed to â€Å"ensure the quality of the newborn population† and forbid procreation between two people if physical exams show ‘genetic disease of a serious nature’† including mental illness, seizures and other conditions that were ill-defined and not necessarily inherited. (Lewis, Ricky. g. 300) Given the oppression, infanticide, forced sterilization and genocide that resulted from humans’ attempts at eugenics over the course of history, it is difficult to see any positive aspects of the concept. Because the ruling class determines the ‘desirability’ of superior traits, any benefit to mankind in general is doubtful- the perceived benefit to some comes at the price of the suffering and death of many. Overall, eugenics seems to seek to negatively impact genetic diversity, which has long been a quality that has facilitated the survival of mankind. The presence of eugenics in modern times is the subject of much debate. Some interpret the assistance given to infertile couples in modern times as a form of eugenics, but this is hardly the case. These are merely the attempts of individual people to have a baby which looks like them, to fulfill their dreams of having a family. No one is paying them to reproduce any supposedly-superior genes (‘positive eugenics’), or trying to limit their reproductive rights (‘negative eugenics’), (Lewis, Ricky. g. 299) There is also the matter of the genetic research into the Human Genome, and by extension, into inherited genetic diseases. However, this research aims to limit human suffering, is non-invasive for the patient and leaves all decisions to the parents of the potentially-affected offspring. None of the aspects of ‘negative eugenics’, such as sterilization of the parents or the abortion of the fetus are mandated by any law, and any government at this time. Nonetheless, human rights activists and all citizens must remain alert, lest the ghost of eugenics should rear its ugly head again. Genetic history should never be a matter of public record, and a person’s genes should never be the basis of discrimination against them. Federal genetic anti-discrimination legislation was finalized in the US in 2008, and it is hoped that other countries will follow suit. We must always remember the injustices committed in the past, in the name of ‘creating the ideal human’, and strive to prevent them in the future.

The Lack Of Cultural Diversity In Small Towns

People in various parts of the world differ in certain hereditary features, including the color of their skin, the texture of their hair, their facial features, their stature, and the shape of their heads. But by the same token, the features that humans everywhere share are substantially larger and of considerably greater importance than their differences. The disparities between blacks and whites are not virtually as remarkable as between carnivores and humans. But physical distinctions, such as a handicap or race, become strengthened by societal insights, which consequently generate bigger spaces between people (Carbaugh, 1990).Most people belong to a number of groups, some voluntary, some by birth, adoption, or selection into those groups. Salient groups, the ones we consciously value, provide a source of identity. Structurally, these are microcultures or co-cultures within a macroculture. A person might identify an elderly microculture, a cowboy microculture, an Appalachian micro culture, or a volunteer association microculture. Each group exhibits some similarities to the large culture, but also some differences (Locke and Stern, 1942).Within the United States, blacks, Hispanics, Indians, Asian-Americans, and Jews have been the victims of prejudice and discrimination. Throughout much of the nations’ history, they have been confined to subordinate statuses that have not been justified by their individual abilities and talents (Frazier, 1957). The conceptual baggage we often carry with us, such as stereotypes of other racial groups, can easily blind us to the fact that, in many instancesm few significant differences exist between two people.Real cultural differences do not always exist beyond ethnicity and race, In a diverse society, we simply magnify the immediate through stereotypes (Frazier, 1957). The great merit of culture is that it permits human beings to circumvent the slowness of genetic evolution. Behavior patterns that are wired into organis ms by their genes do not allow rapid adaptation to changing conditions. In contrast, cultural change can be rapid. Indeed, some social scientists contend that cultural evolution has swamped biological evoulution as the chief source of behavior change for human beings.The functioning of the human brain is no longer rapidly prescribed by genetic programs (Locke and Stern, 1942). Instead, genes have allowed the construction of a liberated brain, one that permits a flexible repertoire of responses. The more culture human beings have acquired, the more biological capacity for culture has then evolved, leading to more culture, and so on. The fact that culture has increasingly usurped nature as the primary moving force in human development has implications for cultural unity and diversity (Locke and Stern, 1942). Cultural diversity may also be found within a society.In many modern nations, the members of some groups participate in the main culture of the society while simulatenously sharin g with one another a number of unique values, norms, traditions, and lifestyles. These distinctive cultural patterns are termed a subculture. Subcultures abound in American life, and find expression in various religious, racial, ethnic, occupational, and age groups (Locke and Stern, 1942). Generally, when we communicate with members of our own culture, we have internalized the cultural rules that govern the behavior within the context, and we are able to communicate without giving much thought to those rules.But when we are engaged in intercultural encounters, we must be aware of how our culture influences the communication context; otherwise, we may stumble upon a variety of surprises (Castro, 2003). Obviously, there are large global regions and national cultures that are structurally and organically bound together in a social system where people have developed a cultural network. Examples include what might be globally described as North American culture, Latin American culture, A frican culture, Middle Eastern culture, European culture, and Asian culture.These global differences, marked by geopolitical factors and national identity, fit into the study of culture influence on diversity (Harris and Moran, 1979). Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic of a multicultural society, though, is the form of acculturation used. There are three processes through which disparities between the dominant culture and minority cultures can be treated (Castro, 2003). The first of these, assimilation, is a unilateral process by which minority culture members adopt the norms and values of the dominant group in the society (Harris and Moran, 1979).The second, cultural separatism, is a situation where there is little adaptation on either side. Finally, pluralism is a process by which both minority and majority culture members adopt some norms of the other group. Perhaps, the pluralistic form of acculturation is the defining feature of a multicultural society. It is only t hrough pluralism that members of any society can come to understand and truly value cultural and gender diversity (Harris and Moran, 1979). A shared cultural background makes people feel more comfortable with other people from their own culture.Many people initially may feel confused and uneasy when they deal with people of another culture. The discomfort that people often feel when they have contact with an unfamiliar culture is called culture shock. Culture shock usually passes if a person stays in a new culture long enough to understand it and get used to its ways (Lambert and Taylor, 1990). Immigrants need to cope with the cultural changes brought about by continuous firsthand contact with another culture. One of the chief characteristics of the acculturation process is that elements of the original culture can never be completely erased.An awareness of American culture along with examples of contrasting cultures contributes to the individual’s understanding of her- or hi mself as a cultural being (Chiswick, 1982). The Old Order Amish are a case in point. The Amish are a religious sect that originated in Germany and Switzerland during the reformaiton conflicts of the sixteenth century. Because of religious persecution, many Amish families live on farms, although a minority work in skilled crafts like carpentry, furniture-makingm and blacksmithing.They believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible and turn their backs on modern standards of dress, â€Å"progressive† morality, â€Å"worldly† amusement, automobiles, and higher education. Above all, the Amish value hard physical work and believe that those who do not find joy in work are somehow abnormal. Far from being ashamed of their nonconformity to worldly standards, the Amish pride themselves on being a peculiar people who separate themselves from the world (Castro, 2003).Within the American society, there exist many subcultures, or ways of life that differ from one another in many important respects. Some of these subcultures exist partly because the nation has been settled over the years by people from many different parts of the world, bringing with them their own particular customs and values. Whatever the customs and rules may be, every culture and every subculture molds the settlers accordingly (Harris and Moran, 1979). Learning how to be open and flexible helps facilitate strangers’ adaptation by enabling them to endure stressful challenges and maximize learning.Openness implies the immigrant’s willingness to accept change and exposure to new ideas (Chavez, 2001). Flexibility also means that communicatively competent immigrants develop a repertoire of interpersonal tactics. As sociologist Foster put in an analogy, â€Å"the better international negotiators are ultimately pragmatic. They are not oaks; rather they are more like willows. Unable to predict every situation, every twist and turn, even in domestic situation, they know that it i s nearly impossible to do so in a cross-cultural one† (Locke and Stern, 1942).The immigrant’s efforts at being adaptable will be greatly facilitated if he or she learns how to tolerate a degree of ambiguity while trying to analyze what role to play. The intercultural encounter is full of potential ambiguity. The ability to react to new and ambiguous situations with minimal discomfort has long been thought to be an important asset when adjusting to a new culture. If the immigrant is self-conscious, tense, and anxious when confronted with the unknown, he is apt to use his energy to alleviate his frustration instead of trying to decide how best to adapt to the person and situation (Locke and Stern, 1942).Some non-Hispanics in the United States fear that the country's rapidly growing Hispanic population will not adopt the language, customs, and viewpoint of the dominant, English-speaking culture. Some of these people fear that their way of life will be replaced by the †Å"foreign ways† of Hispanic Americans (Sanchez, 1995). Others worry that a large Spanish-speaking minority will become a permanent underclass, locked out of economic advancement by a lack of fluency in English. Many historians and sociologists discount such fears. They point to the many immigrant groups that have become part of American culture.They also note that except for recent immigrants, most Hispanic Americans can speak English (Hinkle, 1994). No society is so isolated that it does not come in contact with other societies. When contact occurs, societies borrow cultural traits from one another. As a result, cultural traits and patterns tend to spread from the society in which they originated (Chavez, 2001). It seems logical therefore that a change in an attitude, caused by new beliefs or new emotional responses, should a cause a change in behavior. Yet, the sequence of events is often exactly the opposite.In many cases, the change in behavior comes first, and this new be havior creates the change in attitude (Locke and Stern, 1942). New social situations often push the immigrants in the direction of changes in behavior, and these in turn often lead to changes in attitudes. This has been especially noticeable in recent years in the attitudes of whites toward blacks and of blacks toward whites. In general, it has been found that people who have worked with members of the other race hold more favorable attitudes, while those who have had no interracial contacts tend to feel less favorable.Undoubtedly, the explanation is that new forms of behavior have produced attitude changes (Chavez, 2001). At times, the norms, values, and lifestyles of a subculture are substantially at odds with those of the larger society and constitute a counterculture. A counterculture rejects many of the behavioral standrads and guideposts that hold in the dominant culture. The hangloose orientation found among some youth in the early 1970s had a good many countercultural overto nes.The young people questioned the legitimacy of the Establishment, rejected the hard-work ethic of their elders, turned to drugs in a search for new experiences, and dropped out of middle-class life. Controversy surrounding youthful involvement in the hangloose counterculture resurfaced in the late 1980s when Judge Douglas H, Ginsburg was compelled to withdraw as a Supreme Court nominee after it was disclosed that he had used marijuana as a youthl the debate widened when Democratic presidential contenders Senator Albert Gore, Jr. , and Bruce Babbitt admitted that they too had used marijuana in te 1960s. Delinquent gangs, Satanic cults, and the survivalist right are other illustrations of counterculture groups (Hinkle, 1994).People of one culture who move to a country where another culture dominates may give up their old ways and become part of the dominant culture. The process by which they do this is called assimilation. Through assimilation, a minority group eventually disappear s because its members lose the cultural characteristics that set them apart.Assimilation is the process through which one social and cultural group becomes part of another social and cultural group (Locke and Stern, 1942). In a diverse society, dominant groups and minority groups often approach assimilation differently. Within the United States, two views toward assimilation have dominated. One, the melting pot tradition, has seen assimilation as a process whereby peoples and cultures would fuse within the nation to produce a new people and a new civilization.The other, the Americanization tradition, has viewed American culture as an essentially finished product on the Anglo-Saxon pattern, and has insisted that immigrants promptly give up their cultural traits for those of the dominant American group (Hinkle, 1994). To sum it up, recognition of multiculturalism and cultural diversity are key to developing a climate of a healthy relationship and respect among the peoples. While racia l anxieties exist in modern society, the sundry peoples may blend merely with others of common cultural upbringing.Works Cited Carbaugh, Donal. Cultural Communication and Intercultural Contact. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1990. Castro, Vanessa Smith. Acculturation and Psychological Adaptation. Greenwood Press, 2003. Chavez, Leo R. Covering Immigration: Popular Images and the Politics of the Nation. University of California Press, 2001. Chiswick, Barry R. The Gateway: U. S. Immigration Issues and Policies. American Enterprise Institute, 1982. Frazier, Franklin. Race and Culture Contacts in the Modern World. Alfred A. Knopf Publishing, 1957.Harris, Philip R.and Moran, Robert T. Managing Cultural Differences. Texas: Gulf Publishing, 1979. Hinkle, Gisela J. The Development of Modern Sociology: Its Nature and Growth in the United States. Random House, 1994. Lambert, Wallace E. and Donald M. Taylor. Coping with Cultural and Racial Diversity in Urban America. Praeger Publishers, 1990. Loc ke, Alain and Bernhard J. Stern. When Peoples Meet: A Study in Race and Culture Contacts. Progressive Education Association, 1942. Saney, Parviz. Crime and Culture in America: A Comparative Perspective. Greenwood Press, 2000.

Child Abuse in Maryland Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Child Abuse in Maryland - Research Paper Example However, the Child Protection Services is failing in protecting children reported as living in harm. â€Å"Almost five children die every day as a result of child abuse. More than three of four children are under the age of four† (Statement 1). The high rate of death in children is abnormal. In fact, â€Å"A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds† (Statement 1). With such a high volume of reports, one would think that the CPS would immediately remove a high-risk child from the home into a safe environment. However, the Child Protection Services is not doing that. This is because Child Protection Services’ priority is to keep children with their families. As such, it sends abused children back in abusive homes. Ideally, it requires a stable environment and much care to ensure that children grow well. The way a child grows up determines his future a lot. Therefore, for us to protect the lives of the children and ensure a better youth society, children in d angerous families must come out from the abusive families and transfer to stable environment for better care. Since the Child Protective Services fails in doing this, then there is adequate need to reform it. Otherwise, the world will lose a lot in childcare and bringing up a stable and sober society. According to the â€Å"Maryland Department of Human Resources,† Child Protective Services is a governmental organization that offers service that helps in creation of a safe environment for children from abusive homes and those in harm. The Child Protective Services (CPS) claims to rebuild and promote a positive home by teaching parents how to provide and care for their children. In addition, with the support of the family, CPS also attempts to find the root causes of the parental abuse claims and seeks to solve these problems. In most cases, child abuse claims are social problems requiring social solutions from the society and not legal actions. However, exactly what causes par ental abuse? Parental child abuse may arise from immature and unrealistic expectations, stresses of child care, unmet emotional needs, drug or alcohol problems, economic crisis, difficulty in relationships, domestic violence, depression or other mental health problems, and lack of parenting knowledge, poor moral standards, poor performance in school, and favoring some children (Prevent Child Abuse New York 1). If a child abuse claim investigator finds a major risk to the child’s well being, then the child will be removed from the home and placed in temporary care with either a stable family member or foster home. However, because a child is more likely to thrive with their parents, the CPS has to return the child to their abusive family. This happens after a given detailed teaching period on the parents. After a given period, the ways of living will become much better for the child and parent. At this point, the investigator will successfully close the case and move on to ano ther abuse claim (DHR). According to, â€Å"A More Aggressive Child Protection System Would Reduce Child Abuse,† a major reason that child deaths are drastically rising in the United States is because funding for the child protection program continues to get a funding cut. Lack of funding for child protection is inexcusable and creates catastrophic damage to the child if there are needs that

Effects of obesity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Effects of obesity - Research Paper Example Obesity can occur because of many causes. Heredity is one factor that causes obesity, though its role is perceived to be greater than it really is. Many people think of genes as the sole cause of obesity. While gene increases the tendency of an individual to gain weight, people generally have an unhealthy style of living that prevails in the culture of the family. Many people become obese because of the very unhealthy lifestyle. Prenatal and postnatal influences increase the tendency of children to be obese. Pregnant mothers who are obese or who smoke increase the tendency of their children to grow into obese adults (Harvard School of Public Health, 2014). Excessive gain of weight during the stage of infancy increases people’s risk of becoming obese as adults, whereas breastfeeding lowers this risk. A potential cause of obesity is the unhealthy diet whose consumption has become a trend and culture particularly in the West. People commonly consume large meals with a high conten t of refined grains, unhealthy fats, red meat, and carbonated drinks. Healthy diet based on the consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits is not very common. Advancement of technology is another factor that can be considered as the cause of obesity. People spend too much time watching television, surfing the internet, using computers, and Facebooking. All of these activities limit their physical activity. In addition, people’s tendency to consume unhealthy diets and life an unhealthy lifestyle is increased under the influence of constant advertising of unhealthy products on the digital media. Children experience many negative effects of obesity. Obese children cannot participate as actively in the physical extracurricular activities in school as their class-fellows. They might feel motivated to participate because of their inner talents, but their weight, figure, and obesity-influenced characteristics discourage them from making

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Ergonomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Ergonomics - Essay Example The conveyors also can move the bottles over fixed distances. While the initial costs of installing the conveyor systems are high, this is countered in respect of the fact that they are used to transport high volumes of materials (bottles) within the processing plant. Given that the bottles that are conveyed have rigid surfaces, the conveyors are most appropriate also considering the fixed distances that they cover. In the company, a crane is used to transport materials over restricted area. In our organization, the crane is used to lift heavy materials such as metal blocks that are used in the maintenance of various process machines. The crane is controlled by one person stationed in an enclosure. The crane is applicable in its current setting considering that the flow of materials is low and often intermittent (Raouf, 1995). A conveyor would not be applicable in such a setting. Also, the crane is beneficial in that it offers greater flexibility in respect of material movement. The loads that are handled by the crane come in different shapes, weights and sizes. In the bottling plant, industrial trucks are used to carry pallets that contain empty or filled bottle crates. The trucks transport the materials from the shop floor to the warehouse or store. They are also used to load crates on trucks ready for distribution. The trucks are driven by individual drivers who have to control their movements. The industrial trucks are beneficial in that they have the capacity to transport materials over variable distances. They are more flexible in terms of effecting materials movement compared to the conveyors and crane as noted by Raouf (1995). The materials can be raised or lowered in terms of height as desired, which means that they are very versatile. Also, they are applicable where it would be impractical to install conveyors owing to the intermittence of work. Considering that the conveyors used in the company transport a lot of materials, there is

Team Work, Group Efficiency and Performance Essay

Team Work, Group Efficiency and Performance - Essay Example This research will begin with the definition of a team as a group of people working together in an organization. This definition is too general and does not do justice to the functioning of a team in an organizational setting. In purely organizational sense, team is defined as â€Å"a group of workers functioning together as a unit to complete a common goal or purpose†. It is best defined by West as â€Å"groups of people embedded on organizations, performing tasks that contribute to achieving the organization’s goals†. Teams work towards achieving the overall organizational objective and have the necessary resources, autonomy and authority to achieve those objectives. Team and teamwork in an organizational setting can be best understood by the following explanation by Woods and West. The following is a direct quote by Woods and West and has been used directly for better understanding: A team is a relatively small group of people working on a clearly defined, cha llenging task that is most efficiently completed by a group working together rather than individuals working alone or parallel; who have clear, shared, challenging, team level objectives derived directly from the task; who have to work closely and interdependently to achieve these objectives; whose members work in distinct roles within the team (though some roles may be duplicated); and who have the necessary authority, autonomy and resources to enable them to meet the team’s objectives.... They are different types of teams in an organization (Griffin & Moorhead, 2011) but they can be grouped into the following types based on their nature: Problem Solving Teams: These are the most common type of teams and in some cases are used temporarily. Problem solving teams brings together employees with different knowledge backgrounds in order to tackle a specific problem. These teams consist of highly talented and skilled individuals who are brought into the team in order to induce and bring about a specific change (Boone & Kurtz, 2011). Self Managed Work Teams: these are teams with groups of employees who have the skills as well as the authority to manage themselves. Many experts in the field argue that the employees in such teams are the most satisfied and motivated. This is because they have greater job control and task variety (Boone & Kurtz, 2011). Cross Functional Teams: Cross functional teams are the latest trends in the business world. Earlier, teams were formed on the ba sis of specific speciality or functionality. But in today’s dynamic business world this is not enough. Projects are more complex today and need employees with different skill sets and abilities to be working on the same project. Hence, cross functional teams have been formed which consists of individuals with varying skills, expertise and specialities working to achieve a common goal (Robbins, 2009). Virtual Teams: There is no need for teams to be geographically close as developments in communication technology have made it possible for team members to be geographically separated but still work as a single unit. Hence, virtual team is one wherein team members are

BUSINESS LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

BUSINESS LAW - Essay Example Legislation is the only solution to face the challenging situation. In fact, Law is de jure and is applied by a country to regulate the relationship between its people, government and business. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., in his great law book, The Common Law (1881) states: "The life of the law has not been logic; it has been experience". This contradicts English jurist Sir Edward Coke's observation that 'logic is the life of the law'. The legal system of Australia is governed by common law developed by case laws and precedents, and included in it are equity law and a little of statute law. Based on Grew (2002), the legal system of Australia has two sources. The first one is the parliament that is legislation, and the other is the judicial courts that are responsible for case laws. Legislations are created by parliament and the courts put forward the law by means of precedents. Here, in this essay, we analyze the strength and weaknesses of common law and legislation along with the role of courts and legislature in regulating the contemporary business practices. Common law has its roots of development in England from 1066. It is an unenacted law written by judges in judgments or case law decisions (Latimar, 2007, p.4). In Australia the judges decide a case based on past decisions taken in a similar case. This method tends to be consistent and authentic as many cases have been decided in the past in a similar way. The doctrine of precedent is based on this concept that when cases are decided based on past decisions, the judgment is consistent. The lower courts are bound to follow the higher courts and this leads to treating the case under similar circumstances in the same way as it was done before. 'The high court's decisions in passed cases, will have the lower courts legally bound' (Barron & Fletcher 2001 p30). When precedents are followed in deciding a case it allows the judges to reduce the time taken in passing a judgment. This is because the law is already applied in similar cases by taking into consideration the facts and the issuing of evidence, which makes the task of a judge easy. The doctrine of precedent is defined as 'The common law principle which binds a judge or a magistrate to follow previous similar decision of higher courts in the same hierarchy; also known as stare decisis' (Vickery & Pendleton 2006), which implies the decision stands. The precedents may be binding and persuasive precedents. It becomes binding 'ratio decidendi' when the closing decree or 'res judicata' is passed by the court on the affected parties, and has a legal consequence established on the central causes for the decision."Common law relies on precedent. However, precedent is an illogical and inefficient tool for the regal regulation of business. Legislation is much more effective in the regulation of modern business practices". This statement stands good in the modern day judgments. Even though common law is tailor made and easy to follow, it still has its own pitfalls. The major weakness of common law is that, the precedent followed in sensitive cases may not be relevant for the present case. Also it could limit the development of law. As common law depends on past cases and the society is changing rapidly so it is obvious that history may not repeat itself in the same way and under the same circumstances. It becomes very difficult

Knowledge Management within the Education Profession Essay

Knowledge Management within the Education Profession - Essay Example This report discovers the practice of knowledge management within the education profession as a tool for improving the efficiency of the administrative services and the effectiveness of academic programs. Knowledge management within the educational profession refers to a set of procedures that makes eminent sense through a combination of practical expertise gained through experience, good intuition, and a feel of what can be likely described as a set of emerging theories that focus on effective knowledge management continuum within educational institutions (Hansen, 2000). Pertinent to the field of education with regard to knowledge management entail two fundamental aspects; how to embrace and integrate knowledge management principles and how to avoid misunderstanding of such principles. Evidently, application of such knowledge management principles is in essence important with regard to improving educational efficiency. In the recent past, educational administrators have attempted to improve the efficiency of their tasks through knowledge management. Therefore, this report aims at investigating how knowledge management enables educators in an institution to develop and set effective practices to collect information and share what they know will ultimately lead to improved educational outcomes. In making this attempt, however, this report explicitly clarifies that people, in this regard educators, processes, and technology are important aspects in ensuring effective knowledge management.... 1. Educational administrators have been improving the efficiency of their task through employing knowledge management tools. Instructors within the education profession have been utilizing management tools for a considerable number of years to improve the efficiency of administrative services and the effectiveness of academic programs. From the past, the practice of knowledge management within the education profession has primarily been focusing on the technical systems that are implemented to collect, organize, and disseminate the institution’s expanse of quantitative data in areas such as accounting, finance, and enrolment planning. With the increasing number of trustees, state legislatures, teachers, administrators, faculty members, students, and parents begun to seek better education outcomes or at least have a better sense of what current outcomes measure, in the case of higher education, most educational institutions and systems have invested in technology to generate da ta that can provide answers to those seeking improved performance. Among the primary benefits of knowledge management underpins the fact that it actively addresses both the information culture and technology culture unique to the organizational context of the college, school, or university (Kellick, 2011, P. 150). The technology culture can be thought of as the institution’s use and integration of technology in planning, development, operations, and assessment. The information culture, on the other hand, involves information processes and politics for sharing information within and across the organization. 2. Knowledge management enables educators in an institution to develop and set practices to collect information and share what they know, leading to action

Ethics of Hydraulic Fracturing Essay Example for Free

Ethics of Hydraulic Fracturing Essay Large gas companies have been wreaking havoc on Midwestern United States. These companies’ practices of hydraulic fracturing have been very detrimental to the local populace. Hydraulic fracturing has been known to damage the environment through earthquakes and gas spills. In addition, it has been said that these companies have certain law exemptions that only they enjoy. These unsafe practices have contaminated local’s water supplies. There have even been cases where people have been able to light the water from their faucets on fire. Stricter government regulation should be enforced on these gas companies. Hydraulic Fracturing, or fracking, has recently (in the last ten years) been used extensively by gas companies (â€Å"The Facts About Fracking†). Fracking involves drilling down below shale formations (over a thousand feet) in the ground and pumping water, sand, and chemicals until the rock fractures. When the rock fractures it releases natural gas that can be collected at very inexpensive cost. The problem is that this can contaminate local water supplies, including lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, and ground water. The documentary Gasland stirred up interest in the American population to the effects of fracking. After being offered one hundred thousand dollars for his land from a gas company, the director Josh Fox traveled around America investigating the effects of fracking on the local rural populace. Josh Fox did an excellent job at exposing the gas industry for what it really is. The film won an Oscar nomination and has been praised by environmentalists nation-wide. One of the environmentally damaging effects of hydraulic fracturing is that it has been known to cause earthquakes. Reports of minor tremors of no greater than 2. 8 on the Richter scale were reported on June 2, 2009 in Cleburne, Texas, the first in the towns 140-year history† (Fox). On the other side of the argument, they claim â€Å"Given the ubiquity of fracking without seismic impact, the risks would seem to be remote† (â€Å"The Facts About Fracking†). This is irrelevant considering that earthquakes are happening where they otherwise would not have occurred. In addition to earthquakes, they also damage the environment by causing environmentally damaging oil spills. In the past two years alone, a series of surface spills, including two blowouts at wells operated by Chesapeake Energy and EOG Resources and a spill of 8000 gallons of fracking fluid at a site in Dimock, Pa. , have contaminated groundwater in the Marcellus Shale region. The amount of water required to drill all 2916 of the Marcellus wells permitted in Pennsylvania in the first 11 months of 2010 would equal the amount of drinking water used by just one city, Pittsburgh, during the same period, says environmental engineering professor Jeanne VanBriesen (qtd. n McGraw). Spills like these cause water contamination for the locals. In this case, a large portion of the spilled fracking fluid flowed into a nearby stream (McGraw). The level of contamination is still being investigated. These irresponsible and selfish practices must be regulated before irreversible collateral and environmental damage occurs. Gas companies have even been able to exploit certain loopholes in the law. An employee from the Environmental Protection Agency stated that the fracking industry enjoy certain legal exemptions from the Clean Water Act – courtesy of Dick Cheney (qtd. in Fox). The federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 contained a provision that has come to be known as the Halliburton Loophole, an exemption for gas drilling and extraction from requirements in the underground injection control (UIC) program of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Other exemptions are also present in the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act (Fox). This is an injustice to the local people whose water has been contaminated by these companies. If the government will not regulate these large companies, what will stop these large companies? Furthermore, chemicals contaminating the locals’ water supply have been shown to be a serious health risk. It is reported that â€Å"Last year the EPA found that some chemicals known to be used in fracturing were among the contaminants detected in 11 residential drinking water wells†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Lustgarten). These chemicals have even been known to be carcinogenic (Lustgarten). Contaminated groundwater becomes a problem for locals when their cattle have to drink the contaminated water. There are even cases of sick animals where all their hair falls out (Fox). Many farmers worry about the welfare of their cattle’s health which is sometimes their only source of income (Fox). Landowners in shale gas drilling areas have reported foul smells in tap water, and toxic chemicals, such as benzene, have been detected in water from wells near drilling sites (Fox). In addition, there are cases of air pollution from the machinery from the drill sites (Fox). Many claim that the air pollution is the cause of a lot of cancer in the locals (Fox). In Dish, Texas, Mayor Calvin Tillman claimed that the fracking industry created carcinogenic pollution in his town (â€Å"The Facts About Fracking†). He then quit his job and left his hometown to protect his sons from this pollution (â€Å"The Facts About Fracking†). These unsafe practices can be very harmful to the local rural populace, and must be regulated. Scientific studies have shown that the drilling has caused local drinking water to be contaminated with methane. In fact, it has been shown that locals can light their water on fire. â€Å"â€Å"Our results show evidence for methane contamination of shallow drinking water systems in at least three areas of the region and suggest important environmental risks accompanying shale gas exploration worldwide. A scientific study has linked natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing with a pattern of drinking water contamination so severe that some faucets can be lit on fire. While most of the wells had some methane, the water samples taken closest to the gas wells had on average 17 times the levels detected in wells further from active drilling† (Lustgarten). This shows that their gas drilling in fact causes this contamination. The contamination can get so bad that it directly affects the local’s safety. There is a case that is being investigated where a large portion of a river is highly contaminated from seeping methane gas; it is so highly contaminated that all wildlife has died along a large portion of the river (Fox). Along the banks of the river are dead bodies of birds, squirrels, and other wildlife (Fox). One local even claims that her father died from drinking the water many years earlier (Fox). In Josh Fox’s documentary, it shows a clip of someone lighting seeping gas coming out of the ground on fire (Fox). â€Å"In several cases, homes blew up after gas seeped into their basements or water supplies. In Pennsylvania, a 2004 accident killed three people, including a baby† (Lustgarten). This irresponsible, disregard for basic human rights must be stopped. Large corporations that run free and unregulated will do whatever it takes for their own gain. The local rural populace has been very badly affected by the practices of hydraulic fracturing. It is clearly shown that these locals are not being heard and little is being done for compensation for the locals (Fox). These gas companies have too much freedom to operate and must be put to stricter government regulation. The question is not whether we should frack or not, but rather how do we regulate these practices to minimize the collateral and environmental damage.

SWOT Analysis of Etisalat

SWOT Analysis of Etisalat Etisalat is the leading operators of telecommunications in Middle East Africa. Its headquarters are located in U.A.E. Etisalat is one of the largest and renowned telecom company in the world. It carries its operations in 18 countries across Asia, Middle East and Africa with customers more than 100 million. Etisalat is a widespread telecom provider offering a one-stop shop for mobile and fixed-line data services to individuals, enterprises, international telecom companies and so on. It provides a variety of high-tech complimentary services to the telecommunications industry, mainly: Managerial and technical training. SIM card manufacturing. Payment solutions. Clearing house services. Peering. Voice data transit. Submarine land cable services. Etisalat has the status for introducing the accurate service to the right audience at the right market and the exact time. This has been seen and proved as it has debuted again and again, starting with the launch of mobile, GSM, Internet, mobile broadband services to Middle East, Asia and Africa. It is the main focus in the Middle East for internet, voice, mobile broadband, broadcast, roaming and other services with an wide global network. INTRODUCTION Emirates Telecommunications Corporation, also known as Etisalat, is the telecommunications carrier and internet service provider in the United Arab Emirates. Etisalat provides all type of telecom services in addition to cable TV service. Etisalat is currently moving to a 3G network. PG-1 At the end of September 2005, the numbers of lines in service are 1,222,905 for  telephone, 4,305,821 for mobile and 4,698, 17 for internet. Mobile penetration now exceeds 95 per cent. In May 2005, the UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority approved the formation of a new telecoms company, which will effectively end Etisalat monopoly, creating a du. The new $1.1 billion telecoms provider will be 40% owned by the UAEs General Pensions and Social Security Authority and other state interests, with the remaining shares earmarked for private sector shareholders including an initial public offering, which may or may not be open to foreigners. The new telecommunication company (Du) is starting to gain a wide fame with variety of services such as (mobile TV, video calls, video mail, mobile broadband and different billing options) Etisalat is on an expansion spree. After making its presence felt in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and West Africa, Etisalat is prepared to pay up to $3 billion to bid for state-run Algeria Telecom. The Abu Dhabi-based firm (Etisalat) has been expanding aggressively abroad as it has lost a virtual monopoly in the UAE to Dubai-based Du, which aims to gain 30% of the UAE market share. PG-2 VISION To create a world where peoples reach is not limited by matter or distance. People can with ease communicate with anyone around the globe also reconnecting with family or friends. Innovative ideas and advance technologies will open fresh opportunties globally. MISSION To extend peoples reach. Etisalat actively develops advanced networks that enable people to learn, develop and grow. VALUES PG-3 FUTURE A world in which technology extends our reach. Etisalat targets to advance to new technologies, services and markets so that it can open new opportunities for its customers. Swot Analysis STRENGTHS: Etisalat is reducing broadband tariff prices to encourage greater take-up Rollout of further undersea fiber optic cables should enable for greater International data service access, and at reduced prices UAE has one of the lowest mobile tariffs in the region Weaknesses Continues to follow, an aggressive marketing strategy which enabled it to capture a 30% market share in less than two years of operation. The knowledge transfer to the baby company ETIHAD Etisalat (SAUDIA). Development of a new fiber optic network to reduce the cost of services and enhance data revenues stream. Low network coverage compared to its competitor Du. Higher calling charges. OPPORTUNITIES: Strong economic fundamentals sustained by the countrys high GDP per capita due to rising oil prices. A favourable demographic profile as 69% of the population is under the age of 30, indicating a strong population growth. Mobile number portability (MNP) enables mobile subscribers to keep their mobile telephone numbers when changing from one mobile network operator to another. The implementation of the MNP service will allow unsatisfied subscribers using a competitors network, to transfer to Etisalats network easily. Therefore, if Etisalat manages to provide better services than its competitors, Etisalat will be able to increase its market share easily. Threats: Emerging of new telecom company with more affordable n competitive strategy. Du expanding the services and being a competitor for Etisalat. OBJECTIVES One of their objectives at Etisalat is to help fulfill the potential of the nation and its people. To be a catalyst driving growth, developing a world-class economy and a hub for trade, tourism and entrepreneurship Etisalat is determined to offer continuous support to people with special needs by helping them to communicate with family, friends, social centers, government organizations, universities, and many other organizations. Etisalat is committed to launching creative initiatives to enable the development of the local communities. Etisalat is contributing 1% of annual revenues to support innovation and entrepreneurship through the ICT Fund. They are committed to be key contributor to CSR activities and we always seek to create strategic partnerships with different social organizations to help them develop. They will maintain our role in social activities, which makes from the company an example for other organizations to emulate. Also, to improve lives through technological expertise and the use of resources for the development of a fully connected community. STAKEHOLDERS EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS INVESTORS Investors would be likely to know about the business because they have invested their funds in Etisalat and they have to know whether the business or firm is running in a profit/loss. CUSTOMERS These are potential customers who would like to obtain a good value for their money. GOVERNMENT The government would want to receive taxes from Etisalat if its running profitably as well as to control business operations. INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS EMPLOYEES/STAFF They would be interested to know about Etisalat to ensure their job security and to get their basic salary. SHAREHOLDERS Shareholders want to be rewarded for their stake in the business. Shareholders would want to receive dividends from after-tax profits. DIRECTORS The directors of Etisalat would want to direct the strategy and also to direct major decision making. Samsungs directors would want to increase their own power and status from business growth. THE MARKETING MIX Marketing Mix allows you to merge all the marketing strategies in order to sell your product. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT A brilliant product or service will have its marketing on its own as it will advantage the buyer. A product can be recognized by its stylish packing and design. Etisalat launches those products and services which the community wants by doing market research to produce exactly what buyers want. PLACE The place is where you await for your buyers. After knowing the place you just have to find the appropriate distribution channel. Etisalat operates telecommunications in Middle East Africa. PRICE Etisalat uses market skimming as its pricing strategy which means that it keeps a high price for its differentiated products and services and as time goes by it graudually reduces with competition. PROMOTION It has a large promotional unit that spends billions on the advertising of current and newly developed products or services. The media used is bill boards, radio and television adverts which are a form of persuasive adverts. FOOTPRINTS OF ETISALAT IN 18 COUNTRIES-MARKET SHARE EVENTS AND SPONSORSHIPS Etisalat participates in and sponsors events and activities to make and improve lives of other firms. Etisalat supports not just industry-related events but encourage learning in all sectors and support community development in the UAE and abroad. INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENTS THURAYA EXCELCOMINDO (XL) INDONESIA CANAR SUDAN ETISALAT NIGERIA (EMTS) PTCL PAKISTAN ETISALAT MISR EGYPT ZANTEL TANZANIA ETISALAT AFGHANISTAN (ESSPL) ETISALAT SOFTWARE SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED TECHNOLOGIA ATLANTIQUE TELECOM (AT) MILICOM SRILANKA TIGO ETIHAD ETISALAT MOBILY SAUDIARABIA ETISALAT DB INDIA PVT LTD ETISALAT SERVICES HOLDING Etisalat Services Holding ESH is part of the Etisalat group of companies. It was constituted in 2007 following the strategy of separating the services and varied support services from the core telephony business of Etisalat in order to optimize the potential of the individual businesses. CARRIER AND WHOLESALE Etisalats Carrier Wholesale Services Division (CWS) is dedicated to delivering a comprehensive portfolio of high quality wholesale services, extending the reach of mobile operators, carriers and ISPs globally.   Etisalats Carrier Wholesale Services Division provides the following services: E-VOICE E-MOBILE EMIX IP TRANSIT SERVICES E-CAPACITY E-CONNECT E-BROADCAST