Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Consumer Adoption of Hybrid Car Technology Dissertation

Consumer Adoption of Hybrid Car Technology - Dissertation Example This section will investigate vehicle registration data and predictions of consumer demand based upon the Thatchenkery analysis (2008) unless otherwise noted, factual attributions in this section of the study will be conclusions drawn from Thatchenkary 2008. From this article, further pressing questions will be addressed relating to consumer choice of hybrid automobiles and the obstacles towards greater market penetration. These questions can be divided between internal factors and external ones relating to consumer choice. The internal questions would relate more to ideological choices encouraging the purchase of a hybrid vehicle, and whether or not the structure and utility of the vehicle is pleasing to a given individual. External questions relate to socioeconomic factors affecting society as a whole. Can the economy and infrastructure of most industrialized countries be converted to support this innovation? How soon? And at what cost? A detailed analysis is necessary in order to identify the pros and cons of hybrid automotive technology and determine the benefits and consequences of government subsidies of the same. Various incentives and tax credits are under consideration by government agencies for the purpose of subsidizing a transition to hybrid vehicle or technology. An analysis of the available technical literature is required in order to determine the success of the subsidy programs, and the likelihood of any unintended consequences that might be detrimental to other sectors of the economy. And whether the widescale implementation of hybrid automobiles can be realized to a great enough extent to achieve both the goals of transportation, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. When the decision is made by government to subsidize hybrid electrical vehicles, the decision invites analysis concerning the form and implementation of the subsidies. Among the issues that this analysis will explore, is the question on whether government subsidies in the form of income tax credits represents a more powerful incentive towards the purchase of hybrid vehicles as opposed to an incentive based on sales tax. The effectiveness of various government incentive programs will be evaluated in light of hybrid purchases, and overall efficiency in a world of rising gasoline prices. This analysis will also seek to identify variations in the demand among consumers as it pertains to the hybrid automobile market. This will be compared against the effectiveness of various government subsidy programs to develop a more thorough picture of the best means by which to promote hybrid automotive technology. It is also necessary to evaluate the effect of convenience of the vehicle compared with the desirability of incentives. Can a government subsidy for hybrid vehicle or purposes enhance sales even in cases where the vehicle might seem less convenient? How important is the comfort and utility of the vehicle compared with the possible incentives of some form of sales tax subsidy, or advantage in regards to the individual consumers income tax? Methodology This study is a literature meta-analysis of the concerns and actions resulting from hybrid automotive technology. A comparison of the primary literature, both legal and technical will be utilized to answer fundamental questions regarding hybrid automotive technology. This analysis seeks to evaluate whether current hybrid technologies do represent increased energy efficiency, as well as a reduction in overall

Monday, October 28, 2019

Patient Teaching Essay Example for Free

Patient Teaching Essay Introduction: I have chosen breastfeeding as my teaching topic for this assignment. The specific clientà ¨le will be the new mother at between 2 and 7 days postpartum, newly discharged from hospital. As a community health nurse working with children and young families, I do initial postpartum visits at home. Breastfeeding is a very complex skill, natural, yet sometimes difficult to do. The client is often overwhelmed with information received in hospital, so sessions must be kept short, and made easy to understand. The area in which I work is multicultural. There is often a language barrier which further complicates teaching and learning. Finding a teachable moment is easy (London, p. 95). New mothers are eager for help in providing the best for their babies. Mothers whose babies refuse to latch onto the breast or who have an incorrect latch, may sometimes become very tense and stressed. It is important to remain calm and supportive during teaching. The client must be educated, not simply taught new skills (Rankin, p. 73). The newly acquired information will allow her to make her own decisions and to be the head of her own health care team. Assessment: I have been working with postpartum women for the past 6 years, and have 3 children of my own. I am able to use my own personal experiences with breastfeeding, my last having stopped only 2 years ago. I work well with my co-workers, I know that I cannot do it alone (London, p.51). We help each other every step of the way and have a good back-up system available in the community. These include lactation consultants, breastfeeding clinics, doctors, social workers and community agencies. The learner and her family are at the head of the team (London, p.47). They are usually very motivated to learn and ultimately want what is best for the baby. It is easier to form relationships with the client at home (London, p. 63). The environment is non-threatening to the learner and teacher. I can also learn a lot about the client by observing the home. I have had many clients tell me they were breastfeeding exclusively who had half empty bottles of formula on the kitchen counter. The assessment process begins on the telephone before the visit. All new mothers are contacted when they arrive home. All are offered a home visit, some refuse. By help of a detailed questionnaire, we know the problems to focus on before the visit. This is very helpful as we can be better prepared with the necessary tools. Many patients are â€Å"red flag† patients (Rankin, p. 160). Some speak very little English, have financial problems, are on welfare, or are single mothers. Culture and religion can influence teaching (London, p.296). It is impossible to generalize about one culture, so we must be careful to dig deeper when presented with a situation which may be affected by ones background. The area I work in is multicultural. The women speak many languages and I often need to have a family member translate the teaching. This is sometimes quite challenging as I am not always sure that what is being translated is actually what I am saying! I try not to let my own beliefs get in the way of my patient care. I may not always agree with the decisions of others but always stay focused on the desired outcome. Some clients would prefer to breastfeed and others would prefer to bottle feed but are being influenced by family members. Support from family members generally improves the outcome (Stalling, p.163). The client will have an easier time adjusting to breastfeeding and will breastfeed for a longer period of time with family support. We need to make adjustments in our teaching based on each individuals views. (London, p. 303). We should never make assumptions about anything. Self-efficacy is a very important factor in learning to breastfeed. The learner who thinks she can do it, will be more successful. My department organizes a group that meets at the community center once a week. New mothers have a chance to meet each other and learn about breastfeeding. Using these role-models sometimes helps a woman with low self-efficacy learn to breastfeed (London, p.311). When I walk into a home, I can often tell within the first 10 minutes whether I will have to make a follow-up visit. At a typical visit I assess the baby and mother, help with breastfeeding if necessary and provide the mother with helpful information she will need in the first few months of the babys life. A typical visit lasts 1-2 hours. I usually provide printed material on the common breastfeeding problems to my clients. On the website WWW.Medela.com, there is very helpful information on breastfeeding in several languages. I use this site often to print out information on latching, sore nipples and engorgement. The information on the site is generally well written and edited. The vocabulary is easy enough to understand by most women. It is grammatically correct. There are no difficult or very technical terms. The subject in this paper is a mother of two who did not breastfeed her first child. She speaks English and works as a clerk in a drugstore. She has a university degree, so can easily understand information at the 12th grade level. Planning: The general goal of this teaching is for the client to be able to breastfeed in the proper manner and to understand the benefits of breastfeeding in order to prolong breastfeeding for as long as possible. The following are the specific objectives for this clientà ¨le. At the end of the session: The client will state at least 5 benefits of breastfeeding vs bottle feeding. The client will demonstrate 3 different breastfeeding positions one time each. The client will describe the treatments for engorgement and sore nipples. The client will list 3 resources for further information after the visit. The client will recognize and state 3 factors which indicate the baby is receiving sufficient milk from breastfeeding. Teaching tools used will be demonstration, discussion, and hand-outs. It is important to prioritize learning needs. There are some facts which are very interesting but which are not necessary for the client to know. (Rankin, p. 191 and 197). The breastfeeding mother does not need to know the physiology of the breast, but she does need to understand the relationship between frequent feedings and increased milk production. Content outline: Discussion of the benefits of breastfeeding. Discussion of the factors indicating that the baby is receiving sufficient milk. Observation of the client breastfeeding using 3 different positions. Demonstration of proper breastfeeding technique for each position as needed. Discussion of breast engorgement and sore nipples and their management. Discussion of resources for further information about breastfeeding and the assess the need for a follow-up visit. * The teaching is mostly done by discussion and demonstration. This is a good way to get continuous feedback from the client. It is also a good way to ensure that all the important material is not forgotten. Practice makes perfect. Adult learners need to be involved in the teaching (Rankin, p. 196) and want to apply what they learn right away. This is especially important with breastfeeding, as the new mother must be able to master it within a very short time. It is not always necessary to cover all the information with each client. Some are too overwhelmed with information already; others may already have the knowledge base and simply need help with latching. Implementation: I generally start teaching about breastfeeding immediately after having evaluated the client. I begin by discussion of the benefits of breastfeeding and the factors which indicate that the baby is receiving enough milk. Many women do not believe that they have enough milk and worry about the need to offer a supplement. It is important to explain this to them. If they do offer a supplement, their own milk supply may be reduced. Then, I assist the client at putting the baby to the breast using different positions as needed. I sometimes use a dummy breast to show the client the correct angle to use while feeding to ensure a proper latch. Visual aids sometimes help to make it seem more real. When that has been mastered, I continue with a discussion of the two most common problems found in the first weeks of breastfeeding, sore nipples and engorgement. I provide the client with written material on proper latching technique, sore nipple management and engorgement. Since these problems sometimes occur after a few days or weeks, it is helpful for the client to have this information in writing. I also provide an information sheet on the resources the client can use if she should need further help after the visit. I generally make a follow-up call one to three days after the visit and a follow-up visit as necessary. I sometimes refer the clients to the company Medelas website, www.medela.com. This site provides helpful information on breastfeeding and the common associated problems. The computer is only a tool, however. It provides information, not education (London, p. 246). I remain available to my clients by telephone or by email at all times. Recording transcribed: (T=teacher, L=client) T: Did you breastfeed with your first child? L: No. I tried for about 3 days but gave up due to the pain. T: Did you receive any help? L: No. But it was less important to me then. I was ok with bottle feeding. T: Do you want to breastfeed Joshua? L: Yes. I will be taking a year off of work and would like to breastfeed him as long as possible. Many of my friends have had babies in the past years and all are breastfeeding. They make it look so easy. I decided to try harder this time. T: Joshua is 3 days old. How have you been feeding him? L: I tried to put him at the breast right after birth but he was too sleepy, and so was I. The first day he had a few bottles. Yesterday, I tried for the first time. I think it went ok but my nipples are very sore. I would like to learn how to breastfeed properly. T: Well, we can discuss a few things now and I can show you the proper technique for a few different positions when he wakes up. L: OK T: First of all, why do you want to breastfeed? L: Everyone is telling me that it is the best thing for my baby. T: They are right, but what do you think? L: I want to do whats best for Joshua. T: Breast milk is definitely the best for babies. One of the best things about breastfeeding is that the milk is always ready. You dont have any bottles to warm up or prepare, especially at 2:00 in the morning when youre exhausted. Because it is available right away, you dont have to make the baby wait. This will make it easier to calm him before he gets too agitated. It is also a great time to bond with the baby and will make Joshua feel more secure. Breast milk is the best thing for your baby. Do you know what colostrum is? L: Yes. I have been reading up on breastfeeding since I found out I was pregnant again. It is the yellow liquid that comes out before the milk comes in. I know that it helps to prevent jaundice. T: Yes that is true. It acts as a mild laxative to encourage the baby to pass his first stools of meconium. It can also help to prevent ear infections and allergies. It is very rich in nutrients and allergies. Did Julia have jaundice? L: No, she didnt. T: Do you know of other benefits of breastfeeding? L: I know that breast milk is the perfect formula for babies with the exact right nutrients that they need. It keeps babies from becoming overweight. I also know that it can help me lose the baby fat that much quicker. T: Thats true. It can also save you money. The average cost of formula for 1year is about $1800, and that doesnt include the bottles and other supplies. Breastfeeding requires you to eat about an extra 500 calories per day. This should cost, by comparison about $300 for the year. L: With all the expenses of a new baby, we can use that money for many other things. T: Thats for sure. L: Can breastfeeding keep me from getting pregnant again? T: No. It is not a sure form of contraception. Although it is relatively effective in the first 6 months if you breastfeed exclusively. Some women ovulate as early as 6 weeks postpartum even when breastfeeding. L: Good to know. T: Do you know how to tell if the baby is receiving enough milk? L: He will gain weight. T: Yes. Thats a very good sign in the long run. There are other things as well. He should have at least 3 urines today since he is 3 days old. Then, you should see one more each day until the sixth day. That means that on the 4th day, he should have at least 4, on the 5th day at least 5 and from the 6th day onwards, at least 6 per day. How many has he had today. L: So far he had 1 at 2:00 and another at 7:00. I dont think thats a problem. T: Good. We would also expect to see a few stools everyday. They should gradually change from the black meconium stools, to brown and then to yellow. Many breastfed babies have a stool with every feed, but some have only 1 or 2 per day. Both are normal. L: He has one almost every time he feeds. T: Thats great. He should also be satisfied between feeds. That means he would feed every 1 to 3 hours in the first few weeks and have some period in between when he sleeps or remains calm. You told me that he feeds about every 2.5 hours and usually sleeps in between, so it sounds like he is right on target. A baby who is too sleepy and needs to be woken up for feedings may also not be getting enough. Do you have any questions so far? L: No. Im glad hes getting enough milk and cant wait to see if hes gained weight. T: You mentioned that your nipples are very sore. Have you done anything for the pain? L: I am taking Advil and I was given some Lanolin ointment at the hospital. Do I need to wash it off before I feed the baby? T: No, it is harmless for the baby. The best way to avoid sore nipples is correct positioning at the breast. If you have sore nipples already, I will show you how to have Joshua latch on properly. Meanwhile, for the soreness, you should apply a small amount of your own breast milk on the nipples after each feeding. Then let it air dry as much as possible. After that, you can apply a bit of lanolin. Sometimes it helps to use different feeding positions during the day. L: The nurse at the hospital told me to let my breasts air dry, but that is not easy in the hospital. How often can I use the lanolin? T: You can use it 2-3 times per day. L: Ok. I will try that. T: Your milk has not come it yet, but should come in in the next few days. It usually comes in by the 3rd to 5th day. It is important to feed regularly to encourage your milk production and also to prevent engorgement. Do you know what engorgement is? L: Yes. I was very engorged about a week after Julia was born. T: Engorgement can be very painful and can make it impossible for the baby to latch on properly. (baby wakes up. L gets the baby) L: What should I do if I get engorged? T: Engorgement usually lasts only a few days. Some women just produce more milk than others. If you get engorged, it is important to continue feeding often. You can apply warm compresses and massage your breasts. If it is more severe, you may need to express a bit of milk for relief, which you can do manually or you may need to use a pump. A well-fitted supportive bra may help. L: I have bought a good bra, but havent worn it yet. I will send my husband out to buy a pump today. What kind do you recommend? T: It depends on how often you would like to use it. If you are planning to breastfeed all the time, then a manual pump may be enough. There are however, some inexpensive electrical pumps which you can buy for under $40. These may be easier and quicker to use. You can use them to relieve engorgement and to pump if you go out from time to time. L: My friend uses a Safety First pump which is electric. She bought it at Walmart for about $35 and says it works well. T: Thats probably a good choice for you too. Do you have access to the internet? L: Yes T: If you check out the site www.medela.com, you can find information about choosing a pump. If you pump to relieve engorgement, you should only pump for a few minutes. If you pump too much milk, you will only encourage more milk production. L: Thank you, Ill check the site. Would you like to see how I feed him now? T: Sure. (L puts baby to the breast using cross cradle positioning. The baby does not take enough of the areola so L has pain.) T: He is not on properly. To release the suction, place your finger gently between his gums, like this. In order to get him to latch on well, you first need to make sure that you are comfortable since you will be breastfeeding so often. Use pillows to get yourself comfortable. Take your time and relax before you start. When you are ready, make sure the babys nose is facing the nipple. His head should be aligned with his body. Gently stroke his upper lip with your nipple. When he opens his mouth, pull him quickly towards you, so that he can take as much of the areola as possible. L: How do I know if he is taking enough? T: The most important cue is that you will have no pain. Generally the babys chin is touching the bottom of the breast, and there is a small space between his nose and your breast. Hold your baby close to you and support his head. There is no normal or standard way to breastfeed. If the baby is feeding well and you have no pain, it is working well. L: I dont feel any pain now. T: Can you hear him swallow? L: Yes. T: Excellent. Then you are doing it very well. Notice how his body is aligned with his head, he is most comfortable that way. Look at his chin and his nose. See how they are positioned. You can see that he has opened his mouth very wide and is taking enough of the breast. Would you like me to show you how to hold him in some other positions? L: Yes. I would like to learn how to lie down to feed. It would be so much easier at night. T: Thats true. When youre very tired, its a lot easier. The basics are the same. You want to ensure that the baby is facing you and that his body is aligned with his head. Make yourself comfortable. Use a pillow behind your back or between your knees if you need one. (L Demonstrates the technique.) T: That is very good. Are you comfortable? L: Yes, very. And no pain! T: Breastfeeding is not always as easy as some people make it seem. It takes practice. The beginning is a learning process for you and for the baby. Let me show you one more position that you may like to use. This is the football hold. It is easier to use when the baby is small like Joshua; but is sometimes more difficult later on. Hold him so that his legs and body are under your arm, like this. Then place your hand under his head and neck. If youve ever played football, thats how a football is held. L: I dont like that one. It is much easier the other way. T: Not everybody likes that position. You have to do whats best for you and for your baby so use the position thats most comfortable. (Baby weighed – lost 8.5% of birth weight) T: He lost a bit more weight. But thats normal. Most breastfed babies lose 10% or more of their birth weight in the first few days. They usually regain their birth weight within 10 days. Do you remember how to tell if he is drinking enough? L: Yes. He should have at least 6 wet diapers every day after the 6th day and a couple of stools. He should also wake up alone to feed and sleep well between feedings. And of course, he should gain weight. T: Exactly. T: I will be returning to weigh Joshua again Wednesday (in 48 hrs). I will continue to follow him until he starts to gain some weight. If you need help before then, you can call the CLSC (community clinic) at the number I gave you earlier. As I told you earlier, there is a breastfeeding clinic every Thursday morning as well. At the clinics, there are nurses available to weight the baby and to help you more with breastfeeding. Here is some information on breastfeeding that we discussed today (pamphlets on latching, sore nipples and engorgement given). If you have any questions about them, let me know. Evaluation of learner: I always do a telephone follow-up within 1-3 days. This is very effective as the client will have had some time to process all the information (London, p.62). If necessary, a repeat visit will also be planned. Unfortunately I cannot always have the client do three separate demonstrations (London, p. 386) due to budget and time constraints. Discussion worked best with the subject in this paper. She was educated and was eager to learn proper techniques. She had self-efficacy, skills and knowledge – all important factors if changing behaviors (Rankin, p 292). She was alert and very interested in learning. She participated in the discussion. She was able to apply the information immediately during my visit. At the follow-up visit 2 days later, the client was doing very well. She was able to breastfeed without any pain or difficulty. We discussed engorgement again, a problem which had developed since my first visit. She explained what she had done to relieve the engorgement, which was how I had explained it to her. The â€Å"what if† scenario had worked .(London p.386) Evaluation of teacher: I could have done more assessment of the learner while I was teaching. I find myself being drawn into a routine with my teaching that is sometimes hard to get out of. Most of the teaching is very repetitive from one client to the next, however, each client learns in her own fashion. I try to keep the client interested in what I have to say. I encourage her and give her positive feedback. Sometimes I forget the goals of the session and get off track, or provide the client with unnecessary information. I find that using a checklist helps me to stay on the right track and to not omit anything important. Evaluation of resources: The handouts I usually give out to my clients on latching, engorgement and sore nipples, all score over 70% by the SAM test (Rankin, p.238), thus making them good resources. I provide this information to my clients to use as the situations arise. Although I explain the handouts to all my clients, not all women get engorged; for those that do, it usually happens after my visit. Having the handouts at home allows them to refer to the information as a reference when they need it most. Conclusion: The teaching session went very well. The client was intelligent, educated and eager to learn. Overall this teaching technique used for teaching breastfeeding works well with most of the clientà ¨le I see at home. Every person is unique and adjustments always need to be made accordingly. Bibliography: Forrest, S. (2004). Learning and teaching: The reciprocal link. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 35(2), 74-79. London, F. (1999). No time to teach? A nurse’s guide to patient and family education. New York: Lippincott. Medela (2007) Your Resource for breastfeeding products and information. [on-line]. Available: http://www.medela.com. Rankin, S.H., Stallings, K.D., London, F. (2005). Patient education in health and illness (5th ed.). New York: Lippincott.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Family Values Essay -- Morals, Ethics, personal values

When raising a child one is taught values by their families that they feel are important for their child to have. I believe that family values consist of certain actions and qualities that are important to a family to uphold. Values that are important in my family are honesty, trust and to have respect for others. Each of these values is equally important in my family. They played a big role into making me the person I am now. Growing up in my family taught me that honesty is the best policy. When I would get into trouble as a child I would often try to lie to my mom thinking that would save me from being punished. I soon learned that lying would only get me into more trouble than I was already. Honesty has given me the reputation of being a good friend. One can always rely on me to le...

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Pip’s distress at the end Essay

Thus Pip pleads with Ms. Havisham explaining the reasons why he cannot play. He begs Ms. Havisham to empathize with him. We can already see the reasons of Pip’s distress. He has entered an unfamiliar and frightening environment against his will. He is afraid of Ms Havisham and although he is awestruck by Estella’s beauty, he is to some extent afraid of her scorn and her arrogance. Ms Havisham then asks Pip to call Estella, when he tells her he cannot play. Ms. Havisham instructs Estella to play cards with him. Estella is reluctant to do so, she thinks of Pip as beneath her and refers to him as a common labouring boy. Estella mocks Pip for referring to the ‘knaves’ as ‘jacks’. She also derides his coarse hands and thick boots. Pip respects Estella since he feels that she is a part of high society. Pip like most people is concerned with wealth and wants to become rich. Later in the story we can see his obsession with becoming a gentleman. However Pip feels that all members of the elite classes and the prosperous are meant to be idolized and their opinions or judgments valued. This causes him to agree with Estella. As Pip says- ‘I had never thought of being ashamed of my hands before; but I began to consider them a very indifferent pair. Her contempt for me was so strong, that it became infectious and I caught it. ‘ Here Pip is humiliated and mocked by Estella. She makes him feel that he is coarse, common and unfit to be in a noble house. This further reduces Pip’s self-confidence. Ms. Havisham then asks Pip for his opinion of Estella, to which he replies that she is proud, pretty and insulting. He tells Ms. Havisham that he would like to go home. Ms. Havisham consents and tells Pip that he can have something to eat. She asks Pip when he will come again. He tells her that the present day is Wednesday. She interrupts him and tells him that she knows nothing of the days of the week and tells him to come again after six days. Here, too Ms. Havisham rebuffs Pip. She seems to suggest that knowledge of the days of a week is superfluous. Although her view is blatantly eccentric, Pip who regards the genteel as always right is more ashamed of himself and his ‘commoness’. Estella the leads Pip down to the courtyard. She rudely tells Pip to wait in the courtyard while she gets something for him. Pip says- She came back, with some bread and meat and a little mug of beer. She put the mug down on the stones on the stones of the yard, and gave me the bread and meat without looking at me, insolently as if I were a dog in disgrace. I was so humiliated, hurt, spurned, offended, angry, sorry- I cannot hit upon the right name for the smart- God knows what its name was- that tears started to my eyes. After Estella leaves Pip breaks down and weeps. He does so because he has been scorned, embarrassed and derided by the genteel, people who he now thinks of as admirable. Pip’s self-confidence has been destroyed. He feels that he is common and trivial. Pip realizes that someone he has admired all his life, is actually not respect-worthy. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Great Expectations section.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Domestic Partnership Essay

The advantages gained by providing benefits to domestic partners can outweigh the costs. This report will define domestic partnerships, outline the various benefits available for dependants, provide analysis related to the cost of providing benefits to dependants of domestic partnerships, discuss various benefit package options and related costs, and provide details related to the value the company stands to gain by offering such benefits. Domestic Partnership Domestic partnerships are generally thought of as a relationship between two members of the same sex. While same sex relationships garner most of the attention, domestic partnerships are not always between members of the same sex. California Family Code Section 297 defines domestic partners as â€Å"two adults who have chosen to share one another’s lives in an intimate and committed relationship of mutual caring. To establish a domestic partnership in California, a couple must file a Declaration of Domestic Partnership with the Secretary of the State, share a common residence, not be married or in a domestic partnership with someone else, not be related by blood, both are over the age of 18, both are the same sex, or opposite sex over the age of 62 and meet the eligibility criteria under the Social Security Act. Legal Issues Currently, 18 states offer domestic partner benefits for same-sex partners of state employees. Several state and local governments that offer health insurance and other benefits to employees’ unmarried domestic partners are currently facing lawsuits. Proponents of the Defense of Marriage Acts (DOMA) claim these constitutional amendments prohibit governments from offering such benefits to any dependent of a relationship that does not fit the state’s constitutional definition of marriage. Both gay-rights advocates and the American Civil Liberties Union dispute such amendments and are currently engaging DOMA proponents in courts across America in attempts to resolve their differences (Gentile, 2006). The costs associated with defending such legal matters can prove to be very cumbersome. Types of Employer Benefits When seeking employment, benefit packages play a major role in attracting and keeping employees. Employer benefits consist of more than the basic medical, dental, and vision plans. A variety of additional benefits being sought after by potential employees include, but are not limited to, retirement plans, life insurance and the family medical leave act. To qualify for domestic partner benefits, employees may be asked to sign a statement or submit an affidavit asserting they live with a domestic partner and are financially interdependent† (Greenwald, 2003). Health Insurance â€Å"For most nonelderly people in the United States, health insurance and access to health care derive from one’s own or a family member’s employment† (Ash and Badgett, 2006). In all fairness, these types of benefits should be offered to these types of families under the cu rrent guidelines of Domestic Partnership. Two levels of benefits are offered by employers, single coverage and family coverage. Single employees are at a disadvantage when it comes to compensation because some employers offer their employees a flexible benefit to assist with costs. These benefits will include all the same privileges that legally recognized families are currently receiving. The entitlement shall consist of doctor’s visits, prescription drug coverage, hospitalization, and eye exams (Briggs, 1994). Dental Benefits Dental care is an essential benefit which should be available to all family members. Preventive dental care could significantly reduce loss of productivity and catch problems before they become chronic or severe† (Gustin, 2003). Dental benefits are very affordable and valuable. One available option is for this company to offer dental as a voluntary option. This would enable the employees and their domestic partner to take advantage of the dental plan at a group rate, but the employee woul d be responsible for the cost (Gustin, 2003). Retirement/401K Retirement Plans and 401K’s are benefits that are only available to employees; however, choosing beneficiaries is a very important detail to these plans. Although domestic partners cannot be given all of the rights of spouses, plans can be structured to provide them with many of the benefits available for spouses† (Davis, 2007). In addition to being named as beneficiary, a hardship withdrawal can be taken based on the need of the domestic partner, and domestic partners will have the right to rollover death benefits (Davis, 2007). Life Insurance Employee life insurance is available at a more affordable rate through employer plans. Adding family members is an optional benefit. Under this plan, domestic partners and children would be entitled to life insurance coverage for just pennies a day. This would incur no expense for the employer and the employee would benefit from a group rate. Cost to Employees and Employers The cost of healthcare is on the rise and no end to this crisis is in sight. Most people believe all employers should offer health insurance to its employees; however, with the cost of healthcare so high companies who offer these benefits are trying to find ways to offset costs. If all employers did offer health, dental, and life insurance, who would cover the cost? A survey administered by the Commonwealth Fund titled The Public’s Views on Healthcare Reform in the 2008 Presidential Election asked that question to 3,500 randomly selected adults. 70% of people surveyed thought the cost should be shared equally between the employer, employees, and the government. 80% of the people surveyed also thought that if an employer did not offer health insurance they should contribute to the cost of coverage (Lubell, 2008). Tax Equity The Tax Equity for Domestic Partner and Health Plan Beneficiaries Act of 2007 was introduced March 29, 2007. The act states employers offering healthcare insurance have to provide healthcare coverage to domestic partners, same-sex or opposite sex. This law has been added to stop federal tax inequalities same-sex couples currently face when receiving healthcare benefits offered by their employers (Postal, 2007). The new law significantly affected employers in the Northeast and Western states because 42% of larger companies in the Northeast, and 38% of companies in the West have same-sex domestic partner healthcare coverage. Only 14% of large companies in the Midwest and 10% of companies in the south have this type of coverage (Cohen, 2004). Dual Coverage Because the cost of healthcare has increased 15% since 2003, some states in the U. S. have prohibited employees from claiming their spouses/domestic partners as dependents; thus, prohibiting dual coverage in the workforce. Banning dual coverage for these employees saves the state tax payers several million dollars per year while the employees and their families have suitable health insurance coverage. Employees rely on dual health insurance coverage to cover out of pocket costs resulting from procedures which are not fully covered by their primary carrier. Dual coverage insurance can save families hundreds, if not thousands of dollars per year, but can potentially cost the employer hundreds or thousands more (Employer-Sponsored, 2004). Annual Cost According to a research study performed by The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Education Trust in 2006, private employers nationwide spend an average of $4,242 for single coverage and $11,480 for family coverage on employer sponsored health insurance coverage annually (Employer Health, 2006). Whether the employee is a single hetero-sexual or homo-sexual the rate for single coverage remains the same. The same for family coverage, the married hetero-sexual couple and the same-sex or opposite-sex domestic partners family coverage cost also remains the same. Employees are paying an average of $1,860 for single coverage and $4,848 for family coverage annually. These costs are causing employers to raise workers’ insurance premiums or reduce coverage. Some companies perform internal audits to eliminate ineligible dependents, older children, and ex-spouses/ex-domestic partners. If an employer finds dependents on an employees’ insurance that should not have been covered, the employee is required to pay back medical bills and insurance premiums through payroll deductions (Employer-Sponsored, 2004). Using information from these internal audits employers may notice a slight domestic partner enrollment increase: 0. 1%-0. 3% for gay and lesbian partners and 1. 3%-1. 8% for heterosexual partners. The increase in enrollment does not significantly affect the annual cost to the employer for employer-sponsored benefits provided to domestic partners and their families (Ash and Badgett, 2006). Benefits to the Company Healthcare continues to be a concern to both employees and employers. Employers are developing and offering programs and incentives to attract various types of workers, including those in domestic partner relationships, to attract more qualified candidates. Making benefits available to an employee’s domestic partner, a company is likely to hire and retain an employee whose work output is optimal. Employees in a domestic partner relationship appreciate their employer considering their particular need which results in a higher production rate. Davis 2007). Increased Productivity An employee who is healthy and has a healthy family is less likely to call in sick and take unnecessary time off to care for his or her family. In a study conducted by Ipsos-Reid (2004), two main contributors to employee absenteeism are depression and stress. Health benefits made available to an employee and his or her domestic partner can help reduce these factors. Mark Cauthen, benefit manager for the city of Colorado Springs, believes if one’s dependents feel better, the employee is more productive and focused at work (Wojcik, 2007). Preventative Measures Many companies have recognized the importance of helping employees manage their work and personal lives. Some of the more common preventive measure benefits currently being offered to employees, their domestic partners, and other immediate family members residing in the home are: wellness, flu shots, and fitness programs. Offering these various programs help the employee feel the employer cares for the health of his or her family resulting in increased productivity (Meghji 2007). Lower attrition rates An employer must also be concerned with the effect of employee retention. Currently 50% of Fortune 500 companies are providing benefits to employees involved in same sex domestic partnerships and heterosexual partnerships. Conclusion Offering benefits to domestic partners makes good business sense. While providing benefits to domestic partners may slightly increase employer cost, the benefits will prove profitable. As the research has indicated, enrollment will increase slightly which will not pose a financial hardship to any corporation.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Free Essays on Dreams

We dream many dreams every night, but why do we dream; and what do they mean? â€Å"Dreams are a communication of body, mind and spirit in a symbolic communicative environment† (www.sleeps.com). To make that statement easier to understand, www.sleeps.com goes on to explain how dreams are a review influenced by factors in your life and spirit. Our brains are constantly active. Our minds are always in different states like sleeping, awake, drowsy, alert, excited, bored, concentrating, or daydreaming. Sigmund Freud believed â€Å"Dreams are keys to the most secret parts of the mind.† (Coren 24). Dreams always occur while we are in a type of sleep called REM (Rapid Eye Movement). All the things you dream about are a reflection of your life; they reflect your feelings, thoughts, desires, and your fears. Man’s interest in dreams can be traced to the time of the ancient Greeks. â€Å"The people of the ancient world tended to believe that some dreams were sent by the gods to convey information to mortals† (Holroyd 44). They discovered â€Å"that a dream is not nonsense but information in disguise† (Holroyd 46). The Epic of Gilgamesh, written four thousand years ago, was one of the first known writings of dreams. It tells the tale of the experiences Gilgamesh has with his dreams. For example, Gilgamesh dreams that he is pinned to the ground by the weight of a god who has fallen on him. At another point in the story, he and his companion Enkinu climb to the top of a mountain that immediately collapses. These same kinds of images and situations are dreamt about by people of today’s time. The ancient Greeks even thought certain things in your dreams had certain symbolism. They thought that snakes showed a sign of sickness or the presence of an enemy, and if it was a powerful snake it meant a bad illness was coming (Holroyd 56). Dreaming of birds was also a sign from the gods. Birds symbolize different types of people. Birds also had an impor... Free Essays on Dreams Free Essays on Dreams Dreams A dream is a story that people take part in or view in their sleep. Dreams are a work of a person’s imagination. They are fictional events that have relation to a person’s life. A person experiencing a dream is convinced however that what they are experiencing is really occurring. Dreams can play on every emotion a person experiences in real life. They can be amusing, pleasant, annoying, and even terrifying. Everyone experiences dreams, but they may not however ever recall having any. Dreams are seldom remembered, and if they are most times people remember bits and pieces of what happened and may or may not be able to understand the sequence of events. Dreams unfold much unlike a story in most cases. The â€Å"dreamer† may or may not be a part of the story, they may possibly just watch things unfold like watching a movie. The person dreaming most likely cannot dictate what happens in the dream. There are sometimes that a person will come to the understanding that they are dreaming. In these situations the dreamer may alter the events in the dream to their liking.... Free Essays on Dreams Dreams Dreams! What are dreams? Why do we dream? Are dreams subconscious thoughts and desires influenced by the events of our day? Might we dream of someone new, a person we’ve never met before, and perhaps that day you make a new friend? Dreams are very interesting. What stages do we go through? What is our brain doing? What does science say? Many experiments have been conducted about why we dream, dreams are a response to our thoughts, actions and recent events in our days. There was one study done to see what everyday life would be like without dreaming they gave the subjects a drug to eliminate the REM (rapid eye movement) which is the time in which we dream. The studies proved that without dreaming they changed they become more anxious and abrasive and it also altered their personalities. Dreaming is something every one does and although some people don’t remember their dreams or maybe only just a couple everyone has that night time journey we call dreams. Which apparently is a very necessary part of our being. From the time you go to sleep at night until the time you wake up in the morning you go through many stages of sleep. Stage 1 of sleeping is very quick if the person is not disturbed they within a few minutes slip into stage 2 of sleep. Dreams start to brew in stage 2 you are in a much deeper sleep then stage 1 vague thoughts and ideas start to go through the sleepers mind. Then you slowly drift into stage 3 now the sleepers’ muscles are relaxed and your heart rate begins to slow down as dose your blood pressure. Now the sleeper is in a very deep sleep, and difficult to wake. With steady breathing and feeling very relaxed you journey into the last stage. Stage 4 is now the deepest sleep of all. This is where your dreams occur. Now the sleepers’ heart rate and blood pressure fluctuate and your brain heats up. Then comes REM, the first period will last only about 10 minutes then the sleeper goes through st... Free Essays on Dreams We dream many dreams every night, but why do we dream; and what do they mean? â€Å"Dreams are a communication of body, mind and spirit in a symbolic communicative environment† (www.sleeps.com). To make that statement easier to understand, www.sleeps.com goes on to explain how dreams are a review influenced by factors in your life and spirit. Our brains are constantly active. Our minds are always in different states like sleeping, awake, drowsy, alert, excited, bored, concentrating, or daydreaming. Sigmund Freud believed â€Å"Dreams are keys to the most secret parts of the mind.† (Coren 24). Dreams always occur while we are in a type of sleep called REM (Rapid Eye Movement). All the things you dream about are a reflection of your life; they reflect your feelings, thoughts, desires, and your fears. Man’s interest in dreams can be traced to the time of the ancient Greeks. â€Å"The people of the ancient world tended to believe that some dreams were sent by the gods to convey information to mortals† (Holroyd 44). They discovered â€Å"that a dream is not nonsense but information in disguise† (Holroyd 46). The Epic of Gilgamesh, written four thousand years ago, was one of the first known writings of dreams. It tells the tale of the experiences Gilgamesh has with his dreams. For example, Gilgamesh dreams that he is pinned to the ground by the weight of a god who has fallen on him. At another point in the story, he and his companion Enkinu climb to the top of a mountain that immediately collapses. These same kinds of images and situations are dreamt about by people of today’s time. The ancient Greeks even thought certain things in your dreams had certain symbolism. They thought that snakes showed a sign of sickness or the presence of an enemy, and if it was a powerful snake it meant a bad illness was coming (Holroyd 56). Dreaming of birds was also a sign from the gods. Birds symbolize different types of people. Birds also had an impor... Free Essays on Dreams I sit here and think of all my desires, I think of all the things that have burned in fires as the smoke rises I see my past every thing I see never seems to last its painful to see what I’ve lost and in the end his life is what it cost my friend he said he was he said he would be there he said he cared but all he left me was his teddy bear I repeated those words back as I watched him die, and every memory make me cry Zeteo alethes: those memories are like the tears that roll down my cheek never ending for him I seek Bizkitwolf1: the last memory I have of my friend Dave, is when he was lowered into his grave Zeteo alethes: deeper and deeper I watched him fall farther and farther I seemed from it all Bizkitwolf1: and before the coffin was covered by all the brown dirt, with him was buried a picture of him and I on my favorite t-shirt Zeteo alethes: that t-shirt I wore all through out school I treated like a jewel and when it went into the ground my life felt like it had been bound Bizkitwolf1: that night as I lay down to sleep, I held his teddy bear close and remembered all the good times we had, riding around in his jeep Zeteo alethes: there were days that we would drive so far but first we always stopped at the local bar our responsibilities we through out the window never looking back never to slow Bizkitwolf1: then one day after the bar, we took off in the jeep, this time we had gone too far Zeteo alethes: our friends and families we had left behind kind was not on our mind Bizkitwolf1: with no concern for safety, we forgot to buckle, I never thought that it would be the last time I would see him chuckle Zeteo alethes: he had laughed at this joke I knew wasn’t funny and as he chuckled he saw this bunny Bizkitwolf1: we swerved out of the way, and as I looked at Dave I had nothing to say, until I saw the truck, I knew that was the end of our luck Zeteo alethes: flashes of my life passed before my eyes as we hit the truck I tho... Free Essays on Dreams Dreams are what we like to call the mysterious thoughts that wander listlessly throughout the mind. The majority of dreams that populates people’s minds can usually be placed under the category of what someone would like their life to be like in addition to their preexisting life. These thoughts can include all types of wishes that have specific appeal to a person. However, some unfortunate cases may arise where people constantly dream about how they would like their lives not to be. In Timothy’s case, he could not wait for his present life to take on a new course of action. Unfortunately, much heartbreak and anguish would follow his footsteps for years to come. The only companion Timothy would have along the journey of his life is the comfort of his dreams. Timothy’s childhood was an extremely difficult one to bear. He had lost his mother at an early age of six and his father became an unbearable drunk after his wife’s death and the loss of his job. Sadly, Timothy had to bear the excruciating pain of his father’s drunken beatings. His father would remove his belt from his waist and persistently wail upon Timothy’s soft and tender back until it resembled the brightest red of a newly polished fire truck. Timothy fell asleep every night fearing that he was going to become the victim of another drunken outburst by his father. When Timothy eventually would fall asleep, he would dream of his mother. He would always remember the times of how she softly read him stories and gently tucked him into bed every night. Timothy’s dreams were exceptionally vivid and alive. His mother’s sensitive kisses goodnight felt like the careful gliding of a pussy willow across his smooth cheek. As the years passed by, Timothy’s love to dream never subsided. He loved to imagine a new life for himself every time his father shouted for him to go to bed. Sometimes he would become a prominent business man who directed a large c... Free Essays on Dreams Since the dawn of mankind, man has been searching for the answer to just one question: Why do we dream? I believe strongly that the reason is not clear-cut and as easy to answer as it might seem. I think that dreams range in meaning and importance. When someone has a dream, there are many possible types of dreams they could have. First of these possibilities is for a dream that involves absolutely no meaning whatsoever. The dream is meaningless and involves a chain or series of events that are unrelated to one another and may be of people or places familiar or not. These dreams are most likely created because of the flash and mixture of chemicals that occurs during sleep. Many times these dreams are actually so bazaar that they have no meaning even to the dreamer. So these dreams are mostly just passed over and ignored. The second type of dream is one in which the dreamer can comprehend everything that is going on but things seem to have no meaning as before. But in some of these dreams, there are symbols that come into play. When you look at these dreams sometimes they can represent real life events. Often these are predictions about what could happen in the future or are an interpretation of things that have passed. These, like almost all other dreams have significance as a result of bodily rejuvenation processes. This type of dream has a significance I believe in helping the person have the feeling of a good sleep, where things have, if not in some bazaar way, been resolved. The third type of dream is one which makes great and perfect sense to the dreamer but doesn't have any real meaning. An example of this is dreaming that you are flying. Although you know what you are doing, and are comprehending this, it really doesn't have meaning in your life. Dreams like this can be quite mentally satisfying to the dreamer. Many times a dream like this can be almost a form of entertainment... Free Essays on Dreams Dreams Dreams are the result of subconscious thoughts and desires. The other theory to dreams are noises in the neurons of the brain (Ferguson 3). Dreams are the mental activity that takes place during REM sleep. REM stand for Rapid Eye Movement, the sleep phase that starts every 90 minutes or so (Ferguson 1). Normally everyone dreams several times a night (Kramer 69). Not being able to recall dreams is not strange. Dreams are communication of the body, mind, and spirit symbolically (Edelson 82). The human brain is always doing activity even when sleeping (Science News 1). Different states of conciseness cause different brain activity. The brain usually has ordinary sequences of imagination (Ferguson 2) For thousands of years dreams were thought of as â€Å"visions† or â€Å"prophesies† or even "hallucinations"(Kramer 72). Dreams seem to be a way for the subconscious mind to sort out and process all the thoughts that happen while people are awake (Fishkoff 2). Dreams can also improve your emotional well being, reduce stress, improve creativity, and provide a â€Å"playground" for your mind, while your body recovers and repairs itself (Ferguson 4). Contrary to the view that dreams serve no function one scientist says that, â€Å"Dreams are the brains way of ‘unlearning’ or removing certain or unneeded memories† (Fishkoff 2). Dreams are a form of mental "housecleaning". This mental "housecleaning" might be necessary because it is not good to remember every single detail of your life (Ferguson 2). There are two functions of dreams: to live conscious wishes, and to guard sleep (Ferguson 2). A more active type of sleep is "Rapid Eye Movement" also called REM sleep. â€Å"As you begin to fall asleep your body temperature declines, your pulse rate drops, and your breathing begins to slow and even, this is called stage one sleep.† (Edelson 71). A more active type of sleep is "Rapid Eye Movement" also called REM sleep( F... Free Essays on Dreams Abstract For many centuries dreams have been interpreted. They believed dreams were as real as reality. The most important thing to keep in mind is that your dreams reflect their own underlying thoughts and feelings, and that the people, actions, setting and emotions in your dreams are personal to you. By thinking about what each dream element means to you or reminds you of, by looking for parallels between these associations and what is happening in your waking life, and by being patient and persistent you can learn to understand your dreams. Introduction One of the brain's most astonishing capacities is its ability to create its own images. Dreams without any visual input from the outside world. Whether you’re sleeping or awake, your brain is constantly at work, communicating messages to you in the form of dreams. Dreams are a communication of body, mind and spirit in a symbolic communicative environmental state of being (Central 103). We dream in order to sort out memories, either adding them to the memory store or throwing away-unwanted information. It has also been suggested that dreams are an attempt by the brain to make sense of stray thoughts. Essentially, dreams are our method of relaxing and letting our minds drift away into a different world. Your brain, mind, and spirit: while at rest "review" and analysis in its own way long term, short term and spirit memory. It kicks around emotions, thoughts, ideas, actions and interactions of the short-term memory. One study of dreaming strongly suggests that it is a primary me ans by which we form and evaluate our survival strategies. Other sleep studies have shown that dreams and dreaming are essential to our mental health (Howell 105). Together these studies emphasize the psychological importance of dreams and dreaming. They show how our consciousness maintains its delicate balance. Ken Howell suggests why consciousness is like a scale balancing one side against another and...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Fast Food Consumption

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the consumption of fast food in children from an urban setting compared to those of a suburban setting. The sample consists of kids from kids in an urban environment as well as kids from a suburban environment. My first hypothesis concerns whether contextual variables of the setting influence the individuals choice when choosing what to eat. According to former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, fast food restaurants crowd out access to healthier food in inner-city neighborhoods. Satcher also argues that fast food marketing in inner-city neighborhoods is comparable to overly aggressive tobacco marketing in inner-city neighborhoods during the 1990s. Mr. David Satcher said that â€Å" the situation is so bad that it should be called an epidemic among children. According to Northeastern University, â€Å"McDonald’s alone spent $1.1 billion on advertising in 2001; the government’s budget for a pro-fruit/vegetable campaign was $1.1 million.† (emphases added) People in the poorest urban areas have two and half times more exposure to fast food outlets than people in the wealthiest category. The fast food industry may also exert undue influence on children, regardless of their social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds: According to CBS News, â€Å"the highest levels of fast-food consumption were found in youngsters with higher household income levels, boys, older children, blacks and children living in the South.† â€Å"Every day, nearly one-third of U.S. children aged 4 to 19 eat fast food, which likely packs on about six extra pounds per child per year and increases the risk of obesity, a study of 6,212 youngsters found.† According to Consumer Reports, â€Å"[a]-not-yet published 15-year study from Harvard Medical School of more than 3,700 young adults from across the country found that eating fast food more than twice a week increased the risk of obesity by about 50 percent for white... Free Essays on Fast Food Consumption Free Essays on Fast Food Consumption The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the consumption of fast food in children from an urban setting compared to those of a suburban setting. The sample consists of kids from kids in an urban environment as well as kids from a suburban environment. My first hypothesis concerns whether contextual variables of the setting influence the individuals choice when choosing what to eat. According to former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, fast food restaurants crowd out access to healthier food in inner-city neighborhoods. Satcher also argues that fast food marketing in inner-city neighborhoods is comparable to overly aggressive tobacco marketing in inner-city neighborhoods during the 1990s. Mr. David Satcher said that â€Å" the situation is so bad that it should be called an epidemic among children. According to Northeastern University, â€Å"McDonald’s alone spent $1.1 billion on advertising in 2001; the government’s budget for a pro-fruit/vegetable campaign was $1.1 million.† (emphases added) People in the poorest urban areas have two and half times more exposure to fast food outlets than people in the wealthiest category. The fast food industry may also exert undue influence on children, regardless of their social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds: According to CBS News, â€Å"the highest levels of fast-food consumption were found in youngsters with higher household income levels, boys, older children, blacks and children living in the South.† â€Å"Every day, nearly one-third of U.S. children aged 4 to 19 eat fast food, which likely packs on about six extra pounds per child per year and increases the risk of obesity, a study of 6,212 youngsters found.† According to Consumer Reports, â€Å"[a]-not-yet published 15-year study from Harvard Medical School of more than 3,700 young adults from across the country found that eating fast food more than twice a week increased the risk of obesity by about 50 percent for white...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

How to Hide the Tabs of the TPageControl Delphi Control

How to Hide the Tabs of the TPageControl Delphi Control The TPageControl Delphi control displays a set of pages used to make a multiple-page dialog box. Each page - a tab sheet - hosts its own controls. The user selects a page (makes it visible) by clicking the page’s tab that appears at the top of the control. Hiding PageControl Tabs If you need to create a wizard-like user interface where you have Next and Previous buttons appearing to move a user forward and backward through a set of pages (dialogs), hide the tabs of the PageControl and thus disallow selecting a particular page by means of the users mouse. The trick is in setting the TabVisible property to false for each of the sheets (TTabSheet object) of the page control. Activating the page by using either the ActivePage or the ActivePageIndex PageControl properties will not raise the OnChange and OnChanging events. To programmatically set the active page, use the SelectNextPage method: Â  //Hide PageControl Tabsvarpage : integer;beginfor page : 0 to PageControl1.PageCount - 1 dobeginPageControl1.Pages[page].TabVisible : false;end;//select the first tabPageControl1.ActivePageIndex : 0;(*Or set Active Page directlyPageControl1.ActivePage : TabSheet1;Note: the above two do NOT raise theOnChanging and OnChange events*)end;procedure TForm1.PageControl1Changing(Sender: TObject;var AllowChange: Boolean) ;begin//no change if on the last pageAllowChange : PageControl1.ActivePageIndex -1 PageControl1.PageCount;end;//Select Previous Tabprocedure TForm1.PreviousPageButtonClick(Sender: TObject) ;beginPageControl1.SelectNextPage(false,false) ;end;//Select Next Tabprocedure TForm1.NextPageButtonClick(Sender: TObject) ;beginPageControl1.SelectNextPage(true,false) ;end; Using this technique will de-clutter the form, leading to a more streamlined interface, but ensure that the arrangement of controls on each tab doesnt force the user to move frequently between tabs.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Ethics - Essay Example Moreover, the organizations can preserve a sustainable working environment by taking into concern the aspect of ethics in the current business context. Introduction Ethics is principally described as a philosophy of study which is particularly concerned with the assessment of human behavior. The aspect of ethics involves the learning about determining the correct as well as the incorrect activities which occur in the workplace (Singer, 1993). In this context, it can be stated that it is quite important particularly for the business organizations to manage ethics in a specific workplace in order to gain broad variety of benefits. The benefits include cultivating strong output as well as teamwork, supporting the growth of the employees and effectively organizing as well as managing the values linked with quality, diversity and strategic planning management (Guha, 2008). In this paper, a current ethical issue which is faced by Apple Inc. associated with one of its suppliers i.e. Foxconn will be taken into concern. Moreover, a detailed analysis about the emergence of the ethical issue along with formulating an effective plan in order to deal with the issue will also be depicted in the discussion. A Brief Overview of Apple Inc. Apple Inc. is an American based multinational business organization which designs as well as sells broad assortment of consumer electronics, personal computers and computer software. The various standardized products of the company include iPod, iTunes, iPad and iPhone among others (Apple Inc., 2012). The company pays much attention and significantly focuses upon designing its products in such a way so that there lays a minimum affect upon the environment (Apple Inc., 2012). Moreover, the company remains much committed to preserve the highest benchmark of social responsibility by delivering safe working atmosphere and treating the working personnel with equal dignity as well as respect (Apple Inc., 2012). Analysis of Current Ethical Issue It has been viewed that Apple faced an ethical issue associated with one of its key suppliers named Foxconn while producing the valuable products of the company. According to the investigation made by Fair Labor Association (FLA), Foxconn has been involved with few ethical issues which include the working hours of the employees, health as well as safety, compensation and worker integration along with industrial relations. The report of the investigation which is conducted by FLA has revealed that Foxconn has failed to comply with the ‘Workplace Code of Conduct’ as well as labor law which prevails in China. From the perspective of the ethical issue relating with the working hours of the employees, FLA has identified that the standard amount of working hours of the employees per week at the factories of Foxconn surpassed the standard guidelines of FLA. This particular issue was observed in every factory of Foxconn (Scribd Inc., 2012). The principal causes behind the increase d rate of the working hours which surpassed the legal guidelines

Friday, October 18, 2019

Human resource Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Human resource - Assignment Example along with sharp observations and strategic management decisions, their loyal and skilled workforce is one of the reasons behind their success. With a fleet of airplanes at their service and a multinational and lean workforce Emirates is able to employ labor cost and fleet cost economies and lower their overhead (El Namaki, 2007). The airline’s continued performance and profitability for the last 24 years has enabled them to pursue a strategy of rapid expansion and growth in recent years. The Emirates Group has posted a net profit of AED 2.3 billion ($629 million) for the 2011-12 annual year, with revenues growing by 14.9 per cent when compared to the 2010-11 financial year (Graphic Ghana, 2012). In the same year the group acquired around 22 new aircrafts to grow their transport services. A very important part of their business is the crew and staff that manages their services and Emirates has developed a long term strategy with selecting, recruiting and training the best fit employees for the Emirates culture. The official website provides transparent information about their recruitment procedures. Taking advantage of the global talent pool, The Cabin Crew recruitment team regularly travels to over 60 countries to select the best people for the organization.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Global Information Open Days†Ã‚  and  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Global Assessment Centres†Ã‚  are currently scheduled at various international destinations to streamline the process. These events are conducted to allow aspiring pilots and technicians (along with other staff) to connect with the company, after initial short list, interviews are conducted - assessment centers are used and in some cases psychometrics tests are required (Emirates Group, 2012). They provide an extensive training for their pilots of upto four years including foundation stage of airline flying, practical training in Spain and Dubai and training with commercial planes for 6-9 months before getting their air transport pilot’s license. The extensive recruitment and training process cuts down on employee turnover and performance is up to the standards required by the airline. In 2012 Emirates increased its overall staff count by more than 10 per cent. The group employs a total of 63,000 multicultural workforce from 160 countries. (Graphic Ghana, 2012)Adel Al Redha, Executive Vice-President, the Department of Engineering and Operations, Emirates Group, said ‘the company has a strategic plan for recruitment in the coming years, in conjunction with the expansion." (Staff, 2011). As well as international recruits, the group plans to invest in cultivating local talent from the Emirates. At present Emirati pilots, engineers and technicians from about 12 per cent of the airline's staff, but with an expected 8,500 more jobs opening in the organization- hiring close to home will let Emirates help the community and increase the job base for the nationals. For the group, the external recruitment strategy is in line with their mission to become a global air transport service provider. The ‘Open’ business model they follow (Annual Report, 2010-11) which favors open sky policies and liberalization in the aviation industry to foster health competition as different

Cultural and Historical Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Cultural and Historical Studies - Essay Example However, identity is a concept that is argumentative and compelling especially when associated with fashion. Usualy, fashion is utilised in the expression of self. By making use of certain appearances, persons are able to show who they are and what they aim to be. They are able to state that they would not like to be something else or like somebody else. Through these concepts, this paper aims at discussing the statement â€Å"â€Å"Fashion†¦provides individuals with a key means through which to manage their identities in the context of everyday life.† (Bennett, 2005, p. 98). Many a times, when people have wanted to express themselves, they have often gone after certain aspects of the visual. It is a common belief that through it, they will be able to show who they are or who they want to become. At the least, people are after attention, want to be seen and recognised when in a multitude of people. The building of an identity is very much inspired by the environment and culture that an individual identifies as his or her home. The environment and culture are both components of fashion. They are fashion components as they are used in the building of fashion. The norm has always been that the choice or selection that a person makes is an actualisation of who that person is and what he or she simply sees as the real deal. Thus through fashion, the individual is brought out and expressed to the outside world in silent choices, rather than through words. These silent choices are a compilation of the bits here and there that a person has picked up through sight and hearing. Bits obtained from other people, other cultures, and their culture. These bits have to be of the person’s liking, without which, the individual cannot take them up. However, people are faced by many dilemmas when it comes to making a selection of the style that is of one’s choice. The reason being that fashion is constituted by numerous styles and varieties. There are various

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 90

Assignment - Essay Example He was ingenious to develop the idea of burning pagan temple that both sides loathe. This was the common ground he found suiting his mission. Photo A shows the inside of a meticulously designed temple. There are individuals who seem to be curiously studying and enjoying the temple design. Perhaps, their curiosity is motivated by the miracle of burning the same temple later in an attempt to save the religious relationship amongst the inhabitants of Londonderry. Though the temple has an exotic design, it was later burned down. The temple design is a good indication of the development and growth people even those with differences can attain together once they put their differences apart. The youths the artist invited to help in erecting the temple did their job well, and the beautiful temple is a statement of that. In photograph B, there is now a multitude that gathered outside the burning temple that can be symbolically taken also to burn the sorrows and the ills of the past. The differences are no more. There is a vast group of individuals present to witness the burning. They seem to be relaxed, no sign of tension from either side, and it is impossible to tell them even apart. They are just watching the temple go down in flame. This can be taken to signify the burning of their historical differences, and setting another phase where individuals co-exist in harmony. Additionally, fire in by any means associated with evil but in the region of Londonderry, the fire has a local meaning where it represents the troubled times of rivalry where each side suffered significant losses of life. Just like Rev. David Latimer talked of a light set on a hill, the burning of the temple could not be hidden. Both the Protestants and the Catholics witnessed their differences, and their common enemy burn down. Th ough Rev. David Latimer initially was skeptic of the tactics David Best employed to burn a temple. He had a history of this region;

Resistance to Change and Rapid Change Coursework

Resistance to Change and Rapid Change - Coursework Example Once such absenteeism takes place, there becomes lack of consensus to the change agenda and the subjects in turn refuse to see the need to corporate. In another breadth, resistance to change takes place because subjects develop suspicions of unfairness in regards to the changes that take place. Commonly, resistance happens through the development of organizational conflicts (Jim, 2001). Also, resistance may happen through a lack of commitment towards new regulations that are spelt out in the course of the change. What is more, resistance take place through absolute disregard and disobedience to the instructions associated with the change. To address the issues of resistance to change, managers are advised to understand why resistance would take place and a will power to address the issues head-on. A democratic organizational decision making system that takes up the interest of all stakeholders on board is for example suggested as a very useful strategy in addressing the issue of resi stance to change. This strategy is sure to work because it seeks to bring all people on board ahead of the change implementation. Once everyone gets satisfied with the need for there to be change, they are left with no other choice than to heed to the changes (Bill et al,

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 90

Assignment - Essay Example He was ingenious to develop the idea of burning pagan temple that both sides loathe. This was the common ground he found suiting his mission. Photo A shows the inside of a meticulously designed temple. There are individuals who seem to be curiously studying and enjoying the temple design. Perhaps, their curiosity is motivated by the miracle of burning the same temple later in an attempt to save the religious relationship amongst the inhabitants of Londonderry. Though the temple has an exotic design, it was later burned down. The temple design is a good indication of the development and growth people even those with differences can attain together once they put their differences apart. The youths the artist invited to help in erecting the temple did their job well, and the beautiful temple is a statement of that. In photograph B, there is now a multitude that gathered outside the burning temple that can be symbolically taken also to burn the sorrows and the ills of the past. The differences are no more. There is a vast group of individuals present to witness the burning. They seem to be relaxed, no sign of tension from either side, and it is impossible to tell them even apart. They are just watching the temple go down in flame. This can be taken to signify the burning of their historical differences, and setting another phase where individuals co-exist in harmony. Additionally, fire in by any means associated with evil but in the region of Londonderry, the fire has a local meaning where it represents the troubled times of rivalry where each side suffered significant losses of life. Just like Rev. David Latimer talked of a light set on a hill, the burning of the temple could not be hidden. Both the Protestants and the Catholics witnessed their differences, and their common enemy burn down. Th ough Rev. David Latimer initially was skeptic of the tactics David Best employed to burn a temple. He had a history of this region;

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Vaccination of children. The importance of parents need to vaccinate Research Paper

Vaccination of children. The importance of parents need to vaccinate their children - Research Paper Example Vaccination of children. The importance of parents need to vaccinate their children According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), â€Å"Vaccinations not only protect children from developing a potentially serious disease but also protect the community by reducing the spread of infectious disease†. Vaccination can help children for the growth of their immunization system. Children during their developmental stages are vulnerable to many diseases. They may not possess adequate resistive power to counter the attacks of diseases during their infancy or early childhood period. Many children forced to suffer death before the introduction of the practice of vaccination of children. Diseases like diphtheria, small pox, measles, polio etc can cause immense problems to the children during their early developmental stages. After the introduction of vaccination for child diseases like polio, small pox, diphtheria, measles etc started to decrease or disappear from the world. In other words, vaccination of children saved millions of lives since its introduction. Today, in most of the countries vaccination of children against dreadful diseases starts immediately after the birth itself. Periodical vaccination against different diseases may continue till the child reaches his/her 15 or 16 year s of age. In short, vaccination of children can save millions of lives and therefore the parents should give more attention to the periodical vaccination of their children. This paper analyses the importance of child vaccination. Importance of Child Vaccination Up through the early 1920's, diphtheria was one of the most dreaded childhood diseases in the United States, killing over 10,000 people every year. We started vaccinating children against diphtheria in the 1930's and 40's, and today it is rare for a doctor even to see a case of diphtheria. In 1962, the year before measles vaccine was introduced; almost 500,000 cases of measles were reported in the U.S. In 1998 and 1999, only about 100 measles cases were reported each year. Until the middle of the 20th Century, smallpox was one of the most devastating diseases the world has ever known. In 1967, the World Health Organization declared war on smallpox with an intensive, worldwide vaccination campaign. Twelve years later, smallpox was wiped out - gone from the Earth forever. Parents in the 1950's were terrified as polio paralyzed children by the thousands. Now the fight against polio is nearly won, and soon it will join smallpox as nothing but a bad memory (Vaccinations for Children, Why and When, 2011) The above statistics clearly show the importance of vaccination of children. It should be noted that some of the serious diseases which hunted human for a long time, is under control at present, only because of the development of child vaccination system. It is necessary to vaccinate babies using a baby vaccination schedule. This vaccination schedule normally starts immediately after birth itself. Today, medical science has a vaccination schedule for babies and the strict observance of this schedule can help the babies to resist the attack of dreadful diseases. The normal vaccination schedule of a child is given below. AGE VACCINES Birth BCG, OPV, Hepatitis B 6 weeks DTP, OPV+IPV, Hepatitis B, Hib, PCV 10 wee ks DTP, OPV+IPV, Hib, PCV 14 weeks DTP, OPV+IPV, Hepatitis B, Hib, PCV 9 months Measles 1 year Varicella 15 months MMR, PCV Booster 16 months Hib Booster 18 months DTP Booster, OPV+IPV Booster 2 years

Monday, October 14, 2019

Ljb Company Essay Example for Free

Ljb Company Essay Introduction LJB Company has asked the accounting firm to evaluate their system of internal controls because of the plan to go public in the near future. The president wants to be aware of any new regulations required of his company if they go public. The current system of internal controls was explained to the accounting firm. Under SOX Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, all public traded U.S. corporations are required to maintain a sufficient system of internal controls. In order for this to be implemented all Corporate Executives and board of directors have to ensure that the controls are reliable and effective. With LJB Company incorporating the information from SOX act this will allow them reduce corporate fraud by making sure that all of the procedures for financial reporting is following in accordance to all guidelines. Internal Control Requirements In order for LJB Company to become a public trade, under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires a registered U.S. publicly traded company to have an independent audit committee as a part of its Board of Directors. My accounting firm recommends that since LJB is a small sized company in terms of its employees should reevaluate their costs versus the benefits of being a public traded company. If LJB decides to go public in the near future there will be some new internal control requirements. One of the factors of the internal control system is to ensure that the management is in control of its environment. Top management needs to make it clear and concise on what can and won’t be tolerated especially when it comes to the organizations values, mission statement and unethical behavior. The second factor of the internal control system is the company leading its control activities. The control activities are considered as the post that holds the company’s effort to address all risks that they may possibly face going public. One thing that the company may face is fraud and in order to reduce fraud, management has to create and build policies to address those specific risks. Strengths and Recommendations Since LJB Company is relatively small, they have an advantage over their competitors who are large companies. Being a small company due to its size of employees, one of the things they are doing right is being able to set expectations and implement those within the organization. As a smaller company, the accountant’s decision to switch to pre-numbered invoices and the purchase of an indelible ink machine was a good idea and investment. The pre-numbered invoices will prevent transactions from being recorded multiple times. With the internal control system this will require that the employees forward their source documents for the accounting entries. The indelible ink machine will help organize all of the accounting duties. We recommended that LJB Company purchase an indelible ink machine to print all employees and cut checks. With the indelible ink machine this will make it difficult for unauthorized users to endorse checks and be approved. This will cut down on fraud and theft within the company. Violations LJB Company is very susceptible to fraud due the weaknesses and threats presented in the day to day operations. The type of threats include: no human resource control, lack of cash control, and no duties defined for each individual. LJB Company is lacking in the separation of duties because the Treasurer and Controller functions is being done by the same person. Although these two duties are being performed by one person and stream lining the process this causes LJB to be susceptible to fraud and out of compliance with the SOX act requirements. Each of these duties should be performed two different individuals. LJB Company has lack of cash controls. The lack of cash control has to be watched because within LJB each employee has access to petty cash and that shouldn’t be the case. Access to petty cash should be restricted to authorized personnel only. Any time there is a disbursement from the petty cash there should be an original receipt and signature that received the reimbursement. LJB Company human resource controls are very limited. Within this company both the Accountant and President have to review and approve all of the new hires which is the process. If LJB had a proper human resource control there would be a function set in place for new hires by hiring someone with HR experience that has risk training. Having a more defined HR control resource this would allow the company to clearly define the different roles and responsibilities for each employee. Also with the HR resource all employees would go through background check, each employee be given their own username and password and be tracked with the activity report. Conclusion We believe that this assessment of the current controls of LJB Company and the recommendations provided will meet your expectations and allow your company to be a fully traded public company. To reinstate this problem; in order for LJB Company to become a public trade, under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires a registered U.S. publicly traded company to have an independent audit committee as a part of its Board of Directors. My accounting firm recommends that since LJB is a small sized company in terms of its employees should reevaluate their costs versus the benefits of being a public traded company. Works Cited Kimmel, Paul D.. Financial Accounting: Tools for Business Decision Making, 7th Edition. John Wiley Sons, 02/2013. .

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Benefits of Healthy Eating

Benefits of Healthy Eating Health Eating Studies show that by improving personal eating habits can prevent some of the leading causes of death in the world, such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, some lung diseases and injuries. While a deficit of nutrients can cause vitamin deficiencies, lowered immunity responses, weak muscles, osteoporosis, anaemia, and slower wound healing, amongst other conditions, eating unhealthy things can lead to overweight, obesity, and raised cholesterol levels, with all the problems that these bring. By having a diet that is low in fat, cholesterol and salt and is high in fruits, vegetables, grains, and fibre will keep your risk of heart disease low. Therefore, it could be said that a healthy diet could save a considerable number of lives, as heart disease is the number one cause of death in some countries, such as Australia (Australia Bureau of Statistics, 2015).ÂÂ   As there are many other factors involved, even someone who eats healthy could develop heart disease, but the benefits of a healthy diet has beneficial consequences for the body in general and could even delay the event of such diseases. The reason for such considerable benefits is mainly because the body has nutritional requirements and when those requirements are satisfied it has large benefits in the function and health of our body. The body on its own cannot produce carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins and minerals. However, these nutrients can be obtained by consuming healthy food, such as fruits and vegetables. The Department of Health of the Government of the United Kingdom officially issued a dietary advice called the EatwellPlatein2011. It is a pictorial summary of the main food groups and their recommended proportions for a healthy diet, as illustrated in the graphic bellow: This graphic shows that a balanced diet should contain: Large portions of fruit and vegetables Large portions of starchy foods, such as bread, rice, potatoes and pasta Balanced portion of meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein Balanced portion of milk and dairy foods A small amount of food and drinks that are high in fat and/or sugar The human system can generally produce most of these minerals.ÂÂ   However, it cannot produce at least 16 of them. Before, we could only extract minerals from foods, while nowadays we can obtain them from pills that are sold on the pharmacy and even supermarkets. By consuming a variety of different foods throughout the day our bodies will be adequately satisfied and will be able to function properly so one will be in healthy conditions and feel good within themselves.ÂÂ   Eating healthy is about being aware of what is good for our bodies. Eating healthy can also makes a person feel good about themselves, raising ones self esteem. Choosing a healthy food instead of junk food not only helps a person to feel better emotionally but also improves the functions of the body in general. Healthful eating is about creating and maintaining a healthy diet and it starts by educating ourselves with factual knowledge of the great benefits of healthful eating. Many people today enjoy a greater abundance and variety of food than ever before. Nevertheless, countless health and nutritional problems arise from unbalanced diets and overeating. It is not that easy to eat healthy, as the researchers, from the Neuroscience Program in Substance Abuse (N-PISA) at Vanderbilt University, USA mentioned, A high fat diet causes people to eat more, which ultimately impairs the ability of obese people to successfully control their caloric intake, lose weight and maintain weight loss. We have conducted several studies trying to understand why a high fat diet has this effect. This probably explains the reason why people tend to eat unhealthy junk food. To sum up, eating healthy have uncountable benefits and it can lengthen your life by preventing certain diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity at the same time it increases ones self esteem. Also, as the human body does not produce several nutrients that our body requires for its function, individuals need to have a balanced diet. A balanced and healthy meal would include large portions of fruit, vegetables and starchy foods, a balanced portion of meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein, a balanced portion of milk and dairy foods and a small amount of food and drinks that are high in fat and/or sugar. Even though it could be easier to eat unhealthier, a good knowledge of the benefits of eating healthier could change ones life for better. References: Elsevier. A high fat diet leads to overeating because of faulty brain signaling: Offering low fat foods could help prevent obesity, say researchers. ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 September 2015. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Causes of Death 2015 (3303.0) September 2016 Department of Health, Government of the United Kingdom;ÂÂ   Eatwell Plate, 2011 Barbuto, J. E. (2006, July). Mental Energy: Assessing the Motivation Dimension. Nutrition Reviews, 64(7).

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Modern Day Prophets: Islam versus Christianity Essay -- Essays Papers

Modern Day Prophets: Islam versus Christianity In today’s world of chaos and war, many people are turning to religion. People look to organized religion not only for solace but on the contrary, they also look to attribute cause for the world’s woes. The terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on September 11th has many people looking to the religion of Islam for a culprit, as the men who flew the planes were Israeli suicide missionaries. These men thought themselves to be on a mission from God (Allah). This implies that they were acting on the words of a prophet, or thought themselves prophets. In response to this, I decided to research the major religions in today’s world that rely on modern day prophets for guidance. By doing so, I am attempting to prove the religion of Islam innocent by comparing it to many other religions that have similar structure but no terrorist intentions. The first question we come to when studying religions based on the teachings of modern prophets is this: can modern prophets exist? Christianity, one of the three major religions followed today, says yes. â€Å"†¦The Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and some of them they will persecute†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ † (Holy Bible) This quote from Christianity’s great rule book also predicts that when prophets do come to the Earth, people will not accept them as such. This is fairly accurate in Christians’ reactions to religions that have their basis in Christianity but have diverged from the church into their own sects. One of the largest and strongest divergent sects of Christianity is known commonly as Mormonism. Mormons believe that there have been prophets in the past, so why should there not be pr... ...ny different faiths from an unbiased perspective: the Unification Church section. [6] Holy Bible. Book of Revelation, Chapter 12: verse 17. [7] https://webmail.stanford.edu/silkymail_pop/imp/login.php3 A sampling of statements regarding Mrs. Eddy’s place in Bible prophecy, which have been published by the Christian Science Publishing Society. [8] http://205.180.85.40/w/pc.cgi?mid=14891&sid=7271 Jehovah’s Witnesses and the use of the word â€Å"prophet.† [9] http://www.urantiafoundation.org/about.html A website about the Urantia Book and the subsequent Urantia Foundation. [10] http://www.geocities.com/muhammadsite.html A site explicating the role of Muhammad within history and the religion of Islam. [11] http://allafrica.com/stories/200211290320.html An interview with an Islamis scholar, Sidi Ali, concerning the terrorist attacks in the Middle East.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Ancient Egypt vs. Mesopotamia Essay

The Egyptian and Mesopotamian societies are two of the oldest civilizations in the history of the world. The Egyptian and Mesopotamian political, social, and cultural parts of their lives developed differently, but there is a similar basis between the two. Although they had similar political systems in that they both were ruled by kings, the way they viewed their kings and the way that they both constructed their power differed. Both civilizations constructed their social classes similarly in that they had kings at the top, followed by other officials and merchants, and at the bottom the slaves and peasants. They both had their own form of writing; Mesopotamia had cuneiform, and Egypt had hieroglyphics and cursive script, respectively. While they are similar in many different political, social, and cultural activities and ideas, they have enough contrast to be viewed as different societies. Politically, because they were geographically open to envision, Mesopotamia culture created compact self-governing political units- the city-states. By the third millennium B.C.E. the concept of king (lugal) developed, quite possibly because of increased quarrels over resources. The power of religious leaders decreased as the power of kings increased. And although the kings took over control of temples, Mesopotamian kings did not claim divine power. Political changes occurred in Mesopotania because of the succession of people that followed the initial Sumerian people, like the Akkadians, the Kassites Medes and Persians who established their temporary political dominance. By 1750 B. C. E., the written law code of King Hammurabi, was used to maintain political authority and continuity.In sharp contrast is the continuity of political history in ancient Egypt. Legendary King Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt into one nation that lasted with continuity of culture from 3,100-1070 B. C. E. with thirty dynasties. Unlike Mesopotamian kings, the Egyptian king was represented as Horus and as the son of Re, and fit into the pattern of the dead returning to life and the climatic renewing life of the sun-god. As Egypt’s chief priest, he intervened with the gods on behalf of his people and land. No written law code was developed in Egypt. The pharaoh governed the country through a large efficient bureaucracy. In highly urbanized Mesopotamia, specialization of function, centralization of power, and use of written records enabled certain groups to amass unprecedented wealth. Women could own property, maintain control of their dowry, and even engage in trade but men monopolized political life. Some women worked outside the home in textile factories, breweries or as prostitutes, tavern keepers, bakers, or fortune tellers. Inside the home women grew wove baskets, had vegetable gardens, cooked, cleaned, and fetched water. For the most part, their writings reflect *elite male activities. Temple leaders and the kings controlled large agricultural estates, and the palace administration collected taxes from subjects. The lowest class of people tended the fields and used their strength in the off-season to build large public works like ziggarets. Women were subordination to men and had no property rights. In Mesopotamia by the second millennium B. C. E. merchants had gained in status and in power th rough gilds. In the Old Babylonian period, the class of people who were not dependent on the temple or palace grew, the amount of land and other property in private hands increased, and free laborers became more common. The Mesopotamian civilization had 3 social classes: 1. free landowning class- royalty, high-ranking officials, warriors, priests, merchants, and some artisans and shopkeepers; 2. the class of dependent farmers and artisans, whose legal attachment to royal or temple, or private estates made them the primary rural work force; and 3. the class of slaves, primarily used in domestic service. Egyptian class structure was less defined and more pyramid in shape. Compared to Mesopotamia, a far larger percentage of the Egyptian population lived in farming villages and Egypt’s wealth derived from a higher degree from cultivating the land. When not need for agriculture the peasants labored to build the tombs of the pharaoh. Slavery existed on a limited scale and was of limited economic significance. In contrast to Mesopotamia, Egyptian merchants had a low social status. For women subordination to men is evident but they are represented with dignity and affection in tomb paintings. Legal documents show that Egyptian women could own property, inherit from their parents, and will their property to whomever they wished. Marriage, usually monogamous, arose from a couple’s decision to establish a household together rather than for legal or religious ceremony. Both parties could dissolve the relationship, and women retained rights over her dowry in case of divorce. In ge neral, the limited evidence suggests that women in ancient Egypt enjoyed greater respect and more legal rights and social freedom than women in Mesopotamia and other ancient societies. Despite some initial inspiration, Egyptian culture separated itself from Mesopotamia in a number of ways beyond politics and monument building. The Egyptians did not take to the Sumerian cuneiform alphabet and developed a hieroglyphic alphabet instead. Hieroglyphics, though more pictorial than Sumerian cuneiform, were based on simplified pictures of objects abstracted to represent concepts or sounds. As in Mesopotamia the writing system was complex, and its use was, for the most part, monopolized by the powerful priestly caste. Heiroglyphics were written on papyrus paper while cuneiform was written on clay tablets with a blunt reed called a stylus. Like Egyptian hieroglyphs, cuneiform was written in both rows and columns although cuneiform was only written from left to right. The Egyptian and Mesopotamian societies were very similar in many aspects of their lives. They both developed two of the earliest forms of writing in hieroglyphics and cuneiform, with both forms differing greatly from each other. They also contained strikingly similar social classes and structures, as with many other civilizations. They were both ruled by â€Å"kings†, but many parts of their political system were drastically different due to the way that they were constructed and administered. Egyptian civilization and a fundamental Mesopotamian culture lasted far longer than the civilizations that came later, in part because of relative isolation within each respective region and because of the deliberate effort to maintain what had been achieved, rather than experiment widely.