Disasters in the Bangladesh Garment Industry and the Role of Globalization

Introduction All employees, inconsiderate of their nature of work and employment, are entitled to proper working conditions as well as remuneration equivalent to the work done. This is enshrined in the labor laws. It is important therefore that all companies and industries that provide employment opportunities put in place measures and policies that will uphold this statement.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Disasters in the Bangladesh Garment Industry and the Role of Globalization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the Bangladeshi garment industry however, the rampant cases of employee dissatisfaction makes one wonder whether the government cares to get to the root of it all (Knutsen, 13). The phenomenal growth of the garment industry in Bangladesh has been well documented over the last three decades, with experts and analysts saying that the industry now ranks amongst the largest garment exporters in the world . It also accounts for 75 percent of the country’s export earnings, and provides abundant job opportunities for females (Mottaleb and Sonobe, 67). Yet, in the past few years, the industry has dominated headline news around the world for all the wrong reasons. This industry has frequently experienced fatal disasters that have claimed the lives of thousands of predominantly female workers (Brown, 20). The industry is dominated by female workers due to their vulnerability to low paying jobs and perhaps education levels as displayed in the country’s demographics. This paper illuminates the factory fire in Bangladesh in November 2012 and the collapse of a garment-making factory in April 2013. Additionally, the paper discusses the role of globalization in these disasters and the measures taken by retailers in this industry to curb the reoccurrence of such disasters in the future. Discussion Although many disasters that have occurred in the Bangladesh fashion industry are bla med on acts of negligence by management of concerned firms, a government inquiry into the factors that led to the 2012 Dhaka fire in the Tazreen Fashion factory could not rule out â€Å"an act of sabotage† by competitors. However, no conclusive forensic evidence was provided to back this claim (Manik and Yardley, 6). Owing to unsafe and crowded working conditions, as well as the actions taken by management once the fire started (e.g., mid-level managers prevented employees from leaving the burning factory), at least 110 people, mostly female employees, lost their lives and over 200 were injured (â€Å"Bangladesh Tazreen Factory Fire† 4). This was atrocious considering the widespread negative image on the industry. Barely six months later, on 24 April 2013, another eight-storey garment factory in Savar, Bangladesh, collapsed and killed more than 1,000 workers in what government agencies and mainstream commentators termed as the worst industrial disaster in the countryâ €™s history (Alam, 38).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Again, negligence, poor structural facilities and deadly working conditions were the main culprits in an industry worth over $20 billion and which supplies clothing to reputable retailers around the world (Alam, 40; Brown, 20). As alarming as it may sound, there were no measures put in place to prevent such an occurrence despite the high number of casualties in the previous disaster. The role of globalization in nurturing and fueling the garment industry disasters in Bangladesh cannot be ignored. It is conceivable that globalization has fuelled the rapid growth of the garment industry in Bangladesh and other Asian countries due to the ready market available for the finished products in the United States (US) and Europe (Knutsen 225). As a result of the fast upgrading of the industry from export-related production of cheap simple clothes to exports of well-known garments for the middle- and high-end markets of US and Europe, Bangladeshi factory owners have taken advantage of the susceptible female inhabitants in the region. They have done this by providing them with unsafe working conditions and low wages to feed the insatiable appetite of these markets. It is unfortunate that this scum is led by reputable global retailers such as Wal-Mart, Sears, CA, and the Edinburg Woolen Mill (Ahmed 41-42; â€Å"Bangladesh Tazreen Factory Fire† 14; Manik and Yardley, 3) which should, in fact, be the front-liners in condemning such exploitation. However, the Bangladeshi community has a more or less negative perception towards the industry at the moment but still passionately embraces its employment due to the urge to quench its economic thirst. It is important to note that workers in the garment industry in this country earn extremely low wages of $37 per month and most garment firms do not allow empl oyees to join trade unions thereby leading to poor working conditions (Manik and Yardley, 10). The fact that companies in this industry do not allow their employees to join trade unions alone gives an overwhelmingly sad picture of the working conditions therein. These factors explain why so many workers lost their lives in the two disasters (Alam, 14). Acts of sabotage and arson can only be perpetuated by local competitors desiring to access the lucrative market for finished products in the US and Europe, hence pointing to the role of globalization in these disasters. Available statistics show that (1) Bangladesh has more than 4,500 garment factories employing more than four million workers, (2) the garment industry is critical to Bangladesh’s economy as a source of employment and foreign currency (Manik and Yardley, 3), and (3) the country is the world’s second largest exporter of ready-made clothes, next only to China (â€Å"Bangladesh Tazreen Factory Fire† 15 ).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Disasters in the Bangladesh Garment Industry and the Role of Globalization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is conceivable that competitors who would want to access this huge global market may attempt to put other firms out of business and start exporting their own clothes to Western destinations (Ahmed, 12). Despite the fact that this is a healthy business competition, the mode trough which this is achieved is unforgivably sad. This assertion is predicated upon the fact that many Western retailers appear to be confused about their supply chain networks (Manik and Yardley, 3). Good news, however, other overseas retailers in this industry are taking certain strategic measures to try and improve the working conditions and wages of Bangladeshi locals working in the garment industries (Brown, 5). They do this by insisting that they source their fashions from Bangladeshi factorie s which comply with health and safety standards despite the persistent disasters (â€Å"Bangladesh Tazreen Factory Fire† 15). The two disasters ignited widespread condemnation and street riots not only in Bangladesh but also globally as people came to terms with the perceived negligence of global brands in ensuring the health and safety of Bangladeshi workers in the garment industry (Manik and Yardley, 7). Demonstrators also condemned the government for failing to implement regulations that could provide better protection to workers from such disasters (â€Å"Bangladesh Tazreen Factory Fire† 17). To conclude, it is unacceptable that many of the global retailers seemed unaware of the fact that some of the clothes they sell came from the Tazreen Fashion factory. This reflects a serious lack of commitment on the part of retailers to monitor their upstream and downstream supply chain activities (Manik and Yardley, 3). Others seemed unaware of the poor wages and work condit ions that Bangladeshi workers were exposed to in the garment factories (â€Å"Bangladesh Tazreen Factory Fire† 15); ostensibly to keep export prices down and hence attract more business opportunities and profits. This capitalistic approach firmly entrenched in globalization should not be allowed to continue. Overall, global retailers sourcing clothing products from Bangladesh garment industry should initiate steps aimed at monitoring their supply chain partners for such malpractices, and should be held accountable when such disasters occur (Mottaleb, Khondoker and Tetsushi, 21). Works Cited Ahmed, Fauzia Eefan. â€Å"The rise of the Bangladesh garment industry: Globalization, women workers, and voice.† NWSA Journal. 16.2 (2004): 34-45. Academic Search Premier. Web.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Alam, Julhas. â€Å"Bangladesh Factory Collapse: Death Toll climbs Past 1,000.† Huffington Post 13 May 2013. Web. â€Å"Bangladesh Tazreen Factory Fire was Sabotage – Inquiry.† BBC 17 Dec. 2013. Web. Brown, Christopher. â€Å"Fatal fashion: Analysis of garment industry fires are a call to action.† Professional Safety. 58.5 (2013): 20-20. Academic Search Premier. Web. Knutsen, Hege M. â€Å"Globalization and the garment industry in Sri Lanka. Journal of Contemporary Asia. 33.2 (2003): 225-250. Academic Search Premier. Web. Manik, Julfikar Ali and Jim Yardley. â€Å"Bangladesh finds Gross Negligence in Factory Fire.† New York Times 17 Dec. 2012. Web. Mottaleb, Khondoker Abdul and Tetsushi Sonobe. â€Å"An inquiry into the rapid growth of the garment industry in Bangladesh.† Economic Development Cultural Change. 60.1 (2011): 67-89. Academic Search Premier. Web. This essay on Disasters in the Bangladesh Garment Industry and the Role of Globalization was written and submitted by user Collin Trevino to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Definition and Observations of Phonetics

Definition and Observations of Phonetics Phonetics is the branch of linguistics that deals with the sounds of speech and their production, combination, description, and representation by written symbols. Adjective: phonetic.  Pronounced [fah-NET-iks].  From the Greek, sound, voice A linguist who specializes in phonetics is known as a phonetician. As discussed below, the boundaries between the disciplines of phonetics and phonology arent always sharply defined. Examples and Observations of Phonetics Linguistics contributes to phonetics its phonological understanding of the distinctive patterns that make up the coded, conventional aspects of speech which differentiate individual words and other units of spoken language. Phonetics contributes to linguistics its phonetic understanding of the production and perception of the detailed artefacts of speech that embody those significant phonological patterns. Each contribution is complemented by the other. The Study of Phonemes In any language we can identify a small number of regularly used sounds (vowels and consonants) that we call phonemes; for example, the vowels in the words pin and pen are different phonemes, and so are the consonants at the beginning of the words pet and bet. Because of the notoriously confusing nature of English spelling, it is particularly important to learn to think of English pronunciation in terms of phonemes rather than letters of the alphabet; one must be aware, for example, that the word enough begins with the same vowel phoneme as that at the beginning of inept and ends with the same consonant as stuff. Phonetics and the Brain Until recently, we knew little about what is going on in the brain when people are speaking, and this is why the science of phonetics has concentrated on the three central components of the speech chain, where observation of what is going on is fairly straightforward. However, our understanding of how the brain works in speech communications has grown enormously in recent years. One of the most significant advances in recent research has been the development of safe and accurate brain-scanning techniques that can show us the activities of different parts of the brain when someone is speaking or listening to speech... Experimental Phonetics Phonetics is the study of speech. Traditionally, phoneticians have relied on their ears and eyes, and their awareness of their own vocal organs, to study pronunciation. Increasingly, however, they have been using instruments of various types to supplement the information they derive from their own sensations. Experimental phonetics, as the term is commonly used, includes any investigation of speech by means of instruments. It is understood here that the instruments are used to visualize some aspect of the speech event, and possibly also to provide a basis for measurements. For example, a tape recording for the purpose of repeated listening does not fall within the scope of experimental phonetics, but if the tape recording is fed into a computer and used to produce an acoustic analysis, the activity would be described as an experimental investigation. The Phonetics-Phonology Interface Phonetics interfaces with phonology in three ways. First, phonetics defines distinctive features. Second, phonetics explains many phonological patterns. These two interfaces constitute what has come to be called the substantive grounding of phonology. Sources John Laver, Linguistic Phonetics.  The Handbook of Linguistics, ed.  by Mark Aronoff and Janie Rees-Miller. Blackwell, 2001Peter Roach,  English Phonetics and Phonology: A Practical Course, 4th ed. Cambridge University Press, 2009(Peter Roach,  Phonetics. Oxford University Press, 2001)Katrina Hayward,  Experimental Phonetics: An Introduction. Routledge, 2014

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

Field trip - Essay Example A stripper is a person who strips; it is sometimes termed as an occupation, which involves taking ones clothes off with an aim of sexual stimulation of others. A higher percentage of strippers are women/ladies. Body is the only thing that a stripper considers as an asset. Her emotions and mind are not as important as her body (Scott, 2003). There was dancing involved; with the dancers revealing their private parts in a seductive manner. Those in participation were the strippers themselves (men and women) and executive clients, who were mostly men. I would tell the executive clients by the type of cars parked outside the club and presence of bodyguards. Before the visit, my impression about strippers was sexual immoral acts. I changed my perception after interrogating some participants. Most of them do this to earn a living, pay their bills and go to school, and no one forces these men and women to do what they do. Most of those I interacted with had no problem with showing their private parts in exchange for money. My perception on strippers really changed after the trip. Previously I viewed them as prostitutes and despised what they did; I never really understood why they did such acts. The trip made me realize that these people are just like anybody else and what they do is just like any other job. I do not think it is erroneous for single men to go to strip clubs provided this does not become a habit, and it is not done when they already have a soul mate or kids. The trip changed my belief on sexuality. I came to see that I was wrong, not every stripper is too focused on sexual activity, and they do not think it is more important than it really is. They just see taking their clothes off as a job to get their daily bread. Not all people in the society may approve activities in a strip club. Some of those who may disapprove this include married couples, Religious leaders, and parents among others. These individuals disapprove strip clubs as they find

Labor Force Effect on International Business Essay

Labor Force Effect on International Business - Essay Example In most cases, wage constitutes a substantial portion of the total production cost of companies. As such, businesses find myriad ways and means in order to reduce labor cost for enhancing their viability. Another way by which labor affects international business is through workers' skills. Especially in the modern times, human resource is considered as one of the most valuable assets of a company. This is because it is the employees of the company that possess the skills and expertise required for the efficient completion of production and other business functions. In this regard, the skill level of labor employed by companies is one of the key ingredients to ensure organizational success. With the advent of globalization, labor becomes a central issue in light of prevailing wage and skill levels. Given the technological advancements, employers have found a way to tap the global labor market (Tristan, 2003). Multinational corporations have benefited from the use of modern ways of communication, like electronic mail and video conferencing, to rationalize their labor factor. With the high-tech gadgets, they have taken advantage of highly-skilled and less expensive labor force available in other countries.

Assignment 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Assignment 5 - Essay Example More generally, we can see that cross-cultural encounters do not always end well for everybody involved. Before understanding what a cross-cultural encounter can do, it is important to understand what one is. In the broadest meaning, such an encounter could be described as any in which two different cultures meet. More specifically, it is one in which ideas that are different between cultures are exchanged, with varying results. In the case of Benin, one of the exchanges was â€Å"the discovery of Benin art by Europeans†. (Mackie 16) This can be seen in the last paragraph of the passage from Bacon, which states that some of the things found in the houses were â€Å"castings of wonderful delicacy of detail, and some magnificently carved tusks†. In the background, we can see that the Benin were perhaps initially pleased by contact with the West. Presumably, they happily traded for the â€Å"glass walking sticks, old uniforms, absurd umbrellas† and so on that Bacon describes as being in most of the warehouses. However, the exchange obviously did not go well for the Benin. In the context Mackie gives us, we know that Bacon is an invader trying to bring Benin â€Å"firmly under British control†. (Mackie 17) Although it is not explicitly mentioned in the passage, some sense of this chilling reason behind the cross-cultural encounter can be seen in the way Bacon describes the Benin people. Bacon was largely unimpressed with what he found, and so the cultural exchange which could have taken place was limited by the Europeans existing prejudices about the Benin people. The way the passage describes the Benin as â€Å"natives† who were tricked by â€Å"the usual cheap finery† reinforces the idea that the Europeans only wanted to manipulate this different culture for their own ends. The fact that the passage describes the Benin in very negative tones elsewhere, such as explaining the â€Å"ruined and uninhabited houses† as being

Care for Post Elective Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

Care for Post Elective Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Assessment for the care of patient with respiratory problem  following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft 3 vessels disease and Mitral Valve Repair Introduction This essay examines a case study of a male patient with a complex history who has undergone elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and suffered a number of recovery complications. Coronary artery disease is a common pathology in the Western population, perhaps due to lifestyle and dietary factors, including lack of exercise and smoking. The case history will be examined in the light of nursing care and current theoretical knowledge, looking at the individual needs of the patient and the potential interventions which could be employed to address this patient’s emergent and ongoing condition. Nursing care at any stage, critical, acute or chronic, must be an holistic process which takes into account all of the social, physiological, psycholological, emotional and spiritual needs of the person. Given the critical state of this individual’s health, however, some needs can be identified as more urgent that others. The case history will demonstrate the predominant needs of this patient as those connected with his respiratory function and status, and therefore while all aspects of the case will be considered, considerable attention will be paid to his respiratory needs, treatments and potential outcomes. The focus is on nursing care, which must address the emergent clinical picture whilst considering long term, mid term and short term outcomes in a client-centred context. Discussion The patient, who shall be called Mr S to protect confidentiality, was admitted on June 6th for an elective coronary artery bypass graft procedure, plus a Mitral Valve Repair. According to UHC (2007) a coronary artery bypass graft (CAB or CABG) is a surgical procedure in which a healthy blood vessel is transplanted from another part of the body into the heart to replace or bypass a diseased vessel. In this case, it is the treatment of choice for the patient whose history of myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease made him a prime candidate for corrective surgery. Coronary artery disease is defined as the failure of the coronary arteries to deliver oxygen and fuels for myocardial work (Emery and Pearson, 1998). Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of myocardial infarction (Emery and Pearson, 1998). According to STS (2007), mitral valve repair is an open heart procedure which aims to treat stenosis or regurgitation of the mitral valve, which is the inflow valve for the left side of the heart. In normal physiology, blood flows from the lungs, where it picks up oxygen, and into the heart through the mitral valve (STS, 2007). When it opens, the mitral valve allows blood to flow into the left ventricle, which then closes to keep blood from leaking back into the lungs when the ventricle contracts to pump blood into the systemic circulation (STS, 2007). In this case, mitral regurgitation has been diagnosed, which is probably consequential to Mr S’s ischaemic heart disease (Emery and Pearson, 1998). The patient history includes the following: post lateral MI treated with thrombolysis; shortness of breath on exertion; treatment with GTN; hypertensive disease; raised cholesterol; smoker (80-100 cigarettes a day, stopped smoking in 2000); umbilical hernia repair; removal of a benign growth on the thyroid gland; left ankle oedema; distal varicosities to the left extremity. Mr S is allergic to penicillin, overweight at 115kg and has been treated for the health consequences of his lifestyle for some time. Mr S underwent the procedure as planned, with the standard postoperative care. On return to the ward from theatre he was initially on synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation, which is a system that was developed as a method of partial ventilatory support to facilitate liberation from mechanical ventilation (CCM, 2007). In this system, a demand valve is located within the system through which patients can take spontaneous breaths, without having to breathe through the ventilator apparatus, allowing the patient to breathe spontaneously while also receiving mandatory breaths (CCM, 2007). As the patient’s respiratory function improves, the number of mandatory breaths is decreased, until the patient is breathing unassisted on continuous positive airways pressure (CCM, 2007). Non invasive forms of ventilatory support have been found to be associated with improved patient outcomes (Peter et al, 2002), in a range of acute respiratory conditions including acute respiratory fail ure. Mr S was extubated after ten hours, placed on high flow oxugen via face mask at 50%, but PA02 was only 7 with quiet lung bases on auscultation, leading to the introduction of WCPAP, with a PEEP of 7.5. He was coughing but not expectorating, and developed a number of other postoperative complications which are listed below. His CVP was on 24mmhg and stable within that range. Blood Pressure went down to 80/50 mmHg, treated with gelofusion with no response. noradrenaline was started 07mic/kg/min Frusemide 20mg /hr with good effect; on the second day urine outputtailed off to 60-70ml/hr so the frusemide was increased in 40mg/hr with good effect. Urine output increased to a ratoe of 120-150mls/hr. Mr S has has 3 chest drains: mediastinal, pleural and pericardial . Mr S is ventricularly paced at around 90 beats, with an underlying bradycardia of 44 beats /min. Blood results: urea was 4.4 on the first day, 8.3 day two post-op; creatinene was initially 102, then 164, and on the third day it was 280. Noradrenaline was used, followed by some attempt to wean MR S of this level of support, but the MAP was not stable and could not be kept at 70, and so noradrenaline recommenced. Plans for discharge were postponed due to the WCPAP, the renal complications and the blood pressure issues. Mr S was had an Epidural with plain levopuvicaine at 5mls per hourincreased to 8 mls because of pain on movement; in addition to this he had a PCA (which was being used minimally), and regular Cocodamol. As can be seen, Mr S’s condition is quite serious with a range of complications from the surgery related to his postoperative recovery. Given than cardiac surgery has been performed and there are issues with maintaining blood pressure and cardiac rhythm, the two appear to be connected. Low cardiac output due to arrythmias are of some concern, and so all observations should be closely monitored. The area of concern for this essay, however, is the area of the respiratory complications, but brief mention will be made of the nursing considerations of the other aspects of his condition Nursing care focusing on his pain relief should include regular pain management, assessment of pain scores and sedation levels, and hourly pump checks on the epidural infusion and the PCA. These should be documented contemporaneously and comprehensively, and this information should be used for ongoing care planning, evaluation and communication with colleagues. Monitoring of intravenous infusions should include checking the IV site and cannula for patency or any signs of inflammation, checking that all the infusion lines are connected, and the pumps are set at the correct rate. Fluid balance should be recorded on the appropriate chart at the appropriate hourly intervals. The colour and consistency of the urine should also be noted. Fluid management is important in respiratory disease because excess fluid intake is prone to leak through the capillary membranes into the lung tissues (Peters, 1998). Vital observations should be recorded as specified by the medical and cardiothoracic teams. Pressure area care should be carried out, nutritional status should be monitored, and responses to medications noted. All medications should be administered as charted. Further to this, the chest drains must be observed, insertion sites assessed for signs of infection, and temperature monitored for signs of systemic responses to infection. The drain contents must be included in the fluid balance measurements, and must also be reported to the doctors, and observed for signs of haemorrhage. The drains must be kept off the floor but below the level of insertion of the tubing, to prevent the contents tracking back up towards the body, which would increase the risk of infection. For this reason, if Mr S is moved at any time or repositioned, or during procedures such as bedmaking and attending to hygiene needs, the tubing of all three drains should be clamped for the duration of the activity and then unclamped again afterwards. In addition to this, Mr S appears to need considerable respiratory support. The literature shows that satisfactory oxygenation can generally be achieved in most patients by the use of continuous positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask with a PEEP valve of 5-10 cm of water. However, it has become apparent that Mr S cannot be safely weaned from this as yet. One option to consider would be NPPV, which is a treatment which has evolved from CPAP (Peters, 1998). It has been found to be very effective in providing ventilatory support for patients with respiratory disorders, particularly long term and in the home setting (Peters, 1998). This might be one option which could support Mr S in being discharged from the intensive care facility. Positioning and physical support to maintain this are also important (Peters, 1998). Therefore, Mr S should be nursed upright or semi-upright, well supported by pillows, but giving due consideration to pressure area care. Thorens et al (1995) suggest that the quality of nursing seems to be a measurable and importantfactor in the weaning from mechanical ventilation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. While Mr S’s condition is not COPD, many aspects of his symptoms and, obviously, the environment in which he is being nursed, are similar to those described in this study by Thorens et al (1995). They suggest that below a threshold in the available workforce of ICU nurses, the weaning duration of patients from ventilation and other forms of mechanical ventilatory support increases dramatically (Thorens et al, 1995). Therefore, very close attention should be given to the education and number of ICU nurses (THorens et al, 1995), which in this instance could be vie wed from a managerial point of view, in ensuring that the appropriately skilled and experienced nurses are those allocated to the care of Mr S, and that his case should be seen as a priority. Addressing Mr S’s emotional and psychological needs are also important. While it is an extremely invasive and potentially life threatening procedure, coronary artery bypass graft surgery and mitral valve repair surgery are associated with positive patient outcomes(Moshkovitz et al, 1993). This was also an elective rather than an emergency procedure. This may mean that Mr S was not necessarily expecting such a problematic recovery period and so will need support adjusting to this. The same could be said for his family and carers, who would perhaps be somewhat shocked to find him still in a relatively serious condition. The support mechanisms available to him should be assessed, and it should be factored into the nursing care plan that time (often the most precious resource available to nurses) is allocated to him to ensure that he has amply opportunity to communicate with the staff. Communication difficulties may be associated with his condition, state of mind, level of conscio usness and the use of CPAP, and these must be taken into consideration. Wong et al (1999) discuss risk factors of delayed extubation and prolonged intensive care unit length of stay, which suggest that such occurrences are associated with higher levels of morbidity and longer periods of recovery. Whether this is due to the nature of the underlying condition, or the nature of the environment (or both), cannot be determined. However, it would appear that it is in Mr S’s best interests to be facilitated towards a level of wellness along the illness-wellness spectrum that is sufficient to warrant his discharge from the intensive care unit. It might be appropriate to consider different medication regimes, or to allow the physiological systems of his body more time to adjust to his postoperative recovering state. Another potential action might be to remove the epidural and encourage Mr S to use the PCA more appropriately, to support his pain control as a self-managed phenomenon, and to encourage a move towards increased independence, mobility and generally improved health. There is a degree of motor block evident from the epidural. Epidurals are also associated with low blood pressure, so this might be a factor in Mr S’s condition. The epidural would need to be removed under aseptic technique, and a small dressing placed over the site. The tip of the epidural catheter must be checked to make sure it is complete, and this noted in the patient’s records. Close monitoring of the patient’s blood pressure following this might allow the nurse to assess whether this has had a positive effect on Mr S’s blood pressure. Similarly, if Mr S is more mobile and able to move a little more independently, this might increase cardiac output and improve blood pressure. He is at considerable risk of post-operative thrombosis, in particular deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, and so mobilisation will be a key factor in his recovery and in preventing these complications. Hannan et al (2003) found that post-operative recovery from coronary artery bypass graft surgery can be adversely effected if the patient suffers from 6 or more comorbidities. Given his medical history, it is unsurprising that Mr S finds himself not recovering as quickly as potentially possible, and so it is important to maximise all opportunities to promote recovery and health. The use of low molecular weight heparin as a prophylaxis against deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism is common in post-operative care, and is likely to be used here. However, there is a serious consequence of anti-coagulant therapy, which is the incre ased risk of haemorrhage, and so this again will need to be monitored for very carefully. Stanley et al (2002) suggest that neurocognitive decline is a continuing source of morbidity after cardiac surgery. This may be associated with cardiac arrythmias (Stanley et al, 2002). Mr S’s underlying bradycardia may then be a contributory factor in his long-term prognosis and this is why such intensive cardio-pulmonary support is warranted. Neurocognitive dysfunction is common after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (Stanley et a, 2002), and so assessments of this should form part of the ongoing care and monitoring of his condition. The pacemaker will also be monitored for functionality, and heart rhythm observed. Any changes will be assessed by the cardiothoracic team and any improvements towards normal rhythm noted. It is also important for nurses to consider multidisciplinary team input as a part of interprofessional working and client-centred care. For example, some research has demonstrated that a multidisciplinary approach to weaning from mechanical ventilation has been associated with greatly improved outcomes in the short and long term (Smyrnios et al, 2002). Mr S, given his condition, would be a prime candidate for pulmonary physiotherapy, which has been argued by some to be useful in the recovery process. Given the respiratory assessment findings, this may be used. However, the usefulness of respiratory physiotherapy for the prevention of pulmonary complications after cardiac surgery remains unproved(Pasquina et al, 2003). Therefore it would need to be a collaborative decision in conjunction with the consultant in charge of Mr S’s case. Conclusion This examination of Mr S’s case and history has demonstrated that he is suffering from a number of post operative complications associated with his surgical status, his past medical history and the range of comorbidities he is suffering. The diagnosis of his current condition must remain the area of responsibility of the doctors who are in chargeof his case. However, nursing interventions are a vital component of his care and potential for recovery. While doctors may diagnose and prescribe, it is the nursing staff who assess, monitor, administer therapies, and engage in the majority of prophylactic activities to support optimal return to wellness. This essay has also considered the need for an holistic approach to Mr S, viewing him as a person in the context of his own life rather than simply a set of conditions which much be treated and hopefully, resolved. However, the nature of his condition is serious, and until the cardiac and respiratory function issues are resolved, there is very little that can be done other than to support him and his body systems to continue to function, whilst engaging in nursing activities aimed at minimising further complications from his continued dependent and unwell state. There are a number of actions that can be taken, including pressure area care, fluid management, engagement with the multidisciplinary team, and pain management, all of which can contribute to supportive a positive prognosis for Mr S. However, he continues to require intensive nursing care until such time as he is able to be weaned off the CPAP and the noradrenaline which is helping to maintain the blood pressure. Until that time, all his needs will continue to be met by 24 hour intensive nursing care. References CCM (2007) http://www.ccmtutorials.com/rs/mv/page7.htm Emery, C. and Pearson, S. (1998) Managing coronary artery disease. In: Shuldham, C. (1998) Cardiorespiratory Nursing Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes. Hannan, E.L., Racz, M.J., Walford, G. et al (2003) Predictors of Readmission for Complications of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery JAMA. 290 773-780. Moschovitz, Y., Lusky, A. and Mohr, R. (1995) Coronary artery bypass without cardiopulmonary bypass: analysis of short-term and mid-term outcome in 220 patients. Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 110:979-987. Pasquina, P., Tramer, M.R. and Walder, B. (2003) Prophylactic respiratory physiotherapy after cardiac surgery: systematic review British Medical Journal 327:1379 Peter, J.V., Moran, J.L., Phillips-Hughes, J. and Warn, D. (2002) Noninvasive ventilation in acute respiratory failure- A meta-analysis update. Critical Care Medicine. 30(3) 555-562. Peters: R. (1998) Respiratory failure: Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome In: Shuldham, C. (1998) Cardiorespiratory Nursing Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes. Shuldham, C. (1998) Cardiorespiratory Nursing Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes. Smyrnios, N.A., Connolly, A., Wilson, M.M. et al (2002) Effects of a multifaceted, multidisciplinary, hospital-wide quality improvement program on weaning from mechanical ventilation. Critical Care Medicine. 30(6) 1224-1230. Stanley, T.O., Mackensen, G.B., Brocott, H.P. et al (2002) The Impact of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation on Neurocognitive Outcome After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery. Anesthesia and Analgesia 94 290-295. STS (2007) http://www.sts.org/doc/410 Accessed 28-6-07 Thorens, J.B., Kaelin, R.M., Rainer, M. et al (1995) Influence of the quality of nursing on the duration of weaning from mechanical ventilation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Critical Care Medicine. 23(11) 1807-1815. UHC (2007) http://healthcare.utah.edu/healthinfo/adult/cardiac/glossary.htm Accessed 28-6-07 Wong, D.T., Davy, C., Kustra, R. et al (1999) Risk Factors of Delayed Extubation, Prolonged Length of Stay in the Intensive Care Unit, and Mortality in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft with Fast-track Cardiac Anesthesia: A New Cardiac Risk Score. Anesthesiology. 91(4) 936. Woods, S.L, Froelicher, E.S.S. and Motzer, S.U. (2000) Cardiac Nursing Philadelphia: Lippincott.

Elaine Showalter-The Female Tradition Essay

In her book ‘A Literature of Their Own’, Showalter attempts to rediscover the lost Atlantis of female writingfrom the archives of British literary history, for which she tries to assemble women’s writing of that period into a linear developmental process dividing it into three phases depending upon their unique characteristics, that is, the Feminine, Feminist and Female phase which thereby establishes the existence of a female tradition in the history of literature. In this essay, I shall elaborate the three phases as propounded by Showalter while critically evaluating the boundaries of these said categories. The latter half of this essay shall deal with the complexities of Showalter’s formation and classification of British women novelist’s literary genealogy. Showalter classifies the first stage of female literary history as the ‘feminine phase’ referring to literature produced during the period of 1840 to 1880.She proposes that women wrote during this period as imitator of dominant patriarchal standards conforming to the notions of high-brow literature and internalised masculine standard of art and their view on social roles, thereby developing an internalized feminine ‘self-hatred’. The disguise taken up by female authors through the use of male pseudonyms as seen in the case of the Bronte sisters, George Eliot, etc. is a perfect example of the constant rejection that women practised with regards to their ‘masculine’ nature, while at the same time signals a ‘loss of innocence’ for women as they subtly grapple with the idea of role playing required by their gender. Certain areas of experience and knowledge such as sexuality, passion, ambition and male transcendence (as propounded in Simone De Beauvoir’s theory) lied beyond the ambits of the Victorian ‘angel in the house’ or ‘the Perfect Lady’ and therefore were suppressed by women in their writing through practices of displacement (as seen in Lydia’s case in Pride and Prejudice), splitting of self (as seen in Jane Eyre through the figures  of Jane and Bertha) or even punishment (as seen in the character of Maggie in The Mill On The Floss) to uphold the idea of ‘womanliness’ in their writing. Therefore, it seemed that women novelists were compensating for their will to write by preaching submission and self-sacrifice, working at home and denouncing female self-assertiveness. However women did not simply conform to the pattern of society’s concept of ‘work for others’ and challenged the patriarchal reception of women’s writing in their own subtle ways. Emily Bronte in her novel Wuthering Heights finds release to explore the fenced territories of dark passion, madness, ruthless desire and its politics through the character of Heathcliff as he would be less scrutinised by male critics. This struggle became a site of anxiety for women writers as the act of writing in itself represented the wish to transcend the defined feminine boundaries of their society, and therefore reconstructed the political and public spheres for women. As Showalter states, the women writers of this period often grappled with the question, â€Å"where did obedience to her father and husband end and the responsibility of self-fulfilment became paramount?† Another vital aspect of this phase is the carving of space for womenin the literary circle as done by feminine writers for women to follow against the hostility and critiques they received from their male competitors and society at large. G. H. Lewes in his 1852 review â€Å"The Lady Novelist† proposed that women’s literature had fallen short of their task owning to their natural weakness of imitation. Many male critics called women’s novel â€Å"bland, didactic and senseless rambling† not taking into account the antagonism women received at the hands of male critics whenever they tried to transgress into the ‘male domains of knowledge and language’ of politics, power and desire. The ‘damns’ in Jane Eyre or the ‘dialect’ in Wuthering Heights or the slangs of Rhoda Broughton’s heroine termed as vulgar, unholy and termed by Victorian readers as ‘coarseness’. On the one hand, this ‘double bind’ that paralysed women writers made them feel humiliated by the condescension received from male critics making them obsess over the desire to avoid special treatment and achieve genuine excellence and on the other hand,it made them anxious about appearing unwomanly in their works too. Despite all such obstacles, women overcame the hurdles placed upon them by  patriarchal conditioning of repression, concealment and self-censorship and participated in the literary process thereby creating a space for their sex which was earlier not availed to them. The major contribution of the novelists of this phase to the female tradition to follow was the enabling of a cultural exchange that had a special personal significance for women at large. Following this comes the ‘feminist phase’ spanning from 1880 to 1920 which comes to aculmination following the winning of â€Å"the vote† for women. This period was marked by protest and struggle for one’s rights, oppositional equation that the female author developed with their male critics, advocacy of minority rights and values, including a demand for autonomy and seems to stand in opposition to the earlier feminine phase as it defined by an ardent ‘feminist withdrawal’. As against the casing of issues as practiced by earlier writers, women writers of the feminist period acknowledged their sexuality, passions and desire publically without any sense of patriarchal guilt or shame. Since this period also overlaps with women’s suffragette movement in Britain and America, they had also become politically assertive and this literally was translated into literature as the battle of the two sexes. The impetus provided to women’s writin g by such political activism can be seen in the works of Virginia Woolf, Elizabeth Robins, etc. The influence of the political movement gave rise to the development of an array of new characters such as men who were â€Å"effeminate fops by day and fearless heroes by night†. In contrast to earlier women writers who saw male characters as a means to escape patriarchal domination, not realising that they were exchanging one set of chains for the other; female writers of this period use male figure to further their own emancipation and re-examine the stereotypes placed upon them by their patriarchal society as done by the Sensationalist women writers in their novels. An example of this would be Florence Marryat’s Love’s Conflict where she holistically examines the exploitative trap set for women by patriarchal society’s conception of love.Such awakening resulted into a complete rejection of the notion of femininity and attacked the figure of the self-sacrificing woman in exchange for agency and self-expression. Fidelity and chastity on men’s part became a contested issue in the literature of this period and thereby reversed the  question of female faithfulness to question male loyalty. The politics of pseudonym also changed during this period as ‘Sarah Grand’ the persona taken up by Frances Elizabeth Bellenden McFall expressed a feminist pride. All these trends amalgamated into the creation of an ‘Amazon Utopia’ which rejected all notions femininity in exchange for intense female solidarity derived from a complete rejection of the then established notion of ‘womanhood and femininity’. Another major contribution of the writers of this phase is the professionalism they introduced with regards to female authorship. Just as the transition from self-hatred to feminist withdrawal was an essential shift in the two phases, similarly equality in terms of monetary payments to women writers as against the disparate differences in terms of earnings of male and female writers (a characteristic of the previous phase) was challenged and overhauled which provided women writes of this period further incentive to take up writing as a profession rather than an activity of leisure as practised by their predecessors. As Showalter argues, women by 1860’s had started â€Å"to retain their copyrights, work with printers on the commission basis and edit their own magazine†. This did not only offer women with an alternative space for securing financial support and fortifying independence from ‘patriarchal commercialism’ but also provided them with themuch required artistic and ideological freedom to explore issues concerning their lives and experiences. Women by discerning over ideas of their day to day concerns actively participated into reviewing ideas of established ‘Femininity’ and thereby providing the foundation for future women writers to develop and completely deconstruct the notion of gender and its attributes. This was followed by the last stage,that is, the ‘female phase’ beginning in 1920 and continuing to the present, which according to Showalter from 1960 onwards has entered a new era of self-awareness. This phase is the least theorised and developed by her as it is yet to meet a conclusion. The writers of this phase carry the dual cultural baggage of the history of female authorship in the form of ‘feminine self-hatred and feminist withdrawal’, yet have initiated the task of insistent self-exploration  backed by rejection of male culture moving towards separationist literature focusing on inner space and psychological interrogation rather than being socially focused so as to escape the materialistic, harsh realities of the patriarchal world. The metaphor explored by many female writers for this motif was ‘the enclosed and secret room’ which ‘extended the fantasies of enclosure’ in the form of secret rooms, hideaway attics and suffragette cells as represented in the works of Mrs Molesworth’s The Tapestry Room or Virginia Woolf’s A Room Of one’s Own. The application of this female aestheticism by writers of that period transformed itself into the fragmentation of the self through a feminist cultural analysis of words, language and ideology in their novels. This self-destructive rite of women’s aestheticism and receptivity leading to suicidal vulnerability is exemplified in the careers of Virginia Woolf and Sylvia Plath.Paradoxically, the furthering of female aestheticism also led to an apparent fringing from sexuality and its politics, where the site of the body wasveiled, disguised or denied for insistence of artistic freedom and autonomy, leading Showalter to state that even though women’s writing was â€Å"erotically charged and drenched with sexual symbolism, female aestheticism is nonetheless oddly sexless in its content†. This leads to the popularization of the idea of ‘androgyny’ in women literature of this period (Bloomsbury group being a major contributor to this ideology). Showalterfurther develops this phase stating that the literature of the female phaseentered a new, dynamic stage in 1960 to incorporate and develop itself on Marxist, Feminist and Psychoanalytical theories and therefore helped women to both deconstruct and reconstruct their identities while providing society with women’s view of life, experience, originality and individuality; as demanded by G. H. Lewis and J. S. Mill. Continuing with the conflicts of the feminist phase, novelists of this period continue to struggle with the binaries of â€Å"art and love, between self-fulfilment and duty†, but work by consolidating the gains of the past while working with a new range of language and experience converting sexuality and anger (earlier treated only as attributes of realistic characters) into sources of ‘female creative powers’. In this light, women writers have tried to unify their fragmented experience through artistic vision which Showalter states will  u ltimately leadthem to make a choice between assimilation and separation into literary mainstream in the near future. The assembly of the lineage of women novelists as done by Showalter through the construction of the above mentioned three phases in her book has significantly contributed to the establishment of a Female Literary Tradition and has helped to unearth the vast expanse of women’s literature, previously ignored. However, it appears to me that there are certain foundational impediments in her work. A major premise for her work remains the construction of women’s literary history through the genre of novel writing alone which thereby excludes the colossal mass of literature that women wrote in the forms of drama, poetry, diaries, social tracts, autobiographies, etc. To formulate any kind of literary history for women’s writing without taking into account all these genres will necessarily provide us with a fractional and restrictive imagine thereby undermining the profundity and versatility of women’s imagination, creativity and intellectual labour. To see novel writing as the only path through which women entered and created a space for themselves in literary field is not just a reductionist interrogation of the history of writing but is also an injustice done to the massive proportion of women writers who were not ‘fortunate enough’ to enter this particular field and instead worked incessantly to carve out a space for women in other genres as done by figures of Elizabeth Barrett Browning andAlice Meynell (poetess), Alice James (diarist), Hannah More (dramatist), Florence Nightingale and Mary Carpenter (social Tracts) etc. Similarly, many novelists also attempted other genres of writing and deflating their efforts outside novel writing is also playing into the patriarchal trap of reducing the toils of women writers to a singularly defined category for purposes of convenience. Similarly, Showalter in her book advances a certain dimension of universality into the category of 19th century British women novelist, pedestrianizing her struggles and triumphs over many others. Though she mentions that her foundation for the historical re-evaluation of women’s writing is the 19th century British novelist, her disregard for the categories of third world, post-colonial women’s literature is apparent in her vocabulary. Within the  foundation of her work, she fails to take into account the pivotal issue of class based Marxist evaluation of the development of women’s writing movement.To not take into account the economic constraints under which women had to work to enter the field of literature will blemish the depth and shared experience of a particular class of women writers and will also deter us from analysing their works as repositories of class strained social realism of that age. The absence of any class based differential paradigm for reviewing the works of British women novelists is an immense undercutting of the forces of patriarchy and capitalism and the role they played in obstructing women’s path to literacy emancipation.Therefore, even though she challenges the notion of the ‘canon’ by re-evaluating the exclusion of women from its centre, Showalter nonetheless, never deconstructs the ‘canon’ itself but works simply to readjust it to the requirements of a specific group of ’21st century female British academician’. Her stating that the sensation novelists of the late 19th century did not add significantly to the intellectual issues of that age but rather contributed to women’s cause byacquiring public literary space exemplifies the same. Nonetheless, despite all such complexities, Showalter’s assertion of the value of the ‘lost’ works of women writers and their role in history initiates a process of questioning and subverting of the patriarchal edifice of the ‘history of literature’. Feminine, Feminist and Female writers all had to contend with the cultural and political forces of their age and the epistemological classification of these three stages themselves reveals the developmental process that has taken place with regards to women’s writing. â€Å"The Female Tradition† is a record of the conditions and struggle that women breathed through to gain agency andchoice for their sex. Therefore even though Showalter does not pursue the full scope of her questions, she nevertheless opens the opportunity for individuals following her to further her theory and critically analyse the homogenizing politics of literary history, from not just the perspective of gender but also from a class, race and linguistic perspective. Here, Louise Bernikow’s comment becomes extremely crucial and exemplary: â€Å"What is commonly called literary history is actually a record of choices. Which writers have survived their time and which have not depends upon who noticed them and chose to record the notice.† Bibliography: Elaine Showalter’s â€Å"A Literature of Their Own†.

English Oral – Shark Cullings

Shark Culling Each year in Australia, the number of deaths from shark attacks ranges between zero to three deaths. To put this into perspective, more people around the world are killed as a result of falling coconuts or vending machines. Following a small rise in the number of shark attacks In Western Australia over the past two years, the Western Australian Government has legalized the culling of all sharks over three meters long caught on baited drum lines, In an attempt to reduce the risk of fatal shark attacks.The decision has sparked mixed reactions from the public, with a scarce amount purporting the Government's decision. Those who agree feel that the culling will make swimming at the beach a safer, more relaxing experience. On the other hand, those who disagree argue that the Government has made a quick decision without doing their research. They say that we will never completely prevent shark attacks and there are other ways to prevent shark attacks without going on a  "killing spree†. The first image presents a rather horrifying image of a dead shark covered in blood, with it's jaws open showing all of it's teeth.A man is kneeling down beside the shark with one arm appearing to be resting on the shark. The shark is a lot bigger than the man in the photo, this is magnified even more by the man kneeling down. The photographer is positioning the viewer to see the shark as a big, scary monster, and the man to be a hero for killing it†¦ As though killing a shark is something to be proud of. The second photo presents a beautiful scene of healthy green beach shrubbery, with the sand, beach and waves in the background as the water is populated by numerous surfers enjoying the morning waves.Hard to Ignore, however, is the warning sign In the foreground of the Image warning beach-goers of a shark sighting. It could be said that these surfers are Just plain stupid, but it could also be said that they know how small the risk of being attacked by a shark Is, especially when In a group of surfers close to shore. The mall figure In the photo Is the warning sign. It draws viewers attention to the risk that the surfers are taking and the viewer's focal point shifts from the sign to the surfers In confusion. The photographer has positioned the warning sign to be the largest, most obvious WARNING' to all people not to enter the water.However, by the photographer capturing the surfers in the background, viewers are bled to see that the surfers have ‘looked past' the apparently big warning and that the surfers don't see the sharks as big scary monsters to be afraid of. The photographer made the sharks appear to be a minor issue as opposed to an issue that makes the public so fearful of sharks that they're too afraid to enter the water. The third image is perhaps the most powerful image. It presents a photo of a human swimming or diving deep in the ocean, right next to a big shark. The shark looks big, but not in a scary wayâ₠¬ ¦ In quite a majestic and beautiful way.The photographer is positioning viewers to see that the shark is a beautiful creature f the ocean that means no harm to humans. The photographer has captured the blue ocean water in the photo which makes people feel calm and relaxed. This allows viewers to see the diver as relaxed and at ease, and also to see the shark as gentle and calm. In this image viewers are able to see how large the shark is in comparison to the human. Usually people are scared of things larger and greater in size than them, but in this case the person doesn't appear to be scared of the shark. Can't see teeth. Texture is smooth and not rough and scary. Calming.Majestic Light – glow of the light shining through the water which is beautiful and pretty. CONCLUSION Photographers can manipulate viewers to perceive a particular issue in either a negative or positive way. Quite often when pictures are used with articles or stories, the picture supports the story or ar ticle by the tone in the writing and agrees with what is stated. The shark culling topic has many different opinions, either negative, positive or neutral. The photos or images that accompany articles in the newspapers or magazines help to support what the writer is saying by providing the viewers with a biased approach to the issue.

5 Key Components of Great Feature Stories

5 Key Components of Great Feature Stories Hard-news stories are typically an assemblage of facts. Some are better-written than others, but they all exist to fulfill a simple purpose- to convey information. Feature stories convey facts as well, but they also tell the stories of peoples lives. To do that, they must incorporate facets of writing often not found in news stories, ones often associated with fiction writing. A Great Lede A feature lede can set a scene, describe a place or tell a story. Whatever approach is used, the lede must grab the readers attention and pull them into the story. Heres a lede from a New York Times story about former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer and his meetings with a prostitute in a posh Washington hotel: It was after 9 on the night before Valentine’s Day when she finally arrived, a young brunette named Kristen. She was 5-foot-5, 105 pounds. Pretty and petite.This was at the Mayflower, one of Washington’s choicer hotels. Her client for the evening, a return customer, had booked Room 871. The money he had promised to pay would cover all expenses: the room, the minibar, room service should they order it, the train ticket that had brought her from New York and, naturally, her time.A 47-page affidavit from an F.B.I. agent investigating a prostitution ring described the man at the hotel as â€Å"Client 9† and included considerable detail about him, the prostitute and his payment methods. But a law enforcement official and another person briefed on the case have identified Client 9 as Eliot Spitzer, the governor of New York. Note how the details- the 5-foot-5 brunette, the room number, the minibar- build a sense of anticipation about the rest of the story. Youre compelled to read more. Description The description sets the scene for the story and brings the people and places in it to life. A good description prompts a reader to create mental images in their mind. Any time you accomplish that, youre engaging the reader in your story. Read this description from a St. Petersburg Times story by Lane DeGregory about a neglected little girl, found in a roach-infested room: She lay on a torn, moldy mattress on the floor. She was curled on her side, long legs tucked into her emaciated chest. Her ribs and collarbone jutted out; one skinny arm was slung over her face; her black hair was matted, crawling with lice. Insect bites, rashes, and sores pocked her skin. Though she looked old enough to be in school, she was naked- except for a swollen diaper. Note the specifics: matted hair, skin pocked with sores, the moldy mattress. The description is both heartbreaking and repulsive, but necessary to convey the horrific conditions the girl endured. Quotes While good quotes are vital for news stories, they are imperative for features. Ideally, a feature story should include only the most colorful and interesting quotes. Everything else should be paraphrased. Look at this example from a New York Times story about the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City in April 1995. In the story, reporter Rick Bragg describes the rubble and the reactions of the firefighters and rescue crews responding to the scene: People could not stop looking at it, particularly the second floor, where a child care center had been.A whole floor, said Randy Woods, a firefighter with Engine No. 7. A whole floor of innocents. Grown-ups, you know, they deserve a lot of the stuff they get. But why the children? What did the children ever do to anybody. Anecdotes Anecdotes are nothing more than very short stories. But in features, they can be incredibly effective in illustrating key points or in bringing people and incidents to life, and theyre often used to construct feature ledes. Heres a good example of an anecdote from a Los Angeles Times story about the skyrocketing cost of fighting wildfires: On the morning of July 4, 2007, ranch hands were fixing a water pipe on private land in a narrow canyon off the road to Zaca Lake, about 15 miles north of Solvang.The temperature was headed toward 100 degrees. Rainfall the previous winter had been among the lowest on record in Southern California. Sparks from a metal grinder jumped into some dry grass. Soon flames were rushing through the brush toward Zaca Ridge.By the next day, nearly 1,000 firefighters were trying to box the fire into a small area. But late that afternoon, the Zaca made a run, moving east into Los Padres National Forest. By July 7, Forest Service officials realized they were facing a potential monster. Note how the writers, Bettina Boxall and Julie Cart, quickly and effectively summarize the genesis of a fire that plays a central role in their story. Background Information Background information sounds like something youd find in a news story, but its equally important in features. All the well-written description and colorful quotes in the world wont suffice if you dont have solid information to back up the point your feature is trying to make. Heres a good example of solid backgrounding from the same Los Angeles Times story about wildfires mentioned above: Wildfire costs are busting the Forest Service budget. A decade ago, the agency spent $307 million on fire suppression. Last year, it spent $1.37 billion.Fire is chewing through so much Forest Service money that Congress is considering a separate federal account to cover the cost of catastrophic blazes.In California, state wildfire spending has shot up 150% in the last decade, to more than $1 billion a year. Note how the writers marshal their facts to clearly and unequivocally make their point: The cost of fighting wildfires is rising dramatically.

How to Structure a Presentation on Online Education

How to Structure a Presentation on Online Education Creating a presentation on online education is a task that requires an in depth understanding of your subject matter, as well as the audience your presentation is aimed at. To understand your subject matter, extensive reading and an ability to use available statistics on e-learning to make inferences is very important. I also believe that an understanding of how to use graphs, infographics and charts within a presentation is a necessary knowledge needed to structure a presentation on online education due to the numerous data that makes up this subject matter. Unless, you are Steve Jobs talking about Apples new product, your presentation will have a limited time frame and it is important you have a structure that keeps your audience focused on your discussions on online education. So it is imperative to structure the presentation to fit into a 30 minute frame while touching all your salient points and this is how to achieve this. Map Out a Concise Introduction Your introduction should focus on online education, the importance of e-learning around why it should be discussed or considered as a viable solution to the problems with traditional places of education. The introduction phase should not exceed more than 5 minutes of your allotted presentation time and it shouldnt take more than the first two pages of your presentation if using PowerPoint slide. Enrich the Presentation with Graphics When talking about online education and its impact, 30 minutes isnt enough time to touch on all areas of your subject matter. Here, the use of infographics, charts and will pass your message across in record time. This will also give you the extra time needed to talk more about your position on online education. The main body of your presentation should be structured in such a way that it raises a question or states a fact and the preceding sections should focus on answering the questions raised   or arguing intelligently on the meaning of the presented facts. The presentation time for the main body shouldnt exceed 25 minutes so you do not lose your audience. Conclusions Should Be Brief Once you have intelligently answered the questions raised, ensure you conclude by stating why the presentation was necessary and clarify or restate your findings. The conclusion shouldnt take more than 3 to 5 minutes and has to contained in a single sheet. These are the steps to consider when creating a presentation on online education in other to present your facts in a structured manner that will keep your audience focused throughout its duration. If you haven’t already, check out these 10 facts for presentation on online education, as well as our 20 selected subtopics and a sample essay.

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Assignment Example Prodcts and Services LUBRICANTS ADNOC Distribution is one of the key suppliers of lubricants worldwide. The lubricants manufactured, marketed and distributed by ADNOC varies from engine oils, industrial, marine and hydraulic lubricants, and highly specialized oils and greases. As with all products, ADNOC’s lubricants are formulated to meet the highest quality level as prescribed by the international bodies such as international institutions such as the American Petroleum Institute (API), the US Military Authorities, the British Defense Force (DEF/STAN) and the Committee of European Engine Manufacturers (CCMC). ADNOC Distribution has operated a state-of-the-art lubricants testing, blending and packaging plant since 1979. ADNOC Distribution’s lubricant operation is regarded as one of the best blending and packaging plants in the region. AVIATION SERVICES ADNOC Distribution supplies fuels and services, to the aviation industry. This service is facilitated by its access to an extensive network of production and refinery facilities.   This is further supported by ADNOC’s efficient and reliable network. ... Customers can choose from a full range of octane levels, through its service stations. ADNOC also offers other vehicle services in its service stations. In 2000, ADNOC added Oasis Convenience Stores facility in its service stations, to provide value-addition. ADNOC has also recognized growing consumer interest in cleaner and environmental friendly fuels such as natural gas. ADNOC is in the process of developing a comprehensive network of natural gas pipelines throughout the city of Abu Dhabi, which will ensure a reliable delivery method directly to consumer’s homes and offices. (ADNOC Distribution Website) ADNOC – Vision and Mission The falcon in the emblem of ADNOC represents its noble vision of confidence, leadership, reliability, pride, alertness, responsiveness, and dynamism. As stated in its Mission statement (ADNOC Distribution Company Profile 2007: pp27) – ADNOC Distribution’s mission is to become the region’s leader in the marketing and dist ribution of refined petroleum products and associated services through: †¢ Respected earnings for our shareholders. †¢ Service excellence to our customers. †¢ Development and involvement of employees. †¢ Operational excellence in our business processes. To achieve our mission, we will constantly seek growth opportunities while respecting our core values and business ethics. ADNOC The Organization ADNOC is organized under a General Manager, into three separate divisions of Commercial, Operations and Service Support, each headed by an Assistant General Manager. While the Commercial division includes Sales & Marketing, Public Relations and Call center, Operations include HSE (See later ADNOC initiatives), Service

Analysis of Case studies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis of Case studies - Research Paper Example While they had previously taken an active approach to advertising their nursing formulas, they now stepped back and adopted an approach that was basically hands off. The official statement in these regards reads, â€Å"Nestle leaves the recommendation of appropriate breast-milk substitutes to health professionals and for almost 20 years has stopped all promotion of infant formula to the public.† In terms of theoretical perspectives one notes that Nestle has shifted from a semiotic understanding of consumers as entirely alien to one wherein they represent While Nestle has taken a hands-off approach to advertising its formula, the fact remains that the products still exist. In these regards, one must consider that there may be an element of moral deafness occurring. This is the theoretical perspective wherein members of a company neglect the immoral aspects of the company for a variety of socially conditioned reasons. This is a highly complex issue that would require insight fro m medicine and health professionals to determine the extent that consuming nursing formulas over breast-feeding represents a significant health risk. From a cursory perspective, it seems that there are viable reasons for the existence of milk formula and that its production alone does not count as an element of moral deafness. ... the accusation that McDonalds had duped customers into believing that their French fries were vegetarian, when in actuality that included beef extract. This controversy sparked off outrage throughout the world, most markedly in India where vegetarianism is not simply matter of personal or political choice, but of religious significance. McDonalds was targeted with a multi-billion dollar class action lawsuit that contended the company had purposely been deceitful in this process. When examining the issue in terms of contemporary communication theory a number of insights can be articulated in regards to how McDonald’s handled the situation. The major theoretical lens through which this issue can be understood examines it in terms of noise; in large, part this is represented through the encoder, message, channel, decoder spectrum of understanding. Where along the lines McDonald’s message was either purposely obfuscated, or structured in such a way that it signification was misunderstood by individuals along the path of codification. In large part, McDonald’s took a clear and direct approach to its handling of the situation. Rather than attempting to cover up the incident or denying that it occurred McDonald’s issue a clear and direct apology to those concerned with the incident. The apology outlined in detail McDonald’s production process, including demonstrating that in certain areas beef products were utilized in production; however, in Middle Eastern countries and India, where the utilization of beef products was of primary concern they were not utilized. In addition to the effectiveness of the communication response that was implemented, McDonald’s also utilized adequate financial incentives to back up its apology. In these regards, nearly $10 million