To what extent is the media independent of state Essay Example

To what extent is the media independent of state? Essay The dependency between government and media is a contentious issue in contemporary times. The media, once termed the Fourth Estate due to the unique role it plays in society, is supposed to be the conscience of the First Estate, namely the government. Yet, a simple analysis of the functioning of media organizations makes obvious that its role had deviated from the purported ideal. Rather than serving the interests of the general public, the media is shown to serve vested interests of the powers that be. The object of this essay is to ascertain the magnitude of such deviances from ethical journalism. Scholarly sources are perused in the process to provide supporting evidence. In any critical discussion of modern geo-polity, the word ‘propaganda’ finds recurrent mention. This is nowhere truer than in discussions about the policies and actions of the world’s only superpower, the United States of America. In his book, ‘Managing Public Opinion: The Corporate Offensive’, Alex Carey says that in the United States, â€Å"great progress had been made towards the ideal of a propaganda-managed democracy, whose principal aim was to identify a rapacious business state with every cherished human value† (Pilger, 2005). If the objective of this propaganda framework is met, then notions of democracy and individual franchise will be overwhelmed by constructs of the public relations industry in the form of advertisements and business-controlled news. Carey goes on to say that it will not be long before other functioning democracies adopt this model of control, which essentially negates institutions of democracy. In essence, Alex Care y is suggesting that in the United States, the media has become subservient to the state (Pilger, 2005). We will write a custom essay sample on To what extent is the media independent of state? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on To what extent is the media independent of state? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on To what extent is the media independent of state? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The state of mass media in Britain, as in other modern democracies, should be also be gauged in the context of its participation in ideological propaganda. Ideology as a sociological term has been interpreted in many different ways. But the following is an approximate definition of the term: Any system of beliefs, values and habits that are based on a particular political or religious school of thought. Media in general and Television in particular has always been used to propagate ideologies. Although the word â€Å"ideology† has come to carry negative connotations, the propagated ideas need not necessarily be detrimental to the interests of the audience (Payne, 2005, p. 81). A very good example of this positive use of ideology is the British government run propaganda machinery during the First World War. As the strength of the British army grew weak in confronting an imposing German hostility, the military administration had to resort to Conscription as a means of restoring its strength. But a glimpse at the history of media in the backdrop of public administration and consumerism will show that the positive application of ideological propaganda is an exception than the rule. Empirical studies show that instances when the media and the state collaborate on a project, the consequences are unfavourable for the general public. For most part, the conservative owners of leading media houses want to ‘preach their viewers what is good conduct and what is not. The way they do it is by ‘showing’ what acceptable conduct is. While the merits and demerits of their beliefs are subject to debate, their role as the moral custodians of society is highly objectionable. The worrying aspect of this subtle coercion of values into the citizenry is that the viewers are not even aware of it, which makes them vulnerable to ideological indoctrination (New Statesman, July 24, 2000, p. 129). A key talking point amongst the intelligentsia is the dangers posed by lack of diversity and representation in the mainstream media’s coverage. The phenomena of media concentration, which has seen greater consolidation in the last decade, gives rise to production of news content that serves the interests of select media elite. This concentration of power in the hands of large media conglomerates makes it easy for them to set the political agenda on the national scale as exemplified by Rupert Murdoch’s near monopoly ownership of media space in Britain. In fact, when Tony Blair first came to power in 1997 his first foreign visit was to Australia to have a one-on-one conversation with Mr. Murdoch. Irrespective of the official rhetoric, this gesture on part of Mr. Blair can only be construed as an informal pact of media-state cooperation in the subsequent years of New Labour rule. It is no surprise then that the issues that media coverage, in general, is infested with their personal biases, prejudices and interests. The general public, made helpless by this system, are presented a narrow political agenda that holds no real significance for them (Eldridge, Kitzinger Williams, 1997, p. 27). In other words, while the media has the power to elicit a policy response from the government, the outcomes tend to benefit the media elite and ruling classes rather than people. Only a few news stories get picked for publication/broadcast among numerous other pieces competing for the same space/time. The journalists in charge of deciding the news content are subject to personal biases, external coercion (both implicit and explicit) and other constraints that influence their decision making. For these reasons, there are only a minority of journalists who adhere to standards of objectivity and professional integrity, while the rest succumb to various pressures consciously or otherwise. This decline in journalistic ethos is seen across geo-political entities and cultu res, making it a cause of concern for all (Eldridge, Kitzinger Williams, 1997, p. 28). While media industries across geo-political entities have similarities, no two media organization operates in the same environment. To this extent one cannot draw sweeping generalizations with respect to ascertaining the independence or the lack of it in the media industry. Not only is the difference induced by realities of individual nation-states, but they are also demarcated by political transformation from within. A case in point is Eastern Europe, whose constituent nations previously belonged to the Communist bloc of the Soviet Union. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union had provided the fledgling democracies of the bloc to form a new media culture. But, as is the usually the case, orthodox media establishments proved difficult to budge even as Eastern European countries are now â€Å"the scene of the gradual disentanglement of the media from structures of the state, a process that, in many other countries, took place already a lon g time ago† (Jakubowicz, 1995, p.128). Even today, authoritarian regimes do exist and they exert strict control over news media establishments. In fact, under these regimes, media is just another agency of the government, as opposed to a neutral one. The classic examples of this model of information dissemination were first witnessed during the Stalinist years post Second World War. In contemporary times, China adopts a similar approach. So do Islamist nations of the Middle East. In the case of the former, â€Å"The Communist Party state sought to achieve unity of power and ownership, that is, absolute power subordinating political, economic, military, ideological, police, and judiciary powers and, of course, the media to a centralized command system of government it controlled†. Although this system is being challenged by a growing number of citizen activists, it is still a far cry from the standards of press freedom seen here in Britain. The erstwhile Communist states â€Å"must retrace the process that began wi th the original battle for liberty of the press in 17thcentury England† (Jakubowicz, 1995, p.127). Furthermore, the functioning of media under the Communist system sought complete subservience of the media, and, as a consequence, instituted the centralized command media system, whose defining characteristics were â€Å"state monopoly of the media (or a ban on opposition media), financial control, administrative control (of appointments, goals, allocation of frequencies and newsprint, monopoly of press distribution), prepublication political censorship (leading to self-censorship), laws banning critical (â€Å"subversive,† â€Å"seditious†) journalism, and barriers to international information flows (jamming of foreign radio stations, bans on imports and distribution of foreign newspapers, periodicals, books, etc.). The media fulfilled for the state the hegemonic functions of dominance, ideological homogenization of the audience, and reproduction of the existing social order.† (Jakubowicz, 1995, p.125) While the media-state relations might not be so intertwined in modern capitalist democracies, here too the government-media nexus exists, but from a subtler government-business community of interests. This is particularly true in capitalist societies, whereas it is less blatant in nations with a socialist tradition. Even in Britain, whose public representatives believe that they are at the forefront of democratic principles, the mutual dependency between government and business enterprises is quite obvious. Since mainstream media is only one manifestation of the larger corporate world, it is established by deduction that the government and media are dependent upon one another. To cite a popular example, the radio series Absolute Power, starring Stephen Fry and Mark Tavener, which featured in BBC Radio4 during the Blair years, is a humorous expose on the media’s ulterior motive. The lead characters in the series – Charles Prentice and Martin McCabe – play the role of partners and directors of the company Prentice-McCabe, which specializes in ‘Government-Media’ relations. The reality is not much different from this humorous take on the media. Across the Atlantic, for example, a thorough investigation of news and public affairs programming by the media watchdog group FAIR revealed that â€Å"the voice of business on television was much louder than all others even on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). More than one-third of all on-camera sources were representatives of corporate America or Wall Street. Corporate influence pervades nearly every aspect of society – from simple things, like our daily diet and the clothes we wear, to matters of larger scale, like the way we communicate with each other† (Gerbner, 2001, p.186).

Using Narture Efficiently essays

Using Narture Efficiently essays Using Nature Efficiently Mans relationship and treatment of nature, in terms of the outdoors, has changed dramatically over time. This change has been almost directly related to how man relies on nature to survive. The problem has been deciding if our treatment of nature is appropriate and fair to all of which nature impacts. Do humans have the right to use nature in a way that meets our needs and wants, but takes away from those of animals? Humans relationship and treatment of nature should correspond to our societys needs and goals, taking from nature only what we need and trying to address the needs of everyone affected. Our societys increased urbanizations and industrialization worldwide has decreased our direct dependency on nature to survive. In turn, our relationship with nature has changed dramatically. Barry Lopez is a writer known for his nature essays. In The American Geographies, he describes this change of dependency by saying, it has only been in the last few hundred years or so that a people could afford to ignore their local geographies as completely as we do and still survive (152). This quote emphasizes the lack of a personal relationship with nature that most of us possess today. A thousand years ago, man used the earth to attain all needs for survival; food, clothing, and shelter were all derived from pure forms of nature unaltered by any synthetic processes that we use today. They grew all of their food and made shelters and clothing from natural substances using tools made of elements found directly in nature. But they still used and took from nature what they needed to sur vive, just in a different way than we do today. These people of ancient times used nature in a respectable way, taking only what they needed to survive and leaving plenty for the natural environment around them. But their small population and nomadic lifestyl...

The Pros and Cons of Teaching in Block Schedules

The Pros and Cons of Teaching in Block Schedules Education is full of ideas like year-round schooling, vouchers, and block scheduling, so its important for administrators and educators to look at the pros and cons of an idea before implementing it. Strategies for one popular idea, block schedules, can  help make the transition easier and more effective. In block scheduling- unlike a traditional school day that typically has six 50-minute classes- the school might schedule two traditional days a week, with six 50-minute classes, and three nontraditional days, with only four classes that meet for 80 minutes each. Another type of block schedule that many schools use is called the 4X4 schedule, where students take four classes instead of six each quarter. Each yearlong class only meets for one semester. Each semester class only meets for a quarter. There are pros and cons to block schedules compared to traditional school scheduling. Block Scheduling Pros In block scheduling, a teacher sees fewer students during the day, thereby giving him or her the ability to spend more time with each one. Because of the increased span of teaching time, longer cooperative learning activities can be completed in one class period. There is more time for labs in science classes. Students also have less information to deal with during each school day, but over the course of a semester or quarter, they can delve more deeply into the curriculum of four classes, instead of six. Because of the decreased number of classes, students also have less homework on any given day. The teacher is able to provide more varied instruction during class, and he may find it easier to deal with students with disabilities and different learning styles. Planning periods are longer, allowing educators to spend more time preparing for classes and doing the administrative work required for teaching, such as grading, contacting parents, and meeting with fellow teachers. Block Scheduling Cons In a block schedule, teachers typically only see students four times a week- such as Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday- which means that students lose continuity on the days they dont see a given teacher. If a student misses a day under the block schedule, he is actually missing the equivalent of nearly two days compared to the traditional 50-minute-class schedule. No matter how well planned, on many days, the teacher can end up with 10 to 15 minutes of extra time, where students often begin their homework. When all of this time is added up at the end of the semester, the teacher covers less information and curriculum. In the 4X4 schedule, the teacher has to cover all of the required information in one quarter. In an economics class at a typical high school, for example, if the quarter happens to be during football season and while homecoming is occurring, the teacher can lose valuable class time due to interruptions. In the 4X4 schedule, it is especially difficult to cover the necessary material for Advanced Placement courses in the time allotted. To compensate, many schools have to extend United States history so that it is a two-part course and lasts the entire year in order for the teacher to cover all of the required material. Strategies for Teaching Under the Block Schedule When used in the proper setting with the right students and a well-prepared teacher, block scheduling can be very useful. However, schools need to keep a close eye on such things as test scores and discipline problems to see if the schedule has any noticeable effect. In the end, it is important to remember that good teachers are just that; regardless of what schedule they teach under, they adapt. Though block schedule classes are longer than traditional class periods,  lecturing  for 80 minutes will likely cause any teacher to become hoarse over the course of a few days and possibly lose the attention of students, resulting in decreased learning.  Instead,  teachers should vary their instruction in a block schedule, using teaching techniques such as debates,  whole group discussions, role-plays, simulations, and other  cooperative learning activities. Other strategies for block schedule teaching include: Engaging Howard Gardners  multiple intelligences  and tapping into varying the learning modalities, such as kinesthetic,  visual, or  auditory. This can help a teacher keep up the interest and attention of students.Having two or three  mini-lessons  on hand to fill any extra time in case the lesson plan doesnt take the full block schedule period.Taking full advantage of the time allotted to institute projects that can be difficult to complete in shorter class periods.Doing a review of material from previous lessons. This is especially important in block schedule formats where students dont see the teacher every day. In a block schedule, a teacher need not feel he or she has to be the center of attention at all times during the class period. Giving students independent work and allowing them to work in groups are good strategies for these longer class periods. Block schedules can be very taxing on a teacher, and its important to use strategies to manage teacher burnout since educators are the glue that holds block schedules together.

Foreign Exchange Risk Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Foreign Exchange Risk - Case Study Example Another option to mitigate foreign exchange risk is the adaptation of foreign exchange services from a foreign currency exchange specialist. These specialists include the Canadian Forex and local banks in Canada. These experts will help reduce the risks associated with frequent transfers from Canadian dollars to the US dollar. This is done by entering into Canadian dollars earlier, and banks will only convert it during the payment period, so there will be no risk. The final and recommended option for mitigating risks is the purchase of foreign exchange contracts. In this case, Alliance will pay more cash than required to cover the costs of mitigation. This will cover any risk that may occur between the time when the money was deposited and the time of payment for the equipment to the supplier. For example, the price of equipment is $ 500,000, when the exchange rate is C $ 1.00 = U S 1.00. If the Alliance does not use the forward exchange contract and the payment time occurs when the exchange rate has moved by C $ 1.00 = 0.95 US dollars, then the Alliance will have to pay 526315 as the final price. This is $ 26,315 more than the original amount. But when the Alliance decides to buy a forward foreign exchange contract and which they decide with the bank to be one percent of the amount of Equipment, then the Alliance will have to pay 505,000. Therefore, the design concepts of the alliance will not worry about fluctuations in the exchange rate. They will save more than 21,000 US dollars.

Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Project Management - Essay Example There must be a staunch and dedicated leader, behind the excellence of any initiated project within the society. All the benefits behind the projects emanates from good leadership. I would want to be a team leader in the community development funds board to help in the coordination and initiation of community based development projects. The project management can help in the achieving my goals. It will enable me to schedule my entire project plan and tackle them chronologically to achieve the predefined goals. The project management would equip me with required management skills for the success of a project in progress. As project leader, I would ensure that all the key plans for success are in control. For example, clarification of the objectives, before the start of the project, it must be subject to review by the team leaders. Development of the plan would help in managing the project in phases, making it easy to accomplish a bigger task in smaller bits (Carroll 10). The risk management plans enable the planning and implementation of precautionary measures that can inhibit the smooth evolution of the proposed project. I would engage in management and motivation of team members to ensure team cohesion in achieving the goals. Effective leadership demands four types of intelligence including intellectual, physical, emotional, and spiritual intelligence to institutionalize moral

Honor Thy Children Essay Example for Free

Honor Thy Children Essay Overall the book Honor Thy Children by Molly Fumia was great. There were points in this book that just tugged at my heart. For example when the Nakatani’s found out that their middle son Greg was shot and killed. There were also points in this book that I felt if I had been in their position, I would be in a great deal of pain and misery and would not know how to work through all that had happened. I thought that Al and Jane were brave parents to endure the deaths of their three sons. This book by far was the most interesting non-fiction book I have read. This book would move the heart of any person that read it. The best thing about this book by far is how the parents have persevered throughout all these events that has happened to their family. From the running away of Glen, the murder of their son Greg, the finding out that their sons Glen and Guy were gay and their contraction of HIV, and also the death of them. They had to have heavy hearts after all of this happened, and yet they still go through all the HIV campaigning to show us how dangerous this disease is. A thing I did not like about this book is that there were very little happy things that happened to this family. I also thought that it was hard to keep track of the Nakatanis children because all of their names were so similar. If I were to grade this book, I would give it an A++ because this is a very good book and shows that humans have the will to push through any obstacle. Even though they have gone through all of that God did not give them a break and show them mercy. Despite their hard troubles, they pushed through all the sadness and despair and turned it around to help other people not make the same mistakes as them. This would definitely be a book I would recommend to people because there are very good life lessons in it. For instance, there is a limit to strict parenting, choosing your words correctly (Greg), and when faced with the worst of situations there is always something you can do about it. It also demonstrates that when a child is is pain and dying, parents always want to try and help to do what’s best for them, even at the expense of their own self. I think this book would be for ages 15 and up because there are things that would be hard to understand for someone of a young age. Also I feel that the person reading it should have some respect for gays, lesbians, etc. otherwise reading this book would be pointless. The book and movie were great to say the least. It taught me to accept who you are and that death is not the end. Memories can carry on and teach others how to deal with the loss of your loved ones. This book allowed me to take a glimpse into the Nakatani’s life and how they dealt with the loss and the grief that followed. Honor Thy Children taught me that no matter what life throws at you there are always ways to overcome these challenges. The thing I thought was most interesting was Guy will to go out to speak even while confined to a wheelchair. He had the courage to go out in the state he was in and speak. The person I identify most with in this story would be Greg. I identify with Greg the most because he was the middle son, a macho, speak his mind kind of person. The person I would identify least with would be Guy. I identify least with him because if I had gotten HIV and knew I was dying I would probably hate the world and seclude myself and not really try to do anything. This book did not really impact my life because even though it was a great book, it did not really apply that much to my life. I think that, because I have not had something similar happen to me, I have no gay or lesbian friends and I also do not know anyone with a serious disease. I think that the only things that would apply to me would be the Asian/Hawaiian culture, the dealing with the death of a loved one, and parenting. Their culture is exactly like mine because I am Japanese and I was born and raised in Hawaii. In our culture we are taught to respect your elders and listen to them. I also felt that the Nakatani’s dealt with the death of their sons better than I would have. When my brother and grandparents died I had a hard time and at some points I went through a period of depression that lasted a month in which I did not attend. It made me feel that I should have been a better grandchild and brother because I caused them a lot of trouble. The parenting part got to me because I was lucky that my parents, who were somewhat strict, were not as strict as the Nakatani’s. This helped me learn to appreciate my parents more.

The Magic of The Coral :: Music Band Musical Essays

The Magic of The Coral The Coral fly under the radar of popular mainstream music in America: less marketed than Australian rock band and Strokes-sound-a-likes Jet, The Coral are probably slightly less-known than The Shins, perhaps on the same level as British Sea Power. But The Coral needn’t worry. Those who know them like them, and want to spread the word (despite the good feeling of discovering a band that is a gem of a secret). I first discovered The Coral about a year ago—I saw they had been on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and their CD was $10. It turned out to be a great CD—and I then knew of a great British band that my father (in England) didn’t become familiar with until about ten months later. The Coral are six young men from Liverpool, England: brothers James (vocal and guitar) and Ian (drums) Skelly, Nick Power (piano, organ and vocals), Lee Southall (guitar and vocals), Paul Duffy (bass and vocals), and Bill Ryder-Jones (guitar and trumpet). Ian Skelly, Southall, Duffy and Ryder-Jones are all the tender age of 19, Power is 20, and older sibling James Skelly is the oldest at 22. For a band of younguns their sound is so well-developed and unique—psychedelic folk-rock with a little Britpop—and comes from the distinctive twang of Southall’s guitar and singer Skelly’s distinguishing, strong vocals and lyrics that unfold like a story. With the release of their self-titled debut album, The Coral established themselves as a talented young band that would only get better with time. Their second CD, Magic and Medicine, confirms that. While their sound has matured, they haven’t lost any of the whimsy or frivolity that works so well for them . The first song, â€Å"In The Forest,† isn’t as striking as the first CD’s opener, â€Å"Spanish Main.† However, it picks up with more standard Coral-type numbers like â€Å"Don’t Think You’re The First,† â€Å"Talkin’ Gypsy Market Blues,† and especially â€Å"Bill McCai.† I’ve found The Coral are great storytellers: some of their songs are about fictional events that develop over years, and—in the case of â€Å"Bill McCai†Ã¢â‚¬â€the undoing of a man unhappy in his life. â€Å"Bill McCai† mirrors exactly the first CD’s â€Å"Simon Diamond,† about a man who was so fed up with his life that he turned himself into a tree.

Economic Growth in Cameroon

Background Information Notwithstanding the secular decline in real GDP experienced during the period 1987-93, the Cameroonian economy remains one of the largest in the CFA franc zone, with a GDP of about $9 billion in 1996. Compared with other sub-sharan African countries, Cameroon has one of the most diversified production and resource bases, as it produces and exports a broad range of commodities.Cameroon is a net oil exporter; oil production, although declinging steadily since 1986, still amounted to 37 million metric tons in 1996 and represented 8% of GDP. Nevertheless, agriculture has remained the mainstay of the economy and employs over 70% of the labor force. The recent history of cameroon’s economic and social development is characterized by two sharply diverging periods in economic performance.Most of the period from independence in 1960 to 1986 was characterized by fiscal balance, a rising investment-GDP ratio, rising human capital stock, and expanding real GDP. In c ontrast, the period 1987-93 was marked by declining terms of trade, deteriorating external competitiveness, a declining investment –GDP ratio, stagnating or declining human capital stock, rising fiscal imbalances, and shrinking output. Problem statementSince independence, private investment is creating employment, improving infrastructure and improving living standards of Cameroonians. Cameroon being a developing country with low income rates, unemployment, poverty, and under exploitation of natural resources, is a clear prove that the government incapable of meeting or giving Cameroon a favorable economic growth. This incapability of the government to give Cameroon a favorable economic growth, makes the government to leave out most of its companies for private investment, such as SONEL.Moreover most of Cameroonian important companies are run and own by private investors such as PILCAM,UNALOR,BOCOM,EURO OIL, and CONGELCAM just to name a few, that has led to the economic growt h of Cameroon. Romer’s (1986) model assumes that technological change is endogenous and that private investment raises the level of technology for the whole economy. In this model increases in private investment raise growth in the steady-state.This study contributes to the empirical growth literature in three ways. First, economic growth is analyzed for an individual country-Cameroon-with data covering form 1960 till date. In addition , an investigation of the growth determinants for Cameroonian economy and focus on the institutional and historical aspects of the country. Secondly, the contributions of private and government investments to the growth of the Cameroonian economy investigated.Thirdly, following the endogenous growth models by Lucas (1988), becker, Murphy and tamura(1990) and romer(1990), the role of human capital is investigated. The robustness of the effect of private investment on growth is examined by including variables related to monetary and fiscal polici es, external competitiveness, the terms of trade, and the influence of the oil sector. Objectives The main objectives of this research is to investigate the role of private investment in the economic development of the Cameroonian economy.The specific objectives of the study are * Identify the problems of economic growth in Cameroon * Assess private investment as an engine to economic growth * Make necessary recommendations Hypothesis Here, we are going to see if private investment actually enhance economic growth in Cameroon, we are going to use 2 types of hypothesis which are the null and the alternative hypothesis * Ho: private investment is an engine to economic growth in Cameroon H1: private investment is not an engine to economic growth in Cameroon. Significance Of The Study. The research carried out on the role of private investment in the economic development of Cameroon has its significance in 5 areas which are; * Africa as a whole; with the slow rate of economic growth is Africa, this research will help African leader to encourage and enable private investment in their economy since as it is the main backbone to economic growth. The Cameroonian society; this project will help many Cameroonians who are naive about the growth of the Cameroonian economy, to know the main reasons for its slow rate and what they need to do to improve on the economy. * The government; this project will help the government to better strategise in encouraging foreign and domestic investors, by reducing tax rates and interest rates, which will enhance economic growth. This project will serve as a resource base to students, who wish to carry out research in this field and better still inspire them to focus on investment given the low rate of employment in Cameroon. Limitations of study This area of is in Cameroon in general and the littoral region (douala) in particular. It does not extend to other areas due to the fact that there is inadequate timing and also, most private in vestments will not like to reveal all of their information to the researcher, thereby making it difficult for the researcher.

Disorderly Sleeping

Disorderly Sleeping Ethane Mesa-Morale's Franklin University Morning person? Night owl? Something in between? When are you at your best? Vie found that no matter the hour of day, I am the best me I can be after a good nights' sleep. Sleep a wonderful state of unconsciousness after shopping at the mall with a four year, a five year old, a six year old, and a 7 year old. Let's face it for some of us sleep is a luxury, better than a day at the spa, but the reasoning behind sleep and the various disorders, damages and wonders it can cause are a mystery to even the brightest scientific minds.What do we really know about the all-powerful world of sleep? We know that we should sleep at least 8 of every 24 hours. We know that there are 24 hours in a day and we know that it takes the earth 24 hours to rotate. (Rather, 100) Coincidence? I think not. The earth turns too circadian rhythm or cycle that is connected with the twenty four hour period of the earth's rotation, but we don't know why. F or now this remains one of the great mysteries of the universe, literally. So, what happens when we sleep? During most of our day, we are awake, conscious of the world around us.Once a body realizes it is tired, the natural reaction is to relax. As our bodies begin to get drowsy our consciousness or awareness begins to slip away into the unconscious state of sleep. We are then in whole new world. One where there are five progressive stages of unconsciousness. Four stages of NORM (non- rapid eye movement sleep) and ERM (rapid eye movement) sleep. In stage one of NORM, our bodies assisted by slowed brain waves that create a theta pattern, which have a frequency of about 6 to 8 cycles per second and are accompanied by slow, rolling eyes.Stage one is the lightest stage of sleep, and could also be considered dozing. In stage 2 of NORM sleep, brain waves slow Just a bit at 4 to 7 cycles per second. Stages 3 and 4 are considered the deep sleep stages and produce brain waves called delta th at cycle approximately 0. 5 to 2 times per second. (Rather, 101) It is at this time when it gets interesting. One would think after stage 4, there would be a transfer into ERM sleep, which is said to be the deepest sleep of all. This doesn't happen.The cycle is then reversed and from stage four we go cycle back though stages 3, 2, and 1. Upon returning to stage 1, we then fall into ERM sleep. Therefore it would be logical to conclude that while ERM sleep is much deeper than stage 1 sleep, the brain waves are extremely similar. The difference here would be in the amplitude of the brain waves and the rapidity of eye movement. During ERM sleep, our eyes tend to dart around rapidly as if searching for something lost that is urgently needed. Earlier we determined that sleep is necessary to function at 100%.Unfortunately, there are problems related to sleep that can interfere with our ability to function at inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, narcolepsy also, known as sleep attacks, pane, sleep terrors, bed-wetting and sleepwalking. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder affecting approximately 2/g's of adults each year. Pane is a sleep disorder in which an affected patient stops breathing often several hundred times a night. Sleep terrors are similar to nightmares but are extremely terrifying and interrupt sleep. Both bed-wetting and sleep-walking are both thought to end with maturity although, have been known to happen well into adulthood.Narcolepsy, while being a sleep disorder does not happen while you are asleep, instead it makes you fall asleep suddenly with no warning while you appear to be wide awake. It is a dangerous disorder and can cause various accidents including loss of life or limb. It is said that Abnormalities in the hypothetic system may be responsible for the daytime sleepiness and abnormal ERM sleep found in narcolepsy. (Chunk) It can often go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years delaying treatment and preventing a cure. Once it has been corr ectly diagnosed, Amphetamines can be used in treatment.It is also suggested that regular exercise and exposure to bright eight be used for alertness in combination with alertness medicines prescribed by a physician. Sleeping disorders come in all shapes and sizes, and affect the smallest of children to the oldest of adults. For example, currently the sleep disorder in my family, and that of many families with young children is befitting. My son, who is four, Just can't seem to get up and get to the bathroom in time. The remedy in our house at the present time is to attempt to wake him up around 2 or 3 in the morning, unfortunately we don't always get to him before, well the you know, happens.Previously Vie had issues with sleep pane due to a medication given to me in the hospital. I was constantly monitored by nurses, who would constantly wake me to give me breathing treatments. Fortunately, insomnia is not a non-issue until about 7 am on Saturday and my darling devils decide it's t ime to play, but I suppose that form of insomnia is not a disorder. References Rather. S. A. (2011). Psych 1 10: Franklin University. Mason, Ohio: Coinage Learning Chunk,J. P. (2010). Narcolepsy. Retrieved from http://www. Medicine. Com/ narcolepsy/article. HTML

MCAT Fee Assistance Program (FAP)

MCAT Fee Assistance Program (FAP) When you find yourself interested in medical school, and as such, the MCAT exam, but also find yourself a little lacking in the funds necessary  to get you there, then the AAMC offers you a way to get what you want without the hefty price tag attached: The Fee Assistance Program or FAP. Below, youll find out the basics about the Fee Assistance Program, the benefits of the program and the ways to obtain assistance if you qualify. Read on for the details before you register! Fee Assistance Basics The AAMC started the Fee Assistance Program to help those students who wanted to apply to medical school with the American Medical School Application Service (AMCAS) or take the MCAT, but couldnt do so because the cost of both was too prohibitive. Medical schools that accept the AMCAS, also decided to help those applicants out, too. Students who have received aid from the AAMC through the Fee Assistance Program, often get their application fees waived, too. Bonus! Benefits So, what exactly is offered with the Fee Assistance Program? Starting on January 2, 2014, recipients of the FAP will get the following: A reduction in the MCAT registration feeA reduction in the MCAT rescheduling fee if it is requiredA free copy of the MCAT prep book, The Official Guide to the MCAT Exam (worth about $30)A free authorization code to The Official MCAT Self-Assessment package (worth about $104).Free admission to MSAR (Medical School Admission Requirements), a suite of guides to help students prepare for medical school and the application process (worth about $22)A waiver for all AMCAS fees for up to 15 medical schools (worth about $650) Please keep in mind that these benefits are not retroactive. For example, if youve taken the MCAT and wish to apply to medical schools and have your fees waived, even if you are accepted into the FAP, your MCAT registration fees will not be refunded. They do, however, last five years. So, if youre thinking of taking the MCAT, but youre unsure about when youd like to apply to medical school, go ahead and apply for FAP if you think youll qualify because you have time to make your decision before your benefits run out. Eligibility With benefits as fantastic as those, obviously, everyone cannot qualify. So, what are the qualifications for the program? The AAMC considers the Department of Health and Human Services poverty level guidelines when making their fee assistance decisions. If your familys income is 300%  or less of the poverty level for the previous year for your family size, then you will be automatically approved for fee assistance. You must also be a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident (LPR) of the United States (Green Card holder), or have been granted refugee/asylum status by the U.S. government. Obtaining Assistance If you believe youre eligible for assistance, then youll need to fill out an FAP application, providing the following information: Personal information: Your financial information (adjusted gross income and non-taxable income). Youll include your spouses financial information if applicable, as well.Parental information: Your parents financial information (adjusted gross income and non-taxable income) regardless of whether youre dependent or not and regardless of your age. The only time you will not provide this information is if your parents are deceased.Supporting documentation: Tax filers must provide a copy of their Federal Income Tax Forms (1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, etc.) for the previous calendar year. Non-tax filers are required to provide copies of W-2 forms for the previous calendar year. Students whose primary source of support was educational aid/scholarships must provide a copy of their Financial Aid Award Letter.Cover letter: You and your parents must print and sign the FAP Supporting Documentation Cover Letter. The AAMC requests that you allow approximately 15 days for final FAP decisions. Submitting Your Application Ready to apply? Complete your FAP application here!

Spanish Beach Vocabulary

Spanish Beach Vocabulary Whats your idea of the perfect vacation? For many people, its spending days on the beach, listening to the waves pounding on the sand. And if youre a beach lover, sooner or later youll find yourself where Spanish is spoken. Before you head out, here is some vocabulary you can become acquainted with.  ¡Buen viaje! la arena - sandla bahà ­a - bayel balnerario - spa, resortel baà ±ador - swimsuit, swimming trunksel bikini, el biquini - bikiniel bloque del sol, el bronceador - sunscreen, suntan lotionel buceo, bucear - diving, to diveel bungalow - bungalowel cayo - key (island)el esnorquel, el esnorkel, buceo con tubo de respiracià ³n - snorkelingla isla - islandel lago - lakenadar - to swimel ocà ©ano - oceanla ola - wavela palapa - beachside building with a grass roofla piscina - swimming poolla playa - beachel puerto - portla puesta de sol - sunsetla sombrilla - beach umbrellael surf, hacer surf - surfing, to surfel traje de baà ±o - swimsuitla vista al mar - sea or ocean view Vocabulary Notes Hacer sustantivo: It is fairly common in Spanish when importing words to use the construction hacer followed by a noun for the verb form. For example, Spanish has imported the word surf as the general word for surfing. To make the verb form, use hacer surf, literally to do surfing. Another common use of this construction can be found frequently on Web pages, where haga clic aquà ­ is used for click here. Nadar: This verb is used in a number of idiomatic phrases. One of the colorful ones is nadar y guardar la ropa, literally to swim and keep ones clothing, translated as to have it both ways or to have ones cake and eat it too. Other common phrases are nadar entre dos aguas, to sit on the fence, and nadar contra corriente, to swim against the current. Wave: When speaking of a wave in the ocean or another body of water, the word ola is used. But when speaking of a wave in hair or in the physics sense, the word onda is used. Thus a microwave oven is un horno de microondas. There is no specific verb for to wave as in waving a hand; common phrases are saludar con la mano for a simple wave of the hand or despedirse de alguià ©n con la mano for waving goodbye.

Why do many small businesses fail Research Paper - 2

Why do many small businesses fail - Research Paper Example opting to launch a new product in the market, while launching a new product it will take various factors such as employment rate, interest rate and rules and regulations set by the government (Dodsworth, 1997, p.1980). The rate of employment will help the organization determine whether the individuals living in the nation have the power to purchase their product or not. If the rate of unemployment is high, individuals will focus on spending less and when individuals focus on spending less, they refrain from trying new products. Due to this all the investment and the finances invested to produce, promote and sell a new [product might go in vain. Secondly, the organization has to ensure that the product they are launching the activities they are going to conduct to launch the product are consistent with the rules and regulations of the country, this is because if the company fails to comply with a nations rules and regulations, it might have to face heavy sanctions and