Main Causes of Pollution in Urban and Rural Areas Essay Example

Main Causes of Pollution in Urban and Rural Areas Paper Over time, land pollution degrades the quality of not only the land in n area where waste is present, but also the quality of things growing in that land. Land pollution contaminates ground water, kills animal and plant species, causes disease and more. One of the major causes of land pollution is industrialization. Mechanized creation of goods sacrifices resource conservation in favor of speedy and inexpensive production. This results in a greater amount of industrial waste which must be disposed of. When it is not disposed of correctly it becomes surface waste and creates land pollution. Another cause of land pollution is chemical treatment of the land. Organic farming is the exception not the rule. Most farmers use harsh chemicals to fertilize their crops, eliminate weeds, kill of pests who pose a threat to the crop and more. The excess chemicals leave waste residue in the land and pollute it-Waste from human activity is, however, the most common cause of pollution. Waste causing pollution is caused by careless disposal of things that are thrown away including littering, and failure to recycle. Many teems go into a landfill which could be recycled and reused to both limit the amount of natural resources used to create synthetic products and reduce the amount of waste in land fills and private dumps creating land pollution. Land pollution is serious because it contributes to other forms of contamination including water and air pollution, as particles from the land pollution work into the water cycle. Limiting or eliminating land pollution improves every aspect of global conservation, and pollution management. This prevents potentially dangerous materials from negatively impacting the global quality of life. We will write a custom essay sample on Main Causes of Pollution in Urban and Rural Areas specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Main Causes of Pollution in Urban and Rural Areas specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Main Causes of Pollution in Urban and Rural Areas specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

3 Ways Your Resume Should Differ From Your LinkedIn Resume

3 Ways Your Resume Should Differ From Your LinkedIn Resume It used to be totally standard to make your LinkedIn profile more or less a verbatim copy of your resume. Those days are over, given the incredible amount of recruiting traffic on LinkedIn and how most recruiters are looking at attractive candidates before even requesting resumes. If you want to stand out from the crowd, you’ll have to have some unique content on your LinkedIn profile. Here are three key ways to make your LinkedIn profile pop- and differentiate it from your resume itself.1. Beef Up Your LinkedIn HeadlineRather than making your default headline your current job title, put up something more general that is chock full of the kinds of keywords hiring managers would be most likely to search for. Remember to tailor your resume headline to whichever job you’re applying for (and try not to be too industry specific- you’ll be more immediately appealing to a broader range of recruiters).2.  Change up Your Tone for Each FormatYour resume should  have a fairly formal tone, with clean language and  clear, brief, to-the-point information. Avoid using â€Å"I† when possible. By contrast, your LinkedIn profile should be a bit more conversational- as though you were having a chat with your readers. Try and mimic the way you speak as you write your profile.3.  Pare Down Your Resume SummaryYour resume summary should be as brief as possible- as efficiently worded as a newspaper lead: no more than three or four sentences and packing a sweet punch. Your LinkedIn profile summary, on the other hand, gives you a whopping 2,000 characters to work with. Max that space out to really converse with your reader. You could even consider adding a list of skimmable skills, a few career highlights, or your contact information.Remember, the different and broader space in LinkedIn gives you a great opportunity to help you to stand out- and to help you look like a fuller, better package- even when your resume gets around. Maximize what you are gi ven and beat the competition!

Iris, the Greek Goddess

Iris, the Greek Goddess Iris was a swift messenger goddess in Greek mythology and a popular subject for vase painting, but better known as the goddess of the rainbow because Hermes (Mercury) is known as the messenger god. Iris is shown with wings, a (kerykeion) heralds staff, and a pitcher of water. She is a beautiful young woman described as wearing a multi-hued gown. Family of Origin Thaumas, son of the sea (Pontos), and Elektra, an Oceanid, are possible parents of Iris. Her sisters are the Harpiea Aello and Okypetes. In Early Greek Myth. Timothy Gantz (Early Greek Myth, 1993) says a fragment of Alcaeus (327 LP) says Iris mated with the west wind, Zephyros, to become the mother of Eros. Iris in Roman Mythology In the Aeneid, Book 9, Hera (Juno) sends Iris to incite Turnus to attack the Trojans. In Metamorphoses Book XI, Ovid shows Iris in her rainbow-hued gown serving as a messenger goddess for Hera. The Homeric Epics Iris appears in the Odyssey when Zeus sends her to convey his orders to the other gods and to mortals, when Hera sends her to Achilles. Iris also appears when she seems to act on her own to convey information while appearing disguised as a human- unlike the other times. Iris also helps a wounded Aphrodite from the battlefield and to carry Achilles prayer to Zephyros and Boreas. Iris seems to have revealed to Menelaus the fact that his wife, Helen, left with Paris in the Kypria. In the Homeric Hymns, Iris serves as ​a  messenger  to bring Eileithuia to help with Letos delivery and to bring Demeter to Olympus to deal with famine. Iris and the River Styx According to the Greek poet, Hesiod, Iris went to the Styx to bring water back for another god to swear an oath by.

What motivated people to use recreational drugs in the 1960 Essay

What motivated people to use recreational drugs in the 1960 - Essay Example The 1960s is known by many as the period when the youth rebelled against the government and strived to attain harmony, love, and peace (Iversen 210). The 1960s was also a period when numerous young people experimented with different kinds of drugs. This essay tries to answer this research question: what motivated people to use recreational drugs in the 1960s? Recreational drug is defined as any substance â€Å"taken on an occasional basis for enjoyment, especially when socializing† (Earleywine 54). Recreational drugs include a broad array of hallucinogenic and narcotic substances. The term also includes heroin, cocaine, phencyclidine (PCP), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), amphetamines, barbiturates, alcohol, and caffeine. The use of recreational drugs by the youth was strongly associated with the rebellion and dissent experienced by the people of the 1960s (Iversen 210): The most profound example of the ability of marijuana to raise mass social consciousness occurred during the Vi etnam War era, on both the home front and the battle front.... Drug rehabilitation centers were established in the 1960s to provide assistance to drug addicts and to control the supply of recreational drugs. The Use of Recreational Drugs in the 1960s Two hallucinogenic drugs were at the core of the 1960s’ counterculture movement: LSD and cannabis. Cannabis is a plant grown in the American colonies for its fiber. Several Indian communities used the plant’s dried leaves with tobacco as a pain reliever (Conlin 940). Cannabis became a recreational drug due to two occurrences. First, a momentary fad for anything Turkish resulted in the establishment of hashish pubs, where people experienced the joy of ecstasy. Almost simultaneously, New Mexico and Texas inhabitants saw Mexicans using cannabis for its mind-altering effects. The use of cannabis as a recreational drug reached New Orleans, where clients of the city’s posh bordellos learned it from African-American singers who were at the time engaged in creating jazz. White singers, fascinated to jazz, began to use the terms ‘pot’ and ‘weed’ during the 1920s. Among the white people, using marijuana stayed practically a tradition for musicians until beatniks—the Beat generation of the 1960s—learned about it from the jazz clubs they visited (Conlin 940). The 1960s’ hippies learned marijuana use from the beatniks and began spreading the word about the hallucinogenic benefits of the drug. LSD has a shorter history. It was produced by Albert Hoffman in 1938, who was trying to create a new drug for headache. Hoffman described his experience with using LSD as â€Å"a kind of drunkenness which was not unpleasant and which was characterized by extreme activity of imagination†¦ an uninterrupted

Business strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 4

Business strategy - Essay Example In order to formulate and evaluate new prospective business strategies of the company, one needs to analyze the internal and external audit results of the organization (McEachern, 2012). Cath Kidston has a high brand value in the global market. The company has a long learning curve in business and owns a considerable share of industry demand. The products offered by the company are rare, unique and non imitable in nature. The aggregate revenue and economic surplus of the organization is steadily increasing over time. In 2013, the gross sale of the organization was worth  £100 million (Cathkidston, 2014). The organization is experiencing increasing profit and revenue in both domestic and foreign markets. After growth of internet penetration rate in all the countries around the world, Cath Kidston Ltd has successfully enhanced the volume of its e-commerce sales (Cathkidston, 2014). The online retailing stores of the company are able to offer cost effective services to a larger strength of prospective buyers. Cath Kidston owns a strong supply chain management system. However, the products offered by the company are primarily targeted towards the young and middle aged women. Cath Kidston’s products are popular for its unique floral designs. The case study claims that the company manufactures women accessories such as hand bags and home ware products (Cathkidston, 2014). The company faces certain delivery and product quality related problems in its online trade. The foreign business of Cath Kidston is more prosperous than its native business status. The company has relinquished majority of its stake to a private equity firm, TA Associates. Cath Kidston is the owner of only 23% stake of the Kidston Limited (Cathkidston, 2014). The company sold majority stakes because of financial crisis in the business. The company will not be

Debut Albums and Happy Birthday Essay Example for Free

Debut Albums and Happy Birthday Essay May you have all the joy your heart can hold, all the smiles a day can bring, all the blessings a life can unfold, may you get the world’s best in everything. Wishing you a Happy Birthday! You are like an angel because you’ve touched the life of every person you’ve met. You deserve the best and the most special of Birthdays so that you can touch the lives of a thousand more people. Happy Birthday! In the journey of your life, may you count your successes with each passing Birthday and may you never have to look back on any regrets of your life. Happy Birthday dear! Some like sunday some like monday, but i like your birthday.happy birthday my On this wonderful day, I wish you the best that life has to offer! Happy Birthday! Sending you my love on your birthday and everyday. On this wonderful day, a star of pure love appeared to be my giftmy present and my futuryou!! I am very thankful for all the joy you bring into my life! Happy Birthday!! Today is a perfect day to tell you that you are a wonderful friendWith each year Ill love you more. Remember that your best years are still ahead of you and Ill be there for every up down and in between. Happy Birthday, my angel! If I could, I would write it across the sky so that everyone could see it and know that you are truly loved! I wish I could attach my heart to this Birthday wish. Thats how much you mean to me. Have a happy and fun-filled Birthday! On your birthday lets celebrate our past, our today and our future! I love my life with you!

Tennis Made Easy :: essays research papers

When surfing the Internet, eventually winding up at tennis4you.com, I found something called the â€Å"Lesson Lounge† which has instructional articles on the game of tennis. My particular article discusses a very crucial part of the game, and also a difficult one, the first serve. The reason this drew my attention is because this is a major weakness in my already pathetic tennis repertoire. By reading the article, I hoped to find strategy to learn from, and eventually, with practice, to improve from. In the article, they explain how the first serve can become â€Å"†¦someone’s biggest weapon making someone else’s worst nightmare!† That, not only can one use a power serve or a placement serve to attack their opponents, but that working out is not even necessary to do so. The tennis serve can have significantly more power by using â€Å"†¦legs, shoulder rotation, and stomach muscles†¦Ã¢â‚¬  during one’s motion. They stress that since you have two serves, it is crucial to take a chance and make sure your first serve is NOT â€Å"†¦easily attackable†. From here, they lead into more complicated serving techniques that involve the type of hit- such as the flat, slice, kick, and topspin serves. Although I am not good enough to test them out, through time, they could certainly help someone with an interest in tennis who is willing to practice. After establishing the four types, the writer goes more in depth to differences between power and non-power serves. With power serves, they emphasize the importance of rhythm, significance of keeping your opponent guessing and lastly, the need to hit it in bounds. They continue to say that, obviously, no matter how hard your serve is, it is useless if it cannot land in bounds. As far as non-power serves, they speak of smaller players and how technique and mechanisms such as spin. Another main point here is that one must serve deep into the service box.

As I Walked Out One Evening †W.H.Auden Essay

The poem in study is As I Walked out One Evening by W.H. Auden. His views projected in this poem are suggested to have not varied since the time he composed this piece. Unlike his other poems, this piece was never revised. Here, Auden exposes the two sides of romance through the manipulation of narrative voices, the poet, the lover’s song and the chiming of the clock personified. As I walked out one evening is composed in a traditional ballad form. It’s consists of 15 quatrain stanzas conforming to an â€Å"abcb† rhyme scheme. The masculine end rhyme employed gives more freedom of wording. It is through these settings that exhibits the song-like quality of a ballad and by this lyrical tune, Auden suggests the theme and theories examined in the poem are of childlike logic and knowledge. With reference to the structure of the poem, it comprises of 15 stanzas split into three distinctive voices. The first and last being the narration by the poet himself, framing the Lover’s Song and the menacing voice of the clock. Through the beginning narration by the persona, W.H. Auden sets the essence of nostalgia with a â€Å"walk down Bristol Street†. The mention of Bristol Street creates the tone of reminiscence as it is a venue of Auden’s childhood. The contrast of â€Å"crowds upon the pavement† that use to be â€Å"fields of harvest wheat† showcases the change taken place during time-lapse. Down by the brimming river, the poet hears a lover sing â€Å"love has no ending†. The transition of narrative position from the initial persona to the Love Song takes place through the marking of inverted commas. The rhythm of the poem also changes away from iambic tri-meter when the love song begins. The love song is hyperbolized, injected with imageries and unconventional similes to exaggerate the affections of a naà ¯ve lover. With suggestions of the uncanny ability to love â€Å"till China and Africa meet†, Auden captures their simplistic and unrealistic minds. The silly and lighthearted tone shown through the alliteration of the line â€Å"salmon sing in the street†. In addition to undermining the forces of nature, the lover’s song seem to believe its love to be pure and immune to time, for â€Å"in my arms I hold The  Flower of the Ages, And the first love of the world†. This love is expressed to be ageless, the Flower of the Ages a Biblical reference to the year of maturity in which a woman can marry. In a sense, the song provokes that the incredibility of love is beyond human entity, but of something greater. However, the tone shifts in the 6th stanza, turning to the narration of the clock and time personified. They seem to be rebuking the ideals embodied by the Lover’s Song as they began to â€Å"whirr and chime†, an onomatopoeia that creates the image of violent and unsettling wind. The wind that could break them apart, hit their faces with a chill. The clock conveys the negative perception of naà ¯ve love as it rings out a series of advice to the lovers. The Clock’s advice is like a progression of a 4 session counselling, speaking to us readers as if we are the young lovers. Marked by the phrase â€Å"O†, he begins with a gentle coaxing. â€Å"O let not time deceive you†, the idealism borne by the love song shall break through time’s passing. â€Å"O plunge your hands in the water† as if washing one’s face in the morning. Wake up from the hyperbolized world of love to reality. â€Å"Stare, stare at the basin,† reflect on your past actions and their indications, what you’ve missed. â€Å"O look, look in the mirror† examine your present self. Finally â€Å"O stand, stand at the window†, see your partner through the barrier of glass. Unclouded and unaffected by cruel words of a quarrel, in the peace of one’s own mind, then we shall see that we are all hypocrites in love. The overall tone of the clock is quite dark and Auden uses the technique of contrasting metaphors to develop the negative effects of time in idealism. The â€Å"green valley† and â€Å"appalling snow† signifying the presence of time will eventually break momentary joy. â€Å"The glacier knocks in the cupboard, the desert sighs in the bed†, the consequences of time will invade one’s privacy and comfort, perhaps even home. Until it becomes overwhelming, one should break down, it’ll â€Å"open a lane to the land of the dead† where qualities of life we once known are twisted into a paradoxical world embodied by stanza 12. There is however, a consolation to these negative aspects, that if we â€Å"wake  up† in time, we shall learn to love truly, for life remains a blessing, even when we’re too focused on our distress. Throughout this entire process, the language suggests the lack of presence of the first persona. But this theory is contradicted by the last stanza where the â€Å"poet† narrates. â€Å"It was late, late in the evening†, the repetition a habit picked up from the clock’s speech. The persona was watching the whole time, now knows better, that the overflowing love of the â€Å"brimming river†, actually has a lot more depth. W.H. Auden through the shift of narrative voices explores the different perspective of love. This technique shows us not only one sided opinions but various views. And readers are shown, that perhaps what is right in the minds of one, may vary to the eyes of another. The image of romance is often twisted to extremes by society. As human beings, we have the tendency to form opinions based on our own favours. To an extent, this poem may resemble a satire to society. Humans tend to be hypocrites and very good liars to even our own minds to justify our wrongdoings.

To What Extent do Western Concepts of Ill-Health Limit Policies and Projects Aimed at Improving the Health of Those in the Developing World

Executive Summary Current health policies on malnutrition and HIV infection are focused in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations. Specifically, these goals include reduction of malnutrition incidence since 1990 by 50% and reversal in the trend of HIV epidemic by 2015. This essay aims to critically analyse these two policies in achieving their respective aims and objectives and the factors that contribute to the success of these policies. A brief discussion on the Western concepts of ill-health and how these relate to the concepts of ill-health in developing countries is also made. Results of the analysis show that engaging communities and allowing them to take ownership of strategies to prevent malnutrition is effective in reducing incidence of malnutrition. The Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) campaign illustrates how developing countries could positively respond to healthcare policies introduced by developed countries. However, not all developing countries are nearing or have achieved the 50% reduction in malnutrition incidence. Lack of community involvement has been shown to affect the progress of the SUN campaign. The same principle of community-based interventions is also used on the policy for HIV infection. Success rate for HIV policy is high with millions of affected individuals accessing healthcare services compared to only 400,000 in 2004. This would show that policies to increase treatment have succeeded. However, prevention of HIV infection remains challenging. Analysis would show that engaging in risky sexual behaviour is a critical factor in developing HIV infection in Sub-Saharan Africa. Changing the behaviour of a target population is established to be difficult. While community-based interventions and participation have contributed to the success of these policies, analysis would reveal that there is a need to increase the technical competencies of the stakeholders in the communities. This would ensure sustainability of programmes long after external aid has stopped. The differences in the concepts of ill-health also appear to influence the success of policies in developing nations. It is also argued that achieving all the aims and objectives of the policies might not necessarily solve the problem of malnutrition and HIV infection. Both conditions have multiple underlying causes and addressing all these would take considerable time and effort. In conclusion, policies have made great strides in improving nutrition of children and mothers and decreasing the incidence of HIV infection. Concerted effort from various stakeholders is still needed to make changes sustainable. Introduction The main aim of this brief is to critically analyse the policies, ‘Reducing Hunger and Malnutrition in Developing Countries’ (Department for International Development, 2013) and the global policy on HIV/AIDS Epidemic (KFF, 2013). Both healthcare policies are designed to improve the health and well-being of mothers and young children and those suffering from HIV/AIDS in developing countries. The first part describes these two policies while the second part discusses the Western concepts of ill health and how these limit policies and projects aimed at developing countries. The third part provides a theoretical assessment of the policies. A discussion on the underlying assumptions and views of healthcare in terms of belief structures and philosophy will be included. The fourth part presents the practical problems with implementation. Finally, a conclusion will summarise the main points raised in this essay. Recommendations will also be made at the end of this brief. Policies on Malnutrition and HIV/AIDS The ‘Reducing Hunger and Malnutrition in Developing Countries’ (Department for International Development, 2013) aims to help individuals gain access to nutritious diet, ensure that food is distributed fairly across the world and mitigate environmental risks and damages that could influence food production. In line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the policy has set out several objectives that should be achieved by 2015. This includes reducing malnutrition since 1990 by 50%. Meanwhile, the ‘Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic’ policy (KFF, 2013) aims to stop and reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS. This is consistent with the United Nation’s MDGs that by 2015, the HIV/AID epidemic will be controlled and incidence will decline. It is estimated that a total of 18.9 billion USD have funded HIV/AIDs preventive and treatment programmes in 2012 (KFF/UNAIDS, 2013). Although there is a global decrease in the trend of this epidemic, incidence of HIV/AIDS is still high in middle and low-income countries (UNAIDS, 2013). Most of those suffering from this health condition do not have access to healthcare services, treatment and management (UNAIDS, 2013). Importantly women and young girls are more susceptible of the infection compared to men (British HIV Association, 2012). Of the 35 million individuals believed to be suffering from the condition, 3.3 million of these are children (UNAIDS, 2013). Majority (71%) of persons living with HIV/AIDS reside in Sub-Saharan Africa (Health Protection Agency, 2012). The objectives of this policy include decreasing HIV prevalence amongst the young population aged 15-24 years; increase condom use especially in high-risk sex; increase the proportion of young people with correct knowledge on HIV/AIDs infection; and increase the proportion of individuals with advanced stages of the disease gain access to antiretroviral medications. Western Concept of Ill-Health Western concepts of ill-health could limit the policies on malnutrition and HIV/AIDS when introduced in developing nations. First, definitions of ‘ill-health’ could vary between Western and developing countries. There is variation in how ill-health is perceived even amongst professional, academic and the public (Wikman et al., 2005). Ill-health is also viewed differently across disciplines. For instance, the medical model of health has been accepted for several years in Western healthcare in the past (Wikman et al., 2005). This model states that ill-health is caused by pathogenic microorganisms or underlying pathologies (Dutta, 2008). However, even this concept has changed within healthcare systems. Today, many healthcare professionals have recognised that ill-health is not only caused by pathogenic organisms but social determinants of health such as poor nutrition, unemployment or stress could all influence ill-health (Dutta, 2008). Wikman et al. (2005) acknowledges tha t ill-health could be understood by using a multi-perspective approach. Concepts of ill-health are also considered as historically and culturally specific (Blas and Kurup, 2010). This means that ill-health varies across culture and time. For instance, in Western culture, obesity is considered as ill-health (Blas and Kurup, 2010). In other countries, obesity is viewed as socially acceptable since this is a sign of wealth. In Western culture, findings of scientific publications are used to underpin health policies against HIV (Bogart et al., 2011). Use of condoms to protect against HIV infection is viewed as acceptable. In some African countries, use of condoms is seen to reduce one’s masculinity (Willis, 2003; MacPhail and Campbell, 2001). Importantly, anal sex in some of these countries is practised to avoid pregnancy or viewed as a cleansing method against the virus for HIV/AIDS (Bogart and Bird, 2003). Hence, these differences in the concept of ill-health could influence the uptake of global health policies in developing nations. To illustrate t his argument, the policies on malnutrition and HIV/AIDS will be critiqued. A discussion how western concepts of ill health influence the uptake of these policies in the developing countries would also be done. Analysis and Discussion Attention on acute and chronic malnutrition is unprecedented in recent years (Shoham et al., 2013). The involvement of the UK, through its policy for malnutrition and hunger, with other countries in the scaling up nutrition (SUN) campaign has brought significant changes on the lives of children who are malnourished. The policy on malnutrition is underpinned by the philosophy on health equity and social determinants of health (Ezzati et al., 2003). Western concepts of ill-health focus on the social determinants of ill-health as a factor in promoting malnutrition in developing countries. For example, unemployment of parents, low levels of education, early years, poverty, homelessness are some social determinants of health strongly suggested to promote malnutrition amongst children (Marmot and Wilkinson, 2005). Uptake of policies for malnutrition in developing countries might be limited if these determinants are not properly addressed. Farmer (2003) explains that cultural beliefs on foo d, poor knowledge on the nutritional value of food and food production practices have long contributed to malnutrition in many countries. Policies on malnutrition might no be effective if these do not address the root causes of malnutrition, which are poverty, poor knowledge on food nutrition and poor farming practices (Farmer, 2003). Power structure also plays a role in how policies are implemented. Farmer (2003) stresses that unless the poor are empowered and their rights protected would true development occur. In recent years, there have been improvements in the lives of the poor, specifically on nutrition status. Marmot and Wilkinson (2005) emphasise that presence of poverty and unemployment could all influence health. However, there is evidence that in some developing countries, malnutrition policies have gained success. An analysis would show that involvement of the community plays a crucial role in ensuring success of these policies. For example, Shoham et al. (2013) report that the community based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) approach contributed to its success in some 65 developing countries across the world. Communities are mobilised and they gain ownership of the programme. Individuals help in detecting uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and refer children to established out-patient centres. Complicated cases are referred as in-patients in the health sector staff. While the UNICEF (Nabarro, 2013) reported that 10% of the 20 million suspected cases of SAM have been treated through the scaling up nutrition campaign, other target countries have not kept up with the campaign. Policies that have gained acceptance in developing countries are those that empower communities to take actions for their own health. Empowering women through education has been shown to lead to more positive changes in the health of children ages 5 years old and below (Farmer, 2003). Policies that increase the educational levels of women were shown to reduce erroneous perceptions on the causes of malnutrition (Wikman et al., 2005). Shoham et al. (2013) observe that failure to implement the CMAM approach and educating women on malnutrition limits the success of malnutrition policies in communities. A number of studies (Bhutta, 2013; Black et al., 2013; Pinstrup-Andersen, 2013; Nabarro, 2013; Loevinsohn and Harding, 2005) have shown the effectiveness of engaging communities and empowering them to improve the nutritional status of women and children. While factors such as engaging communities and allowing them to take ownership of programmes have been shown to promote uptake of policies, there are still factors that limit policy uptake. These include failure to address the social determinants of health such as poverty, low levels of education, poor support of the children during early life years and unemployment (Loevinsohn and Harding, 2005). It has been shown that when these factors are present, malnutrition is also high (Pinstrup-Andersen, 2013). There is also a need to understand the perceptions of women and children on food and nutrition to better understand why malnutrition continue to exist in a number of developing countries. Meanwhile, the policy on HIV/AIDS also promote health by engaging communities in implementing projects aimed at preventing HIV transmission (KFF, 2013; British HIV Infection, 2012; Department for International Development, 2013). To date, HIV infection epidemic has stabilised and the number of individuals receiving treatment has increased to 9.7 million in 2012 (UNAIDS, 2013). In contrast, only 400,000 individuals with advanced HIV infection receive treatment in 2004. A closer analysis of the cause of HIV infection would still point to risky behaviours of those engaging in unprotected sex and injecting drug users as factors that promote HIV infection (KFF/UNAIDS, 2013). This is a cause of concern since there is still the prevailing cultural belief in a number of African countries that use of condom is unmanly (Willis, 2003; MacPhail and Campbell, 2001). Connolly et al. (2004) argue that changing behaviour of the target population is most difficult. Consequences of HIV infection extend to unborn children of mother infected with HIV (UNAIDS, 2013). To date, there have been various interventions to prevent HIV infection. These include behaviour changes, increase in HIV screening, male circumcision, use of condoms, harm reduction amongst in injecting drug users and blood supply safety (UNAIDS, 2013). Amongst these strategies, changing behaviour remains to be an important intervention that could prevent further spread of the virus. Experts suggest that risky sexual behaviour could only be changed through the use of different health models. For example, the health belief model could be used to inform the target population on the risk of HIV (Health Protection Agency, 2012). In addition, facilitators to behaviour change, such as decreasing stigma on HIV infection, increasing access to healthcare services could help individuals adopt less r isky sexual behaviour (Greeff et al., 2008). Patients with HIV often perceive stigma from their own healthcare workers (Kohi et al., 2006; Holzemer and Uys, 2004). This could impact not only the quality of care received by those with HIV infection but might also limit them from gaining further medical treatment. On the other hand, reducing malnutrition by 50% since 1990 has not been achieved in most countries yet (UNICEF, 2014). This is important since the United Nations aims to achieve this target by next year. Food production is continuously affected by stronger typhoons and turbulent weather patterns (KFF, 2013). Droughts appear to be longer, affecting agriculture and livestock production (KFF, 2013). Specifically, the UNICEF (2014) acknowledges that the most vulnerable groups to increasing weather disturbance brought by climate change are the poor people. This is especially challenging in the light of the MDGs since decreases in food production in developing countries could further have an impact on the nutritional status of the women and children (Bryce et al., 2008; Taylor et al., 2013). Climate change has important implications on policies for malnutrition. Even if community-based initiatives are strongly in place and individuals have learned to produce their own food, changes in weat her patterns could impact agriculture activities. The UNICEF (2014) has highlighted this issue and using current experiences, community rehabilitation after a typhoon or drought would mean increased challenges in addressing malnutrition amongst the poorest of the poor. Even if all objective are achieved, there is no full guarantee that malnutrition will be completely eradicated in developing nations. To date, there are best practices (SUN, 2013) showing that community involvement and partnership with government and non-government organisations could arrest severe acute and chronic malnutrition. A number of developing countries, especially in the Sub-Saharan Africa are still struggling with malnutrition despite external aid. The same observation is also made in this region on HIV infection where the poorest amongst the poor remain to be most vulnerable to the infection (SUN, 2013). Hence, it would be necessary to investigate the real cause of malnutrition and HIV infection in developing countries. There are multiple underlying causes of malnutrition and all interact to increase the risk of children for malnutrition. First, poverty has been highlighted earlier in this essay as an important factor for development of malnutrition (Horton and Lo, 2013). This essay also argues that maternal level of education is a significant factor in the nutrition of children (Black et al., 2013). The World Health Organization (2011) acknowledges that children born to mothers with at least a high school education enjoy better health compared to children with mothers who have lower educational levels. This observation is consistent across literature (UNICEF, 2014; Black et al, 2013) and illustrates the importance of increasing the education level of mothers. In Sub-Saharan countries that often experience conflicts, malnutrition is often caused by displacement of families and children from their homes and livelihood to evacuation centres with minimal food support (UNICEF, 2014). Apart from conflicts, recent effects of climate change have also changed the way developed countries respond to problems of food security (Taylor et al., 2013). As shown in the UK policy for hunger and malnutrition, funds are also directed to innovations and research on how to respond to environmental damages caused by climate change (UNICEF, 2014). It should be noted that changes in weather patterns, flooding and drought could have a great impact on food security and sustainability (Department for International Development, 2013). In comparison with the policy on HIV infection, the policy on hunger and malnutrition would have a greater impact on the health of the nation. It has been shown that improving nutrition during the first 1000 days of a child’s life could lead to better health outcomes, higher educational attainment and productivity later in adult life (Bhutta, 2013). Malnutrition during a child’s first two years of life could have irreversible effects on the child’s health (Bhutta, 2013). This could lead to stunting, cognitive impairment, early death and if the child reaches adulthood, difficulty in finding a job (Nabarro, 2013). The number of children and mothers suffering from malnutrition is also higher compared to individuals suffering from HIV infection. However, HIV infection could also have an impact on maternal and child health since infected mothers could transmit the virus to their unborn child (KFF, 2013). Women with HIV also suffer more stigma compared to their male co unterparts (Sandelowski et al., 2004). Recommendations and Conclusion In conclusion, the two policies discussed in this brief reveal strategies in preventing and treating malnutrition and HIV infection. Responses of developing countries to these strategies differ. Countries where communities are involved in the implementation of strategies are generally more successful in addressing these health problems. This would show that community involvement play a crucial role in the uptake of Western policies in developing countries. However, the lack of success in some countries might be attributed to the differences in the concept of ill-health between affluent and developing countries, socio-economic context of poor countries and difficulty in changing one’s health behaviour. Finally, this essay suggests that a more holistic approach should be taken in addressing the social determinants of health to ensure that children have access to nutritious food and HIV infection is prevented. References Bhutta, Z. (2013). ‘Early nutrition and adult outcomes: pieces of the puzzle [Online]. The Lancet, 382(9891), pp. 486-487. Black, R., Alderman, H., Bhutta, S., Gillespie, S., Haddad, L., Horton, S., Lartey, S., Mannar, V., Ruel, M., Victoria, C., Walker, S. & Webb, P. (2013). ‘Maternal and child nutrition: building momentum for impact’. The Lancet, 382(9890), pp. 372-375. Blas, E. & Kurup, A. (2010). Equity, social determinants and public health programmes. Switzerland: World Health Organization. Bogart, L., Skinner, D., Weinhardt, L., Glasman, L., Sitzler, C., Toefy, Y. & Kalichman, S. (2011) ‘HIV misconceptions associated with condom use among black South Africans: an exploratory study’, African Journal of AIDS Research, 10(2), pp. 181-187. Bogart, L. & Bird, S. (2003) ‘Exploring the relationship of conspiracy beliefs about HIV/AIDS to sexual behaviours and attitudes among Afrian-American adults’, Journal of the National Medical Association, 95(11), pp. 1057-1065. British HIV Association (2012) Standards of care for people living with HIV in 2012, London: British HIV Association. Bryce, J., Coitinho, D., Darnton-Hill, I., Pelletier, D. & Pinstrup-Andersen, P. (2008). ‘Maternal and child undernutrition: effective action at national level’. The Lancet, 371(9611), pp. 510-526. Connolly, C., Colvin, M., Shishana, O. & Stoker, D. (2004) ‘Epidemiology of HIV in South Africa- results of a national, community-based survey’, South African Medical Journal, 94(9), pp. 776-781. Department for International Development (2013). Policy: Reducing Hunger and malnutrition in developing countries, London: UK Legislation [Online]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/reducing-hunger-and-malnutrition-in-developing-countries (Accessed: 25th March, 2014). Dutta, M. (2008) Communicating health: A culture-centred approach, London: Polity Press. Ezzati, M., Vander, H., Rodgers, A., Lopez, A., Mathers, C. & Murray, C. (2003) ‘The comparative risk collaborating group. Estimates of global and regional potential health gains from reducing multiple major risk factors’, Lancet, 362, pp. 271-280. Farmer, P. (2003) Pathologies of Power: Health, Human Rights, and the new war on the poor, Berkeley and Long Angeles: University of California Press. Greeff, M., Uys, L., Holzemer, W., Makoae, L., Dlamini, P., Kohi, T., Chirwa, M., Naidoo, J. & Phetlhu, R. (2008) ‘Experiences of HIV/AIDS Stigma of persons living with HIV/AIDS and nurses involved in their care from five African countries’, African Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 10(1), pp. 78-108. Health Protection Agency (2012) HIV in the United Kingdom: 2012 Report. London: Health Protection Services, Colindale. Holzemer, W. & Uys, L. (2004) ‘Managing AIDS stigma’, Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS, 1(3), pp. 165-174. Horton, R. & Lo, S. (2013). ‘Nutrition: a quintessential sustainable development goal’, The Lancet, 382(9890), pp. 371-372. KFF/UNAIDS (2013). Financing the response to AIDS in low- and middle-income countries: International Assistance from Donor Governments in 2012. Washington: KFF/UNAIDS. KFF (2013). The Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic [Online]. Available at: http://kff.org/global-health-policy/fact-sheet/the-global-hivaids-epidemic/#footnote-KFFUNAIDS (Accessed: 25th March, 2014). Kohi, T., Makoae, L., Chirwa, M., Hozemer, W., Phetlhu, D., Uys, L., Naidoo, J., Dlamini, P. & Greeff, M. (2006) ‘HIV and AIDS violates human rights in five African countries’, Nursing Ethics, 13(4), pp. 404-415. Loevinsohn, B. & Harding, A. (2005). ‘Buying resultsContracting for health service delivery in developing countries’. Lancet, 366(9486), pp. 676-681. MacPhail, C. & Campbell, C. (2001) ‘I think condoms are good but, aai, I hate those things’, Social Science & Medicine, 52(11), pp. 1613-1627. Marmot, M. & Wilkinson, R. (2005). Social Determinants of Health. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Nabarro, D. (2013). ‘Global child and maternal nutrition- the SUN rises’. The Lancet, 382(9893), pp. 666-667. Pinstrup-Andersen, P. (2013). ‘Nutrition-sensitive food systems: from rhetoric to action’. The Lancet, 382(9890), pp. 375-376. Sandelowski, ., Lambe, C., Barroso, J. (2004) ‘Stigma in HIV-positive women’, Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 36(2), pp. 122-128. Shoham, J., Dolan, C. & Vostelow, L. ENN (2013). The management of acute malnutrition at scale: A review of donor and government financing arrangements. Summary Report [Online]. Available at: http://scalingupnutrition.org/ (Accessed: 24th March, 2014). SUN (2013). Scaling up nutrition in practice: Effectively enjoying multiple stakeholders [Online]. Available at: http://scalingupnutrition.org/ (Accessed: 24th March, 2014). Taylor, A., Dangour, A. & Reddy, K. (2013). ‘Only collective action will end undernutrition’. The Lancet, 382(9891), pp. 490-491. UNAIDS (2013). Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic 2013. Washington: UNAIDS. UNICEF (2014). The State of the World’s Children 2014 In Numbers: Every child counts [Online]. Available at: http://www.unicef.org/sowc/ (Accessed: 25th March, 2014). Wikman, A., Marklund, S. & Alexanderson, K. (2005) ‘Illness, disease, and sickness absence: an empirical test of differences between concepts of ill health’, Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 59, pp. 450-454. Willis, J. (2003) ‘Condoms are for whitefellas: barriers to Pitjzntjztjzrz men’s use of safe sex technologies’, Culture, Health & Sexuality: An international Journal for Research, Intervention and Care’, 5(3), pp. 203-217. World Health Organization (2011). Global Health Observatory (GHO): Underweight in Children [Online]. Available at: http://www.who.int/gho/mdg/poverty_hunger/underweight_text/en/ (Accessed: 25th March, 2014).

Soft Determinism Explained

Soft Determinism Explained Soft determinism is the view that determinism and free will are compatible. It is thus a form of compatibilism. The term was coined by the American philosopher William James (1842-1910) in his essay â€Å"The Dilemma of Determinism.† Soft determinism consists of two main claims: 1.  Determinism is true.  Every event, including every human action, is causally determined. If you selected vanilla rather than chocolate ice cream last night, you could not have chosen otherwise given your exact circumstances and condition. Someone with enough knowledge of your circumstances and condition would have been able, in principle, to predict what you would choose. 2.  We act freely when we are not constrained or coerced. If my legs are tied, I am not free to run. If I hand over my wallet to a robber who is pointing a gun at my head, I am not acting freely. Another way of putting this is to say that we act freely when we act on our desires. Soft determinism contrasts with both hard determinism and with what is sometimes called metaphysical libertarianism. Hard determinism asserts that determinism is true and denies that we have free will.  Metaphysical libertarianism (not to be confused with the political doctrine of libertarianism) says that determinism is false since when we act freely some part of the process leading up to the action (e.g. our desire, our decision, or our act of will) is not predetermined. The problem soft determinists face is that of explaining how our actions can be both predetermined but free. Most of them do this by insisting that the notion of freedom, or free will, be understood in a particular way.  They reject the idea that free will must involve some strange metaphysical capacity that each of us has–namely, the ability to initiate an event (e.g. our act of will, or our action) which is not itself causally determined. This libertarian concept of freedom is unintelligible, they argue, and at odds with the prevailing scientific picture. What matters to us, they argue, is that we enjoy some degree of control over and responsibility for our actions. And this requirement is met if our actions flow from (are determined by) our decisions, deliberations, desires, and character.   The Main Objection to Soft Determinism The most common objection to soft determinism is that the notion of freedom it holds onto falls short of what most people mean by free will. Suppose I hypnotize you, and while you are under hypnosis I plant certain desires in your mind: e.g. a desire to get yourself a drink when the clock strikes ten. On the stroke of ten, you get up and pour yourself some water. Have you acted freely? If acting freely simply means doing what you want, acting on your desires, then the answer is yes, you acted freely. But most people would see your action as unfree since, in effect, you are being controlled by someone else.   One could make the example still more dramatic by imagining a mad scientist implanting electrodes in your brain and then triggering in you all sorts of desires and decisions which lead you to perform certain actions. In this case, you would be little more than a puppet in someone else’s hands; yet according to the soft determinist notion of freedom, you would be acting freely. A soft determinist might reply that in such a case we would say you are unfree because you are controlled by someone else. But if the desires, decisions, and volitions (acts of will) that govern your actions are really yours, then it is reasonable to say that you are in control, and hence acting freely.  The critic will point out, though, that according to the soft determinist, your desires, decisions, and volitions–in fact, your entire character–are ultimately determined by other factors that are equally outside your control: e.g. your genetic make up, your upbringing, and your environment.  The upshot is still that you do not, ultimately, have any control over or responsibility for your actions. This line of criticism of soft determinism is sometimes referred to as the â€Å"consequence argument.† Soft Determinism in Contemporary Times Many major philosophers including Thomas Hobbes, David Hume, and Voltaire have defended some form of soft determinism. Some version of it is still probably the most popular view of the free will problem among professional philosophers. Leading contemporary soft determinists include P. F. Strawson, Daniel Dennett, and Harry Frankfurt. Although their positions typically fall within the broad lines described above, they offer sophisticated new versions and defenses. Dennett, for instance, in his book Elbow Room, argues that what we call free will is a highly developed ability, that we have refined in the course of evolution, to envisage future possibilities and to avoid those we don’t like. This concept of freedom (being able to avoid undesirable futures) is compatible with determinism, and it’s all we need. Traditional metaphysical notions of free will that are incompatible with determinism, he argues, are not worth saving.

How Writing about Death Saved my Life

How Writing about Death Saved my Life How Writing about Death Saved my Life Christopher Noà «l is a professional on the Reedsy marketplace who has been a freelance editor for twenty-five years. He is the author of seven books, including the memoir In the Unlikely Event of a Water Landing: A Geography of Grief,  which he wrote following a life-changing disaster.

International Finance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Finance - Assignment Example in order for an economic union to be successful it is necessary to have following conditions among the member countries: 1. Labour mobility: Labour mobility is the free access to labour without any legal or cultural obstacle, and having similar wages and other employment conditions. 2. Capital mobility: It will allow the market forces to enhance the equal distribution of wealth and resources through supply and demand. 3. Similar Business Cycle: It will help the member countries in reducing inflation and increasing growth. 4. Automatic Fiscal Transfer Mechanism: It will help in redistribution of money towards less developed areas without federal interference. As of today, the European Union is comprised of 27 member countries having an aggregate population of around 500 million people. Making an economic union was a very bold and risky step for European countries. It involved not only the compromise on the individual monetary freedom of the member countries but also the integration of central banks. The basic purpose of this unification was to give economic support to member countries through the integration of economic and political policies. In order to enhance the importance of Europe in the monetary mechanism of the world, there was a need of unity among European countries. ... The European Union was officially created on 1st November, 1993 under the third Delors Commission. The Euro was introduced initially in a non-physical form like EFT or travelers cheques in January 1999 and captured the market completely in physical form on 1st January 2002. In contrast to the economist expectations, Euro survived a good length of time. It was the first experiment of its kind in the history. Many economists were skeptic about the future of Euro and its corresponding impact on European economic future. Several criticisms rose as to the applicability of the Optimum Currency Theory on European Union due to the lack of mobility of factors of production among member countries. US economists objected that European Union is not so integrated to issue single currency like the different states of US. However they overlook the fact that it took more than 150 years to United States to integrate the monetary system of all states by issuing Dollars for the entire nation. However t he theory of optimum currency area does not include political economy factors like the desire for European integration on political level, reducing the exchange rate risks and achieving stable price levels. US economists also believed that the entire European monetary integration was basically a political ploy and therefore lacking the necessary criteria of the optimum currency area. On the basis of the crisis of European Exchange rate system in early 90s, they begin to suspect the viability of this monetary union. From the very beginning of the European monetary integration process, this union is always question on the basis of the optimum currency area theory. The basis of all criticism was that the Europe was not at