Super Size Me

The movie starred and was directed by independent filmmaker Morgan Spurlock[1].   Spurlock undertakes to explain the rampant obesity in America as a function largely of overdependence on convenience food and dining in quick-service restaurant chains. Spurlock strove to make his point by undertaking to consume only McDonald’s products for a whole month.   His stated goal was to investigate the impact of fast food, of which McDonald’s is the archetype, on the epidemic of obesity (and associated diseases such as hypertension and diabetes) plaguing America. Prior to starting the experiment, Spurlock was physically fit but in the end, he had gained considerable weight and was showing early signs of health problems.   The film presented its thesis in stark fashion: eat excessive fast food, get sick. â€Å"Super Size Me† employs the documentary format that â€Å"The Blair Witch Project† and â€Å"March of the Penguins† made famous. Basically, a camera followed Spurlock around wherever he went, chronicling his activities and feelings every so often. The film followed a chronological format that showed Spurlock’s descent from fit and bright-eyed to miserable and overweight. Also included were interviews with nutritionists, doctors and other people who helped shed light on the question; â€Å"Why is America obese?† The device of eating nothing but fast food may seem unrealistic.   Or perhaps not; how many of us would rationally avoid convenience foods if there was no one to cook breakfast or dinner?   Do parents know what children eat all day long when they are away at college? Spoofing the fast food habit this way does serve to compress the timeframe, create shock value and teach by entertaining.   One doubts that the audience would be as attentive if a physician had delivered a lecture on video about the ill effects of eating fast food for 20 or 30 years. Spurlock essentially consumed over 5,000 calories per day of nothing but obviously fattening McDonald’s staples: Big Mac’s, French fries and soda. In his defense, Spurlock[2] said he was mimicking the diet of a â€Å"super-heavy user†, Marketing lingo for an avid patron. At the same time, Spurlock satirized the slothful habits of many Americans who do not care to exercise. Even if they did not consume McDonald’s foods in the amounts he did, it is unlikely that they eat a balanced, nutrition-dense diet anyway. Despite the criticism level against it, â€Å"Super Size Me† remains shocking and relevant. Millions of Americans are undoubtedly ‘addicted’ to a diet of fast food that contains unhealthy levels of sugar and cholesterol. As shown by Spurlock’s own transformation, such relaxed eating compounds the problem by lowering the desire to exercise and be active. Naturally, the most shocking scene in the movie is when a complete physical examination reveals the extent of his physical deterioration. The domino effect does not stop there. Obesity and lack of activity causes numerous health problems such as heart disease and diabetes. Already, a largely overweight generation of â€Å"baby boomers† has begun to overwhelm the health care system. For a nation built on the industry and creativity of its people this truly bodes ill. [1] Super Size me Directed by Morgan Spurlock Spurlock, in audio commentary track [2] Spurlock, in the movie, and again on the DVD commentary track

Brian Billick

No one understands success better than Brian Billick. It is not because of his own achievements which include leading an NFL team to a Super Bowl victory, it is because leadership fascinates him. One of Brian’s most noted feats was leading the Baltimore Ravens to a 34-7 win over the New York Giants in the 2000 Super Bowl XXXV. Making the victory so much more rewarding was the fact that Brian took over the role as head coach for the Ravens a year earlier when they were ranked as one of the NFL’s most depressing teams. Two words are synonymous with Brian Billick – passion and accountability.Those two traits are what steers a person to success. Brian was born in Ohio but his family moved to California. He learned success early as an athlete at Redlands High School where he played both football and basketball. He etched his name into the state record books with 21 career interceptions, a record that has yet to be broken. Following high school, Brian was a freshman li nebacker at the Air Force Academy before transferring to Brigham Young University where as a tight end, Brian earned an honorable mention in the 1976 All-America honors. He also earned a Bachelors Degree in Communicationsand currently endows a communications scholarship at the university. In 1977, Brian made it to the National Football League. He was picked in the 11th round of the NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers and then traded to the Dallas Cowboys. However, as a player, Brian never got the opportunity to hit the field. Instead, he was hired as the assistant director of public relations for San Francisco for the next two years. He spent much of the 1980s coaching college teams such as San Diego State University, Utah State University and Stanford University.â€Å"BRIAN BILLICK† Page 2 As a coach, he quickly learned there is no â€Å"I† in team and that was something he instilled in each player. To Brian, coaching is more than teaching the plays of the game, it i s teaching the values that make a team player. The success of a team is determined by working together towards a common goal. Each player must have the passion. As with any goal, reaching it requires 100 percent dedication. If a person can not commit to every aspect that comes with the territory then they lack the passionneeded to survive. The other important influence in a successful team is accountability. The task requires working together without selfishness but a person must also be willing to take responsibility for one’s actions. Brian feels it is a sign of respect for the team. Brian practices what he preaches. He joined the Ravens in 1999 and led the team into post- season playoffs every year since except twice and he takes accountability for those two years. As the team’s leader, he felt responsible but it did not discourage him from finding new ways to guide the team in the right direction.Throughout his career, Brian earned the reputation of being more than just a great leader but also a motivator. He knows the values that make a person a leader are something that can be taught. Bringing out those qualities in a person by influencing their behavior, attitude and actions are what leadership is all about. Brian began his NFL coaching career with the Minnesota Vikings in 1992 when he was first hired as the tight end coach and by the following year, he was named offensive coordinator for the Vikings. His leadership skills brought out success in the Vikings’ camp and in 1994, the teamcaptured the NFC Central title. He remained with the Vikings until the end of the 1998 season. â€Å"BRIAN BILLICK† Page 3 In 1999, he was hired as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. Basically a new franchise founded four years earlier, the Ravens were struggling as a team. In Brian’s first year as coach, the Ravens won eight games. That was more wins than they had totaled in their first four years. The Ravens’ defense finished sec ond overall in the NFL.In his second year with the team, Baltimore finished 16-4 overall in the 2000 season. They crushed their opponents in the playoffs and became only the fourth wild card team to go on to win the Super Bowl when they blew by the New York Giants. But domination had little to do with it. That October, the Ravens were on what looked to be a downward spiral when they failed to score a touchdown in five consecutive games. It was Brian who kept the team unified and focused on the primary goal. The team returned to the Super Bowl in 2001 but fell short when they lost 27-10 against thePittsburgh Steelers. That was still a remarkable feat considering they were one of the youngest teams in the NFL with 19 rookies that season. In 2003, Brian put the young team back in the playoffs. They led the NFL in rushing and ranked third in the league in defense. The next year, the Ravens were one game away from making the playoffs. The 2005 and 2006 seasons were disappointing for the Ravens but things may turn around in 2007 since they hired five new coaches to the franchise. Brian’s leadership skills have an impact on more than just his players. In the seven years thathe has been head coach of the Ravens, three of his assistants have moved on to become NFL head coaches. In 2001, Brian’s defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis joined Cincinnati and his linebacker coach Jack Del Rio joined Jacksonville. Three years later, he lost another defensive coordinator, Mike Nolan, to San Francisco. â€Å"BRIAN BILLICK† Page 4 It was shortly after winning the Super Bowl in 2000 that Brian, along with Dr. James A. Peterson wrote the book: Competitive Leadership: Twelve Principles for Success.This book talks about the keys to being successful and being a leader, not only on the football field but in life in general. The book also talks about how leadership is not about authority. Being a strong leader is being willing to always learn more and not think you al ready have all of the answers. An important key in any leader is the ability to ask questions. It is not about being perfect, it is about being effective. Brian also spends a large majority of his time speaking to corporations about leadership skills. Brian also spends time improving the community and doing his part forcharities. NFL Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh joined Brian and Dr. Peterson in writing the book: Finding the Winning Edge. This book focuses more on football and is a guide for developing a winning NFL team. Despite his coaching schedule, charity work and public speaking engagements, Brian still finds enjoyment in studying leadership. Whether it be from hands on experience on the field or from the history of past leaders, learning builds an effective leader. Brian values education and it is interesting to note that he was once a contestant on the game show Jeopardy and The MatchGame in 1977. At age 53, Brian continues to help others build the characteristics needed to succeed. Along with the success comes the ability to be a leader, a teacher, a coach and a mentor. All of the qualities that make a person strong enough to take on that role can be learned through motivation. Brian prides himself on passion and accountability – the two traits that make him an admired leader. SOURCES The Baltimore Ravens. â€Å"Brian Billick. † (2006). Accessed 3 March, 2007. http://www. baltimoreravens. com/includes/bio. jsp? id+=1180&personType=0The Baltimore Worldwide Speakers Bureau. â€Å"Brian Billick. † (2005). Accessed 2 March, 2007. http://www. baltimorespeakersbureau. com/BrianBillick. html Stuhlmann, E.. â€Å"Leadership Principles: From the Football Field to the Executive Suite. † Accessed 2 March, 2007. http://www. refresher. com/! enesfootball. html Washington Speakers Bureau. (2003-2007). Accessed 3 March, 2007. http://www. washingtonspeakers. com/speakers/speaker. cfm? SpeakerID=3242 Wikipedia. â€Å"Brian Billick† W ikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2007). Accessed 2 March, 2007. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Brian_Billick

An Examination of Two Sides of a Controversy

One that might make your hair rise, scream with all your might or run very fast is the sight of a human skull and skeleton during a full moon in an old abandoned house. This is the usual scene in a horror movie. Indeed, people fear seeing human remains. But skeletal remains can also cause conflict between museum owners, scientists and tribal groups.Authorities are usually torn between legal wrangling of these groups each one claiming the remains’ ownership. Nations of the world are also locked in debates over cultural property rights and intellectual property rights. The dispute between two great nations over great artifacts also has some repercussion on the economy of these two countries.Almost all schools and universities in the world maintain a museum basically for their activities in arts and sciences. In here, actual samples or replicas of the past are stored and lessons are becoming interesting if students can readily see what they read in the books. The more interesting the contents of the museums, the more famous they become. This generates sense of pride for the institution and sometimes become a source of revenues too.This is the reason why museums are trying to acquire interesting objects and when they become part of the museum, the real owner of the object finds it difficult to claim it. This becomes the source of conflict between museum administrator and Native Americans in the case of ancient artifacts. Archaeologists too are hard bent on keeping them because they are prized possessions and scientists can discover various things from studying the object and contribute to the enhancement of science.One afternoon of a windy Sunday, more than ten years ago, while seeing hydroplane race, along the shores of the Columbia River, two students found human skull that was washed into the shore. An almost complete skeleton was also found in the place. Study conducted on the remains has yielded information that the skull is already 9,400 years old. A c onflict ensued immediately among scientists, Native Americans including local authorities (Ainsworth 2000).In Honolulu, Hawaii, artifacts were borrowed from a museum but apparently, the group who borrowed failed to return the remains and refused to reveal the whereabouts of the Native Hawaiian artifacts. This led to the filing of contempt of court by the federal judge against four heads of a Hawaiian gang.The four are members of the group called Group Caring for the Ancestors of Hawaii. Members of the group claimed that the artifacts were removed from its original place by an archaeologist and illegally offered for sale to the Museum. Group members assert that they just return the artifacts to where they rightly belong (New York Times 2005).An archaeology student recovered bones, beads and pieces of shells in Dry Lake Cave at the southern tip of Owens Valley in 1950. She wrote her findings in her record notebook. More than 50 years later, while her artifacts together with her record s are lying inside a stockroom in Hershey Hall, three elders of the tribal group Timbisha Shoshone of Death Valley carefully inspect artifacts trying to see objects with cultural value, which they feel are rightfully theirs. The land of their ancestors includes the Dry Lake Cave (Lee 2002).Pauline Estevez, a tribal leader, who had an invitation to visit UCLA from the Fowler Museum of Cultural History, remarked, â€Å"It is our obligation as Indian people to safeguard our land and its wealth, Some of the artifacts here are part of our treasures which we think should not be kept by the museum or its collector because the land is their rightful owner† (Lee 2002).That is the reason why Estevez took the opportunity to yield to the invitation of the Fowler Museum of Cultural History. As an elder of a tribal group, she feels that what belongs to her land should be returned because they are part of their culture. The artifacts can be their ancestors or the treasures they brought with them which witnessed the birth of their tribe. They take pride in those artifacts and should also be seen by the younger generations as part of their identity.The Kennewick man who was found in the shore of the Columbian river was supposed to be returned to the five American Indian Tribes who jointly filed a claim so that they can possess and rebury the remains that they believe are theirs. The claim was under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990. The natives might have the same motive as those inhabitants of Death Valley. What belongs to them should be returned so that the remains of their ancestors can reunite with their land and the community where they once belong.The natives feel that their ancestors will be more peaceful going back to where they belong rather than to remain in the cold museum (Ainsworth 2000). That could be the same motive that prompts leaders of the Hawaiian group not to return the artifacts that were borrowed from the Hawaiian museum. They asserted that since those artifacts were taken illegally from their original burial place, they should be returned there so that the souls of their ancestor will really lie in peace.Meanwhile, a group of angry archaeologists who are interested in the Kennewick man want to study the remains. The finding of a 9,400 year old artifact naturally will interest them. They protested the move that will give the natives the right to the ownership of the Kennewick man. That started the legal battle between the archaeologists and the ConfederatedTribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (Ainsworth 2000). While the natives are fighting for the return of the remains so that it can once again be a part of the original community and peacefully lie there, the scientists are hoping that they can contribute significantly to the world of science if they can study the remains. They believe that they can learn from the past as a way of improving the future.Thomas spoke in a crowded Kroeber H all and states that the significant issue about the Kennewick remains are neither about religion nor science. According to him the issue is with regards to politics and not philosophy, about leadership and power. The question of who calls the shot when it comes to ancient American history.Is it the federal, the science community or the American Indian? Thomas is a vocal advocate of cooperative partnership between the American Indians and the scientists. He maintained that in a case like the Kennewick man, it’s a long and bitter fight, which can reach the Supreme Court. He believes that this case can be settled away from the premises of the court (Ainsworth 2000).

Bloody Sunday Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bloody Sunday - Essay Example Internment was introduced by the state authorities. In internment, the individuals who protested or were suspects were imprisoned without any trial. And it is believed that this Internment basically targeted the Catholics as most of the individuals imprisoned were Catholics. This Internment and unjust treatment of their community led the Catholics to protest for their rights. This peaceful rally was arranged by the Catholics on 30th January 1972. The rally was going peacefully until it was stopped at an army barricade. The whole situation turned to be ugly from here on when the protestors started being aggressive and hurled stones at the army. In response to this Water Cannon and rubber bullets were fired back at the crowd which went on for quite a while. This situation went on for a while because of which the Head Quarters ordered the Parachute Regiment to be deployed. Unusual events took place after the deployment when gun shots were fired at the rally by the army personnel and sev eral of the protestors were killed during this process. 13 casualties were at first reported at the site but after some months another individual who was shot succumbed to the injuries raising the death toll to 14. The unusual events of the incident have been provided from two different sources. The government sources put forward the event in such a way that the army personnel were at first shot at by the civilians and in self defense the army personnel had to shoot back. An army source which was interviewed after the event said that the civilians also possessed nail bombs and they were about to use them to harm the army. On the other hand this source is clearly denied by another eye witness of the event who was also interviewed. According to the eye witness the civilians did not possess any weapons and the army personnel were the first ones who shot the innocent civilians. These unusual

Organizational culture Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Organizational culture - Research Paper Example Generally, it is unlikely for two organizations to have the same culture as it depends on the management, the environment, type of work and other factors which vary from organization to organization. It is important for the employees to adjust in the organizational culture in order to enjoy their work and stay formed with each other (Schabracq, 2009). There are several theories and to represent them, several models have been proposed to explain the organization culture. One of the models was presented by Charles Handy and was called the Charles Handy model. Charles Handy was an Irish who was born in 1932. He was a philosopher and had specialized in organizational behavior and management. He has been known as one of the most influential management thinkers living because of his contribution towards his professional grounds. He has also written many articles specialized in his field for many universities including Harvard. He presented his model in which he emphasized on four types of organizational cultures (Armstrong, Stephens, 2005). â€Å"Power Culture† explains that in some organizations the power is given in the hands of few people only who are authorized to take the decisions. This power is concentrated to small groups of people or the centralized figure which controls from the center like a web. These groups of people enjoy special benefits at the workplace and they are the most important people as they are the decision makers. Their role is to then delegate the responsibilities to the employees junior to them. In this type of culture, the junior employees are meant to follow the instructions strictly and they do not even have the freedom to express their ideas and views. The most likely reason for unrest in this type of culture is managers becoming partial to one employee or the other (Handy, 2007). â€Å"Role

Consciosness in Human Behavior - Ryle and Nagel Assignment

Consciosness in Human Behavior - Ryle and Nagel - Assignment Example The ‘thing’ that was there on earth was thus, not a real one, since it was a mere shadow that could not match up to the real idea of the thing. The soul, Plato believed, was immortal and heavenly, unlike the body, which would be discarded during death. The mind and the body, thus was split into two entities within the same human being. The mind, Plato felt, would return to its earlier form as soon as it left the corporeal frame, since the knowledge of its essence was present in itself and the soul had to only recollect this knowledge that was independent of the body (Platonic). The mind is thus given a superior position that would enable the person to aspire to attain a greater moral stature that would correspond with the nature of the soul. There are certain differences to the theory of dualism that Rene Descartes brings in. In Descartes’ theory of dualism, there is, like in Plato, a distinction between the mind and the body. Like Plato, he also identifies the mi nd with the soul. The essence of the human soul, Descartes held, was its ability to think and reason. The soul thus undergoes certain changes as a result of thought, unlike in the case of the theory of Plato where the soul would return to its former state following death. ... Works Cited â€Å"Cartesian Dualism†. all about philosophy. Accessed on 30th December, 2011 â€Å"Platonic dualism†. Philosophy Online. Accessed on 29th December, 2011 Consciousness in Human Behavior- Ryle and Nagel Thomas Nagel’s understanding of the concept of consciousness is a complex one that involves an understanding of the mind-body split that challenges Cartesian models. By invoking the model of the bat, Nagel states that the mind of a person can never be understood by another entirely since the experience of that person would be entirely different and such an understanding would require a substitution of one’s consciousness with that of the other person. This too, would fail to achieve the purpose, since the examined consciousness would have changed. The fluidity of the consciousness is what forms the basis of this theory that sheds light also on the mind-body split and critiques the reductionist views regarding it. The analogy of the bat is meant to make the impossibility of understanding the consciousness of another person. Gilbert Ryle gives an alternate understanding of the human consciousness. He reawakened the question of the relationship between the mind and the body by rejecting the theory of dualism. He believed that the mental and the physical could not be categorized as two separate categories and such a separation was according to him, a â€Å"category mistake† on the part of Descartes (LaFave). He believed that the intention that a person had could be formulated in different terms through turning the aspects of a person’s behavior and his or

Slavery and the atlantic slave trade Research Paper

Slavery and the atlantic slave trade - Research Paper Example The importing of African slaves became an essential, acceptable and profitable part of European commerce. Taking advantage of the internecine warring amidst African nations, Europeans forcefully removed Africans from their homeland, with the largest numbers from the Gold, Ivory and West Coasts. The cruel system of African slavery was uniquely different from other forms of slavery due to the brutal manner in which it was conducted, the treatment of African slaves as goods or personal property, and the great numbers of people who were captured as slaves, believed to be over 50 million. The one-way trip to the Americas was known as the â€Å"Middle-Passage†. One of the major debates among historians about the transatlantic slave trade argues the specific reasons for Europeans to enslave Africans during an extensive period spanning the 15th to the early 19th century. Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to determine whether European motivation for the slave trade was rel ated to profits, racism, or had another explanation. The Significance and Long-Term Effects of the Slave Trade Historian Marcus Rediker has explored not only the transatlantic slave trade, but also the slave ships by which the trade was carried out for centuries. The transportation of enslaved Africans and business transactions of slaves towards their use as forced labor, forms history’s greatest imposed migration. ... Contrastingly, the loss of large numbers of its people led to extensive decline in Africa’s economy and political situation. Despite rich natural resources, the continent’s inability to overcome its low levels of development towards progress is attributed fully to its past of enslavement and depletion of its population3. However, other reasons such as the siphoning away of world financial aids meant for Africa’s development, by politicians in the weak political system, further undermines the continent’s future. Racism and the Brutality of the Transatlantic Slave Trade Significantly, racism is defined as white supremacy4, because no other race in the world has asserted itself to be the superior race; and used political or economic resources to impose oppression on others on the basis of race. The Europeans considered themselves as the superior race on the basis of their light skin color, and believed that dark skin genetically predetermined Africans as infe rior, and suitable only for the status of slave. Thus, the Europeans developed deeply ingrained discrimination against the dark coloured Africans as â€Å"others† belonging to a lower class of humanity. This approach is also evident in the fact that Europeans did not enslave other Europeans because of an underlying commitment to individual rights. They considered other whites as similar to themselves, and consequently their equals. Since Africans were considered as different both physically and culturally, this â€Å"otherness† was the rationalization for enslaving, ill-treating and enforcing hard labor on them. Carl Degler5 and Winthrop Jordan6 supported this view of racism being key to Africans’ enslavement by the white Europeans.

Ethics and professional development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethics and professional development - Essay Example It implies that if the devices fail to provide safety, the public will retaliate with wrath for the disappointment. This is because public always supposes that the fire protection and detection professionals must install systems that function perfectly (Gagnon, 2008). In the aspect of the values of a client, the protection and detection professionals encounter ethical situations where they are expected to install a system that surpasses the minimum standards of care. Thus, in case of a default to meet that requirement, the company (client) might be deemed as ineffective by its customers. The fire protection field has its values that should also abide by specific standards. These professionals must have a certificate from the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) board. This restricts the technicians and technologists under the board to work in the confines of the law of protection and safety (Gagnon, 2008). In the case of catastrophic events, the professionals always suffer professional ignominy. This is because their clients and the public expect the detection and protection systems to be perfectly effective. In the case of a catastrophe, their professional skills end up being questioned. It is always occasioned by the high expectations of people that the installation of the systems is placed with excellence (Gagnon, 2008). After a significant fire death or loss, the fire protection laws, codes and standards are modified to cover the company in loss. This is because the fire professionals are viewed as too professional to install a system with dysfunctions (Gagnon, 2008). The whistle-blowing actions entail alarming people about a situation that is deemed unethical in the fire protection and detection system. However, this process can infringe an employer-employee relationship especially when an employee reports a

Local Ecology Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Local Ecology - Term Paper Example Most of the plants are either fruit or vegetable plants. This is our way of promoting an organic lifestyle! There is a pomegranate tree, an apricot tree and two apple trees. We have also planted garlic and tomatoes. There is a crowd of electrical wires upon the street at the level of the street light. Normally, they remain covered with insulation tape, but a couple of times, crows have been electrified when they tried to sit over the wires while it was raining. On the street, one can often find wild dogs chasing cats, and wild cats chasing mice. Most of the people in my area are pure vegetarians and there is a culture of growing vegetables within the homes. List of factors distinguishing between my local ecology and environment and those of the nearby towns: The factors are as follows: Cultivation of vegetable and fruit trees Intense electric wiring across the roof Dense population Houses made of stones and bricks Occasional outburst of heavy smoke generated by the burning of rubbish heap Frequent rainfall Wild cats, dog and mice wandering around Temperature significantly lower than the nearby towns because my town is at a greater altitude. The effect of human activities on the local ecosystems: The ecology and environment of my locality was considerably different two to three decades back than what it is now. â€Å"Human activity such as farming, building dams and clearing for development can also change the characteristics of land cover, which in turn affects how an ecosystem operates† (Hartman, 2010). Human activities have also caused a lot of changes in the local ecology and environment. Since my town is at an altitude, it used to be one of the greatest attractions for the local and foreign travelers. That is why, one can still notice a lot of rest houses in my area. It is basically a hilly area. About twenty years ago, it used to be very green. There were pine trees everywhere. One could not locate one brown spot in the whole depth of valley. Everyt hing was green. There were very less houses. It was like a forest. â€Å"Close to 1.6 billion people – more than 25% of the world’s population – rely on forest resources for their livelihoods† (FAO, 2011). Likewise, the people of my town used to earn by entertaining the travelers with the folk tales, local dance, selling fresh fruits and vegetables from the forest trees to them and renting their houses. As more and more people started to dwell here, they cut the trees to make fire. Within a decade, trees were greatly reduced in number. Accordingly, tourists lost interest in coming here. This impacted the businesses of hundreds of local people. They became jobless and moved to the cities for jobs. The temperature of my region today is generally 5 to 6 degrees higher than what it used to be twenty years back. Today, we can not see any sea-gulls flying over the sky unlike in the past. Twenty years back, many people kept cattle and would eat their meat. But t he gradual shift from this area to the city reduced the trend of keeping cattle and more people became pure vegetarians. Comparison of the effect on my local ecosystem change with other areas: In comparison to other areas, my local area has suffered from a greater change of ecosystem because of the fact that it is a hilly area has been the greatest tourist attraction for many years in the past. Today, one

Perpetual Mercy Hospital Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Perpetual Mercy Hospital - Case Study Example The present case reflects the situation of analyzing the organization’s strength in combating competition. Background of the medical sector in US In USA earlier hospital sector was considered as a fully charitable sector which was used by the doctors as field of practicing their skills. The entire hospital sector was funded by some trusts who wanted to do some charitable work. In 1960s the whole scenario was changed with the introduction of the Hill Burton Act. The hospitals were provided with more and more funds for expansion construction work and other facilities. During this time the commercial insurance sector that is the medical insurance sector also grew a lot enabling the general people to take advantage of the medical facilities. More over the employers also started giving medical facilities to their employees in terms of fringe benefits. Fringe benefits are the benefits given the employer to the employee in cash or in kind (Thuronyi, 1998, p. 515). Again in 1980s the US hospital sector experienced a vast change in terms of innovation in medical facilities like the introduction of health maintenance organization, preferred provider organization and ambulatory health care facilities. In one hand the US government reduced the medical aid provided to the hospital in other hand the health maintenance organization that provided preventive medical facilities and preferred provider organization who served as a link between medical facilities provider and employer reduced the normal foot fall of the patients in hospital. The emergency and repetitive health care was also taken care by the ambulatory services. As a response to the changed environment of the health sector the Perpetual Mercy Hospital also involved itself in the work of preferred provider organization through their clinic named Downtown Health Clinic. Objective The main objective of this case is to find out a possible way in which the Downtown Health Clinic can be made most efficient in fulf illing the expectations of the patients and at the same time becoming a non replaceable clinic. The main objective of the Downtown Health Clinic was to expand the hospitals referrals base and also to increase the footfall of the insured patients which in turn will help them to become financially self sufficient. As the Peripheral Mercy Hospital main objective was to use the Downtown Health Clinic as the preferred provider organization and enhance the base providing the employment physical examination and workers compensation and treatment. Another thing of concern is that only 35% of patients are from referrals. The main objective of the clinic was to increase the referral base but as the percentage of patients coming through reference in quiet low. Another objective of the case is to extend the working hours in an effective way so that the clinic does not have to bear much cost for increasing the working hours. The patients also complained about the waiting time. The objective of t his case is also design the working hours in such a way that will reduce the waiting time of patients. Moreover as most of the patients served by the clinic were female therefore at the clinic should offer more services to the female patients. There was also a suggestion of introducing a gynecological department

Personal code of ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal code of ethics - Essay Example This paper will focus on answering what ethics is, the ethics that the author stands for, where these ethical believes come from, and what are the major current influences on it. Ethics refers to the evaluation and study of the behavior of a human being in relation to the moral principles that govern the society. Moral principles are the expected standards of conduct that the society requires individuals to live and abide by them (Espejo, 2010). Ethics can also be defined as the principles of behavior that guide the manner in which employees of a certain profession need to behave (Espejo, 2010). Ethics always define the manner in which we as individuals need to behave when we are faced by serious and difficult situations. One of my codes of ethics is always to speak the truth, no matter the consequences of my action. It is always within my beliefs that honesty is the best virtue of life, and an honest society will always prosper in whatever issue they do. It is also within my belief that when people became honest, then chances are high that the various ills within the society will be solved. These are issues like theft and corruption, which always thrive when an individual wants to make a dishonest gain. This ethical code of conduct emanates from my religious beliefs of Islam. The Islamic teachings always advocate for honesty, and sincerity in any dealings between people. In the current era, there is always a need of transparency and integrity in the various business organizations and government institutions. These transparencies and integrity are all elements of honesty. Without honesty, integrity and transparency does not exist. Another ethical value that I believe in is the respect to my superiors and co-workers. Respect is an important virtue as well as an important ethical procedure. Within any organization, there is always an hierarchical structure that outlines who the leaders in the organization are. For anybody

What Guides Ethical Decision Making Essay Example for Free

What Guides Ethical Decision Making Essay A processor manufacturing company who are currently facing financial troubles completed an order about three months ago for newly designed high-powered processors that are smaller than and four times as powerful as its predecessor. These processors are to be placed into cutting edge cellular phones by a leading cellular phone manufacturer whose release date is a mere month away. A design inconsistency was recently discovered that essentially meant that the processors would work but would be no more powerful than its predecessor in certain conditions. A flaw that would only to be discerned when extraordinary load was placed on the device component whilst it was exposed to ambient temperatures of over 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The company’s CEO is now faced with the difficult decision of either doing nothing or replacing all the processors. Doing nothing, allows the company to keep its doors open, grants access to potential future earnings and saves the jobs of over 1000 employees. A decision that clearly seeks to ensure the common good of the company by giving them the ability to remain competitive while remaining silent on an issue that poses substantial risks to the cellular phone manufacturers earnings and reputation. The alternative, replacing all the processors would undoubtedly ensure that the processors function as advertised, but doing so would be at a significant cost to the company and may likely result in massive downsizing or the company’s declaration of insolvency. Though this option speaks positively to the moral character of the company, it may also lead to the company’s demise and leave over 1000 employees jobless. Both decisions, in light of the situation presented, may be considered to be ethical. A predicament which may undoubtedly lead a person to question how does one choose between several ethical options and more importantly what exactly guides this choice. The answer to these questions can be found in a branch of philosophy called theoretical ethics. Theoretical ethics is the rational reflection on what is right, what is wrong, what is just, what is unjust, what is good, and what is bad in terms of human behaviour according to [https://www.boundless.com/marketing /textbooks/boundless-marketing-textbook/social-responsibility-ethics-in-marketing-16/ethics-an-overview-101/definition-  of-ethics-498-8310/]. This branch of philosophy is exercised via the application the application of ethical theory. Ethical theories are those that represent the grand ideas which guide ethical principles and systematically attempt to answer the fundamental practical ethical questions [Ethical Theories http://www.medindia.net/education/familymedicine/biomedical-ethics-theories.htm#ixzz3H84Tlgi3] Ethical theories can be categorized according to how they justify ethical judgments [https://ethics.journalism.wisc.edu/resources/ethics-in-a-nutshell/#theoretical ] and as such the particular ethical theory utilized can influence the decision made. This essay will therefore seek to examine the concepts of the common good and moral character and fundamental human virtue, their supportive ethical theories and explain how they are applied to making ethical decisions in businesses. Common Good Also referred to as the human good, public good or commonweal, the concept of the common good is one that has evolved over time. As human society developed, so too did the concept, as articulated by the philosophers of the day. Originating with the Greek Philosopher Aristotle who, on the topic wrote â€Å"Every skill and every enquiry, and similarly every action and rational choice, is thought to aim at some good; and so the good has been aptly described as that at which everything aims†. He went on to reason that â€Å"since political science employs the other sciences, and also lays down the laws about what we should do and refrain from, its end will include the ends of the others, and will therefore be the human good.† http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/samples/cam032/99036947.pdf . Aristotle firstly explained his idea of the good, which according to his writings can then be understood to mean the purpose, reason, desire or benefit of things and actions. The idea of the good sets the premise for understanding the human good, the good that yields the most benefit to human existence. The human good, in Aristotle’s view, was the science of politics since it was the science charged with managing all other sciences and their respective ends for a single purpose; the betterment of the polity. The underlying premise of Aristotle’s definition of the common good is utility. It involves a multiplicity of agents working towards a single shared purpose that would  satisfy or be of benefit to all involved. This single purpose, shared by many, for the benefit of many is therefore what is understood to be the common good; a concept that shares an ideal that is similar to utilitarian theory as developed by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mills. UTILITARIANISM AND THE COMMON GOOD The basic premise of utilitarianism is the achievement of happiness for the greatest sum of people [ethics in action Domenec Mele]. This principle places the interest of the many over the interest of the few and as such the rightness or wrongness of an act is based only on the perceived or expected outcomes of that act as it relates to the utility obtained. http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/cavalier/80130/part2/sect9.html Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mills were the main proponents of this ideology, and though they had differing views on which outcome of act (happiness vs. pleasure) was worth measuring in order to determine the rightness or wrongness of an act they both held that human wellbeing was salient. http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/cavalier/80130/part2/sect9.html Utilitarianism can be considered to be an ethical theory. It represents a grand idea; achievement of maximum utility for most, and at the same time, assesses the rightness or wrongness of an action through the lenses of this idea. The utilitarian principle can therefore be used to ethically guide or judge the ethicality of decisions and actions. Utilitarianism as an ethical theory acts in pursuance to the common good https://philosophynow.org/issues/64/Presidential_Decision-Making_Utilitarianism_vs_Duty_Ethics . As previously expressed, a single purpose, shared by many, for the benefit of many is therefore what is understood to be the common good. This concept is similar to utilitarianism as is evident by the mutual aim of achieving maximum utility for many. As such, decisions and actions resulting from utilitarian theory are made based on the consequences of those decision and actions, and how they affect majority with an aim to always increase utility. Utilitarianism as a theory may then be seen as the tool through which the common good may be achieved. https://philosophynow.org/issues/64/Presidential_Decision-Making_Utilitarianism_vs_Duty_Ethics COMMON GOOD OF BUSINESSES The theories of the common good and utilitarianism although initially conceptualized on a societal scale are also applicable to smaller groups that occur within society. Both concepts are formulated purely on the idea that it is best to achieve utility for the majority of stakeholders and as such the size of the group is not an important attribute for consideration when applying these ideas. Utilitarian as a theory and the common good as a concept can therefore be viewed as reducible and as such be applied to virtually any group in society including a business. The common good of a business is to seek particular goods through its activities http://www.iese.edu/es/files/Paper_Antonio%20Argando%C3%B1a_tcm5-36013.pdf . These goods are extrinsic, intrinsic and transcendent in nature and are used to provide utility to stakeholders by satisfying their needs http://www.iese.edu/research/pdfs/DI-0777-E.pdf . These goods are interdependent of each other, but through their collective contributions, work towards the achievement of the vision and mission of a business. The vision and mission of a business may then be considered to be that business’s common good [domenec mele bookl]. Interestingly however, a business seeking its own common good also works towards the common good of society [domenec mele bookl]. As suggested by Adam Smith’s metaphor of the invisible hand, a business in pursuit of its own interests tends to also promote the good of society as a whole [domenec mele bookl]. Therefore the activities of a business: 1. creating added economic value with justice and distributing it with equity 2. supplying useful goods and services efficiently and fairly 3. providing jobs, opportunities and organizational conditions in accordance with human dignity and human rights 4. Promoting the necessary relationships between the firm and its constitutive stakeholders, fostering rec iprocity, collaboration and cooperation among them 5. Striving for the continuity and sustainability of the firm and 6. being a good corporate citizen  may be viewed as contributing to not only its own common good but also to the common good of society. [domenec mele bookl] COMMON GOOD DECISION MAKING IN A BUSINESS A common good decision in a business is any decision that is pursuant its own common good and, at the same time, is aimed at achieving maximum utility for  the majority of stakeholders. This type of decision making applies a mission driven approach to corporate governance where the organization is seen as one entity that achieves multiple ends. In applying this approach the corporate governing body weighs the positive and negative consequences of an action with an aim towards increasing overall utility for the many with the business’s vision and mission as its main goal [domenec mele]. It would then stand to reason that a common good business decision would be any decision that is utilitarian in nature, which is also in accordance with any of the 6 mentioned activities of a business. Common good business decisions are made through the application of utilitarian theory. Utilitarian theory provides a straightforward method for making decisions that would provide the greatest benefits and the least harm to the business. To arrive at such a decision, one must firstly identify the each of the various options that can be chosen http://www.sme.ie/articles/business_ethics/thinking_ethically.pdf . After the options are identified, the foreseeable benefits and harms that may result from each option are determined http://www.sme.ie/articles/business_ethics/thinking_ethically.pdf . Lastly, one compares the options and chooses the option that provides the greatest benefits and the least amount of harm to the business http://www.sme.ie/articles/business_ethics/thinking_ethically.pdf . In the utilitarian view, an option chosen via this ethical theory is considered to be morally right http://www.sme.ie/articles/business_ethics/thinking_ethically.pdf and is therefore ethical. This decision making process may be likened to the cost benefit analysis, a commonly used business decision making tool. Although one may arrive at ethical decisions through the application of utilitarian theory, there are several disadvantages of using this ethical theory. Utilitarianism suggests that the decision maker assigns values to benefits and harms and subsequently compares these benefits and harms, this makes the utilitarian decision making process highly subjective http://www.sme.ie/articles/business_ethics/thinking_ethically.pdf . Predicting all the consequences of an action is difficult and as such it is possible that consequences which may cause great benefit or harm to the business are not factored into the decision making process. This method also, ignores the concept of justice and as such may cause several  particular groups to be repeatedly disadvantaged for the betterment of the organization. Because of the critiques of this ethical theory it can be reasoned tha t it is best used in situations that are amoral or situations where the rightness or wrongness of a decision is not in question. An example or an ideal amoral situation is a situation where all the available options are moral. The application of this ethical approach in such situations removes the need for the consideration of justice and therefore addresses a major flaw of the utilitarian process. MORAL CHARACTER AND FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN VIRTUES Another concept that informs ethical decision making is moral character and fundamental human virtues. The idea of Moral character and virtues has always been a prominent topic of philosophical discussion among ancient philosophers. The foundation of these discussions was centralized in the goodness of humans and in particular, trying to discern what makes a person good http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-character/ . As such, a person’s character became the logical starting point in the resolution of this issue http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-character/#WhyChaMat . One’s traits and actions is what determines one’s character. Character, which is understood to mean the assemblage of qualities that distinguishes one individual from another http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-character/#WhyChaMat is comprised of the relatively stable traits or behaviours that a person consistently exhibits. Although all of these traits are not moral nature, they may have a significant impact on a person’s moral characterhttp://www.iep.utm.edu/moral-ch/#SH1a . A person’s Moral Character is influenced by moral character traits and practical wisdom. A moral character trait is a disposition of character for which a person is morally responsible or is deserving of the resultant reactive attitudes. http://www.iep.utm.edu/moral-ch/#SH1a. Virtues, traits that are deserving of positive reactive attitudes such as praise or gratitude and vices, traits that are deserving of negative reactive attitudes, when combined with proper reasoning about the matter at hand, collectively inform moral character http://www.iep.utm.edu/moral-ch/#SH1a. In other words; virtues, vices and by extension moral character is not only influenced by the disposition of  character, but also by practical wisdom. http://www.iep.utm.edu/moral-ch/#SH1a Practical wisdom is an intellectual virtue that is required for the development of virtues of character. This intellectual virtue is acquired through learning general rules and practice. Throughout the course of one’ s life, we encounter situations that require reasoning to determine what actions are appropriate. It is through these experiences that practical wisdom is developed. Practical wisdom, when combined with â€Å"proper habits† fuels the development of virtues such as justice, courage and temperance. [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-ethics/] Justice, courage and temperance are virtues which provide us with the interior strength to act well [domenec mele]. Justice governs relationships and it regulates one’s inclination to possess, to share and to give whilst, courage, the virtue of preserving or pursuing what is good despite the obstacles, regulates one’s inclination to overcome the obstacles to doing â€Å"good†. Lastly temperance regulates one’s inclination towards pleasure and is that virtue which provides self-mastery and avoidance of immoderate attachments [domenec mele]. These virtues each have common characteristics of providing a self-regulatory feature and encouraging behaviours that are in keeping with human excellence. As such, these virtues are considered to be fundamental [domenec mele]. FUNDAMENTAL VIRTUES AND DEONTOLOGY The theory of deontology states we are morally obligated to act in accordance with a certain set of principles and rules regardless of outcome. Deontological theories holds that some acts are always wrong, even if the act leads to an admirable outcome and as such, in deontology the morality of an action is judged without regard for the outcome of that action. Deontology is based on the view of the human being having the unique capacity for rationality and it is exactly this ability that requires human beings to act in accordance with moral law or duty. http://sevenpillarsinstitute.org/morality-101/kantian-duty-based-deontological-ethics In the deontological view, morality and moral character is primarily a function of acting in accordance with duties or obligations, regardless of the consequences of acting in accordance with those duties http://www.iep.utm.edu/moral-ch/ . Deontological theory goes on to apply  this categorical imperative to making all decision â€Å"Act only on that maxim whereby thou canst at the same time will that it should become a universal law† http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/Cavalier/80130/part2/sect8.html . This categorical imperative is Kant’s only guideline to making decisions. Simply explained it states that one should decide on an action only if they agree that everyone else should perform that action in all the time. To be able to act in accordance with duty, fundamental virtues are required. Duties may be either perfect (precise, specifiable and enforceable) or imperfect (unspecific and unenforceable) in nature. Perfect duties require that one forgoes certain actions in order to be able to act in accordance with such a duty. Imperfect duties on the other hand, are duties to adopt certain ends and because of its unenforceable nature require self-mastery and strength of will. Continence therefore becomes a necessity for acting in accordance with duty. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-character/#Kan Continence or self-control requires the exercise of virtues, namely those of practical wisdom, temperance, courage and justice. http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.7.vii.html MORAL CHARACTER OF COMPANIES The ideas of moral character and fundamental virtues, though originally conceptualized to examine the ‘goodness’ of a person, can also be expanded to analyse the moral character of groups particularly businesses. Moral character is assessed as previously indicated by evaluating a person’s commitment to virtues or exercise of duty. The same method of assessment can be applied to a business. The moral character of a company may be determined through its duty based activities. The perfect duties of a company are those to which it is legally obligated whereas its imperfect duties deals are those where the company isn’t legally obligated but are duty bond to adopt particular ends. As such, the company’s adherence to the laws of the land, how the company treats with contractual agreements, examination of the company’s ethical policy or code and review of the company’s decision to ensure that they are in accordance with the company’s duties are the factors that influence the moral character of a company.

Measuring Depression for Individuals with Chronic Illness

Measuring Depression for Individuals with Chronic Illness The main intend of present study was to develop a reliable self-report indigenous measure of depression in people with chronic illnesses. Early detection of depression may decrease the risk of increment of disease burden and may provide insight for future coping skills to manage diseases in patients with chronic illnesses. Currently used scales for screening depression in Pakistan originated in Western countries. These scales are used as in original version, translated and/or in adaptive version (Naeem, 1990). Regardless of the high reliability and validity of the scales, there have been certain limitations in their capacity to identify depressive symptoms in Pakistani population. That is because of many cultural and regional differences that have an effect on mental disorders. These limitations of presently used Western scales possibly will increase the risk of mislaid symptoms in local population. By keeping these reviews in mind, it becomes visible that there is need to develop a new measure to assess depression in people with chronic illnesses with multivariate psychometric properties. That enables the clinician or researcher to measure the depression and its complicated effects on various chronic illnesses or vice-versa. Therefore this study attempted to develop a culturally receptive scale to measure depression as well as the assessment of validity and reliability of this scale named Depression in Chronic Illnesses Scale (DCIS). The Depression in Chronic Illnesses Scale is a 31-item, four points rating scale. Results ascertain Depression in Chronic Illnesses Scale as a reliable and valid apparatus with significant psychometric properties such as high internal consistency, test re-test reliability, sufficient convergent validity with other similar constructs and adequate discriminant validity with non-clinical population. The DCIS require respondents to report feelings that they experienced in last six months. Item number 10, 18, 26 and 31 are an Urdu adaptation of Beck Depression Inventory- (1961). The DCIS subjected to principal axis factor analysis. Factor analysis is most important method of test development because it provides the dimensionality of the factors and reveals underlying factors of the data (Field 2005; Widaman Floyed, 1995; Guilford, 1948). Consistency of the factor analysis reliant on the attribute of data that have to be checked its aptness before analyzing, and sample size is one of them. Sizes of the sample may vary according to the requirement (Field, 2005). Sample size of more than 200 cases is sufficient for the factor analysis (Guilford, 1956). Whereas another decisive factor for factor analysis is communalities after extraction will be greater than .5 (Field 2005). The present study fulfills these requirements (Table 2). Table 2 indicates that most of the items show communalities greater than .5. To test the sample adequacy and Sphericity, KMO and Bartlett’s test was also carried out. The acceptable range of KMO value must be greater than .5 (F ield, 2005). In present study the KMO value is .8 (Table 1) which falls within the moderate range (Field, 2005) and fulfill the requirement to produce reliable and distinct factors while analyzing. Finally Bartlett’s test of Sphericity is also highly significant (p Factor analysis was carried out to estimate the strength of the relationship of individual items with the concepts and to determine the possible essential structures of Depression in Chronic Illnesses Scale. Factor analysis quickly enables to take decision regarding item retention on the basis of good indicator of the construct and item deletion on the basis of poor indicator of the construct. After the assessment of decision making for factor analysis, specific criteria has been used that guide factor analytic decision making. That is based on the magnitude of the factor structure loading of one item on a factor opposed to another. When an item loaded on more than one factor the difference between the loadings must be at least .10 and an item needed .30 factors loading to be retained for further analysis (Nunnally, 1978). For the present study table 3 and 4 shows six distinct factors with Eigen Value greater than 1, whereas one strong factor with an eigen value of 11.01 that is expl aining 35.5% of the variance in the items. All items showed high loading on factor one ranging from .42 to .79. On the other hand rotation of factors extracted six factors by using Varimax Rotation Method. Though most of the items including items 1 (hopelessness), 2 (sadness), 3 (worthlessness), 4 (feeling of being rejected), 8 (pessimism), 12 (self-criticalness), 22 (hopelessness) are loaded on factor one which fall within the category of negative thinking. While items 5 (loss of energy), 6 (fatigue), 7 (fatigue), 17 (loss of pleasure) and 21 (loss of sleep) are loaded on factor two which is the category of lack of motivation. On the other hand third factor regret feelings comprised of item 9 (past failure), 18 (loss of pleasure) 28 (feeling of punishment) and 29 (loneliness). While item 10 (worry), 11(self dislike), 14 (hesitant), 15 (lack of confidence), 16 (uncertainty) and 19 (inability to make decision) are loaded on factor four fall within the category of indecisiveness. Whil e item 13 (feebleness), 20 (obsessed thoughts), 25 (crying), 26 (despondent) and 30 (self criticalness) are loaded on Factor five and this category is labeled as helplessness. While item 23(agitation), 24 (anger), 25 (crying), 27 (loss of appetite) and 31 (criticalness) are loaded on factor six and fall within the category of irritability. In present study item 25 (crying) loaded on factor five (helplessness) and factor six (irritability) simultaneously because the content of this item related to both factors. Almost all the item-total correlations of Depression in Chronic Illnesses Scale (Table 6) are highly positive within the suggested range of .30–.70 (Ferketich, 1991). Item number 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30 and 31 showed strong positive correlation with the total scores. Their correlations with the total scores ranging between .5 to .7 and considered to be better-quality items for assessing depression in chronically ill patients. Item number 5, 6, 7, 11, 14, 16, 19, 21, 26 and 27 showed moderate positive correlation with the total score. Their correlations with the total scores ranged in between .49- .39. The reasonably high levels of item-total correlation suggest that the items are sufficiently related. Inter-item correlations of Depression in Chronic Illnesses Scale are also calculated. Result indicates that item 1 (hopelessness) is highly correlated with worthlessness to feeling of being rejected to pessimism to past failures to self criticalness to feebleness to lack of confidence to uncertainty to loss of pleasure to obsessed thoughts to loss of sleep to anger to crying to feeling of punishment to loneliness and to criticalness. Furthermore item 2 (sadness) is significantly correlated with worthlessness to feeling of being rejected to pessimism to past failure to self criticalness to uncertainty to loss of pleasure to obsessed thought hopelessness to agitation to crying to despondent and to feeling of punishment. Item number three worthlessness significantly related to feeling of being rejected to pessimism to past failure to worry to uncertainty to loss of pleasure to inability to make decision to obsessed thoughts hopelessness to agitation to anger to crying to feeling of puni shment to loneliness to guilt. Item 4 feeling of being rejected is highly correlated with pessimism to past failure to worry to self criticalness to feebleness to lack of confidence to uncertainty to loss of pleasure to feeling of punishment to loneliness. Item 5 loss of energy is related to fatigue to feebleness to loss of pleasure to loss of sleep to feeling of punishment. Item 6 fatigue is highly related to feebleness to loss of pleasure to loss of sleep to feeling of punishment. Item 7 fatigue is highly related to self dislike to feebleness to loss of pleasure to loss of sleep to hopelessness to feeling of punishment. Item 8 is related to past failure significantly related to past failures to worry to self dislike to self criticalness to feebleness to lack of confidence to uncertainty to loss of pleasure to inability to make decisions to obsessed thoughts to hopelessness to agitation to crying to feeling of punishment to loneliness. Item 9 past failures is highly related to worr y to self dislike to self criticalness to feebleness to lack of confidence to uncertainty to loss of pleasure to inability to make decisions to obsessed thoughts to loss of sleep to hopelessness to agitation to crying to despondent to loss of appetite to loneliness to feeling of punishment. On the other hand self dislike, self criticalness, hesitant, lack of confidence, uncertainty, loss of pleasure, inability to make decisions, hopelessness, crying, feeling of punishment and loneliness are significantly relates with item 10 worry. Item 11 self dislike relates with hesitant to lack of confidence to loss of pleasure to obsessed thoughts to loss of sleep to hopelessness to agitation to loss of appetite to feeling of punishment. Item 12 self criticalness is highly related to feebleness to hesitant to lack of confidence to uncertainty to loss of pleasure to loss of sleep to hopelessness to agitation crying to loss of appetite to feeling of punishment. Item 13 feebleness is highly relate d with hesitant to lack of pleasure to uncertainty to loss of pleasure to inability to make decision to obsessed thoughts to hopelessness to agitation to anger to crying to despondent to loneliness to feeling of punishment. Item 14 hesitant is significantly related to lack of confidence to uncertainty to loss of pleasure to inability to make decision to hopelessness to agitation to anger to crying to despondent to loneliness. Item 15 lack of confidence is related to uncertainty to loss of pleasure to inability to make decision to hopelessness to agitation anger to crying to loneliness. Item 16 uncertainty is significantly related to loss of pleasure to inability to make decision to crying. Item 17 loss of pleasure is significantly related to inability to make decision to obsessed thoughts to loss of sleep to hopelessness to agitation to anger to crying to despondent to loss of appetite to feeling of punishment to loneliness. Loss of pleasure (item 18) is moderately related to inabil ity to make decision to loss of sleep to hopelessness to agitation to anger to crying to loss of appetite to feeling of punishment to loneliness. Item 19 inability to make decisions are related crying and despondent. Item 20 is highly related to hopelessness to agitation to anger to crying to loneliness to criticalness. Loss of sleep (item 21) is significantly related hopelessness to agitation to anger to loss of appetite to feeling of punishment to self-criticalness. Hopelessness (22) is significantly related to agitation to anger to crying to feeling of punishment despondent to loneliness. Anger is significantly related to crying to feeling of punishment to loneliness. Crying and despondent are more closely linked with self punishment and self-criticalness. Moreover feeling of punishment made its significant link with loneliness and self-criticalness. Link can be explained in the way that feeling of punishment arises when people have critical attitude for self and others and this attitude inculcate more criticalness towards self and the person entrap in vicious circle. Depression in Chronic Illnesses Scale displayed its strength by providing significant test re-test reliability (table 8). Test re-test reliability was estimated by administration of Depression in Chronic Illnesses Scale twice with the interval of one week between two administrations. Result establishes a high temporal stability of the scale i.e. a significantly high Pearson Product Moment Correlation of .716. It represents that the people with chronic illnesses maintain their relative position over a given period of time. Another reason of high test re-test reliability is those items that have significant item-total correlation in the Depression in Chronic Illnesses Scale. Because those items momentously contribute in enhancing reliability of the scale. In addition people with depression usually consistent with their opinion about the feelings, experiences and illness. For estimation of internal consistency of the Depression in Chronic Illnesses Scale, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and split half reliability were computed. Cronbach’s alpha and split half reliability of Depression in Chronic Illnesses Scale was found to be .902 and .875 respectively indicate that Depression in Chronic Illnesses Scale highly internally consistent. Moreover high alpha range indicate that every single item of the scale assess the same construct as the total does. Therefore Depression in Chronic Illnesses Scale provides an excellent support for measuring depression in chronic illnesses. Convergent validity is demonstrated by high positive correlations between different measures of the same traits (Campbell Fisk, 1959; Domino Domino, 2006). The Depression in Chronic Illnesses Scale indicated good convergent validity in that it revealed significant and strong correlations with previously validated scales such as the CES-D i.e. .823 and HRDS i.e. .718 (table 9). To assess convergent validity, scores of the DCIS were compared to the scores of CES-D and HRSD scales. A positive correlation was expected between these three scales because of the superior clinical relevance of the CES-D and HRSD. A positive correlation between the DCIS, CES-D and HRSD provides an empirical support of the convergent validity of the newly established scale. Discriminant validity of a scale corresponds to the extent to which a test does not correlate considerably with that variable from which it ought to diverge (Campbell Fisk, 1959; Domino Domino, 2006). In order to explore discriminant validity, means, standard deviations and correlations between the scores of clinical population and non-clinical population were assessed (table 10, 11). The results demonstrated that there is a considerable difference in the means and standard deviations for both groups. The results further demonstrated significantly poor correlations between them, suggested that the DCIS can discriminate well between patients with chronic illness and normal peoples. Conclusion Depression in Chronic Illnesses Scale is constructing to provide a psychometrically reliable and valid self-report indigenous screening test for depression in people with chronic illnesses. There was no validated measure for screening the depression in chronically ill patients’ available indigenously. To fill that gap, the Depression in Chronic Illness Scale developed and is the first indigenous test which is culturally sensitive for screening depression in chronic illnesses. Findings of the study suggested that the DCIS captures several important areas of depression in patients with chronic illnesses. The scale will help clinician and primary care practioners to diagnose unnoticed depression missed due to the chronic disease burden. The scale has demonstrated good psychometric properties. Internal consistency for the overall scale was .902 falling within the recommended range, suggesting the scale is internally highly reliable. The factor analysis also supported the concept of depression as a multidimensional construct and consistent with the literature review. Significant input from chronically ill patients and health care professionals that guided in scale development. The scale is of four point likert type response system with high test retest reliability and sufficient convergent validity with Centre of Epidemiologic Study-Depression and Hamilton Rating Scale for depression. DCIS is a 31 items and 4 point likert type scale where each item scores on 0-3 rating system such as strongly agree 3, agree 2, disagree 1 and strongly disagree rated as 0. The collective sum of score is 93. The administration of the scale do not required much time i.e. five to ten minutes. Classificatory indices of the scores are, 0-30 indicates minimal depression, 31-41 indicates mild depression, 42-55 indicates moderate depression and more than 55 points indicates severe level of depression. The language of the DCIS is understandable and concise and does not require specific educational level. The only requirement is understanding and comprehension of Urdu language. Instructions of the scale are clearly stated without any ambiguity. The administration and scoring of DCIS does not need a skilled and trained interviewer. DCIS has hand scoring with little time consuming. In general, the DCIS is a useful test to provide a quick and proficient approach to assess depression in people with chronic illnesses. Furthermore, DCIS can also be use in research settings and will be as useful as in clinical settings. There are certain limitations that have a tendency to cloud the issue. The sample is to some extent small, containing only 220 chronically ill patients and the socioeconomic status of the participants is not accounted. However, as the DCIS was developed and validated only in Karachi, further studies need to evaluate its applicability in more demographically and culturally diverse samples of Pakistan. Gender differences may exist in terms of depression but present study did not address the issue. Future studies have to explore this possible gender difference. Another limitation of DCIS could be its applicability that is solely dependent on respondent’s mutual aid and their comprehension regarding Urdu language. Future studies can develop and validate the DCIS clinician rating scale to address this issue. There is need to control false positive and false negative responses from patients and the present study does not cater this issue. Further studies have to explore and control this issue.

Safety Assessment: Benzalkonium Chloride as Sanitising Agent

Safety Assessment: Benzalkonium Chloride as Sanitising Agent Benzalkonium Chloride Benzalkonium chloride or BAC is an antibacterial agent belonging to the quaternary ammonium compound group. It is widely used in the health care industry and cosmetic industry as an antimicrobial and cleansing agent. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 0.1-0.13% w/w BAC is considered safe and effective as an â€Å"antiseptic drug product†.55 BAC has also been recognized as safe and effective when incorporated into oral mouth rinses.56 BAC is also popularly used as a rinse-free hand sanitizer and for hand washing.57 Short-term and long-term clinical studies have shown that BAC incorporated in intranasal products is safe and well-tolerated. 58 Furthemore, BAC meets the performance criteria under the Tentative Final Monograph for Health Care Antiseptic Drug Products as an active component in rinse-free hand sanitizers. Sufficient evidence exists to support the usage of BAC as a Category I active ingredient in 1994. It was analyzed as a leave-on sanitizer at the Final Monograph for Healthcare Personnel Antiseptic Drug Products. 59 A study by Dyer et al concluded that a hand sanitizer with BAC as the main component was a safe and effective way of decreasing illness absenteeism in grade schools.60 The safety of BAC was reviewed by an expert panel and they concluded that at concentrations of up to 0.1%, free active ingredient is â€Å"safe for human use†.61 It was acknowledged that BAC can be used beyond being an active ingredient for leave-on products because of its safety and antimicrobial effectiveness profiles. The FDA has also agreed upon the usefulness of biocidal quaternary amino actives, particularly BAC, in their previous rulemaking. As an example, the FDA stated that â€Å"it was not seriously concerned with the safety of ‘quats’ for first aid uses like wound cleansers, skin wound protectants, and skin antiseptics† in the 1991 Proposed Rule for Topical Antiseptic Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use; Tentative Final Monograph for First Aid Antiseptic Drug Products. BAC was found to meet the requirements for first-aid antiseptic applications as reviewed by the expert panel at that time. Furthermore, the FDA has permitted the combination of BAC and Benzethonium Chloride homologues at concentrations of up to 0.004% as a food preservative or for long-term ingestible applications.62 At the 2002 16th Report of the Cosmetic Ingredients Review Expert Panel, BAC was announced to be safe at concentrations of up to 0.1% w/w. The cosmetic applications studied here were those that encompassed a daily-use regimen. A publication was done on a cross-over study of 420 grade-school children (5-12 years old) for a period of 10 weeks. They were told to use a leave-on sanitizer with BAC as soon as they entered the classroom, before eating their snacks and lunch, after sneezing or coughing inside the classroom, and after using the restroom. They observed that even with frequent use, there was no adverse reaction such as edema, rash or erythema, among the students during or after the study.40 Another study published in 1998 investigated the performance of an alcohol-free hand sanitizer with BAC. They concluded that the product exceeded the minimum performance standards indicated by the FDA for reducing bacteria.63 BAC has been reported to be effective against a wide variety of microorganisms, such as mixed-type viruses and non-enveloped viruses. BAC even demonstrated on some instances, a significantly higher virucidal activity as compared to alcohol applications. One important aspect of BAC that should not be over-looked is its non-flammable nature. In fact, during the SARS epidemic in 2003, BAC-containing sanitizers were very effective against human coronavirus especially in use in airlines and airports as alcohol-containing products were banned because of issues in flammability. In a study on BAC at reducing illness in public and private schools, they observed a 44.2% decrease in incidence of gastrointestinal illnesses and a 50.2% reduction in respiratory-related illnesses. In a different double-blinded study with 769 students, there was a 33% reduction in illness-related absenteeism. It was recommended that alcohol-free leave-on sanitizers, like those with BAC, are the only appropriate composition for usage in settings as school. This is due to the possible misuse of alcohol-containing sanitizers as a fire accelerant or by intentional ingestion. An excellent review on the issue of bacterial resistance to antibacterial  sanitizers was also recently submitted by SDA to FDA in response to the reopening of the docket for comments. However, the FDA advised that further studies should be done regarding antimicrobial resistance and the potential development of resistance to these agents, including BAC. This was stated at the joint meeting in 1997 of the FDA Advisory Committees. In the field of Orthodontics, Othman et al 64 confirmed that adding BAC to an adhesive produces antibacterial properties. In the study, BAC was incorporated into a light-cured composite resin, and an evaluation of its antimicrobial and physical properties was done. BAC was incorporated into Reliance Phase II adhesive to produce BAC concentration from 0.25% to 2.50% wt/wt. The modified samples were cut into disks and incubated in Strep. mutans for two days. Amount of bacterial inhibition was measured with agar disk diffusion assay. Other disks were placed in brain-heart infusion medium with Strep. sobrinus to measure its adherence. Cells that adhered were measured. Tensile bond strength was analyzed using a universal testing machine by attaching traction hooks to bovine teeth with the modified adhesives. Results showed an increase in antimicrobial activity in composites with higher BAC. Antimicrobial activity was negative for the composites without BAC. The composite with BAC and with out BAC did not show any difference with regard to their diametral tensile stress and tensile bond strength. Therefore, they concluded that when BAC was combined with an orthodontic adhesive, it added antimicrobial properties without changing its mechanical properties. Another study that aimed to create an antibacterial adhesive without compromising its bond strength was done by Saito et al.65 Their aim was to find the dose of BAC that exhibited antibacterial effect and did not compromise bond strength. In Saito’s study, Superbond CB resin cement was used. A mixture of the polymer, monomer, catalyst and BAC was produced according to the instructions of the manufacturer. Composite disks with the following BAC concentration were produced: 0.25%, 0.75%, 1.25%, 1.75%, 2.5%, and 5% (wt/wt). Composite disks of the same size (0.8 mm x 2 .0 mm thickness) were made. The test bacteria used were Strep. mutans 10449 and PS14, and Strep. sobrinus 6715 and B13. A brain-heart infusion medium was used to grow the bacteria. To evaluate the antibacterial activity, disk diffusion assay was utilized. To analyze the release of BAC as shown by an inhibition of growth of the bacteria, the semidiameter of the growth inhibition zone was measured. The bacteria were grown overnight in a broth and diluted. An optical density of 0.5 (550nm) was used. An inoculation of 80  µL (60-fold dilution) was performed on the brain-heart infusion agar plates. A glass rod was used to spread the inoculums evenly providing uniform bacterial growth. The BAC-infused composite disks were placed on the agar and were incubated at 37 ºC. Two days after incubation, the inhibition zones were measured. Saito also tested the shear bond strength using 70 extracted human premolars. The teeth were randomly distributed into seven groups and embedded in acrylic except for the buccal areas which were used for bonding. The teeth were polished using rubber prophylactic cups with pumic for 10 seconds. The teeth were etched with 65% phosphoric acid for 30 seconds and washed for 20 seconds then orthodontic metal brackets were bonded. Composite with the following BAC concentrations were used to bond the brackets: 0%, 0.25%, 0.75%, 1.25%, 2.5%, and 5%. A 300-gram force was applied on each bracket (based on the study of Bishara et al66). The results were presented in standard deviation and mean and analyzed with ANOVA to determine if there were significant differences among the groups. For multiple comparisons, Fisher test was used. Statistical differences were detected by a Chi-square test. Significance was predetermined at P 0.5.38 Results showed that there were significant differences among the composites with different BAC concentrations. No significant differences were found among the bacterial strains. When placed on the agar plate with Strep. mutans or Strep. sobrinus, no inhibition zone was observed on the composite with 0% BAC. The composite disks with BAC demonstrated a significant antibacterial property when compared with the composite without BAC. The antibacterial effect was found to increase as BAC concentration increased. This was indicated by an increase in the bacterial inhibition zones that were measured. The disks with 5% BAC had the highest amount of antibacterial activity. A significant difference in bond strength was noted among the different composites with BAC. However, as BAC concentration was raised, they observed a decline in shear bond strength. The study of Saito et al concluded that adding BAC into composite resin attributes antimicrobial properties strong enough to inhibit Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus. A clinically acceptable range of shear bond strength is yet to be established scientifically. Saito noted that incorporation of BAC does not lessen the strength to less than 10 MPa when an etchant (phosphoric acid) is used. The range of shear bond strength in study was 10.12 MPa – 20.94 MPa. Saito et al further concluded that a composite incorporated with BAC â€Å"has a possibility for clinical application as a bonding adhesive†. It was recommended in the study that it is essential to acquire a long-term release behaviour of an antibacterial agent. Therefore, a study investigating the release behaviour of BAC should be done. It was mentioned in the study by Saito that BAC has been a popular choice of contact lens antiseptic. However, the quantity of BAC used in the study was less than the amount used in contact lenses. A typical bonding procedure in an orthodontic patient requires around 150 mg of composite adhesive. Therefore, 0.7 mg of BAC is required to achieve 0.5% BAC concentration. The same author in 2009 evaluated the antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of an orthodontic adhesive containing BAC. To achieve the desired concentration of BAC, it was initially diluted to 50% by mixing it with the orthodontic polymer (wt/wt). It was diluted further with polymer to achieve the required concentration. 65 They achieved the following BAC concentrations: 0.25%, 0.75%. 1.25%, 1.75%, 2.5%, and 5.0% (wt/wt). Custom-made molds were used to produce BAC-composite disks of the same size (8.0 mm x 2.0 mm). The disks were evaluated using antibacterial and cytotoxicity assays with three independent runs. To perform the disk diffusion assay, the BAC composite disks were soaked in distilled water at 37 ºC for 0, 30, 90, and 180 days prior to the assessment of antibacterial activity. The test bacteria used were Strep. mutans 10449 and PS14 and Strep. sobrinus 6751 and B13. They were routinely grown in a brain-heart infusion medium for 24 hours. The growth inhibition of Strep. mutans and / or Strep. sobrinus showed the release of BAC into the agar medium. Electric digital callipers were used to take measurements of the zone of growth inhibition around each BAC composite disk. To test the cytotoxicity, human gingival fibroblast cultures were grown from the cells of healthy gingival tissues from patients who were undergoing extraction prior to orthodontic treatment. This was copied from the method of Somerman, et al. After the patients underwent extraction, a part of the gingival tissue attached to the interdental papilla was taken. The samples were washed twice in phosphate-buffered saline solution (PBS). The acquired tissues were dissected into 1-mm cubes and were transferred to 35-mm tissue culture dishes with ÃŽ ±-minimal essential medium supplemented with 100  µg/mL of penicillin G, 500  µg/mL gentamicin sulphate, 0.3  µg/mL amphotericin B, and 10% fetal bovine serum. Incubation of the cultures was done in a 37 ºC humidified incubator with 95% air and 5% carbon dioxide. When confluence was reached, the cells were detached using 0.05% trypsin in PBS for 10 minutes. They were subcultured in flasks and seeded.38 The controls used in the study were the resin disks without BAC. The harvested gingival cells were laid under resin disks. In between the disks and the gingival cells was an 8  µm PET membrane that allowed the passage of the components of the resins to make contact with the human gingival cells. This was based on the study of Tang et al. Incubation with the gingival cells were done at 37 ºC for 1, 3, and 6 days.38 A reduction assay kit containing tetrazolium bromide was used to assess the cytotoxicity. This was based on the reduction that occurs to MTT when exposed to living cell mitochondria. It becomes purple fromazan. After 1, 3, and 6 days, the cells were cleaned with PBS after removal of the resins and the medium. Addition of 0.5 mL MTT medium solution was made to the wells. The solution was incubated at 37 ºC for 3 hours. A microplate reader was used to measure the purplish lysate. They observed significant differences among the different lengths of time the samples were soaked in distilled water and among the BAC concentration. With the different bacteria, they did not detect any significant differences. No difference that was significant enough was also observed between the bacterial strain and BAC. There were significant differences noted regarding the antibacterial activity at 0 day between samples with 5% BAC compared to other BAC concentrations. There were also significant differences observed regarding antibacterial activity among 0.25%, 0.75%, and 1.25% BAC, and 1.75%, 2.5%, and 5% BAC concentration. However, there was not any significant difference detected among 1.75%. 2.5%, and 5% BAC concentrations. There was a significant difference at 180 days between 0.25%, 0.75%, and between 1.25% and 5% concentrations. They observed that the higher the concentration of BAC in the composite, the greater the decrease that occurred in antibacterial property based on the assay time prolongation. They concluded that when the samples were not soaked in water, they exhibited higher antibacterial activity. The resins with 5% BAC had the highest antibacterial property. There was a significant decrease in antibacterial activity after soaking the samples in water for 180 days at all BAC concentrations. The samples incorporated with 5% BAC had the highest antibacterial activity compared to the resin with 0.25% at all periods of the experiment. In fact, the antibacterial activity exhibited by the resin with 5% BAC soaked for 180 days was the same as the antibacterial activity shown by the resin containing 0.25% and 1.75% BAC prior to immersion in water. There were significant differences in MTT activity percentages among the BAC composites with regard to cytotoxicity to the human gingival cells. Saito’s study concluded that resins with 1.25% or 1.75% BAC exhibited constant antibacterial properties when immersed in water for 180 days due to the continuous BAC release. However, an increase in cytotoxicity was noted as the antibacterial activity increased. Therefore, composites with a higher concentration of BAC were shown to be more cytotoxic. A concentration of BAC that was 0.25% or 0.75% exhibited cytotoxicity similar to the resins without BAC or the controls at all test periods. Saito et al recommended that a similar study be made using saliva instead of water as the immersing medium. This is due to the presumption that the oral environment is different that it may influence the antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of the resins with BAC. The study confirmed that adding BAC to a composite resin exhibits an antibacterial effect against Strep. mutans and Strep. sobrinus. The author suggested that BAC be tested in vivo for safety before it is tested clinically.

The Signalman and The Red Room are well known examples of nineteenth :: English Literature

The Signalman and The Red Room are well known examples of nineteenth century ghost stories How effectively do the authors of â€Å"The Red Room† and â€Å"The Signalman† create a sense of suspense in the story "The Signalman" and "The Red Room" are well known examples of nineteenth century ghost stories. The Signalman by Charles Dickens was written in 1865, which was the time of developing literacy. This short story was presented in three parts as it was previously in a periodical form; this technique was also used to create suspense and therefore leaves the reader at a cliff hanger after each episode, which in turn motivates the reader to read on. There were many rumors about this story as many people suggested that Dickens wrote this story as a remembrance of the day he was involved in a railway accident which killed ten people. Furthermore, He was writing in the Victorian times, when there was a massive change in technology as new inventions were created, e.g. the Train. In comparison The Red Room was written only thirty years later in 1894 by HG Wells although it feels more timeless. At that time technology had improved intensely, nevertheless Wells still imitated the old fashion gothic literature style writing, which is ironic, due to the time. Both stories have managed to engage its audience by creating suspense and tension. Besides that both stories have been written in first person, this in sequence makes it sinister, in a way because we get to know the narrator’s impressions and feelings. The authors of both stories have selected discomforting places in which to set their story, they are made more eerie because that in the 19th century time many people believed in ghosts and the supernatural. First of all The Signalman is located in a very isolated place, as the narrator describes â€Å"as solitary and dismal a place as I ever saw† This suggest that it is a remote, despondent place which is suitable for the supernatural to exist. Before even meeting the Signalman, the narrator says â€Å"steeped in the glow of an angry sunset† and â€Å"so little sunlight that it had an earthy, deadly smell† the use of pathetic-fallacy and symbolism suggests that it’s getting dark and describes a sense of imminent death. The reader is also told it is â€Å"this great dungeon† the oxymoron used suggests confinement; a place where it’s hard to escape, this therefore makes it more sinister in a way as dungeons are dark and cold and give a sense of fear. The darkness prominently reduces visibility between the narrator and the signalman as said â€Å"'I was near enough to have touched him† and

Radio Stations and the Public Good :: essays papers

Radio Stations and the Public Good For my final project on public interest I chose to view the public inspection files of the local radio station. I have been working at radio stations all of my life and had never seen or heard of a public inspection file until this class. In order to prepare the station for my arrival I called in advance to make an appointment. The receptionist answered the phone and I told her that I needed to see the files, this created a great deal of suspicion and I was directed to Dave Andrews the Vice President of Regent Broadcasting. Right away I knew that it was not a regular request due to the manor of which he explained the rules, it was as if he was reading them of an F.C.C handout. â€Å" Any member of the public can view the files between Monday and Friday during normal business hours†, he recited. I made an appointment, and I was very interested in viewing something that deserved the attention of the Vice President. I had no idea that this visit would be so rewarding and life changing. I arrived at the local radio station in time for my appointment. The receptionist asked to see identification, I gave my driver’s license which she photo copied. I felt as if I was in a secret area of the Government where I needed clearance to view the top-secret files. After my information was taken I met Mary-Jo Beach the General Manager who would assist me in viewing the public inspection files. I was disappointed when I first saw the standard gray file cabinet, because in my head I pictured a mission impossible type setting with gadgets and locks. Mary-Jo sat with me in her office as I viewed the files. She was very suspicious at first and very interested in my objective. Before I was actually able to review the public inspection file, Mary-Jo asked me what exactly I wanted to see and why I was interested in their station. I explained that I was a student and as our final project we had to visit a station, view the files and then report our experience and determine if they were broadcasting in the public interest. Mary-Jo’s whole manner changed, she seemed to be relieved. After I had explained the main reason she helped me work through the files and was very helpful in answering my questions.

Back to the Future: Past, Present, and Future

Jeff Harber Professor Barnaby Palmer GLA 618 OL1: Film Music History 6 December 2012 Back to the Future: Past, Present, and Future Whether you are a movie buff or just a dude from the 80's, there is a good chance you have seen the classic movie â€Å"Back to the Future. † Accompanied by an iconic cast and crew, the movie garnered so much popularity, Universal Studios pumped out three installments of the Trilogy –†Back to the Future 1, 2, and 3. With Steven Spielberg's and Robert Zemeckis' stamp, Back to the Future not only launched Michael J. Fox's career, but undoubtedly changed movies forever.There is much to discuss and analyze about all three installments. These would include actor choices, spotting, direction, acting, and most importantly the soundtrack and musical choices for all 3. Considering all 3 movie plots jump from decade to decade, it can be analyzed literally from past, present, and future. Inevitably, Back to the Future's success also led to severa l video game launches, a ride at Universal Studios in Hollywood and Orlando, an animated series, and even a comic book. Let's go back to the year 1985, you and your bodacious friends want to hang ten with the dudes, so you guys catch a flick at the local cineplex.Your choices are Mask, Teen Wolf, or Back to the Future. You mean the guy from Family Ties? So you take your chances on Back to the Future. Good choice! Of all things, Eric Stolz, the main actor in Mask, was originally cast for the role of Marty Mcfly when production of Back to the Future began on November 26,1984. Stoltz was filmed for four weeks, but after seeing a rough cut, Steven Spielberg and the writer/directors decided that Stoltz had played the role â€Å"too seriously† for a comedy, and he was replaced by Michael J. Fox (Futurepedia). Back To The Future was written by Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis, and mainly starred Michael J.Fox and Christopher Lloyd. The movie opened on July 3, 1985 and grossed $210 milli on at the US box office, making it the highest grossing film of 1985 (IMDb). The basic synopsis of Back to the Future 1, is about a young man named Marty Mcfly who accidentally travels into the past and jeopardizes his own future existence. With the help of an eccentric local scientist named Dr. Emmett L. Brown, he manages to travel back in time via a time machine made from a DeLorean. This was done by breaking the time barrier in what was called temporal displacement allowing it to travel along the space-time continuum.When the first script was made, a refrigerator was the planned prop for the time machine. Later Steven Spielberg decided he didn't want kids trapped inside their refrigerators trying to play time traveling games (Funtrivia). Done carefully, Bones Howe (music supervisor) and Alan Silvestri (composer) gathered an array of perfectly fit songs to cater both the 1950's as well as the 1980's. The movie jumps from decade to decade throughout the movie, and makes it apparent when it does. The movie starts out when Marty is late for school, he gets on his skateboard and we hear a fantastic song by Huey Lewis and the News, the â€Å"Power of Love. Later in the movie, we hear another solid track by Huey Lewis entitled â€Å"Back in Time. † By the way, Huey Lewis makes a cameo as a judge. When Marty tries out for the school competition, Huey says, â€Å"hold it. hold it†¦ I'm afraid you are just too darn loud. † This is also considered diagetic music in the film. Marty's first time travel sent him to the year 1955. Marty, immediately, arrives at the Twin Pines Ranch, which was owned by Otis Peabody. Marty crashes into the barn on Mr. Peabody's property which causes the entire Peabody family to wake up and come outside.Marty encounters many differences between 1985 and 1955, including a cleaner, less run-down ambiance in the Courthouse Square. While searching for a younger Doc Brown, he meets his father and accidentally interferes with t he first meeting of his parents–being hit by his grandfather's Chevrolet in his father's place. While in the 1950's, some of the songs we hear are such great classics â€Å"Night Train† by Marvin Berry, â€Å"Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)† by Marvin Berry, â€Å"Wallflower† by Etta James, and â€Å"Johnny B. Goode† by Chuck Berry aka Marty Mcfly.Some people complained that Back to the Future was a racist movie because Chuck Berry was inspired by a white guy. Sometimes a joke is just a joke; but Chuck Berry liked it. (Davis). Finally we have the sensational score by Alan Silvestri. At times the score is adventurous, and at times it's sad. The spotting is done just right to balance the dynamics of the movie. Also, there is a leitmotif that accompanies the movie, in fact, it accompanies all 3 movies of the trilogy, and never goes unnoticed. Upon the success of the first film, Robert Zemeckis (director) and Bob Gale (writer) agreed to do a 2nd movie.I n fact, they also intended on a 3rd movie, and both the 2nd and 3rd Back to the Future were filmed simultaneously and released six months apart. Back to the Future 2, with a budget of $40 million, grossed nearly $331 million at the box office (IMDb). The characters of George Mcfly and Jennifer Parker were played by different actors from those in the first film, requiring scenes that overlap to be re-shot. Jennifer Parker which was originally played by Claudia Wells, and replaced by Elisabeth Shue in the second film. Claudia claims she turned the roll down when she found out her mother was diagnosed with cancer (Futurepedia).George Mcfly, who was originally played by the quirky Crispin Glover, was later replaced by Jeffrey Weissman. Crispin Glover refused to return to the trilogy due to salary disputes. Back to the Future 2 pans back and forth from 1955, to 1985, and all the way to 2015; the past, present and future. Needless to say, Bob Gale and Zemeckis attempted to predict what 20 15 would like and sound like. Some songs used in the 2015 scenes, were â€Å"Beat it† by Michael Jackson, â€Å"I Can't Drive 55† by Sammy Hagar, â€Å"Mr. Sandman† by The Four Aces, and â€Å"Papa Loves Mambo† by the Perry Como.The filmmakers did do some research into what scientists thought may occur in the year 2015. Bob Gale also commented; â€Å"We knew we weren't going have flying cars by the year 2015, but God we had to have those in our movie. â€Å"(Q & A) The film was also considered one of the most ground-breaking projects for Industrial Light & Magic. It was one of the effects house's first forays into digital compositing, as well as the VistaGlide motion control camera system, which enabled them to shoot one of the film's most complex sequences, in which Michael J.Fox played three separate characters, all of whom interacted with each other. Although such scenes were not new, the VistaGlide allowed, for the first time, a completely dynamic s cene in which camera movement could finally be incorporated. The technique was also used in scenes where Thomas F. Wilson's character (Biff Tannen) had to interact with a younger version of himself. (Zemeckis) Six months after Back to the Future 2 was released in the theaters, the Back to the Future team released Back to the Future 3 on May 25, 1990.Again on a budget of $40 million, this one cashed in at $244 Million. The film takes place immediately after the events of Back to the Future Part II. While stranded in 1955, Marty McFly discovers that his friend Dr. Emmett â€Å"Doc† Brown was killed by Biff Tannen's great-grandfather Buford. Marty decides to travel to 1885 to rescue Doc and return to his own timeline. This time, Alan Silvestri had to create his soundtrack based in the year 1885. However, he still maintained the leitmotif throughout the picture.The years 1985 and 1955 are still relevant in the 3rd movie, and it jumps around. The popular group ZZ Top make an appea rance, as they perform â€Å"Doubleback† during a festival in 1885. This was also considered diagetic —-performed for the actors and the audience to hear. Huey Lewis' â€Å"Power of Love† is also heard again. In 1989, a video game, based on the original Back to the Future movie was produced for the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) by video game publisher LJN a subsidiary of Acclaim games. This has some similarity to the 1983 Atari video game E. T. where producers felt it would sell solely on brand association to the hit movie and the game designers were only given five weeks in order to produce a product to get it on the shelves for the 1982 Christmas shopping rush. Reviewers also cited that game as virtually unlike the film and was a major contributor to an economic downturn known as the Great Video Game Crash of 1983. There are only two songs found in the entire game. One is â€Å"Johnny B. Goode† which will play during the school dance that Ma rty is playing on stage and sounds close to the version heard in the film.The other song is a repetitive looping song that will play throughout the game in non-mini game moments. There are suggestions that the song is supposed to be â€Å"The Power Of Love† by Huey Lewis ; The News sped up and cycled differently. But it winds up sounding nothing like the actual song made famous in the movie. Nes also later released Back to the Future 2 and 3 as a single game in 1990. Back to the Future II ; III received largely negative reviews from critics. Stan Stepanic of Gamefreaks365. om gave the game positive remarks in regards to similarities with The Goonies II, but gave it a largely negative review due to the lack of a password or save feature coupled with its notorious length, although there was a code to skip to the second half of the game. Back to the Future II ; III's length has often been cited as the game's major weakness, Stan stating that it took him roughly six hours just to map it, and he spent so much time trying to finish it he actually turned it off out of boredom. (Gamefreaks). Sega Genesis also released their own version of Back to the Future 3 in 1991.It was a lot different than the Nintendo version. However, it was just as unpopular, the opening level was nearly impossible to complete. Finally in 2010, Telltale Games released Back to the Future on PC and Mac; and later was also released on the Ipad and Playstation 3. This was given way better reviews than the predecessors, and remains the best game of yet. Ben PerLee from GameZone summarized his praise of the game by saying it is a â€Å"feel good cinematic experience that any fan of Back to the Future will want to check out, and everyone else would do well to check it out. GameZone) Back to the Future: The Animated Series was an animated series based on the Back to the Future trilogy as well. The series lasted two seasons, each lasting 13 episodes, and ran on CBS from September 7, 1991 to Nov ember 28, 1992, the date of the last original episode. Harvey Comics also published a series of Back to the Future comic books starting in November 1991. With the cover header reading â€Å"The Adventure Has Only Begun! ,† the first issue featured Doc & Marty in 1927 Chicago. On May 2,1991 the Universal Studios Theme park in Florida released Back To The Future: The Ride.It was a simulator ride based on the popular movie trilogy of the same name. It was a mini-sequel to Back to the Future Part III. Later at Universal Studios Hollywood, they opened the same ride on June 12, 1993 ; and then at Universal Studios Japan on March 31, 2001. The Orlando and Hollywood versions closed in 2007 (Futurepedia). Although Back to the Future creators Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale had no involvement with the ride, they were consulted as to whether they â€Å"got Doc right†. The two responded with a â€Å"yes†. They have also commented that â€Å"it's a great ride. In addition, ref erences are made to a â€Å"Zemeckis-Gale diagram† and â€Å"Gale-Zemeckis Coordinates (Giveneyestosee) With the huge success of the Back to the Future Trilogy, you can see where a simple idea can turn into a big one. When you take risks on a new actor, and stamp something with a touch of great directing, production, and a great score —- you never know what could happen. Back to the Future will always remain a classic no matter what generation it leads to; whether it be 1955,1985, or even 2015. Works Cited â€Å"Back to the Future II & III Review. Review. Gamefreaks365, n. d. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Back to the Future Part II. † IMDb. IMDb. com, n. d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Back to the Future: The Ride. † FuturePedia. Wikia, n. d. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Back to the Future: The Ride. † Giveneyestosee. N. p. , n. d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. â€Å"BTTF Trilogy. † The â€Å"Back To The Future† Trilogy. Funtrivia, n. d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. à ¢â‚¬Å"Claudia Wells. † Futurepedia. Wikia, n. d. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. Davis, Cindy. â€Å"Pajiba. † Mindhole Blowers: 20 Facts About Back to the Future That Might Make Your Flux Capacitor Hit 1. 21 Gigawatts.N. p. , n. d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Futurepedia. † Futurepedia. Wikia, n. d. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. IMDb. IMDb. com, n. d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. PerLee, Ben. â€Å"Back to the Future: The Game Review. † Back to the Future – The Game Review. GameZone, 28 Dec. 2010. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Q&A Commentary with Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, Back to the Future Part II Blu-Ray, 2010. † Interview. DVD Blu Ray. N. d. Television. Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale (2005). Back to the Future Feature: Making the Trilogy Part 2. Los Angeles: Universal Pictures. N. d. Television.