Nomads on Notice Essay

In â€Å"Nomads on Notice,† anthropologist Daniel Stiles describes the changing lifestyle of the Gabbra pastoralist. They are one of the numerous nomadic societies that are at odds with the industrial world. The unforgiving territory of Northern Kenya is divided among several tribes. They are all very fierce when it comes to defending their territory. This is very similar to what we have learned in class, relating to the Warrior Groups. The Warrior Groups are usually young males, around twelve years of age, whom protect their land, animals, and people. This region consists of 35,000 Gabbra pastoralists. They claim the dry and salty mud flats of the Chalbi Desert and the eastern shore of Lake Turkana. The Gabbra must move often, up to ten times a year. This is due to the scarcity and temporary nature of water sources and vegetation. Camps would usually split and travel in smaller groups to accommodate the carrying capacity of the land. This is considered Pastoralism, another topic we have learned in class. Pastoralism is the ownership and control over domesticated animals that appear to be about ten thousand. They have more material items than hunting and gathering, but not as much as agriculturalists do. The Gabbra have very few possessions and can pack a settlement and be on their way within a number of hours. Gabbra societies are lead by married men. Their levels of authority are based on their age, how old they are. The main animals of Gabbra society are camels, goats, cattle, and sheep. The animals that provide milk are usually kept at the main camp. The animals that do not give milk are sent off to distant camps called fora, to prevent overgrazing. The fora serve as the border of tribal territories and they are run by young warriors, so they can prevent raids by other tribes. Pastoral societies travel in small groups, usually less than one hundred. They travel frequently, usually every season, to find the most nourishing land for their livestock. In class, we have learned the same, such as they are nomadic with a seasonal around and they move and travel every season. Approximately one hundred through five hundred people will move together at a time. It is also heard for them to engage in a limited amount of horticulture. In class, we have learned that the term horticulture is control over land that they use no tools or factors whatsoever. Everything is done by hand, which means no irrigation or complex machinery. Almost all Pastoral societies consist of all male. In order to fulfill excellent labor needs, the Gabbra rely on their extended kinship and social ties for help. People have large families and live as extended families in large households. Each male in the household may have a different herd to care for. Their duties and tasks may be paid for with food or stock offspring. People may obtain animals as gifts, inheritance, or on a loan. Due to this, it is difficult to figure exactly how many animals one Gabbra may own. The Gabbra does not allow someone to obtain more animals than he and his dependents actually need. If someone exceeds of their livestock, he would redistribute them to the needy as loans or gifts. We have also learned this in class, redistribution. Redistribution is where goods and services are sent to a central authority, and then given out to those who need it. This system of redistribution minimizes the burden placed on the environment. The Gabbra usually store small portions of food, because they are in short supply. Although they are in short supply, the foods that they store can be kept for long periods of time. The recent problems that the Gabbra are facing are nothing new, but they are being heavily influenced to deal with them in much different manners by Westerners. Foreign relief services, missionaries, and government officials are not only providing food relief, but they are telling the Gabbra that their way of life is backwards and primitive. This is an example of ethnocentrism, which is when one culture believes that another culture is wrong and their culture is superior. The lifestyle of the Gabbra can improve if the rain returns and neighboring countries regain stability. If the conditions do not improve, the Gabbra may be forced to change their way of life altogether. Many cultures have been destroyed or nearly destroyed, because of assimilation. People who attempt to assist Gabbra must understand that they must accept their way of life and not change it. References: http://www.questia.com/library/1P3-4957983/nomads-on-notice http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/9308230122/nomads-notice

Food and Beverage control System Essay

Food and beverage control systems can help you introduce the same financial rigour to your dining establishment or catering company that you’ll find in manufacturing operations. What is a food and beverage control system? A food and beverage control system is a means of computerizing best practice within a restaurant or catering operation. It gives managers a better idea of the flow of food through the restaurant, enabling them to plan cash flow and stock control more effectively. At the sharp end, it provides chefs with a more structured way of planning menus, taking into account nutritional and financial considerations. Importance of food and beverage control system In areas like manufacturing, companies keep close tabs on the manufacturing cost and value of their products. And yet in dining establishments, the core product — the food — is often not subject to the same scrutiny. Food control in many establishments is chaotic and unstructured. Restaurant budgets are often based on what was achieved last year. Ideally, chefs should be able to cost out each item on a menu, creating a clear picture of the cost of each sale to measure against its revenue. This helps you to understand which the most profitable items are, and whether you are keeping food wastage low enough to hit the profitability targets that you have set yourself. Putting in place a proper food and beverage control system will help you to make more intelligent decisions that help to cut the overall cost of sale for an establishment while maintaining profits. For example, if you find that your overheads are too high, you may be able to cut items from the menu that have a higher cost-to-revenue ratio. Features of food and beverage control system There are several key features that dining establishments should consider when purchasing a food and beverage control system.

World Mythology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

World Mythology - Essay Example The evolution of human kind and advancement in the civilization globally has contributed deeply into the mythological stories of all lifestyles. This creation of vast mythology among different people across the world has shaped the lives of people. However, the traditional concept of mythological thought has been considered as less important in comparison to logical thinking but the notion has been highly revalorized. Myth is a crucial concept to explore the construction of meaning to different phenomena. From some critical perspective, a very critical theoretical and analytical approach to myth becomes greatly fundamental t the understanding of the basis on which mythology is pegged. The strive to conceptualize the complex notion of different myths to open up one’s mind in undertaking a deductive and logical argument in sieving what could be of speculations from facts. The expression through myths and their interpretations tends to be a versatile and multifunctional existence in the lives of different groups and individuals. This is due to the fact that the logo- mythical expressions are complementary and are helpful for humans in achieving a more complete vision, but never final, of reality. The mythology concept allows the union of the spheres of thought and experience. Moreover, the symbolic function of mythology is a combination of the two dimensional constituents of thought: reason and representation, logos and mythos, number and figure, concept and image, speech and narration, and analysis and

Performance Management assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Performance Management assignment - Essay Example By doing so, organizations can easily project their profitability and thereby formulate effective strategies for business expansion. However, it is observed that budgetary forecasts in the modern era are not always accurate and result-bearing due to frequent market fluctuations. A recent statement from accounting press reflects that â€Å"the downturn has rendered budgets agreed last year largely irrelevant† (as cited in Jarman and Bibekar, 2009). This paper explores the scope of traditional annual budgeting process in the modern period. Generally, companies prepare budget for the whole financial period of 12 months. This forecast for a long period of 12 months seems useless in this fast changing business scenario as the deepening downturn and increase in economic volatility largely alter nation’s economic structure. Therefore, economic and market conditions after 12 months will probably be much different from that of the current situation. Similarly, today’s hig hly volatile nature of economy raises several constraints to the forecastability of the future economy. In short, the role of traditional annual budgeting process is not helpful in the present business era since it would not predict the future economic conditions accurately. In addition, the conventional practices associated with annual budgeting and forecasting processes involve higher costs. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) survey in 2009, on an average basis, every company employs an equivalent of ‘eight full-time staff to budgeting and forecasting’ (as cited in Jarman and Bibekar, 2009). The application of various modern financial and accounting tools is essential to predict the future economic variance. Similarly, under traditional budgeting system, a considerable portion of time is spent on data collection and tabulation activities. Hence, we can clearly assess the fact that budgeting and thereby forecasting process also includes cumbersome human efforts and it generally lasts up to three months. However, the degree of economic volatility would determine the success or failure of annual budget. As a result, if the economic conditions turn to be unfavorable in future, it will not only affect the success of the budget but also the cost spent on the formulation of the budget. Many economic conditions may adversely affect the effectiveness of a formulated financial budget. Most of the multinational companies value their various revenues and expenditures on the basis of predicted exchange rate of currency. If the fluctuation unfavorably exceeds the forecasted limits, then the expected revenues and expenditure would vary accordingly. Naturally, this situation may impede the successful progress of the designed annual budget. Similarly, different government regulations such as taxation and trade barriers raise further difficulties to the application of annual budgeting. When government increases tax imposition on trade activities, companies are forced to spend more on taxation which result in proportional increase in expenditure; and that will be higher than the budgeted expenditure. Moreover, economic downturn causes large deviation in budgeted figures. In such situations, firms are compelled to postpone their predetermined developmental policies since they need to spend more on other sectors in order to stabilize the economic growth. It is very difficult for the companies to predict whether there will be an economic downturn within

Group Project Phase 3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Group Project Phase 3 - Assignment Example His agency is the only one entrusted with the punishment of all the convicted suspects. It means that the Security Chief of the state correctional facility has short-term, intermediate, and long-term interaction with all the suspects. Major Allen Irongate, who is the Security Chief of the state correctional facility, represents Virtual detention Center on a number of occasions, especially when culprits commit crimes within the facility (Ferdico, Fradella, & Totten, 2013).   One of the major resources available to the correctional facility is the Virtual Detention Center. Perhaps this is the primary physical resource at the disposal of the correctional facility to execute its mandate. The detention center serves as a prison and remands for the suspects awaiting the hearing of their cases. Additionally, the detention center aids in the interim accommodation of suspect who are on parole. Other resources available to the correctional facility to execute its mandate include the other security departments that work hand in hand with Major Allen Irongate in order to deliver justice to the people of Virtual. Under the watchful eye of Major Allen Irongate, the correctional facility liaises with the Virtual Police Department and other agencies in order to fight crime. Raymond Burr, who is the chief criminal prosecutor from the Office of the District Attorney, plays a key role in prosecuting suspects who commit crimes in detention centers. Evidence relates such i nmates as John â€Å"Jacky† Pole with drug peddling within the correctional facility (Ferdico, Fradella, & Totten, 2013).   In as much as the correctional facility is trying its best to deliver the correct punishment to the criminals operating in Virtual like the Very bad Bike Club (VBBC), it is worth noting that certain resource shortfalls preclude a more effective response. Perhaps one of the major resource shortfalls in the correctional facility,

The importance of mission in the Strategic Management process Essay

The importance of mission in the Strategic Management process - Essay Example System of management is the main means of development and practical realization of the general program of the organization development and realization of its strategy. An ultimate goal of system of management is the performance of the company’s mission. Strategy of corporation is a business concept of the organization on the given strategic prospect, submitted as the long-term program of concrete actions which are capable of realizing the given concept and to provide the organizations competitive advantages in achievement of the purposes. Strategic management is a subsystem of organization management which carries out all the complex of concrete works on professional action under the strategic analysis, to development, realization and controlling strategy of the organization. These characteristics may be various and concern to the product (base service), and to the additional services accompanying base, i.e. to modes of production, selling, sales etc., specific to the organization and its product. Humger insists that mission, vision and values are the links that connect the integral parts of the company together. They describe the purpose of the company, the approaches that are implemented for successful result, and a general goal of the company’s existence. Defining and realizing these points will help both the staff and heads of the company get an integral image of the company, which would be helpful in their working process. These notions may sound abstract for people that are not involved into strategic planning, especially for people, that are occupied with practical activities and are focused on getting benefits and do not trouble themselves with such abstract notions. Such pragmatic people, or people, who consider themselves to be pragmatic, pass this very important stage of building up a successful base for future functioning of the company. It is extremely important to find staff and time to forge out mission, vision and

Week 8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Week 8 - Essay Example In fact, the inner structure of organization now is â€Å"a forum for its 193 Member States to express their views, through the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and the other bodies and committees† (â€Å"UN at a Glance†). And so, the main functions of organization are concentrated around protecting peace and security in the world by providing humanitarian assistance, public information and discussions, recommendations and other measures in order to complete the leading tasks of the organization. In this context, the role of Security Council is crucial. In particular, its body is composed by fifteen states (The Republic of China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America as permanent states and ten non-permanent members) who should provide an affirmative vote for nine members; moreover, Security Council has a â€Å"primary responsibility for the maintenance of intern ational peace and security† (â€Å"Charter of the United Nations† Ch. V). And so, the UN in general and Security Council in particular are created in order to keep the world protected and harmonious. Nevertheless, during its existence the UN had met numerous obstacles on its way. In particular, the current situation in Africa shows that significant humanitarian aid granted by Western countries does not solve the continent’s problems at the root. In fact, the inability to compromise with African leaders turns the UN assistance into the political weapon that is used by local leaders as the tool to blame others in the inner problems. Moreover, the inner structure of Security Council causes problems in making all the decisions due to the necessity to provide an affirmative vote for all the permanent members. At first, in the bipolar system of the Cold War the friendly atmosphere was impossible to be set in conditions of the struggle between permanent members (USA and USSR) who had blocked all the

The comparison between Renren and Facebook Literature review

The comparison between Renren and Facebook - Literature review Example The government of China has been long trying to keep tight control over traditional as well as new social media platforms so that the political authorities are not challenged in any way (Boyd and Ellison, 2008). The government uses strict monitoring systems, jailing of bloggers, journalists or social activists and shutting down of websites and publications (Gorman, 2005). There has been a growing dissatisfaction among the young and emerging social groups in China. Most of these groups want higher flexibility in search sites and liberal policies for publications and online social media sites. This has led to anti social activities such as people getting involved in media censorship in China and that has in turn created pressure on the government. The Chinese have been demanding information and this is a testing phase for the age-old control of Chinese authorities over media (Hansen, 2010). Media censorship has been playing an influential role in the political evolution in Chinese gove rnance. However, with the rise in globalization and China becoming an integral part of the global economy, the political as well as the policy making authorities are trying to balance their goal of maintaining power by controlling content and satisfying the need for more information (Kiesler et al., 2002). The government fears that the consistent need for freedom and information might have to force them to open gates which the policies were trying to lock for so long (Zizi and Alan, 2000). Another concern is that while providing more information to the people the government might lose control over that crucial information which has been holding the overall government’s control and avoiding downfall of the regime (Bennett, 2013). Even though Chinese government allows sharing of information and media access, the government has been keen on maintaining strict laws and rules. The major concern comes in guarding the secrets of the state. The Chinese government has recently announc ed modifications in its state secret law policies in order to gain tight control over information flow. No doubt, social media sites like Google, Facebook, Tumbler and Twitter have been banned as a result of mass flow of information and ideas (O'Rourke IV, Harris and Ogilvy, 2007). Many critics have argued that the definition of these vague secret laws is itself contradictory. Thus, the rules of punishment and illegal obligations are sometimes despised. Revenue Sources for Social Media Networks In general there are two major sources of income for the company. It includes: IVAS (Value Added Services from Internet):- The source of revenue of IVAS is mainly from online applications and games. Most of the revenues are gathered from the online purchase of games, applications and other virtual items. Other revenues are earned from the application developers and merchants who offer their services and products in different websites. Furthermore, exclusive and VIP membership are few other ar eas from where the online firm earns substantial amount of money. Online Advertising: - Online advertisements are also another segment from which the company earns a substantial amount of revenue. This is achieved by a number of different advertisements. The advertisements are positioned ain suitable place at the front page or the interface. The advertisements are mainly charged according to the time and place where they are positioned in the

Global Media Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Global Media Management - Essay Example Global Media Management Introduction The communication industry has been one of the toughest industries in the world. This is as a result of the immense competition and rivalry that is characterized by the industry. In fact, it is one of the most competitive industries in the world. This can be rooted from the fact that the communication industry experiences the most technological innovations across all industries. Every now and then new communication software and hardware are innovated. The only way a firm in the industry can make sure that they are enjoying maximum revenue from the industry’s market, is to make sure that they are the first ones to come up with such innovations since this will not only attract more consumers to their product but also ensure that they have productions rights of the technology they have introduced to the market. Innovation has made the communication industry to resemble a perfect competition market since no one firm enjoys domination over the m arket due to these new innovations that revolutionize the industry every now and then. Green Technologies has developed a new smart phone which it intends to launch in the next four months. It is important for the firm to undertake a good marketing strategy to ensure that the product is received well by consumers in the communication market. In order for this to happen, the marketing team should identify its communication objectives, the target consumer group, the brand which they will give the phone, and what media tools they will use in their campaign of launching the new product. Communication Objectives To ensure that Green Technologies successfully launches the new phone, it is of note for them to come up with communication objectives for their campaign. This will be beneficial to the firm because, coming up with communication objectives will save the company both time and money since they will undertake communication strategies that will focus on the objectives they have set r ather than undertaking a general communication strategy that will convey information that might be ambiguous and unnecessary costing them a lot of money and time. One communication objective in the launching of their product is to communicate to consumers in the market on the system specifications of the new smart phone. The firm should specify to consumers on each and every feature the new phone has explaining to them in a simple way in which ordinary persons who do not understand technological specifics can understand about the new product. For example, the new smart phone will come with a 5.0 inch display screen with high definition. This means that the phone can display videos and pictures in crystal clear quality. In the above example, not all consumers understand what high definition is hence by explaining to the consumers that it means quality pictures and videos it further explains the meaning of the term high definition to a layman. This will go a long way in ensuring the c onsumers understand the specifications of the phone. Another communication objective that the firm should undertake is informing the consumers the advantage the smart phone has over other phones. This is due to the fact that in the communication industry, for a new product especially a smart phone to be successful in the

Criminal Justice Theories Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Criminal Justice Theories - Research Paper Example Victim Precipitation Theory This theory suggests that most people initiate or cause a specific confrontation that may result eventually to that person being victimized by death or injury. Such kind of precipitation on the victim can be termed as either passive or active. Active precipitation on the part of the victim exists where the victim intentionally acts in a manner that is provocative, uses threats or fighting words, or simply initiates an attack first. For example, in cases of crimes such as rape, courts have presented verdicts such as not-guilty based upon whether the victim acted in away or not acted at all in away suggesting consent to the act of sexual relation like the dress code of the woman in question. On the other hand, passive precipitation occurs where the victim exhibits particular features and characteristics that unintentionally threatens or motivates the attacker. Such kind of crimes do happen may be due to conflicts at personal level like where two individuals compete for a job promotion, love interest, or any other rare or desirable commodity. For example, a woman may be promoted and end up being a victim of violence due to the jealousy of someone she may or may not know well from the work station or away. Passive precipitation may also be experienced in cases where the victim is part of a specific group that threatens or offends the economic well being of someone, reputation or even status. According to research, this kind of precipitation exists in situations where there is a relation to power. Hence, economic power minimizes the victimization risk (Samuel, 2007). Differential Association Theory This theory explains deviance and criminal acts in terms of the social relationships of an individual. The Differential Association Theory attributes the causes of crime to a person’s social context. The theory rejects the intense individualism of psychiatry and biological determinism and economic explanations as causes of criminal activ ities. Differential Association Theory poses no particular or obvious threat to the treatment of humane of the victims or the criminals who have been identified. This theory suggests that an individual turns to delinquent lifestyle due to excessive definitions that favor violations of the law over those definitions that are unfavorable to violation of the law. That is to say, deviance results in a situation where an individual is exposed to many social messages that favor conduct than those favoring pro-social acts. Sutherland suggests that the concept of differential social organization and differential association may be applied to aggregation level and an individual level respectively. Whereas differential association theory gives explanations why an individual may gravitate towards criminal and delinquent behavior, differential social organization gives reasons as to why the rates of crime among different social entities appear to differ from each other. The differential associa tion theory has 9 basic postulates: Criminal and delinquent behavior is learned; the theory asserts that delinquent behavior is not particularly inherited and an individual not with no training in crime do not invent any delinquent or criminal behavior; Criminal and delinquent lifestyle is learned from interaction with other people during communication including gestures, verbal or written communication; Learning criminal behavior and delinquent li

Functional Areas of Business Management Essay Example for Free

Functional Areas of Business Management Essay Abstract A summary of the sales and marketing functional areas of an organization’s structure as an examination of the overall role and responsibility of the managers of each area. The sales manager’s primary goal is the development, implementation and evaluation of the strategic goals they desire to achieve with the sale organization to be able to meet the company’s overall goals. The marketing manager is responsible for indentifying of the market space with respect to the client, client’s needs and the ability of the product to meet the customer’s needs. Marketing managers are also critical for conducting and evaluating the results of a SWOT analysis for the company. This information is vital to the development of corporate goals of the organization. Functional Areas of Business Management There are a number of functional groups that make up an organization’s structure. Each of these business areas or internal organizations within the company provides a vital function or role to the overall success of the business. Some of these functional groups include; finance, human resources, marketing, operations, sales, customer service, research and development to list a few standard functional business groups. The two functional areas of business that will be reviewed and explored with respect to the manger’s roles and associated responsibilities are the sales and marketing functional areas or organizations of a company. There is a strong correlation to these functions within a business organization. Many organizations may separate these two functional groups and others may closely integrate these to ensure the overall goals are achieved through the cross functional interaction of these resources. â€Å"Sales management can be most easily defined as planning, implementing, and controlling personal contact programs designed to achieve the sales and fit objectives of the firm† (Gale, 2006,). As a sales manager the responsibility is instilled upon this person to be the leader of the sale team. As the leader you are responsible for the strategic planning and the overall process of setting the desired goals of the sales organization and it is a vital function of the sales manager. â€Å"Goal setting is usually based on a companys overall sales objectives or targets† (Gale, 2007). These goals may be cascaded down from senior management in a large organization or be developed through the overall profit and growth that the company is trying to achieve. As the manager of the sales organization it will be important to examine the past history of the products you are selling as an initial assessment of the previous success. Once you have reviewed the revenue results you can compare these to the state of the economy and determine if these results were typical of the results that other competitor companies achieved in a similar market under these conditions. Also the manager will have to examine the resources that are available and determine if these resources are similar to that of the resulting period being evaluated. â€Å"The ability of the sales manager to set goals is strongly related to the desires to change past performance—by lifting all sales, high-margin sales, creating sales for new products, etc† (Gale, 2007). Implementing the strategic plans are the next key functions of the sales manager. Depending upon the overall size of the company, size of the territory to cover and the market to cover the sales department may be subdivided into regions. These regions would then have regional managers responsible for each region all working to achieve the overall sales goals and objectives developed within the organization. In developing the plans for implementing, the sales manager may have to answer questions such as â€Å"how should a sales force be structured? How large a sales force is needed† (Gale, 2006) etc. The sales manager will create strategies to be able to achieve the goals. The plans developed for implementation may also include such things as if training is required and if so then what training is required. They will also be concern with determining if there are requirements for new budgets or increases to old budgets to be able to implement the strategic plans and successfully execute the strategy. Marketing is the second functional area to be examined as a manager in the organizational structure. The overall function of the marketing department and the leaders of this organization can be viewed as the research group for determining the business needs of the client and indentifying the market place. (Moorman and Rust, 1999) â€Å"Define the marketing managers as the liaison between the customer and the product†. The marketing manager plays a vital role in understanding the client, understanding the marketing place the client represents and how the product best fits the overall needs of this market place. Once the marketing manager and the through the marketing team has identified the market space and the need for the product in it, they will then focus on creating a plan that best allows the company to successfully introduce or continue to succeed in selling the product in the identified market. The marketing manager will be responsible to set goals that will create a path for the identified product into the identified market and clients. The marketing manager will utilize the SWOT analysis to create the data that supports the need of a customer to buy and use a desired product. In the SWOT process the marketing manager will also typically identify if there is a market for a new product that the company may have interest in developing. This feedback will be relayed to the research and development organization to identify the economical impact of such a new design. This cost to develop the desired product will be evaluated against the potential revenue that can generate. With this information the company will typically decide if the investment will be made to develop the new product or if simply an old product can be modified to achieve the desired results to the client. Once a new product is developed or a current product is improved the marketing organization will determine the most beneficial way to introduce these changes to the desired client base. This method can vary from printed material in magazines, internet, client handouts or simply by the sale organization when directly dealing with the existing and new clients when they interact with them. There is significant correlation between the sale department and the marketing department in many industries today. Often it will be observed that the two roles of sales and marketing can be combined to a product marketing manager with sole responsibilities to a single product or product line. When the two functions are combined the manager will be responsible for the growth and success of the product. This manager will also be required to conduct the market research and develop the most successful path to market for the product. Whether the sales and marketing managers are reviewed individually or as a combined role they both play vital roles in the overall developing, implementing and evaluating of the companies goals. References Moorman, C., and Rust, R.T.(1999). â€Å"The role of marketing†, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 63, pp. 180-197 (special Issue) Sales Management. Encyclopedia of Management. Ed. Marilyn M. Helms. 5th ed. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 778-782. â€Å"Sales Management. Encyclopedia of Small Business. 3rd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2007. 993-996

Melodrama And Film Noir In Mildred Pierce

Melodrama And Film Noir In Mildred Pierce Film noir first appeared when The Depression ended with society feeling the lack of material objects, in response to the end of the Second World War. The American Dream was coming under threat due to women being forced back into their domestic roles. It uses textual structures and style to show the nightmare that is the American Dream. Mildred Pierce (Michael Curitz, 1948) attempts to modernise a post-war economy by showing how important gender roles are in supporting a balanced family to the audience of the film. Mildred Pierce sheds light on the historical need to reconstruct an economy based on a division of labour by which men command the means of production and women remain within the family, in other words the need to reconstruct a failing patriarchal structure (Cook, 2005, p. 69). The film also touches on a fear of women by men returning from the war. Women were more independent and less feminine that before the war. The films themselves seem to indicate just how threatened and unsure hegemonic patriarchy was during the post-war years (Benshoff, 2007, p. 264).This film deals with the deterioration of a family in post-war America. While birth rates did soar after the war, so did divorce ratesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦men and women had very different experiences of the war, and the two often did not easily mesh (Benshoff, 2007, p. 262). Warner Brothers released the film in 1945, a year many American soldiers returned from World War II. It left millions dead, but the calamitous event also boosted womens place in society. During the WWII period, women became the main providers for their families while American men were at war, a situation that lead to increased independence for American women. Popular slogans and icons of the time, like Rosie the Riveter, encourage women to work and take charge of their lives. However, when men returned and re-entered the workforce, society expected women to step aside and rejoin the cult of domesticity. This background knowledge adds many layers of meaning to the movie and is vital to understanding the message of the movie. The protagonist of the film Mildred Pierce does everything in her power to help her children. Mildred is determined that her children will have greater opportunities in life than she and Bert have had (Lloyd Johnson, 2003, p. 14). Mildred dreams that one day her daughters will be prima donnas and concert pianists, and pursues these fantasies to the best of her abilities. Mildred attempts to shoulder fatherly responsibilities, which makes her the worst kind of mother possible. The matriarchal coup ends in disaster, and reveals the filmmakers message: a womans place is in the household, and she cannot hope to thrive in a mans world. Mildred replaces men with women she chooses her female daughters over her male husband, which reinforces the idea of a matriarchy. Only Veda and Kay, who are female, can inherit from Mildred. The marriage dissolves on account of the Mildreds unbalanced, smothering, obsessive, insistent maternal love for her female children. Mildreds first flashback within the film has two distinct points of view: Mildred, the woman, and the detective, the man. The basic split is created in the film between melodrama and film noir, between Womans Picture and Mans Film, a split which indicates the presence of two voices, female and male (Cook, 2005, p. 72). Mildreds flashbacks are evenly lit, but cannot be trusted. The viewers process of picking up cues, developing expectations, and constructing an ongoing story out of the plot will be partially shaped by what the narrator tells or doesnt tell (Bordwell Thompson, 2008, p. 92). The detectives perspective explains the truth of the narrative, but is presented in shadows and low-key lighting. Mildreds discourse is the discourse of melodrama, her story is the stuff of which the Womans Picture was made in pre-war and war years when woman were seen to have an active part to play in society and the problems of passion, desire, and emotional excess (Cook, 2005, p. 71). The melodr amatic tone to Mildreds narration helps to pull the woman in the theatre into the storyline. Elizabeth Cowie suggests that the voiceover narration in Mildred Pierce is associated with melodramas because it markedly lacks a hard-boiled style (Cowie, 1993, p. 138). It isnt quite as simple as this however. Mildreds melodramatic narrative is put into doubt due to the film signalling her out as a possible suspect who manipulates people to get her way. On the other hand though her melodramatic story has a film noir style thats impossible to avoid and noirs dystopian feeling dominates this melodramatic narrative. Cook sees this as the point at which Mildred Pierce becomes a Mans Film because the womans discourse of melodrama has been taken away and replaced with noir (Cook, 2005, p. 71). One of the key messages in the film presents the idea for women to stand behind their men and to go back into the kitchen and cook pies. The detectives discourse is a representation of the mans role to find the truth through hard evidence. The detective is simply concerned with establishing the Truth, with resolving the enigma, while Mildreds story contains complexity and ambiguity, showing a concern for feelings rather than facts. (Cook, 2005, p. 71). Mildreds legs are fetish sized in order to control her sexuality. One part of a fragmented body destroys the Renaissance space, the illusion of depth demanded by the narrative, it gives flatness (Mulvey, 1975, p. 26). By the man taking a small part of the woman and focusing in on it, the woman, as a whole, is no longer a threat to the man. This entire scene sexualizes Mildred. Men in post-war America were threatened by the womans sexual prowess and often tried to repress it. The film gives an example of the brutal and enforced repressi on of female sexuality, and the institutionalization of a social place for both men (as fathers and husbands) and women (as mothers and wives) which rests uneasily on this repression (Cook, 2005, p. 69). Mildreds sexuality is repressed by the realization later in the film that it is Monte who is using Mildred and not the other way around. The filmmakers provide this devastation through three negative constructions of women in the film. Veda emerges from her childhood as a femme fatal, a sure sign that something went terribly wrong in her upbringing. The filmmakers imply that if Bert had been around he would have put her in her place. Bert says that he is so fed up with the way [Veda] high hats him that he would eventually cut loose and slap her right in the face. His attitude towards Veda contrasts sharply with Mildreds attitude, but in the end, Mildred hits their daughter first. Although he admits that he does not have the maternal connection that Mildred has with her daughters, he knows that her method of raising the kids isnt right. These lines are also important because they show that Bert, the patriarch, knows more about being a mother than the Mildred. She is too busy making pies to provide for her children to see what has gone wrong. Interest in business already makes her blind to domestic problems. While the role reversal between Mildred and Bert does not become apparent until the end, a hint of Berts predi ction about Veda shows up in the scenes following his departure. Veda, the next matriarch in the line of inheritance, already tries to control her mother after Wallys visit by trying to trade Mildreds dignity for a new house. Mildreds character is paralleled by Vedas character. The film asks us, through the device of metaphorical substitution , to confuse the wicked Veda with the honest Mildred, thus establishing Mildreds innate guilt, even though she is not guilty of the actual murder (Cook, 2005, p. 71). Through their intimate happenings with the same man at the same location, Mildred later discovers Veda and Monty kissing at the beach house, it is clear that cinema setting can come to the forefront; it need not be only a container for human events but can dynamically enter the narrative action (Bordwell Thompson, 2008, p. 115). Although Mildred did not kill Monte, she is guilty of an even bigger crime in post-war America: pursuing a career and becoming the head of a family. Mild reds take-over of the place of the father has brought about the collapse of all social and moral order in her world (Cook, 2005, p. 75). Mildred works her way up the socio-economic ladder. She possesses the traits of the ideal all-American man: hard work, self-reliance, and perseverance. Her labours pay off in the Horatio Alger tradition and she reaps a handsome profit from her chain of restaurants. There are two messages in this sequence of events that contradict the ominous predictions of the kitchen scene first; her success demonstrates that if women leave their husbands, they are not condemned to lives of poverty and misery. Second, her successes with the restaurants show that women are also capable of being entrepreneurs in the business world. Ida also enters Mildreds world, and becomes another affirmative theme in the film. As the two bond they create a relationship that is an equitable partnership, devoid of the power structure present in Mildreds relationships with men. These positive elements build audience empathy for Mildred. They celebrate along with Mildred when her restaurant does well and cheer when she opens the new branches of her dinner. The audience becomes Mildred through this empathy and lives through her vicariously. But these positive themes are later used to manipulate the female audiences emotive response. The heroine, who momentarily enjoys business success, is destined to fail as a career woman as well as a mother. Mildred Pierce was, after all, designed as a lesson to the women of the post-war period in both its theme and its narrative. The empathy created from Mildreds success resounds as strongly during her fall from happiness. By manipulating the emotive response in this way, the film reaffirms patriarchal cultural values. The first of the negative themes begins Kays death. It warns of what happens when the nuclear family falls apart: while Mildred frolics at the beach with a new lover, her daughter is dying of pneumonia. Sylvia Harvey has argued that film noir contains a critique of the nuclear family so devastating that no narrative can resolve it (Harvey, pp. 22-34). The film constructs this scene as what happens with the decay of the nuclear family unit. While Mildred is off having an affair with Monte, her daughter is dying. The film teaches its audience how to avoid such a failed family ideal. The first sign of deterioration comes when Mildreds one night of illicit passion with Monte is followed by Kays death (Cook, 2005, p. 74). This film establishes ideal gender roles for the redevelopment of society while defining the fear of women present in post-war America. This ultimately sends the message of the importance of the family unit: a woman must stay true to her family as a whole even if it mean s living an unhappy life. The film implies that an ideal mother would have been on call, always ready to care for her children. Of course Kay dies; she is a sacrificial lamb for Mildreds excesses. Her death also makes it possible for Mildred to concentrate on Veda and Monte, two key figures in Mildreds destruction. The second negative theme deals with Mildreds maternal failure. As Mildred becomes more heavily invested in her business, Veda drifts further and further away from her, and buys into Montes materialistic values. Veda ultimately becomes the femme fatale of the movie, and serves as an example of why women cannot be successful businesswomen and mothers at the same time. Juggling two things at once does not work for Mildred because she can only focus on one thing at a time. Her obsession with making money forces her not to notice the unsavoury developments in her daughter Veda, which Bert forecasts earlier in the kitchen: The trouble is, youre trying to buy love from those kids and it wont work. One of the most powerful images in the movies occurs simultaneously as the couple steps into the dawns sunrise. Two cleaning women kneel scrub the floor as Bert and Mildred leave. A silhouette shot ensures that they scrub in anonymity and no discerning features of their faces can be seen. These two lowly scrub women are symbols of the two ambitious women of the film: Mildred and Ida. They wash floor as if trying to be cleansed of their sin: the sin of gaining a foothold in society. Truly repentant, they can no longer stand on their feet but only kneel down. Ultimately, this sends the message that female economic power must not be powerful at all only humble and faceless. In post-war America woman were unceremoniously fired from their jobs in order to create employment opportunities for returning men (Benshoff, 2007, p. 262). Society demanded that woman be in the home and that men be at the workplace. Mildreds involvement with a man that doesnt fit this mould consequently ends in her downfall and the deterioration of her family. The message presented in the film clearly outlines gender roles and what is expected of each sex in order to restore patriarchal order to America at this time. In 1947, America was recovering from an economic crisis, altered gender roles, a deteriorated male population, and high divorce rates. Leave it to Hollywood to instruct Americans on how to set everything straight again. Not only does this film present a number of messages detailing the womans place in the home and the mans place at work, but it also reflects a fear that woman had gained too much control, become too masculine, and would no longer be a link in healthy family units. The melodramatic ending that Mildred Pierce presents shows that the womens threat to the patriarchy of men cannot simply be resolved by love (Gledhill, 1987, p. 24). It uses extreme representations of women trying to step out of their domestic roles and reassures the women watching the film that although they might be discontented with being forced back into the home after the Second World War, their lives are considerably better than what is being shown on screen.

Elderly Patient on Psychotic Depression ward

Elderly Patient on Psychotic Depression ward In this assignment I will be carrying out a Critical Incident Analysis on an incident taken from my portfolio that was encountered whilst in practice placement. This type of analysis was first used to analyse flying missions by pilots, as a way of raising their performance (Flanagan, 1954), in more recent years Norman et al. (1992) and Perry (1997) described this type of analysis as being an important and valid tool for use in nurse training, as it allows the student to choose and use an incident that made an impact on them, from their practice placement that was either positive or negative, so that they can analyse, reflect on and learn from it, showing their development as a practitioner and a person whilst linking theory to practice and helping them move from novice to expert, as outlined by Benner (1984) . Model used for reflection For the purpose of this assignment I have selected the Gibbs (1988) reflective framework model which is an iterative model meaning it is cyclical in nature, the six points covered by this model are: Describe the activity or experience in objective detail. Discuss and explore any feelings you were having at the time of the experience. Evaluate the experience: What really happened? What was good about it? What was bad? What factors contributed to the event? Analyse the experience: What can you learn from it? Conclusion: What could you have done differently? Anything you wish you had done? Wish you hadnt done? Action Plan: What can you plan on doing in the future? (Bethann, 2004, p167) This is also the model I use in my portfolio as along with critical incident analysis, it centres on reflective practice, an essential skill in nursing practice allowing situations to be analysed in detail, identifying areas of potential change, Jasper (2003) and reinforcing the need for certain practices by highlighting their benefits. I also find the logical, straightforward structure of this framework allows the reflection to be written clearly, providing opportunities to look at incidents from different perspectives. The Critical Incident Stages one and two of Gibbs model of reflection are covered here, where the incident is described along with my feelings at the time of the incident. I chose this particular incident as it put me in a very challenging position where I had to think on my feet, it made me test my abilities as a communicator and a nurse under stress, whilst highlighting the importance of some of the more basic nursing techniques like non-verbal communication through touch, educating patients to help themselves, looking out for physical signs that can indicate a patient is in distress and how working closely with a patient can earn their trust whilst building up the therapeutic relationship In order to keep the patient and the practice placement confidential, as indicated in the NMC Code of Professional Conduct (2002) and the N.M.C. guide for students (2002), the practice placement is kept anonymous and the patient will be referred to as Tom. The patients consent was also obtained, as it is the patients right to choose whether or not they wish details to be written about them, highlighted by Johnston and Slowther (2003) also outlined in section 3.7 of the N.M.C Code of conduct (2002) with reference to patients who suffer from mental illness. The patient, Tom a 72 year old man, was admitted to my practice placement suffering from Psychotic depression and anxiety, my placement is at a Psychiatric admissions ward, for patients over sixty five years old. On assisting Tom with his activities of daily living (A.D.Ls), (Roper et al, 1980) after, rising one Monday morning, It became apparent when helping Tom dress that his right arm was causing him pain, in the area of his right shoulder, I relayed this to the nursing staff who explained Tom had fallen unobserved on the Friday night and had been seen by the Doctor who on examination felt no other investigations were needed. On further discussion about his arm and the fall, between myself and Tom, he eventually admitted to having also fallen on the Sunday night and had not told anyone about it, once I had explained this to the nursing staff the Doctor was again consulted and felt that Tom should have an X-ray to rule out any broken bones. I accompanied Tom as an escort to the x-ray department where he became increasingly agitated, anxious and was mumbling to himself with delusional content of speech evident, concerning the N.H.S. which had not been known about, as Tom had only recently been admitted, he felt they (the N.H.S) were going to cause him, bodily injury (a persecutory delusion Gamble Brennan, 2003) due to his doing them out of money when he was younger, I did my best to give constant reassurance that I would not let anyone harm him, but when someone holds a delusional belief it can be very firmly maintained and difficult to dissuade from, in particular when they are in a state of high anxiety like Tom, as indicated in Stuart and Laraia (2001). I was quite worried about how the situation was going and that I might be out of my depth as I did not know Tom very well and felt a little awkward trying to reassure someone who was this distressed, feeling I was doing little or no good for him. After he had his x-ray and I was assisting him to get dressed in the x-ray cubicle the Radiologist came in and told us that Toms shoulder was broken and that we would need to go round to casualty to be seen by a Doctor there. This news made Toms level of panic escalate considerably and he began to have a panic attack in the cubicle, most likely a situationally predisposed panic attack, which occurs on exposure to a situational cue or trigger (DSM-4) Tom had become quite pale and began to perspire profusely, along with his breathing becoming very shallow and rapid to the point that he was panting, I found it quite distressing to see Tom in this condition. I had never encountered someone quite as panicked as this and I felt quite concerned. I thought calling out for someone to help might only panic him more, so I decided to try some deep breathing exercises to relax and calm him down first, then if that did not work I would seek help. I knew from reading Toms notes that he did not have a heart condition or other health problem that would have been causing these symptoms and it had been recorded that Tom suffered from panic attacks, although I was still watchful for any change in his symptoms that might indicate an alternative medical reason for his condition. Initially I sat beside Tom with my arm around him, asking him to take slow deep breaths, but with his level of panic and no eye contact meant he was not concentrating on me, so I knelt down on the floor in front of him took his hands, spoke to him gently but firmly using his name and with direct eye contact got him to focus on what we were doing. I explained his symptoms were due to his panic attack and the breathing exercises we were doing would help relax him, calm him down and make him feel better. Tom started to comply and began with my instruction, breathing in slowly through his nose holding it for a moment then breathing out slowly through his mouth. In a relatively short time his breathing began returning to normal and he started to relax, enabling us to go on to the casualty department to see about his shoulder. In the casualty department Tom still required reassurance not only verbally but also with touch as he asked me to hold his hand, bringing home the importance of this simple yet significant form of non-verbal communication and despite needing another brief set of relaxation breathing in the casualty cubicle Tom was notably calmer. I felt privileged that he had put his trust in me and that we had moved on further in our therapeutic relationship, as while waiting in casualty Tom who had hardly spoken to anyone let alone myself, began discussing how scared he had been and talked about some of his delusional beliefs, which helped me empathise with how terrified he must have been. I was also able to discuss what Tom told me with the qualified nurses on return to the ward giving a deeper insight into his condition. Critical Discussion of the Incident For this section of the Critical Incident Analysis stages three and four of Gibbs reflective framework are covered, allowing me to look at what was good and bad about the incident along with contributing factors (Gibbs 1988), I am going to discuss, analyze and reflect upon three key issues: Panic attacks, the relaxation technique of Deep breathing and Touch therapy, that were encountered during the incident and that I felt were of significant importance. Panic attacks I felt this topic was important to the critical incident as it is a common condition closely linked to anxiety which a great number of mental health patients experience often along with their main diagnosis but most commonly alongside depression as in Toms case, Clayton (1990) and Merikangas et al (1996) stated that comorbidity between panic and depression is the single strongest type of anxiety-mood comorbidity found in both treatment and in the general public. Panic attacks are often talked about and appear in patient notes but this critical incident brought home for me how absolutely terrifying and totally debilitating the panic attack was for Tom and how distressing it can be to witness a patient in this condition. Anxiety is a normal healthy reaction to the stresses of everyday life as suggested by Trevor Powel (2001) and even necessary for us to perform at our best as Yerkes-Dodsons Law (1908) explains, illustrated in the graph below. Here levels of anxiety are referred to as arousal and a direct correlation to performance is demonstrated, it tells us that if we have low levels of arousal then our performance becomes decreased (distress, as introduced by Seyle (1956)), at medium levels our performance levels peak (eustress as described by Seyle (1956)) and when our arousal levels become high our performance levels and subsequent ability to function drop again (resulting in distress) as seen in Toms situation. (Yerkes Dodson 1908) Peplau (1963) defined anxiety in four levels: Mild anxiety- everyday life stress. Moderate anxiety- Immediate concerns focused on, with narrowed perceptual field, although able to function when necessary. Severe anxiety- Greatly reduced perceptual with difficulty focusing on anything except what is causing anxiety. Panic- Person feels terror, dread as is unable to reason with the threat causing anxiety blown out of all proportion, making it almost impossible to communicate or function, with little or no control over themselves causing panic attack. Toms anxiety level was clearly at the panic stage which cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely as being in a panic attack state is not compatible with living, as described by Stuart and Laraia (2001), who believe if prolonged can result in total exhaustion or in extreme cases even death. Panic attacks affect between 3 and 5 percent of the population at some point in their lives (Lynch E, 2005). The findings of an American study carried out this year showed that people suffering from panic attacks account for around 25% of those attending casualty departments or G.Ps. (Ham, P. et al, 2005) often having trouble breathing properly as found with Tom, with most people suffering from panic attacks, stating hyperventilation as being one of their main symptoms (Holt and Andrews, 1989), or with patients believing they are having a heart attack. Toms panic attack was mainly evident by the physical symptoms he displayed, described previously, physiological symptoms often being the only visible signs of a panic attack as described by Stuart and Laraia (2001). In this instance, although Toms Psychotic Depression was the likely reason for his anxiety with the resulting panic attack, I felt trying to deescalate his anxiety levels, by getting the panic attack and hyperventilation under control was my main priority, there would have been no point in me trying to deal with his delusional beliefs at this point as this takes time and experience, of which I had neither, plus Toms panic levels were so high it was difficult for him to concentrate. Therefore it seemed logical to concentrate on something which it was perhaps possible to change. I hoped that using the deep breathing technique would be successful in helping return Toms body systems to normal which would stop the hyperventilating making Tom feel a lot better and knew that breathing techniques could be very effective but did not want to put Tom at any risk by doing so, I had to make a judgment call about how I was going to handle the situation and decided I was going to try and deal with it using the breathing exercise. Relaxation Techniques Deep breathing The next topic I am going to cover is Relaxation Techniques and the technique of Deep Breathing in particular, I feel it is important to cover this topic as it was a key factor in the outcome of the incident as by guiding Tom through the breathing technique, enabled him to control his breathing resulting in his panic attack and hyperventilating coming to an end. Toms physical symptoms indicated that he was hyperventilating or overbreathing, the mental health handbook (Trevor Powell, 2001) tells us this is a normal response to threat by our bodies to bring more oxygen to the muscles, preparing us for Fight or Flight, but if the extra O2 is not needed by the muscles, i.e. the situation is only an imagined threat as in Toms case, the normal level of gases in the blood and lungs becomes out of balance, due to breathing in to much oxygen (O2) and pushing out too much carbon dioxide (CO2), this causes the blood to become alkaline which brings on many of the unpleasant symptoms Tom was suffering from. There are several ways of overcoming hyperventilation, possibly the most commonly referred to, is breathing into a paper bag to facilitate the breathing back in of the carbon dioxide being breathed out, as explained in the Nursing Times article, Facts: Panic Attacks (2003), which also acknowledges the importance of controlling the patients breathing, Stuart and Laraia (2001) also agree that relaxation techniques are an accepted therapeutic intervention in the treatment of anxiety. Since I had no paper bag with me, I decided to use the three stage deep breathing technique to retrain Toms breathing which, Risser and Murphy (2005) agree, improves panic symptoms and associated disability, this type of breathing which is commonly used in yoga helped to slow down and control Toms breathing which also stopped him hyperventilating, it is carried out by: Inhaling slowly and deeply through your nose. When youve taken in a full breath, hold it for a moment and thenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Exhale slowly through the nose or mouth, depending on your preference. This action although different to the paper bag technique brings about the same desired effect, in the case of Deep Breathing carbon dioxide is not being re-breathed but the rate it is expelled by is being slowed down along with holding it a little longer in the lungs which results in the levels of carbon dioxide in the blood rising, correcting the acid/alkaline balance in the blood, which relieved Toms unpleasant symptoms, bringing his breathing rate back to normal and making him feel calmer. At the time of the incident I really hoped that the breathing technique would be successful although I was not entirely sure whether to trust my instincts and try it out. On reflection I was very impressed at how effective such a simple procedure could be and was glad not only for Toms sake but also my own that I had decided to try it out, as it gave me more confidence in my abilities as a nurse even though at the time I was carrying it out, although outwardly calm, I had felt quite anxious. Touch Therapy The final key issue I wish to highlight from the critical incident is the benefit of touch as a therapy, which I felt was vital as a way of communicating with Tom during his panic attack along with giving him reassurance that I was there for him, empathising with his situation and helping him focus on what we were trying to do. There are several terms used to describe the different types of touch used in nursing, some of which are: necessary touch which covers task and instrumental touch that is mostly used when a procedure or task needs to be carried out on a patient as opposed to non-necessary touch which is described as spontaneous and emotional physical contact between the nurse and patient, introduced by Routasalo (1996), expressive touch comes under the non-necessary touch umbrella with the same type of nurse patient contact, described by McCann McKenna (1993) which is similar again to caring and protective touch highlighted by Estabrooks (1989) and finally therapeutic touch, which is an alternative therapy similar to reiki, discussed by Meehan (1998). Nesbitt-Blondis and Jackson (1982) agree that touch is probably the most important of all non-verbal communications that we use in nursing and can be particularly useful in cases like Toms panic attack where his ability to understand and communicate was diminished, when patients are unable to communicate verbally or understand verbal communication for reasons such as dementia, those with learning or cognitive difficulties and in panic attack situations like Toms, touch can be an excellent means of communication. Unfortunately, McCann McKenna (1993) reported that in the U.K. there is little use of expressive, non-necessary or caring touch by nurses. Many nurses see touch as just something that is used when a procedure or task needs to be carried out on a patient, but Tutton (1998) suggests that touch in nursing and the powerful expressions it conveys to patients are sadly underutilised. Routasalo (1996) also suggests that non-essential touch although not absolutely essential, can be extremely important and necessary to the patient. The benefits of this type of touch in nursing are strengthened further by Moore Gilbert (1995) who found patients interpreted the use of touch by nurses as a display of affection and attention which they greatly appreciated, with patients interviewed in Routasalo Isolas (1996) study, describing touch by nurses as extremely comforting. Davidhizar Giger (1997) whilst acknowledging the important role that touch can play in the nurse patient relationship, also points out that the value of touch is not appreciated by all health professionals or considered appropriate or desirable by some patients. Bearing this in mind as long as the correct manner of touching is employed, and there is no way it could be seen as being inappropriate with the patients personal and cultural beliefs being taken into account, it is one of our most valuable communication nursing tools. The extent of physical contact carried out in a society is governed by sets of well-defined behavioural norms for whatever circumstance we find ourselves in (Pratt Mason 1981). Jourard (1966) recognised that the incidence of touching within our Western society declines from childhood onwards but Montagu (1986) discovered that the need for touch did not reduce with age. It is felt that the level of touch common in childhood can return in situations of sickness or incapacity (Barnett 1972). This may mean that, the need for touch in illness might be more important than our ideas of proper behaviour. I felt the touch element in this incident: my taking of Toms hands to help him focus, get his attention and convey my empathy, was extremely important and was in fact the turning point in the whole incident which allowed me to gain Toms trust and initiate the breathing technique which stopped him hyperventilating. I feel that without the touch element it would have been almost impossible for me to reach Tom and the outcome of the incident would have been very different. Implications for Professional and Personal Development In this final section of the Critical Incident Analysis, the two final stages of Gibbs model of reflection (1988), five and six are covered, here we look at what was learned from the incident, what could have been carried out differently or should not have been done, along with what was missed out concluding with a plan for future action. I found in utilising the Gibbs (1998) reflection tool, the impact the incident made on my personal and professional development was made much clearer. Through carrying out this Critical Incident Analysis I have been able to see what I have learned through reflection, as the Department of Health (1999) states, reflective practice is necessary in order to further our continued personal and professional development and leads to a greater understanding of our own needs. Described as a form of self discovery by Freshwater (2004) with a deeper understanding of the needs of the patient and improved patent care highlighted by Davies (1995). From this I feel the analysis made me examine my communication skills on a deeper level for although I feel that I am a natural communicator, and have had many years experience working with people suffering from dementia, I had not fully thought about the use of touch or the great importance it has in communicating with patients . Without the use of reflective practice I would not have researched into the concept of touch so fully or really understood its relevance and consequences in my nursing practice. Or recognised the significance touch played in the successful deescalating of Toms panic attack and hyperventilating in this critical incident. This Critical Incident Analysis has definitely taught me to have more faith in my abilities as a nurse but has also taught me I have more to learn as a communicator. Similarly with the topic of panic attacks which I was obviously familiar with and had some knowledge on, having been through the incident with Tom and then carrying out the reflection on the incident, allowed me to see the field of panic and anxiety disorders with a deeper understanding and much more from the patients viewpoint. Having witnessed the real distress and levels of disability it can inflict will enable me to really empathise with patients like Tom going through this type of disorder when I come across them in my future career. The area of relaxation breathing was something which I had used myself in yoga practice and did know of its benefit in anxiety situations, but I had not expected to have to start teaching it to a patient that day in the X-Ray cubicle. I was quite shocked when Tom had began hyperventilating but on reflection I should have perhaps saw it coming with his rising levels of anxiety after our arrival at the hospital, especially after I had read only that morning that he had a history of panic attacks. Again on reflection I could have asked the nursing staff the best way to deal with it should the situation arise. I have learned from this that I could have been better prepared before escorting Tom by asking questions and having a plan of action to use if necessary. I had been worried about putting Tom at risk by trying the breathing technique with him as I stated earlier, and perhaps it was wrong of me to have tried it in the first place, but I had made a judgment in an emergency situation, and I did not make the decision lightly, being aware that help was nearby should it be needed. I did not want to distress Tom further by calling out, resulting in people rushing into the cubicle and in conclusion felt the breathing exercise was worth a try, but I would have called for help quickly if it did not appear to be working. On discussing the incident and my actions back on the ward, my mentor also felt I had made the right choice. This made me think about the fact that as a nurse there are times when it is up to you to make judgment calls regarding patient care and that it is important to remember that you are accountable for your actions. To carry this level of responsibility demands a sound knowledge of practice and an ability to think calmly and clearly even under stress. I was both relived and delighted that the breathing technique worked so well for Tom and felt honoured that he decided to put his faith in me. As stated earlier, this prompted Tom to confide some of his fears to me, which showed trust on Toms part and fostered a deeper understanding of his condition on mine. This advancement of the therapeutic relationship between Tom and I has continued during my placement where I have worked quite closely with him and where I have taught him how to practice the breathing techniques when he feels calm making it easier for him to utilise in panic situations, which he has been doing with good effect. As a follow on from this incident and after seeing the efficacy of relaxation techniques in action, at my practice placement I asked my mentor if it would be possible to carry out some relaxation groups with carefully screened groups of patients who had anxiety problems. My mentor and other nursing staff thought this would be a good idea both for the benefit of the patients and for my personal and professional development. After researching the subject and finding appropriate music along with compiling a script, the groups were initiated with great success and are now regularly used on the ward, which has given me some sense of achievement and helped build my confidence in my abilities as a nurse. Along with being very beneficial in analysing this particular incident the use of reflective analysis has definitely improved my practice in placement, and although I have used this model of reflection in my portfolio for some time now, it has made me re-examine the importance keeping and using a portfolio to further my professional and personal development. I also feel this helps me to benefit more from my placement as I fully understand the concept behind reflection and use it positively as a tool rather than a task I need to perform. When using reflection now I am able to draw more insight from my experiences on placement, while previously I had only skimmed the surface of the subjects when carrying out reflection. This has increased both my self awareness and my ability to link theory and practice together. Overall, I can see clearly how reflection is a useful tool in helping nurses to focus on their skills and behaviour which consequently enables them to provide the best care possible for patients, as discussed by Somerville (2004). Action Plan Preparing and utilising action plans is an important way of improving both our personal and professional development as nurses, whilst building on improved nursing practice. To be prepared for this kind of scenario in the future I have identified the following plan of action: Make sure I know and understand all relevant information regarding patients. Have good communication with other members of staff about patients. Have a plan of action thought out for any incidents that may arise. Remain calm and consider actions carefully. Empathise with the patient by trying to understand what it would be like to be in that situation. Where possible help the patient to help themselves, i.e. by educating them to use breathing techniques so when a panic situation arises they are in a better position to take control themselves.

Internet Censorship Essays -- essays research papers fc

Censorship of the Internet   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  "We should demand that all public schools and libraries install and configure Internet Filters." This statement shows how Jeffery Pollock, a candidate for the 3rd Congressional District seat in Oregon, views the Internet. Unfortunately for him, the one thing that he ranted and raved about was the one thing that gave him an unfair disadvantage in the in the upcoming elections. (Blind Ballots) Cyber Patrol, One of the leading Internet censoring companies and is used in over 17,000 schools in the Untied States, actually blocked his website from potential voters. Needless to say, when Mr. Pollock discovered this injustice, some of his views about Internet censorship changed. But Mr. Pollock isn’t the only candidate whose chances of winning are diminished because of Internet censoring software. In Fact, The two leading school censoring products Cyber Patrol and N2H2 Bess, used in over 40,000 schools and school districts across the nation, also blocked millions o f people from viewing Pat Casey’s website, Mark Greene’s website, and over 37 other candidates’ campaign homepages. Most of the millions of people blocked from these campaign pages are also blocked from many pages dealing with gynecology, sex education, racism, gambling, ethics, teen parenting, and the list continues. (Blind Ballots)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Certainly in some situations, censorship of some material can be justified. For example, A first grade teacher takes her students to the computer lab for a day, the teacher wouldn’t want the kids getting hounded by hundreds of porn sites, but would it really make a difference if a six year old kid was using a censored internet or uncensored internet? A kid is not going to be looking for anything that has to do with porn or anything remotely close to getting blocked. If a child goes to Yahoo and searches for cartoons or the mighty morphin’ power rangers, they will not get pummeled by so called â€Å"bad† internet sites, so there will not be anything to censor anyway.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Middle School and High School students across the nation are often required to do research papers and the Internet is a logical source because it contains so much useful information. It would be much harder for a senior in high school to find information about sex education or sexually transmitted diseases on a censored internet because the current software simply ca... ...th 6 person has a greater advantage using a computer with a complete database of information. Works Cited Bennett (2000) Blocking Software FAQ. Retrieved November 28, 2000 from the World Wide Web. http://www.peacefire.com/info/blocking-software-faq.html Bobby Ross (2000) What is Memorial Day?. Retrieved November 25, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://members.aol.com/ceharger/what_is_memorial_day.htm Greg Lindsay (1997) Cybersitter Decides To Take A Time Out. Retrieved November 28, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://www.time.com/time/digital/daily/0,2822,12392,00.html Hazelton, Bennett and Mcarthy, Jamie (2000) Blind Ballots. Retrieved November 26, 2000 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  the World Wide Web: http://www.peacefire.org/blind-ballots/ Linthicum, David S. (1999) â€Å"Site Building.† Computer Shopper Nov. 1999: 246. Unknown (1999). Censorship of the Internet. Retrieved November 26, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://www.epic.com/censhp Unknown (1999). How a Bill Becomes a Law. Retrieved November 25, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://www.expage.com/amonroe4993 Weckert, John and Adeney, Douglas (1997) Computer and Information Ethics Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

Prostitution Should be Legal on College Campuses :: Education Crime Prostitute Essays

Prostitution Should be Legal on College Campuses I am sure that there are some of you that are thinking, "Prostitution on college campuses, he can't be serious!?" but indeed I am. After all, how hard have you ever thought about the subject? Probably not much, if ever. I mean really, the most any typical guy usually thinks while walking across campus or at a party is geeze, I wish I could get to know her. Well, fortunately for you I am going to give you the low down as to why legalizing prostitution should be implemented on college campuses. I know most of you guys will agree, and possibly some girls, with what I have to say, but I'm sure there will be many critics opposing this change. However, with appropriate monitoring, I believe that State U. should legalize campus prostitution. First, I must say that I am not trying to create the impression in people's minds that I want to see young college students, especially women, roaming the campus streets trying to turn a trick. That would just be insane because that person could only end up getting hurt. What I am envisioning is an escort service. Girls and guys would be able to dial a number where they can acquire the company of someone for the evening. True identities of all parties involved would be concealed to respect privacy, and only ISU students would be allowed to use the service. This way, it would just be the college students, and not the community that would benefit from this service. One of the things that college students suffer from the most is stress, why else do they break the law and go out and get trashed from drinking each weekend? By getting overly stimulated by alcohol, they forget about the stressful week that they just endured. Sex could possibly become a substitute for this, therefore reducing the number of underage drinkers. After all, it has been proven that a little physical activity can rejuvenate the body and leave you feeling refreshed and energized; ready to take on new and challenging tasks. On the flip side though, it can be argued that some people might take advantage of the system and try to pay for sex when they are not truly stressed out. A person may simply want to have sex and making an appointment may possibly take away the service from someone who truly needs it.

The Transformation of Henry Fleming in The Red Badge of Courage Essay

The Transformation of Henry Fleming in The Red Badge of Courage        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stephen Crane's purpose in writing The Red Badge of Courage was to dictate the pressures faced by the prototypical American soldier in the Civil War.   His intent was accomplished by making known the horrors and atrocities seen by Unionist Henry Fleming during the Battle of Chancellorsville, and the conflicts within himself.    Among the death and repulsion of war, there exists a single refuge for the warrior--his brethren.   The success of combat is directly related to the morale of the soldiers, as it is the relationship with the neighboring soldier that demonstrates the motive for fighting.   This association between men creates an abundance of compulsion from one man to the next.   Similarly, as Henry Fleming developed a rapport with men throughout the 304th Regiment, he began to be subjected to the pressures of war and his companions, which greatly influenced his maturation during the Civil War.    Having read of marches, sieges, conflicts, and the exploits of Greek warriors, and, as well, longing to see such, Henry enlisted into the Union army, against the wishes of his mother.   Before his departure, Mrs. Fleming warned Henry, "...you must never do no shirking, child, on my account.   If so be a time comes when yeh have to be kilt or do a mean thing, why, Henry, don't think of anything `cept what's right..."   Henry carried with himself this counsel throughout his enlistment, resulting in his questioning himself on his bravery.   As a sign of Henry's maturation, he began to analyze his character whilst marching, while receiving comments from his brethren of courage in the face of all adversity, as well as their fears ... ...urth kept to himself, fearing for his safety, and ashamed of being captured.   Henry's final step in maturation was finally made through the sacrifice of his companions, and their pressuring him to lead the charge.      Ã‚  Ã‚   The reaction of one soldier to another is the basis of war, as camaraderie is the methodology by which wars are won.   Henry gave witness to the horrors of war, the atrocities of battle, the deaths of his friends, and later a life of victory.   The ultimate transformation in Henry's character leading to a mature temperament was found by finding himself in the confusion of war and companionship.    Works Cited and Consulted:    Crane, Stephen.   The Red Badge of Courage.   W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.   Canada; 1976.    Gibson, Donald B. The Red Badge of Courage:   Redefining the Hero.   Boston:   Twayne Publishers, 1988.

The Balanced Scorecard Approach

Coca-cola Company (hereafter referred to as â€Å"the Company† or â€Å"the Organization†) is the owner of four of the world's top five nonalcoholic sparkling beverage brands known to almost every American. Coca-cola was established in 1886 and presently, it is operational in at least 200 countries having at the minimum 90,500 associates worldwide and serving â€Å"1. 5 billions† ( The Coca-cola 2008 p. 1 )of customers each day .The Company’s overall goal, which is its mission is to â€Å"refresh the world in body, mind and spirit, inspire moments of optimism through their brands and actions and to create value and make a difference in all their engagements† ( Mission, Vision, 2006) The Company is a manufacturer and seller of soft (carbonated) drinks with various brands, the most popular of which is the banner brand, Coke. In assessing its success, the Organization does not only count its monetary sales and profits but as well as its effect to the w orld in general.Coca-cola Company tries to be open and accessible to everyone who needs information on anything it does. Financial records, company information, customer-goal, investor values and press releases are all accessible at the Company’s website, www. thecoca-colacompany. com. Aside from the abovementioned mission, the Organization’s vision include the following (Mission, Vision, 2006): ? People: Being a great place to work where people are inspired to be the best they can be. ? Planet: Being a responsible global citizen that makes a difference.? Portfolio: Bringing to the world a portfolio of beverage brands that anticipate and satisfy peoples' desires and needs. ? Partners: Nurturing a winning network of partners and building mutual loyalty. ? Profit: Maximizing return to shareowners while being mindful of our overall responsibilities Moreover, the Company’s strategies are incorporated in its values which include the following: ? Leadership: â€Å"Th e courage to shape a better future† ? Passion: â€Å"Committed in heart and mind† ? Integrity: â€Å"Be real† ? Accountability: â€Å"If it is to be, it's up to me† ? Collaboration: â€Å"Leverage collective genius†? Innovation: â€Å"Seek, imagine, create, delight† ? Quality: â€Å"What we do, we do well† SLP II. Indeed, customer is very important. Without a customer, any financial organization would not survive As Coca-cola’s way to retain existing customers and to encourage potential ones they have the following guidelines: Vision: Bringing to the world a portfolio of beverage brands that anticipate and satisfy peoples' desires and needs. Mission: Refresh the world in body, mind and spirit. Strategy: â€Å"What we do, we do well† To follow the guidelines and achieve what it wants, a set of very specific objectives must be met.The achievement of customer level objective, which includes â€Å"the satisfaction of custome rs, their retention, and larger market share† (The Balanced Scorecard) makes the business perform better. Why is the customer very important? Because there is a â€Å"direct correlation between financial results and customer. †(Shaw, 2000, p. 37) The Company, to satisfy its mission and vision, through its strategies for its existing and potential customers, the following objectives are setul: ? To satisfy customers with the gratifying taste of high quality products;? The introduction to customers of products with diverse and fortified products that are healthier. ? Production of healthy beverages lines which are tasty yet they are not damaging to health. The three objectives above are very important. The Company has acknowledge that â€Å"obesity and other health problems† (The Coca-cola, 2008, p. 12) may endanger the potential income of the Company as well as its name, which can be fatal to a company that† established reputations world-wide, and branding h as enabled international reputations to be created† (Kay, 1995, p. 15).Looking from these objectives, it can be seen that the third one is the most specific of the three. â€Å"production of healthy beverages lines which are tasty yet they are not damaging to health† would result to the â€Å"introduction of products taste diversity and fortification making them healthier† that would make customers satisfied with gratifying high-quality (healthy) beverages. This achieves the strategy of the Company stating, â€Å"What we do, we do well† and also its mission stating. â€Å"Refresh the world in body, mind and spirit†: an unhealthy drink would not satisfy the mind and spirit.

Case Study Mcdonalds Essay

It operates over 35000 restaurants in more than 100 countries on six continents. 5 It has an unparalleled global infrastructure and competencies in restaurant operations, real estate, retailing, marketing and franchising. McDonald’s website says that it is a leader in the area of social responsibility and is committed to protecting the environment for future generations. 7 Strong and wide communication channel in the market. (deng, 2009) 8 Play areas for children. 9 Large target markets. 10 Recession resistant (Birchall, 2008) 11 In September 2003 successful backing up of new products was launched with MTV’s advertising campaign featuring the new tag line, â€Å"I’m Lovin’it†. (Jennifer, 2004) WEAKNESSES 1 McDonald’s has not achieved its growth expectations in past several years. Narrow Product lines. (deng, 2009) 3 McDonald’s brand association as a junk food. (deng, 2009) 4 Few option for healthy eating 5 High employee turnover rates. (macy, 2012) 6 McDonald’s also have some bad effects on environment. (ltd. , 2006) 7 McDonald’s also faces many types of legal actions on many issues. OPPORTUNITIES 1 Product packing for McDonalds now features QR codes for customers to get nutritional information. Mcnamara, 2013) 2 Opportunity to enlarge market, the consumers who care about health issue. (deng, 2009) 3 Slightly changing market brand image of McDonalds. (deng, 2009) 4 In 2009, McDonald’s launched its hefty Angus burger in all U. S. A locations. 5 Introduction of trans-fat-free French fries in all restaurants in the U. S. A and Canada. 6 Introduction of McCafe. 7 Testing marketing fruits and vegetables as happy meal at some outlets. 8 McDonald’s franchises overseas became a favorite target of people and groups expressing antiglobalization sentiments. Entry into new and highly popular product categories. THREATS 1 Public attack about obesity issue. (deng, 2009) 2 Changing taste of consumers. (deng, 2009) 3 Unable to keep patrons as special order sandwiches offered by rivals Burger King and Wendy’s. 4 Promotional plans like McDonalds game found conspiracy with 51 people charged in a part of scam winning $24 million by stealing winning McDonald’s tickets. 5 McDonalds showed a delayed effect than other restaurants operators in switching over to zero trans-fat cooking oil. In 2001 McDonald’s was sued for hurting religious sentiments by vegetarian groups for not revealing its flavors in French fries as it added beef extract to vegetable oil and showing it as veg in menu. 7 Consum ers began filing law suits that eating at McDonald’s had made them over weight. 8 Competition from burger kings and Wendy’s. (Thomadsen, 2007) MARKET SEGMENTATION TARGET MARKET| BABY BOOMERS| GENERATION X| GENERATION Y| GENERATION Z| DEMOGRAPHICS| 45-65+| 35-44| 19-34| 0-18| GEOGRAPHICS| URBAN| URBAN| URBAN| URBAN| PSYCOGRAPHICS| More concerned with low cholesterol food| More concerned with low fat food| More concerned with physical fitness food products| Generally eats taste oriented food products| BEHAVIOURAL| Mostly concerned with good quality of food products| Requires access with quick and fresh food service| Generally catch-up food by themselves by reaching out| Check out with friends and family| ISSUE ANALYSIS In 2004,Morgan Spurlock’s documentary film Super-Size Me gave very criticism to McDonald’s fast â€Å"nutrition†, in which he shows how he gains fat and destroy his health by eating McDonald’s. 2 In 1998 McDonald’s started â€Å"Made for you† System but it was not successful. There was a decrease in growth of sales in stores. 3 In 1999 before the implementation of â€Å"made for you â€Å"scheme ,McDonald’s planned to provide about 190 million in financial assistance to its franchisees ,but the actual cost of implementing the system ran much higher than the corporation had estimated. In 2001, 51 people were charged conspiring to rig McDonald’s game promotions over the course of several years, revealing that $24 million of winning McDonald’s game tickets had been stolen as a part of scam. 5 In 2004, McDonald’s was sued for extracting a small amount beef added in to the vegetable oil used for cooking French fries. 6 Many people still complain that the food served by McDonald’s is not hot to eat. RECOMMENDATIONS PRODUCT :- 1 McDonald’s should provide hot food to eat because many customers complaint that their food is not so hot to eat otherwise it will affect sales. McDonalds should bring some new healthier products for all ages because bad effect on health is one of the weaknesses of McDonald’s and bringing some healthier food will help to overcome this image. 3 McDonald’s should provide some free snacks because it will help it compete with its competitors and increase sales. 4 McDonalds should make their products in fat free oil because it will have good effect on health. 5 McDonald’s should also provide some regional food because in this way some rural people will also start accepting its products. Launching of new fried and bone in treats in Chicago. PRICE:- 1 The price of products should be affordable because if they will not be affordable to small income group then its sale will be affected and it will also give the opportunity to competitors to increase their sales. 2 The prices of products should be regularly checked so as to compete with competition because people will buy those products which they can get in low price. PLACE:- 1 McDonald’s should open new franchises in small cities also . It will help them to expand its business and increase growth. McDonald’s should increase the number of its franchises in all countries in order to expand its business. PROMOTION:- 1 McDonald’s should provide some discount on more products purchased because in this way people will buy more. Because some people will start purchasing more items if they can get discount. 2 McDonald’s should provide home delivery service because sometimes some people can’t go to store in order to pu rchase them. It will increase sales. 3 McDonald’s should provide online sale because in this way people can place their orders online. McDonald’s is working on new salads and wraps . (wong, 2013) 5 McDonald, s will test the new fried and bone in treats in Chicago. (wong, 2013) 6 Success of mighty wings in Atlanta. (wong, 2013) BEST RECOMMENDATIONS PRODUCT:- McDonald’s should provide some healthier food for all ages because health obesity is the major problem with McDonald’s . In this way they can get good image regarding health. PRICE:- Prices of products should be regularly checked in order to compete with competition because people will cheapest product. PLACE:- McDonald’s should open new small franchises at small cities also because it will help him to expand its business and increase growth rates. PROMOTION:- McDonald’s should provide home delivery service because sometimes people can’t go to store in order to purchase product. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bibliography Birchall, J. (2008). McDonalds claims fast food sales fighting off slowdown. Financial times. deng, t. (2009, may). McDonalds new strategy on changing attitudes and communication. International journal of marketing studies, 37-42. Jennifer, R. (2004). online branding :the case of McDonald’s. ritish food journal. ltd. , n. m. (2006). ICCR sponsered proxy resolutions on genetically modified organisms gain recognition among shareholders at wendy’s McDonald’s . financial wire. macy, a. (2012). financing a remodel:a case of McDonald’s Franchisee. journal of case research in business and economics. Mcnamara, B. (2013). McDonalds give the people wha t they want. Nutrition business journal. Thomadsen, r. (2007). product positiong and competion:the role of location in the fast food industry. Marketing science. wong, V. (2013). will McDonald’s mighty wings fly? Business weak.

American and African Culture

The African American culture includes different cultural traditions of African-American communities. It is more famously named as the Black culture. According to McKinnon, The United States Census Bureau the African Americans as people who have origins in any of the Black race groups that came from Africa. Before the Civil War, the Africans were held as slaves in America.As slaves, their rights to exercise and practice their cultures and traditions were restricted. Nevertheless, there were some traditions that were kept alive up to the day of their liberation after the Civil War until it was recognized to build and identity as African American Culture. The way of survival of such traditions was to blend with some of the elements of the culture in America or the American Culture.This paper serves as a descriptive essay that shall include the following aspects of the African American Culture; Meanings of colors; Social Customs; Concept of Time; Clothing and Food; Religion; Marriage, Bi rth, Death (whether there are special rituals associated with any of these); Holiday; Ethical values; Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication. The African American Culture is also a mixture of other cultures because as salves, the Africans needed to blend with the American Culture in order that their culture may survive.It also has blended with the European culture due to the influence of European culture to American Culture. The survival of the African American Culture is a symbol in itself that speaks of the persistence of the Africans to liberate them from slavery and eventually establish an identity of their own through their cultures and traditions. Meanings of colors Use caution when teaching about color symbolism. Symbolism of colors vary from culture to culture.Color is considered one of the most useful and powerful design tools you have. People respond to different colors in different ways, and these responses take place on a subconscious, emotional level. In African American c ulture, black has long been associated with death, while white is believed to signify life and purity. In the African American culture, the black has also come to suggest sophistication and formality. Americans generally associate trust stability with the color blue. Social Customs and Ethical valuesThe Social customs in the African American culture includes a variety and form of slave based custom since they have been enslaved for a long time. The social customs involves the social and political issues where the African Americans continue to struggle. Before the Civil War, the African slaves were not given the right to vote, but when the Voting Right’s Act was passed, African Americans then were allowed to vote and elected in public office. Another aspect of the social custom of the African Americans is their concept of family.Due to the chattel slavery that was practiced before in America, it was rare for slave families to be sold apart from each other as separate sales. Ne vertheless, after the years of slavery, the families of African Americans became a recognized unit of the society, which serves as the backbone in organizing a community. The nature of the families and communities built by African Americans are patriarchal but women are also recognized to help in the raising of the family. Mutual aid is also practiced by extended families through childcare, emotional, and economic support.African Americans have close family ties thus; it is easy for the older generations to pass on their cultures and traditions to the new generations who in turn will pass such to the future generations to come. The younger members of the family also put a high regard for their elders that they themselves take care of their elders instead of opting for private care. This strong ties of the African American families keeps their family together thus creating a stronger society. Concept of TimeThe African American concept of time is still based on their being once a sla ve who are compelled to wake up early before sunrise to get to work and then sleep late at night after fixing all that is needed for tomorrow’s work. The African Americans have always been hardworking. For the African Americans who were raised from the doom of slavery, time is a very important concept to success. Clothing The clothing of the African Americans has been influenced by the modern fashion and West African traditional clothing to create a uniquely African American traditional style. The best-known African textile is the â€Å"Kente Cloth†.According to an article on African traditional clothing, â€Å"Kente cloth is woven in colorful and festive patterns that are present in many different varieties which were genuinely made by Ashanti and Ewe who came from Ghana and Togo that which according to history, it was fabric that are used to make the clothes for the royalties during the early times until it eventually became a common clothing for the African America ns that ranges from casual t-shirts to formal bow ties and cummerbands, and also head ties for women. † Food Food for the African Americans is one way of bringing a family together.The traditional cook out is one of the most renowned heritage of the African American families. This is a once a week event where families gather and simply cook the best food for their family just at their backyard. After which they enjoy themselves with simple cocktails and listening to soulful music with soulful dances. According to the History of Soul food, â€Å"the gardening cultivation and use of many agricultural products in the United States, such as yams, peanuts, rice, okra, sorghum, grits, watermelon, indigo dyes, and cotton can be draw from African impact.Such African American foods manifest ingenious replies to racial and economic repression. Under slavery, African Americans were not permitted to eat better cuts of meat, and after liberation, many frequently were too underprivileged t o manage to pay for them. Soul food, a hearty cuisine generally related with African Americans in the South, makes ingenious use of low-priced products acquired through farming and substinence hunting and fishing. Pig intestines are boiled and sometimes pound and fried to make â€Å"chitterlings†.Ham hocks and neck bones offer seasoning to soups; bean and boiled greens. Other common foods, such as fried chicken, and fish, cornbread and hoppin john are simply prepared. † Religion â€Å"While African Americans practice a number of religions, Protestant Christianity is by far the most popular. † â€Å"Additionally, 14% of Muslims in the United States and Canada are African American. † A river baptism in New Bern, North Carolina near the turn of the 20th century. â€Å"The religious culture of African American Christians is known as the Black church.During slavery, many slaves were stripped of their African belief systems and typically denied free religious p ractice. However, slaves managed to hang on to some practices by integrating them into Christian worship in secret meetings. These practices, including dance, shouts, African rhythms, and enthusiastic singing, remain a large part of worship in the Black church. Black churches taught that all people were equal in God's eyes and viewed the doctrine of obedience to ones master taught in White churches as hypocritical.† â€Å"Instead the Black church focused on the message of equality and hopes for a better future. † â€Å"Before and after emancipation, racial segregation in America prompted the development of organized Black Denominations. The first of these was the AME Church founded by Richard Allen in 1787. † â€Å"A Black church is not necessarily a separate denomination. Several predominantly Black churches exist as members of predominantly White denominations. † â€Å"Black churches have served to provide Blacks with leadership positions and opportunit ies to organize that were denied in mainstream American society.Because of this Black pastors became the bridge between the Black and White communities and thus played a crucial role in the American Civil Rights Movement. † On the other hand, â€Å"generations before the advent of the Atlantic slave trade, Islam was a thriving religion in West Africa. Slaves in the Americas were often forcibly converted to Christianity and while first-generation slaves were often able to retain their Muslim identity, their descendants were not. In the decades after slavery, some Black leaders sought to provide freed slaves with self-esteem and an opportunity to reconnect with their Islamic roots.The best known of these movements is the Black Nationalist and Black supremacist Nation of Islam founded by Wallace Fard in 1930 and lead by Elijah Muhammad from 1934. But much like Malcolm X, who left the Nation of Islam in 1960, many African American Muslims now follow traditional Islam. † Mar riage, Birth, Death (are there special rituals associated with any of these? ) The bride in an African American wedding refers to the tradition of Yoruba. This very spiritual service reflects the depth of the African family by the sharing of gifts and love. The ceremony process may begin about a month before the wedding with a spiritual reading.Elements of the actual ceremony may include a Libation (a prayer with an offering, usually water or liquor offered by an elder). This ritual calls upon and asks God's blessing and the blessings of ancestral spirits. The groom verbally seeks permission from the bride's mother to marry her daughter. Gifts are presented to the brides’ family symbolizing the ability of the groom to take care of this woman. They are accepted by the bride's father. Other elements of the ceremony may include a tasting and explanation of spices, prayers, exchange of rings.A great celebration follows. Holiday The African Americans are festive in nature that the y like other ethnic groups celebrate holidays and commemorate events in honor of their heroes and patrons. One of the most famous African American Holiday is the Black History Month, which is a month long celebration where they commemorate their experiences of slavery until their emancipation from oppression. This includes the birthdays of Frederick Douglass, and Abraham Lincoln who were the considered African American heroes during the Civil War.Another holiday is the Martin Luther Day in commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. he was also one African American Hero who they owe their liberation. Kwanzaa is a colorful festival invented by an activist named â€Å"Maulana† Ron Karenga in 1966 as intended to be an alternative for the celebration of Christmas. Moreover is the Emancipation Day where they celebrate their freedom from slavery in the United States. Finally is the Malcolm X Day, which is an event to commemorate the achievements of Malcolm X, another nationalist during the civil war. Verbal and Non-Verbal CommunicationGenerations of hardships imposed on the African American community created distinctive language patterns. Slave owners often intentionally mixed people who spoke different African languages to discourage communication in any language other than English. This, combined with prohibitions against education, led to the development of pidgins, simplified mixtures of two or more languages that speakers of different languages could use to communicate. â€Å"Examples of pidgins that became fully developed languages include Creole, common to Haiti, and Gullah, common to the Sea Islands off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia.† African American Vernacular English is a type variety (dialect, ethnolect and sociolect) of the American English language spoken by some African Americans that shares some grammatical and orthographically features with Creole and West African languages. While AAVE is academically considered to be a legitimat e dialect, it is often viewed by teachers and other members of the middle-class, regardless of race or ethnicity, as either slang or the result of a poor understanding of the English language. † ReferencesBerlin, Ira. Many Thousands Gone: The First Two Centuries of Slavery in North America. Cambridge, Mass. : Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1998. Equiano, Olaudah. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or, Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself. Edited by Shelley Eversley. New York: Modern Library, 2004. Morgan, Philip D. Slave Counterpoint: Black Culture in the Eighteenth-Century Chesapeake and Lowcountry. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1998. Wood, Peter H.Black Majority: Negroes in Colonial South Carolina from 1670 through the Stono Rebellion. New York: Knopf, 1974; New York: Norton, 1975. James A. McMillin Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity. National Museum of African Art. Retrieved on May 17, 2007. A History of Soul Food. 20th Century Fox. Retrieved on 2007-06-02. Jonsson, Patrik (February 06, 2006). Backstory: Southern discomfort food. The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved on 2007-06-02. The Study of African American Religion. Harvard University. Retrieved on 2007-06-01.American Muslims Population Statistics. Council on American-Islamic Relations. Retrieved on 2007-05-22. Maffly-Kipp, Laurie. African American Religion, Pt. I: To the Civil War. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved on May 15, 2007. Maffly-Kipp, Laurie F. (May 2001). The Church in the Southern Black Community. University of North Carolina. Retrieved on May 21, 2007. Maffly-Kipp, Laurie F. (May 2001). The Church in the Southern Black Community. University of North Carolina. Retrieved on May 21, 2007. Amazing grace: 50 years of the Black church.Ebony (April 1995). Abdul Alkalimat and Associates. Religion and the Black Church, 6th, Introduction to Afro-American Studies, Chicago: Twent y-first Century Books and Publications. Huda. African-American Muslims. About. com. Retrieved on 2007-06-02. Eisenberg, Carol (January 22, 2005). Black Muslims seek acceptance from fellow Americans, adherents. The Seattle Times. Retrieved on 2007-06-02. Dale, Maryclaire (August 9, 2003). African Religions Attracting Americans. African Traditional Religion. afgen. com. Retrieved on 2007-06-02.