SE Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

SE - Research Paper Example Introducing learners with disability to second language enables them to have a view of a different culture, thus provides them with a greater level of understanding of cultural experiences. This motivates their self-esteem and makes the educational life less boring. Eventually, having an understanding of an alternative language of communication enables the children to have a competitive edge when they grow up, especially in the multicultural environment where current businesses operate. Children with learning disability will also have better cognitive capacities when they are exposed to a second language (Bucholz and Sheffler 2). This means that second language students are more innovative and superior to their one-language counterparts in terms of solving complicated learning problems (Ren 33). Krasner (29) has argues that second language children perform better than monolingual children on both verbal and written tests of their intelligence quotient tests. This then implies that le arning a second language enables children with learning impairments to achieve a better intellectual flexibility (Ren 35). On the other hand, teaching a second language to children with learning disability can be disadvantageous because it results in language setbacks (Vaknin-Nusbaum, and Miller 520). Learning a second language exerts unnecessary cognitive pressure on the children who are already struggling to cope with normal lessons in their primary language. This strain negatively impacts on the children’s learning than would a normal lesson like Math. According Krasner (34), exposing children with learning impairments to a second language simultaneously with the primary language lowers the quantity of vocabulary that the children can learn within a certain period of time. For instance, if a ‘normal’ toddler’s cognitive ability can withstand learning of an estimated 20 new vocabularies in a month, when he or she is introduced to two languages at the sam e time their learning capacity might reduce by half. A child with learning disability, depending on the gravity of the condition would learn fewer words than what a ‘normal’ child can do (Woodcock and Vialle 27). Apart from fewer input and understanding of new words, children learning second language may experience delays in general learning caused by difficulty in understanding two languages, which often leads to such children being introduced to second language classes later on in life. But this does not help the matters either. Ren (40) argues that starting off language lessons for a child with learning impairment too late can impede the child’s inability to effectively understand the second language. According to Vaknin-Nusbaum and Miller (521), parts of the brain responsible for language development and memory limit one’s own understanding when new sounds are imparted in them. In light of this, children with learning impairments who are introduced to new language later on in their development will develop a weird accent, which might result in misunderstandings and hinder the use of that language in a professional career. Question # 2 Integrating children with learning disabilities into mainstream classrooms in a Jewish school In the current century, children with learning disabilities are entitled to the same treatment as their ‘

Logistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Logistics - Essay Example The effectiveness of logistic is improved through alliances with local suppliers that reduce cost of transportation. Porter (1985) asserts that logistics is key component of value chain that greatly facilitates business activities. In the company, technology is intrinsic part of strategy that facilitates inbound and outbound logistics for effective supply chain for raw material and network of distributors for finished goods. The parts are sent to offshore business partners where assembling is done and local transports are used to send the goods to dealers and stores. Thus, outsourcing partnership across the region significantly reduces transportation costs and helps gain competitive advantage in the current recessive environment. This saves time and effort as the assembling of products could be easily altered to suit the demands of the local customers across geographical boundaries. The products therefore, reach the customers timely and efficiently. Hence through creative logistic st rategy, the company is not only able to survive but is also able to maintain its market position. The use of technology facilitates improved communication and enhances efficiency in delivery of goods and services. Most importantly, good logistics has helped to expand business across the globe and provided the company with sustainable source of continuous income.

ICAS Report Planning Template Essay Example for Free

ICAS Report Planning Template Essay ABC Ltd supplies a complete range of carpets and furniture to the general public. ABC Ltd has over 75 nationwide high street shops in all major UK cities and many large towns. ABC Ltd also has a 24/7 online shop which is on the head office site in Aberdeen. Over the past seven years the company has grown steadily and now has revenue of over  £29 million. It employs around 400 full-time staff. Who are the businesses major stakeholders (internal and external) and why? Major stakeholders of the business could be anyone who has an interest in the business. The business is the sole supplier of a range of furniture. The relationship with this supplier is crucial to the success of the business due to the competitive advantage that it offers ABC. Accounts Department (PIC 1.1, 1.4) How big is the Accounts department? What is the purpose of the accounting function? What type of organisational structure is there? Where does the accounts department get its information from? How does the accounts  department inter-relate with other departments within the business? At ABC Ltd the accounts department consists of the Finance Director, Company Accountant, General Ledger and Inventory Clerk, Accounts Payable Clerk, accounts receivable clerk, costing technician As well as payroll and personnel database clerk. The departments deal with the payments of invoices, comparing them to the  purchase orders and the stock receipts. They also monitor the stock and requirement for purchase orders. The department is also responsible for the credit control function, monitoring customers and the payment of the staff wages. In order to carry out these roles Accounts are forced to interact with the whole of the organisation to gather information. ABC use an account spackage which is fully integrated with the rest of the business software. The use an Enterprise Management System called PRONTO. This software allows for multi user access which can be restricted based on job roles. Non accounts users can see, but not change essential financial data, such as supplier and customer balances. Describe (in relation to the organisation) the 3 main financial statements – Income statement, SOFP and Statement of Cashflow. (PIC   What do they show? Who uses them? What decisions are made based on them? Income Statement SOFP Statement of Cashflow Income statements illustrate ABC Ltd profit or loss over a certain periods of time. The income statement records all revenue, losses and operating expenses for the business. The IS can be used to show profitability of the  company. Income statements are used by stakeholders, company accountants, financial directors and  managing directors. The income statements compared with other income statements within ABC Ltd over a period of time or  companies within the same sector will be able to determine the operating performance of ABC Ltd. Managers and the company accountant may be able to find out what areas of the business are over budget or under budget and make necessary changes. Statements of Financial Position (SOFP) illustrate a snap shot of the business financial condition. The SOFP includes the assets and liabilities of ABC Ltd. This is ia good indicator of the liquidity of the business. This statement will again be used by stakeholders, company accountants, financial directors and managing directors. Managers and the company accountant may be able to quickly get a handle on the financial strength and capabilities of the business, it’s also demonstrates if ABC ’s assets is enough to cover its liabilities, how liquid its assets are if ABC was to declare bankruptcy, if the business is in a position to expand etc. Statements of Cash flow illustrate the amount of cash generated and used by the business in a given period of time. Again this gives an indication of liquidity and working capital management. This statement will again be used by stakeholders, company  accountants, financial directors and managing directors. Managers  and the company accountant may be able to determine whether the business has enough cash to cover payroll and other immediate expenses or liabilities, as well as allow potential lenders to decide whether or not ABC Ltd is able to pay of its liabilities. What accounting regulations cover the preparation of the above financial statements? (PIC 2.1) In the UK, financial statements are governed by UKGAAP (UK Generally Accepted  Accounting Principles). They are also governed by the Companies Act What other accounting regulations and industry specific regulations does the company have to comply with? Does the company have to deal with Money-Laundering regulations? Does the company come under Sarbanes-Oxley? (PIC 2.1) The company also has to comply with the data protection act as they hold customer and staff information. Non compliance with this act can have severe financial and reputational implications. They are also required to comply with any rules set out by HMRC when paying employees and also calculating the tax liability of the business. The company does not have to comply with Sarbanes Oxley as this only affects companies registered with the New York Stock Exchange When the company has to deal with a change to the above regulations how does it organise this? In what way are system users affected by the change How do they get to find out about the change? (PIC 1.5) The Finance manger and HR manager monitor all regulations and alert the business when changes are made that will affect how the business operates. Changes are implemented by ensuring all staff are made aware of the change via internal communication methods. If need be employees are trained to ensure they fully understand the changes taking place.

A study of the new century financial corporation

A study of the new century financial corporation New Century Financial Corporation was originally founded in 1995. It was a Maryland corporation based in Irvine, California in business to originate, purchase, sell and service home mortgage loans. Court documents reported the company experienced phenomenal growth during its 10 year history, originating $350 million in mortgage loans in 1996 to $50 billion in 2005 with earnings per share increasing $.013 to $7.17. New Century was an aggressive subprime lender catering to customers who could not qualify for conventional mortgage loans. New Century would then pool these loans and sell them in the mortgage secondary market at a profit. These loan sales came with warranties and representations which if breached could require New Century to repurchase the loans at a substantial loss. These repurchases began increasing in 2004 and were soon taking a toll on the companys liquidity. Still, as late as the latter part of 2006, the company was able to raise $142.5 million from a new stock issue. It all came tumbling down February 7th, 2007 when New Century admitted it was restating the companys financial results for the first three quarters of 2006. The market reaction was a drop of 40% in the stock price from $30.16 to $19.24 according to court documents. By March 13th the stock price had declined all the way down to $.84 after a March 1st announcement informing the public that its 2006 10-K filing would be late along with a March 12th announcement disclosing a discontinuance of financing by some lenders. This crippled the companys ability to honor loan repurchase demands. New Century Financial filed for bankruptcy protection on April 2nd 2007. KPMG LLP and KPMG International KPMG LLP was New Centurys independent auditor from 1995 thru 2006. KPMG is a Delaware limited liability partnership and the U.S. member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative, a Swiss entity with over 137,000 employees operating in 144 countries according to their website. New Century Financial What Fraud Happened? The executives at New Century Financial violated many accounting rules and U.S. laws. The three perpetrators in this case are the former CEO Brad Morrice, former CFO Patti Dodge, and former Controller David N. Kenneally. The offenses are related to New Centurys disclosure fraud, violations of the Sarbanes- Oxley Act, violations of generally accepted accounting principles, and violations of the Securities Act. DISCLOSURE FRAUD New Century Financial failed to make adequate disclosures regarding its loan production (the nature and risk of its products), its loan repurchase obligations, and its backlog of repurchase requests. In the 2006 Forms 10-Q, both Morrice and Dodge, failed to disclose that a substantial portion of it new loans were derived from what are termed 80/20 loans, where New Century would underwrite 80% of the first loan on the property, and underwrite a second loan for the additional 20%, actually creating a 100% loan to value ratio. These loans were risky, because the buyer of the property was able to make the purchase without risking any money of their own. In 2006 33.47% of New Century Financials loans were of this type, up from 23% in 2004 and 9% in 2003. Additionally, New Century disclosed materially misleading loan to value (LTV) information on its loans. To the public, New Century disclosed a weighted average LTV, which in 2006, was between 80.9% and 81.4%, of total loans made, but in company internal reports the actual numbers were between 86.6% and 87.6%. Also in the 2006 Forms 10-Q, New Century made disclosures that downplayed the risks of its interest only and stated income loans, (loans in which ones income is not verified). New Century failed to disclose that through the second quarter of 2006 that it was actually experiencing greater defaults on its 80/20, stated income and layered risk loans. Regarding New Centurys loan repurchase obligations, adequate disclosure was not given to investors. Under the contract for the loans, New Century could be required to repurchase loans sold pursuant to repurchase agreements in two situations: (1) the representations and warranties about the loan were untrue; or (2) the borrower defaulted on the loan by failing to make the first payment due after the loan was sold. These loan repurchase obligations would have negatively affected investor and lender expectations of New Centurys earnings potential had they been disclosed. In 2006 New Century experienced an increasing rate of Early Payment Defaults and First Payment Defaults, which could trigger the loan repurchase obligation. In 2006 New Century had to repurchase $784.3 million dollars on loans, and was left with loans with a value of 80% of the repurchase price. In addition to its actual repurchases, New Century had a backlog of repurchase requests that it did not disclose in 2006. From 2005 to 2006 the backlog grew from $143 million to $400 million. Failure to disclose these significant facts greatly altered the information available to investors regarding the Company and would have had an unfavorable impact on net revenues and income from continuing operations. SARBANES-OXLEY VIOLATIONS In violation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the CEO, CFO, and company Controller personally signed New Centurys disclosures, first and third quarter 10-Q forms, and the Sarbanes-Oxley certifications associated with those filings knowing that the financial statements were materially misstated. Furthermore, each of the company officers benefited from the financial misstatements in terms of pay, and bonuses, none of which was returned to shareholders. During the year 2006 the CEO and CFO made misleading statements in press releases and earnings calls regarding the financial position of the company. ACCOUNTING FRAUD In line with generally accepted accounting principles, New Century Financial was required to estimate the fair value of its repurchase obligation and to reduce the gain it reported on the sale of that amount. In deriving an estimate of this obligation New Century was required to estimate, (1) the amount of loans that it would have to repurchase, i.e., the repurchase rate: and (2) the costs that it would incur in repurchasing loans. When New Century repurchased a loan it was recorded at the loans unpaid balance and not at the fair value as required under SFAS 140. However, prior to the second quarter of 2006, the repurchase reserves recorded by New Century Financial were sufficient to state the net value of the assets in amounts materially in compliance with SFAS 140. In the second quarter of 2006, however, the reserve calculation methodology was changed resulting in much lower reserves. As a result of these changes, the net assets were no longer stated at fair value, a violation of S FAS 140. This reduced its repurchase expense and overstated revenues. Also under GAAP, New Century was required to estimate contingent liabilities, in line with SFAS 5. SFAS 5 requires accrual of loss contingency if information indicates that it is probable that the liability has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated. The liability related to the substantial backlog of unprocessed repurchase claims was not properly accrued, a violation of SFAS 5. This allowed New Century to overstate its financial performance. New Century also failed to implement internal controls over financial reporting to appropriately track repurchase requests from investors to buy back their loans, further reducing the firms loss contingency. As a result of improperly accounting for loan repurchase obligations, which reduced the reserve expense needed to repurchase those loans; New Century overstated its financial results, with reported pre-tax earnings 165% higher than the corrected amount (a total overstatement of approximately $84 million). In the third quarter of 2006, earnings were overstated approximately $108 million. VIOLATIONS OF THE SECURITY ACT In connection with the November 16, 2006 securities offering both Morrice and Dodge filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, they reported that New Centurys financial statements presented fairly in all material respects the financial condition of the company. Furthermore, it was stated that New Century Financial had no undisclosed material liabilities, and that the financial statements complied with the requirements of the Exchange Act. The reality was that, New Century had a substantial backlog of pending repurchase claims, which were not reflected as liabilities in New Centurys financial statements. With all of these defalcations combined the executives at New Century Financial violated the following laws: Fraud in the Offer or Sale of Securities, Section 17(a) of the Securities Act Fraud in Connections with the Purchase or Sale of Securities, Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 Violations of Commission Periodic Reporting Requirements, Aiding and Abetting Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act and Rules 12b-20, 13a-11, and 13a-13 Circumvention of Internal Controls, Section 13(b)(5) of the Exchange Act False Statement to Accountants, Rule 13b2-2 Certification Violations, Rule 13a-17 of the Exchange Act Failure to Reimburse, Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act KPMGs Role in the Fraud KPMG LLP (KPMG) was the external auditor for New Century Financial from inception (1995) to 2006. They resigned in April 2007, a few months after New Century filed for bankruptcy. Although they had completed a significant portion of the field work for the 2006 audit prior to their resignation, they did not issue an opinion on the 2006 financial statements. They issued unqualified opinions in all prior years audited by them. They also performed reviews of the quarterly financial statements through 2006 and performed audits of the effectiveness of internal controls at New Century (SOX 404 audits) for 2004 and 2005. The SOX 404 audit for 2006 was substantially completed but the opinion was not issued as of KPMGs resignation. Although financial statements are the responsibility of management, an independent auditors opinion that the statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial condition of the Company in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles does provide investors and creditors a certain level of assurance that managements statements are reliable. The opinion is not a guarantee of the accuracy of the financials but the public should be able to trust that, at a minimum, the auditor followed professional standards in the audit process. An auditors role in the issuance of fraudulent financial statements, then, could come from either a) their failure to exercise due care in the audit process which resulted in their failure to discover and communicate material misstatements or b) their complicity in the fraudulent misstatements. Most of what we know about KPMGs relationship with New Century and their work as New Centurys auditors comes from a report by Michael Missal, the bankruptcy examiner in the New Century case, to the United States Bankruptcy Court. Mr. Missal was charged with identifying any potential causes of action that might arise from the New Century bankruptcy. He reviewed KPMGs audit workpapers and New Centurys accounting records and interviewed KPMG and New Century employees as part of his research. Missals report focuses primarily on KPMGs work during 2005 and 2006. He suggests that, during those years, KPMG failed to follow professional audit standards and that certain members of the audit team were complicit in the fraud by giving advice to New Century, which was followed by them, that was inconsistent with generally accepted accounting principles and that resulted in material misstatements. The evidence presented to support the contention that KPMG failed to act in accordance with accepted auditing standards (GAAS)) was substantial. The three general auditing standards require that 1) the auditor must be technically competent, 2) the auditor must be independent and 3) the auditor must exercise due professional care. Mr.. Missal provided evidence that KPMG failed to meet any of those standards. Mr. Missal reviewed the New Century engagement staffing during 2005 and 2006. During the first quarter review in 2005, the entire audit team was new to the engagement (other than two junior auditors). The engagement partner was new to KPMG and had very limited experience in the mortgage banking industry. The senior manager was a recent rehire of KPMG and his only industry experience was a three year stint as an assistant controller at a small mortgage lending company. The senior manager on the 2005 SOX 404 audit had no prior SOX 404 audit experience. The concurring partner had worked primarily with financial institutions and leasing companies. Field work on two of the most sensitive areas (testing of the repurchase reserve and residual interest valuation) was done by first year auditors. Given the complexity of the mortgage banking industry, Mr. Missal argued that the team did not have the technical skill required to audit New Century. Mr. Missal reviewed internal communications between KPMG staff and external communications between KPMG and New Century management and board members. The senior members of the audit team ignored or dismissed concerns raised by KPMG specialists about the appropriateness of certain accounting methods used by New Century. They also dismissed concerns raised by junior auditors and by members of New Centurys Audit Committee as unfounded. Mr. Missal concludes that the senior audit members were more concerned about retaining the client than they were about the quality of the audit work and therefore lacked independence. There were numerous examples given by Mr. Missal to demonstrate KPMGs lack of due professional care including their failure to follow the second and third field work standards (the auditor must design tests to adequately respond to their understanding of the entitys internal controls (or the lack of internal controls) and is required to obtain sufficient evidential matter to support their opinion). The examples given included KPMGs failure to expand testing based on deficiencies noted in their review of New Centurys controls as part of the audit planning process, failure to properly test the repurchase log, failure to properly test the models developed by New Century accounting personnel to determine the reserve requirements, failure to expand testing given significant changes noted in the number of loans repurchased and failure to expand planned testing when the risk assessment related to residual interests was changed to high (as part of the SOX 404 audit work in 2006). Mr. Missal also noted that certain significant control deficiencies noted as part of the 2004 SOX 404 audit were not communicated, as required, to the Board of Directors and that the 2005 SOX 404 audit did not consider, as required, the failure of New Century to resolve control deficiencies noted as part of the prior year SOX 404 audit. Mr. Missal also provided evidence KPMG was complicit in the fraud. According to interviews of KPMG and New Century staff, the Senior Audit Manager on the engagement team suggested two changes to the calculation of the repurchase reserve which were adopted by New Century during 2006. Both changes resulted in significant reductions of the amount of the reserve recorded in the financials and both changes were contrary to GAAP. Mr. Missal does not suggest that the actions were criminal. The inference is more that the suggestions were made based on a lack of understanding of the applicable GAAP as it applied to the mortgage industry. To date, KPMG has not responded to specific issues raised in Mr. Missals report. They have, however, issued a general statement that they believe the firm complied with all professional standards. It should also be noted that the SEC, in their action against New Century, included a claim that New Century had lied to their auditors. Mr. Missal does conclude that although he believes that the trustees for New Century could have a reasonable basis for suing KPMG for professional negligence, he also cites a number of possible defenses that could be raised by KPMG. All of the defenses speak directly, or indirectly, to New Centurys contributory negligence. The Affect of the Fraud on KPMG No charges have been brought against KPMG by the SEC. However, both KPMG and their parent firm, KPMG International (KPMGI) were sued in April of 2009 by The New Century Liquidating Trust and Reorganized New Century Warehouse Corporation (the trustee overseeing the bankruptcy). The suit against KPMGI has two causes of action. The first cause of action states that KPMG is an agent of KPMGI and therefore KPMGI is liable for the actions of KPMG (vicarious liability). The second cause of action claims deceptive and unfair business practices by KPMGI. KPMGI advertised that its member firms performed quality work but did not properly oversee or control that quality. The suit seeks, in part, actual compensatory and consequential damages and punitive damages plus costs. The suit against KPMG has three causes of action. In the first cause, the plaintiff requests that the agreement signed by KPMG and New Century prohibiting New Century from seeking punitive damages be set aside as illegal under California law. In the second cause of action, the suit claims that KPMG was negligent in their performance as New Centurys auditors. The lawsuit includes the claims reported in Mr. Missals report as described in the section KPMGs Role in the Fraud above. In the third cause of action, the suit claims that KPMG aided and abetted the breach of fiduciary duties by New Centurys directors and officers. The suit claims that KPMG was aware of the breaches of duty and that the engagement team provided assistance and encouragement in those breaches. The suit seeks, in part, actual compensatory and consequential damages (in an amount not less than $1 billion) and punitive damages plus costs. Since the suits have not been settled, there is no way to know or estimate the f inancial impact on KPMG. KPMG has undoubtedly been affected in unpublicized ways. Mr. Missal notes several of the engagement team members left KPMG or were transferred out of the local office during 2007. There have probably been changes in internal processes related to engagement management and technical review. It is possible KPMG has lost clients as a result of the publicity surrounding the case. Since the final outcome of these cases is still unknown, its impossible to evaluate the complete effect upon KPMG LP and KPMGI. KPMGs Violations of Legal and Ethical Standards New Centurys auditor, KPMG LLP (and its parent company KPMGI) is a large multinational auditor which employees over 135,000 people in over 140 countries. The breadth of accounting law and ethical standards it may be bound to is diverse and multilayered, including regional, state, national, and international provisions. To illustrate this fact both New Century and the US arm of KPMG were incorporated in Delaware, while headquartered in Irvine, California and New York City respectively, and may be subject to legal precedent in potentially any state in which material business is conducted. United States accounting standards (GAAP) are primarily set by the Financial Accounting Standards Board. Compliance with GAAP is often required by regulatory agencies such as the SEC and by statutory law both at the state and federal level. Additionally there are an extensive number of statutory requirements which bind both public auditors like KPMG and publically traded entities like New Century on a federal level including SEC provisions and rulings of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). Some examples of potentially breached laws and ethical standards include Article 9, Section 58 of the California Board of Accountancy Regulations which requires CPAs to comply with GAAP and GAAS (Generally Accepted Auditing Standards) since KPMGs treatment of the reserve requirement was inconsistent under FAS 140 and FAS 5. It is also possible that Section 65 was breached since there were allegations that KPMG sought to maintain New Century as a profitable client over accurate financial reporting thus compromising independence. At the national level, several AICPA principles and rules may have been compromised. Principles allegedly breached include the principle of objectivity and independence based on the aforementioned profitability rationale, and the principle of due care based on the inconsistent application of GAAP (and alleged technical/professional insufficiency of the audit team). Since the AICPA rules are a codification of the principles, several rules by nature would have been violated including the following, rules 101, and 102, plus rules 201 through 203. Rules 101 and 102 which govern independence and integrity/objectivity respectively were potentially breached by the conflict of interest associated with retaining profitability clients which would have affected both independence and objectivity. Rule 201, the General Standards is broken down into 4 parts each of which may have been broken during the anomalous treatment of the reserve requirement among other accounting guidance provided by KPMG. Rule 201 A which dictates professional competence and rule 201 C which dictates appropriate levels of planning and supervision may have been violated if the audit team was insufficient in technical skill and frequently unsupervised as alleged. Rule 201 B which prescribes due care again may have been breached by inconsistency in the application of GAAP. Lastly there is evidence that the last and final provision of rule 201 was breached, section D discusses the acquisition of sufficient supportive evidence of audit opinions and there is evidence that the audit team may have cut the engagement short on account of time and profitability pressures. What could have been done to prevent the fraud? Severing the financial incentive between client and auditor by mandating that auditing fees be paid via a trustee or other third party irrespective of audit findings could significantly reduce the pressure to deviate from GAAP and decrease conflicts of interest. Perhaps a pooled system like insurance could be created where publicly traded firms, those regulated by the SEC and the PCAOB, would pay into a pool of funds from which fair compensation can be disbursed, reducing profit based incentives from altering the quality of audit findings. Rotating audit firms by lottery or by imposing some form of term limits may prevent the collusion often formed by longstanding relationships. The creation of an anonymous complaint system by regulatory authorities could provide an outlet for junior members in auditing firms to report major violations of standards by higher levels of management in both the company being audited and the accounting firm itself. Additional individual penalties for failure to exercise due care, especially for senior members, may insure work is not rushed or delegated improperly while preserving the limited amount of competition remaining in the public auditing industry. But at the end of the day it is always about the basics. A framework is in place to prevent financial fraud by companies. The framework is: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles Generally Accepted Auditing Standards Corporate governance exercised by the Board of Directors The failure of New Century Financial was not so much a regulation failure but a human failure. But this is why we have regulations-to reduce the temptations of humans. Strict adherence by KPMG to the generally accepted auditing standards would not have prevented the failure of New Century, it probably would have speeded-up its demise. But it would have given New Centurys investors, creditors, and board the critical information needed to make sound decisions. The potential for human failure in both New Century and KPMG could have been reduced by what is now termed the tone at the top. New Centurys board, especially the audit committee and the upper management of KPMG did not provide the environment for the violations to come to their attention. KPMGs ignoring of the warnings of junior staff and specialists of problems is inexcusable. How did the New Century failure affect our groups views and opinions? A former auditor in our group understood the tension between the auditors duty to follow professional standards and their desire to retain clients. Comparable tensions exist for accountants in private industry. I also know that hindsight is 20/20 and without hearing the defendants side of the story, its difficult to fairly evaluate their work or their ethics. Its difficult to read about the economic and personal impact that these large corporate failures have on the various stakeholders the employees, the investors, the creditors, and the public without wanting to see changes that will at least reduce the risks we all face. Maybe its time to make the auditors more independent which might mean that auditors should be paid by someone other than the audit client and that audit firms serving public companies need to be rotated on a regular basis. A CPA candidate in our group felt reminded of the constant conflict between quality and quantity; profitability and sustainability. The pressures placed on auditing firms by virtue of the free market often creates particularly troublesome adverse incentives which I may be subject to one day, this is unfortunate. These same pressures are the reasons why public accounting is needed in the first place, typified by New Centurys unsustainable financial position over time, and reminded me of just how important it is to maintain trust and faith in the public accounting industry. Another CPA candidate felt disillusioned of the culture of the Big Four accounting firms. Noting the firms are quick to lecture others about tone at the top but are they looking at the tone at the top in their own organizations? He added do I want to work at a place where the input of juniors is routinely dismissed? Where was the quality control mechanism at KPMG? Finally, one of us believed this case only confirmed my views about the people involved in the Real Estate/Mortgage market, most of them were in the market to make a quick buck, 99% of the people in this industry had no understanding of the real estate market or did not care, and the market was doomed to collapse due to weak lending practices.

Pornography Causes Desensitization, Aggression, and Alienation Essay

Pornography Causes Desensitization, Aggression, and Alienation A pair of long luscious, shapely legs extend upward until they join in perfect harmony. Colorful panties cover what seem to be the smallest area possible as a slim torso with shapely breasts and a slender neck lead to a perfect face. There she is, the perfect woman, the perfect picture of lust. Yet, she is only a picture, but what unbelievable power she possesses. Any man who looks her way will question his desires and himself. Who will resist her temptation and who will give in is the only question left without an answer. Pornography. Everyone seems to know what the word means, but does anyone know its etymology? The graphic images associated with pornography distract from any exploration of the term, but just like anything else pornography does have a history. The word "pornography" is derived from the Greek word pornographos, meaning "writing of harlots". Despite its Greek origins, the word pornography did not show up in the English language until somewhere between 1755 and 1857. Even then its meaning referred to prostitutes and prostitution. So, when did pornography switch from prostitution to materials that depict erotic behavior? Around the year 1975, pornography took on the meaning we accept today. Therefore, it is a fairly young phenomena, but it has spread like wildfire through its secrecy and silence (Kendrick 1). Many find pornography harmless, a step toward a greater sexual liberation, a way to set free the secret parts of the soul (Griffin 1). If only they knew the secret they would discover would be an addiction that has the power to last forever! Pornography grows into people's lives leading to destruction of their marriages, families, and se... ... may be sexual freedom, but they will never truly be free. They will be a slave to their desires, their own self-satisfaction, and the tragedy of it all is that they will never be satisfied. Works Cited Bush, Rosaline. "Pornography Harms Society." Pornography: Opposing View Points. Ed. Carol Wekesser. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc. 1997. 17-27. Donnerstein, Edward, Linz, Daniel, and Penrod, Steven. The Question of Pornography. New York: The Free Press, 1987. 40-50. ""Expression." Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary. 1974. Griffin, Susan. Pornography and Silence: Culture's Revenge Against Nature. New York: Harper & Row, 1981. 1-20. Kendrick, Walter. The Secret Museum: Pornography in Modern Culture. New York: Viking, 1987. 1-10. Reisman, Judith A. "Soft Porn" Plays Hard Ball.: Its Tragic Effects of Women, Children, & The Family. Louisiana

Political Communication Essay -- Functions of Communication

Politics and the media have long been intimately involved with each other, with media strongly setting an agenda in which politics is very important. (Harris 1999,p.167) â€Å"Our perceived reality of the real world is largely a product of the media.† (Harris 1999,p.186) It is not known which influences more but there are definitely two sides to the story. Many studies have been done to decide but each comes out with different answers. Many say that the media has more of an impact on politics than does politics on the media. â€Å"The two have always been natural adversaries.† â€Å"Skewering each other in print and in conversation, but generally enjoying each other’s company. (Forum) It is the role of the mass media to keep the general public informed and up to date with current news and events in their community, state, country, and around the world. In politics the media can either build or damage a political figure by changing the public’s opinion. Many people depend heavily on television as their source of information where they see or hear about political issues, events, and policies because television is the single most powerful medium of global communication and nightly newscasts are the most frequently watched source of information for the public. (Forum) The mass media is everywhere we turn, from television sets, to airwaves, to print, and even the Internet. In their role, are they actually giving us the right message or is it a rumor, which you often see in tabloids in which it is created just to sell? 75% of the public believes that the top priority of the media is to find and report important information on public issues. Approximately 18% say that it is to give readers and viewers what they ask for. Less than 6% say that it should be for profit. (Forum) The Forum Magazine (September 1994) also discussed a survey done by Kees, a former executive editor of The Fresno Bee, and Phillips former chief of staff of the Republican National Committee. The survey results found many accusations were made about the media. They were more interested in sensationalism than issue, they were political insider’s who can’t report fairly, they didn’t understand the real issues facing the country, they underestimate the public’s taste, and they conspire to disgrace politicians. On the other hand the survey also accused the poli ticians of wrongful doings. It was stated that they... ...d the media. American Political Science Review. 93. 327-342. Harris, R. (1999). A cognitive psychology of mass communication. Makwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Haynes, A. & Murray, S. (1998, October). Why do the media cover certain candidates more than others. American Political Science Quarterly. 26. 420-438. Iyengar, S. (1987, September). Television news and citizen’s explanations of national issues. American Poltical Science Review. p.828. Jacques, W. & Ratzan, S. (1997, August). The Internet’s worldwide web and political accountability. American Behavioral Scientist. 40. 1226-1237. Kalb, M. & Sullivan, A. (1999, September 12). News media give politics short shrift. Greensboro News Record. p.h2. Kiousis, S. (1999, August). Candidate image attributes. Communication Research. 36. 414-428. London, S. (1999). How the media frames political issues. Pippa, N. (1996) Women, media, and politics. Oxford University. Shaw, D. (1999, June). The effect of tv ads and candidate appearances on statewide presidential votes, 1988-96). American Political Science Review. 93. 345-361. The love-hate relationship between politicians and the news media. (1994, September). The Forum Magazine.

Macbeths Images and Imagery :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Macbeth's Imagery      Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare in the tragedy Macbeth very skillfully uses imagery to support other aspects of the drama, especially the theme. In this essay let us examine the imagery, including literary critical comment.    Roger Warren comments in Shakespeare Survey 30 , regarding Trervor Nunn's direction of Macbeth at Stratford-upon-Avon in 1974-75, on opposing imagery used to support the opposing notions of purity and black magic:    Much of the approach and detail was carried over, particularly the clash between religious purity and black magic. Purity was embodied by Duncan, very infirm (in 1974 he was blind), dressed in white and accompanied by church organ music, set against the black magic of the witches, who even chanted 'Double, double to the Dies Irae. (283)    L.C. Knights in the essay "Macbeth" explains the supporting role which imagery plays in Macbeth's descent into darkness:    To listen to the witches, it is suggested, is like eating "the insane root, That takes the reason prisoner" (I.iii.84-5); for Macbeth, in the moment of temptation, "function," or intellectual activity, is "smother'd in surmise"; and everywhere the imagery of darkness suggests not only the absence or withdrawal of light but - "light thickens" - the presence of something positively oppressive and impeding.   (101)    In Fools of Time: Studies in Shakespearean Tragedy, Northrop Frye shows how the playwright uses imagery to reinforce the theme:    This theme is at its clearest where we are most in sympathy with the nemesis. Thus at the end of Macbeth, after the proclamation "the time is free," and of promises to make reparations of Macbeth's tyranny "Which would be planted newly with the time," there will be a renewal not only of time but of the whole rhythm of nature symbolized by the word "measure," which includes both the music of the spheres and the dispensing of human justice [. . .]. (94-95)    In his book, On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy, H. S. Wilson interprets the imagery of Macbeth:    Macbeth is a play in which the poetic atmosphere is very important; so important, indeed, that some recent commentators give the impression that this atmosphere, as created by the imagery of the play, is its determining quality. For those who pay most attention to these powerful atmospheric suggestions, this is doubtless true. Mr. Kenneth Muir, in his introduction to the play

Comparative Analysis of Two Essays

Comparative Analysis of Two Essays on Truth and the Media Both â€Å"Who Killed Privacy? † and â€Å"The Shock of the True† deal with the subject of truth and the media, each has a different focus. In Roger Resentment's â€Å"Who Killed Privacy† the issue is whether the fact that something is true Justifies it as a subject for discussion in the media, and to what extent the public interest in the subject is appropriate. â€Å"The Shock of the True† is an exploration of crime and violence as a subject of works of non-fiction.Both authors imply that a great deal is printed or shown in the media for he express purpose of satisfying the publics lust for the lurid or the scandalous. Individual privacy enters into the discussion in the first of the essays, with the author concluding that the truth of a statement often bears no relevance and that details of the private lives of public figures are exploited for the titillation and curiosity of the public.Reference is made to the details of improper conduct made about George Bush and Bill Clinton and the sexual scandal of presidential candidate Gary Hart: â€Å"†¦ It seemed clear to most voters that the ability of both men to govern was not Impaired y their scandals. Yet Gary Hart's boat fling seemed to indicate a person out of control, so a distinction was drawn. The author cites well-known Instances of the intense focus on private, but true, facts that constitute an abusive use of the freedom to disseminate information. He mentions TRW and other credit agencies for making private information available without regard to Its accuracy, and chastised programs like â€Å"Marketplace Households† for publishing software containing personal, financial and consumer habits of Individuals. He states that, despite legal efforts to the contrary,

Process Of The Smallpox Disease Health And Social Care Essay

The beginning of variola is unsure, but it is believed to hold originated in Africa and so distribute to India and China 1000s of old ages ago. The first recorded variola epidemic was in 1350 BC during the Egyptian-Hittite war. Smallpox reached Europe between the 5th and 7th centuries and was present in major European metropoliss by the eighteenth century. Epidemics occurred in the North American settlements in the 17th and 18th centuries. At one clip variola was a important disease in every state throughout the universe except Australia and a few stray islands. Millions of people died in Europe and Mexico as a consequence of widespread variola epidemics. The autumn of aˆÂ ¦ aˆÂ ¦ caused by the smallpox virus. Smallpox has two clinical signifiers, major smallpox and minor smallpox. Major smallpox is documented as manifesting in four different types, ordinary, modified, level and hemorrhagic. Major smallpox is the more serious of the two signifiers dwelling of more extended roseola and higher febrilities. Of the four types of smallpox major ordinary histories for the bulk of instances, approximately 90 % , modified occurs in antecedently vaccinated individuals and is non found really frequently. Flat and hemorrhagic are seldom found nevertheless, are normally really terrible and fatal. Of all the individuals infected with smallpox major the human death rate is about 30 % . The 2nd signifier smallpox child is the rarest signifier of the two. The badness of smallpox child is really low and the human death rate of individuals affected by this signifier is normally merely 1 % . The early symptoms of the disease are similar to the grippe which normally manifests 12-14 yearss after the initial exposure. The features of variolas are normally fever, utmost weariness, musculus achings and a skin roseola that gets increasingly worse over the class of the disease. The roseola starts as a little ruddy musca volitanss on the lingua and in the oral cavity. Then the musca volitanss become hypertrophied blisters that break unfastened run outing the virus down the pharynx. This is considered the most contagious phase of the disease. Normally during the clip when the unfastened sores develop in the oral cavity the roseola normally appears on the face, weaponries and legs so it spreads to the bole. The whole organic structure is covered with the roseola within 24 hours after the blisters in the oral cavity interruption unfastened. Unlike varicella, smallpox lesions all advancement at the same rate. Around the 3rd twenty-four hours after symptoms start, the febrility norma lly falls and the individual feels better nevertheless this is when the roseola starts to knock up. Then the bumps become Pus filled blisters with a â€Å" navel like † centre. It is about this clip in the disease patterned advance that the febrility will lift once more and remain high until the blisters start to scab over, normally about two hebdomads. During this clip the individual is still really contagious. Within about three hebdomads of the development of the roseola the strikebreaker Begin to fall off go forthing behind alveolate cicatrixs on the tegument. It is merely after all of the strikebreakers have fallen off that the individual is no longer contagious. From the clip that the blisters in the oral cavity interruption unfastened to the clip the strikebreakers fall off, normally about 4-5 hebdomads, the individual must remain wholly stray. â€Å" Persons who have had contact with the patient should be isolated for 17 yearss. † ( Nettina, S. , Ed. , 2010, p. 1225 ) Normally immature kids and immature grownups are the 1s at hazard for this disease. Family member of person infected with variola are at really high hazard for undertaking the disease. Isolation has a profound consequence on the societal, household, religious and physiological province of the septic individual. They are non able to come in contact with anyone. They must to the full trust on themselves for all ADL ‘s. This could be really seeking on the septic individual because they have a high febrility, weariness and musculus achings doing it really hard for them to even carry through a simple undertaking. Harmonizing to the CDC, ( 2004 ) Peoples placed in isolation will non be able to travel to work. Stairss will be taken to care for their mundane demands ( e.g. , nutrient and other demands ) . Normally medical and nursing attention of individuals infected with variola is supportive attention, antibiotic disposal, antiviral medicine disposal and IV solutions given to forestall desiccation. All nurses and medical professionals that come in contact with septic individuals will be offered the inoculation for the disease nevertheless, they do non hold to take it nor will they be forced to. Harmonizing to Mosby ‘s Dictionary of medical specialty, nursing, and wellness professions ( 2009 ) , â€Å" the last instance of variola in the U.S. was in 1949, and the last recorded instance in the universe was in Somalia in 1977. † Since the disease has been eradicated and inoculation is no longer required, terrible and sometimes fatal reactions to the vaccinum are no longer a menace. The inoculation to forestall variola is a unrecorded smallpox virus therefore there is an associated hazard to those who receive the vaccinum of developing the disease. Smallpox nevertheless is thought to be one of the diseases that may someday be used in biological terrorism. This is why, â€Å" Right now, the U.S. authorities has adequate variola vaccinum to immunize every individual in the United States in the instance of a smallpox exigency. † ( CDC, 2004 ) The CDC besides has an exigency protocol put into topographic point for wellness professionals in instance of a smallpox eruption. Mentions Brannon, H. MD. ( 2004, September ) . Health ‘s Disease and Condition. aˆÂ ¦ Students Paper: aˆÂ ¦ and Condition. The History of Smallpox: The Rise and Fall of a Disease aˆÂ ¦ hypertext transfer protocol: //current.com/news/90287969_nightmare-scenario-h1n1-deliberately-designed.htm aˆÂ ¦ Vierotchka y The History of Smallpox The history of the rise and autumn of variola is a aˆÂ ¦ aˆÂ ¦ a Disease. Retrieved on September 24, 2010, from aˆÂ ¦ Students Paper: aˆÂ ¦ 2010, from hypertext transfer protocol: //dermatology.about.com/cs/smallpox/a/smallpoxhx.htm Division of aˆÂ ¦ hypertext transfer protocol: //current.com/news/90287969_nightmare-scenario-h1n1-deliberately-designed.htm aˆÂ ¦ hypertext transfer protocol: //current.com/http: //dermatology.about.com/cs/smallpox/a/smallpoxhx.htm hypertext transfer protocol: //dermatology.about.com/cs/smallpox/a/smallpoxhx.htm hypertext transfer protocol: //current.com aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦Division of Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response ( DBPR ) , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) . ( 2004, December 30 ) . Smallpox Facts Sheet: Smallpox Overview. Retrieved on September 24, 2010, aˆÂ ¦ Students Paper: aˆÂ ¦ 24, 2010, from & gt ; Division of aˆÂ ¦ hypertext transfer protocol: //www.chacha.com/question/what-is-small-pox aˆÂ ¦ min ago From hypertext transfer protocol: //www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/overview/disease-facts.asp www.bt.cdc.gov Rate This aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ & gt ;Division of Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response ( DBPR ) , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) . ( 2002, November 26 ) . The CDC Smallpox Response Plan and Guidelines. Annex 1-Overview of Smallpox and Clinical Presentations, and Medical Care of Smallpox Patient. Retrieved on September 24, 2010, aˆÂ ¦ Students Paper: aˆÂ ¦ 24, 2010, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/response-plan aˆÂ ¦ hypertext transfer protocol: //www.chacha.com/question/what-is-small-pox aˆÂ ¦ min ago From hypertext transfer protocol: //www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/overview/disease aˆÂ ¦ aˆÂ ¦ /response-plan/index.asp # extension Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. ( 2009, August 14 ) . Smallpox. aˆÂ ¦ Students Paper: aˆÂ ¦ 14 ) . Smallpox. Retrieved on September 24, 2010, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.mayoclinic.com aˆÂ ¦ hypertext transfer protocol: //stjohnbaptist.wordpress.com/ aˆÂ ¦ BibleGateway.com. Retrieved on September 24, 2010 from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.biblegateway.com aˆÂ ¦ aˆÂ ¦ .mayoclinic.com/health/smallpox/DS00424 Mosby ‘s Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing & A ; Health Professions ( 8th ed. ) . ( 2009 ) . St. Louis: Mosby Elsivier Nettina, S. ( Ed. ) . ( 2010 ) . Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice. ( 9th ed. ) . ( p. 1225 ) . Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, London, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, Sydney, Tokyo: Wolters Kluwer Health/ Lippincott Williams & A ; WilkinsList of plagiaristic paperssA A A A11 % hypertext transfer protocol: //current.com/news/90287969_nightmare-scenario-h1n1-deliberately-designed.htmA A A A10 % hypertext transfer protocol: //answers.yahoo.com/question/index? qid=20080321150116AA0W1E5A A A A10 % hypertext transfer protocol: //answers.yahoo.com/question/index? qid=1006032205500A A A A10 % hypertext transfer protocol: //dermatology.about.com/cs/smallpox/a/smallpoxhx.htmA A A A8 % hypertext transfer protocol: //acapella.harmony-central.com/archive/index.php/t-991334.htmlA A A A8 % hypertext transfer protocol: //www.astrologynyc.org/ncgrnyc-articlep.htmlA A A A7 % hypertext transfer protocol: //answers.yahoo.com/question/index? qid=20081203144054AA5CxNXA A A A3 % hypertext transfer protocol: //www.chacha.com/question/what-is-small-poxA A A A2 % hypertext transfer protocol: //stjohnbaptist.wordpress.com/A A A A2 % hypertext transfer protocol: //www.chacha.com/question/is-small-pox-a-virusA A A A1 % hypertext transfer protocol: //www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-627225.htmlA A A A1 % hypertext transfer protocol: //www.sj-r.com/firstinprint/x1470552373/Community-Garden-is-home-to-about-120-000-new-workersA A A A1 % hypertext transfer protocol: //www.nerc.ac.uk/press/releases/2002/11-westnilevirus.aspA A A A1 % hypertext transfer protocol: //www.gopetsamerica.com/chinese-crested-dog/chinese-crested-dog.aspxA A A A0 % hypertext transfer protocol: //www.clarke.edu/WorkArea/linkit.aspx? LinkIdentifier=id & A ; ItemID=18136Master papers textPNUR 112 MED SURG Smallpox Disease Research Trisha Weaver 9/24/2010 Abstraction This paper focuses on the procedure of the smallpox disease, the causes and the different phases of the disease. Besides outlined in this paper are the affects that the disease has on the septic individual, non merely the physiological affects but besides the societal, mental, and religious. I have besides included any interventions, bar and nursing intercessions that are associated with variola. To give readers a better apprehension of this paper I feel it is of import to give a brief history of the smallpox disease. Harmonizing to Heather Brannon, MD, ( 2004 ) , The beginning of variola is unsure, but it is believed to hold originated in Africa and so distribute to India and China 1000s of old ages ago. The first recorded variola epidemic was in 1350 BC during the Egyptian-Hittite war. Smallpox reached Europe between the 5th and 7th centuries and was present in major European metropoliss by the eighteenth century. Epidemics occurred in the North American settlements in the 17th and 18th centuries. At one clip variola was a important disease in every state throughout the universe except Australia and a few stray islands. Millions of people died in Europe and Mexico as a consequence of widespread variola epidemics. Smallpox Smallpox is caused by the smallpox virus. Smallpox has two clinical signifiers, major smallpox and minor smallpox. Major smallpox is documented as manifesting in four different types, ordinary, modified, level and hemorrhagic. Major smallpox is the more serious of the two signifiers dwelling of more extended roseola and higher febrilities. Of the four types of smallpox major ordinary histories for the bulk of instances, approximately 90 % , modified occurs in antecedently vaccinated individuals and is non found really frequently. Flat and hemorrhagic are seldom found nevertheless, are normally really terrible and fatal. Of all the individuals infected with smallpox major the human death rate is about 30 % . The 2nd signifier smallpox child is the rarest signifier of the two. The badness of smallpox child is really low and the human death rate of individuals affected by this signifier is normally merely 1 % . The early symptoms of the disease are similar to the grippe which normally manifests 12-14 yearss after the initial exposure. The features of variolas are normally fever, utmost weariness, musculus achings and a skin roseola that gets increasingly worse over the class of the disease. The roseola starts as a little ruddy musca volitanss on the lingua and in the oral cavity. Then the musca volitanss become hypertrophied blisters that break unfastened run outing the virus down the pharynx. This is considered the most contagious phase of the disease. Normally during the clip when the unfastened sores develop in the oral cavity the roseola normally appears on the face, weaponries and legs so it spreads to the bole. The whole organic structure is covered with the roseola within 24 hours after the blisters in the oral cavity interruption unfastened. Unlike varicella, smallpox lesions all advancement at the same rate. Around the 3rd twenty-four hours after symptoms start, the febrility norma lly falls and the individual feels better nevertheless this is when the roseola starts to knock up. Then the bumps become Pus filled blisters with a â€Å" navel like † centre. It is about this clip in the disease patterned advance that the febrility will lift once more and remain high until the blisters start to scab over, normally about two hebdomads. During this clip the individual is still really contagious. Within about three hebdomads of the development of the roseola the strikebreaker Begin to fall off go forthing behind alveolate cicatrixs on the tegument. It is merely after all of the strikebreakers have fallen off that the individual is no longer contagious. From the clip that the blisters in the oral cavity interruption unfastened to the clip the strikebreakers fall off, normally about 4-5 hebdomads, the individual must remain wholly stray. â€Å" Persons who have had contact with the patient should be isolated for 17 yearss. † ( Nettina, S. , Ed. , 2010, p. 1225 ) Normally immature kids and immature grownups are the 1s at hazard for this disease. Family member of person infected with variola are at really high hazard for undertaking the disease. Isolation has a profound consequence on the societal, household, religious and physiological province of the septic individual. They are non able to come in contact with anyone. They must to the full trust on themselves for all ADL ‘s. This could be really seeking on the septic individual because they have a high febrility, weariness and musculus achings doing it really hard for them to even carry through a simple undertaking. Harmonizing to the CDC, ( 2004 ) Peoples placed in isolation will non be able to travel to work. Stairss will be taken to care for their mundane demands ( e.g. , nutrient and other demands ) . Normally medical and nursing attention of individuals infected with variola is supportive attention, antibiotic disposal, antiviral medicine disposal and IV solutions given to forestall desiccation. All nurses and medical professionals that come in contact with septic individuals will be offered the inoculation for the disease nevertheless, they do non hold to take it nor will they be forced to. Harmonizing to Mosby ‘s Dictionary of medical specialty, nursing, and wellness professions ( 2009 ) , â€Å" the last instance of variola in the U.S. was in 1949, and the last recorded instance in the universe was in Somalia in 1977. † Since the disease has been eradicated and inoculation is no longer required, terrible and sometimes fatal reactions to the vaccinum are no longer a menace. The inoculation to forestall variola is a unrecorded smallpox virus therefore there is an associated hazard to those who receive the vaccinum of developing the disease. Smallpox nevertheless is thought to be one of the diseases that may someday be used in biological terrorism. This is why, â€Å" Right now, the U.S. authorities has adequate variola vaccinum to immunize every individual in the United States in the instance of a smallpox exigency. † ( CDC, 2004 ) The CDC besides has an exigency protocol put into topographic point for wellness professionals in instance of a smallpox eruption.

Cosmetic Surgery Is Moving Toward Multiethnic Beauty Ideals Essay

â€Å"The increasing number of nonwhites getting cosmetic surgery is helping society accelerate from a crawl to a full-bore sprint toward one truly melted, fusion community.† In the following viewpoint, Anupreeta Das questions whether minorities go under the knife to look more Caucasian. She suggests that as ethnically ambiguous beauties emerge in entertainment and the media, many African American, Asian, and Latino cosmetic-surgery patients want changes that harmonize with their ethnic features. In fact, Das states more surgeons today are specializing in race-specific procedures. This blending and reducing of racial characteristics through cosmetic surgery allow minorities to fit in with beauty standards that are moving away from a Caucasian ideal, she claims. Das is a journalist based in Boston. As you read, consider the following questions: 1.As stated by Das, how do rhinoplasty procedures differ among Caucasians, African Americans, and Asian Americans? 2.Why did Jewish people embrace cosmetic surgery, according to the viewpoint? 3.According to Das, what do critics say about the increase of ethnic models in the fashion industry? For almost a century, the women who have turned to cosmetic surgery to achieve beauty—or some Hollywood-meets-Madison Avenue version of it—were of all ages, shapes, and sizes but almost always of one hue: white. But now, when there seems to be nothing that a few thousand dollars can’t fix, women of color are clamoring in skyrocketing numbers to have their faces and bodies nipped, snipped, lifted, pulled, and tucked. This is a step forward, right? In the land of opportunity, we applaud when barriers break down and more people get to partake in the good life, as it were. There are many explanations for the new willingness of minorities to go under the knife: their swelling numbers and disposable income, the popularization of cosmetic surgery and its growing acceptance as a normal beauty routine,  and its relative affordability. What’s significant are the procedures minorities are choosing. More often than not, they’re electing to surgically narrow the span of their nostrils and perk up their noses or suture their eyelids to create an extra fold. Or they’re sucking out the fat from buttocks and hips that, for their race or ethnicity, are typically plump. It all could lead to one presumption: These women are making themselves look more white—or at least less ethnic. But perhaps not to the extent some suppose. â€Å"People want to keep their ethnic identity,† says Dr. Arthur Shektman, a Wellesley-based plastic surgeon. â€Å"They want some change, but they don’t really want a white nose on a black face.† Shektman says not one of his minority patients—they make up about 30 percent of his practice, up from about 5 percent 10 years ago—has said, â€Å"I want to look white.† He believes this is evidence that the dominant Caucasian-centered idea of blond, blue-eyed beauty is giving way to multiple â€Å"ethnic standards of beauty,† with the likes of Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez, and Lucy Liu as poster girls. â€Å"No way† is the answer Tamar Williams of Dorchester gives when asked if her desire to surgically reduce the width of her nose and get a perkier tip was influenced by a Caucasian standard. â€Å"Why would I want to look white?† Growing up, the 24-year-old African-American bank teller says, she longed for a nose that wasn’t quite so wide or flat or big for her face. â€Å"It wasn’t that I didn’t like it,† Williams says. â€Å"I just wanted to change it.† Hoping to become a model, she thinks the nose job she got in November [2007] will bring her a lifetime of happiness and opportunity. â€Å"I was always confident. But now I can show off my nose.† Yet others are less convinced that the centuries-old fixation on Caucasian beauty—from the Mona Lisa to Pamela Anderson—has slackened. â€Å"I’m not ready to put to rest the idea that the white ideal has not permeated our psyches,† says Janie Ward, a professor of Africana Studies at Simmons College. â€Å"It is still shaping our expectations of what is beautiful.† A Peculiar Fusion Whether or not the surging number of minority patients is influenced by a white standard, one point comes with little doubt: The $12.4 billion-a-year plastic surgery industry is adapting its techniques to meet this demand. The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), for example, has in recent months held meetings on subjects ranging from Asian upper-eyelid surgery to so-called ethnic rhinoplasty. The discussion will come to Boston this summer [2007] when the academy will host a five-day event that will include sessions on nose reshaping techniques tailored to racial groups. And increasingly, plastic surgeons are wooing minorities—who make up one-third of the US population—by advertising specializations in race-specific surgeries and using a greater number of nonwhite faces on their Web sites. It could be that these new patients are not trying to erase the more obvious markers of their ethnic heritage or race, but simply to reduce them. In the process, they’re pursuing ethnic and racial ambiguity. Take Williams. With her new smaller nose and long, straight hair, the African-American woman seems to be toying with the idea of ambiguity. And maybe we shouldn’t be surprised. The intermingling of ethnicities and races—via marriages, friendships, and other interactions—has created a peculiar fusion in this country. It’s the great mishmash where Christmas and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are celebrated in one long festive spirit, where weddings mix Hindi vows with a chuppah, where California-Vietnamese is a cuisine, where Eminem can be â€Å"black† and Beyonce can go blond. And the increasing number of nonwhites getting cosmetic surgery is helping society accelerate from a crawl to a full-bore sprint toward one truly melted, fusion community. There were 11.5 million cosmetic procedures done in 2005, including surgical ones such as face lifts and rhinoplasties and nonsurgical ones such as Botox shots and collagen injections. One out of every five patients was of African, Asian, or Hispanic descent (separate statistics aren’t available for white versus nonwhite Hispanics). According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the number of minority patients undergoing cosmetic procedures increased from 300,000 in 1997 to 2 million in 2005.  Although the total demand for cosmetic procedures also increased—from 2 million in 1997 to 11.5 million in 2005—the rate of increase for minorities is higher than the overall rate. (Women account for more than nine-tenths of all cosmetic procedures.) Different ethnic and racial groups favor different procedures. Statistics compiled by the AAFPRS show that in 2005, more than six out of every 10 African-Americans getting cosmetic surgery had nose jobs. Unlike rhinoplasties performed on Caucasians, which may fix a crooked bridge or shave off a hump, doctors say African-American and Asian-American nose reshaping usually leads to narrower nostrils, a higher bridge, and a pointier tip. For Asian-Americans, eyelid surgery—either the procedure to create an eyelid fold, often giving the eye a more wide-open appearance, or a regular eye lift to reduce signs of aging—is popular. According to the AAFPRS, 50 percent of Asian patients get eyelid surgery. Dr. Min Ahn, a Westborough-based plastic surgeon who performs Asian eyelid surgery, says only about half of the Asian population is born with some semblance of an eyelid crease. â€Å"Even if Asians have a preexisting eyelid crease, it is lower and the eyelid is fuller.† For those born without the crease, he says, creating the double eyelid is â€Å"so much a part of the Asian culture right now.† It’s probable that this procedure is driving the Asian demand for eyelid surgeries. Breast augmentation and rhinoplasty top the list of preferred procedures for patients of Hispanic origin, followed by liposuction. Asian-Americans also choose breast implants, while breast reduction—the one procedure eligible for insurance coverage—is the third most preferred choice for African-American women after nose reshaping and liposuction. Doctors say African-American women typically use liposuction to remove excess fat from their buttocks and hips—two areas in which a disproportionate number of women of this race store fat. The Culture of Self-Improvement Of course, the assimilative nature of society in general has always demanded a certain degree of conformity and adaptation of every group that landed on American shores. People have adjusted in ways small and large—such as by changing their names and learning new social mores. Elizabeth Haiken, a San Francisco Bay area historian and the author of the 1997 book Venus Envy: A History of Cosmetic Surgery, says ethnic minorities may use plastic surgery as a way to fit in to the mainstream, just as another group used it in the early 20th century. â€Å"The first group to really embrace cosmetic surgery was the Jews,† says Haiken. Her research indicates that during the 1920s, when cosmetic surgery first became popular in the United States, being Jewish was equated with â€Å"being ugly and un-American,† and the Jewish nose was the first line of attack. Most rhinoplasties therefore sought to reduce its distinct characteristics and bring it more in line with the preferre d straighter shape of the Anglo-Saxon nose. That people would go to such extremes to change their appearance should come as no surprise. â€Å"Going back to early 20th-century culture, there is a deep-seated conviction that you are what you look like,† Haiken says. â€Å"It’s not your family, your birth, or your heritage, it’s all about you. And your looks and appearance and the way you present yourself will determine who you are.† In the initial sizing-up, the face is the fortune. Physical beauty becomes enmeshed with success and happiness. Plastic surgeons commonly say that minorities today choose surgery for the same reasons as whites—to empower, better, and preserve themselves. â€Å"It’s the universal desire to maintain youthfulness, and it doesn’t change from group to group,† says Dr. Frank Fechner, a Worcester-based plastic surgeon. The culture of self-improvement that surrounds Americans has also made plastic surgery more permissible in recent years. â€Å"Making oneself over—one’s home, one’s car, one’s breasts—is now a part of the American life cycle,† writes New York Times columnist Alex Kuczynski in her 2006 book, Beauty Junkies: Inside Our $15 Billion Obsession With Cosmetic Surgery. â€Å"Doctors have sold us on the notion that surgery †¦ is merely part of the journey  toward enhancement, the beauty outside ultimately reflecting the beauty within.† Nothing captures this journey better than the swarm of plastic surgery TV shows such as ABC’s Extreme Makeover, Fox’s The Swan, and FX’s Nip/Tuck. These prime-time televised narratives of desperation and triumph, with the scalpel in the starring role of savior, have also helped make plastic surgery more widely accepted. Through sanitized, pain-free, 60-minute capsules showcasing the tr ansformation of ordinary folks, reality TV has sold people on the notion that the Cinderella story is a purchasable, everyday experience that everyone deserves. Mei-Ling Hester, a 43-year-old Taiwanese-American hairdresser on Newbury Street, believes in plastic surgery as a routine part of personal upkeep. So when her eyelids started to droop and lose their crease, she rushed to Ahn, the plastic surgeon. He sucked the excess fat out while maintaining, he says, â€Å"the Asian characteristic† of her eyelids. Hester also regularly gets Botox injected into her forehead and is considering liposuction. â€Å"I feel great inside,† she says. With hair tinted a rich brown and eyes without lines or puffiness, her beauty is groomed and serene. â€Å"I work out, I eat right, I use good products on my face. It was worth it,† she says of her surgery. Although Hester says she pursues plastic surgery for betterment and self-fulfillment, she recognizes her privileged status as someone born with the double eyelids and sharper nose so prized in much of the Asian community. â€Å"I just got lucky, because if you look at my sister, sheâ₠¬â„¢s got a flat nose.† Another sister was born without the eyelid crease and had it surgically created, says Hester. The concept of the double eyelid as beautiful comes from the West. â€Å"For many, many years, the standards for beauty have been Western standards that say you have to have a certain shape to the eye, and the eyelid has to have a fold,† says Dr. Ioannis Glavas, a facial plastic surgeon specializing in eyelid surgery, with practices in Cambridge, New York City, and Athens. Sometimes, the demand for bigger eyes can be extreme. Glavas recalls one young Asian-American woman he saw who, in addition to wanting a double eyelid procedure, asked him to snip off some of the bottom lid to expose more of the white. â€Å"I had to say no to her,† he says. Glavas says both Asian women and men demand the double eyelid surgery because it is a way of looking less different by reducing an obvious ethnic feature. Presumably, Asian patients aren’t aiming to look white by getting double eyelids (after all, African-Americans and other minorities have double eyelids), but the goal is social and cultural assimilation, or identification with some dominant aesthetic standard. Across-the-Board Appeal In recent years, the dominant aesthetic standard in American society has moved away from the blond, blue-eyed Caucasian woman to a more ethnically ambiguous type. Glossy magazines are devoting more pages to this melting-pot aesthetic, designed (like the new Barbies) for across-the-board appeal. Today’s beautiful woman comes in many colors, from ivory to cappuccino to ebony. Her hair can be dark and kinky, and she might even show off a decidedly curvy derriere—a feature that has actually started to prompt some white women to get gluteal augmentation, or butt implants. However, critics say these are superficial changes to what is essentially a Caucasian-inspired ideal—the big-eyed, narrow-nosed, pillow-lipped, large-breasted, boyishly thin apparition. â€Å"There has been a subtle change in the kind of models you see in Victoria’s Secret catalogs or Vogue,† says Dr. Fred Stucker, the head of facial plastic surgery at Louisiana State University, Shreveport. But â€Å"they take the black girl who has the high cheekbones, narrow nose, and pouty lips.† It’s not uncommon, he says, to find â€Å"a white face with dark skin.† Going by the recent surge of minorities demanding plastic surgery, it is plausible that this attempt by canny marketers and media types to promote a darker-skinned but still relatively uniform ideal is working. After all, they are simply following the money. According to the University of Georgia’s Selig Center for Economic Growth, which compiles an annual report on the â€Å"multicultural economy† in the United States, minorities had a combined buying power of several trillion dollars in 2006. In 2007, the  disposable income of Hispanics is expected to rise to $863 billion, while African-Americans will collectively have $847 billion to spend. By 2010, Asians are expected to have buying power totaling $579 billion. And all of these groups are showing a greater willingness to spend it on themselves and the things they covet, including cosmetic surgery. Katie Marcial represents exactly this kind of person. The 50-year-old African-American is newly single, holds a well-paying job in Boston, and has no qualms about spending between $10,000 and $20,000 on a tummy tuck and breast surgery. â€Å"I’m doing this mainly because I’m economically able to do so,† says Marcial, a Dorchester resident whose clear skin and youthful attire belie her age. With her three children all grown, her money is hers to spend. â€Å"I can indulge in a little vanity,† she says. Marcial says she chose a young, Asian-American doctor to perform her surgery because â€Å"I thought she would know the latest techniques and be sensitive to ethnic skin.† Historically, plastic surgery has been tailored to Caucasian women. Glavas says that in medical texts, the measurements of symmetry and balance—two widely recognized preconditions of beauty—were made with Caucasian faces in mind. Such practices led to a general sense among minorities that plastic surgery was for whites and kept them away from tinkering with their faces and bodies. But even as the industry now adapts to its new customers, plastic surgeons are divided over whether surgical specialization in various ethnicities and races necessarily caters better to the needs of minority patients. Dr. Julius Few, a plastic surgeon at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, hails the fact that plastic surgeons are customizing their procedures to focus on minorities, â€Å"so it’s not just the one-size-fits-all mentality of saying, well, if somebody’s coming in, regardless, they’re going to look Northern European coming out.† He even sees â€Å"a sort of subspecialty† emerging in various ethnic procedures. Meanwhile, Dr. Jeffrey Spiegel, who is chief of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Boston University Medical Center and has a large number of nonwhite patients, is skeptical of the notion of specialization in ethnic and racial cosmetic surgery. â€Å"It strikes me more as a marketing tool  than a real specialization,† he says. In 1991, Michael Jackson crooned â€Å"It don’t matter if you’re black or white.† Jackson’s message about transcending race may have won singalong supporters, but his plastic surgeries did not. His repeated nose jobs and lightened skin color (he has maintained he is not bleaching but is using makeup to cover up the signs of vitiligo, a skin condition) were perceived by minorities—especially African-Americans—as an attempt to look white. Doctors say that â€Å"Don’t make me look like Michael Jackson† is a popular refrain among patients. â€Å"People were put off by dramatic surgeries and preferred subtle changes,† says Shektman, the Wellesley-based plastic surgeon. The New Melting-Pot Aesthetic Choices have expanded since then. Minorities can now hold themselves up against more ethnically and racially ambiguous role models that may still trace their roots to the once-dominant Caucasian standard but are becoming more composite and blended. â€Å"The concept of ideal beauty is moving toward a mix of ethnic features,† says plastic surgeon Ahn, a Korean-American who is married to a Caucasian. â€Å"And I think it’s better.† The push toward ethnic and racial ambiguity should perhaps be expected, because the cultural churn in American society is producing it anyway. Sure, promoting ambiguous beauty is a strategic move on the part of marketing gurus to cover their bases and appeal to all groups. But it’s also a reflection of reality. Not only are minorities expected to make up about half the American population by 2050, but the number of racially mixed people is increasing tremendously. The number of mixed-race children has been growing enough since the 1970s that in 2000 the Census Bureau created a new section in which respondents could self-identify their race; nearly 7 million people (2.4 percent of the population) identified themselves as belonging to more than one race. For minorities, this new melting-pot beauty aesthetic—perhaps the only kind of aesthetic standard that befits a multiethnic and multicultural society—is  an achievable and justifiable goal. Increasingly, advertisements use models whose blue eyes and dreadlocked hair or almond-shaped eyes and strong cheekbones leave you wondering about their ethnic origins. The ambiguous model might have been dreamed up on a computer or picked from the street. But advertisers value her because she is a blended product—someone everyone can identify with because she cannot be immediately defined by race or ethnicity. By surgically blending or erasing the most telling ethnic or racial characteristics, cosmetic surgery makes ambiguity possible and allows people of various ethnicities and races to fit in. For the Jewish community in the 1920s, fitting in may have had to do with imitating a Caucasian beauty ideal. For minorities today, it’s a melting-pot beauty ideal that is un iquely American. How appropriate this ambiguity is, in a culture that expects conformity even as it celebrates diversity. Das, Anupreeta. â€Å"Cosmetic Surgery Is Moving Toward Multiethnic Beauty Ideals.† The Culture of Beauty. Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from â€Å"The Search for Beautiful.† Boston Globe 21 Jan. 2007. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 18 Feb. 2014. Document URL http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=OVIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&dviSelectedPage=&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=&displayGroups=&sortBy=&zid=&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010659218&source=Bookmark&u=lawr16325&jsid=8af464626ea9692fea0cb02ef9c121a3 Gale Document Number: GALE|EJ3010659218

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Geography of the New Country of South Sudan

Geography of the New Country of South Sudan Estimated Population: 8.2 millionCapital: Juba (Population 250,000); JubaBordering Countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, and SudanArea: 239,285 square miles (619,745 sq km)South Sudan, officially called the Republic of South Sudan, is the worlds newest country. It is a landlocked country located on the continent of Africa to the south of the country of Sudan. South Sudan became an independent nation at midnight on July 9, 2011 after a January 2011 referendum regarding its secession from Sudan passed with around 99% of voters in favor of the split. South Sudan mainly voted to secede from Sudan because of cultural and religious differences and a decades-long civil war. History of South Sudan South Sudans history did not become documented until the early 1800s when Egyptians took control of the area; however oral traditions claim that the people of South Sudan entered the region before the 10th century and organized tribal societies existed there from the 15th to the 19th centuries. By the 1870s, Egypt attempted to colonize the area and established the colony of Equatoria. In the 1880s, the Mahdist Revolt occurred and Equatorias status as an Egyptian outpost was over by 1889. In 1898 Egypt and Great Britain established joint control of Sudan and in 1947 British colonists entered South Sudan and attempted to join it with Uganda. The Juba Conference, also in 1947, instead joined South Sudan with Sudan. In 1953 Great Britain and Egypt gave Sudan the powers of self-government and on January 1, 1956, Sudan gained full independence. Shortly after independence though, Sudans leaders failed to deliver on promises to create a federal system of government which began a long period of civil war between the northern and southern areas of the country because the north has long tried to implement Muslim policies and customs on the Christian south. By the 1980s, the civil war in Sudan caused serious economic and social problems which resulted in a lack of infrastructure, human rights issues and the displacement of a large part of its population. In 1983 the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) was founded and in 2000, Sudan and the SPLA/M came up with several agreements that would give South Sudan independence from the rest of the country and put it on a path to becoming an independent nation. After working with the United Nations Security Council the Government of Sudan and the SPLM/A signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) on January 9, 2005.On January 9, 2011 Sudan held an election with a referendum regarding South Sudans secession. It passed with nearly 99% of the vote and on July 9, 2011 South Sudan officially seceded from Sudan, making it the worlds 196th independent country. Government of South Sudan South Sudans interim constitution was ratified on July 7, 2011, which established a presidential system of government and a President, Salva Kiir Mayardit, as the head of that government. In addition, South Sudan has a unicameral South Sudan Legislative Assembly and an independent judiciary with the highest court being the Supreme Court. South Sudan is divided into ten different states and three historical provinces (Bahr el Ghazal, Equatoria, and Greater Upper Nile) and its capital city is Juba, which is located in the state of Central Equatoria. Economy of South Sudan South Sudans economy is based mainly on the export of its natural resources. Oil is the main resource in South Sudan and oilfields in the southern part of the country drive its economy. There are, however, conflicts with Sudan as to how the revenue from the oilfields will be split following South Sudans independence. Timber resources like teak, also represent a major part of the regions economy and other natural resources include iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, and gold. Hydropower is also important as the Nile River has many tributaries in South Sudan. Agriculture also plays a major role in South Sudans economy and the main products of that industry are cotton, sugarcane, wheat, nuts and fruit like mangoes, papaya, and bananas. Geography and Climate of South Sudan South Sudan is a landlocked country located in eastern Africa. Since South Sudan is located near the Equator in the tropics, much of its landscape consists of tropical rainforest and its protected national parks are home to a plethora of migrating wildlife. South Sudan also has extensive swamp and grassland regions. The White Nile, a main tributary of the Nile River, also passes through the country. The highest point in South Sudan is Kinyeti at 10,456 feet (3,187 m) and it is located on its far southern border with Uganda.The climate of South Sudan varies but it is mainly tropical. Juba, the capital and largest city in South Sudan, has an average yearly high temperature of 94.1ËšF (34.5ËšC) and an average yearly low temperature of 70.9ËšF (21.6ËšC). The most rainfall in South Sudan is between the months of April and October and the average yearly total for rainfall is 37.54 inches (953.7 mm). To learn more about South Sudan, visit the official government website of South Sudan. References Briney, Amanda. (3 March 2011). Geography of Sudan - Learn the Geography of the African Nation of Sudan. Geography at About.com. Retrieved from: http://geography.about.com/od/sudanmaps/a/sudan-geography.htmBritish Broadcasting Company. (8 July 2011). South Sudan Becomes an Independent Nation. BBC News Africa. Retrieved from: bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14089843Goffard, Christopher. (10 July 2011). South Sudan: New Nation of South Sudan Declares Independence. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from: latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-south-sudan-independence-20110710,0,2964065.storyWikipedia.org. (10 July 2011). South Sudan - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Sudan

Hypothesis of the Pronunciation Words

Hypothesis of the Pronunciation Words Initial Hypothesis Critique An analysis of the hypothesis people pronounce words differently depending on how the words are presented reveals several problems that would prevent a researcher from successfully completing a concise and adequate research report. First off, the hypothesis itself is far too generalized, the statement pronounced differently neglects to specify the degree of difference that would result from having a subject pronounce a certain set of words.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Hypothesis of the Pronunciation Words specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, differently can encompass diction, dialect, slowly, quickly, incoherently, coherently, whether a person is an ESL student or not as well as a whole slew of dozens of possible alternatives in how a text can be pronounced. It encompasses far too many possible variables that it would be impossible if not highly improbable that a researcher w ould be able to create a report that encompasses all possible amalgamations related to the term differently. Secondly, the phrase how it is presented is ambiguous and creates a similar problem to the previously examined statement. A certain piece of text can be presented in what can only be dozens if not hundreds of possible methods. For example, it can be embedded within a paragraph, made into a list of words, be translated into a different language, utilize local dialects, placed nearer or farther away from the student or be presented in a hardcopy or softcopy format. From this it can be seen that the term how it is presented is far to ambiguous in that it cannot be sufficiently utilized in a research report since it can be interpreted in any manner of ways, all of which would be applicable given the generalized nature of the previously aforementioned text. Based on the examination of the initial hypothesis, it can be seen that it is both highly ambiguous and far too generalized t o be adequate for a research report. What is needed in this particular case is a hypothesis that focuses on a specific subject and concise method of application in order to create a statement that leaves little confusion as to the type of examination that will be conducted. Revised Hypothesis People speak in a more prestigious form when reading from a list as opposed to a passage Evaluating the Revised Hypothesis Compared to the old hypothesis, the revised one is far less generalized and more specific in outlining the assumptions made by the researcher. For example, unlike the previous hypothesis which had the phrase pronounce words differently which could encompass any manner of different means and methods of pronunciation, the new hypothesis utilizes the term speak in a more prestigious form which is indicative of a specific way of speaking.Advertising Looking for report on languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This enables the researcher to immediately determine what course of examination to follow and what to look for when examining the research subjects for this project, unlike in the previous hypothesis which made it difficult for the researcher to determine what different method of pronunciation was to be examined. In the previous hypothesis the phrase on how the words are presented was utilized in order to indicate the criteria to be utilized in the study. As mentioned before, this phrase is far too ambiguous and vague and can encompass any manner of potential criteria to be used. This vagueness has been addressed in the new hypothesis through the phrase when reading from a list as opposed to a passage which is indicative of a particular criteria to be utilized by the researcher in the examination of the prestigious form of pronunciation utilized by the research subjects. It is based on the various arguments and facts presented in this section that it can be seen that the new hypot hesis addresses the problems and concerns found in the initial hypothesis and as such would result in the creation of far more concise, direct and above all less ambiguous study as compared to what would have resulted from the previous hypothesis. Test Design The design for this particular project was actually quite simple, in order to accomplish the test for this hypothesis the researcher focused on how a few words are pronounced when presented in list form or when read from a passage. As such, this consisted of the researcher creating a list of the following words: â€Å"SOMETHING†,† LIFE†,† FORTH†, and â€Å"WATER† and placing them within a textual arrangement of various randomly chosen words in order to create a certain degree of variability to the test. Prior to the start of the experiment, the researcher had the assumption that people would pronounce these 4 words in a more prestigious pronunciation/form when reading them from a list as co mpared to the way they would be pronounced when read from a passage. The reason behind this is due to another assumption by the researcher that when reading from a list, words are more focused and isolated therefore people tend to pay more attention to their pronunciation thus resulting in a more prestigious form of speaking What is Prestigious Pronunciation? Prestigious pronunciation is the method in which a particular word or phrase is pronounced without an altered vernacular. Meaning that it is stated based on the way it is written, the way it appears on paper and the rote manner in which it is supposed to be pronounced based on established standards of pronouncing that particular word or phrase.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Hypothesis of the Pronunciation Words specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More From a certain perspective, it can be stated that prestigious pronunciation is the complete opposite of â€Å"slang † wherein grammatical rules pertaining to shortcuts, pop culture methods of stating that particular word or phrase and even commonly held (though at times incorrect) methods of statement are eschewed in favor of a â€Å"higher† form of word/phrase utilization (Lefkowitz Hedgcock, 2002: 223-344) Various studies have in fact observed that the utilization of prestigious forms of pronunciation are more often than not utilized by individuals of higher intellectual bearing or class (this constitutes individuals who are commonly known as â€Å"geeks†, are part of the academe, or those originating from a higher social standard). The reason behind this is due to their commonly held assumption that by speaking in this particular manner they distinguish themselves as being â€Å"superior† to a certain extent. On the other hand, other studies which have examined its usage state that its use is more commonly utilized in situations where a certain degree of professiona lism and academic competence needs to be established (i.e. by lawyers during court cases, the defense of a doctoral thesis, the presentation of study findings to an audience of peers etc.) Testing the Hypothesis Participants Within the Middlesex University community 20 random native English speaking participants were chosen in order to test out the hypothesis. The participants were not chosen based on either race, income status or any other distinguishing features rather the researcher made sure that all those involved had no association whatsoever with the researcher and were not briefed about the study prior to their involvement. This ensured that the results of the study were beyond reproach for being unduly influenced by the researcher beforehand. The individuals involved in this study were all asked to read from a prepared softcopy of relevant text for this study while their voices where recorded by the researcher. All research subjects were assured of their anonymity should th e research results be presented in a public forum (barring their voice being recognized by someone they know of course). Note* Only 20 participants were utilized for this particular study due to the limited time given by the University in order to gather the necessary research subjects and acquire the needed data. If more time had been given this study would have been able to accumulate at the very least 200 to 300 people which would have resulted in better research results given the diverse amount of data to work with. Unfortunately since an insufficient amount of time was given the researcher followed the indicated instructions given by the professor and did the best that could be done given the circumstances and the time constraints involved. Procedure The 20 research participants were all asked to read from both a passage and a set of enumerated text in order to determine the degree of â€Å"stress† given to a particular word. This was done as a means of examining whether they stated a word in a more â€Å"prestigious† manner (meaning that the degree of pronunciation has greater stress and far more emphasis) if it was presented to them in a list or in a passage.Advertising Looking for report on languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Note* The words in bold text seen in both the passage and the selection of text indicated below were not placed in bold font in the samples given to be read out by the research participants. They are merely in bold text for the benefit of the readers of this report and as such should be utilized as indicators as to the placement of the key words used in this study. The Passage that was given to the 20 participants to read it out was the following: â€Å"Nature is one of the beauties of life. The presence of ancient oak trees, the blossoming of wild flowers and fruits every forth-coming season is something we humans take for granted. Water is considered to be an essential nutrient for plants. Because of easy access, we take water for granted and do not realise the importance of proper hydration.† The selection of text read by the 20 participants: Sweet Table Pencil Flour Text LIFE Wall Chair Child FORTH Nature Shoes WATER Hair Dress SOMETHING Examination Procedures Once the researcher was able to gather all 20 audio recordings from the research participants an examination of the results was then conducted in order to determine the degree of stress or rather â€Å"prestige† placed on certain key words used within the experiment. Research Results â€Å"SOMETHING† read from the passage: 20% have read it in a prestigious pronunciation and 80% in non- prestigious pronunciation. â€Å"SOMETHING† read from the list: 40% have read it in a prestigious pronunciation and 60% in non- prestigious pronunciation. â€Å"LIFE† read from the passage: 45% have read it in a prestigious pronunciation and 55% in non- prestigious pronunciation. â€Å"LIFE† read from the list: 50% have read it in a prestigious pronunciation and 50% in non- prestigious pronunciation. â€Å"FORTH† read from the passage: 85% have read it in a prestigious pronunciation and 15% in non- prestigious pronunciation. â€Å"FORTH† read fro m the list: 95% have read it in a prestigious pronunciation and 5% in non- prestigious. â€Å"WATER† read from the passage: 15% have read it in a prestigious pronunciation and 85% in a non- prestigious. â€Å"WATER† read from the list: 35% have read it in a prestigious pronunciation and 65% in non- prestigious. Evaluation of Study Results As it can be seen in the result of this examination, the experiment showed that when presented with both a list and a passage most of the research subjects involved had a greater likelihood of pronouncing the words with prestige when they were placed within a list as compared to the instances where they were asked to read them from within a passage. As such, this validates the hypothesis indicated by the researcher and shows the accuracy of the earlier assumptions involving prestigious forms of pronunciation. One way of figuring out why this occurred is from the study of Simon Taverniers (2011) who indicated that pronouncing a set of words from a list is far less confusing for a reader as compared to those within a passage (Simon Taverniers, 2011: 896-922). The reason behind this is connected to the fact that readers need to take into account the varied intricacies involved in reciting a passage (commas, periods, shifting tenses, word agreements etc.) while at the same time having to determine the meaning behind the passage itself. This is also related to the fact that most people dont speak in a prestigious manner at all times due to social norms involving slang and shortcuts in speaking and as such they tend to fall into such habits when reading from a passage since this enables them to read and pronounce a select piece of text while at the same time internalize what they are reading (Laham, Koval, Alter, 2012: 752-756). When it comes to reading from a list, a reader doesnt need to concern himself/herself with internalizing the meaning behind a passage nor do they have to take into consideration the intri cacies involved with proper pacing, shifting of tenses, word agreements, comma, periods etc. Thus this enables them to slow down so to speak their method of thinking enabling them to better recognize particular words and say them in a manner that is in line with their â€Å"proper† method of pronunciation which is devoid of the non-prestigious methods commonly utilized in everyday conversations (Wieling, Margaretha, Nerbonne, 2012: 307-314). Critique of the Project Overall, I would have to say that while the outcome of this project was â€Å"sufficient†, in my opinion, there are numerous changes I would make if I had the opportunity to do so. Should I be given the option of starting this particular project again I would make sure that the university gave me enough time to actually obtain a sufficient amount of participants for the study. While 20 people were able to give me an adequate amount of data in order to comply with the requirements of the project, this amount of participants is insufficient given the fact that most studies of this particular nature have well over a 100 participants or more. The limited number of people used would call into question the validity of the study given the fact that a small research subject population ensures that only a limited number of possible study outcomes can be examined. Aside from the limited number of research participants, I would have liked to include more keywords into the project details with a far more varied amount of tenses, conjunctions and methods of pronunciation in order to see whether the results of â€Å"prestigious pronunciation† remained constant given a more varied word set. Furthermore, another experimental outcome I would have liked to test out would be if the way in which people heard a particular word pronounced via a recording would affect the way in which they themselves said it. This would involve having the participants first reading from a selection of words, then hea ring that same set of words from a recording and have them read the set of words again from the same paper. I anticipate that the addition of this particular aspect to the project would show that the way in which people hear words, despite their own internalized method of stating them, would affect the way in which such words are pronounced. Evaluation of Work When examining what has been done for this particular project, it is my opinion that despite the lack of sufficient research subjects the project was more or less a success since it was able to prove my hypothesis. Taking this into consideration, other possible paths this type of project could pursue in the future could entail an examination of how cultural influences (i.e. pop culture) influence the way in which prestige communication is utilized (Gibson, 2011: 603 – 626). For example, if a particular singer said a word in a particular way (ex: country singers from the U.S. extending the word â€Å"there† to abs urd degrees) would this also affect the way in which people utilize the word and if so would this be a temporary phenomena based on the popularity of the artist’s songs or would it continue to exist far beyond that? Reference List Gibson, A 2011, Flight of the Conchords: Recontextualizing the voices of popular culture1, Journal Of Sociolinguistics, 15, 5, pp. 603-626, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost. Laham, S, Koval, P, Alter, A 2012, The name-pronunciation effect: Why people like Mr. Smith more than Mr. Colquhoun, Journal Of Experimental Social Psychology, 48, 3, pp. 752-756, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost. Lefkowitz, N, Hedgcock, J 2002, Sound barriers: influences of social prestige, peer pressure and teacher (dis)approval on FL oral performance, Language Teaching Research, 6, 3, pp. 223-244, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost. Simon, E, Taverniers, M 2011, Advanced EFL Learners Beliefs about Language Learning and Teaching: A Comparison Between Grammar, Pronunciat ion, and Vocabulary, English Studies, 92, 8, pp. 896-922, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost. Wieling, M, Margaretha, E, Nerbonne, J 2012, Inducing a measure of phonetic similarity from pronunciation variation, Journal Of Phonetics, 40, 2, pp. 307-314, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost.