Geoecology-Human Impact on Biomes

Humans have impacted on natural activities in the Sahel region and the desert biome region by over-cropping, overgrazing and deforestation. The Sahel is a narrow strip of land between the Sahara to the north and the Savanna and equatorial rain-forest to the South. It is a dry (Semi-Arid) region receiving rain in the wet Season from June to September. The Sahara desert is growing South by up to 5-10 Kilometers each year. Which is mainly due to human activity. Overgrazing: the people of the region were traditionally Nomadic. They moved following the rain and pasture- land. Wealth was defined by animal ownership by the tribes of the Sahel. As the number of cattle and goats increased so did the competition for grazing land. They allowed the animals to graze the land more than it could sustain. Young trees were also grazed. Herders also moved animals onto marginal grazing land until there was little or no vegetation remaining. Wells were sunk to provide water for all the animals. This made herders remain longer in the one area applying more pressure on the land. The wells used up all the ground water causing the water tables to fall. Eventually the wells dried up along with the land around it. As the human population increased farming methods changed, Nomadic herding was replaced with a more settled style of herding. Farmers began to fence in land and work it more intensely. Leading to soils being overused an d exhausted. Soils began to lose structure an minerals. Vegetation was lost due to the large numbers of animals grazing and trampling the land. It was also unable to grow back because the soil was now drained of all its nutrients. This in turn has a knock on effect, when the vegetative cover is lost it leaves the soil exposed to erosion by wind and heat. It leaves an easy job for heavy rain to wash away the topsoil. Over-cropping: The population of the region grew rapidly and this led to an increased demand in food. Grazing became replaced by growing food crops. The increased demand for food meant that the ‘Fallow Year' was abandoned. Farmers were also put under pressure by the Government to grow ‘Cash Crops' to help repay their International debt. this continuous usage of the grassland robbed the land of its nutrients and minerals. Soon this land became sterile and worthless. Farmers now needed more land in order to achieve the same return. ue to the shortage of wood people burned dried manure for heat and cooking, instead of using it on the land as a fertiliser. As the vegetation cover was reduced the amount of humus available was also reduced. Crops began to fail and again soil has lost its cover and was now vunerable to wind erosion. Deforestation: Wood accounts for around 90% of the energy requirements in the Sahel. Deforestation is ‘the loss of forests due to th over-cuttingvof trees'. Trees slow down the wind and their roots help to bind soil, they also absorb moisture during heavy rainfall. The removal of trees leaves soil exposed to erosion. The land which had been shaded by trees becomes dried out and burned by the sun, resulting in desertification. There are methods to solve the problems of over-cropping and overgrazing . Crop rotation is one way in which the soil is not exhausted, and so stop desertification. Farmers can also place lines of small stones acroos the land to act as dams. Here the water has no where to go but to be absorbed by the soil.. This reduces run-off and increases soil fertility. Contour ploughing is when the land is ploughed across rather than vertically. This to in the same way as the stones act as a dam and prevents run off and stops the topsoil being washed away in heavy downpours. Farming methods such as strip farming, where crops are planted widely spaced then a different plant is planted in the gap. This ensures the land is not being depleted of nutrients and the fact the crops are harvested at different times means both plants will be using different minerals. Shelters belts (trees) are also planted to prevent soil from wind erosion. Also shelter belts are normally friut producing trees which also provides a source of food.

Stanford Prison Experiment

The Standford Prison Experiment Introduction Professor Philip Zimbardo led a team of researchers in conducting an experiment on prison life at Standford University in 1971. Zimbardo wanted to test his hypothesis that it was the prisoners and guards inherent personality trait that leads to abusive and violent behavior in the prisons. Twenty-four predominately white male middle class men agreed to participate in a 7-14 day experiment in return for $15. 00 a day, the equivalent of approximately $90. 0 today. The men underwent a diagnostic interview and personality test to unsure that none of the participants suffered from any psychological or medical problems and that there was no history of crime or drug abuse. As simple as flipping a coin the men were divided into two groups, prisoners and guards. The guards were not given any special training or instructions other than they were free, within limits, to do whatever they liked to maintain law and order, while maintaining respect from t he prisoners.The prisoners on the other hand knew they were going to get some harassment, lose some privacy and civil rights and that the food was not going to be gourmet. What happened next, in that secluded basement could not have been for seen by researchers because the experiment was cancelled on day six of a fourteen day experiment. A mock prison was set–up in the basement of the Stanford’s Psychology Department building, where the prisoners were kept in small windowless cells, no clocks and just enough room for 3 prisoners.There was also a room called â€Å"The Hole† that was used for solitary confinement that measured about two feet by two feet and was very dark. Video cameras and intercoms were set up in order to monitor and listen to the discussions of the prisoners. Upon arrival the prisoners were humiliated with a strip search, deloused with a spray, dressed in a numbered uniform of a smock like dress with no under wear and their hair was netted to gi ve the appearance of being shaved.There right ankle was shackled with a heavy chain, that was intended to be a constant reminder that they were imprisoned and that life was oppressive in jail. A brief description of the experiment and its purpose. What was learned through this experiment? After reading this experiment, it may be safe to say, that we all have a dark side depending on the conditions we are exposed to. The experiment showed that the participants easily adapted to their roles that they were playing, beyond the expectations of the researchers.Just like in the movies, participants began to adapt similar attitudes to their characters, stereotypical of a prisoner or guard. It didn’t take longer than 24 hours for the prisoners to rebel and then the anger, abuse of power and domination set in with the guards. The guards began to treat the prisoners with force, stripped some of the prisoners naked, removing their beds from the cell and forcing them to sleep on the cold concrete floor. The ring leader was separated and put into solitary confinement.Day after day the violence and abuse escalated and began to include psychological tactics, like having a privileged cell, where three prisoners were given special treatment of sleeping on beds, eating special food, being allowed to wash and brush their teeth. It was easy to see that it didn’t take long for the participants to lose sight that this was an experiment and not reality. Prisoners had lost their identity, they believed and referred to themselves as their number, that was demonstrated by prisoner #819 who completely believed he was an inmate in a prison.The guards were enjoying the abuse of power, never being late for work and always willing to stay and work over time for no additional pay. The experiment demonstrated that our conditions start to define our identity. Our individuality and morals disappear fast depending on the social conditions. We must be very careful with the people we elect or give power to because we seem to be a Nation of followers and conforsists. What was learned about the disconnect between reality and role-playing?Based on the experiment one could concluded that within 48 hours, depending on the physical and social conditions it is possible for a person to start to lose a sense of reality, the disconnect between reality and role-playing becomes blurred. The experiment began as could be expected on the first day with each participant role-playing based on their beliefs of stereotypes of either a prisoner or guard. Within a very short period of time it quickly elevated to the participants internalizing their behavior and believing the situation to be real, that they were experiencing.What is most alarming is that the first day it was evident that everyone was uncomfortable, unsure of their roles, not taking it too seriously but generally getting a feeling for their role playing. The next morning, 24 hours later, a rebellion broke out with the prisoners. The events that followed next by the guards was extreme, harsh, forceful, degrading and generally not necessary, to control the situation. This could be seen as the turning point in the experiment where the participant’s sense of reality changed. This was no longer an experiment but a real life situation.Evidence of disconnect from reality by the prisoners: * Prisoners passively accepted the psychological torture and followed the instructions from the guards to harass other inmates * Prisoner #5401 fell so deeply into the role he believed and was proud of his elected leadership for Standford County Jail Grievance Committee * Prisoner #8612 suffered acute emotional disturbance, disorganized thinking, continuous crying and out of control rage, with 36 hours of the experiment beginning * Prisoner #819 became sick, would not eat, cried uncontrollably and was convinced he was a prisoner and was not getting out * Prisoner #416 identified himself as #416 and not Clay, he believed he was in a real prison run by psychologists, not the state * During the simulated parole hearing, prisoners said they would forfeit their pay of $15/day in order to be paroled Evidence of disconnect from reality by the guards: Guards viewed the prisoners as troublemakers, even believing they would do them harm * Guards controlled when the prisoners were allowed to use the washroom, let sanitary conditions become unbearable by making prisoners urinate and defecate in a bucket that was left in the cell to rot and smell * Day after day the guards escalated there harassment, humiliation and violence to the prisoners, making them clean toilet bowls with their bare hands and making them do push-ups for hours at a time * Guards degraded the prisons by stripping them naked and demanded total obedience through physical and psychological manipulation One can only conclude that a total disconnect between reality and role-playing took place in this experiment. Why did no one ask to q uit the experiment? Simply put, it was no longer an experiment, this was very real, the prisoners were experiencing pathological disorders and the guards were growing more sadistic, with each passing day. What about peer pressure and its role in controlling behavior? All participants both prisoners and guards experienced peer pressure, that controlled their behavior and altered their moral beliefs.The experiment began by defining the two different groups with a uniform that eliminated or minimized each person’s individual identity and associated them with a group. Guards wore identical khaki uniforms with sunglasses and carried a billy club. Prisoners wore a smock, no under, # id, chains around their right ankle and a nylon net on their heads. When the first rebellion started, 24 hours into the experiment, the morning shift of guards blamed the night shift guards of being too lenient on the prisoners. The guards called in extra help, united they worked to control the situatio n with brutal force and the night time shift even volunteered to remain on duty, that day. The guards now had a common goal to control and intimidate the prisoners through psychological and physical punishment.Peer pressure to keep the prisoners in line was evident by the increasing daily assertive violence. The â€Å"privilege cell† was a way for the guards to control the behavior of the prisoners. The three best behaved prisoners would be separated and given special privileges to break the solidarity of the prisoners. If a prisoner agreed to be an informant they could also receive special treatment but they had to be careful that none of the other prisoners found out because they would not be trusted anymore. Together the prisoners worked to rebel and in turn this created greater solidarity between the guards. What was learned about prison culture? The experiment demonstrated how prison life can change an individual quiet quickly.Prisoners experience a great deal of emotion al pain and suffering that can produce physical illnesses like rashes and hives and also psychological effects like uncontrolled crying, rage and disorientation. Guards on the other hand enjoyed their authority and the power they had over another individual. The guards were identified into three different categories. * Tough but fair guard who followed the rules by the book * â€Å"Good guy† guard who made life a little easier, did special favors for the prisoners and never punished them * One third of the guards were evil, sadistic, hostile men who enjoyed humiliating the prisoners After six days the experiment was cancelled when researchers observed that the guards were thoroughly enjoying the power and humiliation they were enforcing on he prisoners and that the suffering inmates were individually and as a group, disintegrated. An example of the disintegration was when the prisoners elected not to give up their blankets to get prisoner #416 out of solitary confinement but chose to leave him their all night. In the end, humanity did not win over evil but evil triumph. What sort of conclusion might be drawn from the results of this study and what are the implications of these conclusions for our prison system and for society in general? Based on how the experiment was conducted, not as much information was gathered to test the original hypothesis as was gathered on how not to conduct an experiment.The experiment failed to be completed when 2 prisoners had to be released early and the entire experiment was cancelled prematurely after six days of the original fourteen day experiment. Within this short period of time enough information was gathered to show how quickly the participants adapted to their roles and how fast the disconnect between reality and role-playing took. The experiment was successful in demonstrating how the power of authority can easily be abused and taken too far. It was interesting to note that the prisoners thought that the subjects were divided up between prisoners and guards based on their size and that the guards were larger, when in fact there was no difference in the average height of the two groups.Another example that we assume people in powerful positions are smarter, larger, more worthy, more deserving of that role, than ourselves. The most alarming fact was the Zimbardo, the leading researcher took a role in the experiment as the superintendent of the prison. He allowed himself to role play, get emotionally involved and allowed abusive behavior to continue during the experiment. On the day he thought a mass escape plot was being planned, Zimbardo was so involved strategizing how to stop it, that no information was observed or gathered that day. The results from the study were mainly subjective. Little or no information was concluded from this study because still to this day, similar behaviors took place with prisoners from Iraqi who were being held at Abu Ghraib.US soldiers abused, stripped and sexua lly humiliated prisoners, took pictures and posted them on the internet. An analysis of the ethics of the experiment. Was this study ethical? The Standford prison experiment was not ethical. All of the participants had signed a consent form to take part in the study but the consent form was deceiving and did not include some of the details of the study and what was going to be expected of the participants. The experiment began with a huge invasion of privacy when the participants were surprised at their homes by local police, arrested, handcuffed and put in a police cruiser while neighbors looked on. Next the prisoner were strip searched without consent which is a hug violation of a man’s rights.All participants were put under a great deal of stress, exposed to psychological and physical harm and the prisoners were beaten and humiliated. Was it right to subject these subjects to this kind of suffering in exchange for the information that was gained? Christine Maslach, a Stanf ord Ph. D student that was brought in to interview the prisoners and guards should be credited for being the only person of more than fifty highly educated individuals that was taking part in the study, who had the strength to speak up and question the morality of this experiment. What was supposed to be a safe controlled environment to conduct the experiment became increasingly dangerous, when peer pressure from the researchers and observers made it difficult to stop the experiment.These participants endured unnecessary pain and suffering that lasted well after the experiment was over. The information that was gathered could easily have been complied through observations in real prisons. Conclusion In conclusion the Standford prison experiment demonstrated how prisons are set up to dehumanize the incoming prisoners, degrade them and instill in them a feeling of hopelessness. One can only question our human integrity when at the end of the experiment, the guards who were inflicting pain and suffering on their fellow participants who were prisoners, were upset that the experiment was cancelled prematurely. We must find a way to rehabilitate our prisoners and create positive human values in them rather than to destroy them. Stanford Prison Experiment The Standford Prison Experiment Introduction Professor Philip Zimbardo led a team of researchers in conducting an experiment on prison life at Standford University in 1971. Zimbardo wanted to test his hypothesis that it was the prisoners and guards inherent personality trait that leads to abusive and violent behavior in the prisons. Twenty-four predominately white male middle class men agreed to participate in a 7-14 day experiment in return for $15. 00 a day, the equivalent of approximately $90. 0 today. The men underwent a diagnostic interview and personality test to unsure that none of the participants suffered from any psychological or medical problems and that there was no history of crime or drug abuse. As simple as flipping a coin the men were divided into two groups, prisoners and guards. The guards were not given any special training or instructions other than they were free, within limits, to do whatever they liked to maintain law and order, while maintaining respect from t he prisoners.The prisoners on the other hand knew they were going to get some harassment, lose some privacy and civil rights and that the food was not going to be gourmet. What happened next, in that secluded basement could not have been for seen by researchers because the experiment was cancelled on day six of a fourteen day experiment. A mock prison was set–up in the basement of the Stanford’s Psychology Department building, where the prisoners were kept in small windowless cells, no clocks and just enough room for 3 prisoners.There was also a room called â€Å"The Hole† that was used for solitary confinement that measured about two feet by two feet and was very dark. Video cameras and intercoms were set up in order to monitor and listen to the discussions of the prisoners. Upon arrival the prisoners were humiliated with a strip search, deloused with a spray, dressed in a numbered uniform of a smock like dress with no under wear and their hair was netted to gi ve the appearance of being shaved.There right ankle was shackled with a heavy chain, that was intended to be a constant reminder that they were imprisoned and that life was oppressive in jail. A brief description of the experiment and its purpose. What was learned through this experiment? After reading this experiment, it may be safe to say, that we all have a dark side depending on the conditions we are exposed to. The experiment showed that the participants easily adapted to their roles that they were playing, beyond the expectations of the researchers.Just like in the movies, participants began to adapt similar attitudes to their characters, stereotypical of a prisoner or guard. It didn’t take longer than 24 hours for the prisoners to rebel and then the anger, abuse of power and domination set in with the guards. The guards began to treat the prisoners with force, stripped some of the prisoners naked, removing their beds from the cell and forcing them to sleep on the cold concrete floor. The ring leader was separated and put into solitary confinement.Day after day the violence and abuse escalated and began to include psychological tactics, like having a privileged cell, where three prisoners were given special treatment of sleeping on beds, eating special food, being allowed to wash and brush their teeth. It was easy to see that it didn’t take long for the participants to lose sight that this was an experiment and not reality. Prisoners had lost their identity, they believed and referred to themselves as their number, that was demonstrated by prisoner #819 who completely believed he was an inmate in a prison.The guards were enjoying the abuse of power, never being late for work and always willing to stay and work over time for no additional pay. The experiment demonstrated that our conditions start to define our identity. Our individuality and morals disappear fast depending on the social conditions. We must be very careful with the people we elect or give power to because we seem to be a Nation of followers and conforsists. What was learned about the disconnect between reality and role-playing?Based on the experiment one could concluded that within 48 hours, depending on the physical and social conditions it is possible for a person to start to lose a sense of reality, the disconnect between reality and role-playing becomes blurred. The experiment began as could be expected on the first day with each participant role-playing based on their beliefs of stereotypes of either a prisoner or guard. Within a very short period of time it quickly elevated to the participants internalizing their behavior and believing the situation to be real, that they were experiencing.What is most alarming is that the first day it was evident that everyone was uncomfortable, unsure of their roles, not taking it too seriously but generally getting a feeling for their role playing. The next morning, 24 hours later, a rebellion broke out with the prisoners. The events that followed next by the guards was extreme, harsh, forceful, degrading and generally not necessary, to control the situation. This could be seen as the turning point in the experiment where the participant’s sense of reality changed. This was no longer an experiment but a real life situation.Evidence of disconnect from reality by the prisoners: * Prisoners passively accepted the psychological torture and followed the instructions from the guards to harass other inmates * Prisoner #5401 fell so deeply into the role he believed and was proud of his elected leadership for Standford County Jail Grievance Committee * Prisoner #8612 suffered acute emotional disturbance, disorganized thinking, continuous crying and out of control rage, with 36 hours of the experiment beginning * Prisoner #819 became sick, would not eat, cried uncontrollably and was convinced he was a prisoner and was not getting out * Prisoner #416 identified himself as #416 and not Clay, he believed he was in a real prison run by psychologists, not the state * During the simulated parole hearing, prisoners said they would forfeit their pay of $15/day in order to be paroled Evidence of disconnect from reality by the guards: Guards viewed the prisoners as troublemakers, even believing they would do them harm * Guards controlled when the prisoners were allowed to use the washroom, let sanitary conditions become unbearable by making prisoners urinate and defecate in a bucket that was left in the cell to rot and smell * Day after day the guards escalated there harassment, humiliation and violence to the prisoners, making them clean toilet bowls with their bare hands and making them do push-ups for hours at a time * Guards degraded the prisons by stripping them naked and demanded total obedience through physical and psychological manipulation One can only conclude that a total disconnect between reality and role-playing took place in this experiment. Why did no one ask to q uit the experiment? Simply put, it was no longer an experiment, this was very real, the prisoners were experiencing pathological disorders and the guards were growing more sadistic, with each passing day. What about peer pressure and its role in controlling behavior? All participants both prisoners and guards experienced peer pressure, that controlled their behavior and altered their moral beliefs.The experiment began by defining the two different groups with a uniform that eliminated or minimized each person’s individual identity and associated them with a group. Guards wore identical khaki uniforms with sunglasses and carried a billy club. Prisoners wore a smock, no under, # id, chains around their right ankle and a nylon net on their heads. When the first rebellion started, 24 hours into the experiment, the morning shift of guards blamed the night shift guards of being too lenient on the prisoners. The guards called in extra help, united they worked to control the situatio n with brutal force and the night time shift even volunteered to remain on duty, that day. The guards now had a common goal to control and intimidate the prisoners through psychological and physical punishment.Peer pressure to keep the prisoners in line was evident by the increasing daily assertive violence. The â€Å"privilege cell† was a way for the guards to control the behavior of the prisoners. The three best behaved prisoners would be separated and given special privileges to break the solidarity of the prisoners. If a prisoner agreed to be an informant they could also receive special treatment but they had to be careful that none of the other prisoners found out because they would not be trusted anymore. Together the prisoners worked to rebel and in turn this created greater solidarity between the guards. What was learned about prison culture? The experiment demonstrated how prison life can change an individual quiet quickly.Prisoners experience a great deal of emotion al pain and suffering that can produce physical illnesses like rashes and hives and also psychological effects like uncontrolled crying, rage and disorientation. Guards on the other hand enjoyed their authority and the power they had over another individual. The guards were identified into three different categories. * Tough but fair guard who followed the rules by the book * â€Å"Good guy† guard who made life a little easier, did special favors for the prisoners and never punished them * One third of the guards were evil, sadistic, hostile men who enjoyed humiliating the prisoners After six days the experiment was cancelled when researchers observed that the guards were thoroughly enjoying the power and humiliation they were enforcing on he prisoners and that the suffering inmates were individually and as a group, disintegrated. An example of the disintegration was when the prisoners elected not to give up their blankets to get prisoner #416 out of solitary confinement but chose to leave him their all night. In the end, humanity did not win over evil but evil triumph. What sort of conclusion might be drawn from the results of this study and what are the implications of these conclusions for our prison system and for society in general? Based on how the experiment was conducted, not as much information was gathered to test the original hypothesis as was gathered on how not to conduct an experiment.The experiment failed to be completed when 2 prisoners had to be released early and the entire experiment was cancelled prematurely after six days of the original fourteen day experiment. Within this short period of time enough information was gathered to show how quickly the participants adapted to their roles and how fast the disconnect between reality and role-playing took. The experiment was successful in demonstrating how the power of authority can easily be abused and taken too far. It was interesting to note that the prisoners thought that the subjects were divided up between prisoners and guards based on their size and that the guards were larger, when in fact there was no difference in the average height of the two groups.Another example that we assume people in powerful positions are smarter, larger, more worthy, more deserving of that role, than ourselves. The most alarming fact was the Zimbardo, the leading researcher took a role in the experiment as the superintendent of the prison. He allowed himself to role play, get emotionally involved and allowed abusive behavior to continue during the experiment. On the day he thought a mass escape plot was being planned, Zimbardo was so involved strategizing how to stop it, that no information was observed or gathered that day. The results from the study were mainly subjective. Little or no information was concluded from this study because still to this day, similar behaviors took place with prisoners from Iraqi who were being held at Abu Ghraib.US soldiers abused, stripped and sexua lly humiliated prisoners, took pictures and posted them on the internet. An analysis of the ethics of the experiment. Was this study ethical? The Standford prison experiment was not ethical. All of the participants had signed a consent form to take part in the study but the consent form was deceiving and did not include some of the details of the study and what was going to be expected of the participants. The experiment began with a huge invasion of privacy when the participants were surprised at their homes by local police, arrested, handcuffed and put in a police cruiser while neighbors looked on. Next the prisoner were strip searched without consent which is a hug violation of a man’s rights.All participants were put under a great deal of stress, exposed to psychological and physical harm and the prisoners were beaten and humiliated. Was it right to subject these subjects to this kind of suffering in exchange for the information that was gained? Christine Maslach, a Stanf ord Ph. D student that was brought in to interview the prisoners and guards should be credited for being the only person of more than fifty highly educated individuals that was taking part in the study, who had the strength to speak up and question the morality of this experiment. What was supposed to be a safe controlled environment to conduct the experiment became increasingly dangerous, when peer pressure from the researchers and observers made it difficult to stop the experiment.These participants endured unnecessary pain and suffering that lasted well after the experiment was over. The information that was gathered could easily have been complied through observations in real prisons. Conclusion In conclusion the Standford prison experiment demonstrated how prisons are set up to dehumanize the incoming prisoners, degrade them and instill in them a feeling of hopelessness. One can only question our human integrity when at the end of the experiment, the guards who were inflicting pain and suffering on their fellow participants who were prisoners, were upset that the experiment was cancelled prematurely. We must find a way to rehabilitate our prisoners and create positive human values in them rather than to destroy them. Stanford Prison Experiment Psychology 270 – 03 Homework Assignment 1 Prison Experiment (100 Pts) Go to the following site:http://www. prisonexp. org/. Click on Begin SlideShow at the bottom of the page. Read through the article and watch the video in entirety. Respond to all questions below. 1. If you were a guard in this scenario, what type of guard would you have become? Why? 2. What prevented â€Å"good guards† from objecting to or countermanding the orders from â€Å"tough† or â€Å"bad guards†? 3.If you were a prisoner, would you have been able to endure the experience? Why or why not? What would you have done differently fromwhat the subjects did in this experiment? If you were imprisoned for five or more years, how would you adapt to this environment? What would you do in order to survive? 4. How do the ethical dilemmas in this experiment compare with the ethical issues raised by Stanley Milgram’s obedience experiments? How would it be beneficial if these experiments h ad never been conducted.Please elaborate. 5. Moving beyond physical prisons built of steel and concrete, what psychological prisons do we create for ourselves and others? If prisons are seen as forms of control which limit individual freedom, how do they differ from the prisons we create through racism, sexism, ageism, poverty, and other social institutions? 6. What is your personal opinion of the experiment? Deadline – Tuesday, March 19, 201311:15 a. m. A hardcopy of your assignment must be submitted to me by the deadline.No late assignments will be accepted. Guidelines These are essay questions. Your responses must be well developed and detailed. Length of assignment – Minimum 5 Pages (Five Full Pages) Double Spaced 12 point font – Ariel, Times New Roman, or Calibri Black ink only You must include a cover page. You will be penalized for spelling and grammatical errors. It is mandatory that assignments are proofread and edited prior to submission.

Birth Of A Nation 2 Essay Research

Birth Of A Nation 2 Essay, Research Paper D. W. Griffith s heroic poem narrative told in Birth of a Nation was a flooring one. The film set box office records, taking in over 18 million dollars. When it was released, it was one of the longest movies of all time made, over three hours in length. Some movie bookmans say that it is the most of import movie of all time released. But despite all of these records and accomplishments, the narrative and the manner that inkinesss of the South were depicted obsessed inkinesss for decennaries to come. Showing the black adult male as a sexual marauder to white females was ask foring the South commence with wide-scale lynchings of guiltless black work forces. If a black adult male looked the incorrect manner at a white adult female, so he could be lynched without a idea of justness. This movie advanced the intuition and contributed to the pattern of Jim Crow in the South. Most shockingly, I discovered that the movie is still used by the Ku Klux Klan today for enlisting intents. The portraiture of the KKK in Birth of a State was one of heroes, alternatively of marauding racialists. This appealed to white Americans positions of the mythic South, and helped to hike rank in the KKK. Griffith subsequently released a version of the film without the KKK, but the harm had already been done. Of class, the NAACP attacked the movie, and it was met with picketing upon its release. The elevation of the KKK as heroes while portraying black work forces as sexual marauders was disgusting, and it is astonishing to me that the film is praised as it is. Though the portraiture of both inkinesss and the KKK were highly off path, the film itself was an astonishing work of film for its clip. This was likely the first film to utilize 100s of excess in a conflict scene. These scenes were good crafted by the film maker, and while non to the flawlessness of more modern movies such as Braveheart, the engineering and mastermind that the film maker used rival such movies. To th ink that the film was released merely 50 old ages after the terminal of the Civil War makes the effort seem even more unbelievable. In seeing the immense conflicts, I did non necessitate sound to hear the sounds of conflict in my imaginativeness. It would hold been unbelievable if the film had been made in the epoch where sound came into films. The rubric of the movie is an interesting 1. It is unknown whether the rubric refers to the birth of the reunited provinces, or the birth of the Ku Klux Klan. I tend to believe that the movie has a dual significance. In demoing the KKK as good cats, it is obvious that Griffith was seeking to demo their birth as a positive event for the United States. Besides, he was demoing that the U.S. was one time once more reunited after the war, taking to the strengthening of the state. It forebodes the hereafter, when the South and the inkinesss populating there are kept in cheque by the KKK, doing the U.S. that much greater. Though it would be better to disregard this impression of the birth of the KKK, it can non be due to the movie s content, although the movie does demo a genuinely united provinces. The movie is an unbelievable piece of propaganda for both the KKK and the Jim Crow system. Peoples who knew nil about the KKK or thought of them as white scoundrels before Birth of a State likely changed their heads and donned goons of their ain upon seeing the movie. The mainstream image was likely the best advertizement that the KKK could hold had. The vilifying of inkinesss besides led to the Jim Crow system. When it was portrayed in this film as acceptable, people in the South felt much better about making atrocious workss to black citizens, denying inkinesss their civil rights. Birth of a Nation was a powerful movie that was a technological promotion, but it lacked the right historical prospective. Anyone who made such a film now would be branded a racialist and likely would be hung in image in many black communities.

RISK VERSUS REWARD OF NUCLEAR POWER Research Paper

RISK VERSUS REWARD OF NUCLEAR POWER - Research Paper Example But there are many drawbacks and negativities associated with nuclear power as well (In Foreman et al 1970; Miller et al 2011). The advent of nuclear power brought with it many advantages. Nuclear power can be used for the production of different forms of energy and electricity production is one of its major uses. Nuclear energy production provides for economic benefits as it serves as a competitor for other energy producing resources. This results in an overall lower cost of energy for consumers. It has environmental benefits as it does not release gases which result from the burning of fossil fuels and hence it protects the environment. Furthermore, the usage of nuclear power can assist in the conservation of fossil fuels whose reserves are depleting at a very fast pace (In Foreman et al 1970; Miller et al 2011). Nuclear power has proved to be very helpful but this source of energy has its own disadvantages. The energy that is produced from nuclear power plants is less and the cost of the building of the nuclear power plants is very high. Another major drawback is the waste products that are released from these nuclear power plants. These wastes are toxic and radioactive and the dumping of these wastes is a very complicated issue. This is owing to the fact that leakage from dumping sites can result in land and water pollution which can have serious consequences. Nuclear power has also been responsible for the production of nuclear weapons which can prove to be very dangerous for the human race. The last risk associated with nuclear power plants is the accidents that may occur in these plants and result in the production of toxic substances into the environment (Miller et al 2011). The severity of the nuclear power plant accidents can be accessed with the impact of the Chernobyl disaster that took place in the year 1986 in Ukraine. A nuclear power plant disrupted and there was radioactive

What are the core competencies of a programme manager Essay

What are the core competencies of a programme manager - Essay Example In order for organizations to succeed in their programs, they usually engage a program manager who takes charge of the administration of the particular program (APM 2008 p 26). This is a senior employee who is acts on behalf of the owners of the organization in coordinating the organization’s projects to ensure that they give the desired outcome. He/she is also in charge of ensuring that the projects are not exposed to risks or adverse external factors. The program manager has a responsibility of motivating the project managers and ensuring that they remain enthusiastic about their particular projects in order to ensure attainment of the desirable outcome in all. This helps in maintaining the overall productivity of the organization. The project managers usually analyze the needs of their individual projects and present them to the program manager who mobilizes the desired support from the organization. He has a responsibility of ensuring that the operating environment for each project is favorable for the success of the project (Lewis 2006 p 71). This essay is a critical evaluation of the core competencies of a program manager. These have been discussed in relation to their responsibilities within an organization. Leadership is the responsibility of building ideas and inspiring others as well as making them to believe that they can bring transformation for the better. It involves organizing the talents of every person to get out their best. In order for projects within a particular program to succeed, the leader needs to have a capability of putting efforts to get factual outcomes. He is also required to have the capability of setting objectives harmoniously in order to accomplish a mission and setting priorities right. Leadership involves motivating others to execute some duties and change their belief in certain issues as well as their way of acting. The program manager is

Crisis Mapping Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Crisis Mapping - Research Paper Example ans then use this information to determine localities where their help is needed (Goolsby, Social media as crisis platform: The future of community maps/crisis maps.). In the year 2011, East Japan experienced an earthquake and Tsunami, which claimed many live, destroyed properties and disabled others. It was a situation, which needed humanitarian assistances (Goolsby and Gao). The openstreemap community launched a crisis map hours after the disaster occurred. The humanitarian team was able to identify areas facing particular types of problems and respond appropriately. The Ushahidi project, enabled by Google maps, facilitated real time distress calls and, therefore, was an invaluable resource for humanitarians. The earthquake, which struck the Christ church in New Zealand in 2010, is another disaster occurrence whose situation eased by the help of crisis mapping (Munro and Meier). Given the loss of lives and injuries experienced by the victims, Crowd source, crisis map provided by Google maps and Ushahidi acted in helping organizations and local people to identify people who needed help. The Libya crisis map project was as a response to the U.N’s request, which was in a bid to ease coordination of the required humanitarian affairs. Although the crisis map operated on a delayed 24 hours for information security purposes, it was able to update on evacuation, refugee’s movements, street fights, and military actions (Christopher). The information enabled for appropriate reaction by volunteers in helping the victims. Conclusively, Crisis mapping has helped in disaster management in the most convenient

Training & Development Assessment for Ford Motor Company Human Essay

Training & Development Assessment for Ford Motor Company Human Resources Department - Essay Example The objectives of the Ford automaker are basically to consolidate its brand image, get closer to its customers and ensure customer satisfaction through high quality products and service. Staff training is essential, because the need for effective employees becomes greater, demanding both initial and continuous training. Ford Company has entered a new phase of sustained growth which should last for over 10 years. Historically, the demand for new automotive service technicians has been critical. Those entering the industry with recognized credentials can accelerate their career. This profile will dramatically change in the next few years as higher quality cars produced by foreign venture auto makers begin to take over the main share of the car parc. To support this growth and shift in vehicle make-up, the Ford structure and key players will also change dramatically. This dynamism could offer attractive opportunity to foreign companies in the parts and service businesses. For Ford Company training is necessary to ensure an adequate supply of staff who are technically and socially competent, and capable of career advancement into specialist departments or management positions. There is, therefore, a continual need for the process of staff development, and training fulfils an important part of this process. Training should be viewed, therefore, as an integral pan of the process of total quality management. Organizational level. In a time of rapidly changing technologies and ever-shorter product life cycles, product development often proceeds at a glacial pace. In an age of the customer, order fulfillment has high error rates and customer enquiries go unanswered for weeks. In a period when asset utilization is critical, inventory levels exceed many months of demand (Bateman, Snell, 2004). The usual methods of boosting performance - process rationalization and automation - haven't yielded the dramatic improvements for Ford Company need. In particular, heavy investments in information technology have delivered disappointing results - largely because companies tend to use technology to mechanize old ways of doing business. According to the survey provided by Ford (www.ford.com) the quantity of defective articles and spoilage are rather high because many new employees feel lack of experience to perform a particular type of work. This situation is observed in Fords' subsidiaries located in less developed countries. For instance, the level of spoilage caused by welding and sanding is about 20 % (permissible level is about 5-7%). In this very case, training is therefore a key element of improved organisational performance as it increases the level of individual and organisational competence. It helps to reconcile the gap between what should happen, and desire-targets and standards of performance; and what is happening and levels of work performance. Personal level. In Ford company performance deficiencies result from motivational problem which is closely connected with lack of skills. To improve this situation Ford Company needs to train employees taking into account rapid environmental changes. The purpose of training is to improve knowledge and skills, and to change negative attitude towards training activities. This can lead to many potential benefits for both individuals and the organisation. Training can: increase the confidence, motivation and commitment of staff;

Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of using faith as a basis for Essay

Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of using faith as a basis for knowledge in religion and in one area of knowledge from the ToK diagram - Essay Example Such beliefs have been challenged by logical positivism and upheld by fideism (Moser, 2002, p.128). The truth and validity of such beliefs therefore depends on the strength of the argument whether for or against and evidence presented therein. Individual motives, attitudes and preferences have had significant impacts on both faith and religion. It is important to note that there exist different religions in the world that are based on the different understanding of faith across these religions. Faith in world religions is therefore a critical issue to consider in assessing and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of using faith as a basis for knowledge in religion (Steup, 2001, p.47). Faith is defined as a conclusive belief that is not necessarily backed up by adequate evidence (Conee, 2004, p. 133). Provision of efficient evidence to a given scenario or phenomenon constitutes an explaining reason, and therefore faith is ruled out at that instance. Inadequate reason is the principle defining factor of faith. The strengths of faith in constituting knowledge in religion are discussed below: Faith is defined by individual preferences and attitudes, thereby building a specific religion in that process. Faith as aforementioned is not backed up by evidence but it is fundamentally a determinant of the many religions in the world. In the view of using faith as a basis for knowledge, decisions can be made on what constitutes knowledge in the context of faith. Since faith is already a conclusive belief, proof of faith is not a requirement in defining the resultant knowledge. Faith makes truth assertions without prior proof. In fact there are closely related sources of knowledge like mathematics and theology that makes similar assertions backed up by no proof. Reliance on leaps of faith therefore provides a strong basis for knowledge especially in religion, because religion is directly linked to faith

Global Prospective Final Memo Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Global Prospective Final Memo - Assignment Example The Holocaust in this specific example is one which now is reminiscent of needing to change security levels that are noted worldwide by using different types of security. Performing this will change circumstances by building safer countries and leveraging wars. Enhanced security will: By creating a security council with checks and balances, there will be the ability to stop war like situations and affairs which lead to inhumanitarian acts. The concept which is provided will allow situations such as the Holocaust to never get to the point of violent and inhumanitarian acts while providing new approaches to overcoming political opposition between the people and government. India is known as one of the dominant places for human trafficking of children. There are hundreds to thousands of children that are kidnapped each year and sent to placement agencies. These agencies sell the children for labor or for brothels. The kidnappings range from taking children when a disaster strikes or forcing them into a bogus marriage then selling them to brothels. Currently, the only way to get the children back is through dangerous raids that stop the children from being kidnapped from their own homes and into the black market. However, this can change if the ideologies of thousands begin to change and promote the issue of trafficking and how it needs to stop. With the use of social entrepreneurs, there is the ability to begin transforming the problems that are currently in society. The issues with inhumanitarian issues, such as forced child labor and women who live in brothels, continue to remain a main problem in India. By using social networks and various instruments there is the ability to bring more awareness to this inhumanitarian issue while providing continuous support to organizations such as Save the

The Impact Cancer Had on American Culture during the Late 1950s and Research Paper

The Impact Cancer Had on American Culture during the Late 1950s and Early 1960s - Research Paper Example The most common symptoms of cancer are: fatigue, loss of appetite, loss of weight, night sweats and fever. Cancer is tested through chest x-ray, complete blood count, bone marrow biopsy, MRI scan among others. Treatment is through early diagnosis and treatment, removal of the abnormal cells, chemotherapy and radiation. Prevention of cancer can be done through regular exercise, healthy dieting, limiting alcohol and not smoking (Cantor 21). â€Å"The spread of cancer was facilitated by poliovirus vaccines that were used during the late 1950s and early 1960s and were contaminated with a monkey virus that is harmful to rodents and has been identified in some human cancers† (jnci.oxfordjournals.org p.3).The monkey virus was discovered in 1960 and its effect on rodents in 1961 a year that American government demanded for uncontaminated poliovirus vaccine. Despite this the previous virus remained in the immunization program up to 1963. This immunization program targeted children betw een 5-9 years and pregnant mothers. 1961’s survey revealed that persons born between 1941 and 1961 had been vaccinated with the poliovirus vaccine especially those below the age of 20 years. â€Å"The rate of exposure to the polluted vaccine decreased with increasing age† (jnci.oxfordjournals.org p 14). ... Most Americans had embraced the culture of drinking and this led to the rapid spread of cancer. The introduction of radioactive skin cream and toothpaste has contributed to high cancer rates (Patterson 27). The African Americans were mostly affected by lung cancer as they had the highest rates of smoking (Patterson 15). They were exposed to agents that cause cancer in their jobs and had little or no information of exposure to environmental risks like the occupational exposure to smoke and chemicals in their places of work. Their socioeconomic status was correlated to incidence of cancer as they had minimal access to good healthcare. Genetics also seem to have had a great impact on the spread of cancer. The reason was black people had a high level of generic cancer which still remains in the blood stream and thus can be passed on to other genetic relations. Cancer had a negative impact on the work force as it lowered the rate of production and had made healthcare expensive. â€Å"The Native Americans used chaparral as a herbal remedy for various illnesses but that was found to cause problems with the liver and kidney function†(www.cancer.org p 6). In America, there was a high risk of colon cancer due to radiation exposure. This exposure was from the natural unavoidable sources of the environment. Traditional attitudes of the Native Americans about fear of a poor prognosis, male gender roles and their lack of trust with the medical community and inadequate health insurance made them participate less in screenings. The African American men were not comfortable with rectal examinations and were afraid of the sexual side effects of treatment of cancer as they thought they would be unable to

American Airlines Strategy Paper Essay Example for Free

American Airlines Strategy Paper Essay Currently the airline industry as a whole seems to be on the road of recovery. We, American Airlines, the fourth largest carrier recently avoided bankruptcy, but had a summer full of pressure due to ongoing union struggles and questionable executive compensation packages. After having incurred such big losses, this recovery has come about because of the government bailout and many of our large competitors’ abilities to survive the turbulence in the industry. So far, the prospects look promising. Revenue has improved across all regions of the business. Domestic unit revenue was up almost 10 percent and Latin American revenue has increased by close to 11 percent in the last quarter of 2012 compared to the same period the prior year. We are performing better than other airlines that have filed for protection and have done so without slashing capacity. In short, American is doing the right things to return to business efficiency and customer effectiveness. In order to establish a sustainable position for the future, American Airlines must adopt a three-pronged strategy moving forward. First, we should focus on low priced operations and increased marketing strategies to improve customer demand. We have to enhance customer experience and our volume of loyal customers to build a stronger presence in Airline Industry. Second, we must focus on increasing and improving the routes to cater to large customer base. Lastly, we must address the difficulties our company might face in integrating with the culture of US Airlines. Our future success is highly dependent on these two entities efficiently operating as a single organization. Industry Analysis Current Position US Airline industry today is dominated by five major domestic carriers. United, Delta and Southwest each has more than 15 percent market share. American is fourth, with around 12 percent and US Airways is fifth with around 10 percent. Four of these five are profitable — all but American. We lost $2 billion in 2011 and $1.7 billion in the first quarter of 2012. Future Strategy Our emphasis in 2013 is on operational flexibility, international growth through alliance and selective network expansion, and domestic partnerships to reduce operational and balance sheet risks. Americans market differentiation is based on emphasizing and meeting the needs and expectations of high value customers (particularly large global corporates) and better alignment with the one world airline network and value proposition. Also, being the lead carrier between not only the United States and Latin America but, increasingly, the world and Latin America—connecting through Dallas, Los Angeles, or Miami. This strategy makes sense; if they can get all labor work groups on board, they should be able to make it happen. That is still the main challenge, as is competitor contestation, particularly from larger traditional rivals like Delta and United. Improve Customer Demand Lower Operational Costs American passenger division which already has 57 fewer planes in service than an year ago, should further shrink by another 57 planes this summer. This would improve operational efficiency. Current service levels include 275 cities with a fleet of over 1000 aircraft. American carries about 80 million passengers daily and receives more than 329,000 reservation calls, handles more than 293,000 pieces of luggage and flies more than 4300 flights in one typical day. In order to reduce costs further over 27000 jobs will have to be eliminated. Because of high competition in the industry, substantial price fluctuations occur related to fares. Enhance Customer Base Increase value added services offered through our interactive website, AA.com. Any differentiation that convenience added capabilities offer is the center of focus. Busy hiub systems and schedule patterns need to be looked at to improve efficiency and routing effectiveness, thereby enhancing customer experience. We need to do rigorous marketing to attract more customers. Our marketing is currently focused on seasonal and business travelers and much analysis is taken in order to optimize peak travel seasons as well as frequent flier miles programs and pints systems. The Making More Room in coach program is the original marketing ploy of American to project a perception of higher passenger comfort levels. As increased advertising and intense market share is gained, we will continue to remain a key player assuming passenger demand goes up as projected. We will focus on upgraded in-flight entertainment systems, football game special fares, and buy-on board meal options to further enhance customer experience. Improve Network American Airlines new network strategy is designed to improve profitability by offering the routes and schedules that attract and retain not only their own high value customers but also those of alliance partners, an important source of revenue through codeshare agreements and closely aligned loyalty programs. The network is the core product that works in concert with lie-flat seats, onboard amenities, and customer service. Latin America is a prominent focus, due in part to our strong presence in key hubs to Latin America such as Dallas and Miami. This is where the profits are. Passenger growth forecasts for Latin America for 2013-17 are 6 percent for Latin America North (Central America and the northern rim of South America) and 8 percent for Latin America South (southern cone countries such as Brazil and Argentina). This compares with 3.6 percent for Europe and 4.4 percent for Asia. Increase International Routes To follow the growth markets, we must change our portfolio mix to focus more on international rather than domestic routes. This is a gradual process, moving from 38 percent international and 62 percent domestic capacity in 2013 towards a 44/56 percent balance by 2017. As we refocus more of our flying towards international opportunities, it is likely to look towards increased code-sharing with domestic carriers like Alaska Airlines, jetBlue, and others to further enhance our network in places like Los Angeles and New York City. This is likely to have initial teething problems, due to terminal colocation and product disparity issues. For instance, the business passengers that we are pursuing may be disgruntled by jetBlues more restrictive carry-on baggage policies or by extra time and added security checks if they are required to change terminals. Refurbish domestic feed Our plan is also to diversify our domestic feed by increasing the number of regional carriers with which we do business to reduce operational and balance sheet risk. Today, we primarily get a feed from our wholly-owned subsidiary, American Eagle, which has higher costs than some other regional carriers. American Eagle is going through its own restructuring to lower its costs, and it may ultimately be spun off. Synergies with US Airlines Merger with US Airways will result in the largest carrier in US. It would create roughly $1.2 billion in financial benefits.

Development of Quality players Essay Example for Free

Development of Quality players Essay On a performance perspective, the LTA stated some à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½7.3m has been spent on delivering the LTA Performance programme. This is set to provide financial support to more than 600 talented youngsters aged 8 to 21 years old. (LTA, 2002) The performance programme is constituted of six stages. Initially beginning with Mini-tennis (4 8 year olds), then progressing to Club Futures (8 10year olds), County Futures (11-13 year olds), National Futures(11 13 year old), Academies and Intermediates (14 -22 year olds) and Seniors. The development of such a structure has mainly down to the former French performance director of the LTA, Patrice Hagelauer, and his knowledge and implementation of the French development system. Originally seven Tennis Academy centres were proposed but due to the lack of junior talent coming through this was rationalised to four centres namely Bath, Leeds, Loughborough, and Welwyn Garden city. The Loughborough academy alone is costing the LTA à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2m. In addition to this a à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½30m (Harris, 2001) National Centre is in the pipeline and is due to be built at Roehampton and subject to planning process should be ready by 2006. This is set to consist of 6 indoor, 4 grass, 6 hard and 6 clay courts, gymnasium, player and coach support services, accommodation and medical centre. The LTA is likely to meet the majority of costs for the centre although The All England Lawn Tennis Ground plc are lending a proportion of building costs. This development has been met with mixed reactions Mark Petchey Sky TV presenter commented Once again the LTA have their priorities wrong. Unless good youngsters are coming through, the National centre will be a white elephant. Indeed it has been further commented that the belief that there is a misconception that we have talented youngsters (Bob Brett) in the last 10 years there has only been 2 juniors in the International Tennis Federations top 50. One of the key suggestions causing the lack of talented juniors is the quality of coaches in Britain. On 2002 spending figures only 3% of the budget was allocated to coach education. There are currently 2,100 LTA licensed coaches working in clubs in the UK (Jago, 2002). Although that may sound substantial when this figure is put along side the total number of registered player (116,588) it amounts to one coach for every 55 players. The comparison of this to the Frenchs excess of 4000 licensed coaches clearly illustrates we have some catching up to go (Jago, 2002). The LTA aims to initially identify talent through the nations club system. Yet the current established club structure is will behind that of France and Germany. (Figure 5) France has some 9,200 clubs compared to the 2,400 on Britain (Fordyce, 2002). In addition most of the clubs in France have five courts and a clubhouse. Around 8000 of them were built and maintained by cities and local authorities, each one costs à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½500,000. The idea of which would be a dream to the LTA and leave them with a substantially greater proportion of finance to invest in more for coaches, development programmes and competition structures (Jago, 2002) The culture of British tennis clubs may also be to blame. Tennis clubs in Britain might be a pleasant place for an adult to play a few sets on a Sunday afternoon but they do little to help the country produce future champions. The former performance director Patrice Hagelauer, stated The culture is one of leisure and social tennis which is great, if you also have junior tennis and competitive tennis, but at a lot of clubs, that is not there (Fordyce, 2002).  However, the key to developing successful players may not lie in the relatively expensive problems of increasing the number of clubs, courts and coaches but may be more with how we deal with potential talent and develop it. The LTA currently relies on talent selection, which is a process of differentiating between those young performers who are already in the sport in order to provide those with the greatest potential with opportunities for advanced level training, support and competition. However, there are a number of disadvantages with this method. Initially it relies on juniors to be playing the game and it has been shown that we currently fall behind in this area. Also, individuals usually compete with others in a similar age group and the most talented from that age group stand out. Selection of success at this young age may not be a direct indicator of potential due to the fact that it fails to take into account the varying maturation levels evident in individuals of the same age that actually dictates there power and strength due to their greater size evidently providing an advantage to those who have had a faster maturity rate. This may go some way in explaining why those talented at that young age and are selected to be developed fail to continue through and emerge and successful players on the senior circuit. It is obvious that this current method which the LTA employs doesnt seem to working very well. Our only two players in the top 100 have been described as an accident and a foreigner (Roberts, 2002). Tim Henmans talent was tutored in a privately-run development scheme, and Greg Rusedski, was developed in the Canadian tennis system. Around the world other countries seem to have realised more efficient way of finding talented individuals. Much of the sporting success of Australia has been down to the realisation back in 1988 by the Australian Institute of Sport and particularly Dr Allan Hahn that it is no longer possible to have a reliance on club systems to deliver talent at an elite level. He stated that to continue to be internationally competitive, we must actively seek to unearth the talent. Talent searches initially implemented in rowing spread to a wide variety of sports, and following the announcement in 1994 of Australia to host the Sydney Olympics back in 2000 their in Federal Government allocated $500,000 a year for two years for national talent identification. The success of many Australian athletes at these games demonstrated the significance of such a programme (AIS, 2003). Subsequently in 2002, the tennis specific talent search was implemented namely the Targeted Athlete Project (TAP). The program is individually designed to each player in the scheme to make them a better player. Each player is assessed upon joining TAP and areas of weakness identified. Funds are then allocated to addressing these problems (Tennis Australia, 2003) This programme aims to support 30 of Australias best boys and 30 of there most talented girls. Current members of the programme range from the ages of 11 to the oldest, 22-year-old Evie Dominikovi. With this system in place, Australia, who currently possesses the worlds number one in the male game, Lleyton Hewitt, will no doubt create many more players of international calibre. The adoption of such a scheme may make considerable financial sense for the LTA. Through the development of a screening process that identifies key multivariate constituents of a successful elite player more appropriate funding can be targeted at a limited number of individuals who it is known that they possess the right psychological, physiological, skill/decision making and even sociological aptitudes necessary for success. A system implemented in schools would not just limit the search to those who are currently active in tennis. This would eliminates both the players frustration of continued participation in a sport that they are not physiologically suited to and will prevent wasting finances on developing a talent that never had the potential to make it to the top, thus allowing the LTA to get the most out of its limited resources.  Can we develop talent and increase participation numbers simultaneously? The LTA may have set itself an impossible task of increasing player numbers and developing better quality players with the current finances. In an attempt to achieve both finances are spread too thinly and neither is achieved successfully. It is evident that these two aims may not be as mutually supportive as the LTA consider them to be. Indeed it has long been stated the key to possessing high numbers of elite sports players from a nation is to have a broad base of participation and the broader the base the increase in likely hood and probability there is of finding quality players. There are several critical flaws in this assumption and there are anomalies in statistics that prove so. Figure 6 demonstrates the weak relationship between these two variables and an increase in players is by no means a necessary pre-requisite for developing large numbers of elite performances. This is clearly highlighted in the case of Russia which has double the amount of tennis players Britain has in the top 100 yet has a 1/18th of the amount of total registered players (ETA 2000). Indeed although increasing the number of players may not have a direct effect on the number of elite players, the concentration of efforts in talent identification and development which will produce a greater number of elite players may have a combined effect in inspiring more players to take up the game; increasing the sports national profile and subsequent possibility of an increase in the sports allocation of financial assistance from national sources which would assist in broadening participation.

Psychosocial development of children

Psychosocial development of children 1.1 Introduction The influence of the media on the psychosocial development of children is profound. Thus, it is important for physicians to discuss with parents their childs exposure to media and to provide guidance on age-appropriate use of all media, including television, radio, music, video games and the Internet. In a matter of seconds, most children can mimic a movie or TV character, sing an advertising jingle, or give other examples of what they have learned from media. Sadly, these examples may include naming a popular brand of beer, striking a sexy pose, or play fighting. Children only have to put a movie into the VCR, open a magazine, click on a Web site, or watch TV to experience all kinds of messages. It really is that easy. Media offer entertainment, culture, news, sports, and education. They are an important part of our lives and have much to teach. But some of what they teach may not be what we want children to learn. This report gives an overview of some of the messages media send young people that could be negative or harmful to their health. You will learn how you can teach your children to better understand the media messages they see and hear in print, over airwaves, on networks, and on-line. The objectives of this study are to explore the beneficial and harmful effects of media on childrens mental and physical health, and to identify how physicians can counsel patients and their families and promote the healthy use of the media in their communities. Effects of media is categorise as 1)internet 2)music video 3)video games 4)television 1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM What would be the possible impact of media on youth due to the increasing trend of violence, sexual abuses, nutritional disorders, less reading habits and useless long hours television viewing? 1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY The objective of the study was to measure the impact of media on children and youth in Peshawar region in year 2008. In this report I try to find out that how television is affecting our young generation and what are the pros and cons of watching the television. 1.4 LITERATURE SURVEY The literature survey has been structured as follow: First impact of different media on youth and children were discussed. Then the impact of television on youth and children were discussed. 1.4.1. Impact of Different Media on Youth According to Canadian pediatric society (PP 2003-01). â€Å"The impact of media use on children and youth has a severe impact on children lives. In a research carried out by media awareness network (USA) Media exert a significant displacement effect 2 to 3hours per day spent watching television or playing video games means less physical activity, reading, and interaction with friends but such data do not speak to cause-and-effect concerns. Likewise, content analyses can only demonstrate what the average child or adolescent will view. Even so, such analyses are disturbing when they reveal what the average American child or teenager is exposed to annually. Now how can you guide youre childs television viewing? The government, in cooperation with the television industry, has implemented a rating system for television programming. This system is to help guide parents and assist them in establishing guidelines for their childrens TV viewing. However, the American Psychological Association Help Center reminds us that television networks rate their own programs, unlike the motion picture association. In 1996, the Telecommunications Act was passed in an attempt to help parents restrict the viewing habits of their children. The Act specifies that all television sets sold in the United States must contain a programmable v-chip. Mark Nadel, an attorney specializing in communication law and policy, explains that this will allow parents to block undesirable programming. Even with the rating system and the v-chip in place, parents still need to take an active interest in what their children are watching on television. Here are some suggestions from the Department of Education Set Limits. Know how much TV your child is watching. Set some basic rules such as no television before homework or chores are done or during meals. Participate. Watch TV with your child and discuss the program. Ask them questions and express your views. This will also let you know what your children are watching. Monitor. Avoid shows, movies, or video games that have violent or sexual content. Encourage children to watch programs about characters who show cooperation and caring. Analyze Commercials. Help children to critically evaluate advertisements. Be a Good Role Model. This suggestion comes from the Parents as Teachers National Center. Because children model behavior, set a good example with your own television viewing habits. Avoid watching programs containing adult content when your child is in the room or nearby. The power of media messages Sometimes you can see the impact of media right away, such as when your child watches superheroes fighting and then copies their moves during play. But most of the time the impact is not so immediate or obvious. It occurs slowly as children see and hear certain messages over and over, such as the following: Fighting and other violence used as a way to handle conflict Cigarettes and alcohol shown as cool and attractive, not unhealthy and deadly Sexual action with no negative results, such as disease or unintended pregnancy Further the power of the media and its effects can be seen as: Music Videos Music videos may have a significant behavioral impact by desensitizing viewers to violence and making teenagers more likely to approve of premarital sex (American academy of pediatrics community of music and videos). Up to 75% of videos contains sexually explicit material (American academy of pediatrics community of music and videos), and more than half contains violence that is often committed against women. Women are portrayed frequently in a condescending manner that affects childrens attitudes about sex roles. Attractive role models are the aggressors in more than 80% of music video violence. Males are more than three times as likely to be the aggressors; blacks were overrepresented and whites underrepresented. Music videos may reinforce false stereotypes. A detailed analysis of music videos raised concerns about its effects on adolescents normative expectations about conflict resolution; race and male-female relationships (Rich M). Music lyrics have become increasingly explicit, particularly with references to sex, drugs and violence. Research linking a cause-and-effect relationship between explicit lyrics and adverse behavioral effects is still in progress at this time. Meanwhile, the potential negative impact of explicit music lyrics should put parents and pediatricians on guard pediatricians should bring this up in anticipatory guidance discussions with teenagers and their parents. At the very least, parents should take an active role in monitoring the music their children are exposed Video Games Some video games may help the development of fine motor skills and coordination, but many of the concerns about the negative effects of television (e.g., inactivity, asocial behavior and violence) also apply to excessive exposure to video games. Violent video games should be discouraged because they have harmful effects on childrens mental development (Thompson KM). Parents should be advised to familiarize themselves with various rating systems for video games and use this knowledge to make their decisions. The effect of violent video games on children has been a public health concern for many years. No quantitative analysis of video game contents for games rated as suitable for all audiences were made until 2001 (Thompson KM). The study concluded that many video games rated as suitable for all audiences contained significant amounts of violence (64% contained intentional violence and 60% rewarded players for injuring a character). Therefore, current ratings of video games leave much room for improvement (Walls D) Internet Parents may feel outsmarted or overwhelmed by their childrens computer and Internet abilities, or they may not appreciate that the ‘new medium is an essential component of the new literacy, something in which their children need to be fluent. These feelings of inadequacy or confusion should not prevent them from discovering the Internets benefits. The dangers inherent in this relatively uncontrolled ‘wired world are many and varied, but often hidden. These dangers must be unmasked and a wise parent will learn how to protect their children by immersing themselves in the medium and taking advice from the many resources aimed at protecting children while allowing them to reap the rich benefits in a safe environment. The physician is in a good position to encourage parents and children to discover the Internet and to use it wisely. The Internet has a significant potential for providing children and youth with access to educational information, and can be compared with a huge home library. However, the lack of editorial standards limits the Internets credibility as a source of information. There are other concerns as well. The amount of time spent watching television and sitting in front of computers can affect a childs postural development (Salter RB). Excessive amounts of time at a computer can contribute to obesity, undeveloped social skills and a form of addictive behavior (Canadian Pediatrics society). Although rare, some children with seizure disorders are more prone to attacks brought on by a flickering television or computer screen. No data suggest that television viewing cause weakness of the eyes. It may be different when a child is closely exposed to a computer screen for long periods, although there are no definitive references to support this. Other concerns include pedophiles that use the Internet to lure young people into relationships. There is also the potential for children to be exposed to pornographic material. Parents can use technology that blocks access to pornography and sex talk on the Internet, but must be aware that this technology does not replace their supervision or guidance. 1.5 IMPACT OF TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENT Television has the potential to generate both positive and negative effects, and many studies have looked at the impact of television on society, particularly on children and adolescents (Johnson JG). An individual childs developmental level is a critical factor in determining whether the medium will have positive or negative effects. Not all television programs are bad, but data showing the negative effects of exposure to violence, inappropriate sexuality and offensive language are convincing (American academy of pediatrics). Still, physicians need to advocate continued research into the negative and positive effects of media on children and adolescents Televisions Impact on Kids Television is one of the most prevalent media influences in kids lives. According to Kids Take on Media, a survey conducted in 2003 by the Canadian Teachers Federation, watching TV is a daily pastime for 75 percent of Canadian children, both boys and girls from Grade 3 to Grade 10. How much impact TV has on children depends on many factors: how much they watch, their age and personality, whether they watch alone or with adults, and whether their parents talk with them about what they see on TV. To minimize the potential negative effects of television, its important to understand what the impact of television can be on children. Below you will find information on some areas of concern. Family is the most important influence in a childs life, but television is not far behind. Television can inform, entertain and teach us. However, some of what TV teaches may not be what you want your child to learn. TV programs and commercials often show violence, alcohol or drug use and sexual content that are not suitable for children or teenagers. Studies show that TV viewing may lead to more aggressive behavior, less physical activity, altered body image, and increased use of drugs and alcohol. By knowing how television affects your children and by setting limits, you can help make your childs TV-watching experience less harmful, but still enjoyable. You may not realize it, but there are many ways that television affects your childs life. When your child sits down to watch TV, consider the following: Learning Television can be a powerful teacher (Wright JC). Watching Sesame Street is an example of how toddlers can learn valuable lessons about racial harmony, cooperation, kindness, simple arithmetic and the alphabet through an educational television format. Some public television programs stimulate visits to the zoo, libraries, bookstores, museums and other active recreational settings, and educational videos can certainly serve as powerful prosocial teaching devices. The educational value of Sesame Street has been shown to improve the reading and learning skills of its viewers (Huston AC). In some disadvantaged settings, healthy television habits may actually be a beneficial teaching tool (Wright JC). Still, watching television takes time away from reading and schoolwork. More recent and well-controlled studies show that even 1 h to 2 h of daily-unsupervised television viewing by school-aged children has a significant deleterious effect on academic performance, especially reading. Television affects how your child learns. High quality, nonviolent childrens shows can have a positive effect on learning. Studies show that preschool children who watch educational TV programs do better on reading and math tests than children who do not watch those programs. When used carefully, television can be a positive tool to help your child learn. For older children, high-quality TV programs can have benefits. However, for younger children its a very different story. The first two years of life are especially important in the growth and development of your childs brain. During this time, children need good, positive interaction with other children and adults to develop good language and social skills. Learning to talk and play with others is far more important than watching television. Until more research is done about the effects of TV on very young children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend television for children younger than two years of age. For older children, the AAP recommends no more than one to two hours per day of quality screen time. Nutrition Studies show that children who watch too much television are more likely to be overweight. They do not spend as much time running, jumping and getting the exercise they need. They often snack while watching TV. They also see many commercials for unhealthy foods, such as candy, snacks, sugary cereals and drinks. Commercials almost never give information about the foods children should eat to keep healthy. As a result, children may persuade their parents to buy unhealthy foods. Because television takes time away from play and exercise activities, children who watch a lot of television are less physically fit and more likely to eat high fat and high energy snack foods (CPC). Television viewing makes a substantial contribution to obesity because prime time commercials promote unhealthy dietary practices (J.C). The fat content of advertised products exceeds the current average Canadian diet and nutritional recommendations, and most food advertising is for high calorie foods such as fast f oods, candy and presweetened cereals (J.C). Commercials for healthy food make up only 4% of the food advertisements shown during childrens viewing time (ditz WH). The number of hours of television viewing also corresponds with an increased relative risk of higher cholesterol levels in children (ditz WH). Television can also contribute to eating disorders in teenage girls, who may emulate the thin role models seen on television (ditz WH). Eating meals while watching television should be discouraged because it may lead to less meaningful communication and, arguably, poorer eating habits (Briggs). Sexuality Today, television has become a leading sex educator in Canada. Between 1976 and 1996, there has been a 270% increase in sexual interactions during the family hour of 2000 hours to 2100 hours (crespo CJ). Television exposes children to adult sexual behaviors in ways that portray these actions as normal and risk-free, sending the message that because these behaviors are frequent, ‘everybody does it. Sex between unmarried partners is shown 24 times more often than sex between spouses (AAP), while sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy are rarely mentioned. Teens rank the media as the leading source of information about sex, second only to school sex education programs. Numerous studies document adolescents susceptibility to the medias influence on their sexual attitudes, values and beliefs (brown JD). A detailed guide to responsible sexual content on television and in films and music can be found in other peer-reviewed publications (brown JD).  ­Some people believe that the media can influence sexual responsibility by promoting birth control, such as condom use. No current empirical evidence supports this concept; it is expected that the debate will continue. Alcohol and smoking Messages about tobacco and alcohol are everywhere in media. Kids see characters on screen smoking and drinking. They see signs for tobacco and alcohol products at concerts and sporting events. Advertising and movies send kids the message that smoking and drinking make a person sexy or cool and that everyone does it. Advertising also sways teens to smoke and drink. Teens who see a lot of ads for beer, wine, liquor, and cigarettes admit that it influences them to want to drink and smoke. It is not by chance that the three most advertised cigarette brands are also the most popular ones smoked by teens. Advertisers of tobacco and alcohol purposely leave out the negative information about their products. As a result, young people often do not know what the health risks are when they use these products. Sometimes TV broadcasts and print articles do the same thing. For example, a magazine might do a story about the common causes of cancer but not mention smoking as a top cause. Does your child know why? The answer may be that the magazine publisher takes money to publish tobacco ads or even owns another company that makes cigarettes. Canadas two largest breweries spend $200 million on advertising each year (McKenzie). On an annual basis, teenagers see between 1000 and 2000 beer commercials carrying the message that ‘real men drink beer. Convincing data suggest that advertising increases beer consumption (brown JD), and in countries such as Sweden, a ban on alcohol advertising has led to a decline in alcohol consumption (romelsjo). Tobacco products are not advertised directly on television in Canada. However, passive promotion occurs when, for example, a soap opera star light a cigarette in a ‘macho act, a Formula One race car has cigarette advertising on it or sporting events carry the names of tobacco companies. There is evidence that passive advertising, which glamorizes smoking has increased over the past few years. Television is not the only way that children learn about tobacco and alcohol use; the concern is that the consequences of these behaviors are not accurately depicted on television. One-half of the G-rated animated feature films available on videocassette, as well as many music videos, show alcohol and tobacco use as normative behaviors without conveying the long-term consequences of this use (Thomas K). Viewing habit Its easy to let your child fall into the TV trap. First you let him unwind with a cartoon after school. Then you let him keep the television on while you make dinner. Before you know it, he like the average American kid is watching four hours a day, well above the two-hour maximum limit recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. TV has a powerful hold on most school-age kids. It provides the effortless entertainment they crave. By this age, children can also have a measure of control over what they watch: Theyve mastered the remote, and their reading and time-telling skills help them figure out when their favorite programs are scheduled. Theyre also intensely curious, and TV is one way they learn about the world, says Jane Healy, PhD, author of Your Childs Growing Mind. But its imperative that parents set limits on both content and the amount of screen time. Heres why: Early grade-schoolers lack the ability to regulate their own viewing habits. And a child whos constantly glued to the set is missing out on the chance to exercise, socialize, study, and play. Numerous studies have shown that young kids who watch too much TV struggle with schoolwork and are more likely to behave aggressively and become overweight than those who dont. Want to curb your childs viewing habits? Here are seven strategies you may not have tried yet. Advertising Advertising can have positive effects on childrens behavior. For example, some alcohol manufacturers spend 10% of their budget on advertisements warning about the dangers of drinking and driving. In addition, although some health care professionals disagree about the health benefits of appropriate milk use, milk consumption has increased as a result of print and broadcast advertisements. The developmental stage of a child plays a role in the effect of commercials. Young children do not understand the concept of a sales pitch. They tend to believe what they are told and may even assume that they are deprived if they do not have advertised products. Most preschool children do not understand the difference between a program designed to entertain and a commercial designed to sell. A number of studies have documented that children under the age of eight years are developmentally unable to understand the difference between advertising and regular programming (Michael). The average child sees more than 20,000 commercials each year (AAP). More than 60% of commercials promote sugared cereals candy fatty foods and toys (AAP). Cartoon programs based on toy products are especially attractive. Advertisements targeting adolescents are profoundly influential, particularly on cigarette use (Strasburg VC). The question of whether children are more resilient to the influence of television is debated frequently. Most studies show that the more time children spend watching television, the more they are influenced by it (Strasburg VC). Earlier studies have shown that boys may be more susceptible than girls to television violence (Gould MS). Time Children in the United States watch about four hours of TV every day. Watching movies on tape or DVD and playing video games only adds to time spent in front of the TV screen. It may be tempting to use television, movies and video games to keep your child busy, but your child needs to spend as much time exploring and learning as possible. Playing, reading and spending time with friends and families is much healthier than sitting in front of a TV screen. Professional Wrestling In recent years, the entertainment industry saw the booming and revitalization of professional wrestling. Professional wrestling is so popular today that ABCs Monday Night Football and the NBA Playoffs were dominated in terms of ratings (Fennelly). Professional wrestling continuously tops the charts among cable programming. In spite of all this, what is happening to Americas youth? Vince McMahon, the chairman and owner of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), reports that 15% of his audience are 11 years old and under. Another 15% are between 12 and 17 years old. Adults from 18 years and older comprise the other 70% of the total viewers. McMahon notes his television shows are rated TV14 (McMahon). However, what happens to the 15%, or one million viewers of his audience who are 11 years old and under? Some people blame professional wrestling as the cause for an increase in violence among children. The two top organizations today are the WWF and its rival, World Championship Wrestling (WCW). WCW is a little more toned down than the WWF. In either case, violence is available to children across America every Monday night. In one episode of WCW, Macho Man Randy Savage attacked an opponent and his valets, Miss Madness and Gorgeous George, jumped off a turnbuckle onto his opponent and choked him out with a heel (Fennelly). Todays version of professional wrestling, WWF in particular, is more violent, sexual, and vulgar than ever before (Fennelly). Many pediatricians and parents argue that wrestling is teaching children at a young age everything that is bad in society. Is it acceptable to make racial stereotypes? Is it acceptable to make crude remarks? Is it acceptable to have children say, Kiss my ass or Suck it (Rosellini)? In a shocking study of 50 episodes done by an Indiana University-Inside Edition, there were 1,658 instances of grabbing or pointing to ones crotch, 157 instances of an obscene finger gesture, 128 episodes of simulated sexual activity, and 21 references to urination (Rosellini). In other episodes of the controversial wrestling shows, a mock crucifixion, SM scenes, wrestlers mooning others and a woman sucking on an Italian sausage was shown (Rosellini). Some of the characters depicted on WWF television advertise a type of message not meant for children. The character Val Venis, portrays a former film star that gyrates over opponents in the ring. (WWF Val Venis) Then, there is the Undertaker who portrays every bit of evil as a messenger of death. (WWF Undertaker) Val Venis friend is the Godfather who portrays a pimp. Before every match, a few hos (whores) accompany him to the ring. (WWF Godfather) Finally, there is Debra, who uses sex by stripping to her underwear on television to distract an opponent. Even more shocking is the way her breasts have come to be known as puppies (WWF Debra). Therefore, besides violence, kids are exposed to sex and death on television. In fact, Rena Mero, a former WWF employee, recently filed suit claiming that the WWF had become obscene and violent (USA Today Violence The amount of violence on television is on the rise . The average child sees 12,000 violent acts on television annually, including many depictions of murder and rape. More than 1000 studies confirm that exposure to heavy doses of television violence increases aggressive behavior, particularly in boys (AAP). Other studies link television or newspaper publicity of suicides to an increased suicide risk. The following groups of children may be more vulnerable to violence on television: Children from minority and immigrant groups; Emotionally disturbed children; Children with learning disabilities; Children who are abused by their parents; and Children in families in distress. Physicians who see a child with a history of aggressive behavior should inquire about the childs exposure to violence portrayed on television. Children learn their attitudes about violence at a very young age and these attitudes tend to last. Although TV violence has been studied the most, researchers are finding that violence in other media impacts children and teens in many of the same harmful ways. From media violence children learn to behave aggressively toward others. They are taught to use violence instead of self-control to take care of problems or conflicts. Violence in the media world may make children more accepting of real-world violence and less caring toward others. Children who see a lot of violence from movies, TV shows, or video games may become more fearful and look at the real world as a mean and scary place. Although the effects of media on children might not be apparent right away, children are being negatively affected. Sometimes children may not act out violently until their teen or young-adult year. Over the past two decades, hundreds of studies have examined how violent programming on TV affects children and young people. While a direct cause and effect link is difficult to establish, there is a growing consensus that some children may be vulnerable to violent images and messages. Researchers have identified three potential responses to media violence in children: Increased fear—also known as the mean and scary world syndrome Children, particularly girls, are much more likely than adults to be portrayed as victims of violence on TV, and this can make them more afraid of the world around them. Desensitization to real-life violence Some of the most violent TV shows are childrens cartoons, in which violence is portrayed as humorous—and realistic consequences of violence are seldom shown. This can be especially true of young children, who are more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior after viewing violent TV shows or movies. Parents should also pay close attention to what their children see in the news since studies have shown that kids are more afraid of violence in news coverage than in any other media content. Fear based on real news events increases as children get older and is better able to distinguish fantasy from reality The Research Center for Families and Children indicates that moderate television watching with discretion in program viewing can be somewhat beneficial for school age children. Van Evra is in agreement. Both indicate that those children who watched a moderate amount of TV performed better academically than those children who excessively watched television or those children who did not watch television at all. Research on media violence is often misunderstood by the general public. One reason has to do with research methodology. We cant randomly assign children early in their lives to watch different doses of violence on television and then 15 years later see which children committed violent crimes. But the same type of limitation also exists for medical research: We cant randomly assign groups of people to smoke differing amounts of cigarettes for 15 years, and then count the number of people who developed cancer. Tobacco researchers conduct correlational studies in which they look at the amount people have smoked during their lives and then chart the rate at which they have succumbed to cancer. They control statistically for other factors, of courseother healthy and unhealthy behaviors that either reduce or promote the tendency to develop cancer. Then they can find out whether smoking contributed to cancer, over and above these other influences. And since they cant do cancer experiments on people, they use animal studies. These are artificial, but they tell us something about the short-term effects of tobac