The Sweet Spin of Success free essay sample

Napoleon Hill, an American author, once said, â€Å"Edison failed 10,000 times before he made the electric light. Do not be discouraged if you fail a few times.† People do not learn from success, but rather from failing to succeed. To try and fail, but learn from your mistakes is something that not enough people truly know how to do. Knowing that, it seems strange that perseverance is a skill that is necessary to have success in life, one which if developed, makes everything within your reach. Lucky for me when I was three years old my grandfather decided to teach me a simple activity that would help me learn and develop this skill: spinning a top. This seemingly easy action was quite a challenge for me. I was uniquely coordinated and this was one of the few activities that did not come easy to me. I was kind of small for my age, incredibly hyper with the attention span of a chipmunk, and in a hurry to grow up and be one of the â€Å"big kids. We will write a custom essay sample on The Sweet Spin of Success or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page † At this point in my life we could go and visit my grandparents at their home in North County every weekend. They lived in a small, one-story house in Florissant. There were wooden floors in the back of the house, where most of our time was spent. We would play games, or sit around, or just go to the store. One day was different though. My grandfather pulled me away from where I had been playing with my older cousins and told me he was going to teach me how to do something he had taught all of the other cousins. That is what lured me away from my careless frolicking into what turned into and intense day of work. I had always wanted to be like the bigger kids and this was my opportunity to prove that I was in fact a â€Å"big girl.† This was the day that I discovered the determination and willpower that lay within me. My grandfather started explaining how to spin a top by showing me and explaining what you do: hold the top bit between your thumb and forefinger, squeeze it, flick your wrist and release. It seemed simple enough, or so I thought. I picked up the bright red top, mimicked my grandfather’s motions, and†¦nothing†¦it fell. I tried again and had the exact same result. â€Å"How could I be defeated by such a simple task?† I wondered. As I kept trying to get the top to whirl the blaring sounds of the television in the other room became muffled and faded into the background to the point where I could barely hear them. All of my attention was pulled to the fiendish red object and how to make it twirl. As the minutes ticked away, my interest turned into annoyance, which in turn became to frustration, which eventually lead to determination to accomplish this feat. As the afternoon wore on, my cousins had gotten bored with whatever they were doing and formed a crowded ar ound me. All of their encouraging words were falling on deaf ears, my focus was so intense. My focus was so intense that I had failed to notice the passage of time. The sun’s rays danced across the pale blue room. There was nothing besides the top, the table, my grandfather, and myself. Finally, around two hours after we started, I did it: I made the top spin. I couldn’t believe it, all my hard work had paid off. At first I thought it was a fluke, there was no way that after hours of trying that it would happen out of the blue, so I just sat there and stared at it, trapped in my own little world, but as my cousin’s cheers reached my ears and shook my back to reality, I realized that I had indeed accomplished my goal. I tried to spin that top a few more times and kept producing the same result. The top twirled around and around. The bright colors painted on top blurred together in a brilliant rainbow. I could feel the pride radiating of off my grandfather as his chest swelled up. Everyone there was extremely excited and surprised that I managed to find the will and determination it took to attain the patience to sit and learn how to do something. That day I did much more than learn to spin a top and spend an afternoon with my grandfather; I found out that not everything is easy. I discovered that when goals are more difficult to accomplish, the better you feel about being able to do it when you finally can. And because of that discovery it is one of my favorite childhood memories and one that has stayed with me the longest. I found a trait that I would need for many years to come. I discovered how to persevere.

Free Essays on Girl

While reading the story â€Å"GIRL† by Jamaica Kincaid I came to the assumption the author was trying to persuade the reader into believing that society expects much more out of a women then they do a man. I feel, now in today’s society this is somewhat true. I disagree though, with the speculation that our society puts all the jobs and responsibilities of everyday life on women’s shoulders. I do agree that women take on a part similar or equal to men in the everyday work category whether it happen to be in the job field or in the household. I also agree that in some societies this may differ. For example, my family is the type of family where both parents contribute greatly. My mother and father both work full time jobs. When they come home from work they help each other with the chores around the house. My mother though, does not support the family or do everything around the house by herself. She is not expected to do everything by herself, which contradicts t he viewpoint the story was trying to get across to the reader. Previously, in society women where expected to do the housework and take care of the children while men held the full time jobs and â€Å"brought home the bacon†. In the United States today many more women work to help support their families while in the same aspect there are many more men who decide to stay home, attend to the children and do what was earlier in past years referred to as â€Å"women’s work.† Men now take a part in society that was previously held by women or housewives. So, if this is the case, if many males are doing the jobs that where previously done by females is it the men who are expected to take on more responsibilities then women in society I do not think this is the case. So in stating this I believe I have proved the point that women do not have a heavier load then me do in our country today. Now even though I have stated this point I believe that many people do not have the same ... Free Essays on Girl Free Essays on Girl Throughout time mother/daughter relationships have had problems. On the mother/daughter relationship in the story â€Å"Girl† by Jamaica Kincaid, is Dictatorial, Commanding, and Frustrating. Due to mothers indiscretions early on in there lives the daughters are forced to pay for them. The story the â€Å"Girl† is a very good example of how the mother tries to fix her mistakes through her daughter’s life. Mothers will preach to them what not to do but in reality they really are pushing them towards doing, it. The mother in the story is very dictating towards her daughter. She tells her daughter how to â€Å"Wash the white clothes on Monday and put them on the stone heap; wash the color clothes on Tuesday and put them on the clothes-line to dry; don’t walk barehead in the hot sun.†(Kincaid p405) The mother is always telling her daughter what to do because she’s trying to prevent her daughter from making the same mistakes she made when she was her age. In the story you only hear one reference to her father. To me that’s a sign saying maybe the mother didn’t do what she’s telling her daughter to do and that could be the reason the father not there. The mother is probably the woman the baker wouldn’t let touch the bread. â€Å"always squeeze bread to make sure, it’s fresh; but what if the baker won’t let me feel the bread? you mean to say that after all you are really going to be the kind of woman who the baker won’t let near the bread?.†(Kincaid p406) The mother is just trying to prevent her daughter from becoming the town outcast. There relationship is also very commanding. â€Å"always eat your food in such a way that, it won’t turn someone else’s stomach; on Sundays try to walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming; don’t sing benna in Sunday school;†(Kincaid p406) The mother is so commanding because, it doesn’t seem like the daughter really listens. If she were listening the mother woul... Free Essays on Girl While reading the story â€Å"GIRL† by Jamaica Kincaid I came to the assumption the author was trying to persuade the reader into believing that society expects much more out of a women then they do a man. I feel, now in today’s society this is somewhat true. I disagree though, with the speculation that our society puts all the jobs and responsibilities of everyday life on women’s shoulders. I do agree that women take on a part similar or equal to men in the everyday work category whether it happen to be in the job field or in the household. I also agree that in some societies this may differ. For example, my family is the type of family where both parents contribute greatly. My mother and father both work full time jobs. When they come home from work they help each other with the chores around the house. My mother though, does not support the family or do everything around the house by herself. She is not expected to do everything by herself, which contradicts t he viewpoint the story was trying to get across to the reader. Previously, in society women where expected to do the housework and take care of the children while men held the full time jobs and â€Å"brought home the bacon†. In the United States today many more women work to help support their families while in the same aspect there are many more men who decide to stay home, attend to the children and do what was earlier in past years referred to as â€Å"women’s work.† Men now take a part in society that was previously held by women or housewives. So, if this is the case, if many males are doing the jobs that where previously done by females is it the men who are expected to take on more responsibilities then women in society I do not think this is the case. So in stating this I believe I have proved the point that women do not have a heavier load then me do in our country today. Now even though I have stated this point I believe that many people do not have the same ...

Should we drill for offshore oil Research Paper

Should we drill for offshore oil - Research Paper Example After its formation, it travels from the source rock onto the surface where it is trapped in impermeable layers of rocks and forms a reservoir. Reservoirs range in depth ranging from a hundred feet deep to thousands of feet below the surface. Others are found offshore covered with a lot of water and sediment. This product is called crude oil and is made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms that form highly combustible fuels. It also contains nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur and these three elements lower its quality, making it hard to work with. These hydrocarbons contain paraffin energy that produces gasoline, paraffin wax, and diesel fuel. In addition, an oil reservoir is a pool of these hydrocarbons that are below the surface in porous rock structures where they have accumulated. They are found in a few countries in the world and most of those in the Middle East with Saudi Arabia having the most oil deposits. It is considered a non-renewable resource as it cannot be replaced naturally, since its formation takes millions of years. Drilling is the most used method of oil extraction. Identification of the precise location of the oil begins the process. Geologists who use instruments like gravimeters and seismic surveys do this. Once the location is identified, drilling begins. When a steady flow is The drilling gun is made with explosive charges that enable oil to run through the holes in its casing. Once it has perforated properly, a tube is put into the well that allows the oil to run upwards. The tube is then sealed with a packer that is positioned along the outer part. The final step is placing a structure known as a Christmas tree that allows the flow of the oil to be controlled. Most of the extracted contains sediments that can be used for energy. If these sediments are not disposed, they can cause pollution. After the harvesting, the oil is pumped into oil tankers where it is transported to oil refineries to be refined into products useful

Why Do We Have to Die in Games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Why Do We Have to Die in Games - Essay Example We may pay an amount, or accept a game setback to come back from the jaws of death, to resume our place in the game. Likewise, at the end of the article too, she suggests that those who play video games and are attacked by laser-gun carrying space-men should realize that being riddled with bullets does imply a finality, and not merely that this eventuality could get them teleported to the local Starbucks for a cappuccino. We may draw the inference from this, that what Bevan suggests is that video-games should (perhaps) not use 'death' but some other means for eliminating players. In the course of discussing video games, Bevan also looks at how other media or means of entertainment/ games deal with the issue of eliminating players. For instance, in traditional 'games'. Team games have set rules and a time frame. According to these rules, players are eliminated so that within the given time a particular team is enabled to be declared 'winner'. This finite time frame copies real life. Though the elimination of players according to the rules of the game in no way resembles death. Also, in a game like a tennis, it is possible to lose a set, yet come back to win a match. Bevan also looks at how the theme of death is played out on stage or on the screen. Here, the audience goes through a process of identification with the protagonist. In the case of an action movie, quite often the 'hero' gets pummeled by the bad guys and is close to death before he suddenly gets energized enough to come back at them, to win the day. However, Bevan does not explicitly mention a vital difference in the roles of a person watching a play and a person playing a video game. In a play, the audience and the player are separate entities. The outcome cannot be affected by the audience. (In a reality show like 'Big Boss-as Bevan mentions-the audience can affect the outcome, but the connection between the vote of a single member of the audience and this outcome-Bevan doesn't mention this is tenuous.) In a video game, the player is both the audience and co-creator of the outcome. This is an important difference between a video game and a play/movie, which leads to different level s of psychological involvement in the game and its outcome, on the part of the player. To that extent, a video game becomes more true-to-life. Bevan mentions the three goals of playing video games-endogenous, exogenous and diegetic. Endogenous goals exist in all games-these are the goals sought to be achieved as per the rules of the game. (For instance, in chess, the endogenous goal of each player is to check-mate her opponent and avoid being checkmated). An exogenous goal comes from without. I may play a game to win money, or to humiliate my opponent and so on. The exogenous motive is not inherent in the game itself. Diegetic goals are those that a player seeks to achieve when he role-plays. When a game has several characters with their own defined personality, the player who assumes a role tries to achieve the goals as if he were actually the role he was playing. This involves subsuming my personality to take on the one as defined by a role, given in the game.

Poject Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Poject - Essay Example It manages the planning aspect carefully with the help of resources and treatment services at its disposal. It applies reasonable and meaningful sanctions against delinquent and non-conforming inmates Classification of prisoners is made on the assessment of its inmates’ security levels, checks and curative needs, thus putting up the inmates into different sanctioned programs. The criteria of classifying the inmates are the nature of crime, duration of sentence and the inmates’ attitude. The assigned institutions and correctional units differ by security levels. The Institutional Assignment Criteria is based on set guidelines for the corrections staff to recommend the most preferable institution while taking care of treatment needs as well. Different states have their own classification systems that have different security levels prevalent. After the completion of the court proceedings, the offenders are enrolled into the department of corrections as soon as final sentence of court orders reaches its office. This intake of offenders can happen at any of the DOC reception and classification facilities. Offenders are thoroughly interviewed by the expert staff to be put in a suitable security level according to which institutions are assigned The Client Management Classification System (CMC) of classification in probation and parole is a model system approach as prepared by the National Institute of Corrections. It provides an orderly method of incorporating all information to present an all-inclusive total view of the client (offender). Probation and parole officers get a complete view of the client within a span of 45 minutes interview, which otherwise could take months in any other system. CMC offers an objective method in which agents can compare their first hand impression of the client with an impartial attitude towards certain offences, resulting in a better understanding to prepare case plans of the clients. There is no need to go

Analysis of the Definitions of Abnormality

Analysis of the Definitions of Abnormality Abnormality can be described in many different ways but it is just whats not normal. The whole concept of abnormality is difficult to define and it comes in many forms that involve different features. Abnormal psychology is the division of psychology that studies people who are either abnormal or atypical, compared to members of a given society. There is also evidence that some psychological disorders are more common than some previously thought. There are different definitions of abnormality and they include: Deviation from social norms: Within every culture, there are different standards for what is seen as acceptable behaviour or socially acceptable norms. Norms are the expected ways to behave in a particular society according to the majority and for those who do not behave in such a way like everyone else is seen to break these norms. There are defined as abnormal. Social norms differ from culture to culture and what is seen as normal in one culture may be considered completely abnormal to another culture. This is an example of cultural relativism. For example in Southern Europe it is common to stand much closer to strangers, than in the UK. However, there are limitations with this definition and one is that norms can vary over-time. This means that behaviour that was seen as abnormal in one era is no longer defined as abnormal in another. An example of this is drink driving was once seen as acceptable but now it is seen as socially unacceptable. In contrast homosexuality is opposite to this. Up until 1980 homosex uality was considered a psychological disorder by the World Health Organisation (WHO), but today is considered acceptable. Failure to function adequately: Failure to function adequately (FFA) refers to the type of abnormality that prevents the individual from carrying out the different behaviours that society would expect from them. Examples of this include holding down a job, conducting successful relationships, and getting out of bed each day etc. If the person cannot cope with these demands of everyday life they are considered abnormal. Rosenhan and Seligman suggest there are seven characteristics that help define FFA and they are: unpredictably and loss of control, suffering, violates moral/social standards, irrationality, maladaptiveness (danger to self), causes of observer discomfort, and vividness and unconventionality (stands out). The strength of this definition is that is provides a practical checklist for the person to use to check their level of abnormality. However, the limitation of it is that FFA may not be linked to abnormality but to other factors such as their economic situation. Also, there are many people who take p art in harmful behaviour or is seen as threatening to one self however we do not class them as abnormal. This includes drinking alcohol, adrenaline sports, smoking and skipping classes etc. Statistical infrequency: This definition of abnormality comes under an individuals thinking, trait or behaviour. If these of the person are rare or statistically unusual, they are classified as abnormal. However, it needs to be clear how rare a behaviour or trait can be before it is classed as abnormal. For example, one person may say that if an individual who has an IQ score below or above the average level of IQ in society, they are seen as abnormal. The strength of this definition is that the statistical approach helps to address what is actually meant by normal in a statistical context. It aids us to make cut off points in terms of diagnosis. The limitations of this definition are that it fails to recognise desirable and undesirable behaviour. For the example of the IQ level being above the normal average, it wouldnt necessarily be seen as abnormal, but would be regarded as highly desirable. Conversely, obesity is seen as statistically normal but is not associated with desirable or healthy. As this definition implies that the presence of abnormal behaviour in people should be rare of statistically unusual, this is not the case. Any specific abnormal behaviour may well be unusual, but it is not unusual for people to exhibit some form of prolonged abnormal behaviour at some stage in their lives. Deviation from ideal mental health: Jahoda (1958) put forward six criteria necessary for ideal mental health and any absences of these characteristics indicted that the individual was abnormal, basically displaying deviation from the ideal mental health. The six criteria by which mental health could be measured are: Autonomy and independence Positive view of the self Accurate perception of reality Environmental mastery Positive friendships and relationships Capability for growth and development According to this given approach, the more of these six criteria are met, the healthier the individual will be. However, the limitations of this definition and theory are that it is very difficult for someone to meet the whole criteria and achieve all of the ideal characteristics all the time. For example, a person might not be able to have an environment mastery but are happy with their situation. There are very few people who can and this suggests that there are very few people who are psychologically healthy. The absence of this one criteria of ideal mental health does not indicate they are suffering from a mental disorder.

The Advantages of a Small Company

Small businesses, or â€Å"mom and pop† organization are the backbone of this country. From the days when European settlers first founded our nation, entrepreneurs recognized an opportunity and strove to fill the needs of their clientele, even if it was only in exchange for a commodity like food. Today, in an economy filled with big box retailers like Wal-Mart, communications giants like AT&T and food and beverage conglomerates like Nestle, what is often missing is the human touch. Back when our parents were growing up, buying groceries meant a trip to the local market where the butcher cut your meat while you waited and a visit to the pharmacy often included a soda fountain treat served up by the teenager who lived down the street. Shopping was never a quick errand but also served as social time for chit chat between neighbors and friends. Bigger is not always better. The presence of huge corporations is slowly forcing the small business owner to either get out or find new ways to compete for business. Certainly you cannot call AT&T’s customer service line and find a relative on the other end of the line who will ensure you receive the utmost in care and maybe even include a recipe for that casserole you admired at last weekend’s Sunday social. Chances are that when you purchase a bag of dog food made by Ralston-Purina, a division of Nestle Foods, there will be no representative of the company asking after your satisfaction and your ill grandmother’s health. Modern-day society could only benefit from a return to the standards of small business practices such as used to be common. After all, wouldn’t a personal touch go a long way towards developing necessary relationships within our communities? References Fredman, Catherine, (June, 2007). Executive Secrets: Small Business, Big Impact. Retrieved August 13, 2007 from United Hemispheres: http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com/jun07/executivesecrets.html   

Government by the People Essay

The population growth has caused concern for many Americans because of the terms of numbers and poverty that comes with this growth. There is a pattern showing of wealth transferring from poorer nations to the richer nations of the globe and the information technology revolution is speeding this cycle up. With population growth reaching new heights new concerns for increasing urban growth has emerged. Planning for transportation, environment protection, or management of water and other resources are needed. Unregulated markets forces will hurt individuals and â€Å"politics as usual† will not mandate viable growth patterns or protect the air, water and natural beauty of our country. Planning and growth depends on public support and market forces. In order for plans to be effective they must show he same interests and values of major groups within the community. Even with the fear of the government, something that is generally accepted hampers a lot of effective planning. But it is clear that for any planning to work there must a consensus between â€Å"planners, community leaders, and the popularly elected officials who must bear the responsibility for implementing the plans† (Magleby, O’Brien, Light, Peltason & Cronin, 2006, p. 649). This planning for our country, communities and societies along with its citizens has given the United States the status of world power. But controversy has erupted from the resent war with Iraq that questions our authority. I’ve heard many individual claims that America is expanding its empire, rather than fighting for freedom. Our rise to a world power has come because of our industry, colleges and universities, multiple government institutions, military strengths. This along with our innovations in science, technology and medicine catapulted us into our status. Development of such things as television and jet airliners gave America the edge it needed to jump to the top of the ladder. They have also helped to spread our ideologies of democracy and westernization. It has created globalization and keeps it going. Our commerce and business growth has only helped with this globalization. Companies, such as IBM and General Motors have given the national government firm grounds in business. Our national government promotes â€Å"a prosperous economy through its monetary and fiscal policies† (Magleby, O’Brien, Light, Peltason, & Cronin, 2006, p. 437). The Department of Commerce has been at the center of the government’s efforts to promote economic growth and encourage businesses to do research and new development. These companies are at the heart of this economic growth plan. But more recently new development has been needed to keep these companies afloat as technology and innovation continues to climb new heights. Turning outdated companies into the companies of the future. The introduction of the electronic superhighway mandates companies to use e-commerce and if they can’t they might get left behind. The internet has given us a faster way for just about everything. It has even influenced society, culture and lifestyles. The Progressive Era began in United States during the mid 1890’s and continued through World War I. It was a time when individuals were beginning to have concerns with the state of society. It also brought about a belief in human compassion and how new innovations along with scientific investigation could somehow show what the problem was with ways of solving the problems. This reformation shows even in today’s time. Our social construct has great bearing on our national government. Take for example the debate on same-sex marriages. Our government has made laws that pertain to this issue, but some in society believe government has gone too far. But the core issue at stake, that I believe, has something to do with insurance. I don’t believe that our national government is trying to establish social norms, but rather maintain certain expectations of commerce and business. Reference: Magleby, D. B. , O’Brien, D. , Light, P. , Peltason, J. W. , & Cronin, T. E. (2006). Government by the People: National, State, and Local 21st. Ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Healthcare Benchmarking and Quality Improvement Essays

Healthcare Benchmarking and Quality Improvement Essays Healthcare Benchmarking and Quality Improvement Paper Healthcare Benchmarking and Quality Improvement Paper Benchmarks are relevant to all health and social care settings. Therefore, the benchmarks are presented in a generic format in order that they can be used in, for example, primary, secondary and tertiary settings and with all patient and or career groups, such as in pediatric care, mental health, cancer care, surgery and medicine. It is important that those benchmarking (including patients and careers) agree on the indicators that demonstrate best practice within their area of care (UK-Department of Health). Benchmarking can be utilized in the following ways: Staff Performance: Benchmarking is often used as a method to determine performance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  standards for office functions. Examples may be as basic as the number of calls answered, appointments made and medical records pulled. This process provides a true measure of staff productivity capabilities. Physician Performance: This benchmarking process only works if the physician being reviewed is truly interested in becoming more efficient. The basic premise is to examine what aspects of the physicians daily schedule is productive, (Time actually spent with patients) and non-productive, (time spent not rendering services to patients). The objective is to reduce non-productive time and leverage the physician’s impact. 3. Statistical Performance: This benchmarking process evaluates the practice’s statistical performance to best practice standards. Statistical comparisons include some of the following: charges, adjustments, revenues, expenses, gross/net collection percentages, and account receivable days. Performance measurement might seem strange to some organizations, but the concept of measuring and monitoring performance is not new to healthcare facilities. Requirements for public overview of healthcare facilities demand that performance data be collected, analyzed, and monitored for reimbursement, Federal and state record keeping, and accreditation purposes. As a result, most healthcare facilities already track key productivity indicators. And as state and Federal regulations require the reporting of more data, healthcare facilities will be in an even better position to assess their performance and share comparative information about performance and operations with other facilities for mutual benefit. Indeed, the greatest value to be gained from all of the performance data that healthcare facilities are gathering may well emerg from the process of comparing that data. Healthcare facilities often are quite similar in the complexity of their organizational structures, operational and clinical services, and corporate missions. That similarity will benefit healthcare facilities as they begin benchmarking efforts.     Business survival is increasingly difficult in the contemporary world. In order to survive, organizations need a commitment to excellence and a means of measuring that commitment and its results. Benchmarking provides one method for doing this. As the author describes, benchmarking is a performance improvement method that has been used for centuries. Recently, it has begun to be used in the healthcare industry where it has the potential to improve significantly the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and quality of healthcare services.   In the contemporary world, business survival is defined as long-term economic viability achieved through excellent performance. To maintain the excellence needed for survival, however, businesss enterprises must find a way of consistently measuring and improving their performance.   Productive ideas and methods are not limited to a single industry. Cross-industry benchmarking also can offer excellent opportunities for borrowin good ideas and processes. But finding suitable partners with applicable ideas from other industries can be time consuming and costly. For example, calling a fire department to discuss the process of bringing both equipment and manpower to an emergency site can generate a number of exciting ideas, but finding the best performing fire department would take long hours of research. Because benchmarking is an ongoing effort, working first within the healthcare industry for short- and medium-term solutions will help position a facility for later cross-industry initiatives (Anderson-Miles, 1994).

Cardiovascular Diseases Medicine Essay Sample

Cardiovascular Diseases Medicine Essay Sample Cardiovascular Diseases: Causes and Prevention Essay Example Cardiovascular Diseases: Causes and Prevention Essay Example Cardiovascular diseases are a topic that is widely popular and constantly discussed among physicians. Cardiovascular diseases, colloquially abbreviated as CVDs, refer to those illnesses associated to both the heart and blood vessels (Bauer, 2011). As far as medical research is concerned, there are myriad of cardiovascular diseases, each with associated symptoms and causes. Common CVDs include hypertensive heart disease, stroke, ischemic heart disease, peripheral artery disease and rheumatic heart disease. There are associated cardiovascular illnesses that are not significantly dominant; these include atrial fibrillation, aortic aneurysms and cardiomyopathy. This paper examines cardiovascular diseases and their causes. The paper will broadly be divided into three sections: cardiovascular diseases, main causes and prevention techniques. The essay will subscribe to both scholarly articles and scientific literatures to offer a comprehensive coverage of the topic. Stroke, also called cardiovascular arrest, is the leading cardiovascular disease (Labarthe, 2011). Stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is immediately interrupted. Strokes often appear in two ways. The first type involves the cases when blood vessels transporting blood to the brain might break leading to immense bleeding inside the brain. This type of cardiovascular arrest is called hemorrhagic and is mostly common in old people and those experiencing heart diseases and conditions. The second type of stroke is the ischemic stroke. This happens when a clot forms inside the blood vessel transporting blood to the brain abruptly stopping the supply of blood. The second type of stroke is the most common and usually proceeds due to a number of reasons including old age, shock and associated cardiovascular illnesses and conditions (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). Often, stroke as a type of cardiovascular disease occurs as a result of blood blockage inside the brai n leading to death of important brain cells. When cells do not receive blood, they are not oxygenated, which means that they can easily die due to shortage of oxygen. More specifically, stroke occurs due to the failure of blood to reach the brain, which results into death of cells. The American Heart Association observes that strokes kill close to 130,000 people in the United States per year. This figure translates to one in every 20 deaths (American Heart Association, 2015). On average, the AHA states that in every four minutes, one American dies of stroke. Another statistic quotes that annually, more than 785,000 Americans are diagnosed with some form of stroke. Of all these victims, approximately 61,000 are first to the disease or completely new to some form of heart illness (Watson Preedy, 2012). Overall, medical sources and health research institutes are in unanimous agreement that stroke is the fifth leading cause of demise for the American population (American Heart Associat ion, 1997). Stroke Variance with Age Scientists who have conducted research in cardiovascular illnesses argue that stroke is the greatest and most dreaded form of the disease. The number of people who continue to die from strokes is overwhelming meaning that this condition is a national health disaster. Now, it has become a common phenomenon and principle that the chance to have a stroke increases with age. More specifically, older people are amenable to a higher risk than their young counterparts. A study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention observes that in 2009, 34% of patients diagnosed with stroke were 65 years and above (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). This means that three-quarters of stroke victims were more than 65 years in age. In such a way, it is clear that stroke is a condition that needs to be evaluated from the age-criterion. Geographic Distribution of Stroke Geographically, the southeastern part of the United States hosts the largest number of stroke victims. The prevalence of stroke across the United States is mostly attributed to the southeastern part (Smith, 2009). The states where the cases of strokes are multiple include Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Maryland, Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee and the District of Columbia. Statistically, these states represent the highest number of stroke victims meaning that a close analysis and evaluation of the population should be done. Geographic distribution of strokes has been researched to identify if environmental and social problems are potent factors influencing cardiac arrest or strokes. In addition, recording the number of victims in each state and determining the leading states with victims is an important step in the fight against this cardiovascular disease. Causes Stroke is a cardiovascular disease meaning that it affects the heart and blood vessels. However, stroke is not anonymous, and similar to many other health conditions, it comes as a result of certain causes. High blood pressure is directly linked to stroke, which makes it the leading cause. When the rate of blood flow is high, the plasma is likely to build a clot. Dr. Kenneth Bauer, the managing director of Harvard Medical School argues that enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX) influences blood clot; thus, taking aspirin may help inactivate this enzyme (Bauer, 2011). Stroke victims are prescribed aspirin-related drugs and substances to inactive the enzyme and minimize the formation of blood clot inside blood vessels. Aspirin drugs inactivate the enzyme making platelets less sticky and overall reducing their likelihood to clot. However, high blood pressure may activate the enzyme leading to stroke. Therefore, high blood pressure is likely to induce stroke. People, especially those who are ident ified to be amenable to strokes, should be cautious on conditions that may increase blood pressure (Spence, 2006). The second fold of causes for stroke is cholesterol. Cholesterol is a waxy and thick substance made in the liver and found in most consumed foods (Spence, 2006). Often, high amounts of cholesterol are perilous as they build around arties leading to slowed rate of blood flow. In such a way, cholesterol deposit in the artery narrows vessels, which leads to failure of blood flow towards the brain. In addition, cholesterol buildup slows down blood supply, which may become a precondition to a stroke and associated conditions of cardiovascular illnesses. The third fold of causes for cardiovascular diseases is connected with lifestyle. Most people are exposed to consuming take away foods and associated meals, which increases the risk of having a heart disease. Basically, red meat and junks pose the risk of heart diseases. More specifically, they cause such heart conditions as valve failures and irregular heartbeats. The cumulative force of these conditions leads to the overall comprise of blood flow into the heart. As seen above, stroke comes as a result of failure of blood to reach the heart and vessels’ complete destruction, which leads to blood deposit inside the heart. Therefore, it is clear that lifestyle and courtesy of consumed foods can result to increased chances of heart conditions leading to stroke. Physicians have pursued research that links diabetes to stroke. For example, Albini et al. in the study of cardiotoxicity argue that diabetes mellitus attracts conditions related to stroke (Albini, Pennesi, Donatelli, Cammarota, De Flora, Noonan, 2009). Indeed, diabetes leads to a stark shortage of insulin, an enzyme that is responsible for the transportation of sugar and glucose inside brain cells. Lack of transportation of sugar leads to a build-up of glucose inside the vessels. This thickens the blood making it very hard for a streamlined flow. Other causes associated with stroke include the sickle cell disease, salt, lack of physical activities and transient attacks. These causes are less sensitive than the ones mentioned above although some of them pose equally greater challenges for stroke. The International Journal for Nursing Studies observes that cardiac disorders are potent entry points for stroke. The journal advises that slight illnesses and diseases that have dominant connection with stroke should be taken seriously by physicians and medical experts. This should be done to minimize the greater risk of stroke, both hemorrhagic and ischemic arrests (IJNS, 2014). The next part of the essay examines signs and symptoms of stroke. This part of the paper will subscribe to medical journals and related publications to give a comprehensive coverage of symptoms that a typical for stroke victims. Signs and Symptoms of Stroke A sudden numbness on the face, hand and arm is the first characteristic of an upcoming stroke. Patients recently diagnosed of ischemic stroke report sudden dysfunction of these organs. The Center of Disease Control is in agreement with the Clinical Digest that stroke is likely to induce failure in movement of these body organs leading to a reduced flow of blood. Confused and slowed speech is another symptom. Patients attacked by stroke are reported to experience difficulties in understanding, communication and a stark inability for speech. There are reported cases of sight failure. Stroke patients experience trouble seeing and perceiving sight with both eyes. In a number of cases, one eye is open although the other fails to function. This failure is mostly attributable to the section of the brain that is subject to low blood supply. The inability to see ensues from the fact cells on this particular side of the eye are dead. Loss of balance and lack of proper coordination is another symptom of stroke. Patients stagger, tremble physically and fail to identify direction. This failure mostly comes as a result of the cerebrum damage. Lack of blood supply to the brain incapacitates the cerebrum, which is part of human’s brain responsible for movement, locomotion and balance. The International Journal of Nursing observes that stroke induces severe headache. Stroke victims experience continuous aches on the left side of the head. This is the section mostly hit by lack of sufficient blood supply (Esselstyn, 2007). Other sources argue that there are both acute and sub-acute cardiotoxicity on the brain, which leads to severe incidences of headache. The force of headache as a result of stroke is what leads to associated symptoms: confusion, dizziness and to some extent lack of speech. Prevention and Risk Minimization Similar to most cardiovascular diseases, stroke can be minimized and potentially prevented. However, due to genetic reasons, it is hard to prevent it at a later stage, especially for individuals whose families have encountered this CVD. The first fold of efforts to prevent stroke is to identify risk factors. These include previous heart diseases, high levels of cholesterol in food, lifestyle, conditions and signs of high blood pressure, diabetes and sickle cell illness. Identification of the above risk factors enables the physician notice the possibility of a stroke. Therefore, it is easy to prepare for a stroke through prescription of appropriate medication including aspirin (Bauer, 2011). Another risk minimization technique is exercises. Physical activities burn excessive fats and oils. This makes it hard for cholesterol to deposit inside the walls of blood vessels. Physical activities and exercises also increase the rate of heart beat allowing cardiac muscles to range with the unprecedented pace. More specifically, when the heart continuously pumps due to exercise, there is a significant increase in the strength of valves and tendons. These components of the heart become strong and do not fail due to an unexpected shock. In a publication to counter the risk of cardiovascular arrest or stroke, the Harvard School of Medicine observes that lowering blood pressure by eating low quantities of salt is important. The source also supports loss of weight and consumption of adequate water as imperative towards preventing stroke (Bauer, 2011). Water burns cholesterol, fats and oils inside the human body minimizing deposits in cardio-vascular walls. Also, behavior has an impact in the formation of stroke-related conditions. Smokers are twice more likely to experience cardiac arrests than other people. Smoking also accelerates the formation of clot in myriad ways. It heightens the build-up of plaque and thickens the blood. Dr. Smith of the Harvard School of Medicine notes that smoking cessation is among the leading lifestyles that will help smokers reduce the risk of stroke (Smith, 2009). The final effort to prevent and minimize the risk of arrest involves medication. The Journal Cardiotoxicity of Anticancer Drugs argues that it is more likely for a patient to suffer from both cancer and stroke. These diseases are related, and, therefore, there is a growing need to put special emphasis on antitoxic medications that are likely to counter initial effects. Doctor Bauer attaches critical significance to aspirin prescriptions in efforts to minimize the effects and attack of stroke. More specifically, aspirin inactivates enzyme cyclooxygenase, which hinders the formation of blood clot. Therefore, aspiring should be prescribed on a continuous for patients with potent signs of cardiac arrest. However, in cases of surgeries or when patients are likely to undergo a surgical operation and exercise, aspirin intake should be monitored or completely eliminated. Failure to do this might lead to a rebound effect, which is a phenomenon that increases the chances of having stroke twice . Thus, as much as prescriptions should be leveraged to counter adverse risks and conditions, they should be monitored on individuals depending on previous medical records. The above efforts represent the overall collective fight with stroke and the majority of cardiovascular illnesses. Observing the above measures will not only save a patient from stroke. It will equally assist them to prevent an array of CVDs: hypersensitivity, peripheral artery disease, rheumatic heart disease, atrial fibrillation and aortic aneurysms. Fight against Cardiovascular Illnesses – The American Heart Association The efforts of the American Heart Association (AHA) in making heart disease an important topic for Americans cannot be overlooked. The association drives critical cardiovascular models, systems and changes all over the United States. This is done to achieve the best practice in healthcare. By visiting the association’s website, one will be impressed by the number of initiatives, campaigns, researches and studies going on in the creation of lifestyle and health awareness on CVDs. The American Heart Association represents the collective efforts towards fighting cardiovascular illnesses. Obviously, it is high time to unite and implement the efforts that have been channeled in making healthcare a priority. The American Heart Association is not a building, as well as it is not a structure. Neither is it an erection or a fabrication. The association is a body of concerned Americans willing to champion the well-being of the nation. The large body of professionals, volunteers and supp orters incorporated inside the AHA is what moves the nation closer to the American dream. This represents the collective fight towards cardiovascular illnesses, in particular, stroke and associated heart diseases. The essay has described the phenomenon of cardiovascular illnesses. The paper has dissected into three primary sections: causes of cardiovascular illnesses (the most dominant which is stroke), signs and symptoms of stroke and associated heart diseases, and prevention and risk minimization techniques. The essay examines myriad academic sources and medicine journals to offer an expansive and critical view to the topic. Of special concern for the paper was to examine the current and future fight towards cardiovascular diseases. Here, the paper has identified the American Heart Association as the greatest body of advocacy and awareness against cardiovascular illnesses. The above analysis surmises the paper adding knowledge and creating insight into the threat of cardiovascular illnesses.

William Blake's The Chimney Sweeper intends to change the mind and Essay

William Blake's The Chimney Sweeper intends to change the mind and hearts of its readers. Explain how this might be supposed to work upon the consciousness and conscience of Blake's contemporaries - Essay Example Blake’s major poems are represented in two collections: Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. First collection of poems has many similar images of children, besides it presents many religious and social themes. The name of the collection implies that the themes and issues are present from the perspective of a child. The world is shown in the light which is different to the one an adult sees it. In his two collections of poems Blake presents the same themes, but in different lights and from different angles using words ‘innocence’ and ‘experience’ for collections’ titles. On the one hand, the contrast of the issues presented in the two great collections is strikingly vivid. However, on the other hand, the two opposing visions of life are equally important and necessary for better understanding of the wholesome picture of reality. State of innocence is a child’s vision of things and understanding of the world, while state of experience is a mature person’s perception of reality. One cannot be without the other. Two components, child’s innocence and adult’s experience, put together can create a wholesome picture of the reality and the world we live in. The poet makes his best to present all the truth of life through contrasting images of his two complementary collections of poems (Gallant 124). Blake’s intent ion is to change reader’s mind for the better by identifying evils and corruptions present in English society. He makes his contemporaries think of the reality they live in and perceive it objectively and adequately. Songs of Innocence is the representation of childhood and naivetà © it entails. Blake’s poem The Chimney Sweeper is one of the poems published in Songs of Innocence (1789). The poem contains all the hopes, fears, and naivetà © altogether a child might experience, especially during the time when child labor was such

Ethical Dilemmas faced by property professionals Essay

Ethical Dilemmas faced by property professionals - Essay Example The large retail development scenario given raises several issues in relation to the concept of acting professionally within the building and surveying profession. These ethical dilemmas issues include: First, in relation to the RICS ethical principle of integrity, there is the ethical question of the demolition of a group of historic buildings, which are used as small retail units by local independent shops, to replace them with a large retail development. The actual ethical dilemma arising under this situations, is the conflict between modernizing the economy of the large city through the construction of modern retail building that might attract large business, thus growing the economy of the city and creating employment for the locals on the one hand, and the morality of displacing the local independent shop owners by the large retail business on the other hand. According to the Theory of Ethics, basic rules can be applied to determine the right or wrong of an action (Dabson, Plim mer, Kenney & Waters, 2007:6). In this respect, the ethical theory is therefore highly concerned with the procedures, and thus the theory holds that the fairness or otherwise of an outcome, is judged entirely by the fairness or lack of fairness in the process (Dabson, Plimmer, Kenney & Waters, 2007:6). In this respect, the RICS Professional and Ethical Standard of integrity is evoked by the scenario, where the integrity question refers to the truthfulness and the honesty of any action that is taken (RICS, 2013:n.p.).