A Contemporary Artist Essay

Laurie Anderson was born in Chicago in 1947. She is a conglomerate of talents – music, writing, fiction, philosophy, sculpture and film – in one human form. The Bernard College in New York and the Columbia University share the fame of being Laurie Anderson’s alma mater. Her piece of work has an artistic flavour and wins applaud for its central quality of mystery, melodrama and humor with contemporary theme. Laurie Anderson’s Theme Anderson’s goal was ‘dissolving barriers between people. ’ In one of her interview (2007) she said that all her work involves some kind of escapism, ‘imagining a body to be somewhere else. Music reminds you about your body, but it also takes you out of it. All art is a form of escape, but music is in particular. ’ Some of her renowned performances are United States (I-IV), Speed of the Darkness, Moby Dick: Songs and Poems, etc. Homeland – a Master Piece One of Laurie Anderson’s masterpieces ‘Homeland’ in the year 2007 held sway over her audience for its contemporary theme. It is a scintillating 100-minute performance in which she sings, speaks, plays violin and keyboard. Theme of Homeland The theme of Homeland ponders over the modern America, its withered freedom, its war on Iraq, and the issue of global warming. Laurie Anderson’s wit is revealed when she asks, â€Å"Was the constitution written in invisible ink? † Homeland portrays children being treated as crusaders of war – a clear message that their future is at stake. She touches on the country’s mislead path, bad rulers, and the civilians with troubled state of mind. Her song expresses that no real personal relationships are maintained. The consumer culture on the high is understood through her reference to underwear gods. Homeland is a magnificent song with the combination of sweet choruses, soft violin & cello duets, and the maestro Peter Scherer’s keyboards. Homeland is gloomy but it has wit in it. It is an expression of fear and disappointment but is full of heart and soul. Homeland is a true reflection of our troubled times. References L. Anderson, personal communication, 2007. Retrieved February 7, 2009 from http://www. pbs. org/art21/artists/index. html Retrieved February 7, 2009 from http://www. musicianguide. com/biographies/1608002294/Laurie-Anderson. html

Swot Dropbox

Strengths: first one to have the idea of cloud storage with synchronization, accessible where you want from any devices, simple design easy to use, exactly same data everywhere you go principle of synchronization, saved in dropbox. com if your laptop is out of use you have access to your files online, enable multi-users to share files, revision-history button to recover deleted files, 2GB storage for free to attract the consumers, pop up if you connect a usb stick or SD card to your computer â€Å"do you want to synchronize these files with Dropbox, turn loyal customer into salesperson: 250MB for free if referral (1/4 of Dropbox users come this way), no files capacity transfert limitation.Weaknesses: need access to internet to download Dropbox, 2GB limited storage for free (competition eg amazon offers 5GB for free as already mentioned by Janine), you cannot store more than the available place on your device, dealing with paid search advertisement, security problem in 2011.Opportuni ties: engagement on social media, deal with HTC to be default cloud storage on Androids, talking about it with 6 other phone firms then PC and TV, E marketing benefits: control, reach, interactivity.Threats: competitors such as Google or Apple could overtake the leader position in B2C market, competition offers lower prices, if Dropbox does not implement himself better in the enterprise market they could loose market shares of B2C market because it has been proven that home market copies enterprise market, possibility of cloud back up system being attacked by external or internal users ? introduction of a spyware through Dropbox

Biological theories Essay

The article Alleged king hitter’s criminal record revealed details the alleged assault against a youth in Sydney’s Kings Cross, which subsequently resulted in his death. Shaun McNeil has been charged with murdering the youth, and the article reveals that he previously had a number of assault-related criminal convictions. The incident has been followed by intense campaigning for tougher laws and heavier penalties for those convicted of alcohol-induced violence. Cesare Lombroso’s ‘born criminal’ theory articulated that some individuals experience a primitive form of development that is ultimately less evolved than those of non-criminals (Bernard et al 2010, p. 38). Applying the theory of biological indicators of criminal behaviour to all cases of criminal incidences may be problematic. Modern criminologists have generally rejected the notion that biological factors alone can be used to explain criminal behaviour, as it is difficult to ascertain whether biological factors and criminality have a genuine causal relationship (Roque et al 2012, p. 306). As such, biological theories may be more persuasive when considered in correlation with environmental factors. The environmental factor most relevant to the case of McNeil is alcohol consumption. While there are many possible relationships between violence and alcohol, one of the most convincing explanations is an increase in aggression due to the alcohol-induced reduction of serotonin in the brain (Bernard et al 2010, p. 53). It is likely that alcohol consumption in this case was a contributing factor to the assault. McNeil’s prior criminal convictions are also noteworthy, as there may be a correlation between past violent outbursts and the consumption of alcohol. It is arguable that ‘the acute and chronic effects of alcohol on committing more aggravated assault imply that once a person becomes a violent offender, either drinking before offending or high average alcohol consumption constitute a probable cause for additional violent acts’ (Zhang et al 1997, p. 127 0). Crimes that have some biological basis can be difficult to manage if law and order policies attempt to address the biological factors alone. Addressing the environmental factors that contribute to these crimes is likely to be  the most effective approach. Crimes such as this may be managed through the restriction of alcohol sales, a measure that has already been put in place by the New South Wales government. More specifically, such measures should be targeted at high-risk locations, including areas that contain a significant amount of bars and nightclubs and attract a large amount of young people. References: Bernard, T, Snipes, J & Gerould, A 2010, Vold’s Theoretical Criminology, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Rocque, M, Welsh, B & Raine, A 2012, ‘Biosocial criminology and modern crime prevention’, Journal of Criminal Justice, vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 306-312. Ross, C 2014, ‘Alleged king hitter’s criminal record revealed’, Nine News, 4 January, viewed 17 March 2014, Zhang, L, Wieczorek, W & Welt, J 1997, ‘The nexus between alcohol and violent crime’, Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, vol. 21, no. 7, pp. 1264-1271.

It & Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

It & Entrepreneurship - Essay Example It also provides the facility of connecting to people located anywhere in the globe with minimum cost (Bertucci & Alberti, n.d.). However, it has been viewed that with the growing competition and globalisation, large business houses are implementing strategies that not only aid them in making a business process more effective but also enable them to decrease various operational cost by a considerable extent. In this regard, intranet is considered to be one of the most common forms of computer network that is observed to be applied in many organisations to make the entire working process more efficient. It is a form of computer network that implements Internet Protocol (IP) technology to spread data, operating systems or computing systems within an organisation. In general, Intranet is a process through which all the computers within a defined area are connected using networking technologies in order to facilitate a smooth flow of communication amid individuals or group of individuals within an organisation (SlideShare Inc., 2011). The main objective of this study is to evaluate the basic notion of intranet along with its key features. Additionally, the study would also provide a few of the best features that can be built into an organisation’s intranet that would help the entire set of employees to learn and mutually inspire each other to work better. Discussion Employees within an organisation are considered to be one of the most valuable assets as they are responsible for conducting activities that would aid the organisation to achieve its pre-set goals and objectives. However, in many aspects, it has been viewed that improper construction of the organisation’s intranet at times fails in motivating to learn and inspire employees within the workplace (Weidenhammer Systems Corporation, 2013). A few of the facets that results in establishing such aspects within an organisation are stated hereunder: Problems Relating to Intranet Organisations At Tim es Ignore End Users: It has often been viewed that organisations often put business needs in-front of end user needs. However, it can be proclaimed that end-users do not see value in portals that directly do not help them in completing the assigned tasks lucidly (Prescient Digital Media Ltd., 2013). Change in the Working Process: With the growing literacy rate around the globe, it has been observed that individuals who have just come out of colleges or universities are being recruited as they are viewed to be more active and equipped with modern organisational needs. However, it has been determined that this group of individuals are most active and work in the process they think is the best suited for the completion of the assigned tasks (Prescient Digital Media Ltd., 2013). Organisations Underestimate the Cost and Complexity of Redevelopment of the Portal: It is predicted that the aspect of rapid change in the technological aspect would continue forever. Thus, organisations often a re not able to update the intranet in accordance with the recent developments made for high cost which results in ultimately stopping the working process (Prescient Digital Media Ltd., 2013). Intranet At times Lack Fresh and Relevant Contents: Creating content or updating the intranet within an organisation is very essential as things go on changing rapidly. However, it has often been viewed that the network lacks proper updating of data that would aid employees to complete their tasks efficiently. This ultimately results in demotivating the individuals to learn or

'All-inclusive resorts can never be reconciled with principles of Essay

'All-inclusive resorts can never be reconciled with principles of sustainability - Essay Example Despite all these, little has been done concerning tourism resorts as a tourism destination, more so the all- inclusive resorts. An important issue for discussion in tourism development has been the sustainability development. However, deeper understanding is given by addressing the concepts of demand and supply in relation to market conditions. The key issues associated with sustainable tourism are the achievement of social inclusion, effectual environmental protection, and reliable economic development. These are yet to be seen if achievable with the all-inclusive resorts. Many have had to look for ways of encouraging and enhancing international diffusion, as well as knowledge exchange. This has to do with the volatile nature of tourism as a business; the reason for this dynamism is political instability and fluctuation of currency (Nagle, 1999). This paper also discusses the key issues facing the industry, the main challenge being globalisation. Tourism as a business entity responds to globalisation by creating alliances and collaborations. The public sector is mostly concerned to provide protection to small businesses that face the challenge of globalisation. It has to be acknowledged that the tourism industry has not been embracing the advantages of the knowledge economy, especially by utilising management practices and increasing competition through innovation and development of new products. A well networked tourism industry incorporates adequate knowledge of globalisation and economy. By so doing, the industry benefits from global trends. Network developments can be used to see the weak points in the industry by examining destination and tourism. Anon (2011) identifies that â€Å"embeddedness within networks is identified as a key strategy for survival for contemporary tourism businesses† (p. 261). The concept of tourism sustainability began in late 20th century when the tourism industry turned green (Swarbrooke, 1999). The aim was to have

Protocols and Policy to Secure Software Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Protocols and Policy to Secure Software - Essay Example This invasion is done for the express purpose of taking advantage of the weaknesses that can be found in the software by the hacker and is usually done for monetary gain (Vacca, 2009). There are a number of measures that have been taken as a result to try and prevent this sort of interference by hackers and a number of cyber security standards have been developed with the aim of improving the level of protection that is available to this market. Cyber Security Standards Cyber security standards can be defined as the various established standards of security that have been set up by a number of bodies involved in the computer industry to assist organizations in the practice of safe techniques regarding security so as to reduce the number of successful attacks on their cyber security systems and if possible negate them altogether (Kontoghiorghes, 2006). The latter aim may prove to be difficult as hackers have become adept at countering the various measures that have been set up to keep them out and thus it considered to be a continuous process whereby weaknesses are identified, exploited and then fixed and improved by the organizations. The security standards have however have gone a long way in improving the level of security that is practiced by organizations and can be said to have provided guidelines on the best way to protect one’s company form cyber security attacks. These standards provide organizations with certain techniques and outlines that they can implement to enhance their cyber security. Some certain standards offer organizations that have been able to successfully implement the outlines and techniques that they have set out official cyber security certification that shows the company’s achievements. The certification is done by an accredited body that looks into the company before deciding whether they have reached the required level of success in their implementation to acquire the certification (Sipser, 2006). This certification ho lds a number of advantages for organizations that are able to acquire it such as enabling the company to easily acquire insurance policies on cyber security (Wong & Yeung, 2009). This is especially important in today’s technology market considering the high number of hacking incidents that take place on an almost daily basis and the sizable economic risk that comes with the potential of successful hacking attempts (Sipser, 2006). The loss of information can lead to a huge hit on an organization’s financial status and thus insurance on this risk has become a necessary endeavor for many large organizations. Popular Cyber Security Standards There are various standards that are available to organizations but some of the more popular cyber security standards include; ISO 27002 This can be considered to be a high standards guide to achieving cyber security for organizations and can be said to be the most popular cyber security standards that is currently available in the mar ket (Kontoghiorghes, 2006). The standard actually incorporates parts of BS 7799 good

Trust Situation paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Trust Situation paper - Assignment Example Not until this is achieved that one will receive an annual income from the fund. Before this time the trustee (may be a bank), manages the fund in a manner appropriate to the trust funds specifications. After this time, the beneficially will usually receive allowance may be for living expenses and or educational expenses (Matthews, 2006). A trust may be revocable or irrevocable. A revocable trust provides for any modification or termination without the permission of the beneficiary. After grantor, has transferred all or part of his assets into the trust, he as from that effect withdraws all his rights of ownership from the assets and the trust. Mr. Raymond has a recoverable Trust, this means that he can alter the terms of the trust or even terminate it without consultation with his children who are the beneficiaries of the trust. A recoverable trust allows the grantor to change the terms of the trust or take the property back at any time (Hayton, 2005). This is not in accordance with the interest of the beneficiaries, and therefore it raises concern to the children of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond. (2) In harmony with the terms of the agreement, the trustee will distribute benefits to the trust beneficiaries or as per the orders from the grantor who can at any time change the terms of the trust. The trustee (bank) as the holder of the property is all times required to act in the best motive of maximizing the trust benefits. This responsibility of loyalty to clients is referred to as a fiduciary obligation, and it places a high reliance standard of care and expectations upon the trustee (bank) (Matthews, 2006). The copies of the bank statements indicate that there have been massive withdrawals for the trust by Mr. Raymond although the trust investment has been positive. This can be attributed to the manner in which Mr. Raymond has been spending on the many trips he takes to visit his children and also for leisure overseas. When the trust funds are

Dealing with Unhealthy Food Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dealing with Unhealthy Food - Essay Example From this essay highlights that the national rate of obesity in the case of adults is twenty four percent while it has been approximated to be as high as fifty two percent in Manchester and the adjacent Clay County. There have been efforts to understand the degree of obesity from various quarters and recently, Michelle Obama, the first lady, lead other stakeholders in unveiling the findings of a task force on obesity. The findings showed that the rate of obesity in children was increasing and there were a limited number of places where people could purchase foods that were nutritious. Places such as Manchester are likely to be more affected by the obesity crisis in future as there is no department that is responsible for recreation or parks. Apart from this, most of the establishments that operate up to late at night are fast food places and this is quickly increasing the number of overweight people.This study discusses that the issue of being overweight may also be attributed to the feeding culture as children are required to clean their plates at mealtimes before they can leave the table. The children are required to eat all their food even when they are already full. There is also the issue of denial or a fear of knowing and the people consider that the only time there are supposed to be weighed is when they go to the doctor even though they do not visit the doctor. Others eve consider obesity as a hereditary issue that they are not in a position to control.

Firms Making Competitive Moves Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Firms Making Competitive Moves - Assignment Example This study stresses that among the advantages of being a first mover, is especially when making the exceptional initial moves in a particular market that allow a specific firm to come up with a dominant position that other businesses strain to overcome. A sufficient example of this is the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) that established a very strong bond with the officials of China in leading the Western Fast Foods, as they were the initial western restaurant that entered China first. Currently, they are still the leading firm in the rapidly growing market. Among the disadvantages, a first mover cannot be so certain about the likelihood of the customers in embracing the offerings that make the initial moves inherently risky.This paper declares that  a time a rival or even a competitor introduces a disruptive innovation that in most cases conflict the existing competitive practices for instance the emergence of online trading where the executives make informed choices from three main responses. First, they might think that the innovation could effectively replace the established offerings therefore choice on focus particularly on the traditional methods of business. Second, a firm could choose to overcome the challenge by attacking different dimension and perspective. Finally, simply a firm may decide to match the competitors’ direction of the move.  A Blue Ocean Strategy entails the creation of a new and untapped market instead of competition with rivals in an existing market.

Diagnosing Relational Problems Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Diagnosing Relational Problems - Research Paper Example Principally, this regards gender and sometimes accepts the reality of the predicaments. This differs across culture or ethnic backgrounds, where some may deny or accept depending on their belief (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2011). For instance, mental ailments where some cultures attribute their occurrence as fueled by evil spirits, hence they lack any cure especially the indigenous Chinese. Another factor entails detection of a single disorder in an individual. According to practitioners, a sole disorder may be a representative of comprehensive disorders in one category. Patients normally have multiple health predicaments that entail multifaceted approach and treatment. This is primarily, when dealing with couples who may seem not to comprehend well about their predicament. Couple or family therapy encompasses openness amid the patient and the practitioner, so that the latter may be able to elicit the predicament effectively. This diagnostic process is appropriate since it enables a practitioner apply life cycle and developmental progress tool. This entails how the couple might have handled a related predicament together before. This would enhance that cooperation during the present ailment, which may be affecting one member (APA, 2000). The practitioner enhances their cooperation through encouraging communication and privacy where possible. This is especially if the predicament’s repercussions do not affect other members, for illustration, infertility. The approach is similar to a sole person’s diagnosis. Since, in some occasions, if the predicament is severe the practitioner may decide to involve a family member. The Purpose of this is to ensure that the patient is accountable and adheres to the already set medical procedures (Yingling, 1998). DSM-IV-TR assessment encompasses distinguishing features of V- codes, which must be the focus treatment by interacting with members of the relational unit (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2011). It is

Analyze, discuss, and interpet Machiavelli's Art of War Essay

Analyze, discuss, and interpet Machiavelli's Art of War - Essay Example In this case, through detailed discussion and analysis of the aspects of war, one can apply the theories, mores, virtues, and principles, to that of the nation’s affair and consequently to civilian life. Military and State Since the problem of an ideal society or state has already been exhaustively discussed by Aristotelian and Socratic philosophers; For Machiavelli, the problem that he would like to delve on is how to expand and maintain the power of the state, which must be ordered for the benefit of the greater good of the people. To answer this, Machiavelli always would look back at history i.e. Rome, Sparta, Greece, and discovered a very important pattern—that powerful empires emerge out of violent victories. And it is through this premise that he patterned his ideals of leadership as characterized by his ‘Prince.’ â€Å"For men change their rulers willingly, hoping to better themselves and this hope induces them to take up arms against him who rulesà ¢â‚¬  (Machiavelli, â€Å"The Prince†). Ergo, one of the many important points that could be derived from â€Å"The Art of War† is that military leadership is synonymous to civil leadership. Because war is innate and inevitable as man is in constant conflict with himself, political objectives would be the defining force and or limitation of it. War is fought because of political motives—which again reinforces another premise that Machiavelli made—that civil and military life is inseparable. That the way we function—the mores, principles, and standards that we apply in the military is also applicable or could also govern civil actions. For instance, the discipline of the soldiers could be instilled to workers; the essence of always being prepared for battle—stability under pressure, is a mindset that could be adopted in civilian affairs to be able to handle pressures of everyday life. Military as an Expression of Power Another important poin t that Machiavelli made is that military capabilities of a nation are the direct expression of power. The prince, to be an effective and powerful leader must also have an effective army. To prove his point, he again drew example from history â€Å"Rome remained free four hundred years while armed: Sparta eight hundred: Many other Cities have been dis-armed, and have been free less than forty years.† If a nation does not have an effective army, it must hire foreigners to fight its battle or for it to have someone defending its borders and citizens. But Machiavelli also warned that hiring foreigners for military could pose more dangers, as compared to maintaining your own, as these people could easily corrupt the citizens. When a nation has its own military, it â€Å"has not other fear except of its own Citizens† (Machiavelli, â€Å"Art of War†). Military Strategy and Tactics vis-a-vis Politics According to Sun Tzu, â€Å"the art of war is of vital importance to the state. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which

Extreme sports Essay Example for Free

Extreme sports Essay The X Games is one of the more popular sporting events, where people gather to watch athletes compete in extreme sports. Some of these sports include skateboarding, mountain biking and motorcycle racing. The community around extreme sports can sometimes be seen as exclusive and particular when it comes to defining what an extreme sport is and who is a true extremist. Originally, I believe the extreme sport community created this division of athletics because they thought their sports did not fit in at a standard sporting event. Part of the reason some the extreme athletes participate in their sport is because they see it as  a way of defying the boundaries of what is seen as a typical sport. Most extreme sports are about pushing limits. Extreme sports are not conventional in the sense that practicing isn’t really necessary, a coach isn’t necessary, and the sports are very individualistic. Some of the extreme sport athletes do it for the adrenaline rush. They do it purely for themselves. Their reasoning contrasts to some of the other sports where lots of practice and coaching is essential for success. A lot of the athletes that compete in non extreme sports are focused on getting sponsors or when you’re younger, getting recruited for college. For the extreme sport community this is considered to be feeding into the capitalist society/culture. Part of extreme sports is about taking risks and not having anything to fall back on. The X games have put a strain on the extreme sports community because some seem to think that the event has altered the true goal of the sport, which is to take risks and to go against the mainstream culture. Some people seem to believe that it has become like the other sporting events, in the sense that there are now big sponsors and judges. They argue that the extreme athletes are no longer taking risks because they want to make  sure they can land the trick. The goal is no longer to try new tricks and push the bar, but its more about doing what you know will please the judges. This goes against what extremist originally wanted for the sport. It takes the risk out of it and you no longer do it for yourself but for the judges. The fact that there are sponsors is also a cause for controversy because some people see it as the athletes being sellouts. For example, Tony Hawk is famous skate boarder. He has a lot of sponsors, video games, and ads. Some say he is no longer a true extremist because of it. At the same time, what makes the sports in the X games more extreme than say diving or gymnastics? Both sports are very individualistic and there is a lot of a risk, yet they are not seen as extreme sports. I think the extreme sports community has tried to make their community too exclusive and extreme sports benefit from the X games and the sponsors and judges it brings. The event does bring aspects that were not originally a part of the sport, but the extreme sports community will grow now. Extremist can still continue to push limits and do the sport for themselves despite what others may think.

User centred design | Analysis

User centred design | Analysis Introduction Nowadays, User Centered Design has been embedded in many design works. This essay seeks to explore the nature of this approach. This essay is split in to four sections. The first section is to provide a definition for User Centered Design while the second section will explain the benefits of using this approach with examples. I will then move on to discuss the limitations of User Centered Design and a conclusion will come afterwards. What is User Centred Design? User Centred Design is an approach which aims at increasing the usability of products, and therefore making them more effective in meeting users needs. This approach requires the designer to focus on the users throughout The planning, design and development of the product. (UPA resources, no date) Norman (1999) described user centred design as Transforming difficult tasks into easy ones. It requires the designer to study the users before designing. User Centred Design approach often requires a great deal of involvement from the users during the process. Carrying out this approach often includes collecting end users opinion right before the start of the project, as well as during the design process, and designing with them. The objective of this is to allow the designers to have a good understanding of the subjects who will use the product. Therefore, good interaction between designers and users is the key under this approach. UCD is widely recognized and there is an international standard which serves as a benchmark and a guideline. International standard ISO 13047:Human-centered design process outlines the 5 stages of a typical UCD design, which are identifying need for human centered design, specifying the context of use, specifying requirements, creating design solutions and evaluating designs. (UPA Resources, no date) These steps define only general procedures but not exact methods. In fact, these standards do not outline how each phrase should be carried out. For instance, specifying the context of use can be done by surveys, observations, interview and many other methods. Advantages of User Centred Design Norman (1999) first suggested UCD is essentially a series of procedures that simplifying difficult tasks through exploiting natural properties of people and of the world, simplifying the structure of tasks, making both execution and evaluation sides of an action visible, exploiting natural constraints and designing for error. Aesthetics is not considered as a need in his original definition of UCD. Needs of end-users in study during a UCD process should not be only those associated with functions of a product, but also users unexpressed needs including, but not limited to, needs for aesthetics. Norman (2004) introduced three levels of user centered design namely Visceral design, Behavioral design and Reflective design. Visceral design is about the appearance of the product which aims at capturing peoples attention that they would never forget it or replace it with others. A design that people love it when they see it the first time is a successful visceral design. The Muji Bath Radio is essentially a radio which is designed to be used in bathrooms and it fits in with the bathroom with a playful element. This product is designed by Industrial Facility. It is fun only when it gathers with the Muji refillable shampoo bottle, they appear to be a family; the bottle itself and even the label of the shampoo are of the same size with the speaker of the radio. Using it is very straightforward, simply turning the top to adjust the volume and on or off while the AM and FM tuning section is at the bottom. The radio is sealed to ensure it is water resistant to protect the radio due to the environment that it is being used (Fig. 1-3). (Industrial Facility, 2009) Behavioral design is the functional part of a design. The product needs to be functional and easy to use. Norman suggested that even some products are complicated and users need to learn how things works but it should be learnt once only. Apple increased the usability of Mac computers by making the interface of software written for Mac OS similar. Therefore, once the basic controls are learnt, users can manage a variety of software for this system easily and quickly. Another good example would be hook-and-loop fastener which makes tying shoes easier and serves as an alternative to shoelace. It is also a design that focuses on users. Tying a shoelace is an everyday but potentially difficult task for children and infirm adults due to its inherent complexity. Hook-and-loop fasteners simplify tying shoes and provide an easy alternative to shoelaces. Many may argue that this example is not significant but as Norman (1999) suggested; this simple design caters the needs of users and solves the difficulties of a large segment of population. Reflective design is about the message the product gives to the user and the way the product represents the person who uses it. Sometimes people buy a product is not for the physical outcome but the psychological outcome. The main selling point of this type of design is not their functionality but things like prestige that owning the design brings. For instance, People drink Fair-trade coffee may not really concern about the farmers benefit in the third world. They may do so to show to others how kind and generous they are. Nowadays, many businesses have incorporated this ideology into their product range. Creating products which consumers actually need and want often feeds through to higher sales and hence higher profit. Brand image will also be benefitted. One of the key benefits of UCD approach is that it allows designers to attain some level of understanding of the users needs. According to Parsons in Blueprint November 2009 (2009, p.54), before UCD is being widely adopted, designers have to use their experience and knowledge to guess the needs of users. This in turn may create a mismatch between the product and the needs of end-users. UCD ensures efficient use of time and resources. Limitations of User Centred Design However, UCD is by no means a perfect model and may not be the ideal solution in some cases. I am going to illustrate the limitations and disadvantages of UCD in the following paragraphs. UCD is often characterized as time-consuming and costly. Many UCD designers believe that market research is generally not an appropriate way to understand the behavior of the end users. Users may not do what they told market researchers and there are often unexpressed needs such as those associated with attractiveness and aesthetics. For the sake of gaining a full and reliable understanding, UCD designers often observe their users directly such as observing how end-users actually carry out specific tasks. Observing a range of subjects can be expensive and definitely takes a great deal of time as well as effort. However, it is possible these observations are subjected to Hawthorne Effect whereby individuals change their behavior when they know they are observed. (Campbell, Maxey and Watson, 1995) These observations may not be reliable after all. Moreover, end-users may not know what they truly need. They may not know if they really need or desire the product until they actually see it. Therefore, participation of users in the earlier stages may not be too helpful. Furthermore, without the technical background as a professional designer has, what users think might work might not work in practice. Also, too much commitment to satisfy the needs of a particular targeted users group may overly complicate the design which reduces its usability by other users. Norman (2005) suggested that If a user suggestion fails to fit within this design model, it should be discarded. A balance between doing what consumers want and maintaining the usability should be achieved. UCD is an ideology, which is the manifesto of many designers. However, usage of UCD procedures does not guarantee the product is useful for the users. Although there is an international standard which outline the general structure for typical UCD projects, the methods to go about these procedures are decided by the designer. Besides, due to time and budget constraint, designer can only study the behavior of a particular sample. There is again no guarantee the sample is representative for all the targeted users since everyones needs are somewhat different. In addition, the sampling method used directly determines the reliability of these observations. Users needs are influenced by many external factors and hence needs are subject to changes. This is especially the case for visceral design and reflective design, which is subject to changes in the social culture. What is trendy at this moment may not be so in the next. Under UCD, designers spend a long time to gather input from users and encourage them to get involved in the design. By the time the product is produced, users needs may have changed and thus it no longer meets the new needs. There are many examples where products, which have not gone through UCD procedures, are highly successful. Moreover, these products require the users to adapt them, which is exactly the opposite of what UCD is about. (NORMAN, 2009) For instance, chopsticks require the users to learn and adapt them. Learning to use chopsticks can be difficult and there are a couple of new products aiming to replace chopsticks. However, they are still used by a huge segment of the population. Individuals have different preferences and needs. A product aiming to satisfy the needs of one group may in turn compromise the need of another group. Take hook and loop fasteners as an example again, they are not as flexible in the adjustment of the tightness of support as shoelace and versatile. This design is originally targeted to young children, elderly and disabled. As Norman (1999) suggested, hoop and loop fasteners are not used in sports shoes such as football shoes and boxing boots. User centered design does provide a general benchmark to judge the quality of a design upon. However, using this principal as a basis of design may not be beneficial as it limits the creativity of a designer. The following example will illustrate this. The Step is the first unique cooker which extraordinarily holds both gas and induction heat (IH) hobs and it is designed to accommodate a variety of cooking type and level. It is designed by Industrial Facility and produced by KichenAid. It owns three professional gas burners, two induction plates, cast-iron grates, cast-iron grill, solid ergonomic controls with built-in electronic ignition and with a Vitroceramic and stainless surface. The hobs are divided into two levels. The gas hob with the grill is higher and far from the front because it needs to handle heavy pans. The induction heat surface is at the front and is the same level with the worktop and able to provide an extra space for the work. (Industrial Facility, 2009)Gas is always perfect for heavy cooking whereas induction heat is normally for fine cooking and one is not happened to perfectly replace the other. From the user centered design view, in this case, consumers could enjoy cooking without sacrificing either one coo king method. From my point of view, this is neat and modern but after all it is merely a combination of two existing product. Why spend time to work on how to re-design something instead of creating a new cooking technique? You will never know if something works unless you have tried. UCD sometimes prevent designers to start from scratch. It often places too much emphasis on the point tools adapts human which limits the creativity of the designer. In fact, in many cases, needs arise only when a new product launches. For instance, before telephone and SMS messages were launched, people did not know they demanded communication in these forms. Conclusion Finally, I believe every products starting point is human centered. Every single existing product is human centered. We design because we want to improve peoples life by using our products. Every project, we work on the appearance, functionality, and narratives of the design. Although the priority may vary, we design useful products, no matter it physically does the job or psychologically does the job, it definitely have a positive outcome. A design could have been better does not mean it is not a good design. Without a doubt, listening to the end-users opinion is wise and helpful in design in many cases. However, basing our designs solely on what consumers want can be problematic. This is because users often lack the expertise. Having users involved is beneficial but they cannot replace the job of designers. (Parsons, 2009) I believe striking a balance between the two is essential. Bibliography Published Materials Journal CAMPBELL, J., MAXEY, V., WATSON, W.,1995,Hawthorne Effect: Implications for Prehospital Research Annals of Emergency Medicine, Volume 26, Issue 5, Pages 590-594 Books NORMAN, Donald. Emotional Design: Why we hate love (or hate) Everyday things, The MIT Press. 2004 NORMAN, Donald. The design of Everyday things, The MIT Press. 1999 Articles in Periodicals Parsons, Tim. User centred design, through enlightened in theory. Blueprint, November 2009, p.54. Internet Material Bath Radio, Industrial Facility. http://www.industrialfacility.co.uk/if.html, 13 Dec 09. Step, Industrial Facility. http://www.industrialfacility.co.uk/if.html, 13 Dec 09 Human centered design considered harmful, NORMAN, Donald. http://jnd.org/dn.mss/humancentered_design_considered_harmful.html, 13 Dec 09. What is UCD?, UPA Resources. http://www.upassoc.org/usability_resources/about_usability/what_is_ucd.html, 13 Dec 09. Step 90cm, Walter Dix Co. http://www.wdix.co.uk/Products/RangeCookers/KitchenAid/Hobs/Step90cm/tabid/457/Default.aspx, 13 Dec 09.

The Community Analysis Of Homeless Families

The Community Analysis Of Homeless Families This paper analyzes the social issues surrounding homeless families and describes the extent of the problem within the U. S. community, while comparing the U.S. community to other communities in other parts of the global system. Causes listed in this paper include unemployment, mental illness, drug or alcohol abuse, and lack of affordable housing. Three theoretical models guide the analysis: social systems theory, functionalist theory and conflict theory. The data come from statistics of homeless families in the U.S. and global communities. These results deliver some evidence for current explanations for homeless transitions, and they propose probable avenues for additional research on the dynamics of homelessness. Macro Community Analysis Homelessness is a significant concern within the U. S. and global community. This situation arises when its individuals are poverty stricken and do not have regular access to affordable housing. In the U. S. in the early 1980s, families with young children became one of the fastest growing segments of the homeless population and now consist of 34% of the homeless population, which includes 23% children and 11% adults (Burt et al., 1999). The issues of homelessness have always been a problem around the world, even though it varies greatly, it has been considered to be one of the oldest social dilemmas in the world. Any day, no less than 800,000 individuals are homeless in the U.S., including about 200,000 homeless families. Most homeless families have incomes below 50% of the federal poverty level that makes it nearly impossible for them to find rental property within their means. To make matters worse, as many as 70% of homeless people struggle with serious health problems, mental an d physical disabilities, and/or substance abuse problems (Burt, 2001). Countries have different ways of reporting homelessness, dissimilar measures with which to define homelessness. Some countries have no policy regarding this condition at all and for that reason are unable to report on the statistics. Causes and Effects of Homelessness As mentioned, homeless is also a global issue and not a problem specific to the U.S. It is estimated to be around 3 million homeless individuals in 15 countries of the European Union. Philip Alston, Chairperson of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights since 1991 states that on any given night, three quarters of a million people in the United States are homeless; in Toronto, Canadas largest city, 6,500 people stayed in emergency shelters on a typical night in late 1997, a two-thirds increase in just one year (Unicef, 1998). Furthermore, abuse and assault appear to be silent characteristics of homelessness. Studies have frequently found, in the histories of both individuals and families who are homeless, high rates of sexual and physical abuse in childhood, frequent foster care and other out of-home placements, and a variation of other family disruptions. Those that are always getting assaulted by their families might choose to run away and seek shelter in the streets than consent to a life of day-to-day abuse from beatings and molestation. The most significant reasons why people become homeless may be due to the inaccessibility of affordable housing for low income people. Studies show that people are likely to become homeless out of unavoidable situations. There are people who do work but they earn too little to pay for rent, electric, gas, and other housing utilities and expenses. If a person becomes unemployed, they will be unable to pay for anything at all. Homeless Families Demographics Although homelessness is a difficult number to measure, one way to analyze the extent of the problem is through demographics. According to The National Center on Family Homelessness (2008), the typical sheltered homeless family is comprised of a mother in her late twenties with two children. Eighty-four percent of families experiencing homelessness are female-headed. This is due to number of factors: Most single-parent families are female-headed (71%). Single-parent families are among the poorest in the nation and as such, are extremely vulnerable to homelessness Several family shelters do not take men into their programs, causing families to separate when they become homeless Families of color are overrepresented in the homeless population. Nationally: Forty-three percent are African-American Fifteen percent are Hispanic Thirty-eight percent are White, non-Hispanic Three percent are Native American Families experiencing homelessness frequently have limited education: Fifty-three percent of homeless mothers do not have a high school diploma Twenty-nine percent of adults in homeless families are working Forty-two percent of children in homeless families are under age six (The National Center on Family Homelessness, 2008). The lack of reasonable housing has led to high rent payments for families that already struggle to pay their living expenses. These issues force many families to become homeless each day. A solution would be to lower the cost of housing, provide more support for those that are in need, and for the government to recognize that homelessness is a large scale problem. Application of Theory Social Systems Theory Social inequality is shown all over the world stemming from situations of race, gender, and age. An individuals social environment includes all situations a person comes into contact with on a day-to-day basis such as the individuals home, job, and income level, and the social rules that govern them. Person-in-environment refers to interaction between an individual and the multiple systems surrounding that individual, and adaptation refers to ones capability to change in order to adjust to new situations. In order to endure, an individual must be able to function effectively within their social environments (Kirst-Ashman Hull, 2002). The important factor behind the social selection model is that homelessness signifies the final point in a process characterized by the slow reduction of an individuals social and economic resources. As an individuals substance use escalates, the persons financial reserves are exhausted as they sustain an increasingly expensive habit. They either fall into rent debts that leads to eviction (Bessant et al., 2002), or family relationships break down leading to homelessness (Coumans Spreen, 2003). Fountain and Howes found that 63% of their sample of homeless people in Britain named drug or alcohol use as a reason for first becoming homeless. The researchers decided that drug use is traditionally seen as one of the major routes into homelessness, and this was borne out by our survey (Fountain Howes, 2002, p. 10). This compares to the above U.S. percentages that have reported drug and alcohol abuse as one of the causes of homelessness. Functionalist Theory Homelessness can be explained by functionalism, a theory developed by Durkheim. Poverty is best understood from a mixed perspective involving conflict, by Karl Marx and functionalist, by Emile Durkheim. Since poverty certainly plays a role in a homelessness community, this theory certainly applies. In my opinion, functionalist theory explains that our country does actually help those in need but occasionally we can be unsuccessful. This theory continues to remind us to live practically and tells us that the social order does essentially work (Meyerhoff 2006). Regrettably, at this time, scientific studies of family homelessness have been unable to instantaneously reflect all of these probable risk factors. Most of the research can be divided into those studies that present family homelessness as the product of separate faces or of community conditions, without examining both factors together (Shlay Rossi, 1992). Conflict Theory Conflict theory, which is significant to the analysis of the homeless condition, is the belief that the means of mental capability and mental achievement plays a role in the determination of what interests will be articulated effectively. Conflict theory studies the macro level of our society, its structures and organizations. While functionalists dispute that society is held together norms, values, and a common morality, conflict theorists consider how society is held together by power and coercion for the advantage of those in power (Ritzer, 2000). Though individuals and groups appreciating great wealth, prestige, and power have the resources needed to impose their values on others with fewer resources, Max Weber, a theorist viewed a range of class divisions in society as normal, inevitable, and acceptable, as do many contemporary conflict theorists (Curran Renzetti, 2001). Webers theory separated the class of individuals into bourgeoisie and proletariat. Bourgeoisie are those capitalist who possess the means of production while the proletariat is deemed as the working class; they are the ones who sell their own labor power. These groupings show how people are classified according to their status in life. It basically defines the societys state of inequality that is stabilized and reproduced through cultural ideology (Meyerhoff 2006). Social Ill within Turley Homelessness Poverty and inequality continues to afflict many residents in Turley, Oklahoma. The best theory that explains the social ill in Turley, Oklahoma, is conflict theory. One of the conflicts impacting Turley residents is the lack of transportation and close health care facilities. Without access to transportation, residents cannot get to work or to doctors or hospitals easily. Webers theory separated the class of individuals into bourgeoisie the haves, and the have-nots were called proletariat. It would be ideal if Marxs idea of constructing a fundamentally equal society where there is no competition for wealth and power (Meyerhoff, 2006). It is known that several of Turley residents have less than other communities. One of the social ills within the Turley community is the many houses that are abandoned, boarded up, falling down or even burned-out by vandalism, which results in minimal to no housing for Turley residents. Also, from low income or unemployment, this may be caused by lack of transportation. This can result in individuals becoming depressed and utilizing drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism. Prolonged use of drugs or alcohol may result in a mental disorder. People who have complicated life issues related to mental illness and of drug or alcohol use are the most common people who tend to be homeless. There is a common perception that substance abuse and homelessness are linked, but there is considerable contention about the direction of the relationship (Kemp, Neale, Robertson, 2006; Mallett, Rosenthal, Keys, 2005; Neale, 2001; Snow Anderson, 1993). Many people in Turley, Oklahoma are homeless due to lack of affordable housing and lack of access to health care facilities, both of which makes life worse for residents with mental illness or substance abuse problems. Severe mental illnesses may be caused from substance abuse and affect peoples ability to carry out vital stages of everyday life, such as retaining a job, household management or even self-care. Mental illnesses may also prevent people from forming and maintaining stable relationships or cause them to misconstrue assistance from others and react in an angry manner. This often results in pushing away family, friends and caregivers who may be the force keeping that person from becoming homeless. Some studies indicate that substance abuse is a risk factor for homelessness, whereas others suggest that homelessness induces drug use (Neale, 2001, p. 354). Summary In summary, when comparing the U. S. to other global communities, the causes of homelessness were similar, with poverty being the leading cause. To effectively address homelessness, communities need a clear understanding of the problem and realize that it could affect anyone at any given time. Homelessness continues to be an increasing problem and requires social action to overcome the injustice that those people suffer. A change can be made by building or offering affordable housing units to people with low or very minimal income, as well as shielding families from the abuse they may get exposed to and trying to help guide them in the right path. Finally, through helping communities with programs that assist addicted individuals to overcome their addiction as well as people with mental illness by providing affordable health care programs, the homeless have an opportunity to rise above their current situation. As a Child Welfare Supervisor, I selected this particular social justice issue because several of the children that come into OKDHS custody will age out of the system without a permanent home or family, which results in most of them becoming homeless; this was learned in our Child Welfare Trainings. I wanted to learn more about this ongoing problem and feel it is very important that we help homeless people obtain a better life.

Learning Styles and Strategies :: Teaching Education Essays

Learning Styles and Strategies My learning style is generally well balanced between active, reflective, sensing and intuitive learning. However, I have a more moderate preference toward the visual learning over verbal and the sequential over global learning. The results of my test did not surprise me. I realize that I comprehend better when shown how to do something over reading directions from a text. I feel the assessment of my test was very valid and the questions that were asked were relative to the process. I believe that my test results were very accurate. As a learner the instructional strategies that work best for me are the visual along with sequential and I would use these in a classroom with games, graphs, pictures, charts, films, and other tools. To help students that do not learn in the same way, an instructor must incorporate other strategies in the classroom to accommodate each of the different learning styles. This would include using the reflective learning style by giving the student a chance to think about a subject and come to a conclusion to bring to class a discussion. It would also include addressing the verbal learning style by assigning reading material of different types the student could address in class. An evaluation quiz could be used in the classroom utilizing each learning style to access the different learning styles of the students, giving the instructor information about her students learning skills. This information could then be used to better structure the class material so that each student is accommodated. There are many different technologies out there that can be helpful in today’s classroom to address the different learning skills of students.

Suffragettes :: American America History

Suffragettes In Great Britain, woman suffrage was first advocated by Mary Wollstonecraft in her book A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) and was demanded by the Chartist movement of the 1840s. The demand for woman suffrage was increasingly taken up by prominent liberal intellectuals in England from the 1850s on, notably by John Stuart Mill and his wife, Harriet. The first woman suffrage committee was formed in Manchester in 1865, and in 1867 Mill presented to Parliament this society's petition, which demanded the vote for women and contained about 1,550 signatures. The Reform Bill of 1867 contained no provision for woman suffrage, but meanwhile woman suffrage societies were forming in most of the major cities of Britain, and in the 1870s these organizations submitted to Parliament petitions demanding the franchise for women and containing a total of almost three million signatures. The succeeding years saw the defeat of every major suffrage bill brought before Parliament. This was chiefly because neither of the leading politicians of the day, William Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli, cared to affront Queen Victoria's implacable opposition to the women's movement. In 1869, however, Parliament did grant women taxpayers the right to vote in municipal elections, and in the ensuing decades women became eligible to sit on county and city councils. The right to vote in parliamentary elections was still denied to women, however, despite the considerable support that existed in Parliament for legislation to that effect. In 1897 the various suffragist societies united into one National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, thus bringing a greater degree of coherence and organization to the movement. Out of frustration at the lack of governmental action, however, a segment of the woman suffrage movement became more militant under the leadership of Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughter Christabel. After the return to power of the Liberal Party in 1906, the succeeding years saw the defeat of seven suffrage bills in Parliament. As a consequence, many suffragists became involved in increasingly violent actions as time went on. These women militants, or suffragettes, as they were known, were sent to prison and continued their protests there by engaging in hunger strikes. Meanwhile, public support of the woman suffrage movement grew in volume, and public demonstrations, exhibitions, and processions were organized in support of women's right to vote (see photograph). When World War I began, the woman suffrage organizations shifted their energies to aiding the war effort, and their effectiveness did much to win the public wholeheartedly to the suffragist cause. Suffragettes :: American America History Suffragettes In Great Britain, woman suffrage was first advocated by Mary Wollstonecraft in her book A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) and was demanded by the Chartist movement of the 1840s. The demand for woman suffrage was increasingly taken up by prominent liberal intellectuals in England from the 1850s on, notably by John Stuart Mill and his wife, Harriet. The first woman suffrage committee was formed in Manchester in 1865, and in 1867 Mill presented to Parliament this society's petition, which demanded the vote for women and contained about 1,550 signatures. The Reform Bill of 1867 contained no provision for woman suffrage, but meanwhile woman suffrage societies were forming in most of the major cities of Britain, and in the 1870s these organizations submitted to Parliament petitions demanding the franchise for women and containing a total of almost three million signatures. The succeeding years saw the defeat of every major suffrage bill brought before Parliament. This was chiefly because neither of the leading politicians of the day, William Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli, cared to affront Queen Victoria's implacable opposition to the women's movement. In 1869, however, Parliament did grant women taxpayers the right to vote in municipal elections, and in the ensuing decades women became eligible to sit on county and city councils. The right to vote in parliamentary elections was still denied to women, however, despite the considerable support that existed in Parliament for legislation to that effect. In 1897 the various suffragist societies united into one National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, thus bringing a greater degree of coherence and organization to the movement. Out of frustration at the lack of governmental action, however, a segment of the woman suffrage movement became more militant under the leadership of Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughter Christabel. After the return to power of the Liberal Party in 1906, the succeeding years saw the defeat of seven suffrage bills in Parliament. As a consequence, many suffragists became involved in increasingly violent actions as time went on. These women militants, or suffragettes, as they were known, were sent to prison and continued their protests there by engaging in hunger strikes. Meanwhile, public support of the woman suffrage movement grew in volume, and public demonstrations, exhibitions, and processions were organized in support of women's right to vote (see photograph). When World War I began, the woman suffrage organizations shifted their energies to aiding the war effort, and their effectiveness did much to win the public wholeheartedly to the suffragist cause.

Business case on MS woes Essay

1. Describe the human resource planning implications for Microsoft in terms of the SWOT analysis. HR planning at Microsoft may consider performing its own SWOT analysis to enhance higher-level analyses at the company. We should expect that the firm’s HR planning would include points such as : ​Strengths: †¢ Talented employees at the â€Å"top of their game† in the industry †¢ Reputation as an industry leader Weaknesses: †¢ Conflict management )infighting) †¢ Compensation and benefits are no longer perceived as competitive or favorable Opportunities: More aggressive and focused recruiting efforts Marketing existing compensation and benefits Threats: Competitors, such as Google and e-bay. New entries into the industry 2. In your opinion, could these dramatic resignations have been predicted by Microsoft management? Defend your position. History repeats itself. In other industries, the front-runners eventually faced competition in the marketplace for customers and resources, which includes human resources.If Microsoft had solid communication mechanisms in place to field feedback from dissatisfied employees, management may have known about the pending exits.Many companies experience turnover after benefits are reduced or changed.Many companies experience turnover after â€Å"start-up† because employees who are successful at start-ups look for new opportunities once businesses are off-the-ground. Thus, considering all above grounds, I think Microsoft has predicted those resignations and prepared their alternative backup plan. 3. Using- Exhibit 5.1, describe the strategic implication from the outflow of creative talent at Microsoft . Without people, the structure has gaps. If the structure isn’t solid, the strategy doesn’t have the support it needs. Goals run the risk of not being met, making it difficult for the company to achieve its mission.

Present and Potential use of the media spaces facilitated by digital communication technologies in Japan

Management guru Peter Drucker had commented that â€Å"the future was always already happening somewhere; it was just a question of spotting it†. Most people across the globe are aware of the technological breakthroughs and advances that the developed countries have made in the fields of science and technology. Asian countries take a backstage in development in such related areas. With the advent of globalization and liberalization of economies in Asia the flow of science and technology has rapidly swept the landscape of most of these countries that has led to huge pools of talent in the Information Technology and Mobile Telecommunications sector.Japan has been labeled as one of the most technologically innovative nations second to the United States. The country has witnessed significant growth in technology across various industrial segments ranging from automobiles to video games consoles. The Internet has assumed great significance in improved accessibility and communicatio n. It has revealed a whole new dimension to sharing and disseminating information across the globe with vast potentials to reap commercial and social benefits.The Internet has changed the way people perceive markets and commerce today in addition to the highly efficient networking benefits that it offers. Its global reach, high degree of interactivity, speed of information exchange, and the ability to connect people from various parts of the globe has rendered the Internet medium indispensable for most businesses and homes today. The World Wide Web is yet unexplored in terms of its potentials in conducting online business, technologies that can further enhance its interactivity features, and networking benefits that can be expanded in future.The components like e-mail, websites, social networking communities online, blogs, video conferencing, and net telephony have enabled efficient interaction between individuals from across the globe. Information and Communication Technologies (IC T) has created new enhanced mode of communication possible in the 21st century. This trend has heralded a series of innovations in the field of communication technologies enabling enhanced connectivity and platform for smoother interaction between individuals.An important aspect of technological development that has revolutionized the digital communication era is the mobile telephony. Widespread use of cellular technology to communicate freely from any place anytime has expanded the reach within individuals and the rapid penetration of this technology to both developed and underdeveloped economies has created tremendous opportunities for business growth. Growth and penetration of Internet in JapanThe Japanese economic growth is impressive in the Asian subcontinent constituting a major chunk of the high net worth individuals and progressive economic indicators. The country has a Gross National Income per capita of US$ 38,980 in the year 2006, as estimated by the World Bank. This has led to increasing number of people having the capacity to purchase latest gadgets and technological devices. The economy has witnessed rapid increase in the use of Internet and mobile technologies over the past few years.According World Internet Statistics, the percentage of population accessing Internet in Japan has risen from a mere 37. 1 percent in the year 2000 to 68 percent in the year 2007 with the total number of users increasing from 47,080,000 to 87,540,000. The broadband speed in Japan is eight to thirty times faster than the connectivity available in United States, as per Washington Post dated 29th August 2007. The article reports that the accessibility cost is much lower compared to prices in the US.Hence, â€Å"Japan has the world’s fastest Internet connection delivering more data at a lower cost than anywhere else. † (Washington Post) In light of these statistics it is evident that the Japanese economy is gaining rapid momentum in fields of technological development armed with a techno-savvy population that is willing to explore the new aspects of business commerce and instant communication trends. The growth and development in the fields of Information and Communication Technologies is directly correlated to a country’s economic growth and development.This sector has contributed significantly to the growth of the Japanese economy. The ICT sector contributed 0. 9 percent to the 2. 2 percent growth in GDP in the year 2005. The impact of the development in communication technologies is evident with the rise of electronic commerce and extensive use of the Internet for the purpose of business transactions. This has increased consumerism and sales of digital devices that are must haves for most individuals across the globe. Japan too is witnessing widespread consumerism for electronic devices and telecommunication services.The high-speed connection at low cost provided by the telecommunication service providers in this country has allowed efficient exchange of data and information online besides enabling high-definition teleconferencing and video chats. The number of people working from home is increasing owing to this efficient service. The government of Japan has facilitated rapid growth in this sector realizing the vital contribution that this will have on the overall economic growth and development. The role of digital communication technologies in globalization is vital.It is the rapid and efficient use of these technologies that has minimized the physical barriers and created a platform for smoother business transactions and information exchange across various corners of the globe without the hassle of traveling. The physical distance no longer poses a barrier to communities and businesses alike and the remarkable feature is the amount of time that is saved in communicating and transferring information from one corner of the globe to another. Japan has harnessed this sector to expand its economy and ot her related sectors that has benefited immensely from this sector.The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan states in its ICT report 2007 â€Å"The current state of global business development by the world’s major telecommunications carriers reveals that they are actively promoting global expansion by establishing local subsidiaries and through investment in local telecommunications carriers. † Telecommunication service providers are strongly vying against each other for increasing their market share since large number of individuals and businesses are opting for high-speed broadband connectivity and telephony services.The demand has been growing over the past few years and many international service providers are entering the market to capitalize on this market segment. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp (NTT) is a government controlled enterprise and currently is the largest telecommunication service provider in the country. But this company is faci ng severe competition from the entry of other multinationals. NTT launched the optical fiber system to provide connectivity at 100 megabits per second that is 17 times faster than the US cable connections.The Washington Post article states that approximately 8. 8 million homes in Japan have access to Internet using this optical fiber system. This has revolutionized many aspects of life in Japan. For instance, the high-resolution video conferencing has enabled pathologists to examine tissue samples from patients living in remote areas with the help of remote controlled microscopes. The high-quality image made possible with the use of optical fiber system has rendered huge benefits to people residing in areas that do not have easy access to large hospitals.The globalization and development in communication technologies have led to the growth of virtual organizations that are visible in the forms of virtual linkages with supply chain partners, outsourcing, virtual malls, or electronic market places and telework. The rise of virtual organizations was greatly facilitated by the innovative applications and developments in the field of Internet commerce. The e-commerce initially referred to exchange of stored data and information between related companies.Developments in scope of applications have enabled the suppliers and service providers to directly communicate with their customers online and this has created a whole new concept of business management. Businesses across the globe realize the huge potential that the e-commerce implies and are adopting new strategies to take advantage of the extensive consumer reach through the Internet. Digitization in Japan The rapid penetration of Information Technology and increased networking abilities in the country created the need for digitization of the various departments and institutions both in the public and private sector.Japan has carried out extensive digitization work in the last few years owing to the rapid penetra tion of Information Technology in all fields and industries. The United Nations report on digitization of the government department in Japan observes â€Å"the digitization of the administration is designed to make it more convenient for the people, simplify the administration and improve its efficiency and transparency, through the use of IT in every field of the administration and a review of existing systems and practices.†The various government departments have been streamlined using the new technology and telecommunication networking to achieve an effective coordination and information flow across departments. The need to regulate and monitor the flow of data and information becomes highly critical in all businesses. The government of Japan undertook special care to promote digitization across all public institutions as well as private sector to enable efficient management of the systems and promote improved quality of services to the nation. Cellular phone technology in JapanMobile phones have become an essential part of today’s life and it is difficult to imagine moving around without one of these gadgets in the pocket. This device is a new addition to the digital communication modes and has revolutionized the pace and ease of connectivity between individuals. Few years’ back the pagers had been launched and the instant messaging device had created a huge impact on means of communication. The portable device had been first launched in the year 1968 in Japan and was mainly used by sales representatives and doctors to send instant messages and communicate any kind of emergency requirements.The limitation of this device was that it could not be used to receive or make calls and could be used for receiving messages only. The car phone introduced by Japan in the year 1979 was the first of its kind in mobile telephones. This technology was gradually upgraded to take shape of the mobile phones used today. The current form of mobile phone s ervice started in the year 1987 in Japan. The high fees levied on the use of theses mobile phones rendered them exclusively for the use of business purpose. Initially they were too expensive for use by the general public.Within few years of its launch the mobile phone services became cheaper and more accessible to the public. The rapid popularity of these devices among the masses created a new type of consumerism trend that was capitalized by the telecommunication companies providing the consumers with innovative technologies at competitive prices. The craze for the latest gadget in mobile telephones led to the launch of devices that used advanced technology converging the functions of a watch, camera, and phone into one pocket-sized device.Further innovations and technological breakthroughs gave way to smart devices that could explore the Internet, carry on video conferencing, and download music and movies with sharp clarity and features that enabled smooth picture quality. The mob ile phones have evolved greatly as a communication tool. The digital Japanese mobile phone services facilitate exchange of information using both voice and data. The phones have been equipped with Java applications to stimulate the Internet functionalities that allows net surfing, email exchange and file transfers.Additional features including camera enables the user to shoot pictures, upload and download images, video recording facility, connect to television channels, tunes into radio, play downloaded music with built in speaker systems have added whole new dimension to the mobile phone technology. Mobile phones are now being termed as smart phones owing to their extensive utility and features. The present generation comprises of techno freaks that love possessing hi-fi gadgets with advanced features and enhanced technology.The mobile phones are being replaced by i-pods launched by Sony and Apple. These devices converge the functionalities of the web, phone, camera, music player, video player, and video gaming consoles. Most of the technology companies in Japan are using convergence strategy to blend multiple functionalities into one simple looking device that is easy to use and carry around. These devices are primarily targeted towards the younger generation. Convergence technology in JapanJapan is the leading pioneer in new and innovative technology related product development that has spelled huge success for its economic growth. It is one of the leading nations using the convergence strategy to expand market for highly advanced range of products blending functionalities of many components into a single device. According to Jun Tanaka, general manager in the product planning development division at Seiko Instruments â€Å"a good converged product reflects both complexity and subtlety. It can be complex in function yet condensed so it’s efficient in use and appearance.†It is based on these principles that the product Wrist Companion is design ed that incorporate the features of a cell-phone, personal computer, and Personal Digital Assistant. This can be worn on the wrist like a watch that makes it convenient to carry around unlike mobile phones that cannot be worn as an accessory. This is being launched by Seiko Instruments of Japan. The company claims to research the needs of the consumer for small and smart electronic devices that can be treated as a fashion accessory and yet meet the high tech needs of the users.Shortcomings of these technologies However, the efficiency of the individual functionalities may be blurred in the face of such multiple functioning devices. For instance, the camera attached to a mobile phone does not have the required clarity of images and a professional photographer would prefer to use a highly equipped camera specially suited for his needs. Similarly, the music player or video player built into the mobile phone does not have high resolution picture quality that can satisfy the user.It cann ot be compared to the home theatre system or normal television quality. This poses a serious limitation to the utility of such multi-functional devices. Another shortcoming of the use of these convergence technologies is the high cost involved in making these products that reflects on their market prices. The companies launching these products conduct extensive research that incurs huge costs before the product is finally launched into the markets Seiko Instruments conduct market surveys to research consumer needs and preferences before planning their product design.The Wrist Companion was designed after extensive market research and planning. The end product is sold in the market at a price of 20,000 to 30,000 yen. The Bluetooth mobile technology has also increased the price of the product in the market. However, consumers from higher income range are willing to pay the higher price of these sophisticated devices. These products may be out of reach for many individuals but the grow ing wealthy population in Japan has created huge market demand.These products are in high demand in international markets too with many countries importing electronic devices from Japan in bulk. This has influenced the trade balances of Japan positively over the past few decades. The growth and development of digital communication technologies has led to complete restructuring of the business processes and organizational strategies. Business corporations are using the information and communication technologies in areas that can directly impact the business efficiency and add value in terms of cost and benefits.The positive impacts of the use of these technologies in business ventures are felt in enhanced productivity, increased consumer reach, higher market shares, and efficient customer service. Another dimension to the benefits provided by the increased use of communication technologies is reflected in the change in life style of the individuals who are growing highly dependent on these devices for their day-to-day activities.

Think Before You Act

Think Before You Act Everyday someone loses a person dear to them. You never know if it will be your last day here in this world. We all just live day to day and don’t realize tomorrow could be our last. It’s even worse when it could have been prevented. Choices we make can impact our lives and individuals around us. People say things happen for a reason, and that God has a plan for all of us. We won’t know the truth until something tragic happens each of us. June 24, 2011 was the day that I lost a close friend forever. I remember that day like it happened yesterday.You don’t forget days like that when your life changes forever. The night of the accident, a young man decided to leave a bar and drive with his blood alcohol content over three times the legal limit. He ended up driving the wrong way on the highway and collided head-on with another vehicle. Both drivers were pronounced dead on the scene. My friend was a victim of a drunk driver. He graduated f rom high school two weeks before his death. Not even eighteen years old and still had a life to live. Bryant Hernandez was an individual who left a mark on everyone he came in contact with.You wouldn’t think a seventeen year old would have a huge impact on people he came across, but he did. Bryant did everything he could to put a smile on your face. He seemed to always know what to say to cheer you up. I met Bryant when I was a senior in high school. Since I had to have an elective I ended up taking a child development class. Walking through the class I noticed that we were all girls except for one. He was sitting at a table alone and looking very uncomfortable. I would feel awkward to taking a child development class with a bunch of girls.Bryant looked in my direction when I started to approach him. â€Å"Do you mind if I sit with you? † I asked. â€Å"Well you are already sitting down so I guess I don’t have much of a choice. † Bryant said with a smirk on his face. I couldn’t help but laugh. I knew from that moment I was going to like having him in this class. Eventually it turned out to be one of my favorite classes. He was my go to guy for everything. Bryant knew how to make me feel better when things got tough. At the time small things like that weren’t that important.But now I would give anything to go back and cherish those moments with him. It’s been over a year since the accident and I’ve realized choices you make can have major consequences. When I was a teenager I made stupid decisions like the guy who killed my friend. I didn’t think about anyone else. All I cared about was having fun and living in the moment. I didn’t care when people told me not to drive home drunk. Well living in the moment doesn’t get you anywhere. You may get away with it a couple of times but eventually it will catch up to you.After his death I thought a lot about my actions. Watching his parents say there last words to him and how tired they looked, I couldn’t imagine what they went through and what they are still currently going through. I imagined how my parents would react. I can’t help but want to cry. It makes me sick to know how selfish I was when I was younger. Bryant’s death was a wakeup call for me and hopefully several others. Driving drunk will never cross my mind again. With everything I do now I take a moment to think about it and to make sure that it is the right decision to make.I know Bryant is looking down smiling and saying â€Å"About time you changed, you hard headed girl! † My friend may not be here anymore but him passing on made his family and friends realize things you love can easily be taken away from you in a flash. Selfishness is very common and realizing that our actions can affect our own lives and the people we love so dearly. If moments can be prevented then prevent them. Teaching others to think before they act can i mpact a lot of people from making the wrong decisions. In time everyone with have their own personal reality checks some faster than others.

List of Ministers and Advisors

List of Ministers and Advisors | SL| Name| Designation| Joining Date | Distribution of Ministry/Division | Name| From| To| | | 1| Sheikh Hasina  | Prime Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Armed Forces Division   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | Cabinet Division   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | Ministry of Defence   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | Ministry of Public Administration   | 28-04-2011  | Till Date  | | | 2| Mr. Abul Maal Abdul Muhith  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Finance   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | Finance Division   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | Economic Relations Division   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | |Internal Resources Division   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | Bank and Financial Division   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | 3| Begum Matia Chowdhury  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Agriculture   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 4| Mr. Abdul Latif Siddique  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Textiles and Jute   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 5| Barrister Shafique Ahmed  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | Law and Justice Division   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | |Parliament Secretariat   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | 6| Air Vice Marshal (Rtd. ) A K Khandker  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Planning   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | Planning Division   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | Statistics and Informatics Division   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | 7| Mr. Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Labour & Employment   | 15-09-2012  | Till Date  | | 8| Advocate Shahara Khatun  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Posts and Tele-Communications   | 15-09-2012  | Till Date  | | | Syed Ashraful Islam  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | Local Government Division   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | Rural Development and Co-operatives Division   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | 10| Engr. Khandker Mosharraf Hossain  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 11| Mr. Suranjit Sen Gupta  | Minister  | 28-11-2011  | Without portfolio. | 17-04-2012  | Till Date  | | 12| Dr. Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir  | Minister  | 15-09-2012  | Ministry of Home Affairs   | 15-09-2012  | Till Date  | 13| Mr. Md. Rezaul Karim Hira  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Land   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 14| Mr. Abul Kalam Azad  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Cultura l Affairs   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 15| Mr. Enamul Hoque Mustafa Shaheed  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Social Welfare   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 16| Mr. Dilip Barua  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Industries   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 17| Mr. Obaidul Quader  | Minister  | 28-11-2011  | Ministry of Communications   | 5-12-2011  | Till Date  | | Roads Division   | 5-12-2011  | Till Date  | | |Bridges Division   | 5-11-2011  | Till Date  | | | 18| Mr. Ramesh Chandra Sen  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Water Resources   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 19| Mr. Ghulam Muhammed Quader  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Commerce   | 5-12-2011  | Till Date  | | 20| Mr. Hasanul Haq Inu  | Minister  | 15-09-2012  | Ministry of Information   | 15-09-2012  | Till Date  | | 21| Mr. Muhammad Faruk Khan  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Civil Aviation an d Tourism   | 5-12-2011  | Till Date  | | 22| Dr. Md. Abdur Razzaque  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Food   | 15-09-2012  | Till Date  | 23| Dr. Md. Afsarul Ameen  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Primary and Mass Education   | 31-07-2009  | Till Date  | | 24| Dr. A. F. M. Ruhal Haque  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Health and Family Welfare   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 25| Dr. Dipu Moni  | Minister  | 8-01-2009  | Ministry of Foreign Affairs   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 26| Mr. Nurul Islam Nahid  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Education   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 27| Mr. Abdul Latif Biswas  | Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 28| Mr.Shajahan Khan  | Minister  | 31-07-2009  | Ministry of Shipping   | 31-07-2009  | Till Date  | | 29| Dr. Hasan Mahmud  | Minister  | 28-11-2011  | Ministry of Environment and Forest   | 29-11-2011  | Till Date  | | 30| Mr. Abul Hasan Mahamood Ali  | Minister  | 15-09-2012  | Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief   | 15-09-2012  | Till Date  | | 31| Mr. Mostafa Faruque Mohammed  | Minister  | 15-09-2012  | Ministry of Information & Communication Technology   | 15-09-2012  | Till Date  | | 32| Mr. Md. Mazibul Hoque  | Minister  | 15-09-2012  | Ministry of Railways   | 15-09-2012  | Till Date  | | 33| MR. H.T. Imam  | Adviser  | 7-01-2009  | Public Administration Affairs   | 5-06-2011  | Till Date  | | 34| Dr. Mashiur Rahman  | Adviser  | 7-01-2009  | Economic Adviser   | 22-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 35| Professor Dr. Syed Modasser Ali  | Adviser  | 7-01-2009  | Health & Family Welfare and Social Welfare Affairs   | 22-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 36| Dr. Alauddin Ahmed  | Adviser  | 7-01-2009  | Education, Social Development and Political Affairs   | 22- 01-2009  | Till Date  | | 37| Dr. Tawfiq-E-Elahi Chowdhury, BB  | Adviser  | 14-01-2009  | Adviser to the Hon'ble Prime Minister   | 14-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 8| Dr. Gowher Rizvi  | Adviser  | 9-07-2009  | International Relations Affairs   | 9-07-2009  | Till Date  | | 39| Advocate Mostafizur Rahman  | State Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Land   | 31-07-2009  | Till Date  | | 40| Capt. A B Tajul Islam (Rtd. )  | State Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Liberation War Affairs   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 41| Arch. Yeafesh Osman  | State Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Science and Technology   | 5-12-2011  | Till Date  | | 42| Begum Monnujan Sufian  | State Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Labour ; Employment   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 43| Mr.Dipankar Talukdar  | State Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 44| Mr. Ahad Ali Sarkar  | State Minister  | 6-01-2009  | Ministry of Youth and Sports   | 6-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 45| Advocate Md. Shahjahan Miah  | State Minister  | 24-01-2009  | Ministry of Religious Affairs   | 24-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 46| Advocate Abdul Mannan Khan  | State Minister  | 24-01-2009  | Ministry of Housing and Public Works   | 24-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 47| Advocate Md. Kamrul Islam  | State Minister  | 24-07-2009  | Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs   | 24-01-2009  | Till Date  | |Law and Justice Division   | 24-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division   | 24-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | Parliament Secretariat   | 24-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | 48| Advocate Shamsul Hoque Tuku  | State Minister  | 24-01-2009  | Ministry of Home Affairs   | 31-07-2009  | Till Date  | | 49| Advocate Jahangir Kabir Nanak  | State Minister  | 24-01 -2009  | Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives   | 24-01-2009  | Till Date  | | Local Government Division   | 24-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | Rural Development and Co-operatives Division   | 24-01-2009  | Till Date  | | | 50| Mr.Md. Motahar Hossain  | State Minister  | 24-01-2009  | Ministry of Primary and Mass Education   | 24-01-2009  | Till Date  | | 51| Mr. Muhammad Enamul Huq  | State Minister  | 31-07-2009  | Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources   | 31-07-2009  | Till Date  | | Power Division   | 31-07-2009  | Till Date  | | | Energy and Mineral Resources Division   | 31-07-2009  | Till Date  | | | 52| Mr. Mozibur Rahman Fakir  | State Minister  | 31-07-2009  | Ministry of Health and Family Welfare   | 31-07-2009  | Till Date  | | 53| Mr. Promode Mankin  | State Minister  | 31-07-2009  | Ministry of Social Welfare   | 16-09-2012  | Till Date  | 54| Begum Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury  | State Minister  | 31-07-2009  | Ministry of Women and Children Affairs   | 31-07-2009  | Till Date  | | 55| Mr. Md. Mahabubur Rahaman  | State Minister  | 31-07-2009  | Ministry of Water Resources   | 31-07-2009  | Till Date  | | 56| Mr. Omor Faruk Chowdhury  | State Minister  | 15-09-2012  | Ministry of Industries   | 15-09-2012  | Till Date  | | 57| Mr. Md. Abdul Hyee  | State Minister  | 15-09-2012  | Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock   | 15-09-2012  | Till Date  | | 58| Maj. Gen. (Retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique  | Adviser to the Hon'ble Prime Minister  | 8-01-2009  | | | | |

Abnormal Psychology Critique

Changes in impairment level, functional status, and use of assistive devices by older people with depressive symptoms. Dayao, Arveene L. BS Psychology II – 01 Manila Tytana Colleges To be submitted to : Ms. Sheila Laine Dela Paz Date submitted : January 30, 2012 ABSTRACT This study sought to understand how functional status, impairment level, and use of assistive devices change over 3 years for older adults with depressive symptoms. I further explored factors that predict change in severity of depressive symptoms. During 3 years, participants experienced ncreased physical disability, a decline in severity of depressive symptoms, and an increase in the total number of assistive devices owned. A significant number of older adults will experience a decrease in depressive symptoms over 3 years, despite an increase in physical disability. They also will obtain more assistive devices as they age. The specific issue that stands out in the journal is relative to the various changes in impairment level, functional status and use of some suggested assistive devices that could be used by older people who suffer symptoms of depression. I do very much agree how the author ouched the subject and explained depression among the older people. There is nothing from the journal article that I disagree about. The points presented by the author about the existence of this feeling of depression among the older people are true and satisfactory. The second journal that I have, Suicide In Older Adults : Nursing Assessment Of Suicide by Linda Garand, PhD, APRN, BC, Ann M. Mitchell, PhD, RN, AHN, BC, Ann Dietrick, MSN, APRN, BC, Sophia P. Hijjawi, BSN, RN, and Di Pan, BSN, RN, is somewhat parallel to my first journal. This second article talks about suicide in older adults.It is being discussed here that suicide and attempted suicide is associated with depression, psychosis and substance abuse among younger individuals, yet among older adults, depression and co morbid medical cond itions play important contributory roles. Same as what was being talked about in the first article. The issue that attracts my attention is on the prevalence of suicidal behaviors in older adults and lays a foundation for understanding the role of risk factors in the prevention of suicide. Just like in the first article, the issue focuses more on depression on older adults.It has been proven that the older adults are the one that easily get depressed than the younger ones. Just as no single factor is universally causal, no single intervention will prevent all suicides. The multi-dimensionality of suicide presents great challenges, but also has important implications for prevention. Suicide in late life must be understood as a complex combination of interactive effects in which mood disorders take a central role. Our ability to more precisely target preventive interventions will hinge on a better understanding of those relationships. Until then, urses and others must be diligent in t he identification of older adults at risk for suicide. Subgroups of older adults at high risk for suicide include those with depressive illnesses, previous suicide attempts, physical illnesses, and those who are socially isolated. Therefore I can say, that major depression is the most common diagnosis in older adults (of both sexes) who attempt or complete suicide. This study used data from Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Aging Consumer Assessment Study, a longitudinal study of coping strategies of elders with disabilities.Seventy-three participants with depressive symptoms were interviewed at baseline and 3 years later. I believe that the author used the most appropriate method because they have come about with good results. And thus, there is no other appropriate or suitable way to test the depressive symptoms of older people than having a study or conducting a survey on a rehabilitation center. For me, application through conducting tests would be the best idea to p rove whether the issue is correct or not. The journal article fully and clearly explains what depression is all about that affects the lder people. It is notable that depression happens to some people more especially the old ones who are said to be prone to the disorder. Upon relating the topic to my course, such situation is under the field of Abnormal Psychology. The field is of great importance to students taking up Psychology course like me who would desire to pursue the field of Clinical Psychology. As depression is common and could happen to everyone, this study is applicable to all. Through it, we shall have a clear idea of the appropriate way to do if ever we meet or experience a feeling of depression.Above all things, this will be a great help to me who would really like to be a successful Clinical Psychologist in the future. REFERENCES Mann, William C. , et al. â€Å"Changes in impairment level, functional status, and use of assistive devices by older people with depressi ve symptoms. †Ã‚  AJOT: American Journal of Occupational Therapy  62. 1 (2008): 9+. InfoTrac Custom 100 Titles. Web. 19 Jan. 2012. Document URL http://find. galegroup. com/gtx/infomark. do? &source=gale&srcprod=SP00&prodId=SPJ. SP00&u serGroupName=phmtc&tabID=T002&docId=A208219498&type=retrieve&contentSet=IAC-Documents&version=1. 0 Agree, E. , & Freedman, V. (2003). A comparison of assistive technology and personal care in alleviating disability and unmet need. Gerontologist, 43, 335-344. American Psychiatric Association. (1994). 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Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 57B, S366-S37 . Wechsler, D. (1955). Manual for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. New York: Psychological Corporation.Westfall, P. , ; Young, S. (1993). Resampling-based multiple testing: Examples and methods for p-value adjustment. New York: Wiley. Wilcoxon, F. (1945). Individual comparisons by ranking methods. Biometrics, 1, 80-83. William C. Mann, OTR, PhD, is Chairperson and Distinguished Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Florida, P. O. Box 100164, Gainesville, FL 32610-0164; [email  protected] ufl. edu Jessica L. Johnson, MA, OTR/L, is Research Assistant, RERC-Tech-Aging, Rehabilitation Scie nce Doctoral Program, University of Florida, Gainesville.Lisa G. Lynch, MHS, OTR/L, is Occupational Therapist and Owner, Creative Therapy Works, Inc. , Lake Worth, FL. Michael D. Justiss, PhD, OTR/L, is Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. Machiko Tomita, PhD, is Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Science, University at Buffalo, State University of New York. Samuel S. Wu, PhD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, University of Florida, Gainesville.