Bulimia Nervosa Argument - 1639 Words

Bolanle Soyombo Cox AP Lit A2 April 18, 2012 Bulimia Nervosa: Argument Although bulimia nervosa can be treated in multiple fashions, there is a specific treatment that is proven to be the most effective in not only bulimia nervosa, but also other anxiety related disorders. This effective treatment is an specific form of short term psychotherapy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is productive in both reducing the amount of times one may purge in a day and diminishing the entire disorder altogether; it is a diverse set of problem specific interventions. According to Brian Sheldon, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a psychological approach for the treatment of family, personal, and mental problems. This technique is intended to help clients†¦show more content†¦Unlike interpersonal psychotherapy, with the use of medication, CBT attains several forms of intervention and models that can be used for certain situations. These forms are tailored not only to the affected patient but also toward the patient s family. There is therapy for the perfect, overprotective, and chaotic family. These forms all have specifics that set their therapeutic sessions apart, but are similar in that they all begin with a technique called joining. Joining is basically an establishment of alliance between the therapist and the family (Killian). Therapists are advised to discover how the family members feel toward the problem in this situation. A way of ensuring family involvement would be to set specific guidelines about the affect patient s behavior and the family s reactions toward the behavior. For example, a therapist may initiate a plan in which the patient must be responsible for replacing the family food in which he/she binges on. This activity will enhance the removal of the rest of the family to be in constant fear for the patient; it will also allow the patient to begin to regain control of one aspect of his/her life. Common goals within this type of family include regulation of emotional availability between the parent(s ) and the bulimic patient, facilitation of direct communication, and negotiation of conflict and its resolution (Killian). Besides interventions, there are also models that can be used to dealShow MoreRelatedEating Disorders Are Generally Characterized By Any Range Of Abnormal Or Disturbed Eating Habits924 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Feeding and Eating Disorders†. Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa have endured some changes in the revision of the DSM-5, while there were additional disorders added. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder and binge eating disorder were two disorders that have been introduced in the DSM-5. The severity of eating disorders is also a new system of classification which ranges from mild, moderate and severe. According to the DSM-5 (2013), Anorexia Nervosa is defined as restrictive energy intakeRead MoreEating Disorders Can Be Generally Characterized By Any Range Of Abnormal Or Disturbed Eating Habits897 Words   |  4 Pages The DSM IV has expanded from two categories of eating disorders; Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, to three categories; now including Binge Eating Disorder. As defined in the DSM IV, Anorexia Nervosa is predominately found in adolescent girls and young women. The disorder is defined as distorted body image and excessive dieting that leads to severe weight loss with an obsessive fear of becoming fat. Bulimia nervosa is defined by recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by inappropriate behav ¬iorsRead MoreDieting And Fitness Routines That Can Help Me Lose Weight1469 Words   |  6 Pagesbut it also is lethal. Promoting skinniness perpetually is devising low self-esteem in young girls resulting in eating disorders. Paulin rightfully ends her essay stating that skinny should not be everything, but she does not intricately extend her argument following the dangers of the conflicting mindset that skinny is everything. The veneration of skinniness and chastising of obesity assemble our society significantly. Society construes skinniness as being the only important goal; that it gives othersRead MoreEssay on Childhood Sexual Abuse and E ating Disorders1579 Words   |  7 PagesWaller, 1995; Pope Hudson, 1992). As observed in a paper by Dansky, Brewerton, Kilpatrick, and O’Neil (1997), authors of three recent studies have concluded that childhood sexual abuse was â€Å"not a significant risk factor in the development of bulimia nervosa† (Kinzl, Traweger, Guenther, Biebel, 1994; Pope, Mangweith, Negrao, Hudson, Cordas, 1994; Rorty, Yager, Rossotto, 1994). Overall, many researchers have been unable to conclude, from current data, that childhood sexual abuse is a risk factorRead More The Importance of Psychotherapy and Medication in the Treatment of Bulimia Nervosa1828 Words   |  8 PagesThe Importance of Psychotherapy and Medication in the Treatment of Bulimia Nervosa This researched argument is on the disorder of bulimia nervosa. The reason behind my writing about the topic of bulimia is because my sister suffers from it and I want to know how to help her. I also would like to be able to share the information I obtained while doing my research. I want to argue the importance of having both psychotherapy and medication in the treatment for the people afflicted with this seriousRead More We Must Work Together to Defeat Eating Disorders1873 Words   |  8 Pagesmillion Americans suffer with an eating disorder† (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, 2013, p.1). Though many may think that an eating disorder is only common in a woman’s life, men also suffer from this disease. Taking that statistic further, â€Å"ninety five percent of Americans between the ages of twelve and twenty five have an eating disorder† (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, 2013, p.1). Men and women develop an eating disorder whichRead MoreDevelopment of Eating Disorders1218 Words   |  5 Pagesintake of food and develop from a number of interrelated issues. Much of the research into eating disorders has focused particularly on anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa and its developmental causes. Anorexia nervosa is a psychological disorder characterised by delusions of being overweight resulting in conspicuous distortion of body image. Bulimia nervosa, on the other hand, involves excessive binge eating followed by self-induced vomiting to obviate weight gain. Both anorexic and bulimic individualsRead MoreAbstract. Through Research We Can See The Causes, Misdiagnosis,1045 Words   |  5 Pagesdisorders with a complex etiology involving transactions among sociocultural, psychological, and biological influences† (Culbert, Racin, Klump, 2015). There are several different types of eating disorders. The most common being anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Other types incl ude binge eating, vomiting and food restriction (Uniacke Broft, 2016). A large majority of symptoms associated with eating disorders stem from one not liking the way one looks (Uniacke Broft, 2016). Once someone hasRead MoreThe Case Of Laur Final Case Study Analysis2772 Words   |  12 PagesPsychopathology Roxanne Roybal de Diaz American Public University Abstract Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating with inappropriate compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain. Cognitive Behavior Therapy and antidepressant drug therapy are treatment modalities that have shown promise with patients diagnosed with eating disorders, more so with Bulimia than with Anorexia, (Comer, 2014). In this case study analysis, a synthesis of researchedRead MoreDisney Channel Star Demi Lovato Essay2258 Words   |  10 PagesIn 2010, Disney Channel star Demi Lovato, age 18, began a hard journey of rehabilitation due to the eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, which causes one to binge eat and then purge because of poor body image. She has suffered since she was a child with bulimia nervosa because of heritability and social pressures. Demi’s mother and grandmother both suffered from bulimia, so it became Demi’s way of life. Not only was her eating disorder influenced by her genetics, but also because of th e beauty pageants

A Reasonable Approach to Euthanasia Essays - 1566 Words

A Reasonable Approach to Euthanasia One of the biggest controversies of this decade is euthanasia. Euthanasia is inducing the painless death of a person for reasons assumed to be merciful?(Henrickson and Martin 24). There are four types of euthanasia voluntary and direct, voluntary but indirect, direct but involuntary, and indirect and involuntary. Voluntary and direct euthanasia is chosen and carried out by the patient.? Voluntary but indirect euthanasia is chosen in advance. Direct but involuntary euthanasia is done for the patient without his or her request. Indirect and involuntary euthanasia occurs when a hospital decides that it is time to remove life support (Fletcher 42-3). Euthanasia can be traced as far†¦show more content†¦The first doctor was charged for performing euthanasia in1935. Harold Blazer was charged for the death of his daughter. His daughter was a victim of cerebral spinal meningitis. He killed her by placing a handkerchief soaked with chloroform over her face until she died. He had taken care of her for thirty years. In his trial he was acquitted (Humphrey 191). The first doctor to be found guilty was Joseph Hassman in 1986. He injected a lethal dose of Demerol into his mother-in-law by the request of her family. He was sentenced to two years probation, fined $10,000, and ordered to perform 400 hours of community service (Humphrey 194). The most recent and most controversial euthanasia doctor is Dr. Jack Kevorkian. He was first charged with first degree murder in December of 1990. He connected Janet Adkins, a member of the Hemlock Society, to his suicide machine?which allowed her to inject lethal drugs into her body at any time (Humphrey 195-96) . He has since then been present at the deaths of more than forty people (Euthanasia Research and Guidance Organization). A number of legal considerations are involved in the issue of euthanasia. The state has the right to become very involved in euthanasia cases. The state can specify the number of individuals that must agree for euthanasia to be performed. The state can specify how frequently someone can sign a euthanasia authorization. The state can also specify that only theShow MoreRelatedThe Ethical Dilemma Of The Medical Field1619 Words   |  7 Pagesfield today is Euthanasia. Euthanasia is a process that entails deliberately ending a person’s life, with the intention of relieving their pain and suffering. As such, it is legal in some countries while illegal in some. The US Law accords all informed adults the right to die even though the law surrounding it varies from one state to the other. There are however a couple of ethical issues that come up as a result of the practice. The major debate has been whether or not Euthanasia is right, or wrongRead MoreThe Age Should Not Be A Person s Life1680 Words   |  7 Pagesresort to euthanasia. When a person’s life is coming to an end in a matter of days, a more reasonable approach to it would be to provide proper end-of-life care if requested. An individual has the right to determine when their last day should be if they are suffering from a terminal illness if it is quickly approaching. Everyone is entitled to make their own decisions, and children should be able to execute that right. Age should not be a matter that prevents someone from having euthanasia be an optionRead MoreThe Controversial Topic of Euthanasia975 Words   |  4 PagesEuthanasia is a controversial topic throughout today’s society. As euthanasia is illegal in America, Singer fights for the legalization of voluntary euthanasia, which means the patients make voluntary request to be assisted to die. While religious views value that the life cannot be taken away so easily, Singer focuses on the human rights that enable their choices to die or not to die. However, I do not agree with singer’s respect for autonomy on the issue of voluntary euthanasia because this issueRead MoreEuthanasia Should Not Be Legal959 Words   |  4 PagesEarle Spring really wanted? Earle Spring is neither competent nor comatose. In recent discussion of euthanasia, a controversial issue has been argued whether a terminally ill patient should get the rights to choose when and how they live should ended. While some argue that euthanasia should be allowed to end a person life voluntary or involuntary, others contend that either should allow. Euthanasia should not be the choice to end a terminally ill patient life because it violates the patient rightsRead MoreArgumentative Essay On Human Euthanasia1433 Words   |  6 PagesHuman Euthanasia It is a shared understanding that human life must be valued under any circumstance, and it should not be terminated for whatever reasons unless it is a natural occurrence. The value and respect for human life were behind the debate against â€Å"the death row† in many states and countries around the world. In addition, religion places high value in human life, basing on the claim that it is a sin to end one’s life. However, there have been instances where ending the life of another personRead MoreEssay on Moral and Ethical Issues of Euthanasia1521 Words   |  7 Pagesand Ethical Issues of Euthanasia    As we all know, medical treatment can help save lives. But is there a medical treatment that would actually help end life? Although its often debated upon, the procedure is still used to help the aid of a patients death. Usually dubbed as mercy killing, euthanasia is the practice of ending a life so as to release an individual from an incurable disease or intolerable suffering (Encarta). My argument over this topic is that euthanasia should have strict criteriaRead MoreUtilitarianism Vs. Kantian Theory1100 Words   |  5 Pagesan attempt to set a uniform approach to ethical dilemmas and morality. Bentham was a firm supporter of Utilitarian theory; which focuses on overall happiness and consequences of an action (EMP 122). While Kant believed in his own theory that moral rules are absolute (EMP 129). Utilitarianism and Kantian ethics have few strengths and notable weaknesses, thus proving both theories implausible when compared to the minimum concept of morality and the moral issue o f Euthanasia. According to Jeremy BenthamRead MoreEuthanasi Euthanasia And Euthanasia1692 Words   |  7 Pagesalso known as euthanasia. Many people, specifically in America, consider euthanasia as murder and against their ideals. In contrast, many specialists and other countries, as in Netherlands, believe that the idea of assisted suicide is a gesture of mercy towards terminally ill patients. Perhaps in order to construct an apt viewpoint on euthanasia, one must be knowledgeable on the background of euthanasia, along with having a clear understanding of some of the underlying terms. Euthanasia is a term â€Å"derivedRead More euthanasia Essay1520 Words   |  7 Pages Euthanasia: Murder or Mercy? nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Suppose I am terminally ill. I have no hope for the future, no hope for survival, no hope for happiness. I wish to die and I am incapable due to my disability to end my own life. I am in indescribable paid and torment all day long and my only wish is to end this misery. Should I have the option of euthanasia existent to me? nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Put under such broad and pitiful circumstances, most Americans would say yes to theRead MoreWhy The Church Had Much Authority Over Ethical Issues1441 Words   |  6 Pages Moving towards the 12th century A.D., Christian views started to reinforce the Hippocratic Oath, and instilled an almost unanimous vote against euthanasia and PAS, which continued for approximately 500 years before being questioned again. These practices were viewed as inconsistent with a person’s responsibilities to God, and contra human goodness. Throughout the Middle Ages, many people saw life as God’s gift to humanity, and thus considered it sinful to be willing to end theirs. Nonetheless

Ethan Frome2 Essay Example For Students

Ethan Frome2 Essay The hundreds of pages in a typical novel come together to form an intricate web, whose many strands may be united in the minds of readers to form different interpretations. In many cases, authors represent important issues or most relevant themes with symbols or metaphors. Often these small symbols can be overlooked easily in a lengthy novel. But as Edith Wharton brilliantly demonstrates in her novel Ethan Frome, one way to effectively emphasize a books key symbol is through the storys setting.The many universal themes of literature which surface in Whartons book are skillfully symbolized in the parallel she creates between the characters in the novel and the winter setting. Ethan Frome takes place during the winter in the rural town of Starkfield, Massachusetts. Like most New England towns during the 1920s, cold weather and heavy snowfall make Starkfield a harsh environment for several months of the year. During the winter, green plants die and the leaves fall from the trees. The sky turns gray and endless snow covers as far as the eye can see. The Starkfield winter seems to Ethan like an inescapable power. Each year it will kill everything that is beautiful and leave nothing but bitter coldness and gray.The harsh environment of winter is not the only negative power in Ethans life. His wife Zeena is a similar force that controls Ethan and contributes to his unhappiness. Zeena is an ugly, bitter, old woman. She first came to Starkfield to care for Ethans sick mother. Ethans mother died in the early wintertime, and to avoid being left alone and isolated during the lonely winter months ahead, Ethan asked Zeena to marry him. Later in the novel on page 29 Et han explains, It would not have happened if Mother died in spring instead of winter.The harsh winter in the story symbolizes Zeenas effect on Ethan. Like the winter uses wind and snow, Zeena uses lies and manipulation to control Ethan. She fakes sickness and plays upon Ethans obligation as a husband in order to trap Ethan in marriage and isolate him from others. Ethan has no greater chance of escaping Zeena than he has of escaping winter. He realizes that he cant escape fate. But then one day fate brings a bit of light into the gray skies of Starkfield. Ethan hears that Zeenas niece, Mattie, will be coming to stay in Starkfield to help Zeena with some of the housework. Ethan prepares for the girls arrival by planting some geraniums inside the house. He worries about Matties adjustment to Starkfield and hopes that the flowers will add some warmth and color to the gray outdoors. Everyday Ethan puts the pot of flowers near the window for sunlight, and every night he takes them away fro m the cold glass. Ethan knows that flowers are not meant for Starkfield winters. He protects the geraniums from the cold because he knows that they will die if exposed to the winter for too long. Ethans geraniums symbolically represent the character of Mattie. Like the flowers, Mattie seems out of place in Starkfield. Her cheery attitude and warm disposition serve as striking contrasts to the dull Frome household. Ethan loves Mattie and the happiness he brings to his life. On page fourteen he describes her as, the lighting of a fire on a cold hearth. Zeena, however, is not happy with Mattie around. Zeena feels that Mattie is taking away the control that she has over Ethan. She feels threatened and fears that Ethan will not give her the attention and control that she demands. As a result, Zeena is cold and harsh towards Mattie. She proves that she still has control over Ethan, by exercising her control over Mattie. When Zeena sends Mattie away, she proves once and for all that Ethans inescapable fate is in Starkfield with her. Ethan finally recognizes that Mattie does not belong in the Frome household any more than geraniums belong in the snow. So after the smash-up, when Matt ie stays in Starkfield under the care of Zeena, she meets the fate of any geranium struggling to survive in the winter. Mattie dies inside. Her warmth and vibrancy disappear so that only dried, dead branches

Preventing Tooth Decay in Hispanic Preschool Children Program Development Essay Example

Preventing Tooth Decay in Hispanic Preschool Children: Program Development Essay Preventing Tooth Decay in Hispanic Preschool Children: Program Development School of Nursing Health Teaching and Promotion Preventing Tooth Decay in Hispanic Preschool Children: Program Development Dental caries is a single most prevalent chronic infectious disease amongst US children (US Dept of Health and Human Services, 2000). Caries progression in younger children is more rapid and severe than in adults, resulting in the ailment known as Early Childhood Caries. According to National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) morbidity report almost 20% of children 2-5 years old had untreated dental caries (2012). In order to prevent tooth decay and promote good oral hygiene in young children, the community nurse will coordinate with East Los Angeles day care centers to hold a series of short classes for groups of parents 10-14 at a time just before the end of day care’s business day. These classes will focus on preventing caries development in preschool children by raising awareness amongst parents. The education will target Hispanic day care centers, and the goals of the program will be achieved by educating parents and their preschool children on factors that contribute to cavities formation, and strategies to prevent caries progression. We will write a custom essay sample on Preventing Tooth Decay in Hispanic Preschool Children: Program Development specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Preventing Tooth Decay in Hispanic Preschool Children: Program Development specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Preventing Tooth Decay in Hispanic Preschool Children: Program Development specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Health Prevention Need According to Dental Health Foundation (DHF) children in California have twice as much untreated dental caries as the rest of the nation (2000). DHF further indicates that national minorities are at higher risk to develop dental problems. Variables such as socioeconomic status and educational level directly correlate with the rates of the dental disease prevalence (US Dept of Health and Human Services, 2000). According to NCHS, almost 40% of Mexican children from families that are below 100% of poverty level have untreated dental issues. Additional factor that contribute to dental cavities progression is lack of insurance. More than quarter of Californian preschoolers and elementary school students have no dental coverage (DHF, 2000). The practice of giving a nocturnal bottle is still utilized by more than 30% of Californians, and is considered as most common factor that contributes to tooth decay (US Dept of Health and Human Services, 2000). Caries in children may be source of severe pain, interfere with learning, diminish overall quality of life, and potentially lead to life-threatening infections. Fortunately, dental caries is easily preventable by following basic oral hygiene strategies. However due to lack of knowledge and other socio-economic and cultural barriers, these guidelines frequently are not followed, and children suffer from tooth decay and associated problems. The goal of this educational course closely replicates oral health goals set by Healthy People 2020, which emphasizes importance of education and prevention (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). A joint effort of public health professionals, day care centers personnel, and individual parents’ involvement can halt the progression of caries and prevent the tooth decay in children. Characteristics of Learners This program will involve parents and their preschool children, and child care providers. Considering the geographical location of proposed courses (East Los Angeles), the most of the participating children are of Hispanic heritage, three to five years old; include both gender, and most likely bilingual. Piaget coined a term of preoperational intelligence to describe the cognitive learning in children ages 2 to 6 (Berger, 2008). Preoperational cognition, according to Piaget, denotes learning that occurs before understanding logical operations. Children’s cognitive processes at this age are magical and egocentric (Berger, 2008). Lev Vygotsky, in contrast to Piaget’s theory emphasized the social learning as an important part of knowledge formation. Vygotsky recognized the importance of guided participation in learning process of preschool children. He provided four steps created by caregivers that motivate children to learn: challenge presentation, assistance availability, instructions, and encouragement. Another prominent social development theorist, Eric Erikson described preschool children being in the initiative versus guilt state, which characterized by child balancing effort and expectations of adults (Berger, 2008). Preschool children may have prior knowledge of basic oral hygiene strategies, but need assistance and supervision. Additionally children at this age are able to follow two or three step instructions, curious and motivated, do distinguish cause and effect in simple situations. Berger states that young preschool children have healthy growing organisms, but greatly influenced by genetics, nutrition, socioeconomic status, and other factors (2008). The long standing tradition of encouraging children to eat traced in low-income Hispanic families is turning into the overeating epidemic in the US (Berger, 2008). Besides overeating, poor dietary choices, such as snacks with little nutritional value, but high in sugar, fat, and salt pose a direct danger to oral health. The second category of learners in this course is comprised of adult Hispanic parents of preschool children, and caregivers at day care centers. Both parents and caregivers are most likely emerging adults with ages ranging from 21 to 35. Most of them belong to lower socioeconomic status, with public health being the only source of healthcare coverage. As much as 45% are uninsured (NCHS, 2012). Almost 25% of these adults live below poverty level, and median per capita in income is almost 2. 5 times less than that of rest of California (United States Census Bureau, 2012). Forty four percent of East Los Angeles population reported having a high school diploma, and only 5. 4% achieved baccalaureate degree as highest level of education (United States Census Bureau, 2012). As much as 97% of population is of Hispanic descent, and almost half of them are foreign born individuals. Catholicism is a predominant religion amongst Hispanic population. People of Hispanic origin have strong values of family relations, religion, tradition and customs. They might have preconceived ideas of oral hygiene, but most likely not follow the guidelines. Hispanics have a strong respect to healthcare providers, and their culture prescribes obedience and compliance, making them open to learning to certain degree (Berger, 2008). They might have limited English proficiency and be illiterate, which makes learning process harder. Nursing Diagnosis A multitude of nursing diagnoses are applicable to the situation of poor oral hygiene. Various problems arise from the potential adverse effects of infection and caries. But for this educational course two interrelated nursing diagnoses were identified. The first nursing diagnosis is ineffective oral health maintenance related to knowledge deficit, cultural beliefs, and lack of material resources as evidenced by reported poor dentition status in children (Wilkinson, 2005). The second diagnosis directly stems from the first one: knowledge deficit related to lack of exposure and unfamiliarity with information resources as evidenced by inadequate demonstration of proper teeth brushing and flossing techniques (Wilkinson, 2005). These two diagnoses will guide the content of educational course with focus on relevant needs. Client-Centered Educational Goal Wilkinson includes goals into the nursing diagnoses for evaluation of outcomes (2005). Goals are descriptions of desired family or client actions that can be measured or directly observed (Wilkinson, 2005). Upon completion of this course parents will express knowledge of importance of proper oral hygiene, demonstrate correct brushing and flossing techniques, and identify strategies that reduce progression of caries. The following education plan is tailored to the client-centered goals with objectives that reflect clients’ needs. Learning Objectives Rankin, Stallings, and London state that leaning objectives have to be clearly formulated, time-limited, verifiable (measurable), and attainable in order to achieve effective learning (2005). A curriculum for health professionals and child care providers by California Childcare Health Program was used in the process of objectives identification (2005). To achieve stated educational goal six objectives: two of each learning domain were formulated. Cognitive objectives: 1. After attending a class on oral hygiene (condition), parents will state (performance) the detrimental effects of snack and drinks high in sugar, and nocturnal bottle on progression of teeth decay prior to the end of class (criterion). 2. After attending a class on oral hygiene (condition), parents will state (performance) the need to assist children with brushing until age of 8 by the end of class (criterion). Affective objectives: 1. After discussing a recommended routine of oral hygiene (condition), parents will verbalize (performance) their feelings associated with changes in the routine by the end of the class (criterion). 2. After discussing effects of sugar on tooth decay and importance of dietary modification (condition), parents will state their challenges associated with breaking he nocturnal bottle habit in their children (performance) routine by the end of the class (criterion). Ppsychomotor objectives: 1. After observing instructor perform correct brushing techniques (condition), parents and children will demonstrate a repeat demonstration (performance) routine by the end of the class (criterion). 2. After attending the class (condition), children will demonstrate â€Å"lift the lip† technique (per formance), to allow their parents inspect the teeth by the end of the class (criterion). Content Outline Content outline allows structured learning environment and provides guidance to the instructor. The content outline for oral health should include information on basic teeth anatomy, teeth eruption pattern, signs and symptoms of caries and teeth infection. The signs of infection may include gum or facial swelling on affected side, foul odor, drainage, and visible cavities and discoloration (California Childcare Health Program, 2005). The information of possible outcomes of untreated infection need to bi disclosed. Children may complain of pain and discomfort. Further, content outline should include demonstration of correct brushing techniques, both for parents and children, and information on relationship of sugar and night-time bottle to tooth decay. The session should include questions and answers section to allow parents and children validate their understanding. Active discussion is encouraged to promote disclosure of feelings associated with necessary changes. Content outline need to incorporate information on public health resources available to low income families to meet material needs. Instructional Strategies and Media The proposed education program will take place in the day care centers in East Los Angeles, CA, 1 hour prior to the end of business day. The course will be divided into 2 parts, first focusing on dental health concepts, and the second will be devoted to the correct brushing techniques and evaluation of learning. Teaching will be conducted in group format with estimated 10-15 participants. Group format allows sharing of concepts between members and more comfortable environment (Rankin et al. , 2005). The first part will be in the lecture format, reinforced by booklets both in English and Spanish anguages. Video material and plaster model of jaws will be utilized, to demonstrate teeth anatomy. Rankin and others note that instructional videos are more effective in conjunction with practice and return demonstration (Rankin et al. , 2005). Therefore, the second part of the session will focus on demonstration of brushing strategies, different positions to assist parents with brushing, and dental products. Demonstration can reinforce psychomotor objectives achievement, and lectures and videos are effective in meeting cognitive objectives (Rankin et al. , 2005). At the end, parents will be allowed to ask questions and reflect on their feelings, which will result in achievement of affective learning objectives. Instructional media listed above will include resources and materials recommended by â€Å"Promoting Children’s Oral Health: Curriculum for health professionals and child care providers† with permission of its developer California Childcare Health Program. These include 4-minute â€Å"Lift the Lip† video on basic oral exam for parents and day care center providers, â€Å"Healthy teeth begin at birth† booklet, and the â€Å"What do you think? questionnaire to evaluate parents understanding and validate their feelings and concerns. All the materials are available in English and Spanish (California Childcare Health Program, 2005). Evaluation of Objectives and Program Evaluation Strategies To evaluate the outcomes of educational session, the lecturer will use a modified and simplified â€Å"Evaluation questio nnaire† available from â€Å"Curriculum for health professionals and child care providers† to reflect both on cognitive learning, and to assess program perceived effectiveness (California Childcare Health Program, 2005). This tool includes questions with answers utilizing Likert scale to elicit feelings related to course effectiveness, and a simple test to assess knowledge. Observation of return demonstration of teeth brushing by both parents and children will serve as evaluation strategy for psychomotor objectives. Observation allows the teacher to provide feedback and corrective measures (Rankin et al. , 2005). The questions and answers session at the end of the class will assist the evaluation of achievement of both cognitive and affective objectives, by allowing participant verbalize their feelings, and validate their learning. Several open ended questions are included in the written questionnaire as well. Conclusion The oral health of children is greatly impacted by such socioeconomic variables, as their parents’ income, education, culture, prior experience, and insurance status. Preschool children from Hispanic families in state of California are at higher risk to develop dental cavities compared to the rest of the state. Basic strategies and spread of information about dental health can prevent progression of dental caries and greatly improve future quality of life in preschool children. This program will teach parents, caregivers, and children on proper teeth brushing techniques, disseminate knowledge on basic oral health concepts, and provide a list of public resources available to overcome financial barriers. References Berger, K. S. (2008). The developing person through the life span. ( 7th ed. ). New York. NY: Worth Publishers. California Childcare Health Program. (2005). Bright Futures Toolbox: Health Professionals and Human Services Providers. Retrieved from National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center: http://www. ucsfchildcarehealth. org/pdfs/Curricula/oral%20health_11_v7. df National Center for Health Statistics. (2012). Health, United States, 2011: With Special Feature on. Hyattsville, MD. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www. cdc. gov/nchs/data/hus/hus11. pdf#076 Rankin, S. H. , Stallings, D. K. , London, F. (2005). Health promotion: Models and applications to patient education. In Patient Education in Health a nd Illness (5 ed. , pp. 27-46). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams Wilkins. The Dental Health Foundation. (2000). The Oral Health of California’s Children: Halting a Neglected Epidemic. Oakland, CA: Dental Health Foundation. United States Census Bureau. (2012). State County QuickFacts. Retrieved from United States Census: http://quickfacts. census. gov/qfd/states/06/0620802. html United States Department of Health and Human Services. (2012, August). Oral Health. Retrieved from Healthy People 2020: http://www. healthypeople. gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview. aspx? topicid=32 United States Department of Health and Human Services. (2000). Oral health in America: A report of the Surgeon General. National Institutes of Health,

Essay on Interrelation of Domestic Violence and White Oppression in the Novel of Alice Walker “The Third Life of Grange Copeland”

Essay on Interrelation of Domestic Violence and White Oppression in the Novel of Alice Walker â€Å"The Third Life of Grange Copeland† Essay on Interrelation of Domestic Violence and White Oppression in the Novel of Alice Walker â€Å"The Third Life of Grange Copeland† Essay on Interrelation of Domestic Violence and White Oppression in the Novel of Alice Walker â€Å"The Third Life of Grange Copeland†A strong desire to feel more like a man is a widely spread phenomenon. The book of Alice Walker vividly describes this phenomenon in her book â€Å"The Third Life of Grange Copeland†. Thus, the first scene between son and father after Brownfield’s imprisonment, Grange Copeland gives a bright definition of masculinity and manhood and emphasizes the responsibility for one’s actions. Grange feels sorry that he had tried to assert his masculinity by using Josie and leaving his wife. In the third life, Grange Copeland makes another definition of manliness and manhood in terms of total devotion to children and wife and a commitment to one’s family duties despite racial oppression. Before Grange left his wife, he used to beat her and thus wanted to express his manhood. However, this was not a way out. When he returns back to the family, he starts appreciating his wife and considers that there was nothing as dear as his family. Thus, Grange Copeland seems to have understood that using physical force against women is not the way of showing masculinity and it is surely right.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The correlating point underlined by Alice Walker in her novel is the necessity for Whites to be responsible for their unjust and inappropriate behavior towards African-Americans. In an attempt to explain this point, it needs to be said that Grange Copeland was extremely dissatisfied with the discrimination of Whites against African-Americans, but could do nothing about that. Thus, he started showing his manhood by beating his wife, just to show that he is a strong man. In such a way, the major idea of Alice Walker was to show that African-Americans often used violence against their own family during the times of racial oppression directed on their nation. The following research deals with t he theme of manhood that penetrates the novel of Alice Walker on the example of the stories of Grange and Brownfield. The research deals with the theme of using force and violence within the families of African-Americans during the severe times of oppression directed on them. The examples of Brownfield and Grange vividly show that they used extreme measures directed against their wives in order to express their own masculinity and not realizing that it is not a way out.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is important to pay more attention to the reason of why the male characters in the novel of Alice Walker abuse and badly treat women. The reason for such behavior is their reaction to how they themselves are treated by the white society. In fact, since the times of slavery, African-Americans has always been undermined and abused by Whites. And the novel of Alice Walker gives bright examples of such mistreatment. Jenkins presumes that black male characters strive for masc ulinity as well as â€Å"manhood through the reaction of a patriarchy in their own homes† (Walker, 101). All this produces a conclusion that domestic violence among Black people is often grounded on white racism.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nevertheless, it is important to keep in mind that although the author explains the actions of the main characters of the book, she does not excuse their violent actions towards their wives. Instead, Alice Walker shows what happens or may happen if such behavior is accepted. This leads to the destruction of the entire lives of men who choose to mistreat and abuse their women trying to show masculinity and reveal manhood in an indecent way.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Life constantly changes around us and we are forced to change ourselves as well. The Third Life of Grange Copeland examines the life of the main character and analyzes the changes of a man in his struggle to survive. No one will doubt that in th e darkest times when everything seems unbearable and some problems seem too hard to solve, only those who love you most will help you overcome difficulties and support your actions in any situation. Thus, it becomes clear that in the severest time of our life, we should keep closer to our family in order to deal with the hardships of life. This is what the character of Alice Walker, Grange Copeland has understood after leading an indecent life and severely beating his own wife. Seemingly, he finally realized that using violence was not a way out at all.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Here, it is important to mention that The Third Life of Grange Copeland contains a number of features that help readers understand the motives of the main characters in terms of using violence within one’s family (Jenkins, 63). The key point is that it raises vital questions of race relations, domestic violence and gender. The main characters of the novel are Brownfield Copeland and his father Grange. The author takes readers through forty years of the relationship between father and son as well as their relationships with different women. Here, the author shows the role of manhood in the lives of these two characters. From the very beginning, Alice Walker emphasizes the domestic violence in the family of Grange and Brownfield on the example of the abuse caused by Grange towards his mother Margaret. As the novel goes on, Brownfield grows up and turns into a bitter young fellow who starts searching his father who has left the family to start a new life in the North. Brownfield enters into relations with one of Grange’s old girlfriends, Josie, but still he eventually marries Mem, Josie’s niece. However, Brownfield seems to have started treating his own wife just like his father used to treat his wife. At first, he is severely beating her, and eventually he ends up committing a crime of killing his own wife. As a result, Brownfield is imprisoned for murdering his wife. At this time, Grange comes back from the North and realizes that there is nothing more important than love for one’s own family. He seems to have realized that beating his wife and using violence against the beloved woman does not help a man to show his masculinity. Walker manages to not simply criticize showing manhood by means of using force against women, but also show the possibilities of a great number of masculinities, exposing certain highly negative repercussions (Jenkins, 76).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While reading the book of Alice Walker, it becomes clear that love for the family stands behind all actions taken by Grange, but only after he realized his mistakes and his indecent behavior against his wife. The thesis for this paper would be the question of struggle of a Black man in the attempt to show his manhood within the family as a result of living in the severe world among White people. The questions raised by Alice Walker are interrelated. Thus, it becomes clear that one can show masculinity not only among close and beloved people, but also within society that sometimes creates challenges.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In such a way, the questions of white repression and manhood are interrelated in the novel of Alice Walker. The author vividly depicts the results of white oppression and longing for manhood and manliness. The author writes that Brownfield beats Mem simply because it makes him â€Å"feel good about himself† (Walker, 55). This shows that Brownfield tries to show his manhood by accepting violent actions towards beloved people.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Furthermore, it is important to note that Grange experiences totally different feelings living in the South where he is oppressed and in the North where he is treated better and not perceived as inferior. And thus, the rate of domestic violence in the North is much lower than in the South. This is al so what Alice Walker tries to express in her novel.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The problems of white oppression and mistreatment of women are interrelated. Thus, Grange first beats and then kills a woman, but nevertheless, he eventually realizes that there is nothing as dear and precious as his own family. On the other hand, Brownfield also tries to show his manhood by beating his own wife, and this tendency shown by Walker on the example of a father and his son vividly expresses the idea that Black men try to show their manhood and be more like real men by using physical force against unprotected women.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In conclusion, it is worth saying that Alice Walker interweaves the questions of white oppression and the matter of domestic violence among Black people. The bright example of the latter is the fact that Grange and Brownfield used physical force against their wives and treated them violently simply to be more like real men and thus, show their manhood. On the whole, the paper has analyzed the key points of the novel in terms of violence against Black people and violence against women within the African-American society. In this regard, domestic violence has in most cases been caused by the aggression of Blacks towards White people and concurrently their attempt to show their manhood. In general, the question of manhood, masculinity and patriarchy is pervasive and can be analyzed in different ways. The paper contains only few examples of how longing for manhood influences the behavior of men and treatment of women. It should be admitted that African-American men experience psychological violence of the supremacist ideology of White people. And thus, Blacks are trying to show their masculinity at least within their own family members making them experience violence as well and at their own hands.

The Complete Teachers Guide to Discipline Referrals

The Complete Teacher's Guide to Discipline Referrals Classroom management and student discipline play a significant role in the daily duties of an educator. Those teachers who have a good handle on these practices find that they can spend more time teaching and less time managing their students.  Every discipline infraction serves as a distraction of some sort for all involved. Effective teachers can resolve an issue quickly and appropriately with minimal disruption of the learning process. Managing Discipline Referrals in the Classroom Teachers must be careful that they do not make a mountain out of a molehill.  They must manage and evaluate a situation correctly. If the situation warrants a discipline referral, then the student should be sent to the office. A teacher should never send a student to the office simply because they need a break or dont want to deal with it.  Students must be held accountable for their actions. However, complete reliance on the principal for handling all discipline issues is indicative of a failure to effectively manage a classroom on the teachers part. It is important to note that it works the opposite way as well. If a teacher never sends a student to the office, then they are not taking full advantage of the resources available to them. A teacher should never refuse to send a student to the office simply because they are worried about what their principal thinks. Sometimes making a discipline referral is necessary and the right decision. Most administrators understand this and will not think anything about it if you occasionally refer a student to them. For these reasons, every principal should develop a simple guide to discipline referrals for their teachers to follow. This guide should indicate what offenses should be dealt with in the classroom by the teacher and which offenses should result in a discipline referral. This guide to discipline referrals will eliminate guessing by the teacher and ultimately makes the principals job easier. Handling Minor Disciplinary Offenses The following offenses should be handled by the teachers themselves. In most cases retraining the students in procedures will be sufficient, though establishing and following through with classrooms consequences will help reinforce and minimize re-occurrences. A student should not be sent to the office for violating a single offense. These offenses are assumed to be of a minor nature. It is important to note that one of these minor issues can become major when it recurs on a regular basis. If this is the case and the teacher has exhausted an array classroom management and discipline techniques including contact of parents, they should go ahead and refer them to the office. Possession of gum, candy, toys, radios, etc.Passing notes.Failure to follow procedures.Cheating on daily assignments.Failure to bring appropriate materials to class.Petty conflicts among students.Disruptive behavior in the classroom, which is of a minor nature.Missing assigned teacher detention the first scheduled time.Not working in class after parent contact.Tardiness to class (first two occurrences).Use of electronic telecommunication devices for non-educational purposes (i.e. texting, social media, etc.) Handling Major Disciplinary Offenses The following offenses should result in an automatic referral to the office for discipline - NO EXCEPTIONS. Blatant disrespect towards the teacher.Bullying another student.Cheating on a quiz, test, or exam.Missing detention twice after parent contact.TheftLeaving class without permission.Obscene language or gesture.FightingObscene pictures or literature.Vandalism.Smoking and/or possession of smoking materials or tobacco.Possession, consumption, sale, or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.Possession of fireworks, matches, lighter, or another caustic device.Verbal abuse of adults or students.Open defiance/insubordination.Threats by word or deed. Many students never have serious discipline problems. This list will serve as a guideline for teachers who do have policy violations by students in their classrooms. The teacher should use fair and appropriate judgment in the exercise of any discipline. The goal of any teachers disciplinary actions should be to prevent the inappropriate behavior from occurring again. In all cases, the administrator will have the flexibility to respond differently to various situations. The frequency, intensity, and duration of the misconduct are factors that influence the possible consequences.

Technology (Jeff Hans multi-touch sensor + applications protaining to Essay

Technology (Jeff Hans multi-touch sensor + applications protaining to this new software ) - Essay Example We have came a long way since 1979 and have witnessed many new advancements made in this field but none compare to the creation of Jeff Han’s Multi-touch sensor. Developed in NYUs Department of Computer Science, the multi-touch sensor is a revolutionary device that will forever change the way humans interact with machines. The multi-touch sensor in its simplest form is an advance version of the touch screen interface. A touch screen is a unique input device that eliminates the conventional use of the computer’s mouse and keyboard and replaces it with the use of a human hand and a touch sensitive screen. The concept of using human touch as the means to communicate becoming popular, owes its origins to the works of Sherrick (1985) and Rollmam (1999), changing the paradigm of commands and input devices in a computer controlled environment. (1). Unlike its predecessor the multi-touch system has the capabilities to recognize more then just one touch point. A touch point is the contact made on a particular touch screen; this is possible by sensors that pick up the pressure made form the human touch, the heat from a human hand, and or cameras that capture the actual touch made. Software programs can be written to make use of this technology to vastly enhance the interaction between the human and the c omputer. (2). The significance of the multi-touch interface can not be adequately understood unless one knows the significance of a regular touch screen. Touch screens in general already eliminate the use of the bulky keyboard and mouse. This presents a friendly outlook on the computer experience which enables the creation of a flux in user. It eliminates the analogy of the word desktop and actually transforms the computer in to an actual desk. This effect is crated by the touch screen interface that allows users to touch what they see. No longer are icons and images viewed as being an abstract object on a screen, but through the means of the touch screen they

Overview of Media Specialty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Overview of Media Specialty - Essay Example ound television as an adjunct of long distance telephony, enabling the user to see the person with whom he converses; pubic booths giving such service were erected in a number of German cities in 1938 by the Post Office Department (Eddy, 1950). A more important application of cable television promises to be its employment for the surveillance of industrial processes in locations not readily accessible to human beings. Early developments of television began on its first attempts at television date from the discovery that the magnitude of electric currents passing through crystalline selenium could be controlled by the amount of light falling on it. Television was invented by the American inventor G.R. Carey in 1875 when he devised a system in which the image of the scene to be transmitted was projected on a rectangular array of selenium cells, each of which was connected to a light bulb in a corresponding array by a pair of wires (Fink, 1975). Essentially, the same idea is employed beginning 1960s in the operation of animated cartoon advertisements. In 1880, the French electrical engineer, Maurice Leblanc, added the second common feature, namely the transmission of the signals from successive picture elements in sequence through a single electrical channel (Zworykin, 1978). A practical method of realizing Leblanc’s suggestion was devised by the German television pioneer, Paul Gottlieb Nipkow in 1884. Nipkow, employing a single photosensitive cell, placed a rotating disk with a series of holes equal in area to a picture element, arranged along a spiral in front of the cell and projected the scene on it (Fink, 1975). Nipkow’s invention was followed by numerous other ingenious mechanical scanning devices, primarily designed to increase the optical efficiency of the television system. However, it was only Lee De Forest who succeeded in obtaining usable television pictures in 1907, with De Forest’s invention of the amplifying tube. After this, the

In botany, a tree is a plant with an elongated stem Essay Example for Free

In botany, a tree is a plant with an elongated stem Essay In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants, only plants that are usable as lumber, only plants above a specified height or only perennial species. At its broadest, trees include the taller palms, the tree ferns, bananas and bamboo. A tree typically has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground by the trunk. This trunk typically contains woody tissue for strength, and vascular tissue to carry materials from one part of the tree to another. For most trees it is surrounded by a layer of bark which serves as a protective barrier. Below the ground, the roots branch and spread out widely; they serve to anchor the tree and extract moisture and nutrients from the soil. Above ground, the branches divide into smaller branches and shoots. The shoots typically bear leaves, which capture light energy and convert it into chemical energy by photosynthesis, providing the food needed by the tree for its growth and development. Flowers and fruit may also be present, but some trees such as conifers instead have pollen cones and seed cones, and others such as tree ferns produce spores instead. Trees tend to be long-lived,[1] some reaching several thousand years old. The tallest known specimen on Earth is 115.6 m (379 ft) and they have a theoretical maximum height of 130 m (426 ft).[2] Trees have been in existence on the Earth for 370 million years. Trees are not a taxonomic group but are a number of plant species that have independently evolved a woody trunk and branches as a way to tower above other plants and make full use of the sunlight. Trees play a significant role in reducing erosion and moderating the climate. They remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store large quantities of carbon in their tissues. Trees and forests provide a habitat for many species of animals and plants. Tropical rainforests are one of the most biodiverse habitats in the world. Trees provide shade and shelter, timber for construction, fuel for cooking and heating, and fruit for food as well as having many other uses. In parts of the world, forests are shrinking as trees are cleared to increase the amount of land available for agriculture. Because of their longevity and usefulness, trees have always been revered and they play a role in many of the worlds mythologies.

Equality: Free at Last! Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner qualities that make all men human, and, therefore, brothers.† Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once preached this to his congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church. I found this to be true on a trip I took to the Deep South with a group I am in called Operation Understanding Hampton Roads. OUHR promotes the interaction between Jewish and African American students in order to learn about each others cultures. In the Deep South, my OUHR group visited several cities which were significant to the civil rights movement, such as Selma, Montgomery, Birmingham, and Atlanta. Since I have grown up in a racially tolerant house, I felt I had nothing to gain from the trip besides an enjoyably week with my new OUHR friends. Much to my surprise, it was in these cities where I learned the true meaning of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words. It is important to be a participant in life rather than a bystander hel d fast by prejudice and convention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The city that changed my perspective the most was Birmingham, Alabama. Our tour guide showed me the light. We arrived in Birmingham in the pouring rain and stopped in front of an old church on 16th street. Suddenly, a very warm and hearty woman’s voice rang over the speaker in the bus; â€Å"Aight boo’s, er’rybody best get off this bus befo’ I start crackin’ em!† This was my first glimpse of Joanne Bland. She lined my group up on the stairs to what we soo... Equality: Free at Last! Essay -- essays research papers â€Å"The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner qualities that make all men human, and, therefore, brothers.† Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once preached this to his congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church. I found this to be true on a trip I took to the Deep South with a group I am in called Operation Understanding Hampton Roads. OUHR promotes the interaction between Jewish and African American students in order to learn about each others cultures. In the Deep South, my OUHR group visited several cities which were significant to the civil rights movement, such as Selma, Montgomery, Birmingham, and Atlanta. Since I have grown up in a racially tolerant house, I felt I had nothing to gain from the trip besides an enjoyably week with my new OUHR friends. Much to my surprise, it was in these cities where I learned the true meaning of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words. It is important to be a participant in life rather than a bystander hel d fast by prejudice and convention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The city that changed my perspective the most was Birmingham, Alabama. Our tour guide showed me the light. We arrived in Birmingham in the pouring rain and stopped in front of an old church on 16th street. Suddenly, a very warm and hearty woman’s voice rang over the speaker in the bus; â€Å"Aight boo’s, er’rybody best get off this bus befo’ I start crackin’ em!† This was my first glimpse of Joanne Bland. She lined my group up on the stairs to what we soo...

A Terrible Thunder: The Story of the New Orleans Sniper Essay

On New Year’s Eve, in the city of New Orleans, in the year 1972, a sniper was hidden in the shadows. He is alone, with anger and hate fueling his tiny body he went on for many days to try to kill as many police officers as he could. The drama ended one week later when hundreds of police armed to the teeth and with the aid of a Marine Corps assault chopper descended on a burning building to battle with the lone sniper.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This paper will look into the cause of such a violent outburst, of the senseless killing of innocent lives. And how it has gone out of control for the one of the victims in that infamous day of shooting was a black man just like the shooter somewhere above, in a building, hidden from view. Colored Puberty is the age where many young boys find themselves in a suspended animation in trying to discover their identity. To some it is a crisis stage and to many it is a turning point in their lives. In some cases though teenagers going through this phase are well adjusted and have a pleasant experience during this transition from childhood to adulthood. Most probably they live in a good home where their parents where able to shelter them from the evil world outside. But when it is time to go to college or when it is time to move out of the home to find employment, it is this period when the young man and woman gets the surprise of their lives. Mark James Essex had a similar experience when he left the protective confines of his hometown in Kansas. He joined the U.S. Navy in what is perhaps his ticket out of obscurity and poverty. He was able to accomplish one his objectives for in a way he became famous. But not for being rich and doing something worth emulating – he went down the annals of criminal history in one of the bloodiest day of gun related violence. All of these had its beginning when he went left home and an ominous sign of what is coming can be seen in one of his letters where he described his disappointment over what he had witnessed in the workplace and with deep sadness he wrote that the Navy, â€Å"†¦is not like I thought it would be, not like in Emporia. Blacks have trouble getting along here† (p. 15). His sadness was compounded by the resignation expressed by other fellow black enlisted personnel, who said that, â€Å"†¦it is just the way it is† (p. 15). When he went to his supervisor to complain about the racial slur and the discrimination that is going on like a plague on the base what he got was a gentle but confusing advice which is in essence to ignore the problem and channel his energies to do something really important – like finishing college through a Navy scholarship perhaps – and therefore increase his status. This kind of remarks confirmed in his mind that â€Å"†¦blacks were second-class citizens in the Navy, and it was hard for him to understand why no one seemed wiling to change things† (p.15). Mark James Essex witnessed a terrible crime. It is not something that could be brought in the court of law (at least in the 1970s) but it is something so offensive that an assault is a welcome alternative rather than the humiliation of a fellow human being from another. To be treated like an unclean animal is far worse than being hit in the nose with a straight punch. Moreover, the only excuse for such evil deed is the color of their skin. They have the same design, structure, and ability to feel and understand. The only difference is the way nature chose to color their skin and for M. J. Essex this is purely unacceptable. Fanning the Flames   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is a context to everything. M. J. Essex did not just turned into a monster overnight. His heart and mind received a continuous feeding of hate and discrimination although it was given to him passively. In the book Peter Hernon discovered that M. J. Essex’ father urged him to go to the Navy hoping that there is less prejudice there. His father served in the Army in World War II and he recounted that, â€Å"†¦they would send us down to Mississippi to train with wooden sticks† and recalled bitterly, â€Å"Now why would they send a black man from Kansas or anywhere in the Midwest to Mississippi without any way to protect himself† (p. 26).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A Reverend named W. A. Chambers told a similar story to the Essex family. He narrated a tale filled with the confusion and sadness accompanying discrimination and he said, â€Å"Negroes were forced to lock their weapons up at night while the whites were allowed to keep theirs in the barracks† (p. 26).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One could just imagine what was happening to the mind of the young M. J. Essex whose great hopes of a great America was crushed when he encountered the same sick thing that his parents had encountered three decades ago. These stories no doubt added fuel to the smoldering flame of hate and anger.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What is needed now is an outlet to spew it out or it would surely ruin him inside. There is a great need to express the pent-up emotions and nature dictates that when pressure is building up then an explosion is imminent unless something happens in a way of releasing that pressure. Many like minded men had found solace, inspiration, and the letting go of dangerous build-up in the heart and mind by joining non-violent protests. The Civil Rights Movement under Martin Luther King, Jr. patterned perhaps from another model of non-violent movement such as that of Mahatma Gandhi who successfully overthrew an oppressive government without firing a single shot.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand there are other groups who could not wait with older men in the hope of finding equality in their lifetime. Besides, both Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi died from bullet wounds. Is it not wise to give their enemies a dose of their own medicine? Fire against fire seems to be their motto and they were intent to make their presence known. J. Essex was caught up in the spirit of the times. In the dark times of his struggling with discrimination he came across literature concerning the Black Panther Party, a group who does not believe in the saying that the meek will inherit the earth. They would rather believe the opposite, and that is the violent will take what they deserve by force.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For a young man with a military heritage – even if it was not an impressive one, his dad went to served in WWII – and his limited experience with the U.S. Armed Forces the proposition by the Black Panthers to take up arms is so much enticing for an angry young man longing for adventure and a chance to right what is wrong. Trigger   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The context was established in the last few pages. The anger and restlessness did not come out from a vacuum. There is a history involved here that was traced to the bitter experience of M.J. Essex’ Dad in the U.S. Army.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Now, the spark that ignited the powder keg of emotions came from two related sources. The first one occurred just after boot camp when he was humiliated in an enlisted men’s club, â€Å"A white boy showed him what to do, how they had to get ice in another room next to the bar. The white went in and got the ice without asking permission† (p.26). The second one is the fight with a man named Robert X. This guy, for no apparent reason could not go along with black people. His insecurity ran so deep that in the opening chapter of the book he was described to hate even the why black people walk. He is offended that the Negro race seemed to be happy and contented. Maybe he wanted them always suffering and cowed like slaves in plantations long gone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The third source is from the systematic way the Navy seemed to show its prejudice against him. An example is how his (M. J. Essex’ car) was being searched. It was deliberate and took sometimes half an hour to fully inspect his ride, something that would piss off any person irregardless of race and gender.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All in all, â€Å"†¦what really burned Essex up was the riding he got from petty officers and other officers. They would write him up for the smallest infraction†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 26). The last straw that broke the camel’s back was the terrible experience in the court-martial for he was dishonorably discharged from the Navy. At seven forty-five on the morning of October 19, 1970, M. J. Essex went AWOL. He was transformed overnight from a fun loving a guy who has nary a care in the world to someone constantly brooding, â€Å"†¦to think about what a black man has to do to survive† (p. 42). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Negro race has suffered many injustices from the time that they were captured and sold as slaves many centuries ago. It was such a perplexing tale of man dominating not the beasts of the earth and all the things that contain in it but fellow humans. What is more perplexing though is the slow process of emancipation, from removing them from the fields and into a real liberation where they will be considered as equals among men.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The age of Reason has come and the Industrial revolution has ushered in a new way of understanding the world and social classes. Freedom was exploding like a beautiful rainbow in the minds and hearts of people around the world. After World War II that idea of independence and the importance of a single person could never be denied. Everyone enjoyed this privilege, all except the Negro race that had to suffer discrimination in the land of the free, in one of the most advance industrialized nation in the world, in the home of the brave the United States of America. There were only a few who went to fight for their rights. The spirit of the Negro was suppressed so it is understandable why they could not easily voice out their views. The white people who were not blind to such wickedness, they are the ones who should fight in their behalf yet many perpetuated the myth that the white race is superior over the blacks. The marc to freedom was a slow process, a procedure that sometimes get to be expedited by men of will and character. These few good men would cross the line and join their Negro brothers although society forbade him to do so. They were indefatigable in their fight to achieve racial equality in American society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   But some black folks could not wait for their great white savior. They cannot even hold out for long with the likes of fellow blacks like Martin Luther King, Jr. A few would like to speed up the Civil Rights Movement a little bit and put it in the fast track. Into these ranks of violent persuaders one can find the names Huey Newton and Bobby Seale and their infamous Black Panther Party established in 1967. Their methods may be crude and their language may be vulgar, but it is enough to create a spark in the mind of a young black man whose back was pushed against the wall and every fiber of his being demanding for justice. Sometimes these feelings have to find an outlet or else it would be unbearable to live.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many in the Civil Rights Movement were fortunate to get in touch with someone like a Martin Luther King, Jr. who proposed a serious expression of their discontent. Through rallies and demonstrations they were able to voice out the pain that is inside them and it was a good form of release. But others chose another path, more deadly more sinister – it is to kill innocent people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another clue as to why Mark James Essex would go down the road to perdition can be seen from the remarks of her mother that was picked up by the author, â€Å"Still, keenly aware of how white society dealt with rebellious blacks and afraid her son might be branded a misfit and possibly wind up in jail, she urged moderation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 44) This clearly shows that black people have a very negative view of white dominated society. By her mother’s statements it was clear that he can find no way out of the dark tunnel he is in. On both sides of the exit are white people waiting to pounce on him. There is no way out except with guns blazing and dying with a glorious death just like what the Black Panthers are advocating.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It must be made clear that part of the context of the story of the sniper from New Orleans is the fact that he needed the ideological persuasion of the Black Panthers in order to move from anger, to extreme hatred of whites and then finally to kill in cold blood. Mark James Essex had the misfortune of joining the Black Panthers in a time when they too were desperate and are too eager to end their campaign in a spectacular display of bravado and recklessness. Sound of Thunder   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first casualty was Cadet Alfred Harrell, 19 years old, newly married and do not have any kind of relationship with Mark James Essex. The second casualty was Edwin Hosli, 27 years old and married. He too does not know Mark James Essex. These two facts are very significant because it outlines the problem of racial discrimination showing another disturbing facet on how man erroneously sees race and inequality. Many have fought this wrong thinking head on with bravery and wisdom. Men have died as martyrs who offered their blood as payment to stop further violence and prejudice towards blacks. Others have the same goal but with a different method of accomplishing their objectives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By killing Harrell, Hosli and the other victims of Mark James Essex shooting spree, the sniper has clearly shown which side he belongs. He did not deserve to be honored like the other Negro freedom fighters for what he did is nowhere near honorable. He did not sacrifice himself instead he was just looking for an opportunity to vent out his anger and in the end hoping to feel much better. He did not deal with his personal issues and instead allowed his problems to take control of him. Take a look at the facts and it will be made clear that Mark James Essex the killer sniper has become more terrible and more despicable than the racist people he had come to hate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By comparison those who disrespect blacks, make fun of them, humiliate them in front of   others – though they are very much wrong – thy are much better than Mark Essex because they did not take life. The humiliated person can always bounce back, the man insulted can always choose to behave as if nothing happened. The dead man cannot do anything. Officers Harrel and Hosli was not even given the chance to hear Essex side of the story. If these police officers harassed Essex then his crime will be understood but killing someone unknown to the assailant, not having any other motive rather than hate is certainly sick.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By doing what he did, Mark James Essex is not helping a bit. His spent cartridges provide ammunition to his enemies and fuel their rhetoric that blacks indeed are curse sub-species of the human race. Instead of helping to push forward the issue of equality, Mark James Essex pushed it a couple of years backward. He never profited from his actions he only brought his parents to the grave with deep anguish and heartbreak it was a product of his selfishness. His actions should not be emulated by any black or white person facing incredible odds.

Interpreting Financial Reports

Companies like ABC SDN BHD, a corporation in Malaysia prepare and furnish financial statements on a regular basis for the purpose of providing stakeholders reports of the company’s financial standing. However, accounting is not easy to analyze regarding how a particular company is doing financially in relation to others in the industry. One of the best ways to compare two businesses is to perform a ratio analysis on the company’s financial statements. A ratio analysis is commonly use in financial statements that looks at various numbers, such as net profit or total expenses and analyze the relationship between each other.According to Parrino, financial ratios are used in financial analysis to eliminate problems caused by comparing two or more companies of different size or when looking at the same company over time as the size changes (p. 85) Financial Ratios are grouped by their purpose but the most common ratios are Liquidity, Debt, Turnover, and Profitability. The ke y users of financial ratios have variations. Short-term creditors may use liquidity ratio. Potential lenders or existing lenders may use leverage ratio, and top corporations may use turnover ratio.Investors and stockholders may be more interested with profitability ratio to get their information. The two most common Liquidity Ratio are Current and Quick Ratio. Inventory Turnover Ratio, Accounts Receivable Turnover or Total Asset Turnover ratios can be used to determine a company’s turnover or efficiency ratio. To determine a company’s leverage, the Debt Ratio or the Debt-to-Equity Ratio is the preferred tool to use. The Return on Assets Ratio can determine the profitability of the company,The financial highlight of ABC SDN BHD, a corporation in Malaysia describes profitability, liquidity, assets, and capital. The company’s profitability shows a decrease in turnover, recovery of earnings, and lower cost of sales but higher total operating expenses. The companyâ⠂¬â„¢s liquidity shows a satisfactory liquidity standing and experienced cash flow inflexibility. The company’s asset management shows a reduced efficiency of the management of units and assets, lengthened collection but shortened payment periods, and a good inventory control.The company’s capital structure and solvency undertaken a much greater current liabilities than long-term liabilities to finance its operation, and the current liabilities are reported to be rising. There is a lower leveraged for the group more dependent on equity than debt to fund its assets. Through financial statements, a company can compare and rate their performance with related industry. The key is to select companies to invest in and compare rate of returns, future terms, and evaluate potency and weak points.Comparative study of ratios and benchmark are useful for investors and management. Management can use it to get information for future decision-making process, and investors can analyze related risk. According to Northwest Farm Credit Service, a ratio greater than 1. 50 is considered good, between 1. 00 and 1. 50 is descent, and less than 1. 00 is not promising. Equivalent to at least 20 % of total annual operating expenses is fakir for debt to assets ratio and should be less than 30 % to be thought of as a good one. 30 to 50 % descent and greater than 50 % is considered poor.Operating margin of 25 % or greater is good, 10 % to 25 % descent, and less than 10 % is below average (2008) Ratio comparison provides important information to businesses and potential investors and shareholders. However, although ratio calculation provides a glimpse of the financial status, of a company, it can be misleading if not interpreted properly. Fluctuations occur from quarter to quarter and numbers can change, depending upon sales, stocks, revenue, and operating cost. Ratio comparison is a valuable toot if caution is taken into consideration.

Free Essays on The Wild Duck

C.R The Wild Duck The contrast between realism and idealism is a central theme depicted in Ibsen’s play, The Wild Duck. Both opposing forces of thought are represented by various characters in the play. Gregers Werle is characterized as the quintessential self-righteous idealist throughout the play. He has preconceived notions on how the people around him should approach their lives. For example, in act one, he challenges his father on the integrity of his lifestyle in aspects of business and relationships. First, he accuses Werle of being equally involved in business fraud with Ekdal, scolding him for slipping through conviction. Here he makes a point to label him as a dishonest business man. Then he attacks his father’s personal life, confronting him about his affair with Gina, protesting that his adulterous endeavors claimed the life of his mother. After judging Werle on the morals that frame his life, he makes an ambiguous statement, â€Å"For at last I see my mission in life.â⠂¬  This mission is later revealed in act three and consequently changes Hialmar’s family in drastic measures. In conversation with his father, Gregers discloses the intent of his mission, â€Å"to open Hialmar’s eyes. He shall see his position as it really is.† His ultimate goal in the play is to expose Hialmar to the truth about his wife and child. Gregers is presumptuous in believing that Hialmar will benefit and rejoice in light of this information. He is convinced that this is the only way that Hialmar can build a new honest and fruitful marriage with his wife. His idealistic values have overwhelmed him that he is blind to see that Hialmar’s ignorance serves a purpose in his marriage; it binds the Ekdal Family together. Gregers naivety is displayed in act four after Hialmar confronts Gina. Gregers states, â€Å"I confidently expected...to find the light of transfiguration shining upon me from both husband and wife. And now ... Free Essays on The Wild Duck Free Essays on The Wild Duck C.R The Wild Duck The contrast between realism and idealism is a central theme depicted in Ibsen’s play, The Wild Duck. Both opposing forces of thought are represented by various characters in the play. Gregers Werle is characterized as the quintessential self-righteous idealist throughout the play. He has preconceived notions on how the people around him should approach their lives. For example, in act one, he challenges his father on the integrity of his lifestyle in aspects of business and relationships. First, he accuses Werle of being equally involved in business fraud with Ekdal, scolding him for slipping through conviction. Here he makes a point to label him as a dishonest business man. Then he attacks his father’s personal life, confronting him about his affair with Gina, protesting that his adulterous endeavors claimed the life of his mother. After judging Werle on the morals that frame his life, he makes an ambiguous statement, â€Å"For at last I see my mission in life.â⠂¬  This mission is later revealed in act three and consequently changes Hialmar’s family in drastic measures. In conversation with his father, Gregers discloses the intent of his mission, â€Å"to open Hialmar’s eyes. He shall see his position as it really is.† His ultimate goal in the play is to expose Hialmar to the truth about his wife and child. Gregers is presumptuous in believing that Hialmar will benefit and rejoice in light of this information. He is convinced that this is the only way that Hialmar can build a new honest and fruitful marriage with his wife. His idealistic values have overwhelmed him that he is blind to see that Hialmar’s ignorance serves a purpose in his marriage; it binds the Ekdal Family together. Gregers naivety is displayed in act four after Hialmar confronts Gina. Gregers states, â€Å"I confidently expected...to find the light of transfiguration shining upon me from both husband and wife. And now ...

Real Irish Republican Army (IRA) Profile

Real Irish Republican Army (IRA) Profile The Real IRA was formed in 1997 when the Provisional IRA entered into negotiations for a ceasefire with Northern Ireland unionists. Two members of the PIRA Executive, Michael McKevitt and a fellow Executive member and common law wife Bernadette Sands-McKevitt, are the core of the new group. Real IRA Principles The Real IRA rejected the principle of non-violent resolution that formed the basis of the ceasefire negotiations. This principle has been stated in the six Mitchell principles and the Belfast Agreement, which would be signed in 1998. Real IRA members also objected to the division of Ireland into a southern independent Republic and Northern Ireland. They wanted an undivided Irish republic with no compromise with Unionists – those who wanted to join in a union with the United Kingdom.   A Violent Approach The Real IRA used terrorist tactics on a regular basis to hit economic targets as well as specific symbolic human targets. Improvised explosive devices and car bombs were typical weapons. The Real IRA was responsible for the Omagh bombing on August 15, 1998. The attack in the center of the Northern Irish town killed 29 people and wounded between 200 and 300 others. Reports of injuries vary. The devastating attack prompted severe hostility toward RIRA, even from Sinn Fein leaders Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams. McKevitt was convicted for directing terrorism in 2003 for his participation in the attack. Other members were arrested in France and Ireland in 2003. The group also involved itself in hunt-and-kill missions aimed at drug dealers and organized crime.   The Real IRA in the Millennium Although the Real IRA fractured considerably with the passage of time, MI5 – the UKs intelligence agency – called it the UKs primary threat in July  2008 based on surveillance evidence. MI5 estimated that the group had about 80 members  as of July 2008, all willing to conduct bombings or other attacks. Then, in 2012, the splintering RIRA merged with other terrorist groups with the goal of forming what the new group called a unified structure under a single leadership. The move is said to have been prompted by McGuinness shaking hands with Queen Elizabeth. In keeping with RIRAs vigilante efforts against drug dealers, one of these groups was Radical Action Against Drugs or RAAD.   Both RIRA and the media have referred to the group as the New IRA since this joining of forces. The New IRA has said that it intends to target British forces, police and the Ulster Bank headquarters. The Irish Times called it the deadliest of the dissident republican groupings in 2016, and its been active in recent years. The group detonated a bomb in front of the home of a Londonderry, England police officers home in February 2016. Another police officer was attacked in January 2017, and the New IRA is reportedly behind a series of shootings in Belfast, including that of a 16-year-old boy.

2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami - Essay Example TOver the years the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and the Tsunami has been named in different ways. Due to the Tsunami South Asian countries were deeply affected and that is why it is also known as South Asian tsunami. It is very important to know the reasons behind this mammoth natural calamity. The earthquake and the Tsunami took place because two Tectonic Plates sub ducted with each other. In more precise way, India Plate sub ducted with Burma Plate. This subduction caused a cascading effect of destructive Tsunami. Those Tsunamis shattered the countries bordering with the Indian Ocean. Lives of the coastal communities were significantly hampered by the gigantic tides. Tides were as high as 30mtrs and inundated different coastal belts of several South Asian countries. Indonesia was the worst hit country because epicentre was nearby the Sumatra only. According to the seismographic readings, it was the 3rd largest earthquake. The severity of the earthquake was backed up by the duratio n of its tremor. The quake continued for almost 10 minutes. The hypocenter of the quake was located almost 160 KM far from the western part of the Sumatra. The magnitude of the earthquake was so severe that the tremor was felt simultaneously in different countries like India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Singapore and Thailand. According to the findings of different researches, collision of Tectonic Plates removed enormous amount of water and created significantly powerful shock waves in the various direction which caused this catastrophic disaster.  

Employment Testing and Human Resource Management Article

Employment Testing and Human Resource Management - Article Example The researcher states that while Ajila and Okafor give a detailed and informative account of employment testing, the relevance of such testing in Human Resource Management is given only superficial treatment. Ajila and Okafor define Human Resources Management, its objective in matching organizational goals with employee skills, and the use of employment testing as a step in any â€Å"comprehensive screening program†. The authors present an in-depth account of the origin and nature of employment testing, beginning with its roots in the tests of Francis Galton in 1883, and its evolution over the decades: from Alfred Binet’s scales, the Stanford-Binet test, and the Army Tests used in World War I. Ajila and Okafor go on to define psychological tests, and analyze employment testing in terms of validity and reliability. As personnel selection is one of the most significant features of Human Resource Management, the authors explore validity (accuracy, legitimacy) and reliabili ty (dependability or consistency) in terms of measures used to assess the â€Å"attributes related to success on the job†. The authors give a comprehensive report of the various types of tests used in personnel screening and selection, based on cognitive ability, mechanical ability, motor and sensory ability, aptitude, personality, and knowledge. By providing examples of each kind of test, the authors further elucidate the nature of employment testing and the purpose and use of the different tests. Ajila and Okafor conclude with the unequivocal assertion that employment testing should definitely be a part of the process of personnel selection. While the authors give a commendably detailed analysis of the history of psychological testing, and a comprehensive list of the types of tests, the article does not make a strong enough case for the inclusion of such testing in the personnel selection process. Ajila and Okafor do not quote any studies or research to back their stand tha t employment testing is a reliable and valid method of personnel selection.

Consumer Behaviour on Facebook Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Consumer Behaviour on Facebook - Essay Example The case study described clearly demonstrated the way people buy things have undergone major transition. The consumer buying behaviours have changed dramatically with the advent of the Social commerce. The case study also described about the major players, who contributed significantly in the social commerce business. The strategy followed by ‘Groupon’ that offered heavy discount on different products was a success. The inculcation of global e-commerce led to the evolution of new infrastructure in the business world. Merchandising was believed to be the key difference between old e-commerce and the new method of selling with the help of internet. The Consumer behaviour is believed to be the most important concept of marketing. The organization’s success and failure can be determined with the help of identifying the behaviours and attitude of its consumers towards the company’s product. Today E-commerce is considered to be the most important and significant evolution in the business world. The e-commerce is represented in terms of social commerce, which is believed to be the subset of e-commerce. The main function of social commerce is to facilitate the online business activities without the requirement of any hard shape structure of the business. In the new world of technology and efficiency, social networking is becoming the necessity of life for the internet users. The reason is that the social networking helps the people to interact among one another, anywhere in the world. The concept of social networking was inculcated by yahoo in 2005 (Warner, 2011, p. 439). The major reason for such inculcation was the introduction of the more convenient way of shopping. The concept of social commerce or social networking began with the co-operative movements that led to the creation of â€Å"Peoples Supermarket† movement (Clapperton, 2012). The idea behind the encouragement of â€Å"Peoples Supermarket† movement was to gather the smart entrepreneurs to make money with small start-up capital. With the passage of time, the concept of social commerce began dominating the traditional suppliers of the products. The conglomerate of large entrepreneurs, who entered in the field of social commerce, followed the strategy of ploughing back the profit into the business to offer the online products at more affordable prices (Marsden, 2012). The buyers or consumers of the products, when found the products more easily accessible and even at more affordable prices, their preferences tilted more towards the online products. The successful capturing of consumer market has now made the companies like Facebook & Google the big business giants across the world, with the net worth in billions of dollars (Dobinick, 2012, p.107). The major change that can be observed with the introduction of the concepts such as social media and social commerce, the customers can find the opportunity to directly communicate with the producers of the products. The increase in interaction between the producer and the end consumer has made

Target Corporation Essay Example for Free

Target Corporation Essay Operator Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by. Welcome to the Target Corporation’s Fourth Quarter Earnings Release Conference Call. During the presentation, all participants will be in a listen-only mode. (Operator Instructions) As a reminder, this conference is being recorded Wednesday, February 26, 2014. I would now like to turn the conference over to Mr. Gregg Steinhafel, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. Please go ahead. Gregg Steinhafel Chairman, President and CEO Good morning, and welcome to our 2013 fourth quarter earnings conference call. On the line with me today are Kathy Tesija, Executive Vice President of Merchandising; and John Mulligan, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. This morning, I will provide a high level summary of our fourth quarter results and strategic priorities for the year ahead, and Kathy will discuss category results, guest insights, and the holiday season. And finally, John will provide more detail on our financial performance, along with our financial outlook for 2014. Following John’s remarks, we’ll open the phone lines for a question-and-answer session. As a reminder, we are joined on this conference call by investors and others who are listening to our comments via webcast. Following this conference call, John Hulbert and John Mulligan will be available throughout the day to answer any follow-up questions you may have. Also as a reminder, any forward-looking statements that we make this morning are subject to risks and uncertainties, the most important of wh ich are described in the 8-K we filed this morning. Finally, in these remarks, we refer to adjusted earnings per share, which is a non-GAAP financial measure. A reconciliation to our GAAP results is included in this morning’s press release posted on our Investor Relations website. Target’s fourth quarter financial results reflect better than expected U.S segments performance in the first three weeks of the holiday season, followed by meaningfully softer results, following our December 19th announcement that criminals had gained access to guest payment card data in our U.S stores. In total, fourth quarter comparable sales decreased 2.5% consistent with our updated guidance in January. Throughout the quarter our  team managed the business extremely well, adjusting both inventory and expenses to match the rapidly changing pace of sales. As a result, our US operations generated fourth quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.30 at the high-end of the updated guidance we provided in January. In Canada, we worked diligently to leverage holiday traffic in an effort to clear excess inventory. Markdowns resulting from this effort drove a very low gross margin rate, but allowed us to reduce average inventory per store in Canada by approximately 30% between the beginning and end of the fourth quarter. Canadian segment EPS dilution was $0.40 in the quarter, $0.05 better than the updated guidance we provided in January. We are pleased that our early cycle Canadian stores have seen the most improvement giving us confidence that we will continue to see continued improvement across all our Canadian stores in 2014. Fourth quarter GAAP EPS of $0.81 reflects U.S and Canadian segment performance along with costs related to our recent restructuring in data breach along with small accounting and tax matters. As we work to address the impact of the mid-December data breach, we have put the welfare of our guests at the center of every decision we’ve made. We have communicated in early and often providing the best information we had about new facts in ongoing on the ongoing investigation. We consistently assured our guests that they would have zero liability for any unauthorized charges on their card accounts resulting from the breach. We increased fraud detection for REDcard holders and extended free credit monitoring and identity theft protection for any guests who has ever shopped one of our U.S stores. We are truly sorry for the impact this breach has had on our guests, team members and other stakeholders and I want to reiterate that we are committed for making things right. We know these initial steps are part of a longer process. We continue to listen to our guests and we know that this incident and recent security breaches at other companies have shaken their confidence in both Target and the U.S payment system more broadly. To rebuild guest confidence, we’re committed to an end-to-end review in cooperation with third-party experts to understand how the breach occurred, the identification and acceleration of solutions to provide enhanced protection in the future and engagement with third-party experts to protect the industry and consumers from future threats. Accordingly, were taking the following steps. We are conducting an end-to-end forensic investigation  of our processes, systems and personnel to make informed decisions on potential security enhancements. We are accelerating the adoption of advanced chip enabled technology, investing more than $100 million to equip our stores and to issue Target branded smart chip credit and debit cards. We have long supported this more secured technology; a broad adoption in the U.S market has been elusive. We believe that recent events will help the industry to reach a tipping point to an accelerated option in the U.S and we are investing to ensure that Target is a clear leader in driving this change. We are working collaboratively with a broad set of stakeholders in the payment card space including banks, retailers, trade associations, payment processors and networks to share in advance best practices and foster future innovation. We helped launch and will be an active leader in retail industry, cyber security and data privacy initiative. In addition, we are investing $5 million in a new coalition with the Better Business Bureau and National Cyber Security Alliance and the National Cyber Forensics and Training Alliance to advance public education around cyber security and the dangers of consumer scams. While we cant yet assess the full impact of this crime against Target and our guests, we’re pleased that sales have started to recover from the trends we observed following breach related announcements in December and January. Importantly, because we’re in a strong financial position, we expect to absorb any near-term financial impacts while continuing to invest in projects that are key to our long-term success. Our Company has a long history of innovation, disciplined management, and a strong long-term financial performance and we are committed to upholding the principles which has have sustained this Company success for many decades. And while 2013 was a disappointing year financially, we have entered the New Year with the right plans in place to grow profitably and generate meaningfully improved financial performance in 2014 and beyond. In the U.S., we have demonstrated our ability to manage the business with discipline and generate strong financial performance even in a challenging environment. In fact, Kathy will outline in more detail we were very pleased with our holiday season results prior to the announcement of the data breach. In preparation for fourth quarter, we may change this to our holiday promotion and marketing and we were pleased that our in stocks were running at all-time highs. As a result, U.S segment fourth quarter  sales were running ahead of plan prior to December 19th. Looking ahead, we will apply the insights we gained in the holiday season to connect with our guests at delivering merchandize and promotions thoughtfully designed to appeal to them based on whats on their mind at each poi nt in the year, moving Target beyond compelling, to becoming irresistible for our guests. We made enormous progress in our multichannel efforts throughout 2013 as we meaningfully increased conversion both on our website and on our mobile apps. We acquired Chefs Catalog, Cooking.com and Dermstore, extending our online assortment by providing our guests access to additional high-end brands in key home and beauty categories. We launched Cartwheel, our unique mobile savings tool which has far exceeded expectations in both adoption and engagement and we accelerated our investments in flexible fulfillment. As a result, throughout the year, growth in our digital traffic and sales outpaced industry averages. We launched in-store pick up chain-wide at the beginning of November and with very little marketing, this new offering became a meaningful driver of digital traffic and sales. Our store teams did an outstanding job delivering great service when guests arrived to pick up these orders and this is particularly impressive since we launched the service during the busiest time of t he year. We will continue to invest in systems, data and processes to enhance our flexible fulfillment capabilities in 2014 and beyond. In our stores we are committed to enhancing the guest experience by adding dedicated service to key categories like beauty, baby and electronics and by providing training and technology that allows our stores team to go beyond providing basic service to solving problems for our guests. And were continuing to pilot innovations to our store formats. Based on the initial rollout of the CityTarget format and the high single digit comparable sales were seeing in our second year CityTarget stores, were analyzing opportunities to redeem the size and enhance the flexibility of this format opening up a wider universe of potential sites in dense urban areas. While on the work on CityTarget continues, weve also developed a separate smaller format called Target Express at about 15% of the size of one of our general merchandize stores, we believe this design provides us w ith a fantastic opportunity to expand into new trade areas providing a convenient solution to guests who can easily visit one of our other formats. While we expect to offer a carefully curated assortment in frequency  categories like food, health care, beauty and other household essentials, Target Express will also offer discretionary categories including home, electronics and seasonal. Throughout the store we will feature our own brands which offer guests an unbeatable combination of quality and price. We plan to open our first pilot location of this format here in our home market in July so we can carefully study both operational and financial results before we determine our plans to expand this format to other markets. Throughout the organization we continue to find new opportunities to optimize expenses, freeing up resources we can apply to new initiatives. In 2013 our teams saved approximately $200 million by reprioritizing their activities and finding more efficient ways to get things done. Our expense optimization efforts are not a short-term project but a complete overall of the way we work and the team continues to fi nd new opportunities. As a result, we expect the benefit of our expense optimization efforts to reach $1 billion in annualized savings by 2015. Im proud that our entire team has embraced this effort to transform how we work. In Canada the team has moved from a year focused on opening a record number of stores to optimizing the business in run state. As we enter 2014 with a much cleaner inventory position, the teams number one operational focus is on in-stocks, ensuring we have the right quantity of each item in the right place at the right time. In addition, we continue to invest in technology and training to enhance both the tools our team uses and their ability to deploy them most effectively. Were also continuing to implement innovative marketing and merchandizing programs in Canada to raise awareness for our frequency categories like grocery, household essentials, beauty and healthcare. Throughout 2014 we will focus on conveying the depth and breadth of our assortment in those categories and the unbeatable value we provide to our everyday pricing, 5% of the awards, price match and our flier. With enhanced guest awareness of our unbeatable prices combined with the benefit of improved operations, we expect guest shopping frequency to build throughout 2014, driving improvement in sales and profitability. While 2013 will clearly be remembered as the challenging year, I am proud of teams efforts to transform our business and position the company for long-term success. And I want to sincerely thank the Target team for their tireless effort to help our guests recover from the data breach. While there is much more work  to be done, Im inspired by their singular focus on our guests and making things right. As a result, Im confident we will look back on this incident and see that we emerged from it even stronger than before. Now Kathy will provide more detail on our fourth quarter results and key initiatives as we enter 2014. Kathy? Kathy Tesija EVP, Merchandising Thanks, Gregg. In our last conference call, we outlined our plans for the holiday season and mentioned that fourth quarter sales were on track through the first half of November. As we progressed through Black Friday week and the first two weeks of December, guests continued to respond to our promotions and sales ran ahead of our plan. Following the data breach announcement and the rapid change in the pace of our sales, the team reacted quickly making nimble adjustments to minimize our excess inventory. This quick response allowed us to end the year with a clean inventory position. And while our fourth quarter gross margin reflected the addition of clearance activity resulting from the sales slowdown, our team did a great job minimizing the impact. As we built our holiday plans, our goal was to cut through the clutter and reach our guests with compelling offers on exciting merchandize, specifically we aligned our weekly deals and events so guests were receiving a clear message across all channels. And because our guests are budget conscious and love to find deals, we intentionally layered promotions across our circular, cartwheel and our catalog to provide unbeatable value. We used our direct channels to drive urgency at key points of the season and we offered more broad attention-getting promotions like 40% off sweaters. Consistent with past years, we featured hot deals on key items but attracted more attention by offering deeper discounts on fewer items and we were very pleased with the guest response. For the quarter overall, our non-discretionary categories generally saw the strongest sales performance. However, on our more discretionary categories electronics saw an increase in fourth quarter comparable sales led by mobile phones, tablets and video game hardware and software. We also saw relative strength in our sporting goods and housewares categories. Digital channels had a very strong holiday season. Thanksgiving was our biggest digital sales day ever with mobile devices accounting for a full 25% of those sales. We were recently recognized as having the most browsed app by a smartphone and tablet in 2013  and Mobile Commerce Daily just named T arget Mobile Retailer and Commerce Website of the Year. This is the second time weve been named Mobile Retailer of the Year and were pleased to be the only retailer to be honored with the award twice. An important factor in our digital success was the fourth quarter rollout of the opportunity to buy online and pick up in-store. In-store pick up requests represented about 10% of fourth quarter digital orders but they peaked at a much higher rate before Christmas as guests relied on the service as a great solution for last-minute gift shopping. About 30% of store visits to pick up an online order resulted in store shopping on that same trip and the size of that store transaction was much larger than an average store trip. While weve rolled out the capabilities with an external commitment to have orders ready in four hours or less, our team quickly attained our internal goal to have most orders ready in one hour or better. Our survey showed consistently high levels of guest satisfaction with this service and this capability has accelerated our mobile conversion rates. Were also pleased with the continued growth of Cartwheel, our digital savings app, which ended 2013 with over 5 million users who have already saved more than $43 million. Younger guests are particularly engaged by Cartwheel as more than half of its users are Millennials, a much higher percentage than they represent in our overall guest base. Redemption rates on Cartwheel are more than 10 times higher than DC and other direct channels like receipt marketing and email and our analysis indicate that its driving incremental trips and sales. Our pre-Black Friday deals resulted in one of the biggest days ever for Cartwheel as they drove one-third of our active users into Target stores on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. We continue to work to enhance the Cartwheel experience. We recently added the ability to scan bar codes to find out if theres a Cartwheel deal on an item and added the capability to sign up for Cartwheel directly through a Target account and email while continuing to provide access to the App through Facebook. As Gregg mentioned, we continue to listen to our guests to understand how we can help them move beyond the data breach and feel confident in shopping at Target. While sales have started to recover in recent weeks and sentiment metrics have begun to improve most notably among our best guests. We continu e to invest to ensure this recovery continues. Beyond our efforts in data  security and chip enabled technology were applying insights from the holiday season to make our merchandise stores and digital channels even more irresistible to our guests. We continue to innovate in ways that differentiate both our product assortments and the guest experience, and we’re investing in pricing and promotions to make our value proposition even stronger. We’re very pleased with the response to Peter Pilotto for Target our most recent designer partnership which launched earlier this month. This collection which features a limited edition assortment of women’s apparel, accessories and swimwear is available at most of our U.S. and Canadian stores and on target.com. We have also partnered with Net-a-Porter.com to offer a curated assortment of the collection to fans across the globe. With lots of social media buzz we a saw long lines outside many of our urban stores on the morning of the launch, and the collection quickly became Net-a-Porter’s fastest selling collaboration in history. Based on last years results Target and Sports Illustrated are once again partnering in support of the magazines annual swimsuit issue w hich is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Target is the exclusive mass retail advertiser and official marketing partner for the issue. This years partnership includes the new 20 page flip cover that celebrates swimsuit style over the past 50 years and features Target’s limited edition swimwear collection. The collection launched at Target stores and on target.com February 17, in advance of the issues on stand date and includes 10 black, gold and ivory swimsuits priced from $15 to $30. Earlier this month, Target began offering AMBAR a new apparel collection designed with the Latina guest in mind. AMBAR is set in 50 U.S. stores this month and is also available on target.com. The line of apparel and accessories features vibrant prints and flattering cuts and silhouettes. This stylish and affordable collection has items ranging from $17 to $40. This spring Target will introduce an assortment of premium skincare featuring seven notable brands, four of which will be exclusively sold at Target. 29 by Lydia Mondavi, Borghese, Laneige and MD Complete by Dr. Zelickson along side industry favorite Vichy, La Roche Posay and Own Skin Health. These brands will be merchandised in two distinct sections, dermatological skincare and specialty skincare, and they have already launched on target.com. We’ll begin rolling out the assortment to 749 U.S. Target stores beginning in March. So whats likely to be the biggest Blu-ray  and DVD release of the year Target will offer an exclusive addition of Catching Fire the second film in The Hunger Games trilogy in stores and on target.com next month. The Target exclusive Blu-ray addition includes 45 minutes of exclusive content from never before seen footage and cast interviews to a behind the scenes looks at the making of the film. This spring award winning singer Shakira is teaming up with Target for her 10th studio album and our exclusive deluxe edition featuring three bonus tracks hit stores on March 25. We announced the partnership and kicked off album preordering with a special spot during the 56th Annual Grammy Awards in January. Last month we became the exclusive retailer to feature Beats music playlists. Beats music is curated digital music streaming services that allows its users to peep into the personal music librarie s of their favorite artists and brands and have them create playlists just for them. By subscribing to Target’s playlist guest can expect a very mix of songs inspired by Target’s rich heritage of music and the taste of the millions who shop for albums at Target each year. In December we launched The Awesome Shop, a beta site that features the top target products recently pinned on Pinterest. The site lets guests explore, get inspired and see what other guests love just like they do in stores. Awesome Shop highlighted the best of the best by only featuring items at the target.com review of four stars or better. We’re also leveraging Pinterest in another unique way to collaborate with three of the sites most influential pinners on a series of party planning collections that will make it easy to throw a Pinterest worthy event. Joy Cho of Oh Joy, Jan Halvarson of Poppytalk and Kate Arends of Wit Delight will each create limited time only collections launched over the course of 2014 including party decor, paper products and serving pieces designed in their signature esthetic. Beyond differentiated merchandise, we continue to provide enhanced service in key areas of the store. Based on guest response to last years launch we have expanded the Target Beauty Concierge’s program to more than 300 stores across the country with new markets including New York, New Jersey, San Francisco and Dallas-Fort Worth. These beauty consultants are brand agnostic and provide guests with detailed, unbiased information and a friendly face in what can often be an intermediating category. We also continue to see great results from the pilot of our new baby layout, a completely redesigned shopping  experience that offers guests inspiring insightful solutions combined with the great value they’ve come to expect from Target. This new layout features a dedicated service desk with a knowledgeable baby advisor to help guests navigate the area and provide unbiased product information. Digital screens and iPads feature inspiration and interactive comparison tools and Bab yCenter content such as buying guides and product reviews We have also incorporated an in department registry kiosk for expecting mom’s or guests looking to give a gift. Merchandised displays have been lowered so guests can more easily interact with large products by travel systems in stores. We have removed barriers to enhance navigation between apparel, gear and baby essentials and we have highlighted the availability of additional online only items in key categories. This summer we plan to grow from 30 stores to more than 200 locations featuring this enhanced baby experience. And based on encouraging initial results in 2014 we’ll expand our test of using mannequins in apparel in our largest format U.S. stores to elevate the store experience, create an enhanced sense of discovery and bring our unique deigns to life. We also continued to augment our digital capabilities driving traffic and sales to all of our channels. Online our top priority in 2014 is continuing to improve the guest experience. All of our efforts will be designed to make things simple, seamless and enjoyable for our guests. To support this priority we continue to hire external talent with deep functional expertise in online merchandising, site merchandising, mobile and analytics. We have recently made enhancements focused on search, product information and checkout making it easier for guests to browse and purchase. In addition now nearly all store products are viable online making this the only place that guests can use Target’s full assortment. Importantly we’re making enhancements while continuing to focus on stability and speed, as a result target.com consistently ranks in the top 10 for retailer site availability and performance. Given the profile of our guests, mobile is more important at Target than for many of our peers. For example, Target’s guest traffic from tablets and mobile phones is greater than our traffic from traditional computers and the shift towards mobile shows no signs of slowing down. In fact usage of the Target App doubled in the short period between last su mmer and the end of the year. To maintain our strong momentum in mobile we’re testing and learning from new features including List  Building, Mapping and Cartwheel capabilities launched during the holiday season. We’re improving conversion by streamlining checkouts and enhancing product information and dynamic content and we are investing to amplify the in-store mobile experience by rolling out guided maps, in-store search and expanded assortment chain wide later this year. We also continue to invest in our flexible fulfillment capabilities which combine the strengths of our digital, store and distribution aspects to provide speed and convenience for our guests. These capabilities allow our stores to add value in new ways, serve our guests as both showroom and fulfillment centers. Following the holiday seasons success of in-store pick up we are moving quickly to roll out the capabilities to shift online orders from our stores this fall. This new capability will create multiple benefits for both T arget as our guests, including shorter shipping times, reduced expenses, lower markdown rates and improved in-stocks. And because our investments in flexible fulfillment drive greater utilization of our existing stores and distribution center assets, we expect to earn an outstanding return on these investments over time. Finally, were pleased with initial performance of Target Ticket, our streaming video service and we continue to invest in features to better serve guest changing needs and behaviors both inside and outside their home. In 2014 we will coordinate our promotions across channels to provide irresistible video offers across our stores, Target.com and Target Ticket. While our fourth quarter results softened following the December 19 announcement of the data breach, we are pleased with the guest response to our holiday season merchandizing and marketing efforts and were confident in our plans for 2014. As always our focus remains on our guests helping them regain their confidence in their Target while delivering irresistible content and experiences in every channel. We believe that our efforts will drive a continued recovery in the pace of our sales and position Target for profitable growth in 2014 and beyond. Now, John will share his insights on our fourth quarter financial performance and our plans for the coming year. John? John Mulligan EVP and CFO Thanks, Kathy. Our fourth quarter financial results reflect strong efforts by our team to handle separate challenges in both our U.S. and Canadian segments. In the U.S. comparable sales declined 2.5% consistent with the  updated guidance we provided in our January press release. This sales performance reflects a 5.5% decline in transactions partially offset by an increase in average ticket. Prior to the announcement of the data breach, fourth quarter comparable sales were running positive reflecting the success of our holiday merchandizing marketing plan. Immediately following news of the breach, sales turned meaningfully negative but began to recover in January. And while its impossible to measure precisely, we believe we would have seen even more improvement had there not been extreme weather across much of the country. Fourth quarter sales penetration on our REDcards was 20.9%, up 5.4 percentage points from a year ago. While the rate of increase slowed down following the breach, year-over-year penetration continued to grow hundreds of basis points through the end of the quarter. Fourth quarter U.S. EBITDA and EBIT margin rates were down more than a percentage point from last years rates, which we were advised to reflect combined results from our former U.S. retail and credit card segments. These profit margins were below our expectations going into the quarter, driven almost entirely by gross margin rate which declined about 20 basis points from the year ago. This performance reflects about 20 basis points of benefit from this years change in vendor payments offset by higher than expected markdowns related to the 10% off we offered prior to Christmas as well as the impact of clearance markdowns at the end of the holiday season. Margin mix was somewhat less favorable than the recent quarters, driven by strong sales in electronics. While below our expectations, fourth quarter U.S. segment gross margin rate was remarkably strong considering the team had to rapidly manage excess inventory in the middle of the quarter when we experienced a sudden change in the pa ce of sales following the data breach announcement. Our fourth quarter U.S. segment SGA rate was 18.4%, about 110 basis points above last years revised rate. About 50 basis points of this headwind was related to the credit card portfolio reflecting a smaller asset base, last years reserve release and this years profit sharing arrangement with TD Bank. Another 20 basis points of headwind was driven by this years change in member payments. The remaining unfavorability reflects the deleveraging effort of negative comp sales. The fact that we experienced only 40 basis points of deleverage reflects strong control of variable expenses, given the magnitude of our comparable sales decline. In the Canadian segment, sales  came in just below expectations. Importantly, as Gregg mentioned, we took advantage of holiday traffic to clear through a significant amount of excess inventory in the quarter. And while we expect some small lingering issues with long lean receipts this year, the Canadian segment ended 2013 in a much cleaner inventory position, paving the way for smoother operations in 2014. In all, the segment drove $0.40 of EPS dilution in th e fourth quarter better than the expectations we provided in our January press release. Turning now to our consolidated metrics, fourth quarter interest expense was 21% lower than last year reflecting the continued benefit of debt retirement funded by the proceeds from the sale of the credit card portfolio. We paid dividends of $0.43 per share in the quarter, an increase of more than 19% from fourth quarter 2012. This was our 185th consecutive quarter in which our company has paid a dividend and 2013 marked the 42nd year of annual dividend increases, a track record of few companies to match. Consistent with last quarter, we didnt purchase any shares in the fourth quarter reflecting current performance and our desire to maintain our debt rating in the middle A range. This approach aligns with our longstanding point of view on capital deployment. First, we invest what we believe is appropriate in our core business. Second, we support the dividend which weve grown annually for more than four decades. And third, we use share repurchase to return cash within the limits of our middle A debt rating. We believe a middle A rating is strategically important as it supports our ability to reliably deliver on our unbeatable pricing strategy over time. In addition, our balance sheet provides the flexibility to maintain our long-term focus in the face of unexpected events like the data breach enabling inves tment and strategic initiatives like flexible fulfillment while we deal with a temporary setback in traffic to sales along with other costs related to the breach. In addition to operating results in the U.S. and Canada, our fourth quarter GAAP earnings reflects several items that reduced EPS by approximately $0.09. These items include charges related to our January restructuring, data breach related costs net of an insurance receivable and continued reduction in a beneficial interest asset partially offset by a small benefit from a resolution of income tax matters. Combining fourth quarter results with performance in the first nine months of 2013 yields full year results that reflect the impact of clear successes and certain challenges. In our  U.S. segment, full year comparable sales declined 0.4% well below our expectations going into the year. This reflects the tougher than expected consumer environment including the impact on the payroll tax increase which just annualized last month, the fourth quarter impact of the data breach and recent headwinds from unfavorable weather, as youve heard from many other retailers. On our U.S. sales, we earned a gross margin rate of 29.8% in 2013, up about 10 basis points from 2012. This rate reflects about 20 basis points of benefit from this years change in vendor payments combined with very strong underlying margin performance in the face of softer than expected sales. Throughout the year, Kathys team did a great job managing inventory resulting in outstanding in-stock levels while avoiding unnecessary clearance markdowns. Our full year SGA expense rate in the U.S. was 20%, up about 90 basis points from last years revised rate. Contrary to what you might initially think, this reflects outstanding performance in light of softer than expected sales and some notable challenges representing more than $600 million of incremental pressure. Including credit card portfolio income, which as you know reduces our SGA rate, about $400 million lower than 2012 reflecting profit sharing with TD, prior year reserve reductions and a smaller asset base this year. And more than $200 million of expense pressure from incremental investments in technology and supply chain to support our multichannel efforts. Without these impacts, our SGA expense rate would have been slightly higher than 2012 but would have been neutral without this years change in vendor payments. This is better expense performance than wed expect on a decline in comparable sales and was driven primarily by two factors; outstanding performance by our stores organization which continued to provide outstanding guest service while delivering productivity increases and our company-wide expense optimization efforts through which our teams are finding better ways to work while deprioritizing less productive activities. As Gregg mentioned, the team continues to find new opportunities to optimize expenses and we expect to reach $1 billion in annualized savings by 2015 helping to fund our efforts to drive profitable growth over the next several years. For full year 2013, U.S. REDcard penetration grew nearly 6 percentage points to 19.3% of sales as more and more guests increased their level of engagement and their spending with Target. Penetration in Kansas City where we began offering  REDcard awards a year ahead of the rest of the country continued to run well ahead of the U.S. overall. Importantly, as part of our broader effort to rebuild traffic and sales in 2014 we will work to reaccelerate REDcard growth in light of the recent slowdown in growth weve seen following the data breach. In Canada in 2013 we generated just over $1.3 billion in sales on 124 stores which were opened on average for a little more than half the year. These sales were well below our plan going into the year leading to grea ter than expected markdowns on a meaningful amount of excess inventory Expense rate were unusually high as well as a result of opening early cycle stores with too many payroll hours, incurring incremental expense relating to clearing inventory and experiencing less leverage on fixed expenses. In the face of these challenges, the team worked tirelessly to improve operations and work through excess inventory throughout the year, clearing the way for an acceleration of sales and profitability beginning this year. Our early cycle store continued to outperform later cycle stores giving is confidence that our operations will continue to become more efficient as our business matures. And having dramatically reduced the congestion in our Canadian supply chain, we will increase the intensity of our marketing message in 2014 regarding value and assortment in our frequency categories. Over time we expect this will lead our Canadian guests to choose Target more often in these categories, driving meaningful increases in traffic and sales. Turning to capital deployment, our total capital investment was about $3.5 billion in 2013, somewhat lower than expected as U.S CapEx of about $1.9 billion was approximately $300 million lower than anticipated. This outcome doesnt reflect a change in strategy, but is simply the result of a lower than expected cost for certain projects and retiming of suspending into 2014. Having sold our credit card portfolio, for about $5.7 billion in March, we significantly reduced our net debt position in 2013, including the early retirement of Haikupon debt. And importantly even in a year of peak CapEx and dilution relating to the Canadian segment combined with the impact of softer than expected U.S sales, we still have the capacity to return about $2.5 billion to our shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchase. With that as context, lets turn now to our outlook for 2014. But before we get to the numbers, I want to discuss a change in our reporting and guidance practices in 2014. Given that our Canadian segment is  now fully operating, beginning with the first quarter of 2014 we will no longer exclude Canadian segment performance from adjusted EPS. To allow for appropriate comparison, l ast years adjusted EPS will also reflect Canadian segment performance as well. With that, lets turn to our full-year outlook beginning with sales. While trends have improved in recent weeks, severe winter weather has been a headwind and we continue to see the impact of the data breach on guest sentiment and traffic. We believe that we will continue to see muted trends in the next few months, but the breach impact will diminish throughout the year as we engage in a vigorous effort to address our guests’ concerns and provide irresistible content offers driving business to our stores and digital channels. In addition, while economic trends are improving, we continue to expect our lower and middle income guests to shop very cautiously in 2014. With that backdrop, our current view is that U.S comparable sales will grow in the range of 0% to 2% in 2014. On those sales we expect a U.S segment EBITDA rate of 10.1% to 10.3%, meaning EBITDA dollar should grow between 5% and 8% this year. Among the drivers of EBITDA margin, we expect gross margin will improve 30 or 40 basis points from our 2013 rate of 29.8%, reflecting improved cl earance markdown rates and more significantly the gross margin benefit of our expense optimization efforts. These benefits will be partially offset by the impact of additional promotional activities and continued investment in 5% REDcard rewards. We expect the U.S segment SGA expense rate slightly better than last year’s 20% rate, reflecting continued discipline expense control and the benefit of our expense optimization efforts offset by our continued investments in distribution and technology in support of our multi-channel efforts. We expect these (indiscernible) investments to be worth $0.05 to $0.10 of incremental EPS pressure in 2014. In Canada, we expect total sales will be approximately double our 2013 experience. As we annualize last year’s124 openings and begin generating comparable sales growth in mature stores. On those sales we expect to earn a much higher gross margin rate in a range approaching 30%. But clearly we continue to see some near-term volatility until the Until the Canadian business matures. While we expect to see better fixed expense leverage in 2014 , the SGA rate will likely remain well above our long-term outlook in a range approaching 40%. Altogether, this will lead to a Canadian segment EBITDA margin rate of minus 8% to minus 10%,  representing more than $400 million of expected EBITDA improvement from 2013. We expect U.S capital expenditures of $2.1 billion $2.3 billion, up slightly from actual 2013 spending. The mix of U.S CapEx will continue to tilt from investments in new stores towards supply chain and technology as we accelerate our multi-channel efforts and continue to find a limited number of new store sites that meet our strategic and financial criteria. I should also note that U.S CapEx reflects incremental investments related to our recent decision to accelerate deployment of chip enabled card readers to all of our U.S stores before the end of the year. In Canada we expect 2014 capital expenditures in the $300 million to $400 million range, down more than $1 billion from peak spending in 2013. We expect once again to raise our annual dividend in the neighborhood of 20% this year, which will mark our 43rd consecutive annual increase. And even with a temperate outlook for near-term traffic and sales and understanding there will be further costs relating to the data breach, our current outlook envision share repurchase capacity of $1 billion to $2 billion in 2014, beginning later in the year as our business stabilizes and we have more clarity on potential breach related costs. Altogether, these expectations would lead to full-year adjusted EPS representing results from operations in the U.S and Canada of $3.85 to $4.15. This estimate excludes approximately $0.07 of dilution related to the continued reduction in the beneficial interest asset. These 2014 expectations represent an improvement of more than 20% from combined U.S and Canadian segment results in 2013. Please note that our full-year outlook does not include potential additional costs relating to the data breach beyond what we already recorded in the fourth quarter, as they’re not estimable at this time. While I realize this may result in a wide range of speculation on the magnitude of these costs, given that our investigation of breach is ongoing it would not be appropriate to say anything more about it than we already have this morning. Regardless of the ultimate dollar amounts, as Greg mentioned, we have the financial strength to move beyond these near-term impacts while we continue to in vest in the future. And as always, we are focused on whats most important, addressing the concerns of our guests and helping them to feel confident shopping with us. Now lets briefly turn to our first quarter outlook. In the U.S we expect first quarter comparable sales in the range of flat to down 2%. So far in February  comparable sales have been running within that range, ahead of our forecast and nearly flat to last year. And I should note while growth isn’t running where it had been earlier in 2013, REDcard penetration so far in February has been running 100s of basis points ahead of last year. On our first quarter U.S sales, we expect an EBITDA margin rate of 9.7% to 9.9%. In Canada, we expect to generate first quarter sales in a range of $400 million to $450 million with EBITDA of minus $150 million to minus $170 million. In light of this near-term operating outlook, we dont expect to have the capacity to repurchase shares in the first quarter, but we expect to resume this activity later in the year. Altogether, our expectations would lead to first quarter adjusted EPS reflecting operating results in the U.S and Canada in the range of $0.60 to $0.75, excluding $0.02 relating to the reduction in the beneficial interest asset and any potential costs related to the data breach. While this has been a challenging year, we are proud of the work of our team and we believe we have the right plans in place to generate meaningfully improved performance in 2014. As we focus on making Target irresistible for our guests, both today and over time, we believe we will go profitably for many years to come. With that, well conclude todays prepared remarks. Now Greg, Kathy and I will be happy to respond to your questions. uestion-and-Answer Session