Why Should Marijuana Be Legalized Many People, Old And Young, Everywh

Why should marijuana be legalized? Many people, old and young, everywhere in the world, partake in the activity of smoking this plant and buying paraphernalia. There are many substantial reasons to use this plant, besides for extra-curricular purposes. Marijuana should be legalized because it's the holder of many beneficial uses including suppressing pain, raising the United States out of debt, saving millions of acres of forests, and creating jobs for many people. Through the legalization of marijuana, the U.S. could benefit immensely. Marijuana is the most widely used controlled substance in the United States. Since it is used so often, why not take the money it could create by selling it and help the economy. For every 1/8 ounce sold, the U.S. government could take 40% of the $40 or $45 with the other 60% going to the seller. The seller would have to be monitored by the government and would have to have licenses and have their crops tested for harmful fertilizers. Crime would also be affected in a positive way. Illegal drug crimes would drop, allowing the police to turn their attention to more serious problems. There is a marijuana smoker arrested every 45 seconds in the United States. Normally, they receive large fines and small jail time but repeat offenders can get up to five years. Sadly, rapists and murderers are able to get only one year. Do you really think smoking a joint is worse that raping and killing someone If marijuana were to be legalized, the jail would have room for criminals that deserve jail time for their crimes. Tax dollars that go to prosecuting and jailing these so called ?criminals' could go towards programs in helping inform smokers of how to do it responsibility. Drug dealers that dealt illegally would soon go out of business and drug smuggling would drop to a low. They would still sell cocaine and PCP and the other illegal drugs but they wouldn't have the same profit that they got prior because marijuana brings in su ch a large profit. Not only would legalization benefit the jails but also the world. Thousands of acres of forest that are destroyed daily would be saved. One acre of hemp can produce up to 4 times more paper than one acre of trees. Before trees can be harvested for use, they must grow anywhere between 20-50 years; while hemp only needs 4 months before it can be harvested. With hemp growing faster than trees, forests would stay erected; in turn, many endangered animals would be taken off the endangered species list. Many things can be made out of hemp and hemp oil. Some items include; clothing, soaps, butter, and rope. By using hemp, we could save the environment while creating everyday items. Why are alcohol and nicotine legal while marijuana is not? Alcohol and nicotine, like marijuana, are considered drugs. Alcohol brings out violence and abuse in many people, while users of marijuana are generally easygoing and relaxed while on it. Nicotine, if consumed in large enough quantities, causes immense harm to the users' body. And both nicotine and alcohol are addicting, while few users of marijuana develop dependencies. A substance shouldn't be illegal because it is addictive. Sex and food can be addictive for people and they are not banned. Many people think that the only people that smoke weed are unemployed lazy potheads, but that is not the case. About 10 million people smoked marijuana habitually last year. Most of these people were law-abiding citizens. If marijuana were to become legalized, there would have to laws to follow such as smokers could receive a fine for smoking in public. Or the United States could follow in the Netherlands footsteps. In the Netherlands, they legally sell marijuana on the street corners in little shops. Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is the marijuana capital of the world and because of that, many people refer to it as the most peaceful places in the world. Consumption of marijuana would also be much safer if the government regulated it. The government could easily control the amount sold and purchased, which would lower the percentage of drug abuse in the country. Also, if the government monitored marijuana crops, people smoking the plant

Whipscorpions Look Scary But Cant Really Hurt You

Whipscorpions Look Scary But Can't Really Hurt You Whipscorpions look fiercely threatening, by some accounts. In truth, they may be the scariest looking creatures that cant actually do you much harm. They resemble scorpions, with enormous pincers and long, whip-like tails, but they lack venom glands entirely. Whipscorpions are also known as vinegaroons. What Whipscorpions Look Like Whipscorpions do look similar to scorpions but arent true scorpions at all. They are arachnids, related to both spiders and scorpions, but they belong to their own taxonomic order, the Uropygi. Whipscorpions share the same elongated and flattened body shape as scorpions and possess oversized pincers for catching prey. But unlike a true scorpion, a whipscorpion does not sting, nor does it produce venom. Its long, slender tail is likely just a sensory structure, enabling it to detect vibrations or odors. Although smaller than most true scorpions, whipscorpions can be impressively big, reaching a maximum body length of 8 cm. Add another 7 cm of tail to that, and youve got a big bug (though not an actual bug). Most whipscorpions inhabit the tropics. In the U.S., the largest species is Mastigoproctus giganteus, sometimes known as the mule killer. How Whipscorpions Are Classified Kingdom – AnimaliaPhylum –  ArthropodaClass –  ArachnidaOrder - Uropygi What Whipscorpions Eat Whipscorpions are nocturnal hunters that feed on insects and other small animals. The first pair of a whipscorpions legs are modified into long feelers, used for locating prey. Once a potential meal is identified, the whipscorpion grabs the prey with its pincers and crushes and tears its victim with powerful chelicerae. The Life Cycle of Whipscorpions For a creature with such a frightening appearance, the whipscorpion has a remarkably tender love life. The male caresses his potential mate with his front legs before presenting her with his spermatophore. After fertilization occurs, the female retreats to her burrow, guarding her eggs as they develop in a mucous sac. When the young hatch, they climb onto their mothers back, holding fast with special suckers. Once they molt for the first time, they leave their mother and she dies. Special Behaviors of Whipscorpions While they cant sting, whipscorpions can and will defend themselves when threatened. Special glands at the base of its tail enable the whipscorpion to produce and spray a defensive fluid. Usually, a combination of acetic acid and octanoic acid, the whipscorpions defensive spray gives off a distinctive vinegar-like smell. This unique odor is why the whipscorpion also goes by the nickname vinegaroon.  Be forewarned. If you encounter a vinegaroon, it can hit you with its defensive acid from a distance of a half meter or more. Other Types of Whipscorpions The order Uropygi isnt the only group of organisms known as whipscorpions. Among the arachnids are three other orders that share this common name, briefly described here. Micro Whipscorpions (Order Palpigradi): These tiny arachnids live in caves and under rocks, and we dont yet know much about their natural history. Micro whipscorpions are pale in color, and their tails are covered with setae that function as sensory organs. Scientists believe micro whipscorpions prey on other microarthropods, or perhaps on their eggs. About 80 species are described worldwide, although many more likely exist, still undiscovered.Short-tailed Whipscorpions (Order Schizomida): The short-tailed whipscorpions  are small arachnids, measuring less than 1 cm long. Their tails are (predictably) short. In males, the tail is knobbed so the mating female can hold onto it during mating. Short-tailed whipscorpions often have modified hind legs for jumping, and look superficially similar to grasshoppers in that regard. They prey on other small arthropods, hunting at night, despite poor eyesight. Like their larger cousins, short-tailed whipscorpions spray acid in defense but lack v enom glands. Tailless Whipscorpions (Order Amblypygi): Tailless whipscorpions are just that, and the name of their order, Amblypygi, literally means blunt rump. The largest specimens reach 5.5 cm in length and look somewhat similar to the larger vinegaroons. Tailless whipscorpions have strikingly long legs and spiny pedipalps, and they can run sideways at startling speeds. These features make them the stuff of nightmares to the easily spooked among us, but like the other whipscorpion groups, tailless whipscorpions are benign. That is, unless youre a smallish arthropod, in which case you may find yourself impaled and crushed to death by the tailless whipscorpions powerful pedipalps. Sources: Bugs Rule! An Introduction to the World of Insects, by Whitney Cranshaw and Richard RedakBorror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. JohnsonSpecies  , Bugguide.net. Accessed online March 10, 2017.Mastigoproctus giganteus  - Giant Vinegaroon

Vitamins May Hurt Your Health

Vitamins May Hurt Your Health MSN ran a feature about ConsumerLab.coms investigation into the purity of multivitamins. The lab looked at 21 brands of multivitamins for sale in the U.S. and Canada and found only 10 of these brands met the labeled claims or otherwise met quality standards. That doesnt have to mean anything earth-shattering. It could have been the other brands were close to meeting standards or had minor problems. However, the quality issues were ones that could actually hurt your health. The Vitamin Shoppe Multivitamins Especially for Women were found to be contaminated with lead. Now, lets put this in perspective. Several calcium supplements run the risk of lead contamination, because lead and calcium participate in many of the same chemical reactions and are difficult to separate. That trace amounts of lead would be present might be expected. However, ConsumerLab.com reported a daily dose of this mulitvitamin contained a whopping 15.3 micrograms of lead (more than ten times the amount permitted without a warning in California). To make matters worse, though you got some bonus lead for your bucks, you only got 54% of the stated levels of calcium. Another vitamin posed a different risk. Hero Nutritionals Yummi Bears, a kids multivitamin, contained 216% of the labeled amount of vitamin A in the retinol form [5,400 International Units (IU)], which is considerably higher than the upper limit set by the Institute of Medicine of 2,000 IU for kids ages 1 to 3 and 3,000 IU for kids ages 4 to 8. Vitamin A is one of the vitamins where more is not better. Instead, too much vitamin A can weaken bones and cause liver damage. Are these quality control issues? Yes, but I would have been surprised if the lab had found the vitamins met their stated claims. Why? For two reasons. First, vitamins arent regulated by the same standards as medicine. They are considered supplements and not drugs. Your best defense against this is to buy a product from nationally-recognized reputable source with an interest in protecting its good name. The other reason I wouldnt expect vitamins to contain exactly what is listed on the label is simple chemistry. Vitamins, by their very nature, are reactive. The quantities listed in a product will change over the course of its shelf life. Your main protection here is to not take vitamins past their expiration date. Should you take a multivitamin? Ask yourself whether the potential benefit outweighs the risk. If you are taking a major name brand multivitamin, you are probably getting approximately what is listed. Even then, expect some variation within the product and some degree of heavy-metal contamination with products that include minerals. These vitamins generally are safe, but dont take them automatically assuming they will help you.

The Literature Review and Final Reflection Assignment

The Literature Review and Final Reflection - Assignment Example Moreover, literature review helps an individual to both increase statistical knowledge in his or her search area and also generate new ideas that are original, thus avoiding duplication of other researchers. Also, according to Dawidowicz (2010), the context within which a study is placed is influenced by how full or good the literature search was done. Literature review also justifies the relevance of the proposed research. A weak literature review can diminish the research proposal because it often treats research claims equivalently (Anderson, 2000). Development of the hypothesis or research questions relies too much on the understanding of the topic one intends to investigate, and this understanding comes from a good literature search. Therefore, a weak literature review diminishes the development of the research problem. A weak literature review does not show the originality of the research problem, which means it involves only summarized publications. Therefore, for the literature review to show originality of the research problem, it must give potential evidence that the research will be relevant and original to research results (Oliver, 2010). In the result and discussion section of the report, the findings of a researcher are compared with those of the literature. In the case of any differences, their existence and meaning are discussed in this section. Therefore, the literature review and research questions connect the discussion section to the introduction (Labaree, 2013). In this section also, statements about how the researcher’s findings reveal new gaps in the previous literature are discussed (Hart, 1998). Weaknesses in other literatures are also presented in this section, and ways of improving them are discussed. Therefore, literature review plays an important role in the discussion and result section of a research report. The most valuable task in the research process is

Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Change Management - Essay Example Change Management Due to the unsteadiness of the business environment, companies around the world are trying to bring in some kind of changes in their functioning system so as to comply with the changing needs. These changes appear in many forms such as a change in the product portfolio of the company, alteration of the marketing and operations strategy, transformation of the distribution system and implementation of a new technology (Taylor, 2009). Furthermore, changes also appear in the external environment of the organization such as changes in the customer preferences, new rules and policies from the government, changes in the competitive landscape and industrial relations. Such changes in turn compel organizations to bring in internal changes so as to comply with the external factors (Cowan, 2005). Any such changes require effective management from the part of the company. This is the reason why change management is often defined as a structured approach for transforming an organization from its current position to a desired position for the future. A change in the organization is therefore deemed as an opportunity to embrace growth or an opportunity to survive in the market place (A. Mills, Dye & J. Mills, 2008). This study seeks to scrutinize the need for change in an organization and how the changes suggested will be achieved or implemented. In order to carry out the study and assess the need for organizational changes and present a plan to implement same, the study will choose an organization and will analyze it accordingly.... Virgin Australia Airlines: A Brief Overview Virgin Australia Airlines previously known as the Virgin Blue Airlines is an Australian based airlines service providing company. It operates under the brand name of Virgin. The company is considered as the second largest airline company of Australia in terms of the fleet size. The company was founded in the year 2000 by British businessman named as Richard Branson and Brett Godfrey. It is now based on Bowen Hills, Brisbane (Virgin Australia, 2013a). The company commenced its operation with only two aircrafts and both are operating on the same single route. Since, the inception the company has been recognized as one of the strongest aviation companies due to its sheer service offering and affordable pricing. Despite, affordable pricing the company has always focused on the leisure sector and tried to position itself as a carrier that offer high value for money (Virgin Australia, 2013b). In the year 2011, the company repositioned itself as à ¢â‚¬Ëœnew world carrier’. Since then the company has followed a business strategy in which it offers the ‘guests’ to avail no frill services in which they offer limited services and also offered customers with premium services in which customers need to pay a few extra bucks so as to get the additional services. With this strategy the company has been able to target a broader market. Currently the company caters to 50 destinations and serves 29 cities of Australia. The company remains highly proactive in the field of sponsorship and socially responsible activities. In the year 2011, the company again introduced certain new strategies where the employees are supposed to wear new uniforms, new

No Child Left Behind Essay Example for Free

No Child Left Behind Essay The education policy that I chose is on education today and the influence of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. In 2001, President George W. Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act. The NCBL is a United States Act of Congress, which includes Title 1 (program for disadvantaged students offered by the government). This Act requires states to develop assessments in basic skills. Each state is required to give these assessments to all students to receive federal school funding. This Act does not set the standards nationwide; each individual state sets the standards. Diane Ravitch, an education philosopher was a supporter of this Act when it was being passed. She believed that every child had the right to a proper education. As the years passed she acquired more experience and knowledge on the Act, and is now completely opposed to the NCLB Act. Ravitch believes that the states dumb down the standards in light of the NCLB. The question now is: is the No Child Left Behind Act seeking to repair the problem, or is it the cause? Under NCLB, the accountability of a childs education is examined by the Federal government and turned into the hands of the state. This was the first time an American president has set a goal of universal proficiency in reading and mathematics for all children. The federal emphasis on literacy, reading, and mathematics emphasizes teacher and school accountability, with negative consequences when schools do not meet established improvement goals (U.S. Department of Education, 2002). Under NCLB the state must have accountability provisions that include how they will close the achievement gap. According to the Department of Education the achievement gap is defined as such; The difference between how well low-income and minority children perform on standardized tests as compared with their peers. For many years, low-income and minority children have fallen behind their white peers in terms of academic achievement (Department of Education, 2002). States must also monitor that every student not excluding the disadvantaged achieve academic proficiency. Yearly assessments must be produced to inform parents of the progress of both the state and the  community. Schools that do not meet the academic proficiency standards must offer supplemental services and take corrective action. If within five years the school is still not making yearly progress, than dramatic changes in the schools academic direction must be made. Dramatic changes according to the Department of Education are defined as follows; †¦additional changes to ensure improvement. The definition raises the question of whether there is a plan for failure at all. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, in its National Report Card shows that these goals may be falling short. Students in fourth grade show temporary improvement in math right after No Child Left Behind became a law, but returned to pre-reform growth rate. The NAEP estimates that by 2014 less than 25% of financially challenged and African American students will achieve NAEP proficiency in reading. Using the same time frame less than half the financially challenged and African American students will obtain proficiency in math. With so much pressure on the states to perform well, a trend is becoming apparent that they are inflating proficiency levels of students. This causes discrepancies between the NAEP and state assessments especially among the financially challenged, African American, and Hispanic students. With no sufficient evidence shown on that NCLB is working, the question is as follows; is the federal government capable of running our school systems? There are undoubtedly dangers in the public school system teaching a federally mandated curriculum. When one controls peoples perception of history, one controls the present. There is, of course, a point to be made that if the nations children are kept in watered down public schools, positions of power will be opened to the children of the aristocracy, who without fail, are being sent to private schools. So many of those Politicians who stand in the way of allowing poor children to escape failing schools, send their own children to private schools (sic). In New York City, where I have spent most of my professional life, both the current and the past chancellor of schools sent their children to private schools. Six of the seven members of the now-defunct Board of Education had  also sent their children to private schools at one time or another. One might add to the list other notables in New York-the governor, the mayor, the leaders of both houses of the legislature, and the junior U.S. senator (and former first lady). In fact, I cannot remember a mayor of the city who sent his children to public school (Viteritti, 2003). The reports of success of NCLB are encouraging to those who support the project. There have been schools in Sterling, Virginia and New York City that have received No Child Left Behind blue ribbons for their success in closing the achievement gap. Other schools have earned national praise for instituting such curriculum as Fit for the Future, a standards-based health and fitness curriculum for grades 1-10; and an anti-bullying intervention program in York, Pennsylvania (Department of Education, 2005). These programs are used to show the benefits of NCLB but are they academic necessities? The curriculum in a kindergarten class in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin included a lesson entitled The Little Convincer. In which a state trooper came into the classroom with a mechanism designed to simulate a car accident. In a discussion about car seat laws, a topic critics of the curriculum call too heady for kindergarteners, the students, ages five to six years old, were asked repeatedly which one of them were actively using car seats, and whether their parents wore seat belts as well. One child who innocently told the officer that his daddy did not wear his seatbelt was told by the trooper that his daddy could go through the windshield and the glass would cut his face and arms like ribbons, and once he hit the road, the car would roll on top of him. The dramatic lesson ended with each of the students taking a turn in the mechanism that simulated the car crash. The officer would speak softly to the child asking them questions about their class or the clothes that they were wearing and when the child began to speak would jerk them forward violently to teach them that an accident could happen at anytime. The question is, are these academic lessons that parents assume that their children are attending school for? Is placing the curriculum in the hands of legislators going to further our childrens grasp of the three Rs as most parents hope, or are they going to be taught how to become complacent law abiding citizens? The problem in purposing that the public school system is flawed beyond repair is offering an alternative that people are comfortable with. When a conversation about privatizing the school system begins many questions must be answered to abate the fears of the public. Would privatizing schools be affordable to all families? Many debates have waged on the validity of a voucher program, allowing families to choose any school they desire whether it is parochial, private, public, or chartered. Without public schools, there are no taxes necessary to support the program, and that money can be returned to the families of school aged children, creating extra funds for private education. In a system of free market education the individual and specialized institutions of learning would have to compete for students, because the money would be linked to the students themselves. Never in the history of the free market have advances been made without competition. When the monopoly on our childrens future ends, a true marketplace of ideas will be born. In an interview with US News, Ravitch was asked What needs to happen to make the law more effective for school? she responded I think the main thing to change is . . . to get rid of the remedies and the sanctions because the remedies dont work and the sanctions dont work. What No Child Left Behind has given the United States is an atmosphere of punitiveness. The word accountability has come to be a synonym for punish. If students dont learn, its the teachers fault. Fire the teachers. Close the schools. Were now on a wrecking mission to destroy American public education. Ravitch has completely rejected this Act, and believes we should do something to make our education system stronger. I questioned? Is the No Child Left Behind Act seeking to repair the problem, or is it the cause? I now have the answer. The NCLB Act sounded very tempting as it was passed by congress, and many like Diane Ravitch had hopes in such a great project for our education system, but everything is not perfect. The NCBL offers great support to schools, although standardized testing is not the correct way of determining the amount of financial support each school deserves or requires. After long hours of research I believe that the No Child Left Behind Act has taken a part in the cause of our problem in our education system today. Schools will not improve if the value is set only on what is tested. The tests we have now provide useful information about students progress in reading and mathematics, but they cannot measure what matters most in education. (Ravitch. The Death and Life of The Great American School System, pg. 226) In order to improve our public school system we must start by focusing on our schools, offering them an authentic and sincere education that encourages our students to learn.

My Mom the Powerhouse Essay -- Descriptive Essay Examples

My Mom the Powerhouse One of the biggest influences in my life is my Mom. She is one of 10 children born to an Appalachian coal miner who could not read or write. Her family lived in the mountains of Kentucky in a little cottage that had no running water and no electricity. She read by kerosene lamp. As a child, she attended a one-room schoolhouse, which also had no electricity and no running water. There was one teacher for eight grades, and each row in the classroom was a grade. My mom says she liked listening to the lessons of the higher grades. There was a big, black potbellied stove in the middle of the room, between the fourth- and fifth-grade rows. My mom couldn't wait to get to the fourth grade so she could sit by the warm stove in the winter. She got her drinks of water from a big bucket in the back of the schoolroom. She would make a little cup by folding writing paper, and she would use a metal dipper to take water from the bucket and put it into the cup. She says the water tasted like the writing paper. At Christmas, my mom's family couldn't afford a tree o... ...She whispered softly, "I was 10." I try to fathom what it would be like if my mom had died when I was 10. I can't imagine, and I'm glad I haven't had to experience that. I must admit that my mom and I sometimes disagree because we're both so strong-willed. Actually, my father affectionately calls my mom "just plain stubborn." But now I realize that her will had to be powerful to pull her through tough times. I am thankful that she taught me to be determined and to focus on the positive. She says those two things can help everyone survive.

Salary of Professional Athletes

Professional athletes are among the highest-paid individuals in the world nowadays. Their salaries have catapulted to meteoric levels; and there are no signs of going down. Ridiculous amount of money is always in tow, whenever an athlete is signed by a team owner in order to bolster the team's popularity. This will generate revenues, and entice advertisers and athletic companies to sponsor the team as well. Team owners always mean business. There are no business ethics involved in transactions in order to augment the team's performance and popularity. Team managers are always at the helm of retaining their prized franchise players. Managers are more than willing to hand out heft contracts to their franchise and star players in order to match any other team offer. The minimum annual salary of athletes is beyond $100,000. This amount increases whenever an athlete is showing tremendous performance to help the team increase their popularity by winning games. Athletic salaries, exuberant and irrational as they may seem, are not crucial to economic requisites of a country, With this in mind, some people with blue-collar jobs have perceived that professional athletes are ridiculously making large amounts of money. In a society that people value hardwork, athletes are sometimes seen as complacent overpaid professionals who don't live up to the various expectations of the society. Ironically, this meteoric salary issue is the result of an awesome manic fan feedback to sports teams. People are the ones who shell out absurd amounts of money to buy team merchandise. Season tickets increase due to the fact that this is the way how team owners make money to pay their star employees. This only shows that sports are highly considered an important part of the society itself. People find professional athletes ridiculously overpaid, yet they tolerate such by buying merchandise and tickets, which fuels a team's funds. One must ponder how a country's government can use such exuberant amount of money to solve problems and to pay debts in world banks. Some athletes don't really value the worth of hard-earned money. However, some athletes are helping the society by engaging in charitable acts. This suggests that huge athletic salaries can either be a good thing or a bad thing. How are Sports Leagues Moderating Player Salaries? Obviously, basketball players have the highest average salary among all professional athletes. NBA teams are known for allocating large amounts of money to its players, which are very popular in an international scale. NBA players average more than $4 million on an annual basis. Former Miami Heat center Shaquille O'Neal has amassed an estimated $20 million in the 2005 season alone. Surprisingly, the minimum salary at that season for rookies was $398,762, which was more than the $1. 1 million that 10-year NBA veterans get (Woolford, 2007). This only shows that the average minimum salary has experienced its peak. With this in mind, non-sports afficionados have generate opinionated statements towards the exuberant salary that is tolerated by team owners. However, the most expensive sports contract handed out for a professional athlete was not in the NBA. Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees signed a 10-year $252 million contract in 2000. Derek Jeter succeeds him as the second highest-paid player in the MLB. Let us compare the salaries of baseball players to teachers. Baseball players make an average of $2. 9 million, while teachers were getting an average pay of $46,597 in 2003. This of course generates the notion that how matter you contribute to the society; it only shows that you are not worth the monetary value you deserve while contributing to your society. A teacher from South Carolina has this to say: â€Å"I don’t mind that athletes get paid so much,† said Franklin Davis, a history teacher at Spring Valley High School in Columbia, S. C. â€Å"I enjoy what I do and don’t do it for the money, even though it wouldn’t hurt to make more. †(Woolford, 2007). Among the sports league, only the National Football League (NFL) implements an iron fist on its players' salaries. Teams from the NBA, MLB, and NHL all guarantee a contract, which grants its players a salary security due to the fact that an athlete will only play for a team that offers his desired salary. The only consolation an NFL player gets is a signing bonuses stipulation that aids teams if a certain player is inactive (Woolford, 2007). In order for the NBA to moderate team owners in spending exuberant amounts of money on player contracts, the league has proposed the system of salary cap that will limit these owners from handing out huge contracts. A salary cap helps maintains the balance in a much competitive league like the NBA. Teams can very well overwhelm and outspend some teams by handing out huge contracts to free agents who would augment their rosters. This concept suggests that a talented free agent can only sign for a team who will not exceed its salary cap. With this in mind, a team with much financial capability is playing in a level with the other teams (Coon, 2008). Statistics have shown that the salary cap system have moderate the league in terms of competitiveness. The correlation between team payroll and regular season wins was at a low 0. 12 (Coon, 2008). This suggests that there in no correlation between a team winning and the salary of its players (Coon, 2008). The salary cap system has been first introduced in 1947. NBA players were earning between $4000 to $5000 at that time. Salary cap limit was $55,000. The latest and modern salary cap proposal was ushered in 1984 at $3. 6 million (Coon, 2008). Eventually, it increased by $1 million each season. In 1994 it was halted at $15. 964 million (Coon, 2008). Salary cap increases are associated with the fluctuations of currency exchange as well. in 1995, salary cap increased again at $23. million acknowledging a huge television contract from NBC. In the 1997 season, it increased at $26. 9. In 2002, the much anticipated ABC/ESPN contract was imminent and generated a $4. 6 billion over six years, but less than what NBC paid in 2001. This salary cap was greatly affected with such. It shows that the salary cap system has its flaws as well, yet it aids in moderating a team's financial capabil ities in spoiling its players from getting large and irrational amounts of money. The Holistic Consequences of Athletic Compensation A myriad of economic issues has plagued the NBA for the 1998 season. A massive player lockout and other issues have seen NBA players union and the Commissioner arguing and debating about revenues and player salary restrictions. The lockout has caused a delay of the season and games suspended until a compromise is reached by both parties. During the negotiations between the two parties, Andrew Zimbalist, a consultant for the union, has asserted that the league has employed strategies in order to preserve the competitive balance of the league per se. Yet this move hampered the salaries of basketball players who want spontaneous salary increases in an instant. The lockout has generated a handful of rational amendments, which included the apt salary regulation of players. Amendments include: restriction of players salaries to a certain limit, evaluating the draft order of players in order to accommodate poorer teams, and revenue sharing among team owners (Kern, 2000). NBA team owners are the primary proponents of the massive salary cap restriction movement. The restriction will make financially weak teams secure in surviving in a widely competitive league. Arguably, this notion is not completely true. If such financially-challenged teams are complaining, then most teams are losing money and arena-hopping would be impossible. Yet those moves are easily initiated by most NBA teams. Ironically, the same teams who proposed such are the same teams who clamored for the omission of the â€Å"Larry Bird exception† that augmented the maintenance of competitive league balance. This generated the not all owners are willing to pay exuberant amounts of money to their players; and their only goal is to raise more profits. With this in mind, compensation for basketball players is hampered. The notion that these athletes are overpaid is easily omitted, and brings about a favorable opinion about salaries of professional athletes (Ocampo, 2008). Arguably, if NBA team owners are really bent on promoting competitive balance; they must adhere to the NFL's method of revenue sharing. Yet such strategy would generate more complicated issues for basketball and baseball leagues alike. The best solution for such is to generate a new set of league rules in order to hamper to the increasing. Eventually, large market teams will be compelled to share their market with teams from competing leagues. Cities will not have to compete against each other by showcasing newly-built teams in order to attract teams (Kern, 2000) Player compensation are also affected by such moves on the part of team owners. Eventually, the issue of redundant salary of professional athletes are place in further scrutiny by spectators. In conclusion, most professional athletes are making excess amount of money in the most irrational way. Team owners are spoiling their players in giving in to their monetary demands. These athletes are supposed to be role models for children. Yet, in one way or another doesn't exemplify the apt behavior towards monetary issues. Arguably, they do not teach the youth to value hard-earned money, and earning in a proper way. Yet this is not the real issue per se. The real issue here is that how are professional athletes spending their salaries. It is good to know that some players use their monetary capabilities to put up charitable institutions; and involve themselves in community service as well. With this in mind, the debate on whether these professional athletes are overpaid or not are not completely answered. Professional athletes are either overpaid or underpaid depending on the economic state of the country they reside in.

Late payment/collections

Dear Sir/Madam, I found my credit rating to be really poor because of a few late payments and collections that happened on my accounts. Even though there were a few mistakes and over sights from my side, most of the recent late payments were due to technical difficulties faced by the concerned banks. I made payment arrangements for $3869 to clear the account with Citi Financial retail. But the payment was delayed since the concerned department could not locate my account in their system.I faced problems with payments to WEB Bank and Qwest, since I was out of town. However I had an arrangement to pay $100 per month to WEB Bank and settle the remaining amount by January 2011. I was never intimated by Qwest regarding any outstanding amount whatsoever despite updating them about the change of address. I am ready to settle with Telenational Communications, although I never maintained an account with them.I had rented out my house after clearing all the bills with Colorado Springs Utilitie s till July 2010. The outstanding amount of $55 was supposed to be settled by the tenant. I have missed few payment deadlines due to oversight. The PAID accounts to THD/CBSD, Colorado Springs Utilities and the credit card accounts with Chase and Service credit Union have been cleared and the recent late payment was in September 2008.The accounts with Service Credit Union, ENT Federal CU, USAA, Military star, Chase Mortgage and Capital One Note Loan have been settled completely and in many cases the payment was late by a couple of days. But the numbers of such instances are few and most of them have occurred during my re-deployment. Since all the above mentioned outstanding has been cleared and considering the circumstances under which many of the incidents happened, I request you to kindly re-evaluate my credit score and update my credit report with the relevant details.

Hygiene and Infection Control Essays

Hygiene and Infection Control Essays Hygiene and Infection Control Paper Hygiene and Infection Control Paper 1.What is the employer’s role in infection control and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)? 1.2/5.6 Employers must provide their employees with appropriate PPE and ensure that PPE is disposed or, if reusable, that it is properly cleaned or laundered, repaired and stored after use. Employer responsibilities: requirement for employer to provide appropriate PPE according to work activities without charge to employee; to train employee as appropriate in use of PPE, reporting mechanisms. 2.What is your role in infection control and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)? 1.1/5.5 To use the PPE that your employer has suppliedUsing gloves and changing your gloves when dealing with personal care, toileting and dealing with bodily fluids, also to protect an open wound on your hands.Using aprons to prevent contamination passed through your clothing on to or from a person to also protect your clothes and uniform.Using hand sanitizer after washing your hands for extra protection it may also be used if you feel unsafe to touch or the is no hand washing facilities 3.List and explain some current legislation and regulations or standards that are relevant to infection control and prevention. Include those relating to PPE 2.1/5.4 The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Both employers and employees are responsible for their own actions in the workplace. All reasonable steps should be taken when carrying out your work duties and all staff should have adequate health and safety training, and measures should be taken to ensure that policies and procedures are in place and adhered to. For example, it is the employers’ responsibility to provide adequate protective equipment and the employee’s responsibility to use it appropriately The Public Health (Control of Diseases) Act 1984 Provides information on the legal requirements for the reporting of contagious or infectious diseases, for example, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis, HIV and Legionella. Food Safety Act 1990 The requirements of this act apply to any area where food is prepared, stored or eaten. Control is required to ensure that the risks of any infection, as a result of bad handling of food, are minimised. Keep themselves and their workplace clean Wear suitable clean, washable or disposable, protective clothing Protect food from any possible contamination Abide by regulations setting out safe temperature controls for storage, preparation and display of food Inform their employer of any illness which may affect their safe handling of food. 4,What is your organisational policy called? Describe the main points of this policy and some of the procedures that you have to follow. 2.2/3.1 Health and safety polices are in the policies and procedures it tell us about what to do to prevent infection control it tells us how to put gloves on and how to wash our hands also there are posters up in the toilets, how to tie our hair up, cleaning equipment, how to deal with waste and how and when to take special precautions and how not to spread infection. Organisational procedures are normally found in written form in the employee’s manual and in the policies and procedures. 5.What would be the potential impact of an outbreak of infection upon individuals and the organisation? 3.2 Cost implication, staff sickness levels, reduction in patient and public confidence, litigation, not delivering regulatory standards ; on employees; loss of confidence in organisation, loss of earnings, fear of risk of infection and infecting family members. 6.List some potential risks of infection in the workplace 4.2 Potential risks of infection: risk of illness and death particularly (the very old, people with illness or health problems); risk to staff of illness especially those involved in high risk activities (nursing those with infection, contact with bodily fluids which may be contaminated), environments where food preparation is carried out or where the disposal of hazardous waste is carried out’ 7,Describe the process of carrying out a risk assessment. 4.3 Risk assessment process: idetifying hazards; assessing risks; eliminating risks where possible; reducing risks where they cannot be eliminated; recording the risk assessment process; disseminating findings to all concerned, regular reviews of risks to ensure suitable controls are in place; reporting of outbreaks of infectious or notifiable diseases; risk assessment as a continuous process which is the responsibility of organisations and individuals 8.Why is it important to carry out risk assessments in relation to infection prevention and control? Give an example of this in your workplace 4.4 Importance of risk assessment: legal requirement of health and safety legislation to carry out and document risk assessment; proven safe way to control infection if implemented properly by all staff Exanples of Gloves and Aprons Plastic disposable gloves aprons should be worn whenever there is a possibility of contact with blood/body fluids. A separate one should be worn for each occasion of care given to each individual resident. Never reuse or wash single-use disposable glovesaprons. Change gloves and aprons between caring for different residents, and between different tasks for the same resident, if necessary to prevent cross-contamination. Removal of gloves and aprons Remove gloves and apron promptly after use by turning the outer contaminated side inward and rolling into a ball. Dispose of immediately into a pedal operated bin. Wash hands. 9.What type of PPE do you use and when may be used? 5.2/5.3 Types of PPE: single use such as plastic aprons, gloves, face masks etc re-usable such as uniforms Reasons for PPE: protection of staff; protection of service users/patients; prevention of cross infection between individuals 10.Describe how you apply, use, remove and dispose of PPE? 5.5/5.7/5.8 Correct use of PPE including application and removal; using appropriate PPE for work activity; preparation for use Disposal: appropriate disposal of single use items e.g. in clinical/hazardous waste where appropriate; preparation of re-usable items for re-use e.g. sending to laundry appropriately labelled etc: following policies, procedures and guidelines. Example for the Using , Removing and Disposal of gloves- Putting on: Select correct glove size and type. Perform hand hygiene. Pull to cover wrists. Taking off: Grasp the outside of the glove with the opposite gloved hand and peel off. Hold the removed glove in the gloved hand. Slot your finger under the lip of the remaining glove and peel it off, taking care not touch the contaminated outer surface. Dispose of the gloves in the clinical waste bin. Perform hand hygiene. 11.List some good principles of personal hygiene? 6.1 Good personal hygiene: importance of personal hygiene in infection control; personal hygiene routines when preparing for work eg hair washing, fingernails; situations of personal and family illness which could increase infection risks at work; absence reporting procedure, and healthcare checks required before returning to work following illness; vaccinations required for work; appropriate clothing for different work areas; appropriate footwear; how to care for work wear; reasons for restrictions on wearing make-up and jewellery; effective hair care

Chemicals That Could Make You Fail a TSA Swab Test

Chemicals That Could Make You Fail a TSA Swab Test If youre flying, you may get pulled aside by a TSA agent for a swab test. Also, your baggage may get swabbed. The purpose of the test is to check for chemicals that might be used as explosives. The test cant check for all the chemicals that might be used by terrorists, so it looks for two sets of compounds that can be used to make many types of bombs: nitrates and glycerin. The good news is the test is highly sensitive. The bad news is, nitrates and glycerin are found in some harmless everyday products, so you could test positive.   Getting swabbed doesnt seem to be particularly random. For example, some people get swabbed nearly every time they fly. This may be because theyve tested positive before (possibly related to a penchant for making smoke bombs and other small pyrotechnics) or because they meet some other criteria. Just expect to be swabbed and be prepared. Heres a list of common chemicals that may cause you to test positive. Avoid them or else be ready to explain the test result, because it can take a while for TSA to complete its evaluation of your belongings, which can translate into a missed flight. Common Products That Test Positive Hand soaps that contain glycerin (Rinse very thoroughly after washing your hands.)Lotions that contain glycerinCosmetics or hair products, which may contain glycerinBaby wipes, which may contain glycerinCertain medications (such as nitroglycerin and other nitrates)Lawn fertilizers (Nitrates: Wash your hands and especially your shoes.)MunitionsAccelerantsFireworks and other pyrotechnics What to Do If Youre Flagged Avoid becoming hostile and aggressive. It wont speed the process. Youre likely going to get patted down by an agent of the same gender who will also empty your bag for additional testing. Theres a chance your luggage may get pulled, although this rarely happens; its also unlikely that you will miss a flight because of the test. Be aware of chemicals in your environment and able to trace your steps to help TSA identify the source of the triggering compound. Sometimes you wont have any idea why you flagged the test. But, careful attention to hygiene may help you avoid the situation. The best advice is to arrive early enough before your flight to get through security. Try to avoid the problem, plan for it, and dont overreact if it happens to you.

Prepare a case analysis of Case 1, Facebook vs. Twitter Essay

Prepare a case analysis of Case 1, Facebook vs. Twitter - Essay Example as an energy source and rallying point for the organization to the extent that it could make that particular company’s site more relevant than other social networking sites. Twitter’s mission reads: â€Å"We want to instantly connect people everywhere to what’s most important to them.† Whereas this mission statement is 80 characters long Huffstetler (2011) argues that it need not be more than 40 because the keywords are four: instantly, connect, everywhere and important. Twitter’s mission statement is brief, easy to remember and the organisation can relate to it. However as we analyse these four keywords we realise that the company needs to add more precision and clarity so that anyone who reads it may be able to identify its core competence and also be able to distinguish it from its competitors. The way it is it could easily be confused with any of the other numerous social networking sites. Of the four keywords, we believe that the organisation identifies well with â€Å"connect†, â€Å"everywhere† and â€Å"important† but it needs to re-consider the use of â€Å"instant†. Twitter’s real-time attribute is what makes it different from other platforms. This is Twitter’s competitive edge. Google and Facebook, the major rivals have tried to mimic this ability unsuccessfully. The problem though is that in modern technology’s lexicon the word instant could imply speed or ease. Twitter therefore needs to consider what to tradeoff between ease and speed and then use the selected choice to replace the word instant on its mission statement. On the other hand, Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected (Facebook, 2012). Using Huffstetler (2011) approach we delineate the key words here as being: power to share, open and connected. â€Å"Open† and â€Å"connected† are attributes that are provided by other social networking sites as well including Twitter. The key differentiator for Facebook lies in the