The Diana Phenomenon Essay - 807 Words

The Diana Phenomenon The sudden death of Diana Princess of Wales at the end of August 1997 sparked off a massive display of emotion in the world, especially in Britain. The event provided the opportunity for the expression of what appeared to be a short-term and superficial, but undoubtedly sincere, manner by a large number of people. â€Å"An emotion felt throughout the countryside was that many people saw themselves in some way connected to this public figure and able to grieve for her as if she were an acquaintance.† (Lambert 54) However, there remained clear borderlines between what the public, who thought they knew her, and the immediate family who did. The Princess’s funeral brought together a gathering of the powerful (English†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å" ‘We don’t know† mourners said. â€Å"Our grief has surprised us, too. We didn’t know how much we loved her.’ â€Å" (Lambert 50) Long ago, in 1981 to be exact, Diana Spencer retired her role as kindergarten teacher to become the future queen of England. It was like a Cinderella story right out of the book. But this Cinderella’s skirts were plaid, and her hair was chopped short. She had a nervous giggle, and was the tiniest bit plump. She was normal, she was regular, and everyone loved her for it. By the time she was 27 years old, she had been married for eight years and had two beautiful sons. The fairy tale appeared to still be there, but what the press, who hounded her day and night, failed to catch was that her life was in a downward spiral even after the short weeks she was married. She had been bulimic for years, she had tried to kill herself, and she and Charles were living separate lives. â€Å"In her telling, the marriage broke up because she’d had the impudence to demand a real relationship†¦in fairness to Charles, he must have felt the fairy tale got all mixed up: He kissed the pr incess and became a frog.† (Gaines 98) â€Å"Dianas enduring allure surprised everyone, including the princess herself. The public’s obsession with the smallest details of her smart clothes, her hair and her sons made royal family life far more compelling and exploitable than any TV saga.† (London) She loved to pick up babies, whether or not they had AIDS. When sheShow MoreRelatedPrincess Diana1253 Words   |  6 PagesOne year ago, the death of a princess brought an entire world to tears. The wounds are slowly healing and the grief is less painful. What remains are the lessons that can be learned from a phenomenon that few can entirely forget. At the time it was a mystery. 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Informative Speech Outline free essay sample

Specific purpose: to inform my audience about the geography, history, economy, culture and cuisine of Puglia (Apulia), Italy Central Idea: Apuglia (a lesser known region in Italy) has some of the brightest seas and beautiful landscapes, rich history, diverse culture, mouthwatering food and kindest people of Italy. Introduction I. How many of you have heard of the Tuscany or Sicily regions of Italy? Or the bigger cities of Italy: Rome, Milan, Naples or Venice? A. Most people in the United States are very familiar with these regions and cities of Italy. II. But how many of you have ever heard of the Puglia or Apulia (as it’s pronounced in English) region of Italy and some of its cities: Brindisi, Taranto, Bari, Grottalia and Villa Castelli? A. Most people in the United States have never heard of this region or its cities and that’s one of the best things about Puglia. Palm Islands 1. Said to be visible from the moon, the largest manmade islands in the world 2. Number of hotels as well as private residences on island- Atlantis 3. Tom cruise and David Beckham have villas D. The world Islands 1. The shape of the world on 300 offshore islands E. Burj Khalifa 1. Tallest man made structure in the world. 2. Over 828 meters (2,716. 5 feet) and more than 160 stories 3. Able to build more stories on top if needed to stay tallest in the world Transition: Now that I’ve shown you some major attractions in Dubai, I would like to now tell you about some of the enormous malls. III. Malls A. Diera City Centre 1. One of oldest malls 2. Over 300 shops B. Mall of Emirates 1. Ski Dubai 2. Aquarium C. Dubai Mall 1. Biggest mall in the world 2. Over 1200 shops D. Dragon Mart 1. Shaped as a dragon 2. Major flea market Transition: I’ve told you about some attractions and the malls, Finally, I’m going to tell you about the hotels in Dubai and also some major possible future hotel projects. IV. Hotels In the article â€Å"Dubai continues growth as a tourism hotspot† out of the Travel and Tourism News, October 2010 addition states Dubai â€Å"has achieved significant growth in terms of hotel occupancy and tourism arrivals in the first half of 2010, with the number of hotel guests reaching 4,181,326 a nine per cent increase from 3,852,742 guests in the first half of 2009. A. Burj Al Arab 1. Luxury hotel was opened in 1999. 2. The 4th tallest hotel in the world, it stands 321 meters high and is located on a separate artificial island. Built like a sail 3. At night, the hotel’s exterior is lit by a choreographed show of colors that change every half hour. 4. Huge aquariums, dancing fountains 5. Tiger woods hit golf ball off helicopter p ad B. Atlantis 1. This luxury resort is situated on 113 acres, and is considered an architectural wonder 2. Prime location, on the crescent of The Palm Jumeirah, known as the 8th Wonder of the World. . This resort features â€Å"Aquaventure† – a 42-acre water park; â€Å"The Lost Chambers† –fascinating underwater world with over 65,000 fish; 11-acre â€Å"Dolphin Bay†, windsurfing and kayaking from its private beach. Shops in an up-scale boutique found in the â€Å"The Avenues† C. Future Hotels 1. Da Vinci rotating tower, one of the most innovative and unique buildings to be built in Dubai and the world. The 250-meter tower will allow each floor to rotate freely allowing the building to shift its shape. Allowing guests to view different angles of Dubai City. 2. Hydropolis, an underwater resort, aiming to be the world’s 1st luxury underwater hotel, jelly fished shaped dome. According to 2007 Arab- American Business article, â€Å"Makin it easy: Dubai’s focus on promoting tourism is paying off† Dubai has invested more than $365 billion in tourism. V. Conclusion A. Summary-All that I’ve told you today makes the city of Dubai seem extraordinary. I’ve told you about the most popular attractions, the enormous malls and the unbelievable hotels. B. Clincher- Now who’s trying to go to Dubai with me?

Bullying a Social Issue That the School System Ignores Essay Example

Bullying: a Social Issue That the School System Ignores Essay Running Head: BULLYING Bullying: A Social Issue That the School System Ignores â€Å"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no ones definition of your life, but define yourself†. – Harvey S. Firestone The Issue Strong, influential and cruel are just some of the words that come to mind when you hear the word bully. In American culture, bullying among children and teenagers has often been dismissed as a normal part of growing up. Little attention has been paid to the devastating effects of bullying, or to the connection between bullying and other forms of violence. Bullying in the American educational system is a significant social issue that it is steadily increasing. Many experts fear bullying has become so widespread and common; the general public is blinded to its destructive and sometimes deadly nature. According to the ‘Facts about Bullying’, â€Å"†¦one in seven students is either a bully or victim. About 56% of students have personally witnessed some type of bullying at school, 15% of all school absenteeism is directly related to fears of being bullied at school, 71% of students report incidents of bullying as a problem at their school. One out of 20 students has seen a student with a gun at school† (Borba, 1999). Bullying can be linked to several violent acts that have occurred in many schools across the country. Bullying is also being blamed for violent acts in institutions of higher learning i. e. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). Bullying includes a wide variety of behaviors, but all involve a person or a group repeatedly trying to harm someone who is perceived to be weaker or more vulnerable. It can involve direct attacks (physical harm, intimidation, theft etc. or more subtle, indirect attacks (such as spreading rumors or encouraging others to reject or exclude someone) (SafeYouth, n. d. ). The newest form of harassment being used on today’s youth comes in the form of text messaging, emails and blogs; cyber-bullying has expanded bullying to a 24/7 problem that is rapidly getting out of hand. According to the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, †Å"†¦children who are bullied experience real suffering that can interfere with their social and emotional development, as well as heir school performance. Some victims of bullying have even attempted suicide rather than continue to endure such harassment and punishment† (AACAP, 2008). Many solutions have been offered to curb the violent acts that bullying can bring but the most simply solution comes in the form of speaking up and speaking out. Most bullying is dismissed because many children do not express their torment until it is too late or for many they never express it. Nature of the Problem We will write a custom essay sample on Bullying: a Social Issue That the School System Ignores specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Bullying: a Social Issue That the School System Ignores specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Bullying: a Social Issue That the School System Ignores specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Bullying is the most common form of violence in our society; between 15% and 30% of students are bullies or victims. Between 1994 and 1999, there were 253 violent deaths in school, 51 casualties were the result of multiple death events (Canter Cohn, 2003). Bullying is often a factor in school related deaths. Direct, physical bullying increases in elementary school, peaks in middle school and declines in high school. Verbal abuse, on the other hand, remains constant (Canter Cohn, 2003). Over two-thirds of students believe that schools respond poorly to bullying, with a high percentage of students believing that adult help is infrequent and ineffective; 25% of teachers see nothing wrong with bullying or putdowns and consequently intervene in only 4% of bullying incidents (Canter Cohn, 2003). Most victims are targeted due to physical or perceived differences than the social norm acknowledges, i. e. sexual orientation, ethnicity, social or economic status, mental or physical disabilities or even degrees of perceived attractiveness (tall, short, fat, skinny etc). Many school shooting and child suicide cases have been directly related to some form of bullying. The most notable case of the school shooting link to bullying is the Columbine High School case that left 12 students and one teacher dead and 23 others injured. Even more devastating than that is that many youth who are the victims of bullying have taken there own lives, children as young as seven have committed suicide because of constant bullying. Politically anti-bullying policies have been adapted by different local legislation but no national laws have been passed that would hold people suspected of bullying to any jail time. Currently bullying is only held as a form of harassment in many state courts, this is only enforced through documented harassment not hearsay. To fully address the problems that result from the emotional and sometimes physical obstacles faced by victims the schools must encourage children to report incidents of bullying and ensure students believe they will be helped. Censorship as it relates to what can and can not be entered on websites should be strictly enforced. Accountability on behalf of school officials that notice victims and perpetrators should also be strictly enforced. Educational institutions are perfect conduits for change because they have a captive audience to teach the basic human values of respect for self and others. Claims A very persuasive claim can be made to the media that involves the children themselves who have been bullied or were once a bully to share their stories. Showing family pictures of the children that have committed suicide to escape the torment that bullying brings coupled with interviews from parents, school officials and friends of the deceased would insight reactions from the general public. Allowing people who are now adults to tell their stories of being either a bully or victim in childhood and the result that those events had on the decisions they made later in life is also a compelling argument. Loseke uses typifications to further frame claims, â€Å"†¦the only feeling we can have about events we do not personally experience and people we do not know are typifications. Without these pictures in our head we could not be able to understand anything other than our extremely limited personal experience†¦without these images we could not know how to react to the countless others in the world of strangers we encounter daily† (p. 8). These visual representations will place a face on the problem and force the public to acknowledge the problem. Comparing and contrasting the problem of bullying with the statistics as well as the aftermath (school shootings, suicide etc) that can result if this problem is not changed would cause attitudes about bullying to ch ange in those who watch or listen to the stories. Loseke identifies a social problem as an evaluation of wrongdoing that is widespread and changeable. He also states that the wrongdoing should and can be changed (Loseke, 2003). School districts have the power to change wrongdoing that bullying brings into the educational environment and to encourage changing the attitudes associated with it. School shooting must be changed! Childhood suicide must be changed! Violence against children must be changed! It can and is worth changing. In Royersford, PA the students of Spring-Ford Intermediate School host a pep rally called Bully-Free is the Way to Be. Students gather on Sept. 5 at the beginning of each school year to demonstrate students, parent and school officials commitment to bullying prevention (Spring-Ford Area School District, 2008). Audience, Strategies and Piggybacking – Solutions School administrators are charged with ensuring the educational environment is safe. Students have the right to attend school without being in fear of bullies. Recently, school districts have adjusted their focus on implementing bullying prevention measure within the public schools (Herman and Seem, 2004). Despite the emphasis the occurrences of bullying in the schools has not decreased. According to the first national survey on school bullying, 74 percent of eight to eleven year old students indicated that bullying occurred in their schools (Nansel et al. 001). The targeted audience consists of the general public as well as politicians, policymakers and those within the educational system. Engaging the entire system that children rely on is the goal of the targets. Making the problem of bullying a national issue will increase response to it and change attitudes toward it. Appealing to the audience’s empathy and compassi on toward victims and their families is a key strategy in motivating the audience to react. Every person can put themselves in these children’s shoes; each person can empathize with either the victim or the perpetrator. Eliminating fear and dread in schools while establishing a foundation for achievement for children is a goal of every American citizen. This is a human rights issue that each person can relate to. Advocates against bullying have developed prevention programs to reduce bullying in schools. Raising awareness about bullying, increasing teacher and parent involvement and supervision, forming clear rules and strong social norms against bullying, and providing support and protection for all students does lower the incidents of bullying in schools (SafeYouth, n. d. ). Piggybacking on issues that deal with equality, fairness and safety avenues that are related to children increases the likelihood that the issue will not get ignore by the educational system. Framing the Issue The issue of bullying must be framed as an American societal issue. The fabric of society is based on the children we produce. The social and emotional development of each child is the responsibility of the entire society. When children are harassed, teased, degraded and humiliated over time certain physiological effects from childhood resurface in adulthood. Children who are bullied are more likely to develop social problems such as unfulfilled relationships or lack of forming successful relationships and also emotional problems such as depression, attachment issues or poor self image issues. Many people can relate to the problems that are lasting that come with being a victim. Children who bully others have a tendency to engage in more criminal activity as well as be in domestic abuse related activities. Both victims and perpetrators are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol as well (American Medical Association, 2002). Producing socially and emotionally disabled adults is something society can not handle. Students who are exposed to bullying academically do not do as well as those who were not exposed. With the economy being the way that it is we as a nation can not afford to have children who are academically and developmentally dysfunctional. Spokespeople Appealing to the audience’s empathy and compassion toward victims and their families is a key strategy in motivating the audience to react. There are many stories about bullies this one comes from the mother of a victim: Brandon Smartwood 2/21/82 – 12/16/00 I have tried to write this message for three days and have not been able to complete it maybe today. I have a lot to say and this is a very painful and emotional subject for me. While my heart goes out to the victims of these school shootingsmy life has been devastated by a different type of crime that is happening in our schools. Although rarely labeled as such, Bullying is a crime. These victims are isolated and usually suffer in silence. The media doesnt broadcast the injuries or deaths of these silenced victims. Our Great Nation doesnt share in their pain or extend sympathies to the survivors. Communities arent outraged by these senseless, (and equally) devastating crimes being committed in our schools. The only outrage in our nation, in our communities, is when the psychiatric injuries caused by Bullying are externalized, and we have another school shooting. Brandon developed PTSD, (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), and Depression, after being harassed, tormented, isolated and brutally beaten in our public school system. When we took out a protective order against one of the Bullies, he, the bully, decided to send a friend into the principals office to claim that Brandon had made a bomb threat. It was absurd, along with the way that the school handled the allegation. The damage done to Brandon over this incident alone was beyond measure victimize the victim. On 12/16/00 Brandon put a loaded gun to his head, pulled the trigger and ended his pain. As tragic as this death is, the greater tragedy is if society doesnt stop to look at the reasons, and pause for a moment to see all the victims. - Cathy Smartwood If school officials, parents of the ‘bully’ and even Ms. Smartwood knew and understood the severity of the issue, Brandon might still be alive today. Brandon’s mother is not the only spokesperson needed adults who were bullies or were victims also need to speak out about their childhood and adulthood difficulties. Teenagers who were bullies or were victims also need to speak out. Children and teenagers that attempted or know of someone who committed suicide based off bullying should also speak out. Speaking at schools, raising awareness at PTA and school faculty meeting, facilitating community and school workshops are all places that the spokesperson(s) would be involved in. Political events, marching on Washington are all places were the spokesperson(s) should push for change. Counterclaims Even though is seems absurd to think, many people even after all of this do not see a problem with being bullied or being a bully. The spokesperson(s) would have to be prepared to deliver the devastation that comes with being a victim or a family survivor. Many Americans see bullying as a rite of passage ‘something we all have to go through’, not as a serious psychological problem that should be punishable by law. Attitudes towards bully’s and their victims shows that the general public embraces the difficulties that bullying brings but dismisses any solutions that may be offered due in part to the characteristics that can come out of being a victim that overcomes the situation such as confidence, determination and tenacity. Many Hollywood movies project the victim overcoming at the end and standing up to their bullies (The Karate Kid, The Bully, Mean Girls etc. ). The general public admonishes children of bullies to do the same. The media portrays bullies as the general public views it ‘a part of life’. The general public along with policymakers and educational officials feel that creating anti-bullying policies will curb violence. Many counterclaim that victimization of bullies is covered under the Human Rights Act of 1998. Bullying is mention but enforcement is still left in the hands of school administration. There is no national law that covers bullying in school. There are a lot of opponents to the anti- bullying policies that are enforced in many schools today. These policies are not explained in depth to students, parents or some teachers. Many teachers are aware but do not enforce the policies unless victims speak out. Typifications The idea of an innocent child who is harassed into a psychologically damaging way of thinking completely undermines the idea of normal child development. To know that this abuse goes unchecked everyday in every school around the nation is the greatest injustice to the social and emotional wellbeing of children in this country. The media should frame the child in the most innocent light imaginable. The audience should know that this is not a normal part of life and that society will suffer if this continues to go unchecked. Conclusion Children need protection from things that would harm them. Bullying harms children and causes great stress on the educational system as well as the family unit. Children are our countries most precious commodity their welfare must be maintained. The school system must endeavor to use spokesmen that are working for change. Awareness and action with regard to encouraging the attitudes of law and policy makers to change is something the media can do. It is clear that this issue is wrong, changeable and should be changed; the idea that children as young as seven are being exposed to bullying is heartbreaking. The culture of America dictates that children are innocent, vulnerable and must be protected; when children are exposed to bullying that is ignored by school official, dismissed by parents and never mentioned on television-this is society’s way of ignoring those cultural ideals. Ignorance can only be changed if enlightenment begins. The media can be used to enlighten and change attitude as well as motivate people into action. Ignoring the problem doesn’t make it go away it just means you don’t care to acknowledge it. References American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry (2008) Bullying. Retrieved from http://www. acap. org/cs/root/facts_for_families/bullying American Medical Association (2002) Bullying Behaviors Among Children and Adolescents. Retrieved from http://www. ama-assn. org/ama/pub/category/14312. html Borba, M. (1999) Facts About Bullying. Adapted from Parents Do Make A Difference: How to Raise Kids with Solid Character, Strong Minds, and Caring Hearts. Jossey-Bass Publishers. Retrieved from http://www. parentingbookmark. com/pages/MB04. htm Canter, A. Cohn, A. (2003) Bullying: Facts for Schools and Parents. National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814. Retrieved from http://www. nasponline. org/resources/factsheets/bullying_fs. aspx Loseke, D. (2003)

Five Facts About Oktoberfest

Five Facts About Oktoberfest As September inevitably segues from summer to autumn, Germany’s daylight hours shorten appreciably. This change of seasons is worldwide, but, in Munich (Mà ¼nchen), in southern Germany, the locals and the tourists brace for a festive event of an altogether different sort. Munich, a modern city in all senses of the word, is the capital of Bavaria (Bayern). It lies on the edge of the Alps; it’s Bavaria’s largest city and Germany’s third largest. The Isar River, which originates near Innsbruck, Austria, flows through Munich on its way to join the Danube (Donau) near Regensberg. At this time of year, some say the flow of the Isar is more than matched by the flow of ​beer. For two weeks this year, from 19 September through 04 October, Munich’s huge assortment of international companies, world-renowned brands, high-technology resources, and exquisitely graceful fairy-tale-like architecture compose the backdrop for the annual German clichà ©, the 182nd Oktoberfest. For those living in Munich, it will be two thrilling weeks of lederhosen, beer, and tipsy tourists. If raucous revelry on a city-wide scale is not to your liking, you’d be well advised to leave downtown Munich until the festivities end. If you live near the Festwiese, the epicenter of the partying, you better close your windows tightly and get used to the smell of spilled beer mixed with puke. There are not only nice things to tell about the Wiesn, but also endearing ones. Here are five important, lesser-known facts about Oktoberfest which might surprise you. 1. The First Day of Oktoberfest Oktoberfest embraces numerous traditions, most of them commemorated at the very beginning of this annual celebration. The first day of the so-called â€Å"Wiesn† is the most traditional one and it follows a strict timetable. In the morning, the â€Å"Festzug† (parade) takes place. The â€Å"Wiesnwirte,† the landlords of the fest-tents, are the main participants. They are soon joined by waitresses, brewers, and old-fashioned Bavarian shooting associations. The two parades head toward the â€Å"Theresienwiese† where the actual Oktoberfest takes place. Horses pull big wagons with wooden kegs of beer, gunners fire salutes, and the Mà ¼nchner Kindl, the personified coat of arms of the city of Munich showing a child in a hood, leads the parade. At the same time, thousands of people, sitting in the 14 huge tents, await Oktoberfest’s official opening. The atmosphere will be convivial, but dry: They won’t get a sip of the good Bavarian brew before . . . 2. Ozapft Is! . . . the mayor of Munich starts Oktoberfest at high noon by tapping the first keg. This tradition began in 1950, when mayor Thomas Wimmer initiated the ceremonial tapping of the keg. It took Wimmer 19 hits to fix the big tap properly into the huge wooden keg- traditionally called a â€Å"Hirsch† (deer). All wooden kegs come with the names of different animals. The deer has a capacity of 200 liters which is the weight of a deer. The mayor will tap the keg at exactly high noon on the first Saturday of Oktoberfest and call the famous and eagerly anticipated phrase: â€Å"O’zapft is! Auf eine friedliche Wiesn!† (It is tapped!- for a peaceful Wiesn). It’s the signal for the waitresses to serve the first mugs. This tapping ceremony is broadcast live on television and the number of strokes the mayor will need to tap the keg are wildly speculated on before the event. By the way, the best performance was delivered by Christian Ude, mayor between 1993-2014, with on ly two hits (opening the 2013 Oktoberfest). Traditional Bavarian gunners will immediately fire two shots out of a â€Å"Bà ¶llerkanone† just below the memorial of the Bavaria, an 18ÃŽ ©-meter tall statue which is the female personification of the Bavarian homeland and, by extension, its strength and glory. The first Maß, i.e., the first beer of the Oktoberfest, is traditionally reserved for the Bavarian prime-minister. â€Å"Wiesn† is local Bavarian dialect for both Oktoberfest itself and for â€Å"Theresienwiese,† i.e., the meadow where it all began decades ago.   3. The Ma The typical Oktoberfest mug contains one liter of â€Å"Festbier,† which is a special brew made for the Oktoberfest by a few select breweries. The mugs can be filled very quickly (an experienced waiter can fill one in 1.5 seconds) and, from time to time, a mug could end up with less than a liter of beer. Such a tragedy is deemed a â€Å"Schankbetrug† (pouring-fraud). There is even an association, the â€Å"Verein gegen betrà ¼gerisches Einschenken e.V.† (association against fraudulent pouring), which makes spot checks to guarantee that everybody will get the right amount of beer. To make fraud even more difficult, the â€Å"Maßkrà ¼ge† are made of glass. If you want to drink your beer out of a traditional â€Å"Stein† (stone mug), you can visit the â€Å"Oide Wiesn† (old Wiesn), a special Oktoberfest area where you can experience Oktoberfest as it was practiced in days of yore, with old-fashioned â€Å"Blasmusik† (brass-band music ) and original attractions from 1900 through the 1980s. Taking your Maß home isn’t a good idea because it is seen as theft and might lead to getting acquainted with the Bavarian police. But, of course, you can buy one as a souvenir. Sadly, the delightful beer, with its slightly higher alcohol content, combined with a heavy mug in one’s hand, frequently leads to harsh â€Å"Bierzeltschlgereien† (beer-tent brawling), fights that can end very seriously. To avoid that and other criminal acts,  the police patrol the Festwiese. 4. The Police Every officer on duty volunteers his/her time for Oktoberfest. For most of them, it’s both an honor and a significant challenge. The high amounts of alcohol consumed on the Wiesn lead to numerous fights and beatings. Besides that, the dark sides of Oktoberfest include theft and rape. Three hundred police officers are therefore on duty in the local police-station which is located in an underground building beneath the Theresienwiese. Additionally, over 300 more officers make sure that this mass event remains safe. If you plan to visit this episode of Bavarian madness, you should be aware of the dangers caused by thousands of drunk people all over the place. Especially as a tourist or non-Bavarian, you should also be aware of the beer. 5. The Beer It is not harmless, but it is, or can be, delightfully mischievous. Oktoberfestbier is not an ordinary beer, especially for those who come from the USA or Australia. German beer itself is rather strong in taste and alcohol, but Oktoberfestbier is even stronger. It must contain between 5.8% to 6.4% alcohol and be brewed in one of the six Munich-based breweries. Besides that, the beer is very â€Å"sà ¼ffig† (tasty), which means that you will empty your mug much quicker than you might have intended- one does not sip â€Å"Festbier† daintily. That’s why so many tourists, unfamiliar with German beer, can be found on the â€Å"Besoffenenhà ¼gel† (hill of the drunks) after three or four Maß- a little hill where all the wasted people sleep off their Wiesn experience. If you don’t want to end up there, just enjoy the fest as the locals do: have a â€Å"Brezn† (a typical Munich pretzel), drink slowly, and enjoy the annual Bavarian madhouse.

Tesco Plc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Tesco Plc - Essay Example Through the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR), companies have been forced top look beyond the economic returns of the business but also consider their impact on the environment and community around them. The importance of value creation through positive stakeholder relationships has an impact of significantly increasing the profitability of a firm (Edwards 1998). The increase in environmental legislation and the emerging trends of ethical consumers, the incorporation of social responsibility in the business strategy is more of a necessity in the competitive market. This report seeks to analyze the annual report of Tesco Plc for the year 2011 to investigate the way it accounts for its social, ethical and environmental impact. The report further compares the performance of the company with other companies in terms of environmental policies. Another aspect that is considered in this report is the nature of reporting that the company uses and recommendations for future str ategies to improve on the presentation of the company’s stakeholder’s strategy. 2. Business Review of Tesco Plc in 2011 Tesco is the most dominant retailer in the United Kingdom with a market share of about thirty percent. The company has a presence in several countries. It reported revenues in excess sixty billion in the financial year 2010/2011. The core purpose of Tesco Plc is to accord quality service to customers. The company’s goals are aligned to this vision that is clearly aimed at giving the company a competitive advantage in its market. The company has underpinned its commitment to the community and the environment by having a goal to put its responsibilities to the communities that they serve. To achieve this goal, the company has broken down its policy on environment and social issues into five key performance indicators that it uses to analyze the impact of its strategies. The key performance indicators on the social and environment issues for Tesco Plc for the period ending 2011 are analyzed below. 2.1 Responsibility in Buying and Selling of Products The customers require safe and affordable products. The company also lays emphasis on ensuring that the products that it sells are sourced in a way that is robust and meeting the required standards. Tesco has laid out strategies to help improve its relations with the suppliers through a program called â€Å"Trading Fairly†. However, the impact of this program cannot be quantified because the metrics of measuring the results are not available. In fact, it can be argued that these programs are publicity stunts since the same buying processes were used prior to the introduction of this program are still in place. A case in point is the widely documented practice by Tesco Plc to buy potatoes from the grey market instead of the official supply chain through Tyrells Crisps. The other issue of fair trade has been recently brought to the fore due to the price undercutting by super markets on bananas. The price wars between Tesco and Asda almost brought down the banana industry. The supermarkets opted to lower their margins and in turn reduced the amount they pay to their suppliers. According to Michaels (2004), the demand for cheaper products by supermarkets has become a ruthless way by the supermarkets to exploit the supplier. The net effect of lower supplier prices is that the workers in the farms are paid much less and this impacts negatively on the society. Sainsbury was the first supermarket to announce that it will sell one hundred percent fair trade bananas. Other supermarkets have followed suit but it is worth noting that Tesco was reluctant to commit to this cause. The increased money paid to the suppliers will have a positive impact on the community where the products are sourced from. The style of disclosure of the responsible sourcing and buying of products the Tesco

The UK Government is Right to Listen to Claims that Large Banks should Essay

The UK Government is Right to Listen to Claims that Large Banks should be Broken up - Essay Example From this study it is clear that  the impediment is that every niche of this argument is based on a myth. The first misleading notion is that the materialization of huge, universal banks- uniting investment banking with commercial banking- was an unnatural or artificial development. This disjointed market means that banks could not accomplish the economies of scale or simply supply clients on a global or national level. The market needs stimulated the consolidation and gave birth to an evolution towards greater competency in the banking sector.This paper stresses that  a second erroneous belief is that these universal, large institutions were primarily to give guilt for financial crisis. As most grave observers recognize, an amalgamation of risk management and bad lending by poor regulation, bank management and poor-advised consumer performance all played a role. A third misleading notion is that huge financial institutions have become too intricate to supervise. A firm of any si ze needs strong management and control to supervise complication. In reality, big global institutions have frequently proved more elastic than others because their expansion in business model makes sure that loss in one department of enterprise can be stifled by revenues in other departments of the organization. In some instances, intricacy can be a remedy to risk, instead of a reason of it.  The opponents of huge banks that are seldom aired similar to they don’t qualify for examination.... Critics point to the excessive influence huge banks mostly has on the political procedures. They panic that those regulators are intimidated by a big bank’s power and position. These opponents appear to consider that regulators are not capable of coming up with independent verdicts. In the practical world, this instance is not true. That supposed, it is genuinely right and mandatory for politicians and regulators to employ with industry and experts practitioners to be trained about these issues. These regulators are not browbeaten, but they usually do require more capability and improved cooperation with each other to take on the tasks lucratively (Duffie 2011). Another condemnation is that huge banks receive large, implied subsidies from government and can borrow money more reasonably because they are considered to ‘too big to fail’. But the facts don’t stay out. Big banks invest billions of dollars to bring services and products want, investments that a f irm has accomplished scale can make. The scale permits them to carry, like huge-box stores, more invention, more consistent and convenience, dependent service (Wilson 2012). Breaching the huge banks would damage their clients, customers, and the economy as a well. In actuality, it would insert novel risks into the financial arena. If the globalized, multifunctional, universal banks are obligated back into dedicated lending firs, they will require figuring out novel ways to give the returns to shareholders. This could easily lead the way to an augmentation in risk lending. Most of the banks in United Kingdom function all over the globe and have to function with international banks. If they are not able to work with banks in UK, they will then work with banks based

Depression Anxiety in Older Adults: Gaps in the Knowledge

Depression Anxiety in Older Adults: Gaps in the Knowledge Depression and Anxiety in Older Adults:Â  Are there gaps in current knowledge regarding diagnosis and treatment? Introduction Mental health problems in older adults can cause a massive social impact, often bringing about poor quality of life, isolation and exclusion. Depression is one of the most debilitating mental health disorders worldwide, affecting approximately 7% of the elderly population (Global Health Data Exchange, 2010). Despite this, it is also one of the most underdiagnosed and undertreated conditions in the primary care setting. Even with estimates of approximately 25% of over 65’s living in the community having depressive symptoms severe enough to warrant medical intervention, only one third discuss their symptoms with their GP. Of those that do, only 50% receive treatment as symptoms of depression within this population often coincide with other later life problems ( IAPT, 2009; World Health Organisation (WHO), 2004). Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1: Depression and Anxiety in older adults Many misconceptions surround ageing including the fact that depression is a normal part of the ageing process. Actual evidence indicates that other physical health issues often supersede the presentation of depressive symptoms in older adults which may suggest that the development of depression is highly influenced by deteriorating physical health (Baldwin, 2008; Baldwin et al, 2002). Depression may present differently in older adults in comparison to adolescents or even working age adults. Although the same disorder may be present throughout different stages of the lifespan, in older adults certain symptoms of depression may be accentuated, such as somatic or psychotic symptoms and memory complaints, or suppressed, such as the feelings of sadness, in comparison to younger people with the same disorder (Baldwin, 2008; Chiu, Tam Chiu, 2008). O’Connor et al (2001) carried out a study into ‘the influence of age on the response of major depression to electroconvulsive thera py’ and found that when confounding variables are controlled (age at the beginning of a study), there is no difference in the remission rates for depression in both younger and older adults, however, relapse rates remain higher for older adults. Backing this up, Brodaty et al (1993) conducted a qualitative naturalistic study into the prognosis of depression in older adults in comparison to younger adults and again confirmed that the prognosis and remission for depression in older adults is not significantly worse than for younger adults. However, the rigor of a qualitative naturalistic study is argued by proponents as being value-laden in nature, while criticisms of this study approach highlight it as being subjective, anecdotal and subject to researcher bias (Koch, 2006). In addition to depression, anxiety disorders are also common among older adults, often presenting as a comorbid condition. In 2007, 2.28 million people were diagnosed as having an anxiety disorder, with 13% of those individuals aged 65 and over. By 2026, the projected number of people diagnosed with an anxiety disorder is expected to rise by 12.7% to 2.56 million with the greatest increase expected to be seen in the older adult population (King’s Fund, 2008). Despite the prevalence rate, anxiety is poorly researched in comparison to other psychiatric disorders in older people (Wetherell et al, 2005). Of the anxiety disorders, phobic disorders and generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) are the two most common in older people (Bryant et al, 2008). It wasn’t until 1980 that the American Psychiatric Association (APA) published the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) 3rd Edition which introduced Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) into the psychiatric nome nclature, distinguishing it from other anxiety disorders for the first time (APA, 1980). MCManus et al (2009) estimate that in England alone, as many as 4.4% of people in England suffer with GAD with prevalence rates between 1.2 and 2.5 times higher for women than men (Prajapati, 2012). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has received more clinical interest lately, correlating with individuals from the Second World War, Holocaust and Vietnam Veterans reaching or being well into old age and increasing recognition of PTSD. Despite this, data relating to prevalence rates still remains limited with research tending to focus on specific populations as opposed to community figures, for example, with regards to UK war veterans, approximately 30% will develop PTSD (pickingupthepieces.org.au, 2014). Unfortunately, stigma tends to misrepresent PTSD statistics as sufferers tend not to seek diagnosis or researcher bias is present. Britt (2000) found that many service personal within the military stated that admitting to a mental health problem was not only more stigmatising that admitting to a physical health problem but they also believed it would have a more detrimental impact on their career prospects. Furthermore, Mueller (2009) conducted a study into disclosure attitudes in which it was concluded that these attitudes can strongly predict symptom severity. With this in mind, it is important to stress the importance of practicing within the limits of NMC (2008) code of conduct in which unconditional positive regards must be show by all nursing staff whilst incorporating a non-bias attitude in practice. Anxiety and depression comorbidity is well established. A longitudinal study, noted for its beneficial adaptability in enabling the researcher to look at changes over time, conducted by Balkom et al (2000) found that in a random community sample of adults (55 and older), who were diagnosed as having an anxiety disorder, 13% also met the criteria of major depressive disorder (MDD). Adding weight to the evidence of anxiety and depression comorbidity in older adults, Schaub (2000) who also conducted a longitudinal study, found that 29.4% of a sample of older adults in a German community met the criteria for a depressive disorder. Longitudinal studies are thought to vary in their validity due to the attrition of randomly assigned participants during the course of the study, thus producing a final sample that is not a true representation of the population sampled (Rivet-Amico, 2009). King-Kallimanis, Gum and Kohn (2009) examined current and lifetime comorbidity of anxiety with depression. Within a 12 month period they found 51.8% of older adults with MDD in the United States also met the diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder. There is evidence to suggest that the first presentation of anxiety symptoms in older adults suggests an underlying depressive disorder (Chiu et al, 2008). Unfortunately, comorbid anxiety and depression in older adults is associated with much higher risks of suicidal symptoms (Bartels et al, 2002; Lenze et al, 2000) in addition to increased reports of more severe psychiatric and somatic symptoms and poorer social functioning when compared to depression alone (Lenze et al, 2000; Schoevers et al, 2003). 2.2 Diagnosis and Screening Tools APP TO PRACTICE Dementia, along with depression and other priority mental disorders are included in the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP). This programme aims to improve care for mental, neurological and substance use disorders through providing guidance and tools to develop health services in resource poor areas. Synthesis and utilization of empirical research is an important aspect of evidence-based care. Only within the context of the holistic assessment, can the highest quality of care be achieved. References: Baldwin, R., Chiu, E., Katona, C., and Graham, N. 2002. Guidelines on depression in older people: Practising the evidence. London: Martin Dunitz Ltd. Baldwin, R. 2008. Mood disorders: depressive disorders. In: Jacob R et al, Oxford Textbook of Older Age Psychiatry. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Balkom, V., Beekman , A., de Beurs, E., et al. Comorbidity of the anxiety disorders in a community-based older population in the Netherlands [Online]. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 101(-). Pp 37–45. Available at: https://www-swetswise-com.abc.cardiff.ac.uk/FullTextProxy/swproxy?url=http://onlinelibrary.wiley.coc/resolve/doi/pdf?DOI=10.1034/j.1600-0447.2000.101001037.xts=1409279416128cs=1533436201userName=0000884.ipdireciemCondId=884articleID=25446758yevoID=1585273titleID=2498remoteAddr=131.251.137.64hostType=PRO [Accessed: 29th August 2014]. Bartels, S., Coakley, E., Oxman, T., et al. 2002. Suicidal and death ideation in older primary care patients with depression, anxiety, and at-risk alcohol use. American Journal of Psychiatry.159(10) pp.417–427. Brodaty, H., Harris, L., Peters, K., Wilhelm, K., Hickie, I., Boyce, P., Mitchell, P., Parker, G., and Eyers, K. 1993. Prognosis of depression in the elderly. A comparison with younger patients [Online]. The British Journal of Psychiatry 163(-) pp589-596. Available at: http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/163/5/589#BIBL [Accessed 27th August 2014]. Chiu, H., Tam,W., and Chiu, E. 2008. WPA educational program on depressive disorders: Depressive disorders in older persons. World Psychiatric Association (WPA). King’s Fund. 2008. Paying the price: The cost of mental health care in England to 2026 [Online]. London: King’s Fund. Available at: http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/sites/files/kf/Paying-the-Price-the-cost-of-mental-health-care-England-2026-McCrone-Dhanasiri-Patel-Knapp-Lawton-Smith-Kings-Fund-May-2008_0.pdf [Accessed: 17th August 2014]. Koch, T. 2006. Establishing rigour in qualitative research: the decision trail. Journal of Advanced Nursing 53(1) pp. 91-100 Lenze, E., Mulsant, B., Shear M, et al. 2000. Comorbid anxiety disorders in depressed elderly patients [Online]. American Journal of Psychiatry. 157(-): pp.722–728. Available at: http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org.abc.cardiff.ac.uk/data/Journals/AJP/3712/722.pdf?resultClick=3 [Accessed: 29th August 2014]. O’Connor, M., Knapp, R., Husain, M., et al. 2001. The influence of age on the response of major depression to electroconvulsive therapy: a CORE report. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 9(-): pp. 382–390 Rivet-Amico, K. 2009. Percent Total Attrition: A Poor Metric for Study Rigor in Hosted Intervention Designs [Online]. American Journal of Public Health 99(9): pp 1567-1575. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2724469/ [Accessed 22nd August 2014]. Schaub, R., Linden, M. 2000. Anxiety and anxiety disorders in the old and very old—results from the Berlin Aging Study (BASE) [Online]. Comprehensive Psychiatry. 41(-) pp 48–54. Available at: http://ac.els-cdn.com.abc.cardiff.ac.uk/S0010440X00800085/1-s2.0-S0010440X00800085-main.pdf?_tid=25fb884e-2f25-11e4-ae4a-00000aab0f6bacdnat=1409279912_0012d28347b6791e31a8b5199f3daaa1 [Accessed: 29th August 2014]. Schoevers, R., Beekman, A., Deeg, D., et al. 2003. The natural history of late-life depression: results from the Amsterdam Study of the Elderly (AMSTEL) [Online]. Journal of Affective Disorders.76(1): pp 5–14. Available at: http://ac.els-cdn.com.abc.cardiff.ac.uk/S0165032702000605/1-s2.0-S0165032702000605-main.pdf?_tid=1814aa80-2f34-11e4-a381-00000aab0f27acdnat=1409286331_4cb7efb58af9c004b37dc4825f8831d5 [Accessed 19th August 2014].