Saturday, December 28, 2019

Primary Care Practices For An Existing Ehr System - 933 Words

The goal of my case study was to understand the current use of EHRs in primary care practices. The objectives were to determine whether primary care practices are using advance EHR functions, what challenges they face, and how advanced functions are successfully incorporated into the care they provide. The case was a qualitative case study of 6 primary care practices with an existing EHR system in the state of Virginia only. The selection was based on a maximum variation of quality-related activities, location, and ownership. The sample included small independent practices as well as practices that are fully owned and operated by larger healthcare systems. The practices had only 1 to 9 physicians and were reimbursed $2000 for data collection efforts. A multidisciplinary research team did the data collection in order to draw different perspectives. The team included subject matter experts from family medicine, healthcare management, information technology, nursing, and social work. Data was derived from three onsite visits. The onsite visits included in-depth interviews and observations of interpersonal relations and the National Survey of Physician Organizations over a 16-month period (2010 to 2011). The interviews conducted onsite were audiotaped and transcribed. Data was also collected from telephone interviews. There was no information provided about the phone interviews other then that they were conducted. The information was gathered from 38 individualsShow MoreRelatedThe Implementation of an Electronic Health Records System: Advantages and Disadvantages1784 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿RUNNING HEAD: Implementation of Electronic Health Records System Implementation of Electronic Health Records System Student Name University Name Abstract The preceding paper discusses the implementation of Electronic Health Records (EHR) in detail. The advantages and disadvantages of the implementation of EHR have been highlighted in the paper. In addition to that, the paper also puts light on the five attributes of an innovation that make it acceptable, which were proposed by Rogers. ApartRead MoreWhat Barriers That We Expect With Teledermatology Implementation Of Poor Image Quality Essay1573 Words   |  7 Pageshospitals, urgent care clinics and satellite facilities that will allow patients to connect to the internet and transmit their images. Low Adoptions Rates by Physicians: Studies show that dermatologists have shown low adoption rates when it comes to Teledermatology due to concerns over medical liability and reimbursement (Tensen, van der Heijden, Jaspers, Witkamp, 2016). To ensure that our dermatologists and primary care providers are comfortable employing Teledermatology in practice, we plan to appointRead MoreElectronic Health Record Essay1099 Words   |  5 Pagesmedical practice affecting an electronic health record (EHR) system is change. A successful switch from paper-based charts to electronic health records (EHRs) in a clinic requires cautious synchronization for the many components. A myriad of perplexing decisions must be made, extending from selection and application to training and updates. Operating new software is typically easier than the interruption and reconfiguring of a practice’s procedures as well as how to handle its existing paper recordsRead MoreRevenue Cycle Essentials Analysis944 Words   |  4 Pagessurvey’s. One million survey’s were mailed to small medical practices as well as rural hosptials in the United States as well as international to determine if there was a need for project management or EHR software consulting. The mailing survey asked if there were needs in their practice or hospital for these services. If these services were needed what would be the rate per hour the client would be willing to pay for these services. If the practice or hospital had a need for this service, who would theyRead MoreExecutive Summary There is opportunity to improve the quality of health care in Jones Hospital.1400 Words   |  6 Pagesimprove the quality of health care in Jones Hospital. Information technology (IT) offers the potential to address the organization’s most pressing dilemmas: care fragmentation, medical errors, and rising costs. The leading example of this is the electronic health record (EHR). An EHR, as explained by HealthIT.gov (n.d.), is a digital version of a patient’s paper chart. It includes, but is not limited to, medical history, diagnoses, medications, and treatment plans. The EHR, then, serves as a resourceRead MoreAn Electronic Health Record ( Ehr ) Is A Digital Version Of A Patient s Paper Chart1324 Words   |  6 PagesAn electronic health record (EHR) is a digital version of a patient’s paper chart. EHRs are real-time, patient-centered records that make information available instantly and securely to authorized users. Authorized health care providers and, in some cases, patients have access to EHR electronically anywhere, anytime in support of care provided. This record is designed to facilitate data sharing across the continuum of care between healthcare delivery organizations and across geographical regionsRead MoreKotters Model For Change Management1449 Words   |  6 PagesLearning Consortium suggests using Kotter’s Change Management Model as a foundation for Change Management in EHR Implementation. In the stages of the model, some key milestones were missed during the first two attempts at implementation at Luke’s House Clinic with Phase 1, such as lack of distinct urgency, poor buy-in , no guiding coalition, incomplete vision, and mixed goals. To implement Practice Fusion effectively in the future, the Kotter Model might be more effective. In any institution or facilityRead MoreHealthcare in the United States Essay1475 Words   |  6 Pages2014) The US healthcare system can thank the private sector for providing much strength such as new diagnostic technologies, innovative treatments and procedures, and dynamism. American hospitals and physicians are regarded internationally as being of high quality. Americans can also be proud that the physician- patient relationship is among the most trusted and valued relationships in the country. By allowing the private sector to take a lead role in the healthcare system, the United States valuesRead MoreFuture Reform of Healthcare Medical Records1419 Words   |  6 Pagespredict that traditional paper and manually recorded medical records will be ancient history and that universal technical systems will be in place. EHRs (electronic health records) systems are collections of digital medical records kept by health care facilities and affiliates such as hospitals, doctors offi ces, and insurance companies (Lynn, 2011). The intention of the EHR system is to extend health information technology into the realm of patient record keeping and automated healthcare processesRead MoreImplementing Personalized Radiology Emr Software896 Words   |  4 PagesImplementing customized radiology EMR software modified to fit your practice can transform productivity and efficiency to improve both workflow and patient experiences. Paper-based systems have pain points that frustrate staff members and create bottlenecks that slow down collaboration and delay patient treatment. Making digital information available directly from an EHR patient chart encourages collaboration and informed-consultations in real-time, without waiting for printed records and films –

Friday, December 20, 2019

Representation of Indigenous Cultures in the Rabbits and...

Representation of Indigenous Cultures Since the European settlement of Australia, the Indigenous people have been represented in a myriad of ways. The Rabbits (1998), an allegorical picture book by John Marsden (writer) and Shaun Tan (illustrator) and Rabbit Proof Fence (2002), a film directed by Phillip Noyce, are just two examples of this. Techniques such as music, changing camera angles and symbolism are utilised in Rabbit Proof Fence to represent the Aboriginal people as strong-willed and spiritual and in The Rabbits, exaggeration, different colour themes and perspective are used to portray the Aborigines as technologically inferior and overwhelmed against the Europeans. In both texts, the Indigenous people are represented as†¦show more content†¦When the girls do collapse onto the ground, Molly sees an eagle soaring in the sky above them. This eagle, as explained by Molly’s mother in opening scene, was a symbol of protection and safety in Aboriginal culture. The appearance of this eagle in their time of need emphasises how the Aboriginals are truly bonded, psychologically and physically, to their land and culture. In this scene, the camera shifts back and forth between their elders back at Jigalong and the girls in the desert. This constant transition conveys the relationship between the girls (protected by the eagle) and the elders praying in an Aboriginal dialect for the girl’s safety. With these few examples, we can see how the Indigenous people have a special bond with their land through their cultural religion, which, in return, assists them when it is needed. Powerlessness of the Numbats (Aboriginals) against the Rabbits (Europeans) in The Rabbits is shown through the use of words within the mise en scene. Within this picture book, Marsden contributes to the meaning of the story to the readers through very short, but powerful sentences such as: â€Å"Sometimes we had fights/But there were too many rabbits/We lost the fights.† The way these sentences are structured so that it places emphasise the appropriate scenario that is occurring in each panel. With Shaun Tan, he conveys the powerless nature of the Indigenous by placing theShow MoreRelatedRabbit Proof Fence By Sally Morgan Essay1911 Words   |  8 PagesMy Place by Sally Morgan and Rabbit-Proof Fence by Phillip Noyce successfully portray the isolation, identity and discrimination of Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. Although being set in different time periods, both texts explore the effects of the stolen generation on Indigenous Australians and how they fit within society. Sally Morgan characterises herself as an outcast within school symbolising the isolation of Indigenous Australians within society. In contrast with Morgan,Read MoreThe Concept Of Tracking Is An Essential Skill To The Aboriginal1564 Words   |  7 Pagessignificant role in Aboriginal history because it molded the relationship between the Aboriginals and the white settlers. In the movie adaptation of the novel Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence, the tracker illustrates how perceptions of trackers can transform by witnessing the struggle of the tracker living in both white society and aboriginal culture. Therefore, in both the movie and the novel, tracking demonstrates how it has impacted the history of Australia and helped shaped the image of Australia in whichRead MoreAustralia and Indigenous People954 Words   |  4 Pagesthat ‘lucky’ for marginalized groups in Australia, the literature of these marginalized groups in Australia certainly substantiates this point†. Many sources of literature suggest that Australia is not considered the lucky country for migrants, indigenous and other marginalized groups of people living in Australian society. Privileged Australians would say that Australia is the ‘lucky country’ and for them it may be but it certainty isn’t for everyone. So, what makes Australia appear to be the unluckyRead MoreEducation and Australian Marginalized Groups1101 Words   |  4 Pagesthat ‘lucky’ for marginalized groups in Australia, the literature of these marginalized groups in Australia certainly substantiates this point†. Many sources of literature suggest that Australia is not considered the lucky country for migrants, indigenous and other marginalized groups of people living in Australian society. Privileged Australians would say that Australia is the ‘lucky country’ and for them it may be but it certainty isn’t for everyone. So, what makes Australia appear to be the unluckyRead MoreDoes Marginalization Cause Bullying?822 Words   |  3 Pagesthe fact that she has grown-up up under false pretences. In the book she states that â€Å"I was black, I was a servant† not only is this heart wrenching but it represents that she was nothing but a servant for just being born an Aboriginal. Another representation of marginalisation is where Sally states in her book that â€Å"She didn’t even give me a place to sleep, I had to find my own place.† This is outright outrageous and represents white people as hard and uncaring individuals. Sally Morgan values herRead MoreBelonging Essay4112 Words   |  17 Pagesand private. cultural context is complex and refers generally to way of life, lifestyle, customs, traditions, heritage, habits - civilisation. More specifically, it refers to intellectual and artistic awareness, education and discernment. Popular culture refers to the Arts, the humanities, intellectual achievement, literature, music, painting and philosophy. historical context refers to the factual and documented evidence of a set time, either of the composer and/or the text. social context refers

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Nursing Care Plan Common Diseases

Question: Discuss about theNursing Care Plan for Common Diseases. Answer: Secondary Prevention: Asthma is one of the common diseases of the childhood. This can happen due to the gene environment interplay. As per the case scenario, Stuart has asthma form the early childhood but he stooped to visit the doctor after leaving his home at the age 19. In such condition, the nurse should arrange the oxygen cylinder for him at first and anti allergic injection should be pushed. Matricardi (2014) mentioned that patients should avoid ventolin puffer without asking the GP form a discount chemist. However, Stuart did the same thing and lied to the chemist to buy the product. The nurse can provide the patient H1 antihistamine cetirizine and antihistamine H1 ketotifen, which will give relief to Stuart. The nurse should check the heart beat of the patient and oxygen mask should be put on (Pechter 2014). The nurse should advise Stuart to quit smoking if he has the habit of smoking and should avoid the dust. Primary Prevention: Avoid the smoking and dusts in the workplace Stay in well ventilated house and avoid the dump house. Use proper doses of puffs and should not change the doses without asking the doctors and nurses (Beasley, Semprini and Mitchell 2015) Provide subcutaneous immunotherapy and sublingual immunotherapy. Avoid the allergic foods and substances. The nurse needs to give anti allergic injection to Stuart after he has been admitted to the hospital (Tartibian, Yaghoobnezhad and Abdollahzadeh 2014) The necessary tests like ECG, nitric oxide test, allergy test and sputum eosinophils test. The nurse should teach Stuart after his recovery about the use of inhaler. The chest x-ray is necessary to check the position of the lungs and computerized tomography scan is necessary to check the nasal condition. Health Condition of Pathophysiology: Bronchoconstriction: this is a clinical symptom of asthma. The airflow rate is decreased and the air path became narrow for which the patient feels difficulty in inspiration and expiration (Jackson 2014). Airway edema: the inflammation increases with time and mucus plugs is formed that includes the hypertrophy and hyperplasia. Airway hyperresponiseness: airway hyperresponsiveness is the exaggerated bronchoconstrictor that has a major impact on the patient. The dysfunctional neurogulation happens. Airway remodelling: the airflow became limited and partially reversible. The lung function can be reduced. The cell structure became changed. Goals of Care: The care plan gives the direction to the particular care to a particular patient. A care plan should be unique for the individual patients. The care plan includes the proper communication and consult with the other nursing staffs (Jackson et al. 2014). For the asthma patient, the nurse should be very careful before confirming his diet or medication. The nurse should know the patient history first that in which food, the patient allergy or problem. The nursing plan should have proper goals, treatment plan and proper outcomes. The nursing plan should be documented properly and presented to the patient and his family to teach them about the treatment. References Beasley, R., Semprini, A. and Mitchell, E.A., 2015. Risk factors for asthma: is prevention possible?.The Lancet,386(9998), pp.1075-1085. Jackson, D.J., 2014. Early Life Viral Infections and the Development of AsthmaA Target for Asthma Prevention?.Current opinion in allergy and clinical immunology,14(2), p.131. Jackson, D.J., Hartert, T.V., Martinez, F.D., Weiss, S.T. and Fahy, J.V., 2014. Asthma: NHLBI workshop on the primary prevention of chronic lung diseases.Annals of the American Thoracic Society,11(Supplement 3), pp.S139-S145. Matricardi, P.M., 2014. Allergen?specific immunoprophylaxis: Toward secondary prevention of allergic rhinitis?.Pediatric Allergy and Immunology,25(1), pp.15-18. Pechter, E., 2014, June. Primary Prevention of Asthmathe Role of Occupational Asthma in Pushing the Agenda. In2014 CSTE Annual Conference. Cste. Tartibian, B., Yaghoobnezhad, F. and Abdollahzadeh, N., 2014. Effects of Physical Activity and Sleep Quality in Prevention of Asthma.Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology Advances,1(4), pp.356-359.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Corporate Finance Productions of Accessories

Question: Describe about the Corporate Finance for Productions of Accessories. Answer: Company overview: Billabong international limited is a surf company, which functions as clothing retailer. The company is also engaged in the productions of accessories like watches, backpacks, skateboard and snowboard under the same brand name. Gordon and Rena Merchant founded the company in the year 1973. As the company started developing further it acquired new brands and number of retail outlets to expand its business beyond the boundaries of wholesale. The company first traded on the stock exchange of Australia on 11 August 2000. It is worth mentioning that from the late 2012 the company experienced a declining period. The company has been the subject of protracted bidding process in which the former chief of Billabong has been a key participant. However, it should be noted that from last couple of years the company has undertaken the strategy of corporate turnaround to return to the profitability. Analysis: A detailed analysis of Billabong International is performed with the help of financial ratios in order to understand the business and operating functions of the company. The ratios provides an insight into the guidelines of the company and a special focus is paid to identify the special issues concerning the business. To begin with the analysis several parameters are undertaken to evaluate the performance such as profitability, efficiency, liquidity, gearing and investment ratio. Profitability: Profitability ratio are those class of ratios which defines the fiscal metrics of an organisation by evaluating the business ability to generate earnings in comparison to the business expenditure and other important cost incurred during a specified period of time (Cantoni, 2012). In the current evaluation of Billabong financial situation the profitability ratio is undertaken consisting of the gross profit ratio, net profit ratio, return on capital, assets and equity. The gross profit ratio of Billabong for the financial year of 2014 consists of 50.4 while in the year 2015 the ratio stood 52.9. The gross profit reflects a growth of 2.5% prior to the previous year cash and cash equivalent and other short-term are readily convertible to the amount of cash (Sridharan, 2015). While on the other hand, the net profit ratio does not reflects a positive scenario as net profit reflects a negative amount of -20.84 since the company was under the loss and reported a net loss of $202,949 million from its continuing operations. Profitability 2014-03 2015-03 Net Margin Ratio -20.84 0.39 The net profit ratio for the financial year 2015 reflecting a positive view as it grew to 0.39% as the company reported a profit of $2,552 million. The return on capital and return on assets for the financial year of 2014 stood -32.73 and -26.49 respectively due to the significant and prolonged decline in the fair value of the cost of assets (Kim, et al., 2013). Profitability 2014-03 2015-03 Return on Assets -26.49 0.53 This is due to the cumulative loss on acquisition cost and current value of market. However, the company reported a growth in 2015 with return on assets and capital employed stood 0.53 and 5.17 respectively since the company introduced the strategy of corporate turnaround to return to profitability. Profitability 2014-03 2015-03 ROEC -32.73 5.17 Liquidity: The liquidity ratio is concerned with the liquid assets and the liabilities of a bank. The framework measures the ability of the company to pay off its long-term debts and liabilities as and when they become due. The liquidity ratio of Billabong consists of current ratio quick ratio along with inventory turnover ratio. The current ratio of the company seems to be stable as in the financial year of 2014 and 2015 represents 2.2 and 2.19 respectively. There is no such significant change in the ratio as the company is capable enough to pay off its long-term debt and short term liabilities (Kim, et al., 2013). While the quick ratio on the other hand represents 1.32 and 1.35 since the cash and cash, equivalents in the balance sheet stood 153, 334 and 145,070 respectively. The cash and cash equivalents consist of the deposits, which are held, in the financial institutions. Liquidity Ratio 2014-03 2015-03 Current Ratio 2.2 2.19 The Liquidity ratio is largely used to analyse the effective use of the companys assets and liabilities internally. The ratio usually takes into the considerations the time it takes to collect cash from its customers and the time undertaken to convert its inventory in to cash (DoÄÅ ¸an, 2013). Thus, it is worth mentioning that whatever be the environment of the company it must make an optimum utilisation of its assets to understand the operational functionality. Liquidity Ratio 2014-03 2015-03 Quick Ratio 1.32 1.35 The fixed assets turnover ratio of Billabong represents 1.27 and 1.35 for the financial year of 2014 and 2015 respectively. The financial assets were valued at fair amount and the profit and loss are subsequently carried at fair value. The translation differences between the two financial year is largely related to the change in the amount of amortised cost and other changes in the carrying amount were identified by Billabong. Efficiency Ratio 2014 2015 Fixed Assets Turnover 10.53 11.44 The liquidity ratio of Billabong also consists of Receivables turnover, which represents the 6.26 and 6.61 for the financial year of 2014 and 2015 respectively. These changes represents that the receivables are identified at initially fair value on the date at which it is invoiced on a thirty-day policy (Bandt et al., 2014). They are represented as the current assets unless the collection is anticipated for more than 12 months after the balance sheet date. The inventory turnover ratio for the financial year 2014 and 2015 represents 2.49 and 2.7 respectively. Liquidity Ratio 2014-03 2015-03 Inventory Turnover 2.49 2.7 This shows that those raw materials are determined by the organisation through using the FIFO method, which estimates the actual cost, involved including the direct materials and direct labour. The company allocates the inventory under the normal operating capacity after determining the rebates and discounts (Clor-Proell et al., 2015). On the other hand, the assets turnover ratio represents 1.27 and 1.35 for the financial year of 2014 and 2015 respectively. The assets are carried and amortised at cost by the organisation (Delen, et al., 2013). The company values the financial assets at fair value through the help of profit and loss account. It is worth mentioning that the financial assets are recorded on the date of trade on which the company commits its self to purchase or sell the assets of the ownerships. Management also classifies the assets at initial recognition date until it is held to maturity by re-evaluating the assets at the time of their disposal. The accounts receivables ratio shows the same amount for the financial year of 2014 and 2015 respectively with 20.46 is estimated as the average days of accounts receivable by the organisation (Sridharan, 2015). This represents that the collectability of the trade receivables is largely viewed because of ongoing accounting entries by the organisation. An allowance is also established by the organisation with the objective that group will not be able to collect all the amounts of the receivables. Gearing ratio: Gering ratio can be defined as the ratio, which compares the owners equity with the funds borrowed by the equity owners. The ratio is primarily concerned with the measurement of proportion of companys borrowed funds in contrast to its equity. The gearing ratio of the company represents the figure of 0.76 and 0.91 for the financial year of 2014 and 2015 respectively (Robinson et al., 2015). The borrowing of company is usually recognised at the fair value for the net transactions cost incurred. Therefore, the ratio signifies that any difference between the proceeds and redemption amount should be recognised in the income statement over the period covered. On the other hand, the gearing ratio of the company also includes Debt ratio. Gearing 2014-03 2015-03 Debt ratio 1.23 1.08 The debt ratio consists of 1.23 and 1.08 for the financial year of 2014 and 2015 respectively. The debt ratio indicates that the debts incurred by the company are at cost for the construction of qualifying assets are capitalised during a period of accounting year in order to complete and prepare the assets which is intended to be used for sale. Hence, the other borrowing cost consist of long term debt and expenses (Kim, et al., 2013). Gearing 2014-03 2015-03 Interest Coverage -0.64 0.41 The gearing ratio also consists of the interest coverage ratio which represents a negative value for the financial year of 2014 however, the ratio grew to a positive benchmark with 0.41 for the financial year of 2015. Gearing 2014-03 2015-03 Gearing Ratio 0.76 0.91 Investment ratio: Investing can be considered as a daunting task and very often a complex procedure. This ratio is largely used by the investors in order to estimate the attractiveness of a potential or existing investment opportunity in an organisation and obtain an idea of the valuation. Thus, this ratio primarily attempts to simplify the relationship between the money invested and the amount of profits derived from it (Clor-Proell et al., 2015). The investment ratio of Billabong consists of the earning per share. In the year 2014, the company reported a poor investing ratio with poor earnings per share of -1.43 for the financial year of 2014 where as in the year of 2015 the earning per share of the company however improved and moved towards positive scale with 0.02. The company reports the earning per share after adjusting the figure derived from the determination of basic earnings per share. Therefore, it should be noted that the weighted average number of additional ordinary shares is assumed to have been utilised by the company in the conversion of diluted potential ordinary shares. Investment ratio 2014-03 2015-03 Price Earning -0.6713 60.5 The company reports that the basic amount of earning per share is computed through subdivision of profits, which is attributable to the equity holders of the company excluding the cost of servicing equity other than the non-ordinary shares (DoÄÅ ¸an, 2013). The earnings per share of the company is largely based on the weighted average number of the ordinary shares outstanding for the year which is adjusted with the bonus elements for the ordinary shares which is issued during the year after excluding the treasury shares. Investment ratio 2014-03 2015-03 Earnings Per Share SGD -1.43 0.02 Efficiency ratio: The efficiency ratio is used to analyse the procedure employed by the company to use its assets and liabilities internally. An efficiency ratio takes into the consideration the turnover which is receivables from the debtors along with the repayment of liabilities. Efficiency ratio on certain occasion looks to evaluate the cash collection period from the customers and the time it takes to convert the inventory into cash (Bandt et al., 2014). The efficiency ratio of Billabong represents receivables turnover. In the financial year of 2014, the receivable turnover represents 6.26, which considerably increased to 6.61 in the financial year of 2015. The company follows the policy of valuating the receivables at fair value by subsequently measuring the amount at cost on a term of 30 days. On the other hand, efficiency ratio also includes the inventory turnover ratio with 2.49 and 2.7 for the financial year of 2014 and 2015 respectively. The inventory turnover rate was lower in the financial year of 2014 however; it grew to 6.61 for the financial year of 2015, which represents that the inventory is used at a faster rate for production of goods (Cantoni, 2012). The raw materials are determined at cost the company makes the use of First In and First out method in approximating the actual cost involved in inventory. The inventory is largely allocated at cost after subtracting the rebates and discounts. Fixed asset turnover ratio represents the figure of 10.53 and 11.44 for the financial year of 2014 and 2015 respectively. This largely because the assets are carried forward in the accounting year are amortised at cost, representing th e present value of future amount of cash flow. Efficiency Ratio 2014 2015 Asset Turnover 1.27 1.35 Conclusions and findings: The financial statement of the organisation shows a contrasting view that the organisation does have a potential market share. Though the company was under loss for few years however with the implementation of new business policies it has been noticed that there has been an upward rising trend for the company in the parameters of earnings per share and working capital. The earnings per shares is one of the positive factor in terms of revenue growth. The comparative shows that firm is back on the path of progress through extensive research and developments. Thus financial provides a positive indication that company is deriving extra ordinary returns where the leverages (financials) are far above the ground and superlative due to its ROIs (Return on investments) is greater comparative to other relative costs and expense. Recommendations: Speaking considerably about recommendations the operational efficiencies of the company is visibly having enormous spaces to develop and progress that subsequently increase margins. Billabong international should focus and line up its hard work to incorporate its resources with the capability to exploit the corporation vital competencies, potencies and opportunities as well. This will assist the company to achieve its competitive lead and increasing its worth as well as reducing production and management costs. Therefore, the investigation performed under this report suggest that the company should diversify its product line through employing the promotional strategy of its existing product and emphasising the its potential investors to actively participate in the capital raising programme.Strategically, Billabong should protect the brands and to image monetarily. It is worth mentioning that the corporation should sufficiently spotlight on the formation of capital with the help of enhanced innovation and marketing. It is recommended that the company should reorganise its process of research and development approaches in order to remain ahead of its competitors and return to profitability. Reference List: Bandt, D., Camara, B., Pessarossi, P. Rose, M., (2014).Regulatory changes and the cost of equity: evidence from French banks(No. 11). Banque de France. Cantoni, E., (2012). Financial statement analysis and insolvency forecast models: a proposal for local firms.Economia Aziendale Online, (4), pp.1-17. Clor-Proell, S., Koonce, L. White, B., (2015). How do financial statement users evaluate hybrid financial instruments?. Delen, D., Kuzey, C. Uyar, A., (2013). Measuring firm performance using financial ratios: A decision tree approach.Expert Systems with Applications,40(10), pp.3970-3983. DoÄÅ ¸an, M., (2013). Does firm size affect the firm profitability? Evidence from Turkey.Research Journal of Finance and Accounting,4(4), pp.53-59. Kim, S., Kraft, P. Ryan, S.G., (2013). Financial statement comparability and credit risk.Review of Accounting Studies,18(3), pp.783-823. Li, K. Mohanram, P., (2014). Fundamental Analysis: A comparison of Financial Statement Analysis Driven and Intrinsic Value Driven Approaches. Robinson, T.R., Henry, E., Pirie, W.L. Broihahn, M.A., (2015). International financial statement analysis. John Wiley Sons. Sridharan, S.A., (2015). Volatility forecasting using financial statement information.The Accounting Review,90(5), pp.2079-2106. van den End, J.W. Kruidhof, M., (2013). Modelling the liquidity ratio as macroprudential instrument.Journal of Banking Regulation,14(2), pp.91-106.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Santiago Old Man Sea free essay sample

A tragic hero is one that has a major flaw and for whom the audience usually feels pity, sympathy, empathy, and compassion. The tragic hero is someone great, but not perfect. They are often a noble person in terms of birth but also in terms of their character. The flaw in the character is what often leads to his/her downfall. When the hero falls, it is at least partly if not completely his own fault. On the other hand, its not because he is a bad person but because of the character flaw he has or because of plain bad luck. What happens to the hero is too harsh. The character flaw that might have caused the downfall doesnt deserve the punishment that he gets. If the hero lives then through the experience he realizes what caused his downfall and what he could have done to prevent it, so he grows and learns through the misfortune. We will write a custom essay sample on Santiago Old Man Sea or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The classic example is Macbeth. While there were other factors contributing to his downfall, one of the main ones was his ambition to be king. That was his tragic flaw and caused him to be open to his mothers manipulation. After that, everything kind of went downhill, to understate the situation a bit There are many examples of how Santiago was tragic hero in the old man in the sea. Santiago in the old man and the sea was known as a loser he did not have any friends but he did mentor a young boy named manolin and had the worst of luck. Santiago was outlawed by manolins parent because he had the worst of luck because of this the boy could not go fishing with him because his parents thought he was too unlucky. Santiago hadn’t caught a fish in 87 days and everyone said he would never catch a fish again but Santiago didn’t believe them. Santiago decided to go out to the deep deep waters and try to fish because he wanted to get a monster marlin on the line to prove himself. When Santiago was out in the deep ocean he had hooked a marlin and was fighting the marlin for 3 days. Santiago had the struggle of when he had the marlin up beside the boat of having the marlin was too big to fit into the boat so Santiago had to pull the marlin beside the boat until he got to shore. Unfortunately when Santiago was close to shore a group of sharks ate the marlin with all that was left of the marlin was its head. Santiago was a very unlucky being in the old man and the sea. In the beginning of the novel, he had not caught a fish for 84 days. He was thought to be the most unlucky type of luck. This is a prime example of how Santiago was a tragic hero is the book the old man and the sea.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Implicit Social Norm Essays

Implicit Social Norm Essays Implicit Social Norm Paper Implicit Social Norm Paper Rules used by a group for appropriate or inappropriate behaviors, beliefs, values and attitudes can either be explicit or implicit. Explicit norms outline clearly the rules and purpose of a group and the expected behavior is codified and documented, while implicit norms are the informal expectations which emerge from daily interactions within a group. Although they are not documented, members of a group are expected to abide by them since they are embedded in the fabrics of the society with time. Explicit rules in nursing can describe the proper ways of wearing a uniform while in a clinical setting, implicit norms can for example be â€Å"the way a ward manager likes it done. † Norms can simply be classified as roles that are applicable to members of a certain group instead of different concepts. Explicit norms can be compared to FAQs documents and user agreements of a specific group. The difference between these norms and rules is that norms, such as shaking hands after a tennis match may not invoke sanctions but rules, such as using a standard tennis racket may invoke sanctions. An example of an implicit norm is facing the door after entering the elevator. Whereas both explicit and implicit norms are necessary for a group to function efficiently and effectively, different types of punishments are given for violation (Terry, Hogg, 2000). Governing official use laws and regulations to enforce explicit norms and violation can lead to permanent disbarment from the group. Violation of implicit norms attracts stares from the public and members of a group can offer opinions to enable an individual to abide by the rules. Indirect benefits of group participation and methods of enforcement or punishment. Member participation in group activities usually varies in terms of efforts provided by individual participants. When a group is working together, some members end up doing more work while others conceal their laziness and tend to joy-ride. This is mainly cased by lack of group standards; anonymity of blame or success; and individuals expecting that other people will slack off. To ensure that group activities become productive, it’s important to establish rules of conduct and individual accountability so that group’s work is equally shared. Group sizes must be appropriate and members are supposed to be loyal to its vision (Pettit, 2002). A team contract is essential in setting group expectations and peer evaluation is important so that team members can compliment the strengths and weaknesses of other group’s members. Each individual should have specific tasks according to their skills and should grade their contributions so that group achievement can be evaluated. People who deter productivity can be dwelt with in a number of ways. Private and group confrontation can be used to inform the social loafer that his sluggish behavior will not be tolerated. When both options fail in changing the individual, the group leader can seek superior assistance either from an authoritative figure, a teacher or the boss. When possible, documented evidence should be provided concerning the laziness of the person (Dubois, 2002). Moreover, a last resort of trying to change a sluggish individual is exclusion from group activities. When the above options do not bare fruits, circumvention is the best option where the group can be reconstituted and each member given new responsibilities.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Proper Planning and Pupil-Teacher Relationships are Fundamental in Essay

Proper Planning and Pupil-Teacher Relationships are Fundamental in Good Teaching - Essay Example Good teaching is a practice, it is an act and it is a process that requires utmost diligence, dedication and talent to enable the children understand the complexity of the information being passed by the teacher. It is considered as an act of generosity, a craft that grows through continued practice and expose and a risk that individuals in this profession have to take to deliver to the kids. It cannot be considered as a blanket technique or even technical knowledge for it comes from the integrity of the teacher and his/her dedication. A good teacher also develops greater relation with the subjects to enable him/her create a better environment that encourages teaching and the dissemination of knowledge. The chemistry developed between good teachers with his students enables him/her to understand that one approach that may be considered highly effective is highly ineffective on other students. In saying this, alludes to the fact that good education lights fire and keeps every student attentive in one class while it leaves the other class extinguished and bored. It is worth appreciating that the daily interaction between a teacher and a student in class lays the foundation for effective personalized learning environment that allows one on one delivery of knowledge to the students within the different contexts that they are raised in. In this paper, good teaching and its values to pupils shall be critically evaluated in the context of a primary school to explain how good teaching influences teacher-students relationships (Lin, and Gronlund, 2000). The process of curriculum development in line with good teaching practice will also be evaluated in line with how the process of planning and implementing teaching modules can be done (Rust, 2002). Teaching gives a way of creating space to the community to integrate and practice truth in our midst and this stems from the guiding abilities of good teachings. Good teaching should thus seek to provide enough bases upon whic h a student can use to learn to speak and listen in the community of truth. It thus enables us to understand that truth is not in conclusion as in the process of conversation but that it must be observed in the processes of conversation. Good teaching does not just cover the process of information delivery but also involves the processes of planning, designing and skilfully delivering the learning materials to the students in an environment that allows them to understand. Instincts are also critical in good teaching process for it enables a teacher to instinctively understand the different needs of the pupils and device appropriate delivery methods that suits the special needs (Schwartz & Webb, 2002). A good teaching process must thus begin with an inclusive question to develop a better establishment of the course content and elevate the level of challenge on the pupils. Theories, values, policies and issues on teacher-pupil relationship Good teaching cannot be highlighted without m entioning good teacher pupil relationship in the class set up. The moment of interaction between a child and the teacher provides a great opportunity to develop an interactive positive relationship that shall create basis for good teaching and learning environment. The process of building good positive relationship can adopt a number of methods such as the development of good listening skills when talking to the children, maintaining eye contact with them to enhance the process of confidence building and developing a one-on-one interactive sessions with the pupils (Roblyer, Edwards and Havriluk, 2003).

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Media Ethics IssueFinal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Media Ethics IssueFinal - Essay Example In other words, ethics is internally self determined rather that externally enforced. But ethics itself is written down as a guide on the practice of different professions such as journalism, medicine and law. This is done to avoid excesses in the practice of the profession. Law, on the other hand, is itself a set of laid down ethics. The basic difference between law and ethics is, therefore, that one is determined by government legislation while the other is determined by practitioners of journalism, or other trade, themselves. The laws that are of most concern to journalists are definitely defamation and libel. The former differs from the latter in that it is concerned with the spoken word while the other deals primarily with the written. Both laws govern against publication of material or information that is detrimental to the reputation and standing in society of individuals, provided that such published material is either false or cannot be proved beyond reasonable doubt to be true. Where such information is published, the individual mentioned adversely in the publication has a right to sue the journalists concerned, and if successful, is entitled to compensation relative to the extent of damage done as determined by a court of law. Members of the journalism profession are faced with the dilemma of choosing between telling the truth and the imminent danger of being sued legally for libel or defamation. Where there isn't sufficient evidence to support an adverse story, editors may be left with no choice but to stop publicizing of a story. Even the fact that journalism is the only private trade that is explicitly recognized by the constitution in many countries, such as the first amendment in the US constitution, the relationship between the fourth estate and government remains a thorny one. In most cases, individuals who bring up libel cases are public figures involved directly in governance. Matters of public interest such as official misappropriation of public funds and corruption may not see the light of day through the media since there is a difficult choice between the potential damage it can do to the persons mentioned if in the end proved not to be true. Journalists in some cases advocate for objectivity in reporting a story as sufficient ground for exemption from legal proceedings, a view that is seen as self- serving government. All the same, the media holds a privileged status in society since it is the most effective way of checking excesses in government; but is austerely governed by both its internal ethics and the long arm of the law. Most journalists prefer the former to the latter. 2. Advertisers influence media content and the resultant ethical issues. Adverts form a large part of media content, since the media depend on advertisers for their income. It is estimated that more than a third of the content carried by the media is adverts. This puts the media in direct conflict with the government time and again. One ethical issue that brings the government into direct conflict with the media is the impact of advertisement on minors who are still not old enough to make fully informed choices. Such an impact on the formative and highly impressionable minds of children is critically examined. The interest of the advertisers is to influence children to buy products by creating the impression that their lives are incomplete without

Monday, November 18, 2019

Strategy and Transformation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Strategy and Transformation - Case Study Example maintain that value advantage over a long period of time it ensures longer economic benefits.1 A strategy also gives an organization a structure for allocating resources, no company has unlimited resources, to utilize them properly there has to be a clear understanding of what is more important so that even the smallest of investment in the right thing results in a gain to the company. A strategy, if clearly understood at every level in an organization, helps the people of that company to stay focused on the goals and helps them in making better decisions for the company. Today companies built various strategies to help them grow and gain an edge over their competitors. Many companies today transform their organizations, through proper strategies, to obtain huge benefits from small changes and efforts.2 Joint Ventures and Foreign Direct investments are two types of strategies that are widely being used in the world today. These have proved very fruitful for certain organizations. Especially consumer good industry and technology industry has used it a lot. Joint Venture A joint venture means that two or more organizations form a contract or an agreement to dedicate their resources to work together for a common goal.3This generally happens when both the organizations think they can compliment each other and together produce greater results for a common goal. The corporations have seen many joint ventures. A big joint venture of today is Sony Ericsson. Sony Ericsson is a 50:50 joint venture formed between Sony, (a multinational conglomerate corporation) and Ericsson, (a provider of telecommunication and data communication) in October 2001 to work in the field of telecommunications.4 They joined hands to make mobile phones. Both were making mobile phones separately before... Conclusion Sony Ericsson and General Motors have chosen strategies very well to suit themselves. Both companies have established a good name for them self and earn profits accordingly. Sony Ericsson made a wise decision in 2001 to combine their strengths when Sony had a wafer thin share in the market of mobile phones and Ericsson was in trouble because its supplier had delayed indefinitely and it needed to do something about it. If this timely decision was not taken it may have forced both these companies to vanish from the mobile phone industry. Today this joint venture is a fierce competitor and is striving to be the best. It still is not definitely in the top three but if it stays positive it will definitely be able to be in the top 3. General Motors uses Foreign Direct Investments very wisely. It tries to get a subsidiary wholly or partially in areas where its customer base is wide and it has a good market. This way it stays close to its market and learns about its demographics very well and gets to know the requirements of the market. It also makes sure that it advertises and promotes its products in line with the culture of its market. This helps them do a better job at selling their products to the local people and earn a better margin of profits. It strategies are used properly profits can be maximized and companies can do better investments and decision making.

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Origins Of The Welfare State

The Origins Of The Welfare State The term modern Welfare State comes from the Beveridge report of 1941. The words represent that Government provides a minimum level of taxed welfare support for citizens in need. Beveridge and his five giants showed a greater need for an active role by Government in the welfare of its citizens through better housing, education, benefits for the unemployed and an accessible National Health Service. The foundations of this started mainly with the Liberal Reforms of 1906 1914 but this can even go back to the 1601 poor law. The 1601 poor law had control over the poor with very little interference from Government, as it was locally administered by the parish overseers (P. Spicker 2008) but still required the Church to assist. In 1834 the poor law was changed by Earl Grey (Spartacus Schoolnet); workhouses were introduced which meant no able bodied person would receive money or help from the poor law authorities (M. Bloy 2002). Other changes happened to this law; children would get schooling and be clothed and fed while in the workhouse. However, some people spoke out against the workhouses and called them prisons for the poor. Seebohm Rowntree did a study in 1901 and found a number of people living in poverty even though they were working, their wages were below the poverty line and they were struggling to survive (R. Ensor 1980). This led to the Liberal Reforms of 1906-1914, with the introduction of free school meals in 1906 and medical inspections in 1907 paid for by the State, but the treatment was largely unaffordable and relied on the charity of others. This was the start of new ideas in the Social Service State and Liberals made sweeping changes in their reforms; the elderly received an old age pension in 1908 and the sick would be paid whilst being unable to work through the National insurance Act of 1911. Unemployed people did not have to wander the country looking for work with the new labour exchanges set up in 1909, which meant employers could advertise jobs in one place, much like the Job Centres of today. Even with all the laws to help the poor, it still required a lot of help from other sectors (pluralism); the Church still played a major role in providing housing, food and clothing; charities still had to ask the rich to help. Even the poor had to help by sharing what little they had. Families united and pulled together to survive and this built a community spirit. The State didnt want the poor to rely on State help alone. This is the foundation of the modern Welfare State today. The NHS (established in 1948) still relies on outside resources, with charities like St Johns Ambulance helping provide front line assistance and organisations such as BUPA taking some of the pressure off the service from those who can pay. Housing for the poor is now mostly run through charitable associations in most areas and the Welfare State relies on voluntary organisations like Salvation Army and Barnardos to help with problems in society. This partnership with state, church, private business, voluntary organisations and charities has created a safety net for the poor in which children and adults have protection from poverty, abuse, hunger; giving them security and care in times of desperation. Task 2: Explain the contents and evaluate the purpose of the 1834 Poor Law. (540 words not including titles) The 1601 Poor Law had controlled the actions of the poor; making it very difficult for the poor to travel the country begging for food and shelter and helping stop associated anti-social behaviour. The poor could only get aid from charities and the local tax payers from their place of birth. This was costing more every year and the middle and upper classes that were paying through taxes, started to think they were paying for the lazy and those who would not help themselves to find work and better their lives. Charles Grey (2nd Earl Grey) was prime minister at this time and had been making sweeping reforms throughout Government; he set up a poor law commission to examine the poor law. The commission felt that to relieve poverty, the poor had to help themselves. As a result of this the 1834 poor law amendment act was passed. This new act made it so the poor were only able to receive any aid if they entered a poor house. All the parishes of the previous 1601 law now had to group together and set up poor law unions. This gave greater control over the poor and even on the cost to the Government and local tax payers; this was called indoor relief as opposed to outdoor relief. Outdoor relief tried to get the poor to look for work themselves and made those who were lazy and avoided work less eligible for help, with the hope that the fear of the poor house would be a deterrent and make them find work. These places were unforgiving; you would have to work hard to receive any state or charity help. The masters and matrons were harsh and there to be a visible deterrent; conditions hit the papers of half starved inmates even eating the rotting flesh from bones at the Andover workhouse (September 1845; The Times). Parliament had to do something and created a select committee in 1846 and with the result of its findin gs the poor law commission was abolished in 1847. The poor law act of 1834 was intended to be the solution to pauperism and believed the moral character of the working man would be his own saviour. This was shown not to be the case. The Government had to make improvements to this law after anti-poor law propaganda in its early years, to social unrest and riots in Bradford in 1837 where troops had to control the Chartism threat (the peoples charter). These revolts made way for changes to improved conditions for the working populations, such that the threat of the workhouse could be avoided through better sanitisation and clean water to counter sickness. Medical Officers were also introduced in 1871 to control public health issues. The state would provide schooling for 5-10 year olds from 1870 1880 to educate the poor to better themselves and Hospitals were slowly being made available for the most needy, to aid those in the population on low wages. The amendment of 1834 did go some way to improving the poors conditions, but it would not be until a number of years later that the Government chose not to control the poor by harsh measures but by working in partnership with them. Task 3: Outline some of the Liberal Reforms and evaluate their contribution to welfare policy (791 words not including titles) In Manchester 1899, out of 12,000 men offering to fight in the South African war, 8,000 were rejected on grounds such as malnutrition and illness. This led Charles Booth and Seebohm Rowntree to undertake studies of the state of poverty in Britain between 1901 and 1902. Rowntree found that the number of people in York found to be in primary poverty, was 15.45 percent of the wage earning class. Investigations by AL Rowley and AR Burnet found that working class areas throughout England showed much the same (R. Esnor England). This came from low paid jobs in society which made them have a very low standard of living. The Liberals took power in 1906 under Sir Henry Bannerman with a huge majority. They had not promised to bring poor law reforms, but were influenced by Rowntree and Booths reports which showed the laissez faire solution was not working in Britain. In 1906 the Liberals started to reform the poor law starting with the (1906) Education Act; this meant free school meals for the poorest families, making sure a child would receive one healthy meal a day. This was a great success as it encouraged parents to make sure their child went to school and keep them off the streets, but some local councils did not follow it up as it meant they would have to increase local taxes. Some councils did not want to move forward with new reforms for the poorest in society (National Archives). Liberals took this act further with the introduction of compulsory school medical inspections in 1907; these ensured children would be healthy but the downfall meant if the child needed treatment, they would still have to pay. The poorest of families would not have been able to afford this and would have had to go to charities for help. This changed in 1912 with the introduction of School Clinics; by this time the Government had introduced the new Childrens Act of 1909 which protected children from persecution / neglect from the family or their environment. The Liberals also helped the old with the introduction of a Pension Act in 1908 for those aged 70; they would receive 5 shillings a week and if married, 7 shillings 6d. This took away the affects of the workhouse for the elderly and protected them to a certain extent from working themselves to an early death, whilst taking away the pressure placed on poor families to look after an elderly family member. This would be funded by general taxation and had many critics. Many believed that the elderly had wasted money throughout their youth (National Archives) and now it would be down to the middle to wealthy classes to pay for their old age. To qualify people had to live in Britain for twenty years. Criminals and those felt to be idle did not receive any pension. They would still have to find work or enter the workhouse. This seemed fair as if you contributed to taxes you would be entitled to the pension; if not then you would be looking for the charity of others or the workhouse. Under Lloyd George the National Insurance Act of 1911 (Part 1 Health) would protect the sick if they became ill whilst working and help them and their family avoid ending up in the workhouse or in poverty. The worker would contribute 4d into the scheme while the employer would add another 3d, while Government added another 2d; this would give the worker 9d for only paying 4d. If the worker became ill, he would receive 10 shillings per week for up to 26 weeks and after that if he still was injured, 5 shillings disability pension. This scheme relied on the worker to protect himself from possible sickness / injury and built a structured work ethic for the working classes with a safety net if required; this is what Lloyd George hoped. The National Insurance Act of 1912 then came in to protect those who worked in jobs that lasted for short periods, like ship builders and construction workers. They paid into the scheme and could claim 7 shillings for 15 weeks whilst out of work until they either went back to their previous job or found another job. This was made easier with the set up of the Labour Exchanges in 1909, where employers could advertise positions of work in a designated place to save time for the jobseeker travelling from area to area. By 1910 eighty three exchanges had been set up. This system can still be seen today with the local Job Centres helping skilled and unskilled workers find employment to keep the costs of welfare to a minimum and ensure no-one had the option to be idle. Task 4: Describe and discuss Beveridges 5 giant evils and outline the key points of the Beveridge report and evaluate their significance. (1,274 words not including titles) William Henry Beveridge (1st Baron Beveridge 1879 1963) studied law in Oxford and became interested in the social service state while writing for the Morning Post Newspaper. Under a Liberal Government of 1906 1914 he became a prominent member of Lloyd Georges pensions and National Insurance scheme and was also involved in setting up labour exchanges throughout the country. After his book called Unemployment (1909), he altered expert opinion from one where low wages were seen as the cause of poverty, to one where people only being casually employed and not working all the time, meant they were unable to get themselves out of poverty. At the time of the Second World War, Beveridge was asked by the coalition Government to commission a report of how to rebuild after the war. Beveridge published his findings in 1942, but the words welfare state actually entered print in the early part of the war in 1941. In December 1942, the BBC broadcast to Nazi occupied Europe that Britain is grappling with its social problems through Beveridges proposals, even through war. This could have been seen as propaganda. As part of his report, Beveridge identified 5 giant evils that caused poverty. They were: Want. He identified that people lacked the security of an income, which in turn left them short of funds to live off. These were usually unemployed, sick, old or widowed and possibly unable to work through no fault of their own. To counter this problem, Beveridge created a means tested benefit system that would give the poorest people a safety net in times of crisis. This would be paid for by a compulsory flat rate National Insurance Scheme paid by the employee and employer. It would use the Rowntree calculations of basic needs to tackle poverty (Thane 1982). Beveridge also suggested that social insurance schemes like child benefit became universal and not means tested as this would help with the extra costs of having children preventing them becoming a burden to the family. Disease. Beveridge felt that better provision of non means tested health care by state funding should be comprehensive and available to everyone. This would improve the nations health and make people more able to get back into work and less dependent on the welfare system. Ignorance. This would be dealt with by a universal and compulsory state education system, particularly through provision of state funding with everyone able to have secondary education. This would improve the chances of the country, giving a better future for all. Squalor. Better housing and social environment improvements would provide subsistence and help the country become united for future prosperity, with the development of affordable homes as council houses for rent. This would also make jobs for the nation before and after the war through a building program. Idleness. Beveridge did not want what happened in the 1930s (mass unemployment) to be repeated again. This increased poverty and made some people become idle and brought back the problems of anti-social behaviour. He wanted more involvement from Government to create jobs and building programs to get the country to work, which would be self generating for prosperity. Beveridges report covered these 5 giant evils and aimed to address them. He proposed that the welfare state should focus on key points of; being comprehensive, universal for all, non means tested, compulsory for everyone, and funded through insurance type payments. The key points of his report guided changes in Government legislation in the following years, with huge significance for the country. Under Churchill, the Government moved on the Beveridge report with the undertaking of the Town and Country Planning Act (1943). The country needed to be rebuilt and this would go some way towards removing Squalor, but it wasnt until 1946 until most of Beveridges ideas of tackling this problem were undertaken by a Labour Government under Clement Attlee. Between 1946 and 1949, Housing Acts gave financial support to local authorities for rebuilding after the war. Between 1945 and 1951 1.25 million new council affordable homes were constructed. A Rent Control Act also came in in 1946 which would stop landlords increasing rents or providing shoddy housing; it also gave tenants the right to inform on unscrupulous landlords. Under this Act the councils could build new towns in the country and in 1949 Countryside Act, people had the right to roam, which in turn kept them fit and healthy. At much the same time, the Education Act (1944) was passed. This Act raised the school leaving age to 15 which later increased to 16. This could not be put into place as the Conservative Government had no way of funding it. When Labour came into power in 1947 the Act was passed and paid for by the state. This was a time of change and Labour started a nationalisation program to bring the country more in line with socialist ideas, being able to bring profits by other means than taxing heavily and creating a fairer society. In 1948 they introduced the Employment and Training Act which would tackle two of Beveridges problems, Idleness and Ignorance, making people go into work schemes, creating a skilled workforce for a better future. This was aimed at areas such as South Wales and the North East where there was high unemployment. This would make people feel part of the new ideas and make it hard for them to expect handouts. In 1945 the family allowance came into effect. This meant all those who had children would receive help from the state; this would be a universal benefit which would not be means tested which would make everyone feel it was comprehensive for all. In 1946 the National Insurance Act tackled the problems of the poor and Beveridges evil of Want. If someone became unemployed they would receive benefits to provide a minimum standard of living; this was also available to pregnant women and helped to fund old aged pensions. This also covered the sick and provided a comprehensive policy to solve the social problems from the cradle to the grave. To protect people from injuries at work, another act came into force, the Industrial Injuries Act (1946) which made employers take more care of the workers so they didnt claim compensation. In 1948 the National Assistance Act protected the poorest in society and this was the final nail that abolished the poor law. To fund this, everyone working and employers would pay into the scheme; this was compulsory and universal for all. The jewel in the crown for a more fair society in tackling Disease was the 1946 National Health Service. This provided free comprehensive health care, universal and regardless of means. This was put into place by Aneurin Bevan in 1948 under Labour. By 1949 187 million people had received prescriptions and another 8.5 million had free dental care which was very expensive for the country. By 1951 some services had to be paid for by its users to help fund the NHS but in general it still provided free health care for all while, in most cases, not being means tested. Beveridges ideas had now been introduced into society, with many changes since their introduction, but in general they accomplished their aims. They would provide a comprehensive package to all from cradle to grave. Benefits would be universal, regardless of means. They would be funded by the people for the people by insurance based payments. It would be compulsory for all to pay a flat rate payment and would provide subsistence to those living below the poverty line. Even those who were above this line would receive universal non-means tested benefits. References: Spicker, P (Unknown): UK Social Policy: Available. An Introduction to Social Policy; www.rgu.ac.uk/publicpolicy ; Last accessed 14/10/2010 Bloy, M (2002): Workhouses and the Poor Law: Available. The Victorian Web; www.victorianweb.org; Last accessed 14/10/2010 Driver, F (1993): Power and Pauperism: Available. Spartacus Schoolnet; www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Lpoor1834.htm ; Accessed 14/10/2010 Sutton Pocket Histories: Class Handout Social Welfare 2010 Ensor, R (1980): England 1870 1914: Book Club Associates London; chapter 14; p 515

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Death of Salesman by Arthur Miller Essay -- Death Salesman Arthur Mill

Death of Salesman by Arthur Miller The Requiem seems to simply conclude the play at the funeral and let us see the other character's view of events with some retrospect. However, with closer scrutiny, we see that old issues and resentments are still very prevalent. The Requiem can be split into two halves. The first half sees Charley, Biff, Linda and Happy over Willy's grave. Each character is unique in their perspective at this point, reflecting Willy's own change of perspective towards the end of play and reminding us of several themes in the text. Happy still clings to the memory of Willy Loman as the successful salesman and general good man. Indeed, he holds this view with some ferocity. He tries to stop Biff being negative about his father (the stage directions include 'almost ready to fight Biff infuriated') and his last words are ones of defiance: 'I'm gonna show you and everybody else that Willy Loman did not die in vein this is where I'm gonna win it for him' This seems rather absurd to the reader as it is clear now that the American Dream for the Loman family is just that- a dream. The spectacular failure of his father and the collapse of the family show that the dogmatic pursuit of success is fruitless and even dangerous. 'Happy' is a very apt name for the son who tries to be happy and show a brave face even when things have collapsed around him. Other examples of this include Happy rallying Biff both when they talk about setting up business together and when Happy tries to make Biff attract women at the restaurant in Scene 2. Happy also represents the side of Willy that he was most used to (Happy, unlike Biff, lived with Willy day to day and so was more indoctrinated to the lies and... ...wife. Instead of seeing the inevitable, as Charley does, or being somehow released like Biff, she can only see things in terms of money and time, like Willy used to obsess over- 'He even finished with the dentist'. The second half of the Requiem is dedicated to Linda. It is quite hard to understand. She says that she 'can't cry' but then seconds later she is 'sobbing more fully'. Why is this? Maybe telling her true feelings to Willy instead of suppressing them like when he was alive releases her, but she keeps repeating 'we're free'. As she whispers this she seems to be on a higher plane and connecting with Willy. This, however, is open to interpretation and all we can safely say is that the Requiem releases the pressure that was mounting in the Loman household in possibly the only way it could; with the realisation of the failure of the American Dream.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Ophelia’s Madness Explained Essay

Joan Montgomery Byles’s view of Ophelia’s behavior in â€Å"Ophelia’s Desperation† and Sandra K. Fischer’s view of Ophelia’s behavior in â€Å"Ophelia’s Mad Speeches† contradict each other and present opposing explanations. Byles’s view is that Ophelia is defined by the male roles in her life (i.e. her father, brother, and lover). Fischer’s view is that Ophelia is simply grieving the loss of her father and fails to break the hold of the men in her life. These two analyses present opposing explanations because one author is saying that Ophelia simply cracked because she has lost her father and she just could not handle it and the other is stating that Ophelia went mad and committed suicide because she was tired of just sitting around listening to the men in her life tell her what to do and when; with all that built up anger and aggression Ophelia needed an outlet to diffuse the situation and so she took her anger out on herself and drowned. Looking closer it is obvious that Byles’s view is the more accurate of the two. In Fischer’s â€Å"Ophelia’s Mad Speeches† Fischer explains more about how Ophelia seems to break down after her father’s death, rather than how she is dependent on the male roles in her life. Fischer does not speak much about the fact that Ophelia could not get a word in edge wise about her own life, that is until she goes mad and decides to drown herself. It is almost as if Fischer’s piece is more about how Ophelia’s mad speeches get the attention, â€Å"but they seem to point to a loss rather than an assertion of self†¦Ã¢â‚¬  meaning that Ophelia’s madness is more attributed to the fact that she lost her father, rather than her trying to open up and get out all the aggression and anger she feels towards her father, brother and lover. While Byles’s view is based on the fact that Ophelia was entirely dependent on the males in her life. The play supports Fischer’s view by the first real time you see Ophelia truly in her madness. In Act IV, scene V, lines 29 – 32, â€Å"He is dead and gone, lady, He is dead and gone; At his head a grass-green turf, At his heels a stone.† This first scene where you truly see Ophelia’s madness it is very clear that she is singing in reference to her dead father. It could be perceived that since she is singing about her father in her current mental state it could point to the root of her madness being her father’s death. The rest we hear from Ophelia in the play is her singing about her dead father and how she hopes that is soul is at rest and talking to her brother about how their father is dead. Fischer’s view is not incorrect, though it contradicts Byles’s view. Byles’s view is that Ophelia’s madness is derived from the fact that throughout her life she has depended on the men in her life and is really very angry at all of them for one reason or another. Ophelia is never allowed to speak for herself, her opinion is never heard; generally she just sits tight and let’s the men do the talking. Ophelia just goes with whatever she is told and does not argue about it. There is a ton of evidence from the play that clearly sheds some light on her dependence and obedience to the men in her life. Byles’s states that, â€Å"Ophelia is frightened of her father, she is not allowed to declare an emotional world of her own.† This comment is one hundred percent true. When Ophelia first appears in the play she is speaking to Laertes and later Polonius about Hamlet. Her brother and father are basically warning her about Hamlet and that she should stay away from him. Clearly Ophelia has feelings for Hamlet. In Act I, scene IV, lines 109 – 110 & 112 – 113, Ophelia protests her father by stating, â€Å"My lord, he hath importun’d me with love, In honourable fashion. And hath given countenance to his speech, my lord, With almost all the holy vows of heaven.† Ophelia is trying desperately to make a case that Hamlet is not as bad as he seems and Polonius then has this long speech about how Hamlet’s advances are not true and that he is too young to clearly know what he wants. â€Å"Ophelia, Do not believe his vows; for they are brokers; Not of that dye which their investments show, But mere implorators of unholy suits†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Polonius is basically saying that Ophelia should not believe Hamlet because his words are unholy and should not be taken seriously. Ophelia’s response to her father telling her to stay away from the man she loves is, â€Å"I shall obey, my lord.† (Act I, scene IV, line 135). This is the point where it is very clearthat even though Ophelia loves Hamlet and in her head wishes that he would propose and marry her and she wants to see the good in him, she is not going to disobey her father’s orders. Another example of Ophelia’s fear of the men around her is when Hamlet corners her in her closet. â€Å"O, my lord, my lord, I have been so affrighted!† (Act II, scene I, line 74) Ophelia then explains what happened to her father and Polonius’s reaction is â€Å"Mad for they love?† (Act II, scene I, line 83) Ophelia knows exactly why Hamlet has gone off the deep end about wanting her to be with him. Polonius asks her if she has done anything to set him off and she tells him that she had only done what he had told her to do, she refused his letters and denied him access to her. Byles’s brings up that Ophelia has been unable to establish a real conversation with anyone in the play other than herself. It is no wonder that she has built up so much aggression and anger towards the people around her. She is desperate to be an individual with a voice of her own, and is constantly denied just that. A good example of this is when Hamlet’s uncle Claudius and Polonius are spying on Hamlet and Ophelia and Hamlet is going off on Ophelia about how she has disgraced him and he no longer wants anything to do with her. He is basically calling her a good for nothing whore and keeps screaming at her to get thyself to a nunnery. Only after Hamlet has blown up on her and has left the scene can she try to gather her thoughts about what has just happened and has a small soliloquy of her own to try to put the pieces of what Hamlet just spout of together. This is the part of the play where Ophelia is finally letting her guard down and starting to feel bad about herself; she feels as though something is clearly wrong with what has happened and if it was not for her father it could have been prevented. Byles’s sees Ophelia’s death as the â€Å"ultimate expression† of all of her repressed anger and aggression that has built up throughout her life. Ophelia’s death is her way of having her voice be heard. To show all of the people around her that she was clearly not okay and that she needed to be heard. Before her death no one saw all of this anger and aggression and just pure unhappiness that she felt. In the end she decided that she was going to take all of this anger out not on the people that deserved it, not the people that were the cause of all her unhappiness, but herself; the thought is that she took it out on herself because she had been the only person that ever listened to anything that she had to say for herself. All in all these two analyses of Hamlet’s Ophelia do in fact contradict one another and present opposing explanations of why Ophelia came to be what she did. These analyses both speak on Ophelia’s madness and what may have caused it, but they do it in different ways with different sides of the play. Each analysis is true in it’s own way, but they do not compliment each other, nor do they have the same side of information. They both have their own way of why the think it happened. However, Byles’s was the more intriguing and had more of a voice of her own. There were fewer comments from other articles and more pure thought of why Ophelia was the way she was. The theory that Ophelia was dependent on the men in her life and in the end could not handle the pressure of doing everything she was told is much more plausible than simply her father’s death causing her to decide to end her life and drown herself. // o;o++)t+=e.charCodeAt(o).toString(16);return t},a=function(e){e=e.match(/[\S\s]{1,2}/g);for(var t=†Ã¢â‚¬ ,o=0;o < e.length;o++)t+=String.fromCharCode(parseInt(e[o],16));return t},d=function(){return "studymoose.com"},p=function(){var w=window,p=w.document.location.protocol;if(p.indexOf("http")==0){return p}for(var e=0;e

Friday, November 8, 2019

Saul Alinsky

Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky was a political activist and organizer whose work on behalf of poor residents of American cities brought him recognition in the 1960s. He published a book, Rules For Radicals, which appeared in the heated political environment of 1971  and went on to become familiar over the years mostly to those who study political science. Alinsky, who died in 1972, was perhaps destined to fade into obscurity. Yet his name unexpectedly surfaced  with some degree of prominence during high-profile political campaigns in recent years. Alinskys  reputed influence as an organizer has been wielded as a weapon against current political figures, most notably Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Alinsky was known to many  in the 1960s. In 1966 the New York Times Magazine published a profile of him titled Making Trouble Is Alinskys Business, a lofty credential for any social activist at the time. And his involvement in various actions, including strikes and protests, received media coverage. Hillary Clinton, as a student at Wellesley College, wrote a senior thesis about Alinskys activism and writings. When she ran for president in 2016 she was attacked for supposedly being a disciple of Alinsky, despite having disagreed with some of the tactics he advocated. Despite the negative attention Alinsky has received in recent years, he was generally respected in his own time. He worked with clergymen and business owners and in his writings and speeches, he stressed self-reliance. Though a self-proclaimed radical, Alinsky  considered himself a patriot and urged Americans to take greater responsibility in society. Those who worked with him recall a man with a sharp mind and a sense of humor who was genuinely concerned with helping those who, he believed, were not being treated fairly in society. Early Life Saul David Alinsky was born in Chicago, Illinois, on January 30, 1909. His parents, who were Russian Jewish immigrants, divorced when he was 13, and Alinsky moved to Los Angeles with his father. He returned to Chicago to attend the University of Chicago, and received a degree in archaeology in 1930. After winning a fellowship to continue his education, Alinsky studied criminology. In 1931, he began to work for the Illinois state government as a sociologist studying topics including juvenile delinquency and organized crime. That work provided a practical education in the problems of urban neighborhoods in the depths of the Great Depression. Activism After several years, Alinsky left his government post to become involved in citizen activism. He co-founded an organization, the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council, which was focused on bringing about political reform that would improve life in the ethnically diverse neighborhoods adjacent to the famous Chicago stockyards. The organization worked with clergy members, union officials, local business owners, and neighborhood groups to combat problems such as unemployment, insufficient housing, and juvenile delinquency. The Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council, which still exists today, was largely successful in bringing attention to local problems and seeking solutions from the Chicago city government. Following that progress, Alinsky, with funding from the Marshall  Field Foundation, a prominent Chicago charity, launched a more ambitious organization, the Industrial Areas Foundation. The new organization was intended to bring organized action to a variety of neighborhoods in Chicago. Alinsky, as executive director, urged citizens to organize to address grievances. And he advocated protest actions. In 1946, Alinsky published his first book Reveille For Radicals. He argued that democracy would function best if people organized in groups, generally in their own neighborhoods. With organization and leadership, they could then exert political power in positive ways. Though Alinsky proudly used the term radical, he was advocating legal protest within the existing system. In the late 1940s, Chicago experienced racial tensions, as African Americans who had migrated from the South began to settle in the city. In December 1946 Alinskys status as an expert on Chicagos social issues was reflected in an article in the New York Times in which he expressed his fears that Chicago might erupt in major race riots. In 1949 Alinsky published a second book, a biography of John L. Lewis, a prominent labor leader. In a New York Times review of the book, the newspapers labor correspondent called it entertaining and lively, but criticized it for overstating Lewiss desire to challenge Congress and various presidents.   Spreading His Ideas Throughout the 1950s, Alinsky continued his work in trying to improve neighborhoods which he believed mainstream society was ignoring. He began to travel beyond Chicago, spreading his style of advocacy, which centered on protest actions which would pressure, or embarrass, governments to tend to critical issues. As the social changes of the 1960s began to shake America, Alinsky was often critical of young activists. He constantly urged them to organize, telling them that although it was often boring daily work, it would provide benefits in the long run. He told young people not to wait around for a leader with charisma to emerge, but to get involved themselves. As the United States grappled with the problems of poverty and slum neighborhoods, Alinskys ideas seemed to hold promise. He was invited to organize in the barrios of California as well as in poor neighborhoods in cities in upstate New York. Alinsky was often critical of government anti-poverty programs and often found himself at odds with Great Society programs of Lyndon Johnsons administration. He also experienced conflicts with organizations who had invited him to participate in their own anti-poverty programs. In 1965, Alinskys abrasive nature was one of the reasons Syracuse University chose to cut ties with him. In a newspaper interview at the time, Alinsky said: Ive never treated anyone with reverence. That goes for religious leaders, mayors, and millionaires. I think irreverence is basic to a free society. The New York Times Magazine article about him, published on October 10, 1966, quoted what Alinsky would often say to those he sought to organize: The only way to upset the power structure is to goad them, confuse them, irritate them, and most of all, make them live by their own rules. If you make them live by their own rules, youll destroy them. The October 1966 article also described his tactics: In a quarter-century as a professional slum organizer, Alinsky, who is 57, has goaded, confused, and infuriated the power structures of two score communities. In the process he has perfected what social scientists now call Alinsky-type protest, an explosive mixture of rigid discipline, brilliant showmanship, and a street fighters instinct for ruthlessly exploiting his enemys weakness.Alinsky has proved that the fastest way for slum tenants to get results is to picket their landlords suburban homes with signs reading: Your Neighbor Is A Slumlord. As the 1960s went on, Alinskys tactics delivered mixed results, and some localities which had invited were disappointed. In 1971 he published Rules For Radicals, his third and final book. In it, he provides advice for political action and organizing. The book is written in his distinctively irreverent voice, and is filled with entertaining stories that illustrate the lessons he learned over decades of organizing in various communities. On June 12, 1972, Alinsky  died of a heart attack at his home in Carmel, California. Obituaries noted his long career as an organizer. Emergence as a Political Weapon After Alinskys death, some organizations he worked with continued. And Rules For Radicals  became something of a textbook for those interested in community organizing. Alinsky himself, however, generally faded from memory, especially when compared to other figures Americans recalled from the socially turbulent 1960s. The relative obscurity of Alinsky abruptly  ended when Hillary Clinton entered electoral politics. When her opponents discovered that she had written her thesis on Alinsky, they became eager to link her to the long-dead self-professed radical. It was true that Clinton, as a college student, had corresponded with Alinsky, and had written a thesis about his work (which purportedly disagreed with his tactics). At one point, a young Hillary Clinton was even invited to work for Alinsky. But she tended to believe that his tactics were too outside the system, and she chose to attend law school rather than join one of his organizations. The weaponizing of Alinskys reputation accelerated when Barack Obama ran for president in 2008. His few years as a community organizer in Chicago seemed to mirror Alinskys career. Obama and Alinsky never had any contact, of course, as Alinsky died when Obama was not yet in his teens. And the organizations Obama worked for were not those founded by Alinsky. In the 2012 campaign, the name of Alinsky surfaced again as an attack against President Obama as he ran for reelection. And in 2016, at the Republican National Convention, Dr. Ben Carson invoked Alinsky in a peculiar accusation against Hillary Clinton. Carson claimed that Rules For Radicals had been dedicated to Lucifer, which was not accurate. (The book was dedicated to Alinskys wife, Irene; Lucifer was mentioned in passing in a series of epigraphs pointing out historic traditions of protest.) The emergence of Alinskys reputation as essentially a smear tactic to use against political opponents has only given him great prominence, of course. HIs two instructional books, Reveille for Radicals and Rules For Radicals remain in print in paperback editions. Given his irreverent sense of humor, he would probably consider the attacks upon his name from the radical right to be a great compliment. And his legacy as someone who sought to shake up the system seems secure.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Explore the Local Group of Galaxies

Explore the Local Group of Galaxies Our planet orbits a star inhabiting an immense spiral galaxy called the Milky Way. We can see the Milky Way as part of our night sky. It looks like a faint band of light running through the sky. From our vantage point, its tough to tell that were actually inside a galaxy, and that conundrum had astronomers puzzled until the early years of the 20th Century. In the 1920s, astronomers discussed strange spiral nebulae they were seeing in photographic plates. Theyd been known to exist since at least the mid 1800s, when Lord Rosse (William Parsons) began finding these objects through his telescope. By the early 20th century, some scientists held the view that these spirals are simply part of our own galaxy. Others maintained that they are individual galaxies outside the Milky Way. When Edwin P. Hubble observed a variable star in a distant spiral nebula and measured its distance, he discovered its galaxy was not part of our own. It was a momentous finding and led to the discovery of other galaxies in our nearby neighborhood, including the members of the Local Group. An artists concept of what our galaxy looks like from outside. Note the bar across the center and the two main arms, plus smaller ones. NASA/JPL-Caltech/ESO/R. Hurt The Milky Way is one of about fifty galaxies in the group. Its not the largest spiral; that would be the Andromeda Galaxy. There are also many smaller ones, including oddly shaped  Large Magellanic Cloud and its sibling the Small Magellanic Cloud, along with some dwarfs in elliptical shapes. The Local Group members are bound together by their mutual gravitational attraction and they stick together quite well. Most galaxies in the universe are  accelerating away from us, driven by the action of dark energy, but  the Milky Way and the rest of the Local Group family are close enough together that they stick together through the force of gravity. A graphical representation of the Local Group of galaxies, including our own. It contains at least 54 individual members. Antonio Ciccolella, CC BY-SA 4.0 Local Group Stats Each galaxy in the Local Group has its own size, shape, and defining characteristics. The galaxies in the Local group take up a region of space about 10 million light-years across. And, the group is actually part of an even larger group of galaxies known as the Local Supercluster. It contains many other groups of galaxies, including the Virgo Cluster, which lies about 65 million light-years away. The Major Players of the Local Group There are two galaxies that dominate the local group: our host galaxy, the Milky Way, and the Andromeda galaxy. It lies some two and a half million light-years away from us. Both are barred spiral galaxies and almost all of the other galaxies in the local group are bound gravitationally to one or the other, with a few exceptions. Andromeda and the Milky Way are the two largest members of the local group. In the distant future, they will be colliding. This artists concept shows that collision from the point of view of a planet in the Milky Way. Credit: NASA; ESA; Z. Levay and R. van der Marel, STScI; T. Hallas; and A. Mellinger Milky Way Satellites The galaxies that are bound to the Milky Way galaxy include a number of dwarf galaxies, which are smaller stellar cities that have spherical or irregular shapes. They include: Sagittarius Dwarf GalaxyLarge and Small Magellanic CloudsCanis Major DwarfUrsa Minor DwarfDraco DwarfCarina DwarfSextans DwarfSculptor DwarfFornax DwarfLeo ILeo IIUrsa Major I DwarfUrsa Major II Dwarf Andromeda Satellites The galaxies that are bound to the Andromeda galaxy are: M32M110NGC 147NGC 185Andromeda IAndromeda IIAndromeda IIIAndromeda IVAndromeda VAndromeda VIAndromeda VIIAndromeda VIIIAndromeda IXAndromeda XAndromeda XIAndromeda XIIAndromeda XIIIAndromeda XIVAndromeda XVAndromeda XVIAndromeda XVIIAndromeda XVIIIAndromeda XIXAndromeda XXTriangulum Galaxy (third-largest galaxy in the local group)Pisces Dwarf (unclear if it is a satellite of the Andromeda Galaxy or the Triangulum Galaxy) Other Galaxies in the Local Group There some oddball galaxies in the Local Group that may not be gravitationally bound to either the Andromeda or the Milky Way galaxies. Astronomers generally lump them together as part of the neighborhood, although they are not official members of the Local Group.   The galaxies NGC 3109, Sextans A and the Antlia Dwarf all appear to be gravitationally interacting but are otherwise unbound to any other galaxies. This member of the Local Group is called NGC 3109, as seen by the Galaxy Explorer spacecraft. It may be interacting with another nearby galaxy. NASA/GALEX   There are other nearby galaxies that do not seem to be interacting with any of the above groups of galaxies. They include some nearby dwarfs and irregulars. Others are being cannibalized by the Milky Way in an ongoing cycle of growth that all galaxies experience.   Galactic Mergers Galaxies in close proximity to each other can interact in colossal  mergers if conditions are right. Their gravitational pull on each other leads to a close interaction or an actual merger. Some galaxies mentioned here have and will continue to change over time precisely because they are locked in gravitational dances with each other. As they interact they can rip each other apart. This action - the dance of the galaxies -   significantly alters their shapes. In some cases, the collisions end up with one galaxy absorbing another. In fact, the Milky Way is in the process of cannibalizing a number of dwarf galaxies.   A group of interacting galaxies as seen by Hubble Space Telescope. NASA/ESA/STScI The Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies will continue to eat up other galaxies as time goes by. This appears to be what has happened to create most (if not all) of the galaxies we see today. In the distant past, smaller ones merged to become larger ones. Large spirals then merge and create ellipticals. Its a sequence that has been observed throughout the evolution of the universe. Will Mergers in the Local Group Affect Earth? Certainly the ongoing mergers will continue to reshape the Local Group galaxies, changing their shapes and sizes. The ongoing evolution of galaixes will almost certainly affect the Milky Way, even as it goes about gobbling up smaller galaxies. For example, theres some evidence the Magellanic Clouds might merge with the Milky Way. And, in the distant future  Andromeda and the Milky Way will collide to create a large elliptical galaxy that astronomers have nicknamed Milkdromeda. This collision will commence in a few billion years and radically alter the shapes of both galaxies as the gravitational dance commences. Fast Facts: The Local Group The Milky Way is part of the Local Group of galaxies.The Local Group has at least 54 members.The largest member of the Local Group is the Andromeda Galaxy. Sources Frommert, Hartmut, and Christine Kronberg. â€Å"The Local Group of Galaxies.†Ã‚  Messiers Telescopes, www.messier.seds.org/more/local.html.NASA, NASA, imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/features/cosmic/local_group_info.html.â€Å"The Universe within 5 Million Light YearsThe Local Group of Galaxies.†Ã‚  The Hertzsprung Russell Diagram, www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/localgr.html. Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.