Consumer Perceptions of Mobile Phone Marketing A Critical Analysis Assignment

Consumer Perceptions of Mobile Phone Marketing A Critical Analysis - Assignment Example There is lack of clarity in conceptualization, and consequentially, in Operationalization of the concept, that is, measurement of the variables consisting of specific observations.   â€Å"Consumer perceptions of mobile phone marketing† has been relegated to the second place as an ‘incidental factor’ which could be inferred from the author’s statement, â€Å"Thus, it is proposed that a consumers level of involvement with their mobile phone will influence their decision to adopt or reject marketing communications sent via this channel†    Internet, telephone, and media are converging with greater velocity.   The mobile phone is the property of the user.   When his mobile phone is used without his consent for marketing, his initial reaction may be indifference or negative.  Ã‚  Ã‚  The individual’s perception is dependant upon the utility derived by him.   Therefore, blending utility aspect in marketing is necessary to improve the consumers’ perception.   Advertising through SMS is gaining momentum as a part of mobile marketing, and the marketing strategies of trade and business can’t ignore mobile phones in the field of advertising.   The sample does not represent the population meaningfully.   The samples used in the methodology might have been suitable for mobile phone usage in Colleges and Universities.   The observations would be homogenous as it will not reflect the disparities in income in the society.   Important factors such as such as income levels, age group, business or employment background, educational backgrounds etc. have no bearing on the samples selected for observation and analysis. The original study examined â€Å"how a consumers perception of the relative advantages, compatibility and complexity associated with mobile phone marketing, and their involvement with their mobile  phone, influenced their intention to accept marketing communication sent via this channel.†

The entrepreneurs as the need of the time for making a difference in Essay

The entrepreneurs as the need of the time for making a difference in the global business world - Essay Example This research will begin with the definition of entrepreneurship as the word which describes the true accomplishments of an entrepreneur. Over the years researchers have given several definitions for entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship according to many is a method which keeps evolving rather than being stagnant. Entrepreneurship can be related to personification of entrepreneurs and accommodates features such as novelty, systematisation, responsibility handling, resource allotment and finance acuity. The world has seen many entrepreneurial firms beginning their journey from scratch and rising to the top position. These firms have focussed on innovation and change in their process of doing business. Entrepreneurial firms are of umpteen numbers in the world but very few have reached the zenith. One such entrepreneurial firm is Virgin Group. Virgin Group of companies was founded by Richard Branson in the year 1970 as Virgin Mailing Order. Later, the company expanded to various sectors, which includes airlines, mobile phone, music label records, etc. At present the Virgin Group is a conglomerate of 400 companies. Virgin Group is referred to as the entrepreneurial firm of innovation and new thinking. It has considerably changed the old methods of doing business. It believes in freshness, something different and thinking out of the box to deliver a changed product, a better product, an innovative product to the large customer base. (Virgin, 2012). Entrepreneur An Entrepreneur is the architect who creates new opportunities through business process by presenting existing or recent product with a different attribute. Entrepreneurs are opportunist and courageously accept the risks prevailing in the entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs possess distinguishing characteristics which enables them to develop unique skills for accomplishing great success in the world of business (Finance in the classroom.org, 2004). Entrepreneurs are just not creative in developing new and innovativ e ideas but are much more than that. They are the torch bearers in the complex world of business with tremendous potential to accept challenges and provide the best solution. Further, entrepreneurs can be said to be the personality who possess certain qualities such as: a. Entrepreneurs analyse the needs and wants, and simultaneously solves the problems faced by the customers. b. Any opportunity is converted into the strength for the firm. c. Innovative ideas are laid down for the best business plan. d. Risks in expansion or new venture are analysed beforehand. e. Entrepreneurs never hold on to a single idea as change is the demand of time. f. Utilise the resources in the best possible way to succeed in the business ventures. g. Learns from the mistakes and failures to attain success in the near future. These qualities stand out as unique and distinctive approach of entrepreneurs in shaping the world and providing the best solution to the arising problems (Mvp.cfee.org, n.d). Entrep reneurs are the force behind the venturing of business. They give the business a new look, different form their counterparts and this is what makes them leaders. Virgin Group over the years has undergone a lot of modification and changes in its approach towards business objectives. It will be wrong not to mention its founder and owner Sir Richard Branson’s name as the success story of Virgin Group was written & executed by him. Richard Branson since the early stages of founding Virgin Group has had different approach unlike his

The Dutch Health Care System Health And Social Care Essay

The Dutch Health Care System Health And Social Care Essay After years of spiraling health costs, change was needed to the Dutch Health Care System. A dual system was introduced January 2006 comprising of compulsory private health insurance and government provided health care. Compulsory private health insurance finances all primary and  curative care  (i.e. the family doctor service and hospitals and clinics). Social insurance funded by earmarked taxation covers long term care for the elderly, palliative care, and the long term mental health patients needs. Primary Health care is provided by family physicians, district nurses, home care givers, midwives, physiotherapists, social workers, dentists and pharmacists. Each person must be registered with a local family physician. The general practitioner makes referrals to specialists or hospitals. The Netherlands has world class hospitals, including eight university hospitals. Each of the university hospitals offer services such as  neurosurgery,  cardiac surgery, a high-level  emergency department, advanced  oncology, departments for infectious diseases, and other services generally not found in smaller hospitals. A level and type of care similar to that offered by university hospitals is offered by a number of large hospitals which are not directly affiliated with a university, though these hospitals tend to be somewhat smaller. These hospitals are frequently referred to as top-clinical centers. Most of the hospitals in The Netherlands are private not-for-profit institutions. This compares well with the Australian health care system. Although Australia has a strong private health care system, it is not compulsory. Government funded health care provides excellent care in public hospitals, primary health care included visits to gps, and discounted pharmaceuticals. Role of Government Dutch Health care is regulated by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, and the current Minister is Edith Schippers. Marlies Veldhuijzen van Zanten-Hyllner is State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport. The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport de ¬Ã‚ nes policies that aim to ensure the wellbeing of the population to lead healthy lifestyles. One of the main objectives of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport is to guarantee access to a system of health care facilities and services of high quality where all citizens have private health care. The Ministry has acts within the Exceptional Medical Expenses Act (AWBZ) and the Sickness Fund Act (ZFW). Local authorities work with the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport to provide public health care to the community. Local authorities are involved in public safety policies, including the the implementation of the Medical Assistance (Accidents and Disasters) Act.). The Ministry also coordinates the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, a major knowledge centre for public health care. The Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations is responsible for: standards in public administration policy on urban areas the integration of minorities coordinating integrated public safety and security policies Funding Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager reported on 12 May 2011 that the rising cost of healthcare is the biggest challenge facing the Netherlands and the rest of the world. This increased spending on Australian health care reflects this trend. Over the past decade, the cost of healthcare has risen by 4% a year, while the economy has only grown 2%, he said. That is unsustainable, he said. At some point that single category will eat up the entire economy. The Netherlands spent à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬60bn (A$80bn) on healthcare in 2010.. De Jager said the solution does not lie in increasing premiums or cutting coverage. In the long term you cannot avoid looking for solutions within healthcare itself, he said. How we approach this is the biggest challenge that we have to deal with, for both the Netherlands and the rest of the world. Australia is facing the same issue of rising health care costs. The government has implemented incentive schemes to encourage a higher percentage of Australians taking up private health insurance (30% private health insurance rebate) as well as a 3% medicare levy for those earning over $70 000 who do not have private health insurance. Workforce The Dutch Health Care system is facing a universal issue with its health workforce. The ease of travel through EU and geographic proximity of countries has created a very mobile health workforce. The report xxxxxx Health Worker migration from Western Europe, may increase, adversely affecting health system performance in other countries, particularly those that have joined the EU since 2004. The Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport is responsible for the development of policies to ensure the health and social wellbeing of the residents in this small densely populated country. The Netherlands is similar to the United States in having a health system based on private providers with government responsibility for the accessibility, affordability and quality of health care. Health insurance is compulsory and the government contributes for those unable to pay. General practices are private businesses which enter into a contract with insurers to supply services to the customers of the insurance company. GPs are paid a capitation fee per patient registered with their practice, a fee per consultation and a negotiable reimbursement for practice costs, depending on services offered, staff employed, and the achievement of quality and efficiency indicators. These fees are paid to the GPs by the insurance companies. Most GPs are independently established and self-employed. Patients in The Netherlands choose their own family physician, but are required to register with a practice. Many practices employ a practice nurse to provide chronic disease management and most GPs employ doctors assistants who can perform simple medical procedures such as taking blood pressure, syringing ears, giving injections and performing vein punctures under instruction from GPs. Out-of-hours centres or cooperatives provide access to PHC services from GPs, nurses or doctors assistants from 5pm to 8am. The report indicates a pull from health works in countries further east and south seeking better pay and career opportunities. There are large disparities in health expenditure across the EU, as well as skill shortages (actual and projected) in many health systems in western Europe, which may exert a pull on health workers in countries further east and south seeking better pay and career opportunities. This raises important questions what is the evidence that health workers are migrating, and is any migration temporary or permanent? If health worker migration is an issue, what are the options for policy makers? What are the push and pull factors and how can they be addressed? It is critical that the issue of migration is examined in the broader context of the dynamics of health care labour markets, and that any policy solutions focus on improving monitoring as well as managing what is happening. It is also crucial to understand migration trends in relation to existing stocks and flows of health workers. In order to do this, better and more complete data are needed to monitor the situationso that policy decisions can be made from an informed perspective. Conclusion In summary, The Netherlands are facing the same health care themes as the rest of the world, including Australia. A mobile workforce has led to a health care worker shortage. Increasing health care costs has led the government to rethink private health insurance and the Dutch government implemented a compulsory system in .

Internet Addiction :: Expository Essays

Internet addiction is a growing problem with more and more people. The internet is much more accessible to people now than it was just a few years ago. The internet provides people with entertainment, loads of information, and an escape from everyday life, but like anything else, too much a good thing can be addictive. This paper will cover what internet addiction is, warning signs of internet addiction, problems caused by internet addiction, who develops internet addiction, preventing and treating internet addiction, and safety guidelines for internet users. In the modern world internet access is a vital part of everyday life. It is important for education, and is a necessary skill for those entering the job markets of today. The internet is highly entertaining and informative. These qualities make the internet an attractive escape from the stress of everyday life. People can enter a different world and make the problems of the real world disappear. Anything is possible on the internet. Internet addiction has the same symptoms as an addition to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or caffeine. When someone becomes addicted to the internet they will have increasing tolerance to the amount of time they spend online, withdrawal, mood changes between when online and off, and there will be an interruption of social relationships and activities. People with an addiction will need more time online to be happy. When access to the internet is not available people will show signs of anxiety, depression, irritability, trembling hands, a nd restlessness. There are five types of internet addiction. The first is Net-Gaming. People with this addiction participate in online games, Multi User Dungeon Games (MUDs), will visit virtual casinos, and my become obsessed with e-auctions and online trading and shopping. Another type of internet addiction is Cyber-Relational Addiction. People with this tend to make chat room relationships more important than their relationships with family or friends. They may even try to meet someone personally after meeting him or her online. The third type of internet addiction is Information Overload. People become obsessed with tracking down certain information and organizing it.

Eharmony Case Analysis Essay

* eHarmony founded by Dr. Clark Warren and his son-in-law, Greg Forgatch, in 1998 * Officially launched in 2000 * First radio commercial in 2002 * First TV commercial in 2003 * They target serious relationship and marriage-minded individuals, offering a unique match-making product * They offer a tightly integrated system that encompasses a Personality Profile, which feeds into a patented matching algorithm, which then leads to a Guided Communication system * In 2007 Match.com launched Chemistry to directly compete against eHarmony * Direct competition: Match/Chemistry, Yahoo! Personals * Indirect competition: paid do-it-yourself sites, free do-it-yourself sites, niche sites, online social networks Decision Dilemma: * With the advance from direct competition and increased popularity of free personal sites and online social networks would eHarmony eventually fold amongst all of the recent competitor actions or would they be able to choose a marketing strategy that will help them innovate and prosper? Analysis: Contradictions: * On page 13 it says that in 2004 a Yahoo! Personals Premier subscription costs $34.95 a month which is $15 more than Yahoo!’s regular service making it $19.95. However, when looking at Exhibit 10 it has Yahoo! Personals listed with a $29.99 cost per month which contradicts what page 13 says. Exhibit 9 even has a higher cost listed, $23.91 per month, than the stated page 13 price of $19.95. * Why does exhibit 9, 10, and 11 have prices in 2008 dollars when the case was set in October 2007? Missing Facts or Details: * 2004 eHarmony had 3 million registration * .40 = 1.2 million active users * No info for 2007 to compare to the competitors * eHarmony was able to convert these 1.2 million active users into paying customers 3 times more effectively than the industry standard * No info on what the industry standard is to find out the total number of paying members to compare to the competitors * 2004 Technology Crossover Ventures and Sequoia Capital invested in the company * No info on how much or what eHarmony planned to do with the money * 94 million U.S. singles * .05 = 4,700,000 paying members of online personal sites * 2005 Match revenue = $250 million on 1.2 million paying members * 2007 projected revenue = $349 million * Chemistry demographics missing * 2007 Yahoo! revenue = $6.9 billion * .025 = $172.5 million revenue for Personals * No information in Exhibit 10 for Yahoo! Personals Premier even though the case brings it up * No current data for Exhibit 1 or 2. (Exhibit 1 only goes to 2001 while Exhibit 2 goes to 2000) * No international data for web users. (Exhibits 6 and 7 only show American statistics) * No breakdown to show how many users have 1, 3, 6, or 12 month subscriptions for each site * No mention of eHarmony’s revenue or yearly budget * Size of eHarmony’s market share compared to their competition? Personal Insight: * I feel that a significant rate of success is due to eHarmony’s branding and the use of an advertising campaign that appealed to a broad audience. They went from 300,000 registered members in 2002 to 3 million users in 2004 because of this. To me, this shows the mass appeal eHarmony has. Their successful campaign, which featured happy couples that found love by using their services, gave people a hope that this could happen to them as well. I think this hope of falling in love and getting marriage is a large priority of women. Accordingly, they account for eHarmony’s largest users at 60% and generate 2/3 of visits to the website. Kotler Text Teachings: * Core Competency: Refers to areas of special technical and production expertise. * eHarmony targets serious relationship and marriage-minded individuals, offering a unique match-making product * They use this to differentiate their brand image and services from their competition. * Value Proposition: A set of benefits that the company offers to customers to satisfy their needs. * eHarmony offers a tightly integrated system that encompasses a Personality Profile, which feeds into a patented matching algorithm, which then leads to a Guided Communication system * eHarmony needs to keep this evolving in order to keep growing and maintaining profitability. * Industry: A group of firms that offer a product or class of products that are close substitutes for one another. * eHarmony’s success has brought competition into this industry creating a surge in market growth. * Niche Market: A customer group seeking a distinctive mix of benefits. * eHarmony’s niche is targeting serious relationship and marriage-minded individuals along with faith communities (with an emphasis in women) * Porter’s Threat of Substitute Products: A segment is unattractive when there are actual or potential substitutes for a product. * eHarmony needs to be wary of this. Especially now that Match has introduced its new dating site, Chemistry. * Porter’s Differentiation Strategy: The business concentrates on uniquely achieving superior performance in an important customer benefit area value by a large  part of the market. * eHarmony achieves this by doing in-house R&D, using a unique matching algorithm, and other processes mentioned in the facts * Competitive Advantage: A company’s ability to perform in one or more ways that the competitors cannot or will not match. * eHarmony acquired this by heavy use of off-line advertising and by leveraging Dr. Warren’s 35 years of professional counseling experience, focus groups, and in-house R&D, Something their competition has tried to emulate but has been unsuccessful. * Sustainability: The business must be sufficiently committed and willing to devote enough resources to create an enduring positioning. * This is where the importance of eHarmony’s commitment to one of the decision options becomes a factor. They could look at a lower-level brand extension to bring in revenue from users who are unwilling to pay the premium fee. They could also look at using their strong brand equity to venture into untapped markets, i.e. international and gay. Another possibility is expand internationally which has a potential to expand globally adding long-term success. Decision Options: 1. Defend eHarmony’s leading position in the online matchmaker market by reducing barriers and promoting Fast Track Pros| Cons| Increase in paying customers| Time consuming match-making process| Increase in revenue| Losing out on other niche markets| Decrease Chemistry from being successful| Higher subscription prices| Keep core competency| Lacking continuous innovation| Keep competitive advantage| Possible backlash from members| 2. Enter into the medium-term relationship market to increase paying members (casual daters) Pros| Cons| Increased customer base| Increased competition| Increased revenue| Reduce core competency| Keep differentiation with proprietary algorithm| Lower fees due to less serious relationship %| Increase market share| No medium-term relationship experience| 3. Growing a new business based off of internal R&D focusing on key life stages, and building a network of free eHarmony-branded websites; revenue mostly coming from advertising. Pros| Cons| Increased advertising revenue| Increase costs to build a network websites| Strengthen brand image| Unpredictable revenue since sites are free| Reduce short-term competitive threats| No market research conducted on key life stages subject matter| Potential for brand extensions | Possible brand dilution| Increase in brand awareness| | Potential for diversification growth| | 4. Rapid geographic expansion Pros| Cons| Strong European market | Have to act quickly| Untapped market segments| Competition already internationally active| Potential for higher profit | No global brand equity yet| Reduce single market dependency| No international relationship market research conducted| Strengthen brand image| Might not understand foreign preferences| My Decision: * My decision is to go with option #3: Growing a new business based off of internal R&D focusing on key life stages, and building a network of free eHarmony-branded websites; revenue mostly coming from advertising. Reasons: * Long-term success can be accomplished by eHarmony extending its brand by using these innovative websites focusing on key life stages and differentiating itself from its competition, i.e. Chemistry. * This will allow eHarmony to capture the market and reduce the chances of Chemistry becoming successful. * eHarmony has a strong brand equity that will keep their members loyal to them as they transition through these  key life stages. * There is also a great chance that other brands will want to pair up with eHarmony increasing their brand portfolio. * Example: Gerber Baby Food for couples going through the parenting stage. * With revenue gained from these sites, eHarmony can re-invest it back into them. Funds can then be used to improve its core competency strengthening their brand image. * This will also strengthen their brand portfolio, increase advertising, and support more R&D. * Additional R&D can be used to study the niche market for gays and lesbians. * With sufficient research eHarmony could then use its brand equity to start a new website targeting this niche demographic. * As eHarmony continues to develop their cores services and grow in market share it is unlikely that their direct competition, Match/Chemistry and Yahoo! Personals, will be able to compete.

Ethical Worksheet Essay

1. What is the ethical issue or problem? Identify the issue succinctly. The probation officer has to generate a presentence investigation report for the husband’s trial. The probation officer has to keep in consideration that this last DUI would be the husband’s third conviction, the only one being after his military service. The standard sentence for a third time offense usually begins at a minimum of 90 days in custody. The husband, however, has a record diagnosing him with post-traumatic stress disorder (developed after serving in Somalia) where confinement can trigger regression, explosive outbursts, and traumatic flashbacks. What should the probation officer recommend? 2. What are the most important facts? Which facts have the most bearing on the ethical decision presented? Include any important potential economic, social, or political pressures, and exclude inconsequential facts. This is the husband’s third DUI offense. Due to the husband’s military service in Somalia, and his imprisonment by the enemy soldier, he now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and has regressed to the level of a 10-year-old. As per his psychiatrists, any type of confinement could worsen his regression, triggering explosive outbursts and traumatic flashbacks. The standard sentencing (since he’s a third time offender) usually begins at a minimum of 90 days in custody. His prior convictions happened before his military service and he served a total of 60 days in custody, without incidents. 3. Identify each claimant (key actor) who has an interest in the outcome of this ethical issue. From the perspective of the moral agent—the individual contemplating an ethical course of action—what obligation is owed to the claimant? Why? Claimant (key actor) Obligation (owed to the claimant) Perspective (What does the claimant hope will happen?) Probation Officer Beneficence, protection, service The probation officer would strongly recommend for the husband be placed under house arrest and attend intensive therapy and rehabilitation, rather than being incarcerated or institutionalized. Husband Respect, order The husband would prefer to pay a fine, if any, and be penalized in any way other than confinement. Judge Beneficence, non-injury The judge would prefer to help the mental condition of the husband, as well as keep the order in any jails and/or correctional facilities. Psychiatrist Beneficence, farewell The psychiatrists would prefer to attend to the husband’s mental condition through intense therapy and rehabilitation, and avoid confinement at all cost. Society Justice, peace and order Society would prefer any type of rehabilitative therapy for the husband, a military veteran, and not incarceration. Evaluating Alternatives 4. What are two alternatives for the scenario? One alternative can be a wild card that you ordinarily may not consider an option because of potential implications. Both should be within free will and control of the same moral agent. Alternative A Alternative B The probation officer strongly recommends rehabilitative therapy and psychotherapy in place of any incarceration time. The probation officer generates the PSI report following protocol of recommending the standard mandatory minimum of 90 days in jail for being the husband’s third conviction. 5. Respond to the following questions based on your developed alternatives. Alternative A Alternative B What are the best- and worst-case scenarios if you choose this alternative? Best: The husband shows improvement through different types of therapy and overcomes alcoholism. Worst: Therapy is useless for the husband and his alcohol dependency worsens. Best: Standard procedures are followed. Husband has no outburst or violent flashbacks. Worst: Husband has a violent outburst hrs within incarceration, has to be placed in solitary confinement, mental state deteriorates. Will anyone be harmed if this alternative is chosen? If so, how will they be harmed? Consider families and derivative effects. The husband will be hurt if the therapies recommended do not work as expected. His mental condition and alcohol dependency may worsen if the issue is not approached properly. The husband’s mental, emotional, and maybe even physical state will worsen will incarceration, since his violent outburst and flashbacks will be reoccurring. Would honoring an idea or value—such as personal, professional, or religious—make the alternative invalid? Prioritizing the mental health and wellbeing of a military veteran with service related issues, such as PTSD makes the alternative invalid. Following the standard sentencing for a third time offender would make the alternative invalid. Are there any rules, laws, or principles that support the alternative? Are there rules, laws, or principles that make the alternative invalid? State the rule or principle and indicate if it invalidates or supports the alternative. 3455. Idiocy as a Defense You may not find the defendant guilty of if (he/she) was legally incapable of committing a crime because of idiocy. The defendant was legally incapable of committing a crime because of idiocy if at the time the crime was committed: 1. (he/she) had a mental disease or defect; 2. Because of that disease or defect, (he/she) did not know or understand the nature and quality of (his/her) act or did not know or understand that (his/her) act was morally or legally wrong. V C Section 23546 Penalty Third Conviction Within Ten Years 23546. (a) If a person is convicted of a violation of Section 23152 and the offense occurred  within 10 years of two separate violations of Section 23103, as specified in Section 23103.5, 23152, or 23153, or any combination thereof, that resulted in convictions, that person shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not less than 120 days nor more than one year and by a fine of not less than three hundred ninety dollars ($390) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000). The person’s privilege to operate a motor vehicle shall be revoked by the Department of Motor Vehicles as required in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 13352. The court shall require the person to surrender his or her driver’s license to the court in accordance with Section 13550 Applying Ethical Guidelines 6. Consider each ethical guideline and explain whether it would support or reject your alternative. Guidelines based on the action itself Alternative A Alternative B Should this alternative become a rule or policy that everyone in this situation should follow in similar situations in the future? (Kant) Yes No Does this alternative result in using any person as a means to an end without consideration for his or her basic integrity? (Kant) No Yes Is the intent of this action free from vested interest or ulterior motive? (Kant’s good will) Yes Yes Does this alternative demonstrate a genuine concern for others affected by the decision, and is the moral agency responding to a perceived need? Yes: concern for others and responding to a perceived need are implicated No Guidelines based on consequences Alternative A Alternative B Is the good that results from this alternative outweighed by the potential harm that might be done to others? (Mill’s harm principle) Possibly No Is any harm brought about by anyone other than the moral agent? (causal harm) No Yes, the husband and the implicated correctional facility Will anyone be harmed who can be said to be defenseless? (paternalism) No Yes, the husband in a regressed mental state of a 10 year old To what degree is this alternative based on the moral agent’s own best interest? (ethical egoism) Not based on the parole officer’s own interest. It is based on the best interest of the husband. Not based on the parole officer’s own interest. It is based on the best interest of the husband. Which alternative will generate the greatest benefit—or the least amount of harm—for the greatest number of people? Select only one alternative. (utilitarianism) Alterative A will generate the greatest benefit. Ethical Decision Making 7. Choose to proceed with either Alternative A or Alternative B and explain the reasons for your decision. I recommend that on the parole officer’s presentencing investigation report strongly recommend an alternative type of punitive action against the husband, in lieu of incarceration. He should take in consideration not only the welfare and mental health of the husband, but the order in the corresponding correctional facility. The parole officer should note that incarceration will not only greatly deteriorate the husband’s mental, emotional, and even physical health, but it will also create altercations and physical confrontations in jail. The parole officer should push for some type of intensive rehabilitative therapy, as well as psychotherapy, and any other type of therapy the husband may need in order to treat his mental condition as well as to address his alcohol dependency. If necessary, applying a fine and/or house arrest in order to pay for the offense. The par ole officer should put the health and well being of the husband first.

Measures of an Economys Income

Measures of an Economy's Income Today, most economists, as well as people who write or speak about the economy, use Gross Domestic Product as the standard measure of the size of an economy. This was not always the case, however, and there are reasons why economists might specifically want to look at some variations on GDP. Five common variations are explained here: Gross National Product (GNP): Rather than counting all income earned within a countrys borders regardless of who produces it, as with GDP, gross national product counts all income earned by the permanent residents of a country. If all of the residents of a country worked within that country and no foreigners worked in the country, GNP and GDP would be the same. As workers start crossing country borders, on the other hand, GNP and GDP become noticeably different, but still very similar, measures of income. Net National Product (NNP): Technically speaking, the net national product is equal to gross national product minus depreciation. Depreciation is simply the loss in value of capital and assets due to use, so its helpful to think of NNP as the part of GNP that went to make new stuff as opposed to making stuff to replace items that were getting worn out. (Note that you could technically define a net version of any of the measures listed here by subtracting out depreciation.) National Income (NI): National income is equal to the net national product after indirect business taxes (sales taxes, excise taxes, etc.) are subtracted out and business subsidies are added in. In this way, national income represents the payments to owners of the factors of production. This includes the owners of labor (i.e. workers), as well as owners of capital, such as land, buildings, and money, who lend out this capital in return for interest payments. Personal Income (PI): Personal income represents income received specifically by individuals and by companies that are not classified as corporations. Therefore, personal income subtracts out items such as retained earnings of corporations and corporate income taxes. On the other hand, personal income includes transfer payments from the government such as welfare and Social Security. Disposable Personal Income: Disposable personal income is equal to personal income minus government obligations. These government obligations include not only taxes but also fines and other related payments. In general, all of these quantities tend to move roughly in tandem, so they all tend to give roughly the same picture of an economy. In order to avoid confusion, economists usually use the gross domestic product only to describe the size of an economy.

The Oedipus complex Essay Example

The Oedipus complex Essay Example The Oedipus complex Paper The Oedipus complex Paper Essay Topic: Literature Psychoanalytical criticism, developed by Freud, is a way to interpret authors, and other artists work, making connections between the authors themselves and what they actually create. The Oedipus complex is a psychoanalytical theory where a child has the unconscious desire for the exclusive love of the parent of the opposite sex. The desire includes jealousy towards the parent of the same sex and the unconscious wish for that parents death. It usually occurs between the ages of three to five and is a normal developmental process of human psychological growth. The stage is usually ended when the child identifies with the parent of the same sex and represses its sexual instincts. Freud believed that all people experienced the Oedipus complex but many researchers in psychoanalysis believe it develops as a result of a persons environment and does not occur in everyone. Freud believed the complex could stay in the unconscious mind and affect the person in adult life.? Within Hamlet the Oedipus complex can be applied to Hamlets character. Hamlet still isnt over his fathers death, and the appearance of the ghost of his father at the start of the play fuels his anger to take revenge, but he delays killing Claudius throughout the play. This is because unconsciously he admires Claudius, because he has fulfilled Hamlets own unconscious wishes of killing his father and marrying his mother, a father killd, a mother staind, which is exactly the position Hamlet would like to be in. The Oedipus complex can appear to be reflected in Hamlets behaviour in Act III Scene IV. From the start of the scene Hamlet is talking to his mother with anger and resentment. He is disgusted with her for marrying her dead brothers wife; You are the Queen, your husbands brothers wife (III, IV, 14). This is because unconsciously he feels he should be in Claudius position, of being King of Denmark, and being married to Gertrude. Things start getting very heated between Hamlet and Gertrude and he shows his disapproval of their relationship; In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed, Stewd in corruption, honeying and making love Over the nasty sty! (III, IV, 92-94). At this point Hamlet sees the ghost of his dead father appear before him to remind him of what his purpose is, which distracts him and interrupts their heated conversation. The ghost appearing at this particular moment could be seen as Hamlets unconscious creating the image of his father to stop something happening with his mother. Hamlet then warns his mother But go not to mine Uncles bed (III, IV, 161) because he doesnt want her sleeping with Claudius, or being close to him because he wants her for himself. Act III Scene iv is a crucial part of the play for a director when deciding whether to interpret the play with the Oedipus complex in mind or not, because there is so much dialogue interaction between Hamlet and his mother, more so than other scenes in the play and because it is easy to identify the Oedipus complex in this scene. Looking at this scene especially, in different film versions different directors have interpreted it in different ways. In Zefirellis 1990 film version, Act III Scene IV has been performed with strong reference to the Oedipus complex in mind.? Oliviers 1948 production is performed with only a slight reference to the Oedipus complex in the way the characters interact with each other.? In Brannaghs 1996 film version, there is no direct reference to the Oedipus complex in Act III Scene IV at all.? Freuds theory can be applied to the text as a whole as well as just Act III Scene IV. In Act I Scene ii this is the closest Hamlet gets to confronting Claudius about the marriage to his mother. He talks to himself about it straight after Claudius and the rest of the court have left She married -O most wicked speed! (I, II, 156) but it is still directed at Gertrude not Claudius because unconsciously he cant blame him. And throughout the whole play he never says anything about, or to Claudius, being incestuous for marrying his brothers wife. After Hamlet sees the ghost of his father and is told by it to take revenge for his murder, Hamlet pretends to be mad, unconsciously, to delay killing Claudius. The Oedipal complex explains why Ha mlet delays killing him and is unable to take direct action, through out the whole play. Claudius has coincidentally fulfilled Hamlets unconscious fantasies. After the Mousetrap play is performed and Hamlet knows for sure that Claudius is guilty of his fathers murder, he still doesnt take action, but chats with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, O, the recorders. Let me see one. (III, II, 36). He doesnt realise he is doing this, and so wont think that Claudius will stop him from telling people and he does. He sends Hamlet to England. Before Hamlet pretends to be mad, he is deeply in love with Ophelia, I did love you once (III, I, 115). But when he is pretending to be mad he tells her bluntly that he no longer does, which hurts her so much that she kills herself! The desire for his mother is so much that he no longer cares about Ophelia. Surely if he realised what he was doing, he wouldnt have done it because he cares for her. But he doesnt realise and unknowingly plays a part in her death. When Hamlet finally does take action against Claudius in Act V Scene II (the final scene), it is only after Gertrude is dead that he is able to kill Claudius. This is because Claudius is no longer a projection of Hamlets unconscious mind so he now takes revenge for the murder of his father and his mother. When applying the Oedipus complex to Hamlets character, it can be a valid interpretation. The behaviour of Hamlet, and his actions through out the play, shows how the theory can be applied, as it is in film versions by Zeffirelli and Olivier. But there is actually little textual evidence to support the idea. The only way it can be applied is by looking at it as a deep Freudian interpretation. If taken at face value with out reading into it as much, it is difficult to see the theory applied in the text, although it can be seen if a director has chosen to interpret it this way. As Shakespeare wrote Hamlet, and it was being performed, in the seventeenth century, the Oedipus complex and Psychoanalysis would not have been applied, as it was only developed in the twentieth century by Freud. This means that at the time, it would not have been performed with the Oedipus complex in mind. In Elizabethan England It most likely would have been performed simply as a play to entertain the audience and would have been understood by them to be a revenge tragedy which were popular types of play at the time. Act III Scene IV is a major part of the play for a director when deciding whether to interpret the play with the Oedipus complex in mind or not. In Brannaghs film version, there is no evidence of the Oedipus complex being applied to the scene, or the play as a whole. With out applying the Oedipus complex, Act III Scene IV can be presented in different ways. From the start we know Hamlet is still not over his fathers death; Do not for ever with thy vailed lids Seek thy noble father in the dust. (I, II, 70-71). He has so much pent up anger and emotion from the death of his father and the hasty marriage between Gertrude and Claudius, he doesnt know what to do. Act III Scene IV can be presented as a point where Hamlet finally releases all his anger because Claudius has just shown his guilt from his reaction to the Mousetrap play. This leads to the confrontation with his mother, where he shows his dislike for their marriage, Mother, you have my father much offended (III, IV, 9), and where he warns her to stay away from Claudius But go not to my uncles bed (III, IV, 161). He is so angry he has no hesitation in killing the person behind the arras, especially as he thinks its the king. The play can be presented at face value, simply as a story of revenge as it would have done at the time it was written. I think the Oedipus complex is a valid interpretation of the text when psychoanalysed and can be performed well with the theory in mind, but it is a twentieth century interpretation. In the seventeenth century when it was performed, it would have been written to be performed as entertainment. The performers would of performed it to entertain the audience and the audience would of understood it as it was performed, not my looking into the text and looking for deeper meanings.

Online Tools to Analyze Your Writing

Online Tools to Analyze Your Writing It may be hard to imagine, but there was a time when a student simply typed a paper, handed it in, and hoped for the best. Today, you have a wealth of online writing tools at your fingertips. You can get assistance in everything from getting started to doing final checks. Even if you arent a natural-born writer, youll be able to turn in flawless work every time. Just check out these tools, and see what they can do for you. Hemingway (hemingwayapp.com) Hemingway is a general writing app that lets you import a Word doc or paste in text. From there, you can, count words, assess readability, check grammar and spelling, format text, and add HTML and Markdown tags to create Web-friendly content. Color-coding makes Hemingway attractive, simple, and fun to use. This app is so affordable that its almost silly not to have it, whether youre a student or a professional. Grammarly (grammarly.com) You havent lived until youve been let down by Words built-in spelling and grammar check features. Grammarly is an old standby among writing-enhancement platforms. With Grammarly, you can find grammatical mistakes, correct spelling, check your work for plagiarism, and get word-replacement suggestions. Use this app to supplement Word, and youll never have to turn in another paper littered with embarrassing mistakes. I Write Like (iwl.me) This tool is more of an entertaining nature. Just paste a passage from your essay or blog, or even a comment from social media, and the tool will analyze your writing style and word choice and compare them with those of well-known writers. For more accurate results try to paste large amounts of text. BibMe (bibme.org) Writing a paper is one thing; adding your citations is another. Many students find the former task to be far easier than the latter. Luckily, you dont have to read that massive style guide cover-to-cover in order to add your footnotes or endnotes correctly. BibMe is set up to generate your citations automatically in the appropriate format, whether you need to follow APA, Chicago, MLA, or another style. Youll still need your style guide for other reasons, but BibMe makes those pesky notes a lot less painless, and you can get them done far more quickly. Clichà © Finder (cliche.theinfo.org) If youre relatively young and not an avid reader, you may not know a lot of clichà ©s in the first place. But if youve spent a lot of time listening to your grandparents- or to politicians- you may have subconsciously picked up such banal phrases and made them part of your own verbal repertoire. Once youve gotten into the habit of spouting out clichà ©s, its hard to recognize your own misdoings. Never fear; simply paste your work into Clichà © Finder and click the magic button. All of your trite adages will be highlighted, so you can pluck them out and find fresher ways to say what you mean. Readability–Score.com (readability-score.com) As we mentioned, some of the apps above assess the reading level of your writing in addition to performing a number of other helpful tasks for you. However, if you generally feel confident about writing on your own, you may prefer the simpler Readability ­Ã¢â‚¬â€œScore.com. Just paste in your text, and the program assigns an average reading level, based on several different formulas. Its a quick and easy way to make sure your college paper sounds like it was written by a college student. MindMup (mindmup.com) If you have trouble getting your thoughts together before you write, turn to MindMup. This mind-mapping tool is a great way to put all of your ideas in one place. From there, you can figure out how to proceed with your paper. MindMup is an especially helpful organizing method for people who dont do well with the traditional linear outlining method. Dont put off that paper until the last minute. And whatever you do, dont resort to paying somebody to write it for you. Its a huge offense that brings you no benefit, because you learn nothing and risk everything. Use all the free and low-cost resources available to you, and youll be churning out top-notch papers in no time.

Corporate Governance and Business Ethics in Merck Essay

Corporate Governance and Business Ethics in Merck - Essay Example The researcher states that Merck reached about 269 million individuals through its numerous corporate social responsibility partnerships and programs. The current study will focus on corporate responsibility activities and corporate governance codes followed by Merck. The study will also analyze environmental conditions across the USA, which are supporting or hindering corporate governance activities of Merck in the USA. In the literature review conducted by Hawley and Williams, the US corporate governance was reviewed. Four governance models were identified, which were finance model, stakeholder model, stewardship model and political model. In the financial model, the major focus is given on construction of incentives and rules for effective alignment of managerial behaviors with principal owner’s desire. On the other hand, political model, stakeholder theory, and stewardship theory are majorly ethnocentric. The society of United States has been encouraging businesses, which are socially responsible and been promoting only those profit-making firms that have proved their intention of improving and not harming the society. However, this struggle for companies to meet society’s expectations is constantly challenged due to changing nature of society, in terms of their demands patterns. As a result, the US government has set out some legal and environmental regulations, which are compulsory for all businesses in the US. The business affairs department of US government deals with all CSR activities and policies governing businesses in the US. The objective is to promote ethical and responsible business practices and ensure effective partnership and coordination among companies, business, US embassies, civil society firms as well as numerous stakeholders. Major regulatory laws controlling businesses in the USA are human rights and ethical and acceptable corporate citizenship. The US government has laid down some strict policies so that corporate undert ake only those activities, which are deemed as socially responsible, ethical and promote sustainable development.

Profile Speech about Trail of Tears- Removal of the Cherokee Essay

Profile Speech about Trail of Tears- Removal of the Cherokee - Essay Example IV. (Preview body of speech) Today, I shall tell you what prompted the U.S. government to decide the fate of thousands of Native Americans. Next, I will tell you how tribes such as Cherokees were affected following which I shall take you back to the fateful â€Å"Trail of Tears.† Finally, being an optimist, I will share with you the present conditions of the relocated people and the role of the U.S. government in their lives today. 3. Americans and Cherokees signed a treaty. This treaty was supposed to bring in some form of civilization among the tribal men i.e. they were expected to give up hunting and adopt farming. The Cherokees accepted the terms since it not only meant progress but it also meant that the Americans would further on mind their own business and leave them alone. This deadly trek, during the course of which thousands of Cherokees perished, loved ones died in front of the eyes while others stood helpless. The Cherokees only stopped some time to bury their dead and continued marching westwards. The Cherokees called this journey – â€Å" Nunna dual isunyi† meaning the trail where we cried. In English, this earned popularity as the â€Å"Trail of tears† (Fradlin,2008). (Transition) It is true, that today as I stand here talking about our American Native brothers and sisters, their plight is still the same. Almost a million of them still remains in abject poverty and lead a life of prejudice. The American Indian Relief Council works towards helping the Native Americans build a stronger community and bring in positive changes in their lives by offering services from literacy to nutrition (American Indian Relief Council).

Differences between Plastic Surgery & Cosmetic Surgery Essay

Differences between Plastic Surgery & Cosmetic Surgery - Essay Example As the study stresses that perhaps one that is predominantly practiced all over the world is cosmetic surgery; this type of plastic surgery mainly aims to alter the physical appearance of a person. Many people have always been concerned with their looks and appearance more than their internal qualities and this is motivation enough for them to desire enhancement of their looks. This is what has led to the pervasiveness of the plastic surgery trend worldwide thus instigating serious concerns over the justification of plastic surgery; in other words, is it or is it not right to carry out plastic surgery? This question has been debatable in the world probably more than anything else concerning moral issues has, and many people have had their own varied contributions to this debate. Thus, he does agree with the school of thought that supports plastic surgery, at least to make something wrong go right for once; there are exceedingly many reasons why people carry out plastic surgery and I believe they are all justifiable. This paper aims to disambiguate the social dilemma that is plastic surgery, and it will attempt to justify the reasons why plastic surgery is carried out, and gunner support for this controversial trend. From this discussion it is clear that to begin with, even though the name plastic surgery suggests a close tie with synthetic material, plastic surgery has nothing to do with ‘plastic looks’ as is often concluded by moralists. In fact, the name originates from a Greek word ‘plastikos’, which means ‘to form’ or ‘to mold’. In this regard, plastic surgery remains a crucial type of surgery that serves many justifiable reasons, both medical and aesthetical. Doctors perform reconstructive procedures to reinstate distortions both on the face and on the body of patients that might have been because of either natural or physical causes. For instance, natural deformities are manifest on individuals from birth, and they include physical distortions of organs as in cleft lips and palates while other deformities might arise from physical injuries such as burns, animal bites  and  accidents. Some diseases such as cancer might also necessitate plastic surgery in the end after the loss of the affected body organ; this is especially common with breast cancer where most patients opt to undergo reconstructive surgeries to rebuild the lost breasts. On the other hand, cosmetic surgery  is concerned with the enhancement of physical appearances. Due to its cosmetic purposes, this type of plastic surgery is often also referred to as aesthetic surgery; however, cosmetic procedures do not necessarily call for surgery in the medical fashion. Quite notably, most cosmetic surgeries involve enlargement and reduction of body organs such as breasts; the reshaping of body organs such as the nose; or removing of fatty tissues from body parts that are overly bulky with fats. In view of these two broad reasons for plastic surgery presented above, it is vital to regard plastic surgery in a different light, and move away from the negative traditional perceptions that society has held against plastic surgery.

Film Report Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Film Report - Movie Review Example After a stopover, Warne reads a newspaper and discovered that she is the Andrews heiress who escaped away from his father. When he told her about the news, they both had a deal: Warne will keep Andrews in his company without reporting to his father while Andrews will give her an exclusive scoop about her daily accounts. Their journey marked the beginning of a blossoming love story. Obviously, the theme is about love, and it was shown first during their first encounter in the bus and during their sleepover in a small rental house. The director used a scene in which two different personalities clash during their first encounter to emphasize the theme. 2) What were the choices made by the main characters and what were the consequences of those choices? When Ellie Andrews decided to escape away from his father, she changed the course of her personal history. Because of her rebellion to her father, she was able to see the world that is different from her affluent upbringing, more so, she was able to meet the person whose character makes her fall in love. There were also instances when she hesitated Warne’s offers during their journey, but her final decision to accept those pleasantries, such as an overnight stay and a breakfast, somehow gave her good results. Peter Warne had also made an abrupt but necessary decision when two detectives sought for Andrews by acting as if they were a couple fighting. Both of them were able to escape from the detectives. During an encounter in their rented room, Andrews got emotional and professed her love to Warne, but Warne decided to stay mum, but he knew he loves her. The following morning, he decided to marry her, but sold his written story to his boss in a publication and hurried home before she wakes up. He got the money, but he loses his love, Ellie Andrews, when she phoned her father about her whereabouts. However, Andrew’s last-minute decision to back-out from a supposed wedding with the gold-digger made her ba ck in the arms of her real love, Peter Warne. 3) What three or four sequences are most important in the film? Why? First was when Ellie escaped away from his father. Because of that, she met Peter Warne and accidentally fell in love with him during their journey. Next was when Warne offered her a breakfast that made Ellie appreciated his efforts. That scene paved way for more funny but romantic scenes between the two. Next, when Ellie emotionally confronted Warne about her blossoming feelings for him, it made him want to marry her. When he left the following morning to secure money for his proposal and wedding to Ellie, that made the whole situation incomprehensible for Ellie that is why she decided to call her father because she thinks he left her. In the part of Warne, seeing Ellie rode in a car with his father also made the situation complicated. Lastly, when Ellie decided to back out on the day of her wedding after her father’s persuasion that Warne is a good person, she made the right decision by ending up with Warne. 4) Did the ?lm surprise you with anything unusual in its story, style, technique, or implications? The film is surprising in a sense that this type of theme, which I assume is a modern day invention, actually originated in the past. The exchanges of lines between the actors, especially between the couple, send shivery and fuzzy feeling to the viewers. It was indeed

Tiananmen Square Massacre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Tiananmen Square Massacre - Essay Example because of his people-oriented policies. But, later in life, he was forced to resign, without any clear causes. Initially, people began to gather in Tiananmen Square to mourn Hu Yaobang and attend his funeral. However, their sorrow soon turned to rage against the government as they started to wonder why he really was forced to resign and to demand more civil liberties. In late April 1989, hundreds of thousands protesters, mostly students, wielding placards and banners, began to gather at Tiananmen Square. In addition to Hu Yaobang's death, the protesters chose this time for their demonstrations because Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev would be visiting, and the attention of the world media would be on China2. As such, leaders were instantly chosen, and a series of dialogues were set up with the government, however, these were largely unsuccessful. The protesters were largely peaceful, but a few minor scuffles with police, resulting in injuries, were reported Soon, the students were joined by people from all walks of life-people who were looking for reforms in the government--teachers, doctors, factory workers, judges, and even some police officers and soldiers. Thousands of tents were enacted as they were intending to stay in the square for several days. Unhappy with the proceedings, the government resorted to cutting off the water supply to the square in an attempt to make the students disperse, but the protesters simply brought in water from other sources in Beijing. They engaged in dialogues with the government, but when the government, at first, refused to comply with their demands for democracy, they decided to go on a hunger strike-the goal was to force the government to cooperate with the protesters, or face thousands...Journal Title: World Affairs. Volume: 152. Issue: 3. Publication Year: 1989. Page Number: 148. This is a very useful journal on the hunger strike. It contains detailed account of the purpose of the hunger strike, and as such, quite useful for anyone who wishes to know the ultimate motives of the agitators.

Medieval Roman Catholicism in Christianity Essay

Medieval Roman Catholicism in Christianity - Essay Example The contributions of two prominent popes in the medieval times paved the way for the conversion of Emperor Constantine in 312 who â€Å"legalized Christianity, promoted its interests, and took an active role in its institutional and doctrinal development† (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2010). The name Christianity was coined from Jesus Christ. Christianity is the name given to that definite system of religious belief and practice which was taught by Jesus Christ in the country of Palestine, during the reign of the Roman Emperor, Tiberius, and was promulgated, after Jesus’ death, for the acceptance of the whole world, by certain chosen men among His followers. The role of medieval Roman Catholicism, therefore, is the promulgation of evangelization of various peoples all over the world. In addition, the church instigated roles of education, engaging in charitable activities, and promotion of the family as the sole unit of social and moral values. As revealed in the history of Roman Catholicism, â€Å"one of the most significant developments of the late ancient and early medieval periods—for Roman Catholicism and all forms of Christianity—was the emergence of Christian theology. During the late ancient and early medieval periods there was also a significant growth in monasticism, the origins of which are traditionally associated with the Apostles in Jerusalem† (Britannica, 2010). The teachings from the Apostles became the basis for their compilations of the Bible. As indicated in the article on Roman Catholicism stating that â€Å"the churchs role in mediating salvation has been emphasized more than in other Christian traditions. Supernatural life is mediated to Christians through the sacraments administered by the hierarchy to whom obedience is due† (Roman Catholic Church, 2010). The origins of Roman Catholicism were instrumental in proffering the existence of God, as proven in five ways, to wit: from motion, from the nature of efficient cause,

Tiananmen Square Massacre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Tiananmen Square Massacre - Essay Example because of his people-oriented policies. But, later in life, he was forced to resign, without any clear causes. Initially, people began to gather in Tiananmen Square to mourn Hu Yaobang and attend his funeral. However, their sorrow soon turned to rage against the government as they started to wonder why he really was forced to resign and to demand more civil liberties. In late April 1989, hundreds of thousands protesters, mostly students, wielding placards and banners, began to gather at Tiananmen Square. In addition to Hu Yaobang's death, the protesters chose this time for their demonstrations because Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev would be visiting, and the attention of the world media would be on China2. As such, leaders were instantly chosen, and a series of dialogues were set up with the government, however, these were largely unsuccessful. The protesters were largely peaceful, but a few minor scuffles with police, resulting in injuries, were reported Soon, the students were joined by people from all walks of life-people who were looking for reforms in the government--teachers, doctors, factory workers, judges, and even some police officers and soldiers. Thousands of tents were enacted as they were intending to stay in the square for several days. Unhappy with the proceedings, the government resorted to cutting off the water supply to the square in an attempt to make the students disperse, but the protesters simply brought in water from other sources in Beijing. They engaged in dialogues with the government, but when the government, at first, refused to comply with their demands for democracy, they decided to go on a hunger strike-the goal was to force the government to cooperate with the protesters, or face thousands...Journal Title: World Affairs. Volume: 152. Issue: 3. Publication Year: 1989. Page Number: 148. This is a very useful journal on the hunger strike. It contains detailed account of the purpose of the hunger strike, and as such, quite useful for anyone who wishes to know the ultimate motives of the agitators.

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Maria Sotomayor Essay Example for Free

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Maria Sotomayor Essay Justice Sotomayor was nominated by President Barack Obama to the Supreme Court on May 26, 2009. A vacancy became open upon the retirement of Justice Souter. If her nomination and approval by the Senate is approved, she would become the 111th Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Her confirmation hearing by the Senate did not go without controversy. Justice Sotomayor gave a speech at the University of California, Berkeley and in her speech, she said, â€Å"I would hope that a wise Latina Woman with richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life. † Some, including commentators such as Rush Limbaugh, view this statement as being racist. She acknowledged the phrase, â€Å"wise Latina woman† was a bad attempt to playing on words. In the end, Justice Sotomayer was confirmed by a vote of 68-31. Justice Sotomayor life is one that is full of achievement and disappointment. Her appointment has changed the landscape from of the court. Sotomayor was born in The Bronx, New York City and is of Puerto Rican descent. Her father died when she was nine, and she was subsequently raised by her mother. As a child, she aspired to be like Nancy Drew, the detective in the popular childrens mystery series. But at the age of 8, she was diagnosed with diabetes and told she would not be able to pursue that line of work. Sotomayor said it was another fictional character that inspired her next choice. I noticed that [defense attorney] Perry Mason was involved in a lot of the same kinds of investigative work that I had been fascinated with reading Nancy Drew, so I decided to become a lawyer, Sotomayor told the American Bar Association publication in 2000. Once I focused on becoming a lawyer, I never deviated from that goal. Her parents moved to New York during World War II – her mother served in the Women’s Auxiliary Corps during the war. Her father, a factory worker with a third-grade education, died when Sotomayor was nine years old. Her mother, a nurse, then raised Sotomayor and her younger brother, Juan, now a physician in Syracuse. After her father’s death, Sotomayor turned to books for solace, and it was her new found love of Nancy Drew that inspired a love of reading and learning, a path that ultimately led her to the law. Most importantly, at an early age, her mother instilled in Sotomayor and her brother a belief in the power of education. Driven by an indefatigable work ethic, and rising to the challenge of managing a diagnosis of juvenile diabetes, Sotomayor excelled in school. Sotomayor graduated as valedictorian of her class at Blessed Sacrament and at Cardinal Spellman High School in New York. She first heard about the Ivy League from her high school debate coach, Ken Moy, who attended Princeton University, and she soon followed in his footsteps after winning a scholarship. Judge Sotomayors Legal Realist Judicial Philosophy Formalism is an appealing view because it purports to validate the rule of law, in contrast to the rule of the men and women who serve as judges. If the judge is simply a vehicle for expressing the laws meaning, then when the judge interprets the law, the judge is not adding his or her own gloss, but rather simply applying the rules and standards previously chosen through democratic processes. For this reason, Justice Scalia, who has also espoused formalism, specifically associates it with the rule of law. Yet formalism has been under assault for over a century. Legal realists have long noted that the formalists view of the law is false, or at least radically incomplete. Even a legal realist will likely admit that, yes, in some very simple casesthe sort that are either never brought or that settle quicklythe formal legal materials uniquely determine the answer. However, legal realists point out that in the sorts of cases that reach appellate courts, and especially a court of last resort like the United States Supreme Court, there is usually a substantial gap or ambiguity in the law. That is the very reason why we need such courts, legal realists say. As the term legal realism suggests, legal realists believe that formalists are not being honest (perhaps, not even with themselves) when they disclaim any influence from their own values upon their judicial decisionmaking. Nor, they say, could matters be otherwise in a complex and evolving society in which legislators and constitution writers cannot possibly have anticipated all of the circumstances in which the provisions they wrote would be applied. The point was aptly made this way: The constant development of unprecedented problems requires a legal system capable of fluidity and pliancy. Our society would be strait-jacketed were not the courts, with the able assistance of the lawyers, constantly overhauling the law and adapting it to the realities of ever-changing social, industrial and political conditions; although changes cannot be made lightly, yet law must be more or less impermanent, experimental and therefore not nicely calculable. Much of the uncertainty of law is not an unfortunate accident: it is of immense social value. Who said that? None other than Judge Sonia Sotomayor, in a 1996 speech at Suffolk University Law School. Formalism, Legal Realism, and Judicial Empathy Knowing that Judge Sotomayor is a legal realist does not tell us everything about her judicial philosophy, but it does paint a vivid contrast with the formalism expressed by Justice Thomas and Chief Justice Roberts at their confirmation hearings. That contrast, in turn, makes sense of the controversy over President Obamas view that a Justice ought to have empathy. If one thinksas many conservative commentators apparently dothat formalism correctly describes American law, then empathy is irrelevant to judging. The judges job is simply to apply the formal legal materials. Empathy is no more useful to the formalist judge than it is to someone writing a dictionary. In each case, one is simply looking for the meaning of words. However, if one thinks that the legal realists have it right, then a broad capacity for empathy is crucial to judging. According to the legal realist view, in filling in the laws gaps and ambiguities, a judge will necessarily be making value-laden decisions that derive in part from her background and experience. The broader the background, and the greater her ability to step outside her own circumstances to see the laws effects on others, the greater will be the judges ability to, as Judge Sotomayor put it, adapt the law to the realities of ever-changing social, industrial and political conditions. Neither legal realism nor empathy alone constitutes the whole of Judge Sotomayors judicial philosophy. To fully appreciate her approach, it would be necessary to read a substantial number of the hundreds of opinions she has authored as a federal judge. But at least with a professed legal realist judge like Sotomayor, one knows where to begin. In an era when we are all too familiar with 5-4 Supreme Court decisions splitting along conservative/liberal lines, it is refreshing to have a nominee who does not pretend that her background and values have nothing to do with her legal decisions. The Case Against Sotomayor Sotomayor’s former clerks sing her praises as a demanding but thoughtful boss whose personal experiences have given her a commitment to legal fairness. â€Å"She is a rule-bound pragmatistvery geared toward determining what the right answer is and what the law dictates, but her general approach is, unsurprisingly, influenced by her unique background,† says one former clerk. â€Å"She grew up in a situation of disadvantage, and was able, by virtue of the system operating in such a fair way, to accomplish what she did. I think she sees the law as an instrument that can accomplish the same thing for other people, a system that, if administered fairly, can give everyone the fair break they deserve, regardless of who they are.† Her former clerks report that because Sotomayor is divorced and has no children, her clerks become like her extended familyworking late with her, visiting her apartment once a month for card games (where she remembers their favorite drinks), an d taking a field trip together to the premier of a Harry Potter movie. But despite the praise from some of her former clerks, and warm words from some of her Second Circuit colleagues, there are also many reservations about Sotomayor. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been talking to a range of people who have worked with her, nearly all of them former law clerks for other judges on the Second Circuit or former federal prosecutors in New York. Most are Democrats and all of them want President Obama to appoint a judicial star of the highest intellectual caliber who has the potential to change the direction of the court. Nearly all of them acknowledged that Sotomayor is a presumptive front-runner, but nearly none of them raved about her. They expressed questions about her temperament, her judicial craftsmanship, and most of all, her ability to provide an intellectual counterweight to the conservative justices, as well as a clear liberal alternative. The most consistent concern was that Sotomayor, although an able lawyer, was â€Å"not that smart and k ind of a bully on the bench,† as one former Second Circuit clerk for another judge put it. â€Å"She has an inflated opinion of herself, and is domineering during oral arguments, but her questions aren’t penetrating and don’t get to the heart of the issue.† (During one argument, an elderly judicial colleague is said to have leaned over and said, â€Å"Will you please stop talking and let them talk?†) Second Circuit judge Jose Cabranes, who would later become her colleague, put this point more charitably in a 1995 interview with The New York Times: She is not intimidated or overwhelmed by the eminence or power or prestige of any party, or indeed of the media. Her opinions, although competent, are viewed by former prosecutors as not especially clean or tight, and sometimes miss the forest for the trees. It’s customary, for example, for Second Circuit judges to circulate their draft opinions to invite a robust exchange of views. Sotomayor, several former clerks complained, rankled her colleagues by sending long memos that didn’t disti nguish between substantive and trivial points, with petty editing suggestionsfixing typos and the likerather than focusing on the core analytical issues. Some former clerks and prosecutors expressed concerns about her command of technical legal details: In 2001, for example, a conservative colleague, Ralph Winter, included an unusual footnote in a case suggesting that an earlier opinion by Sotomayor might have inadvertently misstated the law in a way that misled litigants. The most controversial case in which Sotomayor participated is Ricci v. DeStefano, the explosive case involving affirmative action in the New Haven fire department, which is now being reviewed by the Supreme Court. A panel including Sotomayor ruled against the firefighters in a perfunctory unpublished opinion. This provoked Judge Cabranes, a fellow Clinton appointee, to object to the panel’s opinion that contained â€Å"no reference whatsoever to the constitutional issues at the core of this case.† (The extent of Sotomayor’s involvement in the opinion itself is not publicly known.) Not all the former clerks for other judges I talked to were skep tical about Sotomayor. â€Å"I know the word on the street is that she’s not the brainiest of people, but I didn’t have that experience,† said one former clerk for another judge. â€Å"She’s an incredibly impressive person, she’s not shy or apologetic about who she is, and that’s great.† This supporter praised Sotomayor for not being a wilting violet. â€Å"She commands attention, she’s clearly in charge, she speaks her mind, she’s funny, she’s voluble, and she has ownership over the role in a very positive way,† she said. â€Å"She’s a fine Second Circuit judgemaybe not the smartest ever, but how often are Supreme Court nominees the smartest ever?† I haven’t read enough of Sotomayor’s opinions to have a confident sense of them, nor have I talked to enough of Sotomayor’s detractors and supporters, to get a fully balanced picture of her strengths. It’s possible that the former clerks and former prosecutors I talked to have an incomplete picture of her abilities. But they’re not motivated by sour grapes or by ideological disagreementthey’d like the most intellectually powerful and politically effective liberal justice possible. And they think that Sotomayor, although personally and professionally impressive, may not meet that demanding standard. Given the stakes, the president should obviously satisfy himself that he has a complete picture before taking a gamble. Racial Discrimination Judge Sotomayors most high-profile case, Ricci v. DeStefano, concerns white firefighters in New Haven who were denied promotions after an examination yielded no black firefighters eligible for advancement. Joining an unsigned opinion of a three-judge panel of the appeals court, Judge Sotomayor upheld the rejection of a lawsuit by white firefighters, one of them Hispanic, claiming race discrimination and, as part of the full appeals court, she declined to rehear the case. The Supreme Court overturned the lower court’s decision in a 5-to-4 vote. Judge Sotomayor dissented in part in an earlier case, Gant v. Wallingford Board of Education, finding that race discrimination had occurred when a school demoted a black child from first grade to kindergarten. Lawsuits Against Federal Contractors An opposition memo on Judge Sotomayor cites her ruling in a case about lawsuits against federal contractors to claim that she is willing to expand constitutional rights beyond the text of the Constitution. The case concerns an inmate who lived in a fifth-floor room while serving a federal prison sentence for securities fraud. He was allowed to use the elevator because of congestive heart failure, but when a guard had him climb the five flights, he had a heart attack, fell down the stairs and suffered an injury. He sued the company that ran the halfway house for the federal Bureau of Prisons. As part of the appeals court, Judge Sotomayor emphasized precedents that permitted suits against companies performing state government functions. The Supreme Court reversed Judge Sotomayor, ruling 5 to 4 that only individual agents, not corporations, may be sued for such violations. Justice Stevens joined by Justices Souter, Ginsburg, and Breyer dissented. â€Å"Extending Bivens liability to reach private corporations furthers [its] overriding purpose: providing redress for violations of constitutional rights.† (Bivens was a 1971 Supreme Court case that allowed some people whose rights have been violated by federal agents to sue.) —Makesko v. Correctional Services Corporation, 2000 Related Documents * Makesko v. Correctional Services Corporation Top Environment In a defeat for environmental groups, the Supreme Court ruled this term that the Environmental Protection Agency may use cost-benefit calculations to decide whether to require power plants to make changes that could preserve aquatic organisms. The case mostly concerned the meaning of a phrase in the Clean Water Act that requires the power plants cooling structures to reflect the best technology available for minimizing adverse environmental impact. Judge Sotomayor had previously ruled that weighing the costs of the changes against the value of the organisms in dollars was not permitted by the law. Instead, the EPA could consider only what cost may reasonably be borne by the power plants. When her ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court, Justice John Paul Stevens, joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and David H. Souter, dissented, saying that cost-benefit analysis was prohibited by the law and pernicious in practice. â€Å"Congress has already specified the relationship between cost and benefits in requiring that the technology designated by the EPA be the best available.† —Riverkeeper v. Environmental Protection Agency Related Documents * Riverkeeper v. Environmental Protection Agency (2007) Top Workplace Discrimination: Disabilities Some of Judge Sotomayors more prominent opinions on discrimination concern people with disabilities. In one case, Judge Sotomayor ruled that a law school graduate with a reading and learning disability was entitled to extra time in taking the bar exams. After the Supreme Court decided that people are not protected under the Americans With Disabilities Act if they can function normally by wearing glasses, taking medication or otherwise compensating for their disabilities, it told the Second Court to reconsider its decision in this case. Judge Sotomayor again found that the woman was disabled, and must be given accommodations, writing that test scores alone were not enough to diagnose a disability. Another case concerned a trucking company that rejected applicants who were taking some medications. Judge Sotomayor dissented from the majority, writing that Hunt, the company, had determined the applicants were substantially limited in the major life activity of working, and not, as the, majority found, merely unsuited for long-distance driving of Hunts 40-ton trucks on irregular stressful schedules. â€Å"By its very nature, diagnosing a learning disability requires clinical judgment.† —Bartlett v. New York State Board of Law Examiners Related Documents * Bartlett v. New York State Board of Law Examiners (1999) * E.E.O.C. v. J.B. Hunt Transport (2003) Top International Law Some of her Judge Sotomayors most notable decisions have come in child custody and complex business cases. One case concerned a child of divorced parents who lived in Hong Kong. The mother had sole custody of the child and the father had reasonable access. The mother took the child to New York, and the father filed a petition for return of the child to Hong Kong. A custody order said the child could not be removed from Hong Kong without the consent of the father or the Hong Kong court, and the case centered on whether this clause confers rights of custody under the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction. If it did, it would require the childs return to Hong Kong. On appeal, the court ruled the removal was not wrong because the father did not possess rights of custody. In her dissenting opinion, Judge Sotomayor argued that a broader interpretation of custody was more in line with the object and purpose of the Convention, and that this was how foreign courts had considered the issue. The question in this case, Croll v. Croll, is before the Supreme Court in Abbott v. Abbott. Another case concerned jurisdiction. Federal courts can hear cases between citizens of a State and citizens or subjects of a foreign state. According to British law, citizens of Bermuda are nationals, but not subjects. A panel found, therefore, that federal jurisdiction did not apply. Judge Sotomayor dissented, writing that the Constitution used citizen and subject to refer to a range of relationships. [ 1 ]. http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1910403,00.html [ 2 ]. http://articles.cnn.com/2009-07-14/politics/sotomayor.hearing_1_sotomayor-hearings-wise-latina-woman-hispanic-supreme-court?_s=PM:POLITICS [ 3 ]. http://articles.cnn.com/2009-05-26/politics/sotomayor.bio_1_judge-sonia-sotomayor-supreme-court-nancy-drew?_s=PM:POLITICS [ 4 ]. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Background-on-Judge-Sonia-Sotomayor/ [ 5 ]. http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dorf/20090603.html [ 6 ]. http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/the-case-against-sotomayor

Proposal for Obesity Management Programme

Proposal for Obesity Management Programme OBESITY PROGRAMEE: â€Å"FITNESS FOR FULFILMENT† Kathiravan Pillay Kumar Abstract The world has seen a rise in the issue of obesity and its effects on the biological, psychological and social wellbeing of individuals. This proposal reviews literature in relation to the causes as well as effects on obesity specifically targeted at children between the ages of 6 – 18 years old and evaluates current programs in place to curb the rise in obesity. Programs from both the United States as well as Singapore are used to analyse the western and Asian perspectives on tackling the issue of obesity. The proposed program would be aimed at reducing social stigma and increasing self-esteem that past or current programs do not address. The program will be made up of three phases which include implementation, motivation and feedback as well as evaluation of the entire program’s effectiveness. Feasibility and efficacy of instilling the program are also discussed. Introduction and Review on Obesity Obesity has been an issue present through various generations and is one faced by many nations worldwide. Recent years has seen a rise in the levels of obesity especially in western nations but is currently seen to be a growing issue even in Asian nations (Ramachandran Snehalatha, 2010). Based on recent findings by Ogden, Carroll, Kit and Flegal (2014) an estimated two third of the adult population in the United States are overweight or obese with about one third of school going children also falling under this category. A growing trend is also seen in Asia where findings in Singapore indicate that approximately one in nine Singaporean adults between the age ranges of 18 to 69 were considered to be obese in 2010 with obesity rates said to be increasing at an estimated 1 percent per year (â€Å"One in nine Singaporean†, 2014). Multiple factors have been suggested as causes to obesity, often focusing on mainly physical and psychological factors. General physical causes of obesity are often due to genetic factors that cause abnormalities in fat cell metabolism and metabolic defects or simply having a sedentary lifestyle (Bray, York DeLany, 1992). There are also various psychological conditions or disorders that have been suggested to lead to obesity however depression is considered to be the main cause of it as evidenced in Blaine’s (2008) study which indicated that individuals who were depressed were proven to be at significantly higher risk of becoming obese. Obesity is also often comorbid with depression and other eating disorders Blaine’s (2008). The key area of concern especially in recent times would be the effects of obesity on the individual as well as society as a whole. Numerous studies have been done to show the physical and psychological effects that obesity has on an individual. Physical aspects often include the risk of contracting illnesses such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes (Sturm, 2002). Psychological effects tend to focus on an individual’s body dissatisfaction and self-image (Wardle Cooke, 2005) as well as well as psychosocial effects such as negative experiences through weight bias at home, in school, at work, through the media and even health and fitness areas (Amianto, Lavagnino, Abbate-Daga Fassino, 2011). Evaluation on Obesity Related Programmes Over the years there have been many programs put into place by governments and private agencies around the world that have been aimed to curb obesity. One key program introduced in the United States was the HEROES Initiative which targets tackling issues on childhood obesity (King et. al, 2014). The HEROES Initiative is a grant-funded intervention that targets schools to play a vital role in educating youth in obesity related behaviours (King et. al, 2014). The key aims of this this initiative would be to take a comprehensive school health approach that decreases childhood obesity that in turn promotes healthy lifestyle habits among students as well as their families and also the school staff (King et. al, 2014). Key features that make the intervention unique would be that it offers a supportive means for participating schools by providing regular oversight, significant funding and various implementation strategies that are catered to a particular needs for certain schools depending on the district and neighbourhood that they are located in (King et. al, 2014). This initiative also enables schools to have a sense of ownership over assessing the needs of their students and in turn coming out with a plan to implement certain strategies for changes in the school’s health programs (King et. al, 2014). The key feature in maintaining the effectiveness of this program would be the strong emphasis on an annual cycle of evaluation and assessment on opportunities in enhancing the program to cater to the needs of the students which turn increases the intervention’s efficacy (King et. al, 2014). The evaluation process was broken down into 3 main areas. The process evaluation stage, school level outcome evaluation and student level outcome evaluation (King et. al, 2014). The process evaluation stage is carried out by site visits to schools to view their administrative processes in carrying out health promotion as well as inspection of the school’s general environment and conducting interviews with the staff to determine challenging areas (King et. al, 2014). Feedback on information obtained is given to the staff as a means to address these issues (King et. al, 2014). In the school level outcome evaluation, assessments are made to the systemic changes in promoting healthy behaviour and reducing obesity rates in the students. The school level outcome evaluation is based on domains relating to physical education/activity, nutrition education, food service, staff wellness, as well as family and community involvement (King et. al, 2014). The student level outcome evaluation , focuses on understanding the changes in behaviour and knowledge in relation to obesity and its effects (King et. al, 2014). This done through weight measurements as well as surveys and quizzes to identify student’s knowledge about obesity (King et. al, 2014). With regard to the effectiveness of this initiative, evaluation between the periods of 2011-2012 showed a significant amount of variability between schools. Based on results obtained from the process and school level evaluation outcomes, it was found that the school’s processes were well implemented however some schools found difficulties in coming up with new or improved health and wellness related policies (King et. al, 2014). Based on the student level outcome evaluation it was found that small but significant changes were made in terms of behaviour and mindset of the students (King et. al, 2014). Students were also more engaged in rigorous physical activities in comparison to the baseline from first 18 months of the intervention (King et. al, 2014). However a set back to the intervention was that changes to behaviour were mostly found in overweight students rather than students who were already obese. In relation to the Asian context, there have been various health related programs and promotions carried out in Singapore. The Singapore health promotion board has come up with various programs and initiatives to promote healthy lifestyle practices to prevent conditions such as obesity. Programs such as the 1 million kg challenge, aims to encourage individuals to lose weight by allowing them to set a weight loss target then setting a period for them to lose this weight. If individuals are able to lose the amount of weight within the given time frame they are rewarded with certain incentives and prizes (â€Å"1 million kg challenge†, 2014). In relation to health promotion in schools, a key program that was introduced in the early 90s was the National Physical Fitness Award Test (NAPFA) and the TAF (Trim and Fit) scheme which aimed to increase physical activity and reduce the weight of overweight and obese students in both the primary and secondary levels of education (Gupta et. al, 2010). The TAF program basically tasked students with physical activities before and after the school day (Gupta et. al, 2010). The initiative was a success in the 90s with obesity levels dropping between 10-17% in students (Gupta et. al, 2010). Success of the TAF scheme would later bring about a collaboration between the Singapore Health Promotion Board and the World Health Organisation to introduce a HPB-MOE bi-annual award aimed at targeting the healthy development of students and awarding schools for good health practices (Gupta et. al, 2010). Challenges faced in the TAF program as well as similar programs introduced in Korea as mentioned by Shin and Shin (2008) was that such programs bring about a sort of negative stigma to students involved. Student then tend to become highly self-conscious and develop body dissatisfaction which in turn effects their self-esteem (Shin Shin, 2008). This is often the result of segregation from their peers due to their weight and appearance and this segregation is further contributed by schools who single out overweight or obese individuals to be part of such programs (Shin Shin, 2008). This effect could in turn lead to depression which has been established as a cause for obesity and would hence defeat the whole purpose of having such health promotion programs. Proposed Health Program Having identified the causes and effects of obesity as well as certain health programs available both on the western and Asian context along with their strengths and weaknesses, an alternative health program could be developed. Through analysing the health programs available in both the United States and Singapore, a program catering specifically to the needs of students between the ages of 6 – 18 year olds could be proposed. The program will be entitled the â€Å"Fitness for Fulfilment Programme† (FFFP) catered specifically in the Singaporean context. The program is also given a name that does not infer or refer to obesity so as to prevent any form of social stigma relating to obesity. The main goals of the program would be to reduce the weight of overweight and obese students but to do so in a manner that will not cause stigmatization or embarrassment. The program would also further aim to instil a healthy mindset in these students and encourage them to maintain healt hy behaviour well into adulthood. The FFFP will mainly be broken down into three key phases. The first phase will be the implementation phase which will introduce rigorous exercise specifically catered to losing weight for obese children. These exercises will be done during school hours as part of an enhanced physical education program and these obese students will carry out their activities together with other students so as to limit any sense of being ostracised. The enhanced physical education program will target the specific needs of each student be it normal weight students or overweight or obese students by focusing on their weak physical areas that are limiting them from passing or getting a good grade on their NAPFA test. The fitness program will be one that gradually increases in rigorousness so as to allow the students time to condition themselves to its requirements. Another key feature of the implementation phase would be the enforcement of strict diet practices during the school day. Since schools are al ready given guidelines by the Health Promotion Board on the type of food to be served, there must be a form of enforcement that ensures that students are getting the appropriate meals. Therefore there should be two to three staff on canteen duty to ensure that proper meals are being served to the students and that obese children are getting sufficient food but maintained at healthy levels. The second phase of the FFFP would the feedback and motivation phase. This would be a key feature of the program as it caters to the psychological well-being of the students involved. This phase will be implemented during the first and last session of the enhanced physical education program. During these sessions, time will be set aside for instructors to carry out one on one interviews or feedback sessions with the students which will aim to understand the challenges that they face with physical exercise as well as issues they have with motivating themselves to indulge in physical exercise. With knowledge of the challenges that individual students face, instructors can cater their physical education session to better accommodate to both the strengths and the weaknesses of the students. This will facilitate a more positive outlook in carrying out physical exercise and encourage students to put in a greater effort and hence may lead better physical results and lower obesity levels. An other aspect of this phase would be educating other students in the challenges that overweight and obese students. Students will be taught to encourage and motivate rather than stigmatize or humiliate their overweight or obese peers. The final phase of this program will be the evaluation phase. Ideally a review council should be formed to evaluate the effectiveness of the program at national level. This phase will be similar to the HEROES initiative evaluation process used in the United States, but will comprise of two instead of three key parts of the evaluation process of the effectiveness of the program. The process and school level evaluation will be combined into one. This part of the evaluation process will seek to understand the challenges that the staff have with the FFFP through means of interviews as well as on site assessments of the program in action. Availability of proper equipment and exercise facilities in the school will be key points at this level of evaluation. The next part of the evaluation will be at the student level, the review council will assess data relating to changes in weight as well as NAPFA standards and also find out the level of knowledge that students have with regard to healthy behaviour through surveys and quizzes which can be done through the internet. The evaluation process should be done annually and aim to identify problem areas so that newer and improved implementation could be introduced in the following years. The feasibility and efficacy of the FFFP would depend on the amount support through funding from private agencies or the government as well as having instructors who are trained in not only physical aspects of exercise and healthy lifestyle but also with the psychological capability to deal and understand the needs and challenges for individual students to overcome obesity. References Amianto, F., Lavagnino, L., Abbate-Daga, G., Fassino, S. (2011). The forgotten psychosocial dimension of the obesity epidemic.The Lancet, 378(9805), e8 Blaine, B. (2008). Does depression cause obesity? A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies of depression and weight control.Journal of health psychology,13(8), 1190-1197. Bray, G. A., York, B., DeLany, J. (1992). A survey of the opinions of obesity experts on the causes and treatment of obesity.The American journal of clinical nutrition,55(1 Suppl), 151S-154S. Gupta, N., Chin, M. K., Yang, J., Balasekaran, G., Chia, M., Girandola, R. N., Mok, M. M. C. (2010). Obesity prevention in Singapore: Collaborative efforts among government, health professionals and the community. King, M. H., Lederer, A. M., Sovinski, D., Knoblock, H. M., Meade, R. K., Seo, D. C., Kim, N. (2014). Implementation and Evaluation of the HEROES Initiative A Tri-State Coordinated School Health Program to Reduce Childhood Obesity.Health promotion practice,15(3), 395-405. Ogden C. L., Carroll, M. D., Kit, B.K., Flegal K. M. (2014). Prevalence of childhood and adult obesity in the United States, 2011-2012.Journal of the American Medical Association,311(8), 806-814. One in nine Singaporean adults were obese in 2010: Survey (2014, January 17).Today.Retrieved from http://www.todayonline.com/daily-focus/health/one-nine- singaporean-adults-were-obese-2010-survey One million kg challenge. (2014). Retrieved August 21, 2014, from http://www.hpb.gov.sg/ References Ramachandran, A., Snehalatha, C. (2010). Rising burden of obesity in Asia.Journal of obesity,2010. Shin, N. Y., Shin, M. S. (2008). Body dissatisfaction, self-esteem, and depression in obese Korean children.The Journal of pediatrics,152(4), 502-506 Sturm, R. (2002). The effects of obesity, smoking, and drinking on medical problems and costs.Health Affairs,21(2), 245-253. Wardle, J., Cooke, L. (2005). The impact of obesity on psychological well-being.Best Practice Research Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism,19(3), 421-440.