Native Son by Richard Wright Essay Example for Free

Native Son by Richard Wright Essay Richard Wright was determined to make a profound statement. In his novel, Native Son, he endeavors to present the â€Å"horror of Negro life in the United States† (Wright xxxiii). By addressing such a significant topic, he sought to write a book that â€Å"no one would weep over; that would be so hard and deep that they would have to face it without the consolation of tears† (xxvii). Native Son is a commentary on the poverty and helplessness experienced by blacks in America, and it illustrates the abhorrent ways that blacks were treated, describes their awful living conditions and calls attention to the half-hearted efforts offered by white sympathizers. Told from the perspective of his character Bigger Thomas, Wright crafts a story depicting the oppressive lives endured by Negroes and makes it so despicable that it grabs the attention of the reader and forces him to reevaluate the state of society. There is much in this novel that would cause a reader to cry, but, to Wright’s point, the topic is so significant that it resonates more deeply and elicits a deeper response. Bigger Thomas is the protagonist of the novel, but, to Wright, Bigger also exemplifies African Americans of the time. He is barely educated, struggling to find meaningful work and living in an overcrowded slum with his family; just like many others around him. Bigger is frustrated with his place in life and finds it difficult to understand why the opportunities that are available to whites are not available to him. During an exchange with his friend Gus, Bigger exclaims, â€Å"Goddammit, look! We live here and they live there. We black and they white. They got things and we ain’t. They do things and we can’t. It’s like living in jail† (23). Bigger and Gus have no outlet to express their individuality or emotions. Their feelings towards whites are ingrained in them. Bigger states, â€Å"[Whites live] right down here in my stomach†¦Every time I think of ‘em, I feel ‘em†¦It’s like fire†¦That’s when I feel like something awful’s going to happen to me†¦Naw; it ain’t like something going to happen to me. It’s†¦It’s like I was going to do something I can’t help† (24). This statement summarizes how the everyday black man feels about his station in life and the opportunities available to him. Additionally, it foreshadows the heinous events that will unfold later in the novel. A turning point in Wright’s story comes when Bigger is offered a job as a chauffeur for the Dalton family. Mr. Dalton is a white real estate mogul that prides himself for being a member of the NAACP. He employs young black men in an attempt to rehabilitate them. On the surface, this is an ideal opportunity for Bigger because it provides room and board and pays well enough to allow him to take care of his mother and siblings, but Wright is looking to emphasize how the trivial the actions taken by the white sympathizers do not actually address the challenges faced by the African American population. Bigger is not overwhelmed by this opportunity or impressed that the last chauffeur had gone to night school. Moreover, this job ultimately places Bigger in a situation that he cannot control, and he accidentally smothers Dalton’s daughter, Mary. Bigger realizes, â€Å"Though he had killed by accident, not once did he feel the need to tell himself that it had been an accident. He was black and he had been alone in a room where a white girl had been killed; therefore he had killed her† (101). This is the â€Å"awful† event that Bigger alluded to earlier in the story. Killing Mary elicits feelings in Bigger that he had never experienced before. Bigger acknowledges, â€Å"He was more alive than he could ever remember having been; his mind and attention were pointed, focused toward a goal† (141). Bigger embraced these feelings and continued with a scheme to make everyone believe that Mary had been kidnapped. With the assistance of his girlfriend Bessie, he plans to escape with $10,000 in ransom money. Wright uses Bigger’s emotions and his heightened sense of awareness at this point in the novel to comment on society at the time. Wright is stating that the act of murder is one of the only ways for young African American men to express themselves, to exert any independence and to get out from under the oppression of their daily life. When the authorities realize that Bigger is the killer he flees to avoid being captured, but he realizes that â€Å"all his life he had been knowing that sooner or later something like this would come to him† (207). Survival becomes paramount to Bigger, escaping the law is his only priority, and Bessie becomes a liability. While attempting to hide from the police, Bigger realizes that it will be easier to escape without traveling with Bessie. In a tense scene, Bigger first rapes Bessie, lets her fall to sleep and finally bludgeons her. His actions are methodical as  Ã¢â‚¬Å"he lifted the brick again and again, until in falling it struck a sodden mass that gave softly but stoutly to each landing blow. Soon he seemed to be striking a wet wad of cotton, of some damp substance whose only life was the jarring of the brick’s impact† (222). Ultimately this second murder is unnecessary, as Bigger is soon apprehended. Bigger is arrested and indicted for the murder of Mary Dalton, and the character that Wright chooses to defend him is a white, Jewish attorney, named Boris Max. In the novel, Max takes the time to talk to Bigger and understand the actions in his life that have influenced him. For the first time in his life, Bigger has someone interested in his thoughts and feelings, which result in Bigger beginning finding hope. Max does his best to motivate Bigger to fight to save his own life. Max pleads, â€Å"Listen Bigger, you’re facing a sea of hate now that’s no different than what you’ve faced all your life. And, because it’s that way, you’ve got to fight. If they can wipe you out, then they can wipe others out too† (320). Throughout this section of the book Bigger undergoes a transformation. By explaining his actions and feelings to Max, he finally emerges from the shell he has created around himself. Max works hard to understand the issues in Bigger’s life that culminated in his actions and the violence he exerted against Mary and Bessie, and he uses this information to form his defense. Although the crimes that Bigger committed were horrific, the reader begins to sympathize with him as he describes more about himself and his feelings to Max as the story comes to a conclusion. Wright’s goal with this novel was to evoke empathy for Bigger and to make a statement regarding the treatment of blacks at the time. Wright uses Max’s closing statement to the judge to summarize all of the points he wants the reader to contemplate. Max combines everything that he learns about Bigger and weaves it together with the plight of the blacks during the time and eloquently argues that Bigger should be sentenced to life in prison, rather than to execution. Max argues, â€Å"This man is different, even though his crime differs from similar crimes only in degree. The complex forces of society have isolated here for us a symbol, a test symbol† (354). Through Max’s monologue, the reader more clearly understands all of the factors that  have contributed to the creation of Bigger and others like him, and he pleads with the judge to understand that there are larger forces in play, other than the specific crime that Bigger committed. Unfortunately, despite Max’s valiant attempts, the â€Å"sentence of the Court is that you, Bigger Thomas, shall die on or before midnight of Friday, March third, in a manner prescribed by the laws of this state† (381). Initially, it would appear that with Bigger’s execution, Wright fails in his attempt to move people to reevaluate the racial injustice of the times, but the conclusion is actually Wright’s acknowledgement that society was not quite ready to change.

Computer Games Essay Example for Free

Computer Games Essay 1)Computer games do more harm than good to children. † Nowadays, more and more children play computer games because there is a computer at almost every home. Moreover, the number of Internet cafes is increased and playing games becomes easier. Personally, I believe that computer games are not beneficial for children but they have an negative impact on them. To start with, the majority of computer games have violent scenes. They imitate wars and the child takes the role of a soldier who has to kill a lot of people in order to win the battle and consequently the game. That is why many children have violent behavior at school. When they are young, they cannot distinguish the game from reality and sometimes they attack against their classmates. This violent behavior comes definetely from this kind of games. Another reason that I think is worth mentioning is that a lot of children prefer to play computer games rather than to meet they friends. This situation leads to unsociable, unfriendly and shy personalities. When they enter another stage of their life, for instance when they become teenagers or even adults, they find it difficult to communicate with other people. Moreover, being alone leads to depression. This is an important problem that many teenagers experience. Computer games have a strong power over children making them play many hours per day. Thats why they do not have time to do their homework and their grades at school become weaker over time. For example, my cousin who is 15 years old used to play computer games approximately 4-5 hours per day. When his parents got his grades they realized that his performance was not satisfied. My cousins teacher told they parents that he could not concentrate during the lectures and he rarely did his homework. His parents discussed with their son and they agreed that he would play less and do his homework regularly. In final consideration, a child can become addicted to computer games playing many hours per day non stop. This is very serious because it may lead to situations where the child may become unsociable and experience depression. Moreover, children adopt an violent behavior toward their classmates or family members. Finally, they are unable to concentate on their homework and concequently they performance at school becomes poorer over time.

Employee Wellness Programs Health And Social Care Essay

Employee Wellness Programs Health And Social Care Essay Worksites are where most adults spend more than half of their waking hours .   In light of this, they offer a unique opportunity to affect change in an individuals health status.   Billions of dollars are spent each year addressing health in the workforce only after illness and/or injury has already occurred (2). This translates to profit losses in the form of lost wages and compensation, productivity, and high employee turnover.   Employees also pay a high physical and emotional price for poor health. Rising healthcare costs are also passed along to the consumers who share the burden of higher premiums, deductibles, and copayments (3). Prevention is the key in addressing issues in a proactive manner. For most organizations, this phenomenon is reflected in a high utilization of personal time off and requested sick leaves (2) (4) (5). A related issue is the abuse of the sick leave benefit where employees feel a stress-day off is a benefit and at their discretion. This is often related to stress in the work place or a work place environment that is uncomfortable for the employee (6). Past efforts to control this issue have included requiring physician certification of a valid health problem, implementing company policies that limit utilization of ad hoc time off, and encouraging managers to say no when asked for excessive days off. Some companies have even eliminated the concept of a sick day and increased the employees personal time off by a day or two to compensate (6). Regardless of the labeling for time off or of the managements effort to control increased health related issues, many organizations report that employees taking unplanned days off has increased (4). The recommendat ion is to move away from the confrontational approach of imposing corporate rules to limit the abuse and focus on the core of the problem, health problems and stress management in the workplace (2) (5). A human resources (HR) industry survey found that reported personal illness accounts for 35 percent of all unscheduled absences in the workplace (4). Some HR experts estimate that absenteeism can cost a company around $600 per employee per year, and thats just in use of benefits and healthcare costs. The estimates are higher if the calculation includes other related costs such as overtime pay, costs of temps, missed deadlines, and lower productivity (7). Some of these unaccounted for sick days can be avoided if the companys management is proactive when making organizational changes and in providing means for helping employees deal with health issues (1-5). This increased utilization is driving up the cost of coverage and company officials are considering some desperate options to save money such as a drastic reduction of coverage or the elimination of benefits altogether.   Prior to the implementation of such measures, company executives need to consider a different approach upon which they feel may not only raise awareness of health and safety issues, but provide the tools necessary for employees to increase their quality of life. The Healthy People 2010 initiative is a government effort to promote employers to get involved in the health of their workers with the intended goal being to Increase quality and years of healthy life (3).   One area recommended is to implement an employee wellness program that addresses staying healthy, increasing exercise opportunities, and reducing worksite injuries through increase safety practices (1) (2) (5). Employee wellness programs are predicated on the basis that most illness is directly preventable and that the workplace has the ability to transform lives (1).   Companies that implement programs will see a decrease in healthcare costs by lowering utilization rates of sick days and improving the workplace environment (2) (5).   These programs are meant to improve the overall quality of life for each of their employees (3).   Statement of the Problem The purpose of this study was to determine if an organization takes proactive efforts to implement healthy programs that can positively influence a reduction of sick days used by employees. Researchers have found significant cost savings for the organization by taking the action of becoming involved in the wellness of employees (2) (5). The use of sick days, whether due to illness or a need for a personal day away from stress, result in higher costs due to issues such as overtime pay, costs of temps, missed deadlines, and lower productivity (7). Healthy Workforce 2010 (3), a program within the Healthy People 2010 initiative, recommends employer groups take an active role in implementing programs, such as an employee wellness program, in order to improve the overall health of their employees and subsequently creating a healthier work environment. Hypothesis Hypothesis 1. The introduction and management of a worksite wellness program at a manufacturing organization will improve the overall health and wellness of their employees. Hypothesis 2. There will be a significant decrease in the number of personal days off and sick time, as reported to Human Resources, based on improved employee health and satisfaction at their workplace as a result of implementing a workforce wellness program. Hypothesis 3. There will be an increase in employee knowledge and skills for healthier living as measured by a pre and post-test measuring the amount of information gained from interventions such as onsite workplace classes. If these of hypothesis do not prove true, the researcher expects that the organization will still experience costs equal to or exceeding that of previous years in health related time off, which will be reflected in personal time off (PTO) or sick days (STO) utilization rates. Employees may show an increase in knowledge of healthier lifestyle changes but this may not change their behaviors surrounding time off and implied expectations of utilizing a company benefit. Delimitations This studys focus is on reducing the overall costs to an organization as impacted by the over-use of PTO and STO by employees. The actual cost savings are estimated to include reduction in other areas such as overtime, hiring of temps, and production losses. But to keep this studys outcomes in a reasonable space, the only measurements for success will be the reduction of overall usage of time off or PTO and STO per 100 employees. The base measurement for this analysis will be statistics from previous years. In order to keep the number of employees and impact at a manageable level, the study will only review the effects of a wellness program on one organization, a large manufacturing organization in a suburb outside of Los Angeles, California. The organization has over 600 employees at the target location, consisting administrators, engineers, line supervisors, and skilled factory workers. Managers have reported an average expected utilization of time off related to health and stress issues. Limitations Since the study will focus on a specific population in a specific industry, the results may reflect the impact of a program that is only successful under certain environmental influences. Also, a CCH survey (6) discusses the abuse of PTO or STO days, highlighting that use of these days are influenced by various reasons in addition to sickness or stress. Some areas indicated in surveys (4) include family illnesses or problems, which may not be impacted by a wellness program, and seasonal influences such as summer or holidays, which often results in 4 day weekends. The study is relying upon the information collected by the HR representatives of the organization, which limits the analysis to days reported to HR and avoiding comp time or personal days which are taken as agreements between supervisors and employees. Since the baseline will be the reported days from previous years, this limitation should have little impact on the outcome of the study. Assumptions In defining this study, the following assumptions were made: All time off is reported and tracked by the HR department. Since illnesses and stress leave are human-based factors and not necessarily bound to a specific industry, the results of this study will be applicable to other industries and workers. Implementing a program that focuses on reported time off will not unduly influence an increase or decrease in reported days due to the study itself. Since the study is qualitative, the results will be only be the starting point for other studies that should include other factors that may influence increased use of personal days off. Operational Definitions PTO Personal Time Off, a company benefit for employees of most organizations. STO Sick Time Off, a company benefits only offered at some organizations; some companies have rolled sick time into the personal time benefit. MATCH Multilevel Approach to Community Health. A five-phase program planning model developed in the late 1980s. Normative Need The needs of a population based on expert opinion. Expressed Need The needs of a population based on factual data. Healthy People 2010 U.S government publication that brought together much of what was known about the relationship of personal health behavior and health status. Primary Data Original data collected by the planners. Lifestyle Disease A disease that is associated with how a person lives. Such as their smoking habits, alcohol, drug abuse, physical activity and eating habits. Lifestyle diseases include, heart disease, stroke, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Risk Factors is a variable that is associated with increased risk of disease or infection. Risk factors can include, lack of physical activity, diet, etc. Wellness Wellness is an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices towards, a more successful existence (8). Absenteeism is defined as a chronic absence and in this context it is in relation to work. Non-communicative diseases diseases that are not infectious. These disease include those that are from genetic or lifestyle factors. Segmentation process of identifying groups of consumers that share similar characteristics and will respond in a like way to a marketing strategy. Chapter Two Literature Review Over 100 years ago, the biggest health care threat we faced had to do with the spread of communicable diseases. Today, communicable diseases take a back seat to a much bigger problem that plagues American citizens which is that of lifestyle origin. A lifestyle disease is defined as one that is affected by factors such as poor dietary habits, alcohol and/or drug usage including tobacco smoking, and lack of physical activity (9). These factors individually as well as in combination make a person much more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, obesity, and certain types of cancers. In order to reduce the risk of these diseases, individuals must address changes to their lifestyles that include participating in workplace healthy wellness programs. This chapter will review the influencing factors in the effort, the scope of the problem of lifestyle diseases, and discuss some of the benefits of targeting specific areas in a wellness program. Addressing Lifestyle Changes Researchers have shown found a direct relationship between providing intervention to improve a persons health and the cost saving realized by that persons employer (1) (2) (5).Taking proactive measure to improve the persons health and to implement preventative measures keeping the person out of a high-risk category for lifestyle diseases extends the persons life and benefits everyone they are involved with, from their employer to their families (1). Some researchers found the reverse to be true also. Ignoring the factors identifying people by their risk for lifestyle diseases will result in an increase of health problems and in costs to the employer through use of sick time and increased workplace injuries (2) (5). Modifying an individuals risk factors for lifestyle diseases can be difficult. People usually express a lack of time outside of the workplace for healthy behaviors such as meal planning and exercise; since, half of our waking hours are spent at work (9). In addition to time constraints, beginning any new healthy lifestyle behavior is no easy task, but it can make a profound effect on both physical as well as mental health. These benefits hold true regardless of the workers age. One large cohort study of 15,708 examined the impact of adoption of new lifestyle behaviors (9). All individuals were of typical working age 45-64. It was found that people who newly adopt a healthy lifestyle in middle-age experience a prompt benefit of lower rates of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Further conclusions recommend that we begin to adopt strategies to encourage healthy lifestyles. This is especially true among those with pre-existing medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or obe sity (9). Lifestyle changes not only take commitment on the part of the participant but a great deal of support from others as well. Support from co-workers can be a strong motivator but in order for healthy changes to be fully adopted by the workforce, it must be a priority among the decision makers within the company (2) (5). The cost impact of a disease such as obesity is well documented. Obesity contributes to monetary losses for the employee as well as employer. In response, employers continue to look for ways to offset those costs through the offering of company-sponsored wellness and weight management programs. Health care organizations in particular hospitals, as well as public employers can be important role models in this process. A change in policy could make a dramatic difference for smaller employers which represent the majority of U.S. employers as they are far less likely to offer health promotion programs unless a government incentive was offered (10). Worksites are where most adults spend more than half of their waking hours. In light of this, they offer a unique opportunity to affect change in an individuals health status. Health in the workplace should focus on one main role central to prevention. Prevention tactics can be geared towards prevention of illness and spread of disease as well as prevention of accidents, injury, and disability. Billions of dollars are spent each year addressing health in the workplace only after illness and/or injury has already occurred (11). This translates to profit losses in the form of lost wages and compensation, productivity, and high employee turnover. Prevention is the key in addressing issues in a proactive manner. Wellness programs are an important component of employer benefits packages because they offer workers and their families choices for pursuing healthier lifestyles with less illness, ultimately leading to less costly benefits packages (9). Wellness programs and employee assistance programs are important benefits for workers and their employers; data from the National Compensation Survey (NCS) show that workers in the public and private sectors had greater access to these kinds of benefits in 2008 than they did a decade earlier. In an age of ever-increasing health care costs, services that promote health and wellness have become an important element of U.S. society. Wellness programs often include health education and an awareness component. According to some analysts, these programs address issues that increase worker satisfaction and productivity. Implementing a Wellness Program Using MATCH Researchers have found the employers who implement proactive, work-based wellness programs can realize significant savings in utilization of STO, decreased productivity and costs for production lags (2) (5). In one study, researchers implemented a worksite health promotion program to reduce the utilization of short-term disability days at a large company. The researchers estimated the potential cost savings over a 2-year period would be in excess of $1,300,000 (2). A similar study that implemented a health-promotion program over five years found estimated cost savings from reduced sick days at over $600,000 a year (5). The target populations in both of these studies focused on employees who were high users of sick days. Expanding that approach to the entire population should contribute even more to the cost savings. Affecting change in a population with varying influential levels is strength in the program design called the Match Model. Match is an acronym for Multilevel Approach to Community Health (12). The concept behind the Match Model is based on attempts to reach various levels within a target population through working with individuals of influence at various levels. Once appropriate goals are selected in the Match Model, intervention planning begins with the selection of objectives and approaches. The program development then commences with the creation of the actual delivery pieces such as information materials and class curricula. The preparation for implementation is the next step whereby key individuals who will deliver the intervention are trained, roll out dates established, and the program actually begins. The final step in the Match Model involves the program evaluation process. This critical step provides the program development team with outcomes measures to evaluate the program effectiveness and provide necessary feedback that will drive future programs. Worker Health in the United States Worker health in the United States is a broad issue. Multiple political initiatives have been recently developed in an effort to address the problems that have arisen as a result of national attention to multiple health concerns that currently plague the country which includes rising obesity rates, type II diabetes, tobacco usage, as well as a host of other issues. An example of a set of national health initiatives is the Healthy People 2010 (3) objectives, aimed at making a difference in 10 years. Many of the initiatives contained within are aimed at increasing quality of life through the prevention of disease. The program has a total of 467 objectives organized into 28 focus areas. There are special provisions for physical activity, tobacco usage, and obesity (3). The program also addresses issues for employers such as high utilization of benefits, increased absenteeism, and productivity issues, all resulting in high-cost employees especially those who experience multiple risk fact ors for diseases including high blood pressure, smoking, and sedentary lifestyles (3). Top reasons for taking what might be called non-sick days are family issues (21 percent), personal needs (18 percent), entitlement mentality (14 percent), and stress (12 percent). Lisa Franke, a workplace analyst at CCH, says that absences for stress and entitlement taking days employees believe they have earned are up slightly from last year because leaner staffing levels have intensified workloads (13). Based on these findings, recommendations to employers in the United States are focused around two main factors. The first recommendation from the Healthy People 2010 program is that employers, at least 75% of those in the United States regardless of size, should offer a comprehensive employee health promotion program. The second recommendation is that employer groups should strive for a 75% participation rate among all employees. The objectives of Healthy People 2010 sparked a subsidiary report known as Healthy Workforce 2010 (3). The report outlines eight primary objectives that promote health and quality of life among workers in the United States. Among the objectives presented in the report, the researchers highlighted the impact of unhealthy habits of the U.S. population on the economy and future of the country. In 1998, the report estimates that a quarter of the adult population smoked; this statistic is even higher at 35% for American teenagers. Other vices such as alcohol and drug abuse have cost the U.S. economy over $276 billion dollars as a result of healthcare, auto accidents, lost productivity, and other issues (3). In addition to problems created by substance abuse, the Healthy Workforce 2010 report estimates that over half of the U.S. population is overweight or classified as obese. This problem can be addressed by encouraging employees to participate in regular daily exercise. Similar to substance abuse among workers, this growing problem results in related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and osteoarthritis which costs both employers and the U.S. economy in healthcare costs (3). Other areas resulting in higher healthcare costs and impacting the work area include addressing work-related injuries and providing a safe working environment for employees. Even beyond the deaths caused by work accidents, the U.S. Bureau of Labor estimates that employees experience approximately 5.7 million non-fatal accidents annually, resulting in over 2.7 million lost work days. The Healthy Workforce 2010 recommends employers not only focus on preventing accidents but also increase healthcare coverage, since the U.S. Census Bureau reports that over 42 million American workers are not covered by health insurance, a trend predominant in smaller companies (3). Worker Health in California Studies from the State of California Department of Health (14) reported similar findings at the national level. The larger issues that appear to be problematic in the State of California involve lost wages and productivity caused by diseases that are aggravated by unhealthy lifestyles. These include obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular complications among others. The literature revealed that worksite wellness programs help to reduce overall operating costs from increased healthcare utilization, accidents and poor productivity. Employers also benefit from these programs through enhanced recruitment, retention of healthy employees, and reduced absenteeism (15). The easiest way to address health related issues is to take actions that prevent the problems in the first place. Primary healthcare measures are the key to ensuring a healthy population. Worker Health in Los Angeles County Similar reports in Los Angeles County provided population-wide data on health related quality of life in Los Angeles County and used measures developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to track health trends at the national and state levels. The average numbers of unhealthy days and activity limitation days were higher in Los Angeles County (6.4 and 2.4, respectively) than in California (5.9 and 2.1) and the United States (5.5 and 1.9, respectively) in 1999. These differences may reflect disparities in health status across the three populations but as well as demographic differences (e.g., socioeconomic or racial/ ethnic differences) between the populations. In addition the number of unhealthy days and activity limitation days were significantly higher in persons previously diagnosed with depression, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, or asthma than in persons not diagnosed with these conditions (16). Health Consequences for Workers Employees also pay a high physical and emotional price for poor health. Rising healthcare costs are passed along to the consumers who share the burden of higher premiums, deductibles, and copayments. Financial responsibilities can lead to increased stress levels among workers. Employee wellness programs are predicated on the basis that most illness is directly preventable and that the workplace has the ability to transform lives. These programs also decrease healthcare costs through lowering utilization rates. These programs are meant to improve the overall quality of life for each of the participants (3). The Importance of Physical Activity Regular physical activity provides a multitude of benefits to an employee. According to the American Council on Exercise (11) low-back pain is a leading cause of job-related disability and missed work in the United States. This problem results in over $50 billion every year in healthcare costs. Work-related back pain experienced by most people can be prevented with just a little forethought. In high-risk back pain jobs requiring frequent bending, lifting, and twisting, employees and employers can be taught a variety of methods in order to reduce stress on the back and help prevent injuries. This risk of injury increases in those who are overweight, smoke or are inactive (11). Benefits of Smoking Cessation According a report conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (17) over 8.6 million people in the U.S. experience a health-related problem due to smoking. In the subsequent CDC report the next year (17), the agency reported that smoking was responsible for over 90% of lung cancer mortalities and over 80% of the COPD (emphysema and chronic bronchitis) deaths. This is largely because cigarettes and other tobacco products contain over 4,800 chemical, 69 of those which have been identified as carcinogenic. Smoking has also been linked to other serious illnesses and medical problems such as slow wound healing, peptic ulcers, and other diseases contributing to loss of employee productivity (18). Employers have responded by creating smoke-free workplaces nationwide, where employees can be protected from the life-threatening effects of secondhand smoke. In 1999, a study found that approximately 70% of the U.S. workforce was impacted by a smoke-free employer policy (19). But l aws and employer responsibility varies by state, so this statistic can vary above 80% in states like Utah and Maryland or drop below 50% in states like Nevada (19). Healthy Diet Advantages According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) (20), diabetes is one of the fastest growing and one of the most costly health issues facing the U.S. worker. The disease has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, affecting a growing number and percentage of people every year. The cost of diabetes to the American healthcare system is staggering, resulting in missed work days and higher benefit requirements for employers. In the ADA report, one-fifth of the healthcare dollars spent is used to provide care for someone with diabetes, while one-tenth of the healthcare dollars spent is associated with diabetes. For employers, the costs of diabetes increased 32% from 2002 to 2007, with the increase in medical expenditures and lost productivity estimated at $174 billion. Per capita, the annual cost of diabetes is approximately $11,744 a year. Many people do not recognize that they are at risk for diabetes (or diabetes-related complications if they already have diabetes). How ever, type II diabetes can be prevented or delayed for many of those at high risk for diabetes and diabetes-related complications can be also be prevented or delayed with lifestyle practices including maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise, and a balanced diet (20). Summary The prevalence of lifestyle diseases among Californians and within the U.S. is growing. Everything from fast foods to sedentary activities plays a role in contributing to this national problem. Addressing the issues requires more than just adding a few cardio sessions every week or walking a little more, the effort requires attacking the problem at the root, changing how people define and move through their lives. Lifestyles changes are exactly that, changes that affects across a persons life and hopefully for the rest of their lives. Many factors contribute to lifestyle diseases include home culture, resting activities, and work environments. Implementing a wellness program at a worksite will provide the support and information needed to make effective changes to the employees health while benefiting both the employee and employer (2).

Free Pride and Prejudice Essays: Narrative Techniques :: Pride Prejudice Essays

Narrative Techniques of Pride and Prejudice This essay will focus on Chapter 53 or Vol III, Chapter 11, depending upon the edition of the novel. This passage is taken from Bingley and Darcy's first visit to Longbourn after their return to Meryton. The passage focuses on Mrs Bennet's foolishness and Elizabeth's feelings about the proceedings. Mrs Bennet's speeches in the passage point to her ignorance, which is part of Austen's narrative technique of letting characters reveal themselves through their speech. The effect is particularly comic due to Mrs. Bennet's utter ignorance, which manifests itself in moral insensitivity, as seen in her belief that Lydia is "well married" in her disgraceful union with Wickham, and in lack of simple knowledge, as seen in her commenting that Newcastle is "a place quite northward, it seems." Because of this, she manages to be obsequiously polite yet quite rude, as we can see from the contrast between her invitation for Bingley to shoot birds on Mr Bennet's manor "When you have killed all your own birds" and her insult to Darcy that Wickham has "not so many [friends] as he deserves." Austen uses a similar treatment for Mr Collins, whose sycophantic language is even used when he is criticising Elizabeth's class [?] in his proposal to her, and whose excessive praise makes him utterly ridiculo us. The length of Mrs Bennet's speeches betray[s] the fact that although she says much, she thinks and means very little, [very good.] a technique which is repeated in Mr Collins's speeches and letters and on Lady Catherine's argument against Elizabeth marrying Darcy on her visit to Longbourn. This is emphasised here by the fact that she is the only one quoted in direct speech as speaking aloud in the whole passage. Despite Elizabeth's sense, her own feelings are kept to herself while her mother chatters away indiscreetly on anything that enters her mind. Elizabeth's poor reasoning as she listens to her mother disgrace herself shows the extent of her shame and misery. Although this scene is largely seen from the viewpoint of Elizabeth, Austen sometimes speaks as the omniscient narrator to reveal little ironies about Elizabeth herself. For example, after Elizabeth feels that "The first wish of my heart... is never more to be in company with either of them", which the reader should know to be silly, especially with regard to

Foreign Investment In Brazil :: essays research papers

INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"For those who believed that Brazil would forever be the country of the future, I have a piece of bad news. The future has finally arrived.† For years, the largest and most industrialized nation in Latin America has been known as the country of tomorrow. That slogan may soon be out of date. Under the guidance of former finance minister and current president, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, this tenth largest economy in the world, once known for its high tariffs and even higher inflation, has entered a period of steady growth, the fruit of a newly-stable political and commercial environment. In combination with the upturn in its economy, Brazil’s demonstrated preference for foreign products and strong direct investment presence bode well for expanded sales of equipment and services in future years. EMERGING SECTORS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Access to Brazilian markets in most sectors is generally favorable, and competition and participation characterize most markets by foreign firms through imports, local production and joint ventures. Many sectors such as healthcare, the environment, transportation, telecommunications and financial services, have been growing at a phenomenal rate and opportunities to further expand trade and investment are highly encouraged. Healthcare Technology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Brazil is an excellent market for U.S. manufacturers of health technology products and services. In the medical device sector, the products that should have the best long-term prospects in Brazil are medical imagining equipment, electro-diagnostic apparatus and technologically advanced disposable medical products. In the pharmaceutical sector, long-term prospects for over-the-counter drugs and vitamins are excellent because of the high cost of private medical assistance and a growing trend towards home treatment. In the healthcare services sector, the best market opportunities include the following areas:  hospital management and consulting services  training for allied health-care personnel  hospital renovation  health maintenance organizations In order to provide more efficient health care, the Brazilian government has begun to reform the country’s entire medical care delivery system. It has decentralized the system, giving more autonomy to the states and cities in the planning and controlling of local health care programs. Overall, improvements in Brazils public healthcare sector, coupled with its trade liberalization measures, should improve the prospects for U.S. technology firms in the Brazilian market. Environmental Technology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Brazilian market for environmental technology had an estimated value of over $1 billion in 1994. However, the National Department of Sanitation and Environmental Equipment estimates that the total investments needed to equip Brazil with necessary pollution control supplies and services amounts to over $19 billion.

The Fall Of The Roman Empire :: essays research papers fc

The Fall of the Roman Empire For men who had easily endured hardship, danger and difficult uncertainty, leisure and riches, though in some ways desirable, proved burdensome and a source of grief. The causes for the breakdown of the early Roman Republic cannot be attributed to a single event, trend or individual, rather it was due to a combination of all three in varying degrees. The principal and fundamental cause was the breakdown of the political checks and balances, particularly the Cursus Honorum from 133 BC onwards. This subversion occurred both accidentally and through the subversive behavior of individuals, unconsciously and consciously undermining the fabric of the republic in their quest for power and glory. One substantial outcome of this incapacitation was the emergence of violence as a political means. Once this had occurred the end of the old republic was heralded an autocratic dictatorship was born. The republic was born out of a collapsed monarchy and was specifically geared to prevent a centraliz ation of power. The mechanisms to this end were contained in the Cursus Honorum, a document that outlined the ladder of offices. It demanded, among other things, 10 years of military or legal service before any magistracy could be held, annual election and two years between consecutive offices. This system was designed to ensure that no individual could become too powerful by dividing jurisdiction between several groups and allowing for veto. The Gracchi brothers, Tiberius and Gaius are often blamed for causing divisions and antagonizing the aristocracy and particularly the senate by introducing laws and legislation that, although promoting egalitarianism for the poor, were catalysts to later breaches of the Cursus Honorum. Both Tiberius and Gaius had laws enacted without consulting the senate. This weakened the senate's power and started a trend of ignoring the senate that remained until the breakdown. These Graccian reforms included the implementation of a welfare system whereby R omans citizens would be given free corn and the Lex Agraria or land reforms that broke down the latafundia and increased the number of small-scale farms. The welfare corn system not only aroused violent anger from the nobility but also created an urban mob that relied on handouts and later participated in violence. Tiberius Gracchus ran for election to the tribunate for two years consecutively (123 and 122 BC). This was in direct contradiction to the Cursus Honorum. The senate, when they heard of Tiberius' plan, killed him.

America missouri

The Missouri compromise was a certain kind of agreement that was signed back in 1820, between the anti – slavery and pro-slavery factions in the United States congress . This agreement basically involved the primary regulations of slavery in the western territories. The agreement prohibited slavery in the former northern Louisiana territory exempting the upper boundaries of the proposed Missouri state. Prior before the agreement was met, the House of Representatives had refused to accept this kind of compromise and a conference committee was to be appointed to tackle the issues arising from this compromise.Justices would not have been achieved in lieu of such a case where struggle had erupted between the whites and the blacks, owing to the discrepancy that had existed between these to sets of human beings and Africans being considered minorities. The United States Senate rejected this move and it refused to concur with the amendment and the entire measure was all lost. Was the re are any possible and fair move that would have resolved this conflict? Equity/ fairness were not the tools to play in this context for they would have achieved minimal if not insignificant difference.During the following secession that is between 1819- 1820, a similar bill was passed with an amendment, which was introduced on 26 January 1820, by sir John W. Taylor of New York, which permitted Missouri into a union as a slave state. This quest was completed with the admission of Alabama as a slave state in December rendering the number of slave and Free states equal. Consequently, a bill was passed in the house on January 3rd 1820, admitting Maine as a Free State .However, the Senate thought and decided to merge the two measures together, whereby a bill for admission of Maine accompanied by an amendment enabling the people of Missouri to establish a state constitution was amended (http://www. infoplease. com/ce6/history/A0833427. html). Just before the bill was send back to the ho use, a second amendment was adopted stirred by Jesse B. Thomas of Illinois which excluded slavery from the Missouri territory to the north and southern boundaries of Missouri, further exempting the proposed regions within the limits of the proposed state of Missouri.Disputes emerged between the two ends that is the southern and the northern states struggling for power in congress and control over the future territories. This discourse emerged as the different factions and the democratic – Republican Party began losing its coherence. In April 21st Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter stating that such kind of a division created by the comprehensive compromise line would however, lead to the destruction of the union.Congress considerations over the admission of Missouri raised issues of sectional balance, for the country had become equally divided between slave and free slave states each having a composition of eleven regions (http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/aia/part3/3h511. html). The ad mission of Missouri as a slave state was to tip up the balance in the senate which was composed of two senators from each state in due favor of the slave states. As a result of this discourse states along the northern hemisphere wanted Maine to be admitted as a free state.By the beginning of the year 1818, Missouri had expanded in terms of population and it gained sufficient population enough to warrant its admission into a union state. Its occupants largely originated from the south and it was expected that this would be a slave state. A state house bill was passed in the house of representatives by James Tallmadge of New York the same year proposing an amendment that would ban the importation of slave trade and bring an ultimate emancipation of the slaves born in Missouri .A close analysis following this proceedings ranging from the two ends showed that justice was sort through legal procedures and fairness was not the tool to attack the whole issue. In reference to this effect an other amendment was passed to the house in February 1819 where the senate was not involved . Bitterness among candidates from both ends during the debate sharply placed emphasis towards the sectional division of Unite States (http://www. americaslibrary. gov/cgibin/page. cgi/aa/presidents/monroe/compromise_1). In 1820, a bill admitting Maine as a state was also passed through the house.This was precisely a legal proceeding that was meant to ensure justice was observed to settle the conflict. The successful admission of Alabama as a slave state by the year 1819 converged the Free states and slave states to equal representations in the senate. This was achieved through pairing Maine and Missouri to be Free states. This equality was to be maintained. The two bills were later merged together as one senate, both having a clause forbidding slavery in Missouri and further prohibiting slavery in the remaining parts of Louisiana the Upper north 36 30’N lat and the southern boundary la titude of Missouri.This compromise bill was rejected by the house. The rejection called for another conference meeting made up of members from both houses to ponder the issue not based on legal procedure but this time to consider equity and fairness was done on both sides. These bills were however, treated as separate entities and by March, 1820, Maine achieved its goals and it was made a state of its own while Missouri was authorized to establish a constitution of its own having no restrictions on slavery.Stern legal procedures were to be observed in order to ensure the senate proceedings were not driven by personal or individual opinions, but whatever move taken was to be a consolidation of thoughts through various forums and consultations. The provisions to the Missouri constitution permiting the immigration of the free blacks to the states was highly objected by the many northern congressmen, a situation which called for another congressional compromise. This discourse would hav e stirred more conflicts once more. Stern legal procedures were to be observed this time round to settle this dispute (http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/aia/part3/3h511.html). The Missouri legislature stood up vividly this time round to defend his constitution and held its power high that nothing in his constitution would be interpreted to abridge the rights of the citizens of United States a move that saw the charter ratified and Missouri was admitted to the Union In August 1821. Henry Clay, the speaker of the senate did not either match to secure passage of the entire compromise. The application of Missouri to be offered consideration for statehood sparked a bitter debate in the congress concerning the issue of territories which had been created as a result of the purchase of Louisiana of 1803.With the concern that the southern end would have representational advantage, Ney York Congressman James Tallmadge introduced another amendment that was to prohibit any further expansion of slavery within the area. This action was however, to set the children of Missouri free. Despites the many dangers and challenges for having free blacks intermingling with slaves, Tallmadge come out rightly to defend his people, and he declared that he was aware of the will of his constituents and as their representatives he avowed to proclaim their hatred to slavery occurring in any shape.Once more, legal procedures had to take toes to resolve this conflict and a consensus was reached when the two parts compromised the situation. At last the northern part of Massachusetts finally become Maine and it was later admitted to the union as a free state the same time when Missouri was being admitted as a slave state. The two ends thereby, maintained an equal balance of regions where Missouri had 12, and Maine got 12 respectively. By and large, an imaginary line, 36 digress 30 minutes north latitude was drawn while the portions of Louisiana territory lying along the north of the compromise line wer e to be set as Free states(http://civilwar. bluegrass. net/secessioncrisis/200303. html). Work Cited Secession Crisis: The Missouri Compromise â€Å"A Balance of Power† March 3, 1820. Retrieved on 24th July 2009 from, http://civilwar. bluegrass. net/secessioncrisis/200303. html Missouri Compromise. Retrieved on 24th July 2009 from, http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/aia/part3/3h511. html The Missouri Compromise. Retrieved on 24th July 2009 from, http://www. americaslibrary. gov/cgibin/page. cgi/aa/presidents/monroe/compromise_1 Missouri Compromise. Retrieved on 24th July 3009 from, http://www. infoplease. com/ce6/history/A0833427. html