Slide One Essays - Education, Distance Education, Euthenics

Slide One: Hello, and welcome to Liberty University's HIUS 221 Survey of U.S. History. This tutorial was meant to help you get started in the course and be successful along the way. Slide Two: Some quick reminders about this course before we begin. First of all, you will not be using a printed text for this course. Although one is available on MBS for a small fee, this does not include any video material that may be included in MindTap, and many of the map activities may be missing as well. You really have nothing to purchase for this class. Everything has already been charged to your student account through our course fee model. This course will also be different in some other ways, so please be flexible and open-minded as you move through it and be sure to listen to all instructions from your instructor. We need your feedback on this course. These courses are constantly a work in progress, and we really appreciate all the things we learn from our students as they move through the course. Slide Three: First of all, some of you might be asking, "What is MindTap?" MindTap for U.S. History is a new way to learn that allows you to build your knowledge in small increments so that you really commit things to long term memory. This is a product that is different than any other e-book or online learning resource that we've been able to find, and I hope will enjoy it. Slide Four: You may be asking yourself, "How is my course going to be different?" Well, first of all, as we've said, there's no textbook. But in this MindTap course, there are no chapters, there are no long reading assignments of hundreds of pages, and there are no massive quizzes at the end of the week on all the reading you've done in your MindTap course. There are quizzes on other assignments, but not on the main reading of the course. This is also a different Blackboard experience as I think you will see. This course is set up to help you learn and succeed as you move along. Slide Five: Now you might be asking yourself, "How is my course going to be different than any other Blackboard course I've taken at Liberty University?" Well, I think when you click through the course, you'll actually find out. First, go into Module 1, Week 1. Just take a look. There are no more reading and video folders, no more assignment folders, no more separate folders for anything. You'll actually find that everything you need is laid out in one succinct learning path that guides you from one assignment to the next without any real breaks or finding out where things are. Slide Six: "So, what do you mean? Show me how this course is different!" Well, let's take a look. We're going to click on Course Content and as that comes up, you'll actually find here are all your modules and weeks laid out just like any other course, but we'll go ahead and click into week 1 since that's what we just mentioned. And as you can see, everything you need for the week is actually laid out right here for you. The first thing you'll see every week is a study plan. I encourage you to download these, print them out, take a look at them because they will guide you step by step into exactly what you need to do, and how long those things might actually take as you go through the week. You'll find when you look at these that every week, you're actually scheduled to have Sunday off and Monday as a catch-up day, if you will. So you could actually finish all of your work on Tuesday through Saturday if you follow this plan. Now I understand, many people work, they have families, and they have other commitments, but this is an easy way for you to really schedule your time. Now let's look out through the rest of this. As you can see, you have every assignment you need to do in the order in which you need to do it. I really encourage you to stay on

How to Set Up an Amazon Author Central Page in 3 Simple Steps

How to Set Up an Amazon Author Central Page in 3 Simple Steps How to Set Up Your Amazon Author Central Page Indie authors know the pressure of having to set up profiles on every new platform that pops up, promising to help you market and sell your books: Goodreads, Facebook, BookBub, oh my! It definitely adds up. But there’s one major tool that - if you haven’t already signed up for - you absolutely shouldn’t overlook: Amazon Author Central.What is Amazon Author Central?Amazon Author Central is a free tool that authors who have published a book through Amazon can sign up for   - whether they’ve published in print or ebook through Kindle Direct Publishing, or an audiobook through ACX. You can think of an Author Central account as your own private headquarters at today’s largest book retailer.Two of the significant updates that have been announced so far include:The ability for authors to manage their books and profile on all the different Amazon marketplaces from their one account - so they won’t need to log in and out to all of the internatio nal sites.It will also give users access to Amazon Author Insights: a hub of articles with tips on writing, publishing, and marketing.Have you tested out the beta program? Have you already used Author Central to optimize your Author Page? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

A Moment That Changed My Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

A Moment That Changed My Life - Essay Example Some may be extraordinary events or moments while others may be ordinary situations that all over a sudden have a great impact on how you perceive life. About seven years ago, I almost lost both my brother, Raphael and my best friend Sonia. Call it a double tragedy. This was one of the most devastating moments in my life, and I still remember the events of that fateful day, seven solid years after it happened, like it was just yesterday. My life was completely changed.It was that chilly January afternoon that my little brother, my best friend and I decided to take a trip to the beach to have our dry suit certification for underwater ice diving after we completing a long tiresome but enjoyable training. Little did we know of the events that were later to unfold. We had everything ready, we went through preparations as usual and had our gear packed as we embarked on our trip. My uncle Joseph, who had been with us throughout our training sessions, had already gone ahead of us and was al ready at the beach waiting for us. Our parents had instructed him to take care of us while at the beach.At the beach, there were about nine or ten other people who were also eager to get the event started. We teamed up with my uncle, who was working with the instructors in giving us all the information we needed to get started. We quickly changed into our gears ready to dive into the cold water. In pairs, we began jumping in to the water as the instructor and my uncle watched carefully. My turn came and I dived in with my brother.  While in the water, Sonia left her partner and came to swim with my brother and I. We went deep to the level that we had been instructed. At this time, the air in our tanks was almost ending and we started swimming upwards looking for a way out for fresh air. I signaled my brother and Sonia to go first while I followed them up.  

Diversity for the 21st Century Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Diversity for the 21st Century - Research Paper Example Therefore, diversity plays a significant role in the success of firms and the entire sector as a whole. As a result of globalization, the concept of diversity significantly influences how organization conduct their business and daily activities. However, with diversity comes great conflicts and miscommunication as organizations benefit numerous individuals seem to be disadvantaged. As a result, numerous issues prevail in the American society including inequality due to gender, discrimination, and underpay and income disparities (Daly, 1998). The necessity for cultural competence has been seen in various events in the American society, which emphasizes for understanding cultural, social, language, and social nuances of different families and people. A specific event sis the civil rights movements from the 1950s, whereby African Americans, lesbians and gays, individuals characterized by disabilities as well and other various communities such as minority groups. This event informed the American society of distinct identities and long history characterizing these groups. Consequently, the other event is the increasing rate of new immigrants into the country. The new immigrants have distinct political, religious, language, and cultural backgrounds. The displacement of these individuals and the background associated with them and melding these aspects together with elements of experiences, history, and expectations of the American culture and diverse populations results in a diverse society (Daly, 1998). Due to the prevalent diversity in the American society, individuals tend to bring different views, innovations, approaches, and experiences into various sectors in the society. In the country, more than 75% of big companies focus on diversity as a means for strategic advantage as well as business leverage. However, with the diversity in the American society, various issues

Present and contrast Hobbes and Nietzsche's account on the Essay

Present and contrast Hobbes and Nietzsche's account on the punishment - Essay Example that the society employees in treating those who have violated the societal norms and laws; for Nietzsche, the members of the society feel pleasure by subjecting criminals to punishment. A critical look at the Hobbes’ and Nietzsche’s accounts of punishment shows that the main difference in their views of punishment lies in the fact that Hobbes analysed the meaning and the importance of punishment from the social contract point of view, while Nietzsche analysed the importance and the role of punishment in society from the historical point of view. According to Thomas Hobbes, punishment is a mean that the society uses to enforce the social contract. For Hobbes, once the members of the society enters into a social contract or covenant, the members of the society agree to forgo some of their civil liberties for the sake of social order; according to Hobbes, the members of a society enters into a social contract and forgoes some of their social liberties for the greater good of all the members of the society. This is because the civil liberties that the members of the public forgo are vested in a sovereign who uses the power that he has been given by the people to protect other individual civil liberties, and hence ensure peace and order in the society. For Hobbes, therefore, Punishment is a tool that the members of the society, through the sovereign, uses to deal with those who violate the demands of social contract, so as to ensure peace and order in the society. According Friedrich Nietzsche, on the other hand, the role of punishment in the society is to give pleasure to the members of the society through subjecting those who have violated societal norms and laws to punishment. In his analysis of the early procedures of punishment, Friedrich Nietzsche argued that, from the historical point of view, punishment was not meant to make the law breakers or the criminals experience pain and guilt, but it was meant to make those who were executing the punishment to

Failures Of The Juvenile Justice System Criminology Essay

Failures Of The Juvenile Justice System Criminology Essay Juvenile justice systems across the country are experiencing major challenges resulted in a failure to meet their original goal to change the deviant behavior of the juvenile delinquent by focusing on rehabilitation in order to ensure juveniles have an opportunity for a future life as a productive citizen. Despite this goal juvenile justice system, in many cases, has failed to rehabilitate the juvenile and instead have become more prone to placing juvenile delinquents in juvenile detention facilities, or trying them as adult offenders. Once the juvenile delinquent becomes a part of the system, adult or juvenile, they have difficulty escaping from the stigma and moving on to create better lives. Instead of delinquents making positive changes in their life, they instead graduate up to adult prison and become adult criminal offenders. These failings within the juvenile justice system can be attributed to the lack of education, lack of support services and an inability to incarcerate the more serious juvenile offenders. In fact 80% of juveniles who enter New Yorks juvenile facilities end up returning or graduating to adult prisons within three years (Louis, 2008). This recidivism rate is 20% higher that the New York adult criminal justice system. In other states, such as Oklahoma or Texas, the rate is even higher. The juvenile justice system has also failed to provide a fair and equal juvenile justice process which is obvious based on the racial disparities present in Americaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s juvenile justice system. Minorities, African Americans especially, are placed in juvenile detention centers or receive waivers that require them to be tried as adults. These failures have been attributed to the delinquent or criminal behavior of the minority by the juvenile justice system but by critics it has been attributed to racial profiling of police and bias in the juvenile courts. The fact is in the juvenile justice system there have been many failures that have resulted in many challenges. These challenges make it difficult for the juvenile justice system to meet its original goal of rehabilitation and have resulted instead with juveniles that are not reformed but instead have the tools to become adult offenders. When juveniles are removed from their homes and placed in a juvenile detention they do not become reformed but instead there behavior will worsen in this type of an environment. Juveniles that are laced in detention centers are faced with becoming more aggressive than the next juvenile just to survive. Instead of learning to become more productive members of society the juvenile learns new criminal skills. Juvenile offenders in current society commit the same delinquent acts of the past but they also commit offenses that are far more serious and violent than when the juvenile justice system was first established. Instead of rehabilitating juvenile and taking steps in repairing the family the juvenile justice system has been quick to punish the juvenile. The lacking of effective counseling services for juvenile delinquents before and after being detained or incarcerated has been considered a large part of the overall problem in the juvenile justice system as well as a very low success rate in making positive changes in the life of the juvenile offender. The research will seek to understand the extent of the failures of the juvenile justice system by presenting statistical research and real world examples of these failures. The better juvenile justice professionals understand the failure of the system the more effective they can be in developing more effective measures for ensuring the juvenile learns new and positive behavior and does not grow up to become an adult criminal offender. Through rehabilitative services and programs the juvenile will have an opportunity to make positive changes in their lives and become more productive members of society. Literature Review Research has shown that the juvenile justice system has failed in their goal to rehabilitate juveniles to ensure they do not grow up to become adult criminals. In research conducted by Annie Casey Foundation it was discovered that the juvenile justice system is ineffective, dangerous, and inadequate. Instead of investing in the future of juveniles the system is just focused on punishing the juvenile and removing them from society. Juveniles that are detained or that are adjudicated to the adult court system are not taught new positive behaviors that assist them in becoming upstanding members of society and instead they learn new criminal behaviors. In Oklahoma, precisely the Creek County area of Oklahoma, which is likely one of the highest areas of juvenile offenders in the state there exists a definite problem of dealing with the issues of juvenile crime. Furthermore, the juvenile justice system has no real punitive measures that can be put in place to deal with juvenile offenders who should be removed from society. The lacking of effective counseling services for pre-incarceration level and post-incarceration level offenders has been considered a large part of the overall problem in the State of Oklahoma. In fact despite the proof that rehabilitative programs can work the state has failed to aggressively implement them and prefers instead to detain or incarcerate. The Juvenile Re-entry of Oklahoma County program is one such program that has been shown to be successful with only a 10% failure rate (Kelly, 2010). The program provides the juveniles with an opportunity to obtain their high school diploma or G.E.D and an opportunity to learn a new job skill. In a recent analysis of the program it was discovered that many of the participants not only obtain their education but go on to obtain their college degrees. The state of Texas has one of the largest the juvenile justice populations in the country and juveniles are detained in a large majority of cases. The Texas juvenile justice system has large caseloads where juveniles in some cases will be detained for a year without ever going in front of a judge. The judges in the state are quick to detain the juvenile because the state has become limited in the resources available to rehabilitee the juvenile offender. In New York the juvenile justice system became so corrupt and the treatment of juveniles so inhumane the governor called for a complete overhaul and reform of the New York juvenile justice system (Louis, 2008). Juveniles were routinely restrained while in custody and left face first on the ground for hours. Juvenile justice officers were known for being cruel and aggressive. Since the reform efforts the juvenile receive discipline but is not subject to inhuman treatment. Perhaps one of the alleged problems are the extremely restrictive laws which were passed as result of the 14th Amendment of the Bill of Rights. Whereas; juvenile offenders are to be handled in such a restrictive manner as it give the offenders the idea that thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s nothing the system can do to them, in such a case like Thompson V. Oklahoma, where the State of Oklahoma petitioned to charge the defendant as an adult for premeditate murder, or 1st degree murder, which was approved and Thompson was so tried and convicted, to be later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court (487 U.S. 815, 1988). The trend for the juvenile justice system to detain the juvenile over finding effective rehabilitative services is not the only challenge facing juvenile justice systems across the nation. After a two-and-a-half year investigation by the Civil Right Division it was discovered similar to the adult criminal justice system that the minority is treated more harshly than the non-minority. The research showed that law enforcement, which has discretion in what happens to the juvenile, is far more likely to detain the minority juvenile and release the non-minority juvenile into the custody of their parents or guardian. The report also said black juveniles were treated more harshly than white teenagers in detention practices and transfers to criminal court to be tried as adults (Dries, 2012). As a result there is a major overrepresentation of minorities in both the juvenile and adult justice systems. All criminal offenders in the juvenile justice system should be guaranteed an equal and fair juvenile justice process but this is just not the case. While juveniles are afforded some due process rights, the juvenile justice system is not focused on equality or even justice. It is instead focused on punishing juveniles for their bad behavior. When juveniles are placed within juvenile detention centers instead of sent being home with their parents and being required to attend rehabilitative programs and services that will assist them in changing their behavior and leading a more positive lifestyle. Research has shown that juveniles that are placed in juvenile detention centers are seven times more likely to grow up to become adult criminal offenders or to be tried as an adult while juveniles. Further, those who ended up being sentenced to juvenile prison were 37 times more likely to be arrested again as adults, compared with similarly misbehaved kids who were either not caught or not put into the system (Szalavitz, 2009). The failure to employ rehabilitative services has resulted in a growing juvenile justice population.

Tolstoys Three Hermits Essay -- essays research papers fc

Between 1875 and 1877, Leo Tolstoy, nobility by birth, wrote installments of Anna Karenina. While writing Anna Karenina,† he became obsessed with the meaning and purpose of life. This led Tolstoy to compose the essay, My Confession, detailing his agonizing religious and moral self-examination, published in 1882. He devoted another three years to the discovery of the meaning and purpose of life. At the close of the seven years of only non-fiction essays, Tolstoy resumed writing and publishing fictional works. However, he did write two more essays devoted to the meaning of life, What Then Must We Do (1886) and The Kingdom of God is Within You (1892). Tolstoy, in 1886 wrote a particularly intriguing tale of a bishop and three old men, The Three Hermits,† which reflects Tolstoy’s search for purpose and the meaning of life. The Three Hermits is a journey, both physical and spiritual, similar to Tolstoy’s faith journey. â€Å"A bishop was sailing from Archangel to the Solovetsk Monastery, and on the same vessel were a number of pilgrims on their way to visit the shrine at that place†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Tolstoy, p. 1). The story goes on to say that a fisherman on board relayed the tale of the three hermits who live on an island near where they currently were sailing. The Bishop becomes very curious, and insists upon meeting the hermits. The other pilgrims protest at the idea of stopping. The captain also objects and informs the bishop, â€Å"The old men are not worth your pains. I have heard said that they are foolish old fellows, who understand nothing, and never speak a word, any more than the fish in the sea† (Tolstoy, p.3). This passage makes an ironic point. The pilgrims travel to Solovetsk, home of a monastery considered one of the holy places in Russia, to pay homage and receive Godâ€⠄¢s favor, yet they are unwilling to learn from people close to God, much like the people of Tolstoy’s time, too wrapped up in the church’s doctrine to see the way to God. Tolstoy wrote in Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand, a chapter of The Kingdom of God is Within You that Christians must aspire to the Kingdom of God, not the kingdoms of the world, meaning that the idols and relics of the church are worthless, people should instead visit God through meaningful prayer, good deeds, and work. The tale continues on to say, â€Å"the cable was quickly let out, the anchor cast and the sails furled†¦ Then... ...rought to life in a fable. The Three Hermits span time in understanding the journey to the meaning of life. To this day, the puzzle never has been solved and may never be solved. In the immortal words of Tolstoy, â€Å"If you are content with the old world, try to preserve it, it is very sick and cannot hold out much longer. But if you cannot bear to live in everlasting dissonance between your beliefs and your life, thinking one thing and doing another, get out of the medieval witted sepulchers, and face your fears. I know very well it is not easy† (The Anarchist Library, p.1). Works Cited Tolstoy, Leo. The Three Hermits. Democritus University of Thrace. 8 January 2000 . Leo Tolstoy. The Anarchist Library. 12 January 2000 . Forster, Stephen. The Gulag's Archipelago. 12 January 2000 . Crosswalk.com: Bible Study Tools. Crosswalk.com Network. 14 January 2000 . â€Å"Tolstoy, Leo.† World Book. Chicago: World Book Inc., 1998.

Healthcare Reform and Its Impact on the Delivery System

If you are in the healthcare industry, you have probably heard some rumblings about the Health Care Reform of 2010, coolly referred to as Affordable Care Act, or Obama care. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was enacted by the United States Congress and signed by President Barack Obama. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) became public law in March 23, 2010. The health care reform was enacted with the goals of â€Å"increasing the quality and affordability of health insurance, lowering the uninsured rate by expanding public and private insurance coverage, and reducing the costs of healthcare for individuals and the  government† (Frost and Sullivan, 2011). The law is passed by US congress provide universal access to healthcare, control the rising costs of healthcare, regulate the private insurance industry through online marketplace and improve the quality of healthcare. The purpose is to â€Å"make healthcare choices more consumers friendly and easier to unde rstand. It is intended to make sweeping changes to healthcare in the United States† (White, 2013). The law also â€Å"requires insurance companies to cover all applicants within new minimum standards and offer the same rates regardless of pre-existing conditions or sex.Additional reforms aimed to reduce costs and improve healthcare outcomes by shifting the system towards quality over quantity through increased competition, regulation, and incentives to streamline the delivery of healthcare† (Monheit, 2010 ). The Congressional Budget Office projected that â€Å"the ACA will lower both future deficits and Medicare spending† however upheld â€Å"the law in promoting strategies and solutions to encourage health care reform that lowers cost, improves quality, and expands access to health care† (CBO, 2013).According to U. S Chambers of Commerce, â€Å"the United States spends $2.  7 trillion a year on health care. More than 170 million Americans receive healt h insurance through voluntary, employer-sponsored plans. The government was on the hook for $38. 6 trillion in unfunded liabilities for Medicare in 2011 as a result of the entitlements created by the health care reform law† (U. S. Chambers of Commerce, 2013). For the purposes of this research, it may be a good idea to have a common understanding of the recent legislation and Health Care Reform Act.I plan to highlight its impact on the delivery system at Montefiore Medical Center, thoroughly discussing its effect on access, cost and  quality, with special focus on how the recent legislation and health care reform will affect the health care facility. Montefiore Medical Center is a health care facility which is covered by the Health care reform. Health care reform compliance at Montefiore Medical Center is a central concern of their delivery system. The health care reform is a law that needs continuous regulation. Montefiore Medical Center and other health care facilities such as private clinics, home healthcare providers and small healthcare associated businesses, are in a prime position  to comply with the healthcare reform, and the law must ensure that these healthcare institutes are rigorously controlled, and are in compliance of the affordable care act.The Healthcare reform and all its provisions are already making the facility â€Å"find new ways to increase facility efficiency, better manage care and streamline costs† (Montefiore. org, 2012). One item the facility is focused on is renovating to cut down on operating expenses because of the impact of the healthcare reform. In a study by Amadeo Kimberly (2013) about access to healthcare on the delivery system  found that â€Å"more than 600,000 new young people became insured as of May, taking advantage of the Act's provision that children up to age 26 could be covered by their parents' insurance.†Rather than â€Å"employer-sponsored insurance offering the sole source for guarante ed issue insurance, coverage for preexisting conditions, and generally affordable coverage,†(Geyam, 2012) many employees may have alternative sources of coverage through expansion of Medicaid eligibility or premium subsidies through the state or federal exchanges. A report by economic experts at the Health and Human Services Department (HHS) noted that â€Å"the health  care remake will achieve the aim of expanding health insurance – adding 34 million Americans to the coverage rolls† (HHS, 2013).This shows that on the potential positive side of the health care reform, there would be a continuous increase in access to healthcare. This increases â€Å"profits for the insurance companies, which should translate to lower premiums, since the new insures pay into the system but require fewer health services† (Kimberly, 2013). Geyam (2012) observed that â€Å"the healthcare reform will extend insurance coverage by 32 million people by 2019 (including 16 millio n on Medicaid);Will provide subsidies starting in  2014 to help many lower-income people afford coverage; will eliminate cost-sharing for many preventive services; will provide new funding to increase the capacity of community health centers; will put in place some limited reforms of the insurance industry, such as prohibiting exclusions based on pre-existing conditions and banning annual and lifetime limits; and will establish a new non-profit Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute charged with assessing the relative outcomes, effectiveness and appropriateness of different treatments. †As a result, millions of previously uninsured people will soon have access to healthcare, causing an increase in the number of potential patients requesting treatment from healthcare facilities such as Montefiore Medical Center. Healthcare costs are expected to â€Å"rise 7. 5 percent in 2013, even with healthcare reform,† according to a study by Price water house Coopers (2012). The Affordable Care Act focuses â€Å"more on getting people insured than on lowering costs overall,† says Jeff Munn, vice president of benefit policy development at Fidelity (2013), â€Å"But it's going to take a while to see if those provisions work,† he says..Another analysis by Barina (2013), also found that â€Å"the law falls short of the goal of controlling runaway costs, rising projected spending by about 1 percent over 10 years. That increase could get bigger, however, since the report also warned that Medicare cuts in the law may be unrealistic and unsustainable, forcing lawmakers to roll them back† (p. 18). The rapidly rising costs of health care keep going up unabated. Under the health care reform, the market still rules on prices. The cost of health care will increase by about â€Å"20 percent because of new technology and new initiatives† (Wright, 2010).In addition, analysis by both the Congressional Budget Office and the CMS actuary shows that â€Å"the health care reform will substantially reduce the federal deficit, only slightly increase national medical spending (despite an enormous expansion in insurance coverage), begin to reduce the growth rate of medical spending, and introduce various new initiatives that may lead to more fundamental reductions in the long-term rate of health care cost growth† (CBO & CMS, 2010). The health care reform will not solve our health care cost problems, but it is a historic and cost effective step in the right direction.It will introduce a range of payment and delivery system changes designed to achieve a significant slowing of health care cost growth. Throughout the health care reform debate, consumers and providers alike at Montefiore Medical Center and other healthcare facilities asked how they would be affected by the new law. Given how many types of facilities make up the delivery system, it is likely that the effects of reform will not fix all problems. Any â€Å"hosp itals that have historically provided more care to uninsured patients is likely to gain the most in terms of revenue increases for the mostly  uncompensated care they have been providing to these patients† (Berenson and Zuckerman, 2010).The Healthcare providers in the hospital and other healthcare facilities understand that their former ways of doing business are bound to change because of the healthcare reform. As observed by Berenson & Zukerman (2010) â€Å"the introduction of new, marginal incentives is designed to move in the direction of rewarding better performance. † In this way, there is a modest move in the direction of paying for value rather than volume.As indicated by Cutler David (2013), â€Å"the law begins to change how providers are paid and care is delivered, so that  they are rewarded not for the volume of services they provide but for the value they offer. † Of greatest effect is the expectation that future provider revenues will have less to do with patient volumes and more to do with clinical outcomes, quality and cost efficiency. Most hospitals will likely benefit financially because of the coverage expansions. â€Å"Providers that get good results for their patients and keep costs in check stand to be rewarded with performance bonuses, shared savings and other revenue enhancements† (Monheit, 2010).Those providers  that fail to do these things can expect financial penalties which will affect revenues and ultimately tarnish a provider's credit profile. â€Å"Accountable care may still be gestational in most areas of the nation, but the concept appears to be taking hold and will eventually replace large portions of our existing fee-for-service system† (Berenson & Zukerman, 2010). Moreover, the health care reform will also call for more care to be provided outside of the hospitals with specific provisions focusing on increasing the quality of preventative care. This will likely result in a major rise i n demand for ambulatory, or outpatient care.At the same time, Montefiore Medical Center and other hospital care facilities will shift a greater focus on critical care patient. In conclusion, the health care reform, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), commonly called the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obamacare, may make some marginal gains in the area of access, cost and quality, but will not remedy all access, cost and quality problems in the health care delivery system. Experts also believe the added demand of the health care reform will mean a major increase in job openings within the healthcare industry.Some  predict as many as â€Å"250,000 to 400,000 jobs annually over the next ten years – as well as an increase in scope and location of available jobs† (Katz, 2013). For example, hospitals like Montefiore Medical Center will be staffing more critical care nurses while registered nurses and other patient care positions may have more opportunities at outpatient sites, such as clinics or other non-critical medical facilities. The health care reform changes are right around the corner and subsequently there will likely be a lot of transformation happening in the healthcare delivery system over the next few years.

Taking Action on Earth Day

Taking Action on Earth Day Every year, people all around the world come together to celebrate Earth Day. This annual event is marked by lots of different activities,  from parades to festivals to film festivals to running races. Earth Day events typically have one theme in common: the desire to show support for environmental issues and teach future generations about the need to protect our planet. The First Earth Day The very first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970. The event, which some consider to be the birth of the environmental movement, was founded by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson. Nelson chose the April date to coincide with spring while avoiding most spring break and final exams. He hoped to appeal to college and university students for what he planned as a day of environmental learning and activism. The Wisconsin Senator decided to create an Earth Day after witnessing the damage caused in  1969 by a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Inspired by the student anti-war movement, Nelson hoped that he could tap into the energy on school campuses to get kids to take notice of issues such as air and water pollution,  and put  environmental issues onto the national political agenda. Interestingly, Nelson had tried to put the environment on the agenda within Congress from the moment he was elected to office in 1963. But he as repeatedly told that Americans were not concerned about environmental issues. So Nelson went straight to the American people, focusing his attention on college students.   Participants from 2,000 colleges and universities, roughly 10,000 primary and secondary schools and hundreds of communities across the United States got together in their local  communities  to mark the occasion of the very first Earth Day. The event was billed as a teach-in, and event organizers focused on peaceful demonstrations that supported the environmental movement. Almost 20 million Americans filled the streets of their local communities on that first Earth Day,  demonstrating  in  support of environmental issues in rallies large and small all across the country. Events focused on  pollution, the dangers of pesticides, oil spill damage, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife. Impacts of Earth Day The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the  Clean Air,  Clean Water, and  Endangered Species  acts. It was a gamble, Gaylord later recalled, but it worked. Earth Day is now observed in 192 countries, and celebrated by billions of people around the world. Official Earth Day activities are coordinated by the nonprofit, Earth Day Network, which is  chaired by the first Earth Day 1970 organizer, Denis Hayes. Over the years, Earth Day has grown from localized grassroots efforts to a  sophisticated network of environmental activism. Events can be found everywhere from tree planting  activities  at your local park to  online Twitter parties that share information about environmental issues. In 2011,  28 million trees were planted in Afghanistan by the Earth Day Network as part of their Plant Trees Not Bombs campaign. In 2012, more than 100,000 people rode bikes in  Beijing to raise awareness about climate change and help people learn what they could do to protect the planet. How can you get involved? The  possibilities  are endless.  Pick up trash in your neighborhood. Go to an Earth Day festival. Make a commitment to reduce your food waste or electricity use. Organize an event in your community. Plant a tree. Plant a garden. Help to organize a community garden. Visit a national park. Talk to your friends and family about environmental issues such as climate change, pesticide use, and pollution.   The best part? You dont need to wait until April 22 to celebrate Earth Day. Make every day Earth Day and help to make this planet a healthy place for all of us to enjoy.

Social Justice and Gay Rights

Social Justice and Gay Rights Introduction The public’s perception of same sex relationships has undergone significant changes in the past century. As of the early 20th century, homosexual relations were shunned and criminalized in many nations through a number of sodomy laws. This perception of gays was radically reformed thanks to the efforts of gay rights movements which trace their roots to the 1960s and the Stonewall Riots of 1969 which marked the birth of the gay and lesbian rights movement. These riots led to the formation of the Gay Liberation Front which demanded for the respect and the end of anti-gay legislation and police harassment. The movement saw gay oppression as a social problem that required social structural changes to solve. The efforts of gay activists in the 1960s resulted in a decriminalization of same-sex conduct and to a large extent, an abolishment of most of the discriminations based on sexual orientation (Volokh 106).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on So cial Justice and Gay Rights specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, in spite of the significant victories which the gay community has won in its quest for equality over the decades, gays in the US today continue to suffer from various forms of inequalities. Arguably the most visible inequality is the denial or marriage rights to same sex couples. This paper will highlight causes of the struggles faced by the gay community and articulate some social justice solutions to the problem. Causes of Opposition Before the beginning of the 21st century, no nations or state had ever considered affording same-sex couples legal rights. Today, same-sex marriages have been realized in some countries and also a number of American states. Civil unions are acceptable to many and a majority of gay couples are able to enjoy some of the benefits that were previously restricted to heterosexual couples. Support in the US for legal recognition for homosexual rela tions was high from 1960s up to 1990s with many Americans supporting the efforts of gay rights activists. However, this popular support has experienced significant declines following the landmark Texas anti-sodomy law of 2003 which made some gay and lesbian activities not only legal but protected by the law all through the US. This ruling was viewed by many social conservative groups as a precursor to even more gay civil rights and because of this, there has been a backlash against recognition of gay relationships by many conservative groups. As a result of the successes of gay right activists, many counteractions which are primarily aimed at preventing gay rights have been launched. The most significant of this has been the widespread efforts to prevent the legalization of same-sex marriages in many American states. Wardle notes that some states have gone as far as to make amendments to their constitutions so as to explicitly prohibit same-sex marriage. Religion has played a major role in the denial of rights for gay and lesbian couples. As a matter of fact, the biggest opposition to same-sex unions stems from the religious beliefs of people with religions such as Christianity and Islam condemning homosexuality as evil and an abomination.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Vatican which is the head of the largest Christian population in the world strongly declares that there are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to Gods plan for marriage and family (Ratzinger and Amato 1). Denike articulates that in the US, there is fear among the Christian population that allowing gay marriages would be crossing the line of toleration of evil and the approval or legalization of evil (71). This observation is corroborated by Alvare who notes that leading communities of faith in the United States are on record opposing the legal recognition of same-sex marriage (349).To this section of the population; while sexual minorities and their relationships should be tolerated, they should not be entitled to state-administered benefits and special rights. Volokh notes that it is because of the religious views of many public officials that the fight for legal recognition of same-sex marriages has enjoyed relatively limited success (1166). While the constitution calls for equality rights for all citizens, amendments have been proposed based on religious sentiments to protect marriage from the judicial system which fails to find compelling reasons to justify the discriminatory exclusion of gays and lesbians. Adverse Impacts of Opposition A lack of justice has led to unnecessary suffering and harassment to gay individuals. Macgillivray reports that majority of openly identifying gay and lesbian students in Americas schools experience significant levels of violence from their peer s (347). The struggle by gay activists to stop discrimination in schools has been opposed by morally conservative parents. For these parents, school policies that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation lead to an inclusion of gay and lesbian issues in the curriculum which helps promote and legitimize homosexuality as being equal to heterosexuality (Macgillivray 348). The morally conservative parents therefore fiercely resist such policies since for them, the policies send out the message that it’s ok to be gay to their children. Social Justice Perspective Equality is one of the founding principles of the United States and since the formulation of the constitution; laws and amendments have been made to extend equality to all people irrespective of their races and religion. Social justice is concerned with whether a society distributes its benefits fairly and equitably among its citizens (Blackwell, Janice and Sophia 28). Social justice demands that equal rights an d opportunities be afforded to all members of the society.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Justice and Gay Rights specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As it currently stands, gay and lesbian couples are given certain rights and privileges in most states. However, these rights and privileges vary from state to state and there is a nearly universal denial of the right to marry for same-sex couples. Due to the disparity in laws protecting gay couples between states, gay couples can be legally discriminated against in some states. The primary goal of marriage is to give social recognition to couples who have a close relationship and who would wish to spend their lives together. Denying same sex couples the right to enter this institute is therefore a form of discrimination. This discrimination denies gay and lesbian couples of their right to enjoy fulfilling lives with their partners. Culhane demonstrates that afford ing same-sex couples the right to marry is not a special treatment but an issue of fairness and equality and for a pro-democracy nation like the US, such a move should be natural (486). Marriage has some tangible benefits that are acquired by couples who join this institute. Lack of legal recognition of same-sex marriages results in gay and lesbian couples not being able to enjoy these benefits that are a part of the marriage institute (Bell 195). Most opponents of gay marriages assert that they respect the rights of homosexuals and are opposed to discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. However, denying marriage rights to gay couples is discrimination. Gay rights activists argue that if marriage rights are fundamental for some (heterosexual couples) then they should be fundamental for all. Discussion Gay rights activists have placed their hope for redress and justice in the mainstream Democratic Parties in our country. However, this move has not yielded major benefits sin ce the government has mostly been complacent in the tribulations that face the gay population. While the government has constantly stated that it is neutral on the issue of gay rights and does not support anti-gay movements, it has been slow to take proactive measures to ensure that gay members of the community are protected from harassment by people who hold anti-gay sentiments.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Our constitution is enshrouded in the principles of protection of equality and fundamental rights of all citizens regardless of their age, sex, creed, or sexual orientation. If our country is truly committed to equal rights, then legalizing same-sex marriages should be made a reality. Recognition of same-sex marriage is a fundamental goal if there is to be true equality between same-sex and opposite-sex union (Alvare 351). So long as same-sex marriages are not accepted all over the US, heterosexual unions will always be regarded as superior to homosexual unions. Way Forward Gay rights advocates have intensified their efforts to gain legal recognition for same-sex unions and while some successes have been achieved, they still faced strong resistance from social conservative groups. Davis suggests that these minority group need to enlist the backing of heterosexual couples in their fight for equal right (44). By working as allies, heterosexuals and homosexuals can help to foster a cha nging attitudes towards gay and lesbians. Through these efforts, stereotypical views and prejudices can be identified and dealt with. Increased awareness leads to tolerance and respect for those who have different sexual orientations from ourselves. As has been noted, there has been growing attempts to deny gay and lesbians their liberty and rights. In the US, many states have allowed religious sexual doctrine to dictate limits to the legal recognition of relationships (Denike 72). Gay right activists should therefore focus their energy in resisting such forces and they should fight for legislation and judicial outcomes that will promote equality and ensure that gay individuals can thrive in society. There should also be a campaign to advocate for gay rights even if people do not agree with the gay lifestyle. While people are allowed to hold their own opinion regarding homosexuality, they should not be allowed to limit the freedoms of homosexual individuals on this basis. Truth and justice demands that full liberty be afforded to gays and all forms of discrimination must be abolished. Conclusion This paper has noted that while there have been significant achievements in the struggle for gay rights, there are still major obstacles to realizing full rights for this minority group. The most significant opposition comes from social conservative groups and religious organizations which are keen to ensure that gays do not achieve full equality with heterosexual couples. This is against the concept of social justice which advocates for equality for all people. All citizens who endorse the concept of social justice should therefore support the enactment of policies that will give gay and lesbian people equal rights with the rest of the community and specifically legalize gay marriages. Alvare, Helen. â€Å"The moral reasoning of family law: the case of same-sex marriage†. Loyola University Chicago Law Journal 38.2 (2007): 349-377. Web. Bell, Jonathan. â€Å"T o Strive for Economic and Social Justice†: Welfare, Sexuality, and Liberal Politics in San Francisco in the 1960s†. The Journal of Policy History 22.2 (2010): 193-225. Web. Blackwell, Christopher, Janice, Ricks and Sophia Dziegielewski. Discrimination of Gays and Lesbians: A Social Justice Perspective. Journal of Health Social Policy, Vol. 19(4) 2004. 27-43. Print. Culhane, John. â€Å"Marriage equality? First, justify marriage (if you can)†. Drexel University Law Review 1.2 (2009): 485-511. Web. Davis, Tracy. Developing Social Justice Allies: New Directions for Student Services. John Wiley and Sons, 2011. Print. Denike, Margaret. â€Å"Religion, Rights, and Relationships: The Dream of Relational Equality†. Hypatia 22.1 (2007): 71-91. Print Macgillivray, Ian. â€Å"Gay rights and school policy: a case study in community factors that facilitate or impede educational change†. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education 17.3 (2004): 347-3 70. Web. Ratzinger, Joseph and Amato Angelo. Considerations regarding proposals to give legal recognition to unions between homosexual persons. 3 June 2003. Web. Volokh, Eugene. â€Å"Same-Sex Marriage and Slippery Slopes†. Hofstra Law Review 33.1 (2005): 1155–1201. Web. Wardle, Lynns. â€Å"A Response to the Conservative Case for Same-Sex Marriage: Same-Sex Marriage and the Tragedy of the Commons†. BYU Journal of Public Law 22.3 (2007): 441-474. Web. Bibliography Alvare, Helen. â€Å"The moral reasoning of family law: the case of same-sex marriage†. Loyola University Chicago Law Journal 38.2 (2007): 349-377. Web. Bell, Jonathan. â€Å"To Strive for Economic and Social Justice†: Welfare, Sexuality, and Liberal Politics in San Francisco in the 1960s†. The Journal of Policy History 22.2 (2010): 193-225. Web. Blackwell, Christopher, Janice, Ricks and Sophia Dziegielewski. Discrimination of Gays and Lesbians: A Social Justice Perspective. Journal of Health Social Policy, Vol. 19(4) 2004. 27-43. Print. Crawford, David. Liberal Androgyny: Gay Marriage and the Meaning of Sexuality in our Time. Communio: International Catholic Review, 2006. Print. Culhane, John. â€Å"Marriage equality? First, justify marriage (if you can)†. Drexel University Law Review 1.2 (2009): 485-511. Web. Davis, Tracy. Developing Social Justice Allies: New Directions for Student Services. John Wiley and Sons, 2011. Print. Denike, Margaret. â€Å"Religion, Rights, and Relationships: The Dream of Relational Equality†. Hypatia 22.1 (2007): 71-91. Print Duncan, William. â€Å"The Litigation to Redefine Marriage: Equality and Social Meaning†. Journal of Public Law 18.1 (2005): 623-663. Print. Kurtz, Stanley. Beyond Gay Marriage. The Weekly Standard. Volume 008, Issue 45, 2003. Macgillivray, Ian. â€Å"Gay rights and school policy: a case study in community factors that facilitate or impede educational change†. International Journa l of Qualitative Studies in Education 17.3 (2004): 347-370. Web. Ratzinger, Joseph and Amato Angelo. Considerations regarding proposals to give legal recognition to unions between homosexual persons. 3 June 2003. Web. Somerville, Margaret. The case against ‘same-sex marriage’. Montreal, Quebec: McGill Center for Medicine, Ethics and Law, 2003. Print. Volokh, Eugene. â€Å"Same-Sex Marriage and Slippery Slopes†. Hofstra Law Review 33.1 (2005): 1155–1201. Web. Wardle, Lynns. â€Å"A Response to the Conservative Case for Same-Sex Marriage: Same-Sex Marriage and the Tragedy of the Commons†. BYU Journal of Public Law 22.3 (2007): 441-474. Web.

SAP SYSTEM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

SAP SYSTEM - Essay Example The following report is a critical analysis of adoption of SAP systems in business environment and challenges and benefits that are derived by implementing SAP from accounting perspective. For the purpose of analysis first an overview of the SAP systems is provided and is compared with Oracle financial accounting. Challenges and benefits of SAP are analyzed by means of literature review. From the analysis of challenges recommendations are provided which lead to the success factors of SAP. SAP stands for Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte which is the German word meaning Systems applications and products. SAP ERP system is used to encompass a wide range of software products that supports day-to-day business operations and activities. ERP serves different industries and several functional aspects in integrated approach. The attempt is to automate different operations from supply chain management, inventory control and almost any management process that uses data. Many business organizations use SAP for their entire business functions. Other business organization use SAP for some specific business functions only. The reason for the wide acceptance and the popularity behind SAP is this functionality that allows it to be designed and customized in accordance with the requirement of particular organization. Most organizations earlier used standalone software to perform  ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­individual functions. However since ERP has been invented all these individual and stand alon e functions have been integrated and can be performed by this single software package alone. In case of standalone system for a particular change to be incorporated and taken into account the companies had to modify each functional software separately which was time consuming and expensive. However, since SAP has come into the picture all this cumbersome and difficulties have been resolved. For example if a salesman would have earlier completed an order then it was required that

Management research method Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management research method - Assignment Example research topic â€Å"An exploratory investigation of the potential relationship between student learning styles, course grade, cumulative grade point average and selected demographics in on-line undergraduate business courses† is a well-structured and articulate topic, which is relevant to the current learning needs globally. With the current educational trend, online learning has become on the rise hence it would be viable to determine the effectiveness of online learning through a comparison to the traditional teaching method especially in relation to the business courses. The research was designed based on three critical hypothesis that were meant to be tested at the end of the research. Basing on the assumption that there is a significant effect of the learning style on the student achievement; in relation to the online versus the enrolled on-fine courses as well as there is a significant relationship between the learning style, age, gender and ethnicity of the students. The hypothesis used in designing the research is significant as it helps to validate the research topic making the testing of hypothesis the ultimate benchmark for research outcome. In the conduction of the research, data was collected through the use of a WebCT courseware to collect information from all the online courses examined in the study, while the learning style survey for college (LSSC) was employed to collect data for determining learning style of the college students. LSSC employed the use of 32 questions in the questionnaire to assess the learning style preferred by the students with a student data form used to collect the learning style, as well as other demographic information. The final grade for the semester was then used as a tool for assessment of the effectiveness of the various learning styles preferred by the students. Seventy-two participants were then sampled to represent the entire group of the learners thus providing the research with a good sample size that would