Goverment & Funding In the State New York Essay

Goverment & Funding In the State New York - Essay Example New York prides itself on having been out front in the move toward universal health care accessibility, yet the state’s sluggish economic climate, a poorly written insurance law and an aging population have conspired to undermine many of the state’s progressive policies, possibly foreshadowing the fate of the Obama administration’s great initiative. To make matters worse, a chronic shortage of nurses threatens the day-to-day delivery of effective health care to an aging population, symptomatic of a national trend that could further hamper the massive reform of America’s health care system. Nevertheless, the research conducted in preparation for this paper yielded information which confirms the need for an overhaul of America’s health care system. New York’s health insurance law, which went into effect nearly 20 years ago, has failed to manage costs and made coverage more difficult to obtain for many in spite of its intent. Research also shows that New York State has among the highest health care costs in the nation. Average costs for individual health plans have tripled since 2001 and, in many parts of the state, individuals can expect to pay as much as $12,000 (Levey, 2010). Coupled with data concerning the nursing shortage, the significance of this research is that it leads to some ominous conclusions about the direction Bridging the Coverage Gap 3 of health care in New York in the absence of a big picture reform initiative. The role of nursing has seldom been more important. In addition to their traditional role as dedicated and caring health care providers, nurses act on behalf of patients and serve as invaluable sources of healthcare information. Nurses and nursing associations in New York, such as the Nursing Students Association of New York, have advocated on behalf of the health care reform movement, helping secure support for the national overhaul in the Empire State. One of the most significant developments ca me recently at the state level, where Gov. Andrew Cuomo took steps to ensure that the 2011-2012 state budget included funding for the Nursing Care Quality Protection Act. This legislation establishes a high degree of transparency between the public and the nursing profession, requiring the disclosure of nursing quality care indicators and staffing ratios. â€Å"Having this important information available to the public, legislators and regulators is critical to evidence-based healthcare reform,† said Tina Gerardi, a spokesperson with the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA). (NYSNA, 2011). The state’s recognition of the role nursing plays in administering health care also extends to education and training. The new state budget provides funding for new nursing programs at the State University of New York and the City University of New York. Perhaps even more significantly, the state will fund loan forgiveness and scholarship programs through 2016. According to the N YSNA, these provisions will encourage nurses to seek further education and training, help ensure that nurses coming into the system are well prepared and, ultimately, help alleviate the nursing shortage problem (NYSNA, 2011). So it appears there is good news and bad concerning the state of health care in New York: on one hand, costs are out of control thanks Bridging the Cove

Assignment and Journal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

And Journal - Assignment Example Leadership is a critical element of change that requires consideration in achieving this goal. For this reason, the role of school authorities is essential in transforming schools into professional learning communities. Specialists relate various activities to the process of attaining PLC’s, they include; an assurance that students learn, existence of a culture of collaboration, focusing on results and hard work and commitment. All these are necessary in achieving this goal, and they go hand in hand. This paper analyzes implementation of these activities in an organization setting, the outcomes of this collaboration and its benefit on the organization. The discussion to the above issues appears below. To begin with, implementation of these activities is significant in getting a PLC. For instance, the process of ensuring that students learn is attainable in many ways. Teachers in a school should give required attention to every student depending on their abilities. There are re markable differences between an educated student and a learned student (Graham & Ferriter, 2009).Education concerns going through the curriculum while learning is the process, which result to full capacity to employ an idea in solving real life issues. Learning, therefore, results into a professional learning community. ... The organization also needs to focus on the results. This is achievable by ensuring all workers understand overall requirements and direct their efforts towards their attainment. The benefits, which accrue to, an organization by implementing such activities, are tremendous. Having a professional learning community ensures an all rounded product. Such institutions equip students enabling their survival in the outside world once through with the curriculum. Learning, for instance, is necessary for societal development. The school or organization should not only focus their attention on completing curriculum, but also on the product in the making. The benefit this has on a student is the ability it instills on them enabling them to tackle various life challenges with ease (Graham & Ferriter, 2009).Learning comes with experience, and is a slow event which requires time to accomplish. Collaboration, on the other hand, benefits the organization in that it allows corporation and acceptance of responsibilities. In this way, people own problems and no one appears burdened. In addition, results also benefit the organization. The primary motivator of behavior is an achievement of results. For this reason, it is imperative to consider concentrating everyone’s efforts to attaining such results. This collaboration has several outcomes, mostly positives. Individuals in an organization corporate, and concentrate their efforts towards achieving set objectives. Moreover, it ensures people shoulder each other’s burdens, which is also, essential in developing a professional learning community. In conclusion, the process of developing a professional learning community is essential in societal development. Not only does it ensure that students learn and gain

The Persuasive Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Persuasive Research Paper - Essay Example Others, however, praised the decision of the committee terming it as a timely and accurate. In as much as critics hinted several reasons to support their position, it remains indisputable that the honor was a service granted at the right time to the president. The inventor of this priceless tribute granted to Nobel peace prize holders was Alfred Nobel. The respect was a courtesy offered to reputable people who pledge for and work to restore fraternity among world nations. It is noteworthy that critics of Obama’s recognition consider that the president, by 2009, had insignificant achievement in creating fraternity among nations. They hint at the short service time that the president had, by then, and find it inadmissible to grant honor to the president for that. This argument is remains illogical when used to disapprove the honor granted to the president in 2009. Foreign policy debates were among the president’s promises during his campaigns before his assumption of powe r. Restoring admirable relationship among world countries is unattainable without the art of conviction and deliberation. Among the greatest investments, that the president made to obtain power, was his superb articulation and conviction to boost the country’s foreign relations. ... Critics should detach the consideration of the short time of service from their argument since the president’s foreign relations debate was promising long before assumption of office. Critics against the honor highlight several nominees of the prize who were unsuccessful but, in their opinion, deserved the recognition. Critics point at icons as Joseph Stalin whose nominations in 1945 and 1948 received objection by the committee. Efforts by Stalin to create peace in the world by ending the second war were plausible enough, in the opinion of these critics, to attract the honor. In addition, critics to Obama’s honor attribute his youthful recognition of the president and cast doubts on the committee’s decision. The fact that Obama gained the recognition on his first nomination makes the critics to believe that it was untimely. These claims, however, remain illogical from several perspectives. Advocating for peace among world states is a commitment that does not come with age but an ideology. Alfred Nobel attributed to peace as the most invaluable benefit that humankind would attain in life. That turned to be his ideology and the reason for the respect since his death in 1896. As a reminder to critics of the honor, as ideology is collection of doctrines that find basis on political, social or any other area of knowledge. It is a reflection of the social or political demands of the people pledging for it. There is no relationship between the age, of a society or an individual, and an ideology. Peace qualifies to be among the most recognizable political ideologies, globally, and that is incontrovertible. Arguing that Obama was youthful to receive the honor, therefore, is undeniably wrong and inconsiderate. There are success stories of young economists, politicians,

Domestication of Dangerous Dog Breeds Essay Example for Free

Domestication of Dangerous Dog Breeds Essay Since the beginning of earliest civilisation, man has relied on and surrounded himself with animals, for both assistance with labour and companionship. The phrase ‘man’s best friends’ is often used to described one of the most loyal and popular of these animals, the dog. Yet, in recent years, under the continued influence of rising dog attack numbers and societal pressure, new legislation has been introduced, collectively known as ‘Breed-Specific Legislation’. Under these new laws, certain breeds of animal are restricted or deemed dangerous, simply because of stereotypes associated with temperament and aggression. While many believe that this legislation is the most suitable response to a rapidly accelerating concern, further anaylsis into both the legal and social aspects of the issue reveal that ‘Breed-Specific Legislation’ may not be the most effective solution to the issues surrounding the ownership and domestication of restricted dog breeds. The relevant legal proceedings for this issue is directly related to the structural legislative balance between the rights of the individual and the rights of the collective. Under Australia’s current laws, our views on this matter lean more favourably towards the rights of the collective community, preferring to cater for society as a whole, rather than to a select number of individuals. Under the QLD Animal Management (Cats Dog) Act 2008, a prohibited dog is defined as ‘A restricted dog is a dog of a breed prohibited from importation into Australia under the Customs Act 1901’, which is then further defined as the following breeds. The American Pit-Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino (The Argentine Mastiff), the Fila Brasileiro, the Japanese Tosa and the Presa Canario. Under this Act, anyone who is found to be in possession of, or declared the owner of, a dog determined by an authorised official to be of a restricted breed, is liable to severe legal implications and as a matter of course the dog is destroyed. However, there are no laws or recommendations in place, at least none accessible to the public, to determine what legal implications should occur. Any consequences are determined by precedent and circumstance, and often require mandatory legal representation in order to be settled effectively. This is predominately due to the provision under the Customs Act 1901, stating that it is the responsibility of the local governments to dictate the prohibition of certain breeds (or cross breeds) of dogs in their jurisdictions. These decisions are at the discretion of each local government’s law, and higher hierarchical authorities, such as the state government, have limited powers to intervene with these laws. This ambiguity means that there is no definitive response to be taken under criminal law, in the event of a breach. The responsibility falls to the local government to conduct the judicial proceedings and execute the consequences. As such, it is impossible to fairly and equally apply the current laws, when major decisions are left to the discretion of many individual stakeholders. The current breed-specific legislation also proves a difficult task to enforce. While there are set guidelines in determining a dog’s breed based on physical characteristics, according to the Australian Veterinarian Association ‘it is not possible to precisely determine the breed of the types of dogs targeted by breed-specific legislation by appearance or by DNA analysis. ’ As such, while an animal may contain genetic traces of restricted breeds, it can often be indistinguishable from other traits. In the same manner, however, animals completely free of restricted heritage traits may be mistaken for an illegal breed and destroyed, without reason. In the recent case, CHIVERS Vs Gold Coast City Council, 2010, the inability to definitively determine the difference between an American Staffordshire terrier and an American Pit Bull terrier, led to the erroneous decision stating they were ‘one and the same breed’. However, in September 2010, after further investigation into the matter, it was revealed that the two breeds can be distinguished and therefore, the Staffordshire terrier was not restricted under the legislation. This case study clearly highlights the ambiguity surrounding the defining of certain dog breeds, and explicitly emphasizes the inability of the legislation to make clear and accurate judging. Therefore, the current legislation cannot be considered an effective law, as it has been deemed ambiguous, unequally applied and incorrectly enforced. However, while the owner is liable to the majority of the consequences in the event of a breach, the current breed specific legislation only places restrictions on the certain dog breeds, rather than on the owners. A study conducted in Germany in 2008 investigating the concept of inherent aggression showed that 95% of test subjects had no evidence to show that agression was a result of ingrained breed-specific characteristics. It also proved that the inherent temperament of the restricted dog breeds, was similar and in some cases identical to the unrestrcited breeds. It then went on to summarise that the treatment and training of an animal in the early years of its life, far outways any ingrained tenacity for aggression. In the opinion of The American Kennel Club a national canine club dedicated to furthering the study, breeding and exhibiting of dogs. â€Å"If specific breeds are banned, owners of these breeds intent on using their dogs for malicious or illegal purposes will simply change to another breed of dog and continue to jeopardize public safety. As such, a qualified and competent owner cannot, under the legislaiton, own a restricted dog breed, regardless of their ability to control, train and rectify any behavioural instincts or tendencies. Whereas an owner, with no recognised skill or qualification in animal care or ownership may purchase an unrestricted dog, and either through lack of care, or deliberate conditioning, train it to exhibit behaviour and attitudes that are classifed dangerous. Upon analysis of Figure 1 (see appendix) , it can be seen that after the introduction of breed-specific legislation in 2005, while the number of attacks immediately fell approximately 40%, after less than a year the percentage of dog attacks had doubled and continued to rise over the next five years until attacks were occuring 6-7 times more frequently than before the legislation was introduced. While these statistics do not confirm that the legislation caused the increase in attacks, it does prove that breed-specific laws have had no long term positive effect on the total number of dog attacks since being introduced. There are two prominent stakeholders within the issue of animal restrictions. The owners, who should have the right to own a dog of their choosing, regardless of breed stereotypes, providing they can care for it properly, and the civic society, who have the right to live and interact within the community, without fear of attacks from dangerous animals. The main conflict of interest between these two stakeholders is the issue of legal balance whether the rights of the individual are balanced with the rights of the collective community. If an animal of any kind escapes control and is loose within the community, it is no longer only an individual concern. If the animal then attacks or frightens a member of the community, it becomes a threat to the collective society as a whole and therefore the issue of dangerous animals is both an individual and collective dispute and and must be dealt with as such. However, while it is conceded that dangerous dogs do pose a potential threat to community members, the restricted dogs highlighted in the Animal Management (Cats Dog) Act, as explained above, have been proven by both scientific and survey evidence, to not be dangerous or aggressive by nature. As such, they should no longer be separated from other canine species based solely on the breed-specific legislation. Therefore, until such a time as they are deemed individually dangerous, restricted dogs should remain an individual’s concern. Upon closer review many minor stakeholders also come to light. Dog breeders face limitations on the number of restricted animals they are allowed to breed, which causes a lose of income. Those specialising in the breeding and training of these restricted animals are unable to employ their qualifications to the best of their ability due to stereotypical restrictions. Also, if at anytime, the heritage of a litter is determined to contain traces, whether intentionally or unknowingly, of any of these restricted breeds, no matter how small, all animals from the lineage are seized and most often destroyed, tarnishing the good reputation of the breeders concerned. The local councils responsible for the regulation and specific restrictions surrounding this issue are also heavily involved stakeholders. The council, while considering the effectiveness of any agenda, will be primarily looking for the solution executed with the most ease, as animal management is not a high priority in comparison to other issues. While employing the idea that ‘segregation is better than rehabilitation’ may be the easiest solution, as discussed above, it is certainly not the most effective. Another group of stakeholders, though often overlooked, are the animal activists and veterinarians involved in these issues. They have conducted experiments and collected survey data and are in possession of scientifically provable and viable evidence, such as the information presented above, to explictly show that breed specific tendancies of animals are only one of many factors that make up an animals characteristics and behaviour. These lobby groups and experts could dedicate their time to more pressing scientific or social issues, but are instead having to fight legislation which has no basis in scientific or civic fact. If the restrictions are revoked and breed-specific regulations are reviewed, then viable alternatives must be proposed and considered in order to effectively control what would still be a delicate situation. One possible alternative is categorizing animals based on individual character and aggression tests. It is already mandated that animals are checked by a certified veterinarian before registration and during regular points throughout the animals life, so, if introduced, these aptitiude tests could be amalgamated into this process and thereby, introduced effectively and without additional labour or due process. Another possible alternative is to direct the responsibility onto the potential owners themselves. Regardless of whether or not a breed is considered ‘dangerous’, it falls to the owner of the dog to educate and train it in such a way that it acts in an acceptable manner. Restriction is thereby determined not by the ownership of certain dog breeds, but by the behaviour or potential behaviour of both the owner and the individual animal in question. A legislative amendment, stating that any attack by a domesticated animal, specifically dog/s, would incur both a criminal and civil liabilty to fall upon the owner, will add a significant amount of risk to the purchase of said animal breeds. In this way, with the legislation focusing primarily on irresponsible or unqualified dog owners, the element of risk would ensure that only animal owners who are proficient in the training and keeping of dangerous dogs would consider the purchase, thereby reducing the number of dogs becoming conditioned to attack others. â€Å"If we want to prevent all bites, there is only one sure way and that is to ban all dogs. That is of course as unrealistic as trying to prevent bites by enacting breed-specific legislation. † (Bandow, 1996) It is the authors opinion, that this statement is the most effective summary of the current breed-specific legislation laws. As long as society continues to accept and welcome dogs as companions, there will continue to be issues regarding, what is in essence, a wild animal. However, the studies and analysis continue to show that there is little, if any proof that the breeds currently listed as restricted have any inherent tendacies affecting aggression or behaviour, and thereby distinguishing them from other breeds. As such they have no place being banned from our society simply due to the ill-informed stereotypes, generated by breed-specific legislation. Therefore, based on the evidence and analysis at hand, the proposed alternatives would prove a far more effective solution in the effort to solve the issues surrounding the ownership and domestication of restricted dog breeds. APPENDIX BIBLIOGRAPHY Bibliography 2008 Act No. 74. (2008). Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008, 142. QLD, Australia. CHIVERS Vs Gold Coast City Council (The Supreme Court March 2010). American Kennel Club. (2011). Brisbane City Council. (2013, January 17). Dangerous, Menacing and Restricted dogs. Retrieved January 17, 2013, from Brisbane City Council: http://www. brisbane. qld. gov. au/laws-permits/laws-and-permits-for-residents/animals-and-pets/cats-dogs/dangerous-menacing-restricted-dogs/index. htm Hall, A. (2012, August 15). Vets call to end dangerous dog breed bans. ABC NEWS. Marinucci, E. (2012 . 2013, September 12). Aritcles: Examples of Typical Situations of Injuries Caused by Dogs. Beger Co. Lawyers. The Australian Veterinary Association Ltd. (2012, August). Dangerous Dogs – A Sensible Solution: Policy and Model Legislative Framework. Australia. Van den Burg, L. (2011, December 12). Dangerous Dog Breed Bans Wont Stop Bites Say Health Professionals. Herald Sun.

A Bet Against Internet Gambling :: essays

A Bet Against Internet Gambling I love gambling. Who doesn’t? The minute you walk into a casino you are overwhelmed by exciting noises, flashing lights and people having a good time. There is so much excitement it isn’t hard to become addicted, especially after your first big win. The rush you get from winning is something that is hard to parallel. Trust me I know. I almost became addicted. I realized the trouble I was heading for before it was too late. I was a lucky one. Many people aren’t as lucky. It is especially easy for people who live very close to a casino to get addicted because it is so easily accessible. Now imagine if everyone who had a computer had 600+ casino’s right in their own living room. It is like everyone having access to crack cocaine all the time. Not quite as addictive, but you get the idea. That is why I am for Internet gambling prohibition. Some people might say that prohibition isn’t fair, that there are people who can handle the responsibility. Why should everyone suffer because some people can’t handle it? I would tell them that in making a decision like whether or not Internet gambling prohibition should be enforced the benefits should outweigh the risks. In this case they definitely do. Internet gambling is easy to get hooked on. There are advertisements for casinos at almost all of the major search engines and home pages (ex: yahoo, metacrawler, excite etc.) Many of these advertisements claim that they have free gambling or give away free money. For example one casino will give you $125.00 for a $50.00 deposit. Do you think they would really give you that money if they weren’t confident that you would get hooked and spend it all there or if they thought that they wouldn’t get it all back? Once they have lured you to their websites it is easy for them to get your money. It seems a lot easier to spend virtual casino tokens purchased with a credit card than it is to spend your actual hard earned cash at a real casino. Another obvious problem with having online casinos is that children have easy access to them. There is no way to check ID. Anyone with a credit card number can play. Parents of children who gamble online are legally responsible for the de bt that their children accumulate.

Essay and Art Essay

In the essay Pablo Picasso: Living in His Own Shadow, author Ellen Goodman uses fact, emotion and personal experience to illustrate the cycles of creating and aging, living in the limelight and passing on the torch. Goodman captures the sadness and the beauty of being replaced or falling out of fame while using Picasso and his works as an example of how even the most talented of persons must succumb to limitation. Goodman makes a point that some artists graciously recognize when it is time to cease their works but others persist despite the fact that their prime has passed. According to Goodman, Pablo Picasso represents the limitations in which we all must recognize but also the beauty in rebellion and persistence. Goodman juxtaposes Picasso against many famous people who like Picasso grew old and eventually had to admit that they could no longer perform at peak performance. â€Å"It is said that when Picasso was a teenager, his artist-father gave the boy his own palette, brushers and colors, and never painted again, (LoRocco & Coughlin, 1995, p. 198).† This actually seems to be factual. When Picasso was 13-years-old his father gave up painting admitting that his son had surpassed him in skill, (Pablo Picasso, n.d.). It is interesting that Goodman introduced the essay using this example considering the entire essay is about artists and well known figures who did not step out of the spotlight when their time was due.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"We feel sad that Joe DiMaggio sells coffee makers and uncomfortable that Willie Mays ‘stayed too long.’ Few of us know how to deal with the man or woman who ‘used to be’ somebody, (LoRocco & Coughlin, p. 199).† Goodman describes her personal feelings when reviewing Picasso’s work at an art exhibit. She states that although Picasso was an exceptional artist at every age his later work is lacking in many ways. Goodman uses her observations to express sympathy toward Picasso as opposed to disdain for his later works. â€Å"Yet as we wandered through the last thirty years of his life, you could see it all slip. The exhibit kindly excludes the commercial peace doves and greeting card poster art of the last few years. But still, it is easy to see the versatility turning frenetic – the search turning downhill. There is even a sense that perhaps he began to imitate himself – not just create but to create ‘Picasso,’ (LoRocco & Coughlin, p. 198).† In essence Goodman shows contempt for Joe DiMaggio and Willie Mays yet for Picasso Goodman expresses a sense of being perplexed and full of wonder, similar to her response to other artists including Frank Sinatra and Tennessee Williams. â€Å"It is something I have thought before. I’ve though of it whenever Tennessee Williams turns up in the news, alive but rarely well, writing poorly in comparison to his own brilliant retrospectives. I’ve thought of it when Frank Sinatra goes on stage, all blue eyes and strained vocal cords. They are pale versions of themselves, (LoRocco & Coughlin, p. 198).† But was Picasso a â€Å"pale version† of himself? According to Goodman there was a sense of grace and rebellion in the fact that Picasso worked until his death. â€Å"There is something, not sad but remarkable, in this refusal to ‘act his age,’ or retire gracefully. Surrounded by his own collection of his favorite cubist work, he must have known his limits. But out of compulsion or conviction he kept working.† It is true that Picasso worked rigorously until his death. â€Å"Death holds no fear for me,’ Picasso recently told a friend. ‘It holds a kind of beauty. What I am afraid of is falling ill and not being able to work. That’s lost time, (Time, 1973,  ¶ 1).† Picasso, as opposed to Mays and DiMaggio, did not work to make extra funds doing something which reminds us of their failing talents, like sell coffeemakers, Picasso worked to work. He created for the enjoyment of creating. His final work may have been pale in comparison to the masterpieces of his youth but as Goodman points out everything in life pales in comparison with youth. â€Å"Living in your own shadow is a problem of aging athletes and beautiful women and artists and actors and, to an extent, all of us, (LoRocco & Coughlin, 1995, p. 198).† Goodman’s experience at the exhibit for Picasso’s art left her contemplating what it would be like to find oneself living in a world where the past constantly haunts the present. She expresses the sadness of this by using examples of other artists and athletes who have made history and then faced limitations. But living with ones past is part of life and the limitations associated with aging do not have to be stifling. â€Å"Creation,’ Picasso said. ‘Is the only thing that interests me, (LoRocco & Coughlin, 1995, p. 199).† This statement must have been true for Picasso, who spent his entire life creating despite the fact that his later years are not defined as his most influencial in terms of artistic expression. References LoRocco, C., & Coughlin, J. (1995). The Art of Work: An Anthology of Workplace Literature (1st Edition ed.). : Glencoe/McGraw Hill. Pablo Picasso. (n.d.). Retrieved Jan. 4, 2009, from Wikipedia: www.wikipedia.com Time, H. (1973, April 23, 1973). Pablo Picasso’s Last Days and Final Journey. Time Magazine, .

Environmental Issues In Real Estate Essay

Real estate transactions involve the purchase of land properties and generally, environmental issues are frequently considered before a sale is completed. Environmental issues are usually taken into account, be it a residential real estate property, or a huge industrial piece of land. Should environmental risks be associated in a particular real estate property, these are frequently manageable, but the more critical issue regarding environmental issues is the efficient identification and reaction to these environmental issues (Goeters, 1996). Most problems arise after a real estate property sale because the environmental issues were not detected as early as possible. The most common environmental issue that is associated with real estate is land contamination. Such environmental issues generally come from the activities of the present or past owners, or better categorized as on-site contamination. Another source of land contamination could be off-site, which involves the physical location of the real property to outside sources of contamination. It is important that the source of the contamination of the land be identified so that the amount of risk may be determined. In addition, knowledge of the contamination source allows sanctions for property responsibility. Issues are considered severe when the water reservoir and its connecting waterways for drinking water are already affected or positioned near the real estate property. Another environmental issue that is considered as a major concern in real estate is mold contamination. The spread of pathogenic fungi and its spores frequently originate from buildings that are erected using low-quality standards and currently have poor ventilation. Such fungi often generate spores that are usually air-borne and may be transmitted through wind and any air circulating system. These spores may also stick to the walls of an existing building that is situated on the real estate property. Not only do fungal spores cause future deterioration to a building, these spores may even cause upper respiratory tract infections, allergies and immune reactions in the individuals that frequent the area involved. Several lawsuits have accumulated in connection to personal injuries or diseases causes by exposure to these pathogenic fungi. In addition, the insurance industry has lately been involved in cases that involve exposure to building-related real estate properties. Furthermore, fungal contamination involves all types of real estate properties, including residential, commercial and industrial buildings, and the effect of such contamination is doubly felt because the building’s structure itself will continuously deteriorate unless treated, and the residents of the home or the employees of a commercial or industrial company make succumb to fungi-caused illnesses. It has been strongly suggested that owners of real estate properties be cautious of the insurance coverage they procure for their employees should such untoward incident occurs in their company or industry. Asbestos is also an environmental issue that should be carefully considered in real estate. Asbestos is generally a component of pipes and boiler rooms, as well as in flooring materials and in roofs. Asbestos exposure cases are often higher in number in commercial and industrial companies, yet these cases may also occur in residential real estate properties. The amount of money require to solve any presence of asbestos in a building is usually huge, hence it should always be kept in mind that any possible cause for asbestos exposure be pointed out as early as possible, before any exposure is determined to be chronic, which is turn results in more severe health problems among individuals associated with the real estate property. Individuals practicing in the real estate business should be sincere enough to advise the client about any information that may be associated with asbestos presence or exposure within a real estate property he is showing and selling. Another element that has been identified as an environmental issue in real estate is radon. Radon gas shows no color or odor, and is very diffusible through water and air. This gas has been frequently reported in residential real estate properties, hence it is important that the water and air of a real estate property be tested for radon gas before any further step is taken towards the purchase or sale of a real estate property. Unfortunately, the safe or tolerable level of radon gas has not been established to date, hence any tests for the presence of radon gas in the water or in the air is just to satisfy the need to know where radon gas is indeed present in a real estate property. Real estate properties such as buildings and houses are often presented to potential buyers as painted structures that are ready for occupancy. Hence, the environmental concern for lead in the paint used to coat the walls of the rooms of the real estate property is also an issue. Individuals most affected by the presence of lead in the paint used to coat the walls are the young children who often play on the floor of the rooms of a residential establishment. Young toddlers often crawl around the house and unfortunately, ingest any little thing they find interesting in front of them. These little things may be lead paint chips that fall off from the wall and ceiling and land on the carpet, floor, or even the soil in the backyard. Other families enjoy gardening and planting their own vegetables, hence the presence of lead in the soil may pose a bioaccumulation of lead in the people living in this contaminated real estate property. It is therefore important that pre-erected real estate structures be evaluated for the presence of lead before any further step in done towards the purchase of the real estate property. Should lead be detected in a real estate property, an abatement procedure may be performed before any family or individuals move into the real estate property. Currently, there are several assays that may be employed in the identification and management of environmental issues associated with real estate properties (Spada, 1997). Hence, it is imperative that these environmental factors be tested before any purchase is done on a real estate property, because it these factors go undetected, the consequences on the personal health of the individuals that will live or frequently spend time within the real estate property will be affected. Such undisclosed environmental issues often end up in lawsuits, as well as tarnished reputations in the real estate business. Hence, for those in the real estate business, it is of prime importance that reliable and specific information be obtained about the real estate property they are advertising and selling. Such caution regarding the collection of information will serve as a good method is preserving the real estate business of a company. Certain real estate companies have established their own customized procedure in reviewing properties before they release these properties to the public and announce that this property is for sale. These customized procedures should be foolproof, robust and efficient in identifying environmental issues in a real estate property. Should this be kept in mind, there would probably be lesser cases of lawsuits and health illnesses in the future.

The eNotes Blog A Conversation with Joyce CarolOates

A Conversation with Joyce CarolOates The team visited this years LA Times Festival of Books to bring you recaps of the captivating interviews with some of the most anthologized writers. You may recognize the first as part of your syllabus if youve ever read her infamous short story, Where Are You Going, Were Have You Been? Its the prolific and talented Joyce Carol Oates! In 1984 Joyce Carol Oates relegated a manuscript shed been working on, complete but imperfect, to a dark drawer. As its pages yellowed and mildew took up residence, the would-be novel emerged into the light of day just once every seven years or so, only to promptly return. Writing is very intuitive, Oates says of her most recent (or most recently published) novels thirty year history. You cant quite force it. Luckily for her readers, the manuscript found its way back into Oates hands at just the right time, for now we have The Accursed. Oates began her conversation on the novel with some explication on its genre. As a formalist, she admits the attraction of writing in various styles. Over the years she has dabbled in just about everything, though the same vein of sinisterness is rather pervasive throughout. As for The Accursed, Oates herself called it her foray into a neo-Gothic genre a post-modernist horror. (In case one couldnt tell from the book cover, it has a bit to do with vampires.) But the author could just as easily be noted for dipping a toe into the historical fiction pool, given the number of historic figures who meander in and out of the plot. Set in Princeton in 1905, The Accurseds minor players include writers and politicians who lived in the college town at that moment in history; Franklin Roosevelt (then just 23), Upton Sinclair, Mark Twain, and Jack London to name a few, which Oates labels the Shakespearean sub-figures of her work. In a minor way, their presence as relative rabble-rousers of their time advances the themes of The Accursed: those  of class betrayal and racial discriminationhardly light topics for a vampire novel. To unpack these themes a bit more, it is imperative to point out the timing of that mildewy manuscripts resuscitation. When Oates picked it up again in 2010, America had at last elected an African-American man as its presidenta decision that is a far cry from the attitudes of 1905 upper class Princeton, though the threads of racial tension remain. The author admits that her choosing to revive the novel at that particular time is not unlike Millers writing of The Crucible when he did, since it takes a contemporary problem and places it in another time, thereby highlighting it more. In all, one could look at Oates’ latest as a Gothic family drama, a supernatural romance story (complete with the bride being kidnapped by a vampiric seducer at the altar), even a historical satire.   Or one could simply recognize The Accursed for what it is outside of Oates formalist playan homage to American history, literature, and themes, however sordid those may be. Ready to test your knowledge? Take the   Joyce Carol Oates quiz here!

Philosophy Paper Parental Licensing Essays

Philosophy Paper Parental Licensing Essays Philosophy Paper Parental Licensing Essay Philosophy Paper Parental Licensing Essay May 6, 2013 Essay 3 Parental Licensing Congress is considering passing a law that would mandate parental licensing and two experts are testifying, philosophers, Lafayette and Frisks. I think Congress should listen to Leaflets defense testimony and enact parental licensing immediately. Lafayette argues parents should be required to obtain a license before they can raise a child. Though he says there are many hurdles in this claim but they can be addressed overtime. Part of Loftinesss core argument is that the state regulates lots of activities that are harmful to others, so why does the state not regulate parental sensing? For example, the state mandates people sixteen and over to have a drivers license if they want to drive an automobile in order to better protect society. Lafayette says, safe performance of the activity requires a certain competence(Licensing Parents, 390). A drivers license test regulates and requires a level of competence and if you pass you can legally drive a car. Similarly, Lafayette offers the same principle for a parenting test. Likewise, surgeons have medical tests and schooling to become a legal surgeon in order to keep patients safe. Lafayette also stands for this argument and feels it relates to licensing adults to prove their competence to be a good parent. The main goal is to protect children in his eyes, he states, each year more than half a million children are physically abused or neglected by their parents(391). If there is a parenting test in order to protect even a few children we should mandate it in order to lower that horrific statistic. Many people lack the knowledge they need to raise children or they lack the stability, energy or patience that is necessary in the child rearing process (392). Since we already remove children from abusive parents and homes to further prevent harm, he claims, why dont we require adults to prove that they are competent parents before they have children. Lafayette believes it is better to catch some bad parents than none like we catch some bad drivers than none with a licensing test. It is important for people to prove their competence before they engage in activities and a license or test fulfills that claim according to Lafayette. The only way to deny this conclusion is to deny the need for licensing any potentially harmful activity'(392), whether the regulation of drivers, doctors, or surgeons and without those regulations it breaks down a stable society. Addressing the issue of what happens when you fail the test is similar to the process of failing a drivers test though this issue can be addressed later on. If you are denied a drivers test you are given the opportunity to repeat the test to obtain your drivers license and thus if you fail the test you could to go counseling or therapy to improve your chances on passing the next test. The second part of Loftinesss core argument is his analogy with adoption; he claims that f we screen parents who want to adopt children we should screen biological parents as well. He states, the adoptive process is far more rigorous than the general licensing procedures I envision(398). In order to adopt a child you are tested many recognizes these demanding pre adoption procedures exclude some people who could be bad parents, which is a positive thing. Adoptive children are five times less likely to be abused than children reared by their biological parents(399). We screen adoptive parents because its better to deny some people the opportunity to adopt than freely allow anyone to adopt a child. Lafayette sees many parallels between his licensing program and the adoption program mainly, both programs have the same aim- protecting children(399). If we continue to regulate the adoption of children we should be compelled to establish a licensing program for any biological parent as well. Though, if you get pregnant without a license Lafayette wouldnt want to make abortions mandatory at all. He is against forced abortion, however, he would say the child would have to be taken from you until you pass the test in order to protect the child. You could be penalized for raising a child without a license that may be noninsured a crime, as if you drove a car without a drivers license. This program according to Lafayette does not demand that we license only the best parent; rather it is designed to exclude only the very bad ones (396). It is hard to test for good parents but easy to test for harmful ones, because they are defined as those who could abuse or neglect their children. Therefore there is enough criteria to make a licensing program for parents to successfully work in society. Though procedures for licensing drivers or surgeons are not a 100 percent accurate we embrace them anyway, so we should embrace the parental licensing program even though it is not 100 percent accurate as well. On the opposition side of the argument is philosopher Frisks who is against parental licensing. Frisks claims societies undertake licensing because there is reason to believe licensing will exert some control over specific risks. The risks fall into these categories according to Frisks, risks arising out of ignorance, risks arising through physical or mental incapacity, risks arising from willful misconduct, and risks arising through negligence or inability to exert self control over behavior(On Licentious Licensing, 348). Risk of ignorance and physical or mental disability are not factors for bad parenting, while risk of willful misconduct or lack of self control are factors for bad parenting according to Frisks. First, the ignorance risk says that you dont harm your kids and be a bad parent from ignorance, parents know that abusing your child is bad. A horrible doctor could harm patients with improper medicine but not because of ignorance, they know administering that particular medicine is bad. If you test based on ignorance in a parental licensing test there is no empirical reason to believe that making knowledge of parenting a prime retention for licensing would reduce the incidence of child abuse(348). Secondly, the physical or mental disability risk is not a factor in regards to parenting because if you cant walk that doesnt mean you cant be a caring and loving parent. For example, a deaf parent could care for an infant only if flashing lights were provided to alert the parent of the babys crying (349). In the case of the surgeon, if they cant see and lack adequate vision while performing surgery then the disability would be a factor for them in being a bad surgeon. We can test for this risk, however, it would not be a actor to prevent bad parenting. Thirdly, willful misconduct risk is a huge factor for bad parenting because it includes purposive violence to a child by the wrongdoer. Parents who like to be abusive exist; however, screening for them couldnt work on a violate those standards(349). Lastly, the self-control risk is a factor in bad parenting because if a parent gets frustrated really easily or if they are constantly under high stress they could potentially release that stress on their child. For example, they could shake their infant extremely hard out of a lack of self-control outbursts. Frisks says most cases of child abuse fall under this category and that it is difficult to image a testing situation that could duplicate that(349). The risks that are relevant cannot be tested for and the risks that are not relevant can be tested for on a parental licensing test. Frisks claims Loftinesss proposal wouldnt work on the grounds that he is confusing competence, testing drivers to see if they are fit to drive, with good Judgment, a quality that is indirectly in our present licensing procedures (351). Frisks says Lifestyles argument fails theoretically because he proposed sensing based on predictions of future abusive behavior from parents and that argument cannot hold in Frisks eyes. For example, what do we do if one parent passes the test and the other does not and should the licensing tests be repeated at different times? These questions and concerns about Loftinesss proposition are highlighted in Frisks response stating why licensing is not beneficial. The four risks provided by Frisks state the flaws in Loftinesss proposal for parental licensing. I agree with Lafayette on his position to enact parental licensing on the same reasons e presents. Though I find some of his arguments stronger than others especially the argument that if you are against parental licensing on the basis that it is not theoretically desirable or that there is no reliable procedure to implement this program, you also must deny the need to license any potentially harmful activity. I believe that the state regulates activities that are harmful to others and parenting should be one of those regulated activities since it is potentially harmful to children. Regulating drivers and surgeons protects the greater good therefore I agree with Lafayette saying administering a parental licensing test will protect the greater good by eliminating the bad parents in society. I would not want to live in a society where there were no regulation laws and anyone could drive a car or anyone off the street could perform surgery. Though I do understand that there will be unintentional mistakes with accepting this program and that would affect innocent individuals. However, there will always be mistakes in any licensing program, for example, the state could grant a license to a pharmacist who luckily passed the licensing test and hen could administer the wrong drugs to many patients. On the other side the state could not grant a drivers license to a single mother who needs to drive to work simply because she accidentally made a wrong turn during the drivers test. Although these mistakes do not add up to the importance of implementing the licensing program in my opinion because the greater good will benefit. I also support Lifestyles adoption argument because whether the child is yours biologically or through adoption I believe they should be equal in their testing for parental competence because the love for the child is equal in both cases. I feel Loftinesss strongest argument is his adoption argument and it is the argument I support the most as well. I believe since our screening on adoptive parents is so extensive and is non-existent for biological parents that the difference is concerning and needs to be equal. The parental licensing tests may also benefit society because if any adult takes the test they could qualified to raise a child. This in result protects a child from potentially being neglected or abused because the parents didnt realize they werent ready yet. In reply to my opinion there is a genetic objection that needs to be addressed. Lafayette supports a parental license test to determine the competence of an adult to be a good parent. Though if you support that claim you should support the idea of a genetic test to determine if the adult will pass on good genes to their child, therefore being a good parent genetically. Bad parents create the risk of harm, either mental or physical pain, on their children and parents can increase the likelihood of hurting your children by passing on genetic characteristics as well. Transmitting certain genetic traits, such as anxiety or depression, to your children can hurt them just as much as inflicting physical or mental on them. If you fail Loftinesss licensing test, you are deemed a bad parent, though with time you could change and retake the test and pass and be deemed a competent parent. However, you cannot test traits such as anxiety or depression on a written test therefore there would need to be a correlating genetic licensing test. Say an adult takes the genetic test and the results conclude that there is a fifty percent chance to pass genes of depression to your child, and then you are deemed inadequate to be a parent. In this case there is o ability to retake the test because your genes are permanent so if you fail the test you cannot be a biological parent. This genetic testing leads too slippery slope because if you are in favor of parental licensing for Loftinesss reasoning, how do you stop sterilization in the basis of genetic screening? Should the state then be able to mandate genetic screening? If you get advice from a doctor to not have a baby because a poor genetic trait could harm that child is different than the state forbidding you to reproduce. All human rights are also conditional, for example, the eight to religion is limited by the lack of a right to harm others and therefore the right to have kids is limited by not harming them. If we ban genetically bad people from reproducing in order to avoid harming children, we would loose diversity in the world, therefore leading to a snowball effect of negativity. Only the healthy and beneficial traits would thrive leaving us with a society of perfectly engineered people who all look the same and society would be defined by sterilization. Without uniqueness or differential genes in the world society will lack the necessary character it needs to thrive. Say you only can reproduce if you are athletic, intelligent and physically attractive because those traits that will benefit your child, then anyone else who doesnt have those traits will be eliminated since they cannot reproduce according to the genetic test. Therefore a genetic test in correlation to determine if you are a fit parent to raise a child is a destructive program for society. In response to the genetic objection, I believe that genetic licensing is not as bad as it seems and that if you dont make the claim to support genetic licensing that there will be something worse down the line to accept. Genetic licensing is not detrimental in my opinion because if you fail this genetic test you could still adopt a child because then you would not pass on your bad traits on to your child. If you want to raise a child there should be no difference in the love you give them if you adopt or biologically reproduce. Genetic testing is not as bad as it seems because say you have a disease such as downs syndrome and want to reproduce the odds of would not want to reproduce knowing I would pass my negative traits on to my biological child, therefore I would adopt so I could still raise a healthy child. Preventing and even eliminating these horrible diseases is something society can benefit from in my opinion. Sterilization may not be a bad thing since no one would have to suffer from cancer or be inflicted with continuous anxiety if these traits didnt exist in the world. I also agree with Lafayette on his adoption argument, therefore I support a written test and a genetic test for parental licensing for biological and adoptive parents. Genetic testing leads us to eugenics, even declaring who can reproduce and who cannot on the basis of their genes, and this slippery slope could potentially lead us to the issue of regulating adoption. It could say that since we dont want to test genetics in order to be a good parent then we cant have a written test and if we cant have a written test for biological parents we shouldnt test or screen for adoptive parents. Therefore I am more willing to embrace the argument for genetic testing because I support adoption regulation. According to Loftinesss principle harming children is wrong and a written licensing test to screen for parental competence can lower the odds of hurting children. I believe you cannot have a written test without screening with a genetic test because there are many active genes that can be harmful to children. I am not willing to accept letting anyone decide they want a child then go adopt one on the spot without any screening on their competence to raise the child. Either outcome is potentially harmful in my option but I am more willing to bite the bullet and accept the genetic testing bullet because not screening adoptive parents is even worse. I also support genetic testing on the grounds of Harriers yuck factor because with parental and genetic screening, genetic screening feels yucky or intrusive to us, though because something feels strange to us doesnt mean we shouldnt do it. Genetic testing is not as bad as it seems in my opinion. Lafayette and Frisks both raise convincing points in their arguments, however, I support Loftinesss claim on supporting parental licensing. There are millions of children in the world who suffer from parental violence or negligence and I believe there needs to be a test for adults to take before they can reproduce. It is contradictory to say that the state can regulate some activities that are harmful to others but not every activity that is harmful to others. Parental licensing is harmful to others so it should be regulated and congress should pass the law to enact it.

Free sample - Challenges of Women of Color. translation missing

Challenges of Women of Color. Challenges of Women of Colorâ€Å"If you take, for example, the law firm that is white-male-centric and that women, in general, have a difficult time, then women of color will have a more difficult time. There seem tobe more perceptions - either in terms of women of color’s goals, desires, motivations, andin some cases, their abilities - that make it more difficult to navigate workplace andto find people who can appreciate what women of color are doing. We have had a moredifficult time, in terms of getting people to advance women of color† Senior partner, black man Women and people of color generally are considered to face unique challenges in acquiring power and influence in corporations. Thus, the ways in which women succeed in gaining real power at work can be contrasted and compared greatly depending on particular case. Anyway in the modern workplace both men and women got used to sharing the working space, ideas and expectations. The conditions should be equal to everyone. It is no longer surprising that the woman can be promoted to the higher echelon of power in some particular company alongside the male colleagues. According to Muoio: â€Å"In fact, more people in the United States now work for women-owned businesses than for the 500 biggest public companies† (Muoio, 1998). So, why is it so that there is still so very much tension observed between men and women at work? Perhaps, it was set historically and traces back into the past, when it is impossible to ignore a million years of history - in the living room or at the office, no matter. However, females succeeded in acquirement of the power in the working place by means of acting in different natural to them style. â€Å"It’s dangerous to generalize, but there are differences between men and women in management style - not in skills but in style (Muoio, 1998). Indeed, notwithstanding all the bias and stereotypes concerning female work performance and the way they behave, females in many cases even overdid the men. It is important that it is much more difficult to gain recognition for the women of color, even harder than for males of the same color. Gender, alongside sex discrimination are inseparable issues of one and the same problem. â€Å"It’s no secret that women and minorities are underrepresented in the executive ranks of American business. Women hold just 19 percent of senior officer positions in corporate America, while ethnic minorities of both genders hold just 16.7 percent of the top spots – about one leadership position in six† (U.S. Census Data, 2000). More than that, the sources claim that â€Å"even the well informed might be shocked to learn how few women of color have achieved senior executive status in the United States. Though minority women make up 13.4 percent of the U.S. workforce, they hold only 1.6 percent of corporate officer posts at 429 Fortune 500 companies who responded to the survey† (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2003). Thus, it is obvious that the women of color are deprived of the governing positions in average. Sure thin, there are lucky exceptions, but still they are minor in comparison with the dominance of the white males and females in the same position. It is a very unjust matter of facts of the business life that females of color have more barriers than the white workers to overcome. They are considered to need â€Å"to be attuned to themselves† and the people around them to succeed and be promote. This means first of all using â€Å"emotional intelligence† is essential to find the right leadership or communication style for every situation. The challenged part of the working community – women of color are to obtain the necessary advancement in the companies they are working for. In such a way women of color need to specifically articulate, express their own authentic leadership style and voice. The condition of their success is the need of understanding the political landscape within their organizations and its unwritten rules. In addition, they must keep their own perspectives, ambitions, professional goals and sense of self. Having a mentor – it need not be a woman of color – helps. Having channels of communication to the highest levels and the support of a direct superior is critical. It is wise to note that the women of color who managed to succeed in business are considered to take the ownership particularly for their own advancement. This particularly often begins by personal development crafting plan and sharing it with the management. Most senior executives tend to understand ambitions. Those who are on board, but with management diversity will certainly support career ambitions of the executive, when they combine company goals with personal growth. However, again appealing to the statistics, the majority of surveyed women of color executives when asked about the career prospects were not so optimistic. Many believe that they must move out to move up. â€Å"Census figures confirm that women executives of all colors are leaving the top ranks of American business in droves. They held 32 percent of top jobs in 1990, but only 19 percent of such positions in 2000. This is a dangerous trend† (U.S. Census Data, 2000). Hence, it is obvious that the ways women and people of color generally face unique challenges in acquiring power and influence in corporations. However, there are cases of success. I believe with appropriate social attitude to the following minority and governmental support it is possible to increase the number of people of color on the leading positions in higher national and private structures. Industry has to act in order to create the inclusive corporate cultures and diverse management teams that are needed to lead tomorrow’s organizations to promote women of color to leadership positions, threatens morale, growth and productivity. References Muoio, Anna. Women and Men, Work and Power. January 31, 1998. Analysis of U.S. Census Data by Peopleclick Inc. Share of women and minorities in CEO, CFO, president and vice president positions, 1990 vs. 2000. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2003.

Combating corruption in the developing world Essay

Combating corruption in the developing world - Essay Example Numerous studies have shown that corruption is deep- rooted in most of the developing countries. Most developing countries have mechanisms that encourage the spread of corruption thus making it normal practice in these countries to an extent that those opposed to it are punished. In spite of this complacency, the developing countries have witnessed the impacts of corruption and are fully aware of t its negative effects in the long- run economic progress of a country. As a result, they have taken several measures to reduce or possibly eliminate corruption in their countries. More developing countries have expressed their resolve to combat corruption especially in response to international pressure and initiatives. However, despites notable efforts made there have been minimal real progress recorded in most of developing countries. It is against this background that it is important to discuss the effectiveness of specific policies in combating corruption in developing countries. In order to fight corruption, developing countries have formulated a variety of policies

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Family-run Business - Case Study Example The management primary involves family members though there may be hiring of external labor on special cases or when the business has expended and the family members cannot meet the labor demand of the business. Therefore in this case the business may hire the work of other experts to assist in running the business more so in areas where it feels that it cannot raise enough labor to meet the demands of the business. For example the business may hire experts on the areas like accounting where it cannot have the expertise in the family. But generally a small family business will use the labor force from the family. (Bork 2003, p. 76) Many of the family business that had started off as small business usually grow over the years and acquire an international standard. Most of them however are usually acquired by other people or they enter into partnership with other multinational companies in order to enhance their management. Therefore at some time, in their lifeline a family business may enter into partnership or get acquired by another businesses altogether in order to enhance their growth. Family businesses do not only reflect the source of income for the family but they also represent important values for the family as well. They communicate an important message about the values and believe of the family and they also show the aspirations of the family. Therefore the way in which these businesses are managed is very important as it determines the way in which they are going to serve and continues. Therefore the management of family business is one of the most important factors in running the business. However management of family business is more complex compared to management of other business due to the fact that there are some emotional bonds that area attached to the running of the business. Therefore one of the challenge that family business faces is the way in which decisions are made as far as the involvement of all the family members is concerned. The management becomes more complicated easily when it comes to the issue of making succession in the business from one generation to the other and the way in which these successions are to be hanged and management. Shirley Plantation Shirley Plantation is one of the oldest family run businesses in the USA. Shirly Plantation first plantation was in 1613 and was recorded as one of the economic engine of the new world. This was after 6 years when the founder John Smith had settled in the town of Jamestown. After that the crown granted carving of Shirley Plantation out of virginer farmers. The business was well established between the period where the settlement in Jamestown was happening and the period between the American independences from Britain in 1776. For all that time it was under the leadership of one family and has been able to survive the Indian uprising, Bacons rebellion, the revolutionary war, The Civil Wars and the Great depression all which has been enabled by efficient management of the company and its resources and the way in which it has been adopting to the changing technology in the world. (Shirley Plantation, 2008a) The company is recorded as the oldest family owned business in North America which dates back to 1638. The construction of its present mansions began in 1724 when Elizabeth Hill who as the great grandfathers of the first

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethics - Essay Example Ethics refers to the moral principles and set of laws of conduct that are universally acceptable to the majority of people (Arnhart, 1998). Apparently, human beings get accredited for having an innate ethical sense, which urges them into making predictable choices (MacKinnon, 2010). Whereas the majority of people consider their actions as getting guidance from logic and the reason, it appears that, in most cases, reason acts only as a device for justifying these options. Language gives people the opportunity for constructing sophisticated rationales that tend to support decisions that happen to be genetically driven (MacKinnon, 2010). Therefore, ethics education entails the recognition of the real power of a person’s innate ethical sense, along with the manner in which it affects his or her behavior. In this manner, a person is capable of freely reasoning and becoming an element that truly guide his or her actions hence devoid of the wisdom resulting from comprehending a perso n’s innate ethical self, reason continues to be a powerful propaganda piling for unchallenged essential human, ethical obligations (MacKinnon, 2010). The ethical actions tend to be valuable despite the consequences of those actions. Apparently, there is a possibility that the practice of ethics came to pass by natural consequences, as well as the actions, eventually this resulted in people making a decision of fitting the actions to the box by establishing a word for defining it that is ethics (Arnhart, 1998). When a person works industriously and is effectual, as well as professional in his or her duties, this means that he or she is engaging in vigorous work ethics. In most cases, this leads to the person getting a promotion and earning respect from fellow workmates who are incapable of attaining these standards (Arnhart, 1998). In this case, the reaction, together with the outcomes of decent work ethics or even upstanding, moral principles, along with the personal rules of conduct have resulted in this person excelling above the others. Consequently, when other people see the results of this person’s actions, they desire to emulate him, thereby beginning to behave in similar positive work ethic behaviors (Arnhart, 1998). On the other hand, other people with substandard ethical behaviors attempt to get similar results through cheating, lying, as well as falsifying information; this results in them being not as successful as the ethical person since their actions eventually return to bite them at a later stage. Consequently, people observe the outcomes leading to the majority of people choosing to be ethical since the ethical behaviors tend to be extremely successful, while, at the same time produces enhanced results at the end(Arnhart, 1998). This happens to be an ideal example of ethics as a learned behavior. Human beings have the freedom of determining what they perceive as being ethical behaviour considering that these decisions tend to have an effect on the human responsibility (MacKinnon, 2010). Apparently, the issue of ethics goes way back in time with highly ethical behaviors succeeding the unethical behaviors. As a matter of fact, in most cases, the truth always prevailed then as it does now, considering that ethical behavior gets rooted on the truth while unethical behaviors are not (Nelson, 2011). The majority of theorists contend on the notion of moral and evil; a person believing in the existence of inherent moral or

Discussion Topics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Discussion Topics - Essay Example The act was meant to raise taxes as a strategy to cut down on people’s spending and hence increase the recovery process. However, the measure had insignificant effects on the economy since it targeted businesses, which were already closing down. The worst impacts of the depression were felt on October 29, 1929 when the stock market closed its doors for the first time in what came to be known as the black Tuesday. Most economists attribute the great depression with the fall of stock prices that occurred in the US before it spread to the rest of the world. Having witnessed the impacts of the great depressions, Americans were fearful about similar occurrences. Fear from the great depression hindered people from achieving their financial targets and investing. People were scared about banking and saving in general. On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on the United States at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. This thrust America into World War II, and for the next four years. The war occurred during the era of the great depression when America was experiencing massive unemployment. Following the outbreak of the war, the position of women in the society is likely to have been reviewed. As men were recruited into the military, millions of women were left to take care of their families. Some of them took male dominated jobs in the manufacturing and construction industries. In addition, most women took leadership positions in their families as their husbands died in the war. The war changed the role of women in the society and compelled them to take male dominated positions such as politics. Entry of women into politics is also likely to have started during this

Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 2

Business Plan - Essay Example Student Fast Food (SFF) is a small fast food outlet, working in Cambridge for five years, and now intends to transform itself into a proper pizza hut by means of innovative and resourceful strategies. Presently the point, registered with Department of Food and Live Stock, is offering few local fast food items to the students and general public. Generation of revenue and profit is the main purpose of SFF. Since it’s a service provider unit, therefore, customer service is the base of its existence. Our aim is to become the first choice of the customers and make them staying with us again and again. UK fast food is the largest fast food industry in Europe which is double and triple in size than Germany and French markets respectively. The expenditures have been increased since the start of 21st century in UK. "The UK fast food market grew by 5.2% and reached a value of $2.2 billion in 2008" (Datamonitor, August, 2009). The diversified cultures of UK along with various cultural tastes have put a significant impact on pizza industry. The main contributory items of fast food industry are sandwiches (Greggs, Subway, and Thurstens), burgers (McDonalds and Burger King), chicken (KFC), and pizza (Pizza Hut and Domino). In terms of catering and hospitality, the burger sector is leading that had revenue of  £9.33 billion in 2008. This revenue was 4.2% greater than the previous year and it was 22.2% of the total fast food market. By including the business of coffee shops, the revenue would reach  £11.22 billion, greater than 4.4% of the year 2007. The global turndown of 2008 has bene fited the UK fast food industry as it has increased its presence by 8% in 2009 as compared to the last year (http://www.whatmattersweblog.com). Similarly fast food restaurant has also increased by 8.2% in ten major cities of UK within one year.

Discussion Topics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Discussion Topics - Essay Example The act was meant to raise taxes as a strategy to cut down on people’s spending and hence increase the recovery process. However, the measure had insignificant effects on the economy since it targeted businesses, which were already closing down. The worst impacts of the depression were felt on October 29, 1929 when the stock market closed its doors for the first time in what came to be known as the black Tuesday. Most economists attribute the great depression with the fall of stock prices that occurred in the US before it spread to the rest of the world. Having witnessed the impacts of the great depressions, Americans were fearful about similar occurrences. Fear from the great depression hindered people from achieving their financial targets and investing. People were scared about banking and saving in general. On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on the United States at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. This thrust America into World War II, and for the next four years. The war occurred during the era of the great depression when America was experiencing massive unemployment. Following the outbreak of the war, the position of women in the society is likely to have been reviewed. As men were recruited into the military, millions of women were left to take care of their families. Some of them took male dominated jobs in the manufacturing and construction industries. In addition, most women took leadership positions in their families as their husbands died in the war. The war changed the role of women in the society and compelled them to take male dominated positions such as politics. Entry of women into politics is also likely to have started during this

Critical analysis of clinical management plan (CMP) Essay

Critical analysis of clinical management plan (CMP) - Essay Example Typically, following the discussion of the clinical management plan, it is expected that either the independent or supplementary prescriber can write a copy of a plan prior to the beginning of a supplementary process. Additionally, Tomar (2008, 274) accentuates that a supplementary prescriber should take the responsibility of assessing and overseeing the treatment plan in line with the information provided on the clinical management plan; this include prescribing a drug among the drugs that are stated in the clinical management plan. This report is set to analyze critically a clinical management plan with respect to a patient that was initially prescribed the intravenous caomoxiclav after experiencing a dog’s bite; this was followed by a prescription of an oral coamoxicla after the supplementary prescriber found out that the condition had improved. A patient was bitten by a dog, and sustained minor injuries. However, after three days, the patient presented a sustained a punctured wound on the right forearm for a minor injury to the Accident and Emergency department. The wound was associated with a swelling, redness and pain. A diagnosis of the condition revealed that the patient was infected with cellulitis (Allan, Atkinson and Agada, 2013, p.1159). Although a dog bite is normally treated with oral coamoxiclav, the delay in presentation to a minor injury led the independent prescriber to prescribe an intravenous coamoxiclav antibiotic, as well as put lined mark on the redness with a recommendation to return for a review the following day (Asherson, 2011). However, the condition of the patient improved given that the redness and swelling reduced notably; the patient was directed to switch from the intravenous coamoxiclav antibiotic to an oral antibiotic. The patient is a female and office clerk of 30 years. Historically, the pa tient described that he is

Hospitality Management Essay Example for Free

Hospitality Management Essay Introduction The tourism industry is rapidly becoming one of the fastest growing and successful industries, with revenue of recorded 693 million international tourist arrivals in 2001, reported by World Tourism Organization (WTO), nevertheless its definition cannot be agreed on. Youell (1998; pg.9) presents a definition given by WTO in 1993 defining tourism as â€Å"activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure and other purposes.† During the nineteen century, there was a surge of mass tourism due to the advancement of all types of transportation as well as the development of seaside resorts. Society had greater income and more time for leisure (Urry, 2002; pg 16). Although tourism industry continued to grow, there was a shift in the tourism behaviour, WTO justifies this behaviour stating that society had become more aware of the environment and developed the sudden interest in different activities and opportunities involving local culture. Fennel describes alternative tourism as â€Å"small scale†; â€Å"locally-oriented†, tourists became more aware of local communities and with the environment. This theory is supported by WTO adding that consumers are now looking for â€Å"special, high quality, unforgettable experiences in which they can be active participants†. Furthermore it is added that special interest tourism is an extra motivation to tourist interest in engaging in more specific activities. Focusing solely on this topic, the author is to write a report on the grounds of special interest tourism. In order to achieve this, the author has chosen to analyze the surroundings of ecotourism in Amazon, Brazil. Therefore the report should offer the reader, provided with a justification, a sight full reportage based on one only special interest tourism, highlighting its history, size of market, market segmentation and examples of products available for the chosen special interest tourism. A review of models of motivation and tourism motivation enabling a study of different characteristics of the participants in the chosen special interest tourism should be included on the second section the report. The third section provides the reader an evaluation and profile of ecotourism identifying key organizations, agencies, communities, and businesses involved in the development of ecotourism in Brazil. Finally the last section incorporates an appropriate conclusion and recommendation which should include approaches that could provide a greater opportunity for the development and promotion of the ecotourism in the Amazon. Descriptive profile of the Special Interest Tourism activity The author had a chance to consider all options of research and carefully chosen to undertake a research and write a report concerning ecotourism in the Amazon. This topic was chosen as this is a new concept of special interest tourism and is in constant growth. Also this gives the author a chance to inform herself about ecotourism and its significance to the environment. As for the destination, Amazon was chosen because of its size, as it is the biggest tropical rainforest in the world and biggest biodiversity. Ecotourism activities have had a significant growth over the years due to â€Å"consumer concern about the environment† (WTO, 2002). United Nations decided to make 2002 the International Year of Ecotourism, focusing their reason to â€Å"bring together governments, international agencies, NGOs, tourism enterprises, representatives of local and indigenous communities and identify some agreed principles and priorities for the future development and management of ecotour ism† (Butcher, 2007, cited in CNEP/ WTO 2002a:7). Although 2002 was awarded as the International Year of Ecotourism by the United Nations, there is a general uncertainty concerning its history and meaning. Fennel (1995, pg. 25) defines ecotourism relating to nature, stating it is â€Å" a sustainable form of natural, resource-base tourism that focuses primarily on experiencing and learning about nature† connoting that such activity should occur in natural areas, contributing to the preservation of this. Opposing to this, WTO gives an alternative meaning to ecotourism, also based on the grounds of nature as â€Å"form of tourism in which the main motivation of the tourists is the observation and appreciation of nature† (WTO, 2002) Further to this, WTO views ecotourism as a form of tourism with 5 characteristics: 1. Tourists’ motivation should be nature-based involving observation and appreciation of nature as well as  preserving it. 2. It should contain educational features. 3. It should be organized by specialized tour operators for small groups. 4. It should minimize the negative impacts of the environment. 5. It should support the maintenance of natural areas by generating beneficial income to local communities, organisations and authorities responsible for the conservation of ecotourism areas. In contrast to the above definitions, based on nature, the International Ecotourism Society (ITES) offers a more profound meaning relating nature to local communities, â€Å"is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well being of local people† (ITES). It is agreed that both organisations have the same principles regarding the maintenance of ecotourism areas, where tourists should respect the environment, provide financial benefits and empowerment to local communities. Although there is a general disagreement on the exact meaning of ecotourism, all researchers agree that involves the environment and local communities; however it appears that there is an uncertainty about its origin. Research shows that ecotourism can be traced back to the late 1970s, this supported by Fennel (1999.pg 18) who presents reasonable arguments from studies demonstrating the origin of ecotourism. He describes how ecotourism emerged through tourists searching for environmental travelling surrounding nature and wildlife. In accordance with WTO (2002) ecotourism is a small niche market with a big potential for growth and economic advancement, one that if well managed can be used in conservation and preservation of nature and of the environment. Following their research based on the most popular countries for ecotourism, WTO has identified the market segmentation for ecotourists, which shows that: †¢ The majority is aged between 30 and 50 years old †¢ Mostly women †¢ Preferred activities were wildlife viewing, being in wilderness areas followed by seeing rare species. †¢ The top five preferred destinations for ecotourists were United kingdom, Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America Estimated as the biggest and richest ecosystems in the world, the state of Amazon in Brazil comprises of nine countries in South America all together, occupying almost half of the whole country. The state of Amazon is approximately 5million square kilometres, home to 200 mammal species, 950 bird species, 2,500 fish species and 300 reptiles’ species, making the Amazon the largest tropical rainforest in the world. In addition, the Amazon River, which cuts right through the state, is the second biggest river in the world after the Nile. Boats and ships are the best way of transportation as the Amazon is covered in forest. Amazon got its name after the Portuguese explorers started expeditions along the river for a lost city known as ‘Eldorado’ in the hope of uncovering a city made of gold, before the British, French and Spanish explorers found it. Eldorado could never be found, but the name remained the same. Amazon is not only the habitat of thousands of species but also home to indigenous tribes who live off the land just like their ancestors did depending on the ecosystem for their food, shelter and livelihoods. Although ecotourism is a new concept, it is rapidly becoming a fast growing economic factor in the Amazon as it attracts major tourists for its attractions. On the other hand, it is also in danger due to deforestation, logging and forest cleaning, which presents a threat to the Amazon (www.amazon-rainforest.org). As a form of special interest tourism, it is important to have products available for this, which represents the nature preserving its natural habitat. With this in mind, there are many activities disposable for tourism as ecotourism is growing in the Amazon (www.embratur.gov.br). With the growth of ecotourism in the Amazon, many ecological crosswalks activities are provided to tourists wanting contact with the largest biodiversity of the world. The National Park of Pico da Neblina and the national Park of Jaà º are two of the most popular locations for crosswalks in the Amazon (www.embratur.gov.br). Another popular product available to tourists is cave tourism otherwise known as espeleotourism, consisting of exploring the inside of caves and studying their formations. Within the Amazon, Mato Grosso is the most visited cave  (www.embratur.gov.br). Floatation is an additional form of ecotourism activity, consisting of light diving with the use of a snorkel and a mask allowing the diver to be enchanted by the beauty underneath the water. Mato Grosso is the most popular and sought after location for this in the State of Amazon. Fauna watching is popular for those mostly interested in wildlife. National Parks in the Amazon grants visitors with thousands of different species, experiencing nature at its best. Bird watching has become reasonably popular to numerous tourists who travel specifically to Amazon for its biodiversity in search of all types of endangered species. Considered as the most sophisticated city on the planet and an important location for ecological tourism, Manaus the capital of Amazon forest is home to almost 1.5 million inhabitants. The city attracts tourists for its natural beauty, ecological parks and a diverse of over 15 attractions (www.embratur.gov.br). These include: âž ¢ Paricatuba Waterfall located in the bank of Negro river formed by sediment and surrounded by vegetation. âž ¢ Love cascade situated at Guedes bayou and filled with cold and crystal clear water. âž ¢ Parque do Mindà º, one of the last resorts housing endangered species. âž ¢ Grove of the National Research Institute of Amazonia (INPA) âž ¢ Zoo of the Forest War Instruction Center (CIGS) which house 300 species of animals, among monkeys, jaguars, ariranhas (Brazilian otters), snakes, alligators, macaws, tapirs and land turtles. âž ¢ Tupà © Beach whose only access is by riverboat It is clear that tourists travel to Brazil for its raw beauty, especially to Amazon which is rich in biodiversity. Ecobrasil has published statistics on international ecotourism to which shows that 39% of tourists visit Brazil for its natural beauty, this being their main motivation for doing so, while 7% visit Amazon as their main source for ecotourism (www.ecobrasil.org.br). Ecobrasil has also demonstrated results carried by Embratur Domestic market study carried in 2005/2006 in which shows that 6% of tourists view ecotourism as a motivation for travel, confirming that only four million tourists are interested in ecotourism. Profile of the evidence of the motivation and satisfaction of SIT Above the author mentioned the statistics for tourists that visit Brazil and their motivation for such. However some researchers have identified other motives for motivation which explain reasons to choose a specific ecotourism location. Maslow generated a hierarchy of needs based on what motivates individuals when deciding where to go on holidays and what activities to pursue. This hierarchy of needs is based on a series of levels, starting on the lowest level and terminating on the upper level once all levels of achievement are satisfied. The hierarchy of needs is displayed as a pyramid and at the lowest level, this for physiological needs, where individuals have the needs to satisfy their most basic needs such as eating and clothing. Once this need is achieved, Maslow identifies the individuals desire to carry on achieving the remaining needs until all levels of the pyramid are satisfied (Mullins, 2007, p.258). On the contrary to this view, Ryan (1997) has argued that the tourist behaviour is behind the motivation of the traveller leading to a certain type of holidays, focusing on the social motivation rather than needs. He identifies how two tourists from different backgrounds can have different attitudes to holidays but have similar motivation for such stating â€Å"both sets of behaviour arise from the need to be with others†. Ryan also recognizes theoretical models of motivation by classifying theories and their researchers. One of these the concept identified by Pearce who argued travel motivation through the concept of travel career ladder, this corresponding to â€Å"learning through tourist experience† (Ryan, 1997, p.37). The travel career ladder is characterised by different forms of motivations, with relaxation at the bottom of the ladder, followed by stimulation, relationship, self-esteem and development and fulfilment, and it should be by order of travel experience, the more experience they are, more interest they start developing and their motivation to travel start to increase. This meaning that a tourist on their first holiday is looking for relaxation however the more they travel, motivation starts to change as they become more concerned with learning about history and culture, and in time, the tourists will rich the upper level of the ladder, searching to get more involved in the province (Ryan, 1997). Other analyses have emerged with the expectancy of encountering tourists’ motivation for choosing this type of special interest tourism. Thus Hall and Weiler (1992) have identified researchers who have studied motivations for specific special interest tourism. Hall and Weiler (1992) have identified research made by Crompton in which he noted that tourist were in a cultural and educational travel motivations. This can be said it is closed linked to what was later interpreted by Read (1980) in which he admits what motivates tourists is the need for authenticity and uniqueness as well as educational. With this he emerged with the idea of REAL tourism, translating that travelling should be rewarding, enriching, adventuresome and a learning experience for the tourist. Hall and Weiler have created a table identifying tourists motivations associated with the specific special interest tourism and they have concluded that tourists may have various motivators related to the special interest activity. Therefore, it is said that the motivations for the participants in ecotourism are apart from learning is to be in contact with the nature or indigenous civilians. A further argument into the motivations of tourists has emerged, as Page and Dowling (2002) presented two sides of ecotourism: hard and soft tourism. Hard tourism refers when the participant are environmentalist who take sustainability quite serious and is purely interest in the nature and being in contact with the wilderness, taking a prolonged trip in almost undisturbed location, while soft tourism refers to tourists in short term trip, have little contact with nature and are not strongly committed environmentalists. However, motivations are not the only factors tourists take into account when deciding on the special interest tourism. The type of product and expertise by those involved promoting this specific special interest tourism. Hall and Weiler (2002) argue that experienced professionals play an important role on the tourists’ selection of destination. Professionals such as Specialty Travel Index offer a multitude of travel opportunities worldwide (http://www.spectrav.com/index.shtml). Evaluation of the development of a named SIT within an identified destination area Butcher (2007) views community participation as an important step to the development of ecotourism, as decisions made concerning ecotourism affects the community and their lives. Butcher adds that this initiative is also supported by World Wide Fund for nature (WWF) in which they state communities should have a high level of control on the development of ecotourism. Additionally communities should be intensely in all decision-making concerning the growth of the landscape â€Å" tourism should therefore respect and value local knowledge and experience, maximise benefits to communities, and recruit, train and employ local people at all levels (Butcher, p.67). Ecotourism should be beneficent local communities, conservation of the environment and provide financial contribution to the upkeep of a conservation project. In addition local communities’ involvement in the development of ecotourism â€Å"improves the tourist experience† (Page and Dowling, 2002). Alternative Travel Group (ATL) is an example of the above, in which they work effectively with local communities. Founded in 1979 is an organisation based upon sustainability http://www.atg-oxford.co.uk/index.php) ATL collaborates with local communities, listening and acting on what was suggested. This allows communities to express their concern about the conservation of their habitat (http://www.atg-oxford.co.uk/index.php). Profits go towards construction of infrastructures and conservation projects in the most necessitated areas. They incentive individuals to present their ideas and providing they are sustainable to which they can invest on. Hence they have various projects ongoing worldwide which benefit local communities and preserve the environment (http://www.atg-oxford.co.uk/index.php). It is not only local communities that play a vital role in the making and development of ecotourism, many organisations, agencies and small businesses have an important and constant involvement in the successful and promoting of this growing form of special interest tourism. World Wide Fund for nature (WWF) is the largest non-governmental organisation in the world. Based in over fifty-two offices and active in over ninety countries, it has over five million supporters worldwide, many volunteers (Butcher, p. 42). WWF has three main missions that represent their work: safeguarding the natural world, tackling climate change and changing the way residents live. Consequently they have generated a program designed to protect the environment. Amongst other projects, WWF is working in ensuring the ecosystem in the Amazon maintains its environmental and cultural contribution to local people (http://www.wwf.org.uk/). WWF main objectives regarding the Amazon as a whole are: âž ¢ Tackling deforestation âž ¢ Encouraging responsible agriculture and production âž ¢ Helping create protected forest âž ¢ Ensuring free-flowing rivers and forest-friendly roads Moreover WWF has enlisted the help of Sky TV in promoting the safeguarding of rainforest in Amazon. Both work with local communities offering them with economical help to look after millions of hectares of forest, combating illegal logging and forest deforestation (http://www.wwf.org.uk/). Additionally WWF closely works with two UN bodies, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). WWF has written guidelines highlighting a community-based ecotourism in which the organisation directly works with communities in conserving and preserving the environment and provide advice on how to deal with issues surrounding their landscape. One of their project is based in Manaus, capital of Amazon, a community –based initiative, the Silves Association for Environmental and Cultural Preservation, this aims at protecting the fishing lakes at this site. On top pf this, WWF opened an ecolodge in the same region run by local people, 20% of all profits go towards the management of preservation of the site. In addition, WWF has created a programme in Brazil solely based on raising awareness about forms of ecotourism that should be practiced based on its principles (http://www.icrtourism.org/Publications/WWF1eng.pdf). The international ecotourism society (TIES) is a non-governmental organisation funded in 1990 with the objectives of aiding the development of ecotourism, helping communities, organisations to promote and practice the principles of ecotourism. TIES have clear aims concerning ecotourism which consists of bringing together individuals, institutions and tourism industries in the interest of ecotourism, educating tourist and professionals on ecotourism and influencing organisations on practicing all principles regarding ecotourism. Working in partnership with other NGOs such as Planeterra and yourtravelchoice.org, all three organisations provide tourists with opportunities to get involved in ecotourism activities, help local communities, work together in inform tourists on how to conserve the nature. Furthermore, they offer their own input on eco-destinations, allowing individuals to get some relevant information on ecotourism and its issues (www.ecotourism.org) Although Planeterra is more involved with community, they still remain concerned with the environment. This non-governmental organisation organises community based projects worldwide in order to help local people live in a more environmental safe surroundings (http://www.planeterra.org/). The Brazilian Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Trade Association (ABETA) is an association that closely works on the development of ecotourism activities in Brazil. Their goal is to promote the conservation and preservation of Brazil’s cultural and historical heritage (http://www.brazilnature.travel/index.php). ABETA promotes amongst adventure tourism, ecotourism activities such as bird watching, caving, safari and wildlife. Thus in partnership with the Tourism ministry, Brazilian tourism board (Embratur) and BBECO which is administered by ABETA, all have the same common aspiration: promote Brazil as one of the top destinations for ecotourism while keeping it environmentally safe (http://www.brazilnature.travel/index.php). Embratur, a Brazilian Tourism Board is an organisation responsible for providing policies in tourism related activities, including ecotourism activities such as hiking, cave tourism, floatation, bird watching and fauna watching (www.embratur.gov.br) Ecobrasil, a Brazilian ecotourism Association  is a NGO founded in 1993 whose primarily focus is on ecotourism. Whilst incorporate a clear mission in which they want to promote Brazil as a â€Å"reliable destination for ecotourism†, their vision is to â€Å"forward ecotourism and sustainable tourism through building knowledge networks and participate in and/or develop projects that helped advance the knowledge about good ecotourism practices and planning in Brazil†. Hence their objectives is to create a network of data solely on ecotourism, commitment in minimising the impact of tourism on the environment, acknowledge statistics on ecotourism and represent ecotourism on a worldwide level (www.ecobrasil.org.br). Proecotur Programa de Desenvolvimento do Ecoturismo na Amazà ´nia Legal (programme of ecotourism development at the Legal Amazon) recognises that ecotourism has a huge potential to be converted into the biggest source of income on the Amazon, predicting up to three million ecotourist annually. Therefore they have generated new strategies to guarantee that Amazon becomes the most popular state for ecotourism. They believe the creation of a sustainable environment does not require greater investments, rather intelligent strategies for transportation. With this to attract tourists they agree that there is a need for improvement in the transportation and improvement of the quality of services available to tourists plus there should be a cre ation of more sustainable products (http://www.faunabrasil.com.br). Conclusion Although tourism is not a new concept, ecotourism is. This emerged with the individuals growing concern with the environment. There is a general disagreement when defining ecotourism but many researchers and organisations agree that is a form of activity in which participants want to be in touch with the nature and with the environment and this should follow principles set by organisations for the safekeeping of the environment and also benefiting local communities. Various researchers have attempted to clarify the motivations for tourist choice of destinations and specials type of interest, and with this it was concluded that none could have a general agreement on these except that  tourist could have common attitude when selecting destinations. They could be educational and cultural; however the idea of tourist wanting new, unique and untouched surroundings gave away to the new concept of Real travel: rewarding, enriching, adventuresome and learning. Ecotourism is a growing and prosperous form of special interest tourism and the activities incorporated for this are increasingly generating income to those involved in promoting ecotourism and to local communities who should be involved in the decision-making concerning the development of ecotourism. The author during the research into organisations involved in the promotion of ecotourism has come across the fact that most organisations are non-governmental organisations that depend on volunteers. Also the majority of these organisations are interrelated having common objectives when it comes to ecotourism: promoting all ecotourism activities, safeguarding the environment and preserving the nature. Recommendations Although organisations are interlinked with one another, it appears that it is not enough, as the market segmentation show, only a certain type of individuals practice ecotourism and ecotourism related activities. Brazil is popular with tourist for its beauty therefore NGOs, agencies and business should do more to promote ecotourism in Brazil, speciality in Amazon, which is a huge area with a lot to offer to all types of tourists. Hence all organisations should work together not only in the safeguarding of the environment but advertise Brazil as the best country for ecotourism, enhancing its beauty and reasons to visit as well as promoting ecotourism activities in a way that appeals to all age groups and gender. Additionally NGOs, agencies and business should stress the need to practice the imposed regulations in protected areas in order to preserve the nature for tomorrow. Another recommendation would be to look how other forms of special interest tourism could be useful in providing aid in the development of ecotourism. An example of this would be religious tourism. For this type of special  interest tourism there is an online religious organisation which incentives spiritualists to include faith in their living. They relate religion and faith with the environment believing that there are simple steps that individuals could do to help recreate the earth preserving the environment, it also emphasises the need to care for nature. Therefore this initiative could be adopted in order to lure tourists into caring and investing more in ecotourism. Words: 4,017 References: †¢ Abeta (2008) Brazil: land of nature and adventure. [Internet], Brazil, Available from: http://www.brazilnature.travel/index.php [Accessed 30 November]. †¢ Amazon rain forest (2004) Save the Amazon rainforest [Internet]. 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Ed (2002) Ecotourism. Essex, Pearson Education Limited †¢ Planeterra (2003) Planeterra. [Internet],Available from: http://www.planeterra.org/ [Accessed 27 November 2009]. †¢ Specialty Travel Index (1980) Adventure Special Interest Travel [Internet], San Anselmo, Available from: http://www.spectrav.com/index.shtml [Accessed 2nd December 2009]. †¢ The International Ecotourism Society (1990) International Ecotourism Society. Washington. Available from: http://www.ecotourism.org/site/c.orLQKXPCLmF/b.4832143/k.BD87/Home.htm [Accessed 27 September 2009]. †¢ Urry, J. (2002) The Tourist gaze.2ed. London, Sage Publications LTD. †¢ Youell, R. (1998) Tourism: an introduction.2ed.Essex, Addison Wesley Longman Limited. †¢ Weiler, B Hall, C.M, Ed (1992) Special Interest tourism. London, Belhaven Press. †¢ World Tourism Organisation (2002) World overview tourism topics. 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