Procter and Gamble Company Essay

Background Procter and Gamble was formed by James Gamble & William Procter in 1837 by a candle manufacturer Procter and a soap manufacturer Gamble. This consumer product company started with a vision to grow to a $33 billion company and by 1879 it started selling its products directly to the consumers, by 1890 it has gained its legal corporation and ever since it has doubled it sales every ten years. P&G growth was driven by innovation not optimization. Radical innovation served as their backbone to success with other factors such as geographic expansion, product line extensions and acquisitions contributing to its growth. Some of its famous and successful acquisitions were, Duncan Hines, Clorox, charmin Paper mills, Folgers Coffee, NorwichEaton, Vicks (NyQuil), Noxell and Max Factor. It also recieves  the credit for developing innovative and advanced technology based products during 1940’s such as Tide, Crest,Pampers, Bounce etc.By the end of 1980’s P&G had its operations in 58 countries,its reputation was built with its new product development strategiesÍ ¾ they produced varied range of consumer products such that these products should meet â€Å"basic consumer needs† and create â€Å"superior total value† creating a brand image for the company. As noted in Kevin Kelly’s quote â€Å"Wealth in new regime flows directly from innovation and not optimization†, i.e. wealth is not gained by perfecting the known, but imperfecting the unknown. P&G successfully used this strategy to earn its reputation as one of the largest company in Cincinnati in 1895 and in 1995 earned the National Medal of technology, the highest given award in United states. P&G was also known for its strong ethics, values and recruiting the best and brightest. R&D was a major focus of P&G. In 1995 P&G spent 1.3billion on R&D,and emphasis was laid on combination of multiple R&D competencies and there were a lot of cross fertilization of technology. They also had an attractive work culture, employee compensation and had a structure in place which assured employees of growing within the organization with its up through the rank approach which fostered innovation. In the process of growing, P&G moved out of their old tradition of new product development and concentrated completely on the global expansion and development of existing products. With structured product  sectors in place, P&G had some difficulty fitting some new product idea into any of the available category which led to the rejection on various novel ideas. In 1993, the company started the Strengthening Global Effectiveness (SGE) with the goal of increasing profits through cost reduction which was achieved by reengineering  and reformation of distribution and manufacturing. This led to a successful increase in profits from 10% to 17% in a year. In the same year, CEO John Pepper said that their was an urge for developments of new brands in order to fulfill the companies longtime goals of increasing their sales. Mark Collar, Vice President and General Manager of New Business Development and a part of SGE said that a breakthrough is required to manage and accelerate the company’s innovation process. In addition, the concept of cross fertilization was fading out gradually so their was a requirement of a new innovation team that can incorporate the old traditions followed by the company during the 1960’s. Therefore this lead to the formation of Innovation Leadership Team (ILT) in 1993. The top seven officers of the company were a part of this team: John Pepper(Chairman and CEO)Í ¾ Durk Jager(President and COO)Í ¾ Wolfgang Berndt(Executive VP North America)Í ¾ Gordon Brunner(Senior VP Research and Development)Í ¾ Gary Martin(Senior VP Information Services and Product Supply) and Eric Nelson(Senior VP and CFO)Í ¾ Robert Wehling (Senior VP Advertising and Market Research). The ILT’s responsibility is to investigate the portfolio of the projects under development and projects on shelf, select valuable projects that add value to the firm. Soon Corporate Innovation Fund(CIF) was established for the funding the research on new products developments. The employees can report projects irrespective of their sector and obtain approval at very fast pace on appropriate projects.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 10. Why Didn’t I Just Walk Away? …

10. Why Didn't I Just Walk Away? Oh Right, Because I'm An Idiot. I felt like – like I don't know what. Like this wasn't real. Like I was in some Goth version of a bad sitcom. Instead of being the AAdweeb about to ask the head cheerleader to the prom, I was the finished-second-place werewolf about to ask the vampire's wife to shack up and procreate. Nice. No, I wouldn't do it. It was twisted and wrong. I was going to forget all about what he'd said. But I would talk to her. I'd try to make her listen to me. And she wouldn't. Just like always. Edward didn't answer or comment on my thoughts as he led the way back to the house. I wondered about the place that he'd chosen to stop. Was it far enough from the house that the others couldn't hear his whispers? Was that the point? Maybe. When we walked through the door, the other Cullens' eyes were suspicious and confused. No one looked disgusted or outraged. So they must not have heard either favor Edward had asked me for. I hesitated in the open doorway, not sure what to do now. It was better right there, with a little bit of breathable air blowing in from outside. Edward walked into the middle of the huddle, shoulders stiff. Bella watched him anxiously, and then her eyes flickered to me for a second. Then she was watching him again. Her face turned a grayish pale, and I could see what he meant about the stress making her feel worse. â€Å"We're going tolet Jacob and Bella speak privately,† Edward said. There was no inflection at all in his voice. Robotic. â€Å"Over my pile of ashes,† Rosalie hissed at him. She was still hovering by Bella's head, one of her cold hands placed possessively on Bella's sallow cheek. Edward didn't look at her. â€Å"Bella,† he said in that same empty tone. â€Å"Jacob wants to talk to you. Are you afraid to be alone with him?† Bella looked at me, confused. Then she looked at Rosalie. â€Å"Rose, it's fine. Jake's not going to hurt us. Go with Edward.† â€Å"It might be a trick,† the blonde warned. â€Å"I don't see how,† Bella said. â€Å"Carlisle and I will always be in your sight, Rosalie,† Edward said. The emotionless voice was cracking, showing the anger through it. â€Å"We're the ones she's afraid of.† â€Å"No,† Bella whispered. Her eyes were glistening, her lashes wet. â€Å"No, Edward. I'm not___† He shook his head, smiling a little. The smile was painful to look at. â€Å"I didn't mean it that way, Bella. I'm fine. Don't worry about me.† Sickening. He was right – she was beating herself up about hurting his feelings. The girl was a classic martyr. She'd totally been born in the wrong century. She should have lived back when she could have gotten herself fed to some lions for a good cause. â€Å"Everyone,† Edward said, his hand stiffly motioning toward the door. â€Å"Please.† The composure he was trying to keep up for Bella was shaky. I could see how close he was to that burning man he'd been outside. The others saw it, too. Silently, they moved out the door while I shifted out of the way. They moved fast; my heart beat twice, and the room was cleared except for Rosalie, hesitating in the middle of the floor, and Edward, still waiting by the door. â€Å"Rose,† Bella said quietly. â€Å"I want you to go.† The blonde glared at Edward and then gestured for him to go first. He disappeared out the door. She gave me a long warning glower, and then she disappeared, too. Once we were alone, I crossed the room and sat on the floor next to Bella. I took both her cold hands in mine, rubbing them carefully. â€Å"Thanks, Jake. That feels good.† â€Å"I'm not going to lie, Bells. You're hideous.† â€Å"I know,† she sighed. Tm scary-looking.† â€Å"Thing-from-the-swamp scary,† I agreed. She laughed. â€Å"It's so good having you here. It feels nice to smile. I don't know how much more drama I can stand.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Okay, okay,† she agreed. â€Å"I bring it on myself.† â€Å"Yeah, you do. What're you thinking, Bells? Seriously!† â€Å"Did he ask you to yell at me?† â€Å"Sort of. Though I can't figure why he thinks you'd listen to me. You never have before.† She sighed. â€Å"I told you – ,† I started to say. â€Å"Did you know that 7 told you so' has a brother, Jacob?† she asked, cutting me off. â€Å"His name is ‘Shut the hell up.† â€Å"Good one.† She grinned at me. Her skin stretched tight over the bones. â€Å"I can't take credit – i got it off a rerun of The Simpsons† â€Å"Missed that one.† â€Å"It was funny.† We didn't talk for a minute. Her hands were starting to warm up a little. â€Å"Did he really ask you to talk to me?† I nodded. â€Å"To talk some sense into you. There's a battle that's lost before it starts.† â€Å"So why did you agree?† I didn't answer. I wasn't sure I knew. I did know this – every second I spent with her was only going to add to the pain I would have to suffer later. Like a junkie with a limited supply, the day of reckoning was coming for me. The more hits I took now, the harder it would be when my supply ran out. â€Å"It'll work out, you know,† she said after a quiet minute. â€Å"I believe that.† That made me see red again. â€Å"Is dementia one of your symptoms?† I snapped. She laughed, though my anger was so real that my hands were shaking around hers. â€Å"Maybe,† she said. Tm not saying things will work out easily, Jake. But how could I have lived through all that I've lived through and not believe in magic by this point?† â€Å"Magic?† â€Å"Especially for you,† she said. She was smiling. She pulled one of her hands away from mine and pressed it against my cheek. Warmer than before, but it felt cool against my skin, like most things did. â€Å"More than anyone else, you've got some magic waiting to make things right for you.† â€Å"What are you babbling about?† Still smiling. â€Å"Edward told me once what it was like – your imprinting thing. He said it was like A Midsummer Night's Dream, like magic. You'll find who you're really looking for, Jacob, and maybe then all of this will make sense.† If she hadn't looked so fragile I would've been screaming. As it was, I did growl at her. â€Å"If you think that imprinting could ever make sense of this insanity †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I struggled for words. â€Å"Do you really think that just because I might someday imprint on some stranger it would make this right?† I jabbed a finger toward her swollen body. â€Å"Tell me what the point was then, Bella! What was the point of me loving you? What was the point of you loving him? When you die† – the words were a snarl – â€Å"how is that ever right again? What's the point to all the pain? Mine, yours, his! You'll kill him, too, not that I care about that.† She flinched, but I kept going. â€Å"So what was the point of your twisted love story, in the end? If there is any sense, please show me, Bella, because I don't see it.† She sighed. â€Å"I don't know yet, Jake. But I just†¦ feel†¦ that this is all going somewhere good, hard to see as it is now. I guess you could call it faith.† â€Å"You're dying for nothing, Bella! Nothing!† Her hand dropped from my face to her bloated stomach, caressed it. She didn't have to say the words for me to know what she was thinking. She was dying for it. I'm not going to die,† she said through her teeth, and I could tell she was repeating things she'd said before. â€Å"I will keep my heart beating. I'm strong enough for that.† â€Å"That's a load of crap, Bella. You've been trying to keep up with the supernatural for too long. No normal person can do it. You're not strong enough.† I took her face in my hand. I didn't have to remind myself to be gentle. Everything about her screamed breakable. â€Å"I can do this. I can do this,† she muttered, sounding a lot like that kids' book about the little engine that could. â€Å"Doesn't look like it to me. So what's your plan? I hope you have one.† She nodded, not meeting my eyes. â€Å"Did you know Esme jumped off a cliff? When she was human, I mean.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"So she was close enough to dead that they didn't even bother taking her to the emergency room – they took her right around to the morgue. Her heart was still beating, though, when Carlisle found her___† That's what she'd meant before, about keeping her heart beating. â€Å"You're not planning on surviving this human,† I stated dully. â€Å"No. I'm not stupid.† She met my stare then. â€Å"I guess you probably have your own opinion on that point, though.† â€Å"Emergency vampirization,† I mumbled. â€Å"It worked for Esme. And Emmett, and Rosalie, and even Edward. None of them were in such great shape. Carlisle only changed them because it was that or death. He doesn't end lives, he saves them.† I felt a sudden twinge of guilt about the good vampire doctor, like before. I shoved the thought away and started in on the begging. â€Å"Listen to me, Bells. Don't do it that way.† Like before, when the call from Charlie had come, I could see how much difference it really made to me. I realized I needed her to stay alive, in some form. In any form. I took a deep breath. â€Å"Don't wait until it's too late, Bella. Not that way. Live. Okay? Just live. Don't do this to me. Don't do it to him.† My voice got harder, louder. â€Å"You know what he's going to do when you die. You've seen it before. You want him to go back to those Italian killers?† She cringed into the sofa. I left out the part about how that wouldn't be necessary this time. Struggling to make my voice softer, I asked, â€Å"Remember when I got mangled up by those newborns? What did you tell me?† I waited, but she wouldn't answer. She pressed her lips together. â€Å"You told me to be good and listen to Carlisle,† I reminded her. â€Å"And what did I do? I listened to the vampire. For you.† â€Å"You listened because it was the right thing to do.† â€Å"Okay – pick either reason.† She took a deep breath. â€Å"It's not the right thing now.† Her gaze touched her big round stomach and she whispered under her breath, â€Å"I won't kill him.† My hands shook again. â€Å"Oh, I hadn't heard the great news. A bouncing baby boy, huh? Shoulda brought some blueballoons.† Her face turned pink. The color was so beautiful – it twisted in my stomach like a knife. A serrated knife, rusty and ragged. I was going to lose this. Again. â€Å"I don't know he's a boy,† she admitted, a little sheepish. â€Å"The ultrasound wouldn't work. The membrane around the baby is too hard – like their skin. So he's a little mystery. But I always see a boy in my head.† â€Å"It's not some pretty baby in there, Bella.† â€Å"We'll see,† she said. Almost smug. â€Å"You won't,† I snarled. â€Å"You're very pessimistic, Jacob. There is definitely a chance that I might walk away from this.† I couldn't answer. I looked down and breathed deep and slow, trying to get a grip on my fury. â€Å"Jake,† she said, and she patted my hair, stroked my cheek. â€Å"It's going to be okay. Shh. it's okay.† I didn't look up. â€Å"No. It will not be okay.† She wiped something wet from my cheek. â€Å"Shh.† â€Å"What's the deal, Bella?† I stared at the pale carpet. My bare feet were dirty, leaving smudges. Good. â€Å"I thought the whole point was that you wanted your vampire more than anything. And now you're just giving him up? That doesn't make any sense. Since when are you desperate to be a mom? If you wanted that so much, why did you marry a vampire?† I was dangerously close to that offer he wanted me to make. I could see the words taking me that way, but I couldn't change their direction. She sighed. â€Å"It's not like that. I didn't really care about having a baby. I didn't even think about it. It's not just having a baby. It's†¦ well†¦ this baby.† â€Å"It's a killer, Bella. Look at yourself.† â€Å"He's not. It's me. I'm just weak and human. But I can tough this out, Jake, I can – â€Å" â€Å"Aw, come on! Shut up, Bella. You can spout this crap to your bloodsucker, but you're not fooling me. You know you're not going to make it.† She glared at me. â€Å"I do not know that. I'm worried about it, sure.† â€Å"Worriedabout it,† I repeated through my teeth. She gasped then and clutched at her stomach. My fury vanished like a light switch being turned off. â€Å"I'm fine,† she panted. It's nothing.† But I didn't hear; her hands had pulled her sweatshirt to the side, and I stared, horrified, at the skin it exposed. Her stomach looked like it was stained with big splotches of purple-black ink. She saw my stare, and she yanked the fabric back in place. â€Å"He's strong, that's all,† she said defensively. The ink spots were bruises. I almost gagged, and I understood what he'd said, about watching it hurt her. Suddenly, I felt a little crazy myself. â€Å"Bella,† I said. She heard the change in my voice. She looked up, still breathing heavy, her eyes confused. â€Å"Bella, don't do this:' â€Å"Jake – â€Å" â€Å"Listen to me. Don't get your back up yet. Okay? Just listen. What if†¦ ?† â€Å"What if what?† â€Å"What if this wasn't a one-shot deal? What if it wasn't all or nothing? What if you just listened to Carlisle like a good girl, and kept yourself alive?† â€Å"I won't – â€Å" â€Å"I'm not done yet. So you stay alive. Then you can start over. This didn't work out. Try again.† She frowned. She raised one hand and touched the place where my eyebrows were mashing together. Her fingers smoothed my forehead for a moment while she tried to make sense of it. â€Å"I don't understand†¦. What do you mean, try again? You can't think Edward would let me†¦ ? And what difference would it make? I'm sure any baby – â€Å" â€Å"Yes,† I snapped. â€Å"Any kid of his would be the same.† Her tired face just got more confused. â€Å"What?† But I couldn't say any more. There was no point. I would never be able to save her from herself. I'd never been able to do that. Then she blinked, and I could see she got it. â€Å"Oh. Ugh. Please, Jacob. You think I should kill my baby and replace it with some generic substitute? Artificial insemination?† She was mad now. â€Å"Why would I want to have some stranger's baby? I suppose it just doesn't make a difference? Any baby will do?† â€Å"I didn't mean that,† I muttered. â€Å"Not a stranger.† She leaned forward. â€Å"Then what are you saying?† â€Å"Nothing. I'm saying nothing. Same as ever.† â€Å"Where did that come from?† â€Å"Forget it, Bella.† She frowned, suspicious. â€Å"Did he tell you to say that?† I hesitated, surprised that she'd made that leap so quick. â€Å"No.† â€Å"He did, didn't he?† â€Å"No, really. He didn't say anything about artificial whatever.† Her face softened then, and she sank back against the pillows, looking exhausted. She stared off to the side when she spoke, not talking to me at all. â€Å"He would do anything forme. And I'm hurting him so much†¦. But what is he thinking? That I would trade this† – her hand traced across her belly – â€Å"for some stranger's †¦Ã¢â‚¬  She mumbled the last part, and then her voice trailed off. Her eyes were wet. â€Å"You don't have to hurt him,† I whispered. It burned like poison in my mouth to beg for him, but I knew this angle was probably my best bet for keeping her alive. Still a thousand-to-one odds. â€Å"You could make him happy again, Bella. And I really think he's losing it. Honestly, I do.† She didn't seem to be listening; her hand made small circles on her battered stomach while she chewed on her lip. It was quiet for a long time. I wondered if the Cullens were very far away. Were they listening to my pathetic attempts to reason with her? â€Å"Not a stranger?† she murmured to herself. I flinched. â€Å"What exactly did Edward say to you?† she asked in a low voice. â€Å"Nothing. He just thought you might listen to me.† â€Å"Not that. About trying again.† Her eyes locked on mine, and I could see that I'd already given too much away. â€Å"Nothing.† Her mouth fell open a little. â€Å"Wow.† It was silent for a few heartbeats. I looked down at my feet again, unable to meet her stare. â€Å"He really would do anything, wouldn't he?† she whispered. â€Å"I told you he was going crazy. Literally, Bells.† â€Å"I'm surprised you didn't tell on him right away. Get him in trouble.† When I looked up, she was grinning. â€Å"Thought about it.† I tried to grin back, but I could feel the smile mangle on my face. She knew what I was offering, and she wasn't going to think twice about it. I'd known that she wouldn't. But it still stung. â€Å"There isn't much you wouldn't do for me, either, is there?† she whispered. â€Å"I really don't know why you bother. I don't deserve either of you.† â€Å"It makes no difference, though, does it?† â€Å"Not this time.† She sighed. â€Å"I wish I could explain it to you right so that you would understand. I can't hurthim† – she pointed to her stomach – â€Å"any more than I could pick up a gun and shoot you. I love him.† â€Å"Why do you always have to love the wrong things, Bella?† â€Å"I don't think I do.† I cleared the lump out of my throat so that I could make my voice hard like I wanted it. ‘Trust me.† I started to get to my feet. â€Å"Where are you going?† â€Å"I'm not doing any good here.† She held out her thin hand, pleading. â€Å"Don't go.† I could feel the addiction sucking at me, trying to keep me near her. â€Å"I don't belong here. I've got to get back.† â€Å"Why did you come today?† she asked, still reaching limply. â€Å"Just to see if you were really alive. I didn't believe you were sick like Charlie said.† I couldn't tell from her face whether she bought that or not. â€Å"Will you come back again? Before †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I'm not going to hang around and watch you die,Bella.† She flinched. â€Å"You're right, you're right. You should go.† I headed for the door. â€Å"Bye,† she whispered behind me. â€Å"Love you, Jake.† I almost went back. I almost turned around and fell down on my knees and started begging again. But I knew that I had to quitBella, quit her cold turkey, before she killed me, like she was going to kill him. â€Å"Sure, sure,† I mumbled on my way out. I didn't see any of the vampires. I ignored my bike, standing all alone in the middle of the meadow. It wasn't fast enough for me now. My dad would be freaked out – Sam, too. What would the pack make of the fact that they hadn't heard me phase? Would they think the Cullens got me before I'd had the chance? I stripped down, not caring who might be watching, and started running. I blurred into wolf mid-stride. They were waiting. Of course they were. Jacob, Jake,eight voices chorused in relief. Come homenow, the Alpha voice ordered. Sam was furious. I felt Paul fade out, and i knew Billy and Rachel were waiting to hear what had happened to me. Paul was too anxious to give them the good news that I wasn't vampire chow to listen to the whole story. I didn't have to tell the pack I was on my way – they could see the forest blurring past me as I sprinted for home. I didn't have to tell them that I was half-past crazy, either. The sickness in my head was obvious. They saw all the horror – Bella's mottled stomach; her raspy voice; he's strong, that's all: the burning man in Edward's face: watching her sicken and waste away†¦ seeing it hurting her, Rosalie crouched over Bella's limp body: Bella's life means nothing to her – and for once, no one had anything to say. Their shock was just a silent shout in my head. Wordless. I was halfway home before anyone recovered. Then they all started running to meet me. It was almost dark – the clouds covered the sunset completely. I risked darting across the freeway and made it without being seen. We met up about ten miles out of La Push, in a clearing left by the loggers. It was out of the way, wedged between two spurs of the mountain, where no one would see us. Paul found them when I did, so the pack was complete. The babble in my head was total chaos. Everyone shouting at once. Sam's hackles were sticking straight up, and he was growling in an unbroken stream as he paced back and forth around the top of the ring. Paul and Jared moved like shadows behind him, their ears flat against the sides of their head. The whole circle was agitated, on their feet and snarling in low bursts. At first their anger was undefined, and I thought I was in for it. I was too messed up to care about that. They could do whatever they wanted to me for circumventing orders. And then the unfocused confusion of thoughts began to move together. How can this be? What does it mean? What will it be? Not safe. Not right. Dangerous. Unnatural. Monstrous. An abomination. We can't allow it. The pack was pacing in synchronization now, thinking in synchronization, all but myself and one other. I sat beside whichever brother it was, too dazed to look over with either my eyes or my mind and see who was next to me, while the pack circled around us. The treaty does not cover this. This puts everyone in danger. I tried to understand the spiraling voices, tried to follow the curling pathway the thoughts made to see where they were leading, but it wasn't making sense. The pictures in the center of their thoughts were my pictures – the very worst of them. Bella's bruises, Edward's face as he burned. They fear it, too. But they won't do anything about it Protecting Bella Swan. We can't let that influence us. The safety of our families, of everyone here, is more important than one human. If they won't kill it, we have to. Protect the tribe. Protect our families. We have to kill it before it's too late. Another of my memories, Edward's words this time: The thing is growing. Swiftly. I struggled to focus, to pick out individual voices. No time to waste,Jared thought. It will mean a fight,Embry cautioned. A bad one. Were ready,Paul insisted. Well need surprise on our side,Sam thought. If we catch them divided, we can take them down separately. It will increase our chances of victory, Jared thought, starting to strategize now. I shook my head, rising slowly to my feet. 1 felt unsteady there – like the circling wolves were making me dizzy. The wolf beside me got up, too. His shoulder pushed against mine, propping me up. Wait,I thought. The circling paused for one beat, and then they were pacing again. There's little time,Sam said. But – what are you thinking? You wouldn't attack them for breaking the treaty this afternoon. Now you're planning an ambush, when the treaty is still intact? This is not something our treaty anticipated,Sam said. This is a danger to every human in the area. We don't know what kind of creature the Cullens have bred, but we know that it is strong and fast-growing. And it will be too young to follow any treaty. Remember the newborn vampires we fought? Wild, violent, beyond the reach of reason or restraint. Imagine one like that, but protected by the Cullens. We don't know – I tried to interrupt. Wedon't know, he agreed. And we can't take chances with the unknown in this case. We can only allow the Cullens to exist while we're absolutely sure that they can be trusted not to cause harm. This. . . thing cannot be trusted. They don't like it any more than we do. Sam pulled Rosalie's face, her protective crouch, from my mind and put it on display for everyone. Some are ready to fight for it, no matter what it is. It's just ababy, for crying out loud. Not for long,Leah whispered. Jake, buddy, this is a big problem,Quil said. We can't just ignore it. You're making it into something bigger than it is,I argued. The only one who's in danger here is Bella. Again by her own choice,Sam said. But this time her choice affects us all. I don't think so. We can't take that chance. We won't allow a blood drinker to hunt on our lands. Then tell them to leave,the wolf who was still supporting me said. It was Seth. Of course. And inflict the menace on others? When blood drinkers cross our land, we destroy them, no matter where they plan to hunt. We protect everyone we can. This is crazy,I said. This afternoon you were afraid to put the pack in danger. This afternoon I didn't know our families were at risk. I can't believe this! How're you going to kill this creature without killing Bella? There were no words, but the silence was full of meaning. I howled. She's human, too! Doesn't our protection apply to her? She's dying anyway,Leah thought. We'll just shorten the process. That did it. I leaped away from Seth, toward his sister, with my teeth bared. I was about to catch her left hind leg when I felt Sam's teeth cut into my flank, dragging me back. I howled in pain and fury and turned on him. Stop!he ordered in the double timbre of the Alpha. My legs seemed to buckle under me. I jerked to a halt, only managing to keep on my feet by sheer willpower. He turned his gaze away from me. You will not be cruel to him, Leah, he commanded her. Bella's sacrifice is a heavy price, and we will all recognize that It is against everything we stand for to take a human life. Making an exception to that code is a bleak thing. We will all mourn for what we do tonight. Tonight?Seth repeated, shocked. Sam – think we should talk about this some more. Consult with the Elders, at least. You can't seriously mean for us to – We can't afford your tolerance for the Cullens now. There is no time for debate. Youwilldo as you are told, Seth. SetfYs front knees folded, and his head fell forward under the weight of the Alpha's command. Sam paced in a tight circle around the two of us. We need the whole pack for this. Jacob, you are our strongest fighter. Youwillfight with us tonight. I understand that this is hard for you, so you will concentrate on their fighters – Emmett and Jasper Cullen. You don't have to be involved with the†¦ other part. Quil and Embry will fight with you. My knees trembled; I struggled to hold myself upright while the voice of the Alpha lashed at my will. Paul, Jared, and I will take on Edward and Rosalie. I think, from the information Jacob has brought us, they will be the ones guarding Bella. Carlisle and Alice will also be close, possibly Esme. Brady, Collin, Seth, and Leah will concentrate on them. Whoever has a clear lineon – we all heard him mentally stutter overBella's name – the creature will take it. Destroying the creature is our first priority. The pack rumbled in nervous agreement.The tension had everyone's fur standing on end. The pacing was quicker, and the sound of the paws against the brackish floor was sharper, toenails tearing into the soil. Only Seth and I were still, the eye in the center of a storm of bared teeth and flattened ears. Seth's nose was almost touching the ground, bowed under Sam's commands. I felt his pain at the coming disloyalty. For him this was a betrayal – during that one day of alliance, fighting beside Edward Cullen, Seth had truly become the vampire's friend. There was no resistance in him, however. He would obey no matter how much it hurt him. He had no other choice. And what choice did I have? When the Alpha spoke, the pack followed. Sam had never pushed his authority this far before; I knew he honestly hated to see Seth kneeling before him like a slave at the foot of his master. He wouldn't force this if he didn't believe that he had no other choice. He couldn't lie to us when we were linked mind to mind like this. He really believed it was our duty to destroy Bella and the monster she carried. He really believed we had no time to waste. He believed it enough to die for it. I saw that he would face Edward himself; Edward's ability to read our thoughts made him the greatest threat in Sam's mind. Sam would not let someone else take on that danger. He saw Jasper as the second-greatest opponent, which is why he'd given him to me. He knew that I had the best chance of any of the pack to win that fight. He'd left the easiest targets for the younger wolves and Leah. Little Alice was no danger without her future vision to guide her, and we knew from our time of alliance that Esme was not a fighter. Carlisle would be more of a challenge, but his hatred of violence would hinder him. I felt sicker than Seth as I watched Sam plan it out, trying to work the angles to give each member of the pack the best chance of survival. Everything was inside out. This afternoon, I'd been chomping at the bit to attack them. But Seth had been right – it wasn't a fight I'd been ready for. I'd blinded myself with that hate. I hadn't let myself look at it carefully, because I must have known what I would see if I did. Carlisle Cullen. Looking at him without that hate clouding my eyes, I couldn't deny that killing him was murder. He was good. Good as any human we protected. Maybe better. The others, too, I supposed, but I didn't feel as strongly about them. I didn't know them as well. It was Carlisle who would hate fighting back, even to save his own life. That's why we would be able to kill him – because he wouldn't want us, his enemies, to die. This was wrong. And it wasn't just because killing Bella felt like killing me, like suicide. Pull it together, Jacob,Sam ordered. The tribe comes first I was wrong today, Sam. Your reasons were wrong then. But now we have a duty to fulfill. I braced myself. No. Sam snarled and stopped pacing in front of me. He stared into my eyes and a deep growl slid between his teeth. Yes,the Alpha decreed, his double voice blistering with the heat of his authority. There are no loopholes tonight. You, Jacob, are going to fight the Cullens with us. You, with Quil and Embry, will take care of Jasper and Emmett. You are obligated to protect the tribe. That is why you exist. You willperform this obligation. My shoulders hunched as the edict crushed me. My legs collapsed, and I was on my belly under him. No member of the pack could refuse the Alpha.

Analysis of Japan’s Economic Structure

Analysis of Japans Economic Structure The Japanese economic structure has always been perceived to be both stable and reliable. Despite periods of difficulty, the rules and regulation surrounding the Japanese banking industry have always attempted to deal with any potential problems and to manage them both on an international and national level. However, there is an argument that the stringent nature of the regulation in itself has caused some problems for the sector, with many banks finding themselves in distressed positions having followed the approaches advocated by the central Ministry of Finance. Prior to the difficulties faced in the 1980s, which will be discussed in greater detail later, the Japanese banks largely followed the guidance of the Ministry and felt safe in the knowledge that there was a safety net in place should they fall into financial difficulties. Japanese banking, as a whole, was not particularly profitable and instead operated a cautious, yet extremely stable service. Despite this approach, the Japanese banking sector hit a substantial crisis in the 1980s, shocking not only those within the Japanese banking system, but also those involved in banking arond the globe. By studying the events that caused this period of difficulty and looking more specifically at the activities of one banking group, in particular, it is hoped that lessons can be drawn from the scenario that will prevent similar events happening again. Background to Japanese Banking The bursting of the bubble in the 1980s did not just come from nowhere; in fact, when the banking system within Japan is studied, for many decades before the bubble burst, it is clear to see that the foundations for this difficult time had been laid some considerable time in advance of the events themselves. Post war Japan took a very segmented and internal approach to banking. Very few transactions were conducted internationally, with almost all financing products being offered to Japanese corporations. This worked in the main due t o the mentality of the Japanese people; they were keen savers, therefore, the banks in Japan had a steady flow of funds available to offer financing to Japanese corporations. As a general rule, city banks offered financing to larger corporations, whereas regional banks offered financing to smaller and more local businesses. In fact, international trading was so low down on the agenda that the government used the Bank of Tokyo in the 1950s and 1960s to deal with the foreign exchange needs of the country and to act as the main foreign representative. Banks within Japan worked together, with the long term credit banks offering completely different services to the commercial banks. The banks were very customer orientated, offering financing at incredibly cheap rates to stimulate the economy, often at the expense of the banks’ profitability. All elements of the banking sector were managed closely by the Ministry of Finance which was largely responsible for all rate setting and ban king relationships. Mergers between banks rarely happened and when they did they were often unsuccessful due to the segregated nature of the different banks, thus making it difficult for companies to merge successfully in terms of culture, administration and ethos.

Experimental Designs II Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Experimental Designs II - Assignment Example For example, in a 2x2 factorial ANOVA with levels A1 and A2 of Factor Aand levels B1 and B2. An ANOVA test would test the significant differences between the marginal means, which are called simple Main Effects of each factor. This is because they illustrate the overall difference between the levels of each factor, independently of the levels of the other. The ANOVA also tests for the significance differences between the Cell Means; in other words, the four means relevant to the AxBinteraction effect (Jackson, 2012). According to Jackson, the test also determines if the effects of the independent variable (IV) are independent of each other, or whether the effects of one IV depend on the level of the factor. Key effects are differences in means over levels of one factor that is collapsed over levels of the other factor (s) (Jackson, 2012). No.6 The difference between a complete factorial design and an incomplete factorial design is laid out in how experimental conditions are dealt wit h. A Complete Factorial Design (CFD) consists of all factors and levels of each factor, it is also capable of estimating all factors, and their interactions (Jackson, 2012). An incomplete factorial design is arrived at when experimental conditions are removed from a complete factorial design. ... No.8 The difference between a two way ANOVA and a three-way ANOVA is that a two-way ANOVA test is used when there are more than one IV requiring multiple observations for each IV. The two-way test determines the main effect contributions of each IV and indicates if there is a significant interaction effect amongst the IVs. The three way ANOVA is used to determine the effect of three nominal predictor variables that are based on a continuous outcome variable. The three-way test evaluates the effect of the IV on the expected outcome together with their relationship in the outcome (Jackson, 2012). Random factors are considered to have no statistical impact on a given data set, unlike systematic factors that are considered to hold statistical significance. No. 10 Source df SS MS F A 1 60 60 1.420 B 2 40 20 24.170 AxB 2 90 81 0.125 Error 30 200 100 1.884 Total 35 390 261 27.599 a). Factorial notation –1x2 = 2 b). There are 2 conditions in this particular study. c). Number of subjec ts in the study – 3 d). Main effect for B, no significant interaction Source df SS MS F A 2 40 20 0.85 B 3 60 18 9 AxB 6 150 130 0.867 Error 72 150 75 Total 83 400 243 15.717 a). Factorial notation – 2 x 3. b). There are 6 conditions. c). Subjects in study - 2 d). No main effects. There is a significant interaction. Source df SS MS F A 1 60 60 132 B 2 40 20 98 AxB 2 90 45 135 Error 30 200 6.67 Total 35 390 131.67 245 a). Factorial notation – 1 x 2 b). There are 3 conditions. c). Subjects in study - 2 d). Main effect for B. No significant interaction. Source df SS MS F A 1 10 10 0.10 B 1 60 60 30 Error 36 80 40 Total 39 150 110 30.10 a). Factorial notation – 1 x 1 b). 1 condition c). Subjects in study - 1 d). Main effect for A and B. Significant

The importance of HR measurement and metrics to HR's role as a Thesis

The importance of HR measurement and metrics to HR's role as a strategic business partner - Thesis Example This thesis describes measurement of the effects of human capital that has become a continual challenge for human resource professionals in various industries. Practices for human resource management are of paramount importance in enhancing the overall performance of firms. Based on previous findings, investments on human capital can bring about favorable returns, such as the increased employee skills, increased productivity and profitability, or enhanced stock market performance. Consequently, organizations have come to recognize that improvements in their human resources can strongly increase organizational efficiency despite increasing competition, business operations and need for cost effective environments. In addition, there has been considerable pressure on the HR function to evaluate and measure its role and contribution in increasing competitive advantage for organizations. In particular, organizational changes, increased accountability, increased productivity, implementatio n of HR strategies, increasing application of human resource information systems, and growing reliance on the interaction between managers and HR. Consequently, previous studies have looked into the different approaches that can be used for measuring HR contributions, hence the term ‘HR metrics’. This study will then focus on the gas and electric utilities industry of the United States, particularly their use of HR metrics and its impact on their performance. Gas and Electric Utilities Industry in the U.S. The electric utility industry in the country is considerable in size. According to the International Energy Agency, it may be likely that demand for electricity will double in the next 25 years. Consequently, large investments in equipment and services that transmit electricity to residential homes and workplaces can be expected as well. As a response to the financial crisis in 2008, the US government had allocated $11 billion to develop the smart grid infrastructure that will enable electricity transmission from long distances as well as increase the energy use efficiency. What has been referred to as electric utilities at present have been associated with companies that generate, transmit, distribute, and conduct billing. Historically, due to the natural monopoly, such electric utilities may either be strictly regulated or public owned. In the past decade, generation of electricity has been separated from its transmission and distribution for companies to create wholesale power markets with which electric utilities obtain energy from their competing generators. In addition, natural gas utilities in the United States have been serving over 70 million customers in the country that is provided by means of underground delivery systems that run for over 2 million miles (AGA, 2011). Residential customers, electric power plants, and establishments that mainly utilize gas for commercial purposes, such as restaurants, account for majority of the consum ers. In terms of employment and working conditions, numerous utility workers typically experience night and weekend shifts with which a number of these employees may work overtime to assist peaks in demand as well as repair the damages caused by accidents, natural disasters, and other occurrences. The working environment of the electric and gas utilities industry has also been associated with hazardous operations and materials, hence the continual need for their employees to undergo adequate and formal training (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011). Despite the efforts of the utilities industry to increase profitability and enhance worker productivity, however, a number of challenges are still being faced by the electric and gas utilities firms, such as the need for sustainability, security of supply, a more complex combination of energy technologies and resources, as well as access to lucrative opportunities (MCE, 2011). It

Country Analysis Report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Country Analysis Report - Research Paper Example Wikipedia notes that China is probably the fourth largest country in the world by total area and defiantly the second largest in the world by land area after Russia. Over the years Beijing has been the most popular tourist destination in China, this is according to an article on top tourist destinations in China by Kelly. Other major interesting places in China are The Terracotta Army in the province of Xi`an, panda breeding in the province of Chengdu, the scenic Zhangjiajie, the plateau of Tibet, the yellow mountains of Huangshan, the idyllic limestone scenery of Guilin, the cities of Hong Kong ,Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou which one can all visit by use of the bullet train. Since my business is that of Tourism and travel Management which involves the detailed organizing and booking of tour trips for my customers I choose China due to its diverse culture. The diverse culture in China will be very profitable to my business in that, my customers will have a varied number of choices to make from the tour packages that my business will be able to provide. These tour packages will include all the festival events in China, the beautiful geographical scenes in china and the opportunity to have the time to travel and shop in China. China has a decentralized political system, a system that provides the provincial and sub-provincial leaders with a significant amount of autonomy. The Marxism ideology followed in China provides a rather conducive political environment for the growth of foreign direct investment (FDI) entities in China.

Customer Satisfaction of AVIS Rent Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Customer Satisfaction of AVIS Rent - Case Study Example According to Preis,   ‘High levels of customer satisfaction are important to marketers as both offensive and defensive tools and are capable of creating a lasting competitive advantage (2004). As earlier mentioned, Avis Rent a Car has been a leader in Customer Satisfaction in car rentals for almost a decade now; however, most of the studies are focused on how Avis perform in general and has not showed statistics on how each of the subsidiaries perform in the Avis ranking. Having this in mind, it is vital to measure how customers of different Avis rent a car system performs to satisfy their customers. Since Avis in United States, UK and Australia has found to be widely used by the customers who avail car rental services; it is essential to base this research on these three subsidiaries. With this in mind, the outcome of this research would primarily benefit the management of AVIS to evaluate the services offered by these subsidiaries and determine the contributing factors affe cting the rankings. This will help the management to aid the subsidiaries by applying services to other subsidiaries not only the countries mentioned but in other parts of the worlds with the services that has made the leading subsidiary excel in the ranking to determine the factors . †¢Ã‚  To measure Customer Satisfaction of Avis rent a car system in the United states, UK and Australia. †¢Ã‚  To compare these three subsidiaries in terms of ranking in Customer Satisfaction... The ranking is hypothesized to affect the general view on Avis rent a car system in Customer Satisfaction as it may lead to know the main contributor for its success as a leading brand in car rentals, The Main Aim of the Research: According to Preis, 'High levels of customer satisfaction are important to marketers as both offensive and defensive tools and are capable of creating a lasting competitive advantage (2004). As earlier mentioned, Avis Rent a Car has been a leader in Customer Satisfaction in car rentals for almost a decade now; however, most of the studies are focused on how Avis perform in general and has not showed statistics on how each of the subsidiaries perform in the Avis ranking. Having this in mind, it is vital to measure how customers of different Avis rent a car system performs to satisfy their customers. Since Avis in United States, UK and Australia has found to be widely used by the customers who avail car rental services; it is essential to base this research on these three subsidiaries. With this in mind, the outcome of this research would primarily benefit the management of AVIS to evaluate the services offered by these subsidiaries and determine the contributing factors affecting the rankings. This will help the management to aid the subsidiaries by applying services to other subsidiaries not only the countries mentioned but in other parts of the worlds with the services that has made the leading subsidiary excel in the ranking. Below specific aims will be addressed in the research: To measure Customer Satisfaction of Avis rent a car system in the United states, UK and Australia To compare these three subsidiaries in terms of ranking in Customer Satisfaction To determine the factors affecting the ranking; and To measure the

Blog Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Blog - Essay Example Generally speaking BBC has the responsibility of telecasting news in a genuine manner with accurate news content. It also has the responsibility to enhance creativity and promote skill of future generation in media profession. There are also difference between quality and popular newspaper where the former projects international and national news but will have politically biased content while popular papers are consumed by readers who are minorly educated. Language and layout of quality paper is precise whereas popular paper gives news in fancy layout and less authentic language. It could be said that the quality of journalism has increased due to the arrival of social media. The diversity of news broadcasting also has increased with the incoming of social media. Moreover users can research their news related and also can broadcast through blogs and updates in social networking sites. However it is sad that in my home country government does censor the press and regulate news which is

Obesity epedemic in america Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Obesity epedemic in america - Essay Example The good part of this issue is that it can be dealt with and controlled. Increased awareness programs by the government along with better management skills and promotion of healthy programs by the media which support a healthy lifestyle can prove to be very beneficial for the people suffering from this condition. Understanding the causes of the disease and dealing with the issue by analyzing these causes can assist in treating this condition. Obesity Epidemic In America With the changes in the living styles of human beings many pathological conditions have emerged and they have become matters of global concern owing to the wide range of impact that they lay on the health of the individuals. Obesity is one such example of a global pathological problem which is now a subject of much concern. Obesity is basically a condition in which there is an increase in the amount of fats in the body of an individual. This condition serves as a base for many degenerative diseases and it serves to af fect the most important systems of the human body. It has now also been observed that this condition also lays an impact on the psychological condition of the person (Stanford Hospital and Clinics 2010). The great number of risks and problems associated with the condition have made it a topic of concern for the entire world. The alarming levels of the condition in the United States have served it to be labelled as an epidemic. ... Examination Survey, two third of the people who reside in the United States either suffer from increased weight or obesity with on an average of one third of the population suffering from obesity (Weight Control and Information Network 2010). Another very important finding in the country explores the fact that the vulnerability of the children becoming obese has also increased and the in the last three decades the rate of this condition has increased by more than thrice in the country. The intensity of the issue of childhood obesity can be analyzed by the fact that the issue has come to the notice of the first family and even they have called for efforts to fight against obesity (Laing 2010). Obesity is a disease state which was initially considered to have no genetic role in its causation. But recent research has put forward the fact that obesity is a disease state which has both genetic component and environmental factors involved in causing it. It is caused by the deletion or dama ge in a gene known as Ob gene putting the subjects with these deletions at high risks of developing obesity (NCBI 1998). The disease can also occur because of an energy imbalance that is excessive intake of energy with lesser utilization by means of physical activity. Thus the increases energy is stored in the body in the form of fat leading to obesity. A diet rich in fat can also lead to obesity because a high fat diet stimulates a person to eat more. Another important reason for obesity is psychological disorders which include depression, eating disorders like binge eating and increased diet in times of stress. Obesity itself can also serve as a reason because it might lead for a person to lose his self confidence and hence the person loses the will to exercise and adopt weight loss

Contemporary Architectural Design and Property Development Essay

Contemporary Architectural Design and Property Development - Essay Example In general, a religion means a strict, unwritten code of essential rules (including morals and traditions) established by humans in order to control social life of their society. Vastu and Feng-Shui is a part of old traditions and culture of Chinese and Indian societies. In a time, they became popular in all Asian countries. Both of the concepts refer to the science of planning buildings, travelways, and graves such that they will get maximum benefits and minimum damage from the 'the cosmos'. More specifically, Feng-Shui addresses wind, water, and other natural forces. "Natural forces" in this case include good and bad luck, which are explicitly compared to wind. The idea of both approaches is that inhabitants of a well-sited home, or descendants of someone buried in a good gravesite, can expect wealth, sons, status, and security to flow to them. Rajgopal (2002) explains: The rebirth of Vastu Shastra parallels contemporary spiritual movements arising all over the world that seek to connect with a higher energy, draw closer to the mysteries of the universe, and contribute to a major paradigm shift (p. 33). However, focally, Vastu and Feng-Shui in... s a true folk science, as recognized by the first Western observer to comment extensively on it and by many Chinese and Westerners since Vastu and Feng-Shui also involve an emotional response to landscapes (Freeman, 2005). In India, excellent work is being done which shows not only that modem architecture can be given a worthy landscape setting, but also that it may soon be possible to find landscape architects who can deal imaginatively with the vast new opportunities created for them by modern town and country planning. But no large body of recognizably modern landscape architecture exists, and in only a few countries is there a strong school of designers (Pegrum, 2000). In modern Asian (and Indian) architecture the two great motive forces of the modern movement are on the one hand the new opportunities being created by technical and social progress and on the other the new structural techniques. In landscape architecture new opportunities are certainly being created, but the technique of garden construction is still fundamentally the same as it was in the eighteenth century. "The three main principles of Veda are right orientation, right placement, and right proportion" (Rajgopal, 2002, p. 34). Even the invention of modern earth-moving machinery, which may seem revolutionary, has in fact merely accelerated and cheapened processes which were used by old builders. Rajgopal (2002) explains that: The reason for da Gama's consternation was that all buildings constructed in Kerala, regardless of the faith of their inhabitants, were built according to the principles of Vastu Shastra by takshagans-- skilled craftsmen-carpenters well versed in the ancient science (p. 34). Today, in Vastu and Feng-Shui, in spite of the advance of science and the discovery of new plants,

Type II Diabetes in African Americans Essay Example for Free

Type II Diabetes in African Americans Essay Introduction                                                    The 1986 report of the Secretarys Task Force on Black and Minority Health called notice to the upsetting excess morbidity as well as mortality from chronic illnesses for instance non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), cancer, and heart disease that exists in minorities in the United States. Besides the added disease burden, restricted research in the area of minority health has exacerbated the problem in the African-American population by reducing the knowledge essential for understanding the contributing factors plus planning effective intervention strategies. Diabetes mellitus, one of the diseases targeted for augmented investigate focus among minorities, carries on to have overwhelming consequences on the African American population. It is anticipated that about 1.8 million African Americans are affected with the disease (Report of the Secretarys Task Force on Black and Minority Health, 1985). Furthermore, the occurrence and mortality from diabetes are almost double as high among African Americans as in the U.S. White population (CDC, 1990). Consequently, there remains a critical need for research intended to explain the aspects contributing to the augmented diabetes-related morbidity as well as mortality in this ethnic group. Biomedical definition and Epidemiology of Diabetes Mellitus Diabetes mellitus is a heterogenous group of disorders that are typified by an abnormal augment in the level of blood glucose. It is a chronic disorder of carbohydrate metabolism ensuing from inadequate production of insulin or from insufficient utilization of this hormone by the bodys cells (Professional Guide to Diseases 1998:849). Diabetes mellitus takes place in 4 forms classified by etiology: Type I (insulin-dependent), Type II (noninsulin-dependent), other special types (genetic disorder or exposure to certain drugs in chemicals), as well as gestational diabetes (occurs during pregnancy). http://etd.fcla.edu/SF/SFE0000527/AfricanAmericanWomen.pdf When studies are performed to evaluate the epidemiology and public health impact of diabetes mellitus on the African-American population, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) plus insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) are most frequently considered. Though, further forms of glucose intolerance have as well been studied, together with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), gestational diabetes (GDM), and other atypical diabetes syndromes. Categorization of these diabetes subtypes is usually footed on standards published by the National Diabetes Data Group (NDDG) (1979) and the World Health Organization (WHO) (1980). The analysis of diabetes is recognized by a finding of fasting plasma glucose (FBS) value greater than 140 mg/dl or a value of 200 mg/dl 2 hours after a 75-gram glucose challenge on the oral glucose tolerance test (OGGT). Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus The initial estimates, footed on national samples, of the incidence of diabetes in African Americans came from data collected on male World War II registrants age eighteen to forty-five, which recommended that the occurrence of diabetes was greater in White than Black males (Marble, 1949). Since these data were collected over age ranges with a prevalence of distribution toward younger age, where diabetes rates may mainly reveal insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, they may not offer a factual picture of the occurrence of NIDDM in the races at that time. More current and dependable data from the National Center for Health Statistics point out that, in the United States, the occurrence of known diabetes is higher among African Americans than White Americans mainly among individuals age forty-five to sixty-four, when the rate for Blacks is 50.6 percent higher (Harris, 1990). The occurrence of diabetes augments with age for U.S. Black adults and is about 1.2 times higher for females (Harris, 1990). Among African Americans, the occurrence of diabetes is inversely associated to educational achievement and is highest among individuals in the low income group. Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus The occurrence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus pursues a different racial prototype from that of NIDDM: White children have approximately twice the rate of Black children. (Lipman, 1991). Across the United States, there is much greater inconsistency in the occurrence of IDDM for African-American children than White children. It is probable the variability in IDDM incidence among African-American children might consequence from variations in degree of White admixture in the different registry locations. There is proof that White admixture differs by geographic region in the United States with greater admixture in northern areas than in the south. This is reliable with the drift for more European-American genetic admixture in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, where the occurrence of IDDM in African Americans is higher, than in Jefferson County, Alabama (Reitnauer et al., 1982) and the incidence of IDDM is lower. Atypical Diabetes Atypical diabetic syndromes, typified by normoglycemic reduction with ensuing periods of hyperglycemic deterioration, generally needing insulin for glycemic control, have been explained in African-American and further Black populations. Winter et al. (1987), accounted an atypical diabetes in young African Americans that shows with features typical of IDDM however lacks the HLA association’s trait of the disease. The insulin dependence in this syndrome was irregular or steadily declined all through the course of the illness. Diabetic syndromes presenting in adulthood with alike phasic insulin dependence have as well been reported. Whereas further forms of diabetes together with protein deficient pancreatic diabetes and fibrocalculus pancreatic diabetes take place in some Black African populations, so far they have not been revealed to be important for African Americans. Type I diabetes reports for three percent of all new cases of diabetes diagnosed every year in the United States. Type I can build up at any age, thus far the majority cases are diagnosed when the individual is under thirty. Type II, the more widespread form of the disease, normally has a steady start, generally appearing in adults over the age of forty (Managing Your Diabetes 1991). It has an effect on an estimated ninety percent of the six million Americans diagnosed with diabetes yearly. The probability of developing Type II is about the same by sex however is greater in African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans. Main risk factors comprise a family history of diabetes, obesity, being age forty or over, hypertension, gestational diabetes, or having one or more infants weighing more than 9 pounds at birth (Professional Guide to Diseases 1998). Diabetes mellitus is a main clinical as well as public health problem in the African American community. African American men have an occurrence of diabetes that is eighty percent higher than that for European American men, whereas African American women have occurrence ninety percent higher than that for European American women (Herman et al. 1998:147). These diabetes statistics point out that not merely are there characteristic differences between African Americans and European Americans in the occurrence and hospitalization rates related with diabetes however as well that research is required to find out if any other factors, for instance social and cultural, may be causative to the large difference of diabetes-related problems (Bailey 2000). Cultural Perceptions of Diabetes Mellitus In a study to find out differences in self-reported adherence to a dietary routine, Fitzgerald et al. (1997) analyzed one hundred and seventy-eight African American and European American patients at a Michigan suburban endocrinology clinic from 1993 to 1994. They establish that the 2 groups of patients with non insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDDM) reported similar adherence to dietary recommendations; similar on the whole adherence, beliefs, plus attitudes as calculated by their diabetes care profile scale; and a similar percentage of ideal body weight (Fitzgerald et al. 1997:46). Further analyses, though, exposed that African Americans and European Americans differed in the opinion of diabetes and the view of adherence to the dietary routine for diabetes. Fitzgerald et al. (1997) speculated that among African American women the inspiration to lose weight frequently is not for health reasons however for improved look. The significance of weight loss to ones diabetic condition is de-emphasized, and more significance is placed upon losing weight for better look. If weight loss does not take place, then unconstructive beliefs and attitudes may reduce the individuals inspiration and endorse a â€Å"why bother† attitude, in that way causing nonadherence to the dietary regimen for diabetes (Fitzgerald et al. 1997:46). To work against this â€Å"why bother† attitude as it affects weight loss and dietary adherence, Fitzgerald et al. (1997) recommended that health educators require to assist patients distinguish their feelings regarding diabetes, recognize the habits that their feelings influence their behaviors, and build up tactics for managing with their feelings. The cultural/social functions of food and what food â€Å"means† plus â€Å"represents† to the individual must be measured when developing meal plans and educational interventions for the African American diabetic patient. So as to study more of the fundamental cultural health beliefs related with diabetes mellitus, Maillet et al. (1996) carried out a focus group of African American women with NIDDM and those endangered for this disease. Six African American women susceptible for noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus contributed in the northeastern urban medical university in a tranquil and relaxed classroom. The main themes that appeared from the focus groups were the significance of family and social support, a tendency to binge or overindulge when food limitations were placed by family members, difficulties with dietary changes, incapability to build up an exercise program due to multiple barriers, lack of clarity regarding diabetes complications, value for however lack of knowledge regarding prevention of complications, as well as a need for future programs that are ethnically responsive to African American women (Maillet et al. 1996:44). Additionally, a constant theme of this focus group was that family support or a lack of support had an impact on ones stated capability to make dietary alterations. Particularly, Maillet et al. recommended that older African American women discover it hard to make dietary changes for the reason that altering their diet disturbs a lifetime of culture within the context of family. Culture may directly manipulate diabetes education and have to be understood and included into intervention programs to persuade success (Maillet et al. 1996:45). Consequently, when providing care to African American women of all ages, Maillet et al. recommended that the primary health care providers have to be sensitive to the role that culture plays in diet, weight loss, plus diabetes self-management. By means of qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques to examine health beliefs and health care-seeking outlines of African American and Euro-American diabetics, the fieldwork project was performed in 2 phases at the diabetes clinic in the Regenstrief Health Center at Indiana University, Indianapolis. The qualitative phase 1 occurred from June to August 1991, and the quantitative phase 2 from June to December 1992 (Bailey 2000:178). From 9 total site visits over the 5 months, the following noteworthy themes come into view regarding the African American diabetic patient: Appraise the source of the patients diabetes; Effort to dispel any delusions of diabetes; Make active the patient for self-care of diabetes; Carry on to reeducate the patient on blood glucose monitoring as well as insulin injection; and Hearten social and familial support for devotion to diabetic regimen.   Besides, other qualitative results pointed out that physicians required to (1) recognize the sociocultural restraints of a patients keeping appointments; (2) regulate the dietary alteration of the patient to his or her lifestyle and cultural dietary pattern; (3) build up more permanence of care; (4) find out new skills to build up understanding and trust with patients; and (5) give emphasis to the significance of the diabetic condition to the patient (Bailey 2000:182).   Phase 2 (Bailey 2000) consisted of performing qualitative and quantitative observations and interviews of African American and Euro-American diabetic patients. For instance, during the six-month period of phase 2, African American patients shared the following comments:   Patient Informant #1 (African American female): Im not sure what caused my diabetes. I know that there is a family connection to diabetes and my weight has something to do with it, but I dont take all of it too seriously. www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/ah/upload/Bailey.ppt When asked to assess her capability to pursue the doctors set diabetic dietary regimen, patient informant #1 stated:   My sons and husband want their meals the way they normally have it. They dont want no unseasoned meals, so what am I supposed to do? www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/ah/upload/Bailey.ppt Patient Informant #2 (African American female): I was on those diabetic pills, but I had to be placed on insulin injections. I hate taking these injections, but I have to do it. www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/ah/upload/Bailey.ppt   Fascinatingly, patient informant #2 was placed on diabetic pills and told to watch her diet years ago. Though, she stopped taking the pills on a regular basis and did not stick to the diabetic diet routine. Now that she is on insulin injections and closely adhering to the diabetes dietary routine, her insulin injections have slowly been reduced.   Patient Informant #3 (African American male): I was really not shocked when I was diagnosed with diabetes simply because my father and aunt have diabetes and I knew it was a matter of time before I would develop it. www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/ah/upload/Bailey.ppt   Diabetes is widespread among African Americans and this is because of dietary eating pattern—fried foods and not sufficient vegetables.   Even though patient informant #3 thought that it was a matter of time before he would build up diabetes, he is still unsure of the procedure and the reasons why he developed Type II diabetes. He came to the clinic merely to discover what was wrong with his stomach. To his shock, he was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. The qualitative findings that tend to be more related with the African American diabetic patients than with the Euro-American diabetic patients were as follows: The doubt of the real source of ones diabetes; The lack of perceived importance of ones diabetic condition; The perceived incapability to stick to the diabetic routine; The lower ranking of ones health as compared to other social and family obligations. These qualitative outcomes pointed out that numerous sociocultural issues still require to be further examined in the African American diabetic population (Bailey 2000:184).   Lastly, the former president of the National Medical Association, Yvonnecris Smith Veal (1996), utters that there are three fundamental causes why diabetes carries on to plague the African American community. First, there is the way of life and behavioral patterns related with African Americans for example poor eating habits, obesity, restricted access to enough medical care, and restricted funds. African Americans generally tend to eat foods high in calories and loaded with saturated fats and sugar and to have an inactive lifestyle—all of which are causative factors to being overweight. Second, African Americans have a history of making foods with lard and other heavy oils. This sort of food preparation, together with the incapability to get a balanced diet, contributes to the risk factors related with diabetes. Third, African Americans require more choices to decide dietary diabetic routines that fit the preferences for certain foods plus eating practices among all segments of the African American population (Bailey 2000).   Factors Influencing the Occurrence of Diabetes in African Americans Significant factors influencing the incidence of diabetes mellitus in African Americans comprise personal characteristics for instance genetics, age, sex, plus history of glucose intolerance (IGT, GDM). Further routine factors for instance physical activity plus obesity, which are related with altering socioeconomic as well as cultural climates within countries, to a great extent have an effect on the risk of developing the disease. Even though the exact etiological interactions remain arguable, it is definite that a mixture of most of these factors is accountable for precipitating the disease. Genetics An individuals risk of developing diabetes mellitus is significantly influenced by his/her hereditary background. Individuals who are first-degree relatives of diabetes patients are at noticeable augmented risk of developing the disease compared to unrelated individuals in the general population. (W.H.O. Multinational, 1991). Proof from studies of identical twins specifies a concordance rate of about ninety percent for NIDDM and fifty percent for IDDM, representing that the influence of genetics is greater in the former than in the latter (Barnett, Eff, Leslie Pyke, 1981). The investigation for the hereditary reasons that rates of diabetes fluctuate in different ethnic groups has caused hypotheses that try to report for the observed frequencies of NIDDM and IDDM in African Americans. (Tuomilehto, Tuomilehto- Wolf , Zimmet, Alberti Keen, 1992) Thrifty Gene Hypothesis Neel (1962) recommended that populations exposed to intermittent food shortage would through natural selection augment the incidence of genetic traits, thrifty genes, that incline to energy conservation. These genes would augment survival during times of famine by permitting for adept storage of fat in times of abundance. In the absence of feast and famine cycles, in times of continued profusion, these genes would turn out to be detrimental, predisposing to the growth of obesity and an augmented frequency of NIDDM. This hypothesis would be constant with the observation of much higher rates of diabetes and obesity among African Americans and urban Africans compared to Black Africans residing in conventional environments. Age and Sex In the majority populations the occurrence of diabetes differs with age and sex. For African Americans, the peak age range for diagnosis of IDDM is about fifteen to nineteen years of age, whereas NIDDM occurs more often after age fifty-six, when it is 3 times more common than in the White population (Roseman, 1985). African-American females are more probable to build up IDDM compared to Black men are more probable to develop NIDDM than Black men, White women, and White men, correspondingly (Harris, 1990). The sex discrepancy for IDDM may be because of differences in vulnerability or experience to etiologic agents (Dahlquist et al., 1985). Differences in NIDDM by gender may be because of differences in the levels of related risk factors such as obesity plus physical activity.   Socioeconomic Status (SES) Racial differences in disease rates may reveal socioeconomic differences. In the United States socioeconomic status and the frequency of NIDDM have a converse relationship. The impact of SES on NIDDM rates among African Americans may be particularly strong. Studies concerning socioeconomic status to the development of IDDM have been contradictory. Some studies establish a positive relationship. Others have found a negative (Colle et al., 1984) or no relationship at all. It appears improbable that socioeconomic status contributes considerably to racial differences in the frequency of IDDM in the United States. Obesity Obesity, usually measured as body-mass index (BMI)), is the most important risk factor for NIDDM. Overweight is a severe problem for the African-American female, with the level of obesity (that is BMI 27.3) being greater than fifty percent among women older than age forty-five (Van Itallie, 1985). Compared to White women, African-American women are more overweight. African-American men demonstrate a similar prototype of obesity when compared to White men (Van Italie, 1985).   The development of NIDDM is not merely influenced by the presence of obesity however as well by where the body fat is distributed. The danger of developing NIDDM is greater for individuals with central or android obesity. African Americans have been accounted to have a greater propensity to store more fat in the trunk than Whites, which could clarify part of the excess occurrence of NIDDM in the Black population (Kumanyika, 1988). Physical Activity There is proof that physical inactivity is an independent danger factor for developing NIDDM (Taylor et al., 1984). On the other hand, exercise perhaps a strong defensive factor against the development of the disease. On the whole there is a converse association between levels of obesity and physical activity. Consequently, higher levels of obesity among U.S. Blacks compared to Whites propose that reduced levels of physical activity among African Americans may donate to their higher rate of diabetes. Insulin Resistance The danger of developing NIDDM is absolutely related with fasting levels of circulating insulin. It has been revealed that insulin resistance, typified by hyperinsulinemia, can predate the development of NIDDM for years. besides diabetes, insulin resistance causes numerous interrelated disorders together with hypertension, body fat mass and distribution, as well as serum lipid abnormalities (Ferrannini , Haffner, Mitchell Stern, 1991). This has encouraged speculation that hyperinsulinemia and/or insulin resistance may be the phenotypic expression of the thrifty genotype anticipated by Neel (1962). Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) and Gestational Diabetes Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are 2 types of glucose intolerance that are strong risk factors for developing NIDDM and IDDM. Gestational diabetes denotes the development of diabetes during pregnancy and a subsequent return to normal tolerance following parturition, whereas IGT is the class of glucose tolerance where fasting glucose values are between normal and diabetic. (OSullivan Mahan, 1968). The risk of developing obvious diabetes among individuals with IGT is associated to the severity of impaired tolerance plus presence of further risk factors, together with a positive family history of diabetes and obesity (Harris, 1989). Numerous risk factors for GDM have been recognized among African-American women, including age, gravidity, hypertension, obesity, plus family history of diabetes (Roseman et al., 1991).   Diabetes Mortality At present, diabetes mellitus is the 3rd most recurrent cause of death from disease among African Americans. Higher rates of diabetes mortality in African Americans compared to the White population may partly be because of their higher occurrence of diabetes. When mortality among individuals who have developed diabetes is measured, though, it emerges that African Americans have a lower mortality rate than Whites with the disease (Harris, 1990). In recent years, there has been a leveling off in the rate of mortality from diabetes for both races.   Diabetic Complications Chronic diabetes mellitus is related with numerous overwhelming complications that reduce the quality of life and cause early mortality. These comprise hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, as well as macrovascular complications.   In the United States, African Americans with diabetes have higher rates of hypertension than Whites. The constancy of high rates of hypertension among African Americans and Afro-Caribbean populations (Grell, 1983) has caused the proposition that Western Hemisphere Blacks are offspring of a highly selected group of Africans who were efficient at retaining salt, which permitted them to uphold sodium homeostasis and survive the long sea voyages from Africa (Grim, 1988). Recent proof proposes that high rates of hypertension among African Americans might be associated to hyperinsulinemia plus abnormal renal sodium transport (Douglas, 1990). Information on the incidence and impact of other diabetes-associated complications are limited. Though, retinopathy, neuropathy, and stroke emerge to be more recurrent in African Americans than Whites with diabetes (Roseman, 1985). The rate of lower limit amputations ensuing from diabetes has been reported to be considerably greater among U.S. Blacks than Whites. Occurrence rates of diabetic end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have been revealed to be greater for African Americans than for Whites. After developing ESRD though, U.S. Blacks emerge to survive longer than Whites. There is as well some implication that certain cardiovascular complications including angina and heart attack may take place less often among African Americans than among Whites with diabetes (Harris, 1990).   It has been recommended that the on the whole higher rates of diabetes complications among African Americans might be associated to poorer metabolic control. Additionally, the high rate of hypertension among African Americans with diabetes may make worse or make haste the start of other complications for example retinopathy and nephropathy. Other significant risk factors for diabetes complications comprise age of onset, education, cigarette smoking, socioeconomic status, plus access to medical care (Roseman, 1985).   Prevention and Intervention Strategies The main metabolic defect of type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance in association with a relative and progressive deficiency in insulin secretion. This insulin resistance, present in many tissues, makes its primary contribution to hyperglycemia by reducing peripheral glucose uptake in muscle and failing to suppress hepatic glucose output. Additionally, resistance in adipose tissue to insulin-mediated suppression of lipolysis results in an elevation of free fatty acids (FFAs) and a further aggravation of hyper-glycemia. The degree of insulin resistance observed in diabetic subjects may vary according to a subjects ethnic background, body mass index (BMI), and physical activity. Pharmacologic intervention with either metformin, a biguanide, or a thiazolidinedione (TZD) has been successful in reducing insulin resistance in subjects with type 2 diabetes. In the management of the majority forms of diabetes, there is a need to be concerned concerning the acute complications of hypoglycemia and ketoacidosis and/or development of acute hyperosmolar crises. Hypoglycemia, a major treatment concern in type 1 diabetes, is much less frequent with type 2 diabetes and is discussed later in association with specific therapies. Although DKA and hyperosmolar crises have been reported in children with type 2 diabetes, they are uncommon, in our experience after initial presentation, but such crises have been reported. About 10-15% of children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes present at diagnosis with DKA, hyperosmolar crisis, or a combination of these states. The long-term goals in the management of type 2 diabetes are twofold: first, the prevention of microvascular complications, including retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy; secondly, the prevention of macrovascular complications such as atherosclerosis of the coronary, cerebral, and large arteries of the lower extremities. These lead to myocardial infarction, stroke, and amputation, and are the major causes of morbidity and mortality with type 2 diabetes. The development of these complications is multifactorial, but is influenced by associated hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperinsulinemia in addition to the effects of hyperglycemia. The aim of therapy in type 2 diabetes is to specifically target the underlying metabolic defects of this disorder, which are obesity, abnormal insulin secretory function, and the insulin resistance present in the three primary insulin responsive tissues skeletal muscle, fat, and liver. The first approach is to reduce obesity through lifestyle interventions in diet and exercise. In addition, the introduction of an ÃŽ ±-glucosidase inhibitor may be considered to delay carbohydrate digestion and absorption, reducing peak postprandial hyperglycemia. A second therapeutic approach is to address insulin secretory dysfunction with insulin secretagogues such as sulfonylureas or meglitinides. Alternatively, or if these secretagogues are ineffective, exogenous insulin can be initiated. A third approach is to address tissue-specific insulin resistance. Metformin can decrease hepatic glucose output and improve peripheral insulin sensitivity. Thiazolidinediones have been successful in improving peripheral insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes in adults; however, experience with these therapeutic agents is limited in children. At present, diabetes mellitus remains a serious problem tackling the African Americans population. High diabetes mortality rates reflect merely part of the problem. The viewpoint of increasing diabetes occurrence rates casts a threatening shadow over the future for the African Americans community. The morbidity related with diabetic complications places a great financial burden on individuals and communities least able to bear the cost of such an illness. Evidently, the challenge of addressing the problem of diabetes mellitus in the African Americans population is great and will need a multidisciplinary approach involving government, researchers, educators, as well as members of the African Americans community. Health Promotion Of main importance is the requirement for distribution of information regarding diabetes and its consequences into the African-American community. An uneducated African-American community may be inclined to undervalue the diabetes problem or to pay less attention to the signs and symptoms of its commencement. This may outcome in late diagnosis or care, thus raising the probability of rapid start of complications. Consequently, ethnically sensitive strategies intended to get involved and educate African Americans on the subject of the behavioral and environmental risk factors for diabetes plus its complications are necessary. Undoubtedly, in order for African Americans to take steps to lessen the diabetes linked morbidity and mortality in their communities they have to have the capability to make informed decisions regarding the disease. Cooperative Efforts for Provision of Health Services Rates of diabetes mortality and complications may depend on the accessibility and permanence of care. There is some sign that African Americans with diabetes may be underserved regarding medical care (Harris, 1990). Cautious study of this problem is needed, and innovative solutions have to be developed. The African-American community must as well become empowered to expect and demand the essential care they deserve. To have an effect on such change, community based institutions, for instance the church, can build up programs for using the health professionals within their congregations to offer care or therapy to diabetics and their families. Organizations concerned with minorities, for instance the UrbanLeague, can comprise diabetes and further health problems in their national agendas to generate concern and act at the community and national levels.   Governmental agencies and institutions engaged in training health professionals, for example medical schools and schools of public health, must institute action to augment the pool of African Americans in the professions concerned with the care of individuals with diabetes. Federal agencies, for instance the National Institutes of Health, may as well offer special grant programs to hearten submission of research grants to study diabetes in African Americans and to improve the growth of minority researchers in the area.   Research The inadequate data presently accessible on diabetes among African Americans raise numerous questions however deliver few answers regarding the etiology and natural history of diabetes plus its complications in this racial group. Up to now, a small number of studies of diabetes in the United States have included representative samples of African Americans. This inadequacy has to be addressed if future studies are to give way valid conclusions concerning the factors accountable for the incidence of the disease in the African-American population. In the Report of the Secretarys Task Force on Black and Minority Health (1985), numerous research priority areas for addressing the health disparity between Black and White Americans were recognized. These areas are mainly pertinent to diabetes mellitus and comprise the following: (1) investigation into risk-factor recognition, (2) investigation into risk-factor occurrence, (3) investigate into health education intrusions, (4) investigation into prevention services interventions, (5) investigation into treatment services, as well as (6) investigation into sociocultural factors and health outcomes. The recognition of these target areas for investigation and other recent efforts by the Department of Health and Human Services to endorse the study of diabetes in the African-American population (Sullivan, 1990) are significant steps toward addressing the gap in awareness of how diabetes have an effect on African Americans. In the future we have to translate the knowledge achieved from new and continuing studies into efficient preventive action.    References:   Bailey, Eric (2000). Medical Anthropology and Africans American Health. Westport, CT: Bergin Garvey. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). (1990). Diabetes surveillance: Annual 1990 report. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control, Division of Diabetes Translation, Atlanta GA Colle E., Siemiatycki J., West R., Belmonte M. M., Crepeau M. P., Poirier R., Wilkins J. (1984). Incidence of juvenile onset diabetes in Montrealdemonstration of ethnic differences and socioeconomic class differences. Journal of Chronic Disease, 34, 611-616. Dahlquist G., Blom L., Holgren G., Hogglof B., Larsson Y., Sterky G., Wall S . (1985). The epidemiology of diabetes in Swedish children 0-14 years: A six year prospective study. Diabetologia, 28, 802-808. Douglas J. G. (1990). Hypertension and diabetes in blacks. Diabetes Care, 13 (Supp. 4), 1191-1195. Ferrannini E., Haffner S. M., Mitchell B. D., Stern M. P. (1991). Hyperinsulinemia: The key feature of a cardiovascular and metabolic syndrome. Diabetologia, 34, 416-422. Fitzgerald, James, R. Anderson, M. Funnell, M. Arnold, W. Davis, L. Aman, S. Jacober, and Grunberger (1997). â€Å"Differences in the Impact of Dietary Restrictions on Africans and Caucasians with NIDDM.† The Diabetes Educator 23: 41-47. Grim C. E. (1988). On slavery, salt and the greater prevalence of hypertension in black Americans. Clinical Research, 36, 426A. Harris M. I. (1990). Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in black and white Americans. Diabetes Metabolism Review, 6, 71-90. Herman, William, T. Thompson, W. Visscher, R. Aubert, M. Engelgau, L. Liburd, D. Watson, and T. Hartwell (1998). â€Å"Diabetes Mellitus and Its Complement in an Africans American Community: Project DIRECT.† Journal of National Medical Association 90: 147-156. Kumanyika S. (1988). Obesity in black women. Epidemiology Review, 9, 31-50. Lipman T. H. (1991). The epidemiology of Type I diabetes in children 0-14 years of age in Philadelphia. Doctoral dissertation, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania. Report of the Secretarys Task Force on Black and Minority Health. ( 1985). Volume 1: Executive Summary. DHHS Publication No. 017-090-00078. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. Maillet, Nancy, G. Melkus, and G. Spollett (1996). â€Å"Using Focus Groups to Characterize the Health Beliefs and Practices of Black Women with Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes.† The Diabetes Educator 22: 39-46. Marble A. (1949). Diabetes mellitus in the U.S. Army in World War II. The Military Surgeon, 105, 357-363. National Diabetes Data Group (NDDG). (1979). Classification and diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and other categories of glucose intolerance. Diabetes, 26, 1039-1057. Neel J. V. (1962). Diabetes mellitusA thrifty genotype rendered detrimental by progress? American Journal of Human Genetics, 14, 353-362.   OSullivan J. B., Mahan C. M. (1968). Prospective study of 352 young patients with chemical diabetes. New England Journal of Medicine, 278, 1038-1041. Professional Guide to Diseases (1998). Springhouse, PA: Springhouse. Reitnauer P. J., Go R. C. P., Acton R. T., Murphy C. C., Budowle B., Barger B. O. , Roseman J. M. ( 1982). Evidence of genetic admixture as a determinant in the occurrence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Diabetes, 31, 532-537. Roseman J. M., Go R. C. P., Perkins L. L., Barger B. D., Beel D. A., Goldenberg R. L. , DuBard M. B., Huddlestone J. F., Sedacek C. M., Acton R. T. ( 1991). Gestational diabetes among Africans American women. Diabetes and Metabolism Review, 7, 93-104. Sullivan L. (1990). Opening remarks. Diabetes Care, 13 (Supp. 4), 1143. Taylor R., Ram P., Zimmet P., Raper R., Ringrose H. ( 1984). Physical activity and the prevalence of diabetes in Melanesian and Indian men in Fiji. Diabetologia, 27, 578-582. Tull E. S., LaPorte R. E., Vergona R. E., Gower I., Makame M. H. ( 1992). A two-fold excess mortality among Africans American IDDM cases compared withWhites: The Diabetes Epidemiology Research International experience Van T. B. Itallie (1985). Health implications of overweight and obesity in the United States. Annals of Internal Medicine, 103, 983-988. Veal, Yvonnecris (1996). â€Å"Africans Americans and Diabetes: Reasons, Rationale, and Research.† Journal of the National Medical Association 88: 203-204. WHO Multinational Project for Childhood Diabetes. (1991). Familial insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) epidemiology: Standardization of data for the DIAMOND Project. World Health Organization Bulletin OMS, 69, 767-777. Winter W. E., Maclaren N. K., Riley W. J., Clarke D. W., Kappy S., Spillar R. P . (1987). Maturity-onset diabetes of youth in black Americans. New England Journal of Medicine, 316, 285-291. World Health Organization. (1980). Report of expert committee on diabetes mellitus. Technical Report, Series no. 646. Geneva: World Health Organization. http://etd.fcla.edu/SF/SFE0000527/AfricanAmericanWomen.pdf www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/ah/upload/Bailey.ppt

Comparative Essay Between Movies and Books Essay Example for Free

Comparative Essay Between Movies and Books Essay In 2003, David Foster Wallace said â€Å"Reading requires sitting alone, by yourself, in a room†¦I have friends—intelligent friends—who don’t like to read because there’s an almost dread that comes up about having to be alone and having to be quiet†¦When you walk into most public spaces in America, it isn’t quiet anymore. † Although the collective amount of time spent by people reading has declined with our minds, moving pictures with sound continue to further embed themselves in culture. Ask a group of fifteen year olds how many books they have read in the last month, and the likely answer will be that most of them have not finished a book since a month ago. But ask the same group the last time they saw a movie, and a week previous (or less) will fail to be an uncommon answer. A question then poses itself: why is it that one source of entertainment and art is falling out of favor while another is becoming more and more common? One could ascribe the comparative quality of the two, implying that movies are superior to books. However, a more accurate, yet less popular affirmation would be that books are superior to films and that superiority is not necessarily synonymous with prevalence. To go into detail in a movie the same way as one might in a book would be painfully difficult. The resulting abomination would be torturously monotonous due to movies very nature, which panders to the short attention spans of the average person by constantly moving and embellishing ideas with pictures and music. It would also be horribly long, the length of, or longer than an audiobook. For evidence, one could look at documentaries and nonfiction books. The former are far less informative, although one may wish to believe otherwise because a documentary film takes less work to enjoy and is, to some, more pleasurable. Take two lectures, both approximately an hour and twenty minutes in length (approximately the running time of a movie) and both by two highly acclaimed authors. The first, by Thomas L. Friedman, was on his book The World is Flat, and the second, by Temple Grandin, was on her book Animals in Translation. In either lecture, one could see the speaker constantly speaking and cramming more information into their allotted time. Yet neither covered even close to what was in their books. A documentary trying to do such a thing is even more preposterous, demanding copious amounts of time for a garnish of pretty images and smooth transitions. This is the reason scholars do not publish their findings in case-study documentaries but in texts. Long, arduous texts the average person would rather die than pick up. Further evidence is in the quality of film adaptations of books. If one went to see the recent movie Life of Pi after reading the original novel by Yann Martel, a period of misanthropy and depression may not be a completely unrelated concept. The movie was one hundred twenty-seven minutes long and left out numerous important facets, such as Pi’s connection with a Suffi man in part of Pondicherry, his grade-school teacher Mr. Kumar, and the training of Richard Parker. The content of the film was not, however, wanting when compared to others movies of its length. It might take several weeks to finish the book; how could a film-maker be expected to fill all of the information in it into one hundred twenty-seven minutes, with exposition, visual stimulation, and graphic theatrics as obligations? Life of Pi is art as a book, but as a movie, is a source of mass-market entertainment. Although film’s quantitative flaws of constriction are more than surfeit to deem texts as the more valuable mediaform, ample also are its qualitative stiflings. For example, if a movie character began to speak the way Jean Genet does in his books, the production would come across as contrived and pretentious. For a moment I was no longer a hungry, ragged vagabond,† wrote Genet in The Thiefs Journal, â€Å"whom dogs and children chased away; nor was I the bold thief flouting the cops, but rather the favorite mistress who, beneath a starry sky, soothes the conqueror. † Using words like â€Å"vagabond† and â€Å"flouting† in everyday speech is incredibly uncommon, and even english teachers will tell you that using the conjunction â€Å"nor† will get one beat up. Genet, however, is widely regarded as a brilliant artist for, including but not limited to, his beauteous prose. A stark contrasts between books and movies shimmers here. The language in a movie is only of characters, who are constantly in a mode of speech too casual for grace past a certain point, while a book is free to use English (or whatever tongue it is written in) freely. The confinement of characters as one of the only modes of expression—and almost always the most utilized—is also a problem when expressing greater themes. Compare most classic cinema achievements to esteemed novels, and an underlying trend will emerge: movies repeatedly project something about humans, or the nature of man, while books are far ore diverse, sometimes delving deeply into the emotional lives of characters without the chains of lengthy exposition and making discourse seem natural, while some dwell extensively on philosophical musings such as the meaning of life and the cyclical nature of history. One of the biggest reasons books dominate movies is also one of the biggest reasons books are becoming significantly popular. That is, books effect mental wo rk. Culture as a whole has become increasingly fast paced, and the instant gratification of movies fits in with the utmost dexterity. The interactive experience one has with a book is a glorious cradle for the type of deep thought about a topic that lasts maybe thirty minutes rather than thirty seconds. To read a novel by James Joyce, one must spend a significant amount of time trying to process the underlying themes and meanings, often rereading even a small portion several times until it makes sense. Many people loathe James Joyce for the daunting density of his work. But to watch a James Cameron movie, a two hour slot of time is all that is usually given up before a person begins eulogizing or bashing the piece. When one challenges one’s brain, it becomes more powerful, like a exercising a muscle. All aforesaid is meant not to bash movies, but simply to expose how they are surpassed by books. Many people who would argue the converse position are not without reason. Some may sight â€Å"art films† like Citizen Kane and Nosferatu, arguing that despite how these are very different in nature than books, they are greater and more beneficial media. Others would assert that there are more options in film. That there are new dimensions to work in when visuals are added into the mix: lighting, filters, cinematography, etcetera. And an entire other artform is said to be a fundamental part of movies but not books: acting. What a character says on paper can be extremely affected by what the inflection and tone of the speaker is. For example, the phrase â€Å"I wanted to kick his ass† can have a huge shift in meaning when emphasis is put on â€Å"I,† â€Å"wanted,† â€Å"kick,† â€Å"his,† or â€Å"ass. † Books, falling in the numerical eye of statisticians as a great form of media, are truly better and more diverse than the silver screen. Books are far freer to paint with complex detail and long topics, while most movies re tied to a certain length, making books better beacons for information. Freer still are books in the possibilities of both subject matter and ways to express that because they are not stuck on characters so severely. With their richness comes an opportunity for the reader to exercise the brain to a greater degree, enriching all parts of their mental life. Although some people disagree, using great old films and the unique opportunities filmmaking does provide the artist with as talking points, books remain the prevailing art the face of a shrinking audience.