Thursday, October 31, 2019

Design the telecommunications network to support a new multi-location Essay

Design the telecommunications network to support a new multi-location practice - Essay Example The use of latest networking tools has transformed the overall world particularly business areas. At the present, organizations have much faster, accurate and enhanced ways for business and corporate management. This paper presents communication network specification for a Dental Office. In this scenario I will recommend a new network technology and data sharing method for better management of the corporate areas. Requirements for the Network I have presented below some of the requirements for new network technology implementation at corporation: Offering better communication services at corporation Establishment of effective data sharing environment Offering secure data access points for communication Establishment of better communication facility Offering remote access to network Offering remote data transfer and access mechanism Implementing new and enhanced data communication framework Offering better data safety and access points Implementing enhanced capability of data handling Developing better data handling mechanism Suitable data backup and recovery mechanism Superior data transfer speed Effective user management Tight security login and access methods Network Information and Data Need Security In this network establishment main sensitive data that we have is about the Dental Clinic clients (patients). This data needs to be secured for superior management and corporate security and privacy. This link of data can include: Patient name Patient address Patient content Patient financial details Patient medial details Patient medical history Patient personal and sensitive information Patient funds transfer information Besides we also have some of the important information regarding doctors and other clinic staff. In this scenario we have a lot of details regarding staff working and financial information that can be extremely sensitive: Staff Person name Staff Person address Staff Person content Staff Person financial details Staff Person job details Staff P erson working history Staff Person personal and sensitive information Staff Person salary and financial transfers details In addition, this new corporate network and database will also keep some sensitive information regarding Dental Clinic itself. I have outline below some of the important aspects that will be kept by network database for the business: Business financial information Business staff details Business tax details Business revenue information Business assistants details Business daily working schedule Network Specification For analyzing the needs and requirements of Dental Clinic business and operational capabilities required by corporation I would suggest a new and effective network arrangement for the business. For this network development, I would suggest the implementation of VPN (virtual private network). In this scenario, a virtual private network (VPN) is a network arrangement that makes use of a public telecommunication arrangement, like that internet, to offer remote offices or individual clients through protected access to their organization's communication network. In addition, the basic goal of a VPN is to offer the business the similar potentials however at a much lower cost

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Critically evaluate the role counseling and psychotherapy theory and Essay

Critically evaluate the role counseling and psychotherapy theory and practice in the application of adventure therapy - Essay Example It is important to note the appropriate role and use of counseling in the context of society and in relation to abnormal psychology. For example, the counselor is primarily dealing with normal, functioning children and adults that may at some point during their life develop psychological or emotional problems with which they benefit from personal and professional assistance. Generally, between 5% to 10% of the population at any time can be expected to display the signs and symptoms of major mental illness as defined in abnormal psychology, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, manias, psychosis, etc., though less than 1% will require clinical hospitalization. (NIMH, 2008, See: Appendix) This leaves counseling as a profession tasked with first separating cases of abnormal psychology from problems of normal development of individuals, and secondly, assisting in the provision of effective treatment to the individuals who are seeking counseling. It is in this context that Adventure T herapy should be understood, as well as its application, for there may be human development problems that are caused by the individual’s relation to modern society that can better be solved by treatments fostering social relationships and exercise activities as opposed to pharmaceuticals or institutionalization. Nevertheless, there may also be instances where a combination of medication and Adventure Therapy can also assist in the treatment of those afflicted with psychological problems and mental illness. Creating the ability to distinguish the causes and treatments for patients is an important aspect of training that the counselor must undertake, including research in a multiplicity of methods and a willingness to experiment in finding the treatment that best suits the unique nature of every individual and effectively promotes positive mental health recoveries. The life of an individual can be viewed on a continuum of functionality related to self-realization with normality at the center, functioning at the highest levels of individual mental and physical operations at one extreme, and the psychoses and neuroses of severe mental illness or insanity at the other extreme. The counselor can expect the range of behavior for most people to stay within the realm of normal operations on usual occasions, straying into psychological crisis through challenges, problems, and obstacles in life or relationship issues that occasionally need to be addressed by the individual. Viewing the counselor’s office as a mixture between a general practitioner’s office and an emergency room highlights the manner that the counselor must prepare for all of the contingencies of not only mental illness, but also for mental health, in the population he or she is tasked with serving. Counseling in this regard can be seen as a tool to help maintain or restore normalcy to individuals based upon their own self-definition of importance and accepted societal standards of fu nctioning. In being able to distinguish between the critical and clinical symptoms of severe mental illness and the factors that are required to build a stronger sense of well-being and mental health, the counselor can begin to serve the diversity of needs that he or she will encounter within a given population, as well as to understand some of the causes that lead people to psycho-spiritual crisis and life

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Unemployment in 1930s Britain

Unemployment in 1930s Britain Examine the problems facing families living in areas of high unemployment in Britain in the 1930s Introduction The inter-war period is truly one of a double-edged transition. On the one hand, this period was to see the beginnings of revolution in many social institutions (such as marriage, family and the Church) that the men and women of the late Victorian era would have taken for granted. The inter-war period (which provided the necessary societal bases for the post-war creation of the Welfare State) also saw economic expansion and an improvement in welfare and living standards; infant mortality steadily decreased during the inter-war period, from 108 per 1000 live births in 1913, to 53 by 1938 (Thorpe, p.57, 1994) and the advent of mass consumerism and the wide-spread potential for leisure and tourism amongst Britons, in other words, hall-marks of a society in the process of modernisation (Stevenson, 1984). On the other hand, there is a darker side to this vision of untrammelled progress. The inter-war period has been characterised sinisterly as â€Å"the devil’s decade† (Stevenson, p.266, 1984). This epithet was bestowed on account of the image this decade has of general unemployment, which led to wide-spread impoverishment and Hunger Marches. The Wall Street Crash of 1929, which halted the American economic upsurge of the 1920s, led to a world-wide economic slump, and is the watershed for the mass unemployment that was to pervade Britain in the 1930s; for the eighteen years between 1921-1938, the official figure for unemployment never fell below one million (Harris, p.203, 1994). Britain’s worst years for unemployment were after 1931, a crisis year, because the disaster of the Wall Street Crash of 1929 had had time to take effect. In the winter of 1932-3, unemployment reached its highest peak, with just under three million workers (representing a quarter of the re gistered workforce) unemployed (Thorpe, p.88, 1994). As with any period of economic stagnation, unemployment brings with it a range of knock-on social problems for the family unit. Structural Unemployment Unemployment can be categorised as either cyclical or structural. The former is the type of unemployment that comes and goes in phases. It is linked with the economic cycle of boom and bust; when the economy is in boom, then unemployment in certain sectors will temporarily reduce, though the converse also holds. In the 1930s, which saw quite a dramatic economic cycle of boom and bust, cyclical unemployment was always a large and difficult problem. However, the problem of cyclical unemployment, being more immediately noticeable, is one that can easily mask an underlying problem of structural unemployment. This is the unemployment that still obtains, despite any periods of high economic activity. For example, even in those years of peak economic activity in the inter-war period, there was still a high level of unemployment in the staple export trades. For example, even before the world-wide economic crisis of 1929-1931, the traditional heavy industries, such as ship-building and coal-m ining, also faced high levels of unemployment. By 1929, a fifth of all coalminers were unemployed, and likewise for those workers in the iron and steel industries (Stevenson, p.269, 1984). The structural unemployment in these kinds of heavy industries, perhaps where a mine was abandoned or disused, for example, brought about the typical pattern of localised unemployment during the 1930s. The era saw depressed regions, where the local economy was dependent on heavy industry. In a region such as the north-east, with a strong and steady history of heavy industry, unemployment hit hard, as can be seen from the emotive Jarrow March to London, organised in 1936 by the local council, to draw attention to the problem of high unemployment, particularly in the heavy industry of ship-building (Thorpe, p.176, 1994). Poverty Contemporary commentators on 1930s Britain regarded the high unemployment of their time as a frightening new development. As a result, their anxieties reveal themselves in the large number of social investigations into the causes of poverty (defined as not having enough income to maintain health) and the impact of unemployment on families, and thence on societies. These studies helped to raise awareness of the plight of the unemployed, and to a large extent, provided the momentum for the social change that dawned after the Second World War (Harris, p.213, 1994). Poverty was not necessarily an immediate consequence of unemployment: some unemployed workers found that their benefits provided a more consistent wage compared to what they used to earn from insecure, seasonal labour. However, this was only a minority. The majority found that unemployment brought with it a drop in income. Thus, in order to supplement their income, many workers relied on their savings, or found themselves inc reasingly reliant on other methods in order to make ends meet. At the same time, it was found that unemployment was the major contributing factor towards the poverty of a household: in 1936, Seebohm Rowntree found that 86.4 per cent of the unemployed families living in York were living below the poverty line (Harris, p.214, 1994). Health and Malnutrition As might be expected, one of the more immediate consequences of living below the poverty line is worsened health and malnutrition. Rowntree also made detailed investigation into the health and diet of unemployed families, and compared them with that of the populace as a whole. His concluded that the families of the unemployed survived on a diet which was to all extents worse than that of those employed (Rowntree, p.182-5, 1941). Other studies of this period showed that unemployment had led to a higher incidence of childhood diseases (Harris, p.214, 1994), though it was difficult to prove conclusively that unemployment was significantly affecting infection rates of poverty-linked diseases (such as TB or anaemia). All in all, it could only be conclusively shown that unemployment did have a profound effect on the standards of nutrition, leading in some cases to severe malnutrition (Stevenson, p.283-4, 1984). Mental Health Though the main focus of much contemporary commentary was on the adverse effects unemployment placed on physical health, the deterioration of the mental health of the unemployed was also noted. At a time when the study of psychology was incipient, commentators still took account of the stark impact being out of work could have on self-esteem, and they also characterised the period following unemployment as falling into stages ranging from optimism that a new job could be found, to pessimism and possible suicidal feelings, when work was difficult or impossible to come by: Home Office Statistics of 1930 showed that two unemployed men were committing suicide every day (Stevenson, p.287, 1984) though care should be taken in attributing unemployment as the sole factor in suicide. No doubt unemployment had a part to play in the decision of a few to commit suicide, though this is only the extreme of a general feeling of malaise, boredom, hopelessness and shame that accompanied the status of unemployed. Many workers, especially the more skilled middle-classes who found themselves unemployed, reported a feeling of shame at finding themselves in that condition. Some men disliked to reveal their unemployment to their wives, and tried to conceal it for a while as best they could (Stevenson, p.286, 1984). Conclusion In dealing with a diffuse social problem such as unemployment, it is imperative not to draw hard and fast historical conclusions. Certainly, generalisations can be made, in that unemployment had a profound and long-lasting effect on those who were forced into this economic circumstance. However, unemployment, and the coping mechanisms used to deal with it, meant different things to different people. It is also the case that the related social problems linked to unemployment, namely those of poverty, malnutrition and depressed mental health, are all relative measures. It is true to say that the effects of unemployment were felt so keenly precisely because living standards had generally been on the increase since the dawn of the twentieth century. It was, however, the shocking social experiences of 1930s Britain that provided the catalyst for the creation of the Welfare State and other social reconstructions after the Second World War, and ignited the post-war aspiration to create a be tter, more equitable, society for all. Bibliography Harris, B., Unemployment and the Dole in Interwar Britain 203-220 in P. Johnson (ed.), 20th Century Britain: Economic, Social and Cultural Change (Harlow: Addison Wesley Longman Ltd., 1994) Rowntree, B.S., Poverty and Progress: A Second Social Survey of York (London, 1941) Stevenson, J., British Society 1914-1945 The Pelican Social History of Britain, J.H.Plumb (ed.), (London: Penguin Books Ltd., 1984) Thorpe, A., The Longman Companion To: Britain in the era of the two World Wars 1914-1945 (London: Longman Group Ltd., 1994)

Friday, October 25, 2019

Academic Time Management Essay -- Informative Information

Academic Time Management With every new experience come challenges, and anxieties that can be overwhelming if they are not handled and dealt with in a reasonable way. Beginning college is certainly no exception. Stress takes many forms, most notably in the academic sense, as exams, papers, and various projects and assignments. Making the grade is an important aspect of many college students, and the best way of getting good grades without sacrificing all aspects of a social life is effective time management. Well developed time management skills not only help to organize all the different pieces of a students life it also reduces their levels of stress and anxiety, while allowing them to achieve decent grade point averages. Simply learning and implementing useful time management techniques can help anyone through the turbulent transition to college academic life. Stress College life is filled with academic stressors and anxieties that consume most students. Many of the reported causes and time periods during the school semester in which students experienced heighten angst were similar and consistent among their peers. However, freshman and sophomores students had higher reactions to stress than juniors and seniors (Misra, 2000, 1). This variation is caused by the underclassmen’s’ lack of strong social support networks, and their underdeveloped coping mechanisms needed to deal with college stress due to demanding school work and tasks. Academic stress not only stems from the physical workload of classes, exams, papers, projects, and assignments, but also from psychological factors. Most of the pressure and stress students face is self-imposed. â€Å"Students’ perception of the extensive knowledge base required and... ...a, 2000, 4). Time management has been a proven stress reducer, by helping break up and spread out workloads so that students can complete assignments with as little anxiety as possible. Using such organizational techniques also allocates ample amounts of study time for each class improving students’ GPA. Time management strategies provide an effective guide for working your way through any college experience and are invaluable to every type of university student. References: Lahmers, Amy. â€Å"Factors associated with academic time use and academic performance of college students: A recursive approach.† Journal of College Student Development Sept./Oct. 2000: 544-554. Misra, Ranjita. â€Å"College students’ academic stress and its relation to their anxiety, time management, and leisure satisfaction.† American Journal of Health Studies 2000: 41-51.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Families and School Programs Essay

The article discusses how important it is that families, especially parents, get involved in school programs concerning the welfare of their kids. The learning process of these children does not stop in schools. Parents also play a major part with regard to their children’s academic life. Those who make sure that their children go to school and show interest in their child’s performance send the message to their children that education is important (Struck, 1995, p. 1). The Families and Schools Together (FAST) is a program that participates in facing the social issues of youth violence and juvenile delinquency by way of creating a better relationship between the young people and their families, friends, teachers, and school staff. Through this program, the youth will be able to increase their social skills, avoid or decrease school failure, and become more aware of the effects of alcohol and drug abuse. Families who are believed to be in need of help are invited to meetings. The program offers a variety of activities including building a family flag, sharing a family meal, singing, playing communication games or feelings-identification games, engaging in peer activities, and parent networking. A better family life and relationship is recommended for young adults and teenagers so that they are able to express their thoughts and feelings more freely. This is the reason why schools should make parents and families participate more. When a child knows that there are people who support him or her, the child would be more confident in what he or she is doing. As well, proper education regarding substance abuse and other illegal acts is recommended for them to become aware at a certain age. With schools and parents working together for the future of the young people, nothing can go wrong. Reference Struck, D. (1995). Involving Parents in Education: A Handbook for Elementary Schools. Frederick, MD: Aspen Publishers, Inc.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Deception Point Page 58

â€Å"I have an emergency!† The operator was breathless. â€Å"†¦ phone call for the President.† Tench looked incredulous. â€Å"Not now, you don't!† â€Å"It's from Rachel Sexton. She says it's urgent.† The scowl that darkened Tench's face appeared to be more one of puzzlement than anger. Tench eyed the cordless phone. â€Å"That's a house line. That's not secure.† â€Å"No, ma'am. But the incoming call is open anyway. She's on a radiophone. She needs to speak to the President right away.† â€Å"Live in ninety seconds!† Tench's cold eyes stared, and she held out a spider-like hand. â€Å"Give me the phone.† The operator's heart was pounding now. â€Å"Ms. Sexton wants to speak to President Herney directly. She told me to postpone the press conference until she'd talked to him. I assured-â€Å" Tench stepped toward the operator now, her voice a seething whisper. â€Å"Let me tell you how this works. You do not take orders from the daughter of the President's opponent, you take them from me. I can assure you, this is as close as you are getting to the President until I find out what the hell is going on.† The operator looked toward the President, who was now surrounded by microphone technicians, stylists, and several staff members talking him through final revisions of his speech. â€Å"Sixty seconds!† the television supervisor yelled. Onboard the Charlotte, Rachel Sexton was pacing wildly in the tight space when she finally heard a click on the telephone line. A raspy voice came on. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"President Herney?† Rachel blurted. â€Å"Marjorie Tench,† the voice corrected. â€Å"I am the President's senior adviser. Whoever this is, I must warn you that prank calls against the White House are in violation of-â€Å" For Christ's sake! â€Å"This is not a prank! This is Rachel Sexton. I'm your NRO liaison and-â€Å" â€Å"I am aware of who Rachel Sexton is, ma'am. And I am doubtful that you are she. You've called the White House on an unsecured line telling me to interrupt a major presidential broadcast. That is hardly proper MO for someone with-â€Å" â€Å"Listen,† Rachel fumed, â€Å"I briefed your whole staff a couple of hours ago on a meteorite. You sat in the front row. You watched my briefing on a television sitting on the President's desk! Any questions?† Tench fell silent a moment. â€Å"Ms. Sexton, what is the meaning of this?† â€Å"The meaning is that you have to stop the President! His meteorite data is all wrong! We've just learned the meteorite was inserted from beneath the ice shelf. I don't know by whom, and I don't know why! But things are not what they seem up here! The President is about to endorse some seriously errant data, and I strongly advise-â€Å" â€Å"Wait one goddamned minute!† Tench lowered her voice. â€Å"Do you realize what you are saying?† â€Å"Yes! I suspect the NASA administrator has orchestrated some kind of large-scale fraud, and President Herney is about to get caught in the middle. You've at least got to postpone ten minutes so I can explain to him what's been going on up here. Someone tried to kill me, for God's sake!† Tench's voice turned to ice. â€Å"Ms. Sexton, let me give you a word of warning. If you are having second thoughts about your role in helping the White House in this campaign, you should have thought of that long before you personally endorsed that meteorite data for the President.† â€Å"What!† Is she even listening? â€Å"I'm revolted by your display. Using an unsecured line is a cheap stunt. Implying the meteorite data has been faked? What kind of intelligence official uses a radiophone to call the White House and talk about classified information? Obviously you are hoping someone intercepts this message.† â€Å"Norah Mangor was killed over this! Dr. Ming is also dead. You've got to warn-â€Å" â€Å"Stop right there! I don't know what you're playing at, but I will remind you-and anyone else who happens to be intercepting this phone call-that the White House possesses videotaped depositions from NASA's top scientists, several renowned civilian scientists, and yourself, Ms. Sexton, all endorsing the meteorite data as accurate. Why you are suddenly changing your story, I can only imagine. Whatever the reason, consider yourself relieved of your White House post as of this instant, and if you try to taint this discovery with any more absurd allegations of foul play, I assure you the White House and NASA will sue you for defamation so fast you won't have a chance to pack a suitcase before you go to jail.† Rachel opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. â€Å"Zach Herney has been generous to you,† Tench snapped, â€Å"and frankly this smacks of a cheap Sexton publicity stunt. Drop it right now, or we'll press charges. I swear it.† The line went dead. Rachel's mouth was still hanging open when the captain knocked on the door. â€Å"Ms. Sexton?† the captain said, peering in. â€Å"We're picking up a faint signal from Canadian National Radio. President Zach Herney has just begun his press conference.† 68 Standing at the podium in the White House Briefing Room, Zach Herney felt the heat of the media lights and knew the world was watching. The targeted blitz performed by the White House Press Office had created a contagion of media buzz. Those who did not hear about the address via television, radio, or on-line news invariably heard about it from neighbors, coworkers, and family. By 8:00 P.M., anyone not living in a cave was speculating about the topic of the President's address. In bars and living rooms over the globe, millions leaned toward their televisions in apprehensive wonder. It was during moments like these-facing the world-that Zach Herney truly felt the weight of his office. Anyone who said power was not addictive had never really experienced it. As he began his address, however, Herney sensed something was amiss. He was not a man prone to stage fright, and so the tingle of apprehension now tightening in his core startled him. It's the magnitude of the audience, he told himself. And yet he knew something else. Instinct. Something he had seen. It had been such a little thing, and yet†¦ He told himself to forget it. It was nothing. And yet it stuck. Tench. Moments ago, as Herney was preparing to take the stage, he had seen Marjorie Tench in the yellow hallway, talking on a cordless phone. This was strange in itself, but it was made more so by the White House operator standing beside her, her face white with apprehension. Herney could not hear Tench's phone conversation, but he could see it was contentious. Tench was arguing with a vehemence and anger the President had seldom seen-even from Tench. He paused a moment and caught her eye, inquisitive. Tench gave him the thumbs-up. Herney had never seen Tench give anyone the thumbs-up. It was the last image in Herney's mind as he was cued onto the stage. On the blue rug in the press area inside the NASA habisphere on Ellesmere Island, Administrator Lawrence Ekstrom was seated at the center of the long symposium table, flanked by top NASA officials and scientists. On a large monitor facing them the President's opening statement was being piped in live. The remainder of the NASA crew was huddled around other monitors, teeming with excitement as their commander-in-chief launched into his press conference. â€Å"Good evening,† Herney was saying, sounding uncharacteristically stiff. â€Å"To my fellow countrymen, and to our friends around the world†¦ â€Å" Ekstrom gazed at the huge charred mass of rock displayed prominently in front of him. His eyes moved to a standby monitor, where he watched himself, flanked by his most austere personnel, against a backdrop of a huge American flag and NASA logo. The dramatic lighting made the setting look like some kind of neomodern painting-the twelve apostles at the last supper. Zach Herney had turned this whole thing into a political sideshow. Herney had no choice. Ekstrom still felt like a televangelist, packaging God for the masses.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Dangers of Hidden Sin essays

Dangers of Hidden Sin essays Sin is something society has had to deal with since mankind has known evil. In most circumstances, the sin only becomes a problem when it is kept within and manifests into something larger than it was in the first place. Keeping secrets is a detriment to ones life, which in a larger picture affects a whole society. In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, secret sin is a predominant theme, which in this novel leads to changes in both emotional and physical being. In the early days of the Massachusetts colony, they are neither welcoming nor accepting of sin or different ideas and are wary of anything that may topple their pristine atmosphere. Evil should never be kept secret because it always leaves a mark. Hester Prynne hides a significant amount of sin inside of herself, which only adds to sins that have been made an issue of public interest. Committing adultery is Hesters announced sin, and all her secret sins are results of this one instance. A sin, which is closely related to her sin of adultery, is who the father of Pearl is. She refuses to tell even under extreme pressure, I will not speak! And my child must seek a heavenly Father; she shall never know an earthly one (47). We later learn that the father is Arthur Dimmesdale, and these miscommunications cause a barrier between them. Her refusal consequently denies any hope of reconciliation between the two for an extensive period. Hester also conceals that Roger Chillingworth is her husband. This pains her because she must helplessly watch his evil ways take toll on Dimmesdale. However, Chillingworths punishment of Dimmesdale goes against he and Hesters agreement. Hester promised to keep both Chillingworth and Dimmesdales identi ties hidden or Chillingworth would seek out Hesters secret lover, Dimmesdale, and kill him. Hester causes the townspeople to become forgiving people by her many good deeds; this changes the A&...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Appropriate vs. Apropos vs. Apt

Appropriate vs. Apropos vs. Apt Appropriate vs. Apropos vs. Apt Appropriate vs. Apropos vs. Apt By Maeve Maddox A reader has asked for a discussion of â€Å"appropriate vs. apropos vs. apt.† All three words may be used as adjectives meaning suitable or pertinent: Your reference to â€Å"The Emperor’s New Clothes† is apropos of the way so many people conform to social expectations rather than think for themselves. I admire your apt choice of words in this article. A rating of â€Å"G† indicates that a movie is appropriate for children. Of the three adjectives, appropriate [uh-PRO-pree-it] is heard more often. Appropriate derives from the past participle of a Latin verb, a combination of ad (to) and proprius (own). Something appropriate â€Å"belongs† to someone or something. Here are some examples of current usage: How Having An Appropriate Level Of Confidence Can Better Your Life By comparing many entertainment jobs, you should be able to get a good idea of the appropriate salary. The young offender could not be questioned without an appropriate adult present Was Lohan’s courtroom attire appropriate? Note: English also has the verb appropriate [uh-PRO-pree-ATE], â€Å"to take possession of.† For example, â€Å"A section of land at St. Clements in Oxfordhas been appropriated to planning purposes to facilitate a regeneration project intended for the area.† Apt is from the Latin word aptus, â€Å"fitted, suited, appropriate.† The adjective derives from a verb meaning â€Å"to fasten, to attach.† The most common use of apt is to describe the fitness or expressiveness of language. Another meaning of apt is â€Å"ready to learn,† as in â€Å"She’s an apt student.† Sometimes apt is a synonym for likely: â€Å"Children are apt to live up to what you believe of them.† Apt can also be used in the sense of â€Å"having an unfortunate tendency, or â€Å"exposed to a risk†: Spanked kids more apt to commit crimes Study: Immigrants who live, work together less apt to learn English The adjectival use of apropos is the least common of the three. I’ve seen forum comments asserting that apropos is â€Å"never a synonym for appropriate.† A French borrowing, apropos functions more often as a preposition or as an adverb. Apropos comes from French propos, â€Å"with regard to this purpose.† As an adjective, it is a synonym for appropriate: My point is rather that it is not  apropos  in every case. The mayor called the cornflake comment â€Å"not apropos† and warned Lukaszuk to be careful of what he says. Your allusion to Josephine Tey’s bit of dialogue was very clever and funnybut not apropos As a preposition, apropos means â€Å"with reference to; concerning†: The principal remarked apropos the new regulations, â€Å"They will cost a lot to implement and do nothing to address the problem.† As an adverb, apropos is most commonly heard in the expression â€Å"apropos of nothing.† The sense is that someone’s comments or actions are completely unrelated to any previous discussion or situation. For example, â€Å"Apropos of nothing, Tom started talking about his root canal.† The usual preposition to follow apropos is of. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:15 Terms for Those Who Tell the FutureOn Behalf Of vs. In Behalf OfCharles's Pen and Jesus' Name

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Breast Cancer Essay Example for Free (#3)

Breast Cancer Essay Is it true that wearing ‘underwired’ brassieres bring about cancer? Can breast cancer be treated? Are there signs and symptoms that individuals can check to know if breast cancer really occurs in them? These are just some of the essential questions that this paper will attempt to answer. It will also attain to reintroduce breast cancer’s definition, history of recovery, signs and causes, statistical information, diagnosis, breast cancer myths, risk factors, as well as, treatment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A 34-year-old woman, named Susan has been told by the family doctor that she has a breast cancer. When she asked about it, the doctor initially explained it as â€Å" a type of cancer that forms in tissues of the breasts, typically in the ducts or the areas where milk goes through till it reaches the nipple, as well as, the lobules or the glands which produces milk † (National.. n.p.). The doctor also told Susan that the aforementioned disease has been observed in Egypt way back in approximately 1600 BC (Wikipedia n.p.). Back then he stated that, â€Å" tumors of the breasts were addressed or treated by cauterization through an instrument they technically refer to as the fire drill though they openly admitted that there is no cure for such † (Wikipedia n.p.). The doctor also added that, centuries later experts found â€Å" a relationship between the lymph nodes found in the armpits and cancer of the breast, in fact, Jean Louis Petit and Benjamin Bell were the first ones to get rid of the lymph nodes, breast tissue, as well as, a primary muscle in the chest † (Wikipedia n.p.). The doctor, to make Susan stay calm, mentioned that such surgery has been very successful thus it was also done by William Halsted during the next century or 1882 to be exact, in fact, until the 1970’s, this procedure remained to be the most successful surgical procedure to address the aforementioned condition (Wikipedia n.p.).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since Susan was complaining about the physical changes in her body that she observed prior to be being diagnosed as having breast cancer, the doctor also told her that the signs and symptoms of breast cancer include the following: First of all, if there is a lump in the breast then there is a possibility that a person has breast cancer (Mayo.. n.p.). Second, there is also a probability that breast cancer may occur if the nipple/s of an individual discharges blood and has a lump that goes along with it (Mayo.. n.p.). Third, there may be an occurrence of breast cancer if there exist a â€Å" retraction, flattening, or indentation of the nipple † (Mayo.. n.p.). Fourth, if the size of the breast and its contours changes, then it is possible that breast cancer is in existence (Mayo.. n.p.). Last but not least, redness of the skin on the breast area may signify breast cancer as well (Mayo.. n.p.). Upon hearing the aforementioned, Susan remembers that she mainly complained about sign & symptoms number one in the right breast, something she has been complaining about for about 16 months.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Susan has been feeling weird and a little scared and so she decided to look into medical and health magazines, internet sites, as well as, books to check if she is going to make it or not, if she’s going to die etcetera and here’s a statistical information that she stumbled upon: 1) â€Å" Deaths brought about by breast cancer already reached forty thousand four hundred sixty (40,460) for females and four hundred fifty for the males (450 )† (National.. n.p.); 2) â€Å" Unfortunately, there are new cases reported as well, there are one hundred seventy eight thousand four hundred eighty (178, 480) females and two thousand and thirty (2,030) males now who currently have breast cancer † (National.. n.p.). And the aforementioned is in the United States only (National.. n.p.); 3) â€Å"In the United Kingdom, on the other hand, twelve thousand four hundred (12,400) individuals or more die each year because of breast cancer† (National.. n.p.). In fact, in 2003 alone, there were forty three thousand and seven hundred fifty six women and there were three hundred thirty five (335) men who were diagnosed and reported to have breast cancer (National.. n.p.).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During that time, Susan was also in denial that is why she researched on her own. She found out that: Breast cancer may be diagnosed through the following: 1) breast self-examination; 2) clinical breast exam; 3) mammogram including screening mammograms, diagnostic mammograms; 4) computer-aided detection; 5) digital mammography; 6) magnetic resonance imaging; 7) â€Å"ultrasonography†; 8) ductal lavage; 9) molecular breast imaging; 10) diagnostic procedures like ultrasound; 11) biopsy including fine-needle aspiration biopsy, core-needle biopsy, stereotactic biopsy, wire localization, surgical biopsy; 12) estrogen and progesterone receptor tests; 13) staging tests; and 14) genetic tests (Mayo.. n.p.).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During this time, she was already prepared to believe that she really does not have breast cancer because she had a mammogram performed in March 1989 and again in February 1999, wherein, the results both showed that it is normal. Although, she had to try to accept it or at least entertain that it might be true when an ultrasound was also carried out where it was detected that a fibrocystic lump exists and that it was benign. After the detection of the fibrocystic lump, Susan began to reflect on her way of life, what could have caused the lump to exist inside of her body†¦she actually thought that it may be because of her use of deodorants, ‘underwired’ brassieres, stress from work, as well as, injury to the breasts which she got from playing basketball when she was in college and still a part of a varsity team. It is not very surprising that Susan thought of those as the primary reasons for the lump since there are so many myths that are related to breast cancer and some of the most popular ones are the following: First of all, some individuals claim that deodorants bring about breast cancer, however, currently, no studies have been carried out yet that may confirm or deny such belief of some people (Breast.. n.p.).   Second, some people think that wearing ‘underwired’ brassieres bring about cancer (Breast.. n.p.). Just like the first myth though, no evidence have been found to conclude such a statement (Breast.. n.p.). Third, there are individuals who think that stress can bring about breast cancer, however, research studies have not yet been able to establish an extremely clear link to conclude that such is really possible (Breast.. n.p.). Fourth, there are people who claim that â€Å" living near electricity pylons cause breast cancer † but no evidences have been presented ever since that breast cancer may be associated to electricity pylons (Breast.. n.p.).    Fifth, some individuals say that an injury to the breast augments the probability that breast cancer may occur (Breast.. n.p.). However, no evidences have been presented to back up such claim (Breast.. n.p.). Sixth, people claim that females who are young are more likely to be detected with breast cancer (Breast.. n.p.). Well, statistical information denies this, in fact, eighty percent of all the cases in the UK occur in females who are already fifty years old and above (Breast.. n.p.). Seventh, there are individuals who believe that if a person feels pain or discomfort in his or her breasts, then it is already safe to say that an individual is suffering from breast cancer (Breast.. n.p.). However, experts explain that there are so many reasons why breasts may be painful, for instance, this may be related to the menstrual cycle (Breast.. n.p.). Eighth, some people say that getting pregnant increases the probability of suffering from breast cancer later (Breast.. n.p.). On the contrary, experts have found evidence linking early pregnancy to breast cancer risk being reduced (Breast.. n.p.). They also reiterated that the more babies a woman gives birth to then the lower the risk of getting such cancer (Breast.. n.p.). In light of the detection of the lump, instead of getting more focused with the myths, Susan should have gotten a second opinion. If in case she did that, and the biopsy results will show that an â€Å" infiltrating lobular carcinoma † already exists and that it is already in stage IIa then a more extensive treatment would be provided to her. The aforementioned are really just myths, they were never provided with evidences to establish that those are really linked with breast cancer. Susan was told by her doctor that the main risk factors for breast cancer, actually, include the following: 1) age; 2) age of menarche; 3) age at birth of first-born child; 4) biopsies of the breast; 5) family history; 6) occupation; 7) race; 8) hormone replacement therapy, as well as, 9) alcohol (Hales 105). Susan is only thirty four years old, never had any children, used to engage herself in binge drinking during college, and an aunt of hers had breast cancer years ago. As we can see, most of the risk factors are present in Susan’s case. According to the experts Susan spoke to, â€Å" Breast cancer may be annihilated and for that to occur: 1) either lumpectomy or mastectomy should be carried out; 2) radiation may also be helpful; 3) drugs like taxol, taxotere, and herceptin may be taken; 4) chemotherapy; as well as, 5) hormonal therapy may be undergone by the patient † (Hales 105). Because her treatment options have been clearly explained to her, she decided to have a â€Å" right modified radical mastectomy † following a reconstruction immediately (Hales 105). During the surgery â€Å" eight lymph nodes were annihilated and the biopsy gave out a negative result † (Hales 105). After which Susan underwent chemotherapy as part of her post-surgical treatment which made her experience side effects including loss of hair and anorexia (Hales 105). Last but not least, she was also made to take in drugs named Cytoxan and prednisone (Hales 105). Breast Cancer Care. Statistics and Facts About Breast Cancer. 2004. Cancer Research, UK. Hales, D. An Invitation to Health, Eleventh Edition. Boston: Thomson Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Breast Cancer.   29 December 2006. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-cancer/DS00328/DSECTION=2 National Cancer Institute. Breast Cancer. n.d. n.a. 15 June 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast Wikipedia. Breast Cancer. 14 June 2007. Wikimedia Foundation Inc., 15 June 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_cancer#History Breast Cancer. (2017, Mar 14).

Friday, October 18, 2019

Cirrhosis Disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cirrhosis Disease - Essay Example Some of the common causes of cirrhosis are long term consumption of alcohol, disease of fatty liver and infection as the result of hepatitis A and B. According to the National Health Service UK, the excessive consumption of alcohol is considered to be when man consumes about 21 units whereas woman consumes about 14 units of alcohol per week. Alcohol and other toxins break down in the liver and therefore if the consumption of alcohol is very high than the work of the liver increases, which eventually damages the liver cells. Hepatitis C which is considered to be a blood borne infection eventually damages the liver causing cirrhosis. In North American and Western Europe hepatitis is considered to be one of the common causes of Cirrhosis. Hepatitis B and D may also cause Cirrhosis. Sometimes a person’s own immune system attacks the healthy organ of the body like some foreign substances. When the foreign substance attacks the liver, it may cause Cirrhosis (Nordqvist, 2013). Symptoms can be defined as something that a person feels and then reports it to the doctor. On the other hand a sign is something that can be easily detected by the doctor or nurse. For example pain may be categorized as a symptoms whereas rash may be considered as a sign. Usually the symptoms are not quite common during the early stage of Cirrhosis. However when the scar tissues accumulate in the liver they affect its efficiency. The symptoms and signs of Cirrhosis can be itchy skin, loss of appetite, insomnia, fatigue, nausea, visible blood capillaries, loss of weight, blotchy palms and pain in the area. As the disease progresses the other symptoms and signs that appear can include accelerated heartbeat, dizziness, confusion, vomiting blood, bleeding from the nose, short memory, jaundice, hair loss, fever, muscle cramps, panting, change in color of urine and bleeding gums (Cirrhosis - Symptoms, 2013). Cirrhosis can be

What can be done about prison overcrowding Research Proposal

What can be done about prison overcrowding - Research Proposal Example it was able to come up with additional resources to build prison cells, the increase of inmates has still proven to be too overwhelming for the government to keep up with. In California, some inmates have taken to sleeping on floors because of the shortage of cells (Lake â€Å"News†). In other parts of America, the early release of prisoners has been sought by prison administrators just to ease inmate population. America has been shelling out billions of dollars to support the prison system. â€Å"State prison systems spend more than $30 billion annually, and the Bureau of Prisons budgeted $5 billion for just 182,000 federal inmates this year† (Myser â€Å"Business†). This overcrowding problem is attributed to a variety of factors, from the economic to the sociological, to the political. On an economic standpoint, the increase of poverty rates has unfortunately contributed to the increase of criminal activities. Various societal problems also encourage and breed criminal behavior. Legislative changes and new laws like mandatory life sentences, the three-strike rule, and strict parole eligibility provisions have also served to increase prison population. Without the corresponding increase in funding and in prison cells, these numbers will continue to rise. This paper will discuss some possible solutions to the problem of prison overcrowding, the viability of these solutions, the risk of unintended or undesirable consequences to these solutions, and the practical impediments that could hamper the development, approval, and implementation of the proposed solutions. Solutions to prison overcrowding that will be discussed in this paper shall focus on measures to reduce the number of prisoners and not solutions to increase the number of prison cells. These solutions will be more long-term. Increasing the number of cells will not stop prison overcrowding, especially if more inmates will keep coming in and filling up the new cells. This paper suggests changes

Should the fast food industry be regulated in a similar manner to the Research Paper

Should the fast food industry be regulated in a similar manner to the tobacco industry Explain the factors behind your reasoning - Research Paper Example More than three hundred people die every year out of obesity-linked diseases. There have been few sober trials to regulate the food industry just like tobacco. One is left wondering if fast food industry should be regulated in the same way as the tobacco industry. Industries being threatened by the government regulation, have always undertaken to do self-regulatory actions. The food industry has been making promises to curb food marketing for children, trade less unhealthy goods in schools and put labels in foods responsibly. In industries like the tobacco, self-regulation failed. However, in some industries like the forestry and marine, it has been effective. Acting in response to the public outcry and the call for government regulation, the key food industry players have taken action as other businesses have done before. The industry has opted to adopt a self-regulatory initiative. The self-regulatory promises by the food industry are new and may be as the industry claims be, to the advantage of the public health or they may be deceptive and self-serving. Today, food industry self-regulation comprises of four key initiatives. One is that which deals with food and beverages in schools and pertains to marketing to children and addresses menu and labeling. On the beverages in schools, the industry in conjunction with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation released guidelines on school beverages. These guidelines comprise pledges to restrict portion sizes of drinks and set standards for the nutritional and caloric content of drinks to be traded in schools. The pledge was to implement the guidelines before 2009 to 2010 school year. After two years of implementation, the guidelines have reduced beverage calories taken to schools by more than 50 percent. The potential advantage of the guidelines provided and taking part of key players could be considered. The drinks industry has

Thursday, October 17, 2019

International Relations Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Relations Theories - Essay Example In fact, for realists the desire to maximize state interest within a situation of global anarchy is the most crucial component required in the understanding of political actors and state behavior. First and foremost it is important to remember that state interest operates within an anarchic environment.The international system is inherently unstable and is aptly characterized by widespread anarchy. Due to the absence of a suprastate or overarching Leviathan authority, states are placed in inevitable and perpetual competition, described as the security dilemma. Because of the anarchic nature of international affairs, states are perpetually concerned with their survival. For realists, the international system is a â€Å"dog-eat-dog world† and ensuring survival is paramount for any and all states. According to Hans Morgenthau, pioneering German political scientist and an early proponent of realist thought, due to the inherent instability of the international system, the fundament al national interest of all states is to â€Å"protect [its] physical, political, and cultural identity against encroachments by other nations† (Morgenthau, 1952, 67). Specifically, threats to states are determined by their relative power vis-à  -vis one others in the international system. The structure of the system – the distribution of power and capabilities state wide - is important because threats or challenges facing a state which affront the national interest should be â€Å"calculated according to the situation in which the state finds itself† (Waltz, 1979, 77).

The Time Back Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Time Back - Essay Example Michael never told anyone that he was counting the days, weeks, months and years devoid of his mother’s presence. It was as if by counting them, she was still here, still present. The bitter sweetness of constant remembrance took great hold of him and would not let go. He could smell her everywhere around the house, her bedroom still smelled of her perfume, even though uncle Rob and auntie Emma emptied her closets and drawers. He liked uncle Rob and auntie Emma. They were very nice to him, and having no children of their own, came to take care of him in the house where he used to live with his mother. He heard them say one time that it would be good for him to stay in this house, because the move might create more emotional and psychological damage to a thirteen year old boy. And, so they came and stayed. Auntie Emma made the best chocolate chip cookies in the world, that was what even his mother admitted to on several occasions, while uncle Rob worked in a toy factory and wou ld bring a small toy every week. Usually it was little cars, tractors, Rubik’s cubes and similar. Nobody ever mentioned his father. He took off before Michael was born, and his mother decided not to talk about him. Well, not much, that is. She was always polite enough to answer his questions of: Mommy, why do John and Tim, and Bessie and Joanna have dads and not me? She would take him in her lap and explain that their dad is somewhere else, that he had some very important business to take care of and that she was not sure he would be coming back. But, that does not make Michael any different from John, Tim, Bessie, Joanna or anyone else. Having stopped daydreaming, he threw a small rock into the river and went back into the house to have lunch. The whole kitchen smelled deliciously of chicken soup and meat, mash potatoes, fresh salad and for dessert, pecan pie. â€Å"Wash your hands, sweetheart and then come have lunch,† auntie’s voice was soft and melodious, an d if he closed his eyes, he could imagine his mother saying it. The two sisters always looked and sounded very much alike. Having finished lunch, he was told to go to his room and tidy up a bit. His room was not a mess, but nonetheless he was taught that an ordered mind requires an ordered surrounding. He always believed his mother was the smartest person in the world. He started putting things away, and then noticed a stack of cards on the table. You don’t belong here, silly little things, he smiled to himself. It was a stack of cards, which his aunt and uncle borrowed from time to time when they wanted to amuse themselves. Arranging the cards, he noticed that one particular card was bigger than all the others. He took it out and saw that it wasn’t a playing card at all. It was a business card which said â€Å"Need science help† with a phone number. Nothing more. He thought it might be someone looking for an assistant. After a bit of consideration and talking w ith his uncle and aunt to see if they would approve, he decided to dial the number. He was always interested in science and liked knowing how stuff functioned. Maybe this was the person to ask such things. They even allowed him to make the call himself, but of course, they would take him to the place. Happily, he dialed the number and listened to the phone. All he could hear was silence at first, no ring

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Should the fast food industry be regulated in a similar manner to the Research Paper

Should the fast food industry be regulated in a similar manner to the tobacco industry Explain the factors behind your reasoning - Research Paper Example More than three hundred people die every year out of obesity-linked diseases. There have been few sober trials to regulate the food industry just like tobacco. One is left wondering if fast food industry should be regulated in the same way as the tobacco industry. Industries being threatened by the government regulation, have always undertaken to do self-regulatory actions. The food industry has been making promises to curb food marketing for children, trade less unhealthy goods in schools and put labels in foods responsibly. In industries like the tobacco, self-regulation failed. However, in some industries like the forestry and marine, it has been effective. Acting in response to the public outcry and the call for government regulation, the key food industry players have taken action as other businesses have done before. The industry has opted to adopt a self-regulatory initiative. The self-regulatory promises by the food industry are new and may be as the industry claims be, to the advantage of the public health or they may be deceptive and self-serving. Today, food industry self-regulation comprises of four key initiatives. One is that which deals with food and beverages in schools and pertains to marketing to children and addresses menu and labeling. On the beverages in schools, the industry in conjunction with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation released guidelines on school beverages. These guidelines comprise pledges to restrict portion sizes of drinks and set standards for the nutritional and caloric content of drinks to be traded in schools. The pledge was to implement the guidelines before 2009 to 2010 school year. After two years of implementation, the guidelines have reduced beverage calories taken to schools by more than 50 percent. The potential advantage of the guidelines provided and taking part of key players could be considered. The drinks industry has

The Time Back Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Time Back - Essay Example Michael never told anyone that he was counting the days, weeks, months and years devoid of his mother’s presence. It was as if by counting them, she was still here, still present. The bitter sweetness of constant remembrance took great hold of him and would not let go. He could smell her everywhere around the house, her bedroom still smelled of her perfume, even though uncle Rob and auntie Emma emptied her closets and drawers. He liked uncle Rob and auntie Emma. They were very nice to him, and having no children of their own, came to take care of him in the house where he used to live with his mother. He heard them say one time that it would be good for him to stay in this house, because the move might create more emotional and psychological damage to a thirteen year old boy. And, so they came and stayed. Auntie Emma made the best chocolate chip cookies in the world, that was what even his mother admitted to on several occasions, while uncle Rob worked in a toy factory and wou ld bring a small toy every week. Usually it was little cars, tractors, Rubik’s cubes and similar. Nobody ever mentioned his father. He took off before Michael was born, and his mother decided not to talk about him. Well, not much, that is. She was always polite enough to answer his questions of: Mommy, why do John and Tim, and Bessie and Joanna have dads and not me? She would take him in her lap and explain that their dad is somewhere else, that he had some very important business to take care of and that she was not sure he would be coming back. But, that does not make Michael any different from John, Tim, Bessie, Joanna or anyone else. Having stopped daydreaming, he threw a small rock into the river and went back into the house to have lunch. The whole kitchen smelled deliciously of chicken soup and meat, mash potatoes, fresh salad and for dessert, pecan pie. â€Å"Wash your hands, sweetheart and then come have lunch,† auntie’s voice was soft and melodious, an d if he closed his eyes, he could imagine his mother saying it. The two sisters always looked and sounded very much alike. Having finished lunch, he was told to go to his room and tidy up a bit. His room was not a mess, but nonetheless he was taught that an ordered mind requires an ordered surrounding. He always believed his mother was the smartest person in the world. He started putting things away, and then noticed a stack of cards on the table. You don’t belong here, silly little things, he smiled to himself. It was a stack of cards, which his aunt and uncle borrowed from time to time when they wanted to amuse themselves. Arranging the cards, he noticed that one particular card was bigger than all the others. He took it out and saw that it wasn’t a playing card at all. It was a business card which said â€Å"Need science help† with a phone number. Nothing more. He thought it might be someone looking for an assistant. After a bit of consideration and talking w ith his uncle and aunt to see if they would approve, he decided to dial the number. He was always interested in science and liked knowing how stuff functioned. Maybe this was the person to ask such things. They even allowed him to make the call himself, but of course, they would take him to the place. Happily, he dialed the number and listened to the phone. All he could hear was silence at first, no ring

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

How Abortion Harms Womens Health Essay Example for Free

How Abortion Harms Womens Health Essay Advocates of legalized abortion downplay or deny the health risks associated with abortion. However, the research indicates that abortion isolates women and can often cause physical and psychological suffering. Physical complications Abortion can cause both short-term and long-term physical complications, and can significantly affect a womans ability to have healthy future pregnancies. Physical complications include cervical lacerations and injury, uterine perforations, bleeding, hemorrhage, serious infection, pain, and incomplete abortion.[3] Risks of complications increase with gestational age and are dependent upon the abortion procedure. [4] Long-term physical consequences of abortion include future preterm birth and placenta previa (improper implantation of the placenta) in future pregnancies.[5] Premature delivery is associated with higher rates of cerebral palsy, as well as respiratory, brain, and bowel abnormalities. One recent large-scale evaluation published in Pediatrics, has concluded that preterm birth is the most frequent cause of infant death in the U.S.[6] Pregnancies complicated by placenta previa result in high rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, perinatal death, and maternal morbidity.[7] While the question of whether abortion can increase the risk of breast cancer is hotly debated, a number of scientific studies have indicated that induced abortion can adversely affect a womans future risk of breast cancer. Further, it has been clearly shown that induced abortion in young women causes the loss of a protective effect from a first, full-term pregnancy which when followed by a delay in child bearing, has the net effect of an increased risk for breast cancer.[8] Physical complications from chemical abortion with the drug RU-486 include hemorrhage, infection, and missed ectopic pregnancy (a potentially fatal complication). Since 2000, at least 8 women have died from RU-486 due to hemorrhage and infection.[9] Psychological complications A pro-choice research team in New Zealand, analyzing data from a 25-year period and controlling for multiple factors both pre- and post-abortion, found conclusively that abortion in young women is associated with increased risks of major depression, anxiety disorder, suicidal behaviors, and substance dependence.[10] This is the most comprehensive, long-term study ever conducted on the issue. Other studies also conclude that there is substantial evidence of a causal association between induced abortion and both substance abuse and suicide.[11] A review of over 100 long-term international studies concluded that induced abortion increases risks for mood disorders enough to provoke attempts at self harm.[12] Researchers have also identified a pattern of psychological problems, known collectively as Post- Abortion Syndrome, in which women may experience depression, anxiety, anger, flashbacks, guilt, grief, denial, and relationship problems. Post-Abortion Syndrome has been identified in research as a subset of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.[13] Further, studies analyzing the effects of induced abortion in adolescents have shown that those who abort reported more frequent problems sleeping, more frequent marijuana use, and an increased need for psychological counseling, when compared to adolescents who give birth.[14] Moira Gaul is director of womens and reproductive health at the Family Research Council. She has a Master of Public Health degree with an emphasis in maternal and child health. Consequences for women There is extensive evidence of physical, mental and emotional consequences for women and their families when pregnant mothers use abortion to end an inconvenient pregnancy. Major Articles and Books Concerning the Detrimental Effects of Abortion reports that in the short term (eight weeks after the abortion), there are numerous indicators of emotional distress: 44 per cent of women who have abortions complain of nervous disorders, 36 per cent have trouble sleeping, 31 per cent regret their decision to abort and 11 per cent have been prescribed psychotropic drugs. But it is the longer-term problems that bear more scrutiny. Using the most conservative estimate of post-abortion syndrome, or PAS, Dr. Brenda Major in the Archives of General Psychiatry in 2000, found 1.6 per cent of women who have an abortion will suffer from PAS, a variant of post-traumatic stress disorder. In Canada, that would mean approximately 50,000 women are suffering emotionally due to their abortions. Dr. Hanna Sà ¶derberg’s studies suggest the number could be closer to 60 per cent. Either way, there are many women with PAS. In Canada, the 1977 Report of the Committee on the Operation of the Abortion Law cited a five-year study in two provinces that found women who had an abortion used medical and psychiatric services much more often than others; in fact, 25 per cent of women who aborted made at least one visit to a psychiatrist compared to just 3 per cent of other women. Alcoholism and drug abuse are higher among women who have abortions than those who don’t. The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology noted in December 2002 that later alcohol and drug use during subsequent pregnancies could place newborn children at higher risk of congenital defects, low birthweight and even death. In all, there are nearly two dozen studies that link abortion to alcohol and drug abuse. Extrapolating from research conducted by Dr. David Reardon of the Elliott Institute, as many as 5,000 Canadian women will â€Å"begin abusing drugs and/or alcohol as a means of dea ling with post-abortion stress.† In 1996, the British Medical Journal reported that the suicide rate for women â€Å"after an abortion was three times the general suicide rate and six times that associated with birth.† This confirmed earlier studies and has been replicated since. Reardon says â€Å"one reason for the strong abortion-suicide link exists in the fact that in many ways, abortion is like suicide. A person who threatens suicide is actually crying out for help. So are women who contemplate abortion. Both are in a state of despair. Both are lonely. Both feel faced by insurmountable odds.† So it is no wonder that abortion does not solve the perceived problem: that of the inconvenient pregnancy. Post-abortive women are more prone to suicide, cigarette smoking, divorce, low self-esteem, sexual dysfunction, eating disorders and reduced maternal bonding with future children, resulting in child neglect or abuse. Women who have had abortions are more likely to be on public assistance, because their pathologies (promiscuity, inability to form healthy relationships, drug and alcohol abuse) are likely to make them single parents. In 2004, Thomas Strahan, a researcher with the Association of Interdisciplinary Research in the United States, found that abortion hurts women economically: â€Å"The repeated utilization of abortion appears to lead not to economic prosperity or social well-being, but to an increasing feminization of poverty.† But post-abortion health problems are not merely emotional. The Elliott Institute has collated the best available data on the physical risk complications of abortion and it reports that â€Å"approximately 10 per cent of women undergoing elect ive abortion will suffer immediate complications, of which approximately one-fifth (2 per cent) are considered life threatening.† The most common immediate major complications include infection, excessive bleeding, embolism, ripping or perforation of the uterus, anesthesia complications, convulsions, hemorrhage, cervical injury and endotoxic shock. Minor complications include infection, bleeding, fever, second-degree burns, chronic abdominal pain, vomiting, gastro-intestinal disturbances and Rh sensitization. In the Canadian context, that means 10,000 women a year suffer complications and 2,000 face potentially life-threatening major complications. Other problems manifest themselves over time. There are more than 30 studies that show a correlation between abortion and breast cancer, with women who had abortions more likely to get breast cancer. Women also face increased risk of cervical, ovarian and liver cancer. The risk for these four cancers are linked to the unnatural disruption of hormonal changes accompanying pregnancy. Untreated cervical damage increases the chances of getting cervical cancer. Between 2 and 3 per cent of all abortion patients suffer perforation of the uterus; this often leads to complications in subsequent pregnancies, the need for a hysterectomy and other complications, including osteoporosis. Smaller cervical lacerations can also cause problems, including cervical incompetence and subsequent labour complications. Abortion also increases the risk of placenta previa in later pregnancies, which is life-threatening to both mother (excessive bleeding) and unborn child (perinatal death), and increases the chance of fetal malformation. Women who have abortions are more than twice as likely to suffer subsequent labour complications, including premature delivery. Pre-term delivery increases the risk of neo-natal death and handicaps. Abortion increases the risk of ectopic pregnancies and pelvic inflammatory disease, both of which can reduce future fertility or threaten the life of the mother. Recent nation-wide data is unavailable in Canada, but Alberta and Nova Scotia statistics indicate that repeat abortions account for about one-third of all procedures. Repeat aborters vastly increase their risk of complications and this has serious consequences for those who routinely utilize abortion as birth control; it also costs the health care system. Perhaps most worrying is that women who have abortions are more likely to die prematurely. Reardon notes, â€Å"Women who abort are approximately four times more likely to die in the following year than women who carry their pregnancies to term† – and that † women who carry to term are only half as likely to die (pre-maturely) as women who were not pregnant.† That includes accidental deaths, suicides and homicides, among other causes. The evidence that abortion harms women – and their loved ones – is overwhelming. But the harm goes beyond individuals. Societal costs No one knows for sure how much abortion costs taxpayers through the country’s socialized health care system. With the exception of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, which do not cover the entire cost of abortions committed in private facilities, the provinces pay for abortions in both hospitals and free-standing facilities. LifeCanada estimates that the cost just for the surgical abortion procedures is $80 million (an average of $800 multiplied by 100,000 abortions). Because of under-reporting of abortion, there is reason to believe the cost is actually greater. In 1995, the Library of Parliament Research Branch said determining the cost of abortion is a â€Å"complex and inexact process.† But that is only the surgery. The number of follow-up visits for immediate complications is not made public (if tracked at all) and so those costs are unknowable. There is also the cost of long-term problems including fertility treatments, psychiatry and drug/alcohol treatment. There are other costs, as well; that of missing students, consumers and taxpayers. The loss of 100,000 children every year means smaller classrooms and closed schools. In 2005, People for Education, an advocacy group, reported that the rate of school closures in Ontario has more than doubled in recent years. Between 1986 and 1995, an average of 24 Ontario schools were closed every year, but between 1999 and 2005, it was an average of 52 schools per year. Remarkably, that is despite attracting the bulk of the country’s immigrants. The fact is that Canada is an aging country in which many smaller communities and older neighbourhoods no longer have the children and teens to sustain elementary and high schools. According to the Canadian Council on Learning, â€Å"The steepest declines tend to occur in small, rural and remote school districts.† It cites as an example British Columbia, where 10 school districts have seen their enrolments fall by at least 15 per cent since 200 1, seven of which are rural districts with smaller populations. From 1997-2005, 11 of 13 provinces and territories experienced a drop in enrolment, with six of them seeing declines of at least 10 per cent. The problem is worst in Atlantic Canada. Dr. Gerald Galway of the Faculty of Education at Memorial University in St. John’s gave a presentation to the 2009 Atlantic School Boards Conference entitled, â€Å"Where have all the children gone?† In it, he noted that school enrolment in Atlantic Canada has fallen precipitously over the past several decades. While intra-provincial migration accounts for some decline in population, he mostly blames falling fertility rates. Notably, in Newfoundland, enrolment has declined every year since 1971, except in 1984 (with the introduction of Grade 12). In fact, the school-aged population has been cut in half since 1971, from 160,000 to 80,000. Over the long term, more communities will lose their schools and policy makers will have to make difficult decisions on how to provide quality education in sparsely populated areas. There are also ramifications for public finance. Pierre Fortin, a professor of economics at the Università © du Quà ©bec à   Montrà ©al, says there will be â€Å"a marked deterioration of public finances† because of increased health care costs and pension liabilities as the number of seniors grows rapidly and income tax revenues decrease due to fewer workers. The result is fewer taxpayers supporting more retirees. By 2015, there will be more seniors over 65 than children under 15; it is estimated that by 2030, those over 65 will comprise 25 per cent of the population. According to the 2008 documentary The Cost of Abortion, the cumulative financial loss of nearly 50 million abortions in the United States from 1973-2007 was $37 trillion in GDP over the course of 35 years. That’s lost production and lost consumption due to the 50 million missing children and (later) workers. Assuming that Canada would have suffered a proportionate loss, the Canadian GDP over the past four decades would be in the neighbourhood of $4 trillion – or $100 billion per year. That represents about 7 per cent of the current Canadian economy. In other words, the economic activity of a population not decimated by abortion would be equivalent to more than twice the stimulus package Ottawa announced in January. But after 3.2 million abortions over four decades, the missing children translate into missing economic activity. The cheapening of human life The greatest cost imposed on a society that permits abortion is the devaluing of human life and the diminishment of family life. Abortion does not stalk the nation alone; but rather, as part of the larger culture of death. Since the legalization of abortion, contraception, gay sex and divorce in the 1960s, there has been a decline in marital stability, with growth in sexual activity outside marriage and other sexually deviant behaviour and new assaults on human life. There are more ways to chemically eliminate newly conceived life with the abortifacient morning-after pill and abortion drugs like RU-486. With pregnancy made easily avoidable, is it surprising that courts (and later Parliament) ignored the reproductive role of marriage when they redefined the institution to include same-sex partners? In 2003, the Liberal government passed legislation opening the door to destructive embryonic stem cell research, cloning and other scientific experimentation that treats human life as raw m aterial to be harvested and exploited. If inconvenient human life can be eliminated by mothers and doctors, why not create convenient lives for scientists and other researchers? And lastly – though not yet – is euthanasia. Once the principle is established that inconvenient human beings can be killed, the question becomes who’s next. The answer, if the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Oregon and Washington are harbingers, is the terminally ill, the disabled and the old. Of course, we’ve already had Tracey Latimer and Sue Rodriguez and dozens of others whose names weren’t quite national news. But these are renegades, operating outside the law. Perhaps, though, not for long. Twice in the past four years, Bloc Quebecois MP Francine Lalonde has introduced a private member’s bill to legalize euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Public opinion leans toward so-called â€Å"mercy killing.† The principle of eliminating inconvenient people is well established. The great corrupter Abortion corrupts every institution that promotes or even countenances it. Two examples are government (and politics) and the medical profession, although one could also look at the failure of religious leadership, the denigration of the law and so much more. As Fr. Alphonse de Valk noted in his 1979 pamphlet The Worst Law Ever, the medical profession didn’t take long to become fanatical in its support for abortion. In fact, de Valk said â€Å"the one group which obviously has suffered most from the 1969 law is the medical profession.† In the 1960s, the Canadian Medical Association lobbied for widening the abortion law to permit abortions to save the life or protect the health of the mother (albeit with a broad understanding of mental and emotional health). By 1973, it endorsed abortion on demand. Two years later, it amended the Hippocratic Oath to remove the reference against abortifacients that had been in place for 2,500 years. In 1977, it attempted to make abortion referrals mandatory, even in cases in which doctors were morally opposed. That battle continues more than three decades later. Over the past 40 years, medical professionals have been harassed over their opposition to abortion and most medical schools screen applicants to keep pro-lifers out. Nurses have been fired, removed from certain duties and refused work because of their pro-life views, as have pharmacists. In order to make â€Å"choice† available to those seeking abortions, the choice of health care professionals to act according to their consciences has been compromised and even excised. Abortion has also corrupted the political process. Parliament fashioned a dishonest and untenable amendment in 1969 – the therapeutic abortion committees which sanctioned the killing of the unborn. The Supreme Court threw out the minimal restrictions in 1988 and ordered Parliament to write a new abortion law. The Mulroney government twice introduced legislation to address the abortion issue, but the limits were once again giant loopholes that would not have restricted abortion. Since then, abortion has been permitted within the vacuum created by the absence of a law. Politicians are scared of the issue. Many provincial politicians refuse to answer questions about abortion, claiming it is a federal matter (which it is as a matter of criminal law, but not as health policy). Many federal politicians hide behind the false notion that the 1988 Morgentaler decision established a right to abortion. (It did not, with only one of seven justices suggesting such a right.) In the 2000 federal election, then-prime minister Jean Chretien declared that Canada had â€Å"social peace† on the issue of abortion; in reality, it was the silence of timorous politicians enforced by a rigid media censorship of any substantive debate on the topic. That censorship is widespread. Since 1995, British Columbia has had a legislated bubble zone prohibiting any pro-life speech near abortion facilities. In 1994, the Ontario government asked for and received a â€Å"temporary† injunction prohibiting pro-life speech near five abortion mills; that injunction remains in place today. In Quebec, a limited bubble zone is in place in several municipalities. Such censorship has moved to university campuses, where pro-life groups are denied club status and pro-life speakers or demonstrators are prevented from making their presentations. To protect abortion from any criticism or resistance, genuine human rights, such as freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of conscience, are curbed. Such illiberal and intolerant measures are deemed necessary to defend â€Å"choice.† Conclusion These are but a few of the consequences of a broad abortion licence, a quick overview of the toll of abortion. Sold to a willingly ignorant public as a matter of personal choice, abortion has had terrible consequences for society and, tragically, the women who choose abortion thinking it is a solution to their perceived problems. The enormity of the consequences, one would presume, would lead to a massive re-thinking of unrestricted legal abortion. But instead of either sober reflection or a vigorous debate on abortion’s societal and individual ramifications, there is silence. And more death. And more suffering. Forty more years and millions more deaths are too great a cost for a dearth of necessary leadership to oppose abortion. But someday, these costs and consequences will be too great to ignore. Until then, we will continue to pay in blood, treasure, women’s health and a myriad of other ways. Is Abortion Safe? Psychological Consequences Clinical research provides a growing body of scientific evidence that having an abortion can cause psychological harm to some women. Women who report negative after-effects from abortion know exactly what their problem is, observed psychologist Wanda Franz, Ph.D., in a March 1989 congressional hearing on the impact of abortion. They report horrible nightmares of children calling them from trash cans, of body parts, and blood, Franz told the Congressional panel. When they are reminded of the abortion, Franz testified, the women re-experienced it with terrible psychological pain They feel worthless and victimized because they failed at the most natural of human activities the role of being a mother.[106] The emergence of chemical abortion methods poses a new possibly more devastating psychological threat. Unlike surgical abortions, in which women rarely see the cut up body parts, women having chemical abortions often do see the complete tiny bodies of their unborn children and are even able to distinguish the child’s developing hands, eyes, etc. [107] So traumatic is this for some women that both patients and researchers involved in these studies have recommended that women unprepared for the experience of seeing their aborted children not take the drugs. [108] Long-term psychological implications of this experience have not been studied. Researchers on the after-effects of abortion have identified a pattern of psychological problems known as Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS). Women suffering PAS may experience drug and alcohol abuse, personal relationship disorders, sexual dysfunction, repeated abortions, communications difficulties, damaged self-esteem, and even attempt suicide. Post-Abortion Syndrome appears to be a type of pattern of denial which may last for five to ten years before emotional difficulties surface. [109] Now that some clinicians have established that there is an identifiable patterns to PAS, they face a new challenge. What is still unknown is how widespread psychological problems are among women who have had abortions. A Los Angeles Times survey in 1989 found that 56% of women who had abortions felt guilty about it, and 26% mostly regretted the abortion.[110] Clinicians’ current goal should be to conduct extensive national research studies to obtain data on the psychological after-effects of abortion.[111] With the growing awareness of Post Abortion Syndrome in scholarly and clinical circles, women with PAS can expect to receive a more sensitive appreciation of the suffering that they endure. Fortunately, a growing network of peer support groups of women who have had abortions offers assistance to women who are experiencing emotional difficulties. Many post-abortive women have also been speaking out publicly about their own abortion experiences and the healing process they went through.. Women or family members seeking information about this particular outreach can contact American Victims of Abortion, 419 7th Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, D.C., 20004. Physical Consequences after abortion DEATH: According to the best record based study of deaths following pregnancy and abortion, a 1997 government funded study in Finland, women who abort are approximately four times more likely to die in the following year than women who carry their pregnancies to term. In addition, women who carry to term are only half as likely to die as women who were not pregnant.(16) The Finland researchers found that compared to women who carried to term, women who aborted in the year prior to their deaths were 60 percent more likely to die of natural causes, seven times more likely to die of suicide, four times more likely to die of injuries related to accidents, and 14 times more likely to die from homicide. Researchers believe the higher rate of deaths related to accidents and homicide may be linked to higher rates of suicidal or risk-taking behavior.(16) The leading causes of abortion related maternal deaths within a week of the surgery are hemorrhage, infection, embolism, anesthesia, and undiagnosed ectopic pregnancies. Legal abortion is reported as the fifth leading cause of maternal death in the United States, though in fact it is recognized that most abortion related deaths are not officially reported as such.(2)

Monday, October 14, 2019

Benefits and Drawbacks of Divesting Fossil Fuel Company

Benefits and Drawbacks of Divesting Fossil Fuel Company The environmental issues is the main trend that is concerned by most of the organization worldwide. Those concerns spread through the activist group and are affecting financial sector as well. By pressurizing universities endowment fund to divest the fossil fuel companies, the activists urge for the funds to invest responsibly by moving their money out of the non-environmental friendly companies. They aim to indirectly create the new market norms and change the way people perceive those companies which will stigmatized them if they do not adapt to the more innovative and more sustainable ways of doing business. However, the fiduciary duty of the financial professionals is a big issue to be discussed if the fund manager will consider divesting fossil fuel companies on whether there is a conflict on investing responsibly and maximizing profit or not. By the definition of the fiduciary duty, Boatright (2008) explained that A fiduciary duty may be defined as the duty of a person in a position of trust to act solely in the interest of the beneficiary, without gaining any material benefit except with the knowledge and consent of this person. We may need to reinterpret its definition in accordance to the ongoing situation in order to see if we can add the environmental and sustainable elements to this duty without compromising the sole existing definition of the fiduciary duty itself. I have done research on the topics about this, and here are the advantages, disadvantages, and some discussion on the fiduciary duty on divesting from fossil fuel firms. Divesting from fossil fuel companies is likely to yield three main advantages. Firstly, it may encourage the change toward more innovative and sustainable form of fuel. There was a proverb stated that The stone age did not end when we ran out of stones this is to say that when we discover a better form of fossil fuel substitution, it will be no longer the main form of fuel for our world. For example, the development of alternative energy source. By divesting from those companies, we can stimulate them to intensify their research and development in order to move on to more sustainable fuel. After their successful adaptation, those stocks may become attractive for investing responsibly again and we may reinvest in their stocks. Secondly, according to Smith Schools Stranded Assets (2013), we can indirectly influence the market by changing their norms, which is the last stage the activists hope to archive, affecting their ability to finance themselves in both debt and equity. By doing this, all fossil fuel company in the sector will be affected by the wave created by norm changing. This will result in the same way as the first advantage, but on a lot bigger scale, because the market itself is the main force that can directly affect the stock price. Thirdly, the research by Hoepner and Schopohl (2016) shows that there are no difference in terms of risk and return between the portfolio that excluding some sectors of stocks and the traditional portfolio that does not has any constrains. However, the exclusion portfolio in this research only excludes the securities after they are accused of violating the code of ethics. This findings is a very solid reason for divesting fossil fuel companies, as many people believe that these firms can generate higher return for their portfolio. By getting indifferent return, people will be motivated to seek for abnormal return opportunities by moving their money to more innovative firms with higher growth potential. These advantages can benefit the university and the students by signaling to the whole nation that our university would like to take the leading role in tackling with global warming and other environmental issues. This can also potentially use for a marketing purpose of the university, as it may ranked the university up for being seriously concerned about environment and may attract more scholars and academics in this particular area to joining the university. The university may also benefit from the new investment perspective of its endowment fund, as it can gives higher profit if invest properly. This will enhance the ability to fund any new project which will definitely benefit both university and students, the university can provide better facility for learning and the students will be get a more competitive edge from learning in such environment. There are also three disadvantages for divesting from fossil fuel companies. Firstly, the universitys endowment fund cannot heavily affect the shares price of those firms due to the low proportion of the funds holding in this sector. The Stranded Assets by Smith School (2013) shows that the average university endowment fund in the USA hold the fossil fuel companies stocks for about 2% of their fund, and about 4% in the UKs. This proportion cannot significantly affect the stock price even though the funds liquidate all of their portion. Moreover, there may be some players that are willing to immediately buy these stocks after the fund sold their shares, as the price will be attractive for that period of time. Therefore, the university cannot hope to directly impact the market trend solely on this activity. Secondly, such activity may incur additional transaction cost generated by this activity to the fund itself, which may decrease its profit for some period, especially for the University of Reading, which 12.7% of the endowment fund is invested in fossil fuel related companies. If the trustee of the fund could not find any attractive investment opportunity, this movement will do more harm than good, at least in short term, to the fund and the university. Thirdly, to see the significant effect of this divestment, we will have to be patience. The impact on the sector would not be observable within one or two years, the university is likely to suffer from the divestment, again if the fund managers could not find attractive investment alternatives. Moreover, there are no distinct lists of the targeted company that is not environmental responsible to divest, which means that this will increase the marginal cost for the fund to do the research on those fossil fuel companies to divest. I also believe that divestment is not a solution for climate change, as stated in the article Why Fossil Fuel Divestment is a Misguiding Tactic by The Guardian (2015) as this is can be only served as a mean for increasing peoples awareness about the issue and it can be considered only a symbolic act while the real threats to the climate such as deforestation, short-lived greenhouse gas, halocarbon are still exist. These disadvantages will affect the university in terms of the opportunity cost, which comes in the form of less financial supports, as the fund may not yield as what it used to provide. This may result in lower scholarship for students and lower capacity to fund the researches. I also believe that by divesting its holding in fossil fuel companies, the university also give up its right as the owner of the companies which means that the university cannot influence the companies to move into a more sustainable way that may eventually increase the benefits to the shareholders. For the issues about the fiduciary duty of the trustee, as I stated before, the trustee should aim to provide their beneficiary with highest benefit. Therefore, it should hope to maximize the profit of this endowment fund. I completely agree with Drew Fausts Fossil Fuel Divestment Statement to the members of the Harvard Community (2013) on the topic that the universitys endowment fund has a single purpose, to support the academic mission, and it should not be used for any other purposes. To put the fund in any political position is to put the university in a risky position, as the money in the fund are from philanthropists with different view in politics. However, they share the same perspective in funding academic advancement, taking side in this political activity may result in fund withdrawal from the disagreed benefactors. I insist that fossil fuel divestment will breach the fiduciary duty of the endowment funds trustee, the fund must remain politically neutral to secure the risk position of the university and to serve the funds only single purpose. If the fund is going to divest, it should be a strategic adjustment of the portfolio in order to maximizing profit for the university, not for expressing the view on the particular topic in the society. On the other hand, I agree with the activists view about thinking long-term, not through the channel of divesting. Divestment is, in my opinion, meaningless as we still use the fossil fuel in our everyday life, such as our car petrol, our electricity which is produced by fossil fuel or even our home heating system powered by gas. We can act with long-term attitude by implementing a more productive ways such as influencing the current fossil fuel firms as a shareholder to move them to the good direction, fueling the breakthrough research about alternative energy and fuel, funding for innovative architecture and engineering. All of these ways can be originated from a good academic institution, their research, and proper funding is crucial for the growth of the academics. Hence, the trustee should put their best effort in the fund to keep advancing the academic goals. The campaigns should not about the fossil fuel alone, it should aim to tackle all of the problem stated above to be trul y archive the solution to the environmental problems. I believe the conflict in fiduciary duty can be solved by the fund manager try to take part in the fossil fuel company that the fund invested in through voting rights and keep monitor their use of fund through the companys report. The endowment fund should also keep looking for the new investment strategy which involve alternative energies and other responsible firm in a case that those companies could give higher yield than the current fossil fuel firm, then that would create a win-win situation for the fund, the university, and the students. The other good way is forming the new committee to keep reviewing if the fund invest sustainably and responsible, This committee may consist of students from the university and specialized fund manager. This method is already implemented by some leading American university such as Harvard. Finally, I recommend the University of Readings endowment fund not to divest for the stated reasons. I would suggest the fund to keep monitor the company, keep being aware of the situation in the market and use the recommendations stated above. While the environment issues are the important concerns for everyone, one should not focus only on the companies, but should focus also the people. People are the one responsible for the climate change and should be educated about the problem properly, in order to change their mind set to make it become more responsible for their selfish actions that caused climate change. I insist that the interest of the beneficiary is still remains an undisputed duty of the trustee and the fund managers must put their full effort to see it happen. References   Ã‚   Andreas G. F. Hoepner, L. S. (2016). On the Price of Morals in Markets: An Empirical Study of the Swedish AP-funds and the Norwegian Government Pension Fund. http://ssrn.com/abstract=2828040. Atif Ansar, B. C. (2013). Stranded assets. Oxford: Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford. Faust, D. (2013, October 3). Fossil Fuel Divestment Statement. Retrieved from Harvard University: http://www.harvard.edu/president/news/2013/fossil-fuel-divestment-statement Hulme, M. (2015, April 17). Why fossil fuel divestment is a misguided tactic. Retrieved from The Guardian: www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/apr/17/why-fossil-fuel-divestment-is-a-misguided-tactic