Saturday, January 18, 2020

Media Portrayal of Women in Sports Essay

The mass media and all its components have always played an essential role in shaping the way society views and thinks about certain issues and events. The type influence, which television shows, radio shows and other mediums of mass media have on their audiences, go widely unchecked by the professionals involved in that field and by society in general. The effects could be damaging and entirely maladaptive and yet only a few organizations and individuals take on the role of serving as the counterchecking department of the products of this industry. One of the many fields into which mass media have dipped their fingers into is the field of sports. What little attention is given to the effects of mass media on society is focused on children’s shows, violence-related topics and religion-based issues. The field of sports has been relatively untouched by those who monitor the mass media. The public has mainly stood by and accepted the information and manner of presentation that mass media has taken with regards to sports. This type of attitude has proven to be increasingly damaging to women in particular. Sports has become a highly gender-based field. Despite efforts to assimilate women into the various games and competitions, it has become increasingly evident, despite the lack of monitoring organizations, that mass media has not gone beyond the days of bias towards women in sports. There are still many issues that need to be addressed in terms of how television, radio, magazines, newspapers, and other such media have come to portray women professionals in the field of sports. How does mass media affect the way their audiences perceive women athletes and other female sports professionals? What steps can be taken to correct wrong practices in this field? This paper aims to answer these questions as well as to specifically understand the way mass media has shown females involved in various sports activities and whether there truly is reason for these women to be concerned. Television Coverage of Women in Sports   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Of all the instruments of mass media available today, the television set is perhaps the most successful and most popular. It has invaded the living spaces of almost all homes worldwide and is able to communicate to its audience in much more modalities than that offered by other instruments of mass media. It also allows for coverage of events at the exact moment the said event occurs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research regarding how women have been portrayed through the medium of television has been much more numerous as opposed to research on portrayal via other mediums. The literature regarding this research has shown that women in sports have been greatly marginalized and stereotyped. The following section will delve deeper into this aspect of mass media coverage in sports.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The most encompassing research done on television coverage of women in sports may be that of Higgs & Weiller (1994). They conducted a research to assess gender bias in the television coverage of the 1992 Olympic games. The two researchers found much to disappoint the many women athletes involved in the said games as well as all other women who were just as concerned about women’s rights, equality of the sexes, and politically correct representation of males and females in different fields.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Commentators of the different events in the Olympic games were noted to most commonly use terms such as â€Å"girl† â€Å"babe† and â€Å"sweetheart† to refer to the women competitors whereas none of the male competitors were referred to as â€Å"boy† even when the contestant was obviously of a very young age. Also, strength and weakness descriptions and allusions were clearly gender-biased. Men in swimming were lauded for their strokes whereas female swimmers would receive comments such as â€Å"a powerhouse of a stroke from a 16-year old girl†. There were clearly ways by which the commentators were able to inject their own prejudiced views of the genders of the competitors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There were also findings pointing to the fact that events wherein males competed were aired for longer times than those where females competed. Time differentials were noted for each event and there was a noted significant difference for each. This was applicable for such sports as basketball, volleyball, and the likes. Although individual events such as gymnastics were prone to have more airtime dedicated to women athletes, these were highly edited and sometimes even spliced together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Each broadcast was also done with use of narratives. This was to draw the audience deeper into the mood of the game. However, researchers found that games with men contestants were broadcast with narratives of competition and strength. Women contestants, on the other hand, were often accompanied by emotional narratives pertaining to the athletes aspirations and the achievement of these with their success in the particular event they were entered in. If emotional narratives were not used by the television broadcasters, none at all were provided. It was either emotional or not at all.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is therefore, a well-known fact that ambivalence in reporting of women’s sports on television exists. There is   a denial of power for women in this particular type of mass media. Although women athletes are equally as capable and equally as competent as their male counterparts, this is not credited by professionals reporting their games. Where women have been noted for their involvement in sports, negative allegations and prejudiced reporting have served to undermine the efforts of these athletes. Radio Coverage of Women in Sports   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Radio coverage of women in sports has also been one of the more devastating instruments of undermining women’s efforts and women participation in various sports activities. The radio set, however, is less of a weapon of the mass media at present than the television set. The radio set does not cater to the visual modality of its audiences and as such may prove less of a weapon. However, it is also advantageous because reporting of the sporting event can occur at the same time that the actual event occurs. This means that up-to-the-minute, live coverage is possible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, airing time on the radio set is significantly less for sports events than that on television sets. The large percentage of non-recognition that goes on in television broadcasting of women participation in sports is thus multiplied by great factors on the radio set. Only limited numbers of sports are chosen to be reported and reviewed over the radio and most, if not all, of these are male-dominated sports. Sporting events that are not action-packed, that do not provide the reporter with a message full of strength, adrenaline, and passion are not marketable on the radio waves. And because of the trend and well-established fad of reporting male events and male athletes with narratives involving competition, strength, and passion, these are the events that radio broadcasters and radio networks focus on. Women-dominated sports and women athletes prove to be less of a popular choice of broadcasting for professionals in the radio industry as these gives them, to their perception, with a softer story that is not full of the characteristics they look for in reportable stories and which audiences will not much favor or listen to. Thus the perception that male athletes and male-dominated sporting events will have more popularity than their counterparts. Publication Coverage of Women in Sports   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another instrument used in mass media are magazines and other similar published sources. These cater only to the audiences visual modalities and are not able to give audio feedback. Also, publications such as newspapers and magazines are only able to give a reporting of the event after a period of time has elapsed. It cannot be given during the time the actual event occurs. A processing time for writers, photographers, layout artists, editors, publishers and other personnel involved in the production process is required. Thus newspapers come one day after the events have occurred and magazines are released at particular time intervals within the year – monthly, quarterly, annually, and the like.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A study by Hardin et al (2005) showed that women were often portrayed as sexually different even in sports magazines. Sexually different in sports can mean the portrayal of women as dissimilar. This can be shown through the presentation of sport type in the said magazine or given publication. This could be shown in a manner such that women, who participate in sporting events wherein women are not usually included as competitors, are either excluded or represented as masculine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, it has been seen that certain sporting magazines have been very generous to the female component of sporting activities. However, this balance is only present in magazines that have been produce through the efforts of staff that were consciously aware of the disparity in gender reporting of sports events. These magazines are, more commonly, actively fighting for women’s equality in this field. As such, they are few and not representative in the publishing industry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It should be acknowledged, however, that such magazines were launched and that these were successful in their goals. Perhaps this will provide the much needed gender-equality into the field of sports and mass media. Although these types of magazines form the minority in published mass media, they offer hope and raise out a cry of challenge to their colleagues, a cry for gender-equality and female liberation from the marginalization and disempowerment occurring in their field. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The large discrepancies in sports portrayals of women athletes has been seen to be significant in all mediums of mass media specifically that of the television set, the radio set, and published sources. Women have been marginalized, stereotyped, and stripped of power through the way these mass media instruments have been used to represent their participation in sports activities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, no matter how anyone looks at it, this type of portrayal is unwarranted and unnecessary. Women have just as much talent, skill and capability as their male counterparts. The efforts they exert in order to actively and competently engage in their given sporting event is equally similar to that which males exert. The strain and stress they undergo during training and during the actual competition are just as nerve-wracking and exhausting as that which male athletes experience. In all respects, female athletes should be considered and hailed as equal to male athletes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, this has not been the case. Mass media, whether through television, radio, or magazines, has proven to be unforgiving and thoughtless in bringing justice to the efforts of women athletes. There is a great need for change and renewal in the way mass media portrays females.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the best first steps towards a better and more fair portrayal of women in sports is by actively disseminating information about the marginalization and disempowerment that is occurring. Most audiences and most reporters are perhaps so tied down to the hegemony of sports and mass media that they are no longer aware when stereotypical remarks are made on air. Knowledge of the fact that sports is for both females and males and that both sexes are equally capable of succeeding in this field must be spread. Without awareness, there is no chance for gender issues to be resolved in this field.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It would, perhaps, also be constructive for organizations and bodies to be set up that would monitor the violations to women’s rights that occur during broadcasting of sporting events. This would help to check the prejudiced actions and comments of those involved in the mass media industry. This would also make other individuals aware that what is currently going on is not acceptable and that there is a growing need for better treatment and appreciation of women athletes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is still much improvement that can be done to the way mass media portray women. Mass media has come to influence the way society thinks in that women themselves have congregated around socially acceptable sports. Only the few who are not afraid of being dubbed masculine are able to compete in the sports where the male sex has dominated. There should be adequate measures taken to ensure that future biased and stereotyped thoughts will no longer exist. Women portrayal in sports still has hope to become much more fair and with this hope comes the assurance thaw women participation in sports will also become less prejudiced and stereotyped. Reference Higgs, C., & Weiller, K. (1994). Gender bias and the 1992 summer Olympic games: an analysis of television coverage. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 18,   234-246 Hardin, M., Lynn, S., Walsdorf, K. (2005). Challenge and conformity on â€Å"contested terrain†: images of women in four women’s sport/fitness magazines. Sex Roles, 53(1), 105-117

Friday, January 10, 2020

Krueler Interview

The first Boer war was from 1880-1881 when the Boers fought England in order to recover their independence they had given up to obtain British help against the Zulus. The second was from 1899-1902 when the Orange Free State and Transvaal declared war on Britain.Pieter Krueler was one of the toughest and bravest soldiers during the war. He was interviewed and revealed the real setting of the war in his own experience which makes the critics point out and reviewed the dilemmas more clear to the minds of the people.The war started between the differences of some learned diplomats and roughhewn nesters and successful millionaires battling for gold and power to rule (Bartleby).Opinions of anti-British, when the discovery of gold in Witwatersrand, many miners or prospectors are interested to get hold of the land. Â  The Boer’s called them threat to their state. After sometime, all mines are transferred to the British’s custody. The Boer government protected the people so the y charged big taxes from Uitlanders, also known as the foreigners even though British don’t really agree to that. The Orange Free State which was the independent Boer state in South Africa formed military troops to protect their independence (Bartleby).The Boer’s protest with regards to their rights was denied. The Boer declared war. Krueler was among those soldiers who fought for the Boers. Since the Boers are highly furnished with more weapons than the British, they had gone victories over the British adjacent to Boer’s territories. The Boers are kind hearted. They treated their prisoners well enough. They even fetched water for them to drink and even get blankets for the prisoners to rest.In the Cape Colony, there were many Boers captured because the British sent well trained reinforcements that lead them to victory. Cronje who was Boer’s leader forced to surrender. It was soon the British totally occupied the Transvaal territory. Roberts, who was the leader of British who led them to victory left the place because of his perception, the war was ended. Unfortunately, it wasn’t over yet and the Boers continue their coordination that lead to Guerilla war. They cut off the communications; attacked military post stations and some captured Boer were escaped by their help (Moritz).The Boers are fighting for their land which many foreigners are eager to find ways of colonizing the land. They are fighting for their independence which many foreigners are taking them away. They are great and brave people fighting for freedom, but they were only few of them. The British were certain enough that they can defend themselves from the Boers; they decided to totally finish the war under the ruling of Kitchener (Weber).The British recognized the kindness of the Boers to their families and their fellowmen; they captured the Boer’s women and children. Kitchener commanded his men to demolish the livestock and crops, farms were being bur ned, and captured women and children into. More women especially the children got sick and there were thousands died during that captured (Weber).Imperialism during the 20th century was very rude. It’s a regretful to those who did bad things to other people. The saddest part of it was that, the British were conquering the land that was not intended for them and hurting the people who own the land. The behavior of one’s nation because of power to control one’s land is very drastic. Kitchener’s plan of using the defenseless women and children as part of the war is to win the war, but not directly to fight with the Boer’s armies (Weber).When the Boer’s troops are diminishing rapidly and that ended the war. The Boer’s government accepted the leadership of the British in the condition that the British must apply a good government concerning the people in the future. However, the war gave the Boers so much resentment which continuous to aff ect the political life of the people throughout the 20th century (Bartleby).According to Krueler’s interview, the women and children including the four thousand prisoners gave a safe passageway by the British when they surrendered for the sake of the children and women. Moreover, the British treated him not as prisoner because he presumed of being a kid.With regards to the interview Krueler, the British had a conscience to speak for themselves for giving safe passageways for those who survived during the war. All they want was to get hold of the land.During the 1899 up to 1902 has become debatable. The holocaust happened in the camps is against the international law. This violates the human rights of the people. Women and children should not treat badly because they are weak and defenseless (Moritz).Anti-British claimed justice to all people who were badly injured and died during the war because of the barbaric acts of the British. The sympathy is with the Boers who only want their own land to live, but because they are few men to fight compared with their intruders, their land was totally occupied and ruled by the British (Weber).The war was proved to be the costliest, bloodiest and longest. Furthermore, it was said to be humiliating war from the British because of the longest time to defeat the Boers knowing that they were only few men fighting against them. In addition to, they were not fighting against the armies of the Boers, but they were fighting against the weak people of the Boers (Weber).Not only had the British militaries committed crimes, but also the leaders who gave commands. It is a crime against humanity, crime that no one was punished, crime that Kitchener should pay for. Unfortunately, when Kitchener died, he was remembered because of his virtue instead of a criminal (Weber).The British leaders’ imperialistic acts and hunger for diamonds and gold brought big and unforgivable damage to the people and land of Boer. The British wer e already powerful and wealthy during that time. They forgot about the thousands of lives perished for their greediness (Weber).Krueler’s interview about the First World War seems to be more similar intentions of the German people of acquiring the land in which the British occupied during that time. He was used by the German leaders to fight for them for colonial reasons. Some European countries are aiming to win the land of gold and diamonds for the purpose of continuous power and wealth. During the European wars, there are millions of civilians and militaries died aiming for one land which was not really fair for the civilians and most especially to those who owns the land.BibliographyThe Columbia Encyclopedia 6th Edition. Bartleby. Dec 2007. Moritz, Garett. About. 1998.Weber, Mark. IHR. May 1999.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Analysis Of Edgar Allan Poe s Poetry - 915 Words

Edgar Allan Poe was one of the greatest writers of the 19th century. He is is well known for his gothic themes and disturbing characters. Unfortunately, Poe lived a life full of sorrow and pain, having nearly everyone he loved die. His poem Alone is said to have been a confessional poem, recalling how Poe felt growing up. Poe’s use of repetition, metaphors, and imagery all aid in bringing the reader closer to understanding what was going on in Poe’s mind. The poem Alone was not published until after Poe’s death in 1875. Some say because of this the poem is a real look into Poe’s mind. The poem is in first person with the narrator telling how he never felt like he belonged and always felt like he was different in every way from others. His upbringing was not traditional and so he was alone most of the time. Not just alone physically but psychologically, he felt his thoughts were not the same as others. The poem has a sorrowful, and dark tone to it shown th rough the use of words like â€Å"stormy†, â€Å"sorrow†, â€Å"thunder†, and â€Å"demon†. Throughout the poem Poe uses repetition to emphasize what he is saying. In the second line Poe says â€Å"As others were; I have not seen As others saw;† (lines 2-3). â€Å"As others† is used to emphasize the contrast between himself and others. Later in the poem he goes on to repeat the words â€Å"from the† and then describes natural things like â€Å"red cliffs of the mountain† (line 14), the sun, lightning in the sky, thunderstorms and clouds. According to MichaelShow MoreRelatedBrianna Ruiz-Vannerson. Leonard Miller. Enc1102. Feb. 231548 Words   |  7 PagesMiller ENC1102 Feb. 23 2017 The Compelling Mind of Edgar Allan Poe Through: â€Å"Lenore† and â€Å"The Raven† Throughout the life of esteemed author Edgar Allan Poe, there have been many time that this extraordinary man’s life has been turned upside down with grief. His first encounter with this wretched demon was when he was no older than three years of age. The mother who birthed him dies and his father abandons them before her death (â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe†). He then is separated from his brother and sisterRead MoreThe Tortured Poet : Edgar Allan Poe1312 Words   |  6 PagesThe Tortured Poet: Edgar Allan Poe â€Å"Beauty is the sole legitimate province of the poem† Poe, Edgar Allan. The Philosophy of Composition. 1846. The name Poe often brings to mind tales of horror and mystery, but this Poe was also a writer of sophisticated poems, capable of extreme poetic beauty within a dark genre of writing. Poe never lived the happiest of lives, but his writing is extraordinary, both for its execution, and for the sheer elegance of the words which he found to write upon the pageRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe s The Raven2600 Words   |  11 PagesPoetry is said to be one of the world s most difficult forms of art. 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Dark andRead MoreWhy Should We Care?1748 Words   |  7 PagesWhy Should We Care?: Edgar Allan Poe â€Å"Few creatures of the night have captured [reader’s] imagination[s] like [Edgar Allan Poe]† (â€Å"Vampires†). Poe has fascinated the literary world since he first became known for writing in 1829, when he was just twenty years old (Chronology†). While he is widely known for exploring the macabre, his work is controversial because of its psychologically disturbing nature. Edgar Allan Poe is worth examining as an author because his many contributions to the literaryRead MoreThe Father Of The Detective Story1593 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Father of the Detective Story†: How Edgar Allan Poe Developed and Influenced the Detective Fiction Genre Edgar Allan Poe has become a household name in the literary world. His unique writing style has earned him much-deserved respect and recognition. 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These literaryRead MoreAnalysis Of Poe s The Fal l Of The House Of Usher 3197 Words   |  13 PagesPoe’s â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† Edgar Allan Poe is an American poet from the early 1800s who has been regarded in many literary handbooks as â€Å"the architect of the modern short story† (Poetry Foundation). Since his death in 1849, Poe has become world renowned for his critical theories as well as his many haunting poems and short stories. But Poe s work hasn’t always been as popular as it is today. In 1827, Poe published his first collection of poetry, Tamerlane, and Other Poems. UnfortunatelyRead MoreThe Raven And The Overwhelming Power And Sadness Of The Death Of A Loved One1165 Words   |  5 PagesCritical Analysis This critical analysis essay is about Poet Edgar Allen Poe’s poem â€Å"The Raven† and the overwhelming power and sadness of the death of a loved one. There is such sorrow and even anticipation that the poem invokes in the reader. The poem can be quite dreary and full of gloom, but the author also makes it sound eerie but somehow beautiful and lyrical especially when reciting it orally. Poe was a remarkable writer and known as being a bit peculiar in person and in his writings. Poe usesRead More Comparing Symbols and Symbolism in Blue Hotel, Black Cat, Night, Alfred Prufrock, Red Wheelbarrow1620 Words   |  7 Pagesof literature. The Blue Hotel by Stephen Crane, The Black Cat of Edgar Allan Poe, Night by William Blake, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T. S. Eliot, and The Red Wheelbarrow by William Carlos Williams encompass examples of color symbolism from both the prose and the poetry of literature. When drawing from various modes of psychology, interpretation s of various colors, with emphasis to dream psychology, an analysis of the colors themselves and then their applications to literature

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Evaluation Of The Corrections Officers At The Allen County...

The ability to apply acquired knowledge in a situation outside the typical educational structure often results in exceptional learning. The experience of working with the corrections officers at the Allen County Juvenile Detention Center helped me to think critically about the application of justice. There is much that can be said specifically about the correction officers and some of their attitudes and actions. They do contribute to the atmosphere, however, changing other aspects such as the rules or the actual building has been my focus. Throughout this reflection, I will cover a typical work day with some commentary on the procedures and the environment intermixed. Working at relatively the same time each day caused a rather repetitious experience and there were only minor changes day to day. I will conclude with some notes about how justice â€Å"looks† at the JDC along with some suggestions. There are two pairs of corrections officers on duty at least from three until eleven at night. The pairs are always one male, one female. I believe this is because of dealing with gender specific situations like showers. There are often other people who worked specifically with the treatment wing during my time. The detention center has one wing for those who need to serve time for an offence and one wing for those receiving treatment for their health. The juveniles that committed a crime are serving a certain amount of time and then they get released. The other group, receivesShow MoreRelatedPrivatization of Prisons1329 Words   |  6 Pages This research project will explore the cost benefits to the privatization of California’s prison system, in comparison to other cost saving options. It will use statistics from other states that use private prison systems, as well as federal detention facilities that are privately managed. The purpose of this analysis is to reduce spe nding as a whole, and to not place a financial burden on local governments. It is also important to note that prison sentences are not only a form of punishmentRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesLocus of Control Scale 52 Tolerance of Ambiguity Scale 54 Core Self-Evaluation Scale (CSES) 56 SKILL LEARNING 57 Key Dimensions of Self-Awareness 57 The Enigma of Self-Awareness 58 The Sensitive Line 58 Understanding and Appreciating Individual Differences Important Areas of Self-Awareness 61 Emotional Intelligence 62 Values 65 Ethical Decision Making and Values 72 Cognitive Style 74 Attitudes Toward Change 76 Core Self-Evaluation 79 SKILL ANALYSIS 84 Cases Involving Self-Awareness 84 Communist Prison

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Smoking Cessation Is The Most Important Component Of A...

According to the CDC guidelines, promoting smoking cessation is the most important component of a comprehensive state tobacco control agenda to reduce tobacco use. Smokers who quit at any age can prevent most of the risk of smoking related diseases including death, and has an immediate and long-term health benefit. Evidence-based research shows that statewide tobacco control programs that are comprehensive, sustained, and accountable have reduce smoking rates, as well as tobacco-related diseases and deaths. This comprehensive approach includes education, clinical, regulatory, economic, and social strategies. States that have made larger investments in comprehensive tobacco control programs have seen larger declines in cigarettes sales than†¦show more content†¦In 2007, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report presented a blueprint for action to â€Å"reduce smoking so substantially that it is no longer a public health problem for our nation.† The two-pronged strategy fo r achieving this goal includes: 1) strengthening and fully implementing currently proven tobacco control measures; and 2) changing the regulatory landscape to permit policy innovations. Among the IOM recommendations is that each state should fund a comprehensive tobacco control program at the level that the CDC recommends. Today, the CDC is the only federal agency that provides funding to help support all 50 states, the District of Columbia, eight U.S. territories, and twelve tribal organizations for tobacco control efforts, and is at the forefront of the nation’s efforts to reduce deaths and prevent chronic diseases that result from tobacco use. The agency and its partners promote tobacco control interventions, including actions to prevent youth from starting to use tobacco, smoke-free environments, programs to help tobacco users quit, and steps to eliminate tobacco-related health disparities in different population groups. In 2016 alone, the CDC have supported and funded the smoking cessation programs in these areas with close to $75 million and to ensure and expand state quitline capacity (CDC, 2016). Conceptual Framework For our smoking cessationShow MoreRelatedTobacco Cessation1976 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and worldwide (Centers for Disease Control, 2013, World Health Organization, 2008). Tobacco cessation counseling is a vital component of any public health strategy seeking to decrease mortality, disease and costs associated with smoking. To that end, the Healthy People 2020 Tobacco Use Objectives cover three main areas: reducing tobacco use, instituting health system changes, and creating social and environmentalRead MoreRaising The Legal Minimum Age For Smoking Among Young Adults Essay1814 Words   |  8 Pagesincrease in young adult smoking, compares trends in smoking among young adults with trends in the use of other substances. National data propose that the recent detected an increase in smoking among young adults is primarily an artefact of the almost simultaneous increase in smoking among high school students. In addition, however, it also appears that there have been real changes in smoking patterns among young adults. While many questions remain regarding recent trends in tobacco and other drug useRead MoreBanning Tobacco Price Promotions, Smoking Related Beliefs And Behavior3355 Words   |  14 PagesBanning tobacco price promotions, smoking-related beliefs and behavior: Findings from the International Tobacco Control four-country cohort survey Abstract Purpose: We examined how prohibiting tobacco price promotion at the national level influenced smoking-related beliefs and behaviors. Method: We used data from the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation project four-country cohort. Smokers and recent quitters at wave 8 (N = 4,114) were included in multivariate logistic regression modelsRead MoreThe Effects of Culture and Ethnicity on Tobacco Prevention and Cessation5317 Words   |  21 Pagesï » ¿ Introduction Tobacco usage remains the main preventable reason for loss of life and illness within the US, with almost 443,000 fatalities taking place yearly due to smoking cigarettes and contact with second-hand cigarette smoke (CDC, 2008). Furthermore, almost ninety percent of adult people who smoke start using cigarettes from age eighteen years (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). To evaluate present cigarette usage amongst youths, CDC examined information via the 2011 NationalRead MoreSmoking Term Paper3599 Words   |  15 PagesSmoking: The Risks of Smoking by Jack Jeffries CCC English Ms. Clarke 6 April 2011 Jeffries 1 Jack Jeffries Ms. Clarke CCC English 6 April 2011 Smoking: The Risks of Smoking According to the World Health Organization, someone dies from the use of tobacco every eight seconds. Tobacco is used in many different products. A few of these products are bidis, chew, cigars, dip, hookah, and cigarettes. In the United States of America, where 12 million dollars a year is spent on tobacco awarenessRead MoreThe Effects Of E Cigarettes On The United States5297 Words   |  22 Pagesthe nicotine without the other 4,000 chemicals present in tobacco cigarette smoke (Schroeder). Nicotine is a chemical that is produced by the tobacco plant. People have discovered that by smoking the leaves of a tobacco plant the nicotine in the leaves is delivered into the bloodstream. Nicotine by itself is not an awful drug as far as drugs go, although it is highly addictive, it is the tar in cigarettes that does so much damage. Tobacco use remains the number one preventable cause of death in theRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemma of E-Cigarette Regulation1923 Words   |  8 Page sor more competing values are important and in conflict. If you serve one value, you cannot server another, or you must deny of disserve one or more values in order to maintain one or more of the others†. Identified in this paper is an ethical dilemma anchored in the â€Å"Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act† signed into law by President Obama in 2009. This policy gave legal authority to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish the Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), which is chargedRead MoreCaso Warner Lambert6498 Words   |  26 PagesWarner-Lambert Ireland (WLI), examined two very different sales forecasts as he considered the upcoming launch of Niconil ®, scheduled For January 1990. Niconil was an innovative new product that promised to help the thou-sands of smokers who attempted to quit smoking each year. More commonly known simply as the patch, Niconil was a transdermal skin patch that gradually released nicotine into the bloodstream to alleviate the physical symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Now in October of 1989, Dixon and his staffRead MoreCrohn s Disease ( Cd )1736 Words   |  7 Pagesbladder, rectum, skin, and vagina (Sommers Fannin, 2015). Case Study A 17-year old female presents to the office with a history of abdominal pain, distension, and diarrhea for the last ten days. She states she has been having abdominal complications for the last five years consistently. She states her symptoms include fatigue, significant weight loss (25 lbs. in the last year), low grade fever, and episodes of severe pain in the right lower quadrant (7/10). She reports in the past her symptoms haveRead MoreImproving Access For Preventative Health Services3208 Words   |  13 PagesExecutive Summary Conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes account for 75% of health care spending in the United States and (cdc.gov). However, many of these chronic conditions are preventable with proper preventative screenings and care. The passage of the Affordable Care and the expansion of Medicaid increased the number of preventative care services available to Medicaid beneficiaries, however there are still many barriers preventing people from getting proper care. This policy

Monday, December 9, 2019

Public Health

Question: Discuss about the Public Health. Answer: The increasing level of alcohol-associated costs and harm to the society as a whole in the United Kingdom has resulted in a debate on the best strategies that when implemented can be beneficial for managing the escalating issues. An interim analysis has indicated that there is a distinct connection between availability of alcohol, alcohol consumption and negative consequences in the country. The health burden as well as the social burden of alcohol consumption has drawn concentration of concerned policy makers who are continually striving to achieve better outcomes so that the society can benefit at large (1). Experts in the field of public health are repreadtedly showing concerns regarding alcohol policies in the country. A considerable requirement has cropped up for drafting global strategies applied to the country perspective after too much attention has been paid on the rising issue (2). In the present paper a discussion is put up regarding the scenario of alcohol consumption in the united kingdom, the summary of alcohol control in the country, the main challenges faced in implementation of policies, and the implementation of two global alcohol control initiatives that could lead to more effective protection from the health risks of alohol in the country. Research has indicated that alcohol consumption has increased largely in the recent years owing to a number of factors. The price of alcohol has become half since 1960s. In addition, successive governments have been very much reluctant to apply taxation policies that can act as a way to control alcohol consumption in the country since it has been perceived as an unpopular strategy on the political ground. With the development of mass communication media, the society has witnessed a steep increase in the advertisements of alcohol and promotion of alcohol at different levels (3). The statistics of alcohol consumption in the united kingdom has drawn attention of the policy makers in the light of increasing health concerns as well as increasing crime rate as a result of unhealthy consumption of alcohol. In the united kingdom, a totl of 8,697 deaths were reported that were due to alcohol consumption. Around 9 million people in England drink alcohol at a livel more than the permitted one. Alcohol has been reported to be 10% of the UK burden of death and diseases thereby indicating that alcohol in one of the three most significant lifestyle risk factors for death in the country, next to obesity and smoking. It has been estimated that around 7.5 million people in the country are not aware of the damage that is being done to the heir health due to drinking. Alohol leads to around 60 medical complications in individuals including stomach, liver, mouth, throat and breast cancers; liver cirrhosis; high blood pressure, and depression. In the year 2013, around 100800 hos pital admissions were reported due to alcohol consumption as a result of alcohol related diseases or injuries. Alcohol-related crime in the country has been estimated to be contributing to a cost of approximately 13bn on an annual basis. In Wales and England, about 63% of all deaths due to alcohol in the year 2012 was due to alcoholic liver disease. Costs of harms related alcohol has been reported to be 3.5bn to the NHS per year. It must be noted in this context that alcohol has become 61% more reasonably priced as in the year 2013 when compared to the year 1980 (4). The UK government have implemented a number of strategies in the recent past that aims to address the issue of alcohol consumption in the country. The strategies have the vision of bringing radical changes in the attitudes and approaches of the common population and want to turn the tide in opposition to irresponsible drinking. The strategies focus on a number of aspects like reduction of availability of alcohol at cheap prices, advertising for alcohol, changing behaviours on the local basis, challenging the enforcement and adequate response to emerging issues (5). The polices implemented in UK have recognised that local businesses, services and communities are the best places for tackling alcohol-related issues and enforcing the desirable behaviour and developing a suitable culture. Reduction of the availability of alcohol at cheap prices have been the main concern for government policies to curb alcohol consumption. The government has taken an initiative by raising alcohol duty by 2% above the retail inflation (RPI) each year to 2014-2015. A minimum juice rule has been implemented for cider in order to enable high strength white cider to be disqualified for lower rates of duty applicable for cider. A minimum unit price (MUP) for alcohol has been introduced in Wales and England (6). Alcohol advertising has also gained attention of the policy makers who seek to prevent advertising targeted at young people. A number of controls have been put up over online, print and broadcast advertising. These have been initiated by the Portman Group and the A dvertising Standards Authority (ASA). The Portman Code is responsible for covering marketing domain such as product packaging, promotion and sponsorship. The controls exercised may be having the ability to adequately address the issues related to advertising alcohol. The ASA has ensured a vigorous and full application of powers to put social media and online media under distinct schemes for verifying the applicability of the alcohol advertisement (7). Over the last three years, the government has taken significant steps for enabling local agencies to take the appropriate decisions. A new approach has been set out to policing, crime and health care. From April 2013, unitary and upper tier local authorities are receiving public health fund for alcohol services. The support of Public Health Australia is significant in this regard. From November 2012 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are ensuring that priorities of the public are driving local police force activities. PCCs are remitting to cut crime rates along with anti-social behaviours due to undesirable levels of alcohol consumption. They are working with the local leaders, such as Clinical Commissioning Groups and Health and Wellbeing Boards for developing a collaborative initiative against alcohol-related issues in order to achieve an effective safety and criminal justice in the country. It is the local communities who are known to set the standards in the surrounding enviro nment (8). The polices undertaken in the UK in the recent years for reducing the impact of alcohol consumption have been based on a sound framework that is supported by four fundamental objectives. These are education and information; proper identification of treatment and issues; reduction of alcohol related crime and alcohol industry to be made as a voluntary partner. The government has been spending a considerable amount of fund for providing education to the public on the harmful impact of alcohol consumption in order to prevent higher degree consumption. This is more prominent for the young generation for chaging their drinking patterns, promoting safe drinking and providing information for seeking required help at the time of need. A number of campaigns have been conducted to giving a better education for changing attitudes and beliefs (9). There are some issues that are being faced in the present era that are hindering the success of the already existing alcohol reduction strategies. A combination of poor habits, ignorance and irresponsibility have been the underlying causes of such unfavourable situations. The issues arsing are multi-faceted. Alcohol is available at a cheap price in the country, and the needs of the industry along with the commercial advantages have been gaining more priority over concerns of the community. The impact has been a change in the behaviour of the of the individuals drinking at a socially unacceptable level. Previous governments have shown a failure to handle the issue to a considerbale extent. Enough challenges have not come up for the individuals who drink and consequently cause harm and injury to others. Such challenges are also not adequate for businesses that even encourage such form of intolerable behaviour (10). The measures adopted by the implemented policies have been extensively criticised due to the multiple challenges faced by the public health community. Though there is an acknowledgement of the close relationship between rising consumption and affordability, there are no strict policies that limit the consumption for limiting alcohol-related injuries and harm. Adjustment of taxes is a key challenge in this regard. Another serious challenge is that there are no set of targets against which one can review the effectiveness of the policies in the future. Work is effective when it is done in a target driven basis, and this lay the chances the alcohol policies would fail to bring the desirable changes. Another major challenge is related to focus on binge drinkers and the relation with antisocial behaviour. The polices have given a major emphasis on measures for criminal justice for targeting the group of binge drinkers. Binge drinking has been a part of the British culture since many centu ries. The set policies have been no attempts to understand the social and cultural perspective of binge drinking. The polices, therefore, run the risk of stigmatisation of those who misuse alcohol. This plays a role in shifting the policy debate from the significant matters like industry accountability and availability towards a focus on the responsibility of individuals to consider drinking at an acceptable level (11). A further challenge is an allocation of adequate resources and funding by the government. Sufficient funds are not being allocated for implementation and reviewing of new policies and attention is not been given on a strict basis to ensure that the policies are abided by. It is therefore not possible to get complete evidence of the extent to which the policies have been successful and brought about the desired outcomes. The lack and delay in investments have constantly been criticised. There lie some outstanding questions that are to be clarified in due course. On the challenge regarding the voluntary partnership, it can be stated that a number of voluntary agreements have resulted in minimal adherence to the policies. Another issue is the method by which the policies have embraced the changes and have disregarded the available evidence in this context (12). Against the backdrop of the present status of alcohol control in UK and the corresponding challenges faced, it would be a proper approach to discuss how implementation of different global alcohol control initiatives might lead to more robust protection of the public from health risks of alcohol in UK. The first key alcohol control initiative that can be applied in the UK context is community action. The negative impact of alcohol use that is found to be occurring in the communities have the potential to trigger as well as foster local solutions and initiatives to local issues. Communities are to be supported and widely empowered by the important stakeholders, including the government so that the local expertise and knowledge are used maximally for adopting effective measures in order to prevent the harmful consumption of alcohol. This change can be brought by considering collective instead of individual behaviour. It is however crucial to remain sensitive to cultural beliefs, values and beliefs. This cn be achieved through a number of interventions and policy options. Rapid assessment are to be supported for identifying gaps along with priority areas that need immediate attention. Facilitating recognition of harm due to alcohol and promoting cost-effective responses to the determinants of the local community of harmful use of alcohol related issues would be beneficial. The capacity of the local authorities are to be strengthened for encouraging and coordinating strenuous community actions through promotion and support of development of municipal policies in order to reduce use of alcohol. The capacity of the local authorities for enhancing partnerships are also to be promoted. Providing information regarding effective means of monitoring success of strategies would also aid in this regard. Communities are to be mobilised for preventing the sale of alcohol and consumption by underage drinkers. Supporting alcohol-free envrionemnt by the community would mainly tar get the at-risk group. Providing community support and care to the individuals who are effected by alcohol would be another major initiative in the present context. The second global alcohol control initiative that can be applied to the context of UK is drink-driving policies together with counter measures. Driving under the influence of alcohol is a key issue has it affects the individuals coordination, judgment and other forms of motor function. Driving under the impact of alcohol is a major heath issue affecting the drinker as well as other parties. This implies that evidence-based initiatives are needed for reducing the prevalence of drink-driving. These can include deterrent measures aimed at reducing chances that a person would drinkg and drive. A safer environment would be build up along with the creation of a reduced consumption of alcohol. An upper limit for alcohol concentration in blood would need to be enforced and the limit for professional drivers need to be reduced. Promotion of sobriety check points along wth random breath-testing would be beneficial. Suspending driving license when found guilty would be a strong administrative m easure. Graduated license for those who are new drivers with zero-tolerance for driving under alcohol impact would complement the above mentioned strategy. Ignition interlock can be helpful in reducing the incident of drink-driving in certain contexts. Driver-education is mandatory and counselling the drivers would increase their levels of knowledge and awareness. The government needs to allocate funds for setting up counselling programs. Funding must be in alignment with the resources available in order to promote best allocation of resources. Conducting public information campaigns that support the policies of drink-driving would increase the common anticipation effect. Running high-intensity, properly planned, well-implemented mass media campaigns which are targeted at particular aspects, like as holiday seasons, would be significant. Stipulation for alternative transportation after drinking places have closed down would lead to a reduction in cases of drink-driving. This is a ve ry suitable approach that would be helpful in reducing a number of accidents due to drink driving (13). From the above discussion it can be stated that despite the opportunities to address the issues fully due to alcohol consumption in UK, the government has been found to produce a set of robust policies after many years of forethought and deliberation. However, these policies are lacking in terms of effective measures and have contributed less to alcohol prevention. A widespread acceptance is present for the harm caused due to alcohol, and the government has taken up many strategies for quantifying them. Alcohol is known to bring considerable financial benefits for the Treasury and alcohol industry. Reduction of consumption may be going against the interests of those who are responsible for the commerce of the country. Policies in the UK have therefore not received much support from the concerned authorities. By taking lessons from the evidence-based strategies applied worldwide for curbing alcohol consumption UK might be successful in setting up better strategies as alcohol control i nitiatives. These new policies are to be based on the already existing policies that have been advantageous in reducing the alcohol consumption in other parts of the world, making them evidence-based strategies. References Britton A, Ben-Shlomo Y, Benzeval M, Kuh D, Bell S. Life course trajectories of alcohol consumption in the United Kingdom using longitudinal data from nine cohort studies. BMC medicine. 2015 Mar 6;13(1):47. Coulson NS. Sharing, supporting and sobriety: a qualitative analysis of messages posted to alcohol-related online discussion forums in the United Kingdom. Journal of Substance Use. 2014 Mar 1;19(1-2):176-80. McCambridge J, Hawkins B, Holden C. Vested interests in addiction research and policy. The challenge corporate lobbying poses to reducing society's alcohol problems: insights from UK evidence on minimum unit pricing. Addiction. 2014 Feb 1;109(2):199-205. Alcohol statistics [Internet]. Alcohol Concern. 2017 [cited 13 April 2017]. Available from: https://www.alcoholconcern.org.uk/alcohol-statistics Alcohol Research UK's response to the Government's new Alcohol Streategy [Internet]. Alcoholresearchuk.org. 2017 [cited 13 April 2017]. Available from: https://alcoholresearchuk.org/special-reports/the-governments-alcohol-strategy/ McCambridge J, Hawkins B, Holden C. The challenge corporate lobbying poses to reducing society's alcohol problems: insights from UK evidence on minimum unit pricing. Addiction (Abingdon, England). 2014;109(2):199-205. Ritter A, Livingston M, Chalmers J, Berends L, Reuter P. Comparative policy analysis for alcohol and drugs: current state of the field. International Journal of Drug Policy. 2016 May 31;31:39-50. Nicholls J. Public health and alcohol licensing in the UK: challenges, opportunities, and implications for policy and practice. Contemporary Drug Problems. 2015 Jun;42(2):87-105. Alcock P. Social policy in Britain. Palgrave Macmillan; 2014 Mar 11. Wadd S, Donnelly M, Madoc-Jones I, Elliott L, Whittaker a. Precipitating factors and negative consequences of alcohol use in older adults, united kingdom 2015. Ingerontologist 2016 Nov 1 (Vol. 56, pp. 726-726). Journals dept, 2001 Evans rd, Cary, NC 27513 USA: Oxford Univ Press Inc. McCambridge J, Hawkins B, Holden C. The challenge corporate lobbying poses to reducing society's alcohol problems: insights from UK evidence on minimum unit pricing. Addiction (Abingdon, England). 2014;109(2):199-205. Brennan A, Meng Y, Holmes J, Hill-McManus D, Meier PS. Potential benefits of minimum unit pricing for alcohol versus a ban on below cost selling in England 2014: modelling study. BMJ. 2014 Sep 30;349:g5452. Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol [Internet]. 2017 [cited 13 April 2017]. Available from: https://www.who.int/substance_abuse/msbalcstragegy.pdf

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Why I am Not a Skeptic about the External World an Example by

Why I am Not a Skeptic about the External World The question why one can become skeptical about the external world entails two things. First is that it entails that there is an idea of an external world. Second is that it entails that there is a perceiving object or thing which grows skeptical about the external world. With the first implication, it can be said that for one to become skeptical about something, that something would have to be first an idea, or that there should be an idea of that something which the skepticism is about. This, however, does not guarantee nor propose that the idea would have to correspond to an actual object although we are tempted to argue for that in the following paragraphs. Need essay sample on "Why I am Not a Skeptic about the External World" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed On the other hand, skepticism roots from the ability of the mind to be skeptical. As Rene Descartes once said, I think, therefore, I am. A doubting mind is already proof in itself that there is a mind, and that mind is the mind which doubts whatever it is that it finds doubtful. Hence, there ought to be no question if there is a mind or otherwise precisely because the capacity to question and doubt, to begin with, tells us that there is a doubting mind. As a consequence, the question of skepticism towards the external world implies that the mind is skeptical about the world that is not within it, or the world that is outside of it. From the point of view of the skeptic, it may be argued that there is no outside world and the only thing that exists is the mind. That is, the mind is all that there is, and that everything that the mind perceives is the product of our mental functions. From our daily experiences in our homes to our visual sensations, all of these things are mere products of the mind as a skeptic may argue. I believe that there is an external world and that I am not skeptical about it. However, it does not mean that I do not believe that there are certain errors that our senses encounter. It may be the case that we tend to confuse the reality of certain objects given the often failure of our senses, such as the case of mirages where our eyes are deceived by what is presented before it. Nonetheless, it only goes to show that, at the least, our senses are functioning, although its functions may sometimes become erroneous. The failure of our senses and even our minds to experience, understand and explain things does not, however, guarantee that there is no external world after all. While there may be instances when our minds, even from a collective standpoint if individuals, have collectively failed to comprehend certain things, it does not mean that there is nothing outside of it simply because the mind failed to comprehend. The fact that there are other minds comprehending many other things in the world entails that there, too, are existent spatial and temporal objects which, the other perceiving minds just being a few of them. Perhaps indeed the skepticism towards an external world is caused by the failure of the mind to comprehend things. Perhaps because the mind is unable to discern some of the mysteries in this life we are led to believe already that there is no such thing as an external world, and that the so-called external world is only the product of the mind. Yet is it really the case that all these things are just mental products and, hence, there is no actual external world when all along we grow with life and acquire new experiences each day? That is to say that our lives begin from being a fetus, to an infant, until we reach the point of adulthood. If indeed everything is just a product of our mental faculties, then it follows that from the time since we already have the minds to think and comprehend everything else must be already within our minds. As we grow, it may only be the case that we begin to gradually realize all that the things contained in our minds, and that eventually there is no external world. But then again, it can hardly be the case that the mind contains within it all the things in the world, or all the ideas in the world, so that we begin to think or become skeptic that there is no external world. If the mind already contains all the ideas in the world, would it be of no use anymore to have experiences, and that we can only arrive some time in the future to realize what we know all along? Of course, experiences share a crucial part in the development of our understanding, our understanding of our selves and of the world notwithstanding. Without these experiences, one can hardly have a grasp of reality, like that of a child locked in a room since birth and deprived of the opportunity to interact with others unable to comprehend the things around him. We do not experience just through our own. That is, we experience what we experience through the external world, through the world outside of the mind for the mind is not an entity confined on looking on its own. Rather, the mind is also an entity which looks outside of it as we extend our sensory perceptions outwards and absorb the perceptions brought by the external objects. I am not a skeptic of the external world even though Berkeley believes that matter does not exist and that everything that may exist is merely a mind or something which depends on a perceiving mind for its existence. It is indeed scary to think that matter does not exist if we are to believe Berkeley precisely because the brain wouldnt exist and that, since brains do not exist, the mind would not exist under any given circumstance. I would not have been able to type this and the reader would not be reading this essay as well. Yet I have written this and I fully comprehend what I am doing, my mind is functioning and that I do not doubt that I have a mind, much as the reader, too, has a mind. Matter is a small part of the external world, giving concrete form to objects like our body which inevitably makes possible for the mind. Our minds are only a part of the external world although each mind has in it its own sets if understandings and ways of comprehending the external world. Reference Descartes, R. Meditations on First Philosophy.