What it means to be a poor Filipino Essay Example for Free

What it means to be a poor Filipino Essay In every country of the world, the poor people are never absent. They occupy the lowest strata of social stratification. Due to differences in geographical location, economic standing, technological advancement and other social factors, the poor in every country however does not look or live the same way. In the Philippines, a country in the South East Asia, it is easy to identify   the poor people through   the places where they live, the kind of houses they occupy,  Ã‚   the food they eat, the job they are engaged in, their physical appearance, and how and where they spend their free time. In Philippine urban cities, the poorest of the poor are found in congested slum areas. In Manila, its capital, the biggest slum is in Tondo. Here, all sorts of people take residence; the ex-convicts, robbers, drug addicts and prostitutes  Ã‚   mixed with decent poor people.   Some of the poor people in the slums came from other provinces looking for a job in Manila. They spoke different dialects but they understand each other when they use their national language, Tagalog. As one enters the slums, children playing in the narrow alleys usually greet him. He may also found himself in places littered with garbage. What is repulsive at times is that some undisciplined children disposed of their waste on the streets. As one looks around, he will observe that the houses   Ã‚  are closely built   Ã‚  Ã‚  together. Inside these cramped spaces lived a family or two. Most of the owners of the house used one of the rooms for renting. In fact, the slums are the best place for a cheap rent in Manila. What makes life hard in Tondo is that the water are rationed, residents had to wait for a schedule usually late at night to early morning for the water in the faucet to flow. Nights in the slums are noisy due to karaoke bars (bars for singing). Men (and sometimes women) drinking along the alleys contributed to the noise. Nights are also the time for some people to throw their garbage in a nearby river. In the daytime, a mini-market stand sells vegetable, fish, meat, eggs and other food. Often, the vegetables, fish and meat are no longer fresh. The other slums in other cities were much better in Manila although they also have their own sanitary problems to solve. Those who were not able to live in the slums lived under the city bridges or near the train railways. When the train passed by, their houses shook. Many people died as they were run over by a passing train. The poor who did not live in urban cities are much luckier.   In the provinces, not only is it safe, they have a small space of their own, away from the crowds and noise. The houses in the slums are either made of wood or     cement.   The design of the house is very simple, just a door, a room and few windows. They are often very small for there is not enough space. In fact, others do not have rooms at all.   They eat, sleep and entertain in only one place. The dilapidated houses may have streamer cloth, sackcloth or cardboard as covers for the walls. Thankfully, there is no winter in the Philippines or else people living inside will freeze with cold.   In addition, some houses may not have access to windows especially if they were squeezed between other houses so that they have to turn on the light and electric fan most of the time. Inside these houses are a few furnitures: a table, a stool, maybe a sofa, a wooden bed and a cabinet.   The usual appliances are TV, electric fan (for it is hot there especially in the summer), some pots and pans and a burner stove. The poor in the provinces fared much better for even though their houses may be small or they had no electricity, the houses   are usually constructed far apart and equipped with windows and stairs.   The roofs of their houses may be made of nipa, a kind of palm tree that grows in swamps (Peplow, 1991). The Filipinos eat three times a day with rice and a dish that goes with it. The poor however, can only afford to eat twice or once a day. Along with rice, they eat with dried salted fish sold plenty in the market. The other viand is what they call â€Å"bago-ong†, small salted fishes that were left to ferment in a few days inside closed containers. The bago-ong is much cheaper than the dried salted fish( Shead, 2006). For a foreigner, the former may look like fishes left to rot. Other poor popular dishes are vegetables. Cabbage, string beans, cucumber, carrots, and other green and leafy vegetables native in the Philippines can be easily bought in Filipino markets.   The snack of the poor, on the other hand, is usually banana cue sold in nearby food stalls.   They also love to eat fish balls sold by vendors on the street. Fish balls are mostly made of flour mixed with a little fish meat. They are then cooked in a pan full of oil. In cooking, the balls should float in the oil. A matching sauce is served with the fish balls. The poor in the provinces are mostly farmers. On the other hand, the poor in the urban areas engaged in various low-income jobs like working as a laborer, waiter or store attendant. Some work in numerous beauty parlors to cut or trim hairs, paint nails, or do body massage. The poorest of them collects empty bottles, metals, etc from the garbage, and sell their find in the junkshop. In the government, the poor work as Metro Aides (people who sweep the streets) or as garbage collectors. The others work in various offices as clerks, computer encoders and call center agents. Many of these poor people now have parents working as skilled workers all over the world. In a way, their way of living had improved. Many children of the poor now study as caregivers, nursing aides or nurses in the hope that someday they will be able to work in other countries. Those who do not have any relatives abroad to support their studies financed their studies as working students. The interest for medical courses is prompted by the fact that Filipino medical professionals are now in demand all over the world. They endured the loneliness of being away from home as long as they are able to support their families financially. There are some sad stories, however, for some married couples who went away or were left behind find other partners so that there are many broken families in the Philippines right now. It is easy to distinguish the poor in terms of their physical appearance. They usually dressed simply. The teenagers wear jeans and T-shirts. Older women sometimes wear a blouse and a skirt, but most of the time they also wear jeans and shirts. When they have errands or have to go to the city, they usually wear a fake  Ã‚   jewelry.   In spite of their simplicity, they often looked and smell clean for the Filipinos love to take a bath, sometimes twice a day. The only exceptions of course are the beggars and street children in the streets. They really do dress the part; unclean tattered clothes, unkempt hair and they looked as if they had no taken a bath in months! One thing noticeable about the poor Filipinos, especially the teenagers, is that most of them have cell phones. They love to text their friends.   But they have to be careful because there are many snatchers in the street. Only the rich can afford new models, though. Filipino men love to play basketball. In the slum areas, they may not have formal basketball courts but they hang a ring anywhere; in walls of houses, buildings or posts, just to play the game. The space is limited so they contended themselves with only one ring. Sometimes this can cause contention with the neighbors, for a bouncing ball may hit the windows or furniture inside the houses.   Some neighbors also complained of noise. The teenagers on the other hand love to hang out just anywhere, in the plaza or sometimes ,if they have the money, in   internet cafes. The Filipinos love to socialize, even if they have little money, they still find a way to connect to their friends through rented computers. Meanwhile, older men entertain themselves not in fancy restaurants but in karaoke bars. The Filipinos love to sing and there are many karaoke bars to choose from. On Sundays, they love to go to cockpits to watch or bet on cockfights. The government discouraged the poor from taking part in cockfight betting because most of their meager incomes were lost this way (Peplow, 1991). The greatest setback in being a poor Filipino is the little access to medical care. They just cannot afford to pay hospital bills. The medicines were also costly. Some of them just died in their respective homes even though their illnesses were curable. Many of the poor suffered from tuberculosis. This is curable but since it took six months of medication, it became a burden to the poor. For most, without medicine, they just grew worse and eventually died.   The government is now making an effort to lower down the cost of medicines (Peplow, 1991). Being a poor Filipino is not easy for he is deprived of the many comforts of life. Most poor Filipinos live in uncomfortable dwelling houses or places. They do not eat nutritious foods nor own many material things and had to satisfy themselves with cheap entertainments. References: Peplow, Evelyn. (1991). Introduction to the Philippines. Hong Kong: The Guidebook Company Limited. Shead, Michael P. (2006) â€Å"Filipinos poor; Happy†. Living the Philippines Incorporated. Retrieved February 12, 2008 from http://www.livinginthephilippines.com/art_why_filipinos_are_happy2.html

Epidemiology of the Influenza Virus

Epidemiology of the Influenza Virus Hector Lucca Instructor: Leslie Greenberg The influenza virus, colloquially referred to as the flu, is a standout amongst the most well-known infectious processes in individuals of all ages and demographics. The central focus of this paper is to investigate the methodology of disease transmission for the influenza virus. To altogether comprehend the organism there are a few features to be examined. This includes identifying the virus itself through the distinguishing signs or symptoms, mode of transmission, complications and available means of treatment. The demographics affected will likewise be inspected through current information of mortality and morbidity, pervasiveness and rate of infection. An intensive examination will be made of the social determinants of health and how those components factor into the ailment along with the epidemiologic triangle in relation to the flu infection and the chain of contamination. Lastly the roles of the community health nurse and public aid as they relate to the treatment and response to the viral impact will be reviewed. The flu arrives in various outbreaks episodes of variable range yearly. To accurately describe Influenza we must incorporate details on what causes the infection. The flu is an intense respiratory disease brought about by influenza A or B infections, most often occurring during the span of the winter months. (CDC, 2015) The infection lives in the respiratory discharges of an infected individual and is spread through droplets caused by talking, hacking or wheezing. (CDC, 2015) These respiratory droplets then land in the mucous membranes of individuals close-by or are spread through a non-tainted individual touching a surface or article of clothing with the organism on it and after that touching their own eyes, nose, or mouth. (CDC, 2015) The virus can continue to shed for 5-10 days. (Dolin, 2015) The incubation period, from the time one is infected to displaying symptoms of infection is 2 days. (WHO, 2014) Signs and symptoms of influenza are a fever or feeling hot, coughing, sore thro at, runny nose, headaches, weariness, emesis, and loose bowels. (CDC, 2015) Complications of this seasons flu virus can include bacterial pneumonia, ear contaminations, sinus diseases, and dehydration. (CDC,2015) pneumonia is the most widely recognized complication and is more regular in those with debilitated and susceptible systems. (CDC, 2015) Prevention with inoculation is an effective way to fight infection and the complications that come with it. Treatment choices for most incorporates treating the symptoms; by resting, increasing intake of liquids, taking acetaminophen, and cough remedies. (CDC, 2015) Antiviral medicines, such as Tamiflu, can diminish the seriousness and length of time of symptoms by a day and this prescription is ordered in the off chance that you have had influenza symptoms for more than 48 hours and you have complications related to contracting the flu. The demographic of interest is juveniles and the elderly. Although death tolls related to Influenza contraction is â€Å"usually disproportionately higher among elderly individuals and infants during influenza epidemics, a shift in the age distribution are seen during pandemics.† (Dolin 2015) Nurses are at risk for infection as well. The World Health organization states that â€Å"vaccination is especially important for people at higher risk of serious influenza complications, and for people who live with or care for high risk individuals. High risk individuals are pregnant females, the young 6 months to 5 years, the elderly over 65 years of age, individuals with chronic conditions, for example, diabetes, and healthcare workers. (WHO 2014) As indicated by the Healthy People 2020 the social determinants of health are: Economic Stability Education Social and Community Context Health and Health Care Neighborhood and Built Environment. These determinants of wellbeing have an effect on the infection rate of flu. There has been broad research on how social and financial circumstance assumes a significant part in the general health status of an individual, family and the community at large. As indicated by the WHO there is a relationship between habitations in devastated or overcrowded neighborhoods and increased risk of poor health status results and transferrable illnesses. (WHO, 2014). Absence of access, or restricted access, to health resources enormously affects the individual’s wellbeing. Case in point, when people dont have health insurance, they are less inclined to take an interest in preventive care and are more prone to defer therapeutic treatment. The time of year or season is one of the greatest natural elements for influenza transmission in the United States. Regular occurrence of influenza happens predominately in the winter months from October to March. Individuals have a tendency to invest more energy inside and are exposed to a higher amassing of airborne viruses. Dry climate can dry out nasal passages which results in making them more vulnerable to airborne infections. Individual observation of infection precautions assumes a large part in community health management of infections. Case in point, if a man gets this seasons flu virus immunization his or her danger of getting the flu infection is significantly reduced. An individual has some control over how to decrease danger of this seasons flu virus by honing hand washing skills, covering the mouth when coughing and getting the prescribed measure of rest and reduction of every day stressors. The epidemiological triangle model for understanding and visualizing a transmittable illness depicts the communication of the agent, host and environment giving a visual guide in controlling and keeping the transmission at bay by disturbing the equalization of this triangle. The Influenza virus (A, B and C) is the causative agent. Human beings are the primary host of the flu infection. Viruses have a genetic core, yet no real way to replicate itself. The virus attacks a host cell and assumes control over the cells capacity to reproduce. Influenza viruses are very versatile and resilient. Low temperature and low humidity support drop transmission. This clarifies the rationale for the seasonal nature of the virus. In tropical climates flu infection rates are connected with increased precipitation. Individuals invest more energy inside during harsh weather and cool climate expanding human to human interactions, in turn increasing exposure to the beads which convey the influenza infectio n. The extremely immunocompromised can be contagious for a considerable length of time. The epidemiologic triangle is utilized to break the chain of the flu disease. Immunization makes the host less susceptible against the influenza infection, observing good hygiene breaks the chain of transmission from reservoir or tainted individual to the next host. (CDC 2014). The Institute of Medicine characterizes general wellbeing as what the general public does, by and large to guarantee the conditions in which individual can be healthy. (IOM n.d.). The Public Health Nurse is the foundation of the public health system’s framework. A nurse can use the epidemiologic triangle alongside the nursing procedure to lessen the effects and quantities of flu cases in their communities. The assessment phase is utilized to gather and dissect information about the flu infection and to distinguish community needs and accessible assets. Through the gathering and interpretation of information on the flu infection in the community the nurse has the capacity take part in flu case findings and serves to monitor trends. The diagnostic phase is the used to translate data and is the premise for execution of care and interventional planning. The nurse via home visits has the capacity identify and plan for strategies to overcome hindrances to vaccination such as cost an d accessibility of service. Primary prevention would incorporate instruction on cleanliness, how the viral infection is transmitted, and inoculation. Secondary prevention incorporates distinguishing those in the community who are infected and conceivably the of caring for the individuals who are at most serious risk for getting an secondary infection by administration of antiviral medication. There are various associations which advance flu awareness and prevention, an example of such an association would be the CDC. The CDC formed a program called The Influenza Division International Program, which works collectively with other international entities like The World Health Organization and others to develop the capacity to react to pandemic and seasonal flu outbreaks. The Influenza Division Internationals plan is to decrease the risk factors of individuals contracting the flu by giving individuals and the overall population including health care professionals about transmission precautions, populaces at risk and the significance of seasonal influenza immunizations. The CDC reduces the dangers of a pandemic, restrains the spread of pandemic and seasonal influenza through week after week observation and evaluation of data. Through the utilization of the epidemiologic triangle the CDC has the capacity to: distinguish new strains of the flu, focus variables influencing indivi dual to individual transmission, the directions of infection as it spreads at the worldwide and neighborhood levels, and team up with organization on general wellbeing measures to breaking the chain of transmission. The CDC can advance the treatment of patients by perceiving variables connected with pathogenesis and clinical seriousness. An impact can be made on the general wellbeing of the population on a local or global scale. History has demonstrated the potential the influenza virus has to be incredibly destructive and its ability to evolve keeps public health organizations in close observation, advancement of new immunizations, and training on all levels from healthcare workers, communities and the citizen. By using the epidemiologic triangle to map the influenza virus in order to give a more all encompassing picture of communicable disease, both the individual health care professional and the public health organization can help stem the tide against a potent viral agent. REFERENCES Center for Disease Control. (2015, April). RetrievedJune 20, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/flu.pdf Dolin, R. (2015). UpToDate: Epidemiology of influenza, Retrieved June 20, 2015 from http://cursoenarm.net/UPTODATE/contents/mobipreview.htm?26/30/27119?source=see_link Public Health Institute of Medicine. Retrieved from http://www.iom.edu/Global/Topics/Public-Health.aspx Social Determinants of Health. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2015, from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/social-determinants-health World Health Organization. (2014). WHO | The Determinants of Health. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/hia/evidence/doh/en/

Ethical Issues in Randomized Control Trials

Ethical Issues in Randomized Control Trials PROBLEM 1 A research team is conducting a Randomized Control Trial of a new drug to treat the common symptom of the Ebola virus (fever) over the past six (6) months. The experimental group consisted of female Ebola patients aged between 30 and 50 years to whom the new drug was administered. The control group consisted of male Ebola patients aged between 70 and 80 years. To this control group placebo, a substance that resembles medicine superficially and is believed by the patient to be medicine but that has no medicinal value was administered. Discuss ethical issues associated with this research design? Ebola virus disease also as (EVD) is a highly infectious and contaminating disease which has recently killed thousands especially in West African. This disease is a severe and most often fatal illness in humans. The Research design used Randomized Control Trial, however it does not state how it was able calculate the RCT sample size. The years in age of women and men are listed but we do not know how many participants the experiment had. This research conducted random sampling, was the randomization truly â€Å"random,† or are there really are two populations being studied here. It is very difficult to come up with two randomized age groups of men and women. As stated above Ebola is a very dangerous disease and one of the ethical issues in research is that vulnerable groups should not be used unless benefits outweigh the damages, the age group of men between 70-80yrs fall in that category as elderly. This research design would have been giving this vulnerable group a placebo m edicines (dumpy) to this group over a period of 6 months. How many individuals would have been lost to this fatal killer disease? The declaration of Helsinki states that in any medical study, every patient including those of a control group, if any should be assured of the best proven diagnostic and therapeutic method. The controlled group where not assumed of this, placebo control trials are justified when it comes to testing a new product like hair removing creams which has no permanent damage, with severe illness this cannot be acceptable .illness that are fatal and highly contagious when with a placebo control is not justifiable with Ebola because without any medical intervention they will die. The study design also shows large evidence of both allocation and performance bias, in a sense the women that were selection to the intervention group were specifically chosen to be in the intervention group, due to the fact that they will perform better, by facilitating quick and desirab le recovery compared to the elderly men whom their bodies cannot respond with the same efficiency. Lastly some of these elderly men are Husbands, Dads, Granddads, brothers of other people countless family will suffer endlessly over 6 months, whilst their relative is not getting any help at all. What modifications would you suggest on the research design in future? There is never a single way to follow when it comes to research, however they are research design which are more suitable and permit the evidence obtained to answer the initial question as explicitly as possible. In future I would use I would use Time series design. This is due to the fact that Time series design allows each participant to receive an intervention over a period of time and results are measured before and after any intervention. Hence reducing the fatality that are associated with Ebola but also making it less contagious if the medication is being effective. Another change I would introduce is to remove the placebo medication, one cannot be comparing a drug efficiency to a dumpy Placebo, and if it is a new medication then it will have to be compared to other similar drugs to assess its effectiveness instead of nothing, whilst humans are dying and others getting contaminated within that 6 months. Another change would be for the research not to use vulnerable elderly as the control group, hence using adolescent and young adult sample population, since they would give a clearer indication to the efficiency of the new drug. Lastly I would calculate a large enough sample size to increase the findings internal and external validity. Due to Ebola being fatal a sample size would help, by clarifying the total fatalities experience but most important the number of patients cured. PROBLEM 2 One of the leading causes of fast spread of HIV and AIDS in Africa is poverty particularly income poverty that forces unmarried women and girls to indulge in prostitution. In January2005, the IMF/World Bank designed a 10-year micro-finance targeting 1000 prostitutes. The aim of the project was to see a significant drop in the number of women or girls who indulge in this malpractice. To be registered as a beneficiary, interested women and girls were required submitted an application and pay a processing fee of MK500. A total of 2500 applications were received at the close of the deadline. To identify project beneficiaries, it was decided that a lottery be conducted and that all applicants be invited to witness the draw. After selecting the beneficiaries (i.e., treated group), a random draw was also conducted to select non-beneficiaries (i.e., control group). Discuss ethical issues associated with this research design? Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). AIDS develops from infection with HIV (human immunodeficiency Virus), which attacks the immune system and disables a person’s defenses against other diseases, including infections and certain cancers. This research used Random selection to find the 1000 participants it wanted to induct into the micro-finance program .Firstly the time frame of the project, the project was meant to run for 10 years and considering that this will have been an observation study design a lot of things can happen within the 10 years, which will affect the internal Validity of the findings. Secondly this Research design asked participants to pay for the application ,a sum of K500 which would total up to K1,250,000 million for the 2500 applicants. Research ethics prohibits payments that can potentially cause pressure, bribes and economic social disadvantages. Therefore many individuals who really need the help would have been excluded, subsequently them havi ng inability to source out the K500.It is also unethical asking money from a poverty group who happens to practice prostitution, they will engage in this malpractice to raise that K500, leading to the project not trying to stop prostitution but encouraging it on the other hand. Research designs have to respect the privacy and confidentiality of participants at all times. Conducting a Lottery where everyone is invited and dividing the treatment and control groups of prostitutes in front of a congregation hampers privacy and confidentiality ethics, this sort of exposure can result into the applicants looked down upon by community members. What modifications would you suggest on the research design in future? When it comes to payments, Research ethics promotes that participants should be suitably compensated for any expenses, compensated for effort, time or lost income, and acknowledged for their contribution.in total this research raised K1,250,000 million. The suitability of this money is not justifiable since IMF bank will actually be spending huge amounts monthly to sustain this project. I would remove this application fee so that its open to every suitable candidate without having financial hinders. The applicants were unmarried women and girls, I think that the focus should have been different since these are different age groups. The women can be put on the micro-financing plan whist the girls can be given a different option to continue on with education and the money directed towards their fees. To expand on that it would be better to teach the participants to fish rather than give them fish every time for 10 years, since when the project stops they will go back and continue with their malpractices (prostitution) .However if you can teach some of the women income generating activities and education for the girls then they will be able to become dependent and stop the prostitution altogether. This is known as transformative participatory monitoring and evaluation. Another change that I would install is the time span of the projects 10 years is a lot of time, I would change the Research design to Randomized Control Trial with Crossover design. This would allow all 2500 participants to partake, thus not having any control groups, but time sequence when they would be receiving the money, hence follow ups can be conducted to what the individuals are capable of with and without benefits. Futuristic speaking, I would change the design of the selecting process of the 2 groups, a Lottery selection were everyone is invited would be cancelled and conduct an expert panel to assess economic, social and health status of the applicants. Decisions would be made and benefici aries awarded to the real needy ones. REFERENCES Kazdin, A.E. (2010).Single-Case Research Designs: Methods for Clinical and Applied Settings, 2nd edition. New York: Oxford University Press. Millum,J Grady C. (2013) The ethics of placebo-controlled trials: methodological justifications.. Contemp Clin Trials.36(2):510-4 Rothman KJ, Michels KB: The continuing unethical use of placebo controls.N Engl J Med331:394–398,1994

America is currently involved a conflict in the Middle East. The United :: English Literature

America is currently involved a conflict in the Middle East. The United States is trying to stop the terrorism problem in nonconforming nations. America is currently involved a conflict in the Middle East. The United States is trying to stop the terrorism problem in nonconforming nations. The tactics that the United States is using is hurting many civilians and is slowing the process of rebuilding their government. The United States is pushing their conformity on these nations that are refusing to follow their demands. In Kesey's, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, there is conflict between the different levels of the Combine due to nonconformists that parallels the present situation that the United States is presently in. The machines of Chief's fantasies dominate the images of Kesey's novel. In the book, Chief describes Nurse Ratched as the following, "Under her rule the ward Inside is almost completely adjusted to surroundings. But the thing is she can't be on the ward all the time. She's got to spend some time Outside. So she works with an eye to adjusting the Outside world too. Working alongside others like her who I call the 'Combine,' which is a huge organization that aims to adjust the Outside as well as the Inside, has made her a real veteran at adjusting things"(Kesey 30). Chief believes that Nurse Ratched is a member of the Combine. The main goal of this organization is to perfect the world and change people to fit into society. "Combine," the name that Chief gives the organization, is a term for a threshing machine, whose main purpose is to cut down and harvest wheat. The name defines what the organization does; it takes people down and then turns them into something. They are suppose to try to change the patients into better people so they could attempt to one day reenter society as a full functioning person. Yet this isn't the only machine is the ward. There are machines in the Shock Shop that are used to punish people who are disobedient. In the main part of the ward there are fog machines installed into the walls, these manipulative machines are used to isolate the patients and confuse them. The Combine is supposedly trying to help the patients, yet they are ironic. The Shock Shop Therapy kills the patients' brain cells. This is made visible through Ellis. He was considered an Acute when he entered the hospital, until they mistakenly gave him to much Shock Therapy. The result is that now you can see him now standing permanently "crucified" on the wall, an unfortunate consequence of the 'therapy.' They also employ another method of attempting to improve a

Venezuela- The Age of Exploration :: essays research papers

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Venezuela 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Located on the continent of South America 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  25,017,387 (estimated as of July 2004) 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Size- 912,050 sq km (land/water) 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  96% Roman Catholic, 2% Protestant, 2% Other Religions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Venezuelans were tracked back to about 13,000 BC. The settlers of that time came from three different directions. Present day Guyana, present day Brazil, and present day Antilles were the three directions. At the time there are about 500,000 indigenous peoples living in Venezuela. There was much diversity in the different tribes that settled there during this time. Religion has always been dominated by the Catholic faith. Some Venezuelans of the time had been farmers, hunters, and fishermen. The name â€Å"Venezuela† was given and the literal translation is â€Å"Little Venice.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Venezuela was rich with grasslands and had six navigable rivers. There were many streams that also ran through the country. Mountainous areas also were abundant in the Venezuelan countryside. Venezuela has a very tropical climate. It is also rich in mineral resources. The country’s most important resource is petroleum. They are also known for their abundance of diamonds and gold which are found in the mountains.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Christopher Columbus first sighted the coast of Venezuela in 1498. In 1499 Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda followed that same coast to Lake Maracaibo. He was the one who named the region Venezuela because it reminded him of the buildings in Venice. The Spanish had started to settle in Venezuela in 1520. In 1528, Charles V of Spain gave the part of Venezuela that lied between Cape Vela and Maracapana to the Weslers, Bavarian bankers to whom he owed money to. The Weslers were to fill and develop the region as part of the arrangement with Charles V. They were also to set up establishments to live. Instead, their representatives enslaved the Native Americans of the area and so demoralized the European settlers that in 1546 the Spanish government revoked the grant and reassumed control. The first important settlement in Venezuela was that of Caracas which later the capital of this country became. It was settled in 1567.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The economy and its activities in the colonial period centered on agriculture, mainly tobacco and cacao. Some livestock were also traded amongst the people. Venezuela became the center of piracy and illegal smuggling, things both of which the English and the Dutch were the most notorious participants in. Venezuela at the time of colonization operated under a number of administrative jurisdictions.

Mass Communication Comparative Analysis Essay

1. Introduction I believe that the purpose of my media audit was to take our initial idea of what we believed our media usage was and to measure and compare it to our actual quantified results. I believe this was excellent exercise to carry out in order to observe how much Media affects our everyday lives. Our society in America bases a large part of our adolescent learning process on what we acquire from outside sources. Therefore, to analyze, where the basis of many of adolescents’ perspectives derive from, was exceptionally insightful. Adolescents are bombarded daily by youth issues, such as: staying adhered to their morals, developing their character, self-image, self-respect, fitting in, feeling love, and avoiding brutality. Are these dilemmas not enough? The fact that mass media completely plays off human’s insecurities, in order to make a few extra dollars, baffles me. Although, we’re college students and have developed quite a bit since these problems were momentous, I still believe we are constantly facing struggles related to these. Therefore, the purpose of an experiment that monitored our time relating to each category of typically negative influences is immeasurable. People don’t take into account the importance of gaining knowledge for themselves. Considering the little girl at the beginning of My Media Audit who cared enough about the source of the â€Å"sea monster† and bubbling lake. She needed to gain the understanding of this monster came to be, and why her whole life she has heard rumors of death, yet never had any solid examples. This personal knowledge relates to our society’s topic of culturally transmitted knowledge. Strengths of culturally transmitted knowledge include: reserved knowledge, handed down to future generations, can become institutionalized, doesn’t have to be reinvented. However, the weaknesses of culturally transmitted knowledge, involve important points as well. Secondhand knowledge can be wrong; It is difficult to correct once it has been established, and it can be manipulating. Furthermore, mass media uses America’s culturally transmitted knowledge to sell their products. Anything looks appealing when you are only viewing it from its â€Å"good side.† Because people haven’t really bothered to investigate advertisers’ motives, or worse, actually enjoy the hype, mass media continues to flourish effortlessly, using naà ¯ve individuals, as its victims of prey. I believe the positive influence that My Media Audit will continue to have on its students, will make a difference. As students begin to constantly think critically and question, the intention of â€Å"The NEW Ipad!† and its employers, controversy will stir up debate. People will hopefully be more aware of when they’re being manipulated and â€Å"convinced† one way is the only way. Just as the girl who thought critically, instead of believing the town’s established idea, I am striving to inspire students and people to fight against the established idea of mass media influencing our every thought. The town was motivated by her bravery, which in turn. Changed people’s beliefs, and eventually, led a revolution. 2. Empirical Data  Objective: To measure the causes and effects due to the influence of mass media. Can mass media highly influence a persons attitudes or perception, by abundant daily solicited or unsolicited exposure? Procedure: Measuring media exposure, within a week span of 15-minute intervals. With sixteen hours equaling one day, I summarized the total minutes for the week at approximately 6,720 minutes. My total minutes not exposed to media were about 1,407 minutes, and my total exposure to mass media was approximately 5,1313 minutes. Individual categories concluded as follows: Audio estimated at 475 minutes, Film- 100 minutes, Internet- 1,778 min, Television- 0 minutes, Mobile Devices- 2,185 minutes, and Print Media approximated 775 minutes. Subjective observations were also incorporated, to measure external factors, and their influence on the subjects’ reaction in relation to media use. Main Outcome Measures: Risk of altered perception, influenced by, attitudes and b ehaviors idolized in society and the amount of exposure weekly. Also, coinciding with any external factors that proved as significant during this study. Results: Media Usage Total (min) I was thoroughly surprised by the way my media usage was dispersed, as a whole, in this graph. Considering, all of my class work is done online and I’m definitely a supporter of online radio, It doesn’t necessarily shock me that the internet has 34% of my time. However, I was a little taken back by the percentage of my mobile devices consumption. The mobile devices category dominated my time by 37%. I didn’t realize how much I used my Ipod and smartphone. Although, recollecting my thoughts, the old basic flip phones, which used to be â€Å"all the rage,† now compared to a Smartphone, it’s no contest. Having Internet access at your fingertips is an advertiser’s gold mine. Smartphone V.S IPOD Even though, the category â€Å"Mobile Devices† had the highest usage, I found it informative to see how much more my Smartphone was used than my IPOD. Obviously, our culture is driving full speed ahead, towards a â€Å"technology only† civilization. INTERNET USAGE: PANDORA V.S USF.EDU Considering, I have a full load of classes this semester, most of my time, in general, is spent either online researching a project, or actually doing the assignment. Yet, when I’m not online completing a task, I like to fill the time developing my talent, which is art. The catch is, whenever I’m developing an art piece, I have to be listening to music, hence Pandora. The reason why Pandora is so successful in mass media is because people get to listen to their type of music without having to tell the radio WHAT to play. Pandora has a search box, that isn’t case specific, artist, genre, or mood, you name it and it plays it. What person wouldn’t want a radio stationed to just them subjectively? Like we learned in our Radio module, â€Å" The Radio was a life-changing invention, Idealism & Imagination, Greed & Envy, Ambition & Determination, what other instrument was able to create emotions through sound waves?† –Empire of the Air BOOKS GALORE I found this graph about print media being all books, and no magazines, extremely intriguing. Taking into account, from the age of 16 till the end of my 21st year, I was a Cosmopolitan JUNKIE. I literally bought the newest edition monthly, the second it was released. Coinciding with this behavior and influence, I also became extremely self-conscious and began to hate my self-image, this coming from someone, who has never had severe issues about my image. I also judged every person’s appearance effortlessly, gossiped, and my language was atrocious. Only until the middle of my 22nd year, did I realize that I was not content, nor satisfied with my lifestyle. I decided to cut out television, bad influences, and COSMO. I didn’t think I would be able to handle it, however, to my surprise, it taught me how to live life, the way it was intended, with freedom. Releasing myself from the burden of mass media was one of the most liberating decisions I’ve ever made. I decided to return back to my Jewish roots, which I ignored during that rebellious era, and become deeper aquatinted with my faith, additionally instead of useless reality shows, I dove deep into the profound knowledge of books. It is amazing to witness your character development transform when it relies on a stable foundation. â€Å"I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.† ― Groucho Marx 3. Observations The first major observation I noticed in relation to my media data was the fact that my two most dominant categories increased on the weekend. This is most likely because my workweek is so hectic, that by the time I’m approaching the weekend, all my energy is geared towards relaxation. These emotions are then replaced with the action of increasing my phone/ casual conversation time. I also tend to research all those topics online, that I might have put off during the week, in order to complete my work on time. Another observation that was extremely consistent included listening to Pandora (Internet radio) whenever I worked on my art. In contrast, I would listen to my IPOD whenever I wanted to get schoolwork accomplished. On Pandora, my typical station I listen to when creating my art pieces, is always geared towards inspirational or spiritual genre. It is the only music I find, to empower me with such motivation, in order to finish my pieces with ease and in a timely manner. I also tend to listen to classical music on my IPOD, when trying to complete a class work assignment. I read an article one time that did a study on the brain and how it affects positive stimulation. The article was extremely informative and I have done it ever since. Another observation I realized, I tried to double task consistently while listening to some form of media and trying to complete concrete tasks. I believe this behavior has done more to hinder my personal effectiveness, rather than help it. It was helpful to be informed of this destructive behavior, after realizing the concrete facts. My double tasking always eventually lead to unfinished tasks, and then when I eventually became overwhelmed, I grabbed my IPOD and pulled out the classical music. It was interesting to become aware of these behaviors; I never knew I was such a creature of habit. Also, reflecting on all the realizations mentioned above, I believe that some of these destructive behaviors could be prevented, with a decrease in use of my media items, which in turn, would increase my focus. 4.Estimates Vs. Actual My Estimates were all underestimated compared to my actual data for my media usage. Like I previously stated, I didn’t realize I used my phone so much, I usually get confronted by my friends for â€Å"forgetting† to text them back, or not answering. Sometimes I feel like life would be much easier without our mobile devices. The only truly useful purpose is to locate and converse with friends that are long distance, however as far as â€Å"Smartphone,† I feel the epidemic needs to be cured. The other estimate that highly underestimated was my Internet use. I believe when I was filling those questions out, I didn’t necessarily take into account that EVERY time I click the APP button, that is using an internet resource. I guess this is a perfect example of how abundantly society has desensitized, since the Windows 98’ debut. I also believe the reason I anticipated my â€Å"No Media use† to be my highest value in how I disperse my time, is due to my deliberation to rebel against any more media influences. I refuse to passively let society manipulate my thoughts, with the slightest opposition. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article about students and time management. This article served as a source of great insight because time management is one of my biggest character flaws. However, this is not due to the fact that I am not eager to do well on an assignment, I love learning, this type of procrastination is detrimental because it is attached to another flaw, perfectionism. Typically I procrastinate because I’m afraid the product of my hard work would not be â€Å"perfect.† I was raised with a very high academic work ethic, therefore, grades used to be where I found my id entity. This continually puts way too much stress on my life, and as I mature not just as a student, but also as a responsible adult, I’m drastically striving to improve this destructive outlook. A novel study done by Trueman & Hartley (1996), focused on time-management skills and their relationship to a student’s age with the older mature students making the greatest use of time-management strategies. I also am striving to improve my organizational skills, this tends to be because, my highly creative brain, has so many ideas floating and bouncing and developing in my mind, that it becomes highly difficult to place all of them in a specific order. I also am trying to maintain control of my sporadic ideas and plan more situations out, instead of flying by the seat of my pants. Their results suggest that student planning is Integral to the prevention of academic procrastination. A student’s ability to plan is but one skillamong several for student self-management, the training of which is studied by Gerhardt (2007). 5. Summary Thomas Ruggiero’s Uses and Gratification Theory focused on this central definition- Media Use among audience members is selective and motivated by rational self-awareness of an individuals own needs and expectation that those needs will be satisfied by particular media types and content. I believe that this is highly accurate. When I had my life centered on a particular type of media, Cosmopolitan, I became dependent on it. Not just as a main source of entertainment, but also for the basis of how I perceived and looked at all subjects. â€Å"If that girl wears that shirt one more time, I’m calling the fashion police!.† – A little juvenile, I know, however that was how my thought process was developing. Now when I look back, I can’t even believe that I cared so much about what people wore? Does it honestly matter how many times a person wears a shirt? Our culture is shoving these ideals down our throat in order to instill the thought that every person has to strive to be â€Å"PERFECT.† Who even said beautiful is perfect? What if I believe imperfection is beautiful? These realizations in this past year of my life have shaped my thoughts to maturity and to become more concerned with what comes from each individuals heart. If you ask me, I believe actions speak louder than words, and gossip, slander, lying, and boasting echo across the nations. I do my best to separate myself from any person or organization that is trying to convince I HAVE to look like a prototype and think like a r obot. All in all, I fell my media audit was extremely insightful, and helped me become aware of how I truly engulf my time. It showed me where I have plenty of room to improve and how far I’ve come since the Cosmo days. The purpose of My Media Audit was to gain sincere and profound insight into the world of media influences. Media has a manipulative way of altering humanity’s view towards the accepted medium. Typically, our normal endeavors are beings striving toward acquiring the â€Å"latest technology,† yet society never stops to consider â€Å"Why do I NEED this so badly?† This is where our mass media influences, come into play. The intent of this audit was simply to gain understanding and to think critically when facing the culture’s constant barrage of â€Å"satisfactions.† Understanding is Power, to gain Wisdom is everything.

Insight of Plato’s Gorgias

Textual Analysis Term Paper: Gorgias As history suggests, Plato was Socrates’ prime student. Plato’s key belief was that the ultimate reality was the notion and concepts of things. His deduction was that what we see in the physical world are simply abstract representations of universal ideas. Consequently, Plato supposed, that to correctly understand reality one must transcend the physical reality into the world of ideas, which is seen in Plato’s â€Å"Gorgias. † A lot of the dialects in this piece of work are full of Socratic irony. Plato's main idea of the true ature of reality centers on the abstract perception of universals and what creates the physical reality. As Platonic Realism proposes, to be able to sensually perceive these universals, as they have no temporal traits is impossible. In â€Å"Gorgias† we are able to see through Socrates’ and Callicles’ dispute about justice, the ideas that form the foundation about what consist s to be a successful political leader. Plato recognizes the conventional meaning of pleasure as satisfaction, but to understand his view of the moral dimension behind it there is a particular framework behind the concept of eauty. In â€Å"Gorgias†, he has Socrates say that things, both concrete things such as bodies, and abstract things such as laws, and even knowledge, are beautiful â€Å"on account of either some pleasure or benefit, or both. † (Plato, p. 72) In the beginning of the discussion between Socrates and Callicles itself, Socrates mentions that the basis of their arguments will be with what they both love: philosophy ; Athenian democracy. To understand Socrates’ arguments it is foremost important to notice that he directs his arguments towards the pursuit of pleasure, as he implies it is the highest good of uman life. The difference between Callicles and Socrates on pleasure and the good is that Callicles thinks the structures of the pleasures one p ursues or the pains one avoids is futile whereas Socrates puts extra attention to these structures. Callicles and Socrates both contradict each other in this debate, nevertheless they agree on one aspect where he they Socrates says casually that â€Å"it is uglier to act unjustly than to be treated unjustly. † (Plato, p. 98) which means it is better off to be unjust than to suffer it since suffering from injustice is more agonizing than doing it. Despite the fact that Socrates admits that suffering injustice is more painful than doing it, the consequences of having pleasure from inflicting injustice are nevertheless worse. Socrates’ brings up his argument of self-control, through mentioning that suffering injustice is conflicting with happiness and doing injustice is in fact even worse than suffering it, accordingly doing injustice must also be conflicting with one’s happiness. It is because Callicles rejects self-control as being fitting with happiness, that he is forced to ignore the consequences of his actions.Therefore, to prove Callicles wrong, Socrates uses rhetoric in a way that is philosophical to guide his logic. He suggests that life without knowing the full form of pleasures, without having a knowledge of their natures, basically, what their structures are, is a life which is destined to be frustrated. It becomes a unhealthy experience to achieve happiness. Contrasting this, Callicles thinks that one can understand that suffering injustice is automatically more painful than inflicting injustice with respect to happiness. Socrates tries to convince Callicles that this thought is incorrect.Socrates’ no doubt tries to prove Callicles wrong and in this case, he mentions that one has to know the nature which implies the structure, of the pleasure of one’s pain, which is how Socrates’ emphasizes on self-indulgence. Throughout the dispute, the difference between a true and a false pleasure is that one needs to exam ine the nature of every pleasure so as to find out whether it is a true pleasure. â€Å"But still, even now, state whether you say that a pleasant thing and a good thing are the same or whether there is anything of [the things that are] pleasant that is not good? † (Plato, p. 09) If the nature of pleasure is solely based on action this is considered a bad pleasure, which we get from cooking and make-up as Socrates suggests. The first step is fought over the issue of whether all pleasures are good. Socrates thinks that only true pleasures are good whereas Callicles thinks that all pleasures whether true or false are good. The second step is fought over what is necessary for happiness. Socrates thinks that self-control is what is necessary to experience the true pleasures and to avoid the false ones; â€Å"[†¦] it is possible for a man who is distressed to feel joy. † Plato, 113) This presents why many would call some pleasures bad is that they lead to such things a s sickness and poverty, which inevitably lead to pain. The basis on which this is important is because Socrates gets Callicles to agree that a person's body is good if it has the structure appropriate to it, which is in this case, health. Socrates has a deep meaning to it since he mentions that having a healthy body is nothing without the soul, rather that it represents what the body is for. Therefore, when Socrates claims that the soul is good if it has the order and structure appropriate to it, that s, justice and self-control, he is claiming how the soul is good and not just what the soul is for. â€Å"And so examine first whether these things seem to you to have been sufficiently and whether there are some other such matters concerning the soul, some having to do with technical skill [†¦] but others that make small account of [what is best]; and consider in turn, just as [in the case of cooking], only the pleasure of the soul [†¦]. † (Plato, 123) Therefore, if t he soul has the virtue appropriate to a soul, that person will be, in due course happy. If the soul cannot do this, nd does not have the virtue appropriate to a soul, that person will be miserable. As mentioned earlier, Socrates argues that self-control is what controls one's desires and pleasures. The most important interpretation of what this amounts to would have Socrates arguing for the rational part of our soul â€Å"controlling† the desires. self-control is, ultimately self- control, which implies that naturally, it is impossible for the self-controlled person to do what is not apt. Where the dialect would overlap is if the soul is not able to attain happiness, unless of course, it has structure and order which is known as self-control, then Socrates ill have proven that not only does it fit with happiness but that it is equally necessary for happiness and if Socrates supports the opposite of this argument, it would automatically support what Callicles’ argues. C allicles’ love for â€Å"demos† may at some point be portrayed as being anti- conventional. Callicles mentions that the democracy and its laws is a way to control the stronger people, the weak people wanted to unite as one to overthrow the people bestowed with higher power. Callicles’ position on the relationship between the powerful and the normal people turns out to be most definitely conventional, which explains why he has uch love for the population, which may bias his political leadership. What Socrates had basically done was to enslave Callicles into a web of words. Socrates used Callicles’ belief of â€Å"demos† but also polis law, pleasures, and desires' to thrust Socrates’ ideas on Callicles. For example, if we take Socrates’ technical approach, any common person would assume that in pursuing pleasure, Callicles is not doing what he wants, â€Å"[†¦] pleasant is different from the good, and that each of the two has its own concern and method of possessing [it] – the hunt for the pleasant and the hunt for the good [†¦]. (Plato, p. 122)According to that passage, we all want what is truly good, but the pleasures that seem good to Callicles are not those that are essentially good, so pursuing pleasure is not what Callicles wants. It only portrays that Callicles pursues it unwillingly (Plato, p. 139). As a result, this shows that Callicles lacks the ability to do things as per his wish, which eventually Callicles is what we can label a â€Å"slave† or even in the context of this work a lover of the people. Kreon from the Antigone would agree with Socrates, as he would remain adamant about proving his point as Socrates is doing in his dispute with Callicles.No matter how contradictory he may sound he would rather inflict injustice onto Antigone than being defeated by a puny little girl. â€Å"Now that I’ve caught her as the only one In all the city who openly defied me, I wonà ¢â‚¬â„¢t be seen as false to my own word By all the city – I’ll kill her. † (Sophocles, p. 82) The fact that Kreon honors his power more than morality proves that he would make sure his point came across the population and his son even if he had to go against them. His intention would only change if it benefitted himself. To conclude, one might think that the reason behind Callicles’ interpretation of eeking pleasure from his own desires may be his relationship with the people. He might consider the pursuit of their pleasure in preference to his own, and so he is their servant in the sense that he prioritizes their liking over his own. In this dispute nevertheless, Socrates does not make a flat out criticism about Callicles’ ideals instead he makes an association behind the pursuit of pleasure with serving the â€Å"demos†. They reach to somewhat of an understanding between them as they distinguish between pursuing one’s own pleasure a nd that of others never becomes an issue. Socrates characterizesCallicles’ view as that virtue is within the satisfaction of his own desires and those of others; â€Å"[†¦] that of the desires, some, being filled, make the person better, [and] these one should accomplish, but others, [being filled, make the person worse [†¦]. (Plato, p. 128). Whereas Socrates is concerned, by philosophical rhetoric he can succeed in getting his ideas through any skilled person and therefore, may be a successful political leader. Bibliography Plato, Gorgias. (Newburyport: R. Pullins Company, 2007), 23-171. Sophocles, Antigone. (New York: Oxford University Press, Inc. , 2007), 52-116.