How Can High Levels of Corruption in Central and Eastern Europe Be Explained Essay Example for Free

How Can High Levels of Corruption in Central and Eastern Europe Be Explained Essay What impact does it have on societies at large? Corruption constitutes a significant part of politics in Eastern Europe to the extent that â€Å"talking about corruption is the way post- communist public talks about politics, economy about past and future† (Krastov, p 43). Transparency International defines corruption as â€Å"a misuse of public power for the private gain at the expense of the public good†. There are different types of corruption: bureaucratic, political –administrative, political legislative and judicial corruption. (Ott, p 72). Scholars introduced many potential explanations behind the astronomical levels of corruption in Central and Eastern Europe. In this essay I will examine the communist legacies as well as pre-socialist historical and political background as some of the factors that result in modern day corruption. I will additionally assess the impact of the transitional period on the corruption level. Furthermore it I will examine corruption’s negative costs, such as economic inefficiency and distortion of civil society, decline of the rule of law and, the rise in organised crime along with arguably positive consequences such as resolving bureaucracy and increase in productivity among the officials. Corrupt legal and political systems that were indicative of communist states have greatly influenced the region today. This is due to the connection between economics and politics in the socialist system, which is even closer than it is in liberal democracies (Krastev, p 180). People were forced by the system itself to cheat in order to achieve improv their lives. In western democracies, citizens were able to move around freely and had alternative employers, whereas â€Å"in socialist society with technically one employer it was hard to achieve wanted promotion†(Karklins, 80). Frustration at the system endorsed corruption as means of taking revenge at the system (Karklins). Because of â€Å"the legacy of seeking individualized solutions† became so widespread during socialism it had consequences on the macro level (Karklins). This became even more important following the break up of the USSR as â€Å"the politically linked were the biggest winners in the beginning of transition† (Karklins,p 83). For example, Hungarian communist youth organization purchased the main newspaper for only 1. 5 million forints yet in less than a year the paper was sold for over 100 million (Karklins,p 83). Socialism stimulated inequality during transition, when a â€Å"culture of functional friendship served to cover the exchange of favours as something pleasant and kind† (Holmes, p 79). This communist legacy remains strong in some countries, such as Moldova due to the inability of executive, legislature and judiciary to protect enforce a solid rule of law, which in turn forces people to seek for alternative protection, to the detriment of a strong civil society. Another legacy inherited by the region was the poor economic situation which led to a situation where a â€Å"considerable part of this unofficial regime entailed the second economy†(Karklins,p 76). Scholars such as Miller suggests, that this occurred because trust in the public good and social solidarity was undermined as the real socialist society was split up into â€Å"an archipelago of networks whose members were focused on exchanges with fellow network members at the expense of outsiders†(Miller, p). A huge gap emerged as â€Å"private and dysfunctional public structure; moral declined visibly too, replacing old values with â€Å"materialism and individualism† (Miller,p 193). I don’t understand what this means? As a result people were applying rules of the past regime in a new economy. Another factor was transition itself. As discussed by Karklins privatisation of the wealth of the communist states provided huge incentives and opportunities that were ill protected by insufficient regulation (Karklins p 80). Due to the vast opportunities that some exploited there was a sudden â€Å"internationalization of trade and finance†(Miller, p 52. ) Transition was conducted in an extreme environment. Communist regimes outlawed â€Å"independent, social, communal and civic groups but unofficial networks flourished(Miller, p 77). During the transitional period, in Eastern Europe most corruption took places â€Å"during business transactions with public administration and government offices† (Zuzowski, p 137), this in turn discouraged foreign investment. Examples provided by Walezcki state that in 1998 the Czech deputy prime minister and minister of environment resigned as a result of a political scandal concerning secret donations made to the Civic Democratic Alliance by Czech companies. CDA alliance received 1 million into its illegal Credit Suisse account. The party then used the money to pay for its 1996 election campaign (Walezcki, p 244). Political corruption such as this occurred during the transition period at all levels of society and was poorly regulated, which allowed itto become widespread. Additionally, the uniqueness of the eastern European case following the collapse of the centralised state, allowed favourable circumstances and opportunities that almost sanctioned corruption. According to LS (who’s LS? )â€Å"old habits die hard, and established structures and procedures remain to influence, both through inertia and as a safety net in confusing times†(p 89(LS). However, there is an alternative view that suggests that corruption is not culturally inherited and permanent, but is actually temporary. It can be argued that this is due to â€Å"self-conscious awareness of the phenomenon that suggests that the blurring of norms and the tolerance for deviance is regarded by the public only as an exceptional response to exceptional times, public norms and values remain intact†. (Miller, p283). This theory suggests that habits inherited from a communist past don’t influence current norms. However this is disputable , since according to survey 82 percent of Czechs considered corruption to be the most serious problem in their society in 1996 and almost half of the population believed corruption is permanent part of country’s culture (Zuzowski p 138 ). Another explanation of high corruption clarifies may give an insight as to why the levels vary throughout the region. Looking at the history of countries before the communist take overs and the character of those takeovers may provide an alternative explanation. As demonstrated by Holmes, Eastern Europe was under influence of various empires with different cultures before USSR’s capture, for example Romania was under Ottoman Empire, while Hungary was under Austrian influence. Empirical evidence seconds this opinion: firms stating bribery as frequent in Romania is 15%, while Hungary 8 % (BEEPS, 2008). Another factor that explains difference in corruption tolerance is the â€Å"urbanization and economic development†(Holmes, p 160), which also refers to difference in mentalities. For instance, in the Baltics states, tolerance to corruption was lower and in Georgia because Baltics were more developed â€Å"resulting in different attitudes towards personalized power† (Holmes, p 160). The way in which the communists came to power is equally critical as â€Å"an indicator of subsequent popularity some countries came to support communism like Russia, while in others such as Poland the regime was virtually imposed upon a reluctant citizenry by a Soviet army†(Holms). It is thus their way of rebelling against the system â€Å"with no tradition of popular endorsement†,(Holems, p 160). Nevertheless, this explanation has also been challenged by anti-corruption science, which states that corruption is not dependent on culture but is â€Å"characteristic of institutional environments and characteristic of certain policies†, (K, p 31). This is not always the case however as the question of morality and people’s acceptance of corruption as a norm in Eastern Europe compared to West should be considered. Cultural heritage seems to influence perception on corruption; the difference among the region shows it. EU-8 countries have improved their corruption rates due to EU membership, however their levels of corruption increased again: Slovenia’s and Slovakia’s corruption levels rose by 2% between 2005-2008. The question one must ask is why this happened even though EU regulations and policies towards corruption haven’t changed. High levels of corruption have multiple consequences on the whole society; some of them are negative, some of them are paradoxically positive. According to Bayley negative effects include undermining of formal rules and the rule of law (Bayley, p)The meaning of corruption during communist times was uncertain due to the â€Å"overriding importance of power and institutional interests†(Karklins,P 76). Karklins emphasises that negative consequences of these practices affected the whole of society, as they distorted the â€Å"popular attitudes towards law, equal opportunity, merit, fairness†. Corruption also diminishes the role of the political system by being an informal alternative to institutions (Karklins P 80). Consequently corruption undermines democracy and furthermore the rule of law. For example, in Bulgaria the head of Communist Party from 1954- 1989, Zhivkov, appointed his daughter to high positions, which resulted in her being th4 second most important person in Bulgaria (Holmes, p). Corruption promotes social inequality, because the wealthy can always be protected due to the influence of money on the law. It also creates financial inequality, as it provides opportunities for financially secured people, whilst leaving poor in the bigger disadvantage. Likewise, the continuing role of exclusive personal networks is problematic because they â€Å"limit how eager people are to join other groups, thus undermining civil society†(Bayley). It is argued that the persistence of communist-era exclusive networks worsens development of a civil society (p 89. LS). Similarly, proposed by Ott, corruption is potentially a very destabilizing force because of the abuse on the part of those inside the system that may encourage citizens to become distant with he activities of the state and weaken their own willingness to support the state, for instance by refusing to pay the taxes (Ott, p 67). There are some extreme consequences introduced by Bayley. For instance, corruption can weaken the state as, â€Å"The failure of state to enforce rules creates vacuum to be filled by the organized crime. If government and the judicial system are so corrupt that they cannot help the contract to be enforced the only available enforcer is the mafia†( Bayley, p). This may result in organized crime being â€Å"both a source and product of rising corruption†, (krastev, p 9). It may even lead to political instability and revolution. High levels of corruption can become highly problematic since â€Å"systemic corruption it is impossible to control†. (Zuzowski) Conversely, there is also â€Å"useful corruption† as according to W. Clark it cuts red tape and reduces bureaucratic rigidity (Karklin, p 78). Corruption can increase the â€Å"responsiveness of bureaucrats to individual and group needs (Holmes, p 730). For instance, the power holders accepted the use of blat as â€Å"an informal practice to smooth socioeconomic transactions†(Karklins,p 79). Especially in socialism corruption assisted to overcome some economic problems like shortages. Moreover, corruption may result in â€Å"increased allocations of resources away from consumption and into investment. The key element for the corrupted and the corruptor to consume and invest† Scholars argue that corruption may not always represent â€Å"net drain from investment† (Bayley, p) but it may be the case that government servants with unique access to information about prospects for economic development have greater propensity to invest in productive enterprises. Corruption has serious consequences for the whole society, typically they are negative, since â€Å"benefits are primarily in the realm of politics† (Bayley, p 730). However, â€Å"the analysis has shown that net effects of corrupt practices upon economic development are not always of baneful nature†, (Bayley, p 730). It is thus important to consider some benefits of corruption for post-communist countries and not only focus on the negative. To conclude, â€Å"corruption is the most powerful policy narrative in the time of transition†(Krastev, p 93). Even though there are many factors that provoke rise of corruption, the communist legacy is â€Å"singled out as the critical domestic pre-condition for the rise of corruption† (Krastev, p 53). Other factors such as the crisis of legitimacy and the low trust in the public institutions are also part of explanation (Karklins, p 53). Concerning the consequences, it is obvious that corruption can undermining the development of a strong society, as well as having detrimental impact on politics and economics. It is hard however to assess the whole impact due to lack of data, so the picture will always be distorted. â€Å" It is a crime that nobody is interested to report, and the cases of corruption ending in a court are insignificant in comparison with the number of corruption transactions taking place† (G, p 25). Additionally, the rise in corruption can be a result of either increase of corruption or â€Å"increase of corruption visibility†, especially due to the attention that the subject receives from media (Krastev. p 10).

Right and Wrong Ways to Diet

Right and Wrong Ways to Diet Table of Contents (Jump to) Introduction Literature Review What’s Right and Wrong about Eating like a Caveman Insulin Resistance and Weight Gain Indigestion and Heartburn Poor Sleep Nutrient Deficiency Chronic Disease Extra Pounds The Domino Effect Finding and Discussion Poor Brain Function Poor Exercise Capabilities Conclusion References Abstract In this study, the wrong way to diet The consequences of that and right way to diet and exercise is discussed. The Paleo diet with high in protein and low carbohydrates are becoming popular in American restaurants such as HG SPLY Co. that is Dallas, and Hu Kitchen of New York City. Limited diets make the body starve hence slow down the metabolism if someone diet in â€Å"on and off† pattern again and again, according to NEDA. According to MayoClinic.com sleep consultant Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler, balanced snack intake before bed can assist in sleep as going to bed in hunger as well as overeating may disturb the sleep. For losing body fat, both proper diet and exercise is highly effective as compare to dieting alone. Without exercise, the most nutritious low calorie diet would cause loss of muscle mass. One pound of muscle carries just 600 calories or one sixth of calories are present in the pound of fat. The Wrong Way to Diet Introduction A nutritious diet provides satisfactory amount of minerals, vitamins, protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates with the help of different food items. Conversely, a diet that is not good for health, consists of so much saturated and trans fats as well as sodium, cholesterol, added sugars and several processed ingredients with no or very small amount of nutrients. These unhealthy diets can cause poor nutrient-to calorie ratio. This result further leads to increase body weight and multi-nutrition issues related to health. A healthy and balanced diet for the majority of people contains various nutritious foods like fish, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and vegetables, whereas moderate quantity of low nutrient fare is supposed to be problematic, having poor diet even for the short interval of time can put negative results (Waxman, 2005). Having knowledge about the related short term risks become an inspirational factor for making unhealthy diet an exception instead of rule. For making sure the diet is full with the required needs, an individual then must take guidance from registered dietitian. In this study, the wrong way to diet The consequences of thatand right way to diet and exercise is discussed. For this study, literature review focuses on what is right and wrong about eating like a caveman along with the issues of unhealthy diet such as insulin resistance, mood problems etc. The topic seems to be crucial because wrong way to diet can lead to several problems and to know the correct way to diet and exercise is the need of today. Literature Review What’s Right and Wrong about Eating like a Caveman The eating habits of cavemen are not so much well recognized. The question is, do we have to talk about menu cues from the ancestors of ancient age? The Paleo diet with high in protein and low carbohydrates are becoming popular in American restaurants such as HG SPLY Co. that is Dallas, and Hu Kitchen of New York City. The products with inspiration of Paleo including grass-fed beef pemmican that is a native meat paste of America, are among those popular foods groups. Miley Cyrus, some other celebrities and Kobe Bryant are the eager followers of Paleo diet (Sallis, 2008). The Paleo diet has been famous for many years in the U.S. but the current momentum has been significant. The magazine Scientific American stated on June 3rd, that Paleo diet was suspected to be half baked, though the story was ridicules. The magazine proposed as if the caveman was imagining of a lean, tall, ripped and agile young man with 30 years of age; and it was nothing but an invention. In fact, there has been a smart cut down on processed and preserved packaged foods. There was an observation about the idea of gathering foods of stone age, that includes dairy products beans and grain (Aday, 2011). In the same way, the U.S. News ranks the Paleo diet as the food placed at bottom with 31st in the ranking of the â€Å"Best diets Ever† in its 2014 rankings along with the Dukan diet. The magazine stated that the issues were taken by experts with the diet with all measures. As a matter of fact, this has been a lifestyle as well as a weight loss effort that has been programmed with the promotion of the food that has low carbs. Insulin Resistance and Weight Gain Insulin resistance is characterized by a condition in which insulin hormone’s ability to manage the blood sugar is lowered. In this condition, risk for diabetes occurrence increases and weight gain is also one of its consequences. In July 2009, a study published in Molecular Medicine in which eighteen lean and healthy participants consumed high calorie diet for almost four weeks (Aday, 2011). The volunteers gained about ten percent of the body weight by the end of the study as well as nineteen percent of the body fat. They developed medium insulin resistance while they maintained their lean mass. Consuming low calories may also result in weight gain. Limited diets make the body starve hence slow down the metabolism if someone diet in â€Å"on and off† pattern again and again, according to NEDA. Indigestion and Heartburn During or after eating, indigestion leads to uncomfortable sensations in the upper abdomen. The common causes include consumption of fatty foods or eating fast and intake of lot of alcohol or caffeine, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. On the other hand, heartburn occurs in the navel and breast bone characterized by burning or pain often occurs with indigestion (Neinstein, 2008). People can also experience bloating, nausea as well as acid reflux occurring at the time when stomach contents move back into the esophagus. The UMMC suggests eating slowly to prevent indigestion and making eating environment calm enough as well as avoiding exercise just after the meal. Poor Sleep According to MayoClinic.com sleep consultant Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler, balanced snack intake before bed can assist in sleep as going to bed in hunger as well as overeating may disturb the sleep. Fatty and spicy foods before sleep may lead to aggression during night if one is prone to heartburn hence it causes unwanted wake-ups. Poor sleep may lead to other temporary effects of an unhealthy diet for instance, weight gain and decreased brain capabilities and exercise capabilities (Sallis, 2008). Mood Problems Food and nutrients are the basis for the chemicals present in the brain to function properly. The chemicals in the brain promoting positive moods like serotonin and dopamine require proper functioning. Prudent on the calories or carbohydrates that enhance production of serotonin may lead to depression. People taking low carbohydrates have indicated high depression feelings, tension and anger feelings, according to Judith Wurtman, a psychologist as well as director of the Women’s Health Program (Aday, 2011). Feelings of guilt, shame and depression can also be the consequences of overeating that interfere with the blood sugar control and that can disturb the positive moods. Nutrient Deficiency The human body needs a healthy diet in order to get nutrition that further benefits the body to grow, glow, maintain and perform the functions of the body. Different whole and fresh foods, are considered as an plentiful source of nutrients. The American diet, though, many times looks short of sufficient amount of main nutrients like dietary fibers, potassium, calcium and vitamins specially vitamin D. if the calcium is not according to the needs of the body, it can cause loss of bones and shortening of vitamin D that further weakens the bones (Waxman, 2005). The shortage of potassium according to proposed levels can cause muscle weakness and body weaknesses. Failure in getting the proper amount of fiber can cause unhealthy colon and increased risk of heart diseases as well as diabetes. Chronic Disease The nutrients that are gotten from nutrition help the body to fight against diseases. A diet with less nutrients as well as with high amount of fats, sugar or salt, can cause some developed chronic conditions. The intake of unhealthy diet enhances the risk of hypertension, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis, as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 has stated (Aday, 2011). Extra Pounds In order to prevent from chronic disease, the management of weight must be kept in mind as a primary concern. The increased weight has been a major consequence of an unhealthy diet. According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the increased weight causes an increased body mass index, or equal to 25 or higher the BMI. Insufficient fruits, whole grains, vegetables are the food elements that many times have contribution in high BMI. The other factors responsible for high BMI include diets with excessive amount of meat, fried foods. The food intake habits that cause high BMI are regular use of beverages with high calories such as soda and lack of physical activities (Sallis, 2008). The Domino Effect If the BMI level reaches equal to 30 or higher, the conditions are considered as obesity. More than thirty five percent of American adult citizens are considered to be having obesity. Obesity is the major cause of increased risk of other health issues. As CDC states, obesity becomes the host of several health concerns including heart disease, type two diabetes, high blood pressure, certain cancers, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, stroke, liver diseases, gallbladder diseases, gynecological issues, osteoarthiritis and infertility (Waxman, 2005). Finding and Discussion There is a simple theory behind the diet: Our hunter-gatherer forebears, who survived on fish and meat that wasn’t saturated with growth-stimulating hormones or antibiotics, and also on fresh vegetables and fruits, were on the right path till the introduction of toxins by Agricultural Revolution into the food chain some 10,000 years back Therefore, the goal is for the 21st Century citizens to go back and eat in such a way that was used by primitive people in the Paleolithic Era, circa around 2million years back. But this is found by dieticians as limited, even choosy, requirements like joining with very pure plants and meats. As put it by American Scientists, â€Å"The Paleo diet is based on privilege more as compare to logic. There are a number of food groups that are restricted by some diets. These diets cannot be described asbalanced diets because they consist of some specific good groups. As food experts have an opinion that there is no connection between the Paleo eaters and their age because what they eat does not prove presence of any life increasing ingredients scientifically, neither there is any connection between their healthy life and the diet they intake (Aday, 2011). Marlene Zuk is an associate of the University of Minnesota in the Biology department. She has an evolutionary character with different objectives. In Paleo-Fantasy, she states that the process of evolution has made people significantly learn about their way of life along with sex and diet. Ripping apart, she states several contemporary concepts with regards to Paleolithic ancestors. She insists on saying that the book was not a dietary book about telling people eating ways but the evolution must be understood by the people (Aday, 2011). Poor Brain Function The brain of humans depends on glucose which comes from the carbohydrates and antioxidants and healthy fats for functioning in a proper manner. In accordance with the published study in December 2009 â€Å"The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology†, foods containing fats could through negative effects on the function of brain. A study on rats, in which they are tested significantly by giving high fat diet which resulted in lower cognitive abilities after being eaten the fatty diet (Aday, 2011). Skipping meals or eating limited diets can through same effects which include poor concentration abilities and memory. Poor Exercise Capabilities Eating too little or too much can fatigue, lethargy, and other impacts that become a blockage for doing physical activity. After eating the diets full of fats, the rats in the study â€Å"The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology† covered distance 35% less as compare to rats that were given lower amount of fat. In accordance with National Eating Disorders Association, one often confronted with poor muscles, endurance, coordination, oxygen utilization, and strength. Dieting can cause fainting and physical weakness also. To keep the weight in check, one should exercise as well as healthfully eat. According to the research, when people become conscious and devote time to a healthy habit then they pay less attention on the other. People have lower body mass index (BMI) who believe that diet is the most essential factor in weight control as compare to those who think that exercise is significant (Sallis, 2008). In Canada, China, U.S., South Korea and France, researchers asked approximately 1,200 people in the studies about the main factor making people overweight. The height and weight of the participants were also taken for calculating their BMIs. Consequently, those who said eating right is significant to weight control had lower BMIs than those who said to stay active are significant for prevention of obesity. The weight control beliefs of people influenced their food choices. Brent McFerran, PhD and an assistant professor at Ross School of Business said, â€Å"Our beliefs guide our actions†. People might move more as well as focus less on what they eat if they think exercise is significant to weight control. Exercise may support weight loss among other advantages (Waxman, 2005). People watch over to overestimate the amount of calories during compensating for the extra activity by eating more. People should hold onto their gym membership. Staying active help lose weight although it is difficult to slim down with just exercise as it is crucial for the health. Moreover, it highly supports heart health, helps sleep, reduces stress, strengthens bones as well as improves mental health. Exercise not only produces endorphins which increases metabolic rate but it also motivate to eat better. These are the outstanding reasons to hit the gym when one can. Exercise habits as well as diet can determine that either one is gaining body fat or loosing body fat. Both of them determine that how much calories have been taken in and how many used up. One need to control the number of calories attained from a balanced diet to lose body fat as well as one should increase the number of calories which are being burnt through exercise. For losing body fat, both proper diet and exercise is highly effective as compare to dieting alone. Without exercise, the most nutritious low calorie diet would cause loss of muscle mass. One pound of muscle carries just 600 calories or one sixth of calories are present in the pound of fat. Therefore, muscle calories can be lost much faster as compare to fat. One should anticipate to lose less than one percent body fat in a month or about one to two pounds of fat in a week because a pound of fat contain approximately 3,500 calories (Neinstein, 2008). Muscles are losing if someone losing any more than that of mentioned value. One simply is not able to hasten fat loss. It is not possible to gain fat overnight and also it is not possible to lose fat overnight. However, the losses attained would be permanent. The consequences may be extraordinary with the associated changes that would make by the exercise to the body. Conclusion Before starting to reduce calorie diet as well as exercise program, one should consult the doctor, particularly if anyone has a history of health issue or those who have not had a physical checkup on a recent basis or being pregnant or lactating. Proper diet for losing fat is not difficult as well as more pleasing as compare to one might consider. Many people consider diet as a short-term method of limiting the food until the time they attain a particular weight target. It is not the reality. People do not need to go on a certain diet forbidding some of the foods or guide regarding what to eat daily. This is what people may stick with for certain times however they tend to go back to the previous eating habits when they go off that type of restrict diet. Hence they again gain weight. People must never imagine of being on or off a particular diet. As an alternative, one should make their own choices within any guideline of a healthy diet in which person can enjoy and continue for life. Eating fruits, vegetables and fruits more and fat foods less is the best diet for not only to lose fat but also for the lifetime. There are two things to lose body fat that one should think how and what to eat: Pursue a healthy and balanced diet by taking some foods from each food group. Those diets that remove a particular food group in the diet will never last long because they do not offer healthy nutrition. The best diet must enhance the health during losing fat. Cut down the calories amount or give up some of the favorite foods one select. It indicates selecting low calorie foods frequently without giving up the required nutrients. Diet on the basis of these two terms â€Å"balance† and â€Å"calories† is the best concept one attain to a â€Å"magic† diet to lose body fat. Do not eat too much of any food but eat variety of foods. References Aday, L. A., Cornelius, L. J. (2011). Designing and conducting health surveys: a comprehensive guide. John Wiley Sons.http://books.google.com.pk/books?hl=enlr=id=gfHpTiGcdO4Coi=fndpg=PR11dq=guide+to+health+dietots=e8csd9XrUKsig=o5_FyalAgjQJYkeRBrVKDok1hUw Neinstein, L. S. (Ed.). (2008). Adolescent health care: a practical guide (Vol. 414). Lippincott Williams Wilkins.http://books.google.com.pk/books?hl=enlr=id=er8dQPxgcz0Coi=fndpg=PR13dq=guide+to+health+dietots=UZ-WV09CBmsig=004gVmOmaF1VnC5hKELsL09eTUA Sallis, J. F., Owen, N., Fisher, E. B. (2008). Ecological models of health behavior. Health behavior and health education: Theory, research, and practice, 4, 465-485.https://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/40920657/1475713404/name/HB+%26+HE-+Glanz+Book.pdf#page=503 Waxman, A. (2005). Why a global strategy on diet, physical activity and health? (Vol. 95, pp. 162-166). Karger Publishers.www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/88302

Stopping By The Woods On A Snowy Evening - Symbolic Setting :: essays research papers

Robert Frost’s love of nature is expressed in the setting of his poem "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening." His elaborate description of the woody setting brings vivid images to the reader’s mind. Frost explains the setting so descriptively that the reader feels he is in the woods alsoThe setting is a very important tool Frost uses in writing this poem. The setting is obviously in the woods, but these are not just any old woods. Something caught the speaker’s eyes in these woods making them a special place for the speaker. It seems as if the speaker has associated these woods with an aspect of his "personal paradise". The peacefulness, tranquillity, darkness, and silence are all important parts of this "paradise". These aspects help the speaker escape from reality. The snow symbolizes the purity and peacefulness the speaker feels while stopping in the woods. (4) The darkness can symbolize many different things. Some times darkness would be considered evil or dangerous, but I do not think this is the case in this poem. I believe the darkness symbolizes the undisturbed atmosphere of the woods. Darkness may also symbolize the mystery of the yet to be discovered secrets deep within the woods. (8) The silence makes the speaker feel secluded from all other aspects of reality. (11-12) Stopping by the woods provides the speaker with a temporary escape from reality. Frost does not ever tell what business the speaker is on, but you can assume it may be very stressful. This escape from reality is very important even in today’s world. This poem was written in 1923 and still has aspects of 20th century society. The speaker knows he can not stay in this "paradise".(14) The speaker does not want to leave this spot, but he has made other promises that he has to keep. (14) I believe Frost uses repetition of the last two lines of this poem (and miles to go before I sleep) to emphasize the importance of this promise he has made, and to support the speakers reasons for having to leave. (15-16)I am not a big fan of poetry, but this poem caught my eye because I am a fan of nature. Frost and I would have had a lot in common, his poetry reflects many of my own personal views of nature.

Hank Aaron Biography Essay -- essays research papers fc

Henry Louis Aaron (Hank) Aaron Date of Birth: February 5, 1934(the day before Babe Ruth turned 39). Birthplace: Mobile, Alabama, United States Date. Circumstances of Death: Living Early Life: The second of nine of Herbert and Estella Aaron’s , he weighed just 2 and 1/4 pounds at birth. Hank was a quiet boy who just had one or two friends in the neighborhood. When Hank was eight he saw his first major league game. After the game he knew he wanted to be a major league baseball player which is a good dream because it makes you work hard to make it come true. Hank would sometimes skip school and go down to the baseball bleachers and liked watch players like Joe Dimagio, and Micky Mantel. When his parents found out that Hank was skipping school they scolded him and told Hank that it was important to get an education. His father said that the reason he gave Hank fifty cents to take to school and he took twenty five cents to work was because it was more important to see that Hank got an education than it was for him to eat. Aaron began his professional baseball career as an 18-year-old shortstop for the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League. A right -handed hitter, he batted cross-handed, with his right hand below his left hand. Education: Hank Aaron attended Central High School and finished school at Josephine Allen Institute. Major Contributions to Georgia: While playing for the Atlanta Braves, Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's career home ru...

Essay --

Throughout history the human race has sought forms of entertainment. Whether it be in the form of a simple game, a grandiose tournament or a simple play production, we have always sought to entertain ourselves. In recent years as the film industry has continued to grow and evolve a new genre has emerged the mainstream popular culture. One big idea changed the course of a genre and an entire Industry. That would be comic book movies. The first moderately successful Marvel film was X-Men, this was the first time that the superhero genre made a successful transition from the comic book to the silver screen. It was a movie that was enjoyable not only just for fans but for non-fans of the comics as well. X-Men was released in 2000, the budget for the film was $75 million, which is incredibly lowed compared to the average movie budget which is between $120-200 million these days. The Box office total for the film was $296,339,527, which back in 2000 would have been a rather respectable box office take. Something to keep in mind about this movie is that the computer generated special effects that are so common in movies today, were rather under developed, which would lend to the smaller budget as well as the more practical effects that are featured in the movie. This is also why the film feels rather bland when one goes back and watches it now, there was a lot of walking and talking in this film, not much action. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Men_film http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Marvel_Comics_movies Prior to the X-Men movies though there had been three other Marvel movies that had been released, however all three could be deemed failures. The three films were the 1989 The Punisher, which was actually released directly... ... the Guardians of the Galaxy in August, and the Avengers 2 in 2015, followed by Ant-Man. Marvel has also made a deal with Netflix to create four shows based off their characters to be released in 2015, starting with Daredevil, which is a major slap in the face to 20th century Fox who previously owned the rights and I love it. The awesome part is that these shows will take place in the established Marvel Cinematic Universe, then the four characters are going to come together into a mini series called the defenders which is comparable to the avengers. This just goes to show how this idea of the shared universe has spread beyond just the cinema now, but to television as well, and not only just television but online movie streaming. These shows will never actually be released on television, but purely on Netflix. Which will be a massive boost for Netflix and for marvel.

Psychosis Leads to Murder Essay

Throughout In Cold Blood, Truman Capote writes on the events directly before, during, and the happenings after the brutal murdering of the Clutter family in the quaint town of Holcomb, Kansas. The actions Dick Hickock and Perry Smith attracted Capote and led him to ultimately report on the entire ordeal. Throughout Capote’s masterpiece, In Cold Blood, Hickock and Smith’s deranged and psychotic actions directly correlate to a deep psychosis they both suffered for multiple years. Throughout the novel, In Cold Blood, the two murderers, Dick Hickock and Perry Smith, show instances of unwarranted anger and aggression that leads readers into believing that a serious issue with their psyches have occurred. Early in, the novel Hickock states, â€Å"I didn’t want to harm the man. I thought he was a very nice gentleman. Soft-spoken. I thought so right up to the moment I cut his throat† (Capote 88). Here, the reader can clearly see Hickock contradicting himself but in in a rather frightening way. Smith also shows an instance of this as well later in the novel when he says, â€Å"I wish she’d been in that house that night. What a sweet scene!† (Capote 259). When Smith says ‘she’ in the previous, quote he is referring to his own sister. He vocalizes that he wishes his sister was among the Clutters in their house the night he and Dick killed them. This allows the reader to truly gage the depth of his psychosis by not even allowing himself to show any compassion to his own family. In Brian Conniff’s article â€Å"Psychological Accidents: In Cold Blood and Ritual Sacrifice,† he agrees with the previous thought by stating, â€Å"Hickock was the one with the ‘sexual intrest in female children’ who wants to stop, in the middle of the burglary, to rape Nancy Clutter,† a direct quote from Smith (5). Furnished from Capote’ s personal accounts, it allows the reader to see further into the extreme violence of the convicted felons. Aside from unwarranted anger and aggression, both, Hickock and Smith show a magnitude of signs that allow outsiders to infer that they, themselves, know of their mental condition and knowingly choose to ignore it. In many instances they vocalize this to each other and even to complete strangers. Shortly after the murders Smith said, â€Å"†¦The kind of psychotic rage it took to commit such a crime† (Capote 83). And Hickock mentioned, â€Å"I think there must be something seriously wrong with us to do what we did† (Capote 108). The context of these two quotes makes it quite easy to understand why readers believe that Hickock and Smith knew of their mental issues prior to the murders but both decided to ignore them. In Conniff’s article â€Å"Psychological Accidents: In Cold Blood and Ritual Sacrifice,† he agrees with the idea above by stating a written portion of an interview with Hickock done by Capote that reads, â€Å"Like all of the rest of the ‘normals,’ as Perry calls them—‘respectable people, safe and smug people’† (3). This is yet another solid acknowledgement of his insanity, which he chooses to blatantly ignore. Throughout the entire novel, Hickock and Smith both suffer seriously from psychotic delusions and emotional rants, which forces readers to perceive Hickock and Smith as mentally insane men. During one of these rants Smith exclaims, â€Å"I WANT TO CONESS!† (Capote 100). Hickock also shows multiple instances of emotional rants also. One of many comes when his sister says she will not contact him and he, overrun by emotion, states, â€Å"I wish she’d been in that house that night. What a sweet scene!† (Capote 259). And also, â€Å"I wouldn’t give a damn if this car caught fire and burned me alive† (Capote 188). Both these quotes appear while suffering severe shifts in emotions, which he could not control, thus proving his mental instability. After authorities caught the two, and while being questioned Smith stated, â€Å"It was part passion- a passion that was pathological,† meaning that he could not control himself (Capote 186). Small indications, such as these, allow readers to see deep into the psyche of Hickock and Smith, displaying disturbing images. Throughout unwarranted acts of anger and aggression, Hickock and Smith’s acknowledgement of their insanity, and the delusions and rants they experience directly correlation between their acts of horror and the deep psychosis they became trapped in late in their lives. This psychosis directly relates to why they did the terrible things they did, and why they didn’t think anything of it. This correlation becomes easily seen by allowing the reader to glance deep within the psyche of these two ruthless killers. Works Cited Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. New York: Random House, 1966. Print. Conniff, Brian. â€Å"‘Psychological Accidents’: In Cold Blood and Ritual Sacrifice.† The Midwest Quarterly: A Journal of Contemporary Thought 35.1 (Autumn 1993): 77-94. Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Thomas J. Schoenberg and Lawrence J. Trudeau. Vol. 164. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 8 Nov. 2011.

Customer Needs and Expectations

Here at Travel Weekly one of the representatives at Virgin Atlantic have honoured us by writing an article about ‘A day as a representative' Lets see what Kaye Goodwin from Virgin Atlantic has to say! In a day of a representative at Virgin Atlantic I have to look at how these needs are identified and I must cover: Customer requests in writing Customer requests to representatives of organisations verbally (face to face or telephone) Recognition of unstated needs Customer type one: FamiliesIf a family was too put in a request in writing, because they may have young children, they could possibly write their requests to me in an email because of convenience and time. For example: a mother and father of two young children will not have time to come into the travel agents to sit down and tell me what type of holiday they would like. Therefore by sending me an email with the requests they would like, it would save a lot of time, and I can look up all of the information for them and re spond back to them via email.Customer type two: Couples If a young couple would like to go on a short break or a holiday, they would come into the travel agent and sit down with me too tell me where they would like to go and what type of holiday they would like. For example: a young couple from Central London would like to book a holiday for early December. They come into the travel agent and sit down with me and tell me what type of holiday they would like. After looking up and discussing different holidays, they would make a decision and hopefully book the holiday.If they would like more time to think about it, I would give them a few broachers to take home with them while they thought about it. Customer type two: Elderly couple An elderly couple are most likely to come into the travel agents and sit down with me to discuss the holiday they would like to go on. After discussing a few holidays, I would recommend a holiday. E. g. I would say ‘there is a lovely villa in Spain t hat is on offer at the moment that is about half a mile away from the beach. If one of the couples were to say that they have been to Spain before and it was too hot, or that their partner was not able to walk very far, that would be known as a recognition of unstated needs, meaning that they would like to go to a destination that is at a cooler climate or they would like to stay in accommodation closer to the beach. Customer type four: Disabled People that have a disability can communicate with me in any way, i. e. face to face, via email or on the telephone.If a customer was to call me and ask for information on different holidays but said that they were disabled, I would realise that this would mean they would be a unstated need, and they would need special assistance. For example if a lady who wanted to book a holiday and was blind or visually impaired, I would know that they would need maps or signs to be put up in Brail and raised floors so they know when they are too close to a swimming pool. Task 2b – explain how travel and recognition of their needs.Tourism organisations meet and exceed customer expectations using examples from companies in the travel and tourism industry that you have researched. When our company (VA) recognise customer needs, the customers can be face for face with one of our representatives, have an online chat with one of our representatives or write their requests too us. We meet customer needs by making sure that all of the flights operate on time, airline staff are always available for assistance and always make sure that customers are kept up to date with important information such as flight times, flight delays and check in times.The way that we meet these needs are by keeping staff updated with information, regular announcements for customers at the airports and making sure that landings/take off are planned properly to avoid delays if possible. Task 2c – analyse how travel and tourism organisations meet and ex ceed the customer needs and expectations through the recognition of their needs. You should expand the links between needs, identification of needs and being able to meet and exceed customers expectations. Here at Virgin Atlantic, we identify and meet customer needs through customer survey questionnaires/ comment cards and customer forums/focus groups.When the survey questionnaires or comment cards have been read by a member for our staff, usually the customer service manager, they then analyse all of the comments to find areas of improvement in order to meet customer needs. For example, if a number of customers have complained about staff not knowing obvious information i. e. directions around the airport, prices of products or check in times, that would tell us that our staff are unequipped to help our customers. From this, we will then need to realise and work our a way to get more information into our staff in order to meet the needs of our customers more efficiently.This can be done in many ways, however the most ideal one for this situation would be to hold regular morning/afternoon meetings to keep staff updated with information. When we exceed customer expectations, we like to go that extra mile by giving out customers more in-depth information. An example of this would be when a customer asks simply the time of their flight, we like to make sure that our staff will fully inform our customers of their flight time, boarding time, gate number and if there will be any delays.At the Martime Museum (NMM) they meet and exceed customers expectations by making sure that the company works like clock work. All of the staff are given a two day induction and then on-going training pro grammes are offered to all staff. All staff are fully trained and new members of staff are teamed up with an experienced team member to meet all of the customers needs. At NMM there are customer comment cards, customer surveys and focus groups to ensure that the organization knows wh at their customers want and if there are any complaints being made.For an example if the museum had a number of complaints about staff not having enough product knowledge/information i. e. background history of the area they were working in, that would tell the managers/owners that their staff are unequipped to help their customers. From this information, they work their way to getting more knowledge into their staff. This can be done in so many ways but the most effective way would be to give the staff more training and hold meetings regularly o make sure that they have acceptable knowledge to be working with the customers.