Minimum Wage Has Caused The Greatest Concern - 1287 Words

Rent, groceries, health care, clothes, and transportation are just a few of the many things that all people need in order to make a decent living. In this twenty-first century world all of these things cost various amounts of money depending on what that individual is able to afford. Since the start of the Industrial Revolution, people were divided by a thin line that separated the wealthy from the poor, a line that still exists today. It is said that money makes the world go ‘round yet so many people have plenty of it while others find it hard to come by. Throughout history government has tried to put a limit on a wage that they believe would best provide an individual with the bare necessities of life, unfortunately, with the modernizing†¦show more content†¦This wage was only twenty-five cents which was implemented to give all workers of that time fair working standards. Since then the national amount of minimum wage has increased, the latest increase being from $5. 15 to the current $7.25 back in the summer of 2009. These changes in wages were made to adjust wages according to the amount of inflation issues of that particular time. When there is inflation prices of goods increase while wages stay the same, therefore, making it harder for a person living on minimum wage to afford the minor goods they need to survive. However, the primary reason for minimum wage is that since it serves as a wage floor there is leeway to create more economic growth and reduce the poverty level here in the United States. Now after raising the minimum wage to $7.25 six years ago, there has been a great deal of inflation between then and now that has pushed the issue of raising it once again. This particular issue has led to a serious debate that has divided economists into a 50/50 on going disagreement. Since there are already so many problems with the current minimum wage and even more problems that can occur if it was to be increased economist have taken many dif ferent aspects into consideration. About half of the economist studying this issue believe that while increasing the minimum wage can be beneficial, the current $7.25 minimum wage should not be increased due to the reasons

Miranda vs Arizona - 1115 Words

Miranda v Arizona Westwood College Miranda v. Arizona Every time someone is arrested the police officer reads them their right, which was not always the case. They read as followed you have the right to remain silent anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you cant afford one, one will be provided to you. But why do the officers have to remind the people of their rights, because of the Miranda v. Arizona case. Before the Miranda v. Arizona case people were not reminded or even aware that they had such rights. In the 1963 Ernesto Miranda was arrested for kidnap and rape. He was accused of kidnapping†¦show more content†¦Due process means that Miranda did not have to go into the interrogation alone and that he should have had an attorney with him. The amendments were put into the constitution so that the government would not have too much power over the people and by the officers not respecting that they were being unconstitutional. Although a fter the case went through the Supreme Court and Mirandas conviction was overturned Arizona retried him, this time without his confession used against him, he was found guilty and was sentenced to 20-30 years. Miranda not serving time for his crime was what worried a lot of people because that would of meant he would be free to kidnap and rape more women, so by him still being found guilty made people feel a bit more comfortable with the whole situation. Because of the Miranda v Arizona case every officer before starting an interrogation has to repeat the person’s rights and wait until they receive either a verbal or written confirmation from the defendant saying they understand that they have the right to remain silent. Even if the officers tell the defendant their rights they have to be done properly or else whatever evidence they get from their interrogation cannot be used in court. Ernesto Miranda did commit the crime, by the officers not reading him his rights he took hi s case to the Supreme Court and his convictionShow MoreRelatedMiranda Vs. Arizona Case980 Words   |  4 Pagescase, Miranda vs. Arizona took place (Worrall, 2015). In this case, a man named Ernesto Miranda was arrested in Arizona because he was accused of raping a woman. Miranda was interrogated by officers for two hours before confessing both written and orally. He was charged with kidnapping and rape and sentenced to 20-30 years in prison. While this case is the main thing upholding the Supreme Court’s ruling, there were three other cases backing their decision – Vignera vs. New York, Westover vs. UnitedRead More Miranda vs. Arizona Essay608 Words   |  3 Pages Miranda vs. Arizona: nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;This case had to do with an Ernest Miranda who raped a Patty McGee*. After extracting a written confession from the rapist about the situation, Miranda’s lawyer argued that it was not valid since the Phoenix Police Department failed to read Miranda his rights, also in violation of the Sixth Amendment which is the right to counsel. Some factors that helped support Miranda’s arguments were that the suspect had requested and been denied an opportunityRead MoreMiranda Vs. Arizona Law2149 Words   |  9 Pagesare called Miranda warnings or the â€Å"Miranda Rights.† The familiar phrases that have become well known by many citizens, regardless if one has been taken into custody or not are taken from a ruling in a landmark case, Miranda v. Arizona. According to Scribd website online, some of the contents contained within the Miranda warnings are, â€Å".†¦Ã¢â‚¬Ëœyou have the right to remain silent, anything you say can be used against you in the court of law†¦.† (Amor Claveria, 2016). Also included in the Miranda rights,Read MoreMiranda Vs. Arizona Law1210 Words   |  5 PagesMiranda rights are a set of warning imposed by the courts after the Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 decision that occurred June 13, 1966. As stated by Cassell the rights are: You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have him present with you while you are being questioned. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed to represent you before you answer any questions.Read MoreMiranda Vs. Arizona Is An Important Case That Happened887 Words   |  4 PagesMiranda versus Arizona is an important case that happened in the United States of America that has changed policing to what it is today. First, I will talk about the events leading to the arrest of a man named Ernesto Miranda. Then, I will talk about his trial, and next, on how this case has changed policing for the better. Lastly, I will talk about my point on this case and how I think it has affected the United States with policing. First, Miranda v. Arizona all started on March 2, 1963, when anRead MoreMiranda Vs. Nevada And Mapp V. Arizona2344 Words   |  10 Pagescases of Miranda V. Arizona and Mapp V. Ohio. Both these cases play a significant role in Due Process rights today. One of the most well-known cases in the United States is Miranda V. Arizona. This case deals with the legal provision of self-incrimination. It shows that some people today aren’t aware of the rights afforded to them under the constitution. In this case, Ernesto Miranda was put in a lineup and identified by a woman as the man that kidnapped and raped her. Ernesto Miranda was thenRead MoreThe Law Enforcement Interrogation Procedures1655 Words   |  7 PagesIn 1966, a milestone in Law Enforcement interrogation procedures was established through the case of Miranda vs Arizona. In the case of Orozco vs Texas, just a couple years later in 1969, the guidelines established by Miranda vs Arizona changed the ruling of Reyes Arias Orozco who self-incriminated himself without being read his Fifth Amendment rights while being interrogated in his home. Orozco vs Texas effected interrogation procedures due to Orozco being interrogated inappropriately in his ownRead MoreMiranda Warnin gs And The Miranda Warning976 Words   |  4 PagesThe Miranda Warning â€Å"Movie and TV shows often depict crime with a police officer handcuffing a suspect and warning him that he has the right to remain silent. While those warnings may appear clear-cut, almost 1 million criminal cases may be compromised each year in the United States at the 119th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association.†(Rogers, 2011) The Miranda warning, also known as the Miranda rights, is important and in place to inform people of their rights upon arrest. EveryoneRead MoreCourt Case : Miranda V. Arizona941 Words   |  4 PagesCourt Case: Miranda v. Arizona ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction: In the case Miranda vs. Arizona. This case goes against the 5th and 6th amendments. Miranda says that the police had violated his 5th Amendment right to remain silent and his 6th Amendment right to legal counsel. Miranda addressed the Escobedo rule which states evidence obtained from an illegally obtained confession is inadmissibleRead MoreThe Miranda Rights Essay1706 Words   |  7 Pageshandicap young woman and a kidnap. After two hours of interrogating the suspect, Ernesto Miranda, confessed to the crime just after the detectives told him the victim had identified him in a lineup. Ernesto Miranda was found guilty of both crimes and was sentenced to twenty to thirty years in prison. In 1966, three years later, Miranda’s sentence was overturned by the Supreme Court due to the fact that Miranda was not notified about his fifth or sixth amendment. His fifth amendment gave him the

Essay on An Inside Look at the Diwali Festival Example For Students

Essay on An Inside Look at the Diwali Festival Diwali is one of the largest festivals found within Hindu tradition. Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists also celebrate this festival (Dilwali). It is a festival of happiness celebrated by Hindus all around the world. It is five continuous days, each day having an ideal or thought and being based on a legend. The legends differ based on what part of the world Diwali is being celebrated in (Festival). It is the harmony between these five ideas that makes Diwali such a special festival for Hindus (Diwali: Festival). New clothes are worn, gifts are exchanged, and sweets are baked (Festival). Diwali translates into â€Å"row of lamps† and involves the lighting of small oil lamps, which signifies the victory of good over evil. Diwali is the Festival of Lights. It is known as the Festival of Lights because of the many lamps that are lit throughout its entirety (Festival). Diwali is usually celebrated in October or November. It began as a harvest festival, thanking God for the crops they were given, and marking the last harvest before winter. In India, the blessing of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, is sought for agriculture. Hindus would pray for the success at the beginning of a new fiscal year. The day after the ending of Diwali marks the beginning of the new fiscal year. Today, this is performed by Hindus and the residents on India (Diwali—National). The first day is Dhanteras and marks the beginning of Diwali. The root word, ‘Dhan,’ means wealth. Hindus worship the goddess Lakshmi this day for prosperity. Because of this, this day has become very significant for Hindu businesses. Houses and business are decorated to welcome Lakshmi. Using rice flour, small foot prints are drawn around the homes to exemplify her long anticipated arrival (Diwali). Windows are left open to welcome Lakshmi in the home (Festival). Diyas are offered up to Lakshmi to drive away evil spirits and prayerful songs are sung to praise Lakshmi. The lighting of the diyas is said to bring good luck and is a symbol of personal illumination (Diwali). The legend behind Dhanteras is about the sixteen year of son of King Hima who was meant to die. He was to be bitten by a snake four days after he was married and on that night, his wife did not let him sleep. Rather, she lit lamps, told stories, sang songs, and blocked the door with bags of gold and silv er and ornaments. Yama Raj, the god of death, arrived disguised as a serpent and was blinded by the lights. He was unable to enter the room so he sat on the pile of ornaments and listened to the beautiful songs the wife was singing. Yama Raj left in the morning and the wife saved her husband from death. At sunset, Hindus bathe and offer up a diyas, or lamps, and sweets to Yama Raj (Diwali). The diyas lit for Yama Raj are supposed to burn into the night in reverence and adoration of Yama. Hindus pray to him for protection from death. (Diwali: Festival). The second day is Choti Diwali. Many of the activities performed throughout the first day, such as decorating the home and worshiping Lakshmi and Rama, are also performed on the second day (Diwali). This day honors the destruction of the demon Narakasur by Lord Krishna, which removed fear from the world (Diwali: Festival). Narakasur had stolen earrings from Lord Krishna’s wife and captured many daughters of the gods and saints. Lord Krishna’s wife was infuriated because of this and asked her husband to allow her to destroy Narakasur, which he permitted. Narakasur was beheaded and the daughters were released and married to Krishna. Lord Krishna spread the blood of the demon on his forehead and went home where women massaged his body with oils and bathed him (Diwali). To commemorate this, Hindus are supposed to massage their bodies with oil to rid it of tiredness, bathe, and rest, allowing them to celebrate the rest of Diwali with devotion (Diwali: Festival). .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c , .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c .postImageUrl , .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c , .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c:hover , .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c:visited , .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c:active { border:0!important; } .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c:active , .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ufda00fd48cab72016fbb7eed4a2c532c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Judaism And Hinduism : Religions That Have Impacted Their Followers EssayThe third day is Lakshmi Puja and is the main day of celebration. On the third day, Hindus light candles and diyas and place them around their homes and fireworks are set off (Dilwali: Festival). Lighting these diyas shows the people’s honor and praise to God for the harvest and all that he has given them. In some villages, those celebrating this religion decorate and worship their cows because cows are seen as the incarnation of the goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity (Diwali). Lakshmi Puja is a Hindu prayer sung in the evening to the Goddess Lakshmi for wealth and prosperity throughout one’s lifetime. It contains of the worship of five gods: Ganesha, Lakshmi in her three forms, and Kuber (Diwali). Family and friends present gifts to each other on this night. The day of the festival is determined by the position of the moon. â€Å"No moon day† or Amavasya is considered the best day for the festival to be held on, usually in November of December. The candles are lit to drive away the darkness of Amavasya. The lighting of candles on the third day holds a special importance with Hindus. To Hindus, darkness represents ignorance and the light represents knowledge. By lighting the candles, the ignorance and darkness is dispelled and destroyed. Through knowledge and light, violence, anger, injustice, suffering, and much more is scattered. Light also represents the beauty of the world and is seen as a gift from God. For this reason, Hindus view light as a symbol for what is good and positive in the world (Diwali: Festival). Homes are meant to be k ept clean and pure because Lakshmi is said to prefer cleanliness and visits the cleanest first. The lamps lit during the evening are meant to light Lakshmi’s path to the homes (Diwali). The fourth day is Padwa and Govardhan Puja. On this day, many families buy new clothing and visit family, presenting them with gifts and food. This day is symbolic of the love between husband and wife and newly married couples are given presents and invited for a special meal. The fourth day is meant to commemorate Krishna lifting Mount Govardhan. The legend says that as the people celebrated a festival to honor Lord Indra, Lord Krishna stopped them. Angry, Lord Indra sent heavy rainfall and the people became afraid, ignoring Indra. Lord Krishna then lifted the mountain top to shelter the people and ensure their safety. Annakoot, or mountain of food, is also performed to commemorate this. Many Hindus remain bake through the night to make a food offering for Krishna. While in the temples, the gods are given milk baths, dressed in bejeweled robes, and adorned with gems. Prayers are recited and the baked goods are made into the shape of a mountain to offer the food to Krishna. Hindus th en come to the mountain and accept a blessing from the gods (Diwali). The fifth and final day is Bhai Duj and marks the last day of Diwali. It is dedicated to sisters. Yama Raj, the Lord of Death, visited his sister on this day. She placed a lucky mark on his head and they had a meal together. Yama Raj proclaimed that whoever receives a mark from his sister on his head, no harm can come onto the brother. Brothers then give their sister’s gifts to show their love and appreciation for them. This tradition is still followed today (Diwali). He also declared that whoever visited her on this day their sins would be reconciled and will be able to achieve Moksha. From that day on, Hindu men have visited their sisters (Diwali: Festival). Diwali is incomplete without the last day because the fifth day is a celebration of the relationship of a brother and sister. The day consists of sharing food, giving gifts, and showing love from the deepest parts on one’s heart (Diwali). .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa , .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa .postImageUrl , .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa , .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa:hover , .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa:visited , .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa:active { border:0!important; } .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa:active , .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u452bd04ade42446ab9247d16652a8daa:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Henn An Ancient Art That Comes From The Middle East EssaySikhs and Jains also celebrate Diwali. For the Sikhs, Diwali is celebrated as the return of the sixth guru from captivity. To celebrate this, they light the path towards the Golden Temple in his honor. Diwali is one of the most important festivals for the Jains, commemorating the nirvana of Lord Mahavira (Diwali: Festival). In Christianity, Diwali can be compared to Christmas. Light is a very important aspect within Christmas. From the star that guided the shepherds to the manger to the lights hung on homes throughout the season, light is everywhere. Being in darkness has been associated with ignorance and fear, whil e being full of lights has been associated with understanding the true meaning of life. At this time, Christians are called to live in God’s light and spread his light and message to others (Festivals). Works Cited Diwali Festival. Diwali Festival. Souledout, 2014. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. Diwali: Festival of Lights. Diwali Festival. Society for the Conference of Festivals in India, 2014. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. Diwali National Geographic Kids. National Geographic. National Geographic, 2014. Web. 01 May 2014. Festival of Lights. BBC News. BBC, 2014. Web. 01 May 2014. Festivals Of Light. Festivals of Lights. SouledOut, 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 1 May 2014.

Supervalu Company Analysis free essay sample

One company that may provide investors such an opportunity is Supervalu, Inc. Supervalu is an Eden Prairie, Minnesota based retail supermarket chain that has experienced sharp drop in the value of their share over the past several years. The company has committed itself to a turn-around by replacing Wayne Sales with Sam Duncan as CEO. Duncan followed his appointment as CEO by shuffling the top management deck and bringing in a new president in charge of Save-A-Lot, the companies most important subsidiary. All this was done with the ultimate aim of speeding up the turnaround. The company is also trimming down with layoffs and selling some of its well known brand to investment group Cerberus Capital (Anderson, 2013). 2. Overview of Supervalu Supervalu is an American retail giant. It has been in business for more than a century. With over 130,000 employees, it is the third largest food retail company in the United States (after Kroger and Safeway), and ranks number seventy five on the 2012 Fortune 500 list of America’s largest companies (Forbes, 2012). We will write a custom essay sample on Supervalu Company Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page On June 2nd 2006, the company announced the purchase of Boise, Idaho based Albertsons, Inc and all of its 1,124 stores. The Supermarket News magazine’s ranking of â€Å"Top Wholesalers for 2008† put Supervalu at the very top of the list (Supermarket News, 2008). The company has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 1967. The company’s mission is served by operations consisting principally of grocery and pharmacy operations with a total of 2,432 stores with the firm also offering supply chain services for smaller retailers, serving over 4,300 retailers (Supervalu, 2012). The retail operations are supported by 22 distribution centers, and the wholesale distribution is supported by nine distribution centers, the latter of which also supply company owned stores. The company benefits from a solid level of diversification with a number of different brands targeting different markets, including Acme, Albertsons and Shop ‘n Save brands. The company owns 1,102 traditional food retail stores, as well as 397 hard discount stores trading under the Save-A-Lot brand name (Supervalu, 2012). In addition the company also licenses the Save-A-Lot brand to 935 independent operators. With what seems to be a successful operation, the company however still faces a number of uphill battles with the last three years reporting significant losses and extreme pressure from competitors. In 2012 CEO Craig Hackert in charge since 2009 was replaced by company chairman Wayne Sales. A move that saw a sharp drop in share prices was met eight months later with Sales’ own firing and replacement with newcomer Sam Duncan in January of this year with the aim of accelerating the company’s turnaround. There have been significant problems including massive losses and decline in revenue production. Measures are now being taken to limit losses, slash cost and regain sales, including the sale of non-profitable brands as well as a shakeup in top management as discussed earlier. However, issues such as high levels of debt, a low level of equity and difficult trading conditions may persist for some time. In order to assess the organization as a potential investment, it is necessary to look at the financial analysis. 3. Financial Analysis Companies produce annual reports designed with the shareholder as the primary audience. The annual reports which are published using the standard format present the performance of the organization in the preceding 12 month period. The annual reports the 10-K in the United States – are overseen by an auditor to ensure that they reflect a true and honest picture of the company and are compiled in line with the required account standards. It should however be noted that financial reports may sometimes be rife with misleading information as was the case in recent years with Enron and WorldCom. However, for the purpose of this project, it is assumed that there are no potential misstatements. 4. 1 Summary of Statements All figures presented will be in millions of US dollars when examining the different financial statements – unless otherwise specified with the exception of per-share numbers. All figures for Supervalu, Inc. , have been extracted from the 10-k for the financial year ending February 2011 and 2012. Where industry comparisons are made, these have been taken from relevant ratio pages on MSN Money. 4. 2. 1 Income Statement The income statement, which can be found in appendix 1 is also called the Consolidated Statement of Earnings and shows that the financial year which ended on February 25th 2012 (a 52-week year) saw net sales of $36,100. This represented a deep in revenues on the previous two years as the 2011 net sales was $37,534 and the 2010 net sales was $40,597. Since 2010 the company has seen an 11. 0 percentage point decline in revenues. Some downward movement in revenue was however expected as a result of the divestments that occurred in mid to late 2011. The gross profit for the year 2012 was $8,019 which is a gross profit margin of 22. 1%. However the company saw a loss in operating profit of $519, primarily the result of high cost on intangible assets. 2012’s operating profit was still a lower loss in operating profit compared to 2011 when it was $976 and a gain of $1,201 in 2010. Net earnings are shown on the income statement. For the sake of accounting, net earnings may be presente d before or after taxes. Since Supervalu is experiencing an adverse financial climate and took advantage of a negative tax payment in 2010 and 2011, this paper will utilize the definition of net earnings as being earnings after tax. After provisions for income taxes were factored in, the company showed a loss of $1,040 or -2. 88% in net earnings in 2012. It must however be noted that this number represents an improvement on the previous year when net earnings registered a -4. 02% loss at $1,510. In 2012 there was a loss of $43. 91 per share in net earnings. This number is however an improvement from 2011 when the net loss per share was $7. 13 . It should be noted that these changes are not influences by the weighted average of outstanding share which stood at 212 million (Supervalu, 2012). The income statement highlights a company in some serious difficulties; however the numbers show encouraging signs of a rebound to better times in 2010. 3. 1. 2Balance Sheet The balance sheet referenced in Appendix 2 defines the company’s position in terms of assets and liabilities. The company experienced a drop in the value of its assets in 2012, however there was also a decrease in total liabilities overall. Current assets generally calculated as having an economic shelf life of 12 months or less fell steadily from 2010 ($3,711) to 2011 ($3,420) and 2012 ($3,225). This decline can be seen across all asset categories. Long-term assets also declined to $12,053 representing a 12. 39% drop in value. Measures to cut cost and control debt are starting to take hold as the level of current liabilities has declined year to year since 2010. The long term liabilities of the companies on the other hand have seen an upward tick with total liabilities rising from $11,524 in 2011 to $12,032 in 2012. Important to investors is the decline in the level of equity within the organization. This has gone down from $2,887 in 2010 to $1,340 in 2011 and just $21 in 2012. The balance sheet continues to paint a picture of current gloom face the organization in the near term. 3. 1. 3 Cash Flow Statement The cash flow statement in Appendix 3 shows $157 in cash and cash equivalents in hand at the end of 2012. This represented a decline in the previous two years of $211 in 2010 and $172 in 2011. This represents a gradual but consistent drop in cash and cash equivalents of the company. Significant impacts are the losses carried over into cash flow which amounted to $1,040 for 2012 and $1,510 for 2011. The net effect is a reduction in the amount of cash provided for operating activities. It is important to make note of the fact that while the company has engaged in disposing of some assets, there have also been new investment resulting in overall net investing of $484 in 2012 and $227 in 2011. Cash flow from financing activities was also negative with $291 raised from the issuance of long-term debt, but this is counteracted with $798 payment of long-term debt and capital lease obligations. This results in net cash outflow from financing activities of $587. However, this is a decline on the previous year of $975. 3. 1. 4Statement of Owners Equity The consolidated statement of stockholders equity found in Appendix 4shows the balance of equity over a period of four years, 2009-2012. The statement shows that the position of common stock has not changed, with a total of $230. The capital in excess of par has only change very slightly from $2,853 in 2009 to $2,855 in 2012. The major factor of the equity level is a deficit which resulted in a negative balance of -$1,892 at the end of 2012. When added with other accumulated losses results in a total shareholder equity in the firm of $21. This is a notable change compared to 2009 when the total balance of equity was $2,581. . 1 Ratio Analysis Ratio analysis can be used here to explore the financial position of the firm and the way in which it is performing by analyzing internal performance as well as providing a benchmark for comparison with the industry. This section puts forward some ratio analysis calculations and makes comparisons with industry averages where available. 3. 2. 1 L iquidity Liquidity is an important measure companies facing hard times. It measures the firm’s ability to survive in the short term and meet its current financial obligations (Libby et al, 2010). The current ratio and the quick ratio are the two main measure of liquidity also known as the acid test. The current ratio measures the firm’s ability to use current assets to settle current liabilities. In the case of Supervalu, there are insufficient assets available to pay current liabilities. This is however not unusual as like in many industries with rapid cash flow, a relatively low current ratio may be acceptable based on expected cash flow. Supervalu is therefore not necessarily showing any signs of mounting distress with the current ratio at 0. 0 as shown in table 1. The industry average is slightly higher, however this difference may be indicative of better use of capital – although it could also indicate cash flow issues. Table [ 1 ]: Current ratio Current ratio| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Current assets| 3,711| 3,420| 3,225|   | Current liabilities| 4,167| 3,786| 3,590|   | Current ratio| 0. 89| 0. 90| 0. 90| 1. 1| (Supervalu figures are extracted from Supervalu Inc. 10-K. Industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012). The quick ratio is another way to evaluate liquidity within a company. The idea behind this is that an organization may not be able to realize the full value of its inventory if they are required to liquidate inventory in order to pay current liabilities. Calculations for the quick ratio are similar to the current ratio minus inventory value which is deducted from the total current assets as can be seen in Table 2. Table 2: Quick ratio Quick ratio| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Current assets| 3,711| 3,420| 3,225|   | Inventory| 2,342| 2,270| 2,150|   | Net current assets| 1,369| 1,150| 1,075|   | Current liabilities| 4,167| 3,786| 3,590|   | Quick ratio| 0. 3| 0. 30| 0. 30| 0. 7| (Supervalu figures are taken from Supervalu, Inc. 10K. Industry figures are taken from Microsoft Money, 2012) 3. 2. 2Asset Management The company’s ability to manage assets will be a key deciding factor in its return to profitability. Measures of asset management include return on assets and return on equity. For Supervalu, the return on assets shows a sligh t improvement in 2012 at -8. 06% compared to -10. 00% in 2011. Table [ 3 ]: Return on assets Return on Assets| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Net income| 393| -1510| -1040|   | Total assets| 16436| 13758| 12053|   | Return on assets| 2. 31%| -10. 00%| -8. 06%| 6. 80%| (Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K, industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012) The return on equity is poor. While the actual loss has declined in 2012, the phenomenal change in the return on equity showing large losses is the results of adjustments that followed the steep decline in the level of equity. Table [ 4 ]: Return on equity Return on Equity| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Net income| 393| -1,510| -1,040|   | Equity| 2,887| 1,340| 21|   | Return on equity| 13. 60%| -112. 69%| -4952. 38%| 15. 5%| (Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K, industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012) The return on equity may not be enough to make an assessment of management’s use of assets. An alternative measure will be asset turnover (Libby et al, 2010). This analyzes the way in which assets are used to generate revenue. It will show how many times assets have been turned over in a given year. Supervalu seems to be improving efficiency in terms of utilization. They turned over assets equivalent to 2. 8 times in 2012 which was an increase from the previous two years (2. 9 times in 2011 and 2. 39 times in 2010). Looking at this in terms of industry context where the average is 2. 4 times, Supervalu appears to be improving efficiency which is positive for recovery. 3. 2. 3Debt Management The company’s debt equity ratio seems to spell doom for the future. This ratio measures the proportion of debt to equity. Compared to the industry average of 1. 03 shown in table 5 Table 5: Return on equity Debt to equity ratio| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Total debt|   | 11,524| 12,032|   | Total equity|   | 1,340| 21|   | Debt/Equity|   | 8. 6| 572. 95| 1. 03| Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K, industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012) Another measurement of debt management is the debt ratio. Supervalu’s debt ratio show s that it is in a delicate position with the majority of assets being funded by debt. Many companies have gone through similar issues due to losses in equity but have rebounded as was the case with auto maker General Motors. These numbers do not therefore signify an inability for Supervalu to rebound. 3. 2. 4 Profitability An important measure of viability is the profitability of the organization. There are various measures of profit, however in this report I shall focus on net profit margin. This is the level of profit that remains after all cost has been deducted. In this report, I shall utilize the measure after interest and taxes. As can be seen on table 6, the company is slowly digging itself out of a low point in 2011 when the net profit margin was negative 4. 02%. However in an industry where the average is 3. 24%, it is obvious the organization has a long way to go. Table 5: Return on equity Net profit margin| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Revenue (Net sales)| 40,597| 37,534| 36,100|   | Net profit| 393| -1,510| -1,040|   | Net profit margin| 0. 96%| -4. 02%| -2. 88%| 3. 24%| (Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K, industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012) 3. 2. 5Market Value There are a number of different measures of market value, the most common of which is the price earnings ratio. This is a measure that assesses Harold company will take to earn is total capitalization. However, as Supervalu is making a loss this ratio is not relevant and cannot be calculated. To assess market value a measure which may be utilized are the earnings per share. The earnings per share are shown in table 10, and are a measure of the profit, or loss, the company makes attributed to each share outstanding. As expected, this is in line with the net profit margin in table 5, with the earnings per share being -$4. 91 in 2012 falling from -$7. 12 in 2011. Table 6: Return on equity Earnings per share| 2010| 2011| 2012| Net profit| 393| -1,510| -1,040| Average share out| 213| 212| 212| Net profit margin| 1. 84%| -7. 12%| -4. 91%| (Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K 3. Competitors Supervalu is widely considered the third largest supermarket chain in the country. Its main industry peers are  Safeway, Kroger, and  Whole Food Market. Supervalu generated a steady gross margin of 22. 21% in 2012 and 22. 41% in 2011. However, the company is a loss-maker and it produced negative earnings in the previous year. Safeway, Kroger and Whole Food Market generated operating margins of 2. 37%, 1. 61%, and 6. 36%, respectively. It is clear from these gross margin numbers that the grocery industry has very slim operating margins on sales. Table 7: Competitor Analysis Figure in Million| Net Income| Long term D/E| Operating Margin %| Supervalu| -1244| Very High| -2. 1| Kroger| 728| 1. 8| 1. 61| Whole Food Market| 465| 0. 001| 6. 36| Safeway| 523| 2. 3| 2. 37| (Competitor results taken from Finviz. com) It also seems that Supervalu continued to struggle with insufficient growth in its operating activities in the last quarter of 2012. The corporations operating income fell for fiscal 2012. Furthermore, Supervalu is susceptible to financial leverage as it took on a new $2. 5 billion of debt in the third quarter of 2012 (Boehme, 2012). Supervalu needs to continue to reduce its operational cost in order to record positive results. 4. Conclusion The shedding of 877 grocery stores in a $3. 3 billion dollar deal with Cerberus Management LP in the first quarter of this year seems to have been a sign of a new and positive beginning (Dezember, 2013). The company’s stock has been one of the top performers this year; contradictory for a company still drowning in debt and declining sales. However the market has a positive outlook on the company. Since January 1st this year, shared of the company have gained a solid 133%. Supervalu closed the first day of trading this year at $2. 60 and ended the last week trading at $5. 26. Thanks to these positive numbers, both Fitch and Moody’s have upgraded their ratings on the company from negative to stable which has been a boost to investor confidence. The reduction in non-performing assets is expected to continue to improve the stability of the company. With less exposure to market volatility, the company should be able to rebound and even thrive. Decreasing the debt level will boost the balance sheet and future net revenues. 5. Recommendation Although the bullish run of Supervalu which started early this year continues, the company still has a long way to go in its quest to recover. Therefore the subjective recommendation of this report will be to hold. Based on the company’s current trend, it is very likely that within the next year the company will show even more positive signs of improvement and therefore warrant a change to a buy recommendation. If the organization is able to make a recovery it will be in a very strong position in the market as the number three grocer that also benefits from a large wholesaler and supply chain management operation. References Anderson, Jake, (January 10th 2013), Supervalu to Sell 5 Chains in $3. 3B Deal, Replace CEO. Retrieved April 13th 2013 from http://tcbmag. om/News/Recent-News/2013/January/Supervalu-to-Sell-5-Chains-in-$3-3B-Deal,-Replace Patton, Leslie, (July 30th 2012), Supervalu Names Wayne Sales CEO Amid Strategic Review. Retrieved April 13th 2013 from http://www. bloomberg. com/news/2012-07-30/supervalu-names-sales-chief-executive-officer-to-replace-herkert. html Forbes Inc. (2012), Fortune 500 List of Best Companies (2012). Retrieved April 13th 2013 from http://money. cnn. com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2012/full_list/ Supermarket News (2008, SN Top Wholesalers for 2008. Retrieved April 17th 2013 from http://supermarketnews. om/top-75-retailers-amp-wholesalers/sn-top-wholesalers-2008 Supervalu, (2012). About Supervalu. retrieved April 13th 2013 from http://www. supervalu. com/sv-webapp/about/about. jsp Boehme, Kate, (September 16th 2012), Can Supervalu Survive Its Debt? Retrieved April 18th 2013 from http://seekingalpha. com/article/869491-can-supervalu-survive-its-debt Dezember, Ryan and Hudson, Kris (January 10th 2012), Property Is Plum in Supervalu Deal. Retrieved April 18th 2013 from http://online. wsj. com/article/SB10001424127887324581504578233411904827872. html

Hamlet And Fortinbras Essays - Characters In Hamlet, Fiction

Hamlet And Fortinbras Oftentimes, the minor characters in a play can be vital and, among other things, function to further the action of the play or to reveal and illuminate the personalities of other characters. In Hamlet, Fortinbras, the Norwegian Prince, serves as the most important foil of Hamlet and provides us with the actions and emotions in which we can compare to those of Hamlet and better reveal Hamlet's own character. Because Hamlet and Fortinbras both lost their fathers and have sworn to avenge their deaths, Fortinbras is a perfect parallel of Hamlet. He was also very crucial to the play's ending and to bring a remedy to the corruption that has plagued Denmark. Fortinbras father, King of Norway, was killed during battle for control of "a little patch of ground"(4.4, 19). Fortinbras' uncle claims the throne of Norway just as Hamlet's uncle takes the throne at Denmark. The deaths of Hamlet Sr. and Fortinbras Sr. directly link the common destiny of Fortinbras to that of Hamlet, to avenge the death of his father. It is because of this that the two young soldiers can be compared to each other. Fortinbras' taking action after his reasoning is contrasting to Hamlet's continual lackadaisical steps towards revenge. Hamlet realizes this and comtrasts himself to Fortinbras in his "How stand I then"(4.4, 59) speech and labels Fortinbras as a man of action and labels himself as a procrastinator whose words lead to no action. Hamlet calls him "a tender prince"(4.4, 51) after speaking with a captain in his army and hearing of Fortinbras' progress. It is inspiring to Hamlet and it pushes him forward in carrying out his plan to kill Claudius. Hamlet's last lines, "How all occasions...my thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth!"(4.5, 34-69) say that Fortinbras has won him over from any further doubts and Hamlet, too, wishes to become a man of action who is ready to take his revenge at any cost. It can be said that Fortinbras is an energetic leader and soldier with clear intentions from the way he can quickly assemble his men to attack Poland. Although Fortinbras says that Hamlet was a soldier, too, "and for his passage, the soldier's music..."(5.2, 444-445), the reader sees Hamlet only as a scholar because he seems to only think things out rather than take action. Though, Fortinbras' statement helps us understand that Hamlet was once indeed a good soldier. Scene two of the last act of Hamlet reveals the true character of Fortinbras. After arriving at Elsinore, he immediately acts upon seeing the disturbing scene, much like he acts in battle, "Let four captains bear Hamlet like a soldier..."(5.2, 441-450). Fortinbras is necessary to the storyline and he is important to the resolution of the corruption in Elsinore Castle, "Something rotten in Demark"(1.5, 100). He is needed to correct the corruptness, as he is the only noble left to claim the throne, the task he had ironically set out for, and because he desires to fight for glory and to expand his empire, he is fitted by character to inherit the Kingdom of Sr. Hamlet. This action completes the play and brings all loose ends together. Bibliography Bibliography Mowat, Barbara A. Hamlet. Washington Square Press of Pocket Books. New York, NY: 1992.

How to Help an Attention-Seeking Child in the Classroom

How to Help an Attention-Seeking Child in the Classroom Its not uncommon for children in the classroom to do things to get your attention. Too much attention-seeking can be disruptive, causing trouble and creating distractions. The attention-seeking child will often interrupt a lesson by blurting something out. Their desire for attention is almost insatiable, so much so that the child often doesnt seem to care whether the attention they receive is positive or negative. In many cases, it doesnt even seem to matter how much attention you give them. The more you give, the more they seek. Causes of Attention-Seeking Behavior The attention-seeking child is in need of more attention than most. They seem to have something to prove and dont take as much pride intrinsically as they do extrinsically. This child may not have a sense of belonging. They may also suffer from low self-esteem, in which case they will need some help building their confidence. Sometimes, the attention-seeker is simply immature. If this is the case, adhere to the interventions below and the child will eventually outgrow their craving for attention. Interventions As a teacher, it is important to remain calm in the classroom even in the face of frustration. The attention-seeking child will always present challenges, and you must deal with them in an even-handed way. Remember that your ultimate goal is to help the child become confident and independent. When a childs attention-seeking becomes disruptive, sit down with them and explain that you have a number of children to work with each day. Provide them with a period of time that is just for them. Even a two-minute period before or after recess (a period where you can devote your attention exclusively to them) can be very helpful. When the child begs for attention, remind them of their scheduled time. If you stick with this strategy, you will find that it can be quite effective.Promote intrinsic motivation by asking the child to describe what they like about their work or how they performed. This is a great way to encourage self-reflection and help the child build confidence.Always commend the child on their improvement.During the childs special time, take time to boost their confidence by offering some inspiring words.Provide the child with responsibilities and a leadership role from time to time.Never forget that all children need to know that you care about them and that they ca n contribute in a positive way. It took the child a long time to become an extreme seeker of attention. Be patient and understand that it will take some time for them to unlearn this behavior. Remember that students, especially young students, dont always know what appropriate behavior is. Take time to teach them about appropriate interactions, responses, anger management, and other social skills. Use role-play and drama to help students understand other peoples feelings and perspectives.When you notice bullying, take the students involved aside and ask the bully to apologize directly to the victim. Hold students accountable for their harmful behavior.Have a zero-tolerance policy in place that is well understood.As much as possible, recognize and reward positive behavior.

Organizational Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organizational Management - Term Paper Example The range of theories on leadership highlights the multidimensional nature of the concept. However, the primary theories of leadership such as trait theory, behavioral theory, and contingency theory have more or less remained the same. This paper on Leadership Theories, studies the various theories of leadership against the background of U.S. military, and explores the manner in which these theories influence the various aspects of the military as an organization. The armed forces continuously seek to improve their efficiency and leadership by evaluating various forms of leadership and application of various leadership principles. In order to achieve effective leadership, the army relies on both the traditional as well as contemporary leadership theories and instances of effective leadership drawn from corporate organizations and applies the same within their own setting. According to the army, the term leadership is defined as â€Å"influencing people by providing purpose, directio n, and motivation, while operating to accomplish the mission and improve the organization† (NA, 2004, p.5). The various concepts and theories of leadership as it pertains to the U.S. Army are described in the following sections. Leadership in the U.S. Army: The army believes in effective leadership which aims to not only motivate the followers / soldiers but also ensure that they are trained appropriately to enhance their skills. The officers in the army are likely to encounter various critical situations in their day to day lives, and particularly in cases of war, where they are entrusted with a responsibility to lead their troops safely and successfully towards the final accomplishment of their missions. The leaders in the army, hence, are expected to motivate their followers, and apply their skill, personal and ethical values, tactical expertise and most of all, lead them fearlessly towards their common goals. Leadership as observed in various cases, comprises of a wide var iety of elements and characteristics, and hence in order to truly understand the true essence of leadership as applied in various forms of organizations and organizational sectors, it is essential to study various theories and models of leadership, as there is no single and right way to study leadership. It is multidimensional in nature, and every theory can be applied differently in different situations. It must be taken into consideration that in order to become a good leader, the application of various theories of leadership is essential, one theory alone cannot help in making a good and efficient leader. The primary theories of leadership, discussed in the following section, help in understanding various leadership theories and the various ways in which these leadership theories can be and are implemented by the U.S. Army. Primary Leadership theories: The primary theories of leadership include trait theory, behavior theory and contingency theory but for the purpose of this study other theories of leadership such as transformational theory and servant-leadership style, and the situational leadership theories are also included for a broader understanding. Trait theory Northhouse (2007, p.3) the term leadership refers to a process by which an individual seeks to influence the others for the accomplishment of a common goal. The leaders seek to motivate their subordinates to achieve the common organizational goals based on their own personal characteristics such as

Senior Project - Team Video Analysis Report Essay

Senior Project - Team Video Analysis Report - Essay Example 3. Order systems are not integrated which is slowing the process of shipping. As Warren and Jack discuss the current systems, it is clear that the process is extending the wait time to an untenable period of time for both the economic efficiency of the company and in the wait time for the consumer. 4. The system as they process orders is being stalled at the book storage area. 5. The meeting that was used to convince Elizabeth was not successfully presented. Elizabeth’s concerns about finances were only addressed in a cursory way, thus she comes out of the meeting with low confidence about how it will be received by the board. 6. While the new integration process has potential, the project calls for the use of some of the existing employees in the IT department, but there is no discussion as to how their current duties will be handled while they are on the new project. This is likely to incur extra costs on the backend. Week 3 Problem 1 The problem that Debbie has noted in the post-purchase system where customer service is concerned is an example of the problems that the company has with a lack of integrated systems in which the entire process of purchasing has been considered. The specific issues that have emerged with post consumer relations are quite easily fixed for the initial problems by first creating a more consumer friendly directory for contacting the company on the website and then by second making the menus for the telephone system more user friendly and less time consuming. Because of the time spent handling the complaints about the system, the efficiency of post-consumer purchase is hampered. Thus, in making these two simple changes, the most important aspect of the purchase process is saved – that which gives the consumer a good experience and encourages them to repeat their business. Problem 2 The organization is failing to meet expectations where the management of knowledge is concerned. Because the information is given out in dos es to those involved in projects, it is clear that decisions are being made without full exploration of the problems that are likely to arise. Elizabeth seems to be the last to know and isn’t given a full picture of what is required rather than at the head of the enterprise. In the process of deciding how to increase productivity, she is listening to only one idea that has a high price tag without considering alternatives, thus she does not have a wide knowledge of the possible solutions. She needs to insist on options so that she approaches the problem with a wider level of information, which is then shared with all who would be involved. Problem 3 The system is not being run at the efficiency that it could be run, but the proposed project to increase the efficiency is both costly and will consume a great deal of man hours. It is clear that alternatives need to be explored. Alternatives need to be explored by Warren so that he is sure that Jack’s proposal is the best possible solution, both financially and towards the increased efficiency. Problem 4 The focus, just as it is in Jack’s plan, is to increase the efficiency at the book storage area. This area requires people power rather than automation which is decreasing time efficiency. However, Jack’s plan automates this area and will change the labor needs. The costs of the labor in balance with the costs of the new system should be weighed, thus challenging the need to lose employees and whether or not

The Logan family Essay Example for Free

The Logan family Essay Compare how Charles Dickens and Mildred D Taylor portray the social and personal problems of the main characters in Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry and Oliver Twist. Who overcomes their problems more successfully? Roll of thunder hear my cry is a book written by Mildred D Taylor about racial prejudice in 1930s Mississippi. The main character is a small black girl called Cassie Logan and the story is mainly about the social difficulties that Cassie and her family face due to prejudice. Oliver twist is a book written by Charles Dickens about discrimination due to social class. The book is set in 19th century London. The main character is a small orphaned boy called Oliver and the book follows his journey towards finding his fortune and family history. The main characters of these two books actually have more in common than it may at first seem Cassie Logan is a nine-year-old black child who lives in Mississippi surrounded by her family and friends. The Logan family have their own land although many other families are sharecroppers on land owned by mr Harlan Granger, a moderately rich white man who used to own the Logans land and tries to get it back from them throughout the story. Towards the end of the book, TJ, a friend of Staceys (Cassies older brother who is around the same age as him) is involved in a robbery along with two white boys who lay he blame on TJ when they are later found out. A lynch mob then comes after TJ with the intension of hanging him. Mr Logan sets his cotton field on fire as a distraction and blacks and whites are momentarily united as they try to extinguish the fire. Roll of thunder is told in the first person narrative through Cassies eyes. It addresses such issues as the importance of good parents as many children around the Logans such as TJ and the Sims get into a lot of trouble as a result of poor or weak parents. Oliver twist is a small boy who is orphaned in a workhouse under the management of mr bumble. Here he is underfed and one day asks for more food. This results in him being sent to mr Sowebery to work as an apprentice. Here he is bullied by Noah Claypole and runs away to London. He finds himself in the hands of a pickpocket called Fagin who befriends Oliver along with many of his young apprentices. Oliver then meets Mr Brownlow, a well off respectable gentleman who he discovers at the end of the story was in fact a friend of his fathers He stays with mr Brownlow for a while before he is captured again by Fagin. Later in the story, we meet monks, Olivers half brother who is out to get Olivers Inheritance, which we find to be a small fortune. Oliver also meets other family members and at the end of the story, finds himself in a comfortable family situation Cassie and Oliver are two very different characters but in fact they have quite a lot in common. Cassie Logan is a very loud and outspoken child. She always speaks her mind and is, unknowingly, sometimes offensive to other people in doing this. She is quite a rounded character who appreciates her family and true friends. She often deals with difficult situations by becoming aggressive, which does not always work to her advantage. Oliver however, unlike Cassie, is a very quiet and meek child. Even though he lives in a poor, working class community he is very well spoken and good. He is a stereotype of a good and honest child. Where Cassie would become aggressive when threatened, Oliver would rather run away from his troubles. He can however, become violent if provoked, especially by insults to his mother as we learn from his fight with Noah Claypole. Both children face many similar problems in their stories but the writers portray them in different ways. Both children face prejudice but for different reasons, Cassie because of race and Oliver because of his social class. Cassie Logan, like Oliver has the problem of poverty. Logan family have their own land, which means that they are economically free. The children are constantly reminded of how much this means. Papa says to Cassie You aint never had to live. on nobodys place but your own and as long as I live and this family survives youll never have to. Despite this they do still struggle with money. The children do not have new clothes when they need them, they do not have shoes in the summer and mama is often complaining about the food supply. Just one tablespoon of baking powder, and not so heaping The Logans are however, better off than many other families such as the Averys who are sharecroppers on Granger land and can never break out of the cycle of owing money to the Wallaces because of the credit system. Cassie, along with the rest of the black community, faces many examples of racial prejudice. Her incident in Strawberry with Mr Simms is a good example of this. Firstly Cassie is made to wait whilst Mr Barnett helps the white customers in the shop who have arrived after her. When she complains about this, she is twice insulted by Mr Barnett and leaves the shop with Stacey. you was helping us, I said backing to the front of the counter again. well you just get your little black self back over there and wait some more When Cassie bumps accidentally into Lillian Jean, her initial apology is not accepted.

Positive deviance study of malnutrition

Positive deviance study of malnutrition Introduction Malnutrition is the underlying cause of every one out of two deaths in children under 5 years of age. Bryce J, Boschi-Pinto C, Shibuya K, Black RE, and the WHO Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group. WHO estimates of the causes of death in children. Lancet 2005; 365: 1147-52. It is a largely preventable cause of over a third-3.5 million- of all child deaths. Four-Fifths of undernourished children live across 4 regions-Africa, Asia, Western Pacific and the Middle East-. These are high priority nations for action. The first of the millennium development goals was to half between 1990 and 2015 the proportion of people who suffer from hunger. U.N.Mellinium Project 2005. Halving hunger:It can be done. London and Sterling, VA:Task force on hunger, 2005. Nutrition is a neglected aspect of child health which is not justifiable as we know that it is a major risk factor for disease. Lopez AD, Mathers CD, Ezzati M, Jamison DT, Murray CJL. Global and regional burden of disease and risk factors, 2001:systematic analysis of population health data. Lancet 2006: 367:1747-57. Inappropriate feeding practices and their consequences are major obstacles to sustainable socioeconomic development and poverty reduction. Governments will be unsuccessful in their efforts to accelerate development in any significant long-term sense until optimal child growth and development, especially through appropriate feeding practices, is ensured. WHO Global Strategy on Infant Young Child Feeding Report of the Secretariat 55th World Health Assembly, April 2002(5) The indicator by which progress is measured is the prevalence of underweight in children under five, specifically, the percentage of children aged 0-59 months who fall below minus two standard deviations from the median weight for age of the standard reference population. http://www.unicef.org/progressforchildren/2006n4/index_undernutrition.html World Bank Report on 11th May 2006, there is a dominant focus on food supplementation that detracts from aspects that are more crucial for improving child nutritional outcomes, such as improving mothers feeding and caring behavior For example, only 40 percent of Indian mothers practice exclusive breastfeeding. Also delivery of services is not sufficiently focused on the youngest children (under three), who could potentially benefit most from ICDS interventions Growth-faltering starts during pregnancy, and approximately 30 percent of children in India are born with low birth weight, and by the age of two years most lifetime growth retardation has taken place, and is largely irreversible The flowchart below depicts the interactions between underlying and immediate causes of malnutrition The Positive Deviance concept which forms the basis of this study focuses on two direct behavioural causes of malnutrition at the household level, namely inadequate dietary intake and disease prevention. This study measures childhood malnutrition using the new growth standards that have been recently released by the World Health Organization. The new standards are based on children from Brazil, Ghana, India, Norway, Oman and the US and adopt a fundamentally prescriptive approach designed to describe how all children should grow rather than merely describing how children grew in a single reference population at a specified time. Garza C, de Onis M. (for the WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study Group). Rationale for developing a new international growth reference. Food Nutr Bull 2004; 25 (Suppl. 1): S5-14. Magnitude of Malnutrition Malnutrition is a widely prevalent problem in India and one of astonishing magnitude. According to the National Family Health Survey 3 (NFHS III, 2005-06), about a third of Indias children are born underweight, about 44 percent of children under five are underweight, 48 percent are stunted, 20 percent are wasted and 70 percent are anaemic. NFHS II (1992-93), more than half (53%) of children below four years of age are under nourished. In 1998, 29.1% children between 1-5 years of age suffered from moderate and 12.3% from severe under nutrition. This shows only a gradual decrease in the prevalence of under nutrition in India over twelve years. Nutritional adequacy is one of the key determinants of the health and well being of the children. Under-nourishment not only retardsphysical developmentbut also hampers the learning and cognitive process, leading to sluggish educational, social and economic development, according to Sanjeev Kumar in his study Malnutrition in Children of the Back ward States of India and the ICDS Programme. According to the NFHS III data, Tamil Nadu, although considered one of the better performing states, recorded to have nearly 35% of its rural children as undernourished. This value was certainly lower than the national rural average of 49%, but according to the NNMB survey based on the NCHS standards in 2001, there was a rise in the levels of severe malnutrition in both boys and girls in the under 5 age group in Tamil Nadu Therefore the focus of this study is to investigate how some children living in the same surroundings escape the ill-effects of malnutrition and thrive in spite of poverty and limited resources, and use these practices to eliminate malnutrition among the rest. The Positive Deviance Approach and its benefits Positive Deviance is based on the fact that solutions to some community problems already exist within the community and need to be discovered. It is a strength-based or asset-based approach based on the belief that in every community there are certain individuals (Positive Deviants) whose special, or uncommon, practices and behaviours enable them to find better ways to prevent malnutrition than their neighbours who share the same resources and face the same risks. Through a dynamic process called the Positive Deviance Inquiry (PDI), these practices are discovered to contribute to a better nutritional outcome in under nourished child This intervention is designed to enable families with malnourished children to learn and practice these and other beneficial behaviours. The programme actively involves the mother and child in rehabilitation and learning in a home like situation and work to enable the families to sustain the childs enhanced nutritional status at home. The typical session consists of nutritional rehabilitation and education over a twelve-day period followed by home visits. The development of a community-based nutrition rehabilitation model called PD/Hearth was promoted by USAID and other international organizations such as UNICEF. The Hearth approach In the Hearth approach, caregivers of malnourished children practice new cooking, feeding, hygiene and caring behaviours shown to be successful for rehabilitating malnourished children. The selected practices come from both the findings of the Positive Deviance Inquiry and emphasis behaviours highlighted by public health experts. The Hearth session consists of nutritional rehabilitation and education over a twelve-day period followed by home visits. The Hearth approach promotes behaviour change and empowers caregivers to take responsibility for nutritional rehabilitation of their children using local knowledge and resources. After two weeks of being fed additional high-calorie foods, children become more energetic and their appetites increase. Visible changes in the child, coupled with the learning by doing method, results in improved caregiver confidence and skills in feeding, child care, hygiene and health-seeking practices. Improved practices, regardless of mothers education levels, enhance child growth and development. This approach successfully reduces malnutrition in the target community by enabling community members to discover the wisdom of Positive Deviant mothers and to practice this wisdom in the daily Hearth sessions. Positive Deviance/Hearth is an effective tool in discovering the solutions from within. Need for the Study Maternal and child under nutrition is highly prevalent in low and middle income countries like ours, resulting in increased mortality and overall disease burden. It is well recognised that among the basic and underlying causes of under nutrition include environmental and economic factors with poverty having a central role. Thus for a sustainable solution to this very common problem, there needs to be an ecological and holistic approach rather than the current and commonly used approach of the government giving supplementary feeds to those who are malnourished. The latter approach not only puts a financial strain on the government but also make the community members dependent on this external aid. Therefore this study concentrates on identifying affordable and sustainable solutions within a community which can be used to prevent undernutrition. This approach is also not resource hungry unlike the traditional approaches where the focus is on finding and fixing what is wrong and missing in the community rather than identifying what is already working and build on the strengths of existing healthy practices within the community that is protecting them from undernutrition even though they are faced with same constraints of resources. This approach is known as the Positive Deviance approach. Knowledge shared through this approach not only changes behaviour but also changes how a community perceives malnutrition and their ability to change the situation. The Positive Deviant approach has been shown in other studies and projects to quickly eliminate malnutrition and through the sustainable new behaviour; the younger siblings have also received these benefits. Positive deviance is a successful approach to decrease malnutrition and has enabled hundreds of communities the world over to reduce and prevent malnutrition. This approach is also culturally acceptable which helps bring about change in our society. However, there are only a few studies that use this concept to reduce malnutrition in India, whereas the potential here is very high. And , although Tamil Nadu has shown gains in terms of reduction of the problem of malnutrition, it still has a high percentage of malnourished children and therefore this study was undertaken to estimate prevalence in fourteen villages within the rural field practice area of the department of community medicine of PSG Institute of Medical Science and Research and explore the feasibility, sustainability and effectiveness of combating the problem by using the Positive Deviance concept and approach. Tamil Nadu has a high prevalence of malnutrition. Recently, there has been a paradigm shift in the primary focus from Management of Malnutrition to Prevention of Malnutrition. Towards achieving this, strategies and activities have been proposed under various components for the year 2006-07 with priority for greater attention on the health and nutritional status, by the Government of Tamil Nadu. One of the guiding principles suggested to help achieve Malnutrition free Tamil Nadu, is effective nutrition intervention, and communication to bring about behavioural change. To help achieve this goal, this study was undertaken in fourteen villages under the rural field practice area of the department of community medicine of PSG Institute of Medical Science and Research using the Positive Deviance concept. Objectives To estimate the prevalence of under 3yrs undernutrition in 14 villages of Vedapatti. To identify Positive Deviant practices in the community. To rehabilitate undernourished children identified in the most affected village. To reassess families at their homes after 6 months and ensure sustainability of Positive Deviant practices. Review of literature Classification of under nutrition Under nutrition is defined as the outcome of insufficient food intake and repeated infectious diseases. It includes being underweight for ones age, too short for ones age (stunted), dangerously thin for ones height (wasted) and deficient in vitamins and minerals (micronutrient malnutrition) according to UNICEF. Low weight for age is termed as underweight. Weight for age classifications are widely used in assessing nutritional status of children as it gives a picture of both acute and chronic onset malnutrition. The earlier classifications include Gomez, Indian Association of Paediatrics, and Welcome. These classifications use different reference standards, but the current recommended standards are the WHO references. This study uses the WHO references to classify underweight. In a study done by Bridget Fenn and Mary E. Penny across three countries, fewer children were classified as underweight according to the WHO classification when compared to the NCHS reference standards. Another study done by Marc-Andre Prost et al showed contrasting results. The WHO standards gave a prevalence of underweight 3.6 times higher early in infancy,0 4 months (6.1% against 1.7%) and half the estimated prevalence of the NCHS reference in the second half of infancy, 11 15 months(6.6% against 13.6%) Implication of New WHO Growth Standards on Identification of Risk Factors and Estimated Prevalence of Malnutrition in Rural Malawian Infants Marc-Andre ´ Prost1*, Andreas Jahn1,2, Sian Floyd1, Hazzie Mvula2, Eleneus Mwaiyeghele2, Venance Mwinuka2, Thomas Mhango2, Amelia C. Crampin1,2, Nuala McGrath1,2, Paul E. M. Fine1, Judith R. Glynn1 In a study done by P.R. Deshmukh et al , in Anji, Maharashtra, the prevalence of underweight as assessed by WHO standards was significantly lower when compared with the assessment based on NCHS reference (p0.05). Newly Developed WHO Growth Standards : Implications for Demographic Surveys and Child Health Programs P.R. Deshmukh, A.R. Dongre, S.S. Gupta and B.S. Garg Prevalence of under nutrition The World Bank estimates that India is ranked 2nd with 47% after Bangladesh for the most number of children who suffer with malnutrition (in 1998). The prevalence of underweight children in India is among the highest in the world, and is nearly double that of Sub-Saharan Africa with dire consequences for mobility, mortality, productivity and economic growth. According to the National family health survey -3 the percentage of under 3 children who were underweight in Tamilnadu were 33.2 % (31.3% in the urban areas and 34.8% in rural areas) The National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau observed that in about 40% of the households, the intake of dietary energy by preschool children was inadequate. About 55% of the preschool age children were underweight, 52% were stunted and 15% were wasted. In a study done by Bhanderi D et al, the prevalence of under weight (wt. for age below 2SD) was 43.67%. An epidemiological study of health and nutritional status of under five children in semi-urban community of Gujarat. Bhanderi D, Choudhary SK. A study done to find the prevalence of malnutrition in Uttar Pradesh showed that the maximum over all prevalence of malnutrition was in the age group of 13-24 months. The maximum number of grade IV malnutrition was found in the age group 25-36 months. Harishankar, Shraddha Dwivedi, S.B. Dadral, D.K. Walia, Nutritional status of children under 6 years of age Indian Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine. Vol. 35 No.3 4 2004 Methods of assessing nutritional status Nutritional assessments can be done by both direct and indirect methods. The method used can result in a wide variation in the prevalence of malnutrition. P. Mohanan et al in their study evaluated the efficacy of Body Mass Index, Mid-Arm Circumference and Weight-for-age in detecting Malnutrition in terms of sensitivity, specificity and predictive value and concluded that weight-for-age is the best indicator. P.Mohanan, A.Kamath, B.Motha, M.Philip. Evaluation of Anthropometric Indices of Malnutrition in under-five children. Indian Journal of Public Health 1994 July-September;28 (3); 91-94. A Comparison of Anthropometric Methods for Assessing Nutritional Status of Preschool Children in the Philippines was done to identify the most reliable anthropometricmeasurements that reflect nutritional status and the Dugdales nutritional index, weight/height, was a reliable measurement for malnutrition. This is exceptionally useful when the age of the child is not know. A Comparison of Anthropometric Methods for Assessing Nutritional Status of Preschool Children: The Philippines Study Marilyn D. Johnson, MS,William K. Yamanaka, PhDandCandelaria S. Formacion, MS Factors associated with malnutrition Gender A case-controlled study conducted in a rural area in Tamil Nadu, India, on 97,000 children showed that female gender was a significant risk factor for malnutrition. YALE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 70 (1997), pp. 149-160. Copyright C 1997. All rights reserved. A Case-Control Study of Maternal Knowledge of Malnutrition and Health-Care-Seeking Attitudes in Rural South India Kaori Saito, Joshua R. Korzenika, James F. Jekel and Sara Bhattacharji Also another study in Tamilnadu on a total of 2954 children attending the TamilNadu Integrated Nutrition Project (TINP), showed that there was an association between female sex and malnutrition. In this study the malnourished children were referred to as negative deviants. Use of Positive-Negative Deviant Analyses to Improve Programme Targeting and Services: Example from the TamilNadu Integrated Nutrition Project MEERA SHEKAR, JEAN-PIERRE HABICHT AND MICHAEL C LATHAM Girls showed only a slightly higher level of prevalence of malnutrition in the study done by The Research and Special Studies Division of the Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka A study done in the slums of Chandigarh on 1286 preschool children found no significant gender difference. This study shows similar reports as our study in Vedapatti. H.M. Swami, J.S.Thakur, S.P.S.Bhatia, Vikas Bhatia. Nutriotional status of preschool children in an ICDS block of Chandigarh. Journal og Indial Medical Association; 99(10): 554-556 The sex of the child was found to be significantly high in association to malnutrition. The percentage of female children that were malnurished was higher in school going children. Epidemiology of malnutrition in a rural field practice are of Navi Mumbai By Sumedha Joshi and Santosh S. Walgankar Indian Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine Vol 35, 1 and 2, 2004 Mothers Literacy The Research and Special Studies Division of the Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka, undertook a methodological study to investigate the prevalence of malnutrition in children under five years of age, and the factors contributing to such a situation. The study found that 25% of pre-school children that were undernourished had mothers who had not gone beyond the primary level of school education. The effected proportion dropped to 11% when the mother has had at least secondary education. Mother literacy was found in this study to have a positive effect on bringing down the incidence of malnutrition in socio-economically backward villages around Agra. Positive Deviance determinants in Young Infants in rural Uttar Pradesh by Vani Sethi1, Sushma Kashyap1, Veenu Seth1 and Siddharth Agarwal, Department of Foods and Nutrition, Lady Irwin College, New Delhi, India. Indian Journal of Pediatrics Volume 74, June 2007. Sandip Kumar et al in a study among 600 under 5 children in West Bengal showed that illiteracy of both parents was a significant risk factor for malnutrition. Sandip Kumar Ray, Anima Halder, Biswajit Biswas, Raghunath Mishra, Satish Kumar. Epidemiology of Under Nutrition. Indian Journal of Pediatrics 2001 November: 68:1025-1030. Socio-economic status This study in 2003 on 4187 children showed contrasting results in Nigeria. The southeast and southwest regions had large inequalities between the poor and the rich whereas northeast and northwest regions had a considerably small gap between the rich and the poor on malnutrition. Using extended concentration and achievement indices to study socioeconomic inequality in chronic childhood malnutrition: the case of Nigeria Olalekan A Uthmancorresponding author1,2 A study done in 1000 under 5 children in Rajasthan showed that 82% of the malnourished children belonged to the socio economic classes 4 and 5. Nutritional disorders in rural Rajasthan A.L.Soni1, R.N.Singh1and B.D.Gupta. Indian Journal of Peadiatrics, May, 1980,Vol 47: 199-202. A case-control study of maternal knowledge of malnutrition and health-care-seeking attitudes in rural Tamilnadu, showed that socio-economic status was a stronger risk factor for malnutrition than health-care availability and health-care-seeking attitudes. A case-control study of maternal knowledge of malnutrition and health-care-seeking attitudes in rural South India, Saito K,Korzenik JR,Jekel JF,Bhattacharji S. Birth order The study done by Vani Sethi et al also evaluated other factors that contribute to malnutrition in the society and found that third or earlier born infants escaped malnutrition Positive Deviance determinants in Young Infants in rural Uttar Pradesh by Vani Sethi1, Sushma Kashyap1, Veenu Seth1 and Siddharth Agarwal21Department of Foods and Nutrition, Lady Irwin College, New Delhi, India. Indian Journal of Pediatrics Volume 74, June 2007 Another study in Uttar Pradesh observed that grade III malnutrition was absent in the children whose birth order was one and two. A significant rise in Malnutrition was found in the children of birth order IV and above. Health and Population Perspectives Issues 4(2):106-112, 1981 A community based, cross-sectional study was conducted in the Mollasimla village of Hooghly district of West Bengal, showed a significantly higher proportion of malnutrition was found to be present among female children of higher birth order and those belonging to families with lower per capita income compared to the males. Gender inequality in nutritional status among under five children in a village in Hooghly district, West Bengal. Dey I,Chaudhuri RN. PROTEIN ENERGY MALNUTRITION IN CHILDREN A CASEFOR THE NEED OF A PLANNED FAMILY Deoki Nandan*, J. V. Singh** and B. C Srivastava A study done by Harishankar et al showed that the highest percentage of malnourished children was seen in the first born children (47.2%) and the least in children with birth order 3 and above (17.8%) Harishankar, Shraddha Dwivedi, S.B. Dadral, D.K. Walia,Nutritional status of children under 6 years of age Indian Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine. Vol. 35 No.3 4 2004 Spacing The same study in Uttar Pradesh, by Deoki Nandan et al also studied the relationship to spacing and malnutrition showed that there was a direct association between Protein energy Malnutrition and less spacing between sibilings. Health and Population Perspectives Issues 4(2):106-112, 1981. Protein Energy Malnutrition In Children A Case For The Need Of A Planned Family Deoki Nandan*, J. V. Singh** and B. C Srivastava Studies using Positive Deviance concepts The successful application of the PD approach has been documented in more than 41 countries in nutrition and a variety of other sectors from public health to education to business. Positive deviance is not specific to nutrition practices, but can be used for many other behaviours. Ref:http://www.positivedeviance.org/PD_Evaluation_Report_for_DEPKES_FINAL.pdf Positive Deviance was used in two Colombian hospitals to combat the spread of MRSA Infection. All hospital staff up to the security guard involved themselves by reminding the visitors to practice good hand hygiene. As a result the infection rates have dropped down my more than 75% from 1.1 infections per 1000 patient days to less than 0.2 infections per 1000 patient days. Ref: http://www.positivedeviance.org/projects/healthcare.html?id=49 In West Bengal, India, ICDS has undertaken pilots projects in the use of the PD approach in Nutrition and Child Care Program (NCCP) in 4 districts to improve the nutritional status of children under three years of age. The projects substantially decreased the number of malnourished children by promoting good care practices. The PD informed project enabled families to break the dependence on donated food, by identifying cheap locally available and bringing it daily to the NCC session to prepare and feed their malnourished children. Every month the malnourished child is weighed and in most cases, mothers find their children gaining weight between 100 and 600 gm. Ref:http://www.positivedeviance.org/projects/nutrition.html?id=77 Ref:http://www.unicef.org/india/nutrition_1557.htm In 1990 Save the Children initiated a PD program in Viet Nam to enable poor villages to address the pervasive problem of childhood malnutrition. At that time 60% of children under the age of 5 suffered from malnutrition in Viet Nam. The initial pilot project was in the first 4 villages. In each of the villages, six of the poorest families with well nourished kids were chosen and caretakers were questioned and observed. In every instance where a poor family had a well-nourished child, the mother or father was collecting tiny shrimps or crabs or snails (the size of one joint of one finger) from the rice paddies and adding these to the childs diet along with the greens from sweet potato tops. Although readily available and free for the taking, the conventional wisdom held these foods to be inappropriate, or even dangerous, for young children. Along with these food and atypically strict hand hygiene in 5 of the 6 PD households, other positive deviant behaviors emerged, involving frequenc y and method of feeding and quality of care and health-seeking behaviors. Through the PD inquiries, community members had discovered for themselves what it took for a very poor family to have a well-nourished child. Rehabilitation started as for two weeks every month, mothers or other caretakers would bring their malnourished children to a neighbors house for a few hours every day. Together with the health volunteer, they would prepare and feed an extra nutritious meal to their children. This showed great success by reducing malnutrition by as much as 80%. The project was then applied in large scale reaching more than 2 million people and in 250 communities and sustainabily rehabiliteted 50,000 malnourished children under the age of 5. This is probably the best known and best documented large scale application of PD. Ref: http://www.positivedeviance.org/projects/nutrition.html?id=105 In Nepal a PD project to cover more than 8000 children under 3 years of age from 15 very disadvantaged communities was started with an aim of reducing child malnutrition in a sustainable manner. Positive practices regarding child feeding, caring, health seeking and maternity care are identified from the poor families having well nourished children through the PDI and then are made accessible to the families with malnourished children through a learning by doing process. Ref: http://www.positivedeviance.org/projects/countries.html?id=82 In the year 2000 a Positive Deviance Inquiry to identify specific behaviors and strategies that contribute to healthy pregnancy outcomes amongst poor women was conducted. The inquiry determined that mothers-in-law played a central role in assisting women in obtaining medical care. Low-income women with weight gain greater than 1.5 kg per month in the second trimester of pregnancy reported multiple antenatal care contacts, increased rest during pregnancy, and more consumption of meat and vegetables. These results were incorporated into a program for 200 women that resulted in a decrease in the prevalence of low birth weight. Ref: http://www.positivedeviance.org/projects/public_health.html?id=117 The following is illustrative of the impact of Positive Deviance over the last 15 years: Sustained 65 to 80% reduction in childhood malnutrition in Vietnamese communities, reaching a population of 2.2 million people. Significant reduction in childhood malnutrition in communities in 41 countries around the world. Reduction in neo-natal mortality morbidity in Pashtun communities in Pakistan and minority communities in Vietnam with near universal adoption of protective behaviors and social change. Estimated 50% increase in primary school student retention in 10 participating schools in Missiones, Argentina. Community intervention methods to combat under nutrition Traditional nutrition interventions include growth monitoring, counselling and the provision of supplemental foods and micronutrients But over decades the weighing of children undertaken by several National health ministries has brought little or no change to the nutritional status. In fact, in a study done by Sridhar Seetharaman, in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, it was found that the Mid Day Meal did not make any appreciable and significant impact on improving the nutritional status of the children. Impact Of Mid Day Meal On The Nutritional Status Of School Going Children, Sridhar Seetharaman, NIRD, Hyderabad Zulfiqar A Bhutta et al used a cohort model to study the interventions that affect maternal and child undernutrition and nutrition-related outcomes. The interventions included promotion of breastfeeding; strategies to promote complementary feeding, with or without provision of food supplements; micronutrient interventions; general supportive strategies to improve family and community nutrition. They found that these interventions could reduce stunting at 36 months by 36%; mortality between birth and 36 months by about 25%; and disability-adjusted life-years associated with stunting, severe wasting, intrauterine growth restriction, and micronutrient deficiencies by about 25%. Prof Zulfiqar A Bhutta PhDa, Tahmeed Ahmed PhDb, Prof Robert E Black MDc, Prof Simon Cousens PhDd, Prof Kathryn Dewey PhDe, Elsa Giuglianif, Batool A Haider MDa, Prof Betty Kirkwood PhDd, Saul S Morris PhDd, Prof HPS Sachdevg, Meera Shekar PhDhand for the Maternal and Child Undernutrition Study Group, Lancet Volume 371, 8 February 2008, Pages 417-440 Reasons for age selection Care is an important determinant of nutritional status. It determines the delivery of food and health care resources to the child by optimizing the existing resources to promote good health and nutrition in children. Ramakrishnan U. UNICEF-Cornell colloquium on care and nutrition of the young child-planning. F Nutr Bull 1995; 16: 286-92. The first two years of life are the window of opportunity to prevent early childhood undernutrition that causes largely irreversible damage. This is proved by the following studies across the world. Study shows more benefit from reaching all at-risk children

GPRS navigator Essay

Living for them is not the scenario but they have to earn a handsome income so that they can have nice bread and butter. Crime is not a thing which is always present in the blood of a person; sometimes the situation rams a person to do such crime. Many of you don’t even understand the basic definition of crime, crime is an evil act and it is very much punishable under law. Crime is not punishable under the law especially when the crime is committed in an act of self-defense. As said earlier, sometimes people are forced to take such a step to complete or accomplish the needs of the person itself and also the fellow family members. During the prosecution of a person for any type of crime, the reason for committing such crime is also taken under consideration. Now days some people commit crime in order to satisfy their needs, such as rape cases, cannibalism etc. Cannibalism is one of the crimes which can disturb the state of society. In cannibalism, a person starts eating human flesh itself. But, in this very section we have to discuss on the case of robbery which was committed by person whose main interests were playing sports which could involve many people. He only had elementary education along with few years in high school. His monthly income was very low. He was a middle aged person with a wife and children to be looked after. He was spending his livelihood in a rented house and had a semi-skilled line of work, i. e. a work of a laborer. He started living in a society to understand the term society and wanted to integrate. He knew many people in the society, and then suddenly he had to collect $4000 to pay the house rent. There were only two ways through which he could get the money, one way was to borrow from someone or the second way was to adopt the path of a criminal. In that he had two options either to supply drugs or sell stolen items. He decided to follow the path of a criminal, but in that too there were two possible ways. The option to supply drugs was very dangerous as money earned from it was very less and chances of getting caught was more but the other option which was selling of stolen goods was much better as the risk was much lesser and also the money which could be earned was more. Then he finds a friend which could help him in finding such people who buy stolen cars and then they make a list of the cars which were in demand. Then he made a list of the cars which could be easily stolen and do not have GPRS navigator or alarms. Then started the planning process in which his would help in jacking the car and helping him in taking the car. He decided to divide the money between his friend and him. Then due to his good communication skill and knowledge he started the process of stealing. He spotted a location of the car and checked the amount of risk associated with the crime, and then with the help of his friend he succeeded in jacking a car and taking to a neighboring community where he could possibly dispose off the car. He came through with the situation and earned a handsome amount of $6000, but the amount was achievable only when he could deliver another car. Then after assuring the presence of his in the next incidental, he started the planning of one more robbery in which there were less chances of being caught and the act could be carried out without any carry-on. He advanced into the next incident by finding a car which could be easily stolen and also the risk was minus. Then with the help of his fellow friend, he jacked the car and carried out the process which was against the law. He finally succeeded in selling the car and with this he earned again bounteously. With the proper execution of this act he earned an amount of $4000. Then as decided they distributed the money which they earned which was $10000, so they both earned an amount of $5000 each which was sufficient to satisfy the need of the person which was of $4000. He made the amount which was needed by him in a very less time. How can someone assure me that he will not take the same path when he is again in need of the money? Now, it is the time to learn the steps of robbery which he did to properly execute the robbery. Are you really interested? If yes, then also don’t take such a path. But I must tell you what are the skills he possessed and which are needed to perform such crime. He was already conversant with the community and also with the roads around which helped him. He had an idea of the path ways of illegal trade around and by getting to know the people who are involved he started making the gasp of the act. Then he started burglarizing the cars rather than going for simple mainstream crimes. Then gathering information of such cars which could be easily stolen and do not have GPS navigator or alarms, made him analyze the cars which were ready to be stole. Due to his command over communication skills he succeeded in getting contacts of the people who were ready to buy the stolen car and also helped him in finding a friend which could help him in carrying out the robbery as he was a car thief. Then he persuaded the dealers for a handsome amount on each robbery due to his winning over power. He then arranged some of the tools which were required for the robbery to be successfully carried out, in which he had assistance of his friend who was himself a genius in the business and knew how to quickly jack a car. Then starting he car could not be done by him if his friend would not have helped and with good handsome for each act, he was successful in accomplishing a task which was not very easy for an experienced man as well. Getting two people which could him a handsome amount for he act and also getting two cars in a span of just two days, with a very little risk of being caught also indicated the luck in his favour. But the risk increases as the serial number of the incident increases, but he still superintended the act very smartly the next day as well. This helped him in paying his debts which were the actual cause of making such a man to do such act which was actually against the law. Money and its immediate need force many people in such a direction which they very well know, that the path is not appropriate and the end results could be legal injury. This is such a kind of path which always have a inlet to allow people to enter into such a business any time, but only few succeeds in finding the outlet of this path, i. e. it is very easy to adopt this path of legal injury, but it is very difficult to get out of it almost next to impossible (only few finds a way to pass through the walls of crime). Now, it is the time to analyze what steps the police officials would possibly take to control such a situation of crime in the city. It has always been very easy for the police officials to take a control of such acts of crime in the city as in such cases there is always a possibility of evidence left behind by the criminal. In such criminal acts, the best possible way to conquer is by following the evidences which are available after the crime is successfully accomplished. The officials must always look through the point of view of a thief in order to successfully succeed in catching the thieves. They must always think that which could be the next place where the thieves would find a great deal of their business material and also a place from where these thieves could easily run away if officials would attack them. Then the police officials must look for a pattern (if exist), as in most of the high profile robberies there is link which connect all the robberies as they are pre planned. It also on the other hand very difficult to find the thieves, if there is not much evidence in the past incidents and the criminals stop their activity for some time. This situation is a self explanatory situation, as you have no evidence and there is no incident preceding to provide a hint for the next possible event and hence making it impossible for the police officials to get hold of the criminals. The criminals can only be caught, if there is a systematic procedure opted by the police officials and also they must consider each and every fact which could possibly help them to catch the criminals. By such systematic approach, proper execution of the plan with the proper support as a team can only lead to the success which the police officials are looking for and which is watching the criminals stand behind the bars. Now, I would like to give the information about one more crime which I read on internet and really one of the crimes which would affect you mentally. It is a crime which was going on from months and the police officials were not actually thinking this way, by this I mean the situation which was revealed after the interrogation of the police officials. This is an incident which all started with the kidnapping of a small child about four to five years old. Then the parents of the child reported this missing to the police officials and immediately the police officials started working on this matter. But after several days of sleepless nights the officials ended up with no clue to what actually happened to the child and where the child was. Then suddenly, one more parent came running to the police officials to report on more missing of their child who was again four to five years old. This report messed up the situation more for the police officials. This made the police officials to restart the investigation from the scratch. But again in the end there was not even single evidence with the police officials and this made the situation worst for the police officials. But, then a sequence of kidnapping started in the city where children of age group four to eight were kidnapped and there was not even single evidence with the police officials which could make things easy and simple for the police officials. This all carried for about a span of six months, when a ray of hope stroked in the favour of the police officials and there was a case which was registered, not in the police department but in the local sewage department as there was lot of smell which was coming from the drainage which was associated with a house, which was taken by a person where he could make a nursing home for small children who are homeless. Then the local authorities responded to the situation very quickly as it was disturbing the atmosphere. The smell which was coming out of the drainage was very unusual and being an unusual smell, it was disturbing the people a lot and made them to lodge a complain for it. When the local authorities started the process of digging the drainage, then initially everything went on nicely and smoothly. But as they proceeded one of the shocking incidents came to the notice of the police officials and also to the people who were residing in the same locality. It made the police to think on and on as nothing of such sort had ever taken place in the city as well as in the country. What could be the possible crime Can u think or imagine Wait, I will tell you. The incident actually started when the first missing report was launched about six months back and the same process continued until now. The person who was the owner of the house, which was meant for homeless children, was actually the kidnapper who was kidnapping children from various parts of the city. His motive was not actually which you all are thinking off, this case was not as simple as it seems. His motive was not extortion as he was himself very rich. So, what was the case all about Now, it is the time for you all to know what was the crime all about. The crime actually was done by the person to meet his sexual need. He used to rape each and every child, and then he used to kill them and put them in the sewage which was attached to his house. Could you possibly imagine a rape of a four to five year child by a forty year old man? I know what your answer is and possibly the same reply I too have, i. e. NO. It is actually very difficult for a human to analyze such a criminal act. The person then went missing and the police officials started their investigation for which Special Forces were also used in order to get assistance and then after some days, the man was caught in a city which was about 500 kilometers away from the city where the crime took place. The man was beaten by the local people for his act which was simply inhuman and then in the end he was sentenced to death by the court. Is it sufficient to give death sentence to such a person From the point of view of a normal citizen, the answer would be no but from the point of view of a court; this is the highest punishment which they can give to any criminal. Hence, from my point of view there should be made a change in the law and also the constitution, where such people make the life of a normal citizen a living hell by committing crime and then in the end, they are sentenced to death. But what about those people who are actually the victim of such crimes and have to live with such a horrifying reality throughout their life. This is a real incident to which the crime was known to the person and the police did not take the proper action. This is an incident which took place in my near by location. The person is a male of not more than fourteen years of age or a teenagers, he has five more friends who are involved in such an operation. The person wants to earn a livelihood or handsome money which could lead him a sum amount for his actions to take place. He always wants to have good food or some thing like that but no one could understand what was in his mind. The person had stolen the bike, this was a series of misery as day by day the crime was helding his hands high and the security could not get catch hold of them. Now what was going on in the mind of the thief that he wants to earn a handsome amount of money so that he can earn his entire livelihood? But now as the series was going the security was made tight but then also he did not stop or rather no one was able to stop him. Now the action did not took place for a month but suddenly the person whose bike was lost caught hold of them. The bike was stolen from the basement, the boy had parked his bike in the basement and went up to his house for some work when he came back somebody had broken the lock of the bike and had started off to take it. Now the bike was taken away from the location or the community was he was living. The person lodged a complain in the police station but no action was taken but instead the police told them to give the names of the person who were involved in the operation. Later on, on the very next day the person saw his bike and again went to the police station to tell them that he had seen his bike again in the community near by. The police said the same statement as said earlier. The person could not get a satisfaction but then also he didn’t give up. H got the names of the person involved in the crime and gave it to the police but then they told him to get hold of them and hand over them to the police. Now you can imagine that what would be the status of the person at that time. Now what is the person at that phrase of time? He could not get the things back but now he can not trust the police any more. Now what was the very next operation or the crime to take place which can be taken place? The person of such a small age can get through what he was doing so or the police can take some action which can be involved in such a case where the person can be trapped and he can held his crime. The robbery or other sought of crime can never be cut short but not a strict action can take place where they can easily get hold of them. But if police can not prove that they are with the local people, they have to be every time alert about the crime. The police and the local people along with the security can make or catch hold of such type of crime and every person can make there things secure by passing the loot affairs in your premises. The security alarms and GPS tracking system of such a thing can be added to your set of place and things. Your place and items are not a single set of things which can secure your items. They grabbed the opportunity and manage to take it without being caught once again. References 1. CRIMINAL LAW. 2. MERCHANTILE LAW. 3. GOOGLE 4. BUSINESS LAW.