Tuesday, December 24, 2019

My Experience In My Life - 1850 Words

Maya Angelou once said, â€Å"What is the fear of living? It’s being preeminently of dying. It is not doing what you came here to do, out of timidity and spinelessness. The antidote is to take full responsibility of yourself - for the time you take up and the space you occupy. If you don’t know what you’re here to do, then just do some good.† Everyday I think about everything I went through while growing up and forming into the person I am today. Going through all the experiences I have gone through, I didn’t realize how much they would impact me today and serve as lessons. Today I am a freshman in college. I did not think I would make it this far. The precious gift of life is to enjoy every moment as if it is your last. May 12, 2007. Boom. A†¦show more content†¦Just like every school, there were many cliques. I hated how everyone was separated however there was nothing I could do to change it. Technically I had my own clique with my cousins. Other than the administration, I only spoke to my cousins and one of our neighbors Nathaniel. It’s third period and there is an assembly. Assembly’s at Haywood were always fun. Our Principal was very funny always including and acknowledging everyone in the room. You could tell he really loved his job, or he was really good at pretending. However, I liked him. He called my cousins and I the â€Å"Papi Bunch†, because we lived across this corner store. Everyone called it â€Å"Papi’s Store† because we all knew the owner as Papi. He loved us, always allowing us to get candy and food for free. He was like a second dad. During the assembly, there are a bunch of announcements about all the events that are going to happen, and a preview of the talent show. This day, the step-team performed. They were always so good and had everyone standing up and happy. My cousins were in the front of the auditorium and I realized and ran up to them. During this time, the step team were grabbing people to go up on stage and dance with them. I was one of them. The tingles throughout my body start to occur. I can hear my heart beating. The sensation of having to be in front of everyone starts to get into my head. My anxiety starts to take over my body and I freeze. I don’t have the courage to let them knowShow MoreRelatedMy Experience In My Life742 Words   |  3 Pagesone has a perfect life or even a perfect family. At times I have experienced what losing someone or something that meant so much to me. I always wondered to myself about why these situations happen to me, which also led me to put myself in a depr ession stage. My father was diagnosed with liver cancer and infection in his stomach area in March 2015. As he was in and out of the hospital. First, Growing up I never had a good life but I was lucky to have both of my parents in my life. It was a bond withRead MoreMy Experience In My Life1013 Words   |  5 Pages At this point in my life , if i review my previous experiences i would say that i am fairly pleased. Ive been able to gain numerous life and academic skills through hard work and determination. Though many of my experiences havent been pleasant ,in a way it has helped me grow and build my character as a person. As individuals we all go through many harsh obstacles , obstacles we sometimes think we will never overcome . but eventually we do . right ? think about it evenRead MoreMy Experience With My Life1356 Words   |  6 Pagesdo not have an abundant number of passions myself. In fact, as I think about it there are really only two subjects of interest that I feel rise to the level of passion for me; my God and sports. These two areas have been integral parts of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in the church and much of my young life was spent either there or on a sports field of some sort. These two institutions, I feel have shaped me into the adult that I have become and the career I feel myself called toRead MoreMy Experience On My Life1202 Words   |  5 PagesAll I could think of sitting at my desk at work was about the conversation me and my husband had the night before. I sat there staring at my computer screen wondering if it was the right thing to do, or was I just wasting my time on a hope long forgotten. The hours slowly ticked by, and everything I was working on with my customers and their loans were a blur. I couldn’t get that thought out of my head. It was eating away at me. This is something that I have wanted for a long time. I put it on holdRead MoreMy Experience In My Life942 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout a person’s life, there can be many things, such as friends and family, education, or sports, that help them develop skills to turn them into the person they are today. Without these different skills, it can possibly lead to a lower standard of living, which is not what we strive for. The thing that helped me develop my unique skill set that I can use through the rest of my life, which is also my cultural artifact, is a football. Football has taught many different things that I am ableRead MoreMy Experience Of My Life703 Words   |  3 PagesFor the majority of my life, I had been shy, even thoug h it didn’t seem like it most of the time, I was scared to death when I met new people. I know that it sounds extremely trivial, but I feel that when you first meet someone, you’re ultimately giving them their first impression of yourself and that is a lot of pressure. It seemed almost certain that I would lead a life of being a social wallflower until March 2017, more specifically, March 28th, 2017. This day was and still is important to meRead MoreMy Experience In My Life905 Words   |  4 Pagesmajority of my life I have belonged in the little world, stretching from Chicago to Cleveland and South Bend to Nashville. The boundaries of my known world have always felt like a limiting factor in my life. While my friends ventured to far away lands every year, I would spend the night at my grandparents house or we would make a day-trip to a city. With spring break approaching my family and I were going to change that, we were going to South Carolina. One dreary cold Indiana morning my family andRead MoreMy Personal Experience : My Experience In My Life1003 Words   |  5 Pagesdifficult to write about my life—not because I do not know what to say, but because I am often fearful of sharing my experiences and having them impact how people view me. My identity and upbringing are not necessarily unique, but I have been in situations that society tends to be uncomfortable with. Repeated sexual assaults, psychological abuse, neglect, and financial hardships are factors in my life that I tried to forget when I started college. Now that I am at the end of my undergraduate educationRead MoreMy Writing Experience : My Experience In My Life921 Words   |  4 PagesAs a Human, throughout life there are many skills that are critical to acquire, during childhood and as you become older. One of the most important and useful skill you will need is writing. From first, learning to write words and sentences, to more advanced writing like essays. Everyone learns to write a little differently, some ways are learning from your parents or learning words and letters in kindergarten. As you get further down the path of life you develop higher skills of writing. As peopleRead MoreMy Experience On My Life953 Words   |  4 PagesThe wind was slicing through my hair as my sweat was dripping off my metallic purple frames. I placed each foot on each of the pedals and took off. My whole world was filled with the rattling sounds coming from the dreaded training wheels. Everything would always come to a stop whenever I would hit each bump. â€Å"I need to get these thing off!† I thought constantly. The training wheels were such a nuisance because they gave me a wobble that kept me off balance, and they provided no extra speed. There

Monday, December 16, 2019

Human Multi-Tasking Free Essays

string(51) " worsens when the amount of information increases\." Human multitasking is the best performance by an individual of appearing to handle more than one task at the same time. The term is derived from computer multitasking. An example of multitasking is taking phone calls while typing an email. We will write a custom essay sample on Human Multi-Tasking or any similar topic only for you Order Now Some believe that multitasking can result in time wasted due to human context switching and apparently causing more errors due to insufficient attention. Etymology The term â€Å"multitasking† originated in the computer engineering industry. [1] It refers to the ability of a microprocessor to apparently process several tasks simultaneously. 2] Computer multitasking in single core microprocessors actually involves time-sharing the processor; only one task can actually be active at a time, but tasks are rotated through many times a second. With multi-core computers, each core can perform a separate task simultaneously. The first published use of the word â€Å"multitask† appeared in an IBM paper describing the capabilities of the IBM System/360 in 1965. [3] [edit]Research on human multitasking Since the 1990s, experimental psychologists have started experiments on the nature and limits of human multitasking. It has been shown multitasking is not as workable as concentrat ed times. In general, these studies have disclosed that people show severe interference when even very simple tasks are performed at the same time, if both tasks require selecting and producing action (e. g. , (Gladstones, Regan Lee 1989) (Pashler 1994)). Many researchers believe that action planning represents a â€Å"bottleneck†, which the human brain can only perform one task at a time. [4] Psychiatrist Edward M. Hallowell[5] has gone so far as to describe multitasking as a â€Å"mythical activity in which people believe they can perform two or more tasks simultaneously as effectively as one. Others have researched multitasking in specific domains, such as learning. Mayer and Moreno[6] have studied the phenomenon of cognitive load in multimedia learning extensively and have concluded that it is difficult, and possibly impossible to learn new information while engaging in multitasking. Junco and Cotten examined how multitasking affects academic success and found that students who en gaged in more multitasking reported more problems with their academic work. 7] A more recent study on the effects of multitasking on academic performance found that using Facebook and text messaging while studying were negatively related to student grades, while online searching and emailing were not [8]. [edit]The brain’s role in multitasking Because the brain cannot fully focus when multitasking, people take longer to complete tasks and are predisposed to error. When people attempt to complete many tasks at one time, â€Å"or [alternate] rapidly between them, errors go way up and it takes far longer—often double the time or more—to get the jobs done than if they were done sequentially,† states Meyer. 9] This is largely because â€Å"the brain is compelled to restart and refocus†. [10] A study by Meyer and David Kieras found that in the interim between each exchange, the brain makes no progress whatsoever. Therefore, multitasking people not only p erform each task less suitably, but lose time in the process. When presented with much information, the brain is forced to pause and refocus continuously as one switches between tasks. [10] Realistically, this is â€Å"a rapid toggling among tasks rather than simultaneous processing. According to a study done by Jordan Grafman, chief of the cognitive neuroscience section at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, â€Å"the most anterior part [of the brain] allows [a person] to leave something when it’s incomplete and return to the same place and continue from there,† while Broadman’s Area 10, a part of the brain’s frontal lobes, is important for establishing and attaining long term goals. [9] Focusing on multiple dissimilar tasks at once forces the brain to process all activity in its anterior. Though the brain is complex and can perform a myriad of tasks, it cannot multitask well. Another study by Rene Marois, a psychologist of Vanderbilt University, discovered that the brain exhibits a â€Å"response selection bottleneck† when asked to perform several tasks at once. The brain must then decide which activity is most important, thereby taking more time. Psychologist David Meyer of the University of Michigan claims that, instead of a â€Å"bottleneck,† the brain experiences â€Å"adaptive executive control† which places priorities on each activity. These viewpoints differ in that, while bottlenecking attempts to force many thoughts through the brain at once, adaptive executive control prioritizes tasks to maintain resemblance of rder. The brain better understands this order and, as psychologists such as Dr. Meyer believe, can therefore be trained to multitask. [11] Because the brain is an expanse of yet uncharted territory, psychologists do not understand how the brain truly processes input and reacts to overstimulation. Some research sugges ts that the human brain can be trained to multitask. A study published in Child Development by Monica Luciana, associate professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota, discovered that the brain’s capability of categorizing competing information continues to develop until ages sixteen and seventeen. Perhaps if people are trained to multitask at an early age, they will become efficient at multitasking. A study by Vanderbilt University found that multitasking is largely limited by â€Å"the speed with which our prefrontal cortex processes information. † Paul E. Dux, co-author of the study, believes that this process can become faster through proper training. The research team found that with training, the brain can think and perform certain tasks more quickly, effectively allowing time for another task. The study trained seven people to perform two simple tasks, either separately or together, and conducted brain scans of the participants. The individuals multitasked poorly at first but, with training, were able to adeptly perform the tasks simultaneously. Brain scans of the participants indicate that the prefrontal cortex quickened its ability to process the information, enabling the individuals to multitask more efficiently. However, the study also suggests that the brain is incapable of performing multiple tasks at one time, even after extensive training. [12] This study further indicates that, while the brain can become adept at processing and responding to certain information, it cannot truly multitask. People have a limited ability to retain information, which worsens when the amount of information increases. You read "Human Multi-Tasking" in category "Essay examples" For this reason people alter information to make it more memorable, such as separating a ten-digit phone number into three smaller groups or dividing the alphabet into sets of three to five letters. George Miller, former psychologist at Harvard University, believes the limits to the human brain’s capacity centers around â€Å"the number seven, plus or minus two. † An illustrative example of this is a test in which a person must repeat numbers read aloud. While two or three numbers are easily repeated, shown in the beginning straight line, fifteen numbers becomes more difficult, as the line curves. The person would, on average, repeat seven correctly. [13] Brains are only capable of storing a limited amount of information in their short term memories. This ineffectiveness of the human brain for multitasking has been demonstrated in different studies. [14][15][16] Laboratory based studies of multi-tasking indicate that one motivation for switching between tasks is to increase the time spent on the task that produces the most reward (Payne, Duggan Neth, 2007). This reward could be progress towards an overall task goal or it could simply be the opportunity to pursue a more interesting or fun activity. Payne, Duggan and Neth (2007) found that decisions to switch task reflected either the reward provided by the current task or the availability of a suitable opportunity to switch (i. e. the completion of a subgoal). A French fMRI study published in 2010 indicated preliminary support for the hypothesis that the brain can pursue at most two goals simultaneously, one for each frontal lobe (which has a goal-oriented area). [17] [edit]Continuous partial attention Main article: Continuous partial attention Author Steven Berlin Johnson describes one kind of multitasking: â€Å"It usually involves skimming the surface of the incoming data, picking out the relevant details, and moving on to the next stream. You’re paying attention, but only partially. That lets you cast a wider net, but it also runs the risk of keeping you from really studying the fish. â€Å"[18] Multimedia pioneer Linda Stone coined the phrase â€Å"continuous partial attention† for this kind of processing. [19] Continuous partial attention is multitasking where things do not get studied in depth. Rapidly increasing technology fosters multitasking because it promotes multiple sources of input at a given time. Instead of exchanging old equipment like TV, print, and music, for new equipment such as computers, the Internet, and video games children and teens combine forms of media and continually increase sources of input. [20] According to studies by the Kaiser Family Foundation, in 1999 only 16 percent of time spent using media such as internet, television, video games, telephones, text-messaging, or e-mail was combined. In 2005, 26 percent of the time this media was used together. [11] This increase in media usage decreases the amount of attention paid to each device. Today 82 percent of youth use the Internet by the seventh grade, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project. A 2005 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that, while their usage of media continued at a constant 6. 5 hours per day, Americans ages 8 to 18 were crowding roughly 8. 5 hours’ worth of media into their days due to multitasking. The survey showed that one quarter to one third of the participants have more than one input â€Å"most of the time† while watching television, listening to music, or reading. [9] The 2007 Harvard Business Review featured Linda Stone’s idea of â€Å"continuous partial attention,† or, â€Å"constantly scanning for opportunities and staying on top of contacts, events, and activities in an effort to miss nothing†. [11] As technology provides more distractions, attention is spread among tasks more thinly. A prevalent example of this inattention to detail due to multitasking is apparent when people talk on cell phones while driving. Talking and driving are mutually exclusive because focusing on both the conversation and the road uses the same part of the brain. [citation needed] As a result, people generally become more concerned with their phone conversations and do not concentrate on their immediate surroundings. A 2006 study published in the Human Factors journal showed that drivers talking on cell phones were more involved in rear-end collisions and sped up slower than drivers intoxicated over the . 08% legal limit. [citation needed] When talking, people must withdraw their attention from the road in order to formulate responses. Because the brain cannot focus on two sources of input at one time, driving and listening or talking, constantly changing input provided by cell phones distracts the brain and increases the likelihood of accidents. [citation needed] [edit]Popular commentary on practical multitasking Multitasking has been criticized as a hindrance to completing tasks or feeling happiness. Barry Schwartz has noted that, given the media-rich landscape of the Internet era, it is tempting to get into a habit of dwelling in a constant sea of information with too many choices, which has been noted to have a negative effect on human happiness. 21] The idea that women are better multitaskers than men has been popular in the media. Recently, a study by British psychologist Professor Keith Laws at the University of Hertfordshire was widely reported in the press to have provided the first evidence of female multitasking superiority. [22] A formal research paper has yet to be published. In another study,[23] fema les were found to perform better at coordinating a primary test with a secondary test (p=0. 007), supporting this notion that females are better at multi-tasking. However, the authors concluded their tests may not reflect real life multi-tasking and that further research was required. Observers of youth in modern society often comment upon the apparently advanced multitasking capabilities of the youngest generations of humans (Generation Y and Generation Z). While it is true that contemporary researchers find that youths in today’s world exhibit high levels of multitasking, most experts believe that members of the Net Generation are not any better at multitasking than members of older generations. 24] However, recent studies by Bardhi, Rohm, and Sultan argue that Generation Y is becoming better at media multitasking. This is evidenced by the fact that they are gaining control over deciding which messages they pay attention to or not. [25] Furthermore, while there is a great deal of evidence showing the negative effects of multitasking on cognitive tasks [26] [27] [28] [29] [30], there is no evidence showing that multitasking has a posit ive or neutral effect on these tasks. **Source: WIKIPEDIA (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Human_multitasking) How to cite Human Multi-Tasking, Essay examples

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Natue in Chinese Landscape Painting Essay Example For Students

Natue in Chinese Landscape Painting Essay There is also a dramatic use of perspective to show natures greatness. In traditional China, training in painting was important as part of a general cultural education and preparation for a professional career. 1 The professional artist would normally study under a master within a local school. 2 When these painters were not painting, they were looking; but even more they were reading, thinking, and discussing their philosophical ideas. Generally before you even grasp the brush, you must concentrate your spirit and clarify your thoughts, then the image Will seem to appear right before your yes. One may either select a spirited style marked by strokes which are virile and powerful, or a pleasing style in which the strokes are flowing and unbroken,4 There are all sorts of variations which exist in the use of the brush. The Chinese were masters of the brush. Sometimes Chinese painters used modulated lines for contours and interior details that elastically thicken and thin to convey depth and mamas The achievement of the Tang masters was the way that they carried the articulated, calligraphic line right through the whole picture, so that he broken interior washes that give form and character to the hills and rocks became one with the outlines in a new integration of texture. 6 There is an important balance of ink to water, and the amount of white space left on the paper. If you rely too much on ink, you destroy the real substance Of things and injure the brushwork, as well as muddy the painting. But where the use of ink is not enough, the spirit becomes weak. Both excess and insufficiency are defects. 7 It is the use of ink that is hardest in painting. One starts painting by using diluted ink, then they slowly build up the painting by adding heavier inks very sparingly to create depth, A blank space is always reserved in Chinese paintings for clouds over mountains, fog haunting above rivers, light circles reflected from the sun or the moon, or nothing at all, There are many examples of mountains dissolving into nothingness in Chinese landscape paintings. Landscape paintings were meant to be viewed from a shifting perspective that does not limit the viewer to a fixed point. 8 Handbarrows often depicted landscapes as a sequence. The moving picture retained the artists control of the frames. 9 A specific example of the use of these techniques is Dwelling in the Fuchs Mountains. This long handbarrows by Human Gong-Wang is among the most famous paintings in Chinese history. Depicted in this handbarrows is an idealized panorama of the Fuchs mountains, west of Hangout. 0 Beginning with a vast expanse of river scenery at the right, we move On to the mountains and hills, then back to areas of river and marsh that end with a conical peak. We finally come to the end Of our wandering through the landscape as it ebbs out in the distant ink- wash hills over the water. The composition was first laid out in light ink and then finished With successive applications Of darker and drier brushwork. Sometimes shapes were slightly altered, contours strengt hened, and texture strokes or tree groups added here and there. Finally, brush dots were distributed across the work as abstracted accents. Buildings, tree limbs, and foliage are reduced to the simplest of forms as Nature has been translated into the artists terms of brush and ink. Landscape painting could maintain its dominant role in Chinese paintings because of its root in Chinese traditional culture. In China nothing occurred to seriously interrupt or reverse the growth of a generally accepted philosophy of nature, and that provided a perfect climate tort great landscape painting. 1 Chinese philosophers in ancient times believed in the unity of human beings and heaven, which means human beings can feel nature and therefore should be in a harmonious relationship with it, 12 Chinese paintings clearly reveal that Chinese think in a holistic way. An important part of these landscape paintings is that to the Chinese all mountains are sacred. They are sacred because, since remote times, the Chinese eave held that the cosmic forces, the energy, harm ony, and ceaseless renewal Of the universe, are in some way made manifest in them. .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866 , .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866 .postImageUrl , .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866 , .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866:hover , .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866:visited , .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866:active { border:0!important; } .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866 { 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; } .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866:active , .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866 .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; } .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866 .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6f573318a700435b5d0477e34428c866:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Iconographical Analysis: di Nardo, "Adoration of the Magi" EssayIn popular belief the mountain is the body of the cosmic being, the rocks its bones, the water the blood that gushes through its veins, the trees and grasses its hair, the clouds and mists the vapor of its breath, which is the visual manifestation of the very essence of life. 13 The Chinese painter may spend years in wandering among the hills and streams so that this natural order may reveal itself to him. But how can he express the intensity of the awareness that comes to him in these moments of parietal revelation before the ultimate mysteries of the universe? The language of metaphysics is too remote, too abstract, to convey an experience that, while partly psychic is also intensely visual, For the wanderer in the mountains attains awareness not through the imagination, but through a journey, in space and time, in a real landscape. 14 There are specific techniques used to express nature that can only be learned through the teachings of the masters, and extensive time spent in nature. This is because in the Chinese traditional culture information is passed down from enervation to generation.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Under Age Smoking Essays - Smoking, Cigarette, Tar,

Under Age Smoking Statistics show that 3 out of 4 under age kids that try to buy cigarette get away with it though, in America it is illegal to sell cigarettes to kids under the age of 18 though most stores do. The average age a kid starts smoking at fourteen and a half, but if your don't start by the age of 19 you'll probably never start. Over an alarming 3000 under age kids/per day start smoking. One out of three under age kids die from smoking. Most kids say they like to smoke because it,"Calms their Nerves","Tastes good", or "Because everyone I hand out with does it." Seven out of ten high school seniors with they had never started because it is so hard to quit. Cigarette company's spend over 6 billion dollars a year to try to lore under age kids as well as older people into smoking. They use things such as points that you can get free items with, or spokes models that are appealing to kids. Diseases Caused By Smoking Explained Lung Disease - Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of lung disease. The poisons contained in cigarette smoke have a deadly effect on the many different cells that keep the respiratory organs clean and healthy. In the middle and upper respiratory system, toxins from cigarette smoke can kill the cilia that sweep particles out, permanently destroy the protective cell layer that lines the airways, and cause the mucous membranes to make a thick, unhealthy mucus. In the lungs, smoke particles destroy the macrophage cells that move through the lung tissue eat bacteria, dust, pollens, and other foreign substances. Lung Cancer - Lung cancer kills more people than any other disease of the respiratory system and is also caused by smoking. The cells of any part of the airways may become deformed growing so fast that they use up all the nutrients needed by the normal cells to continue living. Cancer is deadly if not detected very early. Emphysema - One group of these diseases is known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or C.O.P.D., which includes emphysema. C.O.P.D. is caused by long-term clogging of the smaller airways by poisonous particles such as those found in cigarette smoke or coal dust. The alveoli in a lung with emphysema begin to break apart and can no longer absorb oxygen, leading to gradual suffocation.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

The relative importance of imperialism, the arms race and the failure of diplomacy in causing the First World War Essays

The relative importance of imperialism, the arms race and the failure of diplomacy in causing the First World War Essays The relative importance of imperialism, the arms race and the failure of diplomacy in causing the First World War Paper The relative importance of imperialism, the arms race and the failure of diplomacy in causing the First World War Paper Essay Topic: World War I Historians are still today debating on what actually caused World War One. This is because the actual origin was a combination of many different factors. Short-term as well as long-term causes influenced the outfall of events, however some are more important than others. What is mainly agreed on1 is that Germany was the nation most to blame, however most of the more influential nations of Europe were somehow involved in the conflict. England, France, Russia, and Austria-Hungary didnt stumble into the war like Germany, but they all played an important role. Many historians have used the phrase stumbled into war to describe how Germany inevitably ended up in a total war against her neighboring countries. Unlike previous conflicts in history, more than two or three nations were involved, which is mainly due to the many alliances made in the years before. What makes it even more difficult to determine the origin of the war is that several non-human factors, like nationalism and imperialism, had key roles in developing the events that took place. The politicians and military leaders of the European nations were influenced by these ideas and therefore directed their nations almost inevitably into a major crisis, as it came out. This leads to the human factors of the war, like the arms race and the failure of diplomacy taking place during the beginning of the 20th century. Therefore I must stress that it was the combination of all these factors that eventually made this cataclysmic total war spread throughout Europe. The July Crisis as it later came known was the drop that made the glass flow over, but any other similar event could have had the same outcome. The European powers were so tense and aggressive, and some even thought about revenge from previous wars2, or simply to expand their territory. In this essay I will evaluate the relative importance of imperialism, the arms race, and the failure of diplomacy as origins for World War One. Appropriate events and theories have been taken as examples for each of these three categories, to compare the significance of each. 3 Body Imperialism During the industrialization of the 19th century, all great European powers consumed vast amounts of natural resources to supply the many factories emerging in the industries. However since these natural resources are limited in abundance within Europe, these overseas empires, as for example Britain, France, Spain, and later Germany, sought beyond towards other continents in search for colonies. The colonies then provided their mother country with the natural resources needed in the rapidly spreading industrialization. In Germany this development was known as Weltpolitik4 and later became the term used to describe the overseas expansionism that European leaders sought to achieve. These ideas became stronger in the 20th century and drove the European powers into several conflicts. Several times between 1898 and 1914 the economic rivalry in Africa between France and Great Britain, and between Germany on one side and France and Great Britain on the other, almost precipitated a European war. 5 Most significant were the conflicts in the Balkans between Russia, Austria-Hungary and the Balkan nations. Imperialist Austria-Hungary sought to influence the Balkan nations and annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1908 after thirty years of remote administration. But nationalistic movements in the Balkans led to two Balkan Wars in 1912 and 1913. The first war was an uprising against Austria-Hungary, which was crushed. The Second Balkan War was fought between Bulgaria and most other Balkan nations. Although Bulgaria was overwhelmed and the war ended rapidly, no single nation was satisfied with the post war negotiations creating more tension. As an origin of World War One this is significant because the tension in the Balkans became crucial in the summer of 1914. When Crown Prince Ferdinand (heir to the Austria-Hungarian throne) was assassinated in Sarajevo, Austria-Hungary was forced into war with Serbia. This clashed with Russian interests, and when Germany declared full support to Austria-Hungary6, it left Russia in a vulnerable situation, eventually having to mobilize herself. Therefore the imperialist desires of Austria-Hungary led the nation into serious conflicts in the Balkans, and eventually created the most important short-term cause for World War One. Therefore imperialism did have influence as an origin of war, as it became the mentality of the leaders of the European powers, and in this case forced Austria-Hungary and Russia into protecting national interests. Although imperialism itself was a long-term cause of war, it played a significant role in creating the short-term causes. It is agreed among historians that the importance of imperialism rested in the fact that it left the politicians fewer options to deal with regarding diplomacy. This conflict later became known as the July Crisis. 7 Arms Race Not only colonies measured the strength and prestige of European empires. The emerging industries of the 19th centuries provided the nations with significant armies and weapons of destruction. As imperialism became a significant part of the political agendas in the beginning of the 20th century, the great nations attempted to show their strength through developing great armies. With Germany becoming a significant power after 1872, the European balance of power was tipped off. This triggered an arms race between the leading nations, France, England, Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary. With vast amounts of industries being brought in from colonies and produced within Europe, the countries were able to produce great amounts of war material. Especially the continental armies of Germany and Russia were competing in numbers. As Russia was becoming an industrial nation, it wouldnt take many years for her to surpass match the might of the German army (if not the superb efficiency and leadership). Therefore the German military leaders, under pressure from the Triple Entente8, had to calculate the risks of war. The conclusion came to be that if a war was to come between Germany and Russia, then rather sooner than later. 9 Germanys Weltpolitik aimed to turn Germany into an overseas empire. In order to achieve this Germany would need a considerable navy to compete with Britain. Combined with the economic pride of the German people, the German government embarked on the task to build a respectable navy. This would both help Germany defend overseas interests in for example Africa, and also as a defense against the mighty British navy in the North Sea. Hence a naval competition emerged between Britain and Germany. Admiral Fisher of the British Navy calculated in 1907 that it would take Germany several years to match the British fleet, especially considering the newly designed Dreadnought battleships. Truly, in 1914 Germany only had thirteen Dreadnoughts versus Britains twenty10. The consequence of this large-scale arms race was international anarchy in Europe. Calculating war risks and making alliances were becoming constantly discussed subjects in European governments. When five great nations all strive to create large armies, it is obvious that war will become inevitable sooner or later. In 1914 the short-term cause happened to be the July Crisis, but it could in theory have been any other critical occasion. Therefore it is important to observe the military tension developing between the nations, and the significance of diplomacy to balance the power. The diplomatic failures in the years leading to the Great War are therefore to be considered as well. Failure of Diplomacy As Germany was quickly becoming a very powerful force in the center of Europe, the surrounding nations were becoming doubtful of their national security. Therefore several military alliances were made between nations to contain rivals. The Triple Alliance of 1882 between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy was still in effect at the beginning of the 20th century. To counter-balance this, France and Russia made agreements in 1892-94 to support each other in the event of war. Strategically placed on both sides of Germany, Russia and France posed a threat to the German empire. In 1904 Britain and France make a military understanding known as the Entente Cordiale. This was another measure to protect overseas interests as well as a balance against Germany. To complete the containment of Germany, Russia and Britain make a similar agreement in 1907. Obviously this posed a serious threat to Germany, as she was not only threatened on two fronts, but also by the greatest navy in the world. This only encouraged Germany to continue the rapid production of military equipment, and to further enlarge the German Navy as well. Diplomacy also played an important role in the July Crisis of 1907. When Prince Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914, Germany immediately promised Austria-Hungary unconditional support. This furthermore threatened Russia, who would risk war with two nations on her front in a worse case scenario. Yet the conflict could have been settled with diplomacy at this point, but it failed terribly. In July 23 1914 Austria issued an ultimatum to Serbia, proposing to enter the nation with troops, to help investigate the assassination. Unfortunately Serbia was only granted 48 hours to reply to this proposal, which didnt seem in any way realistic. Having Austrian troops within Serbia would not end the domination that already existed, on the other hand it almost seemed like an invasion. So Serbia did not accept the proposal. This seems to be the main diplomatic failure of the July Crisis. It was for one thing a very short notice the Serbs were allowed to work with, another thing is that it was unacceptable. Serbia was forced to pick sides between Russia, a nation with strong interests in the Balkans, and the Austria-Hungary, with clashing ambitions. It therefore seems like Austria-Hungary almost provoked the war with Serbia, leading to war with Russia. Surely the Austrian diplomats did not strive to avoid it. 11 Now Germany didnt seem to want to solve the crisis, instead she mobilized her army, and thereby forced Russia into full-scale mobilization12. Germany knew that a war on two fronts was inevitable, and therefore created the Schlieffen Plan to counter it. This also shows how Germany was calculating risks, and had been doing so for years. It is therefore applicable to consider the statement that Germany stumbled into war. She did not try to avoid it by negotiating, but did the exact opposite, provoked it. Therefore the failure of diplomacy was a significant factor towards the cataclysmic event that was triggered in July 1914. However, the aggressive sentiments created by the arms race combined with expansionist ideas, left the politicians with very few possibilities in the time of crisis. Conclusion The three origins of war evaluated in this essay were not significantly different in importance. It was the combination of the several factors that pushed the different nations into war. The arms race created strong military tension; the many alliances pushed off the balance of power and further accelerated the arms race, and the imperialist ideas influenced the decision making of the military leaders in critical situations. The situation created in Europe was not to last for very long, and maybe was the only way to achieve a more stable balance between the great nations. One can question the fact if war could have been avoided, but it is very hard to determine as so many different factors influenced the course of events. Many historians actually believe that war is the ultimate test of mankind to lead the evolution of strong nations and end the reign of weaker ones. In some ways it makes sense considering that Austro-Hungarian Empire consequently came to an end, and many other changes could be seen on the European map after the Great War. Germany was forced down to her knees and lost much territory to France and Russia, however she managed to regain her strength in such a way that she eventually invaded most of Europe thirty years later. 13 Therefore the relative importance of the three evaluated origins is that they all combined and pushed the European powers into the cataclysmic war that defined the end of the Old World. 1

Friday, November 22, 2019

Mackinders Heartland Theory

Mackinders Heartland Theory Sir Halford John Mackinder was a British geographer who wrote a paper in 1904 called The Geographical Pivot of History. Mackinders paper suggested that the control of Eastern Europe was vital to control of the world.  Mackinder postulated the following, which became known as the Heartland Theory: Who rules Eastern Europe commands the HeartlandWho rules the Heartland commands the World IslandWho rules the World Island commands the world The heartland he also referred to as the pivot area and as the core of Eurasia, and he considered all of Europe and Asia as the World Island.   In the age of modern warfare, Mackinders theory is widely considered outdated. At  the time he proposed his theory, he  took into consideration world history only in the context of conflict between land and sea powers. Nations with large navies were at an advantage over those that could not successfully navigate the oceans, Mackinder suggested. Of course, in the modern era, the use of aircraft has greatly changed the ability to control territory and provide defensive capabilities.   The Crimean War Mackinders theory was never fully proven because  no one power in history had actually controlled all three of these regions at the same time. But the Crimean War came close. During this conflict, waged from 1853 to 1856,  Russia fought for control of the Crimean Peninsula, part of Ukraine. But it lost to an allegiance of the French and British, which had more effective naval forces. Russia lost the war even though the Crimean Peninsula  is geographically closer to Moscow than to London or Paris. Possible Influence on Nazi Germany Some historians have conjectured that Mackinders theory may have influenced Nazi Germanys drive to conquer Europe (although there are many who think the eastward push of Germany that led to World War II just happened to coincide with Mackinders heartland theory). The concept of geopolitics (or geopolitik, as Germans called it) was proposed by Swedish political scientist Rudolf Kjellen in 1905. Its focus was political geography  and combined Mackinders heartland theory with Friedrich Ratzels theory on the organic nature of the state. Geopolitical theory was used to justify a countrys attempts to expand based on its own needs.   In the 1920s, German geographer Karl Haushofer used the geopolitik theory to support Germanys invasion of its neighbors, which it viewed as expansion. Haushofer posited that densely populated countries like Germany should be allowed and were entitled to expand and acquire the territory of less-populated countries. Of course, Adolf Hitler held the much worse view that Germany had some kind of moral right to acquire the lands of what he termed lesser races. But  Haushofers geopolitik theory provided support for the expansion of Hitlers Third Reich, using pseudoscience. Other Influences of Mackinders Theory Mackinders theory  also may have influenced Western powers strategic thinking during the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the  United States, as the Soviet Union had control over the former East Bloc countries.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Barbara Ehrenreichs Pathologies of Hope Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Barbara Ehrenreichs Pathologies of Hope - Essay Example Barbara Ehrenreich was targeting the audience of the Harper Magazine. This is a magazine that has covers a literate audience. It reaches both the educated and the general population. This audience recognizes the power of hope in life. This is because hope is embraced in different areas in the society. The organization of the essay reflects what I am doing with the controlling purpose. The essay begins with an overview of the general understanding of hope. Second, the essay summarizes Barbara Ehrenreich’s understanding of hope as presented in this article. Furthermore, examples are used to control the purpose. Also evidences from the article on how the author views hope are given supported with quotes. Finally, a conclusion is given in the author’s position on hope. For example, the author provides a scenario in which negative thoughts are of help than hope. In making the essay be built on evidence, there is the use of direct quotes. The quotes are from the article to in dicate an understanding and interpretation of the article. The quotes changed through the revision process. They were reduced to ensure that the number of words for the essay was reached. The use of quotes was used in making the essay more reliable because they supplemented the opinions and helped reduce wordiness. Finally, some quotes were paraphrased in the revision process to ensure that plagiarism is avoided and that new opinions are adopted. The author strategy of using life examples in criticizing hope is outstanding.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

A MULTICULTURAL VIRTUAL TEAM (slp) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A MULTICULTURAL VIRTUAL TEAM (slp) - Essay Example The different teams also bring different thoughts to the table. People from US are graduated from better colleges which impart better education, so that the ideas that they put forth are more workable and easy to follow. These days’ multi-cultural virtual teams are even more important as they save the cost of travelling and at the same time provide a means of increased globalization and enhanced thoughts. Working of the team according to the Tuckman’s Teamwork Model This report describes a multicultural virtual team that was formed for a business company based on selling market products related to cosmetics. The few things that were required of the team were: 1. to keep a market survey of the number of customers 2. to keep a market survey of the demand of the cosmetics 3. promoting the products The team took the survey and found out that score was highest in the norming section of the questionnaire. And the two highest scores were performing and norming so the team was clearly in the performing stage altogether. The team first took together members from all over the world including places like Japan, USA, KSA, UK, Canada, Pakistan, and Indonesia. The purpose of including all these teams went from very much business-like country and highly developed countries to third world countries.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Cultural Awareness and Competence Essay Example for Free

Cultural Awareness and Competence Essay Cultural awareness and competence refers to the ability of an individual to postpone judgment and prejudice toward other people based on their religious background, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender, age, and such, and also one’s capability of understanding, accepting, and even adapting to unfamiliar culture, points of view, beliefs, ideologies, traditions, etc. Raising one’s cultural awareness and competence requires allocating time and exerting effort in learning and understanding the concepts of multiculturalism or cultural diversity. For instance, developing specific learning goals and a plan of action is an excellent start to promoting cultural awareness. My desire to raise my cultural awareness of two specific groups, particularly homosexuals and individuals belonging to the black population, require that I set personal learning goals and a plan of action that will guide how I am going to go about the process of learning and understanding culture based on race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. For this particular case, I believe that two of my learning goals should include reviewing the history of the African-American people, particularly the reasons why they are being discriminated upon, as well as the unfamiliar cultural practices and traditions and the meaning and significance that deepens or intensify their culture, and understanding the personal sentiments and emotions of homosexuals in order for me to recognize where they are coming from and be able to empathize with them in the process regarding their unfortunate situation especially when it comes to being judged or discriminated because of their sexual orientation. In order for me to realize the aforementioned learning goals, I plan to conduct research by reading books, magazines, newspaper articles, journal publications, research studies, online articles, and such, about black people and homosexuality. Moreover, I feel that there is a need for me to socialize with individuals belonging to the African-American culture and homosexuals in order for me to obtain first-hand information about their sentiments, experiences, knowledge, and such. I believe that through my willingness and determination to immerse myself into the African-American culture and the world of homosexuality, I will be able to promote cultural awareness simply by being conscious of the issues that they burden themselves with. EXODUS International is an online website that discriminates against homosexuals. It is a religion-based organization that provides assistance for individuals who want to â€Å"leave homosexuality. † The organization subtly reiterates that homosexuality is against the will and the word of God and that â€Å"leaving homosexuality† is a way for individuals to live a better life according to what God wants for His children. Moreover, within the lines of EXODUS International’s mission and objectives, the organization clearly mentions that homosexuals will not be able to live a fulfilling and holy life. (EXODUS International, 2005) The blog â€Å"Stuff White People Like† is an online website that discriminates against African-Americans simply because the site is devoted to discuss issues that generalize on the likes and dislikes of white people. The website lists more than one hundred things that white people like. I believe generalizing and labeling things or situations as something that is true or amenable only for a certain race is close to prejudice and bias since one is limiting these things and situations to a particular race only despite the fact that other individuals from diverse racial backgrounds may share the likes and dislikes of white people. (Stuff White People Like, 2009) I can honestly say that I am non-judgmental or prejudice in any way against any group of people in society depending on their race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender, and such. I am also proud to say that my parents raised me well. Although my family is American and adheres to Christianity as a religion, we do not judge other people from different racial backgrounds and religions. Because of my parents and family, I was able to understand that people are different from each other, and although we are different, I do not have the right to judge other people because of it. Moreover, I understand that people have different frames of mind or worldviews and we see things and situations differently. Handling the matter only requires respect and acceptance and the understanding of cultural diversity or multiculturalism. Judging from my self-assessment of my cultural awareness and competency, I believe I will be able to uphold moral and ethical principles in my profession, especially with issues that concern multiculturalism. Perhaps the only challenge that I would have to face is how I am going to develop and increase my cultural awareness to cope with multicultural trends and new information. References EXODUS International. (2005). Thinking of Leaving Homosexuality? Retrieved January 7, 2009, from Exodus International. Website: http://exodus. to/help/? option=com_contenttask=viewid=327Itemid=147 Harvey, C. Alard, M. J. (2008). Understanding and Managing Diversity, 4th Ed. Prentice Hall. Stuff White People Like. (2009). Retrieved January 7, 2009, from Stuff White People Like. Website: http://stuffwhitepeoplelike. com/

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Influencing Others In Business Environments Essay -- essays research p

Influencing Others in Business Environments Throughout human civilization, the art of selling ideas or products has been a cornerstone of society. Some people have become masters at this art, yielding themselves and their companies large amounts of profit. Why is it that some people are better at this than others? This paper will take a look at the various aspects of nonverbal communication in selling (or influencing others to buy) and in job interviews by examining in detail the various aspects of proximics, haptics, physical attractiveness, and other nonverbal cues that influence people to say yes. Artifacts and local environment Several studies have presented evidence in support of the theory that "dressing for success" affects one's ability to influence other people. One study found that people dressed in suits versus people dressed in casual or working-class clothes actually affects a subject's likelihood of answering a question correctly. In this study, a person dressed in a suit had a 77% percent chance of getting money returned to them, while those dressed casually or in working outfits had a 38% chance (Bickman, 1971). This study suggests that a person's status affects how well they are received by the person they are trying to influence, and thus their likelihood of being able to influence them into buying an idea or product. Seating arrangements can affect ones ability to influence others. Seating arrangements that are closer to one another have a greater effect and lead to a less hostile environment than when people are seated opposite of one another (Sommer, 1967). Sommer found that when a relationship is of a competitive nature (i.e. bargaining situations such as labor contract agreements) there is a preference for this style of seating because it "reflects a desire to obtain information about one's competitor." Another study suggested round tables help to "increase informality and feelings of closeness in comparision to square or rectangular tables" (Sommer, 1965). Dawson (1986) suggested having the members of the negotiation dispersed, that is, have intermixing the opposing members together helps smooth over negotiations. Placing artifacts in the negotiating environment can have affects on the negotiation. A flower, vas... ...a presentation. Various studies have shown that a person becomes more willing to "sign petitions or complete questionnaires, to assist with scoring inventories, and to help an interviewer pick up dropped questionnaires" (Crusco, 1984). Hence, the shaking of hands at the beginning of a business meeting to facilitate good will and cooperation (Dawson, 1986). Conclusion The role of nonverbal communication within business meetings should not be over-rated. Nonverbal behavior does play a role and can help with success in negotiations, but is not the be all, end all to negotiating successfully. However, being aware of violating someone's personal zone or knowing when to be quiet is as important as knowing what to say. In general, more successful persuaders were found to be smiling, nodding, and gesturing at appropiate moments during a business meeting or job interview (Edinger, 1983). What is important to remember is to know when to use these various cues to your advantage, and to know not to overuse them. Specific research in this field was difficult to find, and more research is needed before greater and more detailed conclusions can be drawn.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Criminological research Essay

Longitudinal Approach to Chicago Crime Research The Project on Human Development in Chicago Research conducted a research regarding the historical origins of crime using the statistical longitudinal approach — eight-year-follow-up from 1993 to 2001 on 11,000 individuals with equal male to female ratio in nine different age groups selected at random from 70 different communities— and the developmental crime analysis using multi-field approaches from various related studies in criminology, sociology, psychology and biology. The Project is based at Harvard School of Public Health and is jointly sponsored by National Institute of Justice and MacArthur Foundation. The project attempted to explain the psychological and criminological determinants of the city in response to the mounting crime rates from the years 1960’s to current. In lieu with this, the project also aimed to find ‘solutions’ through the aforementioned multi-disciplinary analysis combined with therapeutic intervention analysis. Understanding criminal behavior entails identification of the source (from birth to adulthood), the developmental origin and environmental influences. Main areas for the study include individual differences, influences from family, school, peer and community, criminal careers, predictions of dangerousness. Data collection is by multistream STORI approach—self-reports tests and examinations, observational procedures (surveys and interviews), existing records, and informant reports. Community, as a determinant, is analyzed through systemic social observation. Changes in family structure is measured at several factors including the individual and/or mixed effect of household environment, care providers, key figures , presence of extended family, quality of upbringing, and the relationships within. The impact of racism on construction of identity of the samples was also considered. Gender-specific roles was also investigated–— why males tend to be more violent and the females more into sexual and property offenses  ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€ their differential response to developmental determinants, individuality, and social behavior with focus between adolescence-adulthood period. Antisocial behavior as exhibited by criminal behavior is evaluated at traumatic stress (and PTSD), abuse and child development; the coping mechanism and resilience and cycle of violence hypotheses is evaluated in line with this. Aside from exploring the history and patterns of anti-socialism, the project maimed at creating intervention programs at the following age group to prevent recidivism: 0-6 (improved social skills and cognitive stimulation); and young adolescents (modeling, peer leader and educ films); young adults (probation and diversion programs). Testing persistence-desistence hypothesis by using various theories [ (bio-psych development, social learning and control, social organization, network, rational choice and deterrence theory)] with focus on peer relations will also be included in the Project. The Project also aimed at creating a pragmatic, large-scale approach for crime prevention by testing their hypothesis on differential social organization, individual differences, peer groups and social networks. The Project’s scheme is rather ambitious considering that it requires an 8 year statistical analysis, only 200 field experts and one co-sponsor (aside from the federal). While it is true that ‘meta-analysis’ can be applicable for such types of study, there are problems in statistical method sampling especially if the test samples ‘migrated’ or ‘died’ before the end of the project. Would the Project resort to attrition analysis? The investigation may also be weak because it relies on questionnaires and interviews, and most criminals, in reality, rarely talk about their life. Technology should also be assessed for the study. Additionally, the methods used, although very extensive, may be very tiring to the staff. Although the objectives of the study are great, the methods require extensive staffing and careful management and (detached) association with the samples in the study. Reference Earls, F. J. and Reiss, A. J. (1994). Breaking the Cycle. NIJ Research Report. 91 pp.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Duplox Copiers Canada Limited Essay

Duplox Copiers Canada Limited is experiencing several severe issues that are affecting the profitability of the firm. The main issues at DCCL are: employee turnover is increasing, employee morale is low, and customer satisfaction has dropped while customer complaints have increased, and ultimately the biggest issue is revenue and profits have both decreased. From analyzing DCCL, it was determined that several strategic issues, including the current reward and compensation system, are having negative effects on employees, management, and the organization as a whole. The first major issue that DCCL is facing is an increase in employee turnover, particularly with the TSS’s. Turnover rates are high and DCCL is finding it difficult to keep their TSS’s in particular. This, in turn, is affecting the company’s ability to train and have TSS’s gain a required level of experience. The success of Duplox depends highly on the motivation and quality of work that the TSSs do. Because the TSS’s are the face of the company and involved in both the install of equipment as well as the servicing up equipment, it is imperative that customers have good experiences with the TSS’s. This is currently not occurring for as displayed in several instances. To begin, the TSS’s are experiencing a decline in  attitudes toward both their work and the company. Another major issue related to the TSS’s is that they seem to be struggling the most with maintaining a positive morale. TSS’s have little to no autonomy or ability to make any decisions on their own; everything is monitored and controlled by their supervisors. This is creating tension as they are being told what to do, even when company standards, such as safety, are not being met. When the machines are installed but do not meet safety standards, the equipment is suffering and is leading to more required maintenance and service calls. Customers are dissatisfied with having unreliable machines and the downtime associated with waiting for the TSS’s to make their service calls and this is causing an increase in complaints. Due to the fact that the TSS’s are constantly the ones who are dealing with customers face to face, they are taking the majority of the complaints and are being blamed for the constant need of maintenance on equipment. This is one major reason why the TSS’s are dealing with low morale. However, the TSS’s are not at fault in terms of installations that are not meeting safety standards; this issue is originating with the sales people. The sales people have a salary that only contributes to 50 % of their income, while the other 50 % is coming from how commission of sales. This is leading to the sales people forcing the closure of sales and not informing clients of safety standards that need to be changed prior to an installation. Compensation for TSS’s is also a factor that has become an issue for the organization. TSS’s are being given bonuses based on their productivity and their expense standards. Being given bonuses based on how efficient they are being in terms of their expense budget does not seem directly relatable to their job. Therefore, this is also causing tension and frustration for the TSS’s. Evaluation of their performance needs to be objective and relatable to what they are doing out in the field in terms of installations and service calls. Most of these issues can be related to the managerial style that is being conducted at DCCL. There is very little opportunity for employees to be able to make their own decisions. The structure is set up in a classical managerial style which is very controlling. Many of the issues the organization is experiencing can be attributed to the style of management which is not facilitating a healthy work environment for employees. Section B We feel that the structure of the company is fine, but feel that the solutions lay in redefining the job descriptions and also reworking the compensation strategy to better reflect the goals of the company and how they expect to be successful. However, eliminating the FSM position will occur, because it creates many redundancies in how the TSS’s operate. Changing the compensation strategy of the sales reps is of the utmost importance, because as it stands, they are just pushing as many new installations as possible, since they are rewarded per number of installation. This means that some of the installations are occurring in places that do not conform to company standards on space, ventilation, and wiring. This is causing more and more breakdowns, which in turn leads to many more service calls for the TSSs. Another major issue that needs to change is the managerial style. Currently, DCCL is operating in a classical managerial style. This has caused problems from poor communication, lack of motivation, low job satisfaction, and increased employee turnover rates. In order for DCCL to change their managerial style, they need to re-evaluate which style would work best. We believe that DCCL will excel with a shift to a human relations managerial style; this will allow for more autonomy and individual responsibility from employees, while still allowing managers to retain a level of control. Currently, managers are having to make every decisions and also supervise employees, such as the TSS’s, to an extreme degree. In order to have managers adopt a new managerial style focused more on human relations, a company meeting must be held. In this meeting, the issues that have come from the current managerial style would be outlined and this would be followed by a proposition for change. With a new managerial style, employees such as the TSS’s may become more motivated as they will have more responsibility and autonomy to operate on their own. In order to allow the TSS’s to operate more efficiently and with more autonomy, eliminating the position of FSM seems the best choice. The FSM often just acts as a middleman, whether it be relaying on the message to order a part, or relaying on information from the Training/Support Specialist. As a result, job descriptions for Training/Support Specialist and also Branch Service Manager will be redesigned. Both revisions are as below: Training/Support Specialist Under the direction of the Director of Technical Training and Support, develops and conducts technical training programs for Technical Support Specialists for a given Model series. Provides direct support to Technical Service Specialists via telephone or email to deal with complex problems for this model series. Assists Sales Training Specialists in the Marketing Department with preparation of training materials and programs for sales representatives. Branch Service Manager Under the general supervision of the Regional Service Manager, manages the installation and servicing of company products at that branch. Supervises field service managers and ensures that budgeted service revenue and cost targets are achieved for the branch. Monitors TSS expense reports to ensure efficient travel and repair costs. Evaluates current policies, procedures, and practices for achieving regional objectives and implements improved policies, procedures, and practices. Responsible for selection, training, evaluation, coaching, promotion, transfer, or discharge of field service managers, technical service specialists, and service clerks. Supervises service clerks and, in conjunction with the Manager of Branch Inventories, the Branch Inventory Clerk. In conjunction with the Branch Sales Manager, oversees the administration of the branch. The TSS’s are another point of concern, as many of the issues that are plaguing DCCL originate from these employees. However, it is not the fault of the TSS’s, but rather the structural system, combined with the job description and tasks given to the TSS’s. Having little to no ability to make their own decisions, the TSS’s have experienced a difficulty in staying motivated. Constant need to report to their supervisors makes it difficult for work to flow easily. Customers also focus their frustrations towards the TSS’s, as they are the ones who the customers see on a consistent basis. When new parts are needed to be ordered, the TSS’s must inform their supervisor so that they can order a new part, rather than just being able to place the order for the part themselves. The job description of the TSS’s will be revised as follows: TSS 1 TSS 1 will perform routine product installations and product servicing for all products within the Model series (1000, 2000, 3000, or 4000). Assists TSS 2 and 3 in complex product installations, breakdowns and overhauls. Orders new parts for installations when required directly from the main warehouse. Effectively manage expenses regarding repairs and travel in accordance with company policies. TSS 2 TSS 2 will perform complex product installations, repair of product breakdowns and malfunctions, and adjustment problems for all products in their model series (1000, 2000, 3000, or 4000). Supervises and trains TSS 1 in these functions and performs the initial on-the-job training for TSS 1 as required. Assists TSS 3 in major malfunctions and with major product overhauls. Effectively manage expenses regarding repairs and travel in accordance with company policies. TSS 3 TSS 3 will perform complex product installations, repair of major product breakdowns and malfunctions, adjustment of complex quality problems, and complex overhauls for all products in their model series (1000, 2000, 3000, or 4000). Supervises and trains TSS 2 in these functions. With collaboration from the Field Services Manager, may assist sales representatives in identification of the technical configuration of equipment that best suits customer needs. Effectively manage expenses regarding repairs and travel in accordance with company policies. Section C In order to account for different desired behaviours for different positions, it is necessary to group different jobs in job families. When grouping the jobs, we assessed job descriptions to group jobs that have similar descriptions and tasks, require similar knowledge, and are at similar levels in the company.  The following section outlines the Compensation Strategy Formulation Process. For each step in the process (required behaviour, role of compensation, compensation mix, and compensation level) we will outline how it will relate to each job family. Define the required Behaviour The number one behavior that will help DCCL is task behavior, which is when employees perform the tasks that have been assigned to them. One of the main  issues now is the disconnect between the sales people and the TSS’s. The sales people leave out important information, such as how crucial ventilation is to the machine, and as a result, the TSS’s are slammed with preventable service calls. The failure and breakdown rate caused by customers not being informed about what may be required to have the machine fit in their office. As a result, the breakdown and failure rate is higher than it should be, and is giving a bad reputation to the company. So by having more task behavior, the theories and rules, such as TSS’s refusing to do installs that do not meet specifications, or sales reps telling customers what alterations are necessary to have their machine perform optimally, even if it is a costly alteration. Compensation strategy will also influence a change in t he Director’s and manager’s behaviour. By changing their behaviour to citizen behaviour, more cooperation will occur between them and those working beneath them. Facilitating communication between positions will help DCCL become more productive. One way this will occur is that managers will work with the TSS’s, rather than commanding them on what they need to do. This will allow for opportunity to talk with one another on a more equal level and allow the TSS’s to voice concerns and communicate any ideas that they may have. Facilitators in the organization need to have membership behaviour and the compensation strategy will reflect this. Membership behaviour leads an employee to have a commitment to the organization allowing them to grow and prosper within that company. Having employees with membership behaviour also helps reduce turnover rates. Define the role of Compensation The role of compensation for DCCL will be to encourage employees to remain with the company, thus lowering the turnover. DCCL needs a compensation strategy that encourages employees to remain with the company, as turnover rates have been rising. It is expensive to replace employees, especially ones that require a great deal of training, like the TSS’s. Any facilitators as well need to be able to remain with the company, and may look for higher compensation. The employees, who have the ability to be trained and are hired with little required skill, can allow an organization to pay a lower compensation. However, the required behaviour of a certain position can affect the level of compensation that an employee may be seeking, as  motivational factors vary dependent on position. The salespeople are currently motived by a large compensation strategy that pays 50% of the salary and the rest is commissioned based. This is proving to be detrimental to the organization and must be adjusted so that these employees rely less on pure number of sales, this in turn allow them to make the proper sales to customers with environments that meet company specifications. Determine the compensation mix As behaviours and compensation are identified, a compensation mix of components will determine how effective the organization will be in eliciting behaviours in the most effective and efficient way. For the directors and managers, they will be compensated primarily on base pay. Performance pay will come from how well they are managing those beneath them, but will make up a smaller portion of their overall salary. The foundation for their base pay will be based on job evaluation as they are ones who have to ensure the organization is operating in an efficient manner. Director and managers will have the opportunity to receive benefits such as having a profit sharing incentive. Managers and other employees that are motivated by membership behaviour will have this option to have a share of the organization as their membership behaviour promotes commitment to the organization. The sales department are given a base pay based on job evaluation. Since their duty is to increase sales for the organization, those who sell more should receive pay based on their performance. Also, their commission for each sale should be less than what it currently is as it is proving to be a point of concern as they are selling without regard to whether the sale is being done correctly. Any performance pay should be linked as a group because this will eliminate any sort of unhealthy competition and promote the sales team to work together and accomplish sales. Facilitator and Tech are all based on pay for knowledge. Their base pay will be compensated based on their expanse of knowledge and their ability to diagnose problems that others are unable to do. As mentioned, these employees need to have membership behaviour because it is difficult to hire a specialist with the required knowledge. The longer they are with the organization, the more valuable they become because they spend time learning and gaining experience. This allows them to have indiv idual performance pay. Determine the compensation level Lagging, leading, or matching the market is the last step in determining compensation levels. For each job position there can be variation in terms of whether that position will lead, lag, or match the market. The directors and managers will be compensated at a level that is slightly above the market. In order to attract qualified and successful managers, offering above the market may attract those who feel they have an advantage in terms of their qualifications and are seeking something that compensates above average. Although it may cost the company more money, having a qualified and successful manager can improve an organization’s productivity which can be priceless. The sales department will match the market at base pay, but they will have the opportunity to earn group performance pay that would be higher than the market. As for the Facilitators and Techs, they will be compensated above the market. Since the market that DCCL is operating in is very competitive, it is important to attract qualified and effective Facilitators to give the organization an advantage over competitors. By having a compensation level that pays above the market, Facilitators will want to work for DCCL and remain with DCCL, which helps in promoting the required membership behaviour. From analyzing DCCL, we have concluded that the directors, managers, and the sales department all fall under the job evaluation system. For directors, there are a few compensable factors; education, experience, knowledge, mental effort, decision making, consequences of mistakes, supervisory responsibility, and employee relations. For education, a degree and business with a specialization of leadership and management or equivalent is desired as well as four years’ experience in a managerial or director role. They must have adequate knowledge of the industry from a previous position within the company or competitor is desired. The ability to make difficult decisions and not get stressed from the mental effort required. Able to handle the consequences and fix any mistakes made from a poor decision. Lastly, able to relate to employees while maintaining adequate supervisory responsibilities to ensure productivity, efficiency, and any safety issues as well. Managers have similar compensable factors to that of directors. These factors are as follows: education, experience, mental effort, decision making, supervisory responsibility, employee relations, and knowledge. For education, a degree and business with a specialization of leadership and management or equivalent is desired as well as two years’ experience in a managerial or director role. Education must be a postsecondary degree with a specialization in management or human relations. Experience of two years in a managerial context is required as well. The ability to make decisions is essential and to make them with confidence. Must be able to manage and supervise employees with respect to garner cooperation and productivity. Salespeople also fall under the job evaluation plan and their compensable factors are: human relations, friendliness, trustworthiness, interpersonal skills, communication skills, education, experience, and contact with  customers and clients. Salespeople must have postsecondary education along with two years’ experience in sales of some sort. Being able to relate to customers and clients while maintaining a friendly outlook and to be seen as trustworthy is essential. Also, must have the ability to communicate fluently and clearly as well as have knowledge of a second language is desired.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Smoking in public places should be prohibited Essay Example

Smoking in public places should be prohibited Essay Example Smoking in public places should be prohibited Essay Smoking in public places should be prohibited Essay Reports have it that cigarette smoking is bad for one’s health. Even government publicists say that smoking is dangerous. But there are people who continue to smoke to this day. The effects may be hazardous but they don’t seem to care. We hear people die of cigarette smoking. Some of them are our family members. Others are our next door neighbors. They die of cigarette smoke for smoking for years. Don’t say they were not warned against the ill effects of smoking cigarettes. Warnings are everywhere but they continue to go on and have become addicted to nicotine and all the other ingredients of cigarette smoke.We know that smoking is bad but the question remains: why do people smoke? Public opinions are heavy with objections to cigarette smoke.This paper will look into the other issue in cigarette smoking: smoking in public places. We know that passive smoke is even more dangerous than active smoke. Passive smoking is the smoke we get from people who smoke in publi c places such as bars, hotels, parks and we inhale their smoke.Passive SmokingPassive or involuntary smoking, according to Martell (1983) is the exposure to secondhand smoke or sometimes called â€Å"environmental† tobacco smoke. This smoke is a combination of smoke breathed out by smokers and smoke from cigarettes, cigars, pipes, bidis, among other components.According to the same author (Martell, 1983), secondhand tobacco smoke contains both gases and particulates which modifies as they get watered down and distributed in the environment and with time. The amount of secondhand smoke inhaled against one’s will differs and its makeup depends on smoking patterns and cigarette type.Winters (1982) say that smoking is being connected to lung cancer by medical institutions around the world. According to Winters (1982), a study showed that smoking men are 22 times more likely to die from lung cancer than non-smoking men and smoking women are 12 times more likely to die from lung cancer than non-smoking women.These studies show only one thing, that cigarette smoking sppeds up the rate of acquiring cancer and other ailments related to cigarette smoking. Recent findings by the World Health Organization (2002) suggest that U.S. white male smokers have an 8% chance of acquiring lung cancer at some point in their lives, as opposed to the 2% chance of acquiring lung cancer among U.S. white male non-smokers.A persons greater risk of acquiring diseases brought by smoking is said to be directly relative to the amount of time that a person continues to smoke as well as the quantity smoked. If only people decide to stop smoking, these chances become less (Witschi, 2001).Smoking in Public PlacesEnvironmental tobacco smoke or ETS is said to consist more than 4,000 chemicals and at least 40 known carcinogens. The addictive drug contained in tobacco called nicotine leads to acute increases in heart rate and blood pressure (Winters, 1982).Smokers have always insisted o n their rights. But active smokers must also take into consideration the rights of those who don’t want to die of smoking cigarette, tobacco, among others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Smoking in public places must be banned totally. It has been known that smoking kills. Nonsmokers who have high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol are at even greater risk of developing heart diseases from exposure to ETS.In 2002, the World Health Organization came up with its World Health Report which showed that in developed countries, 26% of male deaths and 9% of female deaths can be attributed to smoking. That’s how dangerous smoking can be to humans.The medical world is filled with studies which show just how smoking can harm the human being in more ways than one. A report (Report of the Surgeon General, 1986) showed specifically the various health hazards brought by passive smoking. The report said that exposure to environmental tobacco smoking is about 10 times as danger ous as direct smoke.Ban on Public SmokingThere have been clamor to ban smoking in public done in many different avenues. There are opinion polls or surveys showcasing just how many people are against smoking. It is a fact that smoking kills but still people continue to kill themselves slowly, inviting nonsmokers to die with them.If we cannot ask people to stop smoking, we can make them stop smoking in public places. In New York City for instance, smoking is now being prohibited in workplaces. This ban, however, is not being imposed in bars. Restaurants have now banned smoking even in outside seating areas or entrances, transfering most smokers to street corners or in front of private residences.Martell (1983) indicated that smoking is now being prohibited in restaurants and bars across the United States. This is happening in the states of California and Delaware which have adopted this ban. In other states, these bans are gaining popular support with anti-smokers who see them as lon g overdue. Often smoking is sometimes allowed on the street, but this is not the case in countries like Japan wherein smoking is considered against the law.Recent developments in the ban of public smoking have been reported. Ireland is the first European country to enforce an outright ban on smoking in workplaces in March 2004.When New Zealand imposed smoking ban in bars and restaurants in 2004, the proposal received resentments from some bar owners, but the idea gained popular agreement from the public at large. There was a recent similar measures that were undertaken in Queensland in July this year. The move is now being considered by the public and is considered a success by nonsmokers from this side of the planet.Washington, in 2005, banned smoking in all business establishments, including bars and bowling alleys, and any place outdoors within 25 feet of a window, door, or ventilation intake. This is another welcome development for nonsmokers in this state since the goevrnment i s finally acting on the public clamor.Scotland also prohibited smoking in enclosed public places including public buildings, workplaces, sports stadiums, bars and restaurants. Exemptions are in place to allow hotel guests to smoke in their own rooms. Strangely though, the law also bans smoking in bus shelters, phone boxes or other smoking shelters that are more than 50% enclosed. It also prohibits smoking in trucks and vans which are owned by a company whether or not the driver is the only person inside.In many parts of the world tobacco advertising and even sponsorship of sporting events is not allowed. The ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship in the EU in 2005 has prompted the Formula One Management to look for races in areas that allow the heavily tobacco sponsored teams to display their livery, and has also led to some of the more popular races on the calendar being cancelled in favour of more tobacco friendly markets. However pressure from fans has seen these decisions re versed, and Grand Prix such as the Belgian Grand Prix have re-appeared on the calender.Conclusion:Medical studies have shown us that passive smoke is as dangerous as active smoke. It is with thought in mind that governments around the world should seriously consider banning public smoking at the soonest possible time.This is a serious matter since passive smoke can seriously cause different illness to anyone who happened to be around at that very moment. Banning public smoking does not cut off the rights of smokers. They are still being respected but the rights of nonsmokers must also be respected as well.It is unfortunate that many people still get sick and die of smoking as we move toward the ice age. This is the new millennium and yet people are still ignorant of the effects of passive smoke.The ill effects of smoking are being illustrated by researchers and medical experts the world over. Diseases such as lung cancer are being attributed to smoking and there are evidence to thes e reports. There have also been reports that say that nonsmokers are more at risk. These are the people who actually decided that they will not smoke because they are very well aware of the effects of smoking to their health. But for some reason, they just accidentally inhaled the smoke but their lives were suddenly at risk. Now that is unfair.With this in mind, I believe that smoking in public places must be stopped immediately so as not put the health of nonsmokers at risk.As a final note, governments should seriously consider the urgency of the situation and decide to ban smoking in public places and think of it as a serious matter that must be acted upon in all seriousness.:1986 Report of the Surgeon General, as well as studies by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).Adler I. Primary malignant growths of the lungs and bronchi. New York: Longmans, Green, and Company; 1912E. A. Martell (1983). Radiation Dose at Bronchial Bifurcations of Smokers from Indoor Exposure to Radon Prog enyWinters et al. (1982). Radioactivity in Cigarette Smoke. New England Journal of Medicine.Witschi 2001, A Short History of Lung Cancer. Toxicol Sci. 2001 Nov;64(1):4-6.World health report 2002: reducing risks, promoting healthy life;

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Reforma migratoria de Trump y a quiénes afectaría

Reforma migratoria de Trump y a quià ©nes afectarà ­a De aprobarse la reforma migratoria que propone el Presidente Donald Trump, se modificarà ­a radicalmente la situacià ³n legal de un grupo de migrantes indocumentados, se eliminarà ­an y alterarà ­an algunos de los caminos ms comunes para sacar la tarjeta de residencia, y se reducirà ­a drsticamente el nà ºmero total de migrantes legales que se admiten anualmente en Estados Unidos. En este artà ­culo se explican cules son esas  propuestas, a quià ©nes afectarà ­a y cà ³mo es el proceso legislativo estadounidense necesario para que se aprueben y se conviertan en ley. Propuesta de reforma migratoria para los "Dreamers" Los Dreamers son los inmigrantes indocumentados que llegaron a los Estados Unidos siendo nià ±os. Cualquier tipo de reforma migratoria que se intente llevar a cabo, pasa por la necesidad de encontrar una salida legal a la situacià ³n de estos muchachos. Barack Obama, el anterior presidente, protegià ³ a 700.000 de ellos de la deportacià ³n y les permitià ³ obtener un permiso de trabajo cuando, mediante una accià ³n ejecutiva en 2012, creà ³ el programa de Accià ³n Diferida, conocido en inglà ©s por las siglas de DACA.   Sin embargo, en septiembre de 2017 y mediante otra  orden ejecutiva, el Presidente Trump puso fin a ese programa de forma escalonada y prohibià ³ presentar nuevas solicitudes. En  la actualidad, por decisià ³n judicial el gobierno est obligado a seguir procesando solicitudes de renovaciones, a la espera de que una corte dicte sobre la legalidad de la accià ³n ejecutiva que puso fin a DACA. De aprobarse la propuesta de reforma migratoria, se abrirà ­a un camino para estos muchachos hacia la ciudadanà ­a estadounidense, previa obtencià ³n de la residencia permanente, tambià ©n conocida como green card, en un proceso que podrà ­a demorarse entre 10 y 12 aà ±os. Se estima que esta propuesta beneficiarà ­a a un total de 1,8 millones de jà ³venes, es decir, los 700,000 de DACA y 1,1 millà ³n ms de personas que podrà ­an calificar. Para ellos supondrà ­a pasar de un estatus migratorio de indocumentado a uno legal. Reforma migratoria eliminarà ­agreen card por reunificacià ³n familiar Una de las iniciativas ms polà ©micas de  Trump  es la de poner fin a ciertas categorà ­as de peticià ³n de la tarjeta de residencia permanente para familiares.   Se eliminarà ­an, en primer lugar, las peticiones que, segà ºn la ley actual, pueden realizar los ciudadanos americanos en favor de sus padres, hermanos, hijos casados de cualquier edad e hijos solteros mayores de 21 aà ±os. Es decir, los ciudadanos solo podrà ­an pedir la green card para sus cà ³nyuges y para sus hijos solteros considerados como nià ±os (child, en inglà ©s segà ºn la terminologà ­a de las leyes migratorias).   En la actualidad, para la ley migratoria que rige este tipo de solicitudes, es considerado como nià ±o toda persona soltera menor de 21 aà ±os de edad. Algunas propuestas de reforma migratoria consideran rebajar a 18 aà ±os la consideracià ³n de nià ±o. En segundo lugar, segà ºn esta propuesta de reforma migratoria, tambià ©n se eliminarà ­an las peticiones de papeles efectuadas por residentes permanentes en favor de sus hijos solteros mayores de 21 aà ±os, de tal manera que los residentes permanentes solo podrà ­an pedir la green card para sus cà ³nyuges y para sus hijos solteros menores de 21 aà ±os. Tambià ©n en estos casos se considera rebajar la edad a los 18 aà ±os, en vez de los 21, que es la edad que aplica en la actualidad. Para justificar  esta medida de poner fin a ciertas categorà ­as de inmigracià ³n por reunificacià ³n familiar, Trump argumenta que, en realidad, es una forma de inmigracià ³n en cadena. Por ejemplo, un ciudadano puede pedir a un hermano y puede incluir en la misma solicitud a la esposa de este y a los hijos solteros menores de 21 aà ±os. Con el paso del tiempo, esas personas podrà ­an obtener la green card y, posteriormente, la ciudadanà ­a americana por naturalizacià ³n. A partir de ese momento, podrà ­an realizar sus propias peticiones. Por ejemplo, la cuà ±ada del ciudadano que realizà ³ la primera peticià ³n podrà ­a pedir a sus padres, hijos mayores de 21 aà ±os o hermanos. Asà ­, esas personas  emigrarà ­an a Estados Unidos meramente por razà ³n de sus lazos familiares, pero sin tener en consideracià ³n quà © le pueden aportar al paà ­s.   Si se aprobara una reforma migratoria eliminando las categorà ­as de peticiones de familia  mencionadas, se reducirà ­a automticamente en 400.000 personas el nà ºmero de inmigrantes que legalmente obtienen la green card en Estados Unidos por aà ±o fiscal. En este caso, los perjudicados serà ­an los 3,9 millones de personas que llevan aà ±os, y en algunos casos dà ©cadas, esperando  una visa de inmigrante disponible en su categorà ­a, como se puede verificar en el boletà ­n de visas que publica y actualiza cada mes el Departamento de Estado. Entre las personas que ms tiempo llevan esperando estn los hermanos y los hijos casados de ciudadanos americanos de Mà ©xico. Entre los perjudicados tambià ©n estarà ­an los ciudadanos y los residentes que presentaron la peticià ³n de papeles en favor de un familiar en una categorà ­a que se eliminarà ­a. Eliminacià ³n de la loterà ­a de visas de la diversidad Todos los aà ±os fiscales, se celebra un sorteo gratuito de tarjetas de residencia permanente que se conoce como loterà ­a de visas de la diversidad y que tiene por objeto facilitar la inmigracià ³n procedente de paà ­ses con niveles no altos de migracià ³n actual hacia Estados Unidos. Por esta razà ³n, estn excluidos de participar los nacidos en paà ­ses con altas tasas de migracià ³n, como Mà ©xico, Repà ºblica Dominicana o Colombia, por ejemplo.   En la actualidad, la loterà ­a de visas favorece principalmente a los africanos. Entre los paà ­ses de habla espaà ±ola, los venezolanos son los que estn ganando por este sistema ms tarjetas de residencia. De eliminarse este programa de la loterà ­a de visas, los perjudicados serà ­an las 50.000 personas que anualmente obtienen la tarjeta de residencia por medio de este sorteo. Construccià ³n de muro enla frontera entre Estados Unidos y Mà ©xico La construccià ³n del muro, una de las promesas electorales de Trump, tendrà ­a un costo de 25 mil millones de dà ³lares. La Casa Blanca pone como requisito para apoyar cualquier medida de regularizacià ³n migratoria para los Dreamers que el Senado y la Cmara de Representantes aprueben el presupuesto para la construccià ³n del muro y que se incremente la partida de dinero destinada a las labores de control en las zonas fronterizas que llevan acabo la Patrulla Fronteriza (CBP, por sus siglas en inglà ©s) y el ICE, la agencia encargada de ejecutar las leyes migratorias. La construccià ³n del muro tiene una fuerte oposicià ³n en Estados Unidos, ya que un buen nà ºmero de legisladores opinan que es muy caro, que la frontera entre los dos paà ­ses ya est casi en su totalidad separada por una valla y, finalmente, que no servirà ­a realmente para detener completamente la inmigracià ³n indocumentada. Esto porque se estima que ms de la mitad de todos los migrantes indocumentados presentes en Estados Unidos ingresaron legalmente con una visa y, simplemente, perdieron su estatus al no salir del paà ­s dentro de plazo. En este caso, se argumenta que la à ºnica solucià ³n para acabar con la migracià ³n indocumentada serà ­a imposibilitar que pudiese  trabajar mediante la imposicià ³n obligatoria en todas las empresas del sistema e-verify para verificar el estatus migratorio de todos los empleados y acompaà ±arla de altas multas a las empresas que den trabajo a inmigrantes sin los documentos en regla. De construirse el muro, los grandes perjudicados serà ­an los contribuyentes estadounidenses, ya que el dinero no lo pondrà ­a Mà ©xico, como se habà ­a anunciado en el fragor de la  campaà ±a presidencial del 2016. Creacià ³n de sistema de inmigracià ³n por puntos En el caso de una eventual nueva ley migratoria, el Presidente Trump favorece modificar  las categorà ­as que regulan la inmigracià ³n por trabajo estableciendo un sistema de puntos, similar al que existe en  Australia y en Canad. De crearse ese sistema, cada candidato a emigrar recibirà ­a una serie de puntos en funcià ³n de sus caracterà ­sticas personales  como, por ejemplo, educacià ³n, edad, experiencia laboral y conocimientos de inglà ©s. Cuanto mayor fuera su puntaje, mayores serà ­an las posibilidades de obtener una green card. Reforma migratoria para indocumentados que no son Dreamers Se calcula que en Estados Unidos hay unos 11 millones de inmigrantes sin papeles. Las propuestas de reforma solamente  contemplan la regularizacià ³n de los jà ³venes conocidos como Dreamers, lo cual dejarà ­a sin legalizacià ³n a aproximadamente nueve millones de migrantes. Todavà ­a no se ha articulado una propuesta sobre quà © pasarà ­a con ellos, aunque se estima que no resultarà ­a factible deportarlos a pesar de las amenazas que frecuentemente se dicen. Quà © es necesario para que se apruebe una ley de reformamigratoria La reforma migratoria es competencia federal y para que se apruebe una ley es necesario la mayorà ­a simple en la Cmara de Representantes (218 de 435)  y la mayorà ­a simple en el Senado (51 de 100). Una vez que una ley es aprobada por ambas cmaras es necesario que la firme el presidente. Sin embargo,  en el Senado hay un recurso de obstruccià ³n legislativa, que se conoce en inglà ©s como filibuster y  que permite que uno o varios senadores impidan que una propuesta de ley se vote mediante el uso continuo  de la palabra. El filibuster solo puede detenerse cuando no hay  ms senadores dispuestos a hablar o cuando asà ­ lo decidan 3/5 del total de senadores (60 senadores). Esto tiene importantes consecuencias prcticas dada la  actual composicià ³n del Senado, donde 52 senadores son republicanos, es decir, del mismo partido que el presidente. Para levantar un posible el filibuster  que impida votar en la Cmara Alta una propuesta de ley de reforma migratoria del Presidente Trump, los republicanos necesitan al menos ocho votos de senadores demà ³cratas, lo que significa en la prctica que para aprobar esa ley es imprescindible un acuerdo entre los partidos republicano y demà ³crata. Mientras Trump  intenta aprobar una reforma migratoria, es recomendable que los migrantes indocumentados en Estados Unidos se asesoren con abogados u organizaciones con excelente reputacià ³n sobre las posibilidades reales para regularizar su situacià ³n, si es que existe alguna. Este es un artà ­culo informativo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.