The television show AMERICAN IDOL. is a good show. and why it a good Essay

The television show AMERICAN IDOL. is a good show. and why it a good show - Essay Example Exploring the spontaneity aspects of the show, how much of it is truly spontaneous and what parts are orchestrated is a topic of speculation (Shale 2006). The competition’s initial rounds attract tens of thousands of hopeful artists who are screened and only dozens move on to the rounds in Hollywood. In these initial auditions, a mix of expectant artists are showcased comprise of some bizarre acts, very poor singing talent along with those who are chosen for the rounds in Hollywood. The viewers are granted the experience of watching spontaneity at its epitome with bizarre and awful performances such as the portrayal of Lady Marmalade in season one and a contestant dressed as the Statue of Liberty in the latest season’s auditions. While one may wonder whether such self-delusioned people are for real, viewers will no doubt agree that such eccentricities add to the reality show’s appeal. While spontaneity of the contestants is one aspect, the judges themselves add to the drama of the show by blunt and harsh criticisms and unsuppressed dismays expressed verbally and with their dramatic facial expressions. The three judges of the show, Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson portrays three different personal styles with Simon coming across as the most critical and harsh of them with controversial remarks which even raise public backlashes. As per Tom Shales, in his article, Americas Winning Losers†¦ â€Å"when the show started, this aspect of it seemed awfully mean-spirited -- humiliation television, cruelty as entertainment† (Shales 2006). However, it has to be accepted that the viewing audience sees such brutal remarks by Simon as "You look like the Incredible Hulks wife" as an essential element of the formula which makes Idol the success it is. Squabbling between the judges themselves on disagreements on who they

Legal Aspects of Business Decisions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Legal Aspects of Business Decisions - Essay Example This analysis forces courts to consider the pro-competitive effects of the restraint as well as its anticompetitive effects. Certain categories of restraints to be illegal per se: that is, they are conclusively presumed to be unreasonable and therefore illegal. For those types of restraints, the court does not have to go any further in its analysis than to recognize the type of restraint, and the plaintiff does not have to show anything other than that the restraint occurred. Three elements must be alleged to sustain a cause of action under section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. 1 (1982): a contract, combination or conspiracy; a restraint of trade; and an effect on interstate commerce. Weiss v. York Hospital, 745 F.2d 786, 812 (3d Cir.1984), cert. denied, 470 U.S. 1060, 105 S.Ct. 1777, 84 L.Ed.2d 836 (1985). Restraints of trade can be classified as horizontal or vertical. A horizontal agreement is one involving direct competitors at the same level in a particular industry, and a vertical agreement involves participants who are not direct competitors because they are at different levels. Thus, a horizontal agreement can be among manufacturers or retailers or wholesalers, but it does not involve participants from across the different groups.

Foundation of Occupational Therapy practice Essay

Foundation of Occupational Therapy practice - Essay Example There are standards, roles, and meaning that an individual derives from the occupations that they engage in. These activities and processes that an individual performs through his or her life, in some context, can collectively be referred to as occupation. The individuals’ occupation will be defined within the societal culture and norms and thus are geared towards the collective development and wellbeing of the society. An individual’s occupation will determine his or her contribution towards the objectives of the society. In this context, occupation can be put into three categories depending on their purpose namely self-care, productivity, or leisure activities. There is need to ensure a good balance in these activities. Different activities will involve sequential interrelated tasks that collectively constitute an occupation. These tasks will need different skills- an individual’s abilities to carry out the activities that will reflect on his performance of the given occupation. These skills can be enhanced through constant practice by the individual. Other than the mental abilities and skills, an occupation will also involve other physical actions. It is important that an individual engage in activity that is not stressful and that provides little or no threats to his or her life. The occupation should be meaningful and of some value to an individual. However, there are factors that can prevent an individual from engaging in an occupation that is of some value to the individual and the society. Occupational therapy is a practice that involves promoting health and well-being of an individual by engaging the individuals in some occupations. The occupational therapists will identify the social, political, cultural, environmental, mental, and psychological and even the political factors that can impede an individual’s engagement in an occupation. Having identified these factors, an occupational therapist will take the appropriate init iative to enable the individual to participate in an activity. This practice has no boundary limit and borrows from other disciplines like psychology (Creek, 2003, p.7). The therapist may encourage the individual to engage in activities and processes that will eventually provide them with an opportunity to be engaged in some occupation. The therapist may also attempt to alter the environmental condition to promote the individual’s participation in some occupation. As a profession, occupational therapy has a number of core values and beliefs that become the guiding philosophy of the practice and that are behind its principles and procedures. Firstly, the practice of occupational therapy is humanistic and self-centered. The practice shows human concern and respects the human values. Secondly, the practice does not consider the individual aspects of human function but provides a holistic perspective to depict individuals as being unique and independent. The physical, spiritual, emotional, cognitive, and social aspects of human function are incorporated in occupational therapy practice. It is believed that every individual has his own ability. The difference that exists in the individual human values is also recognized in the practice. Besides, much value is attached to involvement in some occupational activity. Engagement in some occupation is regarded as a basic requirement that is essential for good health of the individual. The OT is supposed to provide the client with information, provide the necessary support, and

Analyze report grading rubric Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analyze report grading rubric - Assignment Example Training is important because it helps equip the learners with the correct skills, attitudes and orientations towards work, helping them feel satisfied with their work (Price, 2000). The training is being performed in order to equip the supermarket personnel with the necessary skills of handling supermarket operations which include: customer service skills, inventory skills, managing skills and reporting skills. When the supermarket staff is recruited, they come from different fields which necessitate training in order for them to understand the operations of the supermarket. The problem comes as a result of deficiencies that result from their different training backgrounds. None of these people are trained in supermarket operation except for the top management that have specialized roles. The other people are sourced from around the community and thus may lack essential skills that are necessary in performing the tasks in the supermarket. The content of the training program is divided into four: customer service, inventory handling, managing and reporting. All the staff must go through the four topics exhaustively in order to be termed ready for placement within the supermarket chains. In the content, the staff learns practical and analytical skills which they are expected to use at the supermarket. The content will be delivered by way of direct instructions. In other instances depending on the nature of the topic, the content delivery mode will be experiential. This is true for customer service training as the people need to know how to handle the prospective customers. The program will take 6 months to be considered complete. Within the six months, one month will be assigned for assessment. The training will be conducted to young people between the ages of 20 to 30. This group is specifically considered by the management as appropriate to engage in the operations of the company. The group to be trained has

Leadership in Julius Caesar Essay Example for Free

Leadership in Julius Caesar Essay In Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Cassius is shown as the leader of the conspirators. Brutus, as chose by Cassius, becomes a secondary leader in the plan to eliminate Caesar. Cassius and Brutus portray specific leadership qualities in very different ways. Brutus shows he is a more sufficient leader by his bravery, integrity and selflessness. Cassius’ lack of bravery is matched up to that of Brutus at the time of their deaths during the Battle of Philippi in the fifth act. Just before Cassius’ death, he says to Pindarus, â€Å"O, coward that I am, to live so long, / To see my best friend ta’en before my face!† â€Å"Stand not to answer: Here, take though the hilts; / And, when my face is cover’d, as ‘tis now, / Guide thou the sword.† (V.III.2536-2537, 2546-2548) Cassius believes Brutus to be dead and assumes this means the end of the battle; the outcome not in his favor. Cassius has his servant, Pindarus, kill him rather than having the courage to kill himself. On the other hand, Brutus, hearing that Cassius has died, admits that they, the conspirators, have been defeated. Brutus bravely kills himself by his own doing rather than to someone else do it for him. â€Å"Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face, / While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?† (V.IV.2728-2729) Brutus had shown more bravery than Cassius by having his own death carried out by himself. Brutus also has a greater integrity than Cassius, shown by Brutus’ intentions for the conspirators. Brutus tells Cassius, â€Å"We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar, / And in the spirit of men there is no blood.† (II.I.787-788) Brutus is explaining to Cassius that the point should not to be to kill Caesar, as Cassius wants, but to kill what Caesar stands for. Brutus says, â€Å"Let us be sacrificers, not butchers.†(II.I.786) It can be assumed that Brutus wants to kill Caesar with honor; that he wants to be seen as someone fighting for a cause, not j ust a murderer. Brutus shows higher respect toward Caesar as a person, which displays a greater integrity. Brutus is a more selfless person than Cassius and has a greater passion for Rome plus its people. At Caesars funeral, Brutus tells the plebeians, â€Å"If then that friend demands / Why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: / Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved / Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living and / Die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live / All free men?† (III.II.1552-1558) Brutus’ intentions were really to help the people of  Rome, rather than Cassius who secretly wanted the crown for himself. The people of Rome did not want a dictator so Brutus’ plan was to create a republic. Cassius, though, did not actually care for helping the people of Rome, he was only after the power that Caesar had. He says. â€Å"That part of Tyranny that I do bear / I can shake off at pleasure.† (I.III.525-526) Here, Cassius is saying he can’t bear the fact of someone having more power than him. Cassius implies he’d rather kill himself than be beneath Caesar. Cassius would have been miserable if Caesar became king and became a tyrant. Brutus proved himself as a more selfless person by the way he cared for the people. Cassius was set at such a high place of being a leader, but Brutus proved he was better fit for the title. Brutus displayed leadership qualities such as bravery, integrity and selflessness that Cassius lacked. Brutus had the ability to become a leader of Rome, where he could do what was right for the people rather than gain more power for himself.

Automated Library System and Integration of Automated Library System Essay Example for Free

Automated Library System and Integration of Automated Library System Essay For the past century, change occurred rapidly in professional industry and has posed significant challenges to those who always tries to be the leader in the professional field. The information waves or some called the information revolution triggered by the rising of networking technologies and personal computers has also impacted to an institution that is quite unknown to some but essential to the community, the library institution. Libraries, as we know of as buildings with stacks of books, magazine, news, files, periodicals and signs of silence all around, may face its extinction someday. One may not run to the library or a librarian for information, but to ones own computer which is the basic of automation. The uprising of globalization, marketization, and privatization had bring significant changes the long-held political and economic beliefs. Governments and social sponsors have been propagating that social institutions—be they hospitals, schools, colleges, and libraries—become self-sufficient if they are to purposefully work and demonstrate their relevance and competence to their clients. Institutional excellence will now have to be achieved through the arm race of technologies rather than through rules, regulations and controls.. Librarians and information managers, therefore, are being asked to generate revenue to become self-sustaining as much as possible. In Malaysia, libraries and information centers have begun to realize that marketing of information products and services is an integral part of administration, especially as a means for improving user satisfaction and promoting the use of services by current and potential users. The main arsenal for libraries in Malaysia can utilize would be the automated library system and integration of automated library system. These systems has proven that it can improve substantially the services that a common library can offer. An integrated library system (ILS), also known as a library management system is a system for a library, used to track, orders made, items owned bills paid, and patrons who have borrowed. An Integrated Library System usually consist of a type of relational database, software to interact with that database. Then there’s user interface that would interact with user and also patrons of the library. There are also modules which include acquisition, circulation, cataloguing, serials, OPAC (public interface for users). These features ease the user of library in their research or other tasks. However these systems are strangers to most library institution in Malaysia. It has been implement in only a handful of institutions such as UiTM , UM ,UTM and few more private institution. This scenario happened not because Malaysia don’t have such capabilities to grab these technologies but lack of marketing strategies to in promoting the use of such systems. Three main factors, namely the information explosion, the technology revolution, and escalating library costs are responsible for encouraging the library profession in Malaysia to develop a marketing approach in its operations and services. Some information service managers feel that marketing is inimical to the nature of their activities. But with steep competition from other institution in the country, marketing is a factor for survival. There are some radical marketing strategies in order to market information systems library in Malaysia that can be apply. These strategies can be interpreted by the market the market targeted , extraordinary plans that could raise attention and also drastic measures from the national bodies and major institution and organizations. Market or target users for information systems library in Malaysia must be thoroughly defined first in order for the technologies to grow in our soil. In Malaysia, the target public and audience would be mostly students which consist of various layer of education level. Their needs and demands in library services such as navigation, guides in their research can be fulfill through the systems. By studying their likes would help in plans of promoting the system and also could meet the target audience easier Introduction of the system or better yet the education of the systems’ use and functions to the public is prior in marketing the information system. Malaysia has various kind of media channel such as the radio, television, satellite channels and vast amount of printed materials. Advertising the information systems in libraries by making a short clip with a twist of a little drama and education in the system’s role assisting users to their needs. The education should also be consistent and updated periodically to refresh audience’s knowledge and awareness from time to time. Integration of information system through networking can also be a good marketing strategies for institution in Malaysia since the distance is no more a factor and a mutual bond already existed between education institution in Malaysia. This could help a wide spread of information system network which applies the same system and processes wherever its located in the country. This could ultimately be far more efficient for the users ( mainly the students) in using the system anywhere they want since it would incorporated the same user interface , functions, database . Technologies has also developed a new kind of attraction for the users nowadays. It offers applications and software that allows users to interact with each other , socialize through wire, gain information and keep updated through high speed network. Information system in libraries and integrated system can absorb and assimilate this application in its chain of function which would be more interactive and give the users more experience of the cyber networking via an information system in a library. Also, some more value add to the systems could attract more library user such as networking andweb browsing which would help the customer expand their search wider. There are also marketing strategies that could be implemented throughout government assistance is standardizing all the library institution by ensuring that every library in the country must be equipped with the automated information and integrated system. Although it is a quite a risky and costly for some , but the services would surely improved and would extend the image of libraries in Malaysia as a benchmark for other institution in the country. The government could also help promoting and marketing this system by introducing it to the primary and secondary level education in form of a mini automated system that can easily be used by those ages of kids in their own school library which would familiarize and make them easier to adapt to the real system in the future. Another strategies in extending the information system is through the enhancement of library personnel ‘s professional knowledge and skills for marketing the information system and services that a library offer. Library personnel should enhance their professional skills with technical knowledge and diverse skillset. This would drastically changed the user perception thus promoting the system in a way of its own. Conclusion is that these automated library system and integration of automated library system in Malaysia will succeed if the campaign focus on some important aspect of the process such as increasing the clientele and reaching out to them. Unless the information is used , it is major waste to the resources. Other than that, always ensure that product innovation and flexibility always evolve throughout the period and the financial viability for the whole process maintained at a safe level. There should also some kind of awareness and cooperation in between major organization , government ,institution and the user itself . With all that , it would not be impossible for library institution in Malaysia can also change and compete with other international institution that has long exceed us in information technologies and libraries management.

Functions and brain mechanisms of sleep

Functions and brain mechanisms of sleep Sleep, it is the state in which we spend much of our lives yet so little is known about it. It has long fascinated psychologists and many have sought to unravel its mysteries. Yet like all other behaviours sleep can be examined using the same biological, psychological and environmental methods that are so effective in other areas. Defined, sleep is a naturally recurring state which is characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles. However this explains what is visible, over the years theorists tried to explain what is happening biologically during sleep. Up until the 1950s researchers believed that sleep occurred due to an overtaxing of the brain, that the constant sensory stimulation that bombards the brain during the day renders it unable to maintain a waking level of brain activity. They also believed that achieving this state was helped by the occurrence of the darkness and silence of night. Sleep at this time was also viewed as a homogeneous state and as a result of this many researchers viewed it as relatively uninteresting. This may be a reason why very little scientific attention was put on the topic for so long. In fact dream interpretation garnered far more attention at this time (Dement, 1998). This passive process theory was only dropped when experimenters recorded eye movement and muscle tension during sleep. This led to the groundbreaking discovery that there were in fact two different classes of sleep, rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement sleep(NREM) (Watson, Breedlove Rosenweig, 2010). In this essay sleep, both rapid-eye movement and slow-wave, will be explored. Also set out will be the main functions of sleep and what can happen when a person is deprived of sleep. Finally the sleep disorder narcolepsy will be discussed as it is an often misunderstood disorder which shows the mal effects when control over when to sleep is lost. Sleep can be divided into 5 stages, 4 of these stages are during NREM with the final stage being REM sleep. These stages are measurable by the patterns of electrical activity in the brain. When awake the brain shows patterns of beta waves. These have a high frequency and low amplitude. When in a state of relaxation the brain shows waves with lower frequencies, these are called alpha waves (Passer Smith, 2009) Stage 1 of NREM occurs just as the body drifts into sleep. At this stage the brain begins to demonstrate theta waves. These waves are slower again than those measured during a drowsy state and have irregular frequencies, the heart rate also slows and muscle tension is reduced. This stage normally lasts several minutes, giving way to stage 2. Here the brain shows short (1-2 seconds) periodic bursts of brain activity. These bursts are called sleep spindles. Interesting to note is that often people deny that they were even asleep if they are awakened during either the first or second stage. As the body drifts even deeper into slumber stage 3 is reached, here delta waves are the most dominant. These are of an extremely low frequency and have large amplitude. Stage 4 is very similar to stage 3 and shows further lowering of frequency and expansion of amplitude. Stages 3 and 4 are also sometimes referred to as slow-wave sleep (SWS) by some researchers. After reaching this stage the body the n cycles through the previous stages and generally after 60-70 minutes of falling asleep the body has gone through a cycle of stages 1-2-3-4-3-2. It is at this point that brain activity changes alarmingly and a brand new and unique stage of sleep emerges. This new stage is called rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep (Watson et al, 2010). This stage of sleep was discovered by Aserinky and Klietman in 1952 and is characterised by high brain arousal, rapid eye movement and frequent vivid dreaming. These researchers found that during this phase the sleeper showed bursts of muscular action which resulted in the persons eyes moving rapidly underneath the eye lid, this happened around every minute during REM sleep. People that were awakened during this stage frequently report having a dream, this is even true of people who before claimed to have never dreamed (Passer Smith, 2009). Brain activity increases to daytime levels and the body also becomes physiologically aroused, with more rapid breathing and a swifter heartbeat. Another characteristic of this stage of sleep is that the bodies of both men and women become aroused, regardless of dream content, with penile erections in men and vaginal lubrication in women. The brain also can send signals to the muscles of the arms legs and torso which make them become very relaxed, they occasionally twitch but movement is not possible at this time. This is sometimes referred to as sleep paralysis. After an average of 90 minutes the body begins the cycle of stages anew, however with each recurrence REM sleep lasts longer, eating into the time previously spent in stage 3 (Passer Smith, 2009). The brain controls the passage of the body through sleep however no single part of it is solely responsible for it. Various mechanisms in the brain control the different aspects of the sleeping body, areas on the base of the forebrain are connected with the act of falling asleep. Other sections in the brain active during sleep are certain areas in the brain stem which regulates REM sleep. Here neurons are contained which activate the other brain systems which are needed during REM such as those for the rapid-eye movement and muscular paralysis. Memories are accessed during REM sleep and this is also governed by these areas in the brain stem. This affects what is experienced during dreams(Watson et al, 2010). Having explored the biology behind sleep it is now worth looking at the benefits of sleep, both physiological and psychological. There are two major branches of thinking which explore the question of why do we sleep? These are the restoration models and the evolutionary/circadian models (Passer Smith, 2009). According to the evolutionary models sleep recharges run-down bodies, it allows us to recover from physical and mental fatigue. This is largely supported by research in sleep deprivation. A good example of one of these studies is the world record attempt by Randy Gardener in 1964. He stayed awake for 11 days as part of a school science fair project and he allowed sleep researchers to study him during this period. Over the first few days he was irritable, forgetful and nauseous, by the fifth day he began to experience periods of disorientation and had mild hallucinations and by the end he experienced slurred speech and finger tremors (Gulevich, Dement Johnson, 1966). This research clearly shows physiological and psychological problems that arise from sleep deprivation. However it has been proven that less sleep is needed as you age with older adults living healthy lives on only 5 or 6 hours sleep. In fact there is one example of a 70 year old woman who could survive on 1 hour of slee p a night. Many researchers also believe that a cellular waste chemical called adenosine has a role in the restorative functions of sleep. Adenosine is produced as cells produce energy. At high levels adenosine inhibits brain functionality and levels of it decrease during deep sleep (Passer Smith, 2009). Evolutionary/Circadian models state that the main function of sleep is prolonging a species survival relative to its environmental demands. It backs up its evidence based on the fact that prehistorically our ancestors had very little to gain by being active at night as food gathering etc was much more easily accomplished in the day. The model puts forward the idea that over the course of the evolution of a species a circadian sleep is developed. This is a wake pattern that becomes heredity due to certain factors such as its status in the predator prey relationship and its food requirements. Also researchers backing this model believe that sleep also evolved as a way of conserving energy, putting forward the fact that we use up to 25% less energy when asleep (Watson et al, 2010). A controversial theory on a benefit of sleep is one that links it to memory consolidation. The purpose of REM sleep remains unknown and some have put forward the idea that it is a tool that the brain uses to consolidate memories, a process in which the brain transfers information to the long term memory. This consolidation hypothesis is however contradicted by the fact that studies show that even when a person has little or no REM sleep due to a side effect of anti-depressant drugs they show no impairment of long term memory capacity. This has led some to state that REM sleep is necessary on a purely biological level. These theorists believe that the body uses REM sleep primarily to keep the brain from long periods of low arousal as they believe this could have damaging effects. The true purpose of REM sleep is still debated (Watson et al, 2010). An interesting study by Paller and Voss provided evidence that suggests that when memories are accessed during dreaming they can be subtly altered by the dream. This has is to do with memory consolidation. There study showed that the brain does use dreams, at least on a small scale, to aid in memory consolidation as has been previously known. However that the brain can alter these dreams is intriguing to say the least (Paller Voss, 2004). Whereas it has been discussed how too little sleep can impair the body, here, the sleep disorder narcolepsy will be explored, showing how a inability to stay awake can also cause problems to an individuals lifestyle. About 1 out of every 2000 people suffer from narcolepsy, those living with the disorder have to deal with daily bouts of sleepiness and uncontrollable sleep attacks where they can go into sudden sleep for less than a minute to a whole hour. Often these sleep attacks are accompanied by sleep paralysis or hypnagoic hallucinations. Some researchers believe that narcolepsy is a disorder involving an intrusion by REM sleep into waking life. It is believed that narcolepsy is cause because of a chemical imbalance in the hypothalamus. There is no cure but some ant-depressant drugs appear to be effective in reducing episodes, this could be due to their suppression of REM sleep. In conclusion, research around sleep has come a long way since its humble beginnings. We now know far more about the biology behind sleep and yet much of it, including REM sleep still confounds many researchers. This essay has also outlined the many benefits that sleep has, both physiological and psychological and has shown the difficulties that arise from a lack of it and has shed some light on the obscure and misunderstood sleep disorder narcolepsy. It is hoped that research will continue on in the future and hopefully the mysteries surrounding the state which we spend almost a third of our life in will be unravelled.