The Tyger Analysis free essay sample

The Tyger, in my opinion, is an intriguing poem that looks at the idea of how God is a mystery and how humanity is at a loss to fully understand his creations by contemplating the forging of a beautiful yet ferocious tiger. Blake begins the poem by beginning a conversation with the tiger and almost immediately begins his questions of who could make such a fierce creature. He wonders if God could really create such a creature or maybe it is a creature produced from a darker source. Blake also refers to the tiger as a form of art, almost as if the creator made the tiger perfectly. The image of a blacksmith is also given through the poem as Blake refers to a blacksmith’s common tools and consistently refers to fire, giving the idea of a strong creator. Later in the poem Blake refers to another one of his poems, The Lamb, and he asks the tiger if God made it since God made the lamb. We will write a custom essay sample on The Tyger Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Blake questions as to how can a creature be so beautiful yet so terrifying. â€Å"What immortal hand or eye Dare frame they fearful symmetry†, he wonders how God (â€Å"immortal†) could make such an animal that’s so graceful and so prone to violence. Blake’s question is then: how a benevolent God can create a world with horror. He is at a loss to explain the creation for this creature, â€Å"on what wings dare he aspire? † Maybe the â€Å"wings† could be the inspiration for the creator to form such a magnificent creature. â€Å"Dare† is a strong word in the poem; Blake is astonished that God would make the tiger, which makes the argument of him being confused to the tiger’s creation even more strong. In my opinion the main theme of the poem is that we are only human, and we will never understand the mysteries of God and his works of the universe. Blake also adds to the mystery of the creator by giving glimpses of the creator’s body parts. Blake mentions the â€Å"hand or eye†, â€Å"What dread hand? amp; what dread feet†, and â€Å"what shoulder†; these body parts give the reader a sense of the creator but doesn’t give the full image. In a sense, he does this so the reader can imagine the creator themselves; Blake doesn’t want to tell the reader what the creator (God) looks like. This same concept is also seen as Blake consistently questions the tiger who made him, but never gives the tiger a direct answer, which gives the readers their own interpretation of the creator. Blake begins to worry of the horror of the tiger and actually begins to question if God really made it or perhaps a more evil immortal was behind it. Blake first questioned who created the tiger in â€Å"What immortal hand or eye†, then adds on to the mystery with â€Å"In what distant deeps or skies†. The â€Å"deeps† refers to hell, and Blake consistently refers to â€Å"fire† when referring to the tiger which gives strength to the assumption of the tiger being forged in the fires of hell. However, â€Å"skies† refers to the heavens and God. â€Å"On what wings dare he aspire? What the hand dare seize the fire? † Blake again questions whether God (â€Å"wings†) or Satan (â€Å"fire†) created the tiger. Blake could assume the tiger was created by the devil because the devil is the source of evil and horror, which is why Blake is at a bewilderment of the creation of this creature because it is so beautiful but it’s so terrifying. However, Blake knows that God created all life in our world, yet he adds Satan as a possible creator because of the bafflement he witnessed of seeing the first glance of the tiger. Blake not only talks of fire and evil when referring to the tiger, but of art and beauty as well; â€Å"what art. † Blake mentions the word â€Å"symmetry† in the poem twice, which gives a sense of perfection to the tiger. With perfection you think of beauty, so when Blake does mention the word â€Å"symmetry† you think of the tiger as a work of art and exquisiteness. One definition of the word symmetry is beauty based on or characterized by such excellence of proportion. Blake saw this creature as a wonder of nature; it wasn’t just a vicious blood-thirsty creature. This is why Blake sees this creature as a work of God, its beauty and symmetry make up for its ferociousness and fire in its eyes. However, Blake does not only mention just the word â€Å"symmetry† but â€Å"fearful symmetry. † So as Blake sees this magnificent creature as an artwork of God, he may also see it as too perfect, almost as a deception. The deception of how beautiful the creature is can lead you to feel comfortable around it, but as most people know a tiger is anything but being able to be comfortable around as it can overpower any human very easily. The tiger’s â€Å"fearful symmetry† can also pertain to its native environment; its camouflage with the foliage around it can give the tiger a bad reputation of being so perfectly symmetric it’s invisible and can pounce at any moment, giving a sense of fear to many. Towards the middle of the poem, Blake writes â€Å"What the hammer? what the chain? In what furnace was thy brain? What the anvil? what dread grasp Dare its deadly terrors clasp? † The imagery and usage of â€Å"hammer†, â€Å"chain†, â€Å"furnace†, and â€Å"anvil† all give a sense of the creator being a blacksmith. When you think of a blacksmith you think of a strong, hardworking being that goes through long hours of hot and dangerous work. Blacksmiths cannot do a half-ass job either; they make their works to perfection, which is what God does for us. Christians say that God makes all things perfect, and this is seen as God (the blacksmith) makes this tiger perfect and symmetrical. Blacksmiths work with hot molten metal making their jobs very dangerous. Blake gives these images to give a sense of how dangerous it was to make the tiger. The forging of the tiger suggests a long and deliberate kind of making. Blake wants the reader to see that the making of the tiger was intentional and it was not accidental or in any way a coincidence that the tiger is beautiful yet ferocious in nature at the same time, it was purposefully made the way it is. Only a strong and courageous creator could manufacture such a perfect creature. The creator of the tiger must have been courageous to the fullest meaning in order to deal with â€Å"fire† to create this creature. It takes courage to go through the abyss and back (â€Å"distant deeps†) and deal with fire (â€Å"Burnt the fire of thine eyes? ) to make this creature. Blake wants the reader to see that the tiger’s creator was no frightful little being, but a strong and brave one to withstand fire and do the job of a blacksmith to create perfection. Blake wrote: â€Å"When the stars threw down their spears, And watered heaven with their tears, Did he smile his work to see? † To me, it seems as if Blake is trying to say through the glorious light spears from heaven to the gloomy days of rainy days, does God smile and appreciate his work of the tiger through its beautiful yet horrid nature. The beauty is represented through the spears of light that come down from heaven, and the dread and gloomy sense is represented through a rainy day, and whatever the situation does God appreciate the tiger? It is curious to know that Blake leaves most of these questions unanswered because he wants the readers to decide for themselves, he doesn’t want to give people an answer and then they disagree, he wants people to see the world for themselves. â€Å"Did he who made the Lamb make thee? When Blake wrote this he made a reference to his other poem, The Lamb. With this reference Blake makes an allusion to Jesus Christ, the messiah of the Christian faith. Blake questions if God could make such a perfect being with no sin like Jesus, why would he make a creature like the tiger? Although the tiger is perfect in its own way it’s ferocious in nature and gives off a sense of evil to many. So he asks why he would make the tiger if he made the â€Å"Lamb† which is already perfect without a sense of viciousness. This leads us to the same theme I mentioned earlier of the mysteries of the creator. Why would a benevolent God make a world where horror exists? Why can we not fully understand God’s complex ways? These are unanswered questions because we do not know them and everyone’s opinion is different. Blake’s poem is full of unanswered questions for the reader to decide the right answer and wonder in the awe of our creator.

Plural But Singular in Construction

Plural But Singular in Construction Plural But Singular in Construction Plural But Singular in Construction By Mark Nichol In the dictionary, when you’re looking up a noun that ends in s, you’re apt to find a notation like this: â€Å"noun plural but singular in construction.† What does that mean? This description refers to words like news that appear to be plural but take a singular verb (hence the word construction, meaning â€Å"sentence structure,† not â€Å"appearance†). One category of words plural in appearance but singular in use is that of intellectual pursuits and their associated academic disciplines: For mathematics, physics, and the like, we use a singular verb: â€Å"Mathematics is difficult for him†; â€Å"The physics is staggeringly complex.† However, similar terms may use singular or plural verbs depending on the sense: â€Å"Statistics is not my favorite subject†; â€Å"The statistics are valid.† In other contexts, usage varies. Gymnastics is treated singularly (â€Å"Gymnastics is an Olympic sport†), but calisthenics takes a plural verb (â€Å"Calisthenics are boring†). Both words refer to a routine of physical activities, but noun-verb agreement is inconsistent. Some words that are plural but refer to a unified pair of objects, such as (eye)glasses, pants, and scissors, are nevertheless associated with plural verbs: â€Å"My glasses are missing†; â€Å"These pants have gotten too tight†; â€Å"The scissors are dull.† Words in several other categories are categorical exceptions: Proper names, composition titles, and words used as words are always singular, even if they are plural in form: Acme and Sons is a highly rated company. Spats is a downtown bar. Demons is a terrible movie. Shades is a best-selling novel. Hits is an informal word meaning â€Å"search returns.† Aussies is a nickname for Australians. A few words appear to be plural but are in fact taken directly from other languages in which s at the end of a word does not denote a plural form. For example, biceps (from Latin) is singular, though many people refer to the muscle in the front of one upper arm as a bicep, and kudo (from Greek) is widely employed as the singular form of kudos meaning â€Å"praise† or â€Å"prestige† though the latter form is singular. (Bicep and kudo are back-formations linguistic innovations of varying legitimacy but are not advisable in formal writing.) Rarely, you’ll see a word that is plural in both appearance and usage, though the literal meaning of the word is singular. For example, whereabouts means â€Å"location,† but one writes that a person’s whereabouts are unknown (even though a person can be in only one location at once). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:45 Synonyms for â€Å"Food†The Six Spellings of "Long E"50 Synonyms for "Song"

Media Consolidation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Media Consolidation - Essay Example This paper will discuss the 360 deal and what it means to both the artist, the recording companies, and the public at large. There are some shades of the past here. There was a time when the recording artist wrote a contract with the record company, only to receive the amount of the contract, no matter how big the artist got or how popular the song. Many of these artists died poor. Are artists headed into the same kind of contract(Hoffman, 2010). The entertainment industry will never be what it has been again, it is changed forever. In the past, the artist gave up the rights to the recordings that were made to the record industry. The artist usually got advanced royalties and the record companies paid the cost of production. This worked good for the record companies until the decline of records, now there must be some kind of transition in the business (Hoffman, 2010). There are actually two types of 360 deals out there right now. In the first case, the record company will continue to control the profit from the sale of the artist's recordings and related products but will gain a percentage funding from the artists other revenue streams. In this case, the labels non-record income from these other income streams is small and amounts to an override percentage. The labels argue in this case that what they do is driving all the other income streams as well and this percentage will allow them to drive more development for the artists (Weaver, S. 2007). The second type however, is a much bigger deal. In this, the record company participates in non-record income. They partner with the artist in profit and decision making. This might get the record companies net incomes as high as 50%. The newer artists, similar to those so many years ago would have no strength against a contract like this one. The label has all the power in this case. These artists need to be sure to have a good lawyer to negotiate these deals (Weaver, 2007). Needless to say, this is very controversial. Is this just a way for the record companies to increase revenues during a time when record sales are at their lowest The artists see it as one more attempt to see the artist as income instead of managing their business well. There is also the feeling the music becomes less important as each of the labels brands the artist in order to bring about more interest. The labels argue that this kind of a deal allows them to make more money and therefore they can take on more unknown and new artists. This says this gives them the chance to work with the artist longer and staying for the long haul. Making a decision as an artist to sign or not to sign a 360 deal has become complicated. The whole point of a 360 deal is for the record company to get a cut of the revenue streams that an artist creates. There is question here as to whether the record labels have the expertise to manage all of these kinds of revenue streams. If not, then the artist will pay the record company and someone else to manage their business. There are also decisions about percentages and how much money that actually leads to. Attorneys need to be involved to be sure that the deal that is being signed is the deal they think it is. (McDonald, 2010). There are, of course, pros and cons to every deal. Many say that the 360 deal allows a record company to spend some time and money scouting

President & Congress members and the use of technology Essay

President & Congress members and the use of technology - Essay Example The use of e-mails, websites, blogs, YouTube channels, Twitter and Facebook is evident in many of the congressional members. The above communication forms make it easy for the members to share information readily with individuals from their constituencies (Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, & Cammack, 2004). Apart from the usual traditional forms of communication, members of the Congress can also utilize the various media forms of communication to get in touch with their constituents. An individual can use an e-mail to communicate with their leader who is away from the constituency. Such communication allows for quick and immediate feedback from the lawmakers hence they can connect with their constituencies in no time unlike in the past. The other form of communication the Congress Members use to outreach their constituencies is by use of the social media. Facebook and Twitter are the most known forms of social media that can be used to enhance communication (Golbeck, Grimes, & Rogers, 2010). In the early days, the use of Facebook and Twitter was viewed as only suitable for the young members of the society. Most of the adults and more so those elected to leadership positions saw it as an irrelevant means of communication (Golbeck, Grimes, & Rogers, 2010). The notion has, however, changed in the recent past, and they are the most used means of social communication. At first, the college students used the social means to get in touch with their friends from different universities in the world. Currently, the Congress members use the forms in a professional way to communicate with their constituencies. They can pass valuable information to the people on Facebook or Twitter. For instance, a leader can post telling the members of an important meeting coming soon in their constituency (Bagdikian, 2014). Congress Members also use the social media to share their thoughts on various subjects concerning their constituencies with the members. They can also share

Small Business Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Small Business Management - Assignment Example Studying the data of the online sales of large chain stores like Gap cannot provide an accurate assessment of the situation faced by startup ventures in the E commerce. A better approach would be to case study analysis on small vendors who are operating in the same kind of clothing categories as the planned clothing store and see the strategies they have picked out which led to either success or failure. Further secondary information can be gathered from analysis done by research companies on E-commerce, expectation of profitability for online clothing stores and such topic for a prescribed fee. Some primary research can also be conducted either on the marketing strategy or the tastes and preferences of customers through interviews or surveys. These would indicate what type of apparel are the customers looking for, what kind of service they expect from an online store and help judge how far can you satisfy their need. The research is an essential component of designing a suitable mar keting strategy and more extensive research would steer the strategy towards success. Any cost incurred in conducting the research should be considered as investment. 2. In designing the marketing strategy the first question is what kind of segmentation the clothing line is going to target. After the strategy has been identified, it becomes easier to organize resources and marketing campaigns towards your core customers increasing the chances of customer acquirement and retention: Unsegmented strategy: Followed by clothing stores with either a uniform range of clothes (plain Jeans or category like headwear) or with large margins available to cater to the masses; their customers could be from all walks of life but some characteristics could be as follows: Availability of disposable income not necessary. Single individuals or Families in need of regular new clothes Comfortable with social outings (like shopping) Have an interest in advertising, can be persuaded for a trial purchase Mu ltisegment Strategy: In this strategy, the clothing line would be designed to appeal to certain different kind of segments only and these are the customers that will be targeted by the company. Considering a clothing line with economical, casual clothes as well as trendy clothes for ‘tweens’ there can be two different groups of customers targeted: A. Economical, casual clothes B. Trendy clothes for ‘tweens’ Middle aged males or females Most probably part of a family unit, with kids Working full time or part time Have a casual social life, with kids or family Mid tier income level Emergency savings but low amount of disposable income Time conscious Would be persuaded to purchase clothes if it is convenient and seems like a good bargain Children and teenagers from ages 11-16 Coming for mid and upper tier income families Have a monthly allowance Allowed to choose own clothes Interested in pop culture and latest fashions Concerned about their image their clothi ng portrays Parents are primary earners May be able to use ‘nag factor’ to persuade parents Single-segment strategy: Also known as ‘concentrated’ or ‘niche’ strategy it is adopted by firms with a low amount of recourses to spend on marketing or a unique product which can only be marketed to a single segment of customers.

Employee Wellness Programs Health And Social Care Essay

Employee Wellness Programs Health And Social Care Essay Worksites are where most adults spend more than half of their waking hours .   In light of this, they offer a unique opportunity to affect change in an individuals health status.   Billions of dollars are spent each year addressing health in the workforce only after illness and/or injury has already occurred (2). This translates to profit losses in the form of lost wages and compensation, productivity, and high employee turnover.   Employees also pay a high physical and emotional price for poor health. Rising healthcare costs are also passed along to the consumers who share the burden of higher premiums, deductibles, and copayments (3). Prevention is the key in addressing issues in a proactive manner. For most organizations, this phenomenon is reflected in a high utilization of personal time off and requested sick leaves (2) (4) (5). A related issue is the abuse of the sick leave benefit where employees feel a stress-day off is a benefit and at their discretion. This is often related to stress in the work place or a work place environment that is uncomfortable for the employee (6). Past efforts to control this issue have included requiring physician certification of a valid health problem, implementing company policies that limit utilization of ad hoc time off, and encouraging managers to say no when asked for excessive days off. Some companies have even eliminated the concept of a sick day and increased the employees personal time off by a day or two to compensate (6). Regardless of the labeling for time off or of the managements effort to control increased health related issues, many organizations report that employees taking unplanned days off has increased (4). The recommendat ion is to move away from the confrontational approach of imposing corporate rules to limit the abuse and focus on the core of the problem, health problems and stress management in the workplace (2) (5). A human resources (HR) industry survey found that reported personal illness accounts for 35 percent of all unscheduled absences in the workplace (4). Some HR experts estimate that absenteeism can cost a company around $600 per employee per year, and thats just in use of benefits and healthcare costs. The estimates are higher if the calculation includes other related costs such as overtime pay, costs of temps, missed deadlines, and lower productivity (7). Some of these unaccounted for sick days can be avoided if the companys management is proactive when making organizational changes and in providing means for helping employees deal with health issues (1-5). This increased utilization is driving up the cost of coverage and company officials are considering some desperate options to save money such as a drastic reduction of coverage or the elimination of benefits altogether.   Prior to the implementation of such measures, company executives need to consider a different approach upon which they feel may not only raise awareness of health and safety issues, but provide the tools necessary for employees to increase their quality of life. The Healthy People 2010 initiative is a government effort to promote employers to get involved in the health of their workers with the intended goal being to Increase quality and years of healthy life (3).   One area recommended is to implement an employee wellness program that addresses staying healthy, increasing exercise opportunities, and reducing worksite injuries through increase safety practices (1) (2) (5). Employee wellness programs are predicated on the basis that most illness is directly preventable and that the workplace has the ability to transform lives (1).   Companies that implement programs will see a decrease in healthcare costs by lowering utilization rates of sick days and improving the workplace environment (2) (5).   These programs are meant to improve the overall quality of life for each of their employees (3).   Statement of the Problem The purpose of this study was to determine if an organization takes proactive efforts to implement healthy programs that can positively influence a reduction of sick days used by employees. Researchers have found significant cost savings for the organization by taking the action of becoming involved in the wellness of employees (2) (5). The use of sick days, whether due to illness or a need for a personal day away from stress, result in higher costs due to issues such as overtime pay, costs of temps, missed deadlines, and lower productivity (7). Healthy Workforce 2010 (3), a program within the Healthy People 2010 initiative, recommends employer groups take an active role in implementing programs, such as an employee wellness program, in order to improve the overall health of their employees and subsequently creating a healthier work environment. Hypothesis Hypothesis 1. The introduction and management of a worksite wellness program at a manufacturing organization will improve the overall health and wellness of their employees. Hypothesis 2. There will be a significant decrease in the number of personal days off and sick time, as reported to Human Resources, based on improved employee health and satisfaction at their workplace as a result of implementing a workforce wellness program. Hypothesis 3. There will be an increase in employee knowledge and skills for healthier living as measured by a pre and post-test measuring the amount of information gained from interventions such as onsite workplace classes. If these of hypothesis do not prove true, the researcher expects that the organization will still experience costs equal to or exceeding that of previous years in health related time off, which will be reflected in personal time off (PTO) or sick days (STO) utilization rates. Employees may show an increase in knowledge of healthier lifestyle changes but this may not change their behaviors surrounding time off and implied expectations of utilizing a company benefit. Delimitations This studys focus is on reducing the overall costs to an organization as impacted by the over-use of PTO and STO by employees. The actual cost savings are estimated to include reduction in other areas such as overtime, hiring of temps, and production losses. But to keep this studys outcomes in a reasonable space, the only measurements for success will be the reduction of overall usage of time off or PTO and STO per 100 employees. The base measurement for this analysis will be statistics from previous years. In order to keep the number of employees and impact at a manageable level, the study will only review the effects of a wellness program on one organization, a large manufacturing organization in a suburb outside of Los Angeles, California. The organization has over 600 employees at the target location, consisting administrators, engineers, line supervisors, and skilled factory workers. Managers have reported an average expected utilization of time off related to health and stress issues. Limitations Since the study will focus on a specific population in a specific industry, the results may reflect the impact of a program that is only successful under certain environmental influences. Also, a CCH survey (6) discusses the abuse of PTO or STO days, highlighting that use of these days are influenced by various reasons in addition to sickness or stress. Some areas indicated in surveys (4) include family illnesses or problems, which may not be impacted by a wellness program, and seasonal influences such as summer or holidays, which often results in 4 day weekends. The study is relying upon the information collected by the HR representatives of the organization, which limits the analysis to days reported to HR and avoiding comp time or personal days which are taken as agreements between supervisors and employees. Since the baseline will be the reported days from previous years, this limitation should have little impact on the outcome of the study. Assumptions In defining this study, the following assumptions were made: All time off is reported and tracked by the HR department. Since illnesses and stress leave are human-based factors and not necessarily bound to a specific industry, the results of this study will be applicable to other industries and workers. Implementing a program that focuses on reported time off will not unduly influence an increase or decrease in reported days due to the study itself. Since the study is qualitative, the results will be only be the starting point for other studies that should include other factors that may influence increased use of personal days off. Operational Definitions PTO Personal Time Off, a company benefit for employees of most organizations. STO Sick Time Off, a company benefits only offered at some organizations; some companies have rolled sick time into the personal time benefit. MATCH Multilevel Approach to Community Health. A five-phase program planning model developed in the late 1980s. Normative Need The needs of a population based on expert opinion. Expressed Need The needs of a population based on factual data. Healthy People 2010 U.S government publication that brought together much of what was known about the relationship of personal health behavior and health status. Primary Data Original data collected by the planners. Lifestyle Disease A disease that is associated with how a person lives. Such as their smoking habits, alcohol, drug abuse, physical activity and eating habits. Lifestyle diseases include, heart disease, stroke, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Risk Factors is a variable that is associated with increased risk of disease or infection. Risk factors can include, lack of physical activity, diet, etc. Wellness Wellness is an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices towards, a more successful existence (8). Absenteeism is defined as a chronic absence and in this context it is in relation to work. Non-communicative diseases diseases that are not infectious. These disease include those that are from genetic or lifestyle factors. Segmentation process of identifying groups of consumers that share similar characteristics and will respond in a like way to a marketing strategy. Chapter Two Literature Review Over 100 years ago, the biggest health care threat we faced had to do with the spread of communicable diseases. Today, communicable diseases take a back seat to a much bigger problem that plagues American citizens which is that of lifestyle origin. A lifestyle disease is defined as one that is affected by factors such as poor dietary habits, alcohol and/or drug usage including tobacco smoking, and lack of physical activity (9). These factors individually as well as in combination make a person much more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, obesity, and certain types of cancers. In order to reduce the risk of these diseases, individuals must address changes to their lifestyles that include participating in workplace healthy wellness programs. This chapter will review the influencing factors in the effort, the scope of the problem of lifestyle diseases, and discuss some of the benefits of targeting specific areas in a wellness program. Addressing Lifestyle Changes Researchers have shown found a direct relationship between providing intervention to improve a persons health and the cost saving realized by that persons employer (1) (2) (5).Taking proactive measure to improve the persons health and to implement preventative measures keeping the person out of a high-risk category for lifestyle diseases extends the persons life and benefits everyone they are involved with, from their employer to their families (1). Some researchers found the reverse to be true also. Ignoring the factors identifying people by their risk for lifestyle diseases will result in an increase of health problems and in costs to the employer through use of sick time and increased workplace injuries (2) (5). Modifying an individuals risk factors for lifestyle diseases can be difficult. People usually express a lack of time outside of the workplace for healthy behaviors such as meal planning and exercise; since, half of our waking hours are spent at work (9). In addition to time constraints, beginning any new healthy lifestyle behavior is no easy task, but it can make a profound effect on both physical as well as mental health. These benefits hold true regardless of the workers age. One large cohort study of 15,708 examined the impact of adoption of new lifestyle behaviors (9). All individuals were of typical working age 45-64. It was found that people who newly adopt a healthy lifestyle in middle-age experience a prompt benefit of lower rates of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Further conclusions recommend that we begin to adopt strategies to encourage healthy lifestyles. This is especially true among those with pre-existing medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or obe sity (9). Lifestyle changes not only take commitment on the part of the participant but a great deal of support from others as well. Support from co-workers can be a strong motivator but in order for healthy changes to be fully adopted by the workforce, it must be a priority among the decision makers within the company (2) (5). The cost impact of a disease such as obesity is well documented. Obesity contributes to monetary losses for the employee as well as employer. In response, employers continue to look for ways to offset those costs through the offering of company-sponsored wellness and weight management programs. Health care organizations in particular hospitals, as well as public employers can be important role models in this process. A change in policy could make a dramatic difference for smaller employers which represent the majority of U.S. employers as they are far less likely to offer health promotion programs unless a government incentive was offered (10). Worksites are where most adults spend more than half of their waking hours. In light of this, they offer a unique opportunity to affect change in an individuals health status. Health in the workplace should focus on one main role central to prevention. Prevention tactics can be geared towards prevention of illness and spread of disease as well as prevention of accidents, injury, and disability. Billions of dollars are spent each year addressing health in the workplace only after illness and/or injury has already occurred (11). This translates to profit losses in the form of lost wages and compensation, productivity, and high employee turnover. Prevention is the key in addressing issues in a proactive manner. Wellness programs are an important component of employer benefits packages because they offer workers and their families choices for pursuing healthier lifestyles with less illness, ultimately leading to less costly benefits packages (9). Wellness programs and employee assistance programs are important benefits for workers and their employers; data from the National Compensation Survey (NCS) show that workers in the public and private sectors had greater access to these kinds of benefits in 2008 than they did a decade earlier. In an age of ever-increasing health care costs, services that promote health and wellness have become an important element of U.S. society. Wellness programs often include health education and an awareness component. According to some analysts, these programs address issues that increase worker satisfaction and productivity. Implementing a Wellness Program Using MATCH Researchers have found the employers who implement proactive, work-based wellness programs can realize significant savings in utilization of STO, decreased productivity and costs for production lags (2) (5). In one study, researchers implemented a worksite health promotion program to reduce the utilization of short-term disability days at a large company. The researchers estimated the potential cost savings over a 2-year period would be in excess of $1,300,000 (2). A similar study that implemented a health-promotion program over five years found estimated cost savings from reduced sick days at over $600,000 a year (5). The target populations in both of these studies focused on employees who were high users of sick days. Expanding that approach to the entire population should contribute even more to the cost savings. Affecting change in a population with varying influential levels is strength in the program design called the Match Model. Match is an acronym for Multilevel Approach to Community Health (12). The concept behind the Match Model is based on attempts to reach various levels within a target population through working with individuals of influence at various levels. Once appropriate goals are selected in the Match Model, intervention planning begins with the selection of objectives and approaches. The program development then commences with the creation of the actual delivery pieces such as information materials and class curricula. The preparation for implementation is the next step whereby key individuals who will deliver the intervention are trained, roll out dates established, and the program actually begins. The final step in the Match Model involves the program evaluation process. This critical step provides the program development team with outcomes measures to evaluate the program effectiveness and provide necessary feedback that will drive future programs. Worker Health in the United States Worker health in the United States is a broad issue. Multiple political initiatives have been recently developed in an effort to address the problems that have arisen as a result of national attention to multiple health concerns that currently plague the country which includes rising obesity rates, type II diabetes, tobacco usage, as well as a host of other issues. An example of a set of national health initiatives is the Healthy People 2010 (3) objectives, aimed at making a difference in 10 years. Many of the initiatives contained within are aimed at increasing quality of life through the prevention of disease. The program has a total of 467 objectives organized into 28 focus areas. There are special provisions for physical activity, tobacco usage, and obesity (3). The program also addresses issues for employers such as high utilization of benefits, increased absenteeism, and productivity issues, all resulting in high-cost employees especially those who experience multiple risk fact ors for diseases including high blood pressure, smoking, and sedentary lifestyles (3). Top reasons for taking what might be called non-sick days are family issues (21 percent), personal needs (18 percent), entitlement mentality (14 percent), and stress (12 percent). Lisa Franke, a workplace analyst at CCH, says that absences for stress and entitlement taking days employees believe they have earned are up slightly from last year because leaner staffing levels have intensified workloads (13). Based on these findings, recommendations to employers in the United States are focused around two main factors. The first recommendation from the Healthy People 2010 program is that employers, at least 75% of those in the United States regardless of size, should offer a comprehensive employee health promotion program. The second recommendation is that employer groups should strive for a 75% participation rate among all employees. The objectives of Healthy People 2010 sparked a subsidiary report known as Healthy Workforce 2010 (3). The report outlines eight primary objectives that promote health and quality of life among workers in the United States. Among the objectives presented in the report, the researchers highlighted the impact of unhealthy habits of the U.S. population on the economy and future of the country. In 1998, the report estimates that a quarter of the adult population smoked; this statistic is even higher at 35% for American teenagers. Other vices such as alcohol and drug abuse have cost the U.S. economy over $276 billion dollars as a result of healthcare, auto accidents, lost productivity, and other issues (3). In addition to problems created by substance abuse, the Healthy Workforce 2010 report estimates that over half of the U.S. population is overweight or classified as obese. This problem can be addressed by encouraging employees to participate in regular daily exercise. Similar to substance abuse among workers, this growing problem results in related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and osteoarthritis which costs both employers and the U.S. economy in healthcare costs (3). Other areas resulting in higher healthcare costs and impacting the work area include addressing work-related injuries and providing a safe working environment for employees. Even beyond the deaths caused by work accidents, the U.S. Bureau of Labor estimates that employees experience approximately 5.7 million non-fatal accidents annually, resulting in over 2.7 million lost work days. The Healthy Workforce 2010 recommends employers not only focus on preventing accidents but also increase healthcare coverage, since the U.S. Census Bureau reports that over 42 million American workers are not covered by health insurance, a trend predominant in smaller companies (3). Worker Health in California Studies from the State of California Department of Health (14) reported similar findings at the national level. The larger issues that appear to be problematic in the State of California involve lost wages and productivity caused by diseases that are aggravated by unhealthy lifestyles. These include obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular complications among others. The literature revealed that worksite wellness programs help to reduce overall operating costs from increased healthcare utilization, accidents and poor productivity. Employers also benefit from these programs through enhanced recruitment, retention of healthy employees, and reduced absenteeism (15). The easiest way to address health related issues is to take actions that prevent the problems in the first place. Primary healthcare measures are the key to ensuring a healthy population. Worker Health in Los Angeles County Similar reports in Los Angeles County provided population-wide data on health related quality of life in Los Angeles County and used measures developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to track health trends at the national and state levels. The average numbers of unhealthy days and activity limitation days were higher in Los Angeles County (6.4 and 2.4, respectively) than in California (5.9 and 2.1) and the United States (5.5 and 1.9, respectively) in 1999. These differences may reflect disparities in health status across the three populations but as well as demographic differences (e.g., socioeconomic or racial/ ethnic differences) between the populations. In addition the number of unhealthy days and activity limitation days were significantly higher in persons previously diagnosed with depression, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, or asthma than in persons not diagnosed with these conditions (16). Health Consequences for Workers Employees also pay a high physical and emotional price for poor health. Rising healthcare costs are passed along to the consumers who share the burden of higher premiums, deductibles, and copayments. Financial responsibilities can lead to increased stress levels among workers. Employee wellness programs are predicated on the basis that most illness is directly preventable and that the workplace has the ability to transform lives. These programs also decrease healthcare costs through lowering utilization rates. These programs are meant to improve the overall quality of life for each of the participants (3). The Importance of Physical Activity Regular physical activity provides a multitude of benefits to an employee. According to the American Council on Exercise (11) low-back pain is a leading cause of job-related disability and missed work in the United States. This problem results in over $50 billion every year in healthcare costs. Work-related back pain experienced by most people can be prevented with just a little forethought. In high-risk back pain jobs requiring frequent bending, lifting, and twisting, employees and employers can be taught a variety of methods in order to reduce stress on the back and help prevent injuries. This risk of injury increases in those who are overweight, smoke or are inactive (11). Benefits of Smoking Cessation According a report conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (17) over 8.6 million people in the U.S. experience a health-related problem due to smoking. In the subsequent CDC report the next year (17), the agency reported that smoking was responsible for over 90% of lung cancer mortalities and over 80% of the COPD (emphysema and chronic bronchitis) deaths. This is largely because cigarettes and other tobacco products contain over 4,800 chemical, 69 of those which have been identified as carcinogenic. Smoking has also been linked to other serious illnesses and medical problems such as slow wound healing, peptic ulcers, and other diseases contributing to loss of employee productivity (18). Employers have responded by creating smoke-free workplaces nationwide, where employees can be protected from the life-threatening effects of secondhand smoke. In 1999, a study found that approximately 70% of the U.S. workforce was impacted by a smoke-free employer policy (19). But l aws and employer responsibility varies by state, so this statistic can vary above 80% in states like Utah and Maryland or drop below 50% in states like Nevada (19). Healthy Diet Advantages According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) (20), diabetes is one of the fastest growing and one of the most costly health issues facing the U.S. worker. The disease has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, affecting a growing number and percentage of people every year. The cost of diabetes to the American healthcare system is staggering, resulting in missed work days and higher benefit requirements for employers. In the ADA report, one-fifth of the healthcare dollars spent is used to provide care for someone with diabetes, while one-tenth of the healthcare dollars spent is associated with diabetes. For employers, the costs of diabetes increased 32% from 2002 to 2007, with the increase in medical expenditures and lost productivity estimated at $174 billion. Per capita, the annual cost of diabetes is approximately $11,744 a year. Many people do not recognize that they are at risk for diabetes (or diabetes-related complications if they already have diabetes). How ever, type II diabetes can be prevented or delayed for many of those at high risk for diabetes and diabetes-related complications can be also be prevented or delayed with lifestyle practices including maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise, and a balanced diet (20). Summary The prevalence of lifestyle diseases among Californians and within the U.S. is growing. Everything from fast foods to sedentary activities plays a role in contributing to this national problem. Addressing the issues requires more than just adding a few cardio sessions every week or walking a little more, the effort requires attacking the problem at the root, changing how people define and move through their lives. Lifestyles changes are exactly that, changes that affects across a persons life and hopefully for the rest of their lives. Many factors contribute to lifestyle diseases include home culture, resting activities, and work environments. Implementing a wellness program at a worksite will provide the support and information needed to make effective changes to the employees health while benefiting both the employee and employer (2).

Another Civil War :: essays research papers

Socioeconomic reasons for the causes and outcome of the Civil War Analyzing the causes and the eventual outcome of the American Civil War can be a difficult task when you look at all the issues at once. The fields of the political, economic and sociological differences between the Union and the Confederacy are were we find the bulk of the answers as why the two regions of the United States separated. When trying to discuss the Civil War we must first explain why the Confederate states seceded and just as importantly, how they were defeated. When trying to find the causes and the outcomes of the Civil War, I've chosen to bypass the political reasons and would rather discuss the areas of economic and sociological conflict. It is hard to discuss one of these aspects without showing how closely it is tied into the other. Economy is the child of sociological conditions and in turn sociological conditions predict an areas economic success and potential. Because of this strong interrelationship between the two, the word "socioeconomic" is best suited to describe this important area of conflict between the North and the South. Almost a question of civilization versus barbarism the war between the North and the South showed America who held more power and whose way would lead us into a future for all Americans. The North and South were divided along an invisible economic line. States in the North were more industrialized than states in the South. In the South, cotton and tobacco provided the economy. These plantation crops created an economic situation based entirely upon agriculture. This was in stark contrast too the heavily industrialized Northern cities in America. Slave labor provided the workforce on the Southern plantations and along with crops were the backbone of Southern economic power. Slave labor, which turned the wheels on the vast plantations growing tobacco and cotton, created an entirely different socioeconomic climate then the one found in the North. The inherent conflict between the progressive, industrialized, urbane North and the plantation lifestyle, made possible by cotton, tobacco and slave labor, ultimately revealed a nation sharply divided along socioeconomic lines. The Civil War or "the war between the states", was the inevitable outcome of a developing nation uncertain as to whether it should remain progressive and industrialized or genteel and slowmoving. Unquestionably, the tobacco economy of the South as well as its cotton products were of vast importance to the entire nation. Still, the social structure of plantation life with its legacy and dependency upon slave labor, would not be tolerated by Northern states for much longer. A continued cry for emancipation and abolition by president Lincoln and