Creative Writing Essay

He didn’t look anything like I’d expected. That was when I realised something was wrong. Bad thoughts were rushing through my head at a million miles an hour. I could hear and see nothing for miles except for his dark outline. Confusion and worry was all I could think and I could feel myself shaking. The footsteps were getting louder so I slowly backed away, trying not to make it obvious. Why had I agreed to this, it had been spur of the moment when I’d been upset over that stupid boy from math class. I should have known better than to be so stupid. Then he realised what was happening ‘Sweetie it’s fine. Don’t move I’ll look after you.’ his voice was deep but somehow reassuring. For a second it calmed me down. He sounded so nice, had I jumped to conclusions? Maybe he was just worried about the age gap. I started to walk towards him and he got a beer out of his bag. ‘Have some of this darling.’ He offered it to me but that was one thing I knew to reject. I wasn’t going to be even stupider and drink alcohol in this situation. He turned towards the car and signaled for me to follow. Slowly I trailed behind with my feet scuffling along the floor as I considered my options. I was scared but I didn’t want to believe he would be horrible after how well we had got on before we had met. So I followed him along the path towards what I supposed was his car at the end of the street. I felt in my pocket, my phone was there safely, it would all be fine. I can look after myself I remember thinking. If only I had known. When I reached the car we both got in, with not a word uttered from either of us. He started the car and I plucked up the courage to ask where we were going. ‘Wouldn’t you like to know’ he laughed. He revved the car and off we went through the streets. My heart started to beat faster and faster, it was out of control. I started to shake. My conscience kicked in. Stop Amber, Take control. ‘Please I don’t think this is a good idea, I want to go home’ I stuttered quietly. He laughed in my face. ‘Please, Please.’ I shouted louder but he wasn’t listening. We carried on driving. I noticed where we were driving to; it was towards the abandoned warehouse on the edge of town. I was angry with myself especially for agreeing to meet in the middle of no where, that should have been the first sign of something not being right. Who would have wanted to meet there unless they weren’t who they said they were. What shall I do? How do I get out of here? So many thoughts were swirling round my head. Then the car stopped. He started to get closer, his hand was moving down my thigh and his face was getting closer and closer to mine. I tried to move away but I could feel his warm breath on my face. He had his hand clenched tightly onto my arm so I couldn’t move. I kicked and he grabbed me even harder. I could feel his sweaty hand moving up my skirt and under my tights. I couldn’t talk, I was frozen with fear. Then I don’t know what came over me but suddenly I wasn’t scared anymore. I spat as hard as I could in his face. His shock made him pull back, this was my chance to get out. I hit him as hard as my arms would let me, moved back and then kicked him in the face. I saw his hand move towards the lock button on the car. As quick as I could I pushed the door open and fell to the street floor. Grabbing my bag I got up and ran as fast as my legs could go. I could hear shouting and screaming from behind but I daren’t look back. He was running after me, I could hear his feet pounding against the street floor. I felt a hand grab my shoulder and push me against the floor. ‘I think she’s waking up’ I heard people whispering around me. Slowly I opened my eyes and above me I could see what seemed to be a doctor and a man dressed in a suit. ‘Amber, are you okay? Do you remember what happened the other day?’ The other day? Last thing I remember was lying on the street floor looking into those dark brown eyes. Then I looked to the side and I could faintly make out the body of a man asleep on a bed next to me. As they saw me look over they started to draw the curtain around him but not before I saw them. Handcuffs locking him to the bed. It was him.

Marketing Plan for Educational Institution/University

MIDDLE EAST UNIVERSITY FZE MARKETING STRATEGY AND PLAN Membership Marketing Strategy Purpose Group President MEU Chair:Mr. Janardhanan Pariyarath Chancellor: Vice Chancellor : Head of Student Services and Enrollment : Dean of Graduate Program: Dean of Post Graduate Program: HOD School of Nursing: HOD, School of Management: HOD School of Pharmacy : Admissions Director : Student/Staff Member – MEU: Chancellor’s Advisor: Marketing Team: Meeting: The Marketing Strategy Purpose Group MEU IS TO BE CONDUCTED ON†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ PurposeThe goals of the Marketing Strategy Purpose Group are to: ?Define target student populations for MEU ?Determine academic programs to be promoted ?Establish a marketing plan that focuses on increasing enrollment The Marketing Strategy Purpose Group is here submitting the (FOR APPROVAL) MARKETING PLA N GUIDING PRINCIPLES TO President Mr. Janardhanan Pariyarath to use as a guide EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Enrollment growth is of strategic importance to the future of the Middle East University. Marketing is an integral element of any recruitment activity.The Marketing Strategy Purpose Group (SPG) IS TO BE FORMED. All of the offices departments and staff have to pool the resources and funding in order to reach a broader audience of potential students. This partnership has been a positive step in achieving enrollment goals, and must continue in the future with the support of other departments across the campus. With the Marketing Plan Guiding Principles as a starting point, the Purpose Group began to determine actions that must be taken in order to improve enrollment and strengthen the overall image of the MEUUsing research from a number of sources, the Purpose Group IS TO IDENTIFY a pool of academic programs for promotion to potential students. A. HALO PROGRAMMES OF MEU ?Bachelor and post b achelor program under School of Nursing B. Core mix of programs of MEU ?Bachelor and post bachelor program under school of Management ? Bachelor and post bachelor program under school of Arts ?Bachelor and post bachelor program under school of pharmacy ? PHD Program C. Tie-up programs of MEU MBA, MCOM, MA, BBA, BCOM, BA, BSC – Calicut University. Target Audiences Target Audiences – Health care Industries, Hospitals, Medical Organizations ?Target Audiences – Traditional Fresher’s from schools for graduate Programs ?Target Audiences – Community College for post graduate program ? Target Audiences – Traditional Students (Employed expatriates) ? Target Audiences – Diverse Student Body Marketing activities among the above targeted audience include: †¢Research †¢Recruitment Geographic Range †¢Image Building/Promotion of the University as a Quality Institution †¢Web Site/E-recruiting †¢Promotion of Academic Programs and Halo Programs †¢Scholarship Development Enrollment Advisory Group †¢Internal Communication †¢Internal Marketing †¢Television and Radio †¢Media Relations †¢Visit Programs †¢Alumni †¢Community Involvement Based on demand from prospective students and growth potential and employment trends. Halo Programs were decided based on the positive effect of these quality programs on the overall image of the university. It was Decided that there will be overall promotion for academic programs, however research is also used to ascertain which marketing tools were the most effective for promotion to MEU’s primary target audiences.Finally, it is recommended that funding be increased for promotion, including funding for new research to be implemented that will assist in the marketing effort for MEU. In order to make the most effective marketing decisions, research will be needed. MARKETING PLAN GUIDING PRINCIPLES 2013-2014 A. Strengthen our connecti on to the MEU without diminishing our identity. B. Reinforce the university’s image as: a. An institution of academic excellence b. A comprehensive university with the intimacy of a small college. c. A campus where the student is the center of the universe Focus A. n our target population, which consists of five prospective groups: a)Target Audiences – Health care Industries, Hospitals, Medical organizations b)Target Audiences – Traditional Fresher’s from schools for graduate programs and Community College for post graduate program c)Target Audiences – Traditional Students (Employed expatriates) d)Target Audiences – Diverse Student Body C. Concentrate on promoting a small number of academic programs, selected on the basis of these considerations: a)Extraordinary quality and/or reputation: halo programs. b)High demand program c)Enrollment flexibility (e. g. online, evening and weekend courses) While capacity should be a factor in certain case s, the choice of programs should not be driven by considerations of excess or insufficient capacity. Some â€Å"prestige† programs may not have the capacity to absorb more students, but they create a â€Å"halo effect† that makes the university as a whole attractive to prospective students. At the same time, increased demand for a limited-capacity program would create the need to expand it. D. Package online, evening and weekend courses as â€Å"the flexible curriculum† and promote it to non-traditional and non-local students. FINDINGSMarketing Strategy Purpose Group has formed a set of recommendation to make satisfaction inventory analysis. Statistics are to be collected from several sources: 1. Visit to school 2. Parents and other family 3. Current students 4. College admissions staff 5. College web site 6. Catalogs, view books 7. Graduates of school 8. Friends 9. College guidebooks 10. Guidance counselor or teacher Television and radio advertising did not lea ve a lasting impression on The students but that broadcast advertising was very influential. The following elements and questions are going to be put forward or pointed out while approaching the prospects.If SPG is to check out these questions and should make answer by giving proper suggestion to the management, everything is concerned towards MEU Satisfaction Inventory analysis. ?Courses and majors ?Brochures about Academic programs ?Admission information/catalogs ?Approval and accreditation from the ministry of education or any other agency ? Faculty information about each course and programs offered ? Regularity of operational efficiency ?General feels and rapport about the university institution ? Cost breakdown ?Infrastructure and Housing information ?Campus life/student information ?Financial aid estimator Campus tour ?Extracurricular activities, tour, annual day, cultural, artistic programs. ?Library resources, Recreation facilities, Campus Safety MEU Satisfaction Inventory à ¢â‚¬ ¢The overall level of satisfaction at MEU is significantly higher. †¢MEU students place a high level of importance on academic quality of faculty, content of courses within their major, campus safety, parking and academic advising. †¢The least important things of MEU students pointed out are sports and leisure activities †¢MEU students continue to express concern that they cannot always easily get the classes they need to graduate on time. Basic element and reason behind lack of growth in tie up program is absence of teaching staff and the irregularity of operation or running the program also marketing efforts we did is not satisfactory everything is pointed towards the increase in labor turnover. Advertising Budgets of Comparable Universities It is difficult to accurately estimate the percentage of funds devoted to advertising and promotion at MEU Although University Relations is the department that has funding specifically allocated for advertising and promotio n, many units across the campus are spending funds from their budgets on marketing projects.Although the MEU Accounting Department is unable to provide an accurate total of money spent on advertising and promotion across the university due to inconsistent coding of expenditures across the units. There are several departments at those campuses engaged, in marketing activities, and there is not an accurate record of money spent on advertising and promotion. RECOMMENDATIONS Funding In order to adequately address the five target populations and to strengthen the image of the university, more funds must be allocated to marketing.Other public universities in close proximity to MEU are spending substantially more money on marketing and advertising. That assumption is based on the large amount of radio, television and direct mail advertising that is in the marketplace from these institutions. MEU’s message is getting lost quickly in a flood of advertising from such institutions as Wi sdom, Atlas, HAWK, Sharjah, City college Ajman, While some of these institutions are not direct competitors, nevertheless, potential students are choosing these schools instead of MEU. Research New research will be needed to track the results of the marketing effort MEU.It will be time to re-evaluate the impact of the latest marketing and promotion plans. It is difficult to measure the success or failure of any plan without research. Although it is expensive, research can also protect the institution from costly mistakes. Recruitment Geographic Range A geographical recruitment range has been defined to attract students. MEU students are primarily EXPATRIATES IN UAE. An area of growth for MEU is REQUIRED. By focusing marketing efforts TO SHARJAH & DUBAI, AJMAN, UMMUL QUAIN, This range would obviously change when student housing becomes a reality on the MEU campus.Image Building/Promotion of the University as a Quality Institution There must be a two-prong approach to marketing. Image building is the first step. This will be done through the creation of television, radio and print ads. Several ads need to be created to speak to each of the target populations. Some of the advertising should showcase more of our most notable/successful alumni. They are the best proof MEU has of people achieving their goals through education. This campaign can be expanded to include alumni with their favorite/most influential MEU professor.This will help potential students make the connection that one-on-one attention from faculty is an important quality, and a unique attribute of MEU. The second prong of image building is promotion. Promotion includes all public relations and media relations activities. The accomplishments of students and faculty must be highlighted for the public whenever possible. An important resource for image building is the recent AND PAST Student Satisfaction Inventory. By using the results of a survey by MEU students, this information can be sent to potent ial students, parents, alumni and others.It is a strong statement about the quality of the institution. Image building requires time. While MEU is already thought of as a quality university, this perception can be strengthened through promotional efforts that show the actions of the campus community. The goal is to be a top consideration for students pursuing higher education. Web Site/E-recruiting College web sites are a key factor in attracting students. MEU is nearing the completion of a re-designed, interactive web site that will serve potential and current students in a more professional manner.The new site will have an updated application form, a financial aid calculator, and an improved catalog component. Members of the University Relations staff will monitor all aspects of the web site weekly. The web site must also be promoted through an image campaign. By having positive experiences on the web site will help to build good word-of-mouth references for MEU. With a strong web site presence, more emphasis can be placed on recruitment techniques through the MEU web site. One recommendation from is to hold online Open houses for students.Other considerations include e-mail alerts about campus events and establishing a dialogue with admissions counselors and faculty. In the long run, a stronger web site and e-recruitment plan can add up to substantial cost savings by eliminating the need for printing and postage. a)Target Audiences – Health care Industries, Hospitals, Medical organizations TARGET AUDIENCE NURSING The Office of Graduate Programs has done outstanding work in the area of marketing. An extensive series of brochures promoting each of the programs has been produced. MORE than the potentiality of the market and the possibilities of the market is not considered.As nursing courses is becoming key element of the all programs of MEU. Still the MEU Not taking any scientific way for answering questions of targeted group which may come across on t he time of marketing operation PROSPECTED nursing target candidates are enrolling because of the need only. Highly demanded market prospects are coming to enrollment automatically, here â€Å"better suggestion and recommending habit of the market† is to be noted. MEU ALSO required taking much effort for strengthening the technical support from the Ministry of higher education UAE, Indian Nursing Counsel, and all authoritative bodiesMEU stands out from other universities by offering NURSING AND PHARMACY COURSES, MEU and allied institution hold good status providing these courses and program to targeted audience in hospital and medical organizations. Since there is such a large potential student population that is undecided about their course of study, we need to develop a marketing campaign that solely addresses the need to provide this group with options and assistance in plotting a course for their future. As a purpose group member observed, â€Å"We (MEU) have success with the ‘I Can’ts. ’ We need to empower them. † This ould be a unique marketing campaign by identifying the â€Å"undecideds† and offering them support and solutions as they find their way to a major. Marketing images and slogans, there was nearly universal response for images and ideas that provided the perception of â€Å"choice and possibility. † This is a theme that can be used to address traditional freshmen in marketing materials. b)Target Audiences Target Audiences – Traditional Fresher’s from schools in UAE for graduate programs and Community College for post graduate program Community college transfer students are an area of enrollment growth at MEU.The Office of Admissions is having great success with regularly scheduled â€Å"On the Spot Transfer Days† at MEU. There should proper marketing strategy for BBA, BCOM and OTHER DEGREE PROGRAM. Concerned other competitors MEU’s share in the market is very poor, mai nly because of lack proper marketing program and some time we fail to close the sale because of increasing turnover of marketing employee. And more than insufficiency of teaching staff also decreasing confident of the soul of MEU. c)Target Audiences– (Employed expatriates) Non-Traditional Students THE SCOPE AND POTENTIALITY OF THIS MARKET IS UNLIMITED.A marketing campaign can be developed and tailored to fit the market. By emphasizing faculty support and guidance, there should be separate marketing staff for offering the potential prospects, BBA, BCOM, MBA, and MCOM PROGRAM TO employed expatriates in UAE. Furthermore, evening and weekend classes are expanded; it will be a marketing opportunity to reach this group with a message of convenience. With courses being offered in almost every top career field, MEU can easily look appealing to these are that considers she/he an employee first and a student second.MEU should promote the services of the Career Development Center to thi s group. We should keep the potentiality of this market if once we cached the fruits we easily expand the target audience also to local emirates’ d)Target Audiences – Diverse Student Body More needs to be done to recruit a diverse student body to MEU. New initiatives by the Office of Admissions are seeking to reach out to students through the Flint churches. Contacts have been made with the Urban League of Flint to try to engage the Black Scholar Award recipients in the coming year as well.Throughout the year, MEU HAVE TO bring hundreds of middle school and high school students to campus to introduce them to campus life. These programs should be supported with strong promotion whenever possible. It is also recommended that Admissions, University Relations meet on a regular basis to find new ways to market and promote these programs. A new initiative to attract International Students to MEU is in the beginning stages. This will require a broader marketing reach that wil l also result in enhancing diversity and promoting enrollment growth.While there are a large number of international students attending community colleges in UAE, attracting these students to MEU could take on a regional approach. A brochure has been developed for international students, but that is not enough. Specific advertisements addressing their needs should be run in student newspapers as well as some magazines. Again, this will be an expensive venture. e)Other Target Audiences Although five target populations have been chosen, there are associated groups, who have great influence over these potential students that need to be marketed.Marketing initiative needs to be developed to recruit not just the potential students, but also these groups that are influencing factors in their decision to pursue a degree. Direct Mail While e-mail can help to save on printing and postage costs, it cannot be used alone, especially in efforts to attract non-traditional and graduate students. T he problem is many people change e-mail addresses often, or they do not check their e-mail on a regular basis. E-mail is simply not the most reliable form of communication. Direct mail continues to offer the most accurate response.It is also easy to track the results of direct mail, since most of the pieces created have a reply card. That information is entered into the University Relations Marketing database. This provides insight into which promotional pieces were well-received, and which had very little impact. Promotion of Academic Programs and Halo Programs The following areas were selected to become part of a pool from which programs will be selected for special promotion. Each of the programs chosen for advertising was selected based on three factors: 1. Interest from prospective students, 2.Growth potential and 3. Employment trends. Beyond marketing material development, detailed marketing plans need to be developed for each program. With the unique needs of each area, plans must be tailored to address specific attributes of each program, and the needs of various target audiences. Halo programs are an important component for helping to build the image of MEU as a quality academic institution. As with some academic programs, Halo Programs are being used to promote the university. Halo Programs are essential ingredients in mounting a successful public relations campaign.A good example of a Halo Program contributing to the image building process is nursing program. Management program is another outstanding halo program. By promoting such a high quality program, prospective students will perceive MEU as a leader in an important area of management, leadership and training, which then reflects positively on the entire University. Scholarship Development With rising tuition costs at public universities in UAE, it is recommended that scholarship development should be started to accelerate the pace to help potential students offset the price of pursuing a degre e.Furthermore, a concentrated effort should be made to develop more opportunities for emirates’ to train them for facing corporate environment. Enrollment Planning Committee The Enrollment Planning Committee shall be chaired by the Vice Chancellor for Student Services and Enrollment Management. The purpose of the Enrollment Planning Committee is to establish goals, make recommendations to the Chancellor, suggest strategies and assist in setting enrollment targets for various areas of the University.The EPC will engage in the discussion and provide support and a framework for the following: †¢An Admissions Plan which identifies strategies and enrollment targets †¢A clear marketing plan that is tied to established enrollment goals †¢The Enrollment Planning Committee is tied to the Purpose Group Reports (in their final and accepted forms) and the mission of the institution. The EPC shall meet on a quarterly basis to discuss, recommend and move forward enrollment r elated issues. Membership of this committee would include Internal CommunicationCommunicating the marketing initiatives to the campus community will be a major undertaking in the next few months. This can be done through a series of workshops, e-mails, and the formation of a Marketing Representatives Group. This group would be made up of designees from each unit on campus. The group would meet monthly to review marketing initiatives across units, and to coordinate efforts. Each representative would report back to their unit on the ongoing promotional efforts across the university. Internal Marketing For faculty and staff members, marketing is part of routine everyday business.Marketing is in the form of responding in helpful ways to phone calls or e-mails, assisting students with problems or questions, and being involved in the community. A continued emphasis must be placed on services to students at the institution. If a student or alum talks about their experience at MEU as positi ve, it is one of the most believable and affordable forms of advertising. Media Relations MEU has benefited in the last year from a strong relationship with the media. Mounting a media strategy campaign can help position the university as the ideal place to receive a liberal arts education in UAE.In an effort to take advantage of media attention, MEU should implement a media strategy including: †¢Identifying events/information that are appropriate for press conferences †¢Keep an updated list of all media contacts †¢Establish a contact with each department to find out newsworthy events †¢Work with local media in the creation of public service announcements that promote events on campus †¢Meet with the community relations leaders of media outlets to form partnerships that can provide free promotion of events †¢Maintain an up-to-date media resource guide for providing experts to various media outletsVisit Programs The most important recruiting strategy is the campus visit. With this in mind, the Office of University Relations along with the Office of Admissions and the Office of Graduate Programs is launching a new visitor’s center on campus. The primary purpose of the visitor’s center is to have a central-meeting point on campus for large groups. This room will be geared to hosting new visitors to the MEU campus. It will be a meeting point for tours, a room used for open houses and receptions, and general â€Å"starting point† for all visitors to the campus.These programs will be at times convenient for potential students and their families. Individuals who seek personalized attention will still be directed to the appropriate offices for service. Alumni However, they are still one of the most underutilized resources of the campus. In an effort to re-engage alumni, it is important to make them part of the public relations activities at MEU. Alumni should be formed and used for recruitment. They can be featured as success stories in publications or commercials. Community InvolvementMEU should lead the way in community involvement. By opening the campus to the community for events, new visitors will be brought to the campus. This can leave a lasting, favorable impression. The campus should continue to support and open the doors to such events as Destination Imagination. An effort should be made to attract other academic and community events to campus such as science fairs, competitions, health fairs, business expos and others. By this gesture of goodwill to area organizations and businesses, it will build positive momentum for MEU.

An Examination of the Benefits, Issues and Impact of Implementing the Dissertation

An Examination of the Benefits, Issues and Impact of Implementing the Integrated Electronic Patient Record System in the UK - Dissertation Example This system provides accessibility and flexibility advantages for both medical personnel and patients; it improves information management and communications, and ultimately improves patient care. On the other hand, there are issues concerning privacy and security of patient information, and its development is very costly and an administrative burden. Moreover, there are still concerns over patient safety. The development of an IEPRS in the UK began in 2002, but the project was beset by continual delays due to the enormity and complexity of the task and escalating costs. In the end, it was abandoned in September 2010. The focus of the investigation thus turned to the experiences of its implementation at local NHS Trusts. Recommendations are also discussed to ensure the effectiveness of an IEPRS by addressing the concerns. An analytical research method was then adopted to further examine the implementation of an IEPRS in the UK. Its findings are discussed and conclusions are drawn foll owed by the researcher's own recommendations. Keywords: medical records, medical information, Integrated Electronic Patient Record System, medical information security, medical information management Table of Contents Section1: Introduction 5 Purpose of the study 5 The UK’s Integrated Electronic Patient Record System 5 Issues related to the implementation of an IEPRS 7 Research Objectives 8 Section 2: Research Methodology and Approach 10 Adopted method of research 10 Justification for the adopted method 11 Limitations 13 Section 3: Literature Review 14 Benefits of an IEPRS 14 General benefits 14 Range, access and flexibility 14 Improved information management 15 Improved communications and patient care 16 Barriers and Issues 16 General risks 16 Privacy and security 17 Information suitability, flexibility and accessibility 17 Financial barriers 18 Administrative burden 19 Patient safety 20 Other concerns 21 Summary of challenges 21 Impact of an IEPRS implementation 22 NHS†™ abandonment of the system 22 Continuation of the implementation at local levels 22 EPR systems in practice 24 EPR system guidelines 25 Elements of the security of patient records 29 Recommendations for an effective IEPRS 30 Raising awareness 30 Promoting involvement 30 Accessibility 30 Information management 30 Information security 31 Ensuring patient safety 35 Remaining concerns 37 Section 4: Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations 39 References 44 CARAT Completeness, Accuracy, Relevance, Accessibility, Timeliness DCR Detailed Care Record DoH Department of Health DPA Data Protection Act EDMS Electronic Document Management Software EMR Electronic Medical Record EPRS Electronic Patient Record System ERDIP Electronic Record Development and Implementation Project FOI Freedom of Information HCHC House of Commons Health Committee HCP Health Care Practitioner (or Provider) HIS Health Information System IEPRS Integrated Electronic Patient Record System IMS Information Management Syst em IT Information Technology LOD Limit of Detection LOQ Limit of Quantitation NAST National Association for Science and Technology NCRS NHS Care Records Service NHS National Health Service (UK) NIGB National Information Governance Board NPfIT National Programme for Information Technology NPSA National Patient Safety Agency PAS Patient Administration System PDS Personal Demographics Service RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners SCR Summary Care Record SUS Secondary Uses Service Project proposal An Examination of the Benefits, Issues and Impact of Implementing the Integrated Electronic Patient Record System in the UK Section1: Introdu

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Research paper - Essay Example The term circadian traces back its roots to the Latin words circa, which means around, and dies, which means day. It refers to biological processes in plants and animals that repeat in 24-hour cycles (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (3rd ed.)). Indeed, the most obvious function of circadian rhythms in humans is the sleep/wake cycle, wherein adults generally tend to become sleepy between 10 PM and midnight and to awaken feeling rested between 6 AM and 8 AM. Research indicates that poor sleeping quality contributes to a myriad of illnesses such as hypertension, cardiac arrest, stroke, hyperthyroidism, and eventual fatality (Shneerson 102). Considering the detrimental effects that poor quality sleep and irregular sleeping patterns cause, it is important to know what factors contribute to the disruption of the body’s circadian rhythm. In particular, this paper would like to investigate if engaging in shifting schedules is among the factors that contribute to t he disruption of the body’s circadian rhythm. II. Review of Related Literature Circadian rhythm is just one of the many periodic cycles that the human body adheres to. Other periodic events in the human body include ultradian rhythms, women’s menstrual cycle, and circannual rhythms that are present in both males and females. Circadian rhythms are â€Å"caused by oscillators situated in the cell nuclei with a number of genes participating and creating a translational–transcriptional feedback system in which some gene products accumulate and inhibit the clock gene function, followed by a release of gene function when the gene products are removed metabolically out of the feedback cycle† (Haus & Smolensky 491). Studies show that certain social, cultural, and industrial developments have disrupted this supposedly regular body cycle. For one, the development of the light bulb has radically changed people’s sleep patterns because the artificial light tha t a light bulb emits fools the body into thinking that it is daylight and thus contributes to the phenomenon of people staying up late at night and waking up late in the morning (Moore-Ede 157). In addition, the intake of caffeine and alcohol has also affected the quality of sleep that people enjoy. Large doses of caffeine are found to increase the heart rate and stimulate the brain and behavior (Nordegren 54). On the other hand, alcohol intake briefly causes drowsiness and is thus used by some people to initiate sleep. However, tolerance to its hypnotic effect often leads to an increase in the amount being ingested until sleep-wake patterns are totally disrupted in the end (Shneerson 105). Changes in today’s lifestyle also entails that people no longer engage in â€Å"normal working hours.† Harrington defines normal working hours in such a way that the individual works during the day and rests during the night, with some time left for recreation and other activities ( 58). People who do not engage in normal working hours tend to either work at night, on with extended hours or on shifts, thus violating the regular pattern of working at day and resting at night. In particular, three generally followed shifting schedules are the night shift which starts at 2200 hours, the morning shift which begins at 0600 hours, and the afternoon shift which typically commences at 1400 hours (Harrington 59; Akerstedt 90). Akerstedt further specifies that these different shift schedules also have different effects on

Tobacco companies imply that Snus is the new safer way to smoke, is Essay

Tobacco companies imply that Snus is the new safer way to smoke, is that enitrely true - Essay Example Regardless of findings, tobacco was responsible for over 1 million deaths in 1990. (Tobacco and health 2007) The results include both smoked and non smoked forms of tobacco. Snus is a product that is made of tobacco. It is similar to cigarettes accept it is not smoked by the consumer and inhaled through the lungs. Snus is a low moisture tobacco product that is in a bag similar to a tea bag. The consumer uses the snus in the gum line. The snus is then dissolved in the mouth to release nicotine. (J Foulds, L Ramstrom, M Burke, K Fagerstro?m2003) What is important to consider is whether or not consumers believe that snus is safer then smoking. Since snus is not inhaled in the lungs and through the air passages, it does reduce the risk of lung cancer. Yes, this is an important risk reduction when choosing snus instead of traditional smoking but lung cancer is not the only problem associated with tobacco use. Tobacco use regardless of the form is harmful to many areas of the body and cont ains many carcinogens and added ingredients. Tobacco comes in many different forms and is thought of in the United States as being unsafe regardless of which tobacco form is used. Since tobacco is portrayed as unsafe, does the public actually think that snus is safer than traditional forms of smoking such as cigarettes, roll your own, or pipes. In a study conducted by Nicotine & Tobacco Research Volume 9, Number 10 (October 2007) 1033–1042, it was found that only as much as 20% of tobacco users through many different countries thought that smokeless tobacco like snus was less harmful than traditional forms of tobacco. These findings are a great supporting document that consumers do not believe claims that are made by tobacco companies. If the tobacco companies claim that snus is a safer tobacco but only 20% believe it is, tobacco companies are proved to be unreliable. It is a fact that tobacco companies produce false statements. The question, tobacco companies imply that snus is the new safer way to smoke, is that entirely true? This is a mixed statement. Research does show that snus is a safer way to smoke because it is not smoked. The question itself and the claim do not really make any sense when further explored. Any type of product that is not smoked is likely to be less harmful of a product then one that is smoked. Statement like that made by tobacco companies are a cheap way to cover up the damage that has been done already by the tobacco industry. Further exploration of the statement would reveal that not smoking something will always be less harmful then not smoking something. The real question that should be explored is whether or not the chemicals in the snus are as harmful as the chemicals in traditional forms of smoking. Snus may be safer to the respiratory system since it is not directly inhaled but snus is reportedly just as harmful to other areas of the body and does pose devastating health risks like that of cigarettes. Snus is harmful to the digestive, cardiovascular and metabolic systems in the human body. A study conducted by Roth Associates Inc, shows that snus does have less risks then smoking but is still harmful. This study supports the statement that snus is less harmful then smoking. Although the product is less harmful it can still be damaging. Chemicals in snus are damaging and increase high blood pressure. An increase in high blood pressure leads to cardiac arrest, stroke and an increase in heart

Promotion & Information Systems Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Promotion & Information Systems - Research Paper Example Companies are increasingly going online for their marketing efforts. Kellogg Company is an example of a company who saw their sales increase 17% for the first 9 months of 2008 by moving to use of more online promotions (Laric & Lynagh, 2009). Kellogg stated that online marketing gives better opportunities for targeting, engagement, and dialogue (Laric & Lynagh, 2009). The trend that Kellogg refers to does not seem to be passing anytime soon. Hassens (2002) mentions that the rise of information technology has made the business environment ever more customer oriented. In addition, the combination of global markets with the wide variety of choices consumers now have will mean businesses need to be more customer focused than ever before (Hanseens, 2002). The author goes on to mention that the customer should be considered a strategic asset of the company. Information technology should play a large role for most organizations by tracking and analyzing the behavior and habits of buyers in order to make strategic plans (Haseens, 2002). A closely related idea is that of data mining. Data mining is defined as: â€Å"methods used by companies to sort and analyze information to better understand their customers, products, markets, or any other phase of their businesses for which data has been captured† (Jessup & Valacich, 2008). One company’s marketing switch involving data mining occurred when Merck made a $6 billion acquisition of the pharmacy mail order firm Medco. Since Medco was only generating around $80 million in revenue at the time of the purchase, there were other untapped factors involved. It turned out that there was a vast wealth of relevant information regarding both doctors and patients that could be utilized. The marketing and sales areas were able to custom tailor sales presentations based on a doctor’s past record of writing prescriptions and can even show where upcoming trends are located and then be

Writing homework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Writing homework - Essay Example It is not as if progress cannot happen in a state controlled protectionist system, and be competitive with a free market system. However, the author’s assertions that free trade is superior to protectionism generally is a convincing argument overall. To move from national politics to a more global perspective, it is also important to understand the role of labor in other countries in contrast to its role in the US, and Roberts concentrates mostly on a global workforce. For example, the role of labor unions in Europe is more totalized than it is in the United States. In the U.S., unions represent exact and specific parts of industries and call for more benefits and worker’s rights to be brokered with individual companies. In Europe, unions represent the entire industry because their groups are put together and are more powerful. They call for less specific issues, since they are representing an entire industry in Europe, though. More sweeping changes are possible this way, but the changes are less specifically geared to the immediate concerns of workers in a certain segment of the industry. In terms of labor participation in management, this was unheard-of many years ago, but is becoming more common both in the U.S. and in ternationally. Employees are more frequently being included in the decision-making process and communication is growing between employees and managers, despite political setbacks and setbacks in the US involving union membership and union density. â€Å"The real choice is between a dynamic world and a static world---a world of encouraging people to dream and acquire the skills to make those dreams come true and a world of encouraging people to be content with what they have and to dream less† (Roberts, 2000). The argument for and against international economics is basically a reflection of bigger argument about theoretical issues of protectionism and free trade, which was mentioned above. In this international argument,

Discussion of How to tame a wild Tongue by Gloria Anzaldua and Mother Essay

Discussion of How to tame a wild Tongue by Gloria Anzaldua and Mother Tongue by Amy Tan - Essay Example The theme behind â€Å"the mother tongue† is universal and significant since it is not merely on the subject of the native language but furthermore about the association with the social and ethnic background, with parents and legacy. It concerns the issue of parting with one’s homeland and living in a foreign country but still sticking to one’s own heritage. † As Natalie M. Rosinky states â€Å" there is also a gentle humor and appreciation in the essay, as Tan shows the misunderstanding immigrants experience because of cultural differences and their limited English† It is about changing, but keeping, at the same time. The essay is about striving and confronting unsympathetic surroundings. It talks in relation to the generation gap and being embarrassed, at a certain time, of one’s parents, since they do not seem to be adequate for one’s image and position. Once Amy starts writing she becomes conscious of how vital and significant was t he fact that she could use different types of English language, and thus begins to recognize the value of her mother customs and inheritance for its actual ability and potential. Considering this she begins writing with reference to her mother: â€Å"I wanted to capture what language ability tests can never reveal: her intent, her passion, the rhythms of her speech, and the nature of her thoughts†. As Amy fully becomes conscious of the affluence her mother had really provided her, she chooses her own mother as her foremost reader and evaluator.... In her essay she clearly addresses the precincts and boundaries of her mother’s English, and its drawbacks and benefits. She begins with being embarrassed of the English her mother speaks which was affected by the Chinese. She considers it as â€Å"fractured†, â€Å"broken† or had referred it to as â€Å"limited English†. Nevertheless, the language she was embarrassed about starts revealing its appeal and charm and hence Amy starts to look at her mother’s â€Å"fractured† English with an entirely different viewpoint. She starts to have a feeling that at the back her mother’s flawed English lives a magnificent phrase of exquisiteness, a splendor she marveled at. The theme behind â€Å"the mother tongue† is very universal and significant since it is not merely on the subject of the native language but furthermore about the association with the social and ethnic background, with parents and legacy. It concerns the issue of parting with one’s home land and living in a foreign country but still sticking to one’s own heritage. † As Natalie M. Rosinky states â€Å" there is also a gentle humor and appreciation in the essay, as Tan shows the misunderstanding immigrants experience because of culture differences and their limited English† It is about changing, but keeping, at the same time. The essay is about striving and confronting unsympathetic surroundings. Moreover it talks in relation to the generation gap and being embarrassed, at a certain time, of one’s parents, since they do not seem to be adequate for one’s image and position. Once Amy starts writing she becomes conscious of how vital and significant was the fact that she could use different types of English language, and thus begins to recognize the value of her mother customs and inheritance for its

Intellectual Property Essay Example for Free

Intellectual Property Essay Overview of Paper Whether we believe it is right or not, many of us have become accustomed to the fact that a large number people download copyrighted material regularly using Peer-to-Peer file-sharing software. As a result, the entertainment industry is losing billions of dollars in revenue, and is suffering from the infringements of many copyrights. Who should be held responsible for this? Is it the fault of the people who misuse the software or the fault of the software distributors for allowing this to occur? With the recent case of MGM Studios, Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd., these issues came to an even bigger showdown than the predecessor case of AM Records Inc. V. Napster in which the violations that its users were directly infringing the plaintiffs copyrights, that Napster was liable for contributory infringement of the plaintiffs copyrights and that Napster was liable for vicarious infringement of the plaintiffs copyrights, particularly after it was discovered that multi-platinum artists were finding their songs leaked to the internet long before an album had ever been released. (Vaver) Thusly, the basis of this paper will be to examine the relationship of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file sharing services and how they violate copyrights, patents and generally, intellectual property. Further, I will discuss the impact on software developers, artists and the individual user who participates in utilizing P2P software on their individual and public access computer systems. The primary case that will be featured in this discussion is Metro Gold wyn Mayer (MGM) versus Grokster which took place in 2005. †¢History of participants (MGM) Theater magnate Marcus Lowe, who orchestrated the merger of Metro Pictures Corp., Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Mayer Productions, formed MGM in April 1924. With visionary Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg at the helm, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was a powerhouse of prolific artistry and filmmaking expertise that the studio famously said attracted more stars than are in the heavens. During a golden three decades from 1924 to 1954, the Culver City-based studio dominated the movie business, creating a Best Picture nominee every year for two straight decades. One of the more memorable years at the Academy Awards ® was in 1939 when MGMs Gone With the Wind and MGMs The Wizard of Oz were both nominated for Best Picture. Gone With the Wind took home Best Picture that year, along with 8 other Oscars. The Wizard of Oz secured two Oscars. United Artists was established on July 15, 1919 by Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith and was best known as the company built by the stars. The budding company quickly left an indelible mark on Hollywood, revolutionizing the motion-picture business by promising creative freedom to actors and filmmakers, while offering the filmmakers a share of the films profits. UAs Midnight Cowboy, released in 1969 starring Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight, was the first X-Rated film to be nominated and win an Academy Award ®. It won 3 Oscars ®, including Best Picture. It was changed to an R-rating in 1971. United Artists later joined the MGM family in 1981, and thrived as member of the lions pride.†¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨MGM boasts a total of 205 Academy Awards ® in its vast library. Among those are 15 Best Pictures. These films include; Rebecca (1940), Best Years of Our Lives (1946), Hamlet (1948), Marty (1955), The Apartment (1960), West Side Story (1961), Tom Jones (1963), In the Heat of the Night (1967), Midnight Cowboy (1969), Rocky (1976), Annie Hall (1977), Platoon (1986), Rain Man (1988), Dances With Wolves (1990), The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Today MGM boasts an impressive library comprised of titles from the United Artists, Orion Pictures, and Goldwyn Entertainment and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment libraries. With approximately 4,100 films and over 10,400 hours of television programming, the library also includes the Rocky and Pink Panther franchises and the celebrated James Bond franchise, the longest running and most profitable series in film history. (MGM) MGM and other entertainment companies (24 in total): A collection of song-writers, music publishers and motion picture studios who â€Å"own or control the vast majority of copyrighted motion pictures and sound recordings in the United States.† Damages were sought as well as an injunction against Grokster for copyright infringement. MGM accused Grokster of distributing software which enabled users to breach copyright restrictions. They insisted that around 90% of data transferred using P2P software was copyrighted, costing them millions of dollars in lost revenues. They also argued that this type of copyright infringement would not occur if Grokster and similar software distributors did not make it possible. †¢History of participants (Grokster) Grokster Ltd. was a privately owned software company based in Nevis, West Indies that created the Grokster Peer-to-Peer file-sharing client in 2001. Grokster Ltd. was rendered extinct in late 2005 by the United States Supreme Courts decision in MGM Studios, Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd. (Duke) Grokster became popular after the collapse of Napster due partly because of its decentralized architecture. Grokster’s client application licensed the FastTrack network technology. Grokster was in a new client software application that was used to connect to the FastTrack and Gnutella’s decentralized P2P networks to enable its users to share files. This network was quite different from Napster in two primary ways: 1) users could search for any file type (they were not restricted to MP3s like in Napster) 2) the network was decentralized. The decentralized architecture prevented any single broken link, such as Napster’s index servers, from bringing down the network. Grokster removed the need for centralized index servers through its use of super nodes. Whenever a powerful computer with a high-speed connection running Grokster connected to the FastTrack network, it automatically became a super node and acted as a temporary indexing server for other clients on the network. It was believed that the decentralized nature of the network would insulate it from legal threats, however, this can also intimate a certain level of culpability in the act of sharing the files. (Giblin) So what is Intellectual Property? According to WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization), intellectual property refers to creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce. Intellectual property is divided into two categories: Industrial property, which includes inventions (or as we commonly know them: patents), trademarks, industrial designs, geographic indications of source (definition of geographic indications: a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin {e.g. a town, region, or country}. The use of a geographic indication may act as a certification that the product possesses certain qualities, is made according to traditional methods, or enjoys a certain reputation, due to its geographical origin†¦ example: Vidalia Onions or Florida Oranges†¦) and Copyright, which includes literary and artistic works such as novels, poems and plays, films, musical works, artistic works like drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures, and architectural designs. Rights related to copyright include those of performing artists in their performances, producers of phonograms in their recordings, and those of broadcasters in their radio and television programs. The innovations and creative expressions of indigenous and local communities are also Intellectual property, but because they are â€Å"traditional† they may not be fully protected by existing Intellectual property systems. Thusly, when industrial works and/or literary and artistic works are shared without proper compensation, any business, contract holder, artist or individual related to the copyright or patent has the right to seek damages in what is owed to them in relationship to the work in question. MGM V. Grokster – Facts and Decision MGM and several music and motion picture studios brought this suit against Grokster alleging vicarious and contributory copyright infringement for distributing peer-to-peer file-sharing software. According to MGM, over 90% of the material exchanged using Grokster’s file-sharing software is copyrighted material and therefore, copyright infringement occurs every time users exchange the information. MGM contends that Grokster contributes to this infringement by making the file-sharing software available to the public. The district court disagreed with MGM, granting partial summary judgment in favor of Grokster as to the liability that occurred from its present distribution activities. MGM appealed the decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Ninth Circuit held that Grokster was not liable for contributory infringement because it lacked sufficient knowledge of the infringement and it did not materially contribute to the copyright infringement. According to the court, th e peer-to-peer file-sharing software distributed by Grokster was capable of substantial non-infringing uses. Based on this finding, the court held that Grokster could not be found liable for mere constructive knowledge, but must have had reasonable knowledge of specific infringement at the time it contributed to the infringement. Such knowledge was impossible in this case due to the structure of the network created by the Grokster software. Unlike previous file-sharing networks, Grokster did not maintain a searchable index on a centralized server. Instead, indexes were maintained on the computers of individual users, which prevented Grokster from learning of any infringement until after it had occurred. The network design also prevented Grokster from materially contributing to any copyright infringement because Grokster did not provide the site or facilities for infringement. (Duke) The Ninth Circuit also held that Grokster was not liable for vicarious copyright infringement. According to the court, Grokster lacked the right and ability to supervise the direct infringers. The peer-to-peer file-sharing software did not allow Grokster to block access to infringing users and did not provide Grokster with any opportunity to filter content. While MGM argued that Grokster could alter the file-sharing software to control user access, the court noted this was not a viable option because the software resided on the computers of the users and not on a centralized server. The court ruled against Groksters peer-to-peer file sharing program for computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, effectively forcing the company to cease operations. The product was too similar in look and feel to Kazaa, which is marketed by Sharman Networks and Morpheus, which was distributed by StreamCast. Grokster along with Morpheus and Kazaa are considered second-generation peer-to-peer file sharing programs because unlike their predecessor Napster these file sharing programs allowed users to trade files directly between one another without these transactions passing through a centralized server. Because Napster maintained this fraction of control over the transaction of files through its server it was ruled illegal because it should have exercised its power over the server to stop the sharing of copyright infringing files. Grokster and this second generation of peer-to-peer file sharing programs sought to avoid this legal obstacle. (Duke) Issues at Stake In a peer-to-peer network each computer is both a server and client. Members need to download only the relevant software file sharing software, free of charge, and they may participate in the network to exchange files, which are more often than not, copyrighted. The owners of copyrights, in this case MGM believed that the software distributors are liable for copyright infringement of the software users: By providing P2P file-sharing software, MGM believe Grokster should be liable for the actions of the individuals who misuse it. A major debate rages over the issue that copyrights, no matter how numerous, do not give the holders a veto over certain advancements in technology. The copyright owners (MGM) relied on the two recognized theories of secondary copyright liability: contributory copyright infringement and explicit copyright infringement. In order for Grokster to be held liable for contributory copyright infringement, it had to be proven that direct infringement of copyrights took place by a primary person, party or group and that Grokster had full knowledge of the infringements. It also had to be determined that they also provided a material contribution to this infringement. For Grokster to be held liable for explicit copyright infringement there had to have been direct copyright infringement by a primary party, a direct financial benefit to the Grokster and an ability on the part of Grokster to supervise those responsible for the infringements. Precedent: The Betamax Case (Universal City Studios, Inc. et al. v. Sony Corporation of America Inc. et al. 1979) In this case it was held that video-recorders should not be banned, even though there is a chance they might be misused by the owner. This technology has substantial non-infringing uses, and so an outright ban could not be justified. Betamax technology was developed with the aim of allowing users to record television that they would have otherwise missed: thus, it’s intended and advertised use was not as an infringer of copyrights. (Vaver) Billions of files are shared across P2P networks each month a large proportion of which are illegal. If Grokster was made responsible for their actions, the amount of files transferred would be expected to reduce significantly as tighter regulations are enforced. If MGM won their case in its entirety, the owners of file-sharing software would be held responsible for copyright infringements of the software users. Even though MGM was attacking a certain type of software, many other technologies could be affected if MGM had been successful. MP3 players, CD burners, external hard-disks, and so on would have been drastically changed to the leisure (and working) time of many individuals due to the basic operating software included with each of those devices and the nature of their portability from machine to machine and platform to platform. (Vaver) A precedent would be set against which similar cases in the future could be examined. This is not a new problem, it has been going on for years between the Entertainment Industry and technology, which allows copyrighted material to be duplicated. The ultimate and unresolvable issue here is a trade-off between intellectual property rights and technological innovations, which will become more and more cloudy as social media and technological innovations churn ever forward and change at such a consuming and rapid pace. Repercussions In the wake of the case filing, Grokster began warning many users on the main page of their website that their IP (internet protocol: A unique string of numbers separated by periods that identifies each computer attached to the Internet) addresses were being stored. Prosecution of the file-sharing individual relies upon what has commonly been referred to as a process of a doe subpoena. If a doe subpoena is utilized, prosecutors are required to gain a series of subpoenas in order to find out the identity of the user behind the IP address in question. Following the shut down of Grokster blogs became inundated with concerned users fearful of the warning however there were and are no reports of the use of doe subpoenas in this case. Research into the effects of warnings such as the one left on Grokster’s website has shown that while these warnings can result in a substantial reduction in online file sharing of individuals, the overall availability of downloadable content did not diminish. Furthermore, researchers cannot account for how much of this reduction in individual file sharing is simply shifted to other file sharing programs. In cases where the RIAA has issued threats the users who conduct the most file sharing usually reduced their daily transactions to levels below the level of prosecution. In effect these warnings have only caused only a brief reduction in overall online file sharing. (Duke) Future Fallout The fear raised by some is that the Grokster findings would impose far too heavy of a burden on technological development, or discourage the dispersment of community information. The Grokster Court attempted to remain mindful of the need to keep from trenching on regular commerce or discouraging the development of technology with lawful and unlawful potential. The Court did not focus on the legality of the P2P networks but rather on the intent and conduct of the defendants. Finding the defendants intent unmistakable, the Court reasoned that such wrongful intent combined with defendants unlawful conduct could make defend- ants liable. Thus, the Court appropriately placed the blame on the malicious con- duct of technology developers rather than on the technology itself. (Grigorian) Under Grokster, businesses [can] continue to develop new technologies provided they do not encourage their users to violate the copyright law. Therefore, it is reasonable to infer from Grokster that P2P file-sharing software and similar technologies remain perfectly legal. This is a legitimate finding because, as the Court pointed out, file-sharing technologies can and have been used for legitimate, non- infringing purposes. For example, universities, business, and government entities use P2P file-sharing software for added efficiency and a more stable platform on which information can be shared [without being susceptible] to the types of attacks that a centralized server faces. (PC Review) Since the Supreme Courts pronouncement of Grokster, many legal scholars are eager to know the role the decision will play in future indirect copyright infringement cases, especially those involving file-sharing technology. Given the questions that remain unresolved after the Grokster decision, like those regarding the proper interpretation and application of Sony, future plaintiffs are likely to first proceed under the active inducement theory and, alternatively, plead contributory copyright infringement. To establish liability under the active inducement theory, plaintiffs must prove that: 1. The defendant took active steps with intent to cause infringement 2. The users of defendants technology did in fact engage in infringing activity. In cases involving P2P technology, proving intent is the trickiest of the two elements. However, copyright holders with legitimate claims will most likely be able to meet this requirement by showing that the conduct and activities of the alleged infringers in developing and marketing their technology would rise to the level of actively promoting the illegal sharing of said works. Courts will then need to examine the alleged infringers business models, marketing and promotional strategy and capability of installing filtering and monitoring systems in order to determine whether sufficient evidence of intent exists. Although it’s unclear as to how many of these factors must be present for a court to find wrongful intent, it is reasonable to determine that the more closely a persons behavior resembles that of a Grokster type entity, the more likely a court is to find liability under the active inducement standard. (Grigorian) This does not indicate that Grokster prefers copyright holders or offers them an automatic win. Some would argue that Grokster makes it more laborious for copyright holders to obtain damages because it forces them to conduct more extensive discovery and incur greater legal expenses in order to successfully prove intent. So while Grokster may appear unreasonably burdensome at first, it actually benefits all parties involved. By setting the burden of proof higher and requiring copyright holders to prove intent, Grokster will likely deter wasteful claims. The newly adopted standard also favors copyright holders because it offers clearer guidelines for those with legitimate claims to seek a legal remedy when their rights are violated. Therefore, in contrast to what some scholars may argue, Grokster successfully maintains a delicate balance between innovation and copyright protection. Conclusion The District Court of California and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Grokster, much to MGM’s disappointment. It was held in both courts that Grokster escaped liability for a number of reasons: 1.Grokster did not have constructive, adequate knowledge of the infringements. 2.The software distributed by Grokster was capable of substantial non-infringing uses. 3.There was no central server, thus Grokster could only obtain information of the infringement after it had already happened (i.e. they could not block or prevent copyright infringement because they were not able to directly supervise file transfers). 4.Grokster could not be found responsible for materially contributing to any copyright infringement. 5.Grokster did not directly earn money from this software, as it is free for people to download. Instead, they earned money through advertisements on their website. 6.Grokster was unable to change the software to control user access due to the fact that the software resided on the users’ computers and not on a centralized server. In the United States Supreme Court, the ruling of the appeal favored MGM. The unanimous ruling was that â€Å"one who distributes a device with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyright, as shown by clear expression or other affirmative steps taken to foster infringement, is liable for the resulting acts of infringement by third parties.† Under these conditions, P2P file-sharing companies could now be sued for copyright infringements. Many as the most important intellectual property case have dubbed this case in decades (PC Review) Due to the extent of disagreement, which arose as to whether Grokster is protected under the Sony Betamax case, a new test has been developed to determine whether the ruling in the Betamax case protects the software in question. The test assesses whether or not the distributors of the software have promoted it as a means of copyright infringement. If such intentions were found, then the ruling of the Betamax case could not be used as precedent. As long as new innovations do not affect existing copyrights, then this ruling should not affect them. It is seen by the Supreme Court as a fair balance between the benefits gained by allowing and promoting technological innovation and the need to respect the intellectual property rights of artists. However, critics do not quite view it in the same light: they are skeptical that the test will work in their favor due to its inherent ambiguity. (PC Review) There are major concerns, however, that despite the good intentions of the court to strike a fair balance between innovation and copyrights, many investors may be put off. If there is a slight chance that a potential project is at risk from this ruling, then ideas are likely to go no further than the drawing board. This could have huge significance, especially regarding the creation of new digital technologies: Any threat of liability, and the idea dies Many argue that file sharing is not the problem, which needs to be addressed here; it is the issue of the individuals that abuse it. On the other hand, trying to hold millions of downloaders responsible for their (numerous) actions would be logistically impossible, and so a more preventative approach has instead been used. (PC Review) Therefore, Groksters message could not be any louder or clearer: innovators should continue to develop new technologies but they must do so with a lawful intent. In devising a new standard for liability, the Court in Grokster provided an alternative mechanism under which copyright holders could seek redress against technology developers and distributors that infringed on their intellectual property rights by proving un-lawful intent. The new standard appropriately focuses on the infringers conduct and intent rather than the technology itself. Works Cited 1. Giblin, Rebecca. Code wars†¯: 10 years of P2P software litigation. Cheltenham, UK; Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2011. Print. 2. Duke University School of Law, â€Å"MGM V. Grokster.† Web. 2004 2005. http://publiclaw.law.duke.edu/publiclaw/supremecourtonline/certgrants/2004/mgmvgro.html 3. â€Å"The Legality of File Sharing MGM Vs Grokster.† Web. 14 July 2012. http://www.pcreview.co.uk/articles/Consumer-Advice/The_Legality_of_File_Sharing_-_MGM_vs_Grokster/ 4. â€Å"The Official Website for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios: Learn More About the History of MGM.† Web. 14 July 2012. http://www.mgm.com/corporate/index.html 5. Vaver, David. Intellectual property rights†¯: critical concepts in law. London: Routledge, 2006. Print. 6. â€Å"WIPO World Intellectual Property Organization.† Web. 14 July 2012. http://www.wipo.int/portal/index.html.en 7. Grigorian, Kristine. MGM vs Grokster: Adopting Patent Law’s Active Inducement Do ctrine and shifting focus to actual infringers. Maryland, Northampton, Journal of Business and Technology, Maryland School of Law, 2005. Print.

Tomorrow When the War Began Essay Example for Free

Tomorrow When the War Began Essay GamesEntertainmentLifestyleLog in Username Password Forgot your password? Stay logged in Or Connect Sign up Tomorrow When the War Began Wiki On the Wiki Wiki Activity Random page New Photos Community Contribute Share WatchlistRandom pageRecent changes Robyn Mathers Edit Comments0 42PAGES ON THIS WIKI Robyn Mathers Gender: Female Age: 17? at time of death Martial Status: Single Religious Beliefs: Christianity Status: Dead Added by Rachelrose411 Robyn is a religious girl with integrity. She died to save her friends near the end of the third book in the series. Robyn Mathers was a girl who was very true to her religious beliefs and was moral and kind. She followed rules and was well behaved. She did not want to kill anybody in the war but after a while accepted that it was the only way to survive, showing her bravery. Near the end of the third book, (The Third Day, The Frost), Major Harvey catches his prisoners (Ellie, Robyn, Fiona, Lee, Kevin and Homer) trying to run away from his prison. He holds a gun to Robyns head and tells the others to get down or he will shoot her. However, Robyn is holding a grenade under her shirt and blows herself and Major Harvey up to save her friends. Add category Showing 0 most recent 0 comments Anonymous User Log in? Advertisement See all photos See all photos ;gt; Recent Wiki Activity Kevin Holmes edited by Rachelrose411 6 days ago Corrie McKenzie edited by Rachelrose411 6 days ago Ellie Linton edited by A Wikia contributor Robyn Mathers edited by Rachelrose411 See more ;gt; Around Wikias networkRandom Wiki AboutCommunity CentralCareersAdvertiseAPIContact WikiaTerms of UsePrivacy Policy Content is available under CC-BY-SA. Did you miss our recent webinar on main pages? Watch a recording of it now. Movie TrailersFall TV [emailprotected]

Advantages Of Mixed Economy To Hilton Kuching Marketing Essay

Advantages Of Mixed Economy To Hilton Kuching Marketing Essay In this assignment we have chosen Hilton Hotel, Kuching as our research and analysis. Hilton Kuching is located at Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, which is at the center of the city. From Kuching International Airport, it usually takes 25 minutes to arrive Hilton. Surround the hotel; there are variety of shops such as the 24-hours convenience shop 7-11, the coffee shop, the lounge, bistro and shopping mall. It is very convenient for the guests who wish to have different kind of activities during their stay at the accommodation. Hilton Kuching provides guests with different types of facilities and services. For the business convenience, Hilton Hotel provide the guest with business center which is well equipped with the internet access, express mail, printer, photocopying service and etc. They also provide the businessman with the meeting room in order to allow the businessman meet with their client. Apart from that, the hotel also provides some service to the family who come for vacation. The service is such as the babysitting service, the family package offer, the cribs and the playground. For the other convenient of the guest, the hotel has provide the guest with the other service such as the concierge desk, the barber shop, the lounge, the safety deposit box, the guest recreation desk and the multi-lingual staff. During the time of the guests stay, Hilton Hotel provide the places for them to have their outdoor activities such as the swimming pool and the tennis court. For the food and beverage service, Hilton Hotel provides the restaurant where they serve different types of cuisine. For example, the Waterfront Restaurant that serves the guest in buffet style. They are opened for the breakfast, lunch and dinner. For the Toh Yuen Restaurant, they serve Chinese cuisine. The guests can have their meal their during the lunch and dinner time. Sometime, the Chinese will held the wedding at that restaurant. Apart from that, the hotel also provides the guests with fine-dining service at the Steakhouse. They serve the western food for the guests and the well known dish that recommended by the chef is the steak and sirloin. These are the 3 main restaurants that located in the establishment. Apart from these 3, there are other lunge and bistro such as the Senso bar where the guests can taste the variety of cocktails, the Cafà © Cino where is full with the aroma of coffee and serve the freshly baked bread. They also provide the wireless service to the guests. Lastly, the Hilton Hotel provides the guest with 7 types of room with different room rates. The room type is such as the King Deluxe Plus, King Guestroom Plus, King Hilton Guestroom, Twin Guestroom Plus, Twin Hilton Guestroom, Suites and the King Executive Suite. Every different type of room will have their own room rate and the highest rate is the King Executive Suite. The Hilton Hotel is experiencing a mixed economy in Kuching which means that the economic system that combined the private and states enterprise. Hilton Hotel does not have the full control on their establishment. The mixed economy which is experienced by the Hilton Hotel brings them the advantage and disadvantage. We will look into the details of what advantages and disadvantages has bring to the hotel in the coming pages. Executive Summary In this assignment, we have chosen Hilton Hotel, Kuching as our research and discussion. Hilton Kuching has experienced a mixed economy in Kuching. Mixed economy is an economic system that combines the private and the state enterprises. It is the common form of national economic organization, somewhere between the command economy and a market economy. The degree of government intervention is the basis of most political division in countries using this system. The objective of this assignment is to enable us to know more about the economy that experienced by the Hilton Kuching which is mixed economy. It also enables us to understand the advantages and disadvantages for Hilton Kuching to have mixed economy. Through this assignment, we will be able to understand the details of mixed economy but not the surface only. It also helps us to improve our knowledge and look into detail of the economic world. Nowadays, teenagers do not concern about the economy of particular country and with this assignment, we have the opportunities to look into the articles and the news of mixed economy. It helps us to improve our knowledge on the economic field. As a conclusion, this assignment can guide our concentration to a new environment and new field which is economic environment and this will help us a lot in our future. Advantages of Mixed Economy to Hilton Kuching Hilton Kuching is experiencing a mixed economy and this has brought them few advantages. We will look into detail on how the advantages influence the hotels operation. The first advantage of the mixed economy to Hilton Hotel is that the business can make their decision by their own is some areas. They do not need to follow exactly what the government has stated down. They have their own rights in making decision. For example, the top management of Hilton Kuching can choose to have a foreigner as their manager and in charge in the particular department. Apart from that, the food and beverage department can also import the ingredients for their food from the other country. It is such as some of the seafood that the restaurant needs to import from Japan or Korea. The second advantage is that the government has limited control which is good for the structure. Sometime, due to the regulation that has been set by the government, the public need to accept it but with the mixed economy, the operation has much more freedom in controlling and running their operation. They are able to have their own idea as long as they do not have any illegal act. At the same time, they are able to get the help from the government. The third advantage is that Hilton can get the active government support and direction in their operation while at the same time; they can have their own idea and doing what they wish to do. They can have their own plan; own mission, own vision and also their own target on how they want to achieve the target that has been set. For example, when they are having financial problem such as the problem in turnover, they can get the support and help from the government in order to help operation to overcome the problem. The fourth advantage is that all national resources are utilized under the mixed economy. This is because both public and private sectors work hard to bring out more production and this can helps a lot in the growth of economy of Hilton Hotel. The production can be in the term of promotion, which the government helps to top up their sales of room, in the term of producing food and beverage and etc. The fifth advantage for Hilton Hotel to have mixed economy is that by the using of mixed economy, the both parties are able to strengthen their relation and create a more stable condition of the operation. They help each other in growing up on the economy where as the Hilton will help to grow the economy of Kuching while the government will help to grow the economy of Hilton by helping them to earn more profit. So these are the advantages of the mixed economy bring to the Hilton Hotel, Kuching. Disadvantages of Mixed Economy to Hilton Kuching After looking into the advantages of mixed economy for Hilton Kuching, we will look into the disadvantage of mixed economy for Hilton Kuching and how it influences the operation of the Hilton Kuching. The first disadvantage of the mixed economy for Hilton Hotel, Kuching is that the government intervention in this system to protect the economy will cause the limitation of production because government is responsible for some of the production in this operation. The varieties of products tend to be limited and controlled. For example, due to Malaysia is an Islamic country, Muslim occupying most of the population in Malaysia, the Waterfront Restaurant of Hilton Kuching is required to be Halal which they serve the food without any pork. This can decrease the mobility of the business in preparing the food because without serving pork, they might loss most of their guests who like to eat pork. Pork can be served in variety ways and most of the Chinese love to eat pork. Without serving pork, the restaurant might loss most of their Chinese guests and this can cause them loss an amount of profit. The second advantage is that minor decisions from the business and consumer have to follow the governments policies. With the intervention of government, the operation has a limitation in setting their policies which is such as the example that has been given above. The hotel is required not to serve the pork in their main dining restaurant which is Waterfront Restaurant. apart from that, most of the administrative policies are also based on the governments decision such as the working hour of the staffs, the type of uniform that the staffs should wear and the design of the room. The uniform of the Waterfront Restaurant is based on the Malay costume while for the design of the room, there will be an arrow which shows the direction for the Muslims prayer. Due to this intervention, every room is requested to have the arrow on top pf the ceiling. The third disadvantage is that mixed economy tends to encourage more states monopolies, higher and higher tax and dominant the public finance, making the government the overwhelmingly large economic player as compared to the corporate or the individual entities. Sometime the operation are not in control of the taxes that the guests need to pay and for those guests who do not understand the procedures, they may feel that the charges for the tax is unnecessary and somehow the charges is too much. As we all know that, every guest who stays in the hotel room will need to pay the 5% of government tax and 10% of service tax. The fourth disadvantage is that mixed economy system often turns into the closed economies hindering the international trade and the globalization and depriving citizens from the benefits of an interdependent world economics. This might be due to some regulation of the government and in order not to disobey the regulation; the operation has to stop the particular plans. For example, Hilton Hotel is a well known hotel which they can actually have a more attractive and fashionable design, but due to the intervention of government; they have a limited idea on the design of building because they need the approval from the government. This has cause many limitation to the management of the establishment. For example, the interior design of the hotel. The design is allowed to be more fashionable and attractive but due to the intervention of the government which they might need to save cost for the materials, they will change the design to a more simple design which is acceptable for the pu blic and affordable to them. This can reduce the ambience of the whole establishment and the guest has loss their opportunities to experience a better environment which is like the western country. The fifth disadvantage is that mixed economy system has a natural tendency to move further and further away from the reliance on the competitive market. With the help of the government, the operation does not need to worry about their profit because they can get the support from the government. The government will always held their function at the hotel which provides the government staffs with the accommodation. The example of the activities is such as the workshop or some particular course to improve the skill of government staffs. It is such as the computer course which is prepared for the clerk who working with the government. Summary As a conclusion, we have discussed about the advantage and disadvantage of the mixed economy to the Hilton Hotel, Kuching and how these two elements influence the hotel. As we all know, Hilton Hotel should maintain their strength and improve their weaknesses which can be found out in the research that we have done. For the advantage, we know that the main advantage is the Hilton are able to cooperate with the government in order to improve their performance while for the disadvantage, we know that there are some limitation in running the operation. For example, the limitation of the production. Hilton Kuching should find a solution to overcome the weaknesses and also the problem that cause by the mixed economy in order to ensure their establishment can maintain their present guest and attract more guests to have a nice stay at Hilton Hotel, Kuching.

Baking Cakes in Kigali and The Adoration of Jenna Fox Essay -- Compara

Authors Gaile Parkin and Mary Pearson focus their novels, Baking Cakes in Kigali and The Adoration of Jenna Fox, on the significance of family. In both novels, love and family are key elements: in Baking Cakes in Kigali, the main character, Angel, loses both her daughter and her son, while those around Angel are stepping up and protecting their families; in The Adoration of Jenna Fox, Jenna’s family members show their love for Jenna by breaking the law to save her life. Both novels demonstrate that family is important to all people; family can support and protect a person or even give someone courage to move on after her family is gone. In Baking Cakes in Kigali, Angel loses her daughter, Vinas, and the loss of her daughter leaves an empty hole in her heart; however, it is this hole in Angel’s heart that allows Angel to make room for someone else in her life, but in order to include someone new in her life, Angel must first acknowledge the real reason behind her daughter’s death so that she may accept it and move on. Angel was lying to herself about her daughter’s death: [Her] daughter wanted to die. She took those pills to suicide herself. (Perkin 247) Although losing her only daughter is challenging for Angel, she finally feels relief when she comes to terms with reality and exposes the truth about Vinas’s death, and by finally admitting to the reality of her daughter’s death, Angel is able to have a clearer mind and progress in life and help Leocadie, who has no mother to be with her for her wedding. By embracing the truth about Vinas’s death, Angel finds the courage to say, â€Å"Leocadie, it is not true that you have no family, because I’m going to be your mother for this wedding† (148). Thinking of Vinas gives Angel enough... ...talian villa and wine† (189) to help her only daughter, Claire, and therefore, Jenna. Both Lily and Claire are admirable mothers, who would run to the ends of the earth for their daughters; these two mothers illustrate just how deeply a mother can love her daughter and how a mother does all in her power to protect her children. Gaile Perkin’s Baking Cakes in Kigali and Mary Pearson’s The Adoration of Jenna Fox demonstrate how family can protect, support, and encourage an individual. Family is a principle aspect of a person’s life, and a loving brother or mother or father can greatly impact a person’s life. A family can encourage someone to help others or even save another’s life. It is evident, therefore, that family is a crucial element for human life; the world would be miserable if there were no loving families to care for each other and support each other.

Initiative Essay -- Education Educational Papers

Initiative The aftermath of Proposition 227, formally titled the English Language for Immigrant Children Initiative, is as varied as the bilingual teaching methods it replaces. The issue of how to educate limited English proficient (or LEP) children has become so politicized that the research on the subject is difficult to interpret. However, two aspects that appear to be problematic for all of California’s school districts are the vague language of the initiative (which is now law), and the lack of methodology for the new "sheltered immersion" programs. The resulting confusion has created a bilingual education system more fragmented than ever. According to the state Department of Education, approximately 1.4 of the 5.5 million school children in the United States are classified as LEP. Of those 1.4 million children, eighty percent are Spanish speaking and the remainder identify fifty-three other languages as their primary language (Prop #227 1). Prior to the passage of proposition 227, 70 percent of California’s LEP students received instruction primarily in English, including 31 percent who received specialized instruction in English only, 22 percent received specialized instruction in English with some primary language support, and 17 percent receive no specialized services: The remaining 30 percent were in traditional bilingual classrooms and received a great deal of instruction in their primary languages (Prop #227 1). It is clear from the variety of services that had been offered (or not) that "bilingual education" varied greatly in the amount of primary language support that was used. It was also only used to teach approximately 50 percent of the LED student population. The amount of primary language support is t... ...ll Kemper. "Sheltered Immersion: Contrasts and Controversy". 1-4. Online. Internet. November 14,1998. Available http://coe.sdsu.edu/people/jmora/pages/seivcanadian.html. "Proposition #227: English Language in Public Schools". 1-9. Online. internet. November 15,1998. Available http://www.sen.cagov/ftp/sen/sor/_home/educate/prop227.htm. Puente, Maria, Carol Morello. "Bilingual Battle Still Rages In Classroom". USA Today. November 13,1998: News; 4A. Online. Internet. November 15,1998. Available http://web.lexis- nexis.com/universe/doc...23&md5=84077f81fr06bb22396cd3alf8be5ed8. Ramirez, Jaime. Telephone interview. December 1,1998. Terry, Don. "Bilingual Education Lives After All". New York Times. October 3, 1998: Section A; 7. Online. Internet. November 7,1998. Available http://web.lexis- nexis.com/universe/doc...ae&_md5=11a5d46e28d2958c8088df8df8267172c64.

Soundtrack to My Life Essay

This essay is requiring me to have at least 250 words to upload so I’m just going to put a whole bunch of random words until I have 250. All I want to do read an essay so I can get some ideas for my essay. Also did you know gonna is not a real word it’s actually going to. I just learned that like two minutes ago. And I’m listening to skrillex dang I just looked to see how many words I have and I only had like 73 because obviously I’m going to have more since well there’s more words. I wonder how many words I have now. Poop.My dang space bar isn’t working! As of right now I have 117 words. Well after working I had 117 words. Yay! I don’t have that many more words to go! Apple. Cat good food hungry random I don’t even care pink blue yellow purple. I’m just going to copy and paste this now. This essay is requiring me to have at least 250 words to upload so I’m just going to put a whole bunch of random words until I ha ve 250. All I want to do read an essay so I can get some ideas for my essay. Also did you know gonna is not a real word it’s actually going to.I just learned that like two minutes ago. And I’m listening to skrillex dang I just looked to see how many words I have and I only had like 73 because obviously I’m going to have more since well there’s more words. I wonder how many words I have now. Poop. My dang space bar isn’t working! As of right now I have 117 words. Well after working I had 117 words. Yay! I don’t have that many more words to go! Apple. Cat good food hungry random I don’t even care pink blue yellow purple. I’m just going to copy and paste this now.

Bipolar Disorder Essay

Over the years there have been many misconceptions about what bipolar disorder is, what the symptoms are, and how it is treated. Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. A person who has â€Å"mood swings† does not automatically qualify them for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. The characteristics of bipolar disorder are significant shifts in mood that go from manic episodes to deep depressive episodes in waves and valleys that never end. Nearly 2% of Americans have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, more commonly known as manic depression. Scientists are constantly studying the possible causes of bipolar disorder. Most scientists agree that there is not one single cause, but is caused by a combination of biological and environmental factors. Even though it has not been proven that bipolar disorder is hereditary, it does tend to run in families. Children with a parent or sibling who has bipolar disorder are much more likely to develop the illness, compared with children who do not have a family history. Bipolar patients are more likely to use mind altering drugs to try and self-medicate therefore making diagnosis a harder process. â€Å"Doctors diagnose bipolar disorder using guidelines from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). To be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the symptoms must be a major change from your normal mood or behavior† (Youngstrom, E., 2012, October 23). Below is a chart demonstrating the different mood changes and behavioral changes between a manic and depressive episode. It was once thought that there were only two types of bipolar disorder, but now the disease has been broken down even further into several different disorders. Bipolar I disorder is the most severe form of the illness with  extreme manic or mixed episodes that last at least a week. â€Å"Bipolar I disorder is characterized by at least one manic episode during your lifetime. Usually there are depressive episodes as well that last two weeks, however you do not need to have a history of depression to be diagnosed with bipolar I disorder. Bipolar II disorder is defined by experiencing both a hypo-manic and a depressive episode. To meet the criteria for bipolar II, a previous episode of depression is necessary, along with symptoms of less intense mania lasting at least four days† (Caponigro, J., Lee, E., Johnson, S., & Kring, A., 2012). Cyclothymia is defined by a pattern of chronic and frequent mood changes. These mood changes are not as extreme as those experienced in manic epi sodes. The diagnosis is based off of how much of the time some type of changed move is present. Most people diagnosed with Cyclothymia tend to feel very â€Å"up† or very â€Å"down† at least half of the time. This diagnosis is not considered until those mood fluctuations have continued for a very long time: generally one year for adolescents and over two years for adults. These episodes must last for at least two years without more than two months of a stable mood during that time to qualify for this diagnosis. Bipolar NOS or not otherwise specified is the diagnosis that covers forms of bipolar that don’t fall into any of the other categories. The mood episodes are extreme enough to be classified as manic, hypomanic, or depressive but do not meet the duration requirements for bipolar I, bipolar II, or cyclothymic diagnosis. Bipolar disorder cannot be cured, but it can be treated effectively long-term. Because it is a lifelong illness, long-term treatment is essential to control symptoms. It is essential to receive the correct diagnosis to receive the most effective treatment. Medication is the most effective treatment for managing symptoms of bipolar disorder and extending periods of mental and physical wellness. Most often, the first medicines used are called mood stabilizers. â€Å"Since the early 1960’s, lithium has been the most commonly used mood stabilizer† (Fink, C., & Kraynak, J., 2013). Some other medications that are prescribed for the treatment of bipolar are Trileptal, Topamax, and Neurontin. Because it is believed by some that bipolar disorder is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, these medications have been effective in treating bipolar disorder, but they are not considered effective treatments for bipolar symptoms. Antipsychotics  medications are used to reduce psychotic symptoms and lowering irritability, and they can be the fastest way to treat an acute manic episode. Antipsychotic medications are usually stated during an acute manic phase while the patient is in the hospital, and used as a maintenance treatment after the patient is released. The biggest hurdle in treatment of bipolar disorder is ongoing treatment. When patients are diagnosed correct ly and started on the correct medications it is vital for those medications to be continued by the patient. Many bipolar patients feel that once their mood has stabilized that they are â€Å"cured† therefore they stop taking the medication. In conclusion, receiving a bipolar diagnosis does not have to be the end of the world. Many brilliant and upstanding people have been diagnosed and effectively treated for bipolar disorder. It is important to have regular visits with a psychiatrists to discuss your medications and side effects. Blood tests are sometimes ordered to check the levels of your medications and the response of your body to these medications. It is important to stay on the prescribed medications and to try and keep a normal daily routine. A support group and supportive friends and family are vital in maintaining a good balance between the highs and lows. Even though there is not a cure, it is possible to live a happy and productive life. References Caponigro, J., Lee, E., Johnson, S., & Kring, A., (2012). Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for the Newly Diagnosed. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc. Fink, C., & Kraynak, J., (2013). Bipolar Disorder for Dummies 2nd Edition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Youngstrom, E., (2012, October 23). Myths and Realities about Bipolar Disorders. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/news/press/release/2012/10/bipolar-disorder.aspx