Community Health Nursing Caring For Children With Type 2...

Community Health Nursing: Caring For Children with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus #45384147, #21048146 University of British Columbia Nursing 321 Section 001 November 7, 2016 Wendy Andrews Community Health Nursing: Caring For Children with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is one of the fastest growing chronic diseases affecting children ages 6 to 11 worldwide (Montgomery, Johnson Ewell, 2015). This recent development is occurring at an alarming rate, with numbers expected to quadruple by the year 2050 (Montgomery, et al., 2015). Without timely intervention from the healthcare system, this condition could have a devastating effect on the health outcomes of children across North America. Many studies have identified some common factors that put youth at major risk for developing T2DM, with childhood obesity, physical inactivity, low socioeconomic status, and lack of knowledge and access to healthy food choices among the leading causes (Dean Sellers, 2015; Montgomery et al., 2015). There are many opportunities for Community Health Nurses (CHNs) to play a role in health promotion within this population. This paper will address the social factors contributing to adolescent T2DM, the current role of CHNs in addressing this condition, and ways to ensure these children have adequate access to health care. History and Background Prior to 1985, very few cases of T2DM were reported in children, withShow MoreRelatedCoping with Chronic Illness2699 Words   |  11 Pagesmagnitude of chronic illness in Egypt. o Theories of caring in relation to chronic illness. o Effect of chronic illness on patient and relatives. o Health promotion strategies. 2. Definition of diabetes. 3. Types of diabetes. 4. Sign symptoms. 5. Causes. 6. Risk factors. 7. Anatomy and physiology of pancreas. 8. Case study. ïÆ' ¼ Demographic data. ïÆ' ¼ Past history of: ï‚ § Patient ï‚ § Family ïÆ' ¼ Lab investigations. ïÆ' ¼ Drugs. ïÆ' ¼ Nursing care plan. ïÆ' ¼ Health teaching 9. Conclusion. Introduction:- Read MoreHealth Promotion Plan Essay2528 Words   |  11 Pagespractice, we also have a duty to our patients to be proactive in preventing specific health-related consequences based on their risk factors and to promote their health and well being. 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Use your imagination in nursing to complete your care plan. Students are to follow the Nursing Care Plan Rubric. Case Studies Patient X #1 Patient X is a 55 year old retired policeman who was constantly having cough during the last 2 weeks before he was brought to the hospital by his youngest daughter. Lately, he has been Read MoreA Plan Of Care For Kevin Johnson2361 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction The main purpose of this assignment is to create a plan of care for Kevin Johnson (School of Nursing Midwifery 2013). By choosing one day in particular throughout his journey to recovery and by planning that care by incorporating the information that has been provided by his case study. The day that will be referred to care throughout this paper will be Day 1 – Post – Operative care. 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Shea, PhD, RN, FAAN Novemeber 4, 2012 Japanese Health Beliefs and Practices As the Japanese began migrating to the United States in 1885, throughout the decades, the cultural integration and assimilation of the western culture has been embedded into the Japanese Americans. Early traditional Japanese immigrants are calledRead MoreOrems Theory7680 Words   |  31 Pagesself-care that is essential to their health and life. A study of predictors of self-care was conducted to provide a stronger evidence base for nursing practice with these youth. Orems theories of self-care and self-care deficit were tested to explain and predict the universal and health deviation self-care of 123 adolescents with CF. Four dimensions of self-care agency emerged as predictors of universal self-care, two of which were also predictive of health deviation self-care. Seventy percent ofRead MoreCommunity Acquired Pneumonia18251 Words   |  74 Pagescommon infectious diseases prevalent nowadays and affects all ages. 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The Return Shadow Souls Chapter 35 Free Essays

â€Å"Nevertheless† – Damon’s eyes took on a steely glint – â€Å"without the amulet my assistant and I will not perform.† â€Å"But – with it you will? I say, are you saying that you lost your amulet here?† â€Å"As a matter of fact, yes. Just around the time the party arrangements were being set up. We will write a custom essay sample on The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 35 or any similar topic only for you Order Now † Damon flashed a beautiful, haunting smile at the young vampires and then turned it off suddenly. â€Å"I had no idea I would have your help, and I was trying to find a way to get an invitation. So I took a look around to see how the place would be laid out.† â€Å"Don’t tell me it was before the grass was rolled,† someone said apprehensively. â€Å"Unfortunately, yes. And I was given a psychic message, which told me that the k – the amulet is buried somewhere here.† There was a chorus of groans from the crowd. Then there were individual voices raised, pointing out the difficulties: the rock-hardness of the rolled grass, the many ballrooms with their many floral arrangements in soil, the kitchen garden and flower gardens (which we haven’t even seen yet, Elena thought.) â€Å"I realize the virtual impossibility of finding this,† Damon said, taking the half of the fox key back into his hand and making it disappear neatly by passing it near Elena’s hand, which was ready to receive it. She now had a special place for it – Lady Ulma had seen to that. Damon was saying, â€Å"That is why I simply said no at the beginning. But you pressed me, and now I’ve given you the full answer.† There was some more grumbling, but then people began walking out in ones and twos and threes, talking about the best places to start looking. Damon, they’re going to destroy Bloddeuwedd’s grounds, Elena protested silently. Good. We’ll offer all the jewels you three girls have on you, as well as all the gold I have on me, as a recompense. But what four people can’t do, maybe a thousand can. Elena sighed. I still wish we’d had the chance to talk to Bloddeuwedd. Not just to hear her speak, but to ask her some questions. I mean what reason would a beautiful blossom like her have to protect Shinichi and Misao? Damon’s telepathic answer was brief. Well, let’s try the top rooms, then. That was where she was headed, anyway. They found a case of crystal stairs – quite difficult to locate when all the walls were transparent, and frightening to ascend. Once on the second floor they looked for another one. Eventually Elena found it, by stumbling over the first step. â€Å"Oh,† she said, looking from the step, which now showed itself through a line of red across its front edge, to her shin, which showed the same damage. â€Å"Well, it may be invisible, but we aren’t.† â€Å"It’s not quite invisible.† Damon was channeling Power to his eyes, she knew. She’d been doing the same – but these days she wondered which of them had more of her blood in them: him or her? â€Å"Don’t strain yourself, I can see the steps,† he said. â€Å"Just shut your eyes.† â€Å"My eyes – † Before she could ask why she knew why and before she could scream he had picked her up, his body warm and solid and the only solid thing anywhere around. He headed up the stairs holding her so that her dress was out of the way of the blood droplets that fell freely into space. For someone afraid of heights, it was a wild, terrifying ride: even though she knew Damon was in top condition and would not drop her and even though she was certain he could see where he was going. Still, left to herself and her own volition, she would never have made it farther than the first stair. As it was, she didn’t even dare wiggle much in case she threw Damon off balance. She could only whimper and try to endure. When, an eternity later, they reached the top, Elena wondered who would carry her down, or if she would be left here the rest of her life. They were confronted by Bloddeuwedd, the most enchantingly inhuman creature Elena had yet seen. Enchanting†¦but odd. Was there not a slight primrose pattern to her hair in back and on the sides? Wasn’t her face actually the shape of an apple-blossom petal as well as having the petal’s faint bloom? â€Å"You are in my private library,† she said. And, as if a mirror had cracked, Elena came free of the last of Bloddeuwedd’s glamour. The gods had made her out of flowers†¦but flowers don’t speak. Bloddeuwedd’s voice was toneless and flat. It ruined the image of the flower-made girl completely. â€Å"We’re sorry,† Damon said – naturally not at all out of breath. â€Å"But we’d like to ask you some questions.† â€Å"If you think I will help you, I will not,† the flower-petal girl said in the same nasal tone. â€Å"I hate humans.† â€Å"But I am a vampire, as you have surely already discerned,† Damon was beginning, laying the charm on thick, when Bloddeuwedd interrupted him. â€Å"Once a human, always a human.† â€Å"I beg your pardon?† Damon’s loss of control might have been the best thing that could have happened, Elena thought, trying to keep behind him. He was so clearly sincere about his scorn for humans that Bloddeuwedd softened a little. â€Å"What did you come to ask?† â€Å"Only if you had seen one of two kitsune lately: they’re brother and sister and call themselves Shinichi and Misao.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Or they might – I’m sorry? Yes?† â€Å"The thieves came to my house at night. I was at a party. I flew back from the party and almost caught them. Kitsune are hard to catch, though.† â€Å"Where†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Damon swallowed. â€Å"Where were they?† â€Å"Running down the front stairs.† â€Å"And do you remember the date that they were here?† â€Å"It was the night that the grounds were made ready for this party. Stone rollers went over the grass. The canopy was erected.† Weird things to do at night, Elena thought, but then she remembered – again. The light was always the same. But her heart was beating fast. Shinichi and Misao could only have been here for one reason: to drop off half of the fox key. And maybe drop it in the Great Ballroom, Elena thought. She watched dully as the entire outside of the library rotated, almost like a giant planetarium, so that Bloddeuwedd could pick out a globe and place it in some contraption that must make the music play in various rooms. â€Å"Excuse me,† Damon said. â€Å"This is my private library,† Bloddeuwedd said coldly against the swelling of the glorious ending to the Firebird Suite. â€Å"Meaning now we must leave?† â€Å"Meaning now I am going to kill you.† How to cite The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 35, Essay examples

Goals and Procedure of Mental Health Assessment Samples for Students

Question: How Do Goals And Procedure Of Mental Health Assessment? Answer: Introduction: World Healthcare organization has described the psychological well being of a person as a state of complete mental, physical and social well being and not merely depends on the presence or absence of an infirmity or a disease (Paniagua Yamada, 2013). With the increasing trends of globalization, the number of mental ailments is found to be increasing proportionally. Present scenario in Australia shows that one in every five Australians are suffering from mental illness. It has been designated as one of the third leading cause of disability burden in the nation and this can be backed up by a fact that accounts for about 27% of the total years lost in disability. National survey conducted has shown that only 35% of the mentally affected individuals who sought for health service and only 29% consulted a GP within 12 months of the survey (Heilburn et al., 2014). Before it can be seen that the rise of mental health patients are taking place but awareness for seeking healthcare services ar e very less. Mental health disorders not only destroys quality of the life of an individual but also results her to face different social issues that makes the matter worse as mental disorder stigma still pre ails in the society in spite of the governments initiatives to spread awareness. Therefore the essay will portray the responsibility of the health care professionals in assessing the mental health of people affected by mental health disorders, spread awareness, helping them with proper interventions, managing risks that may compromise their lives and other similar aspects. Approach for mental health assessment: Currently global mental health care has focused their aim in the improvement of care for the individuals who are suffering from health care. However, evidence based articles suggest that proper mental health assessment is not only focusing on the issue faced by the mental health patient but should include a comprehensive approach that would look all over into the subjective well being of the individual (Rayner et al., 2014). Proper mental health assessment would also include the nurse to perceive self efficacy, intergenerational dependence, autonomy of the patients. It is also the responsibility of the nurse to recognize the ability of a mental health patient to understand and evaluate the mental health patients intellectual as well as emotional potential. Effect of mental health on individuals: People who have developed mental illness are vulnerable to a greater risk for decreased quality of life. Not only that they face educational difficulties, lowered productivity as well as severe poverty due to inability to perform work. Such patients are also not able to communicate socially and go through a phase of social exclusion which in turn has different negative impacts on their lives increasing their intensity of their disorders. They become more vulnerable to be abused by perpetrators and also suffer from several additional health problems (Rogers Pilgrim, 2014). It had been seen in many cases that mental health disorder has affected the educational initiatives and this in turn prevent them from pursuing careers and therefore their future does not turn out to be bright. Researchers have seen that those people who have developed the disorder had lesser evidences of completing schools and colleges in comparison to their friends who have no mental disorders. Moreover mental di sorders affect lives of human beings in such a way that is leads to lowered productivity in the employment sector which harms their career resulting in facing economic crisis. Moreover all of these result in a huge impact on the personal lives of such mental health people. This in turn makes them to compromise different aspects of personal lives and often emotional tensions start up in normal family lives. All of these, sum up to situations that make the mentally ill patient more vulnerable to self harm and substance abuse letting to complete destruction of a quality life that is the birthright of every human being (Patel Saxena, 2014). Effect of mental health on families and carers: Managing mental health patients has often been a burden to the carers and family persons. This is mainly because as they are caring for the mentally ill patient and are giving much off their physical effort, they are themselves getting stressed both physically as well as mentally. Excessive pressures on the family results in decreased economic condition of the family and often there is reduction in the earning of household with increased risk of poverty. Family members may thereby pass through severe chronic stress that may occur at physical level as well as emotional level while caring for their family members. Effect of mental health disorder on society: Not only at the family level, have mental health patients also contributed to the burden of national economies and impeding international public health efforts. Although societal impacts vary according to cultures and nations, untreated mental health issues develop significant costs to society. WHO have also estimated that when mental illness as well as unemployment due to mental illness is together take into account, they result in a gross total loss of few billions to the nation which is a indeed a huge sum of money (Seligman et al., 2014). Although majority of the mental health patient do not exhibit harmful dangerous behaviors, but there are some patients who might become vulnerable to show aggressive behavior and may act as a threat to society due to their violence and incarceration. Different types of mental health disorders: A large number of mental health disorders can be listed that affect the lives of many individuals in Australia. It is very important for the nurse to conduct proper mental health assessment of the individual to indentify exactly the symptoms and the disorder that he is facing. Therefore, she needs to develop an experience that will help him to handle each patient effectively (Baker et al., 2016). Different cases of mental health diseases can be allocated for her who might include severe alcohol dependency or alcohol abuse. Delirium is another case of mental health disorder which can be identified by the patients illusions, restlessness, incoherence and others. She may also face eating disorders which are very common among teenagers and young adults nowadays. Besides psychosis, anxiety, bipolar disorders, mood disturbances, schizophrenia are some of the disorders whose cases are recently reported to be increasing in different states of Australia with the increase of different types of stresses over life and lifestyle and expectation from every individual (Switzer, Dew Bromet, 2013). Goals and procedure of mental health assessment: The goal of a mental healthcare nurse should include providing a comprehensive assessment that will include the diagnosis and panning of the therapeutic interventions. The treatment will only be planned after conducting out proper evaluation of the every aspect of the mentally ill patient and consulting with different healthcare professionals and the family members. Conducting of the mental health assessment and taking of the history of the patient is important to plan out the interventions (Forbes Watt, 2015). The nurse has to gather sufficient information about the patient so that she can clearly visualize the patients problem in order to take steps. A proper list of goals that are needed to be attended by the nurse for correct mental health assessment of the patient is to establish a therapeutic alliance with the patient. Secondly the nurse should also collect the right and correct data pertaining to the patients mental state. This is important for the nurse to make formulation f rom it. Thirdly it is extremely important for the nurse to develop understanding of the problems of the patients. Depending upon this the nurse would develop a management and treatment plan which would be done in collaboration with the patient. The last goals of the nurse would be to decrease the impact of the psychiatric symptoms of the patient so that he can gradually recover from this phases.(Russell et al., 2016) Risk assessment: The nurse should also conduct a risk assessment. The nurse should collaborate with experienced professionals to devise plan after proper agreement from every of the professionals in case of patients in case of patients who shows violence and aggression. The risk assessments of the nurse should include considering the supports that are available to the patient (Brownie et al., 2014). It also include considering whether any changes in the level of functioning in general. The risk assessment also involves assessing that whether the individual had become impulsive, distressed or desperate. The nurse should ensure that whether any drug or alcohol issues were involved or not. The assessment would also involve evaluating the different types of behaviors that deems whether the patient is at risk. Procedure and protocol: The protocol that the nurse would follow to develop a proper mental health assessment form includes assessing the action of the patient. In order to understand the action of the patient, the nurse would clearly evaluate the appearance and behavior of the patient. She should also include the speech of the patient, mood and effect, form of thought, content of thought, perception, insight as well as cognition of the patient (Lereya et al., 2015). This will be known by the nurse from the action of the patent whom she is treating. Te next step after evaluating his action, the nurse needs to understand the patient history and formulate idea from it. This is done by presenting physical findings; history of the mental health program, different medications that patient was taking, personal background of the patient, his personal affairs, alcohol and drugs, sexual health and forensic history and others (Yaghmei, Koudelka Simpson, 2013). The nurse should develop a proper collaborative care by consulting with different professionals like GP, case manager, psychiatrist and others. The nurse may also develop a psychosocial framework in order to assure that she is planning the correct interventions. This framework includes assessment of the physical phenomena, functional performance, interpersonal communication, social resources as well as relationship with society and other environment. Risk assessments for self harm usually includes self harm or suiciding tendency, looking over aggression and harm to others. After proper legal considerations like duty of care, estimating the patients capacity to consent and other legislations and policies the nurse should propose her planning (Pitchell et al., 2015). Examples of mental health assessments for mental disorders: One can provide examples in order to portray how different cases can be handled. In case of patients with depression, different screening tools are used by nurses with the help of important question that help the nurse to gather information about the reason that is causing depression. Other tools like patient health questionnaire feeling, different scales like hospitals anxiety and depression scale, interview based tools can be utilized to assess the main issue and then provide interventions accordingly (Corrigan, Druss Perlick, 2014). In case of bipolar disorders, the nurse should conduct physical exam, psychiatric assessment, mood charting and understand the criteria of the patient for bipolar disorder. These will give them an idea about how to handle the patient with bipolar disorder. In case of patients with substance abuse disorders, behaviour skills checklist should be done, proper communication with the patient is done to know the major reasons, emotional and personal barrier s are known and others to assess the mental health patients. Thereby these are some of the preliminary mental health assessments required to be conducted by nurses to treat such people. Conclusion: Hence, one can come to a conclusion that a patient suffering from mental health issues not only suffers from emotional stresses but also have affected physical live as the improper mental health affect the physiological system of the body. It affects their personal as well as professional life. Even societies make them excluded and in turn make them more also fight for themselves. Not only the mental health patients, but also their family members are also getting affected economically affecting them both mentally and physically. Even societies are also getting affected. Therefore it is extremely important for healthcare professional to provide correct interventions it these individuals so that they can develop a better quality life. However, in order to provide better interventions, the nurses should have the capability to properly assess the mental health condition of the patient so that she can provide the best interventions as well as recommendations and referrals to other experts if necessary. Just like every physiological problem of patients are handed with property by the healthcare sectors, it is also their duty that each and every mental health issues should also be handled with similar property. A nation free from mental health issues will surely succeed in making the nation proud economically and culturally as well. References: Baker, J. T., Pennant, L., Baltruaitis, T., Vijay, S., Liebson, E. S., Ongur, D., Morency, L. P. (2016). Toward Expert Systems in Mental Health Assessment: A Computational Approach to the Face and Voice in Dyadic Patient-Doctor Interactions.Iproceedings,2(1), e44. Barkley, R. A. (Ed.). (2014).Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment. Guilford Publications. Brownlie, K., Schneider, C., Culliford, R., Fox, C., Boukouvalas, A., Willan, C., Maidment, I. D. (2014). Medication reconciliation by a pharmacy technician in a mental health assessment unit.International journal of clinical pharmacy,36(2), 303-309. Corrigan, P. W., Druss, B. G., Perlick, D. A. (2014). The impact of mental illness stigma on seeking and participating in mental health care.Psychological Science in the Public Interest,15(2), 37-70. Forbes, H., Watt, E. (2015).Jarvis's Physical Examination and Health Assessment. Elsevier Health Sciences. Heilbrun, K., DeMatteo, D., Holliday, S. B., LaDuke, C. (Eds.). (2014).Forensic mental health assessment: A casebook. Oxford University Press. Lereya, S. T., Copeland, W. E., Costello, E. J., Wolke, D. (2015). Adult mental health consequences of peer bullying and maltreatment in childhood: two cohorts in two countries.The Lancet Psychiatry,2(6), 524-531. Paniagua, F. A., Yamada, A. M. (Eds.). (2013).Handbook of multicultural mental health: Assessment and treatment of diverse populations. Academic Press. Patel, V., Saxena, S. (2014). Transforming lives, enhancing communitiesinnovations in global mental health.New England Journal of Medicine,370(6), 498-501. Pitschel-Walz, G., Leucht, S., Buml, J., Kissling, W., Engel, R. R. (2015). The effect of family interventions on relapse and rehospitalization in schizophrenia: a meta-analysis.Focus. Rayner, L., Matcham, F., Hutton, J., Stringer, C., Dobson, J., Steer, S., Hotopf, M. (2014). Embedding integrated mental health assessment and management in general hospital settings: feasibility, acceptability and the prevalence of common mental disorder.General hospital psychiatry,36(3), 318-324. Rogers, A., Pilgrim, D. (2014).A sociology of mental health and illness. McGraw-Hill Education (UK). Russell, A. J., Murphy, C. M., Wilson, E., Gillan, N., Brown, C., Robertson, D. M., ... McAlonan, G. M. (2016). The mental health of individuals referred for assessment of autism spectrum disorder in adulthood: A clinic report.Autism,20(5), 623-627. Switzer, G. E., Dew, M. A., Bromet, E. J. (2013). Issues in mental health assessment. InHandbook of the sociology of mental health(pp. 115-141). Springer Netherlands Seligman, M. E., Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2014).Positive psychology: An introduction(pp. 279-298). Springer Netherlands. Yaghmaie, P., Koudelka, C. W., Simpson, E. L. (2013). Mental healthcare comorbidity in patients with atopic dermatitis.Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology,131(2), 428-433.

The Lord Of The Flies By William Golding Published By The Putnam Publ

The Lord of the Flies by William Golding Published by: The Putnam Publishing Group 200 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10016 Copyright: 1954 by William Golding Character Analysis: Ralph: main character- Ralph is the narrator of the story. Jack: Jack is Ralph main enemy in the story. He leads the hunters. Piggy: Piggy is the smart one of the group. Simon: He is my favorite character in the story. He is viewed as the Christ-figure and interprets the mysteries of the island. Roger: Roger is Jack's ?sidekick? and is a vicious murderer at heart. Sam and Eric: The twins stick close to Ralph until they are forced to join the hunters. Their main job is to watch the signal fire. The littluns: The littluns are basically the younger boys and ride the bandwagon. The two boys Ralph and Piggy meet each other in a thick jungle and discover that they crashed in an airplane and are stranded. They also learn that there are no adults present on the island and that none of the adults survived the crash. As they approach a beach, they find an enormous conch shell. Piggy gives the conch a little toot and summons the rest of the boys on the island to the beach. The boys assemble and elect Ralph as the leader. Ralph then assigns the Choir, led by Jack, to be the hunters. Then Jack, Ralph, and Simon set out to explore the island. Near the end of their journey, they encounter a wild pig. Jack tries to kill it, but is unsuccessful. When the explorers get back, a meeting is held. The explorers explain that the island is deserted but there is enough food to keep them alive. Jack and the hunters promise to supply meat. Ralph makes a rule that whoever is in possession of the conch shell is allowed to speak. Ralph proposes the idea of a signal fire to alert passing ships of their presence. All the boys agree and everybody rushes to the hilltop to start a fire. The fire sparks the gathered wood into a blaze. One of the boys is reported missing but none of the boys will admit to the likelihood of an accident. Everyone is hard at work the next day, either building huts or hunting. Soon the younger boys loose interest and go off to play. A meeting is called and the boys come up with some new ideas and talk about problems. Meanwhile jack wanders off and enjoys the peace and quiet. Soon the boys get into a rhythm of everyday life. In the morning is the best time for activity because it is cool and quiet. Afternoons are associated with napping. Some of the littluns are suffering from diarrhea from eating too much fruit. While Ralph and Piggy sit on the beach they notice a ship on the horizon, and are horrified to see that the signal fire has gone out. The boys rush to the hilltop to try to get it going again but it is too late. Jack and the hunters who were in charge of the fire were nowhere to be found. Ralph scolds Jack about the fire and he apologizes though he does not really care. Another meeting is called at the familiar place and Ralph reprimands them about their irrespons ibility. Then the subject of the so called ?beast? comes up. Ralph and Piggy try to give an explanation but it has no effect. Eventually chaos spreads though the crowd and the run off led by Jack, and Ralph is thoroughly agitated. That night, an air battle is going on and a dead pilot, with a parachute, lands next to the signal fire where Sam and Eric have fallen asleep. They are awakened and are terrified by the shadows and the body. The twins scramble down to the beach where a group has assembled, and they tell the story with farfetched details. A team of explorers is sent to investigate. They discover new land and plan what they will do with it, but Ralph reminds them of their mission and they continue. As they approach the hilltop, Jack accuses Ralph of being chicken and starts up by himself.

15 Words That Will Make You Sound Smarter

15 Words That Will Make You Sound Smarter Do you remember how exciting it was when you learned to say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious? Didn’t you feel smart? Just because youre older, doesnt mean acronyms and emojis should be your main form of communication. After all, if you want to be successful in life, you have to make an unforgettable first impression. Why Word Choice Is Important Having a strong vocabulary allows you to communicate in a thoughtful and intelligent way. Whether youre trying to land a job, impress your 3rd-period teacher, or nail a scholarship interview, your ability to choose your words carefully will help you stand out. But here’s something to consider: overusing complex language can turn people off, so it’s best to test out a few new words at a time and see what kind of reaction you get. Chances are, you’ve seen (or maybe even used) a few of these words. And while there are hundreds of words that can make you sound smarter, some are definitely more fun (and easier) than others to use. So, the next time youre toe-to-toe with your AP English teacher, ditch the toady act and impress her with a few of these scintillating words instead. Words to Add to Your Vocabulary Accolade: a mark of acknowledgement; an honor.Even though he received numerous accolades at the senior awards night, Ben is still one of the most humble people I know.Acquiesce: to go along with something without protest, even if you dont really want to.My grandma loves the ballet and bought tickets for us to go. I really wanted to watch the basketball game, but her sweet smile eventually caused me to acquiesce.Bamboozle: conceal one’s true motives; to cheat or deceive another person.I got bamboozled by my buddy to buy him a pair of new shoes even though his mom picked up a pair yesterday.Camaraderie: trust existing between friends who spend time together; a spirit of familiarity.There was a sense of camaraderie among the soccer team after they spent two weeks together at a wilderness camp.Conundrum: a difficult problem.Looks like you have  a bit of conundrum, but thats what happens when you cheat on a test and the teacher finds out.Idyllic: peaceful, happy, pleasing.The out door classroom at our school is in an idyllic location because you can see the mountain range and several acres of forest from every open window. Impeccable: faultless or without defect; incapable of wrongdoing.Have you ever had that one teacher who won’t accept any work unless it’s impeccable? There’s no way my essays are ever going to be that perfect.Perfunctory: something done without much care or attention.You did a perfunctory job including descriptive words in this essay. Next time, I expect you to show more interest in what you are writing.Ruminate: to think about something thoroughly and in great detail.People who struggle with anxiety tend to ruminate and fixate on their thoughts. Tempestuous: identified by explosive conditions.My older brother’s tempestuous relationship with our mom has led to very little communication between the two of them.Tenuous: very weak or slight and likely to change.We’re not sure if our boating store is going to survive this harsh winter season. Your employment will remain a bit tenuous until we know the total number of sales from this month.Vacillate: to go back and forth between two points, waver between different opinions, or to be indecisive.When I ask my sister where she’s going to college, she vacillates between her two favorite schools; but I know she will eventually make the best decision for her. Vitriolic: harsh or corrosive in tone.The student body election turned into an argument reaching vitriolic levels. The two candidates ended their speeches by shouting harmful words at each other.Wheelhouse: a metaphor for an individuals area of comfort or expertise.I need you to cover this story about the construction at our school, even though it’s not in your wheelhouse. Zealous: displaying or feeling energetic support for a person, cause, etc.My neighbor has been a zealous supporter of animal rights for as long as I’ve known her. Source Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Aanna Lukasik

Should focus on enhancing the auditor’s understanding of the auditors understanding of the client’s business and the transactions and events that have occurred since the last audit date. – 1 Planning 3. Should focus on identifying areas that may represent specific risks relevant to the audit. – 1. Planning 4. Do not result in detection of misstatements. – 4 Statement is not correct concerning anatical procedures 5. Designed to obtain evidential matter about particular assertions related to account balances or classed of transactions. – 2 Substantive testing 6. Generally use data aggregated at a lower level than the other stages. – 2 Substantive testing 7. Should include reading the financial statements and notes to consider the adequacy of evidence gathered – 3. Overall review 8. Involve reconciliation of confirmation replies with recorded book amounts – 4 Statement is not correct concerning analytical procedures 9. Use of preliminary or unadjusted working trial balance as a source of data – 1 Planning the audit 10. Expected to result in reduced level of detection risk – 2 Substantive testing Q-30 a) The minutes of each meeting refer to the minutes of previous meeting. In addition the auditor should obtain the next year’s minutes, probably for February 2010, to make sure the previous minutes referred to were those from September 16, 2009. b) Information relevant to 2009 Audit Audit Action Required February 15 1. Approval for increased distribution During analytical procedures, an Costs of $500 000. ncrease of $500000 should be expected for distribution costs 2. Unresolved tax dispute. Evaluate resolution of dispute and adequacy of disclosure in FS 3. Computer equipment donated. Determine that old equipment was correctly treated in 2008 in the statements and that appropriate deduction was taken 4. Annual cash dividend. Calculate total dividends to determine that dividend was correctly recorded. 5. Officers’ bonuses. Determine were paid in 2009. Consider the tax implications of unpaid bonuses to officers. September 16 1. 2009 Officers’ elected. Inform staff of possibility of related party transaction. 2. Officers’ salary information. Note information in audit files for 2010 audit. 3. Pension and profit sharing plan. Determine if the pension/profit sharing plan was approved. If so make sure all assets and liabilities have been correctly recorded. 4. Loan. Examine supporting documentation of loan and confirm loan information with bank. 5. Aquistation of new computers syst Determine of disposal of the 1 year old equipment and check the recording of the operations. 6. Auditor Selection Aanna Lukasik Should focus on enhancing the auditor’s understanding of the auditors understanding of the client’s business and the transactions and events that have occurred since the last audit date. – 1 Planning 3. Should focus on identifying areas that may represent specific risks relevant to the audit. – 1. Planning 4. Do not result in detection of misstatements. – 4 Statement is not correct concerning anatical procedures 5. Designed to obtain evidential matter about particular assertions related to account balances or classed of transactions. – 2 Substantive testing 6. Generally use data aggregated at a lower level than the other stages. – 2 Substantive testing 7. Should include reading the financial statements and notes to consider the adequacy of evidence gathered – 3. Overall review 8. Involve reconciliation of confirmation replies with recorded book amounts – 4 Statement is not correct concerning analytical procedures 9. Use of preliminary or unadjusted working trial balance as a source of data – 1 Planning the audit 10. Expected to result in reduced level of detection risk – 2 Substantive testing Q-30 a) The minutes of each meeting refer to the minutes of previous meeting. In addition the auditor should obtain the next year’s minutes, probably for February 2010, to make sure the previous minutes referred to were those from September 16, 2009. b) Information relevant to 2009 Audit Audit Action Required February 15 1. Approval for increased distribution During analytical procedures, an Costs of $500 000. ncrease of $500000 should be expected for distribution costs 2. Unresolved tax dispute. Evaluate resolution of dispute and adequacy of disclosure in FS 3. Computer equipment donated. Determine that old equipment was correctly treated in 2008 in the statements and that appropriate deduction was taken 4. Annual cash dividend. Calculate total dividends to determine that dividend was correctly recorded. 5. Officers’ bonuses. Determine were paid in 2009. Consider the tax implications of unpaid bonuses to officers. September 16 1. 2009 Officers’ elected. Inform staff of possibility of related party transaction. 2. Officers’ salary information. Note information in audit files for 2010 audit. 3. Pension and profit sharing plan. Determine if the pension/profit sharing plan was approved. If so make sure all assets and liabilities have been correctly recorded. 4. Loan. Examine supporting documentation of loan and confirm loan information with bank. 5. Aquistation of new computers syst Determine of disposal of the 1 year old equipment and check the recording of the operations. 6. Auditor Selection

Hilton Worldwide Inc Hilton Hotels and Resorts Essay

Hilton Worldwide Inc Hilton Hotels and Resorts - Essay Example Hilton Hotels & Resorts operates 558 hotels and resorts in 80 countries, including the USA, the UK, the UAE, and Singapore (Hilton Worldwide, Inc. 2013; Hiltonworldwide.com, 2014). Below is provided more detailed analysis of the marketing mix concept implemented by Hilton Hotels & Resorts. The company operates in the service industry and its main business activity is concentrated on providing accommodation services. Thus, the key product of the company is hotel rooms in hotels and resorts worldwide. As it is mentioned on the corporate website of the Hilton Hotels & Resort, guestrooms feature a smart, functional design supplemented with â€Å"thoughtful amenities† (www3.hilton.com, 2014, n.p.). In addition to accommodation services, there are additional services which make up the overall cycle of the guest service. Some of these supporting services include the following: restaurants and bars, spa, leisure and wellness facilities, entertainment faciliti3es, banquet halls and business/conference halls, online reservation facilities, concierge services, etc. (Company profile and SWOT analysis 2014). Hilton Hotels and Resorts have premium-level prices, as the prices for accommodation are above the market prices (prices vary greatly by geographical locations). Hilton Hotels & Resorts pricing strategy can be defined as prestige or premium pricing strategy because the company offers 5 and 4-star service in its hotels. That is why the prices in Hilton’s facilities are the high end of the possible pricing range (Marketingmentor.net, n.d.). By charging premium level prices the company focuses on status-conscious consumers who value high-quality service, comfort, luxury, and high status and therefore, who are ready to pay for it. Hilton Hotels & Resorts are located worldwide in more than 80 countries. The locations are chosen based on the type of resort and the specific location. Even though Hilton Hotels and Resorts is a global company operating its hotels worldwide, the concept of marketing mix implementation may vary and is subject to the variety of external factors such as competition, cultural and social factors, etc. Thus, locations in India, the USA, the UAE, and Singapore may target the same audience but the ways of attracting and communicating with the target audience may vary slightly. These differences also refer to the pricing strategy, promotion strategy, and product strategy. For example, rooms in the USA resorts may vary greatly from the rooms in the UAE by its design. However, taking into consideration that this is a global company and that its customers travel worldwide, there are some unified standards which are appropriate for people of any nationality.   

Radium Dial Girls Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Radium Dial Girls - Research Paper Example Physicians took interest in the gamma ray emissions from radium radioactive decomposition and the potential therapeutic effects of internally deposited radium in humans (Rowland, 1994). Beginning in 1903, radium use became popular in the U.S. Its healing powers and the improved quality of lives of users have been widely publicized in the country. Radium drink or â€Å"liquid sunshine† could treat stomach cancer (Badash, 1979). Tumors could be reduced or removed through direct application of radium salts. Candies and sodas were laced with radium. Radium facial creams could rejuvenate skin in women while radium baths could restore vitality in men. Radithor, radium-mixed water, was claimed to cure dyspepsia, hypertension, sexual incapacity, and several endocrinologic ailments. However, in large quantities, Radithor-intake proved lethal. Millionaire-socialite golf champion Eben Byers, after four years of consuming more than a thousand bottles of Radithor, suffered and died of acut e anemia, excessive weight loss, massive damage of his jawbone, skull, and whole skeleton, and failure of kidneys and bone-marrow (Moss & Eckhardt, 1995). Research on the radioluminous ability of radium flourished in the 1900s. In 1908, radium paint was initially developed in Germany. In 1913, America started making â€Å"glow in the dark† paint. The U.S. ... Radium Corporation, combining glue, water and radium powder to form a luminous paint, and cautiously applying it with a camel hair brush to the dials and numbers of the military devices. These women use their lips and tongue to shape their brush into a fine point. "Our instructors told us to point them with our lips. I think I pointed mine with my lips about six times to every watch dial. It didn't taste funny. It didn't have any taste, and I didn't know it was harmful," said Grace Fryer in an interview for the Daily Courier (Pfalzgray, 1928). For pranks, some women even painted their nails and teeth to surprise their boyfriends at night. Nearly all surfaces inside the factory glistened with radioluminescence. During that time, everyone knew that radium possesses curative powers. None of the women knew that the tasteless, attractive mixture could lead them to their painful deaths. The owners, company scientists and chemists were well aware of the hazards of radioactivity, thus they t ook precautionary measures in handling the material. The company even handed out leaflets to their medical staff of the dangers of radium (Neuzil & Kovarik, 1996). After three years, Grace Fryer left the factory and worked as a bank teller. In 1922, her teeth began to loosen and fall out and her jaw bone seriously decayed. No physician could diagnose the unique medical condition of Fryer. In 1925, a dentist finally suggested that she could have acquired her health problems from her previous job as radium dial painter, as his female patients with similar conditions grew in numbers. These patients were employees of dial-painting factories (Neuzil & Kovarik, 1996). A

Indianization Term Essay Example for Free

Indianization Term Essay Question 1 What does the term `Indianization` or `sinicization` refer to when used to describe government administrations headed by invaders or foreign powers? Please give at least 2 examples.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These two terms refer to a general cultural assimilation of the foreign government.   Over time, occupying powers in China and India became familiar with the local culture and began to blend in, appearing more and more as locals than foreigners.   In the case of these two countries, this process led to locals being promoted to government positions that were initially reserved for the foreign or invading power.    The nation gradually looks less and less like a conquered state, as more of its own people are placed in positions of power and its populace regains greater self-determination.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In India, this process was introduced by the British in the 1920’s and was actually termed Indianisation.   The British appointed Indians to fill senior military ranks and government positions, and set up specific officers to handle this process in a deliberate manner.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The example is perhaps clearer in China, where Kublai Khan fell in love with Chinese culture in his youth.   In 1271, after being Khan for 20 years, Kublai created the Yuan dynasty which covered the area of China under Mongole rule.   The Yuan dynasty was initially a Mongol administration and was part of the Mongol empire, but with time, successive rulers saw themselves as Chinese emperors rather than Mongol lords.   The Yuan dynasty lost influence over Mongol lands outside of China, and became a true Chinese empire until conquered by the Ming dynasty in 1388 (Saunders, 2001). Question 2 What developments in Southern Song China resemble the Industrial Revolution of the West? Why were the emperors during the Song period so successful when their predecessors were not?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Song period was one of great growth and development in China’s industry and infrastructure.   One of the largest factors of this was the introduction of paper money, leading to a normalized market economy.   This was also a time of development of cities, as opposed to the agrarian economy that had characterized earlier periods.   Cities became centers of trade and industry, leading to the development of a merchant class similar to the later Bourgeoise in Europe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chinese industry grew along with the merchant class during the Song period.   While finding exact numbers from the time period is difficult, Robert Hartwell notes that Chinese iron production lept sixfold from the early 800’s to 1078, where he notes that Chinese iron production reached 125,000 tons (Hartwell, 1962), far beyond that of the Western powers.   This abundance of iron allowed China to manufacture tools, machinery, and trade goods.   The result was that China’s economy grew dramatically, leading to China surpassing Western Europe in per capita income during the Song dynasty (Maddison, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Several factors contributed to the occurrence of this Chinese â€Å"Industrial Revolution† under the Song dynasty.   One was the establishment of a civil bureaucracy as opposed to rule by warlords.   This helped to encourage the development of trade and industry, as well as education, as commoners could achieve these posts via taking the imperial examination.   Another factor was technological innovation, marked by developments such as gunpowder and movable type.   Such social and technological innovation led to expanded opportunities for the peasant class and allowed many to migrate from farms to cities to pursue the newer career paths available to them. Question 3 What combination of Mongol attributes and Song weaknesses made the Mongol conquest successful? Please analyze it detail.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The single largest factor leading to the successful Mongol conquest of the Song dynasty was the attitudes of each culture towards war.   The Mongols were born and bred for it.   Their culture glorified battle and conquest.   The Mongol empire had been growing for centuries, winning victory after victory, which surely inspired fear and doubt in any army forced to stand against them.   The Song were not pacifists by any means, but they were not warriors in the same vein as the Mongols.   When they broke the Mongol alliance to recapture former lost cities, they were not prepared for the war they had unleashed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One major Song weakness was that the initial battlefields of the war were not favorable positions to hold.   Kaifeng, Luoynag, and Chang’an were already ruined by war.   The Song strategy of defense also played into the Mongols’ hands, allowing the horsewarriors to choose the time and place of battles and ensure local superiority.   This led to the Song being driven back, finally retreating to Guangdong and losing their leader, Emperor Gong, in the process.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Song dynasty was now left effectively leaderless.   The two heirs were mere children.   Without a decisive and strong leader, further efforts at resistance were to prove futile.   The final defeat of the Song at the Battle of Yamen in 1279 was almost a foregone conclusion, as the demoralized and cornered Song were beaten soundly by Kublai Khan’s naval forces, leading to the death of the final Song emperor and the assimilation of Song lands. Question 4 Why did Chinese culture become so popular and accepted in Japan? What are the major differences and similarities between the Chinese and Japanese culture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many aspects of Chinese culture passed to Japan in the earlier centuries AD, when China was a more advanced society and the Japanese eager to learn and advance themselves.   This hunger for learning and improvement of their culture was the primary factor that allowed Chinese cultural influence to infiltrate Japanese society.   When the two cultures first made contact Japan had no formal written language and adopted that of the Chinese, which would later be evolved to a similar but distinct written form.   Japan also modelled its imperial bureaucracy after that of China, and the courts of the two nations ended up being very similar in the ranks and titles used.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The largest form of cultural influence, though, was religion.   Both Confucianism and Buddhism made strong inroads in Japan, which at the time had a much less sophisticated form of religion.   Both of the Chinese religions imparted practical knowledge about how to run a society and live one’s daily life, and this proved attractive to the Japanese.   This influence led to the development of Zen Buddhism and the famous Japanese samurai culture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With these similarities, differences between the two cultures remained.   One of the strongest was the samurai culture, the code of Bushido.   The Japanese samurai evolved to be a warrior caste, something which did not have a counterpart in China on nearly the same scale.   As a result of this, Japan evolved to a more feudal society, with peasant-serfs supporting the samurai nobility in a system of lesser warlords (daimyo) owing fealty to the imperial court (in reality, the Shogun).   Chinese culture, especially in the Ming period, treated the peasantry more as independent landowners rather than as the lowest tier in the feudal machine. Question 5 What impact did Buddhism have on the development of Japanese culture and lifestyles? Give examples in both art and literature where Buddhism was a major factor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Japanese Zen Buddhism infiltrated and permeated every aspect of Japanese culture, influencing the way they thought, governed, created, even loved and made war.   The Japanese have long been famous for appearing reserved, for keeping emotion private.   This is a very Buddhist trait coming from the teachings of the Middle Path, the path of moderation.   Excess is frowned upon.   Discipline and focus are encouraged.   Those two words have formed the foundation of Japanese lifestyles for centuries.   The formalized ritual of the tea ceremony also demonstrates Buddhist influences over such a simple thing as the drinking of tea.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The samurai give excellent examples of how Buddhism affected Japanese culture.   The samurai were the ruling class, and as the elite, the commoners would seek to emulate them.   The samurai were known for their unshakeable dedication to their duty, that of serving their daimyo, or leige.   They paid particular emphasis to Samadhi, one of three branches of Buddhism’s Noble Eightfold Path.   The teachings of Samadhi emphasized right effort (continual self-improvement, via constant training at their disciplines), right mindfulness (awareness of one’s surroundings, seeing the world clearly), and right concentration (self-awareness, accomplished via meditation and self-reflection).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Buddhism’s influences also spread into the art and literature of the period.   The clearest example in art is in Japanese gardens and architecture.   Japanese homes were sparse and minimalist, rejecting luxury in favor of the simple necessities, in which the Japanese took joy.   Their gardens were designed and grown as places for tranquility, as places of meditation.   Buddhist influence over literature is seen in such writings as â€Å"An Account of My Hut† by Chomei, an argument for a life of peaceful meditation and tranquility. Question 6 How did a Japanese emperor differ from the Chinese emperor? Which would you consider more superior and why?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The primary difference was in the power they wielded.   Chinese emperors tended to wield far more power over their territory and ruling in a monarchial fashion.   While many Chinese emperors were overthrown in the end by court intrigue, regicide, or revolution; during their time on the throne a Chinese emperor was his nation’s absolute ruler.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In constrast the Japanese emperors were mostly figureheads.   Though viewed by the populace as a living god, in truth their power was very limited.   For most of the last 1,000 years the real power in Japan was held by the Shogun, the primary warlord who had gained dominance over the others.   Within that period were also many times of strife where Japan had no strong leader but was instead fragmented into many separate warring states, led by Daimyo.   The emperor still reigned during these periods but had no power to stop the warfare.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chinese emperors fit more closely with the western idea of monarchy, whereas Japanese emperors were described by European explorers as being more akin to the Pope: a spiritual leader with little political clout, while the Shoguns were mentioned as being similar to the European monarchs (Howe, 1999).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In absolute terms, Chinese emperors seem to be superior to Japanese by virtue of the greater power they wield.   Argument could be made that monarchial institutions have the inherent weakness of relying too much on one man who may or may not be qualified to rule (just look at the damage some of the Roman emperors such as Nero and Caligula caused), that is beyond the scope of this work.   For the purposes of this discussion, I will argue that Chinese emperors were superior as the Japanese emperors were for the most part figureheads. Question 7 What characteristics of the nomadic peoples made them `barbaric` to the civilizations of India and China?   What characteristics of the nomadic peoples would you consider to be strengths?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   China and India viewed their nomadic neighbors as barbarians due to what was seen as an overall lack of civilization.   Most of the nomadic cultures lacked such â€Å"civilizing† characteristics as a large and detailed government system, with most using a system that was very feudal in nature, chieftains owing fealty to greater warlords.   They also lacked what were seen as other civilizing characteristics, such as advanced agriculture with public works projects like canals to support it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another major factor was that of religion.   China and India had very sophisticated religious belief systems, as opposed to the less developed beliefs of the various nomadic groups around them.   As has been seen throughout history in all parts of the world, religion is commonly used as a barometer to judge the level of civilization of a culture, such as in Europe where Christians viewed non-Christians are barbarians. Based on this barometer, the Chinese and Indian cultures viewed others with simpler belief structures as not being as advanced spiritually and philosophically.   Finally, many of the neighboring nomadic cultures had not developed a fully-functional form of written language, often borrowing from Chinese writing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   And yet despite these â€Å"disadvantages†, nomadic cultures such as the Mongols would end up conquering the great civilized empires.   Their active tribal lifestyle bred them as warriors, not farmers.   Their lifestyle also led them to be superior horsemen, which proved yet another advantage in warfare.   Their people were hardy, used to living without luxury, and well-suited to conducting long campaigns. These cultures that were dismissed as â€Å"barbaric† would end up proving mightier than expected. Question 8 When did the Mughal dynasty rule India. What achievements occurred during this dynasty? What led to the decline of Mughal rule in India?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Mughal dynasty began in 1504 when Babur of the Timurids conquered Kabul.   His force was a Muslim army of Mongols and other more local peoples (such as Afghans and Persians).   This and the following decades of consolidation of power with battles fought against smaller regional powers established the Mughal dynasty, and brought Islam to the front in the Indian subcontinent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Of note, though, is that the Mughals exercised a religious tolerance rarely seen in the time period.   Though Islam was the primary religion throughout most of the dynasty, Hindus and other religions were rarely persecuted.   The reign of Akar from 1556-1605 brought about the most dramatic change of all, with a policy of direct attempts at reconciliation with Hindus, promoting them to high government office and abolishing the poll tax on non-Muslims.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another major and lasting achievement of the Mughals was their architecture.   They were renowned for massive construction projects, including large fortress-palaces such as the monstrous Red Fort in Dehli.   There is also the Taj Mahal, perhaps the most famous lasting architectural sample, built in Agra and completed in 1648.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The decline of the Mughal empire was a long process.   The reign of the last of the strong Mughal emperors, Aurangzeb from 1658 to 1707, saw the empire hold together but the decay had begun and his policies, while temporarily effective, added to the long-term problems.   Wars demonstrated Mughal military might, but drained the treasury; and new anti-Hindu policies led to resentment and rebellion at home and class struggle (Habib, 2001).   This led the way to foreign invasion from the neighboring Marathas, Persians, and Afghans, eating away at the empire until the commonly accepted date of the empire’s final ruler Bahadur Shah Zafar   who was exiled in 1857. Question 9 Ironically, while Europeans later fought wars over control of the sea routes in the Asian region, China abandoned its dominant position. Why did the Ming court decide to end the maritime voyages of Zheng He just as China reached domination of the Asian seas? Was this a poor decision or one that strengthened China? Please explain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There were multiple factors that seem to be present in the Ming’s decision to suspend Zheng He’s voyages.   Zheng He did most of his exploring during the time of the Yongle Emperor, and when he died in 1424 his successors seemed to view Zheng He’s growing influence at court as a threat.   Curbing his travels that made him famous would be a good way to reduce his influence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cost was also a major factor, as China became embroiled in conflict with its Mongolian neighbors to the north.   Having been once conquered by the Mongolians, the Ming court took this threat very seriously, and devoted every effort to protecting their borders and resisting the Mongols.   Zheng He’s expedition fleet was massive, and the cost of the journeys was thus immense, as he went as an emissary and explorer rather than a trader.   His journeys did not result in wealth pouring into Chinese coffers as did that of the European explorers from the colonies they founded and trade routes they started.   The Ming needed their resources to fight the Mongols, and thus cut back in other areas, such as these naval expeditions in order to meet the Mongol threat.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is difficult to say whether this was a wise decision or not in retrospect.   The money saved on naval excursions surely assisted the Ming in their mostly successful efforts to resist the Mongols, culminating in the expansion of the Great Wall of China.   Perhaps if Zheng He’s costly voyages had continued, the resources would not have been available to hold off the Mongols.   And yet there was a cost, which is that when the European nations began arriving in force, the Chinese were not able to resist them.   Overall I would say the decision was wise, in facing the immediate threat rather than a potential and vague future threat that might never materialize. Question 10 Who founded the Ming Dynasty and what were main characteristics of rule during this period? What were the major achievements of the Ming Dynasty? What is meant by saying that the `sprouts of capitalism` can be found in the Ming Dynasty?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Ming dynasty was founded in 1368 by Zhu Yuanzhang, a man of peasant birth and monastery education who was one of the leaders of a series of revolts that destroyed the Yuan dynasty.   Upon ascending to the position of emperor, he took the name Hongwu.   Some major traits of Ming rule were favor given to the poor, a strong military, a strong internal focus, and the replacement of the prime minister post with that of the Grand secretary.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Ming period was a good one for the peasantry.   Hongwu seemed to favor the poor, and gave land to peasants to farm.   Peasants who moved to and farmed unused land could claim it as their own and be free from taxation on it.   This led to an agricultural class much like that to be found later in America, with free citizens owning and cultivating land rather than a feudal serf system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The early Ming favored agriculture over trade, and would eventually forbid oceangoing trade ships from leaving China.   Despite this, trade flourished due to other factors, such as the introduction of silver to the economy which established currency and limited barter.   Another major achievement of the Ming dynasty was its refinement of the Chinese legal code.   The laws were designed to be fair and understandable, so that they could not be taken advantage of by the upper class.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Capitalism in China flourished during the Ming period.   The empire was stable politically, the lower class more prosperous than ever before.   Owning their own land meant that they received the benefits from their work rather than owing most of the fruits of their labor to a leige.   This was the beginning of a free market, and combined with increased trade, Chinese citizens were rewarded for their hard work and this encouraged them to do well. Bibliography Habib, I. (2001). The Agrarian System of Mughal India, 1526-1707. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hartwell, R. (1962). A Revolution in the Chinese Iron and Coal Industries During the Northern Sung, 960-1126 A.D. The Journal of Asian Studies , 21 (2), pp. 153-162. Howe, C. (1999). The Origins of Japanese Trade Supremacy. Development and Technology in Asia from 1540 to the Pacific War. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Maddison, A. (2006). The World Economy: Volume 1: A Millennial Perspective and Volume 2: Historical Statistics. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Saunders, J. J. (2001). History of the Mongol Conquests. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Texas Conventions :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The state of Texas has some of the most prestigious and accommodating conventions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Texas is the constituent state of the United States of America, lying in the southcentral United States. It is bounded on the north by Oklahoma, on the east by Arkansas and Louisiana, on the southeast by the Gulf of Mexico, on the southwest by Mexico, and on the west by New Mexico. Texas is the largest of the U.S. states besides Alaska. It is both diverse in population and rich in natural resources.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Being the capital of Texas, Austin has one of the nicest convention centers. â€Å"There’s a freedom you begin to feel the closer you get to Austin†¦it’s a great place to live.† –Willie Nelson. The Austin Convention Center has a convention and meeting planning team. The planning team will:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Assist you with the invitation or bidding process to bring your professional organization to Austin for a meeting.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Relay your detailed meeting information within 24 hours to the hotel community requesting them to submit rates, dates and other meeting information directly to you by your deadline; this ‘one-stop shopping’ saves you from tracking down the right salesperson at all hotels and repeating the same detailed information over and over again.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Inform you of availability of the hotel rooms in the city for any given dates by consulting our convention and meeting calendar.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Provide you with the convention services, such as brochures and visitor guides for your attendees.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Help with housing and registration.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Help you access suppliers for a number of meeting-related services.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Attendance boosters. (www.askjeeves.com â€Å"conventions†) The current Austin Convention Center should double in size from 411,000 to 881,400 total square feet. During the first seven years, from 1992 to 1999, over 2.4 million people attended over 1,220 events, including 135 public consumer shows, 256 conventions, 514 conferences, meetings, and seminars, 57 business trade shows, and 209 food and beverage-only events. Over 50% of the events have represented repeat business since the second full year of operation which shows that people like the convention center. The Austin Convention Center received near-perfect marks in the 1998-1999 Fiscal Year Client Evaluation Surveys. It scored an overall rating of 4.52 when the highest to be received is 5 points. 97% of clients said they would definitely reschedule another event at the Austin Convention Center. During the last fiscal year (1997-1998), 36 conventions had a direct dollar impact of over $95 million to the city of Austin. (Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau).

Food and Culture: a Cross Cultural Look at Eating Habits Essay

No matter where we are from, eating is one of the most personal experiences of life. Everyone finds enjoyment and comfort in eating foods associated with their early days and heritage, but personal sensations and perceptions on eating are merely a fraction of the global picture. Learning about other cultures, their values, and what they seek will enhance relationships between individuals throughout communities and the nation. Eating habits provide a very conducive way for promoting mutual understanding between everyone. According to dictionary.com, food is any nourishing substance ingested in the body to provide energy and sustain life and growth. â€Å"Food habits refer to the way people use food, including from how it is selected, obtained, and distributed to who prepares it, serves it, and eats it† (Kittler, 2008, p. 2). Early food habits derived strictly from what was available in the immediate environment (McWilliams, 2003, p. 5). â€Å"The country where a person is born and resides shapes the food patterns of the individual and families† (McWilliams, 2003, p. 15). Food helps to establish specific cultures, and has diverse influences on the ways of life of people around the world. Spain, China, and the United States are three societies with vastly different backgrounds and eating customs that contribute to their unique culture and national identity. Food possesses meaning within different cultures beyond simply that of providing nutrients. People often question, why food? If food is thought about solely as the avenue of obtaining the necessary nutrients to live, people will miss the influence and pleasure food has on the rich multitude of cultural landscapes. Food is full of meaning and has become a major form of social exchange. Everyone has heard the acclaimed saying â€Å"you are what you eat,† and many traditional civilizations believe that what they ingest will impact their personal character. But, the saying alone does not move the social world into eating. However, corresponding with the law of Contagion, which states that â€Å"once in contact, always in contact,† when two objects touch, their properties are transferred into the touched object (Rozin, 1996, p. 83). We can view this as those who have prepared, gathered, and served food, are expected to have passed their own characteristics into that food (Rozin, 1996, p.84). Thus, now back to â€Å"you are what you eat,† these elements have become part of the consumer. Every nibble of food involves social integration. Food is a system of communication that constitutes knowledge and information. â€Å"Substances, techniques of preparation, habits are all part of a system of differences in signification† (Counihan, 2008, p. 30). All facts pertaining to food are organized similarly to that of other modes of communication. Food symbolizes and signifies the importance of economic, social, political, religious, and ethnic values among different societies (Montanari, 2006, p.133). Food habits convey the culture of whom it has touched. Food is the warehouse of â€Å"traditions and collective identity† (Montanari, 2006, p. 133). It allows people to partake in their national past. â€Å"Food and cultural identities are the product of history† (Montanari, 2006, p. 135). The historical background of preparation and cooking is rooted deep within traditional ritualization, and permits people to experience the memory of their ancestors in their contemporary life. Food gives people commonality, serving as a means for a way of life. Food, security, and love are our three basic needs. They are intertwined, so we cannot think of any one without the others. These three needs compose our life, and our life can be understood through these needs. Food is a central figure throughout society. It is the â€Å"foundation of every economy† (Counihan, 1997, p. 1). Food assists in interpreting social differences, gender differences, and family and community relationships. It links everything that is significant to people and strengthens social ties. Food is something so common to all, yet it denotes incredibly different ideals from table to table. Food habits are culturally consistent modes of behavior relating to food that have been established by individuals reared in a given cultural tradition (Counihan, 2008, p. 18). The specific behaviors towards food are interrelated with other culture-specific behaviors in the same community. â€Å"Humans do not nourish themselves from natural nutrients, nor from pure dietary principles, but from cultured food-stuffs, chosen and prepared according to laws of compatibility and rules of propriety unique to each cultural area† (Counihan, 2008, p. 76). Food is essential to ethnic, religious, and regional identity. Before delving into the implications of food in the diverse cultural contexts of Spain, China, and the United States, it is important to first understand the background elements of food and how it serves to establish specific cultures. There are four ways to understanding and categorize the food habits and the role of food in different cultures. They include â€Å"frequency of food consumption; ways a culture traditionally prepares and seasons food; daily, weekly, and yearly use of food; and changes in food functions that emerge during structural growth in a culture† (Kittler, 2008, p. 7). The core and complementary foods model groups food together based on their rate of consumption. According to this framework, core foods are those regularly consumed in a person’s diet, most likely on a daily basis, at the heart of food habits (Kittler, 2008, p. 7). Complementary foods are important in making the core balanced. They add the familiar flavors associated with the core foods (Kittler, 2008, p. 8). Secondary foods are widely but less frequently consumed, often eaten at least once a week or more, but not daily (Kittler, 2008, p. 7). Last, are the peripheral foods, which are consumed irregularly. Changes in food behaviors happen most in peripheral, where individual food choices are more characteristic than cultural group habit, and least in core (Kittler, 2008, p. 8). Foods demonstrate a great deal variability according to distinctive regional locations. What defines a meal differs throughout cultures, and unique, local variations are especially prevalent among different regional identities. â€Å"The structural analysis of meal patterns and meal cycles reveals clues about complex social relations and the significance of certain events in a society† (Kittler, 2008, p.9). Every culture establishes which foods are needed to comprise a meal, and what someone eats defines his or her identity within the certain cultural contexts. Specific foods are served for different meals depending on your particular societal customs. Other elements that can define a meal include who prepares it, the type of preparation used, who eats it, and the portion size. Beyond the meal itself is the sequence in which the individual meals take place. The meal cycle is a routine of how many meals are eaten a day and when they are eaten (Kittler, 2008, p. 10). Meal patterns generally follow what is culturally customary and acceptable, but food selection is primarily motivated by taste. Taste is a cultural element, and differing tastes occur among different peoples and regions throughout the globe. Food preference is based on specific locations where â€Å"definitions of taste belong to the cultural heritage† (Montanari, 2006, p. 61) of that society. Local ecological circumstances also influence what a culture will eat and individual food habits. It requires a collective adaptation to their explicit environmental surroundings. A person can only eat what is available and can be obtained, and the cultural group will determine whether certain foods are edible or inedible. Eating choices are largely impacted by the cultural values, beliefs, and practices ingrained by society. Spain is a country of much diversity. Its cuisines are historically rooted and geographically preserved. Spain is composed of distinctive territories of cultures, each with its own unique social customs and culinary traditions. Every region holds certain characteristics of Spain’s diverse terrain, and continues to have its own local variations of Spanish cuisine. Cooking is divided by the different regional preparation methods. Stewing is common in the North, roasting is common in the Central region, and deep-fried foods are very popular in the South (Kittler, 2008, p. 164). Although each region differs in culinary traditions and origins, this paper will look beyond the strong regional ties and explore Spain’s gastronomic heritage as a whole. The Spanish passion for quality cooking is shared throughout the nation. After the oppression of the Franco regime, Spaniards hold a lot of pride in their cultural identities. Food ranks high among their cultural values, shaping the lives of many Spaniards, who are deeply rooted in their regional heritages. Spain’s meal cycle is one way in which their food habits show cultural-specificity and vary drastically from those found in China and the United States. Their traditional meal pattern consists of four meals and some snacks spread throughout day (Kittler, 2008, p. 165). Spaniards eat a light breakfast (desayuno) at around 8:00 a. m. consisting of coffee or chocolate accompanied by bread, churros, or another pastry. Sometimes, a midmorning breakfast of either sausage, fried squid, bread with tomato, or an omelet is eaten at 11:00 a. m. A light snack, tapas, is consumed close to 1:00 p. m. to prelude their three-course lunch starting at 2:00 p. m. (Kittler, 2008, p. 165) Keeping consistent with the rest of its European counterparts, Spain’s largest fare is lunch (almuerzo). Lunch is the main meal, and is typically eaten at home. The first course is the lighter portion, consisting of a soup or salad, while the second course is your classic fish or meat dish. Dessert follows, and can be some simple fruit or cheese, a traditional Spanish flan, or a different sweet pastry or cake. (Spanish eating customs) Many businesses close during the hours between 2:00-5:00 p. m. in order to accommodate lunch and maybe a nap, known as siesta. After being well rested, a Spaniard can enjoy tea and pastries (merienda) eaten between 5:00 and 6:00 p. m. (Kittler, 2008, p. 165). More tapas are eaten at 8:00 or 9:00 p. m. to fill time before dinner. Dinner (cena) is finally served between 9:00 and 11:00 p. m. It includes three light courses like soup, salad, sandwiches or omelets and fruit (Kittler, 2008, p.165). Spain has a large variety of eating customs that one would generally only find in a Spanish kitchen. The most well known eating habit is that of tapas. Tapas are small plates of food to share with a group of friends before a meal. In Spain, eating tapas is an entirely separate dining experience that does not replace an actual meal (Barrenechea, 2005, p. 53). Tapas are not to be eaten at home. Its literal meaning implies going out: â€Å"de tapeo means barhopping, or the art of eating while standing† (Barrenechea, 2005, p. 53). There are many varieties offered, and they are generally finger foods. Another culture-specific custom is that of sobremesa. The word sobremesa translates to â€Å"over the table,† referring to the long-lasting conversations after meals. Instead of finishing the last bite and leaving, Spaniards often stay seated at the table conversing, savoring the company of friends, and sometimes even sharing another drink. (Spanish eating customs) The infamous siesta, already mentioned above, is deeply rooted in Spanish heritage, dating back to agrarian society when farmers needed to rest and digest after the large lunch. Now, it is a time for people to return to their home and families to eat. Family nourishment is a value taken very seriously among Spanirds. Some specialty food items found in Spain include, aceite de oliva (olive oil), jamones de Espana (Spanish cured hams), Chorizo (national sausage of Spain), bacalao (salt Cod), tortilla Espanola (potato and onion omelet), croquetas, gazpacho, paella, flan, and sangria (Barrenechea, 2005, p. 39). All of the aforementioned eating traditions carry a lot of historical significance, and come to symbolize Spain’s cultural identity. The ways in which Spain treats and prepares some of its food also differs from the food habits of China or the United States. Wine and coffee are beverages that seem to be universal to the world as they can literally be found anywhere. However, looking at the two from the cultural context of Spain, one will find that wine and coffee actually have distinct meanings based on regional variations. Whether out at a restaurant or home with family, wine is typical to drink at just about any meal in Spain (Spanish eating customs). It is so common in Spain, that it is often cheaper than water. Coffee is a Spanish phenomenon, and many Spaniards drink several cups throughout the course of one day. Coffee also traditionally follows meals, served after the dessert (Spanish eating customs). It is customary to sit down when sipping on coffee, as to-go (para llevar) cups are very uncommon. The Spanish take pride in enjoying all kinds of food, even a simple cup of coffee. China has a strong national identity deeply rooted in its history. A civilizational standard emerged long ago, and its foods are primarily regional and ethnic, not having to do with social class. China has four distinctive styles of cooking largely influenced by geography and availability. The South is home of Cantonese food, with many elegant dishes. The East relies heavily on seafood and paper-wrapped foods. The North is famous for Peking duck, sweet and sour sauces, wheat noodles, and Mongolian influence. The final region is the West with the Szechwan style cooking of hot spices and use of oils. China’s vast size has influenced the need for collective adaptation within the different regional environments. While these local ecological circumstances influence the certain available foods of each territory, China’s strong beliefs in their tradition and ancestors have demonstrated a large commonality among the Chinese identity. China’s cultural heritage has largely impacted the collective expression of standardized values and food habits. As a non-western nation, China will vary dramatically from the westernized countries of Spain and the United States in its ethnic beliefs and identity. The eating habits of the Chinese play an important role in the patterns of their meals and are very culture-specific. The Chinese eat three meals a day along with additional snacks. Breakfast is typically composed of hot rice or millet porridge, and congee. Lunch is a smaller version of dinner serving soup, a rice or wheat dish, vegetables, and fish or meat. Sliced fruit can be offered when finished eating. (Kittler, 2008, p. 327) The two most important components of a typical Chinese meal are the soup and a large fish cooked and presented whole to end the meal (McWilliams, 2003). The Chinese have two customary rules dating back to ancestral traditions that are needed for every meal. There must be a balance between yin and yang foods to ensure physical and emotional harmony and to protect the body from illness, and there also has to be proper amounts of fan and cai (Kittler, 2008, p. 327). Fan is the foods made from grains and served in a separate bowl to each diner. Cai is the cooked meats and vegetables to add flavor that are shared from bowls in center of table. Fan is the primary item in a meal, and a meal is not complete without it; but it does not need cai. (Kittler, 2008, p. 327) The rules for consumption in China are very different from what is customary in Spain and the United States. Etiquette is a large form of group association in China. There are many specific customs to be aware of when eating a Chinese meal. Proper behavior was determined over 4,000 years ago and many practices continue to be used today (Kittler, 2008, p. 328). The traditional eating utensils include chopsticks and a porcelain, flat-bottomed spoon for soup. Teacups and rice bowls are also made of porcelain. Very few foods are eaten with hands. All of the serving bowls are traditionally served at the same time on a lazy Susan in the center of the table. Each place setting has a bowl of rice or noodles, and each person takes some of the closest item from the communal plate, which is rotated until all items have reached all the people at the table. All diners should take the same amount of cai. Younger diners cannot eat until the elders have begun, and it is seen as rude to reject food. Serve beverages to others before self. Both hands should be used to offer and take a cup of tea. Wine and other alcoholic drinks should not be consumed alone. It is bad manners to eat rice or noodles with the bowl on the table, so it should be raised to the mouth. It is also bad luck to lay chopsticks on the top of the rice bowl or drop them. Do not stick chopsticks straight up in the rice bowl for it symbolizes an offering to the dead. More specific rules beyond that of proper etiquette include not making any noise while eating (except slurping soup), not grabbing food, not eating too fast, not putting food back on the communal plate after tasting it, and not picking one’s teeth. It is considered very polite to compliment the host during the meal on deliciousness of food and on their good taste and wisdom. (Kittler, 2008, p. 328) The Chinese diet is another expression of group association. What is eaten in China’s specific cultural contexts differs from foods Spaniards and Americans would find in their typical diets. The Chinese eat a large mix of food and avoid very little. Rice is the backbone of all Chinese meals. Wheat made as wontons are also widely used. Dairy products are not found in the Chinese diet, but extensive use of soy products serves as a substitute for calcium and protein. Pork is the most common meat, but religion and cost limit how much meat is consumed. Many Chinese are actually vegetarians, making extensive use of the available vegetables. (McWilliams, 2003) Distinctively Chinese vegetables are snow peas, bamboo shoots, chrysanthemum greens, water chestnuts, bitter melon, and lotus root. Noodles are very popular, and often take the form in soup or pan-fried and topped with vegetables. Eggs are also frequently eaten. (Kittler, 2008, p. 325) Foods that would seem unfamiliar and strange to western societies are actually ranked with high value in the Chinese culture. Foods such as snakes, frogs, turtles, sea cucumbers (sea slugs), seahorses, as well as insects like scorpions are all consumed regularly. Hot soup or tea is the beverage of choice. (Kittler, 2008, p. 325) Although environmental constraints influence the Chinese culture, the people do not let it affect their lifestyle. They use cooking methods, such as stir-frying, steaming, deep-fat frying, simmering, and roasting, that all make best use of the limited available fuel. The Chinese also work to find fresh ingredients, which is why many markets sell live animals. (Kittler, 2008, p. 325) Despite the ecological situations, the Chinese people will not sacrifice the importance of their food habits within their cultural identity. The United States is composed of many diverse cultures, and is very unique among countries in the world. It has one of the largest immigrant populations in the world, which has widely influenced diets and available food. Founded by immigrants, the U. S. is home to many different ethnic, religious, and regional groups, each with its own culture-specific eating behaviors. The U. S. has often been considered a â€Å"melting pot,† blending all the different ethnic, religious and regional backgrounds together. While it might be difficult to find a universal, national identity in the U. S. , the broadening of cultural awareness has led to a greater understanding of new food patterns. Changes in the choices of food and habits have occurred throughout the years. â€Å"It is the intricate interplay between food habits of the past and the present, the old and the new, and the traditional and the innovative that is the hallmark of the American diet† (Kittler, 2008, p. 1). American cuisine is far from homogeneous. The diversity of cultures within the United States incorporates the cuisines of numerous communities throughout the world. Eating habits found in the Spanish and Chinese cultures have had some influence among the regional variations in America. Local food preferences are key to the American regional identity (Kittler, 2008, p. 473). Regional food habits are prepared based on the territory’s available local ingredients, which depend on the agricultural environment and seasonal accessibility. The strong relations between place and food suggest the significance on the quality of local food items (Kittler, 2008, p. 474). There are three defining factors of regional fare. The first is that local foods have a strong impact on the development of a specific regional cuisine. The second aspect is ethnic and religious practices, especially when it comes to specialty foods. The third factor is local history, which is related to particular dishes (Kittler, 2008, p.474). The variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds will only keep enriching the regional foods of America and expand our cultural awareness. Culinary trends can be observed in the four regions of the United States: Northeast, South, Midwest, and West. Geography and the immediate environment, Native Americans, and immigrants have all influenced the culinary identities of each region. Within the Northeast are New England and the Mid-Atlantic. Each region shared similar Native American societies, followed by European settlements, and now more immigrants from all over world (Kittler, 2008, p. 476). The traditional foods come from the Atlantic Ocean, the native and new produce, and the many freshwater rivers and lakes. In New England, seafood is prominent, especially cod. Indigenous game already existed and beef was brought over by early immigrants. Corn was the foundation of the diet, and beans also had high importance. Root vegetables were common, and wild berries, grapes, and plums were the common fruits, until immigrants planted apple orchards. Maple syrup was the preferred sweetener. (Kittler, 2008, p. 477) The warmer climate and fertile lands in the Mid-Atlantic made for a greater abundance of native foods. Coastal waters provided crustaceans, while estuaries provided birds, and the freshwater had a variety of fish. New foods thrived throughout the region. (Kittler, 2008, p. 477) The Midwest marks the Great Plains region in the center of America. The regional food is typical homestead and farm food (Kittler, 2008, p. 486). The food is known as typical American cuisine. It involved simple preparation of prime meat or poultry, accompanied with vegetables, potatoes, and fresh bread. A meal consists of a filling breakfast for a good start to the day, robust soups and stews to re-energize the body, and a tasty homemade dessert at the end. (Kittler, 2008, p. 486) Food traditions in the Midwest have been maintained from generation to generation. Southern food reflects the times of plantation farms. Corn dishes, pork, sweet potatoes, and greens were the foundation of this regional cuisine (Kittler, 2008, p. 495). The southern lifestyle created a culture of politeness and friendliness. It was also a region of many fruits, nuts, game, fish, and seafood. The South has access to the coast, the gulf, rivers, and woodlands. The people learned culinary cuisines from the Indians, the Settlers, and the African slaves. (Kittler, 2008, p. 495) The final region of the West is the largest region in the U. S. with a large diversity of terrain from the icy tundra of Alaska to volcanic islands of Hawaii (Kittler, 2008, p. 508). The West is home to the tallest mountains, vast fertile valleys and coastal plains, a scenic desert, and a temperate rainforest. The people were able to inherit the diverse food habits from the natives on the variety of lands. Immigrants came from all directions to occupy the West. Its vast size was largely unknown so most inhabitants survived on dried meat, pork, beans, and corn. Growth increased the available food supply, and expensive goods were offered. (Kittler, 2008, p. 509) Depending on the specific region of the West, different foods prospered. Immigrants from a plethora of countries all came to the United States and added their culture-specific complementary foods, which enhanced the existing core foods in America. Although the national identity of the United States is comprised of diverse regional identities from all around the globe, distinctive meal patterns have been established. Meals start much earlier than in Spain, and the rules are not as strict as in China. Meals primarily consist of a large breakfast, small lunch, and large dinner, with the occasional distinctive brunch. The traditional American breakfast offers a range of foods such as pancakes, waffles, bacon, eggs, toast, and cereal. Lunch is served between 12:00 p. m. and 2:00 p. m. , and consists of nothing big, solely a sandwich or salad. Brunch represents a distinct American cultural eating habit. It is a combination of breakfast and lunch, mostly eaten on weekends and ranges from 11:00 a. m. to 2:30 p. m. Dinner is served between 6:00 p. m. and 8 p. m. It typically begins with appetizers, then a larger hot meal, and finally a sweet dessert. In the U. S. , appetizers are served before the soup or salad, which is then followed by the main course, and lastly by dessert. Americans also tend to value food more for its nutritional content and health effects than for any symbolic use (Kittler, 2008, p. 7). Every different cultural group creates standards reflective of their priorities. The dining etiquette of the U. S. is highly associated with social values. Social influences have a strong impact on eating cultures. Immediately upon sitting down at the table one should put their napkin on their lap. Another rule is the positioning of knife and fork when finished eating. Crossing the knife and fork means that you are still working on your food, but placing them parallel on plate signifies that you have finished eating. It is also acceptable to refuse specific foods or drinks without an explanation. Opposite of the traditional meals in China, in the U. S. , it is very popular to socialize in homes, backyards, restaurants, or other public places. It is not unusual to have a backyard barbeque or picnic in the park. (USA: Language, culture, customs and etiquette). As, an individualistic nation, the sociocultural contexts that influence food intake and choice most in the United States are related more to personal factors. As the world and its food become further explored, new desires about the world of food will emerge. However, according to the development perspective of food culture, structural changes in society can lead to changes in the functions of food and its habits within that culture (Kittler, 2008, p. 7). Is the rising trend towards consumerism and the desire to earn a lot of money ruining the traditional meanings of food? Globalization is the structural change from local and regional organizations to a universal worldwide organization. Globalization is coupled with the food culture change of consumerization, the transition of a society from indigenous producers to consumers of mass-produced foods. (Kittler, 2008, p. 11) Seasonal foods are now available any time of year and specialty products can now be bought presliced, precooked, and prepackaged for immediate consumption. Modernization encompasses the socioeconomic shift from new technologies replacing muscle power and its parallel food change is commoditization from homemade to manufactured foods. Fresh foods are now processed and marketed commodities. (Kittler, 2008, p. 11) Urbanization from rural to urban residence leads to delocalization of producers to consumers only, where the connections between harvesting, cooking, and eating are lost for meals purchased in convenience markets or fast-food joints. (Kittler, 2008, p.11). Lastly, migration from original home to new settings is shared by acculturation to new culture and new foods and diminishing traditional food habits (Kittler, 2008, p. 12). Further research should be conducted on the impact the changes resulting from development have on traditional food cultures and identity as well as quality of food. The Slow Food movement is one effort to reverse the structural and food culture changes (Kittler, 2008, p. 12). To take this research even further is to examine the role of advertising, which is related to globalization and the structural changes in society. Advertising is correlated with food preference (Kittler, 2008, p. 16). Advertising unconsciously transforms our views of food into an entirely new meaning (Counihan, 2008, p. 32). Foods are no longer viewed as a product or substance, but as an experience and situation. Consumer/brand loyalty is now the emotional appeal to foods. Food is seen as entertainment, and the enjoyment of eating is through reading or seeing on TV, instead of physically tasting (Kittler, 2008, p. 16). Food is slowly but surely losing in its substance and rising in function (Counihan, 2008, p.34). Beyond the meanings of food, the effects of eating and food choice can also be examined in relation to how the physiological characteristics of age, gender, and body image are now portrayed in different cultures. The cultural contexts of foods are transitioning along with its influences on food habits. Food establishes cultures in many different ways, and the diverse food habits can tell a lot about a specific cultural identity. There are many different ways in which sociocultural contexts influence eating and food choice. Spain, China, and the United States are three countries each with unique culture-specific values and beliefs, and they are each drastically different from one another. Western society versus eastern society coupled with individualistic or collectivistic nations can strongly impact the eating habits of a culture. Spain is a western-collectivist nation with much technological advancement coupled with the commonality of strong national pride. Spain is deeply rooted in its traditional food habits, and geography has been a large contributor to the regional variations of Spanish cuisines. However, the collective enjoyment of all food elements is a defining feature among Spanish culture. China is an eastern-collectivist nation, which means it is not as developed technologically, but share many commonalities that are more spiritually based within their national identity. Etiquette and diets are a major form of group association within China, and the consumption rules have been historically planted since the times of their ancestors. Eating a certain way establishes association or membership within a group. Environmental limitations affects which foods will be available in each region, but food customs have established a standard collectivism among the Chinese people. The United States is a western-individualistic nation. The cultural identity of the United States has been founded by immigrants, and therefore contains diverse ethnical, religious, and religious beliefs. Social values have had a strong influence on American food culture based on the desire interact with the diverse population. Social class plays an important role of what food is available in the U. S. The individualistic mindset to satisfy the individual self has established consumerism to be prevalent among the American culture. Food offers diverse perspectives about other cultures. Examining food habits is a means for understanding the varying beliefs and behaviors found in other cultures. Humans are omnivores, which provides them with the opportunity to have a choice of what they want to eat, so how they incorporate food into their lives serves high importance. Each cultural group has a different and unique attitude towards life, built upon a universal understanding and ranking of values (Kittler, 2008, p. 37). These values form a collective standard of preferences and priorities contained by certain beliefs. Eating a particular way establishes association or membership within a group. Food habits among each cultural group are linked to their specific beliefs or ethnic behaviors. The development of food habits shows that food means more than just providing nutritional value (Kittler, 2008, p. 3).