The Personal Finance Course Essay - 947 Words

The Personal Finance course is one of the most practical courses that I took in my undergraduate coursework. It reminds me how I can be a good steward and how I am responsible to manage, protect and grow God’s resources that were given to me. Knowing that God owns everything and that we are accountable for how we are using His resources motivate us to develop a robust biblical finance plan that integrates spending, risk management, and investment to reach our desired life goals. My financial plan will include three main sections, money management section, risk management section, and investing section. In the money management section, my husband and I made a written list of all our goals that are related to our financial lifestyle, which include securing our family’s future spiritually and financially. We want to increase our giving and give generously to create a healthier and safer world. We want to give $10,000 to do something for the orphans in Egypt. Financially, w e are trying to improve our income by acquiring higher degrees to move up the ladder into more growth opportunities. My husband finished his second Master in Business Administration, and I am trying to get my bachelor degree in the same field of study to open new doors for our careers. Most importantly, we are determined to pay off the remaining balance of $7,066 in our credit card debt and stop using all the credit cards (See PFP29). Moreover, buying a house is the main goal that we are trying to reach now;Show MoreRelatedMy Personal Learning Experience Of Corporate Finance And Investments Module Essay1202 Words   |  5 PagesThe following self-assessment essay will be a brief analysis of my personal learning experience of Corporate Finance and Investments module, and a brief description of my development planning. 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So it will be advantageous for the studentsRead MoreDiction And Reflection In Literature769 Words   |  4 PagesDuring this course, I acquired a sizable list of skills regarding literature and government. First, I learned the many symbols and themes of novels by reading How to Read Literature Like a Professor at the beginning of the course. Additionally, while reading Things Fall Apart, I learned about the fragility and danger of male masculinity, as well as how to recognize underlying messages in the way an author uses tone, diction, and omission. Furthermore, during the government and economics part ofRead MoreSos-110-Ol, Living in the Information Age760 Words   |  4 Pagesthe I nformation Age Professor John Bradley 02 May 2004 Written Assignment 1 In the last decade, the US Army has incorporated information technology, rapidly, into nearly every facet of daily operations. It is very difficult to limit an essay to approximately 500 words for such a subject of discussion. 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Sociology of Mass Media Free Essays

Sociology of mass media – Advertising and democracy are connected. People are required by their political system to hold individual opinions. In addition, people look at the mass media for information on political matters. We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology of Mass Media or any similar topic only for you Order Now Therefore, they looked for information from the news, political debates, and political advertising so that they could evaluate their leaders and vote on public policy. – In covering a political campaign, the media choose which issues or topics to emphasize, thereby setting the campaign’s agenda. Therefore, the media create an agenda setting; the ability to affect cognitive change among individuals by telling people what to think about, not what to think. This would then influence Quebec voters’ decisions. – Political Advertising and campaign coverage would have an impact on Quebec voters in influencing their decisions by including these into their campaigns: †¢Patriotism: The ad stresses the candidate’s love of and service to his/her country. †¢Gender: The ad presents the candidate as appropriately â€Å"manly† (or feminine) to make viewers trust him/her. Facts and Figures: The ad uses facts and statistics to support the candidate’s policies. †¢Issues: Reporters need to push for details on positions and ask tough questions on major issues, not accepting generalities. They need to bounce one candidate’s position off other candidates to create an intelligent discussion forum from which voters can make informed choices â € ¢Depth: On talk-show appearances, reporters need to offer something more than what voters can see and hear for themselves. Analysis and depth add a fresh dimension that is not redundant to what the audience already knows. †¢Inside coverage: reporters need to cover the machinery of the campaigns: who runs things and how, what history do they bring to a campaign. – Voters would be influenced by these presented campaign coverage and would use these to make a decisive vote. How to cite Sociology of Mass Media, Essay examples

Honors free essay sample

For how I firmly am resolved you know; That is, not bestow my youngest daughter Before I have a husband for the elder: If either of you both love Katharina, Because I know you well and love you well, Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure. † In these lines, we are introduced to Baptista, a father who wants to find a husband for his oldest daughter, Katharina. The conflict of the play is also introduced as Baptista has decided that his youngest daughter cannot marry until Katharina does. These lines provide readers with some background information on Baptista and his daughters, as well as their familial relationship. They also reveal that while Baptista loves both of his daughter’s, he is at a loss for how to manage his oldest daughter, Katharina. Exposition Act 1, Scene 1 Lucentio: â€Å"Tranio, since for the great desire I had To see fair Padua, nursery of arts, I am arrived for fruitful Lombardy, The pleasant garden of great Italy;† In these lines, we get the first glimpse of where the setting is. We will write a custom essay sample on Honors or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The readers get a chance to see the descriptive environment of Italy with the â€Å"pleasant garden†. We are also introduced to Lucentio and Tranio in this part of the play where they are visiting this part of Italy because they had that desire to go there. Rising Action Act 2, Scene 1 KATHARINA: â€Å"Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell Whom thou lovest best: see thou dissemble not. † BIANCA: â€Å"Believe me, sister, of all the men alive I never yet beheld that special face Which I could fancy more than any other. † KATHARINA: â€Å"Minion, thou liest. Ist not Hortensio? † BIANCA: â€Å"If you affect him, sister, here I swear Ill plead for you myself, but you shall have Him. † KATHARINA: â€Å"O then, belike, you fancy riches more:You will have Gremio to keep you fair. † BIANCA: â€Å"Is it for him you do envy me so? Nay then you jest, and now I well perceive You have but jested with me all this while: I prithee, sister Kate, untie my hands. † KATHARINA: â€Å"If that be jest, then all the rest was so. † In these lines, Katharina begins attacking Bianca for no reason at all. Katharina begins questions Bianca out of the blue about which of the suitors does she want the most while Bianca has no clue where this question is coming from, but Bianca assumes that Katharina wants one of the suitors for her and has been acting around her to get what she wanted. Climax Act 3, Scene 2 KATHARINA: â€Å"No shame but mine. I must, forsooth, be forced To give my hand, opposed against my heart, Unto a mad-brain rudesby, full of spleen, Who wooed in haste and means to wed at leisure. I told you, I, he was a frantic fool, Hiding his bitter jests in blunt behavior, And, to be noted for a merry man, He’ll woo a thousand, point the day of marriage, Make friends, invite, and proclaim the banns, Yet never means to wed where he hath wooed. Now must the world point at poor Katherine And say, â€Å"Lo, there is mad Petruchio’s wife, If it would please him come and marry her! † In these lines, Katharina is upset that the groom has not arrived to their wedding yet. And she begins blaming Lucentio for her being forced to marry this guy when she knew what the groom’s plans were. Katharina says that all the groom did it for was the friends and fame of proposing to women then not showing up to the date of the wedding and this made her even more mad, like she wanted to kill somebody. Falling Action Act 4, Scene 1 KATHARINA: â€Å"I pray you, husband, be not so disquiet:The meat was well, if you were so contented. † PETRUCHIO: â€Å"I tell thee, Kate, twas burnt and dried away; And I expressly am forbid to touch it, For it engenders choler, planteth anger;And better twere that both of us did fast,Since, of ourselves, ourselves are choleric, Than feed it with such over-roasted flesh. Be patient; to-morrow t shall be mended,And, for this night, well fast for company: Come, I will bring thee to thy bridal chamber. † In these lines, Katharina and Petruchio have already married and now they are at Petruchio’s house where he will boss around all of his servants. And Katharina is trying to calm Petruchio down because one of the servants brought out burnt meat and he wanted everything to be perfect for his wife. Resolution Act 4, Scene 5 PETRUCHIO: Why, how now, Kate! I hope thou art not mad: This is a man, old, wrinkled, faded, witherd, And not a maiden, as thou sayst he is. KATHARINA: Pardon, old father, my mistaking eyes, That have been so bedazzled with the sun That everything I look on seemeth green: Now I perceive thou art a reverend father; Pardon, I pray thee, for my mad mistaking. In these lines, Petruchio seeks an elderly man in the direction they are heading. But Katharina eyes are blinded by looking at the sun for too long and she mistakes the old man for a little girl. But altogether this is after all the arguing that were going on and now they are spending time together on their way to Katharina’s father’s house.

Natural Disasters and Decisions That Flow Essay Example

Natural Disasters and Decisions That Flow Paper The unpredictable natural disasters’ effect on different industries and the wrong decisions that may follow the occurrence of such disasters may be due to: inaccurate forecasting of weather, inaccurate planning and risk analysis, also the governments and organizations over confidence in their ability to take decision and over come the risks. Also, insufficient financial support and miscommunication results in higher civil and human loss. As we examine the consequences of natural disasters several issues must be considered: * Many countries lack the knowledge, capacity and resources to deal with natural disasters. After a disaster the public sector is often paralyzed by damaged infrastructure and unable to cover the costs of emergency and relief efforts, let alone reconstruction work. * Lack of overall risk planning and investment in physical resilience measures, with too much focus on post-disaster response, leads to increased loss of life, suffering and damage. People in poor countries are generally more exposed to natural disasters, particularly through a higher dependency on agriculture and increased vulnerability to the natural environment. * Insurance penetration is high in developed countries. In lesser developed entries, the availability of insurance is limited and premiums are often not affordable. With less coverage, impacts from natural disasters can derail economic growth. There are several reasons for the increased vulnerability of societies to natural disasters: * Population growth: Between 1950 and 2010, world population grew from 2. 5 to 6. 9 billion,2 putting more people in harms way. * Location: Population growth has occurred in areas more prone to natural disasters, such as coastal areas and riverbanks. * arbitration: Poor urban planning, zoning and construction exacerbate the effects of natural disasters * Value: Economic velveteen brings higher asset values, thereby increasing the possible financial loss. Climate change: While there is not yet consensus in the scientific community whether and to what extent climate change increases the number and severity Of climatic events,5 there are several prominent studies suggesting that there exists a causal relationship, increasing risk uncertainty. We will write a custom essay sample on Natural Disasters and Decisions That Flow specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Natural Disasters and Decisions That Flow specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Natural Disasters and Decisions That Flow specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Ill. List of Alternative course of actions: The unpredictable natural disasters and its consequences affect masses of people and require involvement of various sectors of country organizations to achieve ultimately successful results. Effective disaster management system should be in place which includes disaster prediction, disaster warning, disaster management and disaster relief. Implementation of the following measures can have a significant impact on the extent of suffering after a natural disaster: 1 . Clear vision for dealing with natural disasters. To increase knowledge and awareness of the population at large, the private sector and policy-makers to achieve behavior change. 2. Understanding the risk and mitigate risks through a variety of methods using both public and private means. 3. Enhanced physical resilience as a preventative step to reduce risk by hysterical measures, This is the only way to directly reduce the loss Of life and number of people affected. 4. Financial preparedness to reduce the long-term impact on economic development at the macro level as evidenced IV. Evaluation of Alternatives 1. Vision for dealing with natural disasters A vision of how various means of risk management could work together through â€Å"backward imaging†. Taking realistic natural disaster scenarios and apply best practice recommendations to develop a vision for the future. Ochs is on risk transfer solutions and enhanced risk resiliency. 1. 1 Data Comprehensive data is crucial throughout the natural disaster timeline for increasing awareness, finding effective resilience measures, early warning systems, efficient disaster response and resilient rebuilding. Capturing and mapping: The international community with local cooperation will implement a long-term programmer of global observation data. This data will include satellite observations and ground-based Observations to allow for Ð’Â «trustingÐ’Â » of the satellite data. Risk identification and assessment: Using open-access catastrophe modeling architecture and risk models created by the insurance industry and academia tit funding from UNFROCK adaptation funds, insurers and other risk pooling mechanisms will be able to assess risk and characterize the uncertainties surrounding their estimates. 1. 2 Awareness With good data, the public understands the need for preparation and risk reducing measures. Governments, the private sector and the media build awareness of risks and risk-mitigation principles at national, regional, and community levels. School awareness programmer: Schools play an important role. Children from a young age must understand the perils to which their communities are exposed and the appropriate response behaviors. Community awareness: Education in the community is required to ensure that awareness building continues in ad alt life. Communication: The media will run long-term campaigns on regional natural catastrophe risks, highlighting the benefit Of resilience and risk pooling measures. Multiple channels should be used, using resonating messaging to counter psychological tendencies of avoidance and denial, and foster behavioral change. 1. 3 Planning and prevention Planning and prevention require long lead times, especially for physical resilience projects. These large-scale projects and local community response Lana are both important to community awareness. Coordinating these measures to ensure effectiveness and efficient use of funds requires a central government figure, called in this report a â€Å"country risk officer. Country risk officers: Tasked with keeping up-to-date risk and asset data, they coordinate pre-disaster mitigation measures, such as building resilience, with financial preparedness Large-scale defense: Using risk maps, large-scale peril defense programmer are conducted in areas of high value or national importance, potentially contributed to by UNFROCK adaptation funds. Community-level defense: With awareness of risk, communities can work together on local measures, particularly where large-scale defenses are not possible. This may include avoiding construction in peril-prone areas,or making buildings temporary or peril-resilient in such areas. Individual-level defense: Some individuals and businesses may choose to adapt their properties, as they will see lower insurance premiums as a consequence if insurance premiums reflect risk. Assign liability in advance: Risk pooling organizations are able to reduce their prices because they have contract certainty due to clear liability laws enacted n advance. 1. 4 Risk transfer There are various options for risk management – avoidance, reduction, transfer or retention. Risk transfer is the underlying tenet for insurance markets, passing a liability onto another party (spreading the risk). Risk pooling is vital to the recovery of individuals, firms and economies following a natural disaster. 1. 5 During an event Actions taken immediately before and during an event are crucial for limiting impact on lives and livelihoods. These actions include last minute resilience measures, early warning systems, evacuation plans and efficient response measures. Early warning prior to an event: For some events (e. G. , flooding, tropical cyclones and tsunamis) early warning is possible; others are more of a surprise (e. . , earthquakes). Where early warning is possible, meteorological offices and other peril monitoring services send warning messages to a list of stakeholders for broader dissemination, and also post information on their websites. Mobile warning cascade: Peril-prone regions have free mobile technology early warning systems that cascade a series of warnings. Fast-evacuation warnings: Local police and coastguard remove people from high-risk areas (e. G. Off beaches in a tsunami). Prior emergency drills have informed all stakeholders what they are expected to do. The evacuation is orderly. 1. 6 Response The response phase begins after the post-disaster situation has stabilized and there is no longer imminent threat of loss of human life. The response phase focuses on restoring law and order, ensuring a secure environment and distributing resources and supplies. Order and control: Restoring law and order is crucial to an environment in which appropriate response measures can be taken. If civil society and security deteriorate it will be more difficult or impossible to distribute sources to those in need, unnecessarily prolonging suffering. Quick damage assessment: Satellite images provide an initial quick overview Of the damage. Liquidity pooling schemes pay out: If the event has triggered the pooling policies, funds, commodities and equipment are transferred within 15 days (or more quickly for critical equipment). Use of funds: The country risk officer implements the catastrophe response plan. Funds from pooling schemes are deployed to purchase necessary supplies. 1. 7 Recovery The recovery phase begins once the post-disaster situation has stabilized enough for activities focused on returning people and the economy to predigested or better levels. Recovery involves getting people and communities back on their feet, and ideally in a better position than before the disaster. Deploying loss adjusters: Using satellite and aerial photography loss adjusters decide whether they can pay claims remotely. There are a sufficient number of loss adjusters, provided by both public and private sectors. Resilient and sustainable rebuilding: The country risk officer issues guidelines on peril-resilient rebuilding. All new construction conforms to the code. Non- compliance results in non-payment of future risk pooling claims or building condemnation. Managed retreat: Some regions will not be re-populated to make green spaces or other mitigation schemes. The difficult question of whether to turn over damaged homes to these spaces is an important policy issue. Community adaptation measures: The opportunity to adapt regions will be taken at the time of large-scale rebuilding (e. G. , sustainable urban drainage). This is a unique opportunity to re-design for the future. Lessons learned: All stakeholders devote time and resources to learn lessons room the disaster about such things as evacuation processes, risk models, data, building performance under stress, etc. Results are freely disseminated for the benefit of the international community. Micromanage, structured loans and Micronesians: These financial products provide liquidity for affected individuals, initiating faster recovery and promoting self-sufficiency. 2. Understanding risk * Understanding the hazards and risks a community is exposed to is one Of the prerequisite recommendations in this report. Continued advancement in this understanding will allow for more focused and improved solutions across he disaster timeline. Ensuring that this knowledge is cascaded down to the local level creates awareness and initiates responsibility. Where possible, effective disaster preparedness and risk mitigation must start at an individual and community level. There are many stakeholders involved in building community awareness, Understanding how to use these channels effectively, often in combination with the media, will increase risk understanding and awareness Capturing risk data’s Establishing reliable data is the first step and involves multiple stakeholders. There are numerous gaps in the data that has been captured on multiple littorals and in various data sets around the world. Ra sing awareness Raising awareness is needed at the local community level. Different channels of communications that can reach individuals locally include the use of media, education, and community involvement. Small behavioral adaptations can result in large reductions in the impact to society. For leaseholders countries with high casualty rates, the importance of awareness understanding various need factors is critical. Organizations such as the Red Cross have significant expertise and capacity to help in countries where institutional capacity is not available. Physical Resilience Increasing physical resilience is an ongoing process for ensuring that structures, from large-scale infrastructure to individual buildings, are better prepared for natural disasters. This is an iterative process as cities and regions regenerate themselves, and as knowledge, technology and materials improve. Increasing resilience should be a priority for policy-makers to reduce loss of life and lessen economic loss. Physical resilience requires long-term planning at the national, regional, and local levels; between local governments; with rural and urban areas; and cross departments and agencies. Natural disasters know no boundaries and they cross government jurisdictions. 4. Financial preparedness Financial preparedness is a key element in a country’s overall resilience to natural disasters. It can reduce the long-term impact on economic development at the macro level. At the micro level it provides financial protection to individuals and businesses to reduce the impact on livelihoods. In addition to a functioning public policy and regulatory framework, insurance development depends on factors that define a country broader development strategy. Micronesians Micronesians, which protects low-income people from specific risks, is typically characterized by low premiums reflecting the pricing of focused coverage. Low-income people are often exposed to risks due to the nature of their livelihoods, for example, subsistence farming, or because they live In disaster-prone areas. Distribution High volume is a key to the insurance business model. Therefore, microsurgery need to partner with organizations With ties to the communities that they seek to serve to gain access to and build trust with potential customers. Financial literacy Explaining how insurance works can be difficult. It is also difficult to build trust with potential customers because the benefits of insurance are realized in the future. V. Conclusion and recommendations: Conclusion * Natural disasters affect all countries. However, in lesser-developed countries natural disasters cause disproportionate impact, killing thousands and threatening the livelihoods of those who survive, The variations in these effects between countries in there is a need to transfer knowledge, mobile financial resources and strengthen institutional capacity for natural disaster management in proactive and sustainable ways. However, there have been large variations in their societal impact, particularly on developing countries. Much work needs to be done at local, regional, national international level to improve preparation and response through enhanced resiliency and risk mitigation Accordingly, to reduce the impact of natural disasters, a multiculturalism approach is needed. At the heart of the recommendations is a desire to reduce the overall impact on society. Recommendations: To reduce the impact of natural disasters, a multiculturalism approach is needed. At the heart of the recommendations is a desire to reduce the overall impact on society. The success of that effort will depend on a number of factors: Raising Awareness Building awareness brings recognition of risk and initiates behavioral change. To begin the process one needs to collect appropriate data on risks, which needs to be made publicly available. Communicating the message in a way that informs the affected public of the risks they face is needed to motivate an increase in resilience and preparedness. Enhancing Resiliency Reducing risk through enhancing resilience requires an integrated planning process to make sure that structures are resilient to current and future hazards. Financial Preparedness Financial preparedness includes the concept of risk transfer to protect people’s livelihoods. Traditional insurance using risk-based pricing free from political intervention is an important part of the toolkit to enable faster recovery and reconstruction. Alternative preparedness measures include Micronesians; catastrophe bonds (cat bonds), which in parametric form can provide fast liquidity in times of crisis; and country level funds to help reduce public sector liability. Public Sector The public sector role depends on a country capacity to mitigate and respond to natural disasters. Natural Disasters and Decisions That Flow Essay Example Natural Disasters and Decisions That Flow Paper The unpredictable natural disasters’ effect on different industries and the wrong decisions that may follow the occurrence of such disasters may be due to: inaccurate forecasting of weather, inaccurate planning and risk analysis, also the governments and organizations over confidence in their ability to take decision and over come the risks. Also, insufficient financial support and miscommunication results in higher civil and human loss. As we examine the consequences of natural disasters several issues must be considered: * Many countries lack the knowledge, capacity and resources to deal with natural disasters. After a disaster the public sector is often paralyzed by damaged infrastructure and unable to cover the costs of emergency and relief efforts, let alone reconstruction work. * Lack of overall risk planning and investment in physical resilience measures, with too much focus on post-disaster response, leads to increased loss of life, suffering and damage. People in poor countries are generally more exposed to natural disasters, particularly through a higher dependency on agriculture and increased vulnerability to the natural environment. * Insurance penetration is high in developed countries. In lesser developed entries, the availability of insurance is limited and premiums are often not affordable. With less coverage, impacts from natural disasters can derail economic growth. There are several reasons for the increased vulnerability of societies to natural disasters: * Population growth: Between 1950 and 2010, world population grew from 2. 5 to 6. 9 billion,2 putting more people in harms way. * Location: Population growth has occurred in areas more prone to natural disasters, such as coastal areas and riverbanks. * arbitration: Poor urban planning, zoning and construction exacerbate the effects of natural disasters * Value: Economic velveteen brings higher asset values, thereby increasing the possible financial loss. Climate change: While there is not yet consensus in the scientific community whether and to what extent climate change increases the number and severity Of climatic events,5 there are several prominent studies suggesting that there exists a causal relationship, increasing risk uncertainty. We will write a custom essay sample on Natural Disasters and Decisions That Flow specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Natural Disasters and Decisions That Flow specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Natural Disasters and Decisions That Flow specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Ill. List of Alternative course of actions: The unpredictable natural disasters and its consequences affect masses of people and require involvement of various sectors of country organizations to achieve ultimately successful results. Effective disaster management system should be in place which includes disaster prediction, disaster warning, disaster management and disaster relief. Implementation of the following measures can have a significant impact on the extent of suffering after a natural disaster: 1 . Clear vision for dealing with natural disasters. To increase knowledge and awareness of the population at large, the private sector and policy-makers to achieve behavior change. 2. Understanding the risk and mitigate risks through a variety of methods using both public and private means. 3. Enhanced physical resilience as a preventative step to reduce risk by hysterical measures, This is the only way to directly reduce the loss Of life and number of people affected. 4. Financial preparedness to reduce the long-term impact on economic development at the macro level as evidenced IV. Evaluation of Alternatives 1. Vision for dealing with natural disasters A vision of how various means of risk management could work together through â€Å"backward imaging†. Taking realistic natural disaster scenarios and apply best practice recommendations to develop a vision for the future. Ochs is on risk transfer solutions and enhanced risk resiliency. 1. 1 Data Comprehensive data is crucial throughout the natural disaster timeline for increasing awareness, finding effective resilience measures, early warning systems, efficient disaster response and resilient rebuilding. Capturing and mapping: The international community with local cooperation will implement a long-term programmer of global observation data. This data will include satellite observations and ground-based Observations to allow for Ð’Â «trustingÐ’Â » of the satellite data. Risk identification and assessment: Using open-access catastrophe modeling architecture and risk models created by the insurance industry and academia tit funding from UNFROCK adaptation funds, insurers and other risk pooling mechanisms will be able to assess risk and characterize the uncertainties surrounding their estimates. 1. 2 Awareness With good data, the public understands the need for preparation and risk reducing measures. Governments, the private sector and the media build awareness of risks and risk-mitigation principles at national, regional, and community levels. School awareness programmer: Schools play an important role. Children from a young age must understand the perils to which their communities are exposed and the appropriate response behaviors. Community awareness: Education in the community is required to ensure that awareness building continues in ad alt life. Communication: The media will run long-term campaigns on regional natural catastrophe risks, highlighting the benefit Of resilience and risk pooling measures. Multiple channels should be used, using resonating messaging to counter psychological tendencies of avoidance and denial, and foster behavioral change. 1. 3 Planning and prevention Planning and prevention require long lead times, especially for physical resilience projects. These large-scale projects and local community response Lana are both important to community awareness. Coordinating these measures to ensure effectiveness and efficient use of funds requires a central government figure, called in this report a â€Å"country risk officer. Country risk officers: Tasked with keeping up-to-date risk and asset data, they coordinate pre-disaster mitigation measures, such as building resilience, with financial preparedness Large-scale defense: Using risk maps, large-scale peril defense programmer are conducted in areas of high value or national importance, potentially contributed to by UNFROCK adaptation funds. Community-level defense: With awareness of risk, communities can work together on local measures, particularly where large-scale defenses are not possible. This may include avoiding construction in peril-prone areas,or making buildings temporary or peril-resilient in such areas. Individual-level defense: Some individuals and businesses may choose to adapt their properties, as they will see lower insurance premiums as a consequence if insurance premiums reflect risk. Assign liability in advance: Risk pooling organizations are able to reduce their prices because they have contract certainty due to clear liability laws enacted n advance. 1. 4 Risk transfer There are various options for risk management – avoidance, reduction, transfer or retention. Risk transfer is the underlying tenet for insurance markets, passing a liability onto another party (spreading the risk). Risk pooling is vital to the recovery of individuals, firms and economies following a natural disaster. 1. 5 During an event Actions taken immediately before and during an event are crucial for limiting impact on lives and livelihoods. These actions include last minute resilience measures, early warning systems, evacuation plans and efficient response measures. Early warning prior to an event: For some events (e. G. , flooding, tropical cyclones and tsunamis) early warning is possible; others are more of a surprise (e. . , earthquakes). Where early warning is possible, meteorological offices and other peril monitoring services send warning messages to a list of stakeholders for broader dissemination, and also post information on their websites. Mobile warning cascade: Peril-prone regions have free mobile technology early warning systems that cascade a series of warnings. Fast-evacuation warnings: Local police and coastguard remove people from high-risk areas (e. G. Off beaches in a tsunami). Prior emergency drills have informed all stakeholders what they are expected to do. The evacuation is orderly. 1. 6 Response The response phase begins after the post-disaster situation has stabilized and there is no longer imminent threat of loss of human life. The response phase focuses on restoring law and order, ensuring a secure environment and distributing resources and supplies. Order and control: Restoring law and order is crucial to an environment in which appropriate response measures can be taken. If civil society and security deteriorate it will be more difficult or impossible to distribute sources to those in need, unnecessarily prolonging suffering. Quick damage assessment: Satellite images provide an initial quick overview Of the damage. Liquidity pooling schemes pay out: If the event has triggered the pooling policies, funds, commodities and equipment are transferred within 15 days (or more quickly for critical equipment). Use of funds: The country risk officer implements the catastrophe response plan. Funds from pooling schemes are deployed to purchase necessary supplies. 1. 7 Recovery The recovery phase begins once the post-disaster situation has stabilized enough for activities focused on returning people and the economy to predigested or better levels. Recovery involves getting people and communities back on their feet, and ideally in a better position than before the disaster. Deploying loss adjusters: Using satellite and aerial photography loss adjusters decide whether they can pay claims remotely. There are a sufficient number of loss adjusters, provided by both public and private sectors. Resilient and sustainable rebuilding: The country risk officer issues guidelines on peril-resilient rebuilding. All new construction conforms to the code. Non- compliance results in non-payment of future risk pooling claims or building condemnation. Managed retreat: Some regions will not be re-populated to make green spaces or other mitigation schemes. The difficult question of whether to turn over damaged homes to these spaces is an important policy issue. Community adaptation measures: The opportunity to adapt regions will be taken at the time of large-scale rebuilding (e. G. , sustainable urban drainage). This is a unique opportunity to re-design for the future. Lessons learned: All stakeholders devote time and resources to learn lessons room the disaster about such things as evacuation processes, risk models, data, building performance under stress, etc. Results are freely disseminated for the benefit of the international community. Micromanage, structured loans and Micronesians: These financial products provide liquidity for affected individuals, initiating faster recovery and promoting self-sufficiency. 2. Understanding risk * Understanding the hazards and risks a community is exposed to is one Of the prerequisite recommendations in this report. Continued advancement in this understanding will allow for more focused and improved solutions across he disaster timeline. Ensuring that this knowledge is cascaded down to the local level creates awareness and initiates responsibility. Where possible, effective disaster preparedness and risk mitigation must start at an individual and community level. There are many stakeholders involved in building community awareness, Understanding how to use these channels effectively, often in combination with the media, will increase risk understanding and awareness Capturing risk data’s Establishing reliable data is the first step and involves multiple stakeholders. There are numerous gaps in the data that has been captured on multiple littorals and in various data sets around the world. Ra sing awareness Raising awareness is needed at the local community level. Different channels of communications that can reach individuals locally include the use of media, education, and community involvement. Small behavioral adaptations can result in large reductions in the impact to society. For leaseholders countries with high casualty rates, the importance of awareness understanding various need factors is critical. Organizations such as the Red Cross have significant expertise and capacity to help in countries where institutional capacity is not available. Physical Resilience Increasing physical resilience is an ongoing process for ensuring that structures, from large-scale infrastructure to individual buildings, are better prepared for natural disasters. This is an iterative process as cities and regions regenerate themselves, and as knowledge, technology and materials improve. Increasing resilience should be a priority for policy-makers to reduce loss of life and lessen economic loss. Physical resilience requires long-term planning at the national, regional, and local levels; between local governments; with rural and urban areas; and cross departments and agencies. Natural disasters know no boundaries and they cross government jurisdictions. 4. Financial preparedness Financial preparedness is a key element in a country’s overall resilience to natural disasters. It can reduce the long-term impact on economic development at the macro level. At the micro level it provides financial protection to individuals and businesses to reduce the impact on livelihoods. In addition to a functioning public policy and regulatory framework, insurance development depends on factors that define a country broader development strategy. Micronesians Micronesians, which protects low-income people from specific risks, is typically characterized by low premiums reflecting the pricing of focused coverage. Low-income people are often exposed to risks due to the nature of their livelihoods, for example, subsistence farming, or because they live In disaster-prone areas. Distribution High volume is a key to the insurance business model. Therefore, microsurgery need to partner with organizations With ties to the communities that they seek to serve to gain access to and build trust with potential customers. Financial literacy Explaining how insurance works can be difficult. It is also difficult to build trust with potential customers because the benefits of insurance are realized in the future. V. Conclusion and recommendations: Conclusion * Natural disasters affect all countries. However, in lesser-developed countries natural disasters cause disproportionate impact, killing thousands and threatening the livelihoods of those who survive, The variations in these effects between countries in there is a need to transfer knowledge, mobile financial resources and strengthen institutional capacity for natural disaster management in proactive and sustainable ways. However, there have been large variations in their societal impact, particularly on developing countries. Much work needs to be done at local, regional, national international level to improve preparation and response through enhanced resiliency and risk mitigation Accordingly, to reduce the impact of natural disasters, a multiculturalism approach is needed. At the heart of the recommendations is a desire to reduce the overall impact on society. Recommendations: To reduce the impact of natural disasters, a multiculturalism approach is needed. At the heart of the recommendations is a desire to reduce the overall impact on society. The success of that effort will depend on a number of factors: Raising Awareness Building awareness brings recognition of risk and initiates behavioral change. To begin the process one needs to collect appropriate data on risks, which needs to be made publicly available. Communicating the message in a way that informs the affected public of the risks they face is needed to motivate an increase in resilience and preparedness. Enhancing Resiliency Reducing risk through enhancing resilience requires an integrated planning process to make sure that structures are resilient to current and future hazards. Financial Preparedness Financial preparedness includes the concept of risk transfer to protect people’s livelihoods. Traditional insurance using risk-based pricing free from political intervention is an important part of the toolkit to enable faster recovery and reconstruction. Alternative preparedness measures include Micronesians; catastrophe bonds (cat bonds), which in parametric form can provide fast liquidity in times of crisis; and country level funds to help reduce public sector liability. Public Sector The public sector role depends on a country capacity to mitigate and respond to natural disasters.

Pro-Life v. Pro-Choice essays

Pro-Life v. Pro-Choice essays One of the most controversial issues that exists today is abortion. Many strong opinions arise on whether a woman should have the right to an abortion, and whether the court has the power to grant a woman this right. The Editors of The Progressive and the Editors of The National Review have their own opinion on abortion, and go into further detail on specific issues such as Roe v. Wade, Privacy Rights and back-alley abortions. In the case of Roe v. Wade, the Court prohibited any regulation of abortion in the first trimester, allowed only adjustments pertaining to the health of the mother in the second, and only maternal health reasons in the third. The Editors of the National Review claim that Roe v. Wade is responsible for killing about 35 million innocent human beings, and counting, as a direct result of abortion. On the other hand, The Editors of The Progressive state that a few of the pro-life advocates who preach about preserving human life, are also the ones directly responsible for murdering the doctors who perform the procedures. The Editors of The National Review state that abortion has corrupted everything, including families and the role of a father. The National Review comment that by giving women the right to chose has, in turn, given irresponsible men an excuse to walk out on their children. They feel this gives men the option to say the woman chose to keep the child, so she has to deal with the consequences of her decision. The Editors of The Progressive comment on the fact that the state should not have the right to tell a women whether she should, or should not be allowed to have an abortion. The Progressive states that while a woman is pregnant, and her health is in jeopardy, it is completely against her rights to be forced to carry the baby to term. The final issue is about back-alley abortions. The Editors of the National Review state Roe ...

Listing of Atlantic 2016 Hurricane Names

Listing of Atlantic 2016 Hurricane Names Below you will find the listing of hurricane names for the Atlantic Ocean for the year 2016. For every year, there is a pre-approved list of tropical storm and hurricane names. These lists have been generated by the National Hurricane Center since 1953. At first, the lists consisted of only female names; however, since 1979, the lists alternate between male and female. Hurricane Naming Conventions Hurricanes are named alphabetically from the list in chronological order. Thus the first tropical storm or hurricane of the year has a name that begins with A and the second is given the name that begins with B. The lists contain hurricane names that begin from A to W, but exclude names that begin with a Q or U. There are six lists that continue to rotate. The lists only change when there is a hurricane that is so devastating, the name is retired and another hurricane name replaces it. Thus, the 2016 hurricane name list is the same as the 2010 hurricane name list but after the 2010 hurricane season, there may be changes to the list if names are retired so check back after the 2010 hurricane season. 2016 Hurricane Names AlexBonnieColinDanielleEarlFionaGastonHermineIgorJuliaKarlLisaMatthewNicoleOttoPaulaRichardSharyTomasVirginieWalter

Communication questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Communication questions - Essay Example Taking the analysis a little bit further, the individual can realize that by analyzing the language of a particular media outlet, the individual can come to understand what bias might exist within the language or what understanding the media might be attempting to provide. Further, with regard to the production, the individual that pays close attention to how the production of the media is effected will be more likely to recognize a the way in which different methods tend to focus on aspects that might be biased in some way or another. Additionally, the representation of the media is another key point that helps to show a level of media literacy. By understanding the representation that a particular piece of media provides, the viewer, reader, or participant can come to understanding the approach to the story that the media outlet has decided on. Finally, a focus on the audience that the media outlet is attempting to present the story to also tells the individual a lot about what inf ormation is being represented and how the media wants the information to be used. As a result of these understandings, I have come to apply this particular approach to the majority of the media that I consume; especially to any news media. By focusing on the audience for which the media was designed, I can oftentimes see the way in which media is used to create a particular point of view or ideology on a particular topic. By thinking about how the media was produced and what factors are focused on the most, especially if it is television media, I am able to see the approach that the news story is likely o promote or the approach that the media is attempting to ridicule. Similarly, by analyzing the way that language of the media, I have been able to understand the level of bias that is oftentimes presented prior to the individual having the opportunity to come to their own

DISCUSS CRITICALLY THE MAIN FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE EMERGENCE Essay

DISCUSS CRITICALLY THE MAIN FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE EMERGENCE OF ISLAMIC FEMINISM - Essay Example The Islamic feminist movement has begun to adapt certain Western thought into their efforts to become involved in the global trend towards a more progressive attitude in terms of the rights of women. In fact, the feminist movement in Islam can be seen as the third wave of feminism that is striving to fight against cultural inequalities inherent in some of the more traditional Muslim doctrines (Badran, 1986). This is a battle of cultures, pitting modern thought against the need to maintain ties to a strong faith that has been the cornerstone of much of the world for multiple centuries. To be sure, there are differences of opinion when considering the Islamic feminist movement and how much attention it should even garner. Some would argue that such reform efforts have no place in a discussion surrounding religious faith, while others would contend that religion and modernity can still go hand in hand (Gardner, 2006). This paper will deal with the current trend of Islamic feminism in an effort to bridge these differences of opinion and to move this dominant world religion towards a culture that is more accommodating of individual differences, while still honouring age-old traditions of religious, moral, and social values. The Emergence of Islamic Feminism The United Nations and the Plight of Women: 1975-1985 In the mid 1970s, the United Nations (UN) began a decade long initiative to focus on the plight of women globally. Women from around the globe attended a focused UN summit meeting that was designed to springboard a new attention to feminism worldwide. The idea behind the summit actually began with the general assembly meeting previously held in Mexico. It was there that delegates expressed concerns about the treatment of women worldwide (Gardner, 2006). The fact is that cultural and religious differences likely prohibit a universal feminist movement where all women are subject to the same treatment and the goal of true equality is met. With that being said, de legates to the United Nations increasingly began to feel that there should be a sort of universal declaration of feminist rights that would transcend culture and religion (Gardner, 2006). Out of this was born the idea of the Decade for Women. That General Assembly was reportedly that first major meeting ever held by the United Nations that made women’s rights a primary area of focus (Fraser, 1987). In essence, the General Assembly saw fit to create a declaration that drew from recent Human Rights initiatives, namely that women across the globe should have certain rights, regardless of their religious or cultural background. Subsequently, many left the meeting with a renewed passion for establishing and promoting certain responsibilities that should be shared amongst the countries of the world in terms of equalizing gender relationships in not only the workplace, but the general community as well (Moore and Pubantz, 2008). The idea was to make the feminist movement a focus of future initiatives for the next decade, both at the national and international level. Particular attention would be paid to countries that possessed a less than stellar record in the area of women’s rights. The declaration set forth the notion that both males and females should be viewed as

Supply Chain for Audi Essay Example for Free

Supply Chain for Audi Essay Supply Chain Research Submitted by Ahmed El-Barky Outlines (Topic 1) 12345Activities. Market and competitors. Supply chain design. SWOT analysis. References. 1- Activities for Audi. Audi is one of the best cars in the world. In the beginning I will talk about Audi’s activities. First of all we all know the Audi is a German manufacturer of Cars. Producing a lot of types of cars starting from Supermini to SUV cars in different prices with different categories. Audi is a brand from the group of Volkswagen. The company itself located in Ingolstadt, Germany The Company name comes from the founder name Who August Horch, His sir name means (Listen) in Germany and when you translate it into Latin it becomes Audi. 2- Audi Competitors. One of the biggest competitor towards Audi is BMW and of course the competition between Audi A4 and BMW 3 series. And BMW X Series and Audi Q7. Other competitor is Mercedes and they are competing with Audi A2 and Mercedes A class. 3- Supply Chain Design. Customer 4- SWOT Analysis. -Strengths Audis Brand. Audi is one of the most valuable cars in cars industry. The positioning of this car is really high for the customer they position it as high prestige according to the design and the style. -Strong cash flow Company operations during the period 2003-2006. The company increased its cash flow by 16% . according to that the cash equivalent increases from 1,207. 5million Euro to 4,884million. This is strength because with strong cash that will help the company to achieve its plans. Weaknesses Focusing only on Germany 70. 5% of the revenue for this company came from Germany Market. That will affect the company revenue because if the economy in Germany is not growing or sales in Germany is not going well. Or the competition in this area becomes higher. Small amount of production Audi has a small amount of production according to its Competitors for Example BMW produced 1. 1 million units and Mercedes 1. 2 million unit and for Audi in the same year it was 0. 9 Million unit that will affect the revenue of the company. ecause in the same year the revenues for BMW was 48,999 million Euro and for Audi it was 31,142 million Euro in the same year. Opportunities Sales in china China is the third world’s largest car market after US and Japan. China expectations are that it will be the world largest in 2015. Audi is the chines market since 1988 and it represents 10% from t he whole market. Audi became back in the chines market in 2006 by Audi A6 modified engine. Russian market. Russia is one of the fast growing car markets in the world. The annual growth was 30% in 2006 compared to 2005. Accourding to those changing Audi is preparing itself to compete in this market throw a large net of dealers and satellite service workshops in Russia. Middle East Market The Arab Gulf Area is one of the most important areas for luxury cars. Many of automotive industries start to establish their own factories there. The luxury car Is expected to grow 20% for the next 3 years. Towards that the company started to invest a lot for the luxury cars there like Audi Q7. Threats Material prices Cost of the raw material such as aluminum and other for this industry is rising. That will affect the company because the prices will be higher and that will increase the competition for the Japanese companies. Economy in Eurozone 90% from the revenue for Audi comes from Eurozone market and the euro economy is declining so it’s too hard to get the target revenue in this market only.

The Simpsons as a Sitcom Essay -- Television Animation Cartoons Papers

The Simpsons as a Sitcom "The Simpsons" is an example of an American sitcom. A sitcom is situation comedy, which is when the same setting and same characters appear in every episode. Examples of sitcoms are programs such as "The Crosby Show" and more recent sitcoms such as "Friends". Sitcoms surfaced in the 1950's in America showing the "ideal" family. Slowly sitcoms started to show the reality of life and dealt with social issues such as divorce and unemployment. Sitcoms have become very popular because people could relate to the program and sitcoms show problems, which happen in every day life in a light-hearted way. These are some of the reasons why "The Simpsons" is very successful and popular. In this essay I am going to use the example of "The Simpsons" and evaluate to see how it follows the conventions of the sitcom genre. The opening sequence of "The Simpsons" introduces us to the main characters and we can see the stereotypes, which are used in the programme. In the opening sequence we see Homer at work. This is what a stereotypical father's role is. We are also shown how Homer goes against the stereotype because he takes some radioactive waste with him showing that he is careless. Marge is shown doing the shopping and looking after the baby Maggie. Marge fits the stereotypical role of a mother in the sense that she is a housewife and takes care of the house. In the programme Marge sometimes goes against the stereotype because she seems to be the authority figure of the family and this is what the man of the house is supposed to do. Bart is shown in detention in the title sequence. Bart does not fit the stereotypical ... ...f the air because people would take offence to it. "The Simpsons" is a very successful programme and has been running for a very long time. Many people have different views on "The Simpsons" some think that it is rude and stupid others think that it is funny and realistic. I think that "The Simpsons" shows the reality of life in a light-hearted way. I think this is why it is a successful programme and also the humour kind of hides the rudeness and that is why people don't take offence to it. In some ways "The Simpson" is a sitcom because it has a family in it and has the same characters and the same setting in every episode. In some ways it isn't a sitcom because it goes against stereotypes and does not set a good example to others. Despite this I still think it is a very good programme and should be called a sitcom.

Tarahumara Indians

The Running People Rex Pace, an ultrarunner, once said, â€Å"Pushing your body past what you thought it was capable of is easy; the hard part is pushing yourself even further †¦ past what your mind wants to let you. That’s what ultrarunning is all about; introducing you to a self you’ve never known. † The human body can do amazing things, especially when it comes to running. Although most people think of running as a pain in the behind, a small minority are crazy about it. These people live and breathe running.People like a Scott Jurek, or Ann Trason, well known endurance runners, can clock in more than 150 miles a week because to them, running is not just a sport, but a lifestyle. Because of these people, ultrarunning was born and has taken its hold. All over the country, races anywhere from 50 to 300 miles long are taking place, and only the best runners complete them. That is, the runners who want to be known. However, there is a group of people who have been called â€Å"the finest natural distance runners in the world†, yet barely anyone has heard of them.These very shy and isolated people are known as the Tarahumara Indians, and they are incredible endurance runners. This is evident in the way they live and how they incorporate running as a part of their lifestyle. The Tarahumara Indians also call themselves the Raramuri, which translates to mean foot runner. These Indians live in the Sierra Madre of Mexico, in â€Å"small isolated clusters with most of the population concentrated in the†¦Copper Canyons† (Beauregard). The Copper Canyons consists of five canyons, three of which are deeper than the Grand Canyon.The terrain is very rugged, nearly impassable to outsiders, and there is a lot of vegetation. Due to cold temperatures, the soil is bad for growing crops, and so the â€Å"Tarahumara are semi-nomadic and cave dwellers for part of the year† (Beauregard). They also live under cliffs or in small cabin s. Because they live so deep within the Copper Canyons, they do not receive many visitors, so the Tarahumara are a very shy bunch. Life is very simple because â€Å"the Tarahumara still want nothing to do with money and material things that are not important to them† (Beauregard).Family and running are probably the two most important things to a Tarahumara Indian. Speaking of running, the incredible endurance of these Indians may be, in part, due to their healthy diet. The main staple food is corn. Almost everything the Tarahumara eat contains corn, such as their favorite: Pinole. Pinole is basically corn ground to a powder and then toasted. A few other common foods would be squash, beans, chili, wild greens, and handmade tortillas. Meat is only eaten on special occasions because animals are usually kept for farming purposes only.The Tarahumara eat â€Å"approximately 10% protein, 10% fat and 80% complex carbohydrates† (Lutz 31). This ratio keeps the Tarahumara fueled with energy all day long, and helps them stay fit by consuming so little fat. Although the â€Å"Tarahumara diet is very simple†¦nutritionists agree that it is very healthy† (Kennedy, 20) and is linked to why the Tarahumara are such great distance runners. They also have a special drink that can only classify as the best energy drink around.Made with only the seeds of the chia plant, water, and a little lime juice, this drink, which they call iskiate, can energize a person for the entire day. The chia seeds are tiny, but are â€Å"superpacked with omega-3s, omega-6s, protein, calcium, iron, zinc, fiber, and antioxidants†¦ [and aid in] building muscle, lowering cholesterol, and reducing your risk of heart disease† (McDougall, 44). Their diet keeps these Indians strong, fit, and always ready to run. For the Tarahumara, running is simply a part of daily life.In some ways, their running abilities are due to the biggest social event in their culture: the rarajipar i. The rarajipari, or foot throwing game, is a competition between the male adults of two neighboring villages that involves running along a set race course while â€Å"throwing† a wooden, baseball sized ball with the foot. The first team to cross the finish line with the ball wins. A game that lasts for two days â€Å"is not unusual†¦ and many [courses] are 60 to 90 miles long† (Kennedy, 92) or longer. The runners do not get breaks, but must constantly be alert at all times as to where the ball is, and no hands are allowed.In the beginning of a race, â€Å"spectators frequently run along with the runners†¦ [and] a great deal of fun is generated† (Lutz, 26). The game is taught to kids at an early age, and is the only sport the Tarahumara play. Competitions happen very often because â€Å"the rarajipari [is] the heart and soul of Tarahumara culture† (McDougall, 41). This game is part of the reason the Tarahumara are such great endurance runners, and without it they would not be the same people. However the rarajipari is not the only way the Tarahumara incorporate running into their lifestyle. The Indians run almost everywhere they go, apparently because they like to† (Lutz 33). There are almost no roads in the Sierra Madre, and most paths are rugged, steep and narrow. For this reason, foot travel is the preferred mode of transportation by the Tarahumara to get from point A to point B. If point B happens to be another village, it is most likely more than 50 miles away, so the Indians must be in amazing physical condition. It would not be uncommon for a Tarahumara to â€Å"run 200 miles over a period of three days and nights† (Lutz 22).Since they tend to move around according to the season, the family’s â€Å" small plots of land are frequently miles from where the family lives, [so] every member of the family must be able to travel long distances in order to perform his everyday tasks† (Lutz 33). A lso, when the Tarahumara go out hunting, they do not use traditional hunting techniques because they do not have guns or other weapons. Instead, â€Å"in order to catch such wild animals as deer, wild turkeys, and rabbits, the Tarahumara simply chase after the animal until the animal drops from exhaustion† (Beauregard).This is, again, an example of their super endurance and incorporation of running in their lives. When these amazing runners became known, a man named Rick Fisher, a wilderness photographer, decided it would be great publicity to sponsor an all-Tarahumara team and sign them up for the Leadville 100 mile race in Leadville, Colorado. Leadville happens to be the highest city in North America, and so the â€Å"Leadville Trail 100 boils down to nearly four full marathons, half of them in the dark, with twin twenty-six-hundred-foot climbs smack in the middle† (McDougall, 57).Basically, the trail is a nightmare, and only about 50% of the participants ever finish . So Mr. Fisher trekked into the Copper Canyons to find his all-star team, promised their village a pile of corn, and in 1993, Victoriano Churro, Cerrildo Chacarito, Manuel Luna and Felipe Torres ran the Leadville 100. About half way through the ultra-marathon â€Å"even the best ultrarunners†¦are heads down and digging deep†¦ [but] by mile 60, the Tarahumara were flying† (McDougall, 65). Victoriano, Cerrildo, and Manuel had swiftly crept up and passed all the other runners.In the end, Victoriano came in first, Cerrildo in second, and Manuel came in fifth because of a broken sandal. â€Å"The first non-Tarahumara finisher was nearly a full hour behind Victoriano†¦ [and the Indians] had done serious damage to the record book† (McDougall, 65). Having never trained for or run the Leadville 100 before, the Tarahumara team managed to grab three of the top five spots because of their amazing endurance. Later, in 2008, the Tarahumara participated in another ult ra-marathon. However, this race had never been run before, and will never be run again.Put together by a man who calls himself Caballo Blanco, a very good friend of the Tarahumara people, this race took place in Urique, Mexico, heart of the Tarahumara country. The start and finish line was the village of the Urique Tarahumara. Caballo Blanco had â€Å"laid out a diabolical course; [they would] be climbing and descending sixty-five hundred feet in fifty miles† (McDougall, 258) and the entire course had been planned â€Å"in a Y pattern, with the starting line dead in the center† (McDougall, 262).There were a total of 25 participants: 20 Tarahumara, including the legendary Arnulfo and Silvino, and 5 Americans, including Scott Jurek, one of the best ultra-marathoners in the world. When the race started, the Urique group bounded out with a burst of speed to lead the pack. However, it became suspicious when,â€Å"in the space of just four miles, the Urique crew had opened up a four minute lead†¦ [and so] they were disqualified† (McDougall, 262) for cheating. With the Urique out, Silvino and Arnulfo took the lead, with Scott Jurek right on their heels.In the end Arnulfo took the gold, Scott the silver, and Silvino the bronze. The last racer to finish, Christopher McDougall, crossed the finish line 12 hours after the race began, â€Å"meaning that Scott and Arnulfo could have run the course all over again and still have beaten [him]† (McDougall, 273). Most of the Tarahumara who competed finished the race within 6 or 7 hours, again displaying their incredible endurance. When it comes to the test, these Indians sure know how to take the gold. Completely isolated in the Sierra Madre from the rest of the world, these Indians and their abilities were unknown for a very long time.Many people still have never heard of them, but if they did, they would surely be blown away and inspired. The Tarahumara are the best endurance runners out there and completely by accident. Due to the simplicity of their lives, a very healthy diet, and the importance that running has in their lifestyle, the Tarahumara have every right to call themselves the Raramui, or running people. These Indians are an inspiration to me, and probably to many other runners out there. Hopefully one day I can be half as good an athlete as they are. Tarahumara Indians The Running People Rex Pace, an ultrarunner, once said, â€Å"Pushing your body past what you thought it was capable of is easy; the hard part is pushing yourself even further †¦ past what your mind wants to let you. That’s what ultrarunning is all about; introducing you to a self you’ve never known. † The human body can do amazing things, especially when it comes to running. Although most people think of running as a pain in the behind, a small minority are crazy about it. These people live and breathe running.People like a Scott Jurek, or Ann Trason, well known endurance runners, can clock in more than 150 miles a week because to them, running is not just a sport, but a lifestyle. Because of these people, ultrarunning was born and has taken its hold. All over the country, races anywhere from 50 to 300 miles long are taking place, and only the best runners complete them. That is, the runners who want to be known. However, there is a group of people who have been called â€Å"the finest natural distance runners in the world†, yet barely anyone has heard of them.These very shy and isolated people are known as the Tarahumara Indians, and they are incredible endurance runners. This is evident in the way they live and how they incorporate running as a part of their lifestyle. The Tarahumara Indians also call themselves the Raramuri, which translates to mean foot runner. These Indians live in the Sierra Madre of Mexico, in â€Å"small isolated clusters with most of the population concentrated in the†¦Copper Canyons† (Beauregard). The Copper Canyons consists of five canyons, three of which are deeper than the Grand Canyon.The terrain is very rugged, nearly impassable to outsiders, and there is a lot of vegetation. Due to cold temperatures, the soil is bad for growing crops, and so the â€Å"Tarahumara are semi-nomadic and cave dwellers for part of the year† (Beauregard). They also live under cliffs or in small cabin s. Because they live so deep within the Copper Canyons, they do not receive many visitors, so the Tarahumara are a very shy bunch. Life is very simple because â€Å"the Tarahumara still want nothing to do with money and material things that are not important to them† (Beauregard).Family and running are probably the two most important things to a Tarahumara Indian. Speaking of running, the incredible endurance of these Indians may be, in part, due to their healthy diet. The main staple food is corn. Almost everything the Tarahumara eat contains corn, such as their favorite: Pinole. Pinole is basically corn ground to a powder and then toasted. A few other common foods would be squash, beans, chili, wild greens, and handmade tortillas. Meat is only eaten on special occasions because animals are usually kept for farming purposes only.The Tarahumara eat â€Å"approximately 10% protein, 10% fat and 80% complex carbohydrates† (Lutz 31). This ratio keeps the Tarahumara fueled with energy all day long, and helps them stay fit by consuming so little fat. Although the â€Å"Tarahumara diet is very simple†¦nutritionists agree that it is very healthy† (Kennedy, 20) and is linked to why the Tarahumara are such great distance runners. They also have a special drink that can only classify as the best energy drink around.Made with only the seeds of the chia plant, water, and a little lime juice, this drink, which they call iskiate, can energize a person for the entire day. The chia seeds are tiny, but are â€Å"superpacked with omega-3s, omega-6s, protein, calcium, iron, zinc, fiber, and antioxidants†¦ [and aid in] building muscle, lowering cholesterol, and reducing your risk of heart disease† (McDougall, 44). Their diet keeps these Indians strong, fit, and always ready to run. For the Tarahumara, running is simply a part of daily life.In some ways, their running abilities are due to the biggest social event in their culture: the rarajipar i. The rarajipari, or foot throwing game, is a competition between the male adults of two neighboring villages that involves running along a set race course while â€Å"throwing† a wooden, baseball sized ball with the foot. The first team to cross the finish line with the ball wins. A game that lasts for two days â€Å"is not unusual†¦ and many [courses] are 60 to 90 miles long† (Kennedy, 92) or longer. The runners do not get breaks, but must constantly be alert at all times as to where the ball is, and no hands are allowed.In the beginning of a race, â€Å"spectators frequently run along with the runners†¦ [and] a great deal of fun is generated† (Lutz, 26). The game is taught to kids at an early age, and is the only sport the Tarahumara play. Competitions happen very often because â€Å"the rarajipari [is] the heart and soul of Tarahumara culture† (McDougall, 41). This game is part of the reason the Tarahumara are such great endurance runners, and without it they would not be the same people. However the rarajipari is not the only way the Tarahumara incorporate running into their lifestyle. The Indians run almost everywhere they go, apparently because they like to† (Lutz 33). There are almost no roads in the Sierra Madre, and most paths are rugged, steep and narrow. For this reason, foot travel is the preferred mode of transportation by the Tarahumara to get from point A to point B. If point B happens to be another village, it is most likely more than 50 miles away, so the Indians must be in amazing physical condition. It would not be uncommon for a Tarahumara to â€Å"run 200 miles over a period of three days and nights† (Lutz 22).Since they tend to move around according to the season, the family’s â€Å" small plots of land are frequently miles from where the family lives, [so] every member of the family must be able to travel long distances in order to perform his everyday tasks† (Lutz 33). A lso, when the Tarahumara go out hunting, they do not use traditional hunting techniques because they do not have guns or other weapons. Instead, â€Å"in order to catch such wild animals as deer, wild turkeys, and rabbits, the Tarahumara simply chase after the animal until the animal drops from exhaustion† (Beauregard).This is, again, an example of their super endurance and incorporation of running in their lives. When these amazing runners became known, a man named Rick Fisher, a wilderness photographer, decided it would be great publicity to sponsor an all-Tarahumara team and sign them up for the Leadville 100 mile race in Leadville, Colorado. Leadville happens to be the highest city in North America, and so the â€Å"Leadville Trail 100 boils down to nearly four full marathons, half of them in the dark, with twin twenty-six-hundred-foot climbs smack in the middle† (McDougall, 57).Basically, the trail is a nightmare, and only about 50% of the participants ever finish . So Mr. Fisher trekked into the Copper Canyons to find his all-star team, promised their village a pile of corn, and in 1993, Victoriano Churro, Cerrildo Chacarito, Manuel Luna and Felipe Torres ran the Leadville 100. About half way through the ultra-marathon â€Å"even the best ultrarunners†¦are heads down and digging deep†¦ [but] by mile 60, the Tarahumara were flying† (McDougall, 65). Victoriano, Cerrildo, and Manuel had swiftly crept up and passed all the other runners.In the end, Victoriano came in first, Cerrildo in second, and Manuel came in fifth because of a broken sandal. â€Å"The first non-Tarahumara finisher was nearly a full hour behind Victoriano†¦ [and the Indians] had done serious damage to the record book† (McDougall, 65). Having never trained for or run the Leadville 100 before, the Tarahumara team managed to grab three of the top five spots because of their amazing endurance. Later, in 2008, the Tarahumara participated in another ult ra-marathon. However, this race had never been run before, and will never be run again.Put together by a man who calls himself Caballo Blanco, a very good friend of the Tarahumara people, this race took place in Urique, Mexico, heart of the Tarahumara country. The start and finish line was the village of the Urique Tarahumara. Caballo Blanco had â€Å"laid out a diabolical course; [they would] be climbing and descending sixty-five hundred feet in fifty miles† (McDougall, 258) and the entire course had been planned â€Å"in a Y pattern, with the starting line dead in the center† (McDougall, 262).There were a total of 25 participants: 20 Tarahumara, including the legendary Arnulfo and Silvino, and 5 Americans, including Scott Jurek, one of the best ultra-marathoners in the world. When the race started, the Urique group bounded out with a burst of speed to lead the pack. However, it became suspicious when,â€Å"in the space of just four miles, the Urique crew had opened up a four minute lead†¦ [and so] they were disqualified† (McDougall, 262) for cheating. With the Urique out, Silvino and Arnulfo took the lead, with Scott Jurek right on their heels.In the end Arnulfo took the gold, Scott the silver, and Silvino the bronze. The last racer to finish, Christopher McDougall, crossed the finish line 12 hours after the race began, â€Å"meaning that Scott and Arnulfo could have run the course all over again and still have beaten [him]† (McDougall, 273). Most of the Tarahumara who competed finished the race within 6 or 7 hours, again displaying their incredible endurance. When it comes to the test, these Indians sure know how to take the gold. Completely isolated in the Sierra Madre from the rest of the world, these Indians and their abilities were unknown for a very long time.Many people still have never heard of them, but if they did, they would surely be blown away and inspired. The Tarahumara are the best endurance runners out there and completely by accident. Due to the simplicity of their lives, a very healthy diet, and the importance that running has in their lifestyle, the Tarahumara have every right to call themselves the Raramui, or running people. These Indians are an inspiration to me, and probably to many other runners out there. Hopefully one day I can be half as good an athlete as they are.

Different Treatment Organizations in Prisons

There are various treatment programs in prisons that I have discovered by contacting several organizations. I will described a wide range of programs offered to inmates that help target special needs such as education, behavioral change, spiritual awareness, vocational training, parenting classes, HIV prevention, and drug education. I will describe each treatment programs that I have found and discuss the purposes of each program. A program called the Volunteer Prison Education Program was launched in July 1997 at the Rikers Island Prison. I called and spoke with Joan Bloomgarden, who described this program as a quality educational experience to inmates who would otherwise not have access to learning. This unique program involves volunteer educators to motivate inmates to help themselves, their families and one another to create a learning community within the prison system. The purpose of this program is to promote positive behavioral change, assist in prevention of crime, work cooperatively with prosecutors, and to actively involve the families of inmates in crime prevention. Courses offered are Child Development, Understanding Your Anger, Art Education in Prison: Toward Enhancing Self-Esteem, Conflict Resolution: Practical Exploration, Basic Understanding of Money Management, and Basic Eye Care. I contacted The Prison SMART Foundation Incorporated and spoke with Thomas Duffy, who was able to provide me information regarding their unique stress management and rehabilitative training program delivered to hardened criminals in U. S prisons. The purpose of this program is to teach the proper breathing techniques to help inmates reduce and manage their stress levels in order to help them think more clearly and to help them think about their actions. Taught by Prison SMART Foundation volunteers, this 6 to 10 day program utilizes advanced yoga breathing exercises and is based on the dynamic cleansing effects of the breath on the body and mind. As a result, they enjoy increased self-esteem and self-empowerment. Thousands who have completed the Prison SMART Foundation's stress management programs are living proof. Prison administrators have reported that inmates who have participated in this program are easier to handle and exhibit less acting out in confrontational situations. I contacted the Prisoners for Christ Outreach Ministries based in Kirkland, WA, and spoke with Greg Von Tobel, to learn more information about programs offered to inmates. Prisoners For Christ services include: Church Services and Bible Studies, Two Year Bible Study Correspondence Course, One to One Visitation Outreach, Pen Pal Outreach, Special Projects Outreach, Literature, Heart to Heart Christmas Giving Program, Wives Outreach, Parent Outreach, Van Transportation Outreach, and Northwest Transitional Housing. The purposes of these services are to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the jails, prisons, and juvenile centers of the Northwest. In addition, Prisoners For Christ work with the men, women, and children who are incarcerated to become fully functioning, tax paying citizens and to assist their families. Statistics shows that last year alone, 16,326 inmates (men, women, and youth) attended these programs in 19 different institutions. About 6% of inmates made their first time commitments to the Lord Jesus Christ. I wanted to learn about several other types of treatment programs offered in prisons, so I contacted the California Department of Corrections. They have implemented several programs designed to benefit both the inmates and the public. I will briefly describe each of these programs and the purpose each one offers. The Joint Venture Program, opened its doors in 1991, where private employers can contract with the California Department of Corrections to set up their businesses on prison grounds and hire inmate workers at competitive wages. This gives inmates the ability to provide economical benefits such as providing restitution to victims, becoming taxpayers, paying support to families, compensate costs for their incarceration, and mandatory savings to provide funds after release from prison. The social benefits are the ability to develop good work habits, gain job experience, decrease inmate idleness, and to return to society motivated and skilled adults. The Mother Infant Program is designed to help mothers reestablish bonds with their children, teach them valuable skills, and prepare them to return to society as working adults. Parenting classes, pre-employment training, and drug education classes are offered to help build better parenting relationships and brighter futures for inmates while they serve their time. In parenting classes, they learn how to talk and relate to their children and how to discipline effectively. Both mothers and children may also receive counseling. In pre-employment training, they gain practical information about applying, landing and keeping a job. Since the majority of the mothers have had some sort of chemical dependency in the past, they also attend drug education classes. The classes are geared to keep them from returning to their old habits, make them aware of the dangers of drug addiction, and show them how drugs not only impair their lives, but especially their children†s. The California Conservation Camp Program intents to train and use inmates for conservation and development of natural resources. These conservation camps are located in some of the state's most secluded wilderness areas. They provide a large force of trained crews for fire fighting, resource conservation, and emergency assignments as necessary. In addition to fire fighting, other tasks assigned to inmates are graffiti removal, reforestation, levee repair and flood control, pine bark beetle eradication and preservation, illegal dump site cleanup, wildlife habitat rehabilitation, and park and cemetery maintenance. During non-work hours inmates are involved in special projects such as repairing toys for disadvantaged children or on projects with the elderly or disabled. In some camps vocational training programs are available. In others, inmates work on a variety of special projects such as road construction and prison building, which allow them to still learn and strengthen skills. As they repay their debt to society, camp inmates provide a real economic benefit to local communities. In a typical year, they will work 2 million hours on fire fighting and fire prevention. They also will spend almost 6 million hours on conservation projects and community service activities. Those who successfully complete training at prison conservation centers in Northern and Southern California learn how their effectiveness and their lives depend upon discipline and teamwork. When the time comes for parole, inmates have been exposed to good work habits and teamwork in the camp setting. This exposure provides them with a purpose, goals, and a sense of accomplishment in doing a job well done. Computer refurbishing program, launched in 1994, was developed to refurbish used computers for California's K-12 public schools. The California Department of Corrections trains inmates to refurbish donated computers then turns them over to the schools. Currently, the California Department of Corrections is responsible for 60 percent of all refurbished computers placed in California public schools. The donated computer equipment comes in various states of disrepair. Some computers are obsolete for business purposes, others need minor repair and still others can only be used for parts. In the first year, nearly 2,000 refurbished computers made their way to California classrooms. By the end of 1997, 13 prisons had refurbished more than 35,000 computers for California schools, saving them close to $33 million. Through this program, the inmates learn and practice skills that will help prepare them for a future outside prison. I contacted San Quentin State Prison, and spoke to Barry Zack, to find out about any treatment programs offered. One particular program called HIV Prevention Education is required for all men entering the prison. This program offered since 1986, is to help inmates see the personal side to HIV, increase perception of risk, increase knowledge of HIV/AIDS, and reduce the risk of HIV, STDs, hepatitis and tuberculosis in prison and after release. Since 1991, inmates have received comprehensive peer education training to work as peer educators. The training covers several topics such as public speaking techniques, awareness of alcohol and drugs and their impact on high-risk behaviors, HIV-related multi-cultural awareness, and HIV/AIDS in our society and in the world. About 40 peer educators are trained each year. After training, the peer educators conducts various services such as teaching an HIV prevention orientation class, providing individual counseling, and providing prevention case management. Two different programs are offered to inmates prior to their release from prison. One program is specifically for HIV + inmates and is offered as a two-week, 8 session intervention that includes such topics as self-esteem, health maintenance, community resources, stress management, substance use, legal issues, and barriers to care after release. The other program, conducted two weeks prior to an inmate†s release, offers individual sessions to discuss preventing, acquiring, or transmitting HIV after release from prison. Topics covered include using condoms, avoiding drug and alcohol use, and avoiding needle sharing. I contacted The Federal Bureau of Prisons where they currently operate 42 residential treatment programs with an annual capacity of over 6,000 participants. For the 30 percent of Federal inmates who have a history of moderate to severe substance abuse this program is able to provide drug treatment to all inmates who need it and are willing to accept it. This program offers inmates up to 500 hours of treatment, which focuses on individual responsibility and to deter future criminal behavior. The goal of this program is to help identify, confront, and alter their attitudes, values, and thinking patterns that led them to their criminal behavior and drug or alcohol use. This program includes sessions on Screening and Assessment, Treatment Orientation, Criminal Lifestyle Confrontation, Cognitive Skill Building, Relapse Prevention, Interpersonal Skill Building, and Wellness. I have found these treatment programs to be suitable and adequate. Each organization, I spoke with has concluded that these programs not only offers benefits to the individual but also to society as a whole. There are economic and social benefits that can be gained from these programs that I have just described. I have listed a wide range of programs that help target special needs for inmates that may help deter future criminal behavior. We need these programs to help rehabilitate these inmates while they are serving their time in jail. It has been stressed that jail alone cannot deter a criminal from reoffending. By providing these various programs to inmates, we can help them become drug-free, educated, hard-working individuals prior to being released from prison. Hopefully, whatever program an inmate has participated in can help change their behavioral patterns, which may help reduce the rate of recidivism. Different Treatment Organizations in Prisons There are various treatment programs in prisons that I have discovered by contacting several organizations. I will described a wide range of programs offered to inmates that help target special needs such as education, behavioral change, spiritual awareness, vocational training, parenting classes, HIV prevention, and drug education. I will describe each treatment programs that I have found and discuss the purposes of each program. A program called the Volunteer Prison Education Program was launched in July 1997 at the Rikers Island Prison. I called and spoke with Joan Bloomgarden, who described this program as a quality educational experience to inmates who would otherwise not have access to learning. This unique program involves volunteer educators to motivate inmates to help themselves, their families and one another to create a learning community within the prison system. The purpose of this program is to promote positive behavioral change, assist in prevention of crime, work cooperatively with prosecutors, and to actively involve the families of inmates in crime prevention. Courses offered are Child Development, Understanding Your Anger, Art Education in Prison: Toward Enhancing Self-Esteem, Conflict Resolution: Practical Exploration, Basic Understanding of Money Management, and Basic Eye Care. I contacted The Prison SMART Foundation Incorporated and spoke with Thomas Duffy, who was able to provide me information regarding their unique stress management and rehabilitative training program delivered to hardened criminals in U. S prisons. The purpose of this program is to teach the proper breathing techniques to help inmates reduce and manage their stress levels in order to help them think more clearly and to help them think about their actions. Taught by Prison SMART Foundation volunteers, this 6 to 10 day program utilizes advanced yoga breathing exercises and is based on the dynamic cleansing effects of the breath on the body and mind. As a result, they enjoy increased self-esteem and self-empowerment. Thousands who have completed the Prison SMART Foundation's stress management programs are living proof. Prison administrators have reported that inmates who have participated in this program are easier to handle and exhibit less acting out in confrontational situations. I contacted the Prisoners for Christ Outreach Ministries based in Kirkland, WA, and spoke with Greg Von Tobel, to learn more information about programs offered to inmates. Prisoners For Christ services include: Church Services and Bible Studies, Two Year Bible Study Correspondence Course, One to One Visitation Outreach, Pen Pal Outreach, Special Projects Outreach, Literature, Heart to Heart Christmas Giving Program, Wives Outreach, Parent Outreach, Van Transportation Outreach, and Northwest Transitional Housing. The purposes of these services are to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the jails, prisons, and juvenile centers of the Northwest. In addition, Prisoners For Christ work with the men, women, and children who are incarcerated to become fully functioning, tax paying citizens and to assist their families. Statistics shows that last year alone, 16,326 inmates (men, women, and youth) attended these programs in 19 different institutions. About 6% of inmates made their first time commitments to the Lord Jesus Christ. I wanted to learn about several other types of treatment programs offered in prisons, so I contacted the California Department of Corrections. They have implemented several programs designed to benefit both the inmates and the public. I will briefly describe each of these programs and the purpose each one offers. The Joint Venture Program, opened its doors in 1991, where private employers can contract with the California Department of Corrections to set up their businesses on prison grounds and hire inmate workers at competitive wages. This gives inmates the ability to provide economical benefits such as providing restitution to victims, becoming taxpayers, paying support to families, compensate costs for their incarceration, and mandatory savings to provide funds after release from prison. The social benefits are the ability to develop good work habits, gain job experience, decrease inmate idleness, and to return to society motivated and skilled adults. The Mother Infant Program is designed to help mothers reestablish bonds with their children, teach them valuable skills, and prepare them to return to society as working adults. Parenting classes, pre-employment training, and drug education classes are offered to help build better parenting relationships and brighter futures for inmates while they serve their time. In parenting classes, they learn how to talk and relate to their children and how to discipline effectively. Both mothers and children may also receive counseling. In pre-employment training, they gain practical information about applying, landing and keeping a job. Since the majority of the mothers have had some sort of chemical dependency in the past, they also attend drug education classes. The classes are geared to keep them from returning to their old habits, make them aware of the dangers of drug addiction, and show them how drugs not only impair their lives, but especially their children†s. The California Conservation Camp Program intents to train and use inmates for conservation and development of natural resources. These conservation camps are located in some of the state's most secluded wilderness areas. They provide a large force of trained crews for fire fighting, resource conservation, and emergency assignments as necessary. In addition to fire fighting, other tasks assigned to inmates are graffiti removal, reforestation, levee repair and flood control, pine bark beetle eradication and preservation, illegal dump site cleanup, wildlife habitat rehabilitation, and park and cemetery maintenance. During non-work hours inmates are involved in special projects such as repairing toys for disadvantaged children or on projects with the elderly or disabled. In some camps vocational training programs are available. In others, inmates work on a variety of special projects such as road construction and prison building, which allow them to still learn and strengthen skills. As they repay their debt to society, camp inmates provide a real economic benefit to local communities. In a typical year, they will work 2 million hours on fire fighting and fire prevention. They also will spend almost 6 million hours on conservation projects and community service activities. Those who successfully complete training at prison conservation centers in Northern and Southern California learn how their effectiveness and their lives depend upon discipline and teamwork. When the time comes for parole, inmates have been exposed to good work habits and teamwork in the camp setting. This exposure provides them with a purpose, goals, and a sense of accomplishment in doing a job well done. Computer refurbishing program, launched in 1994, was developed to refurbish used computers for California's K-12 public schools. The California Department of Corrections trains inmates to refurbish donated computers then turns them over to the schools. Currently, the California Department of Corrections is responsible for 60 percent of all refurbished computers placed in California public schools. The donated computer equipment comes in various states of disrepair. Some computers are obsolete for business purposes, others need minor repair and still others can only be used for parts. In the first year, nearly 2,000 refurbished computers made their way to California classrooms. By the end of 1997, 13 prisons had refurbished more than 35,000 computers for California schools, saving them close to $33 million. Through this program, the inmates learn and practice skills that will help prepare them for a future outside prison. I contacted San Quentin State Prison, and spoke to Barry Zack, to find out about any treatment programs offered. One particular program called HIV Prevention Education is required for all men entering the prison. This program offered since 1986, is to help inmates see the personal side to HIV, increase perception of risk, increase knowledge of HIV/AIDS, and reduce the risk of HIV, STDs, hepatitis and tuberculosis in prison and after release. Since 1991, inmates have received comprehensive peer education training to work as peer educators. The training covers several topics such as public speaking techniques, awareness of alcohol and drugs and their impact on high-risk behaviors, HIV-related multi-cultural awareness, and HIV/AIDS in our society and in the world. About 40 peer educators are trained each year. After training, the peer educators conducts various services such as teaching an HIV prevention orientation class, providing individual counseling, and providing prevention case management. Two different programs are offered to inmates prior to their release from prison. One program is specifically for HIV + inmates and is offered as a two-week, 8 session intervention that includes such topics as self-esteem, health maintenance, community resources, stress management, substance use, legal issues, and barriers to care after release. The other program, conducted two weeks prior to an inmate†s release, offers individual sessions to discuss preventing, acquiring, or transmitting HIV after release from prison. Topics covered include using condoms, avoiding drug and alcohol use, and avoiding needle sharing. I contacted The Federal Bureau of Prisons where they currently operate 42 residential treatment programs with an annual capacity of over 6,000 participants. For the 30 percent of Federal inmates who have a history of moderate to severe substance abuse this program is able to provide drug treatment to all inmates who need it and are willing to accept it. This program offers inmates up to 500 hours of treatment, which focuses on individual responsibility and to deter future criminal behavior. The goal of this program is to help identify, confront, and alter their attitudes, values, and thinking patterns that led them to their criminal behavior and drug or alcohol use. This program includes sessions on Screening and Assessment, Treatment Orientation, Criminal Lifestyle Confrontation, Cognitive Skill Building, Relapse Prevention, Interpersonal Skill Building, and Wellness. I have found these treatment programs to be suitable and adequate. Each organization, I spoke with has concluded that these programs not only offers benefits to the individual but also to society as a whole. There are economic and social benefits that can be gained from these programs that I have just described. I have listed a wide range of programs that help target special needs for inmates that may help deter future criminal behavior. We need these programs to help rehabilitate these inmates while they are serving their time in jail. It has been stressed that jail alone cannot deter a criminal from reoffending. By providing these various programs to inmates, we can help them become drug-free, educated, hard-working individuals prior to being released from prison. Hopefully, whatever program an inmate has participated in can help change their behavioral patterns, which may help reduce the rate of recidivism.