Causes, Effects and Treatments of Childhood Obesity

Causes, Effects and Treatments of Childhood Obesity Childhood Obesity: A Modern Epidemic David B Meistrich Childhood obesity has been a problem across the globe for years now and it only seems to be getting worse. The effects of being an obese child are terrible on their health in their development and during adulthood. There are things that can be done to chance the lifestyle of these children which hopefully will be implemented by them and their parents. Childhood obesity is a terrible epidemic that affects many children across the globe and it seems to only been getting worse. That being said, how is childhood obesity defined and what leads a child down the path of obesity? When a child becomes obese what are the symptoms that result from their condition? Lastly, how can a parent of an obese child help their child overcome their problem and find a new, healthier lifestyle? Childhood obesity is an epidemic in the United States with very high numbers that seems to be an ever increasing problem. According to statistics published by the CDC in February there has been a large decline in childhood obesity in children between the ages of two and five years of age. In 2003-2004 about fourteen percent of children in this age group were considered obese whereas in 2011-2012 only about eight percent of children of this age were considered to be obese, which comes out to be about a forty three percent decline in those eight years (cdc.gov, 2014, p.1). Though these statistics give us a glimmer of hope in the fight against this terrible problem another study done by the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics, which used the same statistics source as the CDC, analyzed them over a larger time period which rendered very different results. They found that though there was a decrease in childhood obesity between the ages of two and five, there was an overall increase in severe obesity in children from ages two to nineteen. According to their analysis there was an apparent and unexplainable spike in obesity in children between the ages of two and five during 2003 which may have skewed the CDC report. When the same data was considered from 1999 to 2012 considering children between the ages of two and nineteen, obesity rates increased from 14.5% to about 17.3% (Seaman, 2014, p.1). The most terrifying statistic is how apparently the rate of extreme obesity in children has increased from 3.8% to 5.9% and the rate of the most severe obesity increasing from 0.9% to 2.1% between these same years (Painter, 2014, p.1). What is childhood obesity and how does a child become obese? The definition of obesity according to dictionary.com is: the condition of being grossly fat or overweight (Dictionary.com, 2014, p.1). Childhood obesity according to mayoclinic.org is: a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. It occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2014, p.1). Risk factors that contribute to childhood obesity include parental obesity, higher birth weight, spending more than eight hours watching television at three years of age, getting less than ten and a half hours of sleep a night at three years of age, body size early in life, rapid weight gain in a child’s first year of life, rapid growth between birth and two years of age, and body fat gain between birth and the ages of five or six (Hitti, 2005, p.1). A study done by the University of Michigan Health System says that the amount of food eaten by children w ho are obese tend to be higher calorie foods with high fat content and they also seem to eat larger portions than other children. The number of times these children eat in comparison to other children are similar and so are their levels of activity but the University speculates that these small differences in activity and food intake add up over a longer period of time. The study also found that children who watch more television and children who spend more time playing video games are at a higher risk of becoming overweight. If a child has one or more parents that are obese they are 80% more likely to become overweight him or herself. Also children who have a diabetic mother are more likely to be overweight. Though it is rare obesity can be caused by a medical condition which includes endocrine problems and other genetic syndromes (Boyse, 2011, p.1). Now that we know what childhood obesity is and what causes it, what are symptoms of childhood obesity? The symptoms of childhood obesity are no laughing matter. There are many life threatening conditions that result from being severely overweight. Some of the complications of untreated childhood obesity include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, bone and joint problems, asthma, sleep problems such as sleep apnea, liver and gallbladder disease, depression, unhealthy eating habits which include eating disorders, substance abuse problems, and other health problems as they age such as heart disease and early death (Jones, 2014, p.1). In 2011 a ten year old girl died from acute cardio-respiratory failure, sleep apnea, and acute pulmonary hypertension due to her obesity (Daily Mail Reporter, 2012, p.1). Though some children die from their obesity it is a rare occurrence but it does increase the likelihood. Death rates among children who develop glucose intolerance were 73% higher than those in the lowest group and children with high blood pressure are 1.5 times more likely to die prematurely from natural causes (Doheny, 2010, p.1). The most dangerous problem with childhood obesity is absolutely its effect on adult obesity and the resulting consequences. When BMI from childhood to adulthood was tracked 40% to 80% of these children would become obese adults (Bridger, 2009, p.1). Adult obesity is responsible for 18% of deaths among Black and White Americans according to a study by Columbia University (Paul, 2013, p.1). Lastly, how can parents help their children overcome this debilitating and life threatening problem? Being a good role model is very important for parents of children who suffer from obesity. If the family of an obese child changes their eating habits to set a better example the child is much more likely to adopt those habits him or herself. Making healthier food choices is very important. A few tips on how to do this include eating a variety of food with many different colors, such as fruits and vegetables. Another very important tip is making sure to eat breakfast as children who have breakfast are much less likely to be overweight. Of course breakfast choices should not include sugary cereal or pastries, instead breakfast should consist of foods like oatmeal, fruit, whole grain cereal, and so on. Obese children should have their fat intake decreased, and the types of fat that are ingesting changed. As many of these children tend to have a diet that consists of saturated fats, they should try and move towards only eating polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats when fats are eaten as these fats are much easier for the body to process and are not going to cause serious health problems. These fats can be found in foods such as fish, nuts, and some oils. It is very important that children have regularly scheduled meal times. Building these habits will make children less likely to snack unnecessarily when they are not truly hungry, and they will be more likely to eat what they are given. Going out to eat should be limited and eating fast food should be limited if not completely cut out of their diet. Many fast food restaurants serve food that is high in saturated fats and also not of the best quality. Also, restaurants tend to serve food in larger portions than is necessary for a child to eat. Try and make more meals at home, where the ingredients can be carefully chosen and portions limited. Snacking should not be completely cut out of a child’s diet, but it is important to make healthy snack choices. Though as a parent you may want to cut sugar completely out of your child’s diet, it is important not to place a complete ban on it. Children will have a kind of sugar withdrawal which will increase their likelihood of overindulging when the opportunity presents itself. The best plan of action is to simply limit the amount of sugar a child can have at any given time. Along those lines the amount of juice and soda a child can have should be limited as they contain large amounts of sugar and â€Å"empty† calories that do nothing for the body. A healthier substitute would be carbonated water with lemon or lime juice. Snacks should also be just that, a snack. The number of calories should be limited to 100-150 and a snack should never turn into a meal. Fruit is also an excellent snacking choice. Yogurt and peanut butter are also good choices. Portion control can have a very large impact on weight. Some great rules for making sure your child is not eating too much are making sure that their portions are no larger than their fist, reading food labels to get an idea of the serving size, using smaller dishes to give the impression that the serving is larger, and maybe even ordering smaller meals when out and sharing food with the child. Getting exercise is also very important. Some fun indoor games which can improve overall level of activity include hide-and-seek, tag, and Simon Says. Outdoor activities like walking, going for bike rides, and school activities, and sports can have a greatly positive impact. Doing chores with your child can help everyone burn calories. There are also some very entertaining 5 or 10k races which children can enter which you both can train for together (Robinson Smith, 2014, p.1). Not only are these great ways to burn calories but they will also help your child build better habits for the future. In summation, childhood obesity is a terrible problem that is only getting worse. The number of children who have obesity and are becoming more severely obese is astounding. Childhood obesity is causes by unstructured and unmonitored eating that involves too much sugar and saturated fats. It is also effected by a lack of exercise which, when combined, can have terrible effects over time. The results of childhood obesity are no joke. Not only can children develop terrible health problems that are mostly only seen in older adults but they can die if they become unhealthy enough. The effects on their lives as adults can also be devastating. There is hope for obese children if they change their habits so that they can develop healthier patterns and choices which will not only lead to a healthier childhood but a healthier life. Either changes will be made or in the near future there will be many more deaths resulting from being overweight and unhealthy. Bibliography Boyse, K. (2011, August 1). University of Michigan Health System. Obesity Overweight: Your Child:.  Retrieved May 29, 2014, from http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/obesity.htm Bridger, T. (2009, March 14). Childhood obesity and cardiovascular disease. . Retrieved May 29, 2014,  from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2690549/ Childhood obesity. (n.d.). Definition. Retrieved May 29, 2014, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/childhood-obesity/basics/definition/con-20027428 Doheny, K. (2010, February 10). Obese Children Twice as Likely to Die Young?. WebMD. Retrieved May  29, 2014, from http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20100210/obese-children-twice-as-likely-to-die-young Hitti, M. (n.d.). Child Obesity: 8 Red Flags to Watch For. WebMD. Retrieved May 29, 2014, from  http://www.webmd.com/children/news/20050519/child-obesity-8-red-flags-watch Jones, P. (2014, May 5). Health Information Center. Symptoms Health Library. Retrieved May 29, 2014,  from http://health.cvs.com/GetContent.aspx?token=f75979d3-9c7c-4b16-af56-3e122a3f19e3chunkiid=584192 Painter, K. (2014, April 7). No real progress on child obesity, latest report says. USA Today. Retrieved  May 29, 2014, from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/07/child-obesity-progress/7421987/ Press Release. (2014, March 20). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved May 29, 2014,  from http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/p0225-child-obesity.html Reporter, D. (2012, March 25). The 10-year-old girl who died because she was too fat. Mail Online.  Retrieved May 29, 2014, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2120042/The-year-old-girl-died-fat.html Smith, M., Robinson, L. (2014, February 1). Weight Problems Obesity in Children. Weight Problems  and Obesity in Children: Helping your Child Reach and Maintain a Healthy Weight. Retrieved  May 29, 2014, from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/childhood_obesity.htm Velez, M. (2014, April 8). U.S. Childhood Obesity Rates Have Actually Increased Over The Past 14 Years (STUDY). The Huffington Post. Retrieved May 29, 2014, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/08/childhood-obesity-rates-increased_n_5111922.html University. (2013, August 15). News. Obesity Kills More Americans Than Previously Thought 08/15/2013.  Retrieved May 29, 2014, from http://www.mailman.columbia.edu/news/obesity-kills-more-americans-previously-thought

Analysis On Financial Statements Economics Essay

Analysis On Financial Statements Economics Essay ATandT Inc. (NYSE: T) is a United States telecommunications corporation headquartered in Texas. Founded in 1983 as SBC Communications, it became ATT Inc. upon purchase of ATT Corporation in 2005. It is the leading U.S. provider of wire-line and wireless communications. ATT delivers 3G wireless services through ATT Mobility LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary. Other major segments include broadband internet, digital television, directory publishing, and business communications. In 2006, ATT Inc. acquired BellSouth communications corporation, valued at $86 billion, absorbing its wire-line, wireless, and broadband interests. ATT has stated specific future goals in 4G wireless, speech recognition, telehealth, and digital convergence. Recently, ATT selected Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson as equipment providers for its LTE (4G) wireless deployments. ATT has over 150 million customers and 280,000 employees. ATT reported a $124 billion operating revenue and $23 billion net income as of Dec. 31, 2008. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) is a United States telecommunications corporation headquartered in New York. It was founded in 1983 as Bell Atlantic. Bell Atlantic acquired GTE Corp. in 2000 and changed its name to Verizon Communications Inc. It is the second largest U.S. provider of wire-line and wireless voice services. Verizon Wireless is a joint venture, with Vodafone Group holding 45 percent ownership. Through its FiOS product, Verizon provides fiber-optic delivery of internet, television, and digital voice. Other major operations include IP networks, applications, and professional services for business. In 2008, Verizon stated its goal to surpass ATT as the U.S. market leader in wireless voice and data communications in the United States. It is aggressively pushing fiber-optic deployments to combat industry-wide access-line losses. Verizon has over 91 million customers and 220,000 employees. Verizon reported a $97 billion operating revenue and $6.5 billion net income as of Dec. 31, 2008. Balance Sheet unusual items ATT:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At Dec. 31, 2008, ATT reported a current ratio of 0.53, and a long-term assets / long-term liabilities ratio of 1.92. This mismatching indicates that too much short-term financing has been used to acquire long-term assets. ATT may have problems meeting its short-term obligations without additional refinancing. If additional financing cannot be obtained, a lack of asset liquidity poses a bankruptcy risk. At Dec. 31, 2008, ATT reported goodwill at $71.8 billion, accounting for about 27% of their total reported assets. This stems from ATTs aggressive acquisition strategy. The high amount poses a great asset impairment risk. Only losses, not gains, can be recorded for goodwill. If the acquired entities lose value, as judged by an annual impairment test, the loss of recorded assets and corresponding write-offs against stockholders equity can be substantial. Verizon:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At Dec. 31, 2008, Verizon reported wireless licenses valued at $62.0 billion. These are indefinite-lived intangible asset which account for 30.6% of Verizons total assets. Wireless licenses are extremely important for a telecommunications company, but placing such large valuation on an intangible is a serious risk. Estimating fair value is very subjective, and any significant write-offs (as judged by a periodic impairment test) could threaten stockholders confidence. At Dec. 31, 2008, Verizon reported cash and cash equivalents of $9.8 billion. Having such a large amount of cash and cash equivalents (investments with a maturity of 90 days or less) is good for liquidity. However, a significant portion of this $9.8 billion could be converted to less-liquid, higher-interest investments that mature within a year, or even long-term investments. Having so much cash-on-hand is a problem because it is not being invested to return additional value to the business. Income Statement unusual items ATT:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At Dec. 31, 2008, ATT reported basic earnings-per-share of $2.17. During the same period, their nearest market competitor, Verizon, reported $2.26 basic earnings-per-share. To the common stockholder, this is one of the most important factors to attract and maintain investment. Unless ATT can achieve higher earnings-per-share, investors will be more likely to invest in their competitors, posing a threat to ATTs future growth. At Dec. 31, 2008, ATT recorded a net other income (expense) of -$589 million (versus +$615 million in 2007). A closer look at Note 4 to the financial statements reveals that this is entirely attributable to Consolidation and Elimination expenses. Reorganization due to acquisition and restructuring has been a significant part of ATTs market-growth strategy, but they must take care not to incur excessive expenses for the sake of growth. That could lead to an overall loss of competitiveness and lack of stockholders confidence. Verizon:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At Dec. 31, 2008, Verizon recorded a net income of $6.4 billion. Their nearest market competitor, ATT, posted a net income of $12.9 billion. In terms of absolute numbers, this gives Verizon less power in the market and also serves as an indication to investors that Verizon might not be managing its finances well enough. Income is essential to future value creation and expansion, so Verizon should strive to improve operational efficiency and attain an income thats more aligned with (or better than) its competitor. At Dec. 31, 2008, Verizon recorded a net profit margin (ratio of net income to revenues) of only .066, up from their 2007 profit margin of .059, but still lower than their 2006 profit margin of .070. In general, Verizons profit margin seems low compared to other U.S. telecommunications corporations (especially ATT), a sign of managements inability to generate strong returns. This weak financial performance should raise concerns for shareholders and financers, and it poses a survival risk to Verizon. Cash Flow Statement unusual items ATT:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 2008, ATT issued $9.5 billion in dividends to stockholders (which has been increasing gradually since 2004). Consistent dividends are good to attract sustained stockholders confidence and investment, but a dividend payout of $9.5 billion is unusually high. By paying out too many excess funds to stockholders, ATT may be missing out on more lucrative investment opportunities that would generate better returns. In 2008, ATT reported $5.6 billion in accounts payable and accrued liabilities. This amount, due to ATTs suppliers or banks, must be paid off within 12-months in order to avoid default. This significantly high amount is a constraint against ATTs working capital. If the company is not able to fully pay off the debt in time, its future operations could be hindered. Verizon:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 2008, Verizon reported net $15.9 billion in acquisitions of licenses, investments, and businesses. Such a substantial investment introduces a high level of business risk. If Verizons investments do not demonstrate profitability, not only will significant funds have gone to waste, but more doubt will be cast on the corporations future investing decisions by investors and financers. In 2008, Verizon accumulated net cash inflows from financing activities of $13.6 billion. In particular, $21.6 billion were proceeds from long-term borrowing, while there was a repayment of only $4.1 billion in long-term borrowing and capital lease obligations. It seems that Verizon is using this leverage to achieve their investing activities discussed previously. Such aggressive financing this fiscal year can put heavy constraints on Verizons ability to acquire additional financing in future years. Verizon is in a precarious position where, if they cannot repay the financing in a timely manner, they enter a high risk of declining into bankruptcy. Notes to Financial Statements unusual items ATT:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At Dec. 31, 2008, ATT reported that $14.1 billion of its outstanding debt would mature within one year, compared to just $6.9 billion in the previous year (see Note 8). This current debt introduces a liquidity problem, since ATT must be able to generate enough cash in the next year to repay its financers. This is a significant business risk for AT&T; if it is unable to cover its debts in time, its future financing options will be limited and its business operations could be in jeopardy. As of Jan. 1, 2007, ATT indicated a loss of $123 million in goodwill related to the settlement of IRS audit in its wireless segment (see Note 6). Excess goodwill is already a problem because a high risk of asset impairment is introduced, but devaluation due to an IRS audit raises serious concerns about managements judgment for proper accounting. Investors are cautious about missteps such as this, and a recurring incident could further unsettle their confidence in ATT. Verizon:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On Jan. 9, 2009 (beyond the reporting date of the financial statements), Verizons wireless segment closed the acquisition of Alltel Corporation, paying $5.9 billion for its equity, but also acquiring $22.2 billion of its debt obligations (see Note 2). Acquiring such a massive debt puts Verizon at a significant financing risk. The notes reveal that Verizon has relied on credit to immediately cover the acquisition cost and debt prepayments, with $2.5 billion debt that remains outstanding. Verizon faces potential insolvency in other words, a high risk of adequate repayment and future refinancing. At Dec. 31, 2008, Verizon reported obligations for all defined benefit pension plans at $29.4 billion (see Note 15). The future collection of this large liability poses a financial risk to Verizon, should they not be suitably prepared to cover the costs. Along with Verizons already large debt obligations, this is a noteworthy threat to the companys viability. Balance Sheet differences At Dec. 31, 2008, ATT had a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75 (total liabilities / total equity) and Verizon had a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.85. ATT and Verizon hold similar levels of total liabilities ($169 and $161 billion, respectively), but ATT has a great deal more stockholders equity ($96.3 versus $41.7 billion, respectively). ATTs much larger stockholder interest provides increased financial flexibility and an ability to service its debt, in comparison to Verizon which should be more cautious in its debt accumulation, at risk of being unable to generate enough cash to satisfy its debt obligations. ATTs lower debt-to-equity ratio may boost stockholders confidence since their investments are better protected in the event of business decline. On the other hand, ATTs lower debt-to-equity ratio may signify that it is not taking advantage of enough financial leverage to generate increased profits. At Dec. 31, 2008, ATT lists Customer Lists and Relationships as a long-term asset valued at net $10.6 billion. Verizon does not such an item listed on their balance sheet, but Note 4 to the financial statements reveals that customer lists and relationships are a net $820 million component of Other Intangible Assets. This item is a limited-life intangible asset, and is subject to amortization accumulation. The relatively similar size of each companys customer base suggests that these valuations shouldnt be so drastically different. Estimating fair value of customer lists and relationships is very subjective, based on how each company judges the ability to generate returns. ATTs high valuation compared to Verizon leads to higher annual write-offs of the asset. Stockholders confidence could be shaken by too high write-offs arising from higher valuations, so Verizons more conservative valuation may be safer in the long-term. Income Statement differences As of 2008, ATTs income statements divide operating revenues into five segments: wireless service, voice, data, directory, and other. Verizons income statement only specifies a catch-all operating revenues item, but Note 17 to the financial statements identifies two segments: domestic wireless and wireline. Both companies wireless segments are equivalent in scope. Verizons wireline segment is the equivalent of ATTs voice data segments combined. Notably, ATT has a more diversified business portfolio, including its directory services which include the publishing of print directories, directory advertising, internet-based advertising, and local search; and the other segment which includes information services, payphone, and corporate operations. The presentation of ATTs income statement emphasizes their diversity of operations in comparison to Verizon. This shows two different approaches to business diversification. For Verizon, if one of its two segments were to fail, the financial i mpact would be catastrophic. For ATT, the failure of a single segment would be less severe on the company as a whole. Verizon lists minority interest as a distinct item under operating income with a recorded expense of $6.16 billion. ATT does not list a distinct item, but Note 4 to its financial statements indicate that $256 million of minority interest expense is part of its other income (expense) item. Minority interest expense refers to the share of profit belonging to minority shareholders. In this case, Vodafone owns a 45% interest in Verizon Wireless and receives that share of the generated income. For Verizon, this is a very large amount of income that it could be collecting for itself, if it was to take full control of its wireless subsidiary. If Verizon recognized the full income of its wireless subsidiary, its overall net income would be more competitive with ATT. Also, by giving Vodafone such a large stake in its wireless subsidiary, there is the potential for a future takeover. Cash Flow Statement differences In 2008, Verizon recorded $13.6 billion in net cash provided by financing activities, while ATT recorded $4.7 billion in net cash used in financing activities. That is, Verizon acquired net debt in its financing activities, while ATT was able to pay back more financing that it acquired. Because of this, ATT shows more financial solvency than Verizon, as its ability to repay previous financing activities boosts shareholder confidence and enhances its record as a reliable borrowing partner for future financing. Verizons big borrowing introduces significant business risks and a potential for bankruptcy if their operations dont return considerable income. On the other hand, Verizons aggressive financing activities may prove beneficial if it uses the finances to successfully grow its market-share, which would be a threat to ATT. In 2008, Verizon recorded $1.4 billion of purchase of common stock for treasury, while ATT recorded $6.1 billion of the same. The goal of these treasury stock repurchases is to increase the value of the shares held by stockholders. Both ATT and Verizon have repurchased shares over the past 5 years, with ATT averaging $4.3 billion in repurchases per year versus Verizons $1.3 billion per year. ATTs consistently larger repurchasing may signify that it views its shares as undervalued, or that it wants to improve its reported earnings-per-share. As noted earlier, ATTs 2008 earnings-per-share were $0.09 lower than Verizons, so this might be a legitimate strategy to attract future stockholder investment. However, the consistent treasury stock repurchases may be a sign that ATT is struggling to obtain legitimate interest from investors, so they are instead just acquiring their own shares to inflate the stocks value. References ATT Inc. 2008 Annual Report. ATT Investor Relations. Online. . ATT Inc. Form 10-K | 2008. Rep. no. 1-8610. Washington, DC: United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Online. . ATT Investor Relations. ATT Official Site. Web. 16 Feb. 2010. . ATT. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web. 12 Feb. 2010. . Top 10 Profit Margins by Industry, Telecom Domestic. The Online Investor. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. . Verizon Communications Inc. 2008 Annual Report. Verizon | Investor Relations. Online. . Verizon Communications Inc. Form 10-K | 2008. Rep. no. 1-8606. Washington, DC: United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Online. . Verizon Company Profile. Verizon | Investor Relations. Web. 17 Feb. 2010. . Verizon Communications. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web. 12 Feb. 2010. .

My Super Sweet Sixteen :: Sweet 16 consumption Society Essays

My Super Sweet Sixteen â€Å"But mom, this dress is only seven thousand, three hundred and fifty dollars! It’s Louis Vutton, you know that’s a great deal.† In the long run, Sophie ended up with the wallet-denting designer outfit and didn’t even have to lift a finger. Instead of purchasing the Louis Vutton gown, her family decided upon the nine thousand dollar Chanel outfit! After cussing out the body guards for letting the â€Å"social rejects† in, her celebration had merely begun! She had pulled up to the most popular night club in the city (her family managed to rent for the night) in a Cinderella carriage for an unforgettable entrance. According to her, people would be talking about this party for the rest of their lives. Her get-together, complete with bouncers, go-go dancers, announcers, magicians, hip-hop dancers, and caterers running frantically in and out of the crowd, pleasing her every need seemed extraordinarily unrealistic. Remarkably, the only time we heard from Sophie was during her ridiculous tantrums, complete with excessive whining about everything that went amiss. Neither recognition nor thanks had been directed to her parents the entire night! In fact, her whole demeanor conveyed entitlement. â€Å"My Super Sweet Sixteen† is a new hit series highlighting various teenagers on their super sweet sixteenth birthdays. Unbelievably, these families were spending hundreds of thousands of dollars toward these astonishing celebrations. It was quite amusing, yet somewhat disturbing watching today’s youth lavishing in their conspicuous consumption. After some serious consideration, I realized that this alluring lifestyle, though appealing, was shallow, degrading, and a disgrace to society as a whole. Upon further self-reflection, I had to admit that I myself have been enticed by these materialistic desires. Yet, these extravagances were far more detrimental than desirable. I experienced an epiphany, at that very moment. Where was our appreciation? Where was our gratitude? Our graciousness had disappeared, replaced instead by indulgence, greed, and selfishness. The lack of appreciation and thankfulness is appalling! Nowadays, it seems that society hands everything to our youth without question.

Get Smart: I.Q. and Emotional Intelligence Essay -- Biology Essays Res

Get Smart: I.Q. and Emotional Intelligence Intelligence is considered to be one of the most desirable personality qualities in today's society. Expectant parents are told to read and play music to the fetus, in order to stimulate its brain. Being bright is often thought of one the keys to success in life, and highly intelligent people such as Albert Einstein are celebrated. However, despite all the tests and criteria that measure intelligence, the question still remains: what is intelligence? How can it be measured? Is there only one kind of intelligence, or do humans possess several? These seemingly simple questions have proved to be some of the most perplexing and contentious topics in both public and scientific circles. Everyone differs in their ability to understand complex ideas, to adapt to the environment, to learn from experience, and to engage in various forms of reasoning. A person's intellectual performance can vary on depending on the occasions, environment, or criteria used to judge it. No current theory has been able to sufficiently answer all the critical questions or establish a consensus. The recognized method of measuring intelligence is the psychometric approach. It is the basis of I.Q. tests and other modern intelligence tests. However, a new theory called emotional intelligence has gained prominence with its more fluid and encompassing definition of intelligence. This has only added fuel to the debate over understanding and measuring intelligence. The psychometric approach was developed by Alfred Binet in 1904 to identify mentally retarded students who would benefit from special education. He designed the test to be an indicator of school performance and measured skills such as vocabulary, comprehe... ...act that all humans possess all these intelligences, everyone has different profiles of intelligences (6). Originally comprised of seven intelligences, its author, Howard Gardner, is considering adding naturalist and existential, because he feels it is necessary. One can only hope that others will see the necessity of a broader definition of intelligence. WWW and Bibliographic Sources 1)This paper reflects the research and thoughts of a student at the time the paper was written for a course at Bryn Mawr College. Like other materials on Serendip, it is not intended to be "authoritative" but rather to help others further develop their own explorations. Web links were active as of the time the paper was posted but are not updated. Contribute Thoughts | Search Serendip for Other Papers | Serendip Home Page http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/serendip/a2z.html

1940-1949 Essay -- Essays Papers

1940-1949 In the United States during the 1940’s, people were getting restless about the war. At the beginning of the 40’s, before the war started, life was pretty much normal and people were talking about how there might be a war. Finally, when the war began, life changed for most Americans. Men were enlisted and drafted to war. Women stayed home and worked numerous jobs to support their family. Industry slowed down so production of weapons, etc. could be produced and shipped to the war. Rationing had to be used so there would be enough food, water, etc. for people to use. It was a change for all people. During the 40’s, especially during the war times, Women had to play the role as mother and father. They had to carry on jobs their husbands used to do, maintain the household environment, and in some cases played baseball to keep the economy up and keep people happy. According to the book, American Decades, by Victor Bond, the war was what brought the country out of depression. The pressure to prepare and produce goods from for the war was enough to jump-start the economy. After the war, the economy kept booming and people were finally getting their lives back together. The beliefs and values in the United Sates were basically to live for the war, and deal with it. There wasn’t much else that could be done. People had husbands, brothers, sons, nephews, etc. entering the war. It took the effort of many Americans to stabilize their lives so that the war wouldn’t bring them down. After the war however, the attitude in the country was very optimistic. People wanted to go to school and get an education. Industry took off again and people were back to their normal lives. Many couples had children. This craze of births is known... ...among blacks. Literature was influenced and art moved to an abstract expressionistic style. The economy grew and America began to regain its strength and power, and used it to grow. The 1940’s, what an amazing time in history. Works Cited Bond, Victor. American Decades, 1940-1949. Gale Research Inc. 1995 Williams, Neville. Chronology of World History, "The Modern World" 1901-1998. Volume IV. Helicon Publishing Limited, 1999 The Reader’s Digest. Great Events of the 20th Century. The Reader’s Digest Association Inc. 1997 University of Dayton Archives. Archives Collection, Albert Emmanuel Hall. -"Hallowed Memories" -"University of Dayton, from Nazareth to the new Millennium" 1850-2000. WDG Publishing. www.lovett.org/libraryweb/amstud.htm Perkins, George and Perkins, Barbara. The American Tradition in Literature. 9th Edition. McGraw-Hill. 1999

Educational Planning Essay

The University has recognized the significance of each unit producing and maintaining Disaster Recovery Plans (also known as business continuity or contingency plans) in order to prepare and address how each unit will continue doing business in the event of a severe disruption or disaster. The Disaster Recovery Planning Team, coordinated by the Client Advocacy Office (CAO) will be the primary resource for assisting each unit with the DRP initiative, by providing education, awareness and tools. The team will work to identify, collect, and organize information and tools for disaster recovery planning and documentation, and disseminate all information to University units in an effective and easily understood manner, so that unit plans may aggressively be developed, tested, distributed, and a copy provided to the CAO for central tracking purposes. After the initial endeavor, the responsibility for providing support will transition from the DRP Team to the Client Advocacy Office. Definitions: Business Continuity is an all-encompassing term covering both disaster recovery planning and business resumption planning. Disaster Recovery is the ability to respond to an interruption in services by implementing a plan to restore an organization’s critical business functions. Both are differentiated from Loss Prevention Planning, which comprises regularly scheduled activities such as system back-ups, system authentication and authorization (security), virus scanning, and system usage monitoring (primarily for capacity indications). The primary focus of this effort is on Disaster Recovery Planning. Developing the Plan: The following ten steps, more thoroughly described in the document that follows, generally characterize disaster Recovery Plans: Purpose and Scope for a Unit Disaster Recovery Plan The primary reason for a unit to engage in business continuity and contingency planning (also known as â€Å"disaster recovery† planning) is to ensure the ability of the unit to function effectively in the event of a severe disruption to normal operations. Severe disruptions can arise from several sources: natural disasters (tornadoes, fire, flood, etc. , equipment failures, process failures, from mistakes or errors in judgment, as well as from malicious acts (such as denial of service attacks, hacking, viruses, and arson, among others). While the unit may not be able to prevent any of these from occurring, planning enables the unit to resume essential operations more rapidly than if no plan existed. Before proceeding further, it is important to distinguish between loss preventi on planning and disaster recovery planning. The focus of Loss prevention planning is on minimizing a unit’s exposure to the elements of risk that can threaten normal operations. In the technology realm, unit loss prevention planning includes such activities as providing for system back-ups, making sure that passwords remain confidential and are changed regularly, and for ensuring operating systems remain secure and free of viruses. Disaster recovery planning focuses on the set of actions a unit must take to restore service and normal (or as nearly normal as practical) operations in the event that a significant loss has occurred. A systematic disaster recovery plan does not focus unit efforts and planning on each type of possible disruption. Rather it looks for the common elements in any disaster: i. . , loss of information, loss of personnel, loss of equipment, loss of access to information and facilities, and seeks to design the contingency program around all main activities the unit performs. The plan will specify the set of actions for implementation for each activity in the event of any of these disruptions in order for the unit to resume doing business in the minimum amount of time. Disaster Recovery Planning consists of three principal sets of activities. 1. Identifying the common elements of plausible disruptions that might severely disrupt critical or important unit operations. . Anticipating the impacts and effects that might result from these operational disruptions. 3. Developing and documenting contingent responses so that recovery from these interruptions can occur as quickly as possible. The major outcome of a Unit Disaster Recovery Planning Project is the development of a unit plan. The plan benefits the unit in that it: †¢ Establishes the criteria and severity of a disruption based on the impact the disruption will cause to the unit’s critical functions. †¢ Determines critical functions and systems, and the associated durations required for recovery. Determines the resources required to support those critical functions and systems, and defines the requirements for a recovery site. †¢ Identifies the people, skills, resources and suppliers needed to assist in the recovery process. †¢ Identifies the vital records, which must be stored offsite to support resumptions of unit operations. †¢ Documents the appropriate procedures and the information required to recover from a disaster or severe disruption. †¢ Addresses the need to maintain the currency of the plan’s information over time. Addresses testing the documented procedure s to ensure their completeness and accuracy. Objective and Goals for a Disaster Recovery Planning Project The primary objective of any contingency plan is to ensure the ability of the unit to function effectively in the event of an interruption due to the loss of information, loss of personnel, or loss of access to information and facilities. The goals for contingency planning are to provide for: †¢ The continuation of critical and important unit operations in the event of an interruption. †¢ The recovery of normal operations in the event of an interruption. The timely notification of appropriate unit and university officials in a predetermined manner as interruption severity or duration escalates. †¢ The offline backup and availability, or alternative availability, of critical components, including: Data files, Software, Hardware, Voice and Data Communications, Documentation, Supplies and forms, People, Inventory Lists. †¢ An alternate method for performing activities electronically and/or manually. †¢ Any required changes in user methods necessary to accomplish such alternate means of processing. †¢ The periodic testing of the plan to ensure its continuing effectiveness. Documentation on the business unit’s plan for response, recovery, resumption, restoration, and return after severe disruption. Contingency planning seeks to accomplish the goals above, while minimizing certain exposures to risks that may impact the recovery and business resumption process, including: †¢ The number of decisions that must be made following a disaster or severe disruption. †¢ Single point of failure conditions in the unit infrastructure. †¢ Dependence on the par ticipation of any specific person or group of people in the recovery process. †¢ The lack of available staff with suitable skills to affect the recovery. The needs to develop, test, or debug new procedures, programs or systems during recovery. †¢ The adverse impact of lost data, recognizing that the loss of some transactions may be inevitable. Conducting the Business Disaster Planning Project There are three phases of a Disaster Recovery Planning Project. †¢ The information needed to identify critical systems, potential impacts and risks, resources, and recovery procedures are gathered in Phase I. †¢ Phase II is the actual writing and testing of the Disaster Recovery Plan. †¢ Phase III is ongoing and consists of plan maintenance and audits. I. Information Gathering Step One – Organize the Project The scope and objectives of the plan and the planning process are determined, a coordinator appointed, the project team is assembled, and a work plan and schedule for completing the initial phases of the project are developed. Step Two – Conduct Business Impact Analysis Critical systems, applications, and business processes are identified and prioritized. Interruption impacts are evaluated and planning assumptions, including the physical scope and duration of the outage, are made. Step Three – Conduct Risk Assessment The physical risks to the unit are defined and quantified. The risks identify the vulnerability of the critical systems, by identifying physical security, backup procedures and/or systems, data security, and the likelihood of a disaster occurring. By definition Risk Assessment is the process of not only identifying, but also minimizing the exposures to certain threats, which an organization may experience. While gathering information for the DRP, system vulnerability is reviewed and a determination made to either accept the risk or make modifications to reduce it. Step Four – Develop Strategic Outline for Recovery Recovery strategies are developed to minimize the impact of an outage. Recovery strategies address how the critical functions, identified in the Business Impact Analysis (step 2), will be recovered and to what level resources will be required, the period in which they will be recovered, and the role central University resources will play in augmenting or assisting unit resources in affecting timely recovery. The recovery process normally consists of these stages: 1. Immediate response 2. Environmental restoration 3. Functional restoration 4. Data synchronization 5. Restoration of business functions . Interim site 7. Return home Step Five – Review Onsite and Offsite Backup and Recovery Procedures Vital records required for supporting the critical systems, data center operations, and other priority functions as identified in the Business Impact Analysis, are verified and procedures needed to recover them and to reconstruct lost data are developed. In addition, the review of the procedures to establish and maintain offsite backup are completed. Vital records include everything from the libraries, files, and code to forms and documentation. Step Six – Select Alternate Facility This item addresses determining recovery center requirements, identifying alternatives and making an alternative facility, site recommendation/selection. Consideration should be given to the use of University resources (e. g. , Administrative Information Services, Computer Lab, or another unit) as alternative sites before seeking outside solutions For further information on alternative University sites please contact the Client Advocacy Office at 517-353-4856. II. Writing and Testing the Plan Step Seven – Develop Recovery Plan This phase centers on documenting the actual recovery plan. This includes documenting the current environment as well as the recovery environment and action plans to follow at the time of a disaster or severe disruption, specifically describing how recovery (as defined in the strategies) for each system and application is accomplished. Step Eight – Test the Plan A test plan/strategy for each recovery application as well as the operating environment is developed. Testing occurs on the plans and assumptions made for completeness and accuracy. Modifications occur as necessary following the results of the testing. This portion of the project is perpetual for the life of the plan.

Happiness for Our Life

HAPPINESS for OUR LIFE WHAT IS HAPPINESS: Happiness is thought of as the good life, freedom from suffering, flourishing, well-being, joy, prosperity, and pleasure. Are you truly happy? Do you even know what it means to be happy and what it takes to achieve happiness? These are important questions for anyone who is seeking happiness to ask themselves. I live my life to maintain my own happiness while trying my best to not cause unhappiness to anyone else. If you want to be happy you need to understand that you can be happy and that you should be happy.Many people make the mistake of believing that they don’t deserve happiness and accept their unhappy state as their destiny. The truth of the matter is that happiness, like anything else in life, needs to be nurtured. Two Faced I Smile When I’m Happy, I Smile more When I’m Sad FEW TIPS TO FOLLOW TO CREATE HAPPINESS IN OUR LIFE: 1. Understand what it is that will make you happy. Everyone has unique requirements for at taining happiness and what makes one person happy may be very different from what makes someone else happy. Revel in your individuality and do not worry about whether or not your desires are comparable to those of your peers. . Make a plan for attaining goals that you believe will make you happy. Your mood will very likely increase as your pursue your goal because you will feel better about yourself for going after something you value. 3. Surround yourself with happy people. It is easy to begin to think negatively when you are surrounded by people who think that way. Conversely, if you are around people who are happy their emotional state will be infectious. 4. When something goes wrong try to figure out a solution instead of wallowing in self pity.Truly happy people don’t allow setbacks to affect their mood because they know that with a little thought they can turn the circumstances back to their favor. 5. Spend a few minutes each day thinking about the things that make you happy. These few minutes will give you the opportunity to focus on the positive things in your life and will lead you to continued happiness. 6. It’s also important to take some time each day to do something nice for yourself. Whether you treat yourself to lunch, take a long, relaxing bath or simply spend a few extra minutes on your appearance you will be subconsciously putting yourself in a better mood. . Finding the humor in situations can also lead to happiness. While there are times that require you to be serious, when it is appropriate, find a way to make light of a situation that would otherwise make you unhappy. 8. Maintaining your health is another way to achieve happiness. Being overweight or not eating nutritious foods can have a negative effect on your mood. Additionally, exercise has been known to release endorphins that give you a feeling of happiness. 9. Finally, it is important to understand that you deserve happiness.Those who believe that they are not worthy of happiness may subconsciously sabotage their efforts to achieve happiness. If necessary, tell yourself each day that you deserve to be happy and remind yourself what steps you will take to achieve the happiness you desire. Happiness is hard to define but most people are aware of whether they are happy or not. Many people believe that happiness is a form of luck and that some people are destined to be happy while others are destined to be unhappy. The tips in this article are small but meaningful steps that you can take each day to lead you to true happiness. Happiness for Our Life HAPPINESS for OUR LIFE WHAT IS HAPPINESS: Happiness is thought of as the good life, freedom from suffering, flourishing, well-being, joy, prosperity, and pleasure. Are you truly happy? Do you even know what it means to be happy and what it takes to achieve happiness? These are important questions for anyone who is seeking happiness to ask themselves. I live my life to maintain my own happiness while trying my best to not cause unhappiness to anyone else. If you want to be happy you need to understand that you can be happy and that you should be happy.Many people make the mistake of believing that they don’t deserve happiness and accept their unhappy state as their destiny. The truth of the matter is that happiness, like anything else in life, needs to be nurtured. Two Faced I Smile When I’m Happy, I Smile more When I’m Sad FEW TIPS TO FOLLOW TO CREATE HAPPINESS IN OUR LIFE: 1. Understand what it is that will make you happy. Everyone has unique requirements for at taining happiness and what makes one person happy may be very different from what makes someone else happy. Revel in your individuality and do not worry about whether or not your desires are comparable to those of your peers. . Make a plan for attaining goals that you believe will make you happy. Your mood will very likely increase as your pursue your goal because you will feel better about yourself for going after something you value. 3. Surround yourself with happy people. It is easy to begin to think negatively when you are surrounded by people who think that way. Conversely, if you are around people who are happy their emotional state will be infectious. 4. When something goes wrong try to figure out a solution instead of wallowing in self pity.Truly happy people don’t allow setbacks to affect their mood because they know that with a little thought they can turn the circumstances back to their favor. 5. Spend a few minutes each day thinking about the things that make you happy. These few minutes will give you the opportunity to focus on the positive things in your life and will lead you to continued happiness. 6. It’s also important to take some time each day to do something nice for yourself. Whether you treat yourself to lunch, take a long, relaxing bath or simply spend a few extra minutes on your appearance you will be subconsciously putting yourself in a better mood. . Finding the humor in situations can also lead to happiness. While there are times that require you to be serious, when it is appropriate, find a way to make light of a situation that would otherwise make you unhappy. 8. Maintaining your health is another way to achieve happiness. Being overweight or not eating nutritious foods can have a negative effect on your mood. Additionally, exercise has been known to release endorphins that give you a feeling of happiness. 9. Finally, it is important to understand that you deserve happiness.Those who believe that they are not worthy of happiness may subconsciously sabotage their efforts to achieve happiness. If necessary, tell yourself each day that you deserve to be happy and remind yourself what steps you will take to achieve the happiness you desire. Happiness is hard to define but most people are aware of whether they are happy or not. Many people believe that happiness is a form of luck and that some people are destined to be happy while others are destined to be unhappy. The tips in this article are small but meaningful steps that you can take each day to lead you to true happiness.