Odi Case Study

Optical Distortion, Inc. HBS Case Study 9-575-072 Marketing Management MKT 6301. 002 – Fall 2012 Team Members Young soo Han Kevin Yang Jay Chi Lenny Liao Brad Standridge As of 1974 the chicken population in the US is already in excess of 400 million birds, with slow but steady growth expected through 1980. Given that fact that a great many of these birds live in tight quarters on very large chicken farms, a means of combating the chicken’s natural instinct to peck other chickens is needed. Pecking can actually lead to high mortality rates in flocks (cannibalization), which in turn raises the costs of farming.Debeaking has been used for some time with good results, but it has its own set of drawbacks. The lens developed by Optical Distortions, Inc. (ODI) holds the promise of reducing the threat caused by pecking, without some of the issues associated with debeaking. The specific advantages of these lenses will be discussed in the following report, as will a plan for mark eting this new product. By permanently inserting a pair of sight distorting lenses into the eyes of an egg-laying hen, studies have shown that cannibalization can be reduced from 9% to 4. %. Moreover, feed loss due to â€Å"billing† is substantially reduced relative to debeaked birds, allowing for much greater efficiency in feed consumption (less waste). Finally, given that lens insertion does not inflict the same trauma that debeaking does, egg production is not adversely affected. Given the above advantages, it is expected that farmers could increase their profit from egg sales by more than one-third (37%) simply by employing the use of the ODI lenses (Exhibit 1).Although the potential impact of the ODI lenses is substantial, there are some important assumptions underlying the anticipated value to farmers. For example, one of the biggest financial gains could be in the reduction in feed waste, so the assumption that hens with lenses will â€Å"bill† much less is crit ical. Test results have shown that flock mortality can be cut in half relative to debeaking, so another important assumption is that these positive results can be duplicated consistently in the field.Despite its disadvantages, debeaking is a practice which is familiar to chicken farmers, and the labor and cost associated with debeaking a flock is reasonably well known. It is assumed that a team of individuals trained to perform the lens insertion could process approximately as many chickens in an hour as they would if debeaking were done instead. This would keep the cost of insertion on par with debeaking and would thus lessen the concerns of the farmer. Tied to this is the assumption that a farmer’s own personnel could be readily trained in the art of lens insertion.Should this turn out not to be the case, it could prove nearly impossible for a large number of lenses to be deployed – a small team simply could not address the millions of chickens which would need to be targeted. If millions of lenses cannot be sold in the first year of business, ODI would find it difficult to survive against bigger competitors who are waiting to enter the market. This is thus an area of potentially high risk which needs to be addressed as early in the product introduction phase as possible.Bound up in the assumptions listed above is the underlying assumption that all chickens will respond in more or less the same way to the lenses. There are a number of factors which could allow ODI’s lens technology to quickly penetrate the market. One of the most important is the potential for farmers to experience a large profit increase (> 30% increase) through lower operating costs. Chicken farming is very price sensitive due to its low profit margin (roughly 6% profit on a dozen eggs from a debeaked bird).Use of lenses could allow this margin to increase to 8% or more (Exhibit 1); promoting this possibility should entice many farmers to give the lenses a try. Another key to quick market penetration is the achievement of one or two clear success stories. Given its very small size, ODI needs to focus its limited resources on product introduction at one or two large farms, continuing the focus there until the farmer/owner is pleased with the results. The farmer’s future endorsement of the lens approach would then be invaluable in generating interest from potential customers.As a means of attracting the participation of the first one or two trial farms, ODI could offer free lenses for up to 1000 birds, including insertion labor. It should be noted that penetration of the market can only occur if ODI can supply product in sufficient quantities. Given that there are millions of chickens to be serviced, it is imperative that ODI’s supplier be prepared to likewise supply millions of lenses on a consistent basis. The fact that ODI is bound by contract to a single lens supplier is itself a risk which must be analyzed.From a business continu ity perspective, it would be preferable if ODI could obtain its lenses from two different New World Plastics plants. This would then mitigate the risk somewhat should there be, for instance, a serious product quality issue at one of the facilities. As regards target segment, it would seem that the focus should be initially on farms with a flock size of 50,000 and over, since this would limit the overhead (fixed costs) needed to service these accounts (fewer sales and technical experts required).Also, by focusing on large farms, the sales team could interface with the farms directly, and there would be no need for a â€Å"middle man† to be involved in product distribution. Avoiding this intermediary would help keep costs down. Given the density of large farms in California (flock size of 50,000 or greater), it seems prudent not only to perform the initial product introduction there but to focus the entire first year of business in this single West Coast state. The first yearâ €™s planned production volume is approximately 20 million, essentially the same as California’s chicken population.Success in this region could later force farms in other states to implement the lens simply as a means of staying competitive. Rather than relying on word of mouth alone, ODI could promote its lens technology by participating in both industry trade shows and advertising in the leading poultry industry publications. Moreover, it is also possible that California’s Department of Agriculture could become an ally in promotion of lenses as a viable alternative to debeaking. It is proposed that lenses be sold at a price of $0. 09 per pair, which would in turn provide a profit per pair of $0. 026 (see Exhibit 2).Though the lenses appear to have a value to the farmer much greater than 9 cents, keeping the price in the â€Å"single digits† has a beneficial psychological effect and could help foster the perception that they are a good value. Moreover, if t he price grows much beyond this, the product will obviously be less attractive to farmers who might already be uneasy about adopting a new technology. Given a volume of 20 million units, a price of $0. 09/pair would produce an annual profit of $520,000. This sum would easily allow $250,000 to be directed toward future R&D (so the company can become more than a one-product company).Moreover, there would be more than a quarter of a million dollars remaining to fund rapid expansion the following year (to build a new regional office, for example). Exhibit 1 – Monetary Value of ODI Lenses to Farmers As regards putting a monetary value on the lenses, this can be estimated as follows: a. ($2. 50/hr*3 workers)/225 birds = $0. 033 (cost of inserting a pair of lenses in one chicken) This is essentially the same cost involved in debeaking a bird; for this reason it need not be taken into account when considering the benefits of lenses relative to debeaking. . Proposed cost of lenses to farmer: $0. 09 per pair c. ($2. 40*0. 045) = $0. 108 per chicken (savings in allocation for replacing dead chicken, relative to debeaked flock reduction in flock mortality from 9% to 4. 5%) d. ($158 / ton)(ton / 2000 lb)(156 lb per day / 20,000 chickens) (365 days) = $0. 225 per chicken (annual savings in feed assumes elimination of feed loss due to billing) e. Let’s see how b. and c. above translate into cost of production for a dozen eggs (assuming a chicken produces 22 dozen eggs per year): ($0. 108 + $0. 225 – $0. 09)/22 = $0. 11 per dozen eggs Thus, the cost to produce a dozen eggs would drop from $0. 50 (for a debeaked bird) to $0. 489, and a farmer’s profit per dozen eggs increases from $0. 03 for a debeaked flock to an estimated $0. 041 (assuming a selling price of $0. 53). This means a farmer’s profit could increase by approximately 37% if the lenses were used throughout the flock. Exhibit 2 – Pricing Considerations for a Pair of Lenses Fi xed Costs 1) Headquarters: $184,000 annually (for volume of 20 million pair) 2) Regional Office and Warehouse: $196,000 annually 3) Advertising in Trade Publications: $100,000 annually ) Participation in Industry Trade Shows: $100,000 annually 5) Costs of Molds: $12,000 x 3 = $36,000 (3 molds are needed to produce 21,600,000 pair annually) 6) Licensing Agreement with New World Plastics: $25,000 (per year, must be paid for 1st and 2nd year of production) Variable Costs $0. 032 per pair of lenses (cost to purchase from manufacturer, New World Plastics) So, in the first year of production, if 20,000,000 pairs of lenses are sold, the TOTAL COST would be: [($184,000 + $196,000 + $100,000 + $100,000 + $36,000 + $25,000)/20,000,000] + $0. 032 = $0. 064 per pair

Human Virtues Essay

Virtues consist of a set of character strengths, these strengths represent good character. They are wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. Wisdom and courage are two virtues that my Grand Father encompassed. He was a very strong and knowledgeable man. His life revolved around going against all odds, he truly believed in beating whatever he was at battle against. His perseverance was with him till the day he died. He passed away at the age of 65, he wasn’t that old, yet he was a very wise man. His personality was filled with love, care and compassion for others. Very open-minded, when he met someone he was the one who always found the good in them, no matter who they were. If a situation would arise, he never just considered what was likely to occur, he looked at the â€Å"whole† picture. His love for learning was obvious, one of his hobbies was reading. When asked why, he would reply, â€Å"the more you read, the more you know†. He was a stickler for making us do well in school. He wanted each of us to have a good education to build our lives out of. He was a Lieutenant in the Federal Prison System for 25 years, after retiring from the Army, his life here was to provide for and protect his family, which he done with a happy, energetic, and determined attitude. His gratitude for life was amazing, he taught us all the meaning of Live, Laugh, Love. He walked this life on faith, while teaching others how to do the same along the way. Although his life at home was well rounded and energized by his love, his life at work was a very emotional one. It became as if life in prison, was life for him too. He developed emotional attachments to the inmates, He cared for them, he knee their situations, and he knew why they were there. His courage allowed him to become involved in their lives, which paid off in his favor the night he and some others were held hostage in Virginia Federal Prison, by a convicted serial killer. Yet once again, he put forth is faith, his knowledge and courage and talked the inmate down. He helped release the others, and saved many lives includ8ng his own. Wisdom and courage I think are two virtues that we all should possess. I try to live by good character, I think back on all of the talks me and my Grand Father had, and all the years in between. I smile and think to myself, â€Å"yes, I sure wish I could be just like him†.

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Edit 1 - Essay Example Since childhood my parents taught me to treat needy people with respect and to always thank god for the blessing I have and not to lust for what other people have. They even taught me to work hard to reach my goals without violating any law or other individual’s position. I always wanted to become a lawyer so I can have both the law and the power in hand to protect human rights and help improving their life positively whenever possible. I was not able to achieve my dream because laws in the United States are different than the laws in United Arab Emiratis. Due to this I decided to study International Studies and focus on both global security and human rights in the Middle East. There are only a few specialists that focus on human rights in the Middle East. This encouraged me to become attached with learning more about human rights in different region in order to become an expert and compare and contrast between laws governing human rights in different nations. This will help me in my career to introduce new ideas about human rights and I will be able to help to decrease the conflict taking place in Middle East. This will even enable me to teach others about human rights and its importance. It will even help me promote that Islam and Quran is based on justice and protecting other rights. I was a part of the Introduction to human rights course during spring semester of 2014. This increased my awareness on the issues of Immigration and refuges in the U.S, human trafficking, gay rights, minority rights, race, human identity, religious identity and many other human rights issues. One of the topics that attracted me was the rights of the disabled. I believe that the most difficult idea for humans to understand is the cultural differences between individuals and the role it plays in governing human rights. I even realized that it’s hard to agree on one human right document that promotes similar rights, especially that traditions, culture and religion

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Government grants for alternative energy - Research Proposal Example Moreover, in case of a successful research, state can export the resources to gain wealth and improve relations with other countries. It will also provide the country with a more self-sufficient structure of its own and external facilitation in terms of loans and aids will be significantly reduced (Gibilisco, 234). The alternative energy is a vast range of possibilities and so this research will only focus the energy derived from hydropower i.e. water. An important reason for this selection is the surplus availability of water due to the presence of the coastline. Once the literature review is complete, further narrowing of the topic can take place. For instance what sort of water etc. Nevertheless, by what is thoroughly known presently, it is safe to say that the research will analyze the efficiency of seawater from the south shore as an energy source. It will also extend to observing the hazards faced by the sea life and the civilians in case of execution and measures that could be performed to lessen the hazardous effects. Works Cited Gibilisco, S. Alternative energy demystified, McGraw-Hill Professional, 2006. Simon C. A.

International Human Resources Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Financial plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial plan - Essay Example During this time, a majority of the students on campus leaves and return to their homes and if they have a pet, they must either take it home with them where it might not be allowed, or they have to find a boarder, which is where we come in. We will be offering not only students, but also all members of the Bloomington community, the ability board their animals for extended periods for a fee. Some of the major sources of revenue to the Hoosier Pet Palace include pet grooming and boarding, breeding, and handling. On the other hand, the expenses are in the form of food for dogs, veterinary services, wages, electricity, interest on loan and others. Situational Review Hoosier Pet Palace is a unique entity, being the first to incorporate both pet care service and waste food recycling, Hoosier Pet Palace has a great potential for growth and limited competition in Bloomington, Indiana. There are two major pet care service providers in Bloomington: Canine Companions and The Dog House. Canine Companions was established in 1993 that distinguish themselves from others as â€Å"the only complete full-service one-stop pet care facility in the Bloomington area.† Not only do they provide daycare, they also provide boarding programs, medical treatments, training, exercise options, and grooming services. The Dog House, established in 2005, prides themselves as â€Å"Bloomington’s first and only cage-free boarding and doggy daycare facility.† Both of them have been in Bloomington for years and have established a customer base, which would compete directly with Hoosier Pet Palace. However, unlike Hoosier Pet Palace, they only provide caring services for dogs. Not only would Hoosier Pet Palace provide our service to owners of dogs, we would also provide our service to owners of cats, rabbits, birds, and more. Sources of Start-up Funding Hoosier Pet Palace needs approximately $185,000 for start-up and is in the process of going to banks and different loan agenc ies to borrow sufficient starting capital to acquire all necessary property, materials, and resources. We will be presenting our business plan to different loan agencies hoping for investment. We believe that our business will be successful because of the need that we will be satisfying. Our target market is in abundance in the Bloomington area, so we see a direct need to have an animal boarding facility available to them. Another reason we believe our business will be successful is because of the â€Å"green† initiative that we will be basing our company off. This will appeal to not only the students of the community but also the environmental friendly activists in the community. Strategy for Paying the Loan The bank loan is the largest expense the Hosier Pet Palace will incur throughout the first three years of operation. The business believes it will be successful in its activities and generate enough revenue to continue the business and pay the loan. This is justified by the fact that the target market is abundant in the area and there is need for an animal boarding facility. In addition, the college students have many pets that need services that will be offered by Hoosier Pet Palace. Operational Expenses during start-up Period Hoosier Pet Palace needs approximately $185,000 for starting up the business. This money will go into paying start-up expenses shown in the table below and acquiring the list of equipment for pet care.

What is leadership ability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What is leadership ability - Essay Example This ability involves exercising leadership skills and potentials over the subjects. If a person, for instance, has poor leadership ability, he or she will not be able to organize the subjects into maximized output. The lack of influence over the lead group will be an obstacle towards exploiting the capacity of the group towards output. A leader with strong leadership ability can on the other hand easily influence his group towards solving even difficult problems through motivational qualities. As a result, leadership ability is a measurable quantity that is determinable through its results. As Maxwell explains, effectiveness in organizational output is a result of leadership ability and is associated with measurable output values. A poor level of leadership ability therefore implies poor effectiveness into lower output of an organization while an effective leadership influences group members into high group effectiveness (Maxwell,

Native American Vision Quest Essay Example for Free

Native American Vision Quest Essay Vision Quest: A vision quest is a rite of passage in Native American cultures and more specifically the Oji-Cree. It was undertaken by a person when they reached puberty. The vision quest comprised of going to the wild for about ten days to fast. This took place either at the top of a hill or if need be a platform built in a tree. During the vision it is expected that at least one or more spirits would take pity on the individual and become his or her protector in the ordeal as well as a source of spiritual power for life. The carrying out of the vision quest was normally for males only in some Native American cultures; however for the Oji-Cree both males and females participated in this quest. During the vision fast power could be obtained and subsequently enhanced by fasting. During the course of the vision quest an individual would also receive his or her secret name from their spirit protector. The vision quest constituted for half of the spiritual rituals the Oji-Cree would undertake the other half being the shaking tent ceremony. The historical significance of this ritual was it was undertaken by individuals to provide power for themselves. Power was important as the Oji-Cree believed that power was inherent in every living thing and object, thus making it a important part of their way of life. Torah: The torah or also known as the law are the first five books of the Bible. It contains the essence of Judaism as well as ethical teachings and basic guidance. The Torah also contains the Ten Commandments which were given to the Hebrews by the Prophet Moses. The books that make up the Torah are Genesis (creation), Exodus (departure), Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Although sometimes it may contain The Prophets and usually the Psalms and other writings however some Hebrew scholars omit the Psalms and other writings. In the Christian faith the Torah is known as the Old Testament. The Torah provides modern day Jews with a explanation of what occurred in the time of the biblical Hebrews, events such as the conquest of Canaan and the exploration into the promised land are written in the Torah. The Torah is an integral part of the Jewish faith and is a corner stone in the teaching and spreading of the Jewish faith. Complimentary religious texts include the Mishnah and Talmud. In addition to providing the Jewish faith with guidelines and commandments the Torah also allowed for the academic interpretation of Hebrew teachings. These studies and interpretations were carried out by men called Rabbis which means teacher or my master. The Torah had increased significance during the Greek occupation of Judah as it became the foundation for the law of Judah in an attempt to preserve Jewish religion. The Torah also saw translation by the hands of the Greeks later on as the Greeks were fascinated by Judaism. This translation was named the Septuagint (in Greek it was Septuaginta) which meant seventy, seventy being the number of translators needed. Qur’an: The Qur’an is the central religious text of the Muslim faith. Islamic adherents believe that the Qur’an is the verbatim word of God. It`s origins start when the Prophet of the Muslim faith Mohammed was approached by the angel Gabriel during the month of Ramadan on Mount Hira. This was a repeat experience as it happened in later points in his life. In light of the fact that he was illiterate, he recited the teachings he had heard from Gabriel and by extension God to his followers who wrote them down. Similar to the Torah and the Bible the Qur’an was a written copy of oral tradition. However while the Torah and the Bible had multiple authors, Mohammed was the sole individual who dictated the Qur’an. In Arabic the word Qur’an means reading or recitation and it is generally believed that the Qur’an was to be the final message of God to humanity, making Mohammed merely the vessel from which this was sent. The Qur’an is tremendously significant to Muslims as in their eyes it is more than just a Holy Book, they see it as divine thought in written form consisting of the very mind and essence of God being communicated through Mohammed to humanity. It is a similar concept to the Christian concept of Logos, which is the Word of God being incarnate in Jesus Christ. The Muslim equivalent of Logos would be the Qur’an. Like the Christian`s Bible and the Hebrews Torah the Qur’an provides the framework of the Muslim faith as well is integral to the carrying out of the religions tenants. The Qur’an has influenced many events across history and can be considered the finest piece of literature in the Arabic Language. Sunni: Sunni is one of the sects of Islam, the other being Shi’a . Sunni is also the majority sect in Islam. The origins of the Sunni sect are intertwined with the Shi’as’ in an event known as the Shi’sm. The origins of Shi’sm derive from the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed named Ali. Most historians believed that Ali was the first male to embrace the Prophet’s message of Islam. His adherents also believed that he was he rightful successor of the Prophet and that he had been chosen by the prophet as the political and spiritual leader of Islam. The Sunnis were the faction who did not believe that the Prophet had selected Ali to succeed him. This clash of beliefs caused a schism with Islam and saw the creation of Sunnis and Shi’ites. While this schism was centuries ago it has significant implications in the modern day setting especially in the Middle east. In Iraq a part of the current warfare which is occurring is between the two groups. While Sunnis are a majority in most of the Muslim world, Iraq is predominantly Shi’a. The President of Iraq Saddam Hussein belonged to the Sunni faction and represented the minority rule over the majority in the country. While the Sunni faction differs from the Shi’a on terms of succession and other doctrine both groups agree that Allah is one and Mohammed is his last prophet. Regarding Islam, Sunni is often referred as the orthodox version of the religion. Bhagavad Gita: The Bhagavad Gita is a 700 hundred verse Hindu scripture. It is a veda or a old sacred book of Hinduism. The Bhagavad Gita is an epic poem describing classical Hinduism and was composed approximately near the end of the pre-classical age and beginning of the classical age of Hinduism. Its writing form is as a narrative of a great battle and is a section of a larger work known as Mahabharata, which was created much earlier in time. The premise of the Bhagavad Gita is :Prior to the battle a great warrior, Ajuna hesitates to fight. His charioteer, Krishna teaches him that it is his purpose and destiny to fight. Ajuna’s charioteer turns out to be an incarnation of the god Vishnu or in Hindu culture an avatar. The Bhagavad Gita is a compilation of centuries of developing worship, mediation and thought. The text consists of developed concepts of classical Hinduism touching on several points such as the gods Vishnu and Shiva and the concepts of karma, dharma, reincarnation and cases. The dimensions of the Bhagavad Gita are 18 chapters and 700 verses found in the Mahabharata. The Bhagavad Gita was spiritually important as it served as a source of spiritual knowledge as well as serves to reveal the purpose and goal of human existence. Master K’ung: Master K’ung or more commonly known as Confucius is one of the most important Chinese philosophers. He is traditionally hailed as the father of philosophical school of Confucianism. In addition to his capacity as a philosopher Master K’ung was also traditionally known as a was a thinker, political figure and educator. Master k’ung was said to have lived from 551-479 B.  C, his teachings were transferred orally by his students, emphasizing a way of life called ren. Ren was defined as right living and was achieved through li or ethical propriety, good manners and traditional ritualistic practices. According to his teachings family was seen as the central vehicle to cultivate these attributes. Master K’ung’s thoughts became available in a book known as the Analects. Master K’ung’s journey consisted of him leaving his life behind and wandering with a band of disciples until he found internal peace. While claims are unlikely, Master K’ung is attributed with works known as the Five Classics. These classics consist of the Shu Ching or Classic of History (writings and speeches from ancient Chinese rulers), the Shih Ching or Classic of Poetry (300 poems and songs), the I Ching or Classic of Changes (the description of a divinatory system), the Chun Chiu or Spring and Autumn Annal (a history of the state of Lu from 722 to 484 BC) and the Li Ching or Classic of Rites (a group of three books on the Li the rites of propriety. In addition there was also a now lost sixth book called the Yueh Ching or Classic of Music. Maste K’ung had a tremendous legacy which effected the world, as millions around the world would apply his wisdom and thoughts even in this day and age.

Rh Bill & Malthusian Theory Essay Example for Free

Rh Bill Malthusian Theory Essay In 2011, we have now seven billion people living in this planet. Unfortunately, Earth’s estimated carrying capacity is only about eleven to twelve billion people. With such a big problem we are facing today, it is important to analyze and examine what the scholars of the past have to say of our increasing population. One of the famous population theorists of that time is Thomas Malthus. In 1798, Malthus proposes his own theory about population. According to him, human populations grow exponentially while food production grows at an arithmetic rate. Thus, if the increase in our population is not controlled properly, then the number of the people would increase faster than the food supply. He stated that if this growth rate is allowed to continue, it would lead to a food shortage. To solve this problem, he proposed three solutions. The first one is positive check. This method increases death rates due to wars, famines, disease, and natural disasters. Preventive or negative check is the other one. It lowers the birth rate which is accomplished through abortion, birth control, and celibacy. The last one is moral restraint which is refraining from marriage until the time when a person is capable of supporting a family. This two hundred-year-old theory is now happening these days. It predicted the problems of food shortage that the world is experiencing today because of the uncontrolled increase in population. Still, I cannot fully agree with Malthus because there are things that he forgot to take into consideration when he formulated this theory. One is the ability of man to increase the food production as stated by Marx. He failed to recognize man’s ability to use science and technology to solve these population problems like the possible developments in agricultural technology which can increases the supply of food. Maybe during that time, science is making a slow progress that he assume we cannot remedy these problems. Another one is the use of birth control as a way of reducing population. He believed that having only few kids is the only way to stop or control the increasing growth rate. Moreover, he confused the desire for sexual relationships with the desire to have children. He didn’t realize that a person can still engage in a sexual relationship and still don’t have a child with the help of contraceptives. Although Malthus’ theory has some loopholes, the essentials of the theory have not yet been demolished. There are some assumptions that turned out to be true. RH bill The reproductive health bill which is now a law is the most controversial bill in the Philippines for decades which date back to 1967. The bill is composed of topics which deal with issues about family planning, maternal and child health, and reproductive and sexual conditions. Its main objective is to lift the reproductive standards of Filipinos by promoting respect for life, informed choice, birth spacing and responsible parenthood which is accordance with the human rights standards. It also guarantees access to medically-safe, legal and quality reproductive health care services and relevant information. Although it has promising merits, I do not support the bill because of some of its faulty assumptions. One is the assumption that overpopulation is the cause of poverty. In truth, there is really no relationship between overpopulation and poverty but RH bill still insists that it is the cause of the worsening poverty in our country. It is true that it is one of the factors but it is never the root cause of poverty. What is the primary cause of poverty are the corruption and the bad governance of the administration. In fact, we are one of the most corrupt countries in Southeast Asia. Another assumption is that Philippines is overpopulated. In reality, there is no overpopulation in our country. It is true that our cities are densely populated but in some parts of our country, there are small numbers of people and some are still uninhabited. One more problem in the bill is the belief that contraceptives will prevent abortion and sexually transmitted diseases. We should not entrust our safety to the use of these contraceptives in the prevention of STDs because according to some studies, there is no proof that condoms, for example, is effective in preventing STDs. In the case of abortions, it did not really lessen the incidents. According to a study in Spain, a 10-year period of an increasing use of contraceptive devises had been paralleled by a significantly increasing number of abortions. Though it is already a law, I hope that it can still be corrected so that it can truly uplift the standards of living of the Filipino people and be the solution to lessen the country’s underemployment and booming population.

Causes of Homelessness

Causes of Homelessness Homelessness can significantly impact on the health, welfare and employment prospects of those unfortunate enough to experience it. The life expectancy of rough sleepers is 42 years. Children living in temporary or shared accommodation have their education disrupted and are more likely to suffer from behavioural problems (House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts 2005). Whilst lack of educational achievement is classed as disadvantage in the jobs market, those with no qualifications (who do not suffer from any other form of disadvantage) have a relatively high rate of employment. However, where there is additional disadvantage such as homelessness, substance misuse or criminal record these factors combine to depress employment rates. The client group approach has been successful in targeting specific groups such as single mothers and the disabled, assisting them to move out of welfare dependency. This approach has been less successful with respect to clients who suffer from multiple disadvantages (Freud 2007). In 1998, the then Prime Minister pledged to reduce the number of rough sleepers by two-thirds by 2002. Many of those who have made the transition from rough sleeping have done so by using hostels as a first step (Department for Communities and Local Government 2006). However, fundamental to the achievement of successful outcomes with respect to homelessness is to encourage homeless people into meaningful activity, training and ultimately employment (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 2005, Department for Communities and Local Government 2006). There is also a recognition that services for the disadvantaged should be joined-up, which will assist in providing co-ordination to those who face homelessness (Department for Communities and Local Government 2003). Research indicates that there are two approaches apparent as the most successful with respect to homeless people those that are holistic and tailored (Freud 2007, Butcher et al 2007). This implies addressing all of the problems faced by the individual including employment, health as well as housing. The key benefits of this approach are sustainable outcomes and effectiveness in tackling homelessness and multiple needs (Butcher et al 2007). However, the homeless face significant issues relating to training and employment. This review seeks to examine the key issues with respect to homeless people and their ability to access training and employment opportunities. This is fundamental as employment is considered one of the primary pathways addressing social exclusion and leading to financial independence (Lownsbrough 2005, Sodha and Grant 2010). Homelessness Legally, the law classes a person as homeless if they do not have the legal right to occupy any living accommodation, or the accommodation they occupy is not suitable or habitable. Many regard homelessness as rough sleeping but this disguises other forms of homelessness such as those living in temporary accommodation, bed breakfast, hostels etc. (Shelter 2007). The obligations on local authorities are included in the Housing Act 1996, which was amended by the Homelessness Act 2002. This places a duty on local authorities to house people who fit the homelessness criteria. However, not everyone defined as homeless will be entitled to accommodation. To qualify for housing under the homelessness legislation an applicant must meet eligibility criteria, be legally defined as homeless, be in priority need and not have become intentionally homeless. Whilst a person may have a serious housing need, if they do not fulfil the criteria, the local authority does not have a duty to house them (Shelter 2007). It is difficult to quantify numbers of homeless people due to the extent of hidden homelessness. In addition there are those who experience episodes of homelessness between more stable periods (Shelter 2007). Opinion Leader Research (2006) found that the majority of homeless were in a cycle of repeated episodes of homelessness and this was related to debt problems, drug and alcohol dependency and the nature of hostel accommodation i.e. noisy, violent, costly. Daytime homelessness has also been identified (Jones and Pleace 2005). Originally used in the USA, the term refers to the situation where hostel dwellers are ejected from their accommodation during the day so whilst they may have over-night accommodation, the lack of a home during the day results in daytime homelessness. Causes The causes of homelessness are many and varied, but generally fall into the categories of structural factors (unemployment, poverty, lack of suitable housing, the extent of legal rights, social trends, benefits issues and policy development such as the closure of long-stay institutions) and personal factors (drug / alcohol misuse, problems at school, debts, physical and mental health issues, family breakdown, leaving the care system or armed forces) (Shelter 2007, Butcher et al 2007). A spiral or chain of events could also lead to homelessness. An event such as a family breakdown leads to loss of home or family support, which triggers a response such as substance misuse, loss of self-esteem and motivation (Butcher et al 2007). There are also a series of risk factors or indicators that confront the homeless or potentially homeless (Jones and Pleace 2005). These are: school exclusion and lack of qualifications; time in local authority care; multiple needs: combined mental health drug / alcohol problems; contact with the criminal justice system; time in the armed forces; previous experience of homelessness; lack of a social support network; difficulties in furnishing or maintaining a home; debts, especially rent or mortgage arrears; causing nuisance to neighbours (often linked to multiple needs). Impact Homelessness is traumatic. In addition, many have suffered a trauma leading homelessness such as home repossession, drug and alcohol misuse, domestic violence etc. Homelessness can lead to disempowerment, isolation and poverty. Homeless people rely on benefits and this in-turn can lead to dependency due to the high rents payable in supported housing such as hostels (Shelter 2007). Evidence suggests that homeless people will remain in supported housing such as hostels for some time, impacting on their attempts to re-enter the mainstream (Singh 2005). The reliance on benefits due to the high rents in temporary accommodation has a significant impact on a homeless persons ability to get a job and move on. As income rises Housing and Benefit and Council Tax Benefit are reduced. If a homeless person manages to find a job, they may be no better of as their benefits are reduced accordingly. When travel and other costs related to working is accounted for the homeless person may be no better off (Shelter 2007) this is examined in greater detail below. Young homeless people face a struggle in the transition to adult life (Foyer Federation 2001). They face issues such as poverty, lack of qualifications, family encouragement and self-esteem. Those who were homeless and those providing services have often referred to a homelessness culture (Crisis 2005), but this was in fact a reference to the most damaging aspect of many homeless peoples former way of life i.e. drug and alcohol dependency. The importance of Life Skills Many authors have examined and highlighted the value of life skills in tackling homelessness and social exclusion (Foyer Federation 2001, Department for Communities and Local Government 2003, Parsons and Palmer 2004, Lownsbrough 2005, Lownsbrough et al 2005, Singh 2005, Department for Communities and Local Government 2006, Opinion Leader Research 2006, Whitehead 2006, New Economics Foundation 2008, Quilgars et al 2008). However, Jones and Pleace (2005) suggest that research from as far back as the 1980s indicates that there are more complex issues leading to the risk of homelessness, rather than just a lack of life skills. They cite Jones et al (2001) assertion that life skills training is carried out with homeless people because it is accepted practice rather than because of an evidence base related to its efficacy. Employers and those in education are paying increasing attention to skills rather than just knowledge. This relates to how someone might react to a particular situation rather than how much they know. The work environment is increasingly focussed on key skills, learning skills and life skills. This focus has coincided with a similar debate about the acquisition of life skills to tackle social exclusion and address welfare reform. Life skills are recognised as being essential for people to managing their lives and relationships. They are also vital with respect to finding and sustaining a job (Lownsbrough et al 2005). There is an underlying assumption of a correlation between lack of life skills and being part of a socially excluded group. This raises two important questions; do people become excluded as a result of poor life skills? Or are life skills forgotten as a result of social exclusion and dealing with the challenging circumstances that exclusion throws-up? Whilst there is no evidence to suggest a causal link there is an interaction, which means families can spend generations trying to escape (from exclusion) (Lownsbrough et al 2005). Life skills are the activities that relate to daily living such as washing, cleaning and managing a household budget together with the soft skills such as communication that allow individuals to form and manage relationships. Singh (2005) found that some homeless peoples lack of life skills meant they were not able to access services and behavioural norms such as punctuality were not developed. Acquiring and maintaining life skills has been found to act as a gateway to more formal training in the same skill, which has ultimately led to employment. There are a number of examples where learning basic cookery skills have stimulated an interest in undertaking technical training and subsequent employment in catering (Lownsbrough 2005). When a person becomes excluded for a particular reason, the issue defines them in society and they are offered services that aim to alleviate the issue that has caused the exclusion, such as the provision of hot meals, clean clothing etc. They are then offered services that enable them to overcome the exclusion such as training, job search etc. Life skills training can provide a vital bridge between these services (Lownsbrough et al 2005). Whilst for some, undertaking formal training will ultimately lead to independence; others may need to acquire more basis skills in the short term. Homeless people generally need a wide range of training from formal education to support with respect to support services including general life skills, psychological support, social skills, financial management, basic skills and job related skills (Opinion Leader Research 2006). Meaningful Activity Lack of motivation is a common issue among homeless people (Jones and Pleace 2005, Singh 2005, Centrepoint 2006, OSW 2007, New Economics Foundation 2008). However, participating in meaningful activity is seen as a way of engaging the socially excluded and disadvantaged in activity that, whilst not actually concerning education, job-search etc, incorporates activities that teach those involved about teamwork, social skills etc., which are useful in the jobs market. Activities can be volunteering, art-based activity (theatre, painting, photography) or those involving health such as Tai Chi. Engaging with the homeless via the use of meaningful activity can provide a gateway into more formal training and job search and has been found to have an impact on social issues such as self-esteem and the ability to form and maintain relationships (Jones and Pleace 2005, Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills 2009). Meaningful activity around arts based projects also has a number of advantages such as the opportunity to be creative. In addition, there are no entry requirements or skills requirements so participants feel less exposed and can progress at their own speed. It also affords the opportunity of allowing the person to express and reflect what has happened to them (Cameron et al 2003). Government Policy relating to Work The government has made good progress in its Welfare to Work agenda and the creation of New Deal and Jobcentre plus has been instrumental in achieving this success. However, the government needs to build on its achievements so far to ensure that the most disadvantaged in society are also given opportunities to move from benefits dependency, but this should recognise that they may have special needs which need to be addressed in a holistic way (Freud 2007). As a result of improved economic prosperity, government has transformed work and opportunity in Britain. The goal of full employment matters because work provides the opportunity for development, progression and financial independence (Department for Work and Pensions 2007a). Governments intention is to create the circumstances whereby people move from being spectators to becoming participants, actively seeking and preparing for work (Department for Work and Pensions 2007b). There are five key elements that will be used to achieve the aim of full employment: A stronger framework of rights and responsibilities to move benefit claimants from being passive recipients to being active jobseekers A personalised and responsive approach will empower advisers and give increased discretion to Jobcentre Plus staff Partnership the public, private and third sectors working together on the basis of what works best Targeting areas of high worklessness by devolving and empowering communities Not just jobs, but jobs that pay and offer opportunities for progression There are also plans to improve support and provide work incentives in conjunction with a benefits system that rewards responsibility together with a greater choice over the support that is provided (Green Paper Department for Work and Pensions 2008a). The intention is to: Simplify benefits with the result that there will be two payments, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) for those with a condition that prevents working and Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) for those actively seeking work. Ensure that there is a no right to life on benefits. Disregard child maintenance payments when calculating entitlement. The subsequent White Paper (Department for Work and Pensions 2008b) sets out a programme to implement proposals with respect to changing the benefits system, improving job search services, adding conditionality to benefits entitlement, providing and defining additional support and ending child poverty. In January 2009, the Welfare Reform Act 2009 translated into statute the foregoing policy and discussion documents, aiming to increase the employment rate to 80%, end child-poverty, offer tailored support to job-seekers and place conditionality on benefits entitlements. There are a number of initiatives that are aimed at helping to move homeless people into work (Crisis 2007). These are: Pathways to Work: Aimed at supporting those claiming Incapacity Benefit to make the transition into work. This is particularly relevant to the homeless as circa 70% of homeless people claim this benefit (Crisis 2007). The New Deal / Flexible New Deal: Offering counselling and guidance, training and education. In 2004, the initiative was adapted to make it more suitable to the homeless (Department for Work and Pensions 2004). However, as eligibility is restricted to those in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance for at least six consecutive months, this may prove to be a barrier to the homeless as their lifestyles often result in gaps in claims (Crisis 2007). Jobcentre Plus: 2006 saw the opening of a centre in London devoted to working with the homeless and this coincided with a national commitment to prioritise the needs of the homeless (crisis 2007). progress2work and the progress2work-LinkUP: These pilot schemes recognise that disadvantaged clients need more time together with specialist interventions from statutory and other agencies to make lasting impact on employment outcomes. The target system used to measure Jobcentre Plus and others recognises that there are some clients that may require specialist, long-term assistance (Department for Work and Pensions 2004). However, there is concern over the ability of the model to justify its existence over the three-year term before the committed funding runs out (Crisis 2007). New Deal and Flexible New Deal together with Jobcentre Plus have proved effective assisting circa 90% back into work within twelve months. Prior to the recession Job Seekers Allowance claim levels were the lowest for thirty years. Unemployment levels during the recession were at lower rates than predicted by the government (Sodha and Grant 2010). Whilst the welfare-to-work programme has undoubtedly had assisted in creating a population of more skilled, educated and active, the homeless continue to face exclusion and run the risk of suffering more disadvantage (Sodha and Grant 2010). Homelessness and Work In 1986 83% of homeless people were in some form of paid employment but by 2005 this figure had dropped to 5% and by 2007 only 4% were in work (St Mungos 2005 and 2007). Singh (2005) found that 77% of those surveyed wanted to work. 97% of hostel residents would like to work (St Mungos 2007) and a 2010 survey conducted by St Mungos revealed that 80% agreed with the statement one of my goals is to get back into work. Research has reliably indicated that rates of employment among young homeless people are very low and that they face a combination of significant barriers that impact on their educational achievement and employment potential (Centrepoint 2006). worklessness lies at the root of deprivation (Meadows 2008). Employment is one of the key routes toward addressing social exclusion and achieving independence, both socially and financially (Lownsbrough 2005, Sodha and Grant 2010). However, financial rewards are not the singular motivation for the homeless wanting to find work (New Economics Foundation 2008). Barriers Homeless people face a range of issues, which form barriers to their progression from benefits into training, work and independence. These barriers are person-related and systemic or structural. Person-related barriers include: Lack of skills (including life-skills) and / or qualifications Low motivation Lack of confidence and self-esteem Poor job search skills Lack of work experience Health, both physical and mental Addictions Cultural / language barriers Fear of change and the unknown Low respect for / mistrust of authority Criminal record The structural / systematic barriers include: Living in concentrations of worklessness Living in social housing / hostels and the stigma attached Poor local transport Limited local job opportunities High cost of hostel rents Poor financial incentives and the benefits trap Lack of ongoing support Discrimination (Parsons and Palmer 2004, Jones Pleace 2005, Lownsbrough 2005, Singh 2005, Centrpoint 2006, Opinion Leader Research 2006, Butcher et al 2007, New Economic Foundation 2008, Sodha Grant 2010, Business Action on Homelessness 2009) 37% of homeless people have no formal qualifications whilst 13% have Level 3 qualifications (more than 1 A Level) or above. This compares to just fewer than 50% of the general population (New Economic Foundation 2008). In addition, many suffer barriers relating to competing issues (Singh 2005, Jones Pleace 2005). Competing issues arise where a pressing need such as dealing with addiction prevents the person addressing the issue of finding work. Singh (2005) cites Maslows Hierarchy of Needs model, which suggests that fundamental needs such as finding a home take precedence in the hierarchy over, for example, addressing issues around self-esteem. Lower level barriers include lack of suitable clothing to attend an interview, inadequate access to a telephone or computer and the lack of somewhere suitable to complete an application (Parsons and Palmer 2005, Singh 2005). Pathway to Employment The traditional pathway to employment model employed by the homelessness sector is a three-stage process where the first engagement stage is centred on addressing the issues that led to homelessness such as treatment for substance misuse. In the second stage of pre-work support the process is about attempting to get clients work-ready and can include volunteering, job-search, training, work placements etc, which will hopefully result in a job offer. The last stage involves in-work support which can take the form of job-coaching and at-work training (New Economics Foundation 2008). However, a revised model should be used that more readily reflects the journey into employment (New Economics Foundation 2008). The new model highlights the need for intensive support during the first twelve weeks of employment, as this is the period when homeless people struggle financially, emotionally and practically. The model is based on four key stages i.e. Engagement, Pre-work support, Settling into work, Sustainable employment. Whilst this new model represents a linear path to employment it may need to be modified to reflect the reality that a person with high support needs may drop out at any stage. So if a person drops out at the Settling into work phase, this may result in further work on the Pre-work or even Engagement phases (New Economics Foundation 2008). Butcher et al (2007) reported a seven-stage journey to employability comprising engagement, needs assessment, individual action plan, support, and labour market preparation, in work support, sustainable employment. The content of this seven-stage route shares many similarities with the revised model above. Fothergill (2008) develops the model to create The Right Deal for Homeless People to prove a holistic and co-ordinated range of support to assist the homeless into work and independence. Meadows (2008) indicated that homeless people come from a range of backgrounds with different needs relating to education, health (both physical and mental), contact with the justice system etc. The most effective interventions with respect to homeless people and their pathway to employment are those that address the needs of the individual, which may involve interventions via referrals to specialist agencies. As a result of the Places of Change programme (Department of Communities and Local Government 2006), St Mungos instituted a five-stage Pathways to Employment programme, beginning with an Occupational Health Check which then proceeds with activities such as basic skills training, vocational guidance, long-term meaningful activity, external accredited training, job search, coaching and end with in-work support. Clients are also provided with suitable clothing to attend interviews. (St Mungos 2007). Evaluation of this programme noted the project having a significant impact on participants lives. The journey towards increasing independence and employment has begun for participating clients. The programme can achieve significant outcomes but interpretation of outcomes must recognise the progress that clients can realistically make (Sodha and Grant 2010). The Ready for Work programme under the auspices of Business Action on Homelessness (BAOH) targets those who may be ready for work but lack skills, confidence or are long-term unemployed. In a two-week work placement they are allocated a buddy, together with support from BAOH trained staff for six months following the placement. Since its inception 2000 out of 5000 people have found work and of the participants 38% go on to full time work. 500 businesses are involved and they report the valuable contribution that the homeless can make (Sodha and Grant 2010). There is scope to employ homeless people in the homelessness field (Ireland 2010). Circa 20% of the staff within Thames Reach, Tyneside Cyrenians and P3 are former service users. There are 17,000 employed in the sector and if all organisations employed service users at this 20% rate, this would realise some 3,400 positions. Although there is no single pathway model, the similarities of each organisations approach are a lead from senior management, incorporating the model into business planning and ensuring staff buy-in. Staff who are former service users display a high level of commitment to the job, other service users and are able to use their experience to benefit their case-load. There are a number of benefits in employing service users: Beneficial impact on culture Credibility and influence with policy makers Adding value to service delivery as a result of the experience of staff (Ireland 2010) Sustaining employment can be a particular issue with respect to the homeless and reasons for not being able to sustain work include transport, not being mentally ready and difficulties with integration into the workforce. This reinforces the need for tailored one-to-one support during the early stages of employment (Singh 2005, Sodha and Grant 2010). In addition to facing problems fitting in (Business Action on Homelessness 2009) in the initial stages of employment, there are other issues which can prove significant in determining whether a homeless person is able to sustain the new job. They are poor financial planning, which relates to the transition from benefits, particularly where the persons income is cost neutral or where they are only slightly better off, the effect of temporary, casual contracts as the benefits system is not geared up to address this type of work and social isolation particularly where the move into employment is accompanied by a move from a hostel into more permanent accommodation, resulting in less or no contact with existing social networks. Barriers to sustaining employment also include drug / alcohol dependency, emotional problems, particularly during tense or stressful periods and the likelihood was that the job would be low skilled and low-paid resulting in little job satisfaction (Opinion Leader Research 2006). Meadows (2008) also highlighted the need to work with young homeless and disadvantaged people to develop a work-focussed lifestyle can assist in tackling other areas of disadvantage. Benefits System Generally referred to as the benefits trap, this situation occurs when the reduction in benefits as a result of having a job means that the person is marginally, or no better off. When questioned, however 56% of homeless individual stated they would take a job in these circumstances whilst 21% would take other issues into account before coming to a decision (Singh 2005). Many people find that they are no better off in work: Taking into account the costs of work (travel or work-related clothing, for example) a JSA claimant over the age of 25 faces a participation tax rate exceeding 100% for most of the first 20 hours of work (and just below 100% for the hours after. As a result, the individual gains only  £29.06 after 40 hours of work (Sodha and Grant 2010). Caseworkers, clients and experts in the field of homelessness find that the tax and benefits system is confusing. The benefits system plays a fundamental role in the transition from benefits dependency into work, but the perception is that the system operates as a bureaucratic function that militates against support into work. These difficulties result in people not claiming entitlements, particularly with respect to in-work, benefits and tapering payments. There is also the concern amongst claimants that benefits entitlements have been calculated incorrectly, resulting in claw-back at a later date. The system of Working Tax credits has also resulted in some being worse off after following a recalculation of entitlement after 12 months in work (New Economics Foundation 2008). Bearing in mind that many homeless people are already in debt, poor transitional arrangements resulted in many taking on more debts, thereby increasing the likelihood of a further episode of homelessness. This difficult experience in moving into work reduces the motivation to try again (New Economics Foundation 2008). Difficult benefits to work transitions can result in a four-week period between benefits concluding and the arrival of the first pay-slip (Sodha and Grant 2010). Workless people are not well informed about the availability of Working Tax Credit, Housing Benefit, Childcare Tax Credit and additional forms of support. The complex inter-relationships of these benefits together with family circumstances, earnings and location mean that the system has a limited role to play in encouraging the transition to work (Meadows 2008, Sodha and Grant 2010, Business Action on Homelessness 2009). There is also a perception amongst homeless people that working will not make them better off, particularly as the jobs they could apply for are low skilled and low paid. There is also evidence that pressure from government agencies to take work has driven many to forego benefits in favour of begging or part time casual work (Opinion Leader Research 2006). The system of benefits is poorly structured, particularly with respect to sign-on days so there is evidence of those on Ready to Work placements having to take days off in order to avoid loosing benefits payments. The complex nature of Housing Benefit recalculations makes it problematic for those on variable hours or short-term contracts (Business Action on Homelessness 2009). Attitudes of Employers In a survey of fifteen employers, all thought that commercial and non-commercial employers had a duty to help socially disadvantaged people such as the homeless. Employers consider that Corporate Social Responsibility at a local level is particularly important as it affords them the opportunity of putting something back. Although most employers had recruitment policies, they tended to be influenced by equal opportunities legislation rather than addressing the needs of disadvantaged groups such as the homeless (Singh 2005). Involving employers can be complex as they are likely to be resistant to anything that is time consuming and does not have clear outcomes. However, good relationships with employers can provide opportunities for work placements and the potential to have an effect on recruitment policies (Meadows 2008). Of those organisations that offered work placements to homeless people, they suggested a number of benefits to the organisation: Improved understanding of the issues. Challenge to existing policies within the organisation. Utilisation of untapped skills. Seeing first hand someone reclaiming their lives, dignity and self-respect. The negative aspects were reported as: Some candidates not being work

Repetitive Strain Injury Essay -- Health, Musculoskeletal Injury

Repetitive strain injury is a term that encompasses a broad range of musculoskeletal conditions that usually occur in sedentary workers. The musculoskeletal injury occurs due to an accumulation of microtrauma caused by repeated soft tissue overload (Ratzlaff 2007). In other words, tissues in the body are repeatedly injured with each injury being minor but, cumulatively, causing serious pain and damage to the body. Repetitive strain injury is not new phenomenon. It was first reported in the early 1900’s as telegraphic operator’s cramp in men who operated Morse keys (Youngson 2005). As the name suggests, repetitive strain injury affect those who perform repeated tasks for long periods of time. Most people affected are those who spend the majority of their work day sitting at a desk or using a computer. Other groups who frequently suffer from repetitive strain injury are those who use a particular muscle or group of muscles repeatedly such as musicians, knitters, a nd sewers. Factors contributing to repetitive strain injury are repeated use of same muscles, poor posture and sitting for long periods of time. Manifested primarily as pain in the forearm, shoulder or neck, repetitive strain injury is more common in women, tall people, smokers or those who are overweight. (Youngson 2005). Symptoms include pain anywhere in the fingers, hands, arms or upper spine. Repetitive strain injuries usually begin gradually and progress through distinct stages (Youngson 2005) and are easily manageable in the early stages. It is important to recognize the symptoms and treat early. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common type of repetitive strain injury and results from compression of the median nerve as it traverses the carpal tunnel ... ...biofeedback. A third treatment commonly used is an ergonomic approach. This involves the minimization of exposure to risk factors in the workplace. One method of achieving this is by the altering or replacement of equipment that is causing the injury. Many types of ergonomic keyboards are available for computer users which reduce the stress placed on the hands and wrists. Employee’s workstations can be altered to include equipment such as desks and chairs that help maintain proper posture reducing stress to the arms, upper torso, and neck. Frequent rest breaks are also encouraged by experts to minimize strain to all parts of the body. Repetitive strain injury is a condition that can affect a person of any age, gender, or race. Activities and tasks that seem insignificant, when performed repeatedly, have to ability to damage the body if left untreated.

Why I admire Benjamin Franklin Essay -- Leaders American History

Benjamin Franklin completed many accomplishments from childhood to adulthood. When he was just 22 he established his first printing business with a partner, Hugh Meredith. Benjamin soon bought out Hugh Meredith's share. In 1732, when Franklin was only 26 he published the first edition of 'Poor Richards Almanack,' the book shows evidence that it was successful for 25 years. 'Poor Richards Almanack' allowed Franklin to retire from business a rich man in 1748. In 1741 Benjamin Franklin invented the Franklin Stove. The stove was handy for both, heating a room or cooking. In 1752 Benjamin Franklin conducted his famous electricity experiment with a kite. In 1757 Franklin returned to England as a Colonial agent for Pennsylvania. Next, in the year of 171 Benjamin began to write his own autobiography. In 1775 as a member of the Continental Congress, Franklin advocated separation from England. In 1776 Franklin helped draft the Declaration of Independence, in the fall he goes to France to plead the American cause. In 1778, Benjamin arranged the American Alliance with France, which soon led... Why I admire Benjamin Franklin Essay -- Leaders American History Benjamin Franklin completed many accomplishments from childhood to adulthood. When he was just 22 he established his first printing business with a partner, Hugh Meredith. Benjamin soon bought out Hugh Meredith's share. In 1732, when Franklin was only 26 he published the first edition of 'Poor Richards Almanack,' the book shows evidence that it was successful for 25 years. 'Poor Richards Almanack' allowed Franklin to retire from business a rich man in 1748. In 1741 Benjamin Franklin invented the Franklin Stove. The stove was handy for both, heating a room or cooking. In 1752 Benjamin Franklin conducted his famous electricity experiment with a kite. In 1757 Franklin returned to England as a Colonial agent for Pennsylvania. Next, in the year of 171 Benjamin began to write his own autobiography. In 1775 as a member of the Continental Congress, Franklin advocated separation from England. In 1776 Franklin helped draft the Declaration of Independence, in the fall he goes to France to plead the American cause. In 1778, Benjamin arranged the American Alliance with France, which soon led...

Personal Metaphors Essay

If I were a building, I would be a Skyscraper. The reason is that skyscrapers are tall, strong, and unique. I am tall, strong and unique. I am not only strong physically, but also emotionally, which means that when im having a bad day, I don’t cry about it, I suck it up and go on with my day. So, if I were to be a building, I would be one of the amazing skyscrapers. Song â€Å"Skyscraper,† a song by Demi Lovato, is so empowering and it helps young people to stand up to bullies. I love to help people overcome their fears and issues. I also like to see young people who are strong and empowering. A few lyrics from the song are; â€Å"Go on and try to tear me down, I will be rising from the ground, like a skyscraper, like a skyscraper†¦Ã¢â‚¬  So if you’re trying to put me down, it’s going to be a long shot for you because I am going to stand tall like a skyscraper. Animal If I were an animal, I would be a skyscraper. A lioness is brave, wise, strong and daring. I’m not scared of anything or anyone but God. I also stand up to people when they are being rude, which makes me brave. Strength doesn’t mean your physical abilities. I am not only physical but emotionally strong. I also take risks and I am never afraid to tell you what I feel. Wouldn’t I be a great lioness? Cartoon Character If I were a cartoon character, I would be Dora the Explorer. Dora is helpful, honest, intelligent, kind, smart, caring, social, and creative and she loves going on adventures. I love helping people making me helpful. I don’t tell lies because one lie leads to another lie. I like making new friends and caring for them. When I go to new places, I put a star on the place I visit on the world map. When I help my family, friends, and even people that I don’t know, it makes me happy. I think that I make a great Dora. Day of the week I would be Sunday if I were a day of the week. Sunday is a day that most people look forward to. It’s a day of relaxation, worshipping, and for kids, just having some fun. I like relaxing and just having some time for myself. God is the reason that I am here and I think that I owe him some time to express my appreciation and gratefulness. I’m a teenager and I love having fun. Fun is the number one way to go through a person’s childhood. I think that Sunday would be the best day for me to be.

Literature and Human Behaviour Essay

Literature has been a major part of human culture throughout human existence. It has always been used as a way of defining how humans interact with each other. Literature is defined as ‘the writings of a period, language, or country’. If ancient times are also to be considered, then myths, legends, and theatre, which passed down literary ideas, and social critiques before the time of the written word, should also be included in this definition. The plays of William Shakespeare are a perfect example of pieces of literature that are not only entertaining, literature for literature’s sake, but also provide great insight into human nature. In one form or another, literature is entrenched as an expression of the ways of humanity, and so by absorbing it, one can gain a greater understanding of human behaviour. The human sciences offer a different angle to the understanding of human behaviour as literature does. Literature gives us insight into what is going on inside people’s minds. How someone from a culture that one might not understand, thinks. Many of Shakespeare’s plays are centered around the downfall of a particular character. This downfall arises from within the character, it is the result of a tragic flaw. The human sciences on the other hand, provide information on how humans interact with each other. They often involve social studies in which experiments involving the interactions of humans are observed and recorded. If for example some human scientists performed a particular experiment with enough people, and got a similar result each time, they can conclude that a human being is likely to act in a certain way, given the situation which was in the experiment. In this way human scientists can draw conclusions as to what is a normal reaction for a person to have in a situation, and can describe traits which are almost universal to humans. These human sciences give us a knowledge of the external aspects of human behaviour, which is extremely valuable to have. If for example, a police force wanted to know whether or not a new method they had developed for deterring graffiti artists worked efficiently or not, they might perform a human science experiment, where they secretly test their  method on a sample of would-be graffitists. The results could tell them if it would be productive for them to put resources into developing and employing this method, or whether it was inefficient and would be a waste of resources. Literature will often delve deep into the human mind, to seek the unknown. Some literature may attempt to describe perceptions of the world from the mind of a serial killer. If written well, and researched thoroughly, this literature would be enthralling, and probably disturbing, because it is teaching us about the human behaviour of someone who is very different from ourselves. (hopefully) It would show to the reader an aspect of human behaviour that is not common among all people, but is infact rare. From this we would learn about an aspect which we did not have an understanding of, and would therefore increase our knowledge of human behaviour. Other literature may reveal something about people that relates to a great many people. People will engage with this literature because they will have some understanding of it, and so the book would increase their knowledge of their own human behaviour, and would also show them that this human behaviour is common to many people. From this we can see that a study of literature can give someone a deeper understanding of what goes on in the human mind, and a study of the human sciences can allow someone to have a greater knowledge of the way that humans interact with each other, and certain situations they may be faced with. There are of course some problems with both of these ways of attaining knowledge of human behaviour. Although experiments can be done in the human sciences, they can never give a result which is 100% accurate. They may provide a conclusion which will probably be correct in most cases, but it’s never certain. This is because of the fact that these experiments deal with people. People are not like objects in the experiments of natural sciences. They are prone to performing differently each time the experiment is carried out. For example, if sodium bi-carbonate is put in vinegar, it will cause an almost violent chemical reaction every time, but if icing sugar is put in,  it will not. However, if a person suffering from a headache is given a painkiller, they might feel an easing of the pain, but if they are given a placebo pill, they might still think they are feeling an easing of the pain, but it would be purely psychological. This shows that what people expect to happen can alter the results of the experiment, and this gives the observer inconclusive answers. Basically, when looking at results achieved through the human sciences, we can not be totally sure that we are learning anything about human behaviour, because we can never be certain that the results are completely accurate. There are also problems that can occur when trying to gain a greater understanding of human behaviour through the study of literature. I don’t feel that all literature is valid for this purpose. If a piece of literature has not been well researched, and not well written, then it’s content may give a misrepresentation of the real world. A book written by an english pioneer on the subject of the lifestyle of the Aboriginal race may provide a bias and incorrect view. This would lead the reader to gain a perception of the human behaviour of that particular culture and people that does not coincide with the truth. If this is the case then it is clear that in order for somewhere to gain a greater understanding of human behaviour in reference to a particular culture, then a wide range of literature need to be considered. However, the pieces of literature that give a bias or incorrect view needn’t be totally disregarded. These pieces of literature, while they may not provide a truthful description of a culture or civilisation, they can often reflect on the culture that the author of the literature belongs too. They can give an idea of what kind of perceptions were held by that culture, on the other culture. This can add to our understanding of human behaviour because when several of these types of articles are read, patterns can emerge as to how a culture that is seemingly more civilised than other, views that less civilised culture. A wide study of literature, and an appreciation of the human sciences can greatly add to our understanding of human behaviour. Though often biases, and discrepancies in results have to be taken into account, they provide insight into what goes on inside the minds of people, and in what ways they  react to other people and situations. When this sort of knowledge has been attained, one can have a greater understanding of the human behaviour related to different cultures, different ages, different sexes, and it can also give them a greater understanding of themselves. Bilbliography: The World Book Dictionary, Doubelay & Company, Inc. 1982

The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 25

The Asian Invasion After a relatively short workout and an even shorter – and silent – run with Tiffany, I hop a train to Philadelphia. Following Jake's directions, I walk down Market Street toward the river, turn right on Second Street, and follow the road to his building. When I reach the address, I am surprised to find that Jake lives in a high-rise that overlooks the Delaware River. I have to give my name to the doorman and tell him who I am visiting before he will let me in the building. He's just an old man in a funny costume, who says â€Å"Go Eagles† when he sees my Baskett jersey, but my brother having a doorman is sort of impressive, regardless of the man's uniform. Another old man wears a different sort of funny costume in the elevator – he even has on one of those brimless monkey hats – and this man takes me to the tenth floor after I tell him my brother's name. The elevator doors open, and I walk down a blue hallway on a thick red carpet. When I find number 1021, I knock three times. â€Å"What's up, Baskett?† my brother says after he opens the door. He's in his Jerome Brown memorial jersey because it's game day again. â€Å"Come on in.† There is a huge bay window in the living room, and I can see the Ben Franklin Bridge, the Camden Aquarium, and tiny boats floating on the Delaware. It's a beautiful view. I immediately notice that my brother has a flat-screen television thin enough to hang on the wall like a picture – and it is even bigger than Dad's television. But strangest of all, my brother has a baby grand piano in his living room. â€Å"What's this?† I ask. â€Å"Check it out,† Jake says. He sits down on the piano bench, lifts the cover off the keys, and then actually starts playing. I am amazed that he can play â€Å"Fly, Eagles, Fly.† His version isn't very fancy, just a simple chord progression, but it's definitely the Eagles' fight song. When he begins to sing, I sing along with him. When he finishes, we do the chant and then Jake tells me he has been taking lessons for the past three years. He even plays me another song, which is very unlike â€Å"Fly, Eagles, Fly.† This next song is familiar – surprisingly gentle, like a kitten walking through high grass – and it seems so unlike Jake to create something this beautiful. I actually feel my eyes moistening as my brother plays with his eyes shut, moving his torso back and forth with the sway of the piece, which also looks funny because he is wearing an Eagles jersey. He makes a couple of mistakes, but I don't even care, because he is trying very hard to play the piece correctly for me and that's what counts, right? When he finishes, I clap loudly and then ask him what he was playing. â€Å"Pathetique. Piano Sonata number 8. Beethoven. That was part of the second movement. Adagio cantabile,† Jake says. â€Å"Did you like it?† â€Å"Very much.† Truthfully, I am amazed. â€Å"When did you learn to play?† â€Å"When Caitlin moved in with me, she brought her piano, and she's sort of been teaching me all about music ever since.† I start to feel dizzy because I have never heard mention of this Caitlin, and I think my brother just told me she lives here with him, which would mean my brother is in a serious relationship I know nothing about. This does not seem right. Brothers should know about each other's lovers. Finally I manage to say, â€Å"Caitlin?† My brother takes me into his bedroom, and there's a big wooden poster bed with two matching armoires that look like guards facing each other. He picks up a framed black-and-white photo from the bed stand and hands it to me. In the photo, Jake's cheek is smashed against a beautiful woman's. She has short blond hair, cut almost like a man's, and she is very delicate-looking, but pretty. She is in a white dress; Jake is in a tuxedo. â€Å"That's Caitlin,† Jake says. â€Å"She plays with the Philadelphia Orchestra sometimes and does a lot of recording in New York City too. She's a classical pianist.† â€Å"Why have I not heard about Caitlin before?† Jake takes the portrait from my hands and stands it up on the dresser. We walk back into the living room and sit down on his leather couch. â€Å"I knew you were upset about Nikki, so I didn't want to tell you that I was †¦ well †¦ happily married.† Married? The word hits me like a giant wave, and suddenly I am slick with sweat. â€Å"Mom actually tried to get you out of that place in Baltimore for the Mass, but it was when you were first admitted and they wouldn't let you out. Mom didn't want me to tell you about Caitlin yet, so I didn't at first, but you're my brother, and now that you're home, I wanted you to know about my life, and Caitlin's the best part. I've told her all about you and – if you want – you can meet her today. I had her go out this morning while I broke the news to you. I can call her now, and we can have lunch before we go down to the Linc. So, do you want to meet my wife?† The next thing I know, I'm at a little swanky cafe off South Street, sitting across from a beautiful woman who holds my brother's hand under the table and smiles at me unceasingly. Jake and Caitlin carry the conversation, and it feels a lot like when I am with Veronica and Ronnie. Jake answers most of the questions Caitlin asks me, because I do not say much at all. No mention is made of Nikki or my time at the bad place or just how bizarre it is that Caitlin has been married to my brother for years, yet I had never met her. When the waiter comes, I say I'm not hungry, because I don't have very much money on me – only the ten bucks my mother gave me for the subway, since I already spent five bucks on the PATCO ticket. But my brother orders for all of us and says he is treating, which is nice of him. We eat fancy ham sandwiches with some sort of sun-dried tomato paste, and when I finish, I ask Caitlin if the ceremony was a nice one. â€Å"What ceremony?† she says, and I catch her looking at the little white scar above my right eyebrow. â€Å"Your wedding ceremony.† â€Å"Oh,† she says, and then looks lovingly at my brother. â€Å"Yes. It was really nice. We had the Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City and then a small reception at the New York Palace.† â€Å"How long have you been married?† My brother shoots his wife a look that I do not miss. â€Å"A while now,† she says, which makes me feel crazy because everyone present knows that I do not remember the last couple of years – and because she is a woman, Caitlin knows exactly how long she has been married to Jake. It is obvious she is trying to protect me by being vague. This makes me feel awful, even though I realize Caitlin is trying to be kind. My brother pays the bill, and we walk Caitlin back to their apartment building. Jake kisses his wife by the entrance door, and his love for her is so obvious. But then Caitlin kisses me right on the cheek, and with her face only a few inches from mine, she says, â€Å"I'm glad I finally got to meet you, Pat. I hope we'll become good friends.† I nod because I don't know what else to say, and then Caitlin says, â€Å"Go Baker!† â€Å"It's Baskett, dummy,† Jake says, and Caitlin blushes before they kiss again. Jake hails a taxi and tells the driver, â€Å"City Hall.† In the taxi I tell my brother I don't have any money to pay for the taxi ride, but he says I never have to pay for anything when I am with him, which is a nice thing to say, but his saying it makes me feel sort of strange. Underneath City Hall, we buy subway tokens, spin a turnstile, and then wait for the southbound Orange Line. Even though it is only 1:30 p.m. and kickoff is not for seven hours yet, even though it is a Monday, a day when most people have to work, many men in Eagles jerseys are already waiting on the platform. This makes me realize that Jake is not working today – it makes me realize I do not even know what Jake does for a living, which really starts to freak me out. I think hard and remember that my brother was a business major in college, but I cannot remember where he works, so I ask him. â€Å"I'm an options trader,† he says. â€Å"What's that?† â€Å"I play the stock market.† â€Å"Oh,† I say. â€Å"So who do you work for?† â€Å"Myself.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"I work for myself and do all my business online. I'm self-employed.† â€Å"Which is why you could take off early to hang out with me.† â€Å"That's the best part about being self-employed.† I am very impressed with Jake's ability to support himself and his wife by playing the stock market, but he doesn't want to talk about his work. He thinks I'm not smart enough to understand what he does; Jake doesn't even try to explain his work to me. â€Å"So what did you think of Caitlin?† he asks me. But the train comes, and we join the herd of boarding Eagles fans before I can answer. â€Å"What did you think of Caitlin?† he asks again after we find seats and the train starts moving. â€Å"She's great,† I say, avoiding eye contact with my brother. â€Å"You're mad at me for not telling you about Caitlin right away.† â€Å"No, I'm not.† I want to tell him all about Tiffany following me when I run; finding the â€Å"Pat† box; how Mom is still on strike and dirty dishes are in the sink and Dad turned his white shirts pink when he did the wash; how my therapist Cliff says I need to stay neutral and not get involved in my parents' marital problems but only focus on improving my own mental health – but how can I do that when Dad and Mom are sleeping in separate rooms and Dad is always telling me to clean the house and Mom is telling me to leave it filthy – and I was having a hard time keeping it together before I found out my brother plays the piano and trades stocks and is living with a beautiful musician and I have missed his gala wedding and therefore will never see my brother marry, which is something I very much wanted to see, because I love my brother. But instead of saying any of this, I say, â€Å"Jake, I'm sort of worried about seeing that Giants fan again.† â€Å"Is that why you've been so quiet today?† my brother asks, as if he has forgotten all about what happened before the last home game. â€Å"I doubt a Giants fan will show up at the Green Bay game, but we're going to set up in a different parking lot anyway, just in case any of the asshole's friends are looking for us. I got your back. Don't worry. The fat guys are setting up the tent in the lot behind the Wachovia Center. No worries at all.† When we arrive at Broad and Pattison, we exit the subway car and climb back up into the afternoon. I follow my brother through the thin crowds of diehards who – like us – have begun tailgating seven hours before kickoff, on a Monday no less. We walk past the Wachovia Center, and when the fat men's green tent comes into view, I can't believe what I see. The fat men are outside of the tent with Scott, and they are yelling at someone hidden by their collective girth. A huge school bus painted green – it's running, and the driver is inching toward our tent. On the hood of the bus is a portrait of Brian Dawkins's bust, and the likeness is incredible. (Dawkins is a regular Pro Bowler who plays free safety for the Birds.) As we get closer, I make out the words the asian invasion along the side of the bus, which is full of brown-faced men. This early in the afternoon, parking spaces are plentiful, so I wonder what the argument is about. Soon I recognize the voice, which argues, â€Å"The Asian Invasion has been parked in this very spot for every home game since the Linc was opened. It's good luck for the Eagles. We are Eagles fans, just like you. Superstition or not, our parking the Asian Invasion bus in this very spot is crucial if you want the Birds to win tonight.† â€Å"We're not moving our tent,† Scott says. â€Å"No fucking way. You should have gotten here earlier.† The fat men reiterate Scott's sentiment, and things are getting heated. I see Cliff before he sees me. â€Å"Move the tent,† I say to our friends. Scott and the fat men turn to face me; they look surprised by my command, almost bewildered, as if I have betrayed them. My brother and Scott exchange a glance, and then Scott asks, â€Å"Hank Baskett – destroyer of Giants fans – says, ‘Move the tent'?† â€Å"Hank Baskett says, ‘Move the tent,'† I say. Scott turns and faces Cliff, who is shocked to see me. Scott says, â€Å"Hank Baskett says, ‘Move the tent.' So we move the tent.† The fat guys groan, but they begin to break down our tailgate party, and soon it is moved three parking spaces over, along with Scott's van, at which time the Asian Invasion bus pulls forward and parks. Fifty or so Indian men exit – each one of them wearing a green number 20 Dawkins jersey. They are like a small army, and soon, several barbecues are going and the smell of curry is all around us. Cliff played it cool and did not say hello to me, which I realize was his way of saying, â€Å"It's your call, Pat.† He simply faded away into the other Dawkins jerseys, so I would not have to explain our relationship, which was kind of him. When we have our tent resituated, when the fat men are inside watching television, Scott says, â€Å"Hey, Baskett. Why did you let the dot heads have our parking spot?† â€Å"None of them have a dot on their head,† I say. â€Å"Did you know that little guy?† Jake asks me. â€Å"Which little guy, me?† We turn around, and Cliff is standing there with a sizzling platter of vegetables and meat cubes skewered on sticks of wood. â€Å"Indian kabobs. Quite delicious. For allowing us to park the Asian Invasion bus in its usual spot.† When Cliff lifts the platter up, we each grab an Indian kabob, and the meat is spicy, but delicious, as are the vegetables. â€Å"And the men in the tent – would they also like one?† â€Å"Hey, fat-asses,† Scott yells. â€Å"Food.† The fat men come out and partake. Soon everyone is nodding and complimenting Cliff on his delicious food. â€Å"Sorry for the trouble,† Cliff says so nicely. He's been so kind – even after hearing Scott call him a dot head – that I can't help claiming Cliff as a friend, so I say, â€Å"Cliff, this is my brother, Jake, my friend Scott, and †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I forget the fat men's names, so I just say, â€Å"Friends of Scott.† â€Å"Shit,† Scott says. â€Å"You should have just told us you were friends with Baskett here and we wouldn't have given you any trouble. You want a beer?† â€Å"Sure,† Cliff says, putting the empty tray down on the concrete. Scott hands everyone a green plastic cup, we all pour bottles of Yuengling Lager, and then I am drinking beers with my therapist. I am afraid Cliff will yell at me for drinking when I am on medications, but he doesn't. â€Å"How do you guys know each other?† one of the fat guys says, and then I realize that by â€Å"you guys,† he means Cliff and me. I am so happy to be drinking beers with Cliff that I say, â€Å"He's my therapist,† before I can remind myself to lie. â€Å"And we are friends too,† Cliff quickly adds, which surprises me but makes me feel pretty good, especially since no one says anything about my needing a therapist. â€Å"What are your boys doing?† Jake asks Cliff. I turn around and see ten or so men rolling out huge sheets of Astroturf. â€Å"They are rolling out the Kubb fields.† â€Å"What?† everyone says. â€Å"Come on, I'll show you.† And this is how we came to play what Cliff calls the Swedish Viking game while tailgating before Monday Night Football. â€Å"Why do a bunch of Indians play a Swedish Viking game?† one of the fat men asks. â€Å"Because it's fun,† Cliff replies, so cool. The Indian men are quick to share their food and are also so knowledgeable regarding Eagles football. They explain Kubb, which is a game where you throw wooden batons to knock down your opponent's kubbs, which are wooden blocks set up on opposite baselines. The knocked-down kubbs get tossed to the opponents' field and set up where they land. To be truthful, I am still not exactly sure how it all works, but I know the game ends when you clean the opponents' field of kubbs and knock down the kubb king, which is the tallest block of wood, set up in the center of the Astroturf. Cliff surprises me by asking if he can be my partner. All afternoon he tells me which blocks to aim for, and we win many games in between bouts of eating Indian kabobs and drinking our Yuengling Lager and the Asian Invasion's India Pale Ale out of green plastic cups. Jake, Scott, and the fat men assimilate into the Asian Invasion tailgate party very nicely – we have Indians in our tent, they have white guys on their Kubb fields – and I think all it really takes for different people to get along is a common rooting interest and a few beers. Every so often one of the Indian men yells â€Å"Ahhhhhhhh!† and when we all do the chant, we are fifty or so men strong, and our â€Å"E!-A!-G!-L!-E!-S! EAGLES!† is deafening. Cliff is deadly with his wooden batons. He mostly carries our team as we play Kubb against various groupings of men, but we end up winning the money tournament, in which I did not even know we were playing until we won. One of Cliff's boys hands me fifty dollars. Cliff explains that Jake paid my entry fee, so I try to give my brother my winnings, but Jake will not let me. Finally, I decide to buy rounds of beer inside the Linc, and I stop arguing with my brother over money. After the sun sets, when it is just about time to go into Lincoln Financial Field, I ask Cliff if I can talk to him alone, and when we walk away from the Asian Invasion, I say, â€Å"Is this okay?† â€Å"This?† he replies, and the glassy look in his eyes suggests he is a little drunk. â€Å"The two of us hanging out like boys. What my friend Danny would call ‘representing.'† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Well, because you are my therapist.† Cliff smiles, holds up a little brown finger, and says, â€Å"What did I tell you? When I am not in the leather recliner †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You're a fellow Eagles fan.† â€Å"Damn right,† he says, and then claps me on the back. After the game I catch a ride back to Jersey on the Asian Invasion bus, and the Indian men and I sing â€Å"Fly, Eagles, Fly† over and over again because the Eagles have beaten the Packers 31 – 9 on national television. When Cliff's friends drop me off in front of my house, it's after midnight, but the funny driver, who is named Ashwini, hits the horn on the Asian Invasion bus – a special recording of all fifty members screaming â€Å"E!-A!-G!-L!-E!-S! EAGLES!† I worry that maybe they have woken up everyone in my neighborhood, but I can't help laughing as the green bus pulls away. My father is still awake, sitting on the family-room couch watching ESPN. When he sees me, he doesn't say hello, but loudly begins to sing, â€Å"Fly, Eagles, fly. On the road to victory †¦Ã¢â‚¬  So I sing the song one more time with my father, and when we finish the chant at the end, my dad continues to hum the fight song as he marches off to bed without so much as asking me a single question about my day, which has been extraordinary to say the least, even if Hank Baskett only had two catches for twenty-seven yards and has yet to find the end zone. I think about cleaning up my father's empty beer bottles, but I remember what my mother told me about keeping the house filthy while she is on strike. Downstairs, I hit the weights and try not to think about missing Jake's wedding, which still has me down some, even if the Birds did win. I need to work off the beer and the Indian kabobs, so I lift for many hours.