Advertisements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Advertisements - Essay Example However, it is also important for advertisers to employ psychologists who study about what would make consumers tick. For instance, the first products to come out in the market usually set the name of their company to be recognized for those certain products. Toothpastes for example are often associated with Colgate because it was the first to have mass produced it. People for decades stuck to Colgate toothpastes because of the thought that pioneers are the best based from their experience and expertise. Today, however, such ideals are dwindling away. Thus, the modern psychologists of advertisers need to know what has changed in the consumers’ standards in buying products. Taking our example earlier, Colgate toothpaste producers did not stop to where they started but over the years, improved their products. Due to this need to improve and maintain a good quality of products that would be competitive in the market, Colgate also employs chemists who modify the products to meet t he needs of contemporary users. The modern consumers are now more informed and meticulous. Therefore, advertisements are made to appeal to their logic and information. Colgate for instance, has a variety of toothpastes that cater to the different needs of the consumers.

The Whole Foods Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Whole Foods Company - Essay Example With regard to the Company's five main classes of property and equipment, the overall balance for 2005 was $1,054, 605. A slight Depreciation and amortization costs totaled $129.8 million for the year. Accumulated accelerated depreciation and other asset impairments came to an estimated $5.9 million, and interest capitalized during the fiscal year was an estimated $3 million. Further, development costs of new stores approximated $207.8 million. In November of 2005 leases were signed for an additional 65 store developments. As to business combinations, the Company acquired assets from "Select Fish" in October 2003, and from "Fresh and Wild" in January 2004. Select Fish is a seafood processing and distribution factory based in Seattle, Washington. Fresh and Wild operates seven natural and organic food outlets in London and Bristol in England. Both stock acquisitions made use of the "purchase method" so that the purchase price was made on tangible and identifiable intangible assets, which was based on their estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. The estimated losses from Katrina justify this partial-disclosure that; informs stakeholders of the losses incurred due to the unexpected event in New Orleans; provides an estimate for insurance costs; lists losses; and highlights strategies to adapt to the change (e.g., costs written off as store expenses).

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Essay Example for Free

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Essay Aron Ralston’s physiological need was to satisfy his hunger, thirst, and a need to love and be loved. His desire was to be a father. This gave him a purpose to live. His will to live became greater than dying. But thirst and hunger overcame him to a point where he was saving and sipping his own urine to stay alive. I also believe that he had a divine appointment as he was shown insight into his reproductive future by the vision he had of a son. He was also shown that he was going to lose his arm when he saw the preschool boy being scooped up by a one armed man. I do not know if Aron believed in God or if he even had a relationship with my Lord and Savior or not, but I do think that his spiritual development should have grown through his journey. Hunger can put us in a life or death situation. After hours of driving alone in an unfamiliar city, you finally see a diner where you can eat. Even though it looks deserted and a little creepy, you end up stopping because you are really hungry. According to Maslow (pg 407) our need to meet the physiological need of hunger and thirst takes priority over our safety needs prompting us to take risk at times in order to eat. See more:Â  Masters of Satire: John Dryden and Jonathan Swift Essay References Myers, David G. Psychology. New York: Worth, 1998. Print.

The Human Genome Project Essay -- Science Genetics Essays

The Human Genome Project On the brink of the 21st century, genetics is paving the way into a brave, new world where the discoveries being made will bestow upon us tremendous powers and possibilities that are restricted only by our imaginations. Many things long considered "science fiction" are well on their way to becoming reality. Advancements made by the Human Genome Project give us the ability to alter our own destinies along with those of our descendents. However, along with the benefits of increased control over our lives come the uncertainties: Will humankind choose to draw boundaries in regards to genetic choices? Where will those boundaries be? How will this affect our future? Could our deepened knowledge of the power of genetics threaten the biodiversity essential to evolution? Would we, in essence, be "playing God"? One thing is certain- life, as we know it, will never be the same (Rayl, 112). Before one can speculate intellectually about the benefits and uncertainties of genetic study, it is important to understand how we, as humankind, have reached this breaking point of science. The HGP began in 1990 as a 15-year project coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health. It is expected to be complete by 2003, two years ahead of schedule, due to rapid technological advances. The overall goals of this project are to catalog the estimated 80,000- 100,000 genes in the human DNA and to determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical bases that make up the human DNA. This new information will then be stored in databases, as geneticists then develop tools for its analysis. Finally, the HGP is to address the ethical, legal, and social issues that may arise from the genetic research (... ...ty, must agree upon a set of rules and standards that will govern the ethical, legal, and social issues surrounding the final outcome of the project. Clearly, we must do it quickly. References 1- Rayl, A.J.S., et al. "Genetics in the New Millennium." MINNESOTA MONTHLY. Aug., 1999:112- 124. 2- Human Genome Project Information. Obtained 20 Oct., 1999: http://www.ornl.gov/hgmis. 3- "The Future is Now." TIME magazine international. 8 Feb., 1999:VOL. 153 NO. 5. Obtained 20 Oct., 1999: http://www.pathfinder.com/time/magazine/articles/0,3266,20825,00.html. 4- Associated Press. "Unregulated gene testing can be faulty." Star Tribune. 21 Sept., 1999. 5- Holtzman, Neil and Shapiro, David, et al. "Genetic Testing and Public Policy." British Medical Journal. 14 March, 1998: 316(7134). Obtained 17 Nov., 1999: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/316/7134/852.

Compensation and Benefits Plan

Compensation and Benefits Plan November 20, 2011 Compensation and Benefits Plan In this submission Learning Team B (LTB) supports and expands on one team member’s proposal to add a school psychologist at Manzano Day School in Albuquerque, New Mexico to fill an operational gap. LTB outlines a proposal for compensation and benefits plan that meets the needs of the employee and the organization. Specifically, the proposal recommends and justifies an approach for direct pay, incentives, security and health benefits, pay for time not worked, and employee services; moreover, it identifies any obstacles or potential resistant in implementing each recommended approach. Direct Pay When developing a set salaray for the position of School Pshcycologist at Monzano Day school. One must consider the demographics and comparison of other schools in the area. For many years New Mexico public schools have been ranked worst in the country as a result of over crowding, lack of funding, lack of staff, lack of resources and corupt behavior. When comparing the pay scale for a school psychologist working for the Albuquerque Public School(APS) system an individual with a PhD. in Pschology starts at an annual salary of $54,000 (www. aps. edu/human-resources/salary-schedules/salaries/a4-salary-schedule) which is based on a 208 days (8hrs/day) work schedule and then is adjusted according to years of experience and other skills according to a grade step in pay. Manzano Day School would match the same payscale and grading as the public schools offer, in addition to non quanitative incentives as small classroom sizes, multitude of resources, adaquate funding for education and a strong support from the community, board of directors and administration. Incentives Nonprofit organizational goals differ from for-profit firms and require different types of leaders and reward systems. Inability to distribute profits prohibits profit sharing, gain sharing, and stock-ownership incentive plans (Roomkin & Weisbrod, 1999). Firms are increasingly sing variable-pay systems such as pay-for-performance plans to control costs and increase employee efficiency (Cascio, 2010). Such a system is not a good fit for the school psychologist because it would likely reduce intrinsic motivation and could influence objective failure (Bregn, 2010). The major purpose of a school psychologist is â€Å"to achieve positive outcomes for students and systems† (Shriberg, Satchwell, McArdle, & James, 2010, p. 8). Position activities do not have sole influence over outcomes making it difficult to identify conditions to meet to attain a specified bonus incentive (Bregn, 2010). The change in social, emotional, or psychological outcomes is difficult to target, measure, and reward (Roomkin & Weisbrod, 1999). When the link between performance and rewards are weak, the merit-pay system fails (Cascio, 2010). The school psychologist is an intended change agent who leads the charge â€Å"toward positive ends for children, families, schools, and communities† (Shriberg et al, 2010, p. 20). Thus, employee involvement in decision making, empowerment, recognition, training opportunities, and offerance of a supportive nurturing company culture are important nonfinancial rewards (Cascio, 2010). Manzano Day School operates nine calendar months annually; providing the school psychologist a 12-month salary is a unique yet feasible incentive that will help the company attract the right candidate and enhance his or her job satisfaction. Another inherent incentive that produces the same effects is free tuition for the school psychologist’s children if he or she has any. Security and Health Benefits †¦ Randa’s part†¦ Pay for Time Not Worked †¦ Lacy’s part†¦ Employee Services The Age Discrimination in Employment Act requires employers to offer the same group health insurance to every employee no matter what age they are. Employers offer a wide variety of benefits. For companies to be successful in the competitive labor market, firms are fair when offering benefits to employees. This year is the first year employers are offering domestic partner benefits regardless of the person’s sexual orientation and marital status (Casico, 2010). For many years insurance companies only paid out benefits to married couples of the same sex, but because of the diversity of the labor market, firms are being more diverse. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 29 % of private sector workers, and 33% of local and state government workers have health care benefits for domestic partners of the same sex. The benefits vary, depending on the employer and employee characteristics, and whether the domestic partner is of the same or opposite sex (Bureau, 2011). In March 2011, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported paid leave benefits to be the largest available benefit offered by employers, and employers offers 91 % of paid benefits to full-time workers in private industry (Bureau, 2011). Employees offer other work life benefits such as Elder care, child adoption, onsite childcare, subsidized childcare, the ability to convert sick days into personal days, and flexible work schedule (Casico, 2010). Benefits are important and people are committing more to companies because of the benefits. Conclusion Ultimately†¦ need to add some summarized thought that ties the paper together†¦ LTB outlined the compensation and benefits plan proposal for a school psychologist position at the Manzano Day School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Specifically, the proposal recommended and justified an approach for direct pay, incentives, security and health benefits, pay for time not worked, and employee services; furthermore, it identified any obstacles or potential resistant in implementing the recommended approach. References: Bregn, K. (2010). The Logic of the New Pay Systems Revisited-in the Light of Experimental and Behavioral Economics. International Journal Of Public Administration, 33(4), 161-168. doi:10. 1080/01900690903304175 Bureau of Labor Statistics (2011), Employee Benefits in the United States, Retrieved November 17, 2011 from http://www. ls. gov/news. release/ebs2. nr0. htm Cascio, W. F. (2010). Managing human resources: Productivity, quality of work life, profits (8th ed. ) Roomkin, M. J. , & Weisbrod, B. A. (1999). Managerial Compensation and Incentives in For-Profit and Nonprofit Hospitals. Journal Of Law, Economics, & Organization, 15(3), 750-781. Shriberg, D. , Satchwell, M. , McArdle, L. , & James, J. ( 2010). An Exploration of School Psychologists' Beliefs About Effective Leadership Practice in School Psychology. School Psychology Forum, 4(4), 8-21.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

The first impression that the average person might have when reading about the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is that it appears to be greatly beneficial to Americans with disabilities. Certainly, it was intended to be of assistance to these individuals; however, a question remains regarding the degree of assistance that it provided to the, or if it was beneficial at all. The intention of the ADA was to open access to all aspects of society, to people with all kinds of disabilities.It was intended to prevent discrimination against individuals with disabilities in the same way that previous civil rights laws protected people from discrimination based on race or biological sex. The ADA is divided into five sections, called â€Å"titles. † These titles each address certain topics including various regulations for businesses and organizations of almost any size or purpose, requirements for communications over the telephone, and other provisions in terms of providing physical access, as well as other forms of access to the disabled population.Overall, the ADA does provide the valuable protections to many Americans. It allows individuals with disabilities to have access to education, employment, housing who may not have previously had opportunities in these areas. However, the ADA is not without its issues. The language of the ADA at times goes beyond regulating easily defined and delimited impairments that have objectively determined bases to protecting individuals defined as â€Å"impaired† merely because they are affected by people’s perceptions of a condition or illness that they possess.The language of the ADA raises other issues as well, including the suggestions that the ADA is little more than an enforced quota system or that the measure â€Å"infantilizes† the individuals that it claims to protect. This paper will be used to summarize the ADA and describe its history, as well as some of its effects. Some of the indi viduals involved with ADA and its policymaking will be addressed. Finally, this paper will be used to discuss the assumptions and values inherent in the ADA and some recommendations for its change. The History of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 The ADA is a civil rights bill.When it passed into law on July 26, 1990 the people who wrote it expected that it would protect individuals with disabilities in the same manner that the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The ADA is divided into five sections, known as â€Å"titles. † These titles define, suggest, or regulate a number of different issues, including: 1. Equal employment opportunities 2. Access to public services overseen by state and local governments 3. Access to both publicly- and privately-run businesses for people with disabilities whenever possible 4. The availability of telephone and other voice communication services to the hearing impaired 5.Definitions of the breadth, depth, and limits of ADA protections and o f limitations to state immunity, as well as describing technical assistance programs of importance to businesses (Eckert, 2003). Regardless of the size, all state and local governments fall under the provisions of the ADA. The provisions of the ADA also apply to all sizes of business, regardless of how many people are employed by those businesses. Certain exceptions are made, however, when compliance would cause undue hardship for the business that needs to make modifications. Before the 1960s, people with disabilities were often removed from the general population.Previous generations assumed that individuals with disabilities were â€Å"suffering† due sins either they or their ancestors had committed. Children with disabilities were sent to separate schools from other children, if they were educated at all. The first attempts to care for American citizens with disabilities did not come until the nineteenth century, when life was a little easier and people were able to turn to doing charitable acts. These acts sprung from the community having a â€Å"humanitarian religious background that stressed the responsibility of the successful to help the unfortunate† (Rubin & Roessler, 2001, p.6). The first efforts made benefited individuals who were deaf or blind; only later were attempts made to assist individuals who were mentally retarded or mentally ill (Rubin & Roessler, 2001, pp. 6-7). Regardless of these advances, new laws were passed in the second half of the nineteenth century that were based on the scientific theories of eugenics. These laws prohibited people with mental or emotional disabilities from marrying, among other things, to remove them from the gene pool (Rubin & Roessler, 2001, pp.15-18), eventually leading to individuals with disabilities being segregated, including segregation through special education and vocational education. Eventually, as expectations for social responsibility waned, the government took on the role of setting guidelines as to how people with disabilities were treated. Progress first came in terms of worker’s compensation laws and rehabilitation acts. The Depression slowed much of the progress being made in rehabilitation services, but eventually the improved economy resulted in the creation of a number of rehabilitation programs (Rubin & Roessler, 2001, pp.31-32). The period between 1954 and 1972 for that time to be called â€Å"The Golden Era of Rehabilitation† due to all of the legislation enacted during this time (Rubin & Roessler, 2001, p. 34). One of these pieces of legislation was the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1954, which authorized funding for vocational education and expanded services. In addition, amendments to the Social Security Act provided aid for individuals with disabilities (Rubin & Roessler, 2001, pp. 33-36).Despite these efforts, individuals with disabilities still faced discrimination. Even the Civil Rights Act, passed in 1964, did not protect peop le with disabilities from discrimination. However, the Civil Rights Act was the first among this kind of legislation to formulate actual penalties against those states that did no enforce the Act. These penalties included â€Å"termination of financial assistance if states and communities receiving federal funds refuse to comply with federal desegregation orders† (Rubin & Roessler, 2001, p. 42).The Civil Rights Act, however, did provide the foundation for other legislation, such as the Architectural Barriers Act, passed in 1968. In what was quite possibly the most important move for the disabled community, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 removed many physical and intellectual barriers to individuals with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was one of these acts of legislation. The ADA built upon previous acts by prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities, as described in an earlier section.The sociopolitical model came into being at about the same time the ADA was passed. As the medical model fell out of favor, having a disability was no longer considered a stigma and the isolation of individuals with disabilities was slowly put aside. Instead of seeking to segregate the disabled or trying to â€Å"fix† them, the new model is attempting to integrate them and bring equality to the disabled population. Individuals with disabilities were brought into the educational system and into the workforce and were perceived as equals perhaps for the first time in history.Both the ADA and the legislation that reauthorized its provisions addressed many areas of discrimination against individuals with disabilities. As part of this focus on discriminatory practices, Title I of the ADA addressed pre-employment testing and screening. According to Power (2000) the ADA â€Å"mandated when employment testing should be done, and described how testing must relate to the essential functions of the job (p. xiii). Testing accommo dations under the ADA were divided into the categories of medium, time limits, and content (Power, 2000, p. xiii).These limits allowed more individuals with disabilities to have wider scope when taking pre-employment tests, permitting them to test in areas for which they may have previously been arbitrarily deemed unsuited. Positive and Negative Impacts of the ADA However, not all of the effects of this legislation were necessarily positive ones. The ADA undeniably fostered ill feelings in the American public, based on the public’s perception of the ADA being nothing more than legislation that enforced quotas or as legislation that encouraged abuse through its widely inclusive language.This last perception was reinforced by the popular culture in the media, such as its mocking treatment in segments of the popular cartoons The Simpsons and King of the Hill. These two programs featured episodes in which characters deliberately abused the ADA, forcing situations by which they fi t the apparently loose provisions of the act. In the mind of the public, Homer deliberately overeating to fit the definition of â€Å"morbid obesity† and the efforts of Hank Hill’s co-workers to force various personal issues into compliance with the ADA provisions showed how the ADA could reinforce or even reward malingering.The King of the Hill episode took a sly jab in this vein at the ADA by its conclusion, which showed the entire office being â€Å"protected† under the auspices of the ADA, with only the manager being held responsible for doing any work (Krieger, 2000, p. 20). The last scene of that particular King of the Hill episode may be of importance for several reasons. First, as already noted, it sends a subtle message to the American public, many of whom do not have informed opinions about the act, about the ADA.Second, as noted by Cary LaCheen, a parallel exists between the way that the media portrays the ADA and the manner upon which it is ruled in the courts (cited in Krieger, 2000, p. 25). Finally, this final scene might have played on fears that the American public had at the time of the â€Å"high levels of job instability and worker displacement† that characterized the then-current labor market and that potentially bred â€Å"insecurity, fear, and resentment toward employment protections extended to members of disadvantaged groups (Krieger, 2000, p.28). While these publicly-held sentiments are not caused by the ADA itself, they are a response to the frequently vague and over-broad language and interpretations of the language of the act itself. Schwochau and Blanck (2000) suggest that the ADA has actually had a negative effect on the employment of people with disabilities or, at the very least, that the ADA has not created improved working conditions for individuals with disabilities.The authors indicate that at the time that their article was written the figures produced in the surveys provided by the National Org anization on Disability actually reflected a decline in the number of such individuals who were employed (Schwochau & Blanck, 2000, p. 271). The same surveys indicated that educational barriers still remain, with individuals with disabilities still obtaining unequal education despite being largely integrated into the general education population.However, the surveys indicated that there had been some increase in employment for severely disabled individuals (Schwochau & Blanck, 2000, p. 271). Two interesting and potentially disturbing aspects exist in the ADA legislation. One such aspect is that it legislates people’s perceptions; that is, if the perceptions of others cause a person to be perceived as disabled, then that person is protected under the provisions of the ADA (Boyd, 2002, p. 2). Boyd (2002) lists HIV status, disfiguring facial scars, and morbid obesity as three such perceived disabilities (p. 2).Another difficult aspect is that the ADA, intended to prevent discrim ination, is discriminatory in and of itself. It does not recognize the rights of all individuals with disabilities; rather, it recognizes the rights of only those individuals whose disabilities meet the statutory definition of disability (Colker, date, p. 98). While the drafters of this act chose to use longstanding definitions of certain disabilities, adopting some definitions from Section 504 from the Rehabilitation Act, it is clear from the above paragraph that these definitions contain some gray areas.Because individuals who do not meet these defined limits are not covered by the ADA, people who lack disabilities are unable to bring reverse discrimination suits or otherwise â€Å"challenge favorable treatment of individuals with disabilities† (Colker, date, p. 98). This narrow concept of who is covered by the ADA also has the potential to create a type of affirmative action program for individuals with disabilities (Colker, date, p. 98). Previous incarnations of affirmati ve action programs have not been effective for those individuals they allegedly protected.Rather, there has been some argument that affirmative action programs that emphasize the â€Å"needs† rather than the â€Å"rights† of certain groups actually â€Å"infantilize† those individuals (Burke, 1997, p. 271). Who is Involved in the Debate? The debate on the ADA is widespread and covers many areas of society. On the one hand, the National Organization on Disability and other similar groups stand in advocacy of individuals with disabilities. Educators at all levels have also taken up the banner of accessibility and inclusion.Economists, on the other hand, appear to be arguing that the ADA is not as beneficial as it was once thought it could be. Regardless of these positions, however, the influence of the ADA continues to be debated. One source of current debate comes from the technology sector. Because the ADA grants equal access to individuals with disabilities, on e question that currently exists is whether or not this guarantee of access extends to commercial and private websites (National Council on Disability, 2003, par. 1). This debate extends from Title 3 of the ADA and the definition of the word â€Å"place† as used in that title.If individuals with disabilities are unable to access these site through electronic aids such as synthetic speech or Braille outputs, are the parties who run these sites liable to provide them access (National Council on Disability, 2003, par. 12). Although a great deal of the access issue can be resolved with a small amount of additional programming effort, how far is it necessary to go to be in compliance with the ADA–or does it extend at all to the Internet? Although the answer to this question has been ruled as â€Å"no† in the past, advocacy groups continue to argue that the provisions of the ADA cover more than just physical spaces.One perception of the ADA is that the law â€Å"forc es† equality by requiring employers to treat individuals with disabilities differently to permit them to function as other employees’ equals. However, as Schwochau and Blanck (2000) points out, companies are already in the position of purchasing equipment by which employees can perform their jobs in an equitable fashion. Purchasing a piece of equipment that enables an individual with a disability to do his or her job should be considered â€Å"no more than standard practice† (p. 312).However, the cost of the accommodations that required by the ADA may outweigh the benefits to the employer, â€Å"resulting in market inefficiencies and welfare losses† (Schwochau, Blanck, 2000, p. 308). The primary assumption of the ADA appears to be that a person with a disability is as capable as any other worker might be, given the chance. The National Organization on Disability (NOD) paints a rosy picture of this assumption, reminding employers that among other things: o Hiring individuals with disabilities eases concern over the labor supplyo Job performance ratings and retention rates for individuals with disabilities are equal to or higher than for other workers, while at the same time exhibiting lower absenteeism rates o Tax benefits are available to companies that hire individuals with disabilities (National Organization on Disability Website) However, these assumptions may not be as widespread in practice as they are in discussion. According to Maheady and Fleming (2005) it is common for nurse educators and facility administrators to â€Å"voice concerns and hold preconceived notions of success or failure before the student [with a disability] even steps on their floor† (p.52). These concerns and notions include the accommodations that will need to be made and the issue of patient safety (Maheady & Fleming, 2005, p. 52). Recommendations and Rationale for Change One potentially helpful change would be to change the language of the ADA, p articularly the language concerning the terms â€Å"reasonable accommodation† and â€Å"undue hardship,† as well as the language that defines disabilities. The language currently in use in these areas of the ADA is both vague and broad in its application.As shown by the exaggerated situations used to comedic effect by the television programs described above, the vague definitions of these terms are open to abuse. If it is reasonable for a person to provide assistance for a person with a hearing impairment to use the telephone, why would it be unreasonable to provide the addict depicted in the King of the Hill episode with lowered lights and a quiet environment? At what point does â€Å"undue hardship† begin if there is no financial cost to the business?When does the â€Å"reasonable accommodation† for one worker begin to impose on another if that imposition is not defined by physical space? In many cases, however, this episode demonstrates the opposite of how individuals with disabilities are treated. Rather than making an extra effort to comply with the reasonable accommodation aspect of the ADA, employers seek to avoid making changes in the workplace. However, individuals with disabilities would often stay in the workforce longer if they would get accommodation.Ultimately, changing the language of the ADA to reflect making these accommodations would save the government money in the long run, by removing people from the welfare rolls, which, ultimately, would serve the public good–and would serve business–by avoiding higher taxes. Another limitation of the ADA is its lack of precision in matters of Internet access. The ADA is legislation of the 1990s; new concerns now exist in terms of online communication that might be addressed by a modified ADA. Although computers were online to a certain extent when the ADA was compiled, the Internet has become far more pervasive since that time.Technology does exist that enables individuals with hearing or visual impairments to use the Internet; however, what is the obligation to the employer to provide this costly equipment to a single employee? Would a refusal to provide this equipment be covered by the â€Å"undue hardship† area of the ADA, or would it constitute discrimination. Without an update to the language of the ADA, situations created by current and future technology will remain unaddressed. Rather than rely on the input of a small selection of interest groups, it would seem wise to widen the scope of information gathering for these proposed modifications.Community seminars could be used to form local focus groups, which in turn could produce reports to be compiled into a block of regional or nationwide research. These seminars would have the beneficial side effects of informing the public and enabling them to feel empowered as they provide their input on something that has an effect on their working lives. At the same time, these focus gr oups could serve to change the opinion of the public about individuals with disabilities, as some people in the general public have the impression that members of the disabled population do not want to work.In addition to these focus groups, councils formed by those individuals who work with the disabled community and members of the business community might be established to discuss and define an alternative to the terms â€Å"undue hardship† and â€Å"reasonable accommodation. † These and other questions should be addressed to improve both public perception of the ADA and its application in the business world Finally, changes could also be made to the ADA in terms of defining disability. Public perception of a person with a disability is that of a person in a wheelchair.This stereotyped perception leads to wheelchair ramps being installed outside of public buildings, such as schools, or even outside of some privately owned business and retail stores. However, not all disabilities are visible. Some individuals have disabilities related to heart disease or immunodeficiency diseases. These individuals often have difficulty breathing or lack energy and lack the ability to climb stairs. Their only alternative in these situations is that of walking long distances through these ramps, which may actually aggravate the conditions that they possess.By creating a more inclusive list of disabilities and their definitions that is reflective of these hidden and unfamiliar conditions, more appropriate accommodations might become more available to a greater portion of the disabled community. Conclusion Throughout the history of the profession, social workers have been involved in seeking social equality and social justice for people caught in an unequal and often unfair system. Within this role, social workers have often actively participated in the political process.Therefore, social workers have an obligation to lobby local, state, and even federal legislatur es to pass laws that grant businesses money to make the specific accommodations required by people with disabilities. Some funding already exists; however, it does not meet the needs of either individuals with disabilities or of the businesses seeking to accommodate them. The ADA created a new realm of opportunity for individuals with disabilities. However, while well intentioned, some of the aspects of the ADA are problematic. Economic results do not reflect the predictions made by the supporters of the bill before it passed into law.In addition, some areas of the ADA are in need of modification to reflect today’s concerns. Although the ADA is a stride in the right direction for individuals with disabilities, the journey toward equal rights and access for these individuals remains a long one. In truth, the ADA should not be considered a finished product, neither now or in the future. As society changes and the use of technology grows, the ADA will need to be redesigned and r edefined to take these changes into consideration. The future of the United States is formed by the future of its people, no matter who they are or what their abilities might be.For that reason, the ADA as it exists now should be considered the starting point, not the ending point, for this piece of legislation. References Boyd, S. (2002). Americans with Disabilities Act: How this act affects you and your business. Heritage, 6(3). http://bus. cba. utulsa. edu/buslaw/Articles/Americans%20With%20Disabilities%20Act. pdf Burke, T. F. (1997). On the rights track: The Americans with disabilities act. Comparative Disadvantages? Social Regulations and the Global Economy, Pietro S. Nivlola, Ed. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press. 242-318. http://bus.cba. utulsa. edu/buslaw/Articles/Americans%20With%20Disabilities%20Act. pdf Colker, R. (2005). The disability pendulum: The first decade of the Americans with Disabilities Act. New York: New York University. Eckert, J. M. (2003). People with disabilities, employment, & the workplace: A ready-reference guide for Illinois Businesses. Chicago: Statewide Independent Living Council of Illinois. Krieger, L. (2000). Backlash against the Americans with Disabilities Act: Interdisciplinary perspectives and implications for social justice strategies. Boalt Working Papers in Public Law.Retrieved 13 May 2007 from http://repositories. cdlib. org/cgi/viewcontent. cgi? article=1089&context=boaltwp Maheady, D. C. , & Fleming, S. E. (2005, Summer). Nursing with the hand you are given. Minority Nurse. 50-54. National Council on Disability (2003). When the Americans with Disabilities Act goes online: Application of the ADA to the Internet and the Worldwide Web. http://www. ncd. gov/newsroom/publications/2003/adainternet. htm National Organization on Disability. (2001). The top 10 reasons to hire People with disabilities. http://www. nod. org/index. cfm?fuseaction=page. viewPage&pageID=1430&nodeID=1&FeatureID=253&redirected=1&CFID=1307 6268&CFTOKEN=7389169 Power, P. W. (2000). A guide to vocational assessment. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed. Rubin, S. E. , & Roessler, R. T. (2001). Foundations of the vocational rehabilitation process. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed. Schwochau, S. , & Blanck, P. D. (2000). The economics of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Part III: Does the ADA disable the disabled? Berkeley Journal of Employment and Labor Law, 21: 271-313. Retrieved 10 May 2007 from http://www. boalt. org/BJELL/21-1/21-1-271. pdf

Battle of Gazala in World War II

Battle of Gazala in World War II The Battle of Gazala was fought May 26 to June 21, 1942, during the Western Desert Campaign of World War II (1939-1945). Despite having been thrown back in late 1941, General Erwin Rommel began pushing east across Libya early the following year. Responding, Allied forces constructed a fortified line at Gazala which extended south from the Mediterranean coast. On May 26, Rommel opened operations against this position by attempting to flank it from the south with the goal of trapping Allied forces near the coast. In nearly a month of fighting, Rommel was able to shatter the Gazala line and send the Allies retreating back into Egypt. Background In the wake of Operation Crusader in late 1941, General Erwin Rommels German and Italian forces were compelled to retreat west to at El Agheila. Assuming a new position behind a strong line of fortifications, Rommels Panzer Army Afrika was not attacked by British forces under General Sir Claude Auchinleck and Major General Neil Ritchie. This was largely due to the British need to consolidate their gains and build a logistical network after an advance of over 500 miles. Largely pleased with the offensive, the two British commanders had succeeded in relieving the siege of Tobruk (Map). Major General Neil Ritchie (center) addressing other officers in North Africa, May 31, 1942. Public Domain As a result of the need to improve their supply lines, the British reduced their frontline troop strength in the area of El Agheila. Probing the Allied lines in January 1942, Rommel found little opposition and began a limited offensive east. Retaking Benghazi (January 28) and Timimi (February 3), he pushed on towards Tobruk. Rushing to consolidate their forces, the British formed a new line west of Tobruk and extending south from Gazala. Beginning at the coast, the Gazala line extended 50 miles south where it was anchored on the town of Bir Hakeim. To cover this line, Auchinleck and Ritchie deployed their troops in brigade-strength boxes which were linked by barbed wire and minefields. The bulk of the Allied troops were placed near the coast with progressively fewer as the line extended into the desert. The defense of Bir Hakeim was assigned to a brigade of the 1st Free French Division. As the spring progressed, both sides took time to resupply and refit. On the Allied side, this saw the arrival of new General Grant tanks which could match the German Panzer IV as well as improvements in coordination between the Desert Air Force and troops on the ground. Rommels Plan Assessing the situation, Rommel devised a plan for a sweeping flank attack around Bir Hakeim designed to destroy the British armor and cut off those divisions along the Gazala Line. To execute this offensive, he intended the Italian 132nd Armored Division Ariete to assault Bir Hakeim while the 21st and 15th Panzer Divisions swung around the Allied flank to attack their rear. This maneuver would be supported by the 90th Light Afrika Division Battle Group which was to move around the Allied flank to El Adem to block reinforcements from joining the battle. Fast Facts: Battle of Gazala Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)Dates: May 26-June 21, 1942Armies Commanders:AlliesGeneral Sir Claude AuchinleckMajor General Neil Ritchie175,000 men, 843 tanksAxisGeneral Erwin Rommel80,000 men, 560 tanksCasualties:Allies: approx. 98,000 men killed, wounded, and captured as well as around 540 tanksAxis: approx. 32,000 casualties and 114 tanks Fighting Begins To complete the attack, elements of the Italian XX Motorized Corps and 101st Motorized Division Trieste were to clear a path through the minefields north of Bir Hakeim and near the Sidi Muftah box to supply the armored advance. To hold Allied troops in place, the Italian X and XXI Corps would assault the Gazala Line near the coast. At 2:00 PM on May 26, these formations moved forward. That night, Rommel personally led his mobile forces as they began the flanking maneuver. Almost immediately the plan began to unravel as the French mounted a vigorous defense of Bir Hakeim, repelling the Italians (Map). A short distance to the southeast, Rommels forces were held up for several hours by the 7th Armoured Divisions 3rd Indian Motor Brigade. Though they were forced to withdraw, they inflicted heavy losses on the attackers. By midday on the 27th, the momentum of Rommels attack was faltering as British armor entered the battle and Bir Hakeim held out. Only the 90th Light had clear success, over-running the 7th Armoured Divisions advance headquarters and reaching the El Adem area. As fighting raged over the next several days, Rommels forces became trapped in an area known as The Cauldron (Map). Turning the Tide This area saw his men trapped by Bir Hakeim to the south, Tobruk to the north, and the minefields of the original Allied line to the west. Under constant assault by Allied armor from the north and east, Rommels supply situation was reaching critical levels and he began to contemplate surrender. These thoughts were erased when early on May 29 supply trucks, supported by the Italian Trieste and Ariete Divisions, breached the minefields north Bir Hakeim. Able to re-supply, Rommel attacked west on May 30 to link up with the Italian X Corps. Destroying the Sidi Muftah box, he was able to split the Allied front in two. On June 1, Rommel dispatched the 90th Light and Trieste divisions to reduce Bir Hakeim, but their efforts were repulsed. At the British headquarters, Auchinleck, fueled by overly-optimistic intelligence assessments, pushed Ritchie to counterattack along the coast to reach Timimi. Rather than oblige his superior, Ritchie instead focused on covering Tobruk and reinforcing the box around El Adem. On June 5 a counterattack did move forward, but Eighth Army made no progress. That afternoon, Rommel decided to attack east towards Bir el Hatmat and north against the Knightsbridge Box. Italian Ariete Division tanks at the Battle of Gazala, June 10, 1942. Public Domain The former succeeded in overrunning the tactical headquarters of two British divisions leading to a breakdown of command and control in the area. As a result, several units were severely beaten through the afternoon and on June 6. Continuing to build strength in the Cauldron, Rommel conducted several attacks on Bir Hakeim between June 6 and 8, significantly reducing the French perimeter. By June 10 their defenses had been shattered and Ritchie ordered them to evacuate. In a series of attacks around the Knightsbridge and El Adem boxes on June 11-13, Rommels forces dealt the British armor a severe defeat. After abandoning Knightsbridge on the evening of the 13, Ritchie was authorized to retreat from the Gazala Line the next day. With Allied forces holding the El Adem area, the 1st South African Division was able to retreat along the coast road intact, though the 50th (Northumbrian) Division was forced to attack south into the desert before turning east to reach friendly lines. The boxes at El Adem and Sidi Rezegh were evacuated on June 17 and the garrison at Tobruk was left to defend itself. Though ordered to hold a line west of Tobruk at Acroma, this proved unfeasible and Ritchie began a long retreat back to Mersa Matruh in Egypt. Though Allied leaders expected Tobruk to be able to hold out for two or three months on existing supplies, it was surrendered on June 21. Captured Allied soldiers march out of Tobruk, June 1942. Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-785-0294-32A / Tannenberg / CC-BY-SA 3.0 Aftermath The Battle of Gazala cost the Allies around 98,000 men killed, wounded, and captured as well as around 540 tanks. Axis losses were approximately 32,000 casualties and 114 tanks. For his victory and the capture of Tobruk, Rommel was promoted to field marshal by Hitler. Assessing the position at Mersa Matruh, Auchinleck decided to abandon it in favor of a stronger one at El Alamein. Rommel assaulted this position in July but made no progress. A final effort was made the Battle of Alam Halfa in late August with no results.